City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, good evening. Good evening.

Is there any chance that you have enoughbody yet? Not yet. Okay. I'm delivering that was for Christmas. Oh, thank you. Nice Valentine's Day. And this is this was, you know, kind of my garden. Yeah, because this is yours.

Oh, okay. This is your What's this? Are you better, Miss Manica? Yes.

I missed everybody. What happened Christmas? We didn't have a meeting. No, no, no, no. Uh they they canled it over an email. Scheduled meeting got cancelceled over email. Yeah. And I didn't make the staff because I had

I can't even show up out there unless I send the sav first. The sad. Yeah, I nailed it so that they got

I'm gonna make some for Valentine's Day. So, I get my strength up. 10. Is it supposed to

monthlight savings time will be March 8. So it was lighter this morning. earlier.

On the other side, we're at the halfway point. Yes,

thank god. running.

Thank you. Have a blessed Christmas.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to City of Highland Park City Council Inerson virtual workshop meeting scheduled for Monday, February 2nd, 2026. Madam Cler, could you please call up? Councilman Shafi, present. Councilwoman Martin, here. Councilwoman Manica here. Council Pro Robinson present. Council President Thomas.

Workshop agenda is in front of us. I received an email from the CD director asking to host this workshop. The items to be discussed tonight are number one, the Highland Park Economic Development Strategy Plan. And item number two, the Michigan Indigent Defense Fund Grant E20260117 from the state of Michigan. At this point, I'll turn the floor over to our CD director, Mr. Clber. Good evening. Good evening.

Um, so before I bring Donovan up, I'm in front of you from the request of the council wanting to move the EDS strategy to a workshop. So, I just want to give a little bit of background on how we got here. Um about a year and a half ago, we did anou with the state and part of that was to bring on McKenna for general planning services and that was to put together the economic development strategy, the capital improvement plan, make updates to the master plan and the zoning ordinance. Um we we had a committee a steering committee which encompassed um the state treasurer, the state land bank, Wayne County economic development, Wayne County Land Bank, Simco, MEEDC, MISTA, and we just chopped out a lot of things that was going on on that level for years when it comes to the city of Highland Park. And the first task was to do the economic development strategy. So last year we did three community engagement events. Um May 29th we had a forum. June 4th we did a lunch and learn talking about small business. And June 10th we did a open house to discuss what the community would like to see when it comes to economic development strategy. And again this is the first step. Um the master plan updating the master plan is more of the lift. That's where we will want to get into more community engagement. um bring a council member on as part of the steering committee to um discuss updating the master land use plan which would also um include the zoning. So we did take it to the planning commission where it was open meeting there. Residents had a chance to you know come ask questions. It was good input from the planning commission and we did take a few um comments from the public and now the planning commission they they

recommended adoption to the council. Um he had a chance to review it. Uh so now we're here and we're asking for um adoption from this for this economic de development strategy and Donovan he's going to answer all the questions. floor is yours, sir.

Thank you. Uh, happy Black History Month. Um, so as Carl indicated, the economic development strategy is the first part um, and what essentially is a three-part planning process. uh we'll be updating the master plan which will be specific to uh housing programs and a housing framework uh where we'll be coordinating a lot of community engagement um asking you all to participate and that will happen uh the first round is tentative at the end of May um and then there'll be a second round of community engagement towards the end of the summer after we get the adoption of the master plan um so we'll be sharing that with you as we get closer to however this economic development strategy is just the the first step. It established a uh a broad high level uh map where we started to establish certain areas that we want to start looking at. Uh we established neighborhood zones that we'll be using to uh community engage and develop a housing neighborhood strategy which will happen after the master plan uh amendment. Um and then it creates a list of imple implementation plan goals and objectives that the department can start to work and implement um over the next couple years. Um so it is part as I said of a of a larger planning framework. Um all of this is grant funded. So we are working to accomplish uh this plan adopted as well as the master plan and the neighborhood uh strategic framework. We're looking to adopt all of those this year. Um, so it is a bit of a heavy lift, but it's um this is a great time. Uh, the document does lay out a good foundation. Um, and we have a lot of good data. We updated a lot of the demographics that are in your current master plan. We'll continue to up those with the amendment. Um, as well as pulling on housing strategies outlined by the state uh and two-year master plan. And then um in addition to we'll be updating the future land use plan and

the zoning ordinance. All of those are outlined as a first step within the document. Um, so the goal was to just grocery list all the things we want to do from an economic development perspective and then start to incorporate those into the more long range 10 15 year plans that is your master plan. So um, if you have any questions, I'm all here for you. I'm still reviewing at back to you at the next council meeting. So, thank you. Additional questions you have under here. Um, one, two, three, four, like five names of acquisitions. What is that?

So, it we just haven't filled those names in yet. So, uh, once we get the final draft, we would update. I think that's the last page that we just have to update. We took it to the first round planning commission, I believe in November, and we intended to have it done by uh, December. just that page specifically, but just because the way the meeting is lined up, we just haven't gotten that update. But it would just show all of staff, all of council, um the steering committee would be listed. So it would just be current. It would be What time would you um pick those positions? It'd be all the existing positions. So that's just saying these are all the current staff, council members currently in in office or working for the city.

We will list all five. It's just a page that says these are the council members. This is who the mayor is. This is who the economic development director is. It's just listing your staff. You say this a council member y'all want to sit on the board. Have y'all made an idea to that council member going to be? We have not made an exact what's the that was going to come up in this conversation if anybody wanted to volunteer, but it would be the steering committee to specifically work on the master plan update. Well, it should be one of the three of them. Yeah. So, so who whoever like so whoever be part of the steering committee we're still going to work in the district for community engagement.

So, you know, we were thinking maybe so like at large suggestion it should be one to three women. I mean that's on I know I got Yeah. Yeah. That's, you know, we like we we going to decide for you, you know, it's like we want to invite a council member to the steering committee. So, that was really going to come from y'all. Yeah. So, you're going to have a a steering committee and then two plus two council members. No, no. The council member will become a member of the steering committee.

You have a steering committee with two positions and then you have city council with two positions, city leadership. That page is just a placeholder. So that's unrelated to the master plan. But the master plan will be a steering committee of the same individuals. Um a lot of the community partners, the state land bank, uh the state treasury, Wayne County, um I think Wayne's on that list as well. And then we would also include a member of council. So it probably be this is a suggestion. It should be two council members. and I'll volunteer for the second in case one can't make it. Okay, no problem. I like that even more. So,

great. Um, so we'll be So, now I'm kind of speaking to you too directly, council person. We are looking the date I believe is the 12th of February. Do you remember the steering committee date off the 10th? The 10th. The 10th of February at 1:00. One o'clock. So, we'll have uh it'll be virtual. Virtual. Yeah. So, we'll make sure we share that invite with you. Um, and then you'll start to get all the documents as we start sharing uh information with the steering committee so you'll be up to date. And then when we do set the hard dates for the community engagement towards the end of May, we'll update you as well. I see you over here. M

you said that um were you about to say that that all districts going to be what were you about to say about all districts? as we do community engagement, you know, we we look to get into the district. So, we're reaching out. So, although there's two members on the steering committee, we still want to work with concept to do the community. That's all. So, why did you volunteer the women? Because I feel like one of the three of y'all have a better uh better level head than me all like one of the three y'all would have. You can't speak for Jamal.

Mr. Smith, I advocate. I was a planning commissioner for six years and the chairman on the zoning board for eight years. I'm good. I I trust the people and they can do that. Thank you. One of the things I'm sure they have it somewhere, but they not might need a fresh copy of the existing master plan. Thank you. So they get a side by side that might help if we put that in their inbox also so that they understand that we are just amending amending yes the current master plan that's require I think that's state law will show the amendment

so we haven't started so the one that we have

the 20 so I'll give a little context city's master plans are mandated by state law to be updated every 5 to 10 years. Highland Park's master plan master plan I believe is a 2017 master plan. Highland Park 2030. So here we are six or so years later. You could uh spend the money to do a full update which takes a a lot longer. It's a bigger lift. Um but we don't have the the grant that we received was just to do an amendment. So what it will allow it will give you another five years of life. Um, so it'll get you all the way to 2030 as the plan projects and we'll be making a pretty much a halfway update. So we'll look at how it is today. Um, look at the initiatives you placed in it and then we'll carry those forward and then we'll also update them with new initiatives. The planning commission this coming up Wednesday, your second Wednesday of this this month, we'll be introducing and um the get the exact name right. We did a review of your existing master plan.

Mr. Smith, is this the master plan that this is the last copy? Yes. It's gonna be in everybody's email. Okay. That's what I'm saying. I sent it, right? I sent it to everybody. Yeah. Yep. Thank you. So, uh on the understanding my email just got back online. You know what I'm saying? I just got it fixed today. So, I've been out of the minute. Okay. So, it was in that binder. Yeah, it had the zoning ordinance, master plan, park, uh, downtown strategic plan, all those documents. Okay, but we'll give you another

So, how did you come about choosing which ones to update, which part of the master plan to update? How did you come about that? So specifically we're updating the housing and the economic development portions. You say housing

currently your plan couple things. It has dated demographics. So we have to update the demographics. So you have new data and then it your 2030 master plan is more of a policy plan. So it doesn't lay out a lot of action steps related to housing. It has one two three nine housing policies that you should start to address. we're just going to expand on that. So, we're going to use the neighborhood framework um and our plan to do deeper engagement with the neighborhoods as the amendment. So, that' be the update. We're just going to be a bit more specific about what those goals and objectives are based on the input we get from community engagement. You said housing other

economic development and that'll be the dubtail to this plan. And then uh so the planning commission coming up will be introducing uh the summary of your existing master plan and some of the opportunities that we can we've identified that can be updated. So we could also share that document with council. So you just have that so you'll be aware of it. And then when we do updates to master plan we have to put a notice out um that says hi this community is going through a master

we mail it to all the neighboring communities. So, it's not a chronicle notice like a public notice. It's just a mailing notice. So, like Detroit um primarily, right? We'll get the notice and it'll say we are in the process of uh amending our master plan. We will forward a copy of that notice to you as well. So, you'll see what that notice is and who we're sending it to and that'll be coming out around the 10th as well. Was there anything in that master plan that was actually executed or was it just a plan that sat on the shelf to collect

parts of the um some of the zoning made it into the plan but not a lot of it. So there's a lot of space to update the zoning and a good portion of it probably did sit on the shelf. So we're amending something that s on the shelf and the only reason why I'm saying that because There's some addition. Did I hear you Wayne County? Yes. Okay. Because some follow there's a commitment to demolishing structures. And I don't know if that was in the master plan before, but it a significant amount of structures were demolished since 2017.

And I know that the county has a plan to demolish some more like the big building on Far Park, which is a big issue for the community. people that live around there Scott uh like live right next door to that people are interested in that. So is that something is that demolition structures that the city needs um help with you know because CDBG money doesn't pay for commercial structures be torn down. Is that an action item that can into the master plan. So if the master plan is actually doing something other than just you know

Yes, it would state law.

Yes, it would do both. Uh this current economic strategy refers to the demolition plan that will make it into the master plan under economic development and then the housing will pick up the new construction in those areas. So you'll get both. You'll get demolition and new truck. And then the other thing, so the city entered into an last year, state plan B and the goal was to meet on a regular basis and figure out how to take all the properties that are owned by the entities and assemble them into developable parsons. Has that happened? Yes,

that is a part of this process. So, is that an action plan now that's going to go into the master plan? Yes. Yes. This year, we have a whole change in the government structure at the state level. Yes. 100%. That while we still have that support because that would be something that community community needs to see something plan be built. Correct.

Um who going to see that? the my goal is to have this adopted in six months and then once you have that you'll see it and then you'll see the next iteration of it in the following six months as we do the neighborhood stabilization plan. So, so, so demolition depending commercial structure demolition and the assembling of parcels from these land banks that are supposed to be meeting as part of the I don't know council's been involved with that but the goal was to have them involved as well. Correct.

Yeah. So we so we identified that in the economic development strategy. We adopt the economic de development strategy development strategy which says we want to do that and then we include that codified within your master plan and then that will project it out five 10 or so years and then the framework that follows will be the implementation of that action itself. One of the things that I really dislike is timets that are out there that are so far that we forget about.

So, it's kind of nice to have like a 30-day plan, be back in 30 days to report, you know, 60-day, 90day, 120 days, because if you say something's going to get down to six months, then you know something happens and it's delayed and then it's 12 months and you're not really seeing any action. I know the state has committed funds and I know the state still has funds. So I don't want us to squander any funds that we could be utilizing because we got a plan that's so far off. I I agree. And and the first step is to get a plan that's adoptable, right? Once you have an adoptable plan, you can go to the state and say, "We put it in the plan. We adopted it. Can we have the funds to implement this plan?"

So what you're saying is current master plan has nothing in it that we can adopt and put into action. it is dated. So a lot of those strategies were six, seven years old now and we're in a very different place called COVID. So we want to update those, get those current and then you can implement those 30, 60 days, however fast you want to implement.

So Mr. Smith, in this um plan as far as the demos and everything, especially the huge apartment building on Fair Park, will the process like the total process be implemented into this? um strategic plan on how you have to get court documents and you have to notify the neighborhood. So whatever you have to go in there and pull out the building and the air quality and all that in there it could be included. Yes. Yes.

So um council pro I don't want to leave out the fact that there are two apartment in the city on both belong to the city. one that's on Fair Park, the one that's on man. The Alberan building is on Fair Park and the one with the entire roof burn out on it is on McLean Street. So, we need to see something done with both of those buildings. I know people keep mentioning the fan park, but I want to remind y'all the more we sit here and allow those buildings to sit there unattended to,

you remember what happened on Tuxedo when a piece of the building before they bought it had fell off and almost hit somebody walking on the sidewalk. Okay. And that's a real danger here on Warwood Avenue. So, it's something that needs to be addressed.

I I I agree. And then I would also add the the two biggest changes that you will see come out of this plan is the updates to your future land use and your zoning map. Um I introduced some zoning changes in your previous meeting and kind of started to share that we need to make updates to that map. That map is significantly holding back economic development in the city. U so those sites in particular if the underlining zoning does not support redevelopment it will not get redeveloped. it would be too cost prohibitive too. So a part in that process we'll be introducing within the next 30 to 45 days recommendations to the future land use and zoning map. We'll share those with you as we get closer to but we have to make updates to those documents and adopt them because if we don't it is extremely difficult to convince private developers to invest in the city when they cannot get proper zoning to do the developments that we're asking for. give us an example of a big problem

in your the last two sets of resonings that I brought. Uh Oakman was zoned residential. We cannot get any development on Oakland because it is owned residential. Uh until we resone it out

until we get it out of residential into a commercial district, nobody will develop any property over there. Similar with those properties over on Second and Bartlett. Uh, I think that one did pass. So, those are now will be zoned properly for development, but they were zoned residential. If someone wants to purchase a property to build a strip mall or an apartment building, if it is zoned residential, they have to go through this 2, three, four month process, spend the money to ask to get it to reszone. And if it doesn't get approved, then they will leave and go to another community. So, we have to make sure the zoning is conducive to the types of development you're looking for, which will streamline that process and make it easier to attract develop on right before you get.

Okay. So, how will that be affected if we change? The district we proposed did not impact them negatively. The MUV district allows single families, duplexes. Yes. The mixed use allows single family mixed use and the commercial uses that would be uh permitted in that corridor. So we have the two that's coming up the two zoning areas. The the last we have people who want to develop to both those areas. We have a number of other zoning areas like it's 10 more it's five more that needs to be reszoned. So that I know we did this because we have some people who want to develop. Mhm.

Once we have them out the way or you know the zoning out the way, when are you bringing the other areas because it sounds like there's many other areas that need to be resolved. Do we have a number and roughly about roughly about 10 areas that we're looking at throughout the entire city. It's not particular to one particular area. So throughout the city, there are about 10 areas that we're looking at um that need various updates to zoning and we're looking to bring those I want to bring you the future land use and zoning at the same time and do a planning 101 so you can kind of understand how those documents work together. I anticipate that'll be March.

Okay. When you say bring them to us, you mean in a workshop? Yes. It's um it's from um the area from six mile and Hamilton to uh to Hamilton and Puritan. Is that misuse? Is that zone misuse or is it just zone residential? I believe it's zone mixed use on both sides. Y and then it stops just when you get to the other side of Davidson. Okay. Yeah. So I believe Davidson South is not mixed use or portions of it and portions of it are not. Okay.

Do we are on are on W are any of those areas on W? Yes. So, uh adjacent to the greenway. We're looking at that area. And then along Woodward, you have what is called the to district. Um which does some good things and it does some kind of inconvenient things. Um the TOD district encroaches into the residential neighborhoods but the to

yes the to district however doesn't allow single family homes. So what it does is it says this is a transit oriented district but it makes a lot of those neighborhoods that it is located in non-conforming because there are homes there that according to that district cannot be there. Um, so that's an area we're looking at to either take those neighborhoods and convert them into a standard residential zoning district or come up with a different district to accommodate what that district is trying to accomplish but permitting single family homes. So, we'll be looking at that. Um, you'll get an update on that one. And then you also have your single family historical district, um, which is a little strange. it it outlines a former historic district, but it is not any different from your regular histo uh single family districts. So, we'll be looking at either codifying that with more details or consolidating that with other residential districts.

That being said about the historical district, isn't it a historical approve historical commission? Yeah, something like that.

It it is in this document. Uh so currently, I believe it was 2018, 19 or 20. I think it was 20 actually. Highland Park uh was designated a certified local government uh district or unit which is particular to saying you have all the requirements to be uh for your historic district commission. So identified in that plan, we want to re-engage that commission uh allow it to start meeting on a regular cadence and basis and then we can start to utilize the historic district uh proper for the residential areas but also the uh model T plant is a historic district site. So before any development happens there, it will have to go through the historic district. So if we do got a if we do have a developer that comes in the next year or so and says they want to do something there, we got to facilitate a process to get them in front of the historic district commission before anything can happen in that site. So that's one of the actions outlined in that document.

Mr. Smith, as far as a historic district, we're talking about facade. We're not talking about interior, right? Correct. All exterior. Yeah. Well, that So here's the situation. I know someone who was buying windows. I'm not going to say no names. Please don't. And standard Home Depot windows, good Home Depot windows were one of the cost of the Pella windows that are required for 100 year old house. Correct. I got one. And so I don't want to have to my friend that's in Boston Edison right now is suffering because of what it the the limitation the the strangulation if you will

as it relates to updates to that property and all of the remodels in the quad that I live in were full gut rehab. We're talking about floor plans changing quite a few of them and so it I think it will be important and relevant in later discussion. I could reach out to to to Paul on this, but to to to to just to really drive home that message of facade only and would that incur, let's say, for example, you wanted to put an additional and I'm looking to add, I'm a resident that wants to add onto the side of their house

in a historic district. What would be some of the limitations that they might face? If you have a home in a historic district and you want to do an addition primarily, it would be you would have to build that addition in a compatible style which is case by case, house by house. Gotcha. So I see what you're saying. So it's it's it's exterior like what I've seen in the north end where you see extensions but the extensions

similar. They bring the wraparound from the previous. Okay, that answers my question. And then uh we look at things like uh windows, the mullins, the type, the dividers in the windows. We look at things like uh roof type. If you have historic shingles, we take that into consideration. Um we we don't get too much into paint and and colors, per se. Um it's more specific to materials. So if you have wood trim, um aluminum gutters, and things like that, those are things we look at and we try to make sure those are consistent in your addition. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Historically, the gun has recovered.

It depends on the house. Okay, case by case. So, some So, you may have a house that has meta windows next to a house that has wood windows. So, it's just case by case. Additional questions on this? We still have to move to item two. Okay, Mr. Smith, thank you so much for your help as always. Thank you. this to the next week. Yeah. Y Okay. Thank you, sir. Thank you.

All right. And we're going to move on to item two. That's the Michigan Indigent Defense Fund Grant E20260117. I heard from Miss Williamson tonight that she had provided a surrogate for us. Um Rachel McRibley, are you online? Rachel, let me check here. Right here. Oh, I asked earlier. I'm sorry. I called out. I asked, were you here? Oh, I didn't hear. That's okay. I didn't have my microphone on. Thank you so much for joining us. Thanks. I'm going to turn the floor over to you for item number two. Begin where you need to and proceed. Okay. Good afternoon to everyone. One question. Do you need to be on the Zoom? Pardon me. Do you need to be on the Zoom or do you have a presentation?

No, I don't have a presentation. Um, wasn't sure if Miss Williamson sent over Okay.

the packet. Thank you. Um, I am attorney Rachel McRipley. I am the director of the regional managed assigned council office. Um we're located in the city of Dearbornne but we are under the umbrella of MIDC which is the Michigan indigent defense commission. Um I know that you all had discussed um the grant uh that's provided every year uh at the last commission meeting or council meeting. Uh, so I wanted to come and answer any questions if you had any questions, but I will say that this grant has been provided um through the state to Highland Park since 2019. And as far as I could go back, I could see that during the council meetings, the grant had been approved every year. Um, so I wasn't quite sure what the holdup was this year. Uh, let's see. I I will say that I I and I and I came for various reasons. Um one of which is the unexpended funds of the grant from last year is going to be running out soon. Um you had about a little over 35,000 that carried over from fiscal year 25 and already in quarter 1 over 20,000 of that has already been spent. Um, and I will say just in January, a little over 4,000 has already been spent. And when I say spent, our office approves the invoices for the attorneys that are placed in the district court to represent indigent clients. So, as they're approving or as they're submitting their invoices invoices to us, we approve them. We send those invoices to the city and then the city pays them out because you are the holders of the 260 fund. Um, so that fund holds the grant dollars. Um,

so I wasn't sure if you all had questions or needed clarification on anything. Um, I know I'll turn it over to the body. I wasn't at the last two. Okay. I know there were some council members that were missing. Go for it. Okay. So, are you from the court or you just from the um what did you say you from again? My office is the regional managed assign council office. Okay. And we are like I said, we're the office that places. Okay. Yeah. So, you represent the uh the MIDC, correct? So to speak. Okay. Um our office is based off of their grant funds as well.

Okay. Is there a reason that a member of the court is not here to uh I can't speak for the court. I'm sorry. Give us a little clarity on that. I I can't speak for the court. Robin Diamond is here from the court and so is Tammanic Con. Thank you. We have two attorneys online from the court. Okay. So, have we ever been over I'm sorry. We are not attorney. Forgive me. We're repres We're representatives. We are not attorneys. Yeah. Okay. Has Let's see. Has the court ever gone over budget for for public defenders?

No. I will say this isn't a court issue. Um because the court doesn't hold that money, nor do they provide the attorneys for for this grant. Um that's that's all through my office. Um and I will say that the city of Highland Park has never gone over or spent more than what was provided in the grant. We've always had unexpended funds that was attributed to the next year. Mr. Correctly, can I ask you a question? Yes, sir. I want to make sure that I'm understanding you correctly. So, a person comes into court, they don't have counsel, they don't have funds, and they we want to make sure that they're represented. This grant ensures that people without counsel and without funds get representation. Am I getting that correct? That's correct.

Okay. I just want to make sure I was hearing you. Thank you so much.

Okay. So, someone else. So um so so I watch the court a lot. In fact, I'm in the court. Okay, I'm in the court uh right now and and this fund is supposed to be for defense fund people who can't afford attorneys. Okay. Uh I can tell you from personal experience, I've gone through four attorneys already. All of them woefully insufficient, but yet they're being paid for my tax dollars. And I watch the courts, they plea bargaining out a lot. I rarely see anybody take anything to try. Okay? Because people just want to be done and over with. You know what I'm saying? So, I really don't see the need for the extra money, you know? And according to the budget of what they have, the court is bringing in $400,000 a year in revenue to the city. But yet their operating expenses and their salaries in which the city paid for exceeds $1.8 million. That's quite expensive. And I asked questions about that last year and got no answers from anybody from the court whatsoever when we was doing the budget last year. But here we are them asking for more money to do something else in which they're clearly not doing. But I'm supposed to approve it.

Okay. Can I? Yeah. So, this fund has, like I said before, it has nothing to do with the court. The court's budget and this grant, they're totally separate and you can't mix the two. Who for this grant? I write the grant for 19 of the 24 district courts in Wayne County. Okay. So, you file for this grant on behalf of the city. So the authorized I write the grant and then it goes to the city officials um the mayor the finance director and they sign off on it based on the agreement. Okay. So you wrote the grant but one of them signed off on on filing. Correct. Okay. Okay.

Again I'm just simply uh simply saying I'm I'm simply stating the obvious. I don't see the necessary need for it. I'm here in the court every day. I'm looking at the court every day. I'm dealing with the court every day. I'm being messed over by the court every day. And I don't see the need for them to have this extra money if they don't if they don't necessarily need it. Go ahead, Miss.

Okay. And then and then go ahead, Miss Manica, please. And then according to my reading and then according to my reading of what was submitted to us, if the court does not use this money specifically for defendants and lawyers, they have the right to allocate this money to another department if necessary. According to what they gave us and said, according to what we gave, that's not what it says. Okay? Like I said, the court doesn't use this money at all. Okay?

It's not a court issue. This fund is set specifically to pay for those attorneys that are rep sure they're representing in the 30th district court, but the court doesn't pay them. The court can't even approve their invoices. The court doesn't touch this money at all. It's directly with the city of Highland Park. Thank you. So, I was I was actually getting ready to ask could you explain what the grant and the money is for. So, you just did that. So, but it sounded like there was a small concern for us already at the beginning of the year right now. Yes, absolutely. Okay. Maybe it's not small. I don't know. but that it looks like we're going to run out of that particular area or line of

right is there is there something we need to do or happen or I'm not sure how do we adjust this you know or stop it put it on a little not not stop doing it but how do we slow it down can I can I add to your question M what happens if they're what happens if someone comes into court they cannot afford an attorney and they don't get one appointed. What happens if the funds are not available and people are standing in front of the court counselor with no defense?

So, um, one of the parts of the grant is what's called a local share. Um, so there's a percentage that the city funds even with the grant. Um, and it's it's a very small percent. Uh, so that would be expended first. Once all the grant money and the local share is gone, then the city as these invoices still come in, the city will have to start paying out of their general fund. As of right now, the city is not paying out of their general fund because we you guys never have any money left over or you have money left over, but you're not going over budget.

You're not spending more than what the grant allows. So, how can we Sorry, Mr. Rob. So we we need to slow that down a little bit sounds like. So how what's the determination on who needs other than a person saying I can't report? Yeah. So the court is still the the entity that screens for indigency. So they determine whether or not a person is indigent. Um, and so each local funding unit can determine that the court is still the person or the entity that does that.

So what we're here for today though, you just want to explain the grant so that it can get passed because it does not then we don't have any money. We just going to be working out of the general fund. Sounds like

correct. And um once because the city has been in agreement every single year. Um if you spend all the money and you don't sign the contract, it goes to like a mediation process. Um so we're trying to prevent that from happening. Um if I had known sooner that this was an issue, I would have been here sooner. Um because MIDC uh they meet every so often throughout the year and when it's compliance planning and cost analysis time they approved the grant and it was approved by MIDC the the dollar amount was approved by MIDC believe October 21st um 2025. So, normally this whole process takes place soon after that once the city knows of it. Um, and you you should have already received your first payment of the grant by now, but you don't have it because no one has signed the contract yet.

Okay. Um, go ahead, Miss Pro. Um, my only concern was, and I did email Diamond, Miss Diamond about this. I went back to 2020 and looked at all the minutes and everything and this doesn't always come in front of council and that was my concern and I wanted to get a copy of the other grants that were awarded to this report. Miss Diamond, do you remember that? We don't have any other grants and I did respond to your email. So, this is the first time the MDIC grant. We're only under we're currently only under the MIDC.

Yeah, that's the grant I'm trying to um get copies of from previous years because they said it comes to um the council every year. I mean, I know you apply for Martin, she has had a chance to speak.

I know you apply we apply for it every year, but it doesn't come to council. if I could. Um, and I did, um, do a little bit of research before I came to see if it had in fact come before council. Um, there was a council meeting January 21st, 2020 where council voted on the grant. Um, next one was May 17th. Looks like it was discussed of 2021 and I can provide these to you all as well. Um, but it was voted on five yays. Uh, November 15, 2021, it was voted on with five yates. October 16th of 2023, it was voted on five days and then in no on November 18th of 2024, it was also voted on with 5 days. So, it has come before council every year. Um,

22 uh skip from 21 to 23. don't know that I found one, but I will say um dependent on the timing of when the grant proposal was submitted could determine which council meeting it hit. So, if it hit earlier in the year, then it was voted on earlier earlier in the year. And that's probably why I have two different ones from 2021. Yeah, I noticed you said 2120. Sure. I do. Sure. Um, have any more questions or Oh, yeah. I did have questions.

Yeah. Um, so you did you say that we don't spend all the money? Is that my understanding? Correct. So when we don't spend all the money, does the money is it kind of like roll over or does it get dispersed to other places? How does that work? It does not get redispersed or redistributed. Um, so let's say for last year the unexpended funds was $35,000. If you get 100,000 this year, it'll be deducted. So you won't get more than what you spent. So it'll,000. The following year, you just won't get that 100,000. You won't get you'll get less. Correct. Because you have something.

You'll get less than 35,000. Okay. Okay. My next question is this is the same grant last meeting we were reading and you said it had may the mayor's name on it. Correct. Wasn't that that grant? Yeah. The fiduciary, right? Okay. There has to be an authorizing official from the city. Um sometimes that authorizing official is the mayor. Sometimes some of the townships have they're called supervisors. Sometimes it's a financial director of the city. It just depends on that local funding unit and who they want to be the authorized official, but it's MIDC that manages that money. Yes, it's it all flows through MIDC.

Right. Okay. Yeah. Are you in a position to disclose who signs in the city of Detroit? So, what are you in a position to disclose who the signator is in the city of Detroit? I don't I'm I'm not I I don't They don't fall under my umbrella. Gotcha. That's a different manage to sign council. Go ahead, Mr. You still.

Okay. So, so after I say this, uh, council president, I'm done. Um, I love the scare tactics. I love it. I love it. You know what I'm saying? If we don't get this money, the whole system's going to break down. It's going to be bloodbath and bedum hellfire. The sky is going to open up. Satan's going to pop out and say, "How you doing?" I love that. I love the scare practice. But the truth of the matter is you have a right, a constitutional right to be represented by council. And the state has safeguards in case something like this ever happens. Even if we approve this money and something runs out, the state has a safeguard fund just for these specific type of issues. In case something runs out. Okay? So the scare tax does not work for me. Everybody's going to get a lawyer. Everybody's going to get represented. The truth of the matter is here in Highland Park, we rarely go to trial for anything. Most people plead out. The lawyers talk to the residents rule. They tell them to shut up. We going to do it this way. You take this plea or you going to jail. I don't like any of it. I watch it all every day with the court. I watch it all every day with with the court. And to my knowledge, at the end of this year, I'm being told that the 36th district is going to be taking over this court system. Okay. So, they won't even be here at the end of this year. Somebody else will be here. Okay. So, I don't think the funding is necessary, but my council members may do what they see fit, but the scared tactics don't work for me. And I yield back.

Thank you. It's been a pleasure having you here, ma'am. Thank you for making this this clarification. Um, Okay, it is 655 ladies and gentlemen. We've covered the two items for the workshop and we not going to do good and welfare because we only got a fivem minute break between the next meeting. We will call ourselves adjourn at 6:55. Thank you.

Yeah. That's something. probably all I got right now. I remember before it started started. Yeah. Yeah.

Okay.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the highlight in person and virtual regular meeting schedule for today, Monday, February