City Council - Regular Meeting

wanted to make sure. Thank you, sir. The last

Mr. Li, go ahead and uh set up the co-host. I'm going to go ahead and test this slide presentation. Yeah. Unless unless you want to run it, it's on you. Completely up to you. Oh, Council President, you can run it. Uh, one second. Let me uh get you going here.

You should have uh everything you need now. All right. Thank you. [Music]

Oh, I know. I think the mayor's got water in the conference room. Can we get some water for the judge? Oh, this guy right here. Look. [Music] Is there Once a month I close the door like I haven't [Music]

How about how are you? Are we ready for some football? Really though, right? The football last minute quarterback. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I haven't shaped it yet. You know what I'm saying? You got that? Yeah.

Yeah. I feel like I need a technically black. Unapologetically. Yes. Yeah. Okay. All right. Okay.

It sounds good to me. [Music] Yeah. I mean, yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, we have a 15-minute window. It's 7 o'clock now. I'm going to wait for Miss Martin. I would prefer not to start the meeting without her.

So, we'll wait a few meet a few minutes until she arrives. Wait that 15 minutes for me. Sure. She wait that 15 minutes for me. Start.

Absolutely. [Music] But there is something [Music] Where's the rest? [Music] Where you going? Anita,

Miss Manica. Anita, where are you going? You only gave me the first part. Yeah. No, no, no, no, no. We have a 15minute window to for Miss Martin. If it was my ass, it wouldn't be a 15-minute window. 15 minutes. If I was running 15 minutes late, it wouldn't be a window for me. But there's a winner for Miss Martin. What's the rest? Where's the rest of it?

Oh, we going to do exactly what I'm doing tonight.

Yes. I I mean no disrespect whatsoever, but man. [Music] 50 minute window. Don't worry about it. You good to go. You can run to the store and come back. You get some Skittles, some some M&M's, okay? Some juicy fruits, okay? Some bon bons. You get quite a few things in 50 minutes. Hey, Reverend Lodge. How you doing? Yes, sir. Good to see you. Likewise.

[Music] Oh, cheer me. [Music] Evening. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to welcome you to our inerson and virtual regular meeting scheduled for Monday, October 20th, 2025 at 7 p.m. Madame Deputy Clerk, would you please call the role?

Councilman Ashafi, present. Councilwoman Martin, here. Councilwoman Manica here. Council Proton Robinson present. Council President Thomas here. Thank you very much. Moving on to item three, the approval of the agenda. Members of council, you have an opportunity to review the agenda. What's your pleasure on item three, the approval of tonight's agenda? I want to make an I want to approve the agenda with amendments. What would those amendments be? I have a walk-on resolution. I got it. Has this resolution been presented to the legal department?

Yes, I sent it to the legal department. Yes. Yes. Here you go. Here you go. I have one. Thank you. I passed it out. Yes.

It is the walk- on resolution publication of all ordinance for public access. Whereas the citizens of Highland Park have the right to know and understand the laws and the ordinance that they are governed by in the city where they live and work. Whereas the city of Highland Park recognizes that transparency and accountability are important and essential for public trust. Whereas many ordinance of this city non-owner occupied properties, blight, special events, etc. do not have their full legal text readily available and are currently enforced through administrative process through forms and applications etc. which denies citizens access and understanding of the enforced rules and regulations. Whereas it is the duty of all city officials including the mayor to uphold the rights of citizens to ensure that ordinances are published and accessible. Whereas failure to publish ordinance publicly undermines the due process, creates confusion and risks the unlawful enforcement of regulations leading to unnecessary lawsuits. Whereas the city of Highland Park has the affirmative responsibility to proactively provide full transparency in all matters of law and regulations so that the citizens of Highland Park can hold the many institutions of government and administration of the city accountable. Now therefore, be it resolved that the city of Highland Park council requests that all relevant city departments publish all city ordinance in full online including ordinance currently enforced or scheduled for enforcement. Two, publication shall be done in a manner that is complete, searchable, printable, and clear index by charter and section of the city's official website. Three,

the city the city council explicitly asserts the rights of Highland Park citizens to know the full context of any ordinance before it is enforced against them and any failure of city officials to comply will be noted in the public record as denial of transparency and violation of citizens rights. And four, this council urges all city officials to recognize that full publication of ordinances is a duty to the citizens and that continued withholding of full ordinance text will be treated as an actionable failure of government accountability and a willful neglect of duty. Be it be it further resolved that the copy of this resolution be distributed to the mayor, city administrator, building department, community of economic development department, city clerk, the city council, and made available on the city website immediately so that the citizens can be informed of this demand of the transparency. I would like to walk this on today's agenda.

Thank you very much, ma'am. We have a motion on the floor made by Councilwoman Martin to accept tonight's agenda with the amendment of the resolution she just read into the record. supported by Councilman Ashi. Do not questions, concerns, or descent? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Mr. President, uh the amendment is for the presentation by the third circuit court. I beg you pardon. I support it with amendments. Yes, sir. And I I said make it pardon. You said the amendment is about the third circuit court,

right? Uh so the amendment about the third about the third circuit courts um their presentation tonight I I feel it needs to be moved after uh citizen participation so the residents have an opportunity to ask some valid questions of this presentation. So Mr. Oshi this presentation was never designed for um a open question and answer session. This was provided by third circuit court to let the people in the community know what services they provide. That was never in the agreement. It hasn't been that for any other presentation at any other city.

I understand it, Counc. But this was sprung on us at the last minute. We were given no information until this very moment as to what this presentation is about and the residents do have a right to ask questions of anything that comes on this agenda, including this presentation. That is not correct. Where you have it right now. where you have it right now. The residents have no right to ask questions or be concerned about what the presentation is about. We've just been given a pamphlet just a few minutes ago about what the presentation is about, but but it was kept secret from the residents and from this council until this very moment. Nothing was kept secret, sir.

Absolutely. Definitely kept secret because it should have been presented to us ahead of time. So we had an opportunity to wer it and question it and and and do some form of informal investigation on it. So Mr. Shappi, this is a presentation provided by the third judicial circuit court of Michigan to cities across our region. This is a common procedure. What other cities has this been done in? It was recently done in the city of Ecourse. Eor. Yeah. Their city really. So, so, so, uh, uh, so, uh, so each port is Highland Park. What you kind of me, Mr. Alafi, the third circuit court,

point out the fact that it is a city, sir. You asked where it was done. It was done in a city. Everything was kept from us until the last minute. I just got this right now. Okay. So, there's a motion on the floor made for the approval of the agenda by, Councilwoman Martin, just based on supported by Councilman Alshaki. We will take the role on the approval of tonight's agenda. Would you please, Madam Clerk? Councilman Ashafi. No. Councilwoman Martin, what are we voting on on the approval of the agenda that you got that we're voting that we're moving? We're adding this on. Yes, ma'am. It sure is. It would be added on the council affairs,

right? And then we're voting to move the third circuit court presentation. No, ma'am. The presentation is in the first 10 minutes of city council. This is a standard procedure. The judge is here as a cert as a courtesy to our city to present information on the I beg you pardon. What courtesy? When a judge from the third circuit court appears in your town at the last minute, no information whatsoever. And we spoke. Councilwoman Martin. Yes. Thank you. Councilwoman Mana, yes. Council pro Tim Robinson, no. Council President Thomas,

yes. Thank you. Agenda is approved. Moving on to item four, approval of proposed minutes for the inerson and virtual regular meeting held on October 6, 2025. City council, what's your pleasure? meeting October 6, 2025. Chair offers support, questions, concerns, descent. Madam clerk, could you please call the role on the approval of the proposed minutes? Councilman Ashafi, no. Councilwoman Martin, yes. Councilwoman Mana, yes. Council Proin Robinson,

no. Council President Thomas, yes. Motion carries. Uh now ladies and gentlemen, we are fortunate enough to have a judge from the third circuit court here coming to share with the city of Highland Park the services that are provided by third circuit court. It is my esteemed pleasure to introduce Judge Chandra Baker Robinson. Madam, if you will please come to the podium and I will pull your presentation up for you. It's our pleasure to have you. Can you hear me? Is that button green in front of you? Push it. I think it is on there now. Yes.

All right. Good evening. And first I want to thank Council President uh Thomas as well as the rest of the council members for allowing us to come in and present today. And I can indicate um for the record this is actually our third presentation um across the county of Wayne. It has been done in ecourse. I believe the other city was Canton. Um it is something that we decided to do as a part as a part of community outreach just to inform citizens about how jury services works and that's really all there is. I actually do not have a problem taking questions but that is clearly up to the council completely.

But yeah, I don't have any problem taking questions. Um and my understanding as to the reason um it might maybe to answer council's question things are not put on the docket ahead of time is for the safety of the judges because we may be places and people want to know where we are and so that being the case by us not doing that people don't find out where our location is. So that would be the reason but anyway so I want to thank you all. I'm going to apologize in advance. I'm a little under the weather. um benadryil a little bit of sinus but yes all right so we can begin why we're here is community outreach to communities throughout Wayne County um and you all can follow along with the pamphlets in case you cannot see the screen at the top emphasizing access to justice and providing education about our court jury services and more clearing up common misconceptions about third circuit courts And we also support uh many annual events such as adoption day, reunification day, law day and more. The third judicial circuit court and its Michigan impact that we are a trial court. Uh we sit above the district courts, the probate and the municipal courts. Decisions from our court are appealed to the court of appeals and also to the Michigan Supreme Court will be after the court of appeals. And I I'm in remission in that I also did not recognize Mayor McDonald who I also just met a few minutes ago as well. So, thank you as well. Um, our court has 59 judges. We have 21 criminal judges, 19 civil judges, 11 family domestic and six family juvenile, two probate court judges assigned to the third circuit court. There are 24 referees, 468 total

employees. Normal business hours are 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday. We have four locations. The Coleman A Young Center, which is down off of Jefferson, I'm sure you all aware there. Jefferson and Woodward. Uh Lincoln Hall of Justice, which is the juvenile court. The Criminal Justice Center, which is the new building um off of 75 near Warren, we used to be downtown of Frank Murphy that closed a little over a year ago. And the Ponavsky building, which is the friend of the court building. And our mission is to serve the community by providing accessible and equal justice for all. Our vision is to be exemplary and innovative court leading into integrity providing justice and public service. All right. Commonly referred to as the Wayne County Circuit Court. Our jurisdiction covers all of Wayne County. So, and I believe there are 42 cities. I believe there are in uh Wayne County. Um, we are in we work in conjunction with the Wayne County Sheriff's Department, the Wayne County Clerk's Office, and the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office as well. Um, one thing they didn't put on here is we also operate with defense council as well. So we have um the publicly supported defense council which is NDS um um and then there are also private attorneys as well that are part of the defense bar and so we when we have meetings we generally have them with both prosecution and the defense side as well. uh the divisions civil lawsuits involving monetary damages above 25,000 that's at the K actman a young building contract disputes property matters election matters those are all handled by the civil division the criminal division is adult felonies bound over from local district courts and criminal appeals from the district courts and then we have the family domestic which

is also in the kman young building that's divorce child support custody parenting time, PPOs, emergency uh PPOs basically and friend of the court. Juvenile Division is under 18, child protection, adoption, guardianship matters, and truency. We have the busiest court in the entire state of Michigan. Third Circuit Court, we as you see the numbers, 570 appeals and reviews, 18,338 civil cases, 7,27 criminal, 33,000 family, 268, and a total of 59,303. We are 12.8% total cases compared to uh 2023. And we are increasing in our case load. Um, as far as felonies go, I am a part of the criminal bench. So, I'm quite familiar with um what happens on our bench. We do more felonies in Wayne County than all of the counties combined in the state of Michigan. So, that's how much work we have at the um criminal justice center. Jury trials, 225,240 residents summoned for jury duty in 2024. The requirements to be a juror, 18 plus years old, US citizen, a Wayne County resident, ability to communicate in English. Now, however, we do offer um services for individuals who do not speak English. We just have to know ahead of time if they need an interpreter and then we can order an interpreter. You will get a card. Usually when you are called for jury service, there is a a sheet or questionnaire that you fill out and it usually has to be turned in, I believe, within 10 days of you receiving it. And on that card, it will indicate if you need uh uh language uh interpretation

and so we need that they will know ahead of time that you need an interpreter. Also, if uh you are 70 years and older, you are exempt from doing uh jury service. Physically and mentally able to serve, which usually means you can sit for approximately 2 to three hours at a time. You have not served within the jury within the last year. No felony record. And then the last page are the current jurors that are uh on the bench at this point in time. So, that is the presentation. is pretty quick, but if there are questions, um, I do not have problem taking any questions from the audience. It It's up to you. President Tom,

it's very weird that they get a chance to speak with you. If we have questions, please go right out of here, man. I wanted to ask about the before you were open. Now you're not open. And how do we implement our Well, let me put it this way. Each of the courts I work offer, they are differently run. So criminal, we're always open.

Yeah, you have to. Nobody will do a trial over Zoom, so that won't work. Civil is pretty much open. Um, now my understanding with the juvenile court, because I've never worked in juvenile court. I know they do a lot of matters over Zoom because they have a lot of juveniles that are in different places across the state, but my understanding is most of the judges are still on the bench on certain days. And I think if you contact the court and depending on which judge you have, you can probably find out um what the procedure is, if the judge is going to be in person or if they're not going to be in person, how you can submit whatever information you need to submit in fill out in order to adopt.

Yes, ma'am. Yes. You're gonna have to call the court. I have no clue how um they operate that. I do criminal, so we're all set. I mean, our county is so large. For instance, if you're in Oakland or Mcome County, one judge does everything. Uh, judge does criminal and civil because they don't have as many matters, but Wayne County is so large, we're all split and we don't cross. So, I just do criminal all the time. So, I don't know all of their specifics. So, I'm Mike Scott officer. Um, if you have the the email address on the back, ma'am, if you want to email that with your question, we'll get an answer for you.

All right. Any other questions? Sure. last meeting.

Well, um that again is not a criminal matter. Yes. And that is who you would have to contact. I said that is not I do criminal. Okay. So what is the purpose to give you information like I just did that you would be able to go to that particular jurisdiction. We're all separated. So that's why I'm letting you know that for your matter you would contact the civil court which is on that paperwork and you have the information there. I'm criminal so we have different judges that are going out to the different cities but we're all from different departments. So I'm criminal but your matter is civil. So the civil is on there and that's the contact information you would use.

I'm criminal. When I say criminal criminal means I'm dealing with homicides. I'm dealing in CSC only criminal matters. That's relevant today. Your opinion? No, I'm not. I don't know what's on your agenda. I'm just here to to do a presentation from the court. waited all day for that. I thought you would want to talk about something. No, ma'am. Excuse me, your honor. Yes, that's a tangent. I'm sorry. I don't. No, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. It's like the last time you talked about the school literacy during the meeting. That was council affairs, ma'am. Thank you so much. Um, so we have we have one more question. Any more questions for the judge? Anybody else? Yes.

I noticed that uh at the very bottom it said 12.8% total cases compared to 2023.

Um what would you attribute that attribute it to and what particular area of criminal cases or cases in general civil family has seen the most increase? Well, insurance cases in the civil division definitely has seen increase because they had a change in the laws for they call them PIP, but it's uh personal injury cases and so that has gone up because of the change in the laws and the amount of money that you can is cap and different things like that. So half of the civil division that's almost their entire docket. Um as far as criminal cases, I don't think we've had any increase in any particular area. I can tell you that when I joined the criminal bench five years ago, I thought that what I would see most would probably be um homicides. That's what I thought. But that is not what I see most. What I usually see um that actually go to trial are criminal sexual conduct cases, child sexual conduct cases, and domestic violence. Domestic violence is really rampant and many people who violate they generally violate because of domestic vi vi violence cases. Problem being that most times victims don't want to come forward or they follow police but then they don't show and so that means the person just keeps you know coming back through. So that's generally what I see has increased a lot during co domestic violence went up really high. um also uh alcohol uh driving under the influence and narcotic cases during COVID. Um and I'm sure you probably all can have some ideas about why that might be but yeah that's what I have seen increase in the criminal division.

Sure. So uh what is your judge purposes of coming to particular uh meeting to get what kind of message?

Just to just to educate the public on how jury service operates. So if there are questions about jury service and a lot of people don't know what that entails um what are the requirements for it uh how often can you serve? Those are all the things that were in the pamphlet that I went over. also indicating the different divisions because when you're called to jury service, you may be called to civil division, you may be called to the criminal division. It just depends on where you're called. So those type of questions just to educate you on jury service because many people come in for jury service don't know how jury service operates.

Okay. Thank you. So I think we have a question from our council woman up front. Yes, I actually do. All right. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Pleasure to have you. This is a portion of the agenda that we give the floor to Mayor McDonald to allow her an opportunity to address city council and the public. Mayor McDonald, if you will. Good afternoon, citizens. Good afternoon, council.

I talk I have a few things I'm just talk about. So been following some things and some questions about the ordinances. Uh first of all ordinances are on the website quick if you go to a quick what it's called a quick uh link click on it say or type in ordinances they'll pop up to there. Also, we've talked about the MUN code since we've been in office and getting those put into uh getting someone to put it into the Munich code. So, that is already going forward, but the council before you voted to do that. So, there's a resolution for that. There's funding that's been passed on to the next and on the next. And so, that's going forward. Once those codes have been put into the zone books and the ordinance books, every ordinance that has been written will be in that book.

Sir, I don't need your comments. Excuse me. I don't need your comments. This is my time. This is my time. Reclaiming my time, sir. Ma'am, if you would this person, if you would. Thank you. I don't need it. Save it for somebody else. Save it for you. I'm not even talk to you want to, but you will not disrespect me. I said what I said. I will you will not disrespect me. I said [ __ ] No, I'm I'm not going to do this. Let me finish my my Yes, ma'am. If you would, please.

Lunches at the rec center. If you are 60 years and old, every day, Monday through Thursday, they are serving lunch. And this is not the box lunch. This is a homecooked meal every day. And from 12 to 1:30. So if you get to the rec center, if you need a ride, call the smart company. They'll pick you up and drop you off. So please utilize that. We have what is called we have a grant for that and they have been giving us this food and they've been bringing it in uh every day. Plus you can utilize some of the activity that's going on at the same time.

Let me finish. We can ask this is there.

Thank you. Oh, there's going to be multiple multiple activities this week all the way up to Sunday, which I know is next week for the youth regarding uh Halloween trunk treats. There's going to be a I think a pumpkin patch. Uh whereas the um aphrodisiac and the uh coffee seia coffee will be putting that on on Hamilton. That's on the 26th. Of course, you know, you have some apple cooking in the hood in Avalon Village. That's on the 26th. On the 25th, there's going to be one, two, three trunk treats. One is and activities happening at the rec center. Uh also, I think two are at home. Um the other thing is the Wayne County treasure. I spoke to the treasure. People are calling me about the treasury. Let me clear up something so people put on Facebook. I can clear up myself. I do not have the authority to remove anyone from office. That is the the duty of either the judge or the governor or the citizens. And at this time because recalls are over pretty much it is up to the judge or the uh governor. So no we do not. But let me tell you this is affecting how it affects the citizens when there is no treasurer. Some of you have come downstairs and you tried to pay your bills and it was closed. So if there is no collection that means no funds. No funds means that something has to get. So Tony has come

off of his medical which he should not have to do but he did come for taxes for whatever you have down there to pay. So please if you have he comes in there's no alternative. I'm sorry. There's no alternative mayor. There's no alternative madame mayor. Alternative to who? Paying your bill. If you got to pay your taxes, let me finish. Okay.

So, if you need to, he will be here. He said temporarily on on Monday, Wednesdays, and maybe Fridays, but it's no set time, but again, he is on medical and he should he should not have to do that, but he's coming in. So, the Wayne County treasurer has uh talked to us about other alternatives for that, and so we're still working through that. Um, as far as uh Miss Martin, they can pay them online. You pay your taxes online. Uh, you can pay your water bill online. Uh, there is a way to pay online for permits uh through the website. I don't know if it's on the website. Yes, on the website. and you go to there the building uh people and then click on that and you can pay or you can come up to the window for the building. They will take your your payment in a form of a money order and then submit it when Tony comes. um ethics board. I have talked about this three or four times of getting an ethics board for this for the um elected official

and each time that I've asked it's been ignored. You gave us a few names. I asked you to nail it down to two and I never got any response. I need two people from the council to serve on not from the council two names of people to serve on the ethics board. I'll be waiting for those names so that I can submit them so that we can approve. If not, I will be calling the Wayne County ethics board and or the governor's ethics board, the state ethics board to see if we can get some kind of help down here for ethics in this. All right, so that's all I got. Somebody ask me a question.

Mayor, I'm sorry. Hold on one second. Oh, I'm sorry. The lunches are free. Absolutely free. Just come sit down and enjoy. Come enjoy your, you know, other seniors talk. They have bingo going this week, I think. Come out. It's always fun. After that, after the bingo or before the bingo, there's lunch. In between this come, bring a name. 60 and 0. That was me. If we already submitted it, do you want us to resubmit our our selection?

It was four names, but I asked you guys to narrow it down to that never happened. People ignored it. So, I need those two names. Okay. So, we can submit it and move forward with Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay, I'm going to set the timer for two minutes and I'm asking for people to come forward with comments on tonight's agenda. That is the mayorial veto, the administrating the appointment of Willie Johnson to the recreation commission and from engineering a resolution approving the 5-year pilot program for solar and council affairs. Yeah, that's

that's Yeah, it wasn't written in but it's it's there. I wrote it anyway. You're supposed to be there after [Music] I'm sorry. Okay. I'm sorry you couldn't hear me in the back. Come on forward, ma'am. I'll wait till you say your name and I'll start the time.

I am Bridget Townsen, citizen, Guaner, business owner here in Holland Park. Uh right now I want to just make two statements. Um, one is the mission of Holland Park Council is to implement the city charter and make legislator's decisions that provide for good government, public peace, health, and safety for the prosperity of our s of our city. Um, there were two things that I want to make known for the solarix that is not their business name. It does not register that in LAR and I suggest that this be redrawn. You can look it up anytime you like. Um, go back to my other statement. What is what how how are we making these decisions of how many are they going to hire for the city of Holland citizens from the Holland Park? And is this merchandise um being is that our is that our materials like will we have ownership of that? Some of these things I did not hear any um answers to and I have a po a pamphlet written out that I can give to solarronics that does not meet the uh agreements of the citizens. So who do I give that to?

It's for is it for city council or it's for solonics? Solarronics. The representatives for solaric are in the audience. Okay. I'll be happy to get that to you if you give me your email. Just some things that were not addressed. They're they're in the audience. They're out there. And so is solidarity. Oh, good. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.

Whenever you're ready, sir. Robert Douglas Lodge Jr., president of the East Grand Brush Street Carter Saxs Block Club. Uh, I'm going to address this question to our president president of our city council. Uh, was it a workshop that was scheduled this evening at 5:30 to talk about this very issue about the solar lights? No. No. Okay. Was it a workshop required or or requested? Mr. Lodge is public comment. This is not 20 questions. you can go ahead and answer your questions, but I might just go ahead.

Okay. Well, I was under the impression that a workshop about the solar lights was going to take place prior to this council voting on that resolution. And so, resolution number seven, to my knowledge, there has not not been a workshop given so that these council members can make an informative decision. And if I am correct, then you're asking them to make a decision tonight on some a matter that they have no information or enough information about. And surely the citizens don't have this information and we should have that information also. So I thank you for your time.

Thank you sir. Good evening, council. Good evening, sir. Good evening.

Good evening, citizens, fellow polar bears. Um, so my name is Juan Shannon. I am the executive director of the Parker Village Foundation. And uh there's been a a little bit of information that has been flowing past my desk. I'm not a elected official, never have been in any type of way, but for some reason I seem to consistently get questions and and information and and everything else about what's going on in the city. So uh as I understand there was a uh workshop recently uh regarding the solar lights and there is u a motion on tonight's agenda to approve a 5-year pilot program uh for solaronic and solidarity to install and operate um 60 more solar lights to the city. So, just to keep everything short, we have been without a significant amount of lights since, I believe, 2011. I'm sure I speak for a lot of people in this community. We want the lights. We would like to whatever problems or things that uh come up or whatever for our leadership to figure that out. But do not let the deadline pass on us providing additional safety for our community.

Please approve the lights going in. Thank you, sir. Thank you. [Music] Good evening everyone. Good evening. My name is Alicia Strong. For those of you who may not know me, I am from the treasurer's office. I actually came to speak at the end, but I just wanted to piggyback while it was still fresh on what the mayor just touched upon. I will speak later on after

when it's the citizens times, but I did want to come up. But ma'am, I I don't want I certainly don't want to be rude. I I don't want to change the rules. This is for agenda items only. I will let you go first. Okay. At the end, okay? And what you have to say, I'm sure people will want to hear. So, you might be able to keep this audience full for me. Okay. Just out of out of respect for our rules, we're on agenda items only. And I saw you coming up here. I wish I would have known in advance. That's okay. But we're we're glad to have you, but we're we're having comments on agenda items only right now. Okay. All right. So, I'll be here when it's my time. Thank you so much, ma'am. Thank you. And sorry for the inconvenience. No worries.

Do we have anyone else on the agenda? Good evening, council. Hurt Swanson, uh, resident of Highland Park. I am rising in opposition uh, to this particular resolution approving um, solar lights here in the city. And I'm going tell you why. For one, um the five-year like no fee to the city period is being paid for by grant funds. That's nice. But what I have a problem with is um in the agreement there's a 10-year term um that the city is expected to basically renumerate this partnership at the tune of $54,000 a year. For 10 years, that's close to 549,000. Um, you know, the minute let's see how quick we can get through this. Um, as it stands to the most egregious part. [Music] So there's a soul source in effect happening here, you know. So you have a situation where a grant application was submitted. Um but you know I used to work at a foundation and the typical process is if you have a collaboration you have an agreement upon collaborative partners. If you're partnering with a municipality you reach out to them before to get buyin and acceptance before you submit an application. So, the city is basically going to benefit from the installation of 20 poles with solar lights, but then on the back end, you

have to pay to maintain it. So, basically, they got it for free and then you have to turn around and pay them to operate it. That's a problem. It doesn't make sense.

Thanks, sir. We have anyone else for an agenda item? Hi, I wanted my name is Melinda. I wanted to speak to the solar lights.

Um, there is a misunderstanding in which I think a lot of people don't don't get about the solar lights. Number one, Solarronic is paying for the maintenance in operation four or five years. After that, the contract would be renegotiated. Secondly, the lights have already been paid for. They just haven't been installed. That's another aspect of it. And also from a personal standpoint, I'm a criminal justice major at Wayne State University going into my senior year. Although lighting in the city does not prevent crime, it does deter crime. And right now, Highland Park has an issue. Right now, people aren't safe. Right now, businesses don't want to come here. And I know this personally working at Wayne State and working with different businesses that they don't want to be here because of the unsafe stigma that's on us. And right now it seems like the unstig stigma is that it's dark and people are going to break into your business. So if do we want to pay DTE? Do we want to go back and try to figure that out? Or do we want to get something that's ours that we can regulate, that we can work on, that we can improve, that we can spread throughout the city that costs less? number one and also gives us an opportunity to give what we need, which is safety. We have children walking to school right now in the dark down arm. I see it every morning. There's no lights. They're walking from home to school in the dark in the morning. Do you know how terrible that is? They can get hit by a car. They can be taken. There is so many aspects of having lights in the city that can protect us but also deter the crime that we're trying to prevent. So I mean to vote no on this would be so asinine. I mean it would be terrible because at this point we're looking at our city at a detriment and this could actually help start to the improvement that we need.

Thank you ma'am. State your name, sir. Joshua John Laameir. I'd like to just make a quick counter point. How many street lights do they have in West Bloomfield? Not a lot. Crime has nothing to do with lights. Crime has nothing to do with lights. That's my counterpoint. What are you bulling me? What is this? Can you make a counter point? Thank you so much.

Yes, ma'am. Good afternoon, uh, city council and the president and the mayor's office.

I am voting I hope that you all vote yes to the lights in Highland Park. As long as I've been here, um, when the street lights went out on my street, I feared for the children. Now, 21 East Grand all up there along women, everything is abandoned. The kids go to school down Woodward to East Build a Vista. It's dark on the side streets where they live at. Now, I I don't care about anything else, but if somebody is actually bringing stuff to the city that can help us, please try to look at the bigger picture than ourselves and whether you talking about crime. They stealing cars out your driveway. They've been doing it all all across the country. But I just want to say as long as a longtime advocate for the environment justice, I was thrilled to discover solidarity and the importance work they are doing in Highland Park. They're committed to building more equal sustainable energy for this city. So just think about the long term, not what's going on right now in this city, but the long term. We all won't even be here. I'd be dead and gone before I didn't even get the wall for a Davidson service drive. So all I'm saying to you, we need the street lights. I bought a street light and was paying DTE for the one on the service drive and people build a tree. So now I can't even get no dark lights. I got to put lights all around my house and pay for it. So just think about the children now. I don't care about me. But think about the children. They walk down these all these abandoned buildings that y'all ain't made nobody pay for that's vacant all open up all where the old police station is at. somebody could and you y'all want to wait till somebody get hurt. That's what it's all about, right? We don't have that many police off. You want them to do extra and it's not enough. So, just think about the crime and our children that need some lights. Thank you.

What was your name? Tony Bennett. Tony Bennett. Tony Bennett. Hello, city council. Um, I guess we all have our own

What's your What's your name? State your name? Oh, Micaia Hoy. M U K A Y A Hoy H O Y E. All right. Um the long-term effects of the children. It's not fair to worry about small things about their alleged safety if they're going to have to comply to paying the bills of the lights 10 years later. The bigger issue is why we aren't addressing the fact that there's no no high schools, no no real things for the community. We won't even have any kids. We barely have kids now. They have buses for that. They have parents for that. What is very important is to make sure that we do not go into more debt as a community and we create and we get lights that's substantial and helping them in the future financially, not burden them, kicking them out their own city. Thank you, ma'am.

Okay. Thank you very much. We will move into tonight's agenda starting. One second. Thank you for that. I'm dealing with what's in front of me now. So, I have attendees online. So, I'm going to start with Anthony. I'm going to ask you to unmute. Anthony, can can you hear me? Yes, I can hear you. Go right ahead, sir. You have two minutes.

Yes, ma. I I live on 76 uh West Bun Vista between Second and Woodward. And my concern is lighting. And for years uh although I have flood lights around my home, thank God. But my my concern is that um I fly out of town sometime when I come in from a flight. It's late at night sometimes and I have to constantly look around. You can't see people walking down the streets that time. So, my concern is you guys, the political leadership, you need to work on getting these lights or whoever DTE get it paid or whatever. Uh, somebody's going to end up being hurt in this city and and I would hate for that to happen. So, God knows, please do something about the lights. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. I have Gracie's iPad. Gracie's iPad, can you unmute?

Uh, thank you. Uh, my name is Gracie Wooten. I live on East Street and as most of you know, you know, I'm a longtime member of Solidarity and I'm a longtime member of the this city not having lights, you know, like I went before the previous council advocating for a street light on um Hamilton because if all of you know that whoever travels down Hamilton Hamilton and turns into Een Street. It is very dark. People have run into the uh island a number of times. But not being selfish, the fact that we have an opportunity to actually have lights installed in the city, lights that are paid for by uh granting partners. the fact that we have a uh en energy company, a writer in uh in uh Highland Park, a blackowned business that will maintain these lights for us. You know, uh I think this is a great opportunity for us to be a leader. You know, I think we should be more um looking to the future and believe that in five years we're going to be in a different place. The fact again that these lights are not being paid for by us, but we have an opportunity to help a business, you know, a a black business in our city to grow. the fact that uh we have a wonderful organization like Solidarity that's gone

out and advocated for the city in many many many different ways. But in terms of advocating for this grant opportunity, I think we'd be foolish not to accept it. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Okay, I want to bring citizens comments on the agenda to a close and we'll move on to item five. That's the veto resolution to extend a moratorium of the city's rental ordinance. City council, what's your pleasure? Item four, I'm sorry, item five, veto of the resolution to extend a mortorium of the city's rental ordinance dies for lack of support. Moving on to item six, that's a resolution to appoint Mr. Willie Johnson to the recreation commission term ending January 27th, 2027. City council, what's your pledge? I want to make a motion for the to for the resolution to appoint Willie Johnson to the recreation commission term.

Second. We have a motion um to approve the resolution to appoint Mr. Willie Johnson to the recreation commission made by Councilwoman Martin. Seconded by Councilman Oafi. Questions, concerns, or descent. Hearing none. Madam clerk, could you please call the role on item six? Councilman Ashafi. Yes. To appoint. Councilwoman Martin. Yes. Councilwoman Manica. Yes. Council Proton Robinson.

Council President Thomas. Yes. Motion carried. Congratulations. Correct.

Thank you, sir. Moving on to item item seven under engineering. This is a resolution approving the 5-year pilot program for solar tonic and solar direct move to install and operate and maintain 60 solar street lights. Motion was made by councilwoman support with questions. Manica supported by councilwoman Martin with questions. Miss Martin, the floor is yours. Okay, thank you. I is um solar here. Yeah, I just have a few questions. Just so you know, I did call so I could say my voice because all I wanted to do at this point was say yes or no. But and I did get here.

Okay. I was like I didn't get a call back. Oh. Um, since we're here together, um, okay, so I was reading over this and, um, it was talking about, okay, so it was asking about talking about insurance and so my first question um, regarding insurance, are there a lot of companies that insure solar lights? And if so, what questions do they even ask? Well, so in this case, because we would be owning an operating the five years, we're covering all the liability. I got that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, but in five years, right, we're thinking about the city taking that

if they transfer ownership after five years. Yeah. Then then you would have insurance on any on those as you would have insurance on any of the assets that you own as a city. However, you do that through through your city processes. That's how that would work. Okay. I'm sorry. Did you I don't know if you answered the question. Are there a lot of insuranceances that ensure solar lights? Um, just the usuals, you know, liability um, you know, for um, you know, for if So, is it as simple as like nationwide, State Farm? Yeah. Whatever you're, you know, it's just it's general liability insurance.

Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. So, that saves that question. Okay. And then I saw in another document, it was talking about late fees on the customer. Um, if there's no cost Yes. So um so the version that we sent which you know in from our perspective is a is a draft you know being negotiated with with the city through legal and and and all you um so anything related to payments or fees should be grayed out because they're not they're not yeah they're not relevant until after the 5-year period depending on you know what happens at that point. So this is going to come before city council again in five years

or sooner if you recall at the workshop a couple weeks ago what we proposed it's not part of the resolution but we proposed is that solidarity solar tonic city park maybe other stakeholders we get together immediately and start figuring out a long-term sustainability plan that works for all parties. Okay. Who is the IESA lighting standards? Who is that? Oh, that's um international the international standards for it's like the association that sets standards for

recognized for [Music] Okay. And that's state and or is that governmentwide or

national? Okay. Okay. And then I don't know. I don't know if this is for you, Shmica, but my question is um we're is the city right now in the discussion of taking this over in 5 years and what that would look like. And the and there was a part in this resolution that said right now I can't fight it. It was saying either the building department or I think it said the CED and I think that is unclear on who it would be to take that over. Um I know right now we're not taking it over at this time. Correct.

Correct. Yeah, that's something that needs to be addressed in this um resolution. So would you like Go ahead. Is there a question? No, that was just a suggestion. I'm done. I'm done. Mr. President, Madam Proton, one word or two words?

Our legal name is two words. Solar tonic LLC just just as it says on the Lara site. Um, and we use Solar Tonic, one word, as sort of a marketing version of that. But our legal name is Solar Tonic, two words, LLC. We use that in all legal agreements. All right. So, a citizen asked a question. Uh, just a second. A citizen asked a question about

the workshops. I'm going to put a search in. I'm going to put my screen up. The word solar tonic. There are meetings on workshops that go back seven months. On the screen, you'll see that our first meeting on this version was seven months ago. There are there was a workshop seven months ago. There was one six months ago. There was one a couple of weeks ago. We've had copies of this document for eight almost 10 months. Okay. Just wanted to verify. You had something you wanted to say, Mr. Oaf.

Yes. Um, as it stands right now currently, who would own own those solar lights? Who's owner? So currently the the 10 that have already been installed on Florence and Louise are owned by Solidarity and the the new ones that would go in that are being funded by the the state money would be owned by Solar Tonic. Okay. Okay. So we're talking about 50 lights. 60. See that's that's another thing because at one point it says 50 then it says 60. I'm not going to argue that. It's just 10 more lights. It's the 50 we're bringing through the grant and the 10 they've already

um my concern is the 10year service agreement after the five-year pilot program. So, as it stands right now, everything is paid for. Correct. It's not costing the city a dime. Correct. Okay. Which is great. But after that 5-year program, the city is looking at about a half a million dollars a year in fees and finances to maintain those lights. That's not correct. It's about It's about 40,000 according to this here. Mhm. The monthly charge that you're going to charge at the end of the year comes out to a little bit over $500,000.

Yeah. No, that's I don't believe that's correct.

Okay. Okay. Um it's question it's about 40 to it's about 40,000 a year. Okay. Okay. So question um I want to I want to I want to read something for you here. It says be it further resolved that the city council authorizes the mayor to negotiate and execute agreements with solatonic and solidarity regarding provisions of solar street lights operations and maintenance. O and M service for the duration of the 5 years program in which all O and M cost insurance liability and solar street lights shall be borne by solaronic and solidarity and that on or before the end of the pilot program consideration shall be given towards the transfer of ownership other polls from solaronic and or solidarity to the city of Highland Park contingent upon the ability of the city to pay OM I'm sorry and M fees for continuous of operations and maintenance by solaronic could you can explain that to me

can you ask a formal question please

okay So right here it says contingent upon the city's ability to pay on and m fees for for continuence of operations and maintenance by solaronic. What are those fees? Explain that one. So our goal is to transfer ownership after we've worked in a working group and we haven't really designated the specific individuals that will be a part of that working group but the goal is to work with the city solar tonic and solidarity. Our goal is for self-determination for you all to be able to tell us what would be feasible based on

contingent upon us being able to pay. Exactly. So what happens? So what happens if we're not able to pay? Do you want to talk a little bit more about that or what happens? I would think after 5 years of conversation we would have figured that out. Okay. Well, you you know you know you know it's it's it's sometimes hard in this city to get a conversation like that going. Okay. There are so many people in the way that encourage you not to speak to us in the first place. But I've spoken to you before. Okay. Absolutely. I didn't see this until just now. Okay. So, what happens if the city is unable to pay? What happens to those lights?

Then I think over the five years of going through working group together, we would have figured out a resolution. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, what if we don't figure out a resolution? The five years comes to term. What happens to those lights if we're unable to pay? What if in five years the city is unable to meet its obligations? What I will say is I'm not a fortune teller so I can't tell you what'll happen in the future. But I will say that solidarity has a long-standing history with ensuring that we work with the city so that we can have said but you but you have to understand that eventually

I know as a business person as smart as you are that has crossed your mind because if it crossed mine I know it crossed yours. Okay. So I know that there is a contingency plan here for if the city is unable to pay. What is the outcome to that? I know this has been thought of. I know that two of you did not sit here and not think about the possibility if the city could or couldn't pay and what would be the outcome of that.

So I will say that DTE rep uh repossess Highland Park Lights. Solidarity has never said or gave the illusion that we would do that. So, I don't think that's a question that should be asked. I think the question should be how can we work together to be able to get to understand this here. Okay. So, we're sitting on this council. Absolutely. You're asking us to approve something, right? Yes, sir. And as council members, we have to look at the bigger picture of the possibility that that could be an option. Okay. And I know very well that this company did not did not consider that option at all. I disagree. Solaronic has been

in time. Hold on a second. In 5 years time, there's no telling what a city might be. Okay, I'm not going to be here. Maybe I might be here in five years to you. Maybe not. This may be my last year.

But I'm telling you that as a council member, I'm sitting here and if I'm thinking about the possibility of what's going to happen if we can't meet our obligations and you're telling me that it never crossed your mind. And and what I'm saying to you is what what I'm saying to you is solidarity has existed for 10 years and that we would not bring a contractor before you that would do anything adversarial towards the greater good of this city longterm and short term. So that should not be a question that's crossing your mind. It should be a question of what's in writing and you have the ability to negotiate the terms. Yeah. I mean no harm in respect. It's got to be a question. your business and businesses calculate the odds of every angle that comes across that table no matter what. And I know that this was an odd that came across the table. What if in five years this city is bankrupt and we can't afford them lights?

So, so the question you're asking is what is the risk to us? What is the risk to us and you is what I'm asking. So at this point there's no risk to you because five years is being paid for with us stating that we want to work with you to negotiate the terms and the next will clap. I clap the risk to us is very great from a business perspective. Okay. Okay. So I know we going to go to Miss Martin. We got a question over here from Miss Square and then we going to call for the vote. So, so the risk being as great as it is, it never crossed your minds one time that this could be a possibility. That what could be a possibility, sir?

What I just said, if we're unable to meet our obligations, it never crossed your mind. Okay. And what risk are you proposing? I'm not I'm still not clear. Okay. Okay. Hey, Miss Martin. Miss uh Miss the Square, did you want to address that before? Miss yield back. Good evening, everybody. Good evening.

One of the things that I work on here is city money. That's really the only thing I work on. I really don't manage politicians and I don't manage politics, but I work on the money. So, this has come up, you know, this is like on my desk. What I'm proposing that the city does is that budget create a budget for this kind of like start saving for it and that will create a framework at budget time to deal with this in five years because the question is will we be able to afford it in five years. really we have an obligation to the state not to encumber the finances of the future

and basically budget and so this getting together and talking and all of that. No, that has to happen at budget time just like we have a the library we have a budget for the library where we put money in that for maintenance or something that might bring over there. So, I'm suggesting that over the course of the next five years, we create a budget and we put money in that budget because the reality is we probably won't have a lighting authority by with a truck. You see Detroit creating money. You see their truck going around. That's electricians and folks, you know, supplies and and an office to service that. So, we would probably have to contract it out in five years anyway. But if we start saving and maybe in five years if the pilot goes well, which is why it's a pilot program. So, we're going to see over the course of the if this is approved, how it works and if it works and it's something that, you know, is going to be a good thing for the city and something that we can expand on over that time period, we will have created a budget for it and council will be involved in the discussion of how this continues. So it won't be solidarity solidarity and solarronic in the No, it can't happen like that at the city. It's got to be an organized function that's part of the budget. So next year we bought we put you know money in it and we work toward saving so that we can even contemplate taking it over which we'll probably be contracting it out because we don't have the capacity and we probably won't in five years but you never know but five years goes by

quick in 60 months. Yeah. So that's that's what I want to say about that. Okay. Miss Martin, you had something before I called for the vote or you are good. No, I did. Oh my god, I lost it. Um Oh, it's it's possible in 5 years we can apply for grants to help out with I mean even that's an idea, right? That we can get. Absolutely. And I'll say for the 10 years that Solidarity has been in existence, we've raised funds just for this purpose. So whether it be grants or whether it be uh foundations that we're here for the long term, not just to ditch some lights off. All right. So

I'm sorry. Go ahead. But I'm ready. I'm ready. We could possibly get some stakeholders that like what we're doing for Highland Park, somebody who used to live here, I don't know, um that would want to simply help out with the painting of the lights. Is that possible, too? So, those are those two possibilities that could be possible.

Yes. The beautiful thing about this resolution is it allows for stakeholders to be able to buy into or participate in the working group. So just like there were suggestions being made um there's suggestions being or concerns that are had we can address all of that and we're not asking you to sign on a dotted line and just have blind faith. We there is a track record and we're allowing for there to be or solar uh tonic is allowing for there to be some time and space for us to work through whatever issues that may be barriers to us ensuring that the city is able to take on the uh lights after the 5-year period. And this is something we're working on.

This is something we're working on now. We we're not going to start in five years. No, we will start once you all say yes. All right. It'll start as part of the budget, right? There won't be any working groups. It has to be organized under how the city operates under at budget time. That's when the whatever working of the group will present to the council to talk about the progress, how things are going and all of that happen. And Miss Square, I really hope that you are part of the working group so that we can, you know, learn more.

Okay. Well, Miss Square, I'm glad you said that because one of the questions when I found the ore when it said be it further resolved that the city council authorizes the citizens not the citizens the city's engineering department or the CED department. My question is would that be in both of their budget either or budget? We would create a budget for the we create a public lighting budget once I probably won't be CE but they might you know the next if this passes the next thing is going to be where do the lights go right okay

and so that group has to consist of council has to consist of the the citizens everybody is going to have to work together or we're going to have another fight because the lights are all going to be on one street not going to be under I think that absolutely Once we get this Okay, no more question. Mr. President,

just address the the engineering department part of the resolution. I just want to clarify that is specifically be to ask the engineering to to authorize engineering department to proceed with rightaway permits for the the 50 poles that are basically being built and you know going to be installed. That's all that that's all that that reference to. It has nothing to do with the ownership or the budgeting or anything like that. I just wanted to clarify that. Thank you, sir. M Pro, did you just file your paperwork with Laur? No, I did not.

All right, madam clerk, on item seven under engineering resolution approving the 5-year pilot pilot program for solar tonic and solidarity to install and operate maintain 60 solar street lights at no cost to the city. The motion was made by councilwoman Mana, supported by councilwoman Martin. Would you please call the role on item seven on the engineering? Councilman Shafi. Okay. So, I am extremely uncomfortable. My questions weren't quite answered. So, I'll tell you what, in five years, if things go good and and I'm still here, I'll give you a yes vote. Right now, it's going to be a no for me. Thank you. Councilwoman Martin, yes. Councilwoman Manica, yes. Council Proin Robinson, no. Council President Thomas,

yes. Motion carries. [Applause] [Music] So, we're going to move on to citizens participation. I'm going to set this timer for a hard two minutes. And I would like to ask the young lady from the treasury department to come up first. What about Mrs. Martin's resolution? That is under council affairs, sir. That's after citizens participation. Yep. So, we going to have the the young lady from the treasures treasurer's office come up and address us. I'll wait for you, ma'am. [Music] I wrote it before.

Hey, please do not rush. Take your time.

Good afternoon everyone. Good afternoon again. I'm sorry, evening. Um, again, my name is Alicia Strong. for those of you that do not know me and I am from the Wayne County Treasures Office. I am just here to pass on some information tonight. I have been off for a little bit. So now I'm getting back in the fold and I would like to mention for someone to get with me. The mayor did have my number, but my number has changed. We now have a mobile tax unit that you can schedule for us to come here and the people can pay their taxes right here on the unit. The unit offers payment plans we have where you can sit on the unit and discuss. It is also handicap accessible. We do not carry cash. I repeat, we do not carry cash. Now, we can take cash, but we do not carry cash. So again, you can email me, you can call me, or you can set up with me while I'm here, but we can have the mobile unit now come out to you. Next, November 20th is our annual veterans resource fair. It will take place at WC3, the one located on Outer Drive here in Detroit. And last but not least, we are still open every day for our payment plans. 8 to 4:30 p.m. Regardless to construction, we are still open. I want to remind people the holidays, we are still open and we are still taking P tax payments because come January, we will get a rush. Again, thank you for having me and my name is Alicia Strong from the Wayne County Treasures Office. Can you give us your number?

Um, my number is 313 400 4353. Thank you so much. Yes, Councilwoman Manica. Hi. How are you today? I'm welling yourself. I'm doing the payment plan. Is that only for default? Is that for just I came to go pay my my my bill? Is it it is for all delinquent taxes. So your taxes have to be delinquent for the Wayne County Treasur's office. When you see us payment plan, you are late. Okay. To do a payment plan. Yes.

I I just wanted to make that clear because when we were just saying payment plan, some people may want to make a payment plan, but it's not for delinquent. So I wanted to just make sure that they understand. Ours is for delinquent. Okay. And since you guys I just became aware that you don't have a treasurer, I will see who the mayor has been conversing with to see about maybe the mobile unit possibly being out at least once a week, weather permitted and schedule-wise. Okay. Okay. So that unit is only for the citizens to pay their taxes

and to discuss anything that they may need to discuss. You can handle everything that you would handle in the office on the unit. Okay. So but you will not handle what the treasurer needs to do. What once we get our payments in and what has to happen with all our payments? No. No. Okay. Thank you. Now again I can find out who can get I'm sure she's already been talking to your department. Okay. Um, but again, you can contact me directly if you need me to follow up if there's anything that I may be able to do. You have my direct number. Yes, ma'am. Thank you so much. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you again. Have a wonderful council president. Good evening. You also.

So, we are in citizens participation two minutes. Other than that, we're going into council affairs. I don't see anybody coming to the podium. They're coming and I will check online. I'm gonna go to my Miss Gracie already made a comment. I don't know if you want to make Miss Gracie, you trying to make a second comment? Yes. Right here. Yes. Oh, unmute.

Okay. Thank I just want to thank council for approving our uh investment in our future. Let me put it that way. I'm an optimist. I think as citizens, you know, uh citizen power, citizens getting together, actually participating in government, helping our our city move forward. I think that's a beautiful thing. I think when you think back at the fact that because of um advocates from this city, wonderful citizens who were able to get with the city and uh actually get the state to approve all this infrastructure approve improvement that's going on. I mean that's citizens power and I think that working with solidarity and and uh people who are interested in uh the development of this city we can move mountains. I mean, I look forward to uh, you know, I'm old, but I look forward to us being in a much better place in five years. And I look forward to the fact that there's so many people who have been involved in moving mountains, you know, in terms of trying to help this city uh, become a better city. I am really appreciative that the council, you know, has faith that we can do something much better and we're going to continue to grow and we're going to continue to look look out for our small businesses and give them an opportunity and some uh citizens, young people an opportunity to actually uh learn something about solar and be involved in this new energy. Um, jobs are there. Thanks a lot.

Thank you, ma'am. iPhone, I'm sorry I had to un I'm going to allow you to talk. Can you iPhone user, would you mind stating your name? Uh, yes. This is Shu. Uh, peace and love to everyone. This is really good to hear about the 60 um uh lights. Well, the 50 additional lights. Um, it is a very very good move. I'd like to thank Solidarity for their consistency and thank you Solaronic and thank those who are in support of just um improving things uh in the city. Thank you so much. Peace.

Ma'am, I don't see any movement in the room, so we're going to go. Oh, come on, sir. Jack. Hello, everybody. Uh my name is Brandon. I live on Courtland. I'm here today on behalf of Sha Shannon Bryce. So, you've seen him a few times before here advocating for the MLK park on a Richton and Lincoln. It's not in the best of shape, but he's been working hard to get that back into about the um

There we go. Thank you. So, he wanted to remind the community that there is a Halloween event being held at the rec center this Saturday from 1 to 8. I'd like to thank Madame Mayor for shouting that out for us. Uh part of this will be a shoe drive to raise money for the park. It's a very easy thing. We bring in shoes any size, any type, any condition, and I mean any. And you can bless another family with a foundation that we're partnering with that will raise money for the park itself. When I was asked to uh make this uh comment for everybody on Shannon's behalf, I happened to reach out to the architect who made who designed the park originally and Mr. Richard Datner who is uh still alive in New York running his firm uh his architectural firm and he wanted me to show a few words. So he says and again this is his words not mine. Um I am not an architect and I've never played one on TV. So dear Highland Park community 57 years ago as a young architect I had the privilege of designing the MLK playground in the heart of your community. Funded by the federal model cities program of Lynon Bain Johnson. This park and playground was intended to be a hopeful, well-attended community center for Highland Park residents of all ages. Modeled as an adventure playground, it provided venues for creative play, water play, active and passive recreation, and the appreciation of nature. Areas for young children and older youth contained pyramids, tunnels, climbing poles, slides, tire swings, and other opportunities for play. Pedestrian paths criss-cross the p the park to promote the busy traffic, which would keep the park visible and safe. A wooden trellis covered the diagonal paths, providing shade and night lighting, while the benches provided seating along these walkways. The lack of maintenance and investment in the park's upkeep ultimately led to the abandoned site being experienced now.

Squeak it in. Okay. Similar parks I designed in Central Park in New York City have been consistently maintained and refreshed to the light of the kids and the parents still using them. My grandchildren play in several of them. Again, his, not mine. I will help Brandon, me and your community in any way possible to promote the restoration of the MLK park and playground. I wish you all well and look forward to this help with your steps in this challenging and important undertaking. Sincerely, Richard Datner. And you will see some uh pictures floating around of the park in their its original format in 1970. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Come on down. Greetings everybody. How's everybody doing? My name is Mark Ashley Price and I just wanted to say thank you to the council for passing um that the issue of the light. Thank you. Thank you.

You're welcome. Uh Shemica Nichols. Uh once again, um as a resident and uh someone who works in Highland Park, uh with solidarity, I appreciate uh folks that are willing to get us out of the dark. And if there's any additional questions, we are more than open. Our membership is open for folks to be able to attend meetings, ask more questions along this process. And uh again, just want to say thank you so much.

Thank you, ma'am. All right, we're going to bring citizens participation to a close and move into council affairs. In council affairs, we have a resolution brought forward by councilwoman Martin. Chair will entertain a motion on this resolution dated 10 2020 2025 requesting online publication of a full ordinance for public access. Miss Manica, you have a question related to the motion? No, I have a motion.

Motion to approve. Uh Miss Mana has support. Go ahead. Miss man, you have a motion. Yes. I move to latest um item on the table for everyone to be able to look at review and then they can all and then bring it back. Chair officer. So the motion has been made by Counciloman Mana to table this resolution until the rest of us who just received it today have an opportunity to take a look at it. Questions, concerns, descent. There's a motion on the floor to table this resolution. Made by counciloman Mana supported by the chair. Go ahead and call the role on table in the item now. Councilman Ashafi.

No to table. Councilwoman Martin. [Music] I have a question. Ma'am, I do have a question. Why are you going to table? I said to review it, get a chance to look at it, maybe even go over it with you. No. Councilman Councilwoman Manica. Yes. Council Proton Robinson. No. Council President Thomas. Yes. Motion to table fails.

Motion to approve. We have a motion to approve made by Councilman Ashafi. Is there support?

Support. I have a question. The motion is on the floor. So, here's my question, ladies and gentlemen. Right now, on the city of Highland Park website, which I will put up on the screen, I went to the website. I typed in the word ordinance and it brought up for me every ordinance that the city currently has available for download. At the bottom, it has the Highland Park Municipal Codes. All of the things that are contained in this resolution are already on the website. Can you help me understand what will be different than what is already uploaded on the website? This is animal ordinance, business license ordinance, citizens district advisory council ordinance, civil infractions ordinance, ethics ordinance, historical district ordinance, illegal dumpling ordinance, marijuana ordinance, losses of sale of resale property ordinance, sale of vacant lot ordinance, solar energy ordinance, fender license ordinance, zoning ordinance reformatted. And then when you click on the municipal code as I have suggested to members before this is the high municipal code there are thousands of pages on here what is the difference what what will I don't understand what will be added I don't understand what's missing if you could help me understand how this resolution and it says

can you go I'm asking I'm asking for clarification you ask quite often So, I'm trying to help me out here because what I want to know is I just want to know should be easy. This is on the this is on the floor and this resolution is asking for it says many ordinance of the city. We now have their full legal text already available and are currently enforced through administrative process. So, I'm trying to figure out right on the screen on our website are all of the ordinances and we also have a municipal code that's Can you pull up the housing? I'm sorry. Can you pull up the housing? Housing? You mean more specific?

It's under the housing. Like, can you pull up fencing? Can you pull up the blight? Can you pull up any of those? Because I've been requesting the fencing ordinance and can't find it. That's that's actually here we have right here. Okay. Where is it? The zoning book, which I emailed to members in my first two months here. I zone I email everybody a copy of this. Where is it? Hold on. Hold on. It says under buildings. So each one of Wait, that's why I said the housing. Go ahead. Each one of these is a separate section. If you click on it, let's go to planning and zoning code. No, no, not the planning of zoning. So I'm saying this is where it is. This is the actual There's a binder that's this big for all of us. Yeah.

And it is electronically available here. Right. It wasn't in It wasn't in my Bible. I have my binder on my desk. It's there every day before I leave. Um I'm not disputing your Bible. I'm saying no. binder at at being on the board. All of this is available on the website. When I was on planning commission, I I looked it on the website either, Mr. President. I didn't see it. I just want to know what the difference is. What What will I mean, did you did you pull up the 50? Where is it? So, Miss M, what I'm saying is in the actual zoning code that we all have a copy of. I got that. Did you pull it up, Mr. President? Do you want me to go through this and find the word penc? Yes, that's actually what she wants

cuz I couldn't find it. I couldn't find it. I requested it. It wasn't sent to me. You typed in the words fencing, right? For a search and all that came up, right? Yes, ma'am. Not one thing came up. Not one thing specific thing on fencing. Okay, hold on just a second. Because it it really shouldn't even be that hard either. While you're Can I ask a question while he's doing that? Go right ahead.

So, I'm gonna just go back for a minute. When you asked for opportunity to go back over the ordinance, we did that. When we sat in here and went through a whole meeting and went through the ordinance and wrote out and made changes that you asked for, we did that. And so here we are. Here we are asking you for an opportunity to go through it and you're saying no. And that's fine. I I'm just pointing that out.

Secondly, what exactly are you looking for that's missing in that ordinance that because fencing seems to be a target here? No, it's not just fencing. There's a there's examples here in this resolution. That's number one. So, but then that's a target. So, you're targeting those specific areas. No, I didn't want to list everything in this resolution. There's already examples in this resolution. Then I'm bringing you more examples that I'm talking. I didn't see it on the website. I see that he typed fency. It's chapter 1222. So this is the entire I can't I mean with all the glare I can't see

zoning ordinance. I'll go back I'll go back to the word fancy. I mean that's just an example. The everything is actually in there. Everything that is that's just an example. That's number one. Number two, some of the orders are haven't even been updated since what 20 2099. Which ones have

So, how how does that change what we've already said is is the question that I'm asking now. So, my first question was when you mention fencing, there's usually a target. There's something that's missing. So when I mentioned fencing way down when I said specifically that people had to put a fence at some point we seen that around their thing. So I I identified and accounted for what I'm exactly looking for. So that's what I'm saying when you point out examples. So then somebody else come along and say well you need to put all those examples in there. But we've already identified the fact that we have not we have not went and went through all the ordinance. One, we probably will not do all the ordinance in the time that we have left, but we can do as many as possible. How does this change the fact that we still have to do that? Because whether or not we get to it, it's it's there. It's there and it's not going to change until we change the ordinance. But we haven't sat down and had a conversation. I did call you last week and said, "Hey, let's work on on the other one." We didn't get back. We didn't get back. We did not get back to that. No, we did not. Let me finish. We did not get back to the fact and I did not get a convers. I did not get a chance to call you back to reset the time cuz our times did not work. But here I am saying here I am saying we wait a minute. So we I am saying we didn't do to you. Here I am saying to you, hey,

wait, wait a minute. We did not agree on the 21st. No, no, no, no. What I'm saying is our time did not work out. So I never did call back. And so what I'm saying to you now is I'm saying, Miss Martin, hey, I have your ordinance here. I'm willing to take a look at this with you or anybody else. Manica, we talked about which ordinance did you talk about you want to work on. There was only one ordinance that you discussed. Okay. And what I will tell you was the rental. But still, I'm saying to you, no, no, no. I'm saying to you, we didn't talk about that. Here we are here now with a whole new ordinance. We haven't even say anything about working on an ordinance. I'm talking about resolution, right? All these, right? We're not talking about an ordinance right now.

Okay. what the resolution contains in your concern is important. And so what I'm just pointing out is what is going on? What's really the problem? The I can tell you what the problem is. The problem is working together. That's the concern I have. Not just with you with Mr. Shi with Miss Mr. Thomas. I'm saying to you, yes, I hear you, Mr. Thomas, but I don't have a problem. My problem is that I can't tell you what the issue is. And so I'm saying again that gohead, hey, give the opportunity. You can take the vote. I'm ready to vote. Yes, ma'am. But I still have my point to get across. So that's all I'm saying to you. I have no problem with that. And I'm going to call for the vote.

Hold on. Hold on a second. This ordinance is requesting the online publication. Let's call the vote. All full ordinances. I keep telling y'all about distractions and at just for the record, all the rest all the full ordinances are available. You're seeing them on the screen right now. So, we'll go ahead. It didn't pull up, but it's okay. Let's call the Let's call the vote. So, we have a motion made by Councilman Ashafi for the approval of the resolution supported by Councilwoman Martin, would you go ahead and take the role? Councilman Ashafi? No, it does. Councilwoman Martin, yes. Councilwoman Manica, no. Council Pro Tim Robinson, yes. Council President Thomas,

no. Motion carries. And so I'm going to set the timer for five minutes for council affairs. We're gonna start with the council from the third district. Go right ahead, sir. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I'm I'm going to make this real quick. I'm tired. I'm ready to get out here. Doesn't change. Um, I hope you paid attention to what was going on here tonight.

I hope you paid attention. There's an intentional effort to keep you in the dark, to keep you illinformed, to keep you uneducated, to keep you stupid as to what's going on in the city. If you don't know nothing, you can't say nothing. If you don't know nothing, you can't do nothing. Okay? So, that's an intentional effort. Okay? And I want you to understand that, ladies and gentlemen. You're being undereducated intentionally

so they can do what they need to do. I need you to pay attention. I need you to show up. I need you to turn out. I give you a a a prime example. The issue we're having with our treasurer, they created that issue. They've intentionally stalled her out on her bond. And I don't even like Lisa Stallowski, but she is our treasurer. They tried to say that we don't have a treasurer. They told Wayne County we don't have a treasurer, but we do have a dyeleed treasurer who's being stalled out on a municipal bond because they want her to put up our own personal property to secure the bond instead of them doing what they supposed to do, which is pay for the bond since she's an elected official. It's all a game. It's all employ. And if you're paying attention, you know exactly what I'm talking about. This clown sitting up here at the top, he may find it funny, but I'm not laughing. He's laughing. And you know why he's laughing? Because he thinks you're a joke. He thinks you're fools. He thinks you're idiots. He thinks you're [ __ ] He thinks he's the smartest person in the room. And you can hear it in his tone how he talks to you. And if anybody don't pick that up, I don't know what the hell to tell you.

If you don't pick up the fact that he think he better than you, I don't know what to tell you. I don't think I'm better than you. I come from you and I'mma sit here and I'mma fight for you because the rules that we say here today when I'm out of this seat, I'm subject to them rules. So why would I put something half ass on you that I'mma have to deal with after I'm out of this seat? Right now I'm protected by the city. They leaving me alone. What happens when I'm out of the seat? What happens when I'm back amongst you? I'm subject to the rules I set in place. And that's what they're not getting. Self-preservation is real, ladies and gentlemen. It's real. We don't make laws to hurt the residents because it hurts us. We protect you because we protecting our goddamn self. So, I want you to understand this and I need you to pay attention and I need you to continue to show up. I appreciate the multitude of people that showed up here tonight. It's starting to get more busy. Well, we are coming close to uh to election time and I hope you're paying attention cuz whether I'm here or not, you still have to deal with this and it's still going to be here and it's still going to be a problem for you. And if they're here, you're screwed. And I yield back. Thank you, M. Martin. Go right ahead.

Everybody have a good night and God bless you. I'm out, too. Mr. Martin. Oh, thank you.

Not dark. Miss Martin, would you like to go ahead? Yeah, I'm go miss. Okay.

Hello. Uh, citizens of Highland Park. Couple of things I want to say. Um, one, if any of you want to know what it is that I was talking about that resolution, I will feel free. I will have no problem talking to any of you about what it is I found out about the website. I still didn't pull up that fencing. I still didn't see it. There's a couple of of ordinances that are on that site that you just we don't see. So, that's that's the one thing I wanted to say. Um, the other thing I wanted to talk about, I have had a couple of citizens talk to me about the billboard that is on top of the strip club and how they want it removed. So, I want that to be on record that I brought that up and is discussed and what it was we can do as a citizen to see if we can get that either removed or either a different picture that's on there. Um, something that welcomes people coming into Highland Park instead of what we see currently. Um, the other thing I wanted to talk about is um I wanted to address it to the East Block Club on the I believe it's on the first block. um contact me and let me know what dates you guys want um dumpsters. Second of be second of all um I was also informed to me that cakes and shakes um had a little bit of harassment going on. I'm curious to find out what that's about. I heard I don't know if it's 100% true, but I heard they closed down. I hope that is not the case. Um, my next thing I wanted to address, um, I think that is it. Yeah, I think that's it. Um, and that being note, I'm going to say thank you for coming out and being with us here at city council meeting. And I'mma go ahead and turn it over to Manica.

Thank you, ma'am. Good evening.

Good evening, everyone. I'm going to say that you need to be careful and be mindful of distractions and things that are distracting you. We can continue in this manner as long as you guys want or you allow it to happen. That was no respect. That was no. every time he walks out of this room when it's everybody else time to speak. That's disrespectful because other and on top of that, he does it not to just me and Mr. Thomas. He's doing it to you, Miss Martin. He does it to Miss Robinson. Just happened to be today. She left. She left, too. So, in other words, I could care less what you getting ready to say. I don't want to hear it. No. No. That's that's what he's saying. I didn't say that's what you're saying. that you may not care and that's fine. But what I'm saying is that that is disrespect not just to them

to you it's disrespectful to them. You tell me teach something. It's not there no more. It's not there. You telling me to educate but you're not going to sit here and educate me. That's what you have to be aware of is are they are you being educated really in what's being said to you? We didn't do that to the treasurer. It's in the charter. And if I remember Stan correctly, we wasn't I wasn't the person who set her bond. The people who wrote the resolution for her set her bond. Correct.

If we're going to stand corrected. So again, when you're being said something to, let's actually be educated. And yes, we need lights. We even need other solutions to lights for those businesses. So, yes, cakes and shakes as well as other places have been vandalized. Now, I don't know if it's harassment, but they have been vandalized. And so, that could be something that's targeting us. It may not be. It may be because we don't have lights. But there's real issues that the citizens need to take. We can we can go back and forth on a rental all day long, but the biggest thing that's on our plate is no thing nothing happening in the treasur's office. I made the comment just because we can pay our taxes, does that take care of the school board? Does that take care of all the other entities that rely on that treasurer department? But we've been on this for a long time. And so I think the mayor said at some point to this today there's we're at the point now that we have to rely on citizens the governor uh and I just can't rem do what we should have done long time ago as city council based on our charter and we did not. So now is the rental really the issue? Is the fencing really the issue? or what's going to happen if we don't get things paid, if we don't get our our agreements paid. That's the issue that should be on the table. That's the issue that should be discussed. That's what the citizens should be worried about. Yeah, pay your property taxes. Make sure you do that. But what about all the things that we have contracts with? all

the other entities that rely on that department to get it done. And that's that's it on that. Some pleasant things that are happening in our city is one, New Grace Baptist Church, and I'm I'm I really hope that I did that right. New Grace is on Ford is having an excellent resource fair coming up this Saturday. And so their last resource fair, you could even get your license and a whole bunch of other things. So, they have I I believe a mamogram. It's going to be a real huge resource fair. So, please think about stopping in. I think they even share food. I'm sorry I'm doing this cuz I'm trying to pull up the other one, the pumpkin patch. If you can support that, that's going to be on Hamilton. Why am I saying support that? It's because that is our new businesses in Highland Park that are coming that want to be here. Those are our new businesses that want to be here. and that's sepia and uh aphrodesiac um they haven't completely did all the things that they need to do in regards to so you don't see a building but support them because they have been through it all they still standing in regards to being here so if you can that's Saturday October 25th 12:00 p.m. to 400 p.m. 261 Pilgrim Street, Highland Park. Um, so please definitely support them. The mayor mentioned all of the other activities going on. Please adhere to the signs though for constructions of no parking from 7 to 7:00 p.m. Please adhere to those signage that's out there. Thank you, Mr. Um, uh,

thank you, ma'am. President, everybody have a great day, great evening.

Five minutes for myself. Um, it's a beautiful thing about being a teacher cuz I tell my students, you are exactly who you are all day long. So when we sit in these chairs twice a month, we bring the people that we are into this chair. This is just a small window into our personality. In fact, the entire world, if you will, via the internet is watching us. So this is a very interesting lens. Um, I'm fortunate that I have a wonderful family and great friends and great neighbors. It made my decision to move to Her Park 25 years ago worth it. 25 years ago, I was a gentrifier. Two college educated professionals with no kids and six figure incomes. And I was a gentrifier. I've been here 25 years and I still had people tell me that I'm not a Highland Parker. Even though I've raised three children, invested every little penny I got into my community and I'm still here. All I have to do is go two blocks to move into Detroit. it wouldn't be hard. But I'm in Highland Park for the same reason all of our new neighbors are moving here. They look at the location. They look at the quality of homes and they say, "This could be something really nice." And they take care of their homes and they put sweat equity into it. And they meet their neighbors and they go, "These are some these are some nice people. We actually have a lot in common. It's conveniently located right in the heart of the city of Detroit." So, I like when people reveal themselves. As I watch the people cascade out at the end of the meetings, it shows transparency. There's a phrase, I grew up on the east side, throw the rock and hide your hand. My mom used to tell, watch some kids who throw the rock and hide their hand. Those are the real villains among you. Okay, so let's talk about October. October is domestic violence awareness month. As a judge said when she was here, domestic violence is a plague in our community. It is the number one It is the number one danger to people in Wayne County. And let me just drive this message home using the word home. Everything you care

about, everything you love, everything you've accumulated, and all the people that are important to you at home are at home. Domestic violence is bringing violence into your home. The leading demographic for domestic violence, sadly, is women and same-sex relationships. So we're talking about violence on women in our community follow not not far behind that with violence on children. That's even siblings fighting one another which is a big problem. Our young people are crashing out as they say. In your mind when you think about domestic violence, you think about some belligerent drunken man forcing his wheel on somebody out of weakness. Domestic violence is never about strength. It's always a weaker person trying to use violence and coercion to try and force somebody to do something. And so we have to figure a way to get the violence out of our homes. Stop letting the violence come in your home through media. Stop watching these [ __ ] reality TV shows that show the worst of our culture. People fighting in public and yelling and screaming at each other. You know, talk to your children about the music that is rooted in violence. If you listen to I'mma punch somebody in the face all day long, you might be inclined to do so. As much as you say, "I'm having a good time and I'm jumping around," that same energy translates. So, I wanted to just to caution the people. This month is about raising a level of awareness around the root causes and the ultimate losers obviously are the youngest people in your family because their culture to assume that violence is the way that they solve problems. We are deeply suffering from a lack of emotional intelligence. And the only way to preserve our community is to meet this where it is and to not allow it. And if you have people who are suffering from situations where violence in the home is common, you need to intervene. You need to intervene. You need to say something. They say you see something, say something. U it might be very

uncomfortable if your relative is the one that is initiating the acts of violence. Uh, it might make you feel uncomfortable, but you could be saving a life because every other day in the news, you hear about some person being the victim of terminal violence at the hand of a family member or a loved one. That's got to stop, y'all. All the other conversations that we're having are irrelevant if we don't find peace in our home. So, with that, I will close out tonight and the chair will entertain a motion to adjurnn. Make a motion to adjurnn. Second. All those in favor? Hi. Have a wonderful evening. 8:57