City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Good evening. Welcome to the Inster City Council Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 meeting. Everyone, please stand for our prayer.

Dr. Phyllis, can you lead us? Let every heart pray. Lord, we come to you right now in the precious name of Jesus. Lord, we thank you and we praise you for your goodness. We thank you for your kindness. We thank you for waking us up this morning and for starting us on our way. Lord, we asking that you bless this meeting like you never have before. Lord, just bless each and every resident. Bless the city council in a special way. remember our mayor in a special way. Lord, bless every mind. Lord, bless that we will work together. Lord, help us to be the community that you're calling for in these last and evil days. And Lord, help us to remember to give your name the glory, the honor, and all the praise. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Please continue standing for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Madam clerk, roll call. Mayor Byron Nolan, present. Mayor Proim Chisum, present. Councilwoman Rutled, present. Councilman Bishop, present. Councilwoman Scott, present. Councilwoman Howard, here. and Councilwoman Richardson here. Mayor, you do have a quorum. Thank you. Everybody had a chance to look at the agenda? Yes.

Okay. Can we uh do we need to add anything? Do we added item B? No, we did. We added the proclamation. Oh, the proclamation. Okay. So, we got two items under new business A and B. Anything else we need to add to the agenda? Do we have a motion to approve? Support. Okay. It's been properly moved and supported. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. Oppose say nay. It passes. We have no presentations tonight. All right. Consent agenda. Some move. Second. Been properly moved and second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay.

Passes. Boards and commissions. Any appointments? No. She talk to you. Yeah. Okay. All right. Um, ordinances. No ordinances. First or second readings. New business. Item A. Consider adoption of the included resolution for installation of a new water main and property owned by Wayne County that will provide redundancy in the water distribution system. So move. Second. Probably moved and second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

Oppose say nay. It passes. Consider approving a proclamation and celebration for America Corpse Week March 13, 2026. So second properly moved to second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. It passes.

All right. Public participation James Scrheart Jr. Uh again again uh uh thank you uh city council and mayor and uh to the to the residents as well. I was just actually in public comment going to talk about Americanore week. Uh the proclamation was to honor Americanore week for those who just came to city council. Uh I am doing a national service year with Americanore. Um and Americanore week is coming up March 9th through March 15th. It's a national year of service uh where I participate in the digital opportunity and enablement for the state of Michigan. Uh so I've been working two years on broadband infrastructure, digital literacy skills to senior citizens. Uh just anything really broadband accessibility. Uh I'm really focused in uh Ann Arbor uh in the city of Detroit. But Americanore is a opportunity for uh residents to really get involved with national service and we do have aore senior program. So please, you know, go on Google. Uh next time I'll bring some information for residents as well on Americanore. Uh but March 13th, we'll do a big celebration for Americanore week. So I just want to say uh thank you again for uh approving uh the proclamation.

Thank you, Dr. Phyllis Long.

Good evening. Good evening. Good evening,

council to the Easter residents. Um, a journey with lupus. We'll be having our we'll be having our meeting for this month and we'll be having our support group meeting at the Lyanna Hicks Library located at 2500 Hamlin Drive in Inster, Michigan um this Saturday, February 21st. And it will on the 23rd it will be a Journey with Lupus uh third birthday. So we'll be having birthday cake and we always have a light refreshments. But at this meeting we'll be having our self-defense class with self-defense uh techniques. So our guest uh presentation is will be done by Thomas Sabrowski, Terrace Moore, and Justin Fischer. And Thomas Sabrowski has been teaching the martial art of Taekwond do for over 25 years. He is a master instructor certified through the universal taekwondo brotherhood and is the founder of the Westwood Taekwondo Club, an afterchool program offered through the Westwood Community School District. Terrence Moore and Justin Fiser have been training in Taekwond do for the last 14 years. They are both black belt instructors certified through the universal taekwond do brotherhood and teach students in the Westwood uh community district in the taekwondo club. So this is our meetings are always open to the public and we encourage everyone to come and to get more information about lupus awareness

and all the things that we have going on. We did have a pharmacist to come in. and we had a social uh worker to come in and we have different presentations and sometimes it's just about sitting and talking and letting each other know that we're together and we're not alone. So, it's all about uh spreading lupus awareness. Some of the things we want to have coming up is um the blood drive because even though as lupus uh survivors or lupus warriors we are not able to give blood but that does not mean we cannot participate. We still want to be included as well so we can help uh spread awareness awareness about giving blood and how important that is. So, we would like to uh do that also at the Lyanna Hicks Library to get people to come and to donate blood. So, we just uh thank you for to our Inkster residents and to the Instster City Council, especially for your support for our little three years that we've been on board. And we just are so proud to be in Ingster. We're proud to be located in Inkingster. So we just thank you and we hope that everyone will come out and participate. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Sandra K. Watley.

Nice outfit. Thank you very much. It's Black History Month. I expected all of y'all to be decked out, too. Yeah, I am.

I knew you would. See, you did it last time. Yes, you did. Okay. Um, mayor, council, in residents, um, I'm here today to remind you about the, uh, meeting that we are having to increase voter participation in Inkster. Uh, we'd like to increase it by at least 10% by election time. This meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 25th, 2026 at 6 PM at the Booker Doer Rec Center. Now, one of the things we're doing also is building an infrastructure that works for us because there's no reason we should be scared every time somebody's elected. And so, we need to build something that works for us. So, that's one of the things we'll be doing in this uh because I know most of you heard that the SAVE Act passed the House. Do you know what the SAVE Act is? Well, it's supposed to be uh let's see here. It's supposed to be safeguarding American voter eligibility. Doesn't that sound lofty? But you know what it is? It's voter suppression. This is where they're allowing multi- labor layer identification for voters. They want you not only now every time I go to vote, I got to show my driver's license with my picture on it.

But now they want you to have a birth certificate and a passport. So this is another example. Now they're saying that they're not sure that it's going to pass the Senate.

Okay? They're saying they're not. But then a whole bunch of people said what's happening in America isn't happening right now either. So what we want to do is we don't want to react. We want to be proactive in what are we doing. So we'll be discussing all of these and strategies to um counteract the voter suppression that's going on today because we have the only weapon that is going to be useful in the coming months. And that's your vote because remember we don't have no money. Okay. Unless somebody here is holding out on me. Is that you, mayor?

Okay. We don't have the money and we don't have the people that are actually working for us in this Congress that we have because there are so many things that could be done that aren't being doing done. And some of these people are taking uh money instead of voting, instead of doing what the people suggested they do. So within this context, we'll be discussing all of these things that are going on and uh trying and helping you. For instance, did you know that there are over 13,000 lobbyists in Washington? Wow.

And they spend $14 billion dollar. And guess where that money goes to them people you put in office to do what they want them to do instead of what you want them to do. We're going to discuss all of that and we're going to try and find counter measures to that. So I hope you all will all attend and I hope you will bring a friend with you and I hope every time you go somewhere you will say are you registered and if they're not tell them to go to their clerk's office and registered. Thank you. Thank you James Richardson. How's everybody? Good. Good. How are you?

You don't even need his cane. He looking good. I'm feeling good. Um, I just want to make an announcement. Uh, me and my wife been married 54 years. JANU that was January the 25th of this year and um I heard a pastor said that it's marriage is easy and uh we me and my wife beg as partner last year I was in the hospital for six times the most I ever been in my life

and my wife had surgery this year so she was in the hospital so she know what it's all about and I want uh sing the same lyrics I sung the same lyrics the same lyrics the same lyrics I sung two years ago but I didn't get to to say them all because uh things was going fast but mayor you don't mind me singing a few lyrics is yours oh is that nice

don't go changing trying to please me you never let me down before. You don't imagine you too familiar if I don't see you anymore. I would not leave you in times of trouble. You we never would have come this far for I took the good times. I take the bad times. I love you just the way you are. Oh, don't go trying some new fashion. Don't change the color of your hair. Too late.

Always. You always have my unspoken passion. Although I may not seem to care. I said I love you best forever. And this I mean it from my heart. I could not love you any better. I love you just the way you are. Well, I think she's blushing. Boy, he definitely raising the bar on all of us fellas.

This is bad news for us. Man, Pastor Pastor Jean Overman, what a blessing.

So, I'm um Good evening, Mayor and Council, and I'm going to read and James just really really set the precedence. I'm just um I want to take a brief moment to publicly thank my Inkster fire department, my Inkster police department, all of the council, your mom was at the house, Steve, you guys. Thank you. You know, oftent times we don't understand those that run in when others are running out, but our fire department did that last Saturday at my home. My entire family, we were inside. Had no idea that fire was coming up the garage and going through the attic of our house while we all were inside. Had it been an hour later, the four of us would have perished because we would have all been asleep. But our chief and the chief of police and all of you wonderful residents in this city was there for us. I do not take it for granted. I have been an instster all of my life working and serving. But today to stand as a resident whose nineyear-old granddaughter could have been gone and my son and my grandson. I am so thankful that you have a professional fire department, a professional law enforcement that was there to ensure they said, "Is anyone in the home? What do you need?" They helped us move out of the way of danger. And you guys know how frustrated my sons can be when things are pushing like that. They're like, "I need you to calm down. I need you to stay calm and let us do what we do well." And they did it well.

I am standing here today to commend our public safety department because there's nothing more important than a life and they saved all four. So, I want them to know that that I am forever grateful that this happened and thank you to everyone that has called and and was there for us. Thank you.

Okay. All right. So, that's it for public participation. Madame Clerk, I would just like to announce I am so happy I have a new deputy clerk. I would like to introduce to you Mrs. Dashika Hill. All right. And that's all I have. That's all you have. Mr. Treasur,

uh, good evening. Um, first want to announce that uh, as everyone uh, probably knows, we're getting toward the end of the uh, property tax, our favorite time of the year, property tax collections. Um, this will be the last meeting before the deadline. Um, so for both summer and winter, uh, we can accept payments up until March 2nd. Normally, it's the end of February, but because of the weekend, uh, it'll the deadline's going to be on Monday, March the 2nd. Uh after that, the taxes are uh considered delinquent and they will then be sent down to Wayne County. So we encourage everyone between now and um I guess it's a little less than two weeks from now to uh settle up on those property taxes. If there's any questions, you can always uh come into city hall. Information can also be looked up online. Um but again, summer and winter taxes, the deadline is going to be on uh Monday, March the 2nd. Um and after that point they will be again uh considered delinquent and anything will have to be settled up with Wayne County. Um and it's always good uh if there's any questions or if they do become delinquent you can reach out to the Wayne County treasurer. There's a number of programs and I'm sure we'll be providing more information about that as we move into that season. But just want to remind everyone um you can make a payment here at city hall. You can pay online or you can uh leave uh payment at the city's uh at the dropbox at the front of city hall. So,

okay. Thank you, Councilwoman Scott. Uh nothing for me. Counciloman Bishop, nothing for me. All right. Councilwoman Rage, nothing today. Mayor, Councilwoman Howard, nothing. I know Councilwoman Richard has something to say. Best for last.

Have to make up. Um to piggyback on the treasurer first. Um on uh Saturday, March 7th from 11 to 1 p.m. uh we will be having the community forum. Um our Wayne County Treasurer, Eric Sri will be available. Uh we moved it to Amity Baptist Church uh because of the issues that we're having at the complex. Um I will have flyers soon. Uh but we will doing the foreclosure. We'll have veteran resources. We'll have health resources, estate planning, probate discussion. Uh we'll have the secretary of state mobile unit will be available for you to renew your license, upgrade your driver's license, and get the real ID, etc. Red Cross will be there and we'll have much more, but there will be um flyers um coming soon and they will be in city hall and I'll make sure everybody get a copy of that. Also, I just wanted to commend uh I saw the calendar um and I wanted to commend I don't know who did the calendar this year. Um, but one thing they have I made a mistake with my phone number. I don't know whose phone number this is listed under me. I don't have this phone. I don't know if this is a city phone. If it do, I guess I need it because you didn't put it in writing and this is my phone number. So, I will need that. And I did see some kind of dates kind of Lincoln's birthday the 5th, Valentine's Day the 7th. So, there's some mis, you know, I guess we have to I don't know if it's a printing error. If it is, we need to get some new calendars.

It's a printing error. Yeah. Oh, a printing maybe. No, no, not a printing. No, no, we made Oh, we made the error. Okay. All right. But if if you can tell me about this phone, so folks will be calling and saying I'm not returning their phone calls. I don't have that number. So, I don't know who who to see about that, but please get with me, whoever it is. And lastly, I would like to thank um all of you for your prayers, uh for your support, your text messages, your calls. I got food, I got and the mayor brought me lunch.

His secretary delivered lunch to my door. She was surprised to see me. didn't think I would be, you know, walking around, but you know, can't keep a good form down. She's doing back. Yeah. And I asked her, I had to ask her. She said, "This is from the bear." I said, "Did he cook it?" I know you can keep it. Yes, he did.

I know you can barbecue, but yes, I I did. But I was I'm very appreciative of that. Um, I got so many cards and flowers and uh it's good to feel wanted and appreciated and it's good to have those things come to you while you're still alive and you can enjoy it. So, I just want to thank you all. I'm back. Uh, I am cancer free and u and you learn a lot going through that process. Um, I learned a lot by my husband surviving nine times. So, I knew some things. And when you're going through it, it's it's different. You pray, you believe in God, you hope for miracles, and you come through and you're just thankful. And I'm very thankful. And I'm thankful for my husband even for the 54 years. He's not a good nurse. He goes to sleep on me a lot.

It's okay, I guess. Oh,

he did. He did. But he's supportive. One thing I have to say this part. Um because when you come out of surgery and you know you're wrapped and taped up and everything and my husband came in and he was the first one I saw and he came in and he looked at me. He said, "Oh Lord, will I give them my my pillars of heaven?" "Pillars of heaven." I said, "Oh no." And the nurse said, "Pillows of heaven." He said, "Yes, that's the only place you can a man can lay his head and just lose all his troubles." And everybody just cracked up. That's him. I can't take him anywhere. You can take anywhere.

Pillows of heaven. Yes. Yes. And it was I'm telling you, but it it's it's an experience. And so that's why I still stress always get your checkups. Get your checkups. Go to the doctor. Get whatever you have to do. Mine was early stage. And I'm glad that we I did that because it proved a blessing for me to have it done. um my husband and even even the process of it because I'm not one that takes a lot of medication. Um and they gave me some real stuff, narcotics, happy pills.

Yeah. And but but I was seeing little green people. So and and she told me just cut it in half and um you'll be okay. I want you to take it to cuz it's painful. Mhm.

And um I told my husband, I need to cut this pill in half. And um I'm old school, you know. I'm going to get a knife. No, no, wife. I got a pill cutter. I said, okay. Get the little pill cutter. And he put the little pill in there. And this is this is now this is the junkie here. He said he put it in there. He said, "Lord have mercy. I got to cut this good pill in half. I can't do it, Jesus. I can't do it." I said, "No, you do it. You do it." But one thing about it is that all the trouble you go through, I thank God for laughter because it makes everything easier. So whatever we're going through, don't forget to laugh.

That's all I have. Mayor Pette.

Yes. Um Detroit Prosper Us or Prosper Us Detroit is hosting a free entrepreneurship training class. Uh they sent a flyer out and it is for it is open to residents of Detroit, Ham Tramik, Highland Park, and Ingster. These classes are hosted at the Instster Library. It says, "Enjoy a personalized one-on-one session with the trainer scheduled outside of the classroom and connect with peers through meaningful networking and camaraderie at our Inkster location." The I shared the flyer with my colleagues here on city council. I just forwarded to you guys. Um the web address or the link to apply is prosper usdetroit.orgapply-training. Again, that is prosperous usdetroit.org/apply-training. So, anyone that you feel would benefit from this, especially in our community, please feel free to share that information with them. If you like, I can forward the flyer to you after the meeting has adjourned as well. um was going to say, "Oh yes, happy Black History Month. Every day is Black History." But in honor of February and it being recognized, I made sure that I wore my Kente cloth bow tie and I did not wear my Kente cloth suspenders cuz I didn't want the mayor to make any type of additional comments.

I would never. And that's all I have.

All right, we have a little update. Uh, Mayor Promp and I had the chance to go over to Wayne Westland to their finance committee meeting. Uh, I'm sorry, community schools, Wayne Wayne Westland Community Schools to uh to pitch our request for them giving us our land back that used to belong in public schools. So, they're very courteous and listen to us. They're uh putting us on the agenda for their regular meeting on April 13th at 700 p.m. at Wayne Westland uh Board of Education right on Marquette Road. So, that's good because we don't have a council meeting that night. So, that works out. uh it doesn't work out because it's so far uh a few months ahead, but uh that gives us time to make sure we organize and get as many people there. I think it's going to be cru critical that we show force in numbers because the people who are voting on this are going to be listening to us are elected officials and we get a chance to vote for them or not vote for them. So, I think we can apply a little pressure and hopefully they will uh, you know, grant our request and, you know, we can get that land developed and get it working for the city as well as Wayne Westland School District. Um, it could be a win-win if they make the right choice. So, we'll get flyers and let everybody know, but it's going to be April 13th at 7:00. And, uh, where's Dr. Fleming? You know, she came in here late. She didn't miss public announcements, everything.

I want to take you back. so much, mayor and council. Good evening, everyone. Good evening.

I'm going to be very brief. I just want to give you your final invitation and update for what? Westwood Got Talent. So, that's going to be this coming Saturday at 3:00 at Robawn High School. It is a you can wear your kinte cloth suspenders and bow tie and hat and everything you want because it is a black history, black excellence, black greatness initiative. So it will be kids K through 12 uh in addition to staff as well as some community members will be featured in this uh variety show production. Tickets tonight are $10 for adults, $5 for students. I only have nine tickets with me tonight. I like to leave here with none. So, please see me tonight after the meeting to get your ticket. They are $5 more for everybody at the door. So, please uh support Westwood Community Schools and Equipped as we provide um performing arts opportunities for our children. and let the council say, "Amen."

Amen. All right.

Real quick, everyone. Um I just want to piggy back on what the mayor was talking about with Wayne West Community Schools. For those of you who know or don't know, he's actually been leading this charge since his first term in office. And the way that he came in that meeting with packets for everyone and the way he conducted business on a on behalf of the city of Instster, you would be really shocked like, wow, this is the mayor of the city of Ingster. He laid it all out. There was no fighting words or anything like that. It was all expressing the compassion and the empathy um that he has for all the Instster Vikings and Instster residents and just letting them know like, hey, you guys got a free deal on getting this property. We need to be made whole. And so I was quite shocked. I commended him after the fact once we stepped out of it. And I'm quite sure that those in the room felt an entirely different way about how they obtained the property and what the right thing would be to do to get it back. He's been conveying this message over and over. He's been successful in other communities and so, you know, he's doing what he's supposed to do and I just wanted to make sure we publicly acknowledge him for that.

All right. Thank you. You have a motion to adjourn. So move. Probably moved and second discussion. All those in favor? I oppos you. 7:35.