City Council - Regular Meeting

7:06 p.m. Welcome to the Instster City Council Monday, March 16th, 2026 meeting. Uh will please stand for our prayer. Pastor Crawford, can you lead us? Gracious father, in the name of Jesus, we come to you on behalf of our city and all of our city official as well as our residents. Lord, we ask your blessings upon this meeting in Jesus name. Amen.

Amen. Thank you. Please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call. Mayor Nolan present. Mayor Pro Councilman Chisum present. Councilwoman Rless excused. Councilman Bishop present. Councilwoman Scott present. Councilwoman Howard excused. Councilwoman Richardson here. Mayor, you have a quorum?

All right. Great. Everybody had a chance to look at the agenda. Yes. All right. Do we need to add anything to take off anything? We have a motion to approve the agenda. So move. Second. All right. Um been properly moved and second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. It passes. Presentations. We have item A, Service Builders Foundation, Inc. Scholarship, Alpha Cappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Ada Iota Omega Chapter of Inkingster, Michigan. Lana Johnson, Vice Chairman. Hello. Hello. Nolan, honorable body, it's Ladonna Johnson. Someone added an extra A. Uh oh. Uh oh. It's okay.

It's corrected. I also have our chairman. Go ahead, say. Hi, I'm Sita Spencer Artist. Hi, how you doing? Good. Okay,

it's scholarship season. So, uh Alpha Cap Alph Alph Alph Alph Alph Alph Alph Alph Alph Alpha Sority Incorporated in partnership with Service Builders Foundation. We've been giving scholarships out to the uh students in Ingster since the 1960s. I received one of those scholarships in 19 Yes. Um, but I wanted to tell you that our deadline is approaching and we have uh put this information on our social media, but we want to make sure everyone in this room has this flyer that they can pass out to their students or someone that they know. All they have to do is scan that QR code and we will have the applications that will populate. There is a criteria, but the goal is to make sure that our Inster students and surrounding areas are receiving these scholarships. last year. One of the students is um she's from Ingster and she's at Jackson State University and this semester she's traveling abroad. So, I think that our funds helped her do that. What do you think?

Oh, you? Yes. Me as well. So, um if everybody can you make sure everyone in the room has this information. I'm done. And we'll leave some by the door as well. Does anyone have any questions for me? And I I received the scholarship in 1997. I am. Yes. Yes. Yes. That was a Z. Yes. Any other questions? Do you guys know some students that need some money? Okay. Make sure they scan that QR code. Thank you so much. That concludes my report.

Thank you. Public hearing. We have none. Consent agenda. I make a motion that we approve the regular city council meeting minutes for March 2nd, 2026. Second. Moved and second. Discussion. All those in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Pass. Boards and commissions. Any nominations. Okay. Ordinances. We have no ordinance readings. New business. New business is to item A.

I'm sorry. Item A. Item A. Consider approval of the Ingster Vikings all class picnic. Those dates are July 24th through July 26. So second and probably moved a second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. It passes. Item B. Item B is to consider abandonment of the existing water man owned by Wayne County. So moved. Second. Been properly moved and second. Discussion. All those in favor say I. I.

Oppose say nay. Passes. Public participation. Sandra Watley. Yep. You're number one. She got really good. Only got three. Don't be out of here. We'll be at the bar by 8.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening, residents of the city of Ingster. I'm here uh again today to talk about voting, of course. And uh this month's meeting will be on the 25th of March at the uh rec center at 6:00 p.m. Now, uh when you don't vote, you are allowing uh people who don't share your interests to decide outcomes for you, and that's never a good idea. You have to remember that everything is political and you are charged with making sure that you obtain resources for your group and other groups. And I know I'm talking to the choir cuz you all are at council meetings. You're civic-minded. You know what you're doing. What I want you to do is reach out to those people who don't understand how important this is. want you to bring them in. And we decide and we talk about how it doesn't start with casting a ballot in November. It starts with you signing petition when they first come to you. It starts with you making sure you understand who you're putting in office. And then you don't just put him in office and leave him there. You make sure he does what you need him to do for your group. And if he doesn't, then you unelect him. Okay? Those are the things we're trying to teach you. It is so important and especially now when they are trying so hard to take away your right to voting. We uh you have the saved act that they're trying to pass. It's already passed the house, but that is a a voter suppression act. You have Citizens United. Do you know 10 years ago, Citizens United are the people that fought the election commission so that corporations could be free speech and money could be people. And now they're

doing all of these things because you don't have the money and you don't have the you have the free speech. But that took away one man, one vote. That's what that did in 2010. And how many of us were aware that that happened? You know, so yeah, of course you were. you better be. But I'm just saying there's so many things that are happening in the background that are disenfranchising you and you don't want that to happen. I know a lot of people say voting don't work, but if voting didn't work, they wouldn't be trying every single day to take it away from you. It must have some value. Okay? So, I want us to start realizing that value. and I want you all to tell me what we can do in Ingster to make sure that the 22,000 registered voters actually vote. Okay? So, I'm asking for your assistance. And like I said, every third every fourth Wednesday for the rest of the year, we will be having meetings on voting. We'll be learning about civics. We'll be learning about the electoral college. We'll be learning about all of those things they never taught you when they said go out and vote. Just go vote. you know, we'll be talking about all those things and showing you how important your vote actually is. Okay? So, uh, I'm asking you to help me to make sure that all of the people, you know, cuz everybody in this room has a sphere of influence. You have people that listen to you and do what you say do. Talk to those people. Tell them how important it is. I, like I said, you are the choir. I know you already know, but I'm counting on you to make sure the rest of them know, too. Thank you. Thank you.

What time? Six o'clock. Where? Rexen, say it all over again. Every what? Whoops. Somebody get this man a pencil and a piece of paper. No. Uh, it's it's it's um it's every fourth Wednesday. I mean, every fourth Wednesday. Yeah. At six o'clock at the rec center. And uh this one will be on the 25th of March. Okay. That's the fourth Wednesday. One more time to music. No. You more

cuz I don't know if I can talk twice. No. Too late. I too late. I already put in two slips. Put in two slits with your name. I'm

I'm do my first one first. As they said, I'm going to do the good one first. So, uh, first of all, um, good evening, mayor, city council, all our distinguished citizens, and our protection. I put it like this, our protection around the city and everyone who's there. So, I want to tell you about the Inkster task force unit in the community. again, our annual Easter egg hunt. That will be April 4th, Saturday, April 4th, 2026 at the Simmons building, which is at 29150 Carlile. Uh we do have some a couple of flyers for you and you can also go online. They're on the website for you to see. Also, um it starts at 11 o'clock. We're going to end at two. Someone said three, but no, it'll be two. So, just to let you know. Um, we will have the Easter eggs and everything for the kids in the egg hunt, but we have not seen anyone bring any candy. We have a box that's sitting here at city hall. We have one at the police station and we have one at the Simmons building. We're asking for you guys to try to donate candy for us so that we could be able to make sure that we have enough candy for uh the kids. We are going to put them in bags. Also, we're also still looking to get uh Easter baskets so that we can be able to make sure that all the children that do come, they usually come first and foremost that they can be able to uh get a Easter basket. There's still a few things left for us to get. And um we just if there's any donations you would like to make, please please contact Insta Task Force, Miss Connie Mitchell, or myself. And um I think no one's name is on the on the flyer, but I can also give you my my phone number if you need to reach me. It's 313971-8775. And you I can be reached anytime on that number. And if you drop off candy at the

Simmons, anytime between 10 and 2 or on Tuesday and Wednesdays, I'm there until 7. So, okay, that's the first one. Second one, I noticed that on Moore Street over in um Denby that they've removed the the black poles that were blocking. So today I was wondering who do we ask who do we come to? Because with them doing all the work over there, you know, there's only one way in for us to get in, you know, to get into out to the circle. So, are they going to take since they've already removed them and they're just sitting to the side, are they going to all now take and make that part so we could be able to get in and out? Because right now I had to wait 20 minutes before I could get out to go to come to Inkster Road because it was just that one. We just have that one way and one one way to come in and one way to come out.

So, that's for you, Mr. Bibons. That's how I plan on discussing with the mayor and the police chief at the staff meeting tomorrow. Okay. I appreciate that. That's been brought to my attention. Okay. Well, I'm, you know, with them. I'm glad that it was brought to your attention cuz 20 minutes sitting there waiting on them to finish and move the truck so that you could get by. You know, it's really hard. So, you don't know if the park on the front or, you know, that night before. So you you know I'm just saying with them already moved and they're not put back into the dirt maybe at this time that will help even for the EMS and the fire department. That's all. Thanks. Thank you.

All right. Clerk, do you have any comments? There is a public comment from Charles Blackwell has been sent to Mayor Council and will be added to the minutes. That is all. Mr. Treasury, no comments. Okay. Mayor and council communication. Councilwoman Scott, nothing at this time. Councilman Bishop, no comments. Councilwoman Richardson, absolutely.

Oh, I uh first, um I would like to thank those that attended the forum we had last week. Um, and special thanks to Amethy Baptist Church for allowing us to use um their fellowship hall for the event. Um, I did bring some extra uh flyers for information. Um, it's a property alert. Uh, we had a representative there from Bernard J. Young Bloodood Wayne County Register of D's is a simple way to monitor your land records and warn you of potential property fraud. So, I have flyers here for you to read. I'm not going to read it, but you pick up flyer. I will have them um some here and I'll make sure they're out when you come in through the week at the clerk station in front of the clerk station. also um probate assistance. This is from the office of the Wayne County Treasurer. He was there with his mobile unit. A lot of people came and they did sign up to try to save their home from foreclosure. Uh his thing is to continue doing that. He said you have until the end of the month, but he wants you not to wait because on the 31st they are packed. He says they're there till like 2 or 3:00 in the morning and a lot of people still end up losing their homes. Please, if you need assistance with your taxes so they don't go in for a closure, please contact them and make arrangements to keep your home. I do have flyers for that, too. And that's all I have. Is that easy?

That's it. That's it. I did my job. Right. Right. Right, mayor. Pro tip. I'm going to one up Councilman Richardson and say I have nothing at this time. What? Some ain't right.

I don't I don't have much. But for those who don't know, former Councilman Clarence Olden passed away. His funeral will be this coming Saturday at New Birth Baptist Church. Family hour at 10:00 a.m., funeral at 11:00 a.m. Hope to see you all there. Uh Mr. Bibons, I want to apply the flags at half staff starting tomorrow through Saturday uh to honor uh Clarence Odin. And that's all I have y'all. I make a motion to adjourn or second watch TV. Okay, go ahead. This moved in a second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Oppose say n.