Thread by @DocumenterK

Hi, I'm Keith and I’ll be live-tweeting today, Monday June 28, 2021, Detroit City Council's Public, Health & Safety Standing Committee ("PHSC") at 10:00 AM #DetroitDocumenters @WDET @CitizenDetroit @Detour_Detroit @media_outlier

Join us at 10:00 AM and watch the meeting live via zoom by inserting this meeting ID 330332554.

Join us at 10:00 AM and watch the meeting live via Channel 10

video.detroitmi.gov/CablecastPubli…

Other methods to view the meeting are provided,

detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…

The agenda for PHSC may be accessed here,

detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…

Agenda pages 5 to 8

Agenda Page 9.

PHSC is live and a roll call has occurred.

Gary Brown, Director of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, is present and reflecting on the rain and flooding crisis.

Director Brown explains they set up call center, "building capacity and get wait time down to less than 5 minutes."

Director Brown states, "We got two months of rain in 24 hours. The bulk of the rain was in 5 hours."

Director Brown continues, "We have received 2850 water in basement complaints. ... We have about 18 vacuum trucks cleaning basements. ... Every community is trying to get the same resources.

Director Brown states,

"If you have insurance, call your insurance and make a complaint immediately.

If the President designates it a federal disaster, then there may be FEMA reimbursements as well.

Make a claim with DWSD via detroitmi.gov/waterdamagecla…"

District 3's Councilmember Scott Benson informs that District 6 Councilmember Raquel Castañeda-López is present but is attending as a member of the public and not in her official capacity as a councilmember as a quorom was not reached

District 2 Councilmember Roy McCalister Jr. asks, "

Director Brown replies, "We are building capacity and I don't have a timeline. ... The Mayor will have more information at 2:00 PM today."

There will be no ticketing until the city is cleaned up from this terrible rainfall.

District 2 Councilmember McCalister Jr. continues with his questions, asking about the timeline for FEMA.

Director Brown states, "The State has to declare a state of emergency then it takes 45 days."

City Council At Large Councilmember Ayers asks, "Is there anything citizens can do to help mitigate""

Director Brown responds, "Yes, they can rake out the storm drains if they have one."

Councilmember Ayers continues, "How do we define hardest hit areas?"

Director Brown, "We are using data but the best indicator is people calling in."

District 3 Councilmember Scott Benson iterates, "DWSD will unlikely be able to refund the repairs as it is not likely the backup was caused by the sewers."

He wants to make sure citizens have managed expectations.

Director Brown generally agrees, "When you get more rain than exceeds the capacity of the system the government has immunity. I don't expect most people will see a DWSD claim that is successful."

Director Brown provides an update about the Mayor addressing the public, it will be at 3:30 PM now instead of 2:00 PM.

Councilmember Benson, "I am glad to hear that the city is being realistic and understanding that people are going to need help.

There is a health safety and welfare issue living with moldy old and sewage water. Those items have to be removed from your house."

Councilmember Benson emphasizes, "If you have insurance, you need to file the claim. DO NOT WAIT. The cavalry may come, but in the meantime we need to be helping ourselves if we can until cavalry arrives."

After several other questions, City Council moves on to Public Comments and shortens the length to 1 minute.

District 6 Councilmember Raquel Castañeda-López is present and reflects on Council activity.

District 6 Councilmember Raquel Castañeda-López is present and reflects on Council activity.

Bernard Parker III requests for additional time to work on an ordinance with Councilmember Lopez.

Lisa Lynn shares her experience about flooding over the past several years, doesn't think the time allotted by the City is enough, and hasn't had a good experience with the City.

Phone Caller 534 encourages Detroit to take care of its own people.

Virginia Park shares her experience wtih a handicap neighbor that needs assistance.

District 5 resident Joel Batterman is wondering what Detroit's plan is over the long term to address this.

Phone caller 478 would like written report as to why pumps were not working.

Phone caller 299, Joyce, reflects on drainage fees.

Beth Gotthelf requests for a copy of a new draft of an ordinance.

Justin Onwenu shares his comments.

Nathan Keup asks for a delay in public hearings to review a new draft ordinance.

Public Comments are closed.

Debra Pospiech responds to some of the comments.

Pospiech states the claim to DWSD is just a brief way to lock in your legal claim that includes:

NAME
ADDRESS
DATE
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGE

Pospiech recommends the handicap resident calls 313-268-8000

Tom Stephens

Scott Bensons requests a motion for bringing back line items 349, 1011, 3544, and 45.

Council is talking about Whip-Its.

Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair states, "Whip Its are a canister of nitric oxide used to charge whip cream dispenser. ... It causes lightheadedness, dizziness, and some sort of euphoric floating sensation. They are highly addicting."

These are whip-its.

Councilmember Ayers, "We have to take action because people don't really recognize the extent of damage that it can do to a person."

Commander Kari Sloan, "The big concern is that it is impacting traffic accidents and traffic violations."

Supt. of EMS comments they're just treating the after effects, usually breathing and nausea problems.

Councilmember McCalister Jr., "What is the source of these for the youth?"

Commander Sloan answers, "There were 23 business in Southwest Detroit openly selling them to customers."

Councilmember McCalister Jr., "Why are these being sold at corner stores? In one of the stores in my district you can buy them by the case."

He will be joining Councilmembers Ayers on this cause.

Council reviews Line Item Number 7

Council Reviews Line Item 7

Deputy CFO / Chief Procurement Officer Boysie Jackson shares details about the contract.

"Transportation Management and Design for 3 years, a little over 3 million dollars."

Executive Director of Transit Mikel Oglesby, "This will allow us to go after big dollars that are supposed to be coming down the road."

Councilmember McCalister asks Exec. Dir. Oglesby if he is not concerned.

Oglesby responds by saying he is concerned and provides a list of his concerns.

"I'm focused on making sure that the mechanics have all of the training."

Councilmember Ayers, "how many additional staff will this contract provide?"

Oglesby, "Since it is an on-call basis, it will be what I need at the time."

Ayers, "How is the reporting schedule going to be so we will know what to request from you so that we can stay up to date."

Oglesby, "I have no reports I have no short term, no midterm and no long term reports."

Ayers, "That is my question, if this is approved what does it look like?"

Olgesby explains the process and indicates a 3 month period is likely.

Ayers, "With that funding, will it allow data to evaluate how to maybe expand the oversight to paratransit compliance? Just how will be able to tie that in because that is a longstanding issue for us."

Olgesby responds,

10:30 AM Discussion closed.

Motion to bring back Line Item 29 TBD.

There are no objections.

Line Item 1 is presented.

McCalister notes the chemical is biodegradable and motions to approve.

It is approved.

Line Item 2 is presented.

Attorney Viollca Serifovski is present to address any liability issues with the city permitted drag racing events. She redirects to Special Events.

Bethanie Fisher of the Special Events team is present.

Victor Moncivais, "The issues as far as the level of insurance that we require is something we would refer to the risk management section if there was such an event proposed."

McCalister, "It appears I can't get the answer I am looking for so I'll direct it. If we give a permitted event and someone gets injured you know that the first people that they will come back to is the City of Detroit."

Bethanie Fisher, "Special events require a 1,000,000 dollar liability insurance but I haven't had the chance to look at the direct insurance number."

McCalister, "Are there any provisions here where we cannot have any type of event as we are discussing, so that the City does not come under any type of litigations?"

Serifovski, "It falls under the offensive section but w added an exemption clause for permitted events."

The conversation continues about the proposals and legal concerns.

McCalister, "I don't want anyone to take advantage of gaps."

Moncivasis, "One would be a special event permitted by the City of Detroit ... then you have the offenses being addressed by the ordinance."

Chair Bensons, "I want to make sure the law department feels comfortable with the language of the ordinance in that we have protections?"

Serifovski, "I feel comfortable with this ordinance."

Read about the City of Detroit cracking down on drag racing,

freep.com/story/news/loc…

Motion to accept the proposed changes to the draft ordinance.

A conversation ensues concerning the proposed changes.

Chair Benson is seeking clarification on Serifovski and McCalister's intent.

Serifovski reads off the proposed changes.

Chair Benson motions to pass the changes.
It passes.

Line Item 8 introduced.

Motion to Receive a File.
Motion passes.

Line Item 12.

Motion to approve.
Motion approved.

Line Item 13 introduced

Motion to approve
Motion approved.

Line Item 12 introduced.
Motion to move to new business.
Motion approved.

Line Item 14 introduced.

Motion to Discuss.
Motion approved.

McCalister, "I was just concerned about the community engagement with this message here."

Fisher responds, "We had a community meeting on June 17. All of the event is interior. People will only bring lawn chairs. It is a small scale event."

Motion to approve.
Motion passed.

PHSSC quickly introduces Line Items 15-22

Motion to approve.
McCalister seeks discussion.

McCalister, "Emergency demolitions are technically already done."

Chair Benson, "Not technically, they are done."

McCalister, "In Line Item 20 I have issues with them not employing Detroiters."

LaJaun Counts responds, "The report that you are speaking of was provided at the time."

Counts provides a correction to the amount of city employees that live in the City.

Note: I do not think the numbers in the transcript are correct.

Motion to send Line Item 20 to Former without Recommendation.
Motion approved.

Motions to send Line Items 15 to 19 & 21-22 to Former with Recommendation to Approve.
Motion approved.

PHSSC quickly introduces several demolition contracts - 24, 32, 33, & 34.
Motion to approve.
Motion approved.

Department of Public Works contracts are introduced.

Line Items 6, 25, 30, 31, 38, & 39
McCalister seeks discussion.

McCalister discussed some of his concerns concerning sidewalk repairs and avoiding in Detroit the event that happened in Florida.

Motion to approve Line Items 6, 25, 30, 31, 38, & 39
Motion approved.

PHSSC returns to Line Item 5.

Avery Peeples provides an update, "The director decided they will paint the curb red and the resident is ok with that."

Line Item 23 is introduced.
McCalister opts for discussion.

McCalister, "Do we know where these monitors are going to?"

Research Analyst Davd Teeter, "The notes indicated they would be used in the transporation training rooms."

C. Sneed states, "The equipment is at end of life and we need new technology to run efficiently.

Director Olgesby states, "The monitors are silver and think. They are so old. This is for the training of the operators, not the maintenace side."

Motion to approve Line Item 23 and send to formal.
Motion approved.

Line Item 26 is introduced.
Motion to approve.
Motion approved.

Line Item 27 is introduced.
McCalister moves for discussion.

Kelly Trammel and Angelique Rodreiguez-Edge is present to discuss Line Item 27.

McCalister, "This is 100% Federal funding but then in the report it talking about they will be applying for reimbursement for Federal Cover funding. How are we reaching out for Federal funding in both areas?"

Rodriguez-Edge responds and states they are utilizing a number of different funding sources.

McCalister is not satisfied and appears to believe there is something incorrect about this approach.

McCalister remains confused about the various explanations but doesn't to hold it up as it is time sensitive.

Motion to approve Line Item 27.
Motion approved.

Line Item 27 introduced.
Motioned to approve.
Motion approved, will sent to formal with recommendation to approve.

Line Item Number 28 is introduced.
Line Item 28 sent to new business.

Line Item 36 introduced.
Motioned to approve.
moved for approval.

Line Item 37 Introduced.
Discussion ensues about communication issues and gaps of awareness.

Line Item 37 would approve a sale of a portion of a parcel for a 10-foot easement to install power for a control cabinet.

After discussion, Chair Benson motions to bring back Line Item 37 in two weeks.

PHSSC reviews Walk-On Items.

McCalister Walk-On contracts 6003479 & 6003480. They will allow the cleaning of DDOT Buses.

"I want to make sure the riders have clean buses to ride on."

McCalisters' Walk-On contracts 6003479 & 6003480 have been walked-on.

Boysie Jackson reviews the details of the contracts.

Chair Benson asks, "Were both of these Contracts denied by City Council?"

Jackson, "Yes, they were."

Oglesby is present and reviews the denials.

Ayers comments, "This will voted down by the Committee and the Full body. You should have redid it. I am left here looking like a bad guy, I don't appreciate it. Why didn't you all take the initiative to redo it?"

Jackson explains,

Ayers refutes Jackson, "Hogwash!"

Motion to send to Formal without recommendation.
Motion passed.

No objections to new business.

Motion to suspend member reports.
Motion approved.

Without objection, Detroit City Council's Public, Health, & Safety Standing Committee has been has been adjourned at 2:03 PM.

For more meeting coverage, check out documenters.org.

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@CitizenDetroit @Detour_Detroit @media_outlier
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