I'm going to call the meeting tonight to order February 9th, 2026. If you could
all please stand for the invocation by Pastor
Butler from the Wings of Deliverance Church.
Amen. Praise the Lord. First of all, I want to say thank you.
We thank you, Lord, for your goodness, your grace, and your mercy. We thank you
for the things that you've already done. We bless your name for what we see going
on in this city, the new buildings and whatever else um is trying to be done in
this city. We ask you Lord God tonight to remember this city council that you
would bless them to always keep your people in their minds and in their
hearts to make the right choices to give the right votes for whatever is needed
here. God, we ask that you would con help to conduct this meeting tonight uh
in an orderly fashion that people that need to speak will be able to share and
give clarity to whatever the needs are for this city. We look to you and God, I
want to say thank you tonight for being able to see Councilwoman uh Duprey. I
thank you for how you've touched her body and raised her back up. And I pray
for every family that's represented here on the city council as well as those who
are attending here tonight that if there is any sick among them, any problems,
any situations that you will work those things out. Let everything be done
decent and in order and pleasing in your sight. We pray. Amen.
» Amen. >> 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. >> Please be seated.
» Lisa, does she have the remote for the >> Pardon me?
» She had the remote for the TV. Turn the volume down.
» Super Bowl sound effect. >> Yeah, it's the reverb.
Okay. So, I'm going to go into um or no roll call first, please.
» Certainly.
» Council persons Bear >> here.
» Dup pre >> here.
» Nicholls >> here.
» Ross Salceto >> here.
» Zor >> here.
» And Mayor Tobin >> here. Um I'm going to start with saying
that um Councilwoman Ross isn't here tonight. She's with her husband who had
a procedure today. So, if we could all keep her in our thoughts and prayers,
her family. Um, and um, first off, I'm going to start if we could um, remember
Charles Charlie Kaminsky and his family. Um, he lost his wife this past week,
Pamela. They've been um, very involved in the community for many, many years.
Um, so just keep the family in your thoughts and prayers. We also lost um,
Rick Malusa. Um you can >> M busas.
» Thank you. Um the former owner of Flappers. Um he's a very wonderful man,
friend to all. Um everyone loved the establishment when he was an owner. Um
so keep his family in his your thoughts and prayers. And also former sist
» that you know I'm bad with names. um he has also passed away. So, we're asking
you keep his family and friends in your prayers and thoughts. Also, um I want to
address some things that happened last week um about our water bills. There was
an article on channel 4 um that was a little overstated that um interviewed a
residents about the water bill. Um, I just want to say that I I reached out
and I gave a response to Channel 4 and the reporter completely ignored the
response I gave. Um, everyone sitting up here, every council member, myself,
department head, um, we all care greatly about what's happening with the water
bills, with the water situations, and we are doing everything as digital
diligently as possible and safely to move things forward and to get this
corrected. Um, we wouldn't be sitting here if we did not care. Um, the news
reporter interviewed a city resident. Um, I have all her water bills right
here since 2021. Um, what she stated in her interview
about her water bills being $300, $350 and that we are lying and we are ripping
people off. Her water bills are consistently the same and she has never
had a $300 or $350 water bill. We went through and looked at everything. Um, I
called her and spoke with her. She's just very upset. She's um a nice enough
lady. I've known the family for over 30 years. I don't know why she did what she
did, but um she averages 11.2 units of water on every bill. Um from 2021,
she's had a couple bigger bills, she's had a couple smaller bills, but every
bill and her amount, her usage matches the cost of the water at the time the
bill was sent out. So, there's nothing funny going on with our billing. We have
some issues with our meters. Um, they are at their end of the at the
end of their life. We are doing everything we can to
correct that. If you are a resident and you get at a bill that is abnormal,
we're asking you to please contact us. Contact our water department. We will
send one of our DPS workers out to look at your meters. If it's an estimated
bill, they will look at your meter and compare to what the estimate is. We will
adjust your bill to match the usage on your meter. We are in the process of
replacing every meter in the city. That's over 14,000 meters. With these
meters, you will be able to have an app on your phone to download to check your
water usage. If you get a leak in your house, it will detect the leak for you.
You will be able to track everything. Um,
some of the reasons the meters are not reading correctly right now. Um, they're
at their end of their life. The batteries are going, we can't get
replacement batteries. If we're lucky enough to get them, it can be 3 to 6
months for us to get a battery to replace that meter or that battery, if
we can even get it. If it's overcast, if it's raining, we can't get an actual
read from your meter. So, you're going to get an estimate read. The estimate
reads go back >> 2 years or more and average your bill
for all those bills for those that period of time. So two years ago, you
could have six people in your house and you're down to one right now. It doesn't
matter. They're going to estimate all the people and all the water usage for
that period of time and that's what your bill is going to read. So please, if
that happens to you, come to us so we can investigate it. We want to help. We
don't want anybody to have a bill or have to pay for more than what they are
actually using. And we're very concerned about it. And that's why we are going
and putting in all the new meters to try to rectify this situation. Um, this is
something that can't be done overnight. We need your cooperations. We need your
patience. Um, it's just a a an issue that we have to
all deal with. So, I'm asking for you to understand what's happening and please
come to us and work with us because we want to help. um accusing, complaining,
um the inaccuracies and saying all this
stuff on social media that is not going to help fix your water bill. What's
going to help fix your water bill is coming to us and let us letting us
investigate it. We have great people in our water department. Our DPS water
staff are really good. They will come out. They will investigate it. You can
get a print out of your water usage. It'll show where you when you're using
your water, when you're not using your water. It'll show spikes. Um,
everybody's says, "I don't have a leak." I'm going to tell you, I said the same
thing and found a silent leak in my house that was corrected and my water
usage went back to normal. Um, look forward to the new app, to the new
water meters. We want to get this done quickly. So when you get the letter and
they give you the dates that you can do it, please respond and work with them.
We are replacing water manes. We are replacing water lines. We are redoing
our pump stations and our basins. We put $35 million into the system last year to
try to correct and lower our water loss. Tonight, hopefully this council will
approve us hiring a water detection company to help us find this massive
water loss we have. I am setting up waiting for the date of an appointment
with Wayne County Executive in Gleewa to help us find the water loss. We are
actually doing what everything we can. Lisa, the DPS department, we're all
working to fix this problem. We are not pushing it under the lo rug. We are not
not as concerned as you are. We want it fixed just as much as you do. So, please
reach out to us. Don't complain about it and talk and act like we're we don't
care. Come to us. Let us help, please. Um, so with that being said,
we are also audited, highly audited on the financial end of
everything in the city, especially with the water. The audits all come back
good. There is no money missing. There is no money going someplace it shouldn't
be. The accounts, like the water accounts, cannot be used for anything
else in the city. So, when you're out there saying that we're ripping you off,
there's no possible way we can be ripping you off. Everything is accounted
for and the audits are are done and we pass all of them. So, please put a
little trust and faith in this council and our department heads, our finance
department, and know that we are working to correct this.
The infrastructure is old, the water meters are old, everything is being done
to get us back on track um as quickly, as safely, and as responsibly as we
possibly can. So, with that being said, I'm going to move on. Um the next thing
up is um we had a chocolate walk on Saturday. It [snorts] was 13° outside.
It was very, very cold. We had 30 businesses that signed up to be in the
chocolate walk. I'm going to name them because they did a wonderful job.
There's a park restaurant, Shaw Callers, Labama Supermarket, Tazid Cafe, Lincoln
Park Grill, Lincoln Park Historical Museum, MPC Financial, Lincoln Park
Nutrition, Plaza Antiques, St. Michael's Church, Detroit Salsa Company, Mystery
Escapes, Nina's Niche, Theresa's Jewelry Workshop, ANR Music, Macaffy's Bar and
Grill, A-Sided, K&M Law, Celebrity Silver, Chesley's Bar, Caperee Chicken,
First Baptist Church, Feed Right Pep Supply, Hair Saloon, Classic Barberh
Shop, Exotic Smoke Shop, Furniture Land, Motor City Graphics, Leer Park Smokers,
and Calers Dairy, and Lob Flowers. hours was not in the walk because they're not
open on Saturday afternoons, but they were kind enough to bring a gift to
enter into the raffle also. >> So, um 52 people came out, 42 people
finished the walk. It was wonderful. They uh they got a lot of candy, let me
tell you. It was really good. So, right now, we're going to start. We're going
to pull the raffle. This right here is the adult raffle. This is the child's
raffle. This right here is for the first person that finished the raft the walk.
And this goes to Mike Corvath. He was the first one to finish the [applause]
walk.
» Here you go, sir. >> Yes. You're still in the raffle.
[laughter] >> Yes. Your number one finishing.
» Yes. SO, [applause]
UM, Kerry here is going to pull the child's winner.
» Shake it up good.
Okay. And the winner of the child basket, which is worth over $400, is
Kelseer Timuro.
So, he is the winner. I will call him and let him know. And Lisa is going to
pull our adult winner. All right. And the winner of our adult
basket, which holds $980 in gift cards, >> um a 50-in TV, sweet diamond earrings, a
silver bracelet with a heart, a 1944 precious moment cookie jar.
» Wow. >> Some t-shirts, and a bunch of other
things. So now, aren't you guys sad you didn't do the chocolate walk? [laughter]
And our winner of the adult basket who is here tonight
» is Joanne WHEAT [applause]
EVERYBODY. We're thinking of doing another walk later in the year maybe
around Halloween. So stay tuned and uh we'll see what we can do.
» She's not here. >> I thought I saw her walk in.
» She was behind me. >> No. No. I haven't seen her. I haven't
seen her tonight. >> Okay. Well, we'll get her get it to her.
Okay. >> Pop in though.
» All right. [laughter] >> So, that was a lot of fun even though it
was 13°. I give everybody credit. You're all winners in my book. Um, so next we
have um save the date of May 2nd. We're going to be doing a new festival here in
Lincoln Park. It's a take off of an old festival, Everything Everyone Lincoln
Park Festival. We are going to be covering all the heritages in Lincoln
Park. It should be a really great event. And now I would like to introduce Miss
Clifford from the Wayne County Treasury Office, um, Compass Strategy. She's
going to talk a little about our taxes and how to get help if you need it.
Welcome. >> Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks so
much. Um, good evening everyone. Um, my name is Anita. I am the assistant deputy
treasurer for forfeite and foreclosure for Wayne County. Um, serving at the
pleasure of Mr. Eric Sabri. Um, fortunately we are 50 days away from the
deadline for foreclosures. So if a person a taxpayer is not paid by March 3
first on April 1st, technically their property is sent over to the county and
foreclosed. Um, we are offering several payment plans as long as well as a
distress owner occupant plan. um if a person um has paid up up until 2022 but
need assistance for the 2023 taxes, they can enter into that um program if
they're distressed occupant owner. Um we also have a program for um the reduced
interest program for all the other home owners who are looking to stay in their
property as well. Um we in addition to those programs we recently started our
homes for generation program which is helping um heirs of property stay in the
property and keep the family wealth continuing.
Um and I have folders for all the council members as well. Um we have any
questions?
» Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you so Thank you so
very much.
Thank you very much. Oh, you broke all the pockets.
[laughter] I need to glue them. Thank you.
» I think that's the first time it's ever happened. I don't think
» No, it's not. >> Thank you so much. I appreciate this so
much. Thank you. >> Thank you, Anita.
» Thank you very much.
» Okay, so now we're going to move on. I'm going to do an appointment to the safety
commission. A mayoral appointment to
Okay. So, it's the public safety commission
appointment. Is he here? >> Mhm.
» Joseph, would you come up, please? >> I'll swear a minute after.
» Okay. >> Just read that and then I'll swear a
minute. >> I'm going to stand and read this cuz
it's okay. Hi sir, how are you? >> Can I take one of those? [laughter]
» We all want to take one of those. So, um, I hereby appoint Joseph Lorenzo. Say
it right. Loreno. >> Loreno to the public safety commission
for a term to expire 12:3031. >> Okay.
» Okay. I'm going to go ahead and swear you in. So, if you raise your right
hand, please. I, Joseph Loreno, do solemnly swear that I will support the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this state and that
I will faithfully perform the duties of the office of public safety commissioner
in and for the city of Lincoln Park according to the best of my abilities.
So help me God. Thank you. You could just SIGN
[applause]
over [laughter] the stuff. >> Former firefighter Mor. Yes,
you know
» that's your dad. >> That's a big
love. >> Yeah. He looks familiar sitting out
there.
» Is that one? >> Yeah. He's still putting that thing on.
If I get dead out there and then it's dead. [laughter]
» And that sounds just like him actually. All right. So now we're going to move on
to the consent agenda. Resolved. A approved minutes regular
meeting January 26, 2026. Approve accounts and claims payable. Attend
training FD. The training. >> Why is that?
» There's two trainings. Attend training FD renew local franchise agreement
direct TV. >> So move
» support. Cler call the roll. >> Council persons Duprey.
» Yes. >> Salceto.
» Yes. >> Bear.
» Yes. >> Nicholls.
» Yes. >> Zor.
» Yes. >> And Mayor Tobin.
» Yes. >> Thank you. [clears throat]
» We're going to go to the action items. A. Approve deficit.
» Uh thank you mayor. So we have two deficit elimination plans that we are
required to file um in 2023 our information technology fund and from two
2024 our water and sewer fund. So because we did not bring in enough
revenue to cover the expenses we entered into a deficit situation and we are
required to file deficit elimination plans until the deficit from that year
is fully eliminated. Um, based on projections, the information technology
fund should come fully out of the deficit this current fiscal year and the
water and sewer fund is a little bit further out. Um, a lot of variable
factors there. We talked about the water and sewer fund a lot in relation to um,
water billing as well, our water loss. Those are all things that contribute to
the deficit in the fund. Um, so I am looking for approval on the information
technology deficit elimination and the water and sewer. And I just did want to
mention one other thing that these are just preliminary projections looking
into the future. So of course there's so many things that can happen between now
and even the end of the current fiscal year. So these are all projections based
on our estimates of volume sales, volume purchases, and um, so it's it's all a
moving target that we're shooting for. Resolve that the mayor and council
approve the deficit elimination plan for the information technology fund as
attached to the fiscal year ending 0630 2025
» move support >> any discussion
call the role >> council persons Nichols yes Ross
» I'm sorry >> yes
» dup pre >> yes
» yes zor >> yes
» and >> yes
» sorry >> um next we'll go on to leak detect Nope.
Wait a minute. There's another one. >> Sorry. It's two resolutions under one
cover letter. >> Yeah.
» You want me to read it? >> Resolve that the mayor and council
approved the deficit elimination plan for the water and sewer fund as attached
for the fiscal year ending 6:30 2025. >> Move
discussion >> to the chair.
» Okay. I I do have discussion on the water, but
I was going to wait till the next item on the agenda.
» Well, then you have to wait till we discuss we get there to discuss it.
» Okay. It's they're all related, but that's okay. We'll we'll we'll get
there. >> Okay. All right.
» Thank you. >> Anyone else?
» Clerk, call the role. >> Council persons Nichols, yes. Dupra,
» yes. >> Bear,
» yes. >> Salceto, yes. Zor,
» I'm going to say no at this time. >> Okay. And Mayor Tobin.
» Yes.
» Okay. So, next we're going to the leak detection.
» Hey, so tonight we are seeking approval for leak detection services through
Alpha Penion Company. Um, as you know, we've been dealing with over 40% water
loss for a few years now. Um, we do have an inside crew that has been looking for
leaks within the system. We have found some, but we do feel that it's um, it
would be very beneficial to the city to bring in an outside company that can
work with us to look for larger leaks that we're not able to pick up with our
equipment. Um, and an additional thing that this company will do is work with
our current employees and do some additional training for them, work with
them on ways that they can look for leaks going forward. Um, the Nashian
company and I hope I'm saying that right. Um, is very well known in the
industry. They've done a lot of work. They actually have done some work for us
in the past as well, but they do work for Gleewa become highly recommended by
them. Um, as you may recall, we've talked about the article regarding
Romulus. They did their leak dete detection as well. So, this is just
another piece of the puzzle that we're looking for um in relation to changing
all the meters that's going to help our water loss, but this is um very
important and crucial for the city. They are able to start in March um if council
approves it and it'll take approximately 3 months and Eric from Venesian Company
is here tonight to answer any questions that you may have as well.
» Okay. Resolve that the mayor and council authorize Alfred Bach and company to
perform leak detection services throughout the city for a cost not to
exceed $119,500 from account 592-920-81800
move >> support
» discussion first of all m Eric can you please
explain your process on what you're going to do for the city.
» Please.
» Uh, good evening everyone. Can you hear me?
» Good evening. >> Um, my name is Eric Tucker and I'm with
Alfred Benish and Company. And uh to councilman's uh uh question as to our
approach and what we're going to be doing for the city, uh Benish has done
water audits, leak detections for many almost all of the communities in at
some point throughout southeast Michigan. Um the city we've noticed, we
actually met with the uh the city uh officials here um you know uh um uh city
manager Lisa Griggs as well as uh director uh Kosu and the city has taken
some phenomenal steps towards shoring up both their apparent and real losses. So
in our discussions I kind of uh was able to ascertain some things that would be
helpful in the process and it sounds like with leak leak detection I mean
with uh water losses on the order of 40 or even more uh percent water loss it's
highly unlikely that these um this total loss is due just to the apparent losses
or your cash res your your retail meters that you're collecting. So I do think
that you do have a problem with physical loss in your system. Um I know that the
city has made some strides in terms of procuring your own leak detection uh
equipment which you know I you know that is uh to be commended. Um but what I've
learned in this business and we've been doing it a really long time.
Leak detection is is less of a science and more of an art. We've been doing it
for over 25 years now. leak detection. So, our uh experienced uh leak detection
specialists and technicians um they go through uh a varied approach. They know
what to look for, you know, during the investigation. They do everything from
checking the surroundings, getting visual cues for what is what is
happening and then also understanding what the equipment is telling you and
also what it's not telling you. It's more than just reading the acoustics and
the vibrations and the time that it sends a signal through and forgive me if
uh if some of this is but the council may be a little bit familiar.
» I understand you you're okay. >> Yes. Okay. And so um
» so what we what we do is we we have a way of converging uh on leaks through
our process. So it's almost a process of elimination to find out and to make sure
that we also make sure that there's repeatability in terms of the integrity
of the sound the the signal to noise ratio in order to ensure that this is
the spot. Uh dur in our in our uh uh marketing materials we often say that uh
we can pretty much get you within uh within 10 ft. In actualities, we we tend
to do a lot [laughter] a lot better than that. Uh so that it actually can
minimize the amount of uh um uh restoration and replacement time uh for
the city, especially if you have limited forces and you throughout your DPS
department to have to uh make those repairs. Um, so what we want to do in is
sort of to kind of piggyback off of uh what you guys have already started down
the way and and and again I give kudos to having a a dedicated uh league
detection crew in place, but it's going to take um uh some repetitions um uh to
do that. We we'll show them techniques and strategies that we found that have
worked for us and have proven a very high success rate. Uh and it's most most
communities call us after they've exhausted a lot of other things because
they know including the city of Detroit when and they have leak detection. We've
also gone to other communities that have leak detection equipment and it's still
sitting in the box because they realize that it's it's more than a notion to
just buy it and then it and it and it uh does it. We help to find the blind leaks
often times where uh leaks aren't surfacing uh or often times you know you
complaints aren't coming in due to drops in pressure. finding those blind leaks
are are are really helpful because sometimes there could be cat it could be
pending catastrophic failure if they're you know if water is spewing out and
it's eroding the surrounding soils underneath paved roads structures uh
that can cause great collapse. We've saved our clients a great deal of money.
Uh, usually our services are just a fraction of what it is that you guys are
probably paying in loss loss water revenue when you purchase from GLWA, but
aren't necessarily able to recoup that on the other end from the your uh your
retail customers. So that delta it it sums up to to your water loss whether
that's through mechanical failures within your existing water meters or in
physical loss through your infrastructure and piping. Sometimes
leaks they migrate and get right into the sewer system. They they go on for
like that for years and no one will ever know. So uh I like that you guys are one
getting new meters. the meters are able to have they have a detection system in
place to be able because that's as the mayor uh mentioned toilets running and
sometimes you don't even notice it and it just kind of goes silent for for a
long time. This is uh no now that's actually you know that's not water loss
cuz you're capturing in it but it's the same s same type of um theory but it
when it happens in your distribution system you don't get a chance to
recapture that uh that revenue. So, uh, I know that was a long long roundabout
question answer, but hopefully that encompassed some of what you wanted.
Councilman, >> basically though, you're just an
acoustic. You only are doing this acoustically.
Correct. >> That is correct.
» You're You're not doing infrared. You're not
» N. >> You're not doing sonar.
» N >> just acoustic.
» Yes. Yes. And >> same thing that our guys are doing,
John. Correct. 35 hours a week. So uh even you know you and again you've
done your homework on this uh the acoustic and the infrareds often times
there's flyovers and things like that they can do create sort of like heat
maps to kind of give uh some some lushness in terms of the density of
where it is but at the end of the day even with those methodologies there's
still the the process of correlation and pinpointing that is still
» required and that is the component that We have developed some expertise
uh in in that in that way and um and through triangulation and and again
converging on uh on that in order to u shorten the spans where we're able to to
essentially pinpoint where that leak is going to be.
» How many guys do you have when they're um
» we typically work with a crew of of two people for safety uh for safety reasons.
Um, you know, again, sometimes you're working in some of the colder weathers.
You could be slip and fall hazards. I don't want anybody falling in storm
drains and and things like that. So, we typically work uh in a crew of two uh
for that. So, thank you. >> So, the chair, if you don't mind, do you
have a question? >> So, your your equipment compared to our
equipment, what's the difference? I actually uh mayor I have not seen uh or
or know what type of equipment that the city of Lincoln Park uh currently has.
Um I haven't I haven't seen I've inquired and we've asked that should uh
council and the city grant us an opportunity that would be one of the
first things in the in the kickoff meeting uh to uh that we would that we
would ask us to turn over that information so we can see how they can
best utilize it >> equipment that we already have. Mhm.
» And I mean it would be a different aspect. Why would we hire you if we have
the equipment? Maybe we would just hire your guys to use our equipment. I mean,
it would kind of be silly to to you to hire you and your equipment when
[snorts] we already have the equipment and you guys are the experts. Why would
we >> you know what I'm saying? I
» I think I think I get what I think I get what you're saying. equipment
guys are better trained and more knowledgeable.
» I'm not sure I'm not sure if we have the same equipment. So that would be kind of
onehanded after after the other. So what >> the appro the approach that we've kind
of uh proposed uh to the city as it relates to that is again
» we you know we don't assume to be expert in that type of uh the equipment that
you may have. We have mastered ours and we have multiple uh uh you know uh
different different uh correlation equipment. So what we what I I proposed
this is you know what this will give an opportunity for we go through and we use
our equipment and then when we come up with it they can they can corroborate
and using using the city's equipment and see there may be a difference in hertz
and frequencies in terms of things like that. I don't know their outstations in
terms of uh uh the pods that they that they use, what type of contacts they are
for transmission of signal. Again, I would need to uh to see that, but for us
to to do it, my team would definitely want to use our equipment.
» John, do you know what kind of equipment we have?
So, sewerin uh we got the device
I want to say back in 20 20.
Uh so it's a couple years old. Um
sorry I'm not that loud. Uh yeah, we got like a device. Um the the big sales
pitch for the device we had was the um we had used it to locate a a leak on
Lune Avenue um that was going right into a a catch basin. So at least for our
equipment we know it's it's proven useful at some point in time. Um it's
just a matter of a lot of finetuning. Um like these guys have probably have done
it a lot a lot more than I have a lot more than our guys have. Um I mean just
a mix with water main brakes and all that other stuff. I don't mean to take
too much time but you know we we >> is about 5 years old now.
» Yeah. Yep. >> Thank you.
» I um and I and I you know what and this actually is probably uh the fact that
you have an an independent source of and type of equipment. it may actually offer
uh a higher level of confidence uh for the city in terms of you know uh
making the repair at that location if you know a completely different set of
equipment says oh no it is here and they may be off one or two feet but that's
still one excavator bucket uh apart there's a greater level of confidence
that when you send a crew you dispatch a crew there for a repair uh you get that
and then they get the hang of uh of uh what they're going to be doing um you
know in parallel with us. >> Thank you.
» Your your honor, my question was almost going to be yours. You said you met with
the [clears throat] city manager and the DPS director, but you never saw our
equipment. That's what you're telling us. You never saw our equipment. You
only know if our equipment is better than your equipment. That right?
» Well, it just said I'm just saying that was my question already answered it. So,
thank you very much, your honor. I have no more questions. Yep.
» To to to the chair. >> I have one.
» Um would you would this be able to help us determine our water loss that our
water main breaks are producing that may be independent of like you said blind
loss or structural loss? >> Uh well no it's you know and again this
is acoustic. It's not uh an infrared, so it's not going to give you any any
indication of the wall thickness where you know any predictive failure of uh
water manes or anything anything like that. The equipment doesn't do that.
» Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Anybody else?
» Um no, I'll just save it. I'll save I would
like to make a comment though before the vote. Is that possible? I'll
» make it now. the um personally I I I think I thought we were going to be
a more of a collaborative effort to come up with um efforts to resolve the issues
of the water loss. >> Um
» that's that's their job. That's their job, not our job. They bring it what
they decide. They bring what they think is the best venue to us and we make the
decision to go for it or not. It's a only I can fix it. I got it. Okay.
» No, that's okay. >> I just I want to say one additional item
is that we did consult with an outside engineer um who holds our S1 license and
we did discuss some of these other alternate technologies that could be
used and there's been some success but also some failures that they're finding
with them as well. So that's why we felt this was the best route to go.
» Anyone else? Okay. We saw the mayor and council
authorized Alfred Bach and company to form leak detection services throughout
the city for a cost not to exceed 19,500 from account 592 920
81800 0.
» I have a mover and supporter. >> You have it.
» Yep. >> I did read that.
» You did. >> Cler call the role.
» Council persons Nichols. >> Yes.
» Duprey. Yes. >> Bear.
» Yes. >> Salceto.
» No. >> Zor.
» No. >> Mayor Tobin.
» Yes.
» Okay. Moving on. Resolve the resolution 2026-019
regarding ballot language for proposed charter amendment to renew the current
police and fire millillage be and is hereby rescended.
» Move. Support. >> Discussion.
color. >> Council persons Nichols,
» yes. >> Bear,
» yes. >> Duprey,
» yes. >> Salceto,
» yes. >> Zor,
» yes. >> And Mayor Tobin,
» yes. >> Thank you.
» Resolve that notice is hereby given that a proposed charter amendment regarding a
millage renewal be submitted to the to the electors of the city of Lincoln
Park at the primary election to be held Tuesday, August 4th, 2026. Further be it
resolved that send notice states how both this charter presently reads
and the proposal charter amendment language.
[cough] Excuse me.
Notice the proposed charter amendment number one charter 7 section 5 renewal
police and fire millillage.
» Go ahead. >> The ballot question is as follows. It is
proposed that the city of Lincoln Park be authorized to continue to levy 3.4591
mil in excess of the limitation imposed by law, restoring a portion of the
charter millage authorization previously approved by the electors since reduced
by the Headley amendment solely for police and fire purposes for three
additional years 2026 through 2029. If approved, the millage renewal would
generate approximately 2,747,921
in 2027. Shall the proposed charter amendment millage renewal be approved.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by a 35ths vote of the city council of
Lincoln Park that ch section five of chapter 7 of the city charter be
amended. The city has determined that if this amendment is approved, it will
become effective pursuant to Michigan Compiled Law 117.24
when filed with the county clerk and the secretary of state. Chapter 7, section 5
of the city charter. The existing charter reads, "Authorize a tax of not
to exceed 3.4591 mills for 3 years 2023 through 2026
solely for police and fire purposes." The proposed charter amendment will
read, "Authorize a renewal of the millillage not to exceed 3.4591
mills for 3 years 2026 through 2029 solely for police and fire purposes.
» Any discussion? >> We need a mover.
» I'll move. >> Any discussion?
» Cler call the role. >> Council person Salceto,
» yes. >> Nichols,
» yes. >> Bayer,
» yes. >> Dupra,
» yes. >> Zor,
» yes. and Mayor Tobin. >> Yes. Moving on. Extend contract
sidewalk. Mr. Kazoo.
Good evening, mayor and council and audience. The item before you is Katie
Cement LLC is uh they're the company that does our sidewalk replacement
program and they've offered to extend their 20
excuse me they offered to extend their 2022
low red unit rates for the 2026 sidewalk program. Right now the 4-in sidewalk is
1125 per square foot. The 6 in is uh 1250 per square foot. This extension
allows the city to continue the program without increased costs typically
associated with uh uh rebidding financial impact. The sidewalk program
is funded through capital improvement funds and with cost subsequently
invoiced to the individual homeowners address where the work is uh completed.
Maintaining the current unit rates helps control the program cost and limits
financial impact to the residents. recommendation is to uh uh accept the
offer by Katie Cement and attaches a resolution to that effect. It resolved
that the mayor and city council approve the Great Lakes contracting
KD mayor and council approved KD cements
contract extension for the 2026 side repair program for the 20 at the 2022
unit rates with program cost funded through capital improvement funds and
invoice to the individual property where the work is completed. move.
» Any discussion to the chair?
» That was the >> um the [laughter] only thing I'm I'm
going to say and I say it for all the the contractors.
[clears throat] Again, this is a contractor that's not that's in Commerce
Township, not in Lincoln Park. And we we have cement or concrete contractors in
Lincoln Park. and we're we never
communicate with them. I I I just wanted to make that statement.
» Understood. Anyone else?
» Clerk, call the role. >> Council persons Nichols,
» yes. >> Duprey,
» yes. >> Bear,
» yes. >> Salceto,
» yes. >> Zor,
» no. [clears throat] >> And Mayor Tobin,
» yes. >> Okay.
» Thank you, Mayor Council. >> Thank you, John.
That was the Yeah. >> Hi, Chief. Hi.
[laughter] >> I'm sorry. Go ahead, sir.
» Good evening, Mayor and Council. >> Evening. Uh, police department has
requested mayor and council wave the formal bidding process and authorize the
lease of a 2026 Chevy Silverado pickup. [clears throat] Vehicle will be
replacing a police vehicle that has been decommissioned. The vehicle will be
leased from Enterprise Fleet Management and outfitted by Canfield Equipment who
is one of their vendors. Enterprise participates in the state bid pricing.
Cost of the Silverado was $7,15712
which includes $22,210.70
for the upfitting um through Canfield. The funds will come
from the vehicle lease payments count 661
932 947
is recommended that mayor and council approve this resolution.
Whereas the Lincoln Park Police Department is requesting to lease one
2026 Chevrolet Silverado. Be it resolved that the mayor and council authorize the
police department to wave the bidding process and purchase a one 2026
Chevrolet Silverado for a total cost of $7,157
which includes the cost of uplifting the Campfield Equipment Service Incorporated
from Enterprise Fleet Management to qualify state bid participant. via
further resolves. Funds for the purchase of the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado to come
from the vehicle lease payable payment account 661-932-947.
» Move any discussion through the chair, your
honor, real quick. I know Silverado are made in like Fort Wayne and Flint, but
they're also made in Mexico. Do you know where this particular vehicle is made?
» Uh, they won't even start making it until um No. No, not yet.
to the chair. >> Yes.
» Chief, the vehicle that you're replacing is did you is it an auction or is it a
lease return? >> It will be a vehicle that we had paid
and we will auction it off down the road.
» They still have to be commissioned to have all the equipment pulled out and
such. >> Anyone else?
Cler call the role. >> Council persons Nichols. Yes. Dupra.
» Yes. Bear. >> Yes.
» Salceto. >> Yes. Sore
» wish it was a Ford but yes >> and Mayor Tobin
» I agree. Yes. >> Thank you.
» We are not going to have a department head report today
» for Lisa though. >> Oh we're going to have a city manager
report. >> I'll keep it quick. Um I just wanted to
bring everybody up to date on where where we stand with the new meter
install project. Um, so HydroCorp is the contractor that's doing the installs on
our behalf. Um, they've sent out letters to everybody in district 3 so far. Um,
so as of today, they've installed 246 meters and they have appointments for
another 116. Um, we've also installed approximately 100 of our own over the
last month, month and a half or so. Um, so if you have received the letter from
them, I believe they've started sending out the second notices for that
district. So, please reach out to them and get your get your appointment to
have the meter installed. Um, they're pretty flexible on the days and times,
so they should have something that can work for everyone. Um, even those that
work during the day. Um, so right now we are working on district three. We'll be
moving into district 4 in the coming weeks. Um, and you would know what
district you're in by your account number on your water bill. So, if it
starts with a three, then you're in district three. Um, and then if you have
not received a notice from HydroCorp yet, you cannot make your appointment.
So until you get that notification from them, please do not try to schedule your
appointment. We're trying to do it in groups to keep everything pretty
concise. Um, we're very excited to get this new system in and up and running.
Um, the the towers for reading the meters. Um, we can read them now. We
just have to do a driveby. Um, but they are working on getting the
infrastructure all up in place by the end of this month. Um there were some
delays with some of um the FCC license that they need for the equipment, but
they are moving along now. So that's all I have for now.
» Anybody have anything for Lisa? >> To the chair.
» Lisa, I told you about a leak, a water leak at Ferris and Southfield
» several weeks ago. Correct. >> Correct. I originally reported that leak
[clears throat] uh in June of 23.
» Oh, okay. >> With Mr. Kroan.
» Mhm. >> Um it and it's been it's been broke
several times. It's been the same issue every time. It's the gate issue
not and it so it's been leaking now for three weeks.
» Yeah. And we just spoke actually right before the meeting about a plan to get
some of our gate valves and the different leaks that are going on right
now, get those addressed. Um, we've been bombarded of course with the the main
brakes which have taken priority, but we do have several items we've got to get
addressed this week. >> This isn't going to end up like our um
where remember the alleys getting cleaned up and Mr. Kan couldn't get uh
anybody from DPS to work and help and do it overtime. He offered all the
overtime. >> I can tell you the guys have been
working a ton of overtime and I'm sure they would love to have a day off here
very soon. >> Thank you,
John. They just fixed it today. >> Oh, did they?
» Yeah. >> Well, there you go.
» Yeah. Come on up, John.
I'd like to offer uh the mayor and council and the audience a little uh
information about this cold weather, how the cold weather does and impact and
definitely uh elim uh helps complicate the situations.
Uh January 1 through February 9th, so let's call that a month. We've had uh 34
water main breaks and 20 of them started or I should say 30 of them started since
January 20th when we got into the colder uh weather. The other thing is with our
system being uh older, our uh water manes being older, with the frost that
we're going through, frost is very hard on water manes. Our water manes have
approximately five, five and a half, six feet of burial depth in clay. And right
now we're finding that the clo uh frost is approximately 4 and 1/2 ft deep. As
that clay freezes, it does move the pipe and the pipe being cast iron does not do
real well with being moved. Uh we've had a number of
uh service leads which we don't know what standards or what depths they were
put in back in the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s because the 10 state standards didn't
come into being until the mid 1950s where they pretty much the 12 states
came up with how deep some of this stuff is being buried. Same thing with the
sanitary systems. Uh we have uh frozen water services and
those are always a first and high priority because homes or homeowners or
families are without water. So we have to get them water. So that's why they're
always higher on our priority list list. What we've done is we've taken our
eightman crew and we've broken it up into two crews. One crew is trying to uh
thaw out the water surfaces for the homeowners and the others are trying to
continue to repair water main brakes. We also have uh
two uh gate valves that are still leaking.
One of them is at Ferris and Southville which is scheduled for tomorrow. Uh and
the other one is at 1804 capital.
Uh we have four fire hydrants that are either leaking or frozen
and one of those is on Detroit and that one has come up quite a bit.
So basically what it a lot of it boils down to we take the higher priority
water leaks whether it's a water man a gate valve a frozen hydrant
a split water service and we have to do those with or put
higher priorities on those items. But we still have some that are still out
there. And it looks like we're going to be getting some warm up here starting
tomorrow. And hopefully this warm-up brings the frost out of the ground
slowly so we don't get too many more breaks.
But our crews have been working sometimes as maximum as 27 hours
and it's a long day in this cold weather.
And if anybody doubts that, I'll lend you my pair of boots.
But with that being said, we are not the only community and you see that on the
news all the time. You see it in Detroit. I know that has happened in
Trenton, Southgate, WOT, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, and we're just part of the
wonderful weather and the older communities that are out there. That's
all I wanted to add. if anybody has any questions. Myself and Justin Gonzalez is
here and Justin is presently on call for tonight.
» Thank you, John. Thank you, Justin. >> Thank you, guys.
» The chair, your honor, >> appreciate your work. Thank you.
» We're still under city manager report. Lisa, I had the building department
wasn't here today, but on the four part bone alley over here, I noticed a green
sticker on the door last couple days. Any movement on that building?
» Yes, they were doing an inspection of the building. So there's active movement
on it. Yes. >> Maybe going up for sale here soon or I
can >> sure. We're just we're trying to get it
up to code is our our goal and what they choose to do with it from there will be
seen. >> Can I last thing I know I mentioned this
about seven weeks ago. The old Farmer Jack building. Any movement on that one?
» Um I do not have an update but I can get one for next meeting that'd be fine.
» Thank you. Um, I just I I when I was speaking earlier, I forgot to mention
that um a lot of a lot of people have been bringing up that Lincoln Park has
the highest water rates [cough] the area and I just want everyone to
know we do not have the highest water rates in the area. Um there are three
cities higher than us and another city that if you add um their fees for
quarterly fees on top of their water bill, they would be higher than us also.
So um when you hear that Lincoln Parks got the highest water rates out of
anybody. Do not believe it. It is not true. We are one of the top four of the
but we are fourth in line. And if you add a quarterly rate that someone else
is adding on, we are fifth. We are the fifth. There's four, five ahead of us at
the rate as so it's not true. We are doing the best we can and hopefully if
we can get a handle on this um the rates will stabilize. So we just know we are
working on it. I just wanted to add that to Lisa's report because we have it
right here. >> And I'll add even further to that. We
have I know there's a lot of talk that we haven't put in for federal grant
funding. We put in for several um federal and state grant. We've been
fortunate with with some avenues, but we did put in for lots of grants last year.
We have not gotten any of those. Some of them are going to be opening up again
soon. So, we will once again try to um get some additional money for water mane
replacements. >> Real soon.
Okay. Anybody have anything else? All right. Then at this time, we will go
into citizens communications. Please come up. State your name and um you have
three minutes, sir. >> I'm not sure if I'm actually supposed to
stand up. I'm almost death and I couldn't hear everything you said. My
name is Timothy Price. My address is 2078 Michigan Boulevard. I'm calling
about some complaints, you know, water department. They come out, there's
leaks. Not my fault, not their fault, but they come out one leak, two leaks,
three leaks, four leaks, five leaks. Wait. They bust up my driveway one time,
two times, three times, four. They bust up my next door neighbor's driveway.
They bust up the next door ne the driveway next to that. They've replaced
one, not mine. Wait, they busted up the curb all along the road. Fix the curbs,
you know, fix the driveways. You can look at my concrete and every picture of
the concrete that might show a new crack is always right after they repaired it
again. Okay, maybe I'm barking over the water bill. You talked about the meter
and everything. I couldn't hear everything. You guys don't don't make it
handicapped accessible on turning this volume up. I need to hear or read on a
screen. It would be really nice to be able to stay focused on what you're
saying because I can't I can't see well enough to see read lips. That's that's
wrong for you guys to do that. NOW, MY BILL, MAYBE I have health issues. I get
my water bill and I open it up. I look at amount due. I write a check. I pay it
every time. You know, why should I come into the downstairs and say, "Wait a
second. I paid the same amount the last three times." Oh, you got an estimated
bill, sir. You've been having an ESTIMATED BILL. MAYBE I DON'T LOOK AT MY
ENTIRE BILL. But maybe the water department, maybe you guys should have
been, wait, HE'S HAD AN ESTIMATED BILL for one year, 2 years, 5 years,
whatever. I don't know. Now, maybe that should have been somebody in the
department should have said, "Wait, he's had an estimated bill for too long.
Let's correct it. Find out where he stands." I don't know what you said
about that, but I I do know I've in good faith every time I get a bill, I PAID
IT. NOW find out that you guys' messers are all defaulting and you guys all want
to blame somebody else for and say, "Oh, it'll be fixed in 3 years." That's
wrong. That's wrong. And it's wrong about the driveways, the
streets, the curb. The water doesn't even go past my house anymore. It used
to go past my house and end at the drain down the street. Now it goes down and it
goes into the ground right there. It doesn't even go past that my house
because they don't they haven't fixed the concrete from what was it a year ago
or was that a year and a half ago? The last time you guys worked or No, they
last time they worked over there was about 3 months ago or 6 months before
that or 9 months. It's been every 3 MONTHS OR SO. GET THE JOB RIGHT. I have
some confident people.
» Please state your name. Can I just say
» giant, can you get his address and look? >> I do got one LAST QUESTION.
» WHEN AM I GOING TO get on clearance? Your your time is up, sir. Your time is
up. Please be seated. Your time is up. >> I don't want to make Please sit down.
Your time is 3 minutes. Sir, I'm talking right here. I'm right
here, sir. You're 3 minutes up. >> I can handle this,
» sir. You need to You need to come in and let the water
department come out and look at your meter so we can give you an actual bill.
» I asked for that be done. >> They're going to be there tomorrow.
» Correct. They'll be at your home tomorrow, sir. I can't hear you. If you
want to speak outside, I'll talk to you. >> John, they'll be at his house tomorrow.
» Hi. Speak your name and go ahead. >> Michael Horvath, the crazy old ball guy
who grew up in Lincoln Park and has living in the house he grew up in since
97. I know there's a lot of issues and you
guys inherited a lot of things you had nothing to do with. Although I will say
they did do our water manes last year and they did a good job on cleaning up
the streets and it seemed that everything was done very well. And I
wanted to thank you for the chocolate walk. It was very good. I appreciated
going through it, but couldn't we do it when it's a little warmer,
please? That's all I wanted to ask for. And
again, working through a lot and finding the water manes and finally getting the
meters fixed. I think that'll good and it'll take a little time to get this,
but it should get better. And I appreciate you putting up with all these
difficult people. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir.
» Please state your name.
Hello everybody. My name is Kenneth Oslander. Um, I just wanted to say, you
know,
I I look, I can understand that uh things are tense. I'm not a social media
guy much. You know, I talk about blacksmithing if if I do post it much.
But, um, you know, there's there's a lot of tense things going on these days. And
in uh before I was a blacksmith, I used to work at the executive level um in
past jobs and uh I know how it is dealing with uh people dealing with the
public. It's not always easy and uh not everything's rainbows and sunshine and I
get that. Um, but what I do want to say is
genuinely speaking, what I really appreciate about you, Mayor Tobin, and
all of you of our city council is that I genuinely feel a sense of community, a
sense that you all care, right? Not every uh issue is always
straightforward. Not everything is clear and, you know, there's different uh
perspectives to how to tackle a problem. Um, but yeah, I genuinely appreciate the
fact that you all very much seem to care. Um, and and I appreciate that, not
just, you know, as a resident here of Lincoln Park, but I appreciate that just
as an observer of other cities I've lived in in the past. Um, and I'm not,
you know, [snorts] as I say, throwing shade at other cities. It's just an
observation I've I've made as a resident. So, uh, you know, when it
comes to the water issue, it's unfortunate. It's complicated. There's a
lot of factors here. Um, but it's clear to me that you all care and that you're
trying to find a solution, which I appreciate. Um, [snorts] and so, you
know, it's not to dismiss anybody's concerns. You know, I get it. I totally
get it. Can be frustrating. Sure. Um but yeah, I think that's the big takeaway
for me is that you all care and um you are clearly trying to find a solution.
So I think we could spend a lot of time talking about what should be uh what
should have been etc etc. These are all valid points we could bring up all day
long. But I think at some point you know it's like hey thank you guys for caring.
Thank you for doing what you do and just, you know, putting in the effort.
So, I appreciate that. That's all I desire.
» Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, sir.
» Very much. >> Anybody else like to
» Good evening, Mayor and Council Richard Kudra. Not all of you speak into your
microphones, and some of you are a lot harder to understand than others. I want
to thank the mayor and the city manager for your two-page appendage to the
agenda. A lot of nice information for people who do not attend council
meetings and didn't know all of this information. I really feel sorry for you
people because you take all the abuse and
city manager gets the abuse for raising our rates for a problem that's been
going on for at least 20 years. We own we own when Steve Steve Duchaine was the
city manager it was low 20s was a water water loss. Now it's over 40. So I'm
reading this thing from this contractor that uh you hired.
He's only going to charge $120,000. I said for $120,000 you should have
hired him or some other company 20 years ago. It's obvious the workload has
exceeded the ability of GPS to do to do what to help us. I read 180 water mane
breaks per year. I said that's insane. No wonder these people are ju just
absolutely exhausted. I heard mention uh I made a a note about the city's
proximity to the east ecourse creek may mask blind leaks in in nearby water
manes. I have long thought that you've got water water mane leaks that never
come above the ground and you need some way of finding out, yeah, they're
leaking, but where's that water going? Is it going east creek? Is it going into
the catch basin? It's not bubbling up to the ground where you can see it. So, you
need an acoustic way of finding it. What was the other thing?
uh just say I really I really appreciate the fact that you're you're you're
you're putting in the time, you're spending the money and I wish this had I
wish your your attitude had been done it 20 years ago and through the last 20
years and we would never be in this position today.
John Kazoo has asked several times he wanted to do this and he wanted her to
do that. Steady Castle said no money. There it is. there folks. You got to you
got to pay for the infrastructure running. Thank you.
» Thank you.
» Yes, please state your name. Three minutes.
» Trisha Cross. I live at 4143 High Street. I hope everybody can hear me.
I'm kind of speaking not just for myself, but for some residents. I
actually have a bunch of signatures that I got from some of the neighbors. It is
regarding a little bit of everything. Um, I do appreciate you guys staying
here, especially working all day and then dealing with with us. But I'm
asking for a resolution request and as all of us that join together, discussion
with the water bills, the taxes, some broken sidewalks, some, you know,
different things throughout the community for the water and sewer. We
just want some transparency and basically we'd like to see a little more
in plain English of some of the revenue and expenditures for these
infrastructures. And I heard what everybody said, even down to the
sidewalk with this guy wanting to keep our work in Lincoln Park. I'm all for
that. How come we don't try to keep it here? We're trying to keep our money. He
just mentioned the policing cars. He wanted to know if it was Mexico. Well,
I'm for the Ford, too. I think we need to do what we need to do. But it's it's
time that we have total transparency so the average person like me and that
gentleman that flipped out, you know, understands. Um this is unacceptable
that we have water leaks that are going on for this many years. I don't think
that until we give Lincoln Park employees that are working on the water
now. I don't think we should hand the job off sorry to another company. You
guys are offering to give us new water meters with detection. How come we don't
try that first? How come we don't employ more people that live within the city? I
know tons of people um as a clinic manager of three clinics that need jobs
and that can do the work. I don't know why we're going way out to BFE to find
jobs. I I mean, I don't understand that part. Um, but here is a graph just of my
own. And I live by myself of my water. This is kind of easier to see. I pretty
much do the same thing except summertime. And even mine is crazy. I
know that these are estimated bills, but that guy has a huge point with why time
after time after time. We have so much technology with computers and
everything. How come they didn't flag that his was consistently an estimate
and now he's either going to end up with a negative bill or a giant one when it's
not right. I mean um I mean we can go all the way down to the property tax and
sir charges I did do on what you said ma'am about how we are not the highest.
We may not be the highest, but in a comparative cuz I took the time to go to
each city to ask them, we are higher than Taylor, Southgate, and we wot and
that's important to me and it's an observation that we made. We're paying
about 35 to $75 a month more for our water. I don't I know my time's up and
I'm sorry, but I do want to give you guys these documents so I can show
proof. I'm about facts. I don't go on social media and bash anybody because I
think it's inappropriate and you don't get results. But I am about the
community and um I even went into some effective rates for our taxes for our
homes. Our homes are way higher taxed. >> Sorry. You're Yeah. Point of order.
You're past your time. >> Okay.
» But let you don't let anybody else. >> Okay.
» Thank you. >> Thank you.
Mayor, city council, I am William Coleman. I own 507, 509, and 513
Southfield. And as you're all looking around trying to figure out what that
is, across from KFC, across from DPW, [snorts] I've been there 14, 13, 14
years. I bought the building from an old man, 70 years old, who retired. I run
Bill's vending service out of there. I don't advertise. I keep it quiet. I
don't want people to know what I do there. We have about 180 locations all
over you over all over Michigan. We have 11 in Lincoln Park alone. We do the claw
machines, we do bowling alleys, we do the bars, we do jew boxes, we do ATMs.
And business operation works is we pull in, we load up everything for the whole
day. We leave, we go to our routes, and we come back, and then we unload. We
worked till 3:00 a.m. Now, my warehouse was built way before any of us were ever
here. It was an old factory, and it used to have sixoot steel beams sticking out
the back of it and the front of it for a trolley system that went down the whole
strip. Well, the city came along in the ' 60s and ' 70s and said, "It's no
longer a factory. You need to cut those beams out." So, the old owner did and he
removed the beams. And I have a front garage door that faces towards
Southfield. I have a garage door facing on Elliot. And I have a big garage door
on the back with a door. My problem is is my building was built 10 foot shorter
than the alley. So the alley is 25 ft. I have 10 ft than my building starts. I
just want peace. Okay. I've been parking in the alley for my business, for my
safety. I pull up to the back door. We load and unload all night. It's a
loading zone. Basically, that's what we do. We're never not parking there
overnight. But lately, I've been getting parking tickets for blocking the alley.
And I'm like, but I own 10 feet of the alley. And I went to the city. I went
downstairs and they said, "Well, you got to get a survey and then we'll see about
a loading zone if it meets the requirements." But I'm like, I just want
peace for what we do. We want to keep it quiet. We don't want to be noticed, you
know? We we don't we don't want that. We just want to load and unload, do our
business. Now, if the police pulled up and wanted to give us a ticket for
parking alley, all they had to do is knock on the door. Hey, what's going on?
We're loading and unloading. That's that's what the big garage doors are
for. Now, the main reason why I'm here is the city came to me a long time ago
when I first moved in and said, you know, your big garage door facing
Southfield, we don't want you using that. And I said, okay, I'll use the
other ones. So, I complied with what the city wanted. I said, okay, I won't use
my 14 ft x 12t garage door on the front anymore. I'll move to the side. hid into
the back. Well, now you're coming along and saying, "Well, now your back door."
And I'm like, "This isn't very fair to me as a business owner and for my safety
that you want me to park across the street and walk back and forth,
especially considering that area is not the best." That the alley, explain the
alley. It's from A to B Street. There is no
garage doors for for for residential. There's only two garage doors on the
thing. And it's only two businesses there. And there's a crater in the
middle of the alley. So if you travel down there, you're going to lose your
car. >> Your time is up.
» I understand. >> The alley very well. Um
» you're going to have to talk to the building department.
» I have [clears throat] >> again um
» that's all I can tell you right now. >> Okay.
» I understand and I'm very familiar with that alley.
» So >> but 14 years of no problems at all and
all of a sudden now there's problems and >> Right. I understand. So um let's let's
all we'll look into it too. Okay. Okay. >> I mean, if I do own the 10 ft, I mean,
that's great. I mean, I can park there, I guess. I mean, I'm pretty sure if you
own it, you can park there, but >> something on record, too.
» Yeah, we'll look for that, too. Look for property line.
» Okay. I don't mind paying for a survey to that and everything. I just want to
get I just want peace. I want to be left alone.
» All right. Thank you. >> Thank you.
» Thank you for your time. >> We have the assessment records
assessing, too. Thank you. Does anybody else want to address this body?
With that, we'll go to comments of council.
Mr. Salce. >> Thank you, honor. Just one quick thing,
Alfred Vanishing Company. I wish you well in your endeavors. I appreciate
city manager and Jazoo getting together. >> My only issue may have been we didn't
know what the other companies had to offer. Maybe that's why perhaps I voted
no on this, but now I wish you well. I hope you help our guys and I hope you uh
find some leaks and save the city some money. That's all everyone. Thank you.
» Um Tracy as always. Thank you so much for our first responders, DPS, city
employees for keeping us moving and safe. Prayers go out every night and
morning when I get the the water main breaks notices um to keep our team safe
and as warm as they can possibly be. Uh it's a tough job and uh
some people complain about it, but I thank you very much every day. Um with
the cold weather, please prepare when you go out. There's a lot of ice. Slow
down a little bit. Stay safe and good night and God bless.
» Hi. Um the library commission meeting was last week. They have set the dates
for the spring uh book sale. Uh it will start Saturday, April 25th and go until
May 2nd by the Friends of the Library. Um Nicole, their librarian, reported
that total circulation in 2025 was the highest that has been in 10 years. So,
we thought that was a great development and shows uh what available resource our
library is. And in regards to the book sale, they wanted me to mention that if
anyone is doing any spring cleaning, because yes, spring will eventually get
here. And if they have any troves of books that may be collecting some dust
in the attic or the basement, they would be happy to take them for a donation.
You just have to stop out of library and they got a big old bin right right
inside the front door and they'd be happy to take those. And uh I just echo
Tracy's sentiment. U Justin sent us all an email about just how overwhelmed
they've been to start the year and it all of our jobs just hit hit the floor.
So we we certainly appreciate all the hard work that DPS is having to having
to put in right now. >> Thank you. Have a have a good night.
» Thank you. Uh, first of all, I'd like to offer my
condolences to the Kaminsky family. Um, if it wasn't for, uh, Pam Kaminsky, uh,
my kids probably wouldn't have graduated the high school. [laughter]
Um, she was always very, very good to my family and so is
Charlie. Um I the event that's coming up for the police department Tuesday,
February 24th at 4 to 7, uh MC Police Night, uh from the Chapala Family
Restaurant. Uh it'll be at 1469 Ford Street. So 1469 Ford Street, February
24th.
Okay. >> Um and then uh my last thing is is uh I
meant no disrespect to Mr. Bennis company. The um I I ask questions
because residents want to know and I'm trying to give them the services that
they they'd like. Um you know, and I know I know we have a big problem and I
don't blame the DPS. I know they're out there working because they were down
through houses from my house. So, I I've I've watched them work. I know they work
all day. Uh, I just I want to say I appreciate everybody,
but it it's it's a tough job and I took on this job committed to being um a part
of a a collaborative group and I thought we were all in the same direction at one
time, but I just feel like we're losing our direction sometimes.
Thank you,
Um, as spoken earlier, if you have any problem with your taxes, please contact
the number on this uh, you can't see it because my name's blocking here. Let me
let me do that. Let's see. Bring it on closer, Don.
Contact the office here if you're having problems with your taxes. We don't want
anybody get losing their property because of their inability to pay. Get a
hold of this number. See if they can't set you up with a payment plan. We don't
want to see anybody disposing the houses in 2026. we can not keep it going. So,
contact the number. They were kind enough to bring us a pamphlet. So, it's
really appreciated. Uh museum is back open. They had their little cleaning
spree. Uh Wednesday, Saturday, 1 to 6:00 p.m. Uh the dinner at Applebee's, I
don't know how successful it was. It seemed to be pretty successful. It was
packed the whole time I was there. So, that was pretty awesome. Um make sure
as Lisa said, we're we're starting the water main. we're getting really into it
are the water meters. Ple, please have the area around your water meter clean.
Cuz if they have to walk into your house and clean 30 foot of garbage in front of
your water meter, it's going to take a while. So, please make sure where your
water meter is in the house, nice area around it cuz they're going to
need to get in there. They're going to need to move tools. They're going to
have possible water spillage. So, make sure there's nothing valuable in that
area. Um, and
I can't stress this enough. Facebook is not an official way to get a hold of
your representatives in this city. It's also not an official way to report
watering breaks. I The phone number is
» 313 381800.
That is a non-emergency police line. That is what you call if you are
experiencing water pressure issues or after hours because that was when it
seems to happen is in the morning and late at night. So 3133811800
is the number to call after hours so we can get that problem taken care of
please. I'm seeing posts and people are posting you know I've had low water
pressure for 2 hours now. That's two hours of water that we're losing into
the ground because nobody's reporting it. So, please help us help the problem.
Other than that, we're all going through stresses. Let's
just let's be kind to one another. As I always say, it's about community. The
garden walk or the chocolate walk was great. We're planning the garden walk
and hopefully July or August. I'm thinking ahead here so we can have warm
thoughts, you know. Go out, enjoy it. Oh, I forgot
my happy Valentine's Day. >> Oh,
» happy Valentine's Day. We We'll relay that too since it's there. Um, everybody
have a great night. You guys [clears throat] stay safe as always.
Justin, John, you know, I know you guys are out there killing yourselves. So,
thank you guys. >> Okay, so um I just want to say everybody
stay safe. Um, please report. Please, if you have a problem, let us know so we
can help. Um and yeah um and if you have are seeing
things on Facebook and it relates to a matter please relate them to contact us
and not expect to get an answer on Facebook. I will not reply to comments
on Facebook now or ever. Um I do enjoy putting the wedding pictures up because
the bride and grooms like to see that and they like the comments from
everybody. That's about the extent of what I will do. Um, congratulation on
our gift winners tonight for coming out and then braving the cold. And um,
everybody have a beautiful Valentine's Day. Um, warm weather is coming. It's
supposed to stay dark till or stay light till 6:00 tomorrow.
» 6:00, guys. This is a this is big. So, um, and I just want to say to Eric's
comment, um, we here are all together. We came here together to do a job for
this community. We are not always supposed to agree. That would not be
right. We all are here for the community. We if we all agreed, it
wouldn't be much point. You know, we have opinions. Um we're here to move
this city forward the best way we can with the best conscience we can give.
So, um I think we do a good job together. We work well together. And um
with that, I will say good night, be safe, stay warm, and enjoy the nice
weather that's supposed to be coming. And God bless. Thank you everybody. Cler
call the role. >> Resolve that the meeting be adjourned at
8:25 p.m. >> Move.
» Support. >> Support.
» Council person Salceto. >> Yes.
» Nichols. >> Yes.
» Bayer. >> Yes.
» Dupra. >> Yes.
» Zor. >> Yes.
» And Mayor Tobin. >> Yes.