[0:00] Council

[0:04] [music]

[0:19] and Instster Housing Commission joint

[0:20] meeting. It's Tuesday, August 25th,

[0:23] 2026.

[0:24] Uh it is 6:04 p.m. and the meeting is

[0:29] now called to order. Everyone please

[0:31] stand for the prayer.

[0:38] » Who want to lead us in prayer tonight?

[0:41] [laughter]

[0:47] » Praise the Lord everybody.

[0:49] >> Lord you father you have for a small

[0:52] prayer. Father, we thank you for coming

[0:55] here to address all our issues to come

[0:57] together as one. We thank you for all

[1:00] the blessings you store upon us and

[1:02] bless council, the mayor and a

[1:04] administration here and uh housing in

[1:07] the Lord's name. Amen.

[1:09] >> Amen.

[1:10] >> Thank you.

[1:11] >> Please continue to stand for the pledge

[1:13] of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the

[1:15] flag of the United States of America and

[1:19] to the republic for which it stands. One

[1:22] nation under God, indivisible, with

[1:25] liberty and justice for all.

[1:31] » Roll call.

[1:32] >> City Council Mayor Nolan,

[1:34] >> present.

[1:35] >> Mayor Pro Tim Chisum,

[1:36] >> present.

[1:37] >> Councilwoman Rage,

[1:38] >> present.

[1:39] >> Councilman Bishop,

[1:40] >> present. Councilwoman Scott.

[1:45] » Okay. Councilwoman Howard

[1:47] >> here.

[1:47] >> Councilwoman Richardson.

[1:50] >> Roll call for Inkingster housing.

[1:54] Commissioner Gillette.

[2:02] » Commissioner Moore.

[2:04] >> Commissioner Miller.

[2:07] » Commissioner Strowman.

[2:09] >> Present. Commissioner Thomas.

[2:11] >> Mayor, you do have a quorum on both.

[2:13] >> All right. Thank you. All right.

[2:15] Everyone had a just a little back

[2:17] backdrop. This meeting was requested by

[2:20] Mayor Promp. I think he sent an email

[2:22] over to the commissioners a few weeks

[2:23] ago.

[2:24] >> Yeah, about a month ago.

[2:25] >> About a month ago, actually. Um after I

[2:28] mean was that what was that sparked by?

[2:31] >> Some of the comments at the meeting.

[2:32] >> Comments, processes, and procedures.

[2:34] Open meetings act.

[2:36] >> Yeah.

[2:37] um process with meeting notices,

[2:41] notifications,

[2:43] >> um and then of course the executive

[2:45] director decision.

[2:47] >> Okay. So that's what caused us to

[2:50] request the meeting. Um and I think I

[2:52] went to their last meeting and requested

[2:54] after city council expressed that they

[2:55] would like to meet have a joint meeting

[2:57] to discuss some of these issues. Um and

[3:00] they agreed to come and I appreciate

[3:02] them coming here tonight. So, we uh

[3:05] created an agenda. It's pretty broad um

[3:08] just so we can go over some of the

[3:10] things that we at least heard. Uh we can

[3:12] only discuss things on the agenda

[3:14] because it's a special meeting. So, it's

[3:16] very specific. But we put on there the

[3:18] open meetings act because there were

[3:20] some I believe there were some

[3:21] allegations of open meetings act

[3:22] violation. Um also process for selecting

[3:27] executive director position. There's

[3:29] been a lot of comments made at least at

[3:30] the city council meeting regarding that.

[3:33] Um, and I guess we're going to discuss

[3:35] that and and listen to whoever would

[3:37] like to speak on that. And then the

[3:39] status of Inkster housing. Um, because

[3:42] basically I've been getting reports of

[3:44] nothing but positive things for the last

[3:46] several months uh regarding Insta

[3:48] Housing and HUD and some of the other

[3:50] things going on uh at Instster Housing.

[3:52] So, we can discuss the general status of

[3:54] what's going on at housing also. And of

[3:57] course, we have uh public comments at

[4:00] our meetings. They come at the end of

[4:01] the meeting. City Council will do our

[4:03] own public comments and then Inkingst

[4:04] Housing can do their own. I suspect most

[4:06] of them are going to be Instster housing

[4:08] comments tonight. Um be my guest. But

[4:11] anybody uh want to modify Can we even

[4:14] modify the agenda? We could take stuff

[4:15] off. I guess

[4:16] >> it's

[4:18] so anybody want to delete anything from

[4:20] the agenda or

[4:23] [clears throat]

[4:24] >> maybe specify something that's already

[4:26] there. Make it more specific.

[4:31] I think anybody from housing, you want

[4:32] to speak to the three things on the

[4:34] agenda? Are you okay with them?

[4:36] >> Okay.

[4:37] Do we have a motion to approve the

[4:39] agenda?

[4:40] >> So move.

[4:41] >> Second.

[4:41] >> Been probably moved to second. Any

[4:43] discussion? All those in favor say I.

[4:45] >> I. Oppos say nay.

[4:47] >> All right. Okay. Uh discussion.

[4:51] Open Meetings Act. Um, Miss Wales, I'm

[4:55] not sure if you this is you or someone

[4:57] else who would like to speak to

[5:00] the alleged Open Meetings Act violation.

[5:02] I am aware of at least one where a

[5:04] meeting was cancelled by the city

[5:07] attorney for I'm sorry, the housing

[5:09] attorney. Um, there was some sort of

[5:11] defect in the notice and I understand

[5:12] that meeting was canceled, was not held.

[5:15] Um, is there any other violations that

[5:17] we need to discuss tonight? Come on up.

[5:28] Good evening.

[5:29] >> Good evening. Good evening.

[5:30] >> Want to know about open meetings act?

[5:32] >> Well, we're going to go down the list

[5:33] because that that was one of the things

[5:34] I heard at one of our meetings that

[5:36] there may have been some open meetings

[5:37] act violations. Um we are open meetings

[5:40] back. We don't we're not the authority

[5:42] on that. Meaning some open meetings act

[5:44] violations are misdemeanor criminal

[5:46] offenses. Um, some go to the attorney

[5:49] general if you think someone was doing

[5:51] something wrong, but we at least want to

[5:53] discuss it as a community. We're all one

[5:56] community, so if we're doing something

[5:57] wrong, we want to fix it, basically. Uh,

[6:00] we're not here to punish or penalize,

[6:01] but I do want to be a I want to be a we

[6:04] all want to be aware if there's

[6:05] something not happening that should be

[6:08] happen, right?

[6:10] >> Okay.

[6:14] Actually,

[6:23] it is punishable. Um, not necessarily by

[6:26] the council, but it is in Michigan.

[6:29] >> Speaking of won't go too far in detail,

[6:32] >> right? There you go.

[6:34] >> Okay. I said it is punishable, not

[6:36] necessarily by the council or the mayor

[6:38] of Ingster, but it is a misdemeanor in

[6:41] the state of Michigan. And there have

[6:44] been a few I don't want to give all

[6:47] nuggets but I will say that after

[6:52] meetings um special meetings concluded

[6:55] in particular on July 11th

[7:00] they were told that they could not go

[7:02] into close session to discuss candidates

[7:06] whether it be the candidates the two

[7:08] candidates that they interviewed that

[7:09] day which I have photos

[7:13] videos

[7:15] >> or any other candidates that they had

[7:17] interviewed prior to

[7:19] >> their attorney addressed it to them on

[7:22] record.

[7:23] >> Okay.

[7:24] >> The Zoom which the attorney and the

[7:27] recruiter this particular day was

[7:30] joining the meeting or the interview

[7:32] were disconnected from the interview and

[7:36] so that the meeting was over. Yet the

[7:39] board members, which I have live video

[7:41] footage, still continued to meet.

[7:45] >> One second. The Zoom. So, the attorney

[7:48] and the recruiter was on via Zoom.

[7:51] >> They had disconnected because the

[7:52] meeting was adjourned,

[7:54] >> but everybody else was in person.

[7:56] >> Yes.

[7:56] >> Okay. All right.

[7:58] >> And by everybody else, it was just

[8:01] commissioners.

[8:02] >> Commissioners. Okay.

[8:04] You may recall July 11th was also our

[8:07] resident appreciation day.

[8:10] Myself along with two co-workers wanted

[8:12] to use the facility and grab something

[8:14] that we had left at the office. We saw

[8:17] that there were no more cars up front.

[8:19] So we assumed that the interview were

[8:21] over. We walked in through the

[8:23] boardroom. The commissioners were still

[8:25] there having a conversation.

[8:28] Papers resumes in front of them. We did

[8:31] not disturb. We walked through a back

[8:32] door to use the restroom. One of the

[8:35] colleagues was the newest. So, she had

[8:38] only been here maybe a month and a half

[8:41] or so. And

[8:42] >> say colleagues,

[8:43] >> one of my

[8:44] >> You mean your employees?

[8:46] >> Yes.

[8:46] >> Okay.

[8:48] >> So, she's not that familiar that the

[8:50] house is like a fun house, the office.

[8:52] It's a lot of little secret doors. And

[8:54] once she was done, she came back into

[8:57] the boardroom looking for myself and

[8:59] another team member and heard them

[9:02] discussing a candidate. Not only was it

[9:04] a candidate that they were discussing,

[9:06] it was not one that was there that day.

[9:08] It was someone that she would not even

[9:10] know their name. And I immediately

[9:12] phoned the attorney who said that they

[9:14] had disconnected. The meeting was

[9:16] adjourned.

[9:18] They met for about 45 minutes. And like

[9:20] I said, I have footage of that.

[9:25] I also when I walked in I said, "Oh, are

[9:28] you guys still meeting?" Of course, I

[9:30] was met with a no, but she had the

[9:32] proof. I asked, "How much longer will

[9:34] you be so that I can arm the building

[9:36] before we go back over to the uh park to

[9:40] Leone Park?" They said maybe about 10

[9:42] minutes or so.

[9:44] >> So, the question is, did do you know,

[9:46] well, one of the questions, do you know

[9:48] whether they were they took any action

[9:50] in that 45m minute period?

[9:52] Well, I will say that the next open

[9:56] meeting they were down to one candidate

[9:59] >> at that point. How many candidates was

[10:01] it?

[10:01] >> Three.

[10:09] » You were one of the three though, right?

[10:10] >> I was not one of the three.

[10:11] >> You were not.

[10:15] » How many commissioners were there

[10:19] >> over the course of that entire day?

[10:21] There were a total of five, but at any

[10:25] given time, two of them had left to come

[10:27] over to the um park. So, at the time

[10:31] when we caught them in discussion,

[10:32] Commissioner Thomas was not there.

[10:34] >> So, how many of these?

[10:35] >> Four.

[10:35] >> So, it was four. Four people in total.

[10:38] Okay.

[10:39] >> No.

[10:44] » So, this is the same. Okay. Let make

[10:46] sure I understand. This is the same day

[10:47] as a resident's appreciation day. Yes.

[10:50] >> Okay. This is these are interviews.

[10:52] >> Yes.

[10:53] >> Okay. Okay. Gotcha.

[10:54] >> So, Commissioner Miller, he actually

[10:56] joined the interviews late because he

[10:58] stopped at the resident appreciation

[11:00] event first.

[11:01] >> Um, you can tell that by the time sync

[11:04] because he is in our interview video.

[11:06] Um, Commissioner Thomas joined the

[11:09] interviews first and then he left

[11:11] shortly after.

[11:13] >> Okay.

[11:15] So you the allegation here is that they

[11:18] were discussing in Easter housing

[11:19] business

[11:21] after the meeting ended and not in a

[11:23] public form.

[11:25] >> Yes.

[11:26] >> And that is one of the instidents.

[11:28] Yes.

[11:31] >> M.

[11:31] >> Yes ma'am.

[11:32] >> Um how many do you know how many um I

[11:37] know we had open meetings at

[11:40] >> um we had a girl come down.

[11:43] Two is okay. Three is dangerous. Four is

[11:47] no. That's a you cannot.

[11:49] >> So technically, you know, if we in the

[11:52] room together, we better not be talking

[11:54] this,

[11:54] >> right?

[11:55] >> Correct.

[11:55] >> You know what I'm saying? So, like I

[11:58] said, two, three is dangerous. Four is a

[12:00] no. And you said it was four people in

[12:02] there.

[12:03] >> Yes, ma'am.

[12:03] >> See, they only have five commissioners.

[12:05] So, they would have a quorum with three.

[12:07] >> With three. Correct. So, three is

[12:09] dangerous.

[12:09] >> Three. Three is a no.

[12:11] >> A no. Why?

[12:13] >> So, typically, you know, and and that's

[12:15] not unusual in the sense that, you know,

[12:17] if some of us, well, all of us pretty

[12:19] much up here are friends.

[12:21] >> I can talk to

[12:24] Councilwoman Howard about something.

[12:27] [laughter]

[12:28] >> Didn't happen at the meeting because

[12:30] there's no quorum.

[12:30] >> There's no qu.

[12:31] >> Now, we can't take any action, but we

[12:33] can discuss it if we want. I can call

[12:35] Councilwoman Richard and talk to her

[12:36] individually about the same thing,

[12:38] >> but we can't make any decisions.

[12:40] >> Correct. until we're all together and

[12:42] we're in a public setting pursuant to

[12:44] open meetings.

[12:45] >> So, um,

[12:46] >> and the, um, attorney, I'm sorry. Go

[12:48] ahead,

[12:48] >> go ahead.

[12:48] >> And the attorney I called and notified

[12:52] because the team member heard the

[12:55] candidates's name, which I know did

[12:58] interview,

[12:59] >> not that day.

[13:02] >> The other, and I'm going just, and I

[13:04] have a lot, so it's okay to give a

[13:05] little little bit of nuggets. um on June

[13:08] 10th, which was the date that I finally

[13:11] had an interview, and we'll get back to

[13:13] the word finally. Um that's the one that

[13:16] I declined, but I was still there to

[13:19] help them because they were having

[13:20] technical difficulties again. Okay.

[13:22] >> So, I still stayed to help them. There

[13:24] was not a roll call done before the

[13:26] interview start.

[13:28] I raised my hand and I was acknowledged

[13:31] by Chairman Gillette and I said, "Aren't

[13:34] you guys supposed to take roll call?"

[13:37] And Miss Strowman said, "No, we're

[13:39] interviewing."

[13:42] Then

[13:43] Milt said, "Are you guys taking notes

[13:47] and roll call? You're supposed to. This

[13:49] is a meeting."

[13:51] >> And at that time, no one had note paper

[13:54] or anything. Miller actually got paper

[13:58] from the candidate, but the interview

[14:01] meeting had already began.

[14:03] >> Did they actually take a roll call after

[14:05] the attorney told him they should?

[14:06] >> No. What they did was later on in the

[14:09] interview, and it's all recorded in the

[14:11] cloud. Um, I forget if it was Miller or

[14:16] Gillette that said, "I'm sorry, we

[14:17] haven't even introduced ourselves to

[14:19] you."

[14:22] » All right. So June 10th, no roll call

[14:24] was taken. Interview happened. So a

[14:27] meeting happened with no roll calls.

[14:29] >> That is correct. And there were other

[14:31] people in attendance. Some that are in

[14:33] this room.

[14:34] >> Okay.

[14:36] >> Is that enough of the open meetings

[14:37] violation?

[14:37] >> That's you.

[14:38] >> Yeah, that's enough. I might need to say

[14:40] that's enough.

[14:41] >> Okay. One of the things I just want to

[14:42] let know, we did receive uh copy of the

[14:45] bylaws. First time I ever read them was

[14:48] today. So uh they were just adopted in

[14:50] October of 2025. So, a little under a

[14:53] year ago, October 16th, I believe. Um,

[14:56] and there were some items highlighted. I

[14:59] know you guys are familiar with the

[15:00] bylaws because you passed them. Um,

[15:03] everybody on council got a copy of I

[15:05] don't know if everybody read it, but I I

[15:07] do want to go through with that because,

[15:09] you know, it was presented and it was

[15:11] highlighted, I think, in three different

[15:13] areas that probably there should be some

[15:16] discussion on. And I I apologize for

[15:19] folks in the audience don't have a copy.

[15:21] So you can't really but I will read the pertinent parts and it's pretty

[15:26] straightforward.

[15:28] Section three is called nomination of

[15:30] the resident commissioner and there's

[15:32] the whole thing is not highlighted but

[15:34] basically it lays out a process of how

[15:37] you select a resident commissioner and I

[15:39] was unaware of this to be honest with

[15:40] you but basically you you uh it's voted

[15:44] on by the residents top three candidates

[15:46] if you have three candidates are voted

[15:48] on by the residents and then they are

[15:51] submitted to me and then mayor and

[15:53] council make the appointment. So that's

[15:56] according to this bylaws. Um I think

[15:58] that's new cuz that's not how we

[16:00] appointed them in the past, but that's

[16:02] fine. Um

[16:06] so that was adopted October 16th.

[16:10] We reappointed Commissioner Moore, who's

[16:12] the resident commissioner, November 3rd.

[16:15] Her term had already expired,

[16:18] but she continued to serve because we

[16:20] not we had not appointed anybody else or

[16:22] reappointed her. So the bylaws were in

[16:25] effect at the time we reappointed you

[16:27] officially.

[16:29] Now further on in the highlighted

[16:31] section

[16:32] um since my I'm going to take a wild

[16:36] guess there was no vote uh there was no

[16:39] top three people and there's no vote

[16:40] taken when we reappointed you. I don't

[16:42] remember anybody saying anything to me

[16:44] about some other people were interested.

[16:46] We typically ask somebody if they want

[16:49] to continue to serve and if they say yes

[16:51] and we want to reappoint them, we we

[16:54] make the motion and we reappoint them.

[16:56] This was new. We were not aware of this.

[16:58] So even though you passed it, no one

[17:00] gave it to us prior to November 3rd. Uh

[17:04] so we didn't know about Yes, ma'am.

[17:05] >> Can you check your emails? I gave it to

[17:07] you after we met for the first time. I

[17:10] said to you that your name was all

[17:11] through it and you said, "Well, I

[17:12] probably should see that if my name is

[17:13] all through it." I emailed it to you. It

[17:16] was probably November. I can verify when

[17:19] I get back.

[17:19] >> Oh, I'm not I'm not even going to

[17:20] dispute that. He probably did, but it's

[17:22] probably after November 3rd because

[17:24] November 3rd was the first Monday of the

[17:26] month and we probably didn't meet on

[17:28] Saturday and Sunday. I know we did. So,

[17:30] all I'm saying is I was unaware at the

[17:32] time I appointed her.

[17:33] >> I'm fine with it. Whatever you guys pass

[17:35] the bylaws, we have to deal with.

[17:39] >> You good?

[17:40] >> Yeah.

[17:40] >> Now, and you know, I kind of familiar

[17:43] with this situation. The resident

[17:44] commissioner will then serve the normal

[17:45] term for any other member of the board,

[17:47] which is a five-year term. At the

[17:49] conclusion of the term, the nomination

[17:50] process must be repeated, even if at the

[17:53] end of the result is reappoint.

[17:56] All resident commissioners must be in

[17:58] remain in good standing. No lease

[18:00] violations within the past year which

[18:02] IHC if at any point the resident

[18:04] commissioner becomes more than three

[18:06] months in a rears with rent or other

[18:08] debts to the commission or violates

[18:10] their lease in any other ways they will

[18:12] be terminated from the board and IHC

[18:15] will undertake the nomination process

[18:17] for a new appointee. Um, I don't want to

[18:20] put words in your mouth, but I am

[18:21] familiar with, there's only one resident

[18:23] member is Miss Moore. And I am familiar

[18:26] with a situation. I think we have

[18:27] discussed in the past where there was a

[18:29] mixup or something happened, but her she

[18:32] was in a rears on her rent. And I think

[18:34] I don't know if it was a mistake. I

[18:35] don't remember the details, but I know

[18:37] it was a couple years.

[18:40] >> Well, it was a long time that the

[18:42] mistake was left in place, which created

[18:45] a large balance that was due. Am I

[18:47] correct?

[18:48] All right. Um, so I I assume that's what

[18:51] we're talking about here.

[18:52] >> That's one of them. Um, and then we also

[18:55] have the bylaws for resident council as

[18:56] well.

[18:57] >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hit that last

[18:58] part.

[18:58] >> Bylaws for the uh Inster Housing

[19:01] Commissioners and then also bylaws for

[19:04] the Inkster housing resident council.

[19:08] » Why is the resident council bylaws

[19:10] issued?

[19:11] because one of the same people is also

[19:14] on the resident council that had the

[19:16] violations as well and then the bylaws

[19:19] they must remain in good standing and

[19:21] there were two

[19:24] >> we we don't govern now

[19:25] >> I got it but I'm just sharing so it's a

[19:27] crossover one is on

[19:28] >> the language is the same essentially

[19:30] okay so

[19:34] I'm not I'm trying not to

[19:35] [clears throat] even though this is a

[19:36] public public hearings or meeting I'm

[19:40] not trying Not to get anybody's details

[19:42] of their situation. Sure. All right.

[19:44] >> Let's just say this. Has that been

[19:45] resolved?

[19:46] >> Yes, it was resolved last year.

[19:48] >> It was resolved this year.

[19:51] >> It was resolved last year in November.

[19:53] >> Okay.

[19:54] >> I have all the paperwork that I can

[19:56] prove that that was taken care of.

[19:59] >> Do we have any aars at this point?

[20:01] >> No.

[20:03] >> Miss Wales, what's your position on

[20:06] that?

[20:11] I don't want to put anyone's business

[20:13] out there.

[20:14] >> You don't I'm sorry.

[20:15] >> I don't want to put anybody's business

[20:16] out there like

[20:17] >> No, I don't want to hear numbers and

[20:18] stuff, but do

[20:23] » I don't know how to say this. Um

[20:27] do do you feel there's some Maria still

[20:29] outstanding?

[20:30] >> Not in not that drastic. No, no, I

[20:33] don't.

[20:34] >> Not three months.

[20:34] >> No, no, no. Absolutely not. No. Excuse

[20:37] me.

[20:38] >> That's fine. Don't worry about I mean

[20:39] that's fine. So in other words, at this

[20:41] today this is not applicable.

[20:44] >> No, that that part is not No.

[20:46] >> Okay, then we'll move on. The next

[20:48] section was section five,

[20:51] housing commission chairperson. Um

[20:56] » and it basically says that the housing

[20:59] commission chairperson should attend all

[21:00] the meetings. I mean essentially um

[21:11] I'm just pausing because

[21:21] now I'm trying to put my finger on it.

[21:23] My understanding is that if you miss

[21:25] more than how many meetings?

[21:27] >> Three.

[21:28] meetings. Um,

[21:32] this is the way I read it. If you miss

[21:33] more than three meetings, the commission

[21:36] has can contact the mayor and say, "Hey,

[21:40] the person hasn't been coming. We need

[21:42] somebody to replace it."

[21:44] >> That's I'm paraphrasing, but that's my

[21:45] understanding.

[21:46] >> Mr. Mayor, isn't that unexcused?

[21:49] >> Their bylaws don't speak to excuse,

[21:51] aren't you? If you miss the meetings,

[21:53] >> they have the commission has the

[21:54] opportunity to say, "Hey, we're trying

[21:56] to conduct business and this person's

[21:57] not coming."

[21:58] >> Okay,

[21:58] >> mayor, you need to do something about

[22:00] >> Okay.

[22:02] Take a break. One second. Let's make a

[22:04] master copy. Make a copy.

[22:05] >> Oh, you need this?

[22:06] >> Because when we have the feature that

[22:07] was used to highlight it, it blocked

[22:09] stuff out. It won't print. Right.

[22:10] >> Oh, okay.

[22:11] >> Real quick. Yeah. Just 30 seconds. I'll

[22:13] bring yours right now.

[22:14] >> Okay.

[22:14] >> Thank you.

[22:16] >> All right. Just Just so everybody knows,

[22:18] I was never contacted about anybody

[22:21] missing in meetings. I am aware that Mr.

[22:22] Gillette is working out of town, but no

[22:26] commissioner has contacted me or sent me

[22:28] an email asking for him to be replaced.

[22:32] Now, the language says shall, and excuse

[22:34] all the legal junk. Shall means they

[22:37] have an option to let me know or not.

[22:39] Um, I'm sorry, they may. Shall. May.

[22:42] It was the question, not shall. If

[22:45] it says shall, they have to tell me. May

[22:48] is their option to let me know if it's a

[22:50] prop.

[22:51] >> So, I read it as they had an option. I

[22:54] did not get contacted.

[22:56] >> So, I haven't done anything. So,

[23:00] >> mayor, can I speak? Mhm.

[23:02] >> So, as we did when um Commissioner

[23:05] Strowman was out

[23:06] >> ill,

[23:07] >> we knew that she was out ill for several

[23:10] months,

[23:10] >> right?

[23:11] >> Um we knew that as her that was her

[23:14] still absence. So, we all came to the

[23:16] conclusion that you know we did not need

[23:18] any practice. It's the same way with Mr.

[23:20] Gillette.

[23:21] >> We know that his job took took him to

[23:24] out of town.

[23:26] >> He has been trying to communicate, you

[23:28] know, we Miller spoken with him. He was

[23:32] here. He was here in May. He was here in

[23:36] June and he also was here in July.

[23:38] >> Y

[23:40] >> that was one of the reasons why we did

[23:41] not.

[23:45] » So the way I understand they basically

[23:47] have discretion. Um and I I was

[23:50] definitely aware of Commissioner

[23:52] Strowman's

[23:53] >> when she missed meetings. Um I was with

[23:55] her. I mean, so I was aware of that and

[23:58] they did not take any action. And then

[24:02] um Sher Gillette, I spoke to him at

[24:03] least once since he's been in California

[24:05] and they did not take action.

[24:08] >> Sure. Go ahead.

[24:09] >> Uh so yes, there is a difference between

[24:12] unexcused for certain reasons. Miss uh

[24:15] Commissioner Strowman did notify me

[24:17] herself as the AED. Matter of fact, I

[24:22] think I might have Yeah, it was right after that. Um after we had the

[24:27] transition in leadership,

[24:29] >> she notified me. Typically when the

[24:32] board will not be able to attend a board

[24:34] meeting, they notify me.

[24:38] >> Notifications and communications stopped

[24:40] after February 5th, 2026 when the mayor

[24:44] of Ingster said my name in his state of

[24:48] the city address.

[24:50] >> Period. Period. Okay.

[24:52] >> From who? from

[24:55] three other board uh three of the board

[24:57] commissioners.

[24:58] >> So when you say stop communicating, they

[25:00] talk to you at the meeting because you

[25:01] guys have to talk at a meeting.

[25:02] >> Yeah, we talk at the meetings. Um but

[25:05] it's a different style. But as far as

[25:07] like responding to emails, calling me,

[25:10] someone else will be notified. So I say

[25:12] that to say to this moment, Gregory

[25:15] Gillette has not notified the AED that I

[25:18] am on assignment in California. I

[25:21] actually found out from the recruiter,

[25:24] not even from Commissioner Moore. Only

[25:26] found out from Commissioner Moore when

[25:28] she said that it's a three-hour time

[25:29] difference and she had to call him late

[25:31] in the day.

[25:33] >> So, what do are you saying you think he

[25:35] has an obligation to let you know?

[25:37] >> I'm saying that's professional. We we we

[25:39] plan a meeting. Um we're going through a

[25:42] process. I'm running an agency.

[25:44] >> Yeah. Yeah. But

[25:45] >> communication, he's the chair.

[25:47] >> Yeah. But he could be as unprofessional

[25:48] as he wants. It's a volunteer position.

[25:50] So that's

[25:52] >> those are excuses.

[25:53] >> Oh, no, no, no, hold on. I I No, no. We

[25:55] not we not going to rock this meeting

[25:56] like that. Let me Let me let y'all know

[25:58] this is not the housing meeting. This is

[26:00] the Insta City Council meeting. We don't

[26:02] talk out of turn. You will have

[26:04] opportunity to talk because I I want to

[26:05] hear what you have to say. If you want

[26:07] to do a public comment, but we we're not

[26:09] going to have chatter coming from the

[26:10] audience. You know, it's not going down

[26:13] like that. All I'm saying to you is that

[26:16] okay, we can take that under

[26:18] consideration as the person who appoints

[26:21] and removes. Um,

[26:24] but I just wanted to make sure that you

[26:25] didn't feel he had an obligation to

[26:27] communicate with you cuz I I didn't see

[26:29] that anywhere in the bylaws. That's all

[26:31] I'm saying.

[26:33] I'm not defending him. I'm just saying I

[26:35] didn't see that he had to contact you.

[26:37] Um, I just see your duties for the

[26:39] commissioners. If they they think so,

[26:41] they want to report it to me, which they

[26:43] have not. I didn't see anything about

[26:45] any communication with you. But I

[26:47] understand what you're saying. Once I

[26:48] open my big mouth at the state of the

[26:50] city in support of you, you did not he

[26:53] did not communicate directly with you

[26:54] anymore. Right.

[26:56] >> That is correct.

[26:56] >> Okay. All right.

[27:00] The reason why the communication wasn't

[27:04] um related to her after you made that

[27:07] statement, Miss Wells had notified us

[27:09] that she was going to be a candidate.

[27:12] So, um there was information that, you

[27:15] know, we really could not speak to her

[27:17] about because we were already into a

[27:19] third party person that was uh coming

[27:24] in November of 2025. You

[27:26] >> record her?

[27:27] >> Yes. Okay.

[27:30] >> And then and at that point by the time

[27:32] January came, you know, it was like she

[27:35] wanted to be first. She said no. Then

[27:38] she was like yes, she want to be

[27:39] considered for the ED position. Okay.

[27:41] >> Once you did that, you know, it was like

[27:43] she's considered to be an ED. So we

[27:46] cannot relay any information to her or

[27:48] talk to her about different things

[27:50] because she was going to be a candidate

[27:51] for the ED position. I mean, it would be

[27:54] like us talking to the other candidates,

[27:56] [clears throat] letting them know this this this and I do have a email

[28:00] that she did send me letting me know

[28:02] that any correspondence that need to go

[28:05] out send it to Miss Jan White because of

[28:09] you know her position.

[28:10] >> That makes sense. I mean I think she's

[28:12] talking about something else though. But

[28:14] >> um [clears throat and cough]

[28:15] >> yeah you she should have been part of

[28:17] the process if she's a candidate. No

[28:18] question. Or even discussion about the

[28:20] process.

[28:20] >> Exactly.

[28:21] >> She's talking about communicating

[28:23] whether you're going to make it to a

[28:24] meeting or not. So, probably two

[28:27] different things. Um, but again, I don't

[28:29] think he had an obligation. We may or

[28:32] agree or disagree with it. It was

[28:33] unprofessional if he didn't communicate

[28:35] with her. I mean, I don't have any

[28:36] opinion, you know, but I understand what

[28:40] she's saying when she's saying she

[28:41] expected communication. Let's say that.

[28:43] Um, but okay. Nevertheless,

[28:47] should do we need to discuss that any

[28:49] further? I mean, I I don't know what to

[28:50] do with that.

[28:53] I think we should. And the only reason I

[28:55] say that is because yeah, she skipped a

[28:57] lot of months. The email to reach out to

[29:01] Jamila

[29:02] >> was way closer to today's date.

[29:05] >> Is that?

[29:06] >> Yes. It was not in February. It was not

[29:09] in March. It was not in April. The

[29:11] contract and everything, he was not even

[29:13] paid until March.

[29:15] >> So,

[29:17] >> who wasn't paid? I'm sorry.

[29:18] >> Uh, stand quiet.

[29:19] >> Oh, you talking about the recruit? I

[29:20] thought you told Mr. Jul.

[29:22] >> She's saying he was uh uh what do you

[29:24] say? Procured and all that in November.

[29:26] That is not true.

[29:28] >> He didn't get

[29:29] >> But really, that doesn't matter. I mean,

[29:30] >> no, but but she's what she's saying is

[29:32] that was the reason why Chairman

[29:34] Gillette stopped communicating with me,

[29:35] which makes no sense at all when I'm

[29:37] running your agency.

[29:38] >> You already told me your version of why

[29:39] he stopped commun after I said I support

[29:41] you, he stopped communicating to you.

[29:43] That's very clear. Um

[29:45] >> and as did uh Commissioner Moore. No, I

[29:49] mean,

[29:50] >> Mr. Mayor, just a question. Um, Miss

[29:54] Swells, would

[29:56] >> So, is there a secretary of the Inkster

[29:57] housing commission?

[29:58] >> Yes.

[29:58] >> Who's the secretary?

[29:59] >> Oh, of the Inkster Housing Commission?

[30:01] >> Yes.

[30:01] >> Uh, typically it's myself.

[30:04] >> Takes the minutes.

[30:05] >> So, you take the minutes.

[30:06] >> Okay. So, now Jamila does because I'm in

[30:08] this dual role. Jamila White. Yes.

[30:10] >> Gotcha. Okay. And the reason I was

[30:11] asking u Mr. there is in the how we went

[30:15] back and forth on the planning

[30:16] commission with the recorded secretary

[30:18] really just kind of past practice

[30:20] certifying the minutes but most times

[30:22] the clerk or the secretary of the board

[30:23] is whomever would be responsible for

[30:26] receiving the absences. Um it is you

[30:29] know professional courtesy that a board

[30:31] member would alert somebody from the

[30:33] board that they're going to be absent

[30:35] for an extended amount of time whatever

[30:37] the case may be unless they're

[30:38] incapacitated because they do jeopardize

[30:40] one of having a quorum. Mhm.

[30:42] >> So yeah, I think you know that's

[30:44] something that the board needs to take

[30:46] into consideration regardless of it

[30:48] being in the bylaws or not.

[30:49] >> No, no, but he he communicated with

[30:51] them.

[30:51] >> Oh, he communicated with them.

[30:52] >> No, no, they knew where they knew.

[30:55] >> She didn't know.

[30:55] >> So at the meeting,

[30:58] no one from the board when his name was

[30:59] called Road said anything. They just sat

[31:01] there. Y'all just sat there silent.

[31:05] » You just said absent, but you didn't say

[31:06] he's out of town. He

[31:10] >> said California. I mean, you know, I was

[31:13] under the impression that we all knew

[31:15] that he was in California. It wasn't

[31:17] like it was a secret because he did let

[31:19] everyone know that his job was taking

[31:21] him to California.

[31:23] >> I think all the commissioners knew for

[31:25] sure.

[31:25] >> Okay.

[31:27] So, you said he let everyone know was

[31:28] his email in a formal meeting or just in

[31:31] passing?

[31:33] >> I don't know if it was an email or not

[31:35] at this moment because I did talk to

[31:37] email

[31:41] Okay. I was just bringing that up for

[31:44] the future uh any commissioners just to

[31:48] know that hey it's a common courtesy to

[31:50] let your colleagues and or whomever the

[31:52] clerk of the board whether it's the ex

[31:55] uh acting executive director or not or

[31:57] an appointed clerk at that particular

[32:00] time hey I'm not going to be at this

[32:01] meeting because of x y and z that way

[32:03] because when we get ready to you know

[32:05] come up if no one is communicated and we

[32:07] sitting here waiting on the rest of the

[32:09] board members to show up and we don't

[32:10] have a quorum we can't conduct business

[32:13] that makes sense.

[32:14] >> Makes sense.

[32:15] >> Great.

[32:16] >> Yeah. I found out um if I may, I

[32:18] actually found out as I said by staying

[32:20] quiet because when I was originally

[32:24] finally reached out to on

[32:28] Oh goodness, it was I'm going to let you

[32:31] know the exact date

[32:33] after all the emails. he reached out to

[32:36] me on Saturday, May 9th, which we also

[32:40] were having um a Mother's Day event over

[32:43] at the Simmons Center. And so I remember

[32:45] it vividly because I was shopping for

[32:47] flowers for the ladies when he called.

[32:49] And he said that he was calling to

[32:50] schedule um an interview for May 13th at

[32:54] 8:00 p.m. And I did ask why did it, you

[32:59] know, need to occur at 8:00 p.m. And

[33:02] that's when he said that. Oh yeah,

[33:05] chairman is in uh California and I don't

[33:08] know when he's coming back. I said he

[33:10] may not be back for a while. That was

[33:13] how I was notified.

[33:16] » Okay.

[33:18] >> Anything else on this issue,

[33:20] commissioners?

[33:22] >> I do have a something to say as far as

[33:24] the opening.

[33:26] >> Sure.

[33:27] >> Go ahead.

[33:30] So the very first one that we were

[33:32] supposed to have was supposed to be for

[33:33] Friday, May 22nd and that Saturday, May

[33:36] 23rd.

[33:36] >> Okay.

[33:37] >> Um the information was taken with myself

[33:42] and the receptionist. We changed the top

[33:45] part of the of the meeting, the dates

[33:47] and everything. I didn't look at the

[33:50] Zoom link because I mean I don't do the

[33:52] Zoom link. This came from out of the

[33:54] computer at 4500 in the road. So why did

[33:57] you do it this time?

[33:59] >> Well, I was doing it because of the

[34:00] simple fact the meeting had to be the

[34:02] special meeting had to be posted and by

[34:04] Miss Wells being in, you know, in the

[34:07] candidate and I had to make sure that was done. I do have a letter here

[34:12] that she told me to make sure that I

[34:14] gave everything to Janu also to Troy

[34:20] >> and also to our person that communicate

[34:23] because um since she could not get that

[34:26] information

[34:28] that as a matter of fact that email was

[34:30] dated for May Monday May 18th

[34:36] >> you don't have that I can always

[34:38] >> is that the meeting that end up getting

[34:39] cancelled Yes, that's one of them.

[34:42] >> Um because

[34:45] as a matter of fact, Mayor Pro

[34:49] Steven Tism called me and told me there

[34:51] was a number missing from off of the

[34:53] Zoom link. And I was like, how? Cuz all

[34:56] I did was copy. We came copy the seat

[34:59] out of the computer and repost at that

[35:02] meeting.

[35:04] was to be able to do

[35:06] that meeting. Milton

[35:09] could never pronounce his last name, but

[35:12] >> he told us that we could not have that

[35:14] meeting because of that Zoom link was

[35:17] missing that number that particular

[35:19] meeting that's the meeting that Miss

[35:20] Wells was supposed to interview. She was

[35:23] in the she was in the office in her

[35:26] office on Zoom which um Chair Dette did

[35:30] say that he had asked her not to be in

[35:33] the building because he wanted her to be on Zoom so that none of

[35:38] the and all the candidates was like

[35:39] that. He wanted everybody to be have the

[35:41] same process for the interview at that

[35:44] time.

[35:45] >> How would the process be any different

[35:46] if she was in the building?

[35:47] >> I I don't know. I cannot question him.

[35:50] I'm just saying what was said.

[35:51] >> Okay.

[35:52] >> At that time, like I said,

[35:54] >> the chair. The chair.

[35:56] >> He didn't want her in the building when

[35:57] she did her Zoom interview.

[35:58] >> Is this the chair that's in California?

[36:04] [laughter]

[36:05] >> He was here.

[36:06] >> Oh, he was here.

[36:07] >> He was here. So what was the Zoom for?

[36:09] >> The Zoom was for We were told that there

[36:10] had to be an open meeting. There had to

[36:12] be participants on the Zoom and and in

[36:15] person.

[36:16] >> Oh, so some of the candidates had to do

[36:17] it by Zoom.

[36:18] >> Yes. All the candidates did it by Zoom.

[36:20] >> Okay. Okay.

[36:21] >> So that's why all the candidates did by

[36:23] the Zoom, but we found out that they

[36:25] couldn't get in. It was because

[36:28] he told us that there was a there was a

[36:30] number. At that point, everybody was

[36:33] still on the Zoom link. And it was said,

[36:36] and I know everybody here know, the

[36:38] commissioner knows it was said that the

[36:42] Zoom link, and I quote,

[36:45] I made sure all my people had the right

[36:47] Zoom link, but Mrs. Moore didn't. And

[36:50] she's on the Zoom now, and Mrs. Moore

[36:52] didn't give them the correct Zoom link.

[36:54] So, when she came out and Mil before she

[36:56] came out, Mil said, "This meeting has to

[36:59] be cancelled. we have to stop this

[37:00] meeting, which we did. At that point, he

[37:04] did say that they could be they could be

[37:05] able to go through the sunshine law and

[37:08] we could be able to have to have 18

[37:10] hours

[37:11] >> before we post the correction for the

[37:13] meeting. That was done. Mr. Gillette

[37:17] um has done like Mr. Gillette initiated.

[37:21] said that this was okay for us to cross

[37:22] out the May 22nd date, put the right

[37:25] Zoom number and put the Saturday, May

[37:26] 30th, 2026 4 p.m. start. This was posted

[37:31] on the building at 4500 and on the

[37:35] building at 20 295

[37:37] Simmons building.

[37:38] >> Okay. And

[37:42] » and here.

[37:43] >> Yeah. Oh, and here. And we

[37:46] commissioner Miller came and put it on

[37:48] the door.

[37:48] >> Okay. So that was all taken care of. So

[37:51] >> did you meet the next day?

[37:53] >> Yes, we did.

[37:54] >> What happened at the meeting?

[37:55] >> We met we met the next day, which I do

[37:57] have a um

[38:00] I do have something from the our third

[38:02] party, Mr. Stan Quay, but he tried to

[38:05] get in touch with Miss Wils the night

[38:06] before. He did say he spoke with her

[38:09] because she was a little upset, which I

[38:12] understood why she was upset because she

[38:15] said she was prepared for the interview,

[38:17] but it did not He wanted her to come at

[38:19] 4:00 the next day.

[38:21] >> The next day.

[38:22] >> Yes.

[38:22] >> Okay.

[38:23] >> She said at that time she said no. But I

[38:25] do have the the paperwork that says that

[38:28] he did try to contact her. He did try to

[38:31] contact her on her email, but he did

[38:34] both office and personal email because

[38:37] it was a Saturday. He wanted to see if

[38:39] she was going to be able to be scheduled

[38:41] for that meeting. He said there was a no

[38:43] call. No sir. Oh, she did not he she did

[38:47] not communicate with him.

[38:48] >> No.

[38:48] >> Okay.

[38:49] >> He did not communicate with him at that

[38:51] point. And we did get a he did send

[38:53] another letter or email. She told us

[38:55] that she had take a mental day and that

[38:58] was why. So that was one of the reason

[39:01] why she did not get that interview. But

[39:03] >> she still with you on I'm sorry for

[39:05] interrupting. Is she still was she still

[39:07] with you on Friday when you decided to

[39:08] move the date to Saturday? Was she still

[39:10] >> Yes, she was still in the room. She was

[39:12] still in the room that particular day

[39:14] that that Friday because she was really

[39:16] upset. She she like I said I

[39:19] >> Well, she was in the room with you.

[39:20] >> I was in the room.

[39:22] >> No, not same room with her.

[39:24] >> Excuse when um she came out.

[39:26] >> I wasn't there.

[39:27] >> She came out of when she came out of her

[39:28] office.

[39:29] >> Yes, I was I was in the room still.

[39:31] >> Did y'all decide

[39:32] >> We all was still in the room.

[39:33] >> Did you decide you're going to meet the

[39:34] next day while she was in the room?

[39:36] >> Yes. She knew that we were going to meet

[39:38] the next day that Saturday.

[39:39] >> Okay.

[39:40] >> Like I said, but it was Mr. Craig took

[39:42] her out of your hall because he asked

[39:45] her but she was really really upset you

[39:48] know and so he asked her at that time

[39:50] would she be able to interview at 4:00

[39:53] she did tell him no he did tell her well

[39:56] you need to get with me to so we can

[39:58] reschedu

[39:59] >> for Saturday now I have all those his

[40:02] emails I have them stating that this

[40:05] information I'm not just talking

[40:07] >> so I'm just only reason I as so it

[40:09] wasn't a no call no No, he talked to

[40:11] her. She said she was unavailable and he

[40:14] said he'd get back with her later for

[40:15] with another time.

[40:16] >> He did. It was both in the in the email.

[40:17] They both did. They said that they were

[40:19] going to get back with him to reschedu

[40:21] the

[40:22] >> Okay.

[40:22] >> But like I said, he said when he tried

[40:24] to call her, she didn't answer. So, you

[40:27] know, we end up going on with the

[40:30] interview.

[40:31] >> So, the next day you interviewed some

[40:32] other folks.

[40:33] >> Okay.

[40:36] >> So, that was the only violation for Oh,

[40:38] I'm sorry. of July of July 11th

[40:43] that was posted that we all were there.

[40:46] That was the day of the resident

[40:47] appreciation.

[40:49] >> Um

[40:51] there was a correction. I was want to

[40:53] correct that. You said that Mr. Miller

[40:55] came straight over there. No, Mr. Miller

[40:58] came to the interviews that we would

[41:00] have but there was two people that was

[41:02] interviewing because one had already

[41:03] interviewed that Friday.

[41:06] That was from July of July 10th and this

[41:09] is July 11th. He came he said that he

[41:11] was going to go over he would to do the

[41:14] interview at the for appreciation. So he

[41:18] came in first and let us know that he

[41:21] was and then he left

[41:23] >> at that point. He had just left myself

[41:28] and commissioner was commissioner Thomas

[41:29] there at that time. Yes, he was myself.

[41:34] No, I'm sorry. He was not there. He got

[41:37] a chance to see um

[41:40] >> both was it both entries? Okay. I'm

[41:42] sorry. My mistake. Yeah. He was there as

[41:44] myself, Mr. Thomas

[41:48] and Commissioner.

[41:49] >> Okay. Four out of the five.

[41:50] >> Yes. And so after that, like I said,

[41:53] because they did come in, she wasn't

[41:56] telling the story. They did her name.

[41:58] >> And at that time, you know, we were

[42:00] talking about the

[42:03] both candidates that was it want to talk

[42:05] about anything else and we told them

[42:07] give them about 10 minutes I told about

[42:09] 10 minutes

[42:11] at that point

[42:14] Mr. Thomas left that left myself and

[42:20] we all walked out because I told her let

[42:21] me go over to the res

[42:26] » okay I think I saw y'all over there I

[42:28] know I saw Mr. Miller. Um, okay. So, let

[42:31] me safe to say you were not aware that

[42:33] you couldn't disc shouldn't be

[42:35] discussing.

[42:36] >> Yes, we knew that, you know, so we

[42:38] didn't discuss, like I said, when he

[42:40] came back, Mr. Miller came back for the last person that we were

[42:44] interviewing and we all we talked the

[42:47] gentleman left, we talked, we made that

[42:50] because the for some reason the Zoom

[42:52] link kept giving us only 30 minutes and

[42:55] it was shut off.

[42:58] Somebody had the cheap account.

[43:00] >> Free free account.

[43:03] [laughter]

[43:04] >> That was the reason why we end up losing

[43:06] milk and sand.

[43:09] >> Okay.

[43:09] >> So, y'all did discuss two of the

[43:12] candidates after the meeting had ended.

[43:15] >> Not really after the meeting had ended.

[43:17] We discussed after the candidate had

[43:19] left. The candidate had just left

[43:23] because he had his children.

[43:26] >> No, no one had adjourned the meeting.

[43:28] You see, you did not in the meeting.

[43:31] >> No, we didn't end the meeting

[43:33] >> because we were still sitting there

[43:35] because we were trying to get and milk

[43:38] back on the line because we wanted to

[43:39] make sure that they knew what we want

[43:41] had to do. Okay. is because we were

[43:43] supposed to do um questionnaers to score

[43:48] all three of those candidates.

[43:49] >> Okay.

[43:50] >> And as she said there was only one

[43:51] candidate. No, there was still three

[43:54] candidates. We scored all three of the

[43:56] candidates.

[43:56] >> Oh, she said it was three, not counting

[43:58] herself. I think that's what she said. I

[44:01] think she That's what she said. Do y'all

[44:02] remember?

[44:02] >> You're correct, Mayor.

[44:03] >> Oh, you weren't here. [laughter]

[44:06] Uh but anyway, y'all had never adjourned

[44:08] the meeting. So, basically, the meeting

[44:09] was still going. Whether Milt's there or

[44:11] not is irrelevant, Right. The meeting

[44:13] was still going. We wasn't just talking

[44:15] amongst ourselves. Meeting was still

[44:17] going because of the simple fact we had

[44:19] just two candidates had just left.

[44:21] >> Okay.

[44:22] >> And we wanted to make sure that

[44:23] Commissioner Miller found out. Well, he

[44:25] kind of didn't want to one of the

[44:26] candidates was [clears throat]

[44:29] >> not.

[44:30] >> I doubt he didn't. But um we wanted to

[44:32] let him hear his opinion about

[44:34] everything when he came back in. So when

[44:36] they came in, it was quite a few of the

[44:39] ladies that came in. They came in

[44:41] through the side door, you know, and

[44:43] then like I said, we, you know, because

[44:45] that wasn't the first interruption we

[44:46] had had, but it was okay. We just was

[44:49] like, fine. So, you know, like I said,

[44:51] and I do have everything.

[44:54] >> Mr. Mayor,

[44:55] >> um, while we're on that particular

[44:57] subject with open meetings and utilizing

[45:00] a virtual platform, um, going forward in

[45:03] the future, a note should be taken for

[45:05] Zoom. If you are going to post a meeting

[45:08] using Zoom and allow candidates or

[45:11] whomever to join the meeting with the

[45:13] public body, um, a couple things should

[45:15] be

[45:17] uniform across the board. If the acting

[45:21] executive director is making the Zoom

[45:24] meeting or scheduling it, the PMI option

[45:27] should be selected, which means personal

[45:29] meeting ID. That is the one that is

[45:31] associated firmly with that Zoom

[45:33] account. If the meeting ends for

[45:36] whatever the reason may be, whether it's

[45:38] a technical difficulty or if it's a time

[45:40] limit, if you restart that meeting with

[45:43] that same PMI, it will be the exact same

[45:46] information that is on the meeting

[45:47] notice. If you start a new meeting

[45:49] without the PMI, it will not be the

[45:51] exact same information. Therefore, it

[45:53] violates the open meetings act.

[45:54] >> I want to say this one thing and I want

[45:56] to read it to you because this is what

[45:57] it said because I text her to ask the

[46:00] question. This is from Miss Wells to me.

[46:04] It actually says um I do not believe

[46:07] that there are any issues that will

[46:08] prevent you from using the already

[46:10] generated board meeting link and that's

[46:12] what I thought that we had on the page.

[46:14] You you can use the copy and paste

[46:17] feature that is in the calendar invite

[46:19] for tomorrow for ease of use. Please

[46:21] note that an announcement says document

[46:23] sheets will still need to be created

[46:26] distributed to appropriate outlet for

[46:28] the city. We typically use um PR Mr. T

[46:32] seat internal communication office

[46:38] talking to me but however since I am not

[46:40] directly involved in this matter to

[46:42] white should be included instead this is

[46:45] David from Monday May 18th

[46:49] >> gotcha yeah I just wanted to make that

[46:51] note um because that goes for anybody

[46:53] who creates it once that meeting is

[46:55] scheduled

[46:57] >> um via Zoom it should you should make

[46:59] sure that it's the personal meeting ID

[47:02] for uniformity across the board because

[47:05] that's what's on the notice. And so if

[47:07] you start a new one and that box isn't

[47:08] checked, it's going to change that

[47:09] information. You're going to be

[47:11] scrambling in the middle of the meetings

[47:12] trying to get

[47:14] employees or candidates or elected

[47:17] officials, whatever the case may be, the

[47:19] new information to get online and then

[47:21] if that happens again, it's just a

[47:23] recycling type of matter of issues. So I

[47:26] just wanted to make that note. Um if

[47:28] there's no central person create uh

[47:30] making it just for continuity.

[47:34] >> Okay.

[47:37] >> All right. So are we anything else needs

[47:40] to be said on the meeting where they

[47:44] were talking about candidates?

[47:45] >> Uh yeah. Uh she just said it was the two

[47:48] that they had interviewed that day or

[47:49] maybe even including the one that they

[47:50] interviewed that night before. That is

[47:53] not the name of the candidate that the

[47:55] employee heard. Period.

[47:58] >> But do you understand though if the

[48:00] meeting was not adjourned, they can talk

[48:01] about any candidate.

[48:02] >> I also confirmed because July 11th was

[48:05] Milton Spic's birthday. By the time I

[48:08] spoke with him, he was out having

[48:10] dinner. So the meeting had adjourned,

[48:12] like I said, at least 45 minutes before.

[48:16] >> I have access to the cameras.

[48:18] >> Hold on. Hold on. Whether Mint was there

[48:19] or not doesn't mean the meeting

[48:20] adjourned. I'm just saying I don't know

[48:22] whether it was adjourned or not. I'm

[48:23] just saying Milton is not necessary for

[48:25] the meeting. The city attorney I mean

[48:27] the the attorney is not necessary.

[48:29] >> I'm sharing with you that before the

[48:32] meeting adjourned they wanted to go into

[48:34] close session and discuss candidates. He

[48:37] himself will share this. He told them no

[48:41] you have to do it in open meeting.

[48:43] >> Do it in public.

[48:45] >> Okay we got it. We're done. They did the

[48:47] meeting adjournment. I never saw those

[48:50] um particular, you know, notes. It's on

[48:52] the board minutes that I didn't get

[48:54] those. But when I called him back, he

[48:56] said, "Yeah, we were done a while ago."

[48:58] And I reviewed the footage and he was

[49:00] correct. I saw when they logged off.

[49:02] >> Okay. What I'm focusing in, I'm sorry

[49:04] cuz my brain I'm very linear.

[49:07] If no one made a motion to adjourn the

[49:09] meeting and they stayed and kept

[49:10] talking, the meeting is still going. If

[49:12] someone made a motion to adjourn and it

[49:14] vote got voted on and they adjourned the

[49:16] meeting, then you are 100% correct. If

[49:18] they kept talking, there's a problem.

[49:20] >> I can confirm they did.

[49:21] >> I I don't know. I wasn't there. I'm just

[49:23] saying that's to me that's what I'm

[49:24] zeroing in on. They saying they didn't

[49:26] make a motion. If you heard a motion

[49:29] because you were on Zoom. Well, I think

[49:30] the Zoom ended at that point.

[49:31] >> No, the Zoom was over. Yeah.

[49:33] >> I don't know. I mean, I guess if you

[49:35] weren't in the room,

[49:35] >> just trust me.

[49:37] >> I got my ways. Um, but anyways, I just

[49:39] wanted to combat some of the things that

[49:42] she was sharing. Um, if we and it's

[49:44] really quickly, I'm not going to take

[49:45] you down long memory lane, but I will

[49:47] share this with the council. I have all

[49:50] of the dates of this horrible experience

[49:52] during this process. And one of them,

[49:54] um, cuz Mayor, I know you personally

[49:57] just last Monday, I believe it was on

[49:58] the 17th, was approached by Miss Ivonne

[50:01] Moore, and the only thing that I kept

[50:03] hearing while I stood over there was her

[50:06] saying, "I declined. I canceled. I was a

[50:08] no-show." That is not correct. As I

[50:10] said, Stan reached out to me on May 9th

[50:13] at 8 in the morning on a Saturday to

[50:15] schedule me for May 13th. Okay, this

[50:20] should sound familiar because when we

[50:22] did the commercial, you asked, they

[50:24] cancelled my interview the night before

[50:27] at 7:53 p.m. And the reason was because

[50:32] they were notified that they did not

[50:35] adhere to the Open Meetings Act. They

[50:37] had not posted it. They had not made it

[50:39] public.

[50:39] >> Clear on that. But this what I'm trying

[50:41] to it was a statement made. I don't know

[50:43] if it's true or not that you were there

[50:45] and he talked to you that night.

[50:48] >> Unless No, that's wrong.

[50:49] >> Y'all hear that?

[50:50] >> That is wrong. This is a whole time and

[50:52] that's what I'm saying. You're hearing

[50:53] the the the villain side. You're not

[50:55] hearing the truth. My original first

[50:58] interview was scheduled for May 13th

[51:04] at 8:00 p.m. This is a Wednesday. So it

[51:07] wasn't made the later date in May. You

[51:09] said

[51:09] >> correct. It started way before the

[51:11] information that you all have received.

[51:13] >> Okay. So I can vividly tell you it was a

[51:16] Tuesday night at 7:53 p.m. because I sat

[51:19] in the parking lot at Famous Days

[51:21] because I stayed in the office to

[51:23] prepare because I was excited for my

[51:25] interview the next day. And right up

[51:27] against that 24-hour mark, Stan reached

[51:30] out. I too have the same email that she

[51:33] has. I have everything. This is just a

[51:35] percentage of it. Was that was that

[51:37] meeting noticed up?

[51:39] >> No.

[51:40] >> Now I also have it recorded where when

[51:42] he reached out to me, I also advised him

[51:45] to make sure that it was properly posted

[51:48] and communicated. And he said that,

[51:51] "Yeah, we didn't have to do that with

[51:52] Aaron. I don't know how they handled it

[51:54] with the last person, but I'll let them

[51:56] handle that." Okay, that was on the 9th,

[52:00] right? I have it documented. Moving

[52:03] forward, they cancelled that interview.

[52:05] Okay. Then the next one

[52:08] >> real quick. They canceled. They couldn't

[52:10] have had the meeting anyway because they

[52:11] didn't notice.

[52:12] >> Yes. So they cancelled my interview that

[52:14] was scheduled.

[52:14] >> So they canceled on you first. That's

[52:16] what you

[52:16] >> canceled on me first. That was the first

[52:18] one. The second one was when I actually

[52:24] was following up.

[52:26] I have emails and I just started being

[52:28] really transparent and instead of just

[52:30] communicating with Stan Quai, I included

[52:32] all five board members.

[52:36] I also included starting back in April

[52:39] when I gave them each my resume packet

[52:43] on February 17th. I gave it to Gregory

[52:46] Gillette, Ivonne Moore, Mabel Strowman,

[52:49] and William Miller.

[52:51] >> On February 17th,

[52:54] >> Mr. Thomas wasn't there.

[52:55] >> On August,

[52:56] >> Mr. Thomas wasn't there.

[52:58] >> He was not there. On August 18th, this

[53:01] is just the disrespect. On August 18th,

[53:04] the packet that I gave Commissioner

[53:05] Strowman, she brought it back to me and

[53:09] said it's still sealed. I didn't even

[53:11] open it.

[53:13] >> Did she tell you she didn't? She thought

[53:15] you submitted through the recruiter.

[53:16] >> She said there's a process to follow. I

[53:18] believe you were in that meeting. Okay.

[53:20] >> But we we pick and choose and want to

[53:22] follow processes because we just went

[53:23] through the bylaws. We didn't follow

[53:25] processes. But anyways, so no one

[53:28] responded. Stan already had candidates.

[53:32] I'm continuing to reach out. I was

[53:34] advised to even ask for a job

[53:36] description because I never had it. No

[53:38] one ever even shared where to locate it.

[53:41] I had to Google and I found a blurb that

[53:44] I printed out a blurb on or narrow very

[53:46] vague. And when I questioned him in

[53:49] here, he himself said he did not even

[53:51] have the job description and continue to

[53:54] reach out to the board. I have email

[53:57] where they said just send her that one.

[53:58] It'll work. old one, not the new one. My

[54:02] next interview date,

[54:05] I get contacted

[54:07] um let's see, on

[54:10] May 18th about No, I'm reaching out to

[54:14] them on like May 18th like, "Hey, can we get this back on the schedule?

[54:18] What's going on?" Stan sends an email

[54:21] and says, "We're looking to do uh

[54:23] interviews sometime later next week."

[54:26] But I also have it documented. I went on

[54:28] a family reunion in Tuskegee, Alabama.

[54:31] My daddy is 73 and he's the baby. So,

[54:34] all six of his sisters are in their 70s

[54:36] or 80s. We only do it every other two

[54:39] years. This was booked February 23rd,

[54:42] 2026.

[54:44] I said, "Okay, good to know. Just FYI,

[54:48] I'm out next week on vacation."

[54:52] Ladies and gentlemen, that next week was

[54:55] Memorial Day weekend, Friday at 8:00

[54:58] p.m. Now, I received a lot of ridicule

[55:01] from people saying, "Oh, you should have

[55:03] made it happen. You should have went."

[55:05] Well, guess what? Once again, it did not

[55:08] happen. They had to cancel what they had

[55:10] planned because one of the

[55:12] commissioners, it was his birthday

[55:13] weekend and no one even got with him.

[55:15] No, that was the weekend before. It was

[55:17] his birthday weekend. No one even had

[55:18] confirmed with him

[55:19] >> from what the meeting

[55:20] >> that they were doing these meetings,

[55:22] these interviews.

[55:24] >> So let's just say had I said, "Okay,

[55:27] daddy, lose the money that you have. You

[55:30] have to drive down to Alabama by

[55:31] yourself." And they cancelled.

[55:32] >> Well, let's not go through

[55:33] hypotheticals. So the meeting didn't

[55:36] happen. Is that the bottom line?

[55:37] >> Again, correct. And that was not a

[55:39] Sheena Wells.

[55:40] >> You told them you were unavailable

[55:41] because you were out of time. They

[55:42] didn't have the meeting anyway.

[55:45] >> Okay. So why is it even a big deal in a

[55:47] sense? Um but I did ask for and I was

[55:50] very patient and I did ask if you know

[55:53] coming back from the holiday which that

[55:55] Monday was a holiday if I could be

[55:57] scheduled.

[55:58] >> Um and I continue to have to ask ask ask

[56:02] and I can go on and on but the the

[56:05] process

[56:06] >> commissioner

[56:09] council woman

[56:10] >> you can finish the thought and then just

[56:12] remember to come back to me once you

[56:13] >> fine go ahead. So, because I came a

[56:16] little bit late, I just want to make

[56:17] because the way my brain works, I just

[56:19] want to make sure that I'm on track. So,

[56:24] are are you looking to have an

[56:25] opportunity to interview? Are you

[56:28] looking to that? That's like ultimately

[56:29] your end goal is to at least have a fair

[56:31] opportunity to interview.

[56:32] >> Correct.

[56:32] >> At minimum. Yes.

[56:33] >> At minimum. Okay. And then is there

[56:37] anything else you're looking for us to

[56:39] do? um and decision like what decision

[56:41] do you want us to make tonight so I can

[56:44] know by the end of the meeting whether

[56:46] if I need to take a vote or kind of

[56:49] where to go from I mean I don't know if

[56:50] we need to take a vote or not but I'm

[56:52] just saying like

[56:53] >> kind of like what

[56:54] >> is the purpose of us being here because

[56:57] my understanding like

[56:59] >> we aren't the governing body right and

[57:02] so at least I can speak for myself I can

[57:04] make suggestions

[57:06] >> and I can um yeah I can make phone

[57:09] calls, I can make suggestions. Um, I

[57:12] from my understanding may even be able

[57:14] to remove the board. Even though in the

[57:15] bylaws it says in order to even remove

[57:17] like one member, they have to kind of

[57:19] initiate that. So that's kind of unclear

[57:21] to me.

[57:22] >> No, no, no. That's their bylaws. Our

[57:23] charter said we can remove

[57:24] >> you can remove them

[57:25] >> four members with cause.

[57:27] >> Got it. Okay. So we're trying to

[57:28] establish cause to remove them

[57:30] currently.

[57:30] >> We're not trying to establish cause.

[57:32] >> Well,

[57:32] >> we're listening.

[57:33] >> Okay.

[57:34] >> If we deem there is cause, then we can

[57:37] take action.

[57:38] >> Got it. Okay. So I just wanted to make

[57:39] it very clear so I can track. Well,

[57:43] okay. Oh, thank you.

[57:46] >> So when we say Okay, now I think I got

[57:48] it now. Unless we There's more meetings.

[57:50] Is there more meetings that we haven't

[57:51] talked about?

[57:52] >> Yes.

[57:53] >> Okay. [laughter]

[57:54] >> All right.

[57:55] >> What's the

[57:56] >> Okay. For the one that Miss Wells is

[57:59] speaking of.

[58:01] for the one that Miss Wells was speaking

[58:03] of as far as for Memorial's Day weekend.

[58:06] That particular um weekend, we had asked

[58:09] her because we were trying to get all

[58:11] the interviewers in as soon as possible.

[58:14] [clears throat]

[58:14] >> So, we were trying to find out. We

[58:16] actually put her first and asked her if

[58:18] she could be available for that week.

[58:20] It's like she told us and I have them

[58:22] email. I can read it or I'll just wait

[58:24] and read it out.

[58:25] >> It was said that no, I could not go. are

[58:28] going to Alabama

[58:30] >> and that you know um I won't be able to do interview. So they asked was it

[58:36] possible because they wanted her to be

[58:38] able to interview. Was it possible for

[58:40] her to take 30 minutes maybe while she

[58:43] was down in Alabama to send the

[58:46] interview? Okay. At that point she did

[58:49] tell us no I cannot because I don't know

[58:51] what type of activities and this is in

[58:53] the email that my aunt was going to

[58:55] have. So we were like fine. At that

[58:58] point there was no meetings done for

[59:00] that week. That next week when after we

[59:02] came back on the 26th

[59:04] >> hold on real quick. Just because she

[59:06] said that you canceled all the

[59:07] interviews or you just decided not to

[59:09] meet them?

[59:09] >> They decided not to meet at all.

[59:11] >> So it had nothing to do with really what

[59:12] she said.

[59:12] >> No because they was like okay they

[59:14] wanted her to be first. That was the

[59:16] whole point in a nutshell. Okay.

[59:18] >> They wanted her to be first on the on

[59:20] that. So they decided, okay, it is

[59:22] Memorial's Day weekend and they they

[59:25] will not try to go any other interviews.

[59:27] That's was how that was. Okay.

[59:29] >> Next week, and she said she's coming

[59:31] back, you know, um

[59:34] >> for the interviewers. We did schedule

[59:36] the interview for May 22nd. That's the

[59:39] meeting that got screwed up, messed up

[59:41] because

[59:42] >> May 22nd. Could have been May.

[59:44] >> It was not May 22nd. No,

[59:46] >> that's that's before Memorial Day,

[59:47] >> right?

[59:48] >> May 22nd. That was the meeting that we

[59:50] were supposed to have, but we didn't.

[59:52] >> So, you know, like I said,

[59:54] >> so that was the first meeting.

[59:56] >> Then the then the Memorial Day weekend,

[59:58] you didn't meet.

[59:58] >> We didn't meet at all. Period.

[1:00:00] >> So, when was the next meeting?

[1:00:01] >> The next meeting was um

[1:00:05] we didn't have another meeting until the

[1:00:07] 30th. That was the meeting on the 30th.

[1:00:10] >> 30th of May or June?

[1:00:11] >> May.

[1:00:14] There was no interview scheduled on the

[1:00:16] 30th.

[1:00:17] >> On the 30th of June. Yes. Not on May.

[1:00:19] Not in May.

[1:00:20] >> June 30th. There there were interviews

[1:00:22] scheduled.

[1:00:23] >> No, May 30th.

[1:00:27] » Anybody follow May 30th? I'm sorry. It

[1:00:29] was May 30th that the interview was

[1:00:31] scheduled.

[1:00:32] >> They were scheduled.

[1:00:32] >> Yes. Okay.

[1:00:35] >> As well as May 29th.

[1:00:36] >> 29th and the 30th. They were scheduled

[1:00:38] for that day.

[1:00:39] >> Was she Was she?

[1:00:42] >> I'm sorry.

[1:00:46] I I just my mind is just

[1:00:49] >> racing and confused.

[1:00:51] >> Yeah, it is.

[1:00:52] >> Um, so the meetings for the 29th or the

[1:00:56] 30th that you schedule, was she given an

[1:00:59] opportunity to be interviewed?

[1:01:00] >> Opportunity to be able to to come in for

[1:01:03] that meeting.

[1:01:04] >> And what happened?

[1:01:05] >> That meeting that's the meeting that we

[1:01:08] end up having that that Friday because

[1:01:10] of the

[1:01:11] >> notice

[1:01:12] >> the notice, right? And so then we had

[1:01:14] the meeting that Saturday which she was

[1:01:16] supposed to attend for that Saturday

[1:01:18] that she

[1:01:18] >> she was there that Friday then she got

[1:01:20] upset and didn't

[1:01:21] >> Yes.

[1:01:22] Then the next meeting that we had was on

[1:01:26] we didn't have another meeting in We

[1:01:28] didn't have a meeting in June but there

[1:01:30] was conversation in June regarding the

[1:01:32] meeting.

[1:01:33] >> There was what conversation

[1:01:34] >> in June regarding the meeting. Yes.

[1:01:38] So was she scheduled anytime after that

[1:01:41] or she

[1:01:42] >> scheduled after that for the meetings

[1:01:43] that we were going to have

[1:01:47] that um July because that's when um we

[1:01:51] were going through all make sure all the

[1:01:53] candidates will be available and that's

[1:01:55] when we had the meeting

[1:01:56] >> that when she said that she was

[1:01:57] available in July

[1:01:59] >> she wasn't available because that that

[1:02:02] 111 a.m. on um July 10th in the morning,

[1:02:06] she sent us a a email telling us that

[1:02:09] she was withdrawing from being the ED.

[1:02:14] >> Okay.

[1:02:14] >> So, I mean, so at that point,

[1:02:16] >> what date was that?

[1:02:18] >> That was the day before 10th 11:11

[1:02:21] a.m. in the morning

[1:02:23] >> on June or July.

[1:02:25] >> I'm sorry, July. July 10th. That was the

[1:02:28] last time we were going to do it. And

[1:02:30] that's when Mr. that she was going to

[1:02:31] withdraw at that time.

[1:02:33] >> What's your position now?

[1:02:35] >> Uh I am the acting executive director

[1:02:37] and the director of human resources

[1:02:40] >> for

[1:02:41] >> Easter housing commission. Yes.

[1:02:42] >> And how long have you done that?

[1:02:44] >> Um how long have I what I'm sorry.

[1:02:46] >> How long have you been in that position?

[1:02:48] >> Um so I've been with Easter housing

[1:02:49] commission since November 15, 2021. So

[1:02:52] it'll be five years this November. And

[1:02:54] recently I've been in the dual role of

[1:02:57] acting executive director, director of

[1:02:59] human resources since September 17th.

[1:03:02] Well, we dated it back, but September

[1:03:04] 28th, 2025.

[1:03:07] So, next month will be a year.

[1:03:09] >> There's a question.

[1:03:10] >> Question. Yes. Uh do you

[1:03:13] so when you have employees like that, do

[1:03:15] you do evaluations

[1:03:17] for

[1:03:19] to see if they're competent or they're

[1:03:21] not or if they're doing a good job, pay

[1:03:23] raise or do you guys do evaluations

[1:03:27] like for

[1:03:28] >> we did not do an evaluation when they

[1:03:31] put her in as acting um executive

[1:03:33] director. Um at the time our other um

[1:03:37] executive director had resigned. Um they

[1:03:39] didn't want to leave the keep open too

[1:03:41] long because we were actually going

[1:03:43] through a red development. They wanted

[1:03:46] to make sure that we still had someone

[1:03:47] in place. So they put appointed Miss

[1:03:50] Wells as acting executive director at

[1:03:53] that time.

[1:03:54] >> Can I ask for the they are please?

[1:03:56] >> I was about to say that. You mean the

[1:03:57] boards

[1:03:58] >> commission

[1:03:58] >> commissioners? So at that time that's

[1:04:01] when they um they

[1:04:04] >> oh I'm sorry

[1:04:05] >> they um appointed her appointed her as

[1:04:07] acting executive director

[1:04:08] >> and she was satisfactory.

[1:04:10] >> Well yes I mean she gave us her

[1:04:12] paperwork to let us know since the the

[1:04:14] other one had resigned. So I mean that

[1:04:16] same night. So I mean that was something

[1:04:19] that was asked of

[1:04:20] >> I want to say I object so bad.

[1:04:25] » Okay.

[1:04:25] You good?

[1:04:27] >> Yeah. Now, I received a text message at

[1:04:30] 1000 p.m. from the chairman of the board

[1:04:32] after the situation with the former ED.

[1:04:34] I won't get into details about that. And

[1:04:36] I was volunte, you are in charge. That

[1:04:40] is how it went down. I have the text

[1:04:42] message. Again, the board did not

[1:04:45] receive my packet until February 17th

[1:04:49] and then Commissioner Thomas received it

[1:04:51] on March 6th before he went to a

[1:04:54] conference. So it was not in September.

[1:04:57] >> I think two different things.

[1:04:58] >> Two different things.

[1:04:59] >> She's saying as soon as the other the

[1:05:01] last ED left,

[1:05:03] >> they received something from you

[1:05:05] requesting to be to act. Is that what

[1:05:07] you're saying?

[1:05:07] >> Said my packet.

[1:05:09] >> That is your that was your package. I'm

[1:05:10] not going to sit here and say

[1:05:12] >> when did I give it to you?

[1:05:13] >> Was but it was just you know it was you

[1:05:16] it was submitted. You submitted.

[1:05:18] >> I'll put it back.

[1:05:19] >> The appointment was a request made other

[1:05:22] executive director design that same

[1:05:24] night. that she left that we were

[1:05:26] presented with a a paper that was asking

[1:05:30] us exactly what they wanted and what was

[1:05:33] all the details in that package.

[1:05:35] >> Who is that?

[1:05:37] >> Miss

[1:05:38] >> I'm confused.

[1:05:39] >> I thought you appointed her.

[1:05:41] >> The night that the night that the

[1:05:42] executive director resigned and she left

[1:05:44] out of the building that same night,

[1:05:47] Miss Wells was appointed as the acting

[1:05:50] executive director. She gave us the

[1:05:52] package as far as what she wanted.

[1:05:55] >> Hold on, hold on, hold on.

[1:05:57] >> Was that a night of a meeting?

[1:05:59] >> Yes,

[1:05:59] >> it was. We were in close session

[1:06:02] afterwards. We were in close session. We

[1:06:04] were not in a meeting. We were in

[1:06:06] >> Well, that's that's a meeting. That's a

[1:06:07] meeting.

[1:06:07] >> That's a meeting. And it was a

[1:06:08] resolution.

[1:06:09] >> When I say we weren't in our regular

[1:06:11] meeting, we were in close session. And

[1:06:13] that came our attorney was there. He was

[1:06:16] on the phone and that was um taken. A

[1:06:19] vote was taken.

[1:06:20] >> Took a vote to appoint her act.

[1:06:22] >> You all appointed her. That's all I need

[1:06:23] to know. Okay,

[1:06:24] >> that's fine.

[1:06:25] >> They or they.

[1:06:26] >> Okay, that's fine.

[1:06:27] >> Who recommended her?

[1:06:29] >> How was she re?

[1:06:30] >> I heard it was unanimous.

[1:06:33] >> That's what I heard from Chairman

[1:06:34] Gillette.

[1:06:35] >> Well, no hearsay.

[1:06:36] >> I'm just asking I just wanted to know

[1:06:38] >> recommend her

[1:06:40] >> who who recommended her to take that

[1:06:42] position.

[1:06:43] >> Majority of the commission felt that she

[1:06:46] was the right person to lead the agency

[1:06:48] at that time. So you guys got together

[1:06:51] and said, "Oh, Kim would be good." And

[1:06:53] then you voted on it in a close session

[1:06:55] meeting. That's what I'm saying.

[1:06:58] >> Majority of the commission made the

[1:06:59] decision in close session. She was the

[1:07:03] best fit to lead the lead the agency at

[1:07:06] that time. I came back in town, I think

[1:07:09] somebody else, and we all supported them

[1:07:11] because she was our HR director. She

[1:07:13] knew the she knew the agency better than

[1:07:15] probably most people in there. So she

[1:07:17] was re recommended by the board,

[1:07:20] >> right?

[1:07:20] >> She was appointed appointed, but but she

[1:07:23] you had to have a recommendation before

[1:07:24] you even appoint them. So they had to

[1:07:26] know that she was competent.

[1:07:28] >> Well, no, they

[1:07:30] >> and competent to do the job. That's what

[1:07:32] I'm trying to say.

[1:07:34] >> So why can't you all just give her an

[1:07:36] opportunity to at least interview?

[1:07:38] >> We did.

[1:07:40] [applause]

[1:07:42] » We did until that day on the 10th. She

[1:07:46] withdrew. She withdrew on the 10th. That

[1:07:49] same day she was supposed to interview

[1:07:51] at at 6 o'lock in the evening. I spoke

[1:07:54] to Miss Wells at Monday. Uh Stan Quay

[1:07:58] spoke to him. She said she was going to

[1:08:00] be at the meet. She was going to be at

[1:08:02] the interview and at 11 a.m. in the

[1:08:05] morning of July 10th, she withdrew her

[1:08:08] name.

[1:08:08] >> July 14th, she rescended that

[1:08:11] withdrawal.

[1:08:12] >> Hold on a second. Hold on. Just so the

[1:08:14] record's clear. In between there before

[1:08:17] the second inter I'm sorry the only

[1:08:20] interview before the interview was

[1:08:22] scheduled in July I spoke to the chair

[1:08:25] at that point they were moving forward

[1:08:27] with the second round of interviews.

[1:08:30] Miss Wales was not part of that. I said

[1:08:33] I understand she didn't interview the

[1:08:34] first time. There was some confusion

[1:08:36] over who canceled what. I didn't know

[1:08:38] but I'm having a conversation with him.

[1:08:39] I said, "Given the fact she's worked for

[1:08:42] you for almost a year and done a good

[1:08:44] job and is a current employee, why don't

[1:08:46] you give her the courtesy of just

[1:08:48] forwarding her to the second round? I

[1:08:49] requested that was not a demand." Mr.

[1:08:52] Wales said, "I'll talk to the

[1:08:54] commissioners." He did not say, "Okay."

[1:08:56] Next thing I knew, she was getting

[1:08:58] interviewed.

[1:08:59] >> Okay. I was like, "Well, cool. I'm happy

[1:09:01] because she's already there. You guys

[1:09:03] are going to take a look. I'm good.

[1:09:07] I'm not going to talk about my personal

[1:09:09] conversations with certain folks, but I

[1:09:11] know she had an interview scheduled.

[1:09:12] Obviously, she had some second thoughts

[1:09:14] about it. I know there's a resident

[1:09:16] appreciation day on a Saturday. I heard

[1:09:18] some conversation about, okay, I got to

[1:09:20] get ready for this event, so I'm not

[1:09:23] available the night before to interview.

[1:09:25] Okay. This sound normal.

[1:09:29] Okay. And then Saturday came and the

[1:09:32] appreciation day happened. You guys

[1:09:34] interviewed the other people. She didn't

[1:09:36] get interviewed on Friday because she

[1:09:38] withdrew.

[1:09:39] >> She withdrew.

[1:09:40] >> That's is that basically what everybody

[1:09:42] Okay.

[1:09:42] >> Yes. She withdrew from

[1:09:44] >> and then the next week I received an

[1:09:46] email saying she would like to be cons

[1:09:48] still considered for the position. Then

[1:09:50] I I received a response from the chair

[1:09:52] saying you're no longer in consideration

[1:09:55] and we're moving forward. So are we all

[1:09:57] on the same page?

[1:09:58] >> Yes.

[1:09:59] >> Okay. So that's where we at. Okay.

[1:10:00] >> Young lady, the young lady in the gray

[1:10:02] has been wanting to interject to provide

[1:10:04] clarity. One more question.

[1:10:06] >> She wants to ask Miss Wells one more

[1:10:07] question.

[1:10:07] >> Just just one cuz I'm nosy.

[1:10:11] >> Why did you withdraw?

[1:10:14] >> Several reasons at the time. And

[1:10:17] actually I wrote my speech about it so

[1:10:18] that I don't forget anything. But I've

[1:10:21] only shared just

[1:10:24] a fog of what occurred during this

[1:10:26] process. I also was bullied into sending

[1:10:29] my resume by 5:00 p. him on a day that I

[1:10:33] was not even aware there was an unknown

[1:10:34] deadline. So, there was so many things

[1:10:37] leading up to that decision. Resident

[1:10:40] appreciation day is the one day a year

[1:10:42] that since we say we're here for our

[1:10:44] residents, we service our residents that

[1:10:46] we all should be there. And I spoke to

[1:10:49] the chairman because it was something

[1:10:50] else going on with some somebody else.

[1:10:53] And he said no, he had other

[1:10:55] obligations. I spoke to Commissioner

[1:10:56] Moore. I said, "Why would you guys pick

[1:10:59] that date? can it be after since you do

[1:11:02] interviews at 8:00 PM or another day?

[1:11:06] And she said, "Oh, I'll talk to him, but

[1:11:08] he's in California. I'll call him

[1:11:09] later." So, it was no buy in from any

[1:11:12] other commissioners but Commissioner

[1:11:14] Miller and Commissioner Thomas who said,

[1:11:16] "We will still make sure that we're

[1:11:17] there." Then, in addition to that, there

[1:11:21] was

[1:11:21] >> So, let me let me cut through it.

[1:11:24] >> Yes.

[1:11:24] >> I can [clears throat] sleep.

[1:11:27] I'm

[1:11:29] >> at that age. I'm just

[1:11:32] >> trying to go with you here. So, you

[1:11:36] resigned basically because you were

[1:11:37] upset.

[1:11:38] >> No, that that's the thing. I've been

[1:11:40] hearing that narrative of being in my

[1:11:41] feelings. No, it was just with all that

[1:11:44] we have been doing, all the good, all

[1:11:47] the progress that has been coming and to

[1:11:50] still be ridiculed. If you sit in our

[1:11:52] board meetings, they've never treated

[1:11:54] any ED this way. I don't know if it's

[1:11:56] retaliation. So, no. Let me let me

[1:12:00] >> It's politics. So,

[1:12:01] >> they ain't gonna like you. But let me

[1:12:03] tell you, I I just I just I don't want

[1:12:04] them to like my name,

[1:12:06] >> Councilwoman. Uh for for me, just for

[1:12:08] me. Okay.

[1:12:09] >> So,

[1:12:10] >> evidently you were competent and you

[1:12:13] made a good candidate and you did a lot

[1:12:15] of things and then later through some

[1:12:17] process because I'm just saying this

[1:12:19] like it was me. They got on my nerves so

[1:12:22] I don't want it. So then you thought

[1:12:24] about it. Is that is that when you

[1:12:26] reconsidered and said, "Well, I I I I do

[1:12:30] want to be that." Is that

[1:12:31] >> what it was? Was the people that I'm

[1:12:33] doing it for was the reason that I

[1:12:35] humbly came back around and it takes a

[1:12:37] big person for

[1:12:37] >> for the people.

[1:12:41] >> I can relate to that.

[1:12:43] >> I let a lot of people down that believe

[1:12:45] in me that are a part of feeling

[1:12:47] inspired. So for the betterment.

[1:12:50] >> I got you. I feel good. Thank you.

[1:12:51] >> You're welcome. Thank you.

[1:12:53] Okay, that's fair.

[1:12:56] >> She the young lady in the she's had her

[1:12:58] hand raised for a while. Feel bad.

[1:13:04] » State your name, Sula.

[1:13:06] >> Shana Clark.

[1:13:07] >> Okay.

[1:13:07] >> Oh, Lord. Okay.

[1:13:08] >> Oh, I know you.

[1:13:10] >> Yes, I know you too.

[1:13:13] >> Um, this is one of my first meetings um

[1:13:17] I have ever uh came to. I am a Inkster

[1:13:21] native. I was born and raised here. Love

[1:13:24] Ingster. As some of you guys may know, I

[1:13:26] do a lot of community stuff in Ingster

[1:13:29] and outside of Inkingster. My son has a

[1:13:31] lemonade stand. We sell lemonade. We

[1:13:33] also give away gently used uh gym shoes

[1:13:36] to the public.

[1:13:39] I have known Miss Wells for a very long

[1:13:42] time. I'm also a a very successful

[1:13:45] businesswoman and also philanthropist.

[1:13:47] So, I understand business. I understand

[1:13:49] politics. I understand emotions and I

[1:13:51] understand um what's really going on

[1:13:54] here. I spoke at the all staff meeting

[1:13:59] this Friday. I was asked to speak as one

[1:14:01] of the keynote speakers. It was an

[1:14:04] absolutely amazing meeting. I want to

[1:14:07] give Miss Wells, outside of me knowing

[1:14:09] her personally on a business standpoint

[1:14:12] as a businesswoman, she's doing amazing.

[1:14:15] She is doing absolutely amazing. And I'm

[1:14:19] not sure where the disconnect is coming

[1:14:22] in, but for me being from Inkster to see

[1:14:25] somebody that is doing so many good

[1:14:27] things, I'm not sure why it's such a big

[1:14:29] problem on giving her a chance. I can

[1:14:32] relate to being pushed out of places or

[1:14:35] people kind of just picking on you. And

[1:14:37] we're going to act human here. You know

[1:14:38] how that feels when you're doing so many

[1:14:41] good things, when you're trying and you

[1:14:42] do have this person, that person, people

[1:14:45] that are older than you, people that are

[1:14:47] younger than you, so many people coming

[1:14:48] at you. It does get discouraging. It

[1:14:50] gets very discouraging. I just want to

[1:14:54] I want to put in my hand clap for her.

[1:14:56] For one, I I never even seen the

[1:14:58] projects get redone, excuse me, Inkster

[1:15:00] housing get redone. I I just now saw it.

[1:15:04] I saw it all over Facebook and I'm like,

[1:15:05] who doing this? And when me and her

[1:15:07] actually talk, I've been doing her hair

[1:15:08] for a long time. I didn't even know all

[1:15:11] what she was doing. She doesn't come in

[1:15:13] and brag on it or anything like that. I

[1:15:15] really just found out about her role.

[1:15:18] >> So to be from Inkingster and to see what

[1:15:21] she's doing, she's not even from

[1:15:22] Inkingster. So for somebody to come in

[1:15:25] to care that meeting, she's very

[1:15:27] professional. She keeps people in line.

[1:15:30] She keeps people focused. She brings in

[1:15:32] the right people. You need people like

[1:15:35] that. You need people like that. You

[1:15:38] need people like that. And I I really

[1:15:40] hope that um I know it's like a whole

[1:15:43] process, whatever you guys got to go

[1:15:45] through, but from what I understood in

[1:15:48] corporate America, although I'm an

[1:15:49] entrepreneur. I've been in corporate

[1:15:50] America for a long time. I have my

[1:15:52] degree and everything.

[1:15:54] Usually they hire internally. Usually

[1:15:56] that's that's that's how it goes. Or

[1:15:58] they are they're the first person to

[1:16:00] consider. That's why she was That's why

[1:16:02] she That's why they put her in a seat

[1:16:04] cuz she was qualified to do so. So I I

[1:16:08] really hope that you guys can come

[1:16:10] together and consider somebody so great.

[1:16:12] And this is not me talking on a person

[1:16:14] living cuz I I'm a businesswoman. So I'm

[1:16:17] You wrong, you wrong. You're terrible.

[1:16:18] You're great. You're

[1:16:19] great. I I don't I don't have I

[1:16:21] understand feelings and I know how to

[1:16:23] put them to the back when it comes to

[1:16:24] business. But when you get somebody

[1:16:26] great, you get somebody that can really

[1:16:29] manage people, keep people in line, and

[1:16:32] really get the job done, you really need

[1:16:34] to appreciate those type of people, you

[1:16:36] know, and someone that actually cares

[1:16:37] about the community. So, I I really do

[1:16:41] um I hope that this goes well for the

[1:16:44] city of Instster as a whole. Um I hope

[1:16:46] you guys see her value and everybody

[1:16:48] anybody else that's contributing on a on

[1:16:50] a great level, but she definitely does

[1:16:52] deserve it. the city of Inkingster

[1:16:54] deserves someone like that. And again,

[1:16:56] that's outside of me knowing her. I am

[1:16:58] not being like that because I I wouldn't

[1:17:00] have came today cuz I'm that 100. I

[1:17:02] wouldn't have came. I'm I don't I don't

[1:17:04] got to I don't got to do that. I don't

[1:17:05] have to I'm not going to lie to put, you

[1:17:08] know, anybody to make them look good.

[1:17:10] I'm I'm not I'm not like that. Anybody

[1:17:12] can say that about me. Um but she is a

[1:17:15] woman that deserves a chance. She is a

[1:17:17] woman that deserves respect. Um I have

[1:17:20] witnessed disrespect. you know, I' I've witnessed things go on with her

[1:17:24] before and coming from, you know, why are they disrespecting her? Why are

[1:17:31] they giving her a hard time? I think

[1:17:32] that that needs to be considered and you

[1:17:34] guys really need to look in inside the

[1:17:37] staff and and the board and things like

[1:17:39] that cuz it's a lot of disrespect going

[1:17:40] on. It's a lot of things that's going on

[1:17:43] that try to make it hard for a beautiful

[1:17:46] smart

[1:17:46] >> I already piece of

[1:17:48] >> black woman that that is doing amazing

[1:17:50] things in the city. That's all I wanted

[1:17:51] to say. Yes.

[1:17:52] >> I'm sorry. I thought we were

[1:17:54] >> I'm sorry. I thought it was for um to

[1:17:56] offer clarity to a specific conversation

[1:17:58] that we were having that we were going

[1:18:00] to use that for a public comment.

[1:18:02] >> Oh, I didn't know. I told you this my

[1:18:04] first one. Y'all could have stopped.

[1:18:05] >> You're okay. You're okay. I just didn't

[1:18:06] want to I just wanted to

[1:18:07] >> Well, no, it was probably a comment that was probably needed, but I This is

[1:18:10] my first one.

[1:18:11] >> Okay. If you have more, feel free to

[1:18:13] fill out um one of the public comments.

[1:18:15] >> No, that's all I got to say. Just Just

[1:18:17] hopefully y'all give her the respect

[1:18:18] that she deserves.

[1:18:19] >> Thank you. I do I do want to say

[1:18:23] >> thank you two things. Um if you guys

[1:18:25] have something to say fill out the

[1:18:26] public comment sheet please. Two um I

[1:18:29] don't know um

[1:18:30] >> right over here.

[1:18:31] >> I don't who

[1:18:35] » Yes.

[1:18:36] >> Um I'm not like well versed in HR or if

[1:18:40] it's a legal issue. I don't know. But

[1:18:41] once you resend um in that way can you I

[1:18:47] guess go back on it like I I think

[1:18:50] that's kind of like what's the So I'm

[1:18:52] like give her the give her a chance to

[1:18:53] interview and they're saying well she

[1:18:55] withdrew so if there's a possibility for

[1:18:57] her to not withdraw then I

[1:18:59] >> it was never accepted or acknowledged.

[1:19:01] >> Got it. Okay.

[1:19:02] >> Well

[1:19:04] n sort of I mean I've had experience

[1:19:08] from an attorney standpoint with

[1:19:09] resignations

[1:19:11] >> being rescended.

[1:19:14] >> I don't know about participating in an

[1:19:16] interview process. has to be

[1:19:18] reconsidered to be interviewed. You

[1:19:20] can't ask for that.

[1:19:21] >> I'm not You can ask for a million

[1:19:23] dollars. I mean,

[1:19:24] >> now, but that doesn't entitle you to be

[1:19:27] back in the process.

[1:19:28] >> So, so what I'm saying is that let me

[1:19:31] sum it up from what my conversations

[1:19:32] with some of the commissioners, not all

[1:19:35] of the commissioners.

[1:19:38] >> They there were commissioners who wanted

[1:19:40] you to be interviewed. They wanted to

[1:19:43] hear you at the interview.

[1:19:45] when you decided to not interview, they

[1:19:48] closed the book on it. They they said,

[1:19:50] "Okay, if she does not want the job,

[1:19:54] that's that's where they ended it." When

[1:19:57] you asked four or five days later, and I

[1:20:00] found out at the same moment that you

[1:20:01] wanted to be considered,

[1:20:03] the response was, "It's too late." That

[1:20:06] that's what it was. It wasn't my

[1:20:08] response because it's not for me to say,

[1:20:09] but that's what they did. So, that's how

[1:20:12] we're here now. I think you did a great

[1:20:15] job as uh acting director. I'm not there

[1:20:18] on a day-to-day b basis, but I see the

[1:20:21] progress that Ingster housing's made,

[1:20:23] but I'm just the mayor. The housing

[1:20:26] commissioner's job is to hire and fire

[1:20:28] the executive director. I haven't

[1:20:30] bullied one of them. I haven't tried to

[1:20:33] force their hand, but I I know all of

[1:20:36] them, and I talked to some most of them,

[1:20:38] probably all of them. Um, but it's their

[1:20:41] decision at the end of the day.

[1:20:43] Um, as far as people disrespecting folks

[1:20:46] and not acting professional, obviously

[1:20:48] I'm not there. Um, it happens every day

[1:20:51] in life. We know that. Um, people check

[1:20:54] me when I'm out of order, and I

[1:20:56] appreciate that.

[1:20:57] >> Um,

[1:20:59] >> but as the city council, we can't really

[1:21:02] do, we're not here to decide who's

[1:21:05] disrespectful.

[1:21:07] >> We're here because we want I respect you

[1:21:08] and we wanted to listen. And Chisum

[1:21:11] asked for the meeting. essentially. So

[1:21:15] the board has not made a a final

[1:21:17] decision yet. I think they decided you

[1:21:19] are no longer going to be in the

[1:21:20] process.

[1:21:22] That's on them. If they want to do

[1:21:24] anything with that, that's on them at

[1:21:27] their next meeting. Um all we do is

[1:21:30] appoint and remove. And the only way we

[1:21:32] remove we thought the board was doing

[1:21:34] something inappropriate.

[1:21:36] Okay. Or doing something to hurt Instant

[1:21:38] Commission. Um, so that's what our role

[1:21:41] is as city council. Um,

[1:21:46] so I'm glad we had this meeting. I don't

[1:21:48] know if it makes anything better. We're

[1:21:50] gonna definitely Did you fill out a form

[1:21:52] already?

[1:21:52] >> I want to hear you. Go ahead and fill

[1:21:54] out the form. We want to hear from

[1:21:56] everybody because it does matter. Look,

[1:21:58] y'all know where my support was when we

[1:22:00] started this process, but I can't I'm

[1:22:03] not trying to step on the commission in

[1:22:06] the process, right? I was public with

[1:22:08] mine. I was the first one to come out,

[1:22:10] right? I didn't know she wanted the

[1:22:11] position. I didn't I didn't think I

[1:22:13] didn't even ask her.

[1:22:14] >> I just said I support her cuz I see the

[1:22:16] progress. Um I maybe I'm probably

[1:22:19] responsible for all this mess cuz it

[1:22:20] seemed like there was there's a reaction

[1:22:22] to that that was not positive. Um

[1:22:26] but we're going to move down to the

[1:22:28] status of Inster Housing. I almost

[1:22:31] didn't even want to talk about it at

[1:22:32] this point, you know.

[1:22:35] But I'mma leave that up to the

[1:22:36] commissioners if you want to tell us

[1:22:39] where Instster housing's at. Um I'm

[1:22:42] familiar with some of the things that

[1:22:43] have happened, but maybe everybody

[1:22:44] doesn't know about the situation with

[1:22:46] HUD, us improving our situation, the two

[1:22:50] major redevel development projects we

[1:22:52] got going on. We have a lot going on in

[1:22:54] the city of Vincent. Um so maybe

[1:22:57] somebody want to briefly kind of just

[1:22:59] let let the public know what's going on.

[1:23:03] You don't have to. It was up to you

[1:23:04] guys.

[1:23:16] » Well, basically,

[1:23:20] as you know, as Miss Wes did say, I'm

[1:23:22] resident commissioner, but I'm not a

[1:23:24] resident commissioner. I'm just a

[1:23:25] commissioner that happens to be a

[1:23:27] resident. And that is something that's

[1:23:29] been told since we went to all the

[1:23:32] conferences and

[1:23:35] Yes, we've been progressing with the

[1:23:37] redevelopment, but there's still some

[1:23:39] hitches in the redevelopment for res.

[1:23:44] There's a lot of things that's happening

[1:23:45] with the developers. There's a lot of

[1:23:48] things happening with their crew that's

[1:23:50] on site. Um, a lot of things that hasn't

[1:23:54] been really talked about that they need

[1:23:57] to talk about and talk with the new

[1:24:00] management company.

[1:24:02] asked before I asked them to before the

[1:24:05] meeting. They didn't want to have a

[1:24:06] meeting of management company, you know,

[1:24:08] but the residents really do need to

[1:24:10] speak to the management company that

[1:24:13] they're coming in. Um I know Miss Wells

[1:24:15] did um talk to residents at that time.

[1:24:18] They did have a meeting. She was texting

[1:24:22] um asking information. But we need to

[1:24:24] see these people that's giving us all

[1:24:27] these we can't block the streets. Can't

[1:24:29] get through. God can't get through.

[1:24:32] up there two or three, you know, two or

[1:24:34] three days.

[1:24:36] >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[1:24:38] >> Just just for me and and since we in

[1:24:41] this forum,

[1:24:42] >> let's start with if we can start

[1:24:45] instead of the the tough the the

[1:24:48] minutiae that we're dealing with while

[1:24:49] we moving forward. Let's just give the

[1:24:52] bunch of people here, people that's

[1:24:53] watching don't know what we've been

[1:24:54] doing. We did that a lot.

[1:24:56] >> Saying that part, but I still want them

[1:24:58] there is still some things that need to

[1:25:00] be be addressed. I mean, it's a good thing. I'm not saying it's

[1:25:04] not a good thing. I've been watching.

[1:25:06] I've been looking at the units. I've

[1:25:08] asked to go through them and walk

[1:25:09] through them, the new the ones that's

[1:25:10] finished and the ones that they are

[1:25:12] doing. I mean, I'm proud of what what's

[1:25:15] going on, you know, but I still I mean,

[1:25:17] and I'm I know the city's proud, too,

[1:25:19] but I'm still not going to just not pay

[1:25:22] attention to all the other things that's

[1:25:24] going on, too. You know,

[1:25:25] >> I walked on there was some problems

[1:25:27] going on over there.

[1:25:27] >> Yes.

[1:25:28] >> But I I stay in my lane. So, I went to

[1:25:30] the acting director and expressed myself

[1:25:32] and I'm sure she communicated with the

[1:25:34] with whoever.

[1:25:36] >> Yes. With the particular,

[1:25:37] >> you know, but I didn't want to, you

[1:25:38] know, I I'm not going to call them

[1:25:40] directly. That's not my that's not my

[1:25:41] lane. But some of the stuff they were

[1:25:43] doing was different from what they

[1:25:45] promised

[1:25:46] >> in in the initial meeting because I went

[1:25:47] to initial meeting. I was disappointed

[1:25:49] we weren't getting brand new housing,

[1:25:50] but I understand that's the way the deal

[1:25:52] worked out. I'm really disappointed that

[1:25:54] they have so much power over this thing.

[1:25:56] They have their own management company.

[1:25:58] They're making decisions. They're firing

[1:26:00] vendors,

[1:26:01] but again, that's not my deal. You know

[1:26:03] what I mean? Um because it's going to be

[1:26:06] a problem. And right now, the moment

[1:26:07] that we make a mistake, it's going to be

[1:26:10] a problem. Eastern housing is going to

[1:26:12] look a lot different. Um that's just I

[1:26:15] can already see it coming, you know, but

[1:26:18] um you know, like I said, you know,

[1:26:22] there's stuff that has to be managed.

[1:26:23] This is my logic was since we're already

[1:26:26] there and the and the acting director is

[1:26:29] managed it now. I'm not saying she's

[1:26:31] perfect. I'm saying she's manager. Why

[1:26:33] would we want to bring somebody new and

[1:26:35] hope that they can handle

[1:26:36] >> that? That was my decision.

[1:26:38] >> Right. Right. Right. [applause]

[1:26:42] » Sometimes, you know, I I knew her. The

[1:26:44] other person could be excellent. She

[1:26:46] could be 10 times whatever. I don't

[1:26:48] know. I didn't sit on the interview. I

[1:26:49] didn't look at her resume. I'm just

[1:26:51] saying I know what what she's doing now.

[1:26:54] That's how I was looking at. But that's

[1:26:56] just my little two cents. Um, you know,

[1:27:00] I think housing is going in the right

[1:27:02] direction. Um, and and I one of the I

[1:27:04] think the chair, somebody said to me,

[1:27:07] >> one of the commissioners said it's a

[1:27:08] group effort and I believe that

[1:27:10] wholeheartedly. It's not one person, not

[1:27:12] just Miss Wales. It's a group effort.

[1:27:16] And I know that because I know how the

[1:27:18] city runs. It's not about me. If my

[1:27:20] staff is lousy, I'm lousy.

[1:27:23] >> If my staff is great, I'm great.

[1:27:27] That's the way it is. Um, so, mayor, if

[1:27:30] I could, I just wanted to address that

[1:27:32] the process right now that we're going

[1:27:34] through with be it the third party

[1:27:36] management company, the actual

[1:27:38] developer, those were voted on by the

[1:27:40] sitting board and the former ED. So the

[1:27:44] team now we inherited it

[1:27:46] >> and we are kicking up rocks and dust

[1:27:49] challenging and giving them push back to

[1:27:51] hold them accountable. Not everybody's

[1:27:53] going to be able to do that.

[1:27:55] >> They tried to even change the appliances

[1:27:57] from what's been advertised as stainless

[1:28:00] steel to black and tried to tell me they

[1:28:03] already ordered.

[1:28:04] >> Well, guess what?

[1:28:05] >> Cheaper.

[1:28:05] >> As Miss Clark said, I pushed back. We'll

[1:28:08] cancel that order. They deserve

[1:28:09] stainless steel. That's what's on the

[1:28:11] resume. I mean on the website. That's

[1:28:13] the pamphlets. That's what we need. So,

[1:28:15] Commissioner Moore, you were a part of

[1:28:16] it from the beginning. So, now we have

[1:28:19] to work together and get around. As

[1:28:21] Commissioner Miller said, we can't stay

[1:28:22] in the complaints. Now, what are we

[1:28:24] going to do? We're here now.

[1:28:26] >> It was voted. We're here. We have to

[1:28:29] learn and work together. We can't work

[1:28:30] against each other. And I include you

[1:28:33] all in those correspondences. And again,

[1:28:37] I don't expect you to respond, but don't

[1:28:41] act surprised when it doesn't work.

[1:28:43] Because I include us in there because we

[1:28:44] are one voice. We are. And I'm fighting.

[1:28:49] And to answer your question again, it's

[1:28:51] hard to fight the people that's in

[1:28:53] California, not Gillette, but the

[1:28:55] developer that's from California and

[1:28:57] Montana and the others that they have

[1:29:00] coming here and fight with the board

[1:29:03] that's my key stakeholders. It's very

[1:29:05] difficult. So, all of those go into it.

[1:29:08] We say one thing, and I am talking to

[1:29:11] you right now, and I'm not being

[1:29:12] disrespectful, and I mean it because

[1:29:14] you're really the only one that's

[1:29:16] sharing much over here. You asked, "Was

[1:29:18] I in my feelings?" I think you might be

[1:29:21] because it's nothing that you can say as

[1:29:24] a reason that makes sense for where you

[1:29:27] live that you don't want a person that

[1:29:29] will fight that will make things happen.

[1:29:32] The whole team has on not trouble

[1:29:34] shirts. They couldn't give you an answer

[1:29:35] when you just ask what's going on at

[1:29:37] Inster Housing. They can answer that.

[1:29:41] We're not troubled. Our five scores

[1:29:44] increased

[1:29:46] dramatically.

[1:29:48] We had the first ever 96% 97%

[1:29:52] in Hood's Inspire Health and Safety, a A

[1:29:58] from a D of the last ED that you guys

[1:30:01] hired.

[1:30:02] Why wouldn't I get a chance? It's

[1:30:05] proven. The communication

[1:30:08] has improved. The collaboration

[1:30:11] has improved. The energy people want to

[1:30:14] come to work. They beat me to work.

[1:30:18] >> So, it's it's not making sense. And to

[1:30:20] take a gamble to take a gamble.

[1:30:24] >> I've said it before. You keep doing the

[1:30:26] same thing, you'll get the same results.

[1:30:28] But you know what? You what you just

[1:30:30] said

[1:30:31] >> was exactly what I wanted you to say at

[1:30:33] the interview.

[1:30:34] >> Exactly.

[1:30:35] >> Because you have a case to be made to

[1:30:37] have the job.

[1:30:38] >> Exactly.

[1:30:40] >> The only thing I'm mad about is the

[1:30:42] interview didn't happen.

[1:30:44] >> And I'm not blaming. I'm just saying the

[1:30:45] interview didn't happen where you could

[1:30:47] make your

[1:30:48] >> They listening to you right now. I

[1:30:50] >> So respectfully, mayor, I'll say this.

[1:30:52] Me doing that, I am a god-fearing woman

[1:30:55] and everything happens for a reason. And

[1:30:57] I sincerely I'm not one that just prays

[1:30:58] silently. I talk out loud. Okay? My aunt

[1:31:01] is in the audience. She would tell you

[1:31:03] my mother spoke to you all already,

[1:31:05] right? And let you know. So I asked him

[1:31:07] to guide my decisions. Be it if I

[1:31:09] understand them or not.

[1:31:11] >> I even spoke to you before I made the

[1:31:14] decision.

[1:31:14] >> That was a part of my decision.

[1:31:17] >> Okay. Let's just be transparent.

[1:31:20] >> Okay.

[1:31:21] >> And what that I said make your case.

[1:31:24] >> Sure did. Look, if you in the spot and

[1:31:26] you have a resume,

[1:31:27] >> you were upset.

[1:31:28] >> Yeah,

[1:31:29] >> I was mad.

[1:31:29] >> Yeah, I know.

[1:31:30] >> You don't quit.

[1:31:31] >> I didn't.

[1:31:32] >> You make your case and make them make

[1:31:34] that tough decision.

[1:31:36] >> They're going to have to tell me I'm not

[1:31:37] the best candidate. If I know I've been

[1:31:39] doing it for a year,

[1:31:40] >> they got to tell me that

[1:31:42] >> you don't bow out. It makes it too easy.

[1:31:44] Because if this is personal in nature,

[1:31:46] if some people don't like you for

[1:31:48] whatever reason, whatever. Look, trust

[1:31:50] me, I know all about that. [laughter]

[1:31:54] You make it hard on them by doing your

[1:31:57] job and then making sure everybody knows

[1:32:00] what you're doing. If they want to

[1:32:01] select somebody they don't know over you

[1:32:03] with your resume or what you done in the

[1:32:05] last year, then make them make that

[1:32:07] decision.

[1:32:07] >> Yeah.

[1:32:08] >> But you do not bow out.

[1:32:10] >> So bow. So where I was going to say with

[1:32:12] things happen for a reason

[1:32:14] >> that out of control of what we actually

[1:32:17] do here in the physical

[1:32:18] >> in that moment is when I realized how

[1:32:21] much this team relies on me how much

[1:32:24] this team respects me how much this team

[1:32:27] cuz I've seen their resumes now on

[1:32:28] Indeed cuz I'm on there right they're

[1:32:31] looking we've already lost a couple

[1:32:33] >> because that's what they're saying I

[1:32:34] have residents even saying this don't

[1:32:36] make no sense I finally get call backs

[1:32:38] right so maybe in that moment that let

[1:32:43] down had to be done in that way that it

[1:32:47] was done to let those that I'm a voice

[1:32:50] for realize I did not ask them to do any

[1:32:53] of this. I'm very humbled about it and

[1:32:55] appreciative when I walked in the office

[1:32:57] and saw red eyes, right? And they even

[1:33:00] said that's why would the commissioners

[1:33:03] not see it,

[1:33:05] >> right?

[1:33:06] So again, and I think uh commissioners,

[1:33:09] I'm sorry, uh Councilwoman Scott was

[1:33:10] there to kind of see the stability.

[1:33:14] Someone in the audience right now,

[1:33:15] they're sick of having transition. I've

[1:33:17] been there, you ask how long have I been

[1:33:18] there? Since 2021,

[1:33:22] that's going on five years and there has

[1:33:25] been three EDs.

[1:33:28] >> That's been our that's been our history.

[1:33:29] I've been there since

[1:33:30] >> we have to change it.

[1:33:32] >> That's what I'm saying. If you look at

[1:33:34] my resume, my last job I was there for

[1:33:36] 18 years. I know I look, you know,

[1:33:38] young, but I was there for 18 years. So,

[1:33:42] it's longevity. I'm also one of those

[1:33:43] people when I interview, I look at

[1:33:45] stability, longevity.

[1:33:48] >> So, that is something.

[1:33:51] >> Everything happens for a reason.

[1:33:53] >> I just because of what you just said,

[1:33:55] because of the people behind you. Look

[1:33:56] at all them people behind you.

[1:33:58] >> I feel it.

[1:33:59] >> Should have been at that interview.

[1:34:00] >> I feel it.

[1:34:03] you'd have been at that interview. They

[1:34:04] could have sat at that interview with

[1:34:05] you.

[1:34:06] >> It would be very difficult for them

[1:34:08] like, "Nah, we going to ignore

[1:34:09] everything she's done. We going to hire

[1:34:11] Sally Smith

[1:34:13] >> who we don't know."

[1:34:16] >> I just wanted to share that

[1:34:18] >> I did ask you that morning.

[1:34:21] >> Why? Well, I asked you that it was

[1:34:24] afternoon, but I asked you. Yeah, I

[1:34:27] asked you. I said I said you No, ma'am.

[1:34:31] in the office to Miss White

[1:34:33] >> and I asked you I said come here for a

[1:34:35] minute to your office and I asked you

[1:34:37] why. I said why did you withdraw? And at

[1:34:40] that point if you hadn't told me that

[1:34:42] you changed your mind I would have went

[1:34:43] to told the commission the commissioners

[1:34:45] miss wells changed her mind. She needs

[1:34:47] to take that interview tonight.

[1:34:50] >> But when you approached me was that

[1:34:51] after I had rescended already?

[1:34:53] >> No you hadn't rescended. Well that that

[1:34:56] was not after you had rescended.

[1:34:57] >> No no rescended four days later mean?

[1:35:00] That that was before she

[1:35:01] >> she said the next day

[1:35:02] >> that was [clears throat] that was that

[1:35:04] same she the the text came in at 1:11

[1:35:07] a.m.

[1:35:07] >> Mhm.

[1:35:08] >> When I we read everything when I went

[1:35:10] over to the office she was they was

[1:35:13] getting the things ready for the

[1:35:15] appreciation. Miss White and her were in

[1:35:18] Miss conference room. It was right

[1:35:20] there. I asked her I said come here for

[1:35:21] a minute into your office. She came in

[1:35:23] office. I said why did you talk?

[1:35:26] But I'm sorry. You had said that had you

[1:35:28] known then you would have talked to me.

[1:35:30] So this is after I already had done it.

[1:35:32] >> No, but it didn't matter.

[1:35:34] >> Yeah. I just wanted to be clear. That's

[1:35:35] all.

[1:35:36] >> She said you she got your email at one

[1:35:38] morning. The next day she saw you on

[1:35:39] Saturday.

[1:35:40] >> No, this was the same day. It was 7:00

[1:35:42] p.m. That's why I'm saying it it's not

[1:35:44] adding up. It was 7:00 p.m. Me and Jame

[1:35:46] were still packing up things for the big

[1:35:48] event that was the next day. And she was

[1:35:50] looking for assistance to set up the

[1:35:51] laptop and just happened to be on our

[1:35:54] side by the office. And she grabbed me

[1:35:56] playfully like, "Come here. What's

[1:35:58] wrong?"

[1:35:58] >> No, I said that's what she did. I said,

[1:35:59] "Why did you withdraw?" I said it point

[1:36:01] blank. Why did you withdraw? Cuz if you

[1:36:04] had have told me right then and there

[1:36:06] that you changed your mind, I would have

[1:36:08] told them because it wasn't quite six

[1:36:10] yet.

[1:36:10] >> She had changed her mind to the last.

[1:36:12] >> Yes, I had. I had already sent the email

[1:36:14] at 1 in the morning. She got

[1:36:17] >> You talking about Friday before Saturday

[1:36:19] or Saturday?

[1:36:20] >> Friday. That same day.

[1:36:21] >> She She texted her at one o'clock. She

[1:36:24] saw her the same day. She asked her,

[1:36:26] "Hey, why did you withdraw?" Instead of

[1:36:28] saying in that moment, "Hey, actually I

[1:36:30] was my feelings are her x y having the

[1:36:32] conversation and saying actually I do

[1:36:33] want to interview that day." She waited

[1:36:36] 4 days after and that's when she said

[1:36:38] and that's what Miss Morris saying like

[1:36:40] she why wait so long? We can't get

[1:36:42] there.

[1:36:43] >> I could have told them. Miss Wells

[1:36:45] changed her mind

[1:36:46] >> because I was in there early because I

[1:36:48] went early to make sure that everything

[1:36:50] was set up because that was why Mr.

[1:36:52] Gillette was coming in and he m sure I

[1:36:54] got there early and I asked her why did

[1:36:57] you withdraw?

[1:36:59] >> I asked that question and then 4 days

[1:37:01] later she rescended it.

[1:37:04] >> Did you fill out a form?

[1:37:05] >> We about to get busy with the public

[1:37:07] comments. Okay. Anybody have anything

[1:37:09] else on the status? That's the last

[1:37:11] thing on the Oh, no. No. Mr. Thomas. Mr.

[1:37:13] Thomas.

[1:37:13] >> Mr. Thomas

[1:37:14] >> want to say something.

[1:37:16] >> Good evening everybody. Um, actually I'm

[1:37:18] offended by being here tonight.

[1:37:20] >> Wow. Um, be honest with you. Um, I don't

[1:37:24] know who the young lady was speaking on

[1:37:25] that she's saying the commissioner is

[1:37:27] disrespectful as well because we some

[1:37:30] it's some of us on this commission as

[1:37:32] some of her biggest supporters.

[1:37:33] >> It's some of us who found out when she

[1:37:36] pulled back custard out and told her to

[1:37:39] come back to the commission. still at

[1:37:41] this moment right now. The reason

[1:37:43] there's not a ed in place right now

[1:37:46] because there's been a push back from

[1:37:48] commissions that we need to talk about

[1:37:50] this before we make this decision.

[1:37:52] >> Right. Good.

[1:37:53] >> She have support. She's been a walking

[1:37:55] resume. But in Easter housing

[1:37:58] and I told everybody, get out your

[1:38:00] feelings cuz it's not about y'all. It's

[1:38:01] about the damn people.

[1:38:03] >> There you go. There you go. [applause]

[1:38:08] Everybody been around and seen how insta

[1:38:10] housing was just five years ago. It was

[1:38:12] the most embarrassing sight to see. We

[1:38:15] winning now. We in the best position we

[1:38:18] can possibly be. And that's because the

[1:38:20] collaboration of everybody as a team

[1:38:22] have made the sacrifice to make it

[1:38:24] happen.

[1:38:25] >> Members of our teams work overtime. At

[1:38:28] one point, they would never do that.

[1:38:30] >> Don't think that's not noticed. Don't

[1:38:31] think that's not appreciated.

[1:38:34] She's not out the race. Like I just told

[1:38:36] everybody last week at the meeting,

[1:38:37] she's not out the race. It's still

[1:38:40] discussions about this situation.

[1:38:43] Again, she's been walking resume. I

[1:38:45] asked the question, what what number

[1:38:47] would we give the agency? I believe I

[1:38:49] got about a seven, eight where we

[1:38:51] thought the agent agency was at. That's

[1:38:53] a great number compared to where we was

[1:38:55] at.

[1:38:56] >> That's good.

[1:38:56] >> I think everybody want to do the right

[1:38:58] thing. Just get the emotions out the

[1:39:00] way, y'all. Because I know for a fact me

[1:39:03] as a black man can't no woman stand up

[1:39:04] here and say I disrespect them and insta

[1:39:06] commission nowhere else.

[1:39:08] >> That's true.

[1:39:09] >> And I think I serve more people in

[1:39:11] probably most than everybody and money

[1:39:13] come out of my pockets when it come to

[1:39:14] serving these people in. And I'm here on

[1:39:16] in commission because the condition is

[1:39:18] and the way the people was being treated

[1:39:20] in housing and the team have done a

[1:39:23] great job. I don't think nobody can

[1:39:24] question Miss Will integrity her

[1:39:27] professionally and what she have done

[1:39:28] with the culture of the agency. A

[1:39:31] decision have to be made. It's gonna be the right decision

[1:39:35] was best for the agency.

[1:39:37] She was the number one prize for us.

[1:39:41] And that's honest truth.

[1:39:45] » So we got a decision have to be made and

[1:39:48] we going to have to make the decision.

[1:39:56] Yes.

[1:40:01] » Um, I was going to wait till everybody

[1:40:03] else spoke, but man called my name. So,

[1:40:07] um,

[1:40:09] man, this this a lot of this book of

[1:40:11] words is

[1:40:14] echoes, right?

[1:40:16] I am proud as all get outs like that,

[1:40:20] right? For for me from my first day

[1:40:23] coming, the culture build was the most

[1:40:26] important thing with regard to the

[1:40:28] organization, right? You have to build a

[1:40:31] culture that we could grow from, right?

[1:40:34] Because Insta Housing has had a lot of

[1:40:35] tumor. It's been a lot of in and out, up

[1:40:38] and down, you know, for not just years,

[1:40:41] decades. It's been it's been there's

[1:40:43] been some great folks at the

[1:40:46] >> Yeah, it's still to see where it is now.

[1:40:50] is immensely impressive. It's a

[1:40:53] testament to the work of many, many

[1:40:55] folks. There's folks here who I know who

[1:40:57] here now sitting out there with y'all

[1:41:00] who was frowned up about the place,

[1:41:02] right? They're like, "Man, I come to

[1:41:04] work cuz I got to eat." Right? People

[1:41:06] come here now because they want to build

[1:41:08] something,

[1:41:09] >> right? So, I'm I'm proud. I'm proud. Um

[1:41:14] >> suited up police officer sitting over

[1:41:16] there whose family, right, he came

[1:41:18] through. He trumpet the you know sing

[1:41:22] for the organization. I will say this

[1:41:25] thing right here is heartbreaking for me

[1:41:28] for us to be sitting on sideways or

[1:41:31] opposite sides of the table talking

[1:41:33] about what's going on for me. This

[1:41:34] shouldn't have got nowhere near this.

[1:41:37] Right.

[1:41:37] >> Right. We family. We y'all got Look, we

[1:41:40] can talk and work it out. At least I

[1:41:41] would have I would have thought so.

[1:41:43] Right. And I don't want to mistake the

[1:41:45] decorum of me sitting here silent

[1:41:47] because he call my name. talk, but it's

[1:41:50] like I don't want to me sitting here

[1:41:53] silent is the quorum. We got we got a

[1:41:55] vice chair. We got a pecking order.

[1:41:57] That's why y'all not hearing from me

[1:41:58] speaking, right? I say that to say cuz I got to stop because I'll talk all day.

[1:42:05] I say that to say that this could have

[1:42:08] been done better. We set up what we

[1:42:10] believe is the proper way to do things.

[1:42:13] You set up We have a a a committee

[1:42:15] that's doing this. That's why they

[1:42:16] speaking. There's two people that built

[1:42:18] we built a committee around it so they

[1:42:20] can focus on it and bring things to us,

[1:42:23] >> right? That's how this this thing works

[1:42:25] so that they can concentrate and move

[1:42:27] the things forward, right? Unless you

[1:42:28] concentrate the work. Um

[1:42:32] I'm I'm so heartbroken that we here with

[1:42:34] this. Um

[1:42:37] if I can reserve just because I want to

[1:42:39] hear from y'all y'all my people. I

[1:42:41] didn't y'all so many pulled me to the

[1:42:43] side. So I I've had that. And I know I

[1:42:46] have an idea what y'all going to say.

[1:42:48] God bless y'all for saying what's on

[1:42:49] your mind is in your hearts. If I can

[1:42:51] reserve something, I'll speak at that.

[1:42:54] I'm glad y'all here, man. Thank the

[1:42:56] public.

[1:42:58] >> All right. First one, Da Johnson.

[1:43:07] [clears throat]

[1:43:13] » Oh. Um, madam clerk, you want to

[1:43:15] announce the rules for Good evening?

[1:43:16] Hold on one second, please. Madam Cler,

[1:43:18] you want to announce the rules for

[1:43:19] public comment, please?

[1:43:21] >> For the Inst City Council, that's

[1:43:23] >> for um public comments for the Inkster

[1:43:26] City Council. You get three minutes and

[1:43:27] your three minutes starts once you

[1:43:29] approach the podium. Once the um sound

[1:43:32] go off,

[1:43:34] that's when it ends.

[1:43:36] >> Let me restart it because I did take

[1:43:38] nine minutes from [clears throat]

[1:43:40] >> seconds.

[1:43:43] And just to uh state for the record

[1:43:45] again, the Inkster City Council will

[1:43:48] recognize the public comments that were

[1:43:49] turned in for the Inkster City Council.

[1:43:51] Any that were turned in for Instra

[1:43:53] Housing, if we have them, we will ensure

[1:43:55] that the Inster Housing Commission gets

[1:43:56] them and then they will address those.

[1:43:58] >> I did them over.

[1:44:00] >> Oh, and you forward. Oh, so you're good

[1:44:02] to go.

[1:44:04] >> Good evening, y'all.

[1:44:05] >> Good evening.

[1:44:06] >> First of all, speak to the

[1:44:08] >> I do apologize. My name is Da

[1:44:10] [clears throat] Johnson. I am a resident

[1:44:12] of Inkster housing. I live in Lemon

[1:44:14] Gardens, too. Why y'all broke it up, I

[1:44:16] don't know. Um, I've been there my whole

[1:44:19] life. It's just been Lemon Garden. But I

[1:44:21] can say this,

[1:44:23] Insta Housing's turnover rate is

[1:44:25] horrible.

[1:44:27] You are HR.

[1:44:29] I cannot personally say I don't like

[1:44:32] you. I can say I hate your work ethics.

[1:44:37] I do not like the work ethics of your

[1:44:39] team.

[1:44:41] Case in point,

[1:44:44] you stated that you sent someone to my

[1:44:46] home to do drywall.

[1:44:49] Lie. You sent someone to my home to

[1:44:53] paint over the mold in the bathroom.

[1:44:58] I approve.

[1:45:01] You have a landscaping company

[1:45:06] that comes through supposed to do

[1:45:07] landscaping. They have do it.

[1:45:11] >> I have proof.

[1:45:14] >> Secondly, do you remember the first

[1:45:16] encounter we ever had?

[1:45:19] >> First encounter we ever had. You ran up

[1:45:22] to the maintenance yard speaking to a

[1:45:25] cousin of mine. Didn't know it was my

[1:45:27] cousin.

[1:45:28] >> My daughter

[1:45:29] >> like this was a dating service.

[1:45:31] >> Excuse me, D. I'm sorry. you you have to

[1:45:36] your I do apolog.

[1:45:54] They were out partying. So, she ran over

[1:45:57] telling my cousin she had a date for

[1:45:59] him. That was the first impression. I

[1:46:01] didn't even know who the lady was. I

[1:46:03] asked him when she left. He said,

[1:46:04] "That's HR.

[1:46:06] Next time I see her, she's serving

[1:46:08] drinks out of her car at our

[1:46:09] appreciation. I don't appreciate that."

[1:46:14] If they want to make her ED, that is

[1:46:19] fine. If she has the qualifications,

[1:46:21] just get the job done and follow through

[1:46:23] and follow up. That's all I ask. I

[1:46:25] managed for 18 plus years and this is

[1:46:28] horrible. Thank you,

[1:46:31] >> George T. Anderson.

[1:46:46] » Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

[1:46:48] >> Good evening,

[1:46:49] >> everyone.

[1:46:50] I'm George Terrell Anderson.

[1:46:55] I've been with the housing commission

[1:46:57] for

[1:46:59] 41 years.

[1:47:02] I wonder if uh [applause]

[1:47:06] I wonder if some of these names that I'm

[1:47:08] about to read off some of you might

[1:47:11] notice or recognize. How about Floyd

[1:47:14] Simmons? Did some of you ever know Floyd

[1:47:16] Simmons?

[1:47:18] >> How about Dr. Terrell Hussein? Did y'all

[1:47:20] know him?

[1:47:23] Martial Armstrong,

[1:47:25] Linda Bernard, Aaron Cooper, Glattis

[1:47:29] Neil, Paul Bolinger, Linda Jones,

[1:47:35] all former Inkster housing executives

[1:47:38] executive directors. I knew all of them.

[1:47:44] Commissioner, I remember you 41 years

[1:47:47] ago. [laughter]

[1:47:50] I voted for you 41 years ago.

[1:47:53] >> Thank you. That's sweet.

[1:47:55] >> So, uh,

[1:47:58] in regards to the current

[1:48:03] temporary executive director, Miss

[1:48:05] Wells,

[1:48:06] I think she's doing a wonderful job.

[1:48:08] Y'all,

[1:48:10] I saw I've seen everyone on this list,

[1:48:14] and I can tell you some stories about

[1:48:16] all of them, good and bad.

[1:48:20] Some of them left in the questionable circumstances

[1:48:26] and I I won't go any further than that.

[1:48:30] Miss Wells, you're all right with me.

[1:48:34] Don't Don't uh change course in the

[1:48:36] middle of the stream. Thank you,

[1:48:38] gentlemen.

[1:48:38] >> Thank you.

[1:48:38] ladies and gentlemen.

[1:48:43] Pisha

[1:48:43] >> Hajes.

[1:48:57] Good evening.

[1:48:58] >> Good evening.

[1:49:00] >> My name is Kesha. I live at uh Twin

[1:49:02] Towers

[1:49:03] >> and

[1:49:05] I've had a issue with a person. I I

[1:49:10] don't even know her full name, but she

[1:49:12] lives above me in my apartment.

[1:49:14] >> Okay. But it seems as though the issue

[1:49:17] is the disrespect

[1:49:20] and it seems as though when you report

[1:49:23] it to the manager, he's on her her side.

[1:49:26] First of all, I uh she was a security

[1:49:29] guard for maybe about six months and

[1:49:33] another guy that lives there, but it's

[1:49:36] just a point of

[1:49:38] he's on their side. He claims he's not a

[1:49:41] biased person.

[1:49:43] Every time you see him, he's in the

[1:49:45] guard's booth, not in his office. He has

[1:49:48] them two laughing and giggling. You walk

[1:49:52] past, she can say snark uh snide

[1:49:54] comments, but then when he's not around,

[1:49:57] if you comment back, she goes in on you.

[1:49:59] So, I'm not going to let nobody call me

[1:50:02] and hoes and ballheads and I

[1:50:04] don't say anything back to her. But you

[1:50:07] know what? I didn't even know we were

[1:50:09] able to um put in complaints every 10

[1:50:13] seconds, but she can make her complaint.

[1:50:16] She throws rocks and then hides her

[1:50:18] hand. When I first started, uh if I say

[1:50:21] anything to this lady, if I say she'll

[1:50:24] walk past him,

[1:50:26] >> [clears throat]

[1:50:26] >> ugly. And I'm like, grow up. I wasn't

[1:50:28] talking to you at your bald head ass.

[1:50:30] Rudy says he sees the camera, but you

[1:50:33] cannot hear any voices on the camera. I

[1:50:36] just want this the stuff to stop. It

[1:50:38] makes no type of sense. He's not

[1:50:40] addressing it. She's not even supposed

[1:50:42] to be in the guard's booth. They have a

[1:50:43] note on the door says no residents in

[1:50:47] the guard booth. She's in that guard

[1:50:49] booth. We just had an incident. So when

[1:50:52] I see her in the guard booth again last

[1:50:54] week, I got upset cuz Rudy is in the

[1:50:56] guard's booth right with her and Evans.

[1:50:59] So I didn't have my key fob. They have

[1:51:02] this thing when they want to you to use

[1:51:05] your key fob, use it. Sometimes they

[1:51:07] just let me in the building without the

[1:51:08] key fob. So this particular day, I work

[1:51:10] for Mills on Wheels and I know I ain't

[1:51:12] got that much time left, but it's just a

[1:51:14] point of when I seen her, I got upset

[1:51:17] and I don't know how many letters is in

[1:51:19] my file right now because

[1:51:22] the stuff is not being addressed. I just

[1:51:24] came here for that. Thank you.

[1:51:27] >> Thank you,

[1:51:30] Rita Walker.

[1:51:38] » [snorts]

[1:51:39] >> Good evening.

[1:51:41] >> I wrote down just so I don't forget

[1:51:42] anything. Um, while I'm not a resident

[1:51:45] of Ingster, a lot of my family members

[1:51:47] are and I do a lot of business in

[1:51:48] Ingster and I just would like to express

[1:51:51] my concern regarding what appears to be

[1:51:53] um an unfair and inequitable hiring

[1:51:55] process within the city of Ingster. uh

[1:51:57] when an employee has served successfully

[1:52:00] in an intrim leadership role for nearly

[1:52:03] a year demonstrating their ability,

[1:52:05] commitment and qualifications to perform

[1:52:07] the duties of that position. It's

[1:52:09] troubling to see that individual be

[1:52:11] overlooked for the permanent role. Um

[1:52:14] personally, I feel like you should hire

[1:52:15] from within. Sometimes you don't even I

[1:52:18] don't know you guys policy, but I work

[1:52:20] in HR as well. And sometimes you don't

[1:52:22] even have to open the position

[1:52:24] externally. If you know you have a great

[1:52:26] person internally doing that job, you

[1:52:29] snag that person up before somebody else

[1:52:31] grabs them from underneath you. Um the

[1:52:33] sh the city should be committed to fair,

[1:52:35] transparent, and consistent hiring

[1:52:37] practices that recognize experience,

[1:52:40] performance, and demonstrated

[1:52:42] leadership. Employees who have already

[1:52:44] proven themselves while doing the work

[1:52:46] deserves genuine consideration and a

[1:52:48] fair opportunity for advancement. I

[1:52:51] respectfully ask the city council and

[1:52:54] city leadership to examine the hiring

[1:52:56] and selection process and ensure that

[1:52:58] qualified internal candidates are being

[1:53:01] evaluated fairly and without favoritism

[1:53:04] or bias. The employees of Ingster and

[1:53:07] the residents they serve deserve nothing

[1:53:09] less. Thank you.

[1:53:11] >> Thank you,

[1:53:16] » Miss Sheena Wells.

[1:53:23] Shana Clark.

[1:53:30] » Um

[1:53:35] to basically

[1:53:39] conclude what I said earlier about

[1:53:41] internally when you have someone that

[1:53:43] has proven themselves

[1:53:46] um over the years. I just want to know

[1:53:48] why are we considering anything outside

[1:53:52] of her. So I just want to leave that

[1:53:55] question with you guys and that's all I

[1:53:57] have to say.

[1:54:00] [applause]

[1:54:04] » Just so y'all know for the city since

[1:54:05] we're a governmental entity we have to

[1:54:07] post positions. Um so we have an opening

[1:54:10] we have to post it and interview. We

[1:54:12] can't just hire without posting and

[1:54:14] giving people opportunity to apply for

[1:54:16] the job.

[1:54:18] Kenneth Scott.

[1:54:22] » Finally. [laughter]

[1:54:26] » Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

[1:54:27] >> Good evening.

[1:54:28] >> My name is Kim Scott and I am a

[1:54:31] maintenance technician

[1:54:34] for Easter and also the union steward

[1:54:38] for AFME 290.

[1:54:40] And I'm here to let you know that the

[1:54:42] members of 290 endorse Miss Wales to be

[1:54:46] the EDS. Give her interview. Give her a

[1:54:49] chance. You know, you know, we know what

[1:54:51] she says. Now, like you say, we have

[1:54:54] some residents here. We It's hard to

[1:54:56] make everybody happy. You know,

[1:54:57] sometimes you're going to have that

[1:54:58] problem. But believe you me, if there's

[1:55:01] any residents that's going to be mad,

[1:55:03] it's probably because they got bad

[1:55:04] housekeeping. That's no offense to any resident in the world. they ain't

[1:55:09] paying their bills, they tearing up the

[1:55:12] residents or they they part of the

[1:55:14] criminal elements, they gonna have a problem, Miss Miss V.

[1:55:17] Okay. So, as a as a Navy veteran, if you

[1:55:22] got a person a woman in in place to

[1:55:24] command the troops, let her do her job.

[1:55:26] All right. [applause]

[1:55:33] » Tangela Ward.

[1:55:38] That ain't working.

[1:55:43] » Good evening, everyone. Good evening,

[1:55:44] council.

[1:55:45] >> Good evening.

[1:55:46] >> I have a couple of questions to ask. I

[1:55:49] have been in the city all of my life.

[1:55:51] Moved out a couple of times.

[1:55:53] >> I have been over to the Simmons

[1:55:55] buildings for one to get an office,

[1:55:58] nothing. For two or three years,

[1:55:59] nothing. Why isn't our envision center

[1:56:02] open? Why is it being utilized? Why is

[1:56:04] it so hard to use the Simmons building?

[1:56:07] Why can't you get in there to use the

[1:56:08] Simmons building? Now, we have all of

[1:56:10] these people that's working for housing.

[1:56:12] Where is the residence at? Because I'm

[1:56:14] getting complaints from the residents.

[1:56:16] I'm getting complaints from the

[1:56:17] residents saying they're being pushed

[1:56:18] out of their apartments. Um, I have one

[1:56:21] resident that's scared to come. She's

[1:56:23] struggling with her rent, but you said

[1:56:26] on your website you had programs to help

[1:56:28] people with the rent. That's not true. I

[1:56:31] have a lot of residents that's not

[1:56:32] getting any help with their rent. Again,

[1:56:34] the building, the vision center is for

[1:56:37] the community, right? Am I right? Is it

[1:56:39] for the community? So, why is it being

[1:56:42] used by the community?

[1:56:44] I've been over there several times to

[1:56:46] put in pro um to use the building

[1:56:49] several times. I even offered to rent a

[1:56:52] building with paying money over at the

[1:56:54] Simmons building. Nothing. I had a

[1:56:57] meeting with the ED and Cooper. Nothing.

[1:57:00] Still, I'm still waiting. That's been

[1:57:02] about what a year. Nothing.

[1:57:05] >> Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I don't know

[1:57:07] anything about this ED, so I can't

[1:57:09] really say anything. But I think it's

[1:57:11] very biased to have all of the staff

[1:57:14] coming in for her support because the

[1:57:17] staff needs a job, right?

[1:57:20] >> So, they're not going to go against

[1:57:21] their ED, right?

[1:57:24] And another point I want to ask, how

[1:57:26] many residents

[1:57:29] do you have that work in Inkster

[1:57:30] housing?

[1:57:32] >> I know a lot of people that applied for

[1:57:35] jobs

[1:57:36] >> that was qualified. Nothing. Wasn't even

[1:57:39] called back. I'm not pointing any

[1:57:41] fingers at anybody, but it's about the

[1:57:44] community again. We have a beautiful

[1:57:47] stage over at the Simmons building that

[1:57:49] is not being utilized. You can't utilize

[1:57:52] it unless you know somebody that's

[1:57:54] sitting in a commissioner or on a board

[1:57:55] or something. I don't know how you get

[1:57:57] in there because I've been trying for

[1:57:59] almost five years now. And for the

[1:58:02] council, the Inkster Wreck is for the

[1:58:05] community. The Inkster Wreck is for the

[1:58:08] community. No one should have a problem

[1:58:12] with getting inside the Insta Wreck. I

[1:58:14] live in a community. I don't want to

[1:58:15] call anybody names out, but we are going

[1:58:17] to have a problem if I hear of a next

[1:58:20] person trying to put a program in the

[1:58:22] Insta Wreck and it's not getting done.

[1:58:25] Good programs.

[1:58:27] Um, it was a basketball program. This

[1:58:30] guy brought in at least 50 youth off the

[1:58:33] street. He's not in there anymore. He's

[1:58:36] not. He's can't he's a resident of

[1:58:37] Ingster Hami. He's not in there. me. I

[1:58:41] have a youth program, criminal violence

[1:58:44] intervention.

[1:58:45] My youth was in the wreck. You know

[1:58:47] what? I had a bunch of grown-ups

[1:58:50] talking about kids

[1:58:53] talking about how bad they were, how

[1:58:55] disrespectful they were. But guess how

[1:58:57] many people came to me and said

[1:58:58] something?

[1:59:00] These are adults, not one.

[1:59:04] And guess what? My program is struggling

[1:59:06] on the streets with kids that's

[1:59:08] homeless. Did y'all know we have

[1:59:09] homeless kids in Inkster?

[1:59:12] We have homeless people in Inkster. I

[1:59:14] don't have anywhere for them to go. We

[1:59:16] talk about gun violence. I went to Lance

[1:59:18] and to advocate for CVI day. Nowhere for

[1:59:21] the kids to go. I can stop it. I can

[1:59:24] minimize it, but where are we going?

[1:59:26] Where do you take them to?

[1:59:28] Where do you take it to?

[1:59:31] It's about the community. It's about the

[1:59:34] community. It's too much bickering.

[1:59:36] meeting was not even spoke to happen.

[1:59:39] What is it for? A bunch of nonsense. If

[1:59:42] they were going to hire, she should have

[1:59:44] been hired. It's no need to come here

[1:59:45] and do all of this. It's a waste of

[1:59:47] time.

[1:59:48] >> It's like she's bullying herself to be

[1:59:51] ED. If you want her, you won't. Now, let

[1:59:54] me tell you, I'm a manager.

[1:59:57] And if someone I don't I

[2:00:00] never heard of anything that you can

[2:00:01] schedule a interview because if I say

[2:00:04] that I need for you to interview on

[2:00:06] Tuesday at 2 o'clock. If you not there

[2:00:08] then you don't want the job.

[2:00:11] Period. Point blank. You don't want the

[2:00:12] job. When I when I was uh hired for

[2:00:16] salary I did not have an opportunity to

[2:00:20] tell them when I wanted to come in. And

[2:00:21] I'm not shooting these shots at her

[2:00:23] because I don't even know her. But I'm

[2:00:24] just talking about business.

[2:00:26] >> Okay. Thank you. Have a good day. All

[2:00:27] right.

[2:00:29] >> Taylor Lewis.

[2:00:35] » Hello everyone. I am Taylor Lewis. I am

[2:00:38] the director of finance at IHC. I'm not

[2:00:41] going to give my backstory about how I

[2:00:42] came in. However, I'm going to start

[2:00:44] from September. September 2025. We had a

[2:00:47] transition. It wasn't just because

[2:00:49] someone decided to resign. Mrs. as well

[2:00:51] as got volunttoled to be in the position

[2:00:54] and whatever form for formalities they

[2:00:56] had with the resolution, it happened.

[2:00:59] And so my issue was she was doing such a

[2:01:02] great job. I even reached out to the

[2:01:04] mayor myself as well as the chairman and

[2:01:06] the vice chair to say, "Hey, cuz I knew

[2:01:09] that the process was happen to happen to

[2:01:12] support. Why would we even reach out to

[2:01:13] a third party that's going to take a

[2:01:15] percentage of whomever salary that they

[2:01:18] recruit when you have the person that's

[2:01:19] already right there? And why would you

[2:01:21] even allow him to be her recruiter when

[2:01:24] she's already in house with you? He did

[2:01:26] not recruit her. She's already there.

[2:01:28] So, why would she go through that type

[2:01:30] of process? Okay, they say that's the

[2:01:31] formality of it. It didn't happen with

[2:01:33] the prior ED that same formality. Um,

[2:01:37] fast forward, I sent them all an email.

[2:01:39] The only person that responded to my

[2:01:41] email out of I guess we just gonna say

[2:01:43] just because because you don't have to

[2:01:45] be professional in a volunteer position,

[2:01:47] right?

[2:01:48] >> Um was the mayor.

[2:01:51] February rolled around. Miss Moore

[2:01:53] always comes to the finance office and

[2:01:55] I'm going I have to say Miss Moore

[2:01:57] because Miss Moore is the only

[2:01:58] commissioner that we see all the time.

[2:02:01] She will always come in speak to us all.

[2:02:03] It really just drastically changed. And

[2:02:05] for everybody saying well she had to she

[2:02:06] had opportunity. She had opportunity.

[2:02:08] the opportunity and the support dwindles

[2:02:11] down when you could tell that there's

[2:02:12] pressure or some type of issue. We all

[2:02:14] know that we're all human. Um, when the

[2:02:18] situation occurred with the prior ED,

[2:02:20] Miller reached out to make sure we was

[2:02:22] okay, but that was it. And that's that's

[2:02:25] just not how that's supposed to work.

[2:02:27] Fast forward, they would say, "Oh, she

[2:02:29] had the opportunity. She had she had the

[2:02:30] opportunity." But talk about all the

[2:02:32] disrespect in between. We're not going

[2:02:33] to sit around and act like things do not

[2:02:35] bother you on a mental level. And when

[2:02:38] uh they're talking about the things that

[2:02:39] we need to fight for and all of that,

[2:02:40] Mrs. Wells and myself that got thrown

[2:02:42] into this at the last ninth hour, the

[2:02:45] only reason that we still have employees

[2:02:47] that's working for the um management

[2:02:49] company is because it's Mrs. because of

[2:02:51] Mrs. Wells. We went to bat for those

[2:02:53] employees to make sure that they stayed

[2:02:54] there. And I know because I was line by

[2:02:57] line with her right along with Mill, our

[2:02:58] attorney, to make sure we're able to

[2:03:00] keep our staff. So, it's not a it's not

[2:03:02] just about doing what's best for just

[2:03:04] the agency and the resident. She try to

[2:03:06] do what's what's best for the employees

[2:03:08] and the residents as well. So, it's kind

[2:03:10] of just like a odd thing of like

[2:03:13] the ladies on the board act like they

[2:03:15] don't understand why we here or it's

[2:03:17] because it's the support is not really

[2:03:19] there. How do you govern a board a board

[2:03:21] that you only show up to once a month or

[2:03:23] you're in California majority of the

[2:03:24] time? While I understand it's a

[2:03:26] volunteer position, how could you really

[2:03:27] manage what's going on and you're never

[2:03:29] here? The people that are here are here.

[2:03:32] If you would have asked any one of us

[2:03:33] what's going on in the agency, we could

[2:03:35] have answered you. We could have gave

[2:03:36] you a long positive answer beyond, well,

[2:03:40] this is what's going on negative with

[2:03:42] the uh management company and all those

[2:03:44] things. Well, of course, there's

[2:03:45] negativity going on because when the

[2:03:46] decision was placed in front of the

[2:03:48] stakeholders that make the decision,

[2:03:49] they didn't think this far ahead that we

[2:03:51] will get to a place that is positive,

[2:03:53] that's less um turnover, that's more

[2:03:55] staff retention, more people that want

[2:03:57] to be in the place. And those are not

[2:03:59] the people that created that advocacy. I

[2:04:02] love Commissioner Thomas. I love

[2:04:03] Commissioner Miller. I love Commissioner

[2:04:06] Strowman. I had a different kind of

[2:04:07] respect and love for Commissioner Moore.

[2:04:09] But she showed that it became more

[2:04:11] personal than it was anything else. And

[2:04:14] she showed that across the board.

[2:04:17] The thing is, it's not just about, oh,

[2:04:20] she had a missed opportunity and she

[2:04:21] just threw to Thailand. We beat her over

[2:04:23] the head about why would you re, you

[2:04:26] know, rescend your um I mean withdraw

[2:04:28] your offer to be the ED. I understood

[2:04:31] why because I worked side by side with

[2:04:33] her and so she got back in. And I just

[2:04:36] think as a courtesy you would want to

[2:04:37] say, "Well, we received your withdrawal

[2:04:40] and that's it." But if I don't know if

[2:04:42] you received it, opened it, responded to

[2:04:44] it, why wouldn't I go in and try to

[2:04:46] resend my withdrawal if nobody responded

[2:04:49] to it? I know everybody that's up there

[2:04:51] on the council if you send them an email

[2:04:53] while maybe they don't respond but you

[2:04:55] would expect them to this the respect is

[2:04:58] not the same.

[2:05:01] >> Thank you.

[2:05:01] >> Appreciate

[2:05:10] Van Hall.

[2:05:15] » Good afternoon council.

[2:05:17] >> Good afternoon commissioners. As you

[2:05:19] guys know, uh I I'm police officer. I'll

[2:05:23] be 10 years next month and I will be uh

[2:05:27] so I love this city live in this city.

[2:05:29] Um been Inster Housing maybe two going

[2:05:31] on three years with Inster Housing as a

[2:05:33] police officer. Just want to talk about

[2:05:35] a few things internally. I think you all

[2:05:36] should go look internally of things. Um

[2:05:39] like right now you got Miss Wells and

[2:05:41] the team because I see this from the

[2:05:42] outside. Um, we got an issue now where

[2:05:45] the new company once again before she

[2:05:47] got in, they're trying to change the the

[2:05:50] pest control, but you a lot of people

[2:05:52] don't see this. I remember I came to

[2:05:53] city council meeting one time.

[2:05:54] Everybody's about to fight about to

[2:05:55] bring up fights because people playing

[2:05:56] about the roaches all on news. We don't

[2:05:58] want that again. The management company

[2:06:00] now is trying to change that to they do

[2:06:01] like two sprays a month or something.

[2:06:03] So, we don't want that. It's letting you

[2:06:05] guys know what's going on cuz a lot of

[2:06:06] people don't mind I say that but it's

[2:06:07] internal and you got people like Miss W

[2:06:10] and everybody in this team that's

[2:06:11] fighting for that internally and I see

[2:06:13] it cuz I'm working side by side with

[2:06:15] them. Um

[2:06:17] like the process of hiring. I know Miss

[2:06:18] Lewis mentioned it. Um like I said I

[2:06:20] know some internal things as well. Not

[2:06:22] going to mention that but there was no

[2:06:24] process for that either. Just here you

[2:06:27] go. We could have did the same thing.

[2:06:29] Give her a try. Could the same thing? No

[2:06:31] interviews. None of that stuff took

[2:06:32] place. We did the same exact thing. Then

[2:06:35] she didn't work. Didn't do the interview

[2:06:37] process. Wasted money. I see what's

[2:06:38] going I see it.

[2:06:39] >> You mean with the last ED?

[2:06:41] >> Yes.

[2:06:41] >> I thought

[2:06:42] >> Yeah. It was just It was just given.

[2:06:43] Here you go. No, it was no interviews,

[2:06:44] none of that. So, and she's doing a

[2:06:46] great job from a D to a A and I see the

[2:06:49] progress of it. I love it. I'm sitting

[2:06:52] next to her house probably for a while.

[2:06:54] They're trying to promote me, but I was

[2:06:55] like, "No, I'm stay over there." So,

[2:06:57] >> going back to the road.

[2:06:58] >> No, no,

[2:07:01] I need you. And just like now, thank you

[2:07:04] for the fight for the commission as

[2:07:05] well.

[2:07:07] She, Miss Wells, and the team, Taylor,

[2:07:09] of course, got to figure out the money.

[2:07:10] We got a new housing officer that just

[2:07:12] started. She made that company pay half

[2:07:15] of the price, probably more. I don't

[2:07:16] know how much to get another officer

[2:07:17] over there because we know it's about to

[2:07:19] happen. That wasn't a thought before all

[2:07:21] this. She had to kind of bully them.

[2:07:24] Hey, we need X, Y, and Z.

[2:07:27] So things like that intern attorney, I

[2:07:28] think you guys should come to these

[2:07:29] board commission board meetings and ask

[2:07:31] for numbers, ask for certain things

[2:07:32] because even like the roast problem.

[2:07:34] When I first started out, I was going to

[2:07:35] people houses with a hood on

[2:07:37] >> a hood or tell them to come outside. I'm

[2:07:39] not going to catch nobody. Now I can

[2:07:41] walk in.

[2:07:42] >> Wait, you wouldn't chase the criminal

[2:07:44] now?

[2:07:44] >> No, I wouldn't, sir. We [laughter]

[2:07:48] » um I say

[2:07:49] >> chase somebody.

[2:07:50] >> Internally, things I know about the last

[2:07:52] situation, we could have did the same

[2:07:54] thing. Once again, I say wasting money

[2:07:57] because I know a lot of people don't

[2:07:58] have money. Cities don't have money.

[2:07:59] Government don't have fun. I hood. Why

[2:08:01] waste money? Like that just didn't make

[2:08:03] sense to me. And I'm a city of Inster

[2:08:06] resident and I see how this stuff is

[2:08:08] progressing. I know people talk horribly

[2:08:10] about things. I like to ask that people

[2:08:11] a question. For the last couple years,

[2:08:13] where did you see it going now though?

[2:08:15] We could talk bad about certain things,

[2:08:17] but where was it at before?

[2:08:19] >> Where where was it at?

[2:08:21] >> So that's how I got.

[2:08:22] >> Thank you.

[2:08:24] >> [applause]

[2:08:27] » Jania Clark, I could swear you already

[2:08:29] spoke.

[2:08:30] >> Maybe it's your mom.

[2:08:32] >> Oh, you good?

[2:08:38] » Jamlo White

[2:08:41] all that crying. [laughter]

[2:08:44] >> I wasn't gonna say that.

[2:08:49] » Uh, no. I ain't gonna do that today.

[2:08:51] [laughter]

[2:08:52] Um, good evening. Um, my name is Jamila

[2:08:55] White. Um, so I've been here since u

[2:08:58] 2022. I have been in six different

[2:09:01] positions. Um, I believe that I have

[2:09:04] been in these positions due to that. Um,

[2:09:07] more than likely common sense, right?

[2:09:09] You see something, you do something

[2:09:10] about it. Seriously. Right.

[2:09:13] um commenting on um a lot of people

[2:09:17] don't know the things that happen on the

[2:09:19] back end with housing. Um we always hear

[2:09:23] the complaints as far as these the

[2:09:24] people are homeless or they're getting

[2:09:26] put out. They can't seek assistance or

[2:09:28] anything like that. Right. We have Miss

[2:09:31] Wells have put in place that we do call

[2:09:35] out and reach out to these organizations

[2:09:37] to make sure that they even have money.

[2:09:39] But the thing about it is that past

[2:09:41] leadership

[2:09:42] and excuse my expression on it was

[2:09:44] shitty very much so and I'mma speak on

[2:09:48] that due to the fact that last year we

[2:09:52] didn't know what was going on in the

[2:09:53] back end when this new development

[2:09:54] company was coming in pretty much I was

[2:09:56] told in so many words that I wasn't

[2:09:59] going to have no job just like that and

[2:10:02] it was not nothing that was going to

[2:10:04] save us at all anything you they going

[2:10:07] to do whatever they want one by one of

[2:10:09] y'all might be walking up out of here

[2:10:10] come next year, which is actually this

[2:10:12] year. So, Miss Wells did fight that um

[2:10:18] back and forth everything and literally

[2:10:21] stood on it so that we wouldn't have to

[2:10:22] be on that face front with that. On top

[2:10:25] of that, Insta Housing wouldn't even be

[2:10:26] where they at right now if it was not we

[2:10:29] inherited

[2:10:31] a tremendous amount of debt from

[2:10:35] residents who was able to stay in

[2:10:38] housing by previous leaderships.

[2:10:42] And I'm I can't say nobody name, but

[2:10:44] I'mma say the highest I ever had to go

[2:10:46] to court for was $40,000

[2:10:48] in back rent. How? when this lady then

[2:10:52] inherited this debt long way eons before

[2:10:54] I even got here but it was my job to

[2:10:56] clean it up. So for that negative impact

[2:11:00] I don't think that we should you know I

[2:11:01] mean of course people going to have

[2:11:02] their personal feelings that's fine you

[2:11:04] know or whatever whatever but got to

[2:11:06] look at the impact of the positivity

[2:11:07] that it has made the changes in

[2:11:10] everybody's lives we have not just you

[2:11:13] know made people homeless come to us

[2:11:15] help we are here to help we do need that

[2:11:18] support but as far as back then and

[2:11:22] where we at right now

[2:11:24] it is I'm very happy about it.

[2:11:30] >> Thank you.

[2:11:36] » Miss Sheena. Well,

[2:11:41] » do I get six minutes like her?

[2:11:43] >> Nope.

[2:11:45] >> You already had like 20.

[2:11:48] >> They told you I like.

[2:11:49] >> Anyh who, I do want to thank you all for

[2:11:51] giving me your Tuesday evening. I do.

[2:11:54] Um,

[2:11:56] I don't know what will come out of this,

[2:11:57] but earlier you did ask the question,

[2:11:59] Lindsay, so I will respond with what my

[2:12:03] hope is. It doesn't mean it will happen.

[2:12:06] But I do want to address something. You

[2:12:08] know, number one, you you really find

[2:12:09] out how they feel when they come up to

[2:12:11] this mic. And that's good to know. Um,

[2:12:14] because my mother always taught me when

[2:12:17] you pointing a finger, it's three

[2:12:18] pointing back at you. And we can point

[2:12:20] that out. Um so anyway, for quite some

[2:12:23] time I have carried the responsibility

[2:12:26] of a very very important role um with

[2:12:29] Instster Housing Commission way before

[2:12:31] we had the transition from the last ED.

[2:12:34] I was since day one the go-to person. Um

[2:12:38] the reason why it's obvious to see the

[2:12:40] shift in um a couple of the

[2:12:43] commissioners is because I was once told

[2:12:46] you have done amazing things here at

[2:12:49] Inster Housing. You changed it around. I

[2:12:51] know there was a comment not too long

[2:12:52] ago that said that my work ethic is

[2:12:57] not up to par.

[2:13:01] I can outwork anybody in here. Let's

[2:13:03] just know that, okay? Including you, Mr.

[2:13:05] B, cuz I get on the flight in the

[2:13:06] morning, okay? [laughter]

[2:13:08] On my anniversary to better myself. But

[2:13:11] anyways, um the actual we go with with

[2:13:15] data and I know that Tangela left, but

[2:13:17] she asked how many people are employees

[2:13:21] that live in the city of Ingster and I

[2:13:23] don't know if she heard me, but it's

[2:13:24] about 30%. And I actually just hired

[2:13:26] another Inkster resident that started

[2:13:29] last week. So I do respond, you still

[2:13:32] have to be qualified. You still have to

[2:13:34] fit the culture because we work too

[2:13:37] hard. So it's not just we're going to

[2:13:39] hire your niece or your uncle. They

[2:13:41] still have to fit the culture and get

[2:13:44] it. As Ken said, I am a drill sergeant

[2:13:47] because I believe in you. I got to be

[2:13:49] able to believe in you. I respect you.

[2:13:51] Respect me. And we came a long way. If

[2:13:54] that man stands up and endorses me, that

[2:13:57] shows that it's power and leadership.

[2:13:59] I'm the wife of a Navy veteran. So, I do

[2:14:02] believe in discipline. But nonetheless,

[2:14:05] the responsibilities that I've had to

[2:14:07] carry, I I definitely take it serious.

[2:14:11] Um, and you know, I understand the the mission

[2:14:16] the vision. I don't know what that was.

[2:14:19] The vision. Um, and I know that we can

[2:14:22] continue to make progress. As someone

[2:14:24] said, I'm not perfect. Nobody is. I

[2:14:27] don't even strive to be perfect. I

[2:14:28] strive to be the best at what I do. I

[2:14:30] strive to make sure that my name means

[2:14:31] something. Um, and so with that being

[2:14:34] said, I really do hope that the city of

[2:14:37] Inster, the mayor, the city council

[2:14:40] members understand that while you're not

[2:14:43] over the Inster Housing Commission, we

[2:14:45] are one. And it's very important. If the

[2:14:49] news came in here right now, they're not

[2:14:50] going to see Inster Housing. They're not

[2:14:52] going to see city council. They're going

[2:14:54] to see the city of Inster. And my pledge

[2:14:57] is to continue to change that narrative.

[2:15:00] As Taylor said earlier in September, we

[2:15:03] could have took it in a different

[2:15:04] direction. I intentionally did not.

[2:15:06] There was not one press release that

[2:15:08] went out because the city of Insta did

[2:15:10] not need that bad eye, black eye, at

[2:15:13] all. And I still stand on that. So, I

[2:15:15] hate that we're here, too. I really do.

[2:15:17] I think it's very unprofessional and

[2:15:19] immature

[2:15:21] even tonight. I don't want to have to go

[2:15:23] back and forth with it, you know, but

[2:15:26] here we are. So, Lindsay, my my ask is

[2:15:30] there needs to be a change on the board

[2:15:32] of commissioners. There's two of them at

[2:15:35] least that needs to change. We're not

[2:15:38] going to get anywhere. One of the former

[2:15:40] EDs that hired me left and said, "Unless

[2:15:43] that board changes, you're not going to

[2:15:45] be able to really make real change."

[2:15:48] And I've experienced it now firsthand.

[2:15:52] Even the last, the governance needs to

[2:15:55] be there. It's just oversight. That's

[2:15:58] it. It's just oversight. But we have to

[2:16:00] respect each other and work together.

[2:16:02] And I'm committed to it. We don't need

[2:16:04] to lie. The truth doesn't need any

[2:16:06] colors. It is what it is. We both have

[2:16:09] emails. I'm sure I've been doing HR a

[2:16:11] long time. Probably got a little more.

[2:16:13] But I don't want to take it there

[2:16:14] because that's not what it's about. When

[2:16:16] you ask why did I change again, it's for

[2:16:20] the people that believe in me. And so I

[2:16:22] just ask that you all believe in us and

[2:16:24] understand if you keep doing the same

[2:16:26] thing, you will get the same results.

[2:16:28] And I thank you.

[2:16:29] >> Thank you.

[2:16:36] » City clerk.

[2:16:37] >> No comment. Mayor,

[2:16:39] >> city treasur is not here. What you

[2:16:40] waiting on?

[2:16:42] >> Some public comments.

[2:16:46] » Gave it to me.

[2:16:48] >> You going to read them?

[2:16:51] Yeah,

[2:16:53] I have no choice but to read.

[2:16:55] >> Well, I tell you what. Well, I I'm here.

[2:16:57] Let me fill out

[2:17:01] » you.

[2:17:03] I got something I was going to say.

[2:17:05] >> I'm just trying to wait till the end

[2:17:06] because I I get I want to make

[2:17:12] » Oh, at the end.

[2:17:14] >> This is from the security 1900 in the

[2:17:17] road. It says to whom they concern. I am

[2:17:19] writing this letter to express my full

[2:17:21] support for Mrs. Wells to remain in her

[2:17:24] current position as executive director.

[2:17:26] Will her time in this position? Mrs.

[2:17:28] Wells has demonstrated professionalism,

[2:17:30] honesty, dedication, and a genuine

[2:17:32] commitment to fulfilling the

[2:17:33] responsibilities of her role. From what

[2:17:36] I have personally witnessed, she has

[2:17:38] carried herself professionally and has

[2:17:40] worked hard to serve the residents and

[2:17:42] the community to the best of her

[2:17:43] ability. Leadership is not always an

[2:17:46] easy responsibility. It requires someone

[2:17:48] who is willing to listen, address

[2:17:50] concerns, make difficult decisions, and

[2:17:52] remain professional while doing so. I

[2:17:54] believe Mrs. Wells has demonstrated

[2:17:56] these qualities and deserves the

[2:17:57] opportunity to continue the work she has

[2:17:59] started. I believe that when someone's

[2:18:01] performing their duties effectively,

[2:18:04] honestly, and professionally that should

[2:18:06] be recognized and supported. Excuse

[2:18:08] [clears throat] me. Miss Wells has done

[2:18:09] an excellent job thus far, and I have

[2:18:11] confidence in her ability to continue

[2:18:13] moving forward in a positive direction.

[2:18:18] For these reasons, I strongly support

[2:18:20] Miss Wells remaining in her seat and

[2:18:22] continue to serve as executive director.

[2:18:24] I believe maintaining consistency and

[2:18:26] leadership is important, especially when

[2:18:28] the leadership has shown dedication and

[2:18:30] a commitment to doing the job properly.

[2:18:32] Please accept this letter as my sincere

[2:18:35] statement of support for Mrs. Wells and

[2:18:37] her continued service as executive

[2:18:38] today. Respectfully, Felicia Flair

[2:18:42] >> Security.

[2:18:50] The other one is also

[2:18:53] to home may concern. I'm writing in

[2:18:55] response to a complaint regarding an

[2:18:56] incident at 12 Twin Towers. I don't know

[2:18:59] if this is relevant.

[2:19:02] >> I just still printed it because it was

[2:19:04] sent to me for you.

[2:19:05] >> Okay.

[2:19:06] >> Public comments.

[2:19:09] >> All right.

[2:19:11] Well, I work security at the front

[2:19:12] entrance of the apartment building.

[2:19:14] complaint states that a resident was

[2:19:16] inside the security booth and that that

[2:19:17] resident are not permitted to be in that

[2:19:20] area.

[2:19:22] I would like to clarify the

[2:19:24] circumstances because complaint as

[2:19:26] presented does not accurately represent

[2:19:27] what occurred. While I am a resident of

[2:19:30] the building, I am also employed as

[2:19:32] security and work at the front security

[2:19:34] booth. On the day in question, the

[2:19:36] security guard who was working

[2:19:37] approached me and asked if I could

[2:19:39] relieve him because he had an emergency

[2:19:40] and needed to leave. I was speaking with

[2:19:43] him and explaining that unfortunately I

[2:19:45] could not relieve him because I was

[2:19:47] dealing with a personal emergency of my

[2:19:49] own. Therefore, the suggestion that I

[2:19:51] was simply a resident improperly

[2:19:52] occupying or hanging around inside the

[2:19:54] security group is misleading. My

[2:19:57] presence there was directly related to

[2:19:59] my role as a security employee in a

[2:20:02] conversation with another security guard

[2:20:03] concerning coverage of the post. I take

[2:20:06] my position and responsibility seriously

[2:20:08] and I understand that residents who are

[2:20:10] not authorized should not be inside the

[2:20:12] security. However, I believe it is

[2:20:15] important that before accusations are

[2:20:17] made against me for full circumstances

[2:20:20] are considered the facts that are

[2:20:22] verified. I respectfully request that

[2:20:25] this explanation be included with the

[2:20:26] complaints and that the record

[2:20:28] accurately reflects that I am not only a

[2:20:31] resident of Twin Towers on 1900 Road but

[2:20:34] an employee who works security at this

[2:20:36] location. I am more than willing to

[2:20:39] discuss this matter further and answer

[2:20:41] any questions regarding what occurred.

[2:20:44] >> That it

[2:20:46] madame clerk.

[2:20:47] >> No comments. Mayor

[2:20:49] >> Shy Treasur is not here. Mayor and

[2:20:50] council communications. Anybody have any

[2:20:52] communications?

[2:20:53] >> Communications?

[2:20:54] >> Oh, I I do this time.

[2:20:56] >> Go ahead. Go ahead.

[2:20:58] >> All right. Good evening, everyone. So,

[2:21:00] the reason for this meeting is because

[2:21:01] the public and employees came to the

[2:21:03] city council and the mayor. What they

[2:21:06] saw at board meetings and throughout

[2:21:08] overall was just a lack of couple of

[2:21:10] items on the board and they wanted this

[2:21:12] body to resolve it. However, there are

[2:21:15] methods and procedures in place for us

[2:21:17] to handle it accordingly. We don't want

[2:21:20] to act prematurely and or set a

[2:21:22] precedent that makes matters worse. So,

[2:21:25] here we are tonight. A couple of things

[2:21:27] to the board that I will just suggest

[2:21:29] because of different little hiccups and

[2:21:32] there's always room for improvement or

[2:21:33] enhancement is a stud our study sessions

[2:21:35] for Robert's rules of order. Uh it opens

[2:21:38] meetings act. Um make sure that

[2:21:41] everybody's on the same page when it

[2:21:43] comes to professional courtesy.

[2:21:45] centralize who the meeting notices go

[2:21:47] through or are dispersed from. Um, and

[2:21:50] then Zoom talked about earlier with the

[2:21:51] personal meeting items. And then also a

[2:21:55] couple of questions just to think about

[2:21:56] is to relieve the tensions that are

[2:21:59] there. We keep hearing them over and we know there's different

[2:22:02] things going back and forth is what does

[2:22:04] the board consider as a common courtesy

[2:22:06] thing to do regarding the hiring of the

[2:22:10] permanent ED?

[2:22:12] And finally, the assistant um or I'm

[2:22:15] sorry, the ED position. What is the

[2:22:18] Russian hiring a permanent ED? What do

[2:22:20] you envision if you pause on this

[2:22:22] process? What do you envision if you

[2:22:25] move forward? I ask these questions

[2:22:28] because a few things can happen.

[2:22:32] If the commission doesn't respond to the

[2:22:34] will of the people, it can be hurtful.

[2:22:37] If we were to replace the board or some

[2:22:40] members, the new board may come in and

[2:22:42] hire or fire an ED and put IHC in

[2:22:44] entirely total different position or

[2:22:47] direction than what we even desire or we

[2:22:49] can think of. then it could be a trickle

[2:22:51] down effect on not only the AED but the

[2:22:55] employees and then the residents and

[2:22:57] then we'll find ourselves back in a full

[2:22:58] 360 a year later as you all heard the

[2:23:01] mayor and other um former elected

[2:23:03] officials and current elected officials

[2:23:05] talk about uh the amount of different

[2:23:08] executive directors that we've been

[2:23:09] through.

[2:23:11] So I know everyone is here to serve and

[2:23:13] the residents of to serve the residents

[2:23:15] of Instster and Inster Housing. So that

[2:23:17] is the action I believe that needs to be

[2:23:20] acted upon and taken into major

[2:23:22] considerations.

[2:23:23] Feelings, titles, ranks and any level of

[2:23:27] entitlement needs to be eliminated.

[2:23:30] So there is absolute clarity and this

[2:23:33] situation can move forward positive.

[2:23:37] The mayor stressed out. He's already

[2:23:38] lost all his hair

[2:23:41] >> and therefore we need to make sure we

[2:23:43] can do everything in our power to move

[2:23:46] forward.

[2:23:47] >> All right. Thank you.

[2:23:48] >> May I say something? Mr. Mayor,

[2:23:50] >> you need to say something.

[2:23:52] >> Did you have comments?

[2:23:54] >> Anybody down there?

[2:23:56] >> Just one last thing. I guess um

[2:24:02] I guess the the problem that I'm having

[2:24:04] is that you have someone who was

[2:24:07] qualified and um I understand what she

[2:24:11] did uh when she made the mistake of

[2:24:14] resigning or saying that she didn't want

[2:24:16] the position.

[2:24:18] Um, I think things can happen because

[2:24:20] getting uh this this arena that we have

[2:24:23] here, people can attack your character

[2:24:26] and that makes you

[2:24:29] um angry.

[2:24:31] >> It does and you do crazy things. The

[2:24:34] thing that she said that I liked was

[2:24:38] that she

[2:24:41] wanted to serve the people. And that's

[2:24:43] what this is about. That's what we're

[2:24:45] about. Even though we can't we have

[2:24:48] limited we're limited in what we can do.

[2:24:52] We're the middle person. So because you

[2:24:55] get federal money, we don't need the

[2:24:57] feds out here. We don't.

[2:25:01] >> And and another thing is

[2:25:04] that

[2:25:06] Miss Moore said made a comment that she

[2:25:09] liked it. Why did you do it? and she was

[2:25:12] willing to resend or take your

[2:25:15] resignation and just let you come back

[2:25:18] and interview

[2:25:20] if you had this discussion. So that

[2:25:23] means and to me if you could say that

[2:25:27] now I don't understand why you can't

[2:25:29] just let her compete or interview for

[2:25:33] the position. I think what we all want

[2:25:36] to do is be on one accord. Easter

[2:25:38] already gets enough negative press.

[2:25:41] It's on the news again today and we need

[2:25:45] to come together as one. We really do.

[2:25:48] Um

[2:25:50] but I I still want you to know that even

[2:25:53] if they don't, you still follow your

[2:25:55] heart.

[2:25:57] Um I've been through a lot of things.

[2:25:59] Said I would never sit back in this

[2:26:01] seat. Never.

[2:26:03] But there were people and that man

[2:26:05] sitting up there in front with the

[2:26:07] glasses and the bald head

[2:26:09] >> that pushed me

[2:26:11] back because he said, "People need you."

[2:26:14] And we do. We need each other because we we

[2:26:18] fall short sometime. But I'm hoping that

[2:26:21] this could be worked out. And I think

[2:26:23] that it could. I really do. So, I just

[2:26:27] want us to kind of come together and

[2:26:30] maybe you guys can talk with her and

[2:26:32] come to an agreement, but um let's just

[2:26:37] kind of settle it and because we don't

[2:26:39] need anything else negative in housing.

[2:26:42] We need housing. She's done a great job.

[2:26:44] She she brought you to a higher score

[2:26:47] and you you you said that she worked and

[2:26:50] you're not going to get good people that work. you can hire some new people,

[2:26:54] but you got somebody already

[2:26:55] experienced.

[2:26:57] So, um I feel that if you just work with

[2:27:01] them and you have to put the feelings

[2:27:03] aside and do whatever gift God gives you

[2:27:07] to do and that's to help people and

[2:27:09] that's what we're here for. So, I'm

[2:27:12] hoping that we come to one to an

[2:27:14] agreement and then we'll all be happy

[2:27:18] people. That's what they say. So, um,

[2:27:23] if you guys can just kind of get

[2:27:25] together and talk it out and if she's

[2:27:28] the best one for the

[2:27:31] position,

[2:27:33] you reconsider and let her do her gift

[2:27:37] because it is a gift for all of us to

[2:27:39] work with people and we're trying to

[2:27:41] keep people in Ingster because in a

[2:27:43] couple years we gonna have a census and

[2:27:45] there's our money again. So we need to

[2:27:48] work on one accord to make Inkster a

[2:27:51] better place and and the personal

[2:27:53] things. Yeah, we get mad. I get I was

[2:27:55] mad, but

[2:27:58] sometimes you just have to overlook that

[2:28:00] and do your gift. So that's all I had to

[2:28:03] say.

[2:28:07] [applause]

[2:28:10] » Okay, go ahead.

[2:28:12] >> I'll be quick. I just want to say one of

[2:28:14] the hardest commitments and uh things

[2:28:17] that's even harder to do is to change

[2:28:18] the culture in anything. And I believe

[2:28:22] sitting here all the things people have

[2:28:23] had to say about you. Your scores is up.

[2:28:26] People want to come to work. People are

[2:28:29] excited to be there. They work extra

[2:28:31] work overtime. That all is about

[2:28:33] changing the culture and you should be

[2:28:34] commended for that. Right.

[2:28:38] And [applause] like commissioner said, I

[2:28:41] believe it's time for the people just

[2:28:42] put their feelings aside and just do

[2:28:44] what's best for the agency and most

[2:28:46] importantly the residents. And that's all I say. [applause]

[2:28:55] » Um I just want to ditto what my

[2:28:57] counterpart said and the board. You all

[2:28:59] do have the authority to be able to give

[2:29:02] her an opportunity to at least have an interview. Um, also I want to say

[2:29:07] that for a person, a leader to have your

[2:29:09] staff behind you like this, people don't

[2:29:12] leave jobs because of the salary,

[2:29:13] because of the pay, even if they're

[2:29:15] getting wonderful pay, they leave jobs

[2:29:17] because of bad leadership.

[2:29:19] >> And so therefore, if you have somebody

[2:29:22] who has this type of leadership, y'all,

[2:29:24] I mean, this is phenomenal to me. I I

[2:29:27] have I've been in HR. I have not seen

[2:29:29] this in years. Um, so this is like

[2:29:32] refreshing, honestly. And I think you

[2:29:34] all need to take a look at that really hard. I know the residents had

[2:29:38] some um some things that they had to

[2:29:40] say. Give a person the opportunity to at

[2:29:43] least fix the problems um and at least

[2:29:45] come in and be able to do that. So those

[2:29:49] [applause]

[2:29:53] » I'm gonna wrap this up for at least for

[2:29:55] the council. Um I hire and fire people

[2:29:58] all the time. When I look at our

[2:30:00] organization, our small city, I have to

[2:30:02] take in consideration not only who's

[2:30:04] best for the job, who's going to stay.

[2:30:07] Um because we are a small city, we don't

[2:30:09] pay like city Detroit, Grand Rapids,

[2:30:11] Lancing. So, you got to find that right

[2:30:13] fit. Who's going who cares about our

[2:30:16] community? Who's committed to the people

[2:30:18] who are here? Who's likely to stay? And

[2:30:21] that's how I approach that's one of the

[2:30:23] things I take into consideration. We

[2:30:25] need stability in Instster housing. the

[2:30:26] last five or six directors, they all

[2:30:29] been hired from outside except for one.

[2:30:31] Um, and I think that was the last

[2:30:33] director who got it. She was the deputy.

[2:30:36] I think everybody else, we went out and

[2:30:37] I wasn't I mean, I wasn't part of it,

[2:30:39] but I was here at the time and they

[2:30:42] didn't stay a long time. That's all I'm

[2:30:44] going to say. We all were here. Miss M

[2:30:46] been here from day one. Um, they just

[2:30:48] didn't stay a long time. So, that's why

[2:30:49] I get nervous when we're talking about

[2:30:51] outside people. Um because they usually

[2:30:54] use us as a stepping stone and I think a

[2:30:57] few of them have and good for them. I'm

[2:30:58] not mad at them. But we have to be

[2:31:00] discerning when we choose people who

[2:31:03] cares about us and if something is

[2:31:06] working, let's build on that and make

[2:31:08] Instster housing better. And I'm not

[2:31:10] telling you what to do. I just hope the

[2:31:12] commission goes quickly and makes some

[2:31:14] sort of decision so we can move this

[2:31:16] organization forward because I think

[2:31:18] everybody's in limbo now. I mean, I'm

[2:31:20] looking at half the staff tonight. So,

[2:31:22] and I've heard enough from them, which

[2:31:25] like someone else said, this is amazing.

[2:31:27] I've never I've never fired or not hired

[2:31:30] somebody and had 15 people from

[2:31:31] organizations say, "Hey, you we should

[2:31:33] keep that." I've never I've never

[2:31:34] experienced that before because I'm not

[2:31:36] firing anybody who's good. But, you

[2:31:38] know, or not hiring someone, somebody's

[2:31:40] great, I want to hire them. But, it is

[2:31:42] something to say for your people who

[2:31:44] work under you to have confidence in.

[2:31:46] And that kind of means something to me

[2:31:48] even though it's not my decision. But I

[2:31:49] trust the commission is going to do what

[2:31:51] they got to do um and do what's best for

[2:31:54] Insta Housing. I mean, that's why

[2:31:55] they're there. I mean, they're not

[2:31:56] getting paid for this. This is a

[2:31:57] volunteer position. They're here because

[2:31:59] they care about Insta Housing, Instster

[2:32:01] residents. So, I trust that they're

[2:32:03] going to do make a good decision. So, I

[2:32:06] just hope that comes soon um so we can

[2:32:08] move forward. Any of the commission any

[2:32:11] commissioners like to speak?

[2:32:14] I think we'll we'll definitely

[2:32:19] » Did you just [laughter]

[2:32:24] Okay. All right. So, just for everybody

[2:32:27] um because I I' I've heard a lot and I

[2:32:32] appreciate a lot of the point of

[2:32:36] views. I truly um

[2:32:40] like I say I've been here for a while

[2:32:41] and everybody don't know the roles I

[2:32:44] didn't stuff but since I've been there

[2:32:47] and I mentioned it earlier culture build

[2:32:49] has been like the number one thing for

[2:32:50] me because that's the thing that'll lift

[2:32:52] you through most things and

[2:32:55] with regard to why we are even in this

[2:32:58] position and I've told the I've told the

[2:32:59] director this and I told her I'm always

[2:33:01] going to try and find the best person

[2:33:04] possible for the community that I live

[2:33:05] in. Right. I'm not about to isolate.

[2:33:08] Like I've seen the history of Instster

[2:33:09] housing and want, you know, and I want

[2:33:12] to make sure that we get because we

[2:33:15] deserve the best that we can get. We do

[2:33:17] a lot out here, right? So I want to make

[2:33:19] sure that when I go when we go out, we

[2:33:22] go out and try to find the most talented

[2:33:24] people available for where we are trying

[2:33:26] to go. Not so much where we are, but

[2:33:28] where we're trying to move forward,

[2:33:30] right?

[2:33:32] And just open because y'all my family,

[2:33:34] right? We most almost everybody. Yeah, I

[2:33:37] can't think of a person

[2:33:39] talking about what we doing as far as

[2:33:41] vision. The reason why I'm so hurt by

[2:33:45] this, right? Because it's like, okay,

[2:33:47] well, y'all should just give her the

[2:33:48] interview, right? The problem is that we here now. See, like before it had

[2:33:53] been something. So now I'm saddened

[2:33:55] because instead of her being able to

[2:33:57] stand on pure merit and the strength of

[2:33:59] her character and her works, there's a

[2:34:02] pressure campaign up front.

[2:34:03] >> That's asking us to do something, right?

[2:34:06] That is a very large problem for us with

[2:34:08] regard to president and issues going on

[2:34:10] in the future,

[2:34:12] >> right? That's a problem. If we can if if folks can come to us and say, "Hey,

[2:34:17] y'all need to give it to her in mass and

[2:34:20] y'all going to do it." That puts us in a

[2:34:23] very bad spot with regard to future

[2:34:25] government

[2:34:26] legalities future and and and there's a there's a looming threat with

[2:34:31] regard to all of this. And I love y'all.

[2:34:33] That's why I try to keep from breaking

[2:34:35] apart because this is a threat from an

[2:34:38] organization that I love and tried to

[2:34:39] help build and woke up and sleepless

[2:34:41] nights with regard to trying to build to

[2:34:44] like I my complaints go up. I can't tell

[2:34:46] y'all my complaints, right? Complaints

[2:34:49] go up, right? So

[2:34:52] I I can't go that way with it. But now

[2:34:54] we here with people who I care about,

[2:34:57] you know, looking down on me, telling me

[2:34:59] what I got to do, what my colleagues

[2:35:01] have to do with regard to our

[2:35:02] organization I'm in love with.

[2:35:05] And I can't we can't go back, you know,

[2:35:08] cuz we here now. I'm so sorry, y'all.

[2:35:12] So now I got to make this decision with

[2:35:15] my with my people bearing down on me who

[2:35:18] as as far as everything is concerned. I

[2:35:19] know we do things for residents. It's

[2:35:21] always been y'all my first customers. I

[2:35:22] want to make sure y'all families are

[2:35:24] doing well. Cuz if that's happening,

[2:35:25] y'all going to do well for our people.

[2:35:27] Y'all my first customers, y'all

[2:35:28] livelihoods, y'all happiness, y'all

[2:35:29] strength, y'all peace of mind. That's

[2:35:31] what I'm here for. To find great people

[2:35:33] who want to do great things in the town

[2:35:34] that I love.

[2:35:37] and and now I got to come with a

[2:35:39] decision like this for you know and I

[2:35:41] just want y'all to understand the weight

[2:35:42] of this right because this this it's a

[2:35:45] whole different situation that we in now

[2:35:47] and

[2:35:49] you know

[2:35:55] so I'm going to do the best I can

[2:36:00] for my community. This is too good of an

[2:36:03] opportunity we didn't built and put

[2:36:05] oursel in to do great things for not

[2:36:06] only us, y'all families growth. We in a

[2:36:09] position now where we can grow big

[2:36:10] enough where all y'all got director low

[2:36:12] jobs, subj jobs, everybody. I Jala Love,

[2:36:16] she is amazing, right? My job is to make

[2:36:20] sure the organization grows so that you

[2:36:22] a director over on that side of town. We

[2:36:24] director, she over there, a man of

[2:36:27] director over there. They running

[2:36:28] finance for three organizations. It's a

[2:36:30] bigger thought process. is not we big

[2:36:32] enough. We strong enough. I'm telling

[2:36:33] you, we're the fourth largest housing authority in the region. It's

[2:36:38] Flint, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and

[2:36:41] Instra, Michigan.

[2:36:45] » We got too good of an opportunity to be

[2:36:46] bigger than we are. And for us to be

[2:36:48] here, sid track users. So,

[2:36:53] God bless y'all. It's It's going to be

[2:36:54] hard now. I love y'all so much. Sorry.

[2:36:58] Any

[2:37:02] other question?

[2:37:02] >> In fact, I'm just gonna close it out.

[2:37:06] >> It's very It's a very difficult uh

[2:37:09] position you got us all in. Very

[2:37:12] difficult.

[2:37:15] We've never had a problem with Miss

[2:37:17] Well,

[2:37:19] but in her feeling, she felt we had a

[2:37:23] problem.

[2:37:25] Now, I don't think like you younger

[2:37:29] people think. So, I'm like, what's going

[2:37:33] on?

[2:37:35] And here we are.

[2:37:39] But I hate being threatened.

[2:37:43] And that's where I had to draw the line.

[2:37:47] You don't threaten me and tell me I

[2:37:49] better hire somebody. And that's where

[2:37:52] I'm at. So, I'm done. Any

[2:37:57] other commissioners like to speak?

[2:38:00] >> I'd like to say something. Um, through

[2:38:03] this whole process of of gathering the

[2:38:06] information from third party, everybody

[2:38:08] knew that that was coming. Um, we want

[2:38:10] to say that I stopped coming in. I was

[2:38:14] actually acting as vice chair. I cannot

[2:38:18] I was doing they didn't understand. They

[2:38:20] kept saying I'm in my feelings. I'm not

[2:38:22] in my feelings, but I have to do with

[2:38:24] the vice chair. He's giving me

[2:38:26] information from where he's at and I

[2:38:28] have to follow that information that

[2:38:29] he's given. You

[2:38:30] >> talking about the chair?

[2:38:32] >> Yes. You know, and it's like it was

[2:38:33] never I was never in my feelings about

[2:38:35] anything. And that's the problem that I

[2:38:38] have. I've I've always been

[2:38:41] racist. I've never been disrespectful to

[2:38:44] anybody that works in Inka House. They

[2:38:46] cannot say that I've been disrespectful

[2:38:48] to them. They cannot say I've been mean

[2:38:50] to them. Yeah. I stopped coming in for a

[2:38:52] while because I did tell um Mayor Pro

[2:38:55] Tim Chisum that um you guys didn't give

[2:38:58] me the respect that I deserved as me

[2:39:01] being vice chair. You did not. And

[2:39:04] that's the truth. But I never I mean it

[2:39:06] wasn't about feelings because I knew I

[2:39:08] was here to do a job for the community

[2:39:11] for my residents. And that's where

[2:39:14] Commissioner Miller said that you guys are a part of me. But y'all,

[2:39:18] second, residents are my my main

[2:39:21] concern. Always. They're going to always

[2:39:23] be my main concern. Always. It has

[2:39:26] nothing to do it has a lot to do with

[2:39:27] one because I live there and I see a lot

[2:39:30] of stuff. I don't I don't get that

[2:39:34] information out sometimes. But I'm there

[2:39:38] for the resident, point blank. And I and

[2:39:41] I'm there for you guys. I' If any of

[2:39:43] y'all ever ask me to do anything, I have

[2:39:45] always done it. I've never questioned

[2:39:46] it. So for you to say I was in my

[2:39:48] feelings and I was being disrespectful.

[2:39:51] If you thought I was being

[2:39:52] disrespectful, you should have told me

[2:39:54] because I'mma tell you guys, you know,

[2:39:56] point blank.

[2:39:59] That's it.

[2:40:01] >> Mr. Thomas.

[2:40:03] >> I say something

[2:40:05] out of time. [laughter]

[2:40:08] >> Oh, good evening. I just

[2:40:10] >> I got to go out of town.

[2:40:12] >> Stressing me out. Um, I'll just say this

[2:40:14] to everybody. Um,

[2:40:17] I believe everybody had the best

[2:40:19] interest of the agency and we got to

[2:40:22] make the best decision for the agency at

[2:40:23] the end of the day.

[2:40:26] I think we had to talk and I discuss

[2:40:27] everybody get everything out the

[2:40:29] feelings out the way. It's what's in the

[2:40:30] best interest of the agency. Um,

[2:40:34] brother because y'all not able to be

[2:40:36] inside

[2:40:38] the closed meetings. Y'all don't know

[2:40:40] the support that she have.

[2:40:43] Y'all don't know the direction we've

[2:40:45] been trying to push it to make things

[2:40:48] right.

[2:40:50] The decision have not been hasty because

[2:40:52] if it was hasty, it would have been

[2:40:54] another ED already. Trust me,

[2:40:57] it's been great push back to give her

[2:41:00] the opportunity because she have been a

[2:41:01] walking Miss Wales has been a walking

[2:41:04] resume for us and she have done a great

[2:41:06] job.

[2:41:06] >> Amen.

[2:41:07] >> And you can't take that away from her.

[2:41:09] Yes. Some people may say, well, she

[2:41:10] don't have a lot of experience. Well,

[2:41:12] I've seen a lot of people come in

[2:41:14] situations, have all the experience in

[2:41:15] the world and fumble the ball.

[2:41:18] You seen people come in different

[2:41:20] cultures because if you don't know Insta

[2:41:22] culture, you going to fumble the ball.

[2:41:25] >> Period.

[2:41:25] >> I don't care who you is.

[2:41:27] >> You have all the education experience in

[2:41:29] the world.

[2:41:30] So you know we got a decision to make

[2:41:33] and I believe the decision gonna be in

[2:41:34] the best interest of the residents and

[2:41:36] the agents because we all know what's

[2:41:38] the plans and what we've been working on

[2:41:41] for the last three years. The challenges

[2:41:43] we have had with other EDS people

[2:41:46] leaving and you know you always have to

[2:41:49] question this when somebody want to work

[2:41:51] in any agency. Why you leaving the

[2:41:54] previous agency?

[2:41:55] >> That's the one thing I always question I

[2:41:57] always question. Why you leaving that

[2:41:58] agency if you that great? Cuz you ain't

[2:42:01] getting a lot of money here. Come to you

[2:42:05] ain't getting a lot of money. Hood ain't

[2:42:07] sitting down a lot of money to do this

[2:42:08] work. It's not coming.

[2:42:10] >> So people who do this work and stay with

[2:42:12] Inkston through our difficult times have

[2:42:14] been people who genuinely love the

[2:42:17] community, love the work we doing. And

[2:42:20] you know at the end of the day, the best

[2:42:21] decision going to be made

[2:42:24] because as if you know me, you know I

[2:42:26] don't mind cussing people out.

[2:42:28] cuz I'm unapologetic a black man and I

[2:42:30] don't bow to nobody and if people wrong

[2:42:34] they be told about they

[2:42:36] mean everybody in this room I will tell

[2:42:39] you about yourself

[2:42:41] and that go to every commissioner we

[2:42:43] going to make the best decision for at

[2:42:45] the end of the day

[2:42:48] thank y'all very much for everybody

[2:42:50] thank the city councly

[2:42:56] move to second discussion All those in

[2:42:57] favor say I. I.

[2:42:59] >> Both say nay.

[2:43:00] >> Mean 8:45

[2:43:06] took ad.

[2:43:13] » [music]

Inkster City Council Meeting (08-25-26)

Transcript