[1:59] Mhm.
[3:54] » Mhm.
[4:13] » I'd like to call the Woodhaven City
Council meeting of September 1st, 2026
[4:18] to order.
I see everybody has risen.
[4:23] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America, and to the
[4:28] republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[4:35] justice for all.
>> Mrs. King, please call roll.
[4:40] Mayor Patricia Odette.
>> Here.
[4:42] » Mayor
Councilman Panex.
[4:45] » Here.
>> Councilman Mynard.
[4:47] » Here.
>> Councilman Padalewski.
[4:49] » Here.
>> Um, before we begin, this is Mr.
[4:53] Padalewski. He is our newest city
council member, um, and I'd like to
[4:57] welcome him. He's
definitely an outstanding member of the
[5:01] community, and everybody adores him,
including me. So, welcome welcome
[5:06] aboard.
[5:10] Next, on not such a good note, um, I'd
like to take a moment of silence. We
[5:15] lost two very good people,
two excellent people, Mr. Wally Tackett,
[5:20] who worked for the city for 43 years,
and passed away.
[5:24] The late Councilman Don Belcher has
also, uh, passed away. He had served two
[5:29] terms,
and he resigned two weeks before his,
[5:32] uh, resignation.
Both have had so much influence into the
[5:36] city of Woodhaven. It breaks my heart.
So, with that, let's have a moment of
[5:41] silence.
[5:48] Okay.
Under the consent calendar
[5:53] I got to read I got to take a minute.
[5:57] Um
Let's have a motion to approve the
[6:01] consent calendar, please.
>> So moved.
[6:05] » It's been moved. Is there a second?
>> Second.
[6:08] » It's been moved and second, Mrs. Keen.
>> Councilman Panek?
[6:12] » Yes.
>> Councilman Petalowski?
[6:14] » Yes.
>> Mayor Patricia Odette?
[6:17] » Yes.
>> Councilman Maynard?
[6:19] » Aye.
>> Um mayor presentations, the Wolverine
[6:23] pipeline regarding their public
awareness program.
[6:27] Um who would like to present?
Just step up and
[6:32] » Podium?
>> Wherever you'd like. Podium's good.
[6:35] Wherever you're comfortable, just speak
up loud so they can hear you at home.
[6:38] » Good evening. Thank you
myself. My name is Brian Wilson from
[6:42] Wolverine Pipeline.
You're meeting me here.
[6:46] This is really the audience that we want
to speak to.
[6:49] Looks like you have community members,
public officials, and also first
[6:53] responders. Those are really
besides excavators, the groups that we
[6:57] try to target for public awareness.
So, maybe you may not know a lot about
[7:01] Wolverine.
We are actually a Michigan-based
[7:04] company.
Our corporate office is in
[7:06] Portage, Michigan.
And we run refined products, which are
[7:10] gasoline and diesel, from the
Chicagoland refineries
[7:14] throughout Indiana, Illinois, and
Michigan, but primarily Michigan.
[7:18] And one of our
primary delivery points is right here in
[7:21] Watervliet.
I'm West Ave across the Ford State Road
[7:25] plant.
You may have seen some of the tanks
[7:27] around there.
They're bulk tank terminals.
[7:31] The pipelines are
crucial to
[7:34] uh the economy of the United States and
really the world.
[7:38] Refined products, especially gasoline
and diesel, they all fuel us today.
[7:42] Um our company is only about 80
employees, but we do have a big impact
[7:47] on
um
[7:49] the state as far as the amount of
gallons that
[7:52] our cars use each day
through our pipelines. We have 350,000
[7:57] barrels of oil, 15 million gallons per
day.
[8:01] So,
definitely a large volume.
[8:03] So, that leads me into
the safety
[8:06] uh aspect that comes with it. Of course,
you know, petroleum is a highly volatile
[8:11] piece or it's volatile in nature.
Um we really do rely on the public to
[8:16] help us with safety.
We're highly regulated by PHMSA, which
[8:20] is a branch of the Department of
Transportation. And
[8:25] we have a lot of things that we go above
and beyond with safety with regards to
[8:29] pressure monitoring. We run smart tools
through our lines, which can show the
[8:34] most minute crack or fact in
inside of the pipeline. The pipes, so we
[8:39] could make repairs.
Um
[8:42] so, on our end, we feel confident that
we are operating in the most safe,
[8:48] reliable way possible.
Uh that brings me to
[8:51] our our largest risk and we can't ignore
it. You all may know about it. That's
[8:55] third-party excavation
and damage.
[8:58] So, like all pipelines, we are partnered
with Miss Utility or 811.
[9:04] Um
that's really our biggest resource
[9:07] before any shovel or piece of heavy
equipment
[9:11] excavates the ground is to call 811.
It's a free resource.
[9:16] Um
we come out, mark the line, communicate
[9:20] with whoever's excavating at where we're
at. Sometimes we have to be on site.
[9:25] Um
so,
[9:26] we do get a lot of help from the public
if there's any unauthorized excavations.
[9:31] Um along those lines, too, anything that
there's a smell, an odor, something that
[9:36] looks out of out of place,
our pipeline markers have our phone
[9:39] numbers.
You know, 911 is a good resource, too.
[9:42] They may know the pipeline operators in
the area, but
[9:46] we really do rely on
you know, everyone in this room to help
[9:50] out with pipeline safety.
So,
[9:52] I'm sure you're having a presentation to
go through the whole spiel.
[9:56] Thanks again for allowing us to come and
speak to us.
[10:00] And lastly, I would like to add, we do
have a good neighbor grant program. So,
[10:05] if anyone needs any assistance,
um it's a funding for
[10:09] primarily nonprofits or first responders
or
[10:12] um anything of that nature. You can
reach out to Chelsea, and we can do an
[10:17] application and and we'll take a look at
what your needs are, and we'd be
[10:20] happy to help.
>> Okay. Thank Thank you.
[10:23] » Thank you very much for your time.
>> Thank you.
[10:28] Okay, next on the agenda is
to receive and file the resignation
[10:34] letter of the late Councilman Donald
Belcher. I'm done.
[10:39] Accept resignation from City
Administrator
[10:42] uh
Jeff Harris. Is there a motion to accept
[10:46] his resignation?
>> So moved.
[10:48] » Is there a second?
>> Second.
[10:50] » It's been moved and second. Mrs. Keen.
>> Councilman Panek.
[10:53] » Yes.
>> Councilman Patalon ski.
[10:55] » Yes.
>> Mayor Patricia Odette.
[10:57] » Yes.
>> Councilman Meniard.
[10:59] » Hi.
>> Uh City Attorney, approve the renewal
[11:03] for the video franchise agreement for
the U-verse TV service and DirecTV LLC.
[11:10] Is there a motion to approve that?
>> So moved.
[11:14] » I'll second it. Is there anything you
want to say? It's the same thing over
[11:18] and over again, correct?
>> Yes. As it says, it's customary every
[11:20] two years. This is a requirement and the
terms of this agreement are dictated by
[11:24] state statute, known as the Michigan
Metro Act.
[11:27] » Long terms.
Anyway, with that, uh Mrs. Keen.
[11:31] » Councilman Panek.
>> Yes.
[11:33] » Mayor Patricia Odette
>> Yes.
[11:35] » Councilman Pedalowski
>> Yes.
[11:36] » Councilman Menard
>> I
[11:38] » Tim Neighbors, director of public
service and water, approve the emergency
[11:42] chipper repair invoice
totaling by Bandit totaling $5,195.
[11:49] I'm assuming this has already been paid.
>> It has been repaired, yes.
[11:52] » No, repaired and paid or we've not We
has been. Okay, so we'll make the motion
[11:56] to approve it. Is there a second?
>> Second.
[12:00] » Moved and second, any quest- questions?
With none.
[12:04] » Mayor Patricia Odette
>> Yes.
[12:06] » Councilman Panek
>> Yes.
[12:08] » Councilman Pedalowski
>> Yes.
[12:10] » Councilman Menard
>> I
[12:12] » Approve the invoice for the emergency
water main break by J R J and J. I'm
[12:17] assuming this is also been paid already,
$7,411.
[12:21] $11.
I'll make the motion, is there a second?
[12:26] » Second.
>> Been moved and second, Mrs. Keen.
[12:28] » Mayor Patricia Odette
>> Yes.
[12:30] » Councilman Pedalo- I'm sorry. Councilman
Panek
[12:33] » Yes.
>> Councilman Pedalowski
[12:35] » Yes.
>> Councilman Menard
[12:37] » I
>> Three, approve the emergency concrete
[12:40] repair invoice from the water main break
to Royal Cement for $5,425.
[12:46] Is there a motion?
>> So moved.
[12:50] » Second.
>> This has also been paid, I'm assuming.
[12:54] » Correct.
>> Good job.
[12:55] » Thank you.
>> Okay, Mrs. Keen.
[12:57] » Councilman Panek
>> Yes.
[12:59] » Councilman Pedalowski
>> Yes.
[13:01] » Mayor Patricia Odette
>> Yes.
[13:03] » Councilman Menard
>> I
[13:04] » Mr. Hennessy, it's good to see you.
>> Okay.
[13:07] » Um award the bid for the 2027 major
street improvement project.
[13:13] Award the bid to JB Contractors for
$1,041,695.
[13:21] Do you know that those things you sent
us with all the I I had had get a
[13:25] magnifying glass to read it, But, I I'm
assuming they're the low bidder.
[13:29] Um is there a motion to approve?
[13:33] » Mayor, if I could
That That does include the low bid uh as
[13:37] part uh just to give a little pretext
for
[13:40] the mayor and the public uh as part of
our fiscal 20 7-year project capital
[13:45] improvement program we went out for
major and local street bids. There were
[13:49] two separate bids.
>> Okay.
[13:51] » Uh JB was the JB Contractors was the low
bid for um $1,041,695.
[14:00] But, with a contingency and engineering
and uh construction engineering costs
[14:05] the total project cost is $1,302,119.
[14:11] » You know, I understand that, Mr.
Hennessey. It's just that that's not
[14:14] what they bid. That's what your costs
and our costs are. So, their bid was
[14:18] $1,041.
Isn't that correct? Okay.
[14:21] » That is correct, Mayor.
>> Okay. Just
[14:23] Yeah, right. And then there's the their
built-in costs, but that's not their
[14:26] bid.
>> So, what the the total project cost is
[14:29] » Correct.
>> Exactly, Mayor.
[14:31] » Correct. Okay, so you want me to include
that here forward?
[14:34] » like that
>> Okay. Okay.
[14:36] Okay, we'll do that.
>> Thank you.
[14:38] » Um you already did it, so
>> [laughter]
[14:40] » Um is there a motion or did we make this
motion?
[14:43] » Motion that we pay this bid for the
major street improvement.
[14:45] » Okay. I'll second it.
Mrs. Keen?
[14:49] » Councilman Panek?
>> Yes.
[14:51] » Mayor Patricia Odette?
>> Yes.
[14:53] » Councilman Petolowsky?
>> Yes.
[14:55] » Councilman Mynard?
>> Aye.
[14:57] » So, that changes the next ones cuz I got
to look those up unless you want to talk
[15:00] about those, too, because
>> Mayor.
[15:03] » Sure.
[15:06] » Well, how do exactly
where are they working at?
[15:11] » On the major roads are Groesbeck
primarily
[15:14] through there. Those are roads that are
defined by MDOT through Act 51 what are
[15:19] our major roadways through there.
And uh those that's what's for this
[15:25] particular project.
Which is good if it all and those types
[15:28] of roads.
>> Thank you.
[15:30] » Okay, so did we get approval?
>> We didn't make a motion or anything yet.
[15:34] » Okay, so did you want to make a motion
on that?
[15:38] » We did.
>> We did a no for that was the major.
[15:41] » Okay, that's what I'm talking about the
major. We're done with that. Okay.
[15:44] For the local street repairs
um
[15:49] their bid was
$632,525
[15:56] but with the other cost the contingency
cost the design and the construction
[16:00] engineering
the total came to $787,492.
[16:06] Is that correct?
>> That is correct.
[16:07] » Okay, I will do it that way here
forward.
[16:10] I'll make the motion is there a second?
>> Support.
[16:14] » It's been moved and second with no
questions to Mr. Hennessy.
[16:17] Mrs. Keen.
>> Mayor Patricia Audette?
[16:20] » Yes.
>> Councilman Pennix?
[16:22] » Yes.
>> Councilman Patalusky?
[16:24] » Yes.
>> Councilman Minyard?
[16:25] » Yes.
>> Okay, approve the appointment of Chief
[16:29] of Police Jeffrey Brass as interim Chief
I was saying it didn't feel good
[16:33] administrative officer.
Do you want me to read that whole
[16:37] resolution or are we good?
>> No, that's not required.
[16:40] » It's not required. Okay,
then as it is in front of you is
[16:45] there a motion to approve? I made the
appointment so
[16:49] is there a second?
>> Second.
[16:51] » It's been moved and second. Mrs. Keen.
>> Mayor Patricia Audette?
[16:54] » Yes.
>> Councilman Pennix?
[16:56] » Yes.
>> Councilman Patalusky?
[16:58] » Yes.
>> Councilman Minyard?
[16:59] » Yes.
>> Appoint under mayor appointment Mayor
[17:03] Patricia Audette appoint Daryl Pennix to
the mayor pro temp for the term to end
[17:08] December
1st, 2026.
[17:13] I'll make the motion is Is second?
>> Second.
[17:17] » Mrs. King.
>> Mayor Patricia Odette.
[17:20] » Yes.
>> Councilman Petalaski.
[17:22] » Yes.
>> Councilman Pennix.
[17:23] » Yes.
>> And Councilman Maynard.
[17:26] » I.
>> Uh city council comments. Oh, public
[17:30] appearances. Would anybody like to
appear?
[17:34] Um okay. Mr. Banter first and then
That's okay, Mr. Banter. Go first and
[17:39] then Councilman Duderstadt will
It should be.
[17:48] » It was a month ago that I came in and
had concerns about e-bikes in the
[17:52] street.
Uh I saw the posting on Facebook which
[17:56] explained what was going to happen. I
also saw
[18:00] a vast majority of people that are very
concerned about e-bikes on the streets.
[18:06] And my question is, one of my questions
is, what has been done
[18:11] in in that month period
since we last talked?
[18:16] » Uh we did we actually started prior to
the time we talked, but we started
[18:19] initiative at the police department. We
were having our officers go out. We're
[18:22] making contact with not only violators,
but pretty much anybody we find on the
[18:27] e-bikes. We're stopping them, we're
educating them. If we have an issue, if
[18:30] there's a violation present
if it's an adult, cuz believe it or not
[18:33] there's a lot of adults that ride these
as well. Um we have conversations,
[18:37] educational conversations. If it's a
juvenile, we'll actually take them back
[18:40] to the house and we've had multiple
conversations with parents specific to
[18:44] the laws, rules, putting helmets on. Uh
and I'll commend our officers. We've had
[18:49] numerous numerous contacts throughout
the month. So, we're going to continue
[18:53] to educate
our residents um in keeping with that
[18:57] education, enforcement, legislation.
You know.
[19:01] » But there was also a statement in the
Facebook posting where you were going to
[19:06] increase the
police patrolling.
[19:10] » Yes. Yes, we have increased our
>> Okay, I'm going to I'm going to make a
[19:14] I'm going to make a statement you're not
going to agree with.
[19:17] But since that time
I have seen and I'm out on the
[19:21] outside quite a bit
one patrol car and the patrol lights up.
[19:26] » Okay.
Well, I can assure you there's been more
[19:29] than one.
>> Okay.
[19:30] » I can assure you. Yes, and like I said
the
[19:33] the documentation we have and the
officer's done a great job making
[19:36] numerous contacts, numerous stops.
They're out there, I assure you.
[19:40] » Thank you, Mr. Belcher. Councilman, um I
still call you councilman, so
[19:44] Duderstadt, would you like to step up?
How many terms did you serve?
[19:49] » Two.
>> Two.
[19:54] » My name is Dan Duderstadt and
I know a lot of you in this room and I'm
[19:59] so proud to
to be here in front of you today and
[20:04] um grateful for
the opportunity that God gave me to
[20:08] serve with you
here on the city council when I was on
[20:11] the city council, the police reserves
and
[20:14] planning commission for so many years.
We raised our three kids here for 20
[20:18] years and
we were saddened to leave, but I I left
[20:22] for North Carolina
8 years ago and returned since then
[20:27] and we live in Monroe, but I always call
Wood Haven my home.
[20:31] » And you took your dogs with you.
>> Yes, we did.
[20:35] And uh
and lost a couple.
[20:38] » I know. I've watched it.
>> since then. Yes.
[20:41] I'm so honored to see Tim up here on the
city council. I've known you for years
[20:45] and I know you'll do a great job in that
position and Roger also.
[20:51] I knew Ed Ford.
>> Oh, you did?
[20:53] » I didn't realize that. You know, you two
remind me of each other a lot.
[20:58] » [laughter]
>> And I'm so saddened to hear of Don
[21:01] Belcher's passing and also Randy
Odette's uh passing who were selfless
[21:06] [snorts] servants to this city
>> a tough couple months.
[21:09] » for many years and
[21:12] Wally as well.
Uh so many years that he's served our
[21:16] community. We were with him.
>> Yes.
[21:20] And I just like to say hello to
everybody. I'm you know, back in the
[21:24] neighborhood and everything. I'm so
proud of what you're doing and what you
[21:27] have done here in the city. I love uh
this community and it'll forever be my
[21:32] home.
I want to give uh
[21:36] my heartfelt appreciation to Patty for
her service to the community and
[21:41] I see you're leaving
and uh there's new leadership uh inbound
[21:45] and want to wish
uh Jan
[21:48] the best in her run for mayor as well
uh my good friend Preston.
[21:54] Uh I know
either one of you will serve the city
[21:57] well in that capacity.
[22:01] Thank you for your selfless commitment
to serving our community here in
[22:05] Woodhaven.
I'm so grateful.
[22:08] And especially to our police and fire
who uh are continuing to show
[22:15] that this is a place to
live and work and uh grow your families
[22:22] make memories.
>> Thank you, councilman.
[22:25] » Thank you all for what you do and what
you continue to do.
[22:31] » Thank you. Anybody else?
Please.
[22:41] » Hi everyone. My name's Bridget Huff. Um
I have lived in Woodhaven for about a
[22:45] year now. Big fan so far.
Um I just wanted to say because I have
[22:50] had extensive conversations with um city
clerk about it and you know, other
[22:55] people on the board as well.
Uh I'm concerned about the current
[22:58] election coming up for city council and
the fact that there's so much confusion
[23:02] with the this term now with JC stepping
down, you know, I think it's a real
[23:07] testament that the news has been here
every time I've come to a city council
[23:10] meeting. Everyone's pretty confused with
how things are shaking out and who needs
[23:14] to do what to run or be on the ballot or
even vote properly. Um so, I would just
[23:19] really like to urge the council and the
clerk to please do what they can to make
[23:23] the public aware, whether that's, you
know, public social media posts, a
[23:27] flyer, adding it to any kind of
circulars. Um people just aren't aware
[23:31] that there's a 2-year and a 4-year, and
now this partial, but it's still not a
[23:35] full board, and there's just so much
going on that I think is extremely
[23:39] unusual to begin with. I've worked
several elections. I've personally never
[23:43] seen a situation like this. So, I know a
lot of people, you know, even in
[23:47] knocking doors or talking to other
residents, they couldn't tell you what's
[23:50] going on right now or what needs to come
next or what to expect, and absentee
[23:54] ballots are going out soon, so people
really need to be made aware. Um I
[23:58] appreciate that when JC stepped down,
I'm sorry, I don't know how to pronounce
[24:01] his last name. I'm not trying to be
disrespectful.
[24:03] » It's okay. We know who you're talking
about.
[24:05] » When he stepped down, I know he got a
lot of um you know, praise and
[24:08] appreciation for wanting people to be
able to vote and really have a say. So,
[24:12] it seems like it kind of kneecaps that
if people still don't have the
[24:15] information that they need to be able to
really vote um in an educated way and
[24:19] have a say. So, that's my concern.
And I would also ask that maybe the
[24:23] council would consider having a flexible
date or time for these meetings because
[24:28] I've seen it happen a few times that if
people can't be here at this exact like
[24:32] 5:00, um I've also have a lot of friends
who are moms working who like they'd
[24:36] like to be here, but they work till 5:00
or you know, so maybe if there was like
[24:39] a contingency for any kind of emergency
so that there could be quorum.
[24:43] Um I know I personally would like to be
more involved, and that would make it a
[24:46] lot easier, too.
>> Thank you.
[24:49] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[24:51] » Um
city council comments.
[24:58] Skunks.
>> Mhm.
[25:00] » No, okay.
>> But but I would would like to say
[25:03] to the uh police chief, there's an
excellent uh Facebook uh follow-up you
[25:08] had on the e-bikes and scooters. Uh I
think that was earlier or late last
[25:12] week. Had actual numbers in there and
such. I thought that was a pretty good
[25:16] deal.
That's all I have, mayor.
[25:24] » I'm sorry, we were having a side
conversation.
[25:27] Um
Mr. Padlusky.
[25:30] » Uh Dan, thank you for your your very
kind words. And And again, I'm just
[25:34] really excited to be here. Um
I've uh lived in the community for 18
[25:39] years. I've been an um administrator for
21 years. And
[25:42] I live here. I love this community. I
love the city. I love the people who
[25:45] work here. And I'm glad to do my part to
see if I can uh help move continue uh
[25:49] what makes what even so great. And And
again, I appreciate Mayor O'Dea. And I
[25:54] want to make sure she
sees her out on a very positive note.
[25:58] » Thank you.
>> Two things.
[26:01] I agree with Bridget, these meetings can
be a little bit later.
[26:06] » So, I was always against these meetings
at 5:00 as we all know, if we really
[26:10] want to get into this.
>> Well, you can be against it. I'm for it.
[26:13] I think
>> I like the meetings like at 6:00 myself.
[26:17] » And the other thing is the uh
e-bikes.
[26:20] I come nearly uh hitting a child.
He come out of the dark.
[26:26] I was just getting ready to cross the
sidewalk from the parking lot.
[26:29] He come out of the dark.
If I hadn't stopped real quick, I would
[26:34] have hit him.
He didn't even slow down.
[26:37] » Oh, it's an issue. It's going to get
worse before it gets better.
[26:40] » So, what's the toughest stand I guess
what Mr. Bancher's trying to ask, what
[26:44] actually can be done?
What What can we do as a city? Cuz I see
[26:48] other cities are taking steps.
>> Yeah, several cities. I know Grosse
[26:51] Pointe Heights, the Grosse Point,
Berkley has just put one into effect an
[26:56] ordinance.
Um there's a lot of mixes with the
[26:59] language. There's some issues cuz it
does disallow adults to ride their
[27:03] e-bikes through the park, which I know a
lot of adults have e-bikes.
[27:07] So, it kind of limits who can do it. Um
our first step was to educate, quite
[27:11] honestly, to educate the people,
reference a law, um
[27:15] and said get get with everybody can on
the on the street level and and let them
[27:19] know
what they need to be doing. Yes, the
[27:21] next step is obviously going to be
enforcement and legislation. It's It's
[27:25] how it works. I wish the state would
catch up, to be honest with you.
[27:28] With legislation.
>> Okay.
[27:31] Thank you.
Anything else?
[27:35] Nope. We're good. With that, I adjourn
the meeting at 5:25.
[27:40] Get out of here.