I am now calling to order a regular meeting
of the City Council, Tuesday,
May 20th, 2025 at 7:00 PM Please
stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands.
One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty
and justice for all.
Roll call Madam Secretary. People
Supposed to stand.
Mic Councilman Councilwoman Roy? Here.
Councilwoman McGee? Here. Councilman Dwyer? Here.
Councilman Deke. Present. Councilman Newan? Here.
Councilman Lafferty? Here. Councilman Moore is present.
We have a quorum. Next item.
Next item is number four, adoption of the consent agenda.
So moved.
Support Lafferty with discussion.
Discussion. Mr. Lafferty? Thank you.
Oh heck. When the computer fails to old technology,
And
I'm sorry, that's the last item on the regular
agenda I yield.
Okay. Any other discussion?
Do you say, do you have anything?
Not from the consent. Oh, okay.
Hearing and seeing none. I'll call the question.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Um, uh, next item is adoption of the agenda.
So moved with discussion support
Lafferty.
Uh, discussion. Madam Secretary. Thank you.
Um, Madam Chair, we have a couple items to add.
Um, I adding as 11 A under miscellaneous,
um, which will be 11.
That's 11 A.
That is the, uh, water and sewage disposal system.
Revenue bond series 2025. Notice of intent resolution.
Um, uh, removing item 12 A.
Um, this was an ordinance
that we passed on a first reading at the last meeting,
but since our meetings were so close together, um,
it went on to this and it shouldn't have gone.
The city attorney's office has 10 days
to review any ordinance.
The council, um, passes on a first reading, so we're pulling
that for the next meeting.
Um, and we're adding as 10 B
was an item that was a, um,
Um, Public hearing on, uh, may
on November 26th.
And it was, uh, motion was made to table this item
until May 20th 25.
So we're adding that as 10 B
Madam, we're adding
that item had a, a public hearing already.
Yes, it did. Okay. And it's gonna be an
Administrative because you've already held the public.
Okay. Okay. Thank you. So that's an admin
Hearing. Okay.
And then adding, um, as
Did I do That yet as item oh 12 D
is the city of Warren
and Urban City Community Garden Lease approval.
So that would be 12.
12 D, 12 D.
That's It. 11 A is bond series
and 10 B is,
Can you give that one to me again? Sorry.
I'm sorry. 10 B, 10 B is Chalmers
Chalmers administrative hearing.
Okay. Okay.
Any additional discussion?
Hearing And seeing none. I will, what
Was the first item?
11 B is the bond. 11 B. Thank you. 11. A sorry.
Bond Series 11
A.
Okay. I will call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan?
Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is? Yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Next item is six. A calendar of pending matters.
Motion to receive and file support.
Lafferty discussion, hearing and seeing none.
I'll call the question. All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed?
Motion carries. Next item. Next item is seven.
A approval of the bills of the Rev
of the General Revenue funds.
So moved. Support Lamberty. Discussion,
Hearing, And seeing none.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is seven B.
Approval of the bills of the water and sewer system.
So moved. Support, discussion,
hearing, and seen none.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is audience participation for agenda items only.
Good evening. Members of the audience who would like
to address city council, uh, this evening may do so
by filling out an audience form
to the right side of the stage.
There is additional time at the end of the meeting, uh,
for general topics.
This audience is for agenda items only.
Um, there is a clock up front,
which will give you your three minutes.
First is Mayor Lori Stone.
Oh, microphone's not on.
I think she can try that. Can you hear me now? Yep. Okay.
Thank you. Council President.
Um, it's a pleasure for me to be here with you this evening
to speak on behalf of my appointees Fire Commissioner,
skip McAdams and Fire Chief Warren Ferguson.
Um, and this is item 13 B on the council agenda originally
introduced last week.
These are two distinguished fire professionals
distinguished in our department, in our city,
and across the region.
These are two gentlemen who have integrity
and lead our department with the
forethought of community safety, firefighter
and firefighter paramedic safety.
Um, and to ensure, and that's what our community recognizes
and appreciates from the public safety
of our fire department.
They are award-winning.
They work hard to continuously be improving.
I know that you, many of you have joined us on occasion
for just some of the things that in the last few years
that they've implemented,
including working on our new firehouses
and making sure that they are up to standards for, um, state
of the art, making sure that our,
our firefighter paramedics have what they need.
They have helped, um, re-implement
making sure that our city has EMS that work for us
and respond to our needs.
They have worked on procuring state of the art
training technology.
They have brought to our community, um,
equipment in order to ensure the safety of our residents.
And I am proud to appoint them to fire commissioner
and fire Chief. Thank you for your time.
Thank you. Next is Wilbert Skip McAdams Commissioner.
Good evening counsel. This is a little unusual
that I'm speaking about myself, but feels weird.
But anyway, I just want to thank you for the opportunity
for your consideration for my reappointment to the position
of fire commissioner.
Um, I have served this city dutifully for 17 plus years,
always with the goal of making wor fire, fire
warn fire department, the best department,
not only in the county and in the state, but in the nation.
I know that's always gonna be debatable by any fire chief,
any fire commissioner.
They all think that their department is the best
and should be recognized as the best.
However, I don't do it alone.
I do it by working with the fire chief, with the fire union,
with the executive board, with the administration,
with the council to accomplish the goals
to get out there.
My vision that must adhere to the vision
of elected officials.
And then I implement those plans, those strategies,
their vision, and adopt it as my own.
That has been my underlying goal as fire commissioner
and as fire chief of my previous employment.
For me, doing anything
immoral, illegal
is not anything I would agree to
or anything that violates my moral principles.
I don't believe in attacks.
I have always been respectful, will always be respectful
to elected officials because I get it.
You're elected, I'm appointed.
You guys run for office every four years.
I try to keep my job every day
because I'm an at will employee.
That's my only role.
And in doing so, implement programs,
policies, and procedures that better the department.
Can I do everything that I want to do? No.
Everything, anything that I do that I focus on or,
and the fire chief focus on, that means something else
that we're not focused on.
And there's only so many hours in a day,
in a week in a year outside of other meetings
and commitments that, that we have. Thank you.
Thank you. Next is Orrin Ferguson.
Good evening counsel. And, um, thank you
for this opportunity to, um, to set the record straight.
Um, I hope that I get a chance to, uh, be reappointed.
I'm gonna give you a little bit of my accomplishments.
Over the course of my 32 year career,
I have demonstrated results driven leadership style focused
on operational excellence, strategic resource management,
and personal development.
My initiatives reflect a clear commitment
to preparing our department for the future,
while honoring our traditions
and supporting our firefighters.
Today, one
of my early initiatives involved leading the cleanup
and re-organization of the apparatus garage.
Rather than allowing the space to remain underutilized,
I spearheaded its transformation into a dedicated training
area for our technical rescue and hazmat teams.
This project enhanced our in-house training capacity
and helped foster specialized response readiness,
reducing the need for outside facility of funding,
understanding the importance of department culture
and community presence.
I created and implemented our honor guard team establishing
a formal presence for ceremonies,
funerals, and civic events.
This initiative not only honors those who serve
but to serve, but today,
but also provides a means to honor those
who serve in the department in the past
and also reflects our department's
pride and professionalism.
From a capital improvement standpoint,
I have managed several large scale infrastructure projects.
Uh, oversaw a $2.1 million concrete renovation across all
six fire stations, addressing long standing facilities
deficiencies, and improving operational safety.
Additionally, I directed a full renovation
of six station kitchens, replacing flooring, ceilings,
cabinetry countertops, and appliances.
As part of this initiative,
I also created a designated lunch room
for fire administration staff.
Enhancing workplace morale
and wellness fleet modernization has been a priority.
Under my leadership, I identified
and replaced aging high maintenance division vehicles
with newer, more reliable models, significant significantly
reducing annual repair costs.
I standardize our fleet for improved efficiency
and maintenance capability,
and added six utility vehicles
to better support station operations.
I also led the acquisition of new fire apparatus
with advanced capabilities,
improving our frontline readiness,
and ensuring our crews have the apparatus, vehicles,
equipment, and tools they need to respond effectively.
Currently, I'm overseeing the planning
and the construction of two new fire stations.
These facilities are being designated
with a focus on long-term department needs,
energy efficiency, and modern functionality.
I have maintained close coordination
with the city leadership contractors
and internal stakeholders to keep these projects aligned
with budget, timeline, and operational goals.
Across all these efforts, I have
emphasized fiscal responsibility, forward looking,
forward looking leadership, and team empowerment.
My goal as fire chief is to continue building a department
that is resilient, responsive, and respected,
and one that supports its personnel.
You're time maintains a public trust
and prepare for you're, you're
At time. Thank you.
Thank you very much, counsel for your time. Mm-hmm.
Mr. Vander Lenn,
Joel Lan, longtime resident.
Good evening counsel. I'm here to speak about the use
or misuse of the atrium.
I understand Mr. Uh,
Jonathan is gonna go over this.
I did a FOIA on the atrium for a one year period.
It was from July to July last year.
And in there I asked for everyone that, uh,
rented the place, how much they paid and so forth.
When I got my FOIA back, it was interesting
that the swearing in of my Z was not on there.
Also, the use of the atrium
by the gay parade was not on there.
It's funny how certain things are, are being paid for
and rented out in that atrium.
And the mayor in her agenda is not.
I have great concern about this misuse and abuse.
I also have a concern about the upcoming, uh, gay parade
on June 14th,
which all real Americans know.
Mr. Vander Lin is the US Army Birthday.
Mr. Vander l This is for agenda item.
So stick to the agenda. Is
It, is the gay parade going to be in the agenda?
It's not on the agenda Is,
is the gay parade gonna be in the atrium?
Mr. Vander Lin? And it's not on the agenda.
Is is no conflict. I have no idea.
And it's not on the agenda.
So please keep your comments to agenda items.
Only you can speak at the end if you would
like to speak about something else.
Well, I'm speaking about the atrium
Proceed And if the atrium,
if the gate parade is gonna be in the atrium again
with all its sex, toys
and everything else, it fits under this thing.
The atrium was used with sex, toys and everything else,
and I don't recall it being approved
or funded by this console.
I don't know who this mayor is with their communist thoughts
and everything else.
And this council should be upset
and doing something about her misuse of her position,
which I see because you're part of her flag team
that you won't say or do anything about.
This is about your ineffective. See, Mrs.
Roci, pure and simple.
Thank you and have a blessed day.
Thank you. That is the end of audience.
Next item, Madam Secretary.
Next item is nine, a resolution in honor
of Bishop Earl Jerome Wright, Jr.
I believe this is your item. It is. Thank you.
Anyone willing to make a motion in support? So moved.
Support. Thank you. So Ty. Thank you.
Uh, a member of the community reached out to me, uh,
as there is a pastor, a longtime pastor that passed away.
Um, and, uh, I put together a resolution, um,
documenting some of his, um, his life here in the city,
honoring the life of Bishop Earl Jerome Wright Jr.
Whereas the presiding bishop, Dr.
J, sorry, J Drew sch, along with the Michigan
and Ontario Council of Bishops Mourns, the transition
of Bishop Earl j Wright, Jr.
PhD, PhD who passed away Sunday,
May 4th, 2025.
Whereas Bishop Wright served the Greater Miller Memorial
Church of God in Christ on Nine Mile
and Warren, Michigan for over nine years.
Whereas the city of Warren extends our prayers
and sincere condolences to his loving wife,
lady Elaine p Wright, PhD
sons Earl Jerome Wright III
and Edmund Wright, his brother Michael,
and sister evangelist Marvy Wright
doctor of ministry.
Now therefore be it resolved by the city
of Warren City Council.
We honor the life of Bishop Wright
and his contributions to our community,
be it further resolved that the city council thanks all
of our community leaders for the work they do to contribute
to the fabric of our community.
Adopted this day of May, May 20th, 2025
by the City Council ward, And they're,
they're having a service tomorrow.
So they're going to read this at the service moment
Of silence. Yes.
Thank you. Moment of silence.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Point of order.
Um, I'm informed the live streaming is down.
Next item or any other announcements, rather. Madam Chair.
Mm-hmm. Ms. Moore. Yes.
Um, the Warren City Council proudly recognizes
and honors the distinguished careers
and dedicated public service of Lieutenant Kevin Boey
and Lieutenant Jonathan Pickett,
who are retiring from the Warren Police Department.
After many years of exemplary service,
Lieutenant Kevin Boey has served the citizens of Warren
with unwavering commitment for over 25 years.
Throughout his distinguished career,
Lieutenant Boley exemplified integrity, professionalism,
and a steadfast dedication to public service.
He has been a mentor to younger officers, a leader in times
of crisis, and a reassuring presence in the community.
His legacy is one of quiet strength diligence
and the deep respect he earned from his peers, supervisors,
and residents alike.
Lieutenant Jonathan Pickett concludes a notable career
spanning just over 22 years
with the Warren Police Department,
but he served previously
with the Port Huron Police Department.
He is known for his calm demeanor, thoughtful leadership.
I understand a pretty good sense of humor
and unshakeable commitment to justice.
Lieutenant Pickett played a vital role in
protecting and serving our city.
His tireless efforts to uphold the law
and safeguard our neighborhoods have left
and indelible Mark on the Warren Police Department
and the community he served with Pride.
The Warren City Council extends its deepest gratitude
to both Lieutenant Boey
and Lieutenant Pickett for their exceptional service,
leadership, and sacrifice.
Their contributions to the safety
and wellbeing of the residents of Warren will be remembered
for years to come as they enter retirement,
we wish them health, happiness, and fulfillment.
In all the years ahead, they have earned the thanks
of a grateful city.
That's It for me. Any other announcements?
Yes, Ms. McGee
On tomorrow, um,
the Warren Skilled Trades Job Fair will take place from one
to 7:00 PM um, at our Warren Community Center.
Just wanna let you know that we will have, I,
I believe about 30, 30 skilled trades
and other employers there at the location.
It will be on tomorrow, again from one
to 7:00 PM on Wednesday, may the 21st from 1:00 PM
to 7:00 PM at the Warren Community Center.
Um, here at this location.
I had, um, put some flyers at the end of the stage for all
of those who wish to share,
and I look forward to seeing you there tomorrow.
Thank you. Any other announcements?
Madam Chair. Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you. On Sunday, this past Sunday, my wife
and parents attended the finale
of the Warren Symphony Orchestra.
And I want to say not only was it a finale,
it was an outstanding finale to what was nothing short
of a spectacular season for the symphony.
Uh, congratulations
to our Warren Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.
Uh, Ms. Moore, uh, sits on there, uh, not
as an official from council,
but has the privilege of sitting there.
I know our mayor and several other distinguished members
of our community, uh, lead that, uh, lead that board,
and they do a fine job.
The conductor Andrew near, I found
sitting at the symphony.
I always find it to be entertaining,
but I have to figure out either I I'm listening to the music
or I'm watching the conductor
and the, the orations.
His orchestrations, his movement is just about
as entertaining as listening to the music.
He is nothing short of an incredible asset to this city.
We are, we are deeply, uh, deeply appreciative for, uh,
what he brings to the symphony
and his through his leadership.
Uh, I do want to say that if you have not been
to the Warren Symphony
and you listen to music of any kind, take advantage
of your local symphony.
This is a wonderful opportunity.
I would love to see more audience members.
There were plenty of seats available on Sunday,
so it's a wonderful opportunity
to break away from technology and,
and, uh, yes, the baseball game from time to time
and enjoy, uh, wonderful music.
So Warren Symphony, uh, has, uh,
will have another season ahead,
and I look forward to attending all of their,
all of their performances.
So well done. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Any other announcements? Madam Chair? Yes.
I would just like to piggyback on what Mr. Lafferty said.
We also, um, dedicated the symphony, uh,
performance on Sunday, um, in the memory of Lene Sears
who passed away on Saturday.
She has been a long, long, long time resident
of, um, Warren.
She and her husband have been such a
huge presence in the city.
They're extremely generous
and, uh, support the arts in many, many ways.
She will be, uh, deeply missed.
She had a very good life, um,
and, uh, passed away at the, uh, age of 91.
So maybe we could have a, uh, moment of silence for Lorlene.
Sears.
Thank you. Thank you. Any other announcements?
Okay, that is the end of the announcements. Next item.
Next item is 10 A,
which is an administrative hearing that was tabled on, uh,
November 12th, 2024.
A request to appeal the determination of nuisance abatement
of house and garage from demolition located at 32 431.
How much under the Nuisance abatement program?
Motion to remove from the table
Support to remove from the table?
Uh, all in favor? Can I do an all in favor of Thank you.
All in favor of removing it from the table? Aye. Aye. Aye.
Any opposed? Okay. Item is removed.
Motion to approve Support
With discussion.
Uh, discussion. Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you. Through the chair to Mr. Laze, who was
Already Good evening counsel.
Um, this home, I visited the site today
and I was invited in by the contractor when I got there.
And, uh, the interior is near complete.
There's a new kitchen in this place.
New bathroom floors, doors painted.
Um, the roof is complete, gutter's complete,
but now they're, um, the contractor informed me
that they're going to paint the entire outside
and bring a landscape company in next.
So they're, uh, on track. They're moving forward.
So it's, this one's going very well.
No issues with this one. So the interior is near complete.
We have trade permits on file.
We have approved rough inspections on file.
So, uh, look,
this one's looking good. We're near completion.
Thank you. So, so at this point, we tabled the motion
to approve at, uh, the meeting back six months ago.
And so at this point, we have to make a motion to
remove this based on your,
what I'm expecting a recommendation
to remove this from, uh, abatement.
Yeah, I think it's safe to say we can remove this item.
Uh, it's near completion at this point,
and it's gonna be going up for sale
to a homeowner, not gonna be rented.
So, uh, I'm happy to hear that.
And, uh, I think it'd be safe to remove it from the,
from nuisance and let and know,
and I'll just monitor it through the, uh, permit process
and, uh, city cert process and make sure it gets completed.
Awesome. I mean, there's no
doubt in my mind it'd be completed.
It's, we're at right now, probably nine 80
to 90% complete now. So
I, I've seen the work trucks out there in
my, in my travels.
It's, it's been great, great to see that 15 years too late,
but better late than never. In this
Case, I was happy that I got invited in
so I could do a quick walkthrough
and see the progress, so that,
that made me more confident in making a
decision too, as well.
Wonderful. Uh, Madam Chair, I will, uh, modify
or amend my motion to approve the removal
of the subject address.
Uh, Madam Secretary,
I think this was a request to appeal the determination
so we could approve the appeal, correct?
That's the wording. Was they, they requested
to appeal the determination Uhhuh, so we would vote
to approve the appeal, correct?
Well, I, I, I'm showing on my records
that when we came here on the 12th of 11, 12 24,
we granted six months to obtain city certs
and actually approved and suspended demolition.
Yeah, that's what we were at, at that time.
So we suspended the demolition, granted that time,
six months to get permits in City C. So
What, what would the motion be, Mr. Schroeder?
Would a motion to remove from
abatement be appropriate then? Yeah.
Yes, sir. Okay. So I'll, I'll amend my motion
to remove from the abatement process
Support.
So, Mr. Lafferty, you
originally made the motion, Ms. Moore?
Oh, I thought I did. Yep.
I agree with, with the, uh, amendments.
Either way, all the same. Just
clarifying when I call the question.
Sorry. Any other discussions? Hearing and seeing none?
I will call the question. Mr. Lafferty?
Yes. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes.
Mr. Nunan? Yay. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes.
Motion carries. Next item.
The next item is 10 B, um, which was a public hearing,
uh, held, uh, on November 20.
On November 26th, 2024.
Request to approve the demolition
of a house in shed located at 75 84 Chalmers
through the nuisance abatement program.
Um, I assumed, yes, this was tabled.
So, motion to remove from the table.
Support to remove from the table.
Uh, all in favor to remove the item from the table. Aye.
Any opposed? Item is removed.
Motion to approve, Uh, support
With discussion.
Discussion. Mr. Lafferty?
Through the chair to Mr. Lee. You haven't left yet.
All right. Um, this one, not so much good news.
Uh, um, the owner is here.
I noticed today city certs were issued.
Um, we did initial, um, our first round, we were locked out,
and 11 14 25, we did get in
for an initial city serve inspection on 12 12 24.
Um, there are no past inspections.
I have not had any further inspections,
nor have I had any permits issued on this property.
Um, it remains, I believe the home has been cleaned out,
but, uh, that's as far as it's gone
and, uh, I think it's gonna be up to the owner
to convince you that it's, they're gonna move forward
with this property
because I have not had any further progress on this one.
Okay. Uh, through the chair to the
owner of the property, sir,
do you please state your, your name for the record?
Uh, my name is Sal Bizi. Good evening.
Sal. Sal Biy. Yes. How do you spell your last name, sir?
B-I-Z-Z-Y-B-Z-I.
Alright, and you own the, the property in question?
Yes, sir. Okay. Uh, can you tell me about it?
Yes. So, um, I purchased a property back in September
of 2024,
and, um, it's been, um, over the past six months,
I encountered, um, significant delays, um, due
to the winter season.
Um, and, um, uh, it's been, uh,
it's been a little difficult to, um, secure, um, labor
and, um, uh, jobs during the winter.
And I also had a, uh, baby in the last six months.
So it's, it's been holding me back to, uh, um,
do the work on the home.
But I'm, uh, currently actively working on, uh,
getting the home restored, um,
and getting it, um, um, to, uh, back to,
uh, code compliant, um, for, to, to restore it
for either, um, uh, resale or occupancy.
Have you applied for any permits
with the building department?
Um, I was just going to, uh, apply
for the electrical permits and the building.
Um, I was advised to hold up until this meeting.
Okay. Have you been in contact with any
of the building inspectors or Mr.
LA regarding this property since your purchase
in September of oh four? Of 24?
Yes, I have, um, a couple of times.
Okay. And what was the, the issue with, uh,
locking out the building department from
inspections in December,
Um, locking out.
So there's, there's no, um, there's no lock
or anything on the property at the moment.
The, the property's open, um, the, the doors, uh, are,
they don't have a lock on them.
Uh, so anybody can freely
or can an out, out of the, um, out of the properties.
Mr. Bizzy, do you, do you feel that you have the
appropriate financial,
Uh, Wherewithal to
successfully rehabilitate this property?
Yes, I do. Alright,
stand by for just a moment, Mr.
Lizza.
Can you, uh, clarify the, uh,
the event on 12 12 24, the lockout?
Well, I have, uh, I did bring the inspection history with
Me. Thank you.
I did not print out the actual reports,
but I do have the inspection history with me.
All right. So these city cts were issued in
October 17th of 24.
And we, uh, the inspections were scheduled for 11 14 24,
which all our inspectors were locked out at that time,
I believe on four 14.
Let's see here. And we had a reinspection
where everybody did get in
and all the, they were all disapproved on 12.
So we did get, do an initial on 12, 12 24 for our city c
inspections, for all five trades for zoning, electrical,
mechanical, plumbing, and building.
So right now, I guess what we're looking
for right now is we need an honest timeline.
Is the honest, are we gonna, is he gonna fix this property?
Is he not gonna fix it?
That's what I need to know, or that's what we need to know.
Is there gonna be an honest attempt to,
to repair this house?
That's, that's what we're looking for at this point.
And, alright, thank you. Uh, back to Mr. Busy.
I just have, uh, one more question for you.
The, the taxes,
I see you picked up the property in September.
Uh, the taxes, are you current on your taxes? Yes,
Sir. Okay.
Alright.
And I am able to confirm that based on, on the BSNA,
alright, with your statement
that you do have the financial means
to rehabilitate the property.
Uh, my my preference is always to give the,
the petitioner an opportunity,
but it's, it's a measured opportunity.
Mr. Lizza in the building on, on behalf
of the building department, all of the inspectors,
certificates of compliance, everything that comes with it,
uh, is contained within the motion I'm going to make.
And, uh, I believe that, you know, we can give you
sufficient amount of time to obtain all of your permits,
all five permit and inspections that you need,
and work directly with the building department,
keeping open lines of communication
and ensuring that you are adhering to your timeframe.
Uh, but what I'm willing to do is make a motion
to table this to
June, July,
Uh, Tuesday, August 12th.
It's which time, uh, Mr.
Lizza can give us a report and, uh, indicate whether
or not you are making progress
and complying similar to the item
that you just heard before you. Is that acceptable?
Yes. Thank you, counsel. Okay,
Madam Chair, that's my motion
to table date certain Tuesday,
August 12th. If there's support,
Support, support, a motion to table.
Motion to table is, uh, made.
I will call the question Mr. Lafferty
Yes to table Ms. Moore?
Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. To table Mr. Bokey? Yes.
To table Mr. Nunan? Yes. The table. Ms. McGee? Yes.
The table Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Um, next item is the notice of intent resolution
for water and sewer, water, sewer
and, uh, sewer sewage disposal system.
Revenue bond series 2025. Motion to approve with discussion
Support Lty.
Mr. Discussion, Ms. Moore? Thank you Mr. Fox.
I see you're here and you have with you. Good
Evening counsel. Richard Fox,
City controller.
I also have our bond council.
Ron Comb from Miller Camp of Pattock and Stone.
Nice to meet you sir. Welcome.
Um, we're here to answer any questions.
Just one point that I just wanna bring up, uh,
on this item is, is if you notice in the resolution it,
it says a hundred million dollars.
So what I was informed is that as we're aware, we,
we were looking to get, we got approved for SRF
for 75 million,
but this process, we're gonna have to go out for bids,
which is gonna happen here in the next month to two months
as part of this process for this loan.
And if the, if the bids come in over 75,000
and we didn't put the, exceed, the 75,000 in the resolution,
then we million couldn't ask the SRF for the state
for the additional dollars.
So then we'd have to try to figure out where we're coming up
with the additional dollars by doing this.
If it comes in at 85 million, then the states,
my understanding is they do have some additional dollars
that we'd be eligible for that,
and then we'd still get the, the, the low interest loan for
that, for that additional amount.
I just wanted to add that point. Okay.
And we're here to answer any questions you may have
Any other discussion?
No. Hearing
and seeing none, I will call the question.
Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item. Okay,
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Thank you.
Next item.
Next item is, uh, 12 B, which is amendment to chapter two
of the Warren Code of ordinances relating
to the city Historical Commission reducing the number
of board members from nine members to five members.
Second reading. Motion to approve just
for discussion for a moment.
Support Ty. Okay. Discussion Ms. Moore. Thank you.
Um, during our budget hearings, um, we came aware
that there were some problems in the historical commission.
They didn't have really enough commissioners to get some
of the things done they wanted to do.
At that time, we suggested, um, uh, decreasing the number
of members, um,
which we did write the, or have the ordinance.
Mr. Uh, Schroeder wrote it. Um, Mr.
Rent then con contacted, I think Mr.
Dwyer, and said, could we have it at seven
as opposed to five.
And, uh, further discussion with Mr. Rent today.
Um, he was asking us to remove this
because their bylaws stated that, um,
a quorum is based on how many members are present.
That is actually contrary to the city charter.
And Mr. Schroeder indicated today when I discussed this
matter with him, that there could be superseding federal
or state laws concerning historical commissions.
Correct. State, do you wanna explain it
instead of me trying to?
Well, with respect to the quorum requirement, um,
it's a majority of the number of commissioners.
I think there's a question of whether that means the number
that's set by ordinance, which is nine, which would be five
to have a quorum or the number of currently sworn members.
My, I think a plain reading of the charter would be
that the number of commissioners would be the number
that is set by ordinance.
I see Ms. Michael's nodding her head.
I always is a big relief to see that.
And, um, so I think that
with their bylaws can be amended.
I don't know if they realize they can amend their bylaws
and their bylaws cannot contradict the charter
or the general laws of the state.
So I think that you could reduce it to seven,
you could stay at nine,
but if you reduce it to seven,
then their quorum becomes four to the extent
that their bylaws say something different.
With on the quorum, we can clear that up. I'll work with Ms.
Michaels and get them the citation in the charter
with regard to quorum.
So I hope that answers the question. Yep. Okay.
And I would make a motion to table this item,
Support to table.
Oh, I'll, I'll defer to Mr. Dwyer on the support to table.
Okay. As exofficio
Support to table.
Okay. Dwyer tabling motion. I will call the question.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item. Thank you.
Um, the next item is 12 C. Council member Jonathan Lafferty.
Discussion and raise City of Warren sponsorship funding
and oversight of Asian American
and Pacific Islander celebration held on Saturday,
May 17th, 2025. So moved.
Support Lafferty with discussion.
Discussion. Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Before I begin with my questions, I do want
to provide some clarification as to what this item is
and what this item is not.
Uh, this item is not about the Asian American and
or Pacific Islander community, its representatives
or being upset with the celebration of anyone's heritage.
This item is about our policies, our process,
and our procedure that the city's required
to follow when an event is being held on city property.
We've had this discussion before,
and as of yet, it remains to be unresolved.
This is an examination of the city sponsored Asian
and Pacific Islander event occurring on Saturday, May 17th
at the Warren Community Center.
And not in the all too recent past,
the council held nearly two hour committee
of the whole on rental policies
of both the City Hall atrium and the City Square.
The moratorium was placed on such events.
Policies are supposed to be edited and updated and
provided back to this council.
So I was surprised when I saw
that advertisements were placed on social media, some posted
by the mayor herself with a clear indication
of meet your host.
In quotes, city of Warren,
the mayor was also thanked publicly
for organizing the event.
I also received a text message from the communications
department from the city of
Warren inviting me to this event.
I have a series of questions,
and as part of the record asked to have this added
to the calendar of pending items and have this information
provided back to council number one
who sponsored this event.
By all accounts, I have found
that the Mayor's office not only sponsored this event,
but were responsible for organizing it.
Madam Chair, uh, I did not ask for anybody
to approach the microphone,
Mayor, unless someone asked you to come up and speak.
Okay. Happy to. And you have pleasure. Thank you. Mr.
Vander Lenin. You, you're out of order. Mr.
Vander Lenin, please don't be disrespectful.
Happy to make myself available. Thank you.
Laughing is equally disrespectful. Mr. Vander Lenin.
Thank you. Go ahead Mr. Lafferty. You have the floor.
Thank you. And these questions, uh,
do not need to be transcribed.
They will be part of the record and they will be
provided as part of the counsel resolutions sent to,
sent from the council office to the Mayor's office.
Uh, following our, uh, period for reconsideration, uh,
I'll repeat number one, who sponsored this event?
Uh, number two, from
what budget did the funds originate for this event?
Number three. Who authorized the
expenditures for this event?
Number four. Who decided
that the city would single out a specific heritage
to celebrate at city expense?
Now with the celebrations having, having already been held,
I must ask, when will the Polish heritage celebration occur?
It's no doubt and no secret
that I'm proud of my polish heritage.
Me too. But I'm also Irish. So when will that one be held?
Mr. Dwyer is German and Italian. Am I right? Yes, sir.
Perhaps he would like to have a celebration of the German
and Italian heritages along with all the rest of you.
Uh, I was asked this Sunday while I was at an event when the
city would host the Latvians
for the celebration of their heritage.
Number six, was insurance obtained for this event?
If so, who paid for the insurance of the event
and if the city was responsible for the insurance, out of
what budget did the insurance get paid from?
Number seven, was a rental agreement signed for this event?
If so, which department was the rental agreement with?
Who were the signatories on the event, uh, on the, uh,
agreement and a copy of that agreement to be provided?
Uh, these are many of the questions that we asked
counsel at our committee of the whole, all related
to the differences between the Parks
and Recreation Department,
the Downtown Development Authority,
and the differences in those policies
and documents that were very loosely defined.
And even more so loosely followed as a matter of process
and procedure we could find.
In many cases when we questioned, uh, both Mr.
Casa Santa and Mr.
Bato at the time, there were no documents, no policies, uh,
that were followed, and no documentation for several events
that were in question earlier.
At that time when we held that meeting,
no documentation could be held or could be found.
So I question with all
of those unanswered questions still remaining.
We have no documentation, no updates in place.
How did this get by the administration without
any single, uh, any single documentation update coming
to council saying, we've resolved all
of these issues and we're moving forward.
But the question still remains,
why did we single out a specific heritage?
We have to be equal.
We have to provide equality to all groups if we're going
to do this at taxpayer expense.
There are no excuses for this.
As much as I love celebrating, uh, individual, beautiful,
diverse heritages, it is not to be at the city expense.
If a private group, a nonprofit organization wants
to come and, uh, rent the auditorium
and have a multicultural display, uh, dancing and music
and foods of, of all kinds will welcome you
to rent our facilities.
And you, you're part
of our community, of course you're welcome.
And there's a rental agreement for you to sign.
There's insurance to be paid.
There are, there's a process to be followed.
So these questions, in addition to renewing our request
to have the DDA policies and the Parks
and Recreation policies updated
and returned to this Council for adoption or consideration
and adoption, uh, is renewed in this motion.
Uh, the contents of my questions
and, uh, my statement, uh, will be provided, uh, to Ms.
Camp as part of the motion. Thank
You Mr. Lafferty. Madam President, Madam
Chair, uh, Mr.
Noonan and then Ms. Moore.
Right. So, uh, Councilman Lafferty, as I understand it,
there is a moratorium on having any event such as those
until we get all of that back and resolved.
And then the procedures have to be followed and,
and the council's responsible for authorizing budgets.
I think these are some of the underlying issues that you're,
I just wanted to confirm with you that those were some
of the, uh, things at stake here.
Yeah. As to the moratorium, uh, Madam Chair, uh,
as to the moratorium we address
specifically during committee of the whole.
And then our action, uh, following that
was City Hall Atrium
and the, the outdoor, uh, portion
of, of City Hall.
Uh, there may have been some existing events
that I believe at the time were already signed.
And so those, those, uh,
particular areas are not available.
The event was held in this building in in the audit, in Yes.
This building. So that was not part of,
I don't believe Mr. Schroeder can correct me if, uh,
Warren Community Center was included in,
uh, in that at the time. I don't believe it was.
Yeah. Well, the, the reason why I brought it up was
because I enjoyed the Sister city, um, event
that was held in the atrium.
Um, but I think wouldn't that also have been, um, would
that have been included in the moratorium or, or not?
No. The, the moratorium, the restrictions we placed
around the moratorium would not prevent the mayor
or the administration from performing their duties
inside City Hall
and making use of the facilities for a governmental purpose.
And that would be a governmental purpose? That's correct.
The Sister Cities. Okay.
Thank you for clarifying that. I appreciate it. Of
Course. But as, as
to your Madam Chair, to your,
your budget questions.
Absolutely. We set the budget
and we expect it to be followed.
Thank you kindly. I, I yield Ms. McGee.
Uh, I I would like to call the mayor up
to the, to the podium.
I did ask the question about who sponsored,
and I was told that the vendor sponsor, I am all about,
um, having community events, community outreach events
for all cultures for that matter.
It doesn't matter what, which one. I had a good time.
I appeared in it. Um, of course, I would like
to know the policies moving forward, as you stated.
Um, it's just that I believe moving forward,
we were also working on, um, to the point
where the money would not come out
or the fund would not come out, just the people's pocket.
Um, the taxpayer's pocket.
We are working towards trying to get grant funding, um,
sponsorship in order that we would not have
to provide for those events.
And so I would like the mayor explain
how it was sponsored
and, um, what are you planning on doing as far
as moving forward with the policies from this point on.
Mr. Bokey, Go ahead. Those questions were asked and Mr.
Lafferty's, uh, request for information,
I don't think it's proper to have the mayor answer it down
so we get a political speech.
We're asking for facts.
I'd be happy to provide them. Thank you. So Mr.
We should get facts. Mr. Bokey has the floor, Mr. Bokey,
Ms. I had not yield.
I respect Yeah.
Councilman's, uh, um, request for that,
but I don't think this is the time for that.
These questions were asked last year by Councilman Dwyer,
Myself, Mr.
Bokey, Ms. McGee still has the floor.
I hear what you're saying. And Ms.
Mc, okay. So let the mayor have a seat
and she could answer through the administration.
Ms. McGee, as you all do, have the right to follow
Up anyone, I ask a couple questions, um,
from the administration, if she have any other, if you feel
that she should not moving forward,
answer her any additional questions, that's fine.
But I wanna know what she's planning on doing
with the policies, because if we given her the questions
and went to the office, it's obvious that it's not,
it had not been answered,
or we didn't get a proper answer as of yet.
And we will limit the discussion to the questions
that she is proposing. Ms. McGee.
So those are my two questions.
How you as a sponsor, mayor,
Thank you, Councilwoman on behalf the administration just
as department one, one moment Mayor.
Yeah, I'd be happy to answer.
We need a motion by this, by this council
to suspend the rules to allow someone from the audience
to speak during one of our items.
We don't, because we call people up from
the administration all the time.
The mayor is no different. She is the administration. Yep.
I mean, unless there's some other rule that I'm, I mean,
that we call Mr.
Maselli or Ms. Michaels or Mr. Fox up
whenever we have additional questions.
Why I, I disagree with the, the ruling of the chair.
Uh, but I'm not going to challenge it.
I I will reiterate that my motion was to have these answers
provided to counsel in a written form.
Mm-hmm. So having the answers
provided to us, uh, verbally
is duplicative of the information.
I understand. And Ms. McGee has every right to ask,
of course, questions of folks,
and I just ask that the questions are responded as,
as quickly as possible as we would ask any other, um,
folks from the administration in
responding to questions from counsel. Ms. McGee?
I ask my two questions. Thank you.
And I'm not always available in person,
and so sometimes written
communications are only opportunity,
but my presence being here
and me being prepared with the answers.
Thank you. This differentiates Councilwoman
McGee from, um, mayor,
Please just respond to the question.
Thank you. Okay.
How would you like me to direct it
To Ms. McGee who asked the question about
who sponsored Yes.
And then what your plan is around policy
and when you're going to have drafts from the policies
around renting the facilities to council. Those are the
Questions. Yes. So thank
you very much.
So this wasn't a rental,
this was a mayor mayoral community outreach event.
I know there was some confusion
around mayoral community outreach events.
Um, and I really wish the council would have reached out
with their questions before they zeroed out the balance.
Um, we'd be happy to have provided that in the window,
but I'm happy to address these now.
So community outreach among other things, is one of the, um,
priorities of our administration.
And I believe that we are in agreement
that it is important. Mayor,
Please just answer the Question.
I I am I I'm sorry.
It's not a yes or no question, but I'd be happy to.
The question, is it germane?
The question is about who sponsored. The
Question was who sponsored it?
Yes. And so the mayor's office sponsored it.
Let me Thank you. Give you the context that
We don't, we don't, I mean, we
don't need the context. That was Ms. McGee
Question. I would like to provide the context
because it, Mr.
Taken out of context then it's meaning
Meaningless. Ms. McGee
asked the question.
I realize there's more context,
but that is how we, how it works.
We ask questions if we want more information from Mr. Fox
or whomever they respond.
We don't, we don't accept additional context
unless we're asking for it.
Did you need clarification on, um,
hosting event versus sponsoring event? No. No.
We just wanted to know the two questions sponsor
and the policy information about
how you plan on moving forward with the policy, making sure
that it get implemented as quickly as
Possible. Yes. So this doesn't
vary from the policy
that's been implemented.
The city is able to hold events, um, for the purposes of it.
So the purpose of this was in alignment, as we can agree.
We, we, um, we are elected
to represent an extremely diverse community.
This was that event for the Asian community.
This event was for all of the residents in Warren.
We know that by better understanding the
diversity mayor of the community. Mayor.
Mayor, I'm so sorry, but you just
have to respond to the question.
When is the policy about the DDA
and renting the atrium going to be provided to counsel?
So those are in the purview of DDA.
I'd like to, I would be happy to follow up with DDA on this,
but this was not a DDA event.
This was a mayoral event.
Understood. Thank you. Ms. McGee, do you have any more
Questions? Did you get your questions? Yes.
Thank you. Thank you. Do you have any more
questions or, I'm sorry.
Do you have any more questions? No, not at all. Thank you.
You can have c Mayor chair, uh, Ms. Moore, and then Mr.
Bokey. Thank you, Ms. Moore.
I think there's a little bit of confusion at times
because everyone seems to like to use our logo,
the Dawn logo from the dentist that says Warren Dentist
with the logo or, um, any event.
I, I noticed the, um,
I think the PRIDE event says Warren Pride.
It's confusing. Is it just
because it's taking place in warrant?
It's called Warrant? Or is it sponsored?
We passed an ordinance a few years ago that any
advertisement had to have the, um, disclaimer on it
paid for with taxpayer dollars.
Um, I don't remember exactly the details of that,
but maybe perhaps when there are advertisements for
whatever events the city's put on, there'd be this is,
this is paid for by taxpayer dollars, or this is an event.
This is paid for the non-profit of, um, whatever group
that's having that.
'cause I think people are confused.
They, and they think some people are getting things
that they're not getting.
And that's what brought up the problem
sort of with the atrium.
Certain people got to have events there that weren't,
you know, it wasn't inner, you know,
our city, the mayor Council something, Mr.
Vander Linn, can you please, please be quiet?
We're we're hearing the conversation up here. Thank you.
And, and I, I think that, that, that unfairness is
what raised a lot of the
question questions that people have.
I don't think any of us are against, if a group wants
to have an event and pay for it
or whatever, I think there, there has
to be some limitation on how many festivals
and celebrations the city can afford.
We're having trouble with, you know, we had a, a budget
that we had to work very hard trying
to get the numbers down and balancing it.
Uh, we're gonna be facing
and, you know, we have
to be very judicious in how we spend our money.
And we can't, as much as we would love to have a celebration
for everybody, we can't.
We don't have the money to do that.
And, you know, I guess the American just pick
and choose who she wants to do.
But I would've liked to have seen if the mayor's office was
going to sponsor something
or host something that it was, would've been in that budget
of, so we would know that that's, you know, what,
what the intention was
because it was, there were outreach numbers put in,
you know, different pots.
And without specifics
and details of what those were,
we didn't feel comfortable approving them.
So I think going forward, we have
to have delineated in the budget, okay, outreach, this is
what we plan for the next year,
this festival, this one, this one.
So we know where their monies are going.
And you know, to be fair, I suppose people should be able
to say, you know, have a lottery
who gets a celebration this year, that year,
just to make it fair.
Um, so I I, I think that's a, a little bit of the problem.
And I think the transparency, it needs
to be a little bit better so people know who's paying what,
who's sponsoring it is, is the Parks Rec sponsoring it.
A lot of times when Parks Rec do sponsor something,
they have outside vendors, Hamilton Chevrolet,
or lots of people
that have been very generous over the years
for the Birthday Bash, things like that.
So I think just if, if we're just to do a better job
of communicating, I think it would alleviate a lot
of the concerns from residents and, uh, and us.
So thank you. Thank you, Mr. Bokey.
Uh, just, uh, my point, um, I was against a mayor, uh,
being asked questions.
You can't pick who you're gonna let ask the mayor questions.
I was shut down in the budget meeting when I
wanted to address the mayor.
Tough questions. And you shut me down.
I respected the chair and I moved on.
And I think it's totally unfair.
You can't pick what you want, elect
what council members you want.
I was elected to represent the people, ask tough questions
and financial responsibility, you know,
and if we don't ask the tough
questions, we don't get answers.
And I have no, no problems with, um, uh,
the councilman asking the mayor
of questions, but you're not fair.
And I want that at that point across, um, whether
if I disrespected the mayor, then that's,
you could reprimand me, you know?
But to shut me down and tell me not to ask questions
because what you perceived,
what I was gonna ask is wrong, and I'll yield back.
Thank you, Mr. Bokey.
And I apologize that I would never want to shut you down.
The instance in which I think we're dis disputing is
that there was a back and forth argument back and forth,
and you are a hundred percent correct.
I take accountability. As a leader,
you should always have the floor
and be able to ask the tough questions.
So that is my, my, um,
Madam President, Mr. Newnan.
Councilman Blakey.
Um, did you want to ask the mayor questions at this time?
I thought that you just wanted her, wanted
to not ask her questions. So I didn't understand that
I wanted to ask her questions that the budget,
but I was, I was told I couldn't go any further.
Uh, I, but I said here was Councilman Lafferty
proposed a list of questions.
Right. And those questions could be answered
by the administration, right?
The same questions that the councilman
Asked. Right. And we still
expect them to
Correct.
Absolutely. That's it.
Excellent. Thank you. Anything further?
No flag girl. Mr. Lafferty.
Thank you. A follow up to
the questions on our calendar of Pending Matters.
We have, that was a request, I'm guessing,
that was initially requested on the 10th of September,
renewed on the 12th of November.
And that is for an ordinance regulating the use
of the City Seal logo insignia
and updates, update requests to be, uh,
even a, okay.
It was, and then there were further updates requesting a
draft of said ordinance.
Uh, as part of that item in the, in,
in the initial discussion in September, I also asked
for a style guide.
I asked for specific rules around the use
of our, of our logos.
And so that items like this, when the City Seal
and the City of Warren appears on something,
that it is done correctly
and lawfully, we have an ordinance.
Uh, Mr. Schroeder was looking this up.
Section two dash four requires disclaimers.
No such disclaimers were, were present
on these, on these flyers.
They weren't included on the text messaging.
And so we have, again, outstanding concerns.
And that is, you know, the reason I brought this up,
we continue, city administration continues to make missteps
with regard to these events
and the gray area that these policies suffer from.
That is why I'm bringing this back up
and will continue to, until this issue is resolved.
These, these matters are important.
We've ran into a serious issue last summer.
I do not care to repeat that.
And without the black
and white, Mr. Schroeder lives in black
and white with the law each and every day.
If there was gray area, I suppose you wouldn't have a job.
But that's, uh, that's for the judge to decide.
But that is, that is the purpose for this item.
It's not to grill the mayor, it's to ensure
that we are holding the administration accountable
under her leadership.
And when there are missteps, that's up to us to ensure
that those are accounted for.
Madam President, Mr. Noonan,
Uh, Councilman Lafferty,
would you mind just refreshing me on what the due dates were
for those items since I think they've passed
Per the, uh, Madam Chair?
Mm-hmm. Uh, per the, uh, ordinance, uh, request,
the due date was the 21st of November,
2024.
That was for the logos and the, uh, style guide.
Uh, that was for the ordinance, the style guide.
I understood, uh, Mr. Elli, uh, spoke to me at that time
that there would be, you know,
that would take some considerable development.
Uh, I understood that at the time.
And so, uh, looking forward, you know,
perhaps an update as part of that.
Uh, it's already been requested,
and so renewal of my request from those council dates,
uh, can be, uh, can be
provided. Excellent. Thank you so much.
I yield Thank you. Anything further? Mr. Uh, you, Mr.
Lafferty? Can you restate your motion? We move mad chair.
I have one more comment. Uh, it's, it's, it's kind
of on the same topic, but I noticed in the water bill there
was an advertisement for center line,
for something in Center line,
and I'm not sure that we should be putting advertisements
for center line events in our water bills.
It really should be kept for city events and city
and not for other businesses and things like that.
Um, I mean,
I have question whether we should be using it all,
but I think we should be careful about who we advertise for
and, you know, not.
And we, we saw it
before with one Fish Fry Church would be in the flyer
and not another one and things like that.
So just a comment. Thank you. Mr.
Lafferty. Could you restate your motion?
Of course. And that would be 12 CC
Uh, I will move that the administration provide answers
to the questions asked
during item 12 C at the city council meeting held
May 20th, 2025.
Thank you. Uh, Ms. Moore,
you made the motion on Mr. Lafferty
Supporting and, and all, including all related exhibits.
Thank you. I will call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan?
Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Next item
is the gentlemen.
You're please, you're out of order.
We can hear you very well up here,
and it's very distracting,
and we're just trying to make sure we get
through the meeting and do so properly.
If you please could just be respectful,
it would be very much appreciated, Ms. Moore.
Um, next item is 12 D, city
of Warren Urban Seed Community Garden Lease.
I will make a motion to approve
Support, DWY support discussion.
This is Ms. Stein's item Support Dwyer.
Mr. Lafferty, can I have discussion first? Of
Course. Thank you. I yield.
Thank you. Um, so this,
and I apologize, this is coming to everybody at the table.
Um, this is for a short term lease, a one year lease to,
uh, pilot, uh, this particular endeavor,
which is an agreement
with an organization called Urban Seed.
Um, urban Seed has a community garden in East Point
where they have a very successful model
and work collaboratively with the city of East Point.
Um, they grow, produce
and give it away to neighbors, um, to help in,
in the community, um, to help with food insecurity.
Um, they've asked for my help on trying
to secure some vacant property, I think probably in December
or November of January in the winter of some kind.
Well, this past year, um,
and we've been working with the administration, a number
of departments, um, Mr. Schroeder
to bring this lease to you.
And why we're adding it to the table today is
because, um, it is growing season
and we don't have a meeting for another three weeks
and without, um, a lease, they can't start, um,
their work on the property.
So, uh, they are looking at taking a
vacant piece of property.
The city currently owns, um, growing produce
and, um, treating as a community garden
and giving that produce away
to neighbors in the south end of the city.
Madam President, while I find this admirable, Mr. Mr.
Lafferty is next. Oh, I'm sorry.
Yep. After me. Um, there are,
I'd just like a copy is all I'm saying.
It's, it is in your email. Yeah.
I, I, well, I haven't been able to find it.
Okay. I will give you my copy. I'll,
here we have an extra, there's an extra copy.
Thank you. So there's a number of items I wanted
to point out, um, but I will turn.
Okay. I will let Mr.
Lafferty, before I point out some of the, um,
changes I think are necessary, I will let Mr.
Lafferty discuss, thought we already
Did this changes.
Thank you, Madam Chair. And just to clarify, uh,
Mr it's
In there. Go ahead, Ms.
Mr. Schroeder, you participated in
the, the review with Ms.
Michaels? Yes. Okay.
And so the, the questions I have the copy
provided to me Exhibit A is blank.
Mr. Sch Schroer can speak to that.
Yep. That's just the description of the property.
So I believe that the address is at the top of the
Lease. It is.
Okay. And exhibit A will just, it's just a description
of the property, which is already in the recital,
so it will just be a repeat of what you see there.
Okay. And my understanding is that the, uh,
community organization really only wants
the 1 3 6 9 0 fer property.
Correct. Um, and that would be it, that, um, the rest
of the properties would not be subject to this lease.
Um, and, uh, Ms.
Michaels is shaking her head, but I mean, that's what you,
So the, the understanding confirmed from Urban Seed was
that the taking on the additional properties would be more
challenging, that an acre
of property would be a reasonable amount of property to be
taking and gardening this season.
Do you have a concern? Ms. Michaels? Okay, good. Sorry, Mr.
Laffy, I have hijacked your
Time.
That's, that's why I was kind of questioning Exhibit A.
What, what are the properties in
Question? Ms. Michaels,
Councilman Council,
Laura Sullivan from my office worked on the lease.
And my understanding after talking to her is
that she expected another meeting
before final terms were, were worked out
because what was originally discussed
isn't in the final draft.
I guess the organization can't agree to everything.
So there's some terms that still have to be worked out,
logistics, and I'm just one hoping
that maybe there could be one meeting
and if there's a special meeting of council added at
that time to the agenda.
So, Ms. Michaels, just to clarify what is in here,
their group is agreeing to, um,
it's not necessarily the terms that they would love,
but they're agreeing to the terms,
The original terms, the ones that
Law, the draft that Mr. Schroeder that you all
drafted today or that you sent over today.
I believe the draft, the original draft
that Laura Sullivan prepared it are the terms
that I believe the public service director
and the administration could agree to.
They're not, the terms in the current agreement
are not terms that are acceptable.
That could be, that could work for the admin administration.
There are too many concerns
and I think it's a matter of just working them
out at one meeting. An
Example. Yeah.
Ms. Michaels, is there one example that are not,
they're not acceptable. One
Is the shed.
The city cannot agree to a shed
that taken another one is signs that's
Taken out. That was taken out.
Signs were taken out too.
Yes. Shed and signs were taken out. Okay.
Just to clarify, Ms.
Michaels, uh, Ms. Sullivan did a red line of
that agreement late this afternoon.
She struck the shed. We heard from Mr. Serre about the shed.
He was absolutely right. Um, we struck the sign language out
and, um, so we accepted all her final changes,
sent it back to counsel.
Apparently the group is agreeing, agreeing to this.
So we did relent on the shed and the, um, signage. Okay.
Is that Mr, would I request one request, if I may,
Madam Chair, if the final, if it is approved, that just be,
that it meet the satisfaction
of the public service director.
He already, just to make sure he is on board with all
of the final terms, because I'm not aware
whether he is or not.
I thought he Said something. Mr. Schroder,
The public service director, did take a pass at
that this afternoon.
That was why the shed language was removed.
That is why the signage language was removed.
He also approved the language with respect to water service
and providing a monthly water bill to the,
um, to the organization.
So I have no problem with that. Um, okay. Thank you.
So I would, I would recommend to council that we do add
that stipulation because I believe that, uh,
the public service director was on board,
and if not, uh, I would state that, uh, we could work
that out by Friday before the, uh, reconsideration.
Okay, perfect. That would be my recommendation. Okay.
Thank you. Thank you. Um, thank you Mr. Lafferty.
I apologize to you. Your floor.
Alright. So beyond, uh, beyond ex Exhibit A, thank you for
that, uh, item.
But you're, what you're suggesting is that
we are only talking about 1 3 6 9 0 topfer.
Correct. Alright.
And I just got a, a text message.
The water hookup might have to be on the other parcel.
That could be a potential problem
From Mr. Melli or
Yes, I'm sorry. From Mr.
Za. From that there,
the water hookup might have to be on the other parcel.
So if we are striking one property from this agreement
tonight, and we're essentially cutting
off their water supply
An easement?
An easement. It's a vacant property. Oh,
Under understood. Yeah.
But that, let me, let me continue here.
I've only got a couple of of minor concerns.
We have many of the, the different recitals here, uh,
are about the lessee.
The lessor does not seem
to have any responsibilities in the, in the agreement.
There are, uh, a number of items that, you know,
give us protections, termination, insurance, all of those,
those items in indemnifications,
those are all covered as as expected.
Ms. Michaels, the, the issue that I have is
that it doesn't seem
that the city has any other
responsibilities for this property.
And I ask that
because exhibit B, uh,
we're talking about design and appearance.
So under 3G,
the lessee must maintain a tidy appearance on the
properties, which includes mowing the lawn, removing plants
and leaves, so on and so forth.
But exhibit B item 12 prohibits any structures of any kind.
So my question is, where are the tools, the lawnmower,
the weed whipper, uh, where are all of those tools going
to be stored If there's no shed on the property,
I mean, uh, representative from e seats here to talk,
but what I know about the project is
that they will bring them all in
because they're not able to keep a, a shed there.
They all live in the area. Okay.
And so they will bring all of those items over.
They would prefer not to have to do that clearly, as,
as you are a gardener yourself, Mr.
Lty. Um, but that is the, uh, concession they're willing
to make in order to move this project forward.
Okay. The, so that's,
that's not indicating then that's kind of goes back to
where I was saying the lesser responsibilities is the stay
still cutting the grass because we're not allowing them
to mow the, you know, we're not allowing them storage space
so that that does hold. Then
Yes, they're going to have to bring in a mower
or a weed whip every week and mow the lawn.
We ask that the city do it. Um, but I don't think Mr.
Mazare was, um, supportive of that.
So, um, that is not ideal.
Uh, but that is the concession they're willing to make if
that is what we need in order to move it
Forward. Okay. Uh,
Mr. Schroer,
I did have one concern about design and appearance.
Oh my God. The, the last sentence, if less is unable
to attend to the properties for any period of two weeks,
this lease will be deemed revoked.
Um, I was wondering, would it be prudent to have
that they have to maintain per city standards,
property maintenance standards incite the ordinance?
I believe this they have to follow all city ordinances.
Mm-hmm. Uh, later in the agreement that they, they are
to comply with all ordinances.
That's just if they abandon the property. Okay.
That's for if they abandon this project for purpose,
that the city can take it back.
So it's like a two week period. Yes.
So, you know, as things grow in the summer mm-hmm.
Giving 'em a longer period
of time would probably have things outta control.
We don't expect that to happen. But
Of course, of Course.
That was Ms. Sullivan's language, so,
Okay. Yeah. And then
I'll move down to, uh, page three.
Under section four, prohibited activities.
First of all, the section itself, if,
why do we have prohibited activities under number four?
And then have exhibit B, which is rules
and additional prohibited activities?
I, so Mr. Schroeder, if, if we're going to make
an amendment to this, what I'd like to see is either all
of the prohibited activities be part of one exhibit,
because, and the reason I ask that pro, uh,
prohibit activity section four, item C,
bringing emotional support animals on the property.
And then that is in conflict with Exhibit B, item 13,
which states, uh, allow dog, cats
or other animals within the con, within the confines
of the properties except service animals as
provided for in the a DA.
So we have a, we have a conflict there in the language.
So, and that's part
and parcel of the reason I
wanted to bring these two together.
If you bring both sections together, you're gonna rule out
that we have any conflicts within the two prohibitions,
the within the two sections for, for prohibitions.
Uh, otherwise, I'm, I'm amenable to the, the agreement.
I would like to truly understand if both properties are
needed, it would appear the administration suggests
that they are for water hookup
or that we grant them the ability to
run a hose from the other property.
Uh, even though they're not using it,
I don't think we need to lease them.
The property just for water use, uh, is that
water use going to be metered?
Yes. Okay.
And where is, so it, it's, if it's going to be metered, uh,
where is, uh, this, this should be added to the section.
I added that language today.
Search
Water. There are
no results for the word water.
I didn't see, so perhaps it's maybe they
Took it out that Earlier.
Yeah, because if we're, if we're leasing them,
I expect them to pay a water bill.
I have to pay a water bill from my garden
and I support them.
But they have to, they have to pay their water bill.
Are you giving free stuff away at your house?
I, I, I give away tomatoes. I give away cucumbers.
We with lots of, lots of foods that, uh,
we typically give away to the neighbors.
Hosta plants if you want hosta plants. Oh.
But, uh, those are, those are the items
that I have an issue with.
Chair. Um, Mr. Nunan first, then Ms. Ms. Mark. Mr. Nunan.
Okay. Did you have any questions?
Alright. No, I
Just wanted, I just wanted this thing.
Okay, Ms. Moore, um, what is a, oh, sorry. Mr. Lafferty.
I'm, I'm sorry. Mr. Schroeder just
provided me what it looks like he added,
but it was probably taken out under costs.
Item K uh, the city
of Warren will provide a metered watered service
connection to the property.
And the lessee is responsible
for paying the monthly water service charges as invoiced
by the city of Warren Water Department.
I don't know why that would've been taken out.
So that Madam
Chair, another concern, maybe that was
because the city doesn't wanna provide it.
They have to do their own, I dunno, Mr.
Mazare had agreed in a meeting that he would turn on Ms.
Michaels. What's there? What's there? The meter.
Turn on the meter and waive the fee.
Is that accurate language Ms. Michaels?
Yeah. From the discussion that we had, that's what he said.
I'll so
Mad and Charlie Yield. Thank you for
The moment. So
couldn't they just grant an
easement to the next property?
It's our property. So, I mean,
these people are renting for a year.
I mean, I think we're really getting bogged down in
unnecessary information.
What is the shed? Does that include a port portable shed?
Mm-hmm. We tried a portable
or you can't even have a portable shed.
No, we tried.
They a me too. Everybody can have a show, right?
If you go accessory
Yeah. Foundation.
I'm sure if anybody would like to donate
and help this group, uh, pay the water bills
or anything else, they would take, uh, donations.
Right. We'll, we'll share on council Facebook page.
You'll get the information to us.
And I think it's this great idea.
Um, I'm sorry it's taken so long. This seems ridiculous.
It's taken so long and people are buying all their plants
now to plant for, um, what they're going to have.
And our time's kind of running out in the
next couple of weeks, I think.
Turn your microphone on, sir. Motion to sub spread the rules
Support Lafferty.
Yeah. The plans that we had originally, um, kind
of lined up for that garden don't even exist anymore.
Um, as I, as I had passed along to the city,
those plants go other places when there's not beds,
when people can't speak for them.
Those are living things and they have an expiry date,
and if they're not in the ground,
then they'll be in the ground somewhere else.
So it's, uh, it's, it's a lot of things that we have
to get in line now, um, just because of these delays.
Sorry. Yeah.
Yeah. Thank you.
Because it's, it's sad when somebody wants
to do something nice for the community and the residents
and you have to meet so many roadblocks.
But I guess that's, that's government for you.
But thank you for what you're doing.
We really appreciate it. Thank
You.
The only other adjustment on here is, um,
that I had was under hours of operations.
Um, our parks are sun up to sundown.
Gardening is not allowed activity.
And all these people are volunteers before and
after work and on the weekends.
So I don't know why we couldn't say from sun up to sundown
versus 7:00 AM Does anyone
have any objection to that?
I don't think
Sun down.
Okay.
Okay. And then the only other thing
with this is the saying,
it's the garden is closed in November to April.
Um, I don't know why we would do that.
They're leasing the property and gardening continues.
They, they can make pumpkins and Yeah.
I don't know why we would. Right.
So those are the, the two adjustments I would make if folks
are amenable to that mean sun up
to sundown is much shorter in November.
Obviously it's like nine to five,
but, you know, nevertheless, people prepare for gardening
and do gardening all year round, so, okay.
So folks are amenable to that change.
Yeah. Thank you.
Um, so I guess I will restate some of these adjustments. Mr.
Lafferty, did you figure out the easement portion?
Madam chair? The, the, the question was, Mr.
Uh, Dwyer had a, a question between the Topher properties
and the Collier properties, noting that the
Topher properties are opposite sides of the street,
but the Collier properties are adjacent, uh, to one another.
I can't tell here, based on, uh, the, the mapping,
it looks like there's, there may be, I,
I don't have a parcel map to compare it to,
but it looks like those two properties are side by side.
So if we're, which Mr.
Schroder, which was the, the address
that was struck from the agreement, was it one
of the Topher addresses or one of the Collier addresses?
It was the, to, it was both the Collier and Topfer. Okay.
Was in it originally.
Alright, so let, let me, let me clarify which,
which addresses Ms.
Rogan. See, are we granting East or are we granting
1 3 6, 9 0 fer, 1, 3, 6, 9 0 fer.
Mm-hmm. And that's it.
Correct. We're not doing anything on top.
They could've loved more, but it's too late in the season
to take on more,
and we're wanting to set them up for success so
that we can continue this Great idea.
Okay. So then the, the question then,
if they don't have water hookup
or water service on the property, then that item's moot.
If there, if there's no water service on the property,
they don't have anywhere to get water on that,
on 1 3 6 9 0 fer,
because the other address is across the street.
Got it. So there would be nothing to grant easement to.
Got it. And or the just
Backs up to it. The water
service could be callier
backs up to it there adjacent.
So running, running water across the,
Do you wanna ask Urban Seed
what their thoughts are on water?
I I would be fine. So, to a representative of Urban Seed,
can, can you speak to water is an
essential element of this agreement.
Sorry, hold on. Try now.
Yeah, absolutely. Um, so the properties as they stood
before, actually back up to each other.
So one street and then the other,
and then they meet at the back.
There's a fence line there.
So if we had to, we could figure out a way.
If it wasn't going to catch us any flack,
if there was a meter there with a spigot, we would hook up
to that and water across, across like several hundred feet.
Um, but it wouldn't be crossing any roads. It mm-hmm.
It's, uh, it's unsurprising. So,
Thank you, sir. Yeah.
So then Madam Chair, what I would suggest is that we,
we must leave one of the properties
that provide water service in the agreement
and state as a, a revision that we are granting
easement access only for the purposes of water service
to a metered connection.
That's sufficient to
Me. Okay.
Or a license. Are we Or a license.
Or a license? Mr. Schroer saying
How, however the attorneys decide to,
to word that specifically.
I'll leave that up to them.
Okay. Ms. Moore is the Collier property.
The property we bought originally for the library, Mary,
Because I think we bought, somebody, bought a piece
of property, we ended up not using it
because we did own some, I think it's Collier.
Do you remember Mr. Fox?
Yeah, I think that's the, it'd be nice to see that used
for something since we wasted money buying.
Is there any other discussion items?
Madam Chair, Mr. Lty?
Have we captured everything?
I mean, we can recap.
So, um, the address would be
1 3 6 9 0 chafer.
And,
Um, What's, we have
to determine which address on Collier has water service.
They're, they're not taking the Collier
Understood. But we
must include one
of the addresses on Collier for water service
Release for Oh, got it. It's
not at to for lot. Correct.
Collier lot give the water utility access.
Got it. Okay. I'm following now. Yes.
So one of the addresses on Collier, um,
and the to for lot the
additional section D hours of Operation Sun up to sundown
and there's no closure.
Um, Mr.
Lafferty, yours were combination of Exhibit B
and prohibited items.
Is that correct?
It was the, uh, the lesser responsibilities,
whatever those may be.
If we have to enumerate the, the responsibilities
of the city as the lesser
and then the Exhibit B, uh,
ensuring that exhibit B
or all prohibited activities are included in section four,
but they have to be in one section.
They, I, I don't want prohibited activities
and rules in two separate places
that could potentially con uh, conflict
with each other in the same agreement.
Understood. I think
that is the, all the adjustments.
I think so. Okay. So, Mr.
Uh huh. And I'm sorry, one more item that
we have a final draft presented to counsel
prior to the expiration of our reconsideration period.
That way all of counsel has an opportunity to look at the
Final draft and, uh, Mr.
Mazare can take a last pass before reconsideration.
Yes. Sign off by public service.
Okay. Anything further? Okay.
Uh, makers of the motion,
comfortable with all of those amendments?
Mr. Dwyer and Ms. Moore? Yes. Yes. Okay.
I will call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes.
Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes.
Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Next item.
Madam Chair, I'm sorry, I, I expect a tomato from the
Garden.
I hope you visit if you pay. Thanks, Jeff.
Next item is 13.
A consideration
and adoption of a resolution amending the ordinance
for the city of Warren Capital improvement Bond series 2022.
Second reading. So moved.
Support Lafferty.
Discussion, hearing, and scene. None.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Mr. Noonan?
Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Madam Chair, recess has been requested.
Motion to go into recess.
Support for Recess. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.
We're recess for 10 minutes.
A
thing hit my desk yesterday afternoon.
She was texting me saying, would you support this? I didn't.
I got late yesterday and
so then I did a red line and confused
because she had it today.
But yeah, I think you're right though.
I think there's a version of control issue.
Oh, at the end of today. There was for sure. Yeah.
My thing got, I had that written in there.
I don't know how it got taken. I don't think
that would, I think it was a mistake.
It was taken. I have a text with re saying.
Can you look at that? I sent that to him.
You approved what I showed you. Mm-hmm.
I'm like, we have, it's kind of a gift
to them providing the service.
We'll just look past that because they're it,
but takes a few to thing president, which
it was given to because this thing never gonna, yeah.
The events all good.
Last night was, last night was a stinker.
Have that in the course of a I like
to back winning years.
Third party. Yeah. Starch.
This is, I know. One year. It was crazy. All year long.
2006. 84. 84. That's right. 84.
But they kind of leveled off after they doubled off.
That's all they needed. Right.
This year is definitely gonna start.
Probably be healthy in playoffs
and momentum flowing into it.
Momentum, yeah. And they had that last year.
Walk out, out. Okay. We ready?
We're back on. Next item.
Next item is uh, two, which was table 5 13 20 25.
Notice of appointment of Wilbert McAdams
as Fire Commissioner and Orrin Ferguson as fire chief.
Um, motion to remove from the table.
Support to remove from the table.
All in favor or remove from the table? Aye. Aye.
Any opposed? Okay. Items removed.
Madam Chair, I would like to separate
these items if I could.
Mm-hmm. Um, and deal with the appointment of, um, Wilbert,
affectionately known as Skip, uh, McAdams.
Um, Madam Chair, um, I would make a motion
to receive and file.
Um, we don't have to affirmatively confirm, uh,
commissioner, uh, McAdams appointment.
Um, I would mention that, um,
earlier today, the last couple days.
Pardon me? Support. Support. Someone
Support to bifurcate the items.
And thank you. Motion to receive a file
And motion to receive
and file, uh, 13 B one.
Okay. For Mr. McAdams.
Thank you. Uh, discussion Ms. Moore. Thank you.
Um, so, um, under the current terms of the charter,
um, it is, um, um, not permissible for
an appointed, um, officer of the city.
Um, would you explain it, Mr. Schroeder,
the legal, the charter?
Why am I doing it? And then I'll finish.
In 1957, the voters of Warren approved the city charter,
and it has a provision related to nepotism.
The charter says that no two employees,
including administrative officers within a certain degree
of consanguinity, can serve in the same department.
So if you have a father and a son, a mother
and a daughter, they are not allowed
to serve in the same department under the city charter.
This was tested by the courts in the Michigan Court
of Appeals, which reviewed this, um, a while ago.
It's still good law that, um, at the time it was two members
of the public service department that were related,
and the person applying
for the job was not allowed to take the job.
Um, they had to find a job in another department
because of two related persons in the same department.
And the court of appeals wrote a very, um, short
but instructive legal opinion in that case where they said
that the public policy behind this is supported.
It was constitutional.
They challenged the constitutionality of this.
And the court said, no, this is constitutional
because it's trying to prevent issues with, you know,
if my own son or daughter were in the department
or my father, it leads to favoritism
and other problems that can grow from that.
And at the same time, the courts struck down the city
of center line nepotism saying it was unconstitutional
because it said you can't serve anywhere in the city if you
have a relative anywhere.
And they said that was overbroad.
They said the war on charter was very narrowly tailored
to be a inter departmental nepotism rule.
It was upheld, it was legal and it was proper.
And the public policy behind it was, was good according
to the Michigan Court of Appeals, that has stood since 1982.
So that being said, it's also important to know that, um,
there's a long history in the, you know, police
and fire where you do hear of brothers and fathers
and sons somehow serving in the same department.
Well, how does this happen? This happens
because the collective bargaining process, um,
our, our state laws allowing
for union collective bargaining allow that charter
to be sidestep from time to time.
And that applies to those who are in
that collective bargaining unit, in that unit,
not necessarily to the person who's not in the department,
the bargaining unit, who's the department head.
So there's a, some complex interacting, uh, statutes here.
Um, so that's sort of the background.
Is that what you were looking for?
Correct. Correct. Just explain that.
Uh, the collective bargaining now in Mr um, um,
in Commissioner McAdams case,
he's not a member of a bargaining unit.
And so that same, um, the,
that protection would not apply to him,
but it does apply to your son.
We're allowed to hire. And the union language,
as it sits now, says that regardless
of whether Mr.
Or Commissioner McAdams is the commissioner
of the department, nonetheless the department
could hire his son.
But the charter then states, the son stays,
the commissioner goes, and now the son has union protection.
Um, today an agreement was signed, um,
between the union and the city.
Um, that, um,
and I believe the intent of the nepotism clause is so
that there's no favoritism given to relatives
and, you know, on vacations or, you know, things like that.
So the agreement is that Mr.
Mc, uh, commissioner McAdams will not be dealing
with personal, um, personnel issues with his son
or if he has another family member that comes in, or,
or, I don't know if you have any more in the pipeline
that wanna be firefighters.
No. No. Okay.
Um, so that was taken care of today.
I do have to say, nobody's perfect.
Um, uh, commissioner McAdams isn't perfect
as a fire commissioner.
I'm not perfect as a council person. None of us are perfect.
Um, but I do have to say that, um,
when your appointment came over, and,
and I, you know, I hear a lot, you know,
I go to the stations.
I have a pretty good relationship with the Fire,
fire department, and, um, they were all very supportive
of you being appointed.
And I knew that, and I, you know, tried
to work on a path forward that we can make that happen.
Um, and I do have to say, of course,
we suffered a tragedy last year,
and what I saw from you was
truly impressive.
Um, the kindness
and the compassion that you showed everybody,
um, in the department,
and I think everybody saw you in not they
ever saw you in a bad light.
But I think there's this elevated light that everybody
that went on, and they saw that in you and they, and me too.
And I truly, truly appreciated
that I talked to you during that time.
And, um, so I, I appreciate that. I know the guys.
I can say, guys, still, when's, when's the female coming?
Oh, I'm gonna have to get used to saying men and women.
Um, but they appreciate that.
I skip, I know you have a really, really good heart,
and I've seen that especially over the last year.
So, and not one person has come out
to me in the last couple weeks saying that, no,
please vote no, don't, don't put, um, continue
to have Commissioner McAdams in this position.
So I just want you to know that, and I'm in full support.
We just receive a file.
We don't have to confirm, but we can deny if we have cause.
Thank you. Any other discussion?
Madam Chair? Mr. Lafferty, and then Mr. Nunan,
Relative to the agreement that Ms. Moore is referring to,
I'd like to amend our motion to receive
and file to include ratification of the letter
of agreement as adopted today.
Uh, by it, would it be appropriate to say
by the union, by the
Local 1383, local 13, local 1383,
You and Ms. Moore are the makers of the motion?
Yeah. Are you, I'm still, oh, hold on one second. Sure.
Um, comfortable with the, that addition. Oh, sure.
And has everybody signed that agreement at this point?
I think so. Right? We just have to approve it?
I think so. I think it's all signed,
Right?
No. Getting some notes?
Pardon me? I saw some notes in values. Okay.
I know that the union signed,
Has the administration signed?
Oh, I don't know that we can't do this if it's not signed.
We'll have to deny Ms. Michaels, you can come to the podium.
Oh, turn it on there. Sorry.
Sorry. I'm not aware whether it hasn't been signed
by the city yet, but I'll coordinate with
our personnel director.
Well, it has to be, it has to be signed by tonight.
This is our last opportunity,
because if not, then it's a violation of the charter
and we don't have another choice
but to say no, we, by law, we cannot,
we would be derelict in our duty if we don't, I mean,
I'll sit here all night and wait for it to be signed.
Whoever has to sign it.
We'll, we'll move this till later in the meeting.
I, I'll stay here till three in the morning if we
have to, if we can get it signed.
I think the union signed it. Who?
I'm sorry, madam. Sure. Who has a copy of the,
the agreement as ratified by the union by 1383.
Jared might.
Mr. Vander Lenin,
Of course. Oh,
Mr. Gaos. Hello.
Hi. Hi, counsel. Um, Jared Gios, HR director.
Um, I was provided the LOU right
before I came to the committee of the whole,
the copy I have does not have the local signature on it,
but I don't mind signing the agreement.
I gave a read through, uh, discussed it with Ms.
Michaels and we're both in agreement on signing it.
Um, I just need the one that has the copy
with the union signature, and I'll go ahead and
Sign it. Are you're the last
signature,
Uh, for the City of Warren?
You're the signature? Yeah, I can sign it.
Okay. Okay. I just need the one
that has the firefighter
Signature. Okay. I'm, I'm satisfied if I
have your
representation that you're gonna sign it.
Okay. Cool. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Good. Do you still have the floor, Mr. Lafferty?
I'm, I, I take Mr.
Gios outta his word that the agreement will be signed.
Uh, this,
this should have been addressed prior to our meeting.
This, this should have been signed and,
and prepared for, for counsel to dispose tonight.
So I'm, I'm not pleased with that.
I don't have an issue, uh, with,
uh, with this appointment.
Uh, Mr.
McAdams, uh, commissioner, we have known each other for, uh,
going on just over six years now.
I've always known you to be,
Uh, A man of good character
and appreciate, uh, everything you've done
for the department.
Uh, and echo the, the same sentiment that Ms. Moore,
uh, offered earlier.
Uh, look forward to seeing
your leadership continue with the city.
Thank you for your service to our city
and our CI and our citizens. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Newnan, I just wanna say that I understand
that this means that when the council, uh, votes in favor of
as I expect we're about to, um,
that will be affirming your appointment.
Uh, skip and, and thank you so much for your, uh, long years
of service and your forbearance with all the questions
around at this time of, uh, of the year and, and everything.
So, uh, that's, that's correct. Right?
We'll be affirming his appointment.
We're going to receive and, and
File. Receive and
file, which is which
we're not denying, correct?
Correct. Yeah. Okay.
Anyone else? Yes. Ms. McGee.
Would that receive
and file, include all others, that
if there's other commissions that come about
or they, if they decide to hire a relative or, or, or a son
or daughter, would that include them also?
So it's just one particular commissioner that will be re um,
his son will be under that bargaining agreement
when we have other commissioners
that may be appointed with their sons.
Would they go by that same charter?
They go by the same charter.
Everybody goes by the same charter.
Everybody follows the charter.
What We are making an agreement
and we're, we're making an agreement
to outside of the charter at this point as part
of the collective bargaining agreement.
Um, it's a letter of understanding
that'll be attached to that.
It, that would not be appropriate for any other,
it would not be appropriate for anybody else.
This is a one time.
So moving forward, will other commissioners
that are appointed by the mayor
and the city council approve,
will they be held responsible under that charter?
Under the charter if they decided
Their son? Everybody
is held under the, in
The bargaining Agreement? Everybody?
No, everybody is held under the charter.
They wouldn't get, have the same agreement.
This is a personal agreement. This is, go ahead.
I think I understand what you are asking, Councilwoman.
Any future fire commissioner,
fire commissioner would be subject to this agreement,
meaning that, um, this particular provision,
and for years it didn't.
Um, this nepotism provision doesn't apply
to the fire department, but only
because of this letter of agreement that the
commissioner cannot have direct supervisory control
of a family member at any time during, uh, this agreement.
And that includes promotional decisions, discipline,
scheduling, other decisions
where favoritism could play a role.
But this would apply to a future fire commissioner the way
it's written now, however,
during the next collective bargaining agreement round,
this could be changed at that time too.
But, um, we were put in a situation where the,
the son was hired and the commissioner was there,
and then the, some changes were made
and they were left without any protection in the collective
bargaining agreement for this.
So, uh, Councilwoman Moore wanted to correct
that Council secretary.
So this does that.
This is legal and proper, this isn't anything
that's not proper in a way to, um, get
around the charter, so to speak.
We don't like to get around the charter
because it's our constitution here in the city.
But for decades, this is a very pro-labor state,
a very pro-labor city.
And collective bargaining agreements by law can be used to,
um, get around charter provisions, um, for lack
of a better way of putting it,
but it's a legal proper way to do it.
But we're addressing a problem here,
which is the favoritism, which is why we have the rule
to just say, go ahead, commissioner, hire all your children.
Because we put it in the collective bargaining agreement,
doesn't really do, um, justice to the charter,
which is trying to prevent the favoritism.
Yeah. But my concern is, uh,
in the future if something like this happened, it may
or may not be in the bargaining agreement,
and then we did it for one person, commissioner
of the fire department.
It seems discriminatory.
So if you say you're gonna do this,
let's move forward in doing it, making sure
that we could do it in the future of what happened.
So you just said to, this is one personal time,
but it happened on
before where we had commissioners that hire
Relatives. And I, I
agreed with what you're saying.
And then I talked to the labor attorneys for the city
and talked to people and police and fire.
And you go back decades
or go back a century there, there's a lot of families
who get into this business of police
and fire, public service.
And, um, in some of the larger departments,
you're gonna have a circumstance where you might have
two brothers serving in the same department,
not even under the same supervisors
that would technically violate the charter.
So, um, so it's something specific
to public service, uh, at this time.
Or excuse me, public safety, I shouldn't say public safety.
So, and at this time, it only applies
to the fire department, but I, um,
don't disagree with your concerns.
I don't have anywhere else.
Any other discussion or questions, Ms. McGee?
No, not at this time. Okay.
Uh, okay. I will call the question.
This is a motion to receive in file. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Newan?
Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is? Yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Congratulations. I guess
Manager.
And would like just to add
that the signed agreement to be
provided to counsel, uh, prior to Friday
Signed agreement provided to counsel, getting a thumbs up.
Thank you. Thank you. Next item.
Next item is notice of appointment of Orrin Ferguson
as Fire Chief Madam Chair.
Ms. Warren, um, I'm gonna make a motion
to receive and file for a minute.
Supports, receive and file of discussion.
Um, I have been contacted
by, um, many members of the fire department in the last,
um, you know, couple weeks, um,
but have been told about incidents for several years now.
Um, we did have a committee meeting the whole where, um, um,
we asked, um, chief Ferguson some questions.
Um, and there are,
there was a live broadcast of that meeting,
and apparently they've been watching at some of the, some
of the fire stations.
And, um, I've gotten texts that some
of the information given was not correct.
My colleagues have asked me if you would be willing
to take an oath
that everything you said in the committee meeting,
the whole was the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
And then we would have a, an investigation to
confirm and make sure that all of those, any
of the allegations that have brought forward are
with or without merit.
Do You want, Mr, do you want him to
Come up? Sure. If
he wants to answer that
motion to suspend the rules.
Support.
Can I talk to Mrs. Michaels before I make a decision?
Is she your attorney? Sure.
Yeah.
If this is on, it picks everything.
If this mic is on, it picks up everything.
Can you guys hear me? Yes. Yes.
Apologize to everyone.
I, it, the new microphone is picking up a
lot of sound from the first row.
Mm-hmm. So I keep turning it off, so apologies.
Carrie. Carry on.
So can you repeat the, um,
the statement again, please? Yes.
Um, would you be willing to take an oath
and swear that what you said to counsel in the committee,
me the whole was the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, and that we would con
convene an investigation to investigate the claims?
Because I am getting reports from people that some
of the things said were not correct.
And I wanna give you the opportunity to say absolutely.
You would swear to that,
that those things you said were true.
Investigate Ms.
Excuse, you cannot. Excuse me, Mr.
Vander Lenin, please be quiet. Mayor.
You cannot yell from the, the audience and No, no.
And, and I will, I will state that, uh,
council secretary does have subpoena power if,
but there was not time for us to meet
and for the council to grant subpoena power to me
to undergo all of the, to undergo, um, an investigation.
I tried to have it done by the Mayor's office.
I suggested that they pull the
appointment to give us more time.
I didn't hear back. I contacted the, um, chief of Staff
and, um, I never heard back.
Mayor Board Charter Council has had the
record amount of time.
Okay. If you thought it was enough time,
but you don't have a right to speak right now.
You, you, we, this is not proper protocol.
You are, you have to abide by the rules of counsel.
Chief Ferguson came up.
We no one asked you to come up to the podium and to speak.
Mayor Stone, please sit down. Please sit down.
I don't think we wanna talk about how much time people take
to make decisions around here.
Okay. Um, can we please excuse me, everyone in the audience.
I need everyone to level set here.
This is a professional business meeting
we are giving Mr. Bell.
This is a professional business meeting. Madam Chair.
I, I, I worked very hard
and to make, to figure out a way to approve,
to be able to prove and go forward
with Commissioner McAdams.
That took time. And we haven't had very much time.
If you think a week, you know, all of us were very busy
doing a budget, and this was put on, on the budget night.
We didn't have time to investigate that.
I didn't have time to send out
subpoenas or to call the police.
I did talk to the police today.
I've talked to police officers about certain things today,
and I know how to go about getting the information
that I, I need.
Um, but the question is, as I said,
would you be willing to take an oath?
I'm, I am. Um, uh, I'm an officer of the court.
I'm allowed to administer an oath.
And would you be willing to take an oath that
what you told counsel was the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing?
So under penalty of perjury,
I am willing to, to take that oath. Yes.
Okay. But I'm not willing to, uh,
go through an investigation.
Then I withdraw the offer and my motion will be to deny.
Thank you. Thank
You. Based on,
based on information, I'm concerned that
so many firefighters, uh, have come forward
with information, um, with they're concerned
and about your leadership
and many of these issues that were brought forward
to me, I didn't make them up.
I don't live in the station every day.
Um, and it was especially surprising to me
because nobody said any one thing against
commissioner, uh, McAdams.
Um, and some of the, I was disturbed
that there were certain things that you,
you claimed no knowledge of.
And I think that whether the allegations I have behind that,
um, that I didn't go into were true
or not the fact that you didn't know.
I see. I think that you should know.
And many of those issues I asked, I think you should know.
So that my emotion, um,
I prob there's probably not enough votes here.
Nobody has the information. I do.
I didn't share it in the committee meeting.
I was very careful to ask you questions
and not make, um, unfounded allegations.
I just shared what I've been told
and I didn't have evidence with me.
I do have some, but I did not share it there.
But I, my motion is to deny,
and I'm probably gonna be the only one I don't know.
But my motion is deny, deny that you're not willing
to undergo an investigation into those matters.
Thank you, Ms. Moore. Thank you. Madam President.
Is there Sup support for Ms. Moore's? Motion?
Madam President, I will support with discussion
Su support.
Mr. Lafferty.
Thank you. Uh, Mr. Ferguson, we've had many conversations.
Uh, we've spoken on a number of different topics.
The information that has also been shared
with me was concerning.
You answered those questions in the public forum when you
had the opportunity to have a, uh, closed session
with counsel, as was, as was your right.
And you chose to have that meeting in public
for everyone to hear.
And I can't imagine how hard that was for you,
and I respect you for that.
But your answer to Ms. Moore is what is most concerning
if I was being accused
and everything that I said, Madam President,
Ms. Mayor,
you cannot come up to the podium
where the police, it's not
Madam President, please, Please have a seat.
Mayor. Thank you.
I will make a motion to adjourn
if the mayor gets up again.
Yeah. Thank you. Go ahead, Mr. Lty.
Mr. Ferguson, I'll continue your,
your unwillingness
to cooperate with an investigation
that would help clear your name.
If everything you said to us this,
this evening at the committee of the whole was the truth,
your unwillingness to cooperate.
We'll call that into question.
I would want an investigation.
I would want to be able to clear my name
and that statement to Ms. Moore
of a few moments ago gives me pause.
Hence my decision to support a motion
to deny in this case present
After Melody.
Madam Chair? Yep.
Thank you. Uh, Mr. Ms. McGee.
And then Mr. Newan. Right.
Thank you. I am not in support of denying I want
to vote on this today.
I, I appreciate what you had said.
Councilman Lafferty and Secretary Mindy.
But I am not about the night.
I want to vote today, and I want to vote on whether
or not we all, um, accept his appointment on today.
Um, if you have any allegations
or any investigation that need to be done, let it be done
after our vote.
You're not speaking for all of us.
You, You're not speaking. It's seven of us.
We gotta vote. I prefer that we vote today,
Madam Chair. We have to
vote today. Well, I never said we weren't.
I'm not deny you gonna do investigation.
Do your investigation after we vote yes or no.
Well, I, we are gonna vote once we got the answer
and I'm, that's not acceptable to me.
So I'm Mr. Newan.
Sure. Um, Jeff,
would you mind explaining, uh, the difference
between perjury and a, um,
and the, uh, just if, if someone
were to say, lie to, um, an, uh,
elected body such as that, the council of the whole, meaning
that we just had, um, that's still an offense.
That would be, um, terminable as I recall you said. Correct.
Could you explain that to us please?
If somebody who's an employee
or a high ranking official appears
before the council, the legislative body that has oversight
and then makes misrepresentations, that is certainly
a determinable offense, you know, to,
to lie about things relevant to your employment or job
or allegations of wrongdoing when
it happened, when it didn't.
I, of course, that's not necessarily perjury
because the subject in this case did not take an oath
before offering statements.
It wasn't testimony, it was statements.
So if you wanted to say committed perjury,
if it's later determined that those were false statements,
it wouldn't be perjury.
However, if the subject were to take an oath and swear
and stand by those statements in that context,
being a city officer in front of the legislative body,
that could possibly,
that could constitute perjury if those are false statements.
Okay. So I think that's the difference between, you know,
saying things that are untrue when you're being asked
questions that are very material to your job,
maybe violation of rules, which is
what I heard the allegations were.
Um, so that's the difference
between something that's terminal.
But the council, after today,
the council would not be able to terminate.
The council has no ability to terminate, uh, this individual
after today at all.
In fact, if the council terminates right now,
the mayor could reappoint tomorrow.
Tomorrow. Mm-hmm. Tomorrow morning.
Or they could go back to city hall right now
and she could file another appointment letter
and his employment would continue.
But that's the last one.
That's, that's, that's the last one this year.
And then we will come back to council
again for two more meetings.
So that's the way the charter was written.
So again, back in 1957,
and this is, this is,
these are the rules we have in our charter.
So, um, does that answer your question?
So to reiterate, um, the offense would be something
for which someone could be terminated from their job
and, um, uh, any option.
Uh, for instance, if, um, Mr. Ferguson,
um, declined the appointment, he can still be,
um, investigated.
They, we can still subpoena people to testify as to
the veracity of what he said or didn't say.
Okay. There is no doubt councilman, that regardless of
what happens here tonight, regardless of this vote,
that the council could convene an independent
investigation of these matters.
There's no doubt that counsel has that ability, whether
the subject is confirmed for the appointment or not, or,
or continues or not, that counsel has that ability
to investigate the matter if it so chooses,
but it would have to probably be an
independent investigation.
Um, and we, we would have to discuss how
that would proceed. Okay.
It, it just seems it would be, um, if it was something
where if Mr. Ferguson declined the appointment,
the council might, um, decide not to
take further action perhaps.
And I don't know, is that a decision that we should be,
we should be making at this time?
Um, as to how we would proceed?
Well, I guess that's up to counsel.
I wouldn't want to tell counsel yes or no on that. Right?
Yeah. Is that an option that we could do?
Or is it out of line? I need to suggest
It's, it's an option to investigate.
It's an option to not investigate. Mm-hmm.
That's, that's the decision of the body.
Someone would have to bring forth a motion
or a proposal for an investigation.
Certainly there's subpoena power in the charter.
There's also maybe an auditor or the police department
or another investigator who can get involved.
There's plenty of ways to go about an investigation.
The counsel is equipped by charter to do such a thing.
And, um, but again, you know, it's up to the body.
Okay. Well, um, I was, uh,
wondering if I could ask Mr. Ferguson, um,
uh, whether he'd be willing to, um,
decline the appointment based on the possibility
of not having to go through the possibility of the counsel,
possibly not, um, investigating him further than the
embarrassment that, that might cause is a,
is can I, can I ask him?
Well, I mean, I, you know, certainly you can
through the chair if the rules are proper,
I would defer to the chair on that.
Okay. It doesn't mean that the council's going
to take him up on it.
I just want to know if he's interested in that.
May I, may I ask him? Sure.
You, uh, Orrin,
would you mind approaching the microphone for me please?
You didn't want to, um, be investigated.
A po better possibility
for not being investigated at this point would probably be
to decline the appointment.
I'm not declining. Oh, I didn't hear you. Sorry.
I am not declining.
Okay. Okay. Hey, great. I'm, I'm sorry.
I just, I just wanted to offer that possibility. Thank you.
Um, thank you. Thank you so much. I, I yield.
Thank you. I will call, um, Mr.
Bokey, and then I'm gonna call the question,
Uh, Madam Chair.
To the chair to Mr. Schroeder.
Um, let's say we confer of today
and the council votes for an investigation, like you said,
and the conclusion
of the investigations finds one multiple, uh, violations.
What recourse do we have after that?
No. Well, the recourse the council would have would be
to, um, not to terminate the subject,
because that would be only the mayor could terminate, um,
the subject at that point.
Mr. Ferguson, chief Ferguson.
Um, that would be the mayor's purview.
Only the council could request formally
for a termination if there were an issue.
But council would have no power to do so.
Can we go to circuit court on that?
Uh, only if the investigation revealed, um,
charter violations or something of that nature.
Um, and I mean, it's a possibility,
but I, I highly doubt that
unless there's something charter related, which from
what I heard, there were allegations of rule violations,
procedure violations, misuse
of department resources, and those type of things.
I'm, I don't believe the council would be able to go
to court to terminate that, uh, employment.
It would be the mayor's purview.
So you just answered my question. Thank you.
Thank you. Um, there is a motion to deny on the table.
So a yes is to deny a no is not to deny.
Uh, I will call the question Ms. Moore. No. Mr.
Lafferty, may I ask No. Deny yes.
Yes To deny. Yes Deny. Okay. Yes.
To deny. Okay. Mr.
Ate based on the unwillingness to undergo an investigation,
are you yes or no? Yes.
To deny based on the unwillingness to cooperate with an
Investigation. Thank you. Mr.
Dwyer. Yes. Mr. Bokey?
No. To deny, Uh, Mr. Newan?
Uh, no. To deny Ms. McGee No.
To deny, no to deny Rogan C is a no.
Uh, we'll entertain, uh,
a new motion if anyone has one.
There is no, no, there is no new motion.
Motion to, if that failed.
The, so it's an automatic, oh, it's just automatic.
We don't approve. Okay. Okay. Next item.
I'm, I'm not under thin. So the, we, we vote.
Thank you. The appointment stands. Okay. Thank you, Ms.
Camp. Next item.
Next item is 13 C,
which was tabled 5 13 20 25.
Proposed resolution providing public notice of intent
to sell vacant tax reverted property at 2,803 Wellington,
Warren, Michigan parcel ID number
13 36 3 82 0 0 4 for $1, subject
to combination of 2,809 Wellington approving sale
following 30 day notice period
and accepting grant of easement, rights, consideration,
and adoption of a resolution.
Need to motion to remove from the table. Hearing none.
Okay, hearing none. Next item, item stays on the table.
Next item is 13 D.
Request of the fire department for a transfer of funds
between line items in the amount of $870,000
to provide sufficient funds in several accounts within the
general fund for the remainder of the 2025
fiscal year consideration and adoption of a resolution.
Motion to approve with discussion support,
property discussion, Ms. Moore.
Yeah. Thank you. So, um, as we went
through the budget, we examined last year's
expenditures for overtime.
And at the time of, uh, the budget, uh, adoption, we had,
um, the overtime for firefighters through, um,
December 31st of this, of 2024.
This is adding another, I've got,
am I on the right one, Mr.
Lafferty? The 700,000? Yeah, this is the one, yes. Yeah.
So this is adding 700,000
to the firefighter over time, which brings that
to one point almost $8 million.
And in the budget was requested by the mayor,
755,000.
The department requested 2000, 2 million. 2 million.
So council, um, split the difference
and budgeted 1.5, which is a little bit, uh,
closer, but still not enough.
We're hoping, uh, that they get that overtime,
uh, amount down.
Um, we were not aware of, of this, you know,
how much more there was going to be,
but this amount just for six months is just shy of
what the mayor proposed for an entire year.
It's just not gonna cut. It's not realistic.
Um, you know, I am disappointed in the operations, um,
and why the fire department is not working harder
to get the overtime down,
but they're on notice that we expect them to get that down.
Um, all of these appropriations,
there's several of them tonight.
It's a, it's just a normal course of things, um,
that come over at this time of year that we're moving money
around to cover things.
So, I'm done.
Any other discussion,
hearing and seeing none?
I'll call the question. Mr. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is, uh, 13 e.
Request of the fire department for a transfer of funds
between line items in the amount of 1.546,
um, $1,546,200,
and an additional appropriation of funds in the amount
of $7,700
to provide sufficient funding in several accounts within the
general fund for the balance of the fiscal year 2025
consideration and adoption of a resolution.
Motion to approve with discussion support. D.
Where Discussion Ms. Moore. Thank you once again.
Um, this is adding overtime money in the police.
This is adding $1.45 million.
Um, what was spent, uh, as of December
of 2024, um, was
1.19 million.
So you add this together
and this is, you know, almost $2.6 million.
Um, the department asked for 2 million.
The, um, mayor asked for a million.
We understood that was not reasonable.
We did not know how unreasonable it was until tonight,
and we appropriated 1.5 million,
which probably is not gonna cut it.
We know they are woefully understaffed, um,
and they're working hard.
Um, they've increased revenues to the city,
so we appreciate that.
But, um, um, you know,
we're just hoping we have a new HR director
and we have great hopes for him,
and, uh, he's going to aid the police and, uh, uh, improving
and expanding our search
for adding police officers to our roster.
Um, thank you. Any other discussion?
Hearing and seeing none? I'll call the question. Ms. Moore?
Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes.
Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes.
Motion carries.
Next item 13 F requests of the police department
for an increase in budget appropriations in the amount
of $63,500 to cover costs associated
with providing a status location
for the department's drone first responder program
consideration and adoption of a resolution.
So moved. Support doer.
Discussion, discussion, hearing, and scene. None.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C as a? Yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is 13 G.
Request for the property maintenance division
for a line item transfer in the amount
of 23 million
to cover additional costs associated with the re I said
That. No. 23,000.
23,000.
23,000. I'm sorry. I got an extra zero.
23,000 to cover additional costs associated
with the rehabilitation.
I've got budget brain people
of city owned property located at 14,217 East nine mile
consideration and adoption of a resolution. So moved.
Support Lafferty for $23,000.
Thank discussion Mr. Bokey?
Through the chair. Mr. Fox or district?
Uh, district Campbell's here. I didn't see him back there.
Good evening. Being new to the, being new to the
Angela, the microphone.
Oh, sorry about that. Go ahead. All
Right. Is it on? Here we go.
Okay. Good evening, counsel.
Steve Campbell on behalf of public service,
I know there's, uh, two requests here
for the same property.
One from property maintenance, one from public service, uh,
being new to the council.
What building is this? What's it used for?
14. 207 9 miles. Uh, it's a building.
We're rehabbing to move the property maintenance division
down to, um, currently the city owns it.
However, there's no, uh, there's no, uh,
networking at the facility.
There's nothing that ties it into the, to the city networks
for cameras and computers and phones.
Um, so we need to, in order to upgrade tho that facility,
we need to add these, these features to it.
E Excellent. We, we need something on itself then there.
Yeah, sir. It, so trying to make some room as well.
Um, move the property. It'll be all the property inspectors
will be moved down to that location offsite.
Okay. Thank you. Uh, you you're welcome.
Thank you. Any other?
Sorry, I keep turning on and off of my defense.
Any other, uh, discussion? Okay. Hearing none.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Noonan? Yes. Ms. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item 13 H.
Requests of the Public service department
to award building improvements at 14 217 East nine Mile
to various vendors in a total amount not
to exceed $107,966 1 cent
consideration and adoption of resolution. So moved.
Support Lafferty. Discussion, hearing, and scene? None.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Noonan? Yes. Ms. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C is? Yes. Motion carries. Next item 13.
I request of the public service director
for an increase in budget appropriations in the rental
division in the amount of $48,742
to cover the costs associated
with purchasing Tyler Technologies,
electronic ticket rating software
and hand handheld printers, consideration
and adoption of a resolution.
So moved. Support. D Where? Discussion?
Anyone hearing and scene? None. I'll call the question.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries.
Next item 13 J requested the public service department
to award the purchase of electronic writing software
and handheld printers to Tyler Technologies
for a five year period in the amount not
to exceed $111,794
with options to renew for five additional one year periods,
consideration and adoption of a resolution so moved.
Support Dwyer.
Discussion, hearing, and scene?
None. I'll call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr. Dwyer?
Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes.
Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item. Request to approve the reappointment
of Michael Tyro to the sidewalk on Tree Board of Appeals
for a term expiring June 30th, 2026.
Motion to approve
Support Lafferty.
Discussion, hearing, and scene. None.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes.
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Noonan? Yes. Mr. McGee?
Yes. Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Proposed, uh, uh,
Uh, 13 L proposed resolution
to provide public notice of intent
to sell tax reverted property at 7 2 0 3 Cadillac
and 75 74 Meadow Warren parcel IDs 1333.
2 0 7 0 3 0 and 13.
3 3 428 9 approving sale
after 30 day notice period, accepting grant
of easement rights and public utilities consideration
and adoption of a resolution.
So moved with discussion Lafferty. Support,
Support. Discussion.
Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you. Uh,
I had a conversation this afternoon with Ms.
Michaels, if you could please
Thank you.
The, the context of, of the discussion was the disparity
between the assessed value, uh,
and which is in the letter dated May 7th from, uh, Ms.
Ner for the Deputy City assessor, uh,
listing these properties, uh, 7 2 0 3 Cadillac
for 67,000 and change.
And then 75 74 Meadow for 60,000, uh, as true
illustrated, as as true cash value.
And in conversation with Ms.
Michaels, we both agreed that if you drove
by the properties, you wouldn't pay $60,000
for either of these properties.
That may be what the home would be worth if it was in
very good condition or good condition.
But in the, the condition it's in now,
these are not accurate.
So, and the reason why I'm, I'm asking Ms.
Michaels, you, you agreed that
that was the context of our conversation. Oh,
Sorry. It is correct.
I could elaborate when, if
You'd like, if you would please,
Following our, following our discussion, I spoke
to Tom Bato and the, the assessor's perspective is
to protect the valuation of the neighborhood,
but there's an issue
because they have to estimate market value
based on current condition.
So we're going to talk to, talk to the new assessor,
see if they could get the valuation of the neighborhood
as it would the property, as it would be in the ideal state,
and as it currently exists going forward.
So it's a more accurate representation of valuation. Yeah.
We cannot afford to get independent appraisals
for each tax lot.
Yeah. And that's not what I'm asking for.
I I think our assessors department is, is completely capable
in providing us a fair valuation,
but under, with respect to the,
the actual conditions of the property.
Because what it looks like here is we're going
to give $120,000 worth of property
to somebody for a thousand dollars.
And that's just not the, the optic
is skewed based on the data that's being presented
to us tonight, that that is not true.
That is correct, Councilman. Okay.
Absolutely. We, we wouldn't, and,
and I'm gonna go as far
to say we wouldn't be entertaining this tonight if those
properties were worth that much. Mm-hmm.
If I may Councilman Adam chair, to put this in context,
these two homes were rejected by the highest bidder
that was awarded, um, to rehab 10 homes back in February.
The, the, the builder rejected four homes.
These were two of the homes rejected.
So clearly the value of the property
as it exists today is not reflected
in the report from the assessor.
Thank you, Ms. Michaels.
I forgot to mention that, that tidbit
and it's, it's terrific that we found another developer to,
to complete that project.
So now we have, you know, a holistic approach
for all 10 properties with two developers.
So I'm, I'm very happy with this.
So just, and I don't, when Ms.
Michaels, when these come through your office,
do the, I, I guess I don't know how to ask this.
The item comes through and, and you and the, the assessor
and economic development are all working on this.
I would imagine at the same time, they don't all come
to you at the end
and then you write your cover letter. How, how is
Ideally we'd work together,
but more than more often we're brought in at the tail end.
Okay. Alright.
Economic development is trying
to get committee meetings together so everything's reviewed
and our office involved at that time
and that that has helped.
Alright. What I, But it's still
Not ideal. What I'm
asking here is that you represent the concern
of the valuation to the assessing office on behalf
of counsel so that we under, they understand the dilemma
that, that is posed
to us when we're trying to make a decision like this.
Absolutely. Thank you, ma'am. I will.
Thank You. I yield.
Thank you. Any additional
discussion, Hearing, and scene?
None. I'll call the question. Ms. Moore. Yes. Sorry. Mr.
Lafferty was made the motion. Yes. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr.
Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Noonan? Yep. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is 13 M proposed resolution,
providing public notice of intent
to sell six tax reverted properties at 23,184 Byman
72 75
and 72 79 Dodge 68 98
Lozier 68 89 Republic
and 68 99 Republic Warren, Michigan for the total sum
of $7,500, authorizing a sale
and development agreement following the 30 day notice period
and accepting grant of easement, rights, consideration,
and adoption of a resolution
Support Newan, There's only five properties.
You need a motion? Oh,
I thought those was motions.
Uh, Mr. Newan, you made the motion.
You cannot yell from the audience. Folks.
Um, I need a support.
Support, Support. Ms. McGee. Discussion.
Discussion, Medicare, Mr. Lafferty
And, and I explained to Ms.
Michaels earlier on, on this particular one,
that I would ask to table this item to our next meeting
so that we could address the item that we had under
13 C and address both of these at the same time.
Support Mr. Lafferty. May Apologies for the on. Mr.
Lafferty made a motion to table. Ms. Moore supported it.
Tabling motion is on the floor. Good. Mr. Lafferty?
Yes. To table. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes.
To table. Mr. Bokey? Yes. The table. Mr. Nunan? Sure.
Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is? Yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Next item.
Audience participation on general items members
of the audience would like to address City council related
to general items may do so.
There's audience forms on the right side of the stage.
First up is Lori Harris.
After Lori Harris. Is Joel Vander Lenin.
Oh, sorry. I've had to keep turning it on and off tonight.
I understand. Good. You're
Up. It's been an
interesting night.
And, uh, for the sake of transparency,
live streaming helps.
Transparency. Um,
but it sounds like it also brought more people
to comment on the situation that the committee
of the whole was, uh, was called for.
And for those of you that voted, um, in, in a way that
just approves that appointment, did you really hear,
number one, if the mayor is the only person who can hire
or fire or end his job there error,
did you think that she would even be open to considering
that if she was presented with information that suggested
that he had done things
that were inappropriate, possibly illegal?
I'm not saying he did, but do you think the mayor would even
hear you with her behavior tonight, which
was very disgusting in the C committee of the whole meeting
and here in this meeting, a complete lack of respect
for the council, for the rule of law,
for the way things are done.
It's embarrassing
and I don't like to have to say that about her.
I really don't. But it's really true. Who does that?
Um, so, um, I am really disappointed that,
that your vote took any opportunity to investigate
and deal with that, even if it proved him totally innocent
of anything, you took away that opportunity, the four of you
that voted to, um, not deny.
So I wanna point out that I went to the, um, city garage
at city Hall today,
and, um, it was retried.
And of course Tony Baker is very concerned,
and as we all should be about a DA compliance.
So just wanna let you know that whoever's in charge
of verifying that these things are done correctly in the
city are aren't listening enough.
On the ground level, there are nine, um,
by the courthouse entry nine, uh,
accessible spots and one van accessible spot
by the city hall side of the ground.
11. There are, there are seven accessible spots
and two van accessible spots.
The van, I measured all the van spots.
They are only eight feet wide.
And the, um, uh, access aisle,
if the, if the van spot is eight feet wide, has
to also be eight feet wide.
And it's not, the,
the access aisles are only five feet wide.
So if the access aisle is only five feet
wide, oh, shoot.
The van spot is 11. Supposed to be 11 feet.
Thank you. Alright, thanks.
Mr. Vander Linen.
You ready?
Joel Valen, longtime worn resident.
We have the opportunity now to investigate
the Fire chief to see if all these
rumors or whatever are true.
I'm not doubting that Some of this may be based on facts,
but rumors alone without the facts in front of us
and present it to us, is not enough
to deny this man the right to continue his job.
Now, I'm not saying anybody's lying. They may be very true.
So if we get an investigation done
and we do a thorough investigation
or have an outside group do it,
then we can have the mayor release him,
and then we can have the mayor explain why.
If she had knowledge of all this stuff, which she should,
why she didn't release him herself earlier than
what was brought before this console.
Now we had to talk about the atrium.
Let's talk about Flag Day.
Flag Day was created in 19, in
1770, no, 1768.
It was a group of military men put together the former
alliance against the British Army for our independence.
It is the Army birthday on June 14th
to commemorate that.
Later on, Betsy Ross made a flag
and they put Flag Day and the Army birthday together.
You have about one minute, Mr.
Mander. We celebrate the Flag Day every year.
We celebrate it with national pride and everything else.
Now, mayor Stone's having her illegal gay parade,
and it's flag day, not f*g day.
And I take great,
Mr. Vander Lenn.
Please disrespect, Please.
Let's not use, let's not use derogatory terms, please.
You're taking up my time.
I'll give you some additional time. You'll take you.
Please do not use derogatory terms.
A derogatory Well,
it's disrespecting the United States Army.
It's disrespecting the flag of the United States.
It's not a rainbow flag. It's red, white, and blue.
It's for courage, ingenuity.
I forgot the last one.
But either way, it's not Ringo, it's not for any other flag.
It's for a flag of the United States.
It's for the flag of the Army.
And I find it insulting
that this council is allowing her to continue on.
You're you're at time and I added 10 seconds to your time.
Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Bill Shield,
and then after Mr. Wolf Shield is Jerry Bell.
Hello every Hello everyone. Um, I'm Bill Walshy.
I live on Martin. And, um, I came here to let you know,
um, a false alarm
that came across my iPhone on Friday night.
Thursday night, Friday morning, um, during the, um,
severe weather thunderstorms that we were having.
Um, I was attuned to the weather station, um, um,
frequently during the night,
and I was also attuned to the
National Weather Service website, uh,
with the severe weather that we're having.
And I came across
and I heard a, um, a loud alarm
siren on my phone, and it came off as an emergency.
And, um, I'll read it to you.
It says, emergency alert, uh, 12:31 AM
National Weather Service, tornado warning in this area
until 1:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time.
Take shelter now in a basement
or an interior room on the lowest floor
of a sturdy building.
If you are outdoors in a mobile home
or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
Check media. Um, I was very surprised at this
because I never heard
of anything like this on the radio or the website.
So, um, the next day I called Macomb County
to see if they had issued any, uh, tornado warnings.
They said no. And they also said,
which I confirmed the Weather Service never issued any
tornado warnings for Macomb County.
There were some in Oakland County.
Um, so I really
suspect the false alarm of such a
serious nature to disrupt people's lives,
to wake them up in the night
and tell them to go take shelter in their bathroom
or the basement when there's nothing there to, um,
protect themselves from,
there's no tornado in Macomb County.
So I, I called around
and they said, call Warren has her own emergency
management system.
So I called there and I didn't know who to call.
So I ended up calling the police department,
and I talked with a guy named Kramer,
and he said he didn't issue anything,
or he didn't know of anybody
who issued anything, and he couldn't tell me.
Um, there was no siren from Warren,
um, that was blaring.
There was no all clear to it.
Um, and so I'm asking anybody here who knows that I can talk
to who might know something about this,
because it's a false alarm and it's very disturbing.
I don't know who else got this. I did.
Um, but alarm should not be a falsified. You're,
You're at time. Okay.
If you have a seat,
we're almost finished with the meeting.
Um, certainly someone can get your phone
number and we can follow up.
Okay. Thank you Mr. Bell.
Jerry Bell. I want to take some time
to thank, uh, Councilman Bokey.
Councilman Newnan, council member, uh, McGee
and Councilwoman Angela Rogan.
I want to thank you for not voting
in favor of what Councilwoman Mindy Moore wanted you
to vote for in terms of the Fire commissioners.
What we saw tonight was something totally different than
what we saw four weeks ago when you all voted
against the Motor City Sports Bar
after Councilwoman Moore
told several lies about that bar.
You told several lies.
You described it as being a problem.
This bar is being a problem.
Truth of the matter is, they've never had tickets.
They run their bar very well.
And for you to demonize them as well as you did
that fire chief tonight,
you set him up, you ambushed him.
That was very unprofessional.
You could've did this in a closed meeting
or just, you know, with the council members, you know,
one-on-one or whatever.
Why ambush him?
My question to you, Ms. Moore, councilwoman, Ms. Moore,
do you hate Negroes?
Do you, because it seems like all of your attacks
has been racially motivated.
It's been targeted towards African Americans. Yes, it has.
Don't shake your head. You've been targeting people.
This mayor fought hard today.
She fought hard to get those appointments confirmed.
She fought hard for those African Americans today.
I thought I'd never say that.
But what I saw today, what I saw tonight,
made me very, very, very happy.
Mr. Lafferty, I agree with you. We all should have our day.
It doesn't matter if we're German, African American
Pride or whatever.
We should have that. And I'm hoping
that you all can work with this mayor
to make things better for us here in the city of Warren.
And it's not hard. It's not hard.
If you plan on running for mayor, then run when it's time.
But until then, let's, let's get this city right.
You're at time. Thank you. Thank you, Curtis Osh.
Good evening counsel. Curtis Osh from Harvest Time,
Christian Fellowship.
Proverbs 29, 2 says, when the righteous are in authority,
the people rejoice.
But when the wicked Beareth rule, the people mourn
what's going on in our city.
What I saw tonight was absolutely disgusting.
But even furthermore, we got rid of the prayer station
to some people's delight.
How do we let a handful of small contingent of people
dictate what happens in our city?
Are we trying to erase God from Warren?
We've gotten rid of all of our nativity sets.
They used to put up a nativity set at City Hall
this past Christmas, gone.
We used to put one up on Van D**e in 13 mile
where the Big W is gone.
No nativity sets. You know, the prayer station in City Hall.
It was litigated, went to federal court.
The citizens of the city supported it
and paid their good tax dollars to have it.
And then we just erase it.
Even the Christmas tree lighting ceremony's a joke.
Nowadays, the flyer used to say
Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
'cause that's what we're celebrating Christmas.
Then we had the discussion, is it Christmas
or just a holiday tree lighting?
Well, we don't even call it a holiday tree lighting anymore.
We just call it a tree lighting
because we don't want any reference to a holiday.
It's Christmas, it's Jesus' birthday.
We're celebrating Christmas.
I mean, the post office still Prince stamps
with the Virgin Mary with the baby.
They haven't bowed down to erasing God from everything.
I bought some of those stamps last Christmas,
but the city of Warren seems hell bent to just get rid
of God out of everything.
And there's some evil actors up there that are just evil.
So we already know where you're coming from.
You know, with the seizure of the property from my church
and the attack of my church, I kind
of wonder what's going on.
Can't even have a conversation with anybody
in City Hall called the mayor's office.
Emailed the mayor's office
called the Public Service Director.
I mean, it's been 10 days since they took our property
trying to figure out how to get our property back.
Nobody cares to call back.
I asked for a meeting with the mayor. Crickets.
I asked for a phone conversation with somebody in authority.
Crickets. I asked the public service
director for a conversation.
Won't even return a phone call to a resident.
I really did like the previous administration a lot more.
Whether you liked it
or not, you still got a phone call back.
You still had communication both ways.
But we have all these evil actors
that they just wanna stab you in the back and play games.
You don't even know what's going on.
Thank You. It's sad. Next,
Next item. Next
item is council response to audience.
Madam Chair, Ms. Moore.
Um, just to clarify, um,
earlier when we had our committee meeting, the whole, um,
uh, chief Ferguson was offered to have the meeting.
I wanted to have the meeting as a closed session,
which we could, uh, chief Ferguson refused that offer
to have a closed session earlier in the week.
I expressed my concerns, um,
that I understand were relayed to the mayor.
And I had, was hoping that they would pull the, um, uh,
the appointment so that we had a little more time.
I called to see yesterday if I, if the, uh, uh, uh,
chief of Staff had heard anything she said, no,
I heard no more from that point.
Um, and to discuss, um, I
I don't think I ever said there was a
problem inside the bar.
In fact, I said there wasn't. I said there was Motor City.
There was a problem in the parking lot.
And as I understand, um, the owners of
that bar are not African American.
And I received a call from one of the employees in
that establishment who indicated Mr. Bell,
that you went down there contrary
to them being your friend, as you relayed to me, um,
you inserted yourself
and, um, suggested they make it a racial issue.
And I,
and you have done that numerous times, um,
certainly since we've been on, since I've been on counsel.
And if there's something
that you think is gonna be a little attention getting,
you insert yourself and, uh, this is a pattern of yours
and, um, you can't yell from the audience.
I can, I can respond to what you said. That's in our rules.
Relaying what the, what the people at the bar told me.
It doesn't matter. Mr. Mr. Bell.
Mr. Bell, this is not a free bell.
You don't get to just yell from the audience.
No, I I'm end of conversation. Mr. Bell.
It doesn't matter. Mr. Bell,
we're all very respectful to you when you come up here.
No one cuts you off. We give you your three minutes.
Madam President. Uh, Mr. Newan,
Go ahead. Ms. Moore is done.
Ms. Moore, are you done? Please depart.
If you're going not be quiet,
I'll, because I'm not gonna be quiet.
Thank you. Please leave Mr. Newan.
Yeah, I, I wanted to respond to what Ms. Harris said.
Um, I took a great deal of effort in trying to come
to an understanding on what was going on with Mr. Ferguson.
I, I didn't have, uh, any big briefing from anybody.
Uh, just that there was a question about, uh,
whether he should be, uh, confirmed in that.
And, um, I met with, uh, melody McGee
and, um, Mr. Ferguson and Skip.
And we talked about what I had heard.
I had heard rather serious allegations that, um,
uh, the, um, general generality
of the firefighters weren't very happy with them.
And I wanted to see how that could be improved.
Um, and I thought, well, one thing would be
to have him take a chief's training.
Apparently there's, there's, there's special courses in Fire
for firefighters chiefs.
And, um, I, I presented that to him.
And at first, uh, while we were there, he, uh,
wasn't very interested in it.
Um, and
but tonight at the council of the whole, he indicated
that he, he, uh, was interested in that
and developing more rapport with the, uh, firefighters.
I hope if he stays in there, that he will in fact
make a concerted effort in that regard.
He, you know, he was talking about,
it's a paramilitary organization.
Um, um, Ms. McGee was saying,
Councilwoman McGee was saying, uh, it has to be run,
uh, in a very strict fashion
because people's lives are on the, on the line.
Also, only about, uh, 50%, uh,
let's see, how did that go? 50%
Are, um, five years from
Now, 50, only 50% or five years or more.
So, um, they have a, a big job to do there.
And, um, also just
because, uh, he's gotten his appointment doesn't mean
that we can't investigate.
I believe that, uh, Mr.
Vander Linden was quite correct in that.
Um, and I expect that we will be,
and I will probably be voting in favor of doing that,
because if he was actually, um,
making mis allegations, then that would be unethical.
That would be like the,
the infraction she was talking about minor might not be
minor or might, you know, might be like petty to some degree
for us to complain about.
But if he lies to us, that's, uh,
a much more, uh, serious thing.
Also, if from an hr, uh, point of view, if we were,
um, if, if, if, if we had a problem with a, a
employee, we would want to give them due process,
which would probably be three considerations.
You know, we, we will warn you once, we'll warn you twice
and third time you're out.
Well, to me, this was the first warning that anything was,
uh, amiss with his performance might be, might be possible.
And, and so far there's still allegations.
So I didn't have enough to vote on, in my opinion, to,
to just deny him.
I think, I think it'll probably come out that, that,
uh, you're, you're right.
But if I, that'll be in hindsight.
At any rate, I, I, I really appreciate your,
all your, your comments.
You, you've given me a lot to think about.
Thank you so much. And, uh, with that, I'll yield
and wish everyone a good
Night. Thank you.
Any other responses?
Madam President? Through the chair?
Mr. Dwyer? Yes. In response to Mr. Vander L.
And, um, yeah, I do believe
that the city should be more cognizant as to the dates
that they throw these special events in parties.
I mean, flag Day for us here in America,
that's, that's a big day.
And to throw a certain other event
or any other event on that day, flag day,
I think was just not a really good choice.
Um, I'm all for having special events, parties,
and everything here in the city as long as we,
the city aren't footing the bill, um, for police service,
sanitation, things like that.
But I mean, there's other holidays
that we don't even look at here in the city,
and I think it's kind of sad.
We don't consider Memorial Day, really.
We don't consider Veterans Day.
It's not really a special day for us in the city as far
as promoting those events.
So I just think that we need to focus on some
of those events as well.
That's all I have. Thank you.
Any additional responses? Madam
President? Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you, uh, to Mr. Wolf Shield.
Uh, in regard to your the false alarm message.
I went back through, I subscribed to all of the City
of Warren messaging, text messaging, email messaging,
and phone calling.
There are several options
for receiving messaging from the city.
I went back, I checked my email and I went back through.
I did not receive anything from the city
of Warren specifically relative to that.
But the best course of action that I would recommend, uh, is
that you reach out to your phone carrier
and you give them the message details
and they can provide a trace
and identify the source of the, the message.
And who sent that out?
So at, like I said,
I didn't receive it from the city of Warren.
Uh, it's very likely that the, uh,
civil defense emergency management officer responsible
for the police department is correct.
Um, the communications department, uh, through Ms.
Caden's office can easily confirm
that they did not send out any messages that evening.
We're not told to send out any messages.
Uh, but beyond that, I would strongly recommend you
to contact your phone carrier.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty.
It was far better of a response than I was gonna be able
to give, uh, any of anything else?
Okay. Uh, next item. Motion to adjourn support Dwyer.
All in favor? Aye. Aye. You got me.