Hold up the lyrics.
I'm so, yes, exactly.
Okay, so, hello
ing
Now calling to order a regular meeting
of the city council Tuesday, August 26th
at 7:00 PM Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
I pledge all allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America, America.
And to the republic for which stands?
One Nation, nation, under God in with liberty and
Justice. Justice.
Roll
call Madam Secretary Councilwoman Roy.
Here. Councilwoman McGee? Here. Councilman Dwyer?
Here. Councilman Bokey? Here. Councilman Nunan? Here.
Councilman Lafferty. Here. Councilwoman Moore is present.
We have a quorum. Next item.
Next item is for adoption of the consent agenda. So moved.
Support Lafferty.
Discussion. Anyone hearing, 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? Yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is adoption of the agenda.
So moved with discussion
Support, Lafferty. Discussion
Ms. Mark? Yes.
Um, as item 12 F, um,
adding the proposed resolution for the admin fees
for tax reverted, uh, lot sales
and as item, uh, 12 G
um, discussion regarding senior housing, um, commissioner,
um, Curtis Oosh, um, item number
13 D.
Um, we are removing this evening
for some further information that's coming, uh,
further decision in the future.
So we'll remove that.
And I believe that is all I have.
Thank you. Any other
discussion, hearing, and scene?
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? Yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is calendar of pending matters.
Motion to receive and file support.
All in favor, aye. Any opposed?
Motion carries.
Next item is seven a approval of the bills
of the general revenue funds. So moved.
Support Ty. Discussion,
hearing on scene then 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 systems.
So moved. Support
Dwyer.
Discussion, hearing and seeing none.
I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Uh, Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes.
Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan CA? Yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is audience for part, uh, participation.
For agenda items only members of the audience would like
to address city council this evening may do so
by filling out a form on the left side of the stage.
Uh, folks have three minutes. This is for agenda items only.
First up is Gary Watts and then Lori Harris.
Good evening everybody. I just wanted to say that, um,
I see the library for the south end is on the agenda tonight
and hopefully it'll get, uh, a thumbs up and move forward.
This has been about five years.
Many of us, uh, you on the council
and myself were involved in that in the very beginning.
And this has been, uh, slipped under the carpet
by the previous administration numerous times.
And now for the last two years, this administration
and library commission has, has pushed it under the carpet.
So here we are.
Hopefully this thing will get signed
and a shovel in the ground in the next couple weeks
would be awfully nice.
Secondly, uh, I see that the, um, whatever you want
to call it, coffee cart, lunch station,
whatever is back on the agenda again.
And I gotta tell you, I think that is another silly idea.
I don't think there's enough business there.
It didn't get bit out and you know, we have restaurants in
that area that count on business from General Motors,
city Hall, other businesses around there.
And I think it would be wrong to put something in there
and take business away from them.
So hopefully you guys give that one a thumbs down.
So thank you. Have a good meeting.
Thank you. Next is Lori Harris.
Hi Lori Harris. Uh, for any of you sitting up there,
it's a privilege to represent our residents.
I surely expect that if a resident asks you
to remove something from the consent agenda so
that it can be discussed
before a vote, I think you should show respect
for the resident's concern by asking for it
to be removed from the agenda.
Even if you have no concerns about the item your resident
that you represent does, I mean,
if you say why I am gonna vote yes anyway,
you've communicated that it only only
matters what you think.
So this is a reminder
that we're watching you in this lead up to another election
and we still expect you to represent us regarding, uh,
the appointment of Bill Rudd to the library commission.
I wish that had not been voted on
and, uh, that could have waited.
Um, we're having, um, some issues
with the library commission,
the library outgoing library director.
Um, so, um, number three,
a $100,000 coffee cart in the atrium whose
brilliant idea was this.
Uh, certainly the mayor since it started
on her budget and was cut.
Now it comes back as an amendment to the budget for the DDA
and the DDA who's inappropriately spent money
who recommended that the city give the football stadium
to de LaSalle after spending $10 million of our tax dollars.
Uh, the DDA whose 2024 final expense report is still not up
on the website and we're in the fiscal 2026 year.
Um, we do not need a coffee cart there to benefit.
It's a lovely group of people.
Um, we can't give away a hundred thousand dollars for that.
Temporary inspectors get paid $25 an hour.
That's 4,000 hours of inspection that equals 508 hour days.
But a coffee cart, don't let kindness
and a good idea get in the way of paying attention to this.
If you can question the fire Chief about $26,000,
please pay attention to the true cost
of this $100,000 coffee cart.
And I would love to know who's really behind this.
I read the backup information, I'd like to know
who else was in, uh, investigated
and offered this opportunity,
but I also noticed that there's no
contract, there's no terms.
And if you vote to approve this, you're agreeing
to something that you have nothing
to look at except just a good idea.
So don't vote yes for this. Be smart.
And that's exactly what the backup says, the library.
Don't you dare let the mayor
or the library director stop this project.
The saddest part of this is that the rumors
of closing another library have already started.
So just remember during the budget talks that Mr. Fox said
that we have enough money to continue funding five libraries
until 2030, and then we will need a new millage.
Perhaps just perhaps a brand new director will bring life
and excitement back to our libraries
and curtail some of the senseless spending
of our current outgoing library director.
Thank you.
Thank you. Um, Mr.
Vander Lenin, do you wanna speak for the agenda?
Can you tell us also what item you're speaking on?
The DD eights coffee.
Okay. Mess. Three minutes. You got it.
Thank you. First of all, who in his counsel
has received any information about who's
going to be pouring the coffee?
How much is the employee gonna be paid to sit there
for eight hours a day
and pour coffee, make sandwiches, or whatever?
Seems to me this has already been turned down
and wise it up again.
Usually when you turn it down,
it's turned down for a full year.
This is two months now.
I don't know what's going on,
but I have a lot of questions on the DA, how it's being run
and who's sitting in those seats and never show up.
Seems to me this is taxation without
representation of the people.
Seems to me that maybe the DDA itself should be voted on
by the citizens of Warren as who holds those positions.
And my thought of that also goes
with the planning department.
I think the guy running the planning department's
doing a hell of a good job.
But look what he has to work
with on the planning department.
That commission's a joke
and they're sending everything
to everyone else in other commissions.
What are they doing?
Maybe it's time to have citizens to run for those positions
and be voted in.
Isn't that a marvelous idea?
So then the citizens have a say so
no more gas stations, no more car washes, no more, uh,
pharmacies, no more chili places.
Maybe something new.
I mean, we made a long list of all the places
that have closed
and then made a list of all the places
that the mayor has brought here.
Both of them we can see that the planning commission is not
doing their job.
Have a blessed day. Thank you.
Thank you. That is the end of audience for agenda items.
Uh, next item, Madam Secretary. Next item announcements.
Madam Chair. Uh, secretary Moore. Thank you.
Um, couple weeks ago, um, at the request
of the police department, I sort of asked them, um,
what sort of information I wanna give sort
of a public service announcement at our meetings to,
to give residents a head up on things
that they should be doing or not doing.
And I indicated at that time that the police said,
lock your car.
Keep your car locked.
So now this last Friday, the Hot Sheet,
3,400 block of Topher unknown suspect stole a handgun out
of victim's unlocked vehicle.
11,000 block of Republic Unknown suspect stole a handgun out
of victim's unlocked vehicle.
13,000 sed. Oh, that's indecent exposure. That's something.
Um, 25,000 block
of mash unknown suspects stole two children's
bicycles out of the yard.
I know it's terrible that you can't have anything in your
yard, but if you put things in your basement in your garage,
then you're gonna more than likely hold onto your property.
11,000 block of 10 mile
unknown suspect broke into victim's unlocked vehicle
and stole his handgun.
And 26,000 block
of Regency Club unknown suspect broke into victims unlocked
vehicle and stole his handgun.
And then another indecent exposure.
So really lock your doors, especially if you have a handgun.
I would certainly think that people would not want their
handguns on the street to just anybody out there.
So please lock your vehicles.
Don't leave money in plain sight, even if it's 35 cents.
'cause somebody might break your window to get 35 cents.
So please be vigilant.
I know it's terrible that you have to lock everything
and put everything away, but you know,
there are people out there that are looking to prey on you
and, you know, all of us.
So just be mindful of that.
Thank you. Any other announcements?
Madam Chair? Uh, Councilman Dwyer?
Yeah, just to, uh, follow up from a couple weeks ago.
We had Family Safety Day back on August 16th.
And, um, it was a real good success.
We had a good crowd, we had great weather.
Amongst some of the things we had going on was a, uh,
drone demonstration.
We also had blood pressure and glucose screening.
Uh, there was hands-on CPR demonstrations.
Um, there was also crime prevention advice
and safety tips that were offered.
The fire trucks were there.
They did interactive things with the kids with some
of the hose apparatus, which was very cool.
We had canine there for a meet and greet.
And, um, like I say, everything worked out really well.
And, um, I wanted to thank the, uh,
crime Commission for putting that on.
And also, cert Cert also, uh, goes above
and beyond for us, the city on everything they do.
So we great. Greatly appreciate them as well. Thank you.
That's all.
Any other announcements? Madam President?
Uh, Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you. On this past Sunday,
I attended a, an event, uh, with, uh, Ms. Moore.
And, uh, Ms. McGee.
We attended the City of Warren Police Department
backpack giveaway held at Fitzgerald High School.
And what a tremendous event.
It was probably more well attended
than there were supplies available,
but, uh, over approximately 400 backpacks were given out
with another 200 bags, uh, full of supplies to,
uh, members of our community.
And so I know that this was under the direction
and the leadership of Officer Moon, who, uh,
put countless hours into organizing
and ensuring that all uh, all hands were on deck
for this event coordinating, uh, the event, uh, with, uh,
Fitzgerald, uh, school leadership, the,
uh, support was there.
It was very obvious. We had Fitzgerald's school board
members, uh, commissioner Hawkins, the crime members
of the Crime Commission, uh, members of City Council I know,
uh, Mindy and I were, were busy stuffing bags.
And the, the challenge there was the,
the tables were lined up right in front of the pool,
so you had to coordinate and not bump into each other,
otherwise you were going to take a dip in the deep end.
So I had mentioned that during this, the stuffing
that I had learned to swim in that pool,
and ju Judy Feral said, so did I.
So some, uh, good times were, were had.
They also, uh, gave out, uh, haircuts the ladder truck,
and there were, uh, police vehicle tours.
The canine unit was there to greet everybody.
It was just a, a really professional, positive experience
for everyone in the community.
So well done to everybody involved. Well done. Thank you.
Madam Chair. Ms. Moore. Mr.
Boy, were you gonna speak about the Polish Day Parade
or do you want me Go ahead.
Okay. Uh, so Saturday was the Polish Day Parade.
Uh, um, several council people were actually in the parade.
It was fun. We started at Cono
and, uh, drove along the parade route down, uh, common Road,
and then in front of City Hall.
Um, it was, uh, a very, very nice event.
Uh, once again, um, CERT was out there.
We've been to a lot of events in the last couple of weeks.
There've been a lot. And Cert is always there, taking care
of traffic and, um, anything that comes up,
they, they are there.
Uh, and you know, oftentimes it's
after being on duty in the middle of the night, going
and taking, helping the police cover a
scene or something like that.
Um, but the, uh,
the Polish Day Parade group did a great job.
Is Mr. Mo. I didn't see Mr. Elli. He's on the committee.
Great job, everybody.
I think this might have been, this was probably the most
participation in the parade I've seen for a long time.
It was really nice.
None of the cars broke down,
you know, and quite, quite a, a lot
of people along the parade route.
So Judge Mura? Yes, judge Mura.
This is, this is his project. Mm-hmm. He leads it.
He does an absolute fantastic job.
Uh, this year's Grand Marshall was, uh, uh, uh,
prosecutor Pete Lucita.
Uh, so we had a couple of vintage, uh,
fire trucks in the parade that were fun.
And, uh, I,
it was a Stevenson High school band there, Jonathan.
Yes. Yeah. So that, that was very,
it was just a really, really nice day.
We, I think we all had fun.
And, uh, it was a little bit cooler this year.
Last year was pretty tough.
And, um, my arm, my elbow,
my shoulder's a little sore still from waving out
of the car, but I'll heal.
Thank you. Any other announcements? Oh, one other thing.
Sorry. It was Rip
and Argo that were at the backpack event.
The canines. Oh, the canines. They're not just canines.
They have names. Yes.
Rip and Argo Rip and Argo Argo's new. Yeah.
That was terrific. And you're right.
Cert what Cert had a busy weekend. Oh my gosh.
From the backpack giveaway to the parade to being there at,
at the, the, uh, birthday Bash.
Oh, and chair the, the birthday Bash.
That was really Good. Three fun filled days, you know,
between the fireworks, the drone show, uh, the foam party,
the, the, uh, live entertainment.
There was just a, this was a really busy weekend.
So hats off to, uh, uh, the, the director of
of Public Service, Mr.
Melli. Uh, we have our, our parks rec director has retired
and he really took the lead.
He's been, uh, working overtime.
Uh, the Parks and Rec staff I saw were there morning
to night, uh, working exhaustively
to ensure a fun time for everyone.
So, again, well done.
Madam Chair. Sorry, one more thing. Yes, Mr.
Melli, there was a obvious lack
of Polish food at the festival.
I think we need to work on that next year.
There wasn't a pierogi to be found. Oh, okay.
Well, maybe we need to get our order in early anyway.
Fun. Polish food. Thank you. Yeah. No Polish food. Pierogi.
No, Mr. Nothing.
Ukrainian Council wanted to make sure that I announced
that they had their 34 year anniversary with
that included a Ukrainian independence parade.
They had it all over, um, the state of Michigan and Detroit
and, and, and Auburn Hills and, and a few other locations.
If you don't know,
Macomb County has the only Ukrainian council in the state
of Michigan, and they wanted to make sure
that we let everyone know.
Thank you. Any other announcements?
Okay, seeing and hearing none, we will move on. Next item.
Next item is 10 A, which is a public hearing request
to review the
and confirm special assessment role number 5 43 relating
to the demolition of a house
and garage located at 21,632 Connors
through the Nuisance Abatement Program.
Uh, let's see.
Is there anyone from, well, this is a
adding the special assessment.
Do I need to do a Mary, do I need to do a public hearing?
Yeah. Yes. Okay. Uh, anyone from the, uh, the
good?
Thank you. Uh, our parliamentarian MS. Camp.
Uh, does anyone from the
audience want to speak on this matter?
No, It's a nuisance abatement tax roll.
Um, hearing and seeing none.
I will close audience
and turn it over to counsel for action.
Motion to approve support. Discussion.
I have a item in looking at the backup.
Obviously this house has been demolished, um,
but it looks like an interested party is the Michigan
Department of Health and Human Services.
And I was curious how they're an interested party.
Does the person have state debt? Mary, or do you know?
Married Me. Sorry, Ms.
Michaels, you're both in the same direction.
I don't know if you have the answer to that,
but I'm just, you don't,
if you could just send it along
when you have time, that would be great.
I'm just curious. Could have been a
Vulnerable, um, a vulnerable person there.
Okay. Mr. Lizza?
Um, I may be able to shed some light on that.
On this property, there was a probate open only
because a friend of the family wanted to get the ashes
of the deceased owner to properly bury him.
I think that's the only reason he came to our hearing.
And the only reason that that was open is so he could take,
you know, he promised him that he would
take care of the ashes.
So that's what happened with that. Okay.
Thank you. I'm pretty sure that might be
Worse. Appreciate
it. Okay.
Um, seeing no more discussion, 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 10, which was an administrative hearing
that was tabled February 25th, 2025.
Regarding demolition of a house at 72 15 Jackson
through the nuisance abatement program.
Motion to receive, remove from the table. Support Lafferty.
Uh, Motion to remove from the table.
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. Item is off the table.
Motion to approve with discussion. Support Lafferty.
Discussion Ms. Moore Through the chair of Mr.
Za, can you tell us where we're at with this, please?
All right. This home I've been working
on for a few years now.
I had previously had it in nuisance back in two, in 23.
And then the owners ended up donating this
property to the city of Warren.
Um, there was a very unsafe garage,
which we ended up getting torn down.
And there was some discussion about a sale of this property.
And I believe the petitioner is maybe here tonight.
I recognize them in the,
they're still interested in buying this property.
So what is your recommendation at this point?
Well, I mean, if they're gonna save
it, they're gonna save it.
The two gentlemen are here. I know.
Are, are licensed contractors. They came to my hearings.
A few of my hearing sets. I recognize
them here at City Hall.
Interested in buying homes in our city to repair.
And I know they have inquired about this property,
and I think they're interested in
purchasing this property for City.
So we've already had the administrative hearing,
so could we make a motion to suspend the rules to speak
with these gentlemen?
If everyone's interested in hearing what they have
to say, I would support that.
Okay. So a motion to suspend the rules is on the floor. Mr.
Laff support. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Okay.
Rules are suspended. If you wanna maybe bring up the folks.
Yeah. Mr. La
Good evening. My name is Dan
Cress. I'm here with my son, Dane Cress.
Uh, we, uh, own structured demolition and construction.
Uh, we were before you several months ago, uh,
regarding the same property.
Uh, we went through the, um, application process,
the bid process, uh, I'm not sure the department name,
but the gentleman's name is Hunter.
Um, we did the online, uh, bid on the home.
Um, we met with him
and he was uncertain of the status,
but he did telephone us this afternoon
and he wants us to come in
and speak with him next Wednesday.
Uh, he needs to talk to the city attorney, apparently to,
um, get some direction.
So apparently we need to table this once
again here, so, yes.
Yeah. Motion to table support to
Table. Thank you. Thank
You.
Uh, I'll call the question. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty?
Yes. To table. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. To table. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr.
Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is? Yes. Item is tabled.
Next item. Next item is 10 C,
which was an administrative hearing,
which was tabled August 12th, 2025.
Demolition of a house
and shed located at 75 84 Chalmers
through the nuisance abatement program.
Um, motion to remove from the table. Support.
Uh, I will call the question
to remove the item from the table.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is Yes.
Item is off the table. Motion to approve with discussion.
Support Lafferty. Discussion Ms. Moore? Thank you. Mr.
Za, could you bring us up to date, please?
Uh, sorry. Regarding 72 15.
Did we pick a date to table that to
We did not. Um,
Second week In September.
Second week in September. September 9th.
May. Maybe we should, which maybe we should. The
Third, which day? What's that day? Second.
Second. Council meeting in
September. How about we do three weeks? Because
since it's,
you wanna do, uh, what's, uh, September 23rd?
Yeah, let's do that. Gives them more time.
9 23 25. Yeah.
Does that work for you? Because it was a
holiday and everything coming up.
All right. Um, okay.
So last two weeks ago we were here regarding this matter.
Um, Sal, the owner did not appear.
I did speak with him the next, very next day after we, we,
after we tabled the item and told him that he informed me.
He goes, that even did not notify.
I told him, look it, we're going,
we're coming back here in two weeks.
Should probably show up if you wanna save the property.
I do have, uh, he did, they did pull electrical permit,
like I said, last time, which
was issued on eight eight basically the
day before our last hearing.
I think it was the Friday before.
But, uh, I'm not sure if he's here
tonight yet, to be honest.
I spoke to him the day after the last time we were here
and told him the next hearing will be
was stable for two weeks. Well, so
I would keep my motion to approve on, I'm sorry, Ms.
Mc camp. He did contact
The office, but we, he didn't give his name.
He identified the business.
Um, so it took while to figure out
what property you're talking about, but he said he was gonna
be outta town same day.
He, he was going to be out of town today. Yeah.
Well, I would, I would keep my motion
to approve this if he's not here.
It's not our fault if he obviously is not very
interested in keeping the property.
We can't keep these things going on forever and ever.
What kind of shape is this house in? I forget.
Um, it's in pretty poor condition.
This house was pretty previously declared.
I believe it went, went to the county.
I think Sal bought it from the county in order to fix it.
Um, I haven't really had any action on the property.
Alright. To be honest. But that's where we're at with it.
All right. I mean, we had that recent
electrical permit issued.
Yeah. And that's all the action I've had on it.
All right. I'll, I'll keep my motion. So Thank you Mr.
Laffy. You still support? Yeah. We're done chasing this.
Okay. We gave him the extension. Any other discussion?
Hearing and seeing none? I'll call the question. Ms. Moore?
Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr.
Union? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes.
Motion carries. Next item. Next item is 11.
A consideration and adoption
of a resolution approving the continuation
of health insurance coverages with Blue Cross,
blue Cross Blue Care network
and dental insurance coverage with Delta Dental
and Den Cap Dental.
Motion to approve support. Dwyer, any discussion?
I, I have a question more about our coverage.
Human resource director, Jared Gios. Thank you.
I'm also joined with TMR Associates President Mark Mueller
and our benefits administrator Marilyn Warren.
Thank you. Why doesn't the city cover fertility
or infertility treatments?
Our insurance the county, Macomb County does.
So I'm just curious. Well,
This is something we can look into in,
in the insurance programs.
It was not negotiated in the union contract,
so it was something that was never there in there.
But we definitely can take a look at it if, if
that's something you would like us to do.
So is that super widely known,
but I've been going through fertility treatments
for a couple years and, um, it won't help us for,
I utilize the city's insurance wouldn't help me at this
point, but, you know, one in six people suffer from
infertility and we have 800 plus employees.
Um, and it's cost us close to $65,000, uh, thus far.
So I can't imagine what other people, um,
it just is a huge financial burden for folks.
And I would love to see what is possible so
that I leave the city better than I found it.
So there's a couple of things that we have
to take a look at in this.
And we don't cover autism benefits,
which the council's asked us to take a look at it as well,
you know, and some of these different things.
But we're in a fight to keep the, keep your insurance rates
and, and we've been able to keep the insurance rates
for the employees under the hard cap,
which means there's no cost share, no premium share.
So it's, it's a tough, it's a tough decision.
It's a negotiated item for us to, for us to do
with the unions at this point in time
because we don't want those employees to have
to pay a premium share out of their pocket.
And the more benefits we continue to add, that entire burden
of adding those benefits is born upon the employees.
Because once we reach that hard cap, 100%
of all increases go towards those employees,
and those employees have to pay that out of their pocket.
So it, it, it's, it sounds, you know, to be very honest
with you, it sounds all fantastic.
We want to give everybody everything we possibly can. Sure.
But at the same time, we have
to look at all 800 active members and,
and the active members and how do we do what's best
for everybody, you know?
And that's something that is normally negotiated
between the unions and human resources.
And I believe they're in negotiations now,
or it just got out of negotiations.
They don't, yeah. If, if,
I hope that helps. Yes,
it does. Thank you. Appreciate that.
Any other questions, Madam Chair? No. Mm-hmm.
Uh, through the chair to, uh, Mr. Gios.
And really, I, I spoke with, uh, Ms. Warren
before about the autism coverage.
Uh, that's been brought to my attention a couple
of times over the last couple of years that it was, uh,
not covered and that it was needed.
Uh, there's all, and I can appreciate the delicate balance,
but there are, there are also, you know,
where's the delicate balance for the person
that is struggling with, you know, medical needs?
And out of everything that's covered, probably one
of the single greatest costs for autistic coverage is not,
I, I find it very difficult to reconcile that even at a,
a percentage match, uh,
of benefits if it's not a hundred percent covered, you know,
where, you know, could we do 60, 80%?
Could that be, you know, included in the negotiation?
I'm not asking for, you know, a hundred percent everything.
Uh, we have a very generous, the,
the employees in in the city enjoy a very generous program
that, that goes without saying and there,
but I think there still are, uh, improvements to be made
relative to the autistic coverage.
Um, so I have a personal connection to that.
My niece is high functioning autistic, um,
has high functioning autism.
Um, she is covered under my sister's insurance,
but she's not covered fully for autism.
So I've had a number of employees reach out concerned about
this with, in regards to her health insurance.
So my sister, um,
because her health insurance doesn't cover autism,
she has a plethora of resources that she has sent me, um,
to offer to our employees in regards to this issue.
If employees who are watching this
or that you guys know of are dealing with a situation
of a family member with autism, just connect them with me,
uh, at least for the time being.
So I can provide them with these resources.
They're countywide, statewide,
local nonprofit groups, whatever it may be.
Um, my sister explained, you know,
and when you're by yourself with this kind of thing, it,
it's a lot, it's very challenging.
But then when you get the resources
and you can share them, it at least makes your day when you
can see at least one more family benefiting from a
percentage increase that's covered.
So,
Mr. Gios, that
is probably one
of the most outstanding an out outstanding answers
that I could have asked for.
That's the type of leadership
that we need in the departments.
You're, you're thinking outside the box, you're going,
you know, through alternative methods.
While we have a lengthy negotiating process, this, you know,
union negotiations, contracts, collective bargaining, uh,
sessions, those are not, you know, a, uh,
a day, one day's work.
So those are the types of resources we need.
So thank you for your efforts there. Thank you.
Any additional discussion? Madam Chair? Yes.
I think all of us at one time
or another come across something that's not covered.
Um, mark and I have had conversations.
I take some pretty specialized medications at times,
and it's a fight often to get insurance coverage at all
for any of my medications.
Some of mine are very expensive.
I I'm paying out
of pocket at least a thousand dollars a month, um, now
for one of my medications.
It just happens. We can't cover everything for everybody
as much as we would like to.
And I think some of the things we're talking about
negotiations, this is not the appropriate place
to be discussing anything that would come in our, uh,
union Con contract negotiations.
But I understand everybody has concerns
and they want whatever they want covered.
I, I get that. It's just impossible to cover everything,
but thank you very much
and I, I too appreciate your offering alternatives to people
that are, um, in need of certain coverages. Thank you
Madam President.
Mr. Nunan? Yeah, I'm, I'm reading here.
Um, as it says that,
as you can see in the supportive documentation,
there is a projected increase in the B-C-B-S-M self-funded
policy, as well as an increase in the Blue Care
Network renewal.
Delta Dental projected 2.68% increase
the two year guarantee.
And the den cap dental has a rate increase of 7.02%
for active employees
and 11.665% for retirees with a rate guarantee of two years.
Overall, this is, um, ke keeping the, uh,
cost low and, and looking to fiscal responsibility.
But I was wondering if you had anything to say about those.
Well, you
We're in a tough time right now in the medical industry.
And, and as you can see, blue Cross
and Blue Shield, the standard increase is 15
to 16% over the last year.
We have managed those claims very, very well.
And your people have, have the tools
that we have given them, they have used those, right.
And the active population, we've maintained under the,
under the hard cap.
And eventually the river is going to meet the road when the,
when the hard cap only goes up two 3%
and our rates go up 10, 11% or seven or 8%.
We're nearing that right now.
And that's why you see some of the changes
that are taking place
and some of the things that we do not cover
because we have to worry about those 800 active employees
as opposed to, you know, you have to look at what's best
for the masses in, in these different programs.
And we'll, we continue
to explore different options and things that we can do.
You know, the Medicare Advantage plans,
the Medicare prescription drug programs for the retirees,
things of that nature.
And then the prescription drug changes,
which are not pleasant for everybody,
but we're making sure that there's
treatment there for everybody.
And as we go through these different years, we come
with different items where it impacts your population the
least amount as possible.
But eventually, and we're getting there, sir, is that
with the state of Michigan hard cap, especially exactly
what Mr. Schneider, governor Schneider wanted it to do,
eventually they're gonna have to cut the insurance rates
or have an employee cost share.
We've managed to do a good job with the, with the help
of human resources to keep those costs below the hard cap.
But we're coming to an end, you'll be very honest with you
Madam Chair. Thank you for
the, uh, update on that. And I yield
Mr. Bokey,
Uh, I heard you mention active employee, um,
and then you backed off and went into some something else.
Is there a difference between active
and retirees in their coverage?
Yes, there is. The active employees are
negotiated benefits.
The employees that you currently have that are retirees now,
do they enjoy the benefits they had when they retired?
So you have some retirees out there now today
with $2 prescription drugs
or $5 prescription drug plans that you're still honoring,
you know, you have people out there
with a hundred dollars deductibles
and things of that nature in their,
in their contracts when they retired.
That, that you're honoring the active employees are the only
contracts so far that have been changed
and have been manipulated to keep those costs
below the hard cap. Yes,
Sir. So my question
to you, are you changing any retirees, uh,
any, any coverage to them?
Not with this renewal. We're not, sir.
Thank You. Not with this, Rena. Yes.
Any additional discussion? Adam's
Chair, Ms. Mor or
Ms. McGee?
Um, to the director?
Um, we discussed on before we had a meeting Yes.
On different programs that, um, when
certain healthcare benefits that are not affordable, um,
that we can seek out benefit programs
that would assist at a lower cost for our employees.
Um, I don't know if you've done any
research into that as of yet. I,
Yeah, I did. I reached out
to a couple places
and I got a list them I'm trying to piece together.
Um, I also, so I work for a nonprofit that, uh,
focuses in on wellness, mental health, substance misuse,
and we connect a lot with Oakland County Health Network.
We connect with Fern Care, things of that nature
that offer free health resources to individuals
who may be Medicare primary, um, things of
that nature, low income.
So, uh, kind of drafting what that will look like
for the employees to send out if our insurance isn't
covering all the things that they're asking
For. Right? Yes. Right. That
would be a great help
because for someone who, you know, autism, they may be able
to go if they can't afford what we have
or if we're not offering, they can go
to this particular program
and get it at a more reasonable rate.
So I appreciate you looking into that. Of
Course. Thank you.
Any other discussion, hearing and seeing none?
I'll call the question. Thank you very much. Uh, Ms. Moore?
Yes, ma'am. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Bokey?
Yes. Uh, Mr. Nunan? Certainly. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C? Yes.
Motion carries. Next item. Next item is 11 B.
Request of Table 53 Pizzeria,
LLC located at 32 2 70 Van D**e
to upgrade their tavern license to a Class C liquor license
through the state of Michigan consideration
and adoption of a resolution.
So moved. Support Lafferty.
Discussion, Hearing, seen 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? Yes.
Motion carries. Next item. Next item is 11 C.
Recommendation of the RFP Committee to award ITBW 1 4 7 8
for the construction of a new library
to be located at Underwood Park
to Quadra Construction LLC in an amount not
to exceed $2,556,737 70 cents.
This recommendation was voted on
and approved by the Library Commission on July 17th, 2025.
Consideration and adoption of a resolution.
So moved with discussion support. Lafferty.
Discussion Ms. Moore? Madam Chair Is Ms. Barnwell here?
She was going to assist us if could ask her to come forward.
Good evening counsel. Thank you, Ms. Barnwell.
Um, um, I, so to go back a little,
um, we started out with a, a, an idea and it sort of grew
and got to this point.
Now, um, the Library Commission has approved this
and we're ready to go forward.
Um, I, I think that, you know, we, we found about
what a great need there was in this area of town
that had been sort of underserved
and, um, neglected for a while.
And, uh, during the pandemic, one of the first things we
realized was that children in
that area didn't have access to internet.
So that's one of the things we were really ex, you know,
looking to do, is provide a place where
students could go get internet.
Um, uh, we talked about having a library of things in
that area, which is very exciting, I think.
Uh, idea, um, the,
we put in 2 million from ARPA funds, um,
and the initial design came back at 2.5.
We told the architects to go back to the drawing board,
which they did, and they came in with a plan at 2 million.
But we went out for bid.
Of course, it came back like everything, you know,
the longer we've waited now everything has
become much more expensive.
And we've had meetings that there,
there is money in the library general fund, correct?
Yes, that's right. And, um,
Everything you said, um, is exactly
what, what has happened.
So just going back to 2010,
that's initially when this particular
library millage passed.
And basically what the, the purpose of the millage was, was
construction of new library branches, um,
updated library branches,
and then updates at the existing ones.
So since then, we have completely rebuilt two libraries
and really have done not much else since 2019.
So that millage money has been collecting over
this whole time, and now the library fund balance is at
$7 million.
So yes, we have the ARPA funds, um, uh, you know,
that are going to go to this initial project,
but we have more than enough funds to cover the library
of things and all the material
that's gonna go into this library.
And like I said, I know that there are some who, um,
have expressed concern with the financial picture,
but, um, myself as well as Mr. Fox, um, we have
concerns in the future.
If the millage is not renewed, then we might have
to reimagine, you know, some of our library services.
But until then, we have plenty of funds to build this
and, um, staff it and, um, um, and all the rest
because this money is just sitting there, um, in an account
and it needs to go toward the residents.
Like, um, Councilman Moore, you were saying, you know,
these residents, they have very little
adequate park services, you know, the roads
and, you know, um, a lot of the families only have one car
if, if at all, um,
residents had been waiting this entire time.
First, I think we all to started talking about this in 2019,
and we batted around several different ideas.
Meanwhile, this fun balance continued
to build without helping the residents
that need it the most.
And, um, from a financial standpoint, like I said,
the money is just sitting there in an account that we have
that I'm the signer of,
and it's not helping any residents right now.
Um, but like I said, with the construction of this,
this is going to offer library services, um,
books and playtimes and internet
and library of things
and, you know, um, activities for the kids, places where,
um, young adults can go, um, and hang out as well.
So this is really gonna help that area,
bring those needed services.
Um, I think also we talked about in many
of the discussions we've had, um, this library,
for instance, is very underutilized
and there may be an opportunity to rein, reinvent Yes.
Um, the utility of this LI library here, um,
to more meet the need of this area
and perhaps some of the resources that wouldn't be needed
for whatever that reimagined, reimagine spaces
could be transferred then to the Underwood Park Library.
A absolutely, I mean, there's a lot of, you know,
great ideas that have been thrown out there by people, um,
at this table, um, that I'm facing.
Um, you know, like we could reimagine that space
to really focus on children somewhere
for them to go and play.
Um, because I think, um, I've been saying this
for a long time, Warren, you know,
not only is our park system, um, need a lot of revamp,
but there's not as many places in Warren
to go and take your kids.
Um, as someone with like a 13-year-old
and 2-year-old, they're, we are very limited with
where we can take our kids to play.
And that's something I hear constantly from residents.
And we can utilize, you know,
still maybe have a little small library space in there,
but really reimagine it to, um, again,
give residents services that, that they need
and they can go to with their families.
Earlier. Um, Ms. Harris made a comment about the new
library commissioner coming on board
that we approved tonight, and I will indicate that I
did speak with them, meet him for the first time Saturday.
He came up and introduced himself
and said that he was on the agenda to be approved.
And, um, I was very con, um, interested
and he assured me that he was in, uh, support
of the library, wanted to make sure
that we weren't bringing someone on that was going
to be against what we were, we wanna go forward
because we we're excited about this
and we want everybody on the library commission,
whether they voted yes or no on this.
We, we expect them to be helpful
and enthusiastic about what we're going to be doing
because this is really a great thing.
Um, unfortunately, very unfortunately, um, many
of the people in that area had no expectation
that this would ever happen
because they have been disappointed
so many times in their lives and been made promises
and they never came to fruition.
So that's very hard to hear when, you know,
we keep coming up against these,
these roadblocks in the last year or so, and we keep trying
and trying, and I think that has been really the impetus
behind all of us working so hard to make this happen
because we just did not wanna disappoint that area
of town One more time and leave them in the dust.
One more time. Forgotten.
So I am extremely excited about this.
I, you know, there's probably not much we can do this year.
It's pretty late in the season,
but next year I certainly hope to see it going.
So thank you so much, Laura.
You've been a champion
of this project from the very beginning
and kind of brought us all on.
Um, and, uh, the people in David area are very grateful, um,
for everything that's been done, um, to bring this
to this point and appreciate your leadership
and your, uh, activity on the library commission as one
of your duties as treasurer.
Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you
Madam Chair.
Mr. Lafferty. Thank you.
One of the, the points I wanted to touch on Ms. Moore,
you brought up and, and we talked earlier about the,
the reinventing of, of Miller Library.
And, you know, it brings to mind, you know,
our park systems, if you go to five different parks
in the city, you are going
to have five different experiences.
There is no rule that says every library
must look and act the same
and provide all the same services.
The library is a system
and it works in cooperation with other communities
and within itself.
So, and in many times in industry, you have disruptors,
you have changes to your industry,
and this is one of those disruptors.
We are changing the way in which we library in the city.
We are being, uh, given a, a proposal
that says we have an underserved area,
and it has been for many years,
and it's a terrific proposal.
And when we adopted the budget,
we knew that we would not need workers immediately
to fill these positions.
So we took it out of the recommended budget from the mayor.
We started with 24, uh, funded positions, and we,
and the recommended budget was 33 positions,
and we eliminated all of those additional positions
because we said we're not going to need
to fund those positions throughout the entire fiscal year.
Now, what I find interesting is that
the mayor recommended this to us.
We received our recommended budgets in April,
and at the 11th hour,
an email this morning comes from the mayor saying
that we will exhaust the library's reserve funds
within five years.
This is a, a questionable decision.
Uh, the, you know, we'll, we'll be spreading the,
the library resources thin.
We'll have to split between multiple bank,
uh, multiple branches.
Uh, will we have, will we have to, you know, close branches?
There is absolutely zero creative thinking on behalf
of the mayor's office
and on behalf of, uh, anyone
who helped put this email to council together this morning.
And the only thing this does, threatening an increase
in the millage rate
that's called fearmongering, and I don't like it.
I think it was wrong for her to send
that email if she didn't want to recommend a,
uh, another library.
Then answer me this one question.
Madam Mayor, why did you recommend
the positions in the budget?
I don't have that answer. I cannot put two
and two together, but Ms.
Uh, Barnwell stated it very well, according
to our fiscal year end budget.
If even with, uh, our decision tonight, the
budget will be $8.4 million
projected as a fund balance.
We have the funds sufficient to do this.
And I think with some creative thinking,
just like we talked about Mr.
Gios earlier, thinking outside the box
and treating this as a disruptor in the library
industry within the city of Warren,
we reinvent the Miller Library, we shift resources to
where they're most needed.
We save taxpayer dollars
and we invent a new way of library in the city of Warren.
This is a great idea. Thank you,
Madam. P
Ms. McGee, and then Ms. Stern Newnan.
Um, my only concern is with the library.
Uh, although I am all for having a library, I would like
to see a plan on, um, a list of items.
So what we're planning on doing with the library,
I would hope that we do something different.
Um, providing, um, there's been some things that I've,
I I've learned over this last couple years
that the library been doing for our constituents as well
as our residents in the community in that area.
But can we offer something different?
Um, whether it be job development
and training at the library, um, bringing in speakers, um,
doing something different that we can offer to them that,
um, with the way the economy is going right now, we,
there's a need out here.
Mm-hmm. I get calls on, um,
can you bring a speaker in from Medicaid, Medicare,
and Social Security?
Maybe our library can assist us with those type of things.
I would like to see a plan on
how these dollars will be used.
Um, I did not hear whether
or not that the staffing was included in that 2 million,
3 million, no.
So that's totally separate on
what the mayor has submitted already for the number
of people that's operating.
Okay. Okay. That's all I needed. Thank you, Mr.
Nunan. Yes.
Um, I'm in favor of this library,
and, um, one of the things
that I think is most crucial at this time is to have better
services for our kids throughout the city.
Um, especially, um, as having been a school board trustee
during COVID, we saw the socialization
of kids go down the drain.
Basically, so many kids are, are really struggling.
And, um, so better, uh, programs
in the libraries and in the parks for the kids
is near and dear to my heart.
Thank you.
Any other discussion?
I also very much support the library
and felt very confident when, uh, controller Fox gave us
the breakdown of how the, uh, fund balance would be spent
and then subsequent, um, breakdown of financials.
So, um, I'm also very supportive
and excited for this community.
Uh, hearing No more discussion, I will call the question.
Ms. Moore? Yes. For Vera. Mr. Lafferty?
Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Absolutely.
Yes. Mr. Nunan?
Sure thing. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes.
Motion carries. Next item.
Next item. Next item is, uh, 12 A,
which was tabled on July 22nd, 2025.
Proposed ordinance to amend chapter two of the ordinance use
of the city seal and city logo.
Um, I'm not sure if this is ready to be pulled off yet.
Motion to remove from the table. Okay.
Support, uh,
motion to remove from the table.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Um, Ms. McGee? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes.
Rogan. See as a yes.
Motion to approve. Thank you. The discussion,
Support.
Support. Bokey. Discussion Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you. After discussions with
Mary Michaels, the, uh, acting city attorney
who should be the city attorney on record, uh, we made some
minor adjustments to the language
and the items that I did want to, uh, bring forward
as, uh, to note that we are adding the content
of, uh, the advertisement shall not contain matters
of a partisan political nature
and shall not be intended to further the political interest
of a particular elected official.
And we added or candidate
for public office. The other,
Uh, One of the other changes is that all use
of the city seal and logo shall comply with the branding
and styling rules as established in the City
of Warren branding
and style guide, uh, I asked to have removed, uh,
the permissions granted to, uh, the applicant
by either the, uh, building, the building,
the public service director
or the director of communications.
Uh, it is to be followed strictly by the guidelines
that are available in the branding and style guide,
and then authorized use, uh, is to be, uh,
by the mayor or their authorized designee, uh,
for any display of the city seal or logo
or reference to the City of Warren endorsing
or supporting an event.
Uh, those are the, uh, the material changes
that have been incorporated into the, uh,
yes, into, uh, into the, uh, um, ordinance.
So
Let's see here.
Yeah. Okay.
Um, yes. Okay.
So under 2.6, uh, section four,
all use of the city seal
and logo shall comply with the branding
and styling guide rules, uh, branding
and styling rules established in the City
of Warren branding and style guide.
The remainder is struck.
Section two seven,
section subsection two, section A.
Any private party organizing
or sponsoring a public event in partnership with the City
of Warren may display the seal or logo
or city logo without alteration according to the City
of Warren branding and styling guide,
and with the written authorization of the mayor
or their authorized designee.
Uh, and then any display
or use of the city seal or logo
or reference to the City of Warren as endorsing
or supporting an event, program
or message must have the express written authorization from
the mayor or their other, other,
or their authorized designee.
The decision of the mayor shall be final, shall be
for a limited duration, not to exceed
beyond the event date shall be revocable at will
and is non assignable.
Uh, section three, uh, section 2.4 of the court ordinances
entitled, advertisements at Public Expense Shall Be Stricken
in its entirety, is struck out.
And I believe that is,
is this a change here? Demanding
Correct. Action,
Uh, penalty?
Yes. Okay. And then under two dash eight under penalty,
section B, demanding corrective action in a matter
reasonably tailored to the circumstances of the violation
and Section C requiring submission of proof
of such remediation.
Uh, number two, failure
to comply shall result in the city attorney
or authorized official.
And, uh, subsection I, we add an and
or statement in, uh, in that section,
and that, uh, appears to be the remaining changes.
Any other discussion?
Okay. Hearing and seeing none, I will call the question Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item. Thank you.
Um, 12 B Council Secretary Mindy Moore discussion
and Ray, a DA accessibility requirements for websites,
mobile apps, social media in 2026. So moved.
Support Lafferty,
Madam Chair.
Discussion Ms. Moore? Yeah.
Um, last week I attended, uh, uh,
the Michigan Municipal League webinar
and a DA digital compliance
that addressed the April, 2026 deadline.
Um, that compliance, uh, is dealing with municipal websites,
emails, social media, um, for persons with,
uh, disabilities.
The session highlighted the scope of requirements
and underscored the challenges
that many municipalities face in becoming compliant.
It was clear from the presentation that proactive planning
and stakeholder involvement are critical to the success.
Um, so I, um, it wasn't really my place
to be on this webinar,
but I was interested in what, what they were saying
because, um, some of those things could affect us.
Any of us that have social media using our titles, um,
anything coming out of city council office, we are going
to have to have a new way of scanning, um, documents.
How we send them over now won't work.
Um, so there's all kinds of things.
Email blast emails have to be a DA compliant
and email between you and I, Ms.
Rogan wouldn't have to be compliant one-on-one,
but anything, um, blast emails and things like that.
Um, so this led me to looking at our ordinance, um,
establishing the Commission on Disabilities, um,
and the ordinance charges the commission with advising,
assisting and advocating on matters affecting
persons with disabilities.
This includes identifying the barriers,
recommending corrective measures,
and promoting policies that ensure equal access
to city services and programs.
Given these responsibilities,
the commission has both the authority
and the obligation
to support the city in meeting its a DA requirements.
I don't think that's happening.
I, there are a lot of things, if, if we are going to follow
that guideline of what the commission is, the,
the commissioners should be participating in seminars
and conferences and the like, uh, regarding a DA compliance,
reviewing current city websites, email platform,
social media channels for accessibility barriers,
advising on best practices
and tools for digital accessibility,
providing input on policies
and timelines for the compliance monitoring progress
to ensure deadlines are met.
I don't think we're doing any of that.
And if we're not going to utilize
the commission that way, that ordinance needs
to be rewritten because it
really is putting much more responsibility
for handling these things.
And I don't think there's a person on the commission that is
by education trained in a DA compliance.
Certainly there are members that have family members
that are disabled, there are members on there by requirement
who have disabilities.
And it's extremely important for all of us to understand
what challenges and,
and barriers anyone with a disability faces.
And that's important to have people
with disabilities on the commission.
But I think if we're going to, we either need
to change the whole scenario of the commission
or put people on the commission that have these skills
to be able to be doing these things.
I think now we're hiring outside consultants
for those type of things.
I don't know where we are on, on this actual, um,
the digital accessibility.
I don't think we, Mr. Muselli,
you're involved in doing the digital.
I would think communications would be involved. Please.
Good evening, everyone.
Our web designer actually just emailed me today.
The, uh, the backup copy of that actual webinar
that you're talking about with the,
the PowerPoint presentation, the recorded webinar.
She attended it last week as long
with the same time you did.
Um, we're moving forward with making our internal web, or,
or I'm sorry, external website, aada a compliant as well
as our internal website.
We've moved over, switched over to DocuSign, so to ensure
that all of our documents are now a DA compliant.
Um, we're moving forward with all of that.
She is becoming, you know, she's taking the steps forward
to make sure that that's all forward or being taken care of.
Um, I have a bit of a web or web design background, um,
and I've been helping her as much as I can
with some of that stuff.
Um, the advisory committee that we've,
the internal advisory committee, we've been making sure
that's, that's a priority.
Um, as well as the rest of it.
We've, uh, you know, we, we started, uh, the, a ton
of different projects currently, you know,
we're moving forward at as much possible
as we can possibly can.
Right. I, I don't wanna be, uh, super critical,
but our website is, I'd give it a d it's not very good.
Um, whether it's compliant
or not is just, I have a difficulty navigating
and finding anything, and I find things
that have no business being on there.
And I'm not, I don't have a disability
recognized under the a DAI certainly have a disability when
it comes to technology sometimes,
But there's a lot of information to disseminate on
that website, and it is very hard to navigate at some times.
Um, she ju just post the draft
of our transition plan on there.
So that should be coming out.
The public version of that should be coming out soon.
Um, and then hopefully at some point we will have a
better structured website.
You know, we've talked about that in the future.
Um, but right now we're just kind of trying to deal
with cleaning up the current website
and making it compliant to meet the deadline.
Right, right. I I, I, you know, I heard some things
that surprised me.
I didn't realize that 25% of adults have some sort
of disability recognized under the a DA
and one in 10 men are colorblind. Mm-hmm.
Very po very common.
I didn't get a chance to watch a
webinar. I did see the length of
Yeah, it was, was, it was interesting.
It was, it was presented very well.
It was an hour, it was very easy to watch,
and it wasn't over my head.
And so that's a, that's a good webinar when I
Can follow. Yeah. She said it was
very informative.
It was, it was. And I have the, I'll be glad to share.
I was just looking electronically
with everybody if they wanna I
Was just gonna say, I'd forward
the link to you guys if you want it.
Yeah. Um, we can, well, I'll do that for us.
But, um, thank you.
If there's anything you need from us, um, let us know.
Um, and I'm sure that there's things we're gonna have
to change in the way we, we, we have already had problems.
Absolutely. Like I said, with our, the backup from our, uh,
count, our packets are so big
and there has been a problem viewing those.
And if you noticed, we, we switched a lot more over
to DocuSign that we've sent over to,
and to make these changes a little easier with
that DocuSign documents that makes it a DA compliant,
and that gives that backup material a little easier
for you guys to disseminate and make, keep it a DA
Compliant. Right. Right.
So at some point, and I,
and they're looking at April, 2026 as a deadline,
but you know, like, like all,
all a DA compliance regulations, they have been pushed out
to the future often. Right. Um, because
We'd still like to meet the Deadline though, right.
That would be great. So anything,
but if you could keep us updated,
we appreciate it and Absolutely.
Thank you very much that president.
But I would like to, just to circle back, Ms.
Michaels, I think we need to, I think we need
to look at the Commission on Disabilities
because they're really not doing any, I mean,
they're doing some things, but they're really not meeting
the requirements or, or fulfilling the, the, the,
uh, purpose of that.
And maybe we need to reimagine that and
or fold it in somewhere else.
So maybe we can talk about that in the future.
Thank you, Ms. McGee.
Um, when you were speaking on, um, Madam Secretary
of the Commission, the Disability Commission, um,
they are bringing in speakers to speak on this.
They talk about, um, different programs and technology
and how we move forward.
Matter of fact, on our last meeting, we did, um, bring in,
uh, someone who could talk more in detail about
a DA compliance, helping us understand how it works.
So you do have a couple of people there, um, right.
Who, um, who's trying to make sure
that we understand, um, it all.
And so as we move forward to meet this deadline,
maybe we can bring a representative in there
that can really go through the information
as they did on the, uh, on the call, right.
On the training. So thank you for that, Mr.
Nun. And then Mr. Lafferty.
Sure. Um, uh, actually today, uh, Madam Secretary,
you and I were talking a little bit,
and it seemed like maybe the administration could bolster
the, um, commission on disabilities
with an administrator person who, uh, could get up,
you know, get up to speed, um, on what, what, uh, cities
who are really highly compliant and best practices are.
So, uh, I just thought I'd
Yeah, Madam Chair in response.
Um, and I, I think Ms. Murphy, who is trying her best
to fulfill that role,
but maybe we're, maybe the ordinance puts too much,
too much on the commission.
And that was my point. Oh, okay.
That perhaps it's, you know, they,
they do bring in speakers.
They've made recommendations on, um,
certain things over the, over the years.
The wording on the agendas are there
because of, I think when I was on the
city council the first time I, a tour of the fire station.
Yeah. Right. And, and they have been helpful in,
um, uh, judging.
Um, I remember we had the, the weight
of the doors here when this facility was built.
Um, but I, I was represented on, on
that commission when, in my first term.
So that's where I gained my familiarity.
But I think we're just,
we're putting too much responsibility on them with
that ordinance, and maybe we could tweak it a little bit
and change it as more of an informational, um, group
as opposed to making decisions
and forwarding policy recommendations.
You also spoke with the role of lawyers, um,
on our commissions that they were supposed
to be responding when asked rather than like,
taking charge of the whole thing.
Right. Right. That's a lot. That's, that's right.
That's a burden on them too. Yeah.
They have a lot of legal work to do. This is a big city.
There's a lot going on.
And so that's just one more burden on the, the, uh,
It might be more responsible to have someone else
taking on, uh, the leadership capacity of it. Yeah.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty.
Thank you. And through the chair to, uh, Mr.
Mozza, you don't, you don't have to get up,
but at, we approved
just recently a one year extension to the web,
the website contract.
And, uh, Ms. Moore, you
and I attended a meeting with one of their consultants for
a couple of years ago now on all of the different changes
that were required to the site.
But what I wanted to tell Mr.
Melli, the, we, we had specific language in that contract
that if there were not,
they're not meeting their obligations that we can terminate,
uh, with, with notice.
Uh, what I'd, what I'd like to suggest that, you know,
communications department, uh, Mr.
Elli, the, uh, and,
and maybe the City attorney's office, uh, review all of the,
you know, the, the current problems with the site
and all of the obligations that the current web provider
has already and is not performing to understand,
should we exit that contract
and find a consultant, find a, a web provider that,
you know, actually has, you know, the, the right experience
that we need to bring that site up to speed.
I'm, I'm not convinced that it's, it's the current provider,
and if it isn't, and it's the recommendation
of the communications department yourself, Mr.
Maselli, that we change that, uh, then, you know, so be it.
And we'll make that, we'll make that change.
But, uh, certainly with, uh, the deadlines that Ms. Moore
that you alluded to, uh, the clock is ticking.
Thank you.
Any other discussion? Okay.
Hearing and seeing none, 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 12 C Council Secretary Mindy Moore.
Discussion and Ray, request to update the council rules
of procedures, procedures Section 2.1 to add legal update
to the council agenda.
So moved with discussion
Support, Ty.
Discussion Ms. Moore, this is simply to add a, uh,
a space in the agenda If, um, legal counsel has any update
to give us, rather than add it, take it away.
We'll just add, have it as a regular item.
And if he has something to update the counsel on, we'll,
we'll do it at that spot.
And I think everybody was given a copy.
Any other discussion? Okay.
We just received a copy. No, it was mailed in your backup.
Okay. Or given
seeing and hearing none.
I'll call the question MS.
12 C, Ms. Moore, that was you, correct? Yes. Yes.
Um, Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Mr. Newan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is 12 D Council member Jonathan Laffy.
Discussion in race section 21 dash 23, television,
phonograph, musical instruments, et cetera.
The playing of any television phonograph or similar device
or any musical instrument in such a manner
or with such volume, particularly during the hours
between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM or at any time or place.
So as to annoy or disturb the quiet comfort
or repose of persons in any office
or in any dwelling hotel or other type of residence,
or of any persons in the vicinity is unlawful. So moved.
Support Lafferty with discussion.
Uh, discussion. Mr. Lafferty?
Thank you. I was contacted by a resident
who very astutely described a problem in the neighborhood
and actually cited the ordinance.
He had done his homework, he had done his research
and said, uh, you know, Mr.
Lafferty, and I reminded him, that's my father, uh, Mr.
Lafferty, have, have you, uh,
read this particular ordinance,
and how can we fix the problem in the neighborhood?
And I said, I wasn't familiar with
that particular, uh, section.
And upon reading it, realize that we've got,
uh, a couple of areas.
And counsel, I did provide you a couple
of excerpts from, from the ordinance.
It's, it's very lengthy. It has numerous sections.
And Ms. Moore referred to, uh, one in the,
in the particular item, section 21, 23.
But there is, uh, sections on excessive noise, uh, uh,
generally speaking, uh, overall noise
and commotion in vehicles mobile sound amplification.
And what I observed is that we have many different
good parts of the ordinance,
but it's all spread out in the different sections.
And this, this, uh, particular ordinance is ripe
for a renewal.
And to the point that, uh, Mr.
Coone and his wife Ashley are, are here this evening,
I would like to ask for a suspension of the rules
Support To thank you, to allow Mr.
Coone to describe the issue in the neighborhood, uh,
to give some context to the changes
that I'd like to propose.
All in favor of suspending the rules. Aye. Aye.
Any opposed?
Mr. Coone, could you please,
uh, come up to the microphone?
Good evening, counsel. Uh, Vince Kone here speaking.
Uh, thank you, Jonathan.
I'll call you there from now on, but, um, thank you, sir.
Yeah. Yeah. I just wanna bring some talking points, uh,
with some of the stuff I'm dealing with, uh,
currently in my neighborhood with a noisy neighbor.
Uh, Jonathan, you kind of nailed it on the ordinances and,
and our discussions Right.
Um, of what's going on.
But I have several videos of kind of what's going on.
So anybody wants to see what's happening.
I can show you those, but I'm kind of frustrated
to the point to where I don't know what to do
because of the ordinances are kind
of all over the place, right?
We have some ordinances that say during the day,
or at any time, we have mobile ordinances, we have
a, a bunch of other stuff here.
So, um, kind of wanted to come to the council in support of
kind of clarifying some of those ordinances and,
and hopefully get some help.
Uh, not only for myself,
but other, uh, citizens of, of Warren.
As I've kind of looked at some of the forums and,
and some of the social media pages
that other people are doing with this as well.
It's not just myself dealing with a neighbor, right?
So it's kind of some of the stuff I'm dealing with here.
Um, you know, a lot of language in some of the music,
um, is inappropriate.
I mean, I know it's first Amendment right,
but, you know, we have, uh, you know, kids
and stuff like that that are around
by neighborhood specifically.
And then there's a bus stop a little bit down the ways that
that kids get dropped off at.
So, um, it is during the day, I wanna make that very clear
that it's, it's not at nighttime.
Uh, 'cause those ones are very clear,
but it's during the day, right from the 8:00 AM
to 10:00 PM He's, you know,
my neighbor's going for hours on end.
Um, and I've been told many times
that from the police
officers that there's nothing they can do.
So I wanna try and get something at least in other eyes
and again, to your counsel.
So for the most part, pretty close.
Thank you, sir. Yeah, I appreciate you
representing the item on behalf of your neighbors.
I did visit, uh, with Mr.
Dni and we, there was loud music in the neighborhood,
and it's not, this is not intended to be,
uh, punitive.
My neighbor has the radio on in the backyard,
and I don't like the type of music that they're playing.
This was, uh, overtly loud.
And it was, you know, at least in my opinion, uh,
not an audiologist,
but it, it is, it was just, it was just a disturbance.
Mm-hmm. And especially at, at least at the time
that I was visiting with you, uh, you, you mentioned
to me that the base,
Yes. Boom, boom.
Yeah, the base is terrible too.
Um, but, you know, to that point is, you know, it's,
it's very audible within 30 feet, right?
Again, going back to some of those ordinances,
there are ordinances that talk about if a,
if music is audible within 30 feet, I am
probably double that, if not more.
And I can very clearly hear the words
and, and the music there.
So, um, we have other neighbors that,
that abide by that, right?
Um, that's, that have at a reasonable rate.
But again, the one neighbor, uh,
at least in my vicinity is, is like that. So, alright.
Thank you. Yeah, no, thank you.
And thank you for, for feeling, uh,
that my voice has been heard at least.
So I, I appreciate you, you know,
bringing us to the council here.
And, and, uh, I feel good about, you know,
our conversations like that too. So
Thank you. I, I will
follow up with you.
Cool. Alright. Thank you. Uh, motion
to resume the rules or just we can resume the rules.
We can resume. Yep. So going back to what I,
what I pointed out, if you look at section 2124 under
excessive noise, it's specific to 10:00 PM
to 8:00 AM which disturbs the quiet
and peace of persons located in the vicinity.
Excessive noise, I think can happen at any time
of the day or night.
Uh, 2131, noise
or commotion in vehicles, uh,
covers unnecessarily loud noise or loud
or profane music from a motor vehicle.
So that could easily apply
to me being in my garage and, and playing loud
or profane music.
Uh, so it's, it seems that we took some elements
and we didn't apply, or whoever, uh,
wrote this over the years
did not apply those same elements holistically
across the ordinance.
So what I'd like to ask is that we direct Mr. Schroeder to
suggest amendments that, uh,
encompass the overarching points of the, uh,
the overall ordinance,
and also encompass, uh, recommendations from war and police.
That what can, what can they enforce
what is enforceable mm-hmm.
And give them the tools that they need to be effective.
And this is certainly a tool in their, uh,
in their toolbox that they can use.
But the way it's written today, uh, I don't know, Ms. Moore,
if you have a phonograph at your home. Uh, I don't,
I actually do. You
do? I think my daughter has one
There. Okay.
But, uh, as far as it, you know,
phonograph being loud, I'm not certain that it's, uh,
it's applicable in modern day technology.
So certainly we have some, uh,
some word cleanup to do as well.
Madam Chair, Ms. Moore. So, going back, MS.
Camp will remember this in our first term, I had proposed
a noise ordinance, um,
and it was mostly at that time, boom,
boxes coming from cars.
It was especially like a neighborhood kid
that was coming home at midnight,
one o'clock in the morning every night,
boom, boom, boom, boom.
So it was not approved by the council at that time
because the president at that time said,
I didn't include the noise from kids playing basketball.
So it was defeated in the next term.
A new council member got on and called me
and said, would you mind if I took the noise
ordinance on as my own?
I said, absolutely, we need to get it done.
So I think probably a lot of
that noise ordinance came from the oh
7 20 11, um, timeframe.
You know, what's been done? I don't remember us doing
anything, certainly since 2019 regarding noise.
I don't think we have that boom box.
What I'll call from cars noise that we
had in the early two thousands.
Yeah, that is fine. You know, it's, it's a little different.
But, so I think
that this probably has been done pretty
piecemeal, is my guess.
It looked like it needs to, it needs to be re redone.
It, it evolves in sections.
Yeah. Probably get rid of phonograph too.
I, I'll let it go. Ms. McGee.
Uh, I have a couple concerns regarding the,
um, the times.
Um, I stay in association
and, uh, in certain association areas
and location, they have their own cutoff time.
Our cutoff time is 11:00 PM instead of 10:00 PM Um,
so if we're going to go ahead
and revise this, we may need to include everybody.
Um, that's my, uh, that's one of my concerns is that, um,
even on weekends, um, an association have a different time
for weekend hours for loud music
and parties can't be.
And I've noticed that I went to a 60th birthday party and
or last year, um,
and, um, the Warren Police Department came out
and they had informed that it was a midnight hour,
that it had to be cut off.
So I wanna make sure that we put the right times here
that the cutoff time for noise.
Thank you. Any other discussion?
Madam President? Mr. Newnan?
I, I, I wonder if it's possible to have a fine
and, um, an easy, easily, um,
um, documented, uh, way of,
of declaring that, that,
that the conditions were met to trigger it.
Like, um, if this is happening, you can call the police
and the police can come.
And if they witness that, then they can say, issue a,
a permit, a fine, a ticket for X amount of money.
Does that have to be something that can go to court?
I don't know exactly how that would work,
but if they don't, if there's no teeth,
if there aren't any teeth, then it's,
it's not something that they can enforce.
Right. That's, that was my thought.
Madam Chair. Mr. Lafferty.
So, Mr. Nunan, the excerpts that I
provided counsel, this is not the entire ordinance.
I only printed the relevant sections. Yeah.
For context of this argument. Mm-hmm.
The, there is a penalty section of the ordinance 21 dash 36,
which covers, uh, that in particular.
So that does already exist. I just didn't print it.
Are you happy with the way that is?
I I haven't read it in its entirety. Okay.
It's, it's not, uh, uh, I'm certainly, uh, certain
that a discussion with Mr. Schroeder or Ms.
Michaels Yeah. Uh, will help, uh, clarify. Okay.
It's, it says, uh, a district court
shall punish a person found responsible of a violation
of Article two of this chapter with a fine
of not less than $100,
but not more than $1,000 per violation and
or costs assessment and damages and expenses as provided.
It's a municipal, it's considered a municipal
civil infraction. Do you get a ticket?
Sounds good. So keep your phonograph at a
reasonable, reasonable hour.
I'm gonna watch out now. Any other discussion
Chair Mr.
Schroer?
Just briefly. Um, I understand
what I think the assignment might be here.
I just have dealt with noise ordinances for many,
many years, and I do want the input of the police department
because these things can be very difficult to enforce.
Um, and, um, to have a total sympathy for the resident
and the problem they have.
I was brought in a few years ago in a community in another
county, and there were two neighbors
filing noise complaints.
There had million dollar houses.
The one neighbor drank wine and cheese
and liked classical music.
The other neighbor liked more modern music
with profane language.
And between me and the police department
and everybody else, we couldn't even solve the problem.
It was just like, you guys need to move. Okay.
But, um, so I'm trying to say is that the,
we can't solve every problem with a law,
but there is a disturbing the piece too,
which is 22 dash 1 0 7.
It's a misdemeanor. I did have a jury trial in front
of Judge Shimra, one of my first jury trials
where it was a disturbing the piece.
It was in an apartment building
where the person just kept playing the music over and over.
And I think by the 20th time the police department came out,
they wrote a misdemeanor ticket,
it went all the way to a jury.
And, uh, the defendant brought in their,
um, Boombox.
Boombox, and they plugged it in and it was crackling.
It couldn't make any noise. And they tried to say, you know,
this thing couldn't possibly have made all that noise.
You know, I think they drowned the thing in the bathtub the
night before to short it out so it wouldn't work.
But anyway, they were found guilty
'cause nobody really believed them.
But, um, there are cases where this can go to a misdemeanor
criminal situation when it's over and over and over.
But then again, I mean, are we going
to arrest people for this?
Are we gonna call them criminals?
It really takes a lot for that.
So there, there are other options here.
So I think also I'd like to be able to work with Ms.
Michaels. 'cause her office is the one that would have
to prosecute these cases, I think as well.
So we'll bring her into that.
But, uh, I agree with everything else that was said,
but it's hard to solve all for all of these scenarios.
There's also, um,
some ordinances have like a decibel reader situation
where if you're above a certain decibel amount in a certain
distance, then you're in violation.
But then that makes the police department have
to buy decibel readers, then they have to calibrate them,
then, you know, that gets to be difficult too.
But, um, we can also bring back some options for counsel
to look at and, and,
and try to choose from a menu of options as well.
Excellent. Thanks. Thank you Mr. Shorter.
Any other discussion? 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.
Next item is 12 E Reappointment of David Safiya
to the zoning board of appeals for a term to expire.
September 30th, 2028.
So moved with discussion support Lafferty Ty.
Discussion Ms. Moore. Thank you. Um, um, Mr.
SFA is here for a reappointment.
He has done just a wonderful job on ZBA
and I wholeheartedly, uh,
am advocating for his reappointment.
Thank you.
Any other 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.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next item.
Next item is 12 F,
which is, um, a proposed resolution
to establish administrative fee
to process vacant tax reverted lot sales.
So moved.
Support Lafferty.
Thank you Madam Chair. Discussion? Yeah. Mm-hmm.
This, this item came up when we were talking about, uh,
selling properties for a dollar.
That there should be some sort of administrative fee.
This won't come anywhere near covering
what the legal department
and some of the other departments have invested in the way
of time in these.
But this would at least be something to sort of offset it.
And, um, um,
and I think that when, when you put a fee on like this,
it becomes a more important transaction to someone making
that rather than just the $1.
So, and I think Ms. Uh, Ms.
Michaels and Mr. Schroeder work together
on coming up with this number.
I suggested a much higher number,
but I'm ha I'm fine with this one.
Any other discussion? It's good work. Okay.
Hearing and seeing none, I'll call the question. Ms. Moore?
Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes.
Uh, Ms. McGee? Yes. Grogan C is a yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Next item is 12 G, which dis is discussion
regarding Senior Housing Commission member Curtis Oosh.
Motion to approve
Support. Lafferty
Madam Chair discussion?
Yep. Thank you. Yes. Curtis Oosh is a current member
of the Senior Housing Commission as of August 26th.
Today, um, 2025,
Curtis Oosh owes $1,440 in fines
and fees to the city due to property maintenance violations.
Um, there are four separate 37th district court cases.
Um, and the
resolution I would propose is whereas Section 4.3 A
of the Warren City Charter provides
that a person is ineligible for city office
who is in default to the city.
And whereas Section 4.10
of the Warren City Charter further provides
that a city office shall become vacant upon default
to the city unless such default is eliminated within 30 days
after written notice thereof
by the clerk upon direction of the council.
And whereas the city council has been informed
that Curtis Oosh currently serving
as Senior Housing Commissioner is in default
to the city now,
therefore be it resolved at the Warren City Council,
hereby directs the city clerk to issue written notice
to Curtis Oosh pursuant to Section four point 10
of the Warren City Charter, informing him of the default
to the city and the requirement
to cure such default within 30 days of the date
of notice in order to avoid automatic vacancy of office
and be it further resolved that the city council shall take
any and all further action required to ensure compliance
with the Warren City Charter.
Any discussion?
Mr. Schroeder? Is there anything you need to add?
You correctly stated? Okay.
The requirements of the charter.
Um, this is an opportunity also to pay the fees
and then that puts this matter to rest
if it's paid within 30 days.
Thank you. Okay.
Hearing and seeing no
Additional. Has He
already been served?
I'm sorry? Has he already been informed
or he's gonna be informed?
The clerk makes that, um, according to the charter,
she informs the commissioner of the default.
Okay. We'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 13 A, which was tabled 8 12 20 25.
Requests of the fire department to increase the award
for incident reporting software to ESO Solutions, Inc.
Increasing the 20 25, 20 26 period
to $66,314 84 cents,
increasing the 20 26 20 27 period
to $71,314 84 cents,
and the 2027 to 2028 period
to $76,314 84 cents.
This increase is necessary due to increased volumes
and number of users consideration
and adoption of a resolution motion
to remove from the table support
Property, Uh, support.
Ty, I'll call the question
to remove the item from the table.
Ms. Moore. Motion to approve
With discussion?
We gotta vote First. We have
to vote on the tabling motion first.
Thank you. Uh, Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Dwyer?
Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Uh, Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Item is removed from the table.
There's a motion from Mr. Bokey.
Support was discussion as well. Discussion? Okay. Mr.
Bokey discussion first then, Ms. Moore,
If we could have the fire commissioner approach, please.
Good evening, counsel. Good evening.
I would like to thank you for providing the, uh,
appropriate paperwork.
I understand there was some issue with what was given
to you from the purchasing department, which led to the,
uh, confusion.
Um, Would you, would you like, uh,
and I'm good, good with it.
Would you like to say anything?
No, just, I apologize for the mistakes on my behalf, on
the mistakes I made in writing the letter
and not being, uh, clear enough
and giving a history
that supported the actual document in place.
Um, some of these things occurred prior
to this council, and
therefore there was no way for councils
to have the history related to prior years consolidations
that would make it make sense.
No needs apologize. Uh, we'll get through this.
We work together. Thank you
Madam Chair. Ms. Moore.
Thank you. Commissioner Rick Adams.
We had a discussion last time, a little,
not exactly on point, but about the incident reporting
and you know, where the incidents were reported to.
And, um, so I was interested.
I I actually pulled up the last,
uh, annual report that the police department
or the fire department provided.
I don't know if there's any going forward,
but this was from 20 20, 20 14?
I think so, yeah. And I, I, I mean, I,
it's got some really good information and,
and one of the things is that we all see
the squads going down the road.
We see the fire trucks going down the road.
We see, you know, people taking, taken away
and taken to the hospital and fires.
But there's a lot of things that go on in the, in,
in the department that residents don't know about.
We don't know about things
that are being accomplished and not done.
And I don't, I don't know if you prepare a report
on a yearly basis that, um, you know,
that doesn't contain HIPAA information
that nobody should see.
But like this, this one had incident response overview,
major fire incidents and flood damage, financial performance
and grants, personnel changes, emergency medical services,
performance, mutual aid and community support, future goals
and innovations, EMS training, equipment goals,
financial overview of EMS, transport receipts,
patient care report totals by squad.
And, and I, I would note that we had squad one,
two, and three back then.
So we should be very proud of ourselves
that we have increased that, uh, uh, service
and what we have available to use.
Um, and our numbers have certainly gone up,
but fire prevention, um, fire statistics,
hazardous material, hazardous material,
special response team, things like that.
Of course, we didn't have drones back then
and, uh, a lot of the other things,
but I just, I didn't know if you do a report.
'cause I think it would be so beneficial for us to see this
because this has some really, certainly in 2014,
it has some in interesting
and it's fun for me from historical perspective to look back
and compare it to where we are today.
But I think the residents would love to see
where their money's going
and, uh, where their trust is being placed
because they do, uh, put a lot of trust in you.
Um, and, uh, so that,
that's certainly something
I would like to see going forward.
I I think you will be happy
and that there will be, um, an annual report
and placed on the website that,
You know what, that would be great.
Yeah, that would be great.
I think everybody would like to see that.
And, you know, you, you do a lot of hard work. Yes.
And probably for the, and we should be recognizing
and understanding just how much really goes into,
it's not just somebody sitting behind the wheel
and driving somewhere, throwing somebody on a, on a, on a
hydraulic cot now that we didn't have back then either.
So anyway, I would really appreciate that.
Thank you. Thank you commissioner very much.
Probably at least the last two years.
Um, we'll start again.
That would be great. Thank you. So, and placing
Those and going forward.
Thank you so much. Any other discussion?
Okay. Hearing and seeing none, I'll call the question.
Ms. Moore? Yes. Uh, Mr. Bokey? Yes, Ms. Sorry. Wrong way.
Mr. Bokey? Yes. Ms. Moore? Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes.
Rogan C is a yes. Motion carries. Next
Item Council.
Next item is 13 B.
Request for the downtown development authority
for a budget amendment to fund the police department
entrance repairs in the total amount
of
one million two hundred ten thousand seven hundred four thousand
consideration and adoption of a resolution.
So moved with discussion support, doer discussion Ms. Moore?
Thank you. As I understand it, uh, we originally budgeted
for this item, maybe not the exact amount, but,
but this item was budgeted in a prior year.
Instead of doing a reappropriation from that prior year
and bringing those funds forward, we are just adding it
as a new appropriation for this budget year.
Those funds that had been appropriated in a prior year just
went back into the general fund.
Did I state that correctly? Mr. Fox? Thank you
Adam. Sheriff.
Mr. Boykin Through the chair.
I'd like to speak to the city engineer. Tina.
Good evening. Good evening. It'd be easy.
Uh, the cement work here.
When, when you say the entrance, is that the street side
or is that between the courts?
No, it's around the police building the plaza
around the police building.
Okay. Uh, at, what is the 80, uh, DDA meetings?
There was an appropriation for cement or for for the ramp.
Yeah, that Was 88 ramp. Is this included in this?
No. That's a different project That
totally separate in the road.
Correct. Okay. Thank you. That's all I need.
Alright. You're Any other discussion?
You have good questions? Any more discussion? Okay.
Hearing and seeing none, I call the question. Ms. Moore?
Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr. Bokey? Yes. Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr.
Newan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Rogan C is a yes.
Motion carries. Next item. Next item is 13 B Request C.
Request of the fire department to transfer funds
between line items in the amount of $30,000
to cover the costs associated with the capital equipment,
purchases of office furniture
for the administration building and tables
and chairs for the training room consideration
and adoption of a resolution.
So move with discussion. Support Lafferty.
Discussion Ms. Moore. Commissioner.
Um, well first off, Mr. Fox,
is this, this year's budget?
The work transferring or last year's budget?
This year's
Richard Fox City controller. It's this
Year's budget. So I didn't
look, I didn't go back
and look at what was the total amount that we, uh, approved
for, um, um, fire
Prevention week.
I see we're taking 30,000 and transferring it,
but how much was the total?
Do you remember? I could look it up.
What what happened is that the 30,000
was incorrectly placed into that budget, uh, for capital
purchases for furniture for that division.
And it, it flowed all the way
through the budget adoption process
and should have been in capital
where it was should have been.
So it was a mistake on the division's part that
that money got placed there, then it wasn't caught
and it got adopted in that place.
Gotcha. So to move it to capital, we had to come to you
to move those monies to capital.
So you didn't overinflate your fire prevention
week expenses,
Right? No. No, no.
That's $30,000.
A lot of money for fire prevention materials. Yes.
We missed it. Hmm? We missed it. I know.
How did we miss that?
How did I miss it? I'm,
It's a big budget and there's a
lot, there's a lot of moving parts.
38 million.
Yeah. Thank you. Any other discussion?
Hearing and seeing none? I 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.
Thank you. Counsel. Welcome.
13 e requests of the sanitation department
for an additional appropriation of funds in the amount
of $62,315 to cover the purchase
of two flight submersible grinder pumps
for the Warren Transfer Station consideration
and adoption of a resolution.
So moved. Support Lafferty Discussion. Anyone
People wanna know, 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. Next item. Next item is 13 F.
Request for the sanitation division to waive the bid process
and award the purchase of two new flight submersible grinder
pumps to Lawrence M. Clark, Inc.
In the total amount of $62,314 88 cents.
Consideration and adoption of a resolution. So moved.
Support Dwyer. Thank you.
Any discussion, hearing, and scene? None.
I call the question Ms. Moore. Yes. Mr. Dwyer? Yes. Mr.
Bokey? Yes. Um, Mr. Lafferty? Yes. Mr. Nunan? Yes.
Ms. McGee? Yes. Grogan C is a yes. Motion carries.
Next item. Next item is 13 G.
Request of the city treasurer for a transfer of funds
between line items in the amount of 2050 $2
to cover the costs associated
with reorganizing budgeted positions, consideration
and adoption of a resolution.
So move with discussion. Support Lafferty.
Discussion Ms. Moore. Um, uh, treasurer Barnwell?
I don't think it's responsible,
but did you want to add anything?
It's $2,000, so
Thank you Counsel.
Um, again, I appreciate it.
Um, I brought to you basically the plan
for the future of the treasurer's office at our last
budget hearings.
Um, and we, we've had some challenges, um, getting it
through, um, human resources.
Um, not Jared.
He's been wonderful,
but, um, some of the other staff, there's, there,
there's definitely been some roadblocks.
So I had to kind of finagle some of the, um,
budgeted positions to kind
of do a plan B, if you will.
So this is kind of part one of plan B.
Um, we've been working on this really, um,
since the end of 2023.
We had, um, um, a retirement
of a very significant employee of mine in my office.
Doug, who some of you know, he was there for almost 30 years
and was really a fixture in my office.
And then, as you know, this is my last term, Tina,
who's my deputy treasurer, has been
with the city almost 30 years or herself.
Um, so between me, Tina,
and Doug, you're, um, that's, um, you know, decades
and decades of experience leaving the Treasurer's office.
So I need to ensure that we still function at the high level
that we're doing now.
And, um, I think we have a great plan.
Um, this is a plan that has been
before council that, um, Mr. Fox, um, has looked at
that unions have looked at, um, Jared, um, has looked at
as well, um, our new, um, HR director.
And, um, unfortunately there's still been roadblocks.
Um, and it's, it's been, it is been a challenging time for,
for my department, um, just so everyone is aware.
Um, so we're hoping to, you know, if the council would be
so kind to approve this tonight, um, then we can continue
to try to put these things
before civil service to ensure, um,
that the Treasurer's Office, um, again,
has the proper staff, the pro we're building leaders up.
We're giving people a path to come up
through the department.
We, um, have a leadership succession plan in place.
This is imperative with all of the financial things
that happen at the Treasurer's Office. So,
Thank you. We have great
confidence in your abilities
and your, uh, leadership in that department.
You know, it, you know your people.
We were convinced, um,
that you were presenting the correct plan when we
went through the budget process.
Uh, we're a little disappointed
that you are running into some roadblocks
because it seemed like a pretty sound plan to me.
And you are actually planning for the future,
which is more than we get from a lot of people
that are on their way out.
And you're to be commended for that.
That is a, a, a fine quality
that you care about what's going to happen after you leave
and you're leaving a fine legacy.
And I, I hope that those, uh, impediments are moved out
of your way going forward.
Thank you, counsel. I'll definitely keep everyone updated.
Thank you for your support. It's really appreciated.
Thank you.
Any other discussion, hearing, and scene? None.
I'll call the question. 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.
Next item is 13 H.
Request of the administration
to amend the Downtown Development Authority fiscal year
2026, capital outlay budget in the amount of $100,000
to fund the Gathering Grounds Project in the city Hall
Atrium consideration and adoption of a resolution.
Motion to deny with discussion. Support.
Support, doer support. The more discussion Mr. Lafferty.
The question has finally been answered.
We finally know what Mayor Stone has been busy with instead
of attending to the important issues facing our city.
It was not more than three months ago when the council
unanimously rejected the mayor's initial proposal
and wisely defunded.
When we adopted the 25 26 budget, counsel already determined
that this was not a priority.
And I know that there was some social
media activity this weekend.
Uh, on the topic, I have not spoken to one single taxpayer
that wants me to vote in favor
of giving a hundred thousand dollars of their tax dollars
to a private company.
Not to mention through a no bid contract, ladies
and gentlemen, building a sandwich
and coffee shop is the mayor's top priority.
The last administration Attempted that underhanded move
with the downtown hotel developer
and the previous council was wise enough to stop
that government handout with a clear understanding
that you could not convey public dollars
for without a public purpose.
At a time when we're nearly 30 police officers down,
we have significant infrastructure concerns with our roads,
aging play structures,
and deteriorating restrooms in our parks.
And a total lack of a strategic plan or vision for the city.
It's now obvious that Mayor Stone is less concerned about
what is truly important with the issues facing our city,
and more concerned about what people will eat
and drink when they work or visit City Hall.
This proposal can only be characterized in one of two ways.
Either a total lack of respect
for the decision already previously made by city council
or incompetence.
I remain in complete opposition to this proposal
and will be voting no accordingly.
Thank you. Any other discussion?
Yes, go. Ms. McGee? Mm-hmm.
Um, one of my concerns with the coffee shop,
and I did look at the responses, um, president, um,
as we dis
and some people did agree with it, with the exception
of the a hundred thousand dollars, of course.
Um, I am about building small businesses.
Um, and I believe that it, it should be
total opposite way.
I think that we should be asking, if we decide
to do something like that,
we should bring in a small business that, um, will pay us,
that will pay us to be in that area and be at our city hall.
So I would like for us to do more research
and asking them, um, if they would like to have a business,
not this particular, um, company,
but other companies that may be out there who's looking
to start a small business
and willing to pay us rent in order for them to be there.
Madam Chair, Ms. Moore. Um,
if you look at the backup, um, Mr.
Bato did indicate that he had reached out to
many businesses, um, pushing this idea
or asking what if they were interested.
And everyone said, well,
they weren't interested 'cause it's not feasible.
We don't have the numbers to make any sort of business.
Um, and I will say that they're, some
of the infrastructure is there.
I think there's water to the atrium and,
and some other things.
And initially when we built City Hall back in the early two
thousands, there was a thought of, of, at some point,
there might be something like this.
But that was also at the time when we built a,
or had built a, uh, I'll call it a snack bar, for lack
of a better term, at the, um, skate park, uh, splash Pad.
And also Dave's Deli was in this building.
This building was much,
much busier when we moved it in back
in the early two thousands.
And they all went belly up
because there's just not the numbers.
Um, the, this company is not a Warren business.
It's a center line business.
Um, I, I believe in trying
to promote Warren businesses over other
city businesses when we can.
But we are obligated to bid out any, any, any,
any work that we do, any endeavor, we have to bid it out.
So this is something would have to be bid out.
We are not allowed to give something to nonprofits.
We can't give money. I think you'll remember when we
discussed, um, the, the challenges we faced in the winter
with the homeless, um, uh, population that we've,
we've found out, well, we can't fund a nonprofit.
The city's just not allowed to do that.
And there are a lot of questions.
And, and I do have to say, um, I,
I've really been trying very hard
to work with, well, with Mr.
Bato, we have a lot of things I think
that we can work together and accomplish, certainly
with the Land Bank of some development.
'cause we have a common goal. We wanna
bring more people to Warren.
We want to improve our housing stock.
Um, but you know,
this is the second time something has been brought back
to council that we didn't approve the first time.
And I would rather spend time on new developments,
new initiatives than to recycle something
that council has already expressed.
Um, uh, con concern or not, you know, in favor of.
So, I mean, I mean the rising stars, you know,
I I I have friends that their daughter was very involved
and I, I think still to this day,
and it's a wonderful, um, uh, organization, institution.
But, you know, we can't be in the business of nonprofits.
That's just not our mandate.
And, um, certainly the downtown, the downtown, uh,
downtown authority is to raise the economic development.
And if it's, you know, a, a a non-profit,
that's not gonna make money, that's not helping anything.
So I I, I agree with many of the things. Mr.
Um, uh, Lafferty said, um,
nobody's against the business gathering grounds.
I think people use it all the time for coffee hours.
I was in there once. It's a charming place.
And I think they bought now Haney's also in Center Line.
Um, and Rising Stars is a great, um, um,
facility, you know, so Organization.
Yeah, organization. So anyway, that's, that's mine.
Thank you. Any other discussion? Mr. Bokey?
Uh, looking at the doc document that Mr.
Bato provided, he states to, to explore viable partnerships,
I met with the owner and managers
of several local coffee shops while supportive
of the ideal and principle.
Each one declined due to concerns
that daily foot traffic would not be sufficient
to cover the cost of insurance, payroll, waste management,
and other operational expenses, expenses.
Nowhere does it say
how this organization's gonna pay for this.
Um, I could see something happening, a, a coffee burn,
a slip on a floor, who's gonna pay the insurance?
We're gonna be held liable.
It's on our property and nothing's in
this, in this agreement.
And we're just opening ourselves up to a, a lot
of potential liability. Liability.
Yeah. I think it was, Oh, yield back.
Mad president. Sorry, go ahead.
I, I guess the, uh, I, uh, I like gathering grounds
in principle, but, uh, the fact is apparently
that we're not allowed to, um, pay to, uh,
money to a nonprofit.
And so it's just illegal, right?
I guess I was directed a question. Is that true? Okay.
Alright. Um, first thing is, um, the structure
of this is a little unclear to me.
The council's being asked to put a hundred thousand dollars
into building some sort of coffee or sandwich shop
and then being leased for a nominal fee to a nonprofit.
The ultimate question is, is there some sort
of donation to the nonprofit?
And the Michigan Department of Treasury has an audit manual
for local units of government.
And that audit manual says you can't make
donations to nonprofits.
It says specifically,
unless the payment is in exchange for the provision
of a governmental service
that the local unit could have provided itself.
This is not a valid public purpose in general.
Such expenditures should be documented
through a written agreement.
This prohibition includes churches, veterans organizations,
community organizations, little League boy Scouts,
big brothers, big sisters, and so forth.
So this is right from the Department
of Treasury Audit Manual.
I'm not saying this, there isn't some way
to do something here, but if this money is sort of a gift
or, um, to the nonprofit because this is, is not feasible
otherwise, and they're just paying a nominal,
it's at a nominal rent payment.
And we don't know what that is. 'cause there's no draft
lease agreement, there's no lease terms.
Um, the other thing, uh, Councilman Bokey, um,
raised the point about liability.
Um, I think there could be a concern
that the city loses its, uh, governmental immunity.
'cause typically, um, when the city is sued,
governmental immunity is a defense.
Uh, but when you engage in a commercial type business,
um, you could lose that.
So, you know, the hot coffee or what have you
or different things that could happen there.
Again, not saying that there's not a way to do this, um, um,
I don't want it to be taken that it's blanketly illegal
to do anything like this.
But those are sort of the
guidelines that you have to work with.
Thank You. So,
um, but I think
that the overall impression I'm getting is
that we don't want to try to have this type
of operation go into the civic center.
And, um, I think
that the council would pretty much appreciate it if, um,
the DDA didn't bring this back to us.
Not I yield.
Thank you Mr. Nunan, Adam. Sure.
Mr. Bokey, then Ms. McGee
Be real quick. Uh,
the, the issues I brought up, I wanted to ask Mr. Bato.
He was present at this council meeting,
and as we started, he decided to leave.
I don't believe he's in the hallway. He's vacated.
Um, we were having a healthy discussion here
and it would be, uh, in his best interest
to answer our questions,
but he decided to leave l yield deck.
Ms. McGee. Um, this is for our attorney.
I have concerns because I've seen the su success
of having a coffee shop at a city hall.
There are other city halls out here that have coffee shops.
They have several restaurants in there. The city of Detroit.
They have plenty of 'em.
So I'm just, I would like to understand
how is it working for them?
And it can't work for us, um,
because we're the third largest city.
I keep saying that. Um,
and you do have people, um, you know, every time I come
to our city hall location, you have people working there,
working from home, and they're working in that area.
And they may want something to drink
or a cup of coffee, um, every now
and then, whether it be a person that that's outside,
have a truck or, you know, whatever we can do to try
to assist them for their little coffee break.
So I am interested in knowing how is it successfully working
for them and it can't work for us.
Councilwoman? It's a great question.
I can tell you, um, I worked for six years for the state
of Michigan at the Attorney General's office.
I was downtown at Cadillac Place.
It's the one time, the largest office building in the world.
Um, and it was a state owned building.
So the state of Michigan purchased it from General Motors.
General Motors moved to the rent center.
So in this entire state owned building, we had a subway,
we had a coffee shop.
Mm-hmm. There was a barber shop.
But these were things
that were not operated by the state of Michigan.
The state had a lease and they paid rent,
and then they offered those services.
So I think that, um, your suggestion earlier
that maybe if we do this in the reverse, um, there might be,
uh, a deal to be had might be something that's government,
legitimate government purpose
leasing space to a private entity.
Then that private entity has its own insurance.
It it has its own employees.
It has, it takes on the risk of that. Right.
But it has to be something that, um, is feasible.
Um, I heard that there was maybe a, uh, um,
informal discussions with local coffee shops
that said that declined it.
Um, I don't know. Maybe if they put out an RFP
and put some parameters,
they could get a response from somebody that's not in Warren
that would come and, or maybe a startup would come
and bid on bid on this project
and they would put in the infrastructure too.
So, you know, there was a subway I could go to eventually
that subway, uh, the lease wasn't renewed for some reason,
but again, there's market forces at place.
So it's not that Warren can't do it, it's just that,
you know, the state of Michigan
or the city of Detroit is not going in
and building, building out a sandwich shop
and then leasing it after you pay to build it.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So I think that's the difference here. Okay.
Thank you. Thank you Madam Chair.
Just a point of order.
I'm getting some reports that the TV
transmission has frozen.
I don't know if you're hearing that, Ms. Patrick,
but that's the report I'm getting right now.
I, um, wanted to note, I did put up a poll on Facebook
for this just into one of our community sections
because I didn't have a super
strong opinion one way or another.
And the folks that did respond, I would say there were some
that thought it was a great idea, a small number,
many thought it was a fantastic idea,
but didn't want a hundred thousand dollars
of tax revenue to be spent.
They wanted it spent on their park
or some other very worthy cause.
And I also just wanted to note that we've talked a bit
and folks have brought up, you know,
giving away a hundred thousand dollars.
And I do think it's important
that we don't glorify this a hundred thousand dollars that,
that and, and vilify the a hundred thousand dollars
because we give away millions
of dollars in tax abatements every year.
We give away lots, not every year, lots of money.
Um, taxpayer dollars.
And I just wanna like frame this in that conversation,
like the North Point development,
we gave $12.6 million in a 12 year industrial, um,
property tax facilities tax.
Um, where we were essentially holding their taxes,
we would've generated potentially
more money from that property.
So I just wanna frame the a hundred thousand dollars,
well is a lot of money, um, that, you know, this is not, um,
something that we don't do in the city
and that we often do it to generate economic development
because those businesses are also private enterprises in the
same way that this coffee truck
would be a private enterprise.
So, um, okay.
I will call the question, the motion is to deny Mr. Lafferty
Yes. To deny
Ms. Moore. Yes.
To deny Mr. Dwyer. Yes. To deny Mr. Bokey Yes to Aye.
Uh, Mr. Nunan? Yes. Ms. McGee? Yes. Uh, Rogan sees a yes.
Next item 13. Aye.
Request to approve an RFP for General Motors dealer,
OEM parts and service.
And to appoint one counsel representative.
Motion to approve.
Not me. I'll serve
All good.
Motion to approve Ms. McGee
Support. Thank you,
Mr. Lafferty. Thank you Ms. McGee.
All in favor of Ms. McGee. Aye. Aye. Any opposed?
Congratulations. Next item.
Next item is audience participation. Thank you. Um, Ms.
Sanker, if you wanna speak during audience,
please put your form in the, um, bin.
Next, or first is Mr. Watts? After Mr. Watts'.
Ms. Harris,
I dunno where to, oh, sorry.
Hold on. Mr. Was, I had
to turn the microphone off. Go ahead.
Okay. I don't know where to start,
but thanks for passing the library now to see it through
that it doesn't get stonewalled by the mayor's office again.
And I'm a, I'm just taken back by what Mr.
Lafferty said about an email coming
that she wasn't supporting a library.
I thought she was an educator.
I mean, she treats the residents like a fourth grader.
You'd think she'd want to have a library for, for,
for the students down there.
It doesn't make any sense to me. Absolutely no sense. Um, so
the, um, on the way here tonight
from 13 and Hayes to here,
I counted no less than seven properties on Hayes
with their cars parked on their front lawn
And probably 25 blighted properties
that should have been dealt with.
I don't know, some time ago now.
I've been pretty nice muza, Mr.
Mozzarella's been really good to work with.
But I find it interesting
that we supposedly have nine inspectors.
We have two community outreach people.
I'm not even an elected official anymore
and I still get calls every day about not being able
to get anything done outta city Hall.
They call the mayor's office, no return phone calls.
Well, you know what? We're giving two people $90,000 in an
office to be community outreach people.
I'd like to know who the hell they're outreaching to
because they're not doing anything.
This place is a disaster. Absolute disaster.
Um, the other thing, I know you guys are aware
that the fire department's, uh, 10 year ISO report came in
and if we would've had a fire training center,
we could have got 35 more points.
Now I'm gonna do something about this later on
and talk about it in depth at another meeting,
but I just read back there on Facebook.
Grand Rapids is having groundbreaking this week
for a $46 million fire training center.
And they got somewhere in the area of 25
or 30 million from the state.
Now I'd like to know what our representatives are
doing in Lansing for us.
We got, you know,
my zong is always blabbing stuff on Facebook.
I haven't seen her bring $1 here.
I haven't seen McKinney bring $1 here.
You know, we gotta give Mr. McFall a chance.
I know that, uh, our Senator Bueno got some money
for the fire department for heavy rescue, so,
and maybe some a DA stuff.
But, um, I think we need to get, we need
to get better action outta Lansing.
So, uh, appreciate your time tonight.
Thank you. Next is Lori Harris.
I,
Well, I don't have a whole lot to say
'cause I kind of said it before,
but I wanted to read what I didn't read
during the agenda part
because I, uh, let's see.
Well, apparently I tore that off on my paper.
So what I, what I didn't say is
that I didn't trust the mayor and hearing what Mr.
Lafferty said, that's very disappointing. I'm not surprised.
I wish I was surprised.
Um, it doesn't un I I don't understand
what her benefit is at stonewalling, this project.
And, uh, um, I I'm very disappointed.
Um, thank you for voting for the library, for voting down
the, uh, expensive coffee, uh, shop.
And, um, at this point, I can't even remember
what else I wanted to talk to you guys about.
Um, I, I would like to say to the people that are listening
that Curtis Osh should have never been left on the senior
commission anyway.
And right when Lori Stone took office, I sent her an email
and she responded by email.
I let her know that he was a convicted felon and she said
unless she had proof, she couldn't act on it.
So I managed to send her the proof
and still nothing happened.
And I asked her a couple community conversations ago, um,
why he was still on a commission as a felon
and she said she was gonna keep him there.
So, um, clearly this, this is a problem.
He shouldn't be there anyway,
but being in, in arrears to the city is also a big problem.
And I'll be really glad to see him, uh,
not be on a commission.
Thanks.
Thank you. Next is Joel Vander Linden
and then Gloria Sanker.
Joe Valen, longtime worn resident.
Mr. Watts came
and started about property maintenance, not doing their job.
I brought up to everyone on, uh, here on this council
that most of those inspectors
are not properly trained.
They don't have their certificate from, uh,
the International Property Maintenance Code.
And they were not sworn in by
the city clerk.
And then the question comes to be is
I put this out back in June on a foia.
I got a thing that asking for a 10 day extension
and not heard a thing sent.
Since I have put out three other foyers in other areas
and I have gotten nothing back.
I brought this up. I even talked to Ms. Michaels about it.
At the end of the last meeting,
nothing, Mr.
Lafferty, you asked a question
why Ms. Stone doesn't get anything done.
You don't understand why it is incompetency.
She doesn't care. This is just a paycheck
to pay for the next four years for doing nothing.
She is ruining the city and everyone pay attention.
We have a vote coming up about the, uh, police.
Well, what is, what the hell is, uh, stone known for?
She wants to defund the police
when she was at the state level in Lansing
and she didn't get it done there.
So now she comes back to Warren
and she ain't doing nothing about this vote nothing
for the police officers, nothing
for the shortages than anything else.
You haven't read one thing in the papers
or anything else about this.
Vote to bring more money back
to the police officers so we can get a full crew.
I know there's worry and concerns.
Will she take care of that money properly? No, she won't.
But you have nine council members here who'll make damn sure
that that money goes to the police department.
Officers are hired and you are being protected
and taken care of properly.
Damn it, you should have removed her
when you had the chance.
You're at 10 seconds. Mr. Vander
Lee, thank you. I I'll
you all have a blessed day.
Thank you Ms. Sanker.
Thank you for voting no on item 13 H
It is apparent from watching Channel five
that the mayor is taking every opportunity
to welcome in every nationality in our city.
Well, while that is good, it's also notice
that she is ignoring our American traditions.
And by doing so, she is snubbing the American population
by doing away with our Christian traditions that have been
around for thousands of years.
When I watch the news
and they report all that crime, as you mentioned tonight,
Ms. Moore, it is astounding
that she would not perpetuate the good
that has been established in our government
by Christian ideals.
There's only two choices afterward.
After all good
or evil Christian values only bring good.
Why would she exclude them?
Namely, the Christmas manger, the prayer station,
and the National Day of Prayer Society is in
so much need of positive input.
Why would she remove what we had in place for years,
the Christmas manger, the prayer station,
and the National Day of Prayer that have all been a part
for years with great success in our city?
Why would the mayor abolish these?
Why would she stop something that inspires goodness?
Haven't we got enough negative?
It makes me wonder if she knows her American history
and the part that God has in the establishment
of our government.
We should not have to fight for our Christian rights
that have already been established by the framers
of the Constitution.
We are not establishing a religion.
We are providing positive incentive for the community.
It's all right to say God bless you, have a blessed day.
And in God we trust just at is.
It is most acceptable to have the Christian Christmas man,
the prayer station and the National Day of Prayer.
We are after all one nation under God.
These rights have been found and fought for
and won by American soldiers and American Courts.
Warn is a major Christian community.
Don't go backwards in our history to shut out
what has already been fought for.
Namely, God has a place in our government at every level.
Don't try to limit what is limitless
and don't try to ignore what is. Thank you.
Thank you. That is the end of audience.
Next item, response to audience by council members,
hearing and seeing none.
Next item, motion to adjourn.
All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed? We are adjourned.
Thank you everyone. Good night.