Detroit residents reject comparisons to other cities; SMART operators demand a contract

A few of last week’s meetings didn’t get much past the starting blocks, whether it was Brightmoor residents’ pointed criticisms overshadowing a city presentation or the absences of Board of Police Commissioners stalling interviews for its top staff position . And SMART bus operators tired of driving without a contract showed up at a meeting to demand one. Read on for more on these issues and updates on solar farms, school budgets and the Detroit Housing Commission.

Development

Anthony Zander and Mandy Mitchell of the city’s Department of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity, tried to give a presentation on the concept of equity toolkits in Brightmoor last week, but the residents weren’t having it.

Zander said equity is when “our residents enjoy equal access to the city’s resources regardless of race, gender, age, ability, sexual orientation or other features of identity.” Community members instantly contested this definition, saying the toolkit doesn’t fix historical inequities. “We know that the inequities exist and that the disparities are not being addressed in our community,” said one person. Zander accepted that a better use of language would have helped to convey the city’s message more clearly.

Participants also criticized officials for comparing Detroit to cities like Oakland, California, where demographics are vastly different. “Don’t come over here anymore with anybody else’s data. Bring our data,” demanded one resident.

These two issues dominated the remaining meeting time. Despite the repeated intervention of both Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison and City Council President Pro Tem James Tate, the presenters ended the meeting without having advanced past the general introduction of equity toolkits.

7/25/2024 Detroit Planning and Development Department Brightmoor Parks and Open Space Priorities Community Meeting, documented by B W, Chandler Vaughan and Nathaniel Eichenhorn

Transportation

SMART bus operators have been without a contract for 22 months , according to President Kevin Colon of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1564.

Operators, riders and union supporters called for a new contract during public comments and on a picket line before Thursday’s SMART Board of Directors meeting. Riders highlighted a current driver shortage and suggested that a generous contract could help entice new applicants and restore reliable service.

There is an offer on the table, but the union has issues with it. SMART General Manager Dwight Ferrell said that if operators accept it, existing benefits such as pensions and health care plans would not be cut. But moving forward, new operators would be offered an employer-matched 401(k) plan instead of a pension. Ferrell said the proposed wage increases would make SMART operators the highest paid in the state.

(Update: Colon confirmed to Outlier Media that operators will vote on the current contract offer on Wednesday, July 31.)

7/25/2024 Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) Board of Directors, documented by A J Johnson and Sherrie Smith

Politics

7/22/2024 Detroit City Council Public Health and Safety Standing Committee: A proposal to split three solar farm projects into separate voting items was rejected.

Documented by Megan Anderluh and Meghan Rutigliano

7/23/2024 Detroit City Council Formal Session: Councilmembers postponed a vote on the solar initiative. The Law Department recommended reviewing outside counsel Todd Perkins’ findings about the initiative in a closed session. Councilmembers scheduled the closed session for July 29.

Documented by Ambirr Momon and Heather Alder

7/24/2024 Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole: City Council interviewed three candidates for inspector general and two for director of the Board of Zoning Appeals, and sent their names to Formal Session for a vote.

(Update: At the Tuesday, July 30 Formal Session, council appointed Kamau Marable as the new inspector general and reappointed James Ribbron as director of the zoning appeals board.)

Documented by Heather Alder

For more on City Council, check out Malachi Barrett’s City Council Notebook at BridgeDetroit.

Housing

7/25/2024 Detroit Housing Commission Board of Commissioners: The board touted its paid community advocates program as highly popular with residents. But resident representatives from The Villages at Parkside , an eastside public housing project, described a more contentious relationship with the commission, citing a lack of respect in meetings and exclusion from decision-making. A meeting between commission and resident reps is scheduled for Wednesday.

Documented by Carole Hawke and Shannon Mackie

Policing

7/25/2024 Detroit Board of Police Commissioners: The board failed to reach a quorum, further stalling the process of interviewing candidates for the board secretary position.

Documented by Laila Hamdan and Meghan Rutigliano

For more on the Board of Police Commissioners, check out the latest BOPC Watch .

Education

7/26/2024 Detroit Public Schools Community District Finance Committee Meeting: Facing unanswered questions on the proposed High School Redesign Plan and estimated annual costs of up to $12.8 million, the committee chose to keep the plan off the agenda for the next regular board meeting.

Documented by Gina McPherson and Perry Sylvester

This story was written by Outlier Media’s Lynelle Herndon and Noah Kincade, with Detroit Documenters Meghan Rutigliano, Nathaniel Eichenhorn and Perry Sylvester.

Detroit residents reject comparisons to other cities; SMART operators demand a contract · Outlier Media