Budget season approaches as officials get busy counting dollars

Last week, an Israeli missile killed Hajj Kamel Jawad , a community leader from Dearborn who was visiting Lebanon. At a meeting of the Wayne County Commission on Thursday, Commissioner Sam Baydoun — a friend of Jawad’s — called for an end to U.S. arms shipments to Israel and a plan to evacuate the remaining U.S. citizens trapped in Lebanon.

Closer to home, City Council approved a resolution mandating buffer zones around health clinic entrances to protect patients from harassment or intimidation, particularly from anti-abortion activists. And, the Reparations Task Force continues to collect community input as it prepares to present its final recommendations to City Council in March.

With budget season approaching, the scent of dollar bills is in the air. Retirement systems representatives are debating how to divvy up $10 million among their members. The water department’s Chief Financial Officer Istakur Rahman repeatedly described the department’s Lifeline Plan as “bleeding cash.”

Finance

The Board of Trustees of Detroit’s Police and Fire Retirement System debated the best way to divide $5 million in supplemental payments to its members. The options included: giving everyone an equal amount; distributing an equal percentage of members’ monthly checks; or basing payments on years of service. No decision was made, and whatever is ultimately decided will need City Council’s approval. The Retirees Association and Retiree Task Force were not consulted on how they wish to see the money divided.

The $5 million represents the retirement system’s share of $10 million appropriated by City Council to help compensate retirees for losses incurred in the city’s bankruptcy. The remaining $5 million would be split among members of the General Retirement System of Detroit, which covers non-police and fire retirees.

10/3/2024 Detroit Police and Fire Retirement System — Board of Trustees, documented by Benjamin Haddix and Shiva Shahmir

Politics

Activists who want to engage with people near reproductive and other health facilities would have to keep their distance, under a “ bubble and buffer zone” ordinance approved by City Council last week.

The ordinance establishes a 100-foot radius around health care facility entrances, where individuals outside the bubble zone must remain 8 feet away from those within it. The ordinance also prohibits people from patrolling, picketing or demonstrating within 15 feet of a clinic entrance. Approaching patients outside clinics in the hope of talking them out of getting health care is a popular tactic among anti-abortion activities.

Public comments on the topic lasted for almost two hours at the Public Health and Safety Standing Committee meeting on Sept. 30, with almost 50 more comments added during Formal Session the following day. Most speakers opposed the ordinance, citing First Amendment concerns related to freedom of assembly, religion and speech.

Supporters argued that the ordinance is necessary to protect patients from “harassment, intimidation and abuse,” not peaceful speech.

Public commenters also raised questions about the constitutionality of the ordinance, but city attorney Adam Saxby assured the public and councilmembers that it is legal.

City Council approved the ordinance with an 8-1 vote. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway voted no.

10/1/2024 Detroit City Council — Formal Session, documented by Amber Umscheid and Paige Rollins

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

10/3/2024 Wayne County Commission — Full Commission: The Wayne County Commission was unable to livestream its meeting due to a recent cyberattack that disabled county government servers .

Documented by Heather Alder

10/5/2024 Detroit Reparations Task Force: The task force focused on gathering community input through survey outreach and is hiring a writer to prepare its final report to City Council in March.

Documented by Craig Notte and Perry Sylvester

Parks

9/28/2024 Documenters in the Park — District 4: Ambirr noted that O’Brien Playground on East McNichols has nice playground equipment tucked away, but she said the park seemed to be ignored by passersby. She speculated this might be because the park looks like an empty field from the street or because the playground equipment, advertised for ages 5-12, is really better suited for younger children.

Meanwhile, October walked with a friend through a peaceful, rustic meadow and newly planted trees in Skinner Park, adjacent to Denby High School in District 4. However, the city’s facilities reservation portal listed shelters that didn’t match with those observed and a soccer field that couldn’t be found.

Documented by Ambirr Momin and October (Meg) Krausch

Neighborhoods

9/30/2024 Detroit Department of Neighborhoods: The meeting featured budgets for several departments for the next fiscal year. Representatives presented preliminary budgets for the Public Lighting Department and Public Lighting Authority, as well as the Fire, Health and Police departments.

Documented by Amanda Absher and Chandler Vaughan

Utilities

10/2/2024 Detroit Board of Water Commissioners — October Committee Meetings: The Lifeline program had 26,721 households enrolled at the end of September. Many struggled to navigate the recertification process.

Documented by Meghan Rutigliano and Shannon Mackie

Policing

10/3/2024 Detroit Board of Police Commissioners: The board asked Chief James White about suburban police departments — particularly Warren Police Department — pursuing suspects into neighboring Detroit, which often results in vehicle crashes and endangers residents. White acknowledged the problem, and Commissioner Linda Bernard suggested the state Legislature address it.

Documented by Nathaniel Eichenhorn and Paige Rollins

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

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

Budget season approaches as officials get busy counting dollars · Outlier Media