Today in the notebook
- How to make arena jobs better?
- Change seeks quick release body camera footage
- 10 names in for big investigator job
- Health center plans new east side facility
Welcome back. I’m still Malachi Barrett.
Workers want more from stadium success
Detroit’s first Industry Standards Board has recommendations to improve conditions for arena workers.
Recommendations released last week include improving access to affordable childcare, subsidizing public transit fares, improving job training and promotion pipelines and improving security measures for workers who face harassment by guests and feel unsafe leaving their shifts. The City Council was asked by the board to further research the childcare and transit needs of arena workers.
A report commissioned by the board earlier this year found Detroit’s stadiums are a financial boon for the city, but the people who make them run face financial insecurity and a lack of employer-provided benefits.
Nearly a third of arena workers are below the poverty line and two-thirds are living paycheck to paycheck, according to the report.
Most workers surveyed for the spring report (85%) said raising wages is a top priority. The board notes that state law prevents Detroit from setting local labor standards on wages and benefits, preventing the city from ensuring workers benefit from tax incentives that were given to arena owners.
“Hundreds of millions of our taxpayer dollars developed Detroit’s arenas. Workers like me who support our fans, keep the arenas safe and clean, and ensure stages and games run smoothly should share in downtown’s success,” said board member Porchá Perry, a member of SEIU Local 1. “We hope the Standards Board is just the beginning of a path to economic equity for workers in our arenas.”
The nine-member board also noted that the timing is right to create a “blueprint for development that benefits all Detroiters” as Detroit City FC prepares to build a new soccer stadium in Corktown.
Recommendations will be provided to the council and mayor for their review. Council President Mary Sheffield said in a statement that the recommendations “create a pathway to safer, more stable jobs that will allow Detroiters to truly thrive.” Sheffield has touted her work to create the board as she runs for mayor.
“Now comes the critical next step of turning these recommendations into action,” Sheffield said.
What page are we on?
Today’s notebook covers the Sept. 23 formal session. Council Member Scott Benson was absent.
Dig into the agenda, read Detroit Documenter notes or watch the recording for more details.
No committee meetings will be held this week so council members can attend the Congressional Black Caucus annual legislative conference in Washington, D.C.
Our election tracker provides regular updates on city races. Stay on top of upcoming election events with this Google calendar.
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New law would require swift release of body camera footage
Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway introduced a new ordinance requiring police to release body-worn camera footage within 30 days of an incident.
The proposed ordinance requires the release of footage when a police employee shoots someone, discharges their firearm in a way that could strike someone or cause great bodily harm. This includes the use of non-lethal weapons like tasers, pepper spray, tear gas, bean bags and rubber bullets.
Footage must be posted within 30 days on a publicly available website. People directly involved are given a chance to see the footage first.
Former Police Chief James White announced a new policy in 2023 to release video footage of police shootings and other incidents of deadly force within 45 days of an incident.
The proposed ordinance also includes exemptions upon written request from the Detroit Police Department or Wayne County prosecutor. Exceptions apply to footage captured during federal or state task force operations, footage prohibited by court order and footage determined to be prejudicial to a civil matter.
A compilation of footage could be posted so long as it “portrays an accurate view of the incident and there is continuous notice that the posting is a compilation.”
Finalists interviewed for ombudsman seat
The City Council interviewed 10 candidates vying to become the next ombudsman and could vote on the appointment next week.
The ombudsman performs an often overlooked but influential role. Appointees serve 10 years and are responsible for investigating citizen complaints, working as a liaison between residents and the government. The salary is listed at $195,000.
Ombudsman Bruce Simpson’s appointment expires Oct. 5. The list of applicants was narrowed by the council. There’s a few notable names seeking the job:
- Gail Barnard, the current deputy ombudsman
- Anthony Zander, director of the Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department
- Tiffany Tilley, member of the Michigan State Board of Education
- Kim Tandy, District 2 manager for Mayor Mike Duggan
- Dennis Perkins, a contract advisor for the NFL Players Association and former staff member of Council Member Latisha Johnson
- Darius “Cope Hope” Huff, a project manager at the U.S. Department of Labor
- Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, member of the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education
- Reggie Davis, a former Wayne County commissioner and staff member of Council Member Mary Waters
- Anthony Reddit
- Jessica Gates
Health center plans east side expansion
The City Council authorized tax breaks to help EPIC Health finance construction of a new health center on Detroit’s east side.
EPIC Health expects it will cost $3.4 million to demolish a vacant single-story building along East Davison Street. A new medical center would be constructed in its place, including 15 exam rooms and space for behavioral health services, physical therapy and lab diagnostics.
City documents show EPIC Health is seeking a new eastside location because it leases a facility on East Davison that has deteriorated significantly. The new building will allow EPIC Health to double the number of its employees from 11 to 25.
If approved by the State Tax Commission, the health center will receive a 10-year tax break. A commercial rehabilitation certificate allows the property owner to freeze the taxable value of the building and exempt the new investment from local taxes.
EPIC Health was founded by two brothers who grew up on the westside: Dr. Greg Naman and Dr. Ted Naman. They opened another health center in an abandoned medical building on West Davidson Street earlier this year.
Overheard in CAYMC
Here’s a recap of intrigue raised by residents during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting and other notable items discussed by the council.
Several residents objected to water drainage fees after the Michigan Supreme Court dismissed a hearing on a case challenging its legality. This upholds a ruling by the Michigan Court of Appeals that found the fee isn’t a tax that required voter approval.
The case was brought by Detroit Alliance Against the Rain Tax, a group of residents and religious leaders. The Court of Appeals found that Detroit uses the fees to cover capital improvements and other operations instead of raising general revenue.
180 Church Pastor Lorenzo Sewell has been mobilizing residents to raise various concerns to the council. Sewell argued Lansing’s stormwater utility fee was considered an illegal tax, setting a precedent that should invalidate Detroit’s fee.
Council Member Scott Benson wants help to board up an abandoned school in District 3. In a memo, Benson requested city departments to take immediate action to secure the former St. Rita Catholic School/Helen Field Learning Academy, which he called “a magnet for illicit activity, including trespassing and drug use.”
Benson said the property presents both a safety hazard and a quality-of-life concern for surrounding families and the community at large.
Four people were appointed to advise the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Marloshawn Franklin, George Etheridge, David Bonner and Josh Mack were appointed to the community advisory committee from a pool of five candidates.
The nine-member committee provides input to the authority’s board of directors, who support development on contaminated brownfield sites through tax incentives.
Four members are appointed by the mayor, four are appointed by the City Council and one member is selected by the committee itself. Jon Barth was nominated but did not receive enough votes to secure an appointment.
Save it for next year
The City Council is asking elected officials to reserve half of their remaining office budgets for 2026.
The body passed a resolution that seeks to ensure newly elected council members and the next mayor can access the resources needed to operate their offices through the fiscal year.
The Law Department will review a proposed amendment to the City Code that would require the practice moving forward. The amendment would ensure the City Council, mayor and clerk divide their budget appropriations into two separate allocations during election years to ensure equal funding for newly-elected officials.
Seven of nine council seats are up for grabs in the November general election. Mayor Mike Duggan is not seeking reelection.
Council President Pro Tem James Tate Jr. (District 1) and Council Member Latisha Johnson (District 4) are not facing a challenger. Council President Mary Sheffield (District 5) and Council Member Fred Durhal III (District 7) vacated their seats to run for mayor.
Council members gave themselves an additional $1.55 million for staff salaries and benefits in the current budget. The two at-large members received $250,000 while the seven district representatives received $150,000 each.