Highland Park City Council
Highland Park City Council
Politics
Remote
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Agendas may be found at: https://highlandparkmi.gov/Reference/Agendas-and-Minutes/City-Council/2024.aspx
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Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Autumn Jackson-Hines
A vote to override the mayor’s veto of a resolution to amend bond requirements for the interim treasurer failed. A vote to move the DTE bill pay kiosk from the police station to the recreation center was approved.
Live reporting by
Nathaniel Eichenhorn
A vote to override the mayor’s veto of a resolution to amend bond requirements for the interim treasurer failed. A vote to move the DTE bill pay kiosk from the police station to the recreation center was approved.
Nachum Eichenhorn
@NachumDetroit
Good Morning #Detroit !
I will be live tweeting the Highland Park City Council meeting today at 7:00pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
I will be live tweeting the Highland Park City Council meeting today at 7:00pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
05:47 PM May 6, 2024 CDT
The meeting has not yet been called to order. I'll keep you posted
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. All of the council members were present
Councilmember Ash-Shafii was very animatedly criticizing the police chief regarding moving a DTE kiosk from the police department
Mayor McDonald explains why she is not present in the chamber today. It is because of an ongoing investigation of the police department into an "incident"
The mayor is detailing how she can be contacted in her absence
The first commenter is seeking to clarify issues relating to the mayor's veto
The next commenter is voicing her concerns regarding moving a DTE kiosk from the police station two different location
The citizen is concerned that she will not feel safe if the kiosk is moved away from the police station, as she pays her bills in cash.
The next commenter is upset that the DTE kiosk issue has not been resolved
The same commenter is also voicing her concerns regarding perspective treasurer Lisa Stolarski
She is concerned that the issue has gone on this long without resolution
Moving on to the bid opening for the ambulance transportation service
The motion was accepted and referred to the appropriate authority. The role was called and the yays were unanimous
Moving on to the next agenda item which regards overturning the mayor's veto of the prospective treasurer regarding the bond requirements
The council president wonders aloud whether we're not going to talk about the elephant in the room, namely, why the mayor is not in the building
Council member Ash-Shafii is very animatedly voicing his objections to the delay. He characterizes it as unreasonable
The Clerk and councilmember Ash-Shafii got into an exchange regarding the clerk's office not having certain relevant documents
The clerk said she cannot present documents that she was never given. It is the responsibility of the various bodies to give the clerk's office a copy of these relevant documents, she can look for them but not demand them
The issue of why the mayor is not in the chamber today was brought up again and again dismissed
The council is voted on overriding the mayor's veto. The role is as follows
Thomas no
Robinson yes
Manica no
Martin, yes
Ash -Shafii yes
As the super majority is required to override a veto, the motion does not carry
Thomas no
Robinson yes
Manica no
Martin, yes
Ash -Shafii yes
As the super majority is required to override a veto, the motion does not carry
The presenter is clarifying the process involved in applying to acquire a vacant side lot in the city
VII b passes. The roll
Thomas Yes
Robinson No
Manica Yes
Martin No
Ash-Shafii No
The motion carries
Thomas Yes
Robinson No
Manica Yes
Martin No
Ash-Shafii No
The motion carries
The petitioner for the next lot says that the previous administration was dumping on this lot next to his house and that since then a local school has been dumping their debris
The lot has developed a serious animal problem that at this point has prevented the petitioner from inhabiting his own home
He further claims the city has been ticketing him for the mess, even though he doesn't own the lot, and the city itself is responsible for the dumping
The petitioner wants to buy the lot to clear it, get rid of the animals, and establish a garden
Now the council is considering the motion to move the DTE kiosk
The PD replies that the police station is a better place for it, and laments that misinformation is being spread regarding the police department
The police department clarifies that the highland Park police station is not a full-time station. It is not open 24 hours a day or 7 days a week
Moving on to the vote on VIIIa, which was added at the beginning of the meeting, and concerns the DTE kiosk.
It passed with all yays except Martin, who voted No
It passed with all yays except Martin, who voted No
Item VIIIb, which is to schedule a public meeting for the budget discussion.
It passed unanimously
It passed unanimously
Now we're moving on to a resolution from the Department of engineering to approve a contract for sinkhole and catch basin repairs
The item passed unanimously apart from Ash-Shafii, who voted No
The city council is now moving on to approving a grant award from the State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great lakes and Energy
The City Water Department is detailing the effort to hunt down leaks and possible sinkholes that will be affected by the grant money
The present commenter is recommending the DTE kiosk at the police station
The mayor is now commenting and saying how she vetoed the bond for procedural reasons and not maliciously
The mayor says that there are people who are trying to destroy the city and that she won't tolerate it
The present commenter feels that council member Ash-Shafii is not doing enough for her district
Ms. Stolarski is speaking now and says she emailed the council, and was not answered, and the council responded that they did not receive a completed bond
The present commentator says that highland Park currently has a farmers market and it should begin again in the beginning of July.
The person commentator would like a street renamed for the pastor of their church that recently passed away
The present commenter is voicing her concerns about the lack of Treasurer
The commenter notes that the city has been without a treasurer for 72 days
This commentator is saying how he is impressed by an interview the city council president did
Now a person is addressing the room, but away from the podium, and I'm not really sure if they're an official public comment
In any case, she is saying that the city needs to come together and make amends one with another and move forward
The present commenter is upset that his a lot of time is only 2 minutes
The commenter claims he has been mistreated by the city, and makes several accusations against the city
As-Sharii says he will now "clap back" at the commenter who asked regarding what he is doing
She is yelling that The councilman does not appear in the district, and does not participate in community events.
The chair tried to cut off the commenter but council member Ash-Shafii insisted she be allowed to continue
He claims that he does not appear at events at which the mayor is scheduled to appear
He also claims that he is "tired of arguing with y'all". He also claims that the citizenry is anti-Muslim
Someone responded "I'm Muslim" and Ash-Shafii responded "No, you're not"
Someone seems to have stood up off camera. The chair is begging him to "please have a seat"
Ok now Ash-Shafii is telling the city that he is at their service and gave out his phone number
Now Ash-Shafii is yelling at the chair for trying to move the meeting on
Council member Manica is now taking about an event for community children planned for June
Robinson asked the city attorney for apology for airing her business in public regarding a real estate purchase that she claims was without blemish
Chair Thomas says elements of the Highland Park City Council constitute a Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization
Thomas: "it's gonna be a hot summer, people. It's gonna be a real hot summer"
With that, the meeting is adjourned at 9:23pm
With that, the meeting is adjourned at 9:23pm
Well folks, this closes my coverage of the Highland Park City Council meeting for May 6, 2024. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at
documenters.org
If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line
Attachments
Agency Information
Highland Park City Council
Pursuant to the Highland Park Charter, Chapters 5 and 6, the City Council of Highland Park is comprised of 5 members; 2 at-large and one from each council district. The council exercises all of the legislative powers of the city, except as otherwise stated by law, and provides for the public’s peace and health, and for the safety of persons and property.
The council meets in regular session in the established Council Chamber on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month.
Documents
No documents available