[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6259792,"mediaKeyId","3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b","parentId",3137213,"title","Youth Empowering Services seeks city support for creative-arts workforce programs; manager offers introductions to funders","audioSeconds",2421,"startMs",1110000,"endMs",3531000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b&start=1110&end=3531","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b/thumbnail_1110000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6259792/Saginaw/Saginaw-County/Michigan/Youth-Empowering-Services-seeks-city-support-for-creative-arts-workforce-programs-manager-offers-introductions-to-funders","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259792-4d6f6df1aad1fee94b2cb420496181e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137057&Signature=IpUhq3~pc5CM0sYioQ4xlSq9sy7fX--e0KTHXDqi-iUuX-RM13dQPSYe73kyxRNE8dnVg6Wy-P88gbhMInjDtIKrNYMyrPmrxgt-y0u5W6fJXmudCn~xIYipzQ~UjBq~4j405CO2Q7HWkYWr2PdHe5wMEUW1ZVwlkCa0NNgr8WVupN7juP9kbSyOSlYWFmhHXBXN5FnWtFQ1kVJiC1BXQqE3c6kHH01exUmJ9CBMaL5cttlMfr~CfWeYd2FEx73gLvhYHNUm-bD71nzkVnK7wkn71D4-UfOFfBCJWod2VNl3Xc7l6TMFnlpXLChL3Xjol1LdwAp59rUFGwWBoaIqJw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Saginaw, MI","date","2025-04-21T00:00:00Z","article","Denzel Small, director of Youth Empowering Services (YES), used the public-comment portion of the meeting to present a proposal asking the council to support new programs that train youth in creative industries and entrepreneurship.

Small described program elements including a youth fashion showcase and training in videography, photography, fashion design, graphic design and AI integration. He said the group seeks $8,000 for eight youth fashion designers and $500 per branding and marketing package for 12 youth; he also referenced a larger sum requested for summer programming and workforce initiatives in the materials distributed to council.

Small said YES is partnering with multiple local organizations, including Bear Tracks, United Way, Refuge Church, Loud Entertainment, the Buell & Fish Library and Business Veil, and described a June fashion show and plans to take student designers to a Bay City showcase.

City Manager Tim told the council that staff could assist by making introductions to ARPA-funded host organizations, the Community Development Block Grant program recipients and private funders such as the Community Foundation or United Way, and encouraged Small to contact the manager’s office for follow-up. Council members thanked Small and said they would work with staff to explore connection points; no city funding decision was taken at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Saginaw, MI City Council April 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Youth Empowering Services presented a funding and partnership request to the council for youth fashion, branding and summer workforce programming and asked the city to consider support; City Manager said staff can assist with introductions to potential funders and ARPA-funded host partners.","taxTitle","Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan","taxId",3479,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6259796,"Delta Sigma Theta leaders and local organizers press Saginaw council on fair-chance housing; councilwoman says she'll explore local ordinance",1695,395000,2090000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b&start=395&end=2090","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b/thumbnail_395000.jpg","/articles/6259796/Saginaw/Saginaw-County/Michigan/Delta-Sigma-Theta-leaders-and-local-organizers-press-Saginaw-council-on-fair-chance-housing-councilwoman-says-shell-explore-local-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259796-fb2337d34a867e4988696e59de9fabd2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137058&Signature=ngTKNuoEfxOMbum2ejQ8W3HQskL64zKFMm-KodUgITFMYtRExiu6kWSbjsG64m1wFZSpqGhzcX4-Blu8zLZ0sGi0cwubL7SyihdYA9-EO5aFc47K6aq95DUcpEwsAWsAUoUaxHFEviXiOy3YS1R8KFfMgutFF8zcyIxkv6x5ABlnVk0ZJTKInP60Zm1XAfGRvKN~BmGnmnBppvNlaxcbwUOgIBvfs-SpBp9G~hZUsgd~3iheHIrO0UbigYEjkgdWh~G~Ng7s0gz-7l89~CDY0kifmBEDJAf3zxNL0O47pcwy0IlubBQpmZqMuaaqMACsrlYFVehZkZWpKM4dyeuCyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Saginaw Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. and community organizers used the council’s public comment period to mark Fair Housing Month and ask the city to consider policies that expand housing access for people with prior convictions.

Candace Thomas, chair of the chapter’s social action committee, described the chapter’s 2024 town hall on reentry and housing and urged the council to consider local steps to reduce barriers for returning citizens. Arshan (Arshan/Arshin) Baldwin and Janae Beatty gave personal testimony and described community outreach: Beatty said the chapter hosted “Making the Shift: Opening the Door to Reentry, Closing the Door to Recidivism” on April 27, 2024, attended by more than 80 community members and numerous partner organizations, and that the meeting produced 29 advocacy letters sent to legislators.

Community organizer Tony Gantt, who said he served 20 years in prison and now organizes on reentry issues statewide, described the difficulty justice-impacted residents face in securing housing and urged Saginaw to adopt a local fair-chance housing ordinance similar to policies in Detroit, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Jackson and Flint.

Councilwoman Carly Rose Hammond thanked the speakers, said she supported local action, and told the speakers she would look into adopting a local ordinance rather than waiting for the state legislature to act. City staff later noted that some remedies—such as state statute changes—require Lansing action; the council and manager also identified local steps they can take, including outreach and connecting providers to available expungement and identification services.

Speakers called for concrete steps to expand temporary housing and reentry supports and asked council members to use the managerial and budget tools available to help returning citizens secure identification, employment and housing. Several council members expressed support for local coordination and for continuing to partner with community organizations that provide reentry services; City Manager Tim and staff offered to make introductions to funding partners and to collaborate on possible program referrals.

No formal ordinance or resolution was introduced at the meeting. Staff and councilmembers said they would continue to meet with community groups and look into possible local policy options.","Members of Delta Sigma Theta’s Saginaw Alumnae Chapter and community advocates marked Fair Housing Month and urged the council to adopt policies removing barriers to housing for people with criminal records. Councilwoman Carly Rose Hammond said she would explore a local ordinance rather than wait for state action.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6259801,"Saginaw Council OKs five-year Flock surveillance contract amid privacy and access questions; Birch Park license-plate reader amendment also approved",1479,3979000,5458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b&start=3979&end=5458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3137213-caa4e05cdca1986091c83bf6984ecf9b/thumbnail_3979000.jpg","/articles/6259801/Saginaw/Saginaw-County/Michigan/Saginaw-Council-OKs-five-year-Flock-surveillance-contract-amid-privacy-and-access-questions-Birch-Park-license-plate-reader-amendment-also-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6259801-d0a0f7a1e481bc38a6ce8aca116015f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137057&Signature=eTUi9ditezJatK3vDSV5sktbqZMcRc0hTRDJKwKpXfRn4XW7DQU9gKu6Fq~BM3kgQpf1bZv-sJvqcvxjFNivlU6Do7rH6JLHPA0mC-zsrRFXW~3F9NZRc4872yIjkzfC8AE7OzHFwjY24GBNPRCzxEyCJ1rYTh-7GPQxQazhW5BgywUQrWY006-X12KByKBRVzFsWx34doIp6z89MO--dSxvRnTT3qJDSME6EGTCj~lUPRNNaVsXOVp62NIhF74cr52YqTWmgWFuPEGIIq9RS1ZslBCZkTGdeVAhFDVLJ4DC2vQ93IM-4lA5NCsU5-0PYJH2My7uJraLz-AoCRWFOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Saginaw city council approved a five-year purchase and service arrangement with Flock Group Inc. for intersection surveillance equipment and accepted a third amendment allowing Birch Park Preservation to install license-plate readers, after extended debate over contract access, data retention and privacy.

The council voted 8-1 on the Flock purchase, with Councilwoman Carly Rose Hammond the lone no vote. The purchase total listed in the agenda was $152,950, with installment payments of $35,350 planned for fiscal 2025 and anticipated annual payments of $29,400 for fiscal years 2026 through 2029.

The Flock items and the Birch Park amendment were discussed together in public session, during which council members requested copies of contracts and questioned where retained camera and license-plate data would be stored, who could access it and how long it would be kept. Council members also noted an ongoing federal lawsuit mentioned in public correspondence about Flock but were told by the city attorney that the referenced case does not have jurisdiction over Michigan.

City staff said the city is the contract customer and the contract language requires customer ownership of “customer data,” with a limited, licensed use by Flock to provide the service. Staff also said the contract includes a 30-day data-retention window and that retained data are anonymized for certain internal uses; the publicly posted purchase and payment schedule was explained by staff as part of continuing a deployment begun in April 2024.

Several council members urged caution and asked for full contract review before approving new purchases. One council member sought to postpone the Birch Park amendment to allow time to read the full agreement; that postponement motion failed on a roll call vote (3 in favor, 6 opposed). After that vote the council moved to accept the Birch Park amendment during the same consent process and approved it (voice vote; roll-call tally for the final acceptance was not recorded in the meeting minutes). The Flock purchase then passed on a recorded vote, 8-1.

Public safety advocates and Birch Park residents spoke in favor of the equipment, saying gate cameras and plate readers could deter nonresident criminal activity at the housing complex. Other council members and at least one public commenter raised civil-liberty concerns and pointed to public correspondence from community groups requesting contract review and stronger data safeguards.

City Manager Tim and members of the police department explained that Saginaw has used several grant sources for camera programs in prior years and that the Flock deployment continued a federal grant-funded effort that began in 2024. Staff said multiple vendors were reviewed before recommending Flock, and that some cameras in the city remain owned by other entities (for example, the DDA). The manager told council that the Birch Park amendment is a contract amendment with the Birch Park property association to permit installation of the readers and to provide security services to the department.

The meeting record includes an explicit explanation from city legal counsel that the federal case referenced in public correspondence does not apply in Michigan and that surveillance of public places has a different standard than tracking in private. Counsel said the jurisdiction of the lawsuit cited by critics does not control here.

Votes at a glance: Flock purchase (consent agenda item 10) — approved, 8-1 (Hammond opposed); Birch Park third amendment to security detail (consent agenda item 9) — initial motion to postpone failed (roll call 3-6), amendment acceptance approved by council (voice vote; roll-call tally not recorded).","City council approved a $152,950 purchase and five-year payment plan for a Flock Safety intersection surveillance system and accepted an amendment allowing Birch Park to install license-plate readers after debate over data retention, FOIA access to contracts and civil-liberty concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Youth Empowering Services seeks city support for creative-arts workforce programs; manager offers introductions to funders

Delta Sigma Theta leaders and local organizers press Saginaw council on fair-chance housing; councilwoman says she'll explore local ordinance

Saginaw Council OKs five-year Flock surveillance contract amid privacy and access questions; Birch Park license-plate reader amendment also approved