[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6251483,"mediaKeyId","3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73","parentId",3195553,"title","Callers urge action on Grand Circus homelessness and propose stricter rules on aggressive panhandling","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1230000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73&start=1230&end=1230","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73/thumbnail_1230000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6251483/Detroit/Wayne-County/Michigan/Callers-urge-action-on-Grand-Circus-homelessness-and-propose-stricter-rules-on-aggressive-panhandling","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251483-5bb1b014057c954087f8fed7527ab5a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659770&Signature=A4UfwtoIjycZg6rsR8Lg379h5N7hVfHtGX6CI825RE4tI32FuJ9kE-w3fQpwwN2XIqHTVWzzBfcy3lHNv0fzwiYkEo3h1mePN-38AlQjwCPqKBelVbMY0cL~7aqd7OcClEz6l1HYf1U2~72m77x4jidbZpfRIBLhLNOW8NojbiB3u5vpMnHCRy1EuLQ2dfLXB5IQKJ1B9bnXciBjTLWbpsJsan0-tRR4Id7qm2Dn4AMKSkPAXs-6oSYcvUPQiBV0mV3aZ5hMViSySyVnXNOCKOMg6cTiy4ZuE5vxvOGd3P4d6Db6DPThBgYfZwgb~y7oLBu5kZu0h95Mf4muQNjTTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Detroit, MI ","date","2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","article","Multiple public commenters told the Internal Operations Committee on April 30 that downtown sites such as Grand Circus Park have become magnets for homelessness and street scams and called on the city to respond with services and tighter enforcement of aggressive solicitation.

Steven Haring, a caller who identified himself as a resident concerned about downtown conditions, said Grand Circus is \"full of homeless people\" and \"street scammers\" and described the landmark as \"a mess.\" He urged the city to build more shelters and to adopt a strict ordinance against aggressive solicitation and aggressive panhandling, saying vulnerable seniors had been scammed.

Another caller identified as Cunningham described ongoing volunteer efforts to hand out gloves, bus tickets and other supplies and thanked council members for assistance; the same caller asked for more bus tickets to support homeless residents. Council staff responded with a staff phone number and said they would follow up.

A caller identified as “You Matter” linked concerns about mental-health services to development controversies and said the city health department should provide mental-health services required under the city charter; the speaker also criticized the North End Landing development process (raised separately in public comment) for harming trust in government and mental health in impacted communities.

The committee did not adopt any new ordinances or funding actions during the session recorded in the transcript; callers asked council staff to follow up on constituent services and enforcement options.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Detroit City Council Internal Operations 04-30-2025","oneSentenceSummary","Public commenters urged the council to address homelessness and street scams at Grand Circus Park and proposed stronger ordinances against aggressive solicitation while asking for more shelters and services.","taxTitle","Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan","taxId",48464,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6251488,"Retirees and callers criticize city finances, pensions and use of UTGO bond funds",1418,312000,1730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73&start=312&end=1730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73/thumbnail_312000.jpg","/articles/6251488/Detroit/Wayne-County/Michigan/Retirees-and-callers-criticize-city-finances-pensions-and-use-of-UTGO-bond-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251488-b536087ede92c0f219951785c70144e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659770&Signature=k3jM3pWNdYv9wYCHDi-LERdP~kV4-j7smjN9zEQtU72MqZIUhFMx6ijosiJsVflHP5Wf0nW8FmIlsC2D5LoowPVe4wPd7~kSEGHssfPLv5dJHdni9bA91DbWcHexoH9-Pzx2cbpcFF09aYRE~rmStOjxrxqaqCuLD5OtOO3vHWcjzGy7WWZwEIF2haT533UAbLLhu0fQaSAfyJ6wYzyXYbSjWndvjEySYZie2o94NCvzX1EW0KpSKWMjjBR8vl6HnGfFVTmE4RUeYYuljANoPWOnyM96gstPRhmmkBR6xO4y0XkU8VDFTnI7aXJ8v0arFiOv6Tpy1uAUIlgsR~LBGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several callers during the Internal Operations Committee’s public-comment period on April 30 criticized the size of recent pension supplements and questioned the city’s fiscal priorities, including the use of voter-approved UTGO bond funds.

William M. Davis, who said he worked for the City of Detroit from 1978 to 2012, said many general-fund retirees were pleased to see a supplemental payment on pension statements but called the amount insufficient. “This is before taxes is taken out and what have you,” he said, noting a listed supplemental payment of $472.09 for general-fund retirees in the transcript and larger payments for police and fire retirees.

Another caller said the city could have used $75 million to help retirees and accused the administration of diverting funds to other departments. “You don't have 75,000,000 to help the people who carried the brunt of the bankruptcy,” the caller said, criticizing a city $3 billion budget and citing an alleged $184 million to the public lighting department as an example of different spending priorities.

A separate caller identified in the record as “Sheldon” said nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan or similar funds were received and argued that UTGO (Unlimited Tax General Obligation) bond language limits how those bond proceeds can be used — he said the bonds were meant for constructing, demolishing and equipping public buildings and asserted using bond funds for operations would be illegal. The transcript records him challenging the Law Department and city finance offices to name another city that used UTGO bond funds for ongoing operations.

Speakers framed their remarks as appeals for the council to prioritize retiree relief and to clarify how bond proceeds and other revenues are being spent; the committee did not take immediate action on these public comments during the session recorded in the transcript.","Public commenters told the committee they were unhappy with the size and distribution of pension supplements and questioned the city’s use of UTGO bond money and other revenues to cover operations rather than capital projects.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6251492,"Tribal residents ask Detroit council for forum after reports of towed vehicles and confusion over tribal plates",76,129000,205000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73&start=129&end=205","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73/thumbnail_129000.jpg","/articles/6251492/Detroit/Wayne-County/Michigan/Tribal-residents-ask-Detroit-council-for-forum-after-reports-of-towed-vehicles-and-confusion-over-tribal-plates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251492-830bb9395aa108284ad3a7311931887e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659770&Signature=daLsuhxkLD8nRPrRS3QOLcCLON9a6K~q~lsqTPRV9A6zdepjx2WX7beUwX5RGxUhwGsVFIej6JZUf2rprBychcUXVbYjUUyVx62RY2mYCsi1pvRgVpnKp4lZSVyr6cHPEnM7XzxbaAzbSCVtKlIW2pVLBdHr2yPCIu4jalNxrXT0o8iNS2Ut6BnPbbNTWBlwC8ibRDwSczZmCIVWoZ8KM9weHmh50NH01gCrLXiHt-jpqoUHw3rMIVk1kVW9~JpeUEq4SZAX~5nun4Zn21RrhkE-D1S1r~x-BGiBpdYWHyGp2Fr33R0JVSIiDMNS18I5-aPTgBz61L2uSf6uPho64A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tanya Trowell, who identified herself as an assistant to the League of Indian Nations, told the Internal Operations Committee on April 30 that tribes living in Detroit have experienced vehicle seizures and confusion with police and towing companies when tribal residents travel with reservation plates and tribal ID.

“I am Tanya Trowell, 1 of the assistants to the League of Indian Nations in the city of Detroit,” she said during the public-comment period. “Our automobiles keep getting confiscated, because we are expressing our rights according to the treaties to travel with our reservation plates and our reservations ID.”

Trowell asked the council to “put the city on notice” that tribes reside in Detroit and requested a forum with the city and the mayor to address the recurring issues. She said the state of Michigan has recognized the tribes but, she added, municipalities have not held official meetings to resolve disputes about travel and recognition of tribal documents.

Council staff asked Trowell to leave contact information so the city could follow up; the transcript does not record whether a meeting was scheduled.

Trowell’s remarks came during the committee’s public-comment period; the committee did not take any formal action on the topic during the session recorded in the transcript.","A Detroit resident representing the League of Indian Nations asked the council to recognize tribes who live in the city and to convene talks after reports that tribal members' vehicles were seized when traveling with tribal reservation plates and IDs.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6251498,"Internal Operations committee sends multiple indemnification and settlement items to formal review",447,1964000,2411000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73&start=1964&end=2411","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195553-9f563dbb26a82cd478c546e1ee4dea73/thumbnail_1964000.jpg","/articles/6251498/Detroit/Wayne-County/Michigan/Internal-Operations-committee-sends-multiple-indemnification-and-settlement-items-to-formal-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6251498-54030c07d258dd98e8ce89ff813a23c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659770&Signature=E8sUwEd5jABhmZEyuTHMuJcJ39turAO5J5QeEDbY6OQAg4fnLsiHH-HFePS88avY4CXwsz-ba~FFzM042lM9sDlxmMu3fl68H59ub3TqDO9UPEQ5seylGNf1hay871yDfBjcoqWanUQB0nBmJLNyQNyRxkFm1cm84dDUi79CVilZe9ozbjrk~xREQxWzYnGhcyhTVgwiKEZq5EQA8oCOiT3NDZ08Rtvz7Q8rtIfWMS3HKF4~Br8KkxRZRtPeyJoVvHqBqci0sgd40h3T-lf0zA2fwMvllkKvOjlIbuRJn1XlmkmbuRgAh~EhTsQHdvsDK61AWjoQ5qy9U2I66jLdiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Internal Operations Committee of the Detroit City Council agreed April 30 to refer multiple legal representation, indemnification and settlement items to formal consideration with recommendations to approve.

Committee members combined agenda items 5.1 and 5.2 and moved several personnel indemnification items (5.3–5.5) to a formal committee with recommendations to approve, and approved settlement referrals under new business (6.1–6.5) to the formal committee with recommendations to approve. Phil Keller of the Law Department (LPD) told the committee that a related resolution (5.8) was attached to the Budget, Finance and Audit agenda for the afternoon and could be taken up then.

The items included requests for legal representation and indemnification in pending lawsuits involving current and former employees and specific settlements the law department proposed for payment. Among the cases referenced were OutFront Media LLC v. City of Detroit, et al (case no. 24-13270; docket reference in the transcript 24-01445), Andre Jones v. Detroit Department of Transportation (case no. 24-016862 in transcript), Shanika Pentecost v. Detroit Department of Transportation (case no. 25-000537 in transcript), Jean Browning v. Detroit Department of Transportation (case no. 24-018316 in transcript) and a settlement involving Markell J. Stewart and Leah Tamara Williams (case no. 23-006491 in transcript) for $125,000 described in the committee record.

Under new business the committee also moved multiple settlement items to formal review including a $3,396 settlement in Dynamic Rehab LLC v. City of Detroit (case no. 23-012051), a $7,500 settlement in a matter involving the Fire Department (case listed in the record as 20-11975), a $15,000 settlement related to a Freedom of Information Act matter associated with the Detroit Firefighters Association (case no. 24-005523 in the transcript), a $182,500 settlement in Hall v. Blake Navarre et al (case no. 221-12970 in the transcript) and a $10,000 settlement in Lynch Chiropractic v. City of Detroit (case no. 23-014487 in the transcript). Several motions to receive and file privacy- and appointment-related items (6.6, 6.7) were also approved without objection.

The committee recorded motions and “hearing no objections” language for approval to forward items; the transcript does not include recorded roll-call vote tallies for these motions. The committee chair directed staff to bring one item (5.7) back in one week.

A copy of the committee’s agenda and the law department’s attached memos will be considered at the formal committee meeting; Phil Keller said the resolution tied to item 5.8 would appear on the Budget, Finance and Audit agenda later in the day.

The actions forwarded to formal review now await scheduled consideration by the full formal committee or council committee that handles these matters.","The Detroit City Council Internal Operations committee on April 30 agreed without objection to send several legal indemnification requests and settlements — including multiple personnel indemnification items and payouts — to the formal committee with recommendations to approve.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Callers urge action on Grand Circus homelessness and propose stricter rules on aggressive panhandling

Retirees and callers criticize city finances, pensions and use of UTGO bond funds

Tribal residents ask Detroit council for forum after reports of towed vehicles and confusion over tribal plates

Internal Operations committee sends multiple indemnification and settlement items to formal review