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Harper Woods council approves $4,648 Juneteenth payment to Irma Hayes Productions after ethics debate
Summary
The Harper Woods City Council approved a $4,648 payment to Irma Hayes Productions for Juneteenth event rentals after members debated whether the vendoris also a city employee and could face an ethics conflict. Council requested invoices and that the vendor appear at a future meeting.
The Harper Woods City Council approved, as part of the consent agenda, a $4,648 payment to Irma Hayes Productions to cover Juneteenth event rentals after an extended discussion about a possible ethics conflict.
Council members raised questions about whether the payment violated the Harper Woods charterethics provisions because Irma Hayes is a city employee with an outside production company. City Attorney Sharon DeWally told the council that it could waive a potential conflict if members had all relevant information; the council asked that receipts be provided and that Hayes appear at a future meeting to explain the charges.
Councilwoman Valerie Constantino and others asked for more documentation before approving the payment. Director of Finance Rose Johnson Matthews said the vendorIrma Hayeshas industry relationships that produce discounts and that the quoted tent rental alone can run about $6,500 but was being supplied at a lower rate because Hayes has existing vendor relationships. Residents and other council members pushed back and asked for invoices to confirm that the city is paying only pass-through costs and that Hayes is not profiting.
After debate, the council voted to approve the consent agenda, including the $4,648 check, and instructed staff to obtain and present the invoices and to have Hayes explain the arrangement at a future meeting.
The council did not find, during the meeting, a final legal determination that the payment violated the charter. DeWally said she would not render an off-the-cuff legal opinion without reviewing the documents but confirmed the council can waive a conflict if members are fully informed. The motion to approve the consent agenda passed by roll call.
