Council moves dozens of line items to closing resolution; approves consolidated oversight ramp and several closing adjustments

The Detroit City Council spent the afternoon and evening on May 20 revising its closing/executive session budget list. Members made a series of motions to add, remove or amend line items and to consolidate several agency requests into a single, more manageable package for the fiscal 2026 budget.

Key outcomes at a glance: Council approved a consolidated, consistent ramp‑up amount for the four independent oversight offices (Board of Ethics, Office of the Auditor General, Office of the Inspector General, and Ombudsman) that replaced previously disparate supplemental requests. The council also approved moving a number of members’ line items into the administration’s closing resolution or the council’s closing resolution for formal appropriation consideration.

Shelter and legal services: Councilors noted that DESC’s existing, ARPA‑funded contract covers shelter beds and related legal services; the administration will propose a no‑cost extension so the contract’s existing funds cover beds and legal services through the next fiscal year. Council voted to remove the $1.7 million item from the spreadsheet and add language in the closing resolution ensuring the contract extension and continuation of services.

Cannabis revenue and legacy fund: Council approved a motion to add language in the closing resolution to reassign a percentage of adult‑use cannabis tax revenue (proposed at 95%) to the Office of Cannabis Affairs and to enable those funds to be placed in a restricted fund for legacy programming. Members said doing so would simplify accounting and allow the City to provide support to “homegrown” legacy Detroit cannabis businesses.

Selected line‑item adjustments and votes: Council members made dozens of changes across departments (the transcript records many motions). A few notable items the council approved during the session included: - Replacing previously listed individual supplemental requests for oversight agencies with a uniform three‑year ramp schedule for FY26 (total consolidated FY26 ramp roughly $1,416,661) — motion passed. - Add line item moving DESC/DESC‑subcontract shelter legal support to the closing resolution and remove the $1.7 million supplemental from the working spreadsheet — motion passed. - Add line item 73 (reassign cannabis revenue percentage to Office of Cannabis Affairs and include language in closing resolution and administration closing) — motion passed. - Add many departmental items and studies to the closing resolution (examples: Eastern Market sidewalks, corridor improvement authority study, ADA accessibility items for media services, senior food access pilot) — motions passed.

Process notes: Councilors sought a short, consolidated document showing the total fiscal effect of the oversight office ramp requests and asked administration staff (OCFO) and department directors to provide clarifying spreadsheets. The body kept multiple items pinned for additional follow‑up and instructed staff to provide requested details within a short timeline so the final closing resolution can be prepared for adoption.

Votes at a glance (selected) — outcomes as recorded in the meeting: - Oversight ramp consolidation (replace individual requests with common three‑year ramp for FY26, totaling approximately $1,416,661): approved. - Move line item 171 (DESC/Freedom House shelter beds/legal services) into closing resolution and remove $1.7M from the working spreadsheet: approved. - Add cannabis revenue reassignment (line 73) to the closing resolution and administration closing resolution: approved. - Remove multiple items (example: line 56 DFD request) from the agenda where members indicated different placement: approved. - Motion to set 10:00 p.m. meeting cutoff: objection recorded; not adopted as unanimous consent (objections noted).

What’s next: Administration staff will prepare the formal closing/executive resolution language reflecting the council’s adopted additions, removals and amendments. Council asked to receive the consolidated oversight spreadsheet and other clarifying materials within hours so the budget package can be finalized for the upcoming adoption steps.