Committee advances Clemente Park grant application and moves event permits, contract extensions to formal session

A Detroit City Council Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee meeting advanced a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) trust fund grant application for Clemente Park and referred four other items to the council's formal session for consideration.

The committee voted to move agenda line 6.5, an authorization to submit a fiscal year 2025 MDNR trust fund grant application for Clemente Park seeking $400,000 with a required $400,000 city cash match (total project cost $800,000), to formal session with a recommendation for approval. The committee also moved petitions to hold community events (lines 6.1 and 6.2) and two contract amendments (lines 6.3 and 6.4) to formal session with recommendations for approval.

The grant request for Clemente Park was presented by staff from the City's General Services Department. Vice Chairwoman Angela Whitfield Callaway asked how Clemente Park was selected for the $400,000 matching grant and what criteria and other parks were considered. Alex Weatherup of the General Services Department said he did not have the answer at the table but would consult the department's chief parks planner and provide a response by the end of the day.

The committee also moved the following items onto the formal session/new business calendar with recommendations for approval:

- Line 6.1: Petition from the Saint Patrick Senior Citizens Center to hold the 48th annual Irish Festival on May 4, 2025, at 58 Parsons Street, Detroit; event setup and teardown times were specified in the petition. The committee moved the petition to formal session with a recommendation for approval.

- Line 6.2: Petition from Patricia (Chapel Hill Missionary Baptist Church) to hold a Family Fun Day on July 12, 2025, at 5000 Joy Road, Detroit; setup and teardown times were in the petition. The committee moved the petition to formal session with a recommendation for approval.

- Line 6.3: Contract amendment (Burks Works Environmental LLC) to extend the contract period for waste removal services for Fleet Operations. The previous contract ran 06/21/2022 through 06/06/2025; the amended period extends to 06/06/2026. The amendment is described as an extension of time only; the recorded contract increase is $0.00 and the total contract amount shown is $685,980. The committee moved the amendment to formal session with a recommendation for approval.

- Line 6.4: Contract 604566 (Jefferson Chevrolet) amendment to provide an extension of time only for light-duty vehicle repair services. The previous contract period was 07/01/2022 through 06/30/2025; the amended period extends to 06/30/2026. The recorded contract increase is $0.00 and the total contract amount shown is $2,051,000. The committee moved the amendment to formal session with a recommendation for approval.

Committee action on these items was procedural: each item was "moved to formal session with recommendation for approval" and referred to the council's formal calendar; no final votes on adoption or contract awards occurred at the committee meeting.

In discussion surrounding the Clemente Park grant, Vice Chairwoman Angela Whitfield Callaway also raised concerns about conditions at Palmer Park, noting sidewalks and trails in that larger regional park needed repair and presenting safety concerns for senior walkers. Alex Weatherup acknowledged the question and pledged to follow up with the chief parks planner and provide the requested information to Callaway by the end of the day.

The committee heard no detailed presentation about the MDNR selection criteria at the meeting; staff promised to provide selection and competitive criteria information later. The items moved to formal session will return to the full council for final action.

Committee members present included Council Member Coleman A. Young II and Vice Chairwoman Angela Whitfield Callaway; the committee chair presided. Staff present included Alex Weatherup, General Services Department.

The meeting also included brief member remarks congratulating Greening of Detroit on an anniversary event; that item was mentioned during member reports and did not involve committee action.