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Committee approves multiple settlements and indemnifications; several items returned for follow‑up
Summary
At the Internal Operations meeting the committee moved a series of settlement payments, legal indemnification requests and resolutions to formal council or approved them, and asked staff to return several items for additional information. Multiple settlement amounts and case numbers were recorded on the public record.
The Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole took action on a slate of settlement requests, legal‑representation and indemnification items and resolutions, moving many items forward to the formal council session and returning several items for follow‑up. Actions recorded on the public record included settlement amounts, motions to refer items to the law department, and requests to bring items back for additional documentation.
Key outcomes at a glance
- Line item 5.1: Settlement in Juanita Reed v. City of Detroit, Angelica Robinson et al., Case No. 23-005526-CZ — $33,750. Motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line item 5.2: Settlement in Tatiana Billings v. City of Detroit et al., Case No. 23-006345-CD (General Services) — $500,000. Motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line item 5.3: Settlement in Tanika Anderson v. City of Detroit, Case No. 20-00875-NI (Department of Transportation) — $185,000. Motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line items 5.4 & 5.7: Requests for legal representation and indemnification (inspectors Wade Rowling Figley and supervising building inspector Eric Johnson) tied to Outfront Media LLC litigation. Motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line items 5.5, 5.6 & 5.8: Requests for legal representation and indemnification for officers Lamar Harris, Yousef Barrow and Sergeant Ellen Brow (related to one incident). Committee voted to bring these three items back in two weeks for further review.
- Line item 5.9: Status memo from Council member Leticia Johnson regarding open complaints to Civil Rights Inclusion and Opportunity about the Stellantis Mac plant — motion to receive and file; no objection recorded.
- Line item 5.11: Memorandum re: retiree fast track program — motion to bring back in one week for further review.
- Line item 5.12: Memorandum from Council president pro tem about replacing handicap provisions in sections of the Detroit City Code — motion to bring back in one week.
- Line item 5.13: Contract with Dykema Gossett PLLC for telecommunication/connectivity advisory services (contract 6006481), total $25,000, contract period through 01/03/2026 — committee voted to bring this item back in one week for OCP clarification (see separate coverage).
New business and other approvals
- Line item 6.1: Settlement and claim, Bob Maxey Ford Inc. (General Services) — $31,800. Motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line item 6.2: Settlement in Darren Findling, conservator for Bruce Wood et al. v. City of Detroit (Department of Transportation), Case No. 23-006990-NF — $600,000. Motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line item 6.3: Settlement in Roshanna Buckner Collins v. City of Detroit (Department of Transportation) — $75,000. Motion to bring back in one week.
- Line item 6.4: Resolution authorization for Detroit Reparations Task Force extension (Council President Mary Sheffield requested resolution) — motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
- Line item 6.5: Council member Scott Benson requested a legal opinion on council approval of emergency demolition contracts — motion to refer to the law department and bring back in three weeks.
- Line item 6.6: Council member Leticia Johnson requested a resolution to create the Climate and Disaster Recovery Task Force — motion to bring back in two weeks.
- Line item 6.7: Council President Mary Sheffield submitted memorandum re: reparations task force extension — motion to receive and file.
- Line item 6.8: Resolution relative to continuing the Detroit City Council Task Force on Homelessness and Affordable Housing — motion to send to formal with recommendation to approve; no objection recorded.
What the committee did not do: Several indemnification items and settlements were deferred to allow staff or the law department to provide additional documentation; OCP did not appear for contract questions on item 5.13 and was requested for next week.
