Public commenters urge transit fixes, shelter inspections, forensic audit and police transparency at Detroit council meeting

Speakers during the public-comment portion of the meeting urged the council to address public-transit service, shelter inspections, financial oversight and police transparency.

The session included virtual callers (the chair initially said seven; staff later referenced nine) and several in-person speakers. Many callers asked the council to act or to ensure city agencies provide information and oversight.

A caller identified as Cunningham provided meeting information for a Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) input session and read a dial-in number and meeting ID on the record. Cunningham said the buses are "at their worst after 6 or 7 PM on the weekdays and on the weekends" and encouraged residents to attend the DDOT input meeting. Cunningham provided the dial-in number as "+1 (312) 626-6799" and meeting ID "96268082855." The same caller said they distribute donated warm clothes and bus tickets to riders.

A caller using the name Monkey Wrench Room raised concerns about access to a Michigan State Police report in a case involving the death of Kanisha Coleman. The caller said a meeting was occurring between the city's corporation counsel and the Board of Police Commissioners and urged the board's right to see subpoenaed records in DPD case 20-11112. "According to the charter, the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners is the oversight for the Detroit Police Department," the caller said, and asserted the board has rights to the report; the transcript identifies the case number as DPD case 20-11112.

William M. Davis called for more inspections of shelters and said some shelters are unsafe, citing bed bugs and harassment as reasons people avoid shelter. "We need a better inspection system," Davis said, and urged more family housing options.

Betty A. Verner, identified as president of the Soda Ellsworth Block Association, promoted a Pinnacle Avenue Corridor Action Plan community meeting (listed in the record for Tuesday, March 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at New Life Family Church, 15329 Lemonnoyes, Detroit 48238) and asked for help removing fencing and purchasing boulders for a neighborhood park.

Caller Malik Shelton urged an independent forensic audit of city finances, saying taxpayers cannot know the extent of alleged misappropriation without one. Shelton criticized use of ARPA and bond proceeds for recurring expenses and named Plante Moran (transcript: "Platt Moran") as an auditor he considered inadequate and recommended contacting former city auditor Mark Lockridge for more information.

Another caller who identified as "You Matter" described feeling implicit bias and expressed concerns about development decisions that the caller said favored an out-of-area developer; the caller tied these concerns to recent litigation and neighborhood impacts.

In-person speaker Ronald Foster said he had been excluded from veterans' affairs work and described experiences of harassment when he raised health and safety issues; he told the council he hoped for better inclusion of veterans in the city's efforts.

Several other callers delivered short remarks invoking faith or encouraging continued civic engagement. The chair and council staff recorded the public-comment speakers and proceeded to the scheduled presentation and committee business after public comment closed.

The council did not provide a formal response to most of the public comments during this item; several callers requested follow-up or investigative action by the council or city departments.