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Residents press council on taxes, property sales, utility fees and grant administration during public comment
Summary
During public comment, Highland Park residents raised concerns about delinquent property taxes, city-owned vacant lots and sale procedures, MCA water reconnection fees, neighborhood grant conditions including mortgage requirements, and the handling/storage of residents' personal records.
Several Highland Park residents used the meeting's public-comment period Monday to raise concerns about city services, property sales and local grant programs.
Charles Blackwell told the council that Council President Jamal Thomas had delinquent property taxes on the house where he resides and said the public deserved an explanation. Jerome Vorce, a long-time resident, said he has attempted to buy city-owned vacant lots adjacent to his property but was told the city would not sell, and he raised questions about staff availability and the city treasurer's office.
Carla Oliver asked why Municipal Collection Agency (MCA) had charged Highland Park residents $50 for water-cut reconnection when the city code she cited appeared to require lower fees; she urged the council to enforce existing ordinances and said residents should not face higher private contractor charges when city code sets a different amount.
Doris Harris and other speakers described issues with a neighborhood grant application cycle: Harris said some recipients were reportedly asked to take out a mortgage against their homes to accept grant funds and expressed concern about how applicant personal information was being stored. She said some files were kept at a private residence in Pontiac rather than city offices, raising data-security questions.
Several speakers asked the council to provide clearer procedures, staff availability hours and documentation of property lists tied to grant or historic preservation programs. A local teacher also used council time to emphasize a separate concern: low literacy rates among local students and adults, urging community action on reading and education.
Council members acknowledged the comments and directed staff to follow up on several items, including requests for historic property listings related to a separate resolution, clarification of city services and revenue collection practices, and the procedures for property sale requests and grant administration. The council did not take immediate action on these public comments during the meeting but noted they would require administrative follow-up.
