Hamtramck council votes to terminate city manager after Miller Johnson probe; mayor announces action against police chief

Hamtramck City Council voted on Aug. 26, 2025, to terminate City Manager Max Garberino after deliberations tied to a Miller Johnson investigation, approving resolution 2025-108. Council discussion and public comment on the report occupied much of the meeting’s new-business segment.

The motion to terminate was introduced during the council’s amended new-business section. Councilman Sumayya moved to terminate the city manager “based on the Miller Johnson report,” and a second was recorded; the council then called the roll and approved the resolution. The mayor later announced the city would terminate Police Chief Jamil Altahiri and take action involving Officer Adamczyk, noting the latter’s process is subject to terms of his contract and the collective bargaining agreement.

The Miller Johnson report was the focal point of extensive public comment before the vote. Residents who addressed the council split sharply in their views: Diane Trecon urged the council to remove officials she said had undermined public safety and trust, saying, “Our police department should stand as a symbol of professionalism, accountability, and public trust.” Other longtime residents, including Joan Bittner and Bill Meyer, spoke in defense of Garberino’s performance as city manager, describing him as responsive to problems and urging the council to weigh financial and procedural consequences carefully.

The mayor summarized the city’s next steps after the vote. “We have to terminate the chief of police, Jamil Altahiri,” the mayor said during council remarks, and added the city will pursue actions regarding Officer Adamczyk while following contractual procedures. The mayor also said the city discussed the report’s findings with outside counsel and the city’s insurance attorney prior to acting.

Formal action recorded in the meeting minutes and by staff includes: resolution 2025-108, to terminate the city manager; direction that the acting city manager, in consultation with the city attorney, pursue personnel actions related to other individuals named in the Miller Johnson report; and that the city follow applicable contract and collective-bargaining provisions for any bargaining-unit employee.

The meeting record shows a roll-call sequence during the termination vote in which multiple council members answered “yes” when called; one council member declined to cast a vote and stated, “I abstain,” while another member was not present for the roll call. The transcript does not show a final count by name beyond the roll-call confirmations given on the record.

The council did not take additional formal votes on discipline of police personnel at the meeting; the mayor described forthcoming administrative actions by the acting city manager and city attorney that staff said will follow the conclusions of the Miller Johnson report and legal advice. The report itself and its release were discussed by council and staff during the meeting.

The council scheduled no further public votes on these personnel matters at the meeting; implementation steps described by the mayor and staff will proceed through administrative channels and will, where required, follow the city’s contracts and legal process.

Provenance (transcript excerpts): - Topic intro: "...based on the outcomes of the report. Go ahead, councilman Sumayya." (transcript block at s=8449.545; excerpt used for topic introduction) - Topic finish: "...we have to terminate the, the chief of police, Jamil Altahiri. And, we will also be taking action regarding, officer Adamczyk..." (transcript block at s=8577.78; excerpt used for topic finish)

Ending The council action ends Garberino’s tenure immediately as recorded in resolution 2025-108. Administrative steps that the mayor described for police personnel will proceed under advice of counsel and under the terms of existing contracts; the city has not announced dates for those follow-up actions to be completed.