Wayne County committee approves Greektown parking deal, signs off on multiple contracts, tables two media agreements and reviews indigent defense report

The Wayne County Committee on Government Operations on July 9 approved a three-year comparable-source parking license with Hollywood Casino Greektown for staff who work in the International Center Building and took final votes or procedural actions on a series of county contracts and reports, while tabling two proposed media agreements for further review.

The committee’s approval of the parking license — which the county says will provide a minimum of 150 spaces and up to 230 spaces — came with follow-up direction to administration and counsel to pursue clarifications before the full board reviews the contract on Aug. 7. Commissioners debated a potential coverage gap between the old and new contract, whether the county auditor would have access to vendor records, and whether the agreement includes typical insurance and indemnification language.

Committee chair Clemente opened the meeting and the committee handled eight agenda items, voting to approve professional services and software contracts with motion-makers and seconds recorded in the transcript, tabling media contracts from TCD Media (Metro Detroit News) and Real Times Media for further work, and receiving and filing the Indigent Defense Services Department’s annual report.

Commissioner Peterson Mayberry moved the parking-license item, and Commissioner Wilson seconded. Commissioner Killeen recorded a “no” on the committee vote while the other members present voted in favor; the committee approved the item with a directive that administration and corporation counsel attempt to secure language giving the county auditor access to records before the contract goes to the full board.

Why it matters: the parking license is operational for county employees who work in the International Center Building at 400 Monroe St., and the committee’s insistence on follow-up reflects recurring county concerns about procurement method changes, retroactive work, auditing access and standard contract protections such as insurance and indemnification.

What happened on other items: the committee approved an extension of consultant Richard Kaufman’s contract relating to the Duane County Civil Justice Center; approved a full independent payroll review for July–December 2024; approved an amendment to actuarial consulting for the Wayne County Employees Retirement System; and approved a five-year transition to Bottomline Technologies’ cloud accounting/check-printing (Paymode X). The committee voted to table two media contracts (TCD Media/Metro Detroit News and Real Times Media/Michigan Chronicle) after commission counsel and multiple commissioners raised legal, procurement and accountability questions. The committee also received and filed the Indigent Defense Services Department’s fiscal 2024 report.

Quotes and concerns: Commissioner Killeen said he would not support the parking agreement as it stood because it did not include the county auditor-general’s standard contract language guaranteeing access to records, stating, “I’m a no.” Corporation counsel described the insurance and indemnification provisions as appropriate given the nature of a parking license but said she had not reviewed the specific insurance certificate; the county’s risk manager later confirmed that an insurance certificate was included in the contract package. The county auditor-general said her office believes it should have access to all county transactions but said she could not predict whether Hollywood Casino would grant that access.

Indigent defense report: the committee received and filed the Indigent Defense Services Department’s annual report for fiscal 2024. Department director Robin Dilaroussa summarized the department’s work converting from event-based payments to hourly billing required under Michigan Indigent Defense Commission standards, the launch of a county billing platform for attorney work, ongoing training, and the department’s investigator/expert and defender support programs. The department said it handles roughly 12,000 felony cases a year, maintains a roster of approximately 154 attorneys, and has processed tens of thousands of invoices since the billing system launched. Commissioners pressed for clearer metrics on payment timing, aging of outstanding invoices and program outcomes.

Next steps: administration and corporation counsel were directed to seek the auditor-general access language for the Greektown parking license before the Aug. 7 full board meeting and to report back to committee. The two media contracts were tabled so counsel and the administration can resolve the procurement, content, payment and legal questions raised by commissioners and commission counsel.

Votes at a glance

- Item 1 — Parking license with Hollywood Casino Greektown (3-year comparable-source license; minimum 150 spaces, maximum 230): Motion by Commissioner Peterson Mayberry; second Commissioner Wilson. Committee action: approved by committee with direction to seek auditor-general access language before full board. Vote (committee): Yes 3, No 1 (Commissioner Killeen). Note: passes contingent on follow-up at full board; administration will attempt to negotiate auditor access language and confirm insurance certificate (risk management later said certificate present).

- Item 2 — Amendment 1, Richard Kaufman (1-year renewal, consulting on Duane County Civil Justice Center / C3): Motion by Commissioner Killeen; second by Commissioner Wilson. Committee action: approved. Vote: Yes 4, No 0.

- Item 3 — Professional services contract with Treon (payroll review for 07/01/2024–12/31/2024): Motion by Commissioner Wilson; second by Commissioner Peterson Mayberry. Committee action: approved. Vote: Yes 4, No 0. Note: phase 1 of review estimated 14 weeks; findings to be shared with CFO and the commission.

- Item 4 — Amendment to actuarial/pension consulting contract (Sheeran) for Wayne County Employees Retirement System: Motion by Commissioner Killeen; second by Commissioner Peterson Mayberry. Committee action: approved. Vote: Yes 4, No 0. Counsel noted services were performed before the amendment and characterized that as a procurement timing violation; no administrative penalty in the ordinance was identified.

- Item 5 — Sole-source, 5-year agreement with Bottomline Technologies (Paymode X cloud accounting/check-printing): Motion by Commissioner Queen; second by Commissioner Wilson. Committee action: approved. Vote: Yes 4, No 0. Treasurer’s office said estimated monthly fees about $4,445 and the administration included a cushion in the contract total to cover potential overages.

- Item 6 — Amendment to communications/public relations contract with TCD Media (Metro Detroit News): Committee action: tabled for further review following committee questions on scope, payment schedule (administration proposed splitting a $60,000 annual payment into two installments), measurement of deliverables and procurement thresholds. Vote to table: Yes (roll call recorded for tabling later in meeting).

- Item 7 — Professional services contract with Real Times Media / Pitch Black (community engagement initiatives including Michigan Chronicle distribution and email database): Committee action: tabled for further review after questions over audience reach, opt-in email lists, print distribution, and content standards for taxpayer-funded messaging. Vote to table: Yes (roll call recorded).

- Item 8 — Report on Indigent Defense Services Department criminal indigent defense activities (annual report, statistics, caseloads and fiscal data): Motion to receive and file by Commissioner Peterson Mayberry; second Commissioner Wilson. Committee action: received and filed. Vote: Yes 4, No 0.

What to watch: the Aug. 7 full board meeting will take up the Greektown parking license with any revisions corporation counsel and administration can negotiate. The tabling of the two media contracts suggests further edits or written assurances on procurement compliance, reporting on deliverables, and content guardrails for taxpayer-funded messaging will be required before the committee will recommend approval.

Sources: public committee meeting transcript, July 9, 2025.

Ending: The committee scheduled follow-up work on the parking license and asked administration and corporation counsel to return with clarified contract language and evidence of insurance and auditor access where feasible; media contracts were sent back for more detail and legal review. The Indigent Defense Services Department will continue to present implementation metrics as its hourly billing rollout and related trainings progress.