Committee reviews $18M stormwater management contract; approves multiple contracts including demolition and transportation items

The Public Health & Safety committee on June 16 reviewed a Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) contract and advanced a slate of procurement items.

DWSD staff described contract number 6007080, a contract that the committee was told will use CIP funding for stormwater infrastructure program management to meet the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). DWSD said the work will focus on the Upper Rouge tributary and near East Side areas; OHM was the highest-ranked proposer and the prime team includes Detroit-certified businesses and six subcontractors. Committee members asked about a related resolution of necessity for property acquisition; legal staff said that resolution will be presented to the PE committee in July and the DWSD item was brought back for more discussion in two weeks.

The committee also considered, amended, and advanced a number of contracts across departments: emergency demolition and blight remediation contracts; renovation and time-extension amendments for recreation and public-safety facilities; a contract for sidewalk replacement services (6006862) that raised questions about contractor bonding and the city's prior change under Proposal N to make contractors responsible for sidewalk repairs they damage. OCP and group-exec staff explained that withheld contract funds have been used to cover some sidewalk replacements and confirmed the department will provide bond documentation.

On transportation items, the committee approved several bus-engine/transmission contracts and a grant-funded accessible autonomous shuttle pilot (contract 6007244) to relaunch a free autonomous shuttle service. Tim Slusser of the Office of Mobility Innovation said the pilot is grant funded and could relaunch just after the Fourth of July holiday and operate for at least a year.

Votes at a glance (committee-level actions taken during the session): - 6.1 (data request on dangerous-buildings rehab outcomes): will be brought back in 1 week (postponed for further data). - 6.2 (contract 3083818; emergency demolition/tax clearance): brought back in 3 weeks pending tax-clearance completion. - 6.3 (contract 6007080, DWSD stormwater program management): brought back in 2 weeks for additional discussion and resolution-of-necessity coordination (no final approval at this meeting). - 7.1 (contract 3084267, emergency demo - Monte Vista): approved and sent to formal with recommendation to approve. - 7.3 and 7.4 (construction/demolition ARPA items): approved and sent to formal with recommendation to approve. - 7.5 (demolition training contract amendment): approved and sent to formal with recommendation to approve. - 7.6 (sidewalk replacement contract 6006862): sent to formal without recommendation for more documentation on bonds and scope. - 7.7 (time extension for design-build services, NW Activity Center): approved and sent to new business with recommendation to approve. - 7.8 through 7.14 (various fire and public-works contracts): approved and sent to new business with recommendation to approve. - 7.15 through 7.19 (transportation contracts including accessible autonomous shuttle): approved and sent to new business with recommendation to approve.

Committee members requested correction letters and clarified agenda reports where amounts or time extensions were misstated; Legislative Policy Division and OCP agreed to correct the reports before formal consideration by full council.