Committee advances $3.5M electrical maintenance contract and $360k police foundation grant

The Public Health and Safety Standing Committee on Sept. 8 advanced a three-year electrical maintenance contract (6007402) valued at $3.5 million and forwarded it to formal with a recommendation to approve.

The group executive told the committee the city has been without a full-time working electrician for roughly three to five years and recently hired only one electrician to cover about 140 city-owned locations. “We have been without an actual working electrician for about the past 4 years,” the group executive said, adding the contract will provide interim contractor support while the city recruits additional trades staff.

Member Waters asked which facilities might need immediate work; the group executive cited animal control as a current example and detailed that the contract will cover interior and exterior lighting at police, fire, recreation centers, elections facilities and park comfort stations.

The chair asked whether pay scales for trade positions had been discussed as a recruitment strategy. The group executive said raises have been considered but noted pay and classifications are often subject to union negotiations.

Separately, the committee advanced a grant-funded contract (6007056) totaling $360,000 with the Detroit Police Safety Foundation to support the Burn State Crisis Intervention Program and youth violence prevention/community policing programs; the item was sent to formal with recommendation to approve.

Both items were advanced by voice motion and will move to a formal session for final approval and potential execution.