Residents press council on surveillance cameras, appointments and alleged corruption

The council heard an extended public‑comment block in which dozens of residents raised surveillance, contracting and appointment concerns.

Adam Barrett, of Detroit History of Tax Justice and the Moratorium Now Coalition, urged the council to remove so‑called flock cameras from residential streets and said he’s seen new camera installations in purely residential areas.

Several callers — including Irvin Morrow, James Chandler and others — criticized the city’s legal spending and questioned the potential reappointment of Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett, urging more transparency in outside counsel use and larger settlements for litigation involving city projects. Morrow said the city has “seen corruption, backroom dealings, and a lack of accountability” and called for accountability from both the mayor’s office and council.

Other public commenters complained about eminent‑domain takings tied to the city solar project, citing difficult compensation and use restrictions, and asked the council to review land‑use approvals and community outreach conducted by developers.

Why it matters: Public comment is a major channel for grievances about appointments, land takings and surveillance policy. Several speakers requested the council not reappoint the corporation counsel and asked for deeper probes into contracts and settlements.

Next steps: Council members noted several petitions and public concerns and said petitions would be taken up or referred for analysis; the council signaled it would take the concerns about appointments and contracts under further review and that petitions would be docketed.