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Residents urge fixes to DDOT, give tips to access 2-1-1 and call for higher turnout during public comment
Summary
Speakers at the committee’s public comment period criticized Detroit Department of Transportation service, provided alternate contact options for United Way 2-1-1, urged outreach to recruit transit riders, and called for greater voter turnout and reduced city indemnity payments.
Public comment at the Internal Operations Standing Committee focused on transit service, access to United Way 2-1-1 and civic participation before the committee resumed formal business.
“DDOT services…the bus system is still lackluster,” a caller the chair identified as Cunningham told the committee, then urged outreach events offering pizza and raffles for 31-day regional passes to attract new riders. Cunningham also described helping a young father who could not reach 2-1-1 from a TextNow app and encouraged residents to keep advocating for services: “Keep fighting and keep working.”
Betty A. Barner, introduced by the clerk as a virtual caller and identifying herself as president of the (transcribed) 'soda Ellsworth Black Association,' provided practical alternatives for Detroiters who cannot reach 2-1-1 by phone: “If they having a problem with 2-1-1, you can call +1 (844) 875-9211,” and added that residents can text their ZIP code to 898211 to receive local resource information. Barner also announced a free health fair on April 18 at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church offering vision screenings and other health services for Metro Detroit residents.
Other callers pressed broader civic concerns. A caller who identified himself as Ruben Bridal Jr. alleged electoral improprieties dating to 2020 and urged federal involvement, while William M. Davis, who said he is a retired city attorney, urged the city to be “a little bit more aggressive about making sure we’re not paying out so much money” in indemnities and settlements and urged efforts to increase voter turnout in Detroit.
The chair closed public comment at the announced 9:05 cutoff and returned the meeting to the committee’s agenda. There were no formal committee responses during the comment period because the body did not have a quorum until after callers had begun.
Next steps: the committee proceeded to agenda business, including contract and appointment items.
Ending: Public comment consumed a short but varied docket of resident concerns, from transit rides and direct service access to legal payouts and election integrity, with no committee action taken during the comment period.
