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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

The Detroit City Council meeting was adjourned at 1:50pm. For more information, check out detroit.documenters.org.

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detroit.documenters.org

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

…some of the public commenters who today continued to reiterate negative ideas about people without US citizenship and about the broadly about the Latino community in Detroit.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Benson uses his member report to remind the auditorium and city residents that Detroit elected to be a welcoming city for all residents to share in economic, civic, and social life. He repeats this, seeming to address …

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Additionally, apropos to a public comment earlier in the morning, here is another MetroTimes article (from 2021) about Recovery Park farms, which touches more deeply on how philanthropy and cultural capitol of urban farming might advantage developers:
www.metrotimes.com/food-drink/f...

Former RecoveryPark farm associate accuses owner of intending to 'flip' properties given by City of Detroit for profit

The leader of Detroit's RecoveryPark — a multimillion-dollar urban farm and media darling that was supposed to provide jobs for formerly incarcerated people and has...

www.metrotimes.com

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

…and some of the tension/intersection of urban farms and development (and the LandBank) in Detroit:
www.metrotimes.com/food-drink/o...

On urban farming and 'colonialism' in Detroit's North End neighborhood

The Oakland Avenue Farmers' Market in Detroit's North End is one of those small-but-mighty neighborhood markets that accomplishes a lot with a little. Each Saturday,...

www.metrotimes.com

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Tyson Gersh is the founder/president of Michigan Urban Farming Initiative (MUFI). I'm not sure what the exact nature of this line item is, however here is an interesting article (from 2017) about the work of MUFI …

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Line item 19.1 saw enough objections to fail – that item being a request by Tyson Gersh to speak before the Detroit City Council regarding the Board of Zoning Appeals proceedings. I'm not sure why this failed, but it seemed informed by a recommendation by the law office.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Line item 10.5, the resolution urging the Michigan Legislature to repeal Public Act 389 – a repeal of which would allow Detroit to address single-use plastics with say, a ban – was passed by the council.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

A number of people voiced frustration regarding the 1.5 minutes for public comments, asking why it was reduced from 2 minutes – no answer was provided to those commenters today for this question.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Public comments have concluded.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

There are a lot of public commenters today expressing frustration, and expressing frustration beyond the 1.5 minutes, causing the meeting to slow and for a brief recess to be called. Some people have expressed frustration ABOUT how little time there is to speak.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

… Public Act 389 is described as "a ban of a ban", limiting local governments from addressing plastic pollution in their cities through such measures as banning certain kinds of plastic.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Immediately 2 speakers have spoken a behalf of the city's Green Task Force and in support of line item 10.5 in the agenda: a Resolution Urging The Michigan Legislature To Repeal Public Act 389. …

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Public comments have now begun.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

A number of individuals are being honored in the first part of today's meeting, including Tyra Moore, founder of A Girl Like Me, an organization that provides support for teenage girls and young mothers in Detroit.
www.agirllikemeinc.org/about.html

About

A Girl Like Me Inc is a (501(c)3) located in Detroit, MI. Our mission is to educate and encourage Girls, Teens, Teen Moms, and Young Moms between the ages of 11 to 25 to make healthy life...

www.agirllikemeinc.org

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Bruce Simpson is being honored because he is leaving the role of ombudsman, to be clear.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

He suggests his greatest pride in the role is supporting the discontinuation of certain demolition contracts, saying that (paraphrasing) demolition is a business like no other, if mistakes are made, the citizens literally have to live with those mistakes.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

As someone who did not know exactly what an ombudsman is, here's a definition from the city: "The City of Detroit Ombudsman, Bruce Simpson, is a liaison between the City of Detroit and all persons who have a complaint or inquiry into the operation of a city department or conduct of a city employee".

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

The council is honoring an ombudsman Bruce Simpson for his 10 years in the role.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Meeting has been called to order at 10:09.

benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Here is a link to today's agenda:
pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

City Council Formal Session - October 07, 2025

pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 1d

Hello Detroit! I will be live reporting the Detroit City Council meeting for @DetDocumenters.bsky.social at 10:00am. #DetDocumenters.

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benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 15d

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at [email protected] with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

benhdx.bsky.social @benhdx.bsky.social · 15d

This concludes my coverage of the [meeting title]. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings here: Documenters.org

Documenters.org: Making Local Government More Accountable

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Documenters.org

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