Nov 13 Update on Actions

Several immediate events this week were listed in a post Monday morning. We would like to thank everyone that came out in support, even as temperatures have dropped and rain fallen. Dedication can be infectious when the team is pulling together. We cover new ground quicker and learn more through interaction.

Activists attending Detroit City Council sessions

Selected items from Wednesday's standing committee meetings of Detroit City Council are pulled from the agendas provided Tuesday by the close of business. Please review and you'll find a number of these are related to topics Free Detroit No Consent has raised.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2012 

10:00 am Elected School Board lawsuit in 36th District Court before Judge Ronald Giles, 421 Madison, Detroit - the creation of EAA was a move to destroy the school board.

10:00 am City Council Internal Operations Standing Committee held at Coleman A Young Municipal Building, 2 Woodward Ave, Room 1340, Detroit --- notable items from the agenda listed below (link to full copy download)

• Status of Mayor’s Office and Workforce Development Department submitting resolution and report relative to Amendment of the Executive Organization Plan to eliminate the Detroit Workforce Development Department by ceasing all functions of the department.
• Call for The Mayor to authorize the Corporation Counsel to file a Writ of Mandamus to compel the Treasurer of the State of Michigan to release Michigan Finance Authority Board Bond funds to the City of Detroit. 
• Status of report relative to 36th District Court Traffic Violations Revenue involving an alleged intentional act by Detroit Police Officers to significantly reduce the amount of revenue generated by the 36th District Court from traffic violations.
• Status of Finance Department/Purchasing Division Contract No. 2841704 - 100% Federal Funding – CHANGE ORDER NO. #1 - To Provide the Funding Agreement between the Economic Development Corporation and the General Services Department – Economic Development Corporation, 500 Griswold, Suite 2200, Detroit, MI 48226 – Contract Period: March 31, 2011 through March 1, 2013 – Contract Increase: $106,200.00 - Contract Amount Not to Exceed: $606,200.00.
• Status of Mayor’s Office submitting report relative to Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone memorandum from Council Member Brenda Jones.
• Submitting resolution authorizing Contract No. 2870456 – 100% City Funding – The engagement is to provide legal advice and litigation representation pertaining to implementing the City’s ongoing restructuring as contemplated in the Financial Stability Agreement among the City, the Michigan Department of Treasury, and the Review Team for the City of Detroit (“FSA”), including but not limited to the subjects comprising Annex B to the FSA as the same may be amended from time to time – Miller Canfield Paddock & Stone PLC, 150 West Jefferson, Suite 2500, Detroit, MI 48226 – Contract Period: January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2015 – Contract Amount Not To Exceed: $300,000.00.
• Board of Ethics - Submitting resolution to amend the FY 2012-13 Budget for the Board of Ethics. (This summary represent a brief overview of the challenges which have occurred since the approval of the 2012 Charter and the reduction in force which resulted in the elimination of the Administrative Secretary position; Increase Appropriation No. 10397-Board of Ethics-$40,000.00; Decrease Appropriation No. 00852-Non-Departmental (Claims Fund)-$40,000.00.)

1:00 pm City Council Budget Fnance and Audit Standing Committee held at Coleman A Young Municipal Building, 2 Woodward Ave, Room 1340, Detroit --- notable items from the agenda listed below (link to full copy download)

• 1:15 pm Monthly update of the Financial Stability Agreement between the City of Detroit and State of Michigan
• Status of concerns relative to the City of Detroit paying back-pay and benefits to laid-off employees of the Institute of Population Health or the Department of Health & Wellness
• Submitting resolution authorizing Contract No. 2848583 – 100% City Funding – CHANGE ORDER NO. #4 – To Provide Cash Flow Analysis – Ernst & Young, LLP, 777 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226 – Contract Period: January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013 – Contract Increase: $1,980,000.00 – Contract Amount Not to Exceed: $6,630,000.00.
• Submitting resolution authorizing to amend the Budget Department FY 2012-13 Budget. (The Department requests authorization to augment its FY 2012-13 Budget by transferring $150,000 from Claims Fund (Insurance Premium) to Budget Department Operations; and requesting that the remaining surplus ($128,352) be used to cover unallocated rent for the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.)
• Submitting requests authorization Budget Amendment of the Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. (The Budget Department respectfully request authorization for additional funding in the Finance Department, Appropriation No. 00063 Treasury Division, for activities related to enhancing the collection of City of Detroit revenues. These funds are available in the Non-Departmental, Appropriation No. 13224 Restructuring Consolidation.)

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012 

8:45 am Detroit Police, Fire Board with Paramount Homeowners defense in 36th Circuit Court before Judge Ronald Giles

10:00 am Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee held at Coleman A Young Municipal Building, 2 Woodward Ave, Room 1340, Detroit

1:00 pm Neighborhood and Community Services Standing Committee held at Coleman A Young Municipal Building, 2 Woodward Ave, Room 1340, Detroit

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2012

7:00 pm City Council Community Meeting held in Southwest Detroit, location is Mark Twain Elementary, 12800 Visger St, Detroit 48217 [Google link]


There are MANY actions happening this week. We are suggesting the best way to keep abreast of what is happening to join the text messaging cell for Free Detroit.

Join The Text Message Cell

Compose a text message addressed to the number 23559 

The contents of the message is join @honormivote

You can get a list of commands by sending the message CMD or HELP

There is a web interface as well - you need to request a password by sending the command PASSWORD. Then visit the site at http://cel.ly with that password to access your profile and the cells you have joined through your phone. 

Agendas Posted For Reference

When we get agendas from City of Detroit and other events of interest they are posted to our Google Drive area in a publicly accessible area.

• Click here to view agendas received and posted
• Click here for other public access documents stored

City Council TODAY: Belle Isle, Ethics Complaints, and more

Today's City Council sessions will be extremely busy and we would like to make sure you have documentation in advance. A 107 page Supporting Documents package is available through this link. Agendas can be found through these links [Formal Session Agenda | New Business Agenda].

Substantial topics to be addressed included in the Supporting Documents:

• Acquisition and immediate sale of Lafayette Towers
• Zoning ordinance amendments aimed at car sales rooms and surface lots
• DDOT seeks authorization for revised grant funding for the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program (JARC), this will increase funding $1,921,121 ($849,051 from FTA and $1,072,070 from MDOT)
• Cass Apartments to be approved for payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) and increased MSHDA funding.
• RAD presentation of Proposed City Council Rules nad Procedures for Forfeiture of Elective City Office -- please note this clarifies the Board of Ethics and Ethics Complaint process and brings to light the rules do not address a circumstance in which multiple Council Members might be subject to forfeiture proceedings. (see note below)

Note regarding the RAD presentation last mentioned above: Free Detroit No Consent has been instrumental in the filing of over 500 Ethics Complaints which cite multiple city council members need to be investigated for forfeiture of office. A current copy of the Ethics Complaint form which has been used citing violations can be found through this link and by clicking on the graphic box on this post and in the sidebar for the website. 

Belle Isle Lease Session at 1:00 pm

Included in the Supporting Documents package are details for the 1:00pm meeting of City Council with attendance by Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Governor's Office of Urban & Metropolitan Initiatives, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Transportation, Mayor's Office, Recreation, Budget, Finance and Law Departments. The most recent documents for the lease arrangement are in the supporting documents package. The Belle Isle Lease Proposal as offered last week can be accessed through this link.

Free Detroit No Consent would like to thank the hundreds of citizens that came for the Hands Off Our Island rally on Saturday held at Shed 2 on Belle Isle. Some of the photos from the day can be found in the slideshow below. Live streamed video can be found through this link (note this is not edited footage).

Board of Ethics Meeting rescheduled

The meeting scheduled for 3pm August 21 is postponed to September 18, 2012 at 3pm in Committee of the Whole, room 1340, Coleman A Young Municipal Building.

About the Board of Ethics:
MISSION STATEMENT

The Board of Ethics role is to investigate and resolve complaints regarding alleged violationsof the Ethics Ordinance by public servants,and to issue advisory opinions regarding the meaning and application of provisions of the Charter, City Ordinances, other laws, or regulations establishing standards of conduct for public servants.

Advisory opinions are rendered upon written request by a public servant. Advisory opinions are published by the Board annually in a report to the Mayor and City Council. The Board is charged with monitoring and recommending improvements in the disclosure requirements, and in the standards of conduct under the Ethics Ordinance, in order "to promote an ethical environment within City government, and to ensure the ethical behavior of public servants."

All meetings of the Board are open to the public unless an individual involved in the matter to be addressed requests in writing that the meeting be closed or unless otherwise provided by Ordinance or by statue.

Board Members
Deborah J. Gaskin, Executive Director James W. Heath, Esq., Chairperson Hon. Harold Hood, Vice Chairperson Dr. Marsha Foster Boyd, Member Beth Greenberg Morrow, Esq., Member AliciaJ. Skillman, Esq.,Member

STATE of EMERGENCY

Photo: Stephen Boyle

Solidarity across the state is being requested - MICHIGAN IS IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY. Protest state-wide on 7-11 at 3pm. 

• Protest at the Michigan Court of Appeals, Cadillac Building, 3020 W Grand Blvd, Detroit - room 14-300. Pickets outside the building, sit down in the halls, use the elevators and stairs to 14th floor.
• Protest at Secretary of State offices ACROSS MICHIGAN at 3pm. Bring pickets.

JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED

LET THE PEOPLE VOTE NOW

Updates on the Repeal of Public Act 4 

Cadillac Building
Photo: Stephen Boyle

June 14 the justices of the Court of Appeals denied convening a special panel to resolve conflict on the case that became known as "fontgate". Stand Up For Democracy had filed a writ of mandamus on May 3 to place the Repeal of PA4 on the ballot to be voted on by the people.

A motion was filed by Stand Up For Democracy on June 20 for the court order made by the Court of Appeals to be made with IMMEDIACY. This will suspend Emergency Managers across the state. The "scheduled" timeline for a court order is 42 days, however most court orders state they take place immediately. If we continue to wait for July 20 we remain in tyranny and perhaps worse. Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility and specifically the Chairperson of the Michigan Board of Ethics is working to escalate the case to the Michigan Supreme Court.

June 29 John Pirich on behalf of Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility filed with the State Supreme Court for immediate proceeding, seeking to be completed by September 7. July 5 a brief was filed by John Bursch for the Attorney General and Governor. July 6 a brief in opposition to the filing was made by Herb Sanders of Stand Up For Democracy.

War On The Poor

There is a state-wide land-grab underway lead predominantly by Republican interests as a WAR ON THE POOR with a racist agenda as those communities targeted have a majority population of African Americans. Without immediacy the clock is ticking, and the games being played by the current administration could make the the victory of the order to place the referendum on the ballot a shallow victory that could dry up. The referendum could sit in the court system so long that it fails to meet the August 27 deadline with the Secretary of State. Please note the requested completion date offered by John Pirich in the filing is September 7. This requested delay of justice is a clear statement of intent, such that taking this case to the federal courts is required.

How Deep is the Dirt in Michigan?

State of Michigan Seal
Photo: Stephen Boyle

April 12 Governor Rick Snyder appointed Judge Lawrence Glazer, of Okemos, Albert Nelson Jr., of Troy, and Joseph Walker, of Bingham Farms, to the State Board of Ethics. John Pirich, already serving on the board, will serve as chair for a term ending at the pleasure of the governor.

John D. Pirich, ESQ. is chairman of the State of Michigan Board of Ethics, and is one of the lawyers representing Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility and opposed to the Repeal of PA4 going onto the ballot (as noted above). An ethics complaint against John D Pirich, esq was filed with the state board on May 5, 2012. This complaint was dismissed by the secretary and not taken in by the board. Read more on the Democracy Tree blog [May 6] [June 21]

“Complaint:  John D. Pirich, Michigan State Board of Ethics Chair, knowingly and willfully violated Section 2, Subsection 4 of Act 196 of 1973, commonly the “State Ethics Act”.

Pirich accepted compensation for services that benefited Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, a political action committee, which upon Pirich’s counsel provided flawed evidence of dubious origins (see attachments) that was used to unduly and unethically create bias among members of the Michigan Board of State Canvassers in their April 26, 2012 decision as to the certification of the petition signatures gathered by the ballot question committee Stand Up for Democracy.”

The people have to rise up and SPEAK. Without speaking, without reaching out, and without marching you are allowing your rights to be taken away.