DETROIT — At its City Council meeting Tuesday night, Detroit City Council members approved bill items and continued to discuss moving the city hall to the library.
Michael and Miles Davis spoke to the council with the intent of building two sets of duplexes on a property near N. Main and 410 North in Detroit. In order to operate on the property, Davis needed permission from the council to re-open Union Street leading to the site. After discussion about building intent, the council voted to install water taps at the area and open the street for the new construction.
Though the council had initially intended to discuss water sewer and general fund budgets at the July meeting, City Secretary Tami Nix had not received the requisite information with enough lead time to the meeting. The agenda item was tabled until the next month’s meeting.
In addition to approving electric and sewer bills, council members discussed the possibility of paying more than the required $8,522.95 payment to its USDA debt bill. Paying the minimum payment would result in at least 17 more months of debt for the city, which the council seemed eager to avoid. Following discussion of the city budget at its next meeting, the council may vote to pay a larger payment than standard on the debt.
Finally, the council also discussed obstacles preventing the move from the City Hall building at 190 E. Garner St. to the city library. In order to have the building function as a city hall, a drop slot will need to be added to the door for payments, desks and chairs will need to be ordered and excess books will need to be condensed upon the move. One council member suggested partnering with the Paris Public Library to dispose of extra books for adults. Though members were concerned about additional burdens on Nix, she negated their fears.
“If moving books means we don’t have to worry about dealing with ants and critters and bleeding sheetrock, we’ll gladly move books,” Nix said.
The move was necessitated by the aging building the city hall is currently located in, which has limited access to reliable power and building stability.
