2024 Tow Rate Commission — IN-PERSON ONLY
Detroit Office of the Auditor General
Criminal Justice
Politics
2 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48226 (Directions)
Suite 216
See source website below for flyer with a description of this commission.
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Betsy Spratt
After an hour of what was billed as a public meeting, the chair — Detroit Auditor General Laura Goodspeed — asked Documenters to leave the room and delete their recordings and tweets. The TRC then continued behind closed doors without adjourning or entering a closed session.
Live reporting by
Perry Sylvester
After an hour of what was billed as a public meeting, the chair — Detroit Auditor General Laura Goodspeed — asked Documenters to leave the room and delete their recordings and tweets. The TRC then continued behind closed doors without adjourning or entering a closed session.
Hey, Detroit! I live tweet Tow Rate Commission Meeting Thursday, 9/12 at 1 PM for #DETdocumenters @DetDocumenters & media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @Michigan_public @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
03:21 PM Sep 11, 2024 CDT
This is one of those boards/commissions that sounds dull as a butter knife yet impacts people directly (fees related to police towing) & has a backstory filled with corruption, bribes, & the FBI--what's not to like?
On my way to a social event but will post links & comments for background this evening...but as always, start with @DetDocumenters previous coverage! Detailed Notes from AJ Johnson @DetroitJCS here docs.google.com/document/d/1y9…
docs.google.com/document/d/1y9…
@DetDocumenters @DetroitJCS And the live coverage thread from @DetDocumenters own @SherrieSoUltra here ⬇️ detroit.documenters.org/assignments/20…
detroit.documenters.org/assignments/20…
Now, we do not have an agenda for this meeting (and don't get me started on the Magic Packet™️ 🧙♂️🎩🐰)...in fact, all we got is this crappy meeting announcement ⬇️ outliermedia.org/wp-content/upl…
outliermedia.org/wp-content/upl…
And sightings of binders 🙄🤷♂️ (Image via @SherrieSoUltra) Look close and quick--it's apparently not for public distribution pbs.twimg.com/media/GVmi4J-X…
pbs.twimg.com/media/GVmi4J-X…
@SherrieSoUltra Without going too deep into the weeds, there is a struggle going on to root out predatory towing practices in Detroit. Media partner @wdet has a great background piece ⬇️ wdet.org/2023/12/25/tow…
wdet.org/2023/12/25/tow…
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet While there have been various efforts at reform, these appear more like empty gestures than actions. An example can be seen in the following story by @kayleighrenel for Media Partner @BridgeDet313 here ⬇️ bridgedetroit.com/detroit-said-a…
bridgedetroit.com/detroit-said-a…
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 So, at the Coleman Young Municipal Building, waiting for the meeting to start…20 minutes prior to start, but no one is home 🤨
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Now, this should not worry me…after all, I checked with the person in the ‘Administration Employee Services’ office & asked…she went to the back room and came back saying “It should be in 310”…but ‘should be’ a lot weaker than ‘will be’
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Also checked the posted meetings on the bulletin board in the lobby…all things pointed to our being on ⬇️
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 People just started filling in…I’m told that the agenda will be posted on the screen AND…wait for it…available in ‘the public binder’. So I stand corrected—we DO get to see it!
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 1:05 PM and they are starting…6 people present, they have a quorum
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Opening meeting to public comments after having approved last meeting minutes
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Now moving to PPT presentation to be delivered to City Counsel on September 16
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Invited to follow along in binder…she is also stating how she will present & wants all commission members to be present…will change‘rates’ to ‘fees’
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 They are critiquing the first slide…focus on types of tows…need more clarity on 3 types of tows & when private, when police authorized
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Slide 2…friendly talk about formatting while noting they have to get this out tomorrow
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Next slide…a member discussing bullet point addressing fuel costs, feels it implies a steady decrease in cost when time frame of 2011-2021 included serious spike(s)
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Reviewing next side, more discussion about how they will handle City Council questions…be responsive but don’t provide more than they ask for
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Talk about what other municipalities were reviewed for comparison/context in rates/fees
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Lots of talk about need for educating Council about different types of tows…consensual towing outside of this commission’s purview, police would only be involved in crime involved
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Discussion about what unit would be involved when events in a consensual tow are grounds for police investigation
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 In this slide, discussion about how prior to DPD Towing Unit, there were 2 related units for towing & impounding…not sure why they are going on about this
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Talking about previous discussions with BOPC about Charter-driven requirements for setting standard for insurance/bonding…BOPC has this responsibility. Apparently BOPC not happy about this & stating they have NO responsibility in this 🤔🫨
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Discussion about whether this matter will have to be sent to legal department for review/decision
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Along with 3 Documenters, one person from Troy Towing is only member of public here
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Talk about rate/fee structure…’put of town’ occurs during evidence retrieval, police use their own vehicles for this
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Well, this has been interesting…even though it was posted as a public meeting, they had had public comment, didn’t go to closed session and should have been clear I’m press—I have been asked to leave
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 And not just due to my charming personality…they do not want info on rates made public prior to presentation at City Council
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Asked to delete tweets with new, proposed rates/fees as early release would be ‘devastating’
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 When asked if I could stay after rate discussion it is explained to me that this meeting is not subject to Open Meetings Act but public was invited by recommendation of director…but with guidelines (apparently about publishing information on rates/fees)
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Sooo…my request was denied…they went to close session, declaring the public meeting adjourned…to oblivion and beyond 🤷🏼♂️
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Still wondering why they didn’t cover rate/fee info in a closed session when members of public were invited…even if they somehow didn’t get I was media/press, what do they think I was doing taking pictures of slides in the binder?
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Asked if I’m covering live/real time, I’m left wondering what other form is there with phone in hand?
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Now what to make of all this? On one level, it is hard to tell. I mean, we only it made it like a third of the way through the binder. If you want to see the presentation, then set aside Monday, 9/16 at 10 AM & hit the link in calendar ⬇️ detroitmi.gov/government/cit…
detroitmi.gov/government/cit…
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 Detroit is trying to control its towing operations. Yet still manages to look shady. As Malachi Barrett @PolarBarrett reported for @BridgeDet313 the 'process' by which 7 tow companies were hastily awarded contracts doesn't inspire confidence ⬇️ bridgedetroit.com/council-approv…
bridgedetroit.com/council-approv…
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett And the City has been been moving aggressively in its towing operations. As reported in Fox 2 Detroit: "Last year, Detroit police towed more than 14,000 abandoned vehicles. Four months into 2024, DPD has hauled in over 4,500 vehicles." fox2detroit.com/news/abandoned…
fox2detroit.com/news/abandoned…
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett And the City of Detroit's Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget shows a doubling of the towing unit's expenditures/revenues ⬇️
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett Now, to be sure, police towing & impounding are necessary aspects of governing a modern municipality; abandoned vehicles are an issue, ability to control evidence & enforce property rights a necessity.
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett But this is a public service, paid for by the public. The public, the local 'we the people' have the right to know the 'who, what, when, where, why & how' of this service. Who is being paid? What are the incentive structures? Who is enforcing the rules?
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett The Open Meetings Act is a part of how those questions get answered and ‘we the people’ access the info we need to engage & enforce our rights
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett As advisory commissions created by the Mayor under Section 7-103 of the City's Charter must comply with the OMA according to Section 2-110 it would seem Thursday's Tow Rate Commission fit the bill.
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett That's the coverage, such as it is. If anything is incorrect, email documenters@outlier_media.org with 'Corrections Request' in the subject line.
@SherrieSoUltra @wdet @kayleighrenel @BridgeDet313 @PolarBarrett As always, check out for more news and coverage documenters.org
documenters.org
Agency Information
Detroit Office of the Auditor General
The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) promotes the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of City government and protects against fraud, waste and abuse by conducting independent audits, investigations and evaluations. The OAG adheres to governmental standards of the auditing profession; and promotes an atmosphere of mutual trust, honesty and integrity among OAG staff and the clientele. The OAG performs audits of each City agency and prepares written reports which convey the resultant audit findings and recommendations to the City Council, the Mayor and the management of each agency.