Just hanging out waiting for the Zoom to kick in

The agenda can be found at this link: dhcmi.org/sites/default/…

We have picture but no sound. I'll let you know when something happens

In these moments I always end up wondering if it's me somehow, that I've messed up and everyone is hearing the meeting but me. But no, I see the little muted sign to reassure me.

Well we had a second of Arthur Jemison, the new Commissioner, saying he was going to hand the meeting off to begin, and then muted himself and disappeared. Silence once more. I have only the little muted mic to reassure me it's them, not me.

Just sittin' here, watching. Waiting.

Gracious. Hard to believe but it's true

Came right back, heard, "is that a hot mic?" Then gone again. I say to myself "surely it hasn't been 20 minutes of this". But it has.

A voice just informed us all that they are having "technical difficulties". They figured out the audio, but the picture is still just the DHC logo.

25 minutes in and no change. We ARE getting thanked for our patience, so that's nice

Hey there's video! We're getting there! 🤞

Ok now Jemison can hear the board but the board can't hear Jemison

Anyone hear any good jokes lately?

I thought I saw Christopher Lloyd at my local florist. I'm not sure if it was him, though, as he had his back to the fuchsias.

Had to go to the doctor the other day. I told the Doctor, "I've been bitten by a wolf." The Doctor asked me: "Where?" I said: “No just an ordinary one".

Once dated someone who borrowed $100 from me. After 3 years, when we separated, they returned exactly $100. I lost interest in the relationship.

Guys this is still happening. If you're actually sitting through this with me, you're American Heroes. You should get some commendation. Good Citizenship Awards for you all

The meeting was called to order at 10:41 am!

They removed Resolution 3255 from the agenda and added a walk on resolution. Then they approved the minutes from last meeting. Both unanimously.

Crazy echo on the call, by the way. Like it's being conducted in the Batcave

They voted unanimously to go into closed session, as planned. I'll let you know when they're back!

It seems like they are attempting to come back. No luck yet but a lot of "mic check? Mic check?" I'll let you know when they manage it.

They're back! They're going on to public comment

The first commenter is really hard to make out.

They're moving on to resolution 3253, but I couldn't hear it read because they didn't mix the presenter. Very frustrating

Board member is asking staff questions, but it's basically impossible to suss out any significant details. Sorry about this, folks.

Well the motion passed, so there's that

Ok now they're considering resolution 3254. Ms. Little (the staff reading the resolutions) sounds like she's speaking into a pillow

I would call this unacceptable but here we all are, accepting it.

That motion passed as well, moving on to resolution 3256

Listen, @SFtotheD is the sound engineer, and I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong, but it's my impression that it's a pretty mature art. Like I'm saying it's possible in 2024 to wire a room for sound. Like we know how to do it.

@SFtotheD For that matter, we've all been Zooming for 4 years now, there really isn't an excuse to be this confused by computers this far down the line

@SFtotheD You can hire someone to set up rooms for sound! I think people have a lot of experience with board rooms. In fact I bet it'd be pretty easy to find someone who can properly record a board meeting. Board meetings get recorded all the time.

@SFtotheD They've been doing it for almost 70 years. First televised presidential press conference was in January of 1955. You could hear all the questions, and they had cameras like Volkswagens and microphones like coconuts on sticks back then.

@SFtotheD They passed resolutions 3257 and 3258. The agenda descriptions are about the best I can do for you:

@SFtotheD The board is getting an update from accounts receivable. Unfortunately we're running into a "we don't have the papers they have" issue.

@SFtotheD Public meeting, private contents. So I guess if we could all just refer to page 54 of the packet with the board, we would be able to know what they're talking about. But we cannot.

@SFtotheD I think they're talking about evictions and abandoned units. Mention of writing off millions of dollars

@SFtotheD Inaudible. I really wish I could give you more. It goes like this: Staff: (inaudible) Comm'r: I see. I, too am concerned. It is a huge sum of money involved. I'll have a meeting about it soon. Huge deal, this. Staff: Yes.... Process... HUD... million dollars... In future..

@SFtotheD They're trying to increase resident engagement. Talking about resident councils. It seems they presented the idea to residents and it was rejected due to concerns over hierarchy. They are trying a new concept; a "community coaches" to liaise with residents and help them.

@SFtotheD These community advocates, being peers of the residents they are serving, were accepted much more readily than more aloof-seeming resident councils

@SFtotheD The mics are more apt to pick up shuffling papers and phones vibrating than the actual human voices of the staff.

@SFtotheD They presented some job openings, and directed people to go to the DHC website

@SFtotheD Ok now going on to public comment again.

@SFtotheD First public commenter is, again, inaudible. But Jemison said he would be willing to meet with the commenter and hashing out the details!

@SFtotheD The next commenter is from the organization Friends of Parkside. They have weekly Bingo, just finished a summer youth program, publish a newsletter, and have twice weekly computer classes for residents and the public. Truly remarkable. They praised the DHC and staff for helping.

@SFtotheD The next commenter called in, a resident from the Villages at Parkside. They say they have always had a resident council, but due to COVID it became nascent, but they say they are going to hold new elections soon.

@SFtotheD Next commenter is advocating for reactivating the resident council at Parkside. They say they are holding meetings, and the Commission should be aware of that. They report that the council can't get a hold of anyone to even get the keys to their own office.

@SFtotheD I would not call this setup "smooth" closed session screen is still up AND the logo screen. All different accounts.

@SFtotheD Commissioner: there are rules and we have to follow HUD rules in interacting with citizen organizations.

@SFtotheD The meeting was adjourned at 12:28pm

@SFtotheD Well folks, this closes my coverage of the Detroit Housing Commission meeting for August 22. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at documenters.org

@SFtotheD If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line