License transfer: Gordon pulled the item by mistake. Stackpoole asked if the city needs another bar. Gordon said that bars pay a lot of taxes, bring a lot of revenue to the city, and employ a lot of people. Jankowski also questioned the wisdom of bringing in a license. He said that the DDA came to him and offered him a facade improvement grant, and he questions whether the city is working for or against him when new licenses are brought in from Detroit. The police department only decides if a bar owner is qualified to hold the license.

Stackpoole said that she was initially excited because she thought it would be a Pizza Hut, and wasn’t of the mind to approve it because she thinks we have enough bars in town. She said the existing bars don’t need competition, though she did hate to vote against a new business in town. Gordon said she had the same opinion about dollar stores, and just voting against one transfer doesn’t solve “the problem”.
Jankowski said that they can’t regulate dollar stores because it is retail. Licenses being issued are different. Jankowski was leaning against approving it because he is in the same business, and asked if he should abstain. Allen said Jankowski should abstain if there is a confilict, and suggested amending the zoning ordinance. In Royal Oak, a referendum passed that overturned a moritorium against transfers, but the commission has decided to be more strict. One of two requests has been granted since.
Hassan said that a co-worker in Utica told him that Hamtramck is a city of bars, and he thinks there are enough. Allen said that at one time when he went to bars, we had more bars per capita than any city in the US. Gordon remembered that there were 154 bars when she bought one 25 years ago.
Majewski said she was in favor of the transfer. They just talked about an even that brings thousands of people to the city to patronize other businesses. Being known for our entertainment district is possitive for the city. The applicant may be a restaurant. There were considerably more bars not that long ago. Adding one license back is a good thing. This is appropriate for Joseph Campau. Stackpoole said that Majewski changed her mind. Hassan voted against it, but the resolution passed.
Recycling: Stackpoole nominated Howard before and suggested adding another seat to improve the chances that there will be quorum at the meetings. Ahmed asked if they stopped using the interest forms for commission openings. Majewski said the requirement was not being enforced consistently, but was a good policy to continue. Miah said that he knows other people who are interested in serving on the recycling commission, including some young people. Jankowski suggested tabling all the appointments until the forms are received. Miah asked if they would be considered in the same order. Cooper agreed that he would copy the names in the same order. All voted to postpone the appointments until the next council meeting.
City manager report
Cooper said that the city is to get $13.9 million from the Neighborhood Stabilization II program. The state is distributing the money through MSHDA to 12 cities. Michigan was complimented for having the best application and received the highest award of $230,000,000. The city application was for $20 million, and 70% of the request was funded. They are reviewing the rules, and funds will be used to satisfy the R-31 lawsuit.
The city also received a $93,000 grant for an energy study of City Hall and other facilities. Other government grants for upgrades can be pursued.
Cooper is finishing a plan to address the city financial condition and will be scheduling a work session. He is encouraged about the developments since November.
Earlier in the day, questions were raised about the allocation of CDBG funds. He would be looking to to whether or not rules had been violated in regards to authorization by the city council.
Cooper thanked them for approving the code book. Department heades are already working on updates. June 30 is the target completion date.
Countdown to Paczki Day was set for February 13, and Paczki Day is February 16.
He asked that the council add a closed session to the end of this meeting for a discussion of pending litigation and a report from the city attorney. All voted in favor.
Majewski announced that the DDA was to hold a breakfast for business owners at Maine Street. There would also be a ribbon cutting at the DHS building that would be attended by the governor. They are moving ahead on a historical museum, and the city has signed an option to purchase. A building inspection was to be completed within 60 days.
Public comment
Robert Zwolak said a comment by Johnson of Plante and Moran caught his attention. Johnson said that they only reveiw a sample. When he was working in the clerk’s office, the auditors asked him for all the resolutions and verified the purchases. There is a more serious responsibility of the council to review the purchases in light of what was said about checks being issued. This has happened more than once in the past year.
Michael Kapusniak said that he saw the plows on January 7. He never dropped the blade. He salted Talbot, Carpenter, and Conant in Detroit on top of the snow. The same truck salted Commor from Joseph Campau to Moran, and then didn’t do Commor from Moran to Joseph Campau. The council should have fired the contractor because he had his chance.