Department head contracts: Contract preparation was requested by council previously. Allen has drafted them. Klein said they should follow a standard template. Allen said he prepared contracts for department heads 6 to 8 months ago based on people employed at the time. He strongly recommended against a standard template. Certain key components, like at-will language, should be included in every contract.
Zwolak said contracts give dismissed employees recourse with the council. Allen said the purpose of at-will language is to give recourse. Employment law is ever changing, and a template could be irrelevant or illegal in a few months. Zwolak said half of the department heads have contracts and half don’t. Allen said that was a different issue.

Klein said there is an outstanding resolution from months ago to have contracts with Ladd and others, and it hasn’t worked. Allen said the contracts were prepared. Klein said they were not signed.
Klein proposed a resolution setting a policy for the city that all department heads are to have contracts, effective immediately. Zwolak suggested December 11th.
Algazali said that department heads have been hired without knowledge of the council, and the city is paying too much. All voted in favor of the resolution.
City manager report
Crawford distributed a report on street cameras. He looked at what the city has already. The system at City Hall can be expanded to other areas. Phone, cable, or radio could transmit the data. They would have to purchase equipment. He looked at what other cities are spending, and thinks they could install a “total system” for $40,000 to $50,000. The cameras would not be monitored. The data would be stored on tapes or discs for a few days. Saving data forever is possible, but would take too many discs.
Klein asked where they would place cameras. Crawford said they might put them in the park, or in city parking lots, and on city facilities. Klein asked if they would be asking for bids. Crawford said they might want to try a couple of them and see what results they get. Klein said they come in handy sometimes, and clips are played on TV. Crawford said cameras can get general descriptions. Cheap cameras are too blurry.
Majewski has read conflicting reports and cited the example of the woman mugged in the Klinger alley. Crawford said that cameras operated by local businesses are used by the police about once per month.
Algazali asked about locations. Crawford said they might want to try them in the paring lot at Shopper’s World, in the park, or on an intersection of Joseph Campau or Conant to see what kind of results they get.
There was no police department report because it didn’t work. A mailing list of crime maps has been established by the Police Department and the Weed&Seed group, and anyone can look at the data on a web page. There is a problem with the auto theft data currently.
The monthly report from the fire department and report from the election clerk was distributed.
Leaves will be collected this week and next week. There used to be a state law which said leaves could not be picked up after a certain date. After that, just put the leaves in your trash.
A picture of the 6″ water line in front of City Hall prior to repair was distributed. It was worse than most because it was a large line coming in to a building with low use.
Non-agenda items
Zwolak asked to suspend the rules to appoint Algazali as acting mayor pro tem to replace Ahmed when he is absent. Hood seconded. Algazali, Hood, and Zwolak voted to suspend the rules.
Zwolak moved to appoint Algazali as mayor pro tem in Ahmed’s absence. Shulgon asked if Ahmed was out of town. Majewski said he is out of the country. Zwolak, Algazali, and Hood voted for it, and the resolution passed.
Hood said that the week after the council signed a deal with the school for police, the police took riot gear to the school. Parents who spank their children are charged with abuse. The reaction of the police was overkill, and he has a serious problem with it. The police should have to report to the council when they go to the school.
Hood said an advertisement for Grand Haven Dyar rentals is a fraud. People he referred were told there are no homes available. They had to pay $25 to apply. It is not fair to the plaintiffs.
Public comment
Richard Hyska of Poland Street asked if the mayor pro tem resolution designated Algazali as pro tem when Ahmed is absent. Majewski agreed.
Hyska said that this is the first time the city has had a city manager, and he is in favor of a meeting before any decisions are made. There is no president, and council should look at the way other cities do it. He congratulated Tungate and said he was sharp, got the ball rolling, and will remember Hamtramck in the future. Hyska noted that the cedar tree in Zussman park has been removed. Crawford said a new tree has been picked from the nursery to be planted in the spring. Hyska said it was sad and ironic that the tree wasn’t maintained.
A resident complained about Zita’s bar on Botsford. She said her kids are terrified, and she has called an attorney because she can no longer sleep.
Majewski asked if she had talked to the city attorney or manager. Allen had not talked to her, but the bar was convicted of noise ordinance violations in district court.
The resident said the owner came to her house and said they would help her, but it isn’t better.
Klein said that after the shooting, the owner said he wouldn’t renew his lease. The owner agrees that “the neighborhood is not the place to locate that type of business”.
Cathie Gordon of Norwalk Street said that Klein’s comments about Crawford’s contract are irrelevant because he changed his mind from 3 years ago. Jerome Balcerzak was removed from the Housing Commission for telling Cedar not to forget his cane. People called her on Wednesday to tell her that Richard Hyska said in a bar that a housing commission employee who had a stroke “got what is coming to her”. Gordon questioned Hyska’s appointment to the housing commission when he would say something like that about one of his own employees. She heard it from several people, so it must be true. It isn’t fair that Shulgon is still signing the checks for the housing commission when his term has expired. Either reappoint him, or appoint someone else.
Algazali asked for the opinion of the city attorney. Allen said he contacted Bert Johnson and Martha Scott requesting an opinion of the attorney general. The opinion Shulgon is relying on is an exemption for cities with populations of less than 25,000. He asked for clarification as to which numbers to use because SEMCOG shows our population is more than 25,000 as of last May. The attorney general receives 1200 such requests every year and only has one assistant.
Algazali said he had to resign from the planning commission, so there is a double standard. He asked how long it would go on. Allen agreed, but said the planning commission is not the same. Algazali said Shulgon should refrain from attending meetings until it is decided. Allen said that was between Shulgon and the Housing Commission. No one directed him to litigate the issue.
Shulgon said he is tired of being badgered. The commission is successful, and he won’t resign. There were deficits and vacancies before, and he is going by the US census. He doesn’t believe that 25,000 people live here. The schools are only full because of schools of choice. Cathie Gordon talked to him about empty houses, and there are 600 homes for sale according to John Ulaj. Allen said it is not his call. He asked for an opinion of the attorney general as he was asked to.
Majewski said the appointment is hers to make, and the housing commission is doing an incredible job. They can take pride in the direction and progress made. She won’t remove someone she doesn’t have to when the commission is doing well. Shulgon is doing a great job leading the entire commission, and she is pleased with the job he is doing.
Majewski would not let Algazali make further comments.