  Realitycheck Member Username: Realitycheck Post Number: 336 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 68.41.173.240 |
This just in . . . from Toronto, of all places. Our all-snooze, no-news dailies characteristically missed a strongly worded rebuke of the mayor's office last week, so a council staffer, intermediary or observer passed it to a trucking trade mag that covers border transportation:  Deputy Mayor warned over Bridge Co.-friendly contracts 7/31/2006 DETROIT -- Detroit City Council has reined in Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams for allegedly signing "very serious contractual documents" with the Ambassador Bridge Company without City Council's advance knowledge or approval. Today's Trucking has learned that Detroit City Council has issued an adopted resolution, under the 1997 Detroit City Charter, that warns Adams he will be terminated as deputy mayor if contracts that "bind (the city) to long term contractual obligations" continue to be signed without council's consent. In the document, obtained by Today's Trucking, Adams is accused to have approved, "without legal authority," two deals with the company that owns and operates the Ambassador Bridge. The dockland deal, signed last year, transfers ownership of the existing port property from Detroit Marine Terminals to the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, which in turn, entered into an operating agreement with the Ambassador Port Corp. The agreement reopens a 34-acre dock for ocean vessels and allows the company to operate the dock for as long as 90 years. The company would also collect all revenue from the dock and pay 2.5 percent of that amount to the authority. The dock deal, which gives the Ambassador Bridge control of Detroit's port, is one city agreement to come under scrutiny. The contract also reportedly allows the bridge company "to run other transportation projects that the port authority may build." Possibly, that could include exclusive operating rights for a new bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ont. if it's built at the dock site. . . . One source described the City's move to put Adams on notice as "bold" -- adding that it shows that there are those on Council not willing to let pass what are arguably "one-sided" concessions to private interests. Full article: http://www.todaystrucking.com/ news.cfm?intDocID=16520 | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 628 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 69.246.10.173 |
Why is it that our leaders do dumb shit like this far too often? I like the threat of him being put on notice... It's a step forward and holding him accountable | ||
Realitycheck Member Username: Realitycheck Post Number: 338 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 68.41.173.240 |
I now see that only The News snoozed past this, while the Freep gives it 6 paragraphs as a lead Wayne County brief today and Crain's just e-mailed subscribers an 8-paragraph 'breaking news' alert. Neither publication could reach the deputy mayor (shocking!), but both added this welcome fact: The council also voted Friday to void the agreements. The Freep's is at: http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll /article?AID=/20060731/NEWS02/ 607310402&SearchID=73252341386 863 And here's the biz mag's:  Port deal leads council to warn deputy mayor against signing contracts By Michelle Martinez 11:22 am, July 31, 2006 Detroit City Council put Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams on notice that he will not be allowed to sign contracts that legally bind the city of Detroit. If he does, the council said in a Friday resolution, he will be asked to resign. The resolution, signed one day before a month-long council recess, stems from two deals Adams signed with the Ambassador Port Co., owned by Manuel Moroun. Those deals reopened the Detroit Marine Terminal but also included provisions that gave operating rights of future transportation facilities in Wayne County to Moroun. The council voided the agreements with Ambassador Port Co. on Friday. The Ambassador Port Co. made a $30 million bid to take over the lease for the U.S. side of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel starting in 2020 under the umbrella of the contract. That proposal had been temporarily shelved after widespread outcry from both sides of the border. Adams was not immediately available for comment on Monday. The council in its resolutions said that Adams had bound the city to “very serious contractual documents … without City Council’s advance knowledge or approval.” “The public policy objectives reflected in these documents were seriously flawed and potentially highly detrimental to the city’s interest,” the resolution said. | ||
Morena Member Username: Morena Post Number: 462 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 216.45.2.138 |
Everyone should remember that Adams was the guy that negotiated very questionable deals while serving as the DPS general counsel. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2515 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.81.176 |
Interesting.... it may have been Adam's signature, but is there any doubt that this would not have been signed without KK's blessing? | ||
Digitaldom Member Username: Digitaldom Post Number: 452 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 24.192.148.150 |
So when will this dock start operating? And bring revenue into the city? Any clues.. BTW anyone have any photos of the area.. Where it's located, etc? | ||
Realitycheck Member Username: Realitycheck Post Number: 339 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 68.41.173.240 |
It's at West Jefferson and Clark, a 35-acre cargo terminal and storage area that was called Detroit Marine Terminals until March '05, when the city let the Port Authority take it over in a controversial deal with Moroun -- whose Ambassador Port Company manages it. It's now called the Port of Detroit. This aerial ran with the Today's Trucking article:  | ||
Digitaldom Member Username: Digitaldom Post Number: 458 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 24.192.148.150 |
Cool thanx.. Is that really construction I see in the photo.. Or do they like to kick dirt around the site? Unfortunately Detroit will never become a true port unless the St. Lawrence Seaway locks are upgraded.. Ships getting into the Great Lakes have to be very small.. If they upgraded those locks.. OHHH man would commerce in shipping increase in this area 10 fold.. If not better.. Chicago and other cities would benefit as well.. Wonder if the locks will ever be upgraded? Anyone have any details on that? | ||
Motorcitymayor2026 Member Username: Motorcitymayor2026 Post Number: 1101 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 24.231.189.137 |
Geez, when is some legitimate construction going to begin on that site??? Wasnt it supposed to be done with this spring?? | ||
Busterwmu Member Username: Busterwmu Post Number: 260 Registered: 09-2004 Posted From: 66.134.108.34 |
The Ambassador Bridge Co STOLE part of West Jefferson between Clark and the next block or two east behind the old DMT. The STOLE it I tell you! Now you have to detour all the way over to Fort. Amazes me how companies can just plant their stuff on a street and in no time they've got their fence up and the old way you knew it was once a street is the old streetsign at the corner or telephone pole line through the property..... Watch out for these stolen blocks of W. Jefferson on E-Bay or at your local scrapper! | ||
Billybbrew Member Username: Billybbrew Post Number: 198 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 205.188.116.137 |
It is possible to get a street closure if you own all the property emcompassing it. We have obtained 2 street closures for our business. (both ends of dead end streets) We also pay property taxes on the area of "street" that we now own. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1757 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 134.215.223.211 |
Dead end streets are one thing, a major arterial like W. Jefferson is an entirely different animal. Amazing how Morron just walks all over KK and he seems to enjoy it. | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 631 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 65.42.23.2 |
that must be an old pic....the Ambassador Bridge has been a rather light blue for some time now... | ||
Rasputin Member Username: Rasputin Post Number: 3759 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 205.188.116.137 |
Go, Anthony, Go!!! Do your job as the City Charter dictates it ..... that's right, the Detroit City Charter!!! roflmbao @ the stoopidity and drama of the current Council Members that wannabe Queens (and the dummys posting up this thread, as well)!!! The CC resolution don't mean jack-schitt!! and Anthony knows it!! they were notified per the law ..... in the Mayor's Report, which MUST be received. Black-atcha ..... | ||
Realitycheck Member Username: Realitycheck Post Number: 342 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 68.41.173.240 |
Here's how they see it in Windsor, where The Star has the following article atop Page 3 today. [Turns out the CC resolution does mean jack, Ras, as it blocks 2 attempted end runs by the mayor.] Detroit rejects Moroun plan Future control of U.S. side of tunnel nixed; decision greeted with relief in Windsor By Dave Battagello Windsor Star A controversial "binding agreement" giving future control of the Detroit-Windsor tunnel's U.S. side to Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun has been voided by Detroit's city council. Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's office last fall negotiated a $30-million deal which would have given Moroun's family control of the tunnel for up to 100 years, but council's approval was legally required. The council resolution to void the deal was approved Friday -- the day after a lengthy closed-door meeting. The Moroun deal was signed by Detroit's Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams. Council in its resolution also put Adams on notice that should he sign any more contracts without prior council approval he will be asked to resign. Adams signed another questionable agreement on the city's behalf that involved Moroun's Ambassador Port company and the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority. That agreement -- which has given Moroun's company control of Detroit's only remaining shipping port -- has also been voided by council. Detroit council's decision to kill both deals with Moroun has brought relief on this side of the border. Transport Canada raised objections in December, while former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan wrote a letter expressing her concerns. Other federal officials also met with City of Detroit officials. "We indicated some concerns in the changes of ownership of the tunnel," said Transport Canada spokesman Mark Butler on Tuesday. "We did not want to see a monopoly situation where one major entrepreneur was in control of both entrances into Canada. "The government's position is the tunnel must be safe, secure and promote cross-border mobility. We are pleased Detroit's council has nullified a proposal which could disrupt two-way traffic across our shared border." Windsor's city leaders also voiced strong opposition, requesting a rare joint meeting in February with Detroit's council on the tunnel issue. "We had a number of discussions with Detroit and the mayor indicating the importance of the decisions with the bridge (company) to both jurisdictions," said Mayor Eddie Francis. "It was their decision to make. We shared with them the information that we had. The border decisions made on one side affect the other side. "Last we left it, both sides expressed a strong willingness to work together and that's where we go from here." Bridge company president Dan Stamper did not return a message Tuesday left by The Star. Detroit holds ownership of the U.S. side of the tunnel and is leasing it to an Australian bank. Detroit's councillors appeared alarmed after learning how due to their poor lease deal that Windsor (which owns the Canadian side) has generated $6.895 million more in profits at the tunnel than Detroit over the past three years, according to City of Detroit fiscal analyst Irvin Corley Jr. Several Detroit councillors have hinted they want to see a joint operating agreement with Windsor to operate the tunnel so it can bring in a similar level of profits as this city generates. © The Windsor Star 2006 | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1255 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 136.1.1.33 |
I have to say the City Council did their job on this one, kudos to them. |
