Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh

Pugh & You Blog

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Mayor’s Office Should Keep ACE Alive

Posted by Staff on Wednesday, November 09, 2011 at 12:00:00 AM EST

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Mayor’s Office Should Keep ACE Alive

Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh issued the following statement regarding ACE:

It would be devastating to the good will of this City for the Mayor’s office to allow ACE to die when a reputable, state-approved rescue agency has told us that they will rehabilitate the dog and determine if it’s adoptable. My concern is the liability to the City, but this can be remedied by drafting a legal document relieving the City of its liability.

Another option is for the Mayor to temporarily suspend the City’s policy. My office is looking at how we can amend the City’s ordinance to allow dogs like ACE to live through a shelter-to-shelter exchange if we can have our liability removed.

The bigger picture is that this is not a battle we should be fighting right now given the more critical priorities we are faced with. In the meantime, the Mayor’s office should do whatever is necessary to keep ACE alive.

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Statement from City Council President Charles Pugh on the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department

Posted by Kapri Banks on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 6:00:00 PM EST

Statement from City Council President Charles Pugh on the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department:

"I read the judges order and I am satisfied that Detroit maintains ownership and control over the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. However, the changes that strengthen regional input are good. I fully support a more informed and empowered board of water commissioners. I am most pleased with the fact that City Council will continue to play an important role in scrutinizing DWSD contracts and approving water rate increases.

Now, we need to focus on short-term and long-term compliance and hopefully by the end of the year, this will eliminate the need for oversight of our water system by Judge Cox."

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City Council President Charles Pugh’s DPS Proposal

Posted by Kapri Banks on Monday, July 19, 2010 at 10:00:00 PM EST

City Council President Charles Pugh has created a proposal for a new governing structure for DPS that includes the mayor, city council, a nine member school board and the community.

"We all realize that our current DPS governance structure is not working," said Pugh. "The plan that I am proposing maintains the people's right to vote, while allowing the mayor and city council to have input about the education of our children."

President Pugh is proposing the following DPS governance structure:

The School Board:
The Detroit Public School system would have a nine member hybrid board. The board would be comprised of elected and appointed members: four elected city-wide, three appointed by the mayor and two appointed by city council.

The board’s main function would be to approve school system contracts and oversee curriculum decisions by the superintendent. The board’s President would be elected by a majority of the board. All School board meetings would be public and will abide by the Open Meetings Act requirements.

The Superintendent:
A superintendent candidate would be nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the Detroit City Council. A city council confirmation of the candidate would require at least five votes.

The Nine-Member Superintendent Selection Committee:
The mayor would be REQUIRED to work with a nine member superintendent selection committee comprised of educators, parents and students. This committee would be appointed: three by the mayor, three by the city council and three by the school board.

The responsibilities of the selection committee would include: assisting the mayor in setting priorities for choosing a superintendent; helping to narrow the field of candidates the mayor will choose from; setting the agenda and itinerary for the community tour of the superintendent candidate during the confirmation process.

The City Council Confirmation Process:
During the city council confirmation process the superintendent candidate would be REQUIRED to not only participate in a community tour but also a media tour. The superintendent candidate would interview with television and radio stations, as well as print publications and newspaper editorial boards. This will help the community to fully vet the candidate.

The city council confirmation would happen during a public hearing that would include a presentation from the candidate followed by rounds of questions from all nine council members. This hearing would also include a public comment section where members of the public would be allowed to ask questions of the candidate who would be required to answer them.

The confirmation hearing would be held on Thursday evening. Friday through Sunday, the candidate would be required to meet with community stakeholders, who will be chosen by the superintendent selection committee. The stakeholders will consist of parents, business leaders, clergy, student groups, teachers and principals. During the weekend, the candidate would also be required to participate in a town hall meeting hosted by the Detroit Parent Network, the DPS Local School Community Organization (LSCO) and Parent-Teacher Community Organization (PTCO). On Monday, the city council would reconvene to discuss anything overlooked, left out or discovered during the weekend. The city council confirmation vote would happen Tuesday during the Detroit City Council Formal Session.

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I Am Committed to Finding Real Solutions

Posted by Charles Pugh on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 11:15:00 PM EST

You may have read the recent headline, “Pugh, Winans trade jabs over strip-club ordinance.” Let me tell you the truth, the only fight I will ever engage in is a fight for you, the people of Detroit.

When I sought election to this office, I promised to always do what is best for Detroit. That is what I have done this far and that is what I will continue to do.

As your City Council President, I do not represent only those who are a member of the religious community or those who voted for me or those who own property in the city. I represent all citizens of Detroit. And it is you who I serve.

I know the priorities of this city and I am committed to finding real solutions that will not divide but strengthen our community.

Some want to distract and lead us astray from tackling the problems plaguing Detroit. There are strip-clubs in Detroit. Morally just or not, whether I like it or not - under the law it is legal for adult entertainment clubs to exist. However, we are currently taking steps to crackdown on these clubs and keep them from being a nuisance to our community. We are doing our due diligence to quickly resolve this issue and move onto more important problems, such as, high unemployment, shrinking city services, failing public schools, and a more than $300 million budget deficit.

Let’s remain focused and steadfast on solving the real problems of Detroit.

I am asking citizens, business leaders, the religious community, elected officials and all those who LOVE Detroit to unite together so that we can change our city.

To Get Involved or voice your ideas on how to best change Detroit click here, call 313-224-4510 or TEXT us at 313-473-PREZ.

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