HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – Tensions were high inside Highland Park City Hall on Friday evening as community members packed the City Council chambers for a special meeting.
A couple of council members called the controversial meeting to ask questions about and vote on a benefit concert event for a local nonprofit.
However, the city administration had already approved the concert event for Avalon Village before the meeting.
Highland Park’s mayor, other city leaders, and some community members called the meeting a waste of time.
“Why are we here?” said City Council President Jamal K. Thomas when he arrived at the Council Chambers.
He’s among those who blasted a couple of city council members for having a meeting to address an issue over which council allegedly had no jurisdiction.
Highland Park Councilman Kursheed Ash-Shafi called the special meeting, supported by council member Kallela Martin, to discuss and vote on whether the Council would approve an outdoor concert event for Avalon Village.
The Highland Park-based nonprofit has been advertising its July 30 benefit concert featuring KRS-One and other artists for weeks.
“The mayor saw the need to circumvent over this council authority and approve an event that should have been approved by this council,” Ash-Shafi said. “That’s why this meeting was called.”
Shamiyan ‘Mama Shu’ Harris, the Founder and CEO of Avalon Village, attended the Special Meeting with neighbors and supporters.
She said word about the Special Meeting caught her off guard.
“I don’t understand why I’m here,” Harris told council members.
Harris said she followed the city’s administrative process to get her application for the event approved.
Organizers said the concert event is being held to benefit Avalon Village’s Homework House. The proceeds from the concert will be used to help with music programming for local youth.
“The Avalon Village is private property that is serviced for the community,” Harris said. “We filled out the proper paperwork. We were approved by the mayor, which that application actually goes through.”
After some verbal jabs between council members, the group determined no vote on the event could occur.
However, Ash-Shafi demanded answers on the city’s procedures and protocols for approving applications for large venues.
He believes all large events should be brought before city council.
Critics, including Mayor Glenda McDonald, said the special meeting was a waste of the community’s time since the nonprofit followed protocols as the administration determined.
“What’s happening here is laws,” McDonald said. “Laws that have not been updated. They say they have an ordinance. I haven’t seen it.”