Commercial Air Service At Detroit City Airport May Be Closer to Becoming A Reality At KDET

By Richard C. Clement
Legislative Aide to Council President Pro Tempore George Cushingberry Jr.

The recent plans advertised to shut down Detroit City Airport has created a world-wide uproar in the aviation industry. Now a grown up, former Johnson Center, 8 Mile Road youth and resident wants to give back to his home town by bringing commercial air service back to Detroit City Airport. Marcus K Channey CEO Metro Airways has a plan to install Commercial Air Service at the Airport by November 2017. As a result of the hearing conducted by the City Council's Budget/Audit and Finance committee, some good things have happened. 

Website: Metro Airways

Website: ARLIT.CO - City Airport Support

He has guaranteed that %2.5 of revenue generated by his airline will be reinvested into the City in the form of improved infrastructure like recreation centers and aviation education. The Benjamin O Davis high school will become a feeder program for the Airline to hire pilots and mechanics for lucrative careers.

Metro Airlines 

The airport has drawn interest from international carriers like Al Qatar, Virgin Atlantic, and Southwest that want to have an alternative choice and provide additional service to the tri-county region. The relocation of 5 professional sports teams in the City Limits will substantially increase the value of this land. Team owners and Very High Ranking Government Officials have already made City Airport the place to be because of the close proximity to the stadiums and downtown. The plan to reconfigure the Airport with an additional runway has the support of many aviation professionals and Team Owner Dan Gilbert of Quicken Loans.

Richard Clement and Dan Gilbert Discuss City Airport 

City residents will not have to drive so far to catch a flight, airlines will not have to overbook flights and forcefully drag people off of their aircraft because of their draconian policies. A joint project with developers like Magic/Redico LLC, and Rock Ventures would include assistance in building a new Benjamin O Davis High School.  Less that 2% of all people who participate in sports ever make it to the professional level from high school. Students would have a better chance of getting an S.T.E.M. career job then trying to be the next Beyoncé or LeBron James.

Detroit City Airport Real time Air Traffic Report from FlightAware.com  

New Runway  33L/15R in RED 

People who can afford to fly into Detroit on corporate jets do not need to be run out of town with a shuttered airport.  The new aircraft engines and technology has enabled pilots to fly non-stop from places as far as France on a single tank of gas. The airport’s current configuration will allow for passenger planes that can carry up to 130 people to come and go as they please.  

According to Mr. Cheney Detroit City Airport is a Public Use Airport and a FEMA designated facility in case of an emergency. In addition State and Local law enforcement frequently use the airport because of the public use designation.  The upgrades to the airport will cost the City of Detroit zero dollars because all of the funding is restricted FAA funds.  Finally the biggest beneficiary of the Airport will be the Detroit Public School Community School District and the children who want to study aviation as a career.   

Position Statement On Flint MI Keeping Detroit Water And Sewer Service

By Richard Clement - Legislative Aide

Council President Pro Tem supports the decision of the Executive Leadership of Flint Michigan to continue to receive water from the Detroit Water and Sewage Department. The Karegnondi (KWA)  water project is an example of the result of using construction and financial resources for purposes other than improving the quality of life. The existing water lines from Detroit could have been extended to where the Karegnondi water line is now at a substantially cheaper price.  An examination of the KWA Pipeline Map, a simple one mile extension of the current DWSD water line along Wheeler Road was much shorter  to build.  

The damage to City Of Detroit retirees behind this action of the State Appointed Emergency Managers can be reversed through methods of, but not limited to:

1. Pension Fund Managers file claims for damages in State and Federal Courts 
2. Pension Fund Managers file criminal charges
3. DWSD constructs a connection to existing KWA line and assumes ownership dissolving the KWA
4. Other actions that can be taken to offset damages to City Retirees in a court of law or legislatively to remove state taxes from pensions and adjusted health care co-pays.

By using correct actuarial data, the figures used to create the bankruptcy will be recalculated from the point of the discrepancy. With this move our city will be officially free of State Financial Review Board oversight on December 31, 2017 at 11:59pm.  During this transition the City will be able to pursue complete control of finances and, do something about rising health care costs. Co-pays for retirees and current employees will be reduced.  Therefore I am asking you to support my fellow colleagues on Council in our efforts to right the wrong to City Employees and Retirees

City Airport is an Asset to the City of Detroit As A Working Airport

Position Statement

We have over 17,000 empty buildings in the city and, we do not need to build new ones on the grounds of the facility. The article written by Daniel Howes of the Detroit News (DN Article Link) is totally incorrect and if allowed to proceed will create even more blight in the city.  We are looking into busing students from adjoining districts to Benjamin O. Davis HS to learn how to fly instead of closing more schools.

Detroit City Airport  Live Air Traffic Tracking from FlightAware.com

High Priority Customers of Detroit City Airport
Rayethon Python 1 - Twin Engine Jet 

Commercial Air Service can be started within 3 months from the date on this newsletter with a small effort and minimal money. We will make more money when we lease out our City Information Technology services to Delta Airlines to improve their computing services. If you support Detroit youth to attain aviation careers, then support the Council on Re-Vitalizing Detroit City Airport.

CBS News Detroit City Airport

Cush Creates Commerce at City Airport / Woodward

What Does it Take to Make A Great City?
Re-opening Detroit City Airport to Commercial Air Service

Field Report - Sensible Marijuana Policy Practice for Local Units of Government

By Richard Clement - Marijuana Policy Analyst 

At the 46^th Annual Hash Bash in Ann Arbor, industry leaders, students, and politicians met to share the moment and discuss strategies to manage the re-legalization of Marijuana in Michigan.  On December 20^th, 2017 Gov. Snyder signed into law sweeping legislation to allow local units of government to regulate and tax Marijuana businesses in the State.  Under the new law, Cities and Townships can design local ordinances that can limit the number of facilities within their boundaries. County Governments stand to make the most gains with a 35% cut of all revenues going toward their budgets.

Richard "Free The Weed"  Clement
Joe White - MI NORML,
Former St. Rep Jeff Irwin(D) Ann Arbor

As it stands now, the current Marijuana Ordinance in the City of Detroit has been applied in such a manner as to allow unscrupulous activity such as people starting up Day Care Centers to prevent the opening of a facility. Another example in Northwest Detroit is using a mothballed City Parks and Recreation center as a Drug Free Zone instead of a recreation center for seniors and Children to shut down another facility.  The current Detroit Marijuana Ordinance has allowed this type of behavior to flourish. The current City ordinance must be modified by an agreement with all of the people to stop and control this type of conduct.

Yes there needs to be regulation for Marijuana businesses in Cities and Townships.  This August and November, citizens have an opportunity to enact sensible cannabis laws that reflect the will of all of the people by ballot vote.  Petition Initiatives that will have sensible variance requirements that are in line with any other business in a City.  New ordinance language will keep businesses 1000 feet from a school and removes the strict restrictions on Churches.  

Some congregations do not mind having a business next to them and, resent that their place of worship is aiding and abetting unethical behavior between business owners. Customers are upset that certain pastors who are in front of the line wanting to shut down Marijuana businesses, are in front of the line complaining when they are asked by their government to pay for their impervious water bills. Customers are enraged that people who do not live within 300 feet of the business come to Zoning Board Hearings to object to their business location, take precedent over the people who live there by law.

People’s attitudes are changing toward Marijuana because they have finally realized that the War on Drugs is a stupid war based on racism and mis-information. It is getting close to 100 years since Harry Ainslinger and J Edgar Hoover made arresting people of color for Marijuana a ritual of passage.

The time now for the City of Detroit law department to place an immediate moratorium on shutting down businesses in Detroit until, the citizens can vote on an ordinance on licensing and zoning that is acceptable to a majority of the people.  The collection of 5000 signatures for a ballot initiative will signal to the City Law Departments to cease the closure of these businesses until the people decide the issue with their vote.