City Hall Insider … 1/27/26

By Charles Sercombe
The city council met on Jan. 27, and all councilmembers, except for Muhtasin Sadman, were in attendance.
Timothy Price of the city’s Arts & Culture Commission said the commission has taken on a request by Mayor Adam Alharbi to oversee a new design of the city’s logo/seal.
Price said the commission is seeking public input.
The Downtown Development Authority submitted its annual report. The DDA gave a recap of developments in 2025.
“As members of the community will have noticed, improving the physical space along the Joseph Campau corridor has been a top priority of the DDA over the past few years.
“Where 2024 saw replacements of the old banners lining the streets, the accelerated pace of improvements in 2025 included upgrades to holiday décor, more consistently maintained planter boxes and new hanging flower baskets. This winter, as snow falls have been heavier than in recent years, the DDA and City are collaborating to provide a more robust snow removal and salting service along Joseph Campau. …
“Additionally, in 2025, the DDA’s Discover Hamtramck social media campaign continued to serve as an effective voice across and beyond Hamtramck’s two square miles.
“Whether through promoting the Hamtramck Night Bazaar, advertising the new Hamtramck Amanah Financing program, or highlighting specific local businesses, the reach of Discover Hamtramck remains a major benefit to our local business and Downtown community. As is the Hamtramck Night Bazaar, the much-loved DDA-sponsored event, which completed its first full season in 2025 and drew thousands of visitors to the City.”

During public comment, a resident emailed their opposition to a proposal to allow property owners to install shipping containers and large sheds to be used for dry storage.
The council later approved the proposal.
In another email, a resident said there is an “urgent need for improved snow removal” in the city.
The resident said other cities are more aggressive in clearing streets when it snows, and this need should take priority over the council’s attention being focused on approving honorary street names.
“Currently, streets remain difficult and unsafe to use,” said the resident.
Interim City Manager Alex Lagrou said the city’s Public Works Department has been “working relentlessly to get this (snow removal) all done.”
Hassan Aoun of Garden City said he is in favor of a proposal to hire Hussein Farhat as police chief for Hamtramck.
“He will engage with everyone in Hamtramck, no matter your race, your ethnicity, your religion, or your neighborhood because he does not discriminate.” Aoun said.
“He treats people equally, and focuses on doing the job right,” Aoun added.

Later in the meeting, the council hired Farhat as acting police chief.
During that council discussion, interim City Manager Lagrou praised Farhat, who is retired from the Romulus Police Department, and is the former police chief of Dearborn Heights.
“I don’t think I’ve met anybody who could be more qualified for this job,” Lagrou said.
Farhat said he is honored to be offered the job.
“Hamtramck is a unique and diverse city, and serving this community – especially in this leadership role — is something I do not take lightly,” Farhat said.
“I am here not to cause chaos. I am here to run this Police Department efficiently.”
Councilmember Yousef Saed took issue with his hiring, particularly with Farhat serving as “acting” police chief.
“Calling this ‘Acting’ just sends a mixed message,” Saed said.
He accused Lagrou of trying to “sneak in” Farhat’s appointment by designating the position as “Acting Police Chief.”
Saed also questioned why the city is hiring someone from outside the department. He was the sole vote against the appointment.

Continuing on in public comment, Naji Chowdhury urged the city not to cooperate with ICE agents and their round-up of suspected illegal immigrants.
He said city officials need to “calm” the fears some residents have about ICE.
Choudhury also said the city needs to do something about high property taxes “before people are forced to leave Hamtramck.”
Ibrahim Aljahim said he has noticed that a number of city commission members don’t live in the city. And he said that some commission members have attacked the mayor and some candidates.
“They should live in the city,” he said.
Aljahim also said that the state attorney general and Hamtramck Police Department are working against current elected officials.
He added: “This is not a joke.”
Bill Meyer said he “celebrates” a proposal to rename the Human Relations Commission as the Unity Commission.
He also said that Hamtramck was once dominated by a “white power structure.” Meyer said that he has worked to “even things out so that everybody could be treated equally, but it was a big struggle.”
Meyer said the city now has an administration that is “willing to open jobs for everybody – not because of your color.”

In new business, the council honored Gary Gillette for his “sustained and instrumental efforts in preserving, restoring, and securing historic designation for Hamtramck Stadium.”
In the council’s resolution honoring Gillette, it said:
“In 2008, Gary Gillette identified discrepancies in published historical sources regarding the history and location of Hamtramck Stadium. Through his research, he discovered that the original stadium structure remained intact, despite reports that it had been demolished and replaced by Keyworth Stadium.
“Beginning in 2009, Mr. Gillette worked to correct the historical record. In 2010, following public discussion and an editorial in The Hamtramck Review calling for demolition of the stadium’s grandstands, he met with the Mayor and addressed the Hamtramck City Council regarding the site’s historic significance and its potential eligibility for federal preservation funding.
“In 2011, Mr. Gillette, together with professional preservationist Rebecca Binno Savage, conducted extensive historical research to support an application to the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). In 2012, Mr. Gillette presented the findings in Lansing, resulting in Hamtramck Stadium being approved as a State of Michigan Historic Site.
“Following SHPO’s recommendation, the National Park Service approved Hamtramck Stadium for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, after which Mr. Gillette formed the nonprofit organization Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium to support preservation efforts.
“Subsequent milestones included approval of a state historical marker in 2014; securing a $50,000 National Park Service African American Civil Rights Grant in 2016 in partnership with then–City Planner Melanie Markowicz; a successful 2019 fundraising effort that raised $115,000; and collaboration with Wayne County to secure $409,000 in funding from the Detroit Tigers Foundation.
“In 2022, the stadium restoration construction project, managed by Wayne County, was completed, ensuring the long-term preservation of this nationally significant historic and cultural landmark.”

The council then approved accepting a $100,000 grant from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The funding will be used to create a fitness station in Veterans Park.
Tom Habitz, the executive director of the Hamtramck Parks Conservancy, which oversees management and development in the park, said: “It’s going to be great for aerobics classes. … We don’t have a thing like it in Hamtramck.”

The council also approved a $108,699 grant from the Council of Michigan Foundations.
The money is part of a $1 million project connected with the “Campau Cut.”
The project, according to a note to council, “will allow for the installation of traffic calming measures, pedestrian amenities, and public art that prioritizes safety for pedestrians.”
That funding will convert nine blocks of a Jos. Campau alley to be pedestrian friendly, and transform the alley in order “for people to walk or slowly ride bikes. The city plans to incorporate public art into the redesign, either on building murals or on street art installed directly on the alley itself.
“At several spots there is potential for green infrastructure design, which will add natural elements to the alley that it is currently lacking. The green infrastructure will help collect storm water runoff while also providing shade and the extra benefit of wildlife attraction.
“The project will also install ‘BICYCLES MAY USE FULL LANE’ signs along Joseph Campau, which runs parallel to the alley. This will provide fast cyclists or bike commuters with the opportunity to continue onto Joseph Campau, allowing slower pedestrian traffic.”

In round two of public comment, Ibrahim Aljahim spoke, saying that he used to work for a “school department, and that we have a lot of mental illness in our community”
(Aljahim was once employed by Oakland International Academy. In 2024, he pleaded guilty to a second degree sexual assault charge involving an 18-year-old mentally disabled male.)
Aljahim, a Yemeni-American, continued: “I can tell you every Yemeni family – I don’t know about the Bengali – has a son or daughter that has mental illness, and I’ll say it very loudly.”
He said the police department needs to be trained on how to deal with those with mental illness.
What is our City Council up to these days? We have the highlights of the latest council meeting.
Posted March 13, 2026