[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6589836,"mediaKeyId","5460194-95364a31c7dd3b3b719b1bc97d51d2bb","parentId",5460194,"title","Wayne County committee receives parking‑deck reports and approves amendments to environmental assessment contracts tied to EPA grant","audioSeconds",276,"startMs",176000,"endMs",452000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5460194-95364a31c7dd3b3b719b1bc97d51d2bb&start=176&end=452","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5460194-95364a31c7dd3b3b719b1bc97d51d2bb/thumbnail_176000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6589836/Wayne-County/Michigan/Wayne-County-committee-receives-parkingdeck-reports-and-approves-amendments-to-environmental-assessment-contracts-tied-to-EPA-grant","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589836-d5732dfaa170af11f5140a853a528e7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770503949&Signature=MzvARI8TH2pYzHIKpcCUl2QC1KW9w~vuF2Vjez~GIgtTieDBHFfxnSqa69aYuReodbEa29jx5Hn3LCdnRXcHnsOEuh465BuvBWxhIzPr0moyKj02OosQuMWcxjhp8iSVuGjxN6--Gyf2sYfa5YboPGVYKN6357fyAhuuOLQzxqjtHpigz41IC-YXF7aeplp7hF2KMviT4~zXgLVe9RiU7VtULK~T7xJ453ffJh9MRjsUNPHgCxK7T9ULDF1ijrXyH1QyDqV0zmNMm4Vz2yqlMfbVjoRmcU6bcgkTkjodggWubBaKw33VpPRTb~X8yn2S3kAusgfRDCe6e7kwU~0l8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-24T07:50:17.73Z","article","Wayne County’s economic development committee voted to receive consolidated monthly operating reports for the Guardian Building and the First Street parking deck, covering July 2023 through April 2025, and to approve amendments to professional services agreements with environmental assessment vendors to continue projects funded under an EPA assessment grant.

Lucius Anthony, assistant director for economic vitality, told commissioners the county was awarded a $1,000,000 EPA assessment grant and issued an RFP to select vendors to perform environmental testing and site assessments as projects are submitted. Anthony said six vendors were qualified under the RFP and that the county divided the available funds among them — describing an initial allocation of roughly $136,000 per vendor — and that two firms (AKT Peerless and a second vendor named in the record as \"Pension\") have been the most active in bringing projects forward.

Anthony listed a range of projects supported by the grant: housing and mixed‑use development, cafés and restaurants, and some community‑use facilities. He cited named projects funded under the program, including the Freedom House of Detroit and the Detroit City Football Club stadium project, and noted projects outside Wayne County in Inkster, Canton (a landfill site), Garden City and Meadowbelt.

The committee approved two related items (amendments to AKT Peerless and the other vendor’s agreement) by motion with no recorded opposition. The operating reports were accepted for the record. Commissioners did not engage in an extended debate on the environmental contracts during the meeting.

Discussion versus decision: staff presented program background and project examples (discussion) and commissioners voted to receive the operating reports and approve contract amendments to continue assessment activities under the EPA grant (formal action).

Clarifying details included in the record: county staff described a $1,000,000 EPA assessment grant, an RFP that qualified six vendors, and an initial fund division of roughly $136,000 per vendor; AKT Peerless and the vendor referred to in the transcript as \"Pension\" were identified as the most active vendors bringing projects forward; operating reports covered July 2023 through April 2025 and were consolidated into a single receiving file.

The committee moved to the next agenda items after approving these actions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Economic Development 7/22/25","oneSentenceSummary","Wayne County’s economic development committee received consolidated operating reports for the Guardian Building and First Street parking deck and approved amendments to environmental assessment vendor contracts to continue activities funded by an EPA assessment grant.","taxTitle","Wayne County, Michigan","taxId",2829,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6589840,"Wayne County panel approves large amendment to TDA Consulting contract after procurement questions; Wilson abstains",1048,478000,1526000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5460194-95364a31c7dd3b3b719b1bc97d51d2bb&start=478&end=1526","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5460194-95364a31c7dd3b3b719b1bc97d51d2bb/thumbnail_478000.jpg","/articles/6589840/Wayne-County/Michigan/Wayne-County-panel-approves-large-amendment-to-TDA-Consulting-contract-after-procurement-questions-Wilson-abstains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6589840-a798649aaeff8cdf3464ecc37a6389bb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770503949&Signature=Yxoj~UdlCng0K48sEF-U3WaY-pBBbDZAQ2y9ovR2ZGfSd2gFW9lMEWoGZiGKCsL1Byc1RvFUHQuIjoXxY1HwdAQQaFvGsSzDc7b52rz50Iha05r2LszI9XbGjA~LIMOLK-etz-cYK9IIkCnjtUdfRhIhRUoX01tfMbKtAV192geN7uweOpGRhVPyMBhJE4xUP~1Rd81ycix9i1IjXBqknACer~lP5Y75XyialPGzjkrYB1v~yESa6JdRtH1DL75r69QJYfVpfkn44lfJihZyvDrQ-GvMKWdjJ8BhdnazxYdyeKhrwx1mTq5syM~86Kg95LvXdfFIAMGOxx2njDIetw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wayne County commissioners' economic development committee voted to approve Amendment 1 to a three‑year professional services contract with TDA Consulting LLC to continue consulting and technical assistance for the county's affordable housing programs and initiatives.

The committee approved the amendment after a lengthy discussion about scope, funding and procurement procedures. Betsy Palazzola, division director for community development, said the contractor has helped shape policies and program underwriting for the county's housing work. Lucius Anthony, assistant director for economic vitality, told commissioners the original award followed an RFP and that TDA has been supporting the county’s housing commission and other HUD‑funded programs.

The amendment increases the contract above the original $125,000 three‑year award; staff described the change as necessary to provide technical capacity while the county ramps up internal staffing to administer large, recently awarded federal programs. Anthony said the county was awarded a community development disaster recovery grant of just over $70 million and that a substantial portion of the additional TDA funding would support administration, oversight and program design tied to those federal funds. He also said the contract is a not‑to‑exceed agreement that runs through 2027.

The committee’s legal counsel questioned whether the original $125,000 award reasonably anticipated the county’s needs for a three‑year period and noted the county’s procurement ordinance expects procurement officers and departments to reasonably estimate needs before awarding contracts. Counsel said the ordinance’s intent is to avoid repeatedly returning to the commission to amend contracts that should have been sized to cover a known multi‑year scope.

Commissioners sought more detail about how the additional funds would be spent. Anthony and Palazzola outlined program areas the consultant will support: administrative oversight for the disaster recovery program (CDBG‑DR), assistance implementing HOME‑ARP and other HUD programs, underwriting and drafting program RFPs, and capacity building while the county recruits permanent staff. Palazzola described TDA as \"a contractor that has really proven its worth,\" saying the firm brings both local and federal experience and helps build internal capacity so contracts can eventually be reduced or ended.

Commissioner Peterson Mayberry asked whether any local firms bid for the work; Anthony said only two vendors responded to the RFP and there was not a local prime contractor among them, though staff said a key consultant assigned to the county is a Metro Detroit resident. Commissioner Wilson pressed for clearer line‑item detail, noting the amendment represents a substantial increase over the original $125,000 award and asking how staff arrived at the new total.

To address those procurement concerns, the motion to approve the amendment included a requirement that staff meet with procurement and representatives from the CEO’s office to review the procurement ordinance and the procurement process used in this case. Commissioner Wilson recorded that he did not have sufficient information to make an informed decision and asked the clerk to record his abstention; the motion carried with that recorded abstention.

Discussion versus decision: commissioners debated procurement practice and program needs (discussion), instructed staff to meet with procurement and the CEO’s office to review the process (direction), and approved Amendment 1 to TDA Consulting’s contract (formal action).

Clarifying details included in the committee record: the original contract amount was $125,000 for three years; staff sought and described an additional allocation of approximately $640,000 (amount added to the original contract was described in discussion as $640,000) to support program administration and technical assistance tied to a roughly $70,000,000 community development disaster recovery grant; the TDA contract term remains unchanged and runs through 2027; the contract is described by staff as a not‑to‑exceed agreement.

The committee moved on to other business after the vote; staff said they would return with additional program items for the committee’s consideration as work on the disaster recovery and HOME‑ARP programs proceeds.","Wayne County commissioners' economic development committee approved Amendment 1 to a three‑year contract with TDA Consulting LLC to provide expanded technical assistance for affordable housing programs, after members raised procurement and scope questions and one member abstained from the vote.","actionData","errors"]

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Wayne County committee receives parking‑deck reports and approves amendments to environmental assessment contracts tied to EPA grant

Wayne County panel approves large amendment to TDA Consulting contract after procurement questions; Wilson abstains