SEMCOG, Executive Committee — IN-PERSON ONLY
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments1001 Woodward Ave, Detroit, Michigan 48226 Detroit, MI 48226 (Directions)
Suite 1400 (Woodward Room)
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Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
The committee elected two vice chairs and heard a presentation on DTE’s plans to cut power outages 30% by 2029 and reach net zero emissions by 2050. DTE’s Power Improvements Map shows progress on neighborhood investments. SEMCOG introduced its Wetlands Mapper Tool.
The committee elected two vice chairs and heard a presentation on DTE’s plans to cut power outages 30% by 2029 and reach net zero emissions by 2050. DTE’s Power Improvements Map shows progress on neighborhood investments. SEMCOG introduced its Wetlands Mapper Tool.
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I will be live reporting the SEMCOG meeting today at 1pm for #DetroitDocumenters
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11:56 AM Jan 31, 2025 CST
The meeting is kicking off with introducing new attendees. Wayne co commissioners Kinloch and Oakland Co commissioner Smiley
They have a neato QR codes that link the agenda. I scanned it for you:
They approved the minutes and agenda for the last meeting and quickly moved on.
They called for one blic comment, and there was none, even though the meeting room is pretty packed
They pulled item 4 from the consent agenda and approved the rest. So they separated out a provision for fundraising for future SEMCOG events
The Taubman institute is sponsoring a fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/educational-programs/executive-education/senior-executives-state-and-local-government
A local mayor is speaking about his experience in the fellowship. He described growing in his learning and in his abilities as a municipal executive. Another former fellow described how much he valued the collaborative environment and sharing of ideas and methods.
They’re taking nomination for this year’s SEMCOG Regional Showcase Award. 2024’s winner was the Ford Fair Lane Fishway project
Now Oak. Co. Comm’r Philip Weipert is giving the Nominating Committee report.
Now the chair is conducting the election now. They are voting with individual keypads
The nominees were duly elected with an overwhelming majority I missed the slide, but it was nearly unanimous
Mahoney emphasises now that DTE is not only very old, but also very big (I’m paraphrasing)
He says that achieving all three of these benchmarks “is not a sucker’s bet”. I wonder what odds MGM would lay on DTE’S reliability and affordability.
Just fyi: Mahoney is aiming for net zero by 2050, which is 25 years from now. This screenshot is from the Climate Clock
An attendee asked about removing old trees, and Mahoney said he wants to do better, and lays then lame squarely on the shoulders of residents and homeowners who do not give DTE permission to cut their trees.
Mahoney got a question about whether DTE would be willing to create a fund to bury power lines and he was emphatic that such a thing would be “impossible” and said that it’s the state of Michigan’s responsibility.
An attendee pointedly explained that he has had three power outages in as many months describing them as “monthly power outages” that last for days. He asked if DTE’s million-dollar profits are puzzling considering the company’s failure to provide adequate service
Mahoney:Let me be clear, DTE making a profit is good for you, and we’re working on service. I reject the premise of the question.
Presentation on the Legislative Policy Platform for the year. You can find it here:
https://www.semcog.org/desktopmodules/SEMCOG.Publications/GetFile.ashx?filename=2025-2026LegislativePolicyPlatform.pdf
Compagnoni and Wright emphasize their position against ballot initiatives and State mandates on things such as fiscal laws and state zoning regulations. I think it’s safe to say a fundamentally conservative set of positions.
An attendee asked what the governments will do with the inevitably reduced gas tax revenue sharing with the emergence of EVs in the roads. Answer: it’s unclear, and this is complicated by efforts in Lansing to reroute gas tax revenue away from revenue sharing with local govs and toward fixing roads
Agency Information
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) supports local planning through its technical, data, and intergovernmental resources. The work SEMCOG does improves the quality of the region’s water, makes the transportation system safer and more efficient, revitalizes communities, and spurs economic development.
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