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Detroit City Council Meets With Mayor In Closed Session

DETROIT (WWJ) - Members of Detroit City Council met this week in private with Mayor Dave Bing on a number of serious problems facing the city.

Members of the executive and legislative branches of Detroit City government gathered for a series of closed sessions on everything from the city's chronic street lighting problem, the back long of city buses that are in need of repair and the city finances.

Councilman Kwame Kenyatta said he is optimistic after hearing from Mayor Dave Bing about city bus repairs.

"Council passed a resolution encouraging the mayor to do something within the next 30 days. He indicated publicly that he was going to do just that," said Kenyatta.

Mayor Bing has accused city mechanics of deliberately slowing down repairs to disabled buses while the union has accused the mayor of laying off too many mechanics.

"I know that he met with the unions and that he is continuing to meet with them, so hopefully we'll see some progress real soon," Kenyatta said.

The shortage of busses has angered bus riders who have complained about waiting for hours for a bus to arrive, often in the dark because city street lights aren't working.

Meantime, the city is still waiting for approval from the State Treasurer's Office, three months since submitting its budget deficit elimination plan to Lansing.

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