Highland Park resident "disappointed" after some council members walk out of meeting
HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Some residents of Highland Park are disappointed after three city council members walked out of last night's city council meeting.
According to Councilman Khursheed Ash-Shafii, it stems from an email that started with him asking the legal department for an opinion about the city's marijuana ordinance.
He says the council president responded with an inappropriate message targeting two councilwomen. Ash-Shafii says the council president refused to apologize, which is when they voted no on the agenda and walked out.
"It's us going along with business as usual that has gotten us in the shape that we are in," said Ash-Shafii.
CBS News Detroit requested the email from Ash-Shafii, but we have yet to receive that email.
The tense meeting comes as the city continues working out a resolution for around $20 million in water debt.
The city and the Great Lakes Water Authority are currently in mediation, but it's unclear what the plans are moving forward.
Jamille Edwards, who attended the meeting to get an update on the city's budget and how a potential bankruptcy will affect it, said she was disappointed in how the meeting went.
"Very disappointed because if the city goes into chapter nine [bankruptcy], I'm not the only loyal, dedicated retired employee of the city that it will affect," she said.
Edwards says she is hoping council members can set their differences aside and come together to save the city of Highland Park.
"Because we only have one city," she added.
CBS News Detroit reached out to Highland Park's city council president about the accusations, but he declined to comment on the story.