David Coates / The Detroit News For the past four years, Rodie Johnson of 4708 Courville Street has been asking the city to fix his driveway and sidewalk, which have been damaged by the roots of a city-owned tree in front of his home. He’s been unsuccessful.

    Mandated authority not used

    Despite the limits of the political structure, the council has tools to allow it to be a stronger advocate for city residents. These include subpoena power over city officials and the ability to investigate city departments. And yet the council doesn’t use that authority to shape city policy.

    In addition, the council could try to exercise what influence it does have to help individuals who have city service problems.

    East sider Rodie Johnson sought help from the council — he’s still waiting.

    On Sept. 5, Johnson’s tree problem was line item 54 on the council agenda.

    Johnson, who lives on the 4700 block of Courville, had been trying for four years to get the city to fix a city-owned tree that was upending his driveway.

    In 1997, the roots of the tree in front of his house started to lift up part of his driveway, making it difficult get in and out without damaging his car. He called the Department of Public Works. It did nothing. Then he called Mahaffey’s office.

    Then he waited. He made more calls. He waited. Eventually, he wrote a letter in April to Ken Cockrel. This summer some city workers came out. They looked at the tree. Then they left. He waited. More city workers came out. They told him he should spend $900 to fix the problem himself, then try to bill the city. Payment would be complicated, they told him. He made more calls. He waited.

    When Johnson’s issue finally came before the council Sept. 5, Mahaffey told the seven members in attendance that she had reviewed a report from the Recreation Department’s Forestry Division. The report stated that the city-owned tree was in fact buckling Johnson’s driveway, but the tree was healthy so the department didn’t want to cut it down. Forestry referred the problem to Public Works.

    “It doesn’t solve the constituent’s problem if the driveway is a mess because of the tree the department doesn’t want to take down,” Mahaffey said.

    She asked for another report from Public Works. The council moved on to the next line item.

    Johnson’s problem was off the table, still unresolved. The council had spent 38 seconds on the issue.

    It spent three minutes discussing ladybugs.

    Standing on his lawn later that week, the 49-year-old Ford factory worker said he was “shocked and frustrated” to hear that the tree issue had come up and been put off. Though residents are supposed to be notified by mail when their issues are coming up, Johnson said he never received a letter.

    What started as a minor nuisance has for Johnson turned into years of aggravation.

    “I’ve been paying taxes for 31 years and I have never asked the city for anything until this,” he said.