DETROIT (AP) — As promised, Kwame Kilpatrick has gone back to tending the city's business after a weeklong seclusion — mostly in the mayor's official residence — following the release of intimate text messages with his chief aide.

The embattled mayor ended an orchestrated, televised apology to his wife, children and constituents Wednesday night with: "God bless you, Detroit. I love you, and I'll see you at work tomorrow."

"Tomorrow" was Thursday and a day of meetings at City Hall. Friday included a ribbon-cutting at a $3.5 million, renovated waste drop off station.

"This means we get trash off our streets in an efficient way," Kilpatrick told reporters before tackling anticipated questions about the text messaging scandal and perjury investigation by a prosecutor.

Kilpatrick acknowledged in the first of three public appearances Friday that events surrounding the scandal have hurt the city's image, but have not interfered with its daily operations.

It also was the first time he has taken questions from the media since the Detroit Free Press broke the scandal story last week.

"The events of the last week have had an incredible impact on the city, and I believe in a negative way, from the large amounts of press, national press," Kilpatrick said.

"As far as the city running day-to-day, the men and women who go to work every single day, they have not been effected doing the service they need to provide. Many of them were here before I was mayor and they'll be here after I'm mayor."

The Wayne County prosecutor's office is investigating whether Kilpatrick and chief of staff Christine Beatty lied on the stand during a whistle-blower's lawsuit last summer in which both denied having a physical relationship. The questioning was tied to allegations that the mayor used his security guards to cover up extramarital affairs.

The text messages that became known last week reveal a flirty, sometimes sexually explicit dialogue about where to meet and how to conceal their trysts.

On Monday, Beatty announced she would resign. Her resignation is effective Feb. 8.

"She was a great asset to our organization," Kilpatrick said Friday of his longtime friend. "She's going to be missed, terribly. At this particular time, it was obvious for her to have to make that decision, and we wish her well."

Beatty will not receive a severance package from the city, mayor's spokesman James Canning said.

Kilpatrick's administration also could be the target of an audit by the City Council which may vote Tuesday on an investigation into possible misuse of public funds during his first two terms as mayor.

Kilpatrick said his office will comply with the council's requests.