[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:07]
          CALL THIS MEETING OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CITY COMMISSION TO ORDER, AND WE WILL BEGIN, AS IS OUR HABIT, WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MISTER CLERK, IF YOU'D CALL THE 
          [ROLL CALL]
ROLL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER KILGORE, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. 
          ROBBINS. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. BELCIK. HERE. COMMISSIONER. PRESENT. MAYOR. LA GRAND 
          [PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]
PRESENT. AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER PERDUE IS ON HER WAY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. SO NOW I'M GOING TO BE CALLING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. AND FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ITEMS. SO THIS IS INTENDED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS ON WHICH WE'RE GOING TO VOTE TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS. SO THOSE ARE NOT THINGS ON WHICH WE'RE GOING TO VOTE. ONE OF THOSE IS THE NAMING OF THE NEW PARK ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN. ONE OF THOSE IS THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON. AND THE THIRD IS THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT NUISANCE ROLE. SO THAT MEANS JUST JUST THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TALK ON THOSE THINGS. THAT JUST MEANS WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ON THOSE ITEMS. SO IF YOU WANT TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON ITEMS THAT ARE UP FOR A VOTE TONIGHT, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY UP TO THE MICROPHONE. AND AS YOU DO, WE AS AS IS OUR HABIT, WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER, A SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETER. AND IF YOU CAN COME ON UP AND SAY WHAT I JUST SAID IN SPANISH, OR MAYBE JUST SAY THAT YOU'RE HERE AS AN INTERPRETER IN SPANISH. GOOD AFTERNOON. A. HACER ALGO COMENTARIO PUBLICO EN ESPANOL. 
          MINUTOS PARA SER EL COMENTARIO LOS COMENTARIOS SIENDO LIMITADO A VISTAS PUBLICAS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M DEE JONES. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ITEM ONE, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION APPROVING COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM AGREEMENT WITH THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. SO I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO INVEST INTO THE CLIMATE ADOPTION PLAN, BUT ALSO JUST BECAUSE I DO ESPORTS AND GAMING COMPETITIONS WHERE I EDUCATE PEOPLE ON SOCIAL ISSUES LIKE GREEN ENERGY, SOLAR ENERGY, BRINGING SIX ELECTRIC VEHICLES INTO THE HOOD, INTO THE TRENCHES TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON GREEN ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND SOCIAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THAT AFFECTS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE WHITE COMMUNITIES. ALSO, YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING ELSE ALL YEAR, THE WATER BONDS. DID YOU GUYS KNOW THAT YOU CAN USE CRYPTO FOR WATER BONDS BECAUSE THEY'RE BONDS? I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO ALSO LOOK INTO CRYPTOCURRENCY AND USING THEM FOR WATER BONDS. THAT WOULD BE AN INNOVATIVE THING TO DO WITH WATER BECAUSE IT'S FREE. AND YOU CAN ALSO UTILIZE CRYPTOCURRENCY TO HAVE FREE TAX REVENUES WITHOUT RAISING THE TAXES OF ANY CITIZEN IN THIS ROOM AND ANY POLITICIAN IN THIS ROOM, OR ANY POLITICIAN ON EARTH. SO INNOVATIVE THING TO THINK ABOUT THEN THE VOTING PRECINCTS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A PRECINCT IS. A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE, YOU TELL THEM WHAT PRECINCT IS, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS OR PRECINCT DELEGATE. I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO DO SOME EDUCATION AROUND THIS FIRST, OR AT LEAST DO SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AFTER YOU GUYS APPROVE THIS TO EDUCATE THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO ELECTION YEARS COMING UP, THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY VITAL 2026 AND 2028. IF YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO GET DEEP INTO THE TRENCHES IN THE HOOD WHERE DE JONES IS CONSISTENTLY EVERY DAY, IF YOU GOT ME ON FACEBOOK, I'M USUALLY IN THE TRENCHES ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND THE THIRD WARD, EVEN THOUGH I STAY IN THE FIRST WARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I'M DOING A LOT OF WORK, AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF INVESTMENT, A LOT OF LOVE AND POSITIVE ENERGY NEEDS TO BE. AND THAT'S ALL DE JONES BRINGS TO THE CITY, TO THE UNITED NATIONS. AS I CAME BACK HERE FROM THE UNITED NATIONS AND I'M BACK. SO THANK YOU. I WANTED YOU GUYS TO THINK ABOUT EDUCATING PEOPLE ON THIS PRECINCT AND THE VOTING PRECINCT, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK COMMUNITIES, THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. YOU GUYS HAVE AN INTERPRETER HERE, BUT Y'ALL NEED TO BE SURE THAT Y'ALL GOT THAT INFO IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SO PEOPLE CAN GET EDUCATED, BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO VITAL ELECTION YEARS COMING UP, 2026 AND 2028. AND I'M SICK OF THE REPUBLICANS CONTROLLING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOT CARING ABOUT PEOPLE, NOT CARING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, NOT CARING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. I GOT ENOUGH THINGS TO SAY WHEN I GOT THE PUBLIC COMMENT THOUGH. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. MY NAME IS IVAN DIAZ. I 
          [00:05:05]
STAY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO TWO ITEMS ON THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING. FIRST ITEM E. WELL, FIRST, ACTUALLY, I'LL SPEAK TO THE VOTING PRECINCT CHANGES. I WATCHED YOUR GUYS'S MEETING. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO SAY OR ANYTHING TO ADD. THAT WAS ALREADY SAID BY COMMISSIONER PERDUE OR ANY ANYBODY ELSE. I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONERS. PERDUE, COMMISSIONER PERDUE'S FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES. AND IT SEEMED LIKE YOU ALL AGREED TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON REALLY, OUR ELECTION SYSTEM ENTIRELY OR AS A WHOLE IN THE CITY. I AGREED THAT AT LEAST WHEN I HAVE VOTED, I DON'T I HAVEN'T SEEN EXTRA LONG LINES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD VERY, VERY LOW TURNOUT, ESPECIALLY IN THE PRIMARIES IN THE CITY AND REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR GUYS'S DISCUSSION ON HOW WE CAN BETTER EDUCATE THE CITY, THE VOTERS, SO THAT WE GET THOSE NUMBERS UP BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE JUST WAY TOO LOW. 
          AND WE HAVE A MINORITY OF PEOPLE CHOOSING THEIR GOVERNMENT. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT COMES OF THAT. AS FAR AS THE. PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES IN YOUR NEXT CITY BUDGET, I KNOW THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP FOR ALL OF YOU ALL IS TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE AS. TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT COMES TO ESTABLISHING THE NEXT BUDGET, THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS A FLAT INCOME TAX IS EXTREMELY REGRESSIVE. THAT MEANS THAT THE BURDEN OF PAYING FOR CITY SERVICES IS PLACED EVEN MORE SO ON THE BACKS OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE. PROPERTY TAXES THEMSELVES, AT LEAST AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTED, NOT JUST IN THE CITY, BUT ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS MOST OF THE COUNTRY. THEY ARE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE. WHEN I USED TO WORK FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST CREDIT UNIONS IN THE STATE, I HAD SITUATIONS OF PEOPLE COMING IN ELDERS ESPECIALLY TO APPLY FOR LOANS TO PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAXES, AND NOBODY REALLY SHOULD BE PUT INTO THAT SITUATION. AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE NEEDS REFORMS THAT YOU ALL ARE NOT ABLE TO IMPLEMENT, BUT YOU CAN ADVOCATE FOR THOSE CHANGES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS THROUGH YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I'M HOPING YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD. AND FINALLY, WITH THE LAST, WITH THE LAST 30S THAT I HAVE. I HOPE, YOU KNOW, I'M ENCOURAGED TO SEE SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO EVEN MORE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION. ALL OF THE STUDIES THAT I HAVE SEEN AROUND REALLY ANY VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAM HAS SEEN AMAZING RESULTS. AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO DO AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. THIS IS A GOOD START, BUT AS I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOSH FERGUSON. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SECOND WARD. SO SPECIAL. HI TO STACY AND LISA KNIGHT, WHO ARE MY REPRESENTATIVES. I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE VOTING PRECINCTS MEASURE BEFORE YOU TODAY. I MOVED TO THE CITY ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, AND FOR A ONE OF THE FIRST ELECTIONS I VOTED FOR WAS A SCHOOL MILLAGE MAY ELECTION THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE ELECTION, WHEN I WALKED MY LITTLE BEHIND UP TO THE CHURCH NORTH OF LEONARD. AND. BEING ABLE TO BE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FOR SOMEONE WHO CAME FROM A MORE RURAL COMMUNITY, THAT WAS A REAL BENEFIT. AND SO AS YOU GUYS DISCUSSED THIS, I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WALKABILITY AND THINK ABOUT MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND HAVING A NUMBER OF PRECINCTS IS MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT I DO THINK IT IS WORTH IT FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE FORGETFUL AND LEAVE THINGS TO THE LAST MINUTE. THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO IS E2, WHICH IS THE CITY BUDGET. 
          PROVISION THERE IN IN THE IN THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE ARE ONLY TWO SOCIAL WORKERS BUDGETED FOR IN THE ENTIRE POLICE BUDGET. I HAVE OFTEN HEARD A NUMBER OF FOLKS TOUT SOCIAL WORKERS AND RIDE ALONGS AS BEING A KEY FOCUS FOR BUILDING COMMUNITY POLICE RELATIONS IN THE CITY, WHICH IS LISTED AS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY UNDER COMMUNITY OR COMMUNITY SAFETY PORTION OF THE BUDGET. I HONESTLY I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHATEVER STATISTICS THE CITY HAS ON WHAT WHAT THE WORKLOAD LOOKS LIKE. IT FEELS TO ME AT LEAST. I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON POLICE POLICING, BUT IT FEELS LIKE TWO SOCIAL WORKERS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE 200,000 
          [00:10:08]
RESIDENTS OF GRAND RAPIDS FEELS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF WHACK TO ME, BUT JUST LOOKING. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHATEVER THE CITY HAS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEIR WORKLOAD IS AND INCREASING THE ABILITY OF THOSE RIDE ALONGS. THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS AT MANY LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, AND SO I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT THAT NUMBER BOOSTED AND BEING ABLE TO IMPROVE. 
          OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A TOUGH WEEK FOR EVERYONE WHEN IT COMES TO DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE POLICE, BUT THERE ARE SOME CHANCES FOR THE CITY TO MAKE SOME REAL STRIDES, AND I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP. SO THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A WONDERFUL SUNDAY EVENING AND GO GRIFFINS. 
          HEY, GOOD EVENING LUCAS. FIRST WARD, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE VOTING PRECINCTS, SO I'M REALLY NOT SURE I HAVE A FEELING EITHER WAY. I BELIEVE THE OBJECTIVE EXAMINATION BY MICHIGAN PUBLIC TO BE RELIABLE. THEY CITED NO REMARKABLE DETRIMENT TO VOTING ACCESS IN THEIR COVERAGE. I TRUST CLARK HONDORP, AND AS LONG AS CURRENT ELECTION OFFICIALS, THOSE ASPIRING TO RUN AND THEIR MAJOR DONORS OR DARK MONEY PACS ARE NOT ALLOWED ANYWHERE NEAR DRAWING THE PRECINCT LINES, I SEE THIS AS A NON-ISSUE. WHAT I DO WANT TO BEG THIS CITY TO DO IS TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE PRECINCT NUMBERS MAKE LITERALLY ANY SENSE AT ALL. YOU GOT TO CHANGE THEM ANYWAY. SO LET'S FIX THE GOOFY LAYOUT AND GET THESE NUMBERED SEQUENTIALLY. REMEMBER, JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT INCREDIBLY STUPID. MAKE THE NUMBERS MAKE SENSE, AND NO MATTER WHAT, HAVE A THOROUGH CHANGE COMMUNICATION PLAN AND WAYS TO MITIGATE ANY POSSIBLE CONFUSION. DON'T LET PEOPLE GET DISENFRANCHIZED JUST BECAUSE THE PRECINCT NUMBER CHANGED. AND WHILE WE HAVE THE ATTENTION OF THE PUBLIC ON THIS TOPIC, LET ME SAY THIS TO EVERYONE PLEASE VOTE. NO MATTER WHAT NUMBER GETS SLAPPED ON YOUR PRECINCT, VOTE. IF YOU DON'T CURRENTLY VOTE START, YOU MIGHT LIKE IT. DID YOU KNOW THAT IN THE WEST GRAND NEIGHBORHOOD ALONE, WE HAVE 51% RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS? IT'S NOT THE ONLY NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THOSE STATS THAT SHOULD MANIFEST AN UNSHAKABLE MAJORITY OF REGULAR WORKING PEOPLE AND YOUNG FOLKS DOMINATING ELECTIONS. IF YOU JUST GO VOTE RENTERS, INCLUDING STUDENTS, IF WE ALL VOTED, THERE WOULD BE NO MORE LOCAL ELECTIONS WHERE WE HAVE TO SCRAP AND FIGHT WITH THESE SINISTER CORPORATE INTERESTS, CROOKED DARK MONEY AND OTHER TENDRILS OF THE LOCAL OLIGARCHY. THEY DO NOT WANT YOU TO VOTE. SO RENTERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE VOTE NO MATTER WHAT. WITH THESE PRECINCTS, GO VOTE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONER. 
          MY NAME IS CARRIE JACKSON AND I AM A CONCERNED CITIZEN. I LIVE IN WYOMING, MICHIGAN. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PRECINCTS AND THE REDUCTION IN NUMBERS. I. GOOD EVENING. I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AS A PRODUCT OF MY ENVIRONMENT. SOMEONE WHO HAS SEEN FIRSTHAND THE POWER OF THOSE WHO SPOKE WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW MY PRIVILEGES WERE BEING DENIED. AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN MISSISSIPPI DURING THE JIM CROW, DURING THE JIM CROW ERA, AND LATER AS A YOUNG WORKER AT GM, BEING REPRESENTED BY UAW, I STILL A PROUD, PAYING UNION DUES RETIREE. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE PEOPLE TO FIGHT FOR ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW MY RIGHTS EXISTED. TONIGHT I STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS, SPEAKING FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT BE HERE AND SPEAKING FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNAWARE OF THE DANGER THAT LIES AHEAD OF US. MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT FULLY AWARE ABOUT THE CITY PLAN TO REDUCE PRECINCTS AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT IT WILL HAVE ON EACH OF US PERSONALLY AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. REDUCING VOTING PRECINCT IS A DIRECT FORM OF VOTER SUPPRESSION. SOME ARGUE THAT TURNOUT, EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT ARE COST SAVING ARE 
          [00:15:09]
PRIORITY, BUT DOES THAT JUSTIFY MAKING IT HARDER FOR THOSE TO VOTE? WE ARE ADDING FEWER VOTING. MAKE IT EASIER. THIS IS NOT JUST IT'S A FORM OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT. 
          DISENFRANCHISEMENT, SOMETHING THAT I KNEW MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, BUT IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP IN MY FACE TODAY. LEGALLY. I AGREE THAT GETTING PEOPLE TO THE POLL IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THAT DOES THAT MEAN IT? WE SHOULD MAKE IT HARDER FOR THEM TO VOTE. WHY ADD TO THE DIFFICULTIES TO THE PROCESS INSTEAD OF ELEVATING, INSTEAD OF ELIMINATING PRECINCTS, WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO ADD? THINK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE AFFECTED. THINK ABOUT THEM. ADAMS APARTMENT SIX B SCHOOL, MULICK PARK, BOSTON SQUARE, WHO LIVE IN THOSE AREAS. THINK ABOUT IT. I ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR VOTE. OR AT LEAST RECONSIDER REDUCING ADDING NUMBERS BACK TO THE PRECINCT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND OPPORTUNITY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATHY HARRIS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF OUR GRAND RAPIDS, A PHILIP RANDOLPH INSTITUTE, AND I'M ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PROACTIVE. PROACTIVE. THIS YEAR MARKS THE POWERFUL MILESTONE IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY. THIS IS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. IT WAS A PROMISE, A PROMISE THAT EVERY CITIZEN, REGARDLESS OF RACE OR BACKGROUND, WOULD HAVE A VOICE IN OUR DEMOCRACY. THAT PROMISE WAS BUILT ON THE SACRIFICES OF GIANTS. A PHILIP RANDOLPH, BAYARD RUSTIN, AND MANY OTHERS WHO SOWED THE SEEDS OF JUSTICE LONG BEFORE 1965. IT IS OUR DUTY TO KEEP THAT LEGACY ALIVE. I STAND BEFORE YOU ON BEHALF OF PROACTIVE. IT'S AN ACRONYM FOR PEOPLE REACHING OUT, ACTIVELY COMING TOGETHER, INCREASING VOTER EMPOWERMENT. WE ARE A NONPARTIZAN GET OUT THE VOTE COALITION, MADE UP OF OVER 25 ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO ONE MISSION MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS, SHOW UP, SPEAK OUT AND ARE COUNTED ON ELECTION DAY. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK SINCE 2004 AND WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. WE WORK TO PROTECT THE PURITY OF THE ELECTION PROCESS, TO EMPOWER OUR PEOPLE, AND TO ENSURE THAT VOTING IS ACCESSIBLE, FAIR AND FREE OF OBSTACLES. OUR ELECTION PROTECTION TEAM INCLUDES VOTE, VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK EVERY ELECTION TO DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS TO VOTE. THEY RESOLVE ISSUES, ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND REMOVE ANY BARRIERS TO YOUR VOTING. DURING THE 2024 ELECTION, OUR TEAM IDENTIFIED 28 PRECINCTS WITH VOTER TURNOUT WITH LESS THAN 50% OF VOTERS, LESS THAN 50% OR LOWER, AND ALL 28 PRECINCTS WERE IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR 15 IN THE FIRST WARD, ONE IN THE SECOND WARD AND 12 IN THE THIRD WARD. THESE ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS. THESE ARE NEIGHBORHOODS. THESE ARE YOUR FAMILIES. AND THESE ARE VOICES THAT WERE UNCOUNTED AND UNHEARD. AS STACEY ABRAMS ONCE SAID, VOTER SUPPRESSION HAPPENS WHEN LEADERS DISCOURAGE YOU FROM VOTING OR UNDERMINE THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN DEMOCRACY. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE THE POLL TAXES AND LITERACY TESTS. IT LOOKS LIKE POLICIES THAT QUIETLY SHRINK ACCESS AND CHIP AWAY AT OUR POWER. HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, OUR MAIN ISSUE IS GETTING VOTERS TO ACTUALLY VOTE. THEREFORE, THE SAVE ACT, WHICH ACTS IN THE MODERN WHICH ACTS AS A MODERN DAY VOTER SUPPRESSION BILL, WILL HAVE A DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT IN GRAND RAPIDS. IF PASSED, THE SAFE ACT WOULD DISENFRANCHIZE MILLIONS OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS. ELIGIBLE VOTERS. IT WOULD REQUIRE IN-PERSON PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP TO REGISTER TO VOTE. IT'S DESIGNED TO CREATE HURDLES, NOT FAIRNESS. WILL WE STAY? WILL WE STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IF WE DON'T FIGHT BACK TOGETHER? WILL YOU STAND WITH US? WILL YOU FIGHT YOUR VOICE AND THE VOICES OF YOUR COMMUNITY? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T STAND UP NOW, WE MAY NOT GET A CHANCE LATER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, CITY COMMISSIONER, CITY STAFF. MY 
          [00:20:12]
NAME IS LIZ BOURQUE. I'M AN ATTORNEY AND A POLICY STRATEGIST AT THE ACLU OF MICHIGAN. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT THE CLERK'S PROPOSED CLOSURES AND CONSOLIDATIONS. SO THE ACLU IS, OF COURSE, CONCERNED ABOUT VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT. WHEN A WHEN A MUNICIPALITY SEEKS TO CONSOLIDATE OR CLOSE POLLING SITES WITHOUT VALID JUSTIFICATION AND INTENTIONAL PLANNING, POLLING CLOSURES CAN RESULT IN DISPROPORTIONATE BARRIERS TO MINORITY COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN VOTERS. SOME FACTORS THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER WHEN EVALUATING WHETHER CONSOLIDATION OR CLOSURE MIGHT DISENFRANCHIZE A GROUP OF FOLKS WOULD BE LIKE ACCESSIBILITY FOR VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES UNDER THE ADA PROXIMITY, POLLING LOCATIONS FOR VOTERS, ABSENTEE AND EARLY VOTING OPPORTUNITIES, SUFFICIENT NUMBER AND CONVENIENT LOCATION OF DROP BOXES. IS THERE SUFFICIENT STAFFING AT POLLING SITES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE VOTERS TO MINIMIZE LONG WAIT TIMES? LOOKING AT CLERK PLAN, WE SEE THAT MOST VOTERS WHOSE PRECINCT WILL CHANGE WILL ACTUALLY SEE THEIR POLLING LOCATIONS ARE ACTUALLY CLOSER TO THEIR HOMES OR SIMILAR DISTANCES. IN ONE CASE, ACCESSIBILITY FOR VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES WILL IMPROVE AS THEY WON'T HAVE TO FACE A STEEP CLIMB UPHILL FROM A PARKING LOT TO THE PRECINCT. IN THE CASE OF ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS, THE BUILDING IS EXPECTED TO BE DEMOLISHED BEFORE THE MIDTERM ELECTION. SO IN ADDITION, HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, AS WELL AS ACROSS THE STATE, VOTER BEHAVIOR IS CHANGING BECAUSE THE STATE'S BECAUSE OF THE STATE'S RECENT CITIZEN LED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS IN 2018 AND 2022. WE NOW ENJOY NO REASON OR ANY REASON, ABSENTEE VOTING AND AT LEAST NINE DAYS OF EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING. AND WE LEARN FROM THE NOVEMBER ELECTION THAT A MAJORITY OF VOTERS IN GRAND RAPIDS, 57% VOTED BEFORE ELECTION DAY. THE ACLU OF MICHIGAN AND OTHER VOTING RIGHTS PARTNERS LIKE OUR FRIENDS AT PROACTIVE GRAND RAPIDS, HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS CITY CLERK FOR OVER A YEAR ABOUT THESE PROPOSALS, AND WITH AN EYE TOWARDS ENSURING VOTERS RIGHTS FOR ALL GRAND OPINIONS BASED ON THE DATA FROM THE PAST ELECTION, THE CAREFUL CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN TO VOTERS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, MAXIMUM DISTANCES FROM POLLING PLACES, STATE LEGISLATIVE AND SCHOOL DISTRICT LINES. WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED PRECINCT CLOSURES ARE JUSTIFIED AND STRIKE A REASONABLE BALANCE OF ALL FACTORS. THANK YOU. 
          HELLO FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS. THIS VOTER REDISTRICTING. IDEA THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT TODAY. TO ME, IT SMELLS LIKE GERRYMANDERING. THIS IS A THIS IS A WAY TO. THIS IS A PLOY. BY THE CURRENT REGIME IN DC. WHO WANTS TO IGNITE BLACK VOTER SUPPRESSION. I SUGGEST YOU DON'T FALL FOR IT. BECAUSE IT WILL. BECAUSE IF YOU DO. IT'S GOING TO BE MORE HEADACHE. THAN YOU. THAN YOU, JUST THAN YOU THINK. DON'T BE LIKE GEORGIA. DON'T BE LIKE ALABAMA. DON'T BE LIKE MISSISSIPPI. DON'T BE LIKE TEXAS. DON'T BE LIKE FLORIDA. WHERE YOU GOING TO HAVE? THE EYE OF? SEPARATIST INDIVIDUALS. GOING TO PURGE YOUR VOTING. AND THEY WILL DO IT. SO YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT THIS. YOU DON'T WANT LONG LINES. AND THE VOTERS WHO GET TIRED OF WAITING IN THE LINES, THEY SAY, THE HELL WITH IT. I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE ANYMORE. IT'S NOT GOOD. YOU WANT TO BE LIKE DOWN SOUTH. AND HAVE MORE CHAOS? AT THE POLLS, WHICH WOULD MEAN LESS TURNOUT. CAN'T HAVE THAT. DON'T WANT THAT. DON'T NEED THAT. SO THINK ABOUT IT AND COME UP WITH A BETTER 
          [00:25:12]
PLAN. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS OAK. I AM FROM THE FIRST WARD. THIS IS MY SECOND TIME AT A COMMISSION MEETING. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PRECINCTS AS WELL AND SOME FISCAL STUFF. I AM ONE OF THE AFOREMENTIONED RENTERS. I AM 26. I LIVE WITH THREE OTHER 26 TO 30 YEAR OLDS IN A HOUSE THAT I RENT, AND I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE OUR FUTURE. BUT LAST TIME I WAS HERE, SOMEONE MENTIONED I THINK THE NUMBER WAS $20,000, ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE WOULD SAVE BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES REORGANIZING CAN BE GOOD. LIKE SOMEONE SAID EARLIER, WE COULD REORGANIZE LIKE THAT SOUNDS GREAT. I KNOW I HAVEN'T LEARNED AS MUCH ABOUT THIS AS Y'ALL, BUT I HAVE LIKE A MILLION OTHER JOBS. BUT I DO HAVE THE SMALL CLAIMS. FIRST QUARTER, $71,000 WERE PAID OUT FROM THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS TO SMALL CLAIMS THINGS USUALLY GRPD CARS OR SNOWPLOWS DAMAGING BUILDINGS. IF THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY TO GRAND RAPIDS, THEN WHY ARE WE CUTTING MONEY HERE? I ALSO, AGAIN, FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME, BUT DO WE NEED TO RUSH THIS RIGHT NOW WHEN EVERYTHING IS FALLING DOWN AROUND US? ARE WE GOING TO SURPRISE GRAND RAPIDS WITH NEW PRECINCTS THAT MAY HAVE LESS PRECINCTS? SOME OF THEM WERE MENTIONED LAST TIME CONSOLIDATING THINGS IN THE SAME BUILDING. YEAH, SURE. THAT'S GREAT. BUT IF WE'RE JUST REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF VOTING PLACES, IS THAT REALLY WHAT WE NEED? YEAH. I'M ALSO NEVER QUITE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT DURING THIS PORTION OF IT. SO I SUPPOSE THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY FOR THIS TIME AROUND. THANKS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SERGIO REYES. I LIVE IN THE SECOND WARD. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER PERDUE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I HEARD THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE CONSOLIDATION AND CLOSING OF PRECINCTS WAS FROM YOUR VIDEO. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT HAD CAUSED A LOT OF CONCERN FOR ME AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT I KNOW. WHEN I MENTIONED IT TO THEM, LIKE NOBODY REALLY THAT I MENTIONED IT TO KNEW THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING. SO THAT'S MY FIRST CONCERN ABOUT LIKE THE PRECINCTS CLOSING. I THINK THAT MORE PEOPLE NEED TO BE MADE AWARE ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION OF PRECINCTS CLOSING. AND ALSO, LIKE I AGREE WITH OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE TALKED LIKE THE SAME THING CAME TO MIND. LIKE THIS IS THE TIMING IS NOT NOT THE GREATEST GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY. THE OTHER PART IS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE ALSO MENTIONED THE IMPACT OR THE EFFECTS OF IT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO. IT'S ALMOST LIKE. DISENFRANCHIZING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEIR PRECINCT HAD MOVED. WE ALREADY HAVE A DIFFICULTY GETTING FOLKS TO COME OUT AND VOTE MAKING A SUDDEN CHANGE LIKE THIS. I THINK IT WILL IMPACT PEOPLE MORE. THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO HAVE AN EFFECT, LIKE LIKE THE GERRYMANDERING OF PRECINCTS. 
          I THINK THAT SOMEBODY MENTIONED IT TO ME HERE BEFORE AND THAT ALSO CAME TO MIND AS WELL. I THINK I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL AS A COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER, GIVE MORE TIME FOR PEOPLE, FOR YOU TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY IN ADDITION TO THIS, THIS FORM, HAVE MORE, MORE HEARINGS AND MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO SEE, TO GIVE THEM TIME TO PREPARE AND TO HEAR MORE FROM COMMUNITY ABOUT WHETHER THIS CHANGE IS RIGHT FOR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR THIS EVENING. I'M HERE, I'M KELLY JACKSON, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER GRAND RAPIDS BRANCH OF THE NAACP. I AM ALSO HERE REPRESENTING OUR NAACP MICHIGAN STATE CONFERENCE, WHICH CONSISTS OF OVER 50 BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES WITH RESPECT TO THE CITY CLERK IS PROPOSING IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY CLOSING POLLING LOCATIONS, BUT CONSOLIDATING PRECINCTS. AND I ALSO ACTUALLY WANT TO THANK THE CITY CLERK FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE IN TERMS OF THE 
          [00:30:08]
ANALYSIS THAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO IT, IN THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO IT. BUT I WANT TO FIRST SAY WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS NOT NECESSARILY FOR A NO VOTE, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED, AND IT'S NOT A RUSH. IT'S NOT CRITICAL. I WANT TO ALSO LIFT UP TO YOU THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT DIED FOR THE VOTE, THE RIGHT TO VOTE, MEDGAR EVERS, JIMMIE LEE JACKSON. THEN MY MIC GET TURNED OFF. JAMES CHANEY, ANDREW GOODMAN AND MICHAEL SCHWERNER. VIOLA LOUISA. SO THOSE ARE REAL INDIVIDUALS. THOSE ARE REAL LIVES THAT ACTUALLY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO VOTE. AND SO THE POSITION OF THE NAACP IS WE ARE TOTALLY AGAINST THIS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN EXPANDING ACCESS. WE UNDERSTAND CREATING EFFICIENCIES. WE UNDERSTAND IN COST SAVINGS, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOT A REASON TO TALK ABOUT VOTER TURNOUT AND REGISTRATION. ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTS TO VOTE, I DON'T CARE HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS IN THIS COMMUNITY SHOW UP AT A POLLING LOCATION. EVERY INDIVIDUAL SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED. IT SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED. THE COMMUNITY THIS THIS PLAN HAS NOT BEEN SOCIALIZED IN COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE VOTERS AND ASK THEM WHAT IS THEIR PRIORITIES AND HOW DO WE INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT, TURNOUT AND VOTER REGISTRATION? ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. KARIM SCALES HERE, RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION, TO THE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, WASHINGTON AS WELL. I SHOULD HAVE WENT AFTER PRESIDENT JACKSON. HE'S A HE'S A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, BUT I'LL BE REALLY BRIEF IN MY COMMENTS. I THINK I ECHO A LOT OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS THAT PRESIDENT JACKSON AND SERGIO SPOKE OF. I THINK AS VOTING RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK, THIS IS A STEP BACK. WE FEEL LIKE THIS SETS A BAD PRECEDENT IN TERMS OF VOTER ACCESS. I'VE BEEN A LONG TERM VOTER ADVOCATE AS AN NAACP MEMBER, AND NOW THROUGH MY CONSULTANCY FIRM, SALES CONSULTING, PROVIDING SPACES TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF INTEREST AND OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY AND TO YOUR TO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE, VOTER TURNOUT HAS NOT BEEN WHAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED, BUT WE FEEL THAT ACCESS STILL NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE. AND I THINK THIS SETS A BAD PRECEDENT. SO I'LL CLOSE WITH THAT AND THANK YOU ALL. WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE PROPOSAL AND KEEP VOTERS INTERESTS IN MIND. AND FIRST, THANK YOU. HELLO. RUSSELL OLMSTED, WEST SIDE FIRST WARD RESIDENT. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK AS WELL ON THE ORDINANCE TO BE ADOPTED REGARDING THE VOTER VOTING PRECINCTS. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER PURDUE FOR YOUR YOUR WORK AND YOUR VOICE SPEAKING UP AGAINST THIS. I THINK THAT IT REALLY ILLUSTRATES THE WHAT WAS JUST PREVIOUSLY SAID THAT COMMUNITY HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK INTO THIS THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE. WE'RE DISCUSSING ACCESS TO VOTING. THERE'S NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY THAN ACCESS TO VOTING AND VOTING RIGHTS. AND IF WE ARE DISCUSSING CHANGING THAT IN ANY WAY, THERE HAS TO BE ENOUGH TIME TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC TO GAUGE WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS. I DON'T THINK THE TIMETABLE THAT THIS HAS BEEN PUT ON IS MAKES THAT POSSIBLE TO DO IN ANY WAY. I THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED UP TO THIS POINT. 
          CITY CLERK I APPRECIATE YOU BEING UPFRONT AND HONEST AND OPEN WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING DISTRIBUTED, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I AM CONCERNED BY THE LACK OF DETAIL IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY SORT OF COHESIVE PLAN, OR EVEN A FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF WHAT IT WOULD COST AS FAR AS AN INVESTMENT TO ENGAGE VOTERS, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE CHANGED, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE VOTING, HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO COST? I MEAN, IF WE AVERAGE IT AT 21,700 VOTERS 
          [00:35:06]
AFFECTED, IF IT COSTS $5 PER VOTER, THAT'S OVER $108,000. AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $20,000 SAVINGS, THAT'S FIVE ELECTION CYCLES. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FISCALLY TO PUSH IT FORWARD AT SUCH AN ADVANCED TIMETABLE. FROM A COST SAVING STANDPOINT, THAT SHOULDN'T BE PARAMOUNT. VOTING RIGHTS IS PARAMOUNT, BUT IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING IT AS IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT WAY THAT THE CITY CAN SAVE SOME MONEY AND BE EFFICIENT AND GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAX DOLLARS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE PUTTING IN. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT NECESSARILY MAKES SENSE. AND AGAIN, THAT'S IF IT'S AVERAGING $5 PER PERSON AS FAR AS AN ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN, IF WE GO TO $25 PER PERSON, THAT'S OVER 500 GRAND. THAT'S 25 ELECTION CYCLES. SO WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT? WHICH I DON'T THINK IT IS. BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, MOST IMPORTANTLY, IS THIS WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS AND NEEDS? AND WE HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION. AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A FULL REASON THAT HAS PUT OUT THAT MAKES SENSE TO EVEN DO THIS RIGHT NOW FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT, FROM A COST STANDPOINT, NOTHING. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE COHESIVE THING THAT SAYS WE HAVE TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS WORKING RIGHT NOW, AND RISKING DIFFERENTIATING VOTERS, RISKING ANY SORT OF INADVERTENT CONSEQUENCES. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH IT. SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL RECONSIDER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DANE GATES. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE BAXTER NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE THIRD WARD. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS WITH REDUCING POLLING LOCATIONS DURING A TIME OF MAJOR VOTER SUPPRESSION. MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY DISENFRANCHIZED BY REMOVAL AND REDUCTION OF POLLING LOCATIONS. DEMOCRACY DEMANDS AN EXPANSION IN EDUCATION, VOTER RIGHTS, AND ACCESS TO THE BALLOT BOX. IT IS LONG OVERDUE FOR THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT TO BECOME A VOTING RIGHTS LAW, AND MANY PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE POLLING PLACES. AND I KNOW PERSONALLY I LEARNED OF THIS WORD OF MOUTH. I DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS HAPPENING, AND ONE PERSON IN PARTICULAR REGRETS DEEPLY BEING HERE MARTHA COOPER. SHE WANTED TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THIS. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE IT SERIOUS CONCERN. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHTY. HI EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS AUSTIN MCFARLAND. I'M A RESIDENT OF KENWOOD, BUT I WORK IN THE THIRD WARD AT LINK-UP NONPROFIT HOUSING CORPORATION, AND I WANTED TO TALK ON THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE VOTING, THE VOTING PRECINCTS. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND WHEN I FOUND OUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY SURPRISED, ESPECIALLY AS HAS BEEN ECHOED MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, THE ONGOING CLIMATE THAT'S JUST IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW WITH THE VOTER SUPPRESSION. YOU KNOW, I, I FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY PUSHED THROUGH THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN REALLY IN AN ELECTION YEAR RIGHT NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF BEEN, YOU KNOW, STREAMLINED WAS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY CONCERNING TO ME. AND, YOU KNOW, AT LINK UP AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE THIRD WARD, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED AREA, NUMBER ONE, AND IT'S AN AREA WHERE VOICES HAVE BEEN KIND OF SILENCED OR NOT KIND OF, BUT EXTREMELY SILENCED AND NOT HEARD THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF GRAND RAPIDS. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY TRY TO PUT A PAUSE ON, ON, ON THIS MOVEMENT AND TRY TO FIND OUT WHY, YOU KNOW, VOTER TURNOUT IS SO LOW. YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THIS WAS VERY REACTIONARY. YOU KNOW, VOTER TURNOUT WAS LOW. SO LET'S CLOSE POLLING PLACES. BUT I THINK THE QUESTION SHOULD BE VOTER TURNOUT IS LOW. WHAT CAN WE DO TO GAIN VOTER TURNOUT IN SOME OF THESE AREAS? WHAT CAN WE DO IN ENGAGEMENT? AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY LIKES TO TOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH THEY DO AND ENGAGEMENT AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OUT THERE. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE AND THERE AND DOING ALL THIS. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO DO ENGAGEMENT. 
          AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE, WELL, WHERE IS IT AT? RIGHT. ON THE ISSUES THAT MATTER AND THE THINGS THAT MATTER FOR THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. SO IF THE CITY REALLY WANTS TO DO ENGAGEMENT, IF THEY REALLY WANT TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN BLACK AND BROWN POPULATIONS, WHICH THEY HAVE HISTORICALLY STRUGGLED TO BE IN, I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT AND TO DO 
          [00:40:04]
IT WELL. SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I THINK PUTTING A PAUSE ON THIS, SLOWING IT DOWN AND REALLY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WILLING TO GROW AND PROSPER. SO THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION, TO THE MAYOR, TO THE CITY STAFF. MY NAME IS NED ANDRE. I'M A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I RESIDE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AND I ALSO RESIDE IN THE THIRD WARD OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE VOTER, CONSOLIDATE THE PRECINCT CONSOLIDATION AND THE ELIMINATIONS. THIS IS A I WANT YOU ALL TO TAKE. WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH OF THE MICRO. I WANT EVERYBODY TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE MACRO. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS CHANGING IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS ON THE LINE. I WOULD SAY TO ALL OF YOU CITIZENS, DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS ON THE LINE. 
          SURE. YOU COULD ARGUE, OH, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF VOTERS THAT ARE IMPACTED IN THE WARDS AND THE PRECINCTS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK ONCE AGAIN AT THE WARD DELINEATIONS OF THE EIGHT THAT WILL BE CLOSING, FOUR OF THOSE WILL BE IN THE THIRD WARD, TWO IN THE FIRST, TWO IN THE SECOND, BUT FOUR IN THE THIRD. WHY COULDN'T IT BE THREE, THREE, THREE? WHY IS WHY DO WE GO TWO, TWO FOUR? BECAUSE THERE'S THIS STRATEGIC MOVEMENT TO DISENFRANCHIZE THE PEOPLE OF THE THIRD WARD TO SPLIT THE VOTERS AND TO MAINTAIN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POWER. I'D ALSO LIKE TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT IF YOU TAKE THAT BIG STEP BACK, YOU SEE THAT THIS IS JUST ONE CUT AND A DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS. WHEN WE KNOW THAT IN THE THIRD WARD, WITH THE ELECTION OF KELSEY PERDUE AND MARSHALL KILGORE, WE BROKE A 25 YEAR STREAK. WE'VE BEEN ON SPECIAL ELECTION. PARDON ME, WE'VE NOT USED SPECIAL ELECTION. 
          WE'VE BEEN ON CITY APPOINTMENT SO THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD TWO PUBLICLY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE THIRD WARDS FOR 25 YEARS. YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO 1999 BEFORE YOU GET TWO COMMISSIONERS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY SAY, HEY, WE HAD A COMMISSIONER IN THE THIRD WARD STEP DOWN. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO WE SHOULD HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION. 
          OH, THAT'S EXPENSIVE COST CUTTING MEASURES. WE NEED TO SAVE THESE DOLLARS AND WE NEED TO HOLD APPOINTMENTS. AND NOW THE TWO COMMISSIONERS FROM THE FIRST WARD, THE TWO COMMISSIONERS FROM THE SECOND WARD AND THE MAYOR AT LARGE, THOSE FIVE INDIVIDUALS, A VOTING BLOCK OF MORE THAN FOUR, THEY GET TO APPOINT A COMMISSIONER TO THE THIRD WARD. AND PEOPLE ARE DISENFRANCHIZED. WE KEEP HEARING THAT WORD DISENFRANCHISEMENT. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT VOTING. 
          SUFFRAGE IS ABOUT VOTING. DISENFRANCHISEMENT IS BIGGER. WE ARE NOT WOVEN INTO THE WOLF AND THE WARP OF THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY. THAT'S A WEAVING ON A LOOM. THE WOLF AND THE WARP. WE ARE DISENFRANCHIZED ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, HEALTH. IT COMES DOWN TO MENTAL HEALTH. IT COMES DOWN TO PUBLIC EDUCATION. WHEN WE SEE THIS INCREDIBLE PRIVATIZATION OF THE WE SEE THIS INCREDIBLE PRIVATIZATION OF THE COMMON GOOD. IT'S THE MARGINALIZED WHO SUFFER. IT'S ONLY 1.2% IN THIS PRECINCT. IT'S ONLY 4% IN THAT PRECINCT. BUT IF YOU GO CITY BY CITY ACROSS THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, YOU ALL ARE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. THE BLUEPRINT IS DISENFRANCHIZE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS. WE GOT TO PUT A STOP TO THAT. IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, DO IT WITH EXTREME CAUTION, EXTREME CARE, AND ADD SOME EQUITY TO THESE ALREADY DISADVANTAGED WARDS. AMEN. HERE I AM. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS VANESSA EPPS. I'M A MEMBER OF THE THIRD WARD, AND ALSO I'M A PART OF PROACTIVE UNDER MISS CATHY HARRIS AND MY EXPERIENCE IN SOME OF THE PRECINCTS THAT WE HAVE HELD OUR VOTING. IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A RUDE AWAKENING. I UNDERSTAND ADAMS PARK IS NEAR, FUTURE IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEMOLISHED OR, YOU KNOW, TAKEN AWAY. THAT'S ONE THING. BUT IN THAT EXPERIENCE, IT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THOSE, I SHOULD SAY SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDINGS WHEN THEY MAKE THAT CHANGE, THAT ADDRESS CHANGE, SOME OF THEM DON'T REALIZE MAYBE THEY HAD TO MAKE IT, OR MAYBE THEY DIDN'T HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS TO HELP THEM MAKE IT. AND THEN WHEN IT CAME TO THAT VOTING, THEY CAME DOWNSTAIRS. OH, I'M SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE BEFORE I CAN VOTE. THEN GUESS WHAT? WE HAVE TO FIND THEM SOME TRANSPORTATION TO GET THERE. SO WHEN ALL THIS STARTS BREAKING UP AND BREAKING DOWN, AND WHEREVER THE OTHER PROPOSED PLACES WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THE PLACES THAT ARE GOING TO BE CLOSED, THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, OKAY, WELL, HOW WILL I GET THERE? AND WHERE IS THIS AT? AND THEN THOSE OF US THAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND 
          [00:45:07]
AND DON'T MIND HELPING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT ARE IN THE TRENCHES, WE HAVE TO FIND SOME TRANSPORTATION. HOW THEY GET THERE. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ADDRESS CHANGE. DID YOU DO THIS? DID YOU DO THAT? LET'S SLOW IT DOWN. LET'S TAKE SOME INVENTORY. LET'S GET SOME FACTS OF THE MATTER OF THE PEOPLE WHO IS GOING TO EFFECT BEFORE YOU GUYS DO MAKE THAT CHANGE. AS FAR AS CHANGING THE PRECINCT WHERE THEY'RE ALREADY USED TO MAKING. WE APPRECIATE THAT FOR THE CONSIDERATION FOR ALL, NOT JUST SOME ALL. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MRS. JOYCELYN JOSEPH. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MRS. JOYCELYN JOSEPH ROBINSON. I AM A MEMBER OF THE NAACP, AND I AM A VOLUNTEER FOR PROACTIVE. KATHY HARRIS. I KNOW THIS IS A TEDIOUS SITUATION WHEN YOU HAVE TO SIT UP AND YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK. BUT I'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR FACES. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART, BUT TO BE JUST SHORT AND TO THE POINT, WE DON'T NEED TO DECREASE. WE NEED TO INCREASE. I GOT NO MORE TO SAY. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. THAT MOVES US ALONG IN OUR AGENDA. TO. I WOULD 
          [APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ASK FOR A VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. I THINK I HEARD TWO MOTIONS, SO I'LL COUNT THAT AS A SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES. SAY I. I 
          [PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]
OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS. MR. CLERK. WE GOT A COUPLE TONIGHT. COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM CHRISTINE BURKE REGARDING HER RESIGNATION FROM THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND LAND BANK AUTHORITY REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM ZACH MCGRAW REGARDING ONGOING NUISANCE AT 3445 LAKE EASTBROOK BOULEVARD, SOUTHEAST AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM ANDREA WILSON, INCLUDING A FOIA APPEAL FOR FOIA REQUEST NUMBER 2020 5558, RECEIVED AND FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM SCOTT ATCHISON REGARDING DIRECTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AT PEARLAND. MONROE, STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM ESTEBAN LEON, INCLUDING AN APPEAL TO FOIA REQUEST NUMBER 2025 249. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JUDD MABRY REGARDING GANG ACTIVITY ON THE WEST SIDE. RECEIVED AND FILED A COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM PAUL MAYHEW REGARDING MINORITY PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION IN THE JURY SELECTION PROCESS. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM WILL BUKOWSKI, GARFIELD PARK NEIGHBORHOODS ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE CHAIR, ASKING THE CITY COMMISSION FOR ONE MORE CONVERSATION AMONG THE RESIDENT LED COMMITTEE MEMBERS. BEFORE RENAMING ROOSEVELT PLAZA, STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JOHN WILLETT EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE BOUNDARIES OF PRECINCTS. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM LEE NELSON WEBBER EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO UPDATE THE BOUNDARIES OF PRECINCTS FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM CYNTHIA JORDAN AND INCLUDING LETTERS FROM BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS IN SUPPORT OF NAMING A NEW PARK SPACE AT 680 CESAR CHAVEZ SOUTHWEST UNITY PARK, STEVEN FILED. THIS BRINGS US TO 
          [REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]
REPORTS FROM OUR CITY OFFICERS. FIRST ONE IS COMPTROLLER'S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF MARCH 25TH, 2025 THROUGH APRIL 14TH, 2025, IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,137,563.02 IN THE MONTHLY TRAVEL AND SMALL CLAIMS REPORTS STEVEN FILED AND THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR A PERIOD OF APRIL 
          [CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]
3RD, 2025 THROUGH APRIL 16TH, 2025. STEVEN FILED. THIS BRINGS US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCES AUDIENCE AND WATCHING THIS IS BULK APPROVAL OF THINGS WHICH PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE EARLIER IN COMMITTEE AND WHICH DID NOT RECEIVE A SPECIFIC REQUEST TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D ASK FOR A VOTE TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT, THEN. AND THAT BRINGS US TO ONE ITEM. AND THAT IS. NOTHING REMOVED. 
          [00:50:02]
NOTHING REMOVED FROM CONSENT. SO ORDINANCES. OH, I'M SORRY NOTHING'S BEEN REMOVED FROM 
          [1. Ordinance amending Section 1.46 of Chapter 3 of Title I of the Code of the City of Grand Rapids entitled “Voting Precincts” to update the boundaries of certain precincts.]
CONSENT. I WAS WRONG. SO THAT BRINGS US THEN TO OUR ORDINANCES TO BE ADOPTED. THE FIRST ONE IS THE FIRST AND ONLY IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 1.46 OF CHAPTER THREE OF TITLE ONE OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, ENTITLED VOTING PRECINCTS TO UPDATE THE BOUNDARIES OF CERTAIN PRECINCTS. I SEE, IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER SASSY. THANK YOU. MAYOR. AT OUR LAST MEETING ON APRIL 15TH OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY COMMISSION ADOPTED A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE ATTACHED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT AND SCHEDULING THE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING. IT AMENDS SECTION 1.46 OF CHAPTER THREE, TITLE ONE OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, ENTITLED VOTING PRECINCTS. I WILL ALSO ADD THAT TODAY AT OUR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, THAT WE HAD A ROBUST BRIEFING FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD AS WE SET THIS RESOLUTION DATE. AND THEN I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. I'LL ALLOW YOU TO OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY ELSE. SO BECAUSE THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM FOLKS FROM TONIGHT, I WILL CERTAINLY BE MAKING SOME COMMENTS, BUT I'D LIKE TO SIMPLY GO WARD BY WARD AND START WITH OUR SENIOR FIRST WARD COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON. SURE. THANKS, MAYOR. AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD PRESENTATION THIS EARLIER THIS MORNING ABOUT THIS. I KNOW WE'VE DELIBERATED QUITE A BIT FROM THIS BODY, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE. I'LL JUST REITERATE BRIEFLY. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK ANYTIME SOMEONE HEARS A CHANGE IN OPERATIONS OF BOUNDARIES, OF LINES AS IT PERTAINS TO VOTING, OF COURSE THAT'S GOING TO INVOKE SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. I THINK MYSELF PERSONALLY, I'VE, I'VE ASKED A LOT OF PEOPLE WITHIN THE FIRST WARD FRIENDS, FAMILY MEMBERS, ORGANIZATION LEADERS, SO ON AND SO FORTH. I'VE TALKED WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER BELICHICK TO REALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR CITY CLERK IS A FANTASTIC PROFESSIONAL AT WHAT HE DOES, AND HIS ROLE EXISTS SOLELY TO MAKE ELECTIONS AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE AND AS WIDELY ACCEPTABLE FOR EVERYBODY AS POSSIBLE. AND SO, HAVING WORKED WITH HIM THE PAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE UTMOST CONFIDENCE THAT WHAT HE'S PROPOSING IS GOING TO DO IS GOING TO DO JUST THAT. AND SOMETIMES CHANGE BRINGS ABOUT POSITIVE IMPACTS. AND I DO TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, NOT HARDER. I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME MISCOMMUNICATIONS. I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME MISINFORMATION AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THE IMPACTS OF THIS MIGHT BE. BUT SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, MY OWN ENGAGEMENT THAT I'VE DONE WITH NEIGHBORS, RESIDENTS, FRIENDS, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS PLAN IS GOING TO DO IS GOING TO ADD A LOT OF VALUE TO OUR ELECTION PROCESS. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BELICHICK. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS ENGAGING AND MAKING YOUR COMMENTS. I AM MAKING NOTES AND TAKING ALL OF THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY INTO ACCOUNT. I DO ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED HERE ON THE COMMISSION ON THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME AN EXTREMELY ROBUST CONVERSATION AND AT THE RISK OF GOING BACK TOO FAR, I DO WANT TO REMIND THAT EVERYONE THAT WE ARE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ELECTION COMMISSION. SO WE ARE WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US TO SET THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS ACCORDING TO OUR CHARTER. AND THEN THE ELECTION COMMISSION IS ACTUALLY THE ONE TO DO THE MAPS AND THINGS. SO THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IS, YOU KNOW, TO DECIDE TO GOVERN WITH EVERYONE IN MIND. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO. I KNOW THAT IN MY REVIEW, DEEP DIVE AND DILIGENT WORK IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT MAY NOT HAVE GOOD TURNOUT, OR MAY HAVE PEOPLE THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED DISENFRANCHIZED, I, I FEEL THAT AND DONE THE DO THAT DOING THAT WORK HAS SET ME UP TO BE ABLE TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT IN THE FIRST WARD AND ACROSS THE CITY, WE ARE PROBABLY NO. LET ME REPHRASE THAT. WE ARE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN. THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE CAN'T CHANGE THE NUMBERS AGAIN. AND THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORY OF CHANGES OVER THE YEARS. WE DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER THAT WE STARTED WITH FIVE, SIX, TEN, EVEN, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER TEN YEARS FROM NOW. BUT. THERE ARE, ARE CHALLENGES TO GETTING PEOPLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE AND GET OUT, GET OUT TO VOTE. AND THOSE CHALLENGES ARE ALSO A COMMUNITY WIDE ENDEAVOR. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT RIGHT NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING WITH THE CLERK AND ASKING AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE IS NOT THE ONLY RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY. AND COMMUNICATING HOW THINGS ARE 
          [00:55:06]
CHANGING. THERE IS A THERE IS A STRONG COMMUNICATION PLAN IN PLACE. EVERYONE WOULD GET A NEW VOTER REGISTRATION CARD, ETC. SO THERE ARE DETAILS OF HOW IT WOULD BE DONE. BUT THE THING THAT'S IN FRONT OF US IS SETTING THE NUMBER. AND THEN ANOTHER DISCUSSION ON APPROVING THE MAPS. POTENTIALLY, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE CONFIDENT WE HAVE CONFIDENTLY MOVED FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GETS THE RIGHT TO VOTE, HAS A POLLING PLACE THAT'S SAFE, SECURE. 
          ACCESSIBLE, AND THAT WE CAN. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO FINISH THAT SENTENCE RIGHT NOW. I THINK I'M LISTENING TO YOU. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT I HAVE, BASED ON MY DUE DILIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE AT THIS TIME AND THAT I'M I'M OKAY WITH THESE CHANGES FOR NOW. COMMISSIONER FOR THE SECOND WARD. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COME OUT TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO HAVE REACHED OUT, PICKED UP THE PHONE, HAD A CONVERSATION. I APPRECIATE THAT WITH MANY OF YOU THAT ARE THAT ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE. COMMISSIONER NIGHT AND I ALSO CHATTED WITH SOME COLLEAGUES AND NOT COLLEAGUES, BUT WITH SOME CONSTITUENTS FROM OUR LAST MEETING AS WELL. I APPRECIATE ALSO THE LOCAL REPORTING FROM THE STATE SIDE ARTICLE THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER TODAY THAT DID SOME OF THE ANALYSIS PIECES ABOUT THE LOCATION IDENTIFICATION, IDENTIFICATION OF KIND OF WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF US. SO I SHARED IN ONE OF MY MESSAGES TO CONSTITUENT THAT THIS CONVERSATION DID BEGIN IN 2023, RECOGNIZING THE TWO CITIZEN LED BALLOT PROPOSALS IN 2018 AND 2022, ONE TO ENSHRINE NO REASON ABSENTEE, AS WELL AS THE EARLY VOTING, WE WORKED ON THOSE PROPOSALS. SOME HAVE MENTIONED THE DROP BOX PIECES, WORKING WITH OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM, AS WELL AS EARLY VOTING. IN THIS LAST CYCLE, I WAS REMINDED BY COMMISSIONER LANIER WHEN I WAS CHATTING WITH HER ABOUT OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING AND THESE CONVERSATION POINTS, AND WENT BACK AND, MAYOR, I BELIEVE YOU WERE ON THE COMMISSION AT THAT TIME WHEN WE DID HAVE LONG WAIT TIMES IN DIFFERENT POLLING LOCATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE THIRD WARD. AND THAT CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, I'LL SUMMARIZE IT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME IT WAS REALLY ABOUT ACTUALLY SOME REDUCTIONS IN PRECINCT LOCATIONS AND A CONSOLIDATION TO ENSURE THE QUALITY. AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THOSE. I THINK THE WAIT TIMES HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I DO THINK ABOUT THERE'S PROBABLY NOTHING IN MY HEAD THAT'S MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAN CITIZEN LED PROPOSALS, WHERE INDIVIDUALS GO TO THE BALLOT BOX AND THEY SAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THOSE TWO PARTICULAR PIECES THAT I MENTIONED AND FULFILLING THAT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT GOES VERY WELL. I DID WANT TO CLARIFY SO THAT SO TO ME, I THINK THERE WAS A MENTION THAT THIS IS BEING DONE BECAUSE TURNOUT IS LOW. THAT IS THAT IS NOT WHAT WAS PRESENTED. SO I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. AND THEN LASTLY I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY THE ELECTION COMMISSION CONSIDERATIONS OF WHERE WE'RE DIFFERENT, WHERE WE'RE DIFFERENT SCHOOL CLOSURES AS RELATED TO GR, HOW ARE THE LINES, PARTICULARLY IN CORE CITY AS IT RELATES TO OUR COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICTS DESIGNED? SO WE WANT WE WANTED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THINGS LIKE NO MULTIPLE BALLOTS AT ONE PRECINCT LOCATION BECAUSE THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, A CAUSE FOR A SPOILED BALLOT OR GETTING THE WRONG BALLOT. I SPENT TIME TALKING TO INDIVIDUALS. SO BACK IN THAT TIME OF 2008, THERE WAS A BODY THAT WAS CREATED THAT WAS CALLED THE ELECTION ADVISORY GROUP. AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, I SEE SOME HEAD NODDING AND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? WHY IS THIS GOING ON? AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT BODY HAS BEEN MEETING HAS HAS SHARED THOSE THOUGHTS. I THINK IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF US, LIKE OUR, OUR ONE OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY WILL BE AROUND THE CONSIDERATION OF NAMING OF A PARK, WHICH I THINK TO ME, THAT IS WHERE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE CONVERSATION, REVIEWING THE PROCESS. SO I'M VERY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT SECTION OF THE BODY. THIS IS WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF A PRECINCT LOCATION? WHAT IS GOING TO 
          [01:00:03]
HAPPEN IN TERMS OF TIMING AS IT RELATES TO CLOSURE OR DEMOLITION OR THINGS LIKE THAT? AND THEN WE DO WANT TO GIVE OURSELVES ENOUGH TIME THEN TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUT THE COMMUNICATION PIECES. AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER KILGORE REACHED OUT. I MENTIONED THIS TODAY IN MY COMMENTS. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD DONE IN THE PAST, LIKE RAPID FREE RIDES ON ELECTION DAY, WELL, IT SUGGESTED, WHAT ABOUT FREE RIDES ON THOSE EARLY VOTING SATURDAYS? HOW DO WE WORK WITH THE RAPID TO DO THAT? HOW DO WE SHIFT ADS THAT HAVE BEEN FACEBOOK ADS, AND HOW DO WE SHIFT THEM INTO LOCAL MEDIA? HOW DO WE SHIFT THEM INTO GROUPS AND DO MINI GRANTS WITH THOSE THAT ARE ON THE GROUND? AND I THINK SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF A LOT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS. SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH OF WHAT THOSE COMMENTS WOULD BE. SO I'VE REVIEWED THIS. I FEEL LIKE I'VE DISCUSSED IT, EVALUATE IT, AND I WILL BE VOTING YES ON THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KNIGHT. I WON'T DOUBLE UP ON WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN. HAVING MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS NOT JUST IN OUR WARD, BUT ACROSS THE COMMUNITY FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD WARD, TALKING TO A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED WITH THIS PROCESS FOR A FEW YEARS. I'VE HEARD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE TIMING OF IT, AND I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THIS IS THE TIME BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PRIMARY COMING UP NEXT YEAR. THIS IS THE TIME WHERE WE BEGIN TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, AND IF PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO BE EDUCATED, THEY CAN JUST SEE WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. RIGHT. AND A LOT OF THE VOTING RIGHTS THAT ARE BEING SUPPRESSED IN OTHER STATES AND COUNTIES, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE NOT CODIFIED INTO LAW THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO GO AND DO THINGS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND TRY TO LIMIT THE ACCESS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD STAND FOR. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DO. AND HAVING COME FROM A FAMILY THAT WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, MY FATHER WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. MY WHOLE FAMILY DID NOTHING BUT ADVOCATE FOR RIGHTS OF PEOPLE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE STATE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS INGRAINED IN ME, AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. OUR JOB HERE IS TO LISTEN TO A NUMBER OF VOICES ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, AND TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS BASED ON ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE GATHER. I HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES PEOPLE MENTIONED THE EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THEIR RIGHTS AND THAT THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS. I BELIEVE EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT FUNDING THAT WAS PLACED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS DEPARTMENT TO DO EDUCATION, TO DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEIR VOTER CARDS ARE GOING TO CHANGE, THAT THEIR PRECINCT ISN'T GOING TO BE ON ONE SIDE OF THE GYM OR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GYM. IT'S JUST ONE PLACE IN THE GYM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW WHERE TO GO, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO GETTING TO THOSE SPACES AND WORKING WITH THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY, AS THEY HAVE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, TAKING PEOPLE TO THE POLLS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING THERE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS IN THOSE SPACES AND THAT THEY KNOW WHERE THOSE SPACES ARE GOING TO BE. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DOING THE BEST POSSIBLE WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND IF IT TURNED OUT ANY OTHER WAY, I GUARANTEE YOU EVERYBODY ELSE UP HERE IS GOING TO BE SCREAMING. BUT I DO NOT FEEL RIGHT NOW THAT WE ARE DISENFRANCHIZING BECAUSE THAT WORD MEANS IT'S PRETTY DEEP FOR ME WHEN YOU MAKE THAT STATEMENT. 
          I DO NOT FEEL THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO TO PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY ARE MY FAMILY. THEY'RE MY NEIGHBORS. THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY. SO I DO NOT FEEL THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE MAKING THE BEST POSSIBLE CHOICES IN THIS TIME SO THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO RAMP UP AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND GET PEOPLE THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED. SO WE ARE READY WHEN THOSE PRIMARIES HIT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO, IS GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO USE YOUR VOICE. 57% OF OUR COMMUNITY DID EARLY VOTING. AND NOT ENOUGH OF US SHOWED UP IN PERSON, AND WE ARE ALL FEELING THAT. AND BELIEVE ME, THE WAVE HAS NOT CRASHED YET. SO WHY WE'RE ARGUING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER? WE NEED TO START WORKING BETTER TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST POSSIBLE WORK THAT WE CAN TO GET PEOPLE TO STAND UP AND USE THEIR VOICE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WATCHED THE NEWS TODAY, BUT OUR COLORED FRIEND WAS IN MACOMB COUNTY. AND THEY SHOWED A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE IN SUPPORT. BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW 
          [01:05:01]
MANY OF YOU SAW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WERE STANDING ALONGSIDE THE ROADS PROTESTING. 
          WE WOULDN'T BE IN THAT PLACE IF ENOUGH OF US HAD WENT AND DID OUR JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER PERDUE. YES. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. IT'S GREAT TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU HERE. YOUNG PEOPLE, FOLK REGULARS, EVERYONE IN BETWEEN, AND REALLY THANKFUL THAT SO MANY FOLKS SHOWED UP ON A NUMBER OF REALLY IMPORTANT ITEMS. BUT CERTAINLY THE PROPOSAL IN FRONT OF US AROUND VOTING PRECINCTS. BEFORE I SHARE MY REMARKS, I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          REALLY, I THINK THIS IS FOR CITY MANAGER AND OUR OUR DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY. I AM INTERESTED IN PUTTING IN THE FORMAL RECORD FOR THIS MEETING RELATED TO THIS ITEM, THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WAS ISSUED LAST WEEK REGARDING A COMMITMENT TO BRING BACK AN AMENDMENT THIS WEEK, AND THEN THE AMENDMENT THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE POTENTIAL AMENDMENT THAT WAS NOT BROUGHT BACK TO US TODAY, THAT WAS SHARED VIA EMAIL. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADD TO THE FORMAL MINUTES FROM TODAY OR ISSUE INTO THE AGENDA? COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE A PUBLIC RECORD. I MEAN, ALL THESE MEETINGS ARE RECORDED. SO I'M REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE SO LAST, SO LAST TIME THIS CAME BEFORE US, THERE WAS A COMMITMENT MADE FROM OUR CITY CLERK THAT HE WOULD BRING BACK AN AMENDMENT FOR US TO CONSIDER TODAY THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, HAPPEN IN A FORMAL CAPACITY. SO FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, MY QUESTION IS MIGHT WE ENTER WHAT HE EMAILED US THAT HE HAD INTENDED TO BRING BACK TODAY THAT WAS NOT ACTUALLY PRESENTED IN A FORMAL CAPACITY? MIGHT WE ENTER THAT INTO THE FORMAL MINUTES FOR TODAY? FOR THE RECORD, I CAN DO THAT. I CAN DO THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT GETS CAPTURED. AND I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL TODAY, BECAUSE THAT WAS CERTAINLY AN AREA OF DISAPPOINTMENT, THAT COMMITMENT BEING MADE AND NOT NOT REALLY BEING FOLLOWED THROUGH TODAY. SO I AM AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL AS IS. AND THERE ARE A FEW REASONS WHY THAT WHY THAT IS. WE'RE ACTUALLY THERE'S ONLY ONE REASON WHY THAT IS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY I SUPPORT MANY PARTS OF THIS PROPOSAL. WHAT IS IN FRONT OF US IS A PROPOSAL TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VOTING LOCATIONS IN THE CITY. THE JUSTIFICATION FOR SOME OF THOSE REDUCTIONS IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TWO PRECINCTS NEXT TO EACH OTHER THAT HAVE BEEN VOTING IN THE SAME, LET'S SAY, CHURCH FOR THE LAST MANY YEARS. TWO BALLOTS, TWO LINES, TWO, TWO GROUPS OF ELECTION WORKERS. AND SO PART OF THE PROPOSAL IS TO MAKE THOSE TWO PRECINCTS INTO ONE RIGHT ON SUPPORT. ANOTHER PART OF THE PROPOSAL IS SPECIFIC TO VOTING LOCATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THE PRECINCT, BUT MOVE THE VOTING LOCATION FROM A SCHOOL THAT'S CLOSING TO A CHURCH. AS AN EXAMPLE, BECAUSE OF CLOSINGS, BECAUSE OF CONSIDERATIONS LIKE THAT, AS WELL AS FOR INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY. RIGHT ON, I SUPPORT THAT. THE THIRD PART OF WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US IS A COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF PRECINCTS EIGHT ACROSS THE CITY FOR SPECIFICALLY IN THE THIRD WARD. THAT IS THE ONLY PART OF THIS PROPOSAL THAT I'M ASKING TO BE RECONSIDERED AND TO BE AMENDED TO BRING BACK THOSE FOUR SITES THAT ARE SLATED FOR ELIMINATION IN THE THIRD WARD TO BRING THOSE BACK. OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC AND TO YOU ALL HERE THAT I HAVE COME TO THIS CONVERSATION FROM A PLACE OF COMPROMISE AND FROM A PLACE OF TRULY ADVOCATING FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL IN OUR CITY. I WANT TO ADDRESS A NUMBER OF COMMENTS MADE TODAY BECAUSE I WANT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. OKAY, IT WAS MENTIONED AROUND THE DATA THAT WAS USED TO INFORM THESE DECISIONS, RIGHT? THIS THIS NEW PROPOSAL. EARLIER TODAY, I ASKED IF THERE WAS DATA ON THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO WILL BE TURNING 18 BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT PRECINCT NUMBERS OR REGISTERED VOTERS DATA NOT AVAILABLE, I ASKED FOR DATA ON WHO WILL BE IMPACTED. THE NUMBER IS 21,000. 
          PEOPLE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE IMPACTED. MY QUESTION IS, WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE? THERE'S NO DATA ON WHO THEY ARE. WHAT ARE THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS? WHAT IS THEIR INCOME? WHAT IS THEIR ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION? WHAT IS THEIR THEIR LANGUAGE BARRIERS AND THEIR LANGUAGE NEEDS? NONE OF THAT WAS PRESENTED. AND SO WHILE I DO THAT, I THINK THAT THERE WAS DATA CRUNCHING AND CONSIDERATION. I DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS COMPLETE. AND I THINK WE NEED A COMPLETE ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PROPOSAL AND THIS, THIS REALLY SERIOUS CHANGE, SIGNIFICANT CHANGE MIGHT MEAN. AND I SAY SIGNIFICANT TWO TWO YEARS AGO, LAST 2022 ELECTION, ONE OF OUR LOCAL RACES. SORRY, IT WAS A STATE RACE DISTRICT OVERLAPPING THE THIRD WARD WAS LOST BY LESS THAN 65 VOTES. STATE RACE DETERMINED BY LESS THAN 65 VOTES. EIGHT PRECINCTS ARE BEING SLATED TO BE CLOSED, TEN PEOPLE PER PART. PRECINCTS AS BEING CLOSE TO US, 
          [01:10:05]
A LITTLE HARDER TO VOTE THIS TIME. I'M NOT SURE THAT IS WHAT LITTLE BIT IT TAKES TO DETERMINE A RACE, AND THAT'S HOW EASILY FOLKS CAN BE LEFT BEHIND. WHAT I HEAR IS THAT FOR SOME THAT THIS IS A NON-ISSUE BECAUSE FOR MOST PEOPLE IT'S OKAY. THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO THE ARTICLE THAT IT SAYS THAT FOR MOST PEOPLE THIS IS OKAY, THAT'S GREAT. THAT IS GREAT NEWS. THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE DATA ANALYSIS THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US FROM OUR CLERK'S OFFICE. AND I'M VERY GLAD FOR THAT. INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION ABOUT MOST. THIS IS NOT A CONVERSATION ABOUT AVERAGES. THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL. HOW IS THIS IMPACTING EVERYONE AND WHO MIGHT BE LEFT BEHIND, WHO MIGHT LOSE BECAUSE OF THIS DECISION? THAT'S THE CONVERSATION. THAT IS THE LENS THAT WE ALL ARE CHARGED WITH BRINGING TO THIS CONVERSATION. 
          WE SHOULD BE WORKING AS A TEAM SO THAT WE CAN ALL SO WE CAN IDENTIFY AND PREVENT THOSE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. I WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US TODAY IS NOT AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. IT IS HOW MANY NUMBER OF PRECINCTS AND VOTING LOCATIONS WE HAVE IN THE CITY. IT'S NOT AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, AND CERTAINLY A BUDGET REQUEST FOR A ROBUST EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. AND TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL HAS NOT COME TO US AND HAS YET BEEN HAS NOT BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION TO DATE. TO PAIR WITH THIS PROPOSAL, I'LL CONTINUE. A FEW FOLKS SAID, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MIGHT SAVE MONEY, AND THE FIRST PRESENTATION THE CITY CLERK SHARED THAT BY CLOSING THE 15 SITES THAT ARE SLATED TO BE CLOSED WITH THIS PROPOSAL, THE CITY WILL SAVE $20,000. ANY EXPENSE THAT'S UNDER $20,000 DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL. 
          THAT'S HOW MINUSCULE THAT AMOUNT IS. I STARTED DOING THE MATH. IT WAS LIKE 0.0000. RIGHT. SO I JUST ANY THREAT TO DISENFRANCHIZE, ANY THREAT TO MAKING IT ANY MORE DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE IN OUR CITY TO VOTE SHOULD NOT EVEN BE CONSIDERED. THIS SHOULDN'T EVEN BE A CONVERSATION. I'VE HEARD THE COMPARISON OF WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THIS. THOSE CITIES ARE ALSO LOSING POPULATION. WE ARE NOT. WE ARE GROWING. NOT SURE HOW MANY MORE 18 YEAR OLDS WILL COME ONLINE, BUT I KNOW THERE'LL BE A LOT. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER BECAUSE THAT WASN'T PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US TODAY AGAIN IS THE NUMBERS. WE'RE NOT TALKING SPECIFIC VOTING LOCATIONS THAT WILL COME TO US LATER, AND THERE WILL BE MORE TIME TO INPUT INTO THAT. BUT I DO WANT TO CALL OUT ONE, BECAUSE THE ISSUES OF ADAMS PARK HAS COME UP A NUMBER OF TIMES IN THAT THEIR NEW POLLING LOCATION IS NOT SLATED TO BE VERY FAR. IT'S DOWN THE HILL. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH FULLER AND ADAMS IS DOWN, ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS IS RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, AND THE NEW VOTING LOCATION IS PROPOSED TO BE AT THE BOTTOM. WELL, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ADAMS PARK, YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A LARGE APARTMENT BUILDING THAT IS IN DISREPAIR AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL LIVING THERE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE ARE ELDERLY, THEY ARE LOW INCOME AND MANY OF THEM ARE DISABLED. SO TO ACCESS THAT POPULATION TO GET IN THEIR WHEELCHAIR, TO GET IN THEIR WALKER AND GO DOWN THAT HILL IN NOVEMBER TO CAST THEIR BALLOT IS UNCONSCIONABLE. AND THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I'VE SAID TO PEOPLE DIRECTLY, I'VE SAID TO OUR CITY MANAGER, I'VE SAID TO MY COLLEAGUE IN THE THIRD WARD, I'VE SAID TO OTHERS, I'VE SAID TO THE PUBLIC, IF SOMEONE CAN GIVE ME A REASON HOW THIS MAKES IT EASIER, I WILL BE ON BOARD, SHOW ME HOW IT'S EASIER, AND I AM ON BOARD BECAUSE I AM NOT ABOUT MY STANCE VERSUS YOUR STANCE. I'M LIKE, WHAT IS THE OUTCOME? WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? WHAT IS THE BEST IDEA? AND I HAVE NOT YET GOTTEN THE ANSWER. 
          AND IF ANYONE CAN ANSWER THAT TODAY, I WELCOME TELL US ALL HOW THIS PROPOSAL WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN OUR CITY TO VOTE, AND I WILL RECONSIDER MY VOTE TODAY ON THE SPOT. WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS VOTE, COMPARED TO A LOT OF CONTROVERSIAL THINGS THAT COME IN FRONT OF US, A LOT OF THINGS THAT BRING OUT A BIG CROWD LIKE THIS GET A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT. 
          IS THIS USUALLY PEOPLE SAYING, ABSOLUTELY, YES, WE NEED THIS, OR PEOPLE SAYING, ABSOLUTELY NOT, WE DON'T NEED THIS, RIGHT? IT'S REALLY LIKE OPPOSE. YES, NO. BUT WITH THIS ISSUE IT IS. 
          PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED OR PEOPLE ARE NEUTRAL AND NOT CONCERNED. THEY'RE OKAY WITH IT. 
          THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WHO'S ON THAT OPPOSITE END. SO THIS IS NEUTRALITY OR PLEASE DON'T DO IT. PROTECT THE VOTE. AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I DO NOT THINK THAT IT BEHOOVES US TO 
          [01:15:03]
MAKE THIS DECISION. WE HEARD FROM SOMEONE TODAY TO TAKE EXTREME CAUTION AND CARE. AND THAT IS MY COMMITMENT IN DECISIONS LIKE THIS. AND I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO TAKE EXTREME CAUTION AND CARE WITH ME. YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE IN THE THIRD WARD, COMMISSIONER KILGORE, HAS YET TO SPEAK. THE MAYOR HAS YET TO SPEAK. BUT I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT MY INTENT, AFTER WE ALL HAVE OR MAKE OUR COMMENTS, IS TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US, TO INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS TO 59, IS TO REDUCE IT TO 63, IN ORDER TO RETAIN THE FOUR SITES IN THE THIRD WARD THAT ARE UP FOR ELIMINATION. AND SO I ASKED IF NOTHING ELSE, THIS ISSUE IS FOLKS ARE CONCERNED OR THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NEUTRAL. SO WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS? THIS IS A VERY EASY CHOICE, UNLESS WE'RE TAKING THE FOUR THAT ARE SET FOR ELIMINATION. LET'S COMPROMISE AND NO COMPROMISE ON THE GOOD WORK, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T COMPROMISE ON VOTING ACCESS. BUT WE CAN CREATE EFFICIENCIES. WE CAN CREATE CONSOLIDATIONS, WE CAN FIND BETTER VOTING LOCATIONS, AND WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT NEGATIVELY, NEGATIVELY IMPACTING ANYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHILE THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND NUMBERS AND AGE DATA THAT WAS SHARED WITH US TO JUSTIFY AND HELP US UNDERSTAND THESE, THIS EXACT PROPOSAL, WHAT I DO KNOW ANECDOTALLY, AND WHAT MANY OF YOU SPOKE ABOUT TODAY, IS THAT THESE CHANGES, AND PARTICULARLY THESE ELIMINATIONS, ARE SET TO TAKE PLACE. MAJORITY AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. AND I FIND THAT EXTREMELY UNACCEPTABLE. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING. THIS ISSUE IS NOT ABOUT ME. IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUAL UP HERE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR. I HAVE COMMENDED EVERY TIME THIS CONVERSATION HAS COME UP. I HAVE COMMENDED OUR CITY CLERK. I HAVE COMMENDED HIS EXCELLENCE. I HAVE COMMITTED HOW WELL ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN RUNNING IN OUR CITY. I HAVE COMMENDED HIS ENGAGEMENT WITH MANY OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY AND WITH US, AND I TRULY MEAN THAT. BUT I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL PROFESSIONAL ENOUGH AND INTELLECTUAL ENOUGH TO SAY IT COULD BE A BOTH AND RIGHT. WE CAN HAVE EXCELLENCE AND WE CAN STILL HAVE BLIND SPOTS, AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO FILL THOSE BLIND SPOTS. SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUAL PERSON ON THIS DAIS. THIS IS TRULY ABOUT YOU. AND THIS IS TRULY ABOUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EVEN IN THIS ROOM AND WHO MIGHT NOT EVER BE. AND THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE ALL THAT MATTERS OR SHOULD MATTER IS EVERYONE IS UP HERE IS WE SHOULD NOT IN ANY WAY EVEN BEGIN TO THREATEN ANY ACCESS TO THE VOTING BOOTH. SO AFTER THE FINAL COMMENTS, I WILL BE OFFERING THAT AMENDMENT, AND I AND I, I ASK, I HOPE THAT FOLKS WILL JOIN ME ON THAT. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES, THANK YOU MAYOR. THERE HAS BEEN ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED PRECINCT CHANGES AND A FEW THINGS COME TO MIND FOR ME. ONE, A DIRECT ASK FROM COMMUNITY FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY IN OUR DECISIONS. AND MYSELF, COMMISSIONER BELCHER AND MAYOR LA GRANDE HAVE ADVOCATED FOR INCREASED STAFF SUPPORT FOR THESE CONCERNS SINCE TAKING OFFICE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. I ALSO WOULD ECHO COMMISSIONER STACY'S COMMENTS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT NUMBER OF WAYS. ONE IS DIRECT VOTING IN ITSELF. SO THESE PROPOSED CHANGES COME FROM VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTING YES. IN 2018, 66.8% OF VOTERS SUPPORTED PROPOSAL 13 THREE EXCUSE ME IN 2018, WHICH HAS ALLOWED FOR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THESE CHANGES. THE SECOND POINT I HAVE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, VOTER TURNOUT IS A CONCERN FOR MYSELF AND OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S CLEAR. AND FOCUS ON FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE CITY CLERK, CITY STAFF AND COLLEAGUES SUCH AS DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS WITH COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN A HIGH LEVEL OF VOTER TURNOUT. THINKING OF THINGS LIKE COMMISSIONER SASSY SAID THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IN A ROBUST MANNER, SUCH AS REIMAGINING COMMUNICATION PLANS. SO NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON THE OUTDATED WAY OF FACEBOOK, BUT LOOKING AT ALL OF THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA THAT'S COME OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, OR DIRECTLY TARGETING RADIO STATIONS THAT WE KNOW OUR COMMUNITIES LISTEN TO. IN ADDITION, COMMISSIONER SASSY ALSO NOTED OUR CONVERSATIONS THAT A LOT OF US ARE HAVING ABOUT INCREASING ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION. THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE RAPID TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. ALSO, INVESTING IN OUR LOCAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP THEM STRENGTHEN THEIR VOTER VOTER EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL. I WANT TO ALSO ADDRESS TIMING HERE. SO THE ELECTION COMMITTEE WANTED TO ENSURE WE HAD DATA FROM ELECTIONS BEFORE PROPOSING CHANGES. SO THAT'S WHY THESE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE IN FRONT OF US NOW. THEY'RE INFORMED BY THE 
          [01:20:01]
ELECTIONS THAT WE JUST PREVIOUSLY HAD. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE IN AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE TIMING OF THESE ACTIONS, LINING UP BY ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS THE SAVE ACT, WHICH SOMEONE NOTED TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, WHERE SOME OF OUR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THEIR IDS MAY NOT MATCH THEIR SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTS BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE A DEAD NAME ON THEM. SO I UNDERSTAND THE FEAR, THE CONCERN RIGHT NOW IN A DEEP WAY. ALSO, BEING A PART OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY WHERE THE SAVE ACT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE FOLKS. 
          SOMEONE NOTED THIS TODAY AS WELL, ESCAPING JIM CROW SOUTH. THEY HAVE NO WAY LIKE MY FAMILY MEMBERS, NO WAY TO CONTACT THOSE COUNTIES TO GET THESE SUPPORTIVE DOCUMENTS THAT THEY WERE FLEEING. SO I ONCE AGAIN, IN A DEEP WAY, UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS AND FEARS AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE POOR AND JUST HONESTLY SAD ACTIONS TAKEN AT DIFFERENT LEVELS, BUT ARE NOT OCCURRING HERE. AND I ALSO WANT TO LASTLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISTRUST IN GOVERNMENT THAT SOME COMMUNITIES MAY HAVE. I GOT TO WATCH A VERY INFORMATIVE. I WANT TO THANK THE LOCAL NAACP GRAND RAPIDS CHAPTER FOR HAVING AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT WITH THE CITY CLERK AND MY COLLEAGUE IN THE THIRD WARD, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, ABOUT THESE CHANGES, AND PRESIDENT JACKSON SAID IT WELL OF WE SIMPLY HAVE A DISTRUST IN THESE PROCESSES. BUT I THINK IN THIS TIME, IN THIS MOMENT, WE MUST LEAN INTO TRUE REASONING, RESEARCH FACTS AND EXPERTS IN THESE DECISIONS AND AVOID THE DISINFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO OUR COMMUNITY. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC RADIO STATE SIDE ARTICLE, WHERE THERE WAS A DEEP DIVE THAT SHOWED THAT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD SHORTEN TRAVEL TIMES IN THE THIRD WARD, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ELECTED TO PROTECT AS A THIRD WARD. I'M NOT SEEING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LONG LINES. I'M NOT SEEING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASED, OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF FOLKS WITHIN PRECINCTS, AND WE'VE SHORTENED TIMES. SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRUST IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE MAY HAVE THAT DISTRUST. WE MAY SEE THAT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS HONESTLY A CIRCUS, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO TRUE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBLE ELECTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. WELL, FOLKS, AND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, I FIRST OF ALL WANT TO FOUNDATIONALLY OFFER YOU WHAT I THINK IS I HOPE, I SINCERELY BELIEVE IS A TRUE STATEMENT, AND THAT IS THAT EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION ABSOLUTELY PRIORITIZES VOTER ACCESS AND VOTER AND VOTER ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE OVER ANY OTHER CONCERN IN THIS CONVERSATION. 
          NOW, IT MAY BE THAT COMMISSIONER PERDUE COMES DOWN ON A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THIS VOTE THAN OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO ANYONE IN THIS ROOM TO MAKE THE FALSE CONCLUSION THAT BECAUSE SHE IS MAKING ARGUMENTS BASED ON HER CONCERN ABOUT VOTER ACCESS, THAT ANY OF THE REST OF US ARE MAKING ARGUMENTS AGAINST VOTER ACCESS, I AND ALL OF I CAN TELL YOU, SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, THAT I WOULD NOT BE VOTING FOR SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT REDUCED VOTER ACCESS. I AM CONVINCED THAT THE PLAN PRODUCED BY OUR CLERK WILL WILL NET INCREASE VOTER ACCESS. NOW, THERE'S AN IMPORTANT WORD THERE. NET. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER THAT THAT WAS IN SOME OF THE EARLIER DISCUSSION WAS WAS FRANKLY MISSED. SO IT'S EASY TO SAY, WELL, THERE ARE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY SOMETHING THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. BUT IT CAN ALSO BE TRUE THAT THE NET RESULT FOR THE COMMUNITY CAN BE MORE ACCESS. 
          AND SO IF THE NET RESULT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SLIGHTLY HARDER ACCESS, THEY HAVE TO WALK A BLOCK OR TWO FURTHER THAN THEY DID, BUT MORE PEOPLE ARE CLOSER TO THEIR POLLING LOCATIONS THAN THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY IT. THEY HAVE TO WALK A BLOCK OR TWO OR TRAVEL AN EXTRA BLOCK OR TWO. THAT'S TRUE. BUT IF THE NET RESULT IS IF ONE PERSON HAD TO WALK AN EXTRA BLOCK AND 99 PEOPLE GOT TO SAVE A HALF A MILE WALK, YOU WOULD SAY THAT THAT WAS A NET IMPROVEMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. NOW, IF IT MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THAT ONE PERSON TO VOTE, YOU CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO APPROVE THAT PLAN. BUT BUT NOBODY CAN SERIOUSLY SUGGEST HERE THAT THE PLAN PRODUCED BY THE CLERK IS GOING TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM VOTING. NOW, WHY IS THAT TRUE? WELL, A NUMBER OF REASONS. ONE IS WE HAVE NO 
          [01:25:01]
REASON ABSENTEE VOTING NOW. AND IN FACT, WE GIVE PEOPLE APPLICATIONS WITH PRE-APPROVED POSTAL POSTAGE ON THEM. THAT WASN'T TRUE A FEW YEARS AGO. SO WE'VE HAD A MASSIVE INCREASE IN VOTING ACCESSIBILITY IN GENERAL. WHAT'S ALSO TRUE, WE HAVE EARLY VOTING IN THE CITY. IT MEANS WHEN YOU GO TO ONE OF THOSE PLACES, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PRECINCT YOU CAME FROM. IF YOU GO TO ONE OF THOSE POLLING VOTING LOCATIONS, YOU JUST GET TO VOTE. THAT IS A NEW AND BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S MADE VOTING ACCESS MASSIVELY MORE EASY AND MORE AVAILABLE. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO KNOW WHAT PRECINCT YOU VOTE IN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW WHERE YOUR POLLING LOCATION IS. IF YOU KNOW WHERE ONE OF THOSE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS IS. AND FRANKLY, ONE OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER STACY, SHARED WITH ME THAT THAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE OF A COUSIN OF HERS, THAT SHE JUST KNEW THAT SHE COULD TAKE HIM DOWN TO AN EARLY VOTING PLACE. SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT PRECINCT HE WAS IN. THE ONLY RELEVANT QUESTION WAS, WAS HE A CITIZEN OF GRAND RAPIDS? WELL, HE COULD VOTE AT ONE OF THOSE ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS. SO WE'VE HAD A MASSIVE INCREASE IN AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH AND THIS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT A FEW TIMES, THAT MEANS THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY VOTED BEFORE VOTING DAY. NOW, DOES THAT MEAN WE WANT TO MAKE IT HARD ON VOTING DAY? OF COURSE NOT. BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT WE CAN THAT THAT THE WORLD CHANGES AND THINGS CHANGE, AND WE CAN'T STICK A PIN IN THE WORLD AND SAY NOTHING'S EVER GOING TO CHANGE. SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE WERE, WHAT ABOUT THE TIMING? WELL, TIMING. THIS IS A GOOD LONG TIME BEFORE THE MIDTERMS IS A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN DOING IT REALLY CLOSE TO THE MIDTERMS. IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO VOTE, YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM TIME TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT. YOU WANT THE TIME. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THIS NOW RATHER THAN LATER. AND THERE'S A REASON WE WAITED TILL NOW BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET THROUGH THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND GET DATA AND GET INFORMATION FROM HOW THAT EXPERIENCE WENT. AND THAT'S INFORMED THIS PLAN. SO WE WANTED TO DO IT AFTER NOVEMBER, BUT NOT NOT REALLY CLOSE TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEXT FEDERAL MIDTERMS. SO THE TIMING IS NOT A NEGATIVE THING HERE. IT'S IMPORTANT. AND THE TIMING IS A LONG TIME IN ADVANCE OF SOME OF OUR REALLY, REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL UPCOMING ELECTIONS. SOMEBODY ELSE ASKED, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? WELL, THERE ARE SOME OBVIOUS PROBLEMS THAT ARE THAT ARE GOING TO NECESSITATE THIS. THINGS CHANGE. SO A COUPLE EXAMPLES. ALEXANDER SCHOOL IS GOING TO CLOSE. ALEXANDER SCHOOL HAS BEEN A POLLING LOCATION IN THE PAST. PARDON ME. WELL ALEXANDER WE DON'T USE OH I'M SORRY I'M SHOWING MY AGE. WE USED TO VOTE ALEXANDER WHERE WE USED TO HAVE SIX HOURS OF, OF WAITS. BUT EAST LEONARD FOR EXAMPLE, IS CLOSING. WELL, THAT MEANS WE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT ANYMORE. IF THAT'S TRUE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A PLAN B JUST BECAUSE REALITY IS GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN FOR US. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT'S TRUE IS THE ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE CLOSED. NOW WE CAN KEEP A MEMORIAL VOTING LOCATION ON THE SITE OF THE OF THE BUILDING, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT OUR BEST RESPONSE TO HOW DO WE MAKE VOTING EASY AND ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE. IT'S TRUE THAT THAT IF YOU LIVE IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING AND THERE'S A POLLING LOCATION IN YOUR APARTMENT BUILDING THAT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU THAN IF IT'S NOT, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE TO NOT HAVE A VOTING LOCATION IN EVERY SINGLE APARTMENT BUILDING IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. IT'S TRUE THAT THERE ARE ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO LIVE AT ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS. IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT THERE ARE ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE APARTMENT ACROSS FROM MY CHURCH ON EASTERN AVENUE. THERE ARE ELDERLY PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN APARTMENT BUILDINGS ALL ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. THE RELEVANT QUESTION HERE IS, ARE WE PROVIDING ACCESS AND GOOD, ROBUST ACCESS TO VOTING FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND THE COMBINATION OF EARLY VOTING, THE COMBINATION OF ABSENTEE VOTING, AND THE COMBINATION OF LOCATIONS THAT ARE REALLY VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE IS KEY HERE. SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VOTING LOCATIONS. NOT ALL LOCATIONS ARE EQUAL. AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SORT OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, ANXIETY WITHOUT A LOT OF DETAIL. SO I DIDN'T HEAR ANYBODY SAY, I DON'T WANT THIS LOCATION TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE IT'S PROBLEMATIC, EXCEPT THE ONE THAT COMMISSIONER PURDUE MENTIONED, WHICH WAS THE ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS. NOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF PROBLEMS THERE. ONE IS THAT THE ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS ISN'T GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXIST AS FAR AS WE KNOW. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS NOR NOT PROBLEM. BUT THE OTHER POINT TO MAKE HERE IS THAT THERE IS A NEW, REALLY ACCESSIBLE LOCATION TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM ADAM PARK APARTMENTS, WHICH WILL REALLY HAVE GOOD ADA ACCESS. AND IT'S ALSO ON A REALLY MAJOR VISIBLE CORRIDOR, AND THAT'S THE LOCATION OF THE HUB. NOW, WE COULD ARGUE ABOUT WHETHER THE HUB IS A BETTER LOCATION FOR VOTING FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR VISIBILITY THAN ADAMS PARK APARTMENTS. I COME DOWN IN FAVOR OF SAYING THAT THE HUB WOULD ACTUALLY BE AN IMPROVEMENT. THAT'S ONE OF 
          [01:30:04]
THE REASONS I LIKE THIS PLAN. SO I HAVE AND MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF LIKE, DOES THIS MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITY? THAT'S OUR PRIMARY GOAL. AND JUST SO JUST SO EVERYONE'S CLEAR, I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF ANYONE UP ON THIS DAIS WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MONEY IN THIS CONVERSATION. SO I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S A DISTRACTION FROM THE CONVERSATION AT BEST. TO BE HONEST, I SHOULDN'T HAVE EVER BECOME PART OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE ALL ANYBODY, ALL ANYBODY AT THIS DAIS CARES ABOUT, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ROBUST VOTER ACCESS. NOW, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE FIVE LOCATIONS, FIVE POLLING LOCATIONS IN BASEMENTS ON MY BLOCK. THAT WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VOTING LOCATIONS WE HAD BY FIVE. AND YOU COULD ELIMINATE THE CHURCH I VOTE AT THAT WOULDN'T INCREASE VOTER ACCESS. IT WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF POLLING LOCATIONS. THE QUESTION ISN'T WHAT OUR TOTAL NUMBER OF POLLING LOCATIONS IS. THE QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE A CITY WIDE PLAN THAT GIVES PEOPLE GOOD ACCESS TO VOTING? AND IF WE WEREN'T SATISFIED WITH THAT FOR A SPECIFIC REASON, THAT REASON SHOULD BE ARTICULATED. THE PLAN, THE PLAN, THE PLAN IS GENERALLY AVAILABLE. AND THE PLAN. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU AND I WILL I WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE FAIRLY IMPORTANT HERE WHERE I GO TO VOTE. THERE ARE TWO LINES IN THE VOTING LOCATION. I STILL DON'T KNOW IF I STOOD IN LINE IN THE WRONG LINE, AND I REALIZED AT 804 THAT I WAS IN THE WRONG LINE WHETHER I WOULD LEGALLY HAVE NOT BEEN IN MY POLLING LOCATION BECAUSE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN STANDING IN THE OTHER LINE, AND WHETHER I WOULD GET TO VOTE. SO HAVING A LOCATION WHERE YOU HAVE TWO LINES FOR TWO DIFFERENT PRECINCTS IN THE SAME BUILDING IS INHERENTLY CONFUSING AND PROBLEMATIC. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS PLAN DOES IS ELIMINATE THAT PROBLEM. SO YES, THAT INVOLVES NUMERICALLY FEWER PRECINCTS, BUT IT ACTUALLY INVOLVES MAKING VOTING EASIER AND LESS COMPLICATED. SO I WANT TO MAKE ALL THOSE POINTS BEFORE WE WENT TO VOTING. AND I AGAIN WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S THAT IF WE INVOKE FEAR AND INVOKE INVOKE HORRIBLE POSSIBILITIES WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC OBJECTION, I DON'T THINK, OF COURSE, WE ARE ALL AGAINST LACK OF VOTER ACCESS. WE ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF ROBUST PARTICIPATION IN OUR DEMOCRACY AND IN, IN, IN PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHOWING UP AND VOTING. 
          AND WE ARE NOT VOTING TONIGHT ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PLANS TO GET PEOPLE TO THE POLLS. THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY. IF THERE WAS IF THERE WAS A COMPELLING ARGUMENT THAT THE NEW POLLING LOCATIONS WOULD PREVENT PEOPLE FROM VOTING OR OR LOWER TURNOUT, I HAVE NOT HEARD IT, AND I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THAT'S THE CASE. IF WE WANT TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT, THERE ARE PROGRAMS AND WAYS TO DO THAT. BUT THEY, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, DO NOT INVOLVE DEVIATING FROM A PLAN WHICH IS GOING TO GIVE US NET BETTER POLLING LOCATIONS, MORE VISIBLE POLLING LOCATIONS, MORE ACCESSIBLE POLLING LOCATIONS. THANK YOU. 
          MAYOR. COMMISSIONER PERDUE, YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I DO, AND IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR SO MANY OF YOUR COMMENTS. YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU DID HEAR FROM EVERYONE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD IMPACT VOTER ACCESS. COMMISSIONER AND I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH AND TRUST IN THE PUBLIC. 
          AND YOU ALL HERE AND PEOPLE WATCHING THAT. YOU ALL CAN SEE THROUGH SMOKE AND MIRRORS AND YOU CAN SEE THINGS CLEARLY IN LIGHT OF THE CONVERSATION, IN LIGHT OF THE CONCERNS I'VE SHARED IN LIGHT THAT THE CONSOLIDATOR OR THE CHANGE IN THE PRECINCTS WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER. COMMISSIONER, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. YES. THANK YOU. CAN MAKE THE MOTION. THAT'D BE GREAT. THIS ISN'T AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REBUTTAL. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GIVING A REBUTTAL. I'M GIVING ADDITIONAL DATA TO SET UP MY AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. 
          WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT? YES. THANK YOU. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? THANK YOU. 
          SURE. SO IN LIGHT OF NOT ABIDING BY THE STANDING RULES OF THE COMMITTEE, WE CAN WE CAN HAVE. 
          THERE ARE REASONS, FOLKS. WE DON'T HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS. THAT IS NOT AT ALL HAVE WE COULD ALL HAVE MORE THAN ONE TIME? WELL, IT IS ACTUALLY. I JUST ASKED THE CITY ATTORNEY. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT DOCUMENTED BECAUSE THEN WE'VE BROKEN EVERY WE'VE BROKEN THAT RULE ALMOST EVERY MEETING. SO AS I WAS SAYING, I WOULD LIKE TO PREPARE TO SHARE MY AMENDMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I THINK ONE ADDITIONAL THING TO CONSIDER AS I MAKE THIS AMENDMENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN MENTIONED HERE RIGHT NOW IN THIS MEETING, IS THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD CHANGE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS PER PRECINCT, AND THE CHANGES AND THE INCREASE IN THOSE AVERAGE NUMBERS IS DOUBLE IN THE THIRD WARD THAN IT IS IN THE FIRST. 
          THE INCREASE IN THE THIRD WARD WOULD BE 335 PEOPLE PER PRECINCT. THE INCREASE IN THE THIRD WARD WOULD BE 680. SO THIS IS ANOTHER REASON AND ANOTHER DATA BACKED REASON OF WHY I AM 
          [01:35:05]
MAKING THE AMENDMENT AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE PRECINCTS TO 59 TO REDUCE THEM TO 63, TO MAINTAIN OR RETAIN THOSE FOUR THAT ARE SET FOR ELIMINATION. THAT WAS MY THAT WAS MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT. DISCUSSION IS NOT IS NOT CARRIED. SORRY. MY MOTION IS NOT SUPPORTED. CITY CLERK I'D ASK FOR A ROLL CALL, VOTE ON THE. ASK FOR ROLL CALL. VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE. POINT OF ORDER, MAYOR. I'M HEARING AUDIENCE MEMBERS SAY THEY COULD NOT HEAR WHAT YOU SAID. CAN YOU REPEAT IT SO IN THE MICROPHONE SO FOLKS CAN HEAR, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THE MOTION WAS NOT SUPPORTED. SO WE WILL NOW BE VOTING ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. NO ONE HEARD THE SUPPORT CALL. IT WAS NOT ON THE MIC. OH, WE REWOUND AND RESTATED OKAY NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU. LUCAS, IS THERE SUPPORT FOR THE AMENDMENT HEARING? NONE. WE WILL PROCEED TO THE VOTE. 
          COMMISSIONER SACHS. YES, COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS. YES, COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. ABSOLUTELY NOT. COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. BOUCEK. YES, COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES. 
          MAYOR. LAGRANGE. YES, COMMISSIONER. MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR PUBLIC 
          [1. City Commission to sit in a public hearing as Board of Review to hear appeals on Special Assessment Nuisance Roll 8794.]
HEARINGS. WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS EVENING. THE FIRST ONE IS THE CITY COMMISSION IS TO SIT IN THE PUBLIC HEARING AS BORDER REVIEW, TO HEAR APPEALS ON THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT NUISANCE ROLL 8794. YEAH. POINT OF I HAVE A POINT OF INQUIRY. I THINK OF QUESTION TO THE CLERK. 
          CAN MAY I ASK A QUESTION TO THE CLERK BEFORE WE DO THIS? I'LL ALLOW IT. OKAY. SO YOU KNOW, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE PROPOSED ADDITIONS TO THE THIRD WARD WITH THIS PROPOSAL, IF I RECALL. 
          EXCUSE ME, PROPOSED REDUCTION. THE PROPOSED THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS. YOU SAID THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT. YEAH. BECAUSE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WITH YOUR EXPLANATION OF YOUR AMENDMENT, YOU SAID THAT THE MOST ADDITIONS OF FOLKS WOULD BE IN THE THIRD WARD. CORRECT. YOU JUST SAID THERE WOULD BE IN TERMS OF AVERAGE NUMBER. YEAH, IN TERMS OF AVERAGE NUMBER. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AVERAGES TODAY. OKAY. SO MY QUESTION HERE IS IF THE LARGEST SO THE PROPOSAL THREE ALLOWED FOR 4999 INDIVIDUALS PER PRECINCT. CORRECT. CLERK. YES. SO THE CLOSEST TO THAT IS IN THE SECOND WARD. CORRECT. 3800. SO IT IS NOT IN THE THIRD WARD. SO WE'RE NOT MAKING THESE HUGE LARGE ADDITIONS TO THE THIRD WARD, IF THE LARGEST OUT OF THAT 4999 IS NOT IN OUR WARD. SO YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. BUT WE CAN TALK ABOUT I'M SORRY, I'M JUST I THINK WE NEED TO JUST. YES. YES. COMMISSIONER KILGORE, IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT IN YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS. OKAY. WE'RE PAST THAT, THAT PART OF THE AGENDA. THANKS. I DO, AND I'M SORRY I MADE THAT CALL. I THOUGHT WE WERE I THOUGHT IT WAS A POINT OF INFORMATION. SO I'D NOW LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. YES, YES. OUR CITY ASSESSOR. YES. I APOLOGIZE FROM THE CITY ASSESSOR. AND BACK IN JANUARY, YOU DIRECTED ME. THE CITY COMMISSION DIRECTED ME TO CREATE A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. ROLL 8794 OF UNPAID CHARGES FOR SERVICES OR CODE VIOLATIONS DUE AND PAYABLE TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS THAT OCCURRED FROM JULY THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2024. SO THESE CHARGES STEM FROM MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES SUCH AS HOUSING OR YARD VIOLATIONS, RENTAL CERTIFICATIONS AND BLIGHT MONITOR MONITORING. PROPERTY OWNERS WERE SENT NOTICES ON MARCH 20TH AND NOTIFIED OF THE CHARGE AND THE APPEAL PROCESS. THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL HAS BEEN OPEN FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS, AND IN ADDITION, THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE POST THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE. SO UP UNTIL TODAY, WE'VE RECEIVED EIGHT APPEALS. AND TONIGHT IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE. THOSE AFFECTED BY THE NUISANCE ROLL TO FILE AN APPEAL WITH THE CITY COMMISSION. I'LL BE IN THE COMMUNICATION OFFICE, ROOM 921 TO TAKE ANY APPEALS. I HAVE APPEAL FORMS AND I WILL HELP ANYBODY THAT NEEDS TO FILE AN APPEAL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I THINK I HAVE TO ASK FOR WHETHER THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON 
          [2. Public hearing to consider the Grand Rapids Climate Action and Adaptation Plan]
          [01:40:02]
THAT ITEM AND SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING. AND THAT'S REGARDING THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE ACTION AND ADOPTION PLAN. MISS WILKINSON. GOOD EVENING, MISTER MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSIONERS. ANNABELLE WILKINSON, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, ON APRIL 15TH, I PROVIDED A LARGER OVERVIEW OF OUR CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN. FINAL DRAFT. TODAY, I'M GOING TO BE PROVIDING A VERY BRIEF LOOK AT THAT PLAN, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WANTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO REVIEW OUR APRIL 15TH PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS TO REVIEW THE PLAN IN ITS FULL DRAFT ON OUR WEBSITE. SO PROVIDING JUST A LITTLE REVIEW FOR FOLKS, OUR CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN IS A ROADMAP FOR HOW THE COMMUNITY OF GRAND RAPIDS WILL REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND PREPARE FOR THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS PLAN WAS CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS BASED ON RESIDENT FEEDBACK, AS WELL AS DATA FROM THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY AND CLIMATE RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY WIDE, SCIENCE BASED TARGETS. AND THOSE ARE 62.8% PER CAPITA GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION COMMUNITY WIDE BY 2030 FROM OUR 2019 EMISSIONS, AND 100% PER CAPITA GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION BY 2050. NOW, THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS IS COMMITTED TO WORKING TOWARDS THOSE GOALS, STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS THAT ARE OUTLINED WITHIN THE PLAN TO ACHIEVE THE ADOPTED, COMMUNITY WIDE, SCIENCE BASED TARGETS. BUT THIS IS A COMMUNITY WIDE PLAN, AND WE WILL NEED EVERYONE IN COMMUNITY TO HAVE BUY IN AND PRECEDING ACTION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THESE TARGETS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY THAT ARE CONSIDERED OUR MEASURES OF SUCCESS. SO THE CITY WILL ACT AS A LEADER, MODELING EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS AND OUR FACILITIES AND FLEET, IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS THAT ARE UNDER LOCAL CONTROL, ADVOCATING FOR LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THESE GOALS THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED, AND ALSO TO WORK TO MOVE TOWARDS COMMUNITY, TO DISCUSS AND COLLABORATE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO CREATE COMMUNITY PROGRESS. IN TOTAL, WE ENGAGE OVER 1600 PEOPLE DURING THIS CLIMATE PLAN PROCESS. OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. WE ALSO SOURCED FROM OUR COMMUNITY MASTER PLANNING PROCESS ENGAGEMENT OVER 1800 PARTICIPANTS DURING THEIR SECOND ROUND OF ENGAGEMENT, WHERE THEY HELD WORKSHOPS ON THE TOPICS OF CLIMATE MITIGATION, ADAPTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THE CLIMATE PLAN INCLUDES 54 STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS THAT CORRESPOND DIRECTLY WITH THE COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS, AND OUR ENGAGEMENT APPROACH FOR THE CLIMATE PLAN WAS FOCUSED ON INCREASING COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP, REMOVING BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION, WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND ALSO MARKETING TO RESIDENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO FOLKS WHO MAY FEEL THOSE GREATER IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. OUR PROCESS. WE BEGAN WITH ESTABLISHING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS LIKE THE C4, AS WELL AS COORDINATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN. AND THEN WE ENTERED INTO THOSE THREE ROUNDS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT COMMUNITY'S VISION AND PRIORITIES WERE FOR THIS PLAN. WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR CLIMATE ADVISORY TEAMS TO CREATE CHAPTERS WITH STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS. WE BROUGHT THAT BACK TO COMMUNITY FOR ANALYSIS. FOR OUR CHAPTER FEEDBACK. WE THEN TOOK ALL THAT INFORMATION, CREATED IT INTO A DRAFT, AND THEN BROUGHT IT BACK TO COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, DID WE HEAR YOU CORRECTLY? WHAT IS MISSING AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. FOR A FINAL CONSIDERATION FOR A PLAN. SO THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY IS OUR VISION IS THAT GRAND RAPIDS WILL BE A RESILIENT, LOW CARBON CITY THAT CENTERS EQUITY AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE A SAFE AND HEALTHY COMMUNITY. AND THE CHAPTERS THAT WERE ESTABLISHED FROM OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY, AS WELL AS COMMUNITIES PRIORITIES ARE ENERGY SYSTEMS, RESIDENTIAL HOMES, BUILDINGS AND INDUSTRY TRANSPORTATION, NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, AND FOOD SYSTEMS. AND THE STRUCTURE OF THIS PLAN MOVES FROM THOSE COMMUNITY WIDE, SCIENCE BASED TARGETS TO GOALS. 
          THOSE GOALS ARE BASED ON OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY HIGH IMPACT ANALYSIS THAT IDENTIFIES SPECIFIC OUTCOMES IN THOSE SECTORS. TO ACHIEVE THOSE TARGETS, THEN WE HAVE STRATEGIES, MAJOR INITIATIVES OR SERVICES THAT MUST BE COMPLETED IN ORDER TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THOSE GOALS, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF ACTIONS, PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, PROJECTS THAT WILL PUSH FORWARD THOSE STRATEGIES. AND THE THEMES YOU SEE THROUGHOUT THESE ACTIONS ARE HEALTH, RESILIENCE, EQUITY, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, AND COLLABORATION. AGAIN, I WILL NOT BEGIN TO TOUCH. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION WITHIN THIS PLAN, BUT JUST GENERALLY FOR ENERGY SYSTEMS, WE'RE FOCUSING ON REDUCING DECARBONIZING OUR ELECTRICITY GRID AND INCREASING ITS RESILIENCE. FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMES. WE'RE WORKING ON INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND INCREASING CLEAN ENERGY USE, AS WELL AS INCREASING THE RESILIENCE OF HOUSING FOR BUILDINGS AND INDUSTRY THAT WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON REDUCING ENERGY, INCREASING HIGH PERFORMING AND LOW TO ZERO EMISSION NEW CONSTRUCTION BUILDINGS AND REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES FOR TRANSPORTATION. FOCUSING ON REDUCING SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE USAGE, INCREASING PROMOTION FOR PUBLIC, ACTIVE AND SHARED MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, AND MOVING VEHICLES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES. 
          [01:45:02]
AND LASTLY, FOR NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS FOCUSING ON ACHIEVING OUR TREE CANOPY GOAL, ENSURING THAT BOTH PEOPLE AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ARE HEALTHY AND RESILIENT TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ALSO FOR FOOD SYSTEMS. REDUCING WASTE RELATED EMISSIONS FROM FOOD SCRAPS, REDUCING SOLID WASTE, ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION, AND IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND RESILIENCE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM. OUR NEXT STEPS IN THIS PROCESS WOULD BE POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION FOR ADOPTION ON MAY 13TH, AND ADOPTION WOULD COMMIT THE CITY TO EVALUATING THIS CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS, IN TANDEM WITH THE NEW GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY. AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE INTO IMPLEMENTATION, PRIORITIZATION, UNDERSTANDING THOSE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION POTENTIAL OF ACTIONS, AS WELL AS FUNDING, PRIORITIZING STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS, CREATING A TIMELINE, IDENTIFYING RESPONSIBLE PARTIES, AND CREATING AN ONLINE ACCOUNTABILITY HUB FOR TRANSPARENCY. THANK YOU. THIS IS A TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY, I WILL START PUBLIC COMMENT. I ALWAYS GOT TO DO THE SHAQUILLE O'NEAL THING. IT'S NOT EASY BEING SIX FOUR AND JUST A REMINDER FOR EVERYONE. IF YOU CAN TELL US YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE. ABSOLUTELY. SO MY NAME IS ARTURO COCHRAN. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THAT'S C4, AND I WANT TO START OFF JUST BY SAYING THAT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGES, CLIMATE CHALLENGES EFFECTIVELY HERE IN WEST MICHIGAN, THAT IT'S A CRITICAL NEED FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE, ADVOCACY, FOR POLICY REFORM EFFORTS, AND FOR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AIMED AT REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. LIKE THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS FIRST CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS REALLY THE ENCOMPASSING OF ACTION AND ADAPTATION. BECAUSE BEFORE ALL OF THIS, BEFORE US, IT ISSUE OUTLINES A COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SOMETHING THAT HELPS US TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES AND OF COURSE, TO INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          AND NOW THIS GREAT CITY HAS MADE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE DID SUCCEED IN REDUCING. WE HAD, OF COURSE, A GOAL OF GETTING TO 85% REDUCTION BY 2030. WE DID REDUCE EMISSIONS BY 30%. THAT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD WORK DONE IN THE CITY, CONVERTING 18,000 STREET LIGHTS TO LEDS, POWERING OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY WITH RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS PRODUCED ON SITE, AND OF COURSE, INSTALLING A SOLAR ARRAY TO HELP POWER WATER OPERATIONS AT THE LAKE MICHIGAN FILTRATION PLANT. 
          ALL GOOD STUFF. SO WE JUST WANT TO KEEP IT GOING. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND EMPLOYERS TO CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ACHIEVE OUR EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGET GOALS. C4 WILL DEFINITELY CONTINUE TO WORK ALONGSIDE PARTNERS IN THIS PROCESS, BUT IT'S INTEGRAL THAT WE GET THIS CAP PROCESS APPROVED, GET INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE SO THAT WE CAN NOW UTILIZE IT AS A ROADMAP FOR GRAND RAPIDS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AS THE YEARS CONTINUE, NOTABLY, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN SO MUCH PROGRESS JUST IN THE LAST FEW. OF COURSE, ALSO, IT GOES ON TO IMPACT EVERYTHING FROM CLIMATE CHANGE TO PUBLIC HEALTH TO ECOSYSTEMS. AND WITH SUCH, OF COURSE, MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH BRINGS US HERE TODAY. THIS PLAN IS VITAL BECAUSE IT HELPS MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND IT INTRODUCES A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY ALSO FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION, SOMETHING I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD TOUCHED ON TOO MUCH, ESPECIALLY IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND HOME WEATHERIZATION SECTOR, SOMETHING THAT'S GROWING MORE SO THAN EVER, ESPECIALLY HERE IN MICHIGAN, WHERE WE HAVE SO MANY CONCERNS AROUND LEAD, ESPECIALLY IN OUR HOUSING STOCKS THAT ARE OLDER THAN 1972. SO MUCH FUNDING BEING EARMARKED FOR LEAD ABATEMENT AND REVITALIZING OUR HOUSING STOCK BASED ON SUCH, I FIGURE WHY NOT LOOK AT IT AS A TWO AND TWO, CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WORK WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS LIKE YOURSELF. 
          IN THESE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF THE CAP. THE FIRST THINGS FIRST, WE GOT TO GET IT APPROVED. SO THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, IVAN DIAZ. TO STAY ON THE SOUTH SIDE. 
          I WANTED TO SAY THAT I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. WHEN I WAS STILL ON THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, I WAS PROUD TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF TRANSFORMING OUR SYSTEM IN THE COUNTY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE AWAY FROM LANDFILLING AND REMOVE A LOT OF THE WASTE THAT COULD BE RECYCLED INTO THE ECONOMY FROM OUR COUNTY WASTE. BUT THE FACT IS THAT I REGRET THAT THAT WAS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. AND THE FACT IS THAT NOT ENOUGH IS BEING DONE AT THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL EITHER. IN FACT, WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO IS NOT JUST A FASCIST, 
          [01:50:01]
BUT WHO IS REALLY PUTTING ALL OF US IN DANGER. THEY'RE THREATENING TO CUT DOWN OUR FORESTS AND DO ALL KINDS OF TERRIBLE THINGS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT JUST MEANS THAT MORE OF THE LIFT IS GOING TO BE PUT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT LIKE YOURSELVES. I WATCHED THE MEETING FROM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, OR WHENEVER THAT WAS, WHEN YOU ALL PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY, I ENJOYED SEEING THE ROBUST DISCUSSION THERE, AND I DO AGREE THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS PLAN ARE THINGS THAT WILL NEED SYSTEMIC CHANGE BEFORE YOU CAN ACT ON IT, OR ARE THINGS THAT ARE ASPIRATIONAL. BUT WE NEED ASPIRATIONAL GOALS. WE NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, IF WE CONTINUE DOING WHAT THE PAST GENERATIONS WHO WERE IN POWER DID, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN DANGER. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE MINDSET. YOU KNOW, ONE THING IS TO TALK ABOUT SYSTEMS, SYSTEMS THAT NEED TO CHANGE, BUT REALLY WE NEED TO CHANGE THE MINDSET OF OUR NEIGHBORS, OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. I USED TO LIVE MY FAMILY STILL LIVES LIKE I'M AT THE PARK. IF ANY OF YOU DRIVE UP THROUGH THE LITTLE CURVE THAT BECOMES HALL STREET WITH A LITTLE BEHIND THAT CHURCH, CONSTANTLY FULL OF TRASH, CONSTANTLY, ALWAYS, CONSTANTLY. SO WE NEED TO CHANGE THE MINDSET, THE ATTITUDE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT. YES, YOU ALL NEED TO CHANGE SYSTEMS. YES, YOU ALL SHOULD BE ADVOCATING TO THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL TO CHANGE SYSTEMS, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, NOT JUST COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR, BUT STAFF ALSO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND TELLING PEOPLE WHY IT'S THAT IMPORTANT TO NOT THROW STUFF OUT THE WINDOW WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECYCLE WHEN YOU CAN. I HOPE TO SEE ORDINANCE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE AROUND COMPOSTING. I MEAN, WHY NOT? THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WHEN I WAS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER WAS, WELL, IF WE HAVE TOO MANY BINS OUT ON THE STREET, PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE STUFF UP. 
          I THINK YOU ALL CAN FIGURE IT OUT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE OVER WHO ARE IN POWER OVER IN THE COUNTY, FRANKLY, BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE HERE CAN FIGURE IT OUT. SO LIKE I SAID, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE, I MEAN, MISTAKES FROM THE PAST FEW DECADES GOT US HERE. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN EASY OR A QUICK LIFT, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, I'M KIMMY SPRING. I LIVE HAPPILY IN WARD TWO, AND I'M HERE JUST TO SPEAK AS AN INDIVIDUAL. I THINK THE WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY DID WITH THIS PROCESS WAS VERY STRONG. I WORKED WITH JENNIFER SPILLER ON REFINING SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT PEOPLE, THE 1100 OR HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE HAD SPOKEN ABOUT. AND WE, YOU KNOW, PUT THEM IN A CATEGORIES. AND REALLY, SHE PICKED A VERY STRONG I'M SURE ANNABEL HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT, BUT SHE PICKED A VERY STRONG AND DIVERSE GROUP TO PUT THIS ALL TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT A VERY STRONG DOCUMENT. IT'S NOT PERFECT, IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT. IT WILL CHANGE. IT WILL ALSO WE NEED TO HAVE A DOCUMENT IN PLACE. SO WHEN THERE ARE ALL OF A SUDDEN OPPORTUNITIES TAKEN AWAY OR OFFERED BY PHILANTHROPISTS AND THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND KENT COUNTY AS WELL, THAT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE AND WE LOOK AT IT AND GO LIKE, DOES THIS FALL WITHIN THE PLAN? YES, LET'S GO FOR IT AND NOT WORRY IN ADVANCE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN, OH MY GOD, HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST? HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST? IT'S GOING TO COST A LOT. 
          BUT IF YOU DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS DOWN THE ROAD, WE WILL ALL HAVE HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES WITH LESS POLLUTION AND BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE AND MORE EQUITY, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF RESILIENCY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO I DON'T WANT TO DRAG THINGS ON. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT PLEASE SUPPORT THE DOCUMENT AND WE'LL WORK ON TWEAKING AS WE GO ALONG. 
          AND THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION IS AS MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN IT NOW, AND WE'RE ALL WILLING TO HELP MAKE THIS PROCESS WORK. THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING. HI THERE. I'LL TRY TO PROJECT SINCE I'M PRETTY FAR AWAY FROM THIS MICROPHONE. MY NAME IS CODY MEYER AND I LIVE IN THE SECOND WARD. FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, I'VE WORKED AS A CONSULTING ENGINEER IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS, SPECIALIZING IN RETRO COMMISSIONING AND MONITORING BASE COMMISSIONING. 
          THESE ARE DATA DRIVEN PROCESSES THAT IDENTIFY ENERGY SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES AND BUILDINGS AND ESSENTIAL BUT MISSING PIECE OF THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. MY FIRM HAS COMPLETED 21 OF THESE PROJECTS IN SCHOOLS, UNIVERSITIES, MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS AND UNCOVERED ABOUT $740,000 A YEAR IN ANNUAL SAVINGS. THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF $35,000 PER YEAR PER 
          [01:55:08]
PROJECT, WITH SIMPLE PAYBACKS UNDER SEVEN MONTHS. OUR ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES ACCOUNTED FOR 4.6 MILLION POUNDS OF CO2 SAVED EVERY YEAR, THE EQUIVALENT OF TAKING 435 CARS OFF THE ROAD EVERY YEAR. SO WHY ISN'T THIS STANDARD PRACTICE? THE BARRIERS ARE AWARENESS AND FUNDING. MANY OF MY CLIENTS WORK WITH ESCOS ENERGY SERVICE COMPANIES WHO HELP PROVIDE THESE FINANCE TO AND TO IMPLEMENT THESE IMPROVEMENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE UTILITY BACKED AND REQUIRE MINIMAL UPFRONT COSTS. OTHERS ARE USE PERFORMANCE BASED MODELS WHERE REPAYMENT COMES FROM ENERGY SAVINGS. IT'S A PROVEN BUSINESS MODEL THAT WORKS EVEN IN UNDERFUNDED SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 
          NOW HERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY. GRAND RAPIDS CAN'T MANDATE STRICTER ENERGY STANDARDS THAN THE STATE THAT'S LAID OUT IN THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, BUT NOTHING STOPS US FROM FACILITATING FUNDING. WHY NOT PARTNER WITH AN ESCO OR BETTER YET, BECOME OUR OWN MUNICIPAL ESCO? A SMALL INVESTMENT IN A RETRO COMMISSIONING PROJECT COULD SNOWBALL INTO SELF-SUSTAINING ENERGY SERVICE FUND THAT SUPPORTS LOCAL BUSINESSES, CREATES JOBS AND REDUCES EMISSIONS. THIS CLIMATE MATH ADDS UP. SO IT'S TIME TO ACT. AND WITH THAT, I WANT TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE CAP. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY I'M SORRY FOR NOT PROVIDING THESE COMMENTS EARLIER, BUT SECONDLY, IT THE CAP RIGHTLY IDENTIFIES THAT MINORITY GROUPS ARE MORE ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT THEN WHAT IT ALSO DOES IS SHIFT RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT ONTO THOSE COMMUNITIES. THESE OFFERINGS THAT ARE MADE TO THESE LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES ARE GREAT. 
          THEY FINANCIALLY BENEFIT FROM THOSE SITUATIONS, BUT IT DOES COMPEL THEM TO ACT IN A CAPACITY BEYOND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THESE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE FACING ARE MADE BY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY, AND IT SHOULD BE THE COMMERCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS ERICA BOLDEN AND I AM A RESIDENT OF GRAND RAPIDS. I'M A CLIMATE JUSTICE ORGANIZER WITH THE URBAN CORE COLLECTIVE, AND I'M A MEMBER OF C4'S LEADERSHIP TEAM. I WANT TO START BY SAYING I WISH I WASN'T JUST HERE IN BIG MOMENTS. I WISH I COULD SPEND TIME ATTENDING COMMISSION MEETINGS, STAYING UP TO DATE ON EVERYTHING HAPPENING AT THE CITY LEVEL THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY IMPACT MY LIFE HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. BUT LIKE MANY OF THE FOLKS HERE AND LISTENING ONLINE, WE ARE WORKING FULL TIME JOBS WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN OUR LIVES OUTSIDE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE GROWING MORE DIFFICULT BY THE DAY. SO I AM HERE AS A VOICE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT BE HERE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO ME, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE HEALTH AND FUTURE OF THE CITY. BECAUSE YES, THIS IS ABOUT OUR CLIMATE CHANGING. BUT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE IMPACTS WE FACE HERE, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE DIRECT ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE IN. 
          AND JUST DAYS AGO, GRAND RAPIDS WAS NAMED 27TH WORST IN THE NATION FOR OZONE SMOG POLLUTION, FOLLOWING TRENDS FROM LAST YEAR'S AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION STATE OF THE AIR REPORT. AND BECAUSE I THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING, ONE OF, I'M SORRY, ONE OF 49507 LARGEST GREEN SPACES IS A CEMETERY. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT NOR DESERVE. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ACTION WE CAN TAKE RIGHT NOW TO ENSURE A CLEANER FUTURE FOR ALL, EVEN IF THAT MEANS TAKING IT SMALL, JUST AS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU RECEIVED ALL OF THE VOTES THAT GOT YOU INTO THIS POSITION, EVERY SINGLE STEP WE TAKE MATTERS I APPRECIATE. I APPRECIATE EACH MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, SOME OF WHICH I CONSIDER TO BE FRIENDS. BUT WE NEED YOU TO COLLECTIVELY DO BETTER. WE NEED YOU TO STAND ON BUSINESS, AND WE NEED FOR YOU TO START WITH REAL, EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITIES ARE IN NEED OF BOLD ACTION AND WE'RE SICK OF BEING LIED TO. I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, AND ALTHOUGH IT IS NECESSARY, IT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT. AND IF OUR COMMISSIONERS DON'T APPROVE IT, YOU'RE TAKING A CLEAR STANCE AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENT AND ANY SOLUTIONS THAT WILL BRING GRAND RAPIDS CLOSER TO OUR GOALS AS A STATE. NOT ONLY SHOULD YOU BE APPROVING THIS, BUT YOU SHOULD BE ACTING SWIFTLY. AND WE KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN WE ACT SWIFTLY HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. JUST LOOK AT THE AMPHITHEATER CONSTRUCTION. WITH 114 MILLION OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS, YOU CAN DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. WE WANT TO SEE THAT URGENCY AND SEE THAT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT INTO THE PEOPLE, AND NOT JUST INTO ENTERTAINMENT. THE CONTINUUM OF UNREGULATED BEHAVIOR ENCOURAGES THE GREEDY AND MONEY HUNGRY CORPORATIONS WHO IGNORE THE SIGNS OF CLIMATE CHANGE FOR A BIT OF POCKET CHANGE, AND THIS IS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE. SO COMMISSION, WE NEED FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU TO BE PREPARED TO TAKE BOLD STANCE AGAINST THE DANGEROUS MINDSET OF OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE WE DON'T JUST THINK WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL. WE KNOW THAT 
          [02:00:03]
RIGHT NOW, WE CAN BEGIN TO TURN THE PAGE AND INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES ACROSS THE CITY TO HELP US GET AWAY FROM THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. WE KNOW THAT NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, JOBS, PROTECTED BIKE LANES, PLEASE GOD, PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A BETTER WAY THROUGH, AND THAT'S WHY WE DEDICATE OUR ENTIRE LIVES TO THIS MOVEMENT. CHANGE IS OFTEN INCREMENTAL AND THIS IS A NECESSARY START. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS DOUG FERGUSON. I'M 25 AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE WARD TWO. I'M CURRENTLY A MASTERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION STUDENT AT GVSU, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF THE CAP. A NEW RESIDENT OF GRAND RAPIDS, MY BOYFRIEND AND I MOVED TO THE AREA FOLLOWING HIS ACCEPTANCE TO THE INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY AT U OF M HEALTH WEST. WE ALSO LIVE WITH MY SISTER WHO IS AN EXPERIENCED WETLAND ECOLOGIST. I SHARE THIS BECAUSE IN A TIME OF TALENT COMPETITION, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT GRAND RAPIDS IS ABLE TO ATTRACT A DIVERSE YOUNG TALENT POOL LOOKING TO INVEST IN THE CITY LONG TERM. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT TOP OF MIND FOR INDIVIDUALS MY AGE IS A CLIMATE CRISIS AND WHAT WE ARE DOING ABOUT IT. PART OF BEING A COMPETITIVE CITY MEANS FOLLOWING SCIENCE AND ADDRESSING THE THREAT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE POSES. PROSPECTIVE TALENT CONSIDERS WHERE THEY LIVE VERY SERIOUSLY AND WITH A COMMITMENT SUCH AS THE CAP IN PLACE, GRAND RAPIDS WILL REFLECT RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFETY TO ITS CITIZENS. MORE AND MORE YOUNG ADULTS CITE CLIMATE CHANGE CONCERNS AS REASONS TO NOT PURSUE HAVING CHILDREN. BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID OF WHAT THE PLANET WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND. 
          LOOKS LIKE. THIS VERY REAL CONCERN IS A TERRIFYING REALITY FOR OUR GENERATIONS. AS FOR US, WE ARE EXCITED TO PUT ROOTS DOWN IN GRAND RAPIDS AND INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE SEE GRAND RAPIDS COMMITMENT TO RESPONDING TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS. THE CAP COMMITS ACTIONS THAT HELP PROVIDE CLEAR, CLEAN WATER, AIR AND FOOD TO OUR CITY AND ENSURES THAT GRAND RAPIDS WILL REMAIN A SAFE, BEAUTIFUL, EQUITABLE COMMUNITY FOR ALL. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WENT INTO ITS CREATION. THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERING TO SUPPORT ITS ADOPTION. AND THANK YOU ESPECIALLY TO COMMISSIONER KILGORE FOR SHOWING THIS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALWAYS BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR THE HAPPENINGS OF THE CITY ON THERE. THAT'S WHERE I SAW THIS. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HI AGAIN. MY NAME IS JOSH FERGUSON AND I'M FROM THE SECOND WARD. I JUST WANT TO, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THE CLIMATE SPACE ON A PROFESSIONAL BASIS, THE CONVERSATION AROUND RENEWABLE ENERGY, AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE IS OFTEN A FRAUGHT ONE. OUTSIDE OF THE FRIENDLY CONFINES OF GRAND RAPIDS AND CITIES LIKE IT, PASSING MEASURES SUCH AS THIS REALLY HELPS BE A LIGHTHOUSE TO THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES AROUND US, AND REALLY HELP SET THE TONE IN SUCH A WAY. ONE OF THE. AS PART OF MY DAY TO DAY WORKINGS, I OFTEN GO TO RURAL TOWNSHIPS WHERE RENEWABLE ENERGY PLANTS ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION, AND ONE OF THE TOP CONCERNS THEY HAVE OUT THERE IS WHY DON'T YOU GUYS DO THIS IN CITIES? AND WHEN YOU GUYS, WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO LEAD, WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO BE LIGHTHOUSES ON CLIMATE CHANGE, WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO WHERE IT IS MAYBE MORE POLITICALLY FEASIBLE TO, TO, TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO. SO. I HIGHLY SUPPORT ALL OF YOU VOTING ON THIS PLAN, BUT ALSO AS YOU GO FORWARD INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, FUNDING THESE PROVISIONS AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN SO THAT WE CAN MOVE VERY, VERY QUICKLY AND SO THAT WE CAN START TO SEE THE FRUITS OF THIS PLAN AS QUICKLY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALI BASHIRI. I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN WARD TWO AND IS A KENT COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL MEMBER. THE KENT COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL ADVOCATES FOR AND PROMOTES A GOOD FOOD SYSTEM IN KENT COUNTY. 
          WE APPLAUD THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. WE BELIEVE THE PLAN REFLECTS COMMUNITY INPUT AND APPROPRIATELY RECOMMENDS TACTICS FOR ACHIEVING CLIMATE RESILIENCE, AND ADDRESSES WIDESPREAD GOALS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. THE KENT COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL DEVELOPED A FOOD SYSTEM PLAN THAT WAS RELEASED IN FEBRUARY OF 2025. OUR FOOD SYSTEM IS A CONTRIBUTOR TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND REPRESENTS A MASSIVE AREA OF OPPORTUNITY AND ADDRESSING THE ISSUES AT HAND AGRICULTURE AND FARMING, GUIDING FOOD POLICY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND INSTITUTIONS, FOOD RECOVERY AND WASTE ALL REPRESENT AREAS OF GROWTH FOR GRAND RAPIDS. THE CAP PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR OUR COLLECTIVE ACTION. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE AMBITIOUS NATURE OF SUCH A PLAN, AND INSIST THAT WE MUST START 
          [02:05:01]
THERE IN ORDER TO THEN DEVELOP SPECIFIC ACTION FOR APPLICATION. THE KENT COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY'S SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT TO IMPLEMENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, SET OUT IN THE CAP. NO ONE ENTITY CAN SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE. THE CITY'S PLAN REFLECTS THE NEED TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH STRONG COORDINATION AND TRACKING SUPPORT FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT. WE EMPHATICALLY ENCOURAGE THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS PASS THE CAP AND BEGIN THE URGENT AND NECESSARY WORK OF TACKLING CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION IN OUR REGION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KAYLA SNYDER. I AM THE SENIOR PROGRAMS MANAGER FOR THE MICHIGAN GREEN BUILDING COLLABORATIVE, A STRATEGIC PARTNER ON THE BUILDINGS AND INDUSTRY AND TRANSPORTATION CHAPTERS OF THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. SINCE OUR ORGANIZATION'S LETTER WAS SUBMITTED AND FILED IN THE AGENDA PACKET, I WILL BE SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT THIS EVENING. I LIVE AND WORK IN WARD TWO. THIS IS A CRITICAL MOMENT. THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ARE NO LONGER DISTANT. THEY'RE UNFOLDING AROUND US RIGHT NOW. IF WE DO NOTHING. BY THE END OF CENTURY, MICHIGAN'S CLIMATE IS PROJECTED TO RESEMBLE THAT OF KENTUCKY. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL SEE HOTTER, WETTER, AND MORE EXTREME WEATHER. WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE SHIFT IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN CRESTON. MY HOUSEHOLD AND MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE EXPERIENCED DESTRUCTIVE WINDS THAT TOPPLED TREES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. JUST THE OTHER WEEK, TORRENTIAL RAIN BROUGHT WATER POURING THROUGH OUR BASEMENT WINDOW. SEVERE WEATHER CAUSES PANIC, STRESS, FINANCIAL BURDEN, AND OFTEN REAL DESTRUCTION. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, CLIMATE CHANGE HAS EVEN MADE ME QUESTION WHETHER MY HUSBAND AND I SHOULD BRING CHILDREN INTO THIS WORLD. 
          AND I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THAT FEAR. I WANT TO RAISE A FAMILY IN A PLACE THAT CHOOSES COURAGE AND PROGRESS, AND CARES DEEPLY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. I BELIEVE IN OUR CITY'S CAPACITY TO TACKLE THESE AMBITIOUS GOALS AND FOSTER A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL. THAT IS WHY I URGE YOU TO PASS THE PROPOSED CLIMATE PLAN. IT ISN'T JUST A DOCUMENT. IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH, ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND LONG TERM RESILIENCE. IT WILL REDUCE EMISSIONS. IT WILL SAVE MONEY THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SUPPORT A GROWING CLEAN ENERGY JOB MARKET. PASSING THIS PLAN SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT GRAND RAPIDS IS READY TO RISE TO THE MOMENT TO STAND WITH MORE THAN 20 OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED AND HAVE ROBUST CLIMATE OR SUSTAINABILITY PLANS, AND CONTINUE TO BE A CITY THAT ACTS, NOT JUST TALKS ON CLIMATE, THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES. AGAIN, AS STATED BEFORE, THIS PLAN IS NOT PERFECT. NO PLAN IS. IT WAS BUILT WITH COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND ITS SUCCESS WILL DEPEND ON THE SAME SPIRIT OF WORKING TOGETHER. WE DON'T HAVE EVERY ANSWER FROM DAY ONE, BUT WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT TOGETHER. MANY ELEMENTS OF THIS PLAN, LIKE THE ACTION ITEM ON BENCHMARKING AND IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING, WILL COME BEFORE YOU AGAIN FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. WE CAN'T LET DISAGREEMENT OVER A FEW DETAILS PREVENT US FROM MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BROADER VISION. WE'VE GOT STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, WE'VE RESEARCHED BEST PRACTICES, AND WE ARE LISTENING TO COMMUNITY VOICES AT KILGORE SAID. SO CLEARLY IN THE LAST MEETING, CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT STOPPING. NEITHER CAN WE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO A GREENER, LIVABLE FUTURE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NATE ROWBERRY. I'M A RESIDENT OF WARD TWO. I'M ALSO A VOLUNTEER LEADER IN THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK COMMISSIONERS FOR SUPPORTING THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. PROCEEDING TO A HEARING TONIGHT. AND I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO ALL THE COMMUNITY VOICES REPRESENTED WITHIN THE DOCUMENT AND HERE IN SUPPORT. I'D LIKE TO ADD MY SUPPORT AS A RESIDENT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE PLAN. MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION, HEALTHIER HOMES, WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS, KIDS NO LONGER BEING POISONED BY TAILPIPE EMISSIONS, CLEAN ELECTRICITY, FOOD RESILIENCE, AND THE REDRESS OF HISTORIC AND ONGOING INJUSTICES. THIS OUTLINES THE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT I AM AND WILL BE EXCITED TO LIVE IN AND VERY IMPORTANTLY, NOT JUST PEOPLE LIKE ME TO BE EXCITED TO LIVE IN. THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED WITH LOTS OF INPUT FROM FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES, LOW INCOME AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHOSE EXPERIENCES DIFFER FROM MINE IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS. MY EXCITEMENT ABOUT LIVING IN A PLACE LIKE THAT HOLDS WITH NATIONAL AND GLOBAL TRENDS. CITIES THAT HAVE ACTUAL CLIMATE PLANS ARE MORE DESIRABLE PLACES TO LIVE. A REPORT RELEASED LATE LAST YEAR FOUND THAT, QUOTE, THERE IS A GROWING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITIES WITH STRONG CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND 
          [02:10:04]
MITIGATION PLANS AND THEIR POTENTIAL TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN INVESTMENT, BUSINESS AND TALENT. 
          THE TRACKER FOUND 76% OF CITIES STUDIED HAVE WELL-DEVELOPED CLIMATE STRATEGY PLANS. OTHER STUDIES SUPPORT THIS, SO I'M NOT ALONE IN MY EXCITEMENT FOR SUCH PLANS TO BE PUT IN PLACE AND IMPLEMENTED WHILE PRIORITIZING EQUITY. WE KNOW, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, AND I WANT TO ECHO THEIR COMMENTS, THAT IT'S A COMMUNITY PLAN. IT WILL TAKE A COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT WORKING IN COLLABORATION ACROSS SECTORS. IT'S A ROADMAP, IT'S A GUIDE, BUT THE TIME IS NOW TO USE MOMENTUM, A LIMITED WINDOW OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND OUR COLLABORATION TO DO ALL WE CAN. 
          I HOPE YOU'LL READ THE PLAN IN ALL OF ITS ENTIRETY, IF YOU HAVEN'T. BUT IN LIGHT OF SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHO DOES WHAT WITHIN IT AND THE SPECIFICITY OF CERTAIN GOALS, I HOPE YOU'LL PAY ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY TO PAGE 96. IT SPECIFIES THE NEXT STEPS TO BREAKING DOWN THESE GOALS AND DIVIDING UP THE WORK, AND IT SETS A TIMELINE FOR THAT IN TERMS OF GATHERING ADDITIONAL DATA AND FEASIBILITY. IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE SPECIFIC GOALS OR PRIORITIZATION, PLEASE USE THAT PERIOD AND USE THAT PROCESS. BUT DON'T STOP THIS MOMENTUM. IN THE MEANTIME, THE QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ADDRESSED BY PEOPLE WORKING AT THESE INTERSECTIONS. IT WILL SET GRAND RAPIDS UP FOR A MORE JUST AND RESILIENT FUTURE. SO I AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE EXCITED TO HELP THIS PLAN SUCCEED. THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS RAQUEL ROBLIN AND I AM A RESIDENT AND A BUSINESS OWNER IN THE THIRD WARD, AND I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR SOME HELP FROM MY THIRD WARD COMMISSIONERS. SO WE OPENED A RESTAURANT AT 1269 MADISON IN OCTOBER. GRAND OPENING. WE'VE BEEN HAVING, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING SINCE THEN TO STAY OPEN. OF COURSE, IT'S AN INNER CITY, THAT RESTAURANT, AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW, HAS BEEN SEVERAL THINGS OVER THE A FEW MONTHS. AND SO NOW I'M GETTING. CALLS AND EMAILS AND WHATNOT FROM THE CITY, FROM THE ZONING. I'M NOT SURE WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENT. OR IS IT JUST THAT FOR SIGNAGE? I HAVE TWO SIGNS ON MY BUILDING. ONE IS ON THE ON MADISON STREET IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, AND ONE IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MY RESTAURANT, AND I'M GETTING IT'S AN ISSUE, I GUESS, WITH THE SIGN THAT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING. THEY'RE SAYING WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED THE ONE ON MADISON, NOT THE ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE. IT HELPS A GREAT DEAL TO ME. I MEAN, EVERY DAY. MA'AM, CAN I. JUST A SECOND. THERE'S. THERE'S A TIME AT THE END FOR GENERAL PUBLIC. OH, I THOUGHT THIS WAS GENERAL. NO, I KNOW IT'S A LONG LINE, BUT IF YOU WANT TO FINISH, IT'S OKAY WITH ME. FRANKLY, FOR YOU. I'M SO SORRY. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO. I MEAN, YOU GET IT. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY, TO HAVE YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT SO WE CAN SLIDE YOU IN HERE OUT OF ORDER. BUT IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK AT THE END. OH, NO. BETTER TIME. WE GOT TO GO. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN GONE. WE'RE ON A BUS. BUT ANYHOW. NO, NO. IF YOU WANT YOU TO. IF YOU'VE GOT A TIME CRUNCH, MA'AM. I MEAN, AS LONG AS NO ONE HAS ANY OBJECTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE GOOD. 
          YEAH. I'M GOOD. OKAY. SO ANYHOW, I'M GETTING EMAILS AND MESSAGES ABOUT THIS SIGN THAT WE REALLY NEED AND CAN USE. IT HELPS THE BUSINESS. IT REALLY DOES. THAT PLACE REALLY NEEDS TO COME UP. 
          WE NEED SOMETHING IN THE INNER CITY. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THAT SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. ACTUALLY. I LIVE RIGHT BEHIND THE RESTAURANT, SO I. I JUST NEED HELP WITH THIS SITUATION AND WHAT WE CAN DO. I KNOW RULES ARE RULES. I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN SET IN STONE PROBABLY FOR SOME TIME, BUT IF WE COULD LOOK INTO THAT, IF WE CAN TWEAK IT, IF WE CAN JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE CHANGE THINGS, IT'S PROBABLY BEEN LIKE THAT FOR SO LONG. IT'S NOT HARMING ANYBODY. IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT LIT UP. IT'S NOT FLASHING. IT'S NOT MOVING. I UNDERSTAND ABOUT TAKING PEOPLE'S EYES OFF THE ROAD WHEN THEY'RE GOING DOWN THE STREET. THEY DON'T WANT THAT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY HAD TO TAKE ALL KINDS OF FLAGS AND LITTLE DECORATIONS FROM OUTSIDE. THEY THEY THREATENED ME ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, THEY CAME THROUGH THE PARKING LOT LIKE THE FEDS TAKING PICTURES ALL OVER, YOU KNOW, SO, YOU KNOW. YEAH, IT'S GOTTEN REALLY BAD. I'VE CONTACTED RICHARD APP WITH. AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET. AS FAR AS I KNOW, I'VE EMAILED HIM. HE'S CAME AND PICKED UP PAPERWORK FROM ME, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE NINE. AND I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO GET WITH MY THIRD WARD COMMISSIONERS, YOU KNOW, TO KIND OF HELP THIS GET, YOU KNOW, 
          [02:15:01]
ADDRESSED. BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. I'M JUST ONLY HEARING FROM I FORGET THE GUY'S NAME. 
          HE'S ANOTHER RICHARD. I THINK HIS LAST NAME IS RICHARD. IN WHATEVER DEPARTMENT THAT IS FOR THE CITY. SO I JUST WANT MY COMMISSIONERS HELP IN THIS AREA, IN ANYTHING THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH TO. TO HELP OUT WITH THE BUSINESS. THANK YOU MA'AM. TO MAKE IT PROSPER AND GROW AND STAY IN PLACE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS WILL. I'M A FIRST WARD RESIDENT, WILL MEYER, AND I'M HERE. I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE CAP. I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I WORK IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION. AND SO THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION. AND WHAT ELSE DO I DO? OH, I WAS ONE OF THE COAUTHORS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SECTION. SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER A FEW WORDS ABOUT RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR ELECTRIFICATION AND HOW EMINENTLY ACHIEVABLE THIS IS. A LOT OF MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS TOPIC AND MY WORK AND MY AND MY PERSONAL MISSION COMES FROM ELECTRIFY BY SAUL GRIFFITH. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK, AND IN IT, WHAT HE TALKS ABOUT IS HOW APPROXIMATELY 85% OF OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT PROBLEM IN AMERICA IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND END USES OF ENERGY. AND SO WHAT HE OUTLINES THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO FIX THIS IS TO, OF COURSE, CLEAN THE ELECTRICAL GRID, BUT AT THE END USE SECTION OF THIS OF THIS GRAPH. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO ELECTRIFY ALL THE MACHINES IN OUR HOMES AND THE CARS IN OUR DRIVEWAYS. AND THE RESIDENTIAL SECTION OF THIS PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY 42% OF THE PROBLEM. SO I'M VERY ENTHUSIASTIC, OBVIOUSLY, ABOUT RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ELECTRIFICATION. AND THIS STATISTIC, I THINK REALLY BEARS THAT OUT. WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OUR HOMES CLEANER, HAVE CLEANER AIR, BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH HEAT PUMPS AND DRIVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES. SO AS IT RELATES TO AIR CONDITIONING SPACES WITH HEAT PUMPS, THIS IS NOT SOME FAR FETCHED CRAZY IDEA. THIS IS A WELL ESTABLISHED TECHNOLOGY. THE KEY IS TO DEAL WITH THE ENVELOPE OF THE HOME, DO AIR SEALING AND INSULATION FIRST SO THAT WE HAVE A REASONABLE HEATING AND COOLING LOAD. AND SO YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I WANTED TO SAY. 
          IT'S TOTALLY DOABLE. YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR IT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. KARIM SCALES OF THE THIRD WARD HERE TODAY. IN MY SECOND TIME AROUND IN THE ROLE OF BOARD CO-CHAIR OF C4, I WANT TO DO A QUICK JUST HAND IN THE AIR ANYBODY WHO IS A C4 REPRESENTATIVE, AMBASSADOR OR HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN ANY CAPACITY WITH THE CAP, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND RIGHT NOW. AND SEVERAL FOLKS HAVE LEFT AND MORE ON THE LINE. AND SO I REALLY WANT TO I'LL SPEAK REALLY HIGH LEVEL TO THIS, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE FIRST WORDS OF C4 AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. I'VE BEEN AROUND IN THE CITY FOR SOME TIME AND BEEN ENGAGED IN A NUMBER OF ADVOCACY FRONTS, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION THAT WENT INTO THIS PLAN. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANNABELLE FOR ALL OF HER WORK AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND HER PREDECESSOR, ALLISON SUTTER, FOR PLANTING THE SEED TO GET US HERE TODAY. AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE PLAN JUST AS THAT AS A SEED THAT WE CAN BUILD UPON. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IS AMBITIOUS, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE. AND I THINK WHAT I WOULD SAY IS ANYTHING TRANSFORMATIONAL DOESN'T DIDN'T SEEM REALISTIC IN THE BEGINNING, BUT IT TAKES THE SEEDS AND US TO WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO REACH THOSE AMBITIOUS GOALS. AND SO WITH THAT SAID, I KNOW IT'S NOT UP FOR VOTE TONIGHT, BUT WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. LET'S BUILD UPON THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE HERE. AND THANK YOU ALL THIS EVENING. GOOD EVENING. CITY OFFICIALS, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO US TONIGHT, OUR C4 TEAM. I'M SORRY, MY NAME IS SYDNEY JORDAN. I AM A BUSINESS OWNER ON GRANDVILLE AVENUE. I AM A THIRD GENERATION HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. I'M A C4 MEMBER. I SIT ON THE BOARD ALONG WITH MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HERE, WHO HAVE SPOKE HIGHLY OF THE WORK WE HAVE DONE WITH C4, AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE WORK AND THE MISSION AND HOPE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AS A RESIDENT WHO HAS WHO WAS BORN INTO THE FIRST WARD? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DEALT WITH A TREMENDOUS IMPACTS OF DISINVESTMENT AND INEQUITIES. AND I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU 
          [02:20:06]
TODAY DEALING WITH A LOT OF THEM. AND SO I AM SEEING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE. I'M NOT I AM GRATEFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKED AT AS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLACES. AND IT'S NOT FOR BLACK PEOPLE, THOUGH, BUT ONE OF THE GREAT, GREAT PLACES TO LIVE. BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ADVANCE AND BRING YOUNG TALENT, NEW TALENT HERE. BUT THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY HERE, THINK ABOUT THE IMPACTS AND THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH. 
          AND SO FOR ME, THIS PLAN MEANS REAL CHANGE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN BOOTS ON THE GROUND, DOING THE WORK, LIVING, WORKING AND INVESTING IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO THINK ABOUT US. PUT SOME REAL DOLLARS AND THOUGHT BEHIND THIS PROJECT. WE HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF TIME. A LOT OF VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD. A LOT OF ENERGY HAS GONE INTO THIS PLAN. AND SO I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER PASSING THIS PLAN SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO BENEFIT AND REAP THE BENEFITS OF THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI THERE EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS AARON NEWMAN. I'M A BUILDING ANALYST PROFESSIONAL WITH MY OWN SELF-EMPLOYED BUSINESS. I CAME OUT HERE TO VOICE SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN. I'M SPEAKING AS A PAID PROFESSIONAL OR FREQUENT VOLUNTEER FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT GR BASED ORGANIZATIONS WITH A FOCUS ON THIS PARTICULAR LINE OF WORK, AND PARTICULARLY GET TO USE MY EXPERTISE TOWARDS AVERAGE RESIDENTS PROPERTY CONCERNS FROM THESE MEASURES, PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGY, CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AND JUSTICE IMPACTS EVERY CITY RESIDENT AND OTHERS IN SURROUNDING AREAS, ESPECIALLY FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES, WHO BEAR THE BRUNT OF DECISIONS MADE FOR PRIVATE GAIN RATHER THAN PUBLIC GOOD. THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN OUTLINES 197 STEPS THE CITY CAN TAKE. I URGE THIS COMMISSION TO COMMIT TO SUPPORTING THESE ACTIONS AND ENSURING OUR MOST VULNERABLE ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE. COMMUNITIES AREN'T LEFT TO ABSORB THE COST ALONE. AS AMBITIOUS AS THEY MAY SEEM, IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT NECESSITY DRIVES INNOVATION, A GOVERNMENT THAT RESPONDS TO THE NEEDS OF ITS FRONTLINE RESIDENTS AND EMPOWERS THEIR SOLUTIONS, LAYS FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE FUTURE CULTURAL INCLUSIVITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. AS A CLIMATE HAVEN IN A REGION EXPERIENCING PROMISING POPULATION GROWTH AND CITY REVENUE PROJECTIONS, THIS CITY HAS BOTH THE OPPORTUNITY AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO LEAD. BY IMPLEMENTING THESE MEASURES, WE CAN SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES, MUNICIPALITIES, AND RURAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS MICHIGAN AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THESE PRACTICES, TECHNOLOGIES AND POLICIES EMPOWER RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS THEIR OWN PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS SHANNON. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD. I CAME HERE TONIGHT TO URGE THE CITY LEADERSHIP TO VOTE FOR THE CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN. 
          SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE COME UP AND MENTIONED HOW MUCH IT WILL COST AND HOW AMBITIOUS IT IS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ARGUE THAT THE PLAN IS NOT AMBITIOUS ENOUGH, IT DOES NOT DO ENOUGH, AND THAT IS NOT MEANT AS A CRITIQUE AGAINST THE AUTHORS OF THE PLAN OR THE TEAM THAT HAS WORKED ENDLESS HOURS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO FOCUS ON WHAT WAS FEASIBLE, WHAT THE CITY COULD POSSIBLY AFFORD, AND BALANCE THAT WITH WHAT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED, WHICH IS MUCH, MUCH MORE. IN FACT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THE REST OF THE TEAM THAT CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN COULD ACTUALLY DO IF THEY COULD SWAP BUDGETS WITH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, SUCH AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IF THE CITY SPENT A THIRD OF ITS BUDGET ON SUSTAINABILITY RATHER THAN POLICING, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD ACCOMPLISH. WE COULD DO NUMEROUS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. POSSIBLY WE COULD CLEAN UP SOME OF THE SOIL CONTAMINATION ALONG THE RIVER, WHERE NUMEROUS INDUSTRIES HAVE HAVE EXISTED AND ARE NOW GONE, BUT LEFT THEIR POLLUTION. WE MAYBE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE YEARLY COMMUNITY CLEANUPS TO PICK UP ALL THE TRASH THAT ACCUMULATES YEAR AFTER YEAR. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE NUMEROUS, SO OBVIOUSLY A PLAN THAT DOESN'T DO ENOUGH AND THAT ISN'T AMBITIOUS ENOUGH IS STILL BETTER THAN NO PLAN AT ALL. SO DEFINITELY VOTE FOR IT. SUPPORT IT. PASS IT. PLEASE, PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PASS IT. BUT THEN BUILD ON THAT AND CONTINUE TO DO BETTER. PARTICULARLY MAYOR LE GRAND. 
          [02:25:04]
YOU'VE RAN ON A CAMPAIGN THAT INCLUDED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, SO PLEASE DO NOT GO BACK ON YOUR WORD AND VOTE FOR THIS PLAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD EVENING, CITY COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. MY NAME IS WENDY RANDALL. I LIVE IN THE CITY OF WYOMING AND I WORK THROUGHOUT KENT COUNTY, PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. I SERVE MANY ROLES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. TODAY I STAND HERE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE KENT COUNTY ESSENTIAL NEEDS TASK FORCE. THE ESSENTIAL NEEDS TASK FORCE BRINGS TOGETHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND ROOT CAUSES AND ADDRESS BARRIERS OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FACE IN THE TRANSPORTATION, ENERGY, FOOD, WORKFORCE, AND DIGITAL INCLUSION SYSTEMS. THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS WHO ARE SERVED BY OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, HAVE VARIED BACKGROUNDS AND ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO GET BY. MANY OF THESE RESIDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE SITUATIONS AS BYPRODUCTS OF GENERATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ABUSES AND CLIMATE CHANGE. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO EXPRESS MY ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY AND EXPERT ENGAGEMENT ACROSS MANY SECTORS, INCLUDING THE AREAS OF FOCUS OF MTF, WE REGULARLY HEAR IN OUR DISCUSSIONS HOW RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES ARE IMPACTED BY A LACK OF VARIED, SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS BY THE AGE AND INEFFICIENT QUALITY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT BY LIMITED OPTIONS TO ADVANCE OUR LOCAL AGRICULTURE, HEALTHY FOOD PRODUCTION AND EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF FOOD WASTE, AND BY SLOW INVESTMENT IN CLEAN ENERGY AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT JOBS WITHIN THE CITY. THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES IN OPENLY DISCUSSING CLIMATE FACTORS AND PILOTING PROJECTS TO GAUGE COMMUNITY INTEREST. AS A MEMBER OF THE C4 LEADERSHIP TEAM AND A REPRESENTATIVE TO THE TRANSPORTATION AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDING WORK GROUPS OF THE CAP, I WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN MULTIPLE PHASES OF THE PLAN PROCESS. THE COMMUNITY HAS RESPONDED OVERWHELMINGLY TO THE ENGAGEMENT WITH A CLEAR AND LOUD VOICE, AFFIRMING THE ACTIONS SET FORTH IN THE CAP AND STEPPING FORWARD TO BE PART OF THE NEXT STEPS. MTF APPRECIATES AND APPLAUDS THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CAP TEAM AND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. WE PASSIONATELY URGE YOU TO ADOPT THE PLAN AND MOVE QUICKLY INTO THE PRIORITIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PHASES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO ONGOING ALIGNMENT AND COLLABORATION AS WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS AMBITIOUS PLAN WILL TAKE SUPPORT FROM ALL SECTORS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THESE ARE NECESSARY STEPS FOR ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ACTION AND ADAPTATION. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS LAURA SESSA. I AM A SECOND WARD RESIDENT AND RELATIVE TO TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, I'M ALSO A SCIENTIST. I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE FIELD OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH FOR OVER 15 YEARS, SO I AM HERE TODAY TO VOICE MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN, PARTICULARLY THE GOALS WITHIN WHICH ARE BASED ON SCIENCE BACKED TARGETS, PARTICULARLY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, RELATIVE TO OUR SHARE OF WHAT IS HAS BEEN AGREED UPON IN THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT BACK IN 2015. THESE GOALS ARE WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO REDUCE EMISSIONS TO ROUGHLY 50 TO 60% OF THE 2019 LEVELS BY 2030. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THESE GOALS ARE ACHIEVABLE. THERE WAS SOME ROBUST DISCUSSION AT THE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AROUND IF THESE GOALS ARE ACHIEVABLE AND HOW WE CAN REQUIRE SUCH AMBITIOUS TARGETS IF WE DON'T THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE THEM. BUT I THINK THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, A LOT OF WHAT WAS SHARED AT THAT WAS MISINFORMATION. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION TONIGHT ALREADY ABOUT INFORMATION MISINFORMATION. SO I THINK IT'S RELEVANT TO ADDRESS IT. AS I SAID, THESE GOALS ARE ACHIEVABLE. THE TECHNOLOGY TO ACHIEVE THEM IN MANY CASES ARE IS ALREADY EXISTS. FOR INSTANCE, HEAT PUMP FURNACES, ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP FURNACES REDUCE REDUCE ELECTRICITY USE FOR HEATING BY UP TO 75%, AND THEY ARE UP TO 4.5 TIMES MORE EFFICIENT THAN GAS FURNACES. THESE ARE THESE ALREADY EXIST. THEY'RE ON THE MARKET TODAY. YOU CAN BUY THEM. THEY'RE BETTER AT DEHUMIDIFYING. 
          THE AIR ELECTRIC INDUCTION RANGES AND STOVES PROVIDE BETTER HEAT QUALITY AND BETTER COOKING THAN GAS STOVES AND ARE SAFER. HEAT PUMP DRYERS USE 70% LESS ENERGY THAN TRADITIONAL DRYERS. 
          [02:30:02]
AND THAT'S NOT TO MENTION OTHER TECHNOLOGY LIKE GEOTHERMAL, SOLAR, AND WIND ENERGY, ALL OF WHICH ARE ADVANCING REMARKABLY QUICKLY. AND WHAT WE HAVE TODAY ON THE MARKET IS, IS QUITE IMPRESSIVE. ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT IS UNAVOIDABLE AS WE ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS, THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES. THIS IS JUST THE NATURE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN. THAT MEANS EVERYONE, INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE, ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FEEL SOME DISCOMFORT. THE GOALS THAT THAT ARE LAID OUT IN THIS PLAN AND IN THE PARIS AGREEMENT ARE, ARE FOCUSED ON LIMITING GLOBAL WARMING TO LESS THAN 1.5°C. AND BY MANY ACCOUNTS, WE MAY HAVE ALREADY REACHED THAT POINT. SO THE TIME TO ACT WAS TEN YEARS AGO. THE SECOND BEST TIME TO ACT IS NOW. I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE PLAN. 
          THANK YOU. MARK BACK. THAT'S NOT THE POINT. THIS PLAN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS. IT'S A GOOD PLAN. BUT BE LEERY OF THE FUNDING. BECAUSE YOU MIGHT NOT GET IT. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH JINKS THAT THE ORANGE REGIME IS DOING. I'M PRETTY LEERY OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IN ORDER TO HAVE. THIS. I DON'T HAVE THE ELECTRICITY AND THE. AND THE CLEAN ENERGY THAT YOU NEED. THE ELECTRIC GRIDS HAVE TO BE UPGRADED TO HANDLE. THE ELECTRIC STOVES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, ONCE POWER GOES OUT, GET THE MERCY OF THE POWER COMPANY AND IT MIGHT TAKE HOURS TO GET POWER RESTORED. SO YOU GOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT. BUT MY WORRY IS THIS. LAWRENCE COUNTY, ALABAMA, RAW SEWAGE, ALTHOUGH THE BLACK COMMUNITY OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, PARENTS DON'T PARENTS ARE AFRAID THAT THEIR CHILDREN, PARENTS DON'T WANT THEIR CHILDREN PLAYING OUT. 
          THEY CAN'T PLAY OUTDOORS DUE TO THE. LIQUID WASTE. AND RAW SEWAGE THAT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE BECAUSE THE ORANGE FELON BASICALLY DISMANTLED THE EPA, AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. OR IN CANCER ALLEY IN LOUISIANA. WHERE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK PEOPLE ARE BASICALLY LIVING WHERE. HIGH TOXIC PLANTS. ARE BASICALLY. YEAH, PUTTING CANCER, CANCER CAUSING TOXINS IN THE AIR. BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, NO EPA. SO YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN HERE. I SUGGEST YOU ACT FAST AND APPROVE IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT THAT COMING OVER HERE TO GRAND RAPIDS OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. MY NAME IS STEVE ASHMEAD. I AM I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD. I'M A RETIRED FAMILY PHYSICIAN, BUT I CONTINUE TO TEACH AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF HUMAN MEDICINE. IN MY RETIREMENT, I HAVE CHOSEN TO BE A PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATE THROUGH MY PARTICIPATION IN MICHIGAN CLINICIANS FOR CLIMATE ACTION, CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY, AND THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION. I BELIEVE THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE THAT WILL IMPACT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR CITIZENS IS CLIMATE, IS THE CLIMATE CRISIS. WE MUST BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATING THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS TO PROVIDE ENERGY TO POWER OUR COMMUNITIES. GLOBAL WARMING AND POLLUTION ARE THE DIRECT CONSEQUENCES OF THE CONTINUED 
          [02:35:02]
COMBUSTION OF FOSSIL FUELS. AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, IN THEIR 2025 REPORT GAVE GREATER GRAND RAPIDS, D AND F GRADES FOR POLLUTION HERE. THE GOAL FOR THE CAP APPEARED QUITE REASONABLE WHEN INITIALLY INTRODUCED. THESE GOALS WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE GIVEN THE CURRENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESISTANCE TO CONTINUE THE CLIMATE POLICIES OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. HOWEVER, THE REAL THREATS OF GLOBAL WARMING HAVE ONLY BECOME MORE APPARENT TO THOSE OF US THAT ARE WILLING TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL DATA. THE HEALTH RISKS OF OUR CONTINUED RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS ARE NUMEROUS AND DISCOURAGING, RELYING ON INDIVIDUALS TO PERSONALLY REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT MUST BE RECOGNIZED AS A STRATEGY FOISTED ON US BY THE FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES. THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY HOPES TO DISTRACT THE PUBLIC FROM THEIR CONTINUED TO DESIRE TO MAXIMIZE THEIR PROFITS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT GRAND RAPIDS CONTINUES TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THE CITIZENS OF GRAND RAPIDS, AS EVIDENCED BY THE PRESENCE OUR TONIGHT, OUR PRESENCE TONIGHT REQUESTS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION FIND A MECHANISM TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CAP THAT THE SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE HAS DILIGENTLY WORKED TO CREATE THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN, WILL HELP TO CREATE A HEALTHY, EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY FOR ALL. THANK YOU. HI THERE. MY NAME IS LAURA HOBSON. I AM A RESIDENT AND MUSICIAN IN THE THIRD WARD, AND TONIGHT I JUST WANT TO READ FOR JUST ONE SECOND FROM A BOOK. IT'S BY POET LAUREATE JOY HARJO, AND SHE IS A RENOWNED PERFORMER AND WRITER OF THE MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION. THESE ARE HER WORDS, NOT MINE. AND I THINK IT GIVES A LITTLE CONTEXT FOR HOW WE'VE ARRIVED WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AND I JUST THINK SHE SAYS IT VERY BEAUTIFULLY. QUOTE. 
          WE FREQUENTLY SAT IN MEETINGS WITH THE POWER BROKERS WHOSE DECISIONS WOULD DECIDE THE FATE OF PEOPLES, WATERS AND LANDS. IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THERE WERE SEPARATE REALITIES OF OPPOSITIONAL VALUES AND WORLDVIEWS. AS NATIVE PEOPLES, WE WERE UP AGAINST THOSE WHO BELIEVED THAT POWER AND VALUE LAY IN THE ACQUISITION OF LANDS, FUELS, AND NATURAL RESOURCES. 
          THEY BELIEVED EARTH TO BE A DEAD THING, MEANT ONLY TO BE MINED OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD BRING MONEY INTO THE HANDS OF THE POWER PLAYERS. EARTH IS A LIVING BEING. WE CANNOT OWN THE EARTH. 
          RATHER, WE ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE EARTH. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EARTH WILL DECIDE THE FATE OF OUR FAMILIES, OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO DIG, DESTROY, TAKE MORE THAN YOU NEED, AND TO DO SO WITH THE INTENT TO BENEFIT A FEW IS CONSIDERED DISRESPECTFUL TO ALL, AND MORE THAN THAT, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE QUESTIONS ARISE IN ME NOW AS THEY DID THEN. WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE TO BATTLE FOR PROTECTION OF OUR HOME, THIS EARTH GARDEN? WHY DO THE DESTROYERS APPEAR TO HAVE THE ODDS? NO MATTER WHICH WAY WE TURN FOR JUSTICE? END QUOTE I MOVED TO THE THIRD WARD NINE YEARS AGO AND BOUGHT THE HOME SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE ANCIENT OAK TREE ON THE LOT. THAT MIGHT SOUND SILLY TO YOU, BUT EVERY DAY I AM THANKFUL TO SOMEBODY I WILL NEVER MEET FOR PLANTING THAT TREE OVER 200 YEARS AGO. AND EVERY DAY I THANK STRANGERS WHO USED TO RENT THE PROPERTY AND OWN THE PROPERTY AND STEWARD THE LAND BEFORE ME FOR NOT CHOPPING THAT TREE DOWN. IT BRINGS SO MUCH JOY TO MY NEIGHBORS, THE CHILDREN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERYBODY WHO TAKES A WALK BY IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE TREE, AND I HOPE THAT 50, 100, 200 YEARS FROM NOW, PEOPLE CAN LOOK BACK AND BE THANKFUL TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO DECIDED TO APPROVE THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS SERGIO SIERRA REYES. I'M THE CLIMATE JUSTICE CATALYST AT THE URBAN CORE COLLECTIVE. I LEAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TEAM THERE AT THE URBAN CORE COLLECTIVE, AND I'M HERE ALSO AS A BOARD MEMBER OF COMMUNITY COLLABORATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, WHO WAS ONE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, ALONG WITH THE URBAN CORE COLLECTIVE AND OTHER PARTNERS IN DOING SOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY. AND SO WE'RE HERE. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE EQUITY FRONT, BECAUSE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE FIRST IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONTRIBUTE THE LEAST. ALSO, 
          [02:40:07]
BECAUSE OF THE ADAPTATION COMPONENT OF THE PLAN. THAT IS THAT IF WE LOOK AT HOW THE CITY INVESTS, NOT JUST THE CITY, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW TAXES ARE CONCENTRATED DOWNTOWN, THE INFLUENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS HAS ON THE CITY. IF WE. IF WE RELY ON HOW THE CITY ALLOCATES RESOURCES CURRENTLY, AND WE DON'T TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT HOW ADAPTATION IS GOING TO REPLICATE THOSE DISPARATE IMPACTS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO REPLICATE THOSE IMPACTS GOING FORWARD. AND THE CITY IS GOING TO CONTINUE INVESTING DISPROPORTIONATELY HERE DOWNTOWN AND BUSINESSES AND AFFLUENT COMMUNITIES. AND I THINK THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR US TO THINK CRITICALLY AND HONESTLY ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE GOING FORWARD. THERE WAS I WENT TO THE MY HEALTHY CLIMATE PLAN CONFERENCE RECENTLY, AND HILARY DOLE, SHE'S THE CHIEF GROWTH AND MARKETING OFFICER AT MEDC. CITED MULTIPLE STATS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT THEY DID A STUDY TOGETHER WITH MIT AND TALKED TO BUSINESSES. 
          AND IN MICHIGAN, 100%. SHE SAID THAT RARELY THEY HAVE 100% RESPONDENTS ON SURVEYS, ON STUDIES, BUT 100% OF BUSINESSES IN MICHIGAN HAVE ALREADY BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. ALSO, 75% OF THOSE BUSINESSES THEY TALKED TO, 75% HAVE CONSIDERED RELOCATING DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE OUT OF MICHIGAN. AND SO AS WE IT'S THAT CONUNDRUM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE CLIMATE CHANGE. YOU KNOW, OUR MAYOR. PUT A LOT OF HOLES ON IT, ON CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT THEN WHEN SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR MADE THE PRESENTATION. TALKED A LOT OF HOLES IN IT THAT THAT'S TRUE. BUT WE CAN STILL WORK WITH THAT. AND THE CLIMATE PLAN COULD DO A LOT MORE THAN THE THAN HIS ELECTRIC VEHICLE COULD DO IN THE LONG RUN. HELLO. MY NAME IS PETER. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD AND A LOCAL BUILDER AND DEVELOPER. AS A BUILDER AND A DEVELOPER, AND I CAN'T SAY I REPRESENT THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT COST. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD? I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DEVELOP PROPERTY. WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS, AS A BUILDING OWNER, DO PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE HERE? THAT WILL HURT MY BUSINESS MORE THAN ANY. AND I AND I REFER TO THE GENTLEMAN HERE WHO, WHO, WHO LIVES HERE NOW IN GRAND RAPIDS. WE NEED THOSE PEOPLE TO WANT TO STAY IN THE CITY. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH AS A DEVELOPER TO BUILD FIVE BUILDINGS, A LITTLE OVER 100 APARTMENTS THAT ARE ALL ELECTRIC. THEY'VE BEEN IN OPERATION NOW FOR SIX YEARS. I CAN SAY THAT THEY PERFORMED BETTER THAN MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH GAS FIRED BUILDINGS. THEY ARE EQUAL OR CHEAPER. FIRST COST TO BUILD. THEY ARE CHEAPER TO OPERATE AND THEY'RE HEALTHY, HEALTHIER FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR BUILDINGS. I'M ALSO PROUD TO SAY THAT I'M WORKING ON THREE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH EMERGING DEVELOPERS IN THE CITY, THAT WE'RE DOING 50 NEW APARTMENTS THAT WERE IN THE PLANNING OR CONSTRUCTION PHASE ON RIGHT NOW. I LEARNED FROM FROM A MENTOR ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE OF PEOPLE PROFIT PLANET. WE HAVE TO KEEP THESE THINGS IN BALANCE. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT FIRST COST. FIRST COST IS A FACTOR. AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, AGAIN, ALL ELECTRIC BUILDINGS ARE EQUAL OR LESS FOR FIRST COST. IF PEOPLE TELL YOU OTHERWISE, THEY HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO IT. WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLANET, AND WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITY. BIG PROBLEMS CREATE BIG OPPORTUNITIES. I THINK WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY HERE. AND I WOULD ADD THAT DATA DRIVES IMPROVEMENT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS THE CAP PROGRAM IS DOING IS FORCING US TO GET REAL DATA, REALLY LOOK AT WHERE IS OUR WHERE ARE OUR CARBON EMISSIONS TRULY COMING FROM, AND HOW CAN WE CHANGE THEM? AND I WILL END WITH A QUOTE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES 
          [02:45:04]
FROM PAUL WELLSTONE. WE ALL DO BETTER WHEN WE ALL DO BETTER. WE CAN DO BETTER. AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STEP FOR MAKING SURE WE DO THAT. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS BRIAN DEVRIES. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SECOND WARD, AND I'M ALSO A SCIENTIST WORKING IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONERS, CITY EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND THE CONSULTANTS FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK ON MAKING THIS AMBITIOUS AND WELL THOUGHT OUT AND REALISTIC PLAN TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING REALISTIC GOALS IN THIS PLAN, AND WHILE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE OBVIOUSLY IMPOSSIBLE GOALS, I WORRY THAT TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE. DEFINING A REALISTIC GOAL IS ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE US TO CHANGE OUR HABITS, OR HOW MUCH OF A BUSINESS'S REVENUE SHOULD BE SPENT ON OBTAINING ENERGY, OR HOW SERIOUSLY OUR GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN LEFT OUT OF BENEFICIAL DEVELOPMENT. I AM SURE THAT WHEN OUR RESIDENTS LOOK BACK AT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CITY AND THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN A FEW YEARS, AT AT LATER ELECTIONS, I'M SURE THEY WILL NOT ASK, DID THE CITY MEET A SET OF EASY, REALISTIC CLIMATE GOALS THAT DID NOT ULTIMATELY MEET OUR NEEDS, BUT RATHER DID THE CITY'S EFFORTS MEET THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CHALLENGE SET BEFORE US? SO I URGE YOU TO ADOPT THIS EXCELLENT PLAN WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. AND SHOW REAL LEADERSHIP IN CLIMATE POLICY. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS JONATHAN HAND. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD. I'M GOING TO BE TALKING TO A FEW DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TONIGHT THAT I HAVE. THE FIRST IS AS AN AS AN ENERGY EXPERT. SO I HAVE A I HAVE A PHD IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. AND I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE CLIMATE MITIGATION SPACE FOR MY WHOLE CAREER, THE PAST 15 YEARS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE PLAN IS SCIENCE BASED, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT IS DEFINITELY TECHNOLOGICALLY ACHIEVABLE. IF WE DO NOT ACHIEVE IT, IT WON'T BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO SO. IT WILL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE WILLPOWER TO DO SO. I ALSO APPRECIATE HOW HOW DATA DRIVEN THE PLAN IS LIKE HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID, AND ALSO THAT THE PLAN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE IT EVERY FIVE YEARS IN TANDEM WITH TAKING NEW GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORIES. 
          I ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT THE PLANS THAT GRANT IS RESIDENT. IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO ME THAT MY HOMETOWN IS DOING THIS. I THINK IT REALLY SIGNALS OUR VALUES. YOU KNOW, AFTER I GREW UP HERE AND WHEN I MOVED AWAY, I REALIZED THAT EVERYONE SAYS GRANDPA IS A IS A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY. AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO SIGNAL TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE CARE ABOUT FAMILIES IN THE NEXT GENERATION THAN BY PASSING THIS PLAN. I ALSO THINK IT SIGNALS TO BUSINESSES, ACTUALLY, THAT THAT THAT WE'RE ON THE FOREFRONT, AND WE SEE THIS AS THE FUTURE. AND MOST OF THE LEADERS IN THIS SPACE AT A NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, REGARD CLIMATE CHANGE AS THE GREATEST WEALTH CREATION OPPORTUNITY EVER, BECAUSE IT'S A HUGE CRISIS, BUT IT'S ALSO A HUGE OPPORTUNITY. AND THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE BOTH WHITE COLLAR AND BLUE COLLAR JOBS AND LOTS OF THEM. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO JUST INCREASE. I THINK IF WE DO THIS BUSINESS AND REVENUE TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY. AND I ALSO THINK IT'S PASSING THIS PLAN WILL SIGNAL FROM THE CITY THAT IT HERE'S THE RESIDENTS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS COSTING US MONEY RIGHT NOW. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS PLAN AS A AS A HUMAN BEING AND A PERSON OF FAITH. I LIKE THAT THIS PLAN IS FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND JUSTICE AND HOW CLEAR THE PLAN, HOW CLEAR IT IS. THE PLAN IS INVOLVED WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT PASSING THIS PLAN IS ALSO THE MORALLY CORRECT THING TO DO. AND LASTLY, I WOULD JUST SAY AS A AS A THIRD WARD VOTER, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE CHANGE IS MY NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND SO COMMISSIONER PERDUE, COMMISSIONER KILGORE, AND MAYOR LA GRANDE, LIKE, I VOTED FOR YOU ON THIS ISSUE, AND I HOPE THAT THAT YOU WILL VOTE YES. AND LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE JUST AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS VERY EXCITING THAT WE'RE DOING THIS 
          [02:50:01]
AND IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY EXCITING. AND WE CAN WE CAN TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND I THINK WE CAN ACCOMPLISH IT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. COMMISSION. MY NAME IS CARLOS CALDERON, RESIDENT OF THE FIRST WARD AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE ENVIRONMENT, OR EXCUSE ME, DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS AT THE WEST MICHIGAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION COUNCIL. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY WITH A LONG STANDING COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY AND REGION'S ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING. MY INVOLVEMENT AS THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE URBAN AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE, VICE CHAIR OF THE STORMWATER OVERSIGHT COMMISSION, A MEMBER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND A CONTRIBUTING VOICE AMONG MANY IN THE CREATION OF THIS PLAN, UNDERSCORES MY DEDICATION. WITH A BACKGROUND IN ECOLOGY AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, MY EXPERTISE LIES IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AND EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS TO CONTINUE ITS WORK ON REDUCING OUR CLIMATE IMPACTS AND IMPROVE OUR RESILIENCY IN AN EVER CHANGING WORLD. THE CAP IS MORE THAN JUST A DOCUMENT. IT'S A VITAL AND HOLISTIC ROADMAP FOR SAFEGUARDING OUR COMMUNITY'S WELL-BEING AND ECONOMIC VITALITY. BY SUPPORTING ITS ADOPTION, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CITY STAFF WILL EMPOWER GRAND RAPIDS TO LEAD THE WAY TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. BUILDING UPON GRAND RAPIDS HISTORY OF RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION PLANNING OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, THE CAP REPRESENTS A CRUCIAL NEXT STEP. 
          IT SYNTHESIZES VALUABLE INSIGHTS AND PROVIDES A PATHWAY FOR THE CITY TO NOT ONLY LEAD, BUT ALSO EFFECTIVELY COLLABORATE WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY DOES THIS AFFECT OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS, BUT WESTMINSTER, WEST MICHIGAN'S POTENTIAL AS A CLIMATE HAVEN PRESENTS BOTH AN OPPORTUNITY AND A RESPONSIBILITY. THIS MEANS WE NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS THAT CONTINUE THE EFFORTS OF THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS, SUCH AS SUPPORTING OUR VITAL STREETS INITIATIVE, WHICH NOT ONLY REDUCES HARMFUL VEHICLE EMISSIONS, BUT ALSO ENHANCES ACCESSIBILITY AND PROMOTES HEALTHIER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR ALL RESIDENTS, PROMOTING NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, MITIGATING URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, ADAPTING OUR MATERIALS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES PROACTIVELY TO ENSURE WE CAN SUSTAINABLY ACCOMMODATE A GROWING POPULATION AND MINIMIZE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT. THIS PLAN SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED AS A BURDEN TO BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, BUT RATHER AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOSTER LOCAL JOB CREATION, STIMULATE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND BUILD RESILIENCE ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S PARAMOUNT THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAP PRIORITIZES EQUITY, ENSURING THAT VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY BURDENED. IT'S TIME FOR DECISIVE ACTION NOW, AND BY EMBRACING AND IMPLEMENTING THE CAP, OUR CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BILL KNAPP. I LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD, AND IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT URGENT ENOUGH THAT WE'VE GOT A CLIMATE CRISIS. NOW. 
          WE'VE GOT OPPOSING FORCES. EPA IS BEING DESTRUCTED. NO IS BEING DISMANTLED. FUNDING FOR UNIVERSITY RESEARCH IS BEING TAKEN AWAY. AND I JUST LEARNED TONIGHT FROM KRISTOF THAT THE MICHIGAN CLIMATE CORPS HAS BEEN DEFUNDED AS OF 946 LAST NIGHT. SO THAT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHAT THE CITY AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS DOING HERE, RIGHT IN THE CITY. I SUPPORT IT COMPLETELY. I THINK IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS JUST A ROAD MAP, AND YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH SUPPORT FROM ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, FROM ALL OF THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S INCREDIBLE TO SEE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE COME OUT AND KNOWING AND READING THAT THE PLAN IS ALL ABOUT BRINGING COMMUNITY AND CITY TOGETHER, THAT YOU'VE GOT THE CITY OF ANN ARBOR THAT PASSED IN 2022, A MILLAGE THAT BRINGS IN $7 MILLION A YEAR TO FUND THEIR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. 
          WE COULD DO THAT. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE STREETS AND GET BALLOTS OR GET PETITIONS SIGNED. I THINK THERE'S A REAL, REAL AVENUE TO SUCCESS HERE. AND KNOWING THAT THIS IS A THIS THIS IS A ROAD MAP. SO THE ADOPTION OF A ROAD MAP SEEMS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. AND I, I MEAN, NO DISRESPECT, BUT IT'S A NO BRAINER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALI FROST. I AM A LIFELONG GRAND RAPIDS RESIDENT AND A CITIZEN OF THE 
          [02:55:01]
SECOND WARD. I ALSO WORK IN THE FIRST WARD, SO I WORK IN THE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING INDUSTRY. I COMMISSION BUILDINGS, I'LL DO ENERGY AUDITS AND I'VE EVEN WORKED ON OTHER CLIMATE ACTION PLANS FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES. I'VE ALSO FORMERLY WAS INVOLVED IN THE SOLAR ENERGY INDUSTRY. SO I HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND IN THIS KIND OF THING. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO OUTLINE A FEW CONCERNS THAT I HAD ABOUT IT AS WELL. SO I BELIEVE THAT HAVING A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IS COMPLETELY NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I ALSO WORRY ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PART OF IT. MANY OF THE MEASURES OUTLINED IN THE PLAN SEEM A LITTLE BIT UNSPECIFIC, A LITTLE BIT VAGUE TO ME. SOME ARE PHRASED AS JUST SUPPORTING A CERTAIN ACTION, AND I DON'T SEE ANY QUANTIFIABLE GOALS FOR SOME OF THOSE ACTIONS OR ANY PROJECTED TIMELINES. AND I HOPE THAT THOSE SPECIFICS ARE STILL TO COME. BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A COMMITMENT TO MORE SPECIFIC AND QUANTIFIABLE GOALS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. ALL OF THE IDEAS ARE A GOOD START, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THEM. I LOVE THAT THERE'S A FOCUS ON JUSTICE, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT I DON'T WANT THE CITY TO ENGAGE IN ANY KIND OF GREENWASHING EITHER. 
          I DON'T WANT US TO HAVE A PLAN WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, AND THEN THERE'S NO CONSEQUENCES OR ACTIONS FOR NOT MEETING THE GOALS, AND THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE GOALS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO COORDINATE WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT, SUCH AS THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, AND IN DEVELOPING THIS PLAN, WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOME SERIOUS BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING SOLAR WITHIN THE CITY. THERE'S A LOT OF ZONING RESTRICTIONS, EVEN FOR LIKE VERY BASIC SOLAR PROJECTS. SOMETIMES WE HAD TO FILE FOR VARIANCES TO GET THEM APPROVED. THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THAT, AND ESPECIALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING SOLAR THAT CAME TO US AT THE TIME WERE IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND THAT'S JUST BASICALLY A NO GO AT ALL. AND YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALSO DEFINITELY A BARRIER TO IMPLEMENTING FURTHER ENERGY MEASURES WITHIN THE CITY. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, IT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY ITSELF TO BE IMPLEMENTING THINGS, BUT IT'S NICE TO ALSO EMPOWER THE COMMUNITY TO DO SO ALONGSIDE THEM. SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN CONCERNS THAT I WAS PLANNING TO OUTLINE HERE. SO I URGE YOU TO ADOPT THE CAP, BUT PLEASE CONSIDER REFINING IT FURTHER SO THAT CONCRETE ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN AND ENFORCED. THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. I'M TOM TOMA, 1635 HALL STREET SOUTHEAST. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN TO BE BROUGHT THIS FAR. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE LEADERSHIP ROLE THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS CAN PLAY STATEWIDE AND NATIONALLY WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY WIDE CLIMATE ACTION. SOME HAVE SAID THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER REFERRED TO THIS THIS IDEA THAT THE PLAN IS TOO BROAD, IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SPECIFICITY. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES. BUT AS THE STRATEGIC PLANNING DOCUMENT, I THINK IT IS OUTSTANDING. IT DOES APPEAR THAT A NUMBER OF FOLLOW UP PLANS WILL BE NEEDED. I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, OR ALL OF US SHOULD KNOW BY NOW, TRANSPORTATION IS THE SINGLE LARGEST SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR MANY YEARS. SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT SECTION OF THE PLAN. THE PLAN DOES CALL FOR A PEDESTRIAN ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS LONG OVERDUE. I HIGHLY SUPPORT THAT. BUT THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES A NUMBER OF QUITE DRAMATIC CHANGES TO OUR CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND I SUPPORT THOSE AS WELL. I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE FRIENDS OF SLOW STREETS INITIATIVE, AS WELL AS THE BICYCLE COALITION AND STRONG TOWNS GRAND RAPIDS, AND THAT IS A GOAL THAT THEY HAVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE A NETWORK OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES. HOWEVER, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER, THAT TYPE OF INITIATIVE WITHOUT UPDATING THE CURRENT BICYCLE PLAN. THE CURRENT BICYCLE ACTION PLAN DOES NOT ACCOMMODATE THAT KIND OF AGGRESSIVE AND FAR REACHING CHANGE TO OUR CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE. SO I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THAT YOU NOT ONLY UPDATE THE BICYCLE ACTION OR THE PEDESTRIAN ACTION PLAN, OR CREATE A PEDESTRIAN ACTION PLAN, BUT THAT YOU ALSO UPDATE THE CURRENT BICYCLE ACTION PLAN AND THOSE EFFORTS CAN BE COMBINED. THE CITY OF CHICAGO DID COMPLIMENTARY BIKE AND PED PLANS GOING ON 15 YEARS AGO, SO THAT'S A CUSTOM CUSTOMARY THING FOR CITIES TO DO. LAST TIME THE BIKE PLAN WAS PREPARED ESSENTIALLY BY ONE STAFF PERSON, AND THAT STAFF PERSON DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF 
          [03:00:07]
GOING OUT AND DOING TABLING AT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF EVENTS. BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE KIND OF INTERACTION THAT YOU SEE IN TERMS OF GROUP DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, LIKE YOU SEE WITH THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE. SO REALLY, THIS TIME AROUND, TO HAVE THE KIND OF FAR REACHING PLAN FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLING THAT WE REALLY NEED, THERE REALLY SHOULD BE AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL STAFF TEAM THAT LEADS IT, WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANT AND A CITIZEN TASK FORCE. MEMBERS OF THE CITIZEN TASK FORCE COULD REPRESENT THE MOBILE GR BOARD AS WELL AS THE VITAL STREETS COMMISSION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AS WELL AS ADVOCATES FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THOSE GROUPS. I MENTIONED FRIENDS OF SLOW STREETS, THE BICYCLE COALITION, STRONG TOWNS, DISABILITY ADVOCATES, WEST MICHIGAN TRAILS, AND THAT KIND OF THING. AND THERE ARE OTHER AGENCIES THAT COULD BE PART OF THE STAFF TEAM, SUCH AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE RAPID AND METRO COUNCIL AND MDOT. SPEAKING OF METRO COUNCIL, THE PLAN AT THIS POINT DOES MENTION THEIR TRAILS PLAN, THE REGIONAL TRAILS PLAN, BUT PERHAPS A MORE RELEVANT PRODUCT FROM METRO COUNCIL THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY IS THEIR TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN. 
          TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT IS THE IDEA THAT YOU REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR ROADS AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND ROAD MAINTENANCE BY DIRECTING PEOPLE THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEANS, TO USE ALTERNATIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION? TOM, I KNOW YOU'RE PASSIONATE ON THIS, BUT YOUR PASSION FOR THREE MINUTES? YEP. SO THE TDM PLAN DOES DOVETAIL. WITH THE PLANS FOR THIS PLAN. SO THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COMMISSION AND EVERYONE. THANKS FOR STICKING IT OUT HERE. 
          I'M TERRY GATES I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN GRAND RAPIDS BY RIVERSIDE PARK. SO I HAD RIVERSIDE PARK AS MY PLAYGROUND GROWING UP. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN ALTO, WHICH MAKES ME A KENT COUNTY RESIDENT, BUT I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND RAPIDS BECAUSE BEING A LIFELONG, YOU KNOW, LIVING HERE MY WHOLE LIFE, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO NOTICE IS THE COUNCIL. SO ALICIA MARIE, WITH HER DEGREE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, AND WE'VE HAD A TALK, MARCIA KILGORE, WITH WE MIAC AND WE YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED AND DAVID LEGRAND WITH I KNOW YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND WE TALKED AND I KNOW A LOT OF YOU ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND CARE A LOT. AND THAT MEANS A LOT TO EVERYBODY. HERE IS HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT GRAND RAPIDS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME IS THAT I HELPED START THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION BACK WHEN I GOT INVOLVED IN DAY ONE OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, I STARTED HEALTHY PLANET STRATEGIES BECAUSE I KNEW THAT BASED ON WHAT BARACK OBAMA HAD SAID, IS THAT THERE IS NO CHALLENGE THAT POSES A GREATER THREAT TO THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY THAN CLIMATE CHANGE, THAN OUR ENVIRONMENT. AND SO I TOOK THAT ON AS A SERIOUS CHALLENGE AND STARTED HEALTHY PLANET STRATEGIES WITH THE GOAL TO BUILD AWARENESS THAT WOULD LEAD TO ACTION. AND IT'S BEEN A FOUR YEAR JOURNEY, AND IT'S BEEN A VERY PASSIONATE JOURNEY FOR ME, AND I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY INVOLVED. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED IN THE CAP IS SOME OF THE DATA THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP. TODAY I WAS OUT FOR A RUN AND I WENT PAST THIS ELECTRONIC MESSAGE BOARD AND IT SAID CURRENT TEMPERATURE 79. AND I'M GOING LIKE IT'S APRIL, IT'S 79 DEGREES. SO I WENT AND GOOGLED, WHAT IS THE HIGH AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR APRIL 28TH? AND IT'S 57 DEGREES. SO IN THE CAP THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW RIGHT NOW GRAND RAPIDS IS EXPERIENCING EIGHT DAYS A YEAR OVER 90. AND THEY'RE SAYING BY MID-CENTURY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 38 DAYS A YEAR OVER 90 DEGREES. THAT'S GOT TO SCARE THE HELL OUT OF US, IS THAT THE PLANET IS WARMING AND WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND WHEN I TAKE A TALLY OF EVERYBODY THAT HAS SPOKEN SO FAR, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S PRETTY MUCH IN FAVOR. SO I KNOW THAT I DON'T NEED TO SPEAK BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SO THE GIVEN THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, FEDERAL DANGEROUS INACTION ABOUT CLIMATE, PEOPLE ARE READY TO STEP UP AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND WE NEED TO ALLOW THEM TO MOBILIZE THE CAP. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ALL ABOUT. HELLO, IT'S OKE FROM WARD ONE. SORRY. I'M TIRED, LIKE PROBABLY EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY A TESTIMONY TO HOW IMPORTANT 
          [03:05:03]
THESE KINDS OF THINGS ARE. AND LEANING INTO THAT FEELING CAN RECONNECT YOU WITH YOUR BODY, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE ALL HERE AND WHY THE CAP IS IMPORTANT. BECAUSE MONEY IS NOT REAL. AND WHAT IS CUSTOMARY CAN BE CHANGED. BUT THIS IS WHAT'S REAL FOR ALL OF US, FOR EVERYBODY. 
          AND THIS IS A GOOD START. THERE WERE A LOT OF VERY EXPERIENCED, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AS TO ALL THE DIFFERENT REASONS WHY THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I ALSO DO WANT TO ECHO THAT. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANY PART OF OUR WORLD, BUT HERE SPECIFICALLY OUR CITY BEHIND, MAKING SURE THAT WE DO PAY SPECIAL CARE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY IT, AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO TRY TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE DONE, THAT WE EXTRA PAY ATTENTION THERE. I'M GOING TO CUT IT THERE BECAUSE. YEAH. GOOD EVENING. YEAH. 
          ECHOING THAT, THANKS FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH ALL OF US WHO'VE ALSO HUNG IN HERE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION. MY NAME IS JANET TSAN. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE FIRST WARD AND CO-CHAIR OF THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION. MANY CLIMATE COALITION MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN, AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE CLIMATE COALITION, BUT OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS C4 AND VARIOUS OTHER COMMUNITY CITIZENS WHO HAVE VOICED PROBABLY EVERYTHING THAT I WOULD WANT TO SAY. SO I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS JUST REALLY REINFORCE AND BROAD STROKES SOME OF THIS. WHAT I REALLY LOVE ABOUT THE CAP IS THAT THE PROCESS OF COMING TO THIS DOCUMENT WAS SO INCLUSIVE AND RELIED UPON THE EXPERTISE OF OUR STAFF AND OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THE INTEREST AND PASSION OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY. EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A VOICE IN THIS. AND AS YOU'VE SEEN TONIGHT, THERE'S BROAD SUPPORT FOR IT. IS IT A PERFECT DOCUMENT? NO. CAN IT BE IMPROVED? YES. IT IS MEANT TO BE A MAP, NOT A LAW. SO THE FOLKS WHO HAVE SAID, OH, I'M WORRIED ABOUT BEING PUNISHED FOR THIS, IT'S LIKE THERE'S NO PUNISHMENT ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT, BUT IT SHOULD BE THE FLOOR AND NOT THE CEILING. 197 ACTION ITEMS. OH, THAT'S A LOT. WELL, GUESS WHAT, FOLKS, IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE, WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE IT. BUT IT'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE COMING TO US TO INVITE THE PARTICIPATION OF OUR GOVERNMENT BY LEADING THE WAY WITH GOOD POLICY, GOOD INCENTIVE, AND LEADING WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR ON YOUR ON THEIR OWN. IT IS SAYING BUSINESS NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THIS SUCCESS, AND IT'S SAYING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR MATTERS TOO. AND SO WHAT I REALLY LOVE IS THE INCLUSIVENESS OF ALL OF THE ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THIS DOCUMENT. I LOVE THAT IT'S FOUNDED IN EQUITY, AND IT IS BROUGHT VOICES TO THE CONVERSATION WHO HAVEN'T PRIOR BEEN PART OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND SPOKEN AND HEARD FROM THEM IN WAYS THAT MAKE SENSE TO THEM. WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS, THOUGH, IS THAT IT ASKS US TO EXPAND OUR VISION. AND SO RATHER THAN BEING A CRABBY FIREBRAND, I WANT TO END THIS WITH ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES AS WELL. AND THIS IS FROM THE AUTHOR, ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY. AND IT IS IT'S AN INVITATION TO EXPAND OUR VISION OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE. IF YOU WANT TO BUILD A SHIP, DON'T DRUM UP THE MEN AND WOMEN TO GATHER WOOD, DIVIDE THE WORK AND GIVE ORDERS. INSTEAD, TEACH THEM TO YEARN FOR THE VAST AND ENDLESS SEA. AND I WOULD SAY, THE ENDLESS SEA THAT WE CAN YEARN FOR IS A CLEAN, HEALTHY AND SAFE, HOPEFUL FUTURE. THANK YOU. HI, I'M JOHN. I WANTED TO DISCUSS CLIMATE ACTION. I ALSO WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR YELLING AT YELLING AT YOU GUYS SO MUCH. 
          BECAUSE I HAVE TEMPER I HAVE TEMPER PROBLEMS AND RELATES TO PTSD AND IT'S VERY HARD. AND I GET WHAT I WANT TO DO IS ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR HEARTS. RIGHT. BUT I'M SURE IT'S HARD WHEN I'M YELLING. RELATED TO CLIMATE. I THINK THAT THE REVOLUTION STARTS IN THE SOIL. I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY, TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY GARDENS AND BE MORE RELAXED ABOUT SORT OF 
          [03:10:07]
ECO FRIENDLY, BIODIVERSE GARDENS LIKE I MY PROPERTY. I PUT WILDFLOWER SEEDS ALL OVER AND LAST SUMMER I WAS ALL EXCITED BECAUSE I WANTED MILKWEED PLANTS. AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING MONARCH BUTTERFLIES EAT AND THEY PLANT THEIR EGGS. AND SO I WENT TO I WAS LIKE, CAN I BUY MILKWEED? BUT I DON'T THINK THEY SELL IT. IT'S JUST IT'S A WEED, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY A WEED. SO BUT THEN THEY STARTED GROWING IN MY FRONT YARD AND LIKE I WAS SO EXCITED. IT'S LIKE, OH, I GOT FIVE MILKWEEDS. AND THEN I HAD SIX AND THEN I HAD SEVEN. AND I WAS SO EXCITED. 
          I CHECKING ON THEM EVERY DAY. I PUT UP A SIGN THAT SAID PESTICIDE FREE BIRD AND WILDLIFE HABITAT. AND THEN WHEN I WAS AWAY ONE DAY, THE CITY CAME AND MOWED ALL MY MILKWEED. I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT MY TREASURED PLANTS. THEY MOWED MY EVENING PRIMROSE. THEY MOWED MY BACK. 
          RAIN GARDEN, WHICH IS INSANE. I'LL CUT BECAUSE OF KIND OF MY CHOSEN, WILD FREE, EARTH FRIENDLY SPACE. IT VIOLATES LAWS THAT PRIORITIZE WEALTH IN THE NAME OF PROPERTY VALUES OVER WELLNESS OF THE EARTH. SO HERE'S ME TRYING TO DO MY CLIMATE THING. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M I WOULD HARASS ALMOST IN A BUREAUCRATIC WAY. SO I WANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A PART OF THE PLAN OR WHATEVER, BUT I WAS THINKING SOMETHING ABOUT, WE'VE GOT ALL THESE PLANS. ONE WE CAN'T THINK, ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT THIS THING, AND THIS IS THE ONLY AREA WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON CLIMATE. AND TWO, PERHAPS TO LOOK AT WHAT WHAT MIGHT WE WANT TO DISMANTLE OR UNDO OR WHERE ARE WE KIND OF HOLDING ON TO? OLD, OLDER, ARCHAIC AND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHERE WHAT ARE THE VALUES THAT ARE EXPRESSED IN OUR LAWS OR WHATEVER? AND THERE MIGHT TO ME, I THINK OF SOME OF THESE LAWN MOWING NUISANCE THINGS. YOU KNOW, IF I WORKED THERE, I'D BE LIKE, LET'S GET RID OF ALL THIS STUFF. LIKE LET PEOPLE WRITE A NOTE AND SAY, I'M GROWING SUNFLOWERS OR WHATEVER, BUT THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. AND. AND I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER. 
          IT'S LATE. I'M KEITH NGUYEN, I'M A RESIDENT OF THE FIRST WARD. I'M A FOUNDER OF THE GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL AND ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE LEED STANDARD. THE LEED STANDARD WAS A CONSENSUS BASED STANDARD THAT INCLUDED ALL THE INDUSTRIES, BUILDERS, BANKS, EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY. IT WAS A CONSENSUS BASED STANDARD. IT WAS MEASURABLE, AND IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. AND SO YOU CAN YOU CAN REALLY MEASURE RESULTS AND IMPROVEMENT. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN. AND THIS COUNCIL I HEARD THE OTHER NIGHT SAY WE NEED TO HAVE THIS HEARING. IT'S IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. IN FACT, THE CITY IN 2021 SAID CLIMATE IS A CRISIS, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE MOVING AHEAD WITH THIS PLAN. LIKE THIS IS A CRISIS. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ENGAGE EVERYONE. AND I HEARD FROM ONE DEVELOPER HERE TONIGHT, BUT I DON'T SEE OTHERS. I DON'T SEE BANKERS, I DON'T SEE ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTING THIS STUFF THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. WE HAD VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE, THE MUSEUM, ROCKFORD CONSTRUCTION, A NUMBER OF COMPANIES CERTIFIED THEIR BUILDINGS TO LEED PLATINUM STANDARDS. MANY YEARS AGO, GRAND RAPIDS WAS A LEADER IN LEED CERTIFICATION. AND WHAT'S WHERE ARE WE NOW? I MEAN, THERE ARE VERY FEW PROJECTS. MY FIRM, MANY OF OUR PROJECTS ARE NOT IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. THEY'RE NOT IN CITIES IN MICHIGAN. THEY'RE IN OTHER STATES THAT ARE THRIVING AND REALLY MOVING AHEAD AGGRESSIVELY WITH THEIR GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVES. THIS PLAN, 2030 DISTRICT WAS ESTABLISHED. IN 2016. WE WERE TOLD THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ZERO CITIES PROJECT IN 2017 WAS GOING TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAP, AND SO HERE WE ARE MANY YEARS LATER, FINALLY COMING UP WITH A PLAN. AND MOST OF WHAT'S IN THE PLAN IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENS. 
          MOST OF THE ACTION ITEMS ARE WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THIS GROUP, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THE UTILITIES. BUT THERE'S NOTHING MEASURABLE, NOTHING THAT HOLDS US ACCOUNTABLE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AS COMMISSIONERS, THE CITY 
          [03:15:01]
HAS A REQUIREMENT TO BUILD TO LEED STANDARDS. YOU HAVE A MILLION, $100 MILLION WORTH OF BUILDINGS THAT AREN'T BEING BUILT TO THOSE STANDARDS. YOU'RE SPENDING $250,000 ON, ON. 
          OFFSETS, CLIMATE OFFSETS THAT LAST ONE YEAR THAT COULD GO TOWARD SOLAR PANELS OR OTHER THINGS. SO WE NEED TO ADOPT THIS PLAN, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MEASURABLE. IT NEEDS TO BE MUCH MORE ROBUST THAN IT IS. THANKS. HELLO. MY NAME IS DANIEL SCHOONMAKER. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MICHIGAN BUSINESS FORUM. WE'RE GRAND RAPIDS BASED ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE TO ADVANCE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND THE CREATION OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN SUCH A LONG NIGHT. I CERTAINLY EARN WHAT MODEST PAY THEY GIVE YOU THE. IT WAS 12 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK THAT I CAME BEFORE A DIFFERENT CITY COMMISSION, ALONG WITH TWO COLLEAGUES AT MY FORMER EMPLOYER, THE WESTMINSTER ACTION COUNCIL, AND RECEIVED A COMMENDATION FOR ORGANIZING 2000 VOLUNTEERS TO SANDBAG THE CITY, THE GRAND RIVER AND SAVE YOUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. AND IN RETURN, YOU COMMISSION FROM US A CLIMATE RESILIENCY REPORT. 12 YEARS AGO. AND IF IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW IN THAT TIME, SINCE I'VE SERVED AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT FOR THE COMMISSIONING OF YOUR COMPOST FACILITY, CO-FOUNDER OF THE 2030 DISTRICT AND I PUT TOGETHER THAT RECYCLING CONTAINER IN YOUR HALLWAY. A WISE MAN RECENTLY SAID THAT THE MOST SUSTAINABLE THING YOU CAN DO IS LIVE IN A CITY. AND I AGREE WITH MAYOR LEGRAND'S STATEMENTS FROM THE APRIL 15TH CITY COMMISSION THAT THE PLAN IS BEFORE YOU IS AMBITIOUS BUT NECESSARY, AND THE CITY IS NOT CURRENTLY RESOURCED TO MEET THESE OBJECTIVES. AND THE PLAN, AS WRITTEN, IS NOT BOLD ENOUGH. BUT I ALSO AGREE WITH WHAT MAYOR LEGRAND SAID TO OUR ORGANIZATION ON MAY ON MARCH 31ST THAT IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, WE NEED TO LOOK TO CITIES FOR LEADERSHIP. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE LEADERSHIP FOR THE CITY COMMISSION IN THE CREATION OF AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WILL MEET THESE OBJECTIVES HEAD ON, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT IT IS OVERDUE. I LIVE HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT GRAND RAPIDS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE THE BEST MIDSIZE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. MY ORGANIZATION IS BASED HERE BECAUSE AT ONE TIME IT WAS THE MOST SUSTAINABLE MIDSIZE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. I DON'T HONESTLY THINK WE CAN SAY THAT TODAY. AND IF WE LOOK JUST BY WHO HAS CLIMATE PLANS, GRAND RAPIDS IS FIVE YEARS BEHIND KALAMAZOO, TEN YEARS BEHIND HOLLAND, TEN YEARS BEHIND ANN ARBOR. AND IN FIVE YEARS IT WILL BE A GENERATION BEHIND THESE CITIES. AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT KALAMAZOO HAS SOME SECRET SAUCE THAT GRAND RAPIDS DOES NOT. SO I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT BUSINESSES SUPPORT THIS PLAN, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT. THAT'S NOT MY EXPERIENCE. AND I CAN SAY IN CLOSING THAT WHILE THE PLAN HAS WRITTEN, MAY NOT DELIVER THE RESULTS WE NEED AND NEEDS TO IMPROVE, I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT IF YOU DO NOT PASS THE PLAN IN MAY, YOU WILL BE A LAUGHINGSTOCK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY. AND WHEREAS YOU'RE CURRENTLY GOING TO THINGS AND HERALDED AS LEADERS, WHAT THEY WILL TALK ABOUT IS THE CITY COMMISSION WORKED WITH ITS COMMUNITY FOR THREE YEARS AND TURNED DOWN THE PLAN. AND IF YOU WANT THAT TO BE THE LEGACY OF YOUR COMMISSION AND YOUR MAYORSHIP. WELL, I WON'T EVEN FINISH THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. REAL QUICK, I'M GLORIA COOK. I AM WITH THE SECOND WARD. I'M ALSO WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS CLIMATE COALITION. I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY THAT HAS SAID SOMETHING. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THAT. WHAT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT, THOUGH, IS DO WE HAVE A HUMAN RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER? AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THAT HERE NOW? SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS PLAN, LOOK AT IT AS A HUMAN RIGHT. IT'S NOT A LEGAL RIGHT YET, BUT IT IS A HUMAN RIGHT. AND LOOK AT IT BECAUSE THIS PLAN SUCKS NOW. AND IT ALSO SETS UP FOR IN THE FUTURE. SO ALL I GOT TO SAY, WE HAVE RIGHTS NOT LEGAL YET, BUT WE WILL. HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR 
          [03:20:14]
YOUR PATIENCE. MY NAME IS KATE PILLSBURY. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE SECOND WARD. I WAS HOPING NOT TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT I FELT THAT I HAD UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO OFFER. I'VE LIVED IN GRAND RAPIDS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT FOR THE NINE YEARS PRECEDING THAT, I WAS A RESIDENT OF PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP ON THE GRAND RIVER. I LIVED WITH MY DISABLED PARTNER IN A VERY SMALL HOME RIGHT ON THE BANK OF THE GRAND RIVER, AND EVERY YEAR, MANY TIMES A YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE TO GAUGE WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO VACATE OUR HOUSE DUE TO ERRATIC WEATHER AND FLOODING. 
          AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 2013, WHEN THE GRAND RIVER HAD ITS HISTORIC 100 YEAR FLOOD. BUT WHAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE COMMON KNOWLEDGE AMONG GRAND RAPIDS CITIZENS IS THAT THREE OF THE SEVEN MOST HISTORIC CRESTS OF THE GRAND RIVER HAVE HAPPENED SINCE 2013, 1 IN 2018 AND 1 IN 2020. SO IN MAY OF 2020, JUST AFTER THE PANDEMIC WHEN THE SANFORD DAM WAS BEING WASHED AWAY, WE ALSO HAD A STORM IN GRAND RAPIDS AND THE FLOOD WATERS ROSE AROUND OUR HOUSE SO THAT YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE LAND, EXCEPT FOR ACROSS THE RIVER. I COULD ONLY ACCESS MY HOUSE BY KAYAK, AND MY DOG DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LAND. AND I THINK THAT CLIMATE CHANGE CAN BE THIS SORT OF AMORPHOUS, HYPOTHETICAL THING THAT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM. AND SOME FUTURE DAY. BUT IT'S HERE NOW, AND IT AFFECTED US MANY TIMES A YEAR. IT IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO WORK, IT IMPACTED OUR STRESS LEVELS. AND THE THING ABOUT A RIVER IS IT DOESN'T RESPECT PROPERTY LINES OR CITY LINES, AND THAT 2013 FLOOD COST GRANT FLOOD COST GRAND RAPIDS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND I JUST THINK EVEN IF WE LOOK AT IT FROM A PURELY FISCAL STANDPOINT, WE AREN'T IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN RELY ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE US WITH HELP WHEN WE NEED IT. THAT SEEMS TO BE CONTINGENT ON THE PRESIDENT'S FAVOR WITH OUR GOVERNOR. AND I JUST THINK THAT IN A CITY WHERE HOUSING IS ALREADY EXTREMELY LIMITED, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANY MORE HOUSING DUE TO RISING FLOOD WATERS. AND WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR CITIZENS SO THAT WE CAN BE PREPARED. AND FOR THAT REASON, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER PASSING THIS PLAN. IF YOU CAN'T PASS IT AS IT IS. I UNDERSTAND THE RESTRICTIONS SEEM COMPLICATED. PLEASE AMEND IT AND WORK TO PROTECT OUR CLIMATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS RON VALERIO'S. I WORK WITH CITY SHORE REAL ESTATE. 45 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND ENDORSED BY DAVE RAMSEY. WHAT? I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED AND DON'T HEAR A LOT OF ANYONE TALKING ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING TO BRING UP. AND THAT IS THIS, FIRST OF ALL, REAL ESTATE VALUES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. NOW JUST USE ALGER HEIGHTS. IT'S 350,000. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T EVEN BUY AN ENTRY LEVEL HOME. THIS MAN WHO SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS, HOUSING AND ALL THAT. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT LIVE OUT OF STATE, MANDATORY THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT IN THEIR NEW HOMES. ALL WHAT THAT DOES IS INCREASE THE PRICE. WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE ISSUE TODAY. BUYERS CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE. SO I CAUTION YOU AS A BOARD THAT YOU MAKE DARN SURE THAT THESE HOME BUYERS, BUILDERS, DEVELOPERS, SELLERS ARE NOT PAYING FOR THIS AND IT'S NOT A BENEFIT TO THEM. ONE LADY SAID THEY'LL SAVE MONEY IN UTILITIES. THAT'S SOMEWHAT TRUE, BUT THAT'S OVER 510 YEARS. YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS US. THOSE ARE SORT OF THE HOUSE RULES IN THE MICROPHONE. IT'S OKAY, I GET YOUR PASSIONATE. BUT THANK YOU. SO ANYWAYS, THEY'LL INCREASE THE IF YOU COULD STAY AT THE MIC THEY'LL INCREASE THE PRICE BY 50,000. IN EXCHANGE THEY'LL SAVE COSTS ON UTILITIES. HERE'S THE PROBLEM. THEY GO TO THE BANK AND QUALIFY FOR A LOAN. THEY NO LONGER QUALIFY BECAUSE THE BANK WON'T TAKE THE CREDIT IN THE SAVINGS OF THE UTILITY COSTS. 
          AND NOW WHAT? THEY CAN'T QUALIFY. AND YOU NEED TO GET MORE EXPERTS ON YOUR BOARD. I'M SURE NONE OF YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF GETTING A BUILDER, A DEVELOPER, YOU KNOW. HOW DOES 
          [03:25:01]
THIS IMPACT THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY? THE GRAND RAPIDS REAL ESTATE BOARD IS OPPOSED BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD A HOUSE TODAY. AND WITH THIS, UNLESS YOU FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET AROUND IT, IT'S GOING TO COST THE BUYER MORE IN THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENT. I JUST SOLD A HOUSE IN JENISON, 460,001ST TIME BUYERS, 6%, DOWN $4,300 A MONTH. 30 YEARS, FIVE KIDS MORTGAGE PAYMENT ALGER HEIGHTS BETWEEN 3000 AND 3500. THIS CAN CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AND THE ABILITY TO QUALIFY. SO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A GREAT THING, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CHARGE IT TO. GUESS WHAT? I'D BUY A NEW CAR TODAY, BUT OVER TEN YEARS I'VE BEEN ADDING COSTS COST, COST, COST COST. BACK THEN THAT WASN'T AN ISSUE. NOW IT IS AN ISSUE FOR ME. I MAKE LESS MONEY. I GOT LESS SALES. THANK YOU SIR. EDITOR ANDRE, RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD. THIS CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN IS RIGHT ON TIME. EVERY CITY IN AMERICA IS ONE DAY, ONE WEEK, ONE MONTH, ONE YEAR, ONE DECADE AWAY FROM $1 BILLION DISASTER. THE CLIMATE CHANGE IS SERIOUS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, WE'RE AT THE END OF TORNADO ALLEY. 
          WE'VE HAD F0, F1, F2, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, F3 TORNADOES HAVE RIPPED THROUGH THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. SO IT'S AN EXISTENTIAL PROBLEM. I COULD GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS. THIS PLAN IS A MAGNIFICENT ROADMAP. IT CAN BE REFINED, IT CAN BE HONED, BUT WE WANT TO GET IT ON THE BOOKS. WE WANT TO GET IT IN THE BUDGET AT SOME SCALE, AND WE WANT TO MAKE PROGRESS AND WE WANT TO MAKE FORWARD PROGRESS. AND I WAS LISTENING TO SOME OF THE GENTLEMAN HERE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS COMING TO HIS HOME AND FORCIBLY MOWING HIS LAWN. I'VE BEEN IN THE SAME SITUATION. I MADE A DECISION TO LET MY BACKYARD GO NATURAL, AND MY GRASS IS LONGER THAN 12IN AND SUDDENLY I'VE GOT NUISANCE COMPLAINT, NUISANCE COMPLAINT, NUISANCE COMPLAINT. PRAISE GOD I WAS HERE TONIGHT. THE WOMAN CAME OUT AND SAID, HEY, TODAY'S YOUR LAST DAY TO FILE AN APPEAL ON YOUR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT. I HAVE FOUR SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS. I HAVE AN $885 BILL WITH THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS TO CUT MY GRASS IN THE BACKYARD, AND I WENT TO COURT AND I WON MY COURT CASE. 
          BUT SOMEHOW I STILL OWE $885 ON A NUISANCE THAT A JUDGE SAID DOESN'T EXIST. SO THERE ARE REAL WORLD IMPLICATIONS AT A VERY SMALL LEVEL AND A VERY LARGE LEVEL. AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUS. AND MAYOR LOU GRANT, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU LETTING THAT WOMAN SPEAK WHEN SHE WAS OUT OF TURN AND OUT OF ORDER, BECAUSE AS I HEARD COMMISSIONER PERDUE SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THE THIRD WARD, WITH THIS CHANGE IN VOTING PRECINCTS, WILL NOW HAVE 665 PEOPLE VOTING IN ONE PRECINCT. IMAGINE, JUST FOR EASY NUMBERS TODAY, THAT THERE WERE 100 SPEAKERS HERE TONIGHT, NOT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, BUT JUST THE 100 PEOPLE WHO SPOKE IN THAT ONE WOMAN WHO, IF YOU WOULD HAVE SAID, HEY, YOU CAN'T SPEAK, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. AND SHE SAID, HEY, I TOOK THE BUS TO GET DOWN HERE AND I'M NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT HOME. IF I TRY TO STAY FOR THE, YOU WOULD HAVE DISENFRANCHIZED THAT WOMAN. AND SO YOU DIDN'T. I SEE YOUR HEART TO ENFRANCHISE THE PEOPLE. IT'S AN ENFRANCHISEMENT. IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST VOTING. IT'S ABOUT CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION. IT'S ABOUT ADDRESSING THE FULL AND THE HOLISTIC ENTIRETY OF OUR LIVES HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. SO PLEASE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S EXISTENTIAL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO AGAIN, FOLKS, HOUSE RULES. WE TRY NOT TO CLAP. SO THAT BRINGS US FINALLY TO COMMISSIONER COMMENT PART OF THE EVENING. AND SO DOESN'T. OH NO SORRY. OH MY GOSH. OH MAYOR. MAYOR. AND YOU AND YOUR LET ME GET IT BACK. 
          WHEN I WAS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WE USED TO PERIODICALLY PULL ALL NIGHTERS TO PROVE HOW INEFFICIENT WE WERE. AND SO AT MIDNIGHT, YOU HAD TO READ IN THE ENTIRE LEGISLATURE BECAUSE IT WAS A NEW DAY. AND SO AT 1159, THEY'D SAY, WE'RE DISMISSED. AND I GET SO EXCITED. AND WHAT THEY MEANT WAS WE HAD TO READ A SENTENCE FOR THE NEXT DAY. SO I'M REALLY HOPING I DON'T HAVE TO READ US IN AT MIDNIGHT. PARKS MANAGER WE ARE UP FOR. I GUESS THAT ENDS 
          [3. Public Hearing to consider naming new park space at 680 Cesar E Chavez Avenue SW "Navarro Plaza"]
THAT PUBLIC HEARING, RIGHT? SO NOW WE ARE ON TO A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE NAMING OF THE NEW PARK SPACE AT 680 CESAR CHAVEZ NORTHWEST, WHICH IS. SORRY, SOUTHWEST. IT'S LATE. NAVARRO 
          [03:30:08]
PLAZA. SO, PARKS DIRECTOR, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THIS BRIEFLY, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO PLAZA ROOSEVELT PARK NAMING. AND SO MANY OF YOU WERE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING LAST WEEK. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THAT EFFORT. WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN PROCESS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE RESIDENTS OVER THERE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR THIS BRAND NEW PARK SPACE, THE CITY IS INVESTING ROUGHLY $2.3 MILLION INTO THIS NEW PARK SPACE, AND THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT AND HISTORIC ELEMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT INTO THIS NEW PARK SPACE OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, JUST BRIEFLY, THE NAME SELECTION PROCESS INCLUDED A CITY WIDE BRAINSTORMING EFFORT. SO THERE WERE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZED MEETINGS TO COME UP WITH IDEAS THAT PLAYED INTO THE HISTORY OF THE OF THE PARK SPACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE WAS A STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT WAS CREATED TO HELP BUILD THE SELECTION PROCESS AND THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AS WELL, AND THEN ENDED WITH A CITYWIDE VOTING PROCESS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO A SERIES OF TOP NAMES. SO AS PART OF THAT, THERE WERE 164 SUGGESTIONS RECEIVED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 95 OF THOSE MET THE CITY POLICY, THE CITY NAMING POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY ALL OF YOU ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP REVIEWED THOSE SUGGESTED NAMES AND RECOMMENDED SIX OF THEM, AS SEEN ON YOUR SCREEN HERE AND THROUGH THE CITYWIDE VOTE. EACH OF THOSE PARK NAMES, THOSE SIX NAMES RECEIVED THE VOTES THAT YOU SEE IN PARENTHESES NEXT TO THOSE NAMES. NAVARRO PLAZA DID RECEIVE A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES IN THAT CITYWIDE POLL. YOU MEAN PLURALITY? SORRY, THAT'S A MATH ISSUE. IT WASN'T A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT IT WAS. IT WAS THE HIGHEST VOTE GETTER, BUT IT WAS PLURALITY. SO THE NAMING PROCESS AND TIMELINE STARTED BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2024. 
          THROUGH ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT PHASES AND STAGES THAT I HAD BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION, WE ARE NOW AT THIS PHASE HERE. IN ESSENTIALLY MAY WHAT WILL BE MAY HERE SOON AND THE PARK ADVISORY BOARD RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THOSE TOP RECOMMENDED NAMES AND VOTED TO LIFT UP NAVARRO PLAZA TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT. WE ASK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, COMMISSIONER BELL, COMMISSIONER SASSY, APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROCESS AND POSITIVE REMARKS THAT YOU SHARED WITH US AT THE TIME THAT WE REQUESTED THAT PUBLIC HEARING. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO FOR THE CITY LEADERSHIP AND THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS PROCESS. THAT WAS A VERY ROBUST, A VERY DEMOCRATIC PROCESS BRINGING US HERE TO THIS EVENING IN THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE NEXT STEP AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT AND PUBLIC HEARING, THIS TONIGHT IS TO COME BACK TO ALL OF YOU ON MAY 20TH FOR DELIBERATION AND CONSIDERATION OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR THIS EVENING AND THE NAME THAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED. THANK YOU. SO ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC IN THE MEETING ROOM HERE WANT TO COME MAKE COMMENTS ON THIS? AND IF YOU COULD, EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID IT ALREADY ONCE BEFORE YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOU LIVE. SO CINDY GANT JORDAN, I AM A BUSINESS OWNER ON GRANDVILLE AVENUE. I AM. THAT IS MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I WAS BORN INTO, AND I WAS PART OF THE COMMITTEE OF FOR THE PARK NAMING. AND THE SECOND PHASE, THERE WERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE IN THE FIRST PHASE. 
          AND FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE IN THE FIRST PHASE, IS THAT THEY DECIDED THAT THEY DID NOT WANT IT NAMED AFTER ANYONE. AND SO THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE PARK. THEY ARE THEY ARE OF AFRICAN DESCENT. AND THEY A MAJORITY OF THEIR FAMILY DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. I THINK THERE'S ONE OF THE LETTERS THAT THAT THEY INDICATED, THE LANGUAGES THAT THEY SPEAK. AND SO YOU HAVE THOSE ON THERE. THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT ARE ARE ON THAT LETTER. MY CONCERN IS THAT. THROUGH OUR PROCESS, WE HAD THREE MEETINGS. OUR LAST MEETING WAS CANCELED. AT THAT MEETING WE WERE SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE THREE NAMES THAT WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. WHAT? OUR MEETING WAS CANCELED. 
          IT WAS NOT RESCHEDULED. WE DID REACH OUT. I ACTUALLY SET UP A MEETING SEPARATELY WITH MR. DAVID AND HIS TEAM TO COME TO MY SALON AND TALK ABOUT THIS. THERE WAS ALSO A NAME. I HAVE ALL THE 
          [03:35:04]
NAMES THAT WERE SUGGESTED HERE AND ACTUALLY SOUTHSIDE SERENITY AND DIVERSITY PARK ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF THE TOP NAMES, AND THAT ONE DIDN'T EVEN MAKE THE LIST. BUT ON HERE IT WAS ONE OF THE NAMES THAT WAS SUGGESTED THAT MOVED FORWARD. THERE WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARKS AND RECS TO COME BACK TO US AND HAVE A CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN, AS A TEAM, DECIDE WHAT NAME WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. AGAIN, WE WERE ELIMINATED, SO I FEEL LIKE WE WERE. IT WAS JUST LIKE A PERFORMATIVE MOVE THAT THEY MADE JUST TO SAY THAT THEY DID ENGAGEMENT. NOT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID WAS WRONG. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY DID. THEY DID THEIR FAIR SHARE OF ENGAGEMENT. BUT THE LAST STEP OF THE PROCESS WAS MESSED UP. IT REALLY WAS. SO IS THIS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD? IS THIS WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, OKAY, LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND TALK TO US. YOU CAN JUST MAKE THE DECISION ON YOUR OWN. WHY HAVEN'T COMMUNITY INVOLVED THEN? WHY NOT JUST DO IT ON YOUR OWN? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. SO THEY JUST DECIDED WHAT NAME THEY WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD. DIDN'T HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE THREE NAMES THAT WERE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST. AND THEN ONE OF THE NAMES, DUE DILIGENCE WAS NOT DONE ON ONE PART. WE MISS SADIE'S, WHO HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY MEMBER FOR OVER 40 YEARS, WHOSE PROPERTY SAT ON PART OF WHERE THE PARK IS GOING TO GO AND PART OF WHAT DWELLING PLACE IS NOW. AND SO THE SAME PROCESS HAPPENED WITH WITH THE NAMING OF THE BUILDINGS. AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT EVERY NAME IS BEING NAMED A LATINO NAME. WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY TO US? ARE WE BEING DISPLACED? ARE YOU SAYING WE DON'T? WE HAVE NO VALUE. WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY THERE. SEE, THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE BLACKS WERE REDLINED, WHERE WE'RE AT THREE MINUTES, I, I GAVE YOU A FEW EXTRA SECONDS, BUT. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DUE DILIGENCE GETS DONE. THANK YOU. BECAUSE THEY ELIMINATED MISS SADIE'S NAME FOR NO REASON. AND WE VOTE FOR UNITY PARK. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EBONY MAW. 
          I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF THE ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY. I SIT ON THE GRANVILLE ARTS AND HUMANITIES BOARD. I ALSO WAS THE MANAGER FOR THE CESAR CHAVEZ FARMERS MARKET FOR THREE YEARS. 
          SO I'VE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT COMMUNITY. I'VE RESIDED THERE FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX YEARS. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY BROUGHT THIS TO THE TABLE AND WE WERE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON IT, WE THOUGHT THE NAME WOULD REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, THAT IT WOULD BE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND A NAME THAT WOULD REPRESENT ALL OF US. NOT NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE NAME OR BEING LATINO NAME, BUT WE DID WANT SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTED EVERYBODY WHO ARE IN WHO'S IN THAT COMMUNITY. AND THERE IS MORE THAN JUST LATINOS IN THAT COMMUNITY. A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE NON-LATINO AND WE WOULD LIKE THE NAME UNITY IF POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OH LORD, I DO NOT DO THIS. HELLO EVERYBODY. SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST. THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR EVERYTHING. I'VE LEARNED A LOT TONIGHT. WHO? 11:00. BUT ANYWAY, IN THE FIRST WARD I GUESS AS WELL. WHICH I JUST FOUND OUT TODAY. BUT DON'T LAUGH. SO I CAME IN SUPPORT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE 30 YEARS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OFF FRANKLIN AND SHERIDAN. I HAVE A HABITAT HOME THERE. I RAISED MY KIDS. THEY WENT TO SCHOOL IN THE AREA, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE SHEBANG. SO THEY'RE GROWN AND GONE. I'M STILL THERE. I'M HERE REALLY, BECAUSE I USED TO BE ON THE COMMITTEES AND A PART OF A LOT WHEN I FELT REALLY GOOD, AND I WENT THROUGH MY PHASE WHERE I DIDN'T AND COULDN'T SHOW UP. BUT I'M HERE NOW, AND I WAS BLESSED TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND TO LISTEN TO EVERYBODY. I JUST FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO PRAY FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT HAS BEEN HERE AND THAT'S IN HERE. I ASK THAT GOD BLESS YOUR MIND, YOUR HEART AND YOUR SPIRIT, AND COVER THIS ROOM AND COVER THIS PLACE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE FOR EVERYTHING EVERYBODY HAS SPOKEN TO TOUCH AND PIERCE YOUR SOUL AND TO NOT ONLY THINK WHETHER YOU GOT DIFFERENCES WITH ANYBODY BLACK, WHITE, LATINO, WHOEVER, WHATEVER IT IS, THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD WANT YOUR FAMILY OR OTHER LOVED ONES TO PROCEED AFTER YOU'RE GONE AND HOW THEY WANT TO BE TREATED. SO THE PARK MEANS A LOT TO ME AS WELL. EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T ON THAT PROCESS, I WANTED TO BE 
          [03:40:02]
UNITY AS WELL BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON BOARDS AND SIT THROUGH ALL THE HABITAT MEETINGS, THROUGH ALL KINDS OF THINGS. IN THE LAST TEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN BACK HERE IN MY HOME THAT I HAD GAVE TO MY CHILD. BUT ANYWAY, I TOOK IT BACK. SO HERE I AM. SO YES, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT SOMETIMES. 
          SO ANYWAY, I'M I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED BECAUSE NOTHING I TRY TO BE A PART OF, I GAVE UP, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE MY VOICE WASN'T MATTERING. I FELT LIKE ALL THE NAMES WE CHOSE FOR THE ALL THESE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE THEY SAID, EVERYTHING WE DID FELT LIKE IT WAS FOR NOTHING. LIKE WE WEREN'T HURT. I'M BIRACIAL. I GREW UP IN THE WHITE SIDE AND THE BLACK SIDE, SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. I LOVE EVERYBODY. I CHOSE MY SPANISH HARLEM. I LIVE IN THE HOOD AND I CALL IT SPANISH HARLEM. THAT'S MY SPANISH HARLEM. I LOVE MY PEOPLE, BUT I LOVE THEM ALL. SO I WANT IT TO BE UNITY BECAUSE IT REFLECTS WE COMING TOGETHER. IT SHOULDN'T. SO IT KIND OF MADE ME UPSET. MY DAUGHTER. MY GRANDDAUGHTER CAN'T GO TO THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE SHE GOT TO BE BILINGUAL. I PAY TAXES FOR THESE SCHOOLS. I CAN'T I GOT TO SHIP FOR THE UNION AND WE GOT A SCHOOL RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. SO THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN. SO I WASN'T GOING TO COME BECAUSE I FELT MY VOICE WOULDN'T MATTER TODAY. AND I'M COMING ON BEHALF OF SIGNY. SHE'S LIKE A SISTER TO ME. AND IT MATTERS. AND I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT GOING TO LET HER COME AND KEEP FIGHTING IF I BY HERSELF, WHILE MY HEALTH IS GOOD AND I'M HERE, AND I PROMISE GOD THAT AS LONG AS HE KEEP WAKING ME UP, I'M GOING TO SHOW UP. AND I'M. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. SO IT MAY BE JUST A FEW OF US MINORITIES NOT NON-LATINO SHOWING UP, BUT WE GOT TO DO BETTER. LIKE YOU SAID, YOU CAN'T BLAME EVERYBODY. I KNOW, THREE MINUTES, BUT I'M JUST SAYING. 
          MA'AM, CAN YOU GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, I'M FELICIA LOCKETT, 845 SHERIDAN SOUTHWEST. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND I THANK ALL OF YOU. I KNOW MY MINUTE IS UP, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT MATTERS. SO IT IT'S NOT ABOUT US BEING AGAINST EACH OTHER AND OH YOU KNOW WE ALL I'M SURE ALL Y'ALL ARE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN. SO THANK YOU THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. LOVER. 
          UNITY. WE STAND FOR UNITY NIGHT. HE'S WAITING FOR. HE'S WAITING FOR. THANK YOU. LUCAS AGAIN. 
          BOY, TALK ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT RANKED CHOICE VOTING WOULD HAVE SOLVED IMMEDIATELY. AND WHAT A MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT FORMAT IN YOUR ENGAGEMENT. SO MAYBE THAT'S A SOLUTION HERE. 
          REWIND A LITTLE BIT AND DO THE ONLY REASONABLE THING IN THE WORLD OF VOTING. I. THIS IS SUCH A WEIRD ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. YOU NAME WAY TOO MANY THINGS IN THIS CITY. AFTER THE SAME COUPLE OF BUSINESS NAMES. SO ON ONE HAND, IT'D BE REALLY COOL TO SEE A BUSINESS LEADER THAT ISN'T THAT SAME BOX OF CRACKERS. THAT'D BE NEAT, BUT THAT UNITY THING IS PRETTY COOL TO. THIS IS A HARD ONE, BUT THE COMMON THREAD THAT YOU'RE HEARING IS A COMMON THREAD THAT I IMMEDIATELY GOT INDOCTRINATED TO LISTEN TO WHEN I WORKED WHEN I MOVED HERE FOUR YEARS AGO, AND I HAVE NEVER HEARD IT STOP, WHICH IS THAT YOUR ENGAGEMENT IS OFTEN CLUMSY AND FAILING. SO THAT'S THE TAKEAWAY. YOU GOT TO FIX IT. BUT ALSO, I THINK THE MAYOR KIND OF STARTED TO HINT AT THAT THING. 
          BOY, WE COULD HAVE VOTED ON THAT IN A BETTER WAY. SO TAKE AWAY SOME LESSONS FROM THIS, BUT MAYBE GIVE THESE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO REALLY GET HEARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING. AND I THINK THAT'S THE COMMON FAILURE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FALL ON THE NAMES. THEY'RE BOTH GOOD NAMES, BUT I JUST HEARD SOME COMPELLING ARGUMENTS THAT WOULD MAKE ME TAKE PAUSE IF I WERE SITTING WHERE YOU'RE SITTING. THANK YOU. THAT, I BELIEVE, BRINGS US TO PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          MAYOR, BEFORE YOU DO THAT, I WANT TO, AS WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE LAST TWO ON THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, AS WELL AS THE NAME, THOSE ARE REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. CORRECT. I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT THE WORDS AT THE END, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE STAFF WAS RECOMMENDING IT AT THE NEXT ACTION, AT THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. OKAY. I BELIEVE MR. MCCOY SAID THE 20TH, THE NAME. DID YOU SAY THAT? CORRECT. 
          20TH FOR THAT IN THE 13TH FOR THE CLIMATE CLIMATE PLAN. THANK YOU. I CAN SPEAK NOW. ALL RIGHT. 
          [PUBLIC COMMENTS]
COOL. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M DEE JONES, PASSIONATE ENTREPRENEUR, FUTURE BILLIONAIRE. POTENTIAL TRILLIONAIRE FOR SURE. SO BUT I WAS VERY, VERY TIRED EARLIER. I DIDN'T HEAR A ASANTE SAY MY NAME ABOUT THE JUMP AHEAD. PLAYFUL ESPORTS ACTIVATIONS. THANK YOU ASANTE. I WAS ACTUALLY AT THE STATE CAPITOL. I HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I HAVE PUT ON. THIS THING THAT I STAPLED TOGETHER, BUT I WAS AT THE HOUSE SCHOOL, A DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE TODAY WHERE I SPOKE TO TIM KELLY AND ALL OF THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND LEGISLATORS HOW THEY SHOULD 
          [03:45:03]
INVEST IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION. TIM KELLY REALLY DIDN'T LIKE HOW I BROUGHT A $32 BILLION COMPANY, EPIC GAMES, TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM HERE IN GR. SO THIS FIRST FLIER THAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS IS THE INITIATIVE THAT I'M DEVELOPING RIGHT NOW WITH YOU GUYS, THE SUMMER INITIATIVE, I ACTUALLY HAVE EPIC GAMES COMING BACK, $32 BILLION COMPANY EDUCATING THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AGAIN AUGUST 1ST. I'M VERY EXCITED. I HAVE THESE COLLEGES GOING TO BE EDUCATING KIDS ON STREAMING AND PODCASTING AND CONTENT CREATION AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT COLLEGES ACROSS THE STATE, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, U OF M, ALL OF THESE COOL COLLEGES. I'M EXCITED FOR THAT. AND THEN I'M AN ADVISOR FOR THE LARGEST K-12 ESPORTS ORGANIZATION. AS YOU SEE IT, OVER 70 COLLEGE, 400 STUDENTS, 15 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. I WAS ON NBC AND FOX FOR THAT. I WAS PRETTY COOL. I WAS ON SATURDAY, AND THEN I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT ME DRIVING TO LANSING. THAT'S WHY I WASN'T HERE AT 10:00, BECAUSE I WAS SPEAKING AT THE HOUSE AND TRYING TO HOLD THE REPUBLICANS ACCOUNTABLE. I AM HOLDING THE REPUBLICANS ACCOUNTABLE, AND I HAVE THIS NICE SCARF WHEN I WAS AT THE GROUNDBREAKING. I'M GLAD TO BE THE ONE OF THE FEW BLACK PEOPLE THAT WAS THERE BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY COOL. AND THEN HERE IS THE ACTUAL ARTICLE. WHEN I HAD A $32 BILLION COMPANY EDUCATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, OTTAWA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL GO TO OH, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE THE BLACK PERSON WHO BROUGHT SUCH A LUXURIOUS COMPANY TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AGAIN, AUGUST 1ST. AND THEN I GOT INVITED TO THE CONSENSUS EVENT. COINBASE, BLACKROCK, GOOGLE. THE WHITE HOUSE WILL BE THERE. ERIC TRUMP, ROBERT HINES, KEVIN O'LEARY, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE AT THIS EVENT. DAVID, I REALLY WISH YOU WOULD CONSIDER CRYPTOCURRENCY BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE AROUND ALL THESE BILLIONAIRES. THEY GOT INVITED TO FORBES WHERE I HAD TO APPLY TO THAT. AND LARRY FINK, WHO HAS 11 TRILLION IN CAPITAL, IS GOING TO BE THERE. THEY JUST I JUST NEED 3000. BUT THIS EVENT RIGHT HERE, I GOT A SCHOLARSHIP. SO I'M GOING TO TORONTO FOR THAT. I'M GONNA HOLD YOU TO THIS, DAVID, TO THE HIGHEST EXTENT. AND THEN I GOT INVITED TO THE SAUDI TRADE EVENT, WHERE I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT HOW I'M GOING TO BE VIP AT THE SAUDI EVENT, ACTUALLY HELPING THE UNITED STATES AND SAUDI BUILD BUSINESSES WITH FINTECH COMPANIES, E-COMMERCE COMPANIES. 
          AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF A BUNCH OF PRODUCTS. I'M GOING TO BE A BILLIONAIRE. AND THEN I HAD THE LAST PAGE WHERE I'M ACTUALLY HELPING THE HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL DEVELOP AN ONLINE PLATFORM. SO I HAVE VERY HIGH LEVEL STUFF. I'M TIRED. I ALREADY KNOW I'M GOING TO BE A BILLIONAIRE. AND I ALSO GOT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S CAREER AND TECHNICAL GUY GAVE ME HIS CARD. THE THREE PEOPLE GAVE ME THEIR CARD. EVEN A STATE REPRESENTATIVE. THANK YOU DAVE. TIMOTHY BESON, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. HI. THANKS. MY NAME IS JOHN. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, BUT I'M REALLY SPEAKING TO EVERYONE IN THE WORLD. I SPENT A DAY IN COURT WITH PATRICK LYOYA FAMILY. I INVITE EVERYONE UP THERE AND BACK HERE TO COME AND SIT WITH US IN COURT. THEY HAVE ASKED FOR MORE PEOPLE TO SIT WITH THEM. I BELIEVE HUMANITY WANTS TO GET ALONG. I BELIEVE IT IS OUR GREATEST MISSION, A FIRE OF HATE AND VIOLENCE IS SPREADING IN THIS COUNTRY. EITHER WE WILL BE ABLE TO STOP THE FIRE OR FAMILY AFTER FAMILY WILL BE CONSUMED BY IT. HATE CANNOT CAST OUT HATE. 
          ONLY LOVE CAN DO THAT. DARKNESS CANNOT CAST OUT DARKNESS. ONLY LIGHT CAN DO THAT. LOVE IS THE ONLY FORCE THAT CAN OVERCOME HATE. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS CAN'T CAST OUT HATE. EVEN LAWS CAN'T CAST OUT HATE. ONLY LOVE. WE HAVE TO BELIEVE WE CAN CHANGE MINDS WITH OUR WORDS AND SOFTEN HEARTS WITH OUR GREAT DEMONSTRATIONS OF LOVE WE SEE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. LEADERS GIVEN THE CHANCE TO EITHER BOW TO TRUMP OR TAKE A STAND, MAKE GRAND RAPIDS A SANCTUARY CITY. 
          IF TRUMP WANTS TO PULL FUNDING THE GRAND RAPIDS MAYOR DO THE RIGHT THING ANYWAY. SAY PRESIDENT TRUMP, BRING IT ON. STAND UP TALL AGAINST THIS WAVE OF DARKNESS. I BELIEVE ALL PEOPLE STRUGGLE INSIDE THEMSELVES TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT, NOT FAIR, NOT JUST YOU HAVE TO SPEAK UP. YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. YOU HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, I'M GOING TO LET IT SHINE. BLACK LIVES MATTER. JUSTICE FOR PATRICK LYOYA. JUSTICE FOR RILEY DOGGETTE. JUSTICE FOR SAMUEL DESHAWN CORNELIUS STERLING. 
          JUSTICE FOR HANK WEIMER. JUSTICE FOR SONIA MASSIE. WHOEVER SAVES ONE LIFE SAVES THE WORLD. ENTIRE JUSTICE FOR JOEY NAGEL. HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THE FORCES OF DARKNESS WILL SURROUND US. ARMED SOLDIERS WILL CLOSE IN. WE WILL SHINE OUR CANDLES OF PEACE AND LOVE. AND THE SEA OF DARKNESS WILL PART. AND THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD WILL COME TOGETHER. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS SHALL NOT OVERCOME IT. WE SHALL OVERCOME. WE SHALL ALL BE FREE. 
          [03:50:09]
AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH. YOU CAN'T STOP THE REVOLUTION. FREE PALESTINE. FREE KAI SANDERS. THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND I JUST WANT TO AFFIRM COMMISSIONER PERDUE FOR THE WAY SHE STOOD ON HER OWN AND WITH THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE VOTING CHANGES. AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MARK. BACK AGAIN. WELL, MY GREAT NIECE GRADUATED EARLY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN DECEMBER, AND IT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO WITNESS WHAT'S ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY EVENING. 
          DURING THE COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES INSIDE OF COLEMAN COLISEUM. THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THAT EVENING WILL BE NONE OTHER THAN THE ONE AND ONLY ORANGE FELON. HE'S GOING TO STEP UP ON THE STAGE AND DO WHAT HE DOES BEST LIE. CREATE CONSPIRACY THEORIES. AND EVERYTHING THAT HE'S KNOWN FOR. I SUGGEST ALL THE BLACK GRADUATES IN THAT PART IN THAT PARTICULAR CEREMONY, STAND UP AND TURN THEIR BACKS TO HIM. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO STAND UP, FLIP THE CHAIR AND TURN THEIR BACK TO HIM. AND THE PARENTS OF THOSE GRADUATES WALK OUT, GET SOME GRUB, DO WHATEVER. AND ONCE HE STOPS, AND ONCE HE GETS DONE SPEAKING, GO BACK. GO BACK AND WATCH YOUR CHILDREN GET THEIR DEGREES. THIS INDIVIDUAL. HAS BASICALLY TURNED THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE WORLD. HIM AND HIS REGIME EVEN HAD THE NERVE. TO DEPORT, TO ATTEMPT TO DEPORT A FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD WHO'S BATTLING CANCER OUT OF THE COUNTRY. WHY IS IT? THAT. THIS INDIVIDUAL. HAS LONG BEEN KNOWN FOR HIS RACISM, MISOGYNY? AND INHUMANE BULL CRAP? THAT'S RUNNING THIS COUNTRY? THAT'S BECAUSE Y'ALL SIT ON THE COUCH AND DIDN'T DO YOUR DIDN'T DO YOUR CIVIC RIGHT AND VOTED. WE TRIED TO TELL YOU. BOYCOTT TESLA. JESUS CHRIST. HELLO. MY NAME IS JOSHUA FERGUSON. I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE HIGHLAND PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE SECOND WARD. IN BOTH LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, ONE OF THE FIRST BULLET POINTS UNDER THE COMMUNITY OR THE SAFE COMMUNITY TAB IS IMPROVED COMMUNITY POLICE RELATIONS AS THE TOP GOAL. A COUPLE OF TIMES WHERE IN RECENT DAYS, I FEEL LIKE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MISSTEPS AND WE'VE FALLEN SHORT. THE MANY PEOPLE MADE MENTION THIS, SO I WON'T SPEND TOO MUCH ON IT, BUT THE I BELIEVE THE APPROVAL OF THE DOCUMENTARY WITH GRPD WAS AT BEST NOT WELL THOUGHT OUT. AT WORST, IT WAS KIND OF A CRAVEN ATTEMPT TO BOOST PUBLIC RELATIONS OF THE GRPD, AHEAD OF WHAT IS AN EMOTIONAL TRIAL FOR A LOT OF US IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          [03:55:02]
MORE RECENTLY, THE TREATMENT OF A WELL-KNOWN ACTIVIST, KAI SANDERS, WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIAL. SHE IS WELL KNOWN FOR HER ACTIVISM AROUND PATRICK LYOYA AND ISSUES OF POLICE POLICING IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND SHE WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE. AND THEN THEY TAGGED ON AND RESISTING ARREST. ON TOP OF THAT, WHICH CARRIED A TWO TO A BOND OF $2,500. IT'S WAS UNCLEAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS YESTERDAY MORNING, WHETHER OR NOT SHE HAD BEEN RELEASED QUITE YET. I'VE WATCHED THE VIDEO AND I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND TO BE AN EXPERT ON POLICING, BUT I WILL SAY THAT SHE WAS MORE CALM. SHE'S A SMALLER PERSON THAN I AM PHYSICALLY BEING ARRESTED BY FOUR PEOPLE THREE TIMES HER SIZE, BEING LOCKED UP IN HANDCUFFS. SHE WAS CALMER DOING THAT THAN I AM WAITING FOR MY COFFEE TO GET READY IN THE MORNING. SO I, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW RESISTING ARREST TACKED ON, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE THAT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AT THIS MOMENT. THE THERE ARE RULES AND THERE ARE. BUT COMPASSION AND MERCY ARE BEDROCKS OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND THE ARREST OF THIS PARTICULAR ACTIVIST AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS EMOTIONAL TRIAL HAS THE APPEARANCE OF QUASHING DISSENT AND PROTEST. I'M SURE THAT WAS NOT THE INTENT, BUT IT IS ALL THE MORE REASON WHY KAI SHOULD BE RELEASED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THE CHARGES DROPPED. ACTIONS SUCH AS THIS ARREST INFLAME TENSIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HEIGHTENED CONCERNS WITHIN THE GRPD OF QUOTE UNQUOTE WARRIOR MENTALITY, WHEN WE REALLY NEED TO BE INCREASING TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. HELLO. 
          MY NAME IS OAK FIRST WARD. I CAME BACK HERE TODAY BECAUSE I CAME ON THE 15TH AND I WILL ADMIT, MARY LOU GRANT, I DID NOT KNOW THAT YOU HAD BEEN A PROSECUTOR AT THAT TIME. I WOULD HAVE FELT A LOT MORE DUMB WITH HOW I WAS TALKING. BUT I HOPE THAT YOU APPRECIATE, AS I KNOW YOU DID GRADUATE WORK AT U OF M, OR I'M TOO TIRED TO REMEMBER WHAT I WAS LOOKING UP EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT I WENT TO U OF M AS WELL. I GRADUATED WITH 3.95, SO ALSO I DO HOPE SOMEONE LETS CHIEF WINSTROM KNOW WHAT THE LAST SPEAKER WAS TALKING ABOUT. I KNOW LAST TIME HE SAID HE WAS ON HIS PHONE DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MISS MY COMMENTS AS WELL AS SHELDON'S. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT WHAT I THINK YOU MAY SAY, CITY MANAGER, REGARDING THE FACT THAT JOSHUA MENTIONED WHAT I SAID LAST TIME ABOUT HOW THE DOCUMENTARY DOESN'T FEEL LIKE GOOD FAITH TIMING. I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU WHO SAID THAT BOTH THE TIMING OF THE HEARING AND OR THE TRIAL, SORRY, AND THE TIMING OF THE DOCUMENTARY WERE INDEPENDENTLY OKAYED. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHO OKAYED THEM. I REALLY WOULD. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE MONEY, IT GOES DEEP AND IT GOES SCARY. SO I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THAT. I WOULD ALSO REPEAT WHAT I SAID LAST TIME ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY THAT WINSTROM IS IN. PEOPLE TALK A LOT ABOUT STREET CREDIT, AS IF IT'S COPS VERSUS ROBBERS. IT'S NOT COPS VERSUS ROBBERS. IT'S A NEIGHBOR WITH A CERTAIN JOB AND A NEIGHBOR WHO'S DOING A CERTAIN THING. AND WHEN WE TREAT. WHEN WE TREAT OUR NEIGHBORS AS GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT, WE END UP WITH DEAD NEIGHBORS. AND I, I REMEMBER YOU SAYING YOU WERE CONFUSED ABOUT THE PROTEST. 
          WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, WHEN I ABOUT THE PROTEST, YOU SAID THAT THE ONES, THE FEDERAL ONES MADE SENSE. BUT BECAUSE IT IS A JURY, WHICH IS THE MOST DEMOCRATIC THING THAT WE CAN HAVE, WHILE YOU ARE A PROSECUTOR, YOU UNDERSTAND THERE ARE NUANCES TO WHO IS PUT ON A JURY. THERE'S VOIR DIRE. THERE ARE OTHER THINGS. I FORGOT THE NAMES BECAUSE I'M TOO TIRED AND THIS IS NOT MY NORMAL JOB. I WANTED TO GO INTO LAW AND THEN COVID HAPPENED. SO I MAKE SANDWICHES NOW. BUT THIS IS MY DAY OFF AND I'M HERE AND I WILL BE GOING BACK TO WORK. MORE TIRED THAN BEFORE THE WEEKEND. AND WHEN MY COWORKERS ASKED ME HOW MY WEEKEND WAS, I CAN'T TELL THEM BECAUSE I WILL GET TALKED TO FOR TELLING THEM HOW MY WEEK WAS AND IF I CRY AT WORK BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING GOING ON THAT SOME PEOPLE. AND NO OFFENSE TO YOU, I KNOW YOU HAVE PROBABLY SEEN MORE TERRIBLE THINGS THAN SOME OF US, BUT YOU ARE ALSO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, A CIS WHITE MALE. YOU ARE ABLE TO TAP OUT. I'M ABLE TO TAP OUT. IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, I MAY END UP GETTING HARASSED OR ARRESTED. I MAY BE CALLED ANTI-SEMITIC BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD. GENOCIDE CHILDREN IN PALESTINE. BUT I HAVE DECIDED I WOULD RATHER DIE ON THAT THAN LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE I DON'T TRY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO YET, BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP TRYING. AND IF I 
          [04:00:04]
THINK THERE IS ANY GOOD IN THIS PATH, IF I FEEL LIKE THERE'S ANY HOPE OF BEING HEARD THROUGH OUR GOVERNMENT, THEN YOU WILL SEE ME TRYING TO GET THERE. WHEN I KNOW WHAT THAT LONG TABLE IS CALLED, AND I WILL CALL IT THAT WAY. AND YOU CAN MAKE FUN OF ME ON HOW I TALK NOW. BUT. THAT'S MY TIME. 
          HI, MY NAME IS SHANNON. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD. I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF. MY FIRST COMMENT IS TO URGE THE CITY LEADERSHIP TO MAKE GRAND RAPIDS A SANCTUARY CITY, AND TO PROHIBIT THE GRPD FROM COOPERATING WITH ICE. I BELIEVE IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW TO PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT RESIDENTS. 
          WITH RECENT FEDERAL ACTIONS ALLOWING ICE TO ENTER HOMES WITHOUT WARRANTS. AND SO I BEG YOU TO DRUM UP THE COURAGE TO DECLARE GRAND RAPIDS A SANCTUARY CITY. MY SECOND COMMENT IS ABOUT COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THE POLICE. THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN CHICAGO, AND I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS. IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, BUT IT'S A CONCEPT THAT ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY TO ELECT A BOARD TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT HAS A MUCH MORE AUTHORITY THAN OUR CURRENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES DO. AND AS I MENTIONED, IT'S IMPLEMENTED IN CHICAGO, SO IT IS POSSIBLE IT'S NOT SOME PIPE DREAM. AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK UP THE CONCEPT AND TO MAKE POLICIES TO MAKE EVERYONE SAFER IN THE CITY. 
          THANK YOU. LUCAS. AGAIN, SORRY, BUT I'VE BEEN WAITING WEEKS AND FOUR HOURS TO COME HERE AND TAKE A SWING AT TALKING TO YOU ABOUT ALLOWING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO BUILD A TOP GOLF KNOCKOFF WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS AT INDIAN TRAILS. IN A PREVIOUS JOB ROLE, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A NATIONWIDE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH TOPGOLF AS A PARTNER, HOSTED EVENTS WITH THEM, AND HAVE A BIT OF AN INTIMATE EXPOSURE TO THEIR BUSINESS MODEL AND OPERATION. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IT'S THE WRONG IDEA FOR THE CITY TO TAKE ON. I'VE ACTUALLY LEARNED THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE NO FAMILIARITY WITH TOPGOLF, TOPGOLF, AND I COULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO IMPROVE THAT DEFICIENCY BEFORE YOU TRY TO CREATE AN IMITATION OF IT. HERE ARE THE REASONS THAT I CAN'T GET BEHIND YOUR IDEA OF TOPGOLF. IT'S A WASTE OF MONEY. WE CAN'T EVEN GET ADEQUATE FORESTRY CARE FOR OUR TREES AND FLOWERS IN RIGHTS OF WAY. AND WE'RE CONSIDERING THIS PUT THE NEEDED MAINTENANCE OF PARKING AND UPKEEP IN THE BUDGET. BUT DON'T BUILD THIS GOLF BRO PLAYGROUND ON THE PEOPLE'S DIME. SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN THE THIRD WARD IS A BIT OF A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE COMMUNITY, WHEN SO MANY OTHER NEEDS ARE SO DIRE, LIKE POLICING CONCERNS, FOOD INSECURITY, AND HOUSING, AND TROTTING OUT ANECDOTAL TOKENS OF A HANDFUL OF GOLF STUDENTS ISN'T GOING TO HIDE THAT. WE ALL KNOW THE COMMUNITY WILL NEVER TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE, WELL, MONEYED CLIENTELE IN THE PRIVATE EVENT RENTALS. JUST LOOK AT HOW THAT'S GOING WITH THE SOCCER STADIUM, THE CURRENT CORRIDOR IS THE NASTIEST EXAMPLE OF A STRODE IN HISTORY. 28TH STREET. IT IS NOT THE PLACE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. IT'S NOT AN ENTERTAINMENT CORRIDOR. WHAT ARE PEOPLE GOING TO DO PREGAME IN THE MEYER PARKING LOT, PARTY AT THE CEMETERY AFTER, OR ENJOY A FANCY HIGH DOLLAR MEAL AT BUFFALO WILD WINGS? NO DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY CAN DELIVER ON A COMPELLING SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE IN ANY WAY THAT I'M COMPELLED TO BELIEVE, AND THE CITY HAS NO BUSINESS ENTERING INTO THIS BUSINESS SEGMENT. THERE ARE MANY BETTER WAYS TO INFUSE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY INTO THE THIRD WARD THAT DON'T INCLUDE A BOONDOGGLE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BELONGS NEAR DOWNTOWN IN MORE OF A TOURIST SPACE. AND IF YOU WANT A TOP GOLF EXPERIENCE IN GR THAN APPROACH TOPGOLF FOR IT, MAKE YET ANOTHER BROWNFIELD DEAL WITH THEM. AND IF TOPGOLF ISN'T INTERESTED, THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE MARKET FOR THIS ATTRACTION IN OUR CITY IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WANT TO TAKE THE LAST FEW SECONDS TO THANK COMMISSIONER PERDUE. SHE EXHIBITED ONE OF THE THINGS I DIDN'T SEE UNTIL PROBABLY TONIGHT PUBLIC ADMONISHMENT OF STAFF FAILURES AND SYSTEMIC LETDOWNS IN REQUESTS FROM LEADERS THAT WE ELECTED. SHE'S BRAVE FOR DOING SO, AND I HOPE TO SEE MORE OF YOU TAKE THAT CUE IN PUBLIC. THESE SIDE CONVERSATIONS DON'T DO ANYTHING. CALL PEOPLE OUT RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM. THANK YOU. I WAS 
          [04:05:01]
HOPING THAT WE'D MAKE IT TILL MIDNIGHT. SORRY, MAYOR. RUSSELL OLMSTED, WEST SIDE. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY COME BACK UP AND. AND ECHO THE COMMENTS OF COMMISSIONER PERDUE. SO OFTEN WITH CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS. FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN COMING HERE FOR A LONG TIME, THERE ARE A LOT OF UNANIMOUS DECISIONS. WE DON'T GET TO SEE HOW THE HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE. 
          WE DON'T GET TO SEE THE DISCOURSE. WE DON'T GET TO SEE DEBATE, DISCUSSION AND DISAGREEMENT. AND WHEN WE DISAGREE, WHEN WE HAVE DISCOURSE, WHEN WE DEBATE, WE FIND BETTER SOLUTIONS BECAUSE WE LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER. I APPLAUD YOU FOR THE COURAGE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND STANDING UP FOR THIS ISSUE. I RESPECT ALL OF YOU ON THIS DAIS. I THINK IT TAKES A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COURAGE TO SERVE IN PUBLIC SERVICE, AND IT'S NOT ONE THAT EVERYBODY HAS. 
          AND SO EVEN THOUGH I DISAGREE ADAMANTLY WITH THE MAJORITY OF YOUR VOTE THIS EVENING ON THIS ISSUE, I RESPECT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND LOOKING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, BUT I HOPE THAT WE DON'T. I HOPE TO SEE MORE OF THIS TYPE OF DISCOURSE. I HOPE TO SEE MORE OF THESE TYPES OF DISAGREEMENT IN A PUBLIC LIGHT, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO SEE THE DIFFERENT SIDES OF WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO YOU TO VOTE ON FOR US. AND THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM BETTER. IT ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DO BETTER. IT GIVES PEOPLE, PERHAPS, INSIGHT INTO SOMETHING THEY MIGHT WANT TO RUN FOR BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S DONE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. THANK YOU. 
          ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, FOR YOUR COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND STANDING YOUR GROUND. THAT CAN BE HARD TO DO IN THE MINORITY ON A VOTE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. LASTLY, I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY TO THE MAYOR. YOU EXHIBITED COMPASSION TOWARDS THE PERSON AT THE STAND WHEN THEY WERE PAST THEIR TIME, OR EXCUSE ME, WHEN THEY WERE SPEAKING AT THE WRONG TIME. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU EXHIBIT THAT SAME TYPE OF COMPASSION TOWARDS YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS ON THE DAIS WHEN THEY ARE SPEAKING. IN TURN, THEY ARE ELECTED LEADERS. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN THAT WAY. AND THROUGH THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN COMING HERE, I'VE SEEN IT DONE NUMEROUS TIMES. SO THE WAY THAT YOU RESPONDED IN THAT MOMENT WAS DISCOURTEOUS AT BEST, AND I WOULD EXPECT BETTER. SO PLEASE TRY TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO COMMISSIONER COMMENT. FINALLY, COMMISSIONER KOGER. YES, YES, 
          [COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]
FIRST. AND THIS IS PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY OUT OF ORDER SPEAKING EARLIER, AND I'M WONDERING HERE IF THIS IS A CORRECT POINT OF INQUIRY TO ASK ABOUT THE SCHEDULING FOR THE VOTES ON BOTH THE PARK NAMING AND THE CAP. I'M NOT CLEAR ON IF IT IS THE WILL OF THE BODY TO VOTE ON THOSE AS STAFF RECOMMENDED. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT DATE SPECIFICALLY FOR FOLKS, AND I THINK IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT. THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP. I DON'T KNOW, YOU'RE MY PARLIAMENTARIAN, MARK. YOU'VE GOT MORE EXPERIENCE THAN ME. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BRIEF SENTIMENT FROM THE COMMISSION ON THIS. SO THAT WAS MY EARLIER INQUIRY TO CONFIRM. SO AT THE START OF THE PUBLIC HEARING, STAFF DID INDICATE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE COMMISSION THOSE ITEMS WOULD BE COMING BACK ON THE 13TH AND 20TH, RESPECTIVELY, BASED ON THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU HEARD WHEN THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS SET UP. THAT WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE NAME TO NAVARRO PARK PLAZA, AS WELL AS TO RECOMMEND THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN. SO IF I'LL JUST MAYBE TAKE A LITTLE PRIVILEGE HERE AND SPEAK FIRST, I WOULD LIKE AS FAR AS NAVARRO PARK GOES, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHERS. I, I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE WE CAN PROBABLY THAT SEEMS LIKE AN APPROPRIATE TIMELINE TO ME. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OTHERS THINK AS FAR AS THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, THAT IS A 100 PAGE DOCUMENT. IT'S TWO YEARS IN THE CREATION. I THINK THERE WAS LOTS OF COMMENT TONIGHT ABOUT WAYS THAT IT CAN BE SHARPENED AND IMPROVED, AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE. AND WHILE, YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE HAVE POINTED OUT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS A CRISIS, IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO GET RIGHT. 
          SO I WOULD PREFER THAT WE TAKE TIME AND ACTUALLY HAVE AND THERE HAVE BEEN SOME EARLIER 
          [04:10:01]
DISCUSSION ABOUT A COMMISSION WORK SESSION ON THIS SO THAT WE CAN ALL GRAPPLE WITH FOCUSING THIS PLAN AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE. BECAUSE I THINK GENERALLY, MY SENTIMENT IS THE COMMISSION'S WANTS TO MAKE THIS A PLAN THAT WE CAN GET BEHIND AND THAT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. SO I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT. COMMISSIONER CAC, EXCUSE ME, I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF A WORK SESSION. I THINK THE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PIECES TO I THINK TOM BROUGHT UP LIKE THE BICYCLE PLAN. I THINK THERE I HAD SOME QUESTIONS. NOT SO MUCH OF OUR PLAN, BUT I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO SOME FOLKS FROM THE THAT HAD COME PRESENTED TO THE FOOD POLICY COUNCIL ABOUT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING EVEN INDEPENDENTLY WITH OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM. AND SO I THINK FOR ME, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BE WHAT IS THE CITY'S PURVIEW? WHAT ARE THE WHAT ARE THE WHAT ARE THE LEGISLATIVE PIECES? ALSO, IF WE CAN COUNTER, SORT OF COMPARE IT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, I THINK WOULD ALSO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TOO, BECAUSE HOW DO WE ALSO UPLIFT THAT? SO I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT, I THINK, AND I, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF BALANCING WHAT WE HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ACT SWIFTLY. AND I THINK WE ALL DO WANT TO ACT SWIFTLY. WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT TOOK MANY, MANY HANDS AND MANY YEARS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT WORK LOOK? ESPECIALLY THINGS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ZONING OR THOSE SORTS OF PIECES. SO BUT I WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF WORK SESSION AND AS, AS THE BODY, THE FOLKS OUT FRONT MAY NOT KNOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE. 
          WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER BUDGET SEASON, WHICH IS GOING TO BE VERY INTENSE FOR ALL OF US. SO I THINK BY IMPLICATION, I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE HAVE A WORK SESSION AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH OUR BUDGET PROCESS. COMMISSIONER PERDUE, THANK YOU. MAYOR, I AM NOT INTERESTED IN DOING A WORK SESSION ON THIS PLAN. I'M INTERESTED IN MOVING IT FORWARD. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE. 
          NO PLAN IS PERFECT. A LOT OF THE PARTICULARS WILL BE WORKED OUT AS WE GO. WHEN WE WERE BRIEFED ON THIS, I ALSO SHARED, I WANT TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S POLICY, WHAT'S BUDGET, WHAT'S PROGRAMMATIC, WHAT'S ADMINISTRATIVE. AND I STILL WANT THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN IMPEDIMENT TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AT THIS POINT. I THINK IT'S TIME BETTER SPENT TO CONTINUE WITH OUR PLAN. AND THEN AFTER WE GET THROUGH BUDGET SEASON, AFTER WE HAVE ADOPTED THIS, THEN HAVE A DEEPER DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE DO WE PRIORITIZE? OUR WORK IN THE SHORT TERM, ETCETERA, ETCETERA. 
          SO I'M NOT INTERESTED IN DOING A WORK PLAN ON THIS, AND I'M INTERESTED IN MOVING IT FORWARD AS SCHEDULED ON THE 13TH OF MAY, WHICH IS MY BIRTHDAY. SO I HOPE YOU ALL WEAR HATS OR SOMETHING. 
          OKAY, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, I WILL DEFINITELY BE WEARING A HAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. NO, I WOULD BE IN THE CAMP OF WANTING TO TAKE A STEP BACK. I THINK, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS A LONG DOCUMENT. I STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND. AS WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT. COST OF HOUSING. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ONE THING. 
          TWO WEEKS LATER WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ANOTHER. AND BOTH SEEM TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, COMPETING URGENCIES. AND SO I REALLY WANT TO THINK THROUGH THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPLY HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY. I, YOU KNOW, JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE WANT GRAND RAPIDS TO BE THE HEALTHIEST, CLEANEST CITY AROUND. BUT I WANT TO DO IT, AS WAS MENTIONED TO THROUGH MORE SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, REALISTIC GOALS, AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO JUST BALANCE WITH ALL THESE OTHER PRIORITIES WE'RE TALKING THROUGH WITH WITH HOUSING, WITH OTHER OVERLAPPING PLANS THAT MY OTHER COLLEAGUE MENTIONED TOO. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE WHERE MY MIND IS AT. OKAY. COMMISSIONER KNIGHT, I GUESS I'M KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE ON THIS ONE. I'M FOR MOVING IT FORWARD. I THOUGHT THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD LAST TIME WHEN THIS WAS PRESENTED WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN IF WE ADOPTED THAT, WE WOULD AS WE GET INTO OUR WORK SESSIONS LATER THIS FALL, THAT WE WOULD BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION, WHAT THINGS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED, WHAT THINGS CAN WE WORK ON, WHAT'S ACTIONABLE NOW, HOW WE PLAN THAT STUFF OUT? SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW, YOU KNOW, IF WAITING TO DO THAT IS WHAT WHAT HAPPENS. OR WE ADOPT IT AND THEN START WORKING ON IT BECAUSE NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE ADOPT IT RIGHT NOW, LIKE WE DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AND START LOOKING THROUGH, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT, AGAIN, CAN BE ADDED TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, AND NONE OF IT'S GOING TO GO INTO THE BUDGET IF WE ADOPT IT RIGHT NOW ANYWAY, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FORMALIZED WHAT THINGS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO AND WHAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND WHAT THE TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE. SO THANK YOU. I'M IN THE MIDDLE OKAY. 
          COMMISSIONER KILGORE YEAH, I'M CONCERNED HERE BECAUSE I'M HEARING VARYING PERSPECTIVES ON SUPPORTING THE PLAN, NOT SUPPORTING THE PLAN. I THINK THAT MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE NOT KICKING THE CAN TOO FAR DOWN THE LINE OF MY DIRECT ASK HERE IS TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY 
          [04:15:02]
WITH FOR THE PUBLIC OF WHAT THE TIMELINE IS. SO IF WE ARE GOING TO YOU SAID AFTER THE BUDGET SEASON, SO ARE YOU PROPOSING JUNE? YOU KNOW WHICH MEETING, WHICH MEETING WOULD BE? WHEN WOULD THIS WORK SESSION BE WITH THE FOR THE PUBLIC? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A PUBLIC MEETING. AND THEN WHEN ARE WE NOW PROPOSING TO VOTE? I THINK THOSE TWO DATES ARE VERY IMPORTANT. I CAN SEE THE CLEAR NEED WITH THE COMMISSION FOR FURTHER CONVERSATION. AND THERE WERE ALSO NEXT STEPS LISTED FROM THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH I FEEL LIKE COULD BE MORE AND WE CAN BE MORE INFORMED ON WITH THAT WORK SESSION, SUCH AS SEQUENCING OF, YOU KNOW, EARLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S NOW, WHAT'S MID-TERM, WHAT'S LONG TERM. I THINK HOPEFULLY WE'D HAVE MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE OFFICE AT THE WORK SESSION. BUT ONCE AGAIN, MY REAL ASK HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC AND THE EXPERTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND THOUSANDS OF FOLKS WHO HAVE HELPED INFORM THIS PLAN OVER YEARS AREN'T FEELING LIKE WE'RE SCRAPPING THE PLAN OR WE WANT TO NOT HAVE ACTION. SO I'M ASKING FOR A CLEAR TIMELINE ON BOTH OUR WORK SESSION AND THE A NEW PROPOSED DATE FOR ADOPTION. THAT'S A OKAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO. DOES THAT MEAN YOU WANT TO VOTE ON THE ON THE 13TH OR YOU DON'T? I AM I AM IN SUPPORT OF A WORK SESSION. BUT I NEED TO I BELIEVE WE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS AN ADJUSTMENT. AND WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO THIS IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND IT WILL NOT CONTINUE TO THE OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO VOTE ON THIS IS TO PASS, IN MY OPINION, I'M COMING TO A WORK SESSION TO DELVE INTO SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION, DELVE INTO SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, FEARS THAT FOLKS MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS PLAN SO THAT WE CAN THEN VOTE ON IT. 
          AND WITH WITH. I'M SUPPORTING THIS BUT CLEAR TIMELINE. SO YES, FOR WORK GROUP ON IT. BUT HOPEFULLY THE NEXT STEP AFTER THAT IS DATES FOR THE PUBLIC COMMISSION. I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT A WORK SESSION. I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME MEATY CONVERSATIONS. I THINK SOME OF THE CLARITY AND REFINEMENT POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE SPEAKING TODAY ARE WORTH WORTH IT. AND IT TOOK ME FOUR HOURS, 4.5 HOURS TO READ ALL 100 PAGES. AND I WOULD THERE WERE THERE WERE PARTS I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I GOT AS IN DEPTH ON. SO THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE MORE TIME. OKAY. ALSO, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT LIKE IF THERE'S JUST LIKE NITTY GRITTY, LOTS AND LOTS OF LITTLE TYPOS AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, GRAMMARIAN OR WHATEVER, HOW DO I GO ABOUT OFFERING THOSE CHANGES TO MAKE SURE IT'S A FINAL DRAFT FOR REAL? RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. GOT YOUR SENTIMENT THERE. SO WE'LL BRING IT BACK ON THE 13TH AND HAVE AN INITIAL DISCUSSION OF SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FOR THE WORK SESSION. SORRY. WE'RE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE VOTING ON IT ON THE 13TH. THAT WAS THE SENTIMENT. NO, WHAT I WHAT I HEARD WAS TO HAVE A WORK SESSION CORRECT. 13TH. WHENEVER WE WANT TO SCHEDULE IT SOONER WOULD BE BETTER. BUT YES, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT. THEN THE SENTIMENT OF THE COMMISSION THAT I HEARD WAS HAVE A WORK SESSION SCHEDULE. THAT URGENTLY WAS WHAT I HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER KILGORE, BUT THAT MEANS NOT VOTE FOR ADOPTION ON THE 13TH. RIGHT. WE'RE SAYING THE SAME THING. WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE ITEM BACK. THE STAFF WILL BRIEF, WE'LL HAVE A WORK SESSION, AND WE'LL GET DIRECTION FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE 13TH ON NEXT STEPS. OKAY. ON THE NAVARRO PLAZA, WE WILL BRING THAT ITEM BACK ON THE 20TH. THE CITY COMMISSION TO VOTE MAY OR MAY MAY I, YOU ASK OUR OUR THINKING IN RESPONSE TO THAT? I THINK WITH THE NAMING OF THE PLAZA, GIVEN SOME OF THE PROCESS CHALLENGES, EVERYTHING FROM THE CANCELED MEETING NOT CIRCLING BACK, AND THE 3.3 VOTE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO FINALISTS, I WOULD WANT TO KICK THAT BACK TO COMMUNITY TO KIND OF TO THAT GROUP TO KIND OF SPEND MORE TIME WITH THAT BEFORE IT COMES TO, TO US FOR A VOTE BECAUSE IT'S NOT SCHEDULED. RIGHT. THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW. OR IS IT ALREADY SCHEDULED TO COME BACK THE 20TH, THE 13TH PROPOSAL, THAT PROPOSAL, WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON IT. YEAH. SO MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO I HAVE CONCERNS WITH THE PROCESS. I HAVE CONCERNS WITH WHAT I'VE HEARD. AND I WANT TO RESPECT WHAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN UNITY, NO PUN PUN INTENDED COMES UP WITH TOGETHER. AND I DIDN'T HEAR THAT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE SO FAR IN A WAY THAT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT. SO THAT WILL BE MY PREFERENCE IS TO SEND IT BACK, LET THEM SPEND TIME WITH IT AND THEN COME BACK. GOT IT. AND I WOULD I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO DO SOME KIND OF RUNOFF VOTING. I MEAN, CHOICE OR OR VOTE ORDER VOTING IS ONE WAY TO DO IT. BUT ANOTHER WAY WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, LIGHTNING ROUNDS OF ELIMINATION BECAUSE IT 
          [04:20:04]
WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A CLEAN VOTE BETWEEN TWO FINALISTS, I THINK. SO LET ME LET ME CLEAR. 
          YEAH, I WANT TO BE CLEAR. SO IF THE IF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IF THE CONSENSUS IS TO HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON THE NAME AND TO BRING THAT THE RESULTS OF THAT BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION, IS THAT WHAT I'M ASKING? I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY. I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS, AND HEARING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY WAS A PART OF THAT. I'M GLAD COMMISSIONER PERDUE HAS ALSO MENTIONED IT, BECAUSE I RAISED THAT CONCERN TO HER WHEN I WAS DOING SOME MORE RESEARCH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND MAKE SURE WE'VE DOTTED ALL OUR EYES IN THE PROCESS. YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE A MOTION. WE'RE NOT VOTING ON IT RIGHT NOW, BUT ASKING FOR FEEDBACK, I GOTCHA. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOME WAY OF MOVING THAT FORWARD. RIGHT. COMMISSIONER SASSY, THANK YOU. I'LL JUST SPEAK AS THE OTHER MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE THAT THIS CAME BEFORE, TO SET THIS DATE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT CAME BEFORE US, I, I YES, I MADE COMMENTS. I KNOW THE FAMILY NAVARRO THAT WAS PRESENTED. I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND, AND HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST THAT PROCESS AND PROTOCOL AS WELL. IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE DOING THIS, I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IF THIS CAN BE BETTER. I KNOW THIS WAS YEAH, I THINK WHEN THIS WAS 2002, WHEN WE ADOPTED THAT PROCESS OR 2020 22. BUT I, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HEARD THAT GENERAL SENTIMENT, BUT WAS ABLE TO TALK TO SOME PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL. AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUSH THIS, TO PUSH THIS ONE BACK. SO SENTIMENT TO RETURN FOR MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IT SOUNDS LIKE. BUT COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE NONE OF YOU HAVE WEIGHED IN YET. YEAH, I SPOKE WITH DAVID MARQUART FROM PARKS AND ALSO HAD BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH CINDY ABOUT THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN TO COMMISSIONER SASSY'S POINT, WE CAN STEP BACK AND GET THIS RIGHT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE IT RIGHT. OKAY. COMMISSIONER ROBBINS YEAH, I, I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENT TOO. I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE HAVE TO DO LIKE THE FULL ENGAGEMENT FROM SCRATCH OVER. I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD WORK DONE, CERTAINLY IN THE BEGINNING TOO. SO WHETHER THAT'S JUST LIKE LOOKING AT THE NAMES AGAIN, DOING A SMALLER VOTE BASED ON A COUPLE OF THE FINAL OPTIONS THAT WERE WITHIN A COUPLE POINTS, I THINK THAT THERE'S CERTAINLY ROOM TO GET SOME BETTER CONSENSUS AROUND. I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO IT ALL FROM FROM SCRATCH. 
          OKAY. SOUNDS LIKE WE GOT A CONSENSUS. BUT COMMISSIONER KILGORE, YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN HERE OR NOT? YES. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF GIVING MORE TIME AND ALLOWING FOR MORE INPUT FROM COMMUNITY AND TO ASSESS OUR PROCESS. SO, MAYOR, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO VISIT WITH THE STAFF AND COME UP WITH ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE PROCESS. AND BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, WE WILL COME BACK AND LET THE COMMISSION KNOW WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION IS. GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY, I THINK THAT BRINGS US, AFTER ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONER COMMENTS TO COMMISSIONER COMMENT. SO COMMISSIONER SASSY NONE THIS NONE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ROBINSON. I GOT NOTHING. COMMISSIONER KNIGHT, WHILE WE'RE ON A ROLL, COMMISSIONER KILGORE AND I'M GOING TO BREAK THE ROLL. SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH PROCESS. YOU KNOW, MY POINT OF INQUIRY. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT FOR JUST A MOMENT. HERE WAS SURROUNDING THE PRECINCT NUMBERS AND ALLOWING TO. MY CONCERN HERE IS, AS LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHEN WE SAY THAT AN AVERAGE IS AN ISN'T WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON, AND THEN BRINGING AN AVERAGE TO SUPPORT OUR SIDE, THAT IS A CHALLENGE TO ME. AND I WANT TO CHALLENGE US TO LOOK AT DATA, BE DATA INFORMED BOTH WHEN IT'S SUPPORTING OUR CASE AND WHEN IT'S NOT SUPPORTING OUR CASE. I THINK THE PUBLIC DESERVES THAT, AND I'M FRUSTRATED WITH JUST SOME OF THE MISINFORMATION THAT WE HAVE SEEN REGARDING THE PRECINCT CHANGES. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN A ROBUST MANNER TODAY, AND I JUST WANT TO RE AFFIRM THAT I THINK THAT ALL OF THIS COMMISSION IS IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING VOTER ACCESSIBILITY. AND IN REGARDS TO THE CAP, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SUPPORTING AMBITIOUS CLIMATE ACTION, AND I REALLY AM HOPEFUL TO PRESS FOR THAT IN OUR WORK SESSION AND THANKFUL TO HAVE SUCH ROBUST CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BELCHER. I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY. I FELT I THOUGHT MYSELF SAYING, MAYBE I'LL PULL A JOHN O'CONNOR IN FOR WHO I USED TO. 
          [04:25:01]
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT BIG SHOES TO FILL IN THAT SEAT, SO. BUT I'M STILL TALKING, SO THAT'S CLEARLY NOT WHAT I'M DOING. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR PUTTING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY INTO ALL THE TOPICS THAT WE HAVE COVERED TONIGHT. IT REALLY HAS BEEN A VERY LONG DAY FOR THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY, AND IT'S BEEN A LONG COUPLE OF WEEKS AS WE'VE BEEN REALLY TACKLING SOME OF THESE ISSUES. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT MORE OF THOSE WEEKS COMING AHEAD. AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR GIVING ALL OF US GRACE. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES. WE ALL TRIP OVER OUR TONGUE OR LOSE OUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT. AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP MOVING TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR STAYING. I KNOW IT IS A LONG NIGHT FOR YOU ALL. AND EVEN IF YOU WERE HERE FOR THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT OR THE FIRST HEARING, YOU STAY TO THE END. JUST JUST THANK YOU. I JUST IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU. IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE COMMITTED AND NOT THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE COMMITTED IF YOU WEREN'T HERE STILL THIS LATE, BUT IT JUST MEANS A LOT TO SEE SO MANY FACES STILL HERE IN THE ROOM. SO ACTUALLY, I DID WANT TO A FEW COMMENTS, PARTICULARLY ON THE ON THE PRECINCT CONVERSATION. SO WE HAVE TALKED AT LENGTH ABOUT THIS AND I THINK MY, MY, MY, MY STANCE VERY CLEAR. I HAD ALREADY PLANNED I WANTED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING BECAUSE AS I WAS BEING RUSHED TO PRESENT MY AMENDMENT, I FUMBLED OVER MY WORDS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT LAST DATA POINT THAT I THREW OUT. AND THAT IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF VOTERS THAT ARE IN PRECINCT RIGHT NOW, NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS BY PRECINCT NOW, VERSUS IN THE PROPOSAL THAT CHANGE BY WARD, THE INCREASE IS DOUBLE IN THE THIRD WARD, DOUBLE THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS PER PER PRECINCT THAN IN THE FIRST WARD. SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, MY POINT WAS JUST HOW INEQUITABLE AND DISPARATE I THINK THAT THAT THESE OUTCOMES WILL INCOMES, OUTCOMES WILL BRING. I ALSO WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I, I INVITE DIRECT CONVERSATIONS. AND I THINK THAT WITHOUT TENSION HERE, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM. RIGHT. AND SO I APPRECIATE A NUMBER OF YOU CALLING THAT OUT. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE DISCOURTEOUS. 
          THAT DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE DISRESPECTFUL. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE ARE NICE, NASTY TO EACH OTHER. I THINK WE CAN BE PROFESSIONAL AND WE CAN TREAT EACH OTHER WITH KINDNESS, WHILE STILL DISAGREEING AND GETTING INTO THE TENSION. AND THAT, THAT THAT IS MY ALWAYS MY INTENTION. 
          SO I INVITE IF, IF, IF. WHEN I'M HERE I SAY IF IT DOESN'T IF IT DOESN'T APPLY, LET IT FLY. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNOW THAT SAYING. SO WHEN I HEAR IT, I'M LIKE, OH, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ME. I LET IT FLY. BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS SAID TONIGHT THAT ARE MEANT TO BE APPLIED TO ME. SO I JUST WANT TO INVITE DIRECT CONVERSATION. IF YOU IF YOU FEEL OR HEARD THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE HEARD MISINFORMATION COMING FROM MY MOUTH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. 
          BECAUSE Y'ALL KNOW I'M A DATA GAL AND I LIKE TO COME WITH MY FACTS TOGETHER. I WILL SAY THAT EARLY ON, ONE OF THE FACTS THAT WAS SHARED WITH US HERE IN THE FIRST PRESENTATION WAS A FACTOID THAT I WAS USING JUST TO BE CORRECTED BY THE SAME PERSON WHO SHARED THAT WITH US THE NEXT DAY. SO SOME OF THAT IS KIND OF LACK OF TRANSPARENCY ON INFORMATION, NOT BEING PREPARED TO FULLY SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING. AND SO I, YOU KNOW, AS I SAW THAT IN PUBLIC CONVERSATION, I WAS QUICK TO CORRECT IT, BUT INVITE ANY OTHER CONVERSATION OF ANY CONCERNS. AND I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THOSE CORRECTIONS. ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS HERE PUBLICLY AS WELL. SO THAT'S THE PRECINCT STUFF. YOU KNOW, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. I SAID EARLIER, THIS ISN'T PERSONAL. THIS ISN'T ABOUT ANY OF US AS INDIVIDUALS. THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT YOU. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MY FOCUS. YOU AND WE LIVE ON TO FIGHT AND TO LOVE ANOTHER DAY ON ANOTHER ISSUE THAT IMPACTS US ALL. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M COMMITTED TO DO. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE BIG ONE HERE TONIGHT. IN THAT SAME VEIN THOUGH, LUCAS, I DO WANT TO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR RECOGNITION AND OF GRATEFULNESS AND OR RECOGNITION OF WHAT YOU CALLED MY COURAGE. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION, I THINK, NOR MY WORDS TO ADMONISH ANYONE. I THINK EVERY TIME WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, I HAVE GIVEN RESPECT AND PROPS TO OUR CITY CLERK AND HIS TEAM AND SAID THAT I DISAGREE WITH THIS. THAT PRECINCT PROPOSAL AS PRESENTED, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT I SHARED AND COMMITTED TO TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER TOGETHER VIA AN AMENDMENT. SO I APPRECIATE YOU SHOUTING ME OUT IN A POSITIVE WAY. AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT WAS NEVER PART OF MY PLAN OR MY STRATEGY. IT TRULY WAS TO GIVE PROPS WHERE PROPS ARE DUE AND SAY, LET'S MAKE THIS BETTER TOGETHER. SO I JUST FELT LIKE I HAD TO CLEAR THE RECORD IN, IN, IN IN THE 
          [04:30:01]
VEIN OF RESPECT AND PROFESSIONALISM THAT I THINK YOU ALL SHOULD EXPECT FROM UP HERE. 
          LAST THING YOU KNOW, WE STARTED A BUDGET CONVERSATION TODAY AND IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR A LOT OF YOU INTEGRATE THAT INTO YOUR COMMENTS. WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION. AND SO I WILL BE DOING A BRIEFING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ON THE THIRD WARD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MY PRIORITIES, AND I'LL INCLUDE SOME OF THE TIDBITS OF WHAT'S IN THIS INITIAL BUDGET PROPOSAL THEN AS WELL. SO IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY ON MY EMAIL LIST, PURDUE FOR YOU COMM SLASH CONTACT. AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU ALL. CITY CLERK ANY COMMENTS? YEAH. JUST BRIEFLY, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PERDUE AND ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR A ROBUST CONVERSATION, A CONVERSATION THAT WILL NEVER END BECAUSE WE WILL MOVE FORWARD AS WE GO THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION AND HOW WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO GET THE WORD OUT ON WHAT OCCURRED AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT JACKSON AND MR. SCALES FOR INVITING ME TO THE TABLE LAST NIGHT TO TALK, TALK TO COMMUNITY AND BE IN COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS. AND I CONTINUE TO BE THAT AND BE IN A SPACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS. BECAUSE MY LIVED EXPERIENCE ISN'T THE SAME AS OTHERS. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND IN HEARING, HEARING STORIES AND TRYING TO BALANCE WHAT I THINK IS GOOD ADMINISTRATIVELY, BUT ALSO HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD AS WE LOOK AT OTHER WAYS OF HOW WE ENGAGE AND VOTING AND ACCESS. SO JUST A JUST A POINT ON THERE IS AN ELECTION NEXT TUESDAY ON MAY 6TH FOR ONLY THE VOTERS THAT ARE IN KENTWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FOREST HILLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO THOSE SEVEN PRECINCTS WILL BE VOTING AT OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH. THEY'VE ALSO BEEN VOTING BY ABSENTEE BALLOT AS WELL. SO YOU'LL HEAR ON THE NEWS NEXT TUESDAY THAT POLLS ARE OPEN, BUT IT IS NOT FOR EVERY VOTERS, FOR CERTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MAYBE SOME TOWNSHIPS OR SO. SO AS I ALWAYS SAY, KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. WHEN IN DOUBT, CHECK MICHIGAN.GOV FORWARD SLASH VOTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU STAFF, FOR ALL THE WORK TODAY. WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION. MORNING. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. AND THIS EVENING AGAIN ALL ALL OF THE DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET. APPRECIATE IT. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. REAL BRIEFLY ON SATURDAY, MAY 3RD, THIS COMING SATURDAY FROM 9 A.M. TO 3 P.M. 
          AT THE KROC CENTER, THERE WILL BE AN EXPUNGEMENT FAIR. SO OUR OFFICE OF PUBLIC OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY IS HELPING TO COORDINATE THAT. PLEASE GO ONLINE TO FIND OUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. I THINK YOU CAN REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR CLOTHED, BUT WALK INS ARE STILL. WALK INS ARE STILL AVAILABLE, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC THERE. SATURDAY, MAY 3RD, 9 A.M. TO 3 P.M. GREAT AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. AND ALL OF THOSE OF YOU WHO LEFT, I CERTAINLY DON'T BLAME YOU FOR LEAVING, BUT I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SEE COMMUNITY COMING OUT AND REALLY TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH ISSUES. THAT'S REALLY, REALLY GRATIFYING. THAT'S WHAT DEMOCRACY OUGHT TO LOOK LIKE. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING YOUR PART. I AM EXCITED BY THE PROSPECT OF DIGGING IN TO SOME REAL, ACTIONABLE ITEMS ON THE ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE COME OUT ON THAT. I GET EXCITED WHEN I START TO THINK IN PARTICULARIZED TERMS, SO I WAS GLAD TO HEAR FROM KEITH ON THE LEAD HISTORY AND SOME THINKING THAT WE COULD DO THERE. JOHN, I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT WE ARE NOT IN THE KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS BUSINESS, NOR SHOULD WE BE. SO I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I LAUGHED MOMENTARILY, BUT I SOMETIMES LAUGH IF IT'S LAUGHING OR CRYING, SOMETIMES I LAUGH. IT WAS AN AWFUL STORY, BUT I THINK ALMOST ALL OF US HAVE FRIENDS WITH SIMILAR STORIES. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF AS PLAIN AS THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. SO THERE ARE THERE'S A MIX OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I WONDER WHY WE DIDN'T DO 20 YEARS AGO AND THINGS THAT WILL BE A LITTLE HARDER. BUT I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE, PARTICULARLY AT THE CITY LEVEL. AND I THINK KEITH WAS THE PERSON WHO TALKED ABOUT MOVING TOWARDS AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TRENDY WORDS THESE DAYS, THE PHRASES THESE DAYS IS A BIAS TOWARDS ACTION. BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT MY PERCEPTION IS THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY GOING TO BE HUNGRY FOR IS SOME IS SOME REAL ACTIONS ON CLIMATE ISSUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOOD SYSTEMS, LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT, JOHN AND BUT BUT IT'S ALSO TRUE. COMMISSIONER ROBINS, I HEARTILY AGREE. WE'VE REALLY GOT TO KEEP OUR KEEP A LASER FOCUSED ON ON THE HOUSING CONVERSATION. AND BECAUSE I DO 
          [04:35:06]
THINK, YOU KNOW, TIDBIT FOR ALL OF YOU AS YOU GO HOME, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CITIES HAVE ABOUT HALF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN CITIES. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'M HOPING TO GET A LITTLE MORE LIFTED UP IN THIS PLAN AS WE EDIT IT, IS RECOGNITION THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A GLOBAL CRISIS AND A GLOBAL ISSUE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO IS SIMPLY MAKE A CITY THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN AND WILL LIVE IN, BECAUSE THAT'S A THAT IN OF ITSELF IS A PROFOUND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION. SO THANK YOU
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.