[00:00:05]
CALL THIS MEETING OF CITY COMMISSION TO ORDER. AND I'D LIKE TO START, AS WE ALWAYS DO, WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. YOU COULD ALL JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I 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. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU CALL THE
[ROLL CALL]
ROLL. COMMISSIONER PERDUE PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. NO. LET ME MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT.NIGHT. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER. PRESENT.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]
COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS. PRESENT. MAYOR LEGRAND. PRESENT. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COMMENT ON SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS, IF THEY COULD COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND IF THEY WANT TO, IF THEY COULD MENTION THE ITEM THAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND WHERE THEY LIVE. DO WE HAVE INTERPRETATION SERVICES? I'M SORRY. IF OUR INTERPRETER COULD COME UP FIRST AND POINT OUT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH WHY SHE'S HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS. ALL RIGHT. SO ANY COMMENTS? THIS IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. COMENTARIOS. AND. ARTICLES IN THE AGENDA. MINUTOS PARA SER EL COMENTARIO POR FAVOR. SU NOMBRE HOY PRESENT MISMO. BUT ALSO IF YOU COULD SAY THAT YOU'RE HERE GENERALLY FOR INTERPRETATION IF NEEDED. OKAY. AND ALSO I'M HERE FOR INTERPRETATION. ENTONCES AQUI ESTOY PARA INTERPRETATION. GRACIAS. THANK YOU. SEEING NO ONE I WILL MOVE US ALONG TO OUR
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES. IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED. SO ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AND THIS[PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]
BRINGS US TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS, MADAM CLERK. A COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JOSHUA LUNGER, GRAND RAPIDS CHAMBER VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, EXPRESSING[REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]
SUPPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 CITY BUDGET RECEIVED AND FILED. THAT BRINGS US TO REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICERS. CONTROLLERS. CONTROLLERS. WARRANT REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF APRIL 29TH, 2025 THROUGH MAY 5TH, 2025, AND THE AMOUNT OF. $3,547,372.73 RECEIVED AND FILED A TREASURER'S REPORT FOR PERIOD OF APRIL 30TH, 2025 THROUGH MAY 7TH, 2025. RECEIVING FILED. THAT BRINGS US[CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]
TO APPROVAL OF OUR CONSENT AGENDA. AND AS A REMINDER, THAT'S ITEMS WHICH PASS THROUGH COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY AND ALSO DID NOT WERE NOT PULLED FROM CONSENT AGENDA. FURTHER DISCUSSION. IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION SO MOVED. SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE CONSENT AGENDA. SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. BRINGS US TO. OUR PARDON. YEAH. ITEMS[ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT]
REMOVED FROM CONSENT. SORRY. ARE. YES. WE HAVE ONE ITEM REMOVED FROM CONSENT. THAT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SERVICE PROVISION FEES FOR 2026. EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2025.COMMISSIONER KILGORE MOVED. OH, I GOT MOTION FOR COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR.
THIS WAS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 SERVICE PROVISION FEES TO BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2025, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PUBLIC. WE MADE AN AMENDMENT TO OUR TWO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PARKING SYSTEMS. THERE WERE TWO FEES. THE ONE FEE NAME IS THE METER INFRACTION. FINE NON-ESSENTIAL. THAT'S GOING TO REMAIN AT $15. AND THE SECOND ONE IS A PARKING FINE SEASONAL PARKING ODD EVEN, WHICH WILL ALSO REMAIN AT $20, ADDING NO ADDITIONAL FEES FOR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? THERE WAS DISCUSSION IN THE MORNING MEETING, SO ANYONE WISHING TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THAT CERTAINLY CAN. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD COMMS TEAM THAT ARCHIVES ALL THESE THINGS. BUT I WOULD ASK FOR A VOTE THEN. ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE PROVISION FEES AS AMENDED. SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES BRINGS
[1. Ordinance Adopting the FY2026 City Budget]
[00:05:09]
US TO OUR ORDINANCES TO BE. SO MOVED. SUPPORT. THAT BRINGS US TO DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET.YES, I BELIEVE I GOT A LITTLE MEMO HERE. SO THIS ORDINANCE PERTAINS TO ADOPTING OUR FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET. OBVIOUSLY A VERY BROAD ITEM. I THINK WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THE MEMO IS, IS PRETTY THOROUGH. SO I FIGURED I'D SHARE A FEW SNIPPETS FROM THAT. SO IT SAYS THIS PROPOSED FISCAL PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 REFLECTS OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO GOOD GOVERNANCE AND FISCAL STEWARDSHIP, MAINTAINS ESSENTIAL SERVICES, SUSTAINS MOMENTUM ON TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECTS, AND POSITIONS THE CITY TO WEATHER FUTURE UNCERTAINTY WHILE REMAINING FIRMLY ROOTED IN OUR CORE VALUES. JUST SOME TIMELINE PIECES. SO BACK ON APRIL 29TH, THE CITY COMMISSION WAS PRESENTED WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S PRELIMINARY FISCAL PLAN, WITH APPROPRIATIONS TOTALING AROUND 100. SORRY, $735 MILLION. AND IN THE WEEKS SINCE, WE'VE SPENT SOME TIME LISTENING TO PRESENTATIONS FROM CITY STAFF, ASKING SOME QUESTIONS, DELIBERATING ON SOME DIFFERENT DETAILS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE THEN HELD A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 13TH TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. LET'S SEE. AND THEN YEAH, THAT BRINGS US TO TODAY. WE HAD SOME FINAL PRESENTATIONS THIS MORNING. AND THEN NOW WE HAVE THIS UP FOR A VOTE. THANK YOU. DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANKS FOR THE OVERVIEW. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A FAIRLY SHORT MEETING EARLIER TODAY WHILE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT WAS NOT IMPORTANT. IT WAS REALLY, I THINK THE PLANNING AND PREPARATION. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER AND ALL THOSE THAT WERE A PART. AND I WON'T TRY TO REPEAT EVERYBODY'S NAME. LIKE YOU SAID, I GOT CAUGHT INTO THAT. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO WHO DID THAT WORK. AND THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES FOR DOING THIS BUDGET. FOR SOME OF YOU, THIS IS YOUR FIRST BUDGET AND OUR CITY COMMISSION, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PIECES TO CONSIDER, ONE THAT I CERTAINLY HAVEN'T HAD SINCE 2020, WHICH IS THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT REVENUE PIECES FROM BOTH THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE PERSPECTIVE. I THINK THERE WAS SOME GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT APPROACH REALLY COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED IN THE CITY, AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BALANCE WHAT IS THE COST OF OPERATING THOSE. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER INNOVATIVE WAYS I WANTED TO MAKE A NOTE ABOUT THE ODD EVEN PIECE THAT I SHARED EARLIER THIS YEAR, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF THE TRYING TO SPLIT IT DOWN THE MIDDLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WE DO SOME MORE COMMUNICATION AT THAT FIRST LEVEL AND THEN IT GOES INTO AN INFRACTION PIECE. SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T KNOW, AS A FOLLOW UP, IF ANY OF THAT FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD HERE AT CITY COMMISSION WILL THEN GO TO OUR MOBILE GR COMMISSION TO JUST SHARE SOME OF THE PERSPECTIVE FROM THIS BODY. I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OPENINGS ON THERE RIGHT NOW, AND BUT MAYOR, I BELIEVE THAT YOU SERVE ON THAT BODY AS WELL. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOME GOOD DISCUSSION AS SORT OF, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW UP. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE POSTPONED OUR CONVERSATION AROUND CAP, BUT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF ASPECTS THAT I THINK WE WENT THROUGH THAT SESSION LAST WEEK. WELL, THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS, BUT THINKING ABOUT ALL THE INPUTS RELATED TO THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND JUST LAST WEEK ON THE 15TH, WE HAD ANOTHER MAJOR STORM THAT OCCURRED. AND JUST THINKING THROUGH HOW MIGHT WE RESPOND TO DIFFERENT CITY SERVICES. SO I KNOW FOR ME, ONE OF THOSE PRIORITIES WILL BE, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT THOSE THAT ARE AGING IN PLACE? AGING IN THEIR OWN HOME OFTEN GET CALLS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WHERE'S MY RESPONSIBILITY? LIE ON WHERE THIS, YOU KNOW, PIECE OF FALLEN BRANCH IS. AND SO KIND OF LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE WAYS AS WE GO IN THE FUTURE. AND THEN THE LAST THING I THINK WAS REALLY BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT INVESTMENTS, OBVIOUSLY, THE LARGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET FROM THOSE OPERATIONS IS IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS. AND SO CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT, I HAVE APPRECIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THAT CONTINUED WORK ON THE CIVILIANIZATION. I THINK, HOW DO WE TIE SOME OF THAT WORK INTO OUR LEGISLATIVE BODY AS IT RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS I WAS DOWNTOWN AND I WAS WATCHING ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WHO WAS DIRECTING TRAFFIC. AND SO, AGAIN, WHILE THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY A BUDGETARY ITEM, THOSE LEGISLATIVE PIECES HAVE AN IMPACT OF LIKE HOW WE CAN RETHINK PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY PRIORITIES THAT I SAW. I THINK WE HEARD JUST FROM PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL, AND SOME OF THE YOUTH PROGRAMING. AND SO LOOKING FOR WAYS TO KIND OF CONNECT A VARIETY OF THOSE DOTS. SO THIS IS LIKE ONE STEP. BUT NOW WE GO INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION MODE. WE ALSO ARE DOING OUR WORK WITH ORACLE AND OUR THE NEW ERP. SO IT'S LIKE TRYING TO I KNOW SCOTT YOU AND THE TEAM WILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK THAT YOU KNOW NEEDS TO BE INPUT TO MAKE THIS ALL HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND JUST GRATEFUL TO BE AT THIS SPOT. BUT I KNOW THAT THIS DOES NOT STOP THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT OTHER INVESTMENTS. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD THE AS
[00:10:01]
COMMISSIONER WYSOCKI SAID, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING A BUDGET OF THIS. I DO MY HOUSEHOLD BUDGET, BUT IT IS NOWHERE NEAR THIS. I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE. SO. THIS WAS A HUGE LIFT. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR JUST SUPPORT OF SOME OF THE BALANCING THAT WE HAVE TO DO. AS COMMISSIONER WYSOCKI SAID, THERE WERE WERE SIGNIFICANT PRESSURES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AS SOMEONE WHO IS ON OUR CDBG COMMITTEE AND SEEING HOW WE CAN GET MONEY TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND THE WONDERFUL PROGRAMING THAT WE DO, THERE WERE TRULY CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY FOR THIS BUDGET PROCESS, BUT IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL TO LEARN ABOUT HOW WE PASS A BUDGET AS A CITY. AND NOW AS SOMEONE WHO SITS ON THIS DAIS WITH YOU ALL, I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR CITY MANAGER. THERE'S THAT BIG OLD BINDER THAT WE GOT, AND THERE IS A RESIDENCE VERSION. I WOULD, OF COURSE, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHECK OUT THE. THERE'S A PRELIMINARY NOW, BUT ONCE WE APPROVE THIS, THERE WILL BE A RESIDENCE VERSION. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL A RESIDENTS GUIDE TO OUR BUDGET THAT'S VERY DIGESTIBLE, VERY VISUAL TO HELP FOLKS UNDERSTAND OUR BUDGET. BUT THE IN THE BIGGER VERSION, THERE IS A LETTER FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT I THINK REALLY PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATES EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE FACED WITH THIS TIME AND HOW THIS IS REALLY A CONTINUATION AND TRYING TO, EVEN WITH THESE STRESSORS, GIVE FOLKS OUR COMMUNITY THE SAME LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE THAT WE WANT TO GIVE FOLKS. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO REACH THAT. AND THEN I'LL END WITH, I REALLY WANTED TO ZERO ON IN WHAT WAYS? JUST AS WE FELT PRESSURES AND CHALLENGES, WHAT PRESSURES AND CHALLENGES DID COMMUNITY MEMBERS FACE? SO SUCH AS THE AMENDMENT THAT I PUT FORTH TODAY TO MAKE SURE OUR PARKING TICKETS WEREN'T RAISED UP, THIS IS THE WORK IS FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE PRESSURES THAT WE HAVE AS A BODY AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS IN THE THIRD WARD HAVE, AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT THIS TIME AROUND. AND I'M VERY THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK WITH YOU ALL FOR RESIDENTS IN THE THIRD WARD AND VERY HAPPY TO PASS THIS TODAY, COMMISSIONER BOUCEK, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR GETTING THE CONVERSATION STARTED HERE TODAY. I, I TOO, HAVING EXPERIENCED THE SIX INCH BINDER, IS A IT'S A GREAT JOURNEY INTO DIVING INTO THE MANY, MANY MOVING PARTS THAT CONSTITUTES THE INNER WORKINGS OF OUR CITY. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO AFFIRM THAT FROM MY OWN POINT OF VIEW, WE HAVE BEEN I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ANY PLACES WHERE WE JUST DO THINGS THE SAME OLD WAY AND NOT THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN INNOVATE OR MAKE CHANGES. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED NEWS, GOOD NEWS THAT WAS PRESENTED THIS MORNING, THAT WE DO HAVE OUR FEDERAL FUNDING COMING FOR THE COMMUNITY BLOCK GRANTS AND OTHER PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT.ONE THING WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO LOOK FOR IN FUTURE YEARS IS HOW HOW MIGHT WE BE ACTUALLY MAKING NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENTS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE CANNABIS MONEY THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER IN A PLAN ONCE UPON A TIME. SO THAT WOULD THAT'S NOT IN THIS BUDGET PER SE, BUT COULD BE IN FUTURE ONES. WE ALSO LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY AT HOW OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GROWING AND WHERE THEY NEED MORE SUPPORT. SO FUTURE FORECASTING WAS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET. AND I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO STAY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. AND IN CASE I KNOW, WE HAD A FEW PEOPLE SPEAK PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE BUDGET AT OUR HEARING, AND IT HAS BEEN REITERATED A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND IT IS OUR WORK AS THIS BODY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT SPENDING MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE BRINGING IN. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE BRINGING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CITY, WHICH OF COURSE PUTS PRESSURE ON OUR HOUSING. BUT WE ARE A GROWING CITY AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND GROW THROUGH THOSE NEW INNOVATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME HAVE A FEW WORDS HERE. ANYONE ELSE? I WILL JUST BRIEFLY ADD THEN. THANKS FOR THE WORK TO EVERYONE WHO DID THIS. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT OF THIS IS OUR CITY MANAGER. SO THANK YOU FOR I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A CITY MANAGER WHO'S NOT IN HIS FIRST TWO MONTHS ON THE JOB IS THIS IS NOT HIS FIRST BUDGET OR HIS SECOND BUDGET OR HIS THIRD BUDGET. AND SO BUT ALSO OBVIOUSLY, THANKS TO ALL THE OTHER STAFF WHO WORKED ON THIS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LARGE MEASURE OF WHAT WE DO IS CONTINUITY. AS MUCH AS WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO DO THINGS, THE BALANCE OF A BUDGET IS ALWAYS HONORING THE VISION AND THE COMMITMENT. THAT MEANS THERE ARE MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO ARE MULTIYEAR ARCS.
AND SO CONTINUITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE DO THAT WORK. AND, YOU KNOW, DESPITE THE FACT
[00:15:02]
THAT THINGS MAY CHANGE RADICALLY AND MASSIVELY FOR WAYS THAT NO ONE UNDERSTANDS, MAYBE AT OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, AT THIS LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, WE'RE COMMITTED TO GIVING OUR CITIZENS AS MUCH PREDICTABILITY, STABILITY AND BENEFIT OF GOOD PLANNING AS WE CAN. AND SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO WORK FOR THE CITY, BUT ALSO ALL THE CITIZENS WHO ENGAGE IN HELPING US WORK STEADILY IN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONS. AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, I OFTEN I OFTEN WHEN I'M TALKING TO EMPLOYEES, SAY, LOOK, I CAN'T SEE MORE THAN FIVE YEARS IN THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S EVEN THAT'S EVEN BEING WILDLY OPTIMISTIC. NONE OF US CAN SEE INFINITELY FAR IN THE FUTURE. IF EVENTS CHANGE, WE WILL RESPOND. AND THIS BUDGET REFLECTS OUR BEST ASSESSMENT ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD WORK IN THE NEXT YEAR. AND WE PROJECT THINGS OUT FIVE YEARS. BUT THE FURTHER OUT WE GET, THE LESS DISCONNECT, THE MORE DISCONNECTED WE ARE FROM CONFIDENCE. AND SO WE'RE NOT MAKING A FIVE YEAR BUDGET HERE. WE'RE MAKING A ONE YEAR BUDGET. AND EVEN THAT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. AND SO I HOPE THAT OUR CITIZENS HEAR LOUD AND CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT WALKING AWAY FROM THIS PROCESS. THIS PROCESS REALLY NEVER ENDS. THIS IS A POINT IN A PROCESS OF GENERAL COMMITMENT TO GOOD PLANNING. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND SMALL C CONSERVATISM IN THE BEST SENSE. SO I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS EARLY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS ABOUT OUR ASSUMPTIONS. AND BECAUSE GOVERNMENT IS A CAN'T FAIL PROPOSITION, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO BE SMALL C CONSERVATIVE WHEN WE PLAN OUR OPERATIONS. IF MY RESTAURANT WENT OUT OF BUSINESS TOMORROW, THE CITY WOULD CONTINUE TO FUNCTION. BUT IF THE CITY CRASHED, WE WOULD HAVE BIG PROBLEMS ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND SO GOVERNMENT INHERENTLY HAS TO HAVE A LEVEL OF CONSERVATIVE BIAS TOWARDS ACTION, WHICH I THINK IS APPROPRIATE BECAUSE IT HAS TO PROVIDE THE CONTINUITY AND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH ALL OF THE OTHER EXCITING AND MORE INNOVATIVE THINGS CAN HAPPEN. SO. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR ENGAGEMENT ON THIS. AND I PROMISE YOU, ALL OF US ARE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO NEXT YEAR AND WAYS THAT WE CAN REPRIORITIZE AND REORGANIZE AND REVISIT EXCITING THINGS LIKE PARKING TICKETS. SO THANK YOU ALL. AND I GUESS IF COMMENTS ARE AN END, I'D ASK FOR A ROLL CALL. VOTE. MADAM CLERK. COMMISSIONER. NIGHT. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES, COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES, COMMISSIONER. SASSY. YES, COMMISSIONER.ROBIN'S. YES, COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES. MAYOR. LEGRAND. YES. AND SO MOTION CARRIES. AND
[2. Motion to give Ordinance adopting the FY 2026 City Budget immediate effect.]
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE IMMEDIATE EFFECT? SO MOVED. SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.AYE. MOTION CARRIES. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO THERE BEING NO RESOLUTIONS AT
[1. City Commission to sit as Board of Review in a public hearing to hear appeals on Uptown Business Improvement District Special Assessment Roll 8796]
THIS MEETING. PUBLIC HEARING. AND THIS IS THE WE ARE SITTING AT THIS AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING AS A BOARD OF REVIEW TO HEAR APPEALS TO THE UPTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL 8796. AND I'D ASK ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO THAT TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE, BUT WE WILL START WITH OUR ASSESSOR. HELLO, I'M PAULA JASPER, I'M THE CITY ASSESSOR AND OUR OFFICE HAS PREPARED SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL 8796, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PLAN ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION ON MARCH 25TH, 2025. PROPERTY OWNERS AFFECTED WERE SENT NOTICES. ON APRIL 4TH. THEY WERE NOTIFIED OF THE AMOUNT OF THE ASSESSMENT AND THE APPEAL PROCESS. THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ROLL HAS BEEN OPEN FOR THE REQUIRED TWO WEEKS THAT BEGAN APRIL 4TH THROUGH TODAY, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED ONE APPEAL. AND TODAY THE CITY COMMISSION CONVENES AS THE BOARD OF REVIEW TO HEAR APPEALS, AND IT IS THE FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO FILE AN APPEAL. SO I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO TAKE ANY APPEALS DURING THIS MEETING. AND WE'LL BE BACK ON JUNE 10TH TO REQUEST CONFIRMATION AFTER WE RESOLVE ANY APPEALS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK. SEEING NO ONE, I WILL DECLARE[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
THIS HEARING CLOSED. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY. AND THIS IS COMMENTS ON ANY ITEM THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL WISHES TO BE HEARD BY THE COMMISSION ON. AND MR. JONES, YOU ARE FIRST. OKAY. HOW Y'ALL DOING? GOT TO GET THIS UP HERE. I'M KIND OF TALL. HOW[00:20:05]
Y'ALL DOING? I'M DEAN JONES, PASSIONATE ENTREPRENEUR AND VISIONARY. I GOT MY COUSIN HERE.I SPOKE TO Y'ALL A COUPLE A LONG AGO ABOUT MY COUSIN WHO DIED, AND SHE HAD A SON WHO DIED ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, AND THEY BROUGHT HIM TO LIFE. THIS IS MY COUSIN. HE'S ON THE HE'S THE CAPTAIN OF THE NBA TWO K TEAM AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE. AND HE'S GOING TO BE A HISTORICAL BLACK GENERATIONAL LEADER FOR SURE. HE'S ALREADY A LEADER. AND HE WAS ON AN HONOR ROLL AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY HIS FIRST FRESHMAN YEAR. SO THIS IS MY BABY COUSIN RIGHT HERE. Y'ALL WANT TO START MY TIME? I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS TO SAY, THOUGH, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED. I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT GOING TO THE CONSENSUS EVENT IN CANADA. I ACTUALLY COULDN'T GET ACROSS THE BORDER IN CANADA BECAUSE I HAD A LITTLE ISSUE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT I GOT IT SOLVED AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THE GOOD THING IS, IS I ACTUALLY CONNECTED WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED PARTY AND RAN INTO THE CEO THAT WAS GOING TO THE EVENT, AND HE ENDED $1 TRILLION INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO. I SPOKE TO HIM YESTERDAY. I POSTED ON FACEBOOK. SO I DON'T LIKE TO LIE AND EXAGGERATE AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN BE A TRILLIONAIRE IN THIS LIFETIME. I'M TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS TO SPEAK IT INTO EXISTENCE FOR THE CITY, THE STATE, THE GOVERNMENT, EVERYTHING GOES. AND SO I SPOKE TO THIS GUY, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PARTNERING BECAUSE WITH THE STREAMING PLATFORM, THEY GIVE YOU 90 TO 99% OF THE REVENUE, THEY GIVE YOU INSTANT PAYOUTS AND THEY GIVE YOU DIGITAL EQUITY. AND IT'S A FREE SPEECH PLATFORM. PEOPLE LIKE TO BLOCK SPEECH, BUT IT'S A FREE SPEECH PLATFORM, I LOVE THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE PARTNERING AND BUILDING SOME SYNERGY BECAUSE AS WE SHOW STUDENTS HOW TO STREAM WITH THE SUMMER INITIATIVE, I ACTUALLY BOOKED OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. MY BIRTHDAY IS JULY 10TH, SAME BIRTHDAY AS NIKOLA TESLA. LIKE THE CAR? YEAH, THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY. AND JULY 11TH, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY IS GOING TO BE GIVING AN EDUCATIONAL SESSION, AND FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY AND MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AND THIS IS VERY COOL. AND I'M EXCITED FOR THE NEWS ARTICLES AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON, BECAUSE I GET TO SPEAK ABOUT SPEAKING TO THE TRILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO CEO THAT HANDLED THAT TRILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO. I ALSO DROVE MY LITTLE COUSIN. HE WAS WITH ME AS I WAS AT THE KING COUNTY BOARD SPEAKING ABOUT THE POLICY THAT THEY POLICY COMMITTEE. AND THEN WE DROVE TO THE STATE HOUSE, WHERE I GOT TO CONNECT WITH BECAUSE I ACTUALLY GOT THE AGENDA. SO YOU GUYS SEE THE AGENDA WITH THE STATE HOUSE ON, I GOT ERIC FREDERICK, CONNECTIVITY OFFICER FOR THE MICHIGAN HIGH SPEED INTERNET OFFICE. THEN I GOT THE ACTUAL CEO OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN FOR AT&T. AND THEN I HAVE THE SATOSHI ACTION FUND BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATOR FOR THE TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE ACTUALLY BROUGHT THE SATOSHI. IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, HE'S THE PERSON WHO DEVELOPED BITCOIN. AND SO THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE GUY FROM SATOSHI ACTION FUND THERE, OBVIOUSLY, SPEAKING SO ELOQUENTLY AND SO FLUENT IN WITH ALL OF THE CONFIDENCE THAT GOT THE LONG VISION, I'M GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU AGAIN ON THE INFINITE VISION, DAVID, BECAUSE I'M ALSO GOING TO BE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT ON THE 775TH BIRTHDAY, DOING THE ESPORTS ACTIVATION. AND I'M GOING TO HAVE THE LARGEST K-12 ESPORTS ORGANIZATION OUT THERE WITH ME. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ESPORTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU FOR THE CITY'S BIRTHDAY, JUNE 7TH. IT'S GOING TO BE ON AND POPPING MY COUSIN GOING TO HAVE HIS ESPORTS JERSEY OUT THERE BECAUSE HE USED TO GO TO UNION HIGH SCHOOL, AND HE'S ACTUALLY A PRODUCT OF HIS ENVIRONMENT, SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN AROUND SOMEBODY POSITIVE THAT ALREADY HAD A VISION FOR THIS. THAT'S ACTUALLY A TRUE EXAMPLE RIGHT HERE BEFORE YOUR EYES. SO VERY EXCITED FOR THE CITY. ALL THE COOL CARS AND EXTRA STUFF THAT I'M DOING FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO BOOST THE ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR ALL CITIZENS AND EVERYBODY. DAVID, I'M GONNA KEEP GETTING ON YOU ABOUT THAT CRYPTO. ADOPT THAT CRYPTO, DAVID. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT GUYS. LIKE HE WAS SAYING YEAH I'M LONG OBVIOUSLY MY COUSIN DEANDRE JONES. Y'ALL GOT TO SPEAK TO HIM AND STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT YOU KNOW THIS IS ME IN THE FLESH I GREW UP AROUND HERE ON THE WEST SIDE. I WENT TO UNION HIGH SCHOOL. I WAS A BASKETBALL PLAYER, FOOTBALL STAR. I WAS RANKED NUMBER FOUR IN THE STATE. SO, YOU KNOW, I HAD AN IMPACT OUT HERE ON SOME OF THE YOUTH AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO COME AND GIVE BACK TO THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, JUST EXPLAIN ANYTHING I LEARNED, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH IN LIFE, LIKE ALL THE HARDSHIPS THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN RELATE TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE YOUTH AND NECESSARILY THE KIDS THAT'S OUT HERE. SO I WANTED TO COME BACK AND GET BACK TO Y'ALL.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND NOW I'M AT TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, I'M A COMPUTER ENGINEERING MAJOR. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M IN THAT SPACE. SO I'VE BEEN DOING IN THE CYBERSECURITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO I'VE BEEN IN THAT SPACE FOR A LONG TIME. BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO COME BACK AND GIVE BACK TO WHERE I CAME FROM. SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME TALK. I'M GONNA KEEP IT SHORT.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS TALKING FOR A LONG TIME, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA KEEP IT SHORT. I AIN'T GOING TO BE LIKE MY COUSIN. BUT APPRECIATE Y'ALL FOR LETTING ME TALK. THANK YOU.
[00:25:02]
HELLO, FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS. RED ORANGE. THUMBS UP TO HIS OLD TRICKS AGAIN. HE HAS PLOTTED. HE WAS 59. SOUTH AFRICAN WHITE SOUTH AFRICANS COMING TO THIS COUNTRY. AND BASICALLY STEAL LAND FROM BLACK FARMERS. HE CALL THEM REFUGEES ALL YOU WANT. THEY'RE NOT REFUGEES. I KNOW WHAT REFUGEES LOOK LIKE. I'VE SEEN I KNOW I'VE BEEN AROUND REFUGEE CRISIS BEFORE. THEY'RE NOT REFUGEES. REFUGEES DON'T COME IN. DON'T COME FLYING IN IN LUXURY JETS.IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. THIS IS HIS. THIS IS HIS PLOT. TO RESTORE WHITENESS. IS THIS COMING FOR WHAT IT IS? ELON MUSK IS ALSO BEHIND THIS. WE'RE REACHING APARTHEID IN THE UNITED STATES. SAY WHAT YOU WANT, BUT THAT IS HAPPENING. SO MUCH. SO HE NOW WANTS TO SUE THE MAYOR OF CHICAGO FOR HIRING TOO MANY BLACK PEOPLE. IT'S RIDICULOUS. AS WELL AS WELL AS HE'S SAYING, HE'S GOING TO TAKE FUNDING FROM ANYBODY, FROM ANY CITY WHO'S GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS MAKE IT SANCTUARY. I SUGGEST YOU I SUGGEST YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS. YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT LONG AND HARD. BECAUSE HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT. WHAT THE PEOPLE THINK. HE CARES ABOUT WHAT HE THINKS. AND I'M GONNA KEEP SAYING THIS. HE'S GOING HE'S HE'S GOING TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES THE DONUT HOLE IN THE WORLD. AND THE ONLY WAY TO BEAT THE BULLY IS TO PUNCH THE BULLY IN THE MOUTH. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU VOTE. SO WHEN IT COMES MIDTERMS, WE WANT 90% TURNOUT. BOYCOTT TESLA.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BILL DIJKSTRA. I'VE HEARD THAT FESTIVAL ARTS IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY MORE. I'M NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAS COME OUT OF FESTIVAL OVER THE MANY, MANY YEARS. IT'S PROFOUNDLY IMPACTED MY LIFE AND MANY OTHER LIVES. I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY NOT TO BRING IT BACK, BUT TO HAVE ONE LAST FESTIVAL WHERE WE CAN ALL SAY GOODBYE. I'M REALLY, REALLY TROUBLED THAT IT WAS JUST STOPPED WITHOUT A GOODBYE. AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGE AGAIN. I'M NOT ASKING FOR FESTIVAL TO COME BACK TO LIFE, BUT FOR ONE MORE FESTIVAL WHERE WE CAN ALL SAY GOODBYE TO. MANY TIMES IN LIFE THERE'S NO GOODBYES. LET'S NOT LET THAT HAPPEN WITH FESTIVAL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, I
[COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]
WILL MOVE TO CLOSING COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER BELICHICK. WELL, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. AND I'LL JUST START. I'VE GOT A FEW THINGS HERE, BUT I'LL JUST START AT THE END WITH OUR LAST COMMENT. OUR BIRTHDAY FOR THE CITY IS GOING TO BE CELEBRATED ON JUNE 7TH. SO WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A KIND OF CELEBRATION AND FESTIVAL. I LOVE THE IDEA OF A GOODBYE FESTIVAL. THE FESTIVAL OF ARTS IS OF ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION, ALL VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE, ALL VOLUNTEER, SEPARATE FROM THE CITY. SO WE HAVE SUPPORTED IN[00:30:01]
WAYS IN THE PAST AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE CONTINUED CONVERSATION WITH THOSE FOLKS INVOLVED. BUT WE ARE CELEBRATING 175 YEARS OF THE CITY, AND WE HAVE THREE MORE DAYS. THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT WILL LOVE THIS FOR ME. TO PROMOTE THAT, YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR BIRTHDAY VIDEO TO BE PUT INTO THE COMPILATION. IT'S A VERTICAL FORMAT VIDEO. JUST SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE. IT'S DUE ON THE 23RD, AND AS WE'RE BUILDING A CITY FULL OF CAMARADERIE AND COMMUNITY AND CARE AND CONNECTION, WE HAD A FANTASTIC CELEBRATION AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT WENT INTO PUTTING THAT TOGETHER. THAT WAS HELD ON SATURDAY. IT WAS AN ALL DAY THING. IT'S THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY. I KNOW I SAW SOME OF MY OTHER FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THERE. COMMISSIONER, KNIGHT, COMMISSIONER WERE THERE. AND IT WAS WE ANNOUNCED THE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCH GRANTS FOR MAKING SPECIAL PROJECTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND IT'S REALLY JUST A PLACE TO COME TOGETHER AND REALLY TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM ZONING. WE TALKED ABOUT ZONING TO STORYTELLING IN PUBLIC SPACES. ADJUST GR, WHICH PRESENTED AT PUBLIC SAFETY A FEW WEEKS AGO, GOT TO PRESENT THERE AND HAD A WORKSHOP WHICH WILL BE REALLY ADDING TO OUR DATA AND HOW WE'RE WORKING AS A CITY TO IMPROVE RESOURCE ALLOCATION, BUT ALSO REDUCE CRIME AND CHALLENGES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE ALSO TALKED A LOT ABOUT CHALLENGING OUR BIASES AND STEREOTYPES. AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CREATE CULTURE THAT IS INCLUSIVE? SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORTS. THANK YOU, OPPA AND BRANDON FOR PUTTING THAT ON WITH YOU. ALL YOUR STAFF. WHERE IS LILITH? SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY.SHE DID A GREAT JOB. AND THEN TODAY WE ALSO HEARD ABOUT THE POLICE REPORT SINCE 2022 AND THE CHANGES THAT ARE MAKING. THAT ALSO WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION AROUND CULTURE. AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE A POLICE CULTURE IN OUR CITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN TRUST, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAD LAST WEEK? SO TAKE A LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THAT. AND WE ALSO, I AM EXCITED TO SAY, FINALLY GETTING SIGNED. SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT I REPRESENT HAVE BEEN REALLY WORKING AND CONCERNED ABOUT TRUCK ROUTES, AND I AM HAPPY THAT WE HAVE A 2025 SUMMER IMPLEMENTATION PLAN HAPPENING. SO THANK YOU, MOBILE GR AND WITH THAT I WILL HAND IT OVER. COMMISSIONER KOGER YEAH, QUICKLY. ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY TO PASS THE BUDGET. I WAS ABLE TO GO TO BAY CITY, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO DO THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT. I DID THE ELECTION ELECTED OFFICIALS ACADEMY WITH THE MICHIGAN MUNICIPAL LEAGUE. VERY GOOD TO HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY MASTER PLANNING, WHICH WE'VE DONE BEST PRACTICES FOR THAT, UPDATING ZONING, BEST PRACTICES FOR THAT, THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. SO I REALLY FELT LIKE WE WERE LEADING AND THEY WILL BE HERE, I BELIEVE, IN SEPTEMBER FOR A CONFERENCE. BUT DURING THIS TRAVELING IN BAY CITY, I DID LEARN THAT I LOST A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE AND JUST WANTED TO END WITH HIGHLIGHTING THAT MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND HOPING THAT WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, CAN HELP FOLKS MENTAL HEALTH BY MAKING THE EXPERIENCE THEY HAVE HERE IN OUR CITY BETTER AND EXCELLENT AND GOOD AND WELCOMING FOR ALL. BUT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT 811 FOR IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING OR IF YOU'RE HAVING A HARD TIME, REACH OUT AND CALL ME AND INSTAGRAM ME AND KNOW THAT YOU AREN'T ALONE IN THIS VERY CHALLENGING WORLD THAT WE HAVE. SO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO MY END AS A AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO HELP FOLKS WHO MAY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE STRUGGLING. THANKS, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KNIGHT.
COMMISSIONER SASSY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TODAY. I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS IS A IT'S A LINE IN THE SAND OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHERE THE YEAR IS GOING. AND IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN GOING PRETTY QUICKLY. YES. THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT WAS GREAT TO ATTEND, SAW A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY TO LILY BETH HENAO, WHO I HOPEFULLY THINK TOOK MONDAY OFF. SHE SHE DID A LOT OF WORK AND HAS ENCOURAGED A LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS CITY STAFF WHO WHO COME AND SUPPORT THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN LAST NIGHT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE HISTORIC COMMISSION AWARDS. AND SO OUR, OUR CHAIR OF THAT BODY, MATT AND RHONDA HERE IN THE CITY, WERE ABLE TO PRESENT ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT AWARDS, YOU KNOW, BEST COMMERCIAL REHAB RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS. AND THIS IS, I THINK, THE FOURTH TIME I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE THERE AT THE AWARDS AND TO PRESENT THEM. BUT ONE OF THE PROBABLY MOST DIFFERENT OR COOL, WE HAD SOME SOME DIFFERENT AND A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE BOX ONES. ONE MERRIWOOD SO WHEN I FIRST CAME
[00:35:03]
ON COMMISSION, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BEING WORKED ON BY A DEVELOPER. BUT THE NUNS OF MARY WOOD, THE DOMINICAN NUNS, SAID THEY WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, PURCHASE AND EXCHANGE OR SALE, BUT THEY WANTED IT TO BE SENIOR HOUSING. AND WE'RE VERY EXPLICIT ON HOW THEY WANTED THAT, THAT PROPERTY TO BE DEVELOPED. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE THAT PROJECT AS WELL AS THE THEIR PRINCIPAL FROM CENTRAL OR INNOVATION HIGH WAS THERE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR RENOVATIONS THAT THEY MADE. IT'S LIKE THE OLDEST CONTINUOUS SERVING SCHOOL IN IN OUR IN OUR CITY AND PAST. FIRST LADY BETTY FORD WENT THERE. AND SO JUST ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO KIND OF WOOD DID A REALLY NICE WRITE UP OF THE WHOLE ARTICLES. AND IF WE DON'T KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS THAT WE HAVE AND JUST THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS, IT WAS IT WAS A SMALL APPRECIATION. ALSO THIS PAST WEEK WAS THE HERITAGE HILL HOME TOUR. THANK YOU TO OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, JUAN TORRES AND OTHERS WHO WORKED WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE WORK WOULD NOT IMPEDE THAT HOME TOUR, WHICH WAS IS A HUGE MONEY MAKER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE EFFORTS. I KNOW THAT'S THAT'S ALWAYS SORT OF HARD TO COORDINATE. AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, IN THE SPIRIT I WASN'T PLANNING ON SAYING THIS, BUT COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, SHARING, JUST LOSING INDIVIDUALS. GRAND RAPIDS IN THE MONTH OF MAY LOST I'M SURE A NUMBER I KNOW A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BUT TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE CERTAINLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS CITY, PAUL LEE AND VERNA SHAD, PROBABLY WITHIN A DAY OF EACH OTHER. PAUL LEE, LONGTIME BUSINESS OWNER ACROSS THE CITY, MANY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS, BUT REALLY THE STORIES ABOUT HIS WORK ACROSS COMMUNITIES AND HELPING OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS WAS REALLY HEARTFELT. AND PROBABLY THIS IS NOT A TRIBUTE OF ALL THE DETAILS. SO I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO AND CHECK OUT HIS OBITUARY. VERNA SHAD, WHO WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, WAS INVOLVED WITH SO MANY ELECTIONS MAKING SURE WOMEN WERE INVOLVED IN ELECTED OFFICE, WORKING TO END SEGREGATION AND OUR SCHOOLS AND SO OR PART OF THAT VOTE OR GO TO SCHOOL. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE TWO, AS YOU SHARED YOUR FRIEND. I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.THANK YOU. CITY CLERK. ANY COMMENTS? CITY ATTORNEY ANYTHING? OH I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. YOU'RE YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE SILENT BOB. ALMOST. I JUST HAVE TWO QUICK THINGS TO SAY. FIRST, JUST CONGRATS TO MY NEW COLLEAGUES. SURVIVING YOUR FIRST BUDGET SEASON. I KNOW MANY OF US LIVE BUSY LIVES, AND SO SACRIFICING EXTRA TIME SEVERAL WEEKS IN A ROW TO HAVE THOSE IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS IS NO SMALL FEAT. SO CONGRATS. AND THEN SECOND, I, MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE FIRST WARD, MENTIONED SOME SOME REALLY GOOD UPDATES THAT WE HAD AT PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TODAY TO A COUPLE THAT I WANTED TO CALL OUT SPECIFICALLY WITH. OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ACHIEVED ISO ONE ACCREDITED STATUS, AGAIN, THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. SOME GOOD INFORMATION TOO, ON HOW THAT TRANSLATES TO SAVINGS IN OUR HOME INSURANCE. THEY SHARED AN EXAMPLE OF A BUSINESS THAT MOVED HERE SOLELY BECAUSE OF THAT TOO. SO I THINK SOMETIMES WE THINK OF PUBLIC SAFETY AS BEING A VERY TWO DIMENSIONAL THING, BUT SEEING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT BEYOND, JUST BEYOND JUST THAT IS REALLY COOL. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAINTAINED THEIR THEIR COLLEGIATE STATUS AS WELL. I KNOW THAT'S A THAT'S A BIG FEAT. AFTER NOT HAVING THAT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, PICKING IT BACK UP AND BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT IS BIG AS WELL AS A WHOLE.
SLEW OF PARTNERSHIPS THAT WERE MENTIONED WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE JUST PASSIONATE ABOUT BUILDING COMMUNITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, IN PARTICULAR OUR STUDENTS, PROVIDING THEM WITH ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THIS SUMMER AS THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL JUST TO HELP KEEP THEM, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTIVE. AND YEAH, BUILDING COMMUNITY, BUILDING FRIENDS. AND THEN LASTLY, I KNOW CHIEF MENTIONED KIND OF AT THE END OF HIS PRESENTATION AT PUBLIC SAFETY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST RECRUITMENT STRATEGY FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND PUBLIC SERVANTS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IS A HARD JOB, IS HAVING A, YOU KNOW, A CITY AND A, YOU KNOW, AN ELECTED BODY THAT, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTS THEM AND HELPS THEM FEEL APPRECIATED FOR WHAT THEY DO. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE MAKE IT CLEAR FROM THIS DAIS, TOO. I KNOW IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, ROUGH PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, HEADLINES, LOTS OF EMOTIONS, AS WE'VE SEEN AT OUR PAST COUPLE MEETINGS, TOO, BUT DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE WE'RE SUPER LUCKY TO HAVE THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE DO. AND CHIEF WINSTROM AND CHIEF BROWN AND, AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WORK DAY IN AND DAY OUT TO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS WAS CLEARLY ARTICULATED BY ME UP HERE. SO WITH THAT, ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR NIGHT.
OKAY. THAT BRINGS US TO CITY ATTORNEY. CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR WORK TODAY AND YOUR VOTE. I THINK THE LARGEST ITEM WE MAY HAVE BOUGHT BEFORE MAY HAVE BEEN $120 MILLION IN TERMS OF APPROVING DEBT ISSUANCE. AND SO THIS IS, AS COMMISSIONER KILGORE PROBABLY SAID TODAY, THIS IS A PRETTY BIG DEAL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CAREFUL DELIBERATION. AND JUST FOR THE STAFF, I THINK EARLIER, OBVIOUSLY MUCH GRATITUDE BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO THIS WITHOUT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED TO IN THE PREPARATION PROCESS. SO MY DEEPEST APPRECIATION AGAIN TO ALL OF THE STAFF, AND I WANT TO SHARE THE CITY, UNLIKE THE
[00:40:05]
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FOR THE PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE AND THOSE OF YOU WHO PROVIDED FEEDBACK EITHER WRITTEN OR THROUGH COMMENT, THANK YOU AS WELL. BUT THE CITY CANNOT RUN ITS BUSINESS LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE DEFICIT. WE CAN'T CARRY LONG TERM DEFICITS LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS FIVE $6 TRILLION DEFICIT. SO EVERY YEAR, BY STATE LAW AND BY CHARTER, WE ARE FORCED TO MAKE SOME HARD CHOICES, TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO DISCUSS, PRIORITIZATION, TO STRESS LONG TERM SHORT TERM VISIONS, AND THEN TRIED ANNUALLY TO WRESTLE WITH THAT. AND THAT CREATES EFFICIENCY IN ITSELF. WE DON'T HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY THAT HAS TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHY THERE IS SUCH A DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE WE DON'T DO THAT. OUR FISCAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH, I THINK, IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVES AMONG MIDSIZE CITIES. AND I THINK YOU SEE THAT REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE SERVICES, HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS. THE ISO ONE RATING EXAMPLE IS ONLY AFFORDED BY OUR ABILITY TO FUND RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THE ACCREDITATION THE SAME WAY. SO I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COMMISSION AND THE STAFF, BECAUSE WHAT MAY LOOK EASY, AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WITH ONLY HIGH LEVEL PRESS RELEASES OR CLIPS OF MEDIA REPORTS OF CONVERSATION REALLY INVOLVES A LOT OF DIFFICULT CHOICES. AND THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE CHOICES AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO THAN FUNDING AVAILABLE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO WANT TO. ACKNOWLEDGE DEANDRE EARLIER IN PUBLIC SAFETY, MR. DAVIS ALSO, IN ADDITION TO POLICE AND FIRE, AS COMMISSIONER, ROBINSON WAS HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE PROGRAMING AND THE AFTER SCHOOL SPORT PROGRAMING OPPORTUNITY. E SUMMER SPORTS WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER NEW INITIATIVE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION, AFFORDED THROUGH OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET AND PROGRAMING. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO GOOD OUTCOMES TO THAT. AND WELCOME TO YOUR COUSIN WHO'S COMING BACK HOME. HOPEFULLY AFTER HE GRADUATES FROM TSU THERE IN THE THIRD WARD H TOWN, THAT HE'LL COME BACK TO GRAND RAPIDS AND BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON I WAS GOING TO CUT OFF COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, BECAUSE HE STOLE SOME OF MY THUNDER, SO I, I WOULD URGE EVERYONE WHO'S WATCHING TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE TIME TO GO BACK AND WATCH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE THIS MORNING. REALLY IMPORTANT UPDATES THERE, NOT JUST THE YOU KNOW, THE THING I HIGHLIGHTED, WHICH IS THAT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SAVING CITIZENS MONEY BY RUNNING A REALLY WELL, A DEPARTMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, RESULTS IN TANGIBLY LOWER INSURANCE RATES FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT GREAT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN AND BY GRPD, BY THE LEADERSHIP, BY THE BY THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS. AND BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THAT WITH ALL THE IDEAS AND THE NEW THINGS WORK THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS, I'M CONFIDENT THERE'S MORE TO COME, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS IMPRESSED BY WAS THE CULTURE OF CONSIDERING NEW IDEAS AND CONSIDERING NEW INITIATIVES AND WORKING TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE.AND I CERTAINLY WANT. AND ALTHOUGH COMMISSIONER ROBBINS WASN'T WRONG IN SAYING THAT THE POLICE RELY ON AND APPRECIATE COMMUNITY SUPPORT, I ACTUALLY THINK THE CHIEF SAID IT MAYBE A LITTLE BETTER. AND I MAY BE REMEMBERING THIS WRONG, BUT I THINK WHAT HE SAID AND THE SENTIMENT OF WHAT I, WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT HIS DEEPEST DESIRE IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO FEEL THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE BEING SERVED WELL. AND I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S IMPORTANT. NOT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY MAYBE IS GOING TO BELIEVE THAT. THAT'S WHERE OUR CHIEF'S HEART IS AND WHERE OUR OFFICERS HEARTS ARE.
BUT I BELIEVE THE CHIEF WHEN HE SAYS THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT COMMITMENT TO. ULTIMATELY MAKING CONTACT WITH OUR COMMUNITY, KEEPING IN, IN, IN COMMUNITY, WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND KEEPING WORKING TOWARDS BUILDING THAT TRUST THAT IS SO ESSENTIAL FOR ALL OF US AT EVERY LEVEL.
YESTERDAY I SAID TO SOMEONE, EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT I, THAT I AND I THINK WE TRY TO DO
[00:45:03]
REALLY COMES DOWN TO THAT ONE WORD. IT COMES DOWN TO BUILDING COMMUNITY, BECAUSE STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE LIFT EACH OTHER UP IS IT'S BETTER FOR EVERYONE. AND LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE WE ALL TRY TO DO BETTER TOGETHER. THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR IT. SO THANK YOU. PLEASE GO BACK AND WATCH THE PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING FOR THOSE SENTIMENTS, AND KEEP GOING OUT AND TRYING TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER. EVERYONE, THANK YOU AND ADJOURNED THE MEETING.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.