Aug 26, 2025 City Commission Meeting

[00:00:01]

UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[ROLL CALL]

COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. PRESIDENT. COMMISSIONER. NIGHT. COMMISSIONER.

PRESENT. COMMISSIONER.

PURDUE. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER.

SASSY. PRESENT. MAYOR.

LEGRAND. PRESENT. ARE WE EXPECTING COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS, SO I HOPE HE'S ON HIS WAY. I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM, BUT HE DID SAY HE'LL BE BACK TONIGHT.

OKAY, GREAT. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY TENURE AS MAYOR, I'M GOING TO REMEMBER TO INVITE THE INTERPRETER UP BEFORE I'M PROMPTED TO OR AFTER I TRY TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.

SO IF THE INTERPRETER COULD PLEASE COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

WE PROVIDE INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR SPANISH TO ENGLISH AND ENGLISH TO SPANISH, BUT NO OTHER LANGUAGE LIVE.

SO. SO MY NAME IS VICTORIA.

I'M GOING TO BE INTERPRETING SPANISH TO ENGLISH.

ENGLISH TO SPANISH. SO MY NAME IS ES VICTORIA.

VOY A ESTAR INTERPRETANDO INGLÉS ESPANOL ESPANOL INGLÉS.

ESTAMOS A LA ORDEN. THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK, INVITE ANYONE WHO HAS PUBLIC COMMENT ON

[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]

AND MR. JONES CERTAINLY KNOWS THE RULES.

SO, MR. JONES, YOU'RE FIRST.

MR. ROBBINS IS IN THE ELEVATOR.

GREAT. I HOPE IT'S NOT THE BROKEN ONE.

YEAH. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M DEE JONES, PASSIONATE ENTREPRENEUR AND VISIONARY.

FIRST OFF, I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE RESOLUTION OF DAVID APPOINTING PEOPLE TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY.

I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING NEGATIVE, BUT I HOPE IN THE FUTURE I CAN BE ON ONE OF THOSE BOARDS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME GOOD FEEDBACK TO PUSH THE CITY FOR.

IF YOU GUYS SEEN, I GAVE YOU GUYS A HANDOUT A PRINTOUT.

I SPOKE TO DAVID, AND YOU GUYS HAVE AN AMENDMENT ALSO ABOUT THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, AND YOU GUYS ARE ALSO CONTRACTING WITH ETIHAD CONSTRUCTION FOR THE OXFORD TRAIL.

WHAT I'M SPEAKING ON IS BASICALLY THE HANDOUT THAT I GAVE YOU GUYS IS A HANDOUT FOR FROM RYAN KILPATRICK. I ACTUALLY GOT HIM TO SPEAK TO THE COMPANY THAT ACTUALLY 3D PRINT HOUSES.

AND AS YOU GUYS SEE, THERE'S ACTUALLY A REAL PROGRESS BEING MADE TO 3D PRINT HOUSES HERE IN KENT COUNTY IN OUR CITY.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS IF YOU GUYS EVER HAVE AN AMENDMENT OR A BUDGET AMENDMENT, OR YOU GUYS GO BACK AND REDO SOME POLICIES THAT YOU GUYS BE SURE THAT THE POLICIES INCLUDE BEING ABLE TO INVEST INTO 3D PRINTED HOUSING OR HOUSING.

WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS HERE, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO MAYOR LAGRANGE MAYOR MONDAYS AND SPEAK TO HIM ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND 3D PRINTING HOUSING.

SO YOU GUYS SEE THAT RYAN KILPATRICK HAS ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO LEE, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THAT EARLY 2026.

SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS A FUTURE INVITE AND ALSO AN INVITE FOR THE FUTURE FOR YOU GUYS TO ACTUALLY COME TO THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THE 3D PRINTED HOUSING.

BECAUSE WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS HERE, WE NEED TO BE INNOVATIVE TO BE ABLE TO ATTACK THE HOUSING CRISIS. SO I ASK YOU GUYS, AS YOU GUYS DO THESE, AS YOU GUYS LEGISLATE FOR OUR CITY, AS WE THINK ABOUT INNOVATION, AS YOU GUYS LOOK AT AMENDMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND LOOKING AT POLICIES.

I ASK THAT YOU GUYS CHANGE SOME OF THOSE POLICIES SO WE CAN INVEST IN THE 3D PRINTING HOUSES. YOU GUYS SEE IT FIRSTHAND.

I GAVE YOU GUYS A PRINTOUT.

I TOLD YOU LAST TIME THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE AN UPDATE.

AND I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.

I'VE BEEN I'VE DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE, AND THIS IS REAL.

THIS ISN'T FAKE. THIS IS REALITY.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A REALITY HERE IN KENT COUNTY TO ATTACK THE HOUSING CRISIS.

SO AS YOU GUYS ARE GIVING THESE HUGE SEVEN FIGURE CONTRACTS TO THESE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES FOR TRAILS, FOR BIKES, I ASK THAT YOU GUYS LOOKING TO DO THIS FOR 3D PRINTED HOUSING AND ATTACKING THE HOUSING CRISIS.

THERE IS AN AMENDMENT ON THERE.

SO AND YOU GUYS DO HAVE IT ON FOR EARHART CONSTRUCTION TO ACTUALLY WHERE YOU HAVE THE OXFORD TRAILS FOR 9 MILLION.

SO I'M ASKING THAT YOU GUYS, AS YOU GUYS HAVE THE AMENDMENT TO THAT, YOU GUYS ALSO CHANGE YOUR AMENDMENTS AND LOOK INTO THOSE TO INVEST IN THE 3D PLAZA.

I KNOW THAT IT'S COOL. I KNOW IT'S I'M A BLACK PERSON THAT'S GOING TO SOLVE THE HOUSING CRISIS. AND AS I WAS ACTUALLY FOOTING IT HERE, WALKING HERE FROM WHERE I LIVE AT, I SEEN PEOPLE SLEEPING UNDER THE BRIDGE.

SO BEAUTIFUL THINGS ARE COMING TO KENT COUNTY.

AND THIS IS A FUTURE INVITE TO COME TO THE GROUNDBREAKING, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO STOP. I'M GOING TO BE PASSIONATE AND FIERCE AND FIERCE AND FIERCE UNTIL I GET THIS HOUSING CRISIS THING AND WE SEE 3D PRINTED HOUSES HERE.

THANK YOU. HELLO, FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS.

COMMITTEE TO HOLD NUMBER FIVE RESOLUTION APPROVING ARTPRIZE AND SPECIAL EVENT CENTER AND SPECIAL EVENT FROM SEPTEMBER 18TH TO OCTOBER 20TH TO OCTOBER 4TH.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR PRICE IN GENERAL.

[00:05:02]

I WANT TO SUGGEST MOVING ART PRICE FROM SEPTEMBER TO EARLY OR MID JUNE TO MAKE UP FOR THAT SPACE.

MAKE UP FOR THAT LOST TIME.

SCHOOL WILL BE OUT DURING THAT TIME.

THEN YOU HAVE A LOT. YOU HAVE A LOT MORE VISITORS, WHETHER IT BE WARMER. AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH FOOTBALL.

I THINK YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS.

THE TIME IS RIGHT TO MOVE THIS EVENT.

HE'LL MEAN A LOT MORE PEOPLE.

MEANS A LOT MORE REVENUE.

AND IN TURN. GRAND RAPIDS WILL BE WELL FOR IT.

SO THINK ABOUT IT. AND IF YOU AND IF YOU KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE DATES, THAT'S FINE, BUT I THINK.

THIS IS A THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT SHOULD HAPPEN.

BECAUSE IT'S GOOD. BECAUSE IT'S THE WEATHER, BECAUSE IT'S THE WEATHER AND THE FOOTBALL IS GOING TO. DAMPEN HAS DAMPENED OUR PRIZE IN ITSELF.

WARMER WEATHER MEANS WARMER VISITORS AND WARMER AND AND MORE VISITORS MEANS MORE MONEY. TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.

THANK YOU. HI. AIDEN WYSOCKI.

I LIVE IN THE SECOND WARD.

I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY MAKE A COMMENT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ANITA HITCHCOCK FOR HER SERVICE AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY. THIS IS REGARDING THE AGENDA ITEM TO APPOINT PHILIP STROM AS THE INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY.

IT'S JUST I WATCHED THAT THE CITY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE EARLIER ON THE LIVE STREAM, AND THERE WERE MANY KIND WORDS SHARED ABOUT MISS HITCHCOCK AND HER SERVICE TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. WORKING AS AN ATTORNEY, THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH WORDS AND CHOOSE YOUR WORDS VERY CAREFULLY AND CRAFT WORDS.

AND WORDS ARE LIKE THE SWORDS OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

THEY THEY CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT AND THEY MAKE CHANGE POSSIBLE.

SO JUST PLEASE, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MISS HITCHCOCK FOR HER HARD WORK.

THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER INDIVIDUALS, I WILL MOVE US TO

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES? SAY I. BRINGS US TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS,

[PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]

EASTOWN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION WITH A RESOLUTION.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF EASTOWN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION ADOPTED EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE SYLVAN AREA NEIGHBORS.

STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED FROM MARY BAUER EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SINGLE HAULER PROGRAM. RECEIVING FILE COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION ADAPTATION PLAN STEVEN FILED AND COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM DALE BUXTON EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN STEVEN FILED.

THIS TAKES US TO REPORT OF CITY OFFICERS COMPTROLLER'S WARRANT REPORT FOR THE PERIOD

[REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]

STEVEN FILED AND CITY MANAGER SUBMITTED AN UPDATE FROM THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ON THE NEXT STEPS OF THE CAP IMPLEMENTATION STEVEN FILED.

THIS BRINGS US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]

[00:10:02]

WHICH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

AND HE'S HERE, SO DON'T SWEAT FILL.

BUT I DID I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND AS A COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGE THE RETIREMENT OF MISS HITCHCOCK. AND SO THIS WAS TRIGGERED BY THE ENDING OF A LONG AND FAITHFUL SERVICE TO THE CITY WHICH I KNOW WE ALL APPRECIATE.

AND THERE WERE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED AT THE AT THE MEETING THIS MORNING.

BUT IF ANYONE, ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT I WILL HAPPILY GO LAST, BUT IF ANYONE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING I'M PULLING IT OFF CONSENT SO WE CAN SAY GOODBYE TO MISS HITCHCOCK. OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

SO, MISS SASSY COMMISSIONER.

SO YOU WANTED TO. YEAH.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO. OH.

OH. YOU'RE RIGHT. SO YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE'LL PASS THE. WE'LL PASS CONSENT.

BUT I WANT TO PULL THAT FROM CONSENT.

SO IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THAT ITEM PULLED.

SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THAT EXCEPTION.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. THAT MOTION CARRIES.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR ITEM REMOVED FROM CONSENT.

[ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT]

WE NEED A MOTION SUPPORT.

COMMISSIONER SASSY. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS MORNING WAS SO FULL OF THAT THAT I APPRECIATE YOU PULLING THIS ITEM SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THIS FOR THE THE LARGER BODY AND AND THOSE THAT ARE HERE WATCHING THE 7 P.M. VERSUS THE 10 A.M.

MEETING. I JUST WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF MY COMMENTS.

THE ONE THAT WAS REALLY HIGHLIGHTING ANITA'S WORK.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A LONG CAREER WITH THE CITY.

BUT REALLY RECOGNIZING THE THIS ROLE OF CITY ATTORNEY THAT SHE TOOK ON AND TOOK ON A DEPARTMENT THAT REALLY NEEDED SOME RESHAPING AND CULTURE BUILDING AND CONNECTION POINTS.

AND SO I THINK THAT IS REALLY YOUR LEGACY.

ANITA IS LEAVING BEHIND A TEAM THAT WILL MISS YOU, BUT IS ALSO READY TO CONTINUE THE WORK, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS. SO WE WILL MISS YOU.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF POSITIVES.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HARD CONVERSATIONS.

YOU KNOW, I SAID THERE'S SOME MEALS. WE HAD SOME CUPCAKES TODAY. AND I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, JUST COMMITTED TO JUST ENSURING THE SUCCESS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS HER PURSE OUT HERE, SHE'S READY TO GO, BUT, YOU KNOW BUT WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOU FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. AND TO MR. STROM, TO PHIL, WE'RE I THINK I CAN SPEAK AND SAY, I THINK JUST REALLY EXCITED FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS NEXT CHAPTER OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. YOU'VE LED A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR THE CITY.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A NEIGHBOR IN THE THIRD WARD, WHICH I ALSO THINK IS JUST A REALLY POSITIVE THING.

YOU'VE MADE AN INVESTMENT TO BE IN THIS CITY, AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR COLLEAGUES SPEAK VERY HIGHLY OF YOU.

SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THAT EXPANDED CAPACITY.

SO THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS.

ANYONE ELSE WANT TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BELICHICK.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MISS HITCHCOCK VERY LONG. AS A NEW COMMISSIONER, HOWEVER, SHE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE IN STEERING THE CONVERSATION. A LITTLE BIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT BEHIND THE SCENES AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE THAT HAS JUST BEEN REALLY REMARKABLE.

I'M ACTUALLY VERY SAD NOT TO HAVE OUR TIME EXTEND TOGETHER LONGER, BUT I DO KNOW SHE HAS BIG DREAMS AND WILL TAKE ACTION ON THEM GOING FORWARD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO LIVING VICARIOUSLY THROUGH HER UPDATES, BUT I REALLY WANT TO SAY, ON BEHALF OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT KNOW ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO, CERTAINLY PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT I'VE TALKED TO IN THE CITY, IN THE RESIDENTS AND EVERYTHING, I'M GOING TO BE PASSING ON HOW MUCH WORK IS DONE AND HOW IT'S NOT JUST WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THESE MEETINGS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR ADVICE, YOUR LITERAL COUNSEL AND ALL THE THINGS YOU DO.

I APPRECIATE YOU. AND TO PHIL.

I AM VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO HOW WE CAN LEARN AND GROW TOGETHER AS WE BOTH STEP INTO THESE ROLES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT PART OF A TRIBUTE TO ANITA IS THAT WE'VE HAD A NICE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NICE SEAMLESS TRANSFER HERE.

BECAUSE PHIL, WHO WE'RE APPOINTING SO ALL OF YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN ACTING AS DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY FOR SOME TIME NOW.

SO TO HAVE THE NUMBER TWO PERSON ABLE TO ABLE, READY AND WILLING TO STEP UP AND TAKE ON THIS ROLE AS INTERIM IS REALLY, REALLY A TESTAMENT TO THE, TO THE DEPARTMENT YOU'VE BUILT.

AND SO IT'S A BLESSING FOR US ALL TO HAVE THAT SEAMLESS TRANSITION.

SO NOW WE CAN DO THE HARD WORK OF LOOKING FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP IN THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND SO I AM I WILL SAY THAT MAYBE OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE UP HERE I'VE KNOWN THE LONGEST I'VE BEEN PRACTICING LAW IN THIS TOWN FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS, AND I SORT OF FEEL LIKE THERE WASN'T EVER A TIME WHEN ANITA WASN'T PART OF THAT MIX.

[00:15:02]

WOW. DECADES AGO, AND IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HER THEN, AND IT'S BEEN JUST A JOY AND A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH HER FOR THIS LAST 8 OR 9 MONTHS AND TO SEE HER IN ACTION AND YOU KNOW, HAVE A GET A SENSE OF WHAT OUR STANDARDS SHOULD BE FOR OUR NEXT ATTORNEY BECAUSE I THINK OUR, OUR, THE STANDARD FOR OUR NEXT ATTORNEY SHOULD BE WHO OUR LAST ATTORNEY WAS, SO COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF YOU AND THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.

AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, JUST REALLY, REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU.

AND I SAID THIS MORNING TO THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS HARD WORK.

IS EVERYBODY UP HERE KNOWS AND IT'S YOU KNOW, YOU GET YOU GET STRESS MOMENTS, YOU GET YOU'RE VERY MUCH IN THE PUBLIC EYE IN WAYS THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE IF IF MISS HITCHCOCK HAD CHOSEN TO JUST BE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. SHE WOULDN'T BE A LIGHTNING ROD FOR ISSUES IN WAYS THAT IT SOMETIMES UNAVOIDABLE. AND HER FIRM HER CLEAR DIRECTION AND HER FIRM HAND ON THE TILLER FOR LEGAL OPERATIONS HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY MADE ALL OF OUR LIVES BETTER.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

SO I GUESS TECHNICALLY NOW, BECAUSE I PULLED IT OFF.

CONSENT. WE HAVE TO VOTE AGAIN.

WE CAN RECONSIDER OUR DECISION ON WHETHER WE WANT TO VOTE FOR MR. STRONG AS OUR NEW INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY, BUT I'D ASK FOR A VOTE ON THAT MOTION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF. OH. I'M SORRY.

COMMISSIONER. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPOINTING MR. STRONG AS OUR INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY.

SAY AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. THAT BEING THE ONLY ITEM REMOVED FROM CONSENT, WE NOW MOVE TO ORDINANCES WHICH ARE GOING TO ADOPT.

[1. Ordinance rezoning the southerly 40.50 feet of 1362 Leonard Avenue NW to the MCN-LDR (Traditional Neighborhood–Low Density Residential) Zone District]

IF YOU COULD INTRODUCE ORDINANCE REZONING THE SOUTHERLY, SOUTHERLY 40.50FT OF 1362 LEONARD AVENUE NORTHWEST.

STREET. ANYWAY TO THE LDR.

TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD. LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE.

DISTRICT. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. MISS COMMISSIONER.

OKAY, SO THIS ONE AND THE NEXT ITEM WILL BE RELATED.

ON AUGUST 12TH, 2025, THE CITY COMMISSION ESTABLISHED AUGUST 26TH AS THE DATE TO CAN RECONSIDER TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST TO REZONE THE SOUTHERLY 40.5FT OF THE ADDRESS AT 1362 LEONARD STREET, NORTHWEST FROM THE TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD, TRADITIONAL BUSINESS AREA ZONED DISTRICT TO THE MID 20TH CENTURY ZONE OF LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE DISTRICT.

THE REZONING WILL ALLOW A CEMETERY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED ON THIS PROPERTY, WHICH WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ADJACENT MOUNT CALVARY CEMETERY PROPERTY AT 1630.

EXCUSE ME, 1364 LEONARD STREET NORTHWEST, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THAT MID-CENTURY NEIGHBORHOOD. LOW DENSITY ZONE.

SO THIS IS OWNED BY THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF GRAND RAPIDS FROM 1922 UNTIL 2015.

AND BASED ON THE DATES OF THE HEADSTONE, THIS SOUTHERLY 40.5FT OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT THE SOUTH CHAIN LINK FENCE.

FENCE HAS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONED AS PART OF THE MOUNT CALVARY CEMETERY SINCE LAST AT LEAST 1928. SO THE ENCROACHMENT OF THE IMPROVEMENTS CAME INTO LIGHT ONLY RECENTLY, IN ASSOCIATION WITH A SURVEY CONDUCTED AS PART OF A PROPERTY SALE.

AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO DRIVE BY OR VISIT THIS CEMETERY, THERE IS ACTUALLY THIS IS A HOME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, SHARING THEIR SPACE WITH THE CEMETERY AT THAT BORDER.

THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM COLLEAGUES? SEEING NONE I'D CALL FOR A ROLL CALL.

VOTE. SO, CITY CLERK. COMMISSIONER.

SASSY. YES, COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS.

YES, COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. COMMISSIONER.

KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. BELICHICK.

YES, COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES, MAYOR.

LA GRANDE. YES. AND OUR NEXT ITEM IS RELATED,

[2. Ordinance rezoning the northeasterly 1,916 square feet of 1364 Leonard Avenue NW to the TN-TBA (Traditional Neighborhood–Traditional Business Area) Zone District]

TO MOVE IT FROM THE MID-CENTURY NEIGHBORHOOD, LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL INTO THE TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD TRADITIONAL BUSINESS ZONE SO THAT IT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE MOUNT CALVARY CEMETERY THAT IS LOCATED NEXT DOOR.

[00:20:04]

ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING.

NONE. CITY CLERK CALL FOR A VOTE.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. YES.

COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT.

YES. COMMISSIONER. BELICHICK. YES.

MR.. KILGORE? YES. COMMISSIONER.

YES. MAYOR. LEGRAND. YES.

THIS BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ORDINANCE, MR. CLARK. ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION ONE OF

[3. Ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2025-11 for Fiscal Year 2026 (Amendment No. 1)]

AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER ROBBINS.

YEAH. THANKS, MAYOR. THESE ITEMS CAME BEFORE US THIS MORNING AT OUR FISCAL COMMITTEE.

SO FOR BREVITY'S SAKE, I'LL JUST READ THE THE TITLES OF EACH ITEM.

THERE'S A FOR FISCAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THERE'S A DEBT SERVICES PAYMENT FOR THE SOCCER STADIUM AND AMPHITHEATER BONDS.

POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS A GENERATOR REPLACEMENT. MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSE FOR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANT EXCEPTION, AS WELL AS AN ITEM FOR ROOSEVELT PARK AND PLAZA ROOSEVELT GRANT FOR 61ST DISTRICT COURT. THERE WAS A DRUG SOBRIETY COURT GRANT FOR THE OFFICE OF OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY. THERE'S A COMMUNITY COMMUNITY BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION GRANTS. FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THERE WAS A 2020 COPS HIRING PROGRAM GRANT THAT WAS ACCEPTED.

AND THEN LASTLY FOR THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING, STREAMING, INDEXING AND CAPTIONING ITEM, WHICH I'LL MAKE A NOTE ON THAT ONE.

WE HAD A LITTLE DEMO FROM MR. CANFIELD THIS MORNING. IT WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.

SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO CHECK THAT ONE OUT. DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANY ITEMS FOR BUDGET FOR ELEVATOR REPAIRS? SORRY.

YES. THANK YOU. SO COMMISSIONER ROBBINS WAS LATE BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ELEVATOR THAT'S GIVING US TROUBLE TODAY. YES, IT DID LET ME UP WITH MY BADGE.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE COULD COULD GET HERE. SO HE WAS HERE ON TIME. HE JUST WASN'T IN THE ROOM ON TIME? YES. SO THIS IS ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY. SEEING NONE. CITY CLERK, COMMISSIONER.

PURDUE. YES, COMMISSIONER.

NIGHT. YES, COMMISSIONER.

BOUCEK. YES, COMMISSIONER.

KILGORE. YES, COMMISSIONER. PERSIS.

YES, COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS. YES, MAYOR. LEGRAND. YES.

AND CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO GIVE THIS IMMEDIATE EFFECT?

[4. Motion to give Ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2025-11 immediate effect.]

AYE. MOTION CARRIES. AND NEXT WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE.

[5. Ordinance amendment to Article 5, Chapter 7, Title I of the Grand Rapids City Code pertaining to the Police and Fire Retirement System in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028]

AND CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SUPPORT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SASSY.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. THIS ITEM IS JUST FOLLOWING THE FINAL CONTRACT WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION WITH THE OFFICER AND SERGEANT UNIT AND THE COMMAND UNIT.

THIS ORDINANCE IS RELATED TO THE PENSION ESCALATOR FOR THESE RESPECTIVE PENSIONS, AND IT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED.

THE THE AGREED TO TERMS EFFECTIVELY CHANGE THE PENSION ESCALATOR TO INCREASE TO 1.5%.

COMPOUNDING BENEFIT TO BE APPLIED AFTER FIVE YEARS OF RETIREMENT FOR EMPLOYEES WHO RETIRE ON OR AFTER JULY 1ST, 2025.

THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. CITY CLERK, CALL THE ROLL.

COMMISSIONER KNIGHT. NIGHT. YES.

COMMISSIONER. BELCHECK. YES.

COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES.

COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS. YES. COMMISSIONER PERDUE. YES. MAYOR. LEGRAND.

YES. I CAN HAVE A MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

[6. Motion to give Ordinance amendment to Article 5, Chapter 7 immediate effect.]

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT IS ANOTHER LABOR AGREEMENT.

[7. Salary Ordinance for Emergency Communication Supervisors]

CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER PERDUE.

YEAH. SO THIS THIS ORDINANCE WOULD IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THE LABOR AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND THE TEAMSTERS LOCAL 406, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SUPERVISORS.

THIS UNIT REPRESENTS FIVE EMPLOYEES.

THIS ORDINANCE WILL PROVIDE FOR THE FOLLOWING WAGE INCREASES FOR EMERGENCY SUPERVISORS.

5% EFFECTIVE 5% INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST, 2025, FOLLOWED BY 4% JULY 1ST, 2026, FOLLOWED BY 3% JULY 1ST, 2027. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. THIS IS A ROLL CALL VOTE.

SO, CITY CLERK COMMISSIONER. YES.

COMMISSIONER. KILGORE.

YES, COMMISSIONER. SASSY.

YES, COMMISSIONER. ROBBINS. YES, COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES, COMMISSIONER.

NIGHT. YES. MAYOR. LEGRAND.

YES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE FACTS?

[8. Motion to give Salary Ordinance for Emergency Communication Supervisors immediate effect.]

AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ORDINANCE. IT'S A SALARY ORDINANCE FOR EMPLOYEES REPRESENTED BY

[9. Salary Ordinance for Employees Represented by the Association of Public Administrators of Grand Rapids (APAGR)]

YES, MAYOR. THIS IS IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF THE LABOR AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND THE ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS OF GRAND

[00:25:03]

THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE CITY CLERK.

IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES, COMMISSIONER. PERSIS. YES. COMMISSIONER. ROBBIN'S. YES. COMMISSIONER. PERDUE.

COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. BOUCEK. YES, MAYOR. LEGRAND. YES. I HAVE A MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

[10. Motion to give Salary Ordinance for Employees Represented by the Association of Public Administrators immediate effect.]

I'M SORRY. SORRY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

[1. Motion to suspend the rules.]

AND I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO CONSIDER, PARDON ME, TO SUSPEND THE RULES, TO CONSIDER THOSE RESOLUTIONS.

SO MOVED. THANK YOU. AND ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. MOTION CARRIES. COMMISSIONER.

[2. Resolution approving Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Emergency Communications Supervisors for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028]

THANK YOU. AND DID I? YEAH.

CAN I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE? SO MOVED. SUPPORT.

COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. YES.

THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SUPERVISORS HAVE ADVISED THE CITY'S BARGAINING TEAM THAT THEIR MEMBERSHIP HAS RATIFIED THE CONTRACT COVERING THE PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2028.

THE RESOLUTION OUTLINES THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU. AND THAT WAS REFERS BACK TO AN ITEM THAT YOU JUST INTRODUCED FOR US.

SO IF I COULD HAVE A MOTION PARDON ME, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION.

ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING, SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

MAYOR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I HAVE THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE.

THE SALARY ORDINANCE? I WOULD ASK THE CLERK, JUST FOR THE RECORD, JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT A ROLL CALL.

VOTE? SORRY. RESOLUTION.

ACTUAL RESOLUTION. I DON'T HAVE IT IN MY PACKET.

YOU TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE.

I HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE. WE HAD TO VOTE ON.

YES, I HAVE THE RESOLUTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. SALARY ORDINANCE.

I HAVE THE ORDINANCES.

I HAVE THE I HAVE THE ORDINANCES IN THE WALK ON RESOLUTIONS FROM CLOSED.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

I CLEARLY SEE THE ORDINANCES.

I DON'T SEE THE ACCOMPANYING RESOLUTIONS FOR THOSE ITEMS. DO YOU HAVE THEM, THOUGH? WELL, EACH OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT THAT ARE INTRODUCING THEM HAVE A COPY OF THEM.

YOU HAVE IT. OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GET COPIES FOR EVERYBODY? I JUST LIKE TO SEE A COPY, BUT, YEAH, I CAN JUST PASS IT DOWN, PLEASE. THANKS. THANK YOU.

WERE WE ABOUT TO VOTE OR DID WE VOTE? I'M SORRY WE VOTED ON THAT ITEM.

OKAY. DID WE VOTE ON IT? COMMISSIONER ITEM ITEM RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE.

YES. YES. ASK FOR IT AGAIN JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT.

OKAY. WELL, WE CAN VOTE TWICE.

THAT'S LIKE MEASURING TWICE AND CUTTING ONCE.

SO JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DID ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ITEM.

[3. Resolution approving Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Association of Public Administrators for the period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028]

MOTION SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER KILGORE.

THANKS, MAYOR. THE ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ADVISED THE CITY'S BARGAINING TEAM THAT THEIR MEMBERSHIP HAS RATIFIED THE CONTRACT COVERING THE PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2028.

THE RESOLUTION OUTLINES THE ECONOMIC TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU. DO YOU SEE A COPY OF THAT MARKED? THAT ONE FROM COMMISSIONER KILGORE. ANY DISCUSSION ITEM? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO AND I SHOULD.

I MISSPOKE, ACTUALLY WE WERE.

THERE ARE FIVE OF THESE THAT WE SO WE'RE GOING TO.

SO MOVING ON. IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ENTRY OF PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS IN PARTIAL

[4. Resolution authorizing entry of participation agreements in partial settlement of the national prescription Opiate Litigation and entry of State local government intrastate agreement concerning allocation of settlement proceeds]

MOTION. SO MOVED. SUPPORT.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. YEAH.

THANKS, MAYOR. WE'VE HAD A FEW OF THESE ITEMS COME BEFORE US.

[00:30:03]

SO THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR IS A PROPOSED NATIONAL SETTLEMENT.

SETTLEMENT WITH DEFENDANTS ALLERGAN, INC., AMNEAL PHARMACEUTICALS, APOTEX INCORPORATED, HIKMA PHARMACEUTICALS INDIVIOR INCORPORATED, MYLAN PHARMACEUTICALS, SUN PHARMACEUTICALS, AND ZYDUS PHARMACEUTICALS. AND THE EXPECTED OR ESTIMATED RECOVERY AMOUNT WOULD BE $128,877.87, AND THAT IS SPREAD OUT OVER 15 YEARS.

CORRECT. YEP, YEP. 15 YEARS.

OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE.

EXTRA MONEY FOR THE CITY IS ALWAYS GOOD.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT. CITY CLERK. NEXT ONE IS AB TWO, LLC VERSUS CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS CITY

[5. ABII, LLC v. CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS City Commission resolution approving settlement]

SO MOVED. SUPPORT. AND, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. ON AUGUST 11TH OF 2022.

THIS MATTER OF AB TWO LLC VERSUS THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS REGARDING AN ALLEGED BREACH OF LEASE CASE WAS PRESENTED TO US IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION AND UPON RECOMMENDATION OF COUNSEL, A SETTLEMENT OF THIS MATTER WAS RECOMMENDED ON TERMS THAT INCLUDED PROVISION BY THE CITY WITHOUT A COST TO PLAINTIFF OR ITS CUSTOMERS, OF THE FIRST ITEM BEING PARKING VALIDATIONS FOR THE MONTHS OF AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, AND A TOTAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF UP TO $3,000 EACH MONTH. THE SECOND ITEM WAS HOODING OF FOUR PARKING METERS LOCATED ON EACH SIDE OF OTTAWA AVENUE NORTHWEST.

AND THIS WAS CLOSEST TO THEIR ENTRANCE IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS.

THERE WAS ALSO HOODING OF THOSE SAME PARKING METERS FOR SOME TIMES IN DECEMBER OF THIS PARK, FOR PARKING METERS IN DECEMBER, AND A ONE TIME RENT REDUCTION OF $5,000 FROM PLAINTIFF FROM OUR THE PLAINTIFFS OCTOBER RENT.

SO THIS IS AN ALLEGED BREACH OF LEASE AND JUST A SETTLEMENT IN THIS CASE.

THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES.

[6. Resolution authorizing entry of participation agreements in partial settlement of the national prescription Opiate Litigation and entry of State local government intrastate agreement concerning allocation of settlement proceeds – Purdue Pharma L.P.]

ENTRY OF STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. INTERSTATE AGREEMENT CONCERNING ALLOCATION OF SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS FOR PURDUE PHARMA.

HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED.

SUPPORT. COMMISSIONER ROBINSON.

YEAH, THANKS. VERY SIMILAR TO THE LAST ONE I SHARED ABOUT.

THIS ONE IS IN PARTICULAR REGARDING PURDUE PHARMA AS THE DEFENDANT.

SO PURDUE PHARMA AND THE CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE SACKLER FAMILY THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF RECOVERY FOR THE CITY IN THIS CASE WOULD BE $824,818.39.

AGAIN, OVER THE COURSE OF 15 YEARS.

AND I'LL ADD AS WELL THAT THE, THE NATIONAL SETTLEMENT RESTRICTS THE USE OF THESE FUNDS IN BOTH CASES, PERMISSIBLE USES RELATE TO THINGS PERTAINING TO TREATMENT, PREVENTION, AND ABATEMENT OF THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.

THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION, SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

THIS BRINGS US TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY ITEM OF CONCERN FOR THE PUBLIC.

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

BUT HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M EXCITED, Y'ALL, TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS 3D PRINTING.

I TOLD YOU, DAVID, I TOLD YOU I WAS GOING TO BE FIERCE.

I TOLD YOU I NEVER FAKE WHO I AM.

I'M TRUE TO WHO I AM, TRUE TO MY CHARACTER, AND JUST TRUE TO YOURSELF. AND I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ATTACK THE HOUSING CRISIS.

I KNOW THAT I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER. ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY GOT SOME VISUALS.

THE GUY LEE SENT ME AND RYAN SOME VISUALS, AND THEY ACTUALLY 3D PRINTED SOME DUPLEXES ALSO. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE COOL.

AND I'LL ACTUALLY SEND Y'ALL AND BRING Y'ALL A VISUAL OF THAT NEXT TIME OF THE 3D PRINTED VISUALS. I'M SORRY, YOUR YOUR THING THAT YOU SPEAK ON THE NEXT MAYOR'S MONDAY'S ISN'T GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE THAT WAS THE THIRD ONE. I'LL BE ON IT, DAVID. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE SURE TO BRING Y'ALL SOME VISUALS OF THE DUPLEXES.

OR IF Y'ALL WANT ME TO SEND THAT TO YOU, I'LL BE SURE TO SEND THAT TO Y'ALL.

BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO ATTACK THE HOUSING CRISIS.

AND CITY ATTORNEY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE 2018.

I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE PHILIP BEEN HERE AND EVERYBODY HERE. BUT FOR SOME OF Y'ALL GOT ELECTED. BUT YOU'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. AND YOU ALWAYS TOLD ME POSITIVE THINGS.

IF YOU SEE ME ON TV, YOU TOLD ME THAT I MADE THE CITY LOOK GOOD.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE KIND THINGS THAT YOU'VE SAID TO ME.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOME KIND THINGS TO YOU BECAUSE I'VE SEEN PEOPLE ATTACK YOU.

I'VE SEEN PEOPLE SAY NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT YOU, BUT YOU DEFEND OUR CITY AND THE CONSTITUENTS AND,

[00:35:02]

AND SO I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AND THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME THAT I'M A CELEBRITY, THAT I'M FAMOUS FOR BEING ON GR BUSINESS JOURNAL, FOR BRINGING ESPORTS HERE.

AND I'M ACTUALLY ABOUT TO BE ON TV BRINGING TO THE BOSS PLACE THE LARGEST K THROUGH 12 ESPORTS FINALS IN THE STATE AND ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE UNITED STATES, AND HAVE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HERE.

AND I ACTUALLY GOT THE PACKET FROM TECH WEEK.

SO YEAH, I SEEN THAT, Y'ALL.

Y'ALL HAD A NICE LITTLE SLIDE AND I LIKE TO LOOK AT INFO, BUT Y'ALL HAD A SLIDE ON THE CITY ON THE RISE.

AND THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS TECH.

AND AS Y'ALL KNOW, I'M THE ESPORTS AND GAMING PIONEER.

AND I KNOW THAT TECH IS ONLY GOING TO GET BIGGER.

AND GAMING IS ACTUALLY $1 TRILLION INDUSTRY.

AND I GOT A LOT OF THINGS.

AND AS I ACTUALLY TRIED TO DO THE SUMMER CAMP, I ASKED Y'ALL FOR 1000 BUCKS TO INVEST INTO OUR ENERGY DRINK SO WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THE KIDS BE ABLE TO SELL IT AND BE ABLE TO STREAM AND BE ABLE TO HAVE A PRODUCT TO SELL.

WELL, WE DON'T EVEN CHARGE THEM A PENNY THAT WE FOUND OFF THE GROUND. IT'S LITERALLY A FREE OPPORTUNITY. NOT A PYRAMID SCHEME, NOT A PONZI SCHEME, BUT TRULY AN EQUITABLE, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

SO IF WE EVER PARTNER IN THE FUTURE, AND I ASK Y'ALL FOR SOME FUNDING TO ACTUALLY INVEST BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE THE FUTURE IS GOING, AND I'VE BEEN ON IT AND I'VE BEEN SPEAKING ON IT, AND NOW Y'ALL ARE GOING TO SEE IT FIRSTHAND. I'M GOING TO GO HOME AND GET ON THE GAME AND STREAM AND TALK ABOUT HOW I JUST SAID THAT.

WE ABOUT TO 3D PRINT THIS 3D PRINTING THIS HOUSE AND INTO THE CITY UNTIL IT COMES TO FRUITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

HI. MY NAME IS AMY BROCK, AND I VOTE IN 405 FOR A ZIP CODE, AND I WAS BORN IN GRAND RAPIDS.

I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON THE POOR, AND TOO MANY ARE BUSY SURVIVING AND COULDN'T BE HERE TO SPEAK TODAY.

AND I'M HERE TO BEG YOU TO BE EMPATHETIC, TO IMAGINE THE SITUATION OF ANOTHER WHO'S LOST THEIR LIVELIHOOD, THEIR HOME, THEIR FREEDOM OF EXISTENCE, AND NOW THEIR AND THEIR BELONGINGS AND THEIR FREEDOM OF EXISTENCE FREELY HANGS IN THE BALANCE IN OUR COUNTRY.

SO IMAGINE IT WAS YOU.

PLEASE LOOK AT PEOPLE RATHER THAN THROUGH THEM.

I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR UNHOUSED RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ISSUES. THE SAME RESIDENTS WHO CAN'T AFFORD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR CITY THAT HAS NO RENT CONTROL.

THEY'RE UNFAIRLY PUNISHED BY CITY COMMISSION APPROVED LOITERING AND PROPERTY ORDINANCES THAT PASSED IN 2022. THEY'RE THE SAME RESIDENTS WHO FINED SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS THAT ARE FULL. THEY'RE THE SAME ONES WHERE HOT TEAM INTERVENTION SERVICES HAVE BEEN CUT TO SUPPORT THEM. THEY'RE THE CITIZENS WHERE HOMELESS CAMPS ARE BEING DISMANTLED RIGHT NOW WITH NO PLAN OF REHOUSING THEM.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO FACE FULL OR UNSAFE SHELTER CONDITIONS LIKE LICE, BEDBUGS, AND LACK OF SLEEP RIGHT NOW.

AND THEY'RE THE HUMANS WHO FACE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO CLEAN THEM UP AND PLACE THEM IN VOLUNTARY TREATMENT OR INCARCERATION.

IMAGINE THAT THEY'RE THE CITIES WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTS WITH THIS ORDER WILL RECEIVE FINANCIAL KICKBACKS FOR DOING SO.

WHILE OUR OWN CHIEF WINSTROM, HAS SAID THAT HE WILL LOOK INTO THESE KICKBACKS. THIS STATEMENT IS TERRIFYING AND GIVES NO SENSE OF LEGAL PROTECTION TO OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS. AND WE FUND THE POLICE.

YOU DO SO, OF COURSE. YES.

I'M HERE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE, FOR JUSTICE, AND TO PUBLICLY ASK FOR A COMMITMENT FROM YOU THAT GRAND RAPIDS SHOULD RECEIVE NO KICKBACKS FOR PARTICIPATING IN SUCH AN ORDER.

OUR UNHOUSED HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AND DAMAGED BY CITY POLICY.

THEY HAVE SUFFERED FROM A LACK OF SERVICES, A CYCLE OF POVERTY, AND A REFUSAL TO CREATE AND FULLY FUND A LONG TERM PLAN.

100 HOMES AND 100 DAYS, AS WELL AS AN EXPANSION OF MATTHEWS HOUSE DROP-IN IS A GREAT START, BUT WE MUST LOOK AT IDEAS LIKE LANSING CITY COMMISSION RELOCATED TO HOMELESS CAMP, OR DALLAS BUILDING POD TYPE HOMES AS OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED.

I ASK YOU TO THINK IN THE REALM OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND NEVER IN THE REALM OF CRUELTY.

I HOPE YOU MAKE A PUBLIC STANCE ON THIS ORDER AS WELL AS ON PAST ORDINANCES.

IF YOU CANNOT DO IT ON BEHALF OF THEM OR ON THE POTENTIAL OF PEOPLE LIKE ME, THEN AGAIN, IMAGINE IT WAS YOU.

PLEASE ACTUALLY MAKE GRAND RAPIDS THE COOL CITY WE SAY IT IS FOR ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST FOR THE PRIVILEGED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS AUSTIN MCFARLAND.

I VOTE IN THE 405 VOTE, BUT I WORK IN THE THIRD WARD AT LINK UP.

I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF BEEN ON MY MIND FOR A WHILE.

AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE STEM EDUCATION IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.

LAST YEAR, THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS PASSED THEIR MASTER PLAN.

[00:40:03]

YEAH. YOU KNOW, I'M A GRADUATE OF MICHIGAN TECH, AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THE, THE POSITIVE INFLUENCES THAT A GREAT STEM EDUCATION CAN BRING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ISN'T A MEETING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT THE CITY CAN DO TO, YOU KNOW, BOLSTER INITIATIVES LIKE THAT AROUND STEM, STEM EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE SPACES ALLOCATED AND FUNDING ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE HELPING TO EDUCATE AROUND STEM EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARING STUDENTS ALL OVER THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS FOR THOSE JOBS. GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS A 17.3% PROFICIENCY RATE WHEN IT COMES TO MATH, READING AND SCIENCES, ART, MATH AND SCIENCES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A ABYSMALLY LOW SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS OF COLOR WHEN IT COMES TO STEM EDUCATION AS WELL, THAT'S A VERY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY.

SO I WOULD ASK THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, YOU KNOW, TO CONSIDER SOME MORE STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVES AND WORK WITH GROUPS AND THESE OTHER SCHOOL SCHOOL BOARDS IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS TO HELP BOLSTER SOME OF THAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE AT THE MICROPHONE IF YOU WANT TO SAY YOUR NAME. WHERE IS IT? YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND DOWN.

YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM HERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES.

MY NAME IS SYDNEY DEANS.

I WASN'T BORN IN THIS STATE, BUT I LIVED IN HERE.

MIGHT AS WELL SAY ALL OF MY LIFE FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF MY LIFE.

I WAS NOT A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY.

THIS CITY. BUT I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO THIS BODY, YOU KNOW, NOT Y'ALL SPECIFICALLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE BODY HERE.

I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING CONCERNING THE WATER, OUR WATER PROBLEM WITH THE RIVER.

AND I FIND THAT NOW WE HAVE GRASS GROWING IN THE RIVER, AND THAT'S A GOOD SIGN.

THAT'S A GOOD SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT, AT LEAST FOR THE NORTHERN END OF GRAND RIVER.

I'VE NEVER BEEN SOUTH SOUTH SINCE I'VE BEEN BLIND.

BUT WHAT I'M. WHAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT IS THIS THERE IS GOT TO BE A A.

LINE DRAWN WHERE THE STATE, AT LEAST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUTS A WHAT YOU CAN. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH POLLUTION YOU CAN LET GO, BUT IT SHOULD BE A ZERO TOLERANCE THERE BECAUSE THERE IS FISH IN THE GRAND RIVER THAT IS MIGHT AS WELL SAY, COMPLETELY WIPED OUT JUST ABOUT THE BIG CARP.

THE BASS, THE SUCKERS.

THEY'RE GONE. BIG BASS IS GONE TOO.

YOU MIGHT AS WELL SAY, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CATCH A BIG ONE NO MORE.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO? I'M TRYING TO SEE IF I CAN GET THIS CITY TO BUILD A.

PLANT THAT WOULD TAKE ALL THE, THE THE THE POISONS OUT THE AIR FROM THE BURNING. I HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS.

I HAVE A PLAN FOR OUR WATER TREATMENT.

AND THE GUY AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, HE SPOKE WITH ME ONCE.

I FEEL THAT GOD LED ME TO GIVE HIM THAT.

THAT ANSWER HE WAS LOOKING FOR.

HE WAS LOOKING FOR HOW YOU TAKE STINK OUT OF GAS.

AND STRAIGHT AWAY IT COME IN MY MIND.

AND I TOLD HIM. BUT I THINK THAT MY GOD, OUR GOD, GOD OF ALL WANTS US TO PUT NEW BURNERS IN THERE TO STOP THIS LANDFILL.

THIS LANDFILL HAS TOO MANY.

[00:45:01]

MY COUSIN WAS CUT UP AND PUT IN PART OF.

AND PART OF THE BODY WAS PUT INTO THAT.

SIR, WE TRY TO LIMIT THESE TO THREE MINUTES, AND YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE THE CLOCK, BUT THAT'S THE END OF YOUR THREE MINUTES IS GONE.

YEAH. YEAH. OH MY GOD.

THANK YOU FOR COMING. OKAY.

MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU SOME WARNINGS SO YOU COULDN'T SEEN IT.

BUT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAVE THESE PLANS, AND I'M SUPPOSED TO GIVE IT TO YOU.

I'M SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU THESE PLANS THAT WILL PUT A NEW BURNER IN.

AND THEY WILL CLEAN THE AIR.

AND YOU WOULDN'T BE. YOU WOULDN'T BE BURYING THE RESIDUE FROM THESE FROM THE PLANT YOU GOT NOW YOU'RE BURYING IT IN IN BARRELS.

THE ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT WILL ELIMINATE IT.

BURN THAT UP ALSO. THANKS.

THANKS FOR COMING. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.

YEP. COME ON. THIS WAY.

THANK YOU. SIR. MARK BACK.

WE. HAVE NOW. ENTERED.

THE AUTHORITARIAN STAGE.

THE ORANGE FELON HAS LOST HIS MIND.

IT'S NOT JUST HIM. HIS AIDE, STEPHEN MILLER.

WHO, IN MY OPINION, IS DAVID KORESH.

TED BUNDY, SON OF SAM AND CHARLES MANSON ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.

ALONG WITH THAT DIMWIT BENNY JOHNSON.

IS LYING ABOUT THE CRIME STATISTICS NATIONWIDE.

THE NATIONAL GUARD DOESN'T WANT TO BE IN D.C..

I'M TELLING YOU THAT RIGHT NOW.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE THERE.

THEY WERE FORCED TO BE THERE OUT OF SPITE FOR THIS AND FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.

AND. IT'S JUST. AND HE'S GOING TO COME AND THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO THE SAME CRAP HE GOING TO PULL IN CHICAGO.

CHICAGO DON'T WANT HIM.

THESE BIG CITIES THEY DON'T WANT THEY DON'T WANT NATIONAL GUARD THERE.

IT'S BASICALLY AN ATTACK ON CITIES WITH BLACK LEADERSHIP.

THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE.

THESE INDIVIDUALS MUST STOP.

THEY HAVE TO STOP. THEY HAVE TO BE STOPPED.

BECAUSE IF NOT, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO FESTER.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HATE, CHAOS AND SEPARATISM IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND FOR THE LAST FEW SECONDS, I HAVE I CONGRATULATE CITY ATTORNEY HITCHCOCK ON HER RETIREMENT AFTER 26 YEARS OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.

YOUR PROFESSIONALISM. WILL BE UNMATCHED.

AND I HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT.

WITH APLOMB AND HAPPINESS.

THANK YOU. BOYCOTT. TESLA.

GOOD EVENING. OOPS. OOPS.

THERE WE GO. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS LISA GRIFFIN, AND I AM WITH THE THIRD WARD.

I'M. HELLO, CITY MANAGER MR.

[00:50:02]

APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.

SO I'M WITH THE THIRD WARD, AND I'M WITH THE FELLOWS PROGRAM, AND I APPRECIATE LINK UP SO MUCH.

ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS I EVER MADE WAS TO BE A PART OF THEIR ORGANIZATION.

AND SO I'M COMING HERE.

I CAME LAST TIME WHEN I CAME TO SPEAK, I WAS SPEAKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MY LIFE HAD CHANGED FROM DRUG ADDICTION UNTIL BEING SAVED AND BEING IN RECOVERY TWO AND A HALF YEARS. AND I'M A WOMAN OF GOD NOW.

AND I WAS JUST A PART A LOT.

A BIG PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF COURSE, GOD.

BUT THEN BECAUSE OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.

AND SO I ALWAYS KNEW THAT THIS WAS A BEAUTIFUL CITY, THAT THE CITY HAD ALL THESE RESOURCES, THAT THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT JUST CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK. THEY ALWAYS WERE THERE TO HELP ME, BUT I NEVER WANTED TO RECEIVE THE HELP BECAUSE OF THE DEPENDANCE ON THE ADDICTION.

BUT TODAY I CAN SEE CLEARLY, AND NOW I'M TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE RESOURCES, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE A RENEWED MIND THAT I'M ABLE TO BE A PART OF THE RESOURCES INSTEAD OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

AND SO I GO TO MADISON SQUARE CHURCH ALSO, AND I'M A PART OF THE BIBLE STUDY THERE CALLED COVERED, AND I'M A PART OF A GROUP CALLED OVERCOMERS.

I'M PART OF LINKUP. AND SO ALL OF THESE THINGS I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM. AND SO DURING THE BLOCK PART, THE BLOCK STREET THERE ON MADISON THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT CAME UP CONCERNING THE POLICE AND THE GENTLEMAN WHO ENCOUNTERED THE POLICE THAT WORKED THAT WERE IN THE WARD.

AND SO I GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS AND LET THEM KNOW MY CONCERNS. AND SO IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS VERY SCARED, PERIOD. AND I DON'T DO ANY CRIME OR ANYTHING, BUT IT JUST WAS TO THE POINT WHERE THERE'S A MIS COMMUNICATION AND MISUNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITIZENS. THE TOTAL TOTALITY OF CITIZENS AND WITH POLICE.

SO I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE I WOULD GIVE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO THEM, MAYBE EVEN LIKE A TASK FORCE FOR MENTORSHIP.

ONE OF THE DAYS THAT THEY SUPPOSED TO COME TO WORK.

5 OR 6 OF THEM GET TOGETHER AND START MENTORING.

WE MIGHT CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT A LOT OF THEM NOW, BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

AND SO I THINK A MENTORSHIP WOULD BE VERY GOOD.

AND YOU CAN THEY CAN UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY IF THEY COME AND THEY TALK WITH YOUNG TEENAGERS AND THESE THINGS AND BECOME MORE INVOLVED WITH THEM, AND SO THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, THEN THEY CAN BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE POLICE ARE GOING THROUGH ALSO AND JUST GET A BETTER COMMUNICATION PERIOD. I KNOW, SORRY.

IT'S OKAY. BUT THANK YOU.

THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE HALL.

I LIVE ON PHILADELPHIA AVENUE IN THE THIRD WARD.

COMMISSIONER EVANS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THE ELEVATOR.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I'VE NOT BEEN TO A COMMISSION MEETING BEFORE, SO I WILL STAY WITHIN THE THREE MINUTES.

I AM HERE AS PART OF THE GROUP THAT WAS AFFECTED BY THE FLOOD IN 2024.

JUNE 13TH, BY THE WAY, IF YOU RECALL.

ANYWAY I'M REALLY NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY, EXCEPT PLEASE KEEP OUR GROUP IN YOUR MINDS AND BE FAIR. THAT IS ALL WE ASK IS FOR FAIRNESS.

I, LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE TO SAY.

I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY SOB STORIES ABOUT THE DAMAGES.

YOU'VE SEEN EVERYTHING.

AND I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHATEVER MAY HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN, BECAUSE I DON'T I FEEL THAT IT WILL FALL ON DEAF EARS BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT ALL OF OUR PLEAS AND OUR REQUESTS FOR FAIRNESS FROM THE CITY HAVE FALLEN UPON DEAF EARS.

BUT I'M REALLY HOPING GOING FORWARD FROM TODAY, THAT GOOD. THAT YOU WILL THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT WHAT IS FAIR AND WHAT IS RIGHT, AND WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT TO BE TREATING YOUR CITIZENS HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS.

AND THAT'S ALL I ASK. AND I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER, SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

[00:55:03]

[COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]

I WOULD LIKE TO JUST ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND THEN PERHAPS OTHERS MAY CHIME IN, BUT THERE THE HOUSING SITUATION IS A VERY SERIOUS ONE THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND HAVE UNDERSTOOD IN THE CITY FOR A WHILE.

I DO LIKE SOME OF THE IDEAS.

SOME OF THE IDEAS I'M HEARING ARE ECHOING ONES I'VE THOUGHT OF TOO, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE HAVING OUR LAND BANK DISCUSSIONS AND HAVING PARCELS OF LAND THAT MAY NOT BE BUILDABLE ON.

WE COULD THINK OF CREATIVE THINGS, AND SOME OF THEM MAY BE PARKS, BUT THEY COULD ALSO USE THOSE FOR POSSIBLE POD HOUSING.

AND I HEARD THAT COMMENT TONIGHT, SO THAT WAS INTERESTING.

BUT THAT IS ALL YET FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

AND I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE NEXT STEP FACILITIES THAT ARE THAT LITTLE TINY HOUSES THAT ARE BEING BUILT BY MEL TROTTER, AND NEXT STEP TO HELP MOVE PEOPLE FROM UNHOUSED SITUATIONS INTO HOMES.

AND THEN THEY'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING AND HAVING A BIGGER UNIT THAT WOULD BE 800FT². AND THEY'RE VERY ADORABLE HOMES THAT ARE I WOULD MOVE IN THERE COMPLETELY DESIGNED WELL AND SPACIOUS, WITH STORAGE IN THE ATTIC AND EVERYTHING.

SO I REALLY COMMEND OUR OUR DEVELOPERS WHO ARE WORKING ON THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

AND WE HAVE EMERGENCY OR EXCUSE ME, EMERGENCY DEVELOPING PROGRAMS, DEVELOPER PROGRAMS. SO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO THINK ABOUT HELPING THE HOUSING SITUATION, WE ARE LOOKING FOR CREATIVE AND MORE INNOVATIVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT. REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY, WE ACTUALLY HAD A VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION TODAY BY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

I DON'T SIT ON THAT, BUT I DID ATTEND.

AND I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE WHO DO.

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION REGARDING COMMUNITY POLICING AND THE THE IDEA THAT WE ARE ALMOST AT THE POINT WHERE OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE BACK STAFFED ENOUGH SOON THAT WE WILL THEY ARE STRATEGICALLY PLANNING TO BUILD AND BRING BACK THE COMMUNITY POLICING PROGRAM. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I KNOW MY CONSTITUENTS TALK ABOUT AND SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO SEE.

THE CAR CAN BE A BARRIER AS OUR ASSISTANT DEPUTY CHIEF NOTED.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IF YOU'RE NOT ENGAGED IN THESE CONVERSATIONS TO WATCH THOSE OTHER THOSE OTHER VIDEOS OF THOSE MEETINGS.

I LIKE THE MENTORING IDEA.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

AND I WON'T TALK ON THE OTHER THING BECAUSE I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOMEONE WHO WILL TALK ON THAT LATER. BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE.

AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED, MY NEXT CONSTITUENT HOURS ARE COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER, SO REACH OUT TO ME, I'LL GET YOU THE INFORMATION, AND I CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.

WE'LL ADD THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO PUBLICLY ENGAGE THE ROOSEVELT PARK NAMING IS STILL HAPPENING. AND WE HAVE OUR POSTER CONTEST FOR THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY.

AND WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THE TRASH HAULER, WHICH WE GET EMAILS ABOUT EVERY DAY.

AND I'M READING ALL OF THEM AND YOUR HANDWRITTEN LETTERS, TOO. SO JUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO GET INVOLVED.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER PURDUE.

THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE WHO CAME AND SPOKE AND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING ONLINE.

YOU KNOW, MY COMMENT TODAY REALLY JUST IS IS A BROADER COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN AUGUST, WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO INTO THE FALL TIME.

AND A LOT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS, NINE MONTHS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY, CERTAINLY HERE IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND GRAND RAPIDS. AND I THINK IT'S TIME THAT PARTICULARLY AFTER THE FEDERAL BILL WAS PASSED RECENTLY, THAT I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS BODY TO BE BRIEFED ON WHAT THAT BILL MEANS FOR OUR FOR OUR STATE AND WHAT CHANGES IN STATE FUNDING MEANS FOR OUR CITY.

RIGHT NOW WE SEE NATIONAL GUARD TAKING OVER WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, D.C. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO TAKE THAT TO OTHER CITIES. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO IF THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION WANTS OUR POLICE FORCE TO REPORT TO THEM AS OPPOSED TO TO US, RIGHT. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK OF LOSING HEALTH CARE INSURANCE.

HOW IS OUR COMMUNITY GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE WELL AND ON AND ON AND ON. THERE'S SO MANY IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR WORK HERE AND EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY. AND WE HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING FORMAL, BEEN BRIEFED FORMALLY OR TALKED ABOUT.

HOW DO WE PREPARE FOR WHAT COULD HAPPEN THAT MIGHT HARM OUR CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS? WE HAD A PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING TODAY, AND THERE WERE SOME REALLY GREAT UPDATES ON THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON HERE LOCALLY, BUT WE HAVE TO STEP BACK AND SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE AND SEE HOW WE FIT INTO THE LARGER

[01:00:01]

SO I'M ASKING PUBLICLY THAT WE TAKE THE TIME TO HAVE SOME FORMAL BRIEFINGS HERE AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS AS A BODY SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, AND WE KNOW HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESPOND IN DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT PUBLICLY.

AND I ASK THAT OTHER FOLKS KIND OF SUPPORT SUPPORT ME IN THAT ASK.

AND I HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PAY ATTENTION AND WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND WE DO HAVE A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

BUT I THINK THE GRAVITY OF A LOT OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY REALLY VALIDATE THE NEED TO HAVE IT HERE.

AND WITH THE FULL BODY.

SO WITH THAT WE ARE KIND OF GETTING A LOT DONE.

AND THERE IS A LOT OF MOVEMENT. THERE'S SOME WINS, AND THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY REALLY WORKS FOR ALL.

TOMORROW I'M DOING MY REGULAR LET'S TALK THIRD WARD BRIEFING.

IT'S ONLINE. IT'S 30 MINUTES.

IT STARTS AT SEVEN. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY PLANNED TO JOIN, PLEASE RSVP ON MY SOCIAL, MY EMAIL, OR SEND ME A NOTE AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET THE INFORMATION.

AND TOMORROW I'M HAVING A SPECIAL GUEST INVITING MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TO TALK ABOUT THEIR SERVICES.

THEY DID A REALLY GREAT JOB, OR I WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND THEY WERE A HUGE HELP IN PREPARING ME TO RUN FOR OFFICE WITH THE TECHNICAL SKILLS, BUT ALSO THE BELIEF THAT I COULD DO IT.

JUST SOME GIRL FROM SOUTH SIDE OF GRAND RAPIDS.

AND SO THEY SHARE HOW CAMPAIGNS WORK.

BUT EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE YOURSELF THEY'LL EXPLAIN HOW THESE SKILLS MATTER AND WHY, AS WE LOOK TO MIDTERMS AND OTHER ELECTIONS, HOW YOU CAN BE PART OF MAKING SURE WE GET REALLY, REALLY GREAT PEOPLE ELECTED, EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN YOURSELF. SO TOMORROW, 7:00, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27TH IS MY LET'S TALK THIRD WORLD BRIEFING AND LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MORE, LARGER CONVERSATIONS HERE ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE THE FEDERAL AND EVEN STATE MOVEMENTS MEAN FOR US.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER STACEY.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING THIS EVENING.

IT WAS A GOOD MEETING. I'LL GIVE MY LAST LIKE SAD THAT IT IS THE LAST MEETING.

ANITA. BUT YOU'RE HERE FOR ANOTHER WEEK, SO WE'LL EXPECT TO SEE YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY.

NO SICK DAYS? NO. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN.

AND I KNOW, JUST AGAIN, I THINK YOUR TEAM, I JUST FELT THAT LOVE AND ENERGY THAT THEY WERE HAPPY FOR YOU, BUT ALSO SAD.

SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AGAIN.

THIS WEEKEND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ONE OF THE ACTIVATIONS.

WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ACTIVATIONS IN OUR CITY.

BUT THE RETURN TO THE RIVER.

JUST JUST FURTHER DOWN AT FIVE, FIVE, FIVE MONROE AND SIXTH STREET PARK, THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON FROM JUST ART INSTALLATIONS TO SMALL BUSINESSES. IN MY DAY JOB, A COUPLE OF THE BUSINESSES WE WORK FOR WERE ALSO THERE BY, BY CHANCE.

AND I JUST CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE FROM ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND ALSO OUTSIDE OF GRAND RAPIDS.

SO I THINK FOR A CITY, IT'S ALSO SOMEWHERE YOU CAN TAKE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUNG PEOPLE, AND IT'S A FREE EVENT AND LOTS OF GOOD MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT.

SO I HOPE THAT PEOPLE GOT TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THAT.

I WANTED TO ALSO, I KNOW, AMY, YOU HAD BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE AROUND HOMELESSNESS. AND SO AND THEN COMMISSIONER, YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENED AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. I THINK ON THE STATE LEVEL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO REALLY I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A MAYOR WHO IS A PAST LEGISLATOR AND WHO HAS A LOT OF GOOD CONNECTION POINTS AS WELL.

BUT I THINK THAT WILL PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT OF A WAITING GAME.

ON THE PLUS SIDE, ON THE STATE, WE DID HEAR THAT THE MICHIGAN STRATEGIC FUND DID INVEST $4 MILLION IN 171 UNIT APARTMENT ON IN THE SECOND WARD.

THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WAS AN EMPLOYER WHO WAS RECOGNIZING THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WORKING FOR THEM NEEDED HOUSING, AND HOW COULD THEY FIT INTO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS CALLED.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF TERMINOLOGY, BUT WORKFORCE HOUSING, THOSE THAT ARE WORKING FOR THEM, HOW THEY'RE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE WHERE THEY WORK. AND SO THEY WERE WORKING WITH PINNACLE CONSTRUCTION.

AND SO THAT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT INVESTMENT THAT CAME OUT OF THE MICHIGAN COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM TO PUT IN SOME DOLLARS AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR TAX DOLLARS AS WELL.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WENT ALONG WITH THAT.

THE CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WAS VERY ACTIVELY INVOLVED AS WELL.

CONNECTION POINTS TO, YOU KNOW, OUR MEDICAL MILE AS WELL AS INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. SO IT WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT AND THAT THE STATE IS STILL MAKING SOME OF THOSE INVESTMENTS, EVEN IF WE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT.

BUT GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP, AMY, I THINK, YOU KNOW WE DID HAVE THOSE ORDINANCES, AND I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT MR. STRAHM WAS A PART OF THAT WORK.

WHEN WE DID THAT IN 2022, 23 NOW, I CAN'T REMEMBER.

BUT WE WERE VERY MINDFUL TO LOOK AT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF, OF, YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHAT WAS BEING ASKED FOR US INITIALLY WAS ALL FULL OUT, YOU KNOW, NO SIT OR LIE IN THE CITY.

AND I THINK WHAT WE CAME TO WAS SORT OF IS A COMPROMISE.

[01:05:04]

AND SO FOR ME, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOW WE WOULD RESPOND TO THAT IS I'D GO BACK TO THE THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND WHERE WE ADDED THAT AMENDMENT OF REALLY PUSHING BACK.

I THINK PUSHING BACK IS NOT NECESSARILY A LEGAL TERM, BUT REJECTING, FIGHTING AGAINST ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

SO I DO AGREE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT'S CHANGING ALL THE TIME. BUT I FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT, LIKE WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, I THOUGHT, OKAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY.

THIS IS HOW WE WOULD RESPOND IN ACCORDANCE.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BECAUSE I THINK RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS CONFUSING.

LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW TAYLOR SWIFT GOT ENGAGED TODAY, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT, RIGHT? BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S BEEN BLOWING UP MY FEET ABOUT THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW, A TAYLOR SWIFT SONG, BUT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.

LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, JUST TODAY, COMMISSIONER NIGHT, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO MEET WITH SOME BUSINESS OWNERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE MONROE NORTH AREA TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THAT COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK LIKE? THERE'S BEEN $100 MILLION INVESTMENT BY CORAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO REALLY RECOGNIZING HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES? WE KNOW SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN THROUGH COVID.

THEY HAVE ARE DEALING WITH TARIFFS. THEY'RE DEALING WITH STAFFING CHALLENGES. AND SO JUST APPRECIATE SOME OF THE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM BUSINESS OWNERS APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, HAD FROM STAFF, LIKE WORKING WITH MOBILE GR ON DIFFERENT PARKING ISSUES, WORKING WITH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND TO DIFFERENT THINGS, PLANNING.

YOU KNOW, WE WE ADDED SOME INDIVIDUALS TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT SOME OF THE INSPECTIONS THAT WE WANTED TO GET ON A BETTER CADENCE.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHAT WE HAD WHEN WE HAD THE FOIA BACKLOG KIND OF HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKLOG. HOW DO WE WORK TOWARDS THAT? SO I THINK YOU KNOW, IT WAS A REMINDER OF WE CAN HAVE THESE REALLY BIG PROJECTS WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET, LIKE THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EXISTING.

AND AS WE GEAR UP FOR THINGS LIKE ARTPRIZE AND TECH WEEK, HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM? AS THEY KIND OF WIND DOWN FROM A FROM A SUMMER SEASON INTO THE FALL.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND AGAIN.

SEE YOU. SEE YOU SOON, ANITA.

COMMISSIONER ROBINSON. YEAH.

THANKS, MAYOR. JUST TWO QUICK THINGS.

ONE, I WANTED TO CALL PEOPLE'S ATTENTION. WE HAD A REALLY GOOD BRIEFING THIS MORNING AT OUR FISCAL COMMITTEE ABOUT THE CITY CONTROLLER'S INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN.

WE HAD OUR DEPUTY COMPTROLLER, MISS KIRKLAND, THERE TO SHARE ABOUT AN INTERNAL AUDIT TEAM MEMBER TO TALK ABOUT THEIR THEIR PLAN TO ASSESS VARIOUS RISKS WITHIN THE CITY.

SO IF THAT'S OF INTEREST, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO BACK AND WATCH THAT. THERE WAS SOME REALLY GOOD CONTENT. AND THEN I TOO WANTED TO ADD MY MY THANKS TO TO MISS HITCHCOCK.

IT'S THERE'S PROBABLY NEVER BEEN A MORE DYNAMIC TIME TO BE INVOLVED IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. BUT JUST OVER THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS HAVE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED YOUR, YOUR LEVEL HEADEDNESS, YOUR YOUR CARE FOR THE CITY, YOUR COMPASSION FOR THE COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMOST.

IT'LL BE IT'LL BE GREATLY MISSED.

SO WE'RE WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE MR. STRAHM AS AN INTERIM. LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM AS WELL.

BUT YEAH, I JOKED EARLIER.

I'LL SEE YOU AROUND AT STAN MEYER.

BOTH BOTH BEING ON THE WEST SIDE.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KNIGHT. I JUST WANT TO ECHO THOSE THOSE SENTIMENTS I REMEMBER WHEN MISS HITCHCOCK GOT THIS POSITION, I WAS NOT WORKING HERE, AND I WAS SO PROUD TO SEE SOMEONE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME IN THAT SPACE.

IT GAVE ME HOPE FOR THE YOUNG WOMEN AND PEOPLE THAT I DEALT WITH EVERY DAY TO SEE SOMEBODY LEADING IN A POSITION LIKE THAT WHEN YOU DON'T SEE THAT OFTEN.

SO A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT GO ON BEHIND THE DOORS AND HOW PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HELPED.

I MEAN, THEY COME IN HERE AND YELL AND SCREAM ABOUT STUFF, BUT THEY DON'T REALIZE SOME OF THE STUFF THAT SHE ACTUALLY DOES OFF THE BOOKS, OFF THE RECORD BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, WITHOUT ANY ACCOLADES, WITHOUT ANY PRAISE. SHE JUST DOES IT.

AND SO THAT THAT THAT'S WHAT MAKES A HERO.

AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, ALL YOU CONTINUE. YOU KNOW WE I WILL SEE YOU.

SO YEAH YOU'RE NOT GETTING FIRED.

BUT AGAIN AS I SAID EARLIER, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GIVE OUR FLOWERS AND ACCOLADES TO PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE WE COULD MISS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

SO MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUALLY SHARE THAT OUT AND GRATEFUL TO HAVE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD, ESPECIALLY THE ONE THAT WE WENT ABOUT, THE MICHIGAN TALENT GRANT, THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME WORK THAT CAN BE DONE ON THE THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CITY.

IT'S IT'S GOOD TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS OUR CITY.

AND YES, THERE'S LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

BUT WE KNOW WHENEVER THINGS LIKE THIS POP UP AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BEGIN TO GROW AND EXPAND AND DO DIFFERENT PROJECTS, IT'S CHANGE.

[01:10:01]

WE WANT TO SEE IT. BUT BUT THERE'S A PROCESS TO GET THERE.

AND SO IT ALWAYS KIND OF GIVES A RUB.

BUT I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT OUR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND SEE HOW WE'RE DOING THINGS AND HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES, HOW WE'RE SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT, HOW WE'RE BEING CREATIVE IN THOSE SPACES, AND REALLY BEGINNING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO HELP OUR CITY GROW AND THRIVE AND STAY ON TOP OF THE LEADER CHART FOR THE RIGHT THINGS.

AND FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT TIME, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE 220 DAYS IN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT.

SO STAY VIGILANT AND AND PATIENT AND HOPEFUL AND FIND YOUR PLACE OF PEACE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH.

COMMISSIONER KNIGHT. WE WERE ON THE SAME BRAINWAVE.

THIS IS THE MOST, LIKE, HISTORY MAKING COMMISSION EVER FROM THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO REPRESENT THE SECOND WARD.

THE FIRST WOMAN TO REPRESENT THE FIRST WARD AND THE FIRST BLACK FEMALE CITY ATTORNEY.

I THINK IT IT IS IT'S REMARKABLE.

I THINK WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HISTORY, IT'S NOT JUST FOR A REALLY GOOD NEWS ARTICLE.

IT'S ABOUT THE STORIES AND THE LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT WE BRING.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR RICH LIVED EXPERIENCE TO THIS ROLE AND YOUR HEART TO THIS ROLE. AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN END OUR BIG SEARCH, THAT WE HAVE TO FILL THE FULL TIME ROLE OF YOURS.

WE CAN FIND SOMEONE WITH THOSE TYPES OF YOU KNOW, ATTRIBUTES. AND TO MR. SHRUM, I WORKED WITH MR. SHRUM ON THE HOUSING APPEALS BOARD BEFORE I WAS ELECTED, AND PROFESSIONAL, KIND AND HELPFUL.

SO I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU IN THE INTERIM ROLE.

I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE THIRD WARD RESIDENTS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME REGARDING THE WATER MAIN. IT'S A CHALLENGING ISSUE AND I HAVE BEEN LISTENING.

IF YOU ALL CAN GO BACK TO OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY AND SEE ME TALK ABOUT THIS AND ENCOURAGING BOTH THE FOLKS WHO ARE BEING REPRESENTED THAT ARE NEIGHBORS TO CONNECT WITH AND CONTINUE TO TALK WITH THE CITY TO COME TO FIND SOME SORT OF REMEDY.

AND SO I'M GOING TO DO THE SAME THING TODAY OF PLEASE.

WE'VE DONE OUR PART AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THE BALL IS IN THE COURT OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE BEING REPRESENTED. SO I'M HOPING AND I'LL COME AND CHAT WITH YOU.

I SEE THAT I WILL COME AND SAY HELLO AFTER SO WE CAN SHARE MORE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING ON.

DEAF EARS. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS WHOLE COMMISSION DEEPLY CARES ABOUT AND WE WANT TO SEE REMEDIED. ALSO, I HAD A GREAT THIRD WARD LISTENING TOUR STOP AT LAST MILE CAFE THIS PAST WEEKEND.

AUGUST IS BLACK BUSINESS MONTH.

IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SUPPORT A BLACK AND FEMALE OWNED BUSINESS.

BUT FOLKS TALKED ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? SO THEY TALKED ABOUT THE WATER MAIN BREAK AND SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE SEEING WITHIN OUR WARD THAT I'M REALLY WORKING HARD TO ADDRESS WITH MY COLLEAGUES.

SO WE'RE I'M STILL CONTINUOUSLY THINKING ABOUT IT.

AND ALSO YOU KNOW, LASTLY, I'LL SAY WE ARE NOT PERFECT ON THIS COMMISSION. BUT LOOKING AT THE STATE, THEY FINALLY THE HOUSE FINALLY PROPOSED A BUDGET. SO THE THE STATE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING COMING DOWN THE LINE SOON.

BUT LOOKING AT THE DYSFUNCTION IN LANSING MAKES US LOOK REALLY GOOD.

SO I'M THANKFUL TO WORK WITH YOU ALL EVERY DAY.

AND I'M HOPEFUL TO CONTINUE TO TO GO AGAINST THE CHALLENGES AS WELL.

IT'S NOT ALL FUN STUFF.

SO I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU ALL AND HOPING TO REMEDY THAT WATER MAIN BREAK SITUATION.

THANKS, CITY CLERK. ANOTHER GOOD, FRUITFUL, WONDERFUL DAY.

THANKS FOR EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED AND HAD TIME TO SHARE IN SHARON CELEBRATING THE CITY ATTORNEY AT. AFTER KYLE TODAY AND JUST HAD TIME TO REFLECT AND THINK ABOUT THAT I NEED I DO APPRECIATE THE FRANK CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AND AND STRUGGLE THROUGH THINGS AND, AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE A VERY OPEN, OPEN CONVERSATION, OPEN DIALOGS ON SOME VERY TOUGH AND TOUGH TOPICS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. PERSONALLY.

I'M JEALOUS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TIME TO SMOKE MEAT AND AND DO SOME GRILLING.

SO I WANT TO I WANT TO SEE HOW I WANT TO.

I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU EXPERIMENT WITH AND AND JUST ENJOY, ENJOY THAT TIME. AND WELL DONE, FAITHFUL SERVANT.

YOU'VE DONE YOU'VE DONE AMAZING.

AND JUST JUST ON AN ELECTION NOTE TODAY IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE THE RATIFICATION OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.

SO WE JUST THINK WE THINK BACK THAT, YOU KNOW, 100, 105 YEARS OF EVERYBODY BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IN THIS

[01:15:05]

THIS THIS ROOM LOOKS DIFFERENT.

AND SO JUST JUST THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND THINK ABOUT THE GRAVITY OF WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO AND I'M, I'M GLAD TO HAVE THIS TIME WITH YOU.

SO THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO.

LAST CITY ATTORNEY. SO CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR WORK TODAY.

I WANT TO, AS ALWAYS, THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR WORK THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, BUT PARTICULARLY IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING TONIGHT AND HAD SOME VERY GOOD UPDATES. I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL ON WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, BUT I DO, WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK REGARDING ART PRIZE AND TECH WEEK, AND NOT JUST THOSE THAT HELPED IN THE PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT HERE WHO WILL BE PICKING UP THE TRASH WHEN THOSE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COME, THOSE WHO WILL BE INSPECTING THE VARIOUS VENUES AND WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND WHO WILL BE PATROLLING AND RESPONDING IN EMERGENCY CONDITIONS.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE OUR CITY STAYS LIVABLE, AS WELL AS VIABLE DURING THOSE BIG FESTIVALS THAT WILL HAVE THE ATTENTION NOT ONLY ACROSS THE STATE, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS THE WORLD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SECONDLY REGARDING THE THE FEDERAL CONVERSATIONS, THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE BEEN HAVING ONGOING BOTH HERE AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE TO TO WHATEVER DEGREE WE COULD BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, IT CONSTANTLY EVOLVES.

BUT YES, WITHIN COMMITTEES, LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND EVEN TODAY, FOR JUST A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD FOR THE ENTIRE COMMISSION.

REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS RELATED TO THE UNHOUSED.

WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN LOOKING FORWARD THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE IMPLICATIONS AROUND FUNDING OR LACK OF FUNDING AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR PARTNER AT HOUSING KENT. I THINK WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THAT.

MISS BEHRENS INDICATED THAT TODAY THAT WE WANT TO DO SOME BIG POLICY WORK THINKING ABOUT WHAT THOSE IMPLICATIONS ARE, AND THAT WORK IS STILL BEING DONE.

AND ONCE WE HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON IT, THEN AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD.

AND ALSO YOU KNOW, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WE CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT AS WE GET FEDERAL AND STATE UPDATES. I WILL CONTINUE TO SAY THAT AS A PRINCIPLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NOT ONLY AS COMMISSIONER MENTIONED EARLIER, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN CONSTITUTIONALITY HERE WITHIN THE CITY AND STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO LOCAL CONTROL.

AND THAT PERTAINS TO EVEN MATTERS OF POLICING UNDER LOCAL AUTHORITY.

SO I INTEND AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR, TO CONTINUE TO DIRECT THE RESOURCES THAT ARE UNDER ME WITH REGARDS TO ANY OF THE LOCAL ORDINANCES THAT ARE PASSED HERE AT THE CITY AND ANY OTHER MATTERS OF LAW.

AND WE PRIORITIZE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ENFORCE.

WE HAVE ADDRESSED THAT BEFORE, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO MATTER OF IMMIGRATION AND OTHER MATTERS OF POLICING, THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US. AND SO YOU KNOW, WITHOUT OVERREACTING TO WHAT IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. I THINK I WOULD WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON DOING WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, AND USING OUR RESOURCES AND ONLY ASKING FOR HELP WHEN NEEDED.

AND THE ONLY TIME I RECALL ASKING FOR HELP WAS ABOUT 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO, WHEN WE WERE UNABLE TO POLICE OUR COMMUNITY ON OUR OWN.

SO I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT WITH THE HELP OF OUR OUR OUR CONSULTANTS AND HELPING US LOOK AT THOSE MATTERS.

BUT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, WE CERTAINLY WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS OUT OF COMMITTEE AND OR EITHER GIVE A REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE TO THE CITY COMMISSION. LASTLY, I DO WANT TO AGAIN COMMEND MY COLLEAGUE CITY ATTORNEY HITCHCOCK FOR HER WORK, HER HER HER PROFESSIONALISM THAT SHE'S DISPLAYED, AS YOU'VE HEARD EARLIER, ON SOME VERY HIGH PROFILE ISSUES, THE WORK OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS NEVER EASY, BUT PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU ARE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU HAVE THE OPINION OF THE PUBLIC,

[01:20:02]

AND YOU TOOK AN OATH BOTH HERE ON THIS DAIS, AS WELL AS PART OF YOUR CREDENTIALING AS AN ATTORNEY TO UPHOLD THE LAW.

AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY DOING THAT IN A PUBLIC MANNER.

AND YOU HEARD SOME OF THE TENSION THAT'S CREATED WHERE PEOPLE MAY NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND IT OR APPRECIATE IT.

AND IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE POPULAR, BUT YOU'VE DONE YOUR WORK AS A CITY ATTORNEY TO UPHOLD THE LAW, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND YOU'VE DONE IT BOTH INTERNALLY TO US AS WELL AS ON THIS DAIS.

AND EVEN WHEN WE DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINION, YOU WERE NOT SHY GIVING IT SO.

SO THANK YOU FOR CALLING BALLS AND STRIKES LIKE THEY SHOULD BE.

AND I DO WISH YOU WELL IN YOUR RETIREMENT.

SHE'S NOT ONLY A PERSON OF INTEGRITY, BUT A VERY TRUE PERSON OF FAITH.

AND WHAT MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

SHE'S AN EXCELLENT WRITER. NOT JUST OF ORDINANCES AND OPINIONS, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE BOOK COMING OUT.

SOMEDAY. OR BOOKS WITH THE ASS.

AND I'LL I'LL PUNCTUATE MY COMMENTS WITH YOU KNOW, THE WISH THAT YOUR LATTER DAYS WILL BE BETTER THAN YOUR FORMER DAYS.

YES. THANK YOU. WELL I'M REALLY GOING TO LET YOU GO LAST, SO I'M GOING TO THIS. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO THIS EVERY DAY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY RETIRE EVERY DAY. SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU KNOW.

KIND OF LIKE JUDGES. YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WHO ARE LAWYERS KNOW YOU'RE ALWAYS WAITING FOR THE JUDGE, AND THE JUDGE ALWAYS GETS TO TALK LAST. AND THAT'S THE BEST PLACE TO BE. SO I WANT YOU TO HAVE THE LAST WORD TONIGHT.

I DO WANT TO OBVIOUSLY.

AMEN TO EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID AND I ALREADY SAID IT EARLIER IN THE MEETING, BUT AMEN. I DO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT AND AS A, AS IN OUR CITY. AND I THINK THAT SOME THINGS ARE CLEAR AND SOME THINGS ARE LESS CLEAR SOMETIMES WHEN I'M ADVISING CLIENTS OR WAS ADVISING CLIENTS BACK WHEN I WAS PRACTICING LAW ACTIVELY, I'D SAY, WELL, THE SITUATION WE'RE IN IS KIND OF LIKE BEING IN THE FOG. I CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S 50 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT'S A HUNDRED YARDS DOWN THE ROAD TILL WE GET 50 YARDS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. AND WE ARE IN A CLIMATE RIGHT NOW WHERE THERE ARE ACTORS IN OUR POLITICAL SPACE WHO ACTUALLY SEEM, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, TO BE RELISHING CREATING CHAOS, UNCERTAINTY UNDOING NORMS, UNSETTLING PRACTICES. AND THAT MAKES FOR A VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT FOR US. ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS IS J.R.R.

TOLKIEN. AND THERE'S A POINT AT WHICH SOMEONE SAYS A CHARACTER.

FRODO SAYS, I WISH I DIDN'T LIVE NOW.

I WISH I DIDN'T LIVE IN THESE TROUBLED TIMES. AND AND THE RESPONSE IS, NO ONE WANTS TO LIVE IN TROUBLED TIMES.

THE ONLY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE TIME WE'RE GIVEN? SO AS A CITY, WE ARE AT THIS TIME AND WE ARE IN THIS MOMENT, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. BUT THAT'S THE THAT'S THE THE HARD TRUTH. THE GOOD NEWS IS, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE AND I'LL KEEP SAYING IT. CITIES ARE STRONG.

CITIES ARE GOOD, SOLID ENTITIES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, AND CITIES ARE GOING TO BE OKAY.

AND THIS CITY, PARTICULARLY I AM CONFIDENT IS GOING TO BE OKAY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST ANY CITY. WE'RE A CITY THAT I KNOW.

THIS COMMISSION AND OUR LEADERSHIP AND OUR STAFF IS A VALUES DRIVEN ORGANIZATION.

SO WE DON'T SIT AROUND AND JUST DECIDE TO DO STUFF.

WE START WITH WHAT OUR PRINCIPLES ARE AND WHAT OUR VALUES ARE, AND WE TRY TO APPLY THOSE.

AND IN A MOMENT OF STRESS AND STRAIN, WE CAN TAP BACK INTO VALUES THAT WE HAVE ARTICULATED FOR YEARS.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ARTICULATE AND WE WILL POINT TO AS WE GO FORWARD IN WHAT'S A VERY UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENT.

BUT WE CAN WE CAN PULL BACK ON AND RELY ON THE VALUES.

AND THOSE VALUES ARE, TO PUT IT VERY, VERY SIMPLY, BEING A CITY WHERE WE TRY TO LOVE EACH OTHER, WE TRY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, WE TRY TO WORK OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE EMPATHETIC FOR OUR FELLOW CITIZENS, AND THAT IS A VALUE THAT CAN SURVIVE STRESS.

THAT'S A VALUE THAT CAN SURVIVE HARDSHIP.

AND THERE MAY BE HARDSHIP, AND THAT HARDSHIP ISN'T GOING TO BE INFLICTED BY ANYBODY UP HERE IF WE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO ABOUT IT.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RESPOND TO AN ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS THAT HAS HARDSHIP WRITTEN, WRITTEN ON THE WALL.

I THINK THAT CITIES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO BE MORE SELF-RELIANT THAN THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PAST. I THINK THAT'S REAL, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE

[01:25:03]

BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT THE I THINK WE'VE GOT THE INGREDIENTS FOR IT.

I WAS REMINDED TODAY IN AN EARLIER PRESENTATION THAT LINKEDIN, WHO MAY NOT BE THE ARBITER OF EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE, BUT THEY'RE A REAL ORGANIZATION AND THERE ARE REAL NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, CHARACTERIZED US AS THE NUMBER ONE CITY IN AMERICA ON THE RISE.

AND THAT MEANS THAT IF ANY CITY CAN BE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD AND HOLD TO OUR VALUES AND PULL TOGETHER AND WORK FOR THE COMMON GOOD, THIS IS THE CITY THAT'S GOING TO DO IT, AND I AM ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT OF THAT.

AND WE WILL ONLY BETRAY THOSE VALUES IF WE GIVE IN TO FEAR, IF WE GIVE IN TO SELFISH ACTION, IF WE GIVE IN TO INDIVIDUALISM, IF WE GIVE IN TO THINKING ABOUT OURSELVES AND NOT THINKING ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS.

SO I KNOW THAT WE CAN BE GREAT.

I KNOW WE ARE GREAT. I KNOW WE CAN BE GREATER.

AND I KNOW THAT WHATEVER IS HAPPENING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BE RIGHT NOW.

AND THERE'S NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN IT'S BEEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, OUR STAFF, OUR COMMISSION, EVERY SINGLE CITIZEN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE GRAND RAPIDS A CITY THAT CAN TOUCH BACK ON THOSE VALUES AND DIG DEEP AND COMMIT TO THEM WHATEVER STORMS ARE ON THE HORIZON AND WHATEVER IS GOING ON AT OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND IN OTHER PLACES, WE ARE HERE.

THIS IS OUR CITY. WE NEED TO OWN IT, AND WE NEED TO OWN CARING FOR EACH OTHER.

SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE ARE, AND WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. AND SO, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, YOU'RE NOT WRONG. THESE ARE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT. BUT WE ARE ALSO OPERATING IN FOG. AND THAT'S A TOUGH THAT'S A TOUGH PLACE TO BE.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO WE DON'T WANT TO REACT TO EVERY SHADOW WE SEE IN THE FOG UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE SHADOW REPRESENTS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE WISE, PRUDENT AND NIMBLE ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

AND THAT'S A TOUGH THAT'S A TOUGH LIST.

THAT'S A TOUGH MIX. BUT THANK YOU ALL.

AND THANKS TO EVERYONE IN THE CITY FOR BEARING THAT BURDEN WITH US TOGETHER.

SO, CITY ATTORNEY, THANK YOU.

I GATHER TOGETHER, SO WORD THAT KEPT COMING TO MIND TO ME WAS BITTERSWEET.

IT'S BITTERSWEET. THERE'S LIFE IS A JOURNEY.

AND YOU GO THROUGH THAT JOURNEY AND YOU HAVE DIFFERENT SEASONS.

AND SO I'M AT THAT SEASON WHERE I HAVE TO REALIZE, WOW, I'VE WORKED. I'M GOING TO TELL I'VE WORKED TOTAL 50 YEARS.

AND SO NOW I GET TO STEP INTO THAT NEW SEASON.

THAT'S CALLED SENIOR STATUS.

I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THAT THE OTHER DAY AND I SAID, REALLY? OOH, HOW DID I GET THERE? BUT I'M BEGINNING TO SEE IT.

AS YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE COOL BECAUSE YOU GO PLACES AND YOUR HAIR'S GOTTEN GRAY AND PEOPLE START TO LOOK AT YOU THAT WAY.

AND I THINK IT COMES WITH PERKS, RIGHT? THEY ACCOMMODATE YOU, AND THEY'RE NICE TO YOU.

I SAID, OKAY, THIS MIGHT NOT BE A BAD SEASON, BUT IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING JOURNEY, ONE THAT I'M GRATEFUL THAT I GOT OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO, TO SERVE AND BE HERE.

AND I WAS THINKING THIS MORNING WHEN I GOT TO WORK, I GOT IN MY CAR AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S IT'S HARD AT THE BEGINNING AND HARD AT THE END BECAUSE THE BEGINNING, YOU STEP IN AND IT'S THIS BIG JOB.

THERE'S JUST A LOT TO THIS JOB.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT. BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ALL OF WHAT GOES ON.

AND SO I CAN'T REMEMBER.

I KEPT HOPING WHEN I STARTED WITH THE CITY THAT A YEAR WOULD GO BY SO I WOULD KNOW MORE.

AND SO, YEAH, IT WAS TOUGH STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT.

IT WAS A LOT THE WHOLE TIME.

BUT THEN NOW AS I GET TO THE END, IT'S TOUGH TO LEAVE TOO.

AND SO I FOUND THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DOING CARTWHEELS ONCE I PULLED THAT TRIGGER AND SAY, I'M OUT OF HERE.

BUT IT WASN'T THAT WAY.

I THINK I ACTUALLY GRIEVED IT INSTEAD OF DOING THE CARTWHEELS, BUT NONETHELESS, I'M THANKFUL FOR BECAUSE NONE OF YOU WERE HERE WHEN I WAS APPOINTED, AND SO I'M THANKFUL. LET ME SAY, SUNITA LANIER, WHO MADE THAT MOTION ONE DAY, AND THEN THAT COMMISSION THAT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THEIR TRUST IN ME TO SAY, AND I WON'T NAME ALL OF THEM, BUT PUT THEIR TRUST IN ME TO TO DO THIS.

AND I THANK YOU ALL BECAUSE ALL OF YOU WERE A PART OF MY REAPPOINTMENT BECAUSE AS YEARS GO BY AND PEOPLE CHANGE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO BE REAPPOINTED.

AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING THAT TRUST IN ME TO REAPPOINT ME TO THIS POSITION.

SO IT'S BEEN AWESOME TO SERVE THE CITY AS AN ORGANIZATION, BUT ALSO THE CITY AS A COMMUNITY.

THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT I'VE BUILT AND THE MEMORIES,

[01:30:05]

I'M NOT THAT FAR AWAY. I'LL STILL BE IN THIS AREA, AND I'LL STILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER TO, TO HELP OUT DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD.

AND, I'M THANKFUL FOR PHILIP THAT HE'S GOING TO BE STEPPING INTO THE INTERIM AND KEEPING OUR TEAM. YOU KNOW, SOME CONSISTENCY.

WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM. WE WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

AND SO GOSH, I WANT TO DO A DROP THE MIC THOUGH.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD THE VISION OF DROP THE MIC, BUT NONETHELESS, I'LL DROP THE MIC THERE AND JUST SAY THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.

BECAUSE THE CITY IS BIG.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE THAT I'VE WORKED WITH HUGE.

SO I THANK YOU ALL. BUT I THINK ALSO ALL OF THE PEOPLE ON ALL THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

DROP THE MIC. THANK YOU.

OH. WOW. THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT, WE'RE ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.