[Economic Development Project Team on April 14, 2026.]
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          ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TEAM MEETING TO ORDER. AND FIRST UP, WE HAVE OUR DEVELOPMENT CENTER. MAYBE BECAUSE WE ALWAYS PUT YOU AT THE END AND GIVE YOU GIVE YOU THE SHORT STRAW. YOU DO THE BETTER STRAW THIS WEEK. NO, I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO KICK US OFF TODAY. MY NAME IS JONATHAN OVERMAN. I AM THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE. OVER. 
          OH, SORRY. I GOT TO GET THE MINUTES APPROVED FIRST. I WAS MOVED TOO FAST. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? LAST MINUTE. OUR PRIOR MINUTES. SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE AYE. 
          GREAT. NOW KEEP GOING. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN. AS I WAS SAYING, I'M JONATHAN OVERMAN WITH THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT CENTER. I'M HERE TO PROVIDE OUR REPORT ON OUR OPERATIONS FOR MARCH OF 2026. KIND OF STARTING OFF AT THE TOP OF THIS REPORT THAT WE HAVE. I KIND OF WANT TO TOUCH ON THE TIMELINESS THAT WE FOCUS ON. THIS IS ONE OF OUR KEY METRICS THAT WE FOCUS ON FROM MONTH TO MONTH, AND OUR TARGET IS TO HIT THAT FIVE DAYS RETURN ON ANY COMMENTS OR APPROVALS FOR OUR APPLICANTS. SO WE'RE HOVERING A LITTLE BIT ABOVE FIVE RIGHT NOW. 
          SPECIFICALLY ON THE COMMERCIAL, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO SEVEN, AND WE'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO BRIDGE SOME OF THOSE GAPS. THAT'S LARGELY DUE TO SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES IN THE COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE DELAYS IN OUR MECHANICAL REVIEW. THE OTHER METRIC THAT WE WATCH VERY CLOSELY IS KIND OF ONE THAT'S DRIVEN TOWARDS OUR ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, AND THAT'S THE CONSTRUCTION VALUE THAT KIND OF MEASURES HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY. LAST YEAR WE HAD A RECORD YEAR WITH JUST SHY OF $1 BILLION IN CONSTRUCTION VALUE. AND THIS YEAR WE'RE STARTING A LITTLE BIT BELOW THAT. BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD A SOCCER STADIUM OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES TO KIND OF BUMP THOSE NUMBERS UP YET. BUT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON THAT SHOULD ADD TO THE CONSTRUCTION VALUE LATER THIS YEAR. CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT THAT SLIDE? WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THE END OF 2026. LAST I CHECKED. SO HOW WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THE PERMITS ISSUED ALREADY IS ECLIPSING FOR NEW HOUSING UNITS IS ALREADY ECLIPSING 2025? CAN YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? SURE. THE BELOW YOUR CURVE THERE ON THE. YEAH. THE LAST METRIC THE NEW HOUSING UNITS PERMITS ISSUED. YES, IT LOOKS LIKE 2026 HAS ALREADY BEAT 2025. HOW IS THAT TRUE? HOW CAN THAT BE TRUE? YEAH. SO THAT'S A THAT'S THAT'S GREAT. MY NEXT, MY NEXT POINT IS KIND OF CHANGES TO THAT PARTICULAR CHART THAT WE'VE RECENTLY MADE. SO THROUGH A RECENT UPGRADE IN OUR SOFTWARE, WE'VE KIND OF REVISED SOME OF THE SCRIPTING. AND THERE WAS A REQUEST BY THIS BOARD TO KIND OF SHOW A LITTLE BIT MORE OF WHERE DEVELOPMENTS ARE IN THAT APPROVAL PROCESS. 
          AND SO THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO KIND OF CAPTURE SOME OF THAT. IT USED TO BE THAT WE ONLY SHOWED PERMITTED WORK THAT WAS DONE. NOW, WHAT THIS IS KIND OF SHOWING IS WHERE IT'S IN THAT THAT STAGE. SO A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT YOU SEE IN 2026 WAS PROBABLY APPROVED IN 2025 AND WOULD HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT NUMBER IN THAT PREVIOUS FORM. NOW WE'RE SHOWING THAT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW, AND THE BLUE REPRESENTS ANY HOUSING THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED. 
          AND GIVEN THE USE AND OCCUPANCY PERMIT OR CERTIFICATION FOR THOSE THINGS. SO THE NUMBERS WILL MOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE AS THEY GET THROUGH THE INSPECTION PHASE AND GET COMPLETED ON THAT SIDE OF IT. BUT HOPEFULLY THAT GIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY ON WHERE SOME OF THESE UNITS ARE IN THAT PROCESS. GREAT. ACTUALLY, I SUPPOSE JUST SO YOU CAN, I DON'T WANT YOU TO GUESS IF YOU DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GUESSING, BUT 2024 GRAND TOTAL 1163 2020. I'M TALKING ACTUAL BUILT, RIGHT? IF I'M READING THIS RIGHT A LITTLE DOWN IN 2025. SO. THE DOES IT LOOK TO YOU LIKE 2026 IS GOING TO, I ASSUME THAT THE NUMBER YOU GOT PERMITTED, ONLY, YOU KNOW, 90% OF THOSE WILL GET BUILT OR SOMETHING OR A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE THAT. EXACTLY. I MEAN, THERE'S SOME THAT DON'T ACTUALLY GET OFF THE GROUND DUE TO FUNDING OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. SO THOSE WILL GET WITHDRAWN AT SOME POINT IN OUR SYSTEM. AND THEN THOSE WOULD FALL OFF OF THAT, THAT METRIC. OKAY. THANKS. YEAH. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOUSING DETAIL SHEET ON PAGE, ON THE FINAL PAGE OF THIS REPORT, THAT DOES GIVE YOU KIND OF THAT PRIOR LOOK AT WHAT WAS APPROVED RATHER THAN WHERE IT'S AT IN THAT COMPLETION PROCESS. GREAT. LAST THING I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS OUR INSPECTION SERVICES. WE CONTINUE TO KIND OF WORK TOWARDS FILLING SOME OF THE GAPS IN THE DELAYS THAT WE EXPERIENCE AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS RIGHT NOW WITH OUR BUILDING AND ELECTRICAL TEAMS, THEY ARE MEETING OUR EXPECTATION AT BEING ABLE TO GET TO A SITE THE NEXT DAY, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. OUR PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL ARE STILL RUNNING AT ABOUT TWO WEEKS. WE ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGING WITH SAFE BUILT, WHO IS A CONTRACTOR THAT CAN HELP 
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SUPPORT SOME OF THOSE SERVICES. WE JUST EXPANDED THE CONTRACT WITH THEM TO INCLUDE PLUMBING SERVICES AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE HOPING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO KIND OF HELP CLOSE THAT GAP A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER FOR US WHILE WE WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE STAFFING ISSUES, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE MECHANICAL INDUSTRY, WE'VE GOT STAFF WORKING WITH THE STATE TO KIND OF HELP MAKE THAT ABILITY TO GET REGISTERED AS AN INSPECTOR A LITTLE EASIER, AND THEN WORKING AT TRYING TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES WE HAVE IN THEIRS AS WELL. AND LAST, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW PROJECTS THAT WE ISSUED LAST MONTH. THE SULLIVAN BASEBALL FIELD PERMIT WAS ISSUED IN WARD TWO. WE HAD A FIVE UNIT TOWNHOME THAT'S GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTION ON BELKNAP HILL, AND THEN OTTAWA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL IS ALSO APPROVED FOR A $6.2 MILLION IMPROVEMENT TO THAT SCHOOL. SO AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS NOT UP ON MY SCREEN YET, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S OUR IS THAT OUR AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES BRIEFING. COME ON UP. NO, ACTUALLY, YOU'RE UP HERE. WE'RE GONNA GO THIS WAY. GO AHEAD. I'LL DO THIS POWERPOINT UP. HERE IT IS. I'LL FORWARD IT FOR YOU, THOUGH. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. HELLO. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. WE ARE HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEFING ON THE AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE, WHICH IS WORK DONE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. AND WE'RE HERE BECAUSE NOT WITH AN ASK, BUT JUST A BRIEFING, BECAUSE THIS IS THE TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF OUR WORK. SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS TIME FOR A BRIEFING. SO I'M LEILA ASLANI, I'M FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO I ALSO BROUGHT WITH ME JENNIFER FROM AARP, SUZANNE FROM SENIOR NEIGHBORS AND ELISE FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS WELL. SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES IS, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, THE HISTORY OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE AGE FRIENDLY ACTION PLAN, FOCUS AND IMPLEMENTATION AND NEXT STEPS. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JENNIFER. HELLO, I'M JENNIFER FEIERSTEIN. I AM THE ASSOCIATE STATE DIRECTOR FOR AARP MICHIGAN, AND I AM A LIFELONG GRAND RAPIDS. SO THIS HAS BEEN A VERY EXCITING PROJECT FOR ME TO WORK ON FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS WITH CITY LEADERS IN GRAND RAPIDS. WE KNOW THAT MAKING COMMUNITIES AGE FRIENDLY IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO PROMOTE WELLNESS, ACTIVE AGING, AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE CREATION OF SUSTAINABLE, HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, BENEFITING ALL RESIDENTS IN GRAND RAPIDS. SO WHY IS MAKING A COMMUNITY AGE FRIENDLY SO IMPORTANT? THE DATA TELLS US THE STATISTICS HERE ON YOUR SCREEN SHOWS THAT IT'S PROJECTED BY 2040 THAT 22% OF THE US POPULATION WILL BE OVER THE AGE OF 65. IN MICHIGAN, ADULTS 65 PLUS WILL ACCOUNT FOR 19.2% OF THE POPULATION, MAKING MICHIGAN THE 14TH OLDEST STATE. IN KENT COUNTY, ADULTS 65 PLUS WILL MAKE UP 15.4% OF THE POPULATION. AND ZOOMING IN GRAND RAPIDS, ADULTS 65 PLUS WILL MAKE UP NEARLY 13% OF THE POPULATION. WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF NEED WITH THE AGING POPULATION. THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF INVESTMENT. AARP CONDUCTS A RESEARCH REPORT CALLED THE LONGEVITY ECONOMY ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS, THAT LOOKS AT THE POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OLDER ADULTS AND HOW THEY CONTRIBUTE TO AN ECONOMY. RESIDENTS AGES 50 PLUS. I'M GOING TO FLIP BACK THERE. 
          RESIDENTS AGES 50 PLUS ACCOUNT FOR $0.59 OF EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN MICHIGAN, AND IT'S PROJECTED THAT THAT MONEY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AS THE AGING POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW. SO WHAT IS AN AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY? WE KNOW OUR SOCIETY IS AGING. AND SO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT OF AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES IN 2006 TO HELP CITIES PREPARE FOR THE WORLD'S GROWING POPULATION OF OLDER ADULTS. AARP PARTNERED WITH THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN 2012 TO BECOME THE US AFFILIATE TO LAUNCH THIS EFFORT IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE AARP NETWORK OF AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DEFINES, DEFINES AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES AS AN INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES ACTIVE AGING, EMPHASIZES ENABLEMENT RATHER THAN DISABLEMENT, AND IS FRIENDLY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. 
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CURRENTLY, THERE ARE AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES IN 57 COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GLOBE. THE US HAS SEEN INCREDIBLE GROWTH SINCE 2015, WHEN THERE WERE ONLY 60 AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES, AND TODAY THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 1000 AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. AND IN MICHIGAN, THERE ARE 15 AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES, AND THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW. GRAND RAPIDS WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST CITIES TO BEGIN THE WORK, AND IN 2019, GOVERNOR WHITMER ESTABLISHED MICHIGAN AS AN AGE FRIENDLY STATE, BECOMING THE FIRST STATE IN THE MIDWEST TO JOIN THE AARP NETWORK OF AGE FRIENDLY STATES AND COMMUNITIES. SO WHEN A CITY LOOKS TO IMPROVE TO BECOME MORE LIVABLE, THERE ARE EIGHT DOMAINS OF LIVABILITY TO CONSIDER. DOMAINS ARE SPLIT BETWEEN BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS. THREE DOMAINS ARE PART OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, OUTDOOR SPACES AND BUILDINGS, AND THEN FIVE ARE PART OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH SERVICES AND SUPPORT, SOCIAL PARTICIPATION, RESPECT AND SOCIAL INCLUSION, COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND EMPLOYMENT. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS LANDED ON FOUR DOMAINS THAT THE CITY NEEDED TO PRIORITIZE. AND THOSE ARE THE STAR DOMAINS, AND THEY INCLUDE HOUSING, OUTDOOR SPACES AND BUILDINGS, TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION. 
          AND AT LEAST NOW IS GOING TO SHARE HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. THANK YOU. JENNIFER. MY NAME IS ELISE GREEN AND I'M A COMMUNITY ASSISTANT FOR THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENTS. I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE HISTORY OF THE AGE FRIENDLY WORK. IN 2016, FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER RUTH KELLY AND MAJOR BLISS CHAMPIONED THE WORK TO BEGIN THE JOURNEY OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, BECOMING AN AGE FRIENDLY CITY. THERE WAS A CITY WIDE LISTENING TOUR, WHICH INCLUDED 23 CITY LISTENING TOURS WITH OVER 20 EXCUSE ME, 2000 PARTICIPATIONS. THROUGH COMMENTS, INTERVIEWS, PAPER AND ONLINE SURVEYS. IN 2018, CITY COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PARTICIPATION IN GRAND RAPIDS, WAS ACCEPTED AS AN AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY BY 2020, THE AGE FRIENDLY ACTION PLAN WAS COMPLETED AND READY FOR IMPLEMENTATION, AND IN 2024 IT WAS RENEWED AS AN AGE FRIENDLY CITY AND WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE CITY MASTER PLAN. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND A FEW MOMENTS TALKING ABOUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED IN THESE LAST TEN YEARS. PLANNING STAFF CREATED A WEBSITE, THE AGE FRIENDLY WEBSITE, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT. WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE SENIOR PREFERENCE GUIDE OF WEST MICHIGAN, WITH AN EXPANSION OF LISTINGS AND DISTRIBUTED DISTRIBUTIONS. 
          STAFF HAVE DISTRIBUTED THE SENIOR SENIOR PREFERENCE MAGAZINES TO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS UNITED METHODIST COMMUNITY HOUSE, THE ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF WEST MICHIGAN, THE BLACK IMPACT COLLABORATIVE, THE GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH INSTITUTE AND THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY. WITH ONGOING FOCUS ON SHARING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES WITH DIVERSE POPULATIONS WITHIN THE HOUSING DOMAIN, STAFF HAVE ADVOCATED FOR HOUSING OPTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS, INCLUDING ACCESSIBLE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND INTERGENERATIONAL HOUSING. A SHARED OLDER ADULT POPULATION PARTICIPATION IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND KENT COUNTY 2021 REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING FOCUS GROUP AND SUPPORT THE FAIR HOUSING CENTER TO REDUCE AGEISM IN THE RENTAL MARKET. WITHIN THE OUTDOOR SPACE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE PARKS AND REC CREATION DEPARTMENT ON THE AGE FRIENDLY PARKS LIST. WE ALSO WORKED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AARP CHALLENGE GRANT. THE AARP CHALLENGE GRANT HAS BEEN AWARDED TO BENCHES AND CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD PAINTED SIDEWALKS. ALSO IN CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD. THE OUTDOOR GREEN HOUSE AT DWELLING PLACE IN GEORGE'S FORMER MARKET, FUNDED IN CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE ALSO PILOTED A NEIGHBORHOOD INTERGENERATIONAL WALKING PROGRAM WITH SPECIAL FUNDING FROM THE SPECIAL. WITH FUNDING FROM THE SPECIAL EVENTS. SPONSORSHIP IN THIS PROGRAM STILL CONTINUES. THEY WALK EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 12 P.M. WITHIN THE CRESTON NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          WE HAVE ALSO ADVOCATED FOR THE INCREASED SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL AND MAINTENANCE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH A HIGHER SENIOR POPULATION. WITHIN OUR TRANSPORTATION DOMAIN, AGE FRIENDLY STAFF HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTING THE WORK IN THE PREVIOUS DOMAINS, AND WE'RE PLANNING ON FOCUSING MORE ON TRANSPORTATION. BUT WITH THE WORK WE HAVE DONE, WE HAVE 
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SERVED ON THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE GRAND RAPIDS NEW MASTER PLAN AND EMBEDDED DISABILITY ADVOCATES INTO DESIGN TEAM FOR VITAL STREETS AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE COMPLETED 70% OF THE AGE FRIENDLY ACTION PLAN. WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN TRANSPORTATION AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE NOT ONLY AN AGE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WITHIN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, AND WE HOPE TO GAIN INSIGHT AND LEARN ABOUT SUCCESSES, BARRIERS, AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THE WORK WITHIN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. AND LASTLY, WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR SENIOR SERVING ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN TOWN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER. ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REMEMBER GETTING A FOLDER FROM COMMISSIONER RUTH KELLY WHEN I TOOK OVER, AND JUST HIGHLIGHTING A NUMBER OF THE THE PIECES THAT WENT AROUND THIS WORK. AND I HAVE A PLEASURE TO, TO BE ON THE. WELL, NOW WE'RE CALLING IT CRESTON. THERE'S NOTHING PLAIN ABOUT IT. 
          IT'S NO LONGER THE NORTH QUARTER CIA. BUT TO HAVE THOSE BENCHES AND TO HAVE THAT ALONG THAT CORRIDOR, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. AND MY QUESTION WAS REALLY PROBABLY MORE SO I THINK FOR ELISE, YOU MENTIONED WORKING WITH SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE CONNECTING. YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT LIKE UMC, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR NEW, I THINK IT'S CALLED OLDER ADULT CENTER BECAUSE I WAS LIKE, WHAT AGE DO I NEED TO BE TO COME HERE? AND SO JUST AND, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS INVESTED IN THAT PROJECT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SO CAN YOU SHARE JUST A FEW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE MIGHT NOT JUST BE AS FAMILIAR WITH THAT WE'RE WORKING ALONGSIDE IN THIS WORK? YES. SO WE WORK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS PARTNERS. WE ALSO HAVE DONE WORK WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH INSTITUTE. MOSTLY WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS DISTRIBUTE THE SENIOR PREFERENCE MAGAZINE, WHICH HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES AND GREAT INFORMATION THAT OUR SENIOR POPULATION ARE UNAWARE OF ANY TYPE OF PROGRAMING THAT THEY HAVE. WE TRY TO PARTNER WITH THEM TO BRING INFORMATION AND JUST TO SUPPORT THEM. WE RECENTLY HAD A ASK FROM RELIANCE COMMUNITY CARE PARTNERS TO COME OUT AND DO A PRESENTATION ON OUR CITY WORK, AND WE'RE WORKING TO SCHEDULE THAT TO JUST EDUCATE OUR SENIORS ON WHAT THE CITY IS DOING AND HOW WE'RE BECOMING A FRIENDLY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANKS FOR HAVING US. THAT MOVES US ALONG, I BELIEVE, TO CULTURAL TOUR UPDATE. IS THAT CORRECT? I DON'T HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF ME. HERE WE GO. HELLO, COMMISSIONERS. HELLO, CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR. EXCUSE ME. MY NAME IS ASANTE KANE. I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE AN UPDATE ON THE THIRD WARD CULTURAL TOUR AND ALSO THE MURAL PROJECT. I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THE RFP HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE FOR THE MURAL PORTION OF THAT TOUR, AND WE'LL BE COMING TO A CONSENSUS ON WHO IS SELECTED TO BE THAT FACILITATOR OF THE ART TO TO CREATE THAT MURAL IN THE THIRD WARD. SO BUT THE MAIN COURSE TODAY IS TO HEAR FROM GRANDMA, AND THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE A SHORT INTRODUCTION. AND THEN WE HAVE A SHORT VIDEO AND THEN WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. HELLO, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY. THIS IS DANNY LYNAM, OUR TEAM LEADER FOR THE PROJECT. OUR OTHER WORKING PART COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT THEY'RE THE ONES WHO DID THE VIDEO, SO YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE. JUST ABOUT DONE THIS PROJECT, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO KICK IT OFF ON THE 4TH OF JULY. WE HAVE GOTTEN A MINI GRANT FROM AMERICA. 250 MI, WHICH EVERYTHING KIND OF KICKS OFF ON THE 4TH OF JULY. SO WE WANT TO HAVE THE BULK OF OUR PROJECT FINISHED BY THEN AND DO A LAUNCH WITH THE PROJECT OR THE SPOTS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY TARGETED. OUR ALL 50 SPOTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. THERE'S STILL SOME WORKING BACK AND FORTH WITH SOME OF THE SPOTS AS WE FIND THAT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, SITTING ON THE EDGE OF SECOND AND THIRD WARD OR THIRD AND FIRST WARD. AND, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE, THE ONES THAT WE LAUNCHED WITH IN THE THIRD WARD. DID YOU. OKAY. WE ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN AN 
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EXPERIENCE FOR US. WE'RE LEARNING MORE AS WE DIG INTO THE RESEARCH AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE FINDING OUT ABOUT DIFFERENT LITTLE SPOTS AROUND THE COMMUNITY, DIFFERENT PEOPLE WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT. SO IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYBODY, AND WE HOPE THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF WILL WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT OVER THE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONTRACTED TO, TO DO. WE DID HAVE A COUPLE SAMPLES THAT ARE NOT IN THE IN THE VIDEO, BUT WE AT LEAST SOME OF THESE, THESE ARE KIND OF A MOCK DRAWING OF WHAT OUR. QR CODES WILL LOOK LIKE. YOU'LL START TO SEE THESE YELLOW. THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLACARDS KIND OF ALUMINUM OVER OVER A CORE. AND THEY'LL BE GOOD FOR ANY WEATHER, BUT THEY'LL BE AROUND. PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO DRIVE BY, WALK BY, RIDE BY, SCAN THE QR CODE. THAT INFORMATION WILL POP UP ABOUT THAT LOCATION. BUT TO ALSO BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE AND LOOK AT THE WHOLE AREA, WHETHER IT'S THE JEFFERSON STREET CORRIDOR OR THE WEALTHY STREET CORRIDOR OR THE EASTERN CORRIDOR, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO ON AND SEE WHAT'S IN THAT AREA, AS WELL AS A SEPARATE DROP DOWN SCREEN THAT WILL SHOW BUSINESSES AND OTHER PLACES TO EAT. SINCE THIS TOUR, TOURISM DRIVEN, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS TOO. I KNOW EVERYTHING'S DOWNTOWN, BUT WE WANT THEM IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS TOO. SO. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO AHEAD AND TURN THE. YES. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. LET ME PULL IT UP TO FULL SCREEN FOR YOU GUYS. HELLO. I'M STEVEN AND I'M TAYLOR AND WE ARE WORKING ALONGSIDE GRANDMA TO BRING YOU ALL THE THIRD WARD LEGACY TOUR. THIS TOUR WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH AN EASY TO USE APP THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH A TABLET, COMPUTER, PHONE OR ONE OF THE KIOSKS LOCATED AROUND THE CITY. WE RECORDED OURSELVES USING THE APP ON OUR PHONE, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE A BRIEF DEMONSTRATION OF HOW THE APP WORKS. YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE ALL OF THE LOCATIONS ON THE MAP, THEN SELECT A SPECIFIC STOCK TO LEARN THE HISTORY OF THAT LOCATION OR PERSON. THERE'S AN EXAMPLE. AS THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT GAINED MOMENTUM FOLLOWING BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION, SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE PUSHED TOWARD INTEGRATION IN GRAND RAPIDS. THAT SHIFT BROUGHT NEW CHALLENGES AT SOUTH HIGH. RISING RACIAL TENSIONS BEGAN TO SURFACE, SIGNALING DEEPER DIVISIONS WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. IN 1966, THOSE TENSIONS CAME TO A HEAD DURING WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE MUSTACHE INCIDENT. AT THE CENTER WAS JUNIOR CLEO CROSS, THE STUDENT ATHLETE WHO REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH STRICT GROOMING POLICIES ENFORCED BY PRINCIPAL CHARLIE DAVIDSON. WHAT BEGAN AS A DRESS CODE DISPUTE QUICKLY ESCALATED AS STUDENTS SAW THE RULES AS AN OVERREACH INTO PERSONAL EXPRESSION AND IDENTITY. AFTER WE HAD WHOOPED ON THE OUR COMPETITORS PRETTY GOOD THAT DAY, THERE WAS A WORD OUT THAT. THOSE OLD MEN WHIPPING UP ON ON THEM KIDS ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, WELL, WE ALL HAD MUSTACHES AND GOATEES AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, NOTHING THICK, NOTHING REALLY MANLY. JUST KID PEACE FOR US. WELL, I DIDN'T LIKE IT. NONE OF NONE OF US LIKED IT. AND I JUST AT FIRST, ON FIRST CALLS, I SHAVED BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SEASON. SO LET ME FINISH PLAYING MY SEASON. 
          SO OKAY, WE WE DID THAT WHEN WE SHAVED. HE DIDN'T COME BACK WITH A CONTINUOUS SHAVE. IT WAS SHAVED AT ONE TIME AND HE DIDN'T BUG US ANYMORE. WE CAME BACK THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND EVERYBODY WAS HAD TO COMPLY WITH THE SHAVING RULE. ALL STUDENTS, THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, NOT JUST ATHLETES. I DIDN'T DO IT. AND SO THEY PICKED ME OUT BECAUSE I WOULDN'T DO IT, I WOULDN'T SHAVE, I SHAVED ONCE AND THAT WAS IT. I WANT TO SHAVE ANYMORE UNTIL THEY EXPELLED ALL OF US. THAT DIDN'T. THE INCIDENT GAINED WIDESPREAD ATTENTION, MAKING HEADLINES ACROSS WEST MICHIGAN AND EVEN APPEARING IN JET MAGAZINE. CROSS RECEIVED STRONG SUPPORT 
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FROM HIS PEERS AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THE APP IS POPULATED WITH DIFFERENT MODES OF ENGAGEMENT, SUCH AS VIDEOS, PHOTOS, QUIZZES AND SPACE FOR REFLECTION. RASPBERRY WAS A SIGNIFICANT FIGURE IN THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL LEAGUES, BOTH AS A PLAYER AND A TEAM OWNER. BORN ON OCTOBER 8TH, 1913 IN WEST POINT, MISSISSIPPI, RASPBERRY WAS A TALENTED ATHLETE FROM A YOUNG AGE, EXCELLING IN BASKETBALL, BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL. HE ATTENDED MISSISSIPPI INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE, WHERE HE EARNED A DEGREE IN TEACHING IN 1933. 
          AFTER GRADUATION, RASPBERRY RETURNED TO HIS HOMETOWN TO TEACH GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT AT HOPEWELL CEDAR BLUFF SCHOOL. TEN RASPBERRIES. MY UNCLE. HE'S MY UNCLE AND HE'S MY HERO. HE'S THE FAMILY'S HERO BECAUSE HE'S BEEN LIKE OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL. HE WAS HERE FIRST. HE CAME FROM MISSISSIPPI ALSO IN 1935, RASPBERRY MOVED TO GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, TO PLAY FOR COLORED ATHLETICS, A LOCAL SEMIPROFESSIONAL BASEBALL TEAM. BY 1946, HE HAD PURCHASED HIS FIRST TEAM, THE GRAND RAPIDS BLACK SOX. THE TEAM INITIALLY WORE SIMPLE UNIFORMS AND PLAYED IN LOCAL LEAGUES. RASPBERRY AIMED TO ENTER HIS TEAM INTO THE AMERICAN LEAGUE BUT FACED REJECTION DUE TO GRAND RAPIDS SMALL BLACK POPULATION. AT THE TIME. THE HARDSHIP THAT. SO I THINK YOU GET A FLAVOR OF THE. THE. THE APP RIGHT THERE. SHELDON COMPLEX FIRST BEGAN AS A SIMPLE AS WE WANT TO SAVE SOME ENERGY FOR YOU GUYS TO GO LOOK AT THE APP ITSELF. SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? CITY MANAGER OH LOOKS GOOD. GREAT START. INTERESTING. YEP. THANK MUSE AND THE MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES FOR CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER AND LOOKING FORWARD TO JULY 4TH. 
          THANK YOU. YEAH, THANKS. CAN I LOOK AT THE AGENDA? FOR ONE MORE THING? YOU ALREADY DID THE. 
          REPORT. YEAH. OKAY. SO THE UPDATE ON THE MEETING AGENDA. OKAY, SO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON A ONE MEETING AGENDA. YES, YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO LAST THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE CITY COMMISSION DECIDED TO ADD ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FOR THE CITY. AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE A PERSON THAT CAN MANAGE OUR AGENDA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS A BIG JOB ACTUALLY. AND AS PART OF THAT, AS A PART OF THAT, WE'RE BRINGING MORE AND MORE OF OUR MEETINGS AND AGENDAS INTO THAT ONE MEETING SYSTEM. AND SO STARTING WITH THE NEXT MEETING, THIS AGENDA WILL LOOK MORE LIKE YOUR PUBLIC SAFETY AGENDAS AND WHATNOT. IT WON'T HAVE A CALL FOR MINUTES AND SOME OTHER THINGS. WE'LL JUST DO OUR REGULAR MINUTE PROCESS. SO JUST A HEADS UP THAT THE AGENDA WILL LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT NEXT MEETING. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, TO STAFF TO BE INPUTTING THE MATERIALS THEMSELVES INTO ONE MEETING. SO YEP. THAT'S IT. WELL, THANKS FOR THE HELP AND THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING. ALL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.