[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:07]
          COMMISSION TO ORDER. ASK YOU ALL TO JOIN US, AS IS OUR HABIT. WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. 
          PLEASE ALL JOIN US IN SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MR. CLARK, IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL. AND AS 
          [ROLL CALL]
YOU DO SO, IF THERE ARE. INTERPRETER COULD COME UP FRONT. COMMISSIONER BOUCEK PRESENT. 
          COMMISSIONER PERDUE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. PRESIDENT. COMMISSIONER KILGORE, PRESENT. 
          COMMISSIONER KNIGHT, PRESENT. MAYOR LEGRAND. YES. DO WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER? MME. THIS IS THE FIRST. NO. OKAY. WELL, IF OUR INTERPRETER SHOWS. I WILL ASK HER TO IDENTIFY HERSELF. 
          THAT'S A PITY. GENERALLY, WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER FOR ENGLISH AND SPANISH. CAN YOU. I'M SORRY. 
          WE DO SPONTANEOUS TRANSLATION FOR THE FOR THE BROADCAST, BUT FOR PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. 
          [PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]
OKAY, WELL, MOVING ALONG, I WILL. FIRST, THIS IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. SPECIFICALLY, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT ON OTHER ITEMS AT THE END OF THE MEETING. IS THE MIC ON? MY NAME IS SCOTT ATCHISON, AND I ASK THE CLERK TO HAND OUT A LITTLE PIECE OF PAPER OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT FISCAL COMMITTEE NUMBER ONE AND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE NUMBER FOUR. FISCAL COMMITTEE ONE IS THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AS A LOCAL CIVIC ORGANIZATION. GREAT IDEA. THE REASON I'M SAYING THIS, I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO PROMOTE ALL THE MUSEUMS DOWNTOWN. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO GO TANGENT TO SAY THAT'S WHY YOU NEED AN INFORMATION CENTER DOWNTOWN THROUGH THE QR CODE DAILY SCAN NEWSLETTER THAT LETS THEM KNOW ABOUT ALL THE FIVE MUSEUMS DOWNTOWN, THE FORD MUSEUM, THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM, THE ART MUSEUM, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS, AND NOW THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM. IT JUST STILL MAKES ME CRAZY THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN INFORMATION CENTER DOWNTOWN TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW IT'S OPEN DAILY AND EVERY DAY IT CHANGES, YOU KNOW? BUT BASICALLY IT'S A SIMPLE THING. BUT NOW COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE NUMBER FOUR, YOU GUYS ARE SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NECESSITY OF A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. AND I STILL FIND IT HARD TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, AND THE DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS, INC. THEY ALL WORK IN THE SAME BUILDING IN THE SAME OFFICE. AND IT'S LIKE WE HAVE THREE WHEN WE ONLY NEED ONE. YOU KNOW, IT'S. BUT THEN ON THIS THING YOU'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON OR AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING, THIS IS GOING TO BE A THREE YEAR CONTRACT INSTEAD OF ONE YEAR CONTRACT. AND I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT. THREE, THERE'S A LOT OF SHENANIGANS THAT CAN GO ON IN THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF ONE YEAR FROM INPUT AND OVERSIGHT FROM THIS BOARD. YOU KNOW, AND I, I WAS IN A DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT MEETING EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND EVERY YEAR SEAT RATES AND ASSESSMENTS GO UP. BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY ABOUT THE AMBASSADORS. THE AMBASSADORS, WHAT I HEARD IN THE MEETING, IF THEY'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER RAISE, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE MONEY COMING OUT OF THE TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS OF GRAND RAPIDS. OTHER THAN WHAT THE CONTRACT IS. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS YOU NEED TO ASK WHEN WHOEVER SHOWS UP AT YOUR PUBLIC HEARING THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF ONE YEAR, THEY'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THE ASSESSMENT AREA. WHO PAYS THE AMBASSADORS? WHO DO THE AMBASSADORS WORK FOR? ACTUALLY THE AMBASSADORS. I WORK LIKE A TEMPORARY SERVICE OUT OF BLOCK BY BLOCK OUT OF KENTUCKY. SO THEY PAY THEM $15 AN HOUR, BUT BLOCK BY BLOCK GETS AT LEAST $21 AN HOUR. IT'S LIKE AN EMPLOYMENT SERVICE ON STEROIDS. 
          I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO GO BACK AND READ THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT THAT YOU GUYS OKAYED FOR THIS AMBASSADOR PROGRAM. I'VE GOT PROS AND CONS ABOUT THE AMBASSADORS AND, AND ANYONE WHO THINKS THE DOWNTOWN WANDERING AMBASSADORS ARE AN INFORMATION SYSTEM OR AN INFORMATION CENTER NEEDS TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. THANK YOU. SEEING NO ONE ELSE FOR COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. 
          [APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THAT BRINGS US TO APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION, AND ACTUALLY I WILL ASK THAT I THINK, MR. CLARK, IT'S OKAY IF WE DO BOTH OF THOSE TOGETHER. MINUTES FROM 331 FROM FOUR ONE. SO APPROVAL OF BOTH MEETINGS. I HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SUPPORT. ALL IN 
          [PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]
FAVOR, SAY AYE. MOTION PASSES BRINGS US TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS, MR. CLARK. 
          [00:05:11]
COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JOSE COSTA REGARDING A FOIA APPEAL. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JIMMY ARZOLA REQUESTING THE REMOVAL OF ALL PORTRAITS OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND THE REMOVAL OF HIS NAME FROM STREETS IN GRAND RAPIDS. COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM SCOTT ATCHISON REGARDING A DOWNTOWN INFORMATION CENTER. STEVEN FILED. COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM TOM AND WILMA LETTERMAN EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE SEVENTH STREET NORTHWEST DEVELOPMENT. COMMUNICATION FROM JULIE HOKE EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED PARKING RATE INCREASES IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS. COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JOANNA JELKS URGING THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE BALLOT INITIATIVE KNOWN AS AMERICANS FOR CITIZEN VOTING. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM TOM WILLIS EXPRESSING HIS DISAGREEMENT WITH THE RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED CHANGES TO THE DASH BUS ROUTE 
          [REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]
STEVEN FILED. IT BRINGS US TO REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS. COMPTROLLERS WARRANT REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF MARCH 17TH, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 30TH, 2026, IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,418,179.20, STEVEN FILED IN THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF MARCH 18TH, 2026 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 
          [CONSENT AGENDA AND REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES]
2026. STEVEN FILED. THIS BRINGS US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEES. 
          AND FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, THIS IS. THESE ARE ITEMS WHICH PASSED UNANIMOUSLY OUT OF COMMITTEE AND WHICH WERE NOT FOR ANY REASON PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ANY 
          [CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]
COMMISSIONER CAN DO IF THEY WANT TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE ITEMS. SO I'D ASK FOR A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVED SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. THAT 
          [ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT]
BRINGS US TO ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT. AND WE HAVE ONE HERE THAT IS A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING CITY MANAGER MARK WASHINGTON'S APPROVAL OF JOSHUA LONGER TO THE GRAND RAPIDS HOUSING COMMISSION. CAN I HAVE A PARDON ME? CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. AND COMMISSIONER SASSER. THANK YOU. MAYOR. AS STATED, THIS ITEM IS ABOUT THE HOUSING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMISSION, MISS LINDSAY RIMES, HAS RECOMMENDED TWO INDIVIDUALS TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE HOUSING COMMISSION. MR. JOSH LUNGER IS ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND CONSIDERING MISS REEM'S RECOMMENDATION, THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN PREPARED AND THIS IS FOR A APPOINTMENT THE REMAINDER OF A FIVE YEAR TERM ENDING APRIL 9TH, 2030. THERE ARE NO REMAINING VACANCIES SHOULD THIS APPOINTMENT MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. AND THIS IS OFF CONSENT DUE TO LACK OF DUE TO A DISSENTING VOTE AND AND IN COMMITTEE THIS MORNING. YES, COMMISSIONER. KILGOUR. YES. 
          THANK YOU. MAYOR. I WAS THE DISSENTING VOTE DUE TO FOR THE PUBLIC JUST TO. THEY CAN ALSO REFER BACK TO THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS MEETING AT 8 A.M. THIS MORNING. THAT DISSENTING VOTE WAS FROM A LACK OF CONSISTENCY FROM THIS ORGANIZATION. I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THEIR WORK AND SURPASSING THEIR GOAL IN THE 101 HUNDRED. THAT IS FANTASTIC FOR OUR COMMUNITY. BUT THEN IN TURN, THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE STRATEGIC AND INTENTIONAL ADVOCACY AGAINST HOUSING BILL PACKAGES THAT WOULD HELP WITH MAKING HOUSING MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. IN ADDITION, THEY HELP TO PENALIZE OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS BY HELPING TO SUPPORT THE NUISANCE ORDINANCE THAT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO, IN WHICH THE ACLU SPOKE OUT AGAINST THAT ORDINANCE FOR POSSIBLY VIOLATING HUMAN RIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE GRAND RAPIDS CHAMBER HAS CONTINUED TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION, SUCH AS THEY'RE BOTH WEB PAGE AND TEXT CAMPAIGN, WITH CONTINUED UNSUPPORTED CLAIMS THAT THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN THAT WAS PASSED BY THIS COMMISSION 6 TO 1 WILL COST NEIGHBORS AND HOMEOWNERS MORE MONEY. WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT OUR COST ANALYSIS FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN THAT WILL COME IN THE SUMMER. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SOURCES OR DATA THAT SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS, AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BY A COMMUNITY PARTNER. AS WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK. 
          WE'RE LIVING IN AN AGE WHERE MISINFORMATION SPREADS FAST WHEN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND A MEDIA AGE, AND WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE GOING TO PARTNER WITH US TO STAY IN TRUTH, STAY IN FACT, AND BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR ADVOCACY FOR. SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I WOULD LIKE TO NOT SUPPORT THIS APPOINTMENT. AND IN ADDITION, THE. MY COLLEAGUES AND I ON THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT EXPERTISE IS NEEDED. 
          THIS ORGANIZATION. THE CHAMBER OFFERS A DEEP EXPERTISE ON DEVELOPMENT, ON BUSINESS, BUT I THINK THE OTHER APPOINTMENT THAT WE REAPPOINTED FROM ROCKFORD CONSTRUCTION OFFERS THAT PERSPECTIVE IN A VERY MEANINGFUL WAY. AND SO IT IS DUPLICATING EXPERTISE AND 
          [00:10:01]
ABILITY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE RECOGNIZED ON THAT BODY. SO DUPLICATING CONTINUED MISINFORMATION FROM THE GRAND RAPIDS CHAMBER AND LACK OF CONSISTENCY ON HELPING PEOPLE HAVE ACTUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. I GUESS I WILL SAY IN RESPONSE THAT JOSH LUNGER HAS THE INDIVIDUAL IN QUESTION HERE HAS DONE A A, AN EXTREMELY LARGE AMOUNT OF WORK ON TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH THE QUESTION OF HOW WE ACTUALLY HOUSE PEOPLE IN COMPLEX HOUSING THE COMMUNITY, AND HAS REALLY BEEN PART OF SOME TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRESS ON THAT. AND I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY A NATIONAL LEADER IN TERMS OF OUR OUTCOME IN THAT SPACE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS, COMPLEX CARE HOUSING IS ONE OF THE REAL CHALLENGES FOR DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED. AND IT'S, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE THAT WE'VE MADE REAL PROGRESS IN THE CITY. AND MR. LUNG HAS REALLY BEEN PART OF THAT. I ALSO THINK IT'S. I PERSONALLY DO NOT THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO. START TO TO NOT APPOINT PEOPLE SIMPLY TO ATTRIBUTE THEIR, FIRST OF ALL, TO ATTRIBUTE THEIR EMPLOYER TO THEM TO THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL ABILITY TO ACT ON AN APPOINTMENT. BUT ALSO, I THINK THAT DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE CHAMBER ABOUT EVEN IF THAT WERE SALIENT, I THINK THAT DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE CHAMBER ABOUT THIS ISSUE OR THAT ISSUE, I THINK I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO BLANKET. CEASE TO COOPERATE AND COLLABORATE AND WORK WITH THE CHAMBER. AND I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR AND HAS BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US. I THINK THE CHAMBER HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT INTEREST, PARDON ME, INVESTMENT IN HELPING TO DEAL WITH THE HOUSING ISSUE IN GRAND RAPIDS, AND SO I WILL BE VOTING TO SUPPORT THIS. BUT IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS, OTHERWISE I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE. 
          WE USUALLY. MAYOR, I KNOW ROBERT'S RULE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SPEAK ON IT ONCE, BUT WE USUALLY DON'T GO WITH THAT RULE. I TOTALLY HEAR YOU AND I APPRECIATE YOUR VERY METERED AND BALANCED. IT'S NOT A BLANKET STATEMENT. EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SAID. MR. LUNGER HAS BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THIS. AND WITH THIS WORK, YOUR EMPLOYER DOES SAY YOUR VALUES, SO I DISAGREE WITH THAT. BUT THANK YOU. IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE A BLANKET STATEMENT. EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SAID, HE HAS BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN COMING FROM, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CALL IT A DEPARTMENT OR AN OFFICE, BUT FROM HIS ROLE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'LL CALL FOR A VOTE THEN. VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE APPOINTMENT, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? NAY. THANK 
          [1. Ordinance establishing the Dean-Kendall House located at 2350 Leonard Street NW as a historic landmark]
YOU. MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR ORDINANCES TO BE ADOPTED. AND THE FIRST OF THESE IS AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE DEAN KENDALL HOUSE, LOCATED AT 2350 LEONARD, AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED SUPPORT COMMISSIONER BELICHICK. YES. 
          THIS IS AN ORDINANCE FOR THE HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION AT DEAN KENDALL HOUSE, LOCATED AT 2350 LEONARD STREET, NORTHWEST, ON MARCH 31ST, 2026, THE CITY COMMISSION ESTABLISHED APRIL 14TH TODAY AS THE DATE TO CONSIDER THIS ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THIS HISTORIC LANDMARK. MELISSA AND FRANK PATTIS, THE OWNERS OF THE HOUSE LOCATED THERE, HAVE REQUESTED HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF THEIR PROPERTY AND THEIR HOUSE, WHICH WAS PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 2023. THE LANDMARK IS SIGNIFICANT UNDER THE NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERION C IN THE CATEGORY OF ARCHITECTURE FOR ITS EXCELLENT REPRESENTATION OF A CLASSICAL REVIVAL STYLE EXTERIOR AND ARTS AND CRAFTS INTERIOR, THE HOUSE AND GARAGE MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY WITH A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP STILL INTACT. THE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS USED DURING CONSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN PRESERVED AND ILLUSTRATE THE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS PREVALENT DURING THE PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE, AND UTILIZE THERE AT THE HOME AND GARAGE. A STUDY COMMITTEE WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION IN 2024, AND A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DESIGNATION WAS HELD BY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2025. THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL HISTORY WITH OUR CITY CODE, BUT IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WITH THE HISTORIC DESIGNATION, WHICH IS PERSONALLY AN INTERESTING PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE WEST SIDE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, ANY COMMENTS COLLEAGUES? QUESTIONS? GREAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING ORDINANCE? PARDON ME. VOICE VOTE. WE'LL CALL COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER SACHS. YES. COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. YES. 
          COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER BELICHICK. YES. MAYOR. LAGRANGE. YES. MOTION 
          [1. Motion to suspend the rules.]
CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO CITY COMMISSION RESOLUTIONS. AND OF THESE, WE HAVE ONE. AND THEN AS 
          [00:15:06]
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ENTRY OF YOU. PARDON ME. I NEED A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TO THIS. THIS COMMITTEE, COMMISSION RESOLUTION. THAT'S A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ENTRY OR OF OR INTO PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS AND PARTIAL SETTLEMENTS OF THE NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION OF OPIOID LEGISLATION WITH SIX REMAINING DEFENDANTS. SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. AND I JUST NAMED IT THE COMMISSIONER. IF YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN. OH, GREAT SPORT SUPPORT. RIGHT ON. NOW. YES. THIS IS A NEW NATIONAL OPIOID 
          [2. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ENTRY OF PARTICIPATION AGREEMENTS IN PARTIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION OPIATE LITIGATION – SIX REMNANT DEFENDANTS]
SETTLEMENT HAS REACHED WITH SIX REGIONAL DISTRIBUTORS OR DISPENSARY DEFENDANTS ASSOCIATED WITH PHARMACIES INC J M SMITH CORPORATION, LOUISIANA WHOLESALE DRUG, MORRIS AND DICKINSON. AND THERE'S ONE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT COVERING THE COMBINED SETTLEMENT WITH THE SIX REMAINING DEFENDANTS. THE PROPOSED REMAINING REMNANT DEFENDANT SETTLEMENT WILL RESULT IN SIX REMNANT DEFENDANTS PAYING A COMBINED 97,625,000 IN CASH FOR PURPOSES OF ABATING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC. YEP, THAT'S ABOUT IT, OF WHICH WE GET ABOUT 56,000, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY. SO WE'RE NOT GETTING THE WHOLE 96 MILLION. 
          THAT'D BE GREAT. WE COULD WE COULD PAUSE EVERYONE'S TAXES NEXT YEAR, BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE A RESOLUTION TO RECEIVE ANY OF THESE MONIES. AND THIS IS, I THINK, THE SEVENTH SETTLEMENT WE'VE SEEN OUT OF THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT, OPIOID LITIGATION. SO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS COLLEAGUES OTHERWISE CALL FOR A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? 
          [1. Public Hearing on Programmatic Agreements with the Michigan State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO)]
MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC HEARINGS, OF WHICH WE HAVE FOUR. THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZENS TO SPEAK ON THESE SPECIFIC PROJECTS. AND I'D ASK. I BELIEVE IT'S MISS. MISS BRENNER, ARE YOU COVERING THESE OR IS MISS TUCKER. MR. TUCKER IS COVERING THESE. SO THE FIRST IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENTS WITH MICHIGAN STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER. MR. TUCKER, YOU WANT TO GO INTO THAT ONE? GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMISSION. OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IS ABOUT OUR PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT WITH THE MICHIGAN STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE. THIS AGREEMENT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS AND ALLOWS US TO DO EXPEDIENT AND FASTER REVIEWS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966. SECTION 106 REQUIRES US TO DO HISTORIC ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY HUD FUNDS, FEDERAL HUD FUNDS. AND SO THIS PROGRAMMATIC AGREEMENT JUST SETS UP TWO DIFFERENT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS FOR US TO GET EXPEDITED REVIEW LOCALLY. OUR VERY OWN RHONDA BAKER IS THE ONE WHO PROVIDES THESE ASSESSMENTS FOR US ON BEHALF OF SHIPPO. AND SO THAT IS WHAT'S BEFORE YOU. GREAT. AND I WILL JUST ADD THAT RHONDA IS A GEM AND IT'S GOING TO BE A SAD DAY WHEN SHE RETIRES. I'M SHE'S BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, AND BOY, DOES SHE MAKE IT EASY TO WORK THROUGH THE HISTORIC PROCESS. REAL, REAL GREAT ASSET TO THE TO THE CITY. 
          SO I GUESS THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I'LL ASK IF THERE IS ANY. 
          [2. Public hearing on the FY 2027 Neighborhood Investment Plan funding recommendations totaling $8,215,134]
SEEING NONE, THIS HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. YOU CAN COME UP AND TALK ABOUT OUR NEXT, YOU KNOW, THRILLS AND CHILLS PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS TOTALING 8,200,000 AND SOME ODD DOLLARS. 
          YES, THIS WILL DO A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR YOU. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A REVAMP FOR THIS BODY. YOU'VE SEEN A LOT OF THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE, BUT WE'RE DOING A FORMAL PUBLIC HEARING TODAY. I WILL GO THROUGH IN VERY QUICKLY EXPLAIN WHAT'S THE SUBJECT THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN IS, IS STACKS ALL OF OUR FEDERAL FUNDS INTO A INTO A CITY APPROVED FRAMEWORK. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN SAYS THIS IS HOW WE WANT TO INVEST THOSE DOLLARS, BOTH FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AND FROM OUR STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING SOURCES. ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO CREATE A HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT SERVES AS REALLY A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THAT IS DUE TO HUD. THAT EXPLAINS HOW WE WILL INVEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DOLLARS, HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP DOLLARS, AS WELL AS ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS GRANT ESG. THIS IDENTIFIES HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT NEEDS, AND IT ALSO IDENTIFIES GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AND MEASURES OUR SETS, SETS, SETS BENCHMARKS FOR FOR OUR OUTCOMES. THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS IS AN ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WHICH EFFECTIVELY SERVES AS OUR APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDS 
          [00:20:04]
FOR CDBG HOME AND ESG, AND IDENTIFIES ANNUAL PROJECTS. AND THESE PROJECTS, LAST, HAVE A PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE BETWEEN JULY 1ST AND JUNE 30TH EACH YEAR. THOSE ARE THE FEDERAL PLANS. YOUR LOCAL PLAN, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN, WRAPS ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND SAYS, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR FEDERAL FUNDS ALONG WITH OTHER FUNDS, OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $730,000 AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF 700,000, AND JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 88,000. ALL OF THOSE SOURCES TOGETHER EQUAL THE $8.2 MILLION THAT THAT PRINCIPALLY FUNDS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN. 
          AND THERE ARE EIGHT OUTCOME AREAS TOTAL. AND I'LL GO OVER EACH OF THOSE OUTCOME AREAS IN THE ANTICIPATED FUNDING FOR EACH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN PROCESS HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF EDUCATION NOTIFICATION, AS WELL AS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PARTNERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN IN APPLYING FOR THESE FUNDS. WE START WITH VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS. SOME 540 PEOPLE WERE INVITED TO THAT. WE DO A LIST OF AVAILABLE FUNDING, AND THEN WE HOST A SET OF WORKSHOPS. FOLLOWING THAT, WE ACTUALLY RELEASE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPLY, AND WE PUBLISHED THAT IN LOCAL, THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER AS AS WELL AS OUR WEBSITE, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HOMEPAGE AND SOCIAL MEDIA. ONCE THAT NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPLY IS PUBLISHED, WE HOST WORKSHOPS FOR APPLICANTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING, AND A SUBSET OF THOSE APPLICANTS ARE THEN INVITED TO A. A NARROWED REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PROCESS WHERE WE ASK FOR A FULL APPLICATION. THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE THEN REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED THROUGH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND BOARD COMMITTEE. WE ALSO HAVE A BODY THAT IS A SUBSET OF THE CITY COMMISSION, THE RFP WORK GROUP THAT REVIEWS THOSE PROPOSALS. IN ADDITION, WE PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO TO ANYONE WHO ASKS AND THIS YEAR WE HAD OVER 40 ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED THAT ONE ON ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN, AS I SAID, IS $8.2 MILLION. THE, THE, THE EIGHT OUTCOMES NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN OUTCOME ONE, WHICH DEALS PRINCIPALLY WITH HOMELESSNESS. WE EXPECT ANTICIPATED FUNDS OF $1.26 MILLION. OUTCOME TWO DEALS WITH CREATING AND PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE EXPECT $2.5 MILLION FOR THAT ACTIVITY. OUTCOME THREE IS ABOUT INCREASING HOMEOWNERSHIP AND HOUSING STABILITY. WE EXPECT $360,000 FOR THAT ACTIVITY. OUTCOME FOUR IS ABOUT IMPROVING EXISTING HOUSING STOCK. THAT IS $2.8 MILLION THAT WE ANTICIPATE TO FUND THAT ACTIVITY. OUTCOME FIVE IS AROUND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. THAT IS JUST ABOUT $500,000. OUTCOME SIX DEALS WITH INCREASING WAGES AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. THAT'S $149,000. OUTCOME SEVEN IS ABOUT IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY. WE SEE ABOUT $314,000 APPROPRIATED FOR THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, OUTCOME EIGHT IS ABOUT FOSTERING ENGAGED AND CONNECTED AND RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE SEE ROUGHLY $319,000 APPROPRIATED FOR THAT ACTIVITY. PUBLIC COMMENT IS IS AVAILABLE STARTING MARCH 27TH, AND RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO PROVIDE INPUT ON FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS BOTH IN PUBLIC TODAY, AS WELL AS WRITTEN COMMENTS TO COMMUNITY DEV AT GR GR.US. THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS OPEN UNTIL APRIL 29TH, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN FULL ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AT GR.INFO. FINAL AWARDS AN ANNUAL SUBMISSION TO HUD WILL HAPPEN ON MAY 12TH AFTER. AFTER YOU SEE THIS FINAL MEMO FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON THAT DATE. THANK YOU. AND AS YOU NOTED, THE COMMISSION HAS ALREADY SEEN THIS ESSENTIALLY. BUT ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC NOW WANTS TO COME UP AND COMMENT ON THIS. FEEL FREE. MAYOR, BEFORE THE PUBLIC REMARKS, WE HAVE A CITY EMPLOYEE FROM OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY ENGAGEMENT, LILIBETH PEREZ, WHO IS ABLE TO OFFER TRANSLATION SERVICES AND ANNOUNCEMENT. IF YOU GREAT IF YOU CAN COME ON UP. THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR BACON. AT LEAST SOME OF OUR BACON. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. IF YOU NEED INTERPRETATION SERVICES IN SPANISH AT ANY TIME DURING THIS MEETING, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU. 
          MUY BUENAS TARDES. NECESITA SERVICIOS DE INTERPRETATION EN ESPANOL, POR FAVOR. ESTARIAMOS FELIZ. GRACIAS. THANK YOU, MR. JONES. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I AM D JONES. I LIKE TO CALL MYSELF CHAIR JONES BECAUSE I AM THE CHAIR OF THE STOCK AND NEIGHBORHOOD HUB. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PLAN BECAUSE I STARTED AT MY NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATION WHEN I ACTUALLY EARNED A $10,000 GRANT IN 2018, I WAS INTRODUCED TO MY NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS W G N O THE WEST GRAND NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATION, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A LOT OF COOL THINGS. 
          [00:25:03]
I STARTED AS A COMMITTEE PERSON, BUT NOW I GRINDED MYSELF UP TO BE THE TRUSTED PERSON TO BE THE CHAIR OF OUR PROJECT. I UNDERSTAND HOW VITAL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS ARE BECAUSE I GET A LOT OF CALLS. I SIT IN THE OFFICE, I ACTUALLY LIKE TO SPEND TIME IN THE OFFICE, AND WE GET A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT HOUSING, JOBS, THINGS THAT'S GOING AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY. IF SOMEBODY IS DOG IS GOING AROUND CRAZY OR THERE'S NOT TRASH PICKED UP, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS USUALLY DO THE STUFF THAT THE GOVERNMENT USUALLY CAN'T GET DIRECTLY TO. AND SO WE ARE THE DIRECT BRIDGE TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT. AND SO I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO CONTINGENCY FUND THE NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATIONS. I BELIEVE OUR FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS SHOULD BE FUNDING OUR NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATIONS SUBSTANTIALLY. WE SHOULD BE GETTING A LOT OF FUNDING. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE JUST 8 MILLION. I BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE LIKE 100 MILLION OR 200 MILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE FUNDING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS VERY, VERY SUBSTANTIALLY. ALSO, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS INCREASE BECAUSE THE NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATION THAT I DO WORK AT THE WEST GRAND NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATION, I BELIEVE WE'RE GETTING A $10,000 INCREASE IN OUR GRANT FUNDING THAT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO PAY OUR STAFF, THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DOES THE WORK EVERY DAY, THAT'S TAKING THE PHONE CALLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE ACTUALLY GET TO PAY THEM A DOLLAR EXTRA, BUT THEN WE ALSO GET TO PROVIDE THEM HEALTHCARE. EVERYBODY, HEALTH CARE SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL THING. THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE PROVIDING PEOPLE HEALTH CARE. 
          WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK OUR GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE GRANT FUNDING TO PROVIDE PEOPLE HEALTH CARE FOR THEIR JOBS AND THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO, AND ANSWERING PHONE CALLS AND DOING THE STUFF THAT YOU GUYS USUALLY CAN'T DO BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE TOO BUSY AND YOU GUYS ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND WE ALL HAVE JOBS AND DUTIES TO DO, BUT PEOPLE'S JOBS AND DUTY TO ACTUALLY SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND BREED THAT BRIDGE. THEY SHOULD HAVE HEALTH CARE. THEY SHOULD HAVE BETTER PAY. I BELIEVE EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE BETTER HEALTH CARE AND BETTER PAY. I BELIEVE THESE THINGS SHOULD BE UNIVERSALLY. I ALSO LIKE YOU GUYS TO INCREASE AND CONTINUOUSLY ADVOCATE FOR 3D PRINTING CONSTRUCTION. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I AM THE PIONEER, THE VISIONARY THAT'S WORKING ON HISTORICAL BLACK INITIATIVES AND GETTING FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO ACTUALLY FINANCE 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION. BUT I LIKE TO BE THAT TO BE IN THE CITY'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE BEYOND 2031. JUST LAST YEAR, ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY, I WAS IN IT AT THE UNITED NATIONS, WHERE I GOT THIS HAT AT THE BOOKSTORE, AND I BOUGHT DAVID LEGRAND A T SHIRT FROM THE UNITED NATIONS DIRECTLY. AND SO I WAS THERE LAST YEAR ON THE UNITED NATIONS, AND NOW I'M THE CHAIR OF A PROJECT TRYING TO DO THINGS LOCALLY WHERE MY COMMUNITY IS. 
          BUT I KNOW I'M GOING TO HAVE A GLOBAL IMPACT. SO AS I CARE LOCALLY FOR THE COMMUNITY, I URGE EVERYBODY TO SUPPORT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS. THANK YOU. HELLO, FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS. I DO IN SUPPORT OF THIS THIS INVESTMENT FUNDING PLAN. BUT MY PROBLEM IS THIS. NOTED FELON WANTS TO BOMB IRAN AND WANTS TO PUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS WAR. THERE MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH MONEY FOR THIS PLAN. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M SKEPTICAL OF IT. IF HE CAN SAY THERE'S NO MONEY FOR MEDICAID OR MEDICARE, I DON'T KNOW. 
          THERE MIGHT NOT BE NO MONEY FOR THIS BECAUSE ALL THESE THINGS ABOUT IS HIMSELF. AND NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT THIS. BECAUSE THIS MONEY MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE. 
          IF HE CONTINUES. THIS COCKAMAMIE ASSAULT. ON A COUNTRY THAT NEVER ATTACKED US. 
          THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH. OFFERS EGO. AND UNILATERAL. THINKING. ONCE AGAIN, I AGREE. 
          I LIKE THE PLAN. BUT THE FUNDING MIGHT NOT BE AROUND FOR THIS PLAN TO COMMENCE. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DEBORAH CROSS AND I'M DIRECTOR OF M VILLAGE HERE IN GRAND 
          [00:30:11]
RAPIDS. AND I JUST STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT AND ALSO FOR CONSIDERING IN VILLAGE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT FUNDING TO HELP US BRIDGE OUR EXISTING GAP IN OUR FOR SALE HOUSING PROJECTS. SO WE KNOW THAT DELIVERING ATTAINABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IS DIFFERENT FROM THE RENTAL AND WE HAVE RENTAL PROJECT AS WELL, BUT WE HAVE DESPITE CHALLENGES IN DOING THAT, WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THOSE PATHWAYS FOR HOME OWNERSHIP THAT FOSTER LONG TERM STABILITY AND MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT FOR FAMILIES. SO OUR MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO TAKE AN INTEGRATED APPROACH WHERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH RENTAL AND FOR SALE PRODUCT. AND SO WE ARE TRULY EXCITED TO CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR BEING ALONG WITH US. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS TOM RALSTON. I'M WITH UNION SUITES DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER. WANT TO ECHO THE FAVORABLE COMMENTS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HERE TODAY ON THE SUBJECT OF THIS FUNDING PROGRAM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS BODY AS ONE OF THE APPLICANTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THE COMPONENT OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT GRANT, UNION SUITES ON COUNT TWO REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND BRING THAT TO THIS TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS SCOTT ATCHISON, THIRD WARD RESIDENT. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. IS DOWNTOWN A NEIGHBORHOOD? I BELIEVE READING IN THE MASTER PLAN BEFORE YOU WANT TO CREATE DOWNTOWN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I THINK IT'LL BE A TEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOOD ONCE WE GET STUFF AT THE NEW SOCCER STADIUM AND THE NEW AMPHITHEATER, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG TEMPORARY NEIGHBORHOOD. THAT'S WHY I THINK YOU NEED TO USE SOME OF THIS MONEY FOR INFORMATION CENTER DOWNTOWN. DON'T WRITE ME THE CHECK. WRITE THE CHECK TO ORION PIONEER, ONE OF THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, ROCKFORD, WHOEVER. BUT I'M SAYING IF YOU WANT DOWNTOWN TO BE A NEIGHBORHOOD, A COMMUNITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, I'M JUST SAYING USE SOME OF YOUR MONEY TO BUILD AN INFORMATION CENTER. AND IT SHOULD BE BUILT RIGHT AT ROSA PARKS CIRCLE BEHIND THE STATUE OF ROSA PARKS. THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC 
          [3. Public hearing to consider a Brownfield Plan Amendment for the 528 Bridge Street NW Redevelopment Project located at 528 and 532 Bridge Street NW]
COMMENT, THE HEARING IS CLOSED. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT PUBLIC HEARING. AND THIS IS TO CONSIDER BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT FOR THE PROJECT AT 528 BRIDGE AND MISS YOUR NEXT. 
          HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO THIS IS. HOPEFULLY THIS BUILDING LOOKS RECOGNIZABLE. IT'S ALONG A BRIDGE AND SEWARD. IT'S 100 YEAR OLD BUILDING, 10,400FT■!S. THERE. THERE WILL BE INVESTMENT TO REACTIVATE THE SPACE FOR COMMERCIAL USE TO HOUSE ADVANTAGE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, AS WELL AS A TENANT. THAT'S NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED JUST YET. THIS IS A TRADITIONAL BROWNFIELD TIFF ASSET, WHICH ACTUALLY IS ONE OF THE FIRST I'VE SEEN SINCE MY TENURE HERE. 
          WE'VE MOSTLY BEEN DOING HOUSING PROJECTS, RIGHT. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE TRADITIONAL ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING DEMO SITE PREP, LEAD AND ASBESTOS ABATEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ADJACENT TO PRIVATE INVESTMENT. THIS IS LOCATED IN THE DDA, AND THE DDA INTENDS TO TAKE UP THIS AGENDA ITEM TOMORROW FOR POTENTIAL PASS THROUGH IN ORDER TO HELP REIMBURSE THE DEVELOPER. THE PROJECT COSTS ARE 2.7 MILLION. THERE ARE ASPIRATIONAL INCLUSION PLAN GOALS FOR MICRO, LOCAL WOMEN OWNED AND MINORITY OWNED AT 8%, FOR A TOTAL OF 195,446. THE PLAN WILL BE A TERM OF 24 YEARS, WITH A TOTAL ELIGIBLE ACTIVITY COST OF 710, $831 AND ABOUT 230 OF. THAT IS WHERE I FEEL REALLY JAZZED, BECAUSE THERE'S AN ACTIVATION POTENTIALLY OF A SIDEWALK ALONG SEWARD. SO THIS IS A GAP IN OUR SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE. SO AGAIN, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO USE PRIVATE INVESTMENT TO HELP ACTIVATE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE ALONG SEWARD BETWEEN BRIDGE AND THE SOCCER STADIUM, CONSTRUCTION ANTICIPATED TO START THIS SUMMER. AND I HAVE GARY ALBRECHT AND DAVID RAPP AND JARED LUTZ, WHICH I'D LIKE 
          [00:35:06]
TO INVITE UP, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT ON THEIR PERSPECTIVE. HI THERE, DAVE RAPP WITH ADVANTAGE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. I'M ONE OF TEN PRINCIPALS WITH ADVANTAGE, A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON ADVANTAGE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE. WE'VE BEEN IN. WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW. WE HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS IN THE WEST MICHIGAN MARKET, MANY OF US FOR 15, 20, 30 YEARS IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. WE STARTED A NEW COMPANY FIVE YEARS AGO, LIKE I MENTIONED, AND HAVE BEEN OUT. WELL, WE'VE BEEN IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, BUT WE'VE BEEN ON THE OUTSKIRTS AT NORTH POINT BANKS BUILDING. WE HAVE SHIFTED INTO THREE DIFFERENT SPACES DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE WE'VE GROWN CONSIDERABLY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THIS IS A BUILDING WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR A WHILE. WE WANTED A BUILDING DOWNTOWN TO GET BACK DOWNTOWN BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY WE HAD BEEN IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS IN THE DOWNTOWN MARKET, AND THIS CHECKED A LOT OF BOXES FOR US. WE NEEDED TO HAVE A BUILDING THAT COULD CAPACITATE, YOU KNOW, SOME GROWTH AS WELL AS ON SITE PARKING AND ALSO IN A CORRIDOR THAT'S GROWING, THAT HAS A LOT OF EXPOSURE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT FROM DIFFERENT MARKETS FROM THE DETROIT CHICAGO MARKET. 
          LIKE TO ENTERTAIN, BE NEAR RESTAURANTS, BARS AND ALSO TAKE A, YOU KNOW, VERY COOL HISTORIC BUILDING AND, AND MAKE IT SOMETHING NEW. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU EXPECT ME TO HAVE ON SITE? SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 40 EMPLOYEES. I WOULD SAY ON AN AVERAGE YEAR, WE ADD, YOU KNOW, 2 TO 3 EMPLOYEES. WE'LL HAVE SPACE IN THAT BUILDING TO ADD, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN THAT. GREAT. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS? OH, GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS JARED LUTZ, AS SARAH MENTIONED WITH MICHIGAN GROWTH ADVISORS, WE ARE THE BROWNFIELD CONSULTANTS ON THIS PROJECT. JUST LIKE SARAH MENTIONED, WE THIS IS OUR FIRST NON-HOUSING BROWNFIELD PLAN IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON SINCE 2023. SO EXCITED TO DO AN ACTUAL FACILITY, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT HERE. BUILDING WAS BUILT, I BELIEVE, AROUND 1888 AS THE RAIL DEPOT OVER IN THAT CORRIDOR. SO BEING ABLE TO ACTIVATE THIS BUILDING, CLEAN UP THE EXISTING SITE, HOPEFULLY EXTEND THAT SIDEWALK FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIVITY. 
          WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ADVANTAGES LOOKING FOR THEIR LONG TERM HOME AS THEY'VE GROWN OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND REALLY MAKE THIS BUILDING AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF A WHAT IS LIKELY A HISTORIC STRUCTURE NOT LISTED, BUT, YOU KNOW, A MARQUEE BUILDING IN THIS MARKET, CAPITAL INVESTMENT IS ABOUT $3 MILLION. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE MICHIGAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR STATE CAPTURE ON THIS. AND AS SARAH MENTIONED, ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DDA AS IT'S IN THE DDA. SO THANK YOU. THANKS. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO COME UP AND COMMENT. SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THAT HEARING. OH, SORRY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING OUT THE DOOR. NO, OF COURSE NOT. I WOULDN'T WALK OUT ON YOU. RUSSELL OLMSTEAD, FIRST WARD RESIDENT, LOVE THIS BUILDING. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE BUILDINGS ON THE IN THE FIRST WARD. IT'S A FANTASTIC BUILDING. IF I COULD HAVE AFFORDED IT WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR SPACE FOR MY BUSINESS, I WOULD HAVE. BUT WE WOULD HAVE ONLY TAKEN A SMALL LITTLE PORTION OF IT. I GUESS WHAT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON IS WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT WE CAN INVEST AS A CITY. AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INVESTMENTS ON NECESSITIES INSIDE OF THE CITY, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT ECONOMIC OUTPUTS FROM THE BUDGET TALKS, EARLIER PRESENTATIONS OF LAST MONTH AND WHAT PROJECTIONS ARE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER PRIORITIES AROUND THAT AND PRIORITIES AROUND HOUSING, I THINK NEED TO STAY. FIRST AND FOREMOST. THE CITY HAS HUGE ECONOMIC GROWTH, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA OF THE CITY. GIGANTIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC INVESTMENT, FOR BUSINESSES, FOR ECONOMIC INVESTMENT AND USING OUR LIMITED RESOURCES IN ORDER TO HELP ON THOSE PRIVATE INVESTMENTS. I'M I'M NOT SURE IS THE BEST USE OF OUR, OUR, OUR LIMITED WHATEVER LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO PROJECTED BUDGET UNCERTAINTY IN THE COMING 4 OR 5 YEARS. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALL FOR I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND HAVING SOME OF THE THINGS WITHIN THIS PROJECT AS 
          [00:40:01]
FAR AS CREATING FUNDS FOR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT IN THAT? I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC. BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE SOME OF THESE INCENTIVES TOWARDS PRIVATE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE FOR PROFIT COMPANIES. I OWN MY OWN BUSINESS. I'M A FOR PROFIT COMPANY. WHEN I'M INVESTING IN SOMETHING, I AM GOING TO BE MAKING A PROFIT OFF OF THAT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS CITY RESOURCES, WE ARE PRIORITIZING INVESTMENT IN HOUSING, HOUSING, HOUSING, BECAUSE WE ARE SO DESPERATELY FAR BEHIND IT. AND ANY SORT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THAT INSTEAD OF PRIVATE BUSINESSES, I THINK WOULD BE A BETTER USE. THANK YOU. HOW Y'ALL DOING, DEE JONES AGAIN, THIS IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM BRIDGE STREET. I LOOK AT THIS BUILDING OF FOOTAGE. I FOOTED IT BY THIS BUILDING A LOT AS I WALKED TO CITY COMMISSION. I'LL JUST SAY THIS IF THIS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IS GOING TO BE THERE, I WILL BE KNOCKING AT YOU GUYS FACILITY TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT 3D PRINTING CONSTRUCTION. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE, PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ALREADY ABOUT YOU GUYS GETTING SOME TAXES WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE OUR TAX INCENTIVES SHOULD BE GOING TO HOUSING. SO I WILL BE SPEAKING TO ADVANTAGE ABOUT 3D PRINTING CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING TO CREATE A WORKFORCE AROUND 3D PRINTING CONSTRUCTION, AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ON THE WEST SIDE WITHOUT DEE JONES SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT 3D PRINTING CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? MY NAME IS KENNETH, AND I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS. AS A FOR PROFIT BUSINESS OWNER MYSELF, I DON'T GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DO ALL THE COMMUNITY WORK THAT I DO. I WORK WITH A LOT OF YOU AGAIN. I SEE YOU ALL THE TIME AND I DO IT OUT OF MY OWN POCKETS. I DO IT OUT OF THE GRANTS THAT I WRITE. I DO IT OUT OF EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE HOOPS I HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. NO DISRESPECT, BY THE WAY. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL COME IN AND DO GREAT WORK. I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET THE MONEY BECAUSE THAT'S JUST HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES USUALLY, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU ARE A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE GETTING READY TO HAPPEN. AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. I MAY HAVE MISSED THAT PART, BUT WE HAVE SOME VENUES GETTING READY TO OPEN UP. I THINK A LOT OF THESE DOLLARS NEED TO BE SPENT A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIBLY AS WELL. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING. I WATCHED THE NEWS THIS MORNING AND THEY CAN'T EVEN HIDE IT ANYMORE. THEY KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PEOPLE, PRIVATE ENTITIES THAT WANT TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER BUILDINGS, THAT'S COOL. BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS TO START FIGURING OUT THIS PARKING SITUATION, OR ACTUALLY, WE'RE ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS TOO LATE BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO OPEN. RIGHT. AND THEN NEXT YEAR, THE SOCCER STADIUM IS ABOUT TO OPEN, RIGHT? WE'VE DONE A BANG UP JOB OF CUTTING DOWN ALL OF OUR STREETS TO MAKE IT MORE BIKEABLE, TRYING TO FORCE PEOPLE TO BIKE. THAT'S COOL. WE ENJOY THAT. I ENJOY A SUNNY DAY JUST LIKE THE REST OF US, RIGHT? GET BACK GROUNDED OUTSIDE. BUT THERE'S STILL CARS ON THE STREET NOW. EVERYTHING'S ONE LANE EVERYWHERE WE GO. IT WAS ALREADY ONE WAY EVERYWHERE WE WENT DOWNTOWN. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD UP, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO FORCE EXPANSION AND WE'RE BRINGING TOURISTS IN. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR 12,000 SEATS AT THE VAN ANDEL, 12,000 SEATS AT THE AMPHITHEATER, 12,000 SEATS AT THE SOCCER STADIUM, 2800 SEATS AT 20 MONROE, NOT TO MENTION ALL THE CLUBS AND THE RESTAURANTS THAT ARE GETTING READY TO CONTINUE BOOMING BECAUSE OF ALL THIS TOURISM AND THE INFLUX OF DOLLARS COMING INTO THE CITY WHEN ALL THESE THINGS HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME, WE ONLY HAVE 18,000 SEATS ESTIMATED, MIND YOU, WITHIN A 15 MINUTE WALK. WHAT ABOUT THE ELDERLY? WHAT ABOUT THE DISABLED? WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN? REGULAR MILLENNIALS ARE NOT GOING TO SEE LIONEL RICHIE. I'M SORRY. RIGHT, BUT THE BUSSES STOP RUNNING AT 11. 
          LIONEL RICHIE'S NOT GOING TO GET DONE TILL 1030. HE MIGHT DO AN ENCORE WITH SOME COMMODORE STUFF. WHO KNOWS? SO NOW YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN FROM GRANVILLE, FROM SPARTA, FROM CASCADE. THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO PARK. THEY HAVE TO CALL AN UBER. UBER IS NOT WAITING IN LINE FOR AN HOUR TO COME PICK SOMEBODY UP. SORRY, MEEMAW. SO LET'S JUST BE A LITTLE BIT MORE WISE WITH HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY, PLEASE. NO ONE ELSE. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. 
          AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR MAYOR. MAYOR, I'M SORRY, I HAVE MY HAND UP. IS THAT OKAY IF I MAKE A COMMENT, OR DO YOU REALLY WANT TO CLOSE THE HEARING? YEAH, I THINK WE CAN CLOSE THE HEARING. IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING IN YOUR IN YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS, FEEL FREE. 
          [4. Public hearing to consider an application for an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for Falk Sheet Metal for a $5.4 Million project located at 1782 Northridge Drive NW in the Walkerview Industrial Park]
          [00:45:03]
YEAH. SO MISS ROMERO, IF YOU COME UP FOR OUR NEXT HEARING, THIS IS HEARING FOR THE INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE FOR THE FAQ SHEET METAL. HOLD ON. WRONG ONE. NOPE. REALLY? OH, YOU MEAN YOU GOT THE WRONG SLIDE UP? THE WRONG SLIDE UP. OKAY, THERE'S SOME GREAT PICTURES ON THAT SLIDE. OKAY, THIS LOOKS FAMILIAR. WE DID TALK ABOUT FORK BACK IN THE FALL, BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROJECT. FORK IS MAKING A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN THE FOR 25 AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF WALKER. AND SO THIS IS IN THE WALKER VIEW INDUSTRIAL PARK. THIS IS A THIS IS FORK SHEET METAL. IN THE FALL WE SAW FORK MATERIAL WOOL. SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. THEY ARE WORKING TO EXPAND THEIR OPERATION AND OPEN A NEW FACILITY. THE CONSTRUCTION. IT WILL BE A CONSTRUCTION, A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF 50,000FT■!S, ROUGHLY A PRODUCTION FACILITY AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF 5.4 MILLION. THE REASON YOU'RE ONLY SEEING A CERTIFICATE NOW, TYPICALLY WE SEE A DISTRICT AND A CERTIFICATE WHEN WE SEE INDUSTRIAL FACILITY ABATEMENTS, BUT THIS WAS PART OF A DISTRICT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019. AND SO WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE DISTRICT. SO THIS IS JUST ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE AT THIS TIME, WHICH WILL BE VALUED OVER THE 12 YEAR PERIOD AT ABOUT 1.1 MILLION. AND AGAIN, THIS IS PURSUANT TO THE 425 AGREEMENT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF WALKER. I'VE GOT HENRY SMITS, WHO'S THE CONTROLLER OF FORK. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HIM UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMISSION. I'M HENRY SMITS, I'M THE CONTROLLER FOR FORK SHEET METAL AND FOR THE OTHER FORK COMPANIES. AS YOU KNOW, FORK IS GROWING VERY, VERY QUICKLY IN WALKER. EVERY YEAR WE ARE SURPRISING OURSELVES WITH HOW QUICKLY THAT WE ARE GROWING. AND AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW, THEN WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR FOR MORE AND MORE SPACE. ALSO, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO OUTSOURCE MANUFACTURING TO OTHER AREAS OR TO OR EVEN OUT OF STATE, BUT TO, BUT TO KEEP IT HERE LOCAL, BUT ALSO KEEP SAFE, ERGONOMIC AND COMFORTABLE WORKING CONDITIONS AND WELL PAID JOBS HERE LOCALLY. AND SO, AND THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE ALSO MAKING THIS MAJOR INVESTMENT IN THIS NEW FACILITY. THIS IS ALSO RIGHT NOW SOMETHING THAT WE ARE DOING. THIS IS A THIS BUILDING WILL, WILL BASICALLY CONTAIN A ACTIVITY THAT WE ARE DOING IN OUR CURRENT MANUFACTURING BUILDING. BUT AS WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO OUT TO OUTGROW IT EVENTUALLY AND ACTUALLY VERY, VERY SOON. SO BEFORE WE ARE REALLY IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE SAFETY BECOMES A CONCERN. WE ARE MAKING THE INVESTMENT NOW, JUST JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FACILITATE OUR OUR GROWTH, BUT ALSO MAINTAIN A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AND ERGONOMIC WORKING CONDITION. AND ALSO THAT WE HAVE ROOM FOR, FOR GROWTH HERE LOCALLY. I, I DO WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSION FOR YOUR SUPPORT THUS FAR FOR ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE ALL OF THE FORK ACTIVITIES. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE GROWING VERY, VERY RAPIDLY AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO FAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY MEMBERS FROM THE PUBLIC WISH TO COME UP AND COMMENT ON THIS? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THIS HEARING. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR SECOND 
          [PUBLIC COMMENTS]
OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME UP AND SHARE THOUGHTS WITH US ON ANY ITEM CAN DO. SO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK AS YOU GO AND TELL US WHAT PART OF THE CITY YOU LIVE IN. THAT'D BE AWESOME. 
          AND MR. JONES, DO YOU LIVE IN THE FIRST WARD? WE ALREADY KNOW THAT. HOW Y'ALL? HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M D JONES, PASSIONATE ENTREPRENEUR AND VISIONARY. FIRST OFF, JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS HBCU INITIATIVE AND INCREASE IN DIGITAL EQUITY, BUT ACTUALLY GETTING 3D PRINTING, CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES LIKE GAUDI TECH THAT HAS 3D PRINTED 17 BUILDINGS IN DUBAI, 400 PLUS PROJECTS ACROSS THE GLOBE, ACTUALLY GETTING THIS 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO STEP ALONGSIDE OF D JONES AND OTHER HBCUS TO ACTUALLY EDUCATE BLACK PEOPLE ON REAL ESTATE, ON 3D PRINTING, CONSTRUCTION, PRIORITIZING AFRICAN AMERICANS FOR FAR TOO LONG. HISTORICALLY 400 PLUS YEARS, AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE LITERALLY BUILT AMERICA. WE HAVE LITERALLY WE ARE AMERICAN HISTORY, AFRICAN AMERICAN, THE ESSENCE AND ETHER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN SPIRIT IS US HISTORY. AND SO FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE, PRIORITIZE 
          [00:50:03]
AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE $600 TRILLION INDUSTRY, REAL ESTATE IS 600 TRILLION. AND WE NEVER PRIORITIZE AFRICAN AMERICANS WITH ANY REAL POLICY. BUT ME BEING THE LEFT HANDED, CARING, COMPASSIONATE GENIUS THAT I HAPPEN TO BE, I GOT THESE PEOPLE FROM THESE 3D PRINTED CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND THESE HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES TO ACTUALLY STEP ALONGSIDE OF ME, TO DEVELOP CURRICULA, TO ACTUALLY EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS IN THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ALL ACROSS THE NATION. I ACTUALLY SEEN SOMETHING THAT THE CITIZENS STUDY THAT THE CITIZENS GROUP DID, BUT SINCE 1990, RACISM AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS HAS COST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 60 TRILLION BUCKS. I MEAN, 6600. I MEAN 60 TRILLION. THAT'S A LOT OF CASH, 60 TRILLION, JUST BY NOT PRIORITIZING AFRICAN AMERICANS SINCE 2020, WE COULD HAVE HAD 16 TRILLION GOING INTO THE US ECONOMY. BUT WE KEEP DISPLAYING THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF RACISM TOWARDS AFRICAN AMERICANS. IT IS NOT PROFITABLE TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND SO HERE BEING IN THE SECOND WORST CITY IN THE AND FOR ECONOMICS IN AMERICA, THE CITY OF GR, THAT'S WHY I YELLED OUT LOUD AND I SAID, 1.2 TRILLION SO Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME BECAUSE I NEEDED TO PUT THAT OUT TO THE UNIVERSE HERE IN THE SECOND WORST CITY FOR ECONOMICS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE YOUR ACTIONS, YOUR BELIEFS, YOUR THOUGHTS CREATE THE REALITY AROUND YOU. AND I BELIEVE ONE DAY I'LL STAND IN KENT COUNTY AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL BE DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OR THE REPUBLICANS WILL CONTINUOUSLY CONTROL THE COUNTY. BUT I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE 3D PRINTED HOUSES. I KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST AN ECONOMY THAT I KNOW THAT I CAN HELP BUILD WORK FOR EVERYONE. AND I HOPE THAT DAVID, AS THE SENATE BANKING COMMITTEE IS CLOSE TO ACTUALLY PUTTING THIS CLARITY ACT ONTO THE FLOOR. AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN FEDERAL REGULATIONS AROUND CRYPTOCURRENCY, DAVID, THAT YOU ACTUALLY SUPPORTED AND ACTUALLY UTILIZE IT BECAUSE THEY CAN DO THE SOCIAL GOOD. THE ROTHSCHILD AND ROCKEFELLER BANKING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK FOR EVERY CONSTITUENT, BUT CRYPTOCURRENCY CAN. THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M DEB VAN DUINEN. I'M A MEMBER OF OAKDALE PARK CHURCH AND A VOLUNTEER WITH TOGETHER WEST MICHIGAN. HI, I'M ANTHONY MCCONNELL, THIRD WARD. I'M CHAMPAIGN MCCONNELL, A THIRD WARD RESIDENT, JUST HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF OAKDALE NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS CONCERNED RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS WHO CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THE TRAFFIC SAFETY ON KALAMAZOO AVE. COULD YOU PLEASE STAND. THANK YOU. WE RECENTLY HEARD THAT THERE ARE MANY PLANS FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY IN OUR CITY, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S A GREAT NEED. OUR CONCERN IS BETWEEN EVERGREEN AND HALL ON KALAMAZOO STREET, WHERE THERE ARE SEVERAL CROSS STREETS WITH LIMITED SIGHT. WE'VE HEARD THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY FOR A FOUR WAY STOP COSTING $20,000 AT KALAMAZOO AND ADAMS. WE BELIEVE THERE ARE ALSO. THERE'S ALSO A NEED FOR FLASHING CROSSWALKS OF A FEW BLOCKS, WHICH IS NORTH OF THERE. EWING OR HANCOCK, WHICH IS OFF OF KALAMAZOO AS WELL. THIS WOULD COST $125,000. BOTH OF THESE SOLUTIONS WOULD MAKE THE CORRIDOR SAFER. AS YOU BEGIN WORK ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET, WE URGE YOU TO KEEP THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE NEIGHBORS AREA IN BOSTON SQUARE. 
          OUR RESIDENTS NEED TO SEE ACTION ON THEIR BEHALF BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS WORK. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR THIRD WARD COMMISSIONERS, KILGORE AND PURDUE FOR JUST CONSISTENTLY WORKING WITH US ON THIS TRAFFIC ISSUE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DENNIS RODRIGUEZ. I'M A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST AT THE FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER. I WORK WITH THE SEEKING SAFETY PROGRAM. I'M HERE TO THANK THE CITY FOR THE CONTINUED FUNDING AND SUPPORTING OUR WORK AND EXPANDING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. FAMILY OUTREACH CENTER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO IMPLEMENT A MODIFIED SEEKING SAFETY PROGRAM FOR MEN OF COLOR WHO'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY TRAUMA AND VIOLENCE. WE STARTED THIS TEN YEARS AGO WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND FEDERAL FUNDING. TODAY, WE CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOUTH IMPACT IMPACTED BY TRAUMA, VIOLENCE AND SUBSTANCE USE, MANY OF WHOM GO TO GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OTHERS ARE REFERRED TO US BY THE 61ST DISTRICT COURT'S TASK PROGRAM. THE TASK PROGRAM IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. IF THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH SUBSTANCE USE OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THEY GET PUT IN THE TASK PROGRAM AND IT'S IF THEY COMPLETE ALL THE CLASSES AND THERAPY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET THEIR CHARGES DROPPED OR REDUCED, AND THEY GET REFERRED TO SEEKING SAFETY AS A PART OF THAT TASK PROGRAM. AND OUR GOAL 
          [00:55:03]
WITH THESE TASK PARTICIPANTS ARE TO IMPROVE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM. 
          OUR WORK GOES BEYOND GROUP THERAPY AND PEER SUPPORT. WE HELP PARTICIPANTS APPLY FOR JOBS, OBTAIN WORK PERMITS, APPLY FOR COLLEGE, AND WE PROVIDE THEM WITH BICYCLES IF THEY NEED TRANSPORTATION. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST THERAPY, IT'S MENTORSHIP AND GUIDANCE, AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY FOR THE PARTNERSHIP, AND THESE FUNDS ALLOW US TO CONTINUE SERVING YOUNG MEN MOST IN NEED, HELP THEM HEAL, GROW, AND BUILD A BETTER FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO AGAIN. I'M JUST UP HERE TO FINISH A LITTLE BIT. THREE MINUTES RAN OUT. I'M NOT GOING TO KEEP HARPING ON THE STUFF WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE CONCERNING WITH JUST THE TRAFFIC FLOW. AND I WANT TO KEEP MAKING SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GROW AS A CITY, WE WANT TO BE PROGRESSIVE. THERE'S NEW FACES COMING INTO LEADERSHIP ALL THE TIME WITH THESE GREAT IDEAS. AND I FEEL LIKE OVER THE 24 YEARS I'VE BEEN IN GRAND RAPIDS, I'VE WATCHED ALL OF THEM GET SUCKED UP INTO THE SYSTEM AND KIND OF FORGET ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WHEN THEY STARTED. RIGHT. AND WE WANT TO FIX THINGS. WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. LIKE THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF LEADERSHIP IS I KNOW THAT I CAN MAKE A CHANGE. I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING BETTER. SO WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET BLINDED BY THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN JADED, RIGHT? SO WITH TRAFFIC, WE ARE GOING BACKWARDS. 
          OUR BUS SYSTEMS, THE DASH JUST DECIDED THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER SERVE THE EXPANSIVE SPACES THAT THEY HAVE. RIGHT. AND THE ROUTES THAT THEY'VE BEEN SERVING. WE NEED THE DASH. SO A LOT OF THIS MONEY THAT'S GETTING THROWN IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO DO OR PEOPLE HAVE TO DO RIGHT, TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THAT GETS KIND OF REROUTED TO THE DASH. WE NEED THE DASH, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE CATCHING BUSSES TO ALL OF OUR ATTRACTIONS. IF THE DASH ISN'T RUNNING, WE'RE GOING TO FAIL THE ACTUAL BUSSES THEMSELVES, THE CITY BUSSES. I KNOW THAT'S A DIFFERENT SYSTEM. IT FEELS LIKE IT'S THE SAME, BUT IT'S NOT JUST FOR ANYBODY WHO'S WONDERING, RIGHT? SO WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR THEM TOO. HOW DO WE FIND IT? THAT'S NOT FOR ME. THAT'S FOR YOU ALL. WE NEED TO FIND IT, THOUGH, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DRIVERS. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROUTES. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND I WAS CATCHING THE BUS REGULARLY, THERE WAS MORE ROUTES THAN THERE ARE NOW. WHEN THEY FIRST EXPANDED, THEY RAN MORE OFTEN. YOU GO TO BIGGER CITIES. WE WANT TO BE A BIG CITY. WE ARE NOT MAKING THE STRIDES TO ACTUALLY BE A PRODUCTIVE BIG CITY IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT. BECAUSE YOU GO TO OTHER CITIES AND THE BUSSES RUN ALL NIGHT LONG, YOU CAN GO TO THE PARTY. WHAT'S THE POINT OF ME GOING TO A PARTY? BUT NOW YOU'RE KIND OF FORCING ME TO DRIVE HOME BECAUSE THE BUS STOP RUNNING, YOU KIND OF FORCING ME TO WAIT FOR 45 MINUTES FOR AN UBER. BUT THEN THE PRICES ARE $60 AN UBER BECAUSE THE SURGEON, I WANT TO GET ON THE BUS, NOT ME PERSONALLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MINDSET AND I'M HEARING IT FROM PEOPLE EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG. SO THESE ARE SOME TOP TIER THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO, TO WORRY ABOUT. OBVIOUSLY THE PARKING BEING THE BIGGEST ONE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DRIVE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU WANT EVERYBODY TO GET ON THE BIKE. PEOPLE AIN'T GETTING ON BIKES LIKE THAT, ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE WINTER. THIS IS A SIX MONTH COLD STATE. 
          WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, RIGHT? SO WE NEED PARKING. WE NEED BUSSES AND BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT. I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE A LIGHT TRAIN RAIL SYSTEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WELL. AND THEN WE NEED TO MAYBE SAVE SOME MONEY I GUESS. I DON'T KNOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO, MY NAME IS SHANNON. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD. FIRSTLY, I WANTED TO THANK COMMISSIONER KILGORE FOR BEING THE DISSENTING VOTE ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT. THANK YOU FOR EXPECTING BETTER OF THAT BODY. AND I HOPE THAT YOUR COMMENTS INSPIRE THE APPOINTMENT TO IMPROVE AND DO BETTER. THE REST OF MY COMMENTS ARE ALONG A SIMILAR VEIN AS THE PERSON BEFORE ME. I THINK IT'S A TERRIBLE IDEA TO REDUCE DASH SERVICE. WHO DOES THAT BENEFIT? NO ONE, EXCEPT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL STILL BE SERVED BY THE DASH, THE ARENAS, THE HOTELS, THE PERFORMANCE HALLS. IT WON'T BENEFIT RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. IT WON'T BENEFIT OWNERS OF BUSINESSES OUTSIDE OF THE IMMEDIATE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND IT WON'T BENEFIT TOURISTS WHO WANT TO SEE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE ARENAS AND THE PERFORMANCE HALLS. ON A RELATED NOTE, I. EVERYONE KEEPS HEARING ABOUT 
          [01:00:01]
PLANS TO RAISE PRICING FOR PARKING. AS THE PREVIOUS PERSON SAID, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING IN THIS CITY, AND I THINK RAISING THE PRICES ON PARKING IS A STUPID IDEA. IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO VISIT BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN. BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO RAISE PRICES ON PARKING, THEN YOU NEED TO FUNNEL THAT MONEY TOWARDS THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET AROUND DOWNTOWN. YOU CAN'T EXPECT PEOPLE TO COME SPEND MONEY DOWNTOWN IF THEY ALSO HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON PARKING. WE NEED BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND WE NEED PLACES FOR PLACES OUTSIDE OF THE TOWN FOR TOURISTS TO COME PARK AND THEN HOP A BUS TO THE ARENA OR WHATEVER MUSEUM OR WHATEVER THEY'RE VISITING SO THAT THEY DON'T CLOG OUR STREETS AND OUR PARKING SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO FIND ANY WAY TO AVOID FULTON STREET. WHENEVER THERE'S A CONCERT AT THE VAN ANDEL. TOURISM IS GREAT FOR THE ECONOMY, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE. SO THAT'S MY MAIN POINT. WE NEED VASTLY IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. AND INSTEAD OF FUNNELING PARKING MONEY TO THE POLICE, WHICH ALREADY HAS AN OVERINFLATED BUDGET, WE SHOULD FUNNEL THAT TO THE BUS SYSTEM, TO THE DASH, TO ANY SORT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. THANK YOU. MARK BACK. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SINCLAIR BROADCASTING AND MEDIA. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE. FAR RIGHT COMPANY. WHOSE OBJECTIVE IS TO BASICALLY SABOTAGE THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AN ARTICLE FROM THE BALTIMORE SUN, WHICH IS OWNED BY SINCLAIR. 
          THEY'RE TRYING TO GO AFTER THE ONLY BLACK GOVERNOR IN THIS COUNTRY. WHAT'S MORE, FROM MARYLAND. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE DOING IT, BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS TO SABOTAGE HIS GOVERNORSHIP. IT'S NOT GOOD. AND FURTHERMORE, THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING OUT FALSE NARRATIVES ABOUT THE CRIME IN BALTIMORE, WHICH IS ALSO NOT GOOD. CRIME IN BALTIMORE IS DOWN. IT MIGHT NOT BE DOWN TO ZERO, BUT IT'S DOWN NONETHELESS. THIS COMPANY. ARE SNAKES. IF THEY CAN DO IT IN MARYLAND, THEY CAN DO IT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THESE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT. THEY WERE BIG DONORS IN THE ORANGE FELON'S CAMPAIGN, PRODUCING DARK MONEY ADS TO HELP HIM WIN THIS PRESIDENCY. THIS COMPANY OWNS SEVERAL TV STATIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING CHANNEL THREE IN KALAMAZOO AND GRAND RAPIDS. I SUGGEST THESE INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE MONITORED. FOR THEIR HOODWINKING AND FALSE NARRATIVES THAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY. THIS IS A RIGHT WING, PROPAGANDIST COMPANY THAT NEEDS TO BE CHECKED. AND IT NEEDS TO BE CHECKED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IF THEY CAN DO IT THERE, THEY CAN DO IT HERE. REVENGE 2026. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MICHAEL SCRUGGS AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR RECEIVING ME TODAY. I'M A CITIZEN OF GRAND RAPIDS. I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP IN MY COMMUNITY. WHEN I COMMUNITY, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT POLICE CONDUCT. WE HAVE A CIVILIAN APPEAL BOARD TALKING 
          [01:05:02]
ABOUT THEY WANT SUBPOENA POWER. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT DO BUSINESS AS USUAL, BUT DO SOMETHING ELSE. MAYBE START LOOKING AT STATUTORY POWER. BUT WHAT IS STATUTORY POWER? WELL, STATUTORY POWER WOULD ASSURE THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS GET THE DUE PROCESS THAT THEY WANT, THAT WE AS A CITY BE IN DUE FORM. AND THEN ALONG WITH TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS GET THE TRANSPARENCY THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, HOW DO WE DO THAT? WELL, WE DO THAT BY HAVING OUR CITY MANAGER THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS. TRY TO GET THE POLICE UNION TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT TO ELIMINATE THE POLICE BOARD OR THAT DEPARTMENT THAT DEALS WITH POLICE CONDUCT AND HIRE SOMEONE TO COME IN THAT HAVE STATUTORY POWER, AN ARBITRATOR OR A FEDERAL ARBITRATOR. THIS WAY, NO ONE GO AWAY DISSATISFIED. IF ONE IS DISSATISFIED. THEN THEY CAN ALWAYS APPEAL TO THE APPELLATE COURT. THE LEGAL SYSTEM. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST FOR OUR CITIZENS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST FOR OUR POLICE OFFICER. OTHER THAN THAT, THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE US AGAINST THEM. WE DON'T NEED THAT. SO BRINGING IN SOMEONE THAT'S INDEPENDENT MAKES SENSE. 
          THEN LOOKING AT THIS IN CHICAGO AND OTHER CITIES, SO THEY PROBABLY ALREADY DID THE WORK. 
          SO WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OF THAT DATA OR THE INVESTIGATION THEY HAVE DONE IN THAT AREA. AND WE PROBABLY CAN CONSIDER THIS. AND I'M HERE TO HOPE THAT YOU ALL WOULD CONSIDER THAT IT'S NOTHING BUT A PHONE CALL. THANK YOU. SEEING NO ONE ELSE, I WILL TURN TO MY COLLEAGUES. 
          [COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]
COMMISSIONER KNIGHT, CALL ME OFF GUARD. YOU DON'T WANT TO GO FIRST. HEY. THAT'S OKAY. WE CAN MOVE DOWN THE LINE. COMMISSIONER KILGORE. NO, I I'M, YOU KNOW, CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD 447 DAYS, JUST SO EVERYBODY REMEMBERS WHERE WE'RE AT. GRATEFUL FOR THE YOU ALL SHOWING UP HERE TODAY AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERN. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND I THINK I TALKED TO CITY MANAGER ABOUT THAT. THE MOBILE GR HOPEFULLY IS GOING TO BE KIND OF BRINGING FORTH A PRESENTATION ON SOME OF THE CHANGES AROUND THE DASH, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN INFORMATION COMES OUT, THERE MAY BE A PIECE THAT COMES OUT AND WE GRAB AHOLD OF THAT PIECE AND WE DON'T SEE THE WHOLE PORTION. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM MOBILE GR ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES. AND YES, SOMETIMES THINGS ARE PAINFUL, BUT IF I GOT $5 AND GAS IS SIX, IF I CAN'T NEGOTIATE WITH YOU, THEN I'M OUT. I GOTTA GO WITH THE $5 THAT I HAVE, RIGHT? TO TRY TO MAKE THINGS WORK. AND I THINK THAT SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE COME UP WITH, LOOKING AT OUR PARKING SITUATION, HOW WE'RE UTILIZING PARKING IN THE CITY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT USING IT EFFECTIVELY, WE'RE JUST NOT. AND THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. AND I THINK ONCE THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PRESENT WHAT THE BIGGER PICTURE LOOKS LIKE AND WHY THE CHANGES HAVE TO BE MADE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY TO MITIGATE AND HELP OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITY BE ABLE TO BE MORE MOBILE IN THE COMMUNITY, EVEN WITH THE EXPANSION OF AMENITIES THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY. I MEAN, WHEN THE AMPHITHEATER OPENS, NO, I DON'T WANT TO BE DRIVING DOWNTOWN, BUT I'LL HAVE AN OPTION ON HOW TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND IF I NEED TO. AND SO I THINK ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR TRANSIT LOOKS LIKE. WAS ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION TODAY ON OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND AND SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT THEY ARE RESEARCHING AND BRINGING FORTH. AND THIS GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME, AND THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE. HOWEVER, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED TO THIS BODY TODAY ARE VERY HOPEFUL IN BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS TO CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WHEN I HEARD SOMEONE EARLIER AT A ROMA NAREB EVENT THE OTHER DAY TRYING TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MAKING THAT 
          [01:10:07]
TERMINOLOGY MORE AROUND ENTRY LEVEL, RIGHT? BECAUSE AFFORDABLE IS NOT THE SAME TO EVERYBODY. AND SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THAT SPACE AND TO, TO CREATE THEIR OWN HOME, THEIR OWN WEALTH BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES IN COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. SO BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE OTHER RESOURCES AND ENTRY WAYS INTO THAT SPACE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO CARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND TO CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH FOR THEIR FOR THEIR FUTURE AND BE ABLE TO HAVE THE INCOME NECESSARY TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND THAT INFORMATION. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT COMES OUT OF THE NEXT ITERATION AS THEY CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE NEXT STEPS, NOT ONLY HERE LOCALLY, BUT EVEN ON THE STATE LEVEL AND HOW THE TWO OF THOSE CONNECT TOGETHER TO HELP US CONTINUE TO GROW AS A COMMUNITY. SO I KNOW SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION DOESN'T COME WHILE WE'RE SITTING AND THINKING ABOUT THINGS AND LOOKING AT THINGS, BUT IT IS COMING. AND SO ALWAYS GRATEFUL AND OPEN TO HAVING COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THAT. I THINK WE ALL ARE VERY OPEN AND AMENABLE TO, TO TALKING THROUGH THINGS. AND WE MAY NOT ALWAYS KNOW THE BEST WAY, BUT HEARING FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US MAKE BETTER CHOICES AND BEING ABLE TO BE MORE INFORMED IS IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANKS EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TODAY. I JUST HAD A FEW THINGS. ONE, THIS IS MORE OF A CLARIFICATION FROM EARLIER, BUT MISS CLAREN SHARED IN OUR IN OUR FISCAL MEETING COLLEAGUES, THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT COMPTROLLER MADE ABOUT A NEGATIVE AMOUNT ON ONE OF THE REPORTS. AND MISS KAREN, THANK YOU FOR. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S HERE, BUT THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. AND THANK YOU TO OUR DEPUTY COMPTROLLER FOR ALSO CLARIFYING THAT WITH MISS CLARA. AND SO WORKING TOGETHER, IT WAS IT WAS REGARDING A RETURN CHECK. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LOT TODAY ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND OUR FISCAL SERVICES. SO I APPRECIATE BOTH OUR DEPUTY COMPTROLLER AND OUR CFO FOR WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THAT CLARIFIED WITH US SO QUICKLY. 
          SECOND, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT HEALTHY HOMES COALITION, THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A JOB FAIR THIS WEEK. THIS WEEK, THE 18TH, YES, SATURDAYS THE 18TH. AND SO CHECK OUT THEM FOR MORE INFORMATION. I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE HEAR INDIVIDUALS COME UP AND SHARE DIFFERENT PIECES AND PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW ALL OF THE HISTORY. AND SO THE THE GENTLEMAN WHO CAME UP TO TALK ABOUT SEEKING SAFETY, I REMEMBER WHEN THAT ORIGINAL DOJ, DOJ GRANT CAME AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ITERATIONS BECAUSE SOMETIMES THERE'S MONEY AND SOMETIMES THERE'S NOT MONEY. AND SO I SAID, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KEEP ON SHARING DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING SOME WORK. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT. AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT OUR NORTH QUARTER, OUR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL, NORTH QUARTER CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY. SO WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT TODAY ABOUT THE DID, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HEARD, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US SERVE ON A CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY AND I WON'T GO AND NAME THEM ALL, BUT WE RECENTLY DID SOME REBRANDING TO BE THE CRESTON CORRIDOR AUTHORITY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE ALL EITHER RESIDENTS OR BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME, QUITE HONESTLY, AND MANY OF THEM ARE VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THIS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND VERA FOR WORKING TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY. AND SO LET'S SEE IF YOU ALL GET IT. CRESTON. THERE'S NOTHING PLAIN ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S ON PLAINFIELD. IT TOOK ME A MINUTE. BUT AGAIN, AND I THINK THAT IS THE GOAL. YOU KNOW, WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR. AND I WILL SAY, I KNOW THIS ENTIRE BODY AND OUR CITY STAFF ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE CONNECT DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SO GREAT THAT WE HAVE THESE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY. SO I KNOW MANY ARE ANTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY BECOME INVOLVED WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THESE, YOU KNOW, ONCE IN A LIFETIME INVESTMENTS OF AMPHITHEATER AND SOCCER STADIUM AND ARE THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IF WE LIVED IN CHICAGO, I'D PROBABLY I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE WALKED TO WORK TODAY, BUT I DIDN'T. AND SO MAYBE THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT, COMMISSIONER, YOU AND I CAN TAKE UP ONE DAY FROM THE NORTH END. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, CHECK OUT THAT BRANDING. IT'S AGAIN, IT'S CRESTON, NOTHING PLAIN ABOUT IT. YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME OF THESE EFFORTS. SO THANK YOU TO MISS BEHRENS AND TEAM. YOU'LL START TO SEE SOME DIFFERENT SIGNAGE AS WELL AS YOU ARE EITHER HEADING NORTH OR COMING INTO THE CITY. HOPEFULLY YOU'RE COMING THAT WAY AND THE DIVISION CONSTRUCTION IS DONE, SO WE'RE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANTED TO AND I DON'T KNOW, COMMISSIONER BLASZCZYK, IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL SAVE THEM. BUT I, 
          [01:15:03]
I WAS WONDERING BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME THOUGHT ABOUT JUST IN TERMS OF OUR BROWNFIELD PROGRAM AND DOLLARS AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TOOLS TODAY WE HAD A REALLY GOOD PRESENTATION ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND, AND IT TALKED QUITE A BIT AGAIN, AS ONE OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS. BUT WE'RE REALLY USING A VARIETY OF THEM IN THAT TOOLKIT. AND SO I DON'T KNOW, PROBABLY CITY MANAGER, YOU MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AROUND THAT. JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE GENERAL FUND? WHAT IS THAT? AND, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, I KNOW WHAT IT IS. AND, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT JUST OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO DEFINE AND IDENTIFY HOW WE'RE USING DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, BOTH THAT ARE LOCAL AND STATEWIDE. THEN I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE MISS LILIBETH NOW WENT, BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT IS COMING UP ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH, AND THAT IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING AT GRACE UNIVERSITY. AND AN AMAZING DAY THAT IS STAFF LED, NEIGHBOR LED. THERE'S GOING TO BE LIKE YOGA. I HEARD A RUMOR THERE WAS GOING TO BE COUSINS, SO MAYBE IT'S NOT A RUMOR ANYMORE, BUT AND HEALTHY OPTIONS TOO. BUT COUSINS IS A IS A AND A WORKSHOP BY THE CLERK WITH AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK WE ALL FEEL THIS ALL THE TIME. AND YOU KNOW, THERE IS THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO CAME OUT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GREAT. WE'RE GETTING THIS INVESTMENT. AND THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO SAID, I WANT YOU TO DO MORE IN DIFFERENT AND BETTER. I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S MORE THAN OKAY. 
          THAT IS THE TENSION THAT WE MUST LIVE WITH. AND I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ACCEPT WHEN WE COME UP HERE IS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT WE'RE NOT EXPECTING PEOPLE TO SAY YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT ALL THE TIME. BUT A LOT OF THE STORIES AND THE THANK YOUS TODAY, I THINK, WERE ABOUT AND NOT EVEN REALLY THE CITY COMMISSIONERS, BUT IT'S STAFF PUTTING TOGETHER THESE PROJECTS, BRAIDING THIS FUNDING, CONNECTING THE DOTS TO GET THESE MONIES OUT THE DOOR. 
          AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHERE OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REALLY QUESTIONABLE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS. WE'RE TRYING TO COME IN. WE ARE WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME BUDGET. BUT I DID WANT TO WANT TO SAY THAT ABOUT SUMMIT. SO I HOPE YOU COME OUT. 
          I THINK THERE'S STILL TIME TO SIGN UP. AND THEN LASTLY, I'D BE REMISS. YOUR TAXES ARE DUE FOR THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS ON APRIL 30TH, RIGHT? APRIL 30TH IS THE DAY SEEING A HEAD NOD. 
          IS THAT RIGHT, AUDRA? OH, SORRY. WRONG DEPARTMENT. MY BAD. AND BUT EVERY, EVERY YEAR I GET SOME PEOPLE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THEY DIDN'T TAKE OUT MY CITY TAX. SO JUST A REMINDER, THERE'S ACTUALLY A CLINIC, I THINK ON THE 25TH THAT THE INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT IS DOING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NEED HELP FILING FOR THEIR CITY TAXES, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU CAN GET PREP FOR STATE AND FEDERAL, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT DO CITY, BUT DON'T GET CAUGHT UP. 
          THAT DID HAPPEN TO ME ONE TIME WHEN I WAS WORKING IN HOLLAND. SO A COUPLE OF PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OH, WELL, YEAH, I WAS GOING TO I'LL LET ONE OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES DO THAT. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT LITTLE OUR LITTLE SWEARING IN THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR NEW CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE DECENT WEATHER. FINALLY. SO ONE COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT WE VOTED ON TODAY AND THAT'S RELATED TO SOME OF THE APPOINTMENTS, PARTICULARLY THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE CIVILIAN APPEALS BOARD. SO COMMISSIONERS, INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS GET APPOINTMENTS. AND ONE OF THE APPOINTMENTS THAT WAS MADE TODAY IS GOING TO REPLACE A LONG STANDING MEMBER. AND SO WHY I SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US MAKING OUR DECISION. I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT AS WE ARE BEGINNING TO TALK ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CIVILIAN APPEALS BOARD, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOSING A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT HISTORIC KNOWLEDGE. AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE REALIZE THAT AS WE PREPARED FOR THE TIMING ON THIS, BUT I DO WANT TO NAME THAT I'VE TALKED TO OUR DIRECTOR OF OPA, AND HE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THIS FORMER CHAIR, LONG STANDING MEMBER WILL, WILL REMAIN PART OF THE PROCESS. I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RETAIN HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND THROUGH LINES, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ARE IN TIMES OF THINKING THROUGH AND ASKING, HOW CAN WE BE BETTER? SO I WANT TO NAME THAT IN TERMS OF CONCERNS THAT I HEARD DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, CERTAINLY PARKING AND PUBLIC TRANSIT BEING A BIG THEME. I WANT TO NAME FOR KENNETH THAT THE RAPID AND THE RAPID BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR BUS SYSTEM. AND SO THEY WILL BE THE BEST COLLABORATORS AND THE BEST AUDIENCE FOR SOME OF THE SPECIFIC FEEDBACK THAT HE AND OTHERS HAD ON THAT. ALSO HER CONCERNS AROUND HOUSING TRAFFIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. TOGETHER, WEST MICHIGAN AND OAKDALE PARK NEIGHBORS FOR ALL YOU'VE BEEN DOING TO BRING ATTENTION TO TRAFFIC CONCERNS IN YOUR AREA, SAFETY CONCERNS, AND EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR DURING THE UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS. A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE 
          [01:20:01]
OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE OUR ROLES AND OUR OUR TOOLS DIFFERENTLY. AND SO I HEARD THAT AS A CONCERN AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO CELEBRATE A FEW THINGS THAT WE DID TODAY. AND THAT IS THERE IS A PROJECT ON OAKDALE AND EASTERN 801 OAKDALE, WHICH IS SEVERAL PARCELS OWNED LOCALLY, AND WE APPROVED SOME REALLY IMPORTANT FINANCING AND TECH SUPPORT FOR THEM SO THAT THEY CAN REVITALIZE REALLY ESSENTIALLY A QUARTER OF THE DISTRICT, A HUGE, A HUGE BUILDING, A HUGE SECTION OF THAT DISTRICT. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT COME TO FRUITION. IT'S REALLY GOING TO CHANGE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THAT AREA. AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH THAT OWNER FOR AT LEAST A YEAR NOW. PLUS. AND SO IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE FOLKS, PARTICULARLY LOCAL FOLKS WHO IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME THERE, EMERGING DEVELOPER MEET THOSE DIFFERENT MILESTONES IN THE PROJECT. AND TODAY WAS A HUGE ONE FOR, FOR HER. SO CONGRATULATIONS, TASHA. AND LIKEWISE FOR M VILLAGE. GREAT TO SEE YOU HERE. EXCITED THAT WE CAN SUPPORT YOU THROUGH OUR PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS TO GET YOUR PROJECT OFF THE GROUND. 
          BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE IN THE THIRD WARD. BOTH OF THEM WERE DREAMED ABOUT AND PURSUED AS FIRST TIME NEW DEVELOPERS IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE HOUSING, PROVIDE ATTAINABLE HOUSING, BOTH RENTAL AND OWNERSHIP OPTIONS, AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS SPACE. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WORTH CELEBRATING. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL SOON. OH, I WILL MENTION, I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, I HAVE AN ONLINE BRIEFING CALLED LET'S TALK THIRD WARD, WHERE I GIVE UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CITY HALL, WHAT DECISIONS ARE COMING UP, AS WELL AS WHAT ARE MORE OF THE WINS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING, AND WHAT DECISIONS ARE COMING UP THAT YOU CAN WEIGH INTO? AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE. YOU MIGHT RSVP ON MY WEBSITE AT W W W PURDUE.COM RSVP, AND YOU'LL GET A REMINDER EMAIL WITH ALL THE JOINING INFORMATION. THANK YOU. 
          SURE. THANK YOU. THIS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE BECAUSE THIS MEETING TODAY HAS BEEN SO DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST FEW THAT WE'VE HAD. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION THAT WITH PEOPLE BRINGING IDEAS AND SHARING IN THE WINS AS WELL, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE TODAY AND YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF THAT. I WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. I THINK THAT GRAND RAPIDS IS IN A DEFINING MOMENT, AND IT'S KIND OF AN EXCITING TIME. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CHALLENGES, WE ARE A STRONG, STABLE CITY, AND WE'RE A CITY THAT'S EXPERIENCING REAL GROWTH AND REAL OPPORTUNITY TO RISE AND BE A REAL NATIONAL LEADER IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED AS. AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DIFFERENT CITIES THAT ARE OF SIMILAR SIZE, SAY MILWAUKEE OR INDIANAPOLIS, THAT ARE HOLDING THEIR OWN, AND WE'RE HOLDING OUR OWN AGAINST THEM. BUT IN SOME WAYS, THEY'RE OUTPERFORMING. AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THOSE CITIES OR OTHERS LIKE COLUMBUS OR RALEIGH, WE CAN SEE SOME DIFFERENT LEVELS THAT WE CAN STILL ASPIRE TO. AND THE THINGS YOU GUYS BROUGHT TODAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT ARE PART OF THOSE. I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN AND THE OTHER WORK THAT THE COMMISSION IS DOING, WE REALLY DO HAVE A VERY, VERY STRONG FOUNDATION HERE. WE'VE GOT STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'VE GOT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE VERY INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR EVERYDAY, AVERAGE, REGULAR FOLKS ARE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED AND GET REPRESENTED AT THE TABLE. AND I'VE BEEN AT A FEW MEETINGS ACTUALLY WITH TOGETHER WEST MICHIGAN RECENTLY, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE STRATEGIC CONVERSATION COMING IN THE FUTURE. AND IT ALL COMES DOWN TO GROWTH. AND HOW ARE WE SPENDING OUR PUBLIC DOLLARS, BUT ALSO HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE LEVERAGING PRIVATE DOLLARS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE? WE HAVE A COLLABORATIVE CIVIC CULTURE HERE, AND I DO THINK THAT MAKES US A STRONGER PLACE. WE'RE GOING INTO THE BUDGET SEASON. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS LOOKING AT THEM DEEPER ON THE 28TH AND BEYOND, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS EXACTLY THE TIME TO BE POSITIONING OURSELVES AND ASKING HARD QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, ARE WE WILLING TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHERE WE GO NEXT? AND I THINK THAT IF WE WANT TO COMPETE, IT'S WE'VE DONE A LOT OF LAYING THE GROUNDWORK WITH VENUES AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS THAT THE CITY AND PRIVATE PARTNERS ARE DOING. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HOUSING, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE HERE AND ENJOY BEING HERE, AS WELL AS COMING TO VISIT HERE. 
          SO I HEAR THAT CALL FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMENTS TODAY AND FROM THE WORK I'M DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT WE HAVE A COMMISSION THAT AND A CITY MANAGER THAT IS DEDICATED TO THE VISION AND THE MISSION OF THE CITY TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES, BUT ALSO TO BE A LEADER IN CONVERSATION. AND I WANT TO WORK WITH PARTNERS WHO MAYBE IN 
          [01:25:01]
THE PAST HAVE BEEN LESS FORTHCOMING OR WELCOMING IN THAT REGARD. AND WE'VE HAD YOU HEARD TODAY SOME DISCUSSION WE HAD ABOUT WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS OF PUTTING SOMEONE ON A BOARD. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MAYBE IN THE PAST, OPPOSED DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO WORK TO ALSO ALIGN IN BETTER WAY GOING FORWARD. FOR INSTANCE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHAMBER TODAY AND WE REVIEWED SOME OF THE PARTS THAT OUR CAP IS GETTING ANALYZED. IS THAT A WORD TO BE IN THE ANALYSIS OF WHERE THE BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK WILL BE ON THOSE 20 PRIORITY ITEMS THAT WE HAD LISTED? AND I DO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A STRONG CITY THAT WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE REAL THINGS HAPPEN FOR REAL, REGULAR PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO DISSENTING VOICES AND ALSO WORK TO FIND OUT WHERE WE HAVE A GAP. SO BOTTOM LINE, WE'RE IN A MOMENT OF CHOICE AND WE HAVE DIRECTION WE HAVE, WHICH WE CAN SET DURING OUR BUDGETING AND OTHER DISCUSSIONS. BUT WE'RE LISTENING. AND THIS IS THIS IS GROWTH. GROWTH IS GROWTH IS GOING TO BE COMING TO SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SHARE THAT WITH A CONSTITUENT RECENTLY. IT WAS A VERY HARD THING FOR ME TO SAY, BUT I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO ADJUST OUR MINDSET TO WELCOMING IT. AND TOWARDS THAT END, WE ARE WORKING TO HAVE A NEW PERSON ON THE COMMISSION TO HELP IN THAT. THE FIRST WARD APPOINTMENT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON OUR DOCKET FOR A WHILE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE REVIEWING AND INTERVIEWING ALL TEN APPLICANTS FOR THE APPOINTMENT ON FRIDAY. THIS WEEK. IT'S GOING TO BE PUBLIC, SO YOU CAN WATCH IT OR COME AND VISIT US HERE, AND EVERYONE WILL GET 15 MINUTES. THE TOP FEW FROM THAT WILL THEN GO FORWARD TO BE INTERVIEWED IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE COMMISSION THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE 22ND. THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK WE'RE DOING, SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AS MANY VOICES AT THE TABLE MAKING THESE DECISIONS. AND WE DO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WE'RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING TODAY. SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO PHIL ON MR. STROM, ON BEING OUR CITY ATTORNEY. AND AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE GOING TO STAY AFTERWARDS, I'M SURE THE CITY CLERK WILL TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT. BUT I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AT NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT. AND ALL OF YOU TO. COMMISSIONER. YES. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. QUICKLY HERE, FOCUSING ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET WILL BE MEETING A LOT ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO DO TOGETHER WEST MICHIGAN FOR COMING OUT AND IN NUMBERS. IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE COORDINATING WITH YOU ALL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND MEMBERS THROUGHOUT OUR WARD TO TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. I'VE BEEN SOMEONE WHO'S WORKED ON THIS BEFORE ELECTED. I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE VITAL STREETS OVERSIGHT COMMISSION. SO THIS IS SOMETHING I REALLY LOVE TALKING ABOUT AND SAFETY. AND I'M HAPPY THAT COMMISSIONER PERDUE AND I ARE IN AN AGREEMENT ON HOW THIS SHOULD LOOK, IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THESE COMMUNITY CENTERED PROPOSALS IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET. SO WE'RE HOPING TO ALLOCATE FUNDS THROUGH THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND FOR MUCH NEEDED TRAFFIC SAFETY. AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT OUR COLLEAGUES WILL, LIKE LAST YEAR, TAKE AND VALUE THE INPUT THAT THE THIRD WARD COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED TO THE COMMISSION AND AFFIRM WHAT WE PROPOSE TO BE DONE WITH THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND. WE HAD A VERY NICE REVIEW OF THE CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN TODAY. THE CAP. I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THAT, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE CITY AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY ON NEXT STEPS IN THE COST ANALYSIS. WITH THAT. AND THEN LASTLY HERE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT PLAN. I'M SO PROUD TO WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES, COMMISSIONER BELL AND SASSY ON THAT WORK GROUP. IT'S A LOT THIS THIS YEAR, WE HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF REQUESTED DOLLARS FOR COMMUNITY WORK. SO THERE IS INTENSE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND VILLAGE. THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP TODAY. 
          I'M HAPPY THAT WE CAN FILL IN SOME OF THOSE MUCH NEEDED GAPS WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS. AND LIKE SOMEONE DID COMMENT, THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION THREATENED TO COMPLETELY WIPE CDBG FUNDING. SO CONTINUING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MAKE FUNDING SUSTAINABLE FOR SOME OF THIS COMMUNITY WORK IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL BE INTERESTED IN. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR MAKING TIME IN YOUR BUSY DAYS TO COME AT 2 P.M. ON A TUESDAY. I DEEPLY APPRECIATE IT AND VALUE YOUR INPUT. THANKS. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. MR. CLARK. YES. SO AT THE CONCLUSION, AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THIS MEETING, AFTER THE MAYOR MAKES HIS REMARKS AND ADJOURNS, THE MEETING WILL MOVE THE MOVE DOWN LOWER IN FRONT OF THE DAIS HERE TO DO HIS OATH OF OFFICE. SO IF YOU WANT TO STICK AROUND FOR THAT AND WE WILL, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT BECAUSE CONGRATULATIONS. WELCOME TO THE TEAM APPOINTED, I GUESS, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE 
          [01:30:05]
WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER. COUPLE ELECTION THINGS. YEAH, I'M GOING TO BE DOING A SUMMIT WORKSHOP AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT WITH KATHY HARRIS FROM PROACTIVE. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH WORKING ON ON ELECTIONS THINGS ME ON THE OFFICIAL SIDE AND HER IN THE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH VOTER REGISTRATION, VARIOUS THINGS. SO THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND EXCITING. NOTE FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. SO THINKING AHEAD TO NOVEMBER, WE'LL HAVE FOUR LOCATIONS FOR EARLY VOTING. JUST PUT IT ON RADAR. SO WE'LL WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR AUGUST 4TH LOCATION IN NOVEMBER WILL BE AT NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH IN. BY MARTIN LUTHER KING AND IONIA BACK IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THERE. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING NEW LOCATION. OBVIOUSLY, IN THE NEXUS OF THE FIRST AND THIRD WARDS KIND OF COMING TOGETHER IN THAT IN THAT PART OF THE GRAND PART OF GRAND RAPIDS, WHERE WOULD BE WHERE SOME OF OUR LOWER TURNOUT PRECINCTS ARE. SO IT'LL BE EXCITING TO BE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, TO HAVE SEVERAL DAYS OF EARLY VOTING RIGHT THERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU TO NEW HOPE BAPTIST BAPTIST CHURCH FOR OPENING THEIR DOORS TO US FOR OUTSIDE OF MORE THAN ONE DAY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. CITY ATTORNEY. I'M SURE I'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THANK YOUS AFTER THIS, BUT I'VE BEEN FEELING THE LOVE THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S REACHED OUT AND SUPPORTED OR TOOK PART IN THE PROCESS FOR THE OTHER CANDIDATES. FOR MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, PULLED A LITTLE BIT HARDER WHILE I WAS DISTRACTED. OR FOR MY DAD THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE U.P. IT WAS REALLY TEAMWORK THAT HAS HELPED ME TO BE READY TO TAKE AN OATH OF OFFICE. AN OATH REALLY MEANS A LOT TO A LAWYER, ESPECIALLY TO ME, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO RECOMMITTING BOTH MY COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT MY COMMITMENT TO THE CITY AND THE PRACTICE OF LAW. CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR WORK TODAY AND ALL THE STAFF WHO HELPED PUT TOGETHER THIS AGENDA MADE A LOT OF THE BRIEFINGS AND DECISIONS EASIER FOR YOU. HAVING THE INFORMATION ON THE DIAS. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY COLLEAGUE PHIL STRUM ON HIS APPOINTMENT. AND ALSO, I WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR INTERIM HIS HIS APPOINTMENT OF THE INTERIM DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, SARAH HARTMAN. AND I KEEP TRYING TO MAKE HER DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. IT'S LIKE THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK, THIRD TIME THIS WEEK. DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY SARAH HARTMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. AND I SEE OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE, CITY ATTORNEY HITCHCOCK, RETIRED CITY ATTORNEY HITCHCOCK HERE THIS MORNING. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE. I HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS AROUND MOBILITY ISSUES WITH THE OPENING OF THE AMPHITHEATER AND MAJOR EVENTS. I THINK OUR PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED ON APRIL 20TH, AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING A LOT OF INFORMATION, HOW PEOPLE CAN NAVIGATE AROUND THE CITY, PARTICULARLY DURING THOSE TIMES. AND I'M PRETTY SURE I'M PRETTY FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT WE WILL WORK THROUGH IT. WE I WAS NOT HERE WHEN THE VAN ANDEL OPENED. 
          I HEARD THERE WERE SIMILAR CONCERNS, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH IT AND FIGURED IT OUT. AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THIS WILL BE THE SAME AS WELL. I DO WANT TO. JUST VERY BRIEFLY, WE'LL HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, BUT WHAT WE CANNOT COME UP WITH FISCAL POLICY ON THE DAIS, I MEAN, IT IS IT IS VERY, VERY NUANCED, COMPLICATED WITH WITH BOTH LAW AS WELL AS COLOR OF MONEY AND ALSO RESTRAINTS AND HOW YOU SPEND MONEY. AND ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING HERE WAS THE PUBLIC HEARING DURING THE USE OF THE BROWNFIELD AUTHORITY, WHICH WE WANT PRIVATE BUSINESSES TO USE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE INTENT. IT'S AN INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE PRIVATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS. THAT WOULD BE IMPEDIMENTS LIKE REMEDIATION, SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTALS, SO THAT CITIES CAN REDEVELOP AND REINVEST AND YOU ABATE THE TAXES THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE INCREASE VALUES OF THOSE PROPERTIES WILL BE GENERAL PURPOSE REVENUES THAT THE CITY COULD USE FOR THINGS LIKE POLICE, FIRE, PARKS, OTHER GENERAL SERVICES OF THE COMMUNITY. IT. YOU CAN'T. JUST UNILATERALLY PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE THAT'S INTENDED FOR PRIVATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SAID, WELL, WE NEED TO HAVE A GENERAL PURPOSE FOR THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND SO 
          [01:35:04]
THERE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T DO FOR TIME DOES NOT PERMIT THAT KIND OF DISCUSSION HERE, BUT WE'LL BE HAVING AMPLE TIME DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BEST USE ALL THE FUNDS THE CITY USES TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITY REMAINS SAFE, CONTINUE TO GROW. AND YES, THE CITY IS NOT A HOUSING DEVELOPER, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE DO INFLUENCE. THERE ARE SOME INCENTIVES WE INFLUENCE. THERE ARE SOME ZONING AND PLACEMAKING KIND OF POLICIES THAT WE CAN DO TO PROMOTE HOUSING INVESTMENT. AND WE ARE, BELIEVE ME, DOING AS MUCH AS I HAVE SEEN SINCE WE HAVE BEEN HERE TO ENSURE. AND THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT. I LOOKED AT THE REPORT THIS MORNING ON THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS THAT WERE PRODUCED THAT WAS PERMITTED LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS THE HIGHEST THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MORE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. AND I DON'T MEAN TO BEAT THE BROWNFIELD THING TO DEATH, AND I WASN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE A COUPLE THINGS THERE. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING PROBABLY NOTICED THAT I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES, HOW MANY JOBS WERE GOING TO BE IN THAT BUILDING. THOSE PEOPLE ARE IN A VERY DENSE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH MEANS POTENTIALLY THEY CAN LIVE VERY CLOSE TO THOSE JOBS. SO HAVING JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY AS WELL AS HOUSING IS REALLY PART OF HOW YOU BUILD AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, BECAUSE IT CAN IT MINIMIZES TRANSPORTATION. SO THE OTHER THING THAT'S WORTH POINTING OUT ABOUT BROWNFIELD IS, YES, IT'S NOT GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. AND THAT'S TRUE, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT GIVING AWAY THE INCOME TAX FROM ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO WILL PAY CITY INCOME TAX IF THEY ARE WORKING IN THE CITY, AS OPPOSED TO IF THAT BUSINESS IS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. THE OTHER THING THAT'S WORTH POINTING OUT, AND THIS IS ME, THE FORMER LEGISLATOR, IS THAT THE BROWNFIELD PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO TRY TO BE URBANIST. IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD AGAINST PEOPLE BUILDING THINGS IN CORN FIELDS. SO IF YOU ARE NOT A FAN OF SPRAWL AND I AM NOT, I AM PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL THAT CITIES HAVE TOOLS TO EQUALIZE AND SPECIFICALLY, THE BROWNFIELD MONEY DOESN'T GET SPENT ON, YOU KNOW, PARTIES OR A NICER ROOF. 
          WHAT IT GETS, WHAT THE MONEY HAS TO BE ALLOCATED TO IS REMEDIATION COSTS, CLEANUP COSTS, THINGS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IN A CORN FIELD. SO IT'S A, IT'S A WAY TO STOP PEOPLE SIMPLY MOVING THEIR PROPERTIES OUT TO PLACES WHERE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANUP COSTS, WHERE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE REMEDIATION COSTS. AND, AND THIS IS, AGAIN, RECONDITIONING AN EXISTING BUILDING. AND THOSE OF US IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE ARE KEENLY AWARE THAT THERE'S A CONCEPT CALLED EMBEDDED ENERGY. IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A BUILDING, IT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO REHAB IT IF YOU CAN, TO CONSERVE THE INVESTMENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE. AND EVEN THE MUNDANE THING, LIKE THINGS LIKE THE BRICKS, THEY ALL REPRESENT ENERGY COSTS. AND SO BEING ABLE TO CLEAN THOSE BUILDINGS UP AND REPURPOSE THEM IS EXACTLY WHAT THE BROWNFIELD IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S NOT FORGONE CITY GENERAL REVENUE. IT IS CERTAINLY, I HOPE, GOING TO BE ADDITIVE TO OUR TAX BASE, AS MANY OTHERS HAVE POINTED OUT. SO I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS I'VE BEEN TALKING FOR RECENTLY A LOT ABOUT ENCOURAGING OUR CITY TO MOVE INTO MORE OF AN EXPERIMENTAL MINDSET. SO IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN TRY AND SEE IF THEY WORK OR NOT, AND YOU CAN TRY AND YOU CAN MOVE THEM BACK, OR YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE DIFFERENT WITHOUT HUGE OPPORTUNITY COSTS OR INCONVENIENCES. THOSE, THOSE ARE GOOD CHARACTERISTICS. AND SO WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT HERE? THE DASH, THE THE CHANGE IN THE DASH LINE IS SPECIFICALLY ENVISIONED AS A PILOT. SO WE ARE GOING TO TRY THIS AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. AND THERE ARE COST SAVINGS INVOLVED IN THAT. AND THAT'S REAL. AND COMMISSIONER KNIGHT, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. BUT IT'S ALSO TRUE. I WILL TELL YOU AS A DAILY PEDESTRIAN, OVER THE COURSE OF THE WINTER, I LOOKED AT THAT NEW ROUTE AND REALIZED THAT I COULD ACTUALLY USE IT FOR HALF OF MY COMMUTE DOWN TO CITY HALL. I COULD INTERSECT IT DOWN ON CHERRY STREET. AND FOR A FREQUENT BUS USER AS I AM AND A FREQUENT PEDESTRIAN AS I AM, FREQUENCY MATTERS A LOT, AND ALL OF THE ACTUAL USE OF MASS TRANSIT BY PEOPLE WHO DO THAT, WHO ACTUALLY CONSUME MASS TRANSIT, HOW OFTEN THE BUS COMES MATTERS. I AM NOT WAITING IN A BUS STOP FOR HALF AN HOUR IN FEBRUARY, IN THE HOPES THAT IT WILL SAVE ME SIX MINUTES OF WALKING. IF THE BUS COMES EVERY EIGHT MINUTES, THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT'S WORTH NOTING ABOUT THIS PILOT AND YOU KNOW, IF IF THE IF WE SURVEY PEOPLE AND THEY DECIDE THAT THIS WAS A BAD VISION, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE IT. 
          NOTHING PERMANENT IS GOING INTO REDRAWING THE LINES FOR WHERE THE DASH GOES. BUT THE HOPE 
          [01:40:03]
THAT AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THIS DISCUSSION MOVE THE WAY IT DID WAS BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE REAL INCREASED FREQUENCY. AND I THINK THAT FOR REAL WORLD USERS OF THAT SYSTEM, FOR TRANSPORTATION, FREQUENCY MATTERS A LOT. SO THAT'S ONE I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC. FINALLY, THANKS FOR THE FOLKS WHO CAME OUT FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY. I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN VERY URGENT ABOUT AND CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT. AND I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE AND I KNOW THAT AREA OF KALAMAZOO VERY WELL SINCE MY OFFICE USED TO BE AT 1551 KALAMAZOO. SO I KNOW THOSE TRAFFIC PATTERNS VERY WELL. AND IF I COULD HAVE, SAY TWO, 3000 INSTANT ON TRAFFIC CROSSING BEACONS IN THE CITY, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT THE RIGHT NUMBER FOR ME INTUITIVELY. SO THE MORE THE MERRIER. I DON'T MEAN TO BE CASTING ASPERSIONS AT ALL ON THE REQUEST THERE. I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE. I WILL, HOWEVER, POINT OUT THAT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT THAT TODAY I WENT DOWN AND CLOCKED TRAFFIC ON LEONARD STREET AROUND THE PLYMOUTH AREA, AND CARS GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR ON THAT STRETCH ARE NOT OUTLIERS. YOU CAN BUY A RADAR GUN, PEOPLE OUT THERE IN TV LAND AND FOR ABOUT 120 BUCKS ON AMAZON, AND YOU CAN TRACK YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SPEED WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY. AND THERE ARE CARS GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR ROUTINELY ON THAT CHECK OF LEONARD STREET. AND TO SAY AGAIN WHAT I'VE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, A PEDESTRIAN GETS HIT AT 35 MILES AN HOUR, THERE'S ABOUT A 90% FATALITY RATE. THEY GET HIT AT 25 MILE AN HOUR, MILES AN HOUR. THERE'S ABOUT A 10% FATALITY RATE. SO GETTING CARS SUB 25 MILES AN HOUR IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. IF WE VALUE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN CARS, WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CITY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I FIRMLY COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO LIFT UP. AND I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT IN GENERAL, THE LONG TERM WORK THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING ON TRAFFIC CALMING. AND I DO NOT MEAN TO SUGGEST THIS IS A CRITICISM, CRITICISM OF STAFF WORK BY ANY MEANS, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A VERY CLEAR OBJECTIVE OF OUR CITY FOR A LONG TIME. WE CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS HERE, AND I ALWAYS WANT IT TO BE MORE AND FASTER. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE AREN'T THE REAL CONSTRAINTS OF TIME, FINANCES, LOGISTICS, PLANNING, ENGINEERING, AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE. I MEAN, THERE ARE LOTS OF THERE'S LOTS OF LOGISTICS THAT GO INTO TO REAL WORLD CHANGES, BUT I THINK ALL OF US UP HERE ARE URGENT THAT WE DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, AS FAST AS WE CAN, TO KEEP PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. AND THAT INCLUDES TRAFFIC SAFETY. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY. SO WITH THAT, I WILL END. THANK YOU A
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.