[1. Resolution Authorizing a Sister City Agreement with Dnipro, Ukraine] [00:00:11] HAPPY PATTER IN THE AUDIENCE. I'M CALLING THIS MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE TO ORDER. AND OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A SISTER CITY AGREEMENT WITH DNIPRO, UKRAINE AND MR. CANFIELD'S COMING UP. I THINK HE HAS A VIDEO TO SHOW US. AMONG OTHER THINGS. YES. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. AND YOU ARE CORRECT. WE WILL SHOW YOU A VIDEO IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. BUT FIRST WE WANT TO MAKE SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND WELCOME OUR GUESTS. SO I'M PLEASED TO INTRODUCE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRAND RAPIDS AND DNIPRO, UKRAINE. GRAND RAPIDS HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE SISTER CITIES MOVEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 YEARS, AND AT THEIR BEST, THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE AN EXPRESSION OF CITIZEN DIPLOMACY. THOSE RELATIONSHIPS CREATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS ACROSS NATIONAL BORDERS, THROUGH CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE, ECONOMIC AND CIVIC COOPERATION, AND ULTIMATELY, FRIENDSHIP. THAT MISSION FEELS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL IN THE CASE OF DNIPRO, OUR FORMAL RELATIONSHIP BEGAN IN 2022 FOLLOWING RUSSIA'S INVASION OF UKRAINE, WHEN GRAND RAPIDS SOUGHT A TANGIBLE WAY TO EXPRESS OUR SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE. DNIPRO SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME GRAND RAPIDS FIRST FRIENDSHIP CITY, AND OVER THE YEARS SINCE GRAND RAPIDS SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL, ITS DNIPRO COMMITTEE, CITY OFFICIALS AND OUR COUNTERPARTS IN DNIPRO HAVE CONTINUED BUILDING THIS RELATIONSHIP, WHICH HAS BROUGHT US TO THE ACTION BEFORE YOU TODAY. THE RESOLUTION WOULD FORMALLY ESTABLISH DNIPRO AS A SISTER CITY OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND AUTHORIZE MAYOR LE GRAND TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. ASSUMING YOUR APPROVAL TODAY, WE WILL WORK WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS IN DNIPRO AND GRAND RAPIDS SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL OVER THE COMING WEEKS TO FINALIZE THE AGREEMENT. WE ARE PLANNING FOR MAYOR LE GRAND AND DNIPRO MAYOR FILATOV TO SIGN IT DURING A CEREMONY THIS FALL. AND OF COURSE, THE SIGNING IS NOT THE END OF THE PROCESS. IT'S REALLY THE BEGINNING OF THE RELATIONSHIP, WHICH OVER TIME, WE HOPE WILL CREATE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXCHANGE, CONNECTION, SHARING OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, AND OTHER FORMS OF COOPERATION. AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT WE HOPE FOR IN A MOMENT. WE HOPE IN PARTICULAR, THIS WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT THE PEOPLE OF GRAND RAPIDS VALUE THE FRIENDSHIP OF THE PEOPLE OF DNIPRO AND STAND WITH THEM IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM, SELF-GOVERNMENT, AND A PEACEFUL FUTURE. SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THE THE RELATIONSHIP IN A MOMENT. AND IT WILL BE FROM TWO INDIVIDUALS. FIRST, EMILY SMITH, WHO IS THE BOARD SECRETARY OF GRAND RAPIDS SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL, OUR NONPROFIT PARTNER. SHE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY ANNA KOVALENKO, CHAIR OF GRAND RAPIDS SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL'S DNIPRO COMMITTEE. AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING DIRECTLY FROM DNIPRO THROUGH A RECORDED MESSAGE FROM MAYOR BORIS FILATOV. SO I WANT TO THANK MISS SMITH AND MISS KOVALENKO AND ALL OF GRS SCI AND MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE INVESTED THEIR TIME AND ENERGY TO GET US TO THIS POINT TODAY. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN THE PODIUM OVER TO MISS SMITH. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND CITY COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND LISTENING TO OUR EXCELLENT NEWS AND HOPEFUL WISHES FOR OUR FRIENDS IN DNIPRO. MY NAME IS EMILY SMITH. I HAVE THE HONOR TO SERVE AS THE SECRETARY OF GRAND RAPIDS SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL GRC. I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AS WE TAKE THIS IMPORTANT NEXT STEP TOWARDS FORMALIZING OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH DNIPRO, UKRAINE. THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR OUR CITIES AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF CITIZEN DIPLOMACY AND PEOPLE TO PEOPLE, GLOBAL PEACEMAKING AND PEACEKEEPING. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE ANNA KOVALENKO, WHO IS THE CO-CHAIR OF OUR DNIPRO COMMITTEE AND ALSO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE UKRAINIAN SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WELCOME, ANNA. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND CITY COMMISSIONERS. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY REMARKS WILL BE [00:05:01] SHORT BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL EAGER TO SEE THE VIDEO. THIS IS A MEANINGFUL MOMENT FOR GRAND RAPIDS AND DNIPRO, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE COMMITMENT AND PERSISTENCE OF MANY PEOPLE OVER MANY YEARS. AND I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO RECOGNIZE TODAY THE COMMITMENT AND THE ASSISTANCE OF GRAND RAPIDS SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, LOU CANFIELD, PRESENT AND PAST CITY LEADERSHIP, AND ALL COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE HELPED US ALONG THE WAY. AS SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIP AND THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE. THAT HAS A PARTICULAR MEANING HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, WHICH HAS ALSO WELCOME WELCOMED SO MANY UKRAINIAN FAMILIES DISPLACED BY THE RUSSIAN WAR IN UKRAINE. THIS PARTNERSHIP GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPEN THIS CONNECTION AND AND THIS CONNECTION THAT ALREADY EXISTS BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO BUILD NEW CONNECTIONS THROUGH CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL AND CIVIC EXCHANGE. AND TODAY, WE HOPE IT WILL NOT SIMPLY BE A COMPLETION OF THE PROCESS, BUT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW CHAPTER FOR THE CITIES OF GRAND RAPIDS AND DNIPRO. AND NOW IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TO INTRODUCE A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF DNIPRO, BORIS FILATOV. DEAR FRIENDS, MAYOR LE GRAND, ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES AND RESIDENTS OF GRAND RAPIDS. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THIS VIDEO BY EXPRESSING MY GRATITUDE TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR SUPPORTING UKRAINE DURING THIS TERRIBLE WAR. THIS KINDNESS WILL LIVE FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS. THANK YOU. STILL, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FULLY CONVEY. THE ATMOSPHERE OF DNIPRO IS A SINGLE VIDEO, A LARGE CITY NEAR THE FRONT LINES IN EASTERN UKRAINE WITH A UNIQUE HISTORY. A CITY THAT WAS ONCE THE HEART OF WORLD CLASS SPORTING EVENTS, A CITY OF VIBRANT FESTIVALS AND AMBITIOUS URBAN PROJECTS. AND IT WILL BE THAT WAY AGAIN. A CITY OF MANY NATIONALITIES AND RELIGIONS WHERE EVERYONE FINDS MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING. A CITY THAT HAS SHAKEN OFF THE SOVIET EURO AND RETURNED ITS HISTORY FROM PAYING TRIBUTE TO ALEXANDER PAUL, THE FATHER FOUNDER OF MODERN DAY DNIPRO, WHO HELD LIBERTARIAN VIEWS MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO TO THE REALIZATION THAT THE UKRAINIAN NATION HAS NEVER BEEN IDENTICAL TO THE RUSSIAN ONE. DNIPRO JOURNEY IS. THIS REGARD IS UNIQUE. AFTER ALL, BACK IN THE 1970S, THEN, GRAND RAPIDS WAS LAUNCHING ONE OF ITS MOST FAMOUS FESTIVALS. AND WHEN YOU WERE DEFENDING YOUR VISION FOR THE CITY OF THE WAKE OF THE FURNITURE CRISIS, DNIPRO WAS CLOSED TO THE WORLD, HIDDEN BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN. FREEDOM WAS SOMETHING THAT COULDN'T EVEN BE IMAGINED. AND NOW OUR CITY IS UKRAINE OUTPOST, SO THAT THIS CURTAIN DOESN'T ABSORB UP AGAIN. BUT WE CAN FIND A LOT OF IN COMMON BETWEEN OUR CITIES. THEY ARE UNITED BY A LOVE OF ART, AND BOTH THE HUBS OF STUDENT AND YOUTH LIFE. THEY WERE ALSO BOTH THE BIRTHPLACES OF PRESIDENTS. I REMEMBER WHEN THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR CITIES WAS ANNOUNCED THREE YEARS AGO, AND HOW AT THAT TIME, IT BECAME A RAY OF HOPE FOR OUR PEOPLE WHO EVEN NOW CONTINUE TO LIVE UNDER RUSSIAN ATTACKS. I SAID IT THEN, AND I'LL SAY IT NOW. IN THIS WAR, OUR STRONGEST ARMOR OF GOD'S BLESSING AND THE TRUE FRIENDS, I WANT TO COUNT YOU ALL THE HORRORS OF THE ENEMY SHELLING THAT DNIPRO IS FORCING. I'M SURE YOU SAW IT ON THE NEWS, BUT AS MAYOR, I CAN SAY THAT OUR CITIES CAN BE OF GREAT BENEFIT TO ONE ANOTHER. WE ARE READY TO SHARE OUR DIFFICULT BUT UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION, WHERE OUR DOCTORS DO THE IMPOSSIBLE ALMOST EVERY DAY IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES. FOR MANY YEARS, OUR UTILITY WORKERS ARE FACING CATASTROPHIC SCENARIOS, BLACKOUTS AND DESTRUCTION OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES, AND MUCH MORE, BECAUSE WE WANT OUR FRIENDSHIP TO LAST FOR YEARS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU HERE IN OUR DNIPRO, WOUNDED BUT REMAINING STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU, DEAR FRIENDS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR HEAR COMMENTS YOU MAY HAVE. THANKS. FIRST OF ALL, I ACTUALLY NEED A MOTION SUPPORT. THANKS. YEAH, I GUESS IT'S WORTH I MEAN, THAT [00:10:05] WAS A THAT WAS A VERY POWERFUL VIDEO. I THINK THAT THIS IS THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE UNITED STATES. AND WHAT I SAID AT THE LAST PULASKI DAY, I'LL ESSENTIALLY SAY AGAIN TODAY, AND THAT IS THE UNITED STATES AT ITS FOUNDING, HAD SIGNIFICANT HELP FROM PEOPLE IN EUROPE WHO SAW THE CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OF LIBERTY IN THE UNITED STATES. AND I USED TO LIVE ON LAFAYETTE STREET, WHICH IS NAMED AFTER GENERAL LAFAYETTE, WHO'S A FRENCH GENERAL WHO IS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. AND THE FRENCH HELP THERE WAS WAS SIGNIFICANT. THE THIS COUNTRY'S GOT LAFAYETTE STREETS ALL OVER, AND THEY'RE NAMED AFTER THAT GENERAL IN GRAND RAPIDS. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A PULASKI DAY AND WE HAVE THAT BECAUSE GENERAL PULASKI WAS, I THINK, IS REFERRED TO AS THE FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN CAVALRY, AS A MATTER OF FACT. AND GRAND RAPIDS HAS A SIGNIFICANT HISTORY OF IMMIGRANT INFLUX, OF COURSE. AND IT'S LARGELY A LOT OF IT'S BEEN DEFINED, WHETHER IT'S BY, YOU KNOW, THE THE GREAT MIGRATION FROM THE SOUTH IN THE 50S, OR WHETHER IT'S POLISH IMMIGRATION OR DUTCH IMMIGRATION, A NUMBER OF DISPARATE COMMUNITIES HAVE HAVE COME TO GRAND RAPIDS. AND THE REASON I MENTIONED POLAND IS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, POLAND IS VERY CLOSE TO WHAT'S GOING ON IN UKRAINE RIGHT NOW. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXAMPLE OF POLAND THAT SPENT MUCH OF THE LAST CENTURY SHAKING OFF INCURSIONS OF TWO SEPARATE EMPIRES, UKRAINE IS IN EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION RIGHT NOW. AND OUR HISTORY OF HAVING HAD HELP FROM EUROPE IN PRESERVING LIBERTY AND FREEDOM IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY RECIPROCATED AS A COUNTRY IN WORLD WAR ONE AND WORLD WAR TWO. AND I THINK THAT IT'S PIVOTAL NOW THAT WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH WITH UKRAINE. AND I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT SIMPLY TO HAVE A SISTER CITY THAT FITS ALL OF OUR NORMAL BOXES, BUT A SISTER CITY THAT, FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEVEL UP THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS. I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY SORT OF HAS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS IN THE WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TOWN AND JAPAN MIGHT NOT DOESN'T. AND SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT. I COULD NOT BE MORE HAPPY TO BE DOING THIS. IT'S DAUNTING TO THINK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF THAT CITY. AND IT'S AND IT'S I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THAT WE CAN HELP FOCUS. AND ESPECIALLY AS THE UNITED STATES AS A COUNTRY THINKS ABOUT HOW AND ON WHAT LEVEL WE'RE GOING TO GET ENGAGED HERE, I'M VERY CLEAR THAT UKRAINE IS FACING AN INVASION BY A COUNTRY THAT HAS NO REAL INTEREST IN DEMOCRACY, HAD NO WARRANT FOR THE INVASION, AND THAT IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE TO LIBERTY ON THE PLANET. AND SO STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE MEANS STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH CITIES IN UKRAINE THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINES. I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF US. I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF IT. THAT WAS A LONG STATEMENT, BUT ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OTHERWISE? COMMISSIONER? YES. IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY, JUST LITERALLY A BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE, WE HAVE A UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH, AND IT HAS BEEN A SITE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR IN SEVERAL YEARS AGO. AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A RECOGNITION THAT WE ALSO HAVE FOLKS HERE WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT LINEAGE AND FROM THAT LANGUAGE AND STILL CARE VERY DEEPLY. SO AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD PEACE AND UNIFORMITY, THAT'S NOT THE WORD I WANT, BUT UNITY, UNITY IN OUR WORLD. I THINK THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING YOUR YOUR STORIES HERE TODAY. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION, SAY I, I, I THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. CANFIELD. [2. Resolution establishing an Industrial Development District for Profile Films at 701 Ann St NW] THAT BRINGS US TO MORE WORKADAY PROJECTS. THE FIRST IS A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR PROFILE FILMS AT 701 AND NORTHWEST. CAN I HAVE A MOTION SUPPORT? YES. THIS IS A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT FOR PROFILE FILMS AT 701 AND AS A NINE ACRE PROPERTY. AND THE NEXT ITEM THAT IS APPROVING THE [00:15:07] EXEMPTION FOR THE CERTIFICATE KIND OF GOES INTO MORE DETAIL ON THE PROJECT. WELL, IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL NOW, I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER AND THEN HAVE RESOLUTIONS THAT FOLLOW EACH OTHER SEQUENTIALLY. OH SOUNDS GOOD. YEAH. SO THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND OPERATIONS OF THE CURRENT LOCATION AND OPEN A NEW FACILITY. THIS IS A 9700 ZERO SQUARE FOOT PRODUCTION FACILITY WITH AN ESTIMATED ELIGIBLE COST FOR I OF T ELIGIBLE EXPENSES AT $26.2 MILLION, WITH A 12 YEAR INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES EXEMPTION VALUED AT $2.6 MILLION. AND WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE EVERY TIME. BUT FOR THE PUBLIC'S SAKE, PROFILE FILMS DOES NOT MEAN SPIDER-MAN. IT MEANS PLASTIC BAGS. SO. WE HAD THE OWNERS IN FRONT OF US BRIEFING US ON THIS EARLIER. SO THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS. ANY DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? THANKS. AND THEN I'LL ALL IN FAVOR OF THE FIRST MOTION RESOLUTION. SAY AYE. AYE. [3. Resolution approving an application for a 12-year Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate, pursuant to PA 198 of 1974, by Profile Films for a $26 Million project located at 701 Ann St NW] ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR SECOND RESOLUTION, WHICH IS RELATED, AS I SAID, FOR THE FACILITIES EXEMPTION. I HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE AYE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THAT BRINGS US TO THE BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT FOR [4. Resolution approving an Amendment to the Brownfield Plan Amendment for the Redevelopment Project located at 701 Ann Street NW] OH SAME THING. SO THIS IS THE BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT FOR 701 AND CAN HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE AYE AYE. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT RESOLUTION WHICH IS BROWNFIELD [5. Resolution approving a Brownfield Plan Amendment for the 111 Barnett Street NE, 830 Fourth Street NW and 838 Butterworth Avenue SW Redevelopment Project] PLAN FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO NEXT IS A BROWNFIELD PLAN AMENDMENT FOR 111 BARNETT STREET NORTHEAST FOR 34TH AND 838. BUTTERWORTH. SO THIS IS AGAIN FOR THE PUBLIC, SOMETHING WE CALL THIS IS A SCATTER SITE. SO THESE ARE THREE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE CONSOLIDATING FOR THIS BROWNFIELD PLAN. BUT GO AHEAD. YES THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. I'M AUDREY TAPPENDEN WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, STANDING IN FOR DIRECTOR ROMERO, WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT IN THIS WEEK. AND YES, THIS IS A SCATTERED SITE REDEVELOPMENT. IT IS A UNIQUE PROJECT FOR THAT REASON, ACROSS THREE SEPARATE PARCELS, WE'LL BE CREATING 20 UNITS THAT PROVIDE ANYWHERE FROM TWO AND FIVE BEDROOM UNITS ACROSS THOSE. SO INTERESTING MIX OF UNITS, INTERESTING MIX OF PROPERTY. AND THIS IS ALSO BEING PROPOSED BY ONE OF OUR EMERGING DEVELOPER GRANT RECIPIENTS. AND SO WE ARE THRILLED TO SEE ANOTHER PROJECT BEING CONVERTED, POTENTIALLY CONVERTED AND SUPPORTED BY OUR PROGRAMING. SO TODAY YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACT ON THE FINAL STAGE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL, THE APPROVAL OF THE BROWNFIELD PLAN FOR THIS PROJECT. AND IF APPROVED, WE THEN TAKE THE WORK PLAN IN THE DEVELOPMENT REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT BACK TO THE BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BEFORE PACKAGING THE FULL SUBMISSION FOR THE STATES CONSIDERATION. SO THIS IS AROUND 5.5 MILLION IN TOTAL PROJECT COST FOR THESE UNITS, AND JUST OVER ONE, 1.25 MILLION OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BE REIMBURSED OVER 15 YEARS TO THE DEVELOPER. SO THIS IS YOUR THIRD TIME SEEING THE PROJECT. HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS AND GO INTO MORE DETAIL IF YOU'D LIKE. OTHERWISE, I WILL LEAVE YOU TO IT. FIRST, I NEED A MOTION SUPPORT. GREAT. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK [1. Shared Micromobility New Vendor Selection] YOU. THAT ENDS OUR BUSINESS AND BRINGS US TO A COUPLE BRIEFINGS. THE FIRST IS A MICRO MOBILITY [6. Motion to go into closed session.] PARDON. YEAH. OKAY. RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO CLOSED SESSION AFTER THIS IF APPROVED. SO I'D LIKE A MOTION TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION FOLLOWING THIS TO DISCUSS ONGOING LITIGATION. SO MOVED COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. PERDUE. COMMISSIONER. YES. MAYOR. LE GRAND. YES. I'LL START THIS OFF. MR. MR. NOT HERE. GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR YOUR WORK TODAY. BEFORE MAX COMES FORWARD. I JUST WANTED TO PUT IN CONTEXT THE REASON FOR OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. WHAT YOU'LL HEAR IS AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE WORK FROM THE STAFF THAT HAS OCCURRED AROUND ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE BEST MICRO MOBILITY SOLUTION TO OFFER HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. AS YOU RECALL, SOME OF YOU MAY RECALL, I REMEMBER PUTTING IN THE FIRST SOLUTION BACK IN 2020 WHEN WE HAD A COUPLE OF VENDORS, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY WE CHANGED OUR STRATEGY AND WENT TO A SOLE VENDOR IN 2022. AND TODAY, AFTER GOING THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, STAFF FIRST WANTS TO GET YOUR MAKE YOU AWARE OF SOME OF THE EFFORTS IN THE PENDING RECOMMENDED FIRM THAT WE WANT TO CONTRACT WITH. I THINK THE NEXT STEP IS ALSO TO ALSO SHARE THIS WITH THE MOBILE GR COMMISSION. AND AT OUR NEXT MEETING, THERE WILL BE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR APPROVAL. [00:20:01] BUT TODAY NO DECISION IS REQUIRED. WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE UPDATE UPDATED ON WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE. SO WITH THAT MAX TAKE OVER. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER SIR. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. SO MY NAME IS MAX GILLIS. I'M THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANAGER FOR THE MOBILE GR DEPARTMENT. AND YES, AS MENTIONED HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR SHARED MICRO MOBILITY PROGRAM AND AND KIND OF A NEW PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE FROM A VENDOR. SO JUST QUICKLY, A BACKGROUND ON THE PROGRAM, THIS WAS A PILOT PROGRAM IN 2020. AND SORRY TO, TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY. SO SHARED MICRO MOBILITY IS MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS OUR E-SCOOTERS AND OUR E-BIKES. IT'S A FOUR RENTAL PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS LEVEL OF TRANSPORTATION. SO WE LAUNCHED A PILOT IN 2020, AND THAT WAS A PRODUCT OF OUR BICYCLE ACTION PLAN. AND IT ALLOWED, AGAIN, FOCUSING ON AFFORDABLE MOBILITY OPTIONS FOR FOLKS HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. AT THE PILOT STAGE, WE HAD TWO OPERATORS, LIME AND SPIN, AND IT WAS RENEWED AS A LONG TERM PROGRAM CAME BEFORE CITY COMMISSION WAS APPROVED. WE SELECTED LIME AS A SOLE OPERATOR. WE HAD A 5050 SPLIT OF BIKES AND SCOOTERS, AND THERE WAS A WIDE VARIETY OF AFFORDABILITY OPTIONS LOOPED INTO THAT. SINCE THEN, SINCE THE PROGRAM'S BECOMING A FULL FLEDGED PROGRAM INSTEAD OF A PILOT, WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 4000 UNIQUE RIDERS IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND MORE THAN 1.8 MILLION TRIPS. SO REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE AMOUNT, THE IMPACT THAT THIS HAS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY. SO A QUESTION WE OFTEN GET IS WHY DO WE USE A SINGLE OPERATOR? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT COMPLETELY UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, BUT PRETTY RARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AS MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE TRAVELED ACROSS AND SEEN, A LOT OF THEM HAVE MULTIPLE OPERATORS. IT WAS SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED AND CONSIDERED DURING THE PILOT WHEN WE HAD TWO OPERATORS, AND THERE WAS A FEW PRIMARY BENEFITS THAT WE SAW FROM THIS, AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO SEE THROUGHOUT. SO DEVICE CLUTTER IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE IN A LOT OF OTHER CITIES WHEN WHEN MULTIPLE VENDORS ARE COMPETING FOR LOCATIONS, COMPETING FOR, YOU KNOW, MAKING PEOPLE SELECT THEM, THEIR, THEIR SERVICES. SO THIS ALLOWS US TO, TO LIMIT THAT AND TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CALL A DESIGNATED PARKING ZONE PROGRAM SO THAT THEY ARE ONLY ALLOWED TO BE PICKED UP AND DROPPED OFF IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS. IF FOLKS DO NOT FOLLOW THAT, THERE ARE LIKE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH IT, IT ALLOWS FOR A SINGLE APP AND A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT DATA COLLECTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH VENDOR WAS INVOLVED IN SOME INCIDENTS, FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY'RE NOT COMPLYING WITH THE DESIGNATED PARKING ZONE PROGRAM OR OTHER RESTRICTIONS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE, THIS HELPS IT EASIER FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS IS IT ALLOWED US TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF LEVERAGE WHEN NEGOTIATING TO, TO ALLOW FOR PRICING AND AFFORDABILITY COMMITMENTS THROUGH OUR RFP PROCESS. SO WHY A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS NOW? SO THE 2022 CONTRACT REACHES ITS END OF TERM IN IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR. SO WE BEGAN A COMPETITIVE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT OPERATOR IN, YOU KNOW, ANTICIPATION OF THAT CONTRACT EXPIRATION. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY CITY PURCHASING POLICIES AND GUIDELINES. THIS PROCESS WAS DISCUSSED WITH MOBILE JAR COMMISSION, WHO GAVE US GUIDANCE ON TIMING AND CONTENT, BUT IT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED AT CITY COMMISSION BACK IN 2022 ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS WOULD WORK. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, SO WE WANT TO TEST THIS ON THE MARKET FOR PRICE, SAFETY, AFFORDABILITY, TECHNOLOGY AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT GRAND RAPIDS ARE GETTING THE BEST MICROMOBILITY SERVICE THEY CAN. I DO WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR. IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAINTAIN ALL CURRENT SERVICE ELEMENTS AND IMPROVE UPON THEM. SO NOT FINDING THINGS THAT WE COULD KIND OF GIVE OR TAKE, BUT REALLY JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IMPROVING ON THE SERVICE AND WE'RE HAPPY THAT THIS PROPOSAL ACHIEVES THAT. ALL CURRENT SERVICE ELEMENTS ARE CARRIED FORWARD, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF NEW THINGS IN THE PROPOSAL THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT. SO JUST A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENCY ON THAT RFP PROCESS. SO IT WAS RELEASED IN MARCH OF 2026 OF THIS YEAR. OUR FOCUS IS, AND THIS WAS BASED ON COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AS WELL AS LISTENING TO COMMISSIONER FEEDBACK, BOTH AT THE CITY COMMISSION LEVEL AND THE COMMISSION LEVEL, TO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON SAFETY AND AFFORDABILITY. SO THOSE WERE HEAVILY WEIGHTED IN THE SCORING ELEMENTS. WE RECEIVED TWO PROPOSALS, LIME AND VEO AND CITY STAFF REVIEWED THE WRITTEN PROPOSALS FROM MOBILE DEPARTMENT GRPD AND OUR OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, AS WELL AS WE DID IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS AND VEHICLE TESTING. AND WE ASKED FOR MOBILE JAR COMMISSIONERS TO ELECT SOME REPRESENTATIVES FOR THAT PROCESS AS WELL. THOSE TWO PROCESS PROPOSALS AND THE INTERVIEW DEMOS ARE SCORED SEPARATELY. VEO SCORED HIGHEST ON BOTH WRITTEN AND THE INTERVIEW SCORES. SO JUST A [00:25:03] BRIEF BACKGROUND ON VEO, THEIR SHARED MICROMOBILITY PROVIDER THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 2017. THEY CURRENTLY OPERATE IN A NUMBER OF U.S. CITIES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON, D.C. NEW YORK CITY, LOS ANGELES, DENVER, AND THEN MANY OTHER SMALL AND MID-SIZED CITIES, AS WELL AS LARGE COLLEGE CAMPUSES. ONE KIND OF UNIQUE THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THEY DO IN-HOUSE DESIGN FOR THEIR VEHICLES, WHICH IS REALLY RELEVANT FOR SOME OF OUR THE THINGS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN JUST A MOMENT RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY AND ACCESSIBILITY. SO NOW I'M JUST GOING TO DO A HIGH LEVEL OF THEIR PROPOSAL. AND THEN IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES GO INTO DEPTH, ESPECIALLY AROUND TECHNOLOGY OR SAFETY TECHNOLOGY AND AFFORDABILITY PRICING. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF ALL CURRENT GRAND RAPIDS SHARED MICROMOBILITY PROGRAM ELEMENTS. SO EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH LIME IS MOVING FORWARD HERE. I WILL ALSO SAY LIME HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER. WE'VE REALLY HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH THEM AND THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDED. AS I MENTIONED, 1.8 MILLION TRIPS HAVE BEEN VERY IMPACTFUL FOR GRAND RAPIDS. MANY OF THOSE TRIPS, MORE THAN 50%, ARE USED TO GO TO SCHOOL, WORK, OR TO GET GROCERIES OR FOOD. SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND. AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAINED THAT AND THOSE ELEMENTS OF THE SERVICE, BUT WE WERE LOOKING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. ONE OF THEM WAS IN SAFETY. VEO OFFERS SOME INDUSTRY LEADING SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES THAT I AGAIN WILL GET INTO IN MORE DETAIL IN A MOMENT. THEY ALSO HAVE SOME VERY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IMPACTFUL, AFFORDABLE OPTIONS THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT AND WAS ONE OF THE LEADING REASONS THAT THIS PROPOSAL WAS CHOSEN. THEY DO 100% IN-HOUSE W2 STAFF. THEY HAVE LOCAL OPERATIONS STAFF HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, AND THEY HAVE NEW VEHICLE TYPES THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN OUR CURRENT PROGRAM THAT ALLOW FOR A MORE ACCESSIBLE OPTIONS FOR FOLKS WITH WITH WHO HAVE THOSE NEEDS. SO JUST TO GET A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH ON THE SAFETY TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. SO VEO HAS WHAT THEY CALL FRONT FACING RADAR TECHNOLOGY. THIS SCAN'S ABOUT 20FT IN FRONT OF THE DEVICE. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU'LL FIND IN MANY NEWER VEHICLE CAR VEHICLES THAT ALLOW FOR DETECTION, THAT CAN LEAD TO CUTTING THE POWER FROM THE VEHICLE OR TRIGGERING AN AUDIBLE WARNING OR SLOWING SPEEDS. THIS SIGNIFICANTLY, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, HELPS MINIMIZE CRASHES. IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO DETECT AND DETER SIDEWALK RIDING. SO THIS RADAR CAN CAN KIND OF TELL THE DIFFERENCE, ESPECIALLY AFTER SOME SOME RIDES AND SOME TRIPS TO, TO PREDICT WHAT OUR SIDEWALKS LOOK LIKE, RIGHT. OR WISE THAN THE STREET. SO IT CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO. IT DETECTS OBJECTS ONLY. SO IT'S NOT A CAMERA THAT CAPTURES OR STORES IMAGES. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT WON'T BE ON EVERY VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY IN THIS PROPOSAL, BUT THEY'LL RAMP UP TO 50% OF THE VEHICLES BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR. AND THEN AS WE CONTINUE TRYING TO GET THEM ON ALL VEHICLES. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS, AGAIN, IT'S INDUSTRY LEADING AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT. WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THE DEMO. WE'VE TALKED TO OTHER CITIES LIKE THE CITY OF DENVER, COLORADO, ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THIS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY EXCITING WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY AND COMMISSION AROUND SIDEWALK RIDING, AS WELL AS JUST DANGEROUS RIDING IN GENERAL. GEOFENCING IS SOMETHING THAT EXISTS IN OUR CURRENT MICROMOBILITY PROGRAM. HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS TO IT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, USING SATELLITES TO TELL WHERE FOLKS ARE ON THEIR DEVICES CAN NOT BE AS PRECISE AS WE SOMETIMES NEED TO BE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SIDEWALK AND A BIKE LANE, WHICH CAN BE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. SO WHAT'S COOL HERE IS THAT THIS GEOFENCING TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING ACKNOWLEDGES THAT AND USES THE, THE, THE TECHNOLOGY ON THE DEVICE TO TRY TO MAKE HELP MAKE THAT PRECISION DECISION. SO BY USING THAT RADAR, IT CAN SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE CLOSE TO A SIDEWALK AND YOU HAVE THESE OTHER INDICATORS. THAT MEANS THE GEOFENCE SHOULD GO INTO ACTION. SO AGAIN, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR A SINGLE OPERATOR OPTION IS TO HAVE THE, THESE SORT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROVIDERS TO DO THINGS THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC AROUND SPEEDS. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE COMING DOWNTOWN AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE USING DIVISION, THAT'S A STREET AND A BIKE LANE, YOU WANT TO GO A LITTLE FASTER, OF COURSE. BUT THEN ONCE YOU GET DOWNTOWN AND YOU'RE AROUND A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS, YOU NEED TO GO SLOWER. SO THE MORE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE, AND THAT ALLOWS OUR TEAM TO WORK WITH THEIR TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. THERE ARE SOME OTHER PRETTY EXCITING TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS THAT VEO HAS AVAILABLE THAT WE WILL BE POTENTIALLY PROPOSING IN THE FUTURE. BUT JUST JUST EXCITED ABOUT THESE FIRST TWO, ESPECIALLY SO USER PRICING HERE. THERE'S A FEW CHANGES. THERE'S ONE INCREASE AND THAT'S AT THE BOTTOM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT THE STANDARD RATE CURRENTLY IS $1 FOR UNLOCK AND $0.36 PER MINUTE. VEO HAS PROPOSED A $1 UNLOCK AND $0.33 PER MINUTE. SO A SLIGHT DECREASE THERE. THE UNIVERSITY RATE ALSO HAS A SLIGHT DECREASE FROM $0.01 PER MINUTE FROM 23 [00:30:04] TO 22, BUT ALSO A DECREASE IN THEIR UNLOCK COST ACCESS RATE. AND I HAVE A WHOLE SLIDE FOR THIS BECAUSE OF HOW EXCITED I AM FOR THIS ONE. SO THIS IS THIS IS ENORMOUS. WE IN 2024 DID A PILOT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD LIME ACCESS BE COMPLETELY FREE FOR ANYONE WHO WAS USING IT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. AND I CANNOT TELL YOU TO THIS DAY, I GO TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND PEOPLE TELL ME HOW IMPACTFUL THAT WAS. I MEAN, THEY JUST A MONTH AGO, WE WERE AT A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING AND A WOMAN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT OPENED UP HER WORLD BECAUSE SHE WAS ABLE TO NOT THINK ABOUT THE COST WHEN GOING TO FREE PUBLIC EVENTS, GOING TO PARKS, GOING TO COMMUNITY EVENTS. SHE WAS LIKE, I COULD JUST GO AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE COST WHEN I RELY ON THE MICROMOBILITY PROGRAM. AND THAT WOULD BE A $20 COST. SO THAT GOING AWAY WAS ENORMOUS. AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING AND HOW TO GET BACK VEO OR THE CURRENT ACCESS SYSTEM. SO IF YOU QUALIFY FOR IT AND SHE DID AND GETS THAT 50% DISCOUNT, IS A 50% DISCOUNT ON THAT STANDARD RATE THAT'S ABOVE WHAT VEO IS PROPOSING IS FOR $5 PER MONTH, YOU GET 30 FREE MINUTE, YOU GET A SORRY, IT'S NOT WRITTEN PERFECTLY. YOU GET 30 MINUTES FOR FREE EACH DAY AND 50% RIDING BEYOND THAT. SO POTENTIALLY FOR $1.25, YOU CAN HAVE 215 MINUTE TRIPS TO GET YOU TO AND FROM WHERE YOU NEED TO GO FOR $1.25 A WEEK. SO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE SAVINGS THAT ARE HERE THAT ON AVERAGE COST ABOUT $40 WITH THE DISCOUNT PROGRAM. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PER WEEK, SAVING PEOPLE ABOUT 39 OR 38, 75. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IMPACTFUL. AND I THINK WILL WILL CHANGE THE WAY A LOT OF PEOPLE USE OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG HIGHLIGHT. I WANT TO TO MENTION HERE, THEY ALSO HAVE A COMMUTER MEMBERSHIP. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CURRENTLY IS NOT OFFERED. THIS IS A VERSION OF THAT THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY SORT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. BUT FOLKS CAN PAY 14.99 A WEEK AND GET THE TWO FREE 20 MINUTE RIDES EACH DAY. THERE'S SEVEN DAY PASS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE. WHAT THIS IS, IS BASICALLY SAYING, HEY, I'M GOING TO BE USING X AMOUNT OF MINUTES PER FOR SEVEN DAYS, AND IF I PAY THIS AHEAD OF TIME, I'LL GET A DISCOUNT OVER THAT PERIOD. SO I WENT A LITTLE TOO IN DETAIL IN THE LAST ONE. BUT HERE'S SOME MORE DETAILS HERE. SO AGAIN, YOU GET THE 33 MINUTES OF RIDING PER DAY AND 50% DISCOUNT, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S CURRENTLY OFFERED BEYOND THAT. SO THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS FOR TRIPS STARTING AND ENDING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OF FOCUS. THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS IS REALLY BROAD, SO I CAN'T LIST ALL THE PROGRAMS HERE, BUT JUST KNOW THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW, THE GOAL HERE IS TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE DO QUALIFY ANY PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP OR MEDICAID, SECTION EIGHT OR MOST ELIGIBLE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, OR IF YOU'RE UNDER 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, THEN YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS PROGRAM. STUDENTS ON FINANCIAL AID, VETERANS, AND ACTIVE MILITARY ALSO QUALIFY, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE ENROLL AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. SO THIS IS AT NO COST TO THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT VEO IS PROVIDING TO OR PROPOSING TO PROVIDE IF THEY OPERATE HERE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AS MUCH PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE SIGN UP, OF COURSE, AND THEN ADDITIONAL AFFORDABILITY FEATURES, AS I MENTIONED, THAT COMMUTER MEMBERSHIP. THERE'S ALSO A PROGRAM THEY HAVE WHERE IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT YOU RODE A BUS THAT DAY, YOU GET A DOLLAR OFF YOUR TRIP. AND WE ALSO ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE OPTIONS FOR THESE SORT OF KIND OF TECH SERVICES FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T HAVE BANK ACCOUNTS OR SMARTPHONES. SO WE'VE ASKED FOR THAT TO BE AN OPTION, AND THEY'VE PROVIDED A WAY TO DO THAT AS WELL AS, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE NOT ONLY DISCOUNTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF FOCUS. THAT'S A CURRENT SERVICE THAT'S OFFERED. THEY'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN, BUT WE ALSO PRIORITIZE VEHICLE DEPLOYMENT THERE AS WELL. SO THE VEHICLES. SO ONE THING THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE TRIED TO WORK TO ACHIEVE SINCE THE PILOT IS GETTING SOME SEEDED E-SCOOTERS. SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A MIXTURE OF A FLEET HERE THAT THEY'RE OFFERING. AND THERE'S TWO MAIN KIND OF REASONS FOR THE SEEDED E-SCOOTER. ONE, IT'S CERTAINLY MORE ACCESSIBLE AND ALLOWS FOR A LOT MORE ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS FOR FOLKS WHO NEED IT, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR MORE CARGO ATTACHMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THOSE. LIKE I MENTIONED, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO WORK TO SCHOOL, TO GROCERY TRIPS. AND SO HAVING OPTIONS FOR THEM TO CARRY ANY MATERIALS THEY WOULD NEED. IT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FOLKS, ABOUT THE NEED FOR CARS, IS THAT THAT THAT CARGO SPACE. SO SPREADING THAT FLEET OUT IS REALLY HELPFUL. ANOTHER BENEFIT TO THAT IS THEY ARE AT LEAST THE DATA SHOWS THEY ARE SAFER. A LOT OF OUR STANDING, YOU KNOW, CRASHES AND COLLISIONS OR INJURIES COME FROM A LACK OF BALANCE. AND FOLKS WHO ARE HIT A BUMP OR HAVE SOME BALANCE AND [00:35:05] YOU GAIN MORE BALANCE ON THIS. I WILL BE CLEAR, ALL OF THESE DEVICES WILL HAVE THE SAME SPEED REDUCTION. SO IT'S NOT LIKE BECAUSE THEY'RE SEATED, THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING FASTER THAN THE STANDING SCOOTERS. THOSE WOULD BE MAINTAINED. SO JUST REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE A WIDER VARIETY OF FLEET. AND IT'S A PRETTY STANDARD TREND ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF LESSENING THE STANDING E-SCOOTERS AND APPROACHING MORE FOR E-BIKES AND SEATED E-SCOOTERS. SO OUR PROPOSED TIMELINE, WE ARE SOME OF THIS IS IS IN THE PAST. SO WE, YOU KNOW, CONDUCTED THE RFP PROCESS, SCORED PROPOSALS, DID VENDOR INTERVIEWS. AND THAT'S WHEN VEO SCORED THE HIGHEST. WE ARE LOOKING FOR A VOTE ON THIS IN THE FUTURE. AFTER DISCUSSION TODAY HERE FROM CITY COMMISSION. AND WE'LL PROVIDE ON WEDNESDAY SOME MORE MOBILE GR UPDATES ON THIS AS WELL. AND THEN WE WOULD DO PRESS RELEASE AND FINALIZE CONTRACT IF APPROVED. AND THEN THE PROPOSED TIMELINE IS PRETTY SOON. AND I CAN SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT. BUT THIS IS A SEASONAL, YOU KNOW, SERVICE RELATIVELY. THERE'S STILL WINTER ACTIVITY, BUT IT'S UNDERSTANDABLY MUCH MORE COMMON. LEE USED IN THE SUMMER AND THE WARMER MONTHS. SO WE WANTED TO DO THAT TRANSITION IN AS SOON AS WE COULD. SO VO IS IS WILLING TO LAUNCH AND SCALE UP THEIR FLEET THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. AND THAT'S WHEN LIME WOULD SCALE DOWN THEIR FLEET. LIME WOULD CEASE OPERATIONS IN GRAND RAPIDS IN OCTOBER, AND VEO WOULD TAKE OVER AS THE SOLE OPERATOR. THEN THEY WOULD WINTERIZE THEIR FLEET, ALLOW THEM TO BUILD UP IN ANTICIPATION FOR 27. THIS. THIS TIMELINE IS WHAT STAFF FEELS, AND SPEAKING WITH BOTH OPERATORS FEELS WOULD HAVE THE LEAST IMPACT IN TERMS OF ANY SORT OF LOSS OF OF SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE FEEL LIKE THERE WOULD BE NONE WITH THIS PROPOSED TIMELINE AND THEN JUST A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. AND I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL THESE BULLET POINTS, BUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, JUST KIND OF CUSTOMER EXPECTATION FOR OUR RESIDENTS, VISITORS AND COMMUTERS, THE THINGS THAT WILL STAY THE SAME, STAY THE SAME, WHERE THE FLEET WILL BE AVAILABLE, WHERE THE FLEET CAN BE USED, THE SPEEDS, THE RULES FOR RIDING, ELIGIBILITY FOR THOSE DISCOUNTED AND INCOME QUALIFIED PRICING, ALL THAT STUFF WILL STAY THE SAME. THE CHANGES WILL BE THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW APP, SO FOLKS WILL HAVE TO TAKE A NEW APP AND DO THAT ONE TIME ACCOUNT SETUP. THERE'S GOING TO BE THE EXPANDED VEHICLE OPTIONS, LOWER STANDARD PRICING, MORE AFFORDABILITY OPTIONS, AND THE FRONT FACING RADAR ON SELECT DEVICES. OUR STAFF IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE VENDOR, BOTH VENDORS, TO TO HELP WITH THIS TRANSITION. SO WE'LL HELP WITH THE PHASING OUT OF AND OF LIME AND THE UPSCALING OF VEO THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. AND WE'LL WORK ON COMMUNICATIONS, OF COURSE, THROUGHOUT THAT TIME, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND TO MAKE SURE FOLKS ARE AWARE ABOUT THIS CHANGE. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WORK WITH VEO ON IN-PERSON SUPPORT FOR THAT, AND EITHER GOING TO EVENTS OR HIGH USE TRIP, START AND END LOCATIONS TO TALK PEOPLE THROUGH THAT TRANSITION. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS TO WORK WITH ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE QUALIFIED FOR THAT LIME ACCESS, SWITCHING OVER TO VEO ACCESS. SO THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THEM IN TERMS OF, OF, FROM AN ACCOUNTABILITY OR FROM AFFORDABILITY STANDPOINT. SO THAT IS ALL I HAVE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES. COMMISSIONER. WE'RE SEEING WHO IS FASTER. HE'S LIKE FAMILY FAMILY FEUD. OKAY. WE'RE ON THE SAME TEAM. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANKS FOR ANSWERING. I THINK A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS AS CLEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE VERY ATTENTIVE TO THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THIS BODY. THANK YOU TO MOBILE GR AS WELL FOR BEING ENGAGED IN THIS WORK AND THOSE THAT TRIED OUT THESE THINGS AS SOMEBODY WHO'S, YOU KNOW, VERY PROUDLY IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LIFE, THE SEATED SCOOTER MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I CAN MAYBE DO THAT. SO, BUT I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. MY FIRST ONE IS, CAN YOU REMIND ME YOUR HIGHLIGHT WAS, WAS VEO ONE OF THE OPTIONS BACK IN 2020? I CAN'T REMEMBER WERE THEY I MEAN, THEY'RE STILL SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE A FAIRLY NEW COMPANY OF 2017. SO I JUST WONDERED THAT I CAN ASK ALL THESE. AND THEN OKAY, I BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THEM MIGHT OVERLAP. MAC. SO, SO THAT WAS ONE THE NEXT WAS HOW ARE ESPECIALLY WITH THE CHANGES TO THE DASH, LIKE THE PLACEMENT OF THE, THE PARKING ZONES AND WHERE CAN PEOPLE PICK THEM UP AT? HOW IS THAT CONNECTED TO EITHER THE RAPIDS LOCATIONS AND DASH ROUTES? OBVIOUSLY, I'M SURE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT. THE OTHER QUESTION IS, HOW ARE YOU MENTIONED THE PILOT, THE FREE PILOT, WHICH I REMEMBER. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE TRANSITIONED FROM USING IT FREE TO THE AFFORDABILITY RATE? WAS THERE A GOOD TRANSITION RATE ON THAT? AND THEN THIS IS MORE OF A GENERAL QUESTION, BUT THAT AFFORDABILITY FEATURES. YOU [00:40:08] KNOW, KIND OF THOSE DIFFERENT THRESHOLDS, DOES THAT MATCH UP TO OTHER PROGRAMS WE HAVE? LIKE, I'M LOOKING BACK AT WAYNE, LIKE FOR LIKE SUPPORT FOR OUR WATER, YOU KNOW, WATER SUPPORT. SO JUST TRYING TO MATCH UP AFFORDABILITY. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, COMMISSIONER. DOES THAT MEAN THE SAME THING IN EVERY DIFFERENT THING THAT THEY MIGHT ACCESS IN THE CITY? OR HOW DO WE IF NOT, HOW DO WE GET THAT TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD? AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE DO THIS NOW AND THEN? HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAVE A PRETTY FOCUS ON SAFETY WHEN THERE IS AN INJURY THAT'S REPORTED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS, HOW DO THEY RESPOND TO THAT? DO THEY LOOK AND SAY, HEY, WE BELIEVE THIS WAS USER ERROR? DO WE BELIEVE WE'VE HAD SOME TIMES PEOPLE SAY THERE WAS AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE STREET? WAS IT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW FAILED ON IT. I JUST WONDERED, WHAT'S THEIR POSTMORTEM, SO TO SPEAK, ON AFTER INJURY. SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND I MAY ASK FOR SOME HELP ON REMEMBERING SOME. I'M SORRY. I'LL DO MY BEST. NO, NO, NO WORRIES AT ALL. SO THE FIRST ONE IS VEO IS NOT PART OF THE PILOT PROGRAM. YES. THEY WERE A NEWER TECHNOLOGY. THEY ALSO WERE JUST SOME LOCAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SPIN. WHO WAS A MORE LOCAL PROVIDER WHO, WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO TO BID ON THIS. BUT YES, THEY WERE NOT PART OF THAT. THE SECOND IS FOR THE LOCATIONS. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY, YOU KNOW, COGNIZANT OF WHEN WHEN DETERMINING THOSE, HOWEVER, WE ARE GOING TO WITH THE NEW VENDOR, WORK WITH THEM TO DO AN AUDIT OF ALL LOCATIONS. BUT WHEN DETERMINING DESIGNATED PARKING ZONES, TRANSIT ACCESS IS A HUGE ELEMENT OF THAT. SO FIRST MILE, LAST MILE IS A HUGE REASON THAT WE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD. AND IT'S A PART OF NOT JUST OUR, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC PLANNING, BUT PART OF THE RAPIDS AS WELL. SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE FOLKS WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT HALF MILE, QUARTER OF A MILE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEIR TRANSIT STOP AND THEIR HOME OR THEIR DESTINATION CAN HELP FILL THAT. SO THAT'S A HUGE PART OF THAT. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY WE ARE DOING AN AUDIT THIS WINTER IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SPRING TO SEE WHERE WE CAN REPOSITION THOSE BASED ON CHANGES, NOT JUST TO TO OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT ALSO TO DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, YOU KNOW, EVENT VENUES, RESTAURANTS, ALL THAT, ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF. HEAVY EMPLOYEE CENTERS. SO IN TERMS OF THE AFFORDABILITY, I FEEL LIKE I MISSED ONE. BUT SO THE AFFORDABILITY I MAYBE IT'S NOT THE BEST TO SPEAK TO THAT. BUT YEAH, GENERALLY IT SEEMS VERY ALIGNED TO ME IN THE WAY WE APPROACH THAT. AND THEN, BUT SORRY, MAYBE YOU CAN RE-ASK THAT ONE FOR ME, THE I'M SORRY. THAT WAS LOOKING AT WHEN WE DID THE PILOT, WHAT WAS THE TRANSITION FROM THOSE THAT WERE UTILIZING THE FREE SERVICE TO WHAT'S CALLED THE AFFORDABILITY CATEGORY? JUST LOOKING TO SEE WAS IT, HEY, I DID IT BECAUSE IT WAS FREE, BECAUSE I WANTED TO TRY IT OR. YEAH. SO WE DID GET A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP THAN HAD ORIGINALLY DONE. SO IT GOT IT DID THE JOB OF GETTING LIKE THE WORD OUT ABOUT THAT 50% DISCOUNT PROGRAM THAT HAD ALWAYS EXISTED. SO WE SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE SIGN UP. AND I GUESS IF YOU SIGN UP FOR THE FREE PROGRAM, YOU REMAINED ENROLLED. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE SAW PEOPLE LEAVE. WE DID SEE A DROP IN USAGE. AND AGAIN, ANECDOTALLY TALKING WITH COMMUNITY, A LOT THAT CAME DOWN TO IT'S STILL, IF YOU USE IT TWICE A DAY TO GO SOMEWHERE, IT'S STILL THAT $40 A WEEK AS OPPOSED TO FREE. SO THAT IS WHERE IT TURNED. A LOT OF FOLKS KIND OF MAINTAINED THAT, BUT INSTEAD OF DOING ANOTHER $40 A WEEK TO GO TO BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND WEDDING AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S WHERE THEY KIND OF WERE ABLE TO HAVE TO MAKE CUTS. SO OUR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ENROLLMENT STAYED THE SAME. NO ONE REALLY DROPPED OUT. WE INCREASED ENROLLMENT THROUGHOUT, BUT THE USAGE OF IT DID DROP PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. AND THEN FOR THE SAFETY QUESTION AND, YOU KNOW, HAPPY, THE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND GRPD, OF COURSE, ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE REPORTING ASPECT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND THE VENDORS IS, YES, THERE FOR ANY SORT OF SERIOUS INJURY FATALITY OR EVEN JUST AN INCIDENT THAT DOESN'T MEET THOSE TWO THRESHOLDS. WE LOOK AT ALL FACTORS INVOLVED, WHETHER THEY'RE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, WHETHER IT WAS ON THE SIDEWALK, WHETHER THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN THE ROAD, WHETHER IT WAS A MISBALANCE. SO ALL OF THAT GOES INTO THE STUDY OF EACH REPORT THERE EACH HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL INCIDENT REPORT THAT'S DONE. AGAIN, POLICE AND FIRE HAVE THEIRS. AND THEN SO DOES THE VENDOR THAT REPORTS BACK TO US. AND WE TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE WHICH ZONES SHOULD BE GEOFENCED, WHAT SHOULD THE SPEEDS BE FOR THE DEVICES IN CERTAIN AREAS? IF THERE ARE WAYS WE CAN DO EDUCATION IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WITH CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, USER GROUPS, AS WELL AS HOW WE LOOK FOR IMPROVED TECHNOLOGIES GOING FORWARD. SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AT LEAST, IT'S A VERY [00:45:03] COMPREHENSIVE REPORTING SYSTEM FOR EVERY INCIDENT. OKAY. THE, THE, THE, THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE WAS, DOES THE AFFORDABILITY, I'LL SAY REQUIREMENTS OR HOW PEOPLE MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS, AFFORDABILITY, QUALIFICATIONS, DO THOSE MATCH UP ACROSS ALL OTHER ASSISTANT SUPPORT OF THINGS THAT WE CONTROL IN THE CITY. AND I WAS THINKING JUST ABOUT WATER. YEAH, CERTAINLY A MOBILE GR I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE DEPARTMENTS, BUT YES FOR MOST. LET US GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE THOROUGH REPORT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. MY PARTNER OVER THERE ASKED THE MAJORITY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT. OH, NO, NO YOU'RE FINE. WE'RE A TEAM. ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WERE OFFERING THE FREE OPTION. SO TWO QUESTIONS IN THAT IT COULD THERE BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT MAYBE AN OFFERING LIKE THAT, LIKE MAYBE ONCE A MONTH OR ONCE A QUARTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SPECIFICALLY FOR WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN LOWER ECONOMIC SPACES LIKE THAT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THEM GOING TO THE PARK, RIGHT, AND UTILIZING THOSE SPACES, HOW WOULD THAT LOOK IF IT WERE FREE, IF THEY WERE USING SOME OF THESE PUBLIC ASSETS TO, TO GET PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY MORE, AND THEN THINKING ABOUT THE DASH ROUTES THAT HAD BEEN CUT BACK, WHERE DO THEY DO THEIR PLACEMENT? SO MAYBE PEOPLE CAN UTILIZE THAT, THAT WORK NORMALLY IN THAT DASH ROUTE, BUT THAT AREN'T IN IT RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE I KNOW SPECIFICALLY, EVEN WHERE I LIVE, THERE ARE NO SCOOTER PLACEMENTS CLOSE BY, SO I WOULD STILL END UP WALKING PROBABLY THREE, FOUR BLOCKS JUST TO GET TO A BUS STOP. RIGHT. AND SO I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AWAY FROM THAT. AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR PLACEMENTS WHERE THEY SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE BUSINESS ACCESS IN THOSE AREAS. BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE JUST PUSHED OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE? HOW DO THEY MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT IN THOSE SPACES? YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. SO FOR THE FIRST ONE, WE ARE ALWAYS EXPLORING DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF THAT PROGRAM. SO THAT PROGRAM WAS FUNDED BY THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. EVERYTHING ELSE YOU SEE HERE IS, IS DONE BY THE VENDOR. SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO TO LOOK AT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. BUT AGAIN, HIGHLY IMPACTFUL AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, TO HELP BUILD OFF THAT SUCCESS. AND AGAIN, ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WHILE NOT FREE, $5 A MONTH IS OF COURSE, SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AFFORDABLE THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST FOR, FOR THIS SORT OF SERVICE, BUT HAPPY TO KEEP LOOKING INTO IT. AND THEN FOR THE PROXIMITY TO TRANSIT STOPS. I THINK THE DASH IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, OF HOW THAT FIRST MILE, LAST MILE WORKS. SO WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN, IN THE RAPID ROUTES THAT CAME FROM THE AREA WHERE THE DASH WAS REMOVED, SPECIFICALLY AROUND LEONARD. BUT ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE DASH THEN WAS THAT CROSS CONNECTOR OVER THE RIVER, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A RAPID ROUTE THAT DOES THAT. SO WE HAVE PUT DPS'S ON EITHER SIDE OF THAT AND SEEN AN INCREASE IN USAGE IN THAT LOCATION, BUT USING SOME MORE MESSAGING AND OTHER THINGS TO HELP DRAW THOSE CONNECTIONS, I THINK WE CAN WORK ON. AND THEN SPECIFICALLY TO WHERE YOU LIVE, AND I LIVE IN A SIMILAR LOCATION, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE FEW EXCLUDED AREAS OF OUR CITY. SO WE ARE EXPLORING WITH MOBILE JHA COMMISSION VERY EARLY AND TALKING WITH THE VENDOR ABOUT POTENTIAL EXPANSION AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PILOT BACK WAS TO EVENTUALLY REACH, YOU KNOW, MORE OF THE CITY, BUT JUST WANT TO, OF COURSE, TALK THAT THROUGH WITH OUR COMMISSION AND COMMUNITY BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD. YEAH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. JUST TO CLARIFY, THOUGH, WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO MOBILE GRPS AND WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY COME BACK FOR VOTE IS DISCOUNTED SERVICES WITHOUT THE FREE OPTION FOR US TO OFFER THAT, WE'D HAVE TO HAVE FUNDING APPROPRIATED BY THIS BODY, WHICH IS NOT IN THE BUDGET AT THIS POINT, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. YES. YEAH. AND FRANKLY, THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT FREE PROGRAM, I MEAN, YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO, I'VE SEEN IT AT MOBILE GRPS THE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING PEOPLE TO TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT IS REALLY, REALLY POWERFUL. THE EXAMPLE I'VE BEEN USING RECENTLY IS MY WIFE WAS INSANELY RESISTANT TO THE IDEA OF AN E-BIKE, AND SHE JUST WANTED TO GET A REAL BIKE. AND SO I TOOK HER OFF TO FREE WHEELER AND SHE TRIED TO NON E-BIKES AND I WAS LIKE, CAN YOU JUST TRY AN E-BIKE? AND SHE GOT ON ONE. SHE'S LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BUY. SO AND YOU KNOW, I HAD A, I HAD A STAFF MEMBER SAY THE SAME THING. SHE'S LIKE, I FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT E-BIKES FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. THIS IS AMAZING. SO GETTING PEOPLE ON THEM, GETTING PEOPLE TO SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF LIKE GETTING AROUND THE WORLD WITHOUT CARS, YOU CAN EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE ALL DAY LONG. THERE'S A, THERE'S, BUT THE LEAP TO ACTUALLY USING IT. AND IF YOUR BARRIER IS, I DON'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED FIGURING OUT HOW TO WHO I GOT TO PAY AND WHAT ACCOUNT TO SET UP AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, LIKE REMOVING [00:50:04] BARRIERS TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING IT FOR THEMSELVES. I THINK PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO FOR, FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO, TO ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND OTHER MOBILITY OPTIONS. SO THAT'S GREAT. BUT, BUT THAT'S YES, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT THE PURVIEW OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, COMMISSIONER. YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I'M ONE VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS. I LOVE THE IDEA OF BEING MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED FOLKS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. MY QUESTION IS, AND I REMEMBER I FEEL LIKE LYME WAS A VERY AFFORDABLE CONTRACT FOR THE CITY. I JUST WANTED TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE COMPARISON OF THE PRICE OF CONTRACTS. AND FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED FROM MY BACKGROUND IS ANYTIME YOU SWITCH OVER TO A NEW CRM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THERE STILL IS SOME COST. EVEN IF THE COST IS THE EMPLOYEE HOURS. SO WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE COST FOR RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF SWITCHING TO A NEW SYSTEM? ARE WE ASSESSING THAT OR IS THERE ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT? YEAH, CERTAINLY. SO YEAH, FOR MOST REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THE CITY IS IS GOING TO PAY SOMEONE. RIGHT. SO THAT'S AN ELEMENT OF THEIR FROM THAT COST. SINCE THIS IS A COST FREE, AT LEAST FROM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE POINT OF VIEW, WE DID CONSIDER A FEW THINGS RELATED TO THAT. ONE, WE ASSESSED THE STAFF TIME THAT WENT INTO OUR CURRENT WORK WITH LYME, AND THE STAFF TIME IT TOOK TO LAUNCH A NEW PROGRAM AND SWITCH FROM SPIN TO LYME ORIGINALLY. SO WE HAD SPIN PREDOMINANTLY. WE BROUGHT LYME IN LATER IN THE PILOT, THEN WE SWITCHED TO LYME FULLY. SO THROUGHOUT THE PURCHASING PROCESS AND THE WEIGHTING OF THOSE SCORES, THAT WAS CONSIDERED AND ACKNOWLEDGED. SO NOT JUST STAFF TIME, BUT RESOURCES, ADJUSTING THE WEBSITE, PRINTING MATERIALS, GOING TO COMMUNITY EVENTS. SO WHILE COST FREE, THERE IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN, WHEN MAKING THIS SELECTION AND STILL RELATIVELY TO THE SERVICE THAT PROVIDES OUR COMMUNITY. JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION, I THINK THE COST IS WORTH IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT THE, THE, THE ACCESS PROGRAMS AND OTHER SOME OF THE CHANGES. BUT YEAH, I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE, WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. IT'S COST FREE, BUT BUT STAFF TIME. EXACTLY. YEAH. AND SO IS THERE A DIRECT PRICE PRICE THAT YOU CAN THAT YOU ALL ASSESS THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US AS COMMISSIONERS BY CHANCE FOR THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY DO THOSE REPORTINGS OUT, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. I DO NOT KNOW, LIKE THE JUST TO MAKE SURE I THINK WHAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, THERE'S DIRECT COSTS. AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECT BUDGETED COSTS. AND YOU'RE ASKING WHAT THE INDIRECT COST IS IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME STAFF SPENT THE TRANSITION, WHICH IS BUDGETED. BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN GIVE A REPORT ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME IN YOUR TIMELINE THAT YOU SHARED WITH US EARLIER THAT YOU THINK THE STAFF WILL NEED TO COMMIT OUT OF OUR NORMAL OPERATING HOURS. WE CAN GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT. PERFECT. THANK YOU. MAYOR, I DO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AGAIN, MOBILE GR COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, OFTENTIMES WE USE THE PHRASE, IT'S JUST LIKE RIDING A BIKE. YOU NEVER FORGET WHAT YOU ONCE KNEW. WELL, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE WITH SOME PEOPLE RIDING. AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE THREE WHEELED VEHICLE THAT WILL HELP TO CENTER BALANCE, I THINK WILL. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WILL BE. AND ACTUALLY, IF I CAN JUMP IN HERE, MAX, WHILE WE'RE ON THAT CONVERSATION, I KNOW COMMISSIONER PERDUE HAS BEEN EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY BEFORE AND HELMET WEARING. AND I WILL JUST, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY HERE IN 2007. I PROPOSE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE REQUIREMENT FOR PEOPLE TO WEAR HELMETS IN THE CITY. AND EVERY LIBERTARIAN ON PLANET EARTH CAME OUT AND TOLD ME THAT. I SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GET TOLD WHAT TO DO WITH THEIR BODY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE HOSPITAL SAID, OH MY GOSH, WE HAVE SO MANY CLOSED HEAD INJURIES FROM PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE PREVENTABLE IF PEOPLE WOULD JUST WEAR HELMETS. AND IF I HAD A IF I HAD, YOU KNOW, A, IF I HAD $1,000 FOR EVERY PERSON I'VE SEEN WEARING A SCOOTER WITH A HELMET ON THEM, I WOULDN'T BE ANY RICHER THAN I AM RIGHT NOW. I JUST DON'T SEE PEOPLE ON SCOOTERS WEARING HELMETS. AND THAT IS VERY CONCERNING. ONE OF THE HUGE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A SCOOTER. I ALWAYS EXPLAIN LIKE IT'S BASIC PHYSICS. THERE'S A REASON PICKUP TRUCKS ARE INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE HIGH. THEY HAVE A HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY, SO THEY'RE VULNERABLE TO ROLLOVERS. THEY ARE ALSO SO BIG THAT YOU CAN'T SEE THINGS IN FRONT OF THEM, WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE SO DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS. SIMILARLY, SCOOTERS HAVE A PHYSICS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE LITTLE WHEELS. IF YOU THROW A LITTLE WHEEL THROUGH A SMALL FLOOR IN THE IN THE ROAD, IT MAY BE THE END OF THAT SCOOTERS RIDE. IF YOU HAVE A BIG WHEEL, YOU CAN SURVIVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH A 2 OR 3 INCH POTHOLE. SO BIKES ARE JUST INHERENTLY A LOT SAFER. SO THAT'S A FRAMING FOR SAYING I WOULD LIKE US TO LONGER TERM. IF THIS IS ALL GREAT, ALL OF THIS CONTRACT STUFF IS GREAT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE US LONGER TERM. KEEP AN EYE ON WHETHER WE WANT [00:55:01] TO ACTUALLY HAVE DIFFERENTIAL PRICING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO SAFER BEHAVIORS. IN OTHER WORDS, IF BIKES WERE WERE CHEAPER THAN SCOOTERS, THAT MIGHT BE OR OR FASTER THAN SCOOTERS. I MEAN THAT IF WE MADE BIKES MORE DESIRABLE BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY'RE SAFER, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER. JUST INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO, TO, TO CHOOSE SAFER OPTIONS. AS FAR AS THE THE TRIKE GOES, I WILL AGAIN, FULL DISCLOSURE, SAY EVERY WINTER COMES AROUND, I FANTASIZE ABOUT GETTING ONE OF THOSE MYSELF BECAUSE I'M NOT RIDING A TWO WHEELED VEHICLE IN THE SNOW. SO I STOP RIDING MY BIKE TO WORK IN THE SNOW. HOW ARE PEOPLE GOING TO KNOW WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE AVAILABLE? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE 5000 OF THEM AROUND. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE THREE WHEEL THINGS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AND HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO KNOW LIKE, OH, THERE'S ONE AT THE CORNER OF MADISON AND HALL. IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH FOR PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THAT OPTION TO USE IT. AND THE OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, CAN WE LEAN INTO THOSE HEAVIER IN THE WINTER BECAUSE THEY'RE SAFER FOR EVERYBODY IN THE WINTER? YEAH. SO FIRST QUESTION, I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP, COMMISSIONER PURDUE, YOUR COMMENTS AROUND HELMETS WAS A BIG PART OF OUR PROPOSAL AND OUR REQUEST. AND I, I APOLOGIZE FOR ADMITTING IT IN THIS PRESENTATION. I SHOULD HAVE. WE HAVE COMMITMENT FROM THEM THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE HELMETS TO ANYONE WHO ASKS FOR IT FOR FREE, AND THEY WILL BE AT EVENTS HANDING OUT HELMETS. THAT'S PART OF THEIR HELMET GIVEAWAY PROGRAM, ONE THAT LIME HAD COMMITTED TO AS WELL RECENTLY. AND WE'VE BEEN RAMPING UP. THEY'RE GOING TO STAY WITH THAT. THEY ALSO HAVE A FEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR TOOLBOX THAT CAN ADDRESS THAT AS WELL, SIMILAR TO DISCOUNTING RIDES FOR FOLKS WHO USE HELMETS. BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO RUN THROUGH SOME OTHER BODIES JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY ADHERE TO ALL OF OUR POLICIES HERE AT THE CITY. IN TERMS OF THE DEVICE LOCATIONS WITHIN THE APP, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THEM, THEY'RE HIGHLIGHTED AS A UNIQUE DEVICE ON THE APP SO YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT TYPES. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN ACCESSIBILITY FEATURE THROUGH VOICE APP THAT SAYS IF YOU HAVE ACCESSIBLE NEEDS, THEN THE DEVICES ARE HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU AND OFTEN YOU CAN RESERVE THEM AHEAD OF TIME AS OPPOSED TO OTHER DEVICES WHERE YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT. THAT'S A GOOD POINT ABOUT PRICING. I CAN SPEAK WITH THEM ABOUT THAT. AGAIN, THIS IS WE'RE IN THE CONTRACT PHASE, SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT FOR THAT. AND THEN SIMILARLY, WE'VE WE'VE HAD COMMITMENT FROM THEM. AND THIS IS VERY STANDARD AGAIN, FOR, FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THIS SORT OF VEHICLE SPLIT TO HEAVILY REDUCE STANDING SCOOTERS IN THE WINTER AND IMPROVE THE, THE MORE STABLE DEVICES. SO THAT'S PART OF THEIR PLANS. ALREADY OVERALL FLEET DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS. IT'S AN ART, NOT A SCIENCE. IT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE GO INTO COMMUNITY AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR NEEDS. AND WE LOOK AT CERTAIN AREAS AND AND WE'VE BEEN DOING IT WITH LIME, BUT WITH THIS NEW VENDOR AND THESE NEW VEHICLE OPTIONS WILL OF COURSE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. THANKS. SOMEDAY I DREAM OF ASKING YOU A QUESTION THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A COMPLETE ANSWER FOR. SO, MAX, YOU'RE A ROCK STAR. THANK YOU. YOU'RE SO GOOD AT ALL THIS STUFF. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? I SAW COMMISSIONER BELICHICK. WELL, YEAH, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER FOR LEADING THIS DISCUSSION IN OUR MOBILE COMMISSION TO. BECAUSE, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, SAFETY HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. I KNOW LIKE DOWNTOWN IN CERTAIN AREAS, WE DO HAVE STILL QUESTIONS ABOUT RIDERSHIP ON SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIANS AND PEOPLE WHO, ESPECIALLY AS WE HAVE MORE DENSITY AND MULTI-STORY BUILDINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN, THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THEIR BUILDINGS AND THESE VEHICLES ARE GOING BY, OR WE HAVE EVENTS HERE AT DEVOS PLACE OR THE VAN ANDEL OR WHEREVER. SO MY QUESTION IS MORE OF A COMMENT, BUT MY I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS THIS VENDOR LOOKS REALLY, REALLY APPEALING. AND I CAN SEE WHY THEY WOULD HAVE SCORED VERY HIGHLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT THE SAFETY FEATURE WITH THE HELMETS. AND SO I GUESS THIS I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND US ALL WHERE YOU CAN USE SCOOTERS AND THESE MICRO-MOBILITY AND WHERE YOU CAN'T. YEAH. SO WE HAVE A, A WALK YOUR WHEELS ORDINANCE IN THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OR SORRY, THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THE WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO RIDE YOUR YOUR MOTORIZED VEHICLES LIKE AN E-SCOOTER AND E-BIKE ON CERTAIN SIDEWALKS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THERE IS NO STATE GUIDANCE ALONG THIS. SO THAT ORDINANCE, THAT LOCAL ORDINANCE IS THE ONLY THING THAT PROHIBITS SIDEWALK RIDING, IF YOU WILL, IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. SO EVERYWHERE ELSE IT IS PROHIBITED. PERMITTED. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT YOU RIDE ON THE SIDEWALK, BUT OF COURSE, UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY SOMETIMES FEELS THAT'S THE SAFEST PLACE, IDEALLY, FROM A BEHAVIORAL STANDPOINT, RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK WOULD BE OKAY IF YOU SLOW DOWN NEAR CONFLICT POINTS LIKE DRIVEWAYS OR DOORS, OR WHEN YOU SEE PEDESTRIANS, WHICH IS WHY THIS RADAR TECHNOLOGY IS SO EXCITING, BECAUSE WHAT THAT CAN DO IS TAKE, LIKE YOU FROM 8 TO 9MPH DOWN TO THREE, WHICH IS AGAIN, IDEALLY IF YOU'RE RIDING [01:00:05] ON THE SIDEWALK AND YOU SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IF I NEAR A PEDESTRIAN OR A CONFLICT ZONE, I SHOULD SLOW DOWN. BUT THAT SOMETIMES DOESN'T HAPPEN. SO, SO YEAH, SO JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, THE ONLY THING PROHIBITING PEOPLE FROM RIDING ON THE SIDEWALK IS OUR LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT IS SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN DOWNTOWN STREETS. AND OTHERWISE, IT'S A COMMUNICATION THING WHERE WE TALK WITH FOLKS, THESE ARE OFTEN THE SAFEST PLACE IS TO BE IN THE STREET, IN A BIKE LANE, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT FEEL THAT WAY, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE INJURIES AND FATALITIES WE SEE ARE FROM CONFLICT POINTS, FROM DRIVEWAYS OR FROM INTERSECTIONS. IF YOU'RE GOING FAST ON AN INTERSECTION, ON THE SIDEWALK AND A CAR CAN'T SEE YOU, AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPECTING PEOPLE AT PEDESTRIAN SPEEDS, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE INJURIES CAN OCCUR, ESPECIALLY NATIONALLY AS WE LOOK AT DATA. BUT AGAIN, EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THEN IF SOMEONE'S LIKE, I FEEL SAFER ON THE SIDEWALK, BUT THEN THE RADAR DETECTS, HEY, THERE'S A VEHICLE HERE, IT CAN DETECT VERY QUICKLY AND STOP THAT DEVICE. SO YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT MICROMOBILITY AND E-BIKE E-BIKE POLICY IN GENERAL, THAT WE LOOK REVISIT SOME OF THIS ORDINANCE STUFF BECAUSE WEST LEONARD IS HAVING ISSUES WITH E-BIKES GOING TOO FAST ON THE SIDEWALK. GREAT. SO WE'VE GOT ONE MORE BRIEFING TO DO. BUT COMMISSIONER PURDUE, I MAY HAVE STOLEN YOUR THUNDER, BUT IF YOU WANT TO, YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON WHO HASN'T SPOKEN. SO IF YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN HERE OR SAY ANYTHING, I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF. BUT WE DO HAVE ONE MORE BRIEFING TO GET TO, SO THANK YOU. JUST REALLY QUICKLY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAX. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT OR REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE HARD WORK TO TAKE IN ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED OVER THE YEARS. AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A HUGE UPGRADE IN TERMS OF OPTIONS, AMENITIES, SAFETIES. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONNECTING THE HELMET PIECE BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS. SO EXCITED THAT YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, TOOK THAT SERIOUSLY. BUT ALSO THAT, OH, IS IT V O OR VO? VO IS WILLING TO DO THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT, MAYOR. THANK YOU. MAX. THANKS. GREAT. [2. Presentation on the Third Ward through Cultural Tour and Murals] EXCITING BRIEFING. OKAY. AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR LAST BRIEFING, WHICH IS ALSO EXCITING. AND THAT IS THE ADDITIONAL PROGRESS IN OUR THIRD WARD CULTURAL TOUR, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING. SO GREAT TO HAVE AN UPDATE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING IN CLOSED SESSION AFTER THAT. SO I SEE WE HAVE ASANTE COMING UP, BUT WHO ELSE? YEAH. I KNEW MAX WAS GOING TO BE PRESENTING, SO I HAD TO BRING IN THE THE BIG GUNS HERE. SO MY NAME IS FIREWORKS. YOU HAVE TO GET A PERMIT IF YOU WANT FIREWORKS, SIR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. CITY COMMISSION, CITY MANAGER. TODAY I'M TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE THIRD WORLD CULTURAL TOUR AND ADDITIONALLY AN UPDATE ON THE THIRD WARD MURAL OVER PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN A YEAR AGO. THE CITY EMBARKED THIS JOURNEY TO HELP THE THIRD WARD FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REASONS, BUT ALSO TO BRING MORE CULTURAL CELEBRATION TO THAT COMMUNITY. SO A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE SET OUT TO MAKE THIS MURAL, MAKE THIS CULTURAL TOUR. AND WE'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE THE THIRD WARD HAS A STORY TO TELL. IT'S HISTORICALLY RICH. WE WANT TO MAKE A TOUR THAT OFFERS AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE, A WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE. WE WANT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE SCALABLE IN ITS PROGRESS AND WE WANT TO INNOVATE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE PERSONS THAT ARE KNOWN IN GRAND RAPIDS FOR HISTORICAL REASONS. WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM TO FIND AND DISCOVER MORE PEOPLE, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY SET OUT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 50 TOURS OR TOUR STOPS EVENTUALLY. THAT'S OUR CURRENT CONTRACT. WE HAVE 25 RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M STILL IN THUNDER AWAY FROM THE MUSEUM AND MUSE, SO I'LL I'LL PAUSE RIGHT THERE AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THEM. STEVEN FROM MUSE, WHO'S ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM. HE'S GOING TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING RIGHT HERE. SORRY, CAN SOMEONE ASK THEM TO KEEP THEIR VOICES DOWN IN THE HALL, PLEASE? WE ARE HERE, BUT WE WE FEEL LIKE YOU CAN SEE A VIDEO AND GET THE FULL EFFECT. WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT THE THIRD WARD LEGACY TOUR, AN INTERACTIVE WAY TO EXPLORE AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF GRAND RAPIDS THIRD WARD. THE TOUR IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH AN EASY TO USE APP ON A PHONE, TABLET, COMPUTER OR AT KIOSKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. FROM THE INTERACTIVE MAP, USERS CAN EXPLORE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND SELECT INDIVIDUAL STOPS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND STORIES THAT SHAPE THE COMMUNITY. [01:05:26] THE FIRST COMMUNITY, AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL AME CHURCH, WAS FORMED FROM RICH HISTORY AND PERSEVERANCE AS ITS FOUNDER HAD TO FIGHT AND ADVOCATING FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR OWN CHURCH. THE APP OFFERS A VARIETY OF WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH THIS HISTORY, INCLUDING VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHS, SCAVENGER HUNTS, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REFLECTION. AS USERS EXPLORE THE TOUR, THEY CAN TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE THROUGH INTERACTIVE QUIZZES, ADDING A FUN AND ENGAGING LAYER TO THE EXPERIENCE. AT STOPS LIKE AL GREEN, THE TOUR CONNECTS VISITORS TO THE PLACES WHERE IMPORTANT STORIES BEGAN, AND EXPLORES THE PEOPLE AND EXPERIENCES THAT SHAPED THE LEGACY OF THE THIRD WARD. NEVER BE OUR TRUE. OH BABY. LET'S BE TOGETHER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THESE STORIES TO LIFE AND CREATING A MEANINGFUL WAY FOR BOTH GRAND RAPIDS RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO EXPLORE, CONNECT WITH, AND LEARN ABOUT THE LEGACY OF THE THIRD WARD. ALL RIGHT, SO YES, THAT'S HOW THE APP WILL WORK. THAT'S WE'RE GOING TO BRING UP. WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT THE THIRD WARD, AND HE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THE KIOSK AND THE LOCATIONS THAT THE KIOSK WILL BE. HELLO, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. CITY MANAGER. THIS IS A KIOSK. THIS IS A. THE PHYSICAL DEVICES THAT WE HAVE. THERE'S A COUPLE WAYS THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE KIOSK. THE FIRST IS WHEN YOU GET BY ONE OF THE SPOTS, THEY'LL BE ASSIGNED VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. NOW I KNOW YOU ALL GOT YOUR APP LINKS THIS WEEK, BUT YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO SCAN THE QR CODE. SO IF YOU SEE A TELEPHONE POLE OR A FENCE OR SOMETHING THAT HAS ONE OF THESE ON IT, IT'LL BE ALSO REPRESENTED IN THE KIOSK. ALL THE KIOSKS ARE THE PHYSICAL SPOTS. RIGHT NOW. WE'LL HAVE THOSE IN AND VILLAGE MLK LODGE WILL HAVE IT IN THE HUB OH SEVEN BUILDING. WE'LL ALSO HAVE IT AT WEALTHY THEATER AND AT GRANDMA. SO THESE ARE THE PHYSICAL KIOSKS. BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S IT'S REALLY MEANT TO DO ON YOUR PHONE. SO ANYBODY THAT HAS A PHONE CAN ACCESS THE SAME INFORMATION. USUALLY WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THE KIOSK. YOU'LL HAVE A BANNER VERY SIMILAR TO THIS, WHICH IS KIND OF A COLLAGE OF PEOPLE FROM THE THIRD WARD THAT'LL GIVE YOU A LOCATION. AND THEN ONCE YOU DO THAT, STEPHEN, YOU CAN. SHOW THEM HOW IT WORKS. IT IT HAS. BEEN ACTIVATED. WE DID A SOFT LAUNCH ON THE 4TH OF JULY, AND WE ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR LAUNCH SOMETIME IN THE FALL. THIS WOULD LAUNCH IT TO EVERYBODY. WE WERE ALSO PICKED UP BY AMERICA. 250 SO WE'RE A PART OF THIS PROJECT IS A PART OF THAT PROJECT. AND IT'S, IT'S ONE THAT THE STATE HAS EMBRACED. SO ON HERE, IT'S GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AS STEPHEN SAID IN THE VIDEO, WE HAVE TAPES OF MUSIC, WE HAVE GAMES, WE HAVE HISTORICAL INFORMATION, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THAT'S WHAT IT'S REALLY MADE FOR. AND. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ASK, ASK THEM. ANSWER THEM FOR YOU. COMMISSIONER, I REALLY LOVE A LOT OF THIS. I JUST HAD AN IDEA THOUGH, WITH THIS KIOSK [01:10:03] OR THIS INFORMATION ALSO BE AVAILABLE MAYBE AT THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM ARCHIVES, OR ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BE OPENING OUR NEW VISITOR CENTER STUFF IN THE FUTURE, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING. YEAH, WE'LL WORK WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS TO FIND PLACES FOR IT. WE'VE WORKED WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND I'M SURE THE CLERK'S DEPARTMENT, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE ARCHIVES, WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONSIDER THAT TOO. IF THEY HAVE SPACE, GREAT. WE GOT A COUPLE MORE SLIDES TO GO THROUGH. WE DO JUST REAL QUICK ABOUT THE MURAL. THANK YOU PARTNERS. SO THE SECOND PIECE OF OF THIS WORK IS THE. AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 THAT WERE HELPING TO SEED THIS ART WITH A MURAL IN THE THIRD WARD ALSO. AND SO WE HAVE SELECTED A PROJECT MANAGER, THE TEAM THAT HELPED SELECT THAT WERE MEMBERS OF THE THIRD WARD, THE SOUTH TOWN, THE SOUTH TOWN C I. IN ADDITION. BUT WHO WAS SELECTED WAS COMMITTEE STRATEGIES. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH HERE REAL QUICK. COMMITTEE STRATEGIES. THEIR PRINCIPAL CANDY IS SPELLED WORKED VERY HARD ON THE SUCCESSFUL 49507 PROJECT THAT THE DIATRIBE DID A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO SHE HAS EXPERIENCE IN PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS AVAILABLE NOW ON THAT WEBSITE. THIRD WARD MURAL.COM IS A CALL FOR ARTISTS AND A CALL FOR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO HELP IN THE SELECTIONS. SO WE'RE SELECTING TWO THINGS. WE'RE SELECTING WE'RE LOCATING SITES IN THE THIRD WARD THAT WOULD BE HAPPY TO HOST MURALS. AND THEN THE OTHER SELECTION PROCESS IS THE ACTUAL ART AND THE SUBJECTS. SO THOSE TWO THINGS ARE AVAILABLE, THE WEBSITES OBVIOUSLY AVAILABLE NOW THEY'RE IN AUGUST. WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE SOME POP UP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS WITH HELP OF GRANDMA, PUBLIC VOTING IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER. A COMMUNITY CELEBRATION OF THE SUBJECT LOCATION IN ART. AND THEN NEXT YEAR, MAY OF 2027, A COMPLETED MURAL IN THE THIRD WARD WORLD CLASS. AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ARE YOU TALKING SINGULAR OR PLURAL FOR THE MURAL? SO THE 50,000 IS FOR ONE MURAL. BUT THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS PROJECT IS WE SHOULD HAVE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN ART ALREADY SELECTED FOR THOSE BUILDINGS. SO AT THAT POINT, IT WOULD JUST BE UP TO THE COMMUNITY TO RAISE THE FUNDING FOR IT, AND THE CITY COULD CHOOSE TO INVEST AGAIN ALSO. OKAY. HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO OTHER MURAL STUFF WE'VE DONE AROUND TOWN? LIKE THAT SOUNDS HIGHER TO ME THAN LIKE, I KNOW BREWERY VYVANSE GOT A MURAL ON IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES AROUND TOWN THAT WE'VE DONE ART INITIATIVES AT BEFORE THAT HAVE BEEN. I THOUGHT THERE WERE MORE LIKE IN THE 5 OR $10,000 RANGE, AM I WRONG? WE'RE LOOKING FOR A WORLD CLASS MURAL THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY, SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A 2000 MURAL ON A CORNER STORE. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A NICE MURAL LIKE THE MURAL, THE MURAL, THAT'S WHAT THE OF THE OF THE I THINK SHE'S A KOREAN WOMAN THAT YOU CAN SEE BY FOUNDERS. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S A WORLD THAT THAT GENTLEMAN WAS, I BELIEVE FROM KOREA. HIS NAME IS ROYAL DOG BASED OUT IN CALIFORNIA, FLOWN HERE AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT HOW IT WORKS OUT AS FAR AS THE, THE, THE, THE RFP FROM THE ARTIST. THE RESPONSE WAS FROM THE ARTISTS. BUT IT'S A WORLD CLASS MURAL. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SMALL THING. OKAY. THANKS. COMMISSIONER KILGORE. YES. WELL, I'M ALWAYS EXCITED TO SEE THE THIRD WARD GET SOME ATTENTION AND HIGHLIGHTS. OH, I LOVE DOWNTOWN TOO, BUT WHOA. WOW. IT'S LIKE WOW. EVERYONE LIKE WOO WOO. WE GOT LIKE SCREEN RECORDED FOR MYSELF. SO WE'RE FINALLY TALKING ABOUT OUR PART OF TOWN FINALLY. BUT FINALLY. YES, YES, FINALLY. BUT I'M VERY EXCITED. THAT IS TRULY MY EXCITEMENT FOR THIS PROJECT. I WANT TO THANK GRANDMA AND MUSE AND MISTER AND EVERYONE FOR WORKING ON THIS. I'M VERY EXCITED. I DID HAVE A QUESTION OF FOLKS ARE STILL ABLE TO SUBMIT HISTORICAL PIECES FOR THE TOUR. IF WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR PHOTOS. I KNOW I HELPED CONNECT SOME FOLKS FOR SOME PHOTOS AT MLK COMMUNITY CENTER, AND SO JUST WONDERING IF FOLKS CAN STILL SUBMIT THAT AND HOW THEY DO THAT. YES, THEY CAN CONTACT GRANDMA AND GET THAT. AWESOME. YEAH, THEY CAN CONTACT GRANDMA ON GRANDMA'S WEBSITE. THEY HAVE THEIR EMAIL INFORMATION THERE. AWESOME. SO EXCITED TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS. THANKS, COMMISSIONER PERDUE. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS UPDATE. THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING MILESTONE. I WANT TO THANK THE PRIOR COMMISSION AND THIS COMMISSION FOR SUPPORTING THIS WORK. TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE PROUD OF WHERE WE'RE FROM. WE KNOW THAT WE WANT THE CITY TO BE PART OF THAT PRIDE. AND SO I JUST I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THE HISTORY AND SEE HOW MUCH IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS, MUSIC, CIVIL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE MOVEMENT, [01:15:05] HOW MUCH HAS BEEN BIRTHED AND CONTINUED IN ELEVATED THROUGH THE THIRD WARD OR FROM THE SOUTH SIDE, AND ONE OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND A FRIEND OF MINE ACTUALLY JUST MOVED INTO A HOUSE ON GIDDINGS AND FOUND OUT IT WAS THE THE HOUSE OF WHERE THE DEBARGE FAMILY LIVED AND WAS RAISED. AND SO. YOU KNOW, SHE ALMOST ELECTED TO SAY, CAN I BE A STOP ON THIS TOUR? I WOULD LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, HOST PEOPLE. BUT YEAH, I THINK I THINK THEY ARE. YEAH. THEY ARE. YEAH. SO JUST KUDOS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THE, THE BIG LAUNCH THIS FALL. MY ONLY KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS OR NOTES IS JUST ONE, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE A CONSISTENT NAME? IS THIS THIRD WORLD LEGACY TOUR? IS THAT THE FINAL? IS IT THE CULTURAL TOUR? YOU KNOW, SO SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE ACTUAL KIND OF PROJECT, IF YOU WILL. AND THEN SECONDLY, ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS WITH THIS PROJECT, NOT OUTSIDE OF CELEBRATING AND EDUCATING OURSELVES ON THE GREATNESS HAS COME FROM THIS COMMUNITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD. IT WAS ALSO TO GET FOLKS OUT AND ABOUT, WALKING AROUND, VISITING PARTS OF THE CITY, PARTS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND OUR BUSINESSES. AND SO TO THAT END, I'M WONDERING WHAT HOW CAN HOW ARE THOSE DIFFERENT POINTS ON THE MAP? HOW ARE THEY TRANSLATING TO CERTAIN ROUTES THAT PEOPLE CAN SAY, HEY, I WANT A TOUR, RIGHT? WHAT IS THE ROUTE FOR ME TO VISIT? AND THEN MAYBE THAT ROUTE OVERLAPS WITH OUR BUSINESS DISTRICT. SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO, YOU KNOW, THAT PIECE TO GET LOST. SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT. YEAH. FOR THE LAST QUESTION FIRST, I THINK SO MUCH OF WHAT IT COMES TO WORKING AS A CITY IS WE PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, LIVE THEIR LIVES AND ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE. AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE THIRD WARD CULTURAL TOUR, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY CAN PUT IN LIKE MANY ROUTES OR IF YOU WANT TO SEE A MUSIC ROUTE OR AN ART ROUTE OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THOSE FOR SURE. BUT I'D SAY THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE HARD WORKING, HARD WORKING PEOPLE AND THIRD WARD, WARD AND ALL OVER GRAND RAPIDS TO COME UP WITH THEIR OWN IDEAS. THERE'S NO REASON THAT SOMEONE CAN'T SAY, HEY, I WANT TO START A NEGRO LEAGUE THEATER TROUPE, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT AT, YOU KNOW, RASPBERRY FIELD AT THIS TIME. AND THEY CAN DO THAT. SO WHAT WE WILL FIND WAYS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONNECTING WITH BUSINESSES. SO IF THE STOP IS CLOSE TO A BUSINESS, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET COUPONS OR WHATEVER AT THAT RESTAURANT AND MATERIALS AT THE RESTAURANT TO SEND THEM BACK TO THE TOUR. BUT YOU KNOW, WE WILL LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES. THE ANOTHER GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO HAVE MORE OF THE, THE, THE TOUR AND THE ART BE IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE'LL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND WHATNOT TO, TO FUND NEW PROJECTS. BUT A LOT OF IT, IT DEPENDS ON THE COMMUNITY ITSELF TO KIND OF COME OUT AND, AND BE ENTREPRENEURS. I THINK THAT THAT IS PART OF IT, BUT WE'LL DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO CREATE THE PLATFORM. BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY'S GONNA HAVE TO STEP UP, FRANKLY, MAYOR, LET ME ADD REAL QUICKLY. AND COMMISSIONER PURDUE, AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH SOUTHTOWN ON THE SOUTHEAST DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE AND HOPEFULLY THOSE KIND OF STRATEGIC STOPS AND. ROUTES COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND LEARN AND BECOME MORE AGILE. BUT THERE SHOULD BE SOME INTENTIONALITY AROUND THE THE PLACES, SPACES, STOPS. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY CAN CAN LEARN. BUT WE GOT TO, WE GOT TO GET STARTED. YES. SO BUT AS WE DO THAT, THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY LEARN AND SEE WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENT. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE FIRST MAJOR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA THAT WE NEED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO STEP UP TO MAKE THAT A REALITY. WHILE I DO AGREE THAT THIS CAN PROVIDE SOME ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE WE'VE SEEN THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS CREATING ROUTES DOWNTOWN TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK AT THE ARCHITECTURE. SO CERTAINLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT. AND I THINK IT'S EXCITING TO YOUR POINT, IF YOU CAN ALIGN IT WITH THE SPORTS, WITH MUSIC. SO I HOPE THERE'S FILTERS LIKE THAT. BUT TO CITY MANAGER'S POINT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS PRODUCT WAS TO NOT JUST SHOWCASE BUT TO GET PEOPLE OUT, GET THEM ACTIVE. AND I THINK PART OF THE DESIGN OF THE PRODUCT HAS TO BE THAT OVERLAP IN THOSE ROUTES. YES, MA'AM. AND I COULD HAVE SPOKE A LOT BETTER AT TO YOUR POINT, I THINK AN IMMEDIATE OPPORTUNITY IS THINGS LIKE SOUTH PRIZE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOUTH PRIZE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. SO HOW DO WE ROLL IN THE CULTURAL TOUR WITH THAT? AND THE CITY MANAGER SAID LIKE, THAT'S THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH TOWN AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. SO YES, WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND AGAIN, I, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE AS INTENTIONAL WITH THAT SOUTHEAST DEVELOPMENT [01:20:05] INITIATIVE AND ALSO PARTNERING WITH EXPERIENCED GRAND RAPIDS TO BE REAL LASER FOCUSED ON TOURISM AND BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT PLACEMAKING, GETTING PEOPLE TO STEP OUT. SO POINT WELL TAKEN. THANK YOU. THANK CITY MANAGER. WELL, AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE WE GET SOME MICRO MOBILITY TIE INS HERE. I MEAN THOSE THINGS ARE THOSE THINGS ON A SCOOTER. I MEAN RIDERSHIP IS ALL RIDERSHIP IS ALL DRIVEN BY WHERE THE THINGS ARE RIGHT. YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T RENT A BIKE THAT YOU CAN'T SEE THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN ON A ROUTE. SO I HOPE WE CAN HAVE SOME INTELLIGENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE OVERLAY. AND I THINK YOUR POINT TOO, THESE THINGS HAVE VIRTUOUS CYCLES, RIGHT? SO THE MORE PEOPLE GET OUT, THE MORE PEOPLE GET OUT, THE MORE PEOPLE SEE THE POSSIBILITY, THE MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE THE POSSIBILITY. IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN ACTIVITY HAS TO FIGHT AGAINST LESS DENSITY, RIGHT? LIKE IT'S EASIER TO SEE SIX INTERESTING BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN IN A TWO BLOCK AREA THAN IT IS IN QUEENS. SO SIMILARLY, IF YOU'RE HAVING THINGS LIKE THIS OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, I THINK TRANSPORTATION FROM POINT A TO POINT B, THE GEOGRAPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS THERE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE THINGS WE'LL HAVE TO. EXACTLY. SO WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT THAT. BUT SO THANK YOU FOR ELEVATING THAT, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GRANDMA. THANK YOU. YEP. OKAY. I THINK SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO MOVE US INTO CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU. THIS PART IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.