[3. Development Center Report – August 2026]
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I'LL CALL US BACK TO ORDER, AND WE WILL TAKE OUR LAST ITEM FIRST. YEAH. YEP. ALL RIGHT.
YEAH. WE CAN MAKE THIS THE NON VISUAL VERSION. SO I'M JONATHAN OVERMAN. I'M THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE OFFICER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT CENTER. AND PLEASED TO PRESENT OUR DEVELOPMENT CENTER REPORT FOR AUGUST OF 2026. OUR FOCUS CONTINUES TO BE ON MONITORING OUR PLAN, REVIEW TIMES AND INSPECTION SERVICES. WHEN IT COMES TO MECHANICAL INSPECTIONS AND THAT DIVISION AND WHOLE. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STILL AT ABOUT FOUR WEEKS OUT FOR INSPECTIONS, SCHEDULING, BUT STAFF ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB OF SQUEEZING CONTRACTORS IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRY TO ADDRESS OUR NEEDS AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE THEIR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT.
THIS ENTAILS A LOT OF LIKE, IF AN INSPECTOR IS GOING TO BE WITHIN LIKE A FEW BLOCKS OF A SITE, THEY'LL STOP IN AND SQUEEZE THE EXTRA INSPECTION IN WHILE THEY'RE OUT THERE. AS FAR AS REVIEW TIMELINES GO, OUR RESIDENTIAL AND LARGE REVIEW TIMELINES CONTINUE TO STAY NEAR OUR FIVE DAY TARGET. THEY'RE RUNNING JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT AT ABOUT 5.7 DAYS ON AVERAGE. THE COMMERCIAL SIDE OF THINGS IS OUR OUTLIER, WHERE THE AVERAGE IS ABOUT EIGHT DAYS, LARGELY DUE TO THE MECHANICAL REVIEW DELAY. ON THAT FRONT, WE HAVE SECURED A FORMER INSPECTOR ON THE BASICALLY THE 700 HOUR CLUB, WHERE THEY ARE DOING SOLELY MECHANICAL INSPECTION, REVIEWER PLAN REVIEW. AND THEN ALSO JUST A NOTE ON UNITS. JUST LOOKING AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN SO FAR THIS YEAR, THERE ARE TWO OVER 2000 UNITS CURRENTLY PERMITTED AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. SO WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS. GREAT. COLLEAGUES. ANY QUESTIONS? CITY MANAGER. YEAH THANK YOU. SO YOU GET TO GO FIRST THIS TIME. IN RESPECT TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WAS MADE EITHER LAST WEEK, WEEK BEFORE WITH CALDWELL AND THEIR MAJOR EXPANSION OVER $1 BILLION EXPANSION, INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICE DELIVERY TO MANY OF THEIR PATIENTS AND CONSTITUENTS.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT ACTIVITIES WE MAY NEED TO SUPPORT SUCH A LARGE CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT DOWN THE ROAD? I KNOW IT'S NOT IMMINENT, BUT HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE KIND OF SERVICES THAT THEY'LL NEED ONCE, ONCE THEY GET INTO FULL CONSTRUCTION? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WITH ANY LARGE SCALE PROJECT LIKE THAT, WE TRY TO DEDICATE INSPECTION STAFF AND OTHER TEAMS TO SUPPORT THOSE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS ON A WEEKLY INSPECTION ALMOST. SO FOR BIG PROJECTS LIKE THE SOCCER STADIUM, OUR INSPECTORS ARE OUT THERE MORE FREQUENTLY THAN USUAL, AND WE WOULD EXPECT SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THAT SCOPE, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE CONTRACTOR, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT MORE EYES ON IT AS THEY'RE GOING. SO THERE'S NOT ANY SURPRISES WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE A INSPECTION ON A FLOOR.
IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. SO GREAT, COMMISSIONER SASSY, THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE REPORT. AND THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, FOR BRINGING THAT UP. WE DO HAVE SOME OPEN. WELL, NOT WE, BUT CALDWELL AND THEIR AGENT. THEY'RE HOSTING OPEN HOUSES ON THIS WEEK, THURSDAY THE 10TH. I THINK THERE'S ONE AT 10 A.M. AND ONE AT 5 P.M. SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MOBILE GR DEPARTMENT WHO ENGAGED LAST WEEK WITH SOME NEIGHBORS. AFTER WE WERE HAVING SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF A NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING RELATED TO THE PROJECT, BUT RELATED TO SOME STREET DESIGNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT CONTINUES. BUT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FOLKS, THE OPEN HOUSE IS GOING TO BE ON CALDWELL'S PROJECT OVERALL, JUST SPEAKING ABOUT. SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S MORE OF A COMMENT. BUT THEN CAN YOU SHARE, JOHN, WHAT ARE THE I KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS WITH THE TIMING AND RETIREMENTS, AND OBVIOUSLY I KNOW ALSO MR. WILSON AND TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON SOME OTHER LEGISLATIVE PIECES AROUND. YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S TECHNICALLY A CERTIFICATION, BUT ANYWAYS, THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO DO THE INSPECTIONS, HOW MANY DIFFERENT CONTRACTUAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS ARE WE USING? AND IF YOU COULD, YOU CAN ADD IN LIKE THE 700 CLUB FOLKS IN THERE. SO RIGHT NOW FOR SUPPORT OF OUR INSPECTION SERVICES, WE ARE USING ONE 700, OUR CLUB MEMBER. WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SAFE BUILT, WHO IS PROVIDING US INSPECTOR THREE DAYS A WEEK.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO PARTNERING WITH KENTWOOD, WHO'S INSPECTOR IS HELPING US OUT AND KIND OF THE SOUTH EAST SIDE OF THE CITY CATCHING INSPECTIONS OVER THERE AS HE CAN AS WELL. AND HE'S ABOUT HALF A DAY ON MOST DAYS. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE KIND OF PULLING SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE OF
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OUR STANDARD FTE. SO. OKAY. THANKS SO MUCH. THANKS FOR SHARING THAT OVERVIEW. OKAY, THANKS. I GUESS NO OTHER QUESTIONS. SO, MISS BURNS, YOU STILL DON'T HAVE YOUR YOUR SLIDESHOW, RIGHT? OKAY. LIKE WAY IN THE OTHER TWO. MR. CAIN HAS THAT FIGURED OUT AND[1. Fiscal Year 2027 Third Ward Equity Fund Update]
FRANKLY, I THINK KEEP GOING. YEAH. ITEM NUMBER TWO THERE. I MEAN, I DID SEE THE SLIDE PRESENTATION AND I'M NOT SURE THAT VISUALS ARE ALL THAT IMPORTANT FOR THAT. THAT'S BUT I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU WHICH ORDER YOU WANT TO TAKE IT IN. SO I'LL, I'LL START THE FISCAL YEAR. THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATIONS REALLY ARE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. WE DID HAVE THE CULTURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PILOT STAND ON ITS OWN JUST BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A NEW AND, AND COOL, NEW AND COOL THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO. AND PILOT UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND. AND THEN WE HAVE A SOUTH PRIZE PRESENTATION AS WELL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF, OF INITIATIVES SUPPORTED BY THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THE SLIDES UP BY THE TIME WE GET TO THAT.I'M HERE. I'M TRYING TO CHANGE SLIDES ANYWAY. IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK ANYWAY. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A VERBAL UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND. IF YOU RECALL, AT THE TIME OF THE COMMISSION'S CONVERSATION AROUND THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET, THERE IS AN ALLOCATION OF $1 MILLION AGAIN FOR THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND.
AT THAT TIME, COMMISSIONER KILGORE OUTLINED PROPOSED BUCKETS AND BUCKETS OF INVESTMENT. I ALWAYS CALL THEM WITH FULL COMMISSION SUPPORT, SO I WILL JUST VERBALLY GO THROUGH THERE, THROUGH THOSE AND THEN KIND OF UPDATE YOU ON EACH OF THE BUCKETS. SO THERE IS A TOTAL OF A MILLION ALLOCATED ACROSS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AT 200 000 YOUTH PROGRAMING AND SUPPORT AT 300 000. SOUTH TOWN CULTURAL ARTS AT 5000, COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND PROGRAMING AT 250 000 AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOP MORE TRADITIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT AT 200 000. SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS OF INVESTMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. SO THEN KIND OF GOING BACK OVER EACH BUDGET OR EACH BUCKET FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, IN PARTICULAR, THE THE STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THAT FULL 200 000 BE CHANNELED INTO CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THE PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY AUDIT ON KALAMAZOO CORRIDOR. SO THERE WERE TWO SIGNALS, IF YOU RECALL FROM PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR SAFETY PLAN TO SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS RECOMMENDED. WITH LAST YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR 2026 ALLOCATION, ONE OF THOSE SIGNALS CAN BE PURSUED. THEY'RE BOTH BEING DESIGNED, AND STAFF IS REALLY FOCUSED ON ACCUMULATING THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO ALSO DO THE SECOND SIGNAL. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE SOME OTHER MINOR PROJECTS SIGNAGE, SIGHT DISTANCE, SOME RESTRIPING, AND SOME OTHER SMALLER DOLLAR ITEM PROJECTS. SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING AND INTEND TO BRING FORWARD A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO CHANNEL THOSE. THE THE FISCAL YEAR $27 INTO THOSE PROJECTS AND THOSE WOULD. ALL THOSE ARE ANTICIPATED TO START NEXT CONSTRUCTION SEASON, DEPENDING ON HOW FAST IT TAKES US TO ACCUMULATE THE FUNDS, THEY MAY CONTINUE OVER INTO THE 2028 CONSTRUCTION SEASON FOR YOUTH SUPPORT AND PROGRAMING, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS BEING MADE WITH THOSE $300,000 OF FUNDING. WE MAY HAVE SPOKEN OF THIS BEFORE, BUT THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE THE STATE RX FOR KIDS PROGRAM IN A PORTION OF THE CITY IN THE THIRD WARD, AND OUR MATCHING CONTRIBUTION TO THAT IS BEING FUNDED OUT OF THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND, WITH 50,000 OF FISCAL YEAR 2027 ANTICIPATED TO BE TRANSFERRED INTO THAT PROGRAM. THAT IS A THREE YEAR INVESTMENT. SO 5000 CAME OUT OF FISCAL YEAR 2026, FISCAL YEAR 27, JUST SPEAKING TO $50,000 THERE, AND THEN WOULD ANTICIPATE TO CONTINUE THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 2028. WE ALSO TRADITIONALLY, THROUGH THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND SUPPORT GROW 1000 AS WELL AS SUMMER YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. WE DID THAT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. SO I'M GOING TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA. WE WOULD EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THESE OR SIMILAR PROGRAMS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027. SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, JUST A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU FOR GROW 1000, THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUNDS WERE USED TO SUPPORT 53 PARTICIPANTS AT NINE WORK SITES. THOSE WERE NINE WORK SITES IN THE THIRD WARD. THOSE 53 PARTICIPANTS WORKED AN AVERAGE OF 105 HOURS ACROSS THOSE SITES, IN AREAS LIKE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT,
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ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION AND RECREATION. AND THEN IN ADDITION, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH OUR GROW FURTHER FRIDAY PROGRAM, SORT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER TO ALL OF THE PARTICIPANTS. JUST A A NOTE THAT THOSE WERE ALL OFFERED AT MLK THIS YEAR. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE. OUR COMMUNITY'S CHILDREN IS NOW HOUSED AT THE MLK COMMUNITY CENTER. IT'S GREAT FIT THERE. IN ADDITION, THE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, THE NIGHT QUEST, AND THE SUMMER EVENING ACTIVITIES WE WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WITH THIS FISCAL YEAR 27 ALLOCATION. IN ADDITION, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT IS WORKING ON A SPRING 2027 EVENT TO EMPOWER YOUTH WITH KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND STAY SAFE, AND WE MAY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT WITH SOME OF THE FISCAL YEAR 27 INVESTMENT. THANK YOU. ASANTE. THEN WE'RE DOWN TO THE SOUTH TOWN CULTURAL ARTS, SO I WILL HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES ON THAT ONE. FOLLOWING ME TO GIVE YOU MORE DETAIL. BUT JUST A REMINDER, $50,000 WAS EARMARKED OUT OF FISCAL YEAR 27 TO SUPPORT THE CULTURAL ARTS, AND THAT IS BEING CHANNELED INTO SUPPORT FOR SOUTH PRIZE AND THIS PILOT PROGRAM. THEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND PROGRAMING. SO $250,000 WAS EARMARKED FOR THIS PARTICULAR PUPPET BUCKET. EXCUSE ME. AND SO ONE WILL BE A PILOT PROGRAM.I'M SORRY. DID YOU CHANGE THAT? ASANTE. OKAY. ONE WOULD BE A PILOT PROGRAM FOR A COMMUNITY SUPPORT CONNECTOR. SO THAT WOULD MERGE FUNDS FROM THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND, AS WELL AS FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND DOLLARS WE ANTICIPATE FROM THE STATE AND WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE BOTH AN AN INTERNAL OR AN A CITY EMPLOYEE WHO WOULD BE TRAUMA INFORMED AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT OR MEDIATION SERVICES, BUT THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO AND CONTRACT WITH OTHER PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A TRAUMA AND MAY NEED SOME COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO GET THROUGH THAT. AND ALSO MEDIATION TYPE PROGRAMING SERVICES. SO THAT WILL BE A PILOT. YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THE DETAILS OF THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 22ND, AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT, WE ALSO SEE 100,000 FOR ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP SUPPORT. SO THAT IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THOSE GROUPS THAT ACT AS OR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE THIRD WARD.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS RIGHT NOW OF HOW TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS TO ENSURE THAT IT HELPS EXPAND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. SO MORE DETAILS TO COME AS WE BRING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FORWARD. BUT AGAIN, LOOKING TO SUPPORT THOSE THIRD WARD CENTERED NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND OTHER GROUPS. AND THEN FINALLY, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT POSITION THAT WAS ENVISIONED AND SUPPORTED WITH A $200,000 EARMARK HERE. IF YOU RECALL, WE DID AN UPDATE TO EDP SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AT THIS POINT ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT THERE WOULD BE A SHARED POSITION THE CITY WOULD UNDERWRITE OR FUND THE FIRST YEAR'S EXPENSES OF THIS POSITION AND LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL PARTNERS TO ACT AS EMPLOYER OF RECORD AND AND OTHERWISE PARTNER TO LOOK FOR THOSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT COLLECTIVELY, WE REALLY WANT TO PUSH AND ADVOCATE FOR AND HAVE SOMEONE FOCUS FULL TIME ON GETTING ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN THAT SOUTH TOWN OR SOUTH AREA GEOGRAPHY. SO WE ARE WE HAVE A DRAFT MOU, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH PARTNERS ON COMMENTS TO THAT TO GET THAT POSITION IN PLACE. AND THEN THIS FUNDING WOULD SUPPORT THAT POSITION. SO BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO AHMAD HARDI TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM, AND THEN VERA NAKAMURA WILL COME AND SPEAK ABOUT THE SOUTH PRIZE. I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE NEXT STEPS ON ALL OF THESE BUCKETS WOULD BE BUDGET AMENDMENTS TO TRANSFER THE FUNDS TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS OR OTHER PROVIDERS. YOU WILL START TO SEE THOSE ON THE FISCAL COMMITTEE AGENDA AS EARLY AS NEXT MEETING, SEPTEMBER 22ND, WHEN WE'LL HAVE SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AMENDMENTS BROUGHT FORWARD, AS WELL AS SOME SUPPORTING SOME OF OUR YOUTH ACTIVITIES AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. HARDY TO WORK THROUGH THE NEXT SET OF SLIDES.
[2. Cultural Business Enterprise (CBE) Initiative — Phase 0 Pilot Update]
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AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND MR. WASHINGTON ON. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT. CBE. YEAH.REFUSING TO TALK ABOUT A NEW PILOT PROGRAM THAT I'VE THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND ENGAGEMENT CALLED THE CULTURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE INITIATIVE. OH, WHAT IT IS IS THAT FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME, I AM A. MUSICIAN. SO THIS IS A JOINT PASSION PROJECT OF USING MY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SKILLS AND MY MUSIC SKILLS AND PUTTING THEM BOTH BOTH TO WORK. SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS, IS TRYING TO UNTAP THE LARGE CREATIVE ECONOMY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS IN GREATER WEST MICHIGAN. WHAT IT IS, IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF MUSICIANS AND PERFORMING ARTISTS ACROSS THE ACROSS THE REGION WHO ARE ESSENTIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT WE DON'T SEE THEM THAT WAY BECAUSE WE OFTEN SEE THEM AS JUST ARTISTS. AND IT'S USING THE CITY'S MICRO LOCAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE CERTIFICATION AS A WAY TO ORGANIZE THESE ARTISTS AS SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEY ESSENTIALLY ARE, AND REALLY IS A CONCEPT TO USE A MUSIC AND LIVE PERFORMANCE AS A WAY OF PLACEMAKING ACROSS THE BUSINESS WATERS ACROSS THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. WHAT IS A CB? CBE IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME THING AS A MICRO LOCAL BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE CERTIFIED BUSINESS, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S JUST ONE THAT IS FOCUSED MORE ON THE ON THE ARTS IN LIVE PERFORMANCES, BUT ESSENTIALLY HAS THE SAME CERTIFICATION AND GUIDELINES AS ANY NORMAL MICRO LOCAL. JUST THE CBE MONIKER WAS JUST USED TO DISTINGUISH THEM OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL MICRO LOCAL BUSINESS.
CERTIFICATION. SO WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING IS THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE SOUTHTOWN CCI A ON THEIR SOUTH PRIZE EVENT THAT THAT THAT VIERA WILL BE TALKING ABOUT NEXT. AND ESSENTIALLY WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A SERIES OF LIVE PERFORMANCES ON SEPTEMBER 26TH ON THEIR VOTING DAY AS, AS ALONGSIDE THEIR SURPRISE EVENT THAT HAVE FREE LIVE MUSIC ALL ACROSS THE THIRD WARD THAT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE TO TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S MEANT TO CREATE ENGAGEMENT AT THOSE PLACES OF BUSINESS. WE TRY TO FOCUS MAINLY ON PLACES OF BUSINESS RATHER THAN RATHER THAN NON-PROFITS, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE A FEW NON-PROFITS. PART OF THAT, AS WE ARE TRYING TO BE GOOD PARTNERS WITH THE SOUTH TOWN CIA. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MINIMUM 15. PERFORM FREE SHOWS AT ALL OF THESE EVENTS. YOU KNOW, IT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND ANYBODY IS WELCOME TO TO COME AND JOIN. SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS $20,000 TOWARDS THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTH TOWN CIA FOR THIS CBE CERTIFICATION, PARTNERING WITH THE MICHIGAN MUSIC ALLIANCE AND. TO HELP US FIND FIND THE ARTISTS, GET THEM CERTIFIED AS MICRO LOCALS, BUT ALSO PAY PAY THEM FOR THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCES AND ALSO CONTRACTING WITH ANY VIDEO, VIDEOGRAPHY OR PHOTOGRAPHY COMPANIES TO HELP CAPTURE THE EVENT. KIND OF JUST WENT WENT THROUGH THAT MOST OF THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO TO, TO, TO, TO, TO THE ARTIST. MICHIGAN MUSIC ALLIANCE IS GETTING A SMALL FUND TO HELP COORDINATE THE ARTISTS WORKING WITH E. THERE ARE SOME CONTINGENCY FUNDS INCLUDED FOR DOCUMENTATION AND ALSO SALES AND PA, BECAUSE MANY OF THE VENUES MAY NOT HAVE THEIR OWN PA AND SOUND SYSTEM.
SO SO SO WE BUDGETED OUT FOR THAT. AND AS I LISTED, THE MAIN PARTNERS ARE E, THE MICHIGAN MUSIC ALLIANCE, WHICH IS A STATEWIDE ALLIANCE OF MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS ACROSS ACROSS THE STATE. BUT A LOT OF THEIR LEADERSHIP IS BASED HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS, THE SOUTH TOWN CIA, AND THE CERTIFIED CBS THAT WILL BE CERTIFIED THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT. IF IF ALL GOES WELL, WE'LL BE HAVING A POST PILOT OUTCOME TO SEE HOW THIS MODEL CAN REALLY BE UTILIZED ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR BUSINESS WATERS
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THROUGHOUT OF THESE. THE CITY, INCLUDING THE SIXES AND THE THE DOWNTOWN DDA. THE MAIN POINT IS, IS TO REALLY SEE ARTISTS AND ARTISTS IN LIVE PERFORMANCES, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND START HAVING ABOVE BOARD PAYMENTS. I KNOW AS A PRO, AS A PAID MUSICIAN, FOR A LOT OF TIME DURING THAT PART OF MY CAREER, WE WERE PAID UNDER THE UNDER THE TABLE. MY GOAL IN THIS PROJECT IS TO GET THAT ABOVE BOARD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW THE CITY THAT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY IS A BIG PART OF THE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND WE SHOULD SEE IT MORE AS THAT.WITH THAT SAID, NO, I DON'T SEE ANY OF OUR PARTNERS HERE, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. WELL, I GUESS THE CENTRAL QUESTION HERE IS IT'S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT CERTIFYING PEOPLE, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A PROGRAM THAT STARTS PAYING PEOPLE FOR DOING MUSIC PERFORMANCES, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT PAYING THE SYMPHONY CURRENTLY. WE DON'T PAY A LOT OF WE DON'T PAY ANYBODY AT THE AMPHITHEATER. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT A, YOU KNOW, WE AT LEAST HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A, CITY DIRECT. CULTURAL ACTIVITY PROPOSAL. SO. THE CITY HASN'T BEEN PAYING ANYBODY UNDER THE TABLE TO, TO DO MUSIC PERFORMANCES, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. AND THIS AND THIS PROPOSAL INVOLVES, AS YOU POINTED OUT, THE BULK OF IT BEING THE CITY PAYING MUSICAL PERFORMERS, RIGHT, ONLY FOR THIS PILOT. SO THERE'S A BIGGER INITIATIVE THAT IS THAT THAT HAS COME. THE REAL GOAL IS TO GET MORE VENUES, THINGS LIKE COFFEE SHOPS, HOTELS, SMALL RESTAURANTS, TO HAVE MORE MORE LIVE MUSIC. AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE GOAL IS TO PARTNER WITH THE CIA'S USING THEIR FUNDS TO HELP INCREASE CULTURAL PLACEMAKING WITHIN THOSE IN, WITHIN THOSE REGIONS. BUT BUT FOR THIS INITIAL PROJECT, YES, THE THE WORD EQUITY FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR THIS ONE PARTICULAR EVENT. SO HAVING DONE A FAIR AMOUNT OF EVENT PLANNING MYSELF, MY COFFEE HOUSE BACK IN THE DAY, I GUESS I'D HAVE ONE QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT'S YOUR TARGET SIZE FOR THE PERFORMANCES? AND THE OTHER WOULD BE, ARE THESE ALL GOING TO BE INTERIOR OR ARE THESE SOME OF THESE GOING TO BE OUTSIDE FOR THE EVENT? SOME OF THEM WILL BE WILL BE A MIX, A MIX OF BOTH. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON WORKING WITH THE BUSINESSES ON PERMITS. IF THE EVENT, IF THE SHOW IS GOING TO BE OUTSIDE ON THE SIDEWALK OR IN THEIR PARKING LOT. THE GOAL FOR THE. FOR THE MAIN MAJORITY OF VENUES GOING FORWARD WOULD BE FOR IT TO BE INSIDE THE INSIDE, INSIDE THE THE BUILDING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BUT WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS INTERNALLY TO, TO, TO SHAPE OUT HOW PERMITS COULD WORK GOING FORWARD. BUT, BUT MORE OR LESS, THE, THE, THE IDEAL SIZE IS UP TO THE ACTUAL VENUE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A COFFEE SHOP, KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY AN ARTIST $200 TO, TO, TO, TO PLAY AT THEIR VENUE, OUR GOAL IS JUST TO INCENTIVIZE MORE THINGS THAT, THAT, THAT ARE LIKE THAT. AND WORKING WITH DC ON USING THE CB'S IN THE, IN THE CERTIFIED BUSINESSES AS A, AS A WAY TO HELP TO HELP SPUR THAT. OKAY. CITY MANAGER YEAH, THANK YOU FOR BEING CREATIVE AND SEEING HOW WE CAN ACTIVATE PLACES AND APPRECIATE SOUTHTOWNS EFFORT AND CERTAINLY THIRD WORLD EQUITY FUND. I WAS JUST GOING TO SHARE THIS TYPE OF PLACEMAKING, GEOGRAPHICALLY TARGETED, TARGETED ACTIVATION DOES HAPPEN WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES. THE WORLD OF WINTER IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WHERE YOU HAVE BOTH VISUAL PLACEMAKING ART, BUT ALSO YOU HAVE ARTISTS PERFORMING AS PART OF ACTIVATION. AND SO THE DDA VIA VIS A VIS DEGREE HELPS INCENTIVIZE THAT. AND SO I THINK THIS IS REPLICATING ON A SMALLER SCALE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE. AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPONSORSHIP IN ADDITION TO THE CITY DOLLARS. AND IF THIS PROVES TO BE EFFECTIVE, HOPEFULLY SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CORRIDOR WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC WOULD BE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN IT. ADDITIONALLY. BUT ALSO IT IS GOOD TO THINK
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ABOUT WHAT OTHER PLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WOULD WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT. WHAT I SEE WHEN IT'S DONE DOWNTOWN, THOUGH, IT'S PRIMARILY IN A PUBLIC SPACE AT A PARK. SO IT'S. WHILE IT MAY BENEFIT PROPERTY OWNERS, BUSINESSES INDIVIDUALLY, THE ENTIRE PUBLIC CAN ENJOY THAT IN THE PUBLIC SPACE. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS ROLLS OUT THERE AND THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? GREAT, COMMISSIONER. GO AHEAD. THANKS. CAN WE GO TO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.I THINK, YOU KNOW YEAH, I SEE IT WOULD BE SOMETHING NEW. REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT THIS IN, IN THE IN THE LUNCHROOM, IF YOU WILL. AND I THINK BUSINESS IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO THEY DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES FROM ONE ANOTHER RIGHT NOW IN THIS ECONOMY. AND I LOVE TO THINK ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE IN THIS CREATIVE ECONOMY. YEP. THEY ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND HOPEFULLY FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE THAN OTHERS, WHAT ARE THOSE OBLIGATIONS OR HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY GROW OR, YOU KNOW, CREATE A PRESENCE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT I'D LOVE TO GO BACK TO THE OTHER PRESENTATION FOR A SECOND, IF WE COULD, IF WE COULD PULL THAT UP. AND SO I WANTED TO, AND THIS IS REALLY PROBABLY MORE SO FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO COMMISSIONER KILGORE IS YOU WHAT YOU ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT FOR THIRD WORLD EQUITY FUND AND HOW DO WE TIE. I HEARD HEARD I THOUGHT YOU SAY, MISS BEHRENS, THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND. SO KIND OF THE SAME THING. SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS, THOSE AFTER OUR ENGAGEMENT, THOSE SUMMER ACTIVITIES, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE CITY WAS, I THINK, FUNDING BEFORE. AND THEN NOW WE'VE ALLOCATED SOME THIRD WARD MONEY TO IT. BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING THIS CALL FOR ACTION FOR RFPS, FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND. AND SO IS THE EXPECTATION THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE APPLYING FOR THAT MONEY. DO WE THINK THAT BECAUSE I JUST WONDER HOW THE THAT TIME FRAME TIME FRAME TO APPLY FOR THAT MONEY COINCIDES WITH OUR BUDGET YEAR? SO I WONDERED ABOUT THAT. COLLEAGUES. THE FINAL SLIDE, MR. PAYNE. SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT CONFLATING TWO THINGS, THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND DOLLARS ARE CHANNELING WITH THE THIRD WARD EQUITY DOLLARS TO DO A TOTALLY NEW PROGRAMING. SO THAT WOULD BE THAT TRAUMA INFORMED SUPPORT AND MEDIATION. OKAY. THAT WOULD HELP US SERVE MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES THAT WE, WE TO DATE HAVE NOT TRADITIONALLY FUNDED. OKAY. NOT THE, THE YOUTH PROGRAMING. THAT'S A SEPARATE, BUT THAT LINE ITEM THAT WAS MENTIONED THOUGH, WASN'T IT? IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE THE LAST SLIDE. RIGHT. SO IN THE PRIOR SLIDE, THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND IS SUPPORTING THE YOUTH ENGAGEMENT. THAT'S. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M THAT'S WHAT I'M WONDERING ABOUT.
OKAY. NOT PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND. OKAY. GOTCHA. WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M WONDERING BECAUSE SO NOT SO IT'S NOT BEING. YEAH, IT'S NOT PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND. IT'S THIRD WARD MONEY. YES. THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND IS GOING TO OPEN. AND SO ARE THESE PROGRAMS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND, OR SHOULD WE BE HAVING SOME COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT. MAYBE THESE ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD CONSIDER APPLYING FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY TRUST FUND, JUST TRYING TO MATCH IT UP TO OUR BUDGET. I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. SO NOBODY FEELS LIKE THEY'RE LEFT OUT OF SOMETHING. SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 200,000 THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY USED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION. WE'VE NOT EXCLUDED ANYONE FROM APPLYING. SO IT WAS AN OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATION. AND I THINK UPON AWARD THAT MAY FURTHER OUR FUTURE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS OF THE THIRD WARD EQUITY FUND. BUT WE'VE NOT ELIMINATED OR DISQUALIFIED ANYONE FROM TRYING TO SCALE OR GROW THEIR PROGRAM.
GOT IT. I DO LIKE TO GO BACK. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE QUESTION THAT LED US TO DISCUSSING THE $150,000 FOR THE PILOT COMMUNITY SUPPORT CONNECTOR. SO MISS BEHRENS HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE DISCUSSIONS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. ONE WAS AROUND THIS COMMUNITY INFORMED TRAUMA RESPONSE AND DOING IT OUTSIDE OF A JUST A CRITICAL INCIDENT, SOME TYPE OF VIOLENT INCIDENT. BUT WE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE WHEN THERE'S DISRUPTION IN OTHER SERVICES, THERE MAY BE A WAY TO, TO, TO PROACTIVELY OR REACT, RESPOND TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORS. THE OTHER WAS A MEDIATION PROGRAM WHERE WE'D HAVE A THIRD PARTY, EITHER EMPLOYEE OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, HELP US TO BRIDGE, BUILD, RECONCILE BETWEEN GROUPS OF PARTNERS. I THINK WHAT MISS BEHRENS SAID, THE MAYOR JUST ASKED ME ABOUT IT. WHAT? WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE ENOUGH WORK FOR ONE FOR TWO PEOPLE TO DO BOTH. AND WHAT WE
[00:30:03]
ARE THINKING ABOUT IS A PILOT PROGRAM WHERE ONE PERSON OR ONE CONTRACT WOULD DO BOTH, AND WE WOULD LEARN FROM IT BEFORE SCALING, AND THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE. FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMISSION ON THE 22ND ABOUT HOW THOSE PROGRAMS MIGHT MIGHT WORK. OKAY. BEFORE WE PROCEED MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO IT TOO FAR, TOO, TOO FAR RIGHT NOW. BUT YES, THIS IS COMPLETELY NEWS TO ME. I DON'T SEE HOW THIS IS A THIRD WARD EQUITY ISSUE AT ALL, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH CITYWIDE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. AND WE DID HAVE ROBUST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HAVING SPECIFICALLY A MEDIATOR POSITION TO TRY TO DEFUZE COMMUNITY CONFLICT, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION THAN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW YOU HOW YOU HELP THE COMMUNITY DEAL WITH THE TRAUMA OF, SAY, A SHOOTING IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE PRETTY SEPARATE TRACKS. AND I'M CERTAINLY I'LL SAY I'M VERY RELUCTANT TO THINK ABOUT MASHING THOSE ALL TOGETHER. QUESTION OF TRAUMA INFORMED COUNSELING RESPONSES TO TRAUMA IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO HAVE. BUT THE QUESTION OF HOW YOU DEFUZE CONFLICTS IN THE COMMUNITY AS A IS, I THINK, A VERY DISTINCTIVE AND DISTINGUISHABLE ITEM, AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT IT. THAT WORK SEGMENTED INTO ONE WARD OF THE CITY. I THINK THAT THAT'S FAR TOO IMPORTANT AN ISSUE TO, TO, TO SEGREGATE. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THAT IS NOT GEOGRAPHICALLY LIMITED. THE MEDIATION SERVICES TO THE THIRD WARD, THAT WOULD BE LEVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IF WE'RE GOING TO HIRE SOMEONE, ENSURE THAT THERE'S ENOUGH HIRE OR CONTRACT, THERE'S ENOUGH WORK FOR THAT PERSON. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION. BUT CERTAINLY WE WOULDN'T LIMIT THE MEDIATION PROGRAM JUST TO THE THIRD WARD. COMMISSIONER. SO I'M GOING TO JUMP AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN I KNOW VIERA IS GOING TO COME UP HERE. BUT BUT BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST THE SECOND SLIDE HAS THE YOU KNOW, WHERE THE INVESTMENTS ARE. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON RIGHT NOW. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE THIS THIRD WORLD THIRD WARD MURAL PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING THAT'S BEING PUBLICIZED. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOUTH PRIZE, WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING. I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL EXCITING. THERE'S RFP THAT'S BEEN RELEASED FOR THE GUN MEMORIAL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THESE LIKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THESE ARE ALL SEPARATE THINGS. OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF CONNECTING. BUT I WOULD HATE FOR ANY OF ANY OF THEM TO GET DILUTED INTO SORT OF THIS IS LIKE ONE PROJECT BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORTS TO GO INTO ALL OF THESE. SO I JUST, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD. THANKS, COMMISSIONER. I WAS SPEAKING TO THE STAFF THIS MORNING, AND I THINK THE PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN INDIVIDUALLY AND WHICH IS A GOOD THING. THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, BUT I THINK IT MAY BE GOOD TO LAY OUT COLLECTIVELY EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THEM STACKED AGAINST EACH OTHER, DIFFERENTIATE THE DATES AND WHAT SOME OF THE SCOPE AND PARTICIPATION IS. AND SO I THINK WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE ON THAT. I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO THE POINT I MADE EARLIER, BECAUSE I WANT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE BE CLEAR AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT $150,000 ON THAT.NEXT SLIDE. WHAT WE'RE SAYING, AND I DON'T RECALL WHAT WHAT IT MAY BE IS ONE PERSON MAY BE ACTUALLY EMPLOYED, AND THE OTHER PORTION OF IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A CONTRACT AT THAT SAME PERSON OVERSEAS TO CREATE ENOUGH WORK FOR A SINGLE POSITION. OTHERWISE JUST WAITING ON SOMEONE TO CALL FOR A MEDIATION OR WAITING ON A TRAUMA WOULD NOT BE A TRAGIC INCIDENT, WOULD BE THE MOST PRUDENT USE OF A FULL TIME EQUIVALENT POSITION. THAT'S THAT'S THE INTENT. THAT'S THE THOUGHT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT, THEN I WOULD INVITE VERA TO COME UP AND SPEAK ABOUT SOUTH PRIZE. SO EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ART PRIZE WORLD. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. CITY MANAGER AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS VERA NAKAMURA AND I LEAD THE CORRIDOR AND NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT WORK IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT MY SUPER ARTISTIC SLIDES FOR YOU THIS AFTERNOON. SO OVER THE YEARS, I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROLE, AT LEAST EVEN PRECEDING ME, THE TOPIC OF HOW TO SPREAD SOME OF
[00:35:03]
THE ART PRIZE ACTIVITY INTO NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS KEEPS COMING BACK EVERY YEAR, AND IT IS ALSO A TOPIC THAT I GET TO DISCUSS EVERY TIME AT EVERY BOARD MEETING POST ART PRIZE. SO OBVIOUSLY, THE CIA'S HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THAT AREA IN DISCUSSING WAYS THAT THEY CAN MAXIMIZE THAT PRIZE ENERGY AND BRING SOME OF THAT TRAFFIC INTO THEIR DISTRICTS. OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THAT SHOW UP IN DIFFERENT WAYS, LIKE POUTINE WEEK IN ON MICHIGAN STREET, WHICH IS VERY GREAT. FOURTH YEAR RUNNING STRONG. WE'VE SEEN A BIG WORLD CLASS ART, PUBLIC ART THAT WAS ACTIVATED AT THE WEST SIDE LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH WEST SIDE CIA AND ART PRIZE TEAM. A SOUTH PRIZE IS COMING OFF OF THE SOUTH TOWN CIA. THIS IDEA STARTED KIND OF COMING UP TO THEM LAST YEAR WHEN THEY WERE DISCUSSING, AGAIN, SOUTH SOUTH PRIZE. SOUTH TOWN HAS A LARGER FOOTPRINT. SO ALL THESE OTHER ACTIVATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING WOULD NOT REALLY WORK FOR WHAT THEY WERE HOPING FOR. SO THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD COME UP WITH THEIR OWN MINI ART PRIZE. WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF THEM, AND WE ENDED UP WITH A SOUTH PRIZE THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTPRIZE. SO SOUTH PRIZE SOUTH PRIZE EVENT IS PRETTY MUCH A MINI SOUTH PRIZE. THE GOAL IS TO ACTIVATE BUSINESS DISTRICTS IN THE SOUTH SOUTH TOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAKE THEM LIVE IN GALLERIES. THE GOAL FOR THIS INITIATIVE WOULD BE TO EXPAND SOME OF THAT ART PRIZE ENERGY, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO SPARK SOME NEIGHBORHOOD PRIDE. THERE'S A LOT OF CULTURAL ACTIVITY HAPPENING WITHIN THE SOUTH TOWN, AND THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING THAT OUT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE. SO FOR SOUTH PRIZE 2026, HERE IS WHAT YOU ESSENTIALLY BE SEEING. SO WE'RE TALKING BUSINESS STOREFRONT GALLERIES. WE'RE CONNECTING BUSINESSES WITH ART. EXCUSE ME, ARTISTS THROUGHOUT SOUTH TOWN. WE'RE ALSO TALKING SPECIAL FOOD AND BUSINESS PROMOTIONS. SO WE HAVE KITCHENS, RESTAURANTS THAT ARE COMING UP WITH REALLY SPECIAL PRIZE MENUS, TOP PRIZE MENUS THAT WE'LL BE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD.WE ARE ALSO ADDING A TRANSPORTATION LAYER TO IT. SINCE WE HAVE A REALLY LARGE FOOTPRINT, WE WANTED TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE THROUGH ALL SIX BUSINESS DISTRICTS. THERE WILL ALSO BE A SPECIAL VOTING DAY EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 2026, WHICH WILL CLIMAX MOST OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE PLANNED. AND THEN FINALLY, WE'LL HAVE OUR ANNOUNCEMENT ON OCTOBER 3RD, WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING ON THE ART PRIZE STAGE. ESSENTIALLY, WE SEE THIS AS A WIN WIN COLLABORATION, SO WE'RE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS TO COME AND DISPLAY THEIR ART. WE'RE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEIGHBORHOOD TO ENGAGE WITH BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO FOR BUSINESSES TO TRANSFORM THEIR STOREFRONT. AND THE HOPE IS THAT WE'RE PULLING IN SOME TRAFFIC FROM THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS AREAS, AND THAT WILL ESSENTIALLY TRANSLATE TO ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES THAT WE HOPE TO SEE IN THE CORRIDOR. AND THEN FOR THE SOUTH TOWN CIA, THIS, OF COURSE, ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES. SO THIS IS TRULY A WIN WIN FOR ALL THE PARTIES. THESE ARE THE KEY DISTRICTS THAT WILL BE ACTIVATED THROUGHOUT. WE HAVE CURRENTLY IDENTIFIED VENUES AND ARTISTS FOR ALL OF THIS BUSINESS DISTRICTS. SO A LOT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ACROSS FOR EVENT TIMELINE. SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE COMPLETED OUR ARTIST REGISTRATION AND VENUE MATCHING. AS OF THE TIMELINE THAT I HAVE HERE. WE HAVE MATCHED OUR VENUES WITH ARTISTS HOPEFULLY. AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE OUR ARTS INSTALLED BY SEPTEMBER 1726 IS VERY IMPORTANT DATE. THAT IS WHEN WE'RE HAVING OUR VOTING DAY EVENT, WHICH WE'RE HOPING WILL BE AGAIN, THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE ENTIRE PERIOD. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE THE ARTIST FINALIST ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE ART PRIZE STAGE OCTOBER 3RD. SO THE PUBLIC VOTING PIECE IS A BIG PART OF THIS. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE MIMICKING ARTPRIZE IN LOTS OF WAYS, BUT THE GOAL IS THAT WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE BUSINESS DISTRICT. THEY'RE HOPPING ON TROLLEYS AND ENJOYING THE ART. BUT ALSO WHILE DOING THAT, WE HAVE QR CODES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SCAN AND THEN GET TO VOTE FOR THEIR FAVORITE ART PIECE. AND THAT WILL HELP US TO PICK THE FINALISTS THAT WE HAVE IN MIND FOR OCTOBER 3RD. SO WE HAVE THREE FINALISTS IN MIND, AND THAT IS GOING FOR A TOTAL CASH PRIZE OF 3750 WITH, WE HAVE THE FIRST PLACE GOING FOR 2000, SECOND PLACE FOR 1000, AND THEN THE THIRD PLACE FOR $750. IN TERMS OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH UP TO 73,750. A HUGE CHUNK OF THAT OBVIOUSLY CAME FROM THE SOUTH TOWN CIA, AND SO FAR THAT HAS BEEN BUDGETED FOR GENERAL EVENT OPERATIONS, THE THIRD WORLD EQUITY FUND ALLOCATION OF UP TO A 3000 WILL BE GOING MAINLY TOWARDS THE TRANSPORTATION COMPANY. THAT WAS THE LAST PIECE THAT WE
[00:40:03]
ADDED TO THE SCOPE DUE TO THE NEED TO AGAIN, EXPAND THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THE WHOLE CORRIDOR. SO THAT IS IT FOR SOUTH PRICE. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I ALSO HAVE LAUREN HERE IN THE ROOM. SHE IS WITH THE GENESIS CONSULTING, AND THEY ARE A CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THIS EVENT AS WELL. THANK YOU. I GUESS MY MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE THE 30,000 FOR TRANSPORTATION. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE GET FOR THAT? IS THAT HIRING TROLLEYS FOR THE EVENT OR. YES, WHEN WE FIRST DISCUSSED IN TROLLEYS SEEMED TO BE THE FIRST ONE THAT CAME UP. THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN USED ACROSS OTHER BUSINESS DISTRICT. SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR. I WILL HAVE AGAIN, LAUREN IS HERE TO SPEAK TO ANY CHANGES TO THAT PLAN. AS I SAID THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, AND I GUESS GIVEN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, THIS IS NOT JUST TO BE INSIDE THOSE DISTRICTS, I HOPE, BUT ALSO TO HOPE TO PULL PEOPLE OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN ENERGY. YES. GO AHEAD AND JUST. HI, I'M LAUREN THOMAS. I WORK WITH GENESIS CONSULTING ON THIS. SO YES, WE ARE LOOKING WE'RE PARTNERING WITH HEART PRIDE. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING SOME OF THEIR TROLLEYS AND KIND OF THE SOUTH DIVISION AREA. SO WE ARE HOPING TO BRING PEOPLE FROM ARTPRIZE DOWNTOWN INTO THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TROLLEYS THAT GO WITHIN THE BUSINESS DISTRICT TO TAKE PEOPLE FROM VENUE TO VENUE, BUT THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE TROLLEYS THAT WILL TAKE PEOPLE BETWEEN EACH OF THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT GOING ON IN THAT WAY. BUT YES, OUR BIGGEST HOPE IS TO TAKE PEOPLE FROM THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS DOWN TO DOWNTOWN, BUT THEN ALSO PICK PEOPLE UP FROM DOWNTOWN INTO THE DISTRICTS. AWESOME. THANKS.AND HOW WILL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THOSE TROLLEYS LOOK LIKE WHEN THE TIME COMES? SO WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING EITHER SOME OUTDOOR SIGNAGE. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING LIKE SOME MAGNETIZED SIGNAGE THAT HAS SOUTH PRIZE ON IT AS WELL. BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO UTILIZE OUR VOLUNTEERS. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE WAYFINDERS WHO'LL BE ON THE TROLLEYS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING, IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT, HEY, I WANT TO GET TO MADISON SQUARE. HOW DO I GET THERE? OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT FOR THEM. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE THESE PAMPHLETS THAT HAVE MAPS ON THEM AND SHOW WHERE THE TROLLEY STOPS ARE AS WELL. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT A WHOLE MAP TYPE OF THING THAT PEOPLE CAN ACCESS WITHIN THAT PAMPHLET, BUT THEN ALSO ON THEIR PHONES AS WELL. AWESOME, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I HAVE BEEN SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE TROLLEY SERVICE BUREAU, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, FOR UPTOWN, WE PAID AROUND 18,000 FOR TROLLEY SERVICES. AND NOW THIS IS SAYING 30,000. SO IS IT A LARGER FOOTPRINT. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE OF COSTS THERE? YES. SO THE UPTOWN ONE THAT YOU REFERENCED WAS THE SHUTTLE PILOT, WHICH WAS A DIFFERENT INITIATIVE THAT WAS RUNNING FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, AND THAT WAS TIED TOWARDS THE EVENTS THAT WERE HAPPENING HERE DOWNTOWN. THIS IS DIFFERENT SINCE WE ARE ONLY PROBABLY USING THE TROLLEYS FOR A DAY, THE SPECIAL EVENT DAY, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RUNNING FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD, BUT YES, THAT'S WHY THAT WAS DIFFERENT. ALSO, THE UPTOWN AREA, THEY USED THE MAGIC BUSSES. SO THOSE WERE I THINK THOSE ARE DIFFERENT COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO USE FOR THIS ONE. SOMETHING MORE FESTIVE AND INTERESTING.
WELL, BASED ON, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, WHY IS IT COSTING MORE. YEAH. WHY. YEAH.
SO IF IT'S NOT THE SAME DURATION, WHY IS THAT I WOULD MORE I SHOULD ALSO ADD THAT THE 30,000 IS WHAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR THIS. AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED QUOTES FOR HOW MUCH THE TRANSPORTATION IS GOING TO COST JUST YET. SO THAT'S LIKE A BALLPARK. IT'S A BALLPARK. AND ALSO WE MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL EXPENSE. SO A HUGE CHUNK OF THIS 30,000 WILL GO TO TRANSPORTATION, BUT IT WILL ALSO OVERFLOW TO OTHER EVENT AREAS. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. I THINK THAT ENDS OUR MEETING. THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.