[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:09] ORDER. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, AND WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING AS IS OUR HABIT. WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. PLEASE JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION [ROLL CALL] THANK YOU. AND, MR. CLARK, IF YOU COULD CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER BOUCEK, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER PERDUE, GOOD AFTERNOON. COMMISSIONER ASSASSI. PRESENT. COMMISSIONER KILGORE, PRESENT. COMMISSIONER KNIGHT HERE, MAYOR LEGRAND. YES. AND IF OUR INTERPRETER COULD COME UP AND EXPLAIN HER JOB. SANDRA. NICOLE. ESTOY AQUI PARA USTED QUIEREN INTERPRETACION DE INGLÉS ESPANOL. AYUDANDO ES UN PLACER PARA ESTAR AQUI. MY NAME IS SANDRA NICOLE, AND I'M HERE TO HELP YOU. ANYONE WHO NEEDS INTERPRETATION FROM ENGLISH TO SPANISH OR VICE VERSA. I'M HERE TO SERVE YOU. GLADLY. WE'LL DO THAT. TO COME UP HERE OR FROM THE BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SUPPORT FOR. OH, I'M SORRY, I MISSED. I'M SORRY. SO THIS IS OUR. NOW WE HAVE OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ON AGENDA ITEMS. THE AGENDAS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE HALL. SO IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY AN AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE COME UP AND ADDRESS US. TELL US WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU'RE, WHERE YOU LIVE. THAT WOULD BE NICE. AND THE TWO THINGS I WILL SAY, AND I'LL SAY THIS AGAIN LATER, PLEASE BE AWARE THERE'S A CLOCK, IT'S VERY VISIBLE AND YOU HAVE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. I WILL GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE GRACE TO FINISH THEIR THOUGHT. IF THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A THOUGHT WHEN THE SECOND ENDS. BUT PLEASE TRY TO RESPECT THE COMMON USE OF TIME AND ALSO BE AWARE. PLEASE REMEMBER YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION. SO IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A PUBLIC SPEECH. IT'S A IT'S ADDRESSING US ON CONCERNS. OKAY. SEEING NO ONE FOR OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. NOW I'LL [APPROVAL OF MINUTES] MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES, WHICH I THINK I HAVE A MOTION ALREADY ON THE TABLE FOR. SO THAT'S SPECIFICALLY MINUTES OF OUR LAST MEETING ON AUGUST 25TH. ANY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL MINUTES? OH, WE ALREADY HAD THAT. BUT OKAY. YEAH. THAT'S OKAY. FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, COMMISSIONER. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY I, I ALL ALL OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. THAT [PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS] BRINGS US TO PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS, MR. CLERK. COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM THE MOBILE GR COMMISSION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR INCREASED FUNDING TO FULLY IMPLEMENT KALAMAZOO CORRIDOR ROAD SAFETY AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM HOLLAND, QUOTE UNQUOTE. DEAN NORMA CENTRAL VENTURES, LLC, INCLUDING A FOIA APPEAL FOR FOIA REQUESTS. PRJ DASH 2026-755 RECEIVED AND FILED 13 COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED WITH NOISE COMPLAINTS AGAINST LANCASHIRE AMPHITHEATER. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATIONS, FOUR OF THEM RECEIVED REGARDING AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER TECHNOLOGY. SEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM MICHELLE JOKISCH POLO, INCLUDING A FOIA APPEAL FOR FOIA REQUEST. PD DASH 2026-30907 FILED AND FIVE COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR FOR THE AMPHITHEATER STEVEN FILED. THAT BRINGS US TO REPORTS OF CITY [REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS] OFFICERS. REPORT OF BOND SALE 39,000,540 000 LIMITED DOLLARS. LIMITED TAX GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2026 A RECEIVED AND FILED CONTROLLER'S WARRANT REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF AUGUST 11TH, 2026 THROUGH AUGUST 24TH, 2026 IN THE AMOUNT OF $69,426,965.73 AND THE MONTHLY TRAVEL REPORT, STEVEN FILED THE TREASURER'S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD OF AUGUST 12TH, 2026 THROUGH AUGUST 25TH, 2026. STEVEN FILED AND FINALLY THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT ON ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER BRINGING AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS UNDER THE CITY'S SURVEILLANCE POLICY, CITY'S SURVEILLANCE POLICY. SO HERE I WANT TO PAUSE MOMENTARILY AND URGE ANYONE LISTENING OR ONLINE OR IN THE AUDIENCE TO GO READ THE CITY'S SURVEILLANCE POLICY. IT'S A VERY, I THINK, WELL CRAFTED AND THOROUGHLY WORKED OUT DOCUMENT. BUT CITY MANAGER, YOU WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE THE ACTION. YEAH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION AT THE END OF AUGUST, AFTER OUR LAST PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, I INFORMED THE CITY COMMISSION THAT I WOULD BE REVISITING OUR SURVEILLANCE POLICY. AND BASED ON THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY, WOULD CREATE AN ORDER THAT WOULD PLACE LICENSE PLATE READERS UNDER THE CURRENT [00:05:04] CITY SURVEILLANCE POLICY. THAT ORDER IS IN YOUR PACKET. IT BECAME EFFECTIVE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH, AND YOU CAN READ IN DETAIL THE PROHIBITED USES AND WHAT WOULD REQUIRE FURTHER APPROVAL FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND THE CITY COMMISSION. BUT ESSENTIALLY, ANY EXPANSION OF ANY LICENSE PLATE READER TECHNOLOGY, ANY CHANGE IN USES, WOULD REQUIRE APPROVAL THROUGH BOTH OF THOSE BODIES, AS WELL AS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONTRACT OF JUNE 2027. THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONDUCT ANOTHER EXCUSE ME, OPA WOULD CONDUCT A SURVEILLANCE REPORT. AND IN THAT REPORT PRIOR REQUIRE A REVIEW OF HOW THE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN USED AND REPORT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, CITY COMMISSION. AND THEN WE WOULD MAKE A DECISION IF THE TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE RENEWED OR AWARDED TO ANOTHER CONTRACTOR. ESSENTIALLY, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY EXPANSION OF THE TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT PUBLIC APPROVAL. AND, TYLER, ONE OTHER THING. THERE'S A THERE'S A CLEAR MECHANISM IN OUR SURVEILLANCE POLICY FOR CITIZENS TO REPORT SUSPECTED MISUSE OF THAT TECHNOLOGY. SO AND THOSE REPORTS WOULD GO TO THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY, THE OPA. SO THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. SO [CONSENT AGENDA AND REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES] NEXT UP IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR STANDING COMMITTEES. THIS IS A WAY WE CONGLOMERATE ITEMS THAT ARE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PASSED UNANIMOUSLY OUT OF COMMITTEE EARLIER AND HAVE NOT BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. SO CAN [CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL] I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? SO MOVED SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE CONSENT AGENDA, SAY AYE. I THANK YOU. ALL. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THAT BRINGS US [1. Salary Ordinance for Supplemental Classifications: Election Aide (Level I, II, III, IV, V)] TO THERE BEING NO ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR TO A NUMBER OF ORDINANCES. THE FIRST IS A SALARY ORDINANCE. AND CAN I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SUPPORT COMMISSIONER SASSY THANK YOU MAYOR, THIS IS A SALARY ORDINANCE THAT WAS REVIEWED IN OUR CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, BUT OUR CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IS REQUESTING A FEW UPDATES TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THIS ONE. THE ELECTION AID. IT'S A SUPPLEMENTAL GROUP. AND THESE ARE PART TIME ADJUNCT SUPPLEMENTAL POSITIONS THAT WE USE. THEY'RE SPECIALIZED, BUT UTILIZING ELECTION EQUIPMENT AND LOGISTICS. TYPICALLY, THEY'RE CURRENT CITY STAFFERS OR RETIREES. AND WE HAD RECENTLY INCREASED OUR ELECTION INSPECTOR PAY AND WANTED TO ALSO REVIEW THIS AT THIS TIME. AND SO THE RATES ARE LISTED IN THE MEMO. THERE'S NOT JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, I WON'T GO THROUGH IT. THERE'S FIVE OF THEM. BUT FOR THE FIRST LEVEL THE CURRENT RATE WAS 20. THE PROPOSED RATE IS 25. SHOULD THIS BE ADOPTED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND ANY DISCUSSIONS COLLEAGUES. OTHERWISE THIS IS A ROLL CALL VOTE. MR. CLERK. COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. YES. COMMISSIONER. KNIGHT. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. COMMISSIONER. KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. YES. MAYOR. [2. Motion to give this ordinance immediate effect] LAGRANGE. YES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT? SO MOVED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [3. Salary Ordinance amending Section 4.4 of Ordinance 2025-22, Creation of a new classification Utility Valve Specialist] AYE AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT WE HAVE ANOTHER SELLER ORDINANCE FOR. AND I READ THAT AS A UNITY VALVE WHICH DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. IT'S A UTILITY VALVE SPECIALIST. CAN I HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVED, COMMISSIONER KILGORE. THANK YOU. MAYOR, THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING A NEW CLASSIFICATION UTILITY VALVE SPECIALIST. THIS ROLE WILL ENSURE THE WATER DEPARTMENT CAN BUILD A TEAM FOR EXERCISING AND REPAIRING LARGE CRITICAL VALVES IN THE WATER SYSTEM. HR SALARIES PLACEMENT IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET. THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION AGAIN, MR. CLERK, THIS IS A ROLL CALL VOTE, COMMISSIONER KNIGHT. YES. MR. BOUCEK YES. MR. KILGORE. YES. COMMISSIONER. SASSY. YES. COMMISSIONER. PURDUE. YES. [4. Motion to give this ordinance immedite effect] MAYOR. LAGRANGE. YES. MOTION CARRIES. CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR IMMEDIATE EFFECT? SO MOVED. SUPPORT. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. AND THERE BEING NO [PUBLIC COMMENTS] RESOLUTIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA OR PUBLIC HEARINGS. THIS BRINGS US TO OUR SECOND OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AGAIN, TO REMIND FOLKS IT'S FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION. PLEASE COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE CLOCK IF YOU CAN. I'LL TRY TO GIVE PEOPLE GRACE, BUT PLEASE TRY TO KEEP YOURSELF UNDER THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. OH, CAN YOU PLEASE HIT THE LITTLE BUTTON ON THAT MICROPHONE? SORRY. YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS SHIONA NEVSKY. I AM HONORED TO SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMISSION, AND I AM ALSO A VETERAN AND PROUD GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY MEMBER. I JUST WANTED TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO OUR GRAND GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY RELATIONS [00:10:02] COMMISSION, WHICH MEETS ON THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM 330 TO 5 P.M. AT 1120 MONROE AVENUE, NORTHWEST, ROOM 201. OUR MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE WELCOME COMMUNITY VOICES. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE GRAND RAPIDS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ARE HOUSED OUR HOT TEAM AND ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT AS OUR CITY GROWS WITH THE ORCHESTRA, AMPHITHEATER AND AMWAY SOCCER STADIUM, WE APPRECIATE THE PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIP THAT HELP RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ENJOY THESE SPACES SAFELY. AS WE CELEBRATE GROWTH IN GRAND RAPIDS. I ALSO WANT TO RAISE A FEW QUESTIONS. UPCOMING MEDICAID CHANGES WILL AFFECT SOME RESIDENTS, INCLUDING ELIGIBILITY CHANGES FOR CERTAIN LAWFULLY PRESENT NON-CITIZENS IN OCTOBER 2026 AND NEW WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR SOME BENEFICIARIES IN JANUARY 2027. WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A CITY AND A COMMUNITY TO HELP FILL THOSE GAPS? HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING CLINICS, HEALTH CENTERS, NONPROFITS, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT MAY SEE GREATER DEMAND? HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THESE CHANGES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN? AND HELPING FAMILIES, VETERANS, IMMIGRANTS, SENIORS, AND WORKING PEOPLE NAVIGATE AN ALREADY DIFFICULT SYSTEM? I DO NOT EXPECT ANSWERS TODAY, BUT I HOPE WE KEEP ASKING THESE QUESTIONS TOGETHER. A STRONG GRAND RAPIDS IS DEFINED NOT ONLY BY DEVELOPMENT, BUT BY HOW WELL WE CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND HELP EVERY RESIDENT FIND SUPPORT, OPPORTUNITY AND BELONGING. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND CONTINUED SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. HELLO COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MATTHEW. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD AND I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH KASHA AND THEIR SICK SANCTUARY POLICY DEMANDS. I'M HERE AGAIN TO DEMAND THE REMOVAL, REMOVAL AND CANCELLATION OF FLOCK CAMERAS AND THE FLOCK CONTRACT. AND I HAD PLANNED TO GIVE SOME MODICUM OF APPLAUSE TO YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THE FLOCK CONTRACT UNDER THE CITY'S SURVEILLANCE POLICY. BUT BASED ON THE STATEMENTS JUST MADE BY MAYOR LEGRAND AND YOU, MR. WASHINGTON, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE WILL BE ANY THOROUGH REVIEW OF THIS UNTIL SOME TIME NEXT YEAR, AND I FIND THAT UNACCEPTABLE. FLOCK HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN FOUND TO BE LYING ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES OF THEIR TECHNOLOGY, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY ARE TO BE TRUSTED. THEIR ONLY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO THEIR SHAREHOLDERS, NOT TO OUR CITY AND NOT TO THIS COMMISSION. SINCE I SPOKE WITH YOU LAST, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. SINCE I SPOKE WITH YOU LAST. THE SHERIFF AND RACINE COUNTY, WISCONSIN, HAS GONE ON THE RECORD TO RECOMMEND THE CANCELLATION OF THEIR CONTRACT, STATING, QUOTE, THEY FLOCK ARE TAKING THIS DATA WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE, UTILIZING IT, MONETIZING IT, AND SELLING IT TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. AND THAT IS NOT WHAT WE AGREED TO, UNQUOTE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS WHAT THEY AGREED TO AND WHAT WE AGREED TO WHEN WE ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH FLOCK. IT DOESN'T STOP THERE. THE CITY OF SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED PLANS TO END THEIR CONTRACT DUE TO MISUSE OF THEIR DATA AS WELL. QUOTE, THE SHEBOYGAN POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS MADE AWARE OF AN EMAIL FROM A FLOCK SAFETY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE OFFERING TO SELL THE SHEBOYGAN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WORKS ANONYMIZED DATA FOR TRAFFIC VOLUME, VEHICLE TYPES, AND SPEED DATA OFFERING UP TO FIVE YEARS OF DATA UTILIZING THE EXISTING 15 CAMERAS. THE SHEBOYGAN POLICE DEPARTMENT ADDS THAT IT WAS NOT AWARE AND DID NOT CONSENT TO THE SALE OF ANONYMIZED OR OTHER DATA, UNQUOTE. THEY MAY HAVE NOT BEEN AWARE, BUT THEY DID CONSENT, JUST AS GRPD HAS DONE FOR US. SO, AS I SAID, FLOCK HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY CAUGHT LYING ABOUT THE CAPABILITIES OF THEIR TECHNOLOGY, NOT JUST IN WISCONSIN AND NOT JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED. BUT I WILL ADMIT, THEY HAVE TOLD US ONE TRUTH, NOT ABOUT THEMSELVES, ABOUT THEIR COMPETITORS. FLOCK IS THE ONLY ALPR PROVIDER THAT DOESN'T CONTRACT WITH ICE. SO TO YOUR POINT, A MOMENT AGO, MR. WASHINGTON, I WOULD NOT LIKE THE CONTRACT TO BE AWARDED TO ANOTHER VENDOR SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. I WOULD LIKE ALL ALPR CONTRACTS TO BE CANCELED AND THE REMOVE AND THEIR HARDWARE REMOVED FROM OUR CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO ALL. HI EVERYBODY. ERIC FROM THE SECOND WARD. GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN. I HAVE THREE THINGS TO QUICKLY TOUCH ON, SO I JUST WANT TO TRY TO GET THROUGH THEM IN QUICK AMOUNT OF TIME. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN THING IS WITH FLOCK. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPEN KIND OF FORUM, I GUESS PER SE OF THE LAST TIME IT WAS REALLY LONG. EVEN WHEN I LEFT, I SAW YOU GUYS WERE STILL GOING. SO THANKS FOR HANGING STRONG IN DOING THAT. I DO WANT TO SAY [00:15:03] THANK YOU FOR THE QUICK ACTION OF AT LEAST BRINGING THESE ALPR LIKE UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE POLICY, CITY GOVERNMENT IS NOT SEXY IN ANY WAY. SO THEREFORE HAVING TO PUT IT UNDER SPECIFIC POLICIES IS THERE? OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS, BUT I'M GLAD WE HIT THEM THAT THAT IT NEEDED TO BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAT IT DIDN'T GET THERE. BUT I HEARD A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, REFLECTION ON THROUGH THAT. SO THANK YOU. I JUST ADDED THIS, BUT I DO AGREE AS WELL, LIKE WITH THE CONTRACT STUFF, LIKE WE DO NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS THAT LIKE WE AREN'T JUST GOING TO ANOTHER VENDOR. I KNOW AXON IS OBVIOUSLY ANOTHER VENDOR HERE AND AXON IS OBVIOUSLY POPULAR, BUT THEY, THEY ARE EVEN CUTTING CORNERS ON HOW QUICK THEY'RE TRYING TO GET. THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVE THEIR CAMERAS CAN GET UP QUICKER AND EASIER THAN EVEN FLOCK. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST A LOT TO HAVE WITH THROUGH THERE. SO THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO TOUCH ON WAS LIKE THE VILLAGE MEETING THIS MORNING WITH THE KENT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND STUFF. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH AS MUCH AS I CAN DURING A WORK DAY, BUT I WORK WITH AUDIO AND SO THEREFORE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TO GET THROUGH OUT THERE. BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY TO, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER PERDUE, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF A LOT OF THAT. YOU KNOW, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR KIND OF BRINGING IN YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. LISA MARIE, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOU KNOW, REFERENDUM ON KIND OF THE COUNTY LEVEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE CONVERSATION. I JUST THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE CONVERSATIONS IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING THAT WE ARE PROVIDING ISN'T JUST RISING OR THAT WE'RE MEETING THESE WITH KIND OF THESE ABSTRACT DEMANDS. IT'S COMING ON PRETTY FAST. AND ANYTIME WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR PROPERTY TAX INCREASES AND STUFF, WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAUTIOUS. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I ALSO ON THE VIDEO STUFF, I WAS HERE LAST TIME TO TALK ABOUT VEO JUST WROTE ONE FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE HOOPLA. BUT THE SECOND TIME WAS THE THE COMMUNICATION. SO MOBILE GR I HAD SEEN AT LEAST ON REDDIT, HAD COME OUT AND KIND OF TALKED ABOUT LIKE COMMUNICATION ISSUES THAT HAVE MAYBE COME KIND OF WITH THE TERM AFFORDABILITY WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UNCERTAIN LEVELS, OR AT LEAST GEOGRAPHICALLY, IT IS MORE AFFORDABLE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, LIKE, I'M THANKFUL TO THEM CLARIFYING, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME MORE KIND OF CLARIFICATION KIND OF IN CITY WIDE COMMUNICATIONS TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PARAMETERS THAT WE'RE DEFINING AFFORDABILITY BY, AND THEN ALSO EXPRESSING BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE ROOM TO EVEN MAKING IT MORE AFFORDABLE IN SOME PLACES, YOU KNOW, WITH EITHER TARGETED DISCOUNTS OR JUST LIKE TARGETED RATE CHANGES. SO IF WE CAN JUST GET CITYWIDE COMMUNICATIONS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT FRAMEWORK IS, SO WE CAN COME WITH KIND OF BETTER IDEAS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY MEETING THAT AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENT. BECAUSE EVEN JUST ON THE FIRST RIDE, WHICH IS NOT AT ALL A RELIABLE DATA SET, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE KIND OF MEMBERSHIP AND STUFF LIKE THAT TOO. SO OVERALL, JUST KIND OF COMMENTS ON COMMUNICATIONS AND EVERYTHING FROM THE CITY. BUT YOU KNOW, THANKS ALL FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU GUYS. HI. MY NAME IS KYLE. I'M A MEMBER OF WARD TWO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FLOCK TODAY. I WANT TO ECHO OUR SENTIMENTS ABOUT YOU TAKING A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR BRINGING FLOCK UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE POLICY OF THE CITY. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE MAKING STEPS FORWARD LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE. I DO KNOW THAT WITH ALL OF YOU HERE, MAYOR GRANT, ESPECIALLY, YOU'VE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SEEING SOLUTIONS PRESENTED. AND I THINK TO THAT I'D LIKE TO TAKE MY TIME TO TALK ABOUT SOME ARGUMENTS AGAINST FLOCK AND WHY YOU SHOULDN'T CONSIDER IT OVERALL, TAKING A FURTHER, HARSHER STANCE THAN JUST INCLUDING IN THE SURVEILLANCE POLICY, THERE'S ARGUMENTS THAT FLOCK DOES GOOD IN THE CITY, THAT IT'S WORTH THE CRIME, THAT IT HELPS PREVENT. I FIND THAT TO NOT BE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT, BECAUSE THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT A GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO PROTECT PEOPLE IF THEY REALLY WANT TO. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT CARING ABOUT THE FOURTH AMENDMENT, WHY DON'T WE JUST MAKE A DNA DATABASE OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE CITY THAT WOULD SOLVE SO MANY CRIMES AROUND, AND YET WE CHOOSE NOT TO DO THAT? WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? WHEN OR WHY DO WHY DO WE NOT DO THAT WHEN WE CHOOSE TO EMBRACE FLOCK? I FEEL LIKE POLICE COULD KNOCK DOWN DOORS BASED ON HUNCHES. THAT COULD BE ANOTHER WAY THAT THEY COULD JUST SKIP THE WHOLE FOURTH AMENDMENT PROCESS. THOSE PESKY WARRANTS, THOSE DON'T MATTER, AND WE COULD MAKE A BETTER CITY FOR THAT IF WE SKIPPED FOURTH AMENDMENT. BUT ALL OF THIS, JUST LIKE FLOCK, HAS A REALLY CHILLING EFFECT ON CITIZENS. AND SO SAYING FLOCK IS INCONSISTENT WITH OUR UNDERSTANDING OF POLICE SURVEILLANCE OR FOURTH AMENDMENT. AND SAYING IT DOES GOOD IS JUST AN OBVIOUS ATTEMPT, AT LEAST TO ME, TO PULL AT OUR HEARTSTRINGS WITH INFLATED STATISTICS. AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S A CRAVEN EFFORT TO DEFEND A SYSTEM OF MASS SURVEILLANCE, AND I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER. THERE'S ALSO THE ARGUMENT ABOUT LICENSE PLATES, AND TRACKING LICENSE PLATES CAN BE VIEWED BY ANYONE IN PUBLIC. RIGHT? SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL IF THEY'RE TRACKED? I ALSO DISAGREE WITH THIS. NOBODY IS SAYING THAT A LICENSE PLATE SHOULD BE HIDDEN. AT LEAST NOBODY THAT I'VE EVER TALKED TO ABOUT IT. BUT IT'S NOT A TRACKING DEVICE. IT'S USED BY GOVERNMENT DISCREETLY AND WITH A SPECIFIC PURPOSE TO IDENTIFY YOUR VEHICLE ONLY IN [00:20:04] SPECIFIC TIMES AND SPECIFIC SITUATIONS. NOT FOR ALL TIMES, UNDER NO REASONS. AGAIN, I TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT PRE-CRIME ABOUT THAT LAST. I KNOW I'M SHORT ON TIME, BUT PHONE IS MORE THAN IS MORE THAN A TRACKING DEVICE FOR WHEN COMPARED TO FLOCK, SMARTPHONES ARE USED BY PRIVATE COMPANIES TO TRACK YOUR MOVEMENTS FROM PLACE TO PLACE, AND THE FOURTH AMENDMENT DOESN'T RESTRICT WHAT COMPANIES REQUIRE IN. IN. IF YOU. IN COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES. AGREE TO THAT SERVICE. THERE'S A UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT THAT HELD THAT INFORMATION CANNOT BE OBTAINED BY THIRD PARTIES LIKE POLICE, WITHOUT A WARRANT. A PHONE REQUIRES A WARRANT. FLOCK CAMERAS DO NOT. WHY SHOULDN'T. WHY CAN'T FLOCK CAMERAS BE MADE TO REQUIRE WARRANTS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GO OVER. HAVE A GOOD ONE. OTHER COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS CHRIS CRANSTON. I LIVE ON THE SECOND WARD, BUT I WORK WITH THE WEST SIDE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, SO I'M SORT OF SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE FIRST WARD TODAY. I MEANT TO ACTUALLY COME UP IN THE INITIAL COMMENT AND I MISSED IT. SO MY REQUEST IS MORE OF A THANK YOU NOW BECAUSE THE AGENDA ITEM HAS PASSED, BUT I'M HERE, SO I FIGURED I WOULD STILL SHARE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. SO I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WESTSIDE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY GATEWAY SIGNAGE PROJECT THAT WAS JUST APPROVED. SO THANK YOU. IT'S THE FIRST PROJECT OF ITS CITY. THE FIRST PROJECT OF ITS TYPE IN THE CITY HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A CLEAR VISUAL SIGNAL THAT TELLS PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE ON THE WEST SIDE, AND THAT IT'S WORTH BEING HERE. THE WEST SIDE HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. IT WILL DO. IT WILL OFFER ALL OF THESE THINGS, AND THE SIGNS WILL CREATE A STRONGER SENSE OF PRIDE FOR THE BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS THAT CALL THE WEST SIDE HOME. THE SIGNS LITERALLY WELCOME YOU TO THE WEST SIDE, BUT THEY ALSO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A PLACE THAT'S WORTH SHOPPING AT, EATING AT, WORKING AT, DRINKING AT, AND INVESTING IN. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE PROJECT. IT'S BEEN YEARS COMING, SO THANKS AGAIN FOR PASSING THE THE AGENDA ITEM, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE SIGNS BE BUILT HOPEFULLY THIS SPRING. SO THANKS AGAIN. APPRECIATE ALL YOU GUYS DO. THANKS. GO AHEAD. HELLO EVERYBODY. COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS MARY MALONE AND I OWN THE BUSINESS AT 1956 EASTERN AVENUE. AND THANK YOU FOR SCHEDULING THE HEARING FOR MY OPRAH AND WORKING WITH ME TODAY AS A CONNECTOR. AS A CONNECTED PART OF THIS WORK, I AM REQUESTING AN UPDATE ON MY APPLICATION FOR THE EMERGING DEVELOPERS GRANT. THE CITY STATED IN PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BEFORE THE PROGRAM CHANGES WILL BE PROCESSED UNDER THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM. I RELIED ON THAT COMMITMENT WHEN I APPLIED AND MADE RELATED DECISIONS. I HAVE HEARD NO UPDATES ABOUT MY APPLICATION WHEN IT WILL BE PROCESSED, WHICH CREATES NEW HARM FOR PEOPLE. THIS PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT THE EMERGING DEVELOPERS PROGRAM, DIRECT RESOURCES TO PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED FROM INVESTMENTS THROUGH REDLINING, DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING AND LENDING POLICIES, UNEQUAL ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND OTHER SYSTEMIC BARRIERS, INCLUDING BARRIERS PARTLY CREATED OR MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CITY IN THE PAST. ADDRESSING THOSE INEQUITIES SHOULD NOT CREATE A NEW HARM FOR APPLICANTS WHO RELIED ON THE CITY'S COMMITMENTS. THE CITY MUST HONOR ITS COMMITMENT, PROCESS MY APPLICATION UNDER THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM, AND TELL ME WHEN I CAN EXPECT MY APPLICATION TO BE APPROVED. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS JANET JORDAN. I AM A BUSINESS OWNER. I'M GRANVILLE AVENUE, MARY J. SALON OF 28 YEARS. I'M ALSO AN EMERGING DEVELOPER WHO WAS ALSO WAITING ON INFORMATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AN EMERGING DEVELOPER. WE HAVE FOLLOWED PROCESS AND WE ARE STILL ON HOLD. MY QUESTION TO THE CITY IS WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF AN EMERGING DEVELOPER? BECAUSE FUNDING WENT TO DEVELOPERS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THESE FUNDS. MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE, WHEN JOHN WAS HERE TO PUT TOGETHER AN EMERGING DEVELOPERS PROGRAM. I KNOW OTHERS ARE TAKING CREDIT FOR THE WORK THAT WE DID, BUT WE DID THIS WORK. WE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WE HAVE A STRONG DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE, ALONG WITH THE OTHER EMERGING DEVELOPERS, AND WE FEEL THAT WE ARE BEING GHOSTED. COULD YOU PLEASE HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? AND THEN FOR THE EFFORT FOR THE WEST SIDE? KUDOS TO THE WEST SIDE FOR THEIR NEW SIGNAGE THAT'S COMING. AND I KNOW, I KNOW, I MENTIONED IT WHEN JOHN JOHN O'CONNOR WAS [00:25:02] HERE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DESCRIPTIVE MEASURES, I'M ON THE WEST SIDE, SO I'M SOUTHWEST. HOW COME YOU ALL DID NOT LIFT THAT UP TO SAY NORTHWEST? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LONG TIME. SO NOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONFUSED ABOUT, OKAY, AM I ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF SOUTHWEST SIDE? I'M SOUTHWEST. BUT WHEN THEY GO TO NORTHWEST SIDE, THEY DON'T KNOW. IT SAYS NORTHWEST. IT SAYS WEST SIDE. PLEASE. WE NEED MORE INTENTIONALITY ABOUT DEFINING WHAT THESE THINGS ARE. DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP. YOU SPEAK UP ANY OTHER TIME. SOMETHING, SOMETHING IS HARMING YOU. WE FEEL THE SAME WAY. WE WANT THESE THINGS BROKEN DOWN FOR US. WE ARE BEING. WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE WE'RE LOSING OUT. WE ARE. WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT BEING VALUED WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS THAT WE'RE THAT WE'VE INVESTED IN, BUT WE APPRECIATE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE. BUT THERE'S ALWAYS MORE. ALWAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS JOHN MALLOY. ACROSS THIS CITY, A PARENT OF A CHILD TO SCHOOL, A WORKER LEAVES HOME BEFORE SUNRISE. SOMEONE VISITS A DOCTOR. AN ABUSE SURVIVOR CHANGES THEIR ROUTE HOME, HOPING TO FEEL SAFE. A NEIGHBOR COMES DOWNTOWN TO STAND AT THIS MICROPHONE AT INTERSECTIONS ALONG THE WAY, CAMERAS PHOTOGRAPH THEIR VEHICLES, RECORD WHERE AND WHEN THEY PASSED, AND PLACE THOSE MOVEMENTS IN A SEARCHABLE DATABASE. NONE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUSPECTED OF A CRIME. THEY ARE SIMPLY LIVING THEIR LIVES. I WANT MISSING PEOPLE FOUND. I WANT STOLEN CARS RECOVERED. I WANT PEOPLE WHO COMMIT VIOLENCE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I UNDERSTAND WHY OFFICERS VALUE A TOOL THAT CAN HELP. I AM ASKING YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT SAFETY ALSO MEANS FEELING SAFE IN ONE'S OWN COMMUNITY. THE CONCERN IS NOT ONLY WHAT A RESPONSIBLE OFFICER DOES TODAY, IT IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN TOMORROW WITH A CARELESS SEARCH, A MISTAKEN ALERT, A CHANGED POLICY OR ACCESS PLACED IN THE WRONG HANDS. TRUST IS NOT BUILT BY ASKING US TO BELIEVE POWER WILL NEVER BE MISUSED. TRUST IS BUILT BY LIMITING THE POWER BEFORE MISUSE OCCURS. RESIDENTS RECEIVE A FEW MINUTES AT THIS MICROPHONE. FLOCK RECEIVES CONTINUING ACCESS ACROSS GOVERNMENTS TO GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE COMPANY RECEIVES REOCCURRING REVENUE. THE PUBLIC CARRIES THE RISK. THE PEOPLE BEING WATCHED DESERVE AS MUCH INFLUENCE AS THE PEOPLE SELLING THE CAMERAS. I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC PRESSURE MOVED GRAND RAPIDS TO PLACE THIS TECHNOLOGY UNDER ITS SURVEILLANCE POLICY. THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT BEGINNING, BUT IT CANNOT BE THE END. PLEASE FREEZE EXPANSION AND OUTSIDE SHARING PUBLICLY EXAMINE THE HUMAN CONSEQUENCES AND CHOOSE NOT TO RENEW THE CONTRACT. PLEASE CHOOSE TRUST OVER SURVEILLANCE. CHOOSE HUMAN DIGNITY OVER CORPORATE MOMENTUM, AND CHOOSE NOT AND CHOOSE COMMUNITY OVER FEAR. BEFORE YOU RENEW THE CAMERAS, PLEASE RENEW THE PUBLIC'S CONSENT. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS. STAFF. MR. MAYOR, I'M STEVE BENNETT, I'M A RESIDENT OF THE THIRD WARD. ECHOING THE WORDS OF MY COMRADES. YES. AND THANK YOU FOR FOR MAKING THE BIG MOVE OF PUTTING THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE POLICY. BUT AS EVERYONE KEEPS POINTING OUT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH. AND I CAN GO INTO BEATING THOSE FACTS UP SOME MORE ABOUT GOVERNMENT OVERREACH, ABOUT COLLECTING DATA FOR A CRIME THAT MAY BE COMMITTED. BUT I THINK THE OVERARCHING ISSUE HERE, WHICH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER JUST SPOKE TO, IS TRUST. WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT FROM A PROVERBIAL ROCK SIX MONTHS OR SO AGO AND STARTED COMING TO YOU HERE AND TALKING INDIVIDUALLY WITH MANY OF YOU, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRUST. TRUST. YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOU ARE TRUMPETING SUCCESSES, REAL SUCCESSES WE'VE HAD WITH [00:30:05] AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GRAND RAPIDS. IS IT ENOUGH? EACH OF YOU WILL TELL ME, NO, IT IS NOT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TO BUILD THE TRUST THAT THIS CITY WANTS AND NEEDS FROM US, THE PEOPLE, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME REAL EXAMPLES AND SOME REAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS COMING. SAME THING WITH POLICE AND APPREHENSION. THAT'S WHAT STARTED ME COMING HERE WAS WHAT I CALL A MURDER. AND SOME OTHERS MIGHT CALL AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION. THERE'S A BIG TRUST ISSUE AND I'M OLD AND WHITE. I KNOW HOW SAFE I AM, BUT MOST PEOPLE AREN'T IN MY PARTICULAR GENETIC GENETIC CONDITION. I DON'T FEEL SAFE WHEN THEY SEE A COP. THAT'S WHAT YOU KEEP BEING TOLD. THAT'S WHAT I KEEP BEING TOLD. I THINK THAT'S REAL. THAT'S A REAL DISTRUST THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. NOW, THAT AIN'T RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW IT. AND I KNOW IT ALSO MIGHT AS WELL GET TO IT. THE SANCTUARY POLICIES, THE SIX SANCTUARY POLICIES DEMANDED BY COSECHA, SUPPORTED BY GRAND RAPIDS RAPIDS RESPONSE TO ICE. AND IT HAS BEEN TALKED TO AND ABOUT. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN THE ACTIONS, BUT THERE'S JUST NOT A COMMUNICATION GOING ON. I THINK MORE COMMUNICATION ON THAT ISSUE SO THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VILIFYING THIS COMMISSION AND MISTER MAYOR, YOU IN PARTICULAR WILL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. AND FINALLY, LICENSE PLATE READERS, THEY IT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TALK, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY CRIME PREVENTATIVE? I DON'T KNOW, I'M SURE IT HELPS, BUT I KEEP HEARING THE DEPUTY CHIEF HERE AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AND SEVERAL OF YOU HEARD HIM SAY THOSE PESKY WARRANTS. OOPS. YEAH. IT WAS IT WAS A FREUDIAN SLIP. AND I'M SURE THAT THE POLICE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER LICENSE PLATE READERS TO BE SOMETHING THEY CAN USE TO SIDESTEP WARRANTS. BUT THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. AND THAT BREEDS DISTRUST, TOO. I THINK I'VE TALKED TO THE WORD LEGACY TO YOU AS A GROUP AND TO MANY OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, YOUR LEGACY. IT'S TIME AND IT'S TIME. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS CHARLIE SNEDEKER. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF WEST MICHIGAN. FIRST, I GOTTA SAY, I STAND HERE IN SUPPORT OF MOVEMENT AND URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND ADOPT THE SIX SANCTUARY POLICIES. AND I ALSO STAND HERE TODAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT PRIVACY IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN VALUE AND THAT THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION MUST REMAIN PROTECTED AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO ADVANCE. TECHNOLOGY SHOULD SERVE THE PEOPLE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. WHILE DATA SYSTEMS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES CAN PROVIDE IMPORTANT PUBLIC BENEFITS, THEIR USE MUST BE BALANCED WITH TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPECT FOR INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY. I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF STRONG LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR PERSONAL PRIVACY AND DIGITAL DATA. I SPEAK TO THE PRESERVATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, DUE PROCESS AND PROTECTION AGAINST UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES. CLEAR LIMITS ON THE COLLECTION, RETENTION, SHARING AND USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION BY BOTH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS. TRANSPARENCY SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT DATA IS COLLECTED, WHY IT IS COLLECTED AND HOW IT IS PROTECTED. INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TECHNOLOGIES THAT AFFECT THE PUBLIC. THE ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE LIVES, STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES AND PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS. I BELIEVE THAT. I BELIEVE THAT INNOVATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD NEVER REQUIRE THE UNNECESSARY SACRIFICE OF FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS. SECURITY AND LIBERTY ARE STRONGEST WHEN THEY WORK TOGETHER. MY VISION IS A FUTURE WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO HEAL, EDUCATE, PROTECT AND EMPOWER PEOPLE WHILE RESPECTING THE GOD GIVEN DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH OUR NATION WAS FOUNDED. TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD A FUTURE WHERE TECHNOLOGY SERVES HUMANITY WITH INTEGRITY AND WHERE PERSONAL LIBERTY IS RESPECTED. THEREFORE, I CALL UPON THE REPRESENTATIVES OF GRAND RAPIDS TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST FROM THE USE OF ANY SURVEILLANCE. NO FLOCK, NO AXON, NO PALANTIR, NO UNWARRANTED SURVEILLANCE ON OUR [00:35:07] CITY. WRONG IS WRONG. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS KARA WOOD. I'M AN 18 YEAR RESIDENT OF PLAZA TOWERS AND THE FIRST WARD IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS. I'M ALSO PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM THAT HELPED BRING THE AMPHITHEATER TO OUR DOWNTOWN. I APPRECIATE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY BECAUSE THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS YEARS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND RESIDENTS WHO SHARED A VISION FOR A STRONGER GRAND RAPIDS AND A STRONGER RIVERFRONT. FROM THE BEGINNING, THE GOAL WAS NEVER SIMPLY TO BUILD A CONCERT VENUE. THE GOAL WAS TO CREATE A LONG TERM ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY ASSET THAT WOULD ATTRACT VISITORS, SUPPORT BUSINESSES, ACTIVATE THE RIVERFRONT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS. THE PROJECT'S IMPACT BEGAN WELL BEFORE THE FIRST SHOW. CONSTRUCTION GENERATED MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MICRO LOCAL BUSINESS CONTRACTORS, SUBCONTRACTORS, SUPPLIERS AND SKILLED TRADES THROUGHOUT WEST MICHIGAN. BY ENGAGING LOCAL AND UNDERREPRESENTED BUSINESSES WHEREVER POSSIBLE, THE PROJECT CREATED MORE THAN $10 MILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS OF THIS INVESTMENT WERE EXPERIENCED ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, IN ITS FIRST SEASON, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING ENCOURAGING RESULTS. THE AMPHITHEATER HAS HOSTED DOZENS OF PUBLIC EVENTS AND ATTRACTED APPROXIMATELY 387,000 ATTENDEES. MORE THAN 800 DIRECT JOBS HAVE BEEN CREATED. LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE REPORTING INCREASED ACTIVITIES, AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY HAS GROWN DURING SLOWER MONTHS OF THE SEASON. THESE ARE KEY FOR OUR DOWNTOWN. THESE ARE MEANINGFUL INDICATORS THAT THE PROJECT IS PRODUCING THE OUTCOMES AND VISION DURING THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT, AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE ROLE THE AMPHITHEATER PLAYS IN THE LARGER RIVERFRONT TRANSFORMATION. THIS INVESTMENT IS HELPING UNLOCK NEW PUBLIC SPACES, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, TRAIL CONNECTIONS, AND RIVERFRONT ACTIVATION THAT WILL SERVE RESIDENTS YEAR ROUND. THE AMPHITHEATER IS ONE PIECE OF A BROADER VISION FOR RECONNECTING GRAND RAPIDS WITH ITS RIVER, RATHER THAN SEEING THE SOUND AS NOISE, I SEE IT AS EVIDENCE THAT THE VISION FOR DOWNTOWN IS WORKING. THE MUSIC, THE CROWDS, THE EXCITEMENT. IT ALL REPRESENTS PEOPLE CHOOSING TO SPEND TIME IN GRAND RAPIDS. FOR ME, THAT ENERGY HAS BEEN POSITIVE AND A GREAT ADDITION TO DOWNTOWN LIFE, NOT A DISRUPTION. THIS PROJECT DEMONSTRATES WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A SHARED GOAL OF SUCCESS WE'RE SEEING TODAY IS THE RESULT OF YEARS OF PLANNING, INVESTMENT AND PARTNERSHIP, AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO BEING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF THIS ASSET AND RESPONSIBLE PARTNERS TO THIS COMMUNITY. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE COMMISSION'S LEADERSHIP AND THE SUPPORT OF STAFF, MANY OF WHOM ARE IN THE ROOM TODAY. RESIDENTS, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS WHO HELP MAKE THIS VISION A REALITY. I BELIEVE THE AMPHITHEATER IS ALREADY CONTRIBUTING TO A STRONGER DOWNTOWN, AND ITS GREATEST IMPACT IS STILL YET AHEAD OF US. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO DOWNTOWN. I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE LASTING ECONOMIC, COMMUNITY AND RIVERFRONT BENEFITS. THIS INVESTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER FOR YEARS TO COME. THANKS. HI SAM CUMMINGS, I AM A. I LIVE IN GRAND RAPIDS IN THE SECOND WARD I AM. I WORK DOWNTOWN, I ALSO UNPLUG A LOT OF TOILETS AROUND HERE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE TODAY. I'M HERE AS A, YOU KNOW, A THE AMPHITHEATER IS THREE AND A HALF MONTHS INTO BEING OPEN AND IT REMINDS ME OF 30 YEARS AGO. PLUS, WHEN THE VAN ANDEL ARENA OPENED IN OCTOBER OF 1996, AND HOW THAT EVENT CHANGED THE WAY WEST MICHIGAN FELT ABOUT THE CITY THAT IS THE HEART OF ALL OF WEST MICHIGAN AND HOW OUR CITY IS IMPORTANT, NOT JUST TO THE RESIDENTS, BUT TO THE BROADER REGION, BECAUSE THE CITY STILL IS HOME TO THESE MASSIVE ANCHORS, THESE CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT ANCHORS THAT DRAW PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE MIDWEST TO COME AND SEE OUR CITY AND GIVE ALL OF US IN WHO LIVE IN WEST MICHIGAN, PRIDE IN WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE'RE BECOMING. BUT THINGS ARE DIFFERENT TODAY THAN THEY WERE IN 1996. IN 96. OUR GOAL BACK THEN WAS, WAS TO TRY TO ATTRACT NEW CORPORATE CITIZENS AND NEW BUSINESSES TO COME DOWN, COME INTO OUR CORE CITY AND ENJOY THE VITALITY THAT WAS EMERGING, THEN ENCOURAGING THEM TO FIND [00:40:02] VALUE IN THAT ENTERTAINMENT PROSPECT AND HELP US REACH OUR GOALS OF A 24 HOUR CITY. BUT THEN AT THAT TIME, THE CLOCK WAS WAS DIFFERENT IN THAT 24 HOURS. HOW DO WE BUILD? AND I THINK WE'VE SUCCEEDED IN SOME MEASURE, DOWNTOWN REMAINS THE ENGINE OF OUR CITY. DOWNTOWN PAYS THE BULK OF THE CITY INCOME TAXES THAT ALLOW OUR CITY TO FUNCTION. BUT TODAY IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. TODAY, OUR GOAL IS TO ROUND OUT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CLOCK. AND HOW DO WE BUILD A CITY THAT IS IS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUT STILL IS EQUALLY BALANCED, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO OUR I, I'M ULTIMATELY IN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE BUSINESS. WE MANAGE BUILDINGS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THOSE BUILDINGS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PEOPLE WHO FIND VALUE IN THEM AND WHO PAY THE RENT AND MAKE THE CHOICE TO PAY THE RENT TO BE THERE IF THEY IF THEY DO NOT, IF THEY DON'T PAY RENT, IF THEY DON'T FIND VALUE IN THAT ADDRESS, THAT BUILDING IS BANKRUPT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US THAT THAT THE EQUATION WORKS. AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS IN THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE ECSTATIC WITH THE NEW PRIDE, VITALITY AND ENERGY THAT THE AMPHITHEATER HAS BROUGHT US, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE EVENTS, BUT ALSO, AS KARA MENTIONED, BECAUSE IT ANCHORS A NEW THOUGHT OF HOW WE HOW WE INTERACT WITH OUR RIVER AND HOW PUBLIC SPACES CAN LOOK ALONG IT. AND I'M OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL ALL YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE YOU, EVEN THOUGH IT'S HARD SOMETIMES. SO THANK YOU AND WE'RE GRATEFUL. CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE FOR THE AMPHITHEATER. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS, I'M RON VANDERVEEN. I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH CUNNINGHAM DORMAN, P.C. AND I REPRESENT SEVERAL OWNERS OF CONDOMINIUMS IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF PLAZA TOWER. THEY HAVE NO QUARREL WITH THERE BEING AN AMPHITHEATER. THEY THINK. IN FACT, SOME OF MY CLIENTS ACTUALLY ATTEND CONCERTS AT THE AMPHITHEATER. HAVE DONE SO AND ENJOYED THEM. THE PROBLEM IS THEY DON'T APPRECIATE THOSE CONCERTS BEING FORCED UPON THEM IN THEIR LIVING ROOM. YOU KNOW, THINK OF IT AS GOING HOME AT NIGHT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO WATCH TV, BUT SOMEONE'S RUNNING A HARLEY DAVIDSON IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. THINK OF IT AS HAVING SOMEONE OVER TO VISIT ON A FRIDAY NIGHT, AND YOU WANT TO TALK WITH THEM. AND YOU CAN'T, BECAUSE THERE'S A HARLEY DAVIDSON RUNNING IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. THESE CONCERTS ARE LOUD. BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION, WE. WE PRESENTED A PROFESSIONAL REPORT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOWING THAT THE PROJECTIONS WOULD BE IN THE 90 DECIBEL RANGE AT PLAZA TOWER IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF PLAZA TOWER THAT WAS DISREGARDED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. BUT NOW WE SEE THAT THE RECORDINGS ARE IN THE 90 DECIBEL LOW 90 DECIBEL RANGE FOR MAXIMUM SOUNDS FROM THE CONCERTS. THIS ISN'T A ONE TIME EVENT. THIS IS 50 TIMES IN THE SUMMER THROUGH THE YEAR, AND THAT IS THE OPPOSITION THAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO THE OPERATION OF THE AMPHITHEATER AS IT IS NOW. ALL OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE CITY HAVE TO ABIDE BY SECTION 9.65 OF THE ORDINANCE CODE. THAT WOULD SET A A LIMIT ON DECIBEL LEVELS IN THE 62 TO 69 DECIBEL RANGE. FOR THE LOWER RHYTHMIC BASS SOUNDS THAT WE HEAR OUT OF THE AMPHITHEATER, AND THAT IS THE SAME RANGE THAT THE DEVELOPER TOLD THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD RESULT AT THE BACKSIDE OF THE AMPHITHEATER PROPERTY DURING THE SPECIAL LAND USE APPROVAL MEETING. BEFORE THAT PLANNING COMMISSION. NOW WE SEE THE 90 TO 90, I WOULD SAY 90 DEGREE, 90 DECIBEL READINGS FROM CONCERTS. THEY'RE TOTALLY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT DECIBELS DON'T GO UP EQUALLY. EVERY TEN DECIBELS IS A DOUBLING OF THE PERCEPTION OF NOISE. AND SO WHEN YOU GO FROM THE 60 TO THE 90, YOU'RE GOING TWO, FOUR, EIGHT TIMES THE VOLUME OF THIS. AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. BUT NOW THE CIRCUIT COURT HAS RULED THAT THAT SECTION 9.65 APPLIES. THE CITY AND THE AMPHITHEATER AUTHORITY, OR CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY HAD ARGUED THAT THERE ARE NO LIMITS ON THE AMPHITHEATER, AND THE JUDGE DISAGREED. NOW THAT HE HAS RULED, THAT QUESTION IS WHEN WILL THE CITY ENFORCE ITS ORDINANCE TO RESTRICT THE LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE AMPHITHEATER? WHEN WILL THE AMPHITHEATER SOUND MONITORING REPORTS BE RELEASED THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR BOTH THE CITY AND THE CONVENTION ARENA AUTHORITY HAVE [00:45:02] OPPOSED RELEASE OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WOULD SHOW WHAT THE SOUND IS AT THE BACK OF THE AMPHITHEATER. AND ON BEHALF OF OUR CLIENTS, YOU KNOW, PLEASE PROTECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT LIVE BY THE AMPHITHEATER, PROTECT THEM FROM THE LOUD SOUND THAT DISRUPTS THEIR SLEEP. IF THEY WANT TO GO TO BED AT 10:00 AT NIGHT LIKE I DO. SIR, YOU'RE A PROFESSIONAL. YOU'VE USED UP YOUR THREE MINUTES 10S AGO. THAT WENT FAST. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANYWAY, WE REQUEST THAT YOU PROTECT THOSE CONSTITUENTS AND ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MICHAEL. LAST NAME SPELLED CAGEN. KAGAN. I LIVE AT PLAZA TOWERS ON THE 15TH FLOOR CONDOMINIUM. I BOUGHT IT IN 1998. SO LIKE 28 YEARS AGO, MY NEIGHBORS CAME OUT IN FORCE WHEN THE J.W. AND ITS HELISTOP WERE PROPOSED. SO I CAME AND OFFERED MY CONTRARY OPINION. GREG GILMORE WANTED A VARIANCE TO DO 20 MONROE LIVE, WHICH IRKED SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS. SO I APPEARED AND OFFERED MY ENTHUSIASM ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT. GILMORE HAD A MEET AND GREET. ONE OF HIS. IN THE BASEMENT OF HIS. OF THE. BOB, ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS ON THIS MATTER, ASKED GILMORE IF HE'D OFFER DISCOUNTS ON SHOWS TO EASE HIS IRRITATION, GILMORE SAID NO. MAYBE GIVE THAT PLAINTIFF 50 BUCKS TO GO AWAY. OH. THE BOB IS NOW OPEN ON TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TRAFFIC FROM THE ACRISURE AMPHITHEATER. OTHER BUSINESSES ARE LIKELY BENEFITING AS WELL. LAST WEEK MY MUSIC WAS ON LOW. I CRANKED OPEN A WINDOW AND COULD BARELY HEAR THE CONCERT THAT WAS GOING ON. HOWEVER, TO BE CLEAR, MOTORCYCLES, POLICE, FIRE AND AMBULANCES. NO DISRESPECT INTENDED TO. THE POLICE WILL INTERRUPT A NORMAL VOLUME CONVERSATION IN MY CONDO. AS FOR SALE LISTINGS IN MY BUILDING OF CONDOS FOR SALE NOW SHOW THE PROXIMITY TO ACRISURE BECAUSE IT'S A SELLING FEATURE OF THE FIVE OR 8 OR 10 000 VISITORS FOR EACH SHOW, WHICH INCLUDES OUT OF TOWNERS. SOME WILL DECIDE TO BUY A CONDO IN MY DOWNTOWN AND THAT IS GOOD FOR MY PROPERTY VALUES. THERE IS A REASON. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS. THERE'S A REASON. KENT COUNTY IS ONE OF ABOUT THREE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN THAT HAS A POSITIVE POPULATION GROWTH. ON THE FLIP SIDE, I DID NOT ANTICIPATE. I DID NOT ANTICIPATE OR BUDGET FOR BUYING TICKETS TO THE NINE SHOWS FOR THE ACRISURE OPENING SEASON, BUT I DID IT ANYWAY. THAT'S. YEAH. OH WAIT, THAT'S MY PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE THEM SPOT APPROVAL TO MAKE THE NOISE THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE TO KEEP MY DOWNTOWN GROWING. PLEASE AND THANK YOU. HELLO FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS. I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE. ORANGE FELON AND HIS CONTINUING ESCAPADES OF RUINING THIS COUNTRY, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE A BREAK FROM IT. I HAVE NO DOG IN THIS FIGHT IN TERMS OF THE NOISE OF THE AMPHITHEATER. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT. I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS. THE ONE THING YOU CANNOT CONTROL IS SOUND. BECAUSE SOUND TRAVELS. AND IT'S ABOUT AN. AND QUITE FRANKLY. THOSE WHO LIVE IN PLAZA TOWERS. MAY HAVE TO ADJUST TO THE SOUND NOISE. YOU KNOW NOTHING AGAINST THEM, BUT. NATURE. TRUMPS EVERYTHING ELSE. I GET TO THE. THE GROWTH OF. GRAND RAPIDS IS IN KENT COUNTY, AND THE WEST MICHIGAN AREA IS BOOMING. BUT IT'S STILL. IT'S NOT CAUGHT UP TO THE MODERN TIME MODERN ENTERTAINMENT LANDSCAPE. AS I SAID BEFORE, [00:50:04] VAN ANDEL ARENA NEEDS TO BE RENOVATED. THE DESIGN OF THE ARENA IS STILL 1996. IT'S WAY PAST HIS PRIME. TODAY'S VENUES ARE ABOUT PREMIUM SEATING, CLUB SEATING, CLUB AMENITIES, LUXURY SUITES AND THE VENUE EXPERIENCE. SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE SIX YEARS AGO DURING DURING THE COVID PERIOD WHERE NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. IT COULD HAVE BEEN YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE STATE, TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF IT. YOU COULD HAVE WENT THROUGH THE SAFETY PROTOCOLS, THE COVID TESTING AND EVERYTHING, BUT YOU DIDN'T DO IT. NOW IT'S GOING TO COST. NOW IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE OBSOLETE AND WILL COST EVEN MORE MONEY TO RENOVATE. SO IF I WAS YOU, I WOULD TALK ABOUT IT. BECAUSE MAJOR, MAJOR EVENTS DURING THE WINTERTIME ARE GOING TO LEAVE ELSEWHERE. AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT HAPPENING BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF DOLLARS THAT'S GOING TO FLOW OUT OF THIS AREA AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT, AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT. THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW HERE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. REVENGE 2026. THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL [COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS] TURN TO MY COMMISSIONERS FOR CLOSING COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER SASSY. THANK YOU. THANKS, EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO JUST DO A QUICK REMINDER. I DON'T HAVE A TON OF COMMENTS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, COMING OFF OF THE HOLIDAY WEEK, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. BUT THIS WEEK IS FIESTA MEXICANA, ONE OF THE OLDEST CULTURAL FESTIVALS IN THE CITY. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING. I BELIEVE THEY START ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. SO HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE. THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT. I KNOW IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT TIME. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABILITY TODAY, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GO OUT AND SUPPORT A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE THERE. THANKS. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KNIGHT. THANK YOU. MAYOR TWO DO NOT HAVE A WHOLE LOT. I WAS GRATEFUL FOR SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN TODAY, ESPECIALLY FROM THE KING COUNTY ON THE MILLAGE, AND I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THE INFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE AND REALLY ASK SOME DEEP QUESTIONS, BECAUSE THIS IS ON THE BALLOT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE NOT IMPACTING OUR NEIGHBORS AS MUCH AS WE SEE THIS COMING. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY DEALING WITH FINANCIAL ISSUES RIGHT NOW AND STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR RENT AND PUT GAS IN THEIR CAR AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES, AND THERE'S EXTRA ADDED COSTS WHEN WE START DOING THINGS LIKE THIS. SO JUST HOPING THAT EVERYBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT AND WEIGHING IN AS WE GO TO THE BALLOT BOXES IN NOVEMBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PURDUE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE. SO A QUICK FEW QUICK COMMENTS FROM ME RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY. JUST ECHO THAT. WE HAD A REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION TODAY AROUND THE PROPOSED JAIL MILLAGE THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. SO PLEASE WATCH THAT PRESENTATION FROM THE SHERIFF IS VERY INFORMATIVE AND I THINK SO IS OUR DISCUSSION AFTER. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT WILL BE ON YOUR BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. YOU ALL WILL DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO RECOMMIT TO 2020 MORE YEARS AS CURRENTLY PROPOSED, FOR TO SUPPORT CORRECTIONS AND DETENTION. IN TODAY'S CONVERSATION, I'LL OUTLINE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF WHAT'S PROPOSED, INCLUDING COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL CARE FOR INMATES, BUT ALSO A NUMBER OF CONCERNS RELATED TO THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE, PURPOSES AND OTHER GAPS THAT ARE IN OUR SYSTEM. THAT THIS PROPOSAL, AS IS, WOULDN'T ACTUALLY ADDRESS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL TO CREATING A SAFE COMMUNITY ALSO RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY. I WANT TO SPEAK TO FLOCK. I WAS OUT TWO WEEKS AGO FROM A FOR A PRE-PLANNED CONFERENCE, WHICH I'LL GIVE A QUICK REPORT OUT FOR IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIS SWIFT ACTION AND RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS, CERTAINLY, BUT ALSO FROM CONCERNS THAT HE HEARD FROM COMMISSIONERS HERE ON THE DAIS AROUND THE USE OF THAT TECHNOLOGY. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, ACTUALLY, ABOUT HOW THE FLOCK SYSTEM WAS ESSENTIALLY GRANDFATHERED IN TO NOT BE COVERED BY OUR SURVEILLANCE POLICY. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER WASHINGTON, FOR THAT SWIFT ACTION. AND SO WHAT THAT DOES [00:55:04] NOW IS NOW THAT IT'S UNDER OUR SURVEILLANCE POLICY, IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A BASELINE LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY. RIGHT? AND SO AS PART OF THAT, THINGS LIKE THE TECHNOLOGY'S PURPOSE AUTHORIZED USE, HOW DATA COLLECTED, HOW IT'S ACCESSED, CIVIL RIGHTS IMPACTS, ALL THOSE THINGS WILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO BE SUMMARIZED AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL AS A PUBLIC AS WELL AS OURSELVES. SO I THINK THAT IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD. NOW. TRANSPARENCY IS THE FIRST STEP. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TRANSPARENCY IS WHAT IS THE GOVERNANCE THAT WE ACTUALLY WANT? WHAT IS THE GOVERNANCE THAT WILL ACTUALLY WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY? AND THAT'S WHEN WE GET INTO NOT JUST TRANSPARENCY OF HOW IT'S CURRENTLY BEING USED, BUT HOW DO WE WANT IT TO BE USED? WHAT SHOULD THOSE AUTHORIZED USES BE? WHAT SHOULD THE DATA RETENTION PRACTICES BE? WHAT SHOULD THE SECONDARY SHARING PRACTICES BE? AND SO I'M EXCITED THAT THAT CONVERSATION WILL CONTINUE, NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WAITING UNTIL NEXT YEAR, I THINK, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED, BUT THOSE ARE WILL BE ONGOING ACTIVE CONVERSATIONS, MANY OF WHICH I BELIEVE WILL BE LED BY OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDES MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. AND I ALSO NOTE THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ALSO DOUBLES AS THE SURVEILLANCE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. SO THOSE MEMBERS ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE LOOKED AT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, THEY HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE IN HOW WE SHAPE IT, HOW WE OVERSEE IT, AND ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE DECIDE IN TERMS OF RECOMMENDING RENEWAL NEXT YEAR. SO I AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO, I THINK, SURVEILLANCE IN OUR TIME OF JUST THE WAY TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING, MOVING RAPIDLY. I KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGICAL KNOW HOW IS NOT THE LIMIT, IS NOT IS NOT REALLY A CHALLENGE ANYMORE. WE CAN ESSENTIALLY CREATE ALMOST ANYTHING THAT WE PUT OUR MINDS TO WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE. BUT REALLY THE CHALLENGE HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THAT TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN INTERACTION AND ENSURING THAT HUMANS REMAIN IN CONTROL AND THAT WE REMAIN EXTREMELY ETHICAL, MORAL, AND INCREMENTAL IN OUR APPROACH TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THE RIGHT WAY. SO THAT'S ON PUBLIC SAFETY. I ALSO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAD OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TEAM MEETING EARLIER TODAY AS WELL, AND THERE'S SOME REALLY, REALLY GREAT THINGS TO CELEBRATE RELATED TO INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS. ONE IS THAT ONE, ONE HIGHLIGHT FROM THAT IS THAT ARTPRIZE IS HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, VERY SOON. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE GET THAT ARTPRIZE TRAFFIC INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? WELL, ONE WAY IS WE HAVE HEART SIDE OR HEART HEART PRIZE HAPPENING AS WELL AS SOUTH PRIZE HAPPENING. SO KIND OF SOUTHEAST SIDE AS WELL AS HEART SIDE SPECIAL EVENTS. SO I HOPE YOU ALL CHECK THAT OUT. THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ON IS THE CONFERENCE THAT I WAS AT TWO WEEKS AGO. ON BEHALF OF MY WORK HERE, MY PRIORITIES HERE ON COMMISSION, THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE WAS GOVERNING FOR ALL. SO FIVE IS A FIVE DAY CONFERENCE ON GOVERNING FOR ALL. AND I WANT TO SHARE KIND OF ONE OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS OF THE CONFERENCE. NOW, WE KNOW IN THIS COUNTRY, WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF FREE SPEECH, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY. WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO REALLY CHAMPION SECOND RIGHT AMENDMENTS IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO CARRY THIS CONFERENCE CHALLENGED US TO THINK ABOUT BE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FIRST AMENDMENT PEOPLE, SECOND AMENDMENT PEOPLE TO CREATE TO BE 14TH AMENDMENT PEOPLE. AND THE 14TH AMENDMENT IS WHEN IT REALLY IS WHERE OUR CONSTITUTION TALKS ABOUT GOVERNING FOR ALL. SO I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT FROM THE ORGANIZATION, FROM THE HOST ORGANIZATION AROUND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A 14TH AMENDMENT PERSON AND CHALLENGE ALL OF US TO LEAN INTO, INTO THAT ADVOCACY. A 14TH AMENDMENT PERSON BELIEVES THAT EVERY PERSON BELONGS AND DESERVES EQUAL PROTECTION, DUE PROCESS, AND FULL RECOGNITION BY THE GOVERNMENT. A 14TH AMENDMENT PERSON BELIEVES THAT FREEDOM REQUIRES MORE THAN ENDING FORMAL OPPRESSION, AND THAT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS MUST ACTIVELY CREATE THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH EVERYONE CAN THRIVE. THAT GOVERNMENT HAS AN AFFIRMATIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER BASICS SUCH AS CLEAN WATER, QUALITY SCHOOLS, GOOD JOBS, SAFE COMMUNITIES, HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORTATION. A 14TH AMENDMENT PERSON BELIEVES THAT PUBLIC LEADERS SHOULD JUDGE SYSTEMS BY WHETHER THEY WORK FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED OR UNDERSERVED, NOT SIMPLY WHETHER EVERYONE IS TREATED IDENTICALLY. AND THEN LASTLY, A 14TH AMENDMENT PERSON BELIEVES THAT GOVERNING SHOULD EXPRESS CARE, DIGNITY, AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. AND THE CEO'S FORMULATION. THEY SAY THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOVE YOU. SO I REALLY ENJOYED BEING WITH THE [01:00:06] COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, 4000 PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE NATION TO REALLY TALK ABOUT, HEAR FROM THOUGHT LEADERS, HEAR FROM PRACTITIONERS OF WHAT IT MEANS AND IN REAL TIME TO TRULY GOVERN FOR ALL, ESPECIALLY IN TIMES LIKE THESE. AND HOW DO WE TURN THIS PROMISE, THIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISE OF EQUAL CITIZENSHIP AND PROTECTION INTO PEOPLE'S EVERYDAY LIVED REALITY? SO I'M EXCITED TO LEAN IN TO, TO CLAIM, BOLDLY CLAIM THAT I'M A 14TH AMENDMENT PERSON, AND INVITE AND ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO JOIN ME IN THAT. SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KOGER. THANK YOU. MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK STAFF AND COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR WORK TODAY. IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE DAY. HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY TODAY WAS HEARING ABOUT THE THIRD WORLD EQUITY FUNDS AND THE UPCOMING BUDGET AMENDMENTS. THAT CAN START AS SOON AS OUR NEXT MEETING TO GET THESE PROJECTS ROLLING. COMMISSIONER PERDUE AND I, SUPPORTED BY UNANIMOUSLY BY THE COMMISSION, PUT IN SOME REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 27. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE ROLLING OUT. I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE FOLKS THAT CONTINUE TO VOICE THEIR OPPOSITION TO FLOC. I HAVE HEARD IT LOUD AND CLEAR. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE MORATORIUM THAT WE HAVE NOW. THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER EXPANSION. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ECHOING THAT KNOW WHEN THE CONTRACT COMES UP. AND IN ADDITION, A PUBLIC SAFETY IS AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS AN ONGOING CONVERSATION, BUT EVERYTHING IS A RELATIONSHIP AND JUST HOW WE HAVE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE OUR HUSBANDS OR WIVES OR, OR YOUR LOVED ONES, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE IT OUT FOR YOU AND ARE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS. THERE'S SOME WORK, AND I THINK THAT OUR NEW CHIEF OF POLICE, TRIGG, CHIEF TRIGG, REALLY BELIEVES THAT AS WELL, THAT THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY. AND HE'S GOING TO BE JOINING ME NEXT WEEK, TUESDAY, 5:30 P.M. TO 7:30 P.M. AT LIFEQUEST GRAND RAPIDS. THAT'S 1050 FISK ROAD, SOUTHEAST GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, 49507 FOR A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON PUBLIC SAFETY. AND SO YOU'LL GET A CITY COMMISSION UPDATE FROM ME, GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATE FROM CHIEF TRIGG. AND THEN THERE WILL ALSO BE TIME FOR Q AND A, AND THIS WILL BE NICE TO GET US OUT OF CITY HALL INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. HAPPENS TO BE MY NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I'LL WALK OVER AND I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE IT'S A RELATIONSHIP THAT TAKES ONGOING WORK AND COMMITMENT FROM BOTH SIDES. SO I'M THANKFUL TO GRPD AND CHIEF TRIGG FOR JOINING ME WITH THIS AND FOR ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS TO CONTINUE TO TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY DAYS TO SPEAK UP AND TELL US FIRMLY, NO OR YES TO WHAT WE ARE DOING UP HERE. SO THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GREAT DISCUSSION TODAY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO REHASH ALL OF THAT. PLEASE GO LOOK. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME GREAT IDEAS BROUGHT FORWARD, BOTH BY OUR COMMUNITY AND BY OUR MY COLLEAGUES HERE AND OUR CITY STAFF. SO I CONTINUE TO ASK FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK AND LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON SO WE CAN EITHER ATTEND YOUR EVENTS OR, YOU KNOW, FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THIS TODAY, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER, MAYOR, BUT WE WE DID ANNOUNCE YOU DID MAKE A PROCLAMATION THIS MORNING ABOUT WELCOMING WEEK. AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE AS A CITY CAN LINK ARMS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS, NO MATTER WHERE THEY COME FROM, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR STATUS IS, AND NO MATTER WHAT THEIR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, OR RELIGIOUS CONNECTIONS MIGHT BE. AND SO I AM GOING TO JUST SHARE THAT. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS INVITED TO THE PUNJABI SOCIAL SPORTS CLUB AND I GOT TO SEE SOME VERY FUN INDIAN DANCING AND MUSIC, AND COMMISSIONER KILGORE WAS THERE AND WE REALLY ENJOYED SEEING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CULTURE THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE JUST. BUT THIS IS PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND IT'S ONE OF MANY, MANY, MANY CULTURES THAT WE HAVE HERE. WE JUST HAD THE POLISH FESTIVAL A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO. THERE'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE HISPANIC CELEBRATIONS THAT COMMISSIONER YOU MENTIONED. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BEING WELCOMING, I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT WHO WE ARE IN THE MOMENT AND WHO WE ARE SHOWING UP AS. AND I ALSO WANT TO THINK ABOUT OUR HISTORY. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE GRAND RAPIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES REVEAL BIG REVEAL OF THE HISTORIC PHOTO FROM. OH, I'M GOING TO GET THE YEAR WRONG. 1950 IN THE URBAN LEAGUE PUT ON THIS EVENT. THANK YOU FOR THE [01:05:05] LITTLE REMINDER I WAS GOING TO GET TO THEM. BUT AT THE THE AT GRANDMA, THE URBAN LEAGUE PUT ON THIS BIG REVEAL AND THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE GENTLEMAN WAS THERE AS WELL. AND IT WAS CALLED A GRAND WELCOMING. AND IT HAD TO DO WITH GRAND RAPIDS MAKING HISTORY AS THE FIRST URBAN LEAGUE NATIONAL CONFERENCE HERE AT THE HOTEL THAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE AMWAY. BUT BACK THEN WAS THE OTHER. MY BRAIN JUST GOT SIDETRACKED, BUT. BUT I KNEW IT WAS P AND YEAH, SO IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE. IT'S GOING TO BE UP. IT'S LIKE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE LIKE MAYBE A HUNDRED PEOPLE. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN OR BLACK FOLKS GOT TO STAY IN A HOTEL WITH WHITE PEOPLE. AND WE IN GRAND RAPIDS WERE THE FIRST PLACE THAT THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE HELD THAT CONFERENCE DOING THAT. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A GREAT SIGN OF HOW WE CAN BE A AND CONTINUE TO BE A HISTORIC COMMUNITY LEADING THE WAY. WHEN WE CONTINUE TO OPEN OUR ARMS AND BE WELCOMING. SO I WILL JUST CLOSE THAT. I'M GOING TO BE ATTENDING SOME MORE HISTORIC EVENTS COMING UP AND WOULD LIKE TO CELEBRATE ALL, ALL THE ANNIVERSARIES OF THE PEOPLE. LIKE WE HAVE HISTORIC 190TH ANNIVERSARY OF PARK CHURCH COMING UP AND THINGS, AND I'M GOING TO CALL ON OUR, OUR HISTORIANS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP CONFIRM FOR ME WHY THE WEST SIDE IS CALLED THE WEST SIDE. I HAVE A THEORY. IT'S BECAUSE THE WEST SIDE IS ON THE ACTUALLY ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIVER, WHEREAS THE SOUTHWEST SIDE IS ACTUALLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER. BUT THAT'S MY THEORY, AND I'LL LEAVE IT TO OUR CONSPIRACY THEORISTS FROM THERE. MR. CLARK, THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS IF YOU WANT TO SEE A FULL REPORT OF WHAT I DID AT MY PRESENTATION AT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, PLEASE WATCH THAT VIDEO TO GET A FULL UPDATE ON WHAT'S COMING UP FOR THIS UPCOMING ELECTION AND WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST. THANKS, CITY ATTORNEY, JUST A REMINDER, WE'RE IN RECESS FROM OUR CLOSED SESSION. I'LL ASK THAT WE RETURN TO THAT FOLLOWING THIS MEETING. WE WON'T ADJOURN THIS MEETING. WE'LL GO IN RECESS FROM THIS MEETING TO GO BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION. ALWAYS INTERESTING WHEN PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL COMES AND PROFESSIONALLY DECIDES TO TAKE PART IN THE POLITICAL THEATER. BUT YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE BEST GOVERNMENT LAWYERS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. SO I'LL I TRUST YOU ALL TO MAKE GREAT DECISIONS UP HERE. AND I KNOW THAT YOU TRUST ME, TOO. THANK YOU. YOU DIDN'T TRUST ME TO SAY THAT WE WERE GOING TO RECESS, NOT ADJOURN. BUT I'LL I'LL PASS ON THAT CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. MAYOR. AND ON THE HEELS OF LABOR DAY WEEKEND, I WANT TO REITERATE MY THANKS TO ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WORK SO DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE CITY SERVICES ARE VERY THOUGHTFULLY AND CAREFULLY DELIVERED TO INCLUDE OUR CITY ATTORNEY. SO THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE PREPARED FOR TODAY. I WANTED TO. STRING A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TOGETHER TODAY. AND IN THE CONTEXT OF GROWING COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVER 1700 COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE, WHETHER THEY'RE CITIES, TOWNSHIPS, TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, AND YOU PULL OUT JUST THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CITIES, 24% OF THOSE COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCE GROWTH. BETWEEN THE 2020 TEN 2020 CENSUS, YOU PULL IN ALL THE OTHER COMMUNITIES, ABOUT HALF OF THOSE THAT ARE GROWING. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE NOT GROWING, YOU ARE DYING. AND IN ORDER FOR US TO CONTINUE TO BE A THRIVING COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO BE A GROWING COMMUNITY. PART OF THAT GROWTH IS BEING A WELCOMING COMMUNITY. COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE GROWING BECAUSE THEY ARE INVITING OTHER PEOPLE INTO THE COMMUNITY. PART OF THAT IS MIGRATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OTHER PART IS THAT OTHER PART OF THAT IS IMMIGRATION. THIS IS A WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR 250TH FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY. SO I APPRECIATE THE PROCLAMATION, MAYOR, TODAY ABOUT BEING WELCOMING BECAUSE IT IS, AS WE SAID THIS MORNING, IT IS GOOD NOT ONLY FOR HUMANITY, BUT IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND PROSPER. THE OTHER WAY THAT COMMUNITIES ARE GROWING IS THROUGH PLACEMAKING AND INVITING PEOPLE WHO ARE BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCES. AND WE HAVE ACTIVATED A LOT OF PLACES THIS SUMMER, ALL THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, ALL THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. HEARD SOME OF THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEKEND CELEBRATING THE CULMINATION OF [01:10:04] A HISTORICAL MOMENT IN URBAN LEAGUE, BUT ALSO THE AMPHITHEATER HAS PROVEN TO BE A GREAT ACTIVATION IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND IT HAPPENED THROUGH A LOT OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS, AND IT IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WILL LOOK DOWN THE ROAD, AS WE DO WITH THE VAN ANDEL AND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND ALL THE OTHER ASSETS THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING NOW OUR COMMUNITY CENTER. AND I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE US TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. AND IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO CREATE IT. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY. WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH GROWING PAINS. WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF GROWING COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCLUSION FOR EVERYONE, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO RISE TO THIS CHALLENGE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THROUGH IT, JUST BLAMING EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME AND POLITICALLY SCAPEGOATING. SO I AM COMMITTED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE. OUR WORKFORCE IS COMMITTED TO DO IT. WE'RE NOT PERFECT. NO, THERE'S NO PERFECT DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO GETTING BETTER. I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO DO THAT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEXT SEASON, UPCOMING AS SUMMER CONCLUDES AND WE GO INTO FALL. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY CLERK FOR HIS PRESENTATION TODAY ABOUT UPCOMING ELECTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A GOOD AND FAIR PROCESS FOR YOUR UPDATE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE OVER THE COMING WEEKS. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. SO I THOUGHT I HAD THREE THINGS TO SAY. I TURNED OUT I HAVE FOUR, SO I'M GOING TO BE FASTER ON THE FIRST THREE. THE FIRST IS I DO URGE THOSE WATCHING AND HERE TO GO LOOK AT OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING JAIL MILLAGE PROPOSAL. AND I WANT TO REEMPHASIZE SOME THINGS THAT I LAID OUT. AND THAT IS, I AM URGENT THAT WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION VALUING THE IMPORTANCE OF FACE TO FACE VISITS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE JAIL. THAT STOPPED SOME TIME AGO. AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO BE REINVESTING IN OUR JAIL FOUNDATIONALLY, I WANT TO BE REINVESTING IN THE SERVICES THAT WE GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE AND ON WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP THOSE FOLKS ACTUALLY REINTEGRATE INTO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY LEAVE THE JAIL, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE FROM THIS COMMUNITY, MOST OF THEM GO BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY. AND SO I ALSO POINTED OUT THAT I REALLY WANT US TO STRESS TEST PEOPLE'S PLANS AS THEY LEAVE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HELP PEOPLE REINTEGRATE. SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY, AND YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS I ALWAYS WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IF I FORGOT SOMEBODY'S NAME, I DON'T IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN ATTEMPTED SLIGHT, BUT THANK YOU, ERIC, KYLE, CHARLIE AND JOHN, PARTICULARLY TODAY FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON FLOC. I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOOD AND, AND THOUGHTFUL. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR VENDOR CONVERSATION IS, OF COURSE, ONGOING. AND THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE HAVE ANOTHER VENDOR FOR LICENSE PLATE READING WORK IN THE FUTURE IS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT. AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLICLY A MOMENT, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK NEEDS ARTICULATING, AND THAT IS I DON'T THINK THE COURTS HAVE YET SAID THAT, SAY, FLOC. TECHNOLOGY IS A VIOLATION OF THE FOURTH AMENDMENT. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CITY CAN'T DECIDE THAT THERE ARE REASONABLE LIMITS ON THE THINGS THE FOURTH AMENDMENT WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT, AND SO THE CITY CAN SET REASONABLE LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT INTRUSION INTO INDIVIDUALS, INTO INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS AND INDIVIDUALS LIVES. IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT TECHNOLOGIES WHICH MIGHT NOT HAVE EARLIER RISEN TO THE LEVEL OF A FOURTH AMENDMENT VIOLATION, LOGICALLY CAN OVER TIME. AND SO IN THE AREA. AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE'RE NECESSARILY USED TO THINKING ABOUT, THAT TECHNOLOGY MIGHT MAKE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT INTRUSIVE, INTRUSIVE. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE REALLY HAVING ABOUT ABOUT SURVEILLANCE IN GENERAL WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. THIRD, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR NEW RIDE SHARE BIKES AROUND TOWN. A THEY ARE DESIGNED TO BE MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE, PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE LIVING 200% OR LESS OF THE POVERTY LEVEL. AND IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG IMPROVEMENT FOR THEM. THE SECOND THING THAT I LOVE ABOUT THEM THAT I POINTED OUT TO MY WIFE YESTERDAY IS ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE BASKETS. SO THEY'RE NOT JUST A THING TO GET FROM, YOU KNOW, THE AMPHITHEATER HOME. THEY'RE A THING YOU CAN GO SHOPPING WITH. AND SO I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE BETTER ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION FOR FOLKS THAN OUR PRIOR VENDOR. ALSO, WE ARE GOING TO BE GROWING INTO HAVING CRASH AVOIDANCE TECHNOLOGIES ON THESE THINGS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING FOR ME, GIVEN THAT MY I ALMOST GOT RAILED BY A SCOOTER THE OTHER DAY DOWN A DOWNTOWN STREET, AND MY MOTHER ALMOST GOT RAILED BY ONE IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE, SO I'M. I'M GLAD THAT THE SCOOTERS ARE STARTING TO INCORPORATE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH I HOPE WILL MAKE THEM SAFER. SO I WANTED TO FLAG THOSE THINGS. LASTLY, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I MADE A LIST OF FOUR PEOPLE I WANTED TO MEET [01:15:04] BEFORE THEY DIED, AND I HAD MADE TWO OUT OF THE FOUR, AND I'M ONLY GOING TO MAKE TWO OUT OF THE FOUR. THE FOUR. I WANTED TO MEET WERE JIMMY CARTER, WHO I MANAGED TO MEET, BISHOP TUTU, WHO I MANAGED TO MEET, NELSON MANDELA, WHO I DID NOT MANAGE TO MEET, AND WENDELL BERRY, WHO DIED THIS WEEK. AND SO I WANT TO CLOSE OUT THE MEETING BY READING YOU A WENDELL BERRY POLITICAL POEM. LOVE THE QUICK PROFIT, THE ANNUAL RAISE. VACATION WITH PAY. WANT MORE OF EVERYTHING READY MADE. BE AFRAID TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND TO DIE. AND YOU WILL HAVE A WINDOW IN YOUR HEAD. NOT EVEN YOUR FUTURE WILL BE A MYSTERY ANYMORE. YOUR MIND WILL BE PUNCHED IN A CARD AND SHUT AWAY IN A LITTLE DRAWER. WHEN THEY WANT YOU TO BUY SOMETHING, THEY'LL CALL YOU. WHEN THEY WANT YOU TO DIE FOR PROFIT, THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW. SO FRIENDS, EVERY DAY DO SOMETHING THAT WON'T COMPUTE. LOVE THE LORD. LOVE THE WORLD. WORK FOR NOTHING. TAKE ALL THAT YOU HAVE AND BE POOR. LOVE SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT DESERVE IT. DENOUNCE THE GOVERNMENT AND EMBRACE THE FLAG. HOPE TO LIVE IN THAT FREE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. GIVE YOUR APPROVAL TO ALL YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND PRAISE, IGNORANCE FOR WHAT MAN HAS NOT ENCOUNTERED, HE HAS NOT DESTROYED. ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE NO ANSWERS. INVEST IN THE MILLENNIUM. PLANT SEQUOIAS. SAY THAT YOUR MAIN CROP IS THE FOREST YOU DID NOT PLANT, THAT YOU WILL NOT LIVE TO HARVEST. SAY THAT THE LEAVES ARE HARVESTED WHEN THEY HAVE ROTTED INTO THE MOLD. CALL THAT PROPHET PROPHESY SUCH RETURNS. PUT YOUR FAITH IN THE TWO INCHES OF HUMMUS THAT WILL BUILD UNDER THE TREES EVERY THOUSAND YEARS. LISTEN TO CARRION. PUT YOUR EAR CLOSE AND HEAR THE FAINT CHATTERING OF THE SONGS THAT ARE TO COME. EXPECT THE END OF THE WORLD. LAUGH. LAUGHTER IS IMMEASURABLE. BE JOYFUL. THOUGH YOU HAVE CONSIDERED ALL THE FACTS. SO LONG AS WOMEN DO NOT GO CHEAP FOR POWER. PLEASE WOMEN MORE THAN MEN, ASK YOURSELF, WILL THIS SATISFY A WOMAN SATISFIED TO BEAR A CHILD? WILL THIS DISTURB THE SLEEP OF A WOMAN NEAR TO GIVING BIRTH? GO WITH YOUR LOVE TO THE FIELDS. LIE DOWN IN THE SHADE. REST YOUR HEAD IN HER LAP. SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO WHAT IS NEAREST YOUR THOUGHTS. AS SOON AS THE GENERALS AND THE POLITICOS COULD PREDICT THE MOTIONS OF YOUR MIND, LOSE IT. LEAVE IT AS A SIGN TO MARK THE FALSE TRAIL. THE WAY YOU DIDN'T GO. BE LIKE THE FOX WHO MAKES MORE TRACKS THAN NECESSARY, SOME IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. PRACTICE RESURRECTION. THANK YOU ALL. AND THAT'S ADJOURNING US, NOT RECESSING. IT'S NOT ADJOURNING US THE OTHER WAY AROUND. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.