I thought he just didn't want to say that.

I'll help y'all.

I'll help y'all, okay.

I got you, man.

Okay.

So good afternoon, everyone.

Um, welcome to our program that we have and calling this meeting to order.

It's basically where we will be having what we I call our ability to have more conversation, more dialogue around what we've been doing and achieving over the last couple of days or weeks.

So I just want to start with that.

Um, and we will have our first business meeting um this afternoon.

I guess we'll b be down in the chamber by that time.

Is that correct?

We'll be moving down to the chamber.

So I want to say to everyone, I hope everyone had a really good holiday, and now it's time to get back on the grinding street.

So um, let's start with the introductions around our room, starting with our city clerk.

Billy Tons, Deputy City Clerk.

Good evening, Dimple Shmera.

At large.

Joy Mayo, District Three.

Happy New Year, Dante Anderson, District One.

Good evening, Victoria Watlington.

I have the pleasure of serving you as a member at large.

Good evening, everyone.

James Mitchell Mayor Proteil.

Marcus Jones, City Manager.

Kimberly Owens speaking for District Six.

Malcolm Graham District Two.

Good evening, Lorna Mayfield, Councilmember at large.

Good evening, JD Massueta Audio, probably representing a Charlotte District Five.

Did we miss anyone?

If we didn't, um welcome to all.

And we'll start off with our consent items.

Um questions and answers are in consent.

Um, our consent items start with items um thirteen, I believe.

So let me mess this up a little bit.

So we will start with that, and then we'll go through with the there are some exceptions that we have for some of these items today.

Um, like would you would it be for your preference to hear the items that will not be on the agenda?

Okay, let's start with that.

Um, the first one that I have is deferred by staff.

Item number 34 set of public hearing on the Charlotte Fire Station Historic Landmark designation.

So that's that's uh that's deferred.

Oh, heavy.

Okay, and then on item 36, Charlotte Water property transactions.

Barrington L CR 77 replacement for sewer parcel number 35 has been settled since we published the agenda.

So that's 36.

And then the next one is item 40.

Um Harrisboro, Harrisburg Road, Sidewalk, and Shared Use Path, Ponderosa Pine to Colwick's Hill, parcel number seven, settled again since we had the print of the agenda.

Mayor, what number was that last one?

The last one is item 40.

Okay, thank you.

And ma'am, sorry, that one was deferred, not settled.

Deferred, not settled.

Thank you.

It says settled in here, but we deferred, we understand as well.

Okay, thank you very much.

Um do we have any further items to address?

Yes, ma'am.

So we had a lot of questions for this evening, and I got to speak to several of you, but some of you I didn't get around with the answers.

So if you if we have time, I'd like to go through the QA real quick and see if anybody has additional questions.

Absolutely.

Let's begin.

Okay, thank you.

First of all, um, Councilmember Mayfield pointed out about making sure we're conscious of putting bid tabs as an attachment, and and we do that, and I'll follow up to see if there's any that we don't.

There was one that we didn't this time, number 24 water and sanitary sewer infrastructure construction, but that only had one bid, and now we did add the bid tab, even though it's one tip bid down.

Um, and we'll make a conscious effort to make sure those are always included going forward.

And then for number 14, Governor's Highway Safety Patrol grant for traffic safety driving while impaired.

Ms.

Johnson wanted a little bit more information, and we'll follow up with her as well.

But she wanted to know like what schools they do and what the proactive component and um the staff that admission this program said if you have any context for different contacts for different schools to please let them know because they're definitely open to going to other schools as well.

But they already go to Ru Kell, Butler, Myers Park, McClinic Middle, North Mech, and um Charlotte Catholic, and they do back to school events with different schools as well on drug education and to educate them about why what the DUI laws are and why we enforce them.

All right, before we go any further, does anybody have a question about that?

Okay, no questions.

Oh, yes, not a question, but Marie, thank you.

That was Councilman Johnson.

I spoke to she's running a little late, and she did say on that item.

What she was looking for is what is the city doing as relates to D D UI.

So I have we gonna send some back to her, let her know that CMS is doing some.

No, this is our sorry, she had asked me for what we do on the proactive part of it besides enforcement.

So to your point, there is a team that's dedicated full time to this, and a lot of what they do is actually the checkpoints and the um enforcement component, but they also have this um proactive component as well.

Okay, thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Marie.

Okay, and then Ms.

Johnson also had a question about the buildings and ground maintenance services, how it's determined that there's no subcontracting opportunities, and what um Steve Co Stephen Coker and his team do is they work with the departments and look at the actual scope of services for contracts and determine how they may be the sub the scopes could be divided out or not, and who's gonna perform those, but for these specific contracts, the the vendor that's getting a contract is doing 100%.

So that was another item from Ms.

Johnson.

And then she's just regarding that item.

Excuse me.

Okay, let's keep going.

So number 18, fleet towing service, Ms.

Johnson asked, are there really no CBI vendors?

And important consideration is for this specific contract, you had to be able to do heavy towing.

So not all the vendors that we have in our database do heavy towing.

There were two vendors that do both that was were needed that were CBI, but it's a requirement to have at least three vendors to say it's competitive.

So that's why it was noted that there was no opportunities.

All right, any questions on that?

Okay, let's keep rolling.

And then for number 19, Gnarland Road Shared Use Path.

And I don't know if you there's a bunch of details around this.

This was a project from and I can put my readers on and read some of it, but it was a project that was allocated 5.5 million.

And when it was really originally envisioned, and they started working with the community.

Um since then, you know, we've had COVID and things happen, so that they had to re-engineer the project to meet within the budget, but it is a still a valuable project going forward with sidewalks, and it says it's delivered in four coordinated phases.

Uh let's see, this is to add sidewalk and 12-foot shared use path on the south side, plus enhanced two crossings, and then there's a phase one, which you're considering tonight, and then there's going to be a phase two around Roanoke Avenue to Evergreen Cemetery Drive.

All right, JD, would you have a comment?

Yeah, is this appropriate for question?

Of course, it's an appropriate uh thank you, madam mayor.

Um, Marie, uh, when was this originally proposed and voted on by voters through that bond?

Through the actual bond.

This was part of the multiple bond cycles to make this project because it's part of the central Albanar Albemarle Shamrock C net project, and it was multiple bonds.

It was 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

And that was not for just this, this was for the overall projects, which this is a component of it.

Perfect, and a follow-up question to that is if I'm reading correctly, because of construction costs escalating as well as COVID and all the time that has passed since then, approximately 12 years, this scope has changed, right?

Gotcha.

Go ahead.

Sorry.

No, go ahead.

Is that are you complete or I would like to pull this um item okay uh out of the agenda and defer it to our first business meeting in February, particularly because this conversation has been had with a lot of constituents over the uh past year or so where they had originally seen this proposal back in 2014?

We're expecting something different.

The scope has changed, and I would like to see the entire scope incorporated again and try to work with staff to find um creative way that we can use fund existing funding without going back to the voters and asking.

If you'll give me a motion that says um that whatever your new timeline is, we'll go ahead and have that, and then Mr.

Well, let me get Mr.

Jones first.

All right, but that's where we're headed.

Uh thank you, madam mayor, members of council.

Uh, one thing is important, and I appreciate the the deferral is that there's um two ways of doing projects that cross this period of time.

We think the way that we do it now is exceptional in terms of advanced planning, so we get something to 30% design before we even put it into a CIP.

So when you go back to 2014 cycle, that was well before advanced planning.

So it was really chucking away pieces of money and pieces of money and pieces of money, and over time um trying to make projects work.

So I appreciate the discussion.

Just wanted to um assure you that as we do projects now, it's a very different model.

Thank you, Manager Jones.

I appreciate that context, and I agree.

I think now we do have a more expedited process that uh fulfills and respects the constituents' uh needs at the beginning.

So I'll like to entertain a motion to pull agenda item number 19 and defer it to our first business meeting in February.

Second, we have a motion on the floor, and we have a second.

Is there any further discussion?

Hearing all right, Miss Mayfield.

Thank you, madam mayor.

Marie, just for context, we're looking at about 11 and a half years.

How much of the projects have actually been completed up to this point?

Because we're identifying COVID impacts now.

That's 2019-2020.

This was initially approved 2014 as well as some money in 2016 and 18 prior to COVID.

So how much of any of this project has actually been implemented?

Thank you.

And we'll bring that back to you if it either way.

We don't have that detail tonight, but yes.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you, Miss Mayfield.

Miss Ashmira.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um, and thank you, Mr.

Jones, for highlighting the advanced planning that was implemented um around 2018 time frame, and that really helped us with more accurate estimates.

So knowing that this project was prior to that implementation of advanced planning, uh not just this, but there are other projects that have fell in this category and the scope was changed as a result of uh advanced planning that was done afterwards.

I think keeping that in mind, um, I know that scope has changed significantly because we I have heard from constituents, specifically Moren Gilliski and her neighborhood, uh and just the frustration over the years.

So in that case, uh we changed the scope, but knowing what we know now, especially with hundred million dollars that are in that's coming in through infrastructure, I mean through transportation referendum, this gives us an opportunity to deliver uh based on the original scope, and I think that's what the community asked for.

So if Mr.

Jones, if you could look at that, there have been a number of projects that were uh I would say the scope was reduced, and if we can look at those and see how we can leverage our hundred million dollars to deliver on original promises that were made to our constituents.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other comments?

Hearing none.

Let's move on to the next item.

I'm sorry, we have to vote.

That always helps, doesn't it?

Okay, so all in favor of the motion, please raise your hand.

Anyone opposed?

No, I see no opposition.

So okay.

Now let's go ahead and see what we're going to go next, Mr.

Oh, and we just went down here.

Welcome, Mr.

Dre.

Thank you.

He might say it the opposite way, you know.

We're just going to do that.

And so sorry, if you're ready, I'll go on with 21.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, so 21 is for Miss Mayfield, and she's concerned to make sure we're holding our contractor or landscape contractors accountable for not blowing um debris and leaves into the roads and making them unsafe.

And I just want to assure her with Charlotte Water, they do put provisions in their contracts to cover that.

Okay.

I think we read those provisions this afternoon.

So is there any other comment?

Harry Nine, let's go to the next item.

And then the next one was on the lease of city owned property at 501 West Trade Street to pivot parking LLC.

And Miss Mayfield asked if this was an opportunity for more affordable parking for workers.

And actually, this is not because I mean it's an opportunity, but it's not more affordable, it's market rate parking.

All right, Miss Mayfield.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and colleagues, you all have the information.

The specific question is parking uptown has become cost prohibitive for many workers.

Do we know what the parking fees will be for this lot?

So that was the initial question that I asked.

What came back from staff is that it will be market rate.

I say we have seen some challenges with a budget that we approved a little while ago that allowed for the changing of our parking meters in uptown with not having the two hours and other things.

But since this is our lot, we have the opportunity when we know that our workers, whether they are working the restaurant, whether they're working at Spectrum or any of the immediate businesses in the area, their pay is around 12 to 15 dollars an hour.

The parking has become extremely cost prohibitive for those workers, and we're seeing the impact from some of those businesses.

I shared an email late last year, mid last year, based on just spectrum and the security companies or some of the other small businesses to try to coordinate a meeting based on the fact that people were calling out because it was more expensive for them to try to go to work, so they were not.

If we have an opportunity to help encourage at least the affordability of the parking of the workers, which is simple because that's a parking pass for that business.

Spectrum used to do that years ago, where the employees that were on that shift, they have all that information for all of the partners.

You put the pass in you, they should be paying five dollars.

I personally think that we should have continued conversation at the time that I sent this.

I wasn't necessarily going to ask for a deferral, but I think it will probably be best if tonight that we do have a common, I am going to submit and hopefully get support for a deferral for us to get more time to discuss this because this is our land.

We don't have control over other land and private entities, but we do have an opportunity to do something that's going to benefit our workers in the city and for our residents.

So may I am going to motion for us to defer item 29, the lease of city-owned property at 501 West Trade Street to pivot parking LLC for us to have additional conversation to our next business meeting.

Second.

And there's only one consideration.

Sorry, I should have uh it's my fault for not putting in there.

This is this is cats, there's also federal regulations.

So, but to your point, even if this one moves forward, that could be in the quality of life review as well.

But so when you say federal considerations, that means what is necessary.

Ms.

Mayfield, um, Mr.

Cagle is behind, and um, I think this is probably a thank you.

Good time for Mr.

Cagle to step forward for us.

Yes, so as Ms.

Harris stated, there are federal requirements for cats when leasing property.

Uh, the federal requirement is that we seek fair market value in our leases.

And just to clarify, we seek fair market value for the lease of the property.

This property has to historically been used for public parking.

Um, and so it was time to renew that lease.

We did a process and we recommended pivot.

Pivot is paying us fair market value.

They set the rates of the daily parking, weekly parking, they set the parking rates based on market conditions and what they think the market can apply.

So when we look at it, we receive market value for lease of the total property, not what the market is for the rate, daily rate for the parking rate that pivot manages.

But we do have a requirement to seek market value in our leases, and that's true for all of our leases.

Okay.

Thank you for that clarification.

But we also know, and this was information that was shared to me years ago when we look at even the spaces along light rail that we have for ground floor that when we submitted in order to have the parking decks that that wasn't necessarily a revenue generator, and we had some flexibility in the opportunities of who had access to it.

For transit parking, so CATS does own um several parking garages and their parking rides, or they're utilized for employees.

But in a parking ride for a transit facility, we do not charge for parking.

However, this is not designated as a park and ride facility.

This is a it's a lease for private parking.

So you're saying based on federal language, we do not have the ability to identify a partner that's going to take into consideration our residents and the needs of our workforce because a market analysis is the average of the whole.

But the reality is that we have individuals in our community that are still earning under the market value, but we're seeing, although we have this space because there is federal language in it for this lease, we're going to charge market value, so therefore they're able to charge whatever they deem as market value.

So we establish the market value to lease the entire property.

We do not establish market value or market rate for parking fees.

That is not the business we're in.

So we have established the market value or the market rate, the fair market value for rent of this property.

We then conducted uh an invitation to bid, and the highest proposer, because it's an ITB, an invitation to bid, you select the highest to get you to the market rate, and that's what we did, but we don't determine what the market rate for parking in the uptown market is for a for renting or or taking a parking spot on a perp spot basis.

And we also don't identify, and just for clarification, opportunities to have discussion with any vendor to take into consideration who very well may be utilizing your parking day, knowing that we have a financial challenge for some of the employees who are actually the service people that we need in order for these businesses to be successful, them having access.

That is not something that we do.

We're going for highest amount in the rental rate.

Again, on this property for private parking, we look at the fair market value, the highest and best value for that lease of the entire property.

We we also the value of this lease, I believe it's somewhere in the $500,000 per year, goes back into supporting the transit system to provide affordable transit for our folk for the community.

And so this these dollars come back to CATS and then get reinvested in the system.

Generally speaking, this lot is basically at the corner of Graham and Trade is where this lot is.

This lot will ultimately be developed as part of the gateway station property.

But at this point, until we have a clearer picture of that, this lot has been used for private parking.

It was preferred parking before we made the recommendation for pivot, and it has always been uh market rate or privately provided, and generally this lot is um sees its highest usage for special events because it's generally in the same general area as Bank of America and the Knights Stadium.

Mr.

Driggs.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Mayfield, you make a very good point.

Um the cost of parking is squeezing people.

Um however, subsidizing parking costs money, and that has to come from somewhere.

Uh imposing that cost on the lessee is not a legal or really the best possible answer.

If the city's goal is to make parking easier for people, we would need to find a way either of working with employers to help their employees, maybe that way, but that's a cost to them, or we would have to have a program to subsidize parking.

Because this problem exists everywhere.

This is one instance.

So uh I think it is an issue, but I I think what Mr.

Cagle is trying to explain is uh there is no legal basis for us trying to impose the burden of that subsidy on the party that is uh leasing the property from us.

We need to find other policy actions to provide relief, would be my opinion.

All right, Ms.

May um who is over here, Mr.

Ms.

Sajmira.

Yes, uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

I I agree with what Mr.

Drake said.

Uh certainly the cost of parking is squeezing a lot of people who work uptown.

But I just want us to be very careful with our approach because we are ultimately would be taking money from our CAT's operating budget, which is really enterprise fund, which should be used for improving our bus system, better bus programs specifically, uh, which we many of us ran on to ensure that we are providing efficient, reliable and effective services to those who depend on our public transportation.

Um I don't think we should do that specifically, uh we have a responsibility with our enterprise fund here uh to support our light trail and our bus system.

Thank you.

All right, any other questions?

So, Mayor, uh my follow-up for us to have a conversation that expands beyond the idea of imposing something on to this petitioner.

We have land and we have the opportunity to either approve or to deny certain contracts and proposals when we put up RAP.

Those workers that are at the gates at night's theater as well as Spectrum, those workers that are cleaning up that's making everything run inside of that facility as well as all of our facilities in Uptown that don't have access to parking.

It's a cute idea to say, okay, bus, bus is not reliable for a lot of people.

We have already looked at some studies last year that show that if that bus is five minutes late, that can in turn have an individual arrive 30 minutes to an hour late to wherever they need to be.

Most of our events, the employees need to be there around 4:30 is five o'clock in the afternoon.

Not to mention we do not have the current transportation system that really gets you from one side of town into uptown.

So therefore, now I'm not going to I'm going to retract my request for a deferral for tonight based on the information that Mr.

Cagle had, I will not be voting for this.

But what I don't want us to do is to keep having the conversation where, well, we'll approve it now and we'll try to address it later.

The time that we have to address certain instances is when staff brings it before us.

Yes, we have some requirements in there, but those requirements does not negate us being proactive, us being the staff being proactive in that proposal to at least have the conversations to discuss for the employees.

I'm not talking about the open parking rates are what they are.

If I choose to go uptown for an event, then I'm gonna pay whatever.

But if we have employees that are out there, because we don't get the control they pay, that I'm making 12, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 dollars, and you're working six, eight plus hours, and you're paying whatever this parking fee is, that is a considerable of that pay for that day.

And some have to make a decision of is it going to cost me more to go in and try to do this job for however many hours, or can I offset that?

Yes, businesses can offset it to an extent, but while we have this opportunity tonight, I don't want us to start off 2026 the way we have many other years with the idea that well, we'll identify it and talk about it later when the position is in front of us tonight.

So the question that I asked of which my question, do we know what the parking fees will be for this?

The answer to that is that the parking fees are based on market conditions and demand.

Market conditions and demand has parking $50, $100 for events that we have in uptown.

Here's an opportunity for us to look at how our workers who make these buildings run successfully, keep the restrooms clean, make sure the space is clean, everything else they do from administrative on down, how are we helping them with the decisions that we're making?

All right, Mr.

Jones.

Thank you, Mayor, members of council, and thank you, uh Councilmember Mayfield.

We've had this discussion for a while, including red bags over um parking meters.

What I would like to do is get to council some uh information with Debbie Smith has been doing with trying to work with um Center City Partners as well as some of the private garages, private lots to see what we can do in terms of having uh more capacity for um the workers that council member mayfield has talked about.

So we've started a bit of a process.

What I'd like to do is get um Debbie to provide some information in your next packet.

Okay, all right, Miss Watlington, you had a comment?

Yes, this is an example, I think, of when we've got bid documents that go out, and then as we discuss the decision as a council, then we start to get into what should the criteria really be because what I hear from Councilmember Mayfield is that when we start to think about what's important to us, it needs to be reflected in those bid documents.

And given that we don't necessarily see them, um, and by the time it's time to have a discussion, we're making decisions uh with what it is as is, rather than being able to give input on the front end into what the criteria is.

So, what I'd like us to to do is spend some time looking at that procurement process on the front end as as the bid documents are coming together.

How do we make sure that councils um uh criteria and priorities are fed as input into the RFPs and the ITBs?

Obviously, we're not going to get into every single specific document.

Um, but if there are particular areas that we want to make sure reflect the needs, I do think there's an opportunity to get a little more granular about what we actually expect on these contracts.

All right, so thank you.

Um Ms.

Mayo.

I actually would like to defer based on the conversations that I've heard today.

Um I think as we continue to talk about what we hold dear and the morals and the values that we as city council hold.

I I do think this is kind of what we talked about earlier, being innovative.

Um I understand what um Mr.

Cagel was saying, but I I would champion staff to do a bit more exploring, and I think we should defer this item until we make um better decisions, and I also agree with Victoria looking being more proactive instead of reactive.

I mean, we we just receive this.

I I think um I think we can do better.

Well, I I hope so.

I think that both of you, um Ms.

Watlington.

Um who's Johnson, Miss Johnson, I'm sorry, I did not see you with your hand up.

Ms.

Johnson.

Councilmember Mayo, I would agree with the deferral, especially since it's a city owned land.

City owned land, we should demand more than market rate.

We always say, and I and I just go back to just approving the the rezoning for the mobile park.

It wasn't our land, there wasn't anything like we could do about it.

This is our land.

This is when we can uh put action to our words.

So I agree with that deferral.

And I hope that and another thing in my email, I talked about truck parking.

I mean, there are there are options and there are solutions that we can provide with our land.

So I think that we should do more than uh just lease this to a vendor to uh to rent for market rate.

Thank you.

I I do you need a second ones.

Can I miss Mayfield?

I just want to make sure that one of the things I want to ask our city attorney um when we have something that comes from the federal government and we're using this money as a part of it.

I just want to make sure that we're in the right place.

And so I'm gonna ask our city attorney because my I don't I I think all of the things that have been said are true and accurate, and that I think that we can do something about these things, but we can't do something if the federal government says, I'm gonna take this money back to from you.

So I just want to make sure if you would just help me understand whether or not this is something that we ought to be thinking about for the retreat, but something that maybe would be difficult tonight because it would be um harmful to cats.

So will you help me out on this?

Mayor, can I oh Mr.

All right, there we go.

So I just wanted to confirm with with uh Mr.

Cagle.

So the land was purchased with the half cent sales tax.

Right.

Article 43, which is for transit purposes as well as federal grants.

So let's not think about this as something purchased by property tax, but for something dedicated for this purpose.

Okay, Miss Ashmer.

I think just to follow up on that, because it was it is restricted use, which cannot, I think that's where the difference is.

There's city owned land, but it's not from general fund.

This is specifically restricted, specific use, and legally we cannot use it for other purposes.

Am I correct?

Article 43 is the sales tax, which is used for transit purposes.

That's right.

Thank you.

I was gonna have the I really want to have the attorney tell us.

I'm sorry, Mayor.

So for clarification, the transit purposes has not been challenged.

I am still I have not said that it should be used for anything other than transit purposes.

The question and where I think we have an opportunity because it is city-owned land, that we have an opportunity to ensure, and maybe it could be as we're getting ready to go into our retreat for us to have a real conversation that highlights Dr.

Wattlington's point regarding our procurement process and the language that we have and that we utilize, because I'm not asking for this land to be used for anything other than parking, but I want to know are we being intentional regarding who's the target to access this parking?

Because it's great to have all these amenities for the people that's coming in for the night or the weekend, but for the workers who are the ones to make all of our facilities the amount and give the experiences that make people want to keep coming back if they cannot afford to be able to park.

But if we don't even take the time to have the conversation on the front end for land that we actually have control over, as my colleague just mentioned, it's not like this is just private property.

This is our property.

I'm not asking it to be used anywhere else, and I don't want people trying to mislead the community to make it seem like it's being attempted to be used for anything else.

It is clearly for parking.

I'm just asking, can we do a better job to ensure that our workers that make these facilities what they are and they hope make our city what it is, that they have the opportunity to utilize this not at a market rate?

Okay.

I'm gonna go back to the city attorney so that we can get this um one way or the other explained in a way, Mr.

Graham also wants as well as Ms.

Anderson.

I think all of us, honestly, all of us want to do better for our people.

All of us want to make sure that people can have an opportunity to um thrive in this community.

So I don't know that that's the bottom, I don't know that that's what we're trying to debate now.

It's really a debate on how do we use money that I think came to us from the federal government.

So all right.

I'm sorry, can I go?

Can I have the attorney off, please?

And can she answer that?

Can we do we just need a second to for the motion?

Can you ask address that also, please?

So there is a motion on the floor from uh council member Mayo, and there has not been a second yet.

Second.

Okay, thank you.

Mayor, uh members of council, the invitation to bid process requires the city to consider the highest bid for the property.

That's important for purposes of compliance with federal law related to getting the highest and best value for the property.

And so when we talk about what is the city's obligation to with respect to leasing, it is Mr.

Cagle outlined a moment ago the importance of getting the highest and best value for the property.

Now, how much the um paid or excuse me, the the company, what is it?

Is it pivot excuse me, pivot?

How much they choose to charge for those who will be leasing or using the parking is a is another but concurrent conversation.

But the city's obligation is to ensure that we're getting the highest and best value for the property, and that's how we comply with federal law.

One other clarifying point on this.

So we we talk about transit uses, and and that is absolutely correct.

I want to clarify this property was assembled as part of a larger um parcel or or um parcels of property for gateway station.

The gateway station is a transit use.

Private parking is not.

And so what this is is a secondary use until we can then put it into use for transit.

This lot has always been private park parking.

When we purchased it many years ago, it was a private parking lot.

But the transit use is not private parking.

If that would have been had been CATS's long-term plan, let's go buy a private parking lot and lease it out to somebody to keep that is not a transit use.

This is a secondary use that is allowing us to generate revenue at this property until it is put into use for transit, which it will, and that's where the market value for the lease comes in.

But to be clear, this this is not the transit use.

The gateway station in its larger vision is this is a temporary use that generates revenue for cats to put back into the system until we execute the larger vision, which which is the transit use.

Okay, um, so I have a list here.

Um, Ms.

Anderson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and I really appreciate the conversation.

I think it's an incredibly thoughtful conversation.

Um, with this particular property, um, Mr.

Cagle or or uh Marie, please keep me honest here.

But with the process being ITB process, there are certain um ramifications around that particular process.

And I I want to make sure that we're not deferring this particular item in light of a broader conversation that we're we're having, but it won't really impact this particular property.

So given that this is a ITB process that has specific ramifications around it, would we be able to even uh put any other um requirements or restrictions on a leasee of this particular property?

I do not believe so.

I believe that if this recommendation is not um uh acceptable to the council, our next course of action will be to reject all and then to determine what we would do next with the property.

And quite frankly, if it's not able to be leased at fair market value, um it would be likely that we would fence the property so that we don't pay to until so if if you're providing submarket, right?

You have to pay someone to do that.

There is a subsidy involved with that.

And so what we are trying to do is generate revenue, but at a minimum, we would not want to lose revenue that goes into transit.

And so um, but again, on this process at a minimum, it is choose pivot or or not, and that is the council's discretion.

But if not, then we would cancel or uh we would reject all and have to look at future options.

Yep, and and thank you for answering that because I thought that that was where it was going with this particular property, just giving the complexities around the federal involvement, et cetera.

So it if we were to, and I love the the the consensus of our conversation here, but if we were to defer this particular item for this property, there's not much more that could really be done with this property that we would be actually breaking even or or making money on, we would we would really be bleeding um with any other particular options if they're not market rate.

And so that's just another aspect to consider.

But I absolutely uh support the conversation around looking at procurement practices under some of our uh that that controls some of our land that don't have these um you know uh multi-level restrictions due to uh federal involvement.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Um Mr.

Graham.

And I'll be quick too as well.

I really appreciate the tone of the conversation and the commitment to working with frontline workers.

I just don't want the manager's comment to go unheard.

I think this is really an assignment that we can give to Charlotte Cincinnati partners, they have access to all the private garages in uptown Charlotte, much more than we have land, right?

And I think that's where the conversation should we should send it to and um ask them for the help and their support um through the corporate community.

Uh and then secondly, you know, we got park and ride, right?

And so if is there a campaign or something that we can do uh to work with the um frontline workers that are working uptown, the the employers encouraging park and rye, I think those are free, right?

Right?

Uh to come to to train into uptown Charlotte and uh and um be able to do the work that they have to do, uh, even visitors um and those who are spectators uh utilize that type of service as well.

And so I I think if we can kind of uh look at what we're trying to do, which I think is a very good idea, uh so it's not the what is the how, right?

I think the how is working through our um a special um district uptown to to assist with that.

All right, Miss Watlington.

Thank you.

Um I think that there's been some good conversation around the dice.

I think there's a couple of different different items.

I think I agree with Councilmember Graham in terms of working with Center City Partners as we think about how do we actually address the issue in terms of making sure there's parking available for folks that are working uptown.

Um specific to this particular decision, uh just want to make sure I've got all the pieces that I need.

Um Madam Attorney, when you say value, highest value, how is value defined?

Or let me ask it more specifically, are we as a council able to define what that value looks like by the way of criteria?

Thank you, Dr.

Rotlington.

The question of fair market value is based on the market analysis and what is case law defines it as what is the most competitive price based on the marketplace.

And so the invitation to bid is actually an exercise in that because it is testing the market to determine what would a reasonable person pay for a get whether it's a product or a piece of property on a given day, the highest and best use of that or highest invest value for that.

And so when we talk about um responsive or responsible, let me ask differently.

If someone was willing to pay two million dollars, but they were going build a gaming studio on top of it, they'll tear it down by the time we need to use it for transit, and they were to respond to this ITB.

Would that are there some parameters around which we would say that doesn't really meet the intent?

It does have that's a great question.

When you do an invitation to bid, it considers the zoning use for the property and any other legal classifications that would be um worthwhile and not just worthwhile but pertinent to the discussion.

So it's to your point, it's not just any use of the property, it has to be legally compliant.

Thank you.

The reason I ask is because I just wonder if there, if we chose not to go ahead and move forward with this and to work with center city partners on other means to actually meet the need.

Um, a place for folks to um for our for our some of our vendors to go, our street vendors, for example.

I'm just curious as I hear either we're going to approve this or we're going to fence the property so it doesn't cost us money.

I'm just wondering if it it would be acceptable if we were to just decide to scratch the ITB if there were other possible uses of the property that might meet some other community need and if that is permissible uh given the parameters.

I um Madam Attorney, I guess I will direct that question to you or the manager.

Dr.

Wattling, it Watlington, it is it is both a legal question but also a policy question.

The legal question certainly is to say if we are going to maintain the space of uh of the invitation to bid, definitely get the highest fair market value.

But if the see if if council's pleasure is that there be an exploration of other uses of the property and the potential revenue boost to cats as a as it relates to this sale, is outweighed by the policy consideration, and again, that's council's decision, then it would then strike you would strike the ITB and decide which use of the property made the most sense.

And that may be a situation where you say, you know what, the fair market value piece is not as important to us as the policy big.

So I appreciate you.

Thank you.

So I will also say um the reason that this was put forward as parking.

So this was not a blue sky ITB.

Tell us how to make the most money on this property.

That is not the ITB that came forward.

The ITB was to tell us how much as a parking provider you, the private sector, are willing to pay us to use this property for parking.

So the reason it went out that way is that is the grandfathered historic use of this property.

Other uses of that property may not be conforming and may require other zoning type of decisions to be made, which we would not want to pursue because again, this is a temporary short-term use of this property.

The long-term use of this property is build a transit facility known as Gateway Station, as a Shirley Gateway Station.

And so again, we were not seeking a blue sky request of what could be put here, because what will be put there is Shirley Gateway Station.

This is a temporary use until that time, and the temporary use is limited by what it has historically been used for and is grandfathered under current zoning requirements to be used, and that's why it is only parking.

It it may be possible to make more money on this lot.

Understood, totally clear that it's temporary and that the long-term plan is for transport transit, not taken away from that.

I'm thinking about even Brookhill, for example, and we're talking about things that were that the um uh property owners and the group that's working on the property want to do in the meantime that doesn't necessarily require a rezoning, or we hope it doesn't require a rezoning um to execute some of those activities, knowing that they'll be temporary in nature.

Um, I'm wondering if this is another opportunity to do that.

I personally would be willing to explore that um in the meantime, uh, but certainly zoning and this conversation is um solvable around this diet.

So I look forward to figuring out what we're gonna do.

All right, thank I'm sorry, do you is there a comment because I know that's I know sorry, I just like Kimberly, would you have a floor?

Yeah, thank you.

I appreciate that, Mayor.

So um I am I am exceptionally sympathetic to the thoughts of of my colleagues around the dias.

I just I'm also very keenly focused on what the ITB actually was and what it was was for someone to be able to uh park and and and hire and retain the services of folks to um lease this out for market rate, and that is not what I'm hearing that we want, but that's a different ITB.

If we had put this out, perhaps and said you're going to be limited in the prices that you can actually charge for your parking, then perhaps that would be a different and and that'd be a wholly different inquiry.

I just feel like we've had a lot of time on this issue.

That's not actually what's in front of us.

What is in front of us is this contract right here, and this contract right here is limited by the federal government.

It is limited in the uses that we can make, and so I would propose that we go forward with this one, but that we do have a thoughtful exchange of information about what our options are on other city property where we may put out a request for proposal or we may put out an ATB and tell them that they're going to be limited in terms of the amount that they can charge.

I think everybody loves this opportunity to speak about this issue.

Um, I'm going, I I know that Mr.

Drake has raised his hand, and we will I hope complete this after he makes his remarks.

Just want to remind everybody we did adopt a policy about active management of the city's property, right?

And Mr.

Manager, maybe you'd like to remind us, but at that time we departed from a limited use of city owned property to highest investment to a more uh uh comprehensive strategy around how we are use our city assets.

So we've done that, right?

And I just think maybe it'd be helpful if you reminded us what the outcome was then.

Not necessarily now, but I'm just saying uh let everybody know some people want to hear.

But we've had the conversation about finding better city property than just sell it.

Yes.

Okay.

So um is I think everyone has had an opportunity to speak.

Um Ms.

Owen, thank you for wrapping us up.

And um, do it is there a motion on the table?

There is a motion we already have a motion on the table.

All right, so we have a motion.

All in favor of the motion, please raise you want.

Let's read the motion um so make sure it's consistent with what people are having at the conversation.

So the motion for item number 219 was moved by Miss Joy May Mayo and seconded by Miss Mayfield, and it was to defer item number 29 to the next business meeting.

Okay, so you've heard the motion.

All in favor, please raise your hands.

One, two, three, four.

Do it.

anybody over here?

I don't think that's you have five, one.

I'm sorry.

One, two, three, one, two, three, five, six, four, five, six, seven.

Okay, six.

Six.

I got six.

All right.

All right, did your is your hand up, Miss three.

Okay, six.

Four, five, six, six, six, six, six, five, six.

Thank you.

We have six.

Okay.

That will be different.

All opposed, please raise your hands.

One, two, three, four, five.

Is that in count, Ms.

Oshmira?

Yeah, five.

Okay, five.

Okay.

The motion passes.

Thank you very much.

Um, great conversation.

Okay, next item.

Yes, ma'am, thank you.

And the next one was a question from council member Johnson and the lease of city-owned property at University City Boulevard parking deck, and and more broadly, this deck and also the JW Clay deck, as far as what's our success rate for our tenants there, and how are we helping the community as far as getting as small businesses?

And just to clarify, there's 12 storefronts in total, and of those 12, there's only been one eviction that's has that's happened.

And um, CATS does work with tenants to put them on different payment plans is needed, but there has been one eviction, and if this is approved tonight, then all 12 storefronts would have tenants, and CATS does routinely work with the tenants directly on any concerns and also with the property manager to um get feedback on uh work on different considerations around any concerns raised.

So council member Johnson?

Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Marie, for that information.

When you say 12 storefronts, do you mean between the two garages?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, and there's been one eviction.

I would also ask how many, I guess early lease terminations that weren't actually evicted.

Maybe they settled and moved out early because I think I know of more than one that had yeah, that had trouble uh with the the lease.

Because I think I know of more than one that had yeah, that had trouble with the the lease.

There were barriers from signage and other access, and so just being the representative for the university area.

Um with the JW Clay and the University City Garage.

I've heard small businesses have challenges.

Okay, and we'll definitely follow up and get you more details around those and follow up with you.

Thank you.

And those barriers and how were those barriers addressed.

And I know Mr.

Cagle, you were part of those meetings with the with one tenant.

So if we could just have some information on how we're assisting these small businesses in this area.

Also, I'd ask about the MPTA transfer.

Oh, yes, so that's part, and there's a business item on for interlocal later tonight, and that's not this, but it's the baby step towards this getting MPT up and running.

But to your point, all the properties.

There's some properties that may have been leveraged for debt, so there might not transfer over day one, but that there's contracts in place that'll start looking at that.

So there's legal staff and CAT staff and everybody that's going to be building plans around those.

But there's not a concrete plan for this property yet.

It will eventually go over to the MPTA.

So my question was if we know that this is going to transfer, is it uh wise for us to enter into a five-year lease?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

I forgot you had brought up that point.

Yes, ma'am.

And it definitely is because it helps the MPTA to have revenue, and it also very much helps the small businesses who put investment money to get these properties up to speed for what they need the use of, and it helps them have some stability over time.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

And then if if there's no other questions on that item, please see on the property emergency overall.

Anyone else?

Do I have a motion on the thing?

Well, Matt, we're gonna if you don't mind, we'll just finish the last three, and then we can do the ones that aren't pulled.

Okay, and so the next one is airport transit buses, and this was from council member Owens about how this fits into CAP.

And this definitely is aligned with CAP.

There is a problem with getting electric transit buses.

There's a backlog of parts, and we're waiting on several now.

So the plan for this coming up year is seven hybrids, but that's consistently um or constantly assessed based on the availability of the electric buses and the hybrids.

All right.

Any questions or comments on this item of the transit buses?

Okay, let's then Miss Mayfield had another one.

Sorry, it's on the same item.

And no, this this is Gilllig, and this was last approved for transit buses in 2023.

She was inquiring about the recent um vendors that we had, but that was not one of the vendors we approved for 2024.

Okay, thank you.

Any further comments on those two items?

Okay, and I'm sorry, and then one more Miss Johnson had um questions around or just wanted a little bit more detail around item 38 property transaction to own High Kendall Road improvements, and Ms.

Johnson, I don't I don't think you've had a chance to um see the response, but this is making a new sidewalk where there's currently not a sidewalk, and it's going from Kaidel High Kendall.

Secondary Road from Thornblade Drive to McKee Road, and there's also gonna be a right turn lane installed from High Kendall Road to McKee Road, as well as crosswalk and um pedestrian signage.

Okay, thank you.

Yet my question wasn't regarding the project, it was regarding the condemnation.

Okay, and that the property owner uh wanted to continue to mediate.

Um I know we have a speaker tonight, I think it's the same issue we talked about.

No, ma'am.

I'm sorry you weren't here, but that okay.

There was a speaker on a different one that's been pulled.

Okay, well, a different one.

But I know that we're proceeding with the condemnation when we're still in negotiation with the owner, yes, ma'am.

I just I'm just not comfortable with that.

Um so can you tell us why we're we're not and so I don't know how many parcels with this specific property, but any time we build a sidewalk, it's got to go through somebody's property, you know.

We have a right-of-way, but usually infringes some on the private property.

Um, we do it with utility right-aways, different things, and a lot of the homeowners you know work with us and come to agreement on acquisition.

But if we don't get all the parcels, then the project can't move forward at all.

So it really that's a big phase of any of these capital projects, and like you're speaking earlier about how long it takes for a capital project.

This is a big piece of it why it takes long time, because we really do reach out and work with the homeowners and try to come to resolution.

But if not, we're not gonna um stall and not provide the community with that sidewalk altogether just because one property owner, but that being said, even when you say yes on a condemnation, we still move back and forth with the homeowner and like get a another appraisal.

Do whatever, and it sometimes we're depending on this, and I'm not speaking this one specifically, but a lot of times we can adjust the project slightly to help them some, but it comes down to it, it's either you know we do the project or not, so the condemnation are necessary.

I I understand that and progress.

Um I understand we want to proceed.

Maybe if I just spend some more time with that department, because we do we also want to ensure that our residents feel treated fairly, yes, ma'am, and that we're not bulldozing our way toward progress, but people are being left behind.

So um I'd like some more information about that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, we have a um request from Mr.

Drake's on the item.

So that particular project came about because a large number of residents came to me and said our children are walking on the edge of a very busy road next to uh a dangerous drop off, and we need a sidewalk.

And they hounded me for a long time, and we finally got to the point where it was scheduled.

Uh so right now, uh, I hate to think what's gonna happen if anything delays the project.

The fact is that the the uh the whole eminent domain issue does come up, and there may be somebody, but I'm just telling you if you have a concern for that resident, you should know a whole bunch of others are gonna be really unhappy if they don't get this safety item for the benefit of their kids because they then stand by the edge of the road.

There isn't even a proper bus stop there.

Uh and that I think is the driving force.

This is not just the city that decided, hey, hey, why don't we put a sidewalk in here?

That sidewalk was at the uh specific request of many residents.

All right, do we have a motion?

And Madam Mayor, that so that's the last one I had QA on.

So and just working with the clerk just to make sure we're aware of all the items before you have entertain a motion.

I believe it's of all the consent items, but not 19, 34, 36, 40, and was there another defer?

20 and 29.

Okay, thank you.

Um that takes everybody has did everybody get that 19, 29, 34, 36, 40.

I'll approve our do I have a motion for those.

We have a motion, second.

All in favor, please raise your hands.

For clarification, you say all the other ones outside of the ones.

Yes, I'm sorry, I meant it meant the inside one.

Thank you.

But that's record.

Thank you very much.

For the record, are we had a hands up?

All right.

Anyone opposed?

Okay, we can move on to the next part of our agenda.

It's a lot tonight.

We're catching up with a lot of things, but a lot of good things that are happening with everyone.

Okay, so our next item.

All right, Mr.

Jones, thank you, ma'am.

Going back a little bit to go forward.

Uh things are different in 2026.

Uh, what we're attempting to do on the first business meeting of the month is in this room, have what we call action preview, so that any items that are coming up that we think you need some more information so you're not caught off guard, would be discussed uh in 267 and then placed on the fourth Monday of the month.

We start here at five, end at 6:30, go down uh stairs and and have the business meeting.

The fourth Monday of the month, it would be different.

We would start in the chamber, um, because all of the preview items would have been discussed two weeks beforehand, and uh we would have the public forum uh followed by uh in the middle of that, it would be at the end the the council comments today's going to be a little bit of a hybrid because we do not have the fourth Monday as a business meeting, we will have the retreat.

And uh we would have the public forum uh followed by uh in the middle of that, it would be at the end the the council comments today it's going to be a little bit of a hybrid because we do not have the fourth Monday as a business meeting.

We will have the retreat.

So what will occur today is there's a report out from the committee housing and neighborhood services, which is the pollinator habitats and naturalistic landscapes.

So it's important that the whole body hears that before it comes back on um what would have been I guess the the fourth Monday.

Umside of that, that's kind of how we would have these structured as well as some um potential committee report outs.

Last thing I'll say is that before may I turn it back over to you to have the one preview item?

Um there is a one closed session item.

If uh we get through that in a timely fashion, we could have the closed session item before we go downstairs, or we would have it at the end again, a little bit of a hybrid this time, because we will have the public forum uh on the second Monday as opposed to the fourth.

Once again, we're not going to be in the building on the fourth.

All right, thank you.

I I really want to say that if all of us um conducted our work like we did with the um, I think what we said as what we were doing in terms of the real the the council member discussions and leadership.

That was amazing.

I mean, I think everyone could probably say this was something that was very very much needed.

And so thank you all.

But out of one of these, we got a pollinator habitats and naturalistic landscape recommendation, which we're all I'm sure are going to be happy to do.

Um, let's see.

Whose committee was this, Mr.

Mitchell?

Councilmember Mayfield.

Ms.

Mayfield, let's go for the pollinator.

Madam Mayor Manager, just quick question.

We're only going over that, not the new models and strategies that the housing.

So thank you, colleagues.

I want to first acknowledge my colleagues on committee, councilmember Adias as well as Councilmember Johnson Mayo and Owens.

So I have the dream team with the new people, and Renee and I get to lead that.

On January the 6th, we had our meeting, our referral based on the December 17th referral from the mayor.

She asked the committee to explore how the city can further encourage the creation of pollinator habitats and naturalistic landscapes while also maintaining safe and sanitary neighborhoods and communities.

Staff did provide the overview of the current health and sanitation ordinance regarding overgrown vegetation, review the city's current registry program for pollinator gardens and naturalistic landscapes that exempts maintained habitats from code enforcement and proposed an amendment to the current ordinance to codify the enforcement exception when properties are registered and properly maintained.

The committee did so express support for the enforcement exemption for maintained habitats and emphasize the importance of training, education, clear communication, accessible registration options, including for individuals with limited digital access, as well as the opportunities for collaboration with our partners, such as Mecklenburg County and Trace Charlotte.

Our action, the committee did vote to recommend the proposed ordinance amendment to full council, and our next steps would be that staff will present the topic and proposed ordinance to council at the future action preview.

But that is the overview.

If there was any specific questions, staff is here, but I think that pretty much covers we are ready to move forward and ask for support from full council.

All right.

Are there any comments or questions?

Hearing none, it will come back to the council for a vote, and then we'll know whether to say yes or no in that case.

So I hope that all of us have enough mulch in the house in the garage so that we can all say yes to it.

So thank you very much.

All right, we are now um ready for a closed session.

So we're gonna have to ask many of you to um take a break and you can come back again.

The TV will be going.

Mayor, if I may read the motion, we're going downstairs.

Mayor We need a motion.

Mayor, uh guys, if you'll give me a moment so that we can have a motion to go into closed session.

Okay, guys.

Okay.

Oh yeah.

All right.

So thank you, Madam Mayor.

The motion, the proposed motion would be to go into closed session pursuant to NCGS 143-318.11A3 to preserve the attorney client privilege in the matter of David Gueta versus City of Charlotte.

Claim number Wero Zero Four Five Two.

Second.

Six eight six.

So move.

We have a motion and a second of the floor.

All in favor, please raise your hands.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

We have a quorum.

All right, we're gonna wait until um, we're gonna be able to do that.

I think it's still afternoon.

Um I just wanted to um recognize that we're going to begin our um uh our January meeting.

Um I'm gonna call it to order, and we'll start off with introductions, and we'll start off with our city clerk.

Good evening, Stephanie Chile, City Clerk.

Good evening, Andrea Leslie Fight, City Attorney.

Oh, eight.

Good evening.

We had our clerk and our attorney, and now good evening.

I'm Victoria Watlington, and I have the pleasure of serving you as a member at large.

Good evening, Joy Mayor, representing District Three.

Dante Anderson, District One.

Marcus Jones, City Manager.

Hi, Lyles, Mayor.

Good evening, everyone.

James Mitch and Mayor Pro Tim.

Good evening, Kimberley Owens, representing District Six.

Now from Graham District 2, Ed Drigs, District 7.

Good evening, Lona Mayfield, Councilmember at large.

Good evening, JD Masueta Adias, probably representing East Charlotte, District 5.

Good evening, I'm Renee Johnson, and I'm honored to represent District Four.

Okay, so let's call this meeting to order.

Um, good evening, and thank you all for joining us here in person, especially those that are watching online.

Also, I want you to know that this is our first business meeting of 2026.

And so for those of you that didn't get a you know, really good present or something, talk to somebody that you know that's not down here.

Okay, so let's um let's we begin our meeting with an invocation, an expression of inspiration or the follow-up by the pledge of allegiance.

The invocation is intended to solemnize our proceedings, and we celebrate the religious diversity of our community, including those that do not practice a religious faith.

Tonight, Councilmember Um Anderson will give our invocation.

Follow that will be our Pledge of Allegiance, and please choose to join if you want to participate.

Um Anderson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and and happy new year to everyone, and uh also happy founders day to uh the Swores of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated tomorrow.

And I just want to share a thought um that I've that I've had in light of our founders' day.

Um Delta Sigma Theta was founded at Howard University by 22 women in 1913, and they were a group of very young women who were eager to exert their agency around social action.

They very much wanted to be a part of what was going on politically and um throughout the country, and they made the decision to actually break off from another organization and and stand up Delta Sigma Theta with the very first act of participating in the women's suffrage march that occurred the very next month, and that was a great debate, as you can imagine back in 1913 around women in particular who were sent to college and university to get a education and more than likely find a husband to take on these uh social activities, but they were very much driven by this, and it began a series of steps that lead us to today being an organization with over 350,000 women internationally.

But I was thinking about that because I I believe that you know the times that we're in right now, we are surrounded by people who want to exert their agency around what's going on in our country and around the world in our communities.

We are surrounded by people who want to be a part of a broader action and a broader sense of community sisterhood, brotherhood, uh, fellowship.

And I I put that charge to all of us as we jumpstart this new year to think about how you can exercise your agency to move things forward in your neighborhoods, for your neighbors, um, for your church family and others.

And it's also not lost upon me that you know this act that was taken by these 22 women was done so during the time of Epiphany.

And as you look at the lethargical calendar, epiphany is all about the menace, the manifestation of the divine.

And we we exercise the epiphany season for the first six weeks of the new year as it leads up to Ash Wednesday.

So this is a window of reflection around how you can exercise your agency to manifest how your thoughts and your and your convictions and your values will take place in the community that we call Charlotte.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's wonderful remarks.

So if you would like to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which we stand on your God.

Thank you very much for your participation of this.

Um now we're going to move on to our public forum.

I would like to thank all of you for joining us, and on behalf of the entire city council, I ask that the speakers and the audience members are civil and that they are able to address the program, but do it in a way that helps all of us understand what we're doing.

So let's think about being civil as well as being courteous for the use with the suit use of language.

Speakers are encouraged to address counsel and to refrain from responding to audience members.

Likewise, audience members should be courteous to each speaker and not yell out or interrupt them.

We want to ensure that everyone has the chance to be heard.

And since there are more than 10 speakers, each speaker will have two minutes to address council, three minutes to address counsel.

And now I'd like to call on our very first speaker.

Um Hannah Davis.

Miss Davis.

There's not the people speaking.

Good evening, Mayor Lyles and Council members.

My name is Hannah Davis.

I live at 400 North Church Street here in Charlotte, and I'm a local arts organizer.

Thank you for this opportunity.

I'm here tonight to share a practical perspective from the field and to request a meeting with city and tourism leadership to discuss how we better connect residents and visitors to the culture we're already investing in.

Recent articles in the Charlotte Observer and Axias suggested Charlotte lacks a strong cultural identity.

I disagree.

Charlotte does not have a culture problem.

It has a connection problem.

We are not consistently connecting people to the culture that already exists.

Socially, that limits engagement.

Economically, it limits tourism grace.

Tourism works in two simple steps.

First is attraction.

In 2025, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority had a record-breaking year bringing visitors to Charlotte.

Second is conversion, turning visitors to spenders, repeat guests, and ambassadors.

That's where Charlotte has real untapped potential.

About visitors come here to see friends and family.

That means residents are our unofficial tour guides.

If residents aren't connected to the city's cultural life, visitors won't be either.

Started in 2020, it's now the largest independent local arts group in the country.

What we've learned is clear.

This isn't a city without culture, it's a city hungry for it.

What when locals are connected, they engage.

A visitor-focused pilot started in 2020, excuse me, started in 2023, Uptown Funk, the story of Charlotte walking tour, has consistent five-star reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.

When culture is easy to access and well told, people respond and share it.

That's earned media, and it's one of the most efficient and effective ways to grow a destination.

The city has made meaningful investments in arts and culture, and that commitment matters.

But investment alone doesn't create connection.

What's missing is a coordinated way to link cultural investment to resident engagement and visitor experience.

So we can measure what works and scale it.

Thank you so much.

Or if there's further information that you'd like for us to have, please feel free to address Miss Allen.

So thank you.

Uh-huh.

So our next speaker is James Barnett.

Mr.

Barnett, it's good to see you.

Good evening, Mayor and Council members.

I came today with a nice speech, but my background didn't show up.

I'm going to make it short and sweet.

The murder rate in Charlotte decreased last year.

And we're going to go all out this year to bring it down even more.

We need your support.

We have support of a few of you on the council.

Well, we need it.

We need more people standing up with us.

There are people in the community that are ready to move.

Well, we seem to be so I don't know what you call us.

They don't seem to accept us because you don't accept us.

They seem to be.

Nobody knows that the mayor has given donation to the crusade.

We need you out this mayor.

Dipper, we need you out there.

Mayfield, we need you out there.

All of you, we need you to come and stand with the people.

We're looking at Black History Month.

We're going to go all out to decrease the murder rate in that month.

We have invited Dotted Peoples and the Mighty Clouds of Joy to meet us at the park church.

We're going to have a knockdown drag out got the program there.

We invite you to be out there with the on Fred Way Devoids.

We're going to be having a special press conference to announce the event for Black History Month.

And we said that Charlotte is a city fighting back.

I have haven't been as active as I should have been, but I'm getting energized now, coming back, and we need you out there.

We're gonna win this.

We're gonna show some love in the city of Charlotte.

And thank you.

And I apologize for not having that speech that I had planned to bring to you.

God bless you and keep on walking by faith.

And thank you for your support you've given.

We're gonna win this battle.

Amen.

Thank you so much.

We need that kind of optimism from people like you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Lennon Carousie.

Excuse me.

Hello, thank you for the opportunity.

My name is Lennon Caro.

I'm a resident of Charlotte living in District 4.

I'm a community researcher at a local nonprofit called Camino, and I also teach part-time at UNC Charlotte.

I'm also part of the Charlotte International Cabinet, which is, as you know, a body that provides input and recommendations to the City Council on topics related to foreign affairs and immigration.

I wanted to come speak today to urge the city council to consider the development of an office within the city dedicated to better help integrate immigrant communities to the mainstream population, like an office of international affairs or something like that.

This is something that we are exploring within Charlotte International Cabinet, the importance of having such an office for both the economic development and community integration of the city.

Now, why is such an office important and why do we need it?

Well, when you look at the census data, you can see that Charlotte is becoming an increasingly global city.

Back in 2015, around 15% of Charlatanians were immigrants, and now in 2024, which is the most recent census data available, 20% of Charlatanians are foreign-born immigrants.

Within this decade, the number of foreign-born Charlatans increased by 44%, while the number of Charlatans born in the U.S.

only grew by just under 5%.

So immigrants are a significant part of the fabric that makes up Charlotte.

And I think it is crucial that they have the support to better engage with all things that the city of Charlotte has to offer to promote upward mobility and access to resources to live better lives here.

Through my research, when I ask immigrants why they come to Charlotte, they say that's a place where they can find work, sometimes start a business and build their family.

Something like an Office of International Affairs can boost Charlotte's immigration population and increase Charlotte's global connections and economic profile.

I urge the city council to seriously explore and plan to develop such an office for the benefit of not only immigrants but all those who live in Charlotte for a better city.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

I think we have a retreat coming up, and perhaps that might be something that we ought to discuss.

So with that, um I would like to also now have Garland Green.

Mr.

Green.

Good evening, Garland Green, resident of South Charlotte.

I've come today to talk to you about managing growth and congestion.

Our city is experiencing tremendous growth.

Growth is good, but uncontrolled growth is not.

A recent hot topic of discussion is traffic congestion.

I'm sure you're all familiar with the 1% sales tax.

You can have a big impact on both growth and traffic congestion.

Just because we have a new MPTA, I don't see you being off the hook.

You still have a bigger I think there's a Mr.

Chairman, right there.

So yes.

I'm glad you're here.

I'm sure you're saying amen.

Anyway, my concern is that we're not thinking deeply enough on these matters.

I've been to many city council zoning meetings, involved very much in a zoning meeting in my backyard in South Charlotte with Councilman Criggs.

And my opinion, a lot of these building and zoning permits are being rubber stamped with little thought on the impact of congestion, particularly apartment buildings.

And I'm going to give you an example of this right in my backyard.

I'm sure you have an example too.

Highway 5521, the second busiest North Carolina highway in Mecklenburg County.

South Charlotte Road, it runs between Ballantine and North South Carolina State Line.

One and they built down there something called the elementary at Ballantine, a 500 unit apartment complex approved, adding over 1,000 cars on that road.

Every morning and every evening.

If you're at large, same thing.

You're in a position to better manage growth and congestion.

Your vigilance and action is needed to create a better Charlotte for us all.

Please do something about this.

The ball is in your court.

Again, please go out there and look for yourself.

Thank you.

City managers.

All right, we're now going to thank you very much.

And come back again, please.

Okay.

So now we're going to have the city manager's report.

Thank you, Mayor, members of council.

Tonight I just have one item, and it really came out of the jobs and economic development committee meeting last Monday.

There was uh wanted uh some clarification and some discussions around two programs.

Um well, a program skill to build, which has two components with it workforce development as well as small business growth.

And so with that said, I'd like to have uh our director from economic development, Shaw, and our director from the Office of Workforce Development Danielle come down and give uh the entire council a little bit more information on where we're all with that.

Thank you, Manager Jones.

Um, good evening, mayor, council, members of the public, Shahid Rana, Director of Economic Development, and I have with me Danielle Fraser with the Office of Workforce Development.

So the City of Charlotte has been preparing for significant mobility and transportation investments that will not only impact our communities to help people uh move about uh to places of residence, employment, and also uh tourism, but this is also a substantial opportunity for contracting and employment, and with that, we have what we call the skill to build initiative that uh has small business readiness and also workforce readiness, and as a part of this initiative as a collective unit between economic development, workforce development, and also procurement and CBI.

We've been strategizing on ways that we can get the local economy prepared for this opportunity that's ahead of us.

Understanding that this is a 30-year commitment, there'll be significant investment that will touch all aspects of our community.

How can we prepare the local workforce and also small business community uh for these contracting opportunities?

So, with small business readiness, we broke this down into three phases.

The first phase will be a curriculum development.

Uh, one of the things that we've uh talked about internally and also as a best practice is to actually create a curriculum uh that prepares small businesses in a few different core areas.

That's business readiness, financial preparedness, certification and bonding, bid preparation, project management, and a few other skills.

Phase two would also include the facilitation of that curriculum by nonprofit in which we will uh go out for a grant, and then phase three will also be the actual business engagement.

Uh with phase one, we issued out an RFP.

Um, the RFP was issued out on Monday, December 8th.

Uh, the actual deadline is January 15th, and we're planning to have vendor selection in a month of February.

Uh, to date, because the actual bid is not closed.

Uh we've had 107 people attend the non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting on December 18th, and that did not include city uh staff.

Uh, we have five proposal submissions already received to date, and we also have 25 proposals that are work in progress status between zero and 40 percent.

So a contract has opportunity to upload their information.

It actually shows the actual percentage of completion of their RFP.

So we have five completed to date.

We have 25 are already in the system, and the actual RFP submission date is the 15th.

So we are still receiving information.

We had 109 vendor questions that were submitted.

Um there were two RFP addendums that were also giving information to the bid solicitors.

In regards to communication, uh we've also promoted uh this actual RFP uh through the City Speaks newsletter, resident newsletter.

Um we've had over 4700 people who received that actual newsletter.

Um we've also promoted this on LinkedIn as well with almost 2400 uh engagements with that as well, and in uh over 83 businesses that actually click the link uh to receive information and file information, and also through uh Facebook as well, where we had just under 2,000 people who engaged with that actual notification.

So we're excited about this opportunity.

Um we've also uh communicated with uh CBI as well to do a blast of the RFP to their distribution list, um and we're excited about the outcomes that will come from this.

So for further context, uh we thought it was also very important to own that curriculum so that way as the years go by, if there's legislation or changes in policy, then the city of Charlotte has a curriculum, and then we can engage with uh our nonprofit communities or training providers, and then we own the intellectual property where we have into uh quality control and assurance.

The last thing we want to do is have misinformation out there where we engage with several organizations, and people on the east side are receiving different information from people on the west side, or one particular provider is sharing something a little bit different from the other.

Uh, because this has to deal with procurement, we want to make sure that uh all of our Ts are crossing our eyes are dotted, and then we own the intellectual property for 30 years to come.

And with that part, I'm gonna hand this over to Danielle Frazier to give an update on the workforce readiness.

Thank you, Shaw.

Good evening, Mayor, Council, and manager.

Happy to be here to share an update on our workforce readiness grants supporting our skill to build program.

Um as uh Shaw mentioned, we had some I'm a little shorter.

Um we we released two grants, uh workforce development grants in December of last year.

And I'm gonna share a little bit uh an overview of both of those and then share where we are with next steps on both of those grants.

And so our first grant that we released was for talent development, and so our talent development grant was to support education and training programs geared toward uh preparing talent for occupations and construction and skilled trades.

So a little bit of information about that grant.

Uh, it was totaling 1.2 million dollars, and that's to support up to four to six organizations, uh, up to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars each.

Uh that grant was due January 9th, which was last Friday.

Uh we received uh 20 21 questions that we answered through that process.

We had two virtual information sessions in December.

Uh we received 15 letters of intent, and ultimately we received 11 proposals.

Um the second grant that we uh put out was for business engagement and training, and that was focused on strengthening our business capacity uh through talent sourcing and workforce training grants that support hiring, employment, development, and upskilling new and existing employees.

Uh a little bit about that grant.

That was a total grant uh funding fund funding uh of 900,000 dollars, and that would be to one uh entity.

The justification of issuing one grant is to help streamline our employer engagement uh participation by having one entity serve as a central um central organization uh to coordinate be that business liaison with employers to help coordinate and align that talent development opportunity those talent development opportunities, reduce duplication of efforts and simplify our relationships with our business partners.

Um that grant was also, I'm sorry, those grants were released on December 8th, both of those, and that was also the proposals were due on January 9th.

We received five uh letters of intent.

We also had two virtual sessions for those, and we received 27 questions that we answered, and ultimately we received two proposals for that grant.

So I'm gonna share a little bit about next steps and how we're going to uh move forward.

So after the review of the number of proposals that we received, uh we've identified some next steps.

So, due to the low number of proposals that we received uh to the business engagement and training grant, uh it has been determined that we are going to extend this grant to February 3rd, 2026.

And while we're confident with the number of proposals that we receive for the talent engagement or talent development grant, we are going to extend it as well to February 3rd just for consistency purposes.

And so those two grants will be extended uh to February 3rd.

Um little bit about about what will happen next.

Council, you will receive uh an email with the grant opportunities this week.

We would love your uh participation and helping to share with your networks.

We will also update you in this week's communication roundup as well as you will receive it in your council memo packets, and so please share with your networks.

Um the Office of Workforce Development will still continue to work closely with the uh Corpcoms to extend our due dates on all of our digital communications, and we will repost on social media, and we'll also love it leverage additional outlets uh such as the next door app.

Uh although CBI is primarily focused on private sector entities, we will partner with CBI and ask that they share the grants uh with those applicable organizations that may be eligible to apply for our grants as well.

Um we're going to also do another ecosystem um survey.

We've sent this to over 50, I believe 53 total organizations across our county, but we're gonna do another scan of that list to see if we've missed anyone uh and that we will resend uh that information out through our distribution channels.

So we hope that uh we're also gonna share with the county and so that they can share through their outlets as well.

Uh, we're hoping that uh by extending the time uh we will be able to get a little bit more grants, especially on the business engagement one, and have more to uh select from.

And so with that, I will pause and we'll answer any questions.

Thank you.

All right, Mr.

Jones would like to speak.

Uh thank you, Mayor members of council, and uh thank you, Shaw and uh Danielle.

I'm not sure that you woke up this morning knowing that you do this presentation.

So you did a great job.

Um so I'd like to do just a little bit of framing, which I think is extremely important.

So let's you know go zoom out a bit and think about a 25 billion dollar 30-year mobility plan and that 25 billion dollar economic impact happens to the city, the county, the biggest I would say economic development project in their history.

And it's great to have uh the chair of the MPTA here also because part of what we try to do as a city is to make sure that we look did a gap analysis because we're talking about jobs and ability to scale up businesses over 30 year period.

So we did the gap analysis, and there are capacity issues over time.

And so if we get this right, what as we get it right, uh there's opportunities to make sure that jobs for our um our residents as well as opportunities for our small businesses to scale up.

So I I zoomed out because I think that's extremely important.

Now we're getting to the point of making sure that we have uh the framework in place to deliver on that concept.

So over and over again, even at the annual strategy meeting, you'll see them again, and we'll continue to talk about the opportunity that's here.

And it's just not that the one percent sales tax got passed in November and we started from scratch.

We've been working on this for a couple of years.

Okay, all right.

All right, let's see.

I believe I I'm gonna start this way.

I think Miss Watlington had her hand up first.

Okay, thank you.

I've got a few questions.

Thank you.

I know that this has been, as you mentioned, some time in the making.

I know that I've had some discussion with you all, and um, so I'm glad to see now that you're able to start socializing the work that you've been busy doing.

I just had a couple of quick questions.

The first one was can you repeat Shaw the plans or the phases, the components of each phase for the grants that you were discussing?

Sure.

The first phase uh is an RFP for curriculum uh development and that uh deadline is January uh 15th.

And then phase two will start uh this fall.

So once we actually select a vendor, there's the curriculum development.

We will run a basically a staggered, not quite parallel path, but as the curriculum is being developed, we will engage with uh an RFG, a grant opportunity for uh nonprofits and organizations in our community to facilitate the curriculum.

And you said the curriculum included business readiness, bid preparation, financial.

Can you hit those once more?

Sure.

Uh business readiness, financial preparedness and access to capital, uh certification, bonding and insurance, bid preparation, contract readiness, and RFP response, uh bidding process, and what we call how to do work uh or business with the city, and then also project management.

Some people just need the information on where to apply.

So a part of the multi-phase approach is phase one where we have the curriculum.

Businesses that want to ramp up or reskill or pivot or endeavor upon these mobility opportunities can learn how to.

And then the last part, which is phase three and engagement, will be for the businesses who are already ready to bid on opportunities.

They just need to know the information.

That's what we'll partner with Danielle to have uh workforce dollars.

So businesses who need to scale up in employees, there'll be a little bit more of an a la carte opportunity for businesses to engage with the city of Charlotte.

Awesome.

Um then is it you spoke a little bit about giving folks time to ramp up and scale up and hire employees and whatnot.

Have we thought about what that timing specifically needs to look like after each one of these uh future um RFPs goes out and what that distribution of funds uh connected to the grants really looks like in terms of speed of delivery?

So once you receive a grant to actually be able to receive the funds to then mobilize to be ready for the RFPs in time.

Have we thought about what that cadence looks like?

Yeah, we thought about that.

So with the actual curriculum, we'll have done in the fall, and then towards the end of this calendar year, um, we'll engage with an organization, and that should really tee us up for when funds are out and when we're really prepared for uh transit projects, but we also understand as the manager mentioned, we've been gearing up for these type of opportunities because strategic investment areas uh are having projects that are happening today.

Um so that's where the engagement piece comes in for organizations that are already um prepared to bid on projects.

That's how we engage with CBI and becoming a registered small business.

That's where uh Danielle comes into play as well with connecting uh those businesses with already existing ecosystem partners.

So it is not as um linear, um, there's kind of several stages of of this, and we're just trying to be as flexible as possible and building the infrastructure for 30 years while also taking care of business today.

For sure, for sure.

Um taking a look, you mentioned today and the future.

I'm curious, just a quick look back in 2025.

Then this question is for um Director Frazier.

Um, can you speak at all to how many job placements we saw as a result of our uh training partners programs last year?

I can, but I don't want to misquote.

And actually, you are you all are all are due for an update.

Uh, and so you should receive that within the next few weeks in one of your memos.

So, yes, we have it, and you will have a lot of data to review.

I just don't want to misquote.

But yes, okay.

Well, can you give me directionally what you what what worked or what was booming and what where we think there may be gaps as it relates to industries or skill sets?

Right.

Um, so what's been working is so so it ebbs and flows with training, meaning there will be points where training will be in demand, and then there will be times when just employment will be in demand.

And what I mean by that is um, even with one of our our partners and providers, we have had to shift in, they've said, hey, less training, can we add more OJTs, which is actual employment, and we support small businesses with bringing on new employees, sometimes it's upskilling, and that does vary based on industry and based on demand.

Um, I can at answer that question more with in-depth data based on our current service providers, but that's what we see a lot of where it ebbs and flows with training, might be in more in demand at times, and then it might just be hey, people need a job.

And I will say this too is that training has a level of um not to say sacrifice, but commitment, right?

And some job seekers and talent have to say, do I have the luxury to sacrifice the bills and time to go to training versus I need a job and I need a job now?

And so that's when those on-the-job training grants really support because and apprenticeships because those are jobs now, uh, and they support progressive wages as well as career advancement.

And then my last question is just what does the landscape look like in terms of employers signing up to partner with us such that there are jobs on the other end of that, and what are we learning in terms of the jobs of the future or the jobs of now that people uh and employers need with updated skill set?

Right.

Would love to take a longer opportunity to provide the latter part of that that um answer.

Um what we're seeing.

I'm sorry, that the initial part of your question was because I got I I was stuck on the second part.

What was the first part?

Because that's what I really want to answer.

Oh, so I want to understand what we're seeing in terms of employers' readiness and willingness to partner.

Right.

One of the things that we um we're focused on and will focus on, I think moving forward is starting with a job in hand and not job in mind, right?

We want to make sure that the training providers that we're supporting, they have business relationships on the front end.

And hence why we chose to go in the direction of having an actual business engagement grant, which is totally focused on job placement, and that's either child job placement through direct um talent placement through on the job training grants, um, through supporting our training providers when graduates graduate from the funded providers that we support, so that there is a job at the end.

And so that's our purpose is to make sure that there is an actual job that these individuals that can have when they graduate from training programs.

I think that that's gonna vary from industry to industry and also need, and I would love to do a deeper dive with you on that because we do have that that data where we're starting right here and right now, and a big piece of of our support is is around the skill to build, which is the transportation infrastructure work.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate your work.

I'm very interested in doing a deep dive to further understand that because we've got a ton of opportunity as we know, and we we know that our uh community is counting on us to meet the moment, and we thank you for positioning us to do just that.

Thank you.

All right, Miss Ashmira.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Mr.

Anna, and thank you, uh Ms.

Fraser, for a comprehensive update on the approach you are taking to ensure that our workforce and our businesses are ready for opportunities, not just for today, but for tomorrow.

I mean, uh Manager Jones talked about the largest economic development 25 billion dollars.

I mean, this is transformational.

So we want to make sure that our businesses and our workforce is ready to adopt and implement and help us deliver on all the projects that will be lined up.

Um, I'm interested in seeing the gap analysis to see where the gaps are, and I'm looking forward to um help distribute some of this uh opportunities to organizations who have expressed an interest.

Um are this limited to businesses or are this open to nonprofits who have business relationships have can help with job placement.

I'm sorry, your question was has it been open to nonprofits that have relationships with businesses?

Yes.

So what those one of those 53 entities that we share, they were training providers, they were education providers, they were also nonprofits that do workforce development services, such as the business engagement piece.

Yes.

That's great.

Well, I look forward to um help share the word about this opportunities, and uh one program that specifically comes to mind is Renew Charlotte, uh, which was implemented several years ago that helped um individuals with direct placement after the training.

So uh in that program, we actually helped with providing so when participants were taking trainings, they were getting paid.

Because not everyone, to your point, not everyone has flexibility to go through trainings while supporting uh while not getting paid.

So have we also explored that option because there are a lot of individuals who would be interested, it's just they can sacrifice um income to do so.

Yes, um, thank you for that.

You hit it spot on.

That is something that we incur incorporated in our talent development training uh grant as an option for them to submit stipends for individuals while they're enrolled in training.

So, yes, we've made that available.

Thank you.

And supportive services.

Yeah, that's great to hear because that that is a direct pathway to upward mobility of folks who want to move from uh 10 15 dollars per hour to liveable wage.

Thank you.

All right, Ms.

Johnson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you for the presentation.

Thank you, Councilmember Ashmira for that question.

That's I remember the renew grant, and that is so important if people are able to receive a stipend or pay while they're in training.

Also, thank you for the for extending the time.

I remember thinking, I wish we had heard about this before the ninth.

So that was that was great that you extended it.

Um I would like to ask Mr.

Jones if we can post this tonight, make sure this is posted on our communication Facebook so that we can share it, and also on the link uh for the meeting, since we've talked about it, make if you can put the link uh in the comments or something so that folks don't have to have to search for it.

So I appreciate because when I heard the two proposals, there's an obvious problem and the information's not getting out.

So I think this is a very intentional and equitable approach to making sure that people are aware.

Um Mr.

Jones, thank you for your comments when you talk about the one percent and expanding the opportunities.

You know, the 46% of the voters that were opposed to the tax.

One of the reasons because there was no intentionality or commitment for small businesses.

So this is great.

This is a great response.

I'm sorry, Mayor, did you have comment?

Okay, thank you.

Um, I think this is important because even earlier in our meeting, there was a building and grounds maintenance services and the towing services contract where there weren't any minority uh responses.

And we know that they're out there, and many times it's because the businesses aren't don't have the capacity.

So I think this training is so important in us putting our action toward our goals.

So I appreciate the proposal and I look forward to seeing more about it.

Thank you.

All right, JD.

Thank you, madam mayor.

Uh thank you both so much uh for your report last Monday and uh call-out back today.

Um more so comments is uh please do engage uh on the ground partners um and and and helping identify them and reaching out to them, such as the chambers um and ensuring that these RFP RFPs and grants are uh distributed uh equitably to our community.

Additionally, I would um just a slight concern about the curriculum piece, um, knowing that not all small businesses are the same, and this is something we spoke about in our last committee meeting, where you know, sometimes this holistic approach to small businesses to not fulfill all the demands that small businesses face, and the small businesses in East Charlotte, West Charlotte, North Charlotte, South Charlotte all look differently.

So I would just consider what that curriculum looks like and make sure that it's flexible when when you're doing these trainings.

Thank you.

Ed Driggs.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I'm very happy that we're doing this uh during the whole campaign for the sales tax.

I heard a lot of misgivings about it, and uh uh I think there was distrust just because there were things we weren't able to answer yet, and I was hopeful that as the situation as we went forward, some of those people that weren't there uh understand that this was actually a good thing to do.

Uh I think we have a responsibility to prove that to them, and this is a critical step.

Uh, my question is really more of a of a macroeconomic nature.

We are talking about a huge infusion of public spending into the Charlotte economy, and if you go all the way back to FDR, you know that that's a stimulus.

Uh so uh one thing that I would like for us to think about is kind of a macroeconomic analysis, like what kind of manpower does it take, what resources does it take, what constraints are we working against, and do we have input from uh employers and industry participants as to how they think they might meet the demand?

They're gonna have to get people to come here from somewhere else.

We do not have the manpower in Charlotte right now.

The manager alluded to kind of constraints.

Uh as we look forward to uh the development of the plan, I think in fact, during the time that we were talking about the plan, it became clear that some of the things that were proposed could not be done because there wasn't the capacity.

We just didn't have the capacity.

So the modeling had to then uh adjust for that.

So as you consider um what you're doing, uh where's the what new manpower uh and what training and uh in other words, what's our target in terms of the labor force we need and how we going about meeting it.

I'd just be interested uh not tonight, but in general, to have a conversation with you about that and then uh try to think through implications, for example, for housing.

If we have a big influx of labor uh in order to meet this, then that puts a tighter squeeze on our housing, and we're gonna be in a position of having to reconcile priorities and make tough decisions.

But um uh that's my only comment.

I'd like to follow up with you at a later date to think about that.

But uh in the meantime, I just wanted to assure people as I did during our campaign for the sales tax, that those who were not convinced uh and uh many of them weren't opposed to that sense.

I think there was an understanding that we had to invest, but they weren't convinced about how it was going to be done and about whether or not everybody would benefit.

Uh and I think our goal is to prove to them that it was the right thing to do.

Thank you.

Um yes, Mr.

Jones.

Uh Councilmember Drigs, uh totally agree with you.

One of the things that we've discussed, and Danielle and Ms.

Frazier started this with um our um E2E program where we're pipeline from high school directly to coming to work for the city.

So now that we know the jobs that are out there, project manager, engineers, you you name it, um, we sh our work going to work with CMS and to make sure that these students understand what the opportunities are out there.

And the other thing that I think is extremely important is you know this is actually building out a system.

So there's this added benefit when it comes to safety when it comes to congestion when it comes to connectivity, and so we shouldn't lose sight that we're also building something that's going to help the quality of light for yeah, yeah.

Thanks.

All right.

Ums Mayfield.

Thank you, Madam Bell.

Thank you for the presentation.

I want us to take it as consideration we already have some of these relationships.

We have the relationship with white label management.

We Shaw, I believe you had a chance.

If not, it's coming up soon.

Monica Allen and I had a conversation with KPN.

We have partners out there that's already on the ground doing the work.

I definitely I appreciate us expanding what we already have through the mayor's youth employment program.

I do not want us forgetting our adults.

There are a lot of people that have transitioned because of the work that they were doing.

We have had quite a few layoffs.

We have had quite a few manufacturing layoffs that have impacted our area as well as the region.

My colleague knows I'm not as interested about the new people coming in as I am those that are already here and the number of people that we are losing that we're not tracking, because I have said more than once if our city is not affordable for our workers, we will see a mass exodus of our workforce.

We have great talent here.

A lot of that talent has not had the opportunities that are presented.

So I would like for us to really be intentional with we have the grant out as you were speaking.

I went online to just do a quick search to pull up the information to think about a couple of organizations to send to to say, hey, do you even know this?

I want us to be intentional by starting internally.

You've already had meetings with different businesses.

I don't know if you've had the chance to have it yet, but at some point, Danielle, you're gonna be having the meeting with the O'Neill Academy.

We have great organizations that aren't currently funded by the city, but are doing amazing work and like the O'Neill Academy, for example, is the only one that actually has the certification for fiber optics.

We know that that is something that is going to be with us for a while.

So I don't want us to put a lot of energy thinking that we need to go find something that's already right here within arm's reach if we just go back through our roller decks for lack of a better word for you, young people.

We actually used to have cars that we rotate before we got into the internet.

So go back go back through that for the conversations that you've had, even if you just do a two-year snapshot, because we have some opportunities locally, and I'm always going to say, what are we doing for our taxpayers right here to show them where their tax dollars are being invested properly?

The others will come.

Uh you are not my priority.

That's just my reality.

My priority are the residents that are here that are facing challenges that need to face opportunities.

Thank you.

She still uses a telephone book.

I think that's right.

Okay.

So um, I I had the opportunity over the weekend to meet with the people from Scout, the people that are building these fun cars.

I don't know how much fun they are, but they're expensive.

I know that.

But one of the things that they did, and this is just something as Ed and Lawana have mentioned, this is where we have to step up our game.

So when I was there, the first person that came up to me was the woman that's making possible their job opportunities, and they were she was talking about high school kids.

And how do you get there?

They were saying they did not want people to build trucks, these trucks, without having the opportunity for young people to participate in it.

So I would hope that we continue as Ms.

Mayfield said that we work together with people, and especially when we get our new businesses in.

I did get the card, I just didn't bring it in tonight.

But Danielle, the they were very serious about the number of people and how quickly they've already got three plants.

I mean, amazing, like that for cars.

So let's just figure out how do we work with people so that everybody can find some place that they want to be.

And I think that's really one of the things that we have to do as a city is to make sure that people understand that we are doing this, but more importantly, we are doing this with a lot of other people, and there are choices to be made.

So thank you for what you're doing right now.

Oh let's see.

We went around on this side.

So I guess were you going all around?

I didn't know.

No, I think nobody else was.

I mean, Mr.

Graham did not raise his hand.

Anybody else on this side?

I have commentary from the city managers report, but if you have something specific to this, I just wanted to make a comment and ask a question here.

Um first of all, excellent work.

I was at the event on December 9th, and there was a lot of really good engagement in that room, a lot of excitement around specifically the strategic investment areas projects, if I said that the right way.

Um the question I have is around the retention of the IP.

I love that concept that we want to retain our IP in this process.

Can you just talk a little bit about how you plan to do that?

You know, is if this is something unique that other cities are not doing, or you've seen seen it occur at other cities, but I I'm very interested in the retention of this IP around this process and how we keep it and maintain it in a way that's easily accessible.

Absolutely.

Well, thank you for your your question.

Uh the idea of owning the intellectual property for training curriculum just goes by experience.

Oftentimes, uh municipalities are re-bidding every year for grant solicitations and with transportation and how it changes.

I mean, we have self-driving cars now.

So, what does our training look like and what does see us look like with innovation that's happening?

And to have stale data and training curriculum wouldn't set our businesses up for success.

So that's number one.

Number two, roughly 50 to 60 percent of the training curriculum can be applied to other aspects of procurement.

So, part of the uh team of teams approach and horizontal approach that we have at the city is Team Charlotte.

So, if we have a curriculum that's being utilized primarily in first through mobility, that's something that procurement and CBI can also use for other aspects of our business.

So, when it comes to becoming a registered business with the city, uh contracting and procurement, bidding opportunities, some of your what I'll call evergreen content that doesn't change uh depending on the regulation or the bid opportunity, we can use that intellectual property in that curriculum for other aspects of business with the city as well.

So we're looking to see how this could be a little bit of a rosetta stone for us, and how multiple departments can use this training curriculum with some adaptations depending on whatever the opportunity is.

Uh, but we're trying to be wise about how we um share information.

Last but not least, uh what we're doing here is more on the innovative side.

And uh to um one of the comments earlier having a curriculum and we owning it, and then uh us bidding this out again to other training providers or community organizations, that's where you can get the the local flair to it.

That's when you engage with multiple organizations, but the main thing has to be the main thing first, and we we have to make sure that we have a little bit of quality control and assurance on what's being shared out there because uh just through bidding opportunities, there's a lot of misinformation.

And sometimes what we see in you know, on the business world when it comes to procurement, uh, guess what's gonna happen next year?

You're gonna have these business gurus on social media telling you how to uh obtain government contracting, sign up for their 2,000 e-course, and they're giving you the wrong information.

So, part of us owning the intellectual property is protection for our small businesses as well.

Completely agree and really really like the concept.

I'm not sure how you're gonna go about the process, but I just would encourage you to think about the technology backbone that you're gonna use to even jump start this process because if you don't give the right amount of thought and preparation to that up front, a little bit later down the runway, it can become a hindrance because technology is moving so fast.

So you want to make sure you're built you're choosing the right platform with the right bolt ons that you can scale as we move forward.

Uh so really like that concept, and I I commend you for it.

The other piece about the talent planning and the pipeline is uh absolutely CMS schools, 1,000 percent.

Um but don't forget about our universities that we have here.

We have so many uh wonderful students who are coming here to learn.

I mean, you and C Charlotte just for an example really about to be become the largest university in a North Carolina university system.

How can we tap those young people coming directly out of school into either internships, you know, between junior and senior year, and then bringing them on directly out of uh out of graduation.

So just something to think about with our four universities, four or five that we have here.

Can I make a comment real quick to that?

Yes, just had a meeting actually uh last week with Chancellor Gaber to talk about how we can expand our internships and ultimately lead to employment.

So we're thinking about it from a higher ed from a K through 12 standpoint, and again, this is this is not just us, right?

It's a it's a community.

We have to partner with all of all of our partners, uh, and so we're we're starting that work now.

So thank you.

Thank you for that.

Thank you.

Okay.

I just want to wrap it up.

All right, Mr.

Mitchell.

Madam Mayor, thank you, and for all members of council, thank you for the great question.

And staff, thank you so much because we had a great discussion uh ED and work uh force meeting and city manager, thank you for giving us an update and looking forward to its success and how we now will be engaged to make sure we can assist you with the February third day of that.

So thank you, staff.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So yeah, so I just I wanted to park a bit on the city manager's miss Owen on the city manager's report.

And I don't think it's a huge departure from what we've been talking about because I am hearing my colleagues talk about quality of life.

I'm hearing my colleagues talk about priorities of our residents, and I'm hearing them talk about mobility.

And what I want to do is is draw up for everyone's attention.

We um issued the vision vision zero report last week, and I I think it circulated with us internally several months ago, but it was just issued, and it was picked up in the media, and it was picked up by a number of my constituents, and I wanted to just present you with a few of their questions and and sort of see if we can have a dialogue around this, perhaps for the retreat.

But um, I'll I'll be honest that I was a bit surprised since it's released by what it what it showed.

I I'm pleased that I was able since then to elevate some unsafe, some chronic unsafe situations on Providence and Carmel Roads.

I've elevated those to Chief Patterson this week.

But according to this report, um there were 81 traffic deaths and 11 serious injuries.

So while our uh number of accidents was down slightly, the seriousness of those accidents was actually up.

Um, and I think it's important when we focus and we have been focusing on public safety, and I've been constantly trying to shift the lens and not have it be uniquely on crime safety, but also on the safety of our streets.

And we've got a big responsibility now, particularly with our new transit mobility plan and a number of the things that we're doing.

But I just want to again escalate this vision zero and some of the accountability that we've already held ourselves to.

Um, those numbers I gave, those aren't just numbers, those are those are people, those are families, and those are families living with grief that shouldn't be part of their story.

Uh so I don't want to take away focus from the violent crime numbers, but I do want to widen that lens.

The vision zero report says that protecting human lives takes priority over all other objectives of our road system.

But what hit me hardest about the report was that speeding and improper vehicle operation are more than 60 percent of the fatal and serious car injuries, and that there is a known, it's called the high injury network.

The high injury network is only 13 percent of our streets, but it is 80 percent of our fatal and serious injury crashes.

Further crashes involving people walking and biking, only 1.5% of crashes, but they're 29% of serious injuries and fatal crashes.

So I just again I have these questions for the city manager.

I would ask for you to direct CDOT to treat these traffic fatalities and serious injuries as as the safety emergencies that they are.

I would ask if you can provide counsel and the public a high-injury network action plan that lists these corridors and specific changes planned for each corridor and the dates those changes will be installed.

And also I would ask, and this is elevated from a constituent, if when a fatal crash occurs, can we have a rapid response protocol so that the city can do something in the interim while we await longer term work?

And so I you and I have spoken, and I'm I'm impressed with the planning that has gone into a number of the various corridors that we are looking to improve with the monies that we get from the PAVAC.

But I just would would ask that we all acknowledge a responsibility to the safety of our streets.

I'm asking my fellow council members to help me prioritize safety, regardless of whose district a project is in.

Let's not all just stick our hands out for you know a little bit of the pot that's coming in, but let's help prioritize those things that are truly issues.

So with that, I I do appreciate you, city manager.

I don't know if you have an opportunity to respond.

Um we we've got a lot of people.

We I want I knew I know we have people in the audience too as well, and so we're would you mind um the idea of let's do what people came for and then we can continue that discussion or even take a time to figure out when it might be possible for this.

So, Mayor, are you suggesting for the manager's report we pause it to go to this part because I think the com I know mine is a lot in alignment with my colleagues on the manager's reports as well.

We are getting ready to come into the report.

As a manager's report, that's correct, and then um then follow through with having our um people that are here for the leash property.

And it's up to you guys really.

What do you want to do?

Maybe pause.

That is I'd like to proceed with the management.

I'm sorry.

But Dimple and I I was thinking if we can just quickly go around the dais, and because this is definitely uh one of the high priority items we have received.

Let's start with J D.

Go ahead.

Oh, well, what are we talking about?

I would suggest quickly to cap it maybe at one-minute remarks so we can respect our audience members' time as well.

Um we just wonderfully.

Okay, we're sorry, okay.

Thank you, Miss Ms.

Owens.

Um, I I agree with the management manager's report.

We've not talked about the strategic planning session.

I did watch the the meeting, the committee meeting where you all talked about the agenda, but one of the things I recommended was that we talk about strategic growth and growth.

And I think that is in line with what council member Owen said.

When you talk about Providence Road, we've been hearing complaints about Providence Road and the overcrowding for years.

And so when I asked for the infrastructure meeting, it was to take a look at different areas.

Maybe there are areas such as Mallook Creek and Providence Road and 160 and Mount Holly, Huntersville Road, that we need to pause.

So I I agree.

80 81 fatalities, we as a council should find that unacceptable.

I thought 21 accidents and 0.6 miles on Mallard Creek was unacceptable.

And 0.6 miles, 21 accidents.

People from 45 miles per hour to death waiting to happen.

So we do need to take a look at growth.

I would like uh on our planning uh agenda to take a look at growth and how are we growing responsibility.

I thought Mr.

Green's comments were on point, and I think we need to really listen how we're growing in the city.

Thank you.

Okay, let's keep going.

Uh thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, uh, Councilwoman Owens for bringing this to our attention.

Um, and I you know, I think I I just want to applaud the mayor for separating the committees and making safety a priority this year.

Um I I would love uh Manager Jones to speak with staff at a greater length to update our vision zero dashboard.

Uh currently it's outdated, the the data is hard to read.

Um it doesn't seem very accessible to the average citizen.

Um I would refer, and I think I've mentioned this to staff and colleagues everywhere, the strategic investment areas dashboard is a great starting point.

What Ed McKinney and staff did on that end uh was pretty impressive on how accessible that dashboard has been.

Um additionally, I would encourage us to find different ways to identify these corridors with these high rates, and how do we incorporate and align corridors of opportunity and strategic investment areas investment and funding to um kind of address these fatalities and how do we better improve those corridors with that existing funding to ensure that our residents are safe.

Thank you.

Ms.

Nation.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Manager still on this same line looking at the overlay of our infield developments that we have approved and the fatality impacts because some of this is also we're looking at two lane bolts, we're looking at areas where they aren't sidewalks, but we have approved a large number of developments in those areas and the crash impact of those.

Here's the opportunity for us to look at our policy language when we're looking at the 2040 plan, the UDO and the completion of the community area plans.

Okay, Mr.

Drake's so I'll spend the first five seconds of my 60 seconds thanking JD for that suggestion.

Um we need to recognize that uh the report enumerates a lot of actions that were taken and things like speed limits and so on.

That's nice.

Uh the fact is it probably major impact involves money, right?

So as we go to deploy the resources that we have, uh we we need to be very clear about that safety priority and how we're gonna use the money.

I know the work is Ed has done take safety into account in his proposals, but he doesn't necessarily prioritize the pro proposals specifically on grounds of safety.

So one thing we can do is just give precedence as we allocate the resources we have to areas where there are peak safety concerns.

Thank you.

Uh I agree with Councilwoman Owens uh with the request that she made to manager.

Miss Owen, would you have any further nothing more?

Ditto.

Okay.

Um thank you, madam mayor.

Um, I really I agree with the comments that were made.

You know, we were moving a bit um fast earlier, but in our consent agenda, items 13 through 15 that we approved.

There are funds that come from the governor's highway safety program.

Um, one of them, 13 specifically, specifically addresses uh vision zero areas where there's excessive speeding, of course, these car takeovers, uh the street car takeovers, etc.

And so there's some funds there for overtime because that is really we really need to have our officers there in those spaces.

We do have a and and staff has um a very good um layout of the high injury networks.

I don't believe they're prioritized, but there is a really good snapshot.

I'm sure they have to update it, but we have um visited that over the last year or so.

And I think uh Mr.

Manager, as we go into this budget cycle, I want to have conversations around things that we're not investing in.

Because sometimes when we look at the things that we're not investing in, um, that will that will shed some light on what's falling through the cracks, and there might be opportunities.

In fact, I know there's opportunity for us to invest in safety in a more robust expansive way outside of pure purely law enforcement.

We do a good job of that, and we can do more, but we do a really good job of that, but other things around where we're not investing in and how they have a derivative impact on public safety.

So that's what I'll be looking at as we go into the budget season.

Thank you.

Miss Mayel?

Yes.

Um, so this actually correlates with what uh Kimberley was saying as well.

Um and I had an email I sent to email to CDOT Friday about something similar about what the CIA are we using for strategic investment areas.

Are we using some type of equation?

So as a math teacher or former math teacher, I'm thinking of that.

Are we thinking of like constituent concerns or fatalities?

Are we are we weighing somehow those things so that those are a higher priority than something that may not, you know, the data, it'd be nice for us to do that improvement, but something else may be more pressing based on community concerns or proven data.

Um, so that would be my question.

Do we have an equation that we're using so that we're having some kind of weighted based on um the concerns of constituents and and the data?

Because right now the SIA, when I look, it's very broad, it's all TBD general stuff, it's all the same for each section.

Um, and that's something I've been talking to staff about.

How are they actually deciding which ones to fund versus others?

Um, and haven't gotten that answer yet, and that's okay.

I just sent it Friday, but I do hope to have that answer soon because that's imperative.

We're getting this money, and that the community um wants to know that we're doing right by them.

And Ms.

Yes, go ahead.

Uh so um Councilmember Mayor, that's a great question.

I um had some of the conversation with council member Owens uh last week.

And so if you start to and I'll be real fast, if you start to think about this mobility plus plan, the purple book that we have, it started off with two comma zero zero four, two thousand and four projects, not the year, but those projects from sidewalks, the bike paths, you name it.

It has vision zero in it, it has all of our plans enrolled into one.

So now we're at the proper place at this retreat to talk about how do we prioritize.

We we didn't because we don't have your input.

And so this is the great conversation that we'll continue for over the next couple of weeks about how do we prioritize this investment.

Okay, okay, Miss Lotton.

Thank you.

Uh the managers began to speak a little bit about what I was going to share.

Um, in addition to that, there was criteria that identified the original strategic investment areas um in the first place.

So there is there there is math, if you will, or at least rankings that um undergird the overall vision.

Um there was a point in time where we started to inquire with the communities that um that these strategic investment areas are actually in as to what the project priorities were.

Um I'm not sure if we finish those exercises or not.

I'll be very um interested in that from staff, but the idea was that we identified based on the metrics what these areas are now.

Let's um consult with the community themselves and find out what the priority is to them, what will be most impactful.

Um, so um I'm also supportive of the investigation or the desire for investigation now that we've got additional funding.

Uh what is it really gonna look like for me?

It has to include that community engagement uh because as we heard earlier, um we're we're seeing, as Mr.

Green mentioned before, we're seeing additional traffic, additional uh development in areas where the lived experience would say that it doesn't make sense.

So we've got to start with the community there.

Looking forward to it.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I agree with Councilmember Owens.

In fact, I had just reached out to Councilmember Johnson and Councilmember Arias just last week about vision zero because I know we had allocated 20 million dollars last budget cycle towards vision vision zero, and still we were barely scratching the surface when it came to high injury networks.

So funding was clearly an issue, but now with 100 million dollars per year really opens up uh tools that we have to address the high injury networks.

Um I agree with some of the uh sentiments that were shared by my colleagues.

I think certainly we need to prioritize immediate funding uh for high injury networks because we know majority of the fatalities traffic accidents are happening uh in those high injury networks, and we need to update the list because I do have a list from past two budget cycles.

Um, but there have been several more fatalities that have happened since then.

So we need to make sure that list continues to stay uh up to date because Harris Houston neighbors have been reaching out for past 10 to 15 years.

Yeah, 30 years, way before my time on the council, and still have not gotten their fair share of infrastructure improvements.

Uh and I read that in the observer, and I flagged I flagged that, and I said we need to do this uh same thing with Albumarl and Shamrock.

I reached out to a community member had reached out.

Um, but that's another corridor that we need to look at along with Providence and others.

Um of this corridors have waited for 20, 30 years to address traffic fatalities.

I mean, this is a crisis.

Uh so I'm glad uh council member Owens brought this up.

Thank you.

Uh, because this is something we need to address they have a roadmap right away with the funding that we have now.

Finally, so that's all I have.

Thank you.

All right, is there anyone else that has a remark or a request?

I I just say that um, you know, you haven't HOA and boy when you go to the meetings and they start talking about traffic and the races that I think people believe that that we're doing, and I think it's something that's really important to begin to think through it's gonna be important.

People okay.

Um, so the next item on our agenda is the sub lease of property at 811 Eastland Yards Boulevard sweet 105.

And I think that we have a speaker, and I think the first is it for speaker?

Okay, Greg is going to come down and talk with us.

Thank you, Greg.

It's good to hear.

See ya.

A little bit late, but it's still good.

Good evening, Mayor, Mayor Pro Town, City Manager and Council.

I'm Greg Ashuto, the executive director of Charlotte East.

Gonna be very brief.

Just wanted to say how excited we are for the next few agenda items, which I'll have coming up.

Um, this is a tremendous milestone for both this project and for our community.

We encourage each of you to vote in favor of each of the forthcoming agenda items on these subleases.

Um, you'll hear from them shortly, but each of these businesses provide a tremendous value to our community, um, filling some gaps that we do not have in our greater Eastland Small Business Ecosystem, and we feel that they complement each other incredibly well on the site.

I would also like to give a huge thanks to Todd DeLong and Tim Cinema for their intentionality with selection of these tenants, and we look forward to supporting where we can as they fill the remaining commercial vacancies.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

And our next speaker is Jennifer Geyer.

Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Jennifer Geyer, and I'm a proud Charlotte native co-owner and co-founder of Rumbau Latin Dance Company.

We have served the Charlotte area for the past 12 years.

We provide classes, performances, events in cultural programming for the city of Charlotte, serving thousands of students from all ages and backgrounds.

We are really honored to be considered for this Eastland Yards leasing project, as we believe it will help us expand our services to kids' programming and senior citizen programming as well.

We believe we can activate the ground floor at Eastland Yards as well as the park that's gonna be there, and provide significant programming for this area and for the community.

Some of the city goals that were stated was activating the ground floor, complement redevelopment, strengthen retail balance, increase pedestrian activity, and create a unique sense of place, and also ensure diverse tenant mix.

We offer studio classes over four nights a week, weekend events, performances, and recitals, drawing over 150 people each month.

We provide cultural entertainment programming that serves both new residents and surrounding community.

And we also provide culturally relevant Latin cultural programming that will distinguish Eastland Yards as a cultural destination, not just a residential development.

Over the past 12 years, we've had partnerships with the Mint Museum for their cultural dance night, the Mint to Move Cultural Dance Night, as well as worked with Carleton Talents for the Latin American Festival, Havana Nights, and community events, as well as North End Media for the Olaf Festival Uptown, providing cultural programming.

We've also worked with different corporate clients such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Truist, Ally Financial, Duke Energy, TIAA, Credit Karma, to provide Hispanic Heritage Month programming and have done pro bono educational work with the Charlotte Mecklenburg schools, including McClintock Middle School Esperanza Global Academy and Joseph W.

Greer Academy.

In summary, we feel like we have been uh proven Charlotte business with the past 12 years of continuous operation.

We have been deeply rooted in the community and have decade-long partnerships with Charlotte's cultural institutions as well as serving some of Charlotte's largest employers, as well as the Pro Bono educational work with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, evening and weekend programming that activate the groundwork ground ground floor retail as well as the park, and have created a cultural destination that creates a unique sense of place.

We are a collaborative partner, come committed to working constructively with the city, and we respectfully request City Council to improve the sublease resolution.

Thank you very much.

Our next speaker is Tim Citema.

Madam Mayor, City Manager, and Council members, my name is Tim Citema.

I'm uh one of the owners of Crosland Southeast.

It's an honor and privilege to be here.

Happy New Year to each of you.

Um as you well know, the Eastland Yards redevelopment has been a labor of love, uh, which we've been uh working on since you selected our firm in 2018.

Neither the city nor Crossland Southeast has really ever executed a master lease like the one that we're talking about here on the first floor.

We call it the first floor commercial space at Eastland.

Um it's probably worth noting that we really wanted to have some commercial space under the multifamily at Eastland because it sits across from the park that the county is building.

We wanted to activated activate that that street uh and just provide a lot more energy there.

The private sector alone could not make the math work at all on that.

So, absent the public-private partnership that we did, there would not be first floor commercial space there.

So thank you for that.

I want to start with that.

Um the work that we're doing with that first floor commercial space.

We're trying to thread a lot of needles here.

Obviously, it's it's paramount that we have a diverse group of entrepreneurs that lead businesses that contribute to the community.

We also want to provide the much needed amenities that the eSharlot residents deserve.

We also have to meet the needs of the specific spaces.

Uh, and what I mean by that is we can only put restaurants, for example, in some of the spaces uh because of grease trap locations and access to industrial um disposal and and things like that.

Some of the spaces have dimensions that don't lend themselves well for some uses or others.

So we're managing all these disparate uh uh uh needs and constraints.

Um the staff and we have been working for a year with this group of tenants.

Um I could not be more pleased and more proud of the three entrepreneurs that you're gonna meet tonight.

You just met Jennifer.

Uh she's amazing.

Uh what a treat it's been for me to get to know her and Jayla, and of course, Manolo, um, who's a dear dear friend of mine.

Um I'm here to tell you that I have no hesitation or reservations at all about these uh three business owners.

I would urge you to uh support uh them uh in their pursuit.

I think they check all the boxes.

These businesses represent about half of the first floor commercial space.

So if there are any course corrections or adjustments that council would like to make, please tell us and we can move forward um in the next round to try to incorporate whatever thoughts or concerns that you have.

But in the meantime, um I wholeheartedly endorse uh these businesses and hope you guys will as well.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um so we have three groups of I think these this um items.

So um, so that you guys can get home, we're gonna go ahead and have item number one.

Um, if there is a motion on item number eight that's in your document.

Um, I need a motion for that.

Madam Mayor, I'm gonna yield to the the gentleman from District Five.

What an exciting night.

Um, I want to entertain a motion to approve the sublease of city lease property located at 8115 Eastland Yards Boulevard Suite 105 with Ramove Rumbau Latin Dance Company LLC.

Making that motion.

Yes, making that motion.

Second.

Okay, everybody, okay.

There's a many seconds I've heard on both sides.

So with that, is there any further discussion?

There are no further disajmere.

Yes.

Uh thank you, Councilmember Aries, for your leadership and for making sure that East Charlotte is not left behind.

Um gotten um you started working from day one.

I certainly appreciate that.

Uh for years we watched empty land uh that where that used to be active, connected, and there was life.

Well, tonight we're finally turning that page, and uh this is not just about opening stores, it's about restoring dignity, opportunity, and joy to the people who live on the east side that have shown incredible patience and incredible resilience throughout the last 10 years.

And um, so tonight's decision is about giving East Side families, including mine, something we have waited for far too long, a neighborhood destination that we are proud to call home.

Um that I'll be supporting all four tenants.

All four.

We only got one that we talk about right now.

I understand.

I'm just saying I'll be supporting all four recommendations that's been made by the staff as well as the committee.

And thanks to committees for that's all I have.

Thank you.

All right, Mr.

Graham.

Thank you, um, Madam Mayor.

Uh I too want to uh lean forward and to congratulate um everyone for um this day becoming a reality.

It's been two years in the works uh for a wide variety of projects along the Eastland Yards.

But this is a and I'm gonna support all of them because it it's it's the right thing to do.

It's it's where we're at in the moment of Eastland Yards.

But Mr.

Manager, when we talked about deferring this to January, we also talked about giving up uh a more comprehensive report about the the other um uh entity, which is the uh sports and recreation facility uh and the soccer fields kind of know where we are with that.

And so this I thought that was gonna be a part of this presentation as well.

So maybe at the appropriate time, someone can kind of kind of give us an update on terms of where we are with that, because that's like this is this is great.

Um the the other one is really the muscle, which is your recreation facility, uh, the soccer fields, the county's already uh had their groundbreaking for their park.

Uh Tim has already been on ground with the senior housing, etc.

And the soccer fields and the uh recreation facility has been extremely quiet, and I I just would like to know where we are with that.

Okay.

All right, Miss Anderson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh I too echo the sentiments of my colleagues around the excitement around this day, and we had a conversation in our committee meeting, Mr.

Cinema.

You were there and you answered some some really um tough questions.

Um I'm excited about this because it is gonna bring a sense of vitality back to a space that used to be an epicenter for uh the Queen Center for the Queen City.

I want to make sure as we move forward, and I support these uh subleases tonight, of course, as well, but um I want to make sure as we move forward and and we begin to fill out the other vacant parcels or spots, if you will, that we have that intentionality of a 10-minute neighborhood and making sure that the right we're bringing the right resources to bear to this community.

Um and uh Mr.

Cinnamon you talked about restaurants, but just creating that third place for those residents to be able to come out and enjoy.

It's great that we have the park right there and that collaboration with the city and the county to bring that park forward to residents, but I just want us to make sure that we continue to have that intentionality about the full scope of this uh project.

But having said that, incredibly excited and look forward to supporting tonight.

Thank you.

Are there any other um yes, JD?

I would thank you, Madam Mayor.

I would just like to provide a little bit of context with this particular small business.

Uh Jennifer, thank you so much for coming.

Um, and if if you all could stand up who's representing Rimbao Dance Studio right now, thank you so much for being here.

Uh, thank you for uh withstanding two hours of council meeting um and being here.

I also want to recognize them right now because this is a business that currently temporarily resides in District 5.

They've been holding temporary space and to make uh uh conducting classes off of Oakhurst on Monroe Road, and so it is a rare opportunity that we as a city are able to give these folks that have service our community and our members of the community for years and years, a permit at home that they can they can now activate and facilitate.

So thank you so much for being here and thank you for your patience.

Thank you.

Any further comments?

Hearing none, we have a motion on the floor.

Um, all in favor of the motion, please raise your hand.

I think that's unanimous, but is there anyone that wants to have another comment?

Just joking.

Just joking.

Okay, so the next item is item number nine.

Is there anyone that objects to it?

Anyone objecting?

Okay, let's go on.

The next item is item number nine, a sublease of city lease property at 8115 Eastland Yards Boulevard, suite 106.

Greg, are you gonna back down?

Come down with us.

No, okay.

Okay, sorry.

And Jayla, are you gonna be speaking with us?

Yes.

Yes, please come on down.

Hello, everyone.

Hello.

Hello.

My name is Jayla Albaringa.

I am a nail technician originally from Greensboro, North Carolina, why I have rented private suites from other salon suite owners.

Being a tenant firsthand has given me the experience, insight, and vision to understand what it truly takes to be a successful salon suite owner.

I also recognize the lack of salon suite ownership that reflects both my background and the Eastland Charlotte community.

That gap is what inspired me to take this step forward.

I have fully dedicated myself to this vision by relocating to the Charlotte Mecklenburg area, allowing me to have boots on the ground and devote my full time and energy to suites by Alberinga collection.

I believe I am the ideal candidate to fulfill retail retail suite 106, creating a space that will provide Charlotte small business owners with a true home for their business operations.

This opportunity will foster an elevated environment within a growing community of beauty and wellness professionals while supporting entrepreneurship, representation, and long-term success.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Let's see.

Ms.

Swatlington.

Thank you.

I just had a quick first of all, congratulations to all the business owners.

I love to see it.

And thank you for sticking with us.

Um and I look forward to supporting you in the community.

I just have a couple of questions.

Really, it's um more so maybe at Mr.

Cinema and to my colleagues.

Is it I love that these businesses are here, right?

As I think future forward, we we know that because we have an ownership stake that we were able to direct a little bit more in the future.

I'm curious as to has there been any conversation in terms of like a merchant association.

I think about historic West End or West Boulevard or some of the other areas that have really wanted to rally around their small business owners and really um galvanized formally through merchant associations, and I'm curious as to if there's going to be any um interest or any willingness to support that.

Charlotte East and Charlotte East will do it.

Okay, gotcha.

They would already been doing it.

Yes, they have okay, so they'll just come under your umbrella.

All right, Councilwoman Wellington.

I'm sorry, I saw JD.

Were you next?

Sorry, I just wanted to directly respond to that.

Um, this is something that also Mayor Pertham and other colleagues on.

Um Councilmember Graham and Councilmember Mayo, we met with these merchant associations as well, making sure that they stay involved.

Speaker, I'm sorry, something about that mic.

I when I used to sit there, you can I can hear no one.

Can you hear me?

Is this okay?

Exactly.

I need to work on that.

Okay, so um essentially we have been engaging merchant associations and ensuring that they're activated within the community.

And um, I know Charlotte East has been partnering and ensuring that we're uplifting these businesses and that they're plugged into it as well.

Okay, so the merchant association is separate from Charlotte East, but Charlotte is supporting it or the merchant association.

Okay, thank you.

All right, any other comments.

Rip and number five to make the motion.

Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

I motion to approve a sublease of city lease property located at 8115 Eastland Yards Boulevard Suite 106 with great uh Realty LLC.

Second, we have a motion and a second.

Any discussion, Miss Um Mayfield?

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

So I believe we all received a letter that was in our packet, and we have been having a one, we have invested millions in the redevelopment of Eastland.

And as Mr.

Cinema mentioned, this is a seven-year conversation that has been happening.

I am going to reiterate what I shared in committee because I do have concern with one, it being salon suites.

I'm not saying that that's not something that could be beneficial for a business, but as this development is growing out, that's something that could come later.

Initially, during the research, they're headquartered out of Greensboro.

I asked what has been our local outreach.

Well, we have instituted language regarding our street vendors.

One of them, writing as a small bid vendor, a business owner, a resident who is trying to survive and growing the city, not disrupt it.

For many of us, vending is not a hobby.

It is not a nuisance.

It is the first rung of the ladder when traditional systems are closed to you.

No credit, no investors, no safety net, just effort, consistency, and the hope that showing up every day will eventually turn into stability.

When vendors are pushed out, what's really being removed isn't clutter, it's opportunity.

Charlotte often speaks about supporting small businesses, equity, and entrepreneurship.

But for many people, especially those from working class and marginalized backgrounds, vending is small business.

It's where we learn customer service, inventory, branding, and responsibility.

It's how we test ideas before we can afford storefronts or leases.

It's how we stay out the streets out of trouble and focus on building something legal and positive.

Banning vendors doesn't create order, it creates silence, it removes culture, creativity, and real human interaction from public spaces.

Now, when we look at this letter and the impact of note that we're having in both NOTA and South Dam, because we do need to have a real conversation of the impact of street vendors when you have brick and mortar.

But when we have our opportunity and we are offering very low competitive rates regarding supporting Eastland, I have concerns that we have not pushed to create those opportunities that we already have relationships with locally.

I think it could be beneficial over in this area because council member Arias and I looked up and did a Google search of how many salons are already in there.

For me, that could be something that could be beneficial as the development grows.

But when we're talking about being intentional and creating opportunities for small businesses in an area that is extremely diverse, you have an Ethiopian grocery store not too far that has been a supporter and an investor and then is in this community for many years.

You have small business clothing stores that have been moved and shifted from South End from Fourth Ward from areas that we identified as corridors of opportunity that have been displaced and moved that also contribute to the diversity that we have in our city and those who have already been paying taxes and contributing to the growth of our city that did not necessarily even know that this was an opportunity that was available, not blaming anyone on the marketing on it.

That's not the role of Tim Cinema and his team in partnership.

The city has had a number of these conversations because these businesses have reached out to us.

So that could have been a different conversation.

I personally have concerns with this particular product.

I am not going to be voting for this yet.

I recognize we all need to make a decision, but when we're talking about we're going to make multiple millions of dollars of investment, and we tell the community this is to benefit you.

And we're looking at creating something that's sustaining long term.

On the front end, we have one proposal for a dance studio.

We have a proposal here for a coffee shop and for another type of service.

Is this the best way to move forward at this particular time as this development is still being built out versus an opportunity later on down the road is what uh would like for us to consider again when we think about the businesses that have been transitioned from their current locations, the businesses at along our light rail that had multiple challenges and were not did not have some of the opportunities that this development is providing.

We have an opportunity to make sure that we're supporting growth in a way that's long-standing, not just short-term for me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we have a motion on the floor.

Would you like to I would thank you, Madam Mayor?

I would like to recognize that this is a conversation council member Mayfield and I have had for the past few days, and I'm in all agreement with her reasoning.

Um and at the same time, we both appreciate that we are going to vote differently.

Um, but but I definitely do agree.

I think there is an opportunity moving forward to be more intentional in partnering with our partners.

Councilmember Mayfield made it very clear during our economic development uh committee meeting that we need to partner up internally with um Charlotte Business Inclusion with our existing partners with our business district organizations on the ground that already are doing this work and recognizing this.

Um this afternoon earlier this afternoon, I spoke to Councilmember Mayfield about this Ethiopian uh market and restaurant that is right next to Loshish Kebab on Sharon Amity as a potential great uh tenant for this area, and at the same time, I also want to recognize the risks that you, Jayla, and and the rest of the business owners are taking and committing and signing a lease in an unactivated space right now.

That is that that I want my colleagues to recognize the risk that these business owners are taking and and being part of something that we've never done before.

So uh, you know, something that Todd DeYoung oftentimes says is that we haven't done this.

This is very new to us, and we're learning as we're growing and moving ahead.

Again, I just wanted to take the time to appreciate Councilmember Mayfield's comment and the validity and credibility those concerns have, as well as recognizing that this is what partnership looks like.

Exactly.

That we can vote opposite from this issue.

I'll be voting in for it, but also recognizing the valid concerns that my colleagues and members of council might have on this.

Thank you.

Ms.

Johnson, did you have your one or remarks?

I did, madam mayor.

I want to piggyback off what my c both my colleagues are saying.

I I love what you said, council member Mayfield.

We have to be intentional.

There are people that are hurting, that are displaced due to gentrification that have been holding that area down when no one was cared about the east side.

And so that happens a lot with the West Side and North Trion.

We have to be intentional and caring to those residents and those businesses who have been there.

So I do agree that they have uh priority, they should have priority, and I'd like to see that moving forward.

Let's make sure that we're intentional about that, Mr.

Jones.

Um I will be supporting this tonight because I do also want to support the district rep, though I know it spent a lot of time on this lease.

I'm not saying I did.

Yes, yes.

So uh, but I but I do agree, and we've talked about this before as we're redeveloping these spaces.

We need to take a look at the the businesses that have been there the entire time.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Any other comments, Ms.

Ashmira?

Yes, uh, thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh I just want to thank uh some of our unsung heroes, uh, as specifically Carolyn Millen.

Uh Carolyn Millen, Diane Langvin, and so many east side neighborhood leaders.

They have been advocating for this for 10 years.

I remember meeting with them, especially Diane Langevin.

She had a folder this big.

She's been to every single community outreach meeting.

And I personally believe that we need to listen to the community.

They want us to approve this lease.

Uh, and I certainly thank Charlotte East, Greg Ashudo, for providing our support to small businesses, uh, especially during uh border patrol when they were here and there was disruption on the east side, as well as uh cross and salties for not giving up.

I know you've been at this since 2018.

I certainly appreciate your continued persistence.

With that, I'm ready to move forward.

All right, so I believe I do believe that the um we have a motion on the floor.

Um and I think we have a lot of conversations.

So um all in favor of the motion, please raise your hands.

All right, let's see.

And those that are in opposition, please raise your hands.

We have one in opposition and the remainder for this.

All right, so the next item is item 11.

No, no, not 11, 10.

So, Greg, you're not coming down, or you're coming down.

No, you're you're uh I'm trying to just get you down here again.

And so now, Manuel, it's good to see you.

They're working for me.

Good evening.

City manager and honorable uh city council.

Uh thank you so much for doing this.

We are showing the the nation than the city, private companies and small business owners can work together.

I want to make a clarification about the two businesses that I want to bring to this to this space, and why is not just one.

I have an uh uh gelato business in Matthew in Sao Charlo for our representatives more than welcome to visit us.

We are the only place in the nation that our gelato is 100% vegan.

There's no eggs, no dairy, no gluten, and I promise you it tastes good.

Uh so we can all have this and just one place because cross contamination.

So that's what I'm asking you for one little space that's 1,000 square foot.

And the other is the other space is my coffee shop that I started a partnership with Mario Spark, you know, in Method Church one year ago, and it's working so well because we are the only coffee shop in town that we are employing people who have been in trouble.

Uh that needs a second opportunity with the Syria and uh Chef Ron from the Charlotte Culinary School is providing with one of these people, people with special abilities, people of minorities.

100% everything that we buy it in this coffee shop comes from a small local businesses.

And uh 100% of the profits goes back to community.

So these are the two businesses that I'm bringing to to this beautiful place.

I want to bring you some numbers that I have in my bakery that we have been in Charlotte and each Charlotte for 29 years.

And last year, 2025, we spent almost 100,000 with Chinese brothers.

There is an American company in Statesville, North Carolina.

Cisco, almost $8,000.

Down foods done three as not as good as it should be.

Three in a small business is $70,000.

Simpson X then is a local farm.

$50,000.

That's a lot of X.

And we paid more than $250,000 in taxes.

So I woke improved and unemployed in a lot of Americans, not just immigrants.

That's a big number for a company that it went from $300,000 themselves to almost $2 million just in each Charlotte.

We went to hell just two months ago.

Being an immigrant is me it means to be brave.

And I'm here in front of all of you and asking you to give me this opportunity because we can create something big and we can send a big message to the nation.

So thank you so much for doing this, and thank you so much for supporting us.

Thank you so much.

Yes, I would like to make a motion to adopt a resolution improving a sublist of city lease property located at 5625 Hollyfield Drive Suite 122 with Artisan Gelato.

Second.

I have a motion and a second.

And Bob B.

A and B.

A and B and B, yeah.

Right.

Okay.

Any discussion?

Yes.

So when I see Manolo, it reminds me of my very first meeting with Manolo in 2016.

Um I remember Manolo and I sat down outside of East Charlotte in a yogurt ice cream shop.

And we were talking about why this kind of amenities did not include uh weren't available in our district.

And I remember Manolo and I talking about how we need to make that vision into a reality.

So Manolo, it took only nine years.

Uh but thank you for believing in East Charlotte and helping make this happen.

Uh you represent the very best of our local entrepreneurship.

You represent the very best of our immigrant community, and you represent what hard work, resilience, and giving back means.

And I'm very proud of you, brother.

Um with that, I'm looking forward to seeing both of your businesses, and I'll be a regular to your vegan ice cream shop.

Thank you.

You got a lot of fans down here, you know that, right?

So for what you do, it's been amazing.

All right.

Thank you, madam mayor.

Um I'm gonna not try to get emotional with Manolo.

Umolo has been uh not only a friend but a mentor and and uh uh father figure as well.

Um I'll tell you two months ago, Manolo and I were out every single night in front of his bakery uh protesting with the children of immigrants alongside I see her, Reverend Quirin Mac, who was there during the day.

It was a beautiful demonstration of cross-racial, cross-ethnic, cross-religious solidarity for our immigrant brothers, because I oftentimes want people to know that immigrants are not just Latino, they come from different walks of life, they come from Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ukraine, different countries, and the movement we built outside of that bakery, it's one that not only the city recognized, but the entire country did.

Um, and so I'm so proud of this moment of of giving back to the community and finally bringing a local ice cream shop to east Charlotte.

Um, not the one in in Plaza Midway, you know, uh Eastland area.

Um, and additionally, I I also want to Manolo spoke to this and alluded to this.

There was some conversation during the previous council that you know you know, Manola had two spaces and whatnot.

I want to dispel that.

You know, his two spaces together make up less than the square footage of the other two tenants that we voted on previously.

So I want to make that very clear.

Um, and this is an opportunity to bring really that entrepreneural spirit.

If Manolo's bakery on Central Avenue has become a cornerstone of community and solidarity and a place of gathering, imagine what this ice cream shop is going to bring to east siders.

So thank you.

I yield my time.

Okay, thank you, everyone.

So we have a motion on the floor.

All in favor, please raise your hands.

I think if everybody had other hands, they'd be raised as well.

So thank you very much for this.

All right, so the next item says resolution.

I'm sorry.

Okay, so we have we have a few other ideas of what we should be doing and before we can get home.

So the first one is an interlocal agreement to support administrative.

We didn't need a vote.

We're on 12 now.

I'm sorry.

James Mitchell did that.

I did that.

All right, 11.

Item 11, sub lease of city lease, I mean sub-lease of city lease property at 65625, Hollyfield Drive Suite 112.

I mean 123.

Um so adopt a resolution approving a sub-lease as well as authorize the manager as his designee to negotiate and execute those documents.

Do we have a motion?

Yes, I have a motion to adopt a resolution I authorize the city manager to negotiate executive documents.

A and B.

Second.

We have a second.

Is there any further discussion?

Please if not, please.

Oh, Mr.

Driggs.

So as we wrap up uh these events, I want to just take a moment, especially to acknowledge uh Tim Citema, who looks like may they're young.

Uh because going all the way back for years, nobody wanted to touch this.

And we looked and we looked, and then Mr.

Cinema came forward with a vision.

We partnered with him initially, where we made an investment and he did in developing plans there.

And it's been a long and bumpy road.

So Mr.

Cinema, I just wanted to tell you uh I really appreciate uh what you have done to get us all here tonight.

Thank you.

All right, uh JD, you want to I'm gonna make it very brief, Mayor.

I promise.

Um you don't have to promise.

I just want to recognize all the small business owners that were here.

Umolo, Jayla, Jennifer who just left, and thank you, Tim Cinema and Todd DeYoung for working diligently with me on day one after I was sworn in to make sure that this was a transparent communicative process to the community.

East Lane Yards means so much to me.

I grew up going to Eastland Mall, right?

It was the only movie theater at the time that has Spanish subtitles where my mom was able to sit down and watch an English speaking movie with me.

So the fact that after decades of this space not being activated, and it's now finally coming to fruition is so incredible, so cool to see.

It's a childhood dream come true uh that we're bringing back an economic incubator to the east side.

So thank you to all my colleagues for voting.

Thank you to my colleagues who expressed their concerns to make the process even better moving forward.

So did I make the motion?

Yes, yes, you did.

You did make the motion.

We have a motion.

Yes, we have a motion.

So and I think we all had our hands up, but both two hands if you want to.

Go ahead.

Uh and so we're ready to move forward.

So the next item on our own.

Oh, we have to vote.

Oh my gosh.

Okay, all in favor, please raise your hands.

Is there a second?

Oh, we got you.

Yeah, we did say.

I see the two.

I see the two hands.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Um as everyone knows, this has been a big big leap and and a very good one at the end.

It was 18 in favor.

Good job.

Okay.

So we have that marsh.

Um, now the in the local agreement.

No, we're getting it.

Okay.

All right, 12.

You learn a local agreement to support the administrative startup of the metropolitan public transportation authority.

Adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager as designated negotiate and execute an interlocal agreement with the Metropolitan Public Transit Authority, MTPA, to support the administrative start-up of said um site or program.

Um, authorizing the manager to negotiate and execute all documents, contracts necessary to complete the interlocal agreement and provide administrative startup support and the amount of four million three hundred thousand dollars and adopt the budget ordinance appropriating the same amount in the fund balance in CATS operating fund for transfer and appropriation to the Cats Capital Project Fund.

Move to approve.

We have a motion to approve and a second.

Is there any discussion?

All right, we'll start with Ms.

Anderson and come to Miss Kashmira.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

And um I just wanted to just give some perspective on this.

I will be supporting this initiative, and I'm so happy to see two members of the authority who have joined us, including the chairman.

As we are making this transition, this is a um it's a really big deal.

And yes, we have the authority, and I'm so happy that we were able to move swiftly over the last couple of years to get things in place.

But in order for you all to take on assets and to stand up the way you conduct your business, you have a lot of heavy lifting to do, and you will need support in that process.

And clearly the city is here to support uh from service level agreements, SLAs, um, to helping you navigate this this space so you can be fully on board.

You know, this is one um this is one action, Mr.

Manager, um, that I think is just one of many that we're going to have to do to support the establishment of uh the authority and it and in the actual um agenda item it it it alludes to that that there will be other actions to be made as well.

Um but I just wanted to say this is a court, this is a matter of course as it relates to you know uh when you do acquisitions and when you stand up new greenfield businesses and the new greenfield authorities, there's a uh a level of financial injection that you have to have that's just part and parcel to conducting business.

So uh I'll be supporting this this evening and look to your wisdom and guidance and leadership on the authority as we navigate over the next several months.

Thank you.

All right, Ms.

Ashmira.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I agree with uh remarks that's been made by my colleague, Councilmember Anderson, uh and Chairman Um Mr.

Howard as well as Minister Mack, uh, thank you for being here uh all the way till the end.

Um I just want to be very clear that the funding that we are approving today is completely separate from the recent transportation referendum.

This is just from existing Sales Tax Revenue uh that are that's already restricted for transit use.

And um, you know, with any organization when we are trying to build up an organization, there is a startup cost involved.

So just the basic foundation that's needed to continue to stand up the authority.

Uh we are in great hands with your leadership, Mr.

Chairman, as well as all 27 members of the authority.

Um, I always tell people that when you look at strong transit or uh that doesn't start with rail or buses.

It really starts with governance, it starts with financial controls and it starts with systems that aren't public trust.

So I look forward to how this fund will help us continue to restore public trust in our transit system.

That's all I have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Did I see some other anyone else on this side of the dias over here?

Okay, um, Mr.

Graham.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and and let me take this opportunity to congratulate Chairman Howard and Trustee Mack for their participation on the Metropolitan Public Transit Authority.

I had the opportunity to be there when they were sworn in and because I had nothing to do with your January meeting.

Uh and I'm so excited about what this community is about to do in terms of really to do a regional transportation network and being able to see it from the start.

The Intergovernmental Relations Committee had the opportunity to hear the presentation at our our first meeting.

And if I can speak for the members of the committee, we're all extremely excited about establishing the relationship and a partnership with the authority, uh, as we do with state government, our county government.

Uh we understand that this will be the first of many interlocal agreements we have between the city and the authority, and we look forward to being um partners with you.

We also understand that um over the first 18 months it's gonna be foundation building, uh building partnerships, building relationships, building trusts, uh building a culture for the organization, and obviously there's 4.3 million dollars, just as I said earlier last week is putting gas in the car so you can go.

And uh we want you guys to go and and go far and um and go steady and straight.

And know that the subcommittee is here to support your work uh and support you um both Ms.

Mack and Chairman Howard and your endeavors to create a system that reflects this community.

Thank you very much for your support.

All right.

Mr.

Driggs.

So having been the chair of transportation and planning throughout the run-up to the referendum.

And uh I also saw the first meetings.

Uh Mr.

Chair, I admired how you were appointed in the second meeting, left right into the chair, and then essentially herded those cats.

It was quite an extraordinary session.

And I will point out to all of us that we are in somewhat uncharted waters here.

This is the first of a number of votes, many votes that will come to us, and many of them will address issues that we haven't seen before.

So uh how do we move over the assets?

What are they worth?

Uh, how do we move over the personnel?

How do we protect them and preserve whatever benefits they have from working for the city today?

Uh there are going to be issues of uh risk management.

Uh we're gonna have to partner with this organization and provide various services as they build up their capacities.

And uh I look forward to that partnership.

I think it's important that we work at all times in a spirit of cooperation because let's recognize the activity of the authority must be aligned with what we are doing here.

So our road planning, our development planning, our housing planning, all of that is part and parcel with investments that are being made in mobility.

So uh I think this is a uh a huge development.

This prefers vote is a milestone.

Um, and I think it's pretty clear.

We we've got to get some money into this organization.

At their first meeting, they kind of sat there, they didn't have a dime, right?

They didn't have a bank account.

Uh and uh they they need our help initially to transact and and to gradually inflate this thing as and and and build it up.

So uh good night tonight.

Thank you, Ms.

Mack.

Uh and Mr.

Howard, thank you especially.

Uh I think you're uh a great uh candidate to be, I mean, a great person to be in this role, uh, representing as you do uh through your history with the city and your background in transportation, kind of many dimensions of what it is we're going to be dealing with.

So I look forward to working with you.

Thank you.

All right.

Any other discussion?

Well, I couldn't view it.

Oh we got to both.

Okay.

All right.

So I I think that it's a really great opportunity for us.

Um I know that between Ed and myself and the manager, um five, six years that we went through with all of this.

Um we were audacious to say that um the manager would buy a train for mil 90 million dollars.

That's easy.

And and if you only knew, I mean, we we if you only knew about Raleigh and how many times we went there, and how much of an engagement it had to be to make this happen.

I think it's probably one of the most momentous things that we would ever ever do.

But I also think that you will do those things as well as we did, and we're just glad to turn it over to you.

Um I say that with great um support to you.

Um I this city is going to be someplace that's gonna be so great, and part of it will be it was because we did start taking care of our people.

We started giving them a job, we started giving them a way to get around the workplaces and all of these things that we committed to do, everything that I think the staff and everyone else, I believe truly that that is going to be the beginning of what will make our city continue to be someplace that people will care about.

And so with that, I guess that um we need to have a motion.

I mean approval of this.

We got a motion, let's go with it.

All in favor, say aye.

Anyone oppose?

Nobody's opposed to that.

So thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

That's it for us today.

Motion to adjourn.

All right.

Um we appeared.