It is two o'clock and we do have a quorum and lots of guests, so we'll go ahead and get started here.

Uh kind of motion on the minutes.

All right.

So without further ado, I'd like to introduce David and Lauren who are here to talk to us about the Provenent Place project.

We've had a long day as we were kind of discussing, and there were some discussions.

We can just move right to the boat now.

There's discussion of whether to postpone this presentation or not, and I said this is an exciting project.

We need to hear about it.

Well, thank you for that.

So take it away.

Well, great, Mr.

Chairman, thank you, members of the councils.

Good to be with you.

I'm David Denmark with the McClellan Foundation.

My colleague here is Lauren Hall with First Things First.

And we're grateful for the opportunity to present a plan to address homelessness in our community.

It's called Provident Place.

You can see an image of it up there on the screen.

And in the next 15 minutes, you're going to hear a lot of facts and figures.

But there's one thread that pulls through them all, and that is children.

Everything we talk about today is about children experiencing homelessness with their families.

We're gonna be moving fairly quickly through the slides just so we can leave ample time for your questions at the end.

But on any slide that you need any clarification clarification, is please interrupt us.

And we just want to do anything we can to get there.

So please interrupt us if you need to, or you can hold your questions and we'll come back to them at the end.

First to start us off, I'd like to calibrate us around some definitions.

And according to these five categories, there's over 1,40 children in Hamilton County today experiencing homelessness.

Today we have 124 beds spread across those four providers here in town.

The average cost per bed is just under $17,000 per year.

And the coalition estimates that we need 30 uh 385 beds to meet the present need, which leaves us with 261 of a shortfall.

And that would also be 43% of the estimated citywide need for homeless families and their children.

They will not be for families.

So we pulled them out.

They're not in any of the tallies that you see.

But Baron King wanted to make sure that I mentioned that they do intend to use those to continue addressing homelessness in our community.

What we're asking for the city today is for you to donate the airport in to a charity that we created in 2013 to fund the operations of the family shelter.

There will be a 12-member board governing the work.

And the donated property will be used exclusively to address two serious challenges facing our community.

That is the emergency shelter for homeless children and their families or their guardians, and the creation of new affordable housing units.

During our QA time, I have a couple of slides or diagrams over here.

I can show you how we plan to lay out the property between the two emergency shelter and the affordable affordable units.

And if there are any point in the future that the airport in or the provident place is not used exclusively for those two purposes, there is a clause in the D that will revert back to the city and in a lot better shape than you will have been given it to you.

And given the day that you've had, I hope this is the best news you want to hear.

We are not asking for any new monies out of the city budget for this project.

Oh, thank you.

So while we're not asking for any new money, we are able to provide some savings and benefits.

As you probably know, $90,000 is the current budget line item for the carrying cost of Airport Inn, and that does not include staffing costs.

On top of that, we will have an operating budget with services that equal 1.45 million dollars that will be provided without city contribution.

Long-term community benefits.

There are several longitudinal studies that show how family-centered shelters provide benefits for communities.

And I've listed some sources there, and you have it in the slide for you.

If you want me to send those to you, feel free to ask, and I will send the research.

But ultimately, they all say that family-centered shelters reduce repeat homelessness, child welfare involvement, and crisis system costs for communities.

Plus, children gain stability, safety, and support that is linked to long-term improved mental health outcomes, stronger educational outcomes, and stronger financial outcomes.

And we all know when children have those things, it reduces the risk that they will be part of the justice system later on and all of the costs involved with that.

So here's the plan.

Phase one, when we get the green light, we would start to bring the entire building up to City Code, renovating those 25 rooms, 134 beds total, including cribs for families with children.

And we would also build out a micro child care center as part of this plan.

Phase two, which would be estimated to start in winter of 2027, is to do the affordable housing units that David mentioned.

And safety and security, we are taking this very seriously.

Ultimately, we want Provident Place to be child and neighbor friendly, meaning we want to protect the children inside and also help the neighborhood to know that this is a safe space for the families who are there and the families around it, which is why we will have coordinated entry referral only for the families who will be in Provident Place.

We will conduct background checks for all adults, no sex offenders or recent violent offenders, will be allowed, and we will have a zero tolerance drug policy with no drugs allowed on site.

We will also have arms security 167 from 4 p.m.

to 8 a.m.

which will be provided by Zirkops.

And we will also have perimeter fencing, security cameras, and controlled entry access.

After talking with Chief Chalmers, we will be able to do a security assessment in partnership with the Chattanooga Police Department, and our security system will be linked to Arctic or the Real Time Information Center.

So let's talk about the money since it is budget day.

These are our budgets, not yours.

But phase one renovations we estimate to be at 3.3 million dollars for the affordable housing or phase two renovations.

We anticipate that to be around 800,000.

And to operate Provident Place on an annual basis, it will be 1.45 million dollars.

I'm really excited to share with you that of that we've already uh raised 2.5 in cash from the community.

million dollars uh for the affordable housing or phase two renovations we anticipate that to be around eight hundred thousand and to operate provident place on an annual basis it will be 1.45 million dollars um really excited to share with you that of that we've already uh raised 2.5 uh in cash from the community and seven local businesses have stepped up to provide over six hundred thousand dollars in products and services towards the project total which is really amazing and really excited that's working that's working it is working back to you all right so we're just first things first play into all of this well we would be the operating system for Provident Place we would do day-to-day services resources and wraparound support for families we have already had the pleasure of working at McClellan shelter for families for 11 years providing support so this is a natural step for us we follow evidence-based holistic models of care and all of our programming to help serve vulnerable families and build self-sufficiency we'll build rehousing pathways to affordable or alternative housing within 90 to 120 days and we'll provide case management and family support coaching for up to one year after a family transitions out of the shelter this is a best practice that we've met with some other family shelters across the nation and they do this and that has created really long term stability for families because we're focused on family sustainability that simply starts with shelter under that there's a list of services that will be offered on site now of course first things first we'll not do all of these because we can't do all things but one thing that we do really well right now for our other programs and do really well in general is creating relationships with community partners who can provide services that we don't already do.

So you can see the list of services offered here and in just a minute you'll see all of the community partners that we are already working with and who have committed to work with provident place families as well.

And this is a really busy slide I realize but that's kind of the point the community has been really busy pulling together to serve these vulnerable families and that's truly a private public philanthropic partnership.

And so these are the seven private companies that I've mentioned earlier that have come together to date there's still others that we're speaking with like an asphalt company here in town to help us with the parking lot those are some of the public patrons that have stepped up to provide solutions for these vulnerable families and we really haven't started on the philanthropic side we wanted to wait for this meeting to get a sense of your proclivity for this project before we really start fundraising in earnest and another really busy slide these are community partners that first things first already has relationship with and that has they have committed to provide their services at Provident Place as well either as referral partners or to provide on-site services and any way that they can help support holistic care for these vulnerable families and our last slide is to talk about our next steps councilman birds have been so helpful guiding us to this point so to date we have sent letters to the Severdale Neighborhood association Severdale Baptist Church and Academy and local businesses within the block of where the airport in is upcoming again with councilwoman burrs we're going to host a community meeting somewhere on Severdale's campus.

The goal is to do that before June the 17th and then in the letter to the local businesses I offered private meeting with them and one of them have taken me up on that so far so I'll be meeting with them I believe this Thursday course of some point soon we would like the the council to vote on this idea and this proposal upon which time we will then issue the RFP for construction and start the operational funding and our goal and our commitment first things first is to do that in two year cycle so we'll go and raise two times the 1.45 or 2.9 million before we launch so in closing uh Provident place is not going to solve Chattanooga's homeless challenges and sadly it's not even gonna solve it for all of the children in town but with your support we can solve it for some yes and that makes it worth all the effort so Mr.

Chairman back to you for questions.

Thank you I know we have one minute to spare we have councilwoman Dotley and then councilwoman heel yeah thank you so much uh first I am excited I'm trying to stay calm but I am if you know me know I love children and I love when families can come together and stay together as a council since I know we've been here uh with Madam with Councilwoman heel uh and with the previous counsel with councilman Henderson as well as councilwoman no affordable housing and homelessness has always been a focus of ours and this is one of those items that has carried over from the previous council where we had the rezon the airporting and I know y'all kind of watch that that happened um and um Dr.

And this is one of those items that has carried over from the previous council where we had to rezone the airport in, and I know y'all probably watched that that happened.

Um, and um Dr.

Uh Kara Burrs did an amazing job in carrying the water for that.

Uh so uh at first I'm glad that it's local.

I think that was a big part of the issue is that it wasn't local.

A little to see the local providers that you've already started raising money, yeah, ask for more money out of a budget.

I mean, all the things are pointing for me, it's a yes.

I mean, it's well, it was already a yes, but just wanted to say it to you all.

So, of course, I'm in support of it because the reality is, and I've always done when it came to housing, the research on you know, back in 2016, we knew that Hamilton County was gonna grow between 40 and 90,000 residents, and nobody laid a plan.

And not, and that was 2016.

I thought 2021 when we came in, was there even a space to lay this foundation?

Um, so now you know, so like you said, we can't help everybody, but boy geez, the amount of people that you're gonna help, the families that are going to be sustained through this program.

Yes, you can't you can't beat it.

You can't.

I know first things far is very well, quality program and across the board.

Um, and I'm excited, and I'm glad that you all are keeping the McCall, the other shelter open with the 13 beds.

Um, so very excited about this, and I believe this is just um I think the work we've done uh with council over the years has has begun to now generate this type of uh these type of projects, these type of things that you see all around town on the Westside and all these other places.

So it is very exciting to see the seeds that we're planting and watching you all water it because it hasn't grown even yet.

I believe that once you get this one up that there's opportunity to turn on some other spaces and other places.

So I'm excited to see it go, excited to see it move, and just know for me, I'm urging you that once you get this going, let's look at another place.

Let's ahead of the society.

Let's go.

I know I see you guys.

I don't see it.

We did do it.

I see you, but one heart attack at a time.

We can do it, we can do it, we can do it.

Because this is groundbreaking for our community, and uh it is something that's that's well overdue.

And so it is I am listening.

Just put it up.

Maybe I'll put it on the paddle.

I'm not on the agenda.

I'm here for it.

I'm just grateful for you all, and thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

I I just yes, this was great.

Councilwoman Till and then Noel and Burge.

Thank you.

Um you can count me in your yes column as well.

I um I'm thrilled about this when when David brought it to me and invited me to hear about it.

It connected so many dots.

I I appreciate that it is a Chattanooga solution for Chattanoogans.

Uh you all have proven the case for family shelter in in our community.

Uh you have you've learned from what has been a challenge and what has worked well on 11th, and now to be able to have more space, um more security, stability for for children and families at this airport insight.

Just it makes sense to me.

Um also, David, when you and I were chatting, you were sharing some things with me that I that I found very interesting about what's required when you have federal funds in a shelter situation versus when you have private funds.

Can you illuminate that?

Well, for emergency shelters, you separate the sexes after eight, I believe 10.

So you have a family shelter is enabled to keep the families in trauma together.

Because there's never been a mom that is going to send her 11-year-old boy down the street to the men's shelter for the night.

Right.

So that's the and then also family shelters.

What about the number of physical bedrooms?

How does that kind of requirement impact what you're doing with private funding instead of federal funding?

Yeah, I don't remember if there's a bedroom size or the number.

Um, okay, so that's just in rental.

So we're gonna have a little more room with this.

Okay.

Um, you know, something that I really appreciate about this approach is the private public philanthropic.

And just not even an hour ago, we were talking about a community um process and and decision to start a community land trust.

And that's something that if the city started it, we'd be looking at six million dollars plus with a lot of red tape.

If the community starts it and raises private funding, how might the city come alongside?

And in this case, by the city coming alongside and providing a building that we have purchased that that we very much want to activate as a resource.

Um and even be more proactive with things like security, right?

Um, then in a government uh controlled environment, it's just just not possible, which is why I think it matters that we have everybody at the table.

And honestly, for some of us who are around this government table a lot to know when we need to just back up a little bit and let somebody else run that table and we just show up when you need us.

Um so you have you have my full support.

Um I'm I'm so glad to see that the Silverdale community wants to be a part of this.

Um that is a heart change that um as a Christian I am really happy to see.

Uh and I I think there's real potential there.

So thank you.

That's all, Mr.

Church.

And academy have been so helpful and supportive.

And they're gonna be probably our largest volunteers.

That's wonderful.

That's wonderful.

Yeah.

And the city's done more than, excuse me, sir, is we want to come at uh you've done so much more than just come alongside.

If it wasn't for your initial, well, assuming that you approve it, the generosity of giving the property is the cowlist that started the whole thing.

So you didn't more than come alongside, you actually started it.

So we can be a catalyst and then get out of the way sometimes.

You know, thank you in advance for that.

Right.

Councilwoman Knowles.

Thank you, uh Mr.

Chair, and I just want to say happy, happy joy, joy.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it a hundred percent.

Well, on board with you with this.

I just have one question.

Um security, 167.

Why not 24?

Uh well, we'll have people at the front desk doing intake during the time that arm security is not there who are able to de-escalate crisis situations as needed.

Okay, and it will be you know secured entry, but we just didn't feel like we needed arm security there all of the time, just more at the nighttime hours.

Maybe there aren't as many full-time employees there available to be hands-on.

Okay, all right, cool.

And um you all came in here right and tight.

That's all I got.

Hey, it looks good.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Burns.

Um, well, to perfect lead-in to thank you to everybody that's been involved with this project because David and I and Lauren and I we had lots of conversations, and um first of all, this this issue came to me coming into office because Dr.

Harold Burrs and several others had this vision of some permanent supportive housing.

It they couldn't quite get to yes.

Yeah, and so there was a lot of conversations from the community, and and I think we finally have gotten there.

I don't think I know we have finally gotten there, but it wasn't without lots of back and forth conversations and some real dedication to doing the things that I learned were important, and that's you involved the community, you talk to the stakeholders, you get all of those ducks in a row ahead of time, which I think was one of the things that gave pushback the last time.

And I'm how fortunate that I hated that everybody that went through that had to go through that, but we would never have gotten to this.

And I think this is this is the right thing.

Uh and um, so thank you, David.

Thank you, Lauren, thank you to all of your folks that are here.

I know there's some here, I don't know if there's any over there, but I just I really want to tell you how much I appreciate helping um me continue and the other folks that started this continue this project to where we are today.

It really means a lot, so thank you.

Yeah, right.

Councilman Clark.

Councilman Hartley.

Okay, uh thank you, uh Chairman Davis.

Uh David, good to see you again.

Um I am trying to take all this in because I remember when I met with you the feeling I had about like wow, this is the Chattanooga way.

This is how we do things around here that doesn't always require um some of the contentious things that go into funding, and you all stepped up to the plate, but then I'm reminded like uh councilwoman Hill of our faith.

And the McClellan Foundation does a lot of faith work globally, and it reminds me of when Noah built the ark and he had the courage to do it, but nobody understood at the time what he was doing, but it later became a refuge for a lot of people in the storm.

Um and that's what this reminds me of.

You and your work and your minister.

I want people to remember that this is a ministry, and even our calling as leaders is ministry work, and sometimes when we can't do it in government, we lean to organizations like ministries like yours to help us fill in that gap, and I can just already see those cribs and those bids filled with the individual that God is going to send you to your ministry, and that's what warms my heart about this.

That the shelter will be the covering for people out of literally implicitly out of the storm.

And so my heart is just warm and like all of us, I'm sure we are a yes, yes, and a yes.

And I know you will become the gold standard for the nation with first things first on how to replicate family-centered shelters.

Because there's this argument of well, we should do low bearing or family shelters.

But we know through Hamilton County data that there are working families who are living in low budget hotels, and they're paying much more than what some of us pay in mortgages just to live there weekly.

And this will relieve that pressure off those families for those children to stay in school to learn and then to be in a ministry-centered place where they have access to all these long-term community benefits.

Like I just can't thank you enough, like for being in our city, and for partnering with First Things First and for being a part of our way.

So anyway, thank you, Chairman Davis.

I just wanted to literally as I'm sitting here, I was thinking like Noah's Ark and how he built that arc.

And you know, I know when this first started, people didn't know what it was about.

They were mad about it.

The church folks are mad about it.

You know, we know we've we've seen that story throughout uh the Bible, but when you build it with courage and with God's favor, that this is the fruit of the labor you guys have put forward, and it's just an example of how when we lead as a council uh how we should do when we go forward in these types of conversations.

So anyway, I yield back.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh uh apologize.

We uh did not get to meet one-on-one with you all.

Um, but I I'm just blown away.

Highly impressed.

Um, you know, that as I sit here and listen about the plans, um, what's reminiscent to me is Chattanooga strong uh back when we went through the the terrorist attack and we saw how Chattanooga can come together and make things happen, and uh that this is similar to that, and so I applaud you all on uh getting ahead of the game and uh your fundraising and uh I mean it's just it's just amazing.

Um you know, to to look at this and and see that 1400 uh children are experiencing homelessness in Hamley County, and the fact that we have to have 10 cribs for homeless children is unacceptable, frankly, to me as a Chattanooga is an American, and it should be unacceptable to all of us, which I think it is, but uh thank God that uh there is someone like you all who are willing to uh meet the need um that we we even have to face something like this.

Um you know I can't imagine my I've got an eight-month-old little girl.

I can't imagine her having to go through something like that.

And there's an old proverb that says, But for the grace of God, there go I.

That could easily be me.

That could easily be my family.

And so thank you uh for all you do.

And and uh my wife and I and my little girl, we attend Silverdale, and I'm I'm very happy to see this.

I fully 100% of support this uh and and um I'm a yes vote for sure.

Um two two questions.

Um I I love to see that you do have case management to build self-sufficiency and then uh some psychiatric evaluation therapy and support.

I I always uh encourage uh supportive housing projects to have some sort of follow-up, some sort of somebody to hold the hand of that person.

You know, it's like you you give a uh a man a fish, uh he'll eat for a day, but you teach them how to fish, then they're self-reliant.

Um, and then the other half of that is mental health.

Yes.

So talk to me about what that looks like, both case management and the psychiatric evaluation part.

Yeah, so we'll do um some mental health screenings as part of our intake process, and we'll also do case management screenings as part of our intake process because every family situation is complex and different.

So we're not gonna come in saying we have a plan that's gonna help everyone.

We're gonna say, what's going on in your family, and how can we address your needs and help you build a plan for your family?

And once that plan is built, we will walk alongside them while they do what they need to get their basic needs met, their jobs, their income, find that housing, and then we'll meet with them regularly after through case management and family support coaching because you need someone to help you navigate, and you need someone to help you stay stable, right?

While you're working through it, and that access to therapy as well.

Um so it's really through the intake process and the individualized plan for each family that we'll be able to walk alongside them as they build sufficiency.

And we do use the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix, which I know is getting in the weeds, and uh Harvard Family Flourishing matrix to walk alongside them and measure their progress along the way and see how we need to pivot as they're working towards their goals.

Great awesome thank you again for what you're doing this is amazing.

Thank you counsel council any other great presentation I don't think there's going to be any opposition this council.

What are we thinking that this will be on the agenda July just as soon as possible as far as I'm concerned Councilman Burrs has a uh meeting at oh true that's right Silverdale Baptist on the 17th right well we we talked about it yesterday and the normal process would be to get it on future considerations okay so we'll get it on uh Richard agreed to get it on future considerations immediately after this meeting unless there was any you know pushback and then we'll go through the normal process from that point to get it on the agenda.

So we'll be back but I'm assuming it would be after June 17th after you've had the preacher meeting with the that's not the date that's a we want to do it before the before the 17th yeah if we can get it done in 10 days or so we'll oh okay council members and I'll hustle on that.

Okay.

I'm just assuming that that would happen before we would actually take a vote.

Yes yeah that's the plan.

Yeah so future considerations would put us three weeks three weeks out yeah well certainly I support it as well sounds like David if we could sign the deed today we would not do that but uh we'll certainly get it up for a vote as soon as possible and just echo what everybody said thank you all um I certainly see a a need for this in my day job as a child welfare attorney especially that permanent housing piece that councilman clerk spoke to the families living um and and subpar and expensive housing um and and parents that work through um the process through juvenile court and they overcome drug addiction they overcome um whatever it is that has caused them to lose their children and then the only thing remaining is that they can't find housing and so to see us become the kind of city that that has a place for those families and where those families can thrive not just for survive but thrive just like any of our families would I I won't talk about it too long I might get a motion this is a mess certainly thank you all.

Thank you absolutely all right council um our only other item today is just to go over what I've kind of called some some housekeeping items so I think the first one the most pressing one is for today's meeting we have our um our public hearing for the budget amendment and I think councilman Henderson just wanted us to come to some consensus if we could for how long we wanted to vote to that public hearing today I think in the past um and only have last year to go by but um I know we gave kind of a an hour um period for the public to speak to us um through the budget process uh last year so do we want to do that do we want longer shorter what what are your thoughts there's um I think 30 minutes with three minutes um three minutes a piece two minutes I mean two minutes thirty minutes two minutes of piece and I we could we always have the options to expand whatever we need to extend did you I'll so I think our last budget meeting or a public hearing we allotted an hour okay I mean that's kind of a standard I think that we've gone with as a as a lot an hour of and then that way we kind of I think at least obviously we get a lot more if we think that we need more but I think an hour and and so y'all would rather go to the two minutes two minutes of piece is what we usually do.

Okay so two minutes and an hour an hour yeah okay this is happening today oh just to clarify this is the public hearing on the amendment to this year's budget for the water project for the record water project right okay um and then beyond that um just I know we've been busy with budget items since we've had a change in council leadership and just kind of wanted to talk a minute about um you know moving forward what we want to do I I feel like we started some good initiatives last year particularly the working groups and I know the one that I was a part of the homelessness working group we had several productive meetings and so I just wanted to encourage any of you all that if you're involved in those groups and you're doing good work please by all means continue that you're certainly free to lead as as you felt called the lead there and kind of on the same on the same token there if if there are particular working groups you'd like to see if if you would like to to chair a group that's looking at a particular issue again you're you're free to lead that if you'd like just let me know and let Nicole know there are as we know you know processes we have to go through or

Um you're certainly free to lead as as you felt called the lead there.

Um kind of on the same uh on the same token there.

If if there are particular working groups you'd like to see if you would like to chair a group that's looking at a particular issue, again, you're you're free to leave that if you'd like just let me know and let Nicole know there are as we know you know, processes we have to go through providing public notice of those meetings and making sure they're open and minutes are taken and all that good stuff.

So we want to be mindful of that and um and not violate the sunshine laws.

But um, so yeah, just as far as our working group goes, again, just an encouragement to keep going.

If you want to try something new, please feel free to do that.

And if you need help, I'd be happy to help you with that.

Um we've like I said, with the homeless group that I'm hoping Councilman Harvey will pick up the baton on.

Um we've we've had some good meetings, a good start.

Um, and obviously, there's good projects like the one we talked about today that are going on that we need to support and and brainstorm about other projects.

So that's what I wanted to mention there.

Um I also intend to continue the lunch and learns, and there are some already scheduled um and so be looking for those to be coming on your calendars.

Um mentioned today having one at the landfill.

Oh, I heard about it.

I was listening in a tour.

Uh wouldn't that be awesome?

Could we also tour James A.

Henry?

And James and Henry, right?

That's okay.

It's exciting to hear about it.

Let me make a note of those two.

Are there other lunch and learn opportunities that you all would be interested in attending?

Not to put you on the spot now, but if if you think of them, just feel free to reach out to me.

So um of the ones that have already been scheduled, have we we already received notice of those, or you just got some of the works that we've been getting?

We have a spreadsheet, a great spreadsheet that councilwoman Hill put together.

Um, and Nicole helped us keep up with that.

And I can't remember off the top of my head if what's currently scheduled, but um there was something that was uh because of the budget sessions we had to find right.

So I I don't know that there's any currently scheduled, but there's some on those spreadsheet that that just need dates, so we'll okay, yeah, look into that.

Is that is that like a spreadsheet you could just send us a link to so we could just check it periodically to see because I know sometimes when we get five or six emails of invitations in our emails, I may you know scoop past them to get to something else and not come back.

But then if I could go and check that spreadsheet occasionally, then I can go and update my calendar to see which items I can attend.

We could share it on the on the Google drive.

Yeah, that would be awesome.

Thank you.

And so there's there's the one tab for the lunch and learns and another for strategic planning.

And so that was another item to kind of roll into that if you have ideas for strategic planning presentations.

Um but then also I'd kind of like for us at some point this year to actually do some strategic planning of our own, um, kind of some long-term visioning of of where we want to go as a council.

Um, so be on the lookout for some ideas along those lines as well.

So okay.

Are there any other items?

Yes, council.

So, Mr.

Chair, as I think about lunch and learns, that what it's been really cool.

I think to get to tour some of the agencies or quasi agencies that we support.

So to spend some time at the library would be really cool.

I thought it would be really neat to um maybe this summer to go to one of our uh community center camps, the the day camps and get to see what's happening there.

Um we're investing a lot of money on the walnut street bridge, and people might like a behind the scenes on that.

And um same with Wilcox because Wilcox has been such an urgent project, and you know, if it's not something you drive over, you might not like it would just be interesting to don't drive over to walk in and don't drive over it fast.

My husband went too fast.

Oh my goodness.

I'll do it anyway.

Just an idea.

Okay, because it's like seeing things.

I don't know for me if I can touch and feel it, and just spending time with councils pretty great.

Okay.

Are there any other council?

Did you have something?

Yeah, um, I know you probably don't remember, but out of a community development uh committee meeting that I chaired.

The discussion about the homelessness is what spearheaded the homeless work group out of those meetings that you chaired.

Some of the discussion was for to start a citizen advisory group out of that.

Um, I will be working to help spearhead that.

I'm not sure what baton you'd be gonna be handling in reference to that, but that was what an action item was out of that, and that's what I'm gonna be working on.

So you guys are more than welcome to partner, but we've gotten several different people who say, well, what how do we bring in all of these groups that the biscuit brigade, the redemption point church, and how do we come together as a community work group, so to speak, um, to start having those conversations that influence policy decisions from the city council?

So uh I just wanted to put a pin in that um as we're discussing how these work groups work or community groups.

Okay.

Council council, any other uh topics or items?

I'm sure we're all ready for a break.

Okay.

Well, seeing nothing else, we'll be adjourned until 3 30.