We will start upwards number three six two zero two six.

It's by council members Calmwell and Griffin.

Authorizing the purchase of one or more requirement contracts.

Exercisable by you by the Director of Public Health.

It's been approved.

It was approved March twenty-fourth, twenty twenty-six by the health department.

Also approved by the finance department.

As well as the director of law.

Indigent.

Syllable emphasis on the first syllable, indigent.

Should we do all through the chair?

Should we do all the uh amendments at the end?

Because we have a couple others too.

Oh, we do.

Oh, that's right.

The council has these two here.

We'll move forward, then we'll just do it at the end.

Okay, cool.

All right.

All right.

All right, to the chair, thank thank you.

Today to my left is our director of vital statistics, Andrea Casanari.

And so she's here to answer any questions.

But essentially, this is our uh service that we offer the offer the community for indigent residents for burial services free of charge through cremation.

For the last four years, we had a contract with Bikon.

Uh and then this one, once if this is passed today, we'll we'll go out for bid uh for for the next contract.

How much uh just contract the cost of this contract?

How much is it?

To the chair, uh the the last few years we've been just uh around 200,000.

This year is not to exceed 250,000.

Do we ever run out of money?

What is it per um cremation?

What has been the cost you got it?

I think you're good.

Um to the chair.

Uh we do I think we have one year that we had to extend ask for additional money.

Um, but for the most part, we kind of stick right around what they're at what we're asking for.

So we can't turn anybody away if they qualify for that.

We have to have something in place for our indigent.

So we can't let a body that's unclaimed or abandoned or indigent, you know, you know, uh no assets.

You know, my residents uh a lot of times they don't want to do cremation, and then they come to me.

I've raised some funding because they're on you real hard.

Man, I don't want no cremation, and you need to help me, you know.

You get you guys when they we get that as well.

And um, we'll try to figure out how to raise money sometime, and then I have to talk with the um uh funeral homes and and see what can we do uh for them because they don't want the cremation.

Quite a few funeral homes that will work with the people to yeah, they will they will work with you.

So that's has that ever happened to you?

I have not got any calls about burial services now.

Yeah, I get them.

Or if you have um fatality, let's say doing the gun violence, whatever the case may be, and then um I'll get blamed for it also with the gun violence.

They'll say it's real bad, and then people will come back to me and go see the councilman because if you can't think of anywhere to go, you call Chris Harsh.

Remember that everybody called Chris Harsh.

That's what you do.

I saw problems.

Yeah, he saw problems.

So um then they'll come to me.

They'll come, they'll reach out to me and I'll try to figure it out.

You know, what to um you know what you do or how to help them to um raise money at least twice a year.

At least twice a year.

And I'll reach out to um who's by the funeral home that really helped me out a lot.

It's Strouders.

I'll reach out to Strauders Funeral Home and then they'll uh then they work with me.

Correct.

Can you hear me?

Yeah, you still can't hear me?

Can you hear me?

Okay.

I don't think so.

Yeah, I'm talking about I'm speaking loud.

So this is uh um, this is a good service.

So when they the process, I heard if you move the body, we don't cremate or how how does that go about?

So that depends.

If the body has been taken to a funeral home, then that funeral home embalmed, then they no longer qualify for the program.

That's not sorry, that's for sure.

There you go.

Yeah, you can repeat it now.

So what happens?

Um if a body has been taken to a funeral home that's not Bikon Brothers, then although I think it's actually Bits and Brothers, but anyways, um nobody says it now.

Um if they've been cremated, I'm not cremated, embalmed, then the the funeral home, the where the city does not cover them after that.

So who is the Viking Brothers uh the brothers?

Well, Charles Sloan is the one who owns the funeral home now.

Amy Bitson still works there.

Um but that's who it's it's Sloan Funeral Home when they're when it's the general public for the purposes they keep it separate for the purposes of our contract.

It's it's uh biking brothers.

So I like the last name, brothers.

And through the chair, this would uh this legislation would authorize us to go to bid, so we'll see who.

I I don't imagine there are a lot of vendors who apply, but no, we'll make sure we do the work to get a good variety, diversity of uh of vendors to apply.

And they have had it for uh how long?

The contract.

They've had it for uh sorry, to the chair, they've had it probably 12 years at least.

Yeah, they've had it quite a quite a while.

Yeah, I've had issues not with them, just with um even because you know I've been around since 2001.

Not long as Mike Polencic, but I've been around half his years on uh Cleveland City Council, really just have and um I've had issues when uh they've the funeral home has already started to work and they're not qualified.

And then they put it on me, not the funeral home, but the um the indigent people they'll say, Councilman, we need you to help us with this, help us raise some money, and then I'll talk with some people.

It's stressful because you have a lot of other um issues that you need to deal with in your ward, and and you care.

You really truly care, because you care about all of your residents, but um, you know, you have people coming to you for um even the schools reach out to you for um prom or or they want to take the children to the African American History Museum or they they can't pay for their um for whatever and then you have to figure out how to raise money for this here because they the funeral home has already started working on it, and uh and other knees just in your ward.

And if you don't, when they had the Thursday meetings, they're at Thursday meetings, then next thing you know, you hear a whole lot of um uh disappointed people in you and they'll come to you.

That councilman is the first line that they they go to for anything, even director.

If you mess up on something, they'll they blame us.

Isn't that right?

We get the blame.

We we it's the blame, the blame fall on us.

You know, so I mean I know since 2001.

Like you saw what happened with the East Side Market.

Yeah, I told you earlier, who got the blame?

I did.

The blame came straight toward me because you don't want they know and they see, and even if you tell them where the blame lie, they blame you.

You know, so even with this, if this fall apart, you don't want to get the blame and you get beat up for it.

But anyway, um the process when we when we pass this director office pass or whatever, um, give us a process and so that we could put it in our newsletters or whatever, or we have it so that if someone call us, we know the process so we could tell them if you go to the funeral home and they start work on the body, then you don't qualify.

So I need that.

To the chair.

So for the first regarding the uh embalming.

If they do the light embalming, which is just the the preservation, just it's not the full thing, that still is fine for the indigent program.

So and I would tell you that most of the funeral homes we've we've put the word out that they most of them talk to the family and find out that they have no money anyways ahead of time.

But then Bikon has gone to different funeral homes to pick up bodies that have already been shipped there, but then the family didn't have the money.

So Bikon does go to those kind of places.

Um how we do the program is somebody from the family next of kin needs to give us a call, and we will go through our application process, which is very simple.

Ours we're very we try to be very what's the word when trying to be kind to the family.

Right.

You know, we're trying to we appreciate that at this time things are are rough.

So we take our application, we get as much as we can off of that off.

We make sure the person qualifies.

We then send the um over to Bikin Brothers who will then do some further investigation.

They make sure there's no GoFundMe page out there, that there's no fund me page.

Not a time.

Because that money, that money can be used to pay for the then they don't qualify for the indigenous.

If they have at that's an asset.

So um they'll check to see if they have a prepaid funeral, if they were a veteran, um victims of crime, because there's different funding for victims of crime.

Um so they'll check all that stuff.

If they find that there's nothing that qualify, you know, that they fall under, then they get processed under the indigent program.

So then they will sign off on that, send it back to me to sign off on, and then they'll go pick up the body.

In the cases of abandonment, those are usually at the ME's office, and they have their own process.

Uh and there's some funeral homes that do that, and nurse and uh hospitals that will handle um all of them have their own process for declaring a person abandoned.

Umce they've met that criteria, then the the either the administrator of the hospital or the Emmy's office will send us a form.

And that's a little bit different.

That's abandonment, you know.

So it is what it is.

You have to do something for them.

If nobody's come to claim the body, whether the person had assets or not, there's nothing we can do.

So you could give me the process, give me everything you just said.

Do you have um a guideline that we could look at?

Uh not really because generally the the family just has to call our office.

They have to call.

That's really the the start of the whole thing, and then we'll walk them through everything after that.

We don't put the form online.

Um, don't don't put it online.

No.

Um same thing.

We don't really put the criteria.

I think on the website it just says if you believe you may call, give a if you believe you qualify, just give us a call.

And then we'll walk them through that.

And then we'll walk them through the next steps of the process.

And the family, the the city allows if the family wants the ashes, they can take the ashes.

They don't have to go to Pottersfield if if the family so we're good about that.

I guess yeah, that's saves an expense for us, I suppose.

But um so that's really I mean, there's really not much to the program after that.

The family can come, immediate family can come for a um a viewing.

It's very short, it's basically an id identification viewing, it's less than half an hour.

Can only be the immediate family.

They can stay for the cremation if they would like to.

Um it's really pretty cut and dry.

Any questions?

I have one.

All right, Chris.

And then we'll yield to you, Shaw.

Through the chair.

How many people are we talking about per year?

Dozens, hundreds, five?

I would say the average is about three hundred a year.

300 a year.

300.

We take about 400 applications.

They don't qualify for one reason.

So what's the average cost?

If we're looking at a quarter quarter of a million, you're looking at 250,000, you take 300 per year.

You can break it down, but what is basically every box?

To the chair.

The um the cost right now is eight nine is eight ninety-five, nine hundred dollars.

Yeah.

A hundred and twenty-five if it's a baby.

Baby.

Sure, councilman.

Good morning.

Uh my apologies to the committee and to our presenters for being a little tardy.

Um I hopefully didn't miss this in the first portion, but I just wanted to understand.

Um, if uh if I heard right, we're gonna be going to bid for this, is that correct?

Correct.

And in that um scoring criteria, do we have any things for um using like green methods for cremation services?

The state of Ohio currently doesn't have any that are allowable.

Like we cannot ask for that or use that as a rubric, or that's just not allowed by Are you talking about sorry?

Are you talking about like um where they liquefy sort of thing?

Yeah, the state of Ohio still has not approved any of those for uh I see.

We're still just at cremation or burial.

Okay.

Or scattering ashes, I suppose too.

Got it.

Wasn't wasn't aware of that.

Uh and what about like using renewables for the or like is that a thing?

I don't know.

What was that?

Like using renewables for the cremation itself?

Like using solar power, wind power something, other renewable source energy that power the if if the different funeral homes have that available, but uh I don't believe uh Bik and Brothers does.

There's is just a standard inventory, and I don't know if there's any that are around here that are solar powered or anything.

I was just wondering if we if there's um any rubric advantage for having like renewables powering the cremation.

Um I guess I'm not aware if that's I presumed it was something that was available, but I I believe you if that's not something that's really not that readily available always.

Thank you.

Is it anywhere else?

Do you know of it being anywhere else?

Did you see it somewhere else?

Did you hear about it anywhere?

I don't know of any either.

And I think I think cremation still um you know, I think better for the environment than a traditional burial.

So I think that for me is better than that.

Additionally for Pottersfield, I it takes up less room.

I see.

Thank you.

All right.

Yes, yes, Councilwoman.

Yes.

So I thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh through the chair, I just want to clarify.

Um is burial um an option, or are you burying the ashes in Pottersfield?

Uh to the chair.

Uh burial is not part of our program.

Okay.

So when you refer to Pottersfield, is that uh the ashes.

The ashes.

Okay.

Thank you.

And the uh Bikin Brothers holds the ashes for at least a year to see if anybody is going to come to claim them.

Um so we do wait a long time before we bury, and then they bury 12, I think it's 12 or 10 out of 10 at a time on a gravestone.

And where is uh through the chair?

Where's the location of Pottersfield?

That's going to Highland Park Cemetery.

Okay.

Oh, how do you know man?

Highland Park.

Yes, yes, Calvin.

So through the chair, it's I'm I'll be I'll wrap it up then.

I will say so.

I did have the great privilege of being at the Potter's Field for a lot of my high school experience.

Ignatius sends kids down to uh the Potter's Field to be Pawbearers for people who have no pawbearers and nobody in their lives.

It's the St.

Joseph of Air Mathia Society.

He was the in the Bible, the person who was burying Jesus.

Um it's it's a wonderful program.

So if you ever want to go down uh to the Potter's Field, there's a bunch of boys in khaki pants who would love to take you.

Um because they go every week.

Yeah.

Wow.

I didn't know that.

You know what?

I'm going to visit uh Potter's Field because I was gonna ask that question, um, councilwoman, because I was just not in my head like I know, you know, but I don't know.

And I'm like, where's location?

So it's good for me to know.

It's always good to have an up close view.

Yeah, so I'll visit.

Any other questions before I yield to you, Chairman?

Not at all.

So actually you sit in the seat.

I like the seat.

It's cool, B.

I'm not cool beans enough.

Uh yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oh, I was uh I want to read in the amendments to the fix the typo too.

What should I say first?

You said it fixed the typo as well.

Uh so we're gonna read three amendments in.

Um first will be a proposed amendment to uh replace all uses of the term in indignant with the term indig indigent, indigent.

Indigenous indigenous.

I can say these words normally.

I am you it is in my head now.

The uh second amendment.

Shall I read it now?

It's in in section two after shall insert not exceed two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and shall in section two.

Strike the proper appropriation accounts and insert a one-double one-five double five-six three eight one.

And then at the end of section three, insert the director of public health shall provide written notice to the clerk of council whenever any purchase is made through the cooperative process, which notice shall include the details of such cooperative purchases.

That's good.

Those are our three amendments.

You're here.

So uh three percent I second.

Thank you.

Um closing the discussion to a vote.

Uh all in favor?

Aye.

Yes.

Davis?

Aye.

Yep.

Um sorry.

Thank you very much.

Uh with that amendment now, do we have to vote on the legislation itself?

Yes.

All right.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes.

Five days.

Excellent.

Uh, with that, this is passed.

Thank you for your time.

You don't think so.

So, Director, you you know where is um where the field is at, right?

You don't know either.

Um write it down where it's located, and then I'll um Austin.

20 years ago.

Reading on like the button bar?

So you you went there when you were eight years old?

They also have it.

I just look good, man.

I'll be living you burning.

Yeah.

Uh there's my understanding of doing cremation also.

So acid.

Yeah.

You know what I want to do and move it right along real quick.

I want to do the epilepsy.

Well, and uh, because food insecurity, I want to talk with you uh a great deal about that food insecurity.

Okay.

I've seen those.

They have like wrap you and throw you in the ground and there's no first minute.

Oh my god, man.

No, that's the wrong helps you away.

The uh funny part is you have to.

You know what?

Austin, I was so busy picking with you, counseling.

You're eager.

I said you said 10 years ago.

I said when did you go when you were eight?

Yeah, I went.

And then it's you know I was signed.

So you gotta give them my shirt first.

Yeah.

You know, you gotta come down here.

You have to sit right here.

Okay.

I want to help their organization.

I was just wondering why we're gonna do that.

No, no, no, we're do ep epilepsy because the food when we're gonna be here for a while.

Right.

We'll be here for dealing with um food insecurity, epilepsy, 20 minutes, half an hour.

Then we roll.

So thanks.

Raven, you you worked for what council member you worked for.

Oh I thought he would.

And uh you were where what were you administrative assistant and what council uh intern.

Inter.

And so what made you come up with um, and this is a good cause for the epilepsy, and uh I'm gonna help you with it anyway, because uh I used to do an event an event for someone who was doing epilepsy, they were raising money for it.

And so what made you come up with epilepsy?

Well, I was born with epilepsy.

So is it something that's a passion, something that gives me drive?

Um also bringing safety in.

Your mic is off.

Your mic is out.

So you go back to press the button in the middle here.

Okay, can you hear me now?

Okay.

Yes, uh, what made me come up with epilepsy?

Something I was born with, it's something that drives me, um, that keeps me going.

Also to bring safety and awareness to the community.

This is also something that I was called to do by the Lord, and I just feel like it's something that is very a need.

A lot of people overlook epilepsy and don't realize like how expensive it is far as like the medication and just being educated on it.

It can definitely be a life-changing, not even knowing, you know, what to do to step in to have somebody to have a seizure, what is that intake?

So that's why we came up with like seizure first aid to also just bring awareness and safety to the community and letting people know how important this is because it is a life or death situation, and you want to kind of be prepared if something does happen, you know you might not be epileptic, but you might have somebody in your family that you take care of.

You might work for you know a home health aid agency and somebody might be, you know, epileptic or might fall.

It's different types of seizures, jerking, it's a whole we have list of five different kinds of seizures.

I know tyneclonic is really, you know, popular for our seizures.

So I just it's called a tonaclonic seizure.

It's also yeah, we'll be we were talking about the different five um seizures, but just knowing like just being educated on you know, seizures itself and also being aware of you know the environment that you're uh in far as like a lot of people might not want to say they epileptic, and you might not know.

So, what do you do if somebody does have a seizure?

How can you step in to help that person in that life or death situation?

There's classes you could take up or so.

Yes, we can tell you.

Yes, um, as far as my organization, yes.

So we'll be getting to that in the presentation about seizure first aid and CPR that we'll be offering to you know, organizations, communities, and just to be educated on it, and so that is something that we are doing.

And the other young lady that's with you.

So I'm gonna start the presentation.

My name is Raven Walker.

My nonprofit is called Living for Epilepsy.

It is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to African American minorities that is facing epilepsy.

This is something that also drives me, something I'm passionate about, and that I feel that is very important, not only for myself, but for others, the community, because it's definitely you know a lot of people in the world that just passed away from epilepsy that don't have somebody to intervene or to prevent something in case of an accidental emergency.

So we'll be here with you guys to talk about the resilient bracelet project in the seizure first aid.

Um Monique Chavis is my program manager, and we'll get into the presentation.

Are you guys based out of out of anywhere?

You have somewhere that you I'm based out of my home right now and how many board members do you have?

I have three board members.

Okay, okay.

I used to do an audio where all of my colleagues uh introduced themselves from uh councilwoman Nikki.

Hi Hudson.

I already said her name.

I tried to say her name.

Hello, good morning.

Um thank you for being here.

I'm uh the new Ward 11 councilwoman Nikki Hudson.

Okay, nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you council Ward 7, Austin Davis.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

And I'm council member Kevin Conwell.

You know, I used to, you know, I have a brother in.

And we used to play for this white ball dealing with epilepsy.

And they had their event once a year.

Uh it's just it's just church.

I'm looking at it right now in my mind.

And on Mayfield Road.

It's right around the holidays.

And you might be too young to remember that.

It's 15 years ago.

And we used to always play every year for for free.

We will go in, the band play, and then we leave.

And so instead of giving us 1200 or $1,500 to the band, we would take the proceeds and just donate it to the right to the mission dealing with epilepsy.

And then I don't know what happened to them.

I don't even, I forgot the name of the um organ.

I know it did with epilepsy.

You ever heard of that?

Epilepsy association?

That might be them.

And it was white bar.

I think that's association.

Yeah, they dressed in white.

Are they still doing that?

I don't think so.

They're doing like the epilepsy walk run.

I think they do to do like a marathon.

They've been doing that every year.

I help you out, whatever you want to do.

You want to do the walk around Wade Ovo if you want to do that.

Okay.

If you um you need the band to come to play free of charge instead of paying us, we'll do that.

And uh, you know, whatever you need, I have to give back.

One thing about leadership, you have to get it immersed in it, and you have to give back to um to help.

So we will come and we come on time, we'll play the band, and then we leave, and that way you don't have to that cost, yeah, fifteen hundred dollars or two thousand dollars will go straight to your um to your mission.

Okay, you know, and then sometime if I have the funding, I would even buy uh a table.

So I help you out.

It's it's no problem.

I just don't want to listen and not help.

Okay.

All right, okay.

So you got that.

Okay, yeah.

So we'll listen.

Yeah.

Okay, hi.

I am Onique Chavis.

Um, can we get the next slide, please?

Oh, right here.

Okay.

Can we get those?

Yeah.

We'll get it up, too.

So I am Onique Chavis.

I am the project manager for a living for epilepsy.

Um, and I'm passionate about it as well.

I was Raven's fifth, eighth, and ninth grade teacher at Paul Revere, doing media arts.

And um I actually saw Raven having a seizure in class.

Nobody knew what to do, no teachers was aware, even the students.

It was really chaotic.

Were you a teacher?

Yes, I teach non-epilep.

I mean, I teach, I was her teacher.

Yeah, so her fifth, eighth, and ninth grade teacher, and she just became my child from there.

So I'm passionate about this as well, having a child who actually dealt with epilepsy herself.

Um, so our mission is to empower individuals living with epilepsy through awareness, education, and support, especially in African American community.

Our vision is to transform the landscape of epilepsy care by replacing by replacing stigma with strength, ensuring every African American living with seizures is in power, educated and equipped with the tool to lead in life without limits.

Click it.

Um, what is epilepsy?

Epilepsy is chronic non-communicable disease of the brain that is characterized by reoccurrent, unprovoked seizures.

These seizures are caused by sudden excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells.

And these are five different ways that you can know it's different forms of epilepsy.

Everybody just think it's just what this one big thing, or they say grandma seizures, but there's actually tonic colonic seizures, absence seizures, focal awareness seizures, focal impaired awareness seizures, and myocronic um seizures.

So the first one is loss of consciousness with body stiffness and jerking movements, absence seizures, brief staring spells, and loss of awareness, focal focal aware seizures.

A person is awake but experiences unusual, unusual sense sensations or movements.

And all of these, it's like it's it's the point we want to point out each different phase so that when they're happening, they're not all the same.

So you can they literally can be staring and looking at you like this, and you just think that they're just in a days or just brain fall, but it's actually a seizure.

And or they may be jerking, and sometimes it can also, they also we don't have it on here, but it's also I dealt with non-epileptic seizures, which comes from overwhel overworking, neglecting physical care, you know, just working, working, working in the body shuts down.

So the next one is focal impaired awareness seizures, which is confusion with expected behaviors, repetitive behaviors.

Sorry, I don't have my glasses.

Okay, school teacher.

And lack of awareness, myopclonic seizures, sudden brief jerking movements of muscles.

So they may not have nothing but just the body is jerking.

It may be a leg, it may be an arm, it just may be chest jerks, and you don't know what's going on.

They maybe can talk.

Sometimes it looks like a stroke or a heart attack where the face may seem like a drooping or the mom do some twitching, or they may be blurred speech.

So these five were just awareness of some of the different signs.

So if you see these things happening, more than likely, it's a part of epilepsy because with even with first aid, um, they they throw a little piece of epilepsy in there, but it doesn't really give you a description of what epilepsy really looks like and what it is.

So to bring the awareness of this is what epilepsy look like in the different forms.

Next slide.

Yes, so our organization updates.

We developed seizure first aid roll shores in the resilient bracelet project, which is the handout that I gave you all.

Also, the board recommended we should add CPR training as a community safety need.

70 CPR training equipment was donated from the Rang County Community College.

We also have partnered with the Cleveland EMS.

We also we also are seeking funding to provide essential training and educational resources.

Funding will be used to purchase automatic external debriefiators, AED training devices, CPR training equipment, develop and manufacture and durable epilepsy first aid posters for schools and community organizations.

The resilient bracelet project.

The resilient bracelet project I did with Caseware's to Reserve University.

We did the resilient bracelet project there.

It's basically a hands-on workshop to build resilience and foster a positive mindset as well as a unique opportunity to explore power of social emotional wellness learning, creative expressions in the community service.

The interaction session will start with the fun icebreaker to get to know one another and create a welcoming atmosphere.

From there, we're dive into an engaging podcast discussion about what it means to be resilient.

We use the acronym resilient for our guide, and it's basically like a positive affirmation.

We want to definitely be involved for as mental health and social and emotional wellness, because that's popular now.

And we want to bring that to not only just students, we want to bring that as well to the community.

So that is something that we have did with case where some reserve.

Should be known by everyone.

Be confident, respond quickly, and save lives.

And it's also like inside of it, also gives like a guide, like the different type of seizure.

If somebody's like in a wheelchair, what to do.

You know, a lot of people also don't know what to do if somebody does have a wheelchair, if they fall while they're in their wheelchair, so it's just giving a guide.

We wanted to make it very kind of kid friendly, so even like a kid can understand it as well.

And then the third page, it kind of gives like if somebody was actually having a seizure, like timing it, two minutes, you know.

Also, you want to stay calm, check if they have like a medical ID um bracelet or anything, and just explain to others like this person is having a seizure, and just also just staying calm.

And so, this is what we have the board had recommended, and we're going to our next slide.

So, thank you all for your time and your attention today.

Uh, I pray that you guys all get involved to empower individuals living with epilepsy through awareness, education, and support, especially in the African American community, and we'll now open it up to question and answer.

That was good.

Thank you.

So, when is your your next uh workshop or event?

What's going on with that?

So we have an event coming up June 12th that we'll be doing seizure first aid for um Fraseon Therapy.

They invited us to be at an event with them to come out and talk about seizure first aid.

So we'll be doing an event uh there as well.

And then we have another event um later in the fall, August 22nd, that we'll be doing uh CPR training.

And and you doing a CPR training where?

We'll be doing it so we get calls, you know, asking us can you come do CPR training?

So we'll do it like if organization calls us and they have like the space, we'll either do it there or we could coordinate with Cleveland EMS and they have a space we can use as well.

You don't have a space of your own to um to do it.

I don't have a space of my own, but I do have other organizations uh like I know Zelma George don't mind us doing something there.

Other organizations wouldn't mind us using the space for free if we wanted to have people get CPR trained, and then I also um I am a student at Tri-C and I am the vice president of student government, and so I also can use space at Tri-C as well.

So I'm gonna show I'll show you a space in my ward as well.

We have University Hospital, uh they have a community center in Glenville on Church Hill, and it's a nice, beautiful space with the kitchen, and it's nice.

It's a lot of people use it, and it's it's great parking.

Parking is fantastic this there, and um right across from um Glenn Village and Fisher House, this over there, and we use the community room.

Okay, and um I'm quite sure I can get that for you.

They never ever told me no.

You just need to know in advance, okay.

The date.

Yeah, because we are the team, like we are building a team.

We are all certified and stop the bleed, CPR first aid, uh communical disease, and all of that.

And the goal is that all of our staff become instructors as well, so that we can actually house these ourselves because we're going to step beyond stop the bleed and regular CPR.

We're going beyond so it can be epilepsy, CPR together and combined.

And I do want to mention about the seizure first aid.

There's nobody out there doing seizure first aid training.

You'll see people do CPR, but they're not doing seizure first aid training, and we're trying to be like the first to do CPR training itself because for epilepsy because people are not educated on it.

And another thing I want to bring up is I did research and seizure first aid and CPR is actually mandated by the state and the federal.

It's also mandated to have a seizure action plan.

And me just like discussing with organizations, a lot of organizations are not in compliance with the mandated by the state and the federal, and that's another thing.

Just being educated on like the different laws and different things when it comes to epilepsy.

You know what?

Um Frances, can I see you real quick?

She is good.

She was you a while back.

I mean, an activist before she became working for the city of Cleveland.

Okay.

So with Francis reaches out to help anybody.

Um we might need to help you.

She's over minority health right now.

Okay.

And any more.

But you open out, you keep moving.

So so who who's doing minority health?

Do I know a free collie?

So we brought minority commission on minority health to the city of Cleveland from down in Columbus.

I love that.

That was my baby.

It's one of my baby.

I forget about it every now and then.

And when Francis was we've been friends for a long time, longer than this guy been around, and this guy been around working in the community.

She's actually a community activist in the community.

So they got a lovely, beautiful person, but you still can introduce them to uh to Ali.

And that will help you out.

And I know we're doing Minority Health Month.

April.

Right now, in April.

And do we have a um uh list of events?

Are we gonna do list of events or what?

Listed events that's gone has gone out.

And so if you don't have a donation, all right, all right, uh we do have um our equipment for us, like if we want to Tayway event, we do have all of that as well.

Okay, and like the stuff you reached out to me for, um, it will make it easier to um go through Department of Health with Francis and Dave Margolius, they can help you out, and by them helping you out, that will build up your statute as well, you know.

And she's good, she knows how to do all those things.

Okay.

We go back.

We were young like you, way back in the hours.

We were both, you know, I don't want to put my foot in my mouth, but she's good.

And I want you to get her card, I want you to work with her.

But I'll still take your phone calls and I'll introduce you to um the staff in the back for some uh help.

Okay, want to help.

Okay.

You know, and uh you can meet her.

Okay.

Any questions?

Epilepsy, I'm sorry.

Yeah, I'd like to go.

So thank you, Councilman Conwell.

Thank you for your um wonderful presentation today.

And for this is a beautiful brochure.

So thank you.

You know, nice job.

Thank you.

Um, do you through the through the chair?

Do you go to schools um to present um disinformation to students and teachers?

Yes.

And and do you is it teaching um schools reach out to you and then request, it's just not so um I am in contact with CMSD, um, integrated health, Bernadette Wiggins.

Um, I did present it with her, and then I reached out to the principals and different things like that.

And so I'm just waiting on a response back because the principals um are the ones that have the decision rather if I go in there and do any kind of business far as teaching a class and things, but we have gotten a lot of calls from a lot of organizations that are interested in our CPR and first aid and a whole bunch of I have um, you know, like Tri.

I'm actually trying to get it actually in Tri as a non-credit course to take because there are epileptic students that are on campus that have had seizures and staff have not know how to step in to be able to help with a seizure.

No, absolutely.

I mean, this is a need.

Um my daughter's high school, um uh, you know, a young woman had a seizure during um an assembly, and um, you know, and like you said, um most of the staff weren't aware of of of what to do, and then also what you said about um you know the seas the seizure action plan.

Um there are multiple benefits to having you all come out to schools and educate the students and the um the teachers and the administrators on what the correct action is, yeah and and also um you know I might I mentioned my my daughter, she's she's a lifeguard, and so she's um she's taken you know first aid CPR and um as have I and you you're right, it is just a very short portion of the course, so I think everyone would benefit from having uh you know more extensive training around what to do when someone's having seizures.

So thank you all for the work that you do.

Thank you.

When when did you reach out to the schools?

I reached out to them like back in January.

Um back in January of this year.

Uh have anyone reached have anyone returned your phone calls?

They haven't.

I think nobody from the schools have returned my phone calls, but Ms.

Wiggins, the director, she has returned my phone calls.

Okay.

Um because for some reason when I email the principals that my email keep like the email keep bouncing back.

So I have to actually go up to the school to talk to the principals.

So I kind of have to like follow up with them, but it's kind of hard because I have to like actually go up there physically.

So the chair, and I do apologize.

Did you say which school was not returning your your emails for the dumb lab?

So I'll the CMSD umbrella.

And so what I was doing was going to the CMSD in the war that I'm in.

I'm in War Three, so and Councilwoman Deborah Gray.

So I went to those wards, I mean those schools, and I haven't heard anything back from those Pacific schools.

It's I'm through the chair.

I apologize.

I there's a Dunlap Elementary in my award, and I was gonna make sure you got a response.

But uh oh, yeah, I will I would love to reach out.

Sure, yeah.

We'll we'll figure it out.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, because the plan is for it to go worldwide, like it's this needs to be a national thing.

Um, the awareness, not just in schools and in a community, but in businesses.

Because the shopping center, if this happens and occurs, who's aware?

At least the staff should be aware.

Like we noticed that there's not many AEDs and businesses.

No, they don't have it.

So worst case scenario, you lose a life because nobody was able to respond and accordingly because they didn't have the information.

And we also did um partner with the St.

Luke Foundation as well.

It's good.

That's good.

I'll introduce you to I plan to bring um you guys down.

You're gonna work with Imani.

Okay, and then um I'll give you a resolution on the council floor.

I'll introduce you to uh Matthew Cole.

He's our he's the head of uh our human resources in the city of Cleveland.

Okay.

I'm quite sure we have some um some um employees in the city of Cleveland, and I will give you a shot in the arm right there.

Okay, and I'll introduce you to him.

We'll bring you guys down.

You'll talk with your money, and she'll tell you when to come down.

Okay, maybe next week or the week after that or Monday night, and I'll bring um I'll bring them up.

Okay.

All right, and then talk.

Because you have to think about everyone, you have to think about the whole.

Yeah.

Yeah, we do want to do some fundraising events as well.

Um, because even like the equipment itself is like very expensive.

Just for like, I think it's for like four baby mannequins, it's like $1,500.

Yeah.

And so I have to make sure when I'm doing like programming and things, I have to make sure I have enough for everybody.

So if I have a huge class, I can be able to accommodate those many people.

So talk with your board.

I can do anything I can do to help.

Chris, do you have a question?

Harsh.

Or counselman Shaw.

Okay.

All right.

With that, I'm gonna I already introduced you to Tony already, didn't I?

All right.

And then you you have the great, great, great.

Uh over here, we'll work.

We'll get this done, okay?

Okay.

All right.

Thank you guys for your time.

Thank you.

Or you go to step table for food for the food piece.

All right, just you can just sit just sit right there.

All right, Francis.

Um thank you for coming.

Thank you.

I gave you my phone number, right?

Let me write it down.

I don't want to say it at the table.

I'll write it down and give it to you.

You young people do like this with the phone.

They do that, Francis.

I didn't want to have my phone with me, so one six.

All right.

She'll help you out with the contact information, our contact information if you guys want to email or check our website out, and it's my phone number.

You're welcome to.

We're gonna help you.

You're young, you gotta help young people, and you're giving back and uh and you're helping.

You're not just saying, um just help me out with epilepsy.

You're trying to get resources and help other people, and that would Christ will want you to do anyway, is to give back and help.

So, you know, I like that.

And um, stay in touch with Imani, and uh she'll tell you where I'm at all the time.

Okay, and then what that way we can move forward.

Okay, all right.

And let me ask one more question.

In CMSD school, do we have systems in place?

So who, if there's a seizure, epilepsy?

It's not we look everywhere.

There's nothing like I remember even working that far with beer.

I literally did with my daughter.

Ms.

Lula was having seizures.

We will have because I work with her in the community, and she would just be staring and having seizures, nobody knew.

And we're back, he had an episode not many months ago doing a program with CMSD schools, nobody knew what to do.

He fell out on the floor, and thank God his wife was there, or it could have been a matter of losing.

Oh man.

Yes, nobody's a winner of what to do.

And this is nothing.

My mic is on.

Oh, yeah.

You've got to press it.

Yeah, it's no um, it's nothing in CMSD.

I've talked to the director, it's nothing.

They don't have no support.

That's why the director is like, we need your services in all our schools because it's nothing, they don't have nothing, and they've had some situations where a student has had, you know, and the parent was very up, very upset, you know, because they could have lost their child.

So yeah.

Since we know one thing about leadership, since we know, I'll um I'll talk with Leo about it.

Leo, that's the the guy that re talks with us.

Yeah, yeah.

And um, he'll push it in and they'll return your phone call.

Okay.

Do we have you guys have contacts to um Dr.

Warren G.

Morgan?

Okay, I would love to talk with him.

Yeah, I talk with him at least every other week.

Okay.

He and I talk.

Okay.

We talk every other week.

Uh Leo is his contact.

Leo and I mainly talk.

Okay.

But he he's gonna want you to go through Leo.

Leo, okay.

Right.

And then Leo will say that we recommended council to talk with you.

And uh Dr.

Morgan is a good guy, he'll come out with what you're doing.

But he's busy right now dealing with the uh schools and consolidations and the whole nine yards.

I mean, it'll fit into his paradigm, but he's busy with that right now.

Leo will get right in front of him.

All right, okay.

So I'll make the phone call.

I'll talk with him.

Matter of fact, when you guys receive your resolution, Leo probably will be in the audience because he comes down.

When is when is when was that for as a resolution?

Uh not this Monday.

It might be next Monday or the Monday after that.

Okay.

Okay, I'll just follow up.

Yeah.

I can't do the 26th, so you'll be chairing on the 26th, right?

It's my 41st wedding anniversary.

Oh, congratulations.

You know, and I we figure out what we're going to.

You know, so I have to do that.

You know, that's important.

Marriage is important, and you gotta keep that together with the wife and I.

So um, Imani will talk with you.

I'll talk with Leo, and you'll probably get a phone call this week.

Okay.

All right.

Now, your phone is it filled up.

Sometimes people say people don't return their phone calls.

My phone's not filled up.

The voicemail is is full.

It's not full.

It's not full.

I know what I return your cause is now full.

Mine can be full, but yours is not full.

Right.

Right.

So Francis will deal with you.

She'll help you out.

She's good.

She's really, really good.

Okay.

All right.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you all for your time.

Thank you all.

Good talk.

Thank you.

So the next one, we're bringing up.

We're dealing with uh we got epilepsy discussing food and security.

That's right.

I'm gonna talk with them real quick.

Thank you for joining us.

Uh you want to inform with food?

Yep, yep, just a presentation.

Want to give us some introductions and then uh we'll turn it over to you.

Okay.

I'm just here for the road.

I just work here.

Good morning.

Thank you all for having me today to talk about the work that I do in the Department of Public Health and the Division of Health.

My name is Zaynab Pixler.

I'm the local food system strategies coordinator.

Today we'll be talking about the food systems work happening at the city of Cleveland.

To start, just a little bit of background.

I'd like to introduce myself a little bit.

Uh I have a supply chain degree with a food studies minor.

I'm a Cleveland transplant of eight years.

I love call calling Cleveland home.

My whole career has been in food systems development.

It started in food service, and after graduating college, I had the pleasure of working at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, the Center for Good Food Purchasing, and now doing food policy work for the City of Cleveland.

Outside of work, I'm an animal advocate and a travel enthusiast.

I um know Councilwoman Hudson as a city of Cleveland Kennel adopter, and I am an active volunteer at the Kennel, and I uh travel the world any chance that I get.

When I first started in this role almost three years ago, I conducted a listening tour.

Out of that listening tour, I produced a report that synthesized everything that I heard from food systems advocates, from urban agriculturalists, from food business owners, um, from nonprofit operators into seven key insights.

Hearing that land and water access was a priority for urban agriculture.

Transparency and city processes was absolutely needed for folks to be able to interact with our policies and programs.

There was a huge potential with institutional food procurement in the area.

We need alternative food retail models like farmers' markets, food cooperatives to be able to support food access for our neighbors.

Workforce development in the food sector needs some work.

And food rescue and composting are both opportunities to create a sustain environmentally sustainable food system.

And last but not least, coalition building, definitely needed in the area to build trust, to build companionship, to build um the uh force behind food systems and food policy development.

Those seven pillars have been guiding my work, and my major projects include working with the city's land bank to uh offer the sale of land for urban agriculture.

Currently, the city's land bank does not sell land for urban agriculture, which poses a huge food sovereignty issue.

Uh folks invest time, uh, sweat, blood, tears, money into their land, and not having ownership of their land poses um some serious issues.

In the food retail um sector, working with uh Central Kinsman Wellness Collective in Central and Kinsman to develop a cooperatively owned farm stop, and then working with farmers markets to get the word out about their operations and including farmers' markets, but also farm stands, fresh stops, fresh produce markets.

I created this guy, there's a little snippet up here, um, a notion guide to uh share on the city's website uh to um share information about what markets are available for residents to patron in the workforce development realm working on cultivating Cleveland's next generation, which is an effort uh to introduce young people to urban agriculture and food access work.

And in that, I had the pleasure of sitting at this table talking about the food access navigator program, which is working with young people to educate their peers, educate their family members, their community about the changes in the SNAP program.

Another major project is the Summer Sprout Community Gardening Program.

It's Cleveland's uh community gardening program, previously funded by the community development block grant dollars going through the Department of Community Development.

Uh, thanks to your leadership and uh um the leadership of the mayor's office.

We are now working to shift the funding from community development block ground dollars to general fund, which will open up a whole lot of pathways for the program.

We work with the Ohio State University extension to administer the program and due to management capacity from both the city and OSU extension side.

And because of the difficulties with the funding source, the program has uh slipped in the last couple of years.

And so with my management, I'm really hoping to reinvigorate the program, reimagine the program with this increased investment from the general fund, really um reinvigorate the program into a more thriving community gardening program.

Another major project of mine is the new East Side Market.

As we know, um the lease with NEON ended at the end of March.

And so I worked with the hunger network to rescue all of the perishable product in the building to make sure that it did not go to waste and that it fed uh the neighbors in the Glendville area.

I've also been working on the request for qualified qualified contractors with input from council and community to find a new operator or operators for the space because the space not only has the food retail space, there's a demonstration kitchen, there's a small commercial kitchen, and there's clinic space in there as well.

And working with community partners to activate the space in the meantime so that it doesn't sit vacant and empty uh between operators.

Thank you.

So uh just a little little plug.

I do have a newsletter, a monthly newsletter called Farm to Inbox, where I share work that thank you.

Um where I share updates from my office, where I share work that's happening in other cities across the country.

I share a little recipe in there as well.

Um so it's an opportunity for um folks to stay connected to my work to really hear about what's going on in the food system, not only in Cleveland, but across the country and sometimes across the world.

Now I will take any questions.

Thank you.

Uh coordinator Pixlar, Ms.

Pixler.

Sure.

Tell me what you like.

Um say nobody is fine too.

Thanks, Santa.

This is fantastic.

Um thank you for joining us here today.

I I'll turn to my colleagues in just a second, but uh would love to hear more about to the extent that you know what programs or incentives the city has for new grocery stores.

Is there a funding stream available?

How do we support that kind of infrastructure in our community?

Yeah, so I'm happy to share some um information about that.

There is um currently the Gardening for Greenbacks grant program, which traditionally serves um for-profit urban farms, but has been used to support um food retailers in sourcing local product.

Um I know the Department of Development does also have grant programs to support purchasing equipment for um food retailers and has been used in that fashion.

Um, but no other no other programs at this time.

Okay.

That makes sense.

Um, Cleveland is is lucky to have a number of urban farms.

It's you know, in my community, our community, there's a refugee response, has their urban farm behind Riverside, Riverview, excuse me.

Um there's Riddle as well.

It are other cities as far ahead in the urban farming experience.

Are we behind in urban farming?

It feels like we're ahead, but um, your context would be very helpful.

That's a great question.

So Cleveland has historically been a really progressive urban agriculture supportive uh city uh with legislation that was uh passed at the um because of the leadership of the Cleveland Cuyahoga Food Policy Coalition and with in partnership with the health department.

Um we do have quite a few policies that are supportive of urban agriculture.

Um however, there are some cities that do, for example, offer land for sale for urban agriculture.

There are other cities we do have a uh pretty progressive hydrant access um process for urban agriculture.

Um there are some cities that have more transparent processes, more um uh streamlined processes around land and water access.

So um I would say we're up there, but uh there are other cities that are innovating more recently.

That's interesting.

And so there's it other cities provide more streamlined access to city resources to provide for urban agriculture.

Comparatively, yes.

Okay.

Is that something that we in council could could help on?

Is there are there new laws or regulations we should be passing to facilitate that because sort of streamlining?

Always.

Uh yes, always yes, but always what?

Exactly.

Um, yes, so uh as I mentioned, we're currently working with the city's land bank to um amend policy to support the sale of land for urban agriculture.

So uh as I mentioned, we're currently working with the city's land bank to um amend policy to support the sale of land for urban agriculture.

There's an opportunity uh with the water department to work on policy there.

Um so yes.

Last thing I'll ask then is um it is news to me the city does not sell its land bank lots for urban agriculture.

Is that historically, yes?

Historically, it sounds like as a matter of policies that across is urban agriculture in that context include community gardens as well?

Yes.

Okay, so the community gardens that are on land bank lots are operating in a sort of under leases.

Under leases.

Okay, so they're they're authorized usually leases, but they're not the people who till the land aren't owning the land.

Correct.

Which provides long-term investment issues.

Okay.

Appreciate you explaining it.

Any questions from my colleagues?

Mr.

Arsh?

I'm sorry.

Sorry, I just want people that way over.

Sorry, because I know you're on chair of the meeting who's in charge.

He's back.

It's Councilman Hudson.

Hudson.

Thank you.

Yeah, through the chair.

Thank you.

Yeah, I I I'm fortunate to um have met Zynub during my campaign.

And um very grateful to have been able to um be part of the initiative to revamp the summer sprout program and make it um you know more effective citywide.

I'm also um you know, very willing and looking forward to partner with you on um pushing the um the sale of land for urban agriculture because I think that's that's the next step.

That's the next piece of the of the of the puzzle that we need to correct um citywide so that our um community gardens can um you know make the types of investments that that we want to see um long-term investments and that they're not under a threat like in and in certain neighborhoods where um development is um you know where the the value of the land um might exceed the the um might might threaten um the the leases that community gardens hold with the city.

Um I think being able to purchase the land is is is crucial and also um I also can see that community gardens are essential for the types of vibrant neighborhoods that that we want the the livable walkable neighborhoods that everybody wants to see um and it's just as important to have community gardens as it is to have infill housing.

So um I think that's the that's what's still on the same thing.

I do councilwoman.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I just want to understand more.

Because um, Mr.

Chair, uh you know, we want to have neighborhoods that people want to stay in that people don't want to you know move away from and community gardens bring people together, they're a place for people to meet.

And also, you know, we've seen in the last several months um how precarious food access is in this country, and giving people um more opportunities to grow their own food is something that is is extremely important, and it's something that we did historically, but we've moved away from, and I think we need to get back into it.

Um and um, you know, we're fortunate to have people like Zynob who are willing to you know spearhead this and she's very passionate about it, and so um you know that's something that we need to take advantage of.

And um, you know, her her her passion for this subject, her her knowledge and her experience.

Um, we we can have one of the um the best community garden programs in in the country.

I I we don't we we were we were headed there, you know, in the past by um you know, 10 or 15 years ago when we took the step to allow backyard chickens and bees.

And um, you know, I think it's time now to um you know take another step forward and become at the at the leading edge of urban agriculture and in the country.

Um and and so I have a question, Zina.

Um you mentioned hydrant access.

Um how are we with um providing hydrant access to our community gardens?

Um is that process better than it was before?

I know there's you know, historically been a lot of red tape that um you know gardeners have to jump through in order to get those hydrant keys.

Yes, through the chair.

Um first thank you for your advocacy and your passion.

Uh really appreciate it.

And uh for the hydrant process, uh still quite a bit of um uh there's a lack of transparency around the process for sure.

Uh with the summer sprout gardens, they do get hydrant access through the program.

Um it's part of the services uh provided at the garden leader kickoff, um, usually in the spring for the program.

Um however, outside of the summer sprout program for any urban farms or gardens looking to tap a hydrant for water access, there the process is not uh written out anywhere.

It's it can be very um uh there's a lack of transparency around how to how to acquire a hydrant permit.

Um and there is um from my experience uh within the water department can be uh conflated.

Some urban farms and gardens are conflated with the summer sprout program.

And so um there is just a general lack of understanding about the urban agriculture landscape in Cleveland.

And through the chair, is there a fee for the hydrant permits?

There is a fee.

Uh there's uh the standard fee, which I am not sure what it is for this year, and then um urban farms and gardens are charged for two MCFs of water, um, which is just an estimated use um of water for the season.

Um do you um okay, thank you.

And then um another um barrier that I've heard about, um, I think you and I have discussed um is the uh you know speaking of red tape, the the red tape that you have to jump through to have a a community event like a farmer's market.

Um can you discuss the the what somebody would have to go through in order to um hold uh uh uh you know an event like a farmer's market.

Yes, through the chair to host a farmer's market in the city of Cleveland, you have to go through the special events uh process.

Uh the application very much reads like you are um hosting a one-day music festival of sorts, for example, um so it can be challenging for uh those hosting farmers markets to uh interact with the process and to fill out the application, uh given that it's uh uh very different than hosting a one-day event.

So for so to hold a farmer's market, you would go through the same process as say, you know, shutting down St.

Clair Avenue and speaking with, you know, you go into the room and you have a present a plan to each of the department heads and um you know go through all of the the hoops um associated with that.

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

So um for for me I see that as another opportunity for council to um you know change the policy around um you know there's there should be different processes.

Um for holding a large music music event and a smaller one for holding um smaller events like farmers markets or or block parties.

Um agree.

Could you could you um just write it up and then we look at the policy country Hudson?

Any very good writer, and then we'll see we don't want to create barriers.

That's right, that's right.

I will write it down.

I'm not in that world.

You write it down and that'd help us out.

I will.

Lakewood actually has a very good process.

They hold a lot of um block parties, so they have a pretty simple process for holding you know these smaller types of community events that don't require, you know, large police presence and shutting down major roads.

Um two one for small events, one for larger events, two separate processes.

But yes, councilman, I'll be happy to do that.

All right, thank you.

I'm finished, that's all.

Thank you, Zinov.

Nice to see you here today.

All right.

So let me ask one more question before I yield um Chris Harsh.

Uh councilmember Chris Harsh.

Um I like with the gardens, and I know that um in this to the councilwoman Hudson.

What you were narrating is that um it also helps the environment.

And so if we can have vegetation and our life, urban life in the city correlated together, that would help us out better.

With air quality, is that correct?

Yes.

I mean, you got expert, I'm listening to you.

Thank you.

Okay, I was listening, you know, and so we could do that, and then if you knock the barriers down, because that's a lot of work just to do that in kind of a lot.

It pushes you away.

You say I'm not doing all of that, but if we break down some of those um um barriers, then um you'll get more.

Absolutely.

You know, but short run, long run.

Gardening.

Um, and some of the lots in the short run, side lots, open space lots, gardening, okay.

But in the long run, with me, see, I like to build things and put houses, do economic development.

If you put a garden there in the short run, if I could build, put a house there, when you said it's just as important.

If I could put a $15 million building there, put people to work, cut down on blight in the community.

This cuts down on blight also.

I think that benefits the community.

But what councilwoman Hudson said there, they're equal, is being important.

That's what you narrated.

So just help me out with that a little bit.

I'm not putting it down, but I just in my mind, I just think economic development majority of the time.

I I see that um, you know, quality of life is is very important to our residents.

And in order to achieve the type of quality of life that people want to have, they need to be able to um, you know, get together with their neighbors.

They they might not have big enough yards to grow, you know, fruits and vegetables that they want to see.

There's a house in in my ward where the it's a tiny little front yard, probably not much of a backyard at all.

And they the front entire front yard was taken up with corn plants last year.

Corn.

So they're growing corn on every available, you know, speck of uh yard that they had.

And imagine what you know, neighbors could do if they had you know more available space.

And um, you know, there are community gardens that have significant weight lists.

Uh I know the one that's in Councilman Davis's ward.

Um, you know, you you people want to garden there, but there's Kentucky Gardens, thank you, Kentucky Gardens.

But there's a wait list.

Um yeah, three-year wait list.

I don't know what the what the wait list is for um the Ben Franklin Garden and Councilman Harsh's ward.

Um the the largest community garden in the county for sure, perhaps in the state, even um thank you.

Um, but um these are these are the reasons why people want to live in in neighborhoods.

These are what make our Cleveland neighborhoods great, is having uh resources like community gardens, and it's also like I said, it's uh it's a it's a it's a way for people to grow their own food, and um there are workforce opportunities related to that as well.

Yeah, we could do that with children.

We could you know one thing about a um a garden when I look at it for my background and business as an MBA.

Um, if you if like we gave $500,000 to um WildU.

Okay, so if you took some children to do a garden project, then they're learning project management.

They're learning implementation of the project, the roles and the responsibilities of the project.

They're learning how to budget for equipment they might need, supplies, resources, how much money is gonna cost, and they'll learn how to monitor and control the garden as well as um to close the project out when you harvest the garden, they could take that knowledge, not only dealing with the garden, they could take that knowledge with them when they go to work at different places, and they could use the project.

It's a science, and they could do it straight through gardening.

Straight through gardening.

So we don't just look at gardening.

Um I look at the project management, and then maybe we can have some children to do gardening um next year, then they know where holes and roads and responsibilities, who's gonna do what um certain plot of um gardening and whatever the case may be, and when do we tilt the land and not just put seeds in the ground, but it's a plan, it's a project plan.

I mean, I look at it for me, that's just the way I look at it.

Absolutely.

Uh to the chair, there are uh urban farms and um that work with YOU to bring young people to their farms during the summer season uh to learn everything that you were just mentioning from project management to growing the food to selling the food to creating value-added products, all of that.

It's the application of the knowledge, and they could take that application with them to other um projects and events because then they know what role they have to play with raising the money because it's transferable.

And the main thing about knowledge is the application of the knowledge.

And that's what I look at.

So we could do that next year.

I'll help.

Well, you could champion it, councilwoman.

I'm all about rolling with the new younger council members, and I'll stay in the background ground, and I'll look for what you're doing.

I look at it.

Councilmember Chris Harsh.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, so I just wanted to ask a question.

It's sort of like a tale of two experiences.

Um so on one end, you have the Ben Franklin Gardens, which is as councilwoman said, I think one of the largest community gardens in all of Cleveland, if not the state or whatever, um, they grow so much food, they donate hundreds of pounds every year to the food bank uh because they're just down there to have a good time, and sometimes they have more food than they actually need, so they end up donating it.

But the garden itself becomes a cultural center, it's it's it's a mini concert venue, people hold events there.

Um and there are other really successful community gardens throughout the city too, Rid All and uh Kentucky and a handful of them that we all know and celebrate and enjoy, and they are a major important aspect of community life in our neighborhoods.

Uh however, I did also have this experience when I was at Metro West for seven years, um, between roughly like 2010, 2020-ish, that area.

Um, the city was saying yes to every single request for side yards and for community garden space for a while during the height of the foreclosure crisis when we were demolishing houses by the thousands every year, and we didn't know what to do with all this.

The city just said, sure, you want a side yard, you can have a side yard.

You want a community garden, you can have a community garden.

And I was working in the stockyards Clark Fulton neighborhood while this was happening, and I was signing off and approving as the CDC rep, and everybody was approving.

Um but essentially what we learned, Mr.

Chair was that sometimes people's eyes were bigger than their stomach to stick with the food analogies.

Um and people thought they could create a community garden, but they couldn't.

Uh and typically the experience was that this was a small group of people.

Um, so like five people would get together, a handful of neighbors and say, hey, there's an empty lot on our street.

How about if we get that and turn it into a community garden?

And then you know, the next year someone gets sick, and two years later somebody else moves, and before you know it, two people physically can't maintain the garden and it goes fallow.

And I did a survey of all the gardens that we approved before I left, and 75% had gone to pot.

They'd just they'd gone fallow fellow, yeah, right?

Right language, right?

Okay, feral.

I want to say feral.

Um no, not feral.

They've gone wild.

They they just they they were stopped, they were no longer maintained.

And then obviously, you know, the this this is not a huge problem.

I mean, weeds grow anyway.

Um, but that's when everybody switched over to the lease program.

Like instead of like transferring this, we'll lease it to you for five years, and then if you can keep it up and in five years you want it again, cool.

We'll renew the lease, everything's good.

If you didn't do it and plans fell through, at least you don't own the land.

Um because if you were selling the land and it went to pot, then they could you know potentially become a problem if you wanted to do something later on with the land.

Um so my only question through the chair, and my long way of getting to this, is um what are we doing to make sure that community garden spots are being managed and run by large groups of people?

Because five people can't handle it, but if you've got 50 people, then there can be some give and take.

And if you've got Ben Franklin, you got 500 people and you're just good to go for generations.

What what steps are we taking to make sure that any new land for gardening is uh managed by a large enough group that it won't just fall off if if one or two people decide to move on?

Yes, through the through the chair for community gardens, for example, through the summer sprout program, you need to apply with at least five non-related people.

Um there is an opportunity to revisit that and take a look, depending on the size of the lot, for example, maybe adding more people to support the maintenance uh with urban farming and particularly with the policy with the land bank to sell land for urban agriculture.

We're really looking at experience and um passion for for the work.

Uh if we are looking to make sure that uh we're not selling outright that we are there is some sort of trial period that um the person has um been through some sort of um urban agriculture training, whether that is with OSU extension or Rid All or any of these other urban ag trainings that exist across the state.

Um so we're really looking to make sure that folks are committed um before before there's a sale.

Okay, yeah, um, and through the chair then uh uh have have you reached out to those established community gardens like the Kentuckys and the Ben Franklins to see if they have a way to help manage some of the extra land as well uh through the chair uh with um could you clarify the question?

So if there is a group of people in old Brooklyn that want to get a lot for uh community farm, um perhaps check in with Ben Franklin to see if they could take it in as theirs and help manage it with those five people because it was not the intention that was uh wrong.

It was just, you know, people's eyes are bigger than their stomach.

They get a good idea, they get a headstrong on it, and a couple years later they can't keep up.

And it's just that you've got a problem.

So I'm just that's what I'm but if you have like I've got a spot in Old Brooklyn that Ben Franklin's gonna manage remotely.

So that when as soon as we get it, it's like 25 parcels or 25 lots or whatever, and they're gonna manage it and they're gonna be able to keep an eye on it, and they'll they'll use it for their overflow.

Um but I know that it's in good hands because they've been managing their own for 50, 75 years or whatever it is.

You that's what I'm getting at.

Like talk to those other community garden spots to see if they have the capacity to help manage uh satellite locations.

There there is definitely an opportunity through the chair to to do that work.

I would also say that when folks approach me looking for land to um grow on for the first time, I definitely do direct them to a local garden, for example, to see if they have um any extra beds that they're able to work on for the first time to really see if they're interested in in the work long term.

Uh Mr.

That's all I want to share, just some experience.

Thank you.

Okay, great.

You know, um, councilwoman, we were narrating earlier.

Is there a way we could find out like you mentioned Benjamin Franklin and Kentucky and different um let's say CDCs who are doing um farming, and then we could taste we'll take children to teach them the farming because you have to cultivate young people.

I don't I'm not in that paradigm.

I don't know what you know um as far as CDCs, I'm not sure which ones, but I do know that Zynob and then also um there's an organization called Fair Food Access Raises Everyone, and that that you all are in contact with um all of the community gardens and in the city, and then you also created um a map um of the community gardens through the chair.

I can't take credit for that map, but uh I do I I can share that out.

Yeah, okay.

I think I I shared the the map during budget hearings.

Um there I can sh I'll share it again with you.

Um so that you can see all of the community gardens across the the city.

Um Zinob shared it with me and then I I forwarded it um so that you all or maybe it was in your newsletter.

Um it was in my newsletter it was in your newsletter, okay.

Um yes, a monthly newsletter talking about my work and food systems work happening across the country.

It's great.

I sh I shared that with you too during it was during budget hearings to be fair.

I don't get it, you know.

Email no, you know what?

At that time, when we gave $500,000 to WildU, I met with WoW U, my focus was on getting the young kids in the city of Cleveland so they could take free art music lessons for the summer.

And what we did when we gave them $500,000 to Wow U, we took one-fifth of the money, and we took Ranians to the music, research settlement, Julio de Burgos to hire students.

Similar similar like what we're talking now.

And then so the students are teaching other young children music lessons and they're learning.

So it's the application of the knowledge.

So my mind was focused on that program to make sure that it's successful.

So we could do the same thing with the um with the farms.

The system is already there.

We give money out next year, we get the kids so they can learn.

No, that's where I was at when you were given that to me.

No, I understand, and I'm gonna soin up's newsletter is is fantastic.

So um I I I'll I'll reshare it with you to make sure that you you see it, because I think you'll really like it.

Well, well, let me ask one question to now you.

This evening, uh and we mentioned your name to come with us.

Um Rebecca, who's over the lead?

We're going to dinner to discuss land.

The ladies we want to invite you also, and if you could come with us, we're going with the winking lizards, and then you could bring that in as well.

Okay, yeah.

That happens out with that as well.

Okay, thank you.

I never we never stop working.

We never stop working.

So um, I want to see a newsletter and see that so we can move forward with it.

And Councilman Shaw, you're up next.

Thank you.

Uh I'll be quick.

Thank you for your time today.

I uh would also I was wondering if we could get a copy of that um listening to a report, sorry.

Uh I actually don't think I've I've seen that.

I would love to understand some of those takeaways and read more about them.

And um could you just explain briefly right now?

What is how long does it take if a group of neighbors wanted to ha get a plot of land?

What is that timeline look like?

Is it six months, three months, a year, year and a half?

Through the chair the Cities Land Bank is currently on pause, so uh there would be no option for uh a community organization or folks to go through the land bank at this time um to go through that process.

Um from what I've heard it could take longer than a year for um a uh response from the land bank.

Yeah, and I I appreciate that.

And I think that's that's too long.

Um I think we have to simplify the process like you you've pointed out, and um, I look forward to understanding what the land bank's next steps are.

I know we're going through some restructuring.

Uh have there been conversations and is CD open to kind of understanding or uh I want to understand just where the status of that is.

Yeah, the um uh folks at the city's land bank, including Trudy Andresky has been um very open to conversations and has been a great thought partner and thinking about a policy to support uh the sale of land for urban agriculture.

Okay.

And uh I think you alluded to it earlier, uh having some restrictions on this like um the parcels that would still be in the conversation of like making sure that land is not um I my concern is in the f like if there would be restrictions with it, right?

That it would still be used for agricultural purposes.

So, you know, we're not seeing, you know, in five years, six years, there's a group of uh transfer ownership or as it's a revolving community ownership that it gets sold to private developers or something like that.

Is that correct?

Correct.

Okay.

Um and then I would also just want to plug if uh council members haven't gotten a chance to go on the garden walk uh coming up in July, which will be a good good uh great way to see a lot of these uh um community gardens in our different wards.

Uh it's definitely one of the I I I want to say it's July twenty four.

I I forget the date off top of my head.

I think it's the 11th and 12th or 12th and 13th, something somewhere around there mid-July.

Absolutely.

Um and then one final thing, uh I I do know council uh councilman Conwell.

I I some CMST schools actually have community guard like gardens that are attached with their schools as well.

So they do have students um too, yeah.

Councilman uh it is a great way to have students you know learn more about just how environment functions and how much they can take apart in their um environment.

So I I just want to plug those things, but appreciate the work you do and looking forward to continuing the partnership.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Was that does that complete your presentation?

Yes, it does.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

So Councilwoman Hudson will get together and that concludes the health human service in the arts committee.

We are adjourned.