The Dayton City Commission meeting would now come to order.

Would you all please rise for the invocation and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance?

This evening will be given by Commissioner Fairchild.

Oh gracious one.

Today, as we begin anew, guide us as we proceed with this important work.

Help us take stock of the past year and the last term.

Help us to extend those things that we did well.

Help us to set aside those that we did not.

Set us on a course for success.

Guide our new commissioner and our new mayor.

May they lead with courage, confidence, and humility.

Support our city manager and all of our employees.

Encourage them as they serve our neighbors.

May they be seen and valued.

Pour your spirit upon us.

Import your wisdom to us so that we may be good stewards of these responsibilities that have been entrusted to us.

Amen.

Amen.

One nation.

Under God.

With liberty and justice.

For all.

Ms.

McClendon, may we please have the roll call?

Mayor Turner Sloss.

Aye.

Commissioners Joseph.

Aye.

Shaw.

Aye.

Fairchild.

Aye.

Beckham.

Aye.

May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the December 31st, 2025 meeting.

So moved, Your Honor.

Second the motion, Your Honor.

It has been properly moved and second to approve the minutes from December 31st, 2025.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed, say no.

May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the January 5th, 2026 special meeting.

So moved, Your Honor.

Second.

It has been properly moved and second to approve the minutes of the January 5th, 2026 special meeting.

All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed say no.

Ms.

McClendon, are there any uh special communications or petitions?

There are none, Your Honor.

For today's uh presentation, we have a monthly demolition update, and I call to the podium, Mr.

Steve Gondel.

Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners, City Manager, Ms.

McClendon.

All right.

Good evening.

Good evening.

I will wait for uh the slides uh come on here.

All right.

Thank you for having me.

Uh I want to note uh tonight's presentation actually is for the November 2025 numbers.

We moved this from last uh it would have been last week.

So you will see me twice this month.

I'll be here for the November numbers tonight, and then as we're finalizing the December numbers, I'll be here at the end of the month doing the December closeout as well as the full year closeout and year to date, you know, or program to date update at that meeting.

So tonight we're gonna focus just on the November work by our team with the Dayton Recovery Plan Demolition Monthly update.

So last month uh in November we had 18 structures removed.

Fourteen of those uh were routine uh removals, four of those were piles.

All of those were funded under the ARPA funding.

Uh so to date uh in 2025, we've had 264 uh properties removed, with the bulk of that being the ARPA funding.

As I noted, we began October uh or we ended October with 31 piles.

We removed four of those in November.

Fortunately, we had none added in November, so we begin we ended the month with 27 piles.

And just a reminder for myself, again on the map, we had nothing in on the emergency side.

When we look at the 18 properties that were removed, uh the bulk of those were in the Southern Dayton View neighborhood, um, and also in the kind of the west and northwest uh neighborhoods.

To date, again, you'll see our work has touched most corners of the city, um, both through ARPA, ODOD, CDBG, and some general fund removals.

Our structurals, our structures added to the structural nuisance list in 2025.

Uh in November, we had 14 properties that were added.

Eleven of those were houses.

One was a commercial property, which was specifically 2060 Gettysburg.

One was an apartment building, which is specifically 1330 Xenia.

One was a garage.

Nine of those uh 14 properties were due to blight or deterioration.

Five were due to fire.

Uh to date in 2025 or through the end of November, we had 103 properties that were added to that structural nuisance list uh in 2025.

Our pipeline uh is slowing down.

Uh most of the work has already been accomplished, but we did have 10 properties that we had completed the asbestos survey, uh, which will again lead to additional removals in the coming, you know, in December and or January.

And our before and afters.

Uh first off, we have uh 1253 uh Rosedale or um 1253 Rosedale uh and 927 Rosedale.

So again, in that Southern Date View area there targeting some of these routine uh light removals.

2310 West Second Street, and I apologize.

We had a um this is the first and we'll be the last where the after picture had some writing on it.

It was just as a marker, but 2310 West 2nd and 1623 McCall uh were routine uh demolitions.

And then moving into our fire fire pile contract, uh 125 Brooklyn, 648 Greymont, 648 Greymont.

You might recall uh the the resident next door had come to commission seeking help, uh concern about the closest.

That was something where we moved some things around, and I know it may have seemed like forever for her, which right, but we really try to move that up to address that concern that she had had about it being so close to her property, but we got that removed as well.

And then uh 1254 Vernon and 12 uh 24 Windsor uh were additional piles that we have uh removed under that fire pile contract.

And so um with that, you know, again, uh I think a reasonably productive month in November.

Excited to come back later with the December and kind of year end accounting for everything.

But on that note, I will um take any comments you and the commission may have.

Thank you, Ms.

Degondo.

Commissioner, do you have any questions or comments?

Um thank you, Mayor.

Um first of all, thank you, staff, uh Mr.

Gondo for the presentation.

Always excited to see these nuisance properties continue to come down.

Uh just curious the um the situation where um it seems like uh firepower was expedited.

I mean, I'm just wondering what are the normal circumstances in which a fire pile does get moved up uh in the normal process of things.

So it's always around funding um and uh getting it on the you know uh sometimes you know with the piles contracts, not much changes.

So when we have a house, a house is a little bit easier because sometimes there might be uh an owner may step forward and remove and offer to you know either demolish it themselves or uh rehab it.

Piles are pretty much, you know, rarely does anybody come forward, and so that is our hardest one to really crack is that that list has been set.

We've been trying to get to those piles that either have been there the longest that are either close, proximity to a potential concern around like schools or kids or stuff like that.

And so that's the hardest one.

That's why I said I felt bad for the the woman who lived by Greymont because there were there were piles before her, and I know those neighbors also cared.

And so we are just trying to be creative and move money around with the contracts, either trying to add more or add properties.

And so that remains probably our hardest part.

The piles are the hardest because those we will have to, you know, follow the EPA guidelines around the notification, wrapping of the containers, and we're limited because a lot of times there is only a small amount of that that can go to local landfill.

The bulk of that has to go to the Columbus landfill.

So that also sometimes impacts how many we can do uh either in the course of a day, week, or month.

And so number of factors.

So piles is why I really bemoan them because there are so many factors that limit our ability to to really address that in you know an accelerated way.

Thank you.

That's all for me.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Fairchild.

No.

Thank you for the report.

I always appreciate it.

And uh congratulations on no fire piles being added.

Thank you.

That number is getting close, right?

It's dwindling more and more.

So that's awesome.

Thank you for that.

Working thank you for the staff.

All right, thank you.

My things also, I um I really don't have any comments, but the this is really good news.

I mean, we're moving the right direction.

Keep it up.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'd just like to echo my colleagues' comments.

Since we've started doing these regularly, it's been gratifying to see the numbers get better.

And we really appreciate you all's work because I know it's a a tough problem.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Gondo, and the entire team.

Thank you for all of your great work.

And again, hopefully you will not have any additional pals that will be added for the remainder of this month.

I hope it's McClendon.

Are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar?

There are none, Your Honor.

Thank you.

Ms.

Dixteen, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar?

Your Honor, I have no additions or deletions to this evening's calendar.

I do have a few items I would like to highlight.

One is a service agreement with uh ultimate Inc.

That's a contract modification.

This is an extension of the professional services agreement for traffic safety enforcement enforcement system, which are our cameras that are specifically located in school zones.

This extension will allow us to continue to one keep working towards collections of those late payers that we always have, so there's always a tail.

Um it also enables us to get completely set up for the new vendor that was selected last year through an RFP process, um, elevate and because they have to come in with all of their equipment and get everything set up again, largely it focusing on school zones.

This contract has 4.8 million dollars in revenue to the city and about 1.2 million in expenses that will be paid to Ultimate.

Um item number E or letter E for the Flock Group Inc.

This is uh grant funded expansion for fixed uh automated license plate readers that will be placed in five different neighborhoods.

Uh those neighborhoods are Twin Towers, Burkhart, Miami Chapel, Residence Park, and Red Crest.

Um accordance with our surveillance um uh our technology surveillance ordinance.

The uh police have been working with the neighborhoods creating and developing safety plans so they all have the required safety plans, and there were public meetings held from August to October, nine public meetings to make sure that this was socialized amongst the neighborhood prior to moving forward with implementing um and adding these um flock cameras for those neighborhoods.

So we're excited to be partnering with the neighborhoods uh on that.

And then finally, um, just as a clarification, um item number five, which is development agreement with the on main development project.

This is just the um debt proceeds, you know, making sure that our bond funding that was part of the original 7.8 million dollars is um positioned and um so it's not new funding to the project, it's just the funding the the financing tool coming through.

And that's all I have.

Thank you, Ms.

Dixtein.

Ms.

McClendon, are there any uh citizens register registered to speak this evening?

Your Honor, there are eight citizens registered to speak on calendar items.

I would like to state that there is a three-minute time limit.

As you address the commission, we ask that you state your name and address for the record.

At that time, I will turn on a green light.

When the green light comes on, you will have three minutes to speak.

After you have spoken two and a half minutes, a yellow light will come on, and you will have 30 seconds remaining to speak.

When the red light comes on, you will be asked to cease your comments and to take your seat.

To the audience in attendance, please be mindful this is a business meeting, and we kindly request that during this portion of the meeting you refrain from any hand clapping, finger snapping, and conversation that will prevent the city commission from hearing the speaker's comments.

I call to the podium, Regina Holman.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, Commissioners.

You want me to say my name first?

Regina Homan, 120 West Third Street, Dayton Ohio, 45402.

Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners, Ms.

Dixtein, and the rest of those up uh on the day is.

My name is Regina Holman, and I am the director of community outreach for Congressman Mike Turner.

It's amazing what we can do when we have the right people at the table.

For 60 plus days, a group of elected officials from the city, county, and state, along with law enforcement, education, and the business community have worked together to provide recommendations on how we can improve and strengthen downtown Dayton.

With your help, we believe that these recommendations will address growing concerns that include social services, police presence, and enforcement.

Today I represent the entire downtown Dayton working group and thanking the Dayton City Commission for your sec your consideration and your willingness to move forward with this resolution.

We look forward to continuing this work for you in downtown Dayton.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Holman.

I call to the podium, Spencer Glazier.

Hello, Spencer Glazer, uh 1305 Carlisle Avenue, Dayton, Ohio.

Uh I'm mostly here to just speak in disapproval of uh flock cameras in general and of the money we are also spending towards Allument Inc.

Um, I don't think I don't view flock as an effective tool for our police departments and the risk that it poses to a lot of uh marginalized communities, specifically in the era of ICE, I feel like is a big detriment.

Um there's been numerous instances.

Uh you can just go on to the ACLU's uh website.

Um they have a big article about flock cameras and their effect on communities.

Uh police departments, unfortunately, uh individuals, I should say within police departments have used it to stalk, harass, and endanger the lives of their exes and other people.

Um I think it just gives carte blanche to anybody who has access to the information to get up to no good.

Um spending another eighty-eight thousand dollars to spread these across the city of Dayton.

Um I feel like is only putting more and more people at risk.

Um so that's the big thing I want to say.

I also want to speak in support of um where other people will be coming up and speaking uh about Venezuela and how we need to, as a city um who's been so involved with peace in the past, uh, we really need to make a stand that we can't get into another forever war this time in Latin America as opposed to in the Middle East.

Um yeah, so I turn over the rest of my time.

Thank you.

Mr.

Glazer.

Thank you.

I call to the podium Caroline Dickey.

My name is Caroline Dickey.

I am actually from Centerville, 45459, and as a part of the Greater Dayton area, I'm happy to be able to come here tonight.

Thank you all very much for letting me be here.

Um I am also speaking against adding more to the flock camera system.

When you go to their website, they do have an extensive list of myths that they debunk, especially things like facial recognition, can uh which they do not do.

However, their system can be and has been linked to other databases, which include driver's license, uh cameras, uh pictures, uh, addresses, and other information.

Um, as was already mentioned, this is being currently used by ICE.

As the label of domestic terrorism is being expanded to include uh speaking out against whatever political position happens to be uh in the forefront.

Um, this is going to become an extensive network of surveillance, not just to aid the police.

It does aid the police, but it's going to become a bigger problem uh in the future, and to extend that as a part of uh our free city uh is rather unnerving.

It it affects us even in Centerville because these cameras go further than just uh the borders of Dayton proper.

Thank you all very much.

Thank you.

I call to the podium Joseph Abrams.

Hi, uh Joseph Abrams 117 Park Drive.

Uh yeah, so you know, we need guardrails on law enforcement.

And uh so I just want to say I'm deeply opposed, as a lot of people have been all along the way, every time you've introduced the council with these flock cameras.

I realize that's grant funding, so it's not necessarily taking funding away from somewhere else.

But no matter what kind of rules and regulations we try to make as far internally as far as how we're going to use uh these flock services, that is a third-party company, and we can't control them, and they do cooperate with ICE.

And ICE is completely out of control, as we just saw.

Without uh protections, somebody can just be shot on the street, like in Minneapolis today.

Um frankly, like we've seen way too many uh protections taken away from law enforcement here in town or blocked, like the uh blocking the use of force thing a few years ago.

So addition in addition to being opposed to flock.

Where has Mike Turner been to just suddenly appear here in town with this uh safety security commission and uh expect the city to just go ahead and uh abide by whatever they've decided here in in private, like the idea of a crime epidemic downtown is laughable.

Like, yeah, there's not a lot of people downtown, and there is crime downtown.

Has anyone here been to a city?

Things happen.

The difference is here, you know, you build these big hotels because that's been our development plan.

Um, and celebrities can come into town and stay for a day like minor ones and remark about how there's not much going on.

When there's not much going on, the indigent person asking for money is very striking.

The kids with nothing to do run around really stands out.

But like, you know, as one of my neighbors said at one of the community meetings we went to uh over the summer, like she can take the free bus that we have, that's a great service from South Park to downtown with their kids on a Saturday, but there's just not a lot to do with their family.

And you know, it did it took a long time to build the city up to what it used to be, and then it sat blighted for a long time.

You're not just gonna pour 300 million dollars into it and fix it overnight and to just blame it on generic crime, which is racist and ageist, and specifically to have it come from Mike Turner and Phil Plummer, among everybody else on this commission, but to see those two in general, because that's who's creating the problem we've had.

All those people have delivered, Mike in the Congress and uh nationally in Plumber in the House here or in in the legislature here in Ohio, is blight and insecurity, and exactly the problems that we're combating here, stripping our schools of funding, making sure the kids don't have what they need.

And Mr.

Beckham, you're a bigger man than me that you can be in a room like that calmly with a piece of criminal trash like Phil Plummer.

Do you know what's dangerous downtown is the jail?

And that's the man that defended torture in that jail.

It's when I knew you were on that commission, it's like wow, how do you stay calm around that?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Abrams.

I call to the podium Ebony Hastings.

Good evening.

First, as much as I can appreciate your efforts with Mike Turner, county leaders and the public safety community.

Mike Turner has been in Congress for 23 years, and despite local pressure, he avoids town hall meetings, question and answers with the local media, with the local public, the citizens that he's supposed to represent.

He's influenced decisions here, yet many of us see limited direct accountability to the people who live in Dayton.

I'm asking you to exercise your independent leadership, not to be swayed by outside pressures or personalities, especially when those voices haven't earned the day-to-day trust of our neighbors.

His choices with NATO visits downtown also diverted funds that could have gone to long-term needs in Dayton.

And then the article that was published in regards to the 22300,000 annually, bringing total maintenance to 400 per K, 400k per year.

I'm not anti-public safety, but this appears to be a push downtown-centric security model that diverts attention from root causes, driving crime citywide.

The data shows in 2024, violent gun crime was concentrated in the west-northwest with downtown accounting for only about 3% of the injuries.

If we pour resources into downtown to strengthen and protect that area, we risk a two-tier safety model.

Downtown gets protection while other neighborhoods face persistent challenges with fewer resources.

We also know that people who approve the funding can push back against the awarded organization's ideas, effectively making them part of the problem.

What I'm asking you to do publicly commit and fund a comprehensive citywide safety strategy that foregoes prevention that foregrounds prevention, housing stability, mental health, addiction services, education, and economic opportunity, as well as neighborhood-based policing, emphasizing de-escalation and community trust.

I'm encouraged by Mayor Turner Sloss's emphasis on prevention, housing stability, and behavioral health access.

I ask you to turn those words into action by ensuring the violence interruption program is comprehensively funded as a permanent city line item with transparent metrics and neighborhood input.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Hestin.

I call to the podium Joyce Propes McAlpine.

Good evening, Honorable Mayor and Commissioners.

Thank you for you for giving me a chance to speak.

My name is Joyce Propes McCalpine.

I live at 326 Park Drive, Dayton, Ohio, 45410.

And I'm here to speak about the FLAC contracts and actually all of the FLOC cameras.

As you're considering adding new license plate reader cameras, I want to speak about the concerns about the data collected by the cameras.

FLAC's business model is to license that data to other entities, and we know that other in other cities, the U.S.

Immigration Customs and Enforcement or ICE has bought access to FLAC data and used it to target immigrants for detention.

Dayton heard from residents about data concerns when the main contract was executed in 2023, and they changed FLAC standard data use language, or you change FLAC's standard data use language to be more restrictive, following best practices from data privacy experts.

But as ICE activities expand, there's a concern that somehow the restrictions in the contract that you have could be worked around, maybe through the work of a task force, revisions to the hot lists, or some other loophole that uh FLAC can find to sell more data to their customers.

So I'm asking that as the right to privacy and travel is given up for our citizens and our neighbors as they move through Dayton and 16 other jurisdictions in Montgomery County, that we think about what's happening with that data and ensure that it isn't being used to target vulnerable neighbors like immigrants or potentially other people where we know that they're trying to collect lists of people that are considered vulnerable.

Well, we would call them vulnerable.

They might not call them something else.

And ensure that we're not creating a situation where the data from our city is being used to target citizens.

So I'm here to request that you conduct an audit of the use of the data collected from cars traveling through data to ensure that it isn't being used for purposes and other what is allowed in your contract.

And this problem does go beyond Dayton because there's 17 law enforcement organizations in Montgomery County that have contracts with ICE or with FLOC, rather.

So that means that you know you leave Dayton, go to Kettering, you get picked up.

So this is a much bigger problem.

And other communities have looked at this and they've decided that this data security issue is not worth it and they're canceling their FLAC contracts.

I hope that we would get to that discussion and consider canceling them because this risk is too great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

My name is Mallory Fowler of 3720 East Patterson Road, and I work with nonprofit technical support and social media development.

I'm speaking today with about my concern on the potentiality of non-DATEN police department forces such as ICE accessing private citizen movements with flock cameras.

This is a dangerous potentiality, leading to a gross infringement of civil rights and liberties for all.

The core principle of innocent until proven guilty means that officers and other government agencies do not have the right to spy on its citizens without just probable cause, cause which cannot be established on footage alone.

This means that untold amounts of citizen data will be collected, could be collected, regardless of current policy and without probable cause.

With the recent information that the Dayton PD wishes to expand flock and similar systems, it is imperative that Dayton citizens and the City Commission proceed with great caution if it chooses to approve the motion.

We have all learned in recent decades of the potential risks of over surveillance, such as the revelation from NASA espionage on our fellow Americans, and I wish to express my deep concern and caution against repeating the rhymes and unlearned lessons of our own recent history.

While our police and law enforcement agencies are undoubtedly run by honorable and conscientious men and women, the potentials for infringement on human liberties, however unintentional, must be carefully reviewed and diligently safeguarded.

In the contemporary climate of federal distrust of its own citizens and ever advancing technology, the speed of which such systems can be utilized for legally dubious reasons is alarming.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Name and address for the record.

My name is Melissa Bertolo, and I live at 1137 Harvard Boulevard.

May begin.

Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners, City Manager, and staff.

I too am here regarding the FLOC contract.

Not as prepared as I would have liked to have been.

Which brings up again the fact that residents have asked for this ordinance to be revisited to ensure that we are adhering to it and call again for that to uh be occurring.

Automatic license plate readers have become one of the most pervasive surveillance tools used by federal immigration enforcement agencies.

It's used to survey and ultimately detain the most vulnerable members of our communities.

And we have the power through our procurement to turn off these surveillance cameras and protect our residents' safety and privacy.

And I sincerely believe them as well.

They are not sharing it.

We have a long legacy of the city protecting immigrants' rights here.

But the real concern is that FLOC is not a secure data system.

It does not use end-to-end encryption.

And we have seen across the country, as has been noted before me, that there are side door access to this data.

Other departments can access localities information.

In fact, in the state of Illinois, which has a state law requiring the immigration or that this data not be shared for immigration purposes.

And in the FLAC contract, it states that we will not violate state law.

Still, this information was shared through side door access of other localities across the country country accessing cities such as Oak Park and Evans, Evansville, and they have since canceled their contracts because what happens is that there is an ability to share this information and for other departments to access it.

As an example, I have been able to find out that our police department has searched Centerson, Arkansas for the reason if someone was wanted or there was a warrant.

Searches from Montgomery County Sheriff's Office has demonstrated their reasons for search as immigration.

And so as we continue to think about how is the status secure, I went to bring up that in on October 30th of 2025.

There was a search from Brookfield, Missouri, to search nearly a quarter million license plate.

Your time is from across the country for an ICE detainer.

And it issued a statement that day, later that day.

Your time is up.

Thank you.

Sorry.

Thank you, Ms.

Bertello.

Yeah.

That is all your Honor.

Your Honor, I would like to, if if if you're um if it pleases you, I'd like to bring forward um Chief Afsall and Andy Sexton to address a few of the concerns that were raised with our citizens this evening.

Yes, please.

Prior to your deliberation.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Can I get uh Jason also?

This one.

Major Hall, can you come up?

Mayor?

Yes.

Good evening.

Commissioners.

Good evening.

I know you might have questions.

There was a lot of lot of uh concerns raised.

So I can tell you that uh the data that we have from our FLOC is our data.

FLOC doesn't have access to it, and that's by contract.

And I think uh uh Andy can maybe talk about that, because that's the same contract that we have uh for 2023.

We uh we share our data with local law enforcement uh in Ohio.

We do not share with any federal agencies.

Uh that's written in a contract, and that's how we how we manage it.

So I know there's a lot of concerns about privacy issues when we do that, and also our data is kept for 30 days and then it goes away.

So if you don't if we have anything past 30 days, we we are not able to source that data.

So it's it's it has limitations just from the safety uh perspective.

So we use the data properly, and every time we do a search on the data uh on our data, we have tracking.

So we know who looked at it, why they looked at it, uh, and I can tell you that immigration is the furthest thing from a point from our mind about how uh when we are doing our uh service to our community.

Uh that's really not a concern of ours as a federal function.

Uh we do not get involved in kind of anything to do with immigration.

So I know Andy, if you want to come up here and talk about the contract itself.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Uh the only thing I would add to that is that the contract that you have already approved in the past, 2023, is the same contract that uh is attached to this order this time.

So there's been no change in the position of the department or the contractual agreement that we have with FLOC or the way that we handle our data.

Um I will uh say to Mr.

Fairchild, I know you have asked in the past about uh ALPRs and public records and some of the concerns that are raised around privacy in that.

While I'm up here, uh I would like to say that the state actually passed a law that made ALPRs not a public record effective uh the first week of October.

So I know there was concerns about privacy in that regard from the community and from yourself on a couple occasions, so I want to update you on that as well.

Thank you.

Andy, can you speak to notification of the technology since this was existing technology?

Yeah, I pulled up the ordinance if you give me just a second.

Um we are required to have a public hearing with with public notice as indicated if uh we are acquiring new surveillance technology.

And again, this was already technology that was approved by this commission in 2023 that's been mentioned previously.

Uh it does talk about uh using technology for a purpose scope, scale, or manner contrary to the use policy.

Again, that's not true in this particular case either.

Um and so the ordinance, while does uh create opportunity for public input by public through public notice uh would not apply to this situation in this contract with Flock.

Thank you.

Um Commissioner Beckham, do you have any questions?

Um just a couple clarifying uh thoughts.

Um this is grant funded, right?

Um it's good to hear that it's no cost, uh additional cost to the city's budget.

Um the the neighborhoods where these um cameras will likely be placed, uh these are neighborhoods that uh the department uh has already engaged with, and it sounds like these neighborhoods are requesting uh these cameras.

And uh, Major Hall is the one that kind of handled that part of it, so I can I can have him address as to what all the things that he took did to uh uh neighborhoods.

Good evening.

So uh yes, sir, we did have a robust uh community engagement with the nobody neighborhood associations uh about this particular technology.

And as a result of that, we actually uh gained a lot of extra things beyond just uh talking about the technology.

Uh we created and helped with safety plans, neighborhood safety plans uh for several neigh several neighborhoods that did not currently have them.

Uh so all of the neighborhoods that we are looking at to deploy these uh this technology have indicated their desire uh through a properly executed neighborhood safety plan.

And Major, what are the typical circumstances around why a neighborhood might want these cameras?

Uh well, they are uh a fantastic investigative tool.

Uh so the one thing about uh the ALPRs uh is they do provide those investigative leads, which uh time and time again for the Dayton Police Department have borne fruit.

Uh especially and typically that's how we use these systems is the more high-profile um type incidents.

Uh we are looking at uh violent crimes, missing persons, uh endangered persons, felony theft situations, and we have we know our sometimes individuals who are involved in committing crimes often are using vehicles to either enter or leave uh the area.

Uh some of the notable uh high profiles, we had a uh uh unfortunate, absolutely tragic situation uh with a 12-year-old uh that was uh killed in her bed last year.

ALPRs were instrumental in locating and identifying the individuals responsible for that crime.

Uh it even goes to the point of we have great uh we've had great success in proving that a crime did not occur.

Uh last year, uh we had an individual show up at one of our local hospitals suffering from a gunshot wound.

Uh the individual's assertion was he was shot in downtown Dayton.

Uh through the use of ALPRs as well as our downtown camera systems, we were able to determine this individual was shot uh in Indiana and traveled to our city to seek treatment and cover for his crime.

And my last uh thought and more so question, I just want to confirm what I heard.

Um we keep data for no less than or no more than 30 days?

That is correct, sir.

So the data is held on to for 30 days unless, and there is always a caveat, it becomes evidence in a crime.

So if we pull the data as uh the example, the the horrible example is a homicide investigation.

At that point, that video, that data, or that excuse me, not video, that data becomes evidence in a crime, and now we are on a completely different retention schedule uh set up by statute uh which homicides we are basically keeping forever.

Uh and the different levels of crimes, uh it varies down uh for how long we have to retain that.

And the purpose for that is is one uh for prosecution, but also uh a defendant has a right to have access to the evidence for appeal.

Um all those things have to be met.

Thank you.

So all my questions.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Fairchild.

Yeah, thank you.

And uh in the past, we've publicly talked about reviewing the ordinance.

And I think it's time that we push that forward.

Commissioner Joseph and I have talked on Tuesday about this very thing.

So I think it's time to do that.

Um as we do so it seems like we're in a different environment than 2023 when we initially passed this.

And so in that ordinance, we may want to look at a way to kind of come back and review.

I know we've talked in the past here, like let's move forward, but we can always come back and review it.

I think given the changing environment, I'm particularly concerned about the reports around hacked data.

And I'm curious if our um requirements as a city um on the technology that we use complies with our other um data security uh requirements.

Commissioner, if you'd like me to speak on that.

Yeah, absolutely.

Uh so I know that our uh the the cloud data that we have with Flock is partitioned uh for the for the Dayton Police Department.

So uh Flock has uh very they they see about the last five transitions, transsactions.

And that is to ensure the system is working correctly.

Um I'm not a data architect, uh, but AWS security is what is being used uh in this platform, which to my understanding uh limited as maybe is is a higher high level of security for uh that data.

So do you think the reports of the hack data are not are inaccurate?

I know there are instances I haven't seen anything where I looked at it and I saw something that I thought was proof positive of hacked.

We do know that a lot of data there are uh public websites out there.

Uh one of them, uh the big common ones I looked at recently is have I been flocked?

And that is populated almost entirely by public records requests.

Uh so in some states, uh notably uh the State of Washington, uh the protections we have for uh ALPR data not being public record are not the same.

Uh so municipalities, police departments in the State of Washington are forced to release all of that.

Uh so and a lot of the times and when you see those big uh big numbers of okay, a lot of searches made, a lot of those nationwide searches uh and coming from the state of Washington or whatever state they may originate in, hit every camera in the country.

Uh so that's the fallback that comes, okay.

Hey, Dayton, Ohio, that's where we we kind of get pulled in.

They have the audit log when we used to do nationwide searches, which we do not do anymore.

Um another little safeguard we have within our system is we are able to choose and stipulate what reasons we will allow uh a search to be made of our system.

And two that are express expressly prohibited uh within our system is immigration and reproductive right.

So any s any search that has anything to do with that within the cause reason for it will not show our cameras.

Um I think like in a review of this um technology, these would be great things to kind of verify, you know, the security, making sure we have a good understanding, making sure, particularly given other reports of data being hacked.

Um I think an audit, the audit report, sharing the audit report would be helpful so that we can reassure citizens that we are abiding by the ordinance.

We can see those times we have shared it.

Um I'm also had a question around this um concern around, you know, there's oftentimes Ding police department are in different task force that include a variety of jurisdictions, both local, state, and federal.

Um when we are in those task force, does that block data get shared?

That would be completely contrary to our policy.

Um the one thing, and I was very happy to hear the speakers, and we share, once again, we want to make sure this is done correctly.

We want to protect, you know, our citizens are most vulnerable as well.

Um the City of Dayton, the Dayton Police Department for a long time uh has adhered to a policy of you know immigration is not our job.

Uh it's not our concern, we should not be involved with that.

We're there to, and we don't want the chilling effect of having uh a segment of our population that is scared to call us because they're worried they're gonna immediately get deported or reported uh to a gov another government agency.

Um we have Federal Task Force officers.

Um we do not have any with uh Department of Homeland Security.

Uh we have FBI, we have DEA, we have Secret Service.

Um I once again, everybody just everybody's fallible, people run afoul of the rules.

Sure.

But I am very confident in our Dayton police officers that, hey, this is the rule and we're going to adhere to it.

Uh the flip side of that too is is you know, when you have technology like this, we've entrusted for years with the law enforcement automated or the lead system, right, which has personal information, your social security number, your driver's license number, your driving history.

Uh we have a long history of abiding by rules when using systems like that that have very uh sensitive data.

Yeah.

And I want to be clear, I mean, I think our citizens and this commission recognizes the serious nature that our Dayton police.

I think our questions are with the technology and some some vulnerabilities that may be within that technology.

And I want to state, you know, we had this debate previously, and I think I was on the unprevailing side, the losing side of it when we did, and so you know, this contract is in accordance with what the commission has already passed, so I'm gonna support the extension here.

But I do believe that the concern is raised in the in the new environment really does it's a it's incumbent on us to be responsible and to review this.

So that is my request.

Yeah, and Commissioner, we I I heard the comments and I'm appreciative of the fact that uh our our community I understand the concern and the trust that they have shown in when they're uh uh uh in opposition of of this technology.

Uh all we can tell you is that we have uh uh we actually have an individual, an Alangro Lieutenant, and we have uh other uh individuals' retirement voice we have hired back, their sole uh job is to not to to uh to do quality assurance checks, right?

To check our body camera footage to make sure that we are doing that policy.

So if they see something, uh very rarely do they find something, we look at that.

So it's not just about the audit trail that we have.

They look at everything that we do, especially if the body cam footage had nothing to do with anything that we've talked about, just to make sure that we are uh doing our job there.

There are uh two former sergeants from our PSB and they do a lot of that work just uh to make sure that you know we keep the trust of our community.

Um we had the status sensitive, I know I I I give uh I present president today to uh uh mayor and uh and Commissioner Beckham today that I'll be giving tomorrow uh to you guys about uh how we deal with some of the stuff that's occurring.

I know I I I give uh I present president today to uh uh mayor and uh and Commissioner Beckham today that I'll be giving tomorrow uh to you guys about uh how we deal with some of the stuff that's occurring.

And uh and it's a long tradition of uh City of Dayton to really abide by uh what this board has asked us to do and what our managers asked us to do.

So and we're all constantly looking at uh when we when we hear these things, we're constantly looking at saying how is our data secure or not?

Uh we haven't found any instances to be honest of anybody looking at our stuff and sharing it with the with with uh with ICE uh or any other federal agencies unless we're involved in a criminal investigation, which is nothing to do with ICE uh and I want to thank Mr.

Sexton for that welcome news because that um you know, as you were sharing uh Major Hall, other um states don't have the same um protections, and that was true until that was Ohio was similar to that until just recently.

Until October, I believe, of this past year, yeah.

Yeah.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Commissioner Schell.

Yeah, thank you for that, and thank you, my colleagues, for all those uh questions.

I think they're really important.

And thank you, uh Chief and uh Major Hall for the for the clarification.

You know, it's it it should be said.

I'm glad that you sp you stated clearly that there are other databases and other collection vehicles that we currently have.

And I think uh it's been noted that you've done a pretty good job of protecting sensitive information uh through those systems, uh, even at a time where we may not have had the resources or the technology to kind of uh secure uh, you know, in the in the past years.

So I'm glad you brought that.

I think that's a very good point.

Um I you know, Commissioner Joseph and I kind of led the effort, I'm sure I'll talk about this, so I'll leave him that grace.

Uh to bring the community into this conversation.

Uh when we first um decided to we're looked at bringing Flock into this community, uh had some really good ideas, great recommendations that uh for the most part where they were able to be uh implemented, you all did so.

So I think it's important to say that that there has been a community effort uh all along to kind of uh address these issues and to ensure the safety of our of our citizens, uh which we feel most important about in terms of our vulnerable citizens.

Um having said that I agree with you, Commissioner Fairchild, like with every other policy uh implementation that we put forward, we should always reevaluate them.

I just think it's critically important that we do that and we can tend to evaluate and reevaluate.

Uh there's always some improvement that can be made done.

So uh so I'm glad that you you brought that um forward.

Um and uh it's very important to also recognize that the neighborhoods that uh engage in this and the splock technology ask for it.

They view it as being very important to them.

Uh thanks for talking about the the kind of um violence uh crimes, violent crimes that we've solved, but also you know, a car theft.

Um I've been the victim of that a few times, unfortunately, and it's devastating.

And I have resources that can kind of allow me to um to move forward.

But there are others in our community that can't.

So to the extent that we have resources uh in place to recover vehicles, that's just I mean, that that can mean everything to to a family.

So thank you for that, and uh I'll I'll turn it over to Commissioner Joseph.

Thank you.

Your Honor.

Thank you, Commissioner Shaw.

Commissioner Joseph.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh thank you, Commissioner Shaw, and actually everyone for their their excellent comments here.

Uh and you're right, Commissioner Shaw.

I want to lead off by saying that uh across the country, we are one of the very few that have the types of controls that we do, the commission control of surveillance technologies.

We have public hearings, we have notices, we have requirements that people talked about in the legislation, our requirements of when these things need to be here for publicly.

We have requirements that uh police and our our organization before they put these in place have to go out to the neighborhoods and make contact not only with the neighborhood groups, but with other groups and individuals in the neighborhood, because the first time we tried it, we did not do that.

And there were holes there, and we it did not go well as it's the first case for a lot of first times.

So we make sure that we plug those holes.

We talk to people in the neighborhood, especially vulnerable communities, uh, to sort of get the truth out about what's happening, to hear their concerns, uh, and hopefully all the with how we implement the technologies.

Uh I think all the questions have been asked and been answered mostly.

I just want to underline that uh it's good that you all have somebody actively looking at the data, watching where it goes.

Uh there was a speaker who had an excellent suggestion of sort of trying to follow the data where it goes, and I know you all do that already.

Uh it might be interesting to formalize that.

Maybe that could be part of what we look at as part of our rework to say that we need to have uh a formal review of data.

Uh, you know, if there are new technologies or new attempts across the country try to get in the data, uh we can get ahead of that.

Uh that's the thing about data is once you get complacent, things go bad quickly.

So I know that you are complacent, Chief, and your your folks do a good job.

I was just over there talking about it the other day.

And we have, like I said, transparency and civilian commission control of the technologies, but it doesn't hurt to be uh, you know, maybe to codify that.

So we'll have to talk about that, Commissioner, our conversations, and uh hopefully you all we'll figure something out with that.

But uh thank you and thank you, Ryan.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chief.

Thank you, Major.

I really appreciate um you providing extra uh context, and thank you, Mr.

Sexton as well.

Uh I do have a couple of questions.

Uh I do want to acknowledge all of the residents who raise their concerns.

Um they are very vital concerns, especially as Commissioner Fairchild has mentioned, just the climate that we're in right now, and again, Chief, you mentioned that um in the presentation that we had this afternoon.

So, with that, once the data, I know you have mentioned uh after 30 days, the data is in fact uh removed or uh discarded.

So how do we know?

What are the reassurances that we have and that there are not any side door or backdoor activity that may occur?

And I know I'm not asking you to, you know, have this crystal ball, if you will, but what are some of the uh guarantees, if any, that the contract may speak to, or that the provider, the servicer, has uh acknowledged in terms of the protection of data and privacy.

Uh so one of the things, um obviously uh the data that we garner through the LPRs is the City of Dayton's data.

Um it resides in that partition section of the cloud.

Access to it is through uh multi-factor authentication names and passwords.

So that is uh a fairly secure process.

Uh the other part of it too is is uh we obviously collaborate with other city departments.

We have I know our IT department has been very diligent on helping us with uh data security.

Um, you know, once again, not a data article architect, but I understand there's multiple levels.

You have the cloud level up there that has that AWS, uh, we have the methods to access it.

Uh and then even within is just our city infrastructure of safeguarding our mobile computers in the cars and and our infrastructure in our offices uh to make sure that uh that there is not a route uh for a third party to uh access our data.

Okay.

Thank you.

And then um, could you speak to any other safeguards that are in place for the protection of privacy protection of the data itself?

And it is very pedestrian, but one of the biggest one is obviously the policies and procedures uh of our city and of our department.

Uh so it is all laid out in both our surveillance policy and a policy on ALPR within the Dayton Police Department as to the permissive use and how to use these technologies.

Uh in addition to that, also training goes out to the officers of teaching them how uh to use these technologies.

And like I said, a component of that is always the proper ethical use of the technology.

And the terms of this agreement um to Commissioner Beckham's point, this is in fact a grant um that we were awarded and is for just a period of one year, is that correct?

Correct, ma'am.

Okay.

And then the areas selected as uh this particular use of technology.

Were there any concerns that came out of the meetings, the nine meetings that took place, were there any public concerns as it relates to privacy information or data sharing?

Uh there was uh several of the uh concerns that we talked about tonight or tonight, uh talking about is the data secure, how long is it held?

Uh, how is it used?

How is it shared with?

Or who, excuse me, to whom it is shared with.

Okay.

Um I just would like to, Ms.

Joyce McAlpine.

She raised a very interesting point.

And again, a number of the residents that spoke this evening raised a number of uh very vital points.

Again, with the climate that we're in, so my support for this is contingent upon us identifying uh the need for a day for an audit, excuse me, for an audit for us to reassess, for us to review um the ordinance that we have in place, and again, to have a full understanding of how the information itself is being stored and exposed of.

So I don't know if we could potentially have a review within the next 30, 45 days.

I don't want to put any, I know that there is some capacity gaps, if you will, um, and I know that there are a number of various different things that we have charged with given the time.

But is there something that we could put in place to reassure um some of the concerns that have been raised this evening, not only from the members of the Commission itself, but the members of our community engine, and then excuse me, given the climate that we are in.

So I understand the climate that we're in and I think we're we are very sensitive about that and and that's how we had the presentation today with you and we're going to have the same thing with the other commissioners and I'm actually also invited to the same meeting that a lot of you guys are going on on Saturday.

I will speak early in the morning about reassuring our our community as to how we operate and how we are focused on crime and disorder issue and not only nothing what what Federal government does or doesn't do.

The data is only kept for 30 days so if you if you do anything past 30 days audit wise it's not going to be there for us to do audit audit it right.

So the the question is going to be based on what you decide as a collective will we'll put our heads together saying okay for the last 30 days what we have done how we've accessed we can look at it it's going to be time consuming because it it I'm not sure that is as as friendly to search from the audit perspective as some other systems are because part of that is to devise a system that you you just can't share long with anybody and everybody right.

So because the data is only 30 days if you were to ask me to what happened six months ago unless it's uh kept as an evidence because on one of some of the crimes, the data is gone.

I can't even search it.

So we'll have to kind of put our heads together saying to me the the needs that you have and especially if you're looking at the policy and you put something in the policy that we have to go back well literally we'll have to do everything because I don't think we we can we should ever uh even consider keeping the data longer than 30 days.

I think 30 days is about the the the the most that I think I feel comfortable as a police chief and as a citizen of this community that some of the police should have because depending on what you asked me to do that might require keeping data longer and I'm going to say that I will I will caution you to do that because I don't know we want to create that kind of a precedent.

Anything shorter than that I don't I don I I don't think it's time uh needed uh that might not be as efficient.

So we'll have to figure out within the last 30 days well what what who's done what.

So mayor Mayor I think the starting point for us is looking at one, you know the review of our processes and and auditing our process uh in accordance with the ordinance.

I think it's also about reviewing our security of our technology and making sure that we have good solid answers around what some of these other experiences with flock have been across the country so that we can answer and provide some confidence and assurances to you around that.

I think that's where we can start um most effectively and then as you all have conversations with the review of the ordinance and things that you want to potentially pursue or whatever then we can you know collectively work on that.

Okay.

Thank you, Ms.

Dixteen thank you for offering that yes please.

So one of the things that we do have one requirement of code uh that's annual surveillance report that that's going to be coming out this month.

That's going to share some of the information that you are looking for.

Okay but if you're looking for like uh you know real time a last 30 days who has done that that's the only thing I can go back uh back to so you know who has access it uh that we will have to c come up with that uh so we we do spot checks because we have so much data and as as uh major hall mentioned uh lease I actually data actually has so much more information than whatever flock information has flock has uh has a tag that we get and we if you get a hit it's based on certain criteria is it a felony vehicle is somebody wanted for uh uh you know uh warrant but information that we have on on lease is has social security numbers, addresses a lot more history.

So we we do those spot checks but report that report is also coming out that's gonna tell us what how we have been using this technology.

But you did do it is an interesting question we'll have to see what what do we need to do internally if it's you're looking for like every month stuff because we only keep the data for a month.

Right.

I just want I just wanted to add that our general order actually requires an audit of our technology.

So I know you are asking for it but our general order already requires it of all of our technology.

So in addition to the surveillance report it's something that's required of our policy and procedure anyway.

Thank you for uplifting that we want to make sure that that is publicly known.

So thank you for highlighting that I think Commissioner Fairchild please comment I am curious around the um the data not the data itself that's collected and held for 30, but the trail of whom we have shared it to how what's the length of time that we keep that information and I think if I heard citizens correctly in my own in interest is can we get an audit can we get a report of that?

I mean can we look back a year and say this is how many times it's been accessed here's who's accessed for what purpose we'll have to take a look at that to see because I know the data is only kept for 30 days outside of the evidentiary data.

So that's an interesting question to say what can we do we'll we'll talk to our vendor to say okay what what is there from a not what the actual data is but the accessibility on that.

Because that that is there we are supposed to keep that and track who who did what so I'm sure we can we can uh produce that but uh I don't I can't answer that as to what that looks like right now.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Um not to task my colleagues, but I think this is an opportunity for Commissioner Joseph and Commissioner Fairchild to lead and for us to have a conversation collectively, uh two by two, if you will, with an update, and then allow the staff, Ms.

Dixtein, if we could get um some further recommendations for us, and then thus find a way and a means for us to um inform the public as to what those those steps are being, those steps that are being made to reassure that the data is in fact protected.

So thank you.

I really appreciate it.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

I'm sorry.

Any other questions?

Thank you.

Thank you, Chief.

Ms.

Dixteen, are there any additions?

No, I have no other comments.

Very, very good.

Thank you.

Commissioners, are there any comments or suggestions on the city managers uh calendar?

I don't know.

I have none.

Recommendations, I should say.

I have not, Commissioner, please.

Yeah, no, I just wanted to make comments around the uh working group, the downtown um working group, safety group, um, because there were some comments made around that.

Um I'm grateful the group that was together were made up of business leaders.

Uh Commissioner Turner played a role in it, other elected officials.

Um I think it's a good start.

And I think it, you know, we talk about winning participatory uh government, and I think Congressman.

Congressman Tungle.

Uh, congress, what I say.

Commissioner.

Commissioner, I'm sorry.

I'm really downgrading, right?

But so uh for the Congressman, my apologies to the Congressman.

But um I think it's a model of of how we move forward because we want everyone engaged in the safety of our city.

And I know that um this commission has a desire to um to extend that into our residential neighborhoods.

And so I think this becomes a piece of a broader conversation around what reimagining public safety looks like.

Um chief is always quick to remind us that um our police we can't enforce our way out of some of the big problems we have, particularly those that could um that lead to crime.

And so what can we do to prevent around improving our neighborhood development, our housing conditions, our school system, our young people, building community trust, social cohesion in our neighborhoods.

I mean, there's a lot that we can do, and I think it it it starts with these kind of conversations.

So people um engaging more will be better.

So I'm supportive of the recommendations that's coming from the downtown um work group, and I look forward to encouraging other work groups to form and uh and more people to be engaged as we work to bring safety to our city.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Shaw.

Yeah, well, along that line, and thank you for bringing that up.

Um because there have been some misconceptions about how this uh uh working group was organized, one and what the purpose was.

Yeah, uh let me just say this publicly.

Uh downtown Dayton is safe.

Some uh numbers are are are are low uh that kind of go back to 2018, I think the city manager would agree with.

Um downtown Dayton is safe.

What we've got is a perception issue about downtown Dayton.

Uh and this working group for the record was specifically about safety in downtown Dayton, because there was this perceived threat about uh we're on the tipping point.

We're uh you know, moving in the wrong direction, and and investment could be threatened, which we all know and I think would agree that uh development in downtown Dayton pays for much of what happens in the rest of our broader community.

So that plenty of times.

Having said that, um, along with increasing uh safety, and really this was about um talking about some of the uh policy prescriptions that we put into place, uh reinvigorating the the bike uh force and and uh the survey surging um uh police protection in downtown.

Uh again, having said that, downtown is very safe.

It's uh probably our safest neighborhood, and we need to definitely be concentrating on West Dayton and parts of East Dayton that are are very uh dangerous, and that's something that we will work uh on as a as a as a body, I'm sure, uh in the coming days.

But the the value that I saw in this for the most part was um bringing collaboration to the table, which is what we're famous for in this community, to bring all um resources to bear on an issue and then communicating that out so that others feel safe coming downtown because there's this ridiculous perception that downtown Dayton is not safe.

And we have to be able to push back on that to encourage folks to come downtown and take advantage of all that we have to offer in this community, and especially in downtown Dayton.

So I I saw this as an opportunity to kind of have the conversation, agreeing that there was more work to do, that we could always make things safer.

And and I view this as a great opportunity for us to be able to communicate that out into the broader community because I'm glad that the media is here today, but oftentimes they don't talk about the positive things that happen in our city.

Uh and because of the stature, I guess, of the uh congressional representative that kind of comes and brings the group together, all of a sudden we had plenty of media talking about this all over the place.

So to me, that's a net positive.

So I looked at this as a as a good opportunity, a great start, and could be a great model for what we do in the rest of the community.

I agree with you.

Uh, and and that's why I support this initiative.

Thank you, Commissioner Shaw.

Commissioner Joseph.

Thank you, Mayor.

Nothing further.

All right, thank you.

Um, I would just like to very briefly echo my colleagues' comments in regards to um again the work that has been done for the um the convening of the the safety committee and focusing on downtown.

This is in fact an opportunity for this to to use it as a model.

Um we know that there is some work that is being done.

Uh we have felons with the future who have been awarded the contract or the agreement with Gadaha, and that is for the um the global care violence initiative, and we know that there is more work that is going to be done with that initiative outside of again uh the felons with the future and looking at other mechanisms mechanisms so that we can work collectively to reduce um the violence in our community.

Um so again, I invite those who made the comments and your concerns are are very valid.

I invite you to join one of the three uh committees that we will be convening and that we will be all collectively working together, and so again, uh many of the residents you um have deep concerns, and we want to work again in partnership to make sure that we are identifying um those various different means of addressing those social ills in our community from the social services.

I know Ms.

Hastings has been mentioning the social elements of all the various different things that we're dealing with and the root causes of crime itself.

So thank you for bringing that to our attention and know that that is in fact a commitment of mine.

Um and I'm sure I have the the support of my colleagues in that in that vein as well.

So we're gonna do that necessary work.

But again, this is in fact the model.

Uh we have to change the perception of downtown Dayton and all 65 neighborhoods.

We want to make Dayton safe, but we do understand that there are a number of root causes that we need to deal with.

So thank you for your comments and for being here.

All right.

May I have a uh motion to approve the city manager's recommendation?

So moved.

Second motion, Your Honor.

It has been properly moved and second to approve the city manager's recommendations.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Those all who oppose say no.

Legislation, Ms.

McClendon.

First reading emergency resolution number six nine one three-26, objecting to the issuance of liquor permit number one zero zero zero seven seven six six-one, Lila Group LLC, doing business as Dayton Downtown BP, 433 South Main Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45402, and declaring an emergency.

Your Honor Resolution 6913-26 being declared an emergency.

I move for its immediate passage.

Second motion, Your Honor.

It has been properly moved and seconded to declare emergency resolution 6913-26 as an emergency.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed say no.

Second reading emergency resolution number six nine one three-26.

Objecting to the issuance of liquor permit number one zero zero zero seven seven six six one.

Leela Group LLC doing business as Dayton Downtown BP, 433 South Main Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45402.

Mayor Turner Sloss.

No.

Commissioners Joseph.

Aye.

Shaw.

I think she we want to read that.

So thank you.

First meeting.

Mayor Turner Sloss.

Aye.

Commissioners Joseph.

Aye.

Shaw.

Fairchild.

Aye.

Beckham.

Aye.

First reading resolution number six nine one four-two six, addressing our commitment to protecting and strengthening downtown Dayton.

Second reading ordinance number 32175-25.

Appropriating property designated as parcels 16T 29 SHNT and 30 T in connection with the Kiwi Street Safety Improvement Project.

Mayor Turner Sloss.

Aye.

Commissioners Joseph.

Aye.

Shaw.

Aye.

Fairchild.

Aye.

Beckham.

Aye.

Second reading resolution number six nine one zero-25, declaring the intention to appropriate real property interest and parcel 31 T1 and T2 in connection with the Kiwi Street Safety Improvement Project.

Mayor Turner Sloss.

Aye.

Commissioners Joseph.

Aye.

Shaw.

Aye.

Fairchild.

Aye.

Beckham.

Aye.

Second reading resolution number six nine one one-two-five, declaring the intention of the Commission to vacate the alley south of St.

Charles Avenue from twenty feet east of the alley east of Bowen Street to Crichton Avenue.

Mayor Turner Sloss.

Aye.

Commissioners Joseph.

Aye.

Shaw.

Aye.

Fairchild.

Aye.

Beckham.

Aye.

That is all your honor.

Thank you, Ms.

McClendon.

We have border reappointments.

We do.

I move to reappoint Hunt Brown, Bonnie Kling, Carolyn Rice, Ed Dixon, Tony Ricciuto, Thomas Siafa, and Lori Sims Park to the Dayton Sister City Committee for a term ending December 31, 2028.

Second the motion, Your Honor.

It has been properly moved and seconded to reappoint Hunt Brown, Bonnie Kling, Carolyn Rice, Ed Dixon, Tony, Tony Recruccio, Thomas Siphia, and Lori Sims Park to the Dayton City, excuse me, Dayton Sister City Committee for a term ending December 31st, 2028.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed say no.

Miss McClinton, are there any citizens register to speak?

Your Honor, there are 13 citizens registered to speak.

I would like to state that there is a three-minute time limit.

As you address the Commission, we ask that you state your name and address for the record.

At that time, I will turn on the green light.

When the green light comes on, you will have three minutes to speak.

After you have spoken two and a half minutes, a yellow light will come on.

You will have 30 seconds remaining to speak.

When the red light comes on, you will be asked to cease your comments and to take your seat.

To the audience in attendance, please be mindful this is a business meeting, and we kindly request that during this portion of the meeting you refrain from any hand clapping, finger snapping, and conversation that will prevent the city commission from hearing the speaker's comments.

Good evening.

Name and address for the record.

Good evening.

I am um Caleb Kennedy.

I live on 1637 Canterbury Lane, Lebanon, Ohio, 45036.

Um I thank you, uh Madam Mayor, uh, Commissioners and staff for allowing me to speak on the peace resolution with um Venezuela.

President Trump and this government tell us that we are liberating Venezuela from a brutal dictator, and this liberation will create peace in the region.

This is inherently untrue because liberation cannot be forced by imperial means for imperialism historically requires dominance that turn our people into monsters who kill, pillage, torture, and rape our fellow human beings.

The USA will replace Maduro with a dictator just as, if not more brutal than if not more brutal, because this dictator will repress working class uh Venezuelans so that U.S.

billionaires can steal Venezuela's oil and natural resources.

In truth, the only way to liberate Venezuela is to support the Venezuelan proletariat if they decide to overthrow Maduro and create a government that represents them, not bomb their house, their home, and create instability.

I hope the City Council of Dayton and the American people take the true vow of peace by refusing to participate in Trump's violent conquest of Venezuela.

Thank you.

I forfit my the rest of my time.

Thank you.

I call to the podium Ben Williams.

Hello.

Uh Ben Williams, 1331, Cherry Hill Drive, Miami'sburg.

I am here today to urge the Dayton City Commission to adopt a resolution for peace with Venezuela.

Growing up in the age of the war in Iraq, myself and the bulk of my generation have seen the impacts of many United States industrial military campaigns that were nothing more than modern day imperialism disguised as a smoke and mirror war on terrorism.

We were raised on propaganda and fear-mongering about weapons of mass destruction that were never found.

Propaganda that was successful in its intent to numb working class America into complacency in the face of war crimes and humanitarian crises bunded with our tax dollars.

We are seeing history repeat itself today in the form of baseless claims about drug cartels and narcoterrorism in Venezuela.

Claims that have not been previously backed by DEA reports on cartel drug movement into the US.

As the current administration tries to swindle up support for another costly war and it's seizing another sovereign nation's resources, United States veterans still make up 23% of this country's current homeless population.

According to a report by the US Department of Veteran Affairs, there are an estimated 131,000 unhoused former service members on the streets of this country on any given night.

And of this unhoused population, 89% reported to have enter their service with an honorable discharge.

You might ask yourself what one declaration of a commitment to peace in our small city can do in the face of this conflict, and I am sure I am not the only person speaking here today that would like to remind you of the city of Dayton's history as a symbol of the peace we are here to defend.

I would ask this commission to put serious consideration into the impact this conflict is about to have on our community as the city that houses so many active service members stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

It is our friends and families and neighbors that will come home to a lack of infrastructure to feed and house and clothe them.

It is members of our community that will come home in desperate need of mental health services that they will not have adequate access to.

I would ask you to please consider what a historic opportun opportunity this resolution represents.

You have a chance to stand with the people of this community, and together we will take a strong stance against this fascist administration's illegal overreach, and we can show the world that international law must be upheld and that there will no longer be toleration for bloodshed for oil.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I call to the podium Moss Dickey.

Name and address for the record.

And indeed, Flock is near Orwellian in how far-reaching it is becoming.

It is spreading across this country like a disease, like a virus.

It is not safe.

It is not acceptable that we are accepting and utilizing a system that has been shown time and again by uh sources like the ACLU to not be safe.

This uh no matter how many times they reassure us, please, please, please believe us, we're actually safe.

Ignore the new system that was just hacked.

Ignore the new time that ICE used us to track someone.

It's not okay.

I remember a time in America where grocery stores didn't have cameras in the parking lots.

And now there are grocery stores or Walmarts have just cameras everywhere.

There are four cameras in this room right now.

We are a hyper-surveilled people already.

It is again Oralia Orwellian.

I cannot say this word.

I was trying earlier.

Um it is scary, just how much privacy we are sacrificing in the name of peace, safety, when all we're really achieving is more unknown eyes staring at us as we go about our day, as we go to work, as we just sit and play with our kids or walk down the street, and it's just eyes, eyes, eyes everywhere.

What do we get?

Less privacy, less actual safety.

Um it comes to Mike Turner.

I think one very clear thing can be stated, and I think that should be all when it comes to public safety in any of his recommendations, was that he did not, when it counted, vote to release the Epstein files.

Did not vote to bring that to the floor.

How can we expect any recommendations from a man who actively helped to hide one of the largest pedophilia rings the world has ever known?

I think that that should be taken into account with anything this man ever says again.

And when it comes to Venezuela, any war is bad.

And the United States has acted for too long as the police officer at the doors of the world, kicking down doors where we view it best, abducting people from their homes in the middle of the night.

That is my time.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

I call to the podium Hilary Lermer.

Good afternoon.

My name's Hillary Lerman.

I live at 249 Wyoming Street in Dayton.

I've been a resident of Dayton for 50 years.

I came before the City Commission in 03, opposing the invasion of Iraq.

We said you're gonna regret it.

But the Commission still passed supporting Bush's attempt to invade Iraq.

Well, even their people admitted it was wrong.

I came before with other people to as far as Gaza and supporting the the um ceasefire, and I want to commend the City Commission at that time, supported the ceasefire.

Now we're face a crisis as bad, and we need the City Commission to say this brutal attack, this brutal kidnapping of Venezuela is wrong.

As people have said it's a violation of the international law, and as people in the intelligence agency say, this is blowback.

There's going to be retribution for these actions.

I I just want to say switching a little bit when people were asking about the cameras, and I believe the police are saying honestly, we're trying to protect it.

But how do we know ICE?

How do we know the Trump administration is not able to devise ways of accessing this?

I think we have to be really alert about those things.

I'll cancel the rest of my statement.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Bad eyes.

I'm a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

First, PSL wants to congratulate our new mayor and welcome the 2026 City Commissioners.

Living in a country that illegally declared an illegal war against Venezuela in which their head of state was kidnapped, forces us all to cut our celebrations short.

Despite this, we can celebrate the fact that we can take action and that you, mayor and council members, can offer vital support when it's most critically needed.

More than most cities in this country, this war has a special significance for Dayton.

As home to one of the largest Air Force bases in the United States, we can be certain that Wright Patterson is already involved in the project of attacking innocent Venezuelan people for oil.

We won't have to guess if they'll be ordered to commit war crimes.

Operation Absolute Resolve is a vast criminal undertaking.

U.S.

service members have already committed war crimes, slaughtering dozens of innocent Venezuelan fishermen, and who knows how many innocent civilians in Caracas joined them on or after January 3rd.

Outright piracy of Venezuelan oil tankers was merely a prelude to stealing the country of Venezuela altogether.

The sovereignty of the Venezuelan people means nothing to the billionaires, determined to seize the largest proven oil reserves on earth, and they seem determined to commit the international war crime of the century to gain that oil.

The people of Dayton, indeed the people of the United States, and large majorities around the world quite rightly want nothing to do with this hideous war.

Dayton is famously associated with peace, home of the historic Dayton Peace Accords in the International Peace Museum.

We stand for peace.

We must condemn this war.

History amplifies Dayton's voices when we speak about peace, so let us speak very clearly and loudly now.

Let us fervently declare Dayton's absolute commitment to peace and support to intern for international law.

The attack on Venezuela confirms Martin Luther King Jr.'s declaration made many years ago that the United States is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world.

And so we inside the belly of the Imperial Beast must become the greatest champions of peace.

The greatest champions of peace.

We must use everything at our disposal to end this war.

We call upon the Dayton City Commission to swiftly adopt the resolution for peace with Venezuela.

We implore you to take whatever action is appropriate to ensure that this resolution promptly becomes an official act of the City of Dayton.

As a city, we stand for all of the virtues of peace and against all of the vices of war.

Let us choose to begin the new year firm in our resolve to remain civil champions of peace, determined to bend the arc of history towards justice.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Johnson.

I call to the podium Joseph Abrams.

Joseph Abrams 117 Park Drive.

Yeah, absolutely.

I really hope the city will take seriously the recommendation to uh introduce a resolution opposing war in Venezuela, intervention in Venezuela.

You know, I mean, I think we all know uh the results of the last election, and we can all guess at people's uh reasons for uh voting the ways they do.

But I'd have to say that probably at the top of no one's list of how and why they were voting for the uh administration that they were voting for because it never came up in either debates I saw was are we going to invade other countries to steal tankers of oil?

So that's a major transparency issue.

And uh that brings me back to you know, I came here just to speak of Venezuela at this point, but I keep thinking about the stuff we were talking about earlier, you know.

We can make all kinds of assurances, but things can change.

People can change, details can change.

Uh we need transparency.

And uh, you know, it's good to hear that some of you feel really positively about uh this new security uh working group downtown.

Um, but in in the spirit of transparency, a lot of us are just finding out about this.

Like, I mean, I just heard about it from the news this week uh thoroughly.

So, like I'm taking Mike Turner at his word about what what he had of it.

And um, as far as the flock cameras, like I just happened to notice that in the uh um uh uh agenda when it came out on Monday, and uh you know, transparency means we're supposed to be given plenty of opportunity to understand something and process it.

Dumping 459 pages out with like 48 hours to think about it.

I challenge some grad students to make good sense of that, you know.

It's that's really not very transparent.

And in terms of the of the uh agreement around surveillance, it's well beyond the spirit of that agreement to say that it's not new technology to expand a program.

Like the spirit is if you change anything about the surveillance technology that you're using in the city, you're supposed to let us know something.

And they haven't been good about the reporting either, but that's just a plain violation of the spirit of the agreement.

Like a real like basic American white guy would just say is like if my wife asked me not to buy another guitar, I just bought like don't buy any new guitars.

So buy another telecaster.

It's not new, I already have one.

So that's not a that's not a new guitar.

You definitely went against the spirit of the agreement, and they wouldn't appreciate it.

So I hope we can do a lot better about uh allowing for input, allowing for people to understand uh and more transparency.

And I'm glad people can change.

I was glad to see that 180 from Mr.

Shaw, because the last time I was here to speak uh was right after that press conference with the former mayor, and you said downtown was full of predators and we needed to keep our kids away from it.

So I'm glad to see the 180 where you said it's safe.

I really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Thank you, Mr.

Awards.

I call to the podium Mary Sue Ga-Miner.

Mary Sue Gaminer, 1418 Arbor Avenue.

Madam Mayor, Commissioners, Ms.

Dixtein, Ms.

Blackshear, Ms.

McClendon, good evening.

Good evening.

First, congratulations to our new mayor and our new city commissioner, as well as our returning commissioner.

I really appreciated your energy and your emphasis on values and who we are as a city in your speeches Monday evening.

And I also heard a call to greater citizen participation.

And in light of that, I want to invite residents to join the community engagement committee.

This is a standing committee that was started as part of the police reform process of 2020, 2021, not to be confused with Mike Squire's community engagement department.

This committee began in 2022 with the goal of ensuring that Dayton Police Department personnel have opportunities to build positive relationships and cultural competency with the diverse community members, garner a better understanding of the uniqueness of each neighborhood, provide educational experiences, and work with the community to prevent and reduce crime.

I've been a member of the committee since its inception, but we have struggled with citizen participation.

On Monday evening, there was applause when safety was mentioned.

If anyone listening is a citizen concerned about safety in Dayton, consider joining this committee.

You can search for police reform committee application on the city's website.

I don't feel unsafe in downtown Dayton, but it does make sense to review the recommendations from this ad hoc political and business leaders downtown Dayton Security Working Group.

I hope that you would offer similar to similar support to any citizen ad hoc group that reaches out to you.

All citizens are the right people.

Youth are often blamed for the problems downtown, and yet three of the four reform recommendations that were deemed implausible relate to criminal justice for juveniles.

The excuse then was that a broader collaboration was necessary.

And now we see that broader collaborative broader collaboration, but without the same resident input.

I would suggest that any review of new recommendations include a look back at what's been done and what's not been done from the police reform working groups.

The other topic I want to address is the request that is being made for a resolution about Venezuela.

When there are so many pressing issues here in Dayton, it may seem like a waste of time to consider a resolution about something over which you have no control.

I would suggest that every city that makes a statement against violations of the Constitution and federal and international law adds to the weight of resistance and pushes us back towards the democracy that we want to be.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I call to the podium Fazila Pasha.

Mayor, Commissioners.

My name is Fazila Pasha.

I'm with the Party of Socialism, Socialism and Liberation, and I reside at uh 2575 Brushville Court.

Seems like all my life I've seen the United States at war.

It's as if the rest of the world is held hostage by gunpoint by the United States.

I'm not sure what entitles the United States to kidnap a kidnap a democratically elected leader of a foreign nation and talk about running it when we can't run our city sustainably here.

Dayton's median household income is 43,000, and roughly a quarter of our residents live in poverty.

Dayton and so many cities like it need investments at home and not our tax dollars funding another forever war.

The vast majority of U.S.

constituents oppose this war.

They understand the need at home that these forever wars directly steal from.

Local services, such as public transportation, infrastructure, education, health care, community programs, etc.

Rely heavily on federal funding, which is colossally underfunded in most cities as our federal government spends heaps and heaps of our tax dollars on wrecking the economy of Venezuela through various embargoes and sanctions, dropping bombs on its citizens, civilians, and murdering fishermen in the sea like bullies.

There isn't even a maintained facade when we dig into why we want to subtly bring democracy into Venezuela through some entitlement.

The United States wishes to steal the sovereign nation's oil with military aggression.

The tactic is not new, harming the economies of nations that actually want to better the lives of their citizens using sanctions and fake outrage of drug cartels or weapons of mass destruction to destroy the infrastructure and credibility of foreign nations we want to control the assets and resources of.

Venezuela intends to nurse their population with rights to education and health care and basic human dignity.

These aggressions can potentially escalate into ongoing attacks that make us all vulnerable to the impacts that could this could have at home.

This would not affect the children of the 1%, the billionaires.

It impacts us, the children we care for and the young working class constituents that could be sent over to fight another unethical war.

Dayton has plenty of needs right at the heart of it.

We want our home city to be a one of peace, one of collective responsibility and liberties that all of us can enjoy.

As the economy continues to pose challenges to everyday working class folks, we have to ensure that another war for the profits of oil companies and their friends does not take priority, does not take priority over the needs of our city.

War would raise gas, transportation, and food costs everywhere, including our city.

The USS Gerald Ford that is deployed to the coast of Venezuela cost over 17 billion dollars to build.

That monumental amount could provide for so much improvement for the lives of our residents.

It is time we demand our log our lawmakers and communities and justice providers care about our communities more than they care about sell out leaders that do the bidding of billion billionaire businessmen.

We want to ensure Dayton remains a city of love that welcomes all, and why we are proposing this and not a MSU.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

I call to the podium Ethan Vandenberg.

Good evening, good evening.

I'm Ethan Vanderberg.

I live at 8317 Washington Village Drive, and I'm an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

From the extraditional murders of innocent people in the Pacific and Caribbean, from the kidnappings of Maduro and the First Lady Celia Flores, the blatant acts of international price piracy, it all makes very clear the aims of U.S.

Empire to dominate Latin America.

It is not ordinary Americans who will benefit from Venezuela's resources.

It is big oil and war profiteers who will seek to reap the profits.

Dayton is home to a vast ecosystem of defense industry contractors, research organizations, and of course, right pact.

This means we are directly affected.

Our tax dollars flow straight into the coffers of weapons manufacturers to fund the endless machines of war violence abroad.

The wartime treasure chest was just up to nearly a trillion dollars for 2026.

All the while people in our city can barely afford the basic necessities.

Recent census data reports nearly twenty-eight percent of Dayton residents live in poverty.

We can barely afford to feed feed and clothe our families, let alone ourselves.

The vultures on Wall Street bet on the prospects of war and are looking to make a big.

All the while we struggle to put food on the table and keep the lights on.

There must be an effort to come together and unite against these reckless escalations, to reject any efforts made by the United States to oppose its way on Latin America.

This is why we're pushing for a resolution for peace with Venezuela to be adopted by the city commissioners so that we can continue the legacy of peace advocacy that our city is known for.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

I call to the podium Yusuf El Zayn.

Say the best for the last, I guess.

Um if I may register a an observation and uh I wanted to speak on the legislation before you read it.

Name and address for the record.

I'm I'm registering uh uh uh an objection before I speak.

Uh your legislation number seven reads addressing our commitment to protecting and strengthening downtown data.

Excuse me.

Please state your your name and your address for the record, and then you can speak to that.

Okay.

Uh my name is Yusuf El Zayn, 4906 Amberwood Drive, Dayton, Ohio.

Thank you very much.

Uh I will send an email about registering this uh, but uh the way the legislation number seven is written is very deceiving and it's not transparent.

It wasn't written by the city of Dayton staff.

It was forced on you to make it an a law.

Transport is important.

No, I am here because I am deeply troubled by the tale of two Daytons being presented by the recent security working group, a group that neglected to include local citizens or any citizens citizen group.

Well, I understand the importance of safety.

This new effort feels like a disingenuous attempt to sanitize downtown for corporate interests while continuing to neglect the neighborhoods, the fifty-six of them, where the majority of Daytonians live, work, and raise their families.

We are being told there is a crisis downtown that requires immediate federal, state, and local uh interventions, yet the data tells us different story.

If the if downtown was dangerous, Mr.

Commissioner Shaw, as it's being smeared to be, would we see hundreds and thousands of people gathering on the lands of the Let Pavilion during the summer season?

They come from all walks of life, black, white, rich, poor, and the unhoused, because that's what this is for.

To clean the city from the unhoused.

Gathering peacefully during the summer season at the Levit Pavilion and other downtown venues.

To date, there has not been a single serious infraction reported at this public gathering.

People are coexisting and building community right next to the RTA hub.

Furthermore, according to the Dayton Police Department, on reports from September 2025, overall violent crime across the city is actually down 19%.

Why are we framing a handful of incidents as sad as they are downtown as a citywide emergency while ignoring the neighborhoods where residents actually feel the weight of neglect?

More killings have happened at the county city, uh the county jail down downtown Dayton.

What makes this security working group even more insulting is its attempt to replace the genuine community-led efforts that this commission saw fit to dismantle in 2020?

Over 125 of us, including me and many of you sitting there, clergy, public defenders, and residents spent thousands of hours on public reform.

Safety is not a luxury that should be reserved for the central business district.

If you can find the political will to open a new substation on main um main street, downtown Dayton, why can't you find the same urgency for street lights, response time and blight in our neighborhoods?

I urge the commission to stop the security of theater, stop the smear campaign, return the community-led reforms, you abandoned and start investing in the safety of every zip code.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Al Zayn.

I call to the podium Kevin Keller.

Good morning.

Um Mayor, congratulations.

And you, Mr.

Commissioner, congratulations.

Nice to see a new face.

And uh commission and uh city manager and audience.

Of all the commission meetings I've been to, uh I've risen to offer my opinion on certain topics which I really care about, and I then I hope the community cares about.

And I rarely uh choose to end my comments on a negative note or tone.

However, the current ordinance I hear by given to me by uh one of the sergeants of the police department, that you are allowed to shoot your gun in your on your property, no matter what it is, as long as you don't cross the uh a road or you don't have anybody else's house.

I think that's ridiculous.

Who are we as a community, a state and a nation that cries and complains about all the crime in their neighborhoods if they pass this kind of law?

And I hear it's a state law.

I think it's crazy.

Um so many shootings are done by you know, child found the gun in his in his uh parents' room or out in the garage, or it's just ridiculous.

The the senseless killings.

And here we are trying to fix our city and the outline, and we have these crazy laws because somebody deserves their right.

Uh it's that's I just think that's ridiculous.

And somebody need we need to do something about that.

I'm trying to end on a positive note with that, but it's hard.

So um we gotta figure out what's safe.

I mean, we can enjoy our guns, we can go target shooting, we can people hunt, but it seems like some people are hunting each other.

That's that's just unacceptable in my opinion.

As far as these demos, is there any way that this uh situation could be helped by deconstructing the houses?

Years ago when I lived in South Park, some of these houses they would deconstruct and they'd sell the interior.

You know, door knobs, doors, all iron work.

I live in an old house, so we could use that.

And where did the debris go?

I mean, you get that stuff, they're not they're not sorting out, they're putting in a dump truck and dumping it somewhere.

How do we know there's nothing toxic in there?

Or uh is gonna leach into the soil and you know hurt somebody's future.

Also, um as far as the surveillance cameras, I think we could try a trial, you know, like you you you get from the you buy a subscription and they give you a fair trial run.

We you use it for a year and see how it works out, see how many episodes we have and make a determination there and involve the citizens and blessing.

In involve the citizens and government to make a decision because this is not only your community, it's our community too.

As far as uh I I'd love to go to this committee.

Um we need more neighborhood involvement.

I believe I'm one of the only residents from uh Up East Third Street, and by the way, thanks for the speed speed cameras.

But they've got it, we gotta find a way to that.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

Keller.

I call to the podium Ebony Hastings.

Ebony Hastings, 1238 Wabash Avenue.

I'm here to press for a principal citywide approach to growth and safety with strong accountability and clear focus.

First, accountability and Dixtean.

I'm calling for an immediate review of the current 50K contract authority.

I urge the commission to revoke or suspend that spending power and consider a different contract spending limit, given our dire economic constraints and budget cuts at the state and federal levels.

We also need an independent audit of last year's spending to root out any fraud, waste, or abuse, and restore public trust with the city manager actively involved in findings present presented publicly.

Second, queer pro quo in negotiations.

Any new business ventures or incentives must and should include clear measurable benefits for the city as a whole and for West Dayton in particular.

If a project seeks incentives, concessions, or location advantages, there must be verifiable gains for the community, jobs, apprenticeships, safety, improvements, infrastructure, or neighborhood services, not blanket tax relief.

We need specific terms, sunset provisions, and public accountability for every agreement so residents know exactly what they're getting and when.

Budgeting and accountability.

Pay raises and incentives must be tied to demonstrate results in citywide needs, not automatic increments, implement performance benchmarks to include the city manager and provide independent oversight.

Pause large non-transparent deals until these processes are in place.

And in regards to these flock cameras.

And is it really still needed?

I specifically ask what was the community attendance in 2023 when it was implemented.

And my greatest point, was Legacy Taylor killed in Miami Chapel?

And if so, why do we have so many unsolved homicides?

And then thank you, media, for being here tonight.

We appreciate you, but I am asking that you practice honest, transparent, and on-time news, stop inciting fear.

The recent coverage of the one day following Mayor Turner Slauses swearing in was intention, bias, and very critical with an intent to cause harm.

Thank you, Ms.

Hastings.

I call to the podium Greg West.

Greg West 1323 Kingsley Avenue.

Good evening, City Manager, Mayor, and uh Commissioners.

Good evening.

Um I I presented to you guys this initiative that we're putting together, you know.

And with us having being awarded the contract, and we have a concentrated zone that we'll be working in, doesn't mean that we we can't get the whole city involved with trying to reduce violence and everything.

I appreciate everybody who came up here and talked about all the uh um incidents all across the world and everything.

Let's use that same energy to try to, you know, say combat violence in our own community.

So what we're presenting is this fire point initiative uh for all of us against violence.

You know, it's a full pledge.

It says I pledge to take those affected by violence and amplify their voice.

Number two, support local organizations working to present violence and promote healing.

Number three, speak out against violence and active activity and promote peaceful solutions.

Number four, engage in community events, initiatives, conversations that strengthen safety, unity, and trust.

And number five, help cultivate and say uh and acquire safe zones throughout the city where people can de-escalate, fine support, and access peaceful mediation when conflicts arise.

And um, we're just trying to get as many people in the community, business owners, organizations, churches, anybody to sign on to this so that we as a community can come together and combat violence instead of always looking for downtown to solve our issues that we have in our city.

You know, that's all I have.

And for our Commissioner Brave stands for uh building resil uh resilience violent interactions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

West.

That is all, Your Honor.

Thank you, Ms.

McClendon.

Ms.

Dixtein, do you have any closing comments?

I have none, Your Honor.

Thank you, Ms.

Dixtein.

Ms.

McClendon, do you have any closing comments?

I have none, Your Honor.

Thank you, Ms.

McClendon.

Commissioners, Commissioner Beckman.

Yes, thank you, Your Honor.

I just have a few, I'll be brief.

Uh first I want to thank all the citizens for your comments and concerns this evening.

Appreciate you being here.

Um second, um, I just want to reiterate my commitment for uh public safety in all of our city.

Um all 65 neighborhoods and downtown uh and very, very, very both uh committed and interested uh in making sure that the uh violence interruption program is long term.

I think that is vital, uh specifically as it relates to the areas of our city in which we have uh severe issues of violence.

Um and last but not least, I want to thank the staff, uh the organization, uh specifically uh the commission staff led by uh Chief of Staff Ms.

Jackson and uh Dayton Police Department for all of your uh hard work at Monday's swearing in.

Um it was a long uh as well as a well-attended event, uh, and we appreciate uh all of your support uh as well as uh just making sure that that went smoothly.

Uh I don't take it lightly sitting up here, it's an honor uh to serve, and I look forward to this next four years.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Commissioner Beckon.

Commissioner Fairchild.

Yes.

Um Dixteen, can we or maybe this is for um Miss Jackson?

Um can we amend the agenda so that the supporting documents that came along with the um the ordinance around the downtown work group?

Can we add those on to this week's agenda so people can see those?

Because I think there's a lot of um just you know, there's a lack of knowledge about what those are, and can we do that?

I think that'll be helpful and and just to be mindful that it was a first reading this week, and so the second reading and the vote on it will be next week, so people have an opportunity to come and speak again next week.

But hopefully you'll have more information and see the recommendations and um there's recommendations and it directs the the city to review the recommendations and then issue a report and then um we can take steps from there.

So, you know, there's um when that when there's a vacuum of knowledge, a lot of things can um fill that that vacuum, and so I think yeah.

Mayor, if I may, uh commissioner you should say uh I would like to enter those documents, documents, into the record for this meeting.

And then Ms.

Jackson has the legal wherewithal to put them in say that.

Yeah, thank you, Commissioner.

I moved to enter you don't have to move, just say it.

Uh I please enter the documents from the downtown working group into this evening's record.

Thank you.

Um uh Ms.

Dixtein, can we get the date for the public hearing on the budget?

I think that'd be helpful.

I was trying to recall when that but when that meeting is, but I think if we could start publicizing that, um that'd be helpful.

So if you get that and we can announce it next week at the meeting, I think that'll still give us some time for people to prepare um to review the budget and to be able to comment.

Um regarding the request for Venezuela, um, I will look at that and discuss with my colleagues.

I know in the past there's been some um concern with the city commission that um we lift up some international conflicts and concern for those and not others, and then what are the criteria we use.

Um I got into a place where um I thought uh it it might be prudent to have a moratorium on issuing um informal resolutions on international um conflicts.

Um so but I uh I want to review this and and look.

I think there's also some concerns here around uh rule of law and and others that may be important for us to address outside of the the conflict.

So I'm gonna look at that seriously and talk with my colleagues.

Um I want to echo Commissioner Beckham's um gratitude to Miss Jackson and the whole um and to Miss Blackshear and the Commission office, the whole team.

You were incredible hosts.

You know, we we invited the whole community in and they came.

And they came and they came.

Um but you all did a lot of work to make sure that we were good hosts.

So thank you.

Um so the night was um well done, and the musicians from Stuvers and also Bishop uh Robert Lyons and Monty Bush who came and participated as well.

So thank you to everyone who made uh Monday evening a success.

Um belated thank you to the Dayton Police Department and the Dayton Fire Department.

Uh the Tuesday before Christmas, they came with 200 other agencies, vehicles uh to Dayton children's.

You cannot imagine the excitement and energy that that place uh fills up with in anticipation of uh our first responders coming with their sirens and lights and Santa.

And so um, and it's not just the patients and families, but the employees.

So uh it was actually the first time my schedule allowed me to be out there when they were there in full force.

And um you cannot I encourage you next year.

Um, watch for when that's gonna occur.

You can come out and find a spot along the uh Route 4 and take it in.

It's a really joyous time for our for our um Dayton children and the folks there.

So thank you to our first responders.

And then finally, I want to encourage folks.

Um, the youth power hour begins uh this week and it's designed for youth uh ages 10 to 17.

The program provides an engaging structured environment for participants to learn, grow, and develop new skills.

And the classes are held on Tuesdays at 4 p.m.

at uh Laura Center, and then Wednesdays at 5 15 at Princeton, and then Fridays at 5 p.m.

at uh what I still call Roosevelt, but the Greater Dayton Rec Center.

So encourage folks to um if you have a young person, encourage them to participate in that.

Those are my comments.

Thank you, Commissioner, Commissioner Shaw.

All right, thank you for recognizing uh the emergency services that were there.

It was awesome, and I I sat up there um this year to watch them just because I happened to plan it last year.

And it was at least twice as big this year as it was last year, and it's really it is really something to see.

I'm I'm glad you said that.

Um but you gotta recognize it freaks people out who do know what's going on.

They come up there and see all those lights, and they're like, Well, it freaked me out the first time.

I had to make calls.

I'm like, is someone is there?

I mean the first thought is like something really bad is happening.

Right, that's exactly right.

That's uh but it was awesome, and I'm I'm so glad that you um you mentioned that.

I meant to do that myself.

Um very briefly, it this is just a workforce development initiative that I've been able to whisk uh witness for a couple of decades now at least.

The Montgomery County Job Center is accepting applications for youth works.

And I mean, this is just an outstanding program, and I I would encourage everyone to get involved in that.

Both young people and employers to to take advantage of this service.

Anyone 14 years or older living in Montgomery County and enrolled in middle or high school full time can apply.

YouthWorks offers many career building services, including tutoring, work experience, and mentoring.

And this is just a great opportunity for young Daytonians to get a head start on their future.

Uh for more information uh and the application, go to the jobcenter.org slash youth uh and apply for that.

But I I would just this is just such a great opportunity, and now it's been expanded to really year-round.

Uh, and it it it's there's just no way to um to quantify or qualify it the benefits of taking advantage of this program.

Similar to our apprenticeship programs, and again, the applications are on file at the commission office.

So I just would encourage folks to spread the word about about that great opportunity.

Thank you, thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Joseph.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, two things.

Uh first I want to congratulate our water department.

Uh they've received the National Groundwater Association's groundwater protection project award for the multi-jurisdictional source water protection program.

That's the program that protects our our drinking water, all of our drinking water.

Uh this award recognizes the long-standing partnership among the city of Dayton, neighboring cities, and and public health from Montgomery County.

Uh, since 1988, this collaboration has worked protect one of our region's most critical natural resources, the Great Miami Buried Valley.

Great Miami.

I thought it was the word order is different than I thought it would be.

The great great Miami buried aquifer that somebody threw up Valley in there, but uh in any case, uh, you all know you hear in the news every day about water wars, particularly in the West.

We're particularly lucky here.

We've been blessed with a huge awkward fresh water.

Uh we try to not take that for granted.

We guard it judiciously.

Uh, and uh want to congratulate our water department for getting an award on how they're doing that.

Keep up the good work.

Another place where we need to make sure that uh we stay watchful all the time, watch over the water.

Uh second thing.

Oh, yeah.

Congratulations, Water.

Thank you, audience.

Thank you.

Uh the second thing is uh I I'm glad Commissioner Fairchild made his remarks about Venezuela.

We'll have to talk about this.

Uh we'll we'll see.

But I want to make it really clear where we stand.

And I hope I speak for the Commission.

I think I probably do.

We stand firmly on the side of peace, dialogue, and self-determination.

Uh I think that probably says it all.

Uh I I saw a quote and it's not mine.

I wish it was mine, and I wish I would have paid more attention to where I read it, but it was a great quote.

And it's talking about the people in Venezuela today.

It says that it said, you know, they're feeling like under the dictatorship, their their society's been on fire, their lives have been on fire, and they see somebody coming out with a hose.

But we know who carries that hose, and it's not water, it's gasoline.

So uh I thought that was just an excellent, excellent metaphor there.

And we we know, we know there's there's no good intention there.

So uh in any case, I want to put that out there.

I think my colleagues probably agree with me.

Uh so whatever we decide procedurally, you all know how we feel.

So thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Commissioner.

I would like to thank all my colleagues for their comments.

Thank you very much.

I appreciate that.

And you're absolutely right.

Um thank you for making mention of that.

Um like to I got a couple of comments.

I know it's been a long one, especially for my first meeting.

I've been baptized by the fire this evening, but nonetheless.

Uh thank you all for coming out.

And I do want to echo uh my comments, uh, my colleagues' comments in regards to the staff.

You all did an excellent job.

Thank you, uh Ms.

Jackson, Ms.

Blackshear.

There was a lot of shuffling, moving, a lot of pivots that were made, but you all um you persevered and you did an excellent job.

So thank you to this to the entire commission staff, uh, the police department, the honor guard, thank you very much, as well as to all of the the City of Dayton staff members that came out um Monday evening.

Um again, it was well attended, and most importantly, certainly not least.

Uh thank you to all of the residents that came out um on Monday night, uh, as well as uh the Crog Center, Dayton Crock Center.

They were gracious hosts to us all, uh Meadowdell, as well as the Stuver School for the Arts Orchestra.

So again, so that means you all have to come back for the state of the city.

We had that address.

Um but again, I just wanted to make mention of all of the great work that the staff um carried out.

Uh, thank you to all of the residents that came out this evening and and voicing your concern, airing your grievances.

Um I think this was a a great meeting in terms of a number of the concerns that we have, and we definitely have some work to do, and uh all of us are committed to doing that work.

Um so thank you, Commissioner Joseph and Commissioner Fairchild for leading the charge in regards to the uh the um informal resolution and taking a look closely at that commitment to public safety, Commissioner uh Beckham.

So we'll be working very closely, um, all of us in terms of what we're going to move forward in that that framework that has been identified for downtown, but we're gonna move that out into the the neighborhoods and Ms.

Gaminer may mention uh the community engagement um uh pol reform committee.

Thank you for raising that point, and we are definitely going to have conversations as to how we can increase the uh participation.

Um so Ms.

Jackson and I, we have already made a commitment to do that work, so thank you for bringing that to our attention.

A couple of other things.

Uh we do have a request and that we are moving forward on regards to that request that was made by Ms.

Hastings.

Um we are in the review of doing um an audit, if you will, of contracts uh that were approved uh 50,000 or less.

So that is something that we are diligently working on, and we will have that report available, and that is something that we have requested.

Um I will also like to make mention of a few other things.

Uh there is in fact a interfaith and community leaders prayer breakfast that is taking place on Friday.

Now you do have to RSVP.

There are only 150 slots, so please, if your schedule allows you to join us, um it will be the uh the first annual NFA prayer breakfast, community leader prayer breakfast that's Friday, the 9th of January is from 8 30 a.m.

until 10 a.m.

at St.

Clair Community College, the charity early room.

So again, that is uh the invitation is extended to all, but not beyond 150.

And then I also want to make mention of um just paying homage and and keeping Bishop uh Lyons Jr.

uplifted in prayer in the passing of his father.

Barry Strayhorn, um, who did some some great work in the city of Dayton.

He was um a part of Miami Valley Community Action Partnership uh weatherization community and a program that is for a number of years.

I believe it was a total of 15 years, so we want to again keep the Strayhorn in the Lyons family uplifted in prayer.

Uh again, Bishop Lyons Jr.

lost his father, Bishop Lyons Sr.

Um, so we keep them uplifted in prayer, and thank you, Ms.

Jackson.

A couple of things, uh one more thing that I would like to highlight, last thing, and that is the $2.6 million that you all, the voters, um actually it's 2.5, I do believe, and that was with the issue six renewal and the funding for the home, the Dayton Home Repair Revolving Loan Program, um, which launched earlier this year and over the next three years.

It will support about 80 owner-occupied homes, uh, as well as small multifamily properties beginning in Madden Hills, Fairview, Dayton View Triangle, Wolf Creek, and Citywide.

Um, it will be expanded out to citywide in 2026, and loans will are available for households at 80 to 100 120 percent area medium income.

And if you're interested in that program, then we encourage you to reach out to County Corp for more information.

And that information is in fact available on the City of Dayton's website.

So, with no further business before the commission, uh, this meeting is adjourned.

Thank you.