Good evening and welcome to the mayor and board of Alderman regular public meeting for April 4th.

We begin with the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

These actions taken together reduce economic job and housing instability and food insecurity, reduce social isolation, and prevent family and community violence and bullying.

Whereas providing a safe, nurturing environment for children helps ensure that Frederick's children will grow to their full potential as the next generation of leaders helping to secure the future of the city, county, state, and nation.

Now, therefore, I Michael O'Connor, Mayor of the City of Frederick, to hereby proclaim April 2024, Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Frederick, and commend this observance to honor and support our nation's youngest citizens and their families.

Signed by the mayor on behalf of the Board of Alderman and on behalf of the residents of the City of Frederick.

We're not scary over here, we'll be able to make sure.

One, two, three, one more.

One, two, three.

And I'm gonna let you uh introduce who we have here, and if you'd like to say a few words, please do.

Hello, Robin Grove, I'm the director of the Child Advocacy Center.

I would like to thank the mayor and the board of Alderman for your support of the children and families of our community.

Last year, the CAC, along with its multidisciplinary partners at the Child Protective Services, Frederick Police Department, Sheriff's Office, other law enforcement agencies, state's attorney's office, serve 316 children and families that came through our doors to begin their healing process.

And I could not do that without the help of all these wonderful people that are surrounding us, and so I will pass the good evening, of course.

My name's Kristen Dunn.

I'm the program manager for Child Protective Services here in Frederick County.

And this is Aries.

She is our facility dog and accompanies children during interview process, sometimes in court, and just for general comfort at the Child Advocacy Center.

Shay Tao Deket, I am the services supervisor at the Child Advocacy Center.

Megan McGowan, I'm the forensic interviewer with DSS and the Child Advocacy Center.

I'm Corporal Deborah Kidwell with Frederick City Police Department, and I am the assistant supervisor for the special investigations, which investigates the child abuse and child maltreatment cases.

Good evening.

I am Carla Paler.

I'm the pediatrician for the Child Advocacy Center.

Hello, my name is Cheryl Grady, and I am a member of the Auxiliary Group called the Friends of the Child Advocacy Center, and we do lots of things to help support them and their journey towards helping kids heal.

Well, thank you all very much.

We often talk about the power of partnerships in this community, and you all here represent just what that means in terms of the sphere of protecting our children, and we're really grateful for the work that you all do every day.

So thank you so much.

Now, some of you may be coming back up here again.

I do not know, because uh this is also the month of the young child.

So if you are here for the month of the young child, please join us in the front.

Hello.

Bring up the dog group.

April 2024, month of the young child.

Whereas children are essential to the City of Frederick's success and quality of life, children are a most valuable resource and our most vulnerable.

Children have a right to be safe and have an opportunity to thrive, learn, and grow in an environment that fosters healthy development.

Whereas the critical period of brain development in young children affects a child's entire life and future generations, children of the future parents, employees, and leaders.

Adults have the responsibility to encourage and nurture children's growth and development.

Whereas protecting children from poverty, community and family violence, social isolation and bullying is a responsibility we all share, whereas raising healthy children depends on partnerships among social service agencies, schools, religious institutions, all levels of government, the business community, and law enforcement agencies.

Whereas providing a safe nurturing environment for children helps ensure that Frederick's children will grow to their full potential as the next generation of leaders helping to secure the future of the city, the county, the state, and the nation.

Now, therefore, I'm Michael O'Connor, mayor of the City of Frederick to hereby proclaim April 2024 as month of the young child in the City of Frederick and commend this observance to honor and support our community's youngest citizens and their families.

Signed by the mayor on behalf of the Board of Alderman and the residents of the City of Frederick.

Thank you.

Now we're gonna we're gonna do this again.

We're gonna get together and you're a great talk for the month.

One, two, four.

One, two.

And I think some of you already introduced yourself, but not you.

It's my turn.

Hi, everybody.

Pat Rosensteel, um, a long-term member of the Interagency Early Childhood Committee that helps put this uh together also with the Children's Festival and the Child Care Choices Program, also.

So it was a big uh culminating activity, although there's plenty of activities going on all month long, which you can find out on the Facebook pages of um the CAC and many others.

And it's the children's festival, it's always the last Saturday, and the City of Frederick helps to sponsor that, and it's held in Baker Park from 10 to 3 o'clock.

And we're always grateful at this meeting because the Child Advocacy, the friends of the Child Advocacy, and always bring us um uh a nice bag of goodies.

So we very we very much appreciate the pinwheels and the other items in the bag.

Thank you so much for everything that you do.

Thank you.

Thank you.