Good evening and welcome to the mayor and board of alderman public meeting for the 17th of October.

We begin with the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, invisible liberty, and justice for all.

We have minutes to approve September 19th, 2024.

So moved.

Motion by Alderman Shackleford, second by Alderman Kazemchick.

All those in favor.

That is 4 0.

Thank you very much.

Alderman McShane let us know yesterday that would not be available for this evening's meetings.

Mayor's comments earlier this evening had the opportunity to attend the 20th anniversary celebration for FitSy in their new location at the Edge.

They brought back some of the individuals.

Those are not the only businesses to call Fitzie home, but it is wonderful now to have this resource in the City of Frederick and to see that as those businesses grow in our community, they grow and are likely to locate, if not in the city of Frederick, certainly adjacent in ways that help to expand our economy with good paying jobs.

So it was uh wonderful to spend a brief period of time there.

Uh I don't know if they did this on purpose, but they put me on the agenda to speak after they knew I had to leave.

So I'm not gonna take that personally.

Alderman at comments.

Alderman Shackleford.

No comments, thank you.

Alderwoman Kazemchak.

Mayor, I just add that this morning uh you and some of our staff, we were able to attend the uh mental health association legislative breakfast.

Thought that was very informative.

And um, like any good wife, I drug my husband to that, and I'm here this evening.

It is his birthday, so happy birthday to my husband, um, the saint that he is.

May he keep me around just another year.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Alderman Russell.

Just wanted to let everyone know I had the opportunity to host a uh junior cadet Girl Scout troop here uh about 10 days ago.

Um they're working on their uh governance badge.

It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it, and I'm gonna be meeting another troop here in a couple of weeks to do the same thing.

I was a Girl Scout and always appreciate uh those in scouting coming to learn more about local government.

Thank you.

We offer two opportunities for public comment at our meetings.

It is an opportunity to address the mayor and board about any item, whether it is on this evening's agenda or not.

Speakers are asked to give their name and a general address for the record, and reminded that the proceedings are being telecast and recorded.

We will begin with Ian Thompson.

Good evening, Mayor O'Connor and uh members of our board of Alderman.

My name is Ian Thompson.

I am a proud resident of Frederick.

I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you today.

I wanted to add my voice to those of other friends and neighbors from across our city and urging the Frederick Board of Aldermen to join with dozens of municipalities across our country, including Chevrolet, College Park, and Tacoma Park here in Maryland and adopting a ceasefire now resolution.

Over the weekend, the world looked on in horror as Israeli forces with weapons provided by the United States government bombed the tents of displaced Palestinian families seeking shelter in a hospital courtyard, with some, including children and those who were literally connected to IVs being burned alive.

UNICEF said these horrors should quote shock the world to its core.

For more than one year, we have witnessed a campaign of genocidal annihilation in Gaza that has taken the lives of many tens of thousands, with many more still missing under the rubble of devastation.

In July, Defense for Children International Palestine reported that at that point, more than 16,000 children were confirmed to have been killed in Gaza.

Last month, Oxfam International reported that more women and children had been killed in Gaza by the Israeli military over the past year than the equivalent period of any other conflict over the past two decades.

Israeli explosive weapons, overwhelmingly provided by our government, hit civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including schools, hospitals, and aid distribution points once every three hours.

Here in Frederick, we collectively contribute 1,121, 151 dollars for Israel's weapons every single year, according to Not My Tax Dollars, which is a project of the U.S.

campaign for Palestinian rights.

Think of what that money could be funding in Frederick instead.

133 households with public housing for a year, 390 children receiving free or low-cost health care.

3,191 households with solar electricity produced for one year, or 12 additional Frederick City elementary school teachers.

Since 2023, the United States has provided Israel with a staggering sum of at least 17.9 billion in military aid, according to the cost of war project at Brown University.

These weapons have been used to carry out what the International Court of Justice has ruled is a plausible genocide.

To remain silent or do nothing in the face of this incomprehensible violence is to be complicit in it.

I suspect that it would be one of the proudest votes that you would look back on.

I urge you to adopt a ceasefire now resolution that calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire throughout Palestine and the cessation of all military funds, weapons, and military assistance to Israel.

With that, I thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you.