Call this meeting of city commission to order and uh begin as is our practice with a moment of silence if you can all join us in the Pledge of Allegiance Pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands under God Clerk.

If you call the roll.

I'm actually introduced the introduce the well, I had that next, but that's okay.

Um if the interpreter wants to make her way forward as we're calling the role, she can introduce herself and we try provide translation services uh from Spanish to English and vice versa.

Okay, Commissioner Sasi present commissioner Robbins present.

Commissioner Purdue?

Present.

Commissioner Knight?

Commissioner Belchek?

Here.

Commissioner Kilgore.

Present.

Mayor Legrand.

Yes.

My name is Sandra Nickel, and I'm here to interpret Spanish to English and English to Spanish if there's a need to feel free to come up.

You know what is Sandra Nickel?

You're still aquí para interpretar.

Thank you.

Uh next we have public comment on agenda item.

So anyone wishes to be heard on an item that's on the agenda can feel free to come on up and speak to that for uh three minute time period.

Seeing no one, uh, I will ask for approval of the last two meeting minutes.

Can I have a mo and I think we can consolidate those safely?

Can I have a motion?

So moved.

Support.

All in favor of approval of the minutes say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Uh brings us to petitions and communications.

Communication received from Jane Griffin and Tom Sherino with three letters of support and reimbursements from the June 13th, 2024 water main break.

Received and filed.

Communication received from Dan Hibma regarding housing.

Received and filed.

And that brings us to report of city officers.

The city clerk submitted the city of Grand Rapids General Retirement System annual actuarial valuation report ending June 30th, 2025.

Received and filed.

A comp troller's warrant report for the period of November 4th, 2025 through November 17th, 2025, in the amount of 27,402,640.

Received and filed.

A treasurer's report for period of November 5th, 2025 through November 18th, 2025.

Filed.

So I'd ask for a motion.

So moved.

Support.

All in favor of passing the consent agenda say aye.

Aye.

Motion carries.

First is uh regarding a 411 Fuller project.

An ordinance amendment correcting the legal description of a portion of 411 Fuller Avenue rezoned to the TNT BA zone district.

Can I have a motion?

Support.

Commissioner Sasi.

Yes.

Oops.

This item is from November 28th when we set today as a date to consider this ordinance.

Um on June 29th of the same year, we adopted an ordinance rezoning the northeasterly 25.74 feet of 411 Fuller Avenue Southeast from traditional neighborhood low density residential zone district to the traditional neighborhood traditional business area zone district.

And this was to facilitate a lot split and recombination for future residential um development.

Um this was really an item uh that is coming before us because of a legal description.

So thank you.

Any any discussion colleagues?

Seeing none, uh call for a roll call vote, madam clerk.

Commissioner Robbins, yes, Commissioner Purdue, yes, Commissioner Knight, yes, Commissioner Belchak.

Yes, Commissioner Kilgore, yes, Commissioner Asassi, yes, Mayor Legrand.

Yes.

That brings us to our next item, which is a salary ordinance.

A salary ordinance for non-represented management employees of the 61st district court.

And can I have a motion?

So moved.

Support.

Commissioner Robbins.

Yeah, thanks, Mayor This item came before us this morning at our fiscal committee.

Um just real quick.

They'll have uh 5%, 4%, and then another 4% increase effective July 1st um 2025, and then respectively same date 2026 and 2027.

Um, and then for employees of the 14s range, it's a four percent, 3.5%, and then 3% increase on those same dates, and then um people might notice July 1st, 2025 is in the past, so they'll have the difference retroed back to their um first paycheck after that date.

Thanks.

Uh any discussion, colleagues.

Seeing none, uh call for ask for a roll call vote.

Commissioner Perdue.

Yes.

Commissioner Knight.

Yes.

Commissioner Belchak.

Yes.

Commissioner Kilgore.

Yes.

Commissioner Asassi, yes.

Commissioner Robbins.

Yes.

Mayor Legrand.

Yes.

Can I have a motion for immediate effect?

So moved.

Support.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Motion carries.

Uh that brings us to our next salary ordinance.

Salary ordinance amending section 4.2 of ordinance 2025-31.

Range and title change for the parking services, ship supervisor, and parking operation superintendent, and creation of a new classification, parks, planning, and project manager.

Uh commission uh can I have a motion?

So moved.

Support.

Commissioner Knight.

Uh thank you.

Um this was also discussed earlier at FISCO looking at mobile GR reclassifying parking services, ship supervisor, and parking operations uh superintendent to come into alignment with current industry standards.

Um that's it.

Thank you.

Uh, any discussion, colleagues.

Seeing none, um, I'd ask for a uh roll call vote on this issue too.

Commissioner Knight, yes.

Commissioner Beljack, yes.

Commissioner Kilgore, yes, Commissioner Asasi, yes.

Commissioner Robbins, yes, Commissioner Perdue, yes, Mayor Legrand.

Yes, can I have a motion for immediate effect?

So move.

Support.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Motion carries.

And that brings us having no city commission resolutions to a series of public hearings.

Um and Ms.

Renero is coming up, I believe.

I hope, for a public hearing for Brownfield Plan Amendment for the seeds of promise redevelopment.

And I know that uh Mr.

Thomas is here also.

Um I'm assuming that she will give us an overview.

Ms.

Renel.

Yes, thank you.

Yes, we have Reginald Thomas and Jerry Belka here on behalf of the project.

I'll quickly uh give you an overview here and then invite them up to talk about why the project's important.

Um this is redevelopment of 13 different parcels uh for single family homes, which are called smart homes, and I'm gonna let Reginald talk about those.

Uh these are across um, I'm sorry, they're across 13 parcels.

There's 14 homes.

One of the parcels will be split.

Um, and there is a variety of incomes and sizes of houses that we're looking at in this project, which I like.

Uh we you can see one, two, and three bedroom ranging from 80 percent AMI up to 120 uh for the income restriction over the life of the Brownfield plan being 25 years.

We have 3.8 million in total uh development costs and about 1.2 million of those in Brownfield eligible housing activities.

I wanted to just mention on the inclusion plan uh the 17% or um about 286,000 of the investment um for micro-local women-owned and minority-owned uh contracting uh subcontractors, as well as a hundred percent for the professional services, which is um lovely to see me.

I just want to cross-check my oh there was one more thing I wanted to note.

There was a 200,000 uh dollar Brownfield redevolved redevelopment revolving fund loan uh towards this project, also recommended by the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

This is to help buy down the mortgages for the seven that are at 80 percent AMI and unique for the BRA, and we really prioritize for sale housing for that fund um when we infuse these kinds of dollars.

So just want to call some attention to that.

Happy to take any questions, but first I want to invite Reginald and Jared up to talk about the project.

Thanks.

Uh good afternoon.

I want to say good evening, but these two p.m.

ones are always uh a treat.

So thank you guys for the opportunity to be here.

Uh I'll be brief and and let the man behind this vision uh uh speak.

But um David Allen with a Nova Lab Um is really kind of helped drive this project forward.

Uh he apologized that he wasn't able to be here.

He woke up this morning feeling very ill, and he's hoping it's nothing uh worse than um maybe a one-day illness.

But um he can speak to this far more eloquently than I can, but so I'll I'll try to do it justice.

But um he's really led the charge with Regional on this project uh to try to bring uh a flexible financing that can provide infill housing um in a different approach than your traditional stick build.

So these are pre-manufactured homes built to the highest standards in order to uh go on to the the mortgage market and everything.

Um but within uh just to kind of give an example of delivery.

Um I may misspeak a bit, but uh my understanding is once the foundation is laid that fielding can or the building can be turned over uh with keys within 45 days.

Um this is not traditional, I think everybody can appreciate in a traditional construction approach.

So this is an infill project, um, one that uh regional can talk from the seed standpoint uh has been a passion project for them.

Um and it wouldn't be possible without the support uh staff at both the uh land bank um and economic development have been great.

Um trying to find a unique approach to help uh make this project work.

Um approach that uh David had uh negotiated was uh the homes are being um supplied by Champion.

Uh they will actually uh hold um payment on those homes until they're sold, which obviously helps with the underlying financing.

Uh so this has a unique capital stack, uh which obviously our request before you today is is a big part of.

Uh we've also been working with IFF on some of that uh TIFF funding as well, uh as well as MISHTA.

So a unique approach to provide housing uh to the community for sale housing.

Um I know you've seen many um multifamily projects, but this is uh a unique one that can provide um you know that 80 to 120 range for for sale.

So I'll turn over to Region L, but happy to answer any questions long.

Thank you.

Thank you, Jared.

Good evening, good afternoon, everyone.

Um it's an absolute pleasure to be here with you today.

Um, when I look at the city mission and vision, which is a guiding uh document or statement for us, it states that the city of Grand Rapids mission is to elevate the quality of life through city services, while its vision is to be nationally recognized, a nationally recognized, equitable and welcoming city with a robust economy, safe and healthy community, and high quality of life for its residents.

We've done that here.

We're doing that here.

Thank you very much.

A couple of other notes that I want to add that I think are really important to know is that we're also asking our residents and our community to live up to those standards.

We want to be better partners in the community as a bottoms-up organization.

We're gonna continue to encourage the leaders in our community and residents to also raise their standards as well.

Three out of these, three out of the four 14 homes will be designated to low-income residents.

We also want to do something very special in the city.

I've got a lot of friends in here, including Chief Winstram, Mr.

Washington, Sarah.

So many people in here when I look across the dais, um, Kelsey and Marshall, etc.

Lisa.

We want to doesn't designate one of these homes to a law enforcement officer in the county or one of their family members because on one street on Alexander Street, we're gonna fill every current vacant lot.

And we want a police officer or law enforcement family member of a law enforcement personnel, and we also want a family who have been the victim of violent crime, or an individual to purchase a home on the same block.

And we've got a year-long plan of doctors, mental health professionals, bankers, and etc.

That are gonna use this as a pilot project and case study of what we're able to do here in West Michigan.

That's just the start.

If you think we're doing something in housing, uh just wait what you see coming in regards to public safety.

We want to lay the foundation so that we can live our mission and our vision.

Thank you.

Uh, I do want to also say Todd is here if you wanted to make a couple of statements from ANOVA Lab along with Jared, uh critical partner here.

Um, but I just wanted to give him the opportunity as um uh representing a major player in this project, an opportunity to also share, uh, especially in Dave's uh absent.

Good afternoon.

I don't have much additional to share other than if you have questions on the houses.

My name is Todd Venekin from a Nova Lab Development Group.

Uh we will be building installing the houses.

So if you had any questions on the houses for Jared was up here, kind of left by himself.

I don't think you realized I was going to be here in David's stead.

You know, David's been working on this with Reginald now for one or two years.

2.5.

2.5.

So they've been working hard on trying to get this uh put in place.

But if you have questions on the houses, that's what I'm here for.

Uh other than that, I'll stand down.

Thank you.

I wanted to say one more thing.

Four of the 13 parcels are land bank lots.

So we have an option that is executed.

It was executed recently, so they've got a year to perform, uh, which fits within the timeline that they are indicating in their brownfield plan for construction.

Great.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Um to come up and make comments.

Now is your opportunity.

Hello, D Jones here.

Love the project, that's all I gotta say.

Uh and yes, Aiden Wisaki.

I live on Lake Drive, and uh I grew up uh just down the street on Argentina, close to Alexander Street, and I think this is definitely a great project.

I'm in full support of it.

Great use of the Brownfield plan.

Um saw the renderings as well.

It seems like most of these are going to be for under 250,000 on the market.

Uh and definitely fitting a lot of the needs that Grand Rapids has right now for housing and affordable housing.

So definitely in full support.

Thank you.

Hello, friends.

Mark from Grand Rapids.

Our two support uh two support this project.

That's supposed to be these are supposed to be manufactured homes, specifically so as we like building the factory and set on site to put it together, if not if I'm not mistaken.

Um low income.

I like the idea.

These uh these individu these properties go be uh energy efficient.

They go be all electric or half electric or half gas.

Um that's what I want to know.

Because once again, this is Michigan.

And when power goes out, you have the mercy of the electric company.

That's what that's what I want to know from this project here.

Thank you.

Seeing no one else, uh colleagues.

Commissioner Belchar.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, thank you, public comment folks.

Um, we're kind of doing things a little out of order from what I'm used to, but I do kind of want to hear a little more about the homes since we have our experts here.

Um why do you call them smart homes?

What do they entail?

How these look different than when you think of a regular old-timey manufactured home.

Um give us a little bit of um impression on that, I guess.

Sure.

Our our biggest battle probably in this industry is the idea of the mobile home park where you see the 1960s trailer uh where they remove the wheels.

These are these are not that.

Um the picture is is really a great representation of them.

They are called smart homes because they are built in a manufacturing facility.

Some of the build specifications are different.

For example, you'll see in a site built home, you'll have nail holes that put up drywall.

In these uh units, the drywall will be glued, so you don't have nail holes.

A lot of the problems you run into with site built, we don't necessarily experience.

Don't get me wrong, they're not perfect.

Uh they do have great energy ratings.

Um, and quite frankly, probably the smartest part of it is we install these uh incredibly fast.

We just finished a neighborhood, seven houses that we did in 45 days, and those actually were uh modular homes, which are Michigan residential building code as opposed to MH Advantage homes.

So the difference between MH Advantage and uh site built or Michigan building code is MH Advantage houses are built pursuant to the federally standardized HUD code.

The HUD code is then upgraded with roof lines and additional building aesthetics and materials to make them what they call MH Advantage.

They created this product through Fannie Mae for the purpose of financing.

So we're a traditional mobile home you couldn't finance hardly at all.

These are financed by Fannie Mae using 30-year mortgages, just like what we call standard on-site built house.

So they're similar, they're easy to install, but their quality is much much greater.

So in general, you would liken these to a stick-built home, regular traditional home.

It's just the manufacturing process is faster, more convenient, etc.

Yes.

Commissioner Knight.

Yes.

And I and I'm sorry, just I wanted to make sure I to Alicia's um question the resident uh response to your question of why they're smart, also is the fact that they were specific to the request of our residents and the needs in our community.

Um they're measurable because we've identified the number of homes that we will build throughout the city, and they were attainable.

That was very important to our residents.

We mentioned the pricing uh for these homes, they're relevant, and we have a project timeline.

Um, just a small addition to that.

I think typically when you think smart home, you're thinking, you know, the lights, you can tell them to come on, you can program all that stuff to happen.

I think that's what she was leaning towards, Commissioner.

Uh I I was wanting to know why it was named that way, but if it was because of that or because of another reason, I made no assumption, but yeah, thank you for clarifying.

Yes, and then um this is I I mean, I'm all about in fill and and housing.

I just want to caution, um, and I think some of you know, and and this was brought up uh when they approached Brownfield that um I um have a daughter that had a home that was very similar to this, but she also had a realtor that was working with her um very closely on a lot of the things that uh did not necessarily go as planned, and so just want to make sure that uh community members that are engaged with this because her process wasn't four months, it was much longer than what they had um predicted.

So, even giving people the idea that oh, in four months you're gonna be able to move in a house.

I think we need to be really careful about putting that language out there because that's not accurate.

And then making sure that people know um their rights and their responsibilities.

I think this was brought up by Commissioner Um Kilgore and people really understanding uh their rights and and what it means to own a home and how to uh advocate for themselves in this process because a lot of times you you get excited about the new shiny thing, but then you don't know about all the other things that are hiding behind the door.

So I just want to put that caution out there.

Um, and I'm I I'm I'm excited that we're being able to provide more opportunities for our community, but I also want us to be cautious and make sure that our community knows what they're getting into when they get in it.

Okay, thanks.

Thanks for the presentation.

It's exciting.

Uh and I will now refer this to community the whole.

That brings us to the end of our meeting and or near the end, and uh second opportunity for public comment on any item.

Oh man, the greatest of all time.

How y'all doing?

I'm D Jones, and I help Harvard Business School develop a foundry initiative.

I am the only person in this state that actually helped Harvard Business School, the Harvard Business School developed their foundry initiative.

The first thing I handed you guys was a packet of the uh impact that we had at the DevOps place.

So I brought the largest regional finals, the biggest regional finals in esports in the entire United States.

There is no city, there is no state that did it bigger, and you guys have the actual data and impact for that.

We brought over 4,000 people out of the 30,000 people that were there at Comic Con, 4,000 constituents came and actually checked this out.

We brought 39 schools, 29 high schools, and 13 colleges.

I'm going to give you this data too, Asante.

Uh, we also brought uh colleges all across the United States.

This colleges all across the United States.

I literally brought the largest regional finals in the entire United States of America to the poorest city for African Americans.

And I'm going to continue to leave.

This was only at 50% capacity, and we brought with the schools itself, the high schools and the colleges, we actually brought 41,000 in revenue.

That's just them booking hotels and just spending on food.

Oh, that's crazy.

And then I gave you guys the actual physical plan.

We actually have a 3D business plan.

Ryan Kilpatrick developed a feasible business plan right there before you.

So I'll be happy December 16th when I come to City Hall next time, and then you guys adopt the actual policy for us the 3D prayer house, because you actually have a feasible business plan right before your eyes.

Before you guys even before you guys even pass the policy, we have a physical, feasible business plan ready to 3D print houses.

I'm left-handed too.

I want to keep saying that and keep uh speaking that because I'm I'm a genius.

I'm a natural left-handed genius from Chicago that put the second worst city of America on and going to continuously lead.

And you guys will never ever be able to design that.

You know what I'm saying?

You I'm not the little guy.

I am the biggest.

I'm a July baby.

I'm a July baby, July 10th.

And then I can't wait for you guys to prove the consolidated housing plan June 30th, because then after a couple days on July 10th, it's my birthday, and then I'm gonna just continuously through this cycle of July's.

Continuously just keep building houses and printing houses, and then adding the digital finance aspect to it.

I'm just so happy because not only did I create a huge economic impact, I brought the largest regional finals in the entire United States here.

Nobody can ever say that D Jones is not the best, one of the best visionaries and pioneers on this earth.

Because I'm going to continuously continue to lead, and it's only going to get bigger.

And the crazy thing is it's our local school district, they sponsored it, but they did not participate.

So when I did the activation in the spring, and it was four students, that's not me.

That's an infrastructure problem that I've been working on continuously.

Thank you.

My name is Half from Grand Rapids.

Um, I was here when the city went over their report card and their progress reports, the city uh meeting of the whole about a month and a half ago.

I was quite impressed.

However, my expectations may be a little bit different.

Maybe I expect things to get done a little bit faster, a little better communication.

And I'll give you an example.

Two of them actually.

Back on November 5th, myself and a few other people met with the department head and was given a timeline.

We asked when a report could be done and given to us.

And the department head volunteered a date, and that date was November 10th.

November 18th, I spoke with a number of you up on the desk at the um commission night out, and nothing has been done yet.

November 5th, today is November 5th, and we still have nothing.

So again, maybe my expectations are quicker, and maybe I expect more, but I don't know about that.

So what I'm seeing here is very little accountability.

There's nothing coming back.

We can't get emails returned, we can't get phones returned.

Now I've been pretty specific in not mentioning anybody in name, and I don't intend to in public.

That's not my goal.

My goal is not to embarrass somebody.

My goal is to get things working a little bit better and a little bit smoother.

A second issue.

I sent a number of issues to again some on the dais here, and they were brought off to one of the department heads.

And this was oh again, about a month ago or so.

When I asked that department head at one of the city commission meetings what the status was, I was told, well, I don't have a status for you, you get one in a couple of years.

This was from a department head.

I don't think that's really acceptable, and I don't think that's meeting the scorecard that the city presented a couple of months ago.

Now I do have to say one thing was completed on that.

There was a pedestrian safety issue, and that was completed after about a month and a half, and after speaking with some on the dais, and I guess as I always say, the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Well, in this case, the squeaky wheel got a pedestrian crossing sign put up.

But I shouldn't have had to have gone through all that aggravation and all that time, plus the time that those up sitting up here had to put into it.

It shouldn't have been.

So what I'm asking for is a little bit of department um, I guess, responsibility.

If a department head commits to something, it's their responsibility to make those dates and make that happen.

Um the other thing is there's almost no feedback.

If a citizen puts complains or thinks a suggestion, good luck on getting an answer back.

Unless you come to a meeting like this or talk to your commissioners, those requests, those ideas end up in never never land, and we don't never know what goes on with those.

Thank you.

Mark back again.

Sulcum, Texas, 1910.

The Greenwood subdivisions of Pulse, Oklahoma, 1921.

And we're not careful.

Why did I say this?

You have white nationalist individuals.

Who obviously don't like the Muslim community?

We all know Dearborn has a large Muslim community.

You have this individual.

Who spreading hate?

Sogeny and violence.

In that particular side of the city.

And if they're not careful, they would be like the two other communities that I mentioned earlier.

They could burn them down, they could burn it down to the ground.

I wouldn't put it past these individuals.

But that wouldn't happen if the majority of the Muslim community there elected the orange felon.

And I have a message for them.

I don't feel sorry for any of y'all who did it, who voted for them.

This is what you're going to get.

No, you had to fight for your lives against these white nationalists people.

Somebody has to say it, so it has to be so it better be me.

So it may as well be me.

Better get ready to fight for your community.

Because if you don't might be in serious trouble.

And you only have yourselves to blame.

Thank you.

Boycott Tesla.

Good afternoon.

Uh my name is Ryan Bennett.

I'm the business manager of UA Local 174, and up until now, I didn't realize that left handers were geniuses.

So I'm very proud to have learned that here today, and I can't wait to get home and report that to my wonderful wife.

We understand that that projects in the city may not always be a hundred percent union, but we've never had one that was a hundred percent non-union, and it almost seems intentional.

There was a time when we reached out to the developer to the contractor just to find out that several of the larger bid packages had already been let long before they broke ground and long before the funding mechanism for this development was even approved by voters.

That seems intentional as well.

What we'd like to know is why.

Why is Grand Rapids the only city of its size in the Midwest to turn its back on union construction workers?

It's costing our members, your constituents, jobs and opportunities.

Union construction workers typically earn 20% more in wages and benefits.

They have better health care, secure retirement, access to world-class training, and more opportunities for advancement.

Statistically speaking, union job sites are safer because union workers know they can't be fired for speaking up about safety.

Union job sites are also more productive.

According to a study commissioned by the Independent Analysis Incorporation, employing union labor creates significant value for owners through lower costs and more predictable schedules.

It reduces the risk of major cost and schedule deviations.

Through our Department of Labor certified apprenticeship programs.

We are also leading the way on diversity.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, data shows higher rates of participation of women, Hispanic workers, and workers of color in union-based apprenticeships more than non-union programs.

Locally, we're partnered with the Workforce Development Institute to create Access for All, an apprenticeship readiness program providing free training and wraparound services to underserved areas of our community, giving these neighbors a more direct pathway into our apprenticeship programs.

Our members are out here doing great work in the community.

We do thousands of hours of annually of community service work.

We give time, money, and labor to try to help our neighbors.

We show up at every school district throughout West Michigan whenever asked to educate the next generation about opportunities in these trades.

We're good stewards, we're good neighbors, and we're damn good workers.

And also we're asking for is when we consider your next development that we have a voice in the room, a seat at the table, which will lead to boots on the ground.

Thank you.

And I just I was reading through the packet for this meeting.

I saw that there was a report from Bowen Research about the needs for housing in our area.

And just one key point that I saw in there, and I wanted to just bring to this board's attention and uh also our our uh community development team is that uh there's a need for uh housing for disability and and specifically it's with for seniors uh in the age group of 75 and older, just that there was uh identified that there's um there aren't many options for people who require activities of daily life and um assisted living.

I've just been to Holland and I've got a few friends there who live in assisted living, and it's it seems like they have several options, but then you come to Grand Rapids and you look around and you don't see as many of these options here.

And so I just want that to be considered uh when we look at multifamily housing, that there's only 303 units that are for disabilities and for people with disabilities, even though 44% of people over the age of 75 in Grand Rapids live with at least one disability.

Uh that was the only thing I wanted to bring to the attention today.

Thanks.

Seeing no other members of the public, uh, that brings us to comments from my colleagues.

Um Commissioner Robbins.

Nothing this time, thanks.

Have a great night.

Uh Commissioner Knight.

Um not a whole lot, just grateful for um some of the work that's being done.

Um I saw a lot of opportunities for businesses and organizations to really support each other community media as we're talking about supporting uh some of my our minority businesses uh in their efforts to scale up their businesses and how we can partner together with them, plus the other uh opportunities for um financial investment for businesses who are ready to go to that next level.

Um just I think I want to see more of that uh connectivity in in the community in these things because it seems like we're we're all kind of overlapping one another in those spaces, and how can we connect better to continue to better support our community?

Um that's pretty much it.

Thank you.

Commissioner Kilger.

Yeah, uh just uh my thoughts of very happy to see new development per housing within the third war.

That's wonderful.

I know best practices and research tells us that we need housing at all levels, but uh the constant conversation that I have with our neighbors is truly affordable housing.

Um I'm really hopeful I met with um uh two developers, the um son and dad team, uh, and it was great.

But they were talking about um being the 80 to 120 uh percent of AMI, you know, building for those groups of folks, and I feel like we continue uh to see that group represented, right?

And if the best practice is for us to have housing at all levels, I'm hopeful that we as a body can really um encourage our community to build for more affordable.

I really have not seen that yet.

Um I know it's hard for developers, right, to break even to make um some type of money from their projects if they really only focus on affordable housing, and I know we're one part of that, right?

They also have to receive incentives from the state, you know, other levels of government, but I'm hoping that can continue to come before us because I have not seen enough of that where we are really looking into the missing middle and folks who are not making anywhere near 60, 50,000.

That's just not the neighbors who continue to come to me and talk about the need for housing in our community.

So I'm I'm happy to see any type of housing, but I'm hoping we can stage that focused, right?

Um, on something that seems to be missing.

We say all levels, but yet I continue to see sort of the same.

These are to a lot of our neighbors high earners, right?

They're not seeing these numbers on their paychecks.

So um happy to see the housing that we've got, but I want to keep sounding that alarm.

Um had a great, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

Uh the mayor and I were able to pass out close to a hundred turkeys with the girls uh and boys' club and McDonald's.

I've already got my email prepped to ask them for more.

It's McDonald's for God's sake, so you can do maybe 200 next year.

Uh it's McDonald's, they've got McDonald's money.

Um, and so yeah, I'm uh just to once again so talk about the need for affordable housing.

That's what I'm hearing over and over again.

And our community partners like Baxter Community Center.

I said this last meeting, but I'm gonna continue to say it.

So they saw a 100% increase in their need for their marketplace for their pantry.

Uh, if you're able to donate money, if you're able to donate time, the Baxter Community Center needs volunteers as well.

Uh, please do.

This holiday season, there's a lot of giving, there's a lot of money being spent, but our neighbors need uh hand up this season.

Uh so we we can do our part up here by continuing to uh give into uh poor into affordable housing and different ways uh to just help neighbors out.

That's what I'm focused on right now.

So hope you all have a great rest of your day.

Commissioner Stocy.

Thank you, Mayor.

I don't have very much today either.

It was a good day after a long break.

Um, but I just wanted to highlight the fact that a number of us, including um city staff, were able to go to the Grand Arpett's African American um museum and archives event two weeks ago now, and we're able to be joined by the um uh GRPS school system where they awarded Mr.

Cleo Cross um his long-awaited diploma.

And so if you don't know that story, it is one of the stories that's in a city within a city, um, but really highlighted the discriminatory actions that were taken during that time where Mr.

Cross was um, you know, forced and he didn't, but he was being told he wasn't gonna graduate if he did it, you know, shave his his facial hair.

And so um it's a reminder that that story wasn't all that long ago.

Uh, you know, I I know a lot of uh people in community who were graduates of South High and just kind of hearing that story.

So I think it was a reminder, especially in this environment where we're dealing with a lot of you know backlash against recognizing the realities of racial disparities, whether they exist, we're talking about housing, we're talking about business earlier, um, and really the efforts that the city has engaged with.

And so I'm I'm you know glad that we haven't gone away from that and that we continue to use data and science and that understanding to drive the decision makings and that in that targeted universalism is a better community for all people in Grand Rapids.

Um, so I was just moved by that event.

Um it was it was a long event, but it was a really good event.

Um, and so uh just encourage you all to take a take a look at that if you haven't.

And then um just a reminder that there are a lot of organizations that are you know here.

Uh Commissioner Kilgore, you highlighted some of the needs in our community.

It seems like the need is so much greater if you're able to, you know, whether it's supporting a small business or supporting a local nonprofit that does good work in our community.

Um I won't I won't name any, but just think about what's your way and whether it's the time or treasure to give.

Um, I just think a lot of individuals are experiencing some uncertainty now, and um uh, you know, whether that's called and then for on the city side, you know, we've had some of our um reviews with our water system and with our trash or our our materials management system and ways that we can help support if you're um needing that designation.

So just encourage people to help each other during the season.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just want to share my congratulations to Seeds of Promise and the whole team.

Um you said two and a half years ago this process started, and I think that was about when we we talked and I got the full debrief with the team, so it's excited to exciting to see you cross that milestone today.

So congratulations and thank you for your focus um in terms of geography um and creating um neighborhoods of opportunity and increasing the social economic diversity of strong neighborhoods as well.

So thank you for that.

Um happy beginning of holiday season, everyone.

Um I remain available as always, um, and and in the process of scheduling my last briefing of the year, so look out for that.

Uh, but other than that, uh, those are my comments for today.

Thank you.

Commissioner Belcher.

Thank you.

Yeah, um, I concur with a lot of what's been said here.

Uh I do want to express my gratitude since we just completed Thanksgiving, but I think we're also entering the holiday season that makes us aware of how much care and commitment is in this community, and I really appreciate the comments that people have made around how our neighborhoods and from the street level, the bottom up kind of uh community that we actually have here and can build.

We have a lot of um people who want to make life better for people.

So thank you to everyone who's doing that.

Thank you to my colleagues, thank you to the staff.

Um, I think that there are things we can do to improve and still continue to, and we're working on that behind the scenes about whether it's communication, whether it's um how to get more information out there, how to get people engaged, but we also need people to engage with us.

And on that end, um I just wanted to mention that I love this idea of ownership as being in the mix of housing as well as renter.

We have had a lot of discussions on the west side recently with um housing developments and even social services and things like that that are needed.

And I do continue to hear concerns in the community, and I want to just address those briefly because I think that we need to remember that we're all in this together.

And I know I say that a lot, but I really mean it.

Um when we're looking at new development in neighborhoods, we need to be thinking about what everybody needs, not just what we've done in the last 10, 15, 20, 50 years.

When we're looking at where the social services are needed, we need to be thinking about what's needed now and in the future, not just because we've done it the old way.

We should put them those services where the people already are in the perception.

So I'm kind of going out on a limb here because it is holiday season, and I want us to be thinking about how are we supporting our community, whether that's the local organizations, whether it's our neighbor checking in, whether it's the um uh local businesses that we need to support.

I think we had a fantastic start to our celebration with our tree lighting and the parade that happened, and I was really pleased to be a part of that, so thank you.

But um affordability and housing will continue to be the things I'm considering in the future for 2026, and I really want us to lock arms together about that and what we can be doing as we look in our budget going forward.

Um City Clerk.

Um City Attorney.

Just a reminder to those of you on the FOIA appeals committee.

We have a hearing this afternoon at four o'clock.

Uh thanks for volunteering to stick around a little bit later today to conclude that we have a tight timeline pursuant to the statute.

City manager.

Thank you, Mayor and Commissioners, for your work today.

Uh, do also want to thank the staff for all the work in preparing for this day.

And as uh Commissioner Bill Shack and Saucy acknowledged that we had record-breaking attendance at our Santa Parade as well as turkey trot this year.

So all the employees who were part of the permitting and cleanup and refuse and public safety around those two large events, in addition to everything that was happening downtown.

Thank you.

Our drivers who uh got us through our first major snow event and plowed streets and uh took care of some of the um important corridors.

Thank you for your work.

Um also wanted to thank the staff for the community night out um visit that we had at the last commission meeting was very uh very engaging.

Appreciate the conversation on public safety.

Um I was very pleased with the conversation today at Economic Development Project Team.

We heard the work of the new community transformation fund and there are over 3.3 million dollars of investment in eight businesses uh here in Grand Rapids, as well as the Urban Leagues report of uh assisting uh 14 businesses.

So appreciate the partnership of uh those agencies as well.

And lastly, uh Mr.

Hell, if you could if you could see Miss Barron's uh at the end of the meeting to give more details about some of the things we were talking about.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I wasn't gonna make any comments, but since uh uh our city manager uh made a positive comment about plowing streets, I will point out that it is not a great time to be a pedestrian in Grand Rapids, and I would love to have a longer conversation at some later point about how we can actually get our sidewalks cleared.

But that's for another day.

Thanks everyone for being here.