I'm gonna call uh tonight's meeting to order and um we're going to start as is our practice with a moment of silence.

If you could please join us and now uh a time of not silence.

Join us on the Pledge of Allegiance.

For which it stands under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

And if our uh interpreter, uh, we have an interpreter into Spanish and from Spanish as needed, uh, could come up to the microphone and explain what I just said in Spanish.

That would be great.

Thank you.

Uh and uh thank you, and uh city clerk, if you could call a roll commissioner Belchak.

Present.

Commissioner Purdue.

Present.

Commissioner Asassi, present commissioner knight, present.

Commissioner Robins.

Present.

Mayor LeGrand.

Yes, thank you.

Commissioner Kilboro's and Commissioner Kilgore is pending.

Um so next on the item, next on our agenda is public comment on agenda items.

Uh their agenda is readily available.

And if you have a comment on one of the items that's on the agenda, feel free to come up and talk uh for three minutes.

And Mr.

Jones is first, and I know that he lives in the first ward, but everyone else can tell us who they are and where they live, that'd be great.

How are you doing?

I'm D.

Jones.

Uh I'm here to speak on resolution one, uh, which is approving the fiscal year consolidated hours in the community development plan.

As you guys know, I've been advocating for a very long time for 3D printing houses uh since I've been coming to City Hall.

Uh seven years I've been advocating consistently, uh passionately, and very thankful that you guys actually listen and you added this into the plan because we do have a feasible business plan.

Uh also I gave you guys a document.

This uh document does play into community development, but this is a document that the uh GRPS has actually approved.

Uh I actually helped Union High School develop an esports lab, and so they actually got 10,000 from the uh community foundation to actually develop a lab.

So as I've been working on infrastructure and developing infrastructure for our community and for the students, uh when you guys gave me a 10,000 dollar grant for me to do the spring, the jump ahead uh play fuel e-sports activations.

I brought $32 billion company Epic Games here, and people don't know that the Unreal engine that they actually developed that they not just use to develop the super popular game Fortnite, but that actual uh gaming engine can also be used to develop visuals for housings and buildings and things like that.

So it's really trying to do something to educate the community and the youth on what the future is and the actual software that they can actually use to develop visuals for houses and buildings and eventually 3D printed houses.

And so uh as I continue to go on this vision and uh 3D printing houses and just super exciting also for you guys the um open uh do seda ribbon cutting for the new public works building.

I like the coin that you guys gave me because I speak to you guys about uh cryptocurrency and things like that.

And uh I actually spoke to the CEO of Party.com, it's a decentralized streaming platform, and uh the token's utility, the cryptocurrency party token will actually be utilized to actually for 3D printing, uh construction and construction and 3D printing construction finance.

Uh the headquarters of this company is located in Dubai, and as you guys know, the big oil people out there that have trillions in revenue and this trillions at hands actually are investing heavily into digital assets and cryptocurrency.

I also drove to Lanson uh and spoke at the economic competitiveness committee uh on House Bill 4511.

I am a big supporter of digital assets because I know it could be used for the social good as I get paid a thousand uh every 30 days uh in USDC, so I get paid in stable coin just to advoice my opinion, do all of the cool things that I do, stream at City Hall and those cool things.

So I know that cryptocurrency can actually be used to build digital infrastructure, and as the SEC chair said that the blockchain is actually better than the digital financial, it's better than it any digital financial system that anyone has built because it's so transparent.

So I look to continuously build into the future and do beautiful things for the city.

Thank you.

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My name is Daniel Scott, long time resident of the first ward.

I'm here once again to speak up for our most vulnerable citizens.

Those being torn apart limb by limb at 425 East Cherry.

Mr.

Dr.

Well.

As my shirt depicts.

This is what really happens there.

And I went online, looked at the resolution.

Mr.

Mr.

Sharp, can you tell us what item you're talking about?

Authorizing the publication of inciting the date to consider amendments to Article 5, Chapter 151.

Thanks.

To regulate the amplification near health care facilities.

Health care.

Now when they do this to little children in and outside of the womb.

Mothers are now dying after this procedure you call abortion.

The people I know that are there speaking out with amplification.

Are just trying to save lives.

Commission.

We're trying to save lives.

Precious children's lives.

In fact, last time I heard the Lord has used them to save over 50 lives, maybe more.

Now I would not want to be you and stand in front of an Almighty God someday.

And explain to him why you would support Grand Rapids citizens from being able to speak in front of 425 Murder Factory.

It's a public sidewalk.

American citizens.

They're screaming, yelling through megaphones.

I don't see anyone trying to stop them.

So I I I appeal to you.

I oppose this.

Hi, my name is Linda Trout.

I am here to support the new ordinance restricting the use of amplification around health clinics.

As an escort, I try to provide a friendly welcome to the patients seeking care.

Parking for the clinic is behind the building, so people coming in must enter the driveway off of cherry.

Often sidewalk protesters try to stop cars and get them to roll down their windows so they can distribute their pamphlets and ask why they are coming to Planned Parenthood.

Once parked in the back, patients need to walk along the side of the building to the entrance, which puts them within sight of the protesters who yell at them and me.

When protesters fire up their personal PA systems, it is hard for patients to hear me give directions for entering the building and signing in.

Per planned parenthood's policy, escorts do not engage with protesters.

So I try to keep talking to distract from the harassment on the sidewalk.

Typically, the protesters on the sidewalk ask why parent patients are here and accuse anyone, even the Culligan water delivery person, going into the clinic as supporting the murder of children.

They call me a death scort and claim I have blood on my hands for escorting people into the building.

They often ask how many children I have helped murder today.

They yell Bible verses, threaten non-believers with hell, and exhort patients to go to the pregnancy resource center next door instead.

Patients are truly grateful to see a welcoming smile and to be reassured that they are safe here.

He then added, they have no idea what we are going through.

Please help protect the privacy of people seeking health care.

Loud PA systems targeting patients should be moved away from any health care facility.

People should be able to access the care they need without harassment, magnified by these devices.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Shelley Sinus.

I'm a resident of the third ward.

Um, and I'm here on the noise ordinance as well.

I want to start by saying that I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the proposal that's on the table.

I don't believe that it does infringe on anyone's right to protest.

Everyone would still have that right under how this is written.

It simply reduces the chronic noise problem that we have in our neighborhood.

Um I walk by the area very regularly, and to try to explain the din of the noise that's happening all day long and its impact on the residents.

I just can't underestimate how problematic that is for daily life, for conducting a business, for trying to work from home.

If you're working third shift, we have a lot of health care workers in our neighborhood, and we have this chronic noise happening because of the amplified noise systems.

The current um the current way that this this issue is addressed, the police have no way to actually measure the noise.

So they basically are left without any enforcement ability.

They can roll up, and there's no way for them to know if the people are in compliance or out of compliance.

And it really is the amplification that's the problem.

We have a lot of brick buildings in that area, the noise ricochets off of it.

Um I also think it is really important to note that they are not only addressing their noise at people heading into Planned Parenthood, they're harassing individual patients, which I would argue is significantly different than staging a protest to protest some governmental action.

They're yelling at individuals and they're yelling at residents who may just be walking their dog past the area.

I've seen them yell at women pushing babies in strollers.

Um I've personally been yelled at, um, and they keep their amplification on.

So they're not even just protesting in your face, they're amplifying it and yelling it.

So I think, you know, if if an individual were doing this and it just to another individual, which is what's happening here, you would be able to file a complaint against them for harassment.

And that's essentially what's happening in this case, and at an amplified level.

So I appreciate the consideration of just removing the amplification, allowing everyone to keep their First Amendment rights to protest, but just making it more reasonable for all of the residents and businesses, and especially the patients in the area.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I'm Deborah Fulton.

I live in the third ward.

I don't live in the area of that that is being targeted by some of our uh folks here tonight, but I do frequently walk in the neighborhood, and as a senior citizen walking around, I find the amplification quite intimidating.

I have been yelled at.

I have um, you know, if there are large groups of protesters there, the amplification only makes it that more much more intimidating to those of us who are just uh trying to walk around Cherry Avenue and the beautiful buildings there.

So I appreciate your uh consideration.

Hello.

I'm Jerry Barnaby, long time resident of the third ward.

Used to be the youngest guy in the neighborhood, now I'm the oldest.

Anyway, so I walk my dog every day.

He's a Doberman, demands it three times a day, and invariably I'll end up going by Planned Parenthood.

And on the days that the protesters are there, there's a marked difference in the way that I feel.

A zen walk with a dog, as all the residents in the neighborhood experience when they just sit outside and it's quiet, it's nice, there's car noise in that, but when there are protesters with the amplification, suddenly I find myself very much on edge.

And so now I'm gonna spin a little anecdote about what makes me an expert about noise and its effects.

I am the director of excitement, self-titled for Ego Power Tools.

So that's battery-powered lawn and garden.

I crisscross the country counseling municipalities on how to quiet things down while still getting the job done.

So let's make an assumption that the protesters have a job to do in their hearts.

They want to change the hearts and minds of other people.

That can be done much the same as with gas if you do it trying to blow some leaves.

Everybody knows you're doing it.

Everybody is on edge.

People are woken up.

They can't work, they can't concentrate.

They dread the moment when the amplification begins.

And they're very thankful when it goes away.

They get calm again.

If you can do the same job with battery-powered, quiet, efficient, you're still getting the job done, but you're not disrupting all around you.

So I do honor the folks that have the commitment in their hearts to do what they think is right.

But that shouldn't come at the expense of everybody within hundreds and hundreds of yards.

Simply exercise your First Amendment right by having a conversation with people, not beating them over the head.

And even the people that are kind of the collateral damage that are just everywhere else, not specific to Planned Parenthood, they know when the protesters are in town.

Just let's get back to uh normal conversation.

Hey, have you ever thought this?

Have you considered this?

Not hey, because it's all about getting the job done that doesn't hurt everybody around you.

Thank you.

Hi everyone.

Kim Combs, I appreciate you bringing this up.

Marshall, I know that you are my third ward commissioner.

We have spoken personally on this, and I appreciate anything that you may have done to get this brought up as a possible ordinance.

My concern and complaint, I'm a 25-year resident of the neighborhood.

Planned Parenthood is in my neighborhood.

I no longer walk my dogs by it because of the trauma that is caused.

The dogs pick up on the energy, they get all worked up.

Then we've got the protesters threatening us that their dog is gonna, or you know, our dog is gonna bite them, which would happen if we got close enough because that's how toxic the environment is.

No, we really get the building.

They're doing it from the lot next door and behind.

They're yelling at people from the business.

So it has to stop.

It has to stop.

Thank you.

Thank you for your time.

Well, it never fails to come here with one thing in mind, and somebody says something so irreparably stupid that I moved to speak off script.

Lucas, first ward.

I see the Reverend is trying to ruin t-shirts for all of us, like he did props some time ago when he whipped out scissors and a baby doll.

But I'm here to support the noise ordinance as well, which is a weird spin because you guys have used a whole lot of things against protesters on my side of the political aisle.

It's about time you did something in balance to the right wing side of the aisle.

So I'm in support of this because with the police and protesters and ICE, you've used parked cars in different spaces and amplification complaints and all manner of way to punish the young visionary activists that we see in our community.

So if you're gonna do it, we might as well be fair.

But since this touches a long time hot button, I'll give you a yarn of my own.

When I was in college studying mass communication, looking for opportunities for extra credit, there were a bunch of these wackos with their giant vulgar violent photography in our quad at my university.

At the time, because I'm older than I look, Dolly the sheep was a new thing.

And I asked this guy, I'm trying to be generous.

Why are we out here having this high volume argument with each other when we just cloned a sheep two hours down the road at UT?

Why are we talking about clusters of cells when we should be talking about the science and the way men could take responsibility for their side of the necessary medication and procedures as well.

But no, the powers that be would rather not research the medical and science advances that could get us into a place where we could all comfortably exist, where people like me who don't have a particular view of faith, because I subscribe to the I'm down with your Jesus, just not your Christians part of the movement.

And people like what I would consider a loony cult.

We could all coexist because we wouldn't have anything to argue about anymore.

We wouldn't be trying to remind them of how many lies they're telling about women's health care.

We wouldn't be trying to deal with splitting hairs between who is the water man and who is going to the massage parlor.

We wouldn't be trying to basically defend against pizzagate level delusion.

But no, here we are still.

So I want to support this.

I appreciate that you're that you're doing this.

And it is a huge difference in a neighborhood against targeted against individuals, and amplifying sound in the public square.

But if you're gonna do anything, do it balanced, and I think this is something that was I was very encouraged to see.

I had no idea that it would turn into a line of commentary.

I didn't write anything.

But I've been bothered by this for longer than I care to admit, and I was raised by women too smart to buy into this BS, and I'm not gonna let this pass without standing up here and defending the things I was taught by smarter people than half the people I've seen standing up on the other side.

So thank you very much.

Good evening, commissioners.

My name is Jeff.

I'm actually one of the uh preachers uh that preach outside of uh Planned Parenthood.

I'm a sinner saved by grace uh by the same cross that I preach.

Um I just like to uh refute uh make an attempt to refute the assertion that uh this ordinance is uh on the grounds of like because we're too noisy or too loud, and rather that this is actually a a free speech issue.

Um so for example, uh oftentimes when we're standing out in front of the abortion mill, uh there are companies that come and they mow the lawn, mow the lawns, they they have their they bring their leaf blowers, their snowblowers, whatever time of the year it is.

And uh those uh motors on in those uh machines they're they're really loud, they're even louder than our amplifiers, and sometimes when we're preaching, we can't even hear ourselves preach.

Um and the reason why I would say this is a this is actually about uh content of the sound is because nobody calls the police because the lawnmower outside is is too loud.

But they do call the police when our our content is too loud.

And what what is the difference?

The difference is uh the content of the noise.

If the if it's just the noise, then they would then they would disapprove, people would disapprove of both the the law mowers, the leap blowers, and the preaching, but they don't.

It's because they hate the content of one uh noise while they don't mind the other.

They think the other is important.

It's important that people's lawn gets mowed and their grass gets mowed and cut.

Um but it's not important that we proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.

It's it's not important that we're pleading on behalf of the lives of uh the pre-born child in the womb uh for for our neighbors uh who are slaughtered there at this place um every day.

And um I would like you to think about this.

My time is short.

Um the other issue is is that the that these women and and men also that go into these places, they have a right.

It's not that you we just have a right to speak, but they have a right to hear.

Um my my brother in Christ said 50 moms have uh chose life for their children, and he was off.

Uh it's actually been over in the three or four years that we've been doing this, we've seen over 130 moms choose life for their babies because they've actually heard the gospel.

Uh some of the best testimonies are moms going into the place and then they they come out with a big uh smile on their face because uh they couldn't get the words of of of the gospel out of their mind.

Uh there is a law, we do proclaim the law that convicts that convicts us of our sin, but it then it brings us to the cross of Jesus Christ.

Who is the good physician who died on the cross for our sins that we might be healed?

And and this is for you guys too.

If you would believe, if you would turn from your sins and put your trust in Christ, you can have that peace that surpasses our understanding.

The same peace I received by the same gospel I heard and believed.

That's that's what we're out there proclaiming.

That's the content of our message.

Um like that.

Uh thank you for time.

I am Matthew, and I am speaking on the same the amendment.

And what we what you are really doing uh and like my like my father said, and my name is Matthew, and you have given us permission because of the threats to keep uh address private, we are just we are members of the West.

And anyway, um one Hamas and Black Lives Matter and them do it you you too screwed to you are scared and you are scared to be sued, so you don't do anything, but when we uh when we proclaim about life and death, you do do it and uh and the Bible said that the gospel is offensive and um to the unbeliever it's a stepping stone, I mean a a working stone, but to the believer it's a it's a it's a stepping stone, and yes, um we are not trying to um yeah you I am gonna I am hoping and paying you vote against this because um why do you why do you not speak against Black Lives Matter but one Christians you view as reckless try to speak up the immediately silence and I will use another verse in X when Paul was before for the Sanhedrin, he says said we obey God rather than man and we and we do obey God rather than men and you may try to silence us, but the power that lives in the same power that was Christ from the dead is the same power that lives in us and we will not be silenced.

We will we will just keep on you know we will just keep on proclaiming the gospel because the gospel cannot be silenced.

Thank you.

Hi, good evening.

My name is Elizabeth Johnson.

I'm speaking on behalf of one of my clients.

I'm an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Um my client lives and works inside the city and within the limits.

Um I'd like to speak to you regarding uh Section E committee of the whole.

Item number four and five.

Um you are considering amendments to the proposals um for ordinance violations and control, noise control.

Also uh within uh what you call health care facilities.

Um let me just let you know that um we know that law enforcement will often enforce with street inbound evangelists' speech on grounds that the speech violates a noise ordinance, especially when it's used with amplification.

However, amplification is a constitutionally protected amendment of the first amendment for freedom of speech.

Uh say a versus people of the state of New York, the Supreme Court struck down any amplification ordinances as it was unconstitutional, stating that loudspeakers are today indispensable instruments of effective public speech.

It's a way that people are reached.

Noise cannot be regulated, can be regulated by decibels, hours and places of public discussion, but the but the content cannot be controlled.

And the use and the way of using your amplification cannot be controlled.

Uh, but to allow a city to bar the use of loud speakers because the use can be um abused or is like barring radio receivers because they make too much noise.

It's the same cause concept.

Any abuse, any abuse which loud speakers create can be controlled by narrowly drawn statutes not regulating the content.

Uh it's easy to cloak annoyances of any ideas as an annoyance as sound.

Uh but that must not happen.

Cities must balance the various community interests and passing laws on the constitutionality of local regulations of character, individual, but the first amendment must be protected above all.

So let me give you some, you know, some guidelines to help you in this.

I'm sure you have teams of attorneys, but I thought maybe if I just could help you.

Um officers in cities cannot impose no amplification directive on street evangelists or anyone else.

Umise ordinances cannot be unconstitutionally vague or overbroad, they cannot regulate what is said.

Ordinances cannot give government agencies an overbroad discretion or unbridled discretion.

Um so uh restrictions on any noise amplifications will be challenged in the judicial system if that is part of your uh ordinances if you choose to use the phrases noise amplifications like loudspeakers.

So um, I'm sure you have teams of attorneys helping you with that, but if you got it to speak to me afterwards, please let me know and I can get you my contact information.

Thank you.

I guess my name is uh Daniel Fagan, and uh I am a believer in Jesus Christ, and I want to come up here because uh I have personally witnessed uh brother over here preaching as well as the others, and I've actually worked right next to them.

So I'm a handyman.

And I was actually in the building right next to them, and I could not hear them inside while I was in there.

So I know a lot of people say a lot of things, but but I also know that when people are in their cars and they're driving forward, you have to be you have to say, hey, they're in a car.

They can't hear if you say, hey, ps hey, they're not gonna hear you.

You know, so we need to be able to lift our voice up as the Bible tells us to lift our voice up.

Um the Bible tells us to to proclaim upon the house tops.

It tells you to exalt your voice, lift up your voice.

That's what the word of God tells us to do.

And we're doing what God tells us to do.

And I also I also street preach and use amplification and actually was arrested because I um used amplification even though I complied with the officer when he said I couldn't use amplification even though he lied.

I complied with him and went across the street and used just my voice and preached the gospel, and they still arrested me.

And I I find this very unconstitutional what they are doing because they don't they it's true, they don't do it with anybody else.

All I'm all I was doing was telling people Jesus loves you and God wants to know you and he wants to have a personal relationship with you.

And I want people to know Jesus.

I don't want people to be condemned.

If you see somebody about to fall off a cliff, are you gonna be like, hey, hey, don't fall off the cliff guy.

No, you're gonna be like, hey, hey, you know, because you're concerned that he's gonna die for eternity, you know.

It's not a it's not a you know, we're trying to bully people.

No, we're we are concerned, you know, and we don't we don't use voices like that.

We don't we don't push people and do things like that.

We actually have I have video cameras and um videos that I can actually prove that we don't do that type of stuff, just so you guys know I I can actually prove it.

So um that that we don't do those things and that we do comply with the officers.

We do we do do what's right, and you can think it's funny all you want, but I tell you what that on the day of judgment you will answer to Jesus Christ.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Tom Sinus.

I live in the third ward, I work in the second ward.

I happen to work uh right next door to one of uh the facilities that we've been discussing tonight.

I happen to work uh right next door to one of uh the facilities that we've been discussing tonight, and I think that the issue before us is to how to find the appropriate balance between all of the things that we have heard tonight, people have a right to express themselves, people have a right to speak about their faith.

People have a right to stand on a sidewalk, people have a right to have signs, and nothing that you all are considering here would encroach upon that right.

But people also have a right to go to the doctor and to access health care in peace, and I will tell you that I sit outside, or I mean my window is right outside where a lot of these exchanges occur.

And when the the people are out front, when people have signs, when people are speaking to people coming to the clinic, that's part of the balance.

It's part of the balance of our democracy.

There are people expressing their views, there are people going to the clinic, and we live with that balance, but the balance gets disrupted when there is loud amplification, and I can hear this on a daily basis, I can hear the altercations increasing, I can hear the yelling and the yelling back getting louder.

I see the police come.

And when the police come, as you heard in an earlier meeting, they have only this sort of vague and cumbersome and confusing ordinance.

I mean, how would any of us measure conversational level at a hundred feet vertically or horizontally?

I mean, does anybody have a tape measure with a decibel reader on the end of it?

It doesn't work.

And so this balance gets disrupted and acrimony exists, and we then end up in a situation where people who are trying to access the clinic, I think feel that they are being threatened.

We have people who are wanting to express themselves, and they have a right to express themselves.

But the overflow of the noise from the sound, I think is where the balance is disrupted, because it is fair to say that the sound from these amplification devices is designed to penetrate.

I mean, I can hear it in my office behind double-pane glass, and as a result, so that we can get work done and we can take care of the injured people who I represent, we have installed outdoor sound machines so that we can work in our office because the sound is designed to penetrate.

Thank you.

Hello, friends, Mark from Grand Rapids.

I'm against this.

If the anti-abortionists want to go ahead and protest in front of planned parenthood, that's fine.

But expect counter-protests because that's gonna happen.

And I welcome it.

I won't see the chaos.

I will see what the ICE agents are gonna do when they get there.

That's if they want to get there.

Because if they do it anywhere, everywhere else.

I welcome it.

I want to see noise blasting all over the place.

The protesters and the counter-protesters.

Because after all, most of us like it that way.

So I will get my popcorn ready.

Because if they're going to protest, expect counter protests.

And I won't see it again.

And then we'll be right there.

When poop hissed the fan.

So you better think about this.

Because it's because they're gonna do it whether whether Brown Rapids likes it or not.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Seeing no further uh individuals coming forward for public comment.

Um that brings us to approval of the minutes.

Can I have a motion?

So moved.

Support.

All in favor of approving the minutes from December 2 say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Um just so you know, this this was I know you folks came in as we're started.

We had um public comment on agenda items.

There's another time for public comment later in the meeting on general items.

Gotcha.

Got it.

Great.

It's awesome.

Thanks.

Um, so that brings us to uh petitions and communications.

And we get through the minutes.

Sorry.

Oh, I you know.

Didn't we vote on that?

Okay, sorry.

I was yeah, yeah, you were you were interrupting us.

Um that brings us to uh the item matter of petitions and communications.

Yeah, the first one is a communication received from Zachary Verholst regarding his resignation from the West Side Corridor Improvement Authority.

Uh that's referred to community and appointments.

Communication received from Lucas Leverett regarding GRPD and support for Ned Andre and Victor Williams.

Received and filed.

Communication received from Abby Passer with notice of forthcoming oversight and accountability regarding Michigan detention and ice collaboration.

Communication received from Marshall A.

Kilgore current third war commission regarding proactive zoning for data centers.

That brings us to reports of city officers.

First one's a comptroller's warrant report for the period of November 18, 2025 through December 1, 2025, and the amount of 4,700 million, 280,000 78 and 67 cents in the monthly travel report.

Receive and filed.

Treasurer's report for period of November 19, 2025 through December 2, 2025.

See and file.

And the city clerk submitted the mayor's 2026 standing committees and other commissioner appointments report.

Filed.

I moved.

Support.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

And uh there being no items this week uh removed from uh consent and no ordinances to be adopted and no city commission resolutions and no public hearings.

Um this brings us to our second opportunity for public comment.

And this is an opportunity to comment on anything, whether or not it's on the agenda item.

So those anyone wishing to speak and stand in line and come on up and introduce themselves and speak.

And Mr.

Jones is first.

Hello everybody.

D Jones, passionate entrepreneur and visionary.

Just thankful that you guys uh passed the consolidated housing plan to actually 3D print houses.

Uh as I was there driving to Lance, and then I spoke on House Bill uh 4511 before I actually got there.

I ran into the director, uh, the Bureau of Construction of uh Construction.

So I actually spoke to the person I need to actually change the building codes.

It's funny how the universe spins, and then uh I also spoke to the deputy fiscal director uh for King County to actually speak to him about the feasible business plan that we have, uh tokenomics actually digitizing uh and putting real estate on the blockchain and actually increasing the value and reinvesting that into infrastructure and public infrastructure.

This is actual free value that we can create, uh, and it can be transparent data that you can see 24-7.

It says so it's on the blockchain, so as anybody asleep or anybody around the universe 24-7 can see this transparent audited data uh all day 24-7.

The thing I love about the blockchain is very transparent.

And then uh thankful and excited to be alive to be able to go after this vision in 2026 to uh advocate continuously.

I've lost friends, I've lost girlfriends, I've lost a bunch of things, but I never lost a vision inside of the things that I have in this goal that I have of changing the community.

I've had people try to, you know, poop on my vision.

I have people try to say that these things are never happened, and these things are coming to fruition right before people's eyes.

And I'm just thankful to be standing on this beautiful universe that continuously go after this uh vision that I have because I've been through a lot of things, but I don't look like the things I've been through.

I actually don't I don't even know if I stay in the first ward now because I actually got forced out of the house.

I used to stay on a Tamarack and stay in the orchards now, so I don't know if I actually stay in the first ward.

And so I've been through a lot of things, but I continuously advocate.

I could tently show up.

I continuously give my love and my passion to the community and stay dedicated.

Uh the times that I do get around here, I do still foot it around here, and I see people with blankets.

I see people still in the house, and I know I'm going to do something.

I'm going to do something about that.

I have solutions.

I don't come here and complain.

I've never come here to City Hall and complain.

I just come here to listen.

I come here, I don't complain.

I just come here and I actually uh solve the solutions.

And actually, but if I do complain, I complain about the things that I feel like you guys should do, or I complain about the lack of transparency that I should feel like I should get as I am genuine and I'm authentic, and I'm D Jones 24-7 and 100% in every single uh facility in every place that I see, y'all.

Every single time I see you, I'm the same person I got the same energy, and uh I can't wait to just really 3D print these houses and work with Ryan Kilpatrick and actually innovate this and then uh go to the colleges and universities and develop curricula and actually just innovate the construction industry, the 3D printing construction industry.

One day I'll be a global leader and I'll go back to the United Nations as is on ABC 13, and I got two TV interviews to speak about 3D printing.

So be on the lookout for that.

Mr.

Leverett.

Okay, uh good evening, Lucas First Warden again.

Uh earlier at the public safety meeting, I was graciously thanked by Chief Brown for putting my creative professional hat on and helping him name the new M Power Service Medical Priority Wellness Response.

In the same day, I've got a letter in your communication agenda standing up against the atrocity of the confrontation between GRPD, Ned Andre, and Vic Williams.

Despite having a chief who I think is a smart guy and can help fix things, even smart guys can do dumb things.

I know I have.

We are a we are the MLK Park Lodge Activities of Community Sports.

We have lived, worked, and been a part of MLK, which was called Franklin Park originally.

And prior to that, it was called something else.

But we've been a part of that and a part of sustaining it and the youth that use it as we grew up using it.

Right now in February, they're gonna be um doing a grand opening of the brand new lodge.

But I want to give you some history, and the history is included in your um envelopes.

In 2016, we as a group, along with Homes for All, we canvassed the whole area around MLK Park.

And we talked to neighbors, we talked to anybody that would listen to us.

We had, and you'll see there's a picture in there as proof that we did.

I spoke at that meeting, and there we had almost 80 people there, which was good when we could get no one out.

Our problem that we were having is that for years we have helped sustain, talked to local businesses to help and um get money just so that we could use the park for basketball, so that we could use they could use the park for cheerleading, so they could use the park for any kind of activities because parks and rec said that they could not afford to do anything at our park.

There were no organizations, they did not come in anymore and do summer activities for the kids other than swimming.

So we stepped up because we grew up in the neighborhood and supplied things for them to do.

We even um one year we even um joined with um Grant's public school system and had tutoring during the week and games and basketball to keep the kids off the street.

In 2016, we had uh it went before the right parks and rocks, and we were told that they could not we couldn't do anything.

They have now taken us off of the table.

They have not uh included us in the what we want for the lodge.

And right now the lodge has um there's uh 9.8 in 2016 for a millage.

There's there was money there.

There's only three full parks left in Grand Rapids.

One of them is MLK Park, and now they're trying to take our activities away.

We need help.

We need Parks and Recks to know that um MLK Neighborhood Association does not will not rule that park, and that is a community park.

And we are all of our taxpayers, all of our tax money went to to put this new building up.

I know only have a couple minutes.

There are other people coming behind me.

We ask that you please look at this information.

We need help with parks and recks to them to recognize us so we don't lose it.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is David Chapman.

I am a member of the Park Recreations, Marshal King Junior Park.

Activity of activity concerns when community sports.

When my friends and I are unable to place our belongings into a safe place from being stolen when we are going to work out or to have a place to shower after the workout before and going out for the evening.

This can be death stating, right?

Disadvantage, disadvantaged to others as well who would like to use the lodge.

I believe we got and I hope that the the council can help us here with that.

That's what I want to say.

One two.

Um, thank you very much for your time.

I like to say good evening.

My name is Daryl Holt.

I am um uh community activist for the Hardside community, uh been serving doing stuff for our community, but I am also a representative for our park of MLK, and I would like to acknowledge some of our great athletes uh and MLK.

Uh I brought this picture of my grandfather, his name is O.

C.

Holt.

He was one of the greatest tennis players in Grand Rapids in the first before Tiger Woods ever swung a golf club.

Um, so I would like to donate some of his belongings.

Uh there's a lot of trophies.

He has like over 500 trophies.

I couldn't bring them, so I just brought just one little small one with the picture, but I would like to uh donate that in the MLK Lodge and acknowledge a lot of other athletes that was there before anybody there, so we can bring like a lot more color to our uh to our community and let people know because it's good to educate people, you know.

And um, you know, I got inspired uh just a quick little story, and I'm done here.

Uh I was 22 years old, actually, and I had a brand new daughter, um, only one daughter.

Um, so I ended up uh being coming homeless for a little brief time, and if it was not for the community of heart side to get a part of being active to get back to my community and serve, um, I learned a lot that you know um encouragement, uh education to know who done this and who done that would be the greatest thing.

So I would definitely love to uh if anybody has any information, they can talk to me afterwards.

Uh I would love to donate the stuff back, and also I am uh the urban youth basketball um city uh coach, champ, yeah, champ for two years.

So I won 24 and 25.

So and that was just all volunteering, so I love my community.

I love uh volunteering my time in my community of Grand Rapids, and thank you all for allowing me to do so.

So thank y'all for letting me explain myself.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I um Matthew once again, and I'm not sure address, but I will send my real identity like my father is I'm uh um follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and um well the ungratter is he did that is in us than he that is in the world, and like I said, um all you attempts to shut us up will fell and what will you say?

Yeah, you may have free speech now, but what will you say when you stand?

Yeah, you may left now, but um what will you say when you have to give account?

Uh we we know as far as our brothers, we know our sins have been paid for, but um and I hope you can say the same for yours, and we play for you every day, and he's coming soon, and I hope you're gonna be ready, man.

Thank you.

Yeah, hello, hello.

Yes, my name is Albert Weiss, and I'm with the uh MLK Park Activities of Sports.

Um I live in the area for over 65 years.

Um I played up there.

Thousand other kids have paid up there, and some of them made it to the big times.

You might not know or heard of them, but they need to be focused on what have happened to these people that made it, made it great.

Players like um uh Belcher, um players like um uh Prentice Naves, um people like um um Fred Brown, George Nighton.

Zorge Knighton.

Zoe Madway.

Ambo Carlow.

There's a list of players and people that played up at King Park.

We even had softball up there years ago for um Joe Joe Um Mimic who did the softball.

He should be crediting all these people to be in the Hall of Fame uh that we are put together for those packages that you have now.

Um it would give people a chance to see who were there before King Park would rebuild and how it started, when it's starting.

We got a total of history of what's happening up at King Park.

And like I said again, I was a wee little boy saying O.C.

Smith playing tennis.

O.

O.

Chi Hope, I'm sorry, OG Hope.

And I I seen him play tennis, and he had a nice little game.

I was like 11 years old.

And then when I got older and up, I went to college and graduated, and then when I came out of college, I went to Southeast End Neighborhood Association.

That was my first assignment to uh King Park area.

I did four years there.

Um and I um knew a lot of people in the area.

Um basically the milk, the lodge.

Well you want to put the stuff in the lodge.

Oh, the lodge, yes, the lodge, yes.

I'm sorry, the lodge.

There's a lodge.

Um there's a lot of things that need to be we focused about the lodge and it could be done.

We've been a two-month span.

And that also is in your package.

Um, those that Mr.

Mr.

Bruce had gave to you.

Um I was saying that if our city has any kind of backbone, and the city has said one time here, it says here that our city had proclaimed that racism is a public safety crisis.

Let's see if your words stand up.

I want to see that if your word stands up with that.

Because it's not about black or white or who supposed to be there, who's not there.

It's about the history, about the people going up there to have enjoyable time.

Uh see the history of the history of the um the building and the mentities, like the shower that's not there.

So basically basically um I like to thank the grand rapid public uh grandpa's commission and the city professional to do their part.

Thank you.

Mark back.

What I always speak about during open public comment.

I too echoed the people behind me who's the people who spoke earlier.

I think you should do something too.

Bring those activities back to the next to the communities.

This past year has been wild and woolly, to say the least.

Running rampant, not knowing who these individuals are.

Conspiracy theories, mocking dead people.

Now it's time to focus on the year was coming ahead, the year that's coming ahead.

We'd like to.

We'd like to we want to make sure we want to make sure that from 2026, everybody will be we want everybody who's nervous to vote, get resistant to vote because 2026 will be critical with elections, citywide, countywide, statewide.

I won't expect I want 85 to 90 percent turnout.

It's time to time for those to use your power and get out, get your registrations together and vote.

We don't want to have the chaos that we had in 2025.

We want Project 2025 abolished next year.

It will be Avenge, it'll be revenge 2026.

So get registered, get prepared, uh get out and go vote.

Boycott Tesla, Merry Christmas, and happy new year.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Ernest Brewster, and I represent uh Martin Luther King Park Activity Lodge.

And I would like to see a shower and a locker room in the activity lodge because education is educating people on mathematics, uh, English and regular social studies, but the most important thing is when they get through playing basketball or whatever activity they have, they need to take a shower and have a locker room.

So I'm asking that you put the shower in the locker room in there.

Thank you.

Bye.

Hi, my name is Tina Griffin.

And I'm on the league.

This is our committee here.

Uh Martin Luther King is a very important place for me.

Uh, ever since 1971, I have lived across the street.

Uh, as my kids got older, um, Joyce is one of the biggest leaders.

They invited me in to come and work with the league ever since 2000.

I am the concession lady.

I am the one to keep all the kids hydrated, um, keep things running smoothly, make sure security and everything is done.

We do all this all these years from outside.

And um, I'm feeling like with it being said, and knowing that now it's a facility that's facility that is being made.

We just want to have some kind of small part that we can represent what we have been doing for all these years.

Um, back in the days, 71 at the top, they used to have the tennis court, uh, that's Benjamin and uh Franklin area at the boot, and they used to have a little small concession thing, and um I live directly across the street, coming across the street with everything to come and be able to get food, find friends, just engage in different type of activities.

I've been working with the school system, GRPS all my life.

Now I'm with Godwin Heights, and um I see what they are saying.

I'm just hoping that we will be able to touch some part of that building and have be, you know, acknowledged, and if there's anything that they can help us with, anything we can help them with to keep some things going smoothly in the area in the summertime, because the basketball games will still be going on.

So we just want to have a part, you know, like I said, ever since 1971, everything we did was outside, and I just want to just stand up and let's say, hey, let's do this.

You know, let us be a part of that.

We'll make it good, and we'll, you know, do what we need to do to keep keep things going and kids smiling.

So that's all I got to say.

Last minute thing, but you know, I'm just Martin Luther King Park to the end.

And in two weeks, I'm gonna be 60 years old.

So I've been playing at that park every since I've been five years old.

Thank you.

Yeah, Daniel Scott, of course.

And like my son said, my real identity is I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Uh thank you, Lucas, for your kind comments concerning my character and the others with me.

The scriptures tell me that you were actually calling Jesus those names who lives in me.

But Jesus also instructed me to tell you, may the Lord bless you.

We talked about the 50 lives that have been saved through my brother and his ministry.

But I want to remind you that 425 East Cherry, 100 beautiful, innocent babies are being slaughtered every week.

100 every week on average.

Not only is murdering our fellow citizens happening there, now it's through the murder pill.

This pill is being dispensed without prescription, without parent approval, without doctor approval.

These women are going home, some of our teenagers, young girls going home after going to 425 to get these pills without a prescription, going home, bleeding.

That's how they what's what the pill does causes the the baby to usually go into the toilet.

Increasing number of women are dying, bleeding to death because they are home all alone.

But now they're doing the demon demonic-based transgender hormone therapy there.

In other words, destroying the reproductive capabilities of our systems, our citizens.

To these murder clinics.

Saving lives.

Who have no voice.

But are torn apart like my shirt just depicts.

Inside the womb, outside of the womb.

And their body parts are being sold.

Yes.

Body parts being sold.

Skulls, brains, fingers, hands, limbs.

And like my son said, we'll be we'll continue to speak out.

Because the Almighty Lord God tells us to.

You can try to silence us.

It won't work.

Imprison us, kill us.

That's a promotion.

But we do respect each one of you.

Kim Combs, I want to apologize.

I didn't know that there was a timer now that I know.

I'm sorry about that.

I wasn't gonna get back up here and speak, but I feel called to.

I need to tell you that they are soliciting human trafficking outside of Planned Parenthood.

They are convincing young women to not go through with abortion care so that they can foster the kids and then put the kids up on a website to ask for money because they're fostering them.

And I'm not an expert, but I don't even think that that's illegal or allowed, number one.

Number two, the nor the noise ordinance doesn't go far enough because they are intruding into people's personal health care in their lives.

They're standing in the parking lot next door.

So even if you do enforce a noise ordinance, they're still going to be standing next door in the parking lot harassing people when they park in the back to go for health care.

I want the signs to stop, they're lies.

They say that children are murdered there.

That's a flat out lie.

I want the signs to stop that are grotesque, and children shouldn't have to see, and I want the harassment to stop of my neighbors and local residents going for health care.

It's none of their business.

Thank you.

Jeff, uh sinner saved by grace, by the grace of Jesus.

Um I don't have much to say uh right now.

I just wanted to read uh some scripture.

Uh, this is the the duty of you who are the magistrate, rulers, uh, given your position by the Lord, and so therefore you guys are you're all accountable to him.

And I just want to exhort you and love to you to honor him.

You aren't gods to yourselves.

You don't get to make up rules and and laws that suit yourselves or uh suit your own opinions.

Uh, but you are subject to to God, and he will hold you accountable.

But uh our desire is to see you to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to be at peace with God.

But here's what he's he says says in uh Psalm 82, 3 through 5.

Uh, give justice to the weak and the fatherless, maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute, rescue the weak and the needy, deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

Who's who's the the weakest?

Who's who's the weakest and the and the fatherless, the motherless, by the pre-born child that's brought to these abortion mills and abandoned by their own father, their own mother, to be slaughtered there.

And we're called to rescue them, rescue those being taken away to death, hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

They're the weak and the needy.

They're the emo they're the most oppressed uh class of human, I guess if that's what you would say.

Uh we we've drawn a circle around the pre-born child and said that's not human, but this is no different than what Nazi Germany did with the Jews.

They draw a circle around Jews and they say not human.

They look like human, they talk like human, act like human, but not human.

And that's what we do today.

That's the uh modern-day Auschwitz.

Um, but more babies have been killed in this country.

I think we're at over um hundred million babies, an estimate, and and and growing since Roe v.

Wade.

Uh uphold justice, defend the the weak, the our neighbors who are being killed.

Real quickly, I'm told that I don't belong here.

I'm not, I don't belong, I don't live in the neighborhood, but Jesus tells me to love my neighbor, and my neighbor is not uh my next door neighbor, but it's the one who's who's who's in need.

That's the the story of the the good Samaritan, the neighbor is the good neighbor is the one who cares about his uh fellow man who's who's being oppressed or an injured or in need, and uh doesn't matter where they're at.

So God bless I show I would like to remain anonymous.

I'm not giving you my name.

If you want to find out about it, go downstairs.

I'm an advocate for Mr.

Albert Rice and the um in the park.

Uh they are very, very adamant about the fact that the parks do not include showers and/or lockers.

And I am not um I'm not I'm uh I haven't I haven't studied that that that uh that information, but I do believe that if you're going to have recreational facilities, you should have showers and you should have lockers.

And so I'm he has been an ardent supporter of Franklin Park, which was was the original name to Martin Luther King.

And he's there every summer.

He organizes a basketball league, a recreational league, so that the kids have an outlet during the summer, which prevents them from getting into trouble.

So every idea or every speech here that I've heard tonight, there's one word that comes to mind, and that word is democracy.

Democracy in this country is under attack.

And whether you, I don't care what your p political affiliation is, we have to confront that.

And we have to be ready to do whatever is needed to preserve democracy in this United States.

Thank you.

Seeing no one else, I'll turn to my colleagues for closing comments.

Uh Commissioner Kilgar.

You know, one time we gotta start down there.

Well, thank you all so much for coming uh to our last meeting of the year.

Uh it has been a um uh the honor of a lifetime to uh serve as uh one of your newest commissioners.

Uh it truly is an honor, and uh democracy is right.

That's that's what we've experienced all year.

Um and even through the last meeting, we've talked about some really important uh things that we hope to do in the coming year.

One of those that I highlighted was proactive zoning uh changes for data centers.

So if you all would uh like to hear more about that in terms of energy use, water consumption, uh noise concerns around data centers as well.

Uh you can check out our committee of the whole where I discuss more of that uh zoning, and we hear from the folks working directly on zoning within the city about what's currently on the books and what we can look towards in the future.

Um as I said, it's been such an honor to be here, but I do uh want to respond to some of the comments uh that we heard.

Um, especially, you know, once again vilifying uh members of my community as the first openly LGBTQ plus commissioner on this body.

I am disgusted by the vilifying of our community.

I grew up really religious, and I still consider Jesus a really good teacher.

And in John 8 and 7, he says, let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

So, you know, it to constantly come up here and vilify people and talk to sin as if you have none is disgusting.

And I've taken it all year, and I've been waiting for it to become homophobic because sadly that is what is in line with the things that we see far too often.

We have a human rights ordinance that is listed.

So please continue to keep that in mind as you continue to vilify every community that doesn't look like you or believe like you.

And refer back to that good teacher Jesus and what he actually says, what his word actually is supposed to inspire people to do.

It wouldn't be keep being the same folks up on a dais and talking to the same five people who watch the YouTube.

So I hope folks who celebrate Christmas that's coming up, have a great Christmas, happy holidays.

We will see you in January.

I'm very once again honored to continue to represent our community, everyone within our community, not just those who praise like us, worship like us, who look like us, who identify like us, or who read the same book.

Good evening.

Commissioner Belchuk.

Wow, thank you.

Um I too have taken the opportunity to reflect on where we were a year ago, where I was a year ago.

And as a new commissioner, the amount of breadth and depth and learning and also community that I have seen in this year and democracy in action is definitely a part of that.

And I think that last year my word for 2025 was conviviality, which is the bringing together of people on our streetscapes by having uh pop-ups and places where we can converse and talk and engage in economic prosperity and activities and art and all the things that we get to learn about.

It's part of being a good urban planner.

But tonight, I think the word that keeps coming to mind is civility.

I've been wondering what my 2026 word was going to be.

I think I'm going to land there.

I have seen lots of frustration in neighborhoods when they are presented with new ideas and they come out in force with great resistance to things that haven't even been fully planned or baked.

I have seen an enormous amount of resistance to people sharing their ideas in a way that makes us actually sit and listen and understand.

I have seen in my time in community on as a commissioner, people who are afraid to come and talk because they're afraid their ideas are not worthy or that they will be rejected.

And tonight we're given some examples with our Martin Luther King Park friends, and maybe our community engagement isn't always as thorough or exacting as we would like to think.

But in the end, I keep coming back to the fact that we are Grand Rapids.

This is not a city that is something outside of you and me.

I was elected because of the community.

And we're going to have elections in 2026.

It's going to be the community.

So I would like to encourage us to go forward with civility as we continue talking.

We've seen some great tragedies just this past weekend.

I think the answer is inspiration.

So I'm gonna give you a brief story.

Christian is someone I met on the street after attending a very busy day of police promotions, which I want to say congratulations to all of our police who have stepped up to Captain Lieutenant and other ranks of fire awards, firefighter department.

Thank you very much for what you do to keep us safe.

And two of our members on the fire department celebrating 30 years that night.

Christian didn't have a home.

Christian was sleeping on the heat grate, the vents for our steam.

And I checked to see if he was warm.

Would you be willing to talk to Christian?

Or would you have walked by?

And while I was standing there having a conversation, afraid I woke this gentleman up, but he wasn't sleeping very well.

And along comes Officer Bloomer.

And he pulls over in his police car, and immediately Christian is agitated.

Christian's worried he's going to be kicked off the street.

Christian's worried he's gonna have to pull out his ID.

Christians feeling uncomfortable.

But I could hold time and space.

That is a skill we all can learn.

And I am happy to be the ripple to create that if necessary.

Officer Bloomer was fine.

He said, You don't have to leave.

I don't want to kick you out.

Are you sure you don't want to go to a shelter?

No, I don't want to go to a shelter.

I don't trust the shelter.

It's okay.

And I said, Officer Bloomer, would you be willing to come back and check on Christian?

He's sleeping here.

It's gonna be 13 degrees tonight.

I'm worried that he's gonna get frostbite.

And Christian did not understand that frostbite meant that he might lose access to some of his appendages.

He didn't understand that he might not be able to make it.

He's only maybe 30.

And he's already revealed to me that he has a new job maybe in a next week with Speedway over on Fuller.

Christian could make it.

And somehow in that conversation.

Because we were given space and time and civility.

Officer Bloomer never got closer than five feet from me.

And he let me lead that conversation.

So that in the end, Christian let me know what his phone number was, what his email was, and he learned about the 100 by 100 program.

He wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of it, but he learned about it because I was able to be in that moment and have that conversation.

Who are you willing to have a conversation with?

But the story got better.

And I could not have created this if I had wanted to.

Maybe you would have talked to him, maybe you wouldn't.

Maybe it was a dark night and you might not have.

But he says, I'm not here to hurt you.

I'm not here.

I know I feel a little look a little weird.

But do you need help?

And I said, Yes.

Can you get me some alcohol or something to freeze unfreeze this lock?

And he comes, goes back, we get chatting, and I said, I'm worried about the guy down the street.

Come to find out.

Eddie lived at these apartments, and he was coming up on one year almost of having been housed because of the 100 by 100 program.

And he said, Oh, yeah, I know Christian.

He needs to get his ass a housing assessment done.

I said, Can you tell him?

Because he wasn't so sure.

He's like, I know this guy.

I check on him.

I'm gonna go down there.

I said, Well, I promised him water.

Will you take this water?

He takes the water.

He goes down the street.

He comes back with Christian all bundled up in his backpack and everything, and another guy.

And he brings him into his house at the apartments, furnished by a hundred by hundred.

And that night, after celebrating the public safety of our police department, our fire department, the great work of the city.

I felt like I was part of something bigger than I could have created.

That is the magic of Grand Rapids.

And that is what we can do in 2026.

Are you willing to have the conversation?

Commissioner Purdue.

Good evening, everyone.

So great to see you all.

Thank you for your engagement year-round and uh for participating in this last meeting of the year.

Um, thank you for the folks at MLK Park Lodge activities and community sports for coming out and for sharing.

Uh thank you for our helping to take care of our kids and keeping them smile in all these years, um, and for your willingness to help out now as we re-engage, um, as we have the new lodge up, re-engage, um, and to honor the history that has uh happened in that park and and in our neighborhoods.

Um we do there will be showers and locker rooms in the the lodge.

Um, but we could talk a little bit more about some some details.

But I would love to um I think the the Parks and Rec team is still kind of coordinating what recreation and engagement and partnership looks like, and so if you haven't been formally connected, I would love to to help.

You gave a full packet.

I couldn't look through everything while we were listening, um, but want to continue the conversation with you all.

Um, and I also want to to point out that um your keying in on the importance of honoring history and honoring who became who came before us and what they've accomplished is really part of the idea behind the Third War Legacy Tour that the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives is leaving leading.

And so kind of uh gentleman's uh father's story, his photos.

Uh if you haven't already connected with that effort, I will love to to help with that.

Um they're collecting those stories to include on the tour.

And yeah.

Yes, ma'am, I'll I'll stay after uh for a few minutes.

Um so thank you.

I just want to to say thank you for coming, and that um I think what what you all are speaking to, there's our there's a ton of synergy and excitement about, and so it's really great timing.

Um I also just want to be really clear on the noise ordinance that today was just uh to create for it to come back in front of us for a vote in January.

Um and so there will, I'm sure be tons more engagement.

We'll hear from a lot more people, but that actual vote will take place in the new year.

So I just wanted to make sure that that was clear for folks who came here to engage on that issue.

Um, with that, this is the last meeting of 2025.

Whoo, I almost said 2026.

Now not ready.

Um, and congratulations to the first full year uh for Commissioner Kilgore, Commissioner Belshack.

Um it is like drinking from a fire hall, if I remember correctly, and some.

Um, and it's been great to get to know you and to uh hear more about your vision for the city.

Um I see the hard work you both put in and just thank you for your willingness to step up and serve and partner in this work.

And of course, all my colleagues here that I've been able to work with for the last three or so years.

And thank and congrats to the mayor for your first f uh full year back on Dais uh after starting as a second work commissioner many years ago.

Um I don't have any uh nice reflections on 2025.

I'm still trying to make sense of it.

I didn't even know what day today was.

Um so um, but I will be doing a wrap-up towards the end of the year uh to share a little bit more concretely about what we got done this year, what's ahead, um, and to continue to engage uh with you all, hear your concerns, and really figure out an actionable way forward of translating our values into actual policy and practice for the city.

Uh so thank you all and uh happy holiday season, happy new year, and look forward to uh what's to come.

Commissioner Sasi Thank you, Mayor.

Um, thank you all for coming out tonight.

Um this yes, I think it's the reflection season.

It's the last meeting of the year.

Um, but there's still a lot of work to that that goes on.

You know, we'll take a break from these meetings, but a lot of stuff will continue.

And um the very dedicated city staff members, many that we saw today at the new Publix Works Building will go out uh no matter what day is it, what day it is, um, to clear out snow to pick up our trash and things like that.

So I'm gonna say thank you to those essential workers who are always on the front lines, especially during the holiday season.

Um that was a really great event today.

Um it's interesting to reflect that this was 2020.

That was my first year in commission, and now I'm at the end of my sixth year um actually being in that space.

So I'm I want an office over there, city manager, because it's really nice.

So I want a hoteling spot.

Um so just wanted to reflect on that.

Um I also, you know, I I think as we think about the new year, uh, you know, putting plans in place.

We I really appreciate the structure we've had with our city manager and and executive staff to have our mid-year review to do that session to be able to talk a little bit.

I was able to talk to a few colleagues as well about you know different pieces for the new year.

So I think you know, for me, we'll continue to focus on what are the levers we can pull as it relates to housing, whether that is through our economic development or community development departments, um, continuing to look at our public safety systems.

There have been a number of cuts to um programs at the federal level for those who are experiencing domestic violence.

We've doubled down on those efforts here at City over the last year, um, uh looking at our surveillance policy and um our co-response model.

And then lastly, too, just I think the core services of the city.

So we heard today about forestry.

Um, but then again, uh we saw that investment in that public safety um I'm sorry, in the public works building today.

Um this is I was trying to count the iterations.

Um by 2027, I'll have had five iterations of this body.

Um, different people who've come and gone.

Um at least that that's what it can count.

And so um, just thank you all for your time and energy.

Thank you all to our spouses, our partners, our family, because we are you know often away on evenings.

Sometimes we have to miss certain things, and so thank you to our family members who support us as we serve.

Um, and then lastly, I just want to say thank you to those who came out to talk about the noise ordinance.

Um, when we do considerations of these uh sorts of things, they don't happen overnight.

Uh, those of you um quite honestly, this was an item that my predecessor, Commissioner Ruth Kelly brought to me and was in my inbox um, you know, five years ago.

And so I think the concerns related to how do individuals access um health care throughout the city, as well as you know, hearing stories of businesses who have moved.

Um, and you know, I think uh I think for me, just to be able to know that we've gone back to other healthcare facilities, um, continuing to hear from individuals.

So thank you for those that came out tonight.

Um, again, as Commissioner Purdue said, we'll be reviewing this on our January 13th meeting, I believe Tuesday, January 13th.

So thank you all for coming out.

Yes, I'm here.

Um yeah, it's been a long day.

Um, it's been 328 days actually.

I'm on par.

So next time I see you, Lord willing, we'll be into a new year, and hopefully some things will change.

Um, a lot of you to Commissioner Yosassi's um uh point.

There's been a lot of funding that has been um literally the term is clawed back from our communities uh that help support um our seniors and help support uh food for our seniors and help support uh mental health um crisis units and help support um our children who are in violent sexual um situations.

There's been a lot of funding that has been um literally the term is clawed back from our communities uh that help support um our seniors and help support uh food for our seniors and help support uh mental health um crisis units and help support um our children who are in violent sexual um situations and so we have a lot of things that we need to really be thinking about and the people that we're taking care of and protecting uh in our community and how we move forward uh into this next year, and I'm praying that some we're going to get some relief and there's going to be some change, but even if it's not, we still have a responsibility to take care of our our neighbors and uh thank you for Commissioner Belshak um sharing that long story, but I appreciate it nonetheless um because it is important that we take care of those who are very vulnerable and suffering during this time.

Um also uh thinking about the statements that um Commissioner Kilgore mentioned and what I heard earlier.

Um I think I had this this this statement that I said previously um to some of the commentary that came out, and you are certainly um as the first amendment said welcome to your your your voice and your protest.

But I also want to throw out to you all um uh uh there is a scripture that also says get the beam out your own eye before you start plucking it out of somebody else's.

Um and we have to be very careful when we come spouting theology that is miscommunicated, making sure that we're standing on the scripture and what that scripture means at that time so that we are not giving people the wrong analogy of what was happening during that time when that scripture came forth.

You can like it or not, I study theology and got my degree as well, so it's okay.

We can debate all day long.

Um, but um we do have a responsibility um to help people and yep to share the gospel uh if that is what you are called to do, but you're gonna catch more bees with honey um than with salt.

And so I just want to share that out there.

Um I pray that everybody has a safe holiday and that you stay protected.

Mr.

Nays, I know exactly who you are.

Um and uh thank you all.

Yep, I was I was gonna tell it.

Yeah.

Too late.

It's out there.

Um thank you all for coming and sharing.

I uh too, I grew up in the country and moved into the city when I was in the ninth grade, and so that was always our thing to sneak out of the house and go up to Franklin Park at the time and to hang out and to listen to the music and to see people that look like me because my growing up, I didn't have that opportunity.

And so um I'm grateful to see what's gonna happen with this new lodge.

We just went to the ribbon cutting uh for the new public works building.

It's a beautiful space.

I know this space is gonna be just as beautiful, and I'm looking forward to the memories and the things that are created in that space uh as we move forward.

Um so thank you all.

Uh happy holidays, happy new year, and um Lord willing, we'll see you in 2026.

Thanks, Mayor.

Um, I just will quickly add my uh appreciation to um everyone for everything this year.

It's I think we're probably on the same page as Commissioner Purdue is figuring out what the heck happened this past year.

It felt like it was uh a month, but also maybe a whole decade at the same time.

But um just grateful for everybody's work, grateful to my my colleagues for the relationships that we have, grateful for um the city staff who show up every day and put in the work to make our community um uh a world-renowned place.

Um just looking forward to uh productive 2026.

So um Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and have a good year.

Mr.

Clark.

Yeah, um it was wonderful day to uh open up the public service center.

Um especially for the uh my election space, the city's election space for storage of um safe secure storage of election equipment and um as we prepare for 2026 elections.

It's been a two-year journey of moving out of two one market, and then um not quite 40 years in the wilderness, but we finally made it to our promised land.

So um we are we are um it's a very nice space.

Thank you to this commission and the previous commission for um for uh doing the work to um budget for the project and um to finally fulfill that and then also for all the other departments that have been intense and various other things as we go through.

So um thank you to the community as well, and look forward to um not moving around too much in 2026 to prepare to prepare elections.

Um I wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a happy new year and see you everybody on January 13th.

So attorney.

Very briefly, thank you for your trust over the last four months.

I've been uh very honored to be up here with you in the interim city attorney role.

And today I think you know, I reflect on one opportunity uh for 2026 that is clearly on my mind, and that's uh a third year as the coach to the Ted Raspberry softball team at MLK Park.

Uh I appreciate that park so much.

And to learn more about the history and hear the inspiration uh from your stories uh will help me feel motivated as the springtime rolls around and uh my daughter's softball team gets going there again this summer.

Thanks.

City manager.

Happy holidays, everyone.

Uh thank you again for making time uh during today for um the ribbon cutting.

I know we had a lot of stuff to get done, but I appreciate the commission uh participating that as a whole.

Everybody was there, so thank you for that.

Um I do want to also as always acknowledge the work of the staff, especially during the holiday time.

I know many of them will be working uh offices.

Uh some of the administrative offices are closed, so thank you for your continued work and all those who helped to prepare for the meeting today.

Uh the clerk mentioned um the new facility and his storage, and to put more context, that was the clawback that happened from the state this past week.

The million dollars we specifically had appropriation to help with uh that storage, and so hopefully we'll be able to uh get some resolution on that as well as the other uh funding that has uh been questioned that we've already programmed uh for many essential uh services.

So uh real uh briefly uh today was a very, very good day.

I was very pleased with uh the commission's approval of the um partnership with uh Ferris and uh DGRI for the continuation of our prize, which has over 80 million dollar economic impact.

I was also uh very pleased to hear the parks update.

We have uh, you know, really world class parks in our in our city and have done a really good job thanks to the millage of improving uh the maintenance of them.

And so um not only the parks, but all the other men and these that we have in our community.

So much appreciation to the park staff uh as well as uh the zoning update actually trying to implement the master plan, uh the 20 year vision and uh have some real practical land use and we got the the outline for that and how the commission and planning commission and the community will be engaged.

Um then uh really really uh very complicated issue around wildlife management uh and deer um population control.

Uh we had a good conversation public safety committee, and so that is something that we're gonna have to solve regionally, uh countywide, as well as uh congratulations to the fire department and Corwell on the launch of the M Power, the medical outreach team uh program.

And uh thank you for um really trying to be proactive and preventive.

Some of the frequent uses of our emergency systems.

And um I just want to uh wish everyone a very happy uh holidays and happy new year.

See you in a new year.

So I'll just add my voice.

Thank you all for coming out, um, including those of you who left.

Um thank you for engaging um on issues.

Uh there's always complexity.

There are always it's always important to have uh as many voices and think and listen as deeply as we can on issues.

Uh so democracy really doesn't work if all folks do is vote and think that that's think that electing a bunch of random people is the end of the job.

So thank you for that.

And of course, uh profoundly grateful to the staff for all of their thinking and working and planning.

And uh I did ask uh Chief Brown earlier today whether it was his vision or someone else and come up with it for our new uh medical response uh program.

And he said it was his idea.

So thanks.

Uh I often say that uh in the businesses I run uh there's a there are new uh good new ideas every year, and hardly ever do they come from me.

So um it's great to have many, many voices and many brains involved in the process of making the city better.

So thank you all, and that adjourns the meeting.