I think I need to go.

Morning.

Calling uh this meeting of the committee holds order.

Our first item is a resolution approving a request from Norma Gordon, owner of 1850 room for develop uh for a development liquor license to be located at 53 Monroe Center Northwest.

So support.

I see Mr.

coming up to explain that to us.

No, maybe not.

Um I can take it.

Um this was put before the DDA board last week, and it was approved, and all the vetting has been successful here as well.

Great.

Uh any conversation colleagues?

Right.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, aye.

Those posed.

Motion carries.

Brings us to resolve our next resolution, which is setting June 2, 2026.

Is the date to consider an ordinance amending chapter 175 crime prevention through environmental design?

Uh can I have a motion?

Support.

Okay.

Are you up here for that?

Great.

Okay, everybody.

Uh Colin Cooper.

I'm an F and analyst from the planning department.

You may remember that I worked in cannabis.

Is it really part of my job?

Oversee the uh, thank you.

You might want to Colin, can you restate that for the recognized?

I'd be happy to, sir.

Um I'm Colin Cooper.

I'm an admin analyst for the planning department.

I work primarily in cannabis oversight, but I also oversee our crime prevention through environmental design specialist.

He certifies uh specific business categories throughout the year, about 120 of the businesses uh in their use of the city uh septed code to use the built environment to create uh less appealing uh places for criminal activity, essentially.

Uh this program has been running for several years now, very successfully.

We're primarily focused on education and partnership with the businesses around the city.

Um and we will be bringing a more comprehensive update to you folks later this year, kind of talking about the successes we've seen so far, as well as what the future state is going to look like.

However, today we're talking about two more priority uh elements of the code that we need to amend, setting an a date to bring that to you for hearing.

Um specifically, we're talking about one change to a code reference to bring us into alignment with the city uh property maintenance code, so that in the future we don't need to update them side by side separately.

This will just put us into their uh jurisdiction using the International Property Maintenance Code currently 2024.

And the second element is appointing an appeals officer to handle appeals through the SEPTED program.

Originally, this was set up to be used uh with a board who would oversee any appeals that came through.

However, based on the experience of our SEPTED specialist and the recommendations internally, uh we've determined that keeping the program agile uh and being able to be responsive and timely and getting things resolved should be the priority using the same model as the uh backyard chickens ordinance, the beekeeping ordinance, essentially just having a third party who can help mediate these uh appeals.

And we do want to point out that uh there's only been one appeal in the history of this program, and it was for extended time to be able to meet the requirements.

So again, this program is mostly around education and community partnership, but we just want to bring things up to date before we move forward.

So happy to take any questions uh and thank you for your support.

Thanks.

Yeah, I think you answered my questions, which is how many appeals do we get?

And the answer is nearing zero.

Um, but can you and that was for an extension of time.

Can you can you give us that one as an example, an extension of time to do what and what were the potential consequences?

Yeah, so when we talk about uh the SEPTEB ordinance specifically, there are things like transparency for the windows.

We're talking about places that sell um alcohol, uh tobacco, cannabis, talking about bars, talking about uh body works places, late night businesses.

So there are transparency requirements depending on the zone you're in.

Uh and specifically, you know, at party stores, whatever sometimes you'll see uh posters on the windows or shelves backed up to the windows.

So that's one like low impact way or uh high impact, low effort way.

People can change, but there are things like lighting for the uh parking lots, right?

Uh, that can be a very expensive change for people if they need to put up a new poll uh or things like um excuse me.

I'm trying to think of the example he had given me, I apologize.

Um, that's okay.

That's a that's good enough overview for me.

Um any other commissioner.

Um just uh on on top of that, does that also include like vape shops?

The vape shops are included in it, though um there are some complications about the state rules about tobacco now.

Did you want to speak to this?

Cool.

Uh sorry, just to clarify, vape shops may or may not be uh under the crime prevention ordinance, it really depends on whether the uh uh retail establishment is partnered with a uh store that does have uh tobacco sales, and so it it depends unfortunately on the uh specific retailer whether they do or do not fall under the crime prevention ordinance.

Yeah, because I'd and the reason why I asked is um having worked on a lot of that previously and even some of the legislation that uh a good majority of vapes do have a percentage of nicotine in them.

And so knowing that we, you know, commissioner Sasi and I have been um having some conversations about even there's a particular one located near a school and and how they do their signage and attracting young people into that space, but then also realizing all of the uh information and data that has come out about the addiction, and that addiction is from the nicotine content that's in those vapes.

So just trying to figure out, yeah.

So the I I'm familiar with I the one that I believe you're referencing, um, that particular one is is not subject to the crime prevention ordinance uh in terms of its uh uh just on its face.

Um there are maybe nuances there uh based on uh uh whether it becomes a nuisance, which at this point it does not meet that that requirement.

Um, however, I think that there are certainly opportunities for us to consider whether vape shops should or should not be regulated and in what form.

Um so that has been a discussion um that we could take under consideration either as part of a licensing ordinance or um and we would we I think need to consider it as part of our zoning ordinance update because it has been a significant point of conversation within the community for sure.

Okay, thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Um, excited to um have this in front of us, and particularly the conversation that you say will be coming soon, a deeper dive into the ordinance.

Um, you know, I think the um the septed approach really recognizes that social and environmental factors also impact crime.

Um so I think that's a really great thing.

Um you mentioned how many folks have appealed, um, you know, didn't necessarily say what time frame.

So I'm curious that on a year annual basis since the program's inception.

Um, and further, though, in addition to folks who are um appealing, um, how many folks are in the program?

Yes, so uh that appeal has been the only one since the inception of the program, and then there are about 120 uh businesses that fall under this ordinance that have to get certified each year.

Okay.

So I guess you know, some of my questions really around this uh ordin this approach in general, um, are that you know I know these are only required for businesses that sell liquor that have sexual activity happening that uh I think also have have repeated violations of some of our uh nuisance uh laws and zoning laws.

So if we believe that if our approach is understanding the environmental factors that might impact crime, I'm really curious of why we've just limited uh this ordinance and enforcement of it to select businesses as opposed to a wider range of businesses.

We truly believe environmental design is a successful approach.

Gosh, you're gonna go back into the memory bank from about 2018.

I think um I think at that time uh the wisdom was to look at particular businesses in partnership with uh GRPD and partnership with code compliance, um, to determine what what specific what businesses specifically were having greater impact to the neighborhood and how might we be creative in um a different regulatory framework, uh recognizing that many of our departments, if not all, have a role in creating a safe community that is not the sole responsibility of our public safety departments, um, and so looking at the built environment and what tools might be available uh to help uh facilitate a safer community with these businesses because of the impact that many of them have been having.

Um, so it was a uh a select uh list of businesses.

Um I don't want to belabor, I don't know how much history to provide city manager, but it looks like you have.

If I could just add it it was data informed based on the calls for service and where crime was uh frequently um being committed, and so we had a high frequency of uh officer response around certain liquor stores and uh certain uh types of other businesses, and that's what we're trying to do prevent that from occurring in a um more responsible way without officers having being called to the scene.

Thank you.

What do we um, and if you want to scoot this off to the fall or whenever you mention we'll have a deeper conversation, that's fine.

But I am curious about the the evidence that we have that this approach is working, particularly for those those places that were identified in its inception.

Yeah, so that is part of our uh late summer, early fall update, whenever that um is able to land on your agenda is to talk about some of the quantitative and and qualitative um metrics that we have to track the success of this program.

Thank you.

Okay, other questions, colleagues?

All right.

Uh thank you and all in favor of the resolution then say aye.

Aye, all opposed, say same sign, motion carries, and thank you.

Thank you.

Uh, that brings us to uh an omnibus road resolution uh approving fiscal year 2027 budgets for Grandpa's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Grant's Economic Development Corporation, Grand Apps Land Bank Authority, Grant's Smart Zone Local Development Finance Authority, West Side, South Town, Michigan Street, South Division Granville, North Quarter, Uptown Corridor Improvement Authorities, and Uptown Business Improvement District.

And I didn't stumble once there.

So uh support.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Renero.

Okay, I just want to mention a couple things.

One is that uh these budgets were recommended by their respective boards, so you're seeing them in a bundled fashion.

This is the second year that we've uh done it this way, and and acknowledging that you guys are also spending time on these boards uh outside of now.

So I'm happy to answer any more specific questions.

Um there were a couple questions that came up last week that we're still working to to gather information on, but um if there's anything new on your mind, I'm happy to assist.

Commissioner Prue.

Thank you.

Um, so one of my questions last week was just around um kind of fair distribution of staff capacity and time throughout the city.

Um, and uh Miss Monero came to our South Town CIA meeting last week and provided a little bit more context of what they're doing in the department to increase capacity throughout the city and throughout CIAs.

And I'm wondering if you might share that for this whole body.

Because I think that was really what I was in part getting at last week.

Sure.

Uh so uh in January we brought a budget amendment forward to add a position uh economic development coordinator to position, uh which Vera Narkamara was promoted to recently and will be leading that CIA work a little bit more strategically, uh leveling up the CIAs.

And um, and now we're working actually we we worked to replace her position.

Um, and Chad uh B, who's been supporting the uh CIA's, uh has leaned into that, and um and we're excited to have two very dedicated people to CIAs this next year.

Thank you.

And then I think you mentioned that part of that strategy too was connecting to finding synergy across ICIAs, um sharing best practices, and to ensure that each one is intimately connected with all the tools that we have, including the newer land bank, and so that I think that built capacity, that increased capacity and support for our neighborhood district corridors.

That's something we've been talking about for years, and so I just want to acknowledge part of this budget conversation some of the operational changes that are supporting kind of our budget direction as well, related to that increased support.

So thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Kilger.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Commissioner Purdue.

It's good to hear that highlight.

Uh I want to provide a highlight from Uptown of to give the public and our colleagues just a taste of what these budgets are.

Uptown is doing a pilot, sort of a trolley pilot from Uptown to the amphitheater.

So I know that has been a concern of mine and so many in community of how we are going to connect our neighborhoods to these wonderful public amenities.

And through our vote today, we are able to do that.

So these budgets are, in my opinion, they are moral documents and they also are real life moving dollars that can help our neighborhoods.

So I'm happy to support this, and I think Uptown has a surplus.

There's they're in good standing, and so I've been happy to serve on the CIA and bid uh for Uptown.

Thanks.

Any further questions or comments, colleagues?

Okay, all in favor of the resolution say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed, motion carries.

That brings us to our next moderate omnibus, and that is a resolution uh approving the 2027 budgets for the downtown development authority, downtown improvement district, and Monroe North Tax Increment Finance Authority.

So again, Ms.

Renault.

So just again, I know there was a budget presentation last week.

Tim Kelly uh provided a lot of insights there.

He is not able to attend this morning, so I just wanted to say that out loud in case you're wondering, and happy to uh circle back with any anything in particular on your mind.

Great.

I think we're all pretty conversant with the work going on here.

Commissioner Cobra.

Yes, another comment.

Uh, lots of positive celebratory comments today.

I've very thankful for the uh storage program being supported by that.

I'm happy that that was filled, um, and really thankful for um them taking the community of both uh this commission and the feedback of community of how important that is.

So, once again, happy to support this.

Um, I guess if we're in congratulations mode, um, this item and the and the last item, um, a lot of those uh the lot of that work really relies on citizen engagement, um, and so it really is a great way we're activating leadership in these individual communities, um, people who are spending a lot of their time and effort for this uh without compensation, and we really really appreciate that neighborhood by neighborhood engagement.

Um neighborhood associations are great, but uh these associations are also really where the rubber meets the road on a lot of quality of life issues in our in our various neighborhoods.

So excited to see this.

Every year excited to see this since it's ongoing work.

Um, okay.

Any other questions or comments, colleagues?

Otherwise, um, all in favor of the solution say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, motion carries.

That brings us to our next three items.

Our uh two more resolutions and an ordinance, and these are all core budget related.

Um, so city manager, I don't know if you're gonna take this, but uh our next one is a resolution establishing the 2026 property tax millage.

I saw Ms.

McClank.

Mayor K.

If if we could how about I uh just give a broad overview and then you guys come back and discuss them and then vote on them serial item.

I'll cover uh the briefing for all three.

All three.

Okay, great.

Can I let me have a motion for the first two resolutions?

Support great.

All right, thank you, Mayor and Commissioners, for your uh thoughtful work on the budget over these past uh four meetings.

I know it's been very intense and long, but we certainly appreciate your work, the input from the public, and all the work from the staff.

Again, I want to thank our CFO for really uh leading this worker and a team uh as well as our from my office, all of my executive team who sit before you, but specifically our chief of staff has also been very instrumental along with our deputy city manager uh since city manager and system too.

So thank everyone for their work today.

Um just to remind the public we've been in conversations uh since last fall on prioritizing uh the focus for fiscal year 27, but more recently, since the uh introduction of the budget on April 28th, have had uh this is now our fourth opportunity to discuss the budget after the feedback that the public provided last week.

As a reminder, uh the total appropriations for this budget is 786 million, the general fund uh being about 207 million, and the property tax uh millage is a decrease of point one oh seven six.

We've talked about that in context with the value of uh the property values increasing, uh which will result about an annual increase of about $37 a year for the taxpayer.

You'll see the breakdown of the millage uh by different operations there.

Uh we've highlighted the investment in all of our services this year, from uh the largest investment in our water wastewater systems to over 200 million there, over nearly 125 million our public safety budget for police and fire and oversight.

Um you see you just approved the authority uh in corridor improvement districts, uh special authorities and improvement districts budget, and with your last vote, uh 49 million dollars collectively uh for that, as well as almost 20 million in the city's general budget, helping with economic prosperity, large investments in streets and parks and refuse combined over 100 million dollars for those three services, and we continue to be supportive of uh the library and the district court and the wonderful work that they're doing.

Really pleased that this budget also will allow us to we just close the sale of two on one market.

You'll have um about ten million dollars will transfer into our affordable housing fund with that sale.

And additionally, you see the other federal funding that we have for our housing programs and other supportive services.

We talked last week about the millage, which um will be uh on the ballot, and it'll be at a different rate than the current 50 percent uh countywide millage for the public museum in the zoo, as well as we've discussed in detail the changes uh around the dash that helps us to sustain the route uh and offering a free service, perhaps not as uh wide circular route with as many buses, but still it is still yet a free service, and it was utilized very heavily this past uh weekend with the opening of the amphitheater.

The 14 positions that are added are not in the general fund.

Uh, Commissioner Kilgore highlighted the uh Mill Trotter storage program that we're continuing in partnership with uh DGRI, as well as uh you'll see some of the things that you deliberated last week, and I want to kind of recap.

Um, based on the discussions on the dias and my individual follow-up off diets.

Uh, the only thing that we were able to identify that there was a broad support for was the continue, excuse me, the enhancement of the disaster relief uh fund contribution of $50,000.

So we'll go from $50,000 to $100,000 for our disaster relief fund.

Um walk through some of the other uh decisions that from again my discussions on and off diets, didn't sense that there were uh not uh consensus, and so these are not included in this year's uh budget uh to the degree that we had discussed.

I'll clarify the first two, those positions, the administrative services officer and the administrative analyst one, um, they are included, and there's funding until the end of the year.

So there's there's six months funded for it.

My hope is after uh the budgets adopted when we provide our annual report sometime in September.

We'll come back, do a reestimate of where we are, and um I know that there was some who were not quite ready to make the decision.

There's no hurry to make the decision uh as part of uh today's budget, but we would ask that you would make that decision by September.

I know that some had to ask for more time.

So we'll come back and revisit that in September.

Uh the other two items, the commission enhance uh support for both the administrative position and uh communications.

Uh again, based on my discussions on the diets and follow-up off diets, there was not um a majority support.

I'm certainly interested to hearing that conversation today, and there's some follow-up information I'll share in the next slide.

And then lastly, uh there's no need for us to make a decision on the mediation uh uh coordinator today.

Hopefully, we'll be able to come back in September as well and have conversations around that once we receive the funding that we have been anticipating from the state, how to utilize that for the mediation position as well as uh some of the other community-based balance uh prevention programs that we talked about.

So here is a summary of what changes on the commission support both for the administrative and enhancement.

So you had you see a full listing of those administrative services, and if that was not continued, the strike through shows what would change in terms of commission support.

Uh, for administrative support uh in the office.

The communication support, which is uh contract with third party, um, there would be primarily two things that would change, would be the vlogs and the monthly newsletter.

We will continue to have um the roundup and the access to the um media centers monthly reporting.

I think the mayor did one this past this past month.

Was it this month?

He read the Media Center Grand Rapids Media Center, and we'll continue the commission connected.

Um some other adjustments.

Uh, there were no additional changes in uh capital funds nor in the fee proposal.

We um the proposed fee changes uh that we introduced remain the same.

Uh sixty-three percent of all the fees are uh no change about uh twenty five percent or so is uh at the cost of living, and we have twelve percent of the fees that's greater than cost of living.

Uh there were some adjustments in the grant funds, and you see those minor adjustments here.

I think Miss Bohatch uh communicated uh Mr.

Tucker communicated at uh last meeting when he uh when you passed those items, and uh a couple other adjustments.

I already talked about disaster relief fund, the maintenance of effort and parks uh fund increase about ten thousand dollars correspondingly with that adjustment, and one other.

While we did not allocate um while there was no consensus on those positions, what I did uh propose is putting a hundred thousand dollars in contractual services for commission uh support to do two things.

One, that's relatively six months' costs.

So, not knowing how this conversation would happen today.

There's enough in the budget if agreed upon, you can continue for six months now, or after the election of your colleague in November, there will be enough to if you wanted to revisit the conversation with your new commissioner, continue it six months then.

Uh, but there is the flexibility of the uh hundred thousand dollars for contractual support, it's not a full use funding for for both programs.

And uh that is it.

Happy to uh uh answer any questions.

Uh, do want to also thank our CFO, she did send yesterday a full um response to all the questions that have been asked.

Uh, 12 pages.

I do want to clarify something.

I did listen in on the fiscal committee meeting this morning, and I also uh responded to a communication that was sent to the city commission uh last night about the seven million dollar um transfer to the budget stabilization fund.

I want to clarify that transfer is not needed to balance the fiscal year 27 budget.

The budget is balanced.

We have, matter of fact, about $300,000 in surplus.

Uh, this is why we we're still talking about these additional um ads uh potentially what that does it takes us well above our policy level for our rainy day fund with all the economic uncertainty, volatility.

It is good fiscal uh it's prudent management for us to really plan for the uncertainty.

And I was just checking with the CFO before uh the presentation, and while our policies at 10 percent, I think with the added seven million, it takes us to 12 percent of fund balance roughly.

So that uh is very, very uh conservative budgeting, and we're able to do it this fiscal year because we have a surplus, and uh I'm glad that to see that pass out of fiscal and hopefully you will approve it uh later today.

So uh I would like to uh go back and revisit um this uh conversation just to make sure we are uh correct in our assumptions and and perhaps there has been some um pivot from last week.

But mayor, I'll I'll see if there's any questions.

Thank you, city manager.

Um and uh the last point you touched on.

I'm certainly um glad to be fiscally conservative.

Um I think that's uh, you know, if if if things really uh if we have any real seismic shift, that's probably not gonna be enough to cover real seismic shifts.

But it I think it is prudent.

I mean every every financial planner in the world tells a household to have a uh um a set-aside budget in case your motor blows out in your car or something happens.

Uh, and so I think that uh that should track our level of uncertainty.

And you know, we started this calendar year.

Well, we started the prior calendar year with a whole lot of uncertainty, and we've seen we've seen grants pulled back.

Uh we see much less um I think there's a there's a there's a real decrease in our ability to assume that um things are going to track quite as as predictably as maybe they've had in past years.

Um, I mean, I don't want the public to get too alarmed because frankly, we do still have historically very low inflation, um, historically very low unemployment.

Um there's lots of reasons reasons to hope this economy will remain resilient.

Um, but there are real pressures on it.

So um we'll you know preparing preparing for uh rainy days is always a good idea.

So thanks.

Um, colleagues.

Mayor, if I could add um one other comment I didn't didn't make earlier, there was some conversation regarding the commission support ver about outsourcing versus doing some of this work in-house, particularly on the communications.

And I did check in with our executive office uh assistant city manager and communications director.

Even if we were to in-source some of those things, it doesn't mean it's cost neutral.

There could be still an added cost, perhaps not the degree that's budgeted, but there would have to be some additional funding for some of those services.

So uh just wanted to make sure I uh stated that and didn't make it seem like it was uh cost neutral.

Thank you.

Colleagues.

Commissioner Kilgar.

Yes, on this, as although um there's not consensus, I'm very uh supportive of the commission enhanced communication contracts.

I do want to lift up one of these and see um for our colleagues, the administrative analyst one, the energy and carbon specialists when we look at our climate action adaptation plan in the most um effective ways.

Um this is measurable, right?

When we think of SMART goals, I do think this will help us meet SMART goals, uh timed, measurable, uh, accessible, um, and I would love to I see that I don't have the support for the commission uh support enhanced pilot, but I'm wondering if we could uh support the ongoing annual cost of the carbon specialist for the um for the office of sustainability to support the cap work and have more support for um one of our priorities.

So I would amend uh my support.

Um would love to first see if you all would like to have the uh enhanced commission support, but also would entertain if anyone would also like to add the carbon specialist um on as well to help with cap goals.

Commissioner Sazi.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Thank you were Commissioner Belcheck had our hand raised first.

Great.

Commissioner Bell.

Um, yeah, I'm glad you started with that conversation.

I I would be willing to also support the energy and carbon specialist um being added to this budget.

That is a position that I was um taking a closer look at and an evaluating, and um I can see the need for that going forward.

I'm also okay with waiting until September and having that conversation if needed.

Um I too am very much in support of the enhanced um administrative and communications that uh support that we've been receiving and been serving the public with in variety of ways.

I do think that it is an important element of um good like excellence in government and organizational excellence, and um I appreciate the manager mentioning that this would not be a cost neutral shift, no matter what we do.

So as we continue to evolve and grow as a city, I think that this is an a good example of um spending dollars to help um get the public what they need for from our government.

Thank you.

Uh Commissioner Celsius.

Thank you.

Um, I just uh I think when we're having these conversations, I'm wondering, and probably what city manager you'll need as we're having this conversation is where then this backfill will go if somebody is presenting something, right?

Um, are you then proposing that that would come?

This is for manager and Commissioner Kilgore.

You had said you had set aside the hundred thousand city manager for contractual commission support.

Are you then suggesting, Commissioner, that you would take money out of there to support the energy and carbon specialists?

No, I was thinking from I'm still working off of the 300,000 number that we have.

So I know we all agree on the 50, so I was working from 250, um, because we all support the disaster relief fund.

I support that, and then subtracting that 50,000 from the 300,000 that we're working with is where I was okay thinking this would come from.

Um I'll just say last week I did share my support on that um energy and carbon specialist role.

So I remain unchanged there, but I did not hear the support a city manager said, but I I remain unchanged.

Um I think that, you know, from the beginning, I've said, you know, I really, especially at a time like this where we are being mindful of what may come or not.

You know, we have some midterm elections that are gonna happen.

Our federal budget um hopefully will be passed, and there's just a lot of concerns about how can we be more prudent.

And so for me, I don't see the value created with the current structure right now for this administrative support for us.

Um I'm always open to conversations.

I would say, um, but I have not had a I think I've heard the conversation of I need it, but I also haven't heard the conversation.

I don't think it's working in the best way that is intended right now.

Um it feels um not very equitable at all.

If we are gonna have this, I have to say that, and um the commission or the commission support I was receiving prior to that was was working really well for me.

Um, I think mostly because I get what I need from the different departments, um, who I entrust to handle a variety of the factors that come before us.

I, you know, I don't want to get deep into the conversations that maybe is better suited for engineering.

I might want to follow up with engineering and want to connect, but I don't think I'm the best person to directly talk about um those sorts of things, and then especially utilizing our 311 system, which has made some investments and upgrades over the last year and a half, um, and you know, does that check for us?

So the current structure right now, the reason I I didn't see the value, I didn't say the value in it before, I didn't see the value created in it now.

I would be open to discussing in the future if we could have a conversation about how this is restructured to be more equitable, but I haven't heard that.

Um, so that's why I still stand on I don't I'm not gonna be supporting that today.

Um, but I understand that that is an ongoing conversation, but we have not had that conversation of to really say this is for me, this is not equitable.

I think it is very um it we need to have conversations about what are some things that need to be done by administrative staff versus what are things that we need to do and other things that are handled by departments.

So um just wanted to restate those to what you brought up, Commissioner.

Thank you.

Commissioner Cruz.

Thank you.

Um, so looking at this list, um, I will start at the bottom.

Mediation coordinator, I think uh there was support around this table, but that we wanted to wait for the trust fund dollars to come in.

So I just wanted to note that.

Okay, thank you.

I see a lot of heads nodding.

Regarding the administrative analysts, I'm supportive of that, andor uh today or in six months from now.

Um in terms yeah, um I think I heard two separate proposals related to that.

One is what's in front of us, what City Manager has prepared, and then I think uh Commissioner Kilgore's suggestion that we uh vote today to bring that position in-house and cover it annually.

So I think right now um I like the the shorter time frame of kind of continuing as as is if there's support for that um or assess it in six months um when hopefully we have a full day is um related to the the enhanced commission support.

I mean I've I've said over and over again, like I think that is important, I think it's necessary.

I think that I've also shared that I think by how it's been designed and executed has not fully lived up with what the potential was or even what my initial expectations were.

And so if we look at the the next slide that talks about kind of what will still be on the table for administrative support versus what isn't, this is very in line with what I am currently getting.

Um, and so from thinking about cost, thinking about uh value add.

Um I'm in support of with Commissioner Asassi of wanting to continue this conversation and wanting to design it in a way so that it does meet all of our needs.

Uh but today, given the conversation, um I am fine kind of going back to previous state so that we can regroup uh recalibrate and then have a more robust strategy for commission for commission support on that.

Um similarly with enhanced communications.

I said last time that I think uh some changes to that could be made, whether that's bringing things in-house, understanding that that doesn't mean cost neutral, but bringing things in-house um and or making sure that that communication support um again truly expectations are understood and shared equitably amongst um amongst everyone that is a is assigned to that.

So um let me know if you if if you have any follow-up questions city manager, but that that's where I I am on what's in front of us.

But you know, we're talking about $300,000 here, and uh we've been we've uh been working on a $700 $35 million budget.

So this, you know, these are uh these are important things, important conversations, especially as they relate to advancing our work, our goals, and giving us proper support, and just don't want to lose sight of the fact that uh we have a really really strong budget and we went through a really great thorough process thanks to city manager and his team.

So um we've had the enhanced administrative support and the enhanced communication support in place for about a year now, and I do hear the conversations about you know whether we can ongoing focus those.

But um I think that withdrawing those um at a moment when I mean again I've only been mayor for a year and a bit now, but uh it feels to me like we're at a fairly high watermark for desire for the uh community to hear from us and to engage with us.

And so I see those uh that support is really about uh communication with our constituents and um how we think about how we communicate with them and how we implement that.

Um not so much how we talk with city staff, but um I guess the question is whether we continue that uh and or whether we stop it now and then try to rebuild something.

And I see the advantage of I see a strong advantage to continuity.

Um I don't really uh feel we'd be doing our uh constituents a service if we simply stopped something and said, Well, let's let's figure out how we can do it better while we stop it.

Um so I certainly think that those things ought to continue to be uh part of our budget again since we have a 700 million dollar budget here.

Uh spending uh you know, a hundred thousand dollars in the next six months, for example, on uh communications seems to me uh a reasonable and or you know, under proportionate in investment, frankly, from my perspective.

Um I do think that um uh I think maybe city manager pointed this out.

We're gonna have a seventh commissioner um in November, if not before.

I think that's all of our expectations.

So um I would suggest that perhaps there's a compromise here which is simply to um support the uh ongoing funding streams for those things for the next six months and uh or for a six month period and then evaluate those as we go during that six month period and I think that that would be reasonable otherwise I think we're at risk frankly of um sharming our communications with our constituents which I certainly don't want to do so um but I'm not sure where that leaves us.

Uh Commissioner Knight?

Um I guess I'll uh pull up the tail end on this one um I think I kind of stand this the same as I did uh before um as uh commissioner uh Yasasi and Purdue both mentioned I do think that um although the enhanced administrative support I have not used it I would I voted against it to to begin with um but also again to that point of having those continued conversations of not seeing it being a balanced and equitable service and necessary the things that um again the strike throughs things that are already provided by some of our uh administrative uh assistance here in within the city departments uh has been um um efficient um and I I don't see even with the communications I mean if there's that extra then it could be brought in-house to help them do the extra work that needs to be done as opposed to having an outside um uh group doing that work and only because looking at the time that it takes to organize with somebody that's outside of the city and then trying to work schedules out together and trying to do all of that I don't think the community is really losing out on a whole lot um because I think we each individually still connect with our constituents we have emails we have newsletters um and then even with our our 311 uh CFR um processes have allowed us to have uh better contact and has streamlined how we engage with people who call to have issues or want to connect with one of us about whatever that um issue may be so that's where I stand on those and then for the energy um specialist um looking at uh September carrying this out through September for that particular position and then seeing where we're at like seeing actually what what is the need um have have um have the needs grown in that space is there more work that's being put upon this person that they actually need that person in there like what what's actually happening happening with that and is that something necessary because in all honesty we don't know what's gonna happen by June we don't know what we're gonna look like and so yeah this may be a smaller amount as opposed to the larger budget but it's still money right and it's still something that we have to be responsible for so uh I just want to throw that out there and I would like to like to really see um uh some analysis on on what the work has been in that space and and if there actually is the need to keep that person on um and what has the workload been and um what's what's being what's being accomplished with that May Mayor um see Commissioner Purdue is uh as a comment I'll just say it it seems um we are with one exception there was a couple more people who are supportive of the um administrative officers excuse me the administrative analyst position um today and so that's encouraging I would say we just revisit since the positions are funded through the end of the calendar year there's no hurry to take action on that today we'll as I said earlier I would prefer to come back in September as we as I had proposed and address those um but on the as well as the as Commissioner uh Purdue indicated on the mediation coordinator as well on the other two position it appears we are still at the same place we were last week unless there is any compromise.

One of the things I did talk to the staff about is if it were to change um we still would need some transition time.

So I don't think I would see this uh happening effective uh July 1.

There may be um a couple of months of transition that we would um need in order to to make this occur.

So that that would be something that I could do under my administrative authority.

Commissioner Purdue.

Yes, thank you.

And then your last comment around phasing out was related to the enhanced administrative support and enhanced communications contract.

Correct, correct.

The administrative services officer and administrative ailance one are funded through December 31st.

And you know, I would um, and as you talk about phasing out, does that mean that all current work will be completed, all currently planned work be completely completed?

Let me uh call on uh Mr.

Canfield and uh Mr.

Matthews and Mr.

Green to talk about what the transition would be in those areas.

And I think I as they come up, I think this is important to many people's point around consistency, right?

And um I've heard Mr.

Green especially say related to these commissioner vlogs and newsletters that they've truly been a value add for the city and for constituents and residents, and so if we don't go with the full um contract as is, um again emphasizing that I would like to see what it would take to bring some of those core communication pieces in house.

All right.

Uh good morning, Commissioner.

Um, so as uh I think all of you are aware, before the pilot, there was the limited non-struck through admin services that were that were provided by a separate uh secretarial person by ward.

And um that amounted to roughly a half, maybe two-thirds of each week, uh two-thirds of a day.

So half to two thirds of a a day out of a five-day week.

10 to 15 percent.

Um, so what we would need to do uh going from a full-time uh pilot uh role, um, a hundred percent to get down to that roughly uh you know third of uh person role split across three people would involve um you know removing those struck through uh services, which admittedly, as you've said are not being utilized by all, they're being utilized by um some of you.

And so um the getting uh the three uh people who are not the same people who were providing that service uh 14 months ago, 12 months ago, getting those new people up to speed on providing the the non-struck through services will take a little time.

We'll probably take a couple months of transition time, and so that's what we would be focused on doing during the the period that the city manager was describing a couple couple months of admin support during FY27.

So basically managing getting down from a full-time role for commission support to a third of a time role spread across three people.

Thank you.

And then for the uh the communication support aspect, the program itself, if you don't do uh if we don't continue either of those, would just end it you know at the end of June.

Um if we decided to continue it with partial funding, but bring it in-house, that would probably require me to bring on part-time staff, which would take time to hire, train up, and and then get them on.

And of course, I would have to calculate out what the hourly rate would be in all of that, and so make sure that that's uh in some way equitable.

So if you wanted to continue them, but in-house, it would require additional resources that I could carry out, or um, but it in terms of a window period for that particular program, they would just cease to we we'd stop shooting them uh at the end of June.

So thank you.

Um I just you mentioned uh Lou, kind of the time frame or the the time dedicated uh that that in the last model, how much time each commissioner got through that that staff person, and just want to point out that even though um this support that we are talking about now is one full-time person, that I think it equates to about the same amount of time per person, maybe a little bit more if you divide 40 hours by six six or so people.

Um I also think you know, as we talk about support, I think one of the elephants in the room for me is that we're down a commissioner.

And we looked at what the budget that's associated with that, um, which is about $36,000 to uh make sure that we have a complete full body here to make sure everyone in our city is fully represented.

And so I do want to point out that as we talk about support, um, I think these two items are in the realm of maybe 200,000 together.

Um, and yet, you know, as we think about the type of support that constituents want and need our and are asking for, I think a full commission is definitely top priority, followed by ensuring that um you know that we can show up, we have the support that we need to show up appropriately appropriately.

Thank you.

Commissioner Belcher.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh thank you, Lou for the window discussion and um Mr.

Green, wherever you went.

Um I just wanted to uh to provide a little more clarity.

I think that I've heard a couple of things uh from folks here that there's, you know, what is the role of the administrative assistance and extra work, and I just want to be very, very clear that I have been using it specifically to manage to make sure that um I'm clear about what's happening in the community, what's happening in the city, I'm clear about how to communicate back to constituents.

This has been much more about constituent facing work than it has been about addressing anything with departments and access to departments or access to director leads.

I feel like like that is uh maybe a misnomer that that's not that's not how I've seen this role at all.

And there are multiple times where we get compli what I would call more complicated constituent response needs, where people are coming back and forth back and forth or sending emails or repeated 311 calls, and there's a general dissatisfaction with the callback or the communication sometimes at the you know low level street level, you know, someone came and looked at my tree, they were there in front of my house, but I they didn't come knock on my door, they didn't come talk to me and I was home.

Or um this is the fifth time in the last three months I've had problems with my trash service or whatever.

Sometimes people need a little more hand holding, and it's great when the commissioner has time and availability and the bandwidth to do that, but it's also really great when we can have some coordination or additional conversation and to be able to say how where are we at with this 311 more complicated situation, or like for instance, there's been a couple of times where um in my ward we've had telephone polls that have been struck and have sat for 15 months or more unrepaired, and that requires a lot of in-house communic you know, communication between the different agencies, but it also requires someone to be talking to the constituents, and sometimes it's great when the commissioner can do that or say I'm gonna be available to do that for my call times during these hours.

And it's great when we have a person who can call back and say, you know, Commissioner so-and-so has heard you, they they need you, they they've you've got access to your elected officials, they're not, you know, hampered in any kind of way, but it would be most efficient if we can set up a call and have you expect them to talk to you at this time.

So I think there's been a lot of really great examples, very concrete examples of how um really it enables us to be more professional as executives, and and the expectation in the community I think is growing increasingly that we are on call 24-7, and so being able to have days where you can say I'm available these days, and someone on the other days to say we'll be able to handle your particular request at these times.

I think that there's a just I could go on, but those the that I wanted to provide that clarity that this is really about streamlining and making sure the work of a commissioner for the public is effective, and we have a very um robust well-run city.

This is an expectation that commissioners and have also the service that they need to be able to show up in a robust and excellent way.

Commissioner Coher.

Uh to uh shift gears a little bit here as we talk about um fiscal plan adjustments to date.

I wanted to reference uh Ms.

Claren's uh final QA and fiscal 27 budget work sessions uh uh communication that she sent to us yesterday uh that includes a third ward equity fund uh fiscal year 27 allotment draft.

Um it is my understanding that this commission is ready to move forward and I want to provide formal guidance to staff to uh approve and have this included in the budget uh for these allotment um things.

So maybe Miss Claren could I yeah, I can I can address that.

Thank thank you, um Commissioner.

So you asked uh we did discuss some of the prioritization of the fund for fiscal year twenty-seven, and we got we received a subsequent email outside the uh meeting that had um it's in the budget QA, and what we're prepared to do the m the funding is there, so no budget amendment is needed.

We can adjust uh the letter that I provide in the budget by the time we have the final adopted budget, uh the letter will reflect uh these allocations if there's no objections, and then for the public, it's uh 200,000 for traffic and pedestrian safety improvements, 50,000 for Rx kids, quarter million dollars for youth and violence prevention and uh youth employment programming.

I added that.

Um Southeast uh Grand Rapids Economic Development Support Road, 200,000.

Umergency, uh it says psychological, but I think we're talking about trauma sub farm support.

Um, 150,000 uh South Town Arts and Culture, 50,000 neighborhood associations, and we need to uh clarify that it was the idea is to support the neighborhoods that's discussed last week in the um southeast part of the community at a hundred thousand for the total allocation of a million.

And then some further clarification for the public um that South Town Arts and Culture support is these are funds when our prize was here.

We're excited, we love uh economic, the social, all of the awesome benefits that our price brings, but we only had one venue last year.

So Commissioner Purdue, along with the folks on South Town, former Commissioner uh Lanier, uh working really hard to ensure that the uh art prize is brought to more to the third ward.

So that's in the works of that, those that 50,000 will support uh those, and then yes, for clarity, yes, that a hundred thousand is for the third ward neighborhood associations.

Thanks so much, right?

Thank you, uh Commissioner.

So maybe if I can go back to um this discussion, what I will take from today's conversation um we'll keep the allocation and the budget the same.

I didn't hear any objections to removing the hundred thousand for contractual services, and I will come up with a transition uh plan uh after today and notify the commission of what that plan will be.

Unless you're any objections.

I do not object to the contractual um 100,000 that you've specified on the slide eleven, I believe it is all right.

Um then I guess that brings us to our two resolutions and uh forwarding the ordinance.

Get that slide up.

Great.

So uh we have a motion already for the resolution on the property tax millage.

Uh any all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Motion carries.

Um oh I'm sorry.

No, do we have no no, no?

Okay.

Uh and next the resolution authorizing provisions, service provision fees effective July 1.

The motion.

Support.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

And finally, Mayor, let me just uh just give clarification from our city attorney here.

Typically, we have the ordinances uh for final vote on the night meeting, and so we're just gonna advance moving it forward for the night meeting for final vote.

Correct.

All right.

Uh so no vote for the item number seven at this point then.

That's fine.

Yeah, we can have it on the night meeting under the ordinance section as we would.

It wouldn't go on consent because it's an ordinance and will require a roll call vote.

But okay.

Uh then that brings us to our summer parks and rec safety update.

Good morning, all Laura Claypool from the parks department.

Uh excited to be here with you this morning just to share some of the fun things happening in our park system this summer.

Um, as you know, high quality programming really leads to a vibrant and uh safe and engaged community.

So we're excited to once again offer um lots of outdoor opportunities.

First, our outdoor swimming pools open on June 6th, that's a 10-week program.

We open six days a week at noon, and we are again due to popular demand um offering free passes to all of the youth in our community to um access the pool through throughout the entire summer.

We do have on-site security um at all of our pools during all of our open all of our open hours.

We also have a free summer day camp program at four of our city parks, um Garfield Park, MLK, Joe Taylor, um, and MLK, and that's uh nine-week program, kids six to twelve, and it's free uh four hours.

Um we usually see about five hundred participants throughout the season, so that's exciting.

Yeah.

Um, in addition to that, we have lots of opportunities for folks of all ages.

We have our free uh outdoor fitness program, there are 16 classes a week, and that runs May through uh most of August.

Last summer we had over 10,000 participants during um during the summer.

Really cool if you ever have an opportunity to attend yoga at Lookout.

Sometimes there can be a hundred and fifty, two hundred people doing yoga on the hill.

Um, and it is a beautiful place to watch the sunset.

This year we are doing a couple free kayak weekends at Riverside Park, so June 12th through the 14th and July 10th through the 12th.

Uh, we haven't done that before, so it's a great opportunity for the community to come out.

And if you've never experienced kayaking to be able to get into a kayak.

And then we also have a um other fee-based programs and some summer day camp offerings around youth tennis, uh baseball, as well as soccer camps.

We continue to enhance the security of our overall system.

We now have uh cameras in 11 of our city parks, as well as the new MLK community center.

We have a roaming security again through all the downtown parks from 10 p.m.

to 6 a.m.

every day of the week, and we continue to lean into SEPTED principals as we do our park designs, including lighting and visibility.

We have our summer ambassador uh program again.

That's again a roaming um type of team that goes around to the park spaces, supports programming, supports rentals, and really acts as a customer service um function for the parks department.

Um other training measures and uh security measures throughout parks.

We have EAPs in place for all of our uh parks that have youth programming throughout the summer, and we do uh an extra level of training for our camp counselors and our lifeguards around um active active assailant customer service, and then we just continue to lean into the customer feedback and the engagement that the department does um to continue to increase and enhance the level of service, not just for um folks coming to the park, but also for the maintenance and operations.

Um I have here today with me a couple friends.

So Shannon Harris from our communities children is gonna come up and talk to you about Grow Ups.

Grow 1000.

All right.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Uh so this is our seventh year in providing a six weeks uh of uh of meaningful employment for our teens and young adults, ages 15 to 24.

And we know that this program lifts up cross-cutting skills, provides family income, and gives youth the ability the ability to apply what they're learning in the classroom on their job.

So with minimum wage going up in the state of Michigan this year, we've also raised uh raised the hourly wage uh in Grow 1000.

This year we have partnered with management business solutions to take on parts of the program like the application intake, uh pre-employment paperwork collection, as well as payroll, and they've been a uh a pleasure to work with.

We have also incorporated an interview process to better evaluate a young person's potential uh for success in this program.

And so we've interviewed 360 candidates, which is uh was amazing uh to see.

Uh they came prepared uh and took this uh learning opportunity seriously.

Special shout out to the 22 interviewers that participated in this.

Not only my staff, but shout out to Sam, uh, GIFL and uh AJ, uh, as well as others that are not city staff that participated in this endeavor.

Uh last week we offered uh 141 participants uh a job, um, and they are attending mandatory uh orientation, which is also paid.

Um, in partnership with businesses, organizations, and city departments.

Uh, we're also providing a paid job shadow experience uh prior to the first day of work, uh which is June 8th, right after GRPS ends for the summer.

Uh we will continue our professional development series called Grow Further Fridays, which are mandatory and paid sessions at the end of every week, and this year it will be at the new MLK Community Center, uh, which is uh where OCC is located uh as well.

Uh so currently we have 141 job offers.

We have 219 on our wait list.

So if anybody in the room or those that are listening online that can serve as a work site uh at the cost of uh 2200 per youth uh or a nonprofit 1100 uh uh we would please uh uh welcome uh that participation and I know that the next slide perhaps is a uh contact slide so you can get in contact with us.

So thus far we have 32 work sites, including 11 city departments, and I also want to thank my staff, in particular, um Zach Learway, who is uh always dedicated to this program and ensuring uh its quality and that it's well coordinated.

All right, and I think Brandon is next.

All right, good morning.

In addition, we also have our It Takes a Village Summer Valence Prevention programs.

A full briefing was given about this during a public safety meeting uh maybe a month or so ago, but super high level.

Uh this is our third summer of offering programming.

Uh City Vibes and NightQuest have been a part of that lot of programming.

Uh each year, City Vibes is a program that will begin on June 12th and go through August 8th.

It's offered uh from six to nine, and this is the basketball-based uh program.

Um actually, I'm looking at these backwards.

City Vibes uh is in partnership with the Urban League, and that is not the basketball-based program.

It's with the Urban League with Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Valley.

Uh, that includes gym and outdoor games, chess and board games, video games, uh, and lots of other things.

Think everything not basketball, right?

So that's the city vibes version of it.

Now, NightQuest uh is the basketball-based program that is in partnership with LifeQuest that's offered as well on Fridays and Saturdays.

It starts June 8th and we'll go through September 9th.

That's from 5 30 p.m.

to 7 30 p.m.

It's held at LifeQuest uh in their gym.

Um they also have some music, some 5 on 5 basketball.

There's giveaways, family resources, and both of these programs have been very successful.

This year we're adding a uh a third program, a different program we're excited about, and that is Freestyle Fridays at Muse GR.

So this will be on Fridays starting June 12th through July 31st.

There'll be select other days that will be announced as well.

That'll be offered from 6 to 9 p.m.

But activities include live DJs and music experiences.

Uh students will get the opportunity to have access to a recording studio and music production training.

In addition to that, there'll be some hands-on art and creative workshops.

There'll be food provided.

You know, everything's better when a little food is provided, right?

And there'll be prizes and some giveaways.

Uh so that's the program in a nutshell.

Um, just to wrap up real quick.

One thing that I did not mention, which is new this year, is we have this beautiful new community center at MLK Park, and we have open gym hours.

Now those will be a little bit different than our hours now, but that is completely free to community members.

So you can come check in and you can use our gym for pick up basketball or just hanging out with friends.

So again, if you want more information about Grow 1000, it takes a village or any of the parks and rec activities, the information is on the slide.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh Commissioner Sassi.

Thank you.

And sorry, I had to step out for a second.

That's okay.

But we were chatting a little bit in the back, and I love that, you know, this presentation is not just one department, but is really reflective of the strategic point of view that we take towards public safety and what does that look like and how our parks can be activated, how we can work alongside uh community members who are very invested in their specific neighborhoods and blocks.

And you know, Shannon, you're just like an institution with always really reminding us that we have to center like young people's voices in this work too.

And uh Miss Letisha Lipscomb who's been doing a bit of uh media about some of the summer programming, always you know, I think it's picking that up and reminding us of that as well.

Um, so I don't have too much.

I don't, you know, I saw I saw some of the things that came out with um like the dog training and that's in the second ward.

Um, a great business in the second ward.

But I wanted to just bring up something that has been um coming to our office quite a bit, and I think is is somewhat related to this is um as GRPS is looking at some of their school closings that they have, you know.

Colleagues, I know I believe they postponed their vote that they had at the last that their last board meeting regarding the sale of the two schools, but then they've also been in works with North Park School and the second ward, which will close and have been having conversations.

Um, I think that neighbors and you all might have heard this too, and in your communities that are concerned about losing that green space, you know.

But we do have sharing agreements, you know, those green spaces um are allowable for the community to use and to be stewards of and parks department, city of Grand Rapids, as well as GRPS work closely together to ensure that and you know, sometimes the lines might be a little bit blurry and people might not know what we're all involved in.

But I just wanted to, just because we have gotten a number of emails, particularly about North Park.

Um, I know they're closing it.

We don't know what they're gonna do with the property.

I assume they're gonna go through a similar process, but you know, our goal has always been, um, and thanks for reiterating that today, Miss Claypool.

Like, you know, we want to ensure that green space, while it's not our property.

Um, we have some uh, you know, some good um experiences from the past downturn when they've had to close other schools to really make sure, and I don't know, Mayor, maybe you were on I don't remember the years that you were on school board, but um, but just making sure that um we have that available in the neighborhoods because that is certainly a question, and then I think that becomes a question during summer times because kids can just walk there if they're at home.

So I think more to come on that.

It's pretty premature, but thank you for that follow-up uh conversation.

I just wanted to bring it up because that's been my inbox for the last week and a half.

Thanks.

Commissioner Belcher.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Um, so I just want to say thank you very much for this wonderful presentation and all the hard work that all the staff are doing to reach out and make sure that we have uh we actually live into our city motto, right?

Um strength and activity.

And um my kids have already signed up for their free play their free pool passes, so I really appreciate that.

Because there have been years in the past where my family and others may not have been able to participate in pools.

So it's a really wonderful thing that the you know, we continue to invest in that and these the summer programs uh similarly again.

There are many, many, many people uh in uh my ward and in the rest of the city that just um would love to send their kids somewhere, but we not necessarily not necessarily gonna be able to afford the 250 or 300 dollars that it takes to go to a museum camp or these other camps.

So it's great when we are supplementing and running alongside these other programs to be um services for people.

So uh very excited about all of this presentation and the ongoing work that the parks department does.

Um I'm gonna give a little shout out right now um if you're not going to a pool I actually really really really love the and my kids love the splash pad at Garfield Park neighbor in that park is the it's just such a cool water park um and I could we also like the one at our Lincoln Park but Garfield Park's the place to be so um thank you for your hard work and I hope that we get a lot of opportunity to participate in these different things and the fitness guide is out too and I want to just say thank you to you specifically Miss Claypool because we've had some questions that have come into my email inbox about um how can we why is there not something in my neighborhood or maybe there was and your staff did an amazing job replying and providing detail as to what is available and where to that particular constituent so um this is just another level of government excellence.

So thank you very much.

Okay not seeing any further comments thank you and that adjourns our meeting I believe.