Order and ask you all to join us as is our habit with a moment of silence.

Please stand and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pledge of allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God.

Liberty and Justice for All.

Mr.

Clerk, if you call the roll.

Commissioner Kilgore.

Commissioner Knight.

Commissioner Asasi.

Present.

Commissioner Perdue.

Present.

Commissioner Belchak.

Present.

Mayor Le Grand.

Present.

First item of businesses approval of our minutes from our last meeting.

Items.

So move to have a second.

Thank you.

All in favor say aye.

Motion carries.

That brings us to petitions and communications, Mr.

Clerk.

First one is communication received from Michael D.

Yoder with a noise complaint against AgriShare Amphitheater.

Received and filed.

Communication received from a Vandenberg West Grand Neighborhood Organization regarding first word representation on the Grand Rapids City Commission.

Stephen Filed.

Communication received from Shannon Henderson expressing support for using state funding for alternative crisis response measures.

Comptrollers warrant report for the period of May 19, 2026 through June 1, 2026, in the amount of 39,767,091.70 cents.

Treasurer's report for the period of May 20, 2026 through June 2, 2026.

Received and filed.

In regards to continuing to move our city forward.

Thank you, Mayor, and good evening, Commissioners and members of the public.

Thank you for being here this evening.

And I thought it was appropriate that we highlight this on our last city commission meeting of the fiscal year.

Because so much has been done, not only in the past fiscal year, but over the years that has really put us in a position to catapult for forward and continue to be a city on the rise.

We've already been recognized for the outstanding things that we've done as a city by LinkedIn.

And we continue to be one of the major uh leading uh cities in the country for multiple reasons.

Much of it relates to engagement by community members, uh public-private uh collaboration, but also good governance uh by uh this and former city commissions.

So I want to thank you for the work that you did in this uh past budget, uh our fiscal conservancy and as a conservative, as well as uh some of the decisions that you made, hard decisions to allow us to continue some of the basic services.

But when you look at all the economic indicators of our city, the fact that uh we had a highest year of construction value last year, one billion dollars.

We continue to see population growth, which is not seen in every community in Michigan, as well as the development uh of new housing, uh specifically in downtown growing another 21 housing units, uh, as well as the uh investments that we've made uh in the likes of the amphitheater, soon to be open soccer stadium.

Many of you were uh part of the trail uh ribbon cutting uh last uh yesterday and as well as many of the other events along the green way, as well as the river restoration project, and even the construction that we've uh witnessed here on uh the riverfront at the public museum, all because of what we continue to do to uh help our community community be economically sound and vibrant.

Uh there are other indicators that show record high in room nights sold uh for Kent County of approximately two point three million hotel room nights in 2025.

Uh, the World of Winter Festival, 2.3 million visitors, uh art prize has generated almost $82 million dollar in economic impact with nearly one million visitors and city's special events permitted drew over 1.4 million attendees.

I mean, these are all good economic indicators.

Having said that, I do recognize we still have our challenges.

We have our challenges around affordability.

We have our challenges around public safety.

We have our challenges around economic prosperity for all of our community.

And we are not shying away from those challenges.

We never have, but we still are fortunate to be making progress.

I'm very pleased with the efforts that we've done with housing this past year over with the efforts of 100 and downtown pathways, over 205 individuals have been able to secure permanent housing, which is remarkable.

And what has distinguished our city is not that we've uh not had challenges like any other community, but we have not been afraid to address and partner through those challenges through civic engagement, and I look forward to our continued effort as we look at fiscal year 27 to continue to meet uh those challenges and work along with all of you in doing so with all the staff and the community members that are here.

Mayor, would you like to add anything else?

Um, you know, I I don't want to say that we're the fastest growing city in the state because that might turn out that there's you know, maybe the city of Sand Lake grew faster than us, and I didn't notice, but I did do uh look at significant cities in Michigan, and as far as I could tell by looking at the data, we're not simply growing, we're the fastest growing significant city for uh in the state of Michigan.

And so um I think a lot of that is a credit to um the work of the people who work for the city.

Uh a lot of it is uh a credit to the people who invested in the city in the private sector and to the really impressive uh nonprofit work that's being done in the city.

So at the end of the day, we're making a city that I think people are sort of voting with their feet and coming to, and it's it's great to be a city that people want to be in.

So thanks for thanks for summarizing that.

Uh that brings us on to our consent agenda and reports of standing uh committees uh consent agenda.

I'd like a motion to approve the consent agenda, but just to summarize this for the audience, um, these are items which passed unanimously out of committee earlier today and were not pulled for further discussion for whatever reason by any member of the commission.

So if you have a motion to approve the consent agenda, so move.

Support.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All right, all opposed, motion carries.

That brings us to our next item, which is ordinances uh to be adopted.

The first is an ordinance amending uh section one of the budget ordinance 2025-11 for the fiscal year 2026.

This is our eighth amendment.

Uh, can I have a motion?

So moved.

Support.

Uh Commissioner Sasi.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, this one, colleagues, is as you know from fiscal, this was a longer agenda item, but as it relates to our finances, I'm gonna uh read them all and uh but condense them and know that they're available in the packet.

So the first is for the fiscal services department, um, and this is a transfer for the Green Air Pitt's Affordable Housing Fund.

Second is for engineering, which is for the construction of fire department facilities.

Item number three is for the Office of Equity Engagement, and this is for technical assistance to micro local businesses.

Number four is uh engineering of various streets that will receive rotor milling and resurfacing.

Number five is for the parks and rec department.

This is for uh Sullivan Field Improvements.

Number six is Parks and Rec.

This is for park and general pool operations.

Um for the fire department.

This is for uh request to appropriate uh from our general fund balance and the amount of 1.4 million, a little over that.

Item number eight is for the police department recognizing and appropriating a transfer of ownership as it relates to a federal grant program.

Um item number nine is um is a companion item to that grant for uh GRPD.

Item number 10 is the engineering department.

These are improvements as it relates to 131 to the uh to the railroad.

Item number 11 is for the executive office department.

This is um reappropriation of some participatory budgeting investments.

Item number 12 is for our engineering department.

This is for improvements in the Grand River.

Item number 13 is for um uh fiscal services as it relates to the East Team contract.

Item number 14 is for the dispatch department.

Um this is related to a grant around 911 public safety, uh grant received.

Item number 15 is the general fund uh uh item related to the police department.

Item number sixteen is for again the dispatch department uh for their fiscal year 26 appropriation.

Item number 17 is for the economic development department.

This is related to a grant that we had previously um were awarded with the MEDC, Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Item number 18 is for the community development department, um, fiscal year 26 appropriation uh related to items around the third ward equity fund.

Item number 19 is for the public works department for their fiscal year appropriation 26.

Item number 20 is for our community's children.

Uh this is um again their appropriation from 26.

Uh companion item is for 21.

Or item number 21 is a companion item to that uh one of 20 of communities children.

22 is there is the fiscal services department appropriation for fiscal year 26.

23 is the same appropriation.

Oh, not the same amount, but that same um item for the public library, and lastly, item number 24 is the fiscal year 26 appropriation for our city commission department um as it relates to um different administrative functions and with that um there is uh be a balance of zero remaining in our general operating funds contingent uh account.

That is all the items.

Thank you.

Uh any discussion, colleagues.

Uh seeing none, then this is a roll call vote.

Uh so Mr.

Clark.

Commissioner Sasi.

Yes.

Commissioner Purdue.

Yes.

Commissioner Knight?

Yes.

Commissioner Belchak?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Motion carries.

Can I have a motion for immediate effect?

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All opposed.

Motion carries.

Uh, that brings us to consideration of an ordinance amending the zoning ordinance regulations for accessory dwelling units.

Can I have a motion?

So moved.

Support.

Commissioner Purdue.

Good evening, everyone.

This is also in your packet, but I'll give a quick overview.

Um, earlier this month, the city commission established today as a date to consider text amendments to the zoning ordinance regulations for accessory dwelling units.

In February of 2025, we express a desire to see an increase in ADU production to advance this goal.

Pardon me, to advance this goal, community leaders representing key stakeholder groups, including social justice organizations, small scale developers, lending institutions, and affordable housing advocates were invited to join an ADU task force.

That task force was charged with identifying barriers in the development process and creating a prioritized list of changes to unlock additional ADU production and provide new housing options for current and future residents.

In total, the task force generated more than 100 ideas, which will organize into 20 themes and ranked by anticipated impact and ease of implementation.

The task force tier one priorities under the theme of zoning reform include the following four general recommendations, and each recommendation is further refined into four ideas.

Those recommendations are to adjust the ADU size, modify accessory structure requirements, revise site layout and placement standards, and broaden ADU use requirements.

This went in front of the planning commission twice in April.

There was opportunity for a public comment at both of those meeting dates and no public comments on the amendments were offered during either hearing date.

Following that discussion, the planning commission unanimously voted 70 to recommend these proposed change amendments as written by staff.

And they cited that these amendments align with the housing goals of the community master plan and the effect of simplifying regulations and increasing flexibility as reasons for support.

Thank you.

Certainly something that I'm glad to see moving forward.

And as you noted, Commissioner, these are four things out of a hundred ideas.

So there's going to be more work to be done in this space, I'm sure.

But this is a great first step in terms of actually moving from idea and implementation.

So thank you.

Okay, seeing no uh further discussion.

Uh this is again a roll call vote.

Commissioner Purdue.

Yes.

Commissioner Knight?

Yes.

Commissioner Belchak?

Yes.

Commissioner Kilgore?

Yes.

Mr.

Asassi?

Yes.

Mayor LeGrand.

Yes.

That brings us to our next item, which is consideration of a major amendment to the planned redevelopment district at 2071 East Beltline Northeast.

Uh, can I have a motion?

So, and Commissioner Knight.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Um, on June 2nd, the City Commission established for June 16th as a date for a city commission to consider a major amendment to a previously approved special district plan redevelopment district to facilitate redevelopment of a vacant IHOP restaurant to an MSU Federal Credit Union.

The original PRD site plan and ordinance was specific to the former IHOP restaurant use and associated plan building design and signage to facilitate the new use and site plan.

A major amendment is requested to accommodate future changes, establishment of use, site layout, building element and sign regulations is requested in association with the major amendment.

This went before the planning commission on May 14, 2026.

They held a public hearing on the project.

Um the planning, you can see the uh planning agenda and video online if you'd like to see more about that.

There was no comment offered during the meeting.

The planning commission discussion centered upon general support for the redevelopment and the approved green space.

Acknowledgement that the proposed height, notably the parapet is appropriate for the architectural style and does not create neighborhood impacts and the appreciation of transparency and facade design facing East Belt line.

Thank you.

Any for any discussion questions, colleagues?

Seeing none, uh, another roll call vote.

Commissioner Knight?

Yes.

Commissioner Asasi?

Yes.

Commissioner Perdue?

Yes.

Mayor Grand.

Yes, motion carries.

Uh that brings us there being no city commission resolutions on the agenda for tonight to uh public hearings and uh because the public has an opportunity to comment um and ask our interpreter to come up and uh explain his or her role.

Um we provide translation services in Spanish from Spanish to English and English and Spanish as appropriate.

Good afternoon, my name is Jennifer Hernandez.

We are delighted to have for Spanish interpretation services for today's meeting.

When I started this, my number is Jennifer Hernandez.

Thank you.

And uh we have a public hearing, and I I think item number one and number two are closely enough related that uh Ms.

Renero can come up.

Uh the first is a public hearing to consider establishing an industrial development uh district for Honey Crisp Ventures at 220 uh 2210 Northridge.

The second is a public hearing to consider a speculative uh building designation requested by the same organization at the same location.

Yes, thank you.

Good evening.

Okay, this property is located in the Walker uh Walker View Industrial Park that's managed by a 425 agreement between the City of Grand Rapids and the City of Walker.

Uh the pro the project is being proposed by Honey Crisp Ventures, and I have Patricia Kelly here behind me that will get up in a second and talk about why this project is important.

Uh, but they're working to well, they would like to construct a 90,000 square foot industrial building uh to the tune of seven and a half million dollars.

Um with the intended uh future use to support manufacturing, industrial or related eligible operations to be identified.

Uh so typically when we have bring uh district uh request to you, it follows with a certificate.

Uh tonight is following with a speculative building designation, which is in Act 198.

We have not used it, so we've been working closely with Treasury.

Um, and ultimately clearing a path here for a tenant down the way to be able to come back before this body and request a certificate uh to be able to leverage the industrial facilities uh tax abatement.

Uh so that's that's the that's what I know, and I'd like to invite Patricia up to talk a little bit more.

Thanks.

Hi, I want to thank everyone for your time tonight.

My name is Patricia Kelly, and I'm the director of operations at Honey Crist Ventures.

I'm requesting your support in establishing a PA 198 Industrial Development District for a new 90,000 square foot speculative industrial building at 2210 North Rich Walker, Michigan.

Grand Rapids is the relevant taxing authority pursuant to a previously approved Act 425 agreement.

The PA 198 program was designed specifically for projects like this.

New construction that wouldn't move forward without the possibility of a tax abatement to offset the high cost of new construction.

Speculative industrial development carries real risk.

We break ground before a tenant is signed, and we do so because we believe in the community's growth growth potential.

This building will be over seven million dollars, and that's just in the hard cost.

There are additional costs in design, development, leasing, tenant build-out.

Um all of these things make speculative development incredibly rare in West Michigan with a conservative investment risk profile.

It's impossible without a PA 198.

The possibility of this abatement is what makes the leap to do this investment viable.

Today, the parcel generates minimal tax revenue with new construction and an eventual tenant, the long-term assessed value, even with a phased abatement, far exceeds what the site produces today.

Establishing the district does not give up existing revenue, but it catalyzes new revenue that wouldn't otherwise exist.

You may be asking why now, and for us, we cannot break ground without establishing a district.

That's the fundamental rule of the PA 198.

The commission will have a later opportunity to assess whether a qualifying tenant will merit a certificate based on their investment.

So I'd ask the commission to support this district and send a clear signal that Grand Rapids and Walker support support growth and investment in manufacturing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any discussions or questions?

Commissioner Beltrick.

I just want to say I think it's exciting to see such development, just like you know, a lot of these plans are being brought before us, but I want to commend you because that was the most thorough and well thought out explanation that any developer has, I think, said lately.

So I appreciate your due diligence and your care and the consideration for how not only for your own project but the benefit that this does bring to the community in terms of tax revenue and other other things down the road.

I hope that your um bold adventure in taking on a speculative risk uh bears out great fruit because it sounds like a good opportunity for our community to have jobs and um construction and lots of other things.

Thank you.

Uh don't not see any other questions or comments for my colleagues.

Thanks.

Um, and this is an opportunity for the public to speak on this if they wish.

Not seeing anyone, I will close this hearing and refer this to community the hall.

That brings us to our penultimate item, which is public comment on anything that uh any citizen wishes to address the commission on.

You have three minutes, and if you can identify yourselves and um uh where you live in the city, that'd be great.

Uh also just a general reminder to the public.

Um, it's really important that we allow people to express themselves.

So please don't boo and don't cheer and don't clap, because it's important that people have their moment to address the commissioner and get our attention.

Thank you.

Hello, everybody.

I'm D.

Jones, Pastor Entrepreneur and visionary.

Uh uh the community has seen what the school district has done.

Obviously, you guys knew I was going to speak on that about uh the stock and community hub.

But David, um, I'm I'm gonna have to hold you accountable and stand on business because a little birdie told the neighbor organization that you didn't believe that our project was feasible.

They said that you didn't believe that we could potentially pull this project off, David.

I've asked you for support.

I'm genuine, I'm the D Jones in every single room.

I don't care the place that we are.

I gotta hold you accountable because the neighborhood organization had the finance and we had the funders.

It's sad that neighborhood organizations cannot dream bigger to solve those social issues around their community.

I love that King Park neighbors can be able to go to the lodge and they can have the basketball courts and do all of those cool things.

But the other neighborhoods organizations across our city should be able to dream big, they should be able to create affordable housing.

I should be able to build that eSports innovation lab where I could be able to help kids and I can help 3D with 3D printing because IFFR funder, David, that was going to help us fund it.

We still have the finance of the 4.5 million to actually build our project, which is going to come to fruition, and we're not going to give up, David.

But the other thing is is that we were actually going to help help the school district finance the 3D printing construction curriculum, then give them land so they can actually have land for the students to 3D print houses on the stock and community hub grounds.

That sounds a lot better than the Commonwealth Project uh organization outside of the state that doesn't understand the local community's needs over there.

I've been a part of my neighbor organization since 2018.

I've been coming to City Hall for that long, since 2018.

I think I know our city's needs.

I think I know what our community needs.

It was a true opportunity to create real economic power to hold billionaires accountable to put economic prosperity for communities for all communities.

That this wasn't for the West Side, that was for the entire city.

That was for the entire economic prosperity of every single citizen.

And we're disappointed, but we're not going to give up on this vision, David.

And I'm just so disappointed in this our school district people that's on the school board that's attached to the divorce family foundations and them people actually helping to get other schools.

There's a lot of conflict of interest in this.

But I'm gonna keep standing on business and holding you accountable, David, because you're our mayor.

But I'm going to hold you accountable, David, for what we what the little bird said to us.

And associations should be able to dream as big as they can because I'm flying out of the state to speak to different cities across.

I'm speaking to the Bahamas soon to speak to about esports today, cities at different cities across the globe.

Stop sleeping on our neighbor organizations and associations and believe in us.

Hi, good evening, everybody.

My name is Katie Hoffman.

I'm a first war resident.

I'm here tonight on behalf of the neighbors and the board of the Garfield Park Neighborhoods Association.

In the past few months, the city commission has engaged in many important votes and conversations, including the selection of a new city attorney and soon-to-be police chief.

The commission has adopted a budget for the new fiscal year and also discussed surveillance, immigrant protections, downtown development, and more.

All of this impactful dialogue has happened without the first ward having equal representation on this in this body.

Residents are frustrated.

They are disappointed to see the dysfunction of our federal government reflected here at home.

I've heard more than once that some of you think that this part-time role should be a full-time role.

And yet the seat of the person who could ease your burden and share the load remains empty.

I'm here tonight to echo and uplift the request made by our neighbors from the West Grand Neighborhood Organization.

I quote them now.

As a community member, we respectfully request one, a public statement outlining the city commission's intended plan for resolving or not resolving the first word vacancy.

Two, your commitment to ensure this situation does not occur again.

Codified through future policy or charter amendments that would ensure uninterrupted representation for residents of any ward in any future vacancy.

Three.

Clarification regarding how abstentions function procedurally within commission voting, and how the unreconciled abstention during this appointment process will be addressed.

Thank you for listening and for your dedicated service to Grand Rapids, including the 66,000 first ward residents.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Nathan Biller.

I'm a small infill developer working in the city, and I've got an open letter from myself and other small developers to read.

So we're actually requesting a simple low-cost policy change that could meaningfully improve the financial feasibility of new housing construction in our city.

Today builders must commit to projects without knowing their largest long-term operating cost, which is property taxes.

The city does not currently provide an official estimate of a project's future assessment until after construction is complete, often months after units are already leased or sold.

You have direct experience with the frustration caused by this kind of uncertainty.

Now consider if your largest expense, police services at 35%, were the line item that you could not control.

Projects are designed, financed, and approved based on assumptions about future tax liability.

When these assumptions prove wrong, sometimes even doubling, projects can become financially unviable after they're already built and occupied, which is not good for anybody involved.

This has happened to some of the signatories of this letter, but it is a solvable problem.

We do understand that the assessor's office has expressed concerns about unknowns in the process, and we welcome that conversation.

Understanding the underlying assumptions up front, even imperfect ones, would provide significantly greater certainty going into the project than builders have today.

We request that the city commission direct the city manager to explore in collaboration with the city assessor's office the feasibility of providing this estimate at the time of building permit issuance.

And that's a problem that this would fix.

We respectfully request that this item be placed on a future city commission or committee of the whole agenda for discussion, and that the city manager be directed to report back with implementation options.

Thank you for your consideration.

And paying taxes.

When it comes to protecting immigrant communities, they refuse to pass meaningful sanctuary policies.

But when it comes to generating revenue, they expect immigrants to keep spending money, paying taxes and supporting the local economy.

Then they are good enough to be protected by it.

That's like we're fighting for the things we know what to do, how to do, and with our effort and our money.

And we're still gonna keep fighting.

Good evening.

You know, as I was, you know, as I was commuting to the meeting today, I went and went ahead and read the agenda packet.

And something that struck me was the mayor's letter about celebrating the celebrating the growth of the city of Grand Rapids.

But there's a huge irony in that.

Like Hema said before me, that growth doesn't, you know, doesn't impact, you know, doesn't impact working class folks like myself, like it does, you know, the rich, you know, the rich folks benefiting from these projects.

The you know, the same rich folks the mayor hung out with when Bush and Clinton came to town, you know, to honor war criminals in the DeVos family, who certainly the growth, the type of growth the DeVos family pushes certainly is in the interest of working class folks, you know, and it's in, and yeah, the may the mayor put the caveat in his statements that housing is an issue, but coming from a landlord, someone who's gotten donations from landlord PACs and from these rich developers, that means hollow to me.

You know, and his votes have clearly clearly indicated that the you know working class folks are not a priority, but like more moreover, the mayor's continued not only refusal to pass very doable sanctuary policies, but also the continued lie that he's met the demand met these demands, is unconscionable and immoral.

Like we we see the impact, those of us in this fight every single day of GRPD in the city collaborating with ICE.

You know, for for example, while the GRPD doesn't directly share flock data with ICE, they share it with federal agencies who for sure are sharing it with ICE.

And we've seen those federal agencies mentioned in the FOIAs, you know.

We've already talked to you about countless times GRPD is directly cooperated with ICE, not just providing scene security, directly cooperating.

And you know, the mayor also mentioned in the letter in the agenda packet concerned public safety, but public safety for who?

Seems to be just public safety for developers, and rich out-of-town folks who benefit from these projects and not working class folks, immigrants, and you know, the people of color that ICE and GRBD constantly target?

You know, and even you know, and David Warren is so committed to this lie that he you know tried to argue with me before the you know before this meeting, and the last thing I'm gonna point out is, you know, he accused me as someone who likes yelling at people, and yes, I've been someone who's engaged in a lot of conversational tactics, but multiple businesses who certainly don't fit that profile have recently joined the boycott.

Hi, my name is Teresa.

I am a resident of Grand Rapids, and I've been thinking that since Grand Rapids is such a loving, godly community, can you explain to me why we can't stand up and show support to our immigrant neighbors by adopting the six sanctuary policies?

One which includes preventing the GRPD and sheriff from collaborating with ICE.

David continually says that this is not happening, but there is video evidence to the contrary.

Do you ever think of the young man that GRPD did not assist ICE with shoving his face into a snowbank?

Do you care he had asylum paperwork and nobody looked at it?

Do you care he had a job and people who loved him and he was taking care of them and his family?

Do you care that he was denied medical attention in the prison camp you sent him to?

Do you care he's being returned to the country he fled from because of gangs and violence?

Do you care that by denying the sanctuary policies you are condemning others to his fate?

What do you when are you gonna stop apologizing to the GRPD because they get their feelings hurt when called out for their despicable racist treatment of our black and brown communities?

Hello, my name is Karen, and I'm a resident of Grand Rapids.

Thank you for hearing our public comments.

I hope you will not just hear us, but also listen to us.

There's a quote from Anne Frank that she wrote in her journal while hiding from the Nazis.

Terrible things are happening outside.

At any time of night and day, poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes.

Now it's 2026, and in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the entire country, we now have people hiding from Trump's deadly and violent ice.

There is no due process, no oversight.

Of course, you guys can't resist ice federally, nationally, but we can do it at home.

Mom Dani told his voters, you have to stay involved even once I'm elected.

The citizens have to stay participating in order to keep a democracy.

We have 200,000 residents in Grand Rapids, but look how many people are here advancing democracy and human rights tonight.

I will say that it is intimidating to participate at these meetings.

I'm slowly finding my voice, and I hope more people start showing up and using theirs.

If they did, I think you would find that what we are advocating, advocating for is different than from what you guys are focused on.

We want ice out.

Ice out of our city, I side of our state, I side of our country.

Our focus is ice out.

Movi Mianto Cosecha has been asking for the same six sanctuary policies for a while now.

These policies do not get ice out of our city, but they do provide some protection for our immigrant community, and it's not a big ask.

The way you get it done is city by city, county by county, until it passes at a state level.

We're here tonight at the city level.

We are asking you all for this type of leadership.

Please hear and listen to our demands.

Then there's FLAC.

Flat cameras, AI palantier owned flat cameras.

Epstein's friend Peter Teal, who was mentioned 2200 times in the Epstein files, owns this surveillance tool, FLAC.

FLAC is used disproportionately against immigrants, stalking following, and invading privacy.

Flock is also just illegal in general.

It is a landmark case concerning the privacy of historical cell site location.

The court held that the government entities violate the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution when accessing historical CSL records containing the physical locations of cell phones without a search warrant.

What this means is tracking our movements, habits, and data through flat cameras is illegal due to the lack of warrant for each and every one of us in view of flat cameras.

You can expect the public to start attending these meetings regularly regarding flat cameras and the six sanctuary policies and the mass surveillance and control they are installed for.

Please adopt Cosicus Six Sanctuary policies.

Please end the illicit contract that the city of Grand Rapids currently has with Epstein's friend Peter Teal to infringe on the rights of Grand Rapids residents.

Thank you.

My name is Halford.

First of all, very difficult finding this meeting.

Website doesn't list it as here.

It's not listed on the building.

Building was locked up.

I ended up calling Wood TV.

They thought it was at the Commission downtown.

They had to find out where it was.

Not a good job, folks.

Wonderful concert.

I appreciate having it there.

What I don't appreciate is having it in my living room.

This time I went there to listen to it instead of opening my window and watching with binoculars and listening with the windows open.

All I want is good neighbors.

The other day, back on May 27th, concert ran long.

I ran to 11 15 city commission zoning, 11 o'clock.

I went to call GRPD and put a complaint in a noise complaint.

We don't take noise complaints on the amphitheater.

That was a new one to me.

Sent an email to my first ward commissioner, the mayor, city manager.

Got wonderful auto replies back on the 28th.

Haven't heard a thing since.

For those concerts that run over, what is the fine and how is it determined?

They're scheduled to stop at 11 o'clock, not 11:15, not 11 20, not 1130.

If they run late, there's supposed to be penalties to that.

That's what I'm trying to find out.

I talked to Anita Hitchcock three years ago about this.

Said, I'm a little guy.

How do I fight back?

Well, you don't.

Well, guess what?

The squeaky wheel is here.

I'm fighting back.

Concerts run long, they need to be penalized, and something needs to happen.

The other thing that needs to happen is accountability by those on the dais.

When somebody sends in something to 311, copies the commissioner, copies of mayor, and copies of city manager.

A response needs to be provided, not just an auto reply.

The other thing I'm noticing right now, a lot of you are very engaged.

It appears engaged, but body language is one thing.

Sitting down waiting for my turn, looks like a lot of people were not thoroughly engaged in what was going on and listening and paying attention to those who were speaking.

I may be wrong, but the body language that I saw was one of I don't really care.

Let's get this three minutes over with.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and City Commissioners.

Thank you so much for being here at the museum, your museum.

I just wanted to raise a couple of things.

One is uh I was listening to the tax abatement, the development, uh, which sounds like a great project, but I will having retired from the city, one of the issues that uh we struggled with, particularly the economic development department did with all the tax abatements, it's really important to monitor and audit and make sure whatever agreements they enter into for those tax abatements that compliance is really occurring, whether it's with a certain number of jobs, the level of pay of those jobs, or whether it's some other stipulation from the negotiations with the neighborhood associations.

Uh, we found that uh when there was just a just a quick down and dirty micro audit, some of the developers were not adhering to it, especially when it gets two and three years out and they're still collecting that benefit of the tax abatement.

So I'd encourage the city manager and those to make sure that's happening.

The other thing I wanted to say is that you have an upcoming uh police chief search.

I probably hired, I think, four uh police chiefs, Dolan and Belk and I'm trying to remember, but at least four of them, and three of the fire chiefs.

And my uh I won't be able to attend any of the other things, but I would say this.

It's really important if we're gonna hire somebody who is not from the area, that there is a strong orientation with them if they are hired.

It looks like you got some good candidates.

I don't know.

The best success, I would say, uh, of those that I did was able to uh do the recruitment and hire for, who have the longest sustaining power and have the quickest um uh uh ability to gain the support of the troops and of the fire department, even I hired Brad, and he was an intern.

I you know, made sure he got, and now he's fire chief.

So the longest staying power usually uh is from those who actually are from the area or who, if they come from uh someplace else like uh uh Harry, we made a real real point to have a strong orientation on boarding that lasted an entire year because it's just hard for people to come up quick up to speed, and you got a lot going on, a lot of challenges.

Lastly, I want to give shout out to my commissioners, Purdue and Kilgore.

You guys are fantastic.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Sini Gantt Jordan.

I am a first ward and a third ward product of this city, third generation, property owner, taxpayer, business owner.

I sit on many boards for free for the city and help make some of the decisions that don't always play out because of lack of support from our commissioners, our city staff elected officials.

But I really want to speak to the zone GR.

So zone zoning is one of the racist ordinance that has been out.

And I want to make sure that I want to be able to speak publicly to my peers, to the business owners in my corridor, which is Division Granville, and also property owner in Southtown, that we are having opportunities through this new ordinance.

Lack of opportunity has made us fail.

And this was not a hundred years ago, this was in 1984.

And so I want to make sure, I want you all to encourage the community that these things are gonna look and feel very different.

I am also an emergent developer, and I have some of the sisters in development.

You know, we have a whole group, we have a desire to do development.

And what I've seen is a lack of effort on our behalf, right?

On your behalf, to support us.

We want that to look and feel very different.

We deserve an opportunity to develop the land that we own.

With all all without all of the restrictions, we need dollars put behind us.

That budget that we have, there is no way that we shouldn't have dollars behind our efforts.

I have been doing the work of trying to work with emerging developers for free.

That's ridiculous.

I'm doing half of y'all jobs.

And so I'm a small business owner.

I really don't have the you know the the time to do this work, but I am because it's very important for the future for my children, for my grandchildren, and others in our community who have lost out on opportunity due to the policies and processes and the ordinances that are in place.

So I'm encouraging you all to take a deep dive into what this Zone GR really is about.

It should be about us.

Our black and brown community people have lost out.

And it's time that you all pay up.

That the city of Grand Rapids reinvest in our efforts.

Thank you.

She's not gonna say anything.

Hello, I'm Matthew.

I've been Matthew Scott.

I've been here a number of times.

I usually accompany my dad.

We have been due to threats against our lives.

We have been, um we have been giving permission to abstain from saying Adress.

We are just um, yeah, we uh we are we live in the city, and I am up here, he's up here to serve to the uh defend the unborn.

I'm up here to um give you uh Dustain and uh um uh yeah uh stain and godly words for what for the Sodomites get a month, but uh, but uh Christians on but the Christians or the veterans, thanks to Trump, he's changing that, but the yeah the Christians don't get uh month, but you might say if you give the Christians a month, you will have to give all the religions a month, but I'm just we uh we love the we love the Sodomites, God loves the Sadomites, but he doesn't love the sin, and you will have to give a count to him someday, and uh also a um a open invitation to come to a church.

We have we have two small churches, one in Budworth and one on division.

You welcome money time.

Thanks for your service.

God bless.

Hi everyone, Kim, third ward resident and uh 37-year Grand Rapids resident.

I'd like to wish all of my community and our allies a happy pride.

And our annual Grand Rapids Pride is this weekend.

I'd love to see everyone show up and show love instead of hate.

I feel compelled to speak after my supposed neighbors and Grand Rapids residents speak.

I can't help myself.

We are not sinners because of who we love.

And these same people that come up here and say that they want to protect the unborn, want to harass and terrorize and act as predators towards females, transhumans, and other neighbors going to Planned Parenthood Weekly.

They speak through their Bible and through the word of God, but they do the opposite in their actions.

I want to know what we're gonna do as a city to continue to try to protect neighbors that need protection.

Not only our emigrants and our BIPOC community, which we talk about every single meeting, every single time.

I want to know what we're gonna do to protect our neighbors that are simply going from medical care, health care to planned parenthood from these predators that are there Monday through Friday, yelling and screaming, blocking the driveway as people pull in.

David, you witness it on your bike, you see it.

I don't expect you to pull over on your bike and ask them to stop breaking the law, but you physically see it.

And every time a Planned Parenthood employee, a neighbor, or myself calls on our GRPD.

They're never there when we need them.

Half the time they don't show up, and the other half they say they can't do anything about it because they're not physically witnessing them do it.

That's beyond frustrating, it's ridiculous.

And something needs to happen.

Something needs to change.

I also want to know what we're doing as a city to help our fellow sisters and women across the country who now have less rights than we do as women today in the state of Michigan.

What are we doing?

We have one Planned Parenthood that they're trying to get shut down.

The group of people that just spoke before me, it's their number one mission is to cause violence and get it shut down.

What are we doing to protect women and not just women that are in Michigan protected under our state constitution, but all of the women in our country that now have less rights than us women in this room today?

I'm sick and tired of hearing my neighbors being terrorized by ice.

I want that to end.

Other cities have done it.

They're not using the excuse that it's a federal agency.

Other cities have done it.

I want to see our city do it.

There's so many things, but up to and including, I'll leave you with this.

I'm now part of the list of people being harassed and targeted by our lovely GRPD that no one ever comes up here and praises.

I now have a citation going to court for a noise ordinance that the same cop that keeps terrorizing me can't tell me what the real rule is, and it changes every time.

So we need more clarification on that, please.

Even our local courts have said it's unconstitutional.

Thank you.

Good evening, city commissioners.

My name is Cody of Grand Rapids, and I would like to discuss the citizen surveillance cameras that have been sold to the city.

As I had mentioned a month or two ago, I used to work for a competitor to flock surveillance.

I saw the ins and outs of small towns and big cities getting swindled by a salesman.

I saw the right to privacy being thrown out the window under the guise of safety.

And frankly, commissioners, I'm concerned with your distrust that you've shown our great community of Grand Rapids, that you believe we can't keep our community safe without being watched, fed into a database, and sold without our consent.

I'm concerned with your distrust and the skills and abilities of law enforcement the law enforcement of Grand Rapids that the city employs.

Would anyone on this council be able to explain to me why this surveillance system was thrusted upon the city without a democratic vote?

And I would also like to rephrase a question that the commission has been asked.

That question being, is the city of Grand Rapids sharing data with other cities, as in FLOC data.

And those police departments got caught handing over their neighbors' data.

So I will rephrase that question and ask: if another jurisdiction requests information from Grand Rapids Police, does Grand Rapids Police hand that flock information over?

There is precedence here for cities canceling their contracts and removing their flock cameras.

Mr.

Mayor, since you told our constituents that you're not an expert on these citizen surveillance cameras that have been installed by the city.

Would you be willing to become an expert on the removal of these cameras?

And uh with that, I'll close, Commissioners.

I ask that you please stop handing over the information of our immigrant neighbors to ICE and please stop spying on your constituents.

Thank you for your time.

Good evening, Mayor, City Manager Washington, Commissioners, and my fellow citizens.

Daniel, of course, my real identity is I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sorry to witness the uh insurrection back in April here, or at the city council meeting, by your voters.

Juneteenth, Juneteenth.

What a wonderful day to remember.

End of slavery in the US, June 19, 1865.

But again, I'd like to quote Martin Luther King Jr.

How can the dream survive if we murder the children?

Every aborted baby is like a slave in the womb of his or her mother.

The mother decides his or her life.

The murder of children in the womb since 1973 is greater than all other deaths of African American people combined.

Why does Planned Parenthood or Planned Genocide?

You can look this up if you get bored.

Seventy-five percent of all of them are located within walking distance of black and Hispanic neighborhoods.

30% of the 1.1 million annual U.S.

murders of black children.

And there's only 19% of the population that is black.

This is discrimination.

This is racism.

Alvita King, niece to Martin Luther King Jr.

When we said we would no longer sit at the back of the bus, a place was reserved for us at the abortion clinic.

Jesse Jackson, the late Jesse Jackson, a Democrat, called abortion genocide.

And now we find out the Southern Poverty Law Center, funding KKK Nazi groups and white supremacist groups.

And finally, I'd like to remind you what the founder of Planned Parenthood said herself, Margaret Sanger.

We do not want the word to get out that we want to exterminate the Negro population.

They are human weeds, reckless breeders, spawning human beings who never should have been born.

I've accepted an invitation to talk to the woman's branch of the Klu Klux Klan.

If you support Planned Parenthood, this is the spirit you support.

I know some of you receive money from them, and you give the money back, you will be held accountable.

This is what runs that place.

Hello, friends.

Mark from Grand Rapids.

Everybody who spoke.

Should do one thing.

Get your butts up and vote.

You want stuff to change, vote.

It's that simple.

Truth of the matter is.

Right on the White House lawn.

It's not good.

This is what happens when you vote the wrong people in.

Elections have consequences.

Now the midterms are coming up.

I want eighty-five to ninety percent turnout.

This includes the young people, the 18 to 35, 18 to 34 age group.

If you can go to Social House, the Bob, Mojo's, and dance up and party all weekend, you can get your butts up and go to the polls and vote.

Because remember, you represent the largest, the smallest turnout in the voting process.

If you want change, vote.

It's that simple.

But if you don't, it's gonna be the same old status quo.

Because we all know this.

And they will do it.

If this is not what you want, it's very simple.

Get registered and go out and get ready to vote.

Because your life is in your own hands.

Revenge 2026.

Seeing no further public comment.

Um colleagues, uh, Commissioner Sassi.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, thank you all for coming out today.

I know um it was a good day and celebrating.

A couple people mentioned, celebrating Juneteenth, and also it's 616 Day, so June 16th.

So thank you for the cookies.

And uh it was great because we're supporting a uh local small black-owned business here in the city of Grand Rapids that has done a lot of great investment.

So um I'll just say thank you all for the work.

We had a really robust discussion about the canine policy review at our public safety meeting.

Thank you to both the Office of OPA and Mr.

Brandon Davis and all the people who who worked really very quickly on that report, I will say.

That was a very quick and comprehensive report, and thank you for the follow-up of the report.

I was glad to hear the conversations between OPA and the police department and just how we'll continue to discuss this at a further date.

So thank you for that.

We have had a lot of conversations around Flock and license plate readers.

Some of us have discussed this in different sessions.

I think mayor, you you've had a couple of like Mayor's Mondays about it.

I was on GRTV.

We've given some reports to the media.

So thank you, Mr.

Green.

This, I'm just gonna just remind everyone of a couple of things.

One is that Flock is a type of a brand of a license plate reader or what's called an LPR.

We've had those automatic license plate readers here in the city of Grand Rapids since 2013.

There is a policy, we talked quite a bit about canine policy today, so I'll just remind everybody that we do have a surveillance policy, and it's an administrative policy that is available for you all to look at.

We've provided that, and um, thank you.

I see like um Deputy Chief Baker in the back who has you know provided that information as we've had constituents reach out.

It's it's people are asking questions about technology, and it's no surprise it happens to be in the media all the time because of the surveillance policy, which was adopted in 2015, and then we updated it back in 2022.

I was on the commission at that point.

Um, but it's uh it's important to know that those automatic license plate readers were grandfathered, and so they're not subject to that surveillance policy.

Um, but we do have a manual of those policies and how that technology is applied.

Um I will also just say that um there were a lot of questions.

Thank you.

Um you were the deputy, but now you're the city attorney, Mr.

Strom.

We worked really closely with your predecessor and you around questions as it related to flock camera and flock camera usage.

Um there was some social media pieces that I think the city took very seriously.

Um, and again, as I mentioned, it was not part of the surveillance policy, but I appreciate the city manager saying there's enough questions about this, this is an emerging topic.

Um, we want to take a moment to understand, and as a department, we'll always do that review.

And there, I I think it was pretty unanimous to do that review.

Um, we there are filters and we exclude our flock cameras at this time from immigration-related searches.

And while some federal agencies do have access to our flock system, ICE does not, immigration enforcement does not.

Um, there are limits as well to uh prevent searches tied to civil immigration.

So this was you know, I would say that was pretty quick as even like we did when our this canine policy, it was coming up, it was on social media, it was unclear.

There was you know trying to figure out if different um things we were seeing were true, and again, I want to say thank you to the department to our uh city's attorney's office to city manager because I think that's another example just like this canine policy where we're able to respond in real time, and uh we do have a number of policies that govern it, and uh sometimes you know maybe that maybe like we can point people to it.

Please feel free to reach out to us.

We know we have a number of people in the department available to have a discussion as well.

Thank you, Commissioner Purdue.

Uh nothing this evening, thank you.

Commissioner Belchar.

I want to say that I um heard a lot of great neighborhood feedback and come and yes, a lot of um fair comments and complaints.

And I want to say that um this is one example of a forum where you can reach us and um I will address the amphitheater question that's come up a little bit.

I have, I apologize if I've missed your um email, particularly, um Mr.

Fruit, but there have been numerous numerous emails that I have received and been aware of and uh forwarded on to our city manager and other departments to look at.

So, and even as of last night, continue to receive those.

So I'm aware um I've had a coffee hour last week.

We had about 15 people there.

We talked about that, we talked about stormwater and neighborhood issues with development and concerns.

So, you know, the members of the community are being impacted by this, and it is something that we have yet to fully discuss as a team further here.

Right now it is new.

It is something that's happening in the community.

And as of last night, and a couple other nights, even down in the valley where I live on the flat plain near the Y, we were hearing it too.

So there is something about sound that is traveling, and so this is a new feature of our community that we will have to continue to monitor and address as needed.

So we will continue to have those conversations and be paying attention.

I also want to take a moment to just address some of the questions that have been coming up from other neighbors about how things are going and how we are proceeding.

And I too want to just try to reassure everyone that while we are, you know, I am serving in a what people like to point out as a solo atmosphere on the first ward.

I am still paying attention and doing everything that I can to be present and follow up.

And we do have some great support staff and other people who are paying attention.

And if people have questions or concerns about anything, the thing to do really is to call 311, and they can help move things to the right department.

So I will just remind folks that we uh we did have a very good discussion today at public safety, so to go back and look at that.

And I want to can point out that one of the things discussed in addition to what Commissioner Usasi brought up was the um new fire cadets that are on board for the summer and the three different pathways that our fire department is using to recruit folks and cultivate interest in not just the city fire department, but potentially any other public service roles.

So I want to say thank you to our chief and to our fire department for doing that, and we have a brand new training lieutenant as well for the fire department.

So it was great to see those folks.

And we also had um some students on part of the um urban league with the commission this morning for some of our meetings, and so we had a good group of maybe 20 or 30 young folks who are interested in learning about what's happening in our local politics and our local governance and how they might be civic citizens in the future.

Commissioner Knight.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, just a few things.

Um we had the opportunity to do groundbreaking uh for the Leonard and Ann uh trail connection.

That's gonna be a really really critical link in connecting our trails across the city and across the state.

Um, and one of the statements that was made was great neighborhoods are connected neighborhoods, and I think it's a really great opportunity.

This is something that have been worked on uh over the years, and it was great to be there at that space to see that happening and to just envision um the things that are happening along the Grand River Greenway and how that's gonna continue to expand across our community.

Also um grateful for the um the declaration today for the Juneteenth celebrations, um, as Juneteenth was declared in 1865 when it took three more years to get really to the people who it needed to get to for them to understand what was happening, and just a side note heart disease is actually the number one killer of African American people, and the second is cancer.

Um grateful that uh the youth did come from the urban league to talk about civic engagement and what that means to them, and having the opportunity to talk to them about voting in our community and through our city and how that works and the impact on their lives.

Um I had the chance to be at Rock the Block this weekend as well, seeing a lot of people that were out, different groups, sororities, fraternities, and different um groups from the city that were registering people to vote, making sure that you understand uh the importance of that vote, and uh Joel gave a great presentation today on what that's looking like for this fall, especially for the primaries in August, and it can be a little challenging for people.

Commissioner Perdue also brought a little attention to making sure that our community members uh know exactly where their polls are and if there's been changes that they are alerted to that.

So that was some some good information, and um that's it.

Commissioner Cobra.

Thank you, Mayor.

I think uh my colleague in the third ward must have known I had like a million notes.

So thank you.

Thanks for the time, Kelsey.

Hey, all right.

Well, uh happy 616 Day.

Thank you all for staying late.

I appreciate it.

I have so many notes.

Uh I also attended Rock the Block.

That was awesome.

Uh South Side is the best side.

I am biased, sorry, all.

Um, and uh it was just a wonderful celebration.

I has been for many years.

Uh, we're in the museum, so I just am really thinking of history.

I grew up uh, and I also, so I did Rock the Block this weekend.

I also went to Pilgrim Rest uh for Youth Day and celebrated youth all across West Michigan with Pastor Gaddy, and that was wonderful, and Pastor Shaq.

Um, and I grew up in the church, so um I continue to press back when I feel as though people are using their faith for hatred.

Uh Sodom and Gomorrah, I was raised in the Church of God in Christ Church.

So we did a lot of that old fire and brimstone preaching.

And I remember that story well, and although I believe firmly in the separation of church and state, and no decision I make up here is based on anyone's faith, and no faith should be guiding our decisions.

It can teach us a lot.

And in that, when you read the full, the full context of it, beyond what folks were doing in their bedrooms, uh, it talks about things like greed, neglect of the poor, injustice.

It's also why that fire ran down on that city in that book.

Uh so I think it's a good lesson for us.

Can we continue to support the poor?

Can we continue to make sure we are not uplifting greed, and we can we continue to fight against injustice?

But as a proud sodomite, uh I understand why people continue to focus on that.

It's very interesting.

So I'm hoping that the community will continue to celebrate this beautiful community that we have in Grand Rapids through, of course, some Juneteenth celebrations at Dickinson Buffer.

These are both on Friday, Juneteenth, Freedom Day.

There will be a parade at 12 p.m.

And then from 1 p.m.

to 7 p.m.

at the park.

You can enjoy and meet with community members to celebrate that.

There's also Juneteenth JM at Grandma downtown from 4 p.m.

to 8 p.m.

And of course, again for the Proud Sodomites.

We have the Pride Festival with the Grand Rapids Pride Center.

It'll be 38 years this year.

Saturday, June 20th and Sunday, June 21st at Calder Plaza.

This is the state's second largest Pride Festival, ranging over two days.

It sees close to over 40,000 folks annually.

There's a lot of Proud Sidomites here in West Michigan.

In addition, I just, since we're in the museum, the history of how proud I am to work with my colleagues.

In 1988, the same year that the Pride Festival is going, the then mayor did not do the proclamation.

I'm proud to work with Mayor LeGrand and all of my colleagues who proudly stood with me as the first openly LGBTQ person on this body, the first open queer person on this body, uh Proud Sodomite.

I'm gonna, I gotta write that down.

It's hilarious.

But in then in the 80s, our group, the LGBTQ community, the mayor then lumped us with Nazis.

He said he was not gonna do the proclamation because he felt as though our community was in line with Nazis.

We've changed this city continues to grow and evolve and welcome all people.

And it, you know, we may not always agree up here, but I am deeply honored to serve with people who look beyond their faith, look beyond who they love, who they value, who they believe are sinners or not, and can see that every Grand Rapidian deserves to have a safe and welcoming place to live.

Thank you all again for coming this evening and happy pride.

Thank you.

City Clerk.

Thank you to Grand Rapids Public Museum for opening their doors tonight for this.

I think this is the first time we've had commission night out in this space, and it's been a great space for this meeting.

I think tabling downstairs was wonderful.

So thank you for hosting us.

And if you haven't been through the museum before, it is a um a wonderful facility.

This morning, you know, I did have the opportunity to give an update.

So if you did not see uh commission, I mean committee of the whole from this morning, you can go back and watch that um the update on this upcoming elections.

It is important to know before you go in to um make sure your polling location.

Thank you, Commissioner for Purdue for um putting that out.

We'll make sure we're um shouting it from the rooftops.

So um, yeah, so tell your neighbors, everybody else go to Michigan.gov forward slash vote to make a plan to make a plan to vote, um, whether that be by absentee, whether it goes through the early voting or go to your polling location or a little combination of all of them, only one ballot though each.

Um, but um so as we um as we go through this um election thing, we um we just look forward to more support, and also we're always looking for more election inspectors too.

If you want to serve your fellow Grand Rapidian, um, that's a great way.

That's a great way to doing it of getting involved in the in the polling location, and um, just welcome to come work alongside of us.

Thank you.

Thanks.

City Turning.

Uh just uh lift up Joel for a minute.

Your authentic approach to elections is really appreciated.

I think I've worked every election alongside you since I've come to Grand Rapids.

And if anyone wants to see the true fabric and the heartbeat of our community, just go to an election night and work those late nights along the clerk staff.

And uh you get to see how safe, how secure, how uh honest that process is.

Uh it's an honor.

I I look forward to August and November to continue to work those elections uh with all the city employees and the volunteers.

I appreciate this venue for this community night out.

Um, if you ask my second grader what her best experience of second grade was, she'll tell you very proudly it was a MERSE, which is a week-long uh experience where this museum hosts uh elementary age students to come into this facility and learn.

And so uh I helped chaperone a field trip at the end of the year here, and uh the partnerships uh that are going on with the schools and now with our city commission uh and this museum are really meaningful and and appreciated from a small small town guy up in the UP.

Uh this is quite a gem for for our city.

Um, and then finally, uh, it if you choose to sue the city, the rules of engagement when we communicate change, and and that's uh rules of professional conduct for lawyers and litigants, and uh we do our best to empower our city elected officials and our departments to continue responsible engagement and communication.

But when you become a litigant and you're suing the city, there are different rules that apply for communication.

So uh that's no hard feelings, that's just the way the process works, and so if there's any confusion about that, uh you can seek your own legal counsel about it.

Thank you.

Thanks, city manager.

Thank you.

Um mayor, want to thank the staff for their work today at the conclusion of the public safety committee.

Uh, our communications team began packing up to come here to this great venue.

So thank you for that work.

Also, want to thank uh in his absence, uh Dale Robertson for his leadership here.

This is uh I think his last year, he's gonna retire soon after 18 years of service.

Uh he's leading a 40 million dollar capital campaign with lots of renovation internal and external, and we've approved some of the financing for some of the capital improvements, both on Riverfront but also internal with the uh expansion and elevator.

So, congratulations to him.

I also want to um make a point.

Uh we've we've been really um busy in the month of April and May and even June, back-to-back to back to back meetings, and uh we've loaded up this agenda.

And if there are not significant items uh that come up between now and July 7th, uh there's a possibility that meeting, uh and it's conveniently the holiday week, fourth of July, a lot of people will be out anyway.

There's a possibility it might be canceled, so more to uh to come if there's not significant number of items.

Um also I appreciate what city attorney said um regarding litigation, uh, but I'll just say in general what we've already put out uh just so there's no confusion that uh there is a city code that authorizes uh the amphitheater to operate between the hours of 7-11 unless otherwise authorized in advance with approval, and we were noticed of their requests for additional time that evening, and so there was not unauthorized.

Also want to invite the public, remind them tomorrow that the police chief search.

We have four finalists, as was mentioned earlier.

Uh you can come to City Hall and meet and engage them at 545 p.m.

Uh tomorrow, and uh that will be uh at the atrium uh at the ground floor level on Ottawa.

Then at 7 o'clock, there will be uh more formal uh conversation discussion with the facilitator uh that will be streamed.

It'll be live streamed at 7 o'clock tomorrow night.

So I would ask uh those interested, please uh come or follow online.

And lastly, uh I will say uh I did have a chance to go to Asian Pacific Islander Festival this past week and look forward to also celebrating both uh Juneteenth and uh Pride Festival this week as well.

Thank you.

So um thank you for uh you know going last means a lot of the things that I was excited about today got covered.

Um it was great to have the Juneteenth proclamation, and I said this morning that um for me I think that honestly, for me at least that eclipses the fourth of July in terms of our independence celebrations in this country because I think that um the moral evil of slavery uh was at the inception of this country and moving moving away from and rejecting that uh was the was the great moral triumph that this country is has made uh since its inception.

So um glad to celebrate Juneteenth, can't do it enough.

Um I also um you know often say that foundational to any city's success is having a city where people are and feel safe, and so uh that comes out of a lot of things.

It comes out of um policing, it comes out of non-policing work.

Um but our who our next police chief is is going to be a big deal, and uh it really is going to affect a lot of things in our community who our leadership is in that role.

So um just want to echo the city manager's um uh sentiment there.

I'm uh I'm a little flummoxed on the whole Sanctuary City converse uh sanctuary policies conversation because to put it in simple terms, um, well, first of all, all the people who came up and demanded that we have sanctuary policies left.

Um so maybe they'll watch the video.

Um I said this before, I'll say it again.

Um I have a hard time feeling like we're engaging in a um an actual dialogue.

Um, it's sort of I sort of feel like I'm standing facing someone who's got a coffee mug in their hand who says, I want a coffee mug.

And I say, well, you have one in your hand, and they say, I want a coffee mug.

Um, we have enacted all, or have already in place policies which address and all of the uh demands that have been made by a couple groups who keep coming and complaining.

Um, and I I will I want to give some grace to some of the people who say there are six demands.

I suspect they haven't read them because one of them doesn't apply to the city, self-evidently.

One of them is internally incoherent, and the group has conceded that.

I don't think it's possible for the city to not contract with anybody who also contracts with the federal government.

But the the central concerns we have explicitly addressed before anybody came and demanded that we did it, we already had policies in place explicitly, which do not have our uh police officers detaining people on civil immigration warrants.

That's one of these six demands.

Another one is that we don't enter into 287G agreements.

Not only do we not, but we can't.

So they sort of have an empty set, but they keep insisting that they've got a full set.

Um and I don't know how to fix that dynamic.

I'm sorry to those of you who had to listen to that.

Um I'm sorry that to my to the people who work at some of the businesses that I have investment in that they're being um targeted and that their uh livelihoods are being targeted by these groups.

Um so I want to apologize to them.

Um I'm sorry that this group isn't engaging in good faith on things we can do to keep our neighbors safe and that they don't have any actual ideas that we haven't already engaged in.

Um and I would love to have a productive conversation about um things we could do in addition.

Um I think our police chief said it very very well this morning that um he's confident that we're doing great things, but he's also always open to doing things better.

Uh and I know that this commission is always open to doing things better.

And Commissioner Usasi think the one thing I didn't address is the flock uh issue, and I think you had a good, very very good summary there, so I'm not gonna duplicate that.

But you know, there that's that can be an ongoing conversation.

We may we may change how we deal with uh with uh uh license plate readers.

Um I will note again that I think there's often a frustration that people have between demanding that we make policies, which we can do, and insisting that those policies are followed flawlessly, which we can't do.

We can hold people accountable if they don't follow our policies, but you know, if we have a policy that we pick up trash every week and then your trash cart gets uh missed, the appropriate thing to say is you missed my trash cart.

It's not appropriate to say why don't you have a policy to pick up trash every week because we do.

Um so that being said, um I hope someday that group will stick around and engage in conversation.

Um, but thank you all for being here.