We will start off tonight with prayer and pledge.

Prayer will be led by sent to seals.

And the pledge will be led by Councilman Ostash.

You would like to participate.

Almighty Father, we thank you for today.

We thank you for your governance and your leadership.

We ask you to guide us and lead us in all your truth in your ways, God.

We ask you this in the name of your son Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Liberty and Justice.

Well called, please.

Councilmember Young.

Councilmember Seals.

Present.

Councilmember Balls.

President.

Mayor Proton Garcia.

Present.

Councilmember Ostash.

President.

Councilmember Braddock.

Present.

Councilmember Wiggins.

Present.

Councilmember Hammond.

Present.

And Mayor Moore.

Present.

You have all members present.

So actually, let me apologize for my council person not standing, but she is having leg difficulties.

And we don't want to get up and fall down because we don't have no money.

So please excuse her.

So that's why we have one city.

So in case anybody was wondering, why she don't get up?

She don't get up because she on crutches.

Okay.

First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone to our city council meeting.

Thank you so much for coming tonight.

I asked a little housekeeping we have to do.

Please, Council Persons, please put your phones on silent and your tablets as well.

Audience, I ask that you do likewise.

Doing this meeting, we will have no booming clapping behavior.

This is a public meeting and it is being aired.

Madam Clerk.

Mayor, we have a few announcements.

The fourth annual We Love Saginaw Businesses Punk Retreat event is October 22nd from 4 30 to 6 30 in the parking lot of the splash pad at 1830 Fortney.

Vendors can still sign up to participate by registering at Saginaw-MI.com forward slash trunk or treat.

The convenience station is open this Saturday from 8 a.m.

until noon.

City residents may utilize the station to drop off miscellaneous or bulky items for disposal.

We have a proclamation that's even this evening.

It's designating October 5th through the 11th as fire prevention week.

And that proclamation will be read by Councilwoman Wiggin.

Thank you.

Of course.

Statistics show that four out of five fire deaths occur in the home.

And whereas three out of five home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms.

Statistics show that working smoke alarms cut the risk of death in home fires by 50%.

And whereas the National Fire Protection Association has established fire prevention week to create greater awareness and innovation in fire protection and prevention.

As a result, countless lives have been saved each year.

And whereas the 2025 fire prevention week theme, charge into fire safety, lithium ion batteries in your home.

Works to educate everyone about using these batteries safety safely.

Now therefore, be it resolved.

Throughout the city of Saginaw, and I urge all residents of this city to protect their homes and families by heeding the important safety messages of fire prevention week 2025, and to support the many public safety activities and efforts of the City of Saginaw Fire Department.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the City of Saginaw to be affixed the sixth day of October in the year of our Lord 2025.

Brenda F.

Moore Mayor, Council Members Priscilla Garcia, Mayor Pro Tim, Michael D.

Bowles, Eric Braddock, Carly Rose Hammond, Bill Ostaff, Jacinta Seals, Heidi G.

Wiggins, and Tobias Young.

Timothy Morales City Manager.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

On behalf of the entirety of the Saginaw Fire Department, thank you for the proclamation.

We do hope everyone can attend tomorrow at our central fire station, 10 a.m.

It is our annual awards ceremony and open house where we get to open the doors to the community and invite them in.

But I do want to remind everyone that every day we have our doors open.

The fire department is your fire department.

And even though we keep the doors closed when it's cold, uh you can probably imagine why.

Luckily we haven't had much of that yet, but just because the doors are closed, simple knock.

Come on in, see what your fire department is.

Um we hope to see everyone tomorrow at 10 a.m.

And thank you again.

Thank you.

The purpose of the public hearing is for the public to address council as a whole and for council to hear comments from speakers regarding a specific action being requested.

Speakers are limited their remarks to the subject of the public hearing.

Please state your name and say if you are in support or opposition of the subject for the public hearing.

The main speaker is the designated representative.

You have 10 minutes to speak.

All members after that have three minutes.

Remember, this is not a question or answer period.

Madam Clerk.

Our public hearing is regarding the request to amend the Brownfield Plan for the City of Saginaw to include the Southwater Street redevelopment located at 107, 11, and 121 South Water Street.

Do we have a representative?

Someone who would like to speak.

Good evening, Mayor Moore, Mayor Pro Tem Garcia, members of the Council.

My name is Grace Smith.

I serve as an economic development coordinator with Saginaw Future.

I'm here today to speak in support of the Southwater Street Brownfield Plan.

The properties at 107, 11, and 121 South Water Street hold a long industrial history along the Saginaw River.

Several years ago, this site became a public safety concern when a former multi-story structure became to began to deteriorate and partially collapse towards the river.

In response, the city of Saginaw, the Saginaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Saginaw Future, and the developer worked together to complete an emergency demolition and environmental abatement effort, successfully removing the unsafe building and protecting the riverfront from further contamination.

Tonight's Brownfield Plan builds represents the next and most exciting step in this property's transformation.

This project includes a construction of a 2,400 square foot event center with two 300 square foot outbuildings, along with a significant site preparation infrastructure, and landscaping improvements.

This is a 21 million dollar private investment that will activate a long vacant section of the downtown riverfront, creating a flexible venue for private gatherings, private community gatherings, private events, and tourism that would draw people out to the area and strengthen the nearby businesses.

This Brownfield plan supports demolition, due care activities, site preparation, and infrastructure improvement, all essential activities that make redevelopment possible on a site with environmental challenges.

These costs that would not exist at a greenfield location.

This program ensures that properties like this can be returned to productive, safe, and environmental economically valuable use.

The Brownfield Redevelopment Program is one of the most effective tools we have for driving revitalization in the communities, like just like Saginaw.

It allows us to transform sites that once posed environmental and economic barriers into places of opportunities, creating jobs and attracting private investment, and improving public safety and quality of life.

Through this project, the developer is demonstrating a strong commitment to reinvesting the city's future in enhancing one of our most visible and valuable assets, the Saginaw Riverfront.

With your approval of this plan, council will be will help to complete the transformation of a once blighted and unsafe property into a vibrant destination that reflects the progress, partnership, and pride in driving Saginaw's continued resurgence.

On behalf of Saginaw Future, we thank you for your time and your consideration.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak to this subject?

Is there anyone else who'd like to speak to this subject?

Last and final time.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak to this subject?

I need a motion to close this hearing.

So move.

It's been moved to support all those in favor, signify by saying aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Madam Clerk.

I'm to public input.

Speakers will be called to the podium.

You have three minutes.

We ask that we don't have any born obnoxious behavior as well.

This is not a question or an answer period.

You have three minutes.

We will allow you a few seconds to wrap up your conversation.

Madam Clark.

Our speaker this evening is Joyce Seal.

Good evening, uh City Council.

Do I need to give my name and address before I get started?

Any of that?

Okay, just wanted to make sure.

So good evening, a mayor, city council, manager, and staff.

How come to you on behalf of the Health Equity Council, the Saginaw County Prevention Coalition, many community groups, our school system wrote a letter of support, and many businesses who wrote letters of support for the issue of putting a cap on the number of marijuana retailers in our city.

We thought we had your support.

We'd done lots of research, gathered it, and we thought we made some powerful points.

For one, for the population we currently have, we have too many marijuana sites right now.

And with having so many, it's been an impediment to the existing marijuana retailers, causing many of them to jeopardize their ability to chart a profit.

We can see many of them are going out of business.

And even though some are closing, we still don't want to leave the doors open for more retailers.

And even with the new taxes on marijuana sites, we don't want to leave getting more retailers to chance.

Please listen to your constituents.

It will not hurt this city to cap our marijuana retailers at 12.

You don't lose anything.

And at least you let the citizens know that you're listening to us and your concern about our opinions and that our opinions do count.

So I'm thanking you in advance for looking at the data that we've already given you to look at and do what's right.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Mayor onto remarks of council.

Council, you have three minutes as well, no too many wrap-up, three minutes.

We will start tonight with Council Woman Hammond.

Thank you very much.

Um good evening.

Thank you all for coming to your local city council meeting.

Um this evening, I finished up and sent to our council and our city manager a uh write-up that I did on affordable housing, particularly on the pilot program.

Um I'm very excited to support affordable housing in the city of Saginaw, um, not just as a matter of principle, but as a matter of policies that the state is encouraging and funding, and it would be uh erroneous of us to not pursue it actively.

Um so pilots stand for payment in lieu of taxes, and uh because of legal changes at the state level in 2022, we have the ability to essentially offer pilots to developers who want to build uh uh multi-unit properties, anything under 120% area median income.

Um, and that's actually pretty high income if if you look at it.

And this benefits our city uniquely because of our current tax cap.

Um, it's it's a weird kind of advantage that you can look at where obviously because of our tax cap we can only collect what 3.8 million dollars in property taxes a year.

So interestingly, this uniquely incentivizes the city to offer property tax abatements for new development.

Uh, when it comes to affordable housing, when we grant a pilot to a developer coming in and building affordable housing, and with the new pilot law, we can take existing housing that's being renovated that is already affordable and grant it a pilot if they're doing a certain uh if they're putting a certain amount of money into the rehabilitation, which encourages ongoing affordability and ongoing quality of housing.

Moving those existing properties from being subject to the tax cap and moving them out of the advalorum taxes onto a different tax role supported by pilot is actually a benefit to the revenue of the city of Saginaw, um, considering how our tax gap works.

So I encourage you to check out that proposal.

Um ask me any questions you have.

Some of it gets a bit jargony.

Affordable housing and the policies around it are changing, and it's difficult to keep track of.

It's a lot of verbiage.

Um, but I um definitely support pursuing it.

I think the city's been going in a good direction here, and I think that we can take advantage of recent changes of state laws, look at what other municipalities are doing, and put our best foot forward with affordable housing to ensure that our residents are um able to live here in a clean and safe environment.

Thank you.

Next we have Councilman Young.

Yes, thank you, Mayor Moore.

You gotta talk now.

Hello, everyone.

Um I have uh spent some time actually on the same subject as as Ms.

Hammond.

I was um I rolled down to um Detroit that was the closest tiny home community that we had, and I just wanted to get some uh visuals and some uh different information from a development that already had been established.

And um uh this low income as well, but you know, they with the tiny homes, they targeted elderly, homeless, um recently released uh incarcerated individuals and uh foster care when they uh top out, and uh they have been established for seven years, so I just wanted to see the data, see how the community is still thriving.

And uh they probably have about 25 units that are built down there, and they were kind enough to let me walk through the the smallest unit, which was 220 square feet.

Then I seen some of the um the larger units, which was about 500 square feet, and it's different when you see the community, see the setbacks, and see the design and everything.

So if there's uh any staff or council members that want some of the information that I've gathered, or or even with the public, any information that I've gathered from uh down there in that uh community um willing to share uh pictures, videos, and everything.

Thank you.

Next, we have Councilwoman Seal.

Um I have no comments for today.

Thank you.

Next, we have Councilman Boss.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Um I don't have a lot to say, but I would like to report that I did attend the uh Saginaw United homecoming game uh Friday, and sitting there in the stands and viewing the uh school, the gym, and taking a tour of the school, and just looking at the visual from uh sitting in the stands and looking at the skyline.

I asked my uh wife, are we still in Saginaw?

I mean, just to see the different view of the city was really exciting.

And seeing the students and seeing the pride that I thought I seen in this in the in the kids in the school, you can tell you can look on their faces and see how happy they are to be in a brand new school here in the city of Saginaw.

Um at the end, they're gonna build a uh deal.

We best find out they're gonna build an apartment building right across the street from that on Water Street.

I mean, I'm excited for the future of the city of Saginaw.

Uh we need new housing.

Now we got to get some jobs.

Uh I like to commend uh Councilman Young for spending his day to go all the way down to Detroit to look at those tiny homes.

He's coming, he's putting his boots on the ground, he's working right away to try to make some stuff happen in the city of Saginaw.

So uh hopefully we see some more development coming on with the tiny homes in Saginaw because y'all know we need them.

And um what else?

Uh I won't be able to attend the uh fireman's thing tomorrow.

I'd be in Lancing for a uh youth violence conference, be there for a couple today to see how we can uh give rid of some of the violence in our city.

I'm looking forward to that too.

Um I'm just want to commend all the council people for doing the extra work that they do to try to make this a better city.

Thank you, Colleague, for what you're doing too.

I mean, because when you guys spend your own time to come and find out ways we can make the city a better place, it's gonna be better for everybody, and I really appreciate that.

So thank you.

Thank you too, Madam Mayor.

Next, we have Councilman Nostage.

Thanks, Mayor.

Welcome everybody tonight to the council chambers.

Um not council chambers, and uh Anderson Center and those watching from home.

Um councilman uh Young, thank you for that information because I would love to see some of that.

We've been talking about that in the planning commission meeting, and I was trying to wrap my head around what does a 200 square foot home look like.

So I'm really interested in what you have, and we can go over some of the new zoning changes that we've put into place.

Um and also too, like in we one of the things we're talking about, what would this neighborhood look like?

And we talked about maybe it's like the like the sidewalk neighborhoods of uh in California where homes are built around sidewalk parking and back.

So, anyways, get with me on that.

But love to see what you have.

Um Councilman Balls, I I agree with you.

Um Kevin is extremely he's he's a board member of the school board, so he's extremely excited of the new field house and the football um stadium, and we were out of town again this weekend, so we could not attend, but um, but thanks for sharing that information with us.

But you're right, the kids are excited, and that was a concern when the two schools came together.

So yeah, they're they're real proud of their school.

And for the audience listening, it was the kids that picked out their mascot, their name, and they named the high school.

So that was exciting for them as well.

So they have uh some ownership there.

I will say just a couple of announcements.

Uh Zubu, again, I always announce it every year, so that's coming up at the Saginaw Children's Zoo.

They're just doing October 4th from 10 a.m.

till 5 p.m.

You can get tickets on their website or give them a call.

That's always a fun event for the kids.

Plus, you get to see all the animals, and I know that the otters are now back, so I'm a big Potter fan.

Uh, also to uh in the city of Saginaw, we're doing our parks and recreation uh visioning meeting.

That's gonna be here at the Anderson Enrichment Center October 9th, 5 p.m.

to 6 p.m.

And this is just for we want your feedback on the parks and recreation stuff that we're starting to spin up here in the city.

Uh also there is a job fair for the Hemite semiconductor plant and also the new solar plant.

I've been pushing this heavily.

That is going to be at Delta College October 8th from 6 to 8 p.m.

here in downtown.

So those are very good paying jobs.

We've worked out the stars transportation, so if that's an issue, we've got transportation run running back and forth to the facilities out there.

And when we did speak with the Corning Corporation, uh, they are big on child care on site or just off-site and close by.

So trying to take care of all the check boxes for even the families.

And just a reminder that the NAB is also doing their after-school program.

So they're uh down here in the south side of the city, they're doing them from 3 p.m.

until 6 p.m.

after school.

And Kanika, I promise it's been a crazy month, but I'm gonna get down there one of these days to uh see you and the kids, and that's all I have, Mayor.

Thank you.

Next we have Councilman Bretter.

Uh thank you, Mayor Moore.

I just like to say um hello to everyone here that attended this meeting.

Um, I just like to say that uh commend the efforts of everybody in our community that's you know doing the work on ground, uh putting their boots on ground, working with our youth, working with our LDs.

I see a lot of good, positive.

I'm also too going to the gun violence summit next couple days to grab some information and bring it back to the city.

Um, also looking to meet with the um state youth justice director, I believe.

So um just trying to get some information to see how we can curb some of this violence that's going on in our city.

Um gun violence is everywhere, it's not just Saginaw, it's all over the country.

And so, you know, let's just try to we got to continue to target that, try to try to decrease the violence here and reduce the violence here and get these guns off the street and especially off the hands of people that don't need them, you know, and more so our youth.

You know, our youth, you know, having these having hand guns and but we just have to get on this violence.

The gun violence is really, you know, as a dapper, and it's right here in our face.

But we also have a lot of good going on too, so we just just you know, we just make sure we continue to work.

Um Halloween is coming up, so um, Halloween safety, you know, uh coming up for our week.

So we have the trunk of treats, and you go ahead and have the costume.

So those people that's in the communities, you know, have your porch slice on, just look out for our youth in that regard.

Um also I've been uh working with a I've been meeting with some youth, about nine young young boys, and I'm gonna tell you one of the things, and at-risk young boys who um drop out, but then out get work at school getting a um high school diploma at Saginaw Covenant Academy.

And I would say with these some of these young men with these youth, they just need some structure and some guidance.

And they would they will strive in those areas.

So if y'all see some young men, young ladies, you know, if you have some time, give them talk to them.

You know, they might they might need some answers, you know.

Uh a lot of them looking for directions.

They they they want to do something with their life.

Um, I didn't mess some that said they was going to the military.

I was excited about that being a veteran as well.

And so let's just encourage them.

There's different options and routes in life that you know they don't know of and resources, so let's just continue to work with our youth and everything.

And so, but um pretty much I just like to thank everybody on this on this board today for working with them, and um, that's all I have, and city staff too.

City staff is say hi to y'all too as well.

Give y'all a shout out.

All right, well, that's all I have.

Thank you.

Next we have councilwoman week.

Thank you, Mayor Moore.

Uh, thank you to everyone that's here tonight um for being a part of this this meeting.

Um thank you also to our fellow council people.

I know uh councilman Young, I talked to you that you were going to that um in Detroit, so that's really cool that you did.

Also interested in that information and Carly for putting that proposal together.

Just got it right before basically this meeting, so it'll take me a little bit to digest that.

Um, but all good information, looking looking forward to learning more about that.

Um I also went to the uh Saginaw United uh ribbon cutting for their field house, and I was I was blown away, you know.

Um I toured the school, but just seeing the the field done and the field house and the locker room and the wait rooms and the and the the I mean everything in that building is is amazing and it's a it's a very good look for Saginaw, and I really liked it a lot.

Proud of everyone that's involved in that.

Um yeah, it was I I took pictures and I was just wowed, and there's a a board in there that you can like write on this huge screen with your finger to just leave notes for anybody, and it's it's just cool.

It's just cool.

Um, but it was really really nice, and the presentation was was was lovely.

So if you ever get a chance to tour the facilities or go to a game, please do because like Councilman Ball says, it's a it's a different feeling, and it's very positive for Saginaw.

So I was very proud of that.

Um yeah, and just thank you to oh, there was like 50 members of the cheer team.

I was like, I haven't seen that in a minute.

I was like, that was that was pretty cool.

Um, but yeah, I'm proud of the the everyone involved in that.

Um and thank you for uh to uh councilman balls and Braddock for taking your time and going to that gun violence um summit.

You know, it's basically a team of nine up here as well as the community.

If we can divide and conquer and chip away at different things that's going on in the city, and that's important, we can accomplish a lot.

So I appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, we have Mayor Po Tim Gashi.

Good evening, concerned citizens of the community.

Um, thanks for being here.

This lovely fall day, it's 83 degrees, which is crazy, but we'll take it.

Um just got this good information here that they give out, and um, remember to utilize your downtown area.

We have the um marketplace, and it's a beautiful facility um to use.

They're gonna be having Halloween at the market October 24th from 4 30 to 6 30.

And of course, they're gonna be open all the way to October 31st outdoors.

So if you get a chance, go on down there.

And then also the Castle Museum have some stuff.

So we have a lot of stuff going on in the city of Saginaw.

The public library has um a haunted house, grand cracker.

So there's a lot by my house.

I live by the Bovinfish Library, so they always got good stuff going on.

So if you get a chance, utilize these down here, and um, this month is breast cancer awareness month and also domestic violence um month for those survivors and those that didn't.

Um so yeah, just a lot going on.

The temple's got some good things if you get a chance, the spirit.

They have um some good games going on, and I gotta get down there.

I've been to one last year, but I haven't been down yet.

But so just utilize all our resources, the Dow Event Center, the Temple.

I mean, we got a lot of great stuff going on.

The Japanese garden over here is having something, so there's always something to do.

I know my weekends are always busy attending something in the community when you get opportunity.

And so um also trick-or-treats coming up, watch out for the kids.

Um, I'm gonna be on Arson Watch uh coming up.

I do it every year.

I think this is my fifth year doing it, and I love it.

So I'm one of the board members on there, so we're always looking for donations for our volunteers that come out during the night to help patrol for the 30th and the 31st because Halloween's on a Friday this year.

So just be mindful of everybody out there, a lot of great trunk retreat events.

I know the houses aren't like they used to, but um, there's some good ones, and especially the ones that we put on.

Some of the council members will be out there handing out candy, so it's gonna be a good time and praying for good weather.

But um can't wait to see everybody out in the community, and it's always a great time seeing all the kids and um with their family, so it's a nice event.

So if you get an opportunity to come on out, it'd be great to see you guys um what we do in the city here at the celebration park.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Okay, by the time it gets to me, everything is up with I did have opportunity to come here in this facility to be a part with mothers whose children have been murdered or killed.

It was a phenomenal program.

It didn't just have mothers, it had fathers as well.

There's a lot going on in between these two weeks.

Um I did I too went to the open house at Saginaw United.

But I've done a whole lot of stuff.

So it the list is long, but the list is long because I want to stay abreast of what's happening in the city.

Ms.

Hammond, Mr.

Young, I thank you both.

Um I've got some information for you as well.

They came from Michigan Municipal Lee.

I think it's probably the numbers probably increased.

We're mayors were actually trying to get some of this billion dollar money, and we're looking at sizes of communities.

We're not comparing ourselves to Detroit because we're not Detroit.

We're going to have apples and oranges, and the city is working with them.

And for Cassie and her team, thank you so much because there's a lot of initiatives that are going on that probably don't get talked about a lot.

And they don't get talked about because we got to do our homework as well, young people.

It is exciting to hear all of the stuff that everybody's doing, and I'm excited.

I'm truly excited.

I hope they're on the 22nd.

City council members will have a table or will be at the trick of Trump.

So it's not like we don't want to go.

I'm hoping that we get somebody's people to volunteer and to come out.

We know that means candy, candy, candy.

Candy for days.

Um it on Wednesday, the 8th.

It is really important that you tell somebody about this workshop.

Uh help along with myself.

We are the initiatives who actually have this program coming.

We will be filling our applications on the 8th at Delta College downtown office from 6 to 8.

These are good jobs.

These are not jobs that are gonna be here today and gone tomorrow.

They will be here.

Corney came in and met with us earlier in the year and promised us.

So I'm making them cash in.

You promise us jobs for people in the city.

Now it's time to pay up.

The jobs paid $20 an hour.

Bus ride is $7.50 a week.

They work 12 hours a day.

All we ask is that they don't come to work unintoxicated because they will be working with machinery.

I look forward to seeing all of you on Wednesday, those that can come, so that you can help the process get through.

Madam Clerk.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

And uh just we had we do have a lot going on in the next few weeks.

Yep.

Um, and I would encourage uh council and the public if you're available to attend the Saginaw Fire Department annual awards ceremony tomorrow at 10 a.m.

at Central Fire Station.

Um, is to honor those who went above and beyond the call of duty when help was desperately needed.

The annual awards ceremony allows the fire department the opportunity to recognize the efforts of citizens, firefighters, and other first responders that have made the city of Saginaw a safer community.

It also provides an opportunity to honor those firefighters who have lost their lives in the service of the city of Saginaw.

And if those uh council members who haven't been, you are in the front with uh with the fire with the fire command.

So if you come to the awards, come up to the front and see us.

Um you'll be seated up there.

Our uh citywide meeting is also this Wednesday, October 8th at 5.30 at the Saginaw Trail uh Fire Training Facility.

That's 101 East Bristol, uh, right on the river on the tower and the training facility is there.

Uh join us, it's uh fall fire safety arson watch 2025 and a live fire simulation and rescue demonstration uh with additional updates.

Um is one of the only fire departments in the region to have this live burn training unit.

So it's it's really neat to see how an opportunity to see that and uh talk to the firefighters and ask any questions and uh learn about ways to uh become involved in Arson Watch and other fire safety initiatives.

Staying with the fire department.

Um council, if you recall, you approved some funding for uh intervention program at the schools through the fire department, uh similar to uh um back when we used to have police officers.

Uh, we're doing it with a firefighter in the schools, and they're using the uh Botman Life Skills Training Program.

They did that, have been doing that at the Success Academy in Saginaw.

And we recently were notified by the assistant superintendent that they are asking if uh the fire department could expand that to the other some other schools because they've seen a lot of success at the Success Academy.

So they're asking to expand that to uh Thompson or Saginaw Middle School.

I think the students that those schools could benefit from the same programming that they've been delivering at the Success Academy.

So that's exciting news.

We're happy that the school uh district is interested in continue to partner and expand that program.

So we'll work with uh the school district to do that.

Um as uh clerk and the mayor mentioned, the City of Saginaw business businesses and organizations uh having the We Love Saginaw Businesses trunk or treat October 22nd that starts at 4 30, right across uh the lawn here, the splash pad October 20th is the last day for businesses to register.

Um we'll have a city table there, council members if you're interested in participating in that.

You can uh come to that and um it's if you haven't been it's really popular.

I don't know how many hundreds of families go to that event every year.

It's um it's been very busy each time.

So if you have have the time, I highly recommend going to it.

Um then um finally we did have an opportunity to um have a uh be involved in a um webinar with Senator Slotkin's office regarding the federal shutdown.

So I just want to uh mention a few things for the public and for council um that key takeaways from that uh Medicare, Medicaid, and social security programs will continue through though some processing delays may occur.

Uh they encourage people to contact their office if constituents have any issues.

SNAP bridge card benefits should be secure for 30 days into the shutdown through October 30th, but could lapse if it extends beyond that.

VA medical centers and outpatient clinics will remain open and operational benefits and compensation will continue to be paid.

Um we also were notified by the Department of Justice because we have a number of grants through the Department of Justice.

Uh most of the staff at the DOJ grant making offices, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Justice Programs, and Violence Against Women are on furlough status until further notice.

Um generally we would be able to continue grantee activities and projects that are already funded under existing grants using prior federal fiscal year funding would uh can generally continue.

And the Treasury's automated standard application for payments ASAP system is still open, so we can apply for those still.

And we'll we'll continue to run those um DOJ programs, and if we have to wait for reimbursement, we'll do that.

Most of those grants are reimbursement anyway, so we don't see any plan for us to stop any of that programming that we have.

So if anything changes, we'll be sure to send council an update so that you can let people know.

And those are all the items that I have, Madam Mayor.

Do we have any questions for the city manager?

Yes.

I have a question.

Um we gotta talk loud.

Um are you prepared or city staff, or have you been preparing just in case if something does happen?

Are you preparing for like a plan B or a shutdown?

Yeah, for a shutdown.

If our funding starts getting cut off, are you starting looking at the future?

Yes, so most of our the majority of our federal funding is through CDBG, and we've been anticipating changes to that for probably the last year.

So Yolanda Bland has been working on a plan with her staff for that.

DOJ is another big source of federal funding for us for those programs.

Um particularly with our victim services units, but um we'll we'll cover that.

Um we could still apply for the reimbursements and we'll if we have end up spending funds and need the reimbursement at a later date, we'll we'll submit all that at a later date.

I I would assume that it would be just delayed payments in those cases.

Yes, council maybe done.

Oh, yes, I had a question for the city manager.

Yeah, talk laugh.

I've okay I got it.

Maybe the um you or the uh attorney can answer it, but far right.

We've talked about the uh caps on the uh dispensaries in our city.

In my understanding, based off the uh information we got previously based off the uh zoning, the zoning debt the zoning kind of limits the dispensaries uh in our city as well.

Maybe the um you or the uh attorney can answer it, but far as we was talking about the uh caps on the uh dispensaries in our city, and my understanding, based off the uh information we got previously based off the uh zoning, the the zoning that the zoning kind of limits the dispensaries uh in our city as well, but far as someone to open up a dispensary in our uh in our city, what is it far as which would allow us to I know it's like a state to impose or violate any discriminatory as far as any state policies, how did that work in our c in our city far as someone's opening up the dispensary, you know, based off what we have with the zoning and everything.

Yes, I'm sorry.

You get the question as far as far as I guess what I'm trying to say is with the if we have someone to come open up a dispensary in far as whether as far as our city council board members, um if we were to oppose to that, um how how would that work based off the laws and everything in the state requirements as far as are you asking in terms of if you wanted to put in a cap?

Yes, or are you just asking in general how it's set up currently?

Well, kind of probably like both.

So how is the yeah?

So currently, if anybody wants to come in and open up a marijuana establishment, be it a retailer or grower, um, they would have to go both through the clerk's office for the business licensing end of things as well as through Ms.

Zimmerman's office for the zoning and planning portion of it.

All site plans and everything else go to the city planning commission as special use approvals.

So every single time a facility wants to come into the city of Saginaw, that does go to planning commission, and there is a check and balance and review that goes in place, and each of those are reviewed on an individual basis.

With regard to a cap, it wouldn't be my recommendation for one.

I think the market saturated, I think we're kind of at the threshold that we're at.

Um there hasn't been an application, a new application for any form of marijuana business in years.

So they're not coming in in the same manner that they were when the law first passed, and the doors were open to that.

Um additionally, if for communities who have caps built into our their ordinance, and under the state law, if you build a cap in, that means that you have to develop some sort of criteria by which you evaluate one developer's application against another.

By and large, the communities who have put those sort of caps in have been sued.

Because the the criteria, i it it's hard to write criteria that is fair and balanced and completely objective versus subjective.

Yes, council.

Thanks uh thanks, Mayor.

To to add on to this a little bit more because I have followed things real closely, and being on the planning commission, we just went through a complete zoning rewrite where the dispensaries were able to be before, you could have them pretty much anywhere except the DDA district, and that included residentials.

In the new, and I will send this to the manager so he can send it up to the council members, which I also provided to the person that um uh Miss Seals that spoke tonight.

Um I did some research on pros and cons, legal challenges, community concerns, and so I'm gonna forward that to Tim as well so you can send that to the council members so they can review this.

Um and it's not anything that we haven't heard before, especially with the caps causing legal issues on your criteria.

But going back to our zoning map, it's not real clear here, but I did bring some copies with me tonight.

You can only have them in the B1 local business district now, and only in the light industrial areas.

And so if you look at a map, your a light industrials are all outside the uh limits of the city, and then your B1 districts, there's just like a few of them along the major corridors now.

With that said, let's say you go to open up a business, what they're gonna do, the city's gonna do is they're gonna GIS map you.

They're gonna say where do you want to put your location, and then they're gonna do a GIS location that's gonna do all your school setbacks, existing dispensaries, any of the other things in our ordinance where you cannot have one.

And if you put that on the map, I don't even see where you're putting one in the city right now.

And I would love to see a GIS map, but I'm not gonna ask our staff to do that.

That's just wasted FTE.

But um, I hope that that helps.

So I've got some information I'll pass along, and I did gather that up over the last couple of days, so because I've been kind of working on this, and I think Miss Seals for calling me, we did have a phone conversation about this too.

And please feel free to call me back.

I have a question, city manager.

Uh I represent Sagma for urban corps and mayors through the state of Michigan.

The question was asked at our last meeting about terrorists.

Do we have something in place if any if anything about to come into the city?

Is there anything in place?

About what?

Terrace.

Ice.

Any of them coming in?

Do we have anything in place for our citizens?

You mean services?

Right.

I think Mayor Pro Tem and I talked about that quite some time ago.

Most of those services would be from nonprofits.

Yeah, but I think she's worked on that previously, so she could probably provide that information to other council members.

Don't actually get it to everybody.

Okay.

It might be a topic of discussion.

With the shutdowns and everything's getting ready to happen.

So I think everybody up here needs to be aware of where fallout shelter is, where we need to go, what we need to do, and all of that.

Any other questions?

You look baffled, Councilwoman Ham.

No, I'm good.

No, the question was real simple.

We were just trying to figure out any event that something did happen.

Where would we go?

And they were asking in their cities, and I looked dumbfounded like a deal with headlights and the headlights.

And I'm like, I'm not sure.

Thank we go to a church.

And so they were just asking the question.

And I said I needed to come back and asked it because we were at a planning meeting, and a young lady got up and spoke for 20 minutes about it.

Yeah, okay.

And she was directed to go to the courthouse.

I guess I did.

I guess I misunderstood the question because just because you mentioned ice.

So there's different things.

If um like disaster preparedness, the county does have a disaster preparedness program that council, I believe council approves that.

Yeah.

Uh every year.

I think it's every Brandon is every year, every few years.

Uh multiple years.

So it's a multiple year program, but we can provide that to you.

And um the public safety, countywide police fire, um countywide sheriff, other entities, they do uh disaster table exercises pretty frequently, I think annually at least, and even up to involving the MBS Airport and other services.

So we'll get you that that plan so that's good because I don't want them to say Saginaw's lost, we're not lost.

We're not lost, we standing up, we being counted for too.

So thank you so much.

Any other questions?

Uh thanks, Tim, for bringing that up.

That for the new council members, we do follow the county, and when COVID hit, we followed their emergency procedures through that.

So thanks for bringing that up.

Any other questions?

Thank you so much, Mr.

Manager.

Madam Clerk.

Onto the consent agenda.

The agenda has been available on City Hall and on the city web page.

I need a motion to approve the considered agenda, leaving room for exceptions.

So moved.

Second.

It's been moved in second.

Do we have any exception?

Hearing no exception.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Madam Clerk.

On to board commission and committee reports.

Do we have anyone who has any reports to deal with Saginaw?

Madam Clerk.

On to resolutions, we have one on the agenda.

It's to amend the Brownfield plan for the city of Saginaw to include the South Water Street redevelopment located at 107, 11, and 121 Southwater Street.

I need a motion to adopt.

So second.

It's been moved to second.

Any discussion?

Yes, I'm gonna there's gonna be one development for all these addresses.

Yeah, it's uh it's all going to be enclosed.

Uh, I do believe the planning commission uh approved the um layout of everything, but it's all gonna be in uh fence in area, uh and the outbuildings I believe are going to be the bathrooms.

They're contiguous parcels.

They're right next to each other.

They're right next to each other, they're next to each other.

Okay, you just give me one building.

That's what I'm asking.

Oh, no, so there's one main building and then two smaller buildings, but all on the same parcel.

Okay, thank you.

Any other questions?

Yes, sure.

Um, you mentioned in your initial proposal that this represents a 21 million dollar private investment.

What's 2.1?

Oh, okay.

That was the Minards project a few weeks ago.

Gotcha.

Any other questions?

When you bring in the $21 million budget.

I only can do this so often.

I'm sorry.

Calling for the vote, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

Madam Clerk.

On to miscellaneous business.

Do we have any miscellaneous business before we go into closed session?

I need a motion to go at the closed session.

So moved.

Second.

It's been moved in second roll call vote.

Councilmember Young.

Aye.

Yes.

Councilmember Seals?

Yes.

Councilmember Balls?

Yes.

Mayor Pro Tem Garcia?

Yes.

Councilmember Ostash?

Yes.

Councilmember Braddock?

Yes.

Councilmember Wiggins?

Yes.

Councilmember Hammond?

Yes.

And Mayor Moore?

Yes.

You have all yes votes.

You are in closed session at 721.

I need a motion to move back into regular session.

So moved.

Second.

It's been moved to second in discussion.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Aye.

I move all.

I'd like to make a motion to be uh we take the recommendation of our uh legal team with the uh regarding land of pending litigation.

So move to I'm sorry, I'm not sure.

All those opposed lead the motion to adjourn.

So they move this second, all those in favor signify by saying I'll those in closed if I have