It also uh has the added benefit of um helping folks um to get uh uh if there are uh we constantly encounter folks who have issues but uh that are neighborhood type issues but are not uh they're not city residents, therefore we're powerless to address their issues, and and so often uh uh uh uh it an added benefit of this approach is it will allow us to refer them to the right local government if if they have a direct service need that's that's not in your purview.

So yes, so we will we do look at them in in the to use your word screening, but we're not saying we're not allowing you to speak or not, because I I've been reading the comments, you know, and people are afraid of the we're not screening or editing subject matter or anything of that nature.

We're simply directing people to the correct resource, and as a matter of fact, by policy, if you want to come and talk about a neighborhood issue outside the city limits, you could do that too.

But most of the folks just want um to be talking to the right uh right group to to have their needs met.

So uh we hope that will be convenient for all parties.

Yes, Ms.

Rogers.

Chris, can I ask a follow-up question?

So um if someone does want to call in and and have the city staff support in filling out this form, is it also by noon on is it the same deadline and time frame?

That's right.

And we the these next few meetings we can help folks if there's timing issues.

It it's just to make sure that we don't uh have a uh we're not ill-equipped.

Great.

And then my last question is there a limit to the number of of people that can address council?

No, that would be a matter of uh council if if council wanted to do that, you all are uh in control of your agenda.

But right now it's however many folks sign up, everyone's two minutes.

Okay, great, thanks.

Good, good.

Any other questions?

Thank you, Mr.

Story.

Thank you, sir.

Council updates.

And before we go to council updates, I do want to make mention, because I'm sure everybody else may steal my thunder here.

Um uh the 39th annual Martin Luther King Jr.

Unity Week celebration.

Uh it actually kicks off on Thursday.

Um the the mayor has a breakfast Thursday morning, but also that evening uh we have the art contest reception at 6 o'clock p.m.

at Chapman Culture Center, 200 East Main Street on Friday, Friday.

We all recognize January the 16th as kindness day, all day.

Be kind to your neighbor, be kind to your friend.

But as we had that theme about young people, uh we will have a um uh teen takeover at Dr.

TK Gregg Recreation Team uh Center United Team Takeover on Friday.

So our teenagers will be there from seven until we decide it's time to go home, but they will have access to the centers just to open it up, a safe place for them to go and uh um you know just blow off steam and just be in a safe environment.

That's just one thing that we're doing for them early on.

Also Saturday we have the walk is one, nine o'clock a.m.

We will start at the uh uh Robert Chapman, the third uh center for philanthropy, right there on 431 East Kennedy Street.

Thank you, Troy Hannah, uh for uh helping us with that.

That is nine o'clock Saturday morning the 17th.

Also Sunday, Sunday, January the 19th, community celebration, three o'clock.

We have a dynamic speaker at Sponberg Memorial Auditorium, dynamic keynote speaker, Dr.

Adolph Brown.

If you not if you have not heard him, please come out.

Dynamic young man, really bringing some energy and again, he will have some focus for our young young people and some of the young folks that participate in the teen night will actually get an opportunity to meet with him prior to his um uh speech.

And also on Monday, United Way Day of Service, a day on, not a day off.

We all uh uh would ask you to go out to volunteer, uh take the uh example from the uh Delters in in the back where they are always doing community service.

I'm sure they will be out somewhere with a day on and not a day off, as we all will be as well uh sitting here uh in this uh on this dais.

So um with that being said, council updates.

We're gonna start down here with council one uh member Rogers.

We're gonna start down here with Council uh member Rogers Great, thank you.

Um good evening, happy new year, everyone.

Um I want to congratulate Mr.

Mayor, Councilmember Fulmer, Councilmember Sally, and Councilmember Brown when she returns.

Um a couple things that I have on on my mind this evening.

First of all, I hope everyone's taking care of themselves to stay healthy, caring for their loved ones this time of year.

Um the next thing I wanted to bring up was I had an opportunity to speak to several community members about the Spartago pilot over the holiday.

Um I know the city is is amplifying the information, um, but there's still members of our community that haven't seen that.

So please talk about SpartaGo.

Please grab a friend, hop on, try it.

Um these particular community members were we're very excited about the opportunity to save on gas and just come uh back and forth with the city.

So was happy to share that information.

Um and then I think that uh lastly um I would like to just thank Miss Wright for the courage to come and speak to us.

Um the River Birch Trail is very much in my district, and I personally care about all of our trails and and the ability for us to walk together.

I want to acknowledge and thank the city staff.

I did hear about this incident earlier today.

The city and the police department were immediately uh meeting and connecting, and um I have not been able to get a full update, but I just want to acknowledge the responsiveness of our of our staff.

Um I also want to acknowledge the Good Samaritan Nature.

Miss Wright talked about several members or several community members on the trail and a woman that helped her.

I think that you know, we live in a community where we care about one another, we want these resources.

Trails are such a beautiful way not only to be out in nature and exercise, but also interact with the people that we care about and that live nearby.

So please let's continue this this support of one another.

It is our responsibility not only to take care of ourselves and make sure that we're being safe on the trail, but to care for those around us.

Um, you know, human being, child, pet, um, however, we we share this space in the community.

It's our responsibility too.

And I just want to also um acknowledge Pal.

Pal does have resources on their website as well as their social media on good tips and and things, um, even to wear layers uh as you walk down the trail and stay warm, but also for safety.

Um, one of those being that if you do call 911 on the trail, 911 operators are able to pinpoint your location based on on different pins and markers that PAL and the city have collaborated with, and and you may not be able to see it as a walker, but those those support systems exist, and it was something that I found very important as I was walking on trails with my young children when the trails first started.

So please let's take care of each other, let's support and do our part in making sure our communities are safe and continue to work with our police department and our city staff.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Councilwoman Smith.

Yes, uh happy new year, everyone.

Um the mayor has already addressed that councilwoman Brown is not here.

She had a certain surgery, um, but she sent some some words that I'm gonna read for all of you.

I know she's watching, so hey Erica.

Um she says that she misses being here with us tonight.

Congratulations to the mayor and to my fellow council members.

Thank you all for her well wishes.

She's listening, I'm listening, she's listening to all of the doctors' orders and doing her best to get back to her regular routine, and she looks forward to the work ahead in 2026.

So I'm hopeful that she'll be back with us in two weeks and she can have her swearing-in ceremony as well.

But I share her congratulations to you all, look forward to what's ahead as well.

Um, thank you for your words about our young people.

Um, as an educator myself, that's also a focus of mine.

I had the privilege of spending uh the morning with uh Jesselin's class from Wafford.

So Chris Chris's wife is uh uh works at Wafford, and she had a group of young people over in my office today, and we talked about community and supporting each other, and how when one individual wins, so to say, in the game of life, then we all do, and what we want for ourselves is what we should want for everyone in our community.

And we had a just a great conversation, especially with this one young man from Tennessee, who's a freshman here at Wafford, and he shared how just government right now is putting a bad taste in his mouth, and what he's seeing at a at a larger level is making him really question being involved in his community, and how can he really trust what is what is real and what is genuine?

And it made me really think you know how the young people are watching us, and I told him to not give up on local government, that I can understand his distrust of layers of government above us, and and I wanted to validate his experience as probably so many of us are feeling right now as well.

But our young people are watching us, and so just what you were saying, taking care of each other, showing up for each other.

We're gonna hear this next week a lot about Martin Luther King Jr.'s beloved community, and that's not something that we can walk into on our own, but it's something that we have to create.

And uh tradition of mine every every time of year, uh, this time of year is to read Dr.

King's letter from a Birmingham jail.

And so I encourage you, especially my um fellow white folks.

That's a great letter to read as it's written to um white Baptist pastors um and the white moderate, and it's just a great thing to be challenged by every year.

So if you're lacking in something to read, I encourage you to pick that up this next week as we enter into this time of reflection and um unity um in achieving it and in desiring it.

So thank you.

Just had the discussion with the Viking early college seniors with uh letter from a Birmingham jail, so very inspiring.

Councilwoman Salin.

Thank you.

I want to say thank you all for coming out tonight, and condolences to the Span family.

I do know it's Jane Svan, and I'm sorry to do that, and but that's the way life is.

Also, I asked you guys your proud of my husband due to the sickness.

And so it's right.

I'm sorry that happened, and I do hope that we can remedy the problem for you and make it safer for everyone.

Also, uh looking forward to the next four years.

I do know that we are economically growing.

Uh thank you to Miss U Catherine for putting us on on the map, because she does.

Everybody else does what they want to do, but she puts us on the map.

Um, to the staff of Spartan City, thank you all.

Um, to my council members, thank you all.

I'm not gonna say any more than what you all have already re-interated, and that's brand.

Um happy new year.

Thank you.

Councilman Former.

Uh, yes, sir, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh, certainly wish uh council member Brown a speedy recovery and look forward to having her back in two weeks and and certainly uh thinking about rolling as he he tries to get better as well.

Um Juliette, thank you for sharing your story.

It was it was uh it was it was important to do that, and I know it wasn't easy, but but we appreciate it, and and I think awareness is something that's extremely important in a situation like that.

It's not not always the the common thing, so we appreciate that.

Um, and then I'd like to finally uh thank Carolina Foothills Credit Union for their investment in Spartanburg.

Um really excited about uh what you're planning to do for Spartanburg and as well as having uh a corporate headquarters located here.

That's exciting.

So appreciate everything you're doing.

Um, and then thank you everybody for coming out tonight.

Uh it was a great crowd, and and we appreciate the opportunity to see each other and uh get ready for the next year.

Mayor Pearl Tim.

Yes, um Mayor, first of all, I want to thank you all for your confidence and your vote.

Thank you very much.

Um I want to say too, I am saddened to hear about Jane Spann.

I was just at her house Saturday, and I took a plant there, and I thought that she was going to come around because she maybe beat it, and so I am very sad to hear that she has passed, but I'm sure she has gone on to a better place.

And then I um my sisters that are here in that deep colored pink that you're wearing.

You all look beautiful, gosh, and thank you for coming out.

And then it's Cece Woodson on Sour Day.

Um about a hundred young men were there, and I want to thank the city of Spartanburg, the police department, and everybody that took part of that.

It was wonderful.

I was excited to see so many young men there, and I hope that these young men would go on to do something good, and they will come off the street, the ones that are on the street, that they will come out because continue doing something good and positive in the community.

Um I want to congratulate, and I think I congratulate you already on your um reappointment there.

And police presence, this is the last thing that I'm going to say.

Um, I know that we have a lot of technology up there, and we can see everything in Spartanburg, and you all they can see everything in Spartanburg.

I mean, from that building up there, because they can sit and see you when you even go walk outside your door because they can see that, because that's a great thing.

However, I don't think that technology can completely go replace boots on the ground.

And uh with all of the crime that's taking place in the city of Spartanburg, and I am saddened by it, because the majority of the crime that is taking place is done by people that don't even live in the city, and that's the sad part about it.

So I am hoping that we can get more presence on the ground that people can see your faces.

That makes a difference.

Even a car going through the neighborhood, and they can see you out there, but that makes a difference.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, uh, council.

I mean, Mayor Pro Tim.

And I move we all agree that you know uh that the presence, you know, is is a deterrent is being proactive.

So we totally agree with you.

I too had the opportunity to um go to CC Saturday morning to greet the uh young people.

Um like uh council um Mayor Pro Tim mentioned about a hundred young folks, and they saw the way that PD works, and it was actually put on by our uh police department, so outstanding job major and all everyone else that played a part in it.

Um but again uh I just want to continue on that theme of opportunity, Carolina Foothills.

Thank you guys for what you have done in the past with power up and helping with the home loans over on the north side, and it's just an outstanding uh outfit, and and thank you for bringing your corporate office here to Spartanburg again, an opportunity for all people, and uh so that's what we want to see as we move forward.

Again, thank you all for being here.

Um happy new year to you, and um I think we have an opportunity for an adjournment.

Second, all in favor?

Uh let's go home.

Thank you all for being here.

Caleb, Caleb, I forgot to mention Caleb Hodge.

You're talking about a young person that's involved and want to be involved.

Caleb, thank you for coming, man.

Thank you.