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Heat. Heat.

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[Music]

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Heat. Heat. N.

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Hey. Hey. Hey.

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[Music]

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Heat. Heat.

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[Music]

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Hey,

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[Music]

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hey, hey.

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Heat. Heat. N.

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[Music]

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Hey, hey, hey.

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[Music]

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[Applause]

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[Music]

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Heat. Heat.

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[Music]

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Heat. Heat.

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[Music]

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This is not

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Thank you.

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I'd like to call the city city caucus

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meeting to order for Monday, June 9th,

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2025.

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We have one public hearing this evening.

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If the clerk would please read public

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number public hearing number one for the

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redirection of a portion of Chrysler

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Avenue from a two-way street to a

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one-way street from the intersection of

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Crane and Main Street to Ostrander

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Place. Discussed and committed with

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objection on consent. Item number two.

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for original

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consideration. A resolution calling for

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a public hearing for weight limit

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postings on Kings Road.

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discussed in committee without objection

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on consent. Item number three

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item number item number two for original

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consideration a resolution authorizing

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fee waiverss for exterior building

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repair permits discussed in committee

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without objection on consent.

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Yes, Mr. uh Williams call

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on item number two. Roll call. Yes,

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ma'am. Okay, thank you.

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Item number three. Item number three for

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original consideration. A resolution

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recognizing the celebration of Junth,

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2025.

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Discussed in committee with objection on

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consent. Item number four. Item number

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four for original consideration. A

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resolution recognizing Caribbean

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American Heritage Month. Discussed in

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committee with objection.

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And on consent, item number 4A for

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unanimous consent. Item number 4 A for

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unanimous consent. A resolution

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supporting funding for Belmont Pop

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Warner program.

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I need a motion to place item number 4A

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on the floor. Moved by Mr. Williams,

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second by Mr. Mancini. All in favor?

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Okay. Is there any objection to item

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number 4 A?

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Since there's no objection to this item,

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may I have a motion to place it onto the

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consent agenda?

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Moved by Mr. Farley.

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Second by Mr. Mancini.

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All in favor?

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If there's no objection, we can go u we

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can put this on the consent agenda.

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If there's nothing more to come before

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the city council caucus, I ask for a

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motion to adjurnn.

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Moved by Miss Pat uh moved by Miss

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Patrick, second by Mr. Williams. All in

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favor? We are adjourned. I'd like to

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call the city council meeting to order

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for Monday, October uh excuse me,

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October June 9th, 2025.

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And this afternoon, we do not have

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anyone to um to offer up the prayer.

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However, I would like to us to stand.

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I'd like to offer this prayer for the

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community.

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Dear Lord, I bring the people of

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Skenctity to you today. I pray that you

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give everyone comfort, companion, and

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companionship and hope. Please surround

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us with your love and care and make us

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feel your presence in our lives. Lord,

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help this council to be an instrument to

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seek out, to help, and to give uh

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support where is needed. God, I ask that

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you open the eyes of others to give a

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hand on the back to those who they come

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in contact with. I pray that you bring

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people together into their their lives

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who can be supportive and encouraging

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and that you would open up opportunities

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for them for to form meaningful

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relationships. Help us Lord to find joy

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and fulfillment in our lives and our

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duties that you've assigned to us

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despise despite what we may go through.

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Thank you, God, for the gift of

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community and how you bring people

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together. We pray that you will use us

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to bless everyone in our midst and to

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show them all love and compassion. Amen.

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I'd ask uh council member Patrick

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to lead us in the pledge.

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I pledge algiance to the flag of the

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United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands, one nation

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all. Thank you.

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[Music]

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Thank you. If the clerk Yes. If the

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clerk could please complete the roll

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call.

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Absent. Mr. Farley here. Mr. Mancini

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here. Mr. Muver present. Miss Patrick

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here. Mr. Williams here. Miss

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Porterfield here.

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We have one public hearing this evening.

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And I just want to remind everyone that

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the public comment period for um

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on public hearings is four minutes and I

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ask also ask that you respectfully only

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speak to the subject of the public

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hearing itself. Thank you. I have four

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people who are signed up to speak for

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the public hearing.

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number one is regarding

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the redirection of a portion of Chrysler

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Avenue from a two-way street to a

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one-way street from the intersection of

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Crane and Main Streets to Ostrander

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Place.

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So, the first person of the four to

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speak is Chamele Davis.

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Good evening. I've been in two accidents

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on that road. Uh it's very small. It's

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hard for three cars to fit and there's

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parking on both sides. I believe it

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should be changed to a oneway. All

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right. Well, thank you,

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Maron Dos.

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I agree. It should uh be changed to a

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oneway. All right. Thank you,

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Ellie Pepper.

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Good evening, mayor, council president,

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city council members. I totally agree

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with making that a one-way street. It's

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really dangerous to go down that street

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when it's two-way. Um, if everybody's

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parked on one side, it's really hard to

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get out of the way of somebody coming

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towards you. Thanks.

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Thank you very much,

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Dean Morabado. Thank you.

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Good evening, Mayor, Madame President,

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members of the council. Uh yeah, it is a

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dangerous uh situation right now. I've

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driven down that street many times. It's

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really difficult. and reading through

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the surveys that were given out to

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people, it seemed like it was uh

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unanimously

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uh felt that there should be a one-way

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street. So, I agree with that. Thank

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you. Thank you.

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I have no one else signed up to speak,

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so I declare the public hearing um

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comment period on public hearing number

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one closed.

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I'll ask for approval of minutes from

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March 27th, 2025.

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Motion by Miss Patrick, second by Mr.

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Williams. All those in favor? I.

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The clerk could please read any

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communications and petitions.

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Communications presented to the city

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council for Monday, June 9th, 2025.

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Under official, there were none. Under

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general from PD Boris, two emails

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regarding the public hearing. She is

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interested in finding out the reason for

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the redirection of traffic and how the

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data was collected. She also noted that

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she still has not been able to find her

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belongings and under petitions there

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were none. Thank you. Call on council

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members for any committee reports.

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Okay.

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So we'll have privilege over the floor

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related to the legislative agenda.

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So I just want to make a few things

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clear. I see there's uh there are people

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signed up who may not have been here for

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our process before. So I just want to

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give some clarifying um direction. The

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privilege of the floor is three minutes

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and you would speak to on the

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legislative uh agenda item that you came

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here to speak about. At the end of the

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three minutes, if you're still within

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your comment and you need to just finish

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it up, I will allow you to do that. But

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we ask that that you not go over um an

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extended period of time.

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So for this um comment and you have and

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let me just also say we left the sheets

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out there. We asked people to sign up

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ahead of time. So the names I will be

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calling are names who have signed up to

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speak at this particular time on this

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particular um agenda item

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and we will not be entertaining any

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beyond that.

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Thank you.

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So, I have

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seven, eight people signed up to speak.

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And the first person, Earl Walker,

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Wallace, Wallace, Earl Wallace.

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Um, am I correct that the um on agenda

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item 4A, you're considering uh

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supporting Pop Warner? That is correct,

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sir. That's the uh I'm from the

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Republican party and I would like to

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address that issue. Been involved with

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youth programming my entire life. been a

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high school English teacher, played Pop

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Warner football up in Saratoga Springs,

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been a city resident since uh 1989.

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I would um request that we would um

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encourage parents to support Pop Water

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and that we don't do it as a city

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council with public funds. Uh how many

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sports will we end up supporting? I

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believe that um it's better for the

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community if parents are involved in

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raising the money. Perhaps the city can

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help the parents raise the money by um

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encouraging uh donations through a a

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city council website. But u my main

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thing is I would like to see that um

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left to the parents and we don't want to

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get our sports programs into a

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politicized program where perhaps maybe

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the next council may come along and

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decide that they're going to encourage

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certain coaches to be involved with the

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program because they're getting public

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money. Thank you. Thank you.

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Alyssa Hill.

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Good evening. I'd like to speak on

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behalf of the Belmont Cheer Program. Um,

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I am one of the I am a co-coordinator of

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the cheer program along with Immani

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Racer and I've been doing this for about

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at least three years now. I've been

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coaching for four. And I just wanted to

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say that our cheer program significantly

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lacks in being successful because we

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lack the appropriate equipment that we

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need to be successful comparable to

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other programs in the area. Um for

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example, there are programs like Colony

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Pop Warner who charge $350 for

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registration. um we will never charge

278
00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,559
that high because we know the needs of

279
00:18:34,559 --> 00:18:37,200
our families in this community and we

280
00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,440
that's why we have consistently kept it

281
00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,200
pretty much the same price. We've we've

282
00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,679
gone up a little bit this past year but

283
00:18:43,679 --> 00:18:45,600
we we don't really want to move it any

284
00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:47,520
higher because we know that our families

285
00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,480
cannot afford that and it has shown um

286
00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,720
in previous seasons. We also um we lack

287
00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,480
as far as where are the funds would go for cheer related it would be

288
00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,760
towards new uniforms uh cheer mats

289
00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,880
especially um it is hard to practice if

290
00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,000
anybody knows anything about

291
00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,360
cheerleading but it's hard to practice

292
00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,160
stunts and get more competitive because

293
00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,240
we don't have the cheerleading mats that

294
00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,080
we need. We also don't have anywhere to

295
00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,360
store them. Um we

296
00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:19,600
you know we work hard every year to fund

297
00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:21,200
raise. You know, a lot of people have

298
00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,280
mentioned, you know, as doing community

299
00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,520
fundraisers. We already do that um

300
00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,600
multiple times a year in different ways.

301
00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,080
Um and there's still a a lack of funds

302
00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,880
needed. Um and a lot of families

303
00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,640
struggle to um support the expensive

304
00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,000
travel that is required with um the

305
00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,080
competitiveness of the program. you

306
00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,320
know, as as the further that cheer or

307
00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,799
even football moves on, um the farther

308
00:19:46,799 --> 00:19:49,520
we go and it gets more expensive. And

309
00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,760
so, it's just always been a struggle for

310
00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,799
um the cheer program alone um is is

311
00:19:54,799 --> 00:19:57,600
really personal to me. I I started in

312
00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,280
Belmont when I was 5 years old as a

313
00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:01,440
mascot and cheered all the way up

314
00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,039
through high school. And I um would love

315
00:20:05,039 --> 00:20:07,760
to keep it a competitive and successful

316
00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,080
program for our community because a lot

317
00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:12,320
of times, you know, Pop Warner is the

318
00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,799
only program that people can afford.

319
00:20:14,799 --> 00:20:15,919
When I was young, I wanted to do

320
00:20:15,919 --> 00:20:17,360
all-star cheerleading and my family

321
00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:19,200
couldn't afford it and many people can

322
00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,440
afford it. Um so I just want to really

323
00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,960
emphasize that it's not we're not asking

324
00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,600
for funds just just to ask for them. Um,

325
00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:31,200
we truly do think that we can be even

326
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,280
more successful with the funds that we

327
00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:37,200
would be receiving. And I know on on

328
00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,159
behalf of the football program, they too

329
00:20:40,159 --> 00:20:42,400
um have have been successful in the

330
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:44,159
past, but just imagine how much farther

331
00:20:44,159 --> 00:20:47,520
we could go if we had the support from

332
00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,159
the city and the community um more than

333
00:20:50,159 --> 00:20:59,029
what we do now. Thank you. Thank you.

334
00:20:59,039 --> 00:21:11,430
DC Dunle.

335
00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:13,520
Good afternoon. My name is DC Dunle. I'm

336
00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:14,960
here on behalf of the youth that you see

337
00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,039
sitting behind us. I know many of you

338
00:21:17,039 --> 00:21:19,679
city council name members personally

339
00:21:19,679 --> 00:21:22,000
through my mentor, Walter Simkins. And

340
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,520
on behalf of Walter, one thing I'd like

341
00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:25,760
to make very clear is we're not beggars

342
00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:27,280
in the marketplace. That's not why we're

343
00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,520
here. We're not asking you to fully fund

344
00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,039
our program. We're asking you to support

345
00:21:31,039 --> 00:21:33,200
our program. There's a lot of funding

346
00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:34,640
that goes into this program that's not

347
00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,720
in the budget, such as mental support,

348
00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:39,440
emotional support. A lot of us coaches

349
00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,280
bring kids to and from practice on our

350
00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:42,799
own dollar that we don't include in

351
00:21:42,799 --> 00:21:45,679
this. We fund kids playing that's not

352
00:21:45,679 --> 00:21:47,520
included in that budget. So, there's a

353
00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:48,559
lot of other costs that aren't

354
00:21:48,559 --> 00:21:50,480
associated with it. And sitting in these

355
00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:52,159
past two meetings is real disheartening

356
00:21:52,159 --> 00:21:54,240
hearing how much objection there is to

357
00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,240
supporting the youth of this city is you

358
00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,320
guys are all in these positions because

359
00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,200
you come to us to vote for you and now

360
00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:02,480
you're looking the youth in the face

361
00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,080
specifically you because all the other

362
00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:05,679
members from what I understand are in

363
00:22:05,679 --> 00:22:07,600
agreement with moving this forward but

364
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,679
specifically you miss Patrick is real

365
00:22:09,679 --> 00:22:11,760
sir you have to address the chair you

366
00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,799
can't all right Marian I apologize

367
00:22:14,799 --> 00:22:17,120
so it's extremely disheartening hearing

368
00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:19,840
that there's so

369
00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,159
resistance to supporting the youth and

370
00:22:22,159 --> 00:22:23,600
consideration for what's going to be

371
00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,039
happening next year when we're trying to

372
00:22:25,039 --> 00:22:26,880
figure out what's going on right now. We

373
00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:28,559
we're we're turning away the fact that

374
00:22:28,559 --> 00:22:31,039
kids are hungry right now because other

375
00:22:31,039 --> 00:22:32,880
kids may possibly be hungry a couple

376
00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:34,080
months from now, hypothetically

377
00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:35,840
speaking, or next year we should

378
00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:37,280
consider it when right now the problem

379
00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:39,039
is at hand. And considering the fact

380
00:22:39,039 --> 00:22:41,600
that the money is already there, but you

381
00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:42,960
don't know what to do with it or you

382
00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:44,720
don't know where it's going is, those

383
00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:46,000
are exact words. We don't know where

384
00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,240
it's going. I don't understand what the

385
00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:50,320
problem is is

386
00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,400
we're we're counting the cost, but what

387
00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,159
does it cost not to support these kids?

388
00:22:54,159 --> 00:22:55,520
What does it cost to turn these kids

389
00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:56,960
away from sports? What does it cost to

390
00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,120
have these kids on Chrysler app right

391
00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:00,159
around the corner from the football

392
00:23:00,159 --> 00:23:01,280
field where you're trying to make it a

393
00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,159
one-way street? There's a lot of a kid

394
00:23:04,159 --> 00:23:05,520
was just killed around the corner who

395
00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,360
could have been in something positive or

396
00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:08,640
doing something else. So, when we invest

397
00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,200
in the youth, you see different results.

398
00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,679
I myself am an alumni of Belmont Pop

399
00:23:13,679 --> 00:23:15,840
Warner as a child. My mother never paid

400
00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:17,200
for a single year of me playing Pop

401
00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,919
Warner. But here I am giving my time

402
00:23:19,919 --> 00:23:21,600
four to five days a week, investing in

403
00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:23,039
these youth, investing my own dollars,

404
00:23:23,039 --> 00:23:25,919
investing my own time. And that's what

405
00:23:25,919 --> 00:23:28,240
comes back from investing in youth. Now

406
00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,679
t-fold return. And we're not asking you

407
00:23:31,679 --> 00:23:34,159
to, like I said, we're not asking you to

408
00:23:34,159 --> 00:23:35,200
carry the program because that's going

409
00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,760
to be done regardless. Speaking on

410
00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:39,120
parents should be involved in it not

411
00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:40,880
becoming a city problem. The parents

412
00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:42,240
been supporting this program for 50

413
00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:43,760
years. We haven't asked for a dollar for

414
00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,480
50 years. So you can't say what we

415
00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:47,600
should be doing when we've already

416
00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,520
proven the success of what we've done.

417
00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:51,840
We haven't the the program goes on with

418
00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,480
or without you. So as the

419
00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:56,880
representatives of this city, it's your

420
00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,200
guys's responsibility to support. We're

421
00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:00,400
not asking you to carry it. We're just

422
00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,000
asking you to support. And the amount of

423
00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,799
resistance that goes into support is

424
00:24:04,799 --> 00:24:06,480
extremely disgusting considering that

425
00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:08,400
these children that you're saying don't

426
00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,080
need it are the same children whose

427
00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:11,440
parents you're asking for to vote for

428
00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,679
you. the same children's parents are

429
00:24:13,679 --> 00:24:15,200
putting you in the position to deny

430
00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,000
them. I I I really don't get it as a

431
00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,720
member of this city. So clearly I need

432
00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,559
to be more involved with uh what's going

433
00:24:22,559 --> 00:24:24,080
on down here in these city council

434
00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:27,600
meetings. And it's not directly a jab at

435
00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,720
anyone personal, but it we got to do

436
00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,120
better. Is Belmont slogan one team one

437
00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:35,039
family. And right now you're turning

438
00:24:35,039 --> 00:24:36,559
down the entire family because you're

439
00:24:36,559 --> 00:24:39,120
concerned about families we don't even

440
00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:41,520
know of. Your time is expired. Huh? Your

441
00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:43,120
time is expired. That was a fast three

442
00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:46,880
minutes, Marian. But I said, put on your

443
00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:48,559
own iPhones if you think mine is wrong.

444
00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:49,840
Okay, you can we can all do that. But

445
00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:51,600
your time has expired. Thank you. You're

446
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:55,610
welcome.

447
00:24:55,620 --> 00:24:59,029
[Applause]

448
00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:06,870
Shame Davis.

449
00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,919
Good evening again. I um I just want to

450
00:25:09,919 --> 00:25:13,279
mirror the remarks from DC Dunker. I'm I

451
00:25:13,279 --> 00:25:17,600
am I am wholly disappointed and uh I

452
00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:19,039
feel like you guys should be ashamed.

453
00:25:19,039 --> 00:25:21,760
The city should be ashamed that you you

454
00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,159
talk about spending $3 million on

455
00:25:24,159 --> 00:25:29,679
sprinkler systems and golf courses and and and all the organizations that

456
00:25:29,679 --> 00:25:31,840
get reoccurring funding without having

457
00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:33,840
to prove or show anything. But yet you

458
00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:35,840
got an organization that say that's been

459
00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:37,919
doing it like they said 50 years by the

460
00:25:37,919 --> 00:25:40,480
self helping the youth with or without

461
00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:42,480
the city and the one time they come to

462
00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,960
the city is nothing but resistance. It

463
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,279
is shameful and disgusting man. That's

464
00:25:47,279 --> 00:25:54,789
all I got to say.

465
00:25:54,799 --> 00:26:02,149
Maran Dobs.

466
00:26:02,159 --> 00:26:05,039
Hi, my name is Marshawn Dobs. I just

467
00:26:05,039 --> 00:26:08,240
like to say, you know, um this is

468
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:09,679
definitely my son's been playing for

469
00:26:09,679 --> 00:26:12,000
three years and he loves this sport.

470
00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,159
has been nothing but good to

471
00:26:14,159 --> 00:26:17,440
him. Um it does encourage a lot of the

472
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,840
kids to stay out the streets. It

473
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,000
encourages him to um you know, have good

474
00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,200
grades in school. Um we're definitely

475
00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,480
disappointed with certain things. Um

476
00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:30,640
there's like they said there's 250 kids

477
00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,200
that play and there's many of parents

478
00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:37,200
that do vote and we are noticing who we

479
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,679
should vote for. So uh yeah, I'm just

480
00:26:39,679 --> 00:26:41,600
letting that be known. Thank you. Thank

481
00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,610
you,

482
00:26:44,620 --> 00:26:47,840
[Applause]

483
00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:55,830
Ellie Pepper.

484
00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,320
Somebody's really tall. Good evening

485
00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,520
again. Um, I am in total support of

486
00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,799
finding some way to provide funding for

487
00:27:04,799 --> 00:27:08,320
the Belmont Pop Warner organization.

488
00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,720
And if other sports organizations come,

489
00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,960
that's fine. That's okay. Let's let's

490
00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,480
hear it. Uh, let's support our youth.

491
00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,080
We're always talking about youth not

492
00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,159
having anything to do, youth hanging out

493
00:27:20,159 --> 00:27:22,720
on the streets. This is something that

494
00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:24,720
uh provides a good opportunity and

495
00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,520
frankly of all the places where my tax

496
00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:29,279
dollars could go, this is one place I

497
00:27:29,279 --> 00:27:36,480
would like to see it go. Thank you.

498
00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:42,070
Calvin Tyron.

499
00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:43,600
Hello. How you doing tonight? My name is

500
00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,760
Calvin Trion. I'm a lifelong resident of

501
00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,360
Skenctity, New York. This my son right

502
00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:49,520
here. This was his first year playing uh

503
00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,080
football for the Belmont program. I

504
00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,640
noticed uh a lot of positive attributes

505
00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:56,480
that he gained from the time that he

506
00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:58,399
spent at the program this year. And

507
00:27:58,399 --> 00:28:01,360
honestly, Belmont is a like a DNA of

508
00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:02,880
Skenctity. Like it's a part of the

509
00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,360
fabric of the community. Like my my

510
00:28:05,360 --> 00:28:07,440
stepfather, he's a uh he's a lifelong

511
00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:09,360
city resident. He's a part of the team

512
00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:11,679
that was undefeated in the 70s. Like he

513
00:28:11,679 --> 00:28:13,919
still pulls out his book and tells me

514
00:28:13,919 --> 00:28:16,000
about it to this day. like it's is

515
00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:17,679
really a part of our community. So, I

516
00:28:17,679 --> 00:28:19,360
feel like we got to put a little more

517
00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:21,679
importance on Belmont specifically. I

518
00:28:21,679 --> 00:28:23,279
know there's other sports programs. I'm

519
00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:24,559
not trying to take away anything, but

520
00:28:24,559 --> 00:28:26,799
Belmont is really a important part of

521
00:28:26,799 --> 00:28:29,600
our fabric of our community for one. And

522
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:31,679
for two, I feel like we need to exhaust

523
00:28:31,679 --> 00:28:33,600
all options on investing in the youth so

524
00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,679
we can actually get these kids to to

525
00:28:35,679 --> 00:28:37,679
stick around. A lot of a lot of kids

526
00:28:37,679 --> 00:28:39,200
don't they they want to go somewhere

527
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:41,360
else to play football or oh let me go to

528
00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,039
Gilderland because they got this and let

529
00:28:43,039 --> 00:28:45,520
me let's let's worry about here keep our

530
00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,840
kids in this community and then when

531
00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:49,360
they grow up to be adults they'll come

532
00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,360
back and invest again in this community.

533
00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:52,559
You know what I mean? Like so we can

534
00:28:52,559 --> 00:28:55,679
move forward with that type of stuff. Um

535
00:28:55,679 --> 00:28:57,840
in and in general like I said the

536
00:28:57,840 --> 00:28:59,679
Belmont program is just positive. The

537
00:28:59,679 --> 00:29:01,440
coaches are doing a lot of uh amazing

538
00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:02,880
things. They've always done amazing

539
00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,279
things. And not everybody's going to be

540
00:29:05,279 --> 00:29:07,279
a professional athlete, but I was a a

541
00:29:07,279 --> 00:29:09,440
member of Belmont as well. And there's

542
00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,200
just certain things you learn as in

543
00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,279
sports being a part of a team and just

544
00:29:13,279 --> 00:29:18,000
discipline and other things like that our youth is in my opinion lacking

545
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,760
in this current generation. And so, like

546
00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:21,760
I said, I would feel like in my opinion,

547
00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,240
I feel like we need to invest um exhaust

548
00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,240
all options in investing in the youth.

549
00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:27,919
And that's just that that was my small

550
00:29:27,919 --> 00:29:29,279
piece what I had to say. Thank you for

551
00:29:29,279 --> 00:29:32,340
the time. Thank you.

552
00:29:32,340 --> 00:29:37,269
[Applause]

553
00:29:37,279 --> 00:29:48,470
William Kent.

554
00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,399
Good evening. Uh my name is William

555
00:29:50,399 --> 00:29:52,320
Kent. I am the current president of

556
00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:55,039
Skenctity Belmont Pop Warner. I'm also a

557
00:29:55,039 --> 00:29:56,960
lifelong city resident as well. I grew

558
00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:58,880
up playing Pop Warner. My father was a

559
00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:00,720
coach, which really got me into it and

560
00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:02,480
helped me fall in love with the game.

561
00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:04,159
Um, a lot of these people that you see

562
00:30:04,159 --> 00:30:06,320
here, uh, I either met through the

563
00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,880
program or I grew up within the city as

564
00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:11,520
friends and as community members. And

565
00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:14,320
we've come together to honestly do

566
00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:15,840
something special. So, I just want to

567
00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:17,200
touch on something that the gentleman

568
00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:21,279
had said prior to me uh, a couple uh,

569
00:30:21,279 --> 00:30:23,440
people back um, about parent

570
00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:25,520
involvement. What you're seeing right

571
00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,760
here is parent involvement. This is community

572
00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:31,679
involvement. Uh we could talk about

573
00:30:31,679 --> 00:30:33,440
differences in communities and about

574
00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:35,679
single family, single parent households

575
00:30:35,679 --> 00:30:37,520
in one community to the next and what

576
00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:39,039
that might look like for a single mother

577
00:30:39,039 --> 00:30:41,039
with four kids that's working two jobs

578
00:30:41,039 --> 00:30:43,279
to be able to help fund raise or to be

579
00:30:43,279 --> 00:30:44,720
able to kick out extra money for their

580
00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:46,480
kid to be able to do something different

581
00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,559
or a city in Skenctity that a median

582
00:30:48,559 --> 00:30:51,600
household income is $55,000 to a median

583
00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,799
household in Saratoga that's $101,000.

584
00:30:54,799 --> 00:30:56,720
Right? So, apples to oranges when we're

585
00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,200
talking about certain things. And um I

586
00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,279
do genuinely appreciate the the the

587
00:31:01,279 --> 00:31:03,039
conversation that took place, right?

588
00:31:03,039 --> 00:31:04,640
That doesn't mean I also appreciate

589
00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,080
everything that was said, but I

590
00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:07,520
understand, right, that there's always

591
00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:10,240
going to be multiple sides to a uh to a

592
00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:12,399
discussion and any type of a debate. But

593
00:31:12,399 --> 00:31:14,080
what I'll say is there's no debate in

594
00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:16,720
this. And um the kids participating in

595
00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,760
our program are benefiting not just as

596
00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:21,360
athletes. They're benefiting as people

597
00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:22,880
because of the people that you see right

598
00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,799
here. These people every day pour into

599
00:31:24,799 --> 00:31:26,880
these kids. They're giving rise. We none

600
00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:28,799
of us make a dollar doing what we do.

601
00:31:28,799 --> 00:31:30,720
But we do it because we're rich morally,

602
00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:32,240
because we're rich with love. We're rich

603
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:33,919
with family. And that's what we talk. We

604
00:31:33,919 --> 00:31:35,520
don't say one scene, one family for no

605
00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:36,799
reason. There's nobody in here I

606
00:31:36,799 --> 00:31:38,080
wouldn't give the shirt off my back for.

607
00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:39,279
And they would do the same for me and

608
00:31:39,279 --> 00:31:41,440
anybody in my family. So it goes a lot

609
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,360
deeper than that. And also like we talk

610
00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,039
about kids having things to do and being

611
00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:46,480
productive members of our community,

612
00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:49,360
right? So the thing is we have a certain

613
00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:50,480
amount of kids that are already

614
00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:52,000
participating. We would like to continue

615
00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,080
to grow that. From 2021, when I first

616
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,000
took over the program, we only had about

617
00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:57,840
six, seven teams total. That includes

618
00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:00,720
cheer, tackle, flag, everything. Now,

619
00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:02,880
we've more than tripled that across the

620
00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:04,399
board. We're continuing to get more and

621
00:32:04,399 --> 00:32:06,000
more engagement with kids. And that's

622
00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:07,679
the idea. We want to get more kids

623
00:32:07,679 --> 00:32:09,440
involved. We want there's over 10,000

624
00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,200
kids in the school district in Skenctity

625
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:12,960
alone. We would like to try to make a

626
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:14,480
bigger and bigger dent in that every

627
00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,320
single year. So, yes, we're asking for

628
00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:18,000
some funding this time around, but that

629
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:19,679
doesn't mean we're not sustainable. I

630
00:32:19,679 --> 00:32:21,120
can guarantee you this. We will continue

631
00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:22,720
to grow. We will continue to push and we

632
00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,120
will continue to work together as a unit

633
00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:26,880
and we will do great things and we

634
00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:28,320
appreciate any and all support that you

635
00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:30,320
all offer and we thank you for that.

636
00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,350
Thank you.

637
00:32:33,350 --> 00:32:40,950
[Applause]

638
00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:42,960
All right. I have no one else signed up

639
00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:44,399
to speak, so I declare the public

640
00:32:44,399 --> 00:32:46,080
comment on the legislative agenda

641
00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:53,430
closed.

642
00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:59,830
He was there.

643
00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:02,159
Oh, sir, you were asking. You were

644
00:33:02,159 --> 00:33:03,840
looking.

645
00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:05,279
You You'd have to move to the

646
00:33:05,279 --> 00:33:12,710
microphone.

647
00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:14,640
Is this to speak about something that's

648
00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,840
on the agenda? Um,

649
00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:19,600
it's not on it's not about anything

650
00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:21,760
that's on the legislative agenda. Okay.

651
00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:22,799
So, well, we will give you an

652
00:33:22,799 --> 00:33:24,399
opportunity to sign up for general city

653
00:33:24,399 --> 00:33:26,480
business. That's not right now. And I'll

654
00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:27,600
give the sheet back to the council

655
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:28,799
member. They you can sign up for that.

656
00:33:28,799 --> 00:33:31,120
That's at the end of the meeting if it's

657
00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:36,470
not on the agenda.

658
00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:38,159
So, I'll call you for that. It's not

659
00:33:38,159 --> 00:33:40,240
right now.

660
00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:49,190
Thank you.

661
00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:50,640
This time ask for approval of the

662
00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:53,679
consent legislative consent agenda.

663
00:33:53,679 --> 00:33:56,000
Will my Mr. Williams

664
00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,039
second by Oh, wait. Uh second by Mr.

665
00:33:59,039 --> 00:34:01,120
Mutiver.

666
00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:05,360
All in favor? I. We do have one item for

667
00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:07,760
roll call

668
00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:09,520
and the clerk could please read item

669
00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:14,470
number two.

670
00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:15,919
for original

671
00:34:15,919 --> 00:34:17,839
consideration, a resolution authorizing

672
00:34:17,839 --> 00:34:20,560
fee waivers for exterior building permit

673
00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:24,550
repairs.

674
00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:34,720
I need a motion by Miss Williams. Second, by Mr. Mancini.

675
00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:39,109
Is there any discussion on this item?

676
00:34:39,119 --> 00:34:46,069
Yes, Mr. Williams.

677
00:34:46,079 --> 00:34:47,440
I just wanted to clarify my comments

678
00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:48,639
that were made during the committee

679
00:34:48,639 --> 00:34:52,240
meeting. Uh my um opposition to this is

680
00:34:52,240 --> 00:34:53,760
based on just wanting to have a better

681
00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,760
understanding of what it represents. uh

682
00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,800
there seems to be just some um not

683
00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,200
clarifying details and sincerely if we

684
00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:04,480
are looking to have these types of um

685
00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,880
cost savings for a specific population

686
00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:08,960
building them into the budget I think is

687
00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:10,960
a more appropriate manner with this

688
00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:12,880
being in its fourth iteration or fourth

689
00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,280
year um definitely with ensuring that it

690
00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:16,880
is meeting the tangible needs of our

691
00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:18,640
homeowners as in hearing some

692
00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:20,160
conversations around this in our past

693
00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,880
meetings of trying to entice uh

694
00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:24,880
redevelopment and renovation within the

695
00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:27,839
homes where it is so verly needed. Um,

696
00:35:27,839 --> 00:35:29,359
just wanting to have just some of those

697
00:35:29,359 --> 00:35:31,520
tangibles outlined to include potential

698
00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:33,119
marketing to ensure that everyone knows

699
00:35:33,119 --> 00:35:35,119
and understands what the program is and

700
00:35:35,119 --> 00:35:39,040
then also what it isn't. Thank you. Any

701
00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,280
further discussion?

702
00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:43,680
If the clerk could please call the role.

703
00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:48,720
Mr. Farley. No. Mr. Mancini? Yes. Mr.

704
00:35:48,720 --> 00:35:52,480
Muan? Yes. Miss Patrick? Yes. Mr.

705
00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:54,320
Williams? No.

706
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:56,480
Miss Porterfield. Thank you. First of

707
00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:58,240
all, I would like to just to explain my

708
00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:01,520
vote. So, I view this legislation from

709
00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:03,680
the lens of giving a an incentive to

710
00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:05,440
homeowners and owners of rental property

711
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,000
in Skenctity and how we treat other

712
00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,720
investors in the city. Developers and

713
00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:12,240
business investors who seek to do

714
00:36:12,240 --> 00:36:13,839
business in the city of Skenctity are

715
00:36:13,839 --> 00:36:16,079
given various incentives to entice them

716
00:36:16,079 --> 00:36:18,400
to have their business located here.

717
00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:20,960
There are tax credits, discounts on

718
00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:23,200
supplies and materials, pilots, payment

719
00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,520
in lee of taxes, and sometimes just the

720
00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:28,400
benefit of being well connected. Most of

721
00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:30,880
our residents do not have those those

722
00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,000
resources available to them. Even within

723
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:36,560
the within the New York State budget of

724
00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:38,240
2026,

725
00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:39,920
it was recognized that the general

726
00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:41,599
public needed to have the ability to

727
00:36:41,599 --> 00:36:44,320
purchase single and two family homes um

728
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,240
before res before institutional real

729
00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:49,599
estate um investors. And therefore they

730
00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:51,599
added article 16 to the real property

731
00:36:51,599 --> 00:36:54,160
tax law which states that one to two

732
00:36:54,160 --> 00:36:56,320
family residents must be listed for sale

733
00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,440
to the general public for 90 days before

734
00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:01,839
institutional investors can take it can

735
00:37:01,839 --> 00:37:05,599
take um can bid on it. So considering

736
00:37:05,599 --> 00:37:07,680
all of that and that our while we

737
00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:10,400
incentivize um major real estates and

738
00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:12,240
developers I think we should also take

739
00:37:12,240 --> 00:37:15,520
this opportunity to um invest in our

740
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:18,079
local homeowners.

741
00:37:18,079 --> 00:37:19,839
I understand what Councilman Williams is

742
00:37:19,839 --> 00:37:21,359
saying that we need to build it into our

743
00:37:21,359 --> 00:37:23,119
budget and that we do need to have some

744
00:37:23,119 --> 00:37:25,040
understanding on how it's how it's done

745
00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:27,920
going forward. I and I appreciate that

746
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:29,520
and I just want homeowners to know we

747
00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:30,880
appreciate that the property owners who

748
00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:32,320
are investing in improving in their

749
00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:34,560
property and they should also be aware

750
00:37:34,560 --> 00:37:35,920
that when there's major improvements

751
00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:37,440
that go beyond the aesthetics of

752
00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:40,480
painting, fixing painting, uh peeling

753
00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:42,640
paint, broken rails, etc. or beyond the

754
00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:44,160
aesthetics, if there's major

755
00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:46,480
improvements that could co cause a rise

756
00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:48,400
into into the assessment of their

757
00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:51,839
properties, but that's something they would want to take on. So, I think

758
00:37:51,839 --> 00:37:54,400
there's a upside to that in terms of the

759
00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,760
increase in assessment because they've

760
00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:57,280
improved their property, but also

761
00:37:57,280 --> 00:37:59,040
because renters are getting their

762
00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:02,079
properties uh improved as well and that

763
00:38:02,079 --> 00:38:04,079
um we are giving some incentives to our

764
00:38:04,079 --> 00:38:06,480
small um to our landlords and small

765
00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,320
property owners. So, with that, I vote

766
00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,160
yes.

767
00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:17,750
And the motion passes 4 to two.

768
00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:19,440
At this time, we'll have privilege of

769
00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:20,960
the floor regarding general city

770
00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:25,270
business.

771
00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:27,680
And I have six people signed up to

772
00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:30,950
speak.

773
00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:40,710
The first person is Sean Ratigan.

774
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:44,000
Um yeah, hey, good evening. Um my name

775
00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,200
is Sean Ratigan and um I've spoken here

776
00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,280
before on how as a homeowner in

777
00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:51,599
Skynctity, protecting tenants with good

778
00:38:51,599 --> 00:38:54,800
cause eviction is important to me. And

779
00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:56,480
today I'd like to speak on the

780
00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,119
importance of care and respect when

781
00:38:59,119 --> 00:39:01,440
operating in the housing business. When

782
00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,000
your income depends on providing a roof

783
00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,320
over someone else's head, you'd better

784
00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:08,079
take their living conditions and their

785
00:39:08,079 --> 00:39:11,200
life circumstances seriously. These are

786
00:39:11,200 --> 00:39:13,119
people's lives we're talking about.

787
00:39:13,119 --> 00:39:15,200
Their home, their community, where their

788
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:16,720
children go to school, and where they

789
00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:18,640
play sports.

790
00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,680
When a landlord decides decides to evict

791
00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:23,920
a tenant, they're deciding to uproot one

792
00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:26,240
or more people's lives. This shouldn't

793
00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:28,400
be something taken lightly. This should

794
00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:30,560
be something

795
00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:32,079
This shouldn't be a decision made

796
00:39:32,079 --> 00:39:34,720
without a good cause.

797
00:39:34,720 --> 00:39:37,200
Tenants deserve safe, affordable, stable

798
00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:39,040
housing. Tenants should know that

799
00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:41,599
Skenctity has their back if the landlord

800
00:39:41,599 --> 00:39:43,440
files an eviction for something other

801
00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,320
than non-payment, violating the lease,

802
00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:48,640
violating the law, or taking the unit

803
00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:51,680
off the market. Tenants shouldn't fear

804
00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,079
landlords retaliating against them with

805
00:39:54,079 --> 00:39:56,640
eviction for arbitrary reasons or

806
00:39:56,640 --> 00:39:58,560
because they requested repairs on their

807
00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:00,320
apartment.

808
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:02,240
Landlords, when you get into the

809
00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:04,320
business of someone else's housing, you

810
00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:07,280
better be putting people before profits.

811
00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:09,119
I bought a house because I couldn't put

812
00:40:09,119 --> 00:40:11,440
up with my landlord raising the rent

813
00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:13,920
exorbitantly every year when I renewed

814
00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:16,480
my lease. And now I have 15 years of

815
00:40:16,480 --> 00:40:18,480
relatively stable housing payments to

816
00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:19,920
the bank.

817
00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:21,680
because the city taxes, they really

818
00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:23,520
don't go that go up that much every

819
00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:26,079
year. So, it's kind of wild to me that

820
00:40:26,079 --> 00:40:28,400
landlords who have the outright capital

821
00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,800
to purchase property or the credit to

822
00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:32,960
get long-term stable loans and then use

823
00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:34,800
the rents paid to them every month to

824
00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:37,440
pay those loans back will still increase

825
00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:39,920
the rents, refuse or ignore repairs,

826
00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:42,640
suggest terrible repair options, provide

827
00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:46,000
underinsulated units, take months to

828
00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:48,880
repair an elevator, or per perform any

829
00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:50,880
other repairs that deeply impact the way

830
00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,400
tenants live. Good cause eviction still

831
00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:56,800
lets landlords file evictions. It's not

832
00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:58,480
going to make it harder to evict a

833
00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:01,599
tenant or for a justifiable reason. And

834
00:41:01,599 --> 00:41:04,560
in good co in California, good cause law

835
00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:07,040
helps speed up courts by getting rid of

836
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:10,880
bunk no fault eviction cases. Skenctity

837
00:41:10,880 --> 00:41:13,520
city council good cause eviction is good

838
00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:16,079
for the city's operation. It's good for

839
00:41:16,079 --> 00:41:18,079
the community. It's good for the people

840
00:41:18,079 --> 00:41:20,480
that actually live here. Why shouldn't

841
00:41:20,480 --> 00:41:24,720
we afford our 57% renter community these

842
00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:26,640
protections? Please put the people

843
00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:29,640
first. Thanks. Thank you,

844
00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:34,000
[Applause]

845
00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:36,000
Earl Wallace.

846
00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:38,560
I respect the wave. Okay, sir. No

847
00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:51,109
problem. Ellie Pepper.

848
00:41:51,119 --> 00:41:52,960
Good evening again, Mayor, Council

849
00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:55,040
President, and City Council members. Uh,

850
00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:56,720
just for the record, I'm Ellie Pepper,

851
00:41:56,720 --> 00:41:58,720
and I live in the Eastern A

852
00:41:58,720 --> 00:42:00,800
neighborhood. I have lived here for 30

853
00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:02,400
years.

854
00:42:02,400 --> 00:42:06,319
Uh since New York's emergency rental

855
00:42:06,319 --> 00:42:08,800
assistance program protections ended in

856
00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:11,760
January of 2023,

857
00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:15,359
Skenctity has likely seen over 3,500

858
00:42:15,359 --> 00:42:18,240
eviction filings based on an average of

859
00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:22,079
about 175 filings per month. That's more

860
00:42:22,079 --> 00:42:24,960
than 3,500 families brought into court,

861
00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:26,640
many of whom were paying rent and

862
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:28,640
following the rules, but still face

863
00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:30,079
losing their homes without a clear

864
00:42:30,079 --> 00:42:33,280
reason. We also know that eviction is a

865
00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,240
leading driver of homelessness. In a

866
00:42:36,240 --> 00:42:38,400
single school year, more than 500

867
00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:40,079
students in the Skenctity School

868
00:42:40,079 --> 00:42:42,960
District were identified as homeless.

869
00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:45,440
That's not just a statistic. It's a sign

870
00:42:45,440 --> 00:42:47,599
of families living in crisis and kids

871
00:42:47,599 --> 00:42:49,359
struggling to learn without stable

872
00:42:49,359 --> 00:42:51,040
housing.

873
00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:54,160
Good cause eviction is one way we can

874
00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,640
prevent this. It says that landlords

875
00:42:56,640 --> 00:42:58,720
must have a valid reason like

876
00:42:58,720 --> 00:43:01,359
non-payment of rent or a serious lease

877
00:43:01,359 --> 00:43:05,200
violation before evicting someone. It

878
00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:06,960
also gives tenants the right to

879
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:09,839
challenge extreme rent hikes. This isn't

880
00:43:09,839 --> 00:43:11,920
about stopping rent increases

881
00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:15,200
altogether. It's about preventing sudden

882
00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:17,440
abusive increases that are meant to

883
00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:19,920
force people out.

884
00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:22,480
And to be clear, this isn't rent

885
00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:25,040
control. Good cause doesn't freeze

886
00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:28,480
rents. It doesn't set prices. Landlords

887
00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:30,640
can still raise rent reasonably each

888
00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:33,920
year and still pursue eviction for a

889
00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:38,160
cause. The law also exempts small owner

890
00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:40,560
occupied buildings with fewer than four

891
00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:42,079
units.

892
00:43:42,079 --> 00:43:44,240
We've seen how this works elsewhere. In

893
00:43:44,240 --> 00:43:45,760
New York City, since good cause

894
00:43:45,760 --> 00:43:48,880
protections were enacted in April 2024,

895
00:43:48,880 --> 00:43:50,480
eviction filings have dropped

896
00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:53,760
significantly down to about 9300 per

897
00:43:53,760 --> 00:43:56,640
month compared to 15,000 per month

898
00:43:56,640 --> 00:43:59,760
before the pandemic. In California, a

899
00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:01,599
study showed that cities with just cause

900
00:44:01,599 --> 00:44:03,760
eviction laws saw statistically

901
00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:07,040
significant drops in eviction filings.

902
00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:09,839
And in Albany, tenants use local good

903
00:44:09,839 --> 00:44:13,440
cause rules to stop 50 to 100% rent

904
00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:16,240
hikes and stay in their homes. These

905
00:44:16,240 --> 00:44:18,800
policies work. They keep people housed

906
00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:20,800
and they reduce the number of evictions

907
00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:22,960
flooding our courts.

908
00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,680
Skenctity has the chance to do the same.

909
00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:27,760
With thousands of eviction filings just

910
00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:29,760
since last year, we can't afford to keep

911
00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:31,760
waiting. We need this protection in

912
00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:34,319
place now for our families, for our

913
00:44:34,319 --> 00:44:36,240
neighborhoods, and for the future of

914
00:44:36,240 --> 00:44:40,560
this city. I urge you to vote to opcon

915
00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:43,280
skenctity into the good cause eviction

916
00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:47,119
law. It's not that radical. It's fair.

917
00:44:47,119 --> 00:44:50,400
It's tested and it's necessary.

918
00:44:50,400 --> 00:44:52,640
And also, I support funding for Belmont

919
00:44:52,640 --> 00:45:01,190
Pop Warner. Thank you.

920
00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:08,870
Dean Morabido.

921
00:45:08,880 --> 00:45:12,160
Hello again all. I am Dean Morabido,

922
00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:15,040
30-year city resident.

923
00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:16,960
Um, and I would encourage you also to

924
00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:19,920
opt into good cause eviction. It's uh,

925
00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:22,079
it seems like the thing to do. It should

926
00:45:22,079 --> 00:45:25,920
be done. I also wanted to comment on the

927
00:45:25,920 --> 00:45:29,040
Belmont Pop Warner. Um, I was able to

928
00:45:29,040 --> 00:45:31,440
attend the committee meeting and heard

929
00:45:31,440 --> 00:45:33,599
their presentation by the members of Pop

930
00:45:33,599 --> 00:45:38,000
Warner and uh, it seems like it's

931
00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:41,119
uh, already uh, supported through the

932
00:45:41,119 --> 00:45:44,319
community and through the parents and

933
00:45:44,319 --> 00:45:47,520
uh, I I see no reason to have the

934
00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:50,160
committee uh, city council not supported

935
00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:53,920
as well emotionally and financially.

936
00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:56,960
It's it's a good thing for kids to do.

937
00:45:56,960 --> 00:45:58,560
It's a good thing for kids to be

938
00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:00,240
involved with their parents and the

939
00:46:00,240 --> 00:46:02,480
parents to be involved with their kids.

940
00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:05,760
Uh it's just a good thing and I support

941
00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:09,560
it totally. Thank you. Thank you.

942
00:46:09,560 --> 00:46:14,790
[Applause]

943
00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:22,630
Bridget Savage Savage Spies.

944
00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:24,640
Hello. Uh my name is Bridget Savage

945
00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,839
Spies. Um, I live in Albany and I

946
00:46:27,839 --> 00:46:29,680
volunteer organizing tenants throughout

947
00:46:29,680 --> 00:46:32,240
the capital district. And so I wanted to

948
00:46:32,240 --> 00:46:34,960
um give some context on what good cause

949
00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:37,920
has done for Albany um so that um you

950
00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:40,319
guys can understand the reason why um I

951
00:46:40,319 --> 00:46:41,520
think it's a good idea to pass in

952
00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:44,560
Skenctity as well. Um while organizing

953
00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:46,160
tenant unions and working with tenants

954
00:46:46,160 --> 00:46:47,599
in the capital district, I've seen some

955
00:46:47,599 --> 00:46:50,240
pretty appalling conditions um largely

956
00:46:50,240 --> 00:46:52,079
in

957
00:46:52,079 --> 00:46:53,599
um

958
00:46:53,599 --> 00:46:56,319
large properties owned by multi-million

959
00:46:56,319 --> 00:46:59,359
dollar corporations um that are based

960
00:46:59,359 --> 00:47:02,160
out of state um and have very little

961
00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:06,800
tangible um tangible support in the um

962
00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:09,520
in the property itself.

963
00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:12,480
um these these multi-million dollar

964
00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:17,200
corporations frequently buy up these properties. Um they don't develop

965
00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:19,599
them, they don't improve them. Um and

966
00:47:19,599 --> 00:47:21,839
they frequently increase rent by 30 to

967
00:47:21,839 --> 00:47:25,760
50% on um families and community members

968
00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:28,560
who are already living there. Um in

969
00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:31,280
2022, one of the largest housing

970
00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:33,200
complexes in Albany was purchased by one

971
00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:35,520
of these companies. Um, several of the

972
00:47:35,520 --> 00:47:37,680
tenants there eventually got fed up with

973
00:47:37,680 --> 00:47:39,920
the extreme lack of maintenance. There

974
00:47:39,920 --> 00:47:41,920
were rodents everywhere throughout the

975
00:47:41,920 --> 00:47:44,400
building. Um, and they were refusing to

976
00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:46,000
send exterminators in to fix the

977
00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:49,359
problem. Um, they had broken appliances,

978
00:47:49,359 --> 00:47:51,200
mold throughout the building. Um, and

979
00:47:51,200 --> 00:47:53,920
none of it was being addressed. And so

980
00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:55,920
these tenants came to the United Tenants

981
00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:58,640
of Albany and tried to form a housing

982
00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:00,880
um, a housing union in order to address

983
00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:02,000
these problems with management

984
00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:04,079
collectively and head on. um because

985
00:48:04,079 --> 00:48:05,680
they weren't being addressed in these

986
00:48:05,680 --> 00:48:08,319
one-to-one conversations.

987
00:48:08,319 --> 00:48:11,599
So, after Alby's good cause protections

988
00:48:11,599 --> 00:48:14,400
were struck down, um one of these tenant

989
00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:16,640
organizers received a bill for a

990
00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:20,400
received a $600 a month rent increase.

991
00:48:20,400 --> 00:48:24,720
Um, and so she was then forced to

992
00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:26,800
continue she she was able to continue to

993
00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:29,520
live in her home paying $600 more a

994
00:48:29,520 --> 00:48:33,119
month um temporarily, but she still had

995
00:48:33,119 --> 00:48:35,359
mold in her bathroom and her kid with

996
00:48:35,359 --> 00:48:39,040
asthma was still sick. Um, and this is

997
00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:40,960
the kind of thing that good cause

998
00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:44,800
prevents. um is parents and community

999
00:48:44,800 --> 00:48:46,800
members are able to stay in their homes

1000
00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:48,880
without predatory rent hikes just for

1001
00:48:48,880 --> 00:48:52,559
asking for basic living conditions. Um

1002
00:48:52,559 --> 00:48:54,559
this winter though with good cause

1003
00:48:54,559 --> 00:48:56,720
protections back in Albany now that we

1004
00:48:56,720 --> 00:48:58,720
could opt into them through the state.

1005
00:48:58,720 --> 00:49:01,200
Um there was a better story where heat

1006
00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:03,440
went out in an 80 plus unit complex in

1007
00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:06,160
the center of downtown Albany. um those

1008
00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:08,160
residents called United Tenants and

1009
00:49:08,160 --> 00:49:09,599
concerned that if they made a complaint

1010
00:49:09,599 --> 00:49:12,079
to code enforcement that they would be

1011
00:49:12,079 --> 00:49:13,440
subject to these predatory rent

1012
00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:16,319
increases that other places had seen. Um

1013
00:49:16,319 --> 00:49:18,160
they had good reason to be concerned

1014
00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:20,800
about this. Um but United Tenants was

1015
00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:22,400
able to reassure them that good cause

1016
00:49:22,400 --> 00:49:24,319
would protect them in the case that they

1017
00:49:24,319 --> 00:49:25,760
made a complaint to code enforcement

1018
00:49:25,760 --> 00:49:28,480
about it being the middle of January and

1019
00:49:28,480 --> 00:49:31,599
their rooms being 50°.

1020
00:49:31,599 --> 00:49:33,200
Um,

1021
00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:34,720
this is what good cause can do for a

1022
00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:36,720
community. Landlords that are present in

1023
00:49:36,720 --> 00:49:38,319
the community, maintain their property,

1024
00:49:38,319 --> 00:49:39,839
and raise rents just to keep up with

1025
00:49:39,839 --> 00:49:41,680
their costs are not affected by good

1026
00:49:41,680 --> 00:49:43,680
cause eviction protections. Your your

1027
00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:45,520
time has expired. Okay. Thank you.

1028
00:49:45,520 --> 00:49:47,260
You're welcome.

1029
00:49:47,260 --> 00:49:53,030
[Applause]

1030
00:49:53,040 --> 00:50:00,870
Patricia Reed.

1031
00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:11,910
I'm sorry, it's Patrice.

1032
00:50:11,920 --> 00:50:15,920
Hi, my name is Patricia Reed.

1033
00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:18,319
We can hear you. Okay,

1034
00:50:18,319 --> 00:50:20,400
before I start, can I give all these

1035
00:50:20,400 --> 00:50:45,829
papers to you guys?

1036
00:50:45,839 --> 00:50:48,800
My name is Patricia Reed. I was here

1037
00:50:48,800 --> 00:50:53,200
last year uh July 1st, 2024.

1038
00:50:53,200 --> 00:50:55,040
I'm trying to I've been trying to open

1039
00:50:55,040 --> 00:50:58,240
this business in Skenctity, the park of

1040
00:50:58,240 --> 00:51:00,800
Central Park, city of Skenctity like

1041
00:51:00,800 --> 00:51:03,440
since 2022.

1042
00:51:03,440 --> 00:51:06,000
So I remember all these faces. Hopefully

1043
00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:09,839
you guys remember me. I was here trying

1044
00:51:09,839 --> 00:51:13,520
to see if I can open a small business in

1045
00:51:13,520 --> 00:51:16,880
city of connected. But the city of

1046
00:51:16,880 --> 00:51:19,520
sketed has been giving me run around

1047
00:51:19,520 --> 00:51:22,880
like, "Oh, you do this, do this." I did

1048
00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:24,720
everything the city of Skencted asked me

1049
00:51:24,720 --> 00:51:27,520
to do. I even paid for his insurance.

1050
00:51:27,520 --> 00:51:29,200
They told me to pay for insurance. I

1051
00:51:29,200 --> 00:51:31,200
paid for the insurance. I got all that

1052
00:51:31,200 --> 00:51:37,200
done up to uh last year,

1053
00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:39,520
July 15th,

1054
00:51:39,520 --> 00:51:42,480
Miss Marion, I I sent an email to follow

1055
00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:44,800
up to what was going on. and she sent me

1056
00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:47,839
an email say somebody from the city will

1057
00:51:47,839 --> 00:51:51,520
send me something to see where we can

1058
00:51:51,520 --> 00:51:54,640
start the business. So from that time

1059
00:51:54,640 --> 00:51:56,160
2024

1060
00:51:56,160 --> 00:51:58,720
the 15th I've been following up. I've

1061
00:51:58,720 --> 00:52:01,440
been coming here saying oh can I speak

1062
00:52:01,440 --> 00:52:04,079
to the city council? I was always told

1063
00:52:04,079 --> 00:52:05,839
or leave your number they'll call you

1064
00:52:05,839 --> 00:52:09,200
back. I never got a call back. Mr.

1065
00:52:09,200 --> 00:52:11,119
Alfonso

1066
00:52:11,119 --> 00:52:14,240
I always uh email him. I never got an

1067
00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:16,079
email back.

1068
00:52:16,079 --> 00:52:20,800
So I'm here to see what's going on. Why

1069
00:52:20,800 --> 00:52:22,720
I can't get an opportunity to open a

1070
00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:25,200
business at Central Park in Skenctity.

1071
00:52:25,200 --> 00:52:28,319
I'm not bring like something bad. I'm

1072
00:52:28,319 --> 00:52:30,000
trying to bring something good for the

1073
00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:32,480
community in the city of Skenctity. So

1074
00:52:32,480 --> 00:52:35,280
why I can't get that chance to open that

1075
00:52:35,280 --> 00:52:37,920
business in the city of Skenctity.

1076
00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:40,720
And it's been like since 2022. I did

1077
00:52:40,720 --> 00:52:42,559
everything the city of skeleton asked me

1078
00:52:42,559 --> 00:52:46,559
to do. It's like now today I didn't I

1079
00:52:46,559 --> 00:52:49,200
didn't even have anything. So I like I'm

1080
00:52:49,200 --> 00:52:51,040
just going to go over there to see

1081
00:52:51,040 --> 00:52:53,200
what's going on, what I can do. What

1082
00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:55,520
else can I do for me to be able to open

1083
00:52:55,520 --> 00:52:58,319
a business in cities connected? This is

1084
00:52:58,319 --> 00:53:00,880
a small business. It'll be good for the

1085
00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:03,119
community. That's what I think. I think

1086
00:53:03,119 --> 00:53:05,680
it'll be good for the community and is

1087
00:53:05,680 --> 00:53:09,920
for everybody. kids, older people can

1088
00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:12,559
use it. So that's why I gave you the

1089
00:53:12,559 --> 00:53:14,480
paperwork so that you guys you can

1090
00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:18,880
remember me the last time I was here.

1091
00:53:18,880 --> 00:53:21,599
So I would like to have the opportunity

1092
00:53:21,599 --> 00:53:25,520
to open it a small business central park

1093
00:53:25,520 --> 00:53:28,640
city of Skenctity and if there's any

1094
00:53:28,640 --> 00:53:30,800
reason why I can I would like to know

1095
00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:33,760
that too.

1096
00:53:33,760 --> 00:53:37,470
Thank you. Thank you.

1097
00:53:37,470 --> 00:53:43,440
[Applause]

1098
00:53:43,440 --> 00:53:45,280
I have no one else signed up to speak on

1099
00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:46,480
public comment and regular city

1100
00:53:46,480 --> 00:53:48,559
business. So I declare this public

1101
00:53:48,559 --> 00:53:52,470
comment period closed.

1102
00:53:52,480 --> 00:53:54,319
This same is this time entertain any

1103
00:53:54,319 --> 00:53:56,960
miscellaneous business of the council.

1104
00:53:56,960 --> 00:54:02,950
Mr. Williams.

1105
00:54:02,960 --> 00:54:04,480
Uh thank you. I sincerely just wanted to

1106
00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:07,680
go before Mr. Harley. Um, with regards

1107
00:54:07,680 --> 00:54:09,839
to the the Belmont program and before I

1108
00:54:09,839 --> 00:54:11,599
make any comments regarding that, I

1109
00:54:11,599 --> 00:54:12,880
sincerely want to thank everyone for

1110
00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:14,640
coming out to speak. Although my

1111
00:54:14,640 --> 00:54:16,960
comments will be directed to the the

1112
00:54:16,960 --> 00:54:19,599
president, um, it takes a good effort

1113
00:54:19,599 --> 00:54:21,119
and a confidence to come and speak at

1114
00:54:21,119 --> 00:54:22,480
the podium. I think a lot of people take

1115
00:54:22,480 --> 00:54:25,359
it uh or undervalue how uncomfortable it

1116
00:54:25,359 --> 00:54:26,880
is to speak in this type of setting, but

1117
00:54:26,880 --> 00:54:29,119
sincerely sharing your opinions wherever

1118
00:54:29,119 --> 00:54:31,440
they reside, I take vigorous notes and I

1119
00:54:31,440 --> 00:54:33,280
do it for a reason because I care. uh

1120
00:54:33,280 --> 00:54:35,040
and your perspective helps me understand

1121
00:54:35,040 --> 00:54:37,680
how to advocate for my position. Um but

1122
00:54:37,680 --> 00:54:39,839
I want to speak specifically to the

1123
00:54:39,839 --> 00:54:41,200
young men and women that are in this

1124
00:54:41,200 --> 00:54:42,960
room. Although my back is to you

1125
00:54:42,960 --> 00:54:48,640
sincerely, uh your your hearts are are with me right now. Um these seats

1126
00:54:48,640 --> 00:54:50,800
that we sit in, they have term limits.

1127
00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:53,760
Um but sincerely, the blood, sweat, the

1128
00:54:53,760 --> 00:54:55,280
investments that are being poured into

1129
00:54:55,280 --> 00:54:58,160
you, uh that lasts a lifetime. And as

1130
00:54:58,160 --> 00:55:00,160
you can tell, a lot of the people that

1131
00:55:00,160 --> 00:55:02,000
are doing this work now were in your

1132
00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:06,400
seats. So take this seriously and it is

1133
00:55:06,400 --> 00:55:08,240
not for you to begin because I already

1134
00:55:08,240 --> 00:55:09,760
know you are doing this good work of

1135
00:55:09,760 --> 00:55:13,280
being shepherds and ambassadors for the

1136
00:55:13,280 --> 00:55:15,040
legacy that you're pouring into. But you

1137
00:55:15,040 --> 00:55:17,599
are that legacy also right now. Uh so as

1138
00:55:17,599 --> 00:55:20,640
we look at justifying the continued

1139
00:55:20,640 --> 00:55:22,480
investment into these types of efforts,

1140
00:55:22,480 --> 00:55:24,800
I think it requires us viewing how we

1141
00:55:24,800 --> 00:55:27,200
fund things in this municipality from a

1142
00:55:27,200 --> 00:55:30,720
standpoint of if we proactively address

1143
00:55:30,720 --> 00:55:32,640
issues, do we have the discussion of

1144
00:55:32,640 --> 00:55:34,880
continuing to fund our overtime at an

1145
00:55:34,880 --> 00:55:37,119
excessive level? Uh and that is only one

1146
00:55:37,119 --> 00:55:39,200
facet of why I think looking at things

1147
00:55:39,200 --> 00:55:42,160
through a different lens um provides us

1148
00:55:42,160 --> 00:55:43,680
opportunities to address the needs of

1149
00:55:43,680 --> 00:55:46,640
our community in a different way. Uh so

1150
00:55:46,640 --> 00:55:50,319
as we enter uh the year of 2026 uh and

1151
00:55:50,319 --> 00:55:51,760
those budgeting needs are being taken

1152
00:55:51,760 --> 00:55:54,799
into consideration, understand what is

1153
00:55:54,799 --> 00:55:56,880
potentially about to happen with this

1154
00:55:56,880 --> 00:55:59,040
upcoming vote and regardless of where

1155
00:55:59,040 --> 00:56:01,200
our council stands, understanding that

1156
00:56:01,200 --> 00:56:02,480
there are people in this room, there are

1157
00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:03,920
people outside of this room that love

1158
00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:06,720
you. So hold on to that and carry

1159
00:56:06,720 --> 00:56:10,160
forward properly.

1160
00:56:10,160 --> 00:56:12,330
Thank you.

1161
00:56:12,330 --> 00:56:18,630
[Applause]

1162
00:56:18,640 --> 00:56:21,440
Mr. Farley.

1163
00:56:21,440 --> 00:56:23,440
Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, first I want

1164
00:56:23,440 --> 00:56:24,880
to thank everyone that came out today

1165
00:56:24,880 --> 00:56:27,040
and has been out and has come out in the

1166
00:56:27,040 --> 00:56:30,480
past to uh address city council. Um,

1167
00:56:30,480 --> 00:56:33,040
this seat that we sit in um comes with

1168
00:56:33,040 --> 00:56:35,119
tough decisions that have to be made and

1169
00:56:35,119 --> 00:56:36,640
these should always be spirited

1170
00:56:36,640 --> 00:56:39,520
conversations um but not mean-spirited

1171
00:56:39,520 --> 00:56:43,599
conversations. And I am what you call a

1172
00:56:43,599 --> 00:56:46,400
street shooter, if you will. I say what

1173
00:56:46,400 --> 00:56:48,480
I mean and and then try to mean what I

1174
00:56:48,480 --> 00:56:51,520
say. When I'm calling

1175
00:56:51,520 --> 00:56:53,599
someone in, it's important that you

1176
00:56:53,599 --> 00:56:57,280
recognize I am addressing a behavior and

1177
00:56:57,280 --> 00:56:59,359
I'm criticizing a behavior and not a

1178
00:56:59,359 --> 00:57:03,520
person. And that is our obligation, what

1179
00:57:03,520 --> 00:57:05,599
we're obligated to do when we sit in

1180
00:57:05,599 --> 00:57:08,559
these seats to exchange ideas with one

1181
00:57:08,559 --> 00:57:10,799
another and say, "Hey, I disagree with

1182
00:57:10,799 --> 00:57:13,119
that." Or, "Hey, this doesn't align with

1183
00:57:13,119 --> 00:57:16,400
who we say we are um publicly." And I

1184
00:57:16,400 --> 00:57:19,599
think that those are tough. That's a

1185
00:57:19,599 --> 00:57:21,599
tough standard to be held to, but that's

1186
00:57:21,599 --> 00:57:23,760
the exact standard that we ought to be

1187
00:57:23,760 --> 00:57:27,839
held to in our position. And to disagree

1188
00:57:27,839 --> 00:57:30,240
with me on a position doesn't make you a

1189
00:57:30,240 --> 00:57:34,000
disagreeable person. Um, and there are

1190
00:57:34,000 --> 00:57:36,720
part of this job, if you will, is giving

1191
00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:38,960
concessions and and and making

1192
00:57:38,960 --> 00:57:41,839
compromises. Um, I'm always willing to

1193
00:57:41,839 --> 00:57:44,079
do that. That's what we saw happen

1194
00:57:44,079 --> 00:57:45,680
today.

1195
00:57:45,680 --> 00:57:47,760
However, there's certain areas that we

1196
00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:50,799
can we can't afford to compromise on and

1197
00:57:50,799 --> 00:57:53,680
that is definitely our youth. there.

1198
00:57:53,680 --> 00:57:56,079
That money that is invested, not the

1199
00:57:56,079 --> 00:57:58,400
cost that we're spending, but the

1200
00:57:58,400 --> 00:57:59,920
investment

1201
00:57:59,920 --> 00:58:02,000
that dollar stays in our community. Not

1202
00:58:02,000 --> 00:58:03,680
only does it enrich the lives of our

1203
00:58:03,680 --> 00:58:05,920
young people, it also relaxes some of

1204
00:58:05,920 --> 00:58:11,359
the money that we have to spend being in reaction to lack of programs like

1205
00:58:11,359 --> 00:58:14,400
Belmont. That comes at a cost, too. So,

1206
00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:16,319
I just want to really uh uplift the fact

1207
00:58:16,319 --> 00:58:19,040
and I appreciate um uh the committee

1208
00:58:19,040 --> 00:58:21,599
members um and Miss Patrick engaging in

1209
00:58:21,599 --> 00:58:25,119
this conversation in a way that did not

1210
00:58:25,119 --> 00:58:28,319
uh shut out the ideas of people but was

1211
00:58:28,319 --> 00:58:30,799
uh willing to really listen, compromise

1212
00:58:30,799 --> 00:58:33,359
and be responsive um be a responsive

1213
00:58:33,359 --> 00:58:35,280
leader. That's what I uh aspire us all

1214
00:58:35,280 --> 00:58:37,680
to continue to be. And I just again

1215
00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:39,599
deeply appreciate Belmont the work

1216
00:58:39,599 --> 00:58:41,359
you're doing in one team, one family.

1217
00:58:41,359 --> 00:58:44,170
Thank you. Thank you.

1218
00:58:44,170 --> 00:58:46,940
[Music]

1219
00:58:46,940 --> 00:58:49,599
[Applause]

1220
00:58:49,599 --> 00:58:52,400
Miss Patrick,

1221
00:58:52,400 --> 00:58:54,960
thank you. Yeah, I think um I agree with

1222
00:58:54,960 --> 00:58:56,559
what Mr. Farley said. I had actually

1223
00:58:56,559 --> 00:58:58,160
written down a very similar statement

1224
00:58:58,160 --> 00:59:01,520
about um you know sitting at this table

1225
00:59:01,520 --> 00:59:03,200
means that you have to make difficult

1226
00:59:03,200 --> 00:59:06,720
decisions and difficult choices. Um and

1227
00:59:06,720 --> 00:59:08,480
that's just goes along with with the job

1228
00:59:08,480 --> 00:59:10,000
that goes along with the job of being

1229
00:59:10,000 --> 00:59:12,480
part of a team. um that we have to be

1230
00:59:12,480 --> 00:59:14,480
working together and uh listening to

1231
00:59:14,480 --> 00:59:16,799
each other and listening to each other's

1232
00:59:16,799 --> 00:59:20,240
uh thoughts and and opinions as well. Um

1233
00:59:20,240 --> 00:59:25,119
I did compromise uh today. Um I do hope

1234
00:59:25,119 --> 00:59:27,760
that folks understand that um you know

1235
00:59:27,760 --> 00:59:29,680
this is a one time that ARPA funding

1236
00:59:29,680 --> 00:59:33,520
that we used um Miss Patrick

1237
00:59:33,520 --> 00:59:36,160
the ARPA funding that uh we used today

1238
00:59:36,160 --> 00:59:39,599
is uh not going to be here uh after this

1239
00:59:39,599 --> 00:59:42,720
year. So, uh, you know, I hope folks

1240
00:59:42,720 --> 00:59:44,559
understand that this was a one-time

1241
00:59:44,559 --> 00:59:47,760
grant. Um, the idea that I came in with

1242
00:59:47,760 --> 00:59:50,319
tonight was that when we start to

1243
00:59:50,319 --> 00:59:53,920
discuss the 2026 budget, um, under the

1244
00:59:53,920 --> 00:59:57,040
direction of our parks director, um, I

1245
00:59:57,040 --> 00:59:58,799
think we need to think about what we

1246
00:59:58,799 --> 01:00:01,920
want to do for youth recreation. Um that

1247
01:00:01,920 --> 01:00:04,000
is my committee health and recreation

1248
01:00:04,000 --> 01:00:06,720
and we spend a lot of time uh talking

1249
01:00:06,720 --> 01:00:08,880
about our fields, talking about our

1250
01:00:08,880 --> 01:00:11,359
parks, talking about the golf course

1251
01:00:11,359 --> 01:00:13,760
where indeed we made an investment into

1252
01:00:13,760 --> 01:00:16,880
the golf course um which is one area of

1253
01:00:16,880 --> 01:00:19,839
the city where we generate revenue uh

1254
01:00:19,839 --> 01:00:21,920
through the golf course. So that was a

1255
01:00:21,920 --> 01:00:24,559
sound investment in something that had

1256
01:00:24,559 --> 01:00:28,720
not been uh worked on for years. Um so I

1257
01:00:28,720 --> 01:00:31,200
think that uh next year we will have to

1258
01:00:31,200 --> 01:00:33,359
think about this um in terms of all the

1259
01:00:33,359 --> 01:00:36,799
youth activities. Mr. Farley and I met

1260
01:00:36,799 --> 01:00:39,760
uh on a committee that was working on

1261
01:00:39,760 --> 01:00:41,839
youth programs in the city well before

1262
01:00:41,839 --> 01:00:44,160
either one of us was on city council.

1263
01:00:44,160 --> 01:00:47,040
Um, and I think that it's important for

1264
01:00:47,040 --> 01:00:49,280
us to continue to understand that

1265
01:00:49,280 --> 01:00:52,000
anything we do, we have a very robust

1266
01:00:52,000 --> 01:00:55,520
summer recreation program planned in our

1267
01:00:55,520 --> 01:00:58,640
parks this summer. Um, and hopefully

1268
01:00:58,640 --> 01:01:02,000
those opportunities will um, help the

1269
01:01:02,000 --> 01:01:03,359
youth that come, whether they're coming

1270
01:01:03,359 --> 01:01:04,799
to swim in the pool, whether they're

1271
01:01:04,799 --> 01:01:06,480
coming to play a sport, whether they're

1272
01:01:06,480 --> 01:01:08,559
going to be coming and taking part in

1273
01:01:08,559 --> 01:01:12,079
arts and crafts activities or ecological

1274
01:01:12,079 --> 01:01:14,480
uh, environmental kinds of activities.

1275
01:01:14,480 --> 01:01:16,960
Um, all of those kinds of things are a

1276
01:01:16,960 --> 01:01:19,040
way to make sure that our youth are

1277
01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:26,319
having um, robust opportunities this summer. Um, I also have to say that

1278
01:01:26,319 --> 01:01:29,680
um it was really important to me uh that

1279
01:01:29,680 --> 01:01:31,920
we were able to hire as many youth from

1280
01:01:31,920 --> 01:01:33,520
our high school that we will be

1281
01:01:33,520 --> 01:01:36,480
employing this summer. Um, that's really

1282
01:01:36,480 --> 01:01:38,799
important to me because those kids are

1283
01:01:38,799 --> 01:01:42,160
going to understand um and learn job

1284
01:01:42,160 --> 01:01:44,319
responsibilities and job skills that

1285
01:01:44,319 --> 01:01:47,839
will only go on to benefit them as they

1286
01:01:47,839 --> 01:01:50,480
um continue um with their with their

1287
01:01:50,480 --> 01:01:54,000
lives and their careers. um in our town.

1288
01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:57,359
Um so um that was a challenging

1289
01:01:57,359 --> 01:02:01,520
discussion. Um I definitely came in uh

1290
01:02:01,520 --> 01:02:03,839
prepared to not vote in favor of that

1291
01:02:03,839 --> 01:02:06,240
funding. Um so I think that the

1292
01:02:06,240 --> 01:02:08,720
compromise that we came to uh is a

1293
01:02:08,720 --> 01:02:11,280
reasonable one. Um but I do think that

1294
01:02:11,280 --> 01:02:13,440
all of our youth sports need to

1295
01:02:13,440 --> 01:02:15,040
understand that they will continue to

1296
01:02:15,040 --> 01:02:19,040
have to fundra as they all do um moving

1297
01:02:19,040 --> 01:02:22,079
forward. Okay. Um, and I also want to

1298
01:02:22,079 --> 01:02:25,520
say that um, again the Skenctity County

1299
01:02:25,520 --> 01:02:28,240
Food Council is holding a food and

1300
01:02:28,240 --> 01:02:30,960
poverty speakout on Wednesday, June 11th

1301
01:02:30,960 --> 01:02:33,119
at 6:30 at the Roderdam Community

1302
01:02:33,119 --> 01:02:35,680
Center. Um,

1303
01:02:35,680 --> 01:02:37,200
this is going to be a real opportunity

1304
01:02:37,200 --> 01:02:40,000
for folks to come out and really tell us

1305
01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:42,319
um about what they're needing in terms

1306
01:02:42,319 --> 01:02:44,319
of their in terms of food. as someone

1307
01:02:44,319 --> 01:02:47,200
that volunteers quite extensively um

1308
01:02:47,200 --> 01:02:49,440
fighting food insecurity in our in our

1309
01:02:49,440 --> 01:02:53,040
city, in our county actually. Um this is

1310
01:02:53,040 --> 01:02:55,760
just been this huge increase uh in the

1311
01:02:55,760 --> 01:02:57,440
numbers of people that our food

1312
01:02:57,440 --> 01:02:59,760
providers are serving every single one

1313
01:02:59,760 --> 01:03:01,920
of them. There's 23 food providers in

1314
01:03:01,920 --> 01:03:03,839
Skenctity County. But this is a chance

1315
01:03:03,839 --> 01:03:06,240
for people to come out and talk about

1316
01:03:06,240 --> 01:03:07,839
their needs. And let me tell you, when

1317
01:03:07,839 --> 01:03:10,559
you hear people talk about um you know

1318
01:03:10,559 --> 01:03:12,240
that food's sort of the last thing

1319
01:03:12,240 --> 01:03:13,599
because they have to pay their rent,

1320
01:03:13,599 --> 01:03:15,119
they have to pay their utilities, they

1321
01:03:15,119 --> 01:03:16,880
have to pay for a car to get themselves

1322
01:03:16,880 --> 01:03:19,359
to work. Um and so often they end up

1323
01:03:19,359 --> 01:03:22,160
with no food um after they after they

1324
01:03:22,160 --> 01:03:24,319
spend their money. So again, Wednesday,

1325
01:03:24,319 --> 01:03:26,640
June 11th, 6:30 p.m. at the Roderdam

1326
01:03:26,640 --> 01:03:28,720
Community Center. And the other piece is

1327
01:03:28,720 --> 01:03:31,440
that the Skenctity County Food Council

1328
01:03:31,440 --> 01:03:35,760
has a survey out as well um to try to

1329
01:03:35,760 --> 01:03:38,640
get information uh about what people are

1330
01:03:38,640 --> 01:03:41,520
experiencing in terms of um food costs,

1331
01:03:41,520 --> 01:03:44,319
food insecurity, um how they're getting

1332
01:03:44,319 --> 01:03:48,880
their uh nutritional uh needs met. Um

1333
01:03:48,880 --> 01:03:50,720
and so I hope that folks will pay

1334
01:03:50,720 --> 01:03:52,480
attention to that as well. It's all it's

1335
01:03:52,480 --> 01:03:55,680
on Facebook. It's on uh the website uh

1336
01:03:55,680 --> 01:03:58,640
for the for for the Skenctity Foundation

1337
01:03:58,640 --> 01:04:00,640
and I encourage people to it's in

1338
01:04:00,640 --> 01:04:03,119
English, Spanish and Arabic. So I

1339
01:04:03,119 --> 01:04:04,880
encourage people to do that. And then

1340
01:04:04,880 --> 01:04:06,480
again I also want to give I know we

1341
01:04:06,480 --> 01:04:08,640
still have a few weeks but um we will be

1342
01:04:08,640 --> 01:04:10,240
doing a reading of the Declaration of

1343
01:04:10,240 --> 01:04:12,799
Independence again on July 4th at 10:30

1344
01:04:12,799 --> 01:04:15,359
in the morning here at City Hall.

1345
01:04:15,359 --> 01:04:17,359
Hopefully on the steps of City Hall.

1346
01:04:17,359 --> 01:04:20,079
Hopefully it won't rain. Uh I'm feeling

1347
01:04:20,079 --> 01:04:22,319
not so positive about that these days.

1348
01:04:22,319 --> 01:04:24,880
Um, so I hope people will come out uh

1349
01:04:24,880 --> 01:04:26,880
and celebrate the 4th of July with us as

1350
01:04:26,880 --> 01:04:29,359
well. Thank you.

1351
01:04:29,359 --> 01:04:33,599
Yes. Thank you, mayor.

1352
01:04:33,599 --> 01:04:35,599
Want to thank everyone for uh coming out

1353
01:04:35,599 --> 01:04:38,480
tonight. Discussion is always uh lively,

1354
01:04:38,480 --> 01:04:40,640
thoughtprovoking, and good for the

1355
01:04:40,640 --> 01:04:42,880
community. Yield the rest of my time.

1356
01:04:42,880 --> 01:04:46,000
Madam President, thank you. I also would

1357
01:04:46,000 --> 01:04:47,359
like to thank everyone for coming out

1358
01:04:47,359 --> 01:04:49,280
tonight to making your voice heard on

1359
01:04:49,280 --> 01:04:50,960
the various topics that we heard this

1360
01:04:50,960 --> 01:04:52,799
evening. I appreciate the young people

1361
01:04:52,799 --> 01:04:54,880
coming to see what the process looks

1362
01:04:54,880 --> 01:04:57,359
like and the adults the work that the

1363
01:04:57,359 --> 01:05:00,960
adults put in for you. Um so you know

1364
01:05:00,960 --> 01:05:02,480
one day if you want to you could be

1365
01:05:02,480 --> 01:05:03,760
sitting up here as well or sitting in

1366
01:05:03,760 --> 01:05:05,680
one of those chairs. So if you stay in

1367
01:05:05,680 --> 01:05:08,160
Skenctity we'd love to have that and we

1368
01:05:08,160 --> 01:05:10,079
hopeful hopefully um people will

1369
01:05:10,079 --> 01:05:12,319
understand that as we did our work today

1370
01:05:12,319 --> 01:05:13,920
as we talked about what needed to happen

1371
01:05:13,920 --> 01:05:16,559
or what was going to happen.

1372
01:05:16,559 --> 01:05:18,079
Please appreciate the fact there was a

1373
01:05:18,079 --> 01:05:19,839
person that entered the room with saying

1374
01:05:19,839 --> 01:05:21,359
you know it was going to be an absolute

1375
01:05:21,359 --> 01:05:24,160
no and so we were able to move to a

1376
01:05:24,160 --> 01:05:27,280
compromise in our process. Often that is

1377
01:05:27,280 --> 01:05:29,359
what we have to do. I personally am

1378
01:05:29,359 --> 01:05:31,680
committed to giving helping you in any

1379
01:05:31,680 --> 01:05:34,960
way possible to identify resources to

1380
01:05:34,960 --> 01:05:36,720
raise the rest of your funds because I

1381
01:05:36,720 --> 01:05:38,640
think I know that the work that you do

1382
01:05:38,640 --> 01:05:41,200
is important. I've never had a child in

1383
01:05:41,200 --> 01:05:43,119
Pop Warner but I've seen children that

1384
01:05:43,119 --> 01:05:44,480
have come through. I've seen actually

1385
01:05:44,480 --> 01:05:46,480
been to games. So, I know the work that

1386
01:05:46,480 --> 01:05:48,319
you do is important and investing in our

1387
01:05:48,319 --> 01:05:50,319
children regardless of the sport that

1388
01:05:50,319 --> 01:05:52,720
they are in is extremely important. So,

1389
01:05:52,720 --> 01:05:54,799
thank you for coming out. Thank you for

1390
01:05:54,799 --> 01:05:56,319
having your voices heard and thank you

1391
01:05:56,319 --> 01:05:58,720
for helping to help us to um to move

1392
01:05:58,720 --> 01:06:00,319
this process along. To all the council

1393
01:06:00,319 --> 01:06:02,400
members, I want to thank you for getting

1394
01:06:02,400 --> 01:06:05,839
us to that point. Just one off record

1395
01:06:05,839 --> 01:06:07,280
comment. One off the record. It's off

1396
01:06:07,280 --> 01:06:10,960
the record that if you have goals in

1397
01:06:10,960 --> 01:06:13,280
this chamber, the seats you want are the

1398
01:06:13,280 --> 01:06:15,599
council ones. The public has the worst

1399
01:06:15,599 --> 01:06:18,079
seats and those benches. The second

1400
01:06:18,079 --> 01:06:20,400
worst are up here, but the city council

1401
01:06:20,400 --> 01:06:23,520
members have the best. So,

1402
01:06:23,520 --> 01:06:24,799
thank you, Madam President. You're

1403
01:06:24,799 --> 01:06:27,760
welcome. Um, I just want to for those of

1404
01:06:27,760 --> 01:06:29,599
you who missed the kids arts fest this

1405
01:06:29,599 --> 01:06:31,200
weekend around city hall, it was

1406
01:06:31,200 --> 01:06:33,280
wonderful. The rain came and but we

1407
01:06:33,280 --> 01:06:34,799
didn't go inside. We put on our

1408
01:06:34,799 --> 01:06:37,520
raincoats and we went outside and but it

1409
01:06:37,520 --> 01:06:39,039
cleared up so it was great time and so

1410
01:06:39,039 --> 01:06:40,480
for those parents who don't aren't aware

1411
01:06:40,480 --> 01:06:42,400
of it every year it happens around city

1412
01:06:42,400 --> 01:06:43,920
hall it's a great opportunity for kids

1413
01:06:43,920 --> 01:06:46,400
to come out. I want to know note also

1414
01:06:46,400 --> 01:06:48,720
this year they had a cultural addition

1415
01:06:48,720 --> 01:06:51,119
to it that I'd not seen before. They had

1416
01:06:51,119 --> 01:06:53,520
people come from the Irakcoy nation to

1417
01:06:53,520 --> 01:06:55,839
come and do their um to to do a dance

1418
01:06:55,839 --> 01:06:57,920
and to sing songs. So it was great

1419
01:06:57,920 --> 01:07:00,240
exposure for the for for the community.

1420
01:07:00,240 --> 01:07:01,680
So, I want to thank the folks that put

1421
01:07:01,680 --> 01:07:03,680
that on and for all the uh vendors that

1422
01:07:03,680 --> 01:07:06,160
were there at the kids arts fest. And by

1423
01:07:06,160 --> 01:07:08,079
the way, everything is free to the kids

1424
01:07:08,079 --> 01:07:10,559
coming just to, you know, have a good

1425
01:07:10,559 --> 01:07:12,079
time in their community. So, that's

1426
01:07:12,079 --> 01:07:14,240
another event.

1427
01:07:14,240 --> 01:07:17,119
I want to um mention the Junth is coming

1428
01:07:17,119 --> 01:07:19,760
up, the celebration of Junth on the 20th

1429
01:07:19,760 --> 01:07:23,119
and 21st of this month. The 20th will be

1430
01:07:23,119 --> 01:07:26,559
in Central Park. And as many of us know,

1431
01:07:26,559 --> 01:07:29,839
Walter Simpkins, our dear beloved uh

1432
01:07:29,839 --> 01:07:31,359
community member who has passed on,

1433
01:07:31,359 --> 01:07:33,599
really led that. But so we want we will

1434
01:07:33,599 --> 01:07:35,839
be there in his honor on the 20th in in

1435
01:07:35,839 --> 01:07:38,880
Veil Cemetery. And then on the 21st, we

1436
01:07:38,880 --> 01:07:41,920
will be in s in Central Park celebrating

1437
01:07:41,920 --> 01:07:44,559
Junth. So asking everyone to please come

1438
01:07:44,559 --> 01:07:47,760
out and to um participate in that. And

1439
01:07:47,760 --> 01:07:49,440
uh to Miss Reed, I'm I'll speak to you

1440
01:07:49,440 --> 01:07:51,680
specifically. Um, I believe my email to

1441
01:07:51,680 --> 01:07:53,200
you was that corporation council was

1442
01:07:53,200 --> 01:07:54,559
going to be looking into your your

1443
01:07:54,559 --> 01:07:56,319
situation. I will review that email

1444
01:07:56,319 --> 01:07:58,880
again and and follow up with you on that

1445
01:07:58,880 --> 01:08:00,480
because I know that they were taking a

1446
01:08:00,480 --> 01:08:03,280
look at at at your situation. So, um, if

1447
01:08:03,280 --> 01:08:05,039
you want, we can speak after the meeting

1448
01:08:05,039 --> 01:08:07,200
and I'd be glad to um to just give you

1449
01:08:07,200 --> 01:08:09,839
more information on that. And I have

1450
01:08:09,839 --> 01:08:12,160
nothing more to add to that. So, at this

1451
01:08:12,160 --> 01:08:14,559
time, I ask for a motion to adjourn.

1452
01:08:14,559 --> 01:08:17,120
Moved by everyone. Moved by Mr.

1453
01:08:17,120 --> 01:08:19,359
Williams, second by Mr. Mutiver. All

1454
01:08:19,359 --> 01:08:21,600
those in favor? I. We are journed. Have

1455
01:08:21,600 --> 01:08:50,070
a good night.

1456
01:08:50,080 --> 01:09:01,690
All right, I'll show again.

1457
01:09:01,700 --> 01:09:10,080
[Music]

1458
01:09:10,080 --> 01:09:12,399
Hey,

1459
01:09:12,399 --> 01:09:20,319
[Music]

1460
01:09:20,319 --> 01:09:22,890
hey, hey.

1461
01:09:22,890 --> 01:09:25,289
[Music]