everyone is 05:30pm, on
Wednesday, AUGUST. 26 2026.
Welcome to the Public Safety
Jessica Meuse City County
Council. When the public
Assembly room of city County
building, we have 2
presentation this evening.
We'll start our meeting with
architects of our council's
committee members lead or
Maori. Thank you, MR. Chaired
Brian Mowery District. 25.
Thank you. CHAIRMAN Jessica
McCormack District, 16
websites. Thank you, MR.
Chaired up the College Park is
district 6 Good evening,
everyone. Tooth District 9.
Thanks. Sure. Thank you.
MISTER CHAIRMAN Renee Allen
District 15, the far east
that. Thank you. Committee
members. We were Robinson
chair, the committee district.
One. We have 2 items on our
agenda. The first item, the
early Intervention Planning
Council be moved to SEPTEMBER.
30th representation of the
first for this evening is Dr
actually. Oh, really, the
regional health and mental
health centers, Dr Overly. We
do have a hard copy in our.
For both station this evening.
DR. We welcome. And DR. We
will take. But there questions
at the conclusion of your
presentation. Yes, that would
be great. Thank you so as
CHAIRMAN Robinson said, I'm
Ashley overly. I'm a
psychiatrist and I'm the chief
executive officer for Sander
Eskenazi Mental Health Center.
I'm here tonight representing
the Marion County Community,
Mental health centers to talk
to you about the scope of our
services here in Marion County
and the impact that our
services have on our
community. So these are the 4
community mental health
centers that operate within
Marion County. We have
Centerstone say dress can, as
you know, health center, the
Spire and Community Health
network. Very grateful to many
of my colleagues from these
institutions who are here to
participate tonight as well.
So I know we are in budget
season. So I do want to
acknowledge the statutory
authority for funding of
community mental health
centers from the counties.
There is a formula that is
established in statute that
defines county funding for
community mental health
centers. And while I
understand that looking at it
MAY feel like an expensive
line item but also want to
acknowledge the finding of the
Indiana Behavioral Health
Commission that found in 2022.
That untreated mental illness
cost the state 4.2 billion
dollars annually. So note that
not treating mental illness is
also very expensive to our
state. So. And I believe that
our community recognizes the
importance of treating mental
illness and making mental
health a priority. The Marion
County Public Health
Department conduct a needs
assessment every 3 years to
survey our community and
identify what Marion County
perceives as the most
important health facing our
community. This year for the
first time mental health,
depression and suicide were
actually listed as the number
one priority in our community.
This is a very extensive
survey that actually surveys
over 45,000 Marion County
residents. And so I believe
that this is a clear
indication of the recognition
in our community of the
importance of this issue. So
given that I want to talk a
little bit about the scope of
our services who we serve in
our community. So. This is the
collective a number of people
that are served by Marion
County Community, Mental
health each year. So in the
past year, collectively, we
served over 66,000 individuals
with in Marion County. This
actually represents almost a
45% increase since 2018. Just
a brief note on this number.
We do actually expect that
this number will decrease next
year as community Fairbanks,
Behavioral Health will no
longer be serving as a
community. Mental health
center. They will still
continue to serve patients and
provide mental health services
but no longer has a community
mental health center. And I
will talk more about that
transition a little bit later
in this presentation. But this
is the snapshot of the number
of patients that we serve in
the past year. In terms of the
diagnoses that we are serving.
These are the top 5 diagnostic
categories for adults. And
number one is substance use
disorders, followed in order
by depressive disorders,
common stressor related
disorders, anxiety disorders
schizophrenia spectrum
disorders. For youth. These
categories first disruptive
impulse control conduct
disorders, followed by anxiety
and then strawman stress
related disorders, depressive
disorders, Nora developmental
disorders, which is like adhd.
So so those trends are very
consistent with what we see
year-over-year and match what
we would expect based on known
prevalence is of these
illnesses in the community.
But something else that's
really important that I want
to highlight is the social
needs of the patients that we
serve. And in addition to
diagnostic assessment, we also
do assessments that help us
understand the social needs of
our patients. So over a 3rd of
our patients experience these
different kinds of social
needs. So they've residential
instability, legal system
involvement in food,
insecurity. And so this
highlights, I believe why it's
so important for us is a
community mental health center
to be looking for. These needs
and to be equipped to be able
to help address these needs
because we know that they are
so influential on people's
mental health and overall
health. This is another
important slide that helps
illustrate the level of need
that we are meeting in the
community. So in addition to
assessing for diagnoses and
social were also assessing
what's the appropriate level
of service to be providing for
our patients. And so we
actually stratify people based
on the level of of services
that they need and what this
graph shows is that actually
87% of the people that we
serve have needs that exceed
what we can actually meet in
an outpatient clinic. So they
have needs that go beyond
simply showing up for
medication management and
therapy services in an office
building and services that
actually can meet them out in
the community. And so we're
providing community-based
intensive services and
residential services to meet
the vast majority of the needs
of our patients. And so this,
I think highlights part of why
that community mental health
center infrastructure is so
important because we are the
institutions that are equipped
to be able to meet those needs
and uniquely in provide the
wraparound services that can
help meet that intensity level
of need. So this slide
illustrates some of the
settings of where we are
serving people and
collectively what we providing
in Marion County. So we have
30 outpatient clinics 151
hospital beds. We staff in
over 160 schools and we have
513 residential beds. And so
this is just a snapshot that
helps you see how many people
were serving in each of those
settings. These are not on
duplicated numbers. So some
people MAY be receiving
services in multiple different
locations. But this at least
gives you some of the scope of
of where we're providing those
services. This slide is really
important because this
demonstrates really where our
primary sources of support are
to be able to provide these
services. So as you can see
Medicaid and hip and together
provide about 62% of our
revenue in support one trend
that I do want to point out
here is that our Medicaid
person has decreased last
year. Medicaid was 47%. This
year is 43% are self pay has
doubled last year. This was
3.4% this year to 7%.
Important to note that most of
the people who are self pay do
not have another source of
support. And so most of those
are individuals that that are
struggle to be able to pay for
their medical so I think the
important thing from this
slide was noting that has
those other resources
decrease. This puts additional
strain on local resources to
be able to continue to fill in
those gaps make sure that
people continue to receive
care community, mental health
centers together provide over
32 million dollars in charity
care to Marion County
residents. And I do want to
point out as well that even
though these are important
sources of support for
community mental health
centers, we all have an
obligation to serve people
regardless of their pay so we
provide the same level of
service to people regardless
of what kind of insurance they
have. I also want to note that
community engagement is a
really important part of what
it means to be a community.
Mental health center. So
together, our community,
mental health centers
participated in 354 and
outreach and community
engagement last year. So this
includes everything from like
providing educational
presentations or tabling at
outreach events. Media events
providing different different
out outreach is and
participating as sponsors and
different events. And so this
we believe is a really
important part of our identity
and mission as a community.
Mental health center is really
engaging actively with the
community being present,
knowing our neighbors, knowing
our partners and and really
showing up in order to create
the relationships that help us
help us break down barriers
for our community. So we know
that even though we have a lot
of resources to offer his
community, mental health
centers, there's no single
institution that has
everything that anyone person
needs. And so it's really
important for us to be
partnering with other
institutions in the community.
I want to spend a few minutes
talking about crisis services
here. What you are looking at
right now is state dashboard.
The state has re very recently
developed a dashboard those
publicly available at the
website that's listed here
where you look the services
across the spectrum of crisis
services in so we like to
describe the full continuum of
crisis services as really 3
pillars of meeting someone to
contact someone to call
someone to respond and and
also a safe place to go for
help. And so this dashboard
looks at and reports the
volume of care in each of
those different categories.
And so what you can see here
is the increase in volume of
calls to 9, 8, since 2023,
which is one 90 date was
introduced nationally. So in
and in the state of Indiana.
What we see here is the
someone to respond. And so
since JULY of 25 to JUNE of
26, we've had over 1300
dispatches across. When you
look at those provide
community mental health
centers, some of our senator
served more than one county.
And that's why we've got more
than one county highlighted
here. But specifically with in
Marion County, the ccb
agencies provide 24 7 mobile
crisis coverage with 14
different mobile teams that
are dispatched by 9.88 So and
that's part of the requirement
of being a cc Ph d. And then
next, we also have a safe
place for help. And so this is
a crisis is not able to be
resolved on the phone, not
able to be resolved on site
with mobile team responding
and then we need to have
somewhere that person can go
and these are not emergency
departments. These are
dedicated purpose-built
psychiatric emergency
services. They're called
crisis receiving in
stabilization services and
they are created specifically
for mental health crises. And
frequently integrate the use
peer recovery specialist are
very focused on creating safe
spaces for people with mental
health crises. And again, all
of these are available
publicly on the state mental
health Earth's to the state
crisis dashboard. I think the
thing that I would like to
highlight here is that these
crisis services, someone to
respond and the safe place to
for help. Our very
specifically unique resources
that are created with the
certified Community,
Behavioral Health Clinic,
where Ccb hc, which is a state
Medicaid pilot. But I also
talk about a little bit later
in the program are in the
presentation here. But it's
important, I think to note
that without connecting crisis
resources, 2 continuum of out
patient ongoing chronic care
management through this ecb,
hc, those crisis services
really are a bridge to
nowhere. So it's very
important that we have not
stand alone. Crisis services,
but crisis services that are
integrated into a continuum
services that can help prevent
crises and also help follow-up
after crisis has happened. And
so I think that's the doubt
part of the value and the
beauty of this ecb hca system
is really helping integrate
those crisis services into a
system that can that can do
that. Long-term. Feel so have
some important transitions in
mental health service delivery
in our county that I want to
talk about right now as well.
Importantly, I will announce
that adult and child is now
Centerstone. So adult and
child in completed a merger on
November. 3rd, it is important
to note that locations that
and the staff are still in
place. So kind. New ad of care
is definitely a priority. And
this transition and so
locations and staff are still
in place. There's no change
there. But now rather than
being granted as adult and
child. This is now Centerstone
Centerstone is now the largest
out patient nonprofit mental
health provider in the
country. As a matter of fact.
Another important change
that's happened in our county
is that community Health
network announced in DECEMBER
that they were no longer going
to no longer going to be
providing services as a
community mental health center
anymore. So this left the
state with an obligation to
designate a new community.
Mental health center for
Warren and Lawrence townships,
which historically have been
served by community Fairbanks,
Behavioral Health as the cmhc
for those areas. And in
collaboration actually with
the City County Council. And I
want to thank both John Barth
and Maggie Lewis for their
collaboration with the state,
the State Division of Mental
Health and Addiction named
Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health
Center as the New Community
Mental Health Center for
Warren and wants townships.
And so at this time, those
townships have transitioned
into Sanders Mental Health
center. And so we continue to
provide the community mental
health center services that
were previously provided by
community. Think it's also
important to note that even
though community won't be
operating as a community,
mental health center, they
will continue to operate a
significant amount of
inpatient services some
outpatient mental health
services as well. They'll also
breaking ground for a new
mental health hospital towards
the end of SEPTEMBER. So those
are some of the changes to the
service providers. I had
mentioned earlier that I would
talk little bit more about cc
Beach Sea. I think statewide
on this is really one of the
most important developments in
mental health service
delivery. And so want to keep
you posted on on where this is
right now. So the state has
launched a pilot of the cc
Beach. See the certified
Community Behavioral Health
Clinic in 2025, this is a
four-year pilot that goes from
2025. Until 2028. What cc
Beach see is is a federal
definition of the standard of
care for community mental
health services and a model
for reimbursing those services
that assures that charge our
standard of care is a line on
really across the country. And
the and the state of Indiana.
We have 8 organizations that
are piloting through our state
Medicaid program and we are
seeing some really promising
things already through this
pilot. And so some of the very
specific things that we are
accountable for as acc Bhc are
providing same day access to
care, providing services
initiating services within 10
days of the request for
services. So this is a very
specific expectation that was
not present for Cmh sees that
is present for cc ph sees. So
see chc introduces new, all
the metrics and the
expectation for additional
evidence based practice
implementation that goes above
and beyond what the cmhc is
have been expected to So we've
already seen improvements
access to care, improved
access to substance use
disorders, increased outreach
and engagement with criminal
justice partners to improve
outreach in collaboration with
the criminal legal system and
also increased partnerships to
help address homelessness. And
so we believe that this ecb hc
program does offer a in terms
of improving and increasing
the standard of care. The
mission is the same. As for
the cmhc system. But it's an
additional enhancement in the
investment for mental health
services. So we are
enthusiastic supporters of it
hope to see this expand
statewide. So so. I I this
also again, ties back to the
crisis because crisis services
are something that are not
resource under the community.
Mental health center system
but are resourced under the
ccbc system. And so being able
to maintain and continue those
crisis services. It's
something that an important
reason that is important for
cc Beachy to continue and
expand. So we are enthusiastic
about the future for Bhc. And
then finally, I do want to
thank George Heard he's vice
president of behavioral health
for Community Fairbanks,
Behavioral Health. And as I
mentioned, as community will
be transitioning away from
being a community mental
health center. Nonetheless
want to make knowledge George
herds contributions to our
community, mental health
center system and his advocacy
for mental health. And I want
to appreciate his partnership
and collaboration over many,
many years. He's worked very
closely with us on many
important projects. Grateful
for his his passion and
advocacy for our patients and
for our community and and have
huge respect for him as a
leader and has a mental health
advocate. So this will
actually be his last public
safety meeting to be at since
he will no longer be
representing a community
mental health center. But I
know that he will continue to
be a positive advocate for
mental health in our
community. So certainly want
to thank you and appreciate
his contributions to. And that
concludes my presentation
thank you, Doctor, overly you
always do a great job versus
you sharing your 2027 items
with comes to question Dr
with. From the committee
council Boots. Welcome. Thank
you, MR. CHAIRMAN, I have 3
questions my to and then you
come back. Counselor. DR.
Really good to see Thanks for
all your work. Can you explain
what does it mean practically
that community health is no
longer the community mental
health center, but still going
to be serving inpatient,
mental health patients. So
in-patient services, in fact,
are not actually a formal part
of the community. Mental
health center definition. And
so many and many community
mental health centers actually
don't have in-patient mental
health services. We happened
to. But that's not because
it's a requirement of the seam
agencies so they will continue
to provide their inpatient
services but they will not be
beholden to provide kind of
that full spectrum of cmhc
outpatient services. That
includes requirements of who
they see and what kind of wrap
around in support of services
they provide. So Secondly, you
know, historically we've
always been concerned that the
county jail is the biggest
provider of mental health
services in the county. Is
there been any progress made
or any efforts made to reduce
that trend? Well, I think that
cc Bhc is a promising pathway
in order to doing that. And
it's so tc Bhc places, an
expectation that we are
collaborating with criminal
justice partners. And think
it's that is a very
multifactorial problem. The
fact the number of middle
individuals with mental health
in the jail. And and so we
there's no I would not say
that there's measurable
reduction of that at this
time. But I do think that cc
Bhc is a vehicle that gives us
greater ability to measure
that over time and also places
more specific expectations
about creating liaisons and
partnerships with that Ccb, 80
resources, the ability for us
to hire staff to be those
liaisons to work with the
jail. So there are people on
site at the jail that part of
your network. We have a grant
that facilitates that. But we
use what cc Bhc allows is that
we have zahnd who coordinate
with criminal justice partners
and so who can be available to
attend meetings and talk to
talk to their staff and
communicate with community
corrections and help make sure
that people are getting
connected with care. Not kind
got to drop through cracks.
Okay. Finally. Are there any
effort from the your group for
providing any mental health
services in for the local
flood relief. Recovery. There
are several of us that are
heavily involved in that. I've
yet to see anything from the
mental health service side
into the picture. So actually,
I'm going to turn to my
friends over here. Is anyone
familiar with efforts through
rest area? 5, perhaps so. And
some of the areas serving from
Centerstone Rabbi So yeah,
several areas we have deployed
crisis teams and folks out in
community, some of more world
we also serve on the side of
the state. And so we're
deploying in those scenarios
being response to being
available, just just being
present for those folks that
need need support. Is there
any effort right here in
Marion County? Didn't have Not
immediately where at. We'll be
in touch somebody or
equipment. Thank you because
just want thank you council.
This comes to questions for
DR. You know, when the
audience speak to this
presentation from Doctor Lee.
Thank you, DR. Appreciate Up
next in the final positions,
even as the Office Public
Health and Safety Director
Andrew Merkley and covid Duffy
come forward. Please.
Director
Mark. I'm never ready. Well,
good evening, MR. CHAIRMAN
members of the committee,
thank you for the opportunity
this evening to present. Okay.
Just as 2027 budget proposal.
My name is Andrew Merkley and
the director of the Office of
Public Health and Safety. And
I'm joined tonight by current
the our cfo. I also want to
think before you get started,
phs they have. Over the last
year, there's been a lot of
adversity that we've that
we've worked they worked very
hard to achieve the goals that
we've set for them and this
and you'll see that throughout
I want to take our lead. And
Brian Heineman Hannah, the
school for their work on this
presentation, countless hours
put into that and various
partners that are here this
evening. I am proud to present
this budget. This 29.6 million
dollar budget proposal while
it is an increase over last
year's budget. That increase
reflects. Opioid and economic
enhancement district dollars
that are being contributed to
operations of the future.
Housing help. And so actually,
our Consolidated County budget
is lower this year than it was
last year. About $162,000
less. This is representative
of our response to the audit.
We've taken a very hard look
at our programs and we have
done a great job of. Reducing
and realigning programs to
ensure effectiveness and
efficacy. The mission of the
office is to reduce violent
crime by addressing the root
causes of crime. And we do
that. Are 5 divisions which
are separated into 2.
Umbrellas, a public health and
public safety. Here for you is
the structure of our staff and
our agency. We separate staff
into 2 programmatic areas,
public health public safety.
And each of our programmatic
divisions is led by an
administrator. We also have
our 3 other exhilarating
divisions, communications
finance and our strategic
initiatives Division. We have
30 authorized positions. 27
are filled and 3 vacancies.
Okay. Just is predominantly
female and non-white. That
holds true for all of most of
our employees in at the
management level. And now I
will turn it over car. Let's
who We just threw the budget
numbers. Good evening,
everyone. The 4 current rates
awarded to the Office Public
Safety. Through the assistance
cows in Carson's office. He's
a congressional earmark and
that the award for that
amount, $963,000. That grant
2027 SEPTEMBER of 2027. There
are no match requirements. It
is supporting the work of our
DVRs programming We hope will
actually will sustain that
work after the grant by
including it into our either
our Programmatic structures in
or are contractual. Services.
Our overall gross budget
breakdown funds. Reflects an
increase 1 million, $618,780
across all characters. The
total approve consolidate
county budget for 2026. Was
22 Million. 504,002 3, $1. The
total proposed budget for 27
is 22 Million. 341 dollars.
$341,007.4 774 reflecting a
variance of 162,000. 457.
Difference, the negative
between the 2 years.
Character, one changes.
Character. One covers all
personnel. Is a net budget.
Decrease of 112 $1000.
$12,568. This is reflected by
moving of 5 veteran service
officers or employees transfer
to the mayor's office budget.
Budget funds, 3% increase in
cola increases and one percent
increase in health insurance.
Also a step in great. Crease
of 8, a 3,100. The budget
breakdown for to which covers
agency supplies. There are no
changes to page's character to
budget from 2026. Budget
breakdown for character. 3
care to 3 which covers
Services reflects the total
budget increase of 1 million,
736,377 dollars increases
include the 1 million, 781,207
dollars in opioid settlement
funding and 1 million to the
fall. County, which includes
support from the economic and
has been district. New
violence reduction team
reflects a movement of 216,000
from the administrative budget
to for prevention services
increase of 100,000 for the
Nationals to protest or form.
The funds it that are charged,
increases and decreases
include a budget increase of
$21,405 for ice. A computer
service charges. But increase
of $10,145 for I say, phone
charges, a budget decrease of
160,000 781 for story. Rant,
additional decreases include
300,000 pitches. Be Watt and
added to Marion County.
Prosecutors budget 27 budget.
We've been engaged center at
the ice reflects a $57,000 $24
decrease to operational
budget. Cb rt, which is
actually in violence reduction
team. $50,000 addition to Icr.
For administrative Budget
300,000 total reduction in
immigrant legal services.
100,000 a reduction in food
services for the live program.
And reduction in
administration. 2027 re-entry.
Really stopping. Kirk to 4
which covers agency equipment.
There are no changes to the
operate. Cage's character for
funding. For character 5.
Covers our fleet Services. An
officer corporation counsel
charge backs. For free
services were reflecting
decrease of $5,949 for fleet
service occ increases. By
$920. All right. Well, thank
you, Colette for overview. Now
we will be diving in to take a
deeper look at each of our
divisions in the per the
programs that those divisions
operate. Throughout this
presentation. You will see the
character, one character 3 for
most of our programs. However,
there are some fluctuations in
the character. One. And those
are emblematic of the fact
that this is still
programmatic budgeting is
still a pilot program. We have
several new program codes as
well. And many of the people
that work on these programs
spanned different divisions.
So we're still working with
them to make sure that we are
a lot the appropriate amount
of time of each individual's
time to the various programs.
We're starting with the House
and the Homelessness and
addiction Prevention division,
which seen its largest budget
to date with this proposal,
which reflects that increase
of the housing hub. Last year.
We've asked each of divisions
to identify the mission of
their division and how that
relates back to the mission
Phs. And so we'll all be
providing with each of those
mission statements tonight.
The mission homelessness and
eviction prevention division
as as we affectionately call
hat, it's improved the quality
of life for those facing
housing, instability and
unsheltered homelessness by
supporting residents facing
eviction and facilitating
connectivity to resources for
Unhoused neighbors. The
homeless is an eviction
prevention team has I just
want to thank them quickly
because they I have dealt with
a lot of changes this year.
We've emerged sorry, fiction,
diversion services with
another county program. We
have kind of indoctrinated
into streets to homework,
helping to clean camps in
clothes. Then after we've
housed everyone, which is a
new program, ends, we piloted
a new Winter Contingency
project. So thank you to that
team. The team primarily is
when that when they're out in
the community, they are
working with directly with
individuals, whether that's in
the courts or with our
unsheltered neighbors. But
they participating in some
other events as well. And this
year, in partnership with our
legal aid Partners hosted
education event inform tenants
of their rights and provide
resources to them. And we have
another one of those planned
this fall. They're also
tabling multiple community
events and they'll be
partnering with our food team
next month to have a
conversation with our
neighbors, about housing,
instability and food
insecurity considering the
recent staff changes. Want to
start with our Winter
contingency program from this
last season. You all received
the report that we put out and
it's available on our website,
but really, really proud of
the success is this winter. We
provided shelter to over 1100
individuals across the 3 sites
that we operate in partnership
with Aspire Indiana, helping
cannot see. We were able to
connect 48 households to
permanent housing. In our
overnight warming center was
opened 50 nights in 30 days,
which is far more than we had
in previous winters. We did
that by increasing the the
threshold for that pilot from
negative 15 degree windchill
to 25 degree air temperature.
This budget also reflects for
the first time devoting
committing a portion of the
eye sees operational dollars
to winter contingency and the
fiscal that's running
alongside this budget will
include 2.2 million dollars
for build out of the
assessment and Intervention
Center, the shelf space.
That's there that has not been
built out. And so in future
winters by neck by 2027. 28.
When are we hope to have that
facility available with 60
beds to serve in the winter
contingency and whether
contingency framework. Another
real-time example of how these
facilities have been helpful
from whether contingent
perspective is that we were
able to operation allies, the
should the family shelter tips
during the previous the
flooding event that we just
experienced. And what I think
the team and multiple
directors from the from the
administration who helped
operate that facility over the
weekend. We also paid for
tells fruit, for families with
pets. And so we're able make
sure folks have shelter. Last
Phs interpreters and they said
provided food for workers and
volunteers in Riverwood Park.
And this coming weekend we
will be participating in the
resource fair and open house
providing again food and are
still see. Our team will be in
attendance to assist with
those behavior health
challenges that you addressed.
Council boots. Here on the
screen is one of our many
public facing dashboards that
we're creating for our
programs. This tab is our
family and single women
shelter. Winter Contingencies
page that you can see. And I
just want highlight here all
the various resources that
aspires providing to our
neighbors when Aaron Shelter.
As well as the average length
of stay being 36 days. I
believe that's that's a lot
shorter than what a family
would experience in one of our
regular shelters. We served
160 households there, which is
more than last winter. And I
think that's a critical piece
of data because we were open
one last one month less this
season and we worked the
previous seasons. This is our
pilot overnight warming center
We served almost 400
individuals at that location
offering similar types of
referrals and resources. And
we were also able to create
this heat map that you see the
calendar and what that shows
is the number of individuals
in the shelter on any given
night. And when we were open
that last week of the month in
JANUARY was the polar vortex.
And that demonstrates when we
we had 160 individuals in the
facility, which is more than
double the number of of of
individuals that we were
supposed to serve at that
location. We did that because
our partners in peace ph a
staff worked overnight
throughout that week in order
to help assist aspire, make
sure that keep our neighbors
safe. As I stated, we merged
our eviction Diversion
Initiative, which was formerly
known as the tenant advocacy
project with the Lawrence
Township, Eviction Diversion,
initiative this year. And
through that merger, we
continue to provide services
in all 9 Marin County, small
claims courts as well as the
Marin County Superior Court.
This year. We provided more
than 9,000 hours of legal aid
to earn 8 to 10. It's here in
Marion County and we've
connected 842 households to
navigation services. I did
want to know one challenge
that continues for us. And
that is being able to track an
individual from the moment.
They either call the Mayor's
Action Center or they appear
in court throughout the
process to make sure deal to
tell you all how we're doing
when it comes to diverting in
eviction. And so we are
working. Our team is working
really hard. And I can not say
that today. They've identified
a program that we MAY be able
to use that will help us to
track those individuals. Our
pathway to employment program,
which began back in 2019,
continues to operate and we
are focusing more on.
Individual outcomes. And so
what this program does is it
connects individuals that are
participating with full-time
employment after they
completed the program. And in
this in connection with
Industry-recognized
credentials as well as
permanent housing. This year.
We've we were we've been able
to connect 66 individuals, 2,
at least 2 credentials or
more. 54 have obtained
full-time employment and 10
have secured housing. Okay. So
that's what I'm really excited
about that. A long time
coming. The housing hub is
under construction in on your
screen is an aerial view from
Monday of this week. As you
can see, we've we've been
working on preparing the site
for Footers and we drainage
has been install. I'm told we
should have parking lots and
curbs here in the next couple
of weeks. And we'll see steel
coming out of the ground here
this fall. We are tracked to
open in 2027. And we are
continuing to work on
constructing pedophiles
facility. Have this location
which will be another remove
another potential barrier for
individuals who trying to get
out of homelessness. Our He's
part of a more holistic vision
for ending chronic
homelessness. And part of that
condition. Part of that is our
streets to home in the
program. We have a well. Okay.
Just is not contribute
financially to this program.
We we are integral in closing
and cleaning up those areas.
Where individuals were
camping. And since the
beginning of the of this
program, we have closed 9
camps and restored them to
public use. This program as
about AUGUST versus House,
more than 230 individuals. And
you'll that number will
increase on SEPTEMBER first
when the next round of data is
released. Chip expects to
achieve their initial goal of
housing 300 to 350 individuals
before the end of this year.
In phase one. And phase 2 is
focus on stabilization and
continued support of those
that we've already housed. So
face to the city has already
committed significant amount
of money to initiative at
11 million dollars and 5.9
million dollars of that is
going towards stabilization of
those households that we've
already house. Streets to home
works. And the addition of
this of the new housing hub
gets us one step closer to
ending unsheltered
homelessness Indianapolis. As
they discuss. We we are
participating in the camp
maintenance efforts around
streets to home. And so we
continue to fund that effort
in this and this future
budget. This year we've
cleaned 5 encampments. As part
of streets to home. And our
partners have spent more than
220 hours clean. Those camps.
This on your screen is is a
camp known Dakota and it is on
the south side of the city
along the river. I think, you
know, when we think about the
floods that occurred last
week, if we had not been able
to restore the spirit of
camping in house, these
individuals, we MAY have seen
a very different outcome for
neighbors who are living along
the river and are our
neighbors down south of the
river. Seen all this debris
floating down toward that. So
this is a really great effort
by our team in a phs. Finally
for have we continue to
operate or public restroom
facilities. And we are looking
at a new location to move one
of those restrooms. Moving to
behavioral health. Excuse me.
Their budget remains
relatively the same as it has
in the past. And the mission
of our behavioral health team
is to enhance community mental
wellness and address barriers
to care for all by connecting
residents to timely and
appropriate behavioral health
and substance. You support
with the aim of reducing
unnecessary justice system
involvement and expanding
access to culturally competent
services. I want to take just
a second to thank should the
and show on the behavior
health team. They have been
instrumental in. Thinking
outside the box when it comes
to engagement around
behavioral health, they
identified that are the
assessment Intervention Center
and clinician lead community
response and just behavior
health in general. There's
enough awareness around that.
And so they have taking upon
themselves in partnership with
our communications team to
really double down on our
awareness campaigns they
posted a series of mental
health first aid trainings and
they've all been trained in
mental health. First aid.
Those trains have been
provided to other agencies are
in the city. We're expanding
to other public part partners
on the public. In MAY we the
endeavor to put an extensive
campaign for mental Health
awareness Month. The dyeing
the canal Green with the cold
in partnership with the Colts
and hosting you forums to
understand how behavioral
health is impacting our youth.
have another one of those
coming in SEPTEMBER during to
side Awareness Month. The
assessment interventions that
Ruben Engagement Center
continues operate. 24 7 in
partnership with the skin on
health, providing mental
health addiction and
homelessness supports. We have
seen an increase utilization
of beds for the everyman
engagement side of the
facility. So just to back up a
second, we have recently.
They're 60 beds at the
facility and we since Winter
contingency maintain 30 of
those beds for unsheltered
neighbors. So we've seen an
increase utilization both on
the what we're calling safe.
Space side of the facility.
Those 30 beds and increased
sustained use of Ruben
Engagement Center beds. Those
30 bets. There. We have served
more than 70 individuals with
a safe space beds since
creating those that's 4 insult
or neighbors. And as we
continue to make improvements
that expand, who can we can
refer to those beds. We will
see utilization in the future.
We've also been able to link
350 individuals who views the
Ruben Engagement Center beds
to continued care and we're
working. We continue to work
to improve coordination with
our stakeholders, to reduce
barriers and improve data
collection. The community, the
clinician lead community
response team or cr was
expanded on the first county
wide and that has been
instrumental increasing the
number of calls that are going
to see else year. In addition
to that, we have a&m o u in
place with okay Chess Mesa
ands the question like
Community Response Team is
stepping stones to ensure that
behavioral health calls. Our
first being directed to seal
cr as opposed to in cat or the
police, which is which is help
to increase our numbers as
well. Ok? So we're moving to
the division of Community
Nutrition, Food policy. And
you will see $100,000
reduction the lift program for
this. For this division as
we've realized that program.
To q a and Catherine have done
a wonderful job in continuing
to provide food to our
neighbors, through direct
service. But Dr Shelley
Settles his return to us after
previously been in this role
is really working to change
the division to focus on
systems change as opposed to
direct services. And so these
programs, these slides will
focus less on the programs
themselves. And more on the
program, areas that she is
focusing on. And there's 5 of
those program areas, students
of food. Security,
infrastructure, food, security
outreach, nutrition outreach.
Grover Technical support and
retailer promotion. The
mission of this division is to
ensure access to healthy,
culturally appropriate food
for all Marin County residents
through support and
coordination of the loop,
local food, economy and
infrastructure. In front of
you is a map of those direct
food service, direct Services
events that our team has been
hosting around the city. Many
of those are in partnership
with other divisions and lot
of those with our community
violence reduction team and
the Ndp's team. And so as you
can see from this map, those
are taking place in the same
areas where we see high rates
of crime in our city. And
we're doing that because many
times those individuals who
are engaging in that type of
violent behavior are doing so
because they need access to
food. This slide, it will be
the only slide that
demonstrates a character. One
spend for for this division.
We do not break out their
spend by by program. Instead,
we do that for the entire
division. And so I just wanted
to note that for you. In 2027,
we're going to continue
funding the programs you see
on the slide community Compass
the pantry summit in the
hunger networks, food
resources, food resource
services hub. The Marion
County public Health
Departments, fresh box
program. Community Compass,
which is picked pictured on
the screen is a free to use
website and app. Helps you
find pantries Neil sites and
snap and wic retailers around
Marin County. It's had almost
100,000 visits through quarter
2 of 2027 2026. Excuse The
food resources Hub connects
individuals to food
assistance, resources. We've
helped 69 households complete
snap applications this year
assisting. 48 with fsa say
interviews and we were able to
connect 23 of those snap. We
were able to get 23 of those.
48 households connected and
approved for snap. When we
think about what that means.
The average household snap
benefit in Marion County is
$400 a month. So just 23
households being approved for
snap means that could bring in
additional $100,000 annually
and snap benefits to
households and retailers in
Marion County. Our Fresh Fresh
Books program is a nutrition
incentive program. For those
who use snap. And what that
does is that it helps
individuals who have those
funds purchase more fruits and
vegetables from local farmers.
Through q 2 of this 119 unique
users have redeemed $3700
worth of the nearly $4900
available to them. Local
farmers markets and retailers.
As we demonstrated our map
earlier, our food outreach is
significant through q 2 of
this year, we hosted 14
events. But when the snap
benefits, the were cut in JULY
of this year, we hosted
additional 13 events in JULY.
Through q 2, we have provided
more than 1000 households with
produce another grocery items.
Which account amounts to
55,000 pounds of food for
neighbors. We continue to work
with Gleaners to provide or
food for these events. And
9.13, who is providing
logistics to get those the
food that we are are providing
to those locations. Outreach
is more than just distribution
our food team has filmed a
snap public now announcement
to educate residents on the
major changes that have come
with the federal and state
cuts to snap benefits. This is
where you'll know the $100,000
reduction in the budget for
this this division. We had
identified at the top of the
year before the audit's
release inefficiencies in the
food lift program. And so we
are working to realign that
program now to ensure that the
individuals and families that
need these services most
receive them. And so and will
be able to access this. These
lift rights. In addition to
our new nutrition outreach
includes cooking classes, food
access programs and the
promotion of healthier eating.
We provided 35 classes in our
community cooking classes in
the system. More than 30,000
individuals with rides already
this year. Our food team also
supports agriculture,
entrepreneurship by providing
grant writing assistance.
Available funding when we have
it and technical assistance
related to her been growing
and example of this type of
assistance is the new code
compliance guide that the team
has has drafted. It includes
tips on navigating city zoning
soil tests, resources and
personal livestock rules for
local farmers. A retailer
promotion slide here. We're
hoping to get. Individuals
connected to local stores and
promoting our local farmers.
We believe that's important.
That's why the lift grocery
access program and fresh books
are critical to this retail
promotion. Helping people buy
local also helps our local
retailers, which helps sustain
food. Which helps us sustain
our food ecosystem. Okay. Now
we're going to shift to our
public safety programs. And
first, we'll start with
reentry Division. This
division, despite some
changes, continues to see the
same amount budgeted over the
last over last year. And this
year The mission of this
division is to lower barriers
to successful community
reentry for individuals
returning from incarceration
and those with prior justice
involvement through
connectivity to employment,
housing and other essential
services. This team much like
our Behavioral Health Division
wanted to make sure that we're
getting the word out about
re-entry month. And they
created a point of view video
of the release lobby to help
get the word out about what
the release it is, where it is
and what they do. Your partner
spotlights during that month
and created flyers and about
expungement laws. Our team
also spoke at iu India about
there about a re-entry
initiatives and they've been
table multiple events. This so
this demonstrates our release
lobby and a reentry services
budgets for next year. I think
it's important to note here
that. Moving forward into
2027, we are realigning our
program really saw program.
From a 24 7 response to.
Day-to-day response during the
workweek. We provide 3 Ft ease
after really soggy. And so
we're going to realign their
mission to be more focused on
recidivism and less on the
day-to-day needs of
individuals coming out of the
facility. So that MAY be
working with individuals
before the exit, the jail in
partnership with the mental
health behavior, health case
workers that are in the jail
already. And we've already
been working with the Marion
County Sheriff's Department to
identify ways that they can
assist us in those overnight
hours to ensure that
individuals get access to bus
passes Lyft rides to make sure
they can get home. Now we move
to our community, introduction
teams, we call them cvr this
divisions mission is to reduce
community violence through
data-driven, community-based
non-law enforcement strategies
focusing on prevention,
intervention and supporting
neighborhoods impacted by gun
violence. This budget will see
an increase of to our National
for National Institute
Institute for Criminal Justice
Reform Partners. For the first
time they will be budgeted in
our budget as well as youth
programming, which has not
previously been in our budget.
It's hard to MISS Are in the
peace team. They're here
tonight in their orange
shirts. You see them out in
the community often and they
are often working to stabilize
our neighborhoods and some of
the most difficult and
challenging neighborhoods.
Providing intensive
interventions in areas with
high rates of gun violence.
The canvas they provide food
and they prefer promote
community events in
participating community. Vince
throughout the year. Some
additional impactful events
that we participated in
include piece on the Plaza,
which is a partnership with
the Pacers, which we believe
help to reduce some of the
JULY 4th challenges that we
saw last year. Also the Love
Fest at Washington Park and
our Cars and Kick Ball event,
which is a unique event this
year, Carson Kick Ball,
brought our car clubs together
to play kick ball against one
another at a local park
participants in that program
had to go through some various
trainings before they were
able to participate. This was
I believe, thought up by our
partners at Public Safety
Foundation, Hoskins with our
team. She does a great job and
want to shout her out as well
the rest of the cvr team about
because of all the work that
they do. You hear a lot of
success about the that we
have. Reducing homicides in
Marin County. Part of that is
because of the gun violence
reduction strategy and the
work that the peace team and
are see the our team does in
the community as of this
morning, we are at a 15%
reduction in criminal
homicides since the start of
this program in 2021. That
includes a 23% reduction
year-to-date in criminal
homicides from last year. We
have a lot to be proud of it,
but in the piece and what they
do there's a lot more to it
than just reducing criminal
homicides. Through the
fellowship program. We are
connecting individually or
connecting with individuals
who are at a risk being
involved in criminal excuse me
in violent. In violence and we
hoping to rehabilitate them
get them on the right path.
This year, we graduated 27
fellows out of her fellowship
program. And some of those
individuals have been hired to
have to continue working with
other fellows or with our
outreach teams around the
city. We're also hiring a
behavioral health and wellness
manager through grant funds
that we received. The doj. One
thing that we recognize is
that individuals in this
fellowship program. Our
challenge by behavioral health
mental health challenges and
we want to be able to provide
that service directly to them.
And as I said, our staff are
also putting their lives in
harm's way on a day-to-day
basis. And so they are also
experiencing some of the same
behavior, health and mental
health challenges. And so we
want to make sure that that's
available to them as well.
Some additional impactful
collaboration. Ys through a
partnership with Public Safety
Foundation. They're working
with Johns Hopkins and
creating a violence Reduction
Council here in the city. I
like to think that a lot like
the Le Bron Council where
we're bringing were bringing
together multiple partners
across the city to MARCH in
the same direction as as we
continue to reduce violence in
the city of Indianapolis. Our
partnership with the Brookside
cdc, transformative travel
program. Our fellows go
through conflict resolution
and then they're able to
participate in program to get
experience a new opportunities
outside of Marion County. Many
of these fellows have never
been outside of the county.
This is our indie peace Public
dashboard and what this
demonstrates on your screen is
our fellowship program.
There's also another tab for
age that program. I think what
I'd like to note here is the
number of number of fellows
that are enrolled in school
that re enrolled in school
that are either searching for
or have obtained full-time
part-time employment. And also
where those fellows are coming
from the heat map on your
screen demonstrates where
identifying this follows where
they live and so I think it's
important have as part of this
slide. In addition to that.
The if you're looking for
numbers around the reduction
in homicides of production and
robberies that you won't find
that on our dashboard. That is
on impd stash board. And so
we're going to work with them
to see if we can link those 2
dash boards together. So you
can see the comprehensive work
that we're doing in
partnership with impd. You
will recall that we paused our
elevation program to realign
it this year. And we're in
year one of a new two-year
grant cycle for this program.
This year. Provided grants
ranging from 100,000 to
$400,000 to 30 sept grantees
through the Our partnership
with the Indianapolis
Foundation. This new cycle has
already helps with capacity
building. And with data
collection. Last month. I you
know, all of you the quarter,
one results from the elevation
grants and quarter 2 outcomes
are are expected soon. You
should see those in your
SEPTEMBER 1st when I send out
our SEPTEMBER first data.
Grantees have established more
than 150 new partnerships
since the start of this new
round. And if served over
7,000 participants. Of the
more than 100 participants who
were connected to housing
resources. 66 have obtain
housing. And worse. We're
seeing improved positive
outcomes across the board for
elevation. Participants. Look
forward to being able to share
those quarter. 2 results with
you in SEPTEMBER. This year.
We also realigned our
strategic prevention or excuse
me are in the center for
Conflict. Conflict resolution
and are in the Champions which
is r d program. Under one
umbrella that we are calling
strategic prevention. And so
that's why you see these both
on the same slide. What that's
doing is it's it's making it
easier for us to moves shift
staff as needed and to share
resources between those 2
programs. Funding has been
slightly reduced to more
efficiently match. The
year-over-year spending for
the icc. Our program. But we
have seen we hired someone new
in that at the icr directly
from impd and we've seen in
124 4% increase in conflict
resolution trainings this
year. And are in the Champions
Program has trained more than
900 youth in domestic violence
prevention. In addition, 300
other individuals. 2026 marked
a change in how we provide
youth programming in Marin
County. We launched the Youth
Violence Reduction Initiative
and We Re imagine summer in
the city. After last JULY we
talk to youth who told us that
they needed another place to
go. That was more appropriate
space for them as opposed to
being downtown. And in that
re-imagining of summer in the
city, we operated a new
location on Friday providing
services to youth on Friday
and Saturday nights. We also
hired 2 new program managers
of violence prevention,
violence reduction on the cvr
team this year. For white your
eye, which which began that
pilot back in 2025. Through
seed funding from the National
Institute for Criminal Justice
Reform. That program is taking
what we learned from the adult
combines reduction fellowship.
And applies it to youth. So
We've partnered with voices to
do that work and they're
engaged this year with 26
juveniles who are at an
elevated risk of being
involved in violent violent
crime. What we found through
this program is that family
engagement is key to the
success of these individuals.
And so we are providing
wrap-around services not just
to the individuals in the
program, but also to their
families. This budget is going
to provide additional funding
for wide your eye. And in
2026, we have also provided
additional funding to why
right to continue their work.
Earlier this year. You all
provided additional funding
through fiscal. For our summer
in the city fall in the city
and winter in the city
program. And so Waller, while
our partnership with let them
talk. And this initial summer
in the city programming will
wrap up this weekend. We are
working with partners at
Delano in Anthony Hampton to
start youth men's Basketball
league. That will continue our
summer in the city. Efforts
into the fall. And we're
working on exploring a similar
program for youth Women in
partnership with the Powell
Club. So that work will
continue. And then over fall
break and winter break. We'll
have similar activities for
youth on the weekends. The
turnout for this for some in
the city this year has been
significant. When you look at
the difference from last year
to this year, we are averaging
more kids in this program per
night. This summer. Then we
registered in all 2025. The
earlier Intervention Planning
Council, we continue to fund
through our budget. They will
come back to you. It sounds
like on SEPTEMBER. 30th McCoy
will be here to talk about
their budget. But I did want
to highlight that they remain
in our budget for 2027. And
then we we have a couple of
programs that don't fit nicely
under umbrellas of public
safety and public health. And
those are a lift concierge
program and our immigrant
legal defense program. First,
we'll talk about Wisconsin
years. We're continuing to
fund that program at $45,000.
This is essential to being
able to assist some of our
programs and the participants
of those programs getting them
rides to whether its rides
home from the jail or whether
it's getting out through
winter contingency, getting
them connected to behavioral
health appointments,
employment opportunities for
school. And so we think it's
necessary to continue
providing the services to our
to partners. Finally,
immigrant legal defense. I
want to thank Director Morales
who I believe is here this
evening and can speak more to
the immigrant legal Defense
services that we're providing.
So I'll give you the
highlights if if you have
questions, you can answer
those. This budget does not
provide additional funding in
2027. And the reason for that
is much like remember much
like our elevation, fun. We
needed to pause and take a
look at what we were doing and
realign this program. And so
that's taken some time. Those
dollars in 2026. Are not yet
under contract. And so what
we're going to do is apply
those funds much like we did
with the elevation Grant to
the 2027 year. So we will
still have $300,000 that will
go to grantees to operate in
the 2027 budget. And the 300
the previous year's funding
2025 funding is still being
spent this year. So we are
still assisting individuals
this year with services. One
thing I want to note about
this program is that our our
partnership with Indianapolis
Foundation is strong. And in
each of their contracts, they
agreed to provide additional
funding through there funds
that they have. To continue to
support this program. And that
will continue in 2027. So
there will be at least in
addition of $150,000 in 2027
coming from the Indianapolis
Foundation. And as you can see
last year, they they provided
additional funding above and
beyond that $150,000. And so
we're hopeful will continue to
work with them that they will
be able to provide additional
funding in 2027 to support
this program. As you all know,
data has been something that
we've been really focused on.
And I think we've demonstrated
that throughout this this
program today. Now I'd like to
wrap up by talking about data
and our audit response as well
as well as what we have to
achieve moving forward. In
2024, we heard today to
manager and she has been
working diligently to create.
8 public facing dashboards
that are now on our website
and she working on more that
are under construction now.
This is dry. We have
drastically improved their
data collection and
transparency across all of our
divisions and begun sending a
monthly report to council.
We've updated our contracts to
ensure timely and meaningful
data is being collected. And
we're helping our vendors to
make sure that they are
supplying us with that data on
a monthly and quarterly basis.
As well making sure that when
they provide us with reporting
that those reports are up to
our standards. We're also
partnering with IOUs a
leveraging their expertise
because we want to we want to
take a look at all of our data
across all of our programs to
to be able to see who were
serving and who's impacted by
each of the programs that we
are providing. So over time,
we hope to be able to
demonstrate how I is impacting
our homeless neighbors by
connecting. It's my asked to
do with the icy data. We'd
like to see how that then
impacts the individuals,
individuals coming out of her
jail and and the release
lobby. And so really excited
about this. I think we're
making some significant
headway and look for look for
more to come on that front.
We've also made consistent
progress since before the
audit was released in
addressing some of the
concerns that came from the
audit last earlier this year.
To bring you up to speed on
where we're will be talking
about that here shortly. You
also you've received in your
packets, substantial
information that addresses the
audit findings. In your packet
there with just a second. Why
did that for you? You have the
audit response tracking sheet
that is color coded. Green
means that we have already
accomplished that response.
Yellow means that we are in
progress and red means that we
have yet to really be able to
start that response. You'll
also see examples of logic
model each of our
administrators and and their
teams have been tasked with
creating a logic model for
each of their programs to make
sure that the work that we're
doing and the outcomes that
are coming from that work. Our
ethic is I hsus and that we
can demonstrate that you all
and that they really back to
our mission. You also find at
the end of the packet and
example work plan. So each of
our employees has. We've
worked with them to create a
work plan. Relates back to the
mission of the division. They
work for and to these excuse
logic models for each of their
programs. You also see some
reports in there. Some of
those you've already received.
But I wanted to to Ed them.
You have a month one of summer
in the city. Let them talk.
Provided a really robust
report for you. So I think
that's helpful. Q one
immigrant legal services
report from this year. You
have a q one with public. You
won't have legally report.
Already received that. But
wanted to add that in there,
that's just the legal data for
you. Think that's all that's
in your report. But just
wanted to highlight this. As
part of the audit response. We
have made a new centralized
documents, contract hub. And
we are drafting multiple new
standard operating procedures
that relate to the responses
in the audit. Our soapy has
has been reviewed and approved
by the Office of Audit
Performance and the Purchasing
Division fm. And we will be
training all of our staff on
so peas when they are
finalized so that we can do
that. Cindy. A quick
succession later this fall. We
are also working on an ethics
training in addition to the
annual ethics training that
all city staff receive, that
will be an in-person training
and that is being developed by
oc c. Later this fall. We will
also provide leadership in
conflict resolution training
to our leadership team,
including our administrators,
something that we've we've
just noted, some challenges in
okay, chess. I think when you
think about our maybe some of
our cultural challenges that
you've noted over the last
couple of years, think some of
that can be addressed by
making sure that we are all
that we're all adequately
trained and that we know how
to read. Rest resolve conflict
with one another. And with our
partners external to the city.
Finally, we will continue to
focus on the items discussed
in the few slides. Refining
our data improving reporting
outcomes and continuing our
staff training. We're also
looking at improving our
program structures so that
they better aligned with our
mission. We've done some of
already, but we want to
continue that. And so I want
to thank again. Thank you to
the if you just team our
partners. We're joined tonight
by a lot of partners. Some of
them are probably going going
to come up and share their
experiences phs in the funding
that you provided. I just want
I want to note a few of them.
Indianapolis legal aid society
and, you know, legal services.
We have David Muhammad
National City for Criminal
Justice reform here. I believe
Judge Bacon from Lawrence
Township is here as well
Eskenazi and our partners at
the icy. Clc are stepping
stones are here. Shauna majors
from the Martindale Brightwood
Community Center director
Mirallas in dp Staff Deborah's
Place. Indianapolis
Foundation. Any public safety
foundation and and others. And
so if I MISS You, I apologize.
But thank you all for being
here this evening. And thank
you council with that. Thank
you. Director Merkley stuffy
comments or questions from
counselors. Council Perkins.
Thank you, MISTER Chair. Thank
you. Director and cfo for the
presentation. I believe
several things can be true.
All Phs serves some of our
most vulnerable residents. The
office reflects the diversity.
City that we serve. That you
provide critical support. Too.
Residents in some of the most
difficult seasons and
experiences of But I also
believe accountability,
transparency and strong
internal controls can also
exists. We also acknowledge
with the last 4, 5 years we've
seen significant increases in
the overall budget off office.
And I want take you back to
the audit report and the audit
report card that you provided
to us. And it gives me a
little bit of heartburn that 2
particular areas f 3 review of
program effectiveness and have
6. Then the compliance review
seem to be the 2 areas with
the least progress. Can you
share a little bit with this
committee? Why is that the
case? And what's the plan for
the rest of the year?
Absolutely. Thank you,
counselor. Looking at this
report card. I see that those
2 findings have a lot of
yellow. And that means of
those are in progress, as you
can imagine. Phs. But your
point is responding to a lot
of emergencies and there's a
lot of other changes and
realignments that we've made.
I discussed during our
presentation. Trying to do all
that. In addition to creating
new standard operating
procedures for all these
responses? You know, working
with other agencies to help us
do that. And that takes time
what I can tell you is that
those standard operating
procedures have been drafted.
We're working to finalize
those and make sure that
they're policed by our partner
agencies. We will be training
our staff before the end of
the year on those us a aside
from that, I believe. We have.
Yeah, I believe we are. We are
addressing all those fines.
The follow-up chair counselor,
thank Are all those things
being done internally? Yes, is
the draft in and and help us
to understand the decision to
keep those things internal
rather than seek an external
support. Given the urgency off
the audit report and the
significant role that this
office place in community. I
felt that it was important for
our team. To to have skin in
the game in creating these
policies and you know, there's
been a lot of angst. Related
this audit and a lot of
adversity that we have that
the entire team has experience
because of the audit. And it
was important to me that we do
this internally and then we
make sure that these the
people who are actually doing
the work every day. Who know?
Our partners and know what's
needed, that they are helping
too helped, but they're hoping
to address these findings and
create the of Additionally,
okay. Just does not have
funding to seek external.
Assistance so I don't know
that it would have that we
would've been able to go
outside of a phs to find that
assistance. Just a final
comment. For an office that
operates in almost 30 million
dollars that's that's hard for
me to hear. That an audit
comes back with number of
findings and I do believe that
the staff needed our needs to
have skin in the game. But I
also believe that this is
critical enough. That almost
for months in 5 months stating
that we're still not at the
place where some of the more
significant pieces from
islands are still not fully
addressed. It is important
that we are reviewing
effectiveness of the programs
that we are funded. It is
important that our vendors who
were engaged in relationship
that there is a way that we I
of compliance. Seeing those
compliance. And so I would
consider at least from my
recommendation that if the
plan that is in place will not
deliver this by the end of
this year that strong
consideration given to find
some outside support to be up
to get this done is too
important to that with the
work that you do so important
to the community. For us to
still continue to answer
questions about
accountability, integrity and
credibility. Thank you. MISTER
Chair. Doesn't. This will come
to questions. Councilor Mike
apart. Thank you, MR. CHAIRMAN
thank counselor Perkins for
those comments. I agree
completely. And I just want to
add a couple things there in
that has a question about some
under spent on the audit side
that couple things I'd expect
and want to see and hear our
our date started. So when you
started drafting the statement
operating procedures and the
expected completion date.
Because when I read it the way
it is, which is to colored
Biden again, could be farther
along. Could just highlighted
and said we're working on. It
started yesterday for all I
know. So being able to see
when you started it, when you
expect it to be done is
expectation on my side. I do
think it needs additional
oversight. Not to say that
there's anything wrong with
the office of the people that
are working in the skin in the
game that they will have. But
i think there's value that
comes from folks like with
right ap that do these things
more regularly or MAY have a
best practice. I we've been
doing this with dpw for 100
years in the city, right? And
they could even get some
additional oversight. But
addition to that, you know, I
know that your office hired
consultants to do some of
these programs but the bond
reduction, the Elevation Grant
program, those consultants
with that. I believe that
consultants here today, I
would imagine that in other
cities they've come up with
standard operating procedures
for how they measure the
results. That's another
opportunity that we have. I
think that I have an
expectation out of the
consultant that we're paying
to provide that level of
support. So that's my $0.02 on
that. I agree wholeheartedly
with. I do think that's
behind. If I was tracking and
I am tracking it and I expect
to see more now on a second
piece just from a financial
side. What I'm looking at a
couple of these things when I
say things that I mean, the
programs that you're running,
there's 2 that jumped out at
me out to me a lift program
that you we're funding less by
$100,000 but it looks like the
spend was only. That was less
than what you've budgeted for.
And then there was another
example that came out of a in
a legal defense fund that was
also somewhere that. You
didn't spend any of this
year's budget on it. And so
you're going to use this
year's budget for next year.
So they got me thinking about.
Overall. What is the total
under spend for the Office of
Public Health and Safety?
Because we see what you're
budgeting. We budget last year
what you want for next year.
But of that, the dollars you
had. What did you actually
spend? Yeah, I'll start to
what you can weigh in on some
of the more specifics.
Previous years. We have had
significant and are spent
whether that was the
assessment Intervention Center
or the clinician likely
response team because they
were not county wide. We
budgeted for those types of
programs at as if they were
full, fully operational. This
year. We're tied wife or seal
cr and we are, you we are
utilizing also most of the 60
beds on a regular basis at the
icy. And so that where we have
previously seen under spend,
we're not going to see that
2026. Some of the items you
noted, I I can speak to lift
accounts, but we we are unsure
how much of that we will spend
by the end of the year. We
could be a very cold winter
and we need to use a lot of
with funds. So I just want to
know that much of what he just
does it. We are not. We are
always confident in some of
those spends, but need to make
sure that we have those funds
available to us. In addition,
I want to know couple things
you both said. Just because
the stop is not finished does
not mean that you're not
actively holding our team
accountable in our vendors
accountable. We are doing
that. They think that the
reporting that you've received
already is demonstration that
we're doing that. So I just
wanted prove that you have
anything you want about lift.
Getting roofs so with the live
program. There are 2 different
types of lists that are
occurring, costs or expenses
that you saw on the list on
the slide. We're for a lift
concierge. Those live fries
that are driven by. They
either our agency or
collaborative partners. So the
icy can order a Lyft for
someone. So we need determine
the pick-up and drop-off and
we can watch those rise as
they occur. So whenever anyone
was receiving a Lyft ride from
the jail, then the person that
is at the jail at that point
in time there are tips,
service worker, what we refer
to it as night, rc East or
night resource coordinators.
They're the ones that would
create that live. So it's
driven by us the lift program
that was cut by $100,000. That
one is driven by the can buy
art and the consumer. The
community. So that is an it's
on the Lyft app on their own
phone where they would put in
feat in d code and then that
would allow them access to the
reduction in the free ride in
essence, to accost them, I
think was like dollar to every
$5 that we would pay for. For
them to go to the grocery
store. There is 2 different
ones that we're looking at.
Some the costs are not
reflected for the feeding the
cost, their own reflective for
the concierge. And thank you,
MR. PRESIDENT part MISTER
CHAIRMAN. One more question
related to counseling we look
at the winter contingency. I'm
interested, especially when
we're talking just about to
understand related I see and
the 2.2 included for the icy
build out. What's the expected
savings in operational
expenses? That will we will
have in the future in relation
to the capital expenditures
that will have in relation to
that full build Sure. Thank
you for the question. I see we
own that facility. So the rent
that we're paying for the 2
facilities that we are
currently operating for
families and for the overnight
warming center. That's
significant. And we would say
that that funding
additionally, the facility is
one floor. And so the church
that were operating out of now
is 2 floors. It's very large
facility. And so we need
additional staff in order to
maintain security at that
location. So I I would
estimate that we will see some
cost savings from the staffing
perspective as well. And I
also want to know that. Winter
contingencies still flexible.
We are still changing because
we don't know how streets to
home and how the future
housing whoa, we're going to
impact the number of
individuals that need that
service. Housing help comes
online. We also expect to
cease operations its facility
where we have our family
location so that, again,
should reduce some of our
costs for winter contingency.
All It's helpful to know the
one thing I would like to at
least see is if we're spending
2.2 million this year, we
expect to save 8 million over
3 years or 8 million over 4
years. That's that's the part
that I'm trying to see. Thank
you, got some Thank you, MR.
CHAIRMAN, thank you, and see
if over the presentation. 2
quick questions. And then a
comment to me a little bit
more about these new
initiatives of the Violence
Reduction Council in the Youth
Violence Reduction Initiative.
As I understand, those are new
programs as of this year. So
the council, the Johns Hopkins
that I noticed the Johns
Hopkins Council the piece I'm
sorry, any public safety
foundation can give you more
information about that. It's
not a program that teaches is
paying for. We're part the
Public Safety Foundation in
Okay, Chester, partnering with
Johns Hopkins basically
they're consulting with us to
create our own local.
Organization. The Youth
Violence Reduction Initiative
is a new initiative and were
pilot That's pilots started at
the end of 2025. With funding
from the National Institute
for Criminal Justice Reform.
Khs in 2026. Provided
additional funding for that
program to continue and 2027.
We will also be funding it the
National Institute for
Criminal Justice Reform, I
believe will be some providing
additional support in 2027. So
tell me no, the Violence
Reduction Council, what's
what's going to be Besides
obvious mission statement
reducing violence to little
bit more about who's going to
be on it. Was going operate
and whose continuously going
to be funny. I'm going to tag
someone from the Public Safety
Foundation. That's okay. Mary,
can you come up to the podium?
Sorry. I'm with the any public
safety Foundation. Mary
Alexander statement Mary
Alexander. I'm actually
working 2. Researchers at
Bloomberg put a Publix, the
School of Public Health. They
they put together what's
called a violence Reduction
Council. It's and the models
based off of something. That
would be very similar if
you're on an infant mortality
Review board or if you're on a
domestic violence review board
where you're actually doing
really that the dive into
specific criminal homicides
looking at what are the what
were some of the impacts? How
did that person get their
like? Not just that this
individual was involved in gun
violence, but looking at their
background, looking at how
they got that place and then
also having in the room on
that council vigils that
represent different
nonprofits, different
organizations. Maybe the
hospitals sitting around
talking about this individual.
What led up to shooting? What
was their background were they
previously incarcerated. What
kind of services that they
receive looking at where some
of the gaps where the so that
we could look at maybe even
policies that happened that
could improve what we're doing
here in the city. So it's just
one peace to the treaty.
Violence intervention was
caught like spokes to a wheel
that we're going to add here
in Indianapolis. So we're just
in the beginning stages of
this and developing it. And we
haven't even really got to the
point where we're looking at,
who would actually sit on that
council. And is it intended to
cover every shooting every
women want us know. It's
looking at specific Initially.
We will be looking at
different maybe some high
profile individuals that would
be every single criminal
homicide, we say it would be
over burdensome. I would think
it would so. But again, it's
just an opportunity really
take a deep dive into what
were some of the things that
led up to that? Looking at any
gaps in services that might
have been able to prevent it
is where they actually like
with we have the hospitals
like now we have partnerships
with iu Health Methodist and
we're getting ready to work
with Riley, develop a hospital
violence intervention program
with Riley, but they would be
on this council. And we could
even look at like how many
times were they involved in
gun violence? Were there a
couple of non-fatal shootings?
What kind of support that they
get after those shootings?
Where did we as a community
dropped the ball? Thank Thank
you. Council just one more.
Yes, thank you. And this back
addiction. They version
information, particularly
slide 20. You mention
additional dissipated external
funding in Where is that
dissipated funding coming
from?
Is that from the Indianapolis
Foundation the Public Safety
Foundation? Yes. So we've we
partnered with the new bar
Indian up our foundation this
too. Much like we do with
Indianapolis Foundation where
we granted the funds for legal
aid to them up front. So that
they could be because there
are 5, one c 3 they can
receive funds from external
partners because a lot of
funders. I want to give that
to the city Indianapolis. And
so we could pull those funds
together in order to make the
program even more robust.
We're still in discussions
with the Barr Foundation, but
we do expect there to be some
commitment from them
financially. And we plan to
work with the Barr Foundation
are the lead partners. And
just through Lawrence Township
to go and solicit additional
dollars from top of partners.
Thank you. Thank you. Think
Council Council island? Thank
you, MISTER CHAIRMAN thank you
at. If the d a Mike Lee is
supposed Violet defeat your
presentation this evening
first, I want to say thank you
for taking time out to meet
with me. Says that I did okay
has came out and we have
covers several different
topics, including the agency
coaching and which I heard you
mention that within the
presentation and how you guys
are trying to improve that
area because counselor Perkins
has. Tap into that attic
piece. I'm not gonna at any
more to that because it we
continue its, you know, your
things. We come up with more
questions. What happened to
the contract? The agency? So
before any of our major
contracts go out for be, are
they offer everybody or do you
from 2 expire I see in the
piece for So the Office of
Public Health and Safety
follows local procurement
procedures per ordinance in
the and the procedure rules.
It skews me procurement rules.
It depends on what type of
procurement we are using for
that particular project. But
regardless. Things like the ac
and Eskenazi operating there
or aspire health operating
winter contingency. All of
those have been procured
through even rfp rfq process,
which takes, you know,
multiple weeks it it's put out
for bid to the public because
in the public in I t j a and b
star and it's and its public
on our website. We. Do that
for all of our projects and
then okay, chess has also
gotten kind of in the
construction game with the
housing hub. So we now we've
now done that type of public
instruction did as well. Ok,
thank you. Now it is all of
our contracts with the Marion
County are outside of Marion
County. I I'd have to get back
to you on that. Okay. Please
do that. One more question,
MR. CHAIRMAN. Now there is a
reduction in programming. Has
this affected minority
vendors? That's good question.
The reduction in programming
is related to the really
sloppy predominately the
release lobby what as it
pertains to our budget, what
was in our 2026 budget. And we
did not have vendors in that
space we we had contractors.
That part of its from a temp
agency. And so those
individuals will be impacted.
But as far as the rest of our
programming, we continue to
work with predominantly
minority. Partners that the
services that we offer. Okay.
Thank you. Thank Thank you,
Jim. Because the Grays thanks.
MISTER Chair. Thank you guys
for the presentation.
Certainly appreciate it. Chock
full of great information. But
director, with if it's ok with
CHAIRMAN I want asked the
those in the audience they
carry out the work to give
themselves an applause because
those are the men and women.
And in our community Whether
they're whether role in the
city county building directly
literally interrupting
violence in our communities. I
can't say enough about them.
Director Merkley. I've seen
you our community a lot more
over the recent years are one
up. Give you a shout for that.
Thank you for getting down
into the grass roots. When you
talk about funding the
basketball program's over with
Hampton and those guys. I see
that they get more energy to
do the work that they do to
help keep those young people
busy with the things that they
do. So thank you for your
dedication. There but I do
want ask a question as you
take a look at all the
different departments you over
so much, so much work. So much
programming. Is there one
central organization that's
above your. Your is your
mayor's team. The only person
like you've got representation
from gun violence to get
representation from Tennessee
fictions. And you've got
you've got all these different
areas. But who is your like Co
2? Is your your director who
helps help you guide all these
men and make sure you're
pulling it all together. Yeah,
you know, just has a lot of
support and support from the
rest of the cabinet. Specific.
If you're if you're speaking
specifically to me, you know,
Aaron Jones is integral in the
work that she does around
homelessness and you know,
works hand in hand with our
housing The deputy mayor's
Chief Bailey Shea have been.
And mental and helping us.
And, you know, chief Terry and
chief Bailey bring significant
overseeing major agency. And
so, you know, we've had
conversations and they helped
to know navigating provide you
with advice. Thank You know,
cause it's one thing to create
the programming create
division asked men and women
to carry that vision. Now, are
you doing anything or can you
talk about what you've done or
what you plan to do too, to
demonstrate your care for
those that are out there to
make sure that their wellness
is being taken wake well,
taken care of as well as those
in the insight on the
administrative side of the
work that you guys do. What as
a leader of people, what are
you doing to to oversee their
wellness? Well, you can take
your question literally. If
you called us at this, what as
I stated at the top, you know,
there's been a lot of angst
and a lot of adversity and the
work that we do is really
hard. And We encourage
collaboration and we
encourage. Taking
opportunities for additional
training and getting, you
know. Going to. Convinced the
things that will help them
with their career right into
that. Well, that's on a break
from what we do. It is an
opportunity for getting out of
the city County building. We
also I'm really thankful too.
To kill teacher. Martin are
teaming Angie, more for their
support. And we have a monthly
event that we hope that they
host. We're we have lunch
together. And I think that
that's helpful for us. All to
get to know each other. Those
are themed and we we are
having the opportunity to
learn about each other's
backgrounds and just take a
moment to kind of decompress
from the challenged every day.
Challenges that the work that
we do. I'm going to to rescind
say that. Thank you. But they
should go a leader Schober,
which and not me. Because he
was giving game
representation. Yeah. Final
comments, a team effort. You
thank you for that. Just one
suggestion, I think cross
training assignments, if
that's something that you guys
it. If not, I'd love to make
that recommendation. I could
see some of those men and
women that are moving through
just like in corporate
America. They're moving up to
up the ranks become have take
on more and more
responsibility. But what I
really want to finally say,
MISTER Chair is that I've been
a supporter phs and the
programming that you guys have
done over the years. I think
that it's important that we
continue to focus on those
root causes of crime because
that in and of itself is crime
prevention. And if we are
excited about our crime
numbers across the board
moving in the right direction.
We have to give credit where
it's due and we have to
continue to support. What we
see coming out phs. They're
true. There are some
challenges in this document is
demonstrating some of the
challenges. So as we continue
to the supportive director and
be patient to get those get
that document. I understand my
colleagues are really
demanding that we get some of
that red and some of the
yellow corrected on the on the
on on the sheet. But I do know
that you guys have been.
Basically building this plane
while you're flying it because
I've been here since he's kind
of started this thing off. So
I want to applaud you and the
team that works with you. And
yet you got a lot of
responsibility. We're going to
continue to to pull more from
you. So being in this role, I
know that it's coming and
thank you for what you've been
doing. We've got our eyes on.
Thank you, MISTER. Thank you.
Council district comments
Council Perkins. Thank you,
MISTER Chair. Just a follow-up
on my colleagues, a sip graves
and Allen. I think what I
wanted to use director is that
you're also getting some
executive coach. Hugh Carey,
you lead a very significant
part of the city. With all the
concerns challenges that we've
heard over the last 2, 3 years
and this particular office I
know as as an executive.
Executive coach and also
helpful. So recommend that as
citizen that I will also be
participating in the
leadership training that
you're providing. And over the
last year, I hope my
colleagues will agree that,
you know, being thrown into
I've learned a and there's
been. Trials and tribulations
along the So I I don't
disagree with you and I look
forward to a leadership
training. We provide. Thank
you. Just a final. A follow-up
on counsel Alan Scherr in
terms of the precursor public
human process. Much of the
work Phs is done to partners
store vendors. Once a vendor
is identified to do a
particular job. What is the
process off review win and
renewing that contract given
that we go through annual
budget process. How do you
know that a particular vendor
is doing what the city needs
for them to do and that
contract is renewed. Yeah,
that's a that good question. I
think this is going to be the
first year that we perform
that review since the audit.
We that is something that we
need to to finish the s and p
and train our team on what
they're doing right now
whatever the contract says. If
it's a monthly invoice report
or a quarterly report, they
are required to meet with
their vendor review the the
reporting in the data that's
coming in. Maintain that
relationship and to make sure
that the work is getting done
at the end of those contracts,
they're required to provide us
with a rule. They will be
required provide us with a
full reporting of how the
program went that year, which
will be reviewed in on top of
that, we will be requiring our
team to essentially. If
they're developing a new
program, they have to create
these logic models and they
have to provide us with. You
know, a reason for why we need
this program and what's
working. What will what it's
going to address. And so
similarly, we will we will be
asking them to do that for
existing programs and present
that to to understand whether
or not that program is
continue. Counseling. Thank
you, MR. Chair thank you,
tractor and car less for being
here this evening. I first
just want to state that my
heart and my mind is with the
victims who are flooded right
now. They've lost their homes
and most of what they own and
a lot of that occurred in my
district side, just one let
everybody know. That's where
my head right now and when
everybody to be thinking of
our flood victims in our city.
We were just declared a
federal full-scale federal
disaster last evening. MAY
PRESIDENT Trump. And so
there's more resources coming
our way. But also wanted to
take this time to thank you
for being out there. Saw car
let their personally. I'm
sorry. Missed you, Director
Mark Leno. There are other
folks from the agency that
were also out there. So thank
you. My. We've talked a lot in
this committee about youth
violence over the last year.
And I noticed that you said
you created the youth violence
Reduction Initiative so I
wanted to know more about
that. And then I sit on early
intervention Planning Council
along the counselor ne. And
we're really getting deep into
the work there. All save all
that those questions for when
they come back. But I was
hoping you could just tell me
a little bit more about what
is the Youth Violence
Reduction initiative. What you
have plans for it like just a
little bit more details there.
The counselor, the Youth
Reduction initiative is. Is
much like the Adult Fellowship
program. For the
contradictions strategy. Only
we're addressing those you
threat highest risk of. Being
involved in violence. And so
that, you know, we've
identified 26, I believe that
actually MAY be 27 as of
today. Individuals who are
participating in that program.
That those those referrals
come from various sources impd
then we are providing high
intensity, wrap-around
services to help those that
individual their families so
that we can get them on a
better path. 27 eu states.
Year 18 under 18. So
completely separate from the
other program you expanded
more staff to be able to
handle this. So we're
partnering with voices to
implement this program. So we
provided funding in addition
to the national criminal
justice reform funding. Okay.
Just providing funding to
voices and this is a pilot
program. So we're still
receiving data back. But the
community violence reduction
team is overseeing that
partnership with voices. And
we do have a new staff or her
name feel Fuller. Is is our
violence prevention program
managers social ever see that
partnership. Thank you. And I
have seen that reality. The
the ipc meeting. So there is
overlap there. So thank you
very much. It. Counsel counsel
Alan. Thank you. MISTER Chair
Quest and going back to the
question. Is there a website
or anything that these vendors
can sign up to, you know,
sign-up for to able to take a
look me. Is there a protocol,
I guess for that for the
vendors? Her let help answer
that question. Purchasing
website. Anyone can sign up to
become a vendor to the city of
Indianapolis in they would
state whatever services that
they for and the purchasing
department sent out the rf
piece to any relevant vendors
that provide those services to
let them know that these are
available for them to respond
to. So then we would go based
off those responses. Ok? Thank
you. And going back to the
Youth initiative. And you did
mention in the presentation
earlier that you guys are
doing and I forget the other
initiative that you mention. I
want to make sure that we
point out not every child who
wants play basketball. So I
want us to be thinking about
other ways that we can help
our use because that's the
very first thing we wanted am
a mother of 3 boys. Yes, I I
do see the benefit in it
because I in all sports, but
not all kids want to play
basketball. And I've set with
some of the high risk of, you
know, offenders in some of
them said they want to learn
how to cook. Some of them are
teenagers with babies and have
to figure out how to, you
know, take care of their child
or they MAY have a mother, a
father grandmother. So I want
us to make sure that we're not
just thinking about basketball
all the time, but we're
thinking about other things
and making sure that we're
listening to like you that we
just now have a at the table
and we're trying to tilt the u
what they should head. I do
think that they should have a
place at the table and they
should be able to voice what
they want and weirdly and were
then allowed him solely
through this process. Thank
you, MISTER Chair. Appreciate
thank you. To some comments
from counselors. Missed have
sign-up sheet for those of us
speak. Court in one of the
organs could speak to the
proposal presentation from MR.
Merkin will come forward. If
you read the statement,
please, this court yes. Before
we open a Florida public
comments will light. We like
my committee members and the
our rules so everyone can have
fair chance to speak and be
heard. It is important that we
each observe the following
Bills. First speaker will be
limited to 2 minutes. Second,
any public comments most
recently relate to the agenda
item under consideration. 3rd
speakers stray from the item
under consideration are become
I'm is maybe yes. Move on to
the next point conclude their
comment. Finally attendees to
cause disruptions to prevent
the committee from scene to
tonight's agenda a recently
fishermen and will be crazy
members, some types of
threatening speech or
incitement to violence are not
protected by the First
Amendment at all. We would do
those issues if they come up.
But we don't think that will
now MISTER Chair for committee
member has for consent to
that. These rules we can
proceed to public comments.
Thank you as Thank you for the
consensus. Do you guys think
it's easier to your to your
left there and is one of the
time just come up those want
to speak. Just come to the
front row state. Your name for
the record, please. And then
again, you guys have 2 minutes
to share your thoughts and
comments. You name for the
record. Belinda Drake,
executive director for
Community Research Resource
Center, also known as c r c.
And I don't need 2 minutes.
I'll be very brief. Just want
to speak about being in a cbo
with the elevation Grant crc.
Our mission is to empower
disenfranchised communities by
connecting people to
comprehensive health and
social services. Right-sizing
black and brown, lgbtq adults
in a major part of our work is
some pretty individuals who
face barriers stability and
opportunity, including members
who are just as involved
through the elevation grants.
Erc has been able to provide
direct support just as
involved community members and
help them successfully move
toward greater stability to
date this year, we have been
able to help 205 unique
individuals with support of
this funding. So thank The
grant does allow us to connect
people to critical resources
to make a real difference.
We're talking about real
people with organization to
help them rebuild their lives.
For example, we have with
housing utility assistance and
legal services while also
helping them get and keep good
paying jobs. The supports are
interconnected. As you
difficult for someone to focus
on employment they don't have
housing or other unresolved
legal services. Just as
importantly, Elevation has
also invested in cr sees
capacity as organization
through the individualized
technical assistance. We have
developed a stronger
development plan and strategy
that helps that helped us
diversify our funding by 500%
and strategically plan for the
long term support of our
organization and our clients.
We have also improved data and
client management systems.
Given us a better
understanding of are serving,
services are needed. I just
want to say thank you for the
opportunity we're grateful for
the elevation program. Thank
you for your comments next.
Thank CHAIRMAN Staff. Name is
Adam Christopher Collins on
the ceo of Foster Kids. Family
also advocate for Black Me
United Envision ERs
Initiative. Also stand aside,
Thomas, really and festival
one like me. What I see here
is a let's just say if the
mental health was hydrogen,
too, gentleman here was
oxygen. When you bring them
together, creates water
rights, the water that we need
here is what I'm seeing.
Transportation. I traveled
around the world speaking to
people very culturally
competent. One thing that I
noticed when people click up
gang most of don't have
licenses. Preventing people
from traveling and defunding
people who move is a problem.
So I was I had a question for
gentleman. If we have funds
not use for legal services,
but asking for more funds for
2,020th legal services. Maybe
that money can be used towards
outsourcing external sources
towards what we can do legally
to help people get the
license. You could also
address that lift issue. You
guys got going on. So I got to
thank you, sir, for your
comments next. Please.
Welcome. Good evening chair
and members of the Public
Safety Committee. My name is
Jessica, great and I am the
founder and executive director
of Deborah's Place since 2018.
Our mission has been to remove
barriers and create pathways
to stability and
self-sufficiency for
underserved families just as
involved individuals,
survivors of domestic
violence, youth and seniors
throughout Indianapolis. With
support from the Elevation
Grant program Deborah's Place
has expanded his work across
the justice continuum during
the first 2 quarters of 2026.
We've served 1446 and
duplicated individuals. 632
joined the 1st quarter and 114
during the 2nd quarter. We
provide care to development
training to detained youth and
financial literacy and
character development training
inside the Marion County Jail.
Participants will successfully
complete the training required
testing receive certificates
of completion. Those
certificates are placed within
their personal property. It
MAY be presented to the court
as evidence of accountability,
personal growth in their
willingness to make positive
changes. Our Ed does not stop
inside the classroom
throughout expungement.
Resource fair as we connect
people with expungement
assistance, driver's license,
reinstatement. Vixens ceiling.
Housing insurance, workforce,
resources and development and
other services that remove the
barriers to stability. We also
provide transportation access.
People cannot mates and
employment attend training
appear in court. Receive
medical care rss essential
services if they cannot get
there. In addition to that,
the elevation capacity
building program has
strengthened Deborah's place
to individualize financial
management assistance and
improvements in our budgeting
financial reporting outcome
measurement and long-term
sustainability. This
investment is helping us
remove barriers, restore
dignity, rebuild lives. Thank
you again for this opportunity
to thank you for your
comments. Next. Please. Good
evening. My name is John
Florence. It comes ceo and
general counsel in the ap's
legal aid society. And I want
to begin tonight by thanking
all of you council members for
the investment you made last
year in Phs eviction diversion
program as well as the re
commitment proposed tonight.
Also want to Phs and and
director Merkley for the
continued leadership around
the prevention of
homelessness. I think it's
important for you to hear.
What that investment looks
like when it reaches. And
Indianapolis resident recently
through the eviction program,
actually lights. It
represented the tenant in an
extraordinarily contentious
eviction case. There are 3
separate hearings, extensive
discovery evidence, all sorts
of court involvement.
Ultimately our attorney at the
Legal Aid Society helped
resolve the case and we
negotiated a full waiver of
satisfaction claims that
exceeded $13,000 for this
client. He never have been
able to pay that. So. It
matters because very few
tenants could afford legal
representation like this. You
know, in fact, in preparation
for these remarks tonight, I
asked our staff attorneys
whether they had ever seen a
private attorney represent a
tenant in an eviction case.
And the resounding answer was
no. They never seen a private
lawyer. Do do do work for a
tenant. So you know, it's
it's. It's far less expensive
to prevent a crisis and to pay
for everything that follows.
So. You know, we're preventing
homelessness were preventing.
Preserving employment,
avoiding emergency shelter in
reducing interactions with law
enforcement and other
expensive crisis response
systems. I did want quickly
address a question about
funding. The Annapolis
Foundation was one of our
founders 97. He almost 90
years ago. We've had a great
relationship with them and we
are working with MR. Merkley
to fund this. Thank you. Thank
you for your comments. Are.
Welcome. Thank you. And good
evening My name's Davidson.
I'm also with the legal aid
society. I just kind tell you
what the investment your
fiction diversion program
looks like when it's
specifically about one client.
We had. So we had our client
was a paraplegic gentlemen.
His son was the primary
caregiver. His son told me is
going overseas for a little
while, but not to worry the
rent to pay the bills we're
taking care of. A new wave was
coming. Everything would be
fine. Except none of that was
true. The sun into the bank
accounts stop paying the rent
and left him. He left to die.
His own side left him to die.
You know how he discovered all
that? He got an eviction
notice on his door. So what
does he do? He calls the
court. You know, if the court
does the court Phs because we
do have a working relationship
with the court system Phs
immediately calls me so we had
the pleasure of being the ones
to step in and work on that.
And because that program is
funded the eviction of program
when it contact the court and
everything one knew what to do
want to share a couple of the
first words. He said our
attorney he said, and I think
the quote was exactly why
should I just and it all
rubber done my own side can
even handle Eyes will stick my
head in the oven. Our
attorneys, obviously able to
address the eviction. But more
importantly, what this program
did, it set up a position, it
kind of tools and resources so
that we can reach agreement.
The landlord, I can say kind
of probably the landlord agree
for that person remain house
free of charge. Well, we got
them alternative housing. We
got them and that its
alternative housing that we
got them now permanent healthy
living, the volunteers we got
came in, moved them, move this
person, belongings. We got the
apartment cleaned. We got rent
ready. And all of that worked
at all that work because what
it said was people are going
to show up. And so eventually
a man believed nobody wanted
learn that people cared
whether he was there tomorrow.
When this whole time I've been
kind of saying we did this,
what I really want to say is
the city that this this city
funded that court, if under
that program is funded, all
those people that were able to
step up and do there. The city
p Chesson Andrew Merkley. The
city funded his staff. Thank
you for your comments. Good
evening. Counselors, Rachel
Hogan camp. I'm a senior staff
attorney with Indiana Legal
Services where represent
tenant to our partnership with
okay, just as eviction
diversion program from
JANUARY. First AUGUST, first
of 2026, there've been 13,439
eviction filings in Marion
County. So far, Indiana legal
services to serve over 3 it 3,
1300 households through our
partnership with okay chess.
66% of our tenant clients Self
express better understanding
and that they know what to do
next after contact with our
office. This program connects
people. It connects tennis
lawyers, social workers and
navigators. Yes, but it also
connects tenants to each
other. Our 10 attorneys to
landlords and their attorneys
housing advocates in various
disciplines to each other. We
have developed a strong
relationship with the courts
and this program connected us
with okay chess, which allowed
us to partner not only on
providing legal support to
tenants but also in the
eviction education events.
MISTER Merkley mentioned
earlier. Through connection we
have found understanding. And
I want to tell you a couple of
stories from our office. And
19 year-old was being evicted
from her family home. She was
facing potential emergency
eviction and certain
homelessness and attorney
worked with the tenant for
many, many weeks the work of
the court and her familial and
more to secure more time for
her an agreement to keep the
scarlet you off her record.
Given her young age, a social
worker from our office
connected the young woman with
a local housing organization
and helped enroll her in the
city's homeless response
system. She is currently
helps. This morning. I
assisted a 90 year-old veteran
who is being evicted from a
federally subsidized senior
housing project. He is on a
fixed income and had nowhere
to go. But he also wanted to
leave. Intervention at the
clinics, allowed him to be
connected with a Navigator who
is assisting him with finding
housing and getting connected
to services he did not even
know existed. His attorney
through our program was able
negotiate extended move out
time and protection of his
eligibility for future
subsidies. Thank you for this
opportunity. Thank you. Thank
you for your comments. Anyone
else in the audience going to
speak to the presentation?
Good evening, everyone. And
thank you to Andrew Merkley
and a phs for assisting in
funding 3rd part of the
problem, which I would call 4
of the eviction diversion
program in Lawrence Township.
We have the eviction diversion
initiative. And in 2024, we
were able to expand to assist
the whole county since that
time in 2026 of office, Vo ph
s was able to supplement our
funding that we had retained a
leftover from private funders
to assist us in continuing the
program with that was holding
camp just gave a story of
exactly what happened in our
court this morning. This
morning, we had a 90 year-old
veteran that actually was
about to be an house. But
between the legal services and
the navigation services that
found the resource to rehouse
that person, that person was
able to find new housing in
being able to move an
untenable condition that he
was. That was not the best in
housing. I'd like to let you
know that this three-pronged
program that has been created
is essential to our community.
It prevents are working class
individuals being able to be
able to keep up with the
ability to stay in the home
and not unsettle and unrest,
their home at home and their
children in Franklin Township.
Their stories were there was
that a mother of 4 children
that had $4,000 of unpaid
rent. She was unable. She did
not have employment at the
time, but she was able to
through navigation services
and legal assistance, get
funding from a church as well
as the trustee's office in
order to remain in their
house. In Perry Township, we
had father, single father of 2
daughters that was able to be
able to relocate and relocate
without losing any type of a
roof over his head for his
children himself as well as
gain employment. He was $100
short of being able to
actually pay and stay. But
with the help of the Navigator
and legal aid, he was able to
come up with that money to do
so. MAY I just give you a 3
more stories. Absolutely not
Robinson MAY I so so. So it's
so it will have a statement
for the record. City the
Kimberly Bacon. Judge Lord,
still give you one more story.
I'm I it. And then we also
have a story in Wayne Township
where there was individual who
was about to be unhoused and
that person by the name of Kh
had 3 children. What I want
you all to realize is that
this program is not just the
individual that you see in
court. It is too to 7 more
people sometime in a household
that has an effect when we
issue a ruling by having these
navigation services that
assist people in finding new
housing, assist people in
getting to legal services so
that they can stress with
their issues are and bring
them properly to the court to
the judge. So they're able to
hear, though, those issues so
understand that when you are
funding a program Phs, you are
not funding just one person
that comes before the court
that gets legal aid. You are
funding at up to 4 to 10
individuals at one time.
Sometimes that is the
importance of this program. Is
that the U.S. The people that
you don't see, not just the
people that you do see. And
with that you have to
understand that that goes to
other programs that you all
will fund or have an impact on
the court systems when a
mother or father is dislocated
and they lose the stability of
their housing, they MAY be
subjected to dcs programs that
destabilizes a home in
separates families when a
person is unable to provide
toiletries because they
sacrifice to make their rent
payment, that then becomes a
criminal activity sometimes
because people are just trying
to make it and they MAY have
to go find food and unlawful
ways or toiletries. Please
note that housing instability.
Is the foundation of so many
other issues that result in
families. It is important for
you to fund this program so
that all of these programs
have an opportunity to touch
these families and keep them
unstable environments so that
they can provide. This is your
working class. I want you all
councilors to understand that
these are not people that
choose to be unemployed are
just unemployed for no reason.
Many of them have jobs. 2, 3
jobs. Many of loose their
employment for week because
they had to take care of a
child. So these are not full.
I tell about more thing. These
are not people that taking Get
one opportunity at And so
these are not people that do
not want to have a roof over
their So we ask that you
continue it. Did raise the
gavel to me?
Thank you for your comments
for your service. And I were
not there to on Thank you so
much. MAY just come forward
state. Your name for the
record, please. Good evening.
I'm Shauna majors Brightwood
Community Center. I made them
5 she just got I have a huge
list which will not fit into
the 2 minutes. So I'm not
going to do that to you. It's
a Robinson, but I want to
speak about a couple things,
really quickly. First of all,
elevation. As we've had a
relationship with elevation
for many years and they have
been great supporters of our
work. And I know that that the
funding comes through Phs. So
I really want to highlight the
fact that now elevation
process has changed a bit to
be more reflective of making
sure that we are sending in
our data and and our our
financials and all of those
things that always happen. But
it's really become more
robust. And the opportunity to
train staff on various other
things. So just want to shout
that out really quick that it
has been instrumental to the
work that we do with our kids
talking about teen dating
violence and suicide
prevention and mental health.
The second thing really has
more to do with the budget
that I saw on. It's probably
more of a question Phs. I
didn't see where you guys were
continuing. I was here last
year continuing to fund the
Thomas really scrapped license
program. And I didn't know if
that was being shifted
somewhere else of this funding
coming from somewhere else
because I know that that
program is outstanding and
people need it. And we see
people come to our center on a
daily basis for it. And so I'm
just curious if that if that
switch somewhere else and I
MISS To door he's met will
speak to that here shortly.
But you can your comments. And
the last thing is I still
would love to see City County
Council come out and and be a
part of these programs in and
I know you guys wanted to see
it, smell it and be out there.
So please come out. Thank you.
Thank you. MAY just be calm.
Anyone else care to speak this
evening from the public. MR.
Murphy want to speak to the
Thomas really hopeless the
program. Absolutely. So.
Thomas, slow program. Has not
ever been. Opp, justice
budget. Originally it was
funded with American rescue
plan. Dollars. And last year
we were able to find and or
spend from the 2025 and are
spent to put. Are 2026 budget
in order to cover the cost for
Thomas or at least one like
me. This year. Through
negotiations with mayor's
office and the Council
negotiated budget team it was
determined we cannot increase.
They cannot increase. Phs is
budget to accommodate an
additional $400,000 for this
program. That does not mean
that we don't think it was
beneficial for that. It was
good work. But that is what
the negotiators. Ultimately
decided. Thank you, MR.
Comments or questions follow
comments from committee
members. Councilor Lee. It's
counselor Wells. Thank you,
MR. CHAIRMAN Director Merkley
would the whole Kessler's
program be eligible for
elevation funding
applications? Thank you for
asking Yes, they do receive
elevation funding already in
the amount of $230,000. We
have you continued to work
making and we have also
because we do find we do
believe that license
reinstatement and expunge. It
is an important aspect to
recidivism in this county in
Marion County that we want to
help find other funding to
help support this work. It's
unfortunate that it's not in
our budget, but we we believe
that we can find and support
them in other ways. Thank you,
director. My question. I guess
then would be. Yield my time
because I MAY not be approved.
Great for television. Biggest
will discuss the purchase.
Thank you, MISTER Chair. I was
almost done. So that I'm
clear. The decision to not
fund this program for 2027.
Was based on negotiation. Not
on the effectiveness of the
program. Again, I will
reiterate this was never in
our budget. This whether or
not our budget was going to
increase. With what went
through that negotiation
process. We have not
historically we've always
received data from. Thomas was
Thomas released one like me
and this year we've worked
with them increase. Well. To
increase the reporting what
they're providing phs I can't
speak to. The decision that
was made. What have they
provided documentation of the
effectiveness of the program?
Yes. And that is more. So let
me back up. It was in your
budget. You Finnish you funded
through and are spent. So
there was a strategy to fund
it for 2026. They have
provided the impact
effectiveness of the program
through their data reported.
But the decision was made not
to fund it for 2027. Correct?
Not to provide budget line
item 2027 budget. MR. Chair
out how you know back to you.
Ask this committee for an
opportunity. I know we have a
pretty tight budgets here and
schedule for the next month
and a half. Think this was an
issue last year and so
clearly, 12 months later with
it and fix it. And so I think
at some point this committee
should be fully briefed on on
this and provide a
recommendation for how this
office the to move forward. I
just my comment by saying here
in the testimony from the
community is another reminder
for me that the work Phs is
too important for us to be
sidetracked, but the lack of
accountability, integrity and
transparency, the community
depends on We should not allow
what we can control, which is
accountability, integrity and
transparency to sidetrack what
our community needs. Thank
you. MISTER Chair Frank Oz.
The purposes of boots. Thank
you, MR. CHAIRMAN, I just
want. People know out there
that tenant protection is of
upmost priority for us. We
will fight tooth and nail to
protect the tenant eviction
program. We are well aware
that eviction is one of the
core drivers of many bills
that we experience and our
community. And to the extent
we can improve housing,
stabilization, we think that
is a major factor crime
prevention as well as all the
other problems that come along
with underemployed
underemployment, no housing.
So we hear you and we will
fight for you. Thank you count
professor Silver's. You have
comment or question regarding
conversation. My name is Loni
Silva. I'm here as a Marion
County resident at the new for
15 years and a board member of
Thomas for these one like me.
Thank you, CHAIRMAN Robinson
and honorable members of the
council. I just want to echo
what doctor and council
Perkins said. I think that
data driven decision-making is
a necessity. And Thomas, for
these one like me thus far for
every dollar that you gave us.
We are putting a $1.30 one
$1.30 back in the pockets of
indigent folks and all of your
jurisdictions, all your
constituents, a driver's
license changes somebodys life
and not only changes one
person's life changes the
whole entire household. I
could have brought. So many
people in here today, but I
didn't want to take all your
time. And I had done that
before. And so while I
appreciate Director Mark least
presentation, he didn't
include us and we are yet not
on the dashboard for anybody
to say, even though we provide
are timely reports. So we
decided to contact you
ourselves and provide you with
our information so you could
see it ourselves. And by the
way, that dollars and $0.30 is
just a projection. It's not
even what is going to be the
real number. At the end. We've
always given you a dollar back
for every dollar that you've
given us. So I just encourage
that committee this evening,
too, really take into account
the data and I'm happy to
answer any questions. Thank
you, Professor. You do to make
a comment regarding the funds
from the foundation as you
guys receive funding from the
foundation for a different
program. So Thomas released
one like me also as a peer
mentoring program. They served
100 people every year. Their
recidivism rate is very low.
As is the hope, Hustle a
program to help us to the
program is different. Then the
peer mentoring program and
they did receive a grant
CHAIRMAN Robinson for $250,000
that sustains our staff. We
have a very, very small staff,
but we produce huge out. Comes
in a great impact on the
community. Think the fence or
comments or questions Thank
should stand Thank you. Have
never had a chance to meet
you. But her the great work
that you have done prior to me
could become a counselor. And
I'm glad to put face with the
name good job the wearer that
you've been q. But going back
to director Mark you say that
there was a negotiation and I
know that we just had
proposal. One, 92. They came
before us where they the
reasons why. I mean, was this
part of the cut to meet that
budget help them? Ask them a
question right? I will do it.
You never see ice answers.
Yes, there was a group of
counselors and council staff
that negotiated the budget
administration staff. It was
not a cut because it was never
in our budget. The decision
not to increase our budget was
made by that that
negotiations, those
negotiations over the course
of. Several weeks, months. And
no, it is not budget was not
cut from budget. Okay. I'm not
gonna MISS It. A college
counselor. Position right now?
Well, as I'm sorry, counsel
Wilson position right now. You
and my my. Thank you council
Wells. Thank for the time
gather my thoughts. Last week
we heard that the reentry
court isn't funded and it's
going away next month,
actually, in like 2 weeks. The
whole customers program, many
of the people they serve and
please correct me professor.
So the and big t if I mess
this up, but those are a lot
of our returning neighbors and
the number one barrier they
face is getting all their
paperwork right? Finding
housing and getting a job with
re-entry court going away. And
I don't know if you can see on
trembling. Because we're
talking about. Our but
rescinded rights being doomed.
To increase. And we're not
just talking about rates.
We're talking about people who
we're able to come home after
serving their time. And we are
continuing to put barriers in
front of them. Some of them we
did not do. We did not. Closed
down reentry court. But it's
gone. And the furloughs are
done. And so it's not just on
the court. It's yet another
thing. We are now placing no
phs shoulder and we have to
lean on those experts in the
community who have been doing
this, who have relationships
and are known to be safe.
People trusted people who they
literally trust with paper
that could send them back to
jail and So that's a really
big deal for me. Because I
love those people very dearly.
One of them was my daddy at
one time. And he's home. MR.
CHAIRMAN, I don't know who the
council's negotiators are, but
I was duly elected by the
residents of District 6 on the
far West side for 6, 2, to 2
who is super impacted by all
these evictions who has a huge
immigrant population whose
legal defenses and supports
have not been funded in this
budget either. It feels like
an attack on my community. And
I was given a voice by my
community to say these things
tonight. And while we weren't
impacted by the floods in my
heart goes out to you.
Counselor Dilanian, your
residence. We are impacted in
a different way. And I feel
disenfranchised as a leader. I
am not part of the negotiating
team, but I did help
negotiate. The whole customers
getting funded in understand
last year. So that's
unfortunate. But my heart, I
will in by. You know, the loss
that people sit in this room,
the people that we very this
year. I know I my heart goes
out to you. David Davis, who
was Elevation? Grant recipient
who took people out to fish in
nature. People who have been
locked up for years. Brittany
Marble, who sat beside people.
In their hardest of times, fed
people. They're gone and this
room, this crowd bins out
every year and so did the
dollars. We have to do more.
This work is not done and this
budget doesn't feel sufficient
to me right now. MISTER
CHAIRMAN, thank you. Also
wills comes Okay, director, I
you know, I'm kind of like a
straight shooter, right? And I
told you in one of want to
ones that whatever you say, it
comes back to us and we cannot
do a lot of fact checked. So
you mentioned that our
leadership team negotiate it.
To remove funding for them. I
want to make it be clear that
our counselors, leadership
team, did not have anything to
do with it. The cut this
happening. This was never in
the budget for them to
negotiate anything. So I want
to make that be clear that the
counselors had nothing to do
with this on leadership had
nothing to do with it. The
funding being cut. So I want
to make that clear. And I went
so to say we are in support of
this program because I never
like to see any programs get
cut out ph is because I didn't
know what population that it
serves. And so I want to be
clear, the counters leadership
team had nothing to do with
the cut. Thank you, MR.
CHAIRMAN, thank you. Leader
Mowery. So Okay. Thank you.
Council moves. Thank you, MR.
CHAIRMAN and just a final
comment. I think the
discussion clearly illustrates
the importance of why we
overrode the mayor's veto. The
original our tax increase
without that, there's no
chance in heck we'd ever be
able to fund anything like
this. The austere budget the
administration has put through
these last couple years is why
we're here tonight arguing
about these things. You cannot
survive a city of 900,000
people. When you're tightening
the belt in cutting budgets
every year. That is why you
have places in the condition.
It is. Why our roads stake.
That's why eviction is high
because the administration has
ignored these problems being
too proud and always never
going to raise the tax. I'm
going to cut budget. I'm
saving money. This is what
happens when you act that You
don't have money to do what
you need to do to provide for
the people that put us in
office. So I am a firm
supporter of doing all we can
to enhance and expand tenant
protection to enhance and
expand reentry programs. It is
our society will be judged how
we treat the least in our
society. And right now we are
ignoring them. Thank you,
Thank direct marked a record.
Broke Merkley. Was your budget
increased or decreased? The
mayor had a plan for the
50 million And there's gonna
be some budget cuts with with
the administration's agencies.
Was your age, the including
that at all? Our budget was
reduced by $162,000. Okay. To
help to help meet 50 Million.
I can't answer Thank you.
Cause of heart. It just
suggestion to my colleagues on
that whoever is negotiating
the fall off a school. Maybe
this is a suggestion for them
at that final comments or
questions council perked up
final comments council what
you can always run this on the
side. So it. You are invited.
I will say thank you, council
Allen for for that's for the
clarity to ensure that we
understand that this was never
in a point of negotiation with
the budget team from the
council, right? So it was
never presented in the budget.
But that's why we're here. And
so my charge to my colleagues
to sue, make a commitment that
over the next month and a
half. This is another thing
that we bring back to this
committee to the full Council
to make some kind of proposal
that to the budget that's
presented to us by the mayor I
think we get to this place.
And stop. There is a next step
to this, which is we have the
power as a fiscal agents to be
able to amend the budget. But
the mayor sent to us.
Challenges over the next month
to to make sure that we do
that to reflect what we
clearly hear from our
community that they do Thank
you. I think they'll for. And
I do want to emphasize council
hearts point of the fall
fiscal. It's coming up. So
there's some room there to
addresses in that schools.
Well, council worker the final
comment. Thank you all for the
opportunity tonight until the
last. Discussion I thought
tonight much better than it
did a year ago. I assure you
that. We have worked really
hard. To deliver on results
for this body. And for our
neighbors. We continue to hold
our vendors, our staff
accountable to producing
results that. Educations we we
believe in the work that slurs
doing. Look forward to
continuing continued
conversations. Thank you,
Director Merkley. Thank you
for those came out this
evening. Thank you. Council