2026-09-22 - City Commission

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15:32>> going to call this meeting of public uh

15:34pardon me of city commission to order

15:36and um ask us ask you to join us as is

15:40our pattern with a moment of silence.

15:54Please join us in the pledge of

15:55allegiance.

15:58>> I pledge algiance to the flag of the

16:00United States of America and to the

16:03republic for which it stands, one nation

16:06under God, indivisible, with liberty and

16:09justice for all.

16:13>> Clerk, if you call the role.

16:14Commissioner Kilgore,

16:15>> present.

16:16>> Commissioner Knight,

16:17>> present.

16:17>> Commissioner Asasi,

16:18>> present.

16:18>> Commissioner Purdue,

16:20>> present.

16:20>> Commissioner Belchek,

16:21>> here. Mayor Lrand.

16:23>> Yes. Uh, and if our interpreter could

16:25come up and explain her role.

16:31>> Good evening. My name is,

16:32[clears throat] excuse me, Sandra

16:34Nickel, and I'm here to help you

16:36interpret from Spanish to English

16:38whenever it's needed. Comments, uh,

16:41public comments or questions.

16:57Thank you. Um, and now is our first

17:01opportunity for public comment. And I

17:03had someone ask me before uh the

17:04meeting. We are going to have a number

17:06of public hearings. And so if you're uh

17:09if you wish to speak to the public

17:10hearings, please wait till those happen.

17:12But otherwise, any item that's on the

17:14agenda for us to take action on, please

17:16feel free to come up and talk. And I Mr.

17:18Jones has the microphone.

17:22How y'all doing? I'm D. Jones. I'm

17:24speaking on fiscal committee resolution

17:274. Are you guys accepting the $300,000

17:30grant from the community foundation to

17:32integrate to college? Uh through

17:35college. Um I support this initiative.

17:39Uh I know a lot of youth uh get the

17:42opportunity to go to college for free

17:44and get scholarship funds, especially on

17:46the west side of the community to

17:48actually be able to uh advance and get a

17:51higher education. Uh but I also like you

17:54guys to continuously support initiatives

17:57like this because education is vital.

17:59Education is key. uh our next generation

18:01of youth uh will be able to advance to

18:04college and be able to get a college

18:05degree and hopefully come back to the

18:06city where there's equitable uh ethical

18:09jobs available that is above the poverty

18:11line. So as you guys are accepting this

18:13grant uh please uh continuously accept

18:17grants like this cuz this is really good

18:18for the community. I know some youth

18:20that actually benefited from this

18:21program. Uh the community foundation is

18:24definitely a part of this. There's even

18:26somebody on our school board, uh, Chai

18:28Bened, not Chai, not our school board,

18:30but our neighbor organization, Chai

18:32Benedict. She was actually on the

18:33committee for this. Uh, so I like you

18:36guys to continuously accept grants, like

18:38I said, for this because I really

18:40believe that education is vital in

18:42higher education. And, uh, there are

18:45some students that also can get some

18:46esports scholarships because of this. Uh

18:48the community foundation also has

18:50granted some funds to our school

18:52district for students to actually go to

18:54different colleges and check out the

18:56different colleges but also they have

18:58given scholarship funds and funds to

19:00advance education. So please

19:02continuously accept these grants because

19:04this truly does benefit the community

19:06and our next generation of youth that

19:07will go to college through college to

19:09college. That's what TDC Studios is.

19:11Thank you.

19:19Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus

19:21Christ.

19:23My name is Daniel.

19:25I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

19:30I'll be speaking to uh ordinances to be

19:34adopted. The amending section one of the

19:36budget ordinance.

19:38Did some research online.

19:43More money going to drug sobriety court

19:45grant, substance abuse and mental health

19:48services,

19:51sobriety court expansion program.

19:56It's rather uh hypocritical

20:02to

20:03spend our money

20:06for these purposes.

20:09But at the same time, you keep allowing

20:13the building of weed stores,

20:17marijuana stores,

20:21breweries

20:22being built all over the city.

20:27We're known as a beer city now.

20:29What a wonderful name. Next will be the

20:31weed city.

20:38So

20:39rather than give money to the results or

20:43the consequences,

20:46stop building the weed stores.

20:49Stop giving licenses to the breweries

20:52and the taverns.

20:55Again, I've ministered in the inner city

20:58hardside for almost 50 years.

21:00I've seen the results of these two

21:03evils.

21:06These are gateways to even further

21:08dependence on more harder drugs and

21:12alcohol.

21:15We can spend our money much better on

21:18prevention

21:20rather than trying to solve the solution

21:23afterwards.

21:25The holy scripture says

21:29the drunkard shall come to poverty

21:32and those that give strong drink to

21:35others by okaying it on this commission.

21:40You will be held responsible

21:42for the drunkenness

21:44and now the weeds marijuana stores.

21:52Thank you for listening.

22:00Oh man, you know,

22:05sorry, Mr. Love, it's coming up.

22:13Good evening, Lucas. First Ward. Uh

22:16looking now at section 9 item 8 and how

22:19it highlights the overall problematic

22:21relationship between our city, our

22:23leaders and these giant greedy corporate

22:25interests like those involved with the

22:26amphitheater.

22:28Now to cut through the clever ways in

22:31which this budget item is disguised in

22:33the agenda, let me summarize it for the

22:35public about what's going on. Our city's

22:37about to reroute another $770,000

22:40in costs associated with the

22:42amphitheater for a sewer trunk that was

22:44quote not properly abandoned during the

22:46build. Meaning the taxpayers are

22:49continuing continuing to pay into this

22:51venue. Now, I'm still an overall

22:54supporter of the amphitheater, but from

22:56the jump, I've been vocal about the ways

22:58in which you were selling out to greedy

23:00slime like Live Nation and assorted

23:02usual suspects in the GR oligarchy. With

23:05Live Nation, you've become party to a

23:07monopoly so bad that it's been punished

23:09even under the Trump regime. We keep

23:12learning more and more about your

23:14acceptance from a fly by night sound

23:16study from some flimsy rubber stamp firm

23:19that you gave an o that gave you an

23:20overly rosy prediction of sound dynamics

23:23around which you built ordinances that

23:25have led to you getting slapped by a

23:26judge. In that process, we're learning

23:29that the noise exceptions that you grant

23:31may or may not consist of a loose

23:32process of sending a hey bro text to the

23:35city manager in the middle of the night

23:37from some random roadie.

23:39Media coverage has exposed how the

23:41Michigan beer pavilion inside the venue

23:43features very little Michigan beer and

23:45even less from actual local breweries.

23:48And now we have this added handout of

23:50almost 800 grand added to the tab.

23:53Couple this with the soccer stadium

23:55where you're once again hitching your

23:57wagon to the legendary sketchy likes of

23:59Amway, who just settled for 225 million

24:01with the FCC again in Trump's

24:04administration over deceptive business

24:06practices. And toss in the recent

24:08national headlines about how evil these

24:10corporate goons are when they're

24:12attached to venues as seen in the

24:14censorship and Zionism being perpetrated

24:17by Robert Craft and this whole pink

24:19Mcleammore Ed Sheeran dustup.

24:22We're seeing a whole lot of examples of

24:24how gross this garbage is when we should

24:26have just kept taxing all these bastards

24:28like we did before Reagan, but now we

24:31could have just built our own stuff

24:33instead of shady public private

24:36partnerships.

24:37Your response to most criticism is to

24:39pass it off. Well, it belongs to the

24:41county now. Kind of sounds more like a

24:43pump and dump. Except we're about to

24:46watch you approve another 800k of our

24:48money in the fallout.

24:50It's funny how socialism is always seen

24:52as a dirty word by the ignorant and

24:53gullible, but we just keep on

24:55socializing robber barons and oppressors

24:58every chance we get. Real leaders would

25:00step up, speak out, and insert

25:02themselves into some of this dumb crap

25:04and find solutions that center the

25:06people first. And instead, you lay back,

25:08make excuses, and approve even more

25:11residual spending.

25:21Seeing no one else coming up to the

25:22microphone, I'll move us on to our

25:25approval of minutes. Can I have a

25:27motion?

25:27>> So moved.

25:28>> Support.

25:29>> All in favor say I.

25:31>> I.

25:31>> I.

25:32>> All opposed. Motion carries. That brings

25:34us [snorts] to petitions and

25:34communications. City clerk.

25:36>> The first one is communications. Three

25:38of them received ex um received

25:40expressing support for Acer

25:41Amphitheater.

25:42>> Received and filed. Communication

25:43received from Darren Gladstone,

25:44including a foyer appeal for foyer

25:46requests 2026-2944.

25:49Receive and filed.

25:50>> Communication received from Holland

25:52quote unquote Dean Norma Central

25:55Ventures LLC, including a foy appeal for

25:57foyer request PR 20ou 2026-2807.

26:02>> Received and filed.

26:03>> Communication received from Patrick

26:04regarding received regarding Patrick

26:06Hilton's resignation from the Michigan

26:08Street Corridor Improvement Authority.

26:10>> Uh referred to committee on

26:11appointments. Communication received

26:13regarding vacancy on the south division

26:15Granville Avenue corridor improvement

26:17authority

26:18>> referred to the committee on

26:18appointments.

26:19>> Communication received from Ben Irwin

26:21including a foyer appeal for foyer

26:23request number PR-2026-907.

26:27>> Received and filed.

26:28>> Communication received from Sabriana

26:30with a noise complaint against Fiesta

26:32Mexicana at Cder Plaza.

26:34>> Received and filed.

26:35>> Communication received from Dr. Elena

26:37Ziza regarding late night vehicle noise

26:40violations on medical mile.

26:41>> Received and filed.

26:42>> Communication received from Dan Hibba,

26:44Landon Company, regarding the Acure

26:45Amphitheater.

26:46>> Received and filed.

26:48>> Communication received from Ben Irwin,

26:50including a foyer appeal for foyer

26:51request number PR.

26:54The same one. Oh, different one.

26:57>> Is that a duplicate?

26:58>> No.

26:58>> Um, request number PR-2026-916

27:03>> received and filed. Communication

27:04received from Adam Fuller, mortgage one

27:06in Incorporated, senior loan officer

27:09with Acura Acer Amphitheater do noise

27:11data received and filed.

27:13>> Communication received from Lindseay

27:14Piper urging the city commission to

27:16reject any contract or expansion of

27:18flock automated license plate reader

27:21ALPR surveillance in the city of Grand

27:23Rapids.

27:23>> And file

27:24>> uh two communications received urging

27:26the city uh commission to prohibit GRPD

27:29cooperation with ICE.

27:30>> Received and filed. And finally,

27:32communication received from sevil man

27:34WMUK news director, including a foyer

27:36appeal for foyer requests 20 2026-3186

27:41filed.

27:43>> That brings us to reports of city

27:44officers. Mr. Clerk,

27:45>> first one is controllers warrant report.

27:50Sorry, let me go back.

27:57Sorry. The controllers warrant report

27:59for the period of August 20 August 25,

28:032026 through September 7, 2026 in the

28:06amount of 23,778,75089

28:10received and filed.

28:11>> And the treasures report for the period

28:12of August 26, 2026 through September 8,

28:152026.

28:16>> received and filed. Uh that brings us to

28:18our consent consent agenda and uh for

28:22information. These are items which

28:24passed unanimously out of committee and

28:26were not uh removed for any reason for

28:28further discussion by any member of the

28:30commission. Can I have a motion?

28:31>> So moved.

28:32>> Support.

28:32>> All in favor of approving the consent

28:34agenda say I.

28:35>> I.

28:36>> All opposed. Motion carries. That brings

28:38us then um to ordinances to be adopted.

28:42Uh the first is an ordinance uh uh

28:45amending our budget. And uh can I have a

28:48motion for that?

28:49>> So moved. report

28:50>> and Commissioner Yasi, if you could

28:52introduce this for us.

28:54>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, there's a number

28:55of items as as is pretty typical. I'll

28:58start off uh with the number one, which

28:59is the community development department.

29:02This is for the chip lead hazard control

29:04grant. Um, next is for the Michigan

29:07Indigent Defense Fund.

29:10Uh, third is for the 61st District

29:12Court. This is for the drug and soy

29:14court grant. Uh item number four is for

29:18the engineering department.

29:19[clears throat] This is for 1500

29:20scribner, the capital improvement bond.

29:23Item number five is related to the

29:25engineering department and the

29:27construction of our fire department

29:28training facilities.

29:30Um item number six is the soiety court

29:34expansion program.

29:36Um

29:38number seven is the police department.

29:40This is related to the autotheft

29:42prevention authority grant. Receiving

29:44that. Item number eight is for parks and

29:48wreck which is for the Michigan natural

29:49resources trust fund grant appropriation

29:52for the river edges trail. Um and item

29:55number nine is for the 61st district

29:57court for the substance abuse and mental

29:59health services um uh grant as well. So

30:03uh those are all the items under this um

30:06ordinance today. Thank you.

30:07>> Thank you. Um, any discussion,

30:10colleagues? Any comments? Otherwise,

30:12this is a roll call vote. So, Mr. Clerk,

30:15>> Commissioner Belchek,

30:17>> yes.

30:17>> Commissioner Kilgore,

30:18>> yes.

30:18>> Commissioner Assassi,

30:19>> yes.

30:20>> Commissioner Purdue,

30:21>> yes.

30:21>> Commissioner Knight,

30:22>> yes.

30:22>> Mayor Lrand,

30:23>> yes. Uh, and can I have a motion

30:26carries. Uh, can I have a motion for

30:28immediate effect?

30:29>> So, support.

30:30>> All in favor say I.

30:31>> I.

30:32>> I.

30:32>> All opposed. Motion carries. That brings

30:35us to a number of public hearings.

30:38Uh the first one is on uh the board of

30:42review special assessment nuisance role

30:458808

30:47and I see someone from our assessor's

30:49office coming up

30:53post.

30:57>> Hello. Um, on July 21st of this year,

30:59the city commission issued an order for

31:01the assessor to create the special

31:03assessment role number 8808 of unpaid

31:05charges for services or code violations

31:08from January 2026 through June of 2026.

31:12These charges stem from miscellaneous

31:13services such as h housing violations,

31:16yard violations, rental certifications,

31:18and blight monitoring. Um, property

31:20owners affected by these charges were

31:22sent notices on August 14th. uh that

31:25included the amount of the charges as

31:26well as information on the appeal

31:28process. The special assessment role has

31:31been open for the public inspection for

31:33at least two weeks starting on August

31:3428th through today, September 22. In

31:38addition, the assessor's office has

31:39posted the entire special assessment

31:41role to the city's website. Uh to date,

31:43we have received two appeals. Tonight,

31:46the city commission convenes as the

31:48board of review to hear appeals of these

31:49assessments, and tonight is the final

31:51opportunity for those notified to file

31:53an appeal of the assessment. Um, I'll be

31:56available across the hall if anyone

31:58would like to register any additional

32:00appeals. Thank you.

32:02>> Thank you.

32:04Any member of the public wishing to come

32:06up and um avail themselves of that

32:09appeal process?

32:12Seeing none, uh the hearing is now

32:13closed. That moves us on to a number of

32:17um tied projects. Um

32:23>> right. Uh so I believe Mr. Tucker is

32:26going to come up. Our first in our next

32:27public hearing is to uh consider uh past

32:30performance uh detailed in the federal

32:32fiscal year uh on uh future needs in

32:36housing and community development

32:37programs. So Mr. Tucker, welcome.

32:39>> Good evening, city commission. Today's

32:41presentation is a uh is an overview of

32:44our consolidated annual performance and

32:46evaluation report. This is one of the

32:48public uh strategic uh one of the public

32:51strategic reports that our federal

32:53partners at the uh housing urban

32:55development require of us. It covers um

32:58it covers a period of performance

33:00between July 1st of 2025 and June 30th

33:04of 2026. So it is the previous year's

33:08work and it's a look back at uh our

33:10performance and outcomes uh over uh over

33:14our excuse me uh supported by our

33:16federal funds. So um as I mentioned uh

33:19this is one of the public reports

33:21required by HUD. There are two others.

33:23Uh the first is the consolidated housing

33:24and community development plan. Uh this

33:26is basically our five-year strategic

33:28plan. Um that uh five-year strategic

33:31plan uh requires us to um set goals and

33:35objectives uh related to our federal

33:38funding. Um the the the second report

33:41that uh our our HUD partners require is

33:44an annual action plan which looks one

33:46year forward. Um what do we plan to

33:48prioritize in that upcoming year and

33:51they also require us to publish a plan

33:53uh affectionately known as the caper uh

33:55to look one year back and that's what

33:57we're discussing today.

33:59the the source of funds um that uh that

34:03that we funded over the last year uh

34:05include the community development block

34:07grant, uh home ESG, which stands for

34:10emergency solutions grant, JAG, um

34:12justice assistance grant. Um we also

34:14include opioid settlement funds and the

34:17affordable housing fund. Um, I I I will

34:20I will say that uh our federal our

34:22federal partners do not require us to

34:24report on the opioid settlement funds or

34:27the affordable housing fund, but we do

34:29include their performance uh in this

34:31summary uh so that you can have a uh a

34:34summary of all of the expenditures and

34:36their performance across all of our

34:38funding sources.

34:40Um the neighborhood investment plan has

34:43uh eight outcomes that it covers. Um I

34:46won't I won't go through all eight of

34:47these. Um but I because we are going to

34:49go through each one um and pull out

34:52highlights from each one. Um so just

34:54know that there are eight outcome areas

34:56um that we provide services and support

34:58under uh particularly with our

35:00partnership uh with uh community

35:02organizations throughout the city. Um

35:05this uh this pie chart just uh details

35:08the distribution of funds by each

35:10outcome area. Um as you can see the

35:13largest uh is dedicated to housing. Uh

35:16in fact the first four outcome areas are

35:18related to housing in some way shape or

35:20form. I will note uh there are two

35:22things that I'm going to note about this

35:23slide before we move on. The first is

35:25that uh I said there are eight outcome

35:27areas. The eighth outcome area deals

35:30with um deals with neighborhood

35:31infrastructure. We have not granted or

35:33supported that uh in several years. And

35:36so because there are no funds to support

35:38that particular outcome, you don't see

35:40any reporting on it. So that's why there

35:41are only seven outcomes here. The second

35:43thing I want to note before we move on

35:45to talk about some of the details of the

35:46services provided under each of these

35:48outcome areas is that the um the the

35:52primary uh the primary audience for our

35:55services um are residents earning 80%

35:58AMI and below in our city. And so for

36:00just a little bit of context uh for one

36:02person that's someone earning $59,000 a

36:05year approximately or for a family of

36:07four that's about $85,000 a year. So, um

36:10these services primarily support folks

36:12who are making that amount of money or

36:15less.

36:17Um so, uh first in outcome one, prevent

36:20and resolve episodes of homelessness. I

36:22won't go through every single uh

36:24highlight. I'll just pull out a couple

36:25of things under each outcome area to

36:27give you a flavor of of what services

36:29were provided. But under outcome one uh

36:31which deals with preventing and

36:32resolving episodes of homelessness, 222

36:35households received financial assistance

36:38and or services that presented prevented

36:40or resolved homelessness. Under outcome

36:42two uh improving access to and stability

36:45of affordable housing. 31,600

36:48people uh received fair housing

36:50education and outreach. Uh 55 people

36:52received free legal counseling uh andor

36:55representation. Under outcome three,

36:57increasing the supply of affordable

36:59housing, um we saw 135 units completed

37:03and 68 units underway or in various

37:06stages of progress. To go into that, um

37:10that housing production just a little

37:11bit deeper. I've got a couple of

37:12examples of brickandmortar projects in

37:15our community. The first I'll point to

37:16is Seymour Condominiums, uh which is a

37:19project of our community partner ICCF

37:21Homes. Um, this is an adaptive reuse of

37:23the Seymour Christian School and uh, it

37:26includes 27 condos, 14 sold to

37:29households uh, earning 80% AMI and 13 of

37:32those households uh, at or below 120%

37:35AMI. So that's that primarily 80% AMI

37:38that I talked about. Uh, the other brick

37:40and mortar uh, the other brick and

37:42mortar project that we'll that I'll

37:43point to is the Mottown Square

37:45affordable assisted living uh, facility.

37:47This is by our community partner at

37:49LinkUp. It's new construction and it

37:51includes 54 affordable one-bedroom units

37:54for rent to seniors um at incomes at or

37:58below 60% AMI.

38:01Um outcome four deals with uh improving

38:04the conditions of existing housing. Um

38:073,400 code compliance cases were brought

38:09into compliance. Uh 55 residential

38:12blight monitoring cases were closed and

38:14531 housing units uh received repair or

38:17modification. This includes the city's

38:19housing rehab program as well as our

38:21community partners um who are uh who are

38:24doing housing rehab uh in our city. Um

38:27and this uh this graphic that you see is

38:29a distribution of where those projects

38:32are throughout the city.

38:34Um to uh outcome five is focused on

38:37fostering engaged and connected

38:39resilient neighborhoods. This uh

38:40primarily supports our neighborhood

38:42associations where uh 1,934 people were

38:45educated on neighborhood uh leadership

38:47or civic engagement opportunities.

38:50Outcome six is about improving community

38:52safety. A fair number of our

38:53neighborhood associations receive uh

38:55support from this outcome area as well.

38:57Uh here we saw uh 2400 people informed

39:00about or educated on a variety of public

39:03safety topics. 772 homes or public

39:06spaces received safety improvements.

39:09Outcome seven uh is about improving

39:11economic opportunity. 540 adults uh and

39:14youth receive job training or job

39:16readiness, training or support. Uh and

39:19finally uh outcome 8 uh enhancing

39:21neighborhood infrastructure. Just to

39:22repeat, uh no investments were planned

39:24uh for for this particular outcome area.

39:27Um, finally, the public uh the public

39:30comment uh portion uh started on o on

39:34August 11th when the city commission set

39:36the public hearing date uh that we're

39:38having today. Public comment period

39:39began on September 8th and uh was

39:42published uh was published for the

39:44public to review. Uh city commission uh

39:46public hearing is today, September 22,

39:49and public comment closes tomorrow on

39:51the 23rd. And finally, we are due to

39:54send our caper uh to housing and urban

39:56development on September 25th.

40:00Thank you.

40:01>> Thanks. Uh very very comprehensive

40:04review there and it's exciting to see

40:07all of that work going on. I will add

40:09that um although this is focused on a

40:11requirement for the federal government,

40:13um the efficiency of how that money is

40:16spent obviously is a is a credit to our

40:19city staff who are really zeroing in and

40:21it was impressive to see all those

40:23detailed uh and to see all the numbers

40:24beyond all the outcomes. So, uh thank

40:26you for that, Mr. Jones.

40:30>> How y'all doing? I'm D. Jones,

40:32passionate entrepreneur and visionary.

40:34I'm here to speak on the community

40:36development and consolidated housing

40:37plan, but the future housing uh program.

40:40So, I did give that presentation

40:43presentation

40:44uh at the Eagles uh conference for

40:47Michigan uh sustainability conference.

40:49Uh and I spoke to the state government,

40:51gave them the presentation on the

40:53benefits of 3D printed construction as

40:55I've advocated heavily for you guys to

40:57adopt 3D printed construction and 3D

40:59printed houses. And there at that uh

41:01conference, I learned that Eagle

41:03actually created the solar program, the

41:05solar for all program uh from a

41:07conversation that somebody uh just

41:10sparked up there uh at one of the

41:12conferences there before the uh year

41:14before. And so I spoke to the lady and I

41:17said, "How could we standardize 3D

41:18printed construction? How could this

41:20actually be a standard where we actually

41:223D print houses and we add green energy

41:24efficiencies like solar energy or

41:26geothermal and all of these green energy

41:28appliances that actually can go to a

41:30house and make it actually sustainable

41:32but make sure that we can also lower the

41:34cost of energy and just the cost burden

41:36of these houses. So, I like for the city

41:38to try to pioneer an initiative like

41:40that as we think about the future of

41:42affordable housing and the future

41:43programs that we can actually do.

41:45Actually getting a 3D printer, which I'm

41:47still working on, but I am going to get

41:49a 3D printer here. This is something I'm

41:50going to be sure that I do. I am going

41:52to 3D print houses and apartments. And

41:54I'm going to be sure that our city is

41:56continuously put on. And I like the

41:58other news outlets that do stories on

42:00this, too. Not just Fox 17, cuz they did

42:02do a story on this of me advocating for

42:04this. But I like for you guys to think

42:06about the future innovation of actually

42:08having this as a standard creating

42:10affordable housing very very fast. I was

42:13just at the groundbreaking today for the

42:14Alpine Senior Apartments. And I've seen

42:17how the city was able to pour some

42:18funding and how all of these community

42:20organizations and construction firms

42:22actually came together to create 52

42:24affordable housing for seniors. So, I

42:26know this is something the city would

42:27can do, but I like in the future as we

42:30think about the future of innovation and

42:32the future of education and actually

42:34having our students actually learn 3D

42:36printed construction as I know 3D

42:37printed construction organizations to

42:39have 40hour cohorts where students

42:41actually earn high school graduation

42:42credits. But I like for our future of

42:44youth and our future of construction uh

42:47innovators to be able to utilize this 3D

42:49printed construction. So, I'm going to

42:51advocate if I'm still around here in

42:532031, I'm pretty sure I'll be around

42:55here advocating or somewhere across the

42:57globe doing something with 3D printed

42:58construction. But I like for you guys to

43:00think about this as a standard actually

43:02standardizing this be beyond 2031 once

43:06you guys actually develop another

43:07consolidated community development plan

43:09to be sure that we actually have 3D

43:11printing construction but we add solar

43:13energy and all of the green energy

43:14efficiencies that can make a foam a home

43:17truly affordable but also add those

43:19green energy appliances where somebody

43:20can live there and have a sustainable

43:22home but they also can have low cost

43:24where they can use that additional cash

43:26to do things they truly love. Thank you.

43:29>> [clears throat]

43:35[clears throat and cough]

43:36>> Good evening, uh, Mr. Mayor, Mr. City

43:39Commissioner, Mr. City Manager, and city

43:42commissioners. But I also want to say hi

43:43to our city attorney and city clerk who

43:45never get enough love up here. Um, I

43:48want to thank Mr. Tucker for his

43:49presentation uh, and the work that the

43:50department has done on the caper and on

43:52all of our community development

43:54efforts. Miss Bohodge deserves a lot of

43:56credit for her leadership over the years

43:57here.

43:59for our leadership here in the city of

44:00Grand Rapids tonight. Uh my name is Jim

44:02Davis. I'm with Family Promise of West

44:04Michigan. I'm asking you to consider

44:06preventing and ending family

44:08homelessness a stronger explicitly

44:11funded priority in the future community

44:13development spending of Grand Rapids.

44:16While I we appreciate all you are doing

44:18to address the city's housing crisis,

44:20and we see it as a crisis, I'm also

44:23asking you to consider the families

44:24whose homelessness is so often hidden.

44:27parents who are working, children's

44:28attending school, families whose

44:30stability unravels after an illness,

44:32reduced hours, or a lease that is not

44:33renewed.

44:35A job does not guarantee a parent can

44:37afford rent, groceries, transportation,

44:38and healthcare. And in 2026, two jobs

44:41doesn't either. HUD's most recent data

44:44available to us, last published in 25,

44:46showed that families with children were

44:47the fastest growing demographic of

44:49homelessness in our country. In one

44:51year, it increased by more than 39%. And

44:53in 2026, Family Promise of West

44:55Michigan's calls are increasing. Calls

44:58from moms, dads, grandparents,

45:00dualincome families, college graduates,

45:03the workingclass household is a couple

45:05of tanks of gas and a missed paycheck

45:07away from an eviction. Churches, donors,

45:10and businesses are essential partners to

45:12us at Family Promise. But we cannot

45:14budget on the assumption that another

45:16congregation or another foundation can

45:19cover the gap. And there is a gap and

45:22it's getting wider by the month. Charity

45:24will not carry public responsibility

45:26alone. [snorts] Churches are hurting and

45:28philanthropy is wondering whose idea it

45:30was to stick them with the bill for

45:31basic needs. You are seeing the issues

45:34mount in food pantries throughout Kent

45:36County and we're seeing it in our

45:37shelters. For all taxpayers listening,

45:40leaving families without shelter carries

45:43costs, and we should examine the costs

45:44of emergency room visits, public safety

45:46calls that stable housing could help

45:48prevent. Children carry costs that never

45:51appear in the dollars and cents of our

45:53city budget in this way. And federal

45:55homelessness funding is being reshaped

45:57and fought over in court. Families need

45:59local leadership they can count on

46:01throughout that uncertainty. And as you

46:02set spending priorities, please direct

46:04staff to identify specific funding

46:06commitments for homelessness prevention,

46:09emergency family shelter, shelter

46:10diversion, and services that help

46:12families secure and keep permanent

46:14housing. [snorts] Grand Rapids has

46:16plenty to celebrate. Our magazine covers

46:18and top 10 list should come with a

46:19commitment to the people who are

46:21struggling to live here. A child should

46:23be able to spend the school day thinking

46:25about what they are learning without

46:26wondering which parking lot they'll be

46:28sleeping in tonight. Please make room

46:30for homeless families and children in

46:32your next budget. Thank you.

46:43>> Good evening. My name is Nancy Haynes.

46:45I'm the executive director of the Fair

46:47Housing Center of West Michigan. And I

46:48want to echo my colleague Jim Davis's

46:51comments about um how lucky we are to

46:53work with the community development

46:54staff here at Grand Rapids. They're

46:56really exceptional. and I work with a

46:58lot in the state of Michigan. We cover

46:5938 counties and this is at the top of

47:03the heap. So, um I would like to thank

47:05you all for the opportunity to comment

47:07on the caper. Um the Fair Housing Center

47:10is a nonprofit civil rights organization

47:12founded in 1980 to ensure fair housing

47:14choice and equal housing opportunity.

47:16Our office is located in the third ward

47:18on 20 Hall Street Southeast and I'm a

47:20proud long-term resident of the first

47:22ward. First, we want to thank the city

47:24of Grand Rapids for its long-standing

47:26commitment to fair housing and for

47:28recognizing that fair housing services

47:30are not separate from housing

47:31development issues.

47:33For more than four decades, the city has

47:35supported fair housing education,

47:37testing, complaint investigation,

47:39enforcement, and technical assistance.

47:41These services are a critical part of

47:43ensuring that people can actually access

47:45and maintain housing once it exists.

47:48We are especially grateful for the

47:50city's increase in support this year to

47:51$90,000.

47:53This meaningful investment recognizes

47:55both the growing demand for fair housing

47:57services and the measurable impact of

47:59our work. It strengthens our ability to

48:01respond to discriminations, support

48:03residents, and help housing providers

48:05comply with fair housing laws. This

48:07additional support also comes at a

48:09critical time as we are facing

48:10unprecedented federal funding

48:12challenges, gaps, and retractions.

48:16the the draft caper highlights the

48:18city's last year's investments and as

48:20you saw um fair housing was featured

48:23there. But I just want to highlight a

48:24couple of things. For the 80,311

48:28last year, we provided over 188 hours of

48:30fair housing education and outreach,

48:33reaching more than 31,000 individuals.

48:36We conducted 52 housing discrimination

48:38tests and helped open access to housing

48:40units that otherwise may have remained

48:42unavailable because of discriminatory

48:44practices.

48:46More importantly, these numbers

48:47represent real housing outcomes. With

48:49the city's funds, last fiscal year, we

48:52helped eight households obtain or retain

48:54housing.

48:55We secured nine reasonable

48:57accommodations or modifications that

48:58allowed people with disabilities to

49:00remain housed. We assisted 16 housing

49:03providers in changing practices to

49:05comply with fair housing laws. We also

49:08investigated systemic barriers and

49:10resolved cases that would have otherwise

49:12limited housing choice and stability in

49:14Grand Rapids.

49:15Ultimate Ultimately, our work funded by

49:18the city last year alone

49:20removed discriminatory policies and

49:22practices and opened up 1,420 housing

49:25units from housing discrimination. So,

49:27as we look forward, we hope we can

49:29continue to count on the city to be a

49:31partner as we fight housing

49:32discrimination. Thank you.

49:42>> Good evening. I'm Anna Diaz, vice

49:44president with Community Rebuilders.

49:46We're a nonprofit housing organization

49:48that works with individuals and families

49:49experiencing homelessness.

49:52Our work focuses on helping people

49:54obtain housing, remain stably housed,

49:56and connect to the services and

49:58resources they need to maintain their

49:59housing long term. One of the programs

50:01we administer in partnership with the

50:03city of Grand Rapids is the Home

50:04Tenantbased Rental Assistance Program,

50:06or Home Tibbra. During the July 1st,

50:092025 through June 30th, 2026 reporting

50:12period, community rebuilders received

50:14approximately $400,000 in home TBR

50:16funding from from the city. With that

50:19investment, we serve 61 households and

50:2299% of those households exited to

50:25permanent housing. Of those exits, 89%

50:28were to unsubsidize permanent housing

50:30and 10% were to subsidized housing with

50:32only 1% exiting to a temporary

50:34situation. The program served households

50:37facing significant housing instability.

50:3943% of households served had children,

50:4234% had a veteran head of household, and

50:4512% of the people served were

50:47experiencing chronic homelessness. We

50:49also saw 63% of adults exiting the

50:52project with income. Home TRA is

50:54important because it does more than

50:56provide short-term rental assistance. It

50:58gives households the stability and time

51:00they need to address barriers, increase

51:02income, and move towards sustaining

51:04housing independently.

51:07As the city considers both the

51:08performance of the fiscal year 2025

51:11housing programs and future community

51:13needs, we continue to see a strong need

51:15for flexible rental assistance paired

51:18with housing focused services. These

51:20outcomes show how the investment can

51:23help households move from homelessness

51:25or housing instab instability into

51:27permanent housing in greater long-term

51:30stability. We appreciate the city's

51:32approx the city's $400,000 investment in

51:35this program and the opportunity to

51:37share the impact it is having within our

51:38community. Thank you.

51:49Well, that was an impressive bunch of

51:51testimony. Um, colleagues, I don't know

51:54if uh any of you want to have any

51:55comments, but certainly all of those

51:57organizations are doing great work. And

51:59so, I guess my comments were incomplete.

52:01It's great that uh the city is does such

52:04a good careful job of delineating where

52:06that where those ones go. But, um, you

52:08know, the community is full of people

52:09who are really doing great sacrificial

52:11work at nonprofit organizations that are

52:14really zeroing in on needs. So really

52:16great to hear from some of them. So

52:17thank you. Um

52:20seeing no one else I will close. Oh uh I

52:24guess I'll close this and what do I do?

52:25I refer it to the committee the whole

52:28>> uh yes we're closing the hearing. Thank

52:30you.

52:32That brings us to uh Miss Reero. And

52:35although this looks like we have two,

52:37four, six items on the agenda, in

52:39reality there are three because in each

52:41there these are three projects and in

52:43each case uh the question is a hearing

52:45to create an obsolete property

52:47rehabilitation district and then the

52:49second step is uh consider an

52:51application for the uh exemption

52:53certificate for the property. So uh the

52:56first one up is um 2130 Planefield. M

53:00Miss Reno.

53:01>> Yes. Thank you, mayor. Good evening,

53:02commissioners. Before we um go into the

53:04project details, I just want to explain

53:06why you're seeing a batch of three uh

53:08requests tonight um because we

53:12anticipate uh this tool uh sun setting

53:15at the end of the year and so uh we've

53:17been proactively working with these

53:19applicants to get them through the

53:21process in order to submit to the state

53:23tax commission in a timely manner. So,

53:26um, this is ultimately a tool that is

53:29meant to rehabilitate obsolete property

53:32and, um, you'll see that in the three

53:34examples before you tonight. So, yes,

53:36this is Andrew Stop and I don't Is

53:37Andrew here tonight?

53:40Okay. Uh, this is the rehabilitation of

53:42a 3,000 foot two-story building. Uh, new

53:46construction and new construction of,600

53:48foot white box commercial space. uh four

53:52one-bedroom housing units priced at 100%

53:54AMI.

53:56Total project cost 1.19 million. This is

54:00the highest in my um tenure uh short

54:03tenure. I know it's only been two years.

54:05Uh but highest uh aspirational inclusion

54:07plan goals for our micro local

54:09womenowned and our minority

54:11businessowned enterprises at 82%

54:14overall. Um this qualifies as uh base 10

54:18years.

54:20Um it can go up to 12 uh with specific

54:23investment criteria, but this qualifies

54:24for the base 10 years. And uh we

54:27anticipate construction to begin here

54:29soon. And this this applicant was an

54:32emerging developer grant recipient. I'm

54:34happy to answer any questions.

54:38>> Thank you, colleagues. Seeing none, um

54:44anyone from Let's see. Anyone from the

54:46public wish any comment on this? and

54:48we're batching consideration of uh the

54:50exemption certificate and the creation

54:52of the rehab district.

54:55>> Great. I will refer that to committee

54:57the whole and that brings us next to the

55:00same process for a project at proposed

55:02project uh 1024 MLK.

55:06>> Yes, this is Latrice Hampton. Is Latrice

55:09here? Hi.

55:12So, I'm going to give you a quick

55:13overview of the project. Then, I'm going

55:14to let Latrice uh tell you why it's

55:17important to her. Uh Latrice is also an

55:19emerging developer applicant and also a

55:22recipient of the comm uh the corridor

55:24improvement authority facade grant. Um

55:27this project will rehabilitate the

55:30existing uh 5,300 foot structure by

55:33creating space for a child care facility

55:35alongside flexible areas for after

55:37school programming. Um, you see that

55:41there is a little over a million dollars

55:42in total project costs. This again

55:44qualifies for the 10-year base. Um, and

55:47I'm not going to take any more time.

55:48Latrice, do you want to talk about why

55:50the project's important to you?

55:53>> Good evening. My name is Latrice Hampton

55:55and I purchased 1014 1024 Martin Luther

55:58King and the reason why it's my passion.

55:59I've been working with family and

56:00children for over 30 years. I grew up in

56:02the 49507 matter of fact on Katamazoo in

56:05Franklin. So, just my duty to kind of

56:08give back to the community that I was

56:09born and raised in.

56:11>> Well, and I know which building we're

56:13talking about here. This is Miss Tracy.

56:15>> Yes.

56:16>> Right. My first home was in the backyard

56:17of this building and this was a source

56:19of a lot of community problems back in

56:21the day. So, to see it transition to

56:23child care sounds like heaven. Sorry, I

56:26that was unnecessarily editorial, but

56:30>> yes. Do anybody have any questions?

56:35Commissioner,

56:36>> no questions. We've talked about this

56:37for quite some time and I'm happy that

56:40we are able to support you at the CIA

56:41and through this and thank you uh uh

56:44Miss Reero for your team's kind of

56:46thinking ahead to make sure we get folks

56:47who are in the pipeline past the finish

56:50line um as we don't know kind of where

56:52the future of this incentive lies. But

56:54just really excited for you, excited for

56:57our community um and just so happy to

56:59support you. So congratulations.

57:01>> Thank you. Thank you.

57:02>> Thanks.

57:04All right. Thank you.

57:06>> Okay. Seeing no other comments, um that

57:10moves us to our third project. And this

57:12is same uh same property tax uh uh

57:17process for proposed for 1956 Eastern

57:21Southeast.

57:22>> Yes. This is right at Burton and

57:23Eastern. Uh this is Mary Malone. Is Mary

57:25Malone here?

57:28Okay. Um, this is the rehabilitation of

57:318 an 8,000 foot building um into

57:36um eight one-bedroom housing units

57:38priced at 80% AMI. Uh little over a

57:41million and a half uh total project cost

57:44and um want to call attention to the the

57:47term on this one. So, we qualify as the

57:50base at 10 years, but because Mary is

57:53committing these units to be at 80% AMI

57:56and adding housing diversity, we were

57:58able to add another year to the um

58:01recommendation here. Um,

58:04and I'm happy to answer any questions.

58:08>> Awesome. Again, I think probably

58:09everyone on the commission has been

58:11waiting to see more housing uh in that

58:13particular area. So that's great.

58:18Okay, seeing no one else, uh I will also

58:21refer that to committee the whole. Thank

58:23you so much, Miss Rena.

58:28That brings us to our second opportunity

58:30for public comments and anyone in the

58:32audience who wants to address us on any

58:34matter can come up and please identify

58:36yourselves and uh take up to three

58:38minutes. Um, I I said at a recent

58:41meeting, I will certainly try my best to

58:44uh let you finish your thought if you're

58:45at the end of your time. Um, but please

58:47do keep an eye on the the clock that's

58:49up here so that you can selfmonitor. Uh,

58:52and also please audience, it's important

58:54that we not boo, cheer, clap um, so that

58:57we can actually hear people.

58:59Thank you.

59:00>> How y'all doing? I did try to uh get up

59:03here for public comment because there

59:05were two African-American women and I've

59:07been coming here since 2018 and I

59:09haven't seen too many African-American

59:11women actually present projects. So, I

59:12just wanted to give my praise to the

59:14African-American women that are actually

59:16[snorts] uh getting projects passed here

59:18at city commission because that's

59:19something I have not seen uh too often

59:21coming here. My name is D. Jones. As I

59:24continue to hone in on the 3D printed

59:26construction and things like that, I

59:28just wanted to give you guys a story. So

59:30last year you guys know you guys gave me

59:32an opportunity to develop a esports camp

59:34and things like that and I really

59:36appreciate you guys giving me that

59:38opportunity. But uh as you guys uh as

59:41things kind of unfolded uh I did a in I

59:45had a famous hip-hop artist named Chief

59:47Keef, super famous hip-hop artist and uh

59:50I uh got him to do an educational

59:52session. His gaming team is called Glow

59:54Navy Gaming. So, my cousin that was here

59:56during the summer times where I spoke at

59:58city commission, uh, he actually asked

1:00:00the CEO and vice president at the

1:00:02esports camp, uh, when I did have some

1:00:04students that were there, but he did,

1:00:06uh, asked, can he get an internship? He

1:00:08ended up getting an internship and he

1:00:10was actually helping Chief Keef, one of

1:00:11the biggest hip-hop artists on like

1:00:13Earth for real. And so, he ended up

1:00:15doing this internship and helping him

1:00:17with the back end. He invited me to the

1:00:19Detroit show, but my cousin got invited

1:00:21completely free. And then he actually

1:00:23got invited the next day to go to Chief

1:00:25Keith's hotel room where he actually is

1:00:27here in this picture. So some funds that

1:00:29you guys gave me to develop a esports

1:00:31camp actually benefited a student from

1:00:34GRPS that graduated from GRPS, my

1:00:37cousin, and we're actually working right

1:00:39now to develop an internship program

1:00:41with GRPS where 24 students from GRPS

1:00:44will exclusively be able to work with

1:00:45him. So 12 on the gaming side and 12 on

1:00:48the music side. So I truly want to thank

1:00:50you guys for that. Also, we are going to

1:00:52be hosting the esports regional finals.

1:00:54So, last year I brought 39 schools, uh

1:00:5626 high schools, 13 colleges to the

1:00:58Devos Place and Ballroom C. This year,

1:01:00we're expanding it to 50 plus schools

1:01:02and then we have a professional gaming

1:01:04organization bringing 2500 gamers across

1:01:06the globe and we already have two TV

1:01:08interviews booked. And so, I'm super

1:01:10excited for that because I continued my

1:01:12vision and I really like to partner with

1:01:14the city. I really did have to act in a

1:01:16self in uh self-defense and I really

1:01:19would like to partner with the city

1:01:21because the things I'm also doing like

1:01:22working with the Urban League. We got 75

1:01:25uh students of color that are actually

1:01:27be able to go to GR ComicCon completely

1:01:29free where they'll get the uh access to

1:01:32all three days. They'll be able to get

1:01:34their parking paid for and all of those

1:01:36things. So, I'm increasing digital

1:01:37equity. I'm doing a lot of beautiful

1:01:39things for the community, but I like to

1:01:40continuously work with my city

1:01:42government and my county government as I

1:01:44did have to act in a an act of

1:01:46selfdefense. But I really wanted you

1:01:48guys to see this like my cousin was just

1:01:50in Houston with one of the biggest

1:01:51hip-hop artists off of the initiative

1:01:52that you guys funded and it could be so

1:01:54many more students. So I'm asking you

1:01:56guys for the opportunity continuously do

1:01:57that with you in the future. Thank you.

1:02:04>> Good evening. My name is Amy Brock. I

1:02:07care about Grand Rapids and the people

1:02:09in it. Tonight, I stand in solidarity

1:02:11with my immigrant neighbors to support

1:02:13sanctuary city policies to help keep

1:02:15them safe and to end the use of flock

1:02:17cameras. But I actually come here

1:02:19tonight as a member of Grand Rapids for

1:02:20affordable housing to discuss the

1:02:22housing crisis and the war on the poor.

1:02:25Currently in Grand Rapids, you need to

1:02:26make between 23 and $27 an hour to

1:02:29afford most one-bedroom apartments. This

1:02:32is out of reach for many, especially

1:02:34those in the lower income brackets.

1:02:35Those who service Grand Rapids literally

1:02:37can't afford to live here, and they're

1:02:39being shut out by gentrification and

1:02:41expensive new builds. For those who do

1:02:44qualify for low-income housing, the wait

1:02:46lists are long, the agencies are

1:02:47overloaded, and the units available are

1:02:49often aging in full. Although some new

1:02:52builds are guild to geared to the

1:02:53low-income household, it's the exception

1:02:55in this city and not the norm in spite

1:02:58of great need as thousands of units are

1:03:00needed. So people double up in living

1:03:03accommodations or are faced with

1:03:04eviction or become homeless. Others

1:03:06couch surf or stay in vehicles and are

1:03:08not even counted properly as homeless.

1:03:11Meanwhile, those in lower incomes who

1:03:13maintain housing live with this constant

1:03:15fear and anxiety of losing shelter. It's

1:03:18difficult to move out of a survival

1:03:19level. I want to think you care for

1:03:21those facing affordability issues or

1:03:23homelessness. I had a disagreement with

1:03:25a friend who said you just don't care

1:03:27about the poor in this city. And I

1:03:29hesitated to speak tonight because when

1:03:32a city can creatively fund such large

1:03:34amounts, I believe 560 million in public

1:03:37subsidies went to the three towers

1:03:39project and give 60 or 10 million to

1:03:41affordable housing. It gives me a loss

1:03:43for words, a bit of a loss of hope for

1:03:46who you prioritize,

1:03:48but still I am here and I ask that you

1:03:50work with innovation toward more funding

1:03:52for affordable housing and homeless

1:03:54intervention. We have empty buildings.

1:03:57Maybe turn warehouses into housing like

1:03:59Minneapolis who created a Vivo Village

1:04:01with a 100 tiny living spaces in the

1:04:03warehouse that include housing support

1:04:06services. Or be creative like in

1:04:08Houston, Texas that uses a rapid version

1:04:10of the housing first model which

1:04:12provides a speedy placement into housing

1:04:14with appropriate wraparound services.

1:04:17Homelessness is down there 63%.

1:04:20Another option might be to approve more

1:04:21builds that have mixed income living

1:04:23models as a requirement. People need to

1:04:25know their neighbors and be less

1:04:27segregated. The bottom line is we need

1:04:29to get creative, think out of the box,

1:04:32and do more for our least and do it now.

1:04:35And look at what other successful areas

1:04:36are doing. We need more funds. Do not

1:04:40look in terms of your limitations, but

1:04:42in terms of your power. Thank you for

1:04:44your time.

1:04:53Good evening, mayor and commissioners.

1:04:55My name is Jacob Warers. I want to first

1:04:57thank this commissioner and the city of

1:04:58Grand Rapids as a whole for its

1:05:00continued investment in alternative

1:05:02transportation for people in the city.

1:05:04Uh since 2024, I've been in contact with

1:05:06the city about a number of topics

1:05:08related to our bicycle infrastructure

1:05:10and our bike lanes. Um, as a bike

1:05:13commuter, I regularly see things like

1:05:15trash bins placed in the bike lanes

1:05:17we've built, construction equipment

1:05:19being stored by the crews, um, and

1:05:21unusable lanes full of glass, rocks,

1:05:23scrap metal. These are frustrating but

1:05:25unsurprising safety hazards that we've

1:05:28identified over 25 years ago. We

1:05:30acknowledge these challenges um, needed

1:05:32to be addressed in our 2002 master plan.

1:05:35uh the 20 2011 complete streets policy,

1:05:392016's vital streets plan, 2019's

1:05:42bicycle action plan, and 2024's

1:05:44community master plan. These issues are

1:05:46are well documented, thoroughly

1:05:48understood, highly predictable. Yet, the

1:05:50city has lacked the resources and

1:05:51leadership needed to address these

1:05:53realities of our growing bicycle

1:05:54network. I have met great people who

1:05:56want to help. John Gourney and Ailia

1:05:58Booker Jones from public works and John

1:06:01Bartlett from Mobile GR all share my

1:06:03safety concerns. Uh, but meaningful

1:06:05change will require coordination and

1:06:06leadership that only this commission can

1:06:08provide. Uh, I've spent over two years

1:06:12trying to learn who owns which

1:06:13responsibilities. Yet, I have no clear

1:06:14answers. Public works, mobile GR,

1:06:17engineering, and the rest of our city's

1:06:18departments need support. They need

1:06:20interdimensional department

1:06:23coordination, interdep departmental

1:06:25coordination, and they need leadership

1:06:27from this commission.

1:06:29As uh we must ensure that our bike lanes

1:06:31remain accessible and safe for all Grand

1:06:33Rapid citizens. Something as predictable

1:06:35as trash day can't render our

1:06:38infrastructure unusable.

1:06:41I'm asking this commission to provide

1:06:42direction and support for the the

1:06:44departments so that they may create

1:06:45clear guidance and for our residents and

1:06:47city employees

1:06:49so that they may define clear ownership

1:06:51of these responsibilities amongst

1:06:53themselves, improve and expand the 311

1:06:56reporting and response system and create

1:06:58and employ effective maintenance and

1:06:59enforcement practices.

1:07:02Uh remember that we don't build this

1:07:04infrastructure people who are already

1:07:05riding their bike. We build this

1:07:08infrastructure who for people who could

1:07:10or would consider commuting

1:07:12alternatively but don't because it's

1:07:14dangerous inconvenient or just

1:07:16uninviting.

1:07:18We have already written the policy. We

1:07:20are already building the infrastructure.

1:07:22I'm asking you to please care enough to

1:07:25maintain it. Thank you.

1:07:31>> Hello. Uh hello uh Adam Williams, second

1:07:33word residence. I have the pleasure of

1:07:36serving on the Vital Streets Oversight

1:07:37Commission, which is a program I

1:07:39enthusiastically support. And while

1:07:42Vital Streets is often presented as an

1:07:44asset management plan, which is not

1:07:46inaccurate, I would like to highlight

1:07:48that the asset management of streets was

1:07:50only one component of that plan. As

1:07:53someone who works in the technology

1:07:55industry and is involved in developing

1:07:57key performance indicators or KPIs, I am

1:08:01aware of the hazard that a simple clear

1:08:04indicator for example something like

1:08:06asphalt quality or pacer rating can

1:08:08easily become the convenient the

1:08:11indicator.

1:08:12Um so while vital streets program was

1:08:15did establish a goal related to the

1:08:16pacer rating. It also included a street

1:08:18plan document and a 270 pa 27 page

1:08:23design guideline. The [snorts] plan

1:08:25emphasizes alongside the pacer rating

1:08:28traffic safety who would today we would

1:08:30call vulnerable road users mode share

1:08:33and most relevant to my comment this

1:08:35evening is connectivity. The city over

1:08:38the last decade has made significant

1:08:39investment in infrastructure for

1:08:41pedestrians and cyclists. Yet these

1:08:43investments performed opportunistically

1:08:46are scattered and often disconnected.

1:08:48The opportunistic development of this

1:08:50network has limited the realization of

1:08:52the return on that investment. I urge

1:08:54the city and the commission in these

1:08:56final years of the vital streets program

1:08:58which ends in 2029 to endeavor to bring

1:09:01those investments together into a

1:09:03cohesive network by emphasizing the goal

1:09:05of connectivity which is emphasized in

1:09:08the plan and which the citizens

1:09:09requested 11 years ago. the city will

1:09:12draft four more budgets within the vital

1:09:14streets uh program and I hope

1:09:17connectivity can be a forefront within

1:09:19those budgets. And just last of all on a

1:09:21related more specific matter, I

1:09:23frequently hear the mayor and others

1:09:24talk about quick build projects and

1:09:26temporary infrastructure. I feel that

1:09:28the opening of the soccer stadium in the

1:09:30spring of 2027 is an excellent

1:09:32opportunity to demonstrate such an

1:09:34approach. Mount Vernon south of the

1:09:36stadium will be under construction in

1:09:372728 while the section north of this of

1:09:41the stadium which would connect to

1:09:43existing cyclist infrastructure is not

1:09:45scheduled until 2829. Surely we can do

1:09:48something to support this connection to

1:09:50a major community asset on a street

1:09:52which will be destroyed only a year

1:09:54later and which is only three blocks

1:09:56long and will see many cyclists and

1:09:59pedestrians which including me where I

1:10:01intend to attend my first soccer game

1:10:03ever. So, thank you for your time.

1:10:09>> Hello, I am Laura Cessa and I like Adam

1:10:14and very happy to serve on the mobile GR

1:10:16commission. Um, and I'd also like to

1:10:19talk about mobility. um specifically

1:10:21from a safety perspective because I feel

1:10:23that the city can be doing much more to

1:10:26improve safety of as Adam mentioned

1:10:27vulnerable road users which is basically

1:10:29anyone who is not enclosed in the lovely

1:10:32climate controlled steel box of a car.

1:10:36So um recently at mobile at mobile GR

1:10:40commission, we heard substantial public

1:10:42comment from the community regarding the

1:10:45neighborhood traffic calming program as

1:10:47well as um a neighborhood traffic study

1:10:49that was um conducted at the behest of

1:10:51the the community leaders um for the

1:10:54Kalazoo corridor. The traffic study

1:10:57recommended installing two traffic

1:10:59lights along the corridor. And my

1:11:01understanding is that the city budget

1:11:03came back that they would you all

1:11:06approved would install one traffic

1:11:08light. But of course then this led to

1:11:12um some tension because you know people

1:11:14might want the traffic light one here.

1:11:16The engineers might have a different

1:11:18opinion. And so, uh, it it seems that

1:11:22then the budgeted amount that we have

1:11:26for traffic calming and traffic safety

1:11:28is not enough. So, one traffic light

1:11:32costs about $800,000,

1:11:34which is about.1% of the yearly city

1:11:37budget. Um, seems like we might be able

1:11:40to find some extra change in there to

1:11:43just fund two traffic lights. And but

1:11:46furthermore, this is just one example of

1:11:48one corridor with very real safety

1:11:50concerns from the community. There are

1:11:52hundreds of other corridors in this city

1:11:55that have exactly the same safety

1:11:57concerns. And we we cannot just keep

1:12:01investing in this way where it's we we

1:12:03pick one project and and do that project

1:12:06and then that's enough or maybe we do

1:12:07half of the project that was

1:12:08recommended. We we have to start making

1:12:11real investment in our infrastructure

1:12:14and it's not really a niche goal. You

1:12:16know, we we talk about vulnerable road

1:12:19users, pedestrians, cyclists. This also

1:12:21includes people with um uh mobility

1:12:24impairments, disabilities uh that might

1:12:27be using um mobility devices. And time

1:12:31and time again, real protected bike

1:12:35infrastructure and pedestrian

1:12:37infrastructure

1:12:38improves safety outcomes and traffic

1:12:42outcomes for all road users. So even

1:12:44people who still choose to drive see a

1:12:47benefit from this. They have less

1:12:48traffic. They get into fewer crashes.

1:12:51And also this has real e economic

1:12:53benefits as well because um local

1:12:56businesses throughout the country when

1:12:58when this infrastructure is installed

1:13:00see increased revenue and more spending

1:13:02in their stores. So I really think that

1:13:04the city can't afford to continue to not

1:13:07invest in this type of infrastructure.

1:13:09Thank you.

1:13:14>> Hello. I'm Andrew Carly, third world

1:13:16resident um director of outreach for

1:13:19towns Grand Rapids. I'm going to talk

1:13:20about doing the math. In the

1:13:21Strongtowns, the rhetoric and the

1:13:23zeitgeist there, we talk a lot about

1:13:25doing the math. Um, what does that look

1:13:27like? So, bike lanes save the city a ton

1:13:29of money and walkability in general. Uh,

1:13:32so bike lanes and walkability create

1:13:34less wear and tear on our roads, saving

1:13:36you money on maintenance.

1:13:39Human scale development also has

1:13:42consistently proven to be more financial

1:13:44viable than carcale suburban

1:13:46developments. This makes the city more

1:13:48resilient. It's cheaper to maintain.

1:13:50It's cheaper to actually even produce

1:13:52than a lot of roadway.

1:13:55This also means it's safer for the

1:13:57folks. For every one person that dies,

1:13:59it causes an economic cost of about I

1:14:02think the current figure is about $6.5

1:14:04million per person. Um so last year when

1:14:06I think about six people died um after

1:14:08being hit by a car uh as pedestrians in

1:14:11the city of Grand Rapids here, that

1:14:12means the city lost almost $10 million.

1:14:16That's a big figure. Now you start going

1:14:18regional and over the many many years

1:14:20this city has lost millions, hundreds of

1:14:23millions of dollars, maybe into the

1:14:25billions of dollars because of people

1:14:27getting ran over by cars because of a

1:14:29failure to really design a more

1:14:31resilient and financially stable

1:14:33environment.

1:14:36And so on the city finance side, it's

1:14:38your duty um to make sure the city

1:14:40maintains and can weather any economic

1:14:42crisis. And well, walkability and bike

1:14:44lanes can help with that. The other big

1:14:46thing is on your citizen side, it

1:14:48actually makes the citizens way

1:14:49healthier. For every one point you go up

1:14:51in a walk score, you reduce the chances

1:14:53of diabetes in a community by 50%. It's

1:14:56literally the best thing you can do for

1:14:58a community is to make it more walkable.

1:14:59And as an added bonus, it's incredibly

1:15:02cheap to do on the city side. Planting

1:15:04trees and improving sidewalks isn't very

1:15:06expensive. We already planted a ton of

1:15:08trees and most of our sidewalks are in

1:15:10pretty good condition. Really, it's

1:15:12connecting some of those little bike

1:15:13lanes, connecting those odds and ends as

1:15:14we go through, maintaining the current

1:15:17bike lanes, and then adding more cycling

1:15:18infrastructure, preferably protected

1:15:20infrastructure, which is still cheaper

1:15:22than an average lane of traffic to

1:15:23build, um, does help maintain and

1:15:27improve your citizens lives. Walkable

1:15:29neighborhoods are also more livable.

1:15:32They are some of the most wanted places

1:15:34to live in cities. Unfortunately, we're

1:15:36seeing an increase in them or an

1:15:38increase in costs in those places

1:15:39because people want to live there. And a

1:15:41lot of the reason is because it's

1:15:42incredibly affordable. Transportation is

1:15:44normally the one or two most expensive

1:15:47things that people pay for. Well, if

1:15:49it's one or two, housing being the other

1:15:52one, if we can start helping reduce some

1:15:54of those transportation costs, we can

1:15:56make it more affordable. We can make our

1:15:57city more affordable. We can help reduce

1:15:59the burden on our citizens and reduce

1:16:02that affordability crisis on our

1:16:04citizens by making their environments

1:16:06more walkable. So, you save the city

1:16:09money, you save your citizens money, and

1:16:10you improve their health. It's a

1:16:11win-winwin, and it solves most of the

1:16:13goals in your city master plan. Thank

1:16:15you.

1:16:20>> Hello, I'm Anna Carly, third quarter

1:16:22resident. Haven't been up here in a

1:16:24minute. Um, part of Strongtown Grand

1:16:26Rapids. Um, just a couple personal

1:16:28anecdotes from the last month or so.

1:16:30Biking around the city. Um, usually when

1:16:33I come downtown, I get told, "Get out of

1:16:36the road, get on the sidewalk." Um, not

1:16:39great as someone wears a helmet, bikes

1:16:41like this on my bike. Doing about 14

1:16:44miles an hour in the road, 60% of the

1:16:46speed limit downtown in the DDA. Um,

1:16:49where bikes are not allowed to bike on

1:16:51the sidewalk.

1:16:53We need to increase the education on the

1:16:56driver's side. I think for going forward

1:16:58into that next season for amphitheater,

1:17:01soccer stadium, I think that should be a

1:17:02main focus point for the city. Um

1:17:05because otherwise that friction is just

1:17:06going to keep building up. Um and as a

1:17:09bicyclist, you're not protected by much.

1:17:11It's kind of threatening. Um obviously

1:17:14someone is we're cyclists or not as

1:17:17capable of biking in the road. Um that's

1:17:20going to cause a lot of stress for them

1:17:21just trying to use the city um that with

1:17:24the infrastructure that we put up. So

1:17:26oftentimes, the most [snorts] recent

1:17:28example I have from this, I was biking

1:17:30down in front of Grand Valley and

1:17:33someone honked their horn and said, "Get

1:17:34out of the road. That's illegal." I sat

1:17:35and called the cops. Um, and then a bike

1:17:38lane turned over onto Fulton there. Bike

1:17:42lane right there. I pulled right into

1:17:43it, sat next to them at the stoplight

1:17:46and said, "Am I supposed to be in the

1:17:48road?" So, uh, just a little personal

1:17:51anecdote there on what we should focus

1:17:53on for the next summer going into event

1:17:55season here in Grand Rapids. Thank you.

1:18:04>> Hi, I'm Julie Hul. I'm with Grand Rapids

1:18:06for Affordable Housing. Uh, there are a

1:18:09lot of things in the world I'd like to

1:18:10change, including keeping both ice and

1:18:12flock off of our streets. But today, I

1:18:15want to talk about housing.

1:18:17This is an inequity that nearly everyone

1:18:19in the community has witnessed. We all

1:18:21see people living under bridges. HUD

1:18:24funding is not increasing to keep up

1:18:25with demand. When it does go up, it's

1:18:27only enough to allow existing voucher

1:18:29holders to cover the rising rents. No

1:18:31new people actually get helped. It's

1:18:34pretty reasonable for people using HUD

1:18:36vouchers to live in fear of their

1:18:37landlord raising the rent beyond what

1:18:39the voucher covers.

1:18:41Money is absolutely a key factor.

1:18:43Housing is an expensive issue. You folks

1:18:46have a limited budget. I get that you

1:18:49can't build all the housing we need.

1:18:51Personally, I'd love to see a dedicated

1:18:53stream to put money into the affordable

1:18:55housing fund. Perhaps a mill or better

1:18:57yet, a wealth tax

1:19:00feeding right into that fund. Then the

1:19:03city could build a tiny home village, as

1:19:04my friend Amy mentioned, for folks

1:19:06struggling so much that they don't even

1:19:08have a private place to sleep at night,

1:19:10a place to bring their spouse or their

1:19:11dog. In some cities where tiny home

1:19:14villages have been implemented, they

1:19:16even build them inside of heated

1:19:17warehouses.

1:19:19I'd really love to see a public public

1:19:21housing being built anywhere and

1:19:23everywhere. That we could be like the

1:19:24city of Vienna where half of the

1:19:25residents live in publicly owned housing

1:19:27and they love it. But I get that these

1:19:30are difficult or expensive projects. I

1:19:32know these things would be a lot of to

1:19:33expect of you. Mr. Selma Tucker

1:19:36highlighted today some good housing

1:19:38improvements community development

1:19:39accomplished this last year which we

1:19:41should invest a lot more into.

1:19:43But there are even more things we can do

1:19:45like portable tenant applications. A

1:19:48portable tenant application allows you

1:19:50to pay once for your background check

1:19:51when you're applying to rent and then

1:19:53you share it with all the landlords

1:19:54where you're applying.

1:19:56You you could you could make a rule that

1:19:58says all the landlords have to accept

1:19:59these and it wouldn't cost the city like

1:20:02anything to do that or regulations to

1:20:04ban algorithmic price setting for rents.

1:20:07The cost to do that could be pretty

1:20:09small. just hiring a consumer protection

1:20:11agency to oversee it, to enforce it. But

1:20:14most importantly, how about regulations

1:20:16that would protect our housing from

1:20:18being treated as a luxury asset to park

1:20:20wealth in? You can put limits on bulk

1:20:22property ownership that prevent houses

1:20:24being bought up, never even visited,

1:20:26held vacant, and eventually sold for

1:20:28profit by huge corporations.

1:20:30And hey, a vacancy tax could be a stream

1:20:32of money to put into the affordable

1:20:34housing fund. [snorts] There are things

1:20:36you can do. You need to do all the

1:20:38things that are possible because even

1:20:40that won't be enough to get us out of

1:20:41this housing crisis. Thank you.

1:20:52I'm Martha Cooper from Grand Rapids,

1:20:54Michigan. Um before I begin, I want to

1:20:57acknowledge a neighbor of ours that was

1:21:00lost uh today when ICE chased him. His

1:21:05name is Mario David Coronado Huarez.

1:21:10He was a worker. He was a member of our

1:21:13community. He was a father.

1:21:16And it was such a loss.

1:21:19Not only do I think that you ought to

1:21:21have the sanctuary cities, if you are

1:21:23doing it anyway, you should put and be

1:21:25willing to put it on paper. And I think

1:21:28we should abolish ICE.

1:21:31And with that, I'll just continue

1:21:32without what I usually speak on is

1:21:34housing. I'm glad you're back, David,

1:21:37because I don't want you to miss a word.

1:21:39The Grand Rapids housing crisis is

1:21:42getting much worse and the pain is

1:21:44spread ve very well. From the homeless,

1:21:48it's getting cold and it's wet.

1:21:52And the pain is and and u to the workers

1:21:55that are spending over half of what they

1:21:57earn on their housing

1:22:00to the handicapped and the elderly who

1:22:02can't afford any place and there's not

1:22:05enough housing for them

1:22:08to working people who can't afford to

1:22:10buy a home. It takes 30 years to pay off

1:22:14a home so they can retire without a

1:22:17house payment. and what is happening now

1:22:20is going to affect them later.

1:22:24I recently attended a meeting of the GR

1:22:26affordable housing board and found out

1:22:29the size of the problem. We need an

1:22:32additional 6,990

1:22:36rental units before 2030 to meet demand.

1:22:40And we need 6,333

1:22:43additional owner occupied units by 2030

1:22:47to meet demand. That's four years. Four

1:22:51years is what you guys have to solve the

1:22:54problem.

1:22:57The chart showing income and the cost of

1:22:59the homes was way off from where where

1:23:02the cost of homes actually is right now.

1:23:06Rental housing is simply not being

1:23:08developed for those under 40% of area

1:23:10median income. Even though 17% of our

1:23:14residents are under the poverty line,

1:23:17the housing being developed at 80% of

1:23:19area median income is being done with

1:23:22brownfield development credits.

1:23:24Meanwhile, the Three Towers uh is a

1:23:28for-profit high-end housing and condos

1:23:30and hotel, and it's given 560 million in

1:23:35public subsidies. Public subsidies have

1:23:38also been used to develop the

1:23:40amphitheater and the soccer stadium. The

1:23:43city of Grand Rapids is slow to produce

1:23:45housing for lowincome residents or

1:23:48social housing, but there is plenty of

1:23:50socialism for the rich. I hear Rich

1:23:53Devos wants to clean up the homeless

1:23:54sleeping on our streets. Grand Rapids

1:23:57spends more money moving the homeless

1:23:59around than it would to house them.

1:24:01Perhaps Mr. Devos will make a sizable

1:24:03contribution to organizations develop

1:24:06homes for the homeless. And given the

1:24:08high estimates of what is needed to meet

1:24:10demand, which is only four years away,

1:24:13the city should brainstorm ways to

1:24:15accelerate development. And you you're

1:24:18past your three minutes, so if you could

1:24:19finish your thought, that'd be great.

1:24:25Hi, excuse me. Standing there. Hi, my

1:24:29name is Dan Hipma. I own unit 12 with my

1:24:31wife at Plaza Towers. And I'd like to

1:24:34read a statement. With the concert

1:24:35season about over, the sound will return

1:24:37to normal. Now, there is time to take

1:24:40into consideration the needs of the

1:24:41Grand Rapids Convention and Area Arena

1:24:43Authority and the needs of the citizens

1:24:45in moving forward with the amphitheater.

1:24:48We do not want the amphitheater shut

1:24:49down. And we want the amphitheater to

1:24:51perform well like we want the city to

1:24:53thrive as we are invested in the city.

1:24:55I'm sure the mayor and commissioners

1:24:57here uh nor anyone on the planning

1:25:00commission in 2023 thought that the

1:25:02concert sound would be strong enough to

1:25:04carry for miles, much less 2,000 ft to

1:25:07the plaza towers. After all, when the

1:25:09planning commission approved the special

1:25:11land use in June of 2023, the planning

1:25:14commission was required to find that the

1:25:15amphitheater will not be detrimental or

1:25:18disturbing to existing or future uses or

1:25:21to the public welfare by reason of

1:25:24excessive traffic, noise, smoke, etc. To

1:25:29repeat that it would not be detrimental

1:25:31or disturbing by reason of excessive

1:25:34noise. And why would they think that

1:25:36back then? The minutes go on to explain,

1:25:38"Because pursuant to the submitted noise

1:25:41study, the existing freeway will act as

1:25:44a noise buffer for areas north of the

1:25:46project, and the bulk of the noise

1:25:48generated by the venue will be directed

1:25:51upwards by the lawn seating berm and

1:25:53dissipate over the river." Neither of

1:25:56these explanations are true, but the

1:25:58planning commission believed them. They

1:26:00came from a credible source, but they

1:26:02were wrong. What to do? The motion of

1:26:06the approval back in 2023 included that

1:26:08the applicant shall operate according to

1:26:11the testimony as recorded in the

1:26:13planning commission minutes. On page 10

1:26:16of those minutes, Mr. Rosenboom, a

1:26:18planning commission member, asked if the

1:26:21modeling included a wall on top of the

1:26:23burm or landscaping. Mr. recall Hayne

1:26:26the representative GA2 rep replied that

1:26:29the modeling currently doesn't include

1:26:31that but that is something they could

1:26:33add to mitigate and modify the sound so

1:26:37I say build a soundwall

1:26:40earlier today I gave the clerk copies of

1:26:42a poll recently completed

1:26:4574% supported a soundwall

1:26:48I am sure there are other steps that

1:26:50could be taken our sound engineers at

1:26:52KN&S Engineering are available to

1:26:54provide input put they worked with Meer

1:26:57Gardens, Spine Knob, and others, and

1:26:59they currently and they accurately

1:27:00predicted the current high levels of

1:27:02sound back in 2023.

1:27:05Hal Fruit, Pete Steinma, eight others,

1:27:07and myself that are involved in the

1:27:09lawsuit would like to participate in the

1:27:11process to make the amphitheater not

1:27:13only a wonderful venue for the concert

1:27:15goers, but one that is compatible with

1:27:17the neighbors neighborhoods. Thank you.

1:27:27Uh good morning or afternoon or evening

1:27:29I guess it is now. Uh my name is Ted

1:27:31Roseboom and I uh want to digress just a

1:27:34little bit for my minutes which are

1:27:36really to talk about the amphitheater

1:27:37but to uh indicate that I've been in the

1:27:40affordable housing world for about 46

1:27:42years at the federal level, the state

1:27:44level and about 11 states including

1:27:47including uh obviously Michigan. And all

1:27:51the time I'm asked who does it well and

1:27:53I always point to Grand Rapids as we've

1:27:55seen here tonight. I saw some of the

1:27:57projects that I've worked on in the past

1:27:58go roll through your screens. And uh

1:28:01your your staff is always responsive,

1:28:04creative, and uh very open-minded about

1:28:07how to do, what to do, and when to do

1:28:09it. So, I just wanted to snake that in

1:28:12before I get to my comments. My real

1:28:13reason here tonight is to talk about the

1:28:16noise at the uh uh that I'm hearing. my

1:28:19unit at the plaza. Uh it faces directly

1:28:23the the uh amphitheater and uh

1:28:28oftentimes it feels like there are

1:28:30people in my in my living room talking

1:28:32to me. I heard Jelly Roll welcome his

1:28:34daughter to the stage. I hear more

1:28:37profanity than I want to hear. Um and

1:28:40then there's also the uh I think it's

1:28:42low efficiency bass that they call it.

1:28:44You know that throbbing sound. I can

1:28:46feel it. you know, a thump thump thump

1:28:48and that shouldn't be happening. Uh it

1:28:51does interfere with my enjoyment, but as

1:28:53we're finding out as more information

1:28:55becomes available,

1:28:57uh that this isn't just a local problem.

1:29:01It extends out up the river, you know,

1:29:04one mile, three miles, 5 miles, and

1:29:06potentially up to eight miles where

1:29:07other people are running into the same

1:29:09problems. I think this is sort of a

1:29:11unique time in that as the program or as

1:29:14the uh uh amphitheater wraps up its

1:29:18program season, it's a time to step back

1:29:21and say what works and what doesn't work

1:29:23to reach out to other communities that

1:29:26have amphitheaters and look for best

1:29:28practices because I know some

1:29:30communities communities say no uh low uh

1:29:34frequency base. that's not good for a a

1:29:37a city community. And there are other

1:29:40things that could be adopted as well.

1:29:43And also a meaningful discussion about

1:29:46the uh opportunities to mitigate the

1:29:49existing problems that we know about.

1:29:51And we know that the uh based on the

1:29:54numbers that you're receiving the report

1:29:56that was sub submitted tonight uh

1:29:58there's a lot of people who are

1:29:59struggling with the same same problems.

1:30:02So, I think really the thing to do is to

1:30:04step back, have a discussion, bring

1:30:06everybody in, and try and figure out

1:30:08what works for everybody. I support the

1:30:10amphitheater. I like music. Um, I like

1:30:14to see people in downtown Grand Rapids.

1:30:16I like all of those things. And then for

1:30:18much of my career, even on the

1:30:19affordable housing side, that's been why

1:30:22I have uh been in that area. And now

1:30:26it's time to do the same thing for this

1:30:29particular uh venue. and as we go

1:30:32forward as a community again to to

1:30:36figure this out and say, "Yep, there's a

1:30:38place for you. There's a place for you

1:30:40and everybody moves forward." Thank you.

1:30:50>> Hello, I'm Matthew Scutteran. We have

1:30:53been given permission to

1:30:57um withdraw to um keep our address

1:31:02private because of threats. And um

1:31:07concerning some of the satite

1:31:11communities think that the one of the

1:31:14papa of um murder is that

1:31:19um we cannot we are just men and that we

1:31:25have been at Grand Valley where they

1:31:28where they think that too and we may be

1:31:33we may be And but um we also have

1:31:39knowledge from the law to address

1:31:44um different issues and we don't hate

1:31:47anybody. We don't slander anybody. We

1:31:50just um we

1:31:54um have we just agree to disagree on

1:32:00agreeing

1:32:02love and we just start out sharing the

1:32:06good word and have and

1:32:11um and get his money into the kingdom.

1:32:16like Charlie Cook said is all about

1:32:19Jesus and we all we

1:32:22um we all about making heaven crowded

1:32:27and we don't we are not Democrat or

1:32:31independent we vote according to the

1:32:34Bible and um with the elections coming

1:32:38up um I would just say vote vote how you

1:32:44see fit because if you if you don't vote

1:32:48they will you don't have no way you

1:32:50don't have a right to complain and I

1:32:55would just like I have many times

1:33:00um the

1:33:02Lord is coming soon and it's important

1:33:05that we ready and me and dad maybe we me

1:33:09and [clears throat] dad um have been

1:33:13told we're going to hell But we know

1:33:15where we going in and I just want as

1:33:20many of you to join in he have um join

1:33:23us in heaven as possible and it's simple

1:33:27and easy. Call on the name of the Lord

1:33:29and you shall be saved. Thank you.

1:33:37>> Thank you, Matthew. Well said.

1:33:42As he mentioned, uh,

1:33:44the elections will soon be here. And as

1:33:49Matthew stated,

1:33:51we are not Republicans. We are not

1:33:53Democrats, we are not independents. We

1:33:56vote according to the holy scriptures.

1:34:00I'm here though to

1:34:04speak out against

1:34:06the gentleman running for our Senate

1:34:09on the Democratic side.

1:34:14He's [clears throat] a devout Muslim.

1:34:20>> Folks, folks, please I I know that this

1:34:23is going to be frustrating for some of

1:34:25you, but if you could please try to

1:34:27>> hold it in. going to allow

1:34:29>> and I've noticed Mayor Lrand,

1:34:32commissioners Kilgore and Knight are

1:34:33endorsing him.

1:34:35Don't you realize

1:34:38>> that he wants to implement Sharia law?

1:34:44>> Sharia law

1:34:47believes that if you're caught stealing,

1:34:50your hands are cut off.

1:34:53In the Old Testament,

1:34:54>> Sharia law says if you're caught in

1:34:56adultery, you're stoned to death.

1:34:58>> Also in the Old Testament,

1:35:00>> folks. Folks,

1:35:01>> you realize what

1:35:03>> Let's not this. Let's Can we please try

1:35:05not to just It's It's clearly

1:35:08inaccurate, but it's not hate. Isn't

1:35:10>> May the Lord bless you.

1:35:12>> It's clearly inaccurate, right? I mean,

1:35:15>> mayor, I would ask the city attorney to

1:35:17see I mean, you're making a really

1:35:19distinct claim here of Sharia law, and I

1:35:21would like to see if that is hate speech

1:35:24against this candidate for US Senate uh

1:35:26Senate here in Michigan.

1:35:29[applause]

1:35:32>> And I want to speak to that

1:35:33>> and also I would move to adjourn until

1:35:35we can get an answer.

1:35:40>> [applause and cheering]

1:35:44>> I appeal I appeal to the first

1:35:46amendment.

1:35:47>> I appeal to the first amendment.

1:35:50>> If you could stop for a minute, Mr.

1:35:51Shut. I think we can get I think I get a

1:35:53ruling from

1:35:54>> There's a motion on the table.

1:35:55>> There is a motion on the table. You you

1:35:57>> motion to adjurnn so we can meet with

1:35:59the city attorney to ask.

1:36:00>> Hold on.

1:36:01>> Be careful. Be careful on the motion to

1:36:02adjurnn because that'll send us all home

1:36:04for the night.

1:36:05>> Oh, sorry. Motion to consider. Maybe

1:36:07>> recess. We can we could go in recess.

1:36:10You've asked a relatively complex legal

1:36:14decision under the circumstances, so I

1:36:16can't promise you how quick we can go

1:36:18into recess.

1:36:20>> Um,

1:36:22>> so

1:36:26I'll

1:36:28pause here for a moment and ask the

1:36:31mayor to poll the commission on what we

1:36:34want to do. This is

1:36:36>> a common occurrence.

1:36:37>> I'll take the friendly amendment of a

1:36:38motion to recess.

1:36:39>> Well, and

1:36:41>> well, and I I I would just like to say

1:36:43well, first of all, I'm I'm chairing the

1:36:45meeting here, so I think I'm going to

1:36:46I'm going to make a call here, but I

1:36:48will say that if um someone stood up and

1:36:51said that 2 plus 2 equal a banana or

1:36:53that the earth was flat um or a variety

1:36:56of things. Um I haven't heard him say I

1:37:00haven't heard the speaker say that he

1:37:01hated um Abdulasi. I think that he has I

1:37:05think that he has he has

1:37:08>> well slander is not slander is not hate

1:37:10speech. I mean again this is we're this

1:37:15is not a court of law. Um I am going to

1:37:18say that I would ask you to temper your

1:37:20comments uh uh Mr. shut and I don't and

1:37:24I would ask you to consider um the I I

1:37:30can't stop you from making statements

1:37:31that I consider inaccurate, but I would

1:37:33I would ask you to temper your comments

1:37:35and and uh finish your comments, please.

1:37:38>> Can you say the same to the audience?

1:37:40>> No,

1:37:40>> you have the microphone, Mr. So, I'm

1:37:42asking you to abide by the rules of

1:37:44public comment. And I've already asked

1:37:46the audience to not participate and I'm

1:37:48asking you to just summarize your

1:37:51comments without engaging in hateful

1:37:53commentary.

1:37:54>> Mayor question point of information. So

1:37:58uh uh asserting that Muslims all Muslims

1:38:02believe in Sharia law and believe in

1:38:04hold I I may I have the point of

1:38:07information that that what I'm hearing

1:38:10if correct he believes in Sharia law.

1:38:13Muslims believe in this and that Muslims

1:38:15believe in folks hands being cut off.

1:38:16That's not hate speech.

1:38:19>> First of all, again, we

1:38:22human rights ordinance.

1:38:26>> Commissioner, you I think you got to be

1:38:28>> comfortable in this meeting and this has

1:38:30become with this particular citizen

1:38:32increasingly concerning to me as I am

1:38:35one of the groups that continues to be

1:38:37discussed. Uh and

1:38:39>> commissioner commissioner

1:38:40>> just really asking for a point of

1:38:41information here. Okay. Well, first of

1:38:43all, he he he did not say that all

1:38:45Muslims believe that.

1:38:47>> Okay.

1:38:47>> Um,

1:38:49>> so just one, but either either it all or

1:38:53I don't want to put words in his mouth.

1:38:54Okay.

1:38:56>> What I'm what I'm trying to do here is

1:38:57give as much latitude to the First

1:38:59Amendment as I can, folks. I do not

1:39:01agree with this speaker's comments. Uh,

1:39:04I don't think any I think the vast

1:39:05majority of the room doesn't. But I also

1:39:08think that it is important that we allow

1:39:11people to comment if the com if the

1:39:14commentary doesn't rise to the level of

1:39:15hate speech. And uh I think that uh

1:39:22yeah I I don't know city attorney you

1:39:24want you want to give me some kind of

1:39:25indication here on on what your what

1:39:27your understanding is. Oftentimes the

1:39:30parameters of hate speech are based in

1:39:33uh speech that is a true threat or

1:39:36speech that is intended to incite actual

1:39:39violence.

1:39:41>> I I violence

1:39:44on a

1:39:46city commission meeting.

1:39:48>> So

1:39:50this is

1:39:51>> Marshall. Your colleagues have to refuse

1:39:53to let them own it.

1:39:57>> Go ahead. I'd also [clears throat]

1:39:59remind the city commission of your own

1:40:01rules that says you're not to expect

1:40:03comment from the commission doing public

1:40:05comment as well.

1:40:10>> I'm sorry, city attorney, you were cut

1:40:12off for a moment there. So, you said

1:40:13inciting violence. I did hear some

1:40:15violence of cutting off hands. That's

1:40:17not necessarily inciting. I too want to

1:40:20respect First Amendment. I believe in

1:40:22our Constitution deeply. I've studied

1:40:23it. Um, and so him saying that this

1:40:27person believes in cutting off hands is

1:40:30not inciting violence in this instance.

1:40:33>> I don't believe that we've gotten to

1:40:34that yet.

1:40:35>> Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you for

1:40:37the point of information.

1:40:38>> So, Commissioner, if you're ask if

1:40:39you're making a motion um that we go

1:40:41into research,

1:40:42>> I believe I'll revoke the motion since

1:40:44we got the answer from the city attorney

1:40:46at this time. Thank you.

1:40:47>> Thank you,

1:40:49>> Mr. Mr. Scott, you have a minute left.

1:40:52>> Let me clarify.

1:40:54I am not accusing

1:40:57of alsh of wanting to cut off anyone's

1:41:00hands. I'm just saying that's what

1:41:03Sharia law says. I have a Quran right in

1:41:06front of me. I'll be willing to share

1:41:07with anyone where it says that.

1:41:12I'm just stating what he believes.

1:41:18>> Mr. Shut,

1:41:18>> look it up. Look it up.

1:41:19>> Mr. shut if you would if you would

1:41:21refrain from and I think I I think I

1:41:23will say that

1:41:24>> stop my time please.

1:41:26>> I would ask you to stop attributing to

1:41:29stop attributing beliefs to other people

1:41:32when you don't possibly have any basis

1:41:33for for that for that allegation.

1:41:36>> He says that

1:41:38>> he says that he's a devout Muslim. Look

1:41:40it up.

1:41:46>> He gets his time.

1:41:48>> He also has said Check this out. Quote,

1:41:51"Anyone that disagrees or criticizes

1:41:54Sharia law is a white supremist."

1:41:57>> Look it up.

1:41:58>> Look it up.

1:42:00>> Fox News.

1:42:06>> Mr.

1:42:06>> I appeal.

1:42:07>> Please stop.

1:42:08>> I appeal not to vote.

1:42:10>> Please refer to us, Mr. Scott. Don't

1:42:12talk to the audience.

1:42:14>> Pardon me.

1:42:14>> Talk to us.

1:42:15>> Talk to us, not to the audience.

1:42:17That is very clear as well in our rules.

1:42:19>> I also appeal not to vote for Benson who

1:42:22gives money to the KKK, the Southern

1:42:25Poverty Law Center, who has funded Nazi

1:42:28groups and white supremist groups.

1:42:29>> Your time's up, Mr. Scott.

1:42:31>> Yes, I'll be back.

1:42:34>> I'll share this again.

1:42:44>> Mr. Mr.

1:42:45Can you please refrain?

1:42:50>> No, it's okay. Don't read the Old

1:42:51Testament.

1:42:52>> Want to recess.

1:42:54>> Okay.

1:42:54>> I would like to

1:42:55>> We'll We'll take a recess.

1:42:56>> Thank you.

1:43:07[music]

1:43:18>> [music]

1:43:25>> Heat. Heat.

1:43:34>> [music]

1:43:39[music]

1:43:45[music]

1:43:59>> Heat.

1:44:20Heat.

1:44:24Heat. Heat.

1:44:35[music]

1:44:48[music]

1:44:53>> [music]

1:45:02>> If I what we're doing here, I'm asking

1:45:04security to get order back in the room.

1:45:06And when we have order in the room, I

1:45:08intend to continue with public comment.

1:45:12Did

1:45:13>> Did everyone hear what the mayor said?

1:45:15Can Can you repeat that, mayor, please?

1:45:19It sounds like we have control of the

1:45:21room given that respectful silence. So,

1:45:23I was going to say that once we had

1:45:25control of the room again, we would

1:45:26resume public comment. I I I think we're

1:45:29simply going to resume public comment.

1:45:31So, uh thank you for being patient

1:45:32during the pause. Please um try to

1:45:37remember all everyone in this room that

1:45:39uh the first amendment is really really

1:45:42important. uh despite the fact that uh

1:45:46people can say really distasteful things

1:45:49um and please try to keep order. Um it's

1:45:53really a foundational uh value in

1:45:55democracy. Um there's an old quote from

1:45:58one of the founders which is I disagree

1:45:59with you with what you say but I'll

1:46:01defend to the death you're right to say

1:46:02it. Um so there are limits of course um

1:46:07but it's really important that we try to

1:46:09be respectful even of of people we

1:46:11deeply disagree with. So, I'll resume

1:46:13the meeting as soon as the other

1:46:14commissioners are back. for inter.

1:46:43>> I'm gonna I'm gonna wait. Well, I'm

1:46:45going to wait for my city clerk.

1:46:47>> Yeah. Phil, can you go tell Joel step?

1:46:52>> Okay.

1:46:53>> Um, Commissioner Belch's coming back.

1:46:56>> There we go. We can start without Joel.

1:46:58I'll run the clock.

1:47:01Okay. I will reconvene our meeting and

1:47:03uh, sir, you have, if you could identify

1:47:05yourself and you have three minutes to

1:47:06address address the group.

1:47:14>> Hello. Commissioners, is this on?

1:47:17>> Is it going?

1:47:18>> Didn't sound.

1:47:19>> It didn't sound impressive.

1:47:21>> Now,

1:47:22>> okay. Hello, commissioners. My name is

1:47:24Matt. I live in the third ward, and I

1:47:26stand in solidarity with Cassacea and

1:47:28their six sanctuary policy demands, as

1:47:30well as those of my neighbors who have

1:47:32advocated for more affordable housing to

1:47:34be built. But I'm here again to demand

1:47:36the cancellation and removal of ALPR

1:47:38contracts and cameras from our city.

1:47:41With the recent publication of the

1:47:42transparency portal, we now know for

1:47:44sure what's long been suspected. That

1:47:46not only is our city's data being shared

1:47:48across departments in 34 states as far

1:47:50away as Arizona and Florida, it is also

1:47:53being shared directly with federal

1:47:54agencies known to collaborate with ICE.

1:47:57I'm speaking tonight just 2 days after

1:47:59ICE caused the unnecessary death of Mar

1:48:02of Mario David Coronado Huarez, a

1:48:04seven-year law-abiding resident of Grand

1:48:06Rapids. This is now an urgent matter.

1:48:08Our city should not be complicit in

1:48:10sharing data with the domestic terrorist

1:48:12organization known as ICE.

1:48:15But it is. There's no longer any

1:48:17plausible denial of that. And this body

1:48:19now governs the flock contract.

1:48:21Continued in action makes you culpable

1:48:23for future harm caused by ICE. Most, if

1:48:26not all of you are on the record

1:48:27opposing the actions of ICE under this

1:48:29administration. But now is the time to

1:48:31prove it. Any one of you could introduce

1:48:34an ordinance to ban ALPR technology and

1:48:36shared databases from our city. But I

1:48:38suspect that you won't. I would love to

1:48:40be proven wrong.

1:48:42But even if you refuse to take that step

1:48:44and continue dragging your feet until

1:48:46the expiration of the contract next

1:48:47year, you could still take the step to

1:48:49restrict the data sharing with federal

1:48:51and out of state agencies. I now

1:48:53consider that to be the bare minimum

1:48:54action required of your station. For my

1:48:57commissioners in W 3 and for you, Mr.

1:48:59Mayor, you should not expect my vote in

1:49:01the future if you do not seek to clear

1:49:03this very low bar.

1:49:05With my remaining time, I'd like to

1:49:07address something you said two weeks

1:49:09ago, Mr. Mayor. Namely, that if we think

1:49:11our data is being misused, we should

1:49:13report it to the OPA. But how are we to

1:49:16know if a federal or out of state agency

1:49:17is misusing our data? Furthermore, how

1:49:20are we to know if GRPD is?

1:49:24The only auditing available is Flock's

1:49:26own internal tool, and it is not

1:49:27available to the public. GRPD would have

1:49:30us believe that there has been no misuse

1:49:32of the Flock system as they have

1:49:34launched zero investigations, but we

1:49:36have no way to check that. And of

1:49:38course, the secretive databases aren't

1:49:40exclusive to Flock. So, I want to be

1:49:42clear when I ask for the cancellation of

1:49:45the contract. I don't mean hand it to

1:49:47Axon or some other third party vendor

1:49:49that collaborates with ICE. I mean ban

1:49:52and remove all ALPRs from our city.

1:49:56Thank you.

1:50:03My name is Tanner. I live just south of

1:50:05the city. I'm here to stand in

1:50:08solidarity with the five activists

1:50:09arrested trying to block an ICE transit

1:50:11van which was transporting our kidnapped

1:50:13neighbors to the prison in Baldwin.

1:50:15These individuals exhibited a bravery

1:50:17most people only imagine. And these

1:50:19arrests have proven beyond a doubt that

1:50:21the Grand Rapids Police Department works

1:50:22in open collaboration with ICE.

1:50:25Additionally, 127 of the department's

1:50:27GRPD shares flock footage with our 287G

1:50:30ICE partners. Over half of those held at

1:50:33the North Lake Processing Center in

1:50:34Baldwin have no criminal conviction or

1:50:36pending charges. They call it a

1:50:38processing center, but many have been

1:50:40imprisoned there without their families

1:50:41for 9 months or longer. They don't

1:50:44receive proper food as it as is the case

1:50:46for most imprisoned people in America.

1:50:48And they don't receive proper medical

1:50:50attention. They're for they're forced to

1:50:52labor to operate the prison which as far

1:50:54as I'm concerned constitutes slavery. We

1:50:57know that many without documentation are

1:50:59seeking refuge from war torn and gang

1:51:01controlled countries that the United

1:51:03States has systematically impoverished

1:51:05with CIA backed coups. We know that the

1:51:08majority of them have lived in the US

1:51:10peacefully for years and become part of

1:51:12our community. This was the case for

1:51:14Mario Davidid Coronado Wararez, our

1:51:17Guatemalan neighbor, who was killed in a

1:51:19car accident while unmarked ICE vehicles

1:51:22tried to kidnap him on Sunday. When my

1:51:24English ancestors came here, they

1:51:26committed unspeakable violence. And when

1:51:28Mr. Coronado Wararez came here, he

1:51:30worked hard and lived peacefully. Yet,

1:51:33I'm going home to my kids tonight, and

1:51:34he is not.

1:51:37Grand Rapids should be proud to have

1:51:38five individuals brave enough to put

1:51:40their bodies between ICE and the

1:51:41concentration camp. Instead, GRPD

1:51:44arrested them. I joined my voice with

1:51:46Moanto Coscha in demanding GRPD end all

1:51:50collaboration with ICE adopt the six

1:51:51sanctuary sanctuary policies and drop

1:51:54all charges against the five people who

1:51:56did a thing most of us only dream we are

1:51:58brave enough to do. I also am again

1:52:01demanding an end to GRPD's contract with

1:52:03Flock, the removal of Flock's hardware

1:52:05from our community, and no new contracts

1:52:07between GRPD and Flock's competitors

1:52:10such as Axon and Motorola. I've already

1:52:12spoken at length about Flock's Fourth

1:52:14Amendment abuse, the Flock cameras that

1:52:17face public pools and gymnastics rooms,

1:52:19and the truly unknowable consequences of

1:52:21integrating AI with public surveillance.

1:52:25The thing I will add to those comments

1:52:26is this. Imagine what Hinrich Himmler

1:52:29could have done with access to 140,000

1:52:31cameras with modern AI processing facing

1:52:34every major roadway in the country.

1:52:36Himmler and Steven Miller share the same

1:52:38role in history. You can help them or

1:52:41you can hinder them. This is your chance

1:52:43to take a side. And with my 20 seconds,

1:52:45I want to say shout out to the bike lane

1:52:47guy. Rest in peace, Steve Dowin.

1:52:55City commissioners, mayor. Um my name is

1:52:58Jacob Christophoria. I'm a second W

1:52:59resident and I'm here to echo the calls

1:53:03um to adopt the six sanctuary city

1:53:05policies that Kosicha is asking.

1:53:08While you say that GRPD does not

1:53:11cooperate with ICE, there's no reason

1:53:14you should leave these communities in

1:53:15limbo and for fear of their lives by not

1:53:18enacting these policies into the city

1:53:21charter.

1:53:23I also want to talk about uh flot

1:53:25cameras and my opposition to them.

1:53:28There's no need for these cameras to be

1:53:30in our communities. They make us feel

1:53:32unsafe. They make people unhappy to come

1:53:35to the city. People don't want to be

1:53:37monitored. I would ask you all if you

1:53:40want your residents to be monitored

1:53:42everywhere they go. Do you want to be

1:53:45monitored everywhere you go?

1:53:48And um I just want to shout out um some

1:53:51of the people who spoke on housing. Uh

1:53:53taxing the rich here and using those

1:53:56funds towards affordable housing would

1:53:58go a great distance.

1:54:01Uh I also want to shout out some of the

1:54:02people who spoke on um the improvements

1:54:05to mobility in the city. I think those

1:54:07are great plans, too. But please,

1:54:08please, please do not leave these

1:54:11immigrant communities in limbo and in

1:54:14fear for their lives. They're residents

1:54:16of our city. They're hardworking

1:54:17Americans.

1:54:19Please adopt the six sanctuary city

1:54:21policies into your city charter and

1:54:24please cancel your contract with Flock.

1:54:26There's no reason to wait. You can do

1:54:28this now. You can end their surveillance

1:54:31on the citizens of Grand Rapids today.

1:54:34Uh and with that, I yield my time.

1:54:45Do I have the floor?

1:54:49>> I I have the floor.

1:54:50>> Okay. Thank you. So, I travel all over

1:54:53the United States doing this and I'm

1:54:55first of all say I'm impressed with the

1:54:56citizens here. I just got back from

1:54:58Dallas, Texas last week and they had

1:54:59half the people you have. So, kudos for

1:55:02y'all and thank you for letting them

1:55:03talk. That's good morale.

1:55:05So, [clears throat] when they come up

1:55:06here and speak educational purposes, he

1:55:08did not have to give your name. You

1:55:10don't have to give your address. You can

1:55:11do it anonymous. That's the first

1:55:13amendment protected, right? Okay. And we

1:55:15do that for fear of reprisal because we

1:55:17all know the government loves us to

1:55:18death and wants to protect us, right?

1:55:21>> Okay. [clears throat] So, I came here

1:55:23tonight because I I looked at the cities

1:55:24here, towns here, and looked over your

1:55:26decorum, and you have some uh potential

1:55:29constitutional violations I'd like to

1:55:31talk about. And I noticed this is

1:55:32different than your rules, but your

1:55:34[snorts] rules prohibit what you call

1:55:36profane and abusive uh remarks. And they

1:55:39say you can't personally affront which

1:55:41that's not true. So the the first

1:55:44amendment is simp you can't scrutinize

1:55:47just because you're offensive right you

1:55:49think it's offensive. Uh even here six

1:55:52sixth circuit you have a case is versus

1:55:55Madison in which the court upheld that

1:55:58uh restrictive abusive language personal

1:56:00directive and antag antagonistic is a

1:56:03violation of the first amendment right.

1:56:04And that's your case law here guys. So

1:56:06if they deny you on that, remember your

1:56:08case law. So what the council can do is

1:56:10they can time, place, and manner, which

1:56:12the time is whatever time you do your

1:56:14citizens comments. The manner is what?

1:56:16Do you know what the manner is?

1:56:19Manner's right here, this podium or

1:56:21online virtual, right? And then the

1:56:23place is this building. That's where you

1:56:24do it at. Good. Now what you can do is

1:56:26if somebody disrupts in the audience,

1:56:27you can shut them down. So your clapping

1:56:29is good. You can do that. The problem

1:56:31is, and this is for educational for you

1:56:33guys, if they have an agenda item and

1:56:35they get up here and praise somebody

1:56:36like the city manager and they start

1:56:37clapping, they violated their own rules.

1:56:39So, hold them accountable, both sides.

1:56:41They can't do that. And I do like your

1:56:43little That's interesting. I haven't

1:56:45seen that anywhere I've been. That's

1:56:46interesting. So,

1:56:50uh, let's see.

1:56:52So, we don't have to confuse speech with

1:56:54disruptive conduct, right? So, I mean, I

1:56:56can go up here right now and say,

1:56:58"Fuck," and there's nothing you can do

1:56:59about it, right? Even if you're kind of

1:57:01defensive, it's protected speech.

1:57:03[clears throat] So, tonight I'm asking

1:57:04the commission to review Isson versus

1:57:07and the First Amendment against your

1:57:08decorum because you have some scrutiny

1:57:10there. And also, and the audience might

1:57:12hate me on this, but [clears throat]

1:57:14if you have a problem with that man's

1:57:16speech, then you weren't educated on

1:57:18First Amendment right. You were

1:57:19indoctrinated. All right? So, hate

1:57:21speech is 100% legal with the with your

1:57:23constitutional rights. The only thing

1:57:25that man cannot do is he can't threaten

1:57:27anybody and he can't be sexually

1:57:28explicit. Other than that, he has the

1:57:30right to speak. So y'all can get in

1:57:33trouble by shutting him down, right? And

1:57:35the audience, I know you don't want to

1:57:36hear this, but he has the right to

1:57:37speak. And it would have took less than

1:57:39three minutes to get it done had you

1:57:40just let him speak. So he wasn't

1:57:43threatening anybody. He didn't threaten

1:57:44anybody. He went off his opinion. And it

1:57:45might be crazy or erratic, but he has

1:57:48that right to talk about it. Does that

1:57:49make sense? I hope it does. So even if

1:57:51you might not like him, the free speech

1:57:54is free speech whether we like it or

1:57:56don't like it.

1:57:57>> Right.

1:57:57>> Yep. If could could you wrap it up, sir?

1:58:00>> Oh, I didn't apologize. Yeah. Thank you,

1:58:01sir. Appreciate. Thank you.

1:58:16>> Lucas again. What a segue.

1:58:20I recently walked away from my role as

1:58:23vice president of West Grand

1:58:25Neighborhood Organization.

1:58:27It became clear that the GRPD and our

1:58:30city manager were seeking to interfere

1:58:32with the makeup of our board alongside

1:58:35the likes of the brands by attacking my

1:58:38free expression and political rhetoric

1:58:40on my own time and in my own spaces.

1:58:44Instead of taking my peers focus off the

1:58:46community for a long protracted fight

1:58:49for my own rights, I chose to quit.

1:58:53One topic that came up and seems to live

1:58:56rent-ree in the heads of pro police

1:58:58bootlickers for years now is a protest

1:59:01t-shirt I once wore that sported a

1:59:04justified but unkind statement about

1:59:06GRPD.

1:59:09The same shirt was also used by some to

1:59:11belly ache about my participation in the

1:59:14applying for the first W commission

1:59:16vacancy in the spring. My words, my

1:59:20protest signs, a t-shirt, even my

1:59:23remarks here at this podium over my 5

1:59:25years in Grand Rapids have been met by

1:59:27endless winging from a loud minority who

1:59:30can't handle it when regular people

1:59:32fight back against harm, hate,

1:59:35oppression, and corruption.

1:59:38My actions as a private citizen, which I

1:59:40take careful and deliberate steps to

1:59:43separate from other projects and roles,

1:59:45have been the subject of everything from

1:59:47harmless buttthurt to actual threats by

1:59:49Johnny Bran Senior himself to a growing

1:59:52body of proof of unconstitutional

1:59:54unconstitutional innuendo from the city

1:59:56manager and our new GRPD chief.

2:00:00Speaking of Chief Trigg commissioners, I

2:00:03brought to your attention a couple of

2:00:05years ago the violent imagery Joe Trigg

2:00:08had publicly displayed on his Facebook

2:00:10profile image. I'm bringing this to your

2:00:13attention again. See, it's fascinating

2:00:16to me that a city who looked the other

2:00:17way while one of their leaders sported

2:00:19this despicable and harmful photo for at

2:00:21least 10 years would have leaders that

2:00:23come after private citizens who happen

2:00:24to hurt cops little feelings. It's

2:00:26fascinating to me that I had to choose

2:00:29to step away from serving in a volunteer

2:00:30capacity for my community because the

2:00:32harmless t-shirt and differing political

2:00:34opinions, but somebody with an official

2:00:36role as chief of police has never once

2:00:38had to reconcile or explain this photo

2:00:40and its public visibility beyond just

2:00:43quietly making it disappear. And I'm not

2:00:45even addressing the litany of

2:00:46anti-activist and right-wing garbage

2:00:49that I also have receipts from from his

2:00:51posts and comments.

2:00:54So, like I did when Trigg was promoted

2:00:56to deputy chief, I'm asking you now that

2:00:58he's chief finger guns. What are you

2:01:01going to do? What do you have to say for

2:01:03yourselves for this kind of hypocritical

2:01:05horse manure? You've already ignored an

2:01:08email in February about this. So, the

2:01:09ball's in your court, and I assure you,

2:01:11I'm not even remotely done. What do you

2:01:14plan to do to work toward peace? Because

2:01:17so far, you've chosen war.

2:01:26Um, I don't even want to be up here

2:01:29speaking about this tonight. Um, but my

2:01:31name is Khloe Moulder. I've lived here

2:01:32for 26 years. Last Saturday on September

2:01:3612th, myself and four others were

2:01:38arrested in a public alleyway at 517

2:01:41Ottawa Avenue, the ICE office, for

2:01:44protesting the kidnapping and detention

2:01:46of our neighbors. Within minutes of

2:01:47arriving, more than 15 GRPD vehicles

2:01:50showed up. The van transporting our

2:01:52neighbors to the concentration camp was

2:01:54trying to leave, and GRPD clearly

2:01:56assisted and getting protesters out of

2:01:58the way so it could leave. GRPD then

2:02:00blocked off both ends of the alley,

2:02:02kettling us. Moments later, we were told

2:02:05to back up and we refused because we

2:02:07were on public property ex exercising

2:02:09our constitutional right to protest and

2:02:12document ICE officers kidnapping taking

2:02:14kidnapped neighbors to a concentration

2:02:16camp. Officers then had their pepper

2:02:18ball gun pointed at us and threatened to

2:02:21use chemical agents if we did not leave.

2:02:23Seconds later, an officer grabbed my

2:02:25friend by the arm and threw her to the

2:02:27ground and handcuffed her. And they then

2:02:29did the same to me. If I had not been

2:02:31wearing my mask, my chin would have

2:02:32slammed into the concrete. A use of

2:02:34force that was extremely unnecessary for

2:02:36peaceful protesters. So, let me say this

2:02:38again. GRPD arrested five people for

2:02:41peacefully protesting on public property

2:02:44while simultaneously assisting ICE. So,

2:02:47for you to continuously tell us GRPD is

2:02:50not cooperating with ICE is complete

2:02:52And as I was being put into

2:02:54another police car, an officer said to

2:02:56another officer, "Oh, look here. She is

2:02:59a hero. She'll be on the news with

2:03:00complete sarcasm and mockery as the

2:03:03other officer laughed. But I personally

2:03:05do not find fighting for the rights of

2:03:06our neighbors funny. But honestly, that

2:03:09interaction says a lot about the culture

2:03:10of GRPD. And now I'm just finding out

2:03:13there was a car accident involving ICE

2:03:15in Grand Rapids and an affected

2:03:16community member has passed away. This

2:03:19is completely unacceptable and I just

2:03:21don't understand why nothing is being

2:03:22done. So now I want to talk to our

2:03:24elected officials. We the people are

2:03:26demanding justice, honesty, and

2:03:28accountability from all of you. You may

2:03:30say you disagree with what ICE is doing.

2:03:32You may say you support immigrant

2:03:33community communities. But what are you

2:03:35actually doing because at some point

2:03:36your action, your words need to become

2:03:38actions. COA has been trying for a year

2:03:41and a half to get a public meeting with

2:03:42the mayor to discuss sanctuary policies

2:03:44and yet we get no response from the

2:03:46city. So [snorts] please meet with us

2:03:48and if there are barriers, explain them.

2:03:50If you've tried something and it didn't

2:03:51work, tell us what we can do next. But

2:03:54please stop telling us there is nothing

2:03:55you can do. There are real people whose

2:03:57lives are on the line and we are done

2:03:59with the dismissive dismissiveness. It

2:04:01is time you all grow a spine and help us

2:04:03fight this corrupt

2:04:05regime that has taken over our country.

2:04:08People [snorts] always ask why no one

2:04:09did anything when the Nazis took over.

2:04:11But when you look around what is

2:04:12happening now, you see exactly how in

2:04:14action allows horrendous things to

2:04:16happen. My late grandmother escaped Nazi

2:04:18Germany and the stories she told me

2:04:20about what she witnessed have stayed

2:04:21with me my entire life. Watching those

2:04:24stories echo and what is happening today

2:04:25is heartbreaking and I'm grateful she's

2:04:27not here to witness this. So, I'm asking

2:04:29you to please do something because we're

2:04:31going to keep showing up. We're going to

2:04:32keep demanding accountability. We know

2:04:34what side of history we will be on, but

2:04:36do you?

2:04:44I'm here to read. My name is Teresa and

2:04:47I'm here to read the statement from

2:04:50Jasmine who was another [clears throat]

2:04:52activist taken

2:04:55to the police station after she was

2:04:57thrown, handcuffed and thrown down

2:04:59violently.

2:05:01I I I'm in disbelief because my father

2:05:06was chief of police and

2:05:10the thought that this is what his

2:05:12department acted like when they were

2:05:15out. It just sickens me. I was proud of

2:05:18him for that. And that is hard for me to

2:05:22admit because I see the behavior of the

2:05:26police of Grand Rapids.

2:05:28Okay. Jasmine is the person that I'm

2:05:31reading the statement for. She's 40

2:05:33years younger than me, and I'm prouder

2:05:36than anything to stand beside her. She

2:05:41says, "Hello, I was one of the five

2:05:43people arrested on September 12th at 517

2:05:46Ottawa. Every day we are seeing our

2:05:49neighbors be taken from their families,

2:05:52children's, jobs, and communities. We

2:05:54have seen the GEO van leaving in

2:05:56increased numbers to take our community

2:05:58members

2:06:00to North Lake, the detention center in

2:06:03Baldwin, Michigan, where they are

2:06:04treated as number sequences and not

2:06:06human beings. On September 12th at 517

2:06:11Ottawa, while nonviolently

2:06:13protesting, I was violently grabbed by

2:06:16the wrist and dragged to the ground by a

2:06:18GRPD officer and arrested as they

2:06:22kettled both ends of the alleyway and

2:06:24targeted people for arrest. The GRPD has

2:06:28once again shown its continued

2:06:31complacency and cooperation with ICE in

2:06:35these atrocities and its unnecessary use

2:06:37of escalated force and violence. Every

2:06:41person who claims to care about the

2:06:44victims of ICE violence happening here

2:06:46in Grand Rapids and around the country

2:06:48should be using whatever privilege,

2:06:51talent, skills, and capacity they have

2:06:54to put a stop to it. Please adopt the

2:06:56six sanctuary policies and help protect

2:06:59our communities. You can say what you

2:07:01want, but at the end of the day, at the

2:07:04end of this, words are just words. If

2:07:07you truly support our immigrant

2:07:09community members, put your words into

2:07:12real action.

2:07:22Good evening, commissioners. I'm Koko

2:07:25and I'm here to address the illegal

2:07:27citizen surveillance ALPR cameras

2:07:30colloally known as flock cameras as well

2:07:32as to address the greater Grand Rapids

2:07:34surveillance state and how it affects

2:07:36all of us including our immigrant

2:07:38neighbors. These citizen surveillance

2:07:41cameras are illegal not only under the

2:07:43fourth amendment of the United States

2:07:45Constitution ratified in 1791, but also

2:07:49under the July 26, 2026 Supreme Court

2:07:52case of Shatry vus, which prohibits

2:07:56geoencing and was decided in a 6-3 vote.

2:07:59These cameras do create a geoence with

2:08:02their ludicrous density. Y'all know

2:08:04where every car goes anywhere in town in

2:08:07the greater metro area. Law enforcement

2:08:10are civilians. They are not above thei

2:08:13the United States Constitution and

2:08:15they're not above the Supreme Court.

2:08:17They need to do their jobs legally under

2:08:19the laws of this land. We know for a

2:08:22fact that of the 1,655

2:08:25organizations that GRPD shares its data

2:08:27with,27

2:08:29of those organizations are also enrolled

2:08:31in ISIS 287G program or 8% of them.

2:08:36First off, we were told that GRPD

2:08:38doesn't share any data with other

2:08:39organizations earlier this year. The

2:08:42commission also stated repeatedly that

2:08:44it does not share information with ICE.

2:08:46Yet now we know for a fact that they do

2:08:48thanks to that transparency portal. Our

2:08:50immigrants are our neighbors, our

2:08:52homies, our co-workers, and fellow

2:08:54churchgoers. Immigrants and slaves built

2:08:57this country.

2:08:59And our immigrants of today contribute

2:09:01to our national GDP in spades. All of us

2:09:04came from immigrants, including many of

2:09:06my ancestors, though I also have native

2:09:08blood on both sides of my family. And we

2:09:10know how ICE feels about natives, too.

2:09:13We are human beings, not cattle to be

2:09:16herded herded and monitored 24/7 by the

2:09:19surveillance state that Grand Rapids has

2:09:21chosen to take part in without a

2:09:23Democratic vote. On top of GRPD sharing

2:09:27data with ICE, this collected data can

2:09:29be sold and resold to third parties,

2:09:31eventually ending up in the hands of

2:09:33foreign governments. I also know that

2:09:35the city of Grand Rapids uses ALPRs for

2:09:38parking enforcement. I interviewed for a

2:09:41city position right here in this

2:09:42building. I pray that you're not selling

2:09:44that data to third parties. And I'll

2:09:47finish by addressing the retail

2:09:48surveillance apparatus. Walmart, Lowe's,

2:09:51Apples, and many others use facial

2:09:52recognition technology to track how long

2:09:55shoppers hang out in a particular aisle,

2:09:57when they buy things, and their general

2:09:59spending habits. I'm not just demanding

2:10:01that these illegal citizen surveillance

2:10:03cameras be taken down and never replaced

2:10:05with another AOPR vendor. I'm asking

2:10:08that the city of Grand Rapids to become

2:10:10a pioneer in protecting citizens from

2:10:12the retail surveillance apparatus

2:10:15because you have the levers of power to

2:10:16do so. Love thy neighbor, no exceptions.

2:10:20Thank you.

2:10:27Hello. Uh my name is Dylan Dodge. I am

2:10:30from the first ward and I am on behalf

2:10:33of socialist alternative GR and I'm here

2:10:36to talk about the Minnesota 15. Uh uh

2:10:40recently like 15 activists, labor

2:10:43organizers who helped organize the

2:10:45successful statewide uh strike in uh

2:10:49Minnesota to combat ICE and to get ICE

2:10:52out of Minnesota. Uh they've been

2:10:55recently indicted by the Trump

2:10:57administration and being they're being

2:11:00like arrested and labeled as terrorists

2:11:03just for like organizing a successful

2:11:05protest that kicked ICE out of their

2:11:07state. It's all a matter of like

2:11:10revenge. It's all like targeted against

2:11:14like people that are like exercising

2:11:16their first amendment right. And that

2:11:19sets a very dangerous precedent uh for

2:11:22like anyone exercising the first

2:11:24amendment.

2:11:26Uh the fir the federal government is

2:11:29labeling anyone who like criticizes it

2:11:31as terrorists. If you're an atheist,

2:11:33you're a terrorist. If you're a Muslim,

2:11:35you're a terrorist. If you're trans,

2:11:36you're a terrorist. If you don't like

2:11:38Trump, or if you're just like a liberal,

2:11:40you're a terrorist, apparently.

2:11:43And the the Trump administration

2:11:45prosecuting the MN15 protesters is an

2:11:48expansion of this agenda to criminalize

2:11:50the right to organize and freely

2:11:51protest. And if Trump gets his way,

2:11:54what's to stop him from sending ICE on

2:11:56us? And like, and if we protest and go

2:11:59on strike, we're going to we're just

2:12:02going to be labeled as terrorists.

2:12:04Like, how is that fair? It's a such a

2:12:06blatant First Amendment violation. They

2:12:09need to be these constitutional rights

2:12:11need to be respected. the the federal

2:12:14government is out of line and it is our

2:12:16our duty as American citizens to protect

2:12:19and enforce the Constitution.

2:12:22For the record, uh like you've heard

2:12:24about what happened in Prairie Land,

2:12:26right, in Texas with how like these

2:12:28protesters got like arrested and

2:12:30sentenced from like 30 to like 100 years

2:12:32in prison just for protesting.

2:12:36One of them got sent to prison for 30

2:12:38years for moving a box of Z. a box of

2:12:42Zen. That's not a crime. And they're

2:12:45being again labeled as terrorists. This

2:12:47is a terrifying precedent. So like David

2:12:51Lrren, if you truly support the First

2:12:53Amendment, as is the case with one of

2:12:56these folks over here slandering Abdul,

2:13:00then you'd like support the right to

2:13:02protest. You would help protect

2:13:05protesters from being targeted by the

2:13:08Trump administration and by ICE.

2:13:12And also the Flock cameras got to go.

2:13:14And you I hope you understand that when

2:13:18I say Flock cameras, I'm talking about

2:13:19all ALPR cameras. Don't get Axon to

2:13:22replace Flock. And just a reminder, uh

2:13:25they own Carbine, an Israeli uh

2:13:28surveillance company, and they have ties

2:13:31with Epstein. They're literally were

2:13:34like co-unded by Epstein.

2:13:37>> Defend the MN15.

2:13:46Terrible things are happening outside.

2:13:48Poor, helpless people are being dragged

2:13:50out of their homes. Families are torn

2:13:52apart. Men, women, and children are

2:13:55separated. Children come home from

2:13:57school to find that their parents have

2:13:58disappeared. You would be forgiven for

2:14:00mistaking these words as an excerpt from

2:14:02a contemporary publication written this

2:14:04year, but those words were written by

2:14:06Anne Frank. My name is Mary and I'm a GR

2:14:09resident born and raised. I want to

2:14:11start off by saying uh that the federal

2:14:13administration uses ICE as a tool um uh

2:14:17to invade our communities and tear

2:14:19families apart. Um all of those agents

2:14:22are traitors to their people regardless

2:14:23of who their ancestors are and they are

2:14:26not welcome here. On Saturday the 12th,

2:14:28I attended a community demonstration to

2:14:30protest ICE activities in the city. That

2:14:32morning, myself and at least a hundred

2:14:34others watched as GRPD pushed the

2:14:36peaceful crowd back with smiles on their

2:14:38faces, enjoying it, and used their

2:14:40cruisers to escort the ICE van out of

2:14:42the facility. Afterwards, they

2:14:44introduced violence to the demonstration

2:14:46by snatching five protesters from the

2:14:48crowd. Time and again, we are told that

2:14:50GRPD does not coordinate with ICE. Yet,

2:14:53GRPD consistently demonstrates a

2:14:55protective nature towards the federal

2:14:56agents that are hunting our neighbors.

2:14:58There's no denying that GRPD and ICE are

2:15:00collaborate our collaborators. I saw it

2:15:03with my own eyes. And then this weekend,

2:15:05one of our community members was chased

2:15:07down by these traitors. And that chase

2:15:09resulted in this city losing a neighbor,

2:15:11his circles losing a friend, and his

2:15:13family losing a father, a husband, and a

2:15:16son. His name was Mario David Coronal

2:15:18Huarees, and he should be alive today.

2:15:21It is the responsibility of the city of

2:15:23Grand Rapids to listen to her most

2:15:25effective community, sorry, affected

2:15:27community members um on how to protect

2:15:29them from this genuinely criminal

2:15:31activity. This commission has been

2:15:33presented with six sanctuary policies by

2:15:35Koscha Grand Rapids. I stand in

2:15:37solidarity with them and insist that

2:15:39bold and decisive action must be taken

2:15:41in order to prevent more of our

2:15:42neighbors lives being taken by this

2:15:44violent federal force while on their way

2:15:47to work. Thank you.

2:15:54Hi, I'm Kyle. I'm here to speak up

2:15:56against flock and ICE. Shout out to the

2:15:58speakers on housing and um mobility

2:16:01today and everyone who spoke against

2:16:03hate speech earlier. Last meeting, I

2:16:06thanked you for taking a step in the

2:16:08right direction by releasing the Grand

2:16:10Rapids transparency portal. But with

2:16:12transparency now comes accountability.

2:16:15Last week, GRPD recently arrested five

2:16:18ICE protesters to protect an ICE

2:16:20transport van. A man named uh Mario

2:16:23David Coranal Huarez died near my

2:16:27neighborhood after being chased by ICE

2:16:29while GRPD covered for them. I wish our

2:16:32police department protected our

2:16:34community with the same zealous that

2:16:37they protect ICE. Where are your hearts

2:16:39and souls for your fellow human beings?

2:16:43I spent 6 hours of my own time

2:16:46personally reviewing GRPD's flock

2:16:48transparency portal shares uh to confirm

2:16:51they share data with 1,656

2:16:54agencies of which at least 127 or 8%

2:16:57that I verified are deputized by ICE

2:17:00through their 287G program and a

2:17:02memorandum of agreement to comply with

2:17:04ICE requests and lawfully act on ICE

2:17:07business. Calhoun County, Michigan

2:17:10Sheriff's Office is one of them in our

2:17:12own state.

2:17:14That means our police department's prior

2:17:16claims of not collaborating with ICE are

2:17:18false. In our city's Flock user

2:17:21agreement, section 4.2, second to last

2:17:23sentence, customers grant Flock a

2:17:26non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide,

2:17:29royaltyfree license to use the customer

2:17:32generated data for the purpose of

2:17:33providing Flock services. This means

2:17:36flock can use collected data for any

2:17:38reason they choose, regardless of city

2:17:40preference, even after contract

2:17:42termination. Last week, hacker group

2:17:45Steganogram hacked a flock camera and

2:17:48made public all of its data. By the way,

2:17:5127,000 video clips were released over

2:17:54the course of 21 days from that. That

2:17:56means at Flock safety meeting weeks ago,

2:17:59they lied when they said that Flock only

2:18:01records still images. You can verify it

2:18:04yourself. None of us voted for flock

2:18:07license plate reader contracts with

2:18:09nationally recognized unfixed

2:18:10vulnerabilities. Every citizen

2:18:13is under investigation at all times by

2:18:15Flock. That downloaded data is owned by

2:18:18Flock forever. Even after we cancel our

2:18:20city's Flock contract and is usable for

2:18:22AI training, distribution as they see

2:18:24fit to ICE. And even if Flock wishes not

2:18:27to do so, it is obtainable by agencies

2:18:29that are deputized by ICE. As such, GRPD

2:18:33collaborates with ICE and have no

2:18:35control or ever will over collected

2:18:38flock data. There is no remediation for

2:18:40any automatic license plate reader

2:18:42system, including flock. To earn back

2:18:44public trust, I call on you to

2:18:46immediately cancel our flocks, our city

2:18:49flock contract, adopt Coset's published

2:18:52six sanctuary city policies, and never

2:18:55again contract with any automatic

2:18:57license plate reader or company that

2:18:59shares data with ICE. Your action is in

2:19:02Your inaction is complicity. Thank you.

2:19:11>> Hello everyone. About a month ago,

2:19:13myself and approximately 60 other people

2:19:15came to this meeting to talk about our

2:19:17feelings about Flock. Um, since then, I

2:19:20quickly come to realize that Flock is

2:19:22the latest in a long line of systemic

2:19:24abuse of privacy by the police

2:19:26infrastructure. I still stand with COH's

2:19:29six sanctuary city policy demands. The

2:19:32police routinely use new technology in

2:19:34order to further their gaze and grip

2:19:36over the people. They have gone from

2:19:38outdated ALPRs to always shot spotter

2:19:41microphones to warrantless doorbell

2:19:44camera access to drones and then to the

2:19:46modern worked ALPR cameras in less than

2:19:4915 years. All to strip away Fourth

2:19:52Amendment rights that are guaranteed to

2:19:53us in the Constitution. Just 10 days

2:19:56ago, many people became firstirhand

2:19:58witnesses to how the police used drones

2:20:01to uh selectively attack and suppress

2:20:05peaceful protesters and attempt to

2:20:07intimidate protests into silence.

2:20:10This group has collectively offered the

2:20:12convenient lie that GRPD does not work

2:20:15with ICE. That the six sanctuary city

2:20:17policy demands from Koscha are already

2:20:20being followed. That data collected by

2:20:22Flock is not shared with ICE. That the

2:20:24surveillance state we live in does not

2:20:26rapidly increase the speed of our

2:20:28neighbors being kidnapped, kidnapped,

2:20:30and tossed into an unmarked van to be

2:20:32whisked away to the nearest deportation

2:20:34center. These shifting of goalposts,

2:20:37this weasel words used to deflect your

2:20:40actions or inactions

2:20:43to tell political half-truths. It is

2:20:46simply cowardice.

2:20:48If you don't care about flock alprs, if

2:20:51you don't care that ISIS kidnapping your

2:20:52neighbors, is sending them away, then

2:20:54say it with your chest. Sit or stand up,

2:20:58till your chin back, look the public in

2:20:59the eye, and tell them that you don't

2:21:01care.

2:21:02>> [snorts]

2:21:02>> That way we actually know where you

2:21:04stand on these issues, whose side you

2:21:07stand on. Whether you stand on the side

2:21:09of the public with love or you stand on

2:21:12the side of hate and destruction.

2:21:15If you are on the side of the people,

2:21:17help us. Please help us dismantle this

2:21:21infrastructure. If you are on the side

2:21:23of hate, then get the hell out of the

2:21:26way.

2:21:28[applause]

2:21:41isma.

2:21:48I'm Sandra, her interpreter. Good

2:21:50evening. My name is Hema. You probably

2:21:52know where I live because of the flock

2:21:54cameras.

2:22:02Look at your hands. I want you to look

2:22:04closely at your hands.

2:22:24Your hands are stained due to the death

2:22:28by the violent death of a member of my

2:22:32immigr immigrant community.

2:22:45His

2:22:51name was Mario Coronado Huarees. He died

2:22:55in a car crash during the early morning

2:22:58hours of Sunday, September 20th.

2:23:13He was only 35 years old, a husband, a

2:23:17father of three children, two daughters,

2:23:19and a son.

2:23:48Mario.

2:23:50Mario was a hardworking man from a

2:23:53workingclass family. He lived a humble

2:23:57life centered around his family and his

2:24:00work. He was an evangelical Christian

2:24:02and according to his family, he had no

2:24:04vices. His goal was simple, to work

2:24:07hard, support his family, save enough

2:24:09money, and one day begin building a home

2:24:12for his wife and children in Guatemala.

2:24:33Now that you know who Mario was and now

2:24:36that you know that his life had meaning,

2:24:38it is time to act. We cannot wait for

2:24:41another tragedy to happen because of

2:24:44unacceptable inaction. We have three

2:24:47demands.

2:24:53Grand Rapids.

2:25:15One, immediately enact the Grand Rapids

2:25:18privacy, safety, and dignity for all

2:25:21ordinance to protect immigrant families

2:25:24in our community from the violence of

2:25:27ICE that contains six sanctuary

2:25:29policies, including the ban of all A L P

2:25:35R like the flock cameras.

2:25:49Total

2:25:52Mario.

2:26:16two, ICE, GRPD, the Michigan State

2:26:19Police, the fire department, and all

2:26:22other authorities involved must provide

2:26:25full transparency regarding Mario

2:26:27Davidid Coronado fatal uh fatal crash on

2:26:31Sunday, September 20th, 2026. This

2:26:35includes releasing all available video,

2:26:38footage, emails, radio communications,

2:26:41and cell phone communications to the

2:26:43fullest extent possible so that the

2:26:46public and Marius Mario's family can

2:26:49know exactly what happened.

2:27:05Three. Bring to justice the agents

2:27:07responsible for the fatal crash that

2:27:11took Mario Davidid Coronado's life.

2:27:39Look at your hands again. These are the

2:27:41hands that have the power to take action

2:27:44for justice and to protect our

2:27:45community. Not yesterday, not tomorrow,

2:27:48but now.

2:27:57>> Good evening. My name is Alex. I'm a GR

2:27:59resident. Again, because of flock, you

2:28:00probably know where I live, too. And I'm

2:28:03a volunteer with Grand Rapids rapid

2:28:04response to ICE. I'm not here. I'm here

2:28:07not only because David Lrand and all of

2:28:09you have refused to act, but GRPD has

2:28:13yet again collaborated with ICE. In two

2:28:16day and two days ago, the same agency

2:28:19you all are all complicit in murdered a

2:28:21man through their recklessness.

2:28:25So, just to get this out of the way

2:28:27based on some comments in the past,

2:28:29we're not just demanding no flock. We're

2:28:30demanding no ALPR cameras, not reforms

2:28:33how data is shared, not a new vendor,

2:28:35not a study, but in the contract. We as

2:28:38a community do not consent to this kind

2:28:40of surveillance.

2:28:42Also, your refusal to meet with COTACHA

2:28:44shows contempt and disrespect. What do

2:28:46you have to hide by having a public

2:28:48conversation?

2:28:51On September 12th, GRBD collaborated

2:28:53with ICE again. It's well documented on

2:28:56pictures and videos. They were

2:28:57exceptionally violent against unarmed

2:28:59community members. defending their

2:29:00neighbors. To be clear, because you keep

2:29:03repres misrepresent misrepresenting our

2:29:06position, this exact activity that GRP

2:29:09did is what we are demanding you stop.

2:29:10This is what we mean by ending

2:29:12collaboration with ICE. They need to not

2:29:14deploy to to defend these murderers.

2:29:19Something someone told a fellow

2:29:22community member who was there told me

2:29:23something that really resonated me

2:29:25resonated with me. They said that they

2:29:27believed me before, but seeing it in

2:29:29person made it more real. In that

2:29:31spirit, I'm going to read off some names

2:29:33from real people. Chad Vanam, Aaron

2:29:36Sanders, Brett Salman, Drake Shut, Ian

2:29:40Tennity, Jack Trock, Jesse Thamul,

2:29:44Joseph Roloff, Justin Koteki, Kyle Dola,

2:29:48Spencer Selner, Theo Chall Bates. These

2:29:52are all GRPD officers who have shown up

2:29:55to collaborate with ICE within the last

2:29:57two months at the ICE field office.

2:29:59Before anyone points out they're

2:30:00following law and orders, we all know

2:30:03the history of that. They chose this

2:30:05job. They chose to be in a position

2:30:07where their legal obligation is to do

2:30:08the wrong thing. We're a pretty small

2:30:11community. Some of you may know them in

2:30:13other contexts. You should know these

2:30:14people are unsafe and are complicit with

2:30:16murders and are violent.

2:30:19These officers were able to do this harm

2:30:20because of all of you up here.

2:30:23These sanctuary demands have been have

2:30:26been in front of you for over a year.

2:30:31Regardless of what you believe, you are

2:30:34all complicit until you act.

2:30:44Hello, my name is Michael Thompson. I've

2:30:46been in Grand Rapids in the vicinity of

2:30:4834 yearsish.

2:30:51I love this city. I don't love

2:30:53everything I see that's happening in it.

2:30:56I've been debating myself standing in

2:30:58line if I should say this. Uh tonight's

2:31:01uh display that was anti-Islamic

2:31:04uh and anti

2:31:07um

2:31:08just hate speech really. uh in the name

2:31:11of Lord Jesus Christ. For many of us who

2:31:14also call on the name of the Lord Jesus

2:31:17Christ, we had the same revulsion in our

2:31:20guts uh to that attack

2:31:23uh as those in my in my group uh the

2:31:27rapid response to ICE friends, whether

2:31:30they are also churchgoers or whether

2:31:33they are not churchgoers, it we have

2:31:37solidarity

2:31:39at at other levels. And I think it's

2:31:41worth saying only because of how bad it

2:31:43was tonight. Uh not to, you know, give

2:31:46evangelist speech or anything like that,

2:31:49but I'm sorry to the room for others

2:31:52from who are part of the church

2:31:53community who are in solidarity with

2:31:55you. Uh that made us sick as well.

2:31:59And Marshall, thank you for your uh

2:32:02courage to stand up. Now to the main

2:32:04point, I'll be brief. the six sanctuary

2:32:07policies. I add my amen as I have many

2:32:11times here before. Uh I am saddened and

2:32:16disgusted

2:32:18that we lost Mario Davidid Koro Naduarez

2:32:23by all accounts a great human being.

2:32:27Needlessly, stupidly,

2:32:29maliciously.

2:32:31If there were, and if this is going to

2:32:33go the way it goes in other cities,

2:32:35we'll be told that he was provoking

2:32:38whether he was the target or not, he

2:32:40would have done something to to merit

2:32:42his own death.

2:32:45And if you let that go by,

2:32:48I'm not quickly going to say you're all

2:32:50complicit. I think we are all complicit

2:32:52if we let it go by. That's where

2:32:53standing here for him, for our uh

2:32:57immigrant neighbors.

2:32:59And I also support the Grand Rapids 5 as

2:33:02we're coming to call them who got

2:33:03arrested. I wasn't there that day. I was

2:33:05there another day where a very similar

2:33:07thing occurred. We were standing

2:33:10protesting

2:33:12and they had three or four people that

2:33:14they were going to move. And soon as the

2:33:16door opened for the van to come out,

2:33:18there was a good 10 or 12 ICE agents

2:33:21with, you know, tear gas. We were all uh

2:33:24we have t-shirts and you know plaqueards

2:33:26or loud voices and whatever. That's what

2:33:29we were doing. Uh they were ready to

2:33:32pepper spray us but before the van could

2:33:35come out or these men march on us the

2:33:38very same second three or four uh GRPD

2:33:42cruisers were there to start shoving us

2:33:43out of the way the very moment. So this

2:33:46is why we're saying to you we don't

2:33:48believe you. My time is up. We don't

2:33:50believe you when you say there's no

2:33:51collaboration. Please end that

2:33:53collaboration.

2:34:00Uh my name is John Haynes. I live in the

2:34:02second ward. Uh good evening, mayor and

2:34:04commissioners. I want to just say feel

2:34:07free to stand up and stretch out if you

2:34:09need to get the blood flowing a little

2:34:10bit at this point. For almost two years,

2:34:13hundreds of community members have stood

2:34:15before you asking for six policies to

2:34:18protect our immigrant neighbors from the

2:34:20harms happening every day.

2:34:22We have come peacefully. We have come

2:34:24repeatedly and still nothing has been

2:34:27put into policy. We are told by the

2:34:30mayor that the city is already doing

2:34:31what these six policies would require.

2:34:34So I have a simple question. If you are

2:34:37already willing to do these things, why

2:34:39won't you put them in writing? Why isn't

2:34:41a single commissioner willing to

2:34:43introduce an action resolution so these

2:34:46policies can at least be discussed,

2:34:49reviewed, and considered by this

2:34:51commission and the community. Policies

2:34:54provide transparency. They provide

2:34:56accountability and they tell our

2:34:58immigrant neighbors that their safety

2:35:00and rights are not dependent on

2:35:01promises.

2:35:03We are also told that Grand Rapids

2:35:05police do not cooperate with ICE. But on

2:35:08September 12th, I personally witnessed

2:35:10Grand Rapids police helping escort vans

2:35:13carrying immigrants to a detention

2:35:15center and police threatened peaceful

2:35:18protesters who were there protesting ICE

2:35:20and the daily harms ICE is bringing to

2:35:23our community. So when we are told one

2:35:26thing while our own eyes tell us

2:35:28something different, why should we

2:35:30simply trust asurances? And all of what

2:35:33I've spoken about remind me of the

2:35:35history of a famous bridge in Alabama

2:35:37where people once stood peacefully

2:35:39demanding that their government

2:35:41recognize their rights. They were met

2:35:43with a wall of authority that allowed

2:35:45brutality to continue. Today, we are

2:35:48standing before our own wall, not of

2:35:51concrete and steel, but of government

2:35:53inaction,

2:35:55local government inaction.

2:35:57We are not asking you to stand against

2:35:59us. We are asking you to stand with us

2:36:02to take down the wall. Bring these six

2:36:04policies forward. Let the community

2:36:06discuss them. Let this commission debate

2:36:09them and then take action. Our immigrant

2:36:12neighbors should not have to come back

2:36:14month after month, year after year,

2:36:16begging the city to protect them. They

2:36:20deserve more than promises. They deserve

2:36:22action. They deserve accountability. and

2:36:25they deserve a city commission willing

2:36:27to stand up for their human rights.

2:36:30After two years, we are still asking,

2:36:32where is the champion on this commission

2:36:34who will finally bring these policies

2:36:36forward? And mayor Lrand, when will you

2:36:39come over to this side of the bridge and

2:36:41meet with the people that are being

2:36:42affected? And if the mayor won't do it,

2:36:45why aren't commissioners getting

2:36:47together and meeting with the affected

2:36:49community? This should be done. Thank

2:36:51you.

2:36:53[applause]

2:36:59Hello. Good evening to you all. Mayor

2:37:00Lrand, hi. It's me again. Several weeks

2:37:03I stood right here and I promised that

2:37:05we would all keep showing up. Here we

2:37:07are. I don't want to have to be here

2:37:08telling you that our constituents are

2:37:11angry. Your community is scared. We are

2:37:15so tired of having to beg you all to

2:37:17help keeping the community safe from ICE

2:37:18violence. I plan to come here tonight

2:37:20and talk about several different things.

2:37:22flock cameras and the entirety of the

2:37:24issues that they are. The six sanctuary

2:37:26policies that move mento and rapid

2:37:28response have been calling for the last

2:37:2919 months that you haven't passed. The

2:37:31tragic death of Mario Davidid Cornado

2:37:33Huarez, the man who died fleeing ICE

2:37:35agents right here in our city on Sunday,

2:37:37or the unjust arrest of five people at

2:37:39517 Ottawa on September 12th. But do you

2:37:41know what all these things have in

2:37:42common? GRPD and ICE collaborating and

2:37:44working together. Despite your

2:37:46consistent comments of denial, last

2:37:48Saturday, about a hundred or so of my

2:37:50closest friends and I happened to

2:37:51witness it with our own eyes as GRPD

2:37:53threatened to release chemical munitions

2:37:54in a public alleyway. We were all there

2:37:56to mark a moment in history and to

2:37:58witness ICE, who had kidnapped our

2:38:00neighbors right there and taking them to

2:38:01517 Ottawa. That moment was marked, all

2:38:04right, while we watched a full GRPD

2:38:05escort assist the GO van out of the

2:38:07alley with our kidnapped neighbors in

2:38:08there as they were hauled to the

2:38:10concentration camp. Next, we have had

2:38:12over 1,000 immigrants kidnapped by ICE

2:38:15and GR this year. 1,000. More than 1,000

2:38:18at this point. In fact, just today, we

2:38:20supported in a situation where an

2:38:22immigrant man was taken at his

2:38:23appointment at 517 Ottawa. This man, he

2:38:26has already been in North Lake this

2:38:27year. He was granted release by a judge

2:38:29and then detained again today.

2:38:32You know who was there to support? All

2:38:34of us, the community. You know who

2:38:36wasn't there, David? Your peaceful

2:38:37observers.

2:38:39GRPD has assisted the Geog Group van in

2:38:41loading and driving our neighbors to the

2:38:42North Lake Detention Center in Baldwin,

2:38:44Michigan, and we have witnessed it. GRPD

2:38:46has assisted ICE agents in leaving work

2:38:48for the day so that they can feel safe

2:38:50and cannot be easily identified. And

2:38:52David said that ICE agents deserve to

2:38:53feel safe. GRPD has assisted ICE in

2:38:56arresting immigrants all over our city.

2:38:58And most recently, this last Sunday,

2:39:00GRPD blocked the traffic and worked the

2:39:01scene where Mario Davidid Coronado

2:39:03Huarez died because ICE was aggressively

2:39:05in pursuit of him. We know the same

2:39:06vehicles at the scene of Mario's death

2:39:08are the exact same vehicles that are

2:39:10parked at the ICE office and repeatedly

2:39:11seen at scenes kidnapping our neighbors.

2:39:13I'm sure you can see them all over

2:39:15social media just like we do. Several

2:39:17people have mentioned the arrest now

2:39:18outside of the ICE office on September

2:39:2112th, the Ice Field Office. That

2:39:23Saturday, we were out in a public

2:39:24alleyway. We were calling awareness to

2:39:26the ICE violence in our city. How

2:39:29[snorts] do you feel about your tax

2:39:30money? Because after those five were

2:39:32arrested and the GRPD vehicles left the

2:39:34scene and we all started feverishly

2:39:36checking our records and contacting the

2:39:38jail trying to locate our comrades,

2:39:40there was some confusion and some more

2:39:42and more time passed and gosh, they

2:39:45weren't being booked at Kent County

2:39:46Jail. And gosh, they hadn't even shown

2:39:48up to the building yet. Why, you ask?

2:39:50Here's a wild surprise shocker. The GRPD

2:39:53officers that handled the arrest and

2:39:54left the scene were gathered up sitting

2:39:56in a parking lot a couple blocks away on

2:39:58the clock with human beings in handcuffs

2:40:00in the back seat sitting there suffering

2:40:02inside. The officers were discussing

2:40:04what they might do with the people

2:40:05arrested. So past the six sanctuary

2:40:08policies, you heard the three demands we

2:40:10have for Mario. Please do something.

2:40:13Take care of our community.

2:40:23Hi. Um, shout out to everyone who just

2:40:27beautifully spoke before me about a

2:40:29variety of things about the right for

2:40:31affordable housing, against ICE, all of

2:40:33that. You're wonderful. Um, I'm not

2:40:37going to say anything new. I just remind

2:40:38you that nobody in this room is saying

2:40:40they don't care about public safety.

2:40:43Rather, the people in this room know

2:40:44with great clarity that they've been

2:40:46presented this false either or choice to

2:40:49accept being surveiled or don't and just

2:40:51see what happens. We care so much about

2:40:54this community, this city, and so much

2:40:56so that flock and alprs are deeply

2:40:59unpopular among people across vast

2:41:01political beliefs. And that unpopularity

2:41:04is not a result of indoctrination or

2:41:06whatever you might call it. It's an

2:41:08innate knowing of how unsettling it is

2:41:11to be watched. It's wrong that driving

2:41:13to work, picking up your child from

2:41:15school, getting groceries, seeing

2:41:17friends can put you on a police

2:41:19database. And it's not maintaining

2:41:21community safety when an error from an

2:41:23ALPR can lead an officer to believe that

2:41:26an innocent person is a dangerous

2:41:28criminal. It's especially not a tool for

2:41:30community safety when these cameras grow

2:41:32more overt in their use for immigration

2:41:34enforcement without our say on the

2:41:36matter. People police should investigate

2:41:39people based on evidence. They shouldn't

2:41:41build a searchable record of everyone's

2:41:43movements in case it becomes useful

2:41:44later. Adopt COH's six sanctuary

2:41:47policies and end all contracts, present

2:41:49and future, with any ALPR providers. We

2:41:53say this to our kids all the time.

2:41:54Evidently, we still need to hear this as

2:41:56adults. Just because you can doesn't

2:41:58mean you should contribute to this

2:42:00country's anti-immigration legacy. Stop

2:42:03collaborating with ICE.

2:42:11My name is Stephanie Vo. I am a resident

2:42:13of the first ward. Um I also would like

2:42:16to ask um you to adopt the six policies

2:42:19of the sanctuary city. Um also and to

2:42:22speak on the uh housing issue and flock

2:42:25cameras. And honestly um from my

2:42:27perspective all of these issues lay lead

2:42:30to the same local oligarchs, the lame

2:42:32billionaire families. Um, if you've

2:42:34heard me speak before, my father was

2:42:36deeply involved with these families. He

2:42:38was a regional manager at Morgan

2:42:40Stanley. Um, handled some of their

2:42:42corporate Amway accounts for their

2:42:44clients and some of their personal

2:42:45money. We know these families have lots

2:42:46of money distributed between a lot of

2:42:48people. Um, but he helped handle a chunk

2:42:50of that and was heavily involved in

2:42:52politics in the Republican party. I grew

2:42:54up going to these political events. My

2:42:56parents were anyway um this is their

2:43:01long-term goal is to own everything

2:43:05around us to have control of everything.

2:43:07That is the final goal of this all.

2:43:09These are people who believe in seven

2:43:11mountain dominism. Not only that, as

2:43:13time is going to go on and more

2:43:15whistleblowers come out, people that

2:43:17know even more than I do, although I do

2:43:19know quite a bit from my time handling

2:43:21files at Morgan Stanley, knowing who

2:43:23exactly people involved in this are. Um,

2:43:28it's a coup. It's a plot. It's been

2:43:31their plan for a long time to privatize

2:43:34everything and we allow it. And not only

2:43:37that, they are in business with Epstein.

2:43:40It's showing in the files already that

2:43:43there are business entanglements between

2:43:45these families. None of this is a

2:43:47surprise to me. None of this is a

2:43:49surprise to me. This is the culture I

2:43:51was raised in. That was the culture.

2:43:54It was we're going to pretend we're

2:43:57Christian all day and at night we're

2:43:59not.

2:44:01How long are we going to buy into this

2:44:03if I'm being quite honest? And

2:44:05when are we going to have the balls to

2:44:07stand up to families that support

2:44:10pedophilia even within our own

2:44:12community?

2:44:14This is not

2:44:16even within the Heritage Foundation. We

2:44:19are having whistleblowers come out now.

2:44:20A dear friend of mine who has been

2:44:22trafficked most of her life for

2:44:24blackmail for the Heritage Foundation.

2:44:28She had to testify for Robert Mueller

2:44:30and do a whole bunch just to get out of

2:44:32her trafficking to our president and top

2:44:35people in the administration and people

2:44:37involved in the Heritage Foundation. Do

2:44:38we want to go down in history as the

2:44:41modern-day Nazi head center city? Is

2:44:45that what our legacy is going to be? The

2:44:47headquarters for people who are just

2:44:50going to get worse and worse. What did

2:44:51the FDC just come out? The Mway Corp and

2:44:54two affiliates have agreed to pay 225

2:44:57million to resolve allegations from the

2:44:59Federal Trade Commission in Washington

2:45:01state that they use deceptive tactics to

2:45:03recruit members to the direct selling

2:45:05and multi-level marketing business. They

2:45:07are a cult. They use deceptive pro

2:45:10they are a cult and you need to stand up

2:45:12to them.

2:45:19Hello, my name is Josh. I'm a resident

2:45:21of the first ward. I was going to use

2:45:23the flock joke, but Hema stole that from

2:45:24me, so I won't go go start with that.

2:45:27Um, [clears throat]

2:45:29uh, I just have a poem for you guys

2:45:32today. Um, I'm a part of Moto Sicha.

2:45:35I've been in the background, uh, largely

2:45:36as a strategic move, but, um, it's

2:45:39getting to the point where I I I need to

2:45:42come out and do this. Um, not the

2:45:44biggest fan of public speaking, but here

2:45:45we are. Um, it's called I'm angry at my

2:45:48leaders. I wrote this as I was watching

2:45:50the last town hall and watching everyone

2:45:52just kind of pour their house hearts out

2:45:53and not feeling there was too much of a

2:45:55response. I actually really appreciate

2:45:56how you guys have been looking at mostly

2:45:58everyone today because I feel like it

2:46:00helps the people feel seen.

2:46:02[clears throat]

2:46:03I'm angry at at our leaders who continue

2:46:05to disappoint us. I'm angry at our

2:46:07leaders who put profit before our

2:46:09community. I'm angry at our leaders for

2:46:12choosing violence over love. I'm

2:46:13[snorts] angry at our leaders who choose

2:46:15the exploitation of its community and

2:46:16generations to come over its own

2:46:17constituents. I'm angry at our leaders

2:46:20who cannot even look at us in the eyes

2:46:21as we cry and vend our frustrations to

2:46:23them. I'm angry at our leaders who take

2:46:24for taking the side of big tech and

2:46:26corporations. I'm angry at our leaders

2:46:28for paving the way for AI and flock to

2:46:30become embedded in our communities. I'm

2:46:31angry at our leaders who choose to turn

2:46:33a blind eye as our neighbor gets taken

2:46:34from the streets. I'm angry at our

2:46:36leaders because a person who is asking

2:46:37for justice and peace is labeled as a

2:46:39villain in modern day America. I'm angry

2:46:42at my leaders because they continue to

2:46:43prioritize the 10% over the other 90%.

2:46:46I'm angry at my leaders for allowing our

2:46:48waters to get polluted. I'm angry at our

2:46:49leaders for not commenting on the

2:46:50lynchings of our 22 black brothers and

2:46:52sisters in 2026. I am angry at our

2:46:55leaders because the only choice I had in

2:46:57this primary was pro data center versus

2:46:58pro- data center. I am angry at our

2:47:01leaders because they will not install

2:47:03sanctuary polic policies in our city.

2:47:05I'm angry at our leaders for not

2:47:07protecting those who need it to be

2:47:08protected. I am angry at our leaders for

2:47:10not holding corporations accountable as

2:47:11they destroy everything we know to be

2:47:12beautiful. I'm angry at our leaders

2:47:14because they keep refusing to have a

2:47:16conversation and listen to the public

2:47:17who remains peaceful and docile in the

2:47:19light of fascism. I'm angry to leaders

2:47:21for making me do this after so many have

2:47:23before me have come and many that will

2:47:25come after me. I'm angry leaders because

2:47:27I couldn't get Byron who prayed for his

2:47:29security guards out of the detention

2:47:30center. I'm angrier to leaders because

2:47:32they won't do better.

2:47:34I would like to quote Zeanna Elephant, a

2:47:37hero of mine since I heard her speech

2:47:38many years ago. I come here today to

2:47:41talk about how I feel and I feel like we

2:47:43are treated differently than other

2:47:45people and I don't like how we're

2:47:46treated and just because our of our

2:47:48color doesn't mean anything to me. We

2:47:50are black people. We shouldn't have to

2:47:51feel like this. We shouldn't have to

2:47:53protest because y'all are treating us

2:47:54wrong. We do this because we need to and

2:47:56we have rights. She was nine at the

2:47:59time. She is now 19. I hope we're doing

2:48:01you proud. [snorts] Lastly, uh I'd like

2:48:04to point out that you we're continuing

2:48:07to ignore the public and continue to

2:48:10escalate the public. This meeting was a

2:48:12clear example of that. Um honestly, I

2:48:15feel like there's better power in

2:48:16walking away next time and just emptying

2:48:18the room for someone who's spowing hate.

2:48:19Um thank you.

2:48:29Hello, I'm Corbin Tarant, second ward

2:48:32resident and uh this is my first time

2:48:34here. I've uh appreciate the uh chance

2:48:38to participate in democracy and I don't

2:48:41have a big speech. I just uh would like

2:48:43to echo many others and ask that you

2:48:45stop the cooperation and collaboration

2:48:48with ICE and that you adopt the movement

2:48:51coach's six sanctuary policies. The fear

2:48:54and intimidation of our neighbors is

2:48:56unacceptable and adopting the six

2:48:58sanctuary policies will make the

2:49:00community safer and a better place for

2:49:03all of us. Thank you.

2:49:12>> Uh Jeff live in the second ward. Um, I

2:49:15don't have any zingers or speeches

2:49:17prepared or anything, but I I think it's

2:49:19important to put in context like what

2:49:22actually happened on uh September 12th,

2:49:25right? Some people have referred to some

2:49:26of those things, but I think there's

2:49:27other things that need to be said. So,

2:49:30we have been monitoring the activity of

2:49:33that that office for a long time. And we

2:49:36know that on a daily basis there are

2:49:38multiple sometimes three sometimes as

2:49:40many as six people who are being

2:49:42immigrants who are being abducted and

2:49:43taken to that that office the 517 office

2:49:46which is the ICE deployment office.

2:49:48People are then put in a holding cell.

2:49:50They have a holding cell in that

2:49:51building even though it's a a building

2:49:53that they don't own. They rent that

2:49:54building. Um the geo van comes every day

2:49:58to pick people up to be transported to

2:50:01North Lake. they usually pull into the

2:50:04garage which is on the west end of that

2:50:07back building where the alley is.

2:50:11So on the on September 12th, there were

2:50:14a bunch of us on both ends of the alley

2:50:17uh trying to keep an eye on things

2:50:19trying to find out where the geo van

2:50:21was. Um and shortly after that, uh

2:50:24several GRPD squad cars showed up, um

2:50:29sort of trying to kettle us in on both

2:50:31ends, the north and south end of that

2:50:33alley.

2:50:35Uh we were up by the area where there's

2:50:37fencing, this rod iron fencing, a big

2:50:39gate that the uh ICE agents installed um

2:50:44earlier this year.

2:50:46Um

2:50:49it it it borders with the building that

2:50:52they operate out of.

2:50:55When they realized that we were there,

2:50:58they started pushing us back further to

2:51:00the south part of the alley.

2:51:03And the reason they did that, and the

2:51:05reason we know because they were talking

2:51:06to each other, talking to ICE on the the

2:51:09radios, as can be attested by the people

2:51:12who were arrested by ICE,

2:51:15they did this because they were trying

2:51:17to um get us away from the gate so that

2:51:22the geo van would not come to the

2:51:24garage, but they could bring the

2:51:26abducted immigrants out of the building

2:51:28and put them in the garage and then

2:51:31get out of the uh the gate because we

2:51:34were not present. They were escorted for

2:51:37several blocks out by the GRPD.

2:51:40So that's what we were doing. Uh that's

2:51:43what happened. They couldn't do this

2:51:45without being in communication with ICE

2:51:48to know that they had to move us so they

2:51:51could do what they needed to do.

2:51:54But it's also important to know that we

2:51:55are doing this because we believe that

2:51:57even though the law defends ICE, even

2:52:00though the law supports what the GRPD

2:52:02does, but we refuse to obey unjust laws,

2:52:06people are being taken, they're being

2:52:07disappeared, they're being abducted, and

2:52:10we're not going to stand for it. We're

2:52:12asking you to understand that and to not

2:52:14continue to allow this to happen. Adopt

2:52:16the six sanctuary policies, ban flock

2:52:19cameras, and justice for Mario.

2:52:28Good evening. My name [clears throat] is

2:52:30Linda Trout. I'm a resident of the

2:52:32second ward. I'm here in support of Co

2:52:35SH's demands for sanctuary city

2:52:38protections.

2:52:40ICE is terrorizing our community.

2:52:43These are poorly trained, poorly vetted,

2:52:47overly armed henchmen who have responded

2:52:50to blatantly white Christian nationalist

2:52:53recruitment ads. Senator White House has

2:52:56repeatedly called for an investigation

2:52:58into these heinous practices.

2:53:01GRPD is supposed to serve and protect

2:53:04the community, not ICE agents who are

2:53:08depriving residents of due process,

2:53:10sending them to forprofit goologs where

2:53:14many languish enduring bad food,

2:53:17unhealthy conditions, and lack of legal

2:53:20counsel.

2:53:21ICE is not going after criminals. They

2:53:24are filling a quota in service to the

2:53:27real criminal in the White House

2:53:30who for years has demonized immigrants,

2:53:33at least those he does not marry.

2:53:36I was at the protest September 12th. I

2:53:40left. I'm old, so I left when GRPD

2:53:43threatened to arrest us. I drove back to

2:53:46Division via Mason and saw 15 to 20 GRPD

2:53:51cars parked in a lot alongside Division

2:53:54not far from the immigration office on

2:53:57Ottawa.

2:53:59Were 100 peaceful protesters the threat

2:54:02that called so many officers to that

2:54:04area?

2:54:06Help protect our neighbors. Their

2:54:08presence in Grand Rapids enriches all of

2:54:12our lives and they deserve our support.

2:54:15Thank you.

2:54:22>> Hello. Um, I'm glad for the new

2:54:24information, so I won't announce who I

2:54:26am. Um, but thank you for the

2:54:28opportunity to talk and I echo

2:54:30everything that everybody else has said.

2:54:31I wish I would have had time to prepare

2:54:33something to say. Um, but I do support

2:54:36the Grand Rapids 5 who showed courage

2:54:38and did what we should all be doing on

2:54:40September 12th. Um, we should all be

2:54:42putting our bodies in front of those

2:54:43that are most affected and using our

2:54:45privilege. Um, so I stand with the Grand

2:54:48Rapids 5. I support the sanctuary

2:54:50policies put forth by Cosa to end the

2:54:52harm being inflicted on our immigrant

2:54:54neighbors by ICE. I think we all know

2:54:56that ICE is a terrorist organization and

2:54:58we're way too calm about this. Um, I

2:55:01support calling out Chief Trigg and his

2:55:03romanticizing of violence. Um, that is

2:55:06not what a leadership should be for

2:55:07public safety.

2:55:09I do not support the mass surveillance

2:55:11in violation of our Fourth Amendment

2:55:12rights. I hope we can get rid of the

2:55:14mass surveillance. I think again we

2:55:16could be a pioneer city in that respect,

2:55:18too. If I knew that I could go to a

2:55:20place and there was no surveillance and

2:55:21it had a little sticker above it that

2:55:23said no surveillance here, I would go

2:55:24there and slowly one by one we would get

2:55:27rid of the places that are doing mass

2:55:28surveillance. I do think we can be a

2:55:30pioneer city. Mayor um Mamani has shown

2:55:33that in New York City. I think you have

2:55:34the chance to do the same thing here. Um

2:55:37it takes courage. I think it's going to

2:55:39take courage to stand up. Um do it

2:55:41scared. That's what we're all doing. Um

2:55:45and then I do not support the hateful

2:55:47racist abortion guy. I know he has the

2:55:49chance to speech but to speak, but oh my

2:55:52gosh, he is so full of hate. So if we

2:55:54could all be rooted in love and like

2:55:55fight the right fight, that would be

2:55:56great. Thank you.

2:56:04Hi, my name is Jennifer. I'm a resident

2:56:06of Grand Rapids and a former elementary

2:56:09educator. That will be relevant in a

2:56:11minute. Um, I just I'm here to support

2:56:13the beautiful and brave immigrant

2:56:17community here and I see it every day

2:56:20how they just persevere through what

2:56:23must be absolutely terrorizing. And so I

2:56:27keep coming back and my first definition

2:56:29as an elementary educator, I looked up

2:56:31humanity. I keep going back to humanity.

2:56:34The definition is compassionate,

2:56:37sympathetic or generous behavior of or

2:56:39dis uh disposition or the quality of

2:56:43being humane. Where have we come? Like

2:56:47we've gotten so far from that in way too

2:56:51many instances. And September 12th

2:56:54wasn't appropriate. I was there and I'm

2:56:58just uh really I'm sorry really really

2:57:02um so saddened by the events on Sunday.

2:57:05[gasps] But I want to challenge you as

2:57:07an observer in this meeting.

2:57:10As a former teacher, I can evaluate

2:57:13listening.

2:57:14And so again, I looked up the the

2:57:17definition for active listening. It

2:57:20means combined focused attention on the

2:57:22speaker's words, tone, and body language

2:57:25with thoughtful verbal. I realize you

2:57:27can't verbally respond, but there's also

2:57:30non-verbal responses.

2:57:33Commissioner Belch, you do an awesome

2:57:35job of active listening, as does Kelsey

2:57:37Purdue. I'm wondering if we're not

2:57:40getting anywhere because of a lack of

2:57:42active listening. And you have to listen

2:57:46so that we can be heard. We can hear

2:57:48you. And I challenge you to meet with us

2:57:52and to practice that active listening.

2:57:54It requires eye contact. Look at your

2:57:57physical way.

2:57:59It's your job. And I know this is a long

2:58:02evening. Every month it's a long

2:58:04evening, but please just really think

2:58:06about are you truly listening and

2:58:08hearing what these valuable community

2:58:11members are giving you as far as

2:58:13insights.

2:58:15So that's really all I wanted to say. It

2:58:17was an observation, but I think I know I

2:58:20practice being an active listener in my

2:58:22daily life and I know that I would

2:58:26challenge you to do the same. Thank you.

2:58:36>> Hi, I'm Susan. I live in the second ward

2:58:38and I'm also a former elementary school

2:58:40teacher. Um, cameras that spy on us do

2:58:45not make us safe.

2:58:47ICE kidnapping our neighbors. That does

2:58:49not make us safe. And the GRPD

2:58:52coordinating with them does not make us

2:58:54safe either. I urge you to adopt the six

2:58:58sanctuary policies that we keep bringing

2:59:00up here.

2:59:02I have a question though, and that is

2:59:04why does it feel like you're not on the

2:59:07same side as us? Why does it feel like

2:59:10we're coming up here and bearing our

2:59:12souls? Um,

2:59:15many of us are spending lots of time

2:59:17volunteering, trying to help the

2:59:19community. And I feel like we come here

2:59:21and we beg you, please help us do

2:59:24something. We elected you. Please help

2:59:27us help the people of our city. They're

2:59:30terrified.

2:59:32I don't know why it feels like you're

2:59:33not on the same page as us. Um, and

2:59:38perhaps you are, and it's a

2:59:39communication thing. I don't know. But

2:59:42it feels like it's taking so long. And I

2:59:45don't think the six policies

2:59:48are that hard to achieve when I read

2:59:52them.

2:59:57I want to come here feeling like I'm

2:59:59part of the same community that you're a

3:00:01part of. And I feel like I'm coming to

3:00:04like a a closed off section of my

3:00:07community where I have to come in and

3:00:10it's very formal and I kind of um repeat

3:00:13things that everyone else has said.

3:00:16Um but I walk away and it kind of feels

3:00:19fruitless and I just want to let you

3:00:21know that.

3:00:29Hi everybody. I've got my RBG socks on,

3:00:33my reelect Lisa Knight shirt on. I'm

3:00:35ready to vote up to and including

3:00:37proudly for a Muslim with a funny name.

3:00:41So, I gave our city clerk one of these

3:00:43for each of you up there. I hope that

3:00:45you get it. I hope that everyone uh

3:00:47attends whatever forums, candidate

3:00:50forums that they can. This happens to be

3:00:52a school board candidate forum. It

3:00:54doesn't take being a parent of

3:00:56two-legged, snot-nosed kids to

3:00:58understand the importance of our

3:00:59education. Our students are our futures.

3:01:03And so, I invite everyone to come to

3:01:05this at Fountain Street Church on

3:01:06October 9th, 6:30 to 8:30 and get

3:01:09involved, please. Unfortunately, it's

3:01:12too late for us to be a pioneer city.

3:01:15There have already been over a hundred

3:01:17cities in our country that have done the

3:01:20right thing up to and including banning

3:01:22flot cameras. I'm hearing the echoes

3:01:26throughout the internet throughout our

3:01:28neighborhoods. Our elders especially

3:01:31[snorts]

3:01:32talking about our country being

3:01:34reminiscent of 1940s Germany. I'm

3:01:37hearing that everywhere all the time.

3:01:40Makes me sick. I want to let you know

3:01:42that uh just a few of the cities of the

3:01:45hundred cities that have cancelled,

3:01:46deactivated or rejected flock safety,

3:01:49automatic license plate readers or any

3:01:51cameras like them. A couple are Tempe,

3:01:54Arizona deactivated its entire flock

3:01:56system permanently, stating they will

3:01:58not seek another provider. So even

3:02:00though we lost a chance to be a

3:02:02pioneering city, we have some cities

3:02:04that have given us some examples here to

3:02:06follow. Flugerville, Texas, discontinued

3:02:09its 28 active flock cameras, physically

3:02:11covering them with bags before shut off.

3:02:14Appleton, Wisconsin, ended the program

3:02:16entirely after the mayor noted the mayor

3:02:18noted [snorts] that concerns about the

3:02:22integrity of Flock's underlying system

3:02:24have eroded our trust.

3:02:27Bloomington, Indiana.

3:02:30Bloomington, Indiana of all places where

3:02:32I was born and raised and has escaped

3:02:34Indiana as quickly as I could terminated

3:02:37its agreement following heavy community

3:02:40push back. David, I've been coming here

3:02:42for months. I I really am happy to be

3:02:45here with all of you, especially one of

3:02:48my two beloved third ward commissioners

3:02:51that gets doxed online all the time

3:02:53because of who he loves and how he

3:02:55identifies. They've doxed me because I

3:02:58come to these city meetings every month.

3:03:01Hi, fan club. You don't scare me. Keep

3:03:04posting my house and address online. I'm

3:03:06not going to stop. This is important.

3:03:09Remember I told you a long time ago, I

3:03:11want to be proud of my city. I don't

3:03:14feel proud today. How can we have our

3:03:17neighbors continuing to come up every

3:03:19month, month after month after month

3:03:22with these tragic stories, these

3:03:24heartbreaking things happening in our

3:03:25city and we're still having the same

3:03:28discussion over a year and a half later

3:03:30since I started coming here. So, please

3:03:34I I want us to turn this around again.

3:03:37We lost our chance to be a pioneering

3:03:39city. Let's follow other cities that

3:03:41have done the right thing. Thank you so

3:03:42much.

3:03:50Commissioners, Mayor, hello everyone.

3:03:52Leave it to Kim to put a smile on

3:03:54everyone's face just before we go. Um, I

3:03:56just wanted to to step up real quick.

3:03:58Um, my head's heavy. You know, that's

3:04:01been an intense meeting to say the

3:04:02least. You know, again, standing in the

3:04:04face of unbearable hate. Um, I just kept

3:04:08thinking the whole time, man, I could

3:04:09have gone to the Abdul rally over this.

3:04:11But I really I very much so wanted to be

3:04:13here. Um so I really wanted to be here

3:04:18because you know I I really care and I

3:04:20was very interested to see just how many

3:04:21people you know would would be here

3:04:23again and care you know for the neighbor

3:04:24that we lost you know um earlier this

3:04:27week. You know some this this read you

3:04:30know reading the news and stuff like

3:04:31that that it it hit me and it hit me

3:04:32really deep because you know this is a

3:04:34loss of one of our own. You know

3:04:36immigration status does not matter. You

3:04:38know, this is a man who who who worked

3:04:40and built things that maybe, you know,

3:04:42we may be standing on and have no idea.

3:04:44You know, as a construction worker, he

3:04:45came here to send money back to his

3:04:47family to create a better life for them.

3:04:51And I I, you know, grew up in a in a

3:04:53Reagan era dad household and, you know,

3:04:55a, you know, radical acceptance

3:04:57household on my mom's side. And, you

3:04:59know, no matter what, it was always kind

3:05:00of that impression that like America was

3:05:02where opportunity really, you know,

3:05:04could thrive and where people could

3:05:05could make a good life for themselves.

3:05:07And you know, it it hurts to think of

3:05:10the the terror and the fear that was

3:05:14probably going through his heart at

3:05:15those last moments. It really really

3:05:17hurts. And it just kind of contributes,

3:05:20I think, a lot of the underlying

3:05:21narrative here is that it contributes to

3:05:23kind of this this general sense that

3:05:25there might be, you know, it it is seen,

3:05:27but forgive me when I say kind of this

3:05:29unseen terror, right? where many of us

3:05:30might not interact with it on a

3:05:32day-to-day basis, but that there is this

3:05:34aura of terror that is just really

3:05:36enveloping the city through ISIS

3:05:37activities. You know, having an office,

3:05:39you know, front and center. They're not

3:05:40afraid, you know, to really, you know,

3:05:41kind of wear that loud and proud um you

3:05:43know, and and and flock cameras and

3:05:45having to hear about kind of a lot of

3:05:47the things that continue to develop um

3:05:49from Flock and then kind of recognizing

3:05:51when you look out your window, you're

3:05:52like, "There's one right there in front

3:05:53of me." Um you know, and in that case,

3:05:54that's my home. And so, you know, a lot

3:05:56of people have said a lot more a lot

3:05:58more potent things, but I just wanted to

3:06:00say like I just I think a lot of us here

3:06:03are ready, willing to collaborate. You

3:06:05know, I know I am just, you know, to to

3:06:07try to figure this out because we just

3:06:08we have to get to a place where people

3:06:10feel safe and welcome and we feel like

3:06:12we're being heard. And I think there's

3:06:14efforts with that. You know, Marshall, I

3:06:15want to applaud your effort, you know,

3:06:16for bringing Chief Trigg into the

3:06:18community, you know, to go out and, you

3:06:19know, kind of meet. I I hope all the

3:06:21commissioners we can continue to do

3:06:22this, for example, and just continue. We

3:06:24have to repair a lot of a lot of roads

3:06:26here because the federal government has

3:06:28shown just how broken things have been.

3:06:31I think we're all looking for a sense of

3:06:32purpose and a sense of belonging and

3:06:34that starts with community and I you

3:06:36know I want to believe and I I do

3:06:38believe that there is that path in

3:06:39governance that we could that it is

3:06:41collaborative especially at the hyper

3:06:43local level like this. So, I I just I

3:06:45know we're here. I know you guys work a

3:06:47lot, you know. I I know you guys. So, I

3:06:49know you guys work a lot and work really

3:06:50hard. Um, but I just know a lot of us

3:06:52are here and we're ready to to connect

3:06:55and get that done, you know, and make

3:06:57this city the place we know it can be

3:06:59cuz I think a lot of us are here

3:07:00fighting because we know what this city

3:07:02can be. So, I'm sorry I went over time,

3:07:04but thank you.

3:07:11Okay, I wasn't going to speak, but

3:07:13everybody really just inspired me to.

3:07:16Um, I came here today because I wanted

3:07:19to hear what the community has to say to

3:07:21you guys and how you guys are going to

3:07:22respond to this. I'm curious as to how

3:07:24you guys are going to respond to all

3:07:25these public comments. It sounds like

3:07:26you're not. Please do. You still have

3:07:28time to. But anyways, um I spent the

3:07:32last summer documenting the stories of

3:07:34every single death that we know of from

3:07:36the hands of ICE and Border Patrol from

3:07:382024 and 2025.

3:07:40And I called this this project was

3:07:42called uh two years of political murder

3:07:44because that's what it is. It's murder.

3:07:48I've read each and every one of their

3:07:50stories. Every single one. reading them,

3:07:55every single one humanizes how horrible

3:07:58of a problem this is.

3:08:01They are human beings. They are not

3:08:03criminals. They are not statistics. They

3:08:05are human beings. I was sitting right

3:08:08over there when I learned that Grand

3:08:10Rapids has now become part of this

3:08:13project. Grand Rapids is now complicit

3:08:16in somebody's death, a human being. I am

3:08:20so saddened, so angry, so Oh my gosh,

3:08:24the words just sitting there just

3:08:27feeling that I What are you guys going

3:08:29to do about it? Please,

3:08:33when you drive home tonight, wave wave

3:08:36to all the flock cameras that are tra

3:08:38track tracking you down cuz there's so

3:08:40many of them. Um, and just realize that

3:08:43while while you're driving home that you

3:08:46have the privilege that you will not

3:08:48have to worry about being chased to your

3:08:51death. Thank you. Have a good night.

3:09:00Hello, my name is Angela. I'm a resident

3:09:03of the second ward.

3:09:06Um, there was a time in my life where I

3:09:09used to say repeat the phrase America or

3:09:14that we're a nation of immigrants.

3:09:17Um,

3:09:18but that's really not true. We're a

3:09:22nation of colonizers

3:09:24and we need to reconcile with that.

3:09:28Mayor Lrand, um, you once said that

3:09:30agents are people that deserve the

3:09:33protection and to feel safe. They are

3:09:36people. They are. ICE agents are people.

3:09:42Um, ICE agents are people that work to

3:09:45support their families just like

3:09:47immigrants do.

3:09:51ICE agents are people that drink coffee

3:09:54at Sweet Waters on Bond Street and eat

3:09:57their lunch at Jimmy John's on Monroe.

3:10:02Ice are people that have just regular

3:10:05ordinary names like Cody and Chad and

3:10:10Jason,

3:10:13Jesse.

3:10:18Ice are people that put their pants on

3:10:21one leg at a time and then they add a

3:10:24Glock and a can of mace and a vest and a

3:10:28mask.

3:10:30And unlike immigrants,

3:10:33ICE are people that get to do their jobs

3:10:36unbothered and unchecked

3:10:39by you and by the GRPD.

3:10:42ICE are people that separate families.

3:10:45ICE are people

3:10:49that terrorize communities.

3:10:52And the GRPD,

3:10:55part of their mission, if you read it,

3:10:59um they say that they're here to ensure

3:11:03all people feel safe and are safe.

3:11:09I would argue that a lot of immigrants

3:11:11do not feel safe here.

3:11:15But they are people. They are part of

3:11:17that all people.

3:11:20Mario wasn't safe. He didn't feel safe.

3:11:25The GRPD mission also states that they

3:11:29will seek justice for all victims.

3:11:33Mario was a victim of ICE violence.

3:11:38And the GRPD has made several statements

3:11:41since Sunday

3:11:43when the news broke about this accident.

3:11:47First,

3:11:49in the news stories, they said GRPD was

3:11:51quoted as saying to call Silent Observer

3:11:53if you had any information about what

3:11:57might have happened.

3:11:59Then

3:12:02they said that ICE was the first to

3:12:05respond on this scene. Ma'am, if you

3:12:07could wrap it up. You've got your

3:12:09>> Oh, I'm almost done here. Yep. But after

3:12:12they said ICE was the first to respond

3:12:14on the scene, then

3:12:17they said that this was an ICE

3:12:19enforcement action and they swore that

3:12:22they didn't know anything about this

3:12:24until they got there.

3:12:28>> ICE.

3:12:29>> Thanks, ma'am. Ma'am, you you've you've

3:12:31run well over your three minutes and I I

3:12:32actually

3:12:33>> Well, I don't think it was well over

3:12:34three minutes, but I'm not done talking.

3:12:36I have just a couple more.

3:12:38>> I understand you're not done, but but I

3:12:39I I I've asked people and I and I said

3:12:42I'd give you the grace to finish your

3:12:43thought, but I have to enforce this

3:12:45consistently. And so I'd ask you to be

3:12:48>> that you're complicit. You're complicit.

3:12:52>> Responses.

3:12:53>> Justice for Mario.

3:12:54>> Justice for Mario.

3:12:56>> Copy go hand in hand.

3:13:01covered up by Mayor Lrand.

3:13:03>> Covered up by Mayor Grand,

3:13:07>> we don't want to hear your lie.

3:13:10>> Okay.

3:13:12>> Okay. Um

3:13:15>> Mark, [screaming]

3:13:17>> Mark, okay, you're Yeah, I'm like I'm

3:13:20going to recess the meeting. I'm

3:13:22recessing the meeting. Okay. Uh, I'd ask

3:13:25the security uh forces, our security

3:13:28folks to get the room in order.

3:13:33>> No recess.

3:13:36>> Mark, come back. We're going to re We're

3:13:37in recess until we get the room in

3:13:39order.

3:14:00>> [music]

3:14:12[music]

3:14:13>> Heat. Heat.

3:14:34[music]

3:14:42>> [music]

3:14:48[music]

3:15:29[music]

3:15:53>> adjourning the meeting in the hopes that

3:15:55this will allow this uh to deescalate.

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