2026-10-27 - City Commission

00:00Heat.

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06:22Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat.

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09:08Oh,

09:23heat.

10:13Heat. Heat.

10:27Heat. Heat.

10:49Heat. Heat.

11:15Heat. Heat.

11:47call this meeting of city commission to

11:49order and uh begin as is our uh habit

11:53with a moment of silence.

12:04>> Ask you all to join us in the pledge of

12:06allegiance.

12:09>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

12:11United States of America and to the

12:14republic for which it stands, one nation

12:17under God, indivisible, with liberty and

12:20justice for all.

12:24Thank you. And Mr. Clerk, if you could

12:25call the role while our interpreter

12:27makes her way up.

12:29>> Uh, Commissioner Belchek,

12:31>> I am present.

12:32>> Commissioner Purdue,

12:33>> present.

12:34>> Commissioner Sassi,

12:35>> present.

12:35>> Commissioner Knight,

12:36>> present.

12:36>> Commissioner Kilgore,

12:37>> present.

12:37>> Mayor Lrand,

12:38>> yes.

12:39>> Are you our interpreter? Great.

12:43>> Good evening. Here, I'm here from the

12:45Hispanic Center to offer Spanish

12:48translation to anybody that needs it.

12:56Thank you. Thank you. Uh this is our

12:59first opportunity for public comment. Um

13:01and uh you can see that the uh suggested

13:05guidelines are up on the wall. I'll also

13:07point out that we have a threeminut

13:08clock which will be strictly observed.

13:10So you can see it from the podium. So

13:12please pay attention to it because the

13:13microphone will get cut off at 3

13:15minutes. Uh but anyone wishing to

13:16address us on items that are before us

13:19for action today uh can come up and

13:21speak to those items.

13:26>> And if you could give us your name, tell

13:28us where you live, and tell us the item

13:30you're referring to, that would be

13:31helpful. Thank you.

13:38>> Can you Can you push the button? Go push

13:40the button. Little button there.

13:41Perfect.

13:43>> Can you hear me?

13:45Okay, great. Hi, thank you for allowing

13:49me the privilege to be here tonight to

13:52speak. My name is Pastor Walter

13:56Slaughter and I am here to speak about a

14:02few things about um a number of concerns

14:07that not only I myself have but a number

14:13of people in the community and the

14:16surrounding areas have. Um

14:20number one the

14:22number the first concern is um a growing

14:27concern about Islam in the area and

14:32>> sir I'm sorry um if you could this is

14:35the po you can there's a point at the

14:37end of the meeting when you can talk

14:38about any item you want to bring in

14:40front of the commission um okay this is

14:42about specifically things we're going to

14:43take action on and vote on tonight so if

14:45you have those otherwise you probably

14:47want I have a a few other things. I'm

14:50not sure exactly what um another thing

14:53is um about the growing concern of

14:57crime.

14:58>> Well, that's again you if you if you're

15:00not referencing a specific action item,

15:02just come back at the end of the meeting

15:03and there's a there's a public comment

15:05time at the end of the meeting for

15:06general conversations like that.

15:09>> Okay.

15:10>> Oh, okay. Um perhaps maybe I can come

15:13back at uh a different time.

15:16>> Okay.

15:16>> Perhaps. Okay. Thank you so much.

15:40>> Trick or treat.

15:41>> Oh, Lucas, can you turn the mic back on,

15:44please? Okay. Haven't you been here

15:46before?

15:46>> Checkity check. We good? All right.

15:49Trick or treat, Lucas. Still

15:52amphitheater noise exemption.

15:55We know not all of you were in place to

15:57make the blunders you now suffer for,

16:00but you're here now.

16:02Importantly, the city manager, the

16:05unelected multi-administration throttle

16:07on the will of the people, was here, and

16:10his outsized power definitely figures

16:13into this topic.

16:15He's functioning exactly as his role was

16:17designed over 100 years ago to serve

16:20GR's corporate overlords.

16:23And yes, there are people complaining

16:26about the sound who are just stodgy

16:28traditionalists and don't want to see

16:29the city grow economically or they're

16:32willing to disguise classism and racism

16:34and arguments of sound that tend to

16:36reveal their bias when they're

16:37mysteriously silent or otherwise

16:38rationalize their feedback about certain

16:40artists or genres. There are a lot of

16:42people exaggerating numbers like a

16:43friend of mine who's 2 miles away and

16:45claiming three or the media saying Plaza

16:47Towers is half a mile away when it's a

16:49quarter. But from the beginning, this

16:52project trended toward being a giant

16:54sellout to greedy corporate interests,

16:58which makes the battle over sound

17:00unsurprising.

17:02You could have just leveled with people

17:04and owned the fact that it would be loud

17:06sometimes. That's life in the city. You

17:09could and should have refused to accept

17:11that shady sound study. You should have

17:14laughed at the logic that the highway

17:16would be a buffer. We did. You should

17:19have exercised oversight on the design

17:21and construction and owned it being over

17:23budget instead of letting corners get

17:26cut that would have mitigated sound. And

17:28you should have crafted an ordinance

17:30that struck some balance instead of

17:31bending over to the whims of live nation

17:34legends global concert promoters and

17:36musicians egos.

17:38You can still compromise. Stop the

17:41special exceptions. Change the time to

17:4410 p.m. on week nights and 11 p.m. on

17:46Friday and Saturday nights for all

17:47entertainment business to keep it fair.

17:50Make further exceptions very limited.

17:52Deliver transparent and trackable

17:54documentation of it. Publish prompt and

17:58accessible readings from those sound

17:59monitoring uh equipment installations

18:01that we've never seen.

18:03create tax rebates for residents within

18:05a radius of downtown to share the wealth

18:07brought by an inconvenience.

18:10Today, you have a chance to stop being

18:12the rubber stamp for greed or a for

18:15the CIA.

18:17Discuss this and vote no. Make it clear

18:20that there's a broader set of needs to

18:21address and take them on. Make laws the

18:24county has to obey just as much as the

18:26rest of us. Take measures that hold

18:28yourselves and everyone involved to

18:30account instead of trying to sidestep

18:33the courts.

18:45Greetings, Mayor Lrand,

18:48commissioners,

18:49staff, and my fellow citizens.

18:52Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus

18:55Christ.

18:56My name is Daniel and that's my real

18:59identity. I'm a follower of the Lord

19:01Jesus Christ.

19:04I'd like to address uh the resolution

19:07accepting $12,000 grant from the voters

19:10not politicians education fund.

19:14I just have a question for Clerk

19:17Hondorf.

19:19Please uh

19:21do not allow any dead people or

19:23non-citizens to vote.

19:29And I'd like to uh go to the resolutions

19:32once again

19:34where you are considering approving

19:38licenses

19:40for other liquor

19:44distributors. Resolutions 1 through

19:46three on committee on the whole.

19:50all requesting permits for more liquor

19:52places to destroy lives and marriages of

19:56your fellow residents.

20:00Once again, I have ministered in a

20:03hardside neighborhood for almost 50

20:04years and I continue to see the results

20:09of alcohol.

20:11Yes, not everyone becomes a street

20:14dweller because of alcohol or at

20:17Meltroder,

20:19but uh

20:22I've seen it so many times.

20:25Once again, if you agree to permit these

20:28licenses,

20:29you'll be held accountable to the

20:32Almighty Lord God that you are, as it

20:35says in Habachuk in the scriptures,

20:38woe to him who gives his neighbor drink,

20:42who puts the bottle to him and makes him

20:44drunk, that you may look at his

20:47nakedness, you will be filled with

20:50disgrace

20:51rather than honor. Now you yourself

20:54drink and expose your own nakedness. The

20:57cup is in the Lord's right hand. It will

21:00come around to you

21:02and utter disgrace will come upon you.

21:06Talk about causes of poverty,

21:08causes of crime,

21:10causes of marriage breakups, causes of

21:12children being abused, wives being

21:15abused.

21:17Alcohol is a major factor. Please

21:20consider what you vote for.

21:29Hello, my name is Gabby Mills and I'm a

21:32a member of the second ward. I live on

21:35Eastern and Cherry Streets and I can

21:38hear the Acer Amphitheater at my house

21:41and I know that many other members of

21:43the city that live miles away from the

21:46amphitheater can hear it. An amplitude

21:49theater's literal job is to amplify

21:51noise. This theater was built in such a

21:54way to make the noise reach people. But

21:57it was built right downtown where

22:00families live, where students study,

22:02where people work, there are animals and

22:05veterans and homeless people downtown

22:07who have to listen to this. And the

22:10noise is invading our spaces. The noise

22:13is invading our minds and our peace. And

22:15there are so many reasons you should not

22:18be voting to remove the noise ordinance

22:21or to bypass it. It's literally in place

22:24to make people's lives safer in this

22:26city. I'm just saying you have all of

22:30these things that were bypassed in the

22:32making of this amphitheater because you

22:34there are some billionaires who think

22:35they own the city and think that they

22:36run the city and think they can get away

22:38with anything. There are people here who

22:40are telling you they don't want this

22:42amphitheater downtown and it is causing

22:44too much harm and it is causing too much

22:46noise. It's too loud. You can hear it

22:49everywhere. I'm sitting on my front

22:50porch on a summer night and I can hear

22:52everything from the amphitheater. I knew

22:54exactly who was playing that night. I

22:55didn't even have to look it up cuz I

22:57could hear the songs so clearly. There

22:59are people saying that the amphitheater

23:01is literally traveling the noise is

23:02traveling down the Grand River. It is

23:04literally a tunnel for noise. and is

23:07people. There are highrises downtown,

23:09there are homes downtown, you've got the

23:11zoo that's near downtown, like this

23:12noise is literally reaching everyone. I

23:14don't think there is a good way that you

23:16can contain this noise and a glass

23:17ceiling is certainly not going to do

23:19that. I don't know if we need to revisit

23:21science class, but that is not what is

23:23going to contain noise. Thank you.

23:32Good evening. My name is Kain Frier. I'm

23:34resident of the first ward. I live up

23:36the hill from the zoo and I hear noise

23:40from the amphitheater. I can't detect

23:42every lyric that's being sung, but I've

23:45often thought there are marching bands

23:47practicing two blocks away from my house

23:49when it is not. It's one of the

23:51concerts, uh, like Machine Gun Kelly,

23:54for example. Um, many of my neighbors

23:57are also upset by the noise.

24:00My brother objects to um, my objection.

24:03he likes here having free concerts, but

24:06um we just really wish there was uh some

24:10sort of mitigation that could be put in

24:13in place for this and I don't think a

24:15variance on the noise ordinance is the

24:17answer to this. I think that they should

24:19be held to obeying the law and

24:22restricting the noise and obeying the

24:25limits on the hours that they make the

24:27noise. Thank you.

24:36Good evening everyone. I'm Shiona

24:38Nadvski. I live in the first ward and

24:40I'm proud to serve on the city of Grand

24:41Rapids Community Relations Commission.

24:44>> I am Sheena Walls and I live in the

24:46third ward and I'm also proud to serve

24:48on the community relations committee.

24:50Um, tonight we just want to share a few

24:52great resources and opportunities from

24:54the agenda earlier today that are

24:56available in our community because they

24:58help uh they only help pe if people know

25:01about them. First, um the city's office

25:04of emergency management presented today

25:07and they offer free emergency

25:09preparedness workshops for the

25:10neighborhoods, community groups, and

25:12organizations. They are a practical way

25:14to help families and neighbors feel more

25:16prepared when an emergency happens. Hey,

25:19I'm I'm sorry to to I'm I'm really

25:21trying to be consistent. Um if it's an

25:23item we're going to vote on, you can

25:24speak to it, but we're not

25:26>> number five

25:27>> under

25:28>> under the um United Way for the Grand

25:30Rapids United Way response fund.

25:34>> Uh under what cate I'm sorry, item five

25:37>> in fiscal.

25:38>> Y

25:38>> Okay, thanks.

25:39>> Yep. Um and so we just wanted to or I'm

25:43going to let you talk. Go ahead. We also

25:46wanted to see if any of those funds

25:47could be delegated to help city

25:49residents prepare for emergency blackout

25:51just in case it was to ever happen kind

25:53of like what the incident happened in

25:54Indiana where a lot of residents

25:56especially um lower class residents

25:59would not be prepared if that was to

26:01happen in the city of Grand Rapids. So,

26:03we're asking if any of those funds will

26:04be available to work with community

26:06partners in each ward to help prepare

26:09the residents for those items, to help

26:11purchase those items, and maybe work

26:12with city electives and community

26:14organizations to kind of get together

26:16and help put those um kits together um

26:19for families that might be in need. a

26:21few years ago um at neighborhood summit

26:23Marilyn I think over at Baxter she

26:25hosted a workshop where she had these

26:27totes really prepared for emergency

26:30disaster but kind of maybe tweaking

26:32those toes a little bit but see if it

26:34was any funds that could be available to

26:35help get those items organize events in

26:38each wards to help prepare the residents

26:40just in case it happened where um our

26:43residents here in Grand Rapids won't

26:44have to suffer like many did suffer in

26:46Indiana and so we're hoping that um this

26:50body could kind consider kind of giving

26:52some of those funds around through the

26:53city to help prepare for those emergency

26:55kits just in case it happened. Also, we

26:58do have um our meetings every month on

27:00the second Thursdays. We do have flyers

27:02out in the lobby if residents want to

27:04stop by. Please consider that because it

27:07can happen in any city. Um Grand Rapids

27:09is the second biggest city in Michigan

27:11and we love the mitten, right? So, we

27:12just want to make sure that the mitten

27:13is protected in all cases in emergency

27:16situation in case of any emergency but

27:18especially a blackout.

27:20Thank you.

27:27>> My name is Hana White. I'm actually

27:29going to speak on behalf of my son. Um,

27:31but he's a little camera shy. Um, his

27:33name's Felix. And actually, John Lrand

27:36was his OB. Um, he's 2 years old. And

27:40the other night it was almost 10 p.m.

27:44And he said, "Mama, what is that noise?"

27:48and it was a loud concert from the

27:50Aquasher Amphitheater. Um, we are on the

27:53northeast side of Grand Rapids where by

27:56Leonard and Fuller and I just think I

27:59have heard from so many other families

28:00how the noise keeps them up at night.

28:02Um, anyway, I promised two sentences but

28:04thank you for your time.

28:14Good evening. My name is Tom Flickinger.

28:16I'm a first word resident and also a

28:18business owner in the city and I live

28:21just under two miles from the

28:22amphitheater. Uh I wanted to give you a

28:24sense of what the noise is actually like

28:26at my house this summer. During the

28:29first concert, um my wife and I were

28:32inside with the windows closed watching

28:35a movie and all of a sudden we heard

28:37noise. I thought somebody's parked in my

28:40driveway blasting their stereo at full

28:42blast or on the road at best. And my

28:45wife goes, "I think that's the concert."

28:47I said, "There's no way." Like, uh, I

28:49couldn't believe it. But we opened the

28:50window and she was absolutely right. Um,

28:53we could hear the music clearly enough

28:55to identify the songs. We could hear the

28:57crowd roaring. Um, and it wasn't just

29:00one isolated concert. This is, you know,

29:03from beginning of the end of beginning

29:04of the season, the end of the season,

29:05we're talking about basically a third of

29:07the nights. There's this noise going on.

29:10Um, I complained to the city repeatedly

29:13through the summer, but the the problem

29:14continued. And then the court ruled that

29:16the city's noise limits should be

29:18enforced, and then something remarkable

29:20happened. All of a sudden, I stopped

29:22hearing the concert at my house. That's

29:25why I'm here tonight. I feel like the

29:26existing limits worked.

29:29Uh, I'm not opposed to the amphitheater.

29:31I think it's great. I want it to

29:32succeed. Uh but success should not mean

29:35that people living miles away from the

29:36amphitheater need to deal with listening

29:38to the concert inside their home. I

29:40don't think they should have to hear

29:41outside their home. Uh noise traveling

29:44such a large area diminishes the

29:45resident's use and enjoyment of their

29:47property and over time I think it

29:50threatens the desiraability and the

29:52property values as well. If the

29:54amphitheater needs uh believes it needs

29:56to be louder, uh I would recommend that

29:59we require it first to improve its

30:01speaker configuration, directionality,

30:03sound barriers, all that sort of stuff.

30:05I mean, it should be on them. Uh contain

30:07the sound if it's possible rather than

30:10eliminating the protections that are

30:11there for the citizens.

30:14Uh I'm also asking you to protect the 11

30:16p.m. cutoff. Um 11:00 is already too

30:20late in my opinion for amplified music.

30:22Production delays and that sort of stuff

30:24just shouldn't result in later concerts.

30:27Um shouldn't become the neighborhood's

30:28problem. And honestly, if there's any

30:30exceptions that are granted, I think

30:32they should be truly exceptional. And I

30:34think there should be a financial

30:36penalty to the amphitheater for that.

30:39Finally, I guess I'd just say I don't

30:41think there's any reason to rush this

30:42rush this decision. I mean, the outdoor

30:45concert season is done. um you have

30:47months to gather and evaluate

30:49information and opinions

30:51and possible corrections at the

30:53amphitheater itself. So I guess I just

30:56ask that you please do not eliminate the

30:57protections that have been working and

31:00vote no uh or at a minimum that you

31:02postpone the vote and study better

31:04solutions. Thanks.

31:13Uh Giles Huffren, First Ward. Uh

31:16regarding the proposed amendment to

31:18section 9.66,

31:21the city explains that this amendment

31:23merely restores what was originally

31:25intended as though this were a clerical

31:28error or simply or formality.

31:31But what exactly is that supposed to

31:33justify? Was the intention always to

31:37have amplified concert noise intruding

31:39into homes miles from the venue? Or was

31:43that the outcome the city hoped for?

31:46Surely not. Yet, despite residents

31:49reporting precisely these problems, the

31:52commission appears determined to proceed

31:54as if nothing has changed. The original

31:57intent is not the issue. The actual

32:00consequences are. The commission is not

32:04obligated to perpetuate a flawed

32:06arrangement simply because it was the

32:08arrangement originally envisioned. The

32:11disparity between the city's urgency to

32:14accommodate the venue and its reluctance

32:17to address residents concerns is

32:20becoming impossible to ignore. Whose

32:23interests are actually being prioritized

32:25here? We're repeatedly told that the

32:29city has heard our concerns and is

32:32working proactively with the venue. But

32:35what precisely has that produced? What

32:38changes have been required? What

32:40enforcable limits have been established?

32:42What assurances can residents reasonably

32:45rely upon?

32:48Without substantive answers, these

32:51statements amount to little more than

32:53the municipal equivalent of offering

32:56thoughts and prayers. A reassuring

32:59expression of concern that demands

33:01nothing, commits to nothing, and

33:04accomplishes nothing.

33:07Residents are not asking the city to

33:09sympathize with their predicament. They

33:12are asking it to govern.

33:15These problems are hardly unprecedented.

33:18Cities across the country have

33:19established enforcable sound limits,

33:22independent monitoring, curfews,

33:24financial penalties for outdoor concert

33:27venues. These are established practices,

33:30not experimental solutions.

33:33There seems to be no shortage of

33:35enthusiasm for projects that make Grand

33:38Rapids look like a thriving,

33:39sophisticated city, or for

33:42congratulating yourselves when they're

33:44completed. But there seems to be

33:46considerably less attention paid to

33:48thoughtful urban planning, competent

33:51execution, and the less glamorous

33:53responsibilities that make a city

33:55function well.

33:58Building a large impressive concert

34:00venue is not by itself an accomplishment

34:05in municipal governance.

34:08Demonstrating that you can operate it

34:09without imposing an unreasonable burden

34:13on the surrounding community would be

34:15>> Sir, your time is up.

34:16>> I urge you not to adopt this.

34:27Hi uh Dan Hibma Plaza Towers. I think

34:29there are solutions to the noise from

34:31the amphitheater, but we have tried to

34:33work with GA2 and the plane director

34:35since 2023. It doesn't work when they

34:37don't even respond to direct questions.

34:40When we when we do get to ask about the

34:42DBC bass sounds, they say it doesn't

34:44apply or we're not we're not at liberty

34:47to talk about that. The amphitheater was

34:49approved with the noise ordinance in

34:51place which includes DBA and DBC. The

34:54DBC bay sound standards are listed in

34:56section 9.65.

34:58Progressive engineering sound study said

35:00the city only measured the DBA decibb,

35:03not the DBC. That was false. Progressive

35:07engineering sound study said the sound

35:08mix the sound would mix with the freeway

35:11noise and would dissipate over the

35:13river. That was false. Progressives Bill

35:16Cohane said that the sound would be soft

35:18speech at our building. Soft speech

35:20complies with the ordinance, but that

35:22was false. Then, even though the sound

35:25would be soft speech, the city council

35:27voted to try to exempt the amphitheater

35:29from the noise ordinance. Commissioner

35:31Okconor said, "It's city noise. Live

35:33with it." As if all cities have this

35:35noise. That was false. The 2023 hearing

35:39was illegitim was not legitimate. The

35:42planning commission based their decision

35:43on false sound study projections and

35:46false testimony. Can't we all agree that

35:49the noise was louder and the sound

35:50traveled further than the project? Let's

35:53fix it. Recently, the deputy city

35:55manager says they can regulate sound

35:57under the special land use. They

35:59haven't. There are other and you know,

36:02by the way, there are other government

36:03agencies that regulate sound. I was

36:05recently advised that the EPA indicates

36:07sound levels above 55 interferes with

36:10residential use. That's the EPA. You

36:12should check that out. Your city charter

36:15has a preamble that states, "We, the

36:17people of the city of Grand Rapids in

36:20order to perfect a municipal government,

36:22promote the happiness and welfare of its

36:24people. The charter focuses on

36:26protecting the people." To the three

36:29commissioners that voted in 2023, the

36:31sound projections were not accurate. Why

36:33double down on that vote? Those that

36:36weren't on the council then, why rubber

36:38stamp that previous council vote?

36:40Progressive Engineering's Bill Cohane

36:42gave testimony that GA2 did not plan,

36:46but they could build a wall on the burm

36:48to mitigate the sound. GA2 refuses to

36:51discuss it. Now, go back to GA2 and

36:54Progressive Engineering's Bill Cohane

36:56and ask them to honor their testimony to

36:59put up a wall. If they won't, deal with

37:02them like you would with anyone else

37:04that breaks their commitment to the

37:05city. The amphitheater wasn't built for

37:08one season. convene a meeting of people

37:10and business to find solutions for the

37:12long term. Let's do all we can to reduce

37:15the sounds of the neighborhoods tonight.

37:19Vote uh please vote to table this this

37:22ordinance or vote no on it. Thank you.

37:31>> Hi, I'm Sue Brown. I'm a downtown

37:34resident Oaks in Ottawa. So, less than a

37:38mile from the amphitheater. And I see no

37:42problem with the noise for the minimum

37:44amounts of concerts that are allowed and

37:47the short concert series that we have in

37:50Michigan. I love the energy and the

37:53people that it brings downtown. So, I'm

37:56like,

37:58let's keep it as it is. Loud for some.

38:04Thank you.

38:13Good evening. I'm retired Army Sergeant

38:14Kip Paul. I was not going to speak. I'm

38:17a downtown residence, but I'm about to

38:20move.

38:22Where I live at is a senior building and

38:25there's quite a few in the area where

38:27I'm at and I see the same thing going

38:29on. people basically just giving up,

38:33getting a lawn chair and going outside

38:37because the noise inside of their

38:40apartment is bouncing off of the walls.

38:44I'm a, like I said, a retired army

38:47sergeant, so I'm used to noise. I flew

38:50helicopters in the military,

38:52but my thought process is I'm listening

38:56to everybody talking. We haven't even

38:59discussed

39:02this soccer stadium that's coming.

39:05So, that's more noise,

39:08more traffic,

39:10more foot traffic.

39:13I like being able to go over to the YMCA

39:17there and just walk around. That's why I

39:19moved down there in the first place. And

39:21now all that's been taken from me. I'm

39:2563 years old. Try to stay in shape.

39:30But my ears can't take this. And I'm not

39:33the only one.

39:36Vote like you live there. Okay? When you

39:39vote, I don't know if any of you live in

39:42the radius of where that noise is. But I

39:44think if you did, you would want to do

39:47something about that.

39:48>> So vote like you live there. I respect

39:51everybody that's sitting here.

39:54Respect us.

40:00If you could please refrain from

40:01clapping or or um cheering, that would

40:04be appreciated.

40:05>> Russad, Westside, Grand Rapids. Um

40:09what I'm going to say, I know is not

40:11very popular. A portion of what I'm

40:13going to say is probably not going to be

40:14very popular with the people in the

40:15room. I love the amphitheater. As a

40:18former as a musician and uh music lover,

40:21I I love uh going to the the shows that

40:24depend there. Um I living on the west

40:28side up by just just up above John Ball

40:31Park area. Um I can hear the concerts

40:34definitely can in the summertime with

40:36the windows open. Absolutely without

40:38question. Um it's not a nuisance to me.

40:43However, all of that said, consistency

40:45is important and there are many times

40:47when I come up before the commission

40:49talking about how when the community

40:52gives voice to an issue, we need to

40:54listen to it and we need to act on it.

40:56Even though I disagree with what many

41:01people are talking about in my own lived

41:03experience, that doesn't necessarily

41:05mean that it is not affecting them

41:06adversely. And I don't think it's

41:09reasonable to have an outdoor

41:13uh venue um under the decibb at at the

41:18property line under the decb from what

41:20was the court order. I don't think

41:21that's possible. I don't think it's it's

41:23possible for a music venue, an outdoor

41:25venue, especially that size to I just

41:28don't think it's feasible. It's not uh

41:30it's not reasonable. But that isn't to

41:33say that there isn't compromises that

41:34can be found here um in trying to work

41:37with the property for sound abatement um

41:40I know it may not seem reasonable but as

41:43the rapids are restored that is going to

41:46affect how sound waves will travel up

41:48river because you no longer have a flat

41:51surface and sound waves when it hits

41:53that flat surface is going to carry much

41:55farther. So that is going to abate along

41:58with the tower project as that's built

42:00that is also going to affect now the

42:02people living there are probably not

42:03going to like it but the uh it's going

42:05to affect it from carrying further up uh

42:08northeast.

42:10Uh those things are going to help but

42:12that's also not necessarily enough in

42:14working with perhaps looking at earlier

42:18concert times as a compromise with what

42:21the residents are asking for. looking at

42:24possibly ending at 10:00 p.m. Um,

42:28depending on the time frame for the

42:30concerts because of the light shows that

42:32national acts are going to want and

42:33international acts are going to want.

42:35You're going to have to consider that.

42:37But there are compromises that can be

42:40made here. There are ways of planting a

42:43larger tree base along the back area

42:45that would help block some of that sound

42:48and working with acoustical engineers in

42:50order to see what can be done in order

42:53to preserve what I think is a great

42:56aspect for the city but also address the

42:58issues that the community is asking for.

43:01Thank you.

43:09Hello,

43:11my name is Alyssa and I live on West

43:14Fulton and Southwest Seward.

43:17I have been able to hear the

43:18amphitheater inside my apartment with

43:21the windows closed as I live on the

43:23ground floor and they actually don't

43:24open

43:26late into the evening.

43:28I do not want to hear it in my apartment

43:31at all.

43:33I expect the city of Grand Rapids to

43:35hold the amphitheater accountable to the

43:38city noise ordinance. It does not matter

43:41the organization or the person. No one

43:44is above the law. We are simply asking

43:48for the venue to follow the law.

43:53As the government of Grand Rapids works

43:55for the people

43:58and the people have

44:01made themselves heard, the majority of

44:04us want

44:06the venue noise

44:10to follow the noise ordinance.

44:13Thank you.

44:22My name is You hear me? Right. My name

44:24is Peter Steinma. I'm a resident of

44:27Plaza Towers. I have spoken here before.

44:30I'd like to ask you some more questions

44:31which you can't answer.

44:34Do you use a scale when you diet?

44:37Do you check the market in the morning?

44:40Do you check your watch to see how many

44:42steps you've made in the day? Do you

44:44check your banking account to see if

44:46you've got enough money for next month's

44:48rent?

44:50You measure what matters.

44:54So, what do we conclude from a city

44:56resolution that says we don't want to

44:58measure the sound? One of two things.

45:02You don't hear the sound or residents

45:06such as you've been hearing all night

45:08don't matter. Which is it?

45:12But listening, you do receive po reports

45:16on the amount of business brought into

45:18the city by the amphitheater and the

45:20profits. What matters

45:25containing this sound when you build an

45:28amphitheater like this with highrises

45:30around it and a river valley in front of

45:33it isn't easy. But it's not just about a

45:37pretty saucer, although it is pretty.

45:40It's about how well that amphitheater

45:42contains the sound to permit it to be a

45:45good neighbor.

45:48You were told at the beginning of this

45:51project that the sound from the

45:54amphitheater would go over the burm and

45:57dissipate over the river.

46:01We know that's a mistake.

46:03People make mistakes. What are we going

46:06to do about it? you want to bury it.

46:11We've learned that now.

46:14And people

46:16five miles up the river

46:19have the sound in their living room. We

46:22saw a mother with their son tonight.

46:26What are you going to say when he's old

46:27enough to observe, "Mommy, that man uses

46:30a lot of naughty words

46:34in her living room at night.

46:37Is that the standard of public discourse

46:40we want to promote? Is that the

46:42childhood education we want to support?

46:52Good builders

46:55use a good ruler.

46:59Measure twice, cut once. Those of us

47:02that have cut twice know this.

47:06If you use a metric ruler

47:10to build an inch plan, it's not going to

47:13turn out. There are two rulers, the

47:17speech ruler and the full spectrum

47:19ruler.

47:20The amphitheater design used a speech

47:24ruler for a music problem.

47:27>> Your time's up, sir.

47:29>> Thank you.

47:31And the result you can see for yourself.

47:44Good afternoon or evening.

47:47Uh, my name is Michael, last name

47:50spelled C A G-En Kagan. Um, I live at

47:53the Plaza condominiums on the 15th

47:55floor, uh, overlooking the Bob the

47:58Arena, the steam plant, and have for

48:00like 28 years. I support exempting

48:04Acureer Amphitheater from the noise

48:06ordinance or whatever it is that needs

48:09to be done to allow them to keep making

48:12noise. And that's why I'm here. Uh 28

48:16years ago, I opted to live downtown for

48:18the museums, uh restaurants, nightife,

48:22and yes, entertainment options like

48:25Vanal Arena.

48:27The entertainment options have expanded

48:29as you know uh 20 Monroe Live, Acasher

48:33Amphitheater,

48:35um

48:38400,000

48:39visitors in its first year with a nice

48:43percentage being from out of town.

48:46Uh spending money in my town and yours

48:53in a short concert season.

48:55Um, the highest volume noise makers, no

48:59offense, none, are the police and the

49:03fire and the ambulances

49:06and the motorcycles.

49:10Um,

49:13I accept this. I live in the middle of

49:15downtown.

49:18I've cranked my windows open during a

49:20concert and could barely hear the music.

49:24I wonder how many sound samples were

49:27taken to find the perfect atmospheric

49:30conditions as were allegedly found at

49:33the Kesha concert.

49:36After the litigation was filed uh on

49:40beautiful summer non-concert night, I

49:42did a 360 around my building.

49:46There was nobody outside on their

49:48balcony,

49:50but now they can't use their balconies.

49:53Okay. Ironically, while at Acer

49:56Amphitheater uh this past summer, I

49:59would notice people on the balcony at

50:01234 Market right across the street to

50:04listen to the music.

50:08Your phones and mine have been blowing

50:09up with messages urging people to come

50:12and complain here tonight. And that's

50:14why I'm here to encourage you to let the

50:17amphitheater keep making noise.

50:20If and when the Fulton and Market

50:22project comes around

50:24and my neighbors complain, I'll be back.

50:27Thank you very much.

50:35Uh good evening, commissioners. Uh I'm

50:37Paul. I'm a downtown business owner. Um,

50:39I also host a uh trade show at uh Devos

50:43Place. So, I'm here not just pro

50:45amphitheater. I'm here pro- city

50:47investments as somebody who knows uh

50:50when these um uh venues get built uh

50:52they can do great things. Um I've seen

50:55firsthand us bring in significant amount

50:58of people uh for the trade show from out

51:01of town, out of the region, out of

51:03state, and I really want to see these

51:06venues succeed and survive. I also have

51:09to tell you that on our this was the

51:11first year there was a nice lineup that

51:14week. We had a lot of folks in from out

51:16of town. Significant amounts of them

51:18were able to go catch the shows and uh

51:21and see them. So, it was a really big uh

51:23plus for us and it really made our city

51:27look great. So, I'm here to support

51:28voting yes on exempting the acture

51:32amphitheater from the standard noise or

51:34noise ordinance so it can stay under the

51:352023 special land use. I also want to

51:39caution any temptation to modify the

51:41permit or lower I think there is a

51:44decibel limit on that already. Um it a

51:48couple decimals might seem insignificant

51:51but every six dB has the amount of sound

51:53pressure that somebody would um have.

51:56And these shows are really about an

51:58experience. That's uh that's why they're

52:00built. And uh a 12,000 person or plus

52:03venue. Um we have to be careful that uh

52:06that we don't take what's great and just

52:09make it okay or good.

52:12Um

52:15my business is right on the river. I'm

52:17right on the river all the way up. I

52:19just came from there. I sit there at

52:20night. seen no noticeable disruption in

52:24in anything. We have people there that

52:26are uh that are at night working. Uh no

52:29complaints on that. Um and uh um and

52:33we're not seeing the the the major

52:35impact in our area as well. So the uh

52:392023 special land use permit I believe

52:41already has a decel limit. Um

52:44uh we need to be very careful. It's very

52:46reasonable. Uh um there was a lot of

52:49studies that were put into it. So,

52:51please vote to uh um stay on that. It

52:53was a great season. It was a huge

52:55success, and we don't want to see that

52:56diminished. Thank you.

53:02>> Good evening, mayor and commissioners.

53:04Cara Wood. I'm a resident at Plaza

53:06Towers, but also the executive director

53:08of Grand Action 2.0. Since the venue has

53:11opened, the overwhelming sentiment I've

53:13heard from the majority of my neighbors

53:15has been one of excitement, pride, and

53:17overwhelming um enjoyment. Families are

53:20attending concerts. Businesses are

53:21seeing increased activity. And people

53:23are experiencing the level of

53:24entertainment and energy that few cities

53:26our size can offer. The amphitheater has

53:28quickly become an asset that many

53:30residents are embracing and celebrating.

53:33The ordinance amendment before you today

53:34is important because it protects the

53:36original intent of the exemption that

53:38the city commission granted. The

53:40amphitheater was designed and approved

53:42to host worldclass outdoor events and

53:44its ability to do so is fundamental to

53:46its success. Following the recent court

53:48ruling, this amendment provides the

53:49clarity necessary to ensure the venue

53:52can continue to operate as envisioned.

53:54And as residents, we understand that

53:56living in a vibrant and growing city

53:58involves balancing competing interests.

54:00We also recognize that

54:01transformationational community assets

54:04require thoughtful accommodation. The

54:06reality is that thousands of residents

54:08are benefiting from this investment

54:09through entertainment opportunities,

54:11jobs, additional economic activity,

54:13increased visitation, and a stronger

54:15sense of civic pride. This amendment

54:18affirms that future um supports uh of a

54:22major public investment and provides

54:24certainty for residents, businesses, and

54:26event organizers alike. I want to thank

54:28the city staff that has worked

54:30diligently on this issue along with

54:32others associated with the amphitheater

54:34and I appreciate the support of the

54:36ordinance amendment. Thanks.

54:41>> Good evening. I am Rick Wyn. Um current

54:45chair of the convention marine authority

54:47but also a city resident. I've been a

54:50resident for over two decades. Uh I live

54:53blocks from the amphitheater. I have

54:56clear sight and I'm on the river. I've

54:59never had a problem with any of the

55:01noise. So, I'm offering my support for

55:04the proposed ordinance amending the city

55:06noise code to restore the exceptions

55:09intended for the Acasher Amphitheater.

55:12By now, you have heard that the Acasher

55:15Amphitheater outperformed expectations

55:17in its opening season. 48 shows, 400,000

55:22exuberant attendees and fans. mo a lot

55:26of whom are city residents as well and I

55:29would hope that you would take those

55:31raving fans who are citizens into

55:34consideration as well. I wish that more

55:37of them would have shown up tonight.

55:40Beyond that, this publicly owned venue

55:42serves as a gathering place for the

55:44community, starting with the free

55:47opening celebration and drone show, plus

55:50free events like the West Michigan

55:52Construction Institute gayla and the

55:55free our prize closing ceremony and

55:58fashion show where we broke a world

56:00record. By the way,

56:03we're seeing the broader community

56:05embrace the amphitheater as its own. We

56:08expect the enthusiasm to grow as we

56:11activate it in the off season with the

56:13potential expansion of world of winter

56:16and Chris Kindle market in years to

56:18come. With your full support, we will

56:21continue to deliver on the promises made

56:24when our city, county, and business and

56:27philanthropic community rallied around

56:30this vision for a downtown riverfront

56:33amphitheater. Thank you.

56:41Good evening, mayor and commission. My

56:42name is Joshua Lunger. I am uh a second

56:45ward resident and senior vice president

56:46of advocacy at the Grand Rapids Chamber.

56:48Um this summer several cities uh

56:52leaderships including their councils,

56:53commissions, mayor, business leaders,

56:56philanthropy visited Grand Rapids um and

56:58we got to engage with them and a lot of

57:00them wanted to ask questions about how

57:02are we still a city that is building uh

57:04in today's environment. And I'm struck

57:06by the fact that many of them have

57:07failed uh recent years in doing large

57:10investments like we are pulling off here

57:12in Grand Rapids. And honestly, they

57:14couldn't get me to shut up about it

57:15because um what we've done here to

57:18continue to build when it's so much

57:20easier to tear down is incredible. Um I

57:23I still feel like a little child when I

57:25think about the opportunity to go to

57:26that opening night. Uh to go sit at

57:29Mexico and watch kids play in the park.

57:31Uh see people from all across our city

57:33and our region. um folks that maybe have

57:36never gotten into the same uh crowd

57:38together enjoying it and then the

57:40experience of sitting on the lawn and

57:42just listening to people talk about, oh,

57:43hey, parking wasn't that hard. Um this

57:45is amazing. I can't believe it looks

57:47like this. Um we should be really proud

57:49of what we've accomplished. It doesn't

57:50mean it's perfect. Um we've always got

57:53more to do, but this is an important

57:54layer and building a vibrant community.

57:56Um, and on that note, I wanted to share

57:59a few things I've heard because we've

58:00heard consistently, uh, it's been hit on

58:02tonight, over 400,000 visitors, many

58:04from Grand Rapids, many from around West

58:07Michigan or the state and region. Um,

58:10they are having an impact. Retail,

58:13hospitality, restaurants. We know that

58:15since COVID, the dynamics of those

58:17businesses have changed and many of the

58:18businesses we um love to visit to

58:21support, we talk about them all the

58:22time, they're struggling and

58:24overwhelmingly positive, not just

58:26downtown um but from Bridge Street,

58:29Leonard Street, Uptown, Easttown

58:32Division. I've heard um positive

58:34feedback on what the the foot traffic,

58:37the visitors has meant from this venue.

58:39Um it went from people saying that last

58:42summer was barren and no one seemed to

58:45care or being out and about in Grand

58:46Rapids to saying um that this is

58:49bringing a unique type of visitor

58:50downtown or to our our business. Many

58:53guests are prepared to be outside, so

58:54they're stopping in. Someone talked

58:56about how excited they were to like

58:58welcome people in. They actually had to

58:59have storage for people's chairs because

59:01they're all going to go sit on the lawn

59:03afterwards. Um the just the level of

59:05excitement is unreal. Um, and I am so

59:08proud that we're able to do these kind

59:09of things. I I look forward to the

59:11soccer stadium. Um, but we should take a

59:14moment to reflect on uh some of the

59:16positives as much as we like to dwell on

59:18some of the negatives. Um, and so with

59:20that, I'm here to urge you to uh support

59:22the proposed ordinance change. Um, and

59:24thank you for the time.

59:31>> Hi there. Uh, my name is Gavin Frody. I

59:34live by the zoo. um just just down the

59:38street from the Amway. Um my first

59:40experience with the amphitheater um I

59:42was going for a walk outside last

59:44summer. I I just moved last year and I

59:47assumed there was an annoying neighbor

59:49playing music from their car and I was

59:51walking all around the block. I couldn't

59:54figure out who it was and then it I

59:56realized that it was the amphitheater.

59:57It was just all the music was all around

59:59me and it was not, you know, bouncing

1:00:02throughout the walls in my apartment

1:00:04because I don't live as close. Um, but I

1:00:06still considered it to be, you know,

1:00:08kind of a nuisance. Um, and another

1:00:12thing that I would like to say is um

1:00:16when when I heard first heard that the

1:00:18city was building an amphitheater, you

1:00:19know, right in the middle of downtown,

1:00:20my first question was why? Um, I'm I'm a

1:00:23musician. I'm a chist. Um, and so, um,

1:00:26it's an acoustic instrument. And when

1:00:29you think about the amphitheater and

1:00:31what it does, it amplifies the sound.

1:00:32And this is a very old invention, um,

1:00:35when we didn't have microphones. And to

1:00:38me, an amphitheater is meant for

1:00:40acoustic instruments. That's kind of the

1:00:42original purpose. And so to have

1:00:45something like an amphitheater and have

1:00:46very loud amplification

1:00:49um, from instruments and singing and

1:00:51everything else, to me, that is a little

1:00:53bit of overkill. And I think uh you can

1:00:55see from the comments today that a lot

1:00:57of people agree. Um and I don't think

1:00:59it's unreasonable to ask that they

1:01:03follow the city noise ordinance. Um a

1:01:06lot of the people support that the

1:01:08amphitheater is there, but they just

1:01:10want to have a limit that they would

1:01:12follow the same rules as everybody else.

1:01:15Um so I would ask that you vote no to um

1:01:19give them an exception to the the city

1:01:21ordinance. Thank you.

1:01:28Hello, my name is Nick. I'm on the

1:01:30second ward like Monroe Nap northeast

1:01:32side of town. I I go I've actually been

1:01:35to these this place uh the amphitheater

1:01:37about 10 times but obviously there have

1:01:41many more dates which I don't go to

1:01:43shouldn't have to listen to it inside my

1:01:45house with the windows closed. I more

1:01:48than four miles away. I did not sign up

1:01:50to be next to a concert venue. You know,

1:01:54it it's they should have to follow the

1:01:56same rules as anyone else. You shouldn't

1:01:58be scrutinizing a patio on the back side

1:02:01of a bar more than an amphitheater. And

1:02:04what you're trying to do when you're

1:02:06trying to give them an exemption,

1:02:09it's it should be the same rules for

1:02:11everybody. They shouldn't have one

1:02:12person that makes a million dollars to

1:02:16destroy, you know, somebody's peace and

1:02:19quiet on a Tuesday in their house for,

1:02:23you know, half the city. It's kind of

1:02:25ridiculous. That's that's all I have to

1:02:27say.

1:02:39Hi, I'm Adam Fuller. I live in

1:02:40Crestston, Ward 2, over three miles from

1:02:43the amphitheater. I've heard distorted

1:02:45bass, not music, from inside my home on

1:02:48countless shows. It bothered me enough

1:02:49to build a website called

1:02:51surveysofound.com to give the residents

1:02:53a way to document what they've been

1:02:54experiencing in their homes and help the

1:02:56city see the pattern of that sound

1:02:58traveling deep into their neighborhoods.

1:03:00Here's what our review shows. 114

1:03:02reports we've collected so far where

1:03:04sound was heard, 90 described hearing it

1:03:06indoors. That's nearly four out of five.

1:03:09Of those indoor reports, 44 were rated

1:03:11high or extreme, nearly half. Those high

1:03:14or extreme reports span 15 separate

1:03:16evenings. That matters because it shows

1:03:18a recurring experience across different

1:03:19dates. When we remove the single most

1:03:22reported show, the broader in indoor

1:03:24pattern still holds. The map also shows

1:03:27indoor reports coming from neighborhoods

1:03:28several miles from the venue. Behind

1:03:31each point is an experience someone took

1:03:32the time to document. One resident

1:03:34reported hearing bass in the shower with

1:03:36water running. Another described base

1:03:38shaking the living room windows and

1:03:40waking their children.

1:03:42Please consider what it means for a

1:03:44family trying to settle for the in for

1:03:45the evening. They're home. They should

1:03:48be able to rest and put their children

1:03:50to bed. These are voluntarily voluntary

1:03:53resident reports. The ratings reflect

1:03:55their experience. And the city gave

1:03:57specific places. They they give the city

1:04:00specific places and times to investigate

1:04:01with written accounts and explain what

1:04:03people heard. That's a practical

1:04:05starting point for an independent

1:04:06monitoring in the affected

1:04:08neighborhoods. With the findings made

1:04:10public, residents should have a clear

1:04:13way to show how their reports are being

1:04:14evaluated and what action follows.

1:04:17Whatever language the city adopts, those

1:04:19experiences inside homes remain the test

1:04:21of whether the policy is working. I have

1:04:24detailed topographic maps and reports of

1:04:26residents from all over Grand Rapids and

1:04:29it paints a clear picture that the audio

1:04:31is traveling through a large acoustic

1:04:33channel to residents as far as 8 miles

1:04:35away. Not one person has posted on my

1:04:38site that doesn't sit directly on the

1:04:39edge of or within that channel. There

1:04:42are areas where the sound doesn't reach.

1:04:44There are many more where it does.

1:04:48Protecting the people of the city's

1:04:51protecting the people with the city's

1:04:53peace and quiet doesn't mean the

1:04:55amphitheater can't throw a great

1:04:56concert. It means they need to invest

1:04:58some of the revenue those 400,000

1:05:00attendants brought in making sure the

1:05:03venue respects and supports the

1:05:05community that provided the opportunity

1:05:07for it to exist in the first place.

1:05:09Tonight, please retain the ordinances

1:05:12protections. Use the time before next

1:05:14season to establish enforceable

1:05:15standards that address what residents

1:05:17are experiencing, including based inside

1:05:19their homes. The people submitting these

1:05:21reports are giving the city useful

1:05:23information. Please use it to shape a

1:05:25solution. A successful amphitheater can

1:05:28be a tremendous asset to Grand Rapids,

1:05:30but protecting the people who live here

1:05:32is part of that success. Thank you.

1:05:35Excuse me.

1:05:40>> Those all the reports.

1:05:42>> Hi, my name is Marggo Sudini Johnson.

1:05:45Um, I don't have a prepared speech, but

1:05:48I do support everyone who opposes this

1:05:51extension of the noise ordinance. As you

1:05:54know, I had to move from Bridge Street

1:05:56because of the noise not being in uh

1:05:59being enforced. So, I moved over four

1:06:01blocks from the amphitheater. Of course,

1:06:04I'm on the west side, so there's a

1:06:06river. And the place across the street

1:06:08put in that's where the orbit room

1:06:09moved. So, I had to hire an attorney to

1:06:12take care of that one, plus spend 20,000

1:06:15on sound blocking uh windows and still

1:06:20didn't help. I mean, it did help across

1:06:22the street, but I didn't put them on the

1:06:23east side where the noise is coming on.

1:06:25Now, if you guys want to pay for that, I

1:06:27that'd be great. And um you know I'm

1:06:30part of the NE I was part of the

1:06:32neighborhood association and you know

1:06:35they came in and talked to us. Never and

1:06:38our biggest concern noise and um never

1:06:44was it mentioned that the sound

1:06:46ordinance was going to be extended to 11

1:06:50which I think would have changed the

1:06:52outcome of our position. And so profit

1:06:56over people, profit over me. Please let

1:07:00it be people over profit. Most of the

1:07:03people coming are not us who live in the

1:07:05city. We've dedicated so much time to

1:07:08the city. Please do not support the uh

1:07:12change in the ordinance to 11 p.m. Thank

1:07:14you.

1:07:20>> Hi, my name is Mindy. I don't live close

1:07:23enough to it to have a dog in this

1:07:25fight, but I do have good pattern

1:07:28recognition skills. And what I have

1:07:31noticed is that the majority of people

1:07:33came up here and said, "Do not write

1:07:35like exempt the noise ordinance." And

1:07:38they were by and far kind of average

1:07:41normal everyday citizens. and that the

1:07:45people who came up here and said we love

1:07:47it tended to be more businessoriented

1:07:51uh maybe owned businesses and were super

1:07:53excited about like all the revenue and

1:07:56from out of town people who are bringing

1:07:59money into Grand Rapids and I just think

1:08:02you need to really look at that and like

1:08:04that matters. So who are you making

1:08:08decisions for? Are you making decisions

1:08:10for like the business owners who are

1:08:12getting a cut of all this extra revenue,

1:08:15or are you making decisions based on the

1:08:18needs of the average citizen who is not

1:08:20getting a cut and who just deserves to

1:08:22have peace and quiet after 11 p.m. for

1:08:26God's sake? Uh or I don't know, on the

1:08:29other hand, maybe give them a cut then,

1:08:32right? Like if you're going to exempt

1:08:33this ordinance then like maybe every

1:08:36citizen who lives within the area that

1:08:38they can't have a peaceful evening. Send

1:08:41them a check. Something has to happen

1:08:43though. But I just want I think other

1:08:45people have said it before about other

1:08:47different even different things. Who are

1:08:49you making decisions for? Is it for

1:08:51business? Is it for the chamber? Or is

1:08:53it for the people?

1:09:03My name is Hal Fruit. I live at Plaza

1:09:05Towers. I have direct line of sight to

1:09:07the amphitheater stage from my living

1:09:09room. Unlike two of my neighbors who

1:09:11spoke earlier, the amphitheater has been

1:09:14a financial success for the city and I

1:09:17hope it attracts 500,000 customers next

1:09:19year. But its success should not come at

1:09:22the expense of the quality of life of

1:09:23the people who live nearby. The noise

1:09:26begins early in the afternoon with sound

1:09:28checks and continues till 11 p.m. It is

1:09:31not just background noise. It is the

1:09:33pounding bass. To have a conversation in

1:09:35my living room, I have to raise my

1:09:37voice. To hear the television, I must

1:09:39turn up the volume. I must also turn up

1:09:41the air conditioning to help drown out

1:09:43the concert noise. I try to leave town

1:09:45whenever possible when there's a concert

1:09:47going on. And the impact does not end

1:09:50when the music stops. Takes me time to

1:09:52calm down at the end of the night before

1:09:53I can go to sleep.

1:09:55My home should be a place where I can

1:09:57have a conversation, watch television,

1:09:59and relax in the evening without having

1:10:01to compete with concert noise. I

1:10:04listened to your discussion on October

1:10:066th. What struck me most was that I did

1:10:08not hear any meaningful concern from

1:10:11either my elected representatives or

1:10:13city officials about the noise

1:10:15complaints of people living downtown and

1:10:18in the shadow of the amphitheater and in

1:10:19surrounding neighborhoods. Do you care

1:10:22about the residents who are affected or

1:10:23do you have the financial benefits of

1:10:25the amphitheater become so important

1:10:27that the concerns of the people who live

1:10:29here are taking a back seat? I sincerely

1:10:32hope this is not the case. But that is

1:10:34the impression that is being created.

1:10:36During that discussion, the assistant

1:10:38city manager stated, "For the Acur

1:10:41amphitheater in particular, it is

1:10:43governed by a special land use permit,

1:10:44which includes some considerations of

1:10:47decibel limitations on certain spots in

1:10:50the amphitheater property and has a

1:10:52noise monitoring system that the city

1:10:54has access to. Residents have requested

1:10:56this monitoring data and have not

1:10:58received it. Why is that information not

1:11:01being provided? We need transparency,

1:11:04not asurances that a monitoring system

1:11:06exists. The city manager stated, "We

1:11:09have concerns around sound, but I think

1:11:11what we've experienced toward the end of

1:11:13the amphitheater season were very few

1:11:16complaints related to what we

1:11:17experienced early. What were the

1:11:19complaints? What was the feedback? And

1:11:22what has been done to address it?" A

1:11:24reduction in complaints does not

1:11:26necessarily mean a reduction in problem.

1:11:28If this ordinance passes without

1:11:30adequate limits or safeguards, the

1:11:33protections will

1:11:35residents will have extreme noise.

1:11:37Devices such as militarystyle long range

1:11:40acoustic devices or LRADs show that

1:11:43directed sound technology can produce

1:11:45extremely high sound pressure levels and

1:11:47cause serious harm. Jet engines are

1:11:50another example. I'm not sure si I'm not

1:11:54suggesting the amphitheater intends to

1:11:55use these devices, but my point is we

1:11:58should not adopt an ordinance without

1:11:59clear enforcable limits. I'm asking for

1:12:02this resolution to be tabled or voted no

1:12:06for solutions. I think the city should

1:12:08Your time's uphill.

1:12:16Pastor Scott, you get one shot at each

1:12:18of these times during this first time,

1:12:21during public hearings if we have any,

1:12:23and then at the end. So, it's in our

1:12:26rules.

1:12:27>> I haven't addressed the resolution.

1:12:29>> No, you could address it in your three

1:12:30minutes.

1:12:32>> Thank you.

1:12:43So, it turns green.

1:12:45>> Oh, sorry. That was me.

1:12:48>> Can you hear me? Okay. I My name is

1:12:51Susan Ward and I live on I guess the

1:12:54second ward um NAP and Planefield. And

1:12:58um I've been a Grand Rapids resident or

1:13:00property owner for 32 years. And it used

1:13:04to be such a quiet little street on Nap,

1:13:06but now it's just crazy. It's so loud.

1:13:08And now we have to add the amphitheater

1:13:10to it. Now, I love the amphitheater. I

1:13:12think it's absolutely beautiful and I

1:13:14was really excited to have that come to

1:13:16our city so I didn't have to drive all

1:13:17the way to Detroit or something like

1:13:19that for a concert. But it's beautiful.

1:13:21I love Grand Rapids, but I just wish we

1:13:24could control the noise. It's, you know,

1:13:27I have an old house and it's the windows

1:13:29were rattling, the cat was growling, and

1:13:32it was like, what on earth is that

1:13:33noise? And so I live right across the

1:13:35street from the K country club and I was

1:13:37like, it was a Wednesday night and I

1:13:39said, what is this? There's no parties

1:13:40on Wednesday night. And I looked out

1:13:42there and it was so loud and I was like,

1:13:44"What?" So I drove in my car and I was

1:13:46like and I got close and I was, "Oh my

1:13:48gosh, it's the amphitheater." But

1:13:50anyway, if we could control the sound, I

1:13:52love it's a beautiful facility. I've

1:13:55gone to a couple of concerts there and

1:13:57if we could just control that baffles,

1:13:59whatever. You know, there's lots of

1:14:01engineers in the city that can I'm sure

1:14:04that would love to help you with this.

1:14:05So, thank you very much.

1:14:14Good evening. Uh Blake Edmonds, first

1:14:16ward resident. I will keep my comments

1:14:18brief. Uh I can say uh as excited as I

1:14:22have been to see the development that's

1:14:23come to our city, making us one of the

1:14:25fastest growing in the country, the

1:14:26amphitheater included in that. Uh I and

1:14:29I think everybody here can agree it is

1:14:31great to see that level of development

1:14:33come here. That being said,

1:14:35unfortunately what we have seen along

1:14:37with the amphitheater is uh what can

1:14:39appear to be to many people um the the

1:14:43the refusal to acknowledge the voice of

1:14:45the citizens. And that is not to say

1:14:47that we can't um still have an amazing

1:14:51amphitheater and bring in A-level shows.

1:14:54Uh, but I think it would go a long way

1:14:56um for every resident in this room uh to

1:15:00know either through the action of

1:15:02tableabling or voting no on this that

1:15:04they've been heard and that there are

1:15:05solutions being thought about uh and

1:15:08taken action on uh before next season to

1:15:10make sure that we can all continue to

1:15:12enjoy our city. Uh those who are new

1:15:14here and those who have lived here their

1:15:16entire lives. Uh, but again, I think I

1:15:19go back to it's just a willingness to

1:15:22see thoughtful action taken by our city

1:15:23commission and I will leave it at that.

1:15:26Thank you.

1:15:35Hello friends, Mark from Grand Rapids

1:15:41only a

1:15:44noise

1:15:47resolutions. I could care less about

1:15:49that.

1:15:54I live pretty close to the the vicinity

1:15:57of the amphitheater

1:16:02and unlike

1:16:03the most of the people who spoke,

1:16:07I very rarely hear any concert noise.

1:16:19But you better be careful

1:16:23because if there's too many noise

1:16:25complaints,

1:16:27what's going to happen is big time acts

1:16:30are going elsewhere.

1:16:34And then you will have a

1:16:38multi-million dollar building,

1:16:39multi-million dollar facility

1:16:44that's going to be rotted out

1:16:47because no one will show up.

1:16:50So, you better think about this.

1:16:56You can vote, vote, vote on it, table

1:16:59it, whatever. I could care less,

1:17:03but I don't want to see

1:17:07a facility such as this

1:17:12be used very little

1:17:19cuz I don't want to see downtown Grand

1:17:22Rapids go back to the Calvinist decades

1:17:25of the 80s.

1:17:30cuz that's not going to be any good.

1:17:36So do what you have to do

1:17:39and please everybody,

1:17:44but

1:17:46you can't lose money

1:17:49over feelings

1:17:51because that will never work. Thank you.

1:18:08Andrew the northeast side. Uh I'm just

1:18:12here in support of all the community

1:18:14that has expressed their interest or

1:18:16rather disinterest in continuing the

1:18:18noise ordinance to 11:00 a.m. If

1:18:20anything, I think turn it down. Baffle

1:18:24it. I don't know the terms. You guys got

1:18:26the scientists on it. I hope I everybody

1:18:29these guys have all done the research. I

1:18:31mean like they dug deep, spent all the

1:18:34time to go out of their way just to do

1:18:37all this research for nothing, like no

1:18:39money. So, uh, vote no. Whatever it is,

1:18:43just keep it as minimum as you can get

1:18:46it. If it's 10 o'clock for us, 10

1:18:48o'clock for them.

1:18:58>> Okay, seeing no one else approaching the

1:19:00microphone, I'll move us on to um our

1:19:03next item, which is the Oh, I'm sorry.

1:19:08I

1:19:10yeah I think it's really funny like I'm

1:19:14like someone just pointed out that

1:19:16pattern about how like the people that

1:19:18are saying no are like you know it's

1:19:20just everyday people and the people that

1:19:22are saying yes are like executive

1:19:24executive types and they like it because

1:19:28it like brings business from like you

1:19:31know people outside of GR they don't

1:19:33have to like live here to like and like

1:19:36deal with the noise and all that sort of

1:19:38stuff. And it just makes me like wonder

1:19:42like who don't you think about who you

1:19:45represent? Like you realize you're not

1:19:48the mayor of you know everyone from out

1:19:51of town. You're the mayor of Grand

1:19:53Rapids.

1:19:55Like don't get me wrong, like I don't

1:19:58completely hate the amphitheater.

1:20:00I've talking with like a small business

1:20:02owner who said that she likes it because

1:20:05it like brings more business and stuff.

1:20:08I went there one time. I actually

1:20:11enjoyed the concert, but it was more

1:20:13because of the person that was

1:20:14performing and not because like, oh, I

1:20:17love the venue so much. I will say this,

1:20:19like the concession prices are highway

1:20:22robbery. Like it costs like $16 for a

1:20:26twisted tea. Like tell me how that makes

1:20:29sense. I can go to a bar and get one for

1:20:32$4.

1:20:34So like just think about who you

1:20:37represent. Like you represent the people

1:20:39of Grand Rapids, the people who actually

1:20:42live here and pay their taxes to that go

1:20:45to supporting the city.

1:20:48Um think more about the people who live

1:20:52here and not like people that don't call

1:20:55this place home.

1:20:57Just think about it. Uh I completely

1:21:00support the noise ordinance. I don't

1:21:03think uh the aure amphitheater should be

1:21:06exempt from it. And uh there's the one

1:21:10person that made a comment about how

1:21:11amphitheaters were basically like the

1:21:13microphone before microphones were even

1:21:16invented and how when you combine

1:21:18microphone audio with the amphitheater

1:21:21structure and it's just like overkill.

1:21:24That is baffling. Like like

1:21:27conceptually, how does that even make

1:21:28sense? Why even have that if microphones

1:21:32are a thing? Just saying.

1:21:35Yeah. uh vote no on exempting uh the

1:21:39amphitheater from the noise ordinance

1:21:42because I this is all like part of a

1:21:44trend of like that we've been seeing

1:21:46like culde-sacs highways of like

1:21:49structures being built that are

1:21:51anti-comm community anti-communal that

1:21:54like terrorize the community of like

1:21:58cities

1:21:59like think about it like

1:22:02we want a humanentric city not a

1:22:04businesscentric city.

1:22:14Hi, my name is Tanya Price. I live in

1:22:16the Third Ward. Um, I recently moved

1:22:19back to Michigan from Colorado. I lived

1:22:22near Red Rocks Amphitheater when I lived

1:22:24there, which was lovely. Um, and one of

1:22:28the things that led to my husband and I

1:22:30deciding to move to Grand Rapids is all

1:22:32of the opportunity here. Um, I've heard

1:22:35a lot of anti-business talk and I just

1:22:39want to speak out in support of

1:22:40especially the small business owners who

1:22:42this amphitheater has been incredibly

1:22:44important for. Um, just because you own

1:22:47a business doesn't mean you're rich.

1:22:49Doesn't mean that you don't want the

1:22:51best for your community. And I think we

1:22:54have to really carefully balance what is

1:22:56good for the city to grow, for its

1:22:59residents, for our schools with um you

1:23:03know what people feel inconvenienced by.

1:23:06And so I just wanted to say as a

1:23:09resident that I love the amphitheater.

1:23:12If there are mitigation things that can

1:23:14happen to deal with some of the noise,

1:23:16maybe it's 10, not 11. But I do really

1:23:19want to say that I appreciate and

1:23:21support the way that this city balances

1:23:23community development with business

1:23:25development. Um, I've seen it done a lot

1:23:28worse than a lot of other places. I've

1:23:30lived a lot of different places and a

1:23:32big part of why we relocated here was

1:23:35because of how you all are managing the

1:23:37city. Thanks.

1:23:45>> Good evening. My name is Cindy Hicks and

1:23:48I live in the first ward with third ward

1:23:51issues. I'm right in the middle. Um my

1:23:54comments will be really brief. Um just

1:23:58that um I'm really disappointed as usual

1:24:02since we have people that protest um

1:24:05murders by police. They get um criminal

1:24:08charges and time for that. But um

1:24:11businesses as I am a business owner too

1:24:14um seem to get the free pass and um yeah

1:24:19I just really wish the leadership would

1:24:21um listen to its constituents and I've

1:24:24made several phone calls um both to Mark

1:24:27Washington and to David Lrand in the

1:24:29last couple weeks about the gun violence

1:24:31and I've not received any phone call

1:24:33back. I did receive a phone call from um

1:24:36someone in the police department though.

1:24:38I'm not really happy about that. Thank

1:24:40you.

1:24:47>> Okay. Um seeing no one else come up to

1:24:49the microphone, I'll move us on to the

1:24:51next item of business now, which is

1:24:52approval of our last minutes. Can I

1:24:54>> So move.

1:24:56>> All in favor of approval of the minutes

1:24:58say I.

1:24:59>> I.

1:24:59>> I. Uh all opposed. Motion carries.

1:25:03brings us to petitions and

1:25:04communications. Mr. Clerk,

1:25:06>> communication received from Lauren

1:25:07Zelcar and Joshua Bruning regarding a

1:25:10$17,000 sewer backup caused by defective

1:25:12city infrastructure.

1:25:14>> I receive and filed.

1:25:15>> Commun communication received from

1:25:16Stephanie Vote with information and

1:25:18personal history regarding Amway

1:25:19Heritage Foundation and Morgan Stanley.

1:25:21>> Receive and filed.

1:25:22>> Communication received from Joseph

1:25:24Cordis with technical proposals for

1:25:26sound mitigation acoustic management

1:25:28acer amphitheater.

1:25:29>> Receive and filed. Communication

1:25:31received from Stephanie Vote regarding

1:25:33arrests which occurred on October 3rd,

1:25:352026 and statements of city

1:25:37commissioners regarding the family of

1:25:38Mario David Coronado Wararez. Save and

1:25:41filed.

1:25:41>> Communication received from Stephanie

1:25:43vote with solutions to sever ties from

1:25:44oligarch class at a city level and

1:25:47informing the city commission of a

1:25:48recently submitted foyer request.

1:25:50>> Save and filed.

1:25:51>> Communication received from Julie Hulk

1:25:53uh GR affordable housing regarding the

1:25:55disruptions and early adjournment of the

1:25:56September 20 22 2026 city commission

1:25:59meeting. Received and filed.

1:26:01>> Communication received from JD Lok

1:26:02expressing support for the Acer

1:26:04Amphitheater.

1:26:05>> Received and filed.

1:26:05>> Communication received from Justice

1:26:07Young regarding his resignation from the

1:26:08community relations commission to

1:26:10committee on appointments.

1:26:11>> Communication received from Julie Hawker

1:26:13regarding the corrections and detention

1:26:14mill.

1:26:15>> Received and filed.

1:26:16>> Uh communication 17 of them received ex

1:26:19received expressing opposition to the

1:26:20proposed amendment to section 9.66

1:26:22echure amphitheater noise exemption.

1:26:24>> Received and filed. Communication

1:26:26received from Damon Veril regarding an

1:26:28appeal for a fee for FOYA PD-2026-3685.

1:26:34Receive and filed.

1:26:35>> Communication received from James H.

1:26:36Hearnden with an appeal to the of the

1:26:39denial of FOYA request number

1:26:40PR2026-1086.

1:26:44>> Received and filed.

1:26:45>> Communications eight of them received

1:26:47expressing support for the proposed

1:26:49I've myself out. Um expressing support

1:26:52for the proposed amendment to section

1:26:549.66. 66 Agricare amphitheater noise

1:26:56exemption

1:26:57>> received and filed. Um just briefly so

1:27:00everyone understands um these actually

1:27:02do get read that sounds as every time I

1:27:04see that it looks like we're burying

1:27:06them in in the backyard but um these are

1:27:08all communications that that uh I think

1:27:11all of us are familiar with. So just

1:27:13wanted to make that point. Not going to

1:27:14do it at every meeting but uh moving on

1:27:16to reports of city officers. Controllers

1:27:18warrant report for the period of

1:27:19September 22, 2026 through October 12,

1:27:222026 in the amount of 71,680,27161

1:27:27cents and the small claims report

1:27:28>> received and filed.

1:27:29>> Treasures report for the period of

1:27:30September 23, 2026 through October 12,

1:27:342026.

1:27:34>> Received and filed.

1:27:36>> And the supplemental treasures report

1:27:37fiscal year 2026 year-end investment

1:27:39portfolio summary as of June 30, 2026.

1:27:42>> Received and filed. That brings us to

1:27:45our uh consent agenda. These are items

1:27:47which passed unanimously out of

1:27:48committee and were not removed uh by any

1:27:50member of the commission for further

1:27:52discussion or deliberation. Um can I

1:27:55have a motion?

1:27:55>> So moved.

1:27:57>> All in favor of passing the consent

1:27:59agenda say I.

1:28:00>> I. I. All opposed. Motion carries. That

1:28:03brings us to our ordinances.

1:28:06Mr. Clerk. Yes. Our fir our first

1:28:09ordinance is a ordinance reszoning the

1:28:11northerly half of 834 Livingston Avenue

1:28:13Northeast from the SDOS Special District

1:28:16Open Space Zone District to the TNLDDR

1:28:19traditional neighborhood lowdensity zone

1:28:21district.

1:28:22>> I have a motion.

1:28:24>> Support Commissioner Belchure.

1:28:26>> Apparently this one's mine. Okay. Um,

1:28:30this is an ordinance as described to

1:28:33reszone the northerly half of 834

1:28:35Livingston Avenue Northeast from a

1:28:38special district open space to zoned

1:28:41district to the traditional neighborhood

1:28:44or low dash low density residential

1:28:48district on October 20 or on today's

1:28:52October 27th. On October 6th, 2026, the

1:28:55city commission established today as the

1:28:57date where we will be considering this

1:28:58resoning request. It is for the

1:29:02northerly 2441.8

1:29:05square ft of this property. Um, this is

1:29:08a an unusual

1:29:11uh piece of property where we had is

1:29:13some development happening that had two

1:29:17different kinds of zoning that didn't

1:29:20quite match up. It had been uh recently

1:29:23split from 836 Livingston Avenue which

1:29:26is a wooded parcel and loc and then um

1:29:31it's also adjacent to the Wilson Wittman

1:29:33homes which is uh parcels 801 and 811

1:29:38quite avenue northeast and I believe

1:29:41that this is um been approved yes it's

1:29:44been approved by the board of zoning

1:29:46appeals for the variances on January

1:29:4816th 26 six and um the site plan and

1:29:54whatnot have all been approved as well.

1:29:57The developers obtaining this or

1:30:00requesting this because on September

1:30:0222nd, 2026,

1:30:05um we had as a city commission approved

1:30:07conveyance of 4567

1:30:10square ft of city-owned real property to

1:30:13that area. And the property will be then

1:30:17combined with the adjacent 801 811 quite

1:30:20a Avenue Northeast to facilitate a

1:30:22multifamily development. The property

1:30:25that has been purchased is split between

1:30:27these two districts as I've said with

1:30:29the southern half being traditional

1:30:31lower density residential and the

1:30:33northern half the special land use open

1:30:35space. It is or special district. It is

1:30:39now requested that we are putting these

1:30:41together and I believe I can leave it at

1:30:44that for the description.

1:30:47>> Any discussion, colleagues? That was

1:30:49thorough. It was thorough.

1:30:51>> Um, seeing no discussion. Um, all in

1:30:54favor in favor of the

1:30:56>> Yeah. Thank you.

1:30:57>> Right. Sorry. This is a roll call vote.

1:30:59>> Commissioner Kilgore.

1:31:00>> Yes.

1:31:00>> Commissioner Sassi,

1:31:01>> yes.

1:31:02>> Commissioner Purdue,

1:31:02>> yes.

1:31:03>> Commissioner Knight,

1:31:04>> yes.

1:31:04>> Commissioner Belch,

1:31:05>> yes.

1:31:05>> Mayor Lrand,

1:31:06>> yes.

1:31:08Uh, next one is an ordinance reszoning a

1:31:10portion of 1911 Fuller Avenue Northeast

1:31:12from MCN LDR Mid 20th Century

1:31:15Neighborhood Lowdensity Residential to

1:31:16the MCN MDR mid 20th Century

1:31:18Neighborhood Mixed Density Residential

1:31:20Zone District.

1:31:22>> And can I have a motion?

1:31:23>> Support. Commissioner Knight.

1:31:26>> Yes, Mayor. Um, on September 22nd, 2026,

1:31:29the commission approved conveyance of

1:31:30the northernmost 21,998

1:31:33square ft of the site to the adjacent

1:31:36property owner, Water Tower Place LLC.

1:31:39Uh, upon sale of the property, it will

1:31:40be combined with 1951 Fuller Avenue

1:31:43Northeast, the adjacent property to the

1:31:45north, to facilitate a multifamily

1:31:47development of approximately 64

1:31:49dwellings. All the property intended for

1:31:52development will be reszoned to the

1:31:54midcentury neighborhood mixed density

1:31:57residential zone and on the city

1:32:00commission established October 2020 20

1:32:02October 27th 2026 as the date for the

1:32:06commission to consider a request to

1:32:08reszone that space. The resoning would

1:32:11facilitate a lot split and combine the

1:32:13future construction of the multifamily

1:32:15residential development on the subject

1:32:17property in combination with the

1:32:18adjacent 1951 Fuller Avenue Northeast

1:32:22property.

1:32:23>> Thank you. Any uh deliberation,

1:32:26colleagues? Seeing none, uh another roll

1:32:29call vote.

1:32:30>> Commissioner Asasi,

1:32:31>> yes.

1:32:32>> Commissioner Purdue,

1:32:32>> yes.

1:32:33>> Mr. Knight,

1:32:34>> yes.

1:32:34>> Commissioner Bchek,

1:32:35>> yes.

1:32:35>> Commissioner Kilgore,

1:32:36>> yes.

1:32:36>> Mayor Lrand,

1:32:37>> yes. brings us to our next ordinance.

1:32:40>> It is an ordinance reszoning 1951 Fuller

1:32:42Northeast from the MCN-C mid 20th

1:32:45Century Neighborhood Commercial and MCN

1:32:47LDR mid 20th Century Neighborhood Load

1:32:50Density Residential Zone Districts to

1:32:52the MCN MDR mid 20th Century

1:32:54Neighborhood Mixed Density Residential

1:32:56Zone District.

1:32:57>> Motion. Thank you.

1:33:00>> Um and M uh Commissioner Purdue.

1:33:03>> Yes, thank you. Um, this resoning will

1:33:06facilitate a lot split and combination

1:33:09for future construction of a multiple

1:33:11family residential development. Uh, the

1:33:14property is located on the west side of

1:33:16Fuller Avenue, south of Nap. It was

1:33:19initially intended for a commercial

1:33:21development in the 1960s, but that never

1:33:23came to fruition. The property is about

1:33:282.7 acres and could potentially support

1:33:31a density of 78 units. And this went

1:33:35before the planning commission on

1:33:37September 10th. Um it passed unanimously

1:33:417 to zero and no public testimony was

1:33:44offered during the public hearing.

1:33:48>> Thank you. Um any discussion,

1:33:50colleagues? Uh then again a roll call

1:33:53vote.

1:33:53>> Commissioner Purdue.

1:33:54>> Yes. Commissioner Knight,

1:33:55>> yes.

1:33:56>> Commissioner Belchek,

1:33:57>> yes.

1:33:57>> Commissioner Kilgore,

1:33:58>> yes.

1:33:58>> Commissioner Asi,

1:33:59>> yes.

1:33:59>> Mayor Lrand,

1:34:00>> yes.

1:34:01>> Brings us to our next item,

1:34:02>> a salary ordinance amending appendix A,

1:34:04wage scale for emergency communication

1:34:06operators grievance settlement number

1:34:0826-42.

1:34:09>> I have a motion.

1:34:10>> So moved to

1:34:12>> Commissioner Kilgore.

1:34:13>> Thank you, Mayor. A voluntary mediation

1:34:14occurred between the city of Grand

1:34:16Rapids and the police officers labor

1:34:18council on behalf of the city of Grand

1:34:20Rapids emergency communications

1:34:22operators regarding appendix A and the

1:34:24wage scale specifically for the F-SEP

1:34:27only of the ECO3 position. As a result

1:34:30of the mediation, the parties came to a

1:34:32tentative resolution which will be

1:34:34formalized as a letter of agreement

1:34:36subject to the salary ordinance

1:34:37amendment's passage. Under the

1:34:39agreement, the city will adopt a revised

1:34:41appendix A wage scale and change wages

1:34:44will be made retroactive to the first

1:34:46full pay period. The community can see

1:34:48the updated wage scale in the table in

1:34:50the packet provided.

1:34:53>> Thank you. Any discussion, colleagues?

1:34:57Seeing none, another roll call vote.

1:34:58>> Commissioner Knight,

1:34:59>> yes.

1:35:00>> Mr. Belchek,

1:35:01>> yes.

1:35:01>> Commissioner Kilgore,

1:35:02>> yes.

1:35:02>> Commissioner Asi,

1:35:03>> yes.

1:35:03>> Commissioner Purdue,

1:35:04>> yes.

1:35:04>> Mayor Lrand,

1:35:05>> yes. Can I have a motion for immediate

1:35:07effect? So move support

1:35:10>> and all in favor of uh med effect say I.

1:35:12>> I.

1:35:13>> I. All opposed. Motion carries. Brings

1:35:15us to our next item.

1:35:16>> The ordinance amending section one of

1:35:18the budget ordinance 2026-11

1:35:20for fiscal year 2027 amendment number

1:35:23four.

1:35:25>> A motion. Thank

1:35:25>> move to support.

1:35:27>> And Commissioner Kilgore again.

1:35:29>> Thank you, Mayor. This ordinance allows

1:35:31for the city to accept and appropriate

1:35:32four separate fiscal initiatives. I'll

1:35:35uh go through in a short measure here

1:35:37all four. The first is our community's

1:35:40children department challenge scholars T

1:35:432C studio grant. Our community's

1:35:45children is requesting to recognize and

1:35:47appropriate a grant award in the amount

1:35:49of $300,000 received from the Grand

1:35:51Rapids Community Foundation for years

1:35:53three and four of the integration of the

1:35:55T2C studio services with the challenge

1:35:58scholars program. The second parks and

1:36:01recreation department, Sullivan Field

1:36:02Improvements. The parks and recreation

1:36:05department is requesting to recognize

1:36:06and appropriate an additional restricted

1:36:08contribution in the amount of $ 160,000

1:36:12received from the fans of Valley Field

1:36:14for improvements at Sullivan Field. This

1:36:16project will improve public

1:36:17opportunities for year-round activation,

1:36:19events, and use of the park.

1:36:22The third, our community's children

1:36:24department colleges possible campaign.

1:36:26Our community's children, OCC, is

1:36:28requesting to recognize and appropriate

1:36:30a private donation from trustee

1:36:33Richenthal in the amount of $70,000 to

1:36:35support OC's to college through college

1:36:38TCTC initiative. College is possible is

1:36:41a public relations marketing and

1:36:43community engagement campaign designed

1:36:46to increase awareness, confidence, and

1:36:47collegegoing aspirations among youth and

1:36:50young adults. Lastly, four, Parks and

1:36:52Recreation Department, Michigan Natural

1:36:54Resources Trust Fund, MNRTF

1:36:57grant appropriation for River Edges

1:36:59Trail, Leonard to segment 3. The parks

1:37:01and recreation department is requesting

1:37:03to recognize and appropriate this grant

1:37:06in the amount of $300,000. The funding

1:37:08is for the project associated with the

1:37:10segment three of the Grand River Edges

1:37:12Trail Leonard to Anne project and

1:37:14updates the funding documentation to

1:37:16reflect current project sequencing and

1:37:18administration.

1:37:21Thank you. Any discussion, colleagues?

1:37:24Seeing none, uh, roll call vote again.

1:37:26>> Commissioner Peljek,

1:37:28>> yes.

1:37:28>> Commissioner Kilgore,

1:37:29>> yes.

1:37:30>> Commissioner Sassy,

1:37:31>> yes.

1:37:31>> Mr. Purdue,

1:37:32>> yes.

1:37:32>> Commissioner Knight,

1:37:33>> yes.

1:37:33>> Mr. Lrant,

1:37:34>> yes. Uh, can I have a motion for

1:37:36immediate effect?

1:37:37>> So moved.

1:37:38>> Support.

1:37:39>> All in favor of immediate effect, say I.

1:37:41>> I. All opposed. Motion carries. Brings

1:37:43us to our next ordinance. Our

1:37:45>> next ordinance is ordinance amending

1:37:46section 9.66 66 of chapter 151,

1:37:49nuisances of the city code to clarify

1:37:51the application of an exemption from

1:37:52noise code limitations for s certain

1:37:55uses, activities, and sounds.

1:37:57>> Can I have a motion?

1:37:59>> Support.

1:38:00>> Commissioner Sasi.

1:38:02>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, in 2023, the

1:38:04commission, the city commission adopted

1:38:05an ordinance amending section 9.66 66 of

1:38:08chapter 151 in title 9 of the city's

1:38:11code to exempt noises generated for the

1:38:13acquiser amphitheater from the noise

1:38:15code between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to

1:38:1711:00 p.m. The amphitheater noise is

1:38:20instead regulated under the special land

1:38:22use approval for the venue which sets

1:38:24decibel limits at certain areas of the

1:38:25venue and requires a monitoring system

1:38:28to ensure that levels at those locations

1:38:30are not exceeded. The amendment added

1:38:33the facility to a list of activities

1:38:35that were exempt from the noise and

1:38:36sound regulations as described in that

1:38:39section of the code. Earlier this

1:38:41summer, a court ruling resulted in an

1:38:43interpretation of the code section that

1:38:45was cannot meaningfully

1:38:48be applied nor enforced to the

1:38:50amphitheater or the other exceptions

1:38:51that are included in that section of the

1:38:53code. The proposed ordinance will amend

1:38:56the code to restore the original intent

1:38:57of those exceptions, which was to allow

1:38:59noises generated by the listed events

1:39:02and activities to be carried out between

1:39:04the specified hours with without

1:39:06specific noise, decibel, or other

1:39:07acoustic limitations.

1:39:10As a result, the amphitheater will

1:39:11continue to be regulated under the

1:39:13special land use permit between those

1:39:14hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. with the

1:39:17ability for the city manager to grant

1:39:19some extensions um to time and

1:39:21extenduating circumstances. Thank you.

1:39:24>> Thank you, Commissioner. Um, given the

1:39:27>> Oh, I don't know if I was supposed to

1:39:28turn it back over to you or to Miss

1:39:30Barren or

1:39:32>> um, Miss Barren, I I certainly uh

1:39:35welcome you to come up to the

1:39:36microphone. You maybe want to answer

1:39:38some questions here. Given the the

1:39:40volume of comment on this, I will want

1:39:43to have some discussion. So, um, anyone

1:39:46want to uh ask Miss Barren anything or

1:39:48generally discuss the ordinance? Happy

1:39:50to hear. Uh, Commissioner Belch.

1:39:53>> Yeah. Um,

1:39:55not exactly sure where to begin because

1:39:56there's a lot, but um, I don't want to

1:39:58overdo here. Um, I would like to, if you

1:40:01could clarify why we're doing this, even

1:40:04though I know we heard a little bit here

1:40:05in our preamble, um, why this has come

1:40:08before us now, why um, not sooner, and

1:40:12what what would happen, what would be

1:40:15the options after this? This is a a step

1:40:18we're t that could be taken. So, I guess

1:40:20I'll leave it start there and then I

1:40:22might have a couple more questions.

1:40:23>> Sure. This is coming forward now as as

1:40:25was uh briefly alluded to in the summary

1:40:28in order to execute the intent that was

1:40:30originally uh set forth in 2023. So, in

1:40:342023, the city commission approved

1:40:36adding to a list of existing exemptions

1:40:39in the noise code noises from the Acure

1:40:42Amphitheater that would be generated

1:40:44during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 11:00

1:40:46p.m. with a an ability for the city

1:40:50manager to grant brief exception uh

1:40:52extensions to that time as well. That

1:40:54was adopted in 2023. That was the

1:40:56framework that we used during this

1:40:58season. so exempted from the noise code.

1:41:00Instead, uh we apply conditions uh that

1:41:04were part of the special land use

1:41:06approval for the amphitheater. Uh those

1:41:08conditions are included as part of the

1:41:10special land use process with the

1:41:12planning commission and include specific

1:41:14limitations on uh decibel measurements

1:41:17at certain places within the

1:41:19amphitheater property itself with

1:41:21monitoring equipment uh that runs

1:41:23throughout any performance. Uh then

1:41:26there was there has been a lawsuit filed

1:41:28about the city's approach to noise in

1:41:30the ACR amp theater. Uh there are um

1:41:33multiple parties including the city and

1:41:35the CIA to that lawsuit. The judge rule

1:41:39one of the questions raised was

1:41:40specifically about how the exemption

1:41:43that was adopted in 2023 should be

1:41:46applied and interpreted. uh that judge's

1:41:49ruling led to an interpretation that was

1:41:53uh very difficult to apply and we have

1:41:55not applied it this year. We have not

1:41:57applied that section to the amphitheater

1:41:59at all this season. Uh this ordinance

1:42:02then amendment has come forward to

1:42:04clarify that and to execute on the

1:42:06initial intent from 2023. If you were to

1:42:09adopt it, it would put things in the

1:42:10place that we talked to the public about

1:42:13in 2023, which would be noises from the

1:42:16amphitheater between the hours of seven

1:42:17and 11 would be exempt from the noise

1:42:19code and would be they are subject to

1:42:22the conditions of the special land use

1:42:24permit. So, up until now, they've been

1:42:26subject to the land use permit

1:42:29regardless and that is the fundamental

1:42:31basis for how they are uh reg what's the

1:42:35word? enforced, I guess, monitored.

1:42:38Monitoring is an issue we can address in

1:42:40a minute. Um, but also with the when you

1:42:43said the section that has not been

1:42:45applied, I believe you're referring to

1:42:47section uh 9.65

1:42:50of the noise ordinance code, which I

1:42:52don't believe is in our packet here

1:42:54today, but that's the ordinance the code

1:42:56right above it that describes the speech

1:42:59no louder than level. It's the It's the

1:43:01code that I wish we could enforce better

1:43:03because, you know, I agree with the

1:43:05motorcycles and other noises that we

1:43:07deal with that, you know, we the the the

1:43:09neighbor that has all the fbombs and you

1:43:11never can catch their music because um

1:43:14you know, I have there's been some I

1:43:16haven't been able to use my backyard

1:43:17because of neighbors. So, it it happens

1:43:20and we can't catch people because you

1:43:21have to the police need to see them in

1:43:22the act before we can enforce that part

1:43:24of the code. But that's not the part

1:43:25we're talking about. We're talking about

1:43:289.66 66 where it had already been listed

1:43:31as the exemption, right? Um that was

1:43:33decided by the previous for me previous

1:43:35commission in 2023 and um the am I

1:43:40interpreting and maybe this is where our

1:43:42lawyer city attorney gets involved that

1:43:44but um the the court interpreted a

1:43:48certain way that seemed to make it seem

1:43:49like 9.65 65 had been what we should

1:43:53have been doing according to that

1:43:54reading and that was not how we had been

1:43:57applying it because we were applying

1:43:589.66. Am I reinterpreting that

1:44:00correctly?

1:44:04>> That's a good summary.

1:44:06>> I I would say that it's not that simple.

1:44:10It's not that simple. One of one thing I

1:44:13would use as an analogy is

1:44:17uh high school sport sporting events.

1:44:20And that's one of the things that are

1:44:22exempted from the rest of the noise

1:44:24ordinance because if at Houseman Field

1:44:27you had a high school football game

1:44:29going on, you wouldn't apply the

1:44:32ordinary sound regulations that that

1:44:35residential neighborhood generally

1:44:38expects. Ambulances is another general

1:44:43exception. And so depending on what zone

1:44:47through our zoning code you're in kind

1:44:50of drives what the ordinary sound

1:44:53expectations are downtown and where this

1:44:57amphitheater is and how it's zoned is a

1:45:00real, this is not a legal term of art,

1:45:03but a real funky zone. And um that's why

1:45:09we've always thought and the planning

1:45:10commission thought and there was

1:45:13positive public feedback back in 2023

1:45:15that this is a special land use in our

1:45:19city that's new and the best course to

1:45:22go down is special land use ordinance

1:45:28and uh or regulation through our zoning

1:45:31code as opposed to what felt like

1:45:34fitting a square piece and a round hole,

1:45:37which is our general noise ordinance.

1:45:41>> The general one being 9.65.

1:45:43>> Well, nope. Be

1:45:45>> not just that, because there's also

1:45:47provisions in our noise ordinance that

1:45:49talk about commercial and entertainment

1:45:51sound, right? And so commercial and

1:45:53entertainment sound is oftent times

1:45:55allowed to go till 1:00 in the morning.

1:45:58And that was something that we knew was

1:46:00not going to be the right fit either for

1:46:04this particular place.

1:46:06>> So that so the general code is 9.6 what

1:46:10I'm calling section 9.6 and 9.65 9.66

1:46:14and 9.65. But I hear what you're saying

1:46:16about this the special land use being

1:46:19the main mechanism for enforcement that

1:46:21we still have. And so when I as we've

1:46:25been talking about this and going

1:46:26through this and I I'll just read it

1:46:29here into the record. Um the change that

1:46:31is actually in front of us and being

1:46:33proposed is it feels like a wording

1:46:35change and um as the original wording

1:46:38with the original intent as you've

1:46:42described in 2023 says the following

1:46:45uses and activities are not prohibited

1:46:49noises. And then it proceeds to list the

1:46:53seven things that we've been talking

1:46:55about. Use of motorized lawnmowers and

1:46:57other lawn equipment between 7 a.m. and

1:46:5910 p.m. Snowblowers.

1:47:02Um emergency vehicles organized sporting

1:47:05events between 7:00 a.m. and 10 p.m.

1:47:08Special event conducted under the permit

1:47:11uh issued under code provided that

1:47:13supply that complies with the terms of a

1:47:15permit. the vibrations at the Kent the

1:47:18Grand Rapids Kent County Convention

1:47:19Arena Authority Amphitheater between the

1:47:21hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. except as

1:47:25provided in the following seven sounds

1:47:27and vibrations produced at Grand Rapids

1:47:30Kent County Convention Arena Authority

1:47:32after 11 p.m. The case of performance

1:47:34delays occasional occasioned by

1:47:37unforeseeable ext exent circumstances

1:47:41including but not limited to the in

1:47:44implemented sorry inclement rather that

1:47:46prevents the safe operations of the

1:47:48amphitheater with prior written approval

1:47:50of the city manager etc. I will stop

1:47:52there but the city manager has only

1:47:56um approved an extension one time. Am I

1:48:00am I right in that that that's only

1:48:03happened once? So that the um generally

1:48:05speaking we're holding to the 10 p.m. or

1:48:0811 pm depending on what's happening

1:48:10there. Right.

1:48:12>> I'm only aware of the amphitheater going

1:48:14past 11 one right time. And so the

1:48:17change that's in front of us today is um

1:48:20from this not prohibited noises wording

1:48:23which call it an exemption or whatever

1:48:26other words you wanted to call it sounds

1:48:28like.

1:48:30It now will read the following uses

1:48:32activities andor sounds are exempt from

1:48:35any prohibition limitation or

1:48:37restriction contained in any and all

1:48:40sections of this article five noise

1:48:42control and then the same items that we

1:48:45said before. So, I wanted that read out

1:48:46loud for the record because I believe

1:48:49there's been a lot of confusion and

1:48:52maybe even some misinformation out

1:48:54there. Um, I'm finding this to be a a

1:49:00challenge in general because there's so

1:49:02many different nuances and aspects and I

1:49:04think that the public doesn't always

1:49:06hear or know that. I think that we still

1:49:08have an we still need to have some

1:49:10robust conversation and I don't I do

1:49:13have I don't know that I have another

1:49:15question right now except like if if

1:49:17other things needed to be considered for

1:49:20the sake of the community what avenues

1:49:23would be in front of us

1:49:28today we have this this wording change

1:49:30in front of us but regardless of what

1:49:32happens here today what avenues would be

1:49:34in front of us if we were to continue to

1:49:36have convers conversations.

1:49:38>> You have some concerns.

1:49:40>> I think we're hearing concerns and I

1:49:42would like if

1:49:44>> I'm sorry, who's who's your question

1:49:45for, Commissioner?

1:49:46>> I'm not exactly sure because my question

1:49:48is basically how

1:49:51if we do this today, this is not the

1:49:53only this isn't like the end of the

1:49:55road. This isn't like the only thing

1:49:56we'll ever talk about if there were to

1:49:58be another conversation or another

1:50:00change. Not that there I'm not not

1:50:01saying that there would be because there

1:50:03are some legal ramifications that would

1:50:05need to be discussed but

1:50:08>> if I can perhaps focus this a little

1:50:10bit. Um so Miss Barren um the convention

1:50:13and arena authority operates this venue.

1:50:15Correct.

1:50:16>> Correct.

1:50:16>> So it is a publiclyowned ent uh asset

1:50:20but it but can you explain a little bit

1:50:22the relationship between the convention

1:50:24arena authority? Maybe that might help.

1:50:26Uh so the convention and arena authority

1:50:28is a a an entity that's created by state

1:50:31law. There are a pos it is governed by a

1:50:34board that is appointed by either the

1:50:37governor has appointments of certain

1:50:39seats. Uh the city, the county has

1:50:40appointments of certain seats and then

1:50:42the body itself has appointment

1:50:43authority over several of the seats as

1:50:46well. Uh so and it has holds public

1:50:48meetings. Their public meetings happen

1:50:50monthly. That's where they do things

1:50:52much like you all do in terms of setting

1:50:54the policy, adopting the budget, uh

1:50:56doing um those sorts of activities. Uh

1:50:59they also have a number of committees

1:51:01including a community advisory committee

1:51:03that helps them um set several of those

1:51:06policies and results and programming uh

1:51:08like you heard about earlier in the

1:51:10month in terms of opportunities for

1:51:12communities and nonprofit organizations

1:51:14and other things to participate in

1:51:16activities and uh be able to support

1:51:18those organizations as part of the

1:51:19operations of their facilities including

1:51:21the amphitheater, the Vanandal Arena and

1:51:23the Devos Convention Center. So, as far

1:51:26as this amphitheater is concerned, um

1:51:28physical changes to it at this point are

1:51:30questions for the CIA. Is that a fair

1:51:32statement?

1:51:33>> Uh yes, that would be correct.

1:51:34>> And venue, I mean concert selection, all

1:51:37of those sorts of things, all of the

1:51:38logistics, the revenue, all of those

1:51:40things are CAA endeavors at this point.

1:51:43Correct.

1:51:43>> Yes.

1:51:43>> Okay. So, um, what's before this body,

1:51:46if I can summarize this, and, uh, our

1:51:48city attorney can correct me if I'm

1:51:50wrong, but is essentially a question of

1:51:52whether our city ordinance

1:51:55in macro terms, how it affects this

1:51:59separate entity, the CAA and the and the

1:52:02amphitheater. So the question is whether

1:52:05we essentially modify our uh modify as a

1:52:10response to the court ruling our

1:52:12ordinance in order to fit what has been

1:52:15stated several times should been the

1:52:16initial the original intent. And I don't

1:52:19want to go too far down the original

1:52:20intent road. I'm a lawyer. You you get

1:52:22you get this in law school. Um but

1:52:24essentially this is I think a case where

1:52:26it's fair to say the original intent is

1:52:29fairly clear. There was a lot of

1:52:30community input. There was a lot of

1:52:32discussion about this at the time.

1:52:33Commissioner Belch wasn't here.

1:52:35Commissioner Kilgore wasn't here. I

1:52:36wasn't here. Um I believe uh my other

1:52:39colleagues were here. Um so I would I

1:52:42would certainly if they if they want to

1:52:44speak to the question of the original

1:52:47intent of this agreement, I'd certainly

1:52:48welcome that discussion. But um at this

1:52:51point the question is whether this

1:52:54ordinance is essentially corrected

1:52:57um in response to a court ruling in

1:53:00order to do what it originally was

1:53:02intended to do.

1:53:04>> Is that a fair statement? Mr. Barren,

1:53:06you're a lawyer, too.

1:53:07>> Yes, it is.

1:53:08>> Thank you. Okay. So, does that help,

1:53:10Commissioner?

1:53:10>> Yeah, that does help. I just wanted to

1:53:12make it clear for folks and I do think

1:53:14like you know I've heard a lot about

1:53:16people from from the internal that we

1:53:18are working with the CIA and that the

1:53:20CIA is working on things and I I guess I

1:53:23would encourage that you know for

1:53:25instance the the sound monitoring I said

1:53:27I wanted to get back to that like have

1:53:28we seen the sound monitoring data when

1:53:31will we be provided that data how do we

1:53:33know I mean those are have all been

1:53:35internal discussions and it's not

1:53:37something that I've been able to um have

1:53:41privy too.

1:53:43>> Uh I I will simply say yes. I think for

1:53:46next season we can certainly put out

1:53:48more FAQs and public information about

1:53:50how folks can expect complaints to be

1:53:52processed. Uh this season was a little

1:53:55different because of the pending

1:53:56litigation and I will allow

1:53:58>> Okay. So we do have that

1:53:59>> attorney to add anything more to that.

1:54:01>> Okay.

1:54:03So, well, I'll just wrap up then by

1:54:04saying that um this is I feel like this

1:54:08is a tough this is this has probably

1:54:10disproportionately affected the first

1:54:12ward. Um I know that it does affect

1:54:15other people. Um I do appreciate that we

1:54:18have a new venue in the economic

1:54:20benefits and there are other benefits in

1:54:22the community. Um remembering that

1:54:25businesses are people, small people,

1:54:28small businesses are run by people. Um,

1:54:31but uh and and the community vitality is

1:54:33great, but I represent and I'm from and

1:54:36am a workingclass neighbor and I live in

1:54:39the flood plane where I can hear it as

1:54:42well. And um my husband when he works at

1:54:45Amazon and has Prime Days and already um

1:54:49overtime is announced before

1:54:51Thanksgiving for the next two months. um

1:54:53he's working 10 or 11 hour days, 5 days

1:54:57a week and leaves the h gets up at 4:30

1:54:59a.m. And so, you know, there are people

1:55:01who are hearing and affected by it and

1:55:04that I think that we have to listen to

1:55:07people. And I I feel like the the city

1:55:10commission has um in 2023 made the

1:55:12decisions to help the amphitheater get

1:55:16up and running and those a lot of the

1:55:19enforcement maybe we can, maybe we can't

1:55:21do. figuring out how to do that with

1:55:23these things. But the actual operation,

1:55:25the actual mitigation, we've heard words

1:55:27today like exemption, restrict, control,

1:55:29contain, mitigation impacts. Uh

1:55:32different ideas that people have clearly

1:55:34spent a lot of time thinking about. Um,

1:55:37it would be great to have our partners

1:55:39in this endeavor, the CAA, um, continue

1:55:42to be open and publicly sharing what

1:55:45they can because the changes on the

1:55:49property seem to be things that need to

1:55:51be done there. I don't know, you know,

1:55:53if they've directed the the sound

1:55:55differently or what. It's good that

1:55:57there there are differences and and

1:55:59changes and it is getting better it

1:56:00seems but um I don't think it's perfect

1:56:03and maybe it is a part of the

1:56:05soundsscape of our new environment but

1:56:07um and there are real risks that I think

1:56:09the public may not fully be aware of

1:56:12that we yes represent people but yes we

1:56:15also represent the the city and that

1:56:19there are dollars tax dollars that are

1:56:21people's public money that could that

1:56:24could have real negative effects If the

1:56:27amphitheater were suddenly tomorrow, I

1:56:30don't know,

1:56:31disappear that I don't know, maybe the

1:56:34aliens. I'll do a Mayor Lrand and pull

1:56:37the aliens down and they get beamed up

1:56:39example. Um, but there the the

1:56:45we're holding the bonds. I don't think

1:56:46people realize that we're holding the

1:56:48bonds to as so that's debt the city is

1:56:50carrying for having built the thing. So

1:56:52saying that we can't have it operate

1:56:55isn't an option either. So balancing

1:56:57these things is something that is um

1:57:00something that I feel I need to do too.

1:57:03So um

1:57:05I pro I I think that um the changes are

1:57:09reasonable to the extent that they are.

1:57:12I think that the discussion and

1:57:13opportunity to talk about how this

1:57:16affects people's lives and whether or

1:57:18not 11 p.m. or 10 10 p.m. would have

1:57:20been a better choice. Those are not

1:57:22things that are on the discussion for

1:57:23today. They're not that's not what this

1:57:25agenda item is about. And I would like

1:57:29to see opportunity if that were a

1:57:31possibility, but I believe that's not on

1:57:34in my world to discuss right now.

1:57:38>> U city manager and well actually

1:57:40commissioner.

1:57:43>> Go ahead. S.

1:57:43>> Yeah. Thank thank you uh mayor and

1:57:45commissioners for your your thoughts on

1:57:46this. And uh you recall we did have um

1:57:49representatives from CIA at our meet

1:57:51last meeting talking about the

1:57:53amphitheater uh in inaugural season. And

1:57:56I think uh since the majority of the

1:58:01concert um season has concluded, uh what

1:58:05we can do is ask them to come back uh

1:58:09before the next concert season and talk

1:58:12about uh some of their operational plans

1:58:16and u responses to some of the feedback

1:58:18that we've heard here today. So we can

1:58:20certainly try to schedule that at a

1:58:21future briefing.

1:58:24>> Thank you. Um any other discussion

1:58:27colleagues?

1:58:29Okay. Um I I will just say briefly um

1:58:34uh rather than wrap this into my closing

1:58:36comments that um I understand uh and I

1:58:39appreciate the the uh all of the effort

1:58:42that went into coming in and speaking.

1:58:44Um people can disagree with each other

1:58:47without meaning that they didn't that

1:58:48they didn't listen to each other. Um, I

1:58:50think that this is a vote that, uh,

1:58:54frankly is something where continuity is

1:58:56very important. Um, we're not bound by

1:58:59previous commissions, of course, but I

1:59:00think that this is a a great example of

1:59:03an outcome that no one particularly

1:59:04predicted. And so, I think that, um,

1:59:07amending our ordinance to be consistent

1:59:09with the original plans here is keeping

1:59:12fidelity with everyone who, um, worked

1:59:16towards building this. and all of the

1:59:17concerns of the community I think are

1:59:19things that we have to we'll have to

1:59:20have ongoing discussion about. I will

1:59:22point out that different things resonate

1:59:24for different people. Um uh for me what

1:59:27resonates about the amphitheater is

1:59:29actually its community building. It's

1:59:31not uh it's not anything to do with

1:59:33economics. For me personally, what what

1:59:34I love is the the community that I see

1:59:37built every time uh every time an event

1:59:40happens. Uh it sort of looks like a high

1:59:41school reunion when people are walking

1:59:43through my neighborhood um on their way

1:59:45to the amphitheater and away from it. Um

1:59:48and uh I live a few blocks away and I

1:59:51hear it, but I I totally understand. I'm

1:59:54actually a very noise sensitive person.

1:59:56I totally understand the the

1:59:59um the impact that this has on people

2:00:02who hear it louder and more persistently

2:00:05than I do. So, um I I expect we will

2:00:08have ongoing community conversations

2:00:09about this, but I just wanted to say

2:00:10that for the and and Commissioner Yas

2:00:13and Commissioner Purdue, go ahead.

2:00:15>> I wasn't going to say anything, but then

2:00:16you said I felt like, you know, maybe I

2:00:19should because I was here in 2023, so

2:00:22thank you for the opportunity, Mayor. I

2:00:23I had put my hand back down because um I

2:00:26felt that you had restated sort of

2:00:28reframed what is in front of us, right?

2:00:30There's always a number of things with

2:00:33whatever the thing is that we might want

2:00:35to talk about and consider and in this

2:00:38form of government we have whatever you

2:00:41know that individual item is in front of

2:00:42us um that has been well researched well

2:00:45reviewed and you know to go this was

2:00:48even something before I was on

2:00:49commission being discussed being

2:00:50reviewed um and then you think about all

2:00:53the time that kind of goes through that

2:00:56um so yes I would agree with you that

2:00:57that was the original intent of that.

2:01:00Um, as we heard from city attorney Stum,

2:01:03what were the considerations of other

2:01:05venues and other realities and what

2:01:07would occur in the city of our size?

2:01:10And, um, you know, I went to numerous

2:01:13meetings about that, had numerous

2:01:15conversations up here. Of course, you

2:01:17know, we have our economic development

2:01:18project team. We have, um, you know,

2:01:21other entities that were involved as it

2:01:23related to, you know, the the capital

2:01:24stack of that. I would agree too with

2:01:27you. I think there are the there are the

2:01:29absolute pieces and I work with small

2:01:31businesses that you want to see. I

2:01:34myself have gone, you know, to um to

2:01:37events, went to the community events and

2:01:39things like that as well. Those are not

2:01:41the things that I consider. um I might

2:01:44enjoy that but I really look at what was

2:01:46that intent and then we live in a world

2:01:49where you know there are media outlets

2:01:53and the title of the stories are very

2:01:56generalized. I think I remember

2:01:58immediately after seeing one of the

2:01:59titles, I called you uh Phil and said,

2:02:01you know, what is what is this going to

2:02:04what what does this mean for us? And so

2:02:07what sometimes appears is not what is

2:02:10in, you know, not is not what is in

2:02:12front of us. And so what I take issue

2:02:15with is when people say that we're

2:02:17bypassing something, when they say it's

2:02:21a loophole,

2:02:23that's not a difference of opinion.

2:02:25you have now called my character and my

2:02:27ethics into question and so that is some

2:02:30of my concern. I think you can say you

2:02:33don't like my politics or you don't like

2:02:34my particular vote but this is a public

2:02:37meeting and this has been noticed and

2:02:39this has been communicated and there are

2:02:43people that I know I've responded to and

2:02:45there's people that I know I haven't

2:02:46responded to. Um and so the you know the

2:02:50reality is and you said this well mayor

2:02:54I had somebody who wrote me and said

2:02:57your message on this

2:03:00is I mean I'm not going to repeat what

2:03:01they said to me because it actually is I

2:03:04shouldn't repeat it. It just was it was

2:03:06rude. Um and it was this sense of you

2:03:10you're not listening to me. No, you

2:03:13don't agree with what my decision is.

2:03:14Those are two very different things. And

2:03:17all day long, I've just been thinking

2:03:19about it's a binary of either you

2:03:21support this or

2:03:24you don't support whatever the

2:03:26particular thing is. I've heard people

2:03:28say, you know, workingclass people,

2:03:30business people versus not. If you heard

2:03:32some of the people said they lived

2:03:33actually in the plaza towers that were

2:03:36positive. I've heard from business

2:03:38owners who've been supportive. I've

2:03:39heard from people who are not supported.

2:03:41I too I think one of the nights I wrote

2:03:43you and I said I can hear the vibration

2:03:45and I live in Crestston. I live past

2:03:47Michigan

2:03:48and so now I'm going to stop talking

2:03:50because I think I'm going a little bit

2:03:51you know over this but what I would say

2:03:54is um I am prepared for my vote. So I'm

2:03:57I'm happy to move to call the question

2:03:59but I did want to answer that question

2:04:01of what was the intent because I do take

2:04:04responsibility and stand by every vote

2:04:06that I've ever done on this body. So,

2:04:08thank you,

2:04:08>> Commissioner Purdue.

2:04:11>> Thank you. Thank you all for coming out

2:04:12to share um your viewpoint on this item.

2:04:16Um I a number of people said that uh the

2:04:20my my plan is to move this forward as

2:04:22well today. A number of people said that

2:04:25uh what we have had has worked and we

2:04:28don't want to take away the rules. This

2:04:30is not taking away the rules. this is

2:04:32keeping uh the rules in place around

2:04:35sound restrictions for the amphitheater.

2:04:37So, it's actually making it clear and

2:04:40predictable for everyone involved. Um

2:04:43and so I think um in part because of

2:04:47some of the news and the messaging that

2:04:49that might have gotten lost and

2:04:50misunderstood. And so I want to be

2:04:52really clear that this is keeping

2:04:55limitations and rules in place related

2:04:57to noise for the amphitheater. And for

2:04:59that reason, I do plan to support it.

2:05:01Um, I also want to be clear, there were

2:05:02some comments made about, you know, uh,

2:05:05a lot of shortcomings that I don't know

2:05:07how many have been or what how how well

2:05:10they've been verified, but I do want to

2:05:12say that I have seen um, our staff, our

2:05:16teams here at the city um, and even

2:05:18people on this day be really um,

2:05:21responsive to like uh, to concerns. uh

2:05:24when we when the amphitheater first

2:05:26opened and we started to hear from folks

2:05:28about their experience, we uh put in

2:05:31some effort extra effort. We we sent

2:05:33everyone to the same place to say this

2:05:35is your let us know uh what's not

2:05:38working. We want to hear and then um I

2:05:40heard some folks say that there was an

2:05:42improvement. I've heard that over and

2:05:43over and over again because there were

2:05:45rules in place because we heard u from

2:05:48you all and because we um we did enforce

2:05:50what we had. So I just want to correct

2:05:52that. I don't I don't want you all to

2:05:53leave with the impression that

2:05:54enforcement and monitoring or

2:05:56enforcement or due diligence has not

2:05:57taken place. Um I believe that it has

2:06:00been and I think that um as we prepare

2:06:02for the second season um the CIA will

2:06:05continue to work closely with us to

2:06:07create um the best experience we can. I

2:06:10think the amphitheater is a by far net

2:06:12positive for this community. Um I'm I um

2:06:17I'm not pleased that I'm not happy that

2:06:19some folks have not had the best

2:06:20experience in terms of uh noise. Um I

2:06:24think in other people's words, we all

2:06:26have different um how we perceive noise

2:06:29can be very subjective, right? And my

2:06:31preference versus your preference. So I

2:06:33think that makes the issue of noise

2:06:34something really really dicey in some

2:06:37cases. So I understand that not everyone

2:06:38is equally excited. Um we've heard that

2:06:41very very clear here today. Um, but I do

2:06:43think, uh, you know, moving forward to

2:06:45continue to enforce what we already had

2:06:46on the books, um, and prepare for an

2:06:48even better second season. Um, I'm

2:06:50excited to do that. Thank you.

2:06:53>> Okay. Thank you. Uh, seeing no further,

2:06:55uh, comments, Mr. Clerk, this is a roll

2:06:57call vote.

2:06:57>> Commissioner Kilgore,

2:06:59>> yes.

2:07:00>> Commissioner Asasi,

2:07:01>> yes.

2:07:02>> Commissioner Purdue,

2:07:03>> yes.

2:07:03>> Commissioner Knight,

2:07:04>> yes.

2:07:04>> Commissioner Belchek,

2:07:05>> yes.

2:07:06>> Mayor Lrand,

2:07:07>> yes.

2:07:08That brings us to um city commission

2:07:12resolutions of which we have one. Um can

2:07:16I have a motion to and then this is a

2:07:18what we sometimes call a walk-on item.

2:07:20So this has been a rapidly developing uh

2:07:23matter. So I need a motion to suspend

2:07:25the rules to consider the issue.

2:07:27>> Support. All in favor of suspending the

2:07:29rules say I.

2:07:30>> I.

2:07:31>> Uh and now the uh resolution. U Mr.

2:07:35Clerk. Um this is Stubs versus Taylor in

2:07:39city of Grand Rapids city commission

2:07:40resolution approving a settlement.

2:07:43>> Uh and I have a motion

2:07:46>> support.

2:07:46>> Commissioner Purdue.

2:07:48>> Yeah. So this matter of Stubs v. Taylor

2:07:51and City of Grand Rapids is a no fault

2:07:52action and was presented to the city

2:07:54commission earlier today on October

2:07:5627th. This uh settlement um the

2:07:59settlement of this matter and all

2:08:00potential claims related to it was

2:08:02recommended in the amount of $60,000.

2:08:05Um and that is what is in front of us

2:08:07for a vote momentarily.

2:08:10>> Thank you. Any discussion, colleagues?

2:08:13Seeing none, all in favor of the

2:08:15resolution say I.

2:08:16>> I.

2:08:17>> I. All opposed. Motion carries. Thank

2:08:20you. That brings us to um public

2:08:22hearings of which we have none. And now

2:08:24our second opportunity for public

2:08:26comments. Um feel free to come up to the

2:08:28microphone. Remember we are going to be

2:08:30timing things rigorously. Um please uh

2:08:34uh members who aren't speaking uh give

2:08:36courtesy to the people who are and

2:08:38refrain from making noise and um if you

2:08:41can tell us ideally where you live and

2:08:44uh

2:08:46>> um hold on one sec. Sorry Lucas just

2:08:48hold on. So please do not block the

2:08:50doorway. Um we leave ingress and there's

2:08:53no need to line up. Everybody will get a

2:08:56get a chance. So you can line up but um

2:08:59as people go through but please keep the

2:09:00doorway clear for egress. Thank you.

2:09:03Thanks Mr. Le Lucas. Again it's

2:09:08important for people to understand the

2:09:09layers of corporatism involved in

2:09:11everything in GR. See the amphitheater

2:09:14is a perfect case study for all the best

2:09:16and worst things about this city. I was

2:09:20a supporter from the very beginning and

2:09:22this amphitheater is objectively

2:09:23superior to the one in my hometown of

2:09:25Nashville. It looks better, it sounds

2:09:28better, and its green spaces have been

2:09:30kept open, just as I adamantly insisted

2:09:32during the feedback sessions.

2:09:35But around here, you have to either bow

2:09:37down for every part of a project or

2:09:40you're slandered as being against it.

2:09:42Y'all love to say both and. But when we

2:09:45ask for that, you scoff because we

2:09:47aren't kissing corporate ass like you.

2:09:50The powers that be don't like it when

2:09:52you point out problems like the same old

2:09:54planning cronies, shameless whoring to

2:09:57monopolists like Live Nation and the

2:09:59corporate welfare queens at Legends

2:10:01Global, traffic planning being last

2:10:03minute, shutting out local breweries, a

2:10:06lack of bike racks by the front door, or

2:10:09the ban on food trucks nearby.

2:10:12The root of most of our issues is the

2:10:14abdication of authority by elected

2:10:16officials. City leaders just throw their

2:10:19hands up and pass the buck since the

2:10:21place now belongs to Kent County and

2:10:22it's run by the Convention Arena

2:10:24Authority. The CIA passes the buck to

2:10:26Legends Global. And all of them snuggle

2:10:29up to the likes of Live Nation, risking

2:10:32fallout of federal antitrust impacting

2:10:34our city and exporting our economics to

2:10:37out of town private equity.

2:10:39We all need to be pressuring all the

2:10:41powers involved. The CIA meets next week

2:10:45on the 6th. The Kent County Commission

2:10:47meets on the 19th, both at 8:30 right

2:10:49here next door. Attend these meetings

2:10:51and add friction to the minations of

2:10:53greed and corporate dominance. The

2:10:55people's voice should be so much more

2:10:58noisy than a concert echoing up a river.

2:11:02Now, speaking of early meetings that are

2:11:04hard to track and standing up against

2:11:06the agendas of certain power brokers, I

2:11:09noticed this morning that my one

2:11:11commissioner brought up the topic of the

2:11:13first ward vacancy again in the

2:11:15committee on appointments.

2:11:17It was quickly shot down, but that

2:11:19doesn't make the topic any less

2:11:21important to our wards residents. And

2:11:24seeing it go nowhere for any

2:11:26reconsideration is just another reminder

2:11:28of the whole show so far. Thank

2:11:31you, Commissioner Belch, for trying,

2:11:33even if some of my neighbors don't want

2:11:35to understand that you are. Your

2:11:37colleagues don't seem to care, and I'll

2:11:38continue to blame our mayor for multiple

2:11:40failures of leadership throughout that

2:11:42process. I am very hopeful that that

2:11:45little weasel that started it all, Drew

2:11:47Robbins, will lose in the state house

2:11:49next Tuesday. Good night and good luck,

2:11:52GR. Go vote.

2:11:57finger problem.

2:12:02>> Kind of like the pumpkin

2:12:05fruit plaza towers. I guess I got

2:12:08another three minutes, but I won't use

2:12:09it all. What I was going to say, and now

2:12:13that the resolution's been passed, I

2:12:17would like to the city to require the CA

2:12:19to engage directly with the residents

2:12:21affected by the noise means meaningful

2:12:24discussions with the people who live

2:12:26with the consequences.

2:12:28Work collaborator work in a

2:12:30collaboratory uh atmosphere to come to a

2:12:34common and workable solution that is

2:12:38manageable to all sides. You've said,

2:12:41I've heard commissioners talk about,

2:12:43well, we can have the CA, we can have

2:12:45further discussion. I'm asking for that

2:12:48further discussion, but I'm asking that

2:12:50we be part of it, not just those up on

2:12:53the dis and the CAA. We need to be part

2:12:56of that discussion. And that's what I'm

2:12:58asking for now as a solution.

2:13:06>> Hello, my name is Chloe. Um, I'm a

2:13:08volunteer with Grand Rapids rapid

2:13:10response to ICE. Um, I spend a lot of

2:13:12time at 517 Ottawa Avenue where the ICE

2:13:15office is and I want to share with my

2:13:17community um, just how horrendous IC's

2:13:19presence in Grand Rapids is. They are

2:13:22taking at least five people a day,

2:13:24typically more. They took 10 people

2:13:26yesterday and nine people today. That is

2:13:2819 people within two days. Think about

2:13:30that. That is almost the size of a

2:13:32classroom. These are hardworking,

2:13:34taxpaying members of our community who

2:13:36are being taken and deported. It is evil

2:13:39and this is going to have detrimental

2:13:40effects on our communities and

2:13:42communities all over the nation. We are

2:13:44there often to witness what's happening

2:13:46and stand in solidarity with our

2:13:48kidnapped neighbors. Can you imagine the

2:13:50terror you would feel being taken by men

2:13:52in masks with no badge, no

2:13:54identification, no anything? And these

2:13:56agents wake up so happy and ready to do

2:13:58it while they stop and get a coffee at

2:14:00Sweetwaters right before ripping

2:14:01families apart. They are cowards. A

2:14:04couple of weeks ago, a few of us were

2:14:05across the street when an agent opened

2:14:07the door, stuck just his hands out with

2:14:09his sign, and held up a sign that said,

2:14:10"Good morning, Chloe." With a heart.

2:14:12There have been multiple times they have

2:14:14called me by my name, trying to

2:14:15intimidate me and other comrades. And

2:14:17GRPD has arrested at least six of us for

2:14:19protesting on public property at the ICE

2:14:21office. But I refuse to let these weak

2:14:24men stop us for fighting for what is

2:14:25right. And you are a weak, pitiful

2:14:27person if you think ripping apart apart

2:14:30families is going to solve anything in

2:14:31this country. The only things ruining

2:14:33America are Donald Trump, MAGA,

2:14:36billionaires, and the spineless

2:14:37leadership from all of our elected

2:14:39officials, local and national.

2:14:41Yesterday, an ICE agent asked us, "Are

2:14:43we oppressing them or sending them

2:14:44home?" What a gross comment. And that

2:14:46shows a complete lack of empathy and and

2:14:48in my opinion, a clearly low IQ. Home is

2:14:51wherever they have chosen to go to live

2:14:53a safe life with their family. And

2:14:54that's what this country was supposed to

2:14:56be. But still, documented immigrants are

2:14:58being detained. There are also cases,

2:15:01documented cases of people being

2:15:02deported to countries they aren't even

2:15:04from. And at the end of the day, we are

2:15:06are all human and deserve to have a

2:15:08place to live. And this isn't just about

2:15:10what ICE is doing. It's about how our

2:15:12own community responds. The company next

2:15:14to ICE, the ICE office, Spalding and

2:15:16Decker, does not let ICE use its parking

2:15:18lot, but they do let us. And that tells

2:15:21you something. Our community does not

2:15:22want this happening in our city. People

2:15:24are being terrorized. Families are being

2:15:26ripped apart. And our neighbors are

2:15:28living in fear. So I'm asking you

2:15:30directly, what are we going going to do

2:15:32about it? We need more statement more

2:15:34than statements of concern. We need

2:15:35action. We need you to advance sanctuary

2:15:38policies, protect our immigrant

2:15:39neighbors, and use every tool available

2:15:41to limit local cooperation with ICE and

2:15:44prevent our local resources from

2:15:46contributing to this abuse. I know some

2:15:48of you care. Most of you had said that

2:15:50you do, but it is time to turn words

2:15:51into action. Our community is tired and

2:15:54traumatized, and we need leaders who are

2:15:56willing to stand up for what is right.

2:15:58Please show us that your words mean

2:15:59something and protect our neighbors. And

2:16:01ICE.

2:16:07>> Hi, good evening. Thank you uh for the

2:16:09time. Um, I do realize that this is

2:16:12comparatively a a micro issue, but it's

2:16:14very important to the residents that are

2:16:17affected by this. Uh, my name is Charlie

2:16:20Sage. I live at the Westminster Meadows

2:16:22uh apartment building. It's a 64 unit

2:16:25plus 55 apartment building and there are

2:16:29at least a dozen people there living

2:16:31with serious mobility issues. They use

2:16:33walkers, canes, electric wheelchairs, uh

2:16:36the little three-wheel scooters, and the

2:16:39apartment. And this is at 1150 Plymouth

2:16:42Avenue Northeast. And there is a

2:16:44two-story commercial building directly

2:16:47north of the of our apartment building

2:16:49that uh at 1170

2:16:52Plymouth. They have not shoveled their

2:16:55sidewalk in 10 years. I reached out to

2:16:59Commissioner Yasassi and she did provide

2:17:01some information. And there's been 10

2:17:02complaints over 10 over 10 years. And

2:17:06there's no reason to think that the

2:17:08owner of the building is going to change

2:17:09behavior. The procedure for making a

2:17:12complaint takes, you know, 8 days

2:17:15before,

2:17:16long story short, you would have had

2:17:18more complaints, but the people gave up.

2:17:21I've heard stories of people just giving

2:17:23up calling the city because nothing

2:17:24happens. Um, I know of an 81-year-old

2:17:28gentleman who in electric wheelchair

2:17:30attempted, you know, oh, I should

2:17:32backtrack. There's a a credit union.

2:17:34There's a strip mall across Leonard.

2:17:36There's family fair. There's a lot of

2:17:38places where folks need to go. and this

2:17:43150 ft section of sidewalk which also

2:17:45has uh a sunken

2:17:49broken section that an 82year-old woman

2:17:52named Carol in her walker has fallen

2:17:54over. It's a good thing she's not a

2:17:56suing type of person. But um but anyway,

2:17:59this property owner employs a snow plow

2:18:03service who uh plows out the parking

2:18:06lot, shovels the or has the uh the

2:18:10sidewalk on the north and the east side

2:18:12of the building cleared,

2:18:15but apparently they want to save a buck

2:18:17and they never have the public sidewalk

2:18:19cleared. And so I'm here today pleading

2:18:22for my fellow residents with mobility

2:18:25issues. I'm one of the youngest people

2:18:26in the building. And there's also

2:18:28Stonebook Apartments directly to the

2:18:30south of our building. There's plenty of

2:18:33physically challenged people there

2:18:34trying to get through. There's actually

2:18:35a blind couple in there with their

2:18:37canes. And so I'm just asking the city,

2:18:41will you please reach out to this

2:18:42property owner and instruct them that

2:18:44they have to use the snow blow service

2:18:46to clean the sidewalk off? This has been

2:18:49going on for a decade. So, please would

2:18:52would you do that for the people with

2:18:54serious mobility issues? Thank you for

2:18:56your time.

2:19:00>> Hello, I'm Matthew Scott. We have been

2:19:03like at the city because of um threats

2:19:07and pest um experiences. We have been

2:19:12I was we have been given permission to

2:19:15omit us. with us live on the southwest

2:19:19side and um I'm here today to

2:19:25um kind of defend us and um you and

2:19:29everyone else can try to shut up God all

2:19:32you wanted but he will all you want but

2:19:36yeah but we will he will not be mocked

2:19:40and he will not and yeah he will not be

2:19:44he will um his will will ultimately

2:19:49prevail and um we unlike death that said

2:19:54our real identity is we followers of the

2:19:58Lord Jesus Christ and we're not democrat

2:20:01we're not republican we vote according

2:20:04to the we are vote according to the

2:20:07scriptures and um that is going to warn

2:20:11you about the um that's going to warn

2:20:15you about some of the people. But yeah,

2:20:19like Mark always says, if you Yeah, get

2:20:23out and vote because if you don't vote,

2:20:25you are voting and if you do vote, you

2:20:29voting. So if you don't vote, you don't

2:20:32have a right to complain and I would

2:20:36like to end by

2:20:40thanking you all for your service. uh

2:20:45uh holiday is coming up. So, thank you

2:20:47all for your

2:20:49service and um I would like to see you

2:20:52all in heaven someday. So, um I plead

2:20:56with you be the day is coming when he's

2:21:00coming back and I would like to see you

2:21:03all in heaven. So, I'm going to so just

2:21:07call on the Lord and call on the name of

2:21:10the Lord and you shall be saved. Thank

2:21:13you.

2:21:19Thank you, Matthew. Well said.

2:21:24Mayor Lrant, I'm sorry that uh you had

2:21:27to deal with those two insurrections

2:21:30from back in September.

2:21:34people that voted for you

2:21:38concerning the insurrections here. I

2:21:39wonder if they are paid

2:21:42like others in Minnesota, New York,

2:21:44Seattle.

2:21:46I would appeal to them. Why don't you go

2:21:48uh cause an insurrection in Iran?

2:21:52That's where the real uh devastation

2:21:56needs to be addressed.

2:21:59City Attorney, I want to uh thank you

2:22:02for clarifying last time that I was here

2:22:05that I was not expressing hate speech.

2:22:10When I just share facts about Muhammad

2:22:13Els,

2:22:15I'm just expressing facts.

2:22:18Mayor Lrand, you called me a liar

2:22:20publicly.

2:22:22I don't appreciate that.

2:22:24Do the research yourself.

2:22:27what Muhammad Els say believes and says

2:22:32and wants to implement.

2:22:35The elections are a week away

2:22:38and I would like to remind everyone

2:22:40under the sound of my voice

2:22:42if you vote for a candidate

2:22:45who is pro-death

2:22:47like Muhammad and like Benson

2:22:52they are supported by Planned genocide

2:22:54i.e. Planned Parenthood,

2:22:58you you vote for them, they win their

2:23:00elections, and they implement those

2:23:02bloody,

2:23:04cruel, murderous acts on our children.

2:23:08You will be held responsible. You will

2:23:10be considered by God Almighty to be an

2:23:13accomplice to murder.

2:23:18They've helped push proposal three

2:23:21through our state legislature, which

2:23:23allows the murder of babies up to nine

2:23:25months and of course oftentimes

2:23:27afterwards.

2:23:29And I'd like to remind everyone here,

2:23:32just a few miles from where we're

2:23:33standing

2:23:35at 425 East Cherry, they continue to

2:23:39murder 100 babies on average every

2:23:42month.

2:23:44And by the way, if you continue to cut

2:23:46my time short as you did last time, I

2:23:49would remind you you're suppressing me

2:23:51of my First Amendment rights.

2:23:54And one last item, I guess he left, but

2:23:59Commissioner Kilgore, if you can hear

2:24:00me, I want to assert again, we don't

2:24:03hate you

2:24:05or anyone else on this commission. We're

2:24:07not attacking you.

2:24:10The Lord Jesus Christ commands us to

2:24:11love just as he does. We pray for you

2:24:15every day, every one of you, and your

2:24:17families.

2:24:19We wouldn't do that if we didn't love

2:24:21you.

2:24:22Be careful who you vote for.

2:24:30All right, my three minutes.

2:24:33Evening, commissioners. It's an honor to

2:24:35be before you here today. Um, my name is

2:24:38Jennifer and I'm actually from Wyoming,

2:24:40but my organization does a lot of work

2:24:42with your amazing city, your police, and

2:24:45some of you. Um, I want to say here in

2:24:48this room today is a great

2:24:50representation of your city. It's kind

2:24:52of like a family, a little

2:24:54dysfunctional, but still family.

2:24:57But I want to bring up something that

2:24:59I've noticed over time that I feel like

2:25:02there's a part of the family that is not

2:25:03welcome to the table. It's like um

2:25:07having a kid and he comes home and he

2:25:09wants to tell you he got an A on a test

2:25:11and he's ignored. He comes home and

2:25:14excitedly tells you he made the soccer

2:25:16team and he's ignored. But then he comes

2:25:19home and he tells you he got a C and

2:25:22he's jumped all over.

2:25:24Now, I know none of you would treat your

2:25:27children like that, but I feel like

2:25:29that's how we treat our police. They're

2:25:32part of this community and family.

2:25:34They're the ones serving and protecting

2:25:36and answering all of our calls. We want

2:25:40true accountability and transparency.

2:25:43Shouldn't that be include the good, too?

2:25:46Maybe some of these family meetings

2:25:48could start even with a Grand Rapids

2:25:50officer sharing one to maybe 10 of the

2:25:53amazing things their officers do.

2:25:56Whether it's

2:25:58>> bringing peace to a do domestic violence

2:26:01situation,

2:26:03whether it's bringing a baby back to

2:26:05life, or whether it's bringing someone

2:26:08away from a ledge and keeping them from

2:26:10killing themselves.

2:26:12This is true accountability and

2:26:14transparency for a family.

2:26:17And there's one other dynamic of family

2:26:18I wanted to address that sometimes these

2:26:21meetings, they're like the family dinner

2:26:23where everybody comes around to share

2:26:25about their days and we plan the future.

2:26:28But there's one different child that

2:26:31comes to the table and instead of

2:26:33joining conversation stands up and

2:26:35screams and throws a temper tantrum so

2:26:38that the family leaves the room.

2:26:41And I think it's time and it's okay to

2:26:43put the child in timeout and not the

2:26:46family. You don't do that because you

2:26:49don't love him. You do it because you do

2:26:51love him and you want to teach him what

2:26:54a happy and um loving family is.

2:26:59You are the leaders of this amazing

2:27:01community and amazing family.

2:27:04You lead and you love us all. Thank you.

2:27:16Hi, I'm uh Shiona Nadvki and I'm back

2:27:19for a second time. I live in the first

2:27:21ward. Um and I just wanted to I I've met

2:27:26with a few of you um outside of here and

2:27:29you guys saw I say let us know what's

2:27:31going on. Let us know what's going on.

2:27:33So here I am. I'm going to let you guys

2:27:34know what's going on. Um the off office

2:27:37office of oversight and public

2:27:39accountability

2:27:40um offers a free know your rights

2:27:42presentation and if you can bring

2:27:44together a group of 10 or more people

2:27:46they'll bring the presentation directly

2:27:48to your community Brandon Leticia uh

2:27:52Albert and Gail I appreciate them so

2:27:55much. Um, for the veterans in our

2:27:58community, Shirou's Corner and the Art

2:28:00of Resilience Veteran Art Program are

2:28:02looking for women veterans or uh women

2:28:06who have served to take part in Boots on

2:28:08the Fence Healing and Arts. If you know

2:28:11someone who may be interested, encourage

2:28:13her to stop by Shirou's Corner and talk

2:28:15with Joanie. Um, and finally, I want to

2:28:19give a personal shout out to our

2:28:20community's children. and I know that

2:28:22they were on the docket tonight. Um,

2:28:24especially Shannon Harris, Zachary

2:28:27Lairway, and Gina Peters. My family has

2:28:30seen firsthand what programs like the

2:28:32mayor's Youth Council, T2C, and Grow

2:28:361000 can do when a community truly

2:28:38invests in its young people. I raised

2:28:41three daughters as a single mom. But I

2:28:44didn't raise them alone. I had a

2:28:46village. Today, my oldest, Natalie, has

2:28:48a bachelor's and master's degree and

2:28:50works as a study abroad director at

2:28:52Notre Dame. My middle daughter,

2:28:54Veronica, is in her third year of

2:28:56medical school at the University of

2:28:58Michigan. And my youngest daughter,

2:29:00Lucy, just graduated from the Grand

2:29:02Rapids Fire Department cadet program.

2:29:04I'm incredibly proud of them and deeply

2:29:07grateful to everyone who helped us along

2:29:10the way, including Chief Brown.

2:29:13Um, our city and community were part of

2:29:15our village and that's why I keep

2:29:18talking about these resources. Someone

2:29:20else out here needs a village, too.

2:29:22Let's help them find it. And to all of

2:29:25you, our public servants, thank you for

2:29:29the care and dedication you bring to our

2:29:31community. Thank you for continuing to

2:29:34show up for Grand Rapids.

2:29:43Hello. Thank you for hearing us all

2:29:45speak today. I'm here as a taxpayer, a

2:29:48friend, a mom, a neighbor, a co-orker,

2:29:50and a human rights and social justice

2:29:52advocate. I doubt any of you are excited

2:29:55for the turnout tonight, and I don't see

2:29:56it getting better anytime soon. Uh the

2:29:59people, the mobs of people it takes on

2:30:00do corrupt power structures. We can't

2:30:03fit them all in here. That's why we

2:30:04elected all of you uh to represent us

2:30:07and what is important to us. That is us,

2:30:09not the Devos family, not the Meyer

2:30:11family, and not the Vanandals. It is

2:30:14shameful to see our local billionaire

2:30:15oligarchs and the way they use their

2:30:16money and power to control our local

2:30:18government. The Trump regime has the

2:30:20fossil fuel, big tech, foreign dictator,

2:30:22and other corrupt billionaires pushing

2:30:23their agendas. You all have the Devoses,

2:30:26the Meer family, the Vanandals, and some

2:30:28other corrupt power- hungry figures

2:30:30pushing agendas through the city of

2:30:31Grand Rapids and Kent County. We are the

2:30:34taxpayers. You are the employers or the

2:30:37employees, my bad. When we say we want

2:30:39affordable housing and for our taxes to

2:30:40be used to help fix the affordable

2:30:42housing crisis, our city officials use

2:30:44them instead to build an amphitheater

2:30:46feeding our local oligarchs and their

2:30:48agenda. That is taxation without

2:30:50representation. When we say we want our

2:30:52taxes to be spent on early child care

2:30:53programs, our city officials built

2:30:55high-rise towers feeding our local

2:30:57oligarchs in their agenda. That is

2:30:59taxation without representation. When we

2:31:01ask for our tax dollars to help support

2:31:02the unhoused and develop social

2:31:05programs, our city officials build a

2:31:06soccer stadium feeding the local

2:31:08oligarchs. That is taxation without

2:31:10representation. When we say we don't

2:31:12want our tax dollars used to help ICE,

2:31:14the Grand Rapids Police Department

2:31:15funded by us assists ICE. Feeding Trump

2:31:18and its oligarchs, that is taxation

2:31:20without representation and just so cruel

2:31:22and evil. Long story short, we are here

2:31:25once again asking our elected officials

2:31:27to hear us and represent us. First,

2:31:30please do not exempt the amphitheater. I

2:31:32know you already voted from the noise

2:31:34ordinance. It's a DVOS inspired project

2:31:36that we didn't want built anyways. Now,

2:31:38it is causing all the problems residents

2:31:40who opposed it being built said it

2:31:41would. Taxp paying residents want the

2:31:43amphitheater to play by the same rules

2:31:45we all have and stop disturbing the

2:31:47peace. The Devos and local power players

2:31:49want you to bend the rules for their

2:31:51amphitheater and ignore the candidate

2:31:52and ignore the residents. A money out of

2:31:55politics candidate would certainly side

2:31:57with the residents in an instant like

2:31:58this. It's a choice. Listen to us voters

2:32:01or ignore us to please the local

2:32:02oligarchs. Then we don't want our taxes

2:32:05spent on violating our constitutional

2:32:06rights with mass surveillance and search

2:32:08without warrant. Our fourth amendment

2:32:09right is being violated by mass

2:32:11surveillance. Not sure how any of you

2:32:13are okay with flock, Axon, Motorola,

2:32:15ALPR, and AI tracking software being

2:32:17used on the people of Grand Rapids. It

2:32:19is such a no-brainer. This is the

2:32:21Orwellian future we were taught to

2:32:23avoid. We don't want our taxes used on

2:32:25surveillance technology that watches and

2:32:27tracks our every move. The GRPD says

2:32:29they like it, but we are supposed to be

2:32:30heard as the voters. The GRPD is not our

2:32:33boss. We don't want it. Get rid of it.

2:32:35There is no justification for mass

2:32:37surveillance.

2:32:39Then we are asking you all to please

2:32:40pass the privacy, safety, and dignity

2:32:42for all ordinance. Moy Mtocha and rapid

2:32:45response ICE have been asking for the

2:32:47>> time is up these policies. Thank you.

2:32:58Hello, my name is Griffin and good

2:33:00evening. Once a month, twice, if a

2:33:03person is available with regularity at 2

2:33:05p.m. on Tuesday, um the general public

2:33:08is allotted three minutes of which to

2:33:10discuss their non-aggenda item issues

2:33:12and concerns. It's less of a discussion

2:33:15and more of a presentation, three

2:33:18minutes of which to present their ideas

2:33:19and more or less defend the validity of

2:33:21those concerns. And in between those

2:33:24three minutes each month, the landscape

2:33:26of the city we love changes drastically.

2:33:30This could be flock agreements that are

2:33:32being signed. This could be amphitheater

2:33:35uh buildings that are contracted without

2:33:37proper sound testing. Um and recently

2:33:40this is our immigrant friends,

2:33:42neighbors, and loved ones detained and

2:33:44taken away for minor traffic stops or

2:33:48often nothing at all.

2:33:50people whose existence and contributions

2:33:53that are beneficial to the communities

2:33:55that we all take part in.

2:33:58Humans who we are demanding to be shown

2:34:00the basic respect, decency, and kindness

2:34:04that they deserve. And I am lucky. I am

2:34:07lucky because I am physically capable of

2:34:10being here to speak my concerns. That I

2:34:13can have my three minutes per month. and

2:34:16that I can leave here and not be in fear

2:34:18that I won't make it home to my family.

2:34:23I, like many others in this room, are

2:34:25here again today to ask that the GR city

2:34:28commission take action. I am incredibly

2:34:30thankful for the people on this council

2:34:32who have taken the time to speak with

2:34:34members of the public on these issues.

2:34:36We recognize that, but talk is one thing

2:34:40and action and policy is another.

2:34:44I ask that the city take action now to

2:34:46make the our home safer for our

2:34:48immigrant population. I stand with

2:34:51Kosha's six city sanctuary policy

2:34:53demands. I stand with COA's privacy,

2:34:56safety, and dignity for all ordinance.

2:34:59With the last of my three minutes for

2:35:01this month, I would like to leave you

2:35:02all with a question, one that I

2:35:04earnestly hope that you consider in the

2:35:06following days and weeks. If the price

2:35:09of your morality is that you will only

2:35:12stand by it and are willing to act on it

2:35:15when it costs you nothing,

2:35:18then what is your morality really worth?

2:35:30Hello, my name is Lauren. I've been a

2:35:32resident of Grand Rapids my entire adult

2:35:34life. I'm sure I don't need to go into a

2:35:36detail here because most of you know me

2:35:37at this point. Last time we chatted, it

2:35:39was a few short days after Mario Davidid

2:35:41Coronado Huarez had been run off the

2:35:43road by ICE agences was killed in the

2:35:45crash in our city. I want to take a

2:35:47moment and acknowledge those of you that

2:35:48attended the vigil that we had for Mario

2:35:51at the crash site. Especially those of

2:35:52you that gave condolences to the family

2:35:54and were clearly impacted by the

2:35:55rituals. It wasn't all of you that came

2:35:57though. by the community turnout and the

2:36:00grief as you took it all in. Obviously,

2:36:02clearly impacted some of you, while

2:36:03others just stared blankly and didn't

2:36:05speak to anybody.

2:36:09Thank you to those of you that were

2:36:10there with positive intent and to grieve

2:36:12with the community. And I really hope

2:36:13that the ones that were there kept their

2:36:15eyes open, especially you, David, and

2:36:17paid close attention to the abysmal

2:36:19behavior once again displayed by GRPD

2:36:21when they decided to harass the

2:36:23volunteer team working to ensure all of

2:36:24our community, including yourselves,

2:36:27could safely cross the street to the

2:36:28vigil. Pulling up the cruisers during

2:36:30sacred incantations, belligerently

2:36:32yelling out the window at people to get

2:36:33off the street, and rudely barking that

2:36:35we were not authorized to be there was a

2:36:37lovely display of community care.

2:36:39Another surprise shocker, an example of

2:36:41hard-earned salaries, aka our tax

2:36:43dollars. When they had enough of the

2:36:44carnival barking, they proceeded to park

2:36:46in an empty oil change lot to sit and do

2:36:48nothing. Yet, during each attempt at

2:36:50them pulling up to yell at us, they

2:36:52never once got out to help people cross

2:36:54the road themselves. You know, their

2:36:55job. In the last month, ICE has

2:36:58continued to increase their activity,

2:36:59and they do not hesitate to lean in to

2:37:01GRPD to help escort them, block them,

2:37:03and completely collaborate with them.

2:37:05Three more community members were

2:37:06arrested at 517 Ottawa at the beginning

2:37:08of this month after ICE kidnapped

2:37:10several of Mario, the person who died,

2:37:12family member. We've continued to push

2:37:14for you to pass our six policies that

2:37:16are clearly listed in the privacy,

2:37:17safety, and dignity for all ordinance.

2:37:19The four all peace in the name is

2:37:21important. You know how the poem goes,

2:37:23the first they came poem. Yet here we

2:37:25are with no protections in place. And

2:37:27now because we have no ban on ICE

2:37:29activity in GR, no city state official

2:37:31who are willing to make a personal

2:37:32warning against ICE activity. It's not

2:37:34just our Grand Rapids neighbors being

2:37:36kidnapped and caged at Ottawa. Those 19

2:37:38people that Khloe was talking about

2:37:39earlier, many of them came from other

2:37:41cities. Surprise! We've confirmed that

2:37:43these masked monsters are now jumping

2:37:44all around our side of the state,

2:37:46snatching up community members, tearing

2:37:47families apart, and then bringing them

2:37:49right back here to beautiful Grand

2:37:50Rapids, caging them at 517 before

2:37:53hauling them up to the concentration

2:37:54camp in Baldwin. There's a distinct

2:37:56sound that you can hear from the

2:37:58sidewalk in the street at 517 Ottawa

2:38:00that indicates that humans are being

2:38:02kidnapped and they are inside. One that

2:38:04seared into my mind, many of my comrades

2:38:06mind, and it we waves heavy on my heart

2:38:07every single day. The sound is of metal

2:38:09clanking, chains shifting position and a

2:38:12bit of a little bit of a shuffle. That

2:38:13sound is from the shackles that they put

2:38:15around these people when they are moving

2:38:16them inside van to vehicle to garage,

2:38:20back to van to concentration camp.

2:38:22Shackles.

2:38:24your previous remarks about it not being

2:38:27protections in place. They're not any

2:38:28protections in place. We've asked for

2:38:30you to do the ordinance for a reason and

2:38:31we need you to put that in place.

2:38:35I see my time is up. I'm not even going

2:38:37to further it.

2:38:42I'm still Cindy Hicks and I still live

2:38:44in the first ward and uh still with

2:38:47third ward issues. Um my first comment,

2:38:50I'm very angry and frustrated that we

2:38:51only have one first word uh

2:38:53representative and there's not a

2:38:55temporary person. So while all these um

2:38:58situations are brought up about flat

2:39:00cameras and there's still three um right

2:39:03across from my house that are not listed

2:39:05on a flock map, I continuously tell you

2:39:07this. Um no one's listening. I would

2:39:09like to know where all the data is

2:39:11going. I want to know who's storing it.

2:39:13It's not in the city's 31. I pass more

2:39:16than 20 flat cameras just driving from

2:39:20Hall in Division to 68th in Division.

2:39:22Every single day, all I see are police

2:39:25every day. Every single day, they are

2:39:29pulling someone over and pulling someone

2:39:31out of the car.

2:39:33And I might get extra. There might be a

2:39:37gun to someone's head. I I'm highly

2:39:40traumatized. And every single time I

2:39:43show up, I'm more traumatized than the

2:39:45last time I came. I don't know why no

2:39:48one's listening

2:39:50or caring.

2:39:53Like I make phone calls to city hall. I

2:39:57do. And I ask for a response. I don't

2:39:59get it. And and the thing is I'm making

2:40:02an announcement right now. I became a

2:40:05grandma two months ago. This is the

2:40:07first time I've announced it. And you

2:40:09know what? I thought about how much of

2:40:12my baby's childhood that I missed out.

2:40:14You know why? I was here. I was here in

2:40:17my 30s. My kid that I brought with me

2:40:20that I never received child support for

2:40:22with her daddy that made six figures a

2:40:24year, never a penny. I gave my time to

2:40:27the city,

2:40:29speaking up just for my neighbors, just

2:40:32against violence from the government. I

2:40:35wanted to see justice happen.

2:40:38And now my family that I used to have

2:40:41isn't here anymore. But yet we have more

2:40:44families turning out just like mine. ICE

2:40:46and police working together. I have

2:40:49years of footage. I have more than a

2:40:50decade. Do you think one person from

2:40:52your office will sit down and talk to

2:40:54me? Oh, Missy, I know you're too busy

2:40:57looking at your to Anyways, I I'm

2:41:00beyond frustrated and angry and you

2:41:03should be too. The fact that the amount

2:41:05of violence I watch from your officers

2:41:09is disgusting, disturbing. I listen to

2:41:12screams of terror. They use flood lights

2:41:15across Ted Rberry baseball field like

2:41:17they're looking for animals. These are

2:41:20simulated clan activities and they are

2:41:23beating people. Kids, a 19-year-old, I

2:41:25told you. I just want you to know 5 days

2:41:28after I came here last time, my neighbor

2:41:29was murdered by gun violence. Okay? I

2:41:32gave you a warning and you didn't listen

2:41:34and I asked you to call his family to

2:41:36give condolences, but you sent GRPD

2:41:38there every single day to harass

2:41:40mourners at a vigil. It's disgusting.

2:41:50Um, I have documentation. Can I approach

2:41:52the dis

2:42:07Uh, my name is Tanner. On August 25th,

2:42:10after the commission meeting where there

2:42:12was 3 hours of anti-flock comment and

2:42:16zero pro- flock comments,

2:42:19uh Mayor Lrand approached a small group

2:42:21of us um after the meeting and said that

2:42:23if there were any intersections where

2:42:24there were three or four cameras in one

2:42:26place, uh that that was a concern. So

2:42:29these are the receipts of five

2:42:31intersections where there are three or

2:42:32four cameras. Um the first one, Burton

2:42:36and Kalamazoo. This intersection has a

2:42:38church on it. Uh what that means is that

2:42:40even if you were to use an app like

2:42:42Flock Hopper that helps you waste your

2:42:44time in gas and avoid these cameras, um

2:42:47you can't interact with any of these

2:42:49businesses or that church in any way

2:42:51from any direction without being

2:42:53recorded warrantlessly. Uh the second is

2:42:56Division and Hall. There's four cameras

2:42:58here. Third is Burton and Division.

2:43:01There are three in the intersection and

2:43:03one 100 ft away.

2:43:06which uh makes it four. I mean, it's

2:43:09functionally four. Leonard and Fuller,

2:43:12Leonard and Alpine.

2:43:14Um I mean, it's kind of like

2:43:18what's the point of even highlighting

2:43:19this? This is warrantless stalking. One

2:43:21is too many. It's not about one camera.

2:43:24It's about that they stalk your position

2:43:26across the city, out of the city, out of

2:43:28the state, around the entire country. Um

2:43:32but here they are. If this really is

2:43:33something you care about, that's where

2:43:35they are. Um, I would like to reiterate

2:43:38the four demands of the Deflock

2:43:40Coalition, which are cancel the Flock

2:43:43contract, remove the hardware from our

2:43:46communities, sign no new ALPR contracts

2:43:48with any of Flock's competitors, and

2:43:50adopt an ordinance banning ALPR

2:43:53contracts in the future. Uh, and adopt

2:43:56the COHS 6 sanctuary policies, uh, which

2:43:59include such an ordinance. Um, and

2:44:03lastly, I wanted to say that uh I

2:44:06technically am a business owner, which

2:44:08seems like it holds some weight. I'm my

2:44:10only employee and my only product is my

2:44:12labor, but I'm a business owner and I'm

2:44:14profitable. So, that's a business

2:44:17owner's opinion on the matter. Thank

2:44:18you.

2:44:26>> Hello, Joshua with the first ward. Um,

2:44:29yeah, honestly, I've been here two times

2:44:31and I'm tired enough about it. Um, I had

2:44:34to have a very serious conversation uh

2:44:36with a prominent uh leader in the

2:44:38community. Um, and I I came to the real

2:44:41realization that I am a civil rights

2:44:43activist,

2:44:452026

2:44:47going into 2027.

2:44:49I'm tired of it. I want to enjoy my 20s.

2:44:52had the first half stolen by COVID and

2:44:53now I'm having this other half taken by

2:44:55ICE. And what's going on around now?

2:44:59There's flock. You have evidence

2:45:00presented right in front of you.

2:45:02Evidence that frankly should have been

2:45:04collected by the Grand Rapids Police

2:45:05Department instead of stalking my

2:45:06neighbors.

2:45:13I run out of words because I feel like

2:45:16no matter how many times you try to

2:45:19defend an opinion, which by the way,

2:45:22past how many ordinances without any

2:45:24single comment,

2:45:27what are we doing? Unless you're having

2:45:29the conversations behind closed doors

2:45:31and you make that like an apparent

2:45:32conversation that, hey, we had this

2:45:34conversation and we're very educated on

2:45:36it. I I don't understand how having no

2:45:39comment over any ordinances um is a

2:45:42productive thing to do. That is how you

2:45:43end up with ordinances like the one

2:45:45you're having to amend and having so

2:45:47many people come to you about.

2:45:50And we're still going to be in the same

2:45:52situation because no one in this board

2:45:53apparently voted against it.

2:46:01I'm also tired because after we had to

2:46:04respond to the uh abduction of Mario

2:46:08Davidid Coronado Huades's four cousins,

2:46:12we had to deal with misinformation that

2:46:14we were giving out misinformation.

2:46:17It's been confirmed. So, how was it

2:46:19misinformation?

2:46:22These are like the small things that you

2:46:24guys could even be doing and helping

2:46:27promote, hey, this happened. It

2:46:29shouldn't have happened. These are the

2:46:32these are the the the I the layups, the

2:46:35pot flies that you guys should be able

2:46:37to bat at and like home run and we're

2:46:40not doing that. I'm seeing so many other

2:46:43governments doing so much better in so

2:46:46many other cities. I do not understand

2:46:48why we are not trying to invest on our

2:46:51community the way New York is. Abdul

2:46:54should not be the only person I am proud

2:46:55to be maybe representative. Hopefully if

2:46:58he wins

2:47:01and I probably say that also uh not as a

2:47:04member of

2:47:05just as a citizen who is concerned. I

2:47:08want to stop seeing

2:47:10for a lack of better word half-ass

2:47:12attempts. I want to see us come to the

2:47:15table and do something productive for

2:47:17the community that is coming to your

2:47:19meetings.

2:47:21Let's do something about ice. Let's do

2:47:24something about flock, please. Thank

2:47:26you.

2:47:33>> Hi everybody. Kim, third ward. I don't

2:47:35really have a dog in the fight with the

2:47:37amphitheater because I'm in the third

2:47:39ward and we somehow got lucky this time.

2:47:41We're usually the redheaded stepchild,

2:47:43but because of the way it was designed

2:47:45and set up, we don't hear the noise

2:47:46where I live. But that doesn't mean that

2:47:48I don't care about my neighbors and

2:47:50their quality of life. So I just wanted

2:47:52to make a point of that. We literally

2:47:55have the most election, the most

2:47:57important election of our lifetimes in

2:48:00six days. I hope everyone has a plan to

2:48:03vote if they haven't voted yet. I want

2:48:05to talk about Prop 2 real quick and how

2:48:07that's going to help Abdul when we elect

2:48:10him. Prop two will remove the money from

2:48:14Michigan politics. So, please vote yes

2:48:16on Prop 2. That's going to get us in the

2:48:20right direction, heading down the right

2:48:22path to end some corruption that we've

2:48:25witnessed in our political world. Also,

2:48:28I want to point out the detention

2:48:30millage and remind everyone that our

2:48:32county commission

2:48:34shoved that through at 8:00 in the

2:48:35morning on August 4th, primary voting

2:48:37day. And that tells us a lot. They're

2:48:40also doing it two years ahead of time.

2:48:43and it will increase our property taxes.

2:48:45I don't want to give more money to our

2:48:47sheriff that is assisting ICE and

2:48:50working with ICE. They're saying that

2:48:52it's to make conditions better for

2:48:55prisoners, but we've seen a decrease in

2:48:59people that we're putting in jail and in

2:49:01prison thankfully. So, I'm afraid that

2:49:03it's to help their funding working with

2:49:07ICE. I I don't understand what else it

2:49:09would mean or what else it would be for.

2:49:11So, please pay attention to that when

2:49:13you're voting. I am the top canvaser in

2:49:16Kent County this year through the Kent

2:49:18Dems. And I'm now working my way through

2:49:20Wyoming, Michigan, our neighbors. And

2:49:24just like the guy that gets up here and

2:49:26speaks speech hate, uh what's that

2:49:30saying? There's no love like Christian

2:49:32hate. We've got all the racists showing

2:49:35their ugly heads right now for this

2:49:37election. Abdul's being demonized. We've

2:49:40seen it before with Barack Obama, uh,

2:49:44the birther movement and all the hate

2:49:46came to the surface. So, we're seeing

2:49:48this all now with Abdul. That means

2:49:49they're afraid of him. That means we

2:49:51need to elect him. But in Wyoming, it's

2:49:53really a mixed bag. I'm getting door

2:49:56slammed in my face or people are excited

2:49:58to vote for him. It's true. We're still

2:50:01segregating ourselves. There's a lot of

2:50:02racists in Wyoming, unfortunately.

2:50:06Please vote for Abdul with confidence

2:50:07and know that we are voting for a person

2:50:10that's going to represent all of us.

2:50:11It's so important that we do that and

2:50:14that we move away from this current

2:50:16political environment. Lastly, I would

2:50:18just like to know what we're doing to

2:50:20prepare for a new first W city

2:50:23commissioner. Alicia is amazing, but she

2:50:25can't do it all on her own. Are we

2:50:28talking to the candidates cuz one of the

2:50:29two are going to win? Are we bringing

2:50:31them in? Are we setting them up to win?

2:50:34How's that going? I I would like to

2:50:36know. Thank you.

2:50:43>> Hi, my name is Alex. I'm a volunteer

2:50:44with Grand Rapids Rapid Response to ICE

2:50:46and GR resident. Although, I'm sure the

2:50:49cops know where I live at this point.

2:50:51Getting pretty tired of coming here

2:50:52month after month. We've told you for a

2:50:54long time if you didn't act to help us

2:50:56limit ICE violence, the tragedy would

2:50:57happen. Not that every single kidnapping

2:51:00isn't tragic.

2:51:02Someone died.

2:51:04Since then, only one of you has done

2:51:06anything to to limit your complicity. I

2:51:09want to hold up Commissioner Kilgore's

2:51:10support of the privacy, safety, and

2:51:13dignity for all ordinance as the minimum

2:51:15needed out of all of you. The rest of

2:51:17you have acted since Mario's death. And

2:51:19earlier this month, GRPD directly

2:51:21protected ICE as they transported

2:51:22members of his family to the detention

2:51:24center in Baldwin. And despite the

2:51:26misinformation, we know it was them

2:51:28because we directly talk to the family

2:51:30on an almost daily basis. They called

2:51:33us.

2:51:35The ordinance has concrete language that

2:51:36would stop this exact thing from

2:51:38happening. Like I said the last time I

2:51:40was up here, we don't expect you to

2:51:42resist ICE with the same tactics we do.

2:51:45But right now, you're actively complicit

2:51:47in making our work harder.

2:51:49I also want to point out that some of

2:51:51the criticism of the disruption that we

2:51:52did earlier this month is quite frankly

2:51:55problematic. The fact that we waited

2:51:57until what we thought was the last

2:51:58person to speaking aside, focusing more

2:52:01on decorum than the fact someone died in

2:52:03GRPD is continually enabling harm shows

2:52:07some serious issues with moral

2:52:08priorities.

2:52:10Almost 20 people just this week were

2:52:13kidnapped through our local field office

2:52:15alone.

2:52:17GRPD collaborates so intentionally with

2:52:19ICE apparently now they illegally close

2:52:21public sidewalks leading to the field

2:52:23office if enough people are are at a

2:52:26protest. They you know they also

2:52:28protected their own headquarters during

2:52:30no kings in a similar fashion.

2:52:34No one was even trying to walk there,

2:52:35but they were so scared of the that the

2:52:38community is sick and tired of ice that

2:52:39apparently they preemptively

2:52:42block sidewalks. Now

2:52:44that we pay for,

2:52:48you know, I don't expect them to to

2:52:50understand the laws. I've yet to meet

2:52:51anyone from GRPD that clearly wasn't a C

2:52:54student or below. But you guys do,

2:52:58you know, honestly,

2:53:01y'all should be condemning that, too,

2:53:04cuz clearly illegal. But more

2:53:06importantly,

2:53:08when will you stop being complicit with

2:53:10ICE and pass this ordinance? Every every

2:53:12single day there's a delay, blood is on

2:53:14your hands.

2:53:22Hi, my name is Belle. I live in the

2:53:24first ward. I lived in Grand Rapids. in

2:53:25my entire life. Um, I think what

2:53:28frustrates me the most about this is

2:53:29there's a refusal to fully listen to

2:53:31your community. Um, the community that

2:53:33drives to work every day on the same

2:53:34roads that you do. The community that

2:53:36wants a safe and secure future for their

2:53:38children just like you do. The community

2:53:40that goes to the same stores, the same

2:53:42schools, the same parks, the same

2:53:43churches as you. The community that is

2:53:46at risk is your community, your

2:53:48constituents, your neighbors. And this

2:53:51community, your community is asking

2:53:53clearly for what they want and need. And

2:53:55are you listening? You are claiming that

2:53:58you care and yet you have the steps

2:53:59right in front of you to take action and

2:54:00stand up for your neighbors and your

2:54:02community, but are choosing to make

2:54:03excuses and do nothing. We know you

2:54:05don't have the authority to stop what

2:54:07ICE is doing. But you do have the

2:54:09ability to stop GRPD from collaborating

2:54:10with ICE in any way, including detaining

2:54:12individuals based on civil immigration

2:54:14warrants. You do have the power to pass

2:54:16policies that ban 287G agreements for

2:54:18being entered into in the future. You do

2:54:21have the power to pass policies that

2:54:22oppose the establishment of detention

2:54:24centers in city limits and deter that

2:54:26from being a possibility in the future.

2:54:28You do have the power to pass policies

2:54:29that prevent the city from entering into

2:54:31agreements with entities that have

2:54:32current contracts with ICE. You do have

2:54:34the power to end flock surveillance in

2:54:36our city. And you do have the power to

2:54:39pass the privacy dc and safety for all

2:54:41ordinance. You work for us. You work for

2:54:44this community. And your community is

2:54:46asking you to pass policies that protect

2:54:48all of us.

2:54:50When all is said and done, will you

2:54:51choose to do nothing in the face of

2:54:53injustice? Or will you do your job,

2:54:56protect your community, and stand for

2:54:57something?

2:55:08Uh, my name is Jeff. Um, I want to talk

2:55:11about the ongoing GRPD collaboration

2:55:13with ICE. Uh roughly two weeks ago after

2:55:16the death of Mario Davidid Corano

2:55:18Huarez, several of Mario's cousins were

2:55:21abducted by ICE and brought to 517

2:55:23Ottawa office, uh Mario's family members

2:55:26had contacted Kosicha, which led to

2:55:28numerous volunteers showing up to

2:55:29witness what was happening at the ICE

2:55:32office. After about an hour of

2:55:34monitoring ICE activity, the GEOG group

2:55:36van that comes daily to transport

2:55:39immigrants who had been abducted by ICE

2:55:40to the North Lake facility in Baldwin

2:55:43had just arrived.

2:55:46As soon as the van arrived, several

2:55:48activists, including myself, stood in

2:55:50front of the geo van group uh geog group

2:55:52van and prevented it from going into the

2:55:55uh 517 Ottawa ICE office garage where

2:55:58immigrants are held until the van comes.

2:56:02Those of us who stood in front of the

2:56:03Geog Group van were then were there less

2:56:06than 30 seconds when five to six GRPD

2:56:08cruisers showed up on the scene. This

2:56:12means that ICE called them before we

2:56:14stood in front of the van, which also

2:56:16means the GRPD was likely staging

2:56:18somewhere near the ICE office. Again, a

2:56:21form of collaboration. The GRPD officers

2:56:24told us to move out of the way and we

2:56:26refused. And I personally refused for

2:56:28two reasons. First, between 1988 and

2:56:322006, I participated in 13 solidarity

2:56:35trips in Guatemala doing accompaniment

2:56:37work through a group called Peace

2:56:38Brigades International, where we

2:56:40accompanied Guatemalans being threatened

2:56:42by their own military, what Guatemalans

2:56:45often referred to as death squads. I

2:56:47worked with for some time in the region

2:56:49of San Marcos, the same place that Mario

2:56:52was from, and his cousins. So, this is

2:56:55very personal for me.

2:56:58The second reason is that I stood in

2:57:00front of the Giovan because that

2:57:02corporation, one of the largest private

2:57:04prison companies in the world,

2:57:06contributed to Trump's re-election and

2:57:08was then awarded millions in contracts

2:57:10to operate ICE detention centers across

2:57:13the US.

2:57:14So, I am not going to stand by and watch

2:57:16undocumented immigrants be abducted and

2:57:18transported to detention centers just

2:57:20because they don't have papers. Mario's

2:57:23cousins were on their way to work so

2:57:25they could support their families.

2:57:29Now, I know that ICE, what ICE does is

2:57:32considered lawful, and I know that what

2:57:34the GEOG group does is considered

2:57:35lawful. But what ICE does is actually

2:57:38what I would call state terrorism. And

2:57:40what the GEOG group does is profiting

2:57:42off of human misery.

2:57:44By collaborating with ICE, the GRPD is

2:57:47enabling state terrorism and corporate

2:57:49greed by stopping people like me from

2:57:51resisting this cruelty. As elected

2:57:54officials, if you don't put a stop to

2:57:56GRPD cooperation with ICE, then you too

2:57:59are complicit in state terrorism.

2:58:02I want you to ask yourselves this

2:58:04question. If this was 1850 when the

2:58:07fugitive slave act was had become law,

2:58:10would you

2:58:12>> Mr. Smith, your time is up. assisting

2:58:14those who fled slavery just because it

2:58:16was the law.

2:58:23>> Very well said.

2:58:25Um I have several points to make. Um get

2:58:29rid of the flock cameras. I still see

2:58:31them all over Kalamazoo, all over

2:58:34Division. We know that ICE uses them to

2:58:37harass women, to harass uh immigrants,

2:58:41whether they're like whether they got

2:58:43papers or not, whether they come here or

2:58:45not. We should not treat them like

2:58:47subhuman animals. Like people are

2:58:51people. What is wrong with us? Like you

2:58:55got like ICE agents and like we know

2:58:59they're cooperating with GRPD. So

2:59:02whenever Lrand is saying like they're

2:59:04not, we know it's not true. We don't buy

2:59:07it. Like come on. And on top of that,

2:59:10like how are we supposed to hold these

2:59:12people accountable? I heard that like uh

2:59:15in like Minnesota they they completely

2:59:18eliminated most of like the workforce

2:59:21for the like the immigration detention

2:59:26Obudsman which is supposed to be like

2:59:28the like department where you hold like

2:59:31file complaints against ICE. They went

2:59:33from hundreds of employees to five

2:59:36people. Five people.

2:59:39And you got like the MN15

2:59:42uh like just 15 labor organizers being

2:59:46detained and arrested for, you know, not

2:59:50even doing anything illegal. They

2:59:51organized a protest, a labor action,

2:59:55strike action type of thing. And it was

2:59:57successful. And the Trump administration

3:00:00got real pissed off about that. And now

3:00:03they're just taking out the revenge on

3:00:05these protesters. And that's even like

3:00:08happening here in Michigan with the

3:00:09Michigan 8 with the people in Yipsilante

3:00:12like getting arrested and called

3:00:14terrorists and anti-semites just because

3:00:17they oppose genocide.

3:00:19Like all of that stuff that happened in

3:00:21Prairieland in Texas, the stuff that

3:00:23happened in Minnesota, people getting

3:00:26arrested for the first amendment, right?

3:00:28Like that's come home to Michigan. And

3:00:31you got people from Kosatacea like

3:00:33getting arrested for protesting

3:00:36like come on. Like like the police, the

3:00:41Trump administration, they're violating

3:00:43the Bill of Rights. They're violating

3:00:45the Constitution. We're not breaking the

3:00:47law.

3:00:49And when I say get rid of the flock

3:00:51cameras, I'm not saying replace them

3:00:53with Axon cameras because the Axon like

3:00:56I'm get rid of all of the ALPR cameras

3:00:59because we know Axon is like like Trump

3:01:03owns a stake in that. Axon owns Carbine,

3:01:06which is like an Israeli like

3:01:08surveillance company that was literally

3:01:10funded and co-founded by Jeffrey

3:01:12Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein. I'm not

3:01:15joking. And Peter Teal also helped fund

3:01:18that. Who wants to take away women's

3:01:20right to vote, just want to point that

3:01:22out. And is in cahoots with uh like Alex

3:01:26Karp with like Palunteer,

3:01:29defend the MN15 and the Michigan 8.

3:01:38>> Hi, I'm John. I'm a resident of uh Grand

3:01:41Rapids. I'm here to advocate for CO's

3:01:44privacy, safety, and dignity for all

3:01:46ordinance. Um, when Mario David Coronado

3:01:49Huarez was killed recently, I saw a

3:01:51video on the city's uh social media

3:01:54where Mayor Lrand said, "We will get

3:01:57through this moment in our country's

3:01:58history." And I think it's a common

3:02:01sentiment. So, I want to push back on

3:02:03that. I want to ask, who is we in that

3:02:06statement?

3:02:08I'll tell you who didn't make it through

3:02:10this uh this moment in our country's

3:02:12history. Mario David Cordonado Huarez.

3:02:15Every day, ICE is taking people from our

3:02:18community and delivering them to a

3:02:19for-profit concentration camp in

3:02:21Baldwin, Michigan. At these

3:02:23concentration camps, people report being

3:02:25physically and sexually assaulted. Their

3:02:27medical needs are neglected. They're

3:02:28forced to eat moldy moldy food and drink

3:02:31parasiteinfested water. the the people

3:02:34being taken from our community might not

3:02:36make it through this moment in our

3:02:37country's history. People have been

3:02:39killed. Their families have had to deal

3:02:42with the loss of loved ones.

3:02:44Now, the mayor expressed support for

3:02:46resisting federal forces. And yet, I've

3:02:48seen GRPD assist ICE and intimidate,

3:02:51assault, and arrest people trying to

3:02:53delay and disrupt ISIS's cruelty.

3:02:57We will make it through this. Sounds

3:02:58like an abdication of responsibility.

3:03:02Sounds like thoughts and prayers, as an

3:03:04earlier gentleman said. How about we

3:03:06will stop this? How about we will change

3:03:09this? That's what responsible leadership

3:03:12sounds like. Help stop it. Help change

3:03:15it. We need ordinances that prohibit the

3:03:17city from using data from flock cameras

3:03:19and any other ALPRs.

3:03:22We need ordinances that prohibit GRPD

3:03:24from creating traffic per uh perimeters

3:03:27around ICE operations and that prohibit

3:03:29GRPD from assisting the transportation

3:03:32of our neighbors to concentration camps.

3:03:34That's what the community is asking for.

3:03:37That protects the community. That will

3:03:39help us get through this.

3:03:46Good evening. My name is Mary. I'm a

3:03:48resident from the third ward and I'm

3:03:50here to ask you to adopt the six

3:03:52sanctuary policies.

3:03:55I work with people who are barely

3:03:57surviving horrific trauma

3:04:00and modern medicine has some really

3:04:02great tools for that. We have

3:04:04medications that can help manage

3:04:06symptoms of anxiety, depression,

3:04:08psychosis and addiction. We can teach

3:04:11some really great skills and we have

3:04:13some wonderful community resources.

3:04:16But prevention is the best medicine. By

3:04:18adopting the six sanctuary policies, you

3:04:21can prevent future alcoholism.

3:04:24You can prevent future anxiety and

3:04:26depression.

3:04:28You can prevent future post-traumatic

3:04:30stress disorder. And you can prevent

3:04:32future suicide attempts. Please, that's

3:04:34an incredible power. Please use it.

3:04:37Thank you.

3:04:44Good evening, commissioners. My name is

3:04:46Matt. I live in the third ward and I

3:04:48stand in solidarity with Cassicha and

3:04:50their six sanctuary policy demands. I'm

3:04:52here, as usual, to talk about flot

3:04:53cameras. Uh, I'd like to say thank you

3:04:56first to the commissioners who have sat

3:04:58down and met with us or corresponded

3:04:59with us. I appreciate the seriousness

3:05:02and the time and attention you've given

3:05:03to this issue.

3:05:05I'd also like to acknowledge that I

3:05:06understand the mechanisms of government

3:05:08are not always able to keep up with

3:05:10fast-moving technology like flock,

3:05:13but I still find it difficult to

3:05:15understand why there's so much need for

3:05:17debate.

3:05:19Streetmounted ALPRs that capture every

3:05:21license plate that drives by them,

3:05:23criminal or not, are not some fringe

3:05:25left or even a 50/50 issue. I posted on

3:05:29social media this week about taking the

3:05:31flot cameras out of our city and I got

3:05:34support from a staunch back the blue

3:05:37threetime Trump voter.

3:05:40This is an 8020 issue.

3:05:43You don't have to be brave. You don't

3:05:45have to go out on a limb. We have seen

3:05:48hundreds of cities ditch these flot

3:05:50cameras, including dozens here in

3:05:52Michigan, with no political backlash

3:05:55with no demonstrable jump in crime rate.

3:05:59The only push back seems to come

3:06:01directly from the police. What makes

3:06:03sense? They don't have to obtain search

3:06:05warrants. They don't have to do as much

3:06:07leg work. It makes their job easy.

3:06:11But policing is supposed to be hard.

3:06:15The Constitution sets intentional

3:06:18barriers in the way of policing. Burden

3:06:20of proof, the presumption of innocence,

3:06:22the right to be secure in person and

3:06:25effect because police are given ungodly

3:06:28amounts of power in our society. And

3:06:31with that power is supposed to become

3:06:34responsibility.

3:06:37Mario David Coronado Hores is dead.

3:06:40We may never know if Flock had a hand in

3:06:43ICE targeting him, but we do know for

3:06:46sure federal agencies have access to our

3:06:49Flock data. They cooperate with ICE.

3:06:52They work hand in hand with ICE.

3:06:55You have a responsibility to keep our

3:06:57city and our communities safe from ICE,

3:07:01from those domestic terrorists.

3:07:04And we will help you. Let's work

3:07:06together. Craft an ordinance that will

3:07:09ban these things.

3:07:11I can't believe I have to come here and

3:07:13beg. This is a political layup. Thank

3:07:18you.

3:07:24Hello. Hello. My name is Dustin and I'm

3:07:27originally from a couple hours up north,

3:07:29but for the last few years I've been

3:07:30living and working here in Grand Rapids.

3:07:32Uh, I've come to like the city a lot.

3:07:34love to see the economic and

3:07:36recreational development you guys try to

3:07:38push. Uh I'm here today because I'm

3:07:40trying to organize a volunteer effort to

3:07:42pick up some garbage around along the

3:07:44Indian Mounds Drive corridor. Trying to

3:07:46focus on property that's owned by Grand

3:07:48Rapids.

3:07:50Um property that surrounds the Norton

3:07:52Mound Indian or the Norton Indian Mounds

3:07:55group which is one of the most

3:07:56culturally relevant sites in all of

3:07:58Michigan. Grand Rapids should be proud

3:08:00to house that.

3:08:02Um, the property has loose litter, piles

3:08:04of trash, piles of tires, and even some

3:08:06hazardous waste. I have pictures,

3:08:08coordinates, I have a map. Um, I'm

3:08:11willing to share that with anybody,

3:08:12everybody. I've already shared it,

3:08:14shared it, emailed it to you,

3:08:15Commissioner Bellich, cuz it's I think

3:08:16in your ward. Kind of questionable.

3:08:20Um, my employer, Advanced Interiors, is

3:08:22willing to sponsor the project. They're

3:08:24going to pay some of their men to go out

3:08:25there and clean up some of the garbage.

3:08:27I have

3:08:29talked with officials at MDOT Kent

3:08:31County who have singled support and

3:08:33participation where public services is

3:08:35willing to provide a dumpster. Uh I've

3:08:37been in contact with people from the

3:08:40Grand Rapids Public Museum who stored

3:08:42the property and support the goal and

3:08:43even officials from Wyoming and

3:08:45Granville have gotten a hold of me. But

3:08:48the property that I'm trying to focus on

3:08:49is owned by Grand Rapids. and I'm going

3:08:51on three weeks now of trying to talk to

3:08:54somebody at Grand Rapids and I haven't

3:08:55gotten a call back. I've talked to 311

3:08:58repeatedly. They're very helpful, but

3:09:00that's as far as it goes. Um, and

3:09:02respectfully, I've emailed you as of

3:09:04last week. Didn't hear anything back. I

3:09:06spoke to a representative of your office

3:09:07today. I believe her name is Samantha.

3:09:09She was very helpful. And between that

3:09:12conversation and this, I hope to hear

3:09:15back from the city so that we can get

3:09:16the ball rolling, get that property

3:09:18cleaned up before it gets too cold. Um,

3:09:21I've got a plan, I've got manpower, and

3:09:24I've got institutional support trying to

3:09:26get this project rolling so that we can

3:09:28get it done on Friday the 13th. But the

3:09:30city I need to coordinate with the most

3:09:31is Grand Rapids. Like I said, going on

3:09:34week three. Haven't heard anything back.

3:09:36Um,

3:09:38I'm eager, I'm motivated, I've got

3:09:40support, and all I'm asking is that

3:09:41someone helps me to coordinate to pick

3:09:43up the garbage that we're going to drag

3:09:44out of the woods.

3:09:46So, actually, all I'm asking is that

3:09:48somebody returns or returns my calls or

3:09:51emails. Thank you. And uh please call me

3:09:55so that we can get this project moving.

3:09:56I wrote my email down there. Dustin

3:09:58Bower. Thank you.

3:10:05>> Hello,

3:10:06my name is Rachel. I'm a resident of the

3:10:08second ward of the city. I wasn't

3:10:10planning on speaking tonight.

3:10:13It's impossible not to hearing

3:10:16everything that's happening in our

3:10:17community. Several people have spoken

3:10:19tonight about what needs to happen with

3:10:20Koscha and they are correct.

3:10:22>> I I I paused your time for just a

3:10:23minute. Can you pull the mic away there?

3:10:25Thank you. Thank you.

3:10:27>> First time speaker. Apologies.

3:10:28>> No problem. Thanks.

3:10:29>> I'm here tonight to voice support for

3:10:30the sanctuary cities with Kosa. I'm also

3:10:33here because I'm concerned that though

3:10:35many people have given numbers that are

3:10:36accurate, it's still not being connected

3:10:38to the humanity of what's at stake here.

3:10:41I didn't prepare a statement. Please

3:10:42just bear with me here. I want you to

3:10:44picture the holiday season that we're

3:10:46all about to enter. Please think about

3:10:48the tables that you're looking forward

3:10:49to sitting at with your loved ones.

3:10:51Please think about how many seats will

3:10:54be empty this season because of GRPD.

3:10:57Because of ICE, more than just ICE,

3:11:00Dayquin Johnson is gone because of GRPD.

3:11:04Five deportations a day.

3:11:07How many more seats are you willing to

3:11:09leave empty until you're all sitting and

3:11:12celebrating? What brings us all

3:11:14together? Food, culture, love. More than

3:11:17just people are being lost right now.

3:11:19Families are being torn apart. This is

3:11:22becoming a very difficult city for

3:11:24children to imagine a future in. Who can

3:11:26play freely under a flot camera? Who can

3:11:29focus if they don't know how many family

3:11:31members will be at home when they get

3:11:32back from school? leaders in the

3:11:35affected communities have been telling

3:11:36you for years exactly what to do. It's

3:11:39past time to listen.

3:11:42Thank you.

3:11:50Hello, my name is Phyllis. I'm a

3:11:52resident of Ward One.

3:11:56I wanted to first say

3:12:00I started coming to these meetings in

3:12:02about August to speak about flock, speak

3:12:05against flock and since then um I wanted

3:12:09to thank you for putting flock under the

3:12:12surveillance policy.

3:12:15It's a great gesture, but that's kind of

3:12:17all it is to us is a gesture. We want to

3:12:19see the cameras taken down. We want to

3:12:21see the contract canled. We don't want

3:12:23to see replacements.

3:12:25It's intrusive.

3:12:27It's surveillance.

3:12:29And communities around the country are

3:12:32seeing that. They're seeing through the

3:12:33flock

3:12:35the the flock promise of, "Oh, no more

3:12:38crime." And they haven't seen decreases

3:12:40or significant increases in crime.

3:12:43Cities like Midland, Texas, Richmond,

3:12:45Virginia, Plano, Texas, Palm Bay,

3:12:47Florida, St. Paul, Minnesota, Tempe,

3:12:50Arizona, Fort Collins, Colorado, Eugene,

3:12:53Oregon, Austin, Texas. It's possible for

3:12:56us to do.

3:13:02We've known that ICE is able to get the

3:13:06data from Flock.

3:13:08We've known that the whole time. We

3:13:11can't really control that. It's a

3:13:12private company. They control the data.

3:13:14We can say, "Oh, you can't share it with

3:13:16them." But they're the company. They're

3:13:18going to do what they want to anyway and

3:13:21ICE has the money to pay them for it.

3:13:24But if we don't have the cameras, they

3:13:25don't have the data.

3:13:28I support COH's six sanctuary city

3:13:31policies. I urge you to support

3:13:34their ordinance because I firmly believe

3:13:38everyone should feel safe in Grand

3:13:39Rapids. Thank you.

3:13:47My name is Sharon Smith. I live right

3:13:49off of Caesar Chavez on the first ward.

3:13:52I've lived there for 32 years.

3:13:55I could walk to the visual for Mario a

3:13:59couple weeks ago.

3:14:02In the past week since his death, I've

3:14:05been thinking much more about my

3:14:07privilege as a white person and not

3:14:09being driven to death by terror.

3:14:14in the ways I've not experienced direct

3:14:16terror from our law enforcement.

3:14:19In contrast, many of us white people

3:14:22have experienced discretion from the

3:14:24police when we get pulled over for

3:14:26speeding, a broken tail light, or

3:14:28headlight. We might be led off with a

3:14:31warning or trusted that we have an

3:14:33appointment to repair a broken light.

3:14:36Once I forgot to renew my driver's

3:14:38license before a major holiday. When I

3:14:41got pulled over for going through a red

3:14:42light during a blizzard. He said he'd

3:14:45give me a ticket that wouldn't adversely

3:14:47impact my auto insurance rates. Maybe

3:14:50some of you as city officials have

3:14:52experienced the same type of discretion,

3:14:55a choice of how the police implement the

3:14:57law.

3:14:59I have two points related to this. When

3:15:02it comes to nonviolent traffic stops,

3:15:04GRPD has discretion, a choice on how

3:15:08they respond to undocumented immigrants.

3:15:12GRPD can choose to give a warning or a

3:15:15minor traffic ticket. Instead, a traffic

3:15:18stop often results in too many of our

3:15:20nonviolent neighbors being put in the

3:15:22Kent County jail where the sheriff's

3:15:25office then puts them on a 48 hour ICE

3:15:28hold where ICE can choose to pick them

3:15:32up and bring them to the North Lake

3:15:33Detention Center in Baldwin

3:15:36and this often leads to them being

3:15:38deported. We've heard the horrors of

3:15:41detention, but it's important to note

3:15:45that GRPD is the first contact that

3:15:49leads to detention and family

3:15:51separation.

3:15:53My second point, oh, so we want you to

3:15:56implement a policy that does not allow a

3:15:59traffic stop to lead to an arrest.

3:16:03My second point is that with their

3:16:05discretion, GRPD can choose not to

3:16:09respond to calls from the ICE or ISAP

3:16:11offices. They can choose not to escort

3:16:15geo vans, bringing our neighbors to

3:16:17North Lake detention centers. They can

3:16:19choose not to arrest peaceful peaceful

3:16:23protesters.

3:16:24In short, they can use their discretion

3:16:27and choose not to collaborate with ICE.

3:16:31As they have not been doing this, we

3:16:33want you to implement a policy that

3:16:35prevents GRPD from responding to calls

3:16:38from ICE for assistance,

3:16:41traffic escorts, or establishing traffic

3:16:44perimeters around ICE activities.

3:16:47You can use your discretion.

3:16:49>> Your three minutes are up. choose to

3:16:51implement safe policies that will stop

3:16:54GRPD from collaborating.

3:17:06>> My name is Charlie Snedeker. I'm 71

3:17:09years old. I don't want to reach the end

3:17:12of my life having been admired for being

3:17:14cautious, careful, or politically

3:17:16correct. I want to live truthfully

3:17:18enough that those on the margins know

3:17:21they were not abandoned. If my honesty

3:17:24cost me strained relationships and makes

3:17:26respectable people uncomfortable, I can

3:17:29accept those consequences.

3:17:31First, I need to stand here and condemn

3:17:33Grand Rapids Police Department for its

3:17:36racism, its brutality,

3:17:39and for licking the boots of ICE agents.

3:17:43I condemn GRPD for threatening peaceful

3:17:46protesters with chemical weapons and

3:17:48sprays. I condemn GRPD for arresting

3:17:51individuals for exercising their First

3:17:54Amendment rights.

3:17:56I admonish any law enforcement entity,

3:17:59including the Kent County Sheriff's

3:18:01Department and the Grand Rapids Police

3:18:03Department, for their cooperation with

3:18:05ICE and their assistance in terrorizing

3:18:08and kidnapping our immigrant neighbors.

3:18:11Second on my list, we need to stop mass

3:18:14public surveillance now in this city. No

3:18:18government agency should be allowed to

3:18:20place stationary cameras or data

3:18:22collection devices in public places to

3:18:25routinely routinely watch, identify,

3:18:29track, or collect information on people

3:18:31simply passing by.

3:18:34This includes license plate readers,

3:18:37facial recognition, wireless device

3:18:40tracking, AI monitoring, and similar

3:18:43data collectors.

3:18:45As a community, we need to embrace and

3:18:48promote justice and compassion in every

3:18:51level of our society and that includes

3:18:54the city council and includes any

3:18:57government institution including law

3:18:59enforcement. Third, I urge the city

3:19:02council to adopt the sanctuary policies

3:19:05as proposed by movementto.

3:19:08Protect our immigrant neighbors.

3:19:11Immigrants are not your enemies. They

3:19:14are your neighbors. Those of us here

3:19:16tonight to speak out are not your

3:19:18enemies. We are here to educate. We are

3:19:22here to promote and for you to pay

3:19:24attention to the truth.

3:19:36Hello, my name is Emma. I'm of the third

3:19:38ward. Um, I'd like to join my voice in

3:19:40those demanding that the city of Grand

3:19:42Rapids cap cancel the flat c contract

3:19:44and remove cameras from our city. There

3:19:47is no justification for tracking the

3:19:48movements of people who are not

3:19:49suspected of a crime. That's like

3:19:51literally a violation of the

3:19:53constitution. If the police want to

3:19:55track by movements, they can get a

3:19:56warrant signed by a judge after proving

3:19:58they have probable cause, like it's

3:20:00supposed to happen. The GRPD shares the

3:20:02movements of its residents with over

3:20:051,600 police departments across the

3:20:08country. This is clearly unsafe. There

3:20:11have been many cases of the police

3:20:12misusing Flock data to stock their exes

3:20:15and who knows what.

3:20:18Flock also has the financial incentive

3:20:20to sell this data to as many customers

3:20:22as possible. It cannot be trusted to

3:20:24store or distribute this data securely

3:20:26or ethically. As I've mentioned, these

3:20:29are tech bros who want to make money and

3:20:36they're they've Sorry, my brain is

3:20:42um

3:20:47it's just really anxietyinducing, guys.

3:20:50Every time I go outside and I look at

3:20:52these flat cameras and I think about

3:20:54who's watching me through that, who can

3:20:57get my data, it just

3:21:01sorry, just thinking about it gives me a

3:21:02little anxiety. I don't want to have to

3:21:04go to Myers and see a flat camera

3:21:05staring at me like I haven't done

3:21:07anything. Why am I being treated like

3:21:09I'm a criminal? And I am privileged in

3:21:12this country to have a citizenship for

3:21:16people who are just here with a

3:21:18paperwork violation. That's it. The fact

3:21:20that these cameras are being used and

3:21:22have been proving to be used to

3:21:26it's just it's gestapo. I don't know how

3:21:28else to call it. There have been World

3:21:30War II um people who have been raised by

3:21:32World War II veterans who have called

3:21:34this out. This is exactly the Gestapo.

3:21:37So if you're collaborating with them, if

3:21:39you're allowing this tool to be used by

3:21:42the hands of someone who is, you know,

3:21:45continuing

3:21:48fascism in this country, genocide in

3:21:50this country, you're handing them the

3:21:52tools to do that. That means you're

3:21:54complicit. That means that it's un

3:21:57it's just immoral.

3:21:59I know that there's humanity in all of

3:22:02you standing up here. I believe in

3:22:04people power. I believe that even though

3:22:06the corporatists are in your pocket

3:22:10calling you all the time, I believe that

3:22:12you have the power to choose good. I

3:22:15believe that

3:22:18I believe in democracy and I really hope

3:22:20that you can prove prove me right. Thank

3:22:23you.

3:22:34Mark back.

3:22:41I'm not going to repeat what

3:22:43what these what the speakers before me

3:22:46said.

3:22:48All I'm here for is this.

3:22:55Early voting

3:22:58has now commence.

3:23:02If you don't want to vote next Tuesday,

3:23:06you still have time

3:23:08to vote now.

3:23:13Again,

3:23:16I would like to see minimum 70% turnout.

3:23:2055% 60% it's not going to cut it.

3:23:26Exercise your right to vote.

3:23:30get out there and a man and you have you

3:23:32have loved ones and friends,

3:23:37force them to vote. If not, you cut them

3:23:39off.

3:23:43Now is not the time to sit on the couch

3:23:46and not and not vote

3:23:50because the other side is going to

3:23:52dictate your life.

3:23:58We don't want some high jinks and some

3:24:02bull crap like the orange fell pulled in

3:24:05Port Hon waving Nicki Minaj out like

3:24:08he's a street corner prostitute

3:24:13and John James

3:24:16as a black man should be ashamed of

3:24:17himself for not checking him

3:24:20while he's doing it.

3:24:23But then again,

3:24:25he invited a racist hasbin rock and

3:24:29roller who wrote songs about

3:24:32banging underage girls. So we and he is

3:24:36a MAGA with an antilack agenda.

3:24:45But this is what happens when

3:24:49you don't vote. That's what's going to

3:24:51happen.

3:24:55So, I suggest

3:24:57you vote early

3:24:59and vote and you vote early and get the

3:25:01people to vote

3:25:03because now is not the time to sit

3:25:06around

3:25:08and find out what's going to happen

3:25:13after Tuesday

3:25:21because if Don't.

3:25:24What I heard before is going to

3:25:26continue.

3:25:30So get out there and vote before it's

3:25:32too late. Revenge 2026.

3:25:43Hello.

3:25:45Hello. Uh my name is Shannon Tannis.

3:25:48It's been a minute since I've been up

3:25:50here to speak, but uh I was pulled over

3:25:52by the Grand Rapids Police Department uh

3:25:55between Kalamazoo and Eastern on 28th

3:25:58Street, which is a highway trunk line. I

3:26:01had someone that I know that works for

3:26:02MDOT pull the survey and the speed order

3:26:08seems to be that the um speed limit

3:26:11hasn't been changed since 1983 and there

3:26:14has been a speed order in place since

3:26:172011. I'm speaking with Al the president

3:26:20county commissioner tomorrow uh

3:26:22regarding this and some other matters.

3:26:24Um but we're going to pull an audit

3:26:26because guess what? When I asked the

3:26:29House Fiscal Committee um agency for the

3:26:32report on traffic citation revenue for

3:26:35this year, the retirement from uh for

3:26:39the judges, they get like 24% which is

3:26:42like $9.6 million from traffic citation

3:26:45revenue. So you can imagine the numbers

3:26:49that are going to be astronomical on

3:26:51this of how many people that have been

3:26:53pulled over for just five over and and

3:26:56not to mention the fines that the

3:26:58district court has been not uh been

3:27:01disclosing and is not economical towards

3:27:05those that it also when you pull

3:27:07somebody over it impacts their insurance

3:27:09for many years. So, I was grateful that

3:27:13the district court and your city

3:27:14attorney, we all agreed that it should

3:27:16be dismissed and the cop didn't show up

3:27:19that pulled me over. He was very nice

3:27:21though during the the engagement. Um,

3:27:24but I just love how God directs me in

3:27:28these kind of situations to pull out the

3:27:30deficiencies of government bodies not

3:27:32even managing this kind of money that

3:27:35they're collecting on a simple matter

3:27:37like this. So, it's going to be

3:27:40interesting to see the audit on this.

3:27:43That's all I wanted to say to make you

3:27:44aware. Thanks.

3:27:51>> Seeing no one else for public comment,

3:27:53um, I'll turn to my colleagues.

3:27:55Commissioner Knight,

3:27:57nothing. Uh, Commissioner Kilog,

3:28:00nothing. A roll. Uh, Commissioner

3:28:03Belich,

3:28:05>> not nothing. Uh,

3:28:10thank you. Um,

3:28:13well, uh, as often happens, many people

3:28:16who spent their time here tonight are no

3:28:18longer here. So, I hope they do watch

3:28:20the video. Um, because I feel like

3:28:24there's there's still stuff to be said.

3:28:26Um, I would like to just reiterate that

3:28:30the um the work that we did here today

3:28:32with the ordinance, even the media

3:28:34cameras are gone.

3:28:36This this was not this was an example in

3:28:39my opinion of good governance which I

3:28:42know we want to elect people to

3:28:44represent us and to be strong on issues

3:28:47and stand up for social rights and a lot

3:28:49of other things but sometimes the work

3:28:52of being in this role is also to be

3:28:56making sure and looking out for

3:28:59uh parameters that we don't necessarily

3:29:02we we inherited like I wasn't on the dis

3:29:04in 2023 three when these rules were

3:29:07made. But the ordinance needs to be

3:29:09updated because we need to do what's

3:29:11right to take care of business and a lot

3:29:14of what we do all of what we do on this

3:29:17dis is technically business the business

3:29:20of city. Um, so this is to me a good

3:29:23example of the difficult decisions that

3:29:26have to be made to make good governance,

3:29:28which I think is what we really want out

3:29:30of our elected officials in addition to

3:29:32being strong voices and representing us.

3:29:35So sometimes things that we have to do

3:29:39are not necessarily directly related to

3:29:41an issue or something that is a bigger

3:29:44conversation. That does not mean the

3:29:46bigger conversation shouldn't be

3:29:48happening. And I think it is happening.

3:29:51I think we're hearing it on the ICE

3:29:53issue over and over again. And I don't

3:29:58think I need to apologize or declare

3:30:01where I've been. But I deeply grieve

3:30:04with the Mario family. And for anyone

3:30:07who wonders, you know, I was at a school

3:30:11event with my child who was doing a

3:30:13presentation at the zoo school inside

3:30:15the zoo on her turkey vulture

3:30:18presentation. So, you know, sometimes

3:30:20we're called away to do things that are

3:30:23also important. Um,

3:30:27I don't know that it needs to be said,

3:30:28but it sounds like it needs to be said.

3:30:30So, hey GRPD, don't collaborate with

3:30:33ICE. Okay. Um, I know you have a policy

3:30:37that says that all right already to the

3:30:39large extent and um, Cosata and friends,

3:30:41Matt, Alex, bunches of other people that

3:30:45I can name if I went through my notes.

3:30:47Um, if you want to call us a sanctuary

3:30:50city, I guess we can't stop you because

3:30:52essentially we've said it over and over

3:30:54again. We're 99% that anyway and it's

3:30:57been very well explained if you would

3:30:59listen. I think I've been told we don't

3:31:02listen. So, I want to make sure that I

3:31:05let you all know we've been listening.

3:31:08I've been listening. I hope you're

3:31:11listening because I can't tell. I can't

3:31:13see your faces. You've gone. Um, but go

3:31:17ahead. Feel like calling us a sanctuary

3:31:19city. I'm not the mayor. Go ahead. I say

3:31:23do it. But I don't think it matters

3:31:27because we've had these rules in place

3:31:28since 2017 and 2019.

3:31:31Read them. tell us what's wrong. We'll

3:31:34be glad to look at fixing them. Then if

3:31:38we

3:31:39want to talk about Cosacea's policies

3:31:42about safety, privacy, and all that

3:31:44other stuff, I'm going to remind you

3:31:46that's not quatia's policy. That's not

3:31:49even a policy yet. And that is something

3:31:51that they got because they needed input

3:31:55because the ACLU is working on that.

3:31:58Okay. So, we're we're going to learn

3:32:00work on that. see what happens. We'll

3:32:02figure out with ACLU what's going on.

3:32:05Again, all of that is good governance.

3:32:07Things take time.

3:32:10If I looked in my pockets right now,

3:32:13they would be empty, guys. So, if I'm a

3:32:17corporatist,

3:32:20let me know what corporation I should

3:32:21start.

3:32:24It is a bigger conversation constantly

3:32:28on flock at the Michigan Municipal

3:32:30League conference in Traverse City a

3:32:33couple weeks ago. Yes, I have not been

3:32:34fully present because I've been out of

3:32:36town and a bunch of other things. Sorry

3:32:38I didn't reply to a couple of emails. I

3:32:39will work on it. I promise. Um,

3:32:43but there was a whole ad hoc

3:32:45conversation with multiple cities and

3:32:47leaders that was asked to be had by the

3:32:50people attending and I was in the room

3:32:53on behalf of anyone who wanted to be

3:32:55there and I I am very grateful that I

3:32:57was because it was early in the morning

3:32:59and I was the only G Grand Rapids person

3:33:01in the room and I shared our story of

3:33:03what we're dealing with and I shared

3:33:04your stories and I shared the stories

3:33:06that we're of what we're saying and

3:33:07talking about here behind the dis And it

3:33:12turns out there's a lot of cities in

3:33:13Michigan who don't have this figured

3:33:14out. It turns out that there is also, as

3:33:17we discussed in our legislative

3:33:18committee today, a lot of um work at the

3:33:22state level that still is in progress.

3:33:24This can't be a patchwork thing. It

3:33:26really should be regulated at the state

3:33:27level. And at the ideal level, we also

3:33:29need federal regulation. We really do

3:33:31need the elections to matter so we can

3:33:34actually get through and get some work

3:33:36done. We can't do that if we don't have

3:33:38people working on it. again, good

3:33:40governance.

3:33:42So, um, yeah, I'm in a mood. I also have

3:33:46a question for Tanner. What did you use

3:33:48to take these pictures? Because you got

3:33:50a car floating halfway in the middle

3:33:52with no back end and no tires. So,

3:33:54please tell me this is not AI and that

3:33:56it was just some weird effect of pan

3:33:58panorama or something. Um, but yeah, I

3:34:02have a lot on my plate. You all have a

3:34:04lot on plate. We've got seven days till

3:34:05the election. Go vote. Get me an

3:34:08appointment. Uh, I'm sorry. Did I say

3:34:10appointment? Yeah, I probably should

3:34:11have an appointment, but vote.

3:34:14We need someone in the first ward. We

3:34:15need someone in the second ward. We've

3:34:17got some people running for that and all

3:34:20over the place. And I did call this

3:34:21morning at the city meeting of

3:34:24appointments to to ask if we would be

3:34:27considering an appointment or a special

3:34:29something afterwards because I do think

3:34:31that our board needs to be represented.

3:34:33And it would be great if we could

3:34:34revisit that. And I would call upon our

3:34:38our conversationalists here at the dis

3:34:40to have that conversation about whoever

3:34:42wins regardless of who wins uh the award

3:34:45to be immediately put in their seats so

3:34:48they can start doing the work because

3:34:49again good governance. I really want

3:34:52everyone to have a happy Halloween. I'm

3:34:54hope that that's fun. I hope it's more

3:34:56tricks and not too many bad ones but

3:34:58good treats. If you want to come have

3:34:59some tricks and treats with me, I'm

3:35:01going to be on Thursday at Lincoln Park

3:35:03with everybody and there's supposed to

3:35:05be a thousand kids. I don't have money

3:35:07for Candy Guy. So, I bought 3,000

3:35:09stickers. I hope they're not going to be

3:35:10disappointed, but I really think that

3:35:12the dentist will love that they're not

3:35:14getting teeth rotted out. But come, I'm

3:35:16going to be dressed up. Find out who I

3:35:18am. Maybe you can put on social media

3:35:20and um we'll play a game. Happy

3:35:24Halloween.

3:35:31All right.

3:35:35Oh, I lost half my microphone

3:35:39>> here. You can

3:35:49All right.

3:35:52All right. Um, good evening. It's It's

3:35:5410:30 at night. I'm sorry, we're all a

3:35:56little tired now. Um, thank you all for

3:35:59coming. Um, as always, um, I just want

3:36:03to speak on a few things. Um, one, just

3:36:06to keep it really quick, we we've been

3:36:07here long enough. Um, I just want to

3:36:09remind for folks who do want to come and

3:36:11engage and stay informed and connected,

3:36:14uh, tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom is my

3:36:17monthly briefing. This is where I take

3:36:20everything that's happened for the last

3:36:21month. What's moving in city hall? What

3:36:24barriers are we running into? What

3:36:25progress is being made on the issues

3:36:27that are making headlines? What

3:36:28headlines are framing the issues

3:36:30wrongly? Address all those things in 30

3:36:33minutes and then stick online to hear

3:36:34from you. So, I invite you all um to

3:36:38attend that um purdueforw.com/events.

3:36:40You can RSVP you'll get so you can get

3:36:42the link and followup information. Um

3:36:45tomorrow

3:36:47I will be sharing some economic

3:36:50development results. I'll preview and

3:36:52talk about our November 12th strategic

3:36:54planning discussion here at city

3:36:55commission and explain more on why I

3:36:58support the amphitheater noise amendment

3:37:00that we voted on tonight. Um I'll close

3:37:03and just say, you know, I take my job

3:37:05seriously. Um I know that everyone

3:37:07doesn't take that approach. I've been

3:37:09here since 9:00 a.m. Um non-stop. I

3:37:12haven't left. Um I'm happy to do it. So

3:37:14I take my job seriously. I recognize

3:37:16that not everyone um takes that

3:37:18approach. So to the person in this room

3:37:20who keeps tagging me on Facebook,

3:37:23but you haven't approached me directly

3:37:25after meetings in this room once the

3:37:27cameras are off, I invite you today to

3:37:30say and talk to me directly so we can I

3:37:33can address the substance of what you

3:37:35are um

3:37:37saying online. That's all. Thank you,

3:37:40>> Commissioner Sasi.

3:37:42>> No comment. Thank you.

3:37:44>> Thank you. I'm sure we're going to hear

3:37:46about elections now, Mr. Clerk.

3:37:48I I could. Um, so yeah, we're we're in

3:37:53it. We're about I'm halfway through

3:37:57we used to say the Super Bowl, but now

3:37:58it's kind of like the World Cup. We have

3:38:00several stages as we go through the

3:38:02election cycle now. So early voting has

3:38:04been open for for a week. And um if you

3:38:08don't want to go stand in lines, go to

3:38:10New Hope Baptist Church, 130 Delaware.

3:38:14You'll get in and get out really

3:38:15quickly. So, um it's it's it's been

3:38:18there's been um activity there, but it's

3:38:21right off the Silver Line. So, um head

3:38:23out there and you'll have a great voting

3:38:24experience over the next few days. Also,

3:38:26but we have three other locations at um

3:38:28Ottawa Hills High School, St. Peter and

3:38:30Paul Parish School, and uh GRPS

3:38:33University. Um you don't have to go, you

3:38:35know, it's not your local area. They

3:38:37have to go to you can go to any of the

3:38:39the four and uh go vote. Um, so we've

3:38:43had 6 thou as of 7 o'clock this tonight,

3:38:46um, 6,4 6,047 voters have voted early

3:38:51and, um, 19,535

3:38:54um, absentee ballots have been returned.

3:38:56Um, so that's where we're at about 16,

3:38:58we're about 16%. Um, turnout um, just

3:39:02between those two things. Um, and so we

3:39:04um, we started early tabulation of

3:39:06absentee ballots yesterday. We so we've

3:39:09tabulated almost 15,000 of those 19,000

3:39:12ballots returned already. So, thank you

3:39:15legislature for one of my clerk wishes

3:39:17for early tabulation of absentee

3:39:19ballots. If we had that in 2020, I might

3:39:21still have a little bit of hair maybe.

3:39:24But anyway, um things are going really

3:39:26well. Um and then we, you know, the talk

3:39:28is there's been talk about um Department

3:39:31of Justice, City of Grand Rapids did,

3:39:33did get a letter from the Department of

3:39:34Justice. We're one of seven cities in

3:39:36the state of Michigan that received

3:39:37that. Um the attorney's office and I sat

3:39:40um had a meeting this week with um the

3:39:42the um the director who's in charge of

3:39:45um that that program with the civil

3:39:47rights division. We they've been here

3:39:48over the years and so we had a they're

3:39:50supposed to give me a list by the end of

3:39:51the week of about how many people they

3:39:53expect to have in Grand Rapids. So it

3:39:55was a good dialogue to um kind of know

3:39:57what's going on um between them. they

3:39:59understand they understand their role

3:40:01and um so we'll be we'll be watching

3:40:03that closely. Um so know that we're

3:40:06aware of it and uh it's been um

3:40:10and um so it's it's been it's been a

3:40:12good process. Make sure you get out and

3:40:14vote. Make sure you if you have your

3:40:15absentee ballot, please return it. It

3:40:18does add stress and stuff on the on the

3:40:20election inspectors if you come back if

3:40:23you come to vote without that absentee

3:40:24ballot because then we have to go

3:40:26through a process. it's it's fine, but

3:40:28just if we've given you the tool, we've

3:40:30given you an absentee ballot, um either

3:40:32return it in one of our secure dropbox,

3:40:33we drop we we empty them every single

3:40:36day. And then also, um you can also put

3:40:39that absentee ballot through a tabulator

3:40:41at the early voting site or on election

3:40:43day. So, um voters, you have a lot of

3:40:45options. And finally, one last thing is

3:40:48if you're not registered to vote yet,

3:40:49you can vote register to vote until 8:00

3:40:51on election night. So on Monday,

3:40:54November 2nd and November 3rd, the Grand

3:40:57Rapids City Clerk's Office is in exhibit

3:40:58hall A of Devos Place just because of

3:41:01the the traffic that we get. Um this

3:41:03this building is not conducive for long

3:41:06lines and crowds. So we um we will be at

3:41:09Devos Place on November 2nd and November

3:41:113rd. That's the clerk's office. We will

3:41:13validate parking whether you park

3:41:15downstairs here or under Devos Place. I

3:41:18think that's it.

3:41:20>> City attorney. No.

3:41:21>> City manager

3:41:24Okay. Well, I'm going to be brief on a

3:41:26lot of topics. So, um first of all,

3:41:30>> yeah, exactly. See if I can do it see if

3:41:32I can do it in three minutes, folks. Um

3:41:35so, first of all, um thank you to the

3:41:36people who have been uh coming in and

3:41:38engaging. Uh and I want the community to

3:41:41know that um I have actually been uh

3:41:44engaging and working with the ACLU on

3:41:46some discussions uh because I said very

3:41:48clearly when I took this job that if

3:41:50there are things that we can do better

3:41:52to help protect our uh neighbors who are

3:41:55not US citizens, we will we will do that

3:41:57or I will be committed to doing my best

3:41:59to do that. And so, uh, working with the

3:42:02ACLU, there are some, uh, topics that

3:42:04have been brought up, uh, and I think

3:42:06that there's valid and fruitful, uh, uh,

3:42:09areas for discussion there. That, uh,

3:42:11the document, however, which says draft

3:42:14all over it, was given to all of our

3:42:15commissioners. Uh, it was actually

3:42:16drafted by the ACLU and, um, and it

3:42:19wasn't it's not ready for prime time.

3:42:21And I actually in our subsequent

3:42:22meetings with the ACLU, they've

3:42:24acknowledged there are obvious things

3:42:25about it that are difficult. Well,

3:42:26that's part of the process of getting it

3:42:28right. That means you don't do things

3:42:30immediately. Even if you see and you

3:42:32think you see a clear goal, you got to

3:42:34make sure one of the things that's a

3:42:36problem in government is the law of

3:42:37unintended consequences. When you think

3:42:39you're doing a and in fact you do the

3:42:41opposite. And so uh I I want you know

3:42:44you all who are still here tonight but

3:42:46also who are going to watch this to

3:42:47understand that uh we are committed to

3:42:49moving that discussion forward. I think

3:42:51all of us are. So, um I will uh you know

3:42:56I every time someone comes up and says

3:42:58they want us to they support the six

3:43:00sanctuary cities, I sort of want to say,

3:43:01"Yeah, us too." Um the the heart of

3:43:04those sanctuary cities have been were,

3:43:06as Commissioner Belick noted, adopted a

3:43:08number of years ago. Um I've gone over

3:43:10that. They're now the explanation now on

3:43:12the city website. People can go look at

3:43:14it. Um uh but frankly I'm glad that uh

3:43:19some of the advocates have now stopped

3:43:21uh emphasizing that and started talking

3:43:22about what is productive which is the

3:43:24topics that the ACLU has uh fronted.

3:43:27There are some there's some work we can

3:43:28potentially do in visas. There's

3:43:30potential work we can do around flock

3:43:31cameras and there's potentially work we

3:43:33can do around uh around

3:43:37sanctuary policies for lack of a better

3:43:38way to put it. And there are

3:43:40possibilities for for movement there and

3:43:41for improvement. And frankly, I'm

3:43:43excited to have those conversations and

3:43:45I think a lot of us are. Um, second

3:43:48thing I will say is uh I'm I was the man

3:43:52who came in and talked about snow

3:43:54removal is a man after my own heart. My

3:43:55daughter is blind. Uh, she essentially

3:43:58can't get down. She's homebound if one

3:44:00person out of 20 doesn't shovel the

3:44:02sidewalk because she can't find it with

3:44:04a cane if it's got snow all over it. Um,

3:44:07I would love to have u movement on

3:44:09better snow snow removal. One of the

3:44:12options is to think about the city doing

3:44:13it. Um, so we have uniformity. Um, it's

3:44:16very hard. Our current ordinance is very

3:44:18hard to enforce because if one flake of

3:44:20snow drops, it hits the reset button on

3:44:22the 24 hours that you have 24-hour grace

3:44:25period. We get people to shovel their

3:44:26walks. Um, so it's tricky. I know this

3:44:29because I've been trying for 20 years to

3:44:30get people who make no apparent effort

3:44:32to shovel their walks. I have a list.

3:44:34When I walk to work, I keep a list. Um,

3:44:37but it is something that I think we need

3:44:38to keep working on. Um, I really want to

3:44:40shout out our city manager. Um, uh,

3:44:43because our our community's children

3:44:45came up and, uh, I'm glad, I'm proud of

3:44:48us for continuing to support that and

3:44:50picking up slack from, uh, the school's

3:44:53uh, dropping of that line item. But I

3:44:55want to thank you, city comm manager,

3:44:56for a recommending that we continue to

3:44:58support it and pick up that slack. But

3:45:00also, I would just want to recognize

3:45:01like for you, I know this is a piece of

3:45:04a bigger puzzle. So, your Grow 1000 uh

3:45:07your general commitment to figuring out

3:45:09how we can actually provide uh

3:45:12successful prosperous futures for uh the

3:45:15the the young folks in our community and

3:45:17you know, a lot of the work we do around

3:45:19community- based uh attempts to mitigate

3:45:21violence. All of that I know is near and

3:45:23dear to your heart came up today. Just

3:45:24wanted to give you a shout out. I know

3:45:26it's a I know it's a a core value for

3:45:28you and it's something you've been

3:45:29working on for a long time. Um,

3:45:33I um would urge those of you who

3:45:36actually want to know what Abdul thinks

3:45:38to go do research because it's not hard

3:45:40to figure out what he actually says on

3:45:41things. I'm going to leave it at that.

3:45:43Um, every time I go and look, it turns

3:45:46out it's not what somebody else told me.

3:45:48It's uh fairly impressive and

3:45:49articulate. So, go take a look. Um, the

3:45:53uh uh thanks to is it Dustin who

3:45:56actually stayed? One of the one of our

3:45:58uh prize winners who actually stayed to

3:46:00the end. Uh, I love the idea of cleanup.

3:46:02We've got a river cleanup, as you

3:46:04probably know. We've got a neighborhood

3:46:05cleanup in the spring. Uh, let's keep

3:46:07talking about that. So, you know, it's a

3:46:09it's a priority for the city, but I we

3:46:11all we're all up here smiling. The a

3:46:13citizen actually taking some initiative

3:46:15on that and planning it out. Um, you

3:46:17know, we ought to give you gold star or

3:46:18something, but let's get it to the

3:46:20finish line. Glad glad you're working on

3:46:21it. Um,

3:46:24the last thing I want to say, and I just

3:46:26want to say this, um, because for me,

3:46:30eight days ago, something kind of

3:46:31snapped. Um,

3:46:34I spent a good chunk of my day, um, in

3:46:38an ICE office making doing my best to

3:46:42ensure that a person who went in the

3:46:43front door went back out the front door.

3:46:46And he did. And so I had limited success

3:46:49there.

3:46:51The problem is this individual who's

3:46:52been a contributing member of our

3:46:53society and who really thought he had a

3:46:55work visa doesn't have one. In fact, he

3:46:58is on uh an an appeal. He didn't even

3:47:00understand that. He's he came to the

3:47:03United States in 1999. He's got four

3:47:05children. Um he's got a job. The real

3:47:10issue, folks, is our federal government

3:47:13has to get out of its own way. And I'm

3:47:15talking about our elected officials. And

3:47:17I'm frankly am I am done. supporting

3:47:21anybody running for federal office who's

3:47:23not willing to articulate how they will

3:47:25fix our broken immigration system and

3:47:28when they will do it by. It's not hard.

3:47:31If you put any random three Americans in

3:47:33a room, they could basically figure this

3:47:35out. What we need is

3:47:37uh a broad work visa program and a

3:47:41reasonable path to citizenship.

3:47:44That's all we need. We've been talking

3:47:46this about this for 30 years at the

3:47:48federal level. It gets derailed time and

3:47:50time again. It has not historically been

3:47:52a one party concern. It's been something

3:47:55that Republicans have occasionally

3:47:57managed to get together with Democrats

3:47:58on briefly tantalizingly. But one of the

3:48:01ways you lose democracy is when your

3:48:03government doesn't do anything. And

3:48:06that's my central frustration on uh on

3:48:09at the federal level. I mean, I think

3:48:11that ICE I have a hard time tolerating

3:48:14the the presence of ICE in our

3:48:16community. So does everybody up in this

3:48:17DAS. Uh it makes me sick to think about

3:48:20uh some of the things that we've had to

3:48:21witness. But the real the real item we

3:48:25need to focus on is not who's enforcing

3:48:29unjust laws that make no sense that have

3:48:32needed fixing for 30 years and how they

3:48:34enforce it, but it's getting rid of

3:48:36those unjust laws that make no sense

3:48:38that we've been trying to fix for 30

3:48:40years. This system needs to be fixed.

3:48:43And at the end of the day that is a

3:48:45federal elected problem that is not a

3:48:48this das problem. So that is my personal

3:48:50statement on this. But I just want you

3:48:52all I hope that you all will start ex

3:48:55demanding better and demanding

3:48:58specificity from from your federal

3:49:01representatives on this issue because it

3:49:03is a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral

3:49:06crisis and it is something that I am

3:49:08sick of waiting for a solution to and I

3:49:10know a lot of you are too. So thank you

3:49:12all. Good night.

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