2026-09-21 - City Council

00:00Welcome to the September 21st

00:04Fairfield City Council meeting. If

00:05everyone would please rise, we're going

00:07to do a prayer and then

00:15heavenly father, we approach your

00:17heavenly throne tonight with reverence

00:19and gratitude.

00:21Amongst the highest of our gratitudes,

00:23it is that for our neighbors. Without

00:25them, our community would never be the

00:28wondrous place that it is.

00:30As we make decisions for this community

00:32tonight, we ask that you grant us

00:34wisdom, continue to do your will,

00:37patience to see the issues for what they

00:39are, and strength to uphold what we know

00:42is right.

00:44We ask for your continued blessings,

00:46your hand on each of our shoulders, and

00:48forgive us where we have failed you. In

00:50your name, Lord, we pray. Amen.

00:52>> Amen.

00:55To the flag to the United States of

00:57America and to the republic for it

01:00stands one nation under God indivisible

01:05with liberty and justice for all.

01:13>> Again, welcome. Thank you for joining

01:15us. We will call this meeting to order

01:17and do a roll call.

01:20>> Present.

01:20>> Alan

01:21>> here. Julie

01:22>> present. Alt

01:23>> present.

01:24>> Hazelton

01:25>> right here.

01:25>> Joe

01:26>> here.

01:26>> Camper

01:27>> present.

01:27>> Lester

01:28>> here.

01:29>> Michael

01:29>> here.

01:30>> Young

01:30>> present. I have a quorum.

01:33>> All right. Item three, adoption of the

01:35agenda.

01:36>> So move. Second.

01:37>> A motion and a second. All in favor?

01:40>> I.

01:41>> Any opposed?

01:43All right. That takes us to item four,

01:47miscellaneous.

01:49Item A, Project Homeless Connect. Mr.

01:52Cooper

01:55uh

01:58welcome

02:01just identify yourself.

02:03>> Thanks for joining us.

02:04>> So I am Anna Holt. I am the vice chair

02:07of Project Homeless Connect this year as

02:09well as Edwin Cooper and Stephanie

02:11Thompson. So uh mayor, council, thank

02:14you for letting us come tonight and

02:16recognize us at Project Homeless

02:18Connect. On Friday, September 25th,

02:21we're going to hold our 12th annual

02:23Project Homeless Connect here in

02:24downtown Jefferson City. Project

02:26Homeless Connect is a one-day event

02:28that's based on a national service model

02:30aimed at reducing as many barriers as

02:32possible to help the unhoused or housing

02:35vulnerable move towards self-sufficiency

02:37and learn about community resources.

02:40This is only possible through the

02:41collaboration of local agencies,

02:43churches, businesses, and countless

02:46volunteers. On Friday, we'll be able to

02:48provide services ranging from basic

02:50medical care to ID cards to employment

02:53services and beyond. Um, there are still

02:56opportunities to help. Financial support

02:58is always welcome, but volunteers are

03:01greatly needed. Um, please visit our

03:03Facebook page, Project Homeless Connect,

03:05Jefferson City. You'll find our signup

03:07genius there. Um, opportunities are

03:09starting as early as Thursday afternoon

03:11for setup into Friday for the day of the

03:13event as well as clean up afterwards.

03:16Um, also you can visit our uh website

03:18through our sponsors website housingthe

03:21community-jc.com.

03:23See what's happening not only with

03:24project homeless connect but other HCJC

03:26organizations such as Jefferson Room at

03:28the end.

03:30>> You brought a lot of friends with you.

03:32>> I did recognize recognize all of you

03:35[laughter]

03:36identify your friends. Oh,

03:38>> Lex said Edwin Cooper the chair of

03:40Project Home is connect

03:42>> Carter

03:43>> Carter Stevenson on the planning

03:44committee.

03:46>> Stephanie Thompson on the planning

03:48committee.

03:48>> They wouldn't give you one of the

03:49matching shirts. [laughter]

03:51>> They just wanted to see me.

03:55>> Draws the planning committee.

03:57>> Thank you.

03:59>> Hey Lee Cleveland, planning committee.

04:02>> Amy Rogers planning committee.

04:08Brenda Johnson, planning committee.

04:15>> Donald White, planning committee.

04:20>> WT Edison, Planning Committee.

04:23>> Again, Mr. Cooper, do you have any

04:25comments you wanted to make?

04:27>> I'd like to just thank the council, the

04:29city for the support, our uh planning

04:33committee, our chairs.

04:35uh this wouldn't be made without the our

04:37partners ACJC the churches. So this is a

04:40great thing that we're doing for the

04:42citizens and the citizens have really

04:44been participating for 12 strong years.

04:46I like to say that we do the best

04:48project homelessness connect is

04:49conducted all over the state of Missouri

04:52including Columbia. But I'm biased. I

04:55think we absolutely have the best.

04:59>> Well, thank you. We I do have a

05:01proclamation for you. So I'll read that

05:03and then I'll come around front. We'll

05:04bring all you up front and someone will

05:08Mr. Helnik is the photographer tonight

05:11and council will get behind us. But

05:13anyway, the proclamation whereas more

05:15than 2 million Americans across our

05:17country experience homelessness each

05:20year and whereas project homeless

05:22connect Jefferson City aims to reduce

05:24barriers and to provide access to

05:26housing and other services

05:29to those experiencing chronic

05:31homelessness in our city including

05:33children, families, disabled individuals

05:35and veterans. And whereas housing in the

05:39community Jefferson City comprised of

05:41members of the faith community,

05:43community service agencies and concerned

05:46citizens desires to partner with city

05:48government

05:50>> and local official officials. And

05:52whereas as elected officials,

05:56elected government officials, we are

05:58accountable to our community for the

05:59well-being of our citizens and recognize

06:01that no one organization or one level of

06:04government can remedy homelessness

06:06alone. And whereas we strive to work

06:08with local, state, federal, and

06:10faith-based partners to identify and

06:13develop innovative strategies to end

06:15homelessness. And whereas September

06:1825th, 2026 marks the 12th year of

06:21service to the unhoused of Jefferson

06:23City. Now therefore, I Ron Fitzwwater,

06:26Mayor of Jefferson City, Missouri, do

06:28hereby proclaim September 25th, 2026 as

06:33Project Homeless Connect Day. And may

06:36our community appreciate the value of

06:38all our citizens and strive to end

06:40homelessness. So, thank you for your

06:42work. and I'll come around front and

06:45we'll get our photographer and we'll do

06:47a picture and I'll let you have this

06:49proclamation when we get

07:06balance.

07:17I'm still with you.

07:20Thank you.

07:20>> One, two, three.

07:26[applause]

07:33>> Good to see you again.

07:42be safe.

08:00>> All right. Item B, introduction of fire

08:04department's new Okay,

08:07guess I could turn my mic back on.

08:09Introduction of the fire department's

08:11new aircraft rescue and firefighting

08:14truck. We have our chief here and we've

08:16got Mr. Bowers who is our airport

08:19manager. I saw it out at the air show

08:22last weekend. It was kind of nice to see

08:24it out ready for action. Hopefully we

08:26don't use it, but if so, Chief, you're

08:29going to tell us what it can do.

08:30>> Absolutely. And it's been a long time

08:32coming. Uh this is a project that

08:34probably goes back at least five or six

08:36years. And uh it's one that we knew was

08:39going to have to happen at some point.

08:40We didn't know exactly how. And so I

08:42also I think we have Representative

08:44Schulty back there somewhere. If he

08:45wants to come up as well, he didn't know

08:48that I was going to put him on the spot.

08:49[clears throat]

08:50>> Yes, sir. If you would join us,

08:52>> but this is a this was a a joint project

08:54between uh the city of Jefferson and the

08:56state of Missouri. As I think everybody

08:59understands, you know, the the airport

09:00itself is a is a great economic engine,

09:02and I'm sure Mr. Mr. Bowers can tell us

09:04all a lot more about that, but it's

09:06busy. Uh it's a it's a hub of activity

09:09and we want to make sure we can protect

09:10it. And so uh our current airport crash

09:13truck was going to be 35 years old uh

09:16this year, next year. And so we for many

09:19years had not been able to get parts for

09:20repair and we set out on a mission to

09:23try to get it replaced. And so we uh we

09:25reached out to all of our uh contingent

09:27of uh state representatives and senators

09:30and it was a cross jurisdictional effort

09:32because I think everybody understands

09:33that uh although our airport is in the

09:35city of Jefferson, it's in Callaway

09:37County. So we have that the mutual

09:39benefit there of being serviced by the

09:41Callaway County contingent as well. And

09:43so they all worked really hard to get

09:45this across the finish line. I'm happy

09:48to and proud to report that 85% of the

09:50funding of this came from the state of

09:51Missouri. So, we simply could not have

09:53done it without their help. So, tonight

09:55we have a a very nice framed photograph

09:57that will hang at the airport uh that

09:59we're going to present to Mr. Bowers in

10:01recognition of of this piece of

10:03equipment and investment in safety.

10:06>> I would say then Governor Parson

10:09[clears throat] was very

10:10>> yes

10:11>> supportive of this project and did what

10:13he could in a in a tough budget year.

10:15So, absolutely

10:16>> we appreciate and the legislature was

10:19supportive.

10:20Nice work. Mr. Bowers, anything you'd

10:23like to say?

10:24>> If you just identify yourself for folks

10:26watching at home,

10:27>> Eric Bowers, airport manager. I don't

10:29have a whole lot to say, uh, but I'm

10:32thrilled to see this uh this truck be

10:34delivered and I think it's going to be a

10:36great increase in our capabilities and

10:38safety at the airport.

10:41>> Representative Schulty,

10:43thanks for being here with us.

10:46>> Thank you.

10:47I really can't take a lot of credit here

10:49and the lion share of this goes to

10:51Representative Griffith and Senator

10:53Fitzwater. I was kind of in the back

10:55wings on it, but uh we are very proud to

10:58have it in Callaway County in my

11:00district and we'll uh

11:01>> we'll certainly uh take good care of

11:03you.

11:04>> Well, it's good to see you again. We

11:06spent a little time in the auto show

11:07yesterday. It's great to see you.

11:10>> All right. You want to bring bring it

11:13up? may have a comment if I will real

11:16quick. Uh sir, you know, not everybody

11:18uh understands how busy our airport is

11:21and uh you know, I know [snorts] uh Eric

11:24does an amazing job out at our airport.

11:27Uh but we are are seconding setting

11:30records that seems like month after

11:33month out there for a number of

11:34operations. Uh so this is great timing

11:38to to be able to service the airport in

11:40a more safer manner because we are we

11:42are one of the busiest airports in the

11:44state.

11:47>> Great. Thank [snorts] thanks for those

11:48comments.

11:50>> So you want to come around and

11:52>> if you don't mind getting a picture

11:53that'd be great.

11:53>> Absolutely. I think our photographer

11:55still here

12:02in the middle.

12:06We'll get you right here in the middle.

12:07The mayor in the middle. She'll be

12:10sitting

12:24together.

12:28>> One, two, three.

12:35>> [applause]

12:48>> This is

12:50the fire department.

13:02>> [clears throat]

13:12>> All right. Then item 4 C, Middle

13:15Missouri Explorer Post Charter Ceremony.

13:18Mr. Darius Watson,

13:21[laughter]

13:25>> willing participants with you.

13:32>> [clears throat]

13:33>> It's

13:34>> funny how shy everybody gets when they

13:36got to come up. And this is a good

13:37thing. It's a good thing.

13:39>> You would identify yourself just so

13:41folks at home know what we're doing. But

13:43thank you so much for being here.

13:44>> Oh, my pleasure. Thank you for having

13:46us. My name is Dr. Darius Watson. I am

13:48the dean of the College of Professional

13:49Studies at Lincoln University.

13:52>> John Fabit. Uh, John Fabitz, the CEO for

13:55Scouting America and the Explorer

13:56program.

13:58>> Brett Brooks, the district executive for

14:01Five Rivers District.

14:03>> Go ahead.

14:06>> Deb Hendricks. I'm the um executive

14:09committee chair. Yes, I am.

14:12>> Congratulations.

14:14>> I'm [clears throat] Bernard Bagby with

14:15Missouri SEMA uh DPS.

14:21Officer Adam Lunoff, Jess, please.

14:26>> So, we appreciate you having us here

14:27today and uh we are following up on the

14:29event that we had uh earlier this year

14:32in which we started the process of uh

14:34creating the charter for the Explorer

14:35Post. For those that might be

14:37unfamiliar, the Explorer Post is a

14:39program that is sponsored predominantly

14:41by Scouting America. And we are actually

14:43very happy to have just about every

14:45major agency in the area as part of this

14:47group. Usually, you have Explorer posts

14:49that focus on a singular area. uh

14:51whether it be law enforcement or fire or

14:54EMS and then ultimately trying to

14:56introduce our youth to those potential

14:58career tracks while they're still in

15:00high school and then carry that forward

15:01potentially into certificate or even

15:04educational programs. We actually have

15:06developed our explorer post to be highly

15:09collaborative and it includes not just

15:10the fire department here in Jefferson

15:12City but the police department, Kle

15:14County EMS and we're very happy to

15:16announce that we've recently also added

15:18uh the state SEMA and office of homeland

15:21security. So we have four major agencies

15:23that are all helping us. We have a

15:25regular uh schedule of programming every

15:27month and we will be also conducting

15:30some events at Lincoln University as

15:31well. And what as much as we're excited

15:34about this from a collaborative

15:35standpoint, we believe the real strength

15:37is it offers us opportunities to

15:39integrate with everything from the Cole

15:41County co-ad initiative to the

15:43certificate and EMS programs that we've

15:45developed at Lincoln University as well

15:47as some other projects and programs up

15:48to and including the new building on

15:50Lincoln University campus. So again,

15:52we're really excited about this program

15:53and what it represents.

15:58We do have a copy a framed copy of the

16:01charter for each of the five

16:02organizations that uh that are involved.

16:05Like Dr. Watson said, this is unique to

16:07have this many organizations involved in

16:09the explore post. So, we wanted to take

16:11a moment to recognize those agencies.

16:18fire.

16:29And so again, we just wanted to make

16:31sure that you guys know that we followed

16:33through with the pledge that we started

16:34and that we have brought the program to

16:36fruition. It's now formally chartered.

16:38And again, this is just the beginning.

16:40We see this is the foundation for the

16:42integration of this program with several

16:43other programs that Lincoln University,

16:45Jefferson City, and Co County are all

16:46engaged in. So again, thank you for your

16:48support.

16:48>> Well, we appreciate all you do. If we

16:50can indulge on our photographer one more

16:52time for everyone wants to come up.

16:54We'll do one more picture.

17:06>> Okay, somebody has to stand.

17:25Let's go with that. Ready? One, two,

17:27three.

17:31>> Thank you. [applause]

17:39See you again.

17:54exercise.

18:03>> We have some amazing people in this

18:05city, so it's fun to recognize them. So,

18:08thanks for being here.

18:10Item five, opportunity for public

18:12comment. We have two names listed.

18:16I'm not sure if they wanted to comment

18:18here or not, but I will mention their

18:21name. Gus Wagner.

18:23>> Yes, fair.

18:26>> Welcome.

18:30>> Did you want to do it in general

18:31comments or when we get to the public

18:33hearing?

18:33>> I'm not able to stay the entire

18:35>> That's fine. I just want to make sure.

18:37>> If you could just identify yourself.

18:38Sure thing. Sure thing. Uh Gus Wagner

18:4125503 Green Tree 65101. Uh thank you to

18:45uh the opportunity here this evening.

18:47Good to see everybody. Um I'm going to

18:50read off my prepared statement here and

18:52there was also a statement that was

18:53distributed to the council in your

18:54packets uh earlier today uh that goes

18:57into much more greater detail and length

18:59of of detail. Uh before deciding the

19:03future of 107 Adams, begin with the

19:06people who need help. Homeless and

19:07unhoused people are are people of every

19:10age, ability, history, and need. Some

19:13are children. They deserve compassion,

19:15dignity, safety, and a genuine path

19:17towards stability. Jefferson City needs

19:19more effective shelter space and a

19:21coordinated access to real services

19:24quickly. There's been a strong case made

19:26uh by organizers of this effort. uh

19:29they've measured uh and have been

19:31prepared, sincere, prepared and

19:33persistent. Uh there's a large volunteer

19:36base which I have been a member of uh as

19:38well in this community uh to help with

19:40this effort. Uh the decision before you

19:43though is zoning. It is not a referendum

19:45on whether homeless people deserve help

19:47or whether HCJC volunteers are good

19:49people. Because this is zoning,

19:51operations matter. hours, capacity,

19:54staffing, screening, security,

19:56transportation, outdoor activity,

19:57neighborhood effects, and what happens

19:59when these doors close uh for the

20:02business of the day determine whether

20:03this use fits the property.

20:06The uh recent interview revealed

20:09important gaps. Uh the organization has

20:11operated on roughly a $25,000 annual

20:14budget. While this project may require

20:17millions for acquisition, renovation,

20:20staffing, security, and operations, the

20:22center would begin with half-day work

20:24weekday hours and the shelter will

20:26remain seasonal. Where are the people

20:28going to go, the homeless people, the

20:30unhoused people? Where are they going to

20:32go when both centers are closed? This

20:35low barrier shelter does not conduct

20:37criminal background checks and uh safety

20:40depends on professional operation and

20:41management and that otherwise all bets

20:43are off was the quote uh recently used

20:46by Mr. Johnston. Uh [snorts]

20:48professional staff secured funding and

20:50expanded capacity would be assembled

20:52according to the plan after approval.

20:55Confidence in the goal is not an

20:58enforceable operating commitment.

21:01The data regarding homeless and unhoused

21:03folks in this community has always been

21:05incomplete. I've been involved in this

21:07uh the effort for as I mentioned earlier

21:08for years and there's been always been a

21:10hole uh in information regarding

21:13accurate data.

21:15We believe they believe most guests are

21:17local but there's been some

21:19acknowledgement that some arrive or pass

21:20through other cities uh from other

21:22cities and that we still lack that data.

21:26Informed experience is not verified

21:28evidence.

21:30The library has become our unofficial

21:33daytime refuge because Jefferson City as

21:36a community has failed to create an

21:38alternative. A limited hour center

21:41decided could help while open then

21:43return the same pressure when it closes.

21:46Services are distributed across the

21:47city. Services these folks are looking

21:49for are distributed across the city.

21:51They are not centrally located uh in in

21:54downtown Jefferson City. Our public

21:56transit connects this community to all

21:59of those resources as well. So, what I'd

22:02look for is for this community as a

22:05whole to look at alternative properties.

22:07We have many, unfortunately, we have

22:09many office complexes similar to 107

22:12Adams that could serve as as a center.

22:14Uh we have uh there's a a bank building

22:17over by Gerbs off of Eastland that I had

22:20recommended to organizers uh as a

22:22potential site. And then of course right

22:24over here we have the Simson Center

22:26where project seems to have stalled out.

22:28Another highly visible potential site.

22:32Let's get everybody together again for

22:33one last time. Lock them in that room

22:35until we have a solution that's going to

22:37be amendable to the entire community and

22:40let's all move forward.

22:43>> Perfect. Great time. Thank you.

22:47>> Thank you. All right. We also have an

22:50individual signed up here and also under

22:53107 Jim Crabtree. Did you want to speak

22:56here or do you want to speak when the

22:58issue is up or both?

23:00>> The issue.

23:00>> Okay. All right. All right. We can do

23:03that. That's all we had signed up for

23:04public comment.

23:07So that takes us to item 6A, public

23:10hearings,

23:12and pending bill 2026-018.

23:18>> An ordinance of the city of Jefferson,

23:19Missouri, approving a PE plan for

23:21property addressed as 107 Adam Street.

23:25>> Right. Mr. [snorts] Helmet, any opening

23:28comments you'd like to make?

23:30>> Uh,

23:31no. Uh, mayor, uh, before you for

23:34hearing and, um, vote is the PUD plan

23:38for the resource center emergency

23:39shelter. The, uh, documents, including

23:42your packet, have not changed with the

23:44exception of one correspondence being

23:45added.

23:48>> All right. Well, we will go ahead and

23:51open the public hearing on bill 2026-08.

23:58And is there someone here to speak on

24:02behalf of the project?

24:05>> There is. There are five of us. U Mr.

24:08Mayor. Um we are going to go in in

24:12order. We're going to be efficient with

24:14time. You know, we have a lot of folks

24:15here. Um, as you can see, out of respect

24:19for the council's time, what we've done

24:21is we've collected some signatures from

24:24them rather than have them each come up

24:26and speak on behalf of the proposal. So,

24:29the plan is I'm going to speak first.

24:31Um, I have one other thing to add,

24:36mayor.

24:37It's a nice handy map

24:41from

24:43uh a friend of Google.

24:55>> Did you guys?

24:56>> Yeah, he hand in the bottom there.

24:59>> Okay,

25:00>> I'm sorry.

25:22Okay. Um

25:24>> Okay. Just just remind you have 10

25:26minutes for the pro side. So we we'll

25:28start the clock and however you want to

25:30allocate your time.

25:31>> Mr. Mayor, I would ask that we have more

25:33than 10 minutes. We were told that we

25:34would have 5 minutes per speaker was my

25:37understanding. We have over 700

25:41signatures of people who support this

25:43petition. We have you have a party in

25:46front of you who did not have counsel at

25:47the first hearing. We would greatly

25:49appreciate the city giving us the

25:51opportunity to fully present the

25:53evidence that we need to present for

25:56this application.

25:57>> Well, here's the way it's going to work.

25:59We have 10 minutes for the probe side.

26:02We have 10 minutes for the opposition

26:05and they will we will alternate back and

26:07forth five minutes at a time. So

26:11we will as many people that want to come

26:13up and spend their five minutes but it

26:16our process is pro and con five minutes.

26:19So the opening will be 10 minutes for

26:21both sides and then we'll do five and

26:24five back and forth. We've got the list.

26:27>> I should not take five,

26:29>> Mr. Mayor. But so you're saying my

26:31opening is 10 minutes

26:33>> and then each of these speakers will

26:35have five

26:36>> if if they're signed up. I mean we can

26:38get them signed up. So yeah, we're fine.

26:40We're not going

26:41>> The only thing we have to do is we have

26:42to alternate back and forth. We don't

26:44have a lot. So I mean yes, everybody

26:47will get their five minutes.

26:48>> That sounds fantastic. What I would ask

26:50is I'll divide my 10 with a close. I

26:52don't know if you have a closing time,

26:55but I don't intend to go too long. So I

26:57think when that thing beeps, you want to

26:59turn focus on. So you want to divide it.

27:01We're we're good to go.

27:03>> Well, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good

27:04evening. My name is Jay Barnes. Uh I'm

27:07here on behalf of Housing the Community

27:09Jefferson City and Room at the End. We

27:11greatly appreciate your time. As Mr.

27:14Wagner said, a whole lot of work has

27:16gone into this application. Whole lot of

27:19sweat and labor has gone into these

27:21organizations. I want to start by

27:23talking about the standard by which you

27:25should judge this application.

27:27Section 3527 of the city ordinances asks

27:32whether

27:35the proposed use is compatible with the

27:38existing and planned uses in the

27:39development and on adjacent properties.

27:42And in this hearings here tonight,

27:44there's a lot of things you do as a city

27:45council where you have all the

27:47discretion in the world. You can just

27:49make stuff up and do it. That's not how

27:52property rights work. With property

27:54rights, you got to look at what the

27:56statute says and you got to look at the

27:58facts. And so the statute here, the

28:00ordinance says the question is whether

28:03the existing you the proposed use is

28:05compatible with the existing and planned

28:08uses and the development and on adjacent

28:10properties. So here I think everybody

28:12knows there are two proposed uses of

28:14this property at 107 Adams. The first is

28:17a day center to provide services for the

28:20homeless.

28:22They're going to have things like

28:24laundry, the ability to take a shower,

28:28get mail,

28:30shelter during the hottest days of

28:31summer and the coldest days of winter,

28:35get connections to employment, stable

28:39housing, health care, including mental

28:41health and substance abuse treatment.

28:44That's the first use.

28:47back to what I people were told earlier

28:48this week if that was the only use

28:50wouldn't even had to come in front of

28:51the council. The second use is an

28:54overnight shelter to be staffed largely

28:57by volunteers during the coldest months

28:59of the year. Now, are these compatible

29:02with existing uses? I would point you to

29:04the handout.

29:07Mr. Wagner spoke a second ago and he

29:09said, "Oh, the services are all

29:10disperate. They're all over the

29:11community." That's just not true. And

29:15facts matter when you're talking about

29:17property rights, guys. So, let's look at

29:19the map. First United Methodist Church

29:21is a block and a half away. Trevor

29:23Dancer is going to speak to it in a

29:25minute. It pro it provides these

29:27services today and it doesn't have

29:29enough room to provide them to everyone

29:31who needs them. First Baptist Church is

29:35a block away. It has been in operation

29:37for 4 years. It is going to continue in

29:41operation whether this council approves

29:43the application at 107 Adams or not. And

29:45no matter what happens with the proposed

29:48regulations, that is not going away. The

29:52next is First Christian Church. There's

29:54going to be a job center at First

29:55Christian Church soon through the state

29:56of Missouri. Preferred Family Healthcare

29:59is next door. They provide mental health

30:02services. Perfect location for the

30:05Connect. If this building were located

30:08next door, there wouldn't be a hearing

30:11or an application because the uses would

30:14be already approved in the city zoning.

30:17Next is Julie Towers highdensity

30:20low-income housing. There's

30:22transformational housing which is a an

30:25investment driven by HCJC of I think

30:28nearly a million dollars in the

30:29community. And then there's Missouri

30:31River Regional Library where everyone

30:34here agrees we got to find a solution.

30:36Uh we got to find a fix because right

30:38now it's the de facto day center and whe

30:41when you deny the if you deny this

30:43application it's still going to be the

30:45deacto day center guys.

30:48So from a legal perspective that's it.

30:52It's black and white. All of these

30:54things that are going to happen on this

30:55property already happen within one to

30:57two blocks.

30:59So, here's what I plan. The plan is um

31:06we have five speakers.

31:09I lost

31:11my notes. Four speakers. Mr. Scott

31:13Johnston, president of HCJC, is going to

31:16talk about the application of proposed

31:18uses.

31:19Trevor Dancer is the pastor at First

31:21United Methodist Church. He's going to

31:23speak to you about efforts of churches

31:25in the downtown area to support the

31:27mission of HCJC and room at the end.

31:30Russell George is the president of the

31:31board of River Regional Library. He's

31:33going to speak to you about current

31:34operations and why the library supports

31:37the application. And Sarah Hamilton,

31:39who's the president of Room in the End,

31:40is going to speak to you about Room at

31:42the End. and in the process hopefully

31:44dispel some myths

31:48some [clears throat]

31:51I'll call just call them falsehoods some

31:54falsehoods that have been spread in this

31:55community about room at the end and how

31:56it operates and hopefully we can dispel

31:58that tonight

32:00because I think that needs to stop so

32:04after that hopefully I'll give a closing

32:06statement and I hope we can stick to the

32:08law um in the end and in the vote. Thank

32:11you Mr. Mayor. All

32:15right. Thank you.

32:18[applause]

32:20My name is Scott Johnston. I'm president

32:22of Housing the Community Jefferson City.

32:24And just real quick, let me by Each of

32:26you should have gotten a packet. It has

32:28our uh strategic business plan executive

32:31summary and then the full business plan

32:34as well as the handbook for Jefferson

32:36City room at the end and then a myth

32:38versus fact with references document.

32:42So, I want to talk just about how we got

32:44here today. How we end up in this room

32:47with a whole crowd of people supporting

32:49what we're trying to do. Well, uh I want

32:52to my main point is that this isn't

32:54sudden or reactionary. This is a process

32:57over years of deliberate discussions in

32:59the community and planning. I think it's

33:02a little ironic or coincidence that

33:05tonight Project Homeless Connect was

33:07recognized. You know, Project Homeless

33:09Connect is under the umbrella of HCJC.

33:12And it was the very people um back in

33:162014 that started Project Homeless

33:18Connect that began the discussion about

33:20needing to do something different in how

33:22the community responds to the homeless.

33:25It was those folks that really planted

33:27the seeds for room at the end.

33:31In late two 2019, right around when

33:34COVID was going on, uh, Central Missouri

33:36Community Action Agency did a forum and

33:39did some planning sessions on needs in

33:41the community. And at that time, the

33:44idea and the need for a low barrier

33:46seasonal shelter arose. I mean,

33:48everybody noticed folks that were not

33:50being housed that were out on the

33:52streets in the winter. So, the idea was

33:54to open up an emergency shelter that

33:56would keep people from freezing to

33:57death. And that's back in 19 in 2020. So

34:01we began working on that model, looked

34:03at a national model, room at the end,

34:05and adopted it and worked on developing

34:07rules.

34:09In 2021, we opened Room at the End

34:12thanks to the generosity of Catholic

34:14Charities who had just finished

34:16renovating the nice building they have

34:17here in town and offered us the space.

34:20So for two years, we worked out of there

34:22and we had 12 beds to begin with. We

34:24pretty quickly went to 15. At first we

34:27were no meals. Then we added a

34:30breakfast, then a dinner. And at the end

34:32of the second year, we were serving 15

34:34people a night, turning people away,

34:36serving a hot dinner and breakfast. And

34:39many of the churches uh were behind it,

34:42a lot of individuals. We had to organize

34:44transportation from ironically the

34:47library out to Catholic Charities and

34:49then the morning we bring back to

34:50downtown. So you can imagine right away

34:53after we opened, people were coming up

34:55to us on the on the board and volunteers

34:58saying, "What are you going to do with

34:59these folks during the day? What are you

35:01going to do about the needs that they

35:02have?" Well, we didn't have any plans at

35:05that time. All we wanted to do was make

35:06sure that they didn't freeze to death.

35:08So we began thinking, well, maybe we

35:11need to do something more. And

35:14the idea of pulling together an umbrella

35:16organization surfaced and we kind of

35:18like that idea because in addition to

35:20the resource center which we thought

35:21would be a way to address the needs of

35:23the folks. We thought that uh Project

35:25Homeless Connect was a good fit and we

35:28wanted to do uh transitional housing to

35:30support immediate housing for folks that

35:33were ready for it that we saw in the

35:35shelter in 20

35:3923

35:41and 24. We continued to expand and

35:44Catholic Charities decided they needed

35:46to use the space. So we moved, thank

35:48goodness, to the generosity of First

35:50Baptist Church to First Baptist Church

35:52and expanded to 20 beds. And while we

35:55were there, we began honing our

35:56procedures in terms of safety protocols,

35:59how to do check-in better, how to manage

36:01both the volunteers and the guest

36:02expectations. So that experience brought

36:05us to the need to, you know, search for

36:09a permanent facility. Who's doing the

36:11>> You've got to look.

36:13>> Okay.

36:15Sorry.

36:19So it was the community's response, the

36:22unbelievable support we had in terms of

36:24volunteers that led us to start looking

36:26for a property. So we started looking

36:28for the property. Two years we couldn't

36:30find any. There was a series of events.

36:33Uh there was the downtown pastors uh did

36:36a letter to the editor saying it's time

36:38to do something. We held a press

36:40conference asking for help finding a

36:42property. The Tribune did an editorial

36:45saying it's time to quit kicking the can

36:47down the road. And so we found uh by

36:51coincidence really 107 Adams started

36:53talking to the owner. The owner wanted

36:54to work with us and that's how we got

36:56here today. My closing point is we

36:59didn't start with a building in mind. We

37:01started

37:03>> [clears throat]

37:03>> uh with a need and how are we going to

37:05how are we going to meet it? And so

37:06we're here today because we believe

37:08strongly that 107 of Adams is the best

37:10place. Our experience has showed us that

37:13that would be the best place and make

37:15the biggest impact on downtown. But it's

37:18the location's important, but it's our

37:20mission that's more important. So, thank

37:22you.

37:23>> Okay. Thanks.

37:26[applause]

37:33We have 755

37:37signatures on petitions affirming their

37:39support for 107 Adams. And I was just

37:43told today someone said, "Did you get

37:45the three additional sheets that I sent

37:47you yesterday?" I didn't get them. So,

37:49possibly add another 30. So, we've got

37:52almost 800 people that have signed

37:55petitions supporting our project.

37:58All right, we will go to

38:04the against the side. I think Cara CHES

38:08is going

38:13>> around in that area. So, if you just

38:15identify yourself, you have up to 10

38:18minutes. Thanks for being with us.

38:23>> Good evening. And I will be much shorter

38:25than 10. Um, Cara Cortches. I'm the

38:27president and CEO at the Missouri

38:29Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We are

38:30located at 428 East Capitol Avenue. And

38:34as you probably have seen recently, we

38:36are making a significant investment in

38:39our building to completely transform it

38:41and hopefully have it be a great center

38:44for economic activity and community

38:46events as well. Um, I want to say that

38:49we are certainly empathetic towards the

38:51needs of people experiencing

38:52homelessness and our affordable housing

38:55challenges in the city. However,

38:57compassion and thoughtful land use

38:59planning are not mutually exclusive. We

39:01need to think about both of them in

39:03balance. Um, we are located one block

39:06from this uh proposed location and my

39:09concern really is that this is not the

39:12location that it should be at with all

39:14of the investment that's going on on

39:15Capitol Avenue. You know, I shared with

39:17the planning and use um committee at the

39:20last hearing, Capitol avenues across the

39:23nation are always the premier

39:24destination and we are so fortunate that

39:27we're in the capital city. You know,

39:29always Capitol Avenue has tons of

39:31businesses, restaurants, thriving

39:33economic activity, and it always leads

39:34up to those great vistas of our state

39:36capital. And that's something that we've

39:38been super proud of to be part of that

39:40our city is making a really intentional

39:42investment in redeveloping Capitol

39:44Avenue. So, it is this fantastic

39:46destination um in economic development.

39:49That's what we do every day at the

39:50Missouri Chamber, hopefully making

39:52economic um investments possible in all

39:55of our communities across the state. And

39:57so, we are so proud to be part of this

39:59economic development of Capitol Avenue

40:01because we know momentum spurs momentum

40:03and economic development. And it's no

40:05secret we're here because we saw

40:08Matriarcha going in. We saw Ivy Terrace

40:11having redevelopment. um we want to be

40:14part of this economic revitalization of

40:17downtown. Um and so we definitely have

40:19challenges. I would say beyond, you

40:22know, concern um with this project

40:25potentially hindering economic

40:26development and more investments, I have

40:29a duty to also make sure that my

40:31employees and our guests are safe. And

40:33it is probably no secret to you that we

40:35have had um to make investments in

40:38safety. Uh we also have employees that

40:41come and go late at night because our

40:42work is really centered around the

40:44capital. And so when we have those all

40:46night filibusters, our employees are

40:48coming in in and out of the building

40:49late at night. And we have had issues

40:51with people sleeping on our building,

40:53people in our trash dumpsters, um people

40:57following employees even to their cars.

40:59And so those are things that keep me up

41:01at night because I want to make sure

41:02that we have a place where employees

41:04feel safe coming to as well as visitors.

41:06Um, with our investment in our building,

41:08we are building an event center that's

41:10going to fit up to 230 people that we

41:12hope is a great host to community

41:14events. And so, there definitely is a

41:17safety concern with all of this, too.

41:19Again, um, you know, we are not against

41:23providing people resources. We know we

41:25need that, especially as we look to, you

41:27know, people entering the workforce. We

41:29need to address those barriers like

41:30housing, like child care. Um, but we

41:33just strongly believe this is not the

41:34right location. Um, I know we've we've

41:37heard about this being kind of

41:38communitydriven.

41:40We were not told about this. We heard

41:42about there was a a meeting to educate

41:45some of the neighbors from somebody else

41:47that we ended up going to, but we were

41:49not consulted. We're a block away. Um,

41:52and I think all economic development

41:54really does have to be communitydriven

41:56um, because we want all neighbors um, to

41:58be in alignment um, and hopefully to

42:01revitalize this really important Capitol

42:04Avenue corridor that I think is going to

42:06make this city hustling and bustling for

42:08decades to come. So for these reasons,

42:10this is why I am in opposition to this.

42:12Happy to take any questions you may

42:14have.

42:16>> Okay. Thank you.

42:19>> All right. We are going to [applause]

42:22now go

42:25to the four side. I saw Pastor Dancer up

42:29here. You want to go next?

42:32>> Yeah, I guess if I can. I didn't get to

42:35finish. I got a couple things I need to

42:37point out. No.

42:40>> Okay. I gave the strategic plan. I went

42:42out ahead of time. A lot of the detail

42:44is in it.

42:45>> Okay. Thank you. If you could just

42:47identify yourself. We've got folks in

42:49the other room and thanks for being here

42:51and we go down to five minutes at the

42:54point so you can take it off.

42:56>> Yeah. I'm Cher Dancer. I'm lead pastor

42:58here at First Methodist Church. I say

43:00here every Sunday morning. We're not

43:01actually there. Um so first I just want

43:04to say that I think we all want uh some

43:06of the same things. We want uh our city

43:09to do the most good for the most number

43:11of people that we can possibly can. Uh

43:13we're unlike you. I'm excited about the

43:15investments made on Capitol Avenue. We

43:16want them to be successful. Uh

43:18Matriarcha is a great hit. Well done

43:21restaurants. Um can't say enough good

43:24things about it. Uh and some of the

43:25concerns I've heard are well, they're

43:27legitimate. Um you know, I've heard of

43:31uh people being more unhoused people be

43:32on the street. Uh kind of their

43:34belongings thrown about, excess trash,

43:36unhoused folks going into restaurants to

43:38charge their phones, get water, use the

43:40bathroom, all that stuff kind of

43:42happens. Uh we got the convention center

43:44coming at some point. So, we got high

43:45hopes on High Street. I know it's on

43:48Capitol, but that just sounds better on

43:50High Street. No.

43:53Uh, we want all of those good things.

43:56Nobody's saying we don't. And how local

44:00churches got involved in homeless

44:01ministry uh is not because we were

44:04bored.

44:05It's because people were there. They

44:08were hungry. They were thirsty. They

44:10were sick. They need someone to care.

44:11So, we started.

44:14One of our first things we did is we got

44:15people connected to family members if

44:17they had them. And so to date, between

44:21train tickets and bus tickets and Ubers

44:23and all sorts of things, we've gotten 38

44:25people connected to family elsewhere so

44:27that they could have a permanent

44:28residence. And our rule is if we get a

44:30hold of somebody, talk to them, somebody

44:31that's going to receive you, uh, we'll

44:33do it.

44:35The harder ones are the people that had

44:37a roommate living in Jeff City. That

44:40roommate gets sick, goes into hospital

44:42care, eventually into nursing home. Now

44:45that other the other roommate can't

44:47afford rent, all on their own. They have

44:49nowhere else to go, no family. They end

44:50up being homeless. And I'm not here to

44:53romanticize homelessness. Some people

44:55are out on the street because of their

44:56own dumb bad choices. I tell them that.

45:00But it doesn't mean they deserve to die

45:02on the street.

45:05Over the years, J. Kratty has been in

45:07operation.

45:09They've handled some tense moments. And

45:11whenever you put people together like

45:12that, there's going to be some tensions

45:14that arise. They have learned to handle

45:16it. They've learned to change policy.

45:18They've learned to be strict on rules

45:19and parameters and create a safe

45:21environment for all those that are

45:23there.

45:26If this shelter goes through, it is not

45:29in competition with Salvation Army. It

45:31is rather quite complimentary. And yes,

45:34there are duplication of services, of

45:36course, but it's an asset. After all, we

45:40have seven pizza places, a dozen Mexican

45:42restaurants in town. We're quite adapt

45:45at duplication of services. And it's

45:47that overlap that creates a net that

45:49allows us to help as many people as we

45:51possibly can. Those variety of services

45:54allow us to reach as many people as

45:56humanly possible.

45:59Just uh two years ago, there was someone

46:01staying at Salvation Army that got a

46:02job. that needed a full set of work

46:04clothes. They came to my office. We got

46:06them hooked up. Another person needed a

46:08bike to get to work done.

46:11Another person um uh another person just

46:14needed to help connect to a family

46:15member to be able to start their own

46:17checking account. We were able to make

46:18that happen and get it connected.

46:20They're complimentary. Duplication of

46:23services can be a good thing because not

46:26just like the rest of us, homeless

46:28people are not monolithic.

46:31some of the concerns that people share

46:33of homeless people walking around the

46:35street, lording up the streets, throwing

46:37trash around, making people feel unsafe,

46:39standing outside of restaurants during

46:40the day. If only there was a place for

46:42them to go during the day. That's what

46:44we're trying to do. Create a place for

46:47them to be. Some of those very

46:48legitimate, honest concerns shared by

46:51people that have invested time and money

46:52and energy into into Capital Avenue.

46:54This will not hurt your investment. it

46:56will actually help when there's a place

46:59for people to go.

47:04And lastly, I've spent the last week or

47:07so just interviewing as many unhoused

47:10folks as I know, as many as I could find

47:12because in the summer months, everybody

47:14scatters.

47:16And I ended up tracking down 31. And I

47:18asked him two questions. One is, how

47:20long have you been homeless? And two,

47:22where were you right before you became

47:23homeless? I tracked down 31 of those

47:26people. Three of them had no connection

47:28to Jeff City. Everybody else did. There

47:32were a few that were homeless in St.

47:34Louis or Kansas City or elsewhere. And

47:36and they came to Jeff City because they

47:38knew somebody here. As the old axiom

47:40goes, when people don't know what to do,

47:42they do what they know. They come back

47:44home.

47:46Everybody else

47:48is already here. This problem's not

47:50going to go away. This [clears throat]

47:52facility could help mitigate those

47:54concerns and help us scale it when it

47:57gets worse. Thank you.

48:00[applause]

48:01Thank you.

48:04To the slide. The next name I have is

48:08Deb Sakalowski.

48:11Welcome. You can identify yourself.

48:13Appreciate you being here.

48:18>> Hi, Deb Sackowski. 500 East Capital

48:20Avenue. Um,

48:23yeah. So, when I purchased Ivy Terrace,

48:27um, I thought I was becoming a part of

48:29something great, a revitalization of

48:32Capitol Avenue. I was one of the first

48:34properties, um, sold, which means I've

48:37been at it the longest, and I probably

48:39have the most money invested in in my

48:41little house than, um, than a lot of the

48:44other folks. It's been a very painful,

48:46long process. Um, I've put my basically

48:50life savings into that house and I'm

48:53hoping that I don't lose that at some

48:55point. But every time we come to a

48:58turning point where we make a decision

49:00that becomes permanent in our community,

49:03you can't undo those decisions.

49:08I don't have an issue with the homeless

49:10using the local church. I think that's

49:12wonderful. Um, but that's something that

49:16if something horrible happened, it could

49:18be undone and could be dealt with. But

49:21once you make things permanent, they're

49:23permanent. I can't move my house.

49:25Luckily, the ladies at Matriarcha can

49:27pack up their good food and move to a

49:29nicer place if things get out of

49:31control. And I hate that because they're

49:33wonderful. Um, [clears throat]

49:36but after we got Ivy Terrace, the

49:38outreach from the community and our

49:40neighbors are what kept us going through

49:43a very long journey.

49:45It constantly reassured us that we made

49:48the right decision because I tell you,

49:49there's been a lot of times that we have

49:51questioned whether buying this house was

49:53a good decision.

49:56But I have to ask um I have to ask the

49:59council, do you care about this historic

50:01district? Do you care about Capitol

50:04Avenue and do you care about the

50:07historic part of downtown Jefferson

50:09City? As I think their recent survey

50:11said the historic buildings are one of

50:13their favorite things. So, do you care?

50:16Because if you vote to allow this, I

50:20don't think you care. But I don't think

50:22you care about the impact on the people

50:26who were not notified. Um, we are a

50:30block and a half away. We were never

50:32notified. You talk about community, but

50:34you didn't bring the community into the

50:36conversation early. So, here we are

50:39trying to fight for Capitol Avenue. And

50:42I say we, there are several of us here,

50:44but there are many, many people affected

50:47by this. And I really have a hard time

50:50believing that the value of my property

50:51is going to go up because of a homeless

50:53shelter a block and a half away. You'd

50:56have to show me some serious proof

50:57there. I don't believe it. So, I want

51:00you to think about the people you would

51:02be affecting more than anybody. And not

51:04just me. I mean, I'm just here at the

51:07microphone, but um there's a lot of

51:10people just in my little Capitol in

51:11Jackson area. And you know, I want to

51:14talk about the women because the women

51:16business owners and leaders in this

51:18community are strong and there are a lot

51:21of them on Capitol Avenue. And if you

51:24don't know any of those women, these are

51:26the women whose lives will be affected.

51:28And I'm just going to call out a couple

51:30wonderful people in this community. And

51:31I'm just going to use the first name.

51:33You'll know who they are. Holly. Holly

51:36was on board from the get-go with buying

51:38these houses on Capitol Avenue. She is a

51:40mentor and a leader in the community,

51:42and this affects her.

51:45Meredith Meredith is going to speak, so

51:47I'm not going to speak for her, but her

51:49grandparents started much of the

51:51historic restorations. That's Tom and D.

51:53White Cotton. You probably saw White

51:55Cotton on the building out here. She is

51:57following in their footsteps. She's

51:59renovated the house she's in now and

52:00it's amazing. This is going to affect

52:03her.

52:05Cara Cara just stood up here and did a

52:08wonderful job that we weren't prepared

52:09to to do. And that's the kind of leader

52:11she is. She has employees to take care

52:14of. This is going to affect her.

52:19Uh Haley and Calie, you may not know

52:22them because they're still working on

52:24501 Capital. These two young ladies are

52:26entrepreneurs. They're business owners

52:28and they've bought this house and

52:30they're overseeing the restoration of

52:32this house. These two ladies are doing

52:34this while raising young families. These

52:38ladies are future leaders in Jefferson

52:40City. This is going to affect them.

52:45And I already mentioned the matriarchal

52:46ladies. Good on them. They have done a

52:49wonderful job. But they have the ability

52:51to pick up their business and move it if

52:53they have to. We do not. We own these

52:56properties. We are stuck with what

52:59happens here tonight. Thank you.

53:02>> Thank you.

53:04[applause]

53:07On the for side, Jim Crest

53:12again. You have five minutes. Thanks for

53:14being with us.

53:17>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

53:19>> Again, if you just identify yourself,

53:20we've got folks walk watching on

53:22YouTube. We've got folks in the next

53:24room. Thank you.

53:25>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My name is Jim

53:27Crabtree, and uh I want to thank the

53:30mayor and the council members and the

53:33staff that are here.

53:36This is a zoning issue.

53:39And if we're just looking at a land use,

53:42as we discussed adjacent land uses, it

53:45does seem to dovetail in, but as we've

53:48heard, it's an emotional issue. Homeless

53:52people make us uncomfortable. We don't

53:55know what to do with the homeless. This

53:57is a problem that has been around for

54:00hundreds of years, thousands of years.

54:04Some believe that the churches and the

54:06service agencies that provide assistance

54:09enable homeless and encourage that

54:13lifestyle.

54:15Homelessness is simply the state of

54:17having no fixed safe place to live.

54:23Homelessness has become one of America's

54:25most visible yet least understood

54:27challenges. It affects people from all

54:30walks of life who struggle due to

54:33economic hardship, lack of affordable

54:36housing, or other systemic barriers. The

54:40reality is that most people are forced

54:42into homelessness by circumstances

54:46beyond their control. They didn't choose

54:49it. It happened. And it can happen to

54:52any of us. That's what's scary. My time

54:54with Central Bank, being a very early

54:58person in the office, I usually got the

55:00call, Jim, we have a homeless person.

55:03You need to go check it out.

55:05Mia was an older Asian woman who lived

55:08with her daughter.

55:10>> She was from Jefferson City.

55:12Unfortunately, her pharmaceutical

55:14benefit changed and she was denied a

55:16prescription that treated her bipolar

55:19condition. Anticipating the change in

55:23behavior that would occur, she feared

55:27that she would be hard to live with. So,

55:29she moved out. She moved on to the

55:31street. I knew Mia because she spent

55:35each night on the bench in front of the

55:37ATM.

55:39You want to know why? There was a camera

55:41there and it made her feel safe.

55:45Then there was Bob. Bob was a little

55:47scaryl looking, a disheveled, bearded

55:49man in his uh 30s. As I talked to him,

55:54he left St. Louis, came back to

55:55Jefferson City because this was his

55:57home. I learned he was a Washington

56:00University graduate in business. He had

56:03a good job and a promising future. But a

56:07friend of his encouraged him to make an

56:10investment in a new opportunity. It

56:13turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. And Bob

56:16lost a lot. But you know what he lost

56:19the most? He lost his dignity. He was

56:23embarrassed that he made that decision.

56:26and he felt he needed to disappear and

56:30he did to the streets. So in both of

56:34these cases, caring people enabled these

56:37two people, these two individuals to

56:40return to a stable lifestyle. They took

56:43the time, they sought out the available

56:47resources to return them to home.

56:51And that's the mission of 107 Adam

56:54Street, to become a resource to serve

56:57those in these type of situations.

57:01You read, you read the business plan.

57:03You've heard the presentation.

57:06In approving this project, you would

57:08initiate a resource that takes homeless

57:11people off the street

57:13and gives them the post the potential to

57:16change their lifestyle. They don't want

57:18to be homeless. Most aren't homeless for

57:21a long period of time if they have the

57:23resources to change.

57:28In both situations, care and compassion

57:32were the healing uh solution.

57:36I don't pretend to know what your faith

57:37journeys are, but I do know that all

57:41Christian denominations and most other

57:43religions have two primary tenants. to

57:46love your God and to love your neighbor.

57:50I have yet to find the footnote on what

57:54type of neighbor should be excluded from

57:56that equation. But what I have

57:59discovered is that in the face of our

58:01neighbor,

58:03we see a glimpse of our God. Me and Bob

58:06showed me and taught me that we need to

58:09reach out and care for all of their

58:12neighbors, especially these, the least

58:15of these.

58:17As elected representatives of this

58:19community, the privilege of serving

58:21brings a very special duty. That duty

58:24hopefully establishes a clear path of

58:27consequences.

58:28And I'm out of town.

58:33I hope you consider this

58:37with all due compassion. Thank you.

58:40Thanks,

58:42[applause]

58:48Meredith Cox. Meredith, thanks for being

58:51with us. Again, if you just identify

58:54yourself with the microphone.

58:59>> Thank you, Mayor and Council members. My

59:01name is Meredith Cox and I own property

59:04at 504 East Capitol Avenue. And I just

59:07have a very brief statement. Um, the

59:09other ladies have pretty much stated

59:11what um I also feel as well. Um, I would

59:17really just like you all to think about

59:19those of us who have invested

59:22substantial

59:24time, effort, and money revitalizing the

59:28Capitol Avenue Historic District. We

59:32live there, work there, and are trying

59:34to restore the area in a positive way.

59:38Please try to put yourselves in our

59:40positions

59:41and think about if you would like to

59:43live a block from the shelter.

59:48Thank you.

59:51Great. Thank you. Next I have on the

59:54four site is William Sims.

1:00:00Welcome. You just identify yourself.

1:00:03Thanks for being here.

1:00:04>> Thank you. Uh, my name's William Sims

1:00:07and I'm one of them homeless people,

1:00:10just so you guys know. Uh,

1:00:14they group us all in the same category,

1:00:16but we're not all the same type of

1:00:18people. Um, I advocate for homeless

1:00:21people that are out there that are

1:00:22trying to get their lives together, that

1:00:24are trying to do the right thing, that

1:00:26are trying to get identification, that

1:00:27are trying to get jobs, that are not

1:00:30using drugs, that are not being violent,

1:00:32that are trying to do the right thing.

1:00:36I'm out there with these guys every day

1:00:38and I stay away from the riff raff and

1:00:40the chaos because I don't want to be

1:00:41part of that life.

1:00:43Um, we all have stories. We all have

1:00:45experiences that we go through.

1:00:49I don't have enough time to share my

1:00:50whole life with you. I got five minutes.

1:00:53Um, I come from a good childhood. I was

1:00:56raised very well. I was a three sport

1:00:58athlete. Um, I was always cared for by

1:01:01my parents. Um, I took some wrong paths.

1:01:04I took some wrong steps. Went down the

1:01:06wrong hill. And because of that, a lot

1:01:08of it is held against me. and I have a

1:01:10hard time moving forward because

1:01:13the law says

1:01:15I can't do this, I can't do that, I

1:01:17can't do this, I can't do that. I'll get

1:01:20a good paying job and because of

1:01:21something I've done in my past, I'll

1:01:23lose that job even though I've met all

1:01:25qualifications. I've done everything I

1:01:27was supposed to do and I've obeyed the

1:01:30rules and the laws of that property. Um,

1:01:33I'm one of the ones that go out in front

1:01:35of the library and pick up all the trash

1:01:37that's left around. I'm one of the ones

1:01:39that respect the community, that want to

1:01:42see the community thrive. Just because

1:01:44I'm homeless does not make me a bad

1:01:46person. Homelessness is not a crime. It

1:01:49is not a crime to be homeless.

1:01:51Um I just wish people would get to know

1:01:53some of the homeless people out there

1:01:55and you can film them out there. Some of

1:01:57you people probably walk past me sitting

1:01:59right on that bench right out there on

1:02:01several occasions and not even knew that

1:02:03I was homeless. That's that next quick

1:02:07story.

1:02:08I was working at Prison Bruise and I was

1:02:12sitting next to a couple and we had a

1:02:13long conversation about my children and

1:02:16you know what they've been through and

1:02:18what I've been through in my life and

1:02:20how and we were bonding. I mean, it was

1:02:22it was a good conversation. I got up and

1:02:25went to the restroom and I came back and

1:02:28I and I sat down next to him and I said,

1:02:30"Now, I'm going to tell you guys

1:02:31something. I don't know if you'll

1:02:32believe me or not, but would you believe

1:02:33that I'm homeless?"

1:02:35And from that point on, I was

1:02:37stonewalled.

1:02:39They had nothing else to say to me. They

1:02:41didn't want to buy me another drink.

1:02:44None of that. I was stonewalled just

1:02:46simply [snorts] because I'm homeless.

1:02:50All I'm asking is that each I'm for

1:02:54anybody that's about change because I've

1:02:56been in them situations where, you know,

1:02:59until you change yourself, nobody's

1:03:00going to help you. But there needs to be

1:03:04there needs to be an answer to the

1:03:08homeless problem because not everybody

1:03:10out there is doing the wrong thing.

1:03:12[clears throat]

1:03:13Everybody's not. There are people out

1:03:15there that are seriously struggling that

1:03:17have mental illnesses that don't have

1:03:18nowhere to go. I've had people leave and

1:03:21go with their case workers and come back

1:03:22balling. They were in a great mood

1:03:24before they left. They come back with

1:03:25their caseworker balling because their

1:03:27case workers not got them so upset

1:03:28because they don't have any answers for

1:03:30them.

1:03:33you know. So, I mean, I'm just a firm

1:03:34believer in that um you do everything

1:03:37out of kindness.

1:03:39You treat people how you want to be

1:03:41treated.

1:03:42Don't always expect something in return.

1:03:45And just love your neighbor the way

1:03:46you're supposed to love yourself. And

1:03:49you know, I just decided to come up

1:03:50tonight. This is the first I didn't know

1:03:51it was going to be open. I didn't know I

1:03:53was going to be called before the

1:03:53microphone. Wasn't even expected that. I

1:03:55thought I was just going to have to

1:03:56raise my hand in the crowd or something.

1:03:57[laughter]

1:03:58So, [snorts] uh, but I just want I just

1:04:01wish that everybody would actually sit

1:04:04down and I understand the business

1:04:06aspect, too. I do understand the

1:04:08business aspect. I really do. But I

1:04:10believe in people over profit.

1:04:14So, that's just how I believe. That's

1:04:16what I feel. I believe that if you get

1:04:19the right people in the right situation

1:04:20and give them the right opportunities,

1:04:22they can make a big difference in the

1:04:23world. And, uh, I just wish that some of

1:04:26us were given that chance. before we're

1:04:28judged. Thanks,

1:04:32[applause]

1:04:38I believe.

1:04:41You can identify.

1:04:47>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:04:50David Owen, um deputy director of the

1:04:52Missouri Association of Counties. um

1:04:55here today on behalf of Steve Hobbs

1:04:56who's our executive director and he

1:04:59could not be here. Uh he apologizes for

1:05:01his absence. He is out of town. Uh one

1:05:03of the things is is that we purchased

1:05:06the properties uh located at 429 East

1:05:08Capital. It's the old Fiser Funeral

1:05:10Home. Very iconic building. I'm sure

1:05:12many of you know what it is. We also

1:05:14purchased the properties of 114 Jackson

1:05:17Street, 115 Jackson Street, and 417

1:05:21Parson's Way, which is uh right next to

1:05:24the uh proposed uh resource center and

1:05:27emergency shelter.

1:05:30One of the things that we want to sit

1:05:31there and say is that years ago, this uh

1:05:35members that were sitting in your seats

1:05:37looked at East Capital and had a vision

1:05:40that they wanted to take the blighted

1:05:41properties that were there on East

1:05:44Capital and redevelop them. They tore

1:05:47down the old trees. They redid the

1:05:49sidewalks. They put lamp posts up there.

1:05:51They made it ready to be revitalized.

1:05:55The tornado came. Our association owned

1:05:58a piece of property at 516 514 East

1:06:01Capitol. We lost that building. It was a

1:06:03beautiful building, three stories. The

1:06:05adjacent building was two stories. It

1:06:07was destroyed by the tornado. We had to

1:06:08tear it down. We could not rebuild. We

1:06:10always wanted to build back and we

1:06:12couldn't do that. Uh right now we're on

1:06:15uh uh 1648 uh East Elm Street. It's a

1:06:20nice building, but when we had the

1:06:22chance to look at some of the properties

1:06:25that were [snorts] coming up that the

1:06:27city council had, that 429 East Capital

1:06:30property was a vision. And what we

1:06:33looked at is we saw something that we

1:06:35could bring some of our members. Our

1:06:37members are county elected officials in

1:06:40every [snorts] seat. And we want them

1:06:42all across the state. We want them to

1:06:44come to Jefferson City and come to

1:06:47training events, come meet their

1:06:49legislators,

1:06:51have the representatives come to our

1:06:53facility.

1:06:55We our plan is right now we are having

1:07:00two levels, two training areas in a

1:07:02ballroom that will host at any time more

1:07:04than 300 people. And what we see is that

1:07:08we would like to have stuff during the

1:07:10day, sometimes in the evenings. And we

1:07:13know that at night there could [snorts]

1:07:14be a potential where our parking is

1:07:16behind the building and off to the side

1:07:18and even in Parsons way there could be a

1:07:21lot of overflow traffic. We know there's

1:07:23a problem with you and we know that it's

1:07:26not an easy solution and I know that you

1:07:29guys are sitting in your seats right now

1:07:31and you're going to make a tough

1:07:32decision tonight. But we know that there

1:07:34is a plan and we want to see that

1:07:38area of Jefferson City be revitalized.

1:07:42It's a beautiful area. All those homes

1:07:44need to come back and we just don't want

1:07:47to see some of the issues that could. We

1:07:50addressed some concerns. We had a

1:07:51meeting with uh some of the people uh

1:07:54that were uh present before planning

1:07:57zoning. We addressed our concerns at

1:07:59that meeting. And I would just like to

1:08:02say thank you for the time.

1:08:05>> Any questions?

1:08:05>> Thanks.

1:08:06>> Thanks for being here. We appreciate it.

1:08:09>> The next support for the proposal, Mr.

1:08:13Frank Rice.

1:08:18>> Thank you so much.

1:08:22>> Again, if you could just identify

1:08:23yourself. Welcome. Good

1:08:24>> Frank. First word. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:08:27City Council people, I believe 107 Adams

1:08:32is a good location for this shelter. I

1:08:35urge you to vote yes. Thank you.

1:08:44>> In opposition to the proposal,

1:08:51>> please again just identify yourself.

1:08:54Thanks for being here.

1:08:56Um, my name is Stephanie Maddox.

1:08:59Um, I live on 414 Lark Street. Anyways,

1:09:04I

1:09:06can't even take my kids to the library

1:09:08and feel safe. I had to quit about 2

1:09:11years ago. I have twins. I couldn't even

1:09:13get in and out of the car safely.

1:09:18And I was not prepared to speak at all

1:09:22tonight. But we're trying to rebuild

1:09:25downtown and I think that this is going

1:09:27to just move us backwards.

1:09:30I'm interested to see the data. Like we

1:09:33said, apparently we don't have very much

1:09:35like are these people from Cole County?

1:09:38Are they not? I think this is going to

1:09:40bring more people here that are

1:09:42homeless. I am one to give to the

1:09:45homeless. I used to live in Kansas City

1:09:47and I would bring meals on Thanksgiving

1:09:50to the plaza and my feedback from them

1:09:53was that they wanted money. They did not

1:09:55care about my food. They threw it at me.

1:09:58Um,

1:10:00so the man that just spoke, I don't even

1:10:02know if I'm supposed to say this, is a

1:10:03sex offender and he's one of the ones

1:10:06saying that he needs help, but crimes

1:10:11against children, I don't think should

1:10:13be forgiven.

1:10:15Does that mean that I think he should be

1:10:17homeless? No. But does that mean that I

1:10:19want him around my children? No, I

1:10:22don't. And I don't think anybody would

1:10:24want a sex offender around their

1:10:26children.

1:10:28So, I think you guys should think very

1:10:29hard about this because we just tore

1:10:32down the parking garage across from

1:10:34Addison's to make a convention center

1:10:37and I think this is just going to

1:10:38attract more homeless people into the

1:10:40area. Um, I forgot your name, but I

1:10:45don't know where you live. Um, maybe you

1:10:47should have the homeless center closer

1:10:49to where your house is.

1:10:50>> I do.

1:10:51>> Okay. Well, I'm just saying it's

1:10:55not fair to any of the people that have

1:10:57bought property on Capitol to try to

1:10:59rebuild

1:11:01the historic properties that are there.

1:11:04We've heard from many of them. One of my

1:11:06very good friends lives on Capitol. She

1:11:08sees it every single day. They pass by

1:11:10our house every single day and they're

1:11:13not women and children. They're

1:11:18quite frankly strung out on drugs. You

1:11:20can tell they're acting erratically.

1:11:24It's it's ridiculous. So, I don't have

1:11:27much more to say than that. I just think

1:11:28that there is other places that we could

1:11:30put this instead of downtown. I don't

1:11:32know why we haven't looked at other

1:11:35options. Like said earlier, there's

1:11:38plenty of other places that we could put

1:11:40it than in the center of downtown. If

1:11:43you go to any of the main capitals in

1:11:45any states like Colorado, it's

1:11:47disgusting. I mean, they're everywhere.

1:11:50So, I don't know. But that's all I have

1:11:53to say.

1:11:56[applause]

1:11:57>> The next I have on the list in support

1:12:00is Lyanna Bland.

1:12:05[clears throat]

1:12:06might be across the

1:12:10>> Sorry, I was meant to be included with

1:12:13that initial group, so I hadn't signed

1:12:15up. Russell McGorge,

1:12:17>> you can take my spot. I'm good.

1:12:20>> I signed up accidentally, so sorry about

1:12:21that. [laughter]

1:12:24>> Who is that right?

1:12:26>> Who said they signed up accidentally?

1:12:28>> I did. I'm so sorry. [snorts]

1:12:30>> I don't I'm sorry. I don't know who you

1:12:31are,

1:12:33>> okay? Yeah, just please identify

1:12:36yourself.

1:12:36>> All right. Okay. Uh my name is Russell

1:12:39Mc George. Uh I live at 1706

1:12:41Independence. Um but I'm here today uh

1:12:45in my coma capacity as a member of the

1:12:48uh board of trustees for the library. Uh

1:12:50I'm not here as a shelter operator or

1:12:52business owner.

1:12:54I'm here because uh our library

1:12:57experiences firsthand what happens when

1:12:59our community lacks sufficient resources

1:13:03uh for people experiencing homelessness

1:13:06to go to uh at day and night. Um

1:13:11the library is open to everyone. It

1:13:13belongs to our entire community. Um it

1:13:16does not discriminate based on who a

1:13:18person is. Instead, we try and focus on

1:13:20behavior. Anyone who follows our patron

1:13:23code of conduct is welcome in the

1:13:24library. And as our director Claudia

1:13:26often says, the library is one of the

1:13:29last places where people can simply

1:13:31exist without the expectation of

1:13:33spending money.

1:13:37We are also an official heating and

1:13:39cooling center for Cole County.

1:13:42Um, one of our many community roles. Uh,

1:13:45but this is not the same as a

1:13:47homelessness resource center.

1:13:50So here's the reality that we feel we

1:13:52face. Um

1:13:54most unhouse patrons use the library

1:13:56appropriately. That's very important. We

1:13:59feel to say this conversation is not

1:14:01about blaming people experiencing

1:14:03homelessness. In fact, most follow our

1:14:05rules and create few problems inside our

1:14:08building. The challenge is that the

1:14:11library was never designated or designed

1:14:14to store people's belongings, to provide

1:14:17showers, to provide case management, to

1:14:19help uh obtain identification documents,

1:14:23to coordinate housing placements or to

1:14:24serve as a day center. And we should not

1:14:26be expected to do so. What happens

1:14:29instead is that unmet needs spill into

1:14:32places that were designed for other

1:14:33purposes. That burden falls on our

1:14:36library, our local churches and parks,

1:14:38businesses, and other public spaces not

1:14:40suited for these purposes.

1:14:44And this is why we think 107 Adams

1:14:46matters. What appeals to our board about

1:14:48the HCJC proposal is that it is not

1:14:51simply a shelter. It is a coordinated

1:14:53resource center.

1:14:55The proposal includes intake and service

1:14:58coordination, housing navigation,

1:15:00employment assistance, referrals,

1:15:02partnerships with existing providers. It

1:15:05provides a code of conduct. It provides

1:15:07supervision, structured uh supervision,

1:15:10structured operating procedures, safety

1:15:12protocols, and secure storage.

1:15:16HCJC describes the goal as connecting

1:15:19people to services while reducing

1:15:21pressure on community spaces such as

1:15:23churches, parks, and our library.

1:15:27To our board, uh this is exactly what

1:15:30Jefferson is. With that said, um there

1:15:34has not been much discussion tonight uh

1:15:36about the Salvation Army, though I know

1:15:39there has been previously. the services

1:15:41that we will provide are not mutual that

1:15:44will be provided are not mutually

1:15:46exclusive

1:15:47um to the Salvation Army and supporting

1:15:50HCJC is not mutually exclusive either.

1:15:53Um we also understand concerns from

1:15:56business owners those concerns are

1:15:58legitimate [snorts] but we would ask

1:16:00which situation is better. Uh this is

1:16:03the way I like to frame it is would we

1:16:07prefer a coordinated supervised facility

1:16:09with staffing rules, accountability,

1:16:12security measures, neighborhood

1:16:14communication plans, and formal over

1:16:16oversight or continuing to distribute

1:16:20these challenges among parks, churches,

1:16:22businesses, sidewalks, and our library.

1:16:28Um,

1:16:31in closing, um, as a library trustee, I

1:16:34believe our perspective is simple.

1:16:36Libraries should do what libraries are

1:16:38designed to do. Uh, shelters should do

1:16:40what they're designed to do, and

1:16:41resource centers should do what they're

1:16:43designed to do. When a community lacks

1:16:46one of those pieces, the responsibility

1:16:48does not disappear. It simply shifts to

1:16:50institutions that were never meant to

1:16:52carry it.

1:16:54And that is where we are today. We

1:16:56believe Jefferson City needs a

1:16:57coordinated response and that continuing

1:17:00the status quo without a viable

1:17:02alternative is not a plan. Thank you for

1:17:05your time and attention.

1:17:07Uh I I I'll also note since I've got

1:17:10just a little bit more time. Um

1:17:14yeah, I I've got a six-year-old that

1:17:16scored a 97 on her I Ready uh exam this

1:17:19week. Um she's a voracious reader. Um

1:17:23and a first grader here locally. Um,

1:17:26she's this one on my socks.

1:17:29Um, and

1:17:33when we go to library, which we do all

1:17:35the time, she finished a thousand books

1:17:37before kindergarten. Um, she has

1:17:40questions about the folks that are

1:17:41amling about. And I'd like us to have a

1:17:44better question than,

1:17:46um, those are folks that need help.

1:17:50So, I hope we can do that. Thank you.

1:17:53Thank you.

1:18:02All right, we will go back to support.

1:18:05Carol Scott,

1:18:10>> do you want to speak? No.

1:18:11>> Can I speak?

1:18:13>> I'm done.

1:18:16>> I I spoke to Carol. Carol's on the back

1:18:18row. She said she did not want to speak.

1:18:20>> I didn't sign up. I didn't think I

1:18:22signed up. She thought she was signing

1:18:23in for the meeting.

1:18:24>> Put me down the list. We'll put your

1:18:25name on the list. Give us your name,

1:18:27please.

1:18:28>> Mr. Mayor, here's the confusion. We sent

1:18:31an email that said we're going to have

1:18:32four people speak. We said we're going

1:18:35to be five minutes in an opening.

1:18:36They're each going to speak for 5

1:18:38minutes. I'm going to close for 5

1:18:40minutes. It was our understanding that

1:18:42that's what was happening. That's why

1:18:44there's the confusion. I We can try to

1:18:47fix it in some way. We can not try to

1:18:49fix it in some way. That was our

1:18:50understanding when we came here tonight.

1:18:52That's why you get some confusion from

1:18:53people getting up and down. So, all I'm

1:18:56asking is that we have some some leeway

1:18:59that the people who put forth this

1:19:01proposal and put forth a lot of time and

1:19:03energy into it are able to make a

1:19:05presentation we thought we were going to

1:19:06be able to make tonight. Maybe that

1:19:08means Sarah goes last. I don't know. You

1:19:10decide. But it seems that we're putting

1:19:13substance. We're putting form over

1:19:15substance here.

1:19:17Well, being in the legal profession, we

1:19:20have code that dictates how we handle

1:19:23hearings. So, are you asking us to go

1:19:26against our code?

1:19:27>> Mr. Lester, you're free to make a motion

1:19:30>> to change the rules of right here.

1:19:32>> Mr. Mayor, when you're the chair,

1:19:36I'm lying.

1:19:37>> The email I have does not state that you

1:19:39want five minutes. So, we'll follow the

1:19:41adopted check your email.

1:19:46I don't have any place to be till 6:15

1:19:48tomorrow morning. So, we will sit here

1:19:50and listen to folks. But we have a

1:19:53process that has worked very well for

1:19:55us.

1:19:56>> Mr. Mayor, I understand that all I'm

1:19:58trying to express to you is that we had

1:20:01we had an understanding of how it works.

1:20:04I apologize that our understanding was

1:20:06incorrect. What I'm asking for is just a

1:20:09little bit of leeway and trying to

1:20:11explain why it is the way that it is.

1:20:19>> Councilman Camp is Yeah. So, just to try

1:20:22to I think I can answer this.

1:20:25Everybody's going to get their five

1:20:26minutes.

1:20:27>> Yeah, we're good.

1:20:28>> Yeah, that everybody's going to get it.

1:20:30>> It's just the list. He's just going in

1:20:31order, but everybody's going to get to

1:20:32five minutes. Even if they're not on

1:20:34there, we're going to get your five

1:20:35minutes. So, if and we know in the past

1:20:38people have signed up accidentally

1:20:40because they thought it's just a signup

1:20:41sheet. If he calls your name and you

1:20:43don't want to speak, just say you don't

1:20:44want to speak. Don't say somebody else

1:20:46can take your turn. Everybody's going to

1:20:48get a turn.

1:20:49>> Thank you, Councilman.

1:20:58>> All right then. And again, there's no

1:21:01one else in opposition.

1:21:03>> He is.

1:21:04>> All right. We're going to go down the

1:21:05support list then Doug

1:21:09Sarba and I

1:21:10>> I accidentally put my name on that.

1:21:13[laughter]

1:21:13>> But that's fine.

1:21:19>> When we got the planning and zoning

1:21:21committee, everybody signed the paper. I

1:21:23think that's where the confusion is.

1:21:25>> It wasn't just who wants to speak. It

1:21:27was everybody that came. So that's

1:21:29>> as I indicated, as Councilman Camper

1:21:31indicated, we will allow everybody who

1:21:34wants to speak, but I think people that

1:21:37sign the list, if they have to get out

1:21:39of here, we're going to try to work them

1:21:41in the order they signed, but

1:21:44we will make sure everybody has an

1:21:46opportunity.

1:21:48Next name I have is Debbie Wilson.

1:21:55That's

1:21:55>> That's fine. That's fine.

1:21:59S Sally Reed.

1:22:05>> All right.

1:22:09>> Paula Hartzfeld.

1:22:11>> I decide because I was attending.

1:22:13>> Well, thank

1:22:18Dale

1:22:22up or is it

1:22:24>> fielder?

1:22:29All right,

1:22:31Kim,

1:22:33I apologize. Starts with an SS A L L.

1:22:36>> I was another signer of the list.

1:22:39>> Thank you very much.

1:22:44>> Mary Katherine Schaefer.

1:22:47>> Oh, I just signed the list when I walked

1:22:49in. You follow him. [laughter]

1:22:55>> Can't fix stupid.

1:22:56>> Marilyn and

1:23:00>> starts with an H, I believe.

1:23:05>> Just kidding.

1:23:10>> I'm sorry. I I I skipped one. Jim

1:23:14>> Auckman is that

1:23:19>> that that is not a problem.

1:23:21>> And I didn't see anybody pop up from

1:23:24Maryland.

1:23:27>> She's there. All right.

1:23:28>> All right.

1:23:30>> I accidentally saw

1:23:32>> Kimberly

1:23:36starts with an MME.

1:23:38>> Welcome.

1:23:40>> Bingo. Menin,

1:23:43>> thank you. If you just identify

1:23:45yourself, I think, but thank you.

1:23:47>> Thank you guys for being here and

1:23:49hearing all of us. There's some tension

1:23:50in the room. Um, I was going to ask for

1:23:54a show of hands, but you guys are behind

1:23:56me, but I see who represents ready. Um,

1:24:00I have worked with and served the

1:24:02homeless community, taken the time to

1:24:04speak to them, hear their stories.

1:24:07Little did I ever think

1:24:11I'd be profoundly in the same position

1:24:14overnight. But here I am sharing that

1:24:16experience and advocating for them from

1:24:19an unexpected perspective. You truly do

1:24:22not understand what that life entails

1:24:24until it happens to you.

1:24:27And until something like that does, you

1:24:30will see things with blinders,

1:24:31judgmental assumptions and opinions,

1:24:34forgetting about the basic human needs

1:24:37and kindness,

1:24:39shelter, clothing, food, drinking,

1:24:41running water. How many of you can say

1:24:44that you don't know where these things

1:24:45are going to come next?

1:24:47Probably none of you.

1:24:50Most of the community has forgotten

1:24:52about the homeless or the homelessness

1:24:55which [clears throat] yes is an

1:24:56epidemic.

1:24:58Whether or not they choose this or not,

1:25:00they are without these things that they

1:25:03need to live and how have an ounce of

1:25:05dignity and by denying this ratty being

1:25:08built or denying this. Have we all

1:25:11forgotten what it's like to be human or

1:25:13what humanity is? For one moment, take

1:25:17the time to imagine yourself and what

1:25:19it's like to be without all of these

1:25:21things.

1:25:22>> Right?

1:25:23>> This excerpt from John's Hopkins states,

1:25:26"While many people believe that

1:25:28substance abuse, mental illness, and

1:25:30other individual factors are the main

1:25:32drivers of homelessness, extensive

1:25:34research shows that rising housing costs

1:25:37drive more people into homelessness more

1:25:40than any other cause.

1:25:42For example, a 2023 Pew analysis of

1:25:46housing costs and homelessness noted

1:25:48that housing costs explain far more of

1:25:51the difference in rates of homelessness

1:25:53than variables such as substance use

1:25:56disorder, mental health, weather, the

1:25:58strength of the social safety net,

1:26:00poverty, and economic conditions.

1:26:04You do not need to know their stories,

1:26:06the reasons why, the choices they made,

1:26:09or choices they didn't have. They are

1:26:11here now

1:26:13struggling and we can help. Yes, it's

1:26:17going to take many together in the

1:26:19community with hearts, time, effort,

1:26:22compassion, and more. But this rally is

1:26:25the best start. Please give us this. Why

1:26:28wouldn't we? The homeless instead of

1:26:31spending time in the streets of

1:26:32Jefferson City or Capitol can go to 107

1:26:36Adam Street location, get assistance,

1:26:39have access to some kind of

1:26:40sustainability to navigate the waters

1:26:42and improve their lives to give back in

1:26:45a way. Don't we want to work towards

1:26:48some common goal to help steer in this

1:26:51pandemic here in our capital?

1:26:54I know this to be a very accommodating

1:26:57prime location as it is next to

1:26:59preferred family healthc care at 101

1:27:02Adam Street giving the individuals

1:27:04access to their health care needs which

1:27:07should not be denied and other resources

1:27:09to change the trajectory of their lives.

1:27:12Please take my words to heart because it

1:27:15can happen to the least likely of

1:27:16people.

1:27:19>> Thank you.

1:27:20>> Thanks for being here. [applause]

1:27:25Abigail

1:27:27starts with a looks like STO.

1:27:30>> N.

1:27:32>> Okay, that's fine.

1:27:34Carter Stevenson,

1:27:36>> I followed her lead.

1:27:38>> Good plan.

1:27:40Nicole Williams.

1:27:43[snorts]

1:27:48All right, ma'am. I think you were the

1:27:50next that I saw. So,

1:27:52Dig

1:27:55>> in in the blue. Are you Nicole?

1:27:57>> No. Damn Dickerson.

1:27:59>> Well, I think

1:28:01>> we'll we'll get we'll get you on there.

1:28:07>> You just give us your name. Thank you

1:28:08very much.

1:28:10>> Uh my name is Sarah Hamilton. I am the

1:28:12chair of Jefferson City Room. Um Jay

1:28:16promoted me to president. I appreciate

1:28:18that, but I politely declined.

1:28:21Um, I'm supposed to talk about some of

1:28:24the myths that we have at about our

1:28:27facility

1:28:29and some of it is we don't have rules.

1:28:35We do.

1:28:37These are posted. We have more. These

1:28:39are posted in our facility for folks to

1:28:42see when they first come in. um and at

1:28:46various places throughout the shelter.

1:28:50For those um listening online, I just

1:28:53handed out um large guest guidelines

1:28:57that we post and our conduct policy. Um,

1:29:03we are volunteers

1:29:06and some volunteers are really good

1:29:10about enforcing those rules

1:29:13and some I get to have a conversation

1:29:15with

1:29:20when someone comes into. So, let's say

1:29:22you came in, something happened in your

1:29:24life and you had to be a guest at JC

1:29:27Ready. We would welcome you. We would

1:29:30invite you to sign in. If you want to

1:29:33give us your real name, you can. If you

1:29:35don't, that's okay. Again, we're with

1:29:38the library and we uh work on behavior,

1:29:42not on past

1:29:44um or even present. Misdeeds,

1:29:49when you come in, you sign in, you check

1:29:53your bags in. They get locked up for the

1:29:55night. That's for us and that's for our

1:29:58guests because it keeps everybody safe.

1:30:01Our guests sleep better because they

1:30:04know that their possessions are safe.

1:30:08Um, we're wanding every single guest. I

1:30:11brought the wand, but I left it. I'm not

1:30:13going to go get it. It's just like the

1:30:14one that they had outside to get in. We

1:30:16wand all of our guests.

1:30:19We hand out their bedding. The rest of

1:30:21the evening is spent watching TV, eating

1:30:23dinner, playing on our phones, or

1:30:26sleeping.

1:30:27Lights are out at 10:00, often earlier.

1:30:31Sometimes as early as 9.

1:30:34No guests can be admitted after 9

1:30:36without permission. That was an

1:30:38adjustment we made because there was too

1:30:40much chaos

1:30:42for our guests and for our volunteers.

1:30:46And we hand out basic hygiene items. We

1:30:48have hats, [clears throat] gloves, and

1:30:50socks that are all donated.

1:30:53We conduct smoke breaks because if

1:30:55you've ever been around a smoker who

1:30:57needs a smoke break, multiply that times

1:31:0115.

1:31:03It's not pleasant. So, we allow smoke

1:31:06breaks for folks. They're supervised, so

1:31:08nobody can hide contraband outside and

1:31:11bring it back in.

1:31:13Lights are turned on at 6:00 a.m.

1:31:17We have a smoke break. We have

1:31:19breakfast.

1:31:21And we get 20 people through two

1:31:24bathrooms

1:31:26in about a half an hour and they're out

1:31:28the door by 7. [laughter] We have

1:31:31routines.

1:31:32You see the rules that we have and

1:31:34enforce to the best of our ability.

1:31:36Although often compassion wins,

1:31:40we have a good and proactive

1:31:42relationship with JCPD.

1:31:45At the beginning of every season, we

1:31:46send them a list of contact people

1:31:48assigned to each week. So if they have

1:31:50problems, they can reach out to that

1:31:52person.

1:31:55We communicate with them during the

1:31:57season, but thankfully we don't often

1:32:00need to call them.

1:32:04You have the unpleasant task this

1:32:06evening of weighing one set of people

1:32:09against another.

1:32:12And we have assigned value to people as

1:32:15a society based on how much money they

1:32:19have

1:32:22or don't,

1:32:24how clean they are or not.

1:32:29They look out for each other. Yeah. They

1:32:31get into it. I mean, [laughter]

1:32:34of course they do. Poor people don't sin

1:32:37the least, but they are sinned against

1:32:40the most.

1:32:43We we create a community. [snorts]

1:32:47My volunteers are never afraid because

1:32:49our guests look out for each other and

1:32:52for us as volunteers.

1:32:56I'm often asked how I got into working

1:33:00with this population.

1:33:05When I was in seminary at Duke Divinity

1:33:08School, I was at camp out. I'm sorry.

1:33:12I'm going to go on. You can turn off my

1:33:14microphone.

1:33:15>> Well, I'm going to have to ask that you

1:33:17wrap it up. We've got other people that

1:33:19want to speak.

1:33:22>> [sighs]

1:33:23>> I was at Duke Divinity School and I was

1:33:25camping out for basketball tickets and

1:33:27some friends of mine came up to me and

1:33:30visited me cuz I couldn't leave and

1:33:32wanted to know if I wanted to help serve

1:33:35lunch to some pan handlers.

1:33:38I said yes. One of those pan handlers

1:33:40was named Drunk David.

1:33:42>> Yeah.

1:33:42>> His name was David. And yeah, he was

1:33:45drunk

1:33:47every time we saw him every Friday. One

1:33:50day we were visiting and I stepped in

1:33:52some mud.

1:33:53I wasn't worried about it, but David

1:33:56was. He grabbed a roll of paper towels

1:33:59and he washed my feet.

1:34:02He literally washed my feet.

1:34:07When I say and when I hear that we are

1:34:10serving the least of these, I see Jesus

1:34:14in every one of our guests. I see a

1:34:17person of value in every one of our

1:34:19guests and every one of our volunteers.

1:34:22I very much appreciate your time.

1:34:33>> Ma'am, did you want to speak?

1:34:36>> Yes.

1:34:37>> Are you in support or in opposition?

1:34:40>> So,

1:34:42>> I'm I'm just trying to You You can speak

1:34:44on either. I'm just trying to

1:35:01>> Well, we're going to do it one at a

1:35:02time. Do you need

1:35:04>> to stand by?

1:35:05>> Yes. Yeah. Yeah, you can stand together.

1:35:07That's that's fine.

1:35:09>> Are are you speaking in support of the

1:35:11the project

1:35:13>> homeless people? Yes. Yeah, if you could

1:35:16just identify yourself, we'll wait for

1:35:17your friend to get up here. Thanks for

1:35:19being here.

1:35:21>> My name is Dickerson. I am one of the

1:35:23homeless people that y'all are talking

1:35:25about and that need the place. Um, some

1:35:28of them homeless people, yes, they are

1:35:30hard to deal with, but I deal with them

1:35:32every day. They some of them drink, some

1:35:36of them on drugs, but I don't do neither

1:35:39one. But at the same time, I don't

1:35:43understand why is

1:35:46it's so hard for y'all to help us to get

1:35:48a home when it's a lot of them that

1:35:52needs it. They needs a place to go. I

1:35:56pray on them every single day. I feed

1:35:58them. When I have food, I share my food

1:36:00with them. I share everything with them.

1:36:02My clothes from everything that I have,

1:36:04I share with [clears throat] them. I

1:36:05look at them as my brothers and my

1:36:07sisters. Um,

1:36:11every single time that I have something,

1:36:13I do the best I can for them. Even when

1:36:16they had the shelter, we all got to stay

1:36:19there. I was like, "Well, y'all don't

1:36:21have to clean up. We can do it. We can

1:36:23do it." Because I feel like they can

1:36:25they can do things if people stop

1:36:27handling them. We sit up at the library.

1:36:31They don't read books. They just sit

1:36:33there and they talk and they do their

1:36:35dirt. But at the same time, I be like,

1:36:37"Hey, y'all can pick up books. Y'all

1:36:39know how to read."

1:36:41Um, they can do some daytime, too. I

1:36:44feel like we all can. I walk down to the

1:36:46cap with my dog every day. Me and my dog

1:36:48is homeless. Everybody knows Nico,

1:36:55>> you go.

1:36:56>> I'll come back. Can I come back?

1:36:59>> You can just if you

1:37:03>> go ahead and we'll see where we end up.

1:37:05Yes.

1:37:06>> If you want to make some comments.

1:37:07>> Okay.

1:37:08>> If you could just identify yourself so

1:37:10folks in the other rooms know who's

1:37:12>> My name my name is Deborah Brownstein

1:37:16and I have gotten to know a lot of the

1:37:19homeless people. Um in the year 2000 or

1:37:231999 I first came here from Chicago,

1:37:26Illinois. And um I was appointed to be

1:37:30uh the president of SAS CESNI Central

1:37:33East Side Neighborhood Association.

1:37:36And um I asked them I said why do you

1:37:39want me to be president? Because I had

1:37:41just moved here and they said that they

1:37:43needed someone who could relate to the

1:37:45people. So at that particular time there

1:37:48was a lot of things going on and uh the

1:37:52east side people didn't like it and

1:37:54rather than get the police involved I

1:37:56just went to the people that was

1:37:58troublesome to them. Okay. As far as the

1:38:01homeless people go you don't know them

1:38:04and I have gotten to know them. As a

1:38:07matter of fact is my when my husband

1:38:09became very ill. Um well to even start

1:38:13from back then Miss Vicki had asked my

1:38:16husband and I would we help with some of

1:38:18the homeless people because they had

1:38:20animals and they had to go inside of a

1:38:23shelter and so we took their dogs in.

1:38:27Well from there we started getting to

1:38:29know the homeless people or the unhoused

1:38:32people and uh our relationship grew and

1:38:35I know them. I know pretty much about

1:38:38their stories and so forth and it is you

1:38:42should try to at least get to know them.

1:38:45They are very different. They come from

1:38:48different walks of life. They've had so

1:38:50many circumstances and things that have

1:38:52happened to them that have put them in

1:38:54this particular situation. As a matter

1:38:57of fact, when my husband was sick, very

1:38:59sick, I called upon a gentleman who was

1:39:03homeless. I had met him and he would

1:39:06drive my husband and I up to Peoria,

1:39:09Illinois for his treatments. Um, there

1:39:12was also a young lady who stayed in the

1:39:14house with us to help us out. As a

1:39:16matter of fact, when my husband was

1:39:19dying, there were three homeless people

1:39:21in the house. One of them's name was

1:39:23Chris. He helped lift my husband's uh

1:39:26body off the bed and I gave him CPR. So,

1:39:30as far as people are saying that they're

1:39:32scary, they're not scary at all. You

1:39:35just need to get to know them. One of

1:39:38the things about the library, and they

1:39:39say that the library is such a uh, you

1:39:42know, some people say that they're

1:39:43afraid to go into the library. I too am

1:39:46afraid to go into the library because

1:39:48when I was in college, I would read

1:39:50books and fall asleep. There is a sign

1:39:52right there that says, "If you fall

1:39:54asleep, you will get in trouble." So,

1:39:57that can be very frightening. I've seen

1:39:59a lot of people who are just there with

1:40:03nothing to do. They would like something

1:40:05to do and my husband and I, we would get

1:40:08with them and talk to them and ask them,

1:40:10is there some, you know, what do you

1:40:12want to do? Can we help you with this on

1:40:14an individual basis? At the present

1:40:17there are three people who are homeless

1:40:19who are living in my house with me and

1:40:23um we are uh working together as a as a

1:40:28family or whatever. The gentleman that

1:40:31stood up who said he was homeless and

1:40:34someone said that he did a sexual act or

1:40:37whatever have you. He's one of the

1:40:39individuals that's live living with me.

1:40:41I have had at least about six or seven

1:40:44men living under my roof. We have

1:40:47supported them financially, giving them

1:40:50food, giving them rides, giving them

1:40:52shelter and so forth. As a matter of

1:40:54fact, the most horrifying thing that

1:40:57happened to me two days ago with the

1:40:58homeless is that there was a man who was

1:41:01sitting out on the streets. He had a

1:41:03sign saying that he wanted food. In my

1:41:06truck on the passenger side, there was a

1:41:08homeless guy. And so we're about to make

1:41:12a left turn and this car comes over and

1:41:17it yells at the homeless man that's

1:41:19sitting on the sidewalk just this

1:41:21vicious and saying get a job you blah

1:41:23blah blah blah blah blah blah. I

1:41:25couldn't fathom how this woman could be

1:41:27so evil and so angry at a man sitting on

1:41:30the curb saying that he would work for

1:41:33food. So you get to know them. And as

1:41:37far as Capitol Street, Capitol Street,

1:41:41uh, I knew Barbara Biser and everybody

1:41:43had their opinion about Barbara Biser. I

1:41:46knew her personally and what she was

1:41:47trying to go through and she couldn't

1:41:49get anyone to help her with her

1:41:50property. Um, as far as the homeless

1:41:54people, I'm not afraid of them. And I do

1:41:57have them into my house and I don't fear

1:41:59that they would do something to me and I

1:42:01am alone in my house. So, if you get to

1:42:04know them and you talk to them, they

1:42:06will tell you their story as to how they

1:42:08got this way or what's bothering them.

1:42:11As a matter of fact, a lot of the

1:42:12medication and stuff that they're on

1:42:15does not really agree with them and they

1:42:17don't like the way it is and so they

1:42:19take they split the pill or don't take

1:42:22it or whatever. You need to just get to

1:42:24know them. They're not evil people at

1:42:27all. They have their own circumstances

1:42:29and depression makes a person drink or

1:42:34take something to try to ease some of

1:42:36the pain. You don't know what it's like

1:42:38if a woman has had her children taken

1:42:41away from her um unwarranted and so

1:42:45forth. And so that brings about a lot of

1:42:47depression. So I believe that 107 Adam

1:42:50Street should be given to the people and

1:42:54not be afraid. And like I said, the what

1:42:57they do on Capitol Street, I don't think

1:42:59they want to go into your places and do

1:43:02anything. One thing, something else. I

1:43:04know I'm all over the place, but

1:43:06>> man, I'm I'm going to have to ask you to

1:43:07wrap it up. I'm trying to give you extra

1:43:10time. We appreciate you being here, but

1:43:12>> one homeless person told me this and I

1:43:14said, you know, I didn't really think

1:43:16about this. They said that a animal

1:43:19can excrete waste on the streets, but

1:43:22how come a homeless person cannot?

1:43:25So that's that. I hope that I make a

1:43:28difference and um homeless people are

1:43:32not all the same. Don't judge them like

1:43:34that. Thank you.

1:43:36>> Thank you.

1:43:47Tiffany,

1:43:48>> just identify yourself.

1:43:51>> Uh, yes. I'm uh Tiffany Stein. I am the

1:43:53founder of Hope Heart Healing LLC and um

1:43:58I uh I and the unhoused veterans and

1:44:02other people. Um that's why I'm here. Um

1:44:04they took a vow similar to you guys took

1:44:06a vow to defend the Constitution that

1:44:09all men are created equal and are

1:44:10endowed by their creator with certain

1:44:12inalable rights. And one of those rights

1:44:14is the pursuit of happiness. And I and I

1:44:16agree with other things that are said

1:44:18because I was that tired social worker

1:44:20of 15 years in the industry in rural

1:44:23Missouri doing these applications to get

1:44:26people into section 8 or other

1:44:28affordable housing. And then I would see

1:44:30these same clients once they get into

1:44:32housing, they're not able to sustain the

1:44:34housing because of a lack of financial

1:44:36literacy or a lack of tools and

1:44:38resources

1:44:40or the ability to be able to maintain

1:44:42their mental health and their sobriety

1:44:44so that they can maintain a job to

1:44:46continue to provide safe and affordable

1:44:48housing. Right before here, I got

1:44:50another email message of a of a mom

1:44:53who's got a grown son desperate to find

1:44:56housing. I work with other nonforprofits

1:44:58in this area and when the shelters are

1:45:01full

1:45:02and you have unhoused um women and

1:45:05children because of domestic violence

1:45:07and sexual or human or labor

1:45:09trafficking, they don't know where to go

1:45:11and they go to the streets. or you have

1:45:14the the tired case worker social worker

1:45:16like me that's doing these drug and

1:45:18alcohol treatment programs and we're

1:45:20doing the um psycho educational to

1:45:23address the underlying barriers of of

1:45:26housing whether it's income and it's

1:45:28been already stated today that we could

1:45:30be one decision away. So tonight I'm

1:45:32going to sleep in a warm bed and I'm

1:45:34going to say my prayers and I'm thankful

1:45:37that I have that warm bed. But 12 months

1:45:40ago, I found myself in a similar

1:45:42situation because of emotional and

1:45:44domestic violence. After 10 years of

1:45:45marriage, I'm well educated. I have

1:45:48several degrees and certifications in

1:45:50mental health and addiction uh trauma

1:45:52coaching. I have an MBA degree. I have

1:45:54an undergrad in psychology and social

1:45:56work. And if it hadn't been for a

1:45:58supportive family member, I could have

1:46:00been on the streets when I was rejected

1:46:02by my own husband. And so it any it

1:46:05could be any one of us. We could be a

1:46:07job loss away. We could be a health loss

1:46:09away. I know I've walked with people

1:46:11that have gone through cancer and have

1:46:12lost a loved one and if there's no clear

1:46:14financial plan, then we're just a couple

1:46:17months away of being in that same type

1:46:19of situation. So, I'm here in support of

1:46:21what they do. I've been a proud

1:46:23volunteer over the last couple of years.

1:46:25I've given a couple of weeks to uh to

1:46:28Ready. I see that the same person that

1:46:30puts their um backpack into that storage

1:46:32unit has to have a volunteer like myself

1:46:37unlock that same closet and they have to

1:46:40carry that baggage, that luggage. I also

1:46:43saw as a and so that's a symbol of them

1:46:46not having adequate housing or access to

1:46:49care and housing. I also saw as a as a

1:46:51social worker all the different barriers

1:46:54to be able to get housing. So, in order

1:46:56to be able to uh to get a job, you have

1:46:58to have proof of address. But then it's

1:47:01hard when you're unhoused and your ID

1:47:02gets stolen. So, where does that ID go?

1:47:05Usually, you have to get some kind of um

1:47:07consent for that nonforprofit or the

1:47:10place that you're at to provide

1:47:11temporary uh temporary address. And so,

1:47:15um, my goal here with, um, being a

1:47:18representative, um, of the community and

1:47:21as a mental health case worker and, uh,

1:47:24someone that's also a trauma-informed

1:47:26coach is we need a place where there's

1:47:28there's access. Imagine being unhoused,

1:47:31being low income, and you don't have

1:47:33access to care, meaning that you might

1:47:36have a temporary bus voucher,

1:47:39and then the case worker is tired, and

1:47:42they have limited means to be able to

1:47:44get you to different appointments. So,

1:47:47we have one [laughter] appointment over

1:47:48at the um Compass Crisis Center where

1:47:50they do also that's um someone had

1:47:53mentioned earlier concerned about

1:47:55duplicate um resources, but they provide

1:47:58um some sh uh temporary uh place to

1:48:01shower. They provide the mental health

1:48:02crisis that's over on Metro, but your

1:48:05doctor is with the community health

1:48:07center all the way on uh Christy Drive.

1:48:09And then your dentist might be um in

1:48:11that same building. um how do you access

1:48:14affordable mental health and uh and

1:48:16health care and then to be able to go um

1:48:19all the way over to preferred if you're

1:48:21not accessing um the compass uh services

1:48:25and so the lack of transportation. I've

1:48:27also talked with people with urban

1:48:29empowerment and they say that the two

1:48:30things that um we're endowed by our

1:48:32creator with equal and aailable rights

1:48:34for fair affordable housing and uh for

1:48:37food. Thank you.

1:48:39>> Thank you.

1:48:42all the names we have on the list. Is

1:48:44there anyone else here to speak in

1:48:46support?

1:48:52>> Well,

1:48:52>> oh gosh,

1:48:53>> you just identify yourself.

1:48:54>> Hi, my name is Andrea Sosnowski and I

1:48:57have a lot to say, but I'm not going to

1:48:58say any of it. What I want to say here

1:49:00is, do we want Jefferson City to look

1:49:03better or do we want it to be better?

1:49:06Because this facility [applause] will

1:49:08make it better. And no matter where we

1:49:11put it, because nobody wants it next

1:49:13door to them.

1:49:15No matter where we put it, it needs to

1:49:18happen. It will make our city better for

1:49:22all of its citizens, including its

1:49:25unhoused citizens, including its house

1:49:28citizens. Because these complaints about

1:49:31people sleeping in the if people

1:49:34sleeping on the side of the road,

1:49:36they'll be at my facility. I'm the for

1:49:39the last two seasons I've been the

1:49:41overnight manager at Jeff City Room at

1:49:44the inn and I've spent a lot of time

1:49:47with these people mostly them sleeping

1:49:49but

1:49:52there my husband asked me last summer

1:49:55because he saw the difference in me with

1:49:56with this work um how how to interact

1:50:01with these people and what I told him

1:50:04was what my pastor taught me treat them

1:50:06like humans.

1:50:08These people are humans.

1:50:10They're humans.

1:50:14And in my experience, if you need a pair

1:50:17of socks,

1:50:19best person to ask is a homeless person.

1:50:21Thank you.

1:50:29>> Across the hall. Sure.

1:50:33Anyone

1:50:36else? We're going to check across the

1:50:38hall.

1:50:48>> You speaking in support or in

1:50:51opposition?

1:50:55>> Yes.

1:50:56>> What?

1:50:57>> In support or opposition?

1:50:58[clears throat]

1:50:59>> Uh, neither.

1:51:03Okay, just identify yourself. Welcome.

1:51:11>> Good evening, honorable mayor, members

1:51:13of the council. I just want to say I

1:51:16think that whichever decision gets

1:51:18reached on this issue, it will be the

1:51:21correct answer.

1:51:24I give it to you.

1:51:26>> Do the right thing as you see fit.

1:51:30>> All right.

1:51:32We have [clears throat] five minutes for

1:51:35the support group to make your final.

1:51:38So, however you'd like to use your time,

1:51:40counselor, welcome back to the mic.

1:51:42>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, I apologize

1:51:44for the confusion. I wanted to make sure

1:51:46>> we're all working our way through this,

1:51:48too. So,

1:51:49>> um, thank you for all the board members

1:51:51and supporters who are here tonight who

1:51:54put in a lot of hours.

1:51:57>> You're welcome. Um, Mo,

1:52:00thank you members of the council for

1:52:02>> Apparently, they appreciate your

1:52:03comments.

1:52:04>> Thank you members of the council for

1:52:07taking the time to listen. I want to go

1:52:10back to where we started.

1:52:13This is an issue that obviously brings

1:52:15out a lot of emotions on both sides.

1:52:20This is a question about the law and the

1:52:23facts.

1:52:25So, what is the law? It's in section

1:52:273527.

1:52:30It asks you guys to look at whether

1:52:33proposed use is compatible with the

1:52:35existing and planned uses in the

1:52:38development and on adjacent properties.

1:52:42This is the map of where all of the

1:52:45things that this facility is going to

1:52:47provide are already provided within one

1:52:49to two blocks.

1:52:53This not only is compatible,

1:52:55it is the most compatible place in

1:52:59Jefferson City for this facility to be

1:53:01located.

1:53:04And I know everyone says, "Well, we'll

1:53:05just work on it. We'll just come back.

1:53:07We'll just find another property." What

1:53:09the suggestion was, we're just going to

1:53:10talk about the old school. The old

1:53:13school has houses across the street,

1:53:15guys. Do you think that that's not going

1:53:18to be opposed? And there was an old bank

1:53:20building that was mentioned.

1:53:22Do you think there aren't property

1:53:24owners next to the bank? No matter where

1:53:27it's going to be proposed, you're going

1:53:29to have the exact same crowd of

1:53:32opponents. They'll have different faces

1:53:34and different names. They're going to

1:53:36say the same things.

1:53:40I'd like to take that emotion out of it

1:53:43and go back to the law and the facts.

1:53:49Is it compatible with existing and

1:53:50planned uses?

1:53:55Yes. If it were across the street, we

1:53:58wouldn't be here. It would already be It

1:54:00would already be allowed. If it were

1:54:02next door, we wouldn't be here. It would

1:54:05already be allowed.

1:54:08Now, I want to ask three more questions

1:54:09because I know it got um there's a lot

1:54:12of emotion.

1:54:13Three more things to think about. Um,

1:54:16two more because I asked the question

1:54:18about if not here then where because

1:54:20this is the best place. Next question is

1:54:23will providing these services help?

1:54:27We think it will.

1:54:30Will it hurt? Will it make the situation

1:54:32at the library and downtown worse?

1:54:36There is zero evidence that having a

1:54:40consolidated location will make the

1:54:42situation at the library worse. As I

1:54:44know the city is aware, in the last two

1:54:46months, there was a big problem at the

1:54:48library.

1:54:49That problem got blamed on Room at the

1:54:51End by some people in this room. Room at

1:54:53the End hasn't been open for 7 months,

1:54:56guys, and it's not going to be open

1:54:58again for two more months.

1:55:01Room at the end didn't cause that

1:55:02problem. It's going to help it get

1:55:03better. And then the last thing I would

1:55:06ask you is um and this goes beyond the

1:55:09law of facts. What is the role of

1:55:10government?

1:55:13Because with this proposal, what you

1:55:15have is an application by a group of

1:55:17people of faith who want to use their

1:55:19property to carry out that faith with

1:55:22acts. They're not asking for any money.

1:55:25They're not asking city to do anything

1:55:28except let them use their property the

1:55:30way they see fit. Now a while ago I

1:55:33would served in the state legislature

1:55:35and I heard a lot of people get up and

1:55:37talk about how important it is that

1:55:38people have the freedom to use their

1:55:40property as they seem fit deem fit.

1:55:43I think that should be the case what

1:55:46city government should do even when the

1:55:48use of that property might not be that

1:55:50popular.

1:55:53As it turns out it is really popular.

1:55:54It's more popular than than other uses.

1:55:57I I dare to say that this applica zoning

1:56:01application has more support than any

1:56:03zoning application that this city has

1:56:05ever considered before. And if you want

1:56:08us to go out and get 2,000 more

1:56:10signatures, we will. But I don't think

1:56:13we need to because it goes back to the

1:56:15law and the facts. Put aside the

1:56:19emotion. Is it comp a compatible use in

1:56:22the neighborhood and existing

1:56:24properties?

1:56:25The answer is yes. And so we would ask

1:56:28you to follow the law and follow the

1:56:30facts.

1:56:33Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you.

1:56:36[applause]

1:56:40That will conclude the evidentiary

1:56:42portion of the public hearing. The

1:56:44public hearing is now concluded

1:56:47and we have pending bill 2026-018

1:56:52in front of council.

1:56:55Questions from council for comments.

1:57:00Councilwoman Young.

1:57:02>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:57:05I just want to take this moment to

1:57:06explain my position before I voted

1:57:08tonight.

1:57:10I [clears throat] want to be very clear

1:57:11that I support the efforts to provide

1:57:13services resources to our homeless

1:57:15population.

1:57:16Having worked in the mental health field

1:57:18for more than 30 years, I understand the

1:57:21importance of having a place where

1:57:23individuals can access service, support,

1:57:26and opportunities to move towards

1:57:28stability. At the same time, I've had

1:57:32some concerns about the proposed

1:57:34location and the level of detail we

1:57:36currently have regarding staffing,

1:57:39programming, and how the day-to-day

1:57:41operation of the facility will be

1:57:44managed. those concerns have not simply

1:57:48disappeared. I also recognize that

1:57:51there's a great deal of development

1:57:53taking place in this area, including the

1:57:55conference center and new housing, and I

1:57:58believe we have to be thoughtful about

1:58:02how all these pieces fit together as

1:58:04Jefferson City continues to grow.

1:58:07However,

1:58:09tonight we're being asked to make a

1:58:11decision about the building and the

1:58:13opportunity to move forward.

1:58:16It's effort for it. I don't want my

1:58:19concerns about the location or the

1:58:21unanswered questions about the program

1:58:23to be interrup interpreted as opposition

1:58:26to helping people who are experiencing

1:58:29homelessness.

1:58:31I'm willing to support moving forward

1:58:34because I believe the need is real and

1:58:36the effort is important.

1:58:39But my support comes with expectation

1:58:42that we will continue to have

1:58:44conversations about the programming, the

1:58:47staffing, the accountability, the

1:58:49safety, and the long-term stand

1:58:52sustainability of this effort. I believe

1:58:55we can support the mission while still

1:58:58asking these difficult questions.

1:59:01Supporting this effort does not mean

1:59:03that every question has been answered

1:59:05tonight. It means that I recognize the

1:59:09importance of the work and I'm willing

1:59:11to continue to work with the appropriate

1:59:13partners to make sure we get it right.

1:59:16My hope is that this becomes more than

1:59:18simply a building. I want it to be a

1:59:21place where people can receive

1:59:23meaningful services and have a real

1:59:26pathways towards stability and

1:59:28independence. For those reasons, I will

1:59:32support moving this effort forward

1:59:38and advocate for the resources and

1:59:40structure necessary to make it

1:59:42successful. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1:59:44>> Thank you, Councilwoman. Other comments,

1:59:48questions?

1:59:49Councilman Hazelton,

1:59:52I think that the cause of the [cough]

1:59:56is [clears throat]

1:59:57extremely noble. I also cannot ignore

2:00:00that new life is being breathed into

2:00:03Capitol Avenue, not just our main

2:00:05street, but the main street for all

2:00:07Missurans.

2:00:10And

2:00:11I think that we need to think carefully

2:00:13before we sniff out the new life that is

2:00:15being breathed into this street, this

2:00:18symbol of our state.

2:00:21That's why we have a zoning process.

2:00:23That's why nine of our neighbors have

2:00:25voted in regard to this. And I think

2:00:28it's important that we follow their

2:00:29recommendation.

2:00:31There's new life coming to this town

2:00:33that hasn't been here for years, and we

2:00:35[snorts] need to be very careful about

2:00:37what we put where. So with that, I'd

2:00:40like us to consider our decision very

2:00:42carefully tonight, Mr. Mayor.

2:00:45Councilman, other comments or questions?

2:00:51>> Seeing none, you have

2:00:55pending bill 2026-018

2:00:59in front of you for a roll call vote.

2:01:04>> No.

2:01:05>> Allan,

2:01:06>> no. Douly

2:01:08>> no

2:01:09>> Hol

2:01:10>> no

2:01:11>> Hazelton

2:01:12>> no

2:01:13>> Joe

2:01:14>> I

2:01:15>> Camper

2:01:17>> abstain

2:01:18>> Lester

2:01:19>> I

2:01:21>> Michael

2:01:22>> me

2:01:24>> Young

2:01:25>> I

2:01:27>> we have three eyes and

2:01:30six nos both fails.

2:01:34Okay,

2:01:35thank you again for

2:01:38everyone that come out tonight for your

2:01:39time and

2:01:45I'd like

2:01:47to request a five minute recess.

2:02:01>> Yeah, I need to go

2:02:08I would ask that we can continue.

2:02:19>> All right. I'm going to deny that

2:02:21request. I mean, we will we've got some

2:02:24things we need to do. So, if people need

2:02:26to

2:02:28leave, that that is fine. But I think

2:02:30we've got a lot of work left to do. So

2:02:32>> if council is comfortable with that,

2:02:34we're going to proceed on

2:02:41>> I ask for a personal

2:02:43point of privilege. I know I conducted

2:02:47>> I just get a belief.

2:02:48>> I've read the book before. Are you

2:02:50supposed to ask?

2:02:52>> You need to stop.

2:02:56>> All right. We are going to move into the

2:02:58second public hearing. That's item B,

2:03:01resolution 2026-32.

2:03:06>> A resolution [clears throat] adopting

2:03:08the 2026 title six program including

2:03:10limited English proficiency plan

2:03:13publication plans for Jeff.

2:03:18>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh before you is

2:03:21the city of Jefferson City Title 6

2:03:23program for the capital area uh

2:03:26metropolitan planning organization campo

2:03:29and also Jeff TR. Um there is a

2:03:32corresponding uh resolution um also that

2:03:35follows. The purpose of the title 6 uh

2:03:38program is to demonstrate um compliance

2:03:42with the civil rights act of 1964

2:03:45associated federal transit

2:03:46administration funding and it's required

2:03:48to be updated every 3 years for Jeff

2:03:50Tran and for Campo. Um this is very

2:03:53similar to the joint Jeff Tran and Campo

2:03:57program that was adopted in 2023. This

2:04:00is just an update to that program.

2:04:03The contents of the title six program um

2:04:07focuses on demographics, title six

2:04:09certifications, notices, complaint

2:04:11procedures, jet trans service standards

2:04:14and service policies, public

2:04:16participation uh plan and language

2:04:19assistance program.

2:04:21Uh the timeline for this um it is before

2:04:24uh the council tonight for resolution.

2:04:28Prior to this, it did go to the public

2:04:30transit advisory committee on July 14th,

2:04:33public works and planning committee on

2:04:35August 13th. The Campo board voted to

2:04:38adopt the plan on September 16th, and we

2:04:40are here tonight for our public hearing.

2:04:43Um, the 45day comment period opened on

2:04:46August 3rd and closed at 5:00 today with

2:04:51no comments from the public on this

2:04:53topic.

2:04:55I'd be happy to answer any questions.

2:04:57Any questions at this time?

2:05:02>> All right, we will go ahead and open the

2:05:04public hearing. Is there anyone here to

2:05:07speak on the app of the proposal?

2:05:15Wait here to speak in opposition to the

2:05:18proposal.

2:05:20All right, we are going to close the

2:05:22hearing.

2:05:24Councilman Allers, before we go, if

2:05:26there's any questions, would you like to

2:05:28get this in front of council?

2:05:30>> Yes, Mr. Mayor.

2:05:33>> Yes, Mr. Mayor. I'd like to move

2:05:34resolution 20 26-32 before the council

2:05:38proposal.

2:05:40>> Second.

2:05:41>> Got a motion, a second. All in favor?

2:05:44>> Any opposed?

2:05:46>> All right. You have resolution 2026-32

2:05:50in front of you. Any questions for Mr.

2:05:52Helen?

2:05:55Council Lester,

2:05:56>> I'd just like to thank staff for uh

2:06:00getting the presentations on all the

2:06:03monitor so we can Thank you very much.

2:06:07>> Good work.

2:06:10>> All right, we're going to do a roll call

2:06:12vote. Allan

2:06:16>> Tulie.

2:06:17>> Hi.

2:06:18>> Hol

2:06:19>> I

2:06:20>> Hzelson

2:06:21>> Joe

2:06:22>> I

2:06:23>> Camper

2:06:23>> I

2:06:24>> Lester

2:06:25>> I

2:06:25>> Michael

2:06:26>> I

2:06:26>> Young

2:06:27>> I

2:06:29>> resolution is adopted.

2:06:33>> All right that takes us to item seven

2:06:35appointments by the mayor. There are

2:06:36none.

2:06:38Item 88A financial update.

2:06:41Miss Congress. Thanks for waiting for

2:06:44us.

2:06:44>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

2:06:45>> You're up.

2:06:46>> So, in your packet, I have the financial

2:06:49update for you all. Um, so the city

2:06:51received the September sales tax, and it

2:06:54came in on the general sales tax 1.2

2:06:56million, putting um that over the budget

2:06:59amount for the month of 55,660,

2:07:02giving us a total overage for the year

2:07:04to date of $856,55.

2:07:09And then the next pages are just some

2:07:12more detail on all those sales tax

2:07:14numbers. Be happy to answer any

2:07:15questions.

2:07:19>> Seeing none, I'm going to move on to the

2:07:21revenue model. Um, nothing to really

2:07:24speak too much of here. So, I will point

2:07:27you guys down to the totals. The

2:07:29projected overage I have for the end of

2:07:31this fiscal year is 2.2 million.

2:07:35And again there is the detail on the

2:07:38next pages and I'd be happy to answer

2:07:40any questions.

2:07:43Seeing none.

2:07:46So the next one I have is the estimated

2:07:48fund balance for the general fund only.

2:07:50Um so as you guys can see down below

2:07:53nothing's really changed other than that

2:07:55possible supplemental for workers comp

2:07:57insurance. It is now going up to 480,000

2:08:01which almost 481,000. Um, we still have

2:08:04an estimated fund balance percentage as

2:08:062.59%.

2:08:08So, we're doing good on that 17%. And

2:08:11I'd be happy to answer any questions on

2:08:13this.

2:08:16Seeing none, moving on.

2:08:18So, um, the next page is the workers

2:08:21comp fund on how much we are the detail

2:08:26on that possible supplemental at the end

2:08:28of the year. Um so the total outstanding

2:08:32um from the monthly workers f work

2:08:34workers comp file I received um dated as

2:08:38831

2:08:40we have 629 almost 6 $6 630,000 that is

2:08:46still outstanding.

2:08:47Um like I said going to probably have

2:08:51that possible supplemental so I will

2:08:53continue to track that.

2:08:56Happy to answer any questions.

2:08:58>> Councilman Alers.

2:08:59>> Thank you, Chevy. That 191,000

2:09:02is that will that be included in the uh

2:09:06430?

2:09:08Is that what you said? We might come

2:09:09back to 480,000. Is that number included

2:09:12in that or is that because it says

2:09:15unsettled? So, how do you when does that

2:09:18come where you know settled at all? So,

2:09:21I won't know until probably a couple

2:09:23months after we close our fiscal year.

2:09:26So, our fiscal year will close at 10:31.

2:09:28Um, but

2:09:30we won't get all of that unsettled

2:09:33probably till Decemberish time frame,

2:09:36maybe even into January.

2:09:39>> Do we come back then to

2:09:42>> Yes. At that point, whenever I feel like

2:09:44everything has been settled for the

2:09:45fiscal year, I will bring back the

2:09:47supplemental for you all to approve. So,

2:09:49I can knock that 22% down to something,

2:09:52right?

2:09:54>> Yeah, it it depends. Um, and again, it's

2:09:56just depends on how all that workers

2:09:58comp shakes out towards the end of the

2:09:59year. So, it could go up a little, it

2:10:01could go down a little.

2:10:02>> All right. I I'll appreciate that. Thank

2:10:04you.

2:10:07>> Seeing no other questions, I will move

2:10:09on to the next page, which is our self

2:10:11health insurance. And we are doing very

2:10:15good on this. Um, so it looks like we're

2:10:18going to have our revenue versus

2:10:20expenses. It looks like we have an

2:10:22overage of 317,000.

2:10:26>> Be happy to answer any questions.

2:10:31>> Thank you. Proceed on.

2:10:33>> Oh, I'm sorry. Councilman House.

2:10:35>> So, as far as the momentum on on that,

2:10:39uh, can we keep that rolling for the

2:10:40foreseeable years without any real

2:10:42disruptions or bumps?

2:10:43>> I would hope to. um what we established

2:10:46uh what the my predecessor established

2:10:48last year with um city administrator

2:10:51city administrator Crane um we have a

2:10:53good system that I think we have worked

2:10:54out that helps with the self-funded

2:10:57health insurance so I will anticipate

2:10:59that this will continue

2:11:00>> that is an amazing sigh of relief

2:11:02>> yes

2:11:06>> and that's all I have

2:11:08>> all right any questions in general

2:11:12right thank you very much takes us to

2:11:14item 8B 2026

2:11:17to 2031

2:11:20for permanent renewal storm water

2:11:22management.

2:11:24>> Miss Williams, thanks for staying with

2:11:27us as well.

2:11:29>> And if you would identify yourself,

2:11:31thanks for being with us.

2:11:32>> Uh Katrina Williams, I'm the storm water

2:11:34coordinator and flood plan administrator

2:11:36for the city. Um I'm going to talk to

2:11:38you about the 2026 2031 MS4 permit storm

2:11:42water management plan. and I had a

2:11:43special request to make it a little

2:11:45shorter than I would normally do. Um, so

2:11:47I'm just going to kind of cruise right

2:11:49through this. Um, so our storm water

2:11:51plan covers our entire storm water

2:11:53system. So that's anything from ditches

2:11:54to creeks to gutters um to things coming

2:11:57off buildings. Um, it's a 5-year permit

2:12:00that we have from DNR. So we're going

2:12:01through a renewal process and part of

2:12:03that renewal process um, an annual

2:12:05process for this permit is to give a

2:12:07presentation to our decision-making

2:12:09body, which is you all. Um

2:12:12so the storm water permit does require

2:12:15us to have a um storm water management

2:12:18program um that looks like a storm water

2:12:20management plan for us and that's

2:12:22controlling um the uh the quality of the

2:12:25storm water that we discharge into our

2:12:27system and then ultimately getting into

2:12:30water to the United States. That plan

2:12:31needs to include pollution prevention

2:12:33measures, treatment and removal

2:12:35techniques. There's monitoring that's

2:12:37required. um our permit uh carries legal

2:12:41authority with it too. So it impacts our

2:12:43code and then we have minimum control

2:12:45measures that we're required to meet

2:12:47within that permit and the plan. We did

2:12:49go through a public comment process in

2:12:51March of of this year. We didn't receive

2:12:54any uh public comment. Uh we are in a

2:12:56final review process right now and that

2:12:58should be re should be um reviewed and

2:13:02finalized and the permit given back to

2:13:04us by DNR hopefully within October. Um

2:13:07the permit lays out all of our

2:13:09requirements. The storm water management

2:13:10plan lays out all of the uh ways that

2:13:13we're going to meet those requirements.

2:13:15Um with the ultimate goal being

2:13:16improving water quality and how we

2:13:18discharge it. Um so I'm just going to go

2:13:20instead of going through every single

2:13:22slide for our minimum control measures,

2:13:24I'm just going to touch on each one. Um

2:13:27public education outreach. This is um

2:13:29who we're reaching out to, how we're

2:13:30reaching out, and what we're reaching

2:13:32out about. Um this had a small change in

2:13:34it from the previous permit. uh we're

2:13:37going to start reaching out more to uh

2:13:39contractors instead of business owners.

2:13:41So, we made a little change there. Um

2:13:44public participation involvement, that's

2:13:45this process right here, having public

2:13:47meetings whenever that permit is

2:13:48updated. Um we're required to track our

2:13:51illicit discharge um and elimination

2:13:54processes. Uh so that includes

2:13:56monitoring and inspections.

2:13:59I'm going to skip ahead a little bit.

2:14:03This is a an outreach event that we did

2:14:05at uh at the park for KidsFest. That was

2:14:08a pretty good um event that we went

2:14:10through.

2:14:13Uh construction site runoff and control.

2:14:15This is one of our other minimum control

2:14:17measures. Um so this is our inspectors

2:14:19going out and inspecting development

2:14:21sites and this is also um those

2:14:24contractors inspecting themselves and

2:14:26then how we um inspect our projects. So

2:14:29there's a lot of tracking and training

2:14:31that goes on with that. Uh

2:14:32[clears throat]

2:14:33post construction, these are things like

2:14:35our best management practices, our

2:14:37structural ones, which would include

2:14:38detention basins, um underground

2:14:40detention, rain gardens, things like

2:14:42that. We're required to track those,

2:14:45inspect those, um and enforce um any

2:14:49issues that come along with that.

2:14:53Um these are just a few examples of

2:14:54those.

2:14:56Uh and then our last one is pollution

2:14:58prevention and good housekeeping. So

2:15:00this is what we're doing internally to

2:15:01make sure uh what we're requiring of the

2:15:04rest of the public that we're actually

2:15:05doing ourselves. So that's inspecting,

2:15:08that's training, um and then that's

2:15:09mitigating any issues that we might

2:15:11have.

2:15:13Uh so next steps for the permit is that

2:15:16it is in final review right now. We

2:15:18expect um approval in October and so

2:15:21that would renew us for another five

2:15:23years. Our storm water management plan

2:15:25is something that's very fluid. So, we

2:15:27can change that at different points in

2:15:28time. You do have this in your packet

2:15:30along with that draft permit. So, if you

2:15:32read through that and you have any

2:15:33comments or questions about it, um, let

2:15:35me know. Um, and then with this permit

2:15:38and the the new plan, we will probably

2:15:41have some code changes that come along

2:15:42with it. Um, so we would be bringing

2:15:44that to public works and planning at a

2:15:46future meeting. Um, right now our our

2:15:48tenative goal is bringing that in

2:15:49October. Um and then along with that we

2:15:51have some other potential code changes

2:15:53that are coming from some other items um

2:15:55including our best uh best management um

2:15:59guidelines that have been renewed as of

2:16:01last year. Then there was a code a

2:16:03zoning code change that happened last

2:16:04year that um seemed to impact our storm

2:16:07water code. So trying to clean that up a

2:16:08little bit. Um again all these will be

2:16:11brought to public works and planning at

2:16:12a future meeting and then that would

2:16:14ultimately come to council. So I'm happy

2:16:16to answer any questions. That fell very

2:16:18fast.

2:16:20questions. Councilman Hustle, which

2:16:23specific zoning code change were you

2:16:25talking about?

2:16:26>> Um, it has to do with the uh dimensional

2:16:29standards. So, the setbacks

2:16:32whenever the zoning code changed, we

2:16:34reduced the amount of the setback

2:16:37requirement. And in the storm water

2:16:39code, it basically says that when you

2:16:40have a downspout that's coming off of

2:16:42your building, you can't discharge it

2:16:44within the setback. So ultimately we've

2:16:48reduced the distance that a down spout

2:16:50could be from another property owner

2:16:52which for building a a structure is is

2:16:56you know helps us in you know

2:16:57constructing more things but in terms of

2:16:59causing potential damage from storm

2:17:01water from one structure to another that

2:17:03causes a bit of a problem.

2:17:06You could get a little too close

2:17:07basically

2:17:08>> that's good.

2:17:10>> Oh do spouse but

2:17:12>> that can be answered at planning zoning.

2:17:14Never mind.

2:17:15>> Okay, Councilman Lel, I'm sorry. Were

2:17:17Were you done, Councilman?

2:17:19>> I I did have a follow-up question.

2:17:20>> That's fine. And then we'll go to

2:17:21Council L.

2:17:22>> Is there an estimate of additional costs

2:17:24or savings for this new permit plan?

2:17:28>> Um, no. I mean, I would say, well, we

2:17:31are going to have some additional

2:17:33inspection requirements that we're

2:17:35working through right now. Um,

2:17:38question for Kyle.

2:17:42>> Mr. Mr. Brown.

2:17:44>> Yeah. Thank you, Katrina. Uh

2:17:47the state this is a requirement from

2:17:50from the state of Missouri and the state

2:17:52is kind of reworking how they do their

2:17:54permits and what what permits cost. So

2:17:58um as this new permit is issued, there

2:18:00will be additional costs that that uh

2:18:03the state passes down to us. So um

2:18:06>> the fee I believe the fee with this one

2:18:08right now is the same, but the fees are

2:18:10going to increase Well, it's being

2:18:12discussed that the I thought it was

2:18:14approved that the fee is going to

2:18:15increase on the next one. So, I've been

2:18:17told it's the same for this five-year

2:18:19permit, but the next one would

2:18:21potentially increase quite a bit.

2:18:22>> Yeah. Okay. So, so no, not much impact.

2:18:29>> Okay,

2:18:31>> Councilman.

2:18:32>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thanks, Katrina.

2:18:34Quick question.

2:18:36I think we're doing a pretty good job

2:18:38with new construction basins and

2:18:40collection points. Um I'm my biggest

2:18:44concern and I've talked to several in

2:18:46here

2:18:47where creek erosion

2:18:51property owners

2:18:53yards eroding uh causing some flood

2:18:56backwater into their properties and and

2:18:59other

2:19:02sheds and pools and whatnot.

2:19:05It's my understanding that um the court

2:19:08won't let us do

2:19:12really aggressive things to minimize

2:19:14that even if we had the dollars.

2:19:18What is our best solution? And maybe

2:19:21that's too much to ask. Maybe it's a

2:19:23long answer question, [laughter]

2:19:25>> but we've got a problem, right? And

2:19:27everyone in here knows it. It's not a

2:19:29secret. We don't want it to be a secret.

2:19:31We need to figure out ways to address

2:19:32it. um because it's only going to

2:19:35continue to get worse, not better. So,

2:19:39>> in terms of I could speak to flood

2:19:41mitigation a little bit. Um you know,

2:19:44there are federal funds that could

2:19:46assist with that, but you have to have

2:19:47matching funds and we don't really have

2:19:49a program in our city that's been

2:19:52designated to fund, you know, things

2:19:54like buyouts or helping individual

2:19:56property owners quite the same way. Um

2:19:59[clears throat] that's just the flood

2:20:01mitigation side of it. But in terms of

2:20:02like largecale

2:20:04flooding um designs, you know, we have a

2:20:07storm water master plan that was

2:20:09developed many years ago, 20 years ago,

2:20:12and several of those projects there's

2:20:14been several projects that have been

2:20:15done, but there's a lot more that have

2:20:17not been implemented. And I I think

2:20:20that's usually due to funding.

2:20:23I can't really speak to the, you know,

2:20:24what the core is not allowing us to do.

2:20:27That's a little bit out of my purview

2:20:28right now. Go ahead.

2:20:31>> Yes.

2:20:31>> I was just going to say uh you know we

2:20:33we do um Katrina goes to properties and

2:20:37um tries to help out any way she can. So

2:20:40there part of that education component.

2:20:43Uh if somebody in our community is

2:20:45dealing with some erosion problems, we

2:20:47can come out and help with, you know,

2:20:49what what best management practices

2:20:50might be. Um what we tend to see is um

2:20:54where we have a lot of erosion problems

2:20:56is a lack of vegetation or um something

2:21:00holding that dirt back. So um sometimes

2:21:04people just like to mow a little too

2:21:05much and then it causes a problem.

2:21:08>> I'll be more than happy to meet offline

2:21:10on the three properties that talked to

2:21:12me specifically just in the last couple

2:21:14weeks about it because there's some some

2:21:18issues for sure. We we do maintain a

2:21:20database so that we know where we're

2:21:22getting all of these complaints from. Um

2:21:24that helps us kind of see a pattern. Um

2:21:26so we do have a map that, you know,

2:21:28shows us that that information as it as

2:21:30it comes in. Um you know, I think staff,

2:21:34especially staff that's been here a long

2:21:35time, and I've only been in this

2:21:36position about a year and a half, but

2:21:38I've been at the city for 10 years. Um I

2:21:40think there's a lot of staff that that

2:21:42knows where there are some, you know,

2:21:43patterns of some issues. Um but you know

2:21:45the solution is is a funding issue.

2:21:48>> Yeah. Two two two of the three that that

2:21:51as everybody's going to be familiar with

2:21:52is over by JCMG and and what had been

2:21:56done in the past uh was some some

2:21:59aggregate put down but it's just

2:22:02continued to widen and and you know

2:22:04we're building more concrete structures

2:22:07obviously so it's going downhill really

2:22:09really fast. I think we're doing a good

2:22:11job of [snorts] collecting that. But

2:22:14when it floods, it floods and it it's

2:22:16going to it's tearing away the banks of

2:22:19the homes there.

2:22:20>> And that that is a designated uh

2:22:22floodway in that area. So it that is

2:22:26what the model showed that is a flood

2:22:27zone. It's it's kind of hard to reverse

2:22:29that being a flood zone.

2:22:33>> Councilwoman Joe,

2:22:35>> thank you. I'm sure this is part of the

2:22:37education. I'm sorry I haven't been

2:22:38there for all of it, but um

2:22:42are

2:22:44if infrastructure like the creek is

2:22:46impacting someone's [clears throat]

2:22:48personal property, are they eligible for

2:22:51utilizing the community cost share for

2:22:55deep rooted native plants?

2:22:59>> Um I guess I'm unfamiliar with our

2:23:02community cost share for native plants.

2:23:05So

2:23:07you know about it, right? That so

2:23:10conservation has some sort of a program

2:23:12where communities are able to get native

2:23:16species

2:23:17cheaper for for like municipalities.

2:23:20>> Yeah. Sorry, I thought you were I

2:23:21misunderstood you. I thought you were

2:23:22saying that we had a cost like a city

2:23:24had a designated cost share program.

2:23:26>> You're talking about the department of

2:23:27conservation program.

2:23:29>> Is there a way because you know there's

2:23:31that movement 10,000 rain gardens

2:23:35I think you may have been at the same

2:23:37presentation I was when they were there

2:23:38and they were speaking about it. Um

2:23:41where they installed 10,000 rain gardens

2:23:43in some city and it solved a lot of

2:23:46their flooding woes. Um

2:23:50if something like that could be made

2:23:52available to property owners who are in

2:23:54these areas because the development um

2:23:58for better or worse is not preparing to

2:23:59slow down. So we got to do something

2:24:02different plantwise. It's my

2:24:04understanding that the parks department

2:24:06um I believe does apply for those types

2:24:08of funds and gets those for certain

2:24:10projects. Um but I I wouldn't say our

2:24:13public works department does that. Um

2:24:15and this is you know this permit and our

2:24:17storm water management plan is dependent

2:24:20on multiple departments. So um all of us

2:24:22are contributing to compliance. Um, you

2:24:25know, public works is more responsible

2:24:27for inspection and site plan review. Um,

2:24:31making sure people are doing the things

2:24:33that they're supposed to be doing

2:24:33whenever they're developing um, and

2:24:36redeveloping. Um, but other aspects that

2:24:39help with compliance is what the parks

2:24:41department does.

2:24:44>> Thank you.

2:24:49>> Okay.

2:24:50>> These are questions. Okay.

2:24:51>> Thank you.

2:24:51>> Thank you.

2:24:53>> All right. takes us to announcements by

2:24:56mayor, council, and staff. I may lead it

2:24:59off. We've had a couple exciting weeks

2:25:01in Jefferson City. We've got we had

2:25:04tunnels to Tower Foundation in town

2:25:06about a week and a half ago. It's hard

2:25:08to believe it's been that long. We are

2:25:11working in trying to get Mr. Sturlock

2:25:14and Mr. Reutder and a number of those

2:25:18in to recognize them when we can work.

2:25:21Mr. Sorlock is dealing with some health

2:25:24issues, so we're trying to work around

2:25:25his schedule. We also had the air show

2:25:28that weekend and I think we've got Penny

2:25:32Smith tenatively scheduled for the

2:25:34October 5th council meeting. We'll bring

2:25:37her in and talk about the air show and

2:25:38recognize. Then we've got another a

2:25:41number of other groups. So, we will be

2:25:44trying to recognize over the next couple

2:25:45months some of the individuals and

2:25:47organizations that have done so many

2:25:50incredible things in [snorts] our city.

2:25:53In regard to committees, Councilman

2:25:56Allers,

2:25:58admin committee

2:26:00>> still October 7th, 4 p.m.

2:26:02>> All right.

2:26:04Finance Councilman Michael any I know we

2:26:08got a lot of budget stuff coming up. So,

2:26:10>> yeah. So finance budget meeting will be

2:26:13Thursday, same location. I would make

2:26:15one note here that's part of an

2:26:17announcement everybody may not be aware

2:26:19but the convention visitors bureau uh

2:26:22won won the award for the speech and

2:26:23debate for the state to be held at

2:26:25Lincoln uh for the next 5 years um for

2:26:30our city and thanks to Lincoln

2:26:33University and Dr. Mosley and all his

2:26:34help and and uh going that week going

2:26:40strictly internet internet education

2:26:42that week. So that's cool. Web base and

2:26:45>> I did notice when we started the budget

2:26:47process and the finance committee quit

2:26:49meeting. We've got some really good

2:26:51reports from Miss Congress. So I don't

2:26:54know if there's any correlation there.

2:26:55>> Most likely is

2:26:58Thank you.

2:27:00>> public safety. Councilwoman Allen. Thank

2:27:02you, mayor. Public safety won't meet

2:27:05this month, and it is very exciting

2:27:07about the speech and debate. That's been

2:27:09one um for coming to our community. It's

2:27:12just a really great win. So, I

2:27:14appreciate you bringing that up.

2:27:17>> And public works and planning,

2:27:19Councilman Capier,

2:27:21>> October 8th, 7:30 here in chambers.

2:27:24>> Any other announcements?

2:27:27All right.

2:27:29consent agenda and you have six items in

2:27:34front of you and not seven.

2:27:37>> Move to approve.

2:27:38>> Second.

2:27:38>> Motion to approve.

2:27:41>> Second. All in favor?

2:27:43>> I.

2:27:44>> Any opposed?

2:27:47>> Item 11, bills introduced. None. Item

2:27:4912, bills pending. We've already taken

2:27:52care of item 12 A. So item 12B 2026-037

2:28:00>> an ordinance of the city of Jefferson,

2:28:02Missouri adopting a budget and personnel

2:28:04classification plan for the city for the

2:28:06period of November 1, 2026 to October

2:28:0931, 2027 and appropriating money in the

2:28:12city treasury to pay the cost of

2:28:14operating the city government during

2:28:16that period in accordance with the

2:28:18budget.

2:28:20Council

2:28:21>> M. Mayor would like to present this to

2:28:23the council for a vote.

2:28:26Second one. This is

2:28:28>> informal.

2:28:29>> I think

2:28:30>> informal.

2:28:31>> I think we were putting it on the

2:28:32informal. Is that accurate?

2:28:34>> Oh, yeah. My mistake. Yes.

2:28:37>> I would love that, but [laughter]

2:28:40finance director lit up over here. So,

2:28:43>> so that that that'll go on the informal

2:28:45comment.

2:28:46>> That is correct.

2:28:48>> Sorry.

2:28:49>> He tried.

2:28:52>> All right. Item 12 C 2026-038,

2:28:57>> an ordinance of the city of Jefferson,

2:28:59Missouri, authorizing the mayor and city

2:29:01clerk to execute a $266,022

2:29:04agreement with the Missouri Highways and

2:29:06Transportation Commission for

2:29:08Metropolitan Transportation Planning

2:29:10Services for the period of November 1,

2:29:122026 to October 31, 2027, replotting

2:29:16consolidated planning grant funds as

2:29:18approved in the FY2027 Campo Unified

2:29:21Planning M

2:29:23Mr.

2:29:25>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, as the clerk

2:29:28uh so clearly put, this is uh ordinance

2:29:31to adopt the consolidated planning grant

2:29:35um agreement with the Missouri Highway

2:29:37and Transportation Commission. This is

2:29:39the same grant that we've received every

2:29:41year since 2003. Uh the grant is for

2:29:44$266,022

2:29:48and that is the federal portion with the

2:29:5020% local match with us picking up 15%

2:29:53of that and 5% coming from the county.

2:29:56Uh that gives us the total amount of

2:29:58funding under the $331,49.

2:30:04Be happy to answer any questions.

2:30:10Seeing none, you have 2026-038

2:30:14in front of you for roll call vote.

2:30:16>> Dulie,

2:30:17>> I

2:30:20>> Ozelen,

2:30:22>> I

2:30:22>> Joe,

2:30:23>> I

2:30:23>> Camper

2:30:24>> I

2:30:25>> Lester

2:30:25>> I

2:30:26>> Michael

2:30:27>> I

2:30:27>> Young [snorts]

2:30:28>> I

2:30:28>> Hollers

2:30:29>> I

2:30:29>> Allan

2:30:30>> I

2:30:31>> bill passes.

2:30:33>> All right. Item D 2026-040.

2:30:38an ordinance of the city of Jefferson,

2:30:39Missouri, authorizing the mayor and city

2:30:41clerk to execute an agreement with the

2:30:43Missouri Highways and Transportation

2:30:44Commission pertaining to the

2:30:46transportation alternative program for

2:30:48the Jackson Street side path and the

2:30:50acceptance of TAP grant funding.

2:30:53>> Mr. Bmer,

2:30:54>> yes, this TAP grant funding will help

2:30:57stretch out our capital improvement

2:30:58sales tax funding to uh improve uh

2:31:02Jackson Street, you know, near downtown.

2:31:04We've discussed a lot about about that

2:31:06area tonight. But uh from Mccardi

2:31:10essentially to to capital to capital

2:31:12it'll improve not only with a side path

2:31:15but but help improve that street in

2:31:17general. So we're looking at this not

2:31:20only as a uh side path or sidewalk but

2:31:24an improvement that stretch of the

2:31:26street. Um, as many of you know, uh,

2:31:29capital improvement sales tax, we

2:31:30targeted that area, Jackson Street,

2:31:32Marshall Street, uh, High Street, uh,

2:31:35for improvement and, uh, this will help

2:31:38start that improvement. Any questions?

2:31:44>> Seeing none, you have 2026-040

2:31:48in front of you for roll call. Holt

2:31:50>> I

2:31:51>> Huzzleton.

2:31:52>> Hi

2:31:52>> Joe.

2:31:55>> Hi

2:31:56>> Camper.

2:31:56>> Hi

2:31:57>> Lester.

2:31:58>> Hi

2:31:58>> Michael.

2:31:59>> Hi

2:31:59>> Young.

2:32:00>> I

2:32:02>> Ellen.

2:32:02>> I

2:32:03>> Dley.

2:32:03>> Hi.

2:32:04>> Bill passes.

2:32:08>> All right. Item 13, informal calendar.

2:32:12Nothing on there for this meeting. Item

2:32:1414, resolutions. We have already taken

2:32:17care of item A. And that takes us to

2:32:21resolution

2:32:232026-33.

2:32:26>> A resolution authorizing the reappoints

2:32:28of directors and the approval of a

2:32:30successor director to the MSP Community

2:32:32Improvement District.

2:32:35>> Councilman Allers, would you like to get

2:32:37that in front of council?

2:32:40>> Just push something.

2:32:43>> Call me on a bad time. Councilman Hul,

2:32:45would you like to put that in front

2:32:46[laughter] of

2:32:48>> Of course.

2:32:50>> Here's the here's the information.

2:32:52>> Hungry.

2:32:54>> Is there a second?

2:32:56>> I I'm hungry, too.

2:32:57>> Did you even make

2:32:58>> I think it was a motion to put this

2:32:59issue in front of council and a second.

2:33:01All in favor?

2:33:03>> I.

2:33:03>> Any opposed?

2:33:05>> Mr. Nicholas, any comments you need to

2:33:07make after that?

2:33:08>> Well, first just that it gave me an

2:33:10opportunity to wake up. Uh, so, uh, this

2:33:14this is just a housekeeping thing. Uh,

2:33:17Sheila's [clears throat] gone and Shelby

2:33:19is filling in her massive

2:33:23footprint. So, we're pointing her to

2:33:25this.

2:33:27>> We weren't sure where you're going.

2:33:29[laughter]

2:33:32>> I like to keep you guessing.

2:33:36>> All right.

2:33:38[laughter]

2:33:39and resolution 2026-3

2:33:41in front of you for roll call vote.

2:33:44>> Helston,

2:33:44>> I

2:33:45>> job

2:33:46>> I Peter.

2:33:47>> Hi,

2:33:48>> Lester.

2:33:48>> Hi,

2:33:49>> Lel

2:33:50>> Young.

2:33:51>> Hi.

2:33:51>> Hollers,

2:33:52>> hi.

2:33:52>> Allan,

2:33:53>> I

2:33:53>> douly

2:33:54>> I

2:33:56>> resolution is adopted.

2:33:58>> Great. Item C, resolution 2026.

2:34:04>> All right, council attorney microphone.

2:34:06>> Oh. Resolution

2:34:092026-34.

2:34:12>> A resolution authorizing the city to

2:34:14participate in the interlocal agreement

2:34:16between the city of Jefferson and the

2:34:17county of Cole 2026 burn justice

2:34:20assistance program.

2:34:22>> Councilman Allen, would you like to show

2:34:25Councilman Allers how this is?

2:34:27>> Yes. Councilman Allers, just so that you

2:34:30know for an example, I'd like to make a

2:34:33motion to put this before consideration

2:34:35for the council. Please

2:34:37>> seconded.

2:34:38>> You have a motion to bring this before

2:34:40council. All in favor?

2:34:41>> I.

2:34:42>> Any opposed?

2:34:44>> Please. You don't even want to jump in

2:34:46this group, do you? I

2:34:48>> think you guys are doing awesome.

2:34:49[laughter]

2:34:52>> Any other comments? Thank you. All

2:34:55right. You have resolution 2026-34

2:34:58in front of you for a roll call.

2:35:00>> Joe,

2:35:01>> I Peter.

2:35:02>> Hi.

2:35:03>> Lester.

2:35:04>> Hi.

2:35:04>> Michael. I

2:35:06>> Young

2:35:06>> I

2:35:08>> Allan

2:35:08>> I

2:35:11>> Hazel I

2:35:13>> resolution is adopted.

2:35:14>> All right new business item 15 none.

2:35:17Item 16 unfinished business none. Item

2:35:2017.

2:35:23Oh,

2:35:24>> there already.

2:35:25>> Exactly.

2:35:26>> Got a candy bar over there.

2:35:28>> Like Jeff now, but Mr. Mayor, I move

2:35:30that

2:35:33motion.

2:35:37>> All in favor? Anybody? You may stay.

2:35:42Celebrating. I wait till the very end.

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