City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good morning. The Dayton City Commission meeting will now come to order. Would you all please rise for the invitation and remain standing for the pledge of allegiance and the invocation will be given by Commissioner Joseph this morning. Thank you, Mayor. Dear Lord, thank you for your many blessings. At the start of this day, we pray for your continued blessings on the city, on this gathered body, and all of our residents. Amen. Amen. Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Miss Blackshar, may we please have a roll call this morning?

Mayor Turner Slaw, I. Commissioner Joseph, I. Shaw, I. Bech. Beckham, I. Thank you, Miss Blackshere. May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2026 meeting? So moved. Y second the motion. Your honor. It has been properly moved and seconded to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2026 meeting. All in favor say I. I. All oppose say no. Miss Blackshere, are there any commissions communication, excuse me, or petitions this morning? There are none, your honor. Thank you. May I call to the podium Mr. Donald Bush, Miss McClendon? Good morning, sir. Good morning, ma'am.

Thank you, Miss McClendon. Please proceed

from the sorry from the commission office of the city of Dayton, Ohio. Whereas Donald Bush has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 National Leadership Achievement Award recognizing his exceptional leadership, service, and commitment to the mission of the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association. And whereas his servant leadership extends beyond for formal roles as he invests his time in mentoring emerging leaders, supporting community initiatives, and fostering meaningful relationships that reflect his genuine care for people and public service. And whereas the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public safety and strengthening communities through leadership, education, and collaborative partnerships. And it works closely with local chapters to advance civic engagement and outreach initiatives. And whereas this award stands as a prestigious recognition presented to a chapter leader who exemplifies exceptional leadership and commitment to the mission, priorities, and goals of the FBI and chapter partnership. And whereas as a graduate of the FBI Cincinnati Citizens Academy and former chapter president, he demonstrated vision and integrity by strengthening chapter operations, expanding membership engagement, and strengthening the community. Now, therefore, we the commission of the city of Dayton do hereby proclaim the 22nd of April, 2026 as Donald Bush Day. Congratulations.

Thank you, mayor, members of the commission, city manager, chief of staff, and clerk. When you volunteer, you don't volunteer to get recognized. So, this is very nice. Thank you very much. Uh, receiving the national award was also very nice. Um, very surprising, very humbling, but I would like to say that I didn't get there on my own. Leadership depends on everyone else that you work with. you're just a conduit as a leader. Um, I don't even like to call myself a leader. I like to call myself a representative. Um, during the time with the FBI, Cincinnati Citizens Academy Alumni Association, I had the privilege of working alongside hundreds of dedicated volunteers, the lower 48 counties of Ohio and across this great country. uh partners that included our friends here at the Dayton Police Department have a very close relationship uh with them and community leaders committed service to who are committed to service, trust and partnership and public safety. Together with our FBI partners, we've grown engagement as you said in the proclamation and expanded outreach across Ohio. The work that we do uh involves human trafficking, anti-human trafficking, let me clarify that. Um cyber security, elder fraud, sextortion, and crimes against children. uh not always a positive thing, but having the support there from community leaders like yourself, uh we make a small dent and every small dent is a large larger picture. This recognition is both humbling and it's motivating at the same time. It reinforces the importance of building strong community relationships and investing in the next generation of leaders. So again, I want to thank you for this honor and your continued supports to strengthen the city of Dayton. Thank you.

Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Commissioners, uh, do you have any comments? Commissioner Beckham, do you have any comments? Just congratulations, Mr. Bush. Thank you for your service. Commissioner Fairchild.

Yeah. Uh, yeah, if you want to come back up to the podium so we can see you and you can receive our accolades. You know, I just want to thank you. Your volunteerism, your um, standing in that middle of police and community and um, relations and working constructively to build those is um, admirable and a role model for others. I really appreciate that. One of the things I appreciate most about you, regardless of whether I see you, whether it's in city hall or out in a church or um at the Levit, you have an incredible infect infectious joy about you

and that goes a long way to bringing people to you and along. So, you know, as you talk about in empowering um leadership and volunteerism in the next generation, you are a role model leading the way for that. So, thank you. Thank you, sir. Commissioner Shaw, couldn't say it any better than that. Congratulations and thank you for your service. Thank you, sir. Commissioner Joseph, thank you very my colleagues comments. Thank you very much. It's you never know who you have among you until uh till episodes like this. And I know you don't say it for recognition or you don't do this for recognition, but uh you deserve it and as do probably some other people who uh we probably need to work on recognizing too, but congratulations. We're glad to have you here. Thank you.

Congratulations. I too want to echo my colleagues comments and again you are the epitome of a public servant. So congratulations. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you. We would now like to recognize Miss Regina Blackshere for her 17 years of service to the city of Dayton and wish her congratulations on her retirement. Miss McClendon, please proceed. from the commission office of the city of Dayton, Ohio. Whereas

speaker whereas Regina D. Blackshere has dedicated over 17 years of service to the city of Dayton, including her tenure as clerk of commission since March 17th, 2021. And whereas as clerk of commission, Regina has been the backbone of commission operations, expertly coordinating and managing meetings, maintaining official records, and ensuring that the work of the commission is conducted with efficiency and whereas her attention to detail and unwavering professionalism have been essential to the success of the commission. and her steady presence has earned her trust and appreciation of elected officials, staff, and the public. And whereas throughout her career as a parallegal and public servant, Regina has demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to the city and its residents. And whereas beyond her professional accomplishments, Regina is admired for her creativity and personal touch with her crafting beautiful handmade cards, tending to her garden, and bringing joy to others through her holiday decorating, especially her Christmas trees. And whereas she is a devoted mother and a proud grandmother to four grandsons. And whereas known throughout the city hall for her elegance, style, and grace, Regina embodies a sophisticated lady, leaving a lasting impression. Now, therefore, we, the commission of the city of Dayton, do hereby proclaim the 22nd of April, 2026 as Regina D. Blackshere Day. Congratulations.

Congratulations. Make sure you underscore that fashionista and elegant style. So congratulation. I would now like to call Miss Barb Dosk to the podium. Miss Fleta Jackson and Senator Willis Blackshere, please. Regina Blackshere. It has been a joy and privilege to work beside you over the last decade. Watching you go from parillegal to office manager to clerk of commission was no surprise given your intelligence, work ethic, and tough love. I know that you've collectively made the team better. And on a personal note, I know that you've made me better. Thank you. Welldeserved retirement. I know you'll be jet setting in no time. Congratulations. Wishing you all the best. Good morning, mayor, commissioners,

city manager, this crybaby up here. I'm going to get this all together. So, first of all, um I want to say thank you very much for all that you've done. Um I met Regina. I don't even know how this happened. My son got loose in the p the basement for the workout area. I don't know why. He went to where she was working out and said, "I have a project and I'm on six that needs to be done." Well, in Regina's fashion, she scold him for waiting till the last minute. They don't even know each other. And he came up said, "Mom, this lady her name is." I'm like, "Why did you talk to her?" But Regina got Jonathan together. So, I want to say thank you. Three years later, three years in now, um, Regina and Commissioner Beckham helped me a great deal in this position. And I'm not ashamed to say that it wasn't all written down in in stone what I was supposed to be doing, but the two of them extremely, I have to really say that um, made my life a lot better for the first year and a half. uh they were telling me what to do and you need to go and do this and you should be doing this and I say this publicly. Thank you so very much. I really appreciate you. Uh I really hate that you've committed to retiring but her daughter said it. She always keeps saying it and so she's doing it and we will miss you uh greatly and we appreciate you. Today staff has decided, they made the decision that they would dress up and wear heels for the sophisticated lady. Uh we tried to get the song to get played cuz everybody had a song to describe themselves. And she came up

with sophisticated lady, but because of copyright, we could not do that this morning. So those of you that know it, don't sing it, but y'all know that's Regina. But with that being said, I do want to say to your family who are is in the audience, uh thank you very much for loaning your mom to us, your daughter to us. It's more than a 8 to 5 job. It's some it is stressful many days and it is a lot of work. So to the family, I wanted to definitely say thank you very much for loaning Regina D. Louise Blackshere to this office. So with that being said, thank you again. Thank you.

All right. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.

I wrote my remarks out. Uh trying to be as brief as possible. Um I read a quote from Muhammad Ali that said, "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth." Mom, you serve the city well. Every place where I've been, there's at least one person that has come up to me and said how helpful you were to them. May you find fulfillment in knowing that you've made a difference in the lives of those you've interacted with. Though the days may have been long and not always easy, your light always shine bright and that is something that will be truly missed here at the city. Retirement is not the end, but only the beginning. You worked hard. You've worked hard uh to get to this point, and I know that you won't be sitting around for too long. Uh but I want you to enjoy to enjoy it. Uh, you know, retirement was something uh my dad always talked about. He dreamed about to see you reach this milestone is something he would have been proud of. I can hear him now saying, "Follow the plan. Well, for those of you who knew my father, this this was the PG version. So,

but to close, there's not enough words to say how proud I am of you. Thank you for answering the call of service. Thank you for always putting others before yourself. Thank you for always setting an example for others to follow. And most importantly, thank you for being my mom. I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world. Thank you.

That That was a lot. Yeah. Well, we're not done, Miss Blackshere. So, will you all please join me? Okay. I guess keep it here.

So on behalf of the city of data and my Oh, thank you.

All right. So, on behalf of the city of Dayton, the city commission office, we would like to present to you, Miss Blackshere, this plaque of service. Thank you so much for all of your time and your your service and commitment to the city of Dayton. Congratulations. Thank you. You're welcome. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Linda, do you want to get along with your family as well? One, two, three. The family, please join.

When I practiced that speech, I was crying, but it came up. Do that. Ma'am. Matt. Chris ma'am. Everyone's left. Wow. Adopted. Hi, Jane. Cordell. Come on, Cordell. Come on. Oh, come on. not balanced but okay.

Perfect. We almost there. Miss Black Share. Commissioners, do you have any comments? Commissioner Beckham?

Yes. Thank you, your honor. Uh Regina, it has been a pleasure working with you for feels like a while now. Um I think we kind of arrived in the commission office at the same time uh in these last several years. I just want to thank you for your grace uh your professionalism and more than anything your light uh that you have provided to our office. I will miss having you as part of the team and uh I wish you a wonderful retirement. Get some rest.

Thank you commissioner. Yeah, Miss Bleshier, my comments revolve around 3Ds, details. Your office handles a lot of details and you have done that with exemplary professionalism and um and um uh putting it into process and effectuating it and doing the work that needs to be done and it makes this meeting and the office run very well. So, thank you for um your attention to details. your dedication. I think anyone who knows you knows that you are committed to this city and to this work and to the well-being of our city. So, thank you for your dedication. And finally, I think uh in the proclamation, it was alluded to, but delight. Um you have brightened up the office, um the handmade cards, the coming into the entryway and it being decorated for the seasons really brings um an element of beauty into the office. And uh sometimes this work is hard and we don't have the opportunity to have beauty and you have brought beauty into this work spot space. So thank you and may you have a great retirement.

Thank you Commissioner Shaw Regina. Congratulations on your retirement. Uh really appreciate you for your leadership and leading with grace and excellence uh in this position and also uh your ability to share with others. uh I've seen the way that you've worked with uh the the LAS and and uh preparing them uh for for the future. I just want to thank you for that. It's clear that you're a dedicated professional that you care about this city and we just appreciate you so much uh for the work that you've done over these years and I want to wish you well in your retirement. I know that you're going to uh that you're going to tour the world and and uh I just really hope you uh enjoy yourself. Thank you,

Commissioner Joseph. Thank you, mayor. I want to start by saying uh Miss Jackson mentioned that you had helped uh you and and commissioner had helped her through some tough times at the very beginning, but you were going through some tough times yourself when you came on. Uh you helped this commission, helped the city greatly by working through a very difficult situation when you came on. You were brand new in the position. You had had great experience at the city of course but uh jumping right in fixing things uh coming into a tough situation and helping all of us keep moving dayto-day running meetings dayto-day making sure things got done your organization skills have been mentioned uh your personal personability has been mentioned but uh th those those first few days first few months showed your toughness and and I really do appreciate that that was that was not easy to work through and and you really saved the city a lot of trouble. a lot of trouble. So, uh, I want to lead with that and end with, uh, you're such a great person to have around, the kind of person that you want to work with, uh, the kind of person you hope your your kids grow up to be like, uh, in your professional life and your personal life. Uh, you've been a joy to work with, and I wish you the best retirement.

Thank you, Commissioner. I too would like to echo my colleagues comments. Um, I believe I first met you joining that organization back in 2007 and it was instantly I said, "Oh, she is sharp."

Um, and then to have the the privilege and the honor to work with you again when you were on the second floor. Um, actually was what was that the third floor in the law department serving as a parallegal and then working your way to office manager and then now serving as the clerk of commission. I have uh had the opportunity to witness you progressing your career. Um and so again, it's been a a pleasure and an honor to work with you. Thank you for your attention to detail, the the beautiful handmade cards. Um and again, it has been a joy and I wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors and happy retirement.

Thank you. I'm I'm not going to say much cuz I don't want to get a ugly cry. But this is just the end of a chapter. I'm going to take the rest of this year off to figure out what I'm going to do. I've got some trips planned and you'll see me around. So, don't think this is the end. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Miss Blackshire, and congratulations. This morning, we have two presentations. Miss Dixine, please proceed.

I would like to call to Well, go ahead. First. No, I I don't I'm not sure which presentations you're referencing. Oh, sure. Okay. Well, I would like to call to the podium Miss Michelle Riley. Is that correct? Oh, thank you. Okay. I'm sorry, ma'am. I'm sorry, your honor. I don't have the I wasn't shared the presentation. That's okay. Team work. Just want to get it right sometime.

Thank you, uh, Miss Regina, for again more excellent public service and helping me remember. Uh, this morning we we do have two presentations. We have um a presentation uh with uh University of Dayton to uh come and talk uh uh share a little bit about the experience that um University of Dayton um law enforcement team did with our uh city of Dayton law enforcement team uh for the post St. Patrick's Day party. So I'd like to call forward Sabalis kid to come and make some remarks. Okay.

Thank you. Good morning sir. so much. Um, on behalf of the university, I just want to say and express our sincere gratitude to the city, the city police department for their continued partnership and support. This year's student celebration, St. Patrick's Day celebration was absolutely fantastic. Um it was nothing less than than um great I will say and it was a it's a direct tribute to the relationship of the city of Dayton police, University of Dayton police university as a whole and the city. We're so grateful. We work very closely and we're so grateful to work with city manager um Chief Absel, Chief Henderson. It was we started planning this at the beginning of the year and the collaboration was absolutely superb. At the university we deeply value our relationships that we have cultivated with the city and we are not only working together to enhance safety but we really are strengthening the unity in the community. I would be remissed. I would be remissed if I did not publicly come up here and express our gratitude and thank them for all the planning and not just the planning but the execution of the plan. It's is equally important in the support. So, thank you for your service. Thank you for your service, your partnership, your unwavering commitment and making Dayton a safer and stronger place for all. Thank you.

Thank you, Sarah. Next, I'd like to call forward Michelle Riley. There's been a lot of conversation around uh the Dayton Citizen Assembly, and Michelle, as one of the co-chairs, would like to come and provide some uh uh information regarding that work. Thank you, Miss Dixing. Good morning. I know you just want this morning to be over,

but I have to tell you, I saw you, but I didn't see you, right? I met you at the airport with your son. I live with an elected official and our family is not just fans of your husband, but of your son. And he uh comes forward often, even before he had his seat uh to help us hand out food to our neighbors who are hungry. So, I can only tell you that the children that you raise uh speaks volume for the woman that you are. I'm thrilled cuz I was really nervous to come up here, but you know, this was such a wonderful tone. So, congratulations to you. Yeah.

So, I'm going to stick to the script and I'm nervous. Um, so I'm going to read our prepared statement, but we're here because we promise to keep you in the loop ongoing. Uh, we missed you at the meeting. Um, so I'm going to read where we're at today because we had some date changes. So, we want to make sure you have uh everything you need. And at the end of my statement, if you have additional questions, we'll just keep coming back um so that we can make sure that we're authentic and deliberate for everything that we say. So, good morning, commissioners. Good morning, mayor. Good morning, uh chief of staff and clerk.

Dayton deliberates is a new way for randomly selecting students. I'm going to give you context first. for randomly selecting residents from across the city of Dayton to come together to learn, deliberate, deliberate, and make recommendations to the city. This year's Dayton will hold its first ever citizens assembly, an innovation new to the United States. Dayton is once again pioneering a first for community engagement and democracy. The Dayton City's Assembly will be followed by a deliberative town hall conducted by Ohio State University's Institute of Democratic Engagement and Accountability, the first Citizens Assembly to do so in the world. Updates. The new kickoff date for Citizens Assembly will be June 6th. This new kickoff date reflects a commitment to a thorough and transparent process by ensuring a large enough pool of residents and responsiveness to partners that ask for more time to engage in the assembly. The assembly sessions will occur on June 6th, the 13th, the 20th, July 18th, and August 1st. We would like to invite you to welcome the assembly delegates on June 6th and congratulate delegates at the end of the assembly on August 1st. A memo will be provided to you for with all these details and they will also be on the website. Ohio State University idea IDA conducted a survey and response to identify a pool of residents that will make up the assembly and town hall. Delegates will be notified shortly of their opportunity to participate. OSU Idea sent out over 30,000 mailings with follow-up text messages and intentional additional outreach to neighborhoods that have been historically underrepresented.

We have received many inquiries about how we came to select the topic of West Dayton Public Hospital. Our partners at OSU IDEA have created a document that outlines the process for how the topic was selected and is publicly available on the Dayton deliberates website. A learning committee has been established for the citizens assembly. This committee stands side by side with the advisory committee to review the learning materials that the delegates will receive. The learning committee is integral to the assembly process. Overall, they are ensuring a balanced and fair learning process that ensures delegates make informed recommendations. Back to you. Anyone that is wanting more information can search for Dayton Citizens Assembly on the city's website and sign up for regular updates or you can email dayton deliberates@gmail.com. We are also preparing a memo on the topic selection process. We would like the city and commissioners to review. Feedback on that will be again presented to you publicly. Um if you have questions, what we'd like to ask as we keep coming forward and it'll be often and as much as you need and you request, we will gather the questions and then come back and answer them so that we have time to thoroughly look at and and evaluate what you need. Do we have any questions today? I'm so nervous. I don't know why you make me so nervous.

I'm usually not nervous in front of of a mic and they don't like me to go off script. So, uh, does anybody have any questions today for the Yes, I'm sure we have some questions and comments. Commissioners, Commissioner Beckham. Um, actually no questions, your honor. Michelle, uh, just thank you for being here and further clarifying the process. uh look forward to uh monitoring it and you know the um the development of the process further uh you know of course uh meeting the goals of of this work. So thank you. Good to see you. We missed you when we presented. So if you need us to present or come to you, please let us know. I certainly will. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Fairchild. Good morning.

Good morning. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your service. Thank you for accepting this role. um like the next critical um piece is going to be how the question that's going to be put before the public assembly I guess you call it the mandate or the remitt um when can we expect to see that and who is making the who's deciding on the wording of that uh mandate

great that's a great question um and you'll see part of the process I don't want to get ahead of that is that we're going to submit to you how that's done and we're going to submit to after they're selected. They've not been notified yet. the process as I understand it and we we're going to submit all this in writing and again they probably don't want me answering these questions but from what I understand and we've been working on this a year just to bring it forward to you is that once the qu you know once they have the uh wording of the question and it's been submitted to you that we will then go back and have an educational piece where everyone who has a say or feels they need or who previously had a say in this will be invited invited to speak and we'll and we'll have learning groups. Then that's why we have five different sessions and then it'll process from there and each time we'll come back. I hope that as many of you as possible can actually show up that day when they get these instructions. Um so that it'll be forward facing.

Yeah. Um how will the recommendations at the end be processed? Will the citizen assembly themselves create those recommendations?

Yes. Yes. And they'll be written. That's why we have three different uh consultants, I guess, is the correct word, right? Because this is a new process for us. Um and that's why we're working with both Ohio State and Unifi. So, they will bring that back to you. And these are recommendations. I want to be clear about that, right? Um after everyone's been heard, um and I'm hoping that they've thought of something that we all haven't thought of, right? Uh so that we can move the process forward. And what role will staff have in kind of creating those recommendations?

The to my knowledge staff does not have a role just like we as co-chairs do not have a role. I'm going to try to show up at it myself because I want to learn, right? Because stand for common ground, right? So um FID and IDA won't like take what residents have said and write the recommendations and then bring them back. Oh yes. Oh yes. That's a but that is a give and take process through the five meetings. Okay. But on August 1st we'll have the recommendations. August 1st or shortly thereafter. Yes.

I don't want to get again I don't want to get ahead of the process part of the five meetings is to put together the process to keep coming back to you and telling how we did it and to make those things public. Okay. Um, and then how was the advisory board committee? When was that selected and how was that selected? I'd asked this in the past and I hadn't gotten an answer.

Absolutely. And so how I got s how I I can only guess how I got um chosen. Brandon and I got chosen. Um, I mean I our our nonprofit is a on paper $33 million nonprofit that serves both Democrats and Republicans in 45417. Additionally, I raised my children in 45406. Anybody who reads the paper knows that historically our area has been disinvested in. So, I'm assuming I came as a voice of the neighbors that we serve who are hungry. And I think Brandon's uh his resume speaks for his

right. I'm not I mean it's clear that you know you have a lot of um your resume is outstanding and you have the qualifications. I'm curious like who asked you and when did they ask you to serve on the advisory board.

So Mike Squire who's in head of your community engagement u met with me and asked if I was interested. I got to tell you, I was scared to death to say yes, right? Because I agree and believe that the disinvestment in the hospital is extremely important. I also am the voice in the face of the food bank. So, it took me a long time to say yes because it could put me at odds, right? I'm I'm not picking any fights with any of you. I'm just bringing recommendations back. But, it was a process where they met with us several times to talk about Dayton deliberates. We at the food bank held something called common ground where we invited political parties, women. We had three nights of talks and you had to bring somebody whose voice and heart you believed in that was the opposite party of you and out of those talks we had tremendous things happen

and so it was the process that I fell in love with. Um and we learned about that. So they were trained, Mike and his crew um were trained in Akran with uh the Democracy Project Citizens Assembly. Yeah. Thank you. And did I am I answering your questions? Yeah. Yeah. And like roughly when was that? A year ago. A year ago. Yeah. The process started a year ago. Okay. And uh March I think it was March, correct? Yeah. And the whole advisory the whole advisory board was selected again? No, it was just Brandon and I in the beginning.

Okay. And when were the other members brought on? So I Mike and Barb came to us and then Debbie was added maybe three months ago because again uh Debbie Chess is with the library her role represents the citizens um and they and they at the library so she was brought on. Okay. And Mike Squire invited everyone to be on Yes. Okay. Great. Thank you. You're welcome. Yes. Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Shell, Michelle, thank you for uh agreeing to serve on this. You are the right person, Brandon, as well in my opinion. Um it's really remarkable that you accepted this responsibility with all the other

Hold that breath while my board weighs in on that. Right. Right. But no, I I think that this is a great process and I appreciate the way that you're kind of laying it out today, but I also look forward to the updates uh that you will be bringing us in the future. I think that um the selection of this hospital conversation when I first uh heard about the citizens assembly I I immediately thought wow this would be a great process to identify how to move forward with with um with this hospital plan or process. So I just again want to thank you for your service and look forward to hearing your updates in the future. Thank you Commissioner Joseph.

Thank you Mayor. I just want to echo my colleagues thanks for doing this. This is uh this is a role you had to know when taking it that was going to be thankless. U so front we'll give you a little bit of thanks here. Uh it's a fascinating process. I'm really curious how it plays out. I know I'm not allowed to be involved in it all but uh I really look forward to your updates. I look forward to following the process because if it works well it could be a model for uh citizen engagement, increasing citizen engagement and frankly finding new solutions to problems that are uh that are very tough. So look forward to the process. I appreciate you taking this on. and you and Brandon, I'm sure, will do a great job. Uh, and we're here to support you as you need it. So, thank you. Thanks.

Thank you. Thank you, Miss Riley, for being here this morning. And congratulations. And once again, thank you for committing to um taking on this role outside of your many other obligations. I think it does speak to your sentiments and your commitment to the community as a whole. So, again, thank you for signing up for such a uh a very involved process and an initiative. I do have a couple for being so brave. It is it's it's right. It's it's a brave move because I have great faith that the citizens are going to think of things that we can't so that we can make it successful. So, thank you.

Absolutely. I do have a couple questions. The first is in regards to when and not to get into weeds, but I'm just really truly want to understand how in fact the advisory committee was selected. I understand that you received a call from Mr. Squire who initiated um the the interest for you to be a part of the advisory board. So I guess my question is not necessarily directed to you. It's more so to Mr. Squire who made the determination as to how and who would be selected for the initial advisory committee. So I don't know if that's a question for Miss Dix or Mr. Squire if you want to address the podium. Do you have do you have any more questions? You do. Okay.

Yes. Thank you, Miss Riley.

Good morning, Mayor Commissioners. Uh, yeah, I appreciate the question. Uh, I would say there's a bit of organic nature of how the advisory committee came together. It's a combination of, uh, identifying Brandon, Michelle as co-chairs and then bringing on partners that uh, both are active in the work of democracy. So uh an example might be Marjan Assassi who you heard from uh through Feday North America and part of her role is to provide uh and you know inform the process and be on the advisory committee. Um and similar to others uh that came on a few of our advisory members are here today Dr. forward uh Valerie Lemie. Um and so I would say that there's a bit of informal process to that and organic nature of people that were doing the work that are partners uh have stepped up as as the Dayton Metro Library is a partner in this um and uh Ketering Foundation and others so that I can provide you a timeline uh of when people came on uh and then obviously a I think we on our website we have a full listing of who is on uh the advisory committee but would be happy to provide that that list and then kind of timeline of of who had came uh who came on to the advisory committee. I can provide that to the city manager. Uh and then what I would add to that is the learning committee. Uh as Michelle mentioned is a um a partner in the process. And what I think can be misconstrued is that uh the that the learning committee is a a subcommittee of the advisor committee. And that is not true. the the learning committee advisory committee stand side by side in this process and we are actively um inviting people onto the learning committee. As an example, the the clergy community coalition um and others that have our stakeholders uh particularly in the West and Public

Hospital so that they can directly inform the learning and the education of the delegates. um they'll be called on to review materials ahead of time, potentially called on to speak directly to the delegates. Uh and so what I would would say is the learning committee is actually some of the most influential people in the process because they are face toface with the delegates and the material that's being learned whereas the advisory committee is kind of overseeing and ensuring the integrity, the transparency of the process um and providing uh you updates along the way. Thank you. Yeah, I appreciate that. But you still didn't answer my question.

My question is in regards to how in fact the advisory committee was established. How were the two names identified in that process? Were you directed to identify those two members? explain to us how in fact those individuals are were identified outside of their resume, outside of their commitment, which is all stellar, which I wholly agree with, wholeheartedly agree with, but again, were you directed? How were those two identified to lead as the advisory committee?

Sure. No, not not directed to to particularly select them. Uh Brandon and Michelle in particular. Um, so no, I wouldn't wouldn't say that was a a direction given. Uh, I I'm calling on a year ago. Um, and before we knew the public hospital was the topic, by the way. Um, but yeah, no, not not directed. We felt like and as we looked at Michelle and Brandon in particular that they embodied the values of what the assembly could bring and they uh brought uh respect in the community um and a neutrality to the process first before the topic was selected. Um and so that yeah that that would be that would be what I would say and again I'm happy to provide like a de detail that

who is we who is we when you say organically we establish and we wanted to identify absolutely uh so a combination of talking with uh staff certainly with the city manager um with uh Barb dose uh and then the people that are invol have been involved in the process so talking with uh Marjan and Feday North America uh and folks like that that have expertise in citizens assemblies and were able to say, you know, obviously they do not know the people in Dayton, but they were able to say, "Hey, these are qualities that you should look for." Um and and that kind of thing. So that would be we

thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you very much. So I will tell you uh that I do have some concern which I have raised this prior to

in uh previous conversations as well as the work session. I am very excited that the city of Dayton is uh participating in this initiative. I think the citizens assembly is a remarkable u model. It is something that will definitely uh raise um credibility to the organization in outlining and upholding our mission and goals of the organization. My concern is that with the the the call for transparency, I want to make sure that we hold true to that and I want to make sure that that is clearly identified and that there are no um confusion as the process. there's no ambiguity as to who provides the level of support and who would lead the initiative overall. So with that my ask and I'm so so very glad to hear that the um I believe you call it the participation the learning committee the learning committee I'm glad that that has been established. I am so glad and appreciative that the CCC is now at the table. I am glad that uh Dr. Forward is at the table. I ask that you will also invite others maybe it is Black Lives Matter maybe it is others who are uh doing the work in the community to be a part of the the learning committee so they can be inately involved in the in the process itself. The other thing that I will ask is that in past practice when you look at other various different models from the city of Akran, I would ask that someone from the mayor's office is a part of the the learning committee or the advisory committee so that we too can be engaged and have their the full transparency as to the conversation and have a a clear outline of all of the various different milestones that you all are set out to accomplish throughout

the next couple of months. And then the other thing that I will ask is in the future when you present anything before this body as well as to the public please provide us with a presentation whether that is a um a few slides uh a document something that we can follow along with as well as the the public and I know we're still in the beginning stages and a lot of things are still evolving but even the presentation that was provided to us during the work session would have been extremely helpful to outline the milestones and the dates and the course of correction that you all have now uh adopted to. So, thank you for your leadership. I'm very excited about the CA. I think there's a couple of areas that we need to tweak, but nonetheless, we have uh some stellar partners that are a part part of this process. So, I look forward to hearing the recommendations.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much, Miss Riley. I really appreciate you being here this morning. Thank you for your leadership. You're welcome. And I I also want to offer um clearly um you have some concerns and I want to offer at any given time if one I don't want to speak for Brandon, but if you have someone else or you need me to step away because of my work, you just need to ask.

No, no, not at all. We want you a part of the advisory committee. We just want to be clear as to the selection process because from my understanding the model speaks to uh at arms length if you will of the government's involvement. And so we want to make sure that we hold true to that. I see. So by no means are we questioning your uh your ability to to lead this initiative and to act as uh one of the co-chairs for the the advisory committee. However, we would just want to make sure that we are practicing what we preach, what is laid out on paper, and we want to hold true to the model itself of the citizens and simply. So, no, you are the perfect person.

Thank you. Thank you, Miss Riley. Miss Blackshar, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this morning? I have none, your honor. Miss Dixine, are there any additions, deletions, or comments to the calendar this morning? Your

your honor, I have no additions or deletions to this morning's calendar. I do have several items I would like to highlight. Uh the first is item number two, which is a service agreement with Entree Consulting Services. This is a uh contract uh for three years of $600,000 to support the uh really critical work now that goes along with implementation of our ERP process. Just as a highlight, our um ERP RFP is coming to a close uh this week. we should have should be elevating to the um entity that we will be um seeking an award of contract with. Uh there is certainly a lot of negotiation that can be a lengthy process. We're hoping to have that done by the end of the summer so that we can stay on target for fall implementation. But this contract will provide critical uh services around alignment of business critical systems, ensuring tech requirements are met, um critical project management, uh training, data governance, implementation support, testing coordination, go live activity coordination, and and most importantly, post-implementation assistance as we get uh to implementation and then have to continue with tweaks. or adjustsments, etc. So, we're excited to bring this forward. This is being funded from general fund and from much of that um investment money that we have been putting aside for years to support this really critical operation. Item number three is a service agreement with John R. Jurgensson Company. This is our CDBG asphalt resurfacing program

with uh 2020 for 2026. Uh you will see we had a 25% HUD section 3 uh and 5% targeted worker labor hour participation goal which we met both of those. Uh this will provide residential streets and uh pavement for residential streets and alleys in the neighborhoods of Lynen Heights, Midtown, University Park, South Park, Wright View, Westwood, Edgemont, Historical, Inner East, Old North, Dayton, Riverdale, and Roosevelt. There will be a map um probably by the end of the week on our website for residents if they want to drill in on the details to see exactly where uh that street paving and alley paving is occurring. Um item number eight is an ordinance uh ordinance number 32184-26 that expands and modernizes the CRA district to in in east inner east to uh a 15-year 100% abatement which makes it consistent with the rest of our CRA districts. So that is an important alignment and opportunity to continue to attract investment into our um neighborhoods in on the east side of Dayton like we had did years ago for the West Dayton CRA district. And then finally um item number um or emergency resolution number 6926-26 is an emergency resolution objecting to the issuance of liquor uh permit associated with reserve on 3. This is an emergency because um objections for renewals have to be postmarked by May

1st to the um Ohio State Liquor Board. There has been a lot of conversation and I just received confirmation our law department has confirmed with uh reserves attorney that reserve is very interested and um supportive of entering a good neighbor agreement which we think is really important to involve all of those property owners and businesses around the reserve which have voiced concerns throughout this process and they are sincerely interested interested in resolving these issues so that associated with the club so that you know everybody can continue to go forth and prosper in a in a great community. So to help describe the highlevel process of this um to remind the community what that process looks like when we're looking at liquor license objections. Um I would like to call forward Alyssa Shriner from our law department who is the lead on this activity in the law department. Good morning, mayor, commissioners, city manager, clerk.

Good morning. Um, so as we spoke previously, um, if the city objects to the renewal of this liquor permit, um, renewals are a little different than new applications for liquor permits. Um, once if the city objects, it then gets set for a hearing. And that setting that hearing, it can be a matter of few months before that actually takes place. After the hearing, it's usually about 30 days before we get the decision on whether our objection is sustained or overruled. During that entire time, the business can continue to operate as usual until or unless the city's objection is actually sustained. Um, as um our city manager explained, it seems as though the reserve on third is open to working on a good neighbor agreement, which is great. Um, but it does take time to come up with the terms of that agreement to try to address everyone's concerns in ways that are actionable, measurable, that kind of thing. Um, and we will work on that in the next few months. Um, in the past, the division of liquor has been definitely has worked with us. If they if the division of liquor knows that we're working on a good neighbor agreement, they've been willing to kick out that hearing further to give us even more time to work on those agreements. They're definitely not against us working on those agreements. Are there any questions that I can address?

I do. I will turn to my colleagues though because I want to Commissioner Beckham, do you have any questions or comments?

Thank you, your honor. I have uh a few. Um, for one, I just want to clarify, um, that in situations like this, uh, our ability to make known to the liquor, the state liquor board that we are working on a good neighbor agreement, uh, allows them to, uh, give us the the timeline to get to that good neighbor agreement. I wouldn't want a situation um where we approve the objection with the intent to reach a good neighborhood agreement uh noting that um the business can operate normally. Mhm.

Uh but then the state sustains it immediately or something to that effect. And I think that's abnormal, but I want to make sure that we do what we need to do to make known to the state that the goal is to reach a good neighbor agreement. Sure. So I don't think they even could sustain our objection until that hearing because they don't have any evidence at that point. That hearing is when we present evidence to support our objection and the permit holder there and is able to present evidence to argue for theirs and we would bear the burden in that hearing to put forward the evidence. So they wouldn't have that evidence until that hearing. Um the way we set up hearings, the division of liquor contacts um myself and the permit holder to with a few dates say, "Hey, when does this when would this work for you all and if we're working on agreement, we'll tell them that and usually try to pick a further out date." So, they're very open to working with us on that.

I appreciate you clarifying that. And I just want to say um I appreciate uh the owners, Ed and Aaron, being here today. Um, I think it is in all of our best interest to make sure this business uh can continue to operate and reaches a good neighbor agreement that is uh suitable right uh for all the parties involved. And uh I just want to lift them up as uh business owners that are striving to make our downtown more lively and vibrant and provide a community space uh for young people. But we want to do that of course uh in a way that uh makes sure that everyone uh is secure uh and feels comfortable. Uh so thank you uh for providing this clarity and uh those are all my questions. Thank you your honor.

Thank you commissioner. Commissioner Fairchild. Yeah a question of clarity. um when the date of the hearing is set, what's the time window like is it sure 30 days, 14 days? For reference, excuse me. Um our last last year, we had the two objections. One hearing was set in July and the other was set in August. When we get contacted by the division of liquor to set up that hearing, it's usually about 30 days out. So, and it can be longer if they know we're working on this. So that's and I don't know that it'll be exactly the same timing as last year, but that's my best guess.

Can the commission be notified when the status of the good neighbor relationship and the setting of that hearing if we ever get to the point where it's set so that we can review whether it was a good faith effort to reach the good neighborhood agreement. Um and and we would have, if I understand this right, we would have the opportunity then to pass another resolution to withdraw. I mean, in either case, whether we get the good neighborhood agreement or not, the commission has the power to adopt another resolution withdrawing our objection. Exactly. Okay.

Um in order, so after the cooperation agreement, I I do prefer to have it signed by both parties and actually be in place and I would present uh prepare legislation and recommend withdrawing that objection. Um and I can give you updates kind of more on the status of that good neighbor agreement.

Great. Um and then just in a um in this particular case, my understanding is the business has been open to working with police and other entities to resolve these issues. And their impression is that I guess this is a question for city manager. Their impression is that we haven't been good partners in trying to resolve these issues. And so I don't know if there's an opportunity to go back and review what's happened um what kind of interactions our police have had with these owners and the landlord and kind of look and I don't think our mediation center has been involved and it seems like this would be a really good place for our mediation center to have been activated at some point. And so I'm curious if we could go back and and review and see if we had an opportunity prior to this moment to um do a little mediation.

Um I can certainly talk to their attorney and that's often some input I would get from them.

Yeah. And I I spoke with uh Miss Dosi this morning and I wonder if we can review our process because my understanding is um the owners didn't get notified until relatively recent that an objection was coming. And it really seems like we have opportunity to try to remedy the issues before they get worse and before we get to this location. If there's some place in the process where we can, you know, let business know that we're heading on this path, give the opportunity for mediation or correction. And um so I would ask that we review that process and see if we can't modify it in a way that prevents us from getting to this this place.

Sure. We have to be careful not to not for it to be perceived as a threat that you know we're going to you know so we it it is a balance for that but that sure that makes sense. Well I think our mediation center could be really helpful in in not in creating a way to do it so it doesn't come across as a threat. Sure. Yeah. Great. Thank you. My um my colleagues have addressed any questions that I would have had and then we had the briefing last week, so I'm I'm I'm clear. Thank you, Commissioner Shaw. Commissioner Joseph, thank you, Mayor. Yeah, you answer my questions in our briefing. So, thank you. Great. Thank you.

Uh I do have one clarifying question. So it will be noted that again um you will provide the law department will provide a notice a memo to the state liquor board to acknowledge that the applicant that the owner and the applicant are in support of a cooper cooperation agreement a good neighbor agreement and that will lay out all of the particulars. Now with that noted on record that there is a cooperative agreement in place, does that does the state liquor board can it in fact preempt the process in terms of can it override being that the um the law department, the city and the applicant have a cooperative agreement in device.

I've never seen it happen. Okay.

I I can't imagine. Um they the way it would work is we would be sending the resolution withdrawing our objection. I don't think there's much more inquiry on their end from it. I would have been um talking to an attorney from the division of liquor explaining what our pro what's going on with working out a cooperation agreement and they've kind of like how we described before. They wouldn't sustain our objection unless or until we put forward at a hearing all the evidence and arguments about why we why this should be sustained, why under the statute there is a basis to um for their renewal to not be renewed. I'm sorry, their permit to not be renewed. So, I I don't see how I don't understand. I don't think it could operate that way. Um once we withdraw our objection, there is no objection to be heard.

Okay, that's fair. Thank you. Yes. And again, from your understanding and having conversations with the the applicant and the owner's attorney, they are fully aware of what the process will look like in terms of it go before the state the liquor uh commission state board. They will then determine the outcome giving the the 30 days um and then from there as well as noting that they are in support of the cooperative agreement. So, and I know that's third party, but again, I just wanted it to be noted that our law department has had communications with their attorney and fully understand the process.

Their attorney has been in a murder trial all week and has not been able to do a phone call. Okay. Um, and he requested that we that I um I talked to him via email. So, I have not been able to go over at length the entire process, but he is an attorney who works at a he's a very competent attorney and he works a large firm. Um, and if he is not aware of, you know, every single little detail of the step, I will be um once he is out of trial and able to communicate more, I will definitely be talking with him more about that. Thank you, Miss Shriber. I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

All right. Thank you. Miss Blackshere, are there any citizens that are registered to speak on calendar items this morning?

Your honor, one citizen has registered to speak. I would like to state that there is a threeminut time limit. As you address this commission, we ask that you state your name and address for the record. At that time, I will turn on the green light. When the green light comes on, you will have three minutes to speak. After you have spoken 2 and 1/2 minutes, a yellow light will come on. You will have 30 seconds remaining to speak. When the red light comes on, you will be asked to cease your comments and to take your seat. To the audience in attendance, please be mindful this is a business meeting, and we kindly request that during this portion of the meeting. You refrain from any hand clapping, finger snapping, and conversations that prevent the city commission from hearing the speaker's comments. I call to the podium Erin Patt Parrot.

Hi, good morning. Your name and address for the record? Yes. Um, my name is Aaron. Uh, last name is Parrot. I've listed our business address, well, one of them, which is 452 East 3rd Street, Dayton, Ohio, 45402. You may begin. All right. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning,

commissioners, mayor, city manager, and congratulations on your retirement. Although this is not ideally the type of conversation I planned on having in front of the commission board, I am all the while thankful for an opportunity to bridge the gap of misunderstanding and finding a collaborative resolution. Now, I want to give just some brief background, three minute brief. Over the course of the last four years, Ann and myself, we've invested over a million and a half dollars in downtown. Um, we first started off with our store after 5, which is also an event space in the fire blocks. We then moved on to form an entertainment venue that would meet the likes of a large city like a Cleveland, like a Miami and a Vegas. And that club is the reserve on third. We are currently developing real estate we purchased last year on Main and Monument. What we feel like will become one of the biggest highlights of downtown. It's a three-level concept featuring the city's truly I will say it's truly um riverfront rooftop bar and restaurant and that is called Parlay on the river. Um this project in its completion will be over a $2 million investment by us in the main corridor. Our goal has always been to attract suburbanites, local Daytonians and visitors from all areas of the country. And then further down the years, we do plan on investing and respsparking an area on the central main street corridor that has lacked some attention for a while. So I say all of these things to give a bigger picture of who we are as business owners, who we are as stewards of the community when it comes to economic development in the city of Dayton. I myself am a Dayton public school graduate. I graduated from Styiver School of the Arts. I will not divulge the year, but you know, and I also want to mention that since our opening in 2024, The Reserve has been Ohio's number one selling tequila

establishment. What that means is that we have outpaced larger establishments and more metropolitan cities. And what that has done for Dayton is it has shown large liquor divisions like the Diagio brand and R&DC that Dayton is a place and a hub that can create commerce and bring people in and generate revenue. Reserve is an example of what downtown and Dayton proper can be. Now we have always made it a priority to operate our business in a collaborative manner specifically with the Dayton police. We understand the responsibility that comes with operating and we always will take that serious. Now what we are asking asking for today is collaboration and fairness. We ask that our business be evaluated based on facts and on the full picture of what we've contributed not just isolated perceptions. We strongly believe we can work as a unit towards the common goal of making and sustaining a thriving and diverse downtown Dayton. I thank you for your time and your consideration.

Thank you, Miss Peret. Thank you. That concludes the speaker on calendar items, your honor. Thank you, Miss Blackshere. Commissioners, are there any comments to the city manager's recommendations this morning? Commissioner Beckham, I have none, your honor. Commissioner Fairchild, I have none, your honor. Commissioner Shaw, Commissioner Joseph,

I can't let the ERP by without saying something. Thank you, city manager. It's been years years in the making, well over a decade of talking about this. Uh I just want uh to you please thank you personally for for your work toward this. This is a talking of thankless tasks today. Uh rationalizing data and pulling it together in ways that we can use in the future is is great. It's it's wonderful for the city. It's going to save us time and money, but doing it is very tough and nobody really wants to do that. So I appreciate you doing this the right way. We're bringing on people who know what they're talking about. Uh and I just want you and the staff to know that uh we're looking forward to the results of this commission has been wise in putting away money every year to to pay for this uh because the future benefits will outweigh all the money by many times that we put away. So looking forward to the results of this. We know it's going to be a tough process, but thank you for jumping in.

You're welcome.

Thank you, Commissioner. Just have a couple of uh brief comments. I too want to echo Commissioner Joseph's comments in regards to the ERP. Thank you so much for bringing this forward. Again, I know this has been a a long process, but again, the commitment of the staff and your leadership speaks to why this is such a a value and the timing and all of the various different um investments that we have made to make sure that this is is successful. So, congratulations and thank you for bringing this forward. also to the uh the number of resurfacing CDBG asphalt. Again, thank you for highlighting the number of neighborhoods that will be repaved throughout the the spring and summer uh season. So, happy to see that before us. The last thing that I wanted to mention in regards to the the liquor permit, uh the objecting to the liquor permit, uh that is emergency resolution number 6926-26. Thank you, Miss Peret, for being here as well as the uh Mr. um uh your name escapes me. I apologize.

Ed last name.

Mr. Ed, Mr. Ed, thank you, sir. Thank you very much for being here as well as your your business partner. We appreciate your commitment. Thank you for highlighting your commitment in terms of economic development down in our core um which is in fact a um the the economic engine and allows us to do all the various different things in the neighborhoods. Um and I know those are the sentiments of my colleagues. I do um again we understand that there is a healthy balance that go along with that to making sure that we we're complimenting what we see downtown as well as in all of our neighborhoods surrounding neighborhoods. But I just want to applaud you for being here this morning and also uh being very open and uh receptive to the idea of a cooperative agreement and understand that this objection is no no foul or no um no dismiss by no means to your commitment that has been made to the downtown area. but understand that we are in the process of making sure that uh all of the various different concerns are in fact will be addressed through the cooperative agreement. So I just want it to be noted that you fully understand the process and that the objection again is not to uh stall the business or the uh the sale of liquor at your establishment. and thank you for highlighting the Dayton area and I don't know if the number one tequila sale in the state but again if you're in that industry that is something remarkable to be noted for. Um but I want you to truly understand the process itself. So um I look forward to uh joining my colleagues on the on the recommendation before us. Um and that's all the comments that I have in regards to the the commission the the um city manager's recommendation, excuse me. So, may I have a motion to approve the city manager's recommendations this morning?

Mayor, I move that we adopt the city manager's calendar recommendations. Second, your honor. It's been properly moved and seconded to approve the city manager's recommendations. All in favor say I. I. All oppose, say no.

Legislation, Miss Blackshair, please. First reading emergency resolution number 6926-26 objecting to the issuance of liquor permit number 073 08480 renewal reserve on third LLC doing business as reserve on third 452 East 3rd Street Dayton Ohio 45402 and declaring an emergency. being declared an emergency. I move for the immediate passage of resolution number 6926-26. Second the motion, your honor.

It has been properly moved and seconded to approve the emergency resolution number 6926-26. All in favor? I. All oppose. Second reading. Emergency resolution number 6926-26. Objecting to the issuance of liquor permit number 073 08480 renewal Reserve on third LLC doing business as reserve on third 452 East 3rd Street Dayton Ohio 45402 Mayor Turner Sloths I Commissioner Joseph I Shaw Hi Fairchild Hi Beckham

I Emergency Resolution 6926 6-26 has been adopted with five votes in favor. First reading emergency resolution number 6927-26 placing a temporary moratorum not to exceed 180 days on the acceptance and processing of applications for zoning occupancy andor building permit approvals for data centers within the city of Dayton, Ohio and declaring an emergency. Your honor, resolution number 6927-26 being declared an emergency. I move for its immediate passage. Second the motion, your honor.

It has been properly moved and seconded to approve emergency resolution number 6927-26. All in favor say I. I. I. All oppose say no. Second reading, emergency resolution number 6927-26, placing a temporary moratorum not to exceed 180 days on the acceptance and processing of applications for zoning, occupancy, andor building permit approvals for data centers within the city of Dayton, Ohio. Mayor Turner Sllosi, Commissioners Joseph, Hi. Shaw, hi. Fairchild. Hi,

Beckham. I

emergency resolution number 6927-26 has been adopted with five v five votes in favor. First reading, ordinance number 32183-26 to vacate the alley south of Zena Avenue from Filillmore Street to Steel Avenue and the alley east of Filillmore Street from the alley south of Zena Avenue to the vacated Noel Court. First reading ordinance number 32184-26. repealing portions of ordinance number 30421-05 and establishing and describing the boundaries of the inner east community reinvestment area in the city of Dayton. First reading resolution number 6928-26 declaring the intention of the commission to vacate the alley east of South Main Street from the alley south of East 6th Street to 106.54 ft south of the alley south of East 6th Street. And that concludes legislation, your honor.

Thank you, Miss Blackshair. Are there any citizens that are registered to speak this morning? Four citizens have registered and I would like to remind everyone of the 3minut time limit. I call to the podium Greg West. Good morning. Greg West 1320 Kingsley Avenue Dayton Ohio 45406. Good morning, Commissioner Mayor, city manager, and a retiree. Congratulations.

Thank you. Um, today I'm coming uh I've already put up flyers, sent them up there to you guys to announce that we will be having a community meeting for um in the North Riverdale area in the Riverdale area talking about the violence interrupture program that we're doing to inform the community of what we're doing, where we're located at, so that there will not be still the misconception in the general public that we're supposed to be covering the whole city, but we are only covering one section of the city right now, North Riverdale. It will be anformational um panel going on. Well, informational meeting for the ones who um food motivates you. Free food will be there for the community, but I I would like to get the information out. This will be at 9:25 North Main, April 30th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. U so please get the word out, have as many people attend as possible so that we can let the public know that the program is up and running. We have boots on the ground in the community. we're visible and doing what we're supposed to do so that you know any questions that they have, they have a ch a chance to come and um ask those questions to them. Second thing, I I've already given you guys the flyers for the um our our youth baseball game that we do every year. Commissioner Fairchild, Mayor, thank you for your support already. Um I'm I'm challenging the other three. Pull out your wallets. you have there, you already have the flyers, but if you need me to resend you the link, I will because the cuto off date is uh the 27th of this month. The game will be in May this year cuz we didn't want to do it in April cuz the weather's been iffy over the last couple years. This will be our fourth one. And over the uh previous three years, we've taken over 200 I want to say 210 youth to a baseball game who've never attended a Dayton Dragons game. So, I'm challenging you three and also whoever's watching on YouTube to please get with us to buy some tickets so that we can take more youth to the baseball game. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. West.

Zakiyia Sankara Jabar. Good good morning. Good morning Sankara Jabar 2426 Jerome 45417. Thank you. Good morning mayor and commissioners. Good morning.

I'm here again this morning. Uh I won't get into the data and the meat of everything that I have sent already uh via email on why I'm here today. So I will speak directly from a heart posture uh this morning on why I'm here and ask you all to observe uh the t-shirt that I am wearing. I am here again and I have to say um I have moved back home temporarily. Okay? And I'm going to be here until the status quo is broken. I'm not leaving this city until the status quo is broken. And what I mean by that is that from what I have observed both near and far, there's only two people at this day as working for the community. That is Mayor Sloth and Commissioner Fairchild. That's the two people that I see near and far that's consistently worked for the community, for the people that voted for all of you all to be here. Now, this city manager, Miss Dixine, has been here for 10 years. She was here before I left. Okay. Now, the city, I have the opportunity to not live here anymore and to come back and watch the deterioration of the neighborhoods, including of the neighborhood that I grew up in, which is in Northwest Dayton off of Free Pike, where my great aunt, the great Crayola Reese, an unsung hero in this community. I have watched her neighborhood continue to deteriorate. Why y'all invest $2.5 billion downtown? $2.5 billion downtown. Community violence is out of control. There's killings by the police. They harassing black people all over the place. And the community intra community violence is out of control. This city is in a crisis, in a public health crisis because of policies and practices and the concentration of power of this person right here that you all have

allowed at this day. It's over. And let me tell you something, I'm formidable. If you don't understand that by now, by the power that I have in organizing both the Greensboro community and the Dayton community, make the right decision because I'm not going anywhere until you do. And finally, to you, Mr. Beckham. You're ambitious. It was my honor to meet you and listen to your inauguration speech. And I remember I saw you again at Care Source and I said, 'You know, I think the problem is downtown. You all are increasing policing. I said, have you looked at what's happening in Baltimore? I said, I'd love to connect you with Mayor Brandon Scott,

and because your ambition, I want to invite you to a meeting with me and the Leighton local organizing committee, okay? to get your thoughts and to also just learn a little bit more about you and so you can hear from the people because I am representing the voices of hundreds of Daytonians if not thousands. People are tired. I invite you to a meeting. Fire the city manager. Period. Thank you, Mr. Jabar. Talis gauge.

Peace, love, and light. Talis Nataru 1921 South Gettysburg Grand Rising.

Grand Rising. So y'all know why I'm up here. My shirt speaks volumes. I know it's like two on two with one deciding factor. Come on, man. And you need to wake up, too, man. You was falling asleep up there. I seen you several times. I mean, I seen you, bro. I mean, my camera don't lie. But anyway, she got to go. It's like two versus two. Come on, man. I love some of y'all up there. Some of y'all, you know, I really don't care about I don't like and y'all been I see how you lasted, man. You sleep through half of it and then say I have nothing else to add. I'm going to follow what my colleagues say cuz you sleep half the time. She need to go, man. I I know y'all don't I know some of y'all don't like me. I ruffle feathers. I'm good at it and I don't care neither. I'mma say what I need to say and she needs to go. Like I said, my shirt says what needs to happen. I don't like them either. Please do the right thing, man. You're a powerful brother, man. This is your time to shine, man.

This is your time to shine, man. You You my guy. You know I love you, man. I done told you that. We talk, you know. So, and I appreciate you, Fairchild. You know, you my guy, too. Chenise, you know I love you. You other too. Y'all stay awake, man. And you know how I feel about you, sir. But she got to go. Thank you, Mr. Tales. Chimaru Watenza.

Um, good morning everybody. Good morning. Uh, my name is Kimaru Atenza. I live at 1,200 West Grand Avenue, Dayton, Ohio 4542. These are some very trying times that we live in. Um, our federal government has deliberately gone from policies of diversity, equity, and inclusions to WEI, that's white, entitled, and incompetent.

Um, the statement is not hyperbole or sarcasm. If we examine the records of uh Pete Hegsth, Christy Gnome, Robert Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbot, uh Pam Bundy, among others. And these are um many incompetent people under the leadership of the most incompetent president in the history of this nation. I mention all this because our primary defense against this band of bandits is our local government.

To that end, um although I was born in Raglin, Alabama, many uh my driver's license doesn't say that. So, it's no proof of citizenship. So, if uh an ICE agent were to pick me up, and they will be in this area because of our significant uh population of Haitians in Springfield, they will be in this area and they will be not staying in in Springfield. They'll come to Dayton. So, um, uh, I personally have a passport, but I would venture to say that most Daytonians do not. So, uh, if your passport, if your driver's license isn't proof of citizenship, what what's to keep these agents from just picking anybody up except our police department? because picking somebody up without a warrant is kidnapping. So, um I want to know what is the police department's plan to protect the residents of Dayton. And the fourth amendment does not say citizens, it says persons. So, what is the police department's plan to protect the persons of Dayton against illegal um uh searches and seizures, which is kidnapping? This question is not rhetorical. I would like an answer and I believe that we as citizens of Dayton deserve an answer. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Watenza. That concludes the speakers, your honor. Thank you, Miss Blackshere. Miss Dixon, do you have any closing comments this morning?

I do have um some closing comments uh with regards to the the police chief hiring process that I'd like to share. So to to select the police chief, we had a hiring process that was thoughtful, reflected nearly five years of intentional succession planning, was supported by the majority of the commission and involved community. As a key part of the hiring process, the city convened a diverse community stakeholder interview panel with leaders representing business, neighborhood, civil rights, education, nonprofit, and community advocacy organizations. We had a hiring process that recognized that we already had an extremely strong internal candidate, a candidate who has been in the DPD 27 years, who has held progressively responsible command positions from patrol officer to deputy chief. a hiring process that affirmed a candidate born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, and who has built trusted and meaningful relationships within the Dayton Police Department and throughout our community. How many times have we heard from our community that we need more officers from our own community policing our neighborhoods? We had a hiring process that selected a candidate with extensive experience managing large-scale public safety operations, providing oversight of multi-million dollar budgets, overseeing strategic planning initiatives. a candidate who has coordinated responses to tornadoes, active shooter incidents, protests, and played a key role in

implementing officer wellness initiatives and innovative crime reduction strategies. We had a hiring process that recognized a candidate that has intentionally invested in growing his leadership skills and perspectives by achieving a graduate certificate in criminal justice from the University of Virginia. who is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police, providing senior law enforcement leaders with intensive training in advanced management strategies and contemporary policing issues and a participant in Leadership Ohio and a participant in UD's executive leadership program. We had a hiring process that selected a police chief from our own community who is intimately aware of what the Dayton Police Department already does well and where they can elevate with trusted relationships internally and throughout the community who can hit the ground running. a process that avoided 75 to $100,000 in costs and months of delay to tackling the important and critical work needed now in our community. And I am confident in Eric Henderson's abilities to work with any group that is authentically interested in continuing the work to make Dayton a safe and peaceful city for all. and this administration remains aligned with the priorities of the city commission to do that critical work. That's all I have, your honor.

Thank you, Miss Dix. Miss Blackshirt, do you have any closing comments? I have a couple. Um there is a work session immediately following today's meeting uh in the PRC presented by learn to earn on the children's cabinet and due to a lack of quorum next week's city commission meeting is cancelled. Thank you all. Thank you commissioners. Do you have any closing comments? Commissioner Beckham.

Thank you honor. Um, I want to thank the residents and citizens that came out to speak today, specifically uh, Mr. Greg West. Um, look forward to this community meeting. I thank you for, uh, helping organize it. Uh, and please send me a link. I'm happy to donate. Um, also, I want to recognize the 4th annual Black Men's Mental Mental Health Conference. Um, it was honestly a truly incredible event. I want to thank the uh panelists uh many of which I knew. One of our own Dayton uh police officers uh uh Officer Ray Rayford uh actually sat on that panel. Um it was an honest conversation about black men's mental health and I want to thank uh Da Clark and Dr. Chamilleia Harris uh for continuing to organize these events not just in Dayton but around the country. Um so it was an honor to be there. Uh, Judge Rice gave some amazing opening comments as well. So, I want to uh thank Judge Rice for him uh supporting that event for years. Um, second of all, um, I want to congratulate my own neighborhood of Five Oaks, of which I'm a proud resident. Uh, there are, uh, yesterday actually, I attended along with my colleagues. Um, the mayor gave some great opening remarks, uh, where we celebrated the new home flat apartments. Um it's a 260 unit workforce housing development um with uh child care uh as well. So it's uh just a very exciting development. I am excited for how uh Dayton residents will benefit. Um lastly, I do want to congratulate our new chief uh Chief Eric Henderson. Uh and I simply uh look forward to working with him uh beyond uh the work that I've already had the pleasure of doing with him over the years. I have full

confidence in his leadership and um we know uh that he he knows this city, he knows this department um and he is aware of what's needed from here. Um so look forward to uh working with him. Uh those are all my comments. Thank you, mayor. Thank you, Commissioner Beckham. Commissioner Fairchild.

Yeah, thank you for the citizens who have come and um brought their concerns here. I appreciate your participation. Um, couple of upcoming events. This Saturday, April 25th, the home ownership center is presenting its home maintenance class. It'll be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Habitat for Humanities Learning Lab at 115 West Riverview Avenue. Uh, to register, call 9378531600. Um, registration ends today and the cost is $10. Um, but attendees will get a $15 gift card to Habitat's Restore. So, make sure you take advantage of that. Um, this Thursday, um, April 23rd, the downtown library is hosting the poetry contest showcase at the Basani Theater off 3rd. It will be held from 6:00 to 7:30. Winners in each category of the DML's annual poetry contest will be invited to take the stage and share the words that won them first and second prize. So, another opportunity for us. Um when oh and um I don't know if anyone has this but Saturday is the living city project the big uh community cleanup. So hope you come out and volunteer and help make Dayton beautiful. Um want to thank or congratulate the LGBTQ plus center on their 50th anniversary. Was able to go and celebrate with them on Sunday. It's really remarkable particularly when you think about their very beginnings and how much courage and uh tenacity it took um to bring that center forward and they're one of the largest centers oldest centers in the state. So congratulations to them. Um I'm very proud of my organization Dayton Children's Hospital. You might have seen the news. They received a $40 million donation. It's the largest in the hospital's donation. It will set the

hospital up to um to advance its mission of um improving the health of every child in our reach. It's really focused around prevention and um reaching children um who are the most vulnerable in our community and that comes from the Tom um Galisano Foundation. So um congratulations to Debbie Feldman in Dayton Children's Hospital. Um, city manager, thank you for that long explanation on the process of the um, selection of the police chief. And I joined Commissioner Beckhams. Congratulations to Chief Henderson. He's a top rate officer. We know him. We respect him and we look forward to working with him. I look forward to working with him. Um, I feel like we owe an apology to Chief Henderson, to our citizens, to our police force, to our stakeholders in this community on a decision this critical for the community. The city manager and the commission should be on the same page.

We should not be relying on a three vote majority given the nature of this. So, an apology to Dr. compared to Chief Henderson and to the community. Um, I have two questions. Um, in doing my due diligence and looking at this selection and its importance, I reviewed for best practices, um, organizations like the, um, International City Management Association, the Police Foundation, the National Policing Institute, the Police Executive Research Forum for best practices in selecting a police chief. Here's what um the CMA, the International City Management Association said in guidance. Um it's a bit dated, granted. Um I couldn't find the most updated or maybe this is most updated, but it comes from um 1999. Unlike the appointment of the head of engineering or sanitation, the appointment of the police chief inevitably becomes a political act. No other appointment will generate the news media attention, lobbying or scrutiny this one will receive. Indeed, in some ways, the selection process itself is as important as the outcome. If the pri if the process bypasses relevant stakeholders, even the appointment of a clearly superior candidate will denigrate will be denigrated by those who feel that their opinions were ignored. That's right.

And then um there was a update to the guidance or at least reflection on the guidance which says in 2014 the interest in the selection of a police chief has increased from the public and continues to increase and so that this selection even more now is the process is important to be inclusive of the public be transparent and open. So, I have two questions for the city manager and my colleagues. Um, given the fact first, I want to commend the mayor. The mayor did the hard work. She had the commission collectively on the same page to follow the best practices. The best practices being an open, transparent, publicly engaged process. So, thank you, mayor. But the question I have for city manager and my colleagues, what resource do you say have that suggest that the process we used is better than the best practices that are recommended by professional associations. So I'll look forward to hearing that. And the second question I have is because you know we talk about being a best practice data driven organization and so if we are going to do that we have to live that out in all circumstances. And then the second question I have is what message do we send to the rest of the organization to directors frontline folks middle management our police officers on the street when we ignore best practices? What message does that send to them in terms of their need to follow best practices? When we don't do it at the top, it seems to be that we have um undermined our ability as an organization to adhere by best practices down the line.

Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner Shaw.

Tomorrow, April 23rd, is the last day to provide public comment to the 2050 plan for the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission. The planning commission decides how local transportation funding is spent to decrease congestion and improve safety of our streets and roads. You can find more information at plan22050 uh.mbrpc.org. And you can call 937-223-6323 for questions about how to leave comments. I think it's just important for folks to engage with VRPC. I know that um that uh Commissioner uh uh Joseph is on the board there. So um with regard to the hiring of Chief Henderson, I too uh fully support that hiring uh and support him. He is the right one for the job. Hometown guy. I think that's really important too. And I think it's also important uh to take a first look at uh hiring within this organization. And I want to commend the city manager for her work in that regard and and um uh institutionalizing succession planning throughout every department and police department is just one of those. I also commend her for the very robust public process uh that she engaged in with stakeholders from throughout this community that were engaged in the process. And can you have one Can I

please proceed? I do consider it to be an open and transparent process with the stakeholders that were at the table and I just think it's uh important that we uh well I think it's good that we we selected the best person for that job. Uh so congratulations to him and for you on your work. Thank you, Commissioner Shaw. Commissioner Joseph.

Thank you, Mayor. Uh first, Mr. West, I'm late, but I'm I'll be there for you like I have. Uh, I have the flyer sitting on my desk at home. I'm just late. So, I appreciate you putting together the program to take kids over there. Uh, I'm I'm in. Uh, second, I want to thank the Southeast State Neighborhoods. They put together a successful recycling event last Saturday. Uh, a ton of people brought stuff and it was one of the few places you can bring styrofoam. That's not an easy thing to recycle. Uh, so we had we probably had 20 volunteers out there from the southeast neighborhoods and a ton of people came by, dropped off recycling stuff. I love to see the southeast neighborhoods working together. That hasn't always been the case and it's great to be there. So, I want to thank them for their efforts. Uh, and this is, you know, instead of Earth Day, we're making this Earth Day uh month and we're calling Earth Dayton. Uh, and there are four things I want to to events I want to give you some heads up about. First is our environmental learning center is having tours from the 22nd to 24th. So, from today to Friday. Uh, you can go online and find out when. I wish I had an email or an email or a web address here, but you can Google Dayton Environmental Learning Center and you get tours out there for all ages, friendly friends with kids. Uh the second is another opportunity for e-waste collection and recycling. It's actually at Altafiber here in Dayton from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. both uh this is tomorrow, so Thursday and Friday. Uh Google Altafiber e-waste collection, it'll give you directions there. Uh third, Allwood Autobon is having their annual native plant sale. Uh they have this is uh also this weekend uh Friday, Saturday. Uh look on their website, Allwood Autobond for details about that. They wanted me to say that they have 180 plus native plants ready for you to buy. They also said to get there early because people know about it and the best ones go quickly. Uh finally, there is an adopt a park volunteer cleanup with Five Rivers Metro Parks. Uh you can look at their website. That's uh this Saturday from 9

to noon. Uh especially with, you know, spring is here finally. Summer's coming. The park's going to get a lot of use. Love to see people out there to help uh clean up. I know that a lot of people are already doing cleanups this Saturday, but if you'd rather go help clean up a park than a neighborhood, that's fine. Uh you can do it with Five Rivers Metro Parks this Saturday night at noon.

Uh Commissioner, I'm glad you brought up the cleanup this weekend. Uh I think all of us are going to be out at one or more events. uh look forward to having a great turnout again. It's always heartening to see so many people out supporting the neighborhoods in the community. Uh and it really does make a huge difference. So uh thank you everybody. Thank you my colleagues for their support. Uh finally, I'm I'm proud to uh support and congratulate Chief Henderson. Uh it's been contentious. Uh but he's the best guy for the job. uh processes uh processes are uh they have tailored to each situation and I understand commissioners reference to best practices. In this case, uh city manager followed the charter. She consulted who she had to. She asked for our opinion and hired the best guy for the job and I'm I'm satisfied with the process. I'm really satisfied with the outcome. I look forward to continuing to work with Chief Henderson. So, thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Commissioner Joseph. just have a couple brief comments before we uh lead into the the work session this morning. So, please join the human relations council on April the 25th for the housing resource connection fair. A number of things that are taking place this weekend. This event is free and open to the public. Allows residents to connect with housing resources, support, and information on their rights. The event will take place at the Greater Dayton Recreation Center located at 2021 West Third Street. That is from 11 to 2:00 p.m. Uh you have the opportunity to meet local organization, get answers, enjoy a free lunch, and enter a raffle. Uh the information could be found in the RSVP as well. This can be found on the HRC's website at www.daton dy nhrc.org. So, we encourage everyone to come out to the human relations event, the housing resource connection fair, as well as the cleanup. So, go to the cleanup first and then head over to Greater Dayton Recreation Center. I would like to uh thank all of the the presenters this morning. Thank you, Miss Shrivever, for bringing forward the the the additional context as it relates to the liquor objection. Thank you to uh Miss Parrot as well as Mr. Ed and your business partner for being here this morning. And again, I'll be happy to speak with you after the commission meeting if you would like add additional information or if you have any other questions in terms of the process itself. Miss Riley, uh, Dr. Ford, uh, thank you for being here as well as Miss Valerie Lemie. Um, I just would like to acknowledge Miss Lemie. She was in fact the first the first African-American woman to serve as the city manager for the city of Dayton. So we applaud your leadership and your commitment and the work is continuing on with the Dayton Foundation and happy to

know that you are in fact a part of the citizens assembly. It gives me uh great confidence in your leadership to know that you are in fact uh a part of this initiative. So thank you for bringing this forward. Thank you for your commitment as well as Dr. Ford, Mr. Squire, thank you for your work that you're leading on this. again hold true to my recommendations and I hope that we can see that uh that memo and additional work that will come out of that. I'm I'm very excited about the CA and thank you for inviting again the NAACP Dr. For as well as the CCC the community clergy coalition a part of the conversation. Thank you Miss Peret again. Thank you for being here. Mr. Greg West, thank you for all of the great work that you're doing um with Felons with the Future, the um community initiative, a community event that will take place again, that is Thursday, April the 30th at Dominion Academy of Dayton, located at 9:25 North Main Street, Dayton. Uh again, at 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. And so I hope that you can send this to us digitally so that we can definitely get it out to all our various different social media outlets. So again, thank you for your leadership and and well as Mr. Johnson and Gdaha and the great work that is being done with uh the CBG model and our violence interruption program. Um Miss Akia Jabar, thank you for being here. I'm glad to see that you're back home. Um and thank you for uh your advocacy and your leadership and it's good to see um your young one with you as well. Thank you to all of the residents that are here, even those who did not register to speak. This is a part of democracy and I'm glad that you are lending your time and your talents to be here uh to hold us accountable and to really truly understand the business that is being conducted on your behalf. So I I applaud you all for being here this morning. Mr. Tales, thank you for being here. Mr. Watenza, thank you for being here and raising your concerns as

it relates to ICE enforcement. Um I have challenged my colleagues as well as Commissioner uh Fairchild, Commissioner Joseph. We've been in conversation waiting for the tiger team, if you will, the team that has been identified. I believe that Miss Dosi is leading that initiative to identify what are the best practices. We sent over a number of examples of model legislation. Now, it's time for us to pull the trigger for us to really start putting that plan in motion to identify how in fact we will respond if the enforcement agency were to come into the city of Dayton. So again, Miss Dixine, if you can follow up with the an update, that would be greatly appreciated. I believe Commissioner Joseph and I, we have a conversation that is dated to happen soon, I believe scheduled to happen soon with the Tiger team. So I look forward us to have that conversation to identify what those practice best practices are and again for us to pass uh legislation to address the concerns from u member many members in our community especially our our immigrant community who is um very concerned on a number of fronts. Um, and I will say this, just yesterday, um, I received a call. Actually, it was the day before yesterday, so that would have been Monday. I received a call. I don't know how, uh, the individual received my number. Didn't even ask any questions in that in that vein, but it was very um, heart-wrenching, gut punching, all of the above. Uh, a woman called me in high distress. You can hear the emotion in her voice. Again, there's language barrier barriers that we're trying to communicate with one another. And she shared with me that she was in fact, as much as I could make out in the conversation, that she was in fact a a mother of four. She was u in fact a

refugee from the Congalles. and she mentioned that she didn't have any any SNAP benefits and she was in awe in distress and she called me looking for assistance looking for some level of support and I share that with everyone to really truly want to uplift the concerns that we and the challenges that we are dealing with in this in this city in this country overall that people are truly suffering and they are hurting. They don't know who to call. They don't know who to lean on. It literally brought me to tears.

She had no one to call. But I thank Mr. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman from Catholic Social Services. I made a number of calls that day. He called me back and we are now actively working together to make sure that this woman has the support and the services that she need. So again, I want to applaud Catholic so social services for their their leadership and I also want to charge uh my colleagues and this commission as a whole for us to do more and this is an imperative and this is all the more reason why we need to make sure that we have a plan in place. We have something that is noted and that is on record to give our residents to give the people in the community the confidence that we are not ignoring their concerns that we are hearing them and that we are listening and that we're actively engaged and we're going to do something about it within our purview right we understand that there are limitations but there's things that we could be doing there is a number of different uh models and best practices that we need to adopt and I also want to to challenge HRC HRC to really start doing the work that they have been um identified to do in collaboration with our citizen engagement department. I know that we have a number of know your rights forums that are are scheduled. I'm glad and I applaud uh Miss Dixine as well as uh Mr. Hall and their leadership, Mr. squire in community engagement, but now is a time for us more than ever to make sure that we're we're doing the necessary work cuz so many people in this community, they're suffering and they're in need of of support and help. It's also an opportunity for us to tap into our MRU, our mediation response unit, um to make sure that people understand that that service is available. The last thing that I want to say, and I was hoping that he would be here this morning, and I want this to be on record, and I want

it to be noted, this is not about personalities. This has nothing to do with uh whether Lieutenant Colonel Eric Henderson has the uh the expertise, has the ability, have the skill set, none of the above. I want to personally congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Eric Henderson on being selected as the next chief of police for the city of Dayton. Lieutenant Colonel Henderson has a very distinguished record of service with DPD, Dayton Police Department, and I wish him nothing but success in all of his endeavors in his new role. At the same time, I got to be clear, I must be transparent with our residents. I am deeply disappointed in the process by which this election was made. I have long advocated for a public transparent and inclusive process that is meaningfully incorporating the voices of residents and community stakeholders. A forum of 11 selected people is not transparent. That is not a robust public engagement process. individuals who were selected by the city manager and the city manager only and which I ask repeatedly that you converse with the members of this body for recommendations and I know for a fact many of the members on this commission also gave recommendations as to who should be a part of that forum but yet and still it was ignored. Now it does not reflect the level of community inva of engagement that our residents deserve when decisions of this magnitude are being made. The residents of Dayton have a right to participate in shaping the leadership that their police department of their police department, excuse me. That principle is not negotiable and it will continue to be championed as well as as while I am in this seat serving as the mayor. So moving forward, I look forward to engaging with Chief Henderson

on how he intends to lead the department and which aligns with the commission goals, including a advancing, excuse me, transparency, accountability, procedural, justice, and proactive community engagement. The work of building trust between our police department and the community is ongoing and I am committed to ensuring that work continues. So again, congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Henderson, now Chief Henderson. Congratulations. Thank you, Mayor. So with no further business come before the commission, this meeting is now adjourned.