City Council - Regular Meeting

No Start overnight. Wow.

That's really That's what I I think I don't know. Okay,

I'll grab this. resources. How are you? I knew what You're all

story.

Oh, just We'll get started in a few minutes, everybody. We're waiting for um Council Person Angelina Hamilton Steiner. She should be here.

Okay, everybody. I'm going to call the meeting of the Health and Human Services Committee to order. Our first order of business is to approve the minutes of the November 10th, 2025 meeting. I will make a motion to approve those uh minutes. Can I get a second? Second.

Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none, that motion is approved. All right. Our next uh agenda item is a communication from assistant planning director David Boss regarding the community health action team uh also known as chat the annual report from September 2024 to December 2025. And Mr. Boss, I'll turn that over to you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate the the opportunity to come in and review our uh this being our third report. um uh from the uh the work of the community health action team. Um just in terms of I was going to cover quickly before I hand it over, we've got several members of the team here kind of cover each of the uh some of our focal focus areas a lot better than I can do. Um but I think since there are some new folks that uh on the dis um just a quick kind of background on the community health action team we was established after the uh 2022 community health needs assessment and action plan that was developed was a unique uh effort um that kind of combined uh we had the representatives here of key of the key foundations the schools the city came together and worked with three with uh the center for community solutions to develop uh the community health needs assessment. Um it's kind of a unique thing. Normally hospital systems do those. Um the city did it for its residents um and then developed an action plan which went back out to the residents to kind to uh solicit and develop interventions towards uh the the needs that came out of that assessment. Um, as part of the review of the the assessment and the action plan by council, there was uh there was a recommendation and then followed through with a charter for a community health action team um that was stood up. And so over the last several years uh we started in 2023 uh where we started to work through the preliminary interventions that were provided through that action plan by the community. Uh it was an awful lot of work analyzing, sometimes combining, sometimes kind of setting aside some

interventions into kind of a parking lot if you will. Um but over that uh year, we basically got through all the interventions and organized them into kind of five categories that were based on the social determinance of health. And so those focal areas are the same ones that you see today. um access to behavioral health, food access, what started as community information and has developed into the resource guide um adaptive programming and then after school program we've combined in the same kind of focus area of adaptive and middle school programming and then housing. Um so into 2024 the uh the chat formed subcommittees and so we kind of expanded that discussion from the members of the action team to include some key community stakeholders that were identified through the assessment um and really delved deeper into the interventions in those specific areas. Um, you know, we looked at three specific kind of directions for the actions that were already be done, who were doing them. Um, you know, who were they done for? Um, and kind of an effectiveness, uh, look at those for those interventions and actions that weren't already being done. Why weren't they being done? Were there reasons uh were they not feasible? Um, was there not an organization to take hold and drive them forward? And then there was kind of a a third area that we recognized during the first year of our work was that what was missing from this. Obviously, anytime you kind of go out to the community with a a fairly open-ended question, even based on a needs assessment of actions, the recommended interventions, I think we we were quick to realize our own kind of short or gaps and shortfalls within that list of interventions. And so that was kind of the third area that we looked to the subcommittees to try to fill that in in terms of what was missing. Um so

those actions and then the work of the subcommittees continued. Um and now we find ourselves in the last year for 2025 um as those things have kind of continued to become more focused, more refined um really into the table that you see in this report here. um as well as you know the the kind of the changing environment that we addressed this past year there's there's always kind of turnover in the action team that has happened but um as the work of a lot of the subcommittees has kind of um I guess kind of been refined and kind of been uh found new directions and and potentially and new new organizations and things we continue to meet um to continue to kind of work these things that are in the table in from this last year because it is a unique it's a unique organization in in so far as the chat brings um kind of the nonprofits, the schools and the cities together uh which there's not a whole lot of venues that do that to discuss these types of issues across the social determinance of health. Um and so it has a lot of value for that reason. um as well as I think kind of the the broader environment this year. Um there was an awful lot of churn um loss of funding, cuts, uncertainty that kind of entered into the the world of a lot of these areas. Um and so that's kind of in a nutshell and very quickly kind of the background context and then the ongoing challenges that we've had this year. Um and so the crux of this report is to kind of you know as it's intended is an update of the work over the last year of the action team. And so the progress by priority area that we kind of lay out here um is really you know what's been done in 2025 in each of these areas. Uh and then what's the the very general or basic kind of way ahead. Um, and so with that,

I will I will turn it over to our uh access to behavioral health. Gonna cover that. Is that all right?

Hi, good evening. I'm Kristen Broadbent, um CEO and president of Three Arches Foundation, and um happy to be here tonight. Um so the behavioral health when we first started it was actually access just access to health care and um you know found that behavioral health in particular um was where more coordination and access was needed and really we brought um providers together who all had some type of footprint in Lakewood and they were like they didn't know like they knew one another but they they didn't really know how to access one another. And so um we did two things. We created initially we established a care a healthcare providers roundt and then we um started investigation of a co-responder program and the round table was um great. I think we had three meetings um through the middle of 2025 and they were exchanging cards and talking to each other and saying, you know, oh gosh, if you run into this problem, I can help expedite that. Um the navigation is huge and so many individuals um you know, our health care system is so complex and especially for somebody with behavioral mental health issues. You add that on to it and the stress level and people don't know where to go and how to access things. There's a long wait for providers. And so bringing these organizations together was really beneficial from their standpoint to understand, you know, sometimes they're treating a lot of the same people and figuring out how to help folks um work through the the very complex um system. So, one of the things that the committee spent some time on is working with the Case Western Reserve students to help um with the community resource guide and you know to really

triage it and look at it like in kind of a stepbystep manner of who's involved at what level, what services are provided, how's access, all that kind of stuff. So, we spent a lot of time on that. And then um in regard to the co-responder program um the Lakewood paramedic is a is part of the um committee the healthcare providers roundt and um so it was very we talked a lot about like could that be expanded to more of a um an all-encompassing co-responder program and would it help to solve a lot of these issues? And so if you sat and listened to what Oliver was responding to as the paramedic, what the police had to deal with and fire, you know, like the limitations and everything as well as barriers, it just really made so much sense. So we took it a step further and we invited folks from the first call program to come and meet with the group in June of last year. And the first call program um actually was initiated by the mayor of Shaker Heights and very quickly he got fire and police involved and then they share a dispatch with um a couple other communities over there. So it encompasses five communities right now on the east side. Um and in the report, I won't read the statistics in here, but they've had a lot of great um a lot of great success. And so we heard firsthand from the woman who was the program coordinator about really the strides that they've been making within this program and how it's really become extremely beneficial all around for the individual who is in crisis who needs the help for the police for the fire for the community at large and um

so it was very interesting to hear firsthand perspective. Kristen, if I may.

Yeah. Oh, back here. Sorry. Um, in relation to that, some of the for the um, Department of Human Services, one of the things that's come out of that in response to that in our collaboration with the neighborhood paramedic um, is that we have brought on a clinical manager now and we're with some retirements and other things that have happened within our department, we've been able to restructure and realign and then with some funding um, the way our clinical manager, which our clinical manager is essentially the social worker who is over the other social workers in the department. Um, so we've brought Nicole on board and we are transitioning her from just being over the community-based services team to being broadly over um all the social workers and the 18 to 59 range which is part of kind of this response because in some of this response and working with in conversations with fire chief and police chief and all of that, we wanted to be able to have somebody in house that was readily available if there was a need. Um, and so we're making some changes within our department to allow more flexibility with that. I'm sorry, Kristen, for but I just wanted to like share that, you know, we we are as a department making strategic changes um in how we're able to respond to needs to to do something our way because I think the reflection on some of these learnings from that was that just because it's done this way in one community doesn't mean it's going to work here because we're unique and that we have a department of human services and a lot of them didn't and that they were outsourcing some of these response models as well. So, we've made some changes to help that.

Thank you. Thank you both. Um, just a just to backtrack just a little bit. Um, so that I I pull you all into the conversation here. Um, when we're looking at the the priority areas from the from the chat report, the first one is access to behavioral health care. And one of the questions that I was asking um the the folks in the chat meeting the other day was about the mental health providers with police officers because we seem to hear that it's such a great idea and I know we've talked about it here a couple times like how can we actually make that happen and of course um Kate Interersol can attest to I always want the simple answer right Kate for the very very complicated questions like everybody else right can't we just put somebody in the car with them um but but there's a lot more to this and and this is what um Kristen has has been describing here is there's a program in Shaker where they're where they're doing this where they're where they're assisting people with mental health issues as opposed to just sending the police that are at sometimes at a loss of what to do with them, right? I mean, they can enforce the law, but if it's they're not breaking the law, like how do we bridge that? So, that's kind of the the a piece of the background to that. And I'm I'm glad to hear, Laura, that that you guys are addressing that and working with the uh the paramedics. I think that that's a that's a huge um uh plus there for that.

Yeah. I mean, and we're just at the very infasy of it here as a department. So um there's obviously more objectives and goals as we go, but we wanted to make it work within the model that Lakewood has. Um very good. Thank you. So I also wanted to share as we move forward and so the the round table um in full transparency it was challenging to get the folks from the round table to then meet in like Q3 and we didn't even try in Q4 as you can imagine everything that was happening last year and um you know it was really like a firestorm and so they're um while they remain interested in this work and and collaborating together. Um they were taking care of their themselves first and foremost as organizations and so finding a the right time to bring people together just didn't happen. But I think um there is a huge appetite to work collaboratively and um when I worked at Lakewood Hospital, we had a board member and he said it when we started Three Arches Foundation that Lakewood is like your perfect petri dish. And I don't mean that in an icky way, but I mean that in like it's a great place because we have so many resources, there's so many people and and we work so well together. It's a great place to try things, right? You have to be able to though um be okay with the risktaking involved with that. But um I think that everybody from the round table's perspective, the different healthcare providers kind of understood that and those that have the outposts and are here in Lakewood and doing the work really want to continue to work together. And so um our way forward is to work with the um to transition the behavioral health initiatives to the department of um

human services as the lead entity. And um that just makes so much more sense to you know than having us do it. Um but I think that there is real interest and um I would encourage you all to to be open to maybe continuing to look at this co-responder. Um Parma and Parma Heights is doing it now uh in a different type of model. But it is something and when you think about just like the benefits of it and somebody who is in crisis that doesn't necessarily need, you know, just the way that we handle behavioral health is just

needs a lot of help in and of itself. And so to just be able to think about things differently, um I I would encourage you know you all to to really take that into consider.

Yeah, thank you. And that's exactly what we're trying to do. you know, come, you know, jump into the into the 2020s from the 1970s, right, with with the way that we handle things. Laura, can you touch a little bit and um Director Barry mentioned this a little bit and it's kind of the elephant in the room with with the budget of what you know what is happening um with the cuts and can you talk a little bit about that and and what we're seeing so far this first quarter? Yeah. So, um unfortunately just the way of the world and from the federal down to the state level, um we um nothing's on our radar radar right now that's affect going to affect human services beyond the CBS contract. And the CBS contract is our um our contract within the division of youth framework around the collaborative the Lakewood area collaborative services. And if you're not familiar or as you become more familiar with this um it's a county contract and that contract within the county serves not just Lakewood but the uh near west two zip codes of Cleveland 4411 and 441 35 I there there's a list of zip codes the the near west um and then also Rocky River Fairview Park Bay Village West Lake and so we serve that through that contract Um, and it's important to understand that because I think as we look at as human services, we look at our neighbors as well. Um, and so it's always been something that was brought on as we're going to house this here because ultimately I think our partnership with the schools and the services we provide to our community are richer because we have that program. Um, and then we're also serving those near us. But the county is cutting that by 25%. Um and so

retroactive to Yeah. So it's retroactive. So we've been operating this year. We we've been waiting. They still haven't actually handed us any documents to sign. Um but they told us it was retroactive starting January 1st. So our emergency assistance, all of that. We're very fortunate that we have worked um some ways through the foundation, other things to we're like the only one that's not cutting any staff or anything from that right now, but we don't know what the future holds with that contract. Um and so that's something that scares I think the department a little bit is you know caring for the people in our community and surrounding. So

so with these cuts uh 25% is that just to the division of youth? It's specifically to that contract. So it's not when you look at the structure of human services, you have division of aging, division of youth, division of early childhood, but within the division of youth is also the H2O program, but that's separate from that. This is just the community-based services contract with the county. Okay. Um colleagues, um thank you, Madam Chair. Um, do you know what that dollar amount is? And it's okay if you don't have that off the top of your head. I'm just

Um, I think we 600,000. I think it was likeund and I have it in my email. I have it in my email if you give me a moment. Okay. So if um because after this meeting we have a finance committee meeting where we're talking about um we have some legislation before us to um potentially create a fund for the use of the adult use cannabis funds and um discussion of um mental health was one of the elements of that. So um it might be useful to have we we don't necessarily need it tonight but just what that dollar amount is

by the end of the meeting I should No, no rush. Um although I'm sure you would like us to know that amount if we're thinking about allocating it. Um and then I wanted to ask about the which orgs um were included in the round table. Sorry. Or types of orgs if not.

Yeah. So um there's a list that I have here. Okay. Um, so it was the Cleveland Clinic, Lutheran Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Fairview Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Lakewood Community Health Center, Neighborhood Family Practice, Recovery Resources, City of Lakewood, and Signature Health and then the schools. Great. Thank you. No, no. Uh, no. What? University Hospitals. Okay. Did they were they invited or they declined? in Metro. I didn't hear Metro either. I do have my answer. Yeah, I

we had someone from we we had someone that represented all of the major hospital systems during the assessment and then I think over time and turnovers people kind of petered out and either didn't follow through with the committee or or whatnot. But these are the the main folks that are listed. I think that's last is that last year's report that had like all of Yes. assignments as like an appendix to it. you'll see the main people that were in each of those subcommittees or at least made it through. Yeah. So, and know we can I just didn't know if that was an intentional or just who said yes or no they were we and showed up showing up as half the people got tired of seeing emails from me in 2022 about joining the health conversation. So,

and then I know you said it was challenging um you know understandably to bring everybody together in the third quarter and fourth quarter um but with the sort of handoff to human services as lead on this work is there the idea that we're hoping to continue periodic roundt meetings or as a as a reference point is that I mean we're not opposed to any of that by all means um and we do have kind of like a human services network that meets I mean I think we're obviously going to continue to collaborate in every way possible and bring the right players to the table by all means

I think um you know the idea of a quarterly round table maybe even twice a year or as we turn this over it might be a good way to bring them together with the department of human services just to understand department's role and what all they do um with the closing of recovery resources there's a huge loss will be a huge huge gap in mental um health and substance use disorder support um not only here in Lakewood but throughout greater Cleveland. So that's something else too. So as the landscape has changed um you know with all the changes to SNAP and the impending Medicaid changes as well I think that keeping that group active would be really um and broadening it would be really beneficial um but maybe not on a quarterly basis. So, but

a lot of those um agencies are a part of our Lakewood area collaborative and we have we've switched those because of this contract cut to quarterly, but a lot of those agencies are coming to our collaborative meetings and so our staff have those relationships as well. So, it's it's trying to continue to figure out ways to collaborate when most of them are stretched so thin.

So, but I do have the answer for you. I didn't want to like give a false answer. So, so our original budget for this contract um which was a March to a March and then a county budgeting um was 650,000 and we had two vacant like a full and a part-time position that were vacant that when we heard rumblings of this, we paused any hiring within ourselves internally because we didn't want to hire somebody just to lay them off. um because our case load was up so much the last time around, we asked for more in the contract than we had asked in previous years. So by the time we got wind of that and then hearing some rumblings, we never hired for that position and a half. Um, so the original contract for this cycle was 650,000 and our amended budget is now going to be when we actually submit it, which we're waiting for the formal stuff to submit, is going to be 490, roughly $873.17. Um, and so we've the reduction is $159,12683. So

also um recognizing that that is simultaneously happening while referrals from the county are increasing. So it it it is also the case load that our current social workers are taking on within human services has increased. I don't remember exactly the percentage that was recently shared, but yeah,

it's it's a it's a higher case load to the point where it's almost unsustainable for current staff. And so it's important just to note that that tension because the city because the county is also and and also many of the referrals that are coming through the county um are also um more complicated and almost more complex than than the service agreement is intended to to um serve. So, um it's just an important component to know about the complexity of of the funding changes and and the care um the way that this is being managed.

We used to respond to referrals probably, you know, within 24 48 hours. Now it's like a week just by the time we process through and go. Um, but we're still responding to all, you know, it just it's taking a little bit longer and we're not st I mean it could potentially look like, you know, sometimes we would stay with clients longer through a process. So now it's we're amending how we um clinically do their, you know, their their task, what they have to do before we um pull them out of our program and stuff. But our clinical manager, Nicole, is overseeing this with great diligence. So

awesome. Yes, council member Hamilton Steiner.

Thank you, Chair Stick. Um, okay. So, as I see that we're still on area one and I think by behavioral healthc care is probably our one of the biggest issues that um in our community um and and really countywide, especially with the of the county. Um and so as we look to the transition to um Department of Human Services, um how will this work? Um can we talk through a little bit about that? What type of coordination is going to happen? Is this going to be an information hub? Is there an opportunity that innovate to help connect? Um because not only is there a high need of services, there's also a lot of people that are falling through the cracks. So this is happening from when you're in crisis, you get the help, you you might get treated, hospitalized, whatever happens, and then after that, once you're leveled off, you're deemed as okay, you're sort of cut off, and there's no other support after that. Then you go back into that cycle again potentially. But maybe it's not as bad as that first time that you had to be hospitalized, but you're considered like a step down, right? but you're still pretty much on your own because you're not bad enough to be hospitalized. So, there's, you know, people that are falling through those cracks. Um, but then I also did not hear, um, what about our youth and are the youth being served in this mechanism or are they is that something that we're looking to the schools to sort of manage those issues. So, I think there's an opportunity to innovate and as we're going into budget season, I think we really need to take this opportunity to address the needs, to address the gaps, to look at the opportunities that exist to innovate and go back to our community health needs assessment, which I do see we're going to go back and do an update to it. But I

think there's there's still some needs that are not being addressed in our community. And I would really like to see us take this challenge and address it. And if that means we have to request additional dollars, we figure it out and we do it because the county has already told us where they stand on mental health. And I think we need to take them for their word. The county is not going to save us. the state luckily is still putting some dollars behind um uh mental health um needs and um we know where the federal government stands, right? Um so essentially we have the state and we have ourselves to figure this out. So I think we really I want to challenge us to really look at this and to um come up with a solution that works for Lakewood. Chad and I are

Chad and I are continuing to look at the landscape um and obviously we're continuing to work with city departments. I mean we're continuing to work and collaborate with our other city departments as well as other agencies um to best serve and look at new programming, look at new options. And I mean that's part of I think why we're looking at our staff now and as we're able to really really evaluate what positions are most important and what do we need to do without cutting services because we are we are very fortunate that we do live in a city that does have a department of human services. Um I mean we're unlike many others but our needs are vast as well. So, I mean,

you need another person. Um, at least at at least, but you know, we're we're being very creative with our funding and looking for grants and other opportunities. So, I think Chad was spent most of the day today applying for grants and looking at things. So, we're being very diligent and responsibly fiscally with what we have. Um,

and I I appreciate that, but I also think it's on us as council um to put money where our values are and direct that. And I think that is and I think it's great, right? Looking for grants, but I know what the grant landscape is. I work in the grant landscape. So, what I'm saying is we need to figure it out and not solely rely on the grants. And if mental health, behavioral health is an important issue and we value um our community members and we care about them, we are going to put investments behind mental health and providing those support. Very good. Other colleagues? Okay. I want to um I want to move on a little bit here. This is we had planned this meeting for a half hour and I knew that we could probably have an hour conversation once a week for the rest of the year to really just to to even dive into your report. But I wanted to um to really get into the partnerships that we are um we have created and and other opportunities. And I wonder um Mr. Mr. Walters, if you could talk a little bit about um what the schools are doing for food access and also uh so points uh areas two and four, if if you could touch on the food access and the middle school programming, I am able to talk just a little bit about food access um more specifically.

Thank you. And um Mr. Walters is the expert on adaptive programming. Very good.

I will note um in particular one of the components of this and some of the work that we're doing in the background right now is to look at what opportunities there are around summer feeding programs. The reimbursement structure for that is very complicated. Um and the administration of it is also very complicated. But we do have an opportunity based on um the the uh eligibility of students in at Harrison um based on the free and reduced lunch program eligibility statistics that we could um potentially house a summer feeding program in in that area. So it's it's both around the eligibility within um a school and then maintaining that site within a certain radius of of where that eligibility is met. um there's an application um that you submit through the state and so we have to identify um and determine whether or not we'd be able to house that in Lakewood for this summer. Um and the reimbursement process is very complicated. And so I'm working with folks and and the folks at LCSC, the Lakewood Community Services Center, uh, and other community partners have agreed to meet and start to work through to see what that would look like and see what's feasible. So that's evolving on that front. There's also um, you know, a responsibility that I think that we all have here is to make sure that families are aware of the summer EBT program. So, they're called SunBucks, and that's a reimbursement that or um an an added um benefit that the state adds to um SNAP cards or is handed to families who are eligible for $40 a month per child in a household. And so, that's another way. Obviously, it's, you know, it it it's um

it's $120 uh over the summer, so it's for three months. I mean most people look at their grocery bills and knows and know how far that will get you. But it is something and and everything that we can do pulling down every benefit that's available is really important. So spreading awareness about that program is very important and the schools do a very good job at the end of the year making sure that families are aware of that. Um and also the department of human services is doing a lot of work because one of the major challenges that we have facing our community um are the changes in um the upcoming changes in terms of SNAP eligibility and work requirements. And so the Department of Human Services, uh, Chad and Laura and Nicole and their team are looking at ways both to raise awareness and also create internally here in Lakewood the opportunity for benefits enrollment and benefits um, navigation uh, with somebody with one of the staff members here. So, um those are some of the main components and then looking on as the school thinks about and is planning on redistricting um questions around what that will mean for eligibility for um universal lunch um programs and and how those could be administered at certain schools that would meet those qualifications would be the next step. Um, so those are some of the ways that we're um working on those issues and I'd be happy to answer any questions on that or hand it on over. Kate, I just I wanted to ask you, could you expand a little bit on um the conversation that we had about can't we just give them a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter and jelly and and the requirements that are are needed and possibilities of expanding something in the the Madison Park area so that that they c they can sit down, which is a requirement, I believe, um in order in order to um to provide any kind of food for for folks. You can't just set out

the loaf of bread and the peanut butter and the jelly. You have to actually have a table and chairs. And can you talk about that for a minute?

Yeah, I mean I I will admit I'm not an expert on this. So, um, but based on the way that the state reimbures for meals through summer feeding programs because we are an urban district, we have to have a congregate meal site, which means that people have to come and eat at the site. So you have to have both the infrastructure to serve and and provide meals and they have to be eaten in that facility and and then there's a very complex reimbursement process by which you're managing both the number of meals that you're ordering and then making sure and and tracking how that reimburse um tracking attendance so that you can be reimbursed for the full extent of the meals that you're providing. So, um it's just a very technical administration of of a of a program like that. And um and so then figuring out kind of which entity in this city kind of has the capacity to do that um is the challenge that's in front of us right now. So, if we wanted to put money in and say, "We're all just going to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and we're not going to attempt to do state reimbursement and we're not going to kind of pull down any of that that funding." It would be very expensive, but it it could be done. But you there's also that infrastructure is in place to ensure that you're meeting, you know, food standards, all of those types of things. So, there's a lot of complication around that.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Am I go to you and then we'll

Thank you. Um and thank you Kate. Um I so when I was at the county library system we did um summer uh meal program through the food bank. Um and that's probably a pass through from the state to the food bank that okay here. So, but um and I remember doing all the paperwork to be able to do all those summer lunches, but it was a good program at least for youth. Um is that what we're talking about? Is it specifically for youth? And then um has there been discussion with the obvious partner which would be Madison um branch of the library? because this was something that we as the library staff like we had little brown bag lunches that we'd hand out and and had in the meeting room and and I know they don't normally have food but um but that's a whole other question. So has there been discussion with the library or um and are is that the is that the essential program and would it be through the food bank or

the food bank could be the the vendor? You select a vendor to do that and so they would be an obvious choice in that. Um and so uh the discussions with the food bank um we'd want to look at that to see about bringing that in. We still need to have an an organizing entity in the community that oversees that. So um is like the sponsor part is the sponsor for that. Um so we'd have to manage that and um the you know it it is the libraries are often during the summer in many communities the site where that happens. Um and and so we would ask the library the the the policy that the library has is that food is not distributed there or consumed in their um buildings. And so we understand that that's been the general policy around um around that

just be on the record that I don't think that should be the policy but but it is so it is and I also see we have um Kevin Borro from the YMCA here today and that they also do food distribution but of course is far farther away from Harrison. So um and of course Harrison's also the school's being a partner but I mean there's a lot of ways to do I just think libraries are such a great place because you have staff who are there. You have kids who are hungry at the library all the time. Um and so it's nice to be able to say, "Hey, we'll we'll have lunch here." So, thank you, Council Member Hamilton Center.

Thank you, Chair Streak. Um and thank you, uh Miss Ingresol, for uh being here and for sharing your knowledge with us. Um so you had talked about um I think it was it's by definition the universal eligibility and that's where an entire school gets the the free the free breakfast and lunch and I think um some years ago when we had had a conversation we had talked that there were four schools in Lakewood that were eligible or possible possibly eligible and is that still the case? Yeah, I I don't have it exactly in front of me, but currently Harrison is the school that is closest to meeting um to to meeting the um standard which is at about 60% where they would be fully um fully reimbursed.

Okay. So, our other schools, our district, um you have to have 40% um free and reduced lunch eligibility in order to qualify for universal free lunch across the entire district. Um or you can do it through a community eligibility provision which allows you to do it per school. Our current rate in the school district currently is 38.7% I believe. And so um that's districtwide.

That's districtwide. So we're just underneath that 30% threshold. You can do it per school. Um but it's a very complicated again reimbursement formula. And so this the school is what it does is it means that some schools have universal access. It means that the school has to pick up the differential between reimbursement between the 40 to 60%. So then it's an additional cost that the school takes on for that reimbursement and it means that you have um an you know it it's it's an in some ways it's perceived as an inequitable service because it's happening at some schools but not at others. And so so it means an additional cost for the schools to administer that. And there are certain schools in our district I believe that three would qualify currently. And so that's that's the challenge. It would be the Franklin School of Opportunity. Um I believe it would be Roosevelt, Garfield, and potentially Emerson. So, those are some things I I don't again I'm not the expert on this and so I don't want to be like quoted as the like expert or that my information is um binding anybody to any obligations nor is it in any way an implication of anything that someone has done or not done. The schools do an amazing job of providing lunches and they do a tremendous amount of work to make sure that every child has access. It requires a tremendous amount of work on the nutrition services program side in order to make sure that families are filling out that free and reduced lunch form, which is really huge because that helps us understand what our eligibility rates are. And those are ways that as community partners, we can all be involved in making sure that we're sharing that information and and encouraging families to sign up and get enrolled. Um but those are the these are the mechanisms that are available to us at through state funding that like where you can pull down that funding and it really enhances that for a school district to take on that fund that expense on its own is pretty like it's pretty significant and that would you

know it would mean that you're taking away from other services as well. So figuring out how to balance that is the challenge. And I, you know, I see our school district working every day to figure out how to manage food insecurity both at just at every school level and then how to do that. But to, you know, administer one of these programs, building the sophistication to do that and building the the funding mechanisms that would um offset the additional costs that we'd be required to take on is like really the the complicating factor and like is where like that technocratic work is really needed.

Yeah. And um I it's just I I just I think it's something that we need to continue monitoring because I mean right being right there at that cusp. Um it it who knows in in a year could be a lot higher. Um but I know that there's districts around us that have all you know the entire district has been deemed eligible. Um and they you know and they've announced it. So, I'm sure it'll be some more communities that get added and and again, it's not I it's it's if we if we are eligible, we definitely want to um take a advantage of that eligibility. Um but again, it's not something we're cheering on because what does that really mean, right? Like it means that our our community is not as healthy financially as we would want them to be. So, um, so I think it's it's I think I would just like us to continue to monitor this situation. I'm sure the schools are all on that.

Thank you very Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Um, I did want to have Mr. Walters talk a little bit about the adaptive and middle school uh programming. Yeah, I know a little bit more about that than I do. Very good. Thank you.

Orange program. Um so you know the the two objectives that uh I was charged with was um looking for um more opportunities um for our community with special needs as well as uh middle school programs. And that came out of the the um survey but uh actually I had done a survey probably almost four years ago now and it mirrored it. there's there was a concern that um there's not enough opportunities um here in Lakewood for middle schoolers and then also for our our students with special needs. So um we we were able to we started we actually started off with um wanting to do some adaptive swim lessons. You know, we have the the the the two community pools as well as the high school pool. Um and the challenge was um it's not easy to get training specifically in in adaptive swim lessons. Um but uh we we received a grant from Healthy Lakewood Foundation and we were able to get three of our swim instructors trained. Um we did a pilot program um gosh now over two years ago and um it was highly successful. We we did a survey at the end. And so now it is part of our just our our um our seasonal swim lessons. So we're able to provide um you know one-on-one swim lessons for students with physical or cognitive uh disabilities. So that's been a nice start. The uh next um opportunity um the recreation department was able to partner with empower sports and they provide uh adaptive sports programs um year round for kids and we started off like with one session and now we're we have they come they they

come to Lakewood because they're they're all over both east and west side. Um, but starting in January, running all the way through July, we run a a program every Monday night and they play pickle ball and they play football and baseball and someone would just want to play basketball year round. Um, and um that's it's a fantastic program. I went several weeks ago and if you're ever feeling bad about yourself, just go there because there's so much joy

um and so much fun. Um, and there's they they you know they have a a full-time staff, but they also rely on volunteers. Um, so we have um some of our staff members volunteers and also our athletic director has a student athlete leadership team and one of their um charges is is volunteerism. So they've been coming out, some of our high school athletes have been coming out to the programs and assisting. Um and it's actually been so successful we've now just added a second night. Um they call it the Rising Stars program. It's for um uh kids ages four through 10. Um so the program is growing here in Lakewood. When they're not in Lakewood, the people are always asking when are we going back to Lakewood? Um so you know I I can't be more pleased by by the growth in it. Um and I have I have one little buddy. Well, he's not little anymore. He's 21. But um he's always like I'm going to practice tonight. Um, so he he I know for a fact he looks forward to it every week. Um, and then the other was um looking to get more opportunities for middle school kids. There's a lot of programs through the metrop parks and and through um through the recreation department, but it's really geared for elementary school kids. Um, and then when they get to high school, there's so many things that they can do from from the arts to to um to career tech to to athletics and so on. Um, but the there's there's a gap in the middle school. Um, so I our spring booklet, spring summer booklets about to come out in two weeks and I counted 54 programs just this summer and that again it's education, it's the arts, it's athletics. Um, it's just plain fun. Um, and I didn't even count H2O into that. The the H2O program

in the summer is such a good program for our our middle school kids and for our high school kids that and and college kids that have gone through the program and now serve as counselors. Um, so in those two areas, I feel like we've we've made some great headway um to address that that gap. Um, and and I'm, you know, real excited about about the opportunities for for our kids and and also with our special needs. It's it's young adults and even even some older ones that are are still participating. So, it's been it's been a real positive experience.

Very good. Thank you very much. I also want to give a couple minutes to um Mr. um Kevin Bourne Crow if you want to come up to the to the speaker here. uh the executive director at the Lakewood Family YMCA. Just to um if you want to reflect on what we've heard at this meeting today, if there's any opportunities for uh for the city or this chat group to um continue to um partnership with the YMCA.

Uh thank you for the invitation. Hi everyone. Um as Cindy said, I'm Kevin Borcrow from the Lakewood Family Y. Um I I'm here mostly because I just wanted to be invited to the party. Um you're all working on a lot of the things that we're doing at the Y and um I met with Kate and Dave uh a couple months ago and we talked about um chat and and basically that was my response is like how do I get invited? um how do we, you know, find a way of making sure that the Y can can show up for the city in a lot of the ways that that we're doing currently. So, you know, we've we when I first looked over the the um community health needs assessment during my, you know, light evening reading, um really like what what stands out to me is how much of the work the Y has been doing for a long time. So, particularly around um food access, behavioral health programming, adaptive programming, those are areas that we're doing a lot of work already. Really, the one area that um at least the Lakewood Y branch doesn't offer is housing. Um but we have our Y Haven program downtown where we do offer housing. So really there's there's a lot of overlap with the the work of the um of the of chat and um like I think Sarah you mentioned that um the the food program we have we we're one of the uh drop off locations for hunger network. So uh in 2025 we we donated over 15,000 pounds of food just from the Lakewood Y branch. So, um, every Monday I just unloaded boxes and boxes of bread and produce today. So, um, we we get a huge drop from Giant Eagle every Monday. We get several other

drops of food throughout the week that, um, we we have community members from all over that come and and get food from us uh, throughout the week and that's open to the community. You don't have to be a member to come in and and get some free food. um uh the the mental health programming that we have. We we've just launched a mental wellness program um at the Y. So, you can come in and um do a workout and then see our um our in-house therapist and have an appointment with him. He offers a sliding scale. He takes insurance. It's a whole legit mental health program. Um and then again, the adaptive programming. Um we we have a adaptive swim lessons and we're working on some other adaptive sports as well. Um my son Finn is a huge empower sports fan. He's going to basketball tonight of course. So, um, it's, you know, just there's, like I said, a lot of overlap and I just want to make sure that, um, you know, as a as a Lakewood resident, as uh, as someone raising a family in Lakewood, I want to make sure that the work that I'm doing professionally also meets the needs of my community. And when I see a lot of ways that we can be doing work together and and serving our residents um in a consistent and reliable way, that's where I just want to make sure that that we're showing up and offering whatever we can do to meet the needs.

So, very good. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. Um Council Member Baker, did you have a question?

Uh yes. Thank you for indulging me, Chair. Um I have a question for Mr. Walter. I um and I'm so you know the middle school thing is is a glaring thing to me um just as a community member and how we get some of those kids that you know they walk in a group down the street and some people are like oh what are they doing you know um and so and and I'm I'm it's great that we're focusing and the recreation department is focusing on kind of like programs. One thing that I always remembered as a kid and and you likely growing up in Lakewood might have remembered it is just open gyms. Um so the concept of Harding will be open now pay a dollar um if you're have a Lakewood um you know student ID card two three bucks if you don't um I'm not suggesting that's what we should do but just some system and having you know one wreck employee there and letting because I I I see the benefit of like really rigid programming and I see the benefit of like free form play uh which I think we've lost as a culture and a society and that's no one here's fault that's I I think a lot of, you know, kids are traced with their watches and parents always know where they're at and so they don't have really opportunities to explore in kind of like safe spaces. You know, they won't be hurt necessarily other than maybe playing a sport. So, I'm wondering if the district or the rec department has ever thought about I mean, we have nine gyms or 10 gyms. uh you know staffing you know Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. to noon or something like that and just allowing, you know, one side could be foosball or what soccer, one side could be basketball, you could do any game, kick ball, kind of free form. So, I'm just curious if the districts ever look into that and and kind of where that would go.

Yeah. And Councilman Baker, I don't disagree with you. I I grew up playing at the cage and going down to the ball field and and and playing just free form. Um you one of the biggest challenge is we have nine gyms and they're used all the time. Um you coach so you know the the the um you know during the winter months really in the fall when when volleyball starts up um and then into basketball and then um you know we're just as the season's ending. This is the time of year the gyms are available. Well, not you can't tell by outside right now, but the weather changes and the kids want to be outside. So, that's probably the the I mean, you hit it on the head there. The the the gym space is a big big challenge. Um, and then the other challenge would be staffing it. I don't feel comfortable having, you know, an event staff uh oversee it. It would have to be I I would really want a someone with coaching experience or a professional educator who can work with kids of you know with various needs. Um it would be ideal if we we had more gym space. I try to reme remind people that we've lost uh McKinley Madison Franklin the North gym the uh I call it the gymnastics gym. We've lost a lot of gym space. Um, and our our programs are are blowing up. I think in basketball, both boys and girls, we had a 60% increase in participation in the last four years, which is and uh the baseball and softball is is softball's actually almost 100% increase in the last four years. So, kids are playing, but it is organized and but that limits our our facility availability for um some of that free play and open play. But I

don't I don't disagree with with the thought and I certainly we can look into when the gyms are available. Friday nights and Sundays are the only times they're available in the winter. Um my my nine-year-old would love a Friday night basketball uh from 7 to 8. Yeah.

And and I do think and not to cut you off because I I appreciate that I you know I the amount of times I hammered Coach Camock for gym time for third grade uh travel basketball practice was a lot this summer or this winter. But I do think that even in this like you and I grew up in this town. There were a lot more outdoor basketball hoops in the 70s ' 80s and 90s than there are now. Um so even in the summertime I think when the gyms maybe would be le the pressure would be less. I mean, in July on a Sunday or Saturday, I could see my kid wanting to go and play basketball, but staffing is still the issue. And so, I recognize that. But I just I hope the there would at least be some appetite to look into that because I think it would be a great and it's also it may open up opportunities for the district to interact with parents that don't have kids in the district go to other schools and maybe understand the benefit of the schools and you know kind of interact with school property in a way that they don't because they go to LCA or they go to Westside Christian Academy or whatever. Um so just a suggestion.

Very good. Any other quick comments? Mr. Bixenstein.

I want to say uh thank you all for for being here. I concur with my uh colleagues that uh if the opportunity presents itself for us to help to fill uh some of this this funding gap that's um you know I certainly uh would be supportive of that. Um, quickly with regards to the summer uh, feeding program, Miss Ingresol, um, you know, as somebody who's immersed in the Harrison community and, you know, gets um, wi wind of some of these challenges uh, every day, you know, anything I can do to help help with that? I realize that infrastructure is just one of of several obstacles. But, um, you know, if if there isn't a possibility, you know, it's always possible with the Madison Library with the the basement there's some wiggle room. But if that doesn't prove to be the case, I would certainly be happy to explore other infrastructure as well. You know, um uh in in the park, you know, you see it all the time when when the uh security guard will come and with a couple pizzas and and have a little pizza party and and um kids just swarm like hornets and um you know, of course, the the mass and court community coalition is another example. You just you see that the need is is uh is really um evident and abundant and so anyway I can assist with that, I'm happy to.

Good. Council member Keell, excuse me, Keell and then public.

I I'll keep this very um on the on the program the youth um I think we had use the technical term would be out of school time engagement and you know I you know you all know that this is a pass an issue that I'm very passionate about. um did the Troy Mart Foundation. It's all about those that time for kids in that age group to have two or few fewer nights without something specific to do and and it isn't a lot of times the um organized things as much as th those are wonderful, but having a third space where middle school kids can go and have potentially entities come in and do things. We have um you know colors plus just moved to Lakewood. We have other organizations back center why we have all these different organizations hopefully the library um that could come in and do content program if we had a third safe space where kids there's no cost of entry there's no barriers and that can be a place where um there's positive engagement. And so that's something that I'm hopeful that I would love to see continued community collaboration around um finding a way to do that. And with that said, I know we've all thrown a lot of ideas at you and I just want to make sure that it's clear that from my vantage point is like none of this is criticism. It's just enthusiasm for the work that you're doing. So thank you,

Mr. Bulock.

Thanks, Madam Chair. Uh Director Walter, to pick on you a little bit in support of the comments here. So there's limits, but that's not down to zero, right? So there could be space even with the expanded programming which my kids happily participate in to do the unstructured free form play assuming that you could staff and budget it but there are rainy days off season so they prefer to play outside but it's a downpour so the inside becomes an option. Also to be direct, it used to be that the school district had more gym and outdoor basketball access. They were taken down before your time, I think, or when you were in a different role. And that's hurt access in the city. The city's done some work in the community, I should say. The city's done some work over the years to expand that, but we've taken incremental steps. Probably we need to take some more steps, but it would really multiply the options if the schools recommitted themselves to that same access. So that's why I think I I'd welcome the chance and maybe council president whenever we have a chance to talk to the school board in the joint hearing to to put this on the agenda. I'm quite aware that's not a zero dollar ask, but it it's so important. And I think the city has been improving in recent years. Our own investment in the city-owned parks, sports fields, and all that that the great wreck department that you're a part of programs and and that partnership is improving as it should over over time. So, we I think there's some more strategic coordination just on that side of things. Very briefly, thank you uh to the whole group. Director Boss, Assistant Director Boss, and and the whole team here. Um Kristen Broadbent, you've been at this for years. Director Walter, everything we're doing on the walk to school, safe walking to school is right in line with

all of the um behavioral health. Um um um and uh Kate, you're the guru of so many things. And Laura, thank you for all you do. I'd like to get maybe an after hours briefing on the the county funding situation. Is this permanent? Is it temporary? They probably don't know, but the council president used to be the finance chair is Lakewood's representative. We have good relationships with him. Let's get his view on things. It's possible that the we could find some interim funding. But it's but I but I think just to my colleagues like human services was originally um begun as we're a service location for county and other other area services. So if the state or the county is doing a permanent reduction of their funding level I hope that's not what's actual before before we can commit permanent replacement funding. And I think we have to understand our strategy just as you know the finance director the previous finance director used to observe that the um uh every dollar in the city could be taken up by concrete uh in the engineering department. I'm sure the need is much larger than the budget. Even if your whole budget was restored the need is greater still than that. So, so I would I I'm also receptive to supporting, but I but the piece that I want to also study up on is how do we how do we get our hands around the need and some of that's inside our footprint and some of that's beyond our footprint. So, there's a lot there. So, we maybe we could talk offline. Yeah, I I do appreciate that because I think um it's not been very clear and it's not been communicated um to the council neighborhood lead the CNL the council of neighborhood leaders which oversees the

collabs. Each club kind of sends a representative to it and even last week they had a meeting and there's a lot of it that's just not been clearly communicated and shame on the county um for not really. They've said they were going to make all these cuts and you know we've just been waiting and waiting for clear open communication and maybe I shouldn't be saying any of this but um it's been frustrating just being in limbo and I feel for my staff that's under me that they they were in limbo and and worrying and um and they're doing great work. It's hard work every day what they face. Um, and then to be worrying about what's the future of this position that I've invested so much in and these families that we help and serve. Um, and so any pressures we can place to get clearer answers and clearer visions for where the future holds probably the better. I'm open to any conversation. I know Chad would um, obviously Chad will as well. So, and he's more deeply invested and involved just because he's been on that um chairing that group of leaders. So, he's um very invested obviously in um that and knows the players at the table of the other CNLs that are also being affected. Um, so the other collaboratives, I mean, and the whole, just so you understand, the whole idea of the collaborative, not to derail us, but the whole idea with the collaborative was really to prevent children and families being involved with DCFS. Um, and so that was that was the whole thing is like let's catch families. Let's let's be in the communities. Let's support families. So like if there's a strain on them financially or there's something going on that can prevent abuse and neglect that we're getting that before it gets to the point of them being in the hands of DCFS. Um and so that that was the original goal of those and um now because the

county, you know, hiring freeze within the even the department of children and family services um and they're all doing more work than they should be individually more tends to come down to the collaboratives that maybe used to stay within the um case managers there. So if that makes any sense. It does and we can follow up and it's probably a collegial conversation with you know our allies at the county and and they can probably give us some indications and at least informally. So happy to work with that. Thanks.

Very good. Thank you all uh for coming in tonight. Thank you for the continued work that you do in these difficult times with limited resources and and in um limited hours. Um, with that, I'd like to make a motion to receive and file this report. Can I have a second? Second. The motion's been made and seconded. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? I. And with that and no further um items on our agenda, this meeting is adjourned. Finance will start in like five.

Thank you for coming. Please tell me

No. I never thought I'd be doing

Yeah, I will. Thank you for coming. And then as I answer that question, did I have that conversation with you? I might had it with

I think Anns Yeah. So, she's actually didn't know she was here.

Thank you. All good. Yeah. Mine's worse. The white is worse.

Early One time I disappointed Michigan. I think I'm kind of right there with you. Yeah, Jessica said I was kind of in a real hurry.

I could have My mom was going through my Thank you. Spring. It's the spring. I'm trying to bring in the warm weather, but it's not working. Yeah.

Yeah.

I think I put a note in granus today about adding some other language. You could have been careful. I will go ahead and call to order um March 23rd, 2026 finance committee. Uh the first order of business is the review and approval of the March 2nd, 2026 finance committee meeting minutes. Um without objection, they are approved.

I was ready to make my big motion.

Well, I stole your thunder. Uh Council Bulk, I apologize. Uh the next order of business, we have two docket items uh of which we covered uh in our last meeting uh but we wanted to sleep on it a little bit uh before we came back. So the first uh one is ordinance 15 20226 uh which is the ordinance to create the host community cannabis fund act section 12965 like codified ordinances uh as introduced it had some language um and then on the floor at the last meeting we discussed um some additional language uh that I I believe is reflected in Granicus as a substitute um and there may be further amendments on that. Uh but I I guess to to start the discussion off, I will move to substitute the ordinance with um the substitute that is in Granicus.

Second. Um the motion's made second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Um okay. So now we have um the substituted version. Uh the one thing uh so Councilman Evans couldn't be here uh but he did send me a thoughtful note in advance. I I think he's dealing with allergies or uh is a little under the weather. is sometimes um you know I I as a member of council I have a good idea of of of the purpose of our funds where the money that goes into our funds come from and the general purpose that those monies are then spent uh because it's dictated in our codified ordinances and in law. The one thing is I don't always have great clarity in perhaps um if you go through the budget book you could find that clarity of like what specific things the funds from a specific fund are spent on. I should stop saying fund. What what specific things the money from the funds are spent on from a line item perspective. And that's one thing that Councilman Evans brought up and I was wondering if there's an easy way. So this a question to the finance director is uh would there be a way over the next couple years for the finance department to provide a communication to the docket at the end of each year that kind of outlines what where this money was spent in a more limited nature and not like kind of segregated from the other funds.

Are you meaning specific to this to to this fund? Yes. Well, it would the definition would be in our caffer afer sorry. Um, so for for the uninitiated, could you describe what an afer is?

It's our our yearly financials and there is a list I believe there should be a list of every fund and what their purposes in in that. Um, and I mean, yeah, I'm I'm happy to give a report uh to council on the specific fund if you if you wanted um annually. Yes, because I I understand and and that's my level of knowledge of our funds. We have many restricted funds and I read through and I see balances and then sometimes when I go into the board of control, I can see where money comes from uh for certain projects. Um but then the collation is where I miss some of it to see actually where you know like kind of a true up of the of a particular fund. And I think this one is of importance to the community. It's a new revenue source. So I think some mechanism to see that from a reporting standpoint, whatever we do to the language in exhibit or in uh subsection C as far as what the authorized expenditures are. Any comments for my colleagues on on that point?

Council Bulock. Thanks. You're saying not a prospective but a year end or look back reporting period to say what what were the actuals?

Yes. And and and why I propose that is because this is a new new source of funds. So I think it would be helpful for us as the appropriators in the city to see where these new funds are going and then potentially that could inform some future decisions about authorized expenditures. Right. Are we Is there money sitting in there because it can't be spent or is do do we see it's going more towards a certain uh subsection of the authorized expenditure? So we want to think about that from a policy perspective.

Certainly I mean that's that's I agree very much and I think that probably is a healthy practice for all funds for now. Um but to take this first step be happy to support a request or a um requirement. I suppose director, would a simple communication um be enough? Um this could be a standard practice um for at least this fund. Sure. Yeah, that's that's no problem. Um I would just ask I don't I haven't seen the granicus. Could you scroll it up just so I can see the the chain? I can see I can't see the bottom.

Can you scroll to the Yeah. Oh yeah, section C.

Um, Mr. Chair, uh, yes B, unless you're in the middle of a thought, I've got a point to build. Always in the middle of a thought, but not not a particularly insightful one. Great. Um, so okay, in no particular order there there might be a couple of corrective amendments to include. So I'm I'm supportive of the spirit of the council street's uh proposed changes here. I guess the committee has accepted the changes. Um, might capitalize. Yeah, to be clear, they were accepted to then form the basis of our discussion. So open other amendments.

So first of all, I think it's a good change. So uh in section A we say this this there's hereby established a capital projects fund. Okay. So then we jump down to section C. Now we're talking about public health and safety. And then you know I think that's a tracks from me. Complete street trace ADA transition plan and Lakewood community health capital needs assessment implementation. I I should big N needs assessment implementation but isn't Lakewood community health needs programmatic as opposed to capital. So that that's an issue to consider or address. Um so that's number one. Number two, just just as an observation for my colleagues, uh you know, I do think in our budgeting, we could improve by being strategic and giving ourselves periodic whether that's annual or or some other time basis check-ins on our use of funds just as the chair is talking about. Another example is the NOC funds. No funds have been doing great programs for quite some time. They've been doing the same program for quite some time. Maybe they should, but maybe they shouldn't. What we typically consider though is a piece of legislation proposed by the administration that assumes that we are going to continue the use of those NOPC funds for what we've been doing with them for 10 years. And I think as you know, part of the decision- making at city hall for the use of resources from time to time, I do agree we should be asking ourselves, hey, let's check our assumptions. Um, what might we make resource prioritization decisions around and for. So the last little comment for me on this. So this is a new

source of funds. That's it's great. I I do think we originally um envisioned when this was medical marijuana, a public health component. Uh more recently, we've we've expanded the expectation around both complete streets and ADA implementation. So, these are all great. Um, should we be thinking about these funds as new improvements or to backfill long-standing needs? So, we just had an important conversation about county cuts, at least for now, to important mental health services certainly be worth the use of these funds. That could all swell up every dollar for 20 years. Now, if we want to make that decision, we can have that discussion. I I don't know how I should be thinking about this. I'm just kind of putting that question out there on the table because this these are new funds that could provide a strategic opportunity to do some new things to meet some new needs. So, to me, that's what's exciting about the creation of these funds. And thank you to um my colleagues who put this uh piece of legislation.

Yeah. Yeah, and I think to to that point, thank you, Council Bulock. I I I agree with with what you're saying and and we may make um I may propose amendment to make it a a fund, not a capital projects fund, to to address some of the concerns you talked about. Would that from the law director standpoint and the finance director, is that what we need to do?

Uh yes, Mr. Chair, thank you. I we were having the same discussion. Uh we we can always um we can always uh say other uh capital improvements and operations uh related to accessibility, equity, wellness and human services just to bring that scope into this. Yeah. So where do you propose that language at? Um in section C. I'm talking about section A that says Yeah. There is hereby established a capital projects fund. I'm I'm wondering if we just put establish a fund.

Ex my drafting. Okay. U Mr. Chair, it's exactly what you just said. Okay. Okay. So that I um first thing I will make a motion to delete capital projects from subsection A. Uh motion second. Is there discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Hi. Okay. And then the the next thing, Council Bulock, I um I think that's why this reporting is so important. Um so, and that's where and I often, you know, sometimes when I'm really bored, I I read codified ordinances and establishment of the finance department and our charter and all those things. And if we ever wanted an analysis of a fund, we simply would just put a communication on the docket saying, "Hey, um what are we spending out of the DARE fund? There's a DARE fund." Or you could just email me. Yeah. that too. I'm I'm a lawyer so we we do things director Marggo knows. Um you you could email everyone on council then.

Um but so we have those rights. Um I do think in this instance this is unique in the sense that it is new revenue and we are putting some outer bounds of how they can how the funds can be spent. So I think we want to know how they were spent and how it impacts the rest of the budget and then how we may refine the boundaries of the allowable expenses I think from a policy perspective. So um if the finance director will commit I think we could put this in text of the ordinance. I'd prefer that we just got, you know, kind of commitment on the record that the next three years we'll get some analysis of it and the communication on the docket at the end of, you know, what March, you know, when books close so we can see and then refer to committee and have a discussion about it, I think would be very helpful. Would that be something that the committee wants or helpful?

Um, yes, Mr. chair from me. Uh the timing might need some thought because we go into budgeting for the next year earlier than March. So, so we'll be doing a March look back at the previous year, but we'll already be in the cycle for the current year, which we would have started really around Thanksgiving. you know, if we figure out the timing. Well, one one I I guess to director Mahoney, one would be a time that you feel like you could adequately drop a communication that be ready to discuss in committee kind of where these funds are going. Well, um it it would be part of the budget document. Um

the budget document is I this is where I I you're you're technically correct. Um but I I think that there is a benefit in a separate discussion aside as it relates to this particular um

so maybe as part of the budget discussions in the fall um how the money I I don't see us spending too much of this this year to be honest but you know as part of the when that section of the budget comes up an analysis of I think that probably would be the best time because then if council wants to direct the funds um specifically for the next year, that probably would be the best timing. So along with the budget um discussion.

Yeah, I'm almost looking for a look back as could Yes, because I do think that it will be included in the budget. I mean our we're here till midnight. Um, and you know,

no, when we do the budget, and it's also, you know, year end for me and my day job and, you know, Christmas shopping for kids and this probably the most stressful time to be on council is during the budget season. Um, and so sometimes I think we lose from the trees. Um, and that's why I'm proposing more of a look back. And as we saw this year, we can always amend the budget. we've done so many times to director Mahoney's chin I think um so it's it's possible for us to do that so I I do I would suggest after because this is more of a prospective or look back so that we can then think about how we want to because at any time we can change the authorized expenditures right so that's why I think after the close of the year um council person

thank you um yeah I think there's kind of two things because we're just creating it this year to understand the timing in some ways. And then we've also talked about trying to um have an early start with council priorities and working with the finance department prior to going into the budget book creation. So that would be a time also to be looking at um as director Money mentioned since these these funds were not necessarily anticipated in our 2026 budget because we didn't know if and when we were going to get them. Um, as we heard at the last committee meeting, um, from Director Barry and the meeting right before this one from, um, assistant director Jsley about the needs and human services uh, regarding the mental health do the county cuts if that was something that we wanted to use that they were used on this year. So I feel like this year is sort of maybe a year to establish the best practice and discover it together a little bit is that if we are we won't necessarily have a look back too much. Um maybe we will in which case we'd want to hear about that from director Mahoney and um you know but um if we are thinking as we're heading into our budget priorities and getting those with finance that would also be a time to be like hey have you used any of this yet? And then um in the maybe in the next year would also be a look back of how were they used last year, how do we want to use them this year if that makes sense. So that timing and we um need to work that out with finance. But heading prior to the budget book creation, we had talked about having those council priorities and more communications. That might be a time to do both things if that makes sense.

Yes. So what I mean um I think what we're asking for director Mahoney is a distinct communication on the cannabis fund that's separate from the budget. Um and so if you can commit to doing that and having those conversations then then I think I'm comfortable is so is that fair? Okay.

Sure. And actually that know you had originally mentioned March March April would probably time up with what I had suggested uh council priorities to be starting to be communicated in June. So if you get the report in March or April on cannabis funds then you could include that in your council priorities discussion in June. Um and then at this point I will take comments on C which is really the meat and potatoes of this. Um so as you can see the the proposed amendment uh which I believe was formed by council person stream big's um kind of uh additions. Any comments from the committee on on that? Council person street.

Thank you. Um it could have been my typo. It could have been a clerk typo. Um, but the N in needs needs to be capitalized and Lakewood Community Health needs assessment, which is a specific document. And then also right after that, because that that document is actually exactly what it says, it's an assessment. There's an additional document that goes with it. That is the Lakewood action plan that then takes us into um I mean it says exactly here on the on the last page is moving from assessment to action and I think that that's where to to your question to Mr. Bulock this is where we start to get into like more specifics on what what are we looking to fund as opposed to just ideas of funding. So, I'd like to make an amendment to my amendment and um after assessment add and Lakewood action plan implementation

and as well as capitalize the end. Thank you. Yes. Uh so there's a motion to have it read and Lakewood Community Health needs capital on assessment and Lakewood action plan implementation. Correct. Uh okay. So that the motion has been made. I will second that motion. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I.

Um so now that we have this I I do think that this is you know we're kind of building the plane as we're flying. The state decided to be magnanimous and send us the money which is good. Um, but I'm interested to see where this goes because I think council B brings up some good points about, you know, does it just go into the giant you put water in the ocean or are you going to try to fill a vessel somewhere for a particular need? Um, and this might be too broad. We might need to tighten this up or we might need to expand it. Um, so I think we don't know from a policy perspective. Any other thoughts before we uh Dr. Vargo?

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Sure. Um, uh, Director Mahoney and I are discussing and I have to apologize. Okay.

U, we're not specifically knowledgeable of the community health needs assessment. I apologize, but here's here's my question. Uh, the prior u the prior committee meeting that we had and we've heard from Director Barry at human services about the mental health needs and the cuts from the county. uh to support human services on those issues. Director Barry spoke about and the assistant or the associate director also spoke about is is are we talking about one and the same thing or do we need to add what director Barry was talking about? So, I I I would think that public health and safety um and the Lakewood Community Health needs assessment um would cover it and the the addition that council person made would cover that, but welcome leg from a legislative intent perspective. It is intended to cover it. Whether the language does or not is another question. We could get into the Mr. Chair, we could get into the chat which is um directed out of that needs assessment that group that came out of that needs assessment um and their annual report. I mean we could get that detailed but I think if we say uh for public health and safety issues within including complete streets right including these specific documents right not just not solely right including these these documents that that we are identifying at this at this moment. Um, and then like to your point, um, Chair Baker, maybe we need to

expand that further next year. Maybe we need to add more plans in there. But I think at this point, it captures the essence of what we're looking for with health and safety related issues within the city, including these things. Spoken like a my legislation. Council,

thank you. Um it's a it's a good question that the law director and the finance director raised the it's a technical document. It's on our website. It's done every 5 years or thereabouts. I'm looking right now and I don't know if the council clerk is calling it up also on there's a 20 Never mind if if you're doing something else. Sorry. There's a 2022 version of the document and it's it's a global assessment and it includes mental health along with behavioral health and nutrition and physical activity and and safety at home and safety at workplace. So it's it's pretty comprehensive. Those things um used to be conducted by Lakewood Hospital and and I think in the closure of Lakewood Hospital now the city's taken on. So I I I I'm in long way of agreeing with my colleague that pretty sure that it will capture all the work that the human services department does.

Thank you. Is a fair statement from some of my colleagues. Yeah, I think it maybe not every single thing that they do, but in the specific discussion of of the of the lost revenue from the county in order to provide the mental health services that was specifically um mentioned in the report tonight and in the work of Chad. So, and and the public health language there. Um but we do need to still take out the capital improvements.

I you know what I thought about that? Um, thank you for that. And I do think that it it could be it says including and then it includes capital improvements. So the including qualifies everything that so I actually think it's okay. But defer to

first of all uh thanks for the explanation uh of the assessment. Uh that's sufficient for uh Director Mahoney and me and and certainly your statement of intent is is good. It It's fine. We are good with it. Um and if capital improvements stays as a because it's just an inclusion, that's fine. Maybe just to eliminate any question about Director Barry's use of some of these funds, even though it's in the including clause, we could say and other capital improvements and operations related to those items.

Yeah. So I'll make a motion uh to include and operations in between capital improvements and related second uh motion made. Any discussion? Cler clerks love us tonight. Uh council Bixon stand. Um this is more just a question. I I agree with the assessment that this should this should serve the purpose with the change we've made. Um, I know in a lot of times when you see this sort of verbiage, you see including but not limited to. Is that redundant in this case to add that? I mean, is it implied that it's not limited to just by saying including? I guess more of a question and a clarification as opposed to suggestion.

I I'm I'm here for it though, Councilman. Let's Let's make the lawyers earn their hour for this uh interpretation. Um, thank you through the chair. You see including but not limited to uh everywhere in legal documents even though it's true it's verbose. Uh maybe it stems from the fact that one time lawyers drafting were were paid by the word but some still are. Yeah.

So it's not necessary but it is certainly standard to have that language. So, I leave it to the committee. Uh, uh, being concise shows respect to your reader. So, I'll say let's not be verbose. Yeah, works for me. Thank you for the clarification. Any other thoughts? I think we have a amended substitute currently before us. Did we approve that motion? May not have. Do we have a motion on the floor?

Uh, we do. Uh and so the motion on the floor, you're right. Uh Council Bixenstein asked a question about it. So is any other questions on the motion to add and operations? No. Uh all those in favor say I. I. I. Uh so now we have uh an amended substitute that I think we're ready to refer out uh favorably to full counsel. Um, I will make a motion to favorably refer the amended substitute ordinance 15 uh 2026 to full counsel. Mr. Chair, I got one question before Yes.

motion. Um, so now as written, I understand what's authorized, but how is an expenditure actually made and approved? So right now as written, does this require any further legislation from council or does this read such that the finance director may at the finance director's discretion use one cent up to the full balance for any named authorized purpose? Actually, um, no, I'll need another amended appropriation ordinance so I can file that with the county. Um, okay.

So, that was my question. Do you want me to prepare have that prepared alongside this? So, council would approve the fund and establish the fund and then right after uh also the same night could be to appropriate the funds from the fund. Sure. Yeah. Okay. I I won't be here on the 6th. It's our spring break, but um might not be here either, but Jessica will be

um Mr. Chair, thank you finance director for clarifying that that makes sense. So um that then gives us an opportunity to do to follow through on and make some self-aware explicit decision by in in in partnership with the mayor and and council together say, "Okay, we now have a fund. we now have some priorities for the fund and that there there's dollars in the fund. What would we what do we want to do in budget year 2026 with those funds? I don't claim to to be ready right this moment to to say that we we've got a couple possibilities, but um and it sounds as if the administration is eager to try to um at least partly relieve the financial deficit in human services. Is that an accurate statement?

I'm not totally clear on the dollar amount of that. So, I'm not eager to to do anything until I know the dollar amount. So, I I I think it's a good idea to have um a vehicle ready for us to have that discussion, but not pre uh suppose that we know the answer to it. That's just my opinion. I don't know whether council members have more clarity about the use of these funds in year one. And and last point for me, we have 750,000 or thereabouts. Does that represent two or three years worth of revenues going forward? It's about 16 months if I'm remembering correctly.

So that might also shape our thinking. In other words, do we you know do do we try to obligate all those funds right away? Do we hold some to be a strategic reserve? And then what's a sustainable rate of expenditure on an annual basis? So all those things I mean I'd welcome the discussion. Um what I'm really trying to do is challenge myself and all of us to think this through um one step at a time and be thoughtful.

Yes. And we're we're getting a new dispensary and another one's closing. So does that affect you know um taxes? Um I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. So, Standard Wellness is moving in to where Harry Buffalo previously was, and then the Rise dispensary is moving out. There still will be two in Lakewood. Um, but a bigger one square footage wise will be on the west end. Uh, so I have the motion on the floor to favorably refer. Sounds like we will get a companion uh appropriation. Uh, motion's made in second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Um, okay. The second order of business is ordinance 27 2025, uh, which was to, uh, repeal. Actually, we may need to change that language a little bit of repeal since we have determined that we might want to change the language a little bit. Um because we discussed last meeting um the intention to basically make the finance committee the audit committee um and and and have a finance committee hearing uh where the auditor and the director of finance would be available to answer council's questions um and present the audit to council. Uh but we wanted to sleep on it, think about it. Um also I I think our edits were new to the finance department. So I wanted to give them time to think about it as well. Also the law department. The substitute version I think uh is in Granus. So um and I I think did I make a motion last time? Uh or do we have to get this substitute in to substitute? Okay. Okay. So, I will make a motion to substitute what is in Granicus with the changes that we discussed on the record at the last meeting. Motion's been made. Is there a second?

Second. Uh the motion. Any discussion? Uh all those in favor say I. I. I.

Um so now that the substitute is in uh it's up on the screen. So basically it um you know still has the establishment and purpose of the audit committee says the membership is just the finance committee uh and then outlines you know that by communication the director of finance will provide the audit uh at least annually and have the independent auditor available uh to discuss in a public meeting. Um and then you know I doesn't need bylaws because uh the finance committee already exists and is uh defined its purpose in the code. Um so it just has the general rules of operation and outlines what the intention is. Uh any thoughts from my colleagues about this?

Mr. Sure. Council Bulock, maybe you change repeal in the opening title to amend. So if you go all the way to the top. Yeah, I will make a motion to amend the substitute um by rem removing repealing chapter 162, amending chapter 160. Second um motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor I say I

I Okay. Um then that the amended substitute clerk love us tonight. Uh ordinance is now uh before us. Director Mahoney. I know we talked about this a lot on the floor at our last meeting, but um is this acceptable for for process?

Sure. The the only comment I would have is that often um at the end of an audit uh I or I it's usually myself, sometimes the auditors do, but it's usually myself sends out a communication whether or not um an exit conference is desired. I think this is in essence the exit conference and often after a few years people say we don't need an exit conference. So, I I don't know if you want to use that word, the exit conference or or I mean, this makes it mandatory no matter. Um, and I'm fine with that if council's fine with that. If that's

Yeah. I mean, we we have an audit every year, right? Yes. And and and I know and and by the way, I think I speak for all of us when I say we're thankful we're we are recognized um as elite in the state of Ohio and that and that's under your leadership and previous directors and I you know there are other peer communities that haven't had an audit in multiple years which is amazing to me. No, every city has an audit every year. But but I um but they don't win that get that award if that's what

Well, no. I I like I I I think a a neighboring community to the east side has had challenges with their audits and they have not been completed multiple years in a row. Um, and so I, you know, want to commend your department, but also, you know, the code is for our successors, um, not necessarily for us. Uh, so I'd like to, you know, my my intention here is to kind of codify the best practices. Um, and I think that even if we don't call it an exit, whatever you just said, exit conference, I think that it can be implied that that's what it is and the nomenclature might change in the future.

Um, any other thoughts? Uh, Council Person Keell, thank you. Um, yeah, I think that that's right. And some of our previous conversation too was part of the idea is um you know we hope it's a relatively no offense boring conversation um but that you know are exciting.

Yeah. But but it is I think part of this is also just um you know we talked about previously is instead of having you know maybe an audit committee that might meet on a Tuesday afternoon with no one around that if we have it in a finance committee it's recorded it's broadcast so no one um everyone has the opportunity to see that level of transparency and any members of the public that wanted to see it or come and provide public comment or ask us questions once once it's docketed um would have that opportunity. So I think it's a good practice even if it might not seem totally necessary given our current um you know our long-standing good work from the finance department but um it it's a good best practice just to show our work.

Sure. Fine with me. Great. Um any other thoughts? Then I will make a motion to favorably refer the amended substitute to full counsel for approval. Second. Uh motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Um with that wonderful bell and no further uh matters to come before the finance uh committee. Uh this meeting is journ. Thank you. Your second favorite person. Your third favorite person.