City Council - Regular Meeting

Call the City Council meeting to order. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilperson Steelgrave?

Here.

Bining? Here. Germani? Here. Stringham? Here. Felder?

Here.

Hader?

Here.

Mayor Clark?

Here. I'd ask that we all please rise for the invocation and remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you for watching over our city and all who call her home. Please let everyone be safe tomorrow during the election day. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Clerk, next item, please.

The next item on the agenda is the approval of the regular agenda.

City Manager Cochran, adjustments to the agenda at all?

Nothing from administration.

Okay, anything from City Council? For a motion to approve the agenda. Support. Motion by Councilwoman Stilgrave, supported by Councilman Hader to approve the regular agenda. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilperson Stilgrave? Yes. Bining? Yes. Germani? Yes. Stringham? Yes. Felder? Yes. Hader? Yes. Mayor Clark?

Yes. Next item, please.

The next item is the Consent Agenda, and I did not have the approval of payments. Let me get that.

One moment.

The approval of payments is $1,768,768.04. Thank you. Are there items on the consent agenda? Manager Cochran, any items? I would request that number 6053 be pulled for council action.

So remove from consent agenda, put on council action, which would be the last item on the list, okay. Any other items on the consent agenda, which is the minutes or the bill payments? City Council, any items to be pulled for the consent agenda? Seeing none, any items on the consent agenda, which is the minutes and the payments to vendors remaining from those present here this evening? Any items in the consent agenda to have pulled? Seeing none, a motion to be in order. Councilman Felder.

Yes, your honor.

I would make a motion that all remaining items on the consent agenda be accepted, placed on file, recommendations accepted.

It's a motion by Councilman Feller, supported by Councilwoman Germania, that all remaining items on the consent agenda be accepted, placed on file, and recommendations carried out. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilperson Stilgrave? Yes. Vining? Yes. Germania? Yes. Stringham? Yes. Felder? Yes. Hader? Yes. Mayor Clark? Yes.

Yes. Next item, please.

The next item is item 6, presentations, communications, and public hearings. Item 6060, proclamation recognizing the service and retirement of Kaylani Rafka-Wilson.

Manager Cochran.

Yep, this evening City Council is going to be signed, if you haven't already, a proclamation for Kehlani recognizing 25 years of service since the establishment of Gabby's Grief Center.

I'm going to come down to the podium. I'm going to ask Kehlani to join me. Absolutely. The camera's right up there. Well, I think pretty much everybody here in the room and those watching know Kaylani from her years of service to the community. Of course, we know her career after she went through the pageants and was made Miss America, but also it's the years of service after that we are recognizing. We all know that she was in the healthcare and nurse for many, many years, but always found the need to, not the need, but the desire to serve our community. And so we have a proclamation for her because Kaylani, she says she's retiring. Now we may find something else after this, but at least what from her service has been over the past many years. So I do want to say over the past 25 years, opportunities to meet Kaylani are so many functions. There's not one that I don't know that she doesn't attend. and doesn't have input and provide service to the community. So I have a, we have, I should say the city council has a proclamation and on behalf of the city council, I'm going to read some. Okay. You know, sometimes I read the highlights. Everything on here is a highlight. There's nothing here that's not something that's fabulous, but I just think there's some points that I think we need to hear here this evening. And for those also that are watching, but it starts out as where is Gabby's grief center. had a vision and a dedication of community leaders all the way back in 2001 for his journey of hope, healing, and compassionate support. And whereas Kehlani Raffco-Wilson joined the mission, established the organization's nonprofit status, secured initial funding, and built the foundation, a vital resource for grieving children, adults, and families. And that has been continuous since then. And then it continues where I talk about Kaylani as an early member of the board of directors before becoming the board president in June of 2005, and the role of executive director, steadfast leadership, unwavering compassion throughout her tenure as the director. And of course that starts in 2001, as I said, and things continued. And whereas through her leadership, Gabby's Grief Center expanded to four original support groups. The continued grief support today includes over 20 programs and school training, social wellness, family events, corporate and workplace grief support, crisis support, memorial events, and educational outreach throughout our community. And it says, whereas with Kehlani's leadership with Getty's Library served 3,792 individuals in 2024 alone. Right. It's just amazing. We're over four. Now they're over four this year. So profound impact on her vision and dedication and staff, the board members, the community partners, she've carried out this mission forward through all these years. And for more than two decades of extraordinary leadership, Kehlani transformed countless lives, created a place of comfort, hope, healing, and belonging. And for those facing life's most difficult moments, leaving an immeasurable legacy of her

Generations to come for all those that she's touched so on behalf the city count you not bad for an old Miss America That's so nice, and I know you've got a busy agenda Election Day tomorrow, but just thank you all for your leadership and all that you do for our community and so often I'm asked, where are you living? You're still in Monroe. I'm like, oh yeah, I'm not leaving my hometown. I couldn't wait. When that year was done, I thought I got to go home. And I was reminded of a Robert Frost poem that I have miles to keep or miles to go and promises to keep. And I'm like, I just couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I just love my hometown. And This makes it very, very special. I'm really excited because I know Gabby's Grief Center has touched so many, many lives in this community. And I'm excited and very content because I know I leave it in great hands. I'm so happy. Thank you for the board members who are here. And thank you, Director Tolstead, for creating all of this. And it's just been so much fun. I met with the Honor Guard and reenacted a picture on Friday that was taken 38 years ago on, I believe, the kickoff of the fair parade. And it was with the current Honor Guard back on July 31st around 1 p.m. in 1988. So you just, you know, I just appreciate, Chad, everything that you've done to make this so special. Next year is my 40th anniversary being crowned Miss American, bringing that wonderful title, which was a gift. back to the community that I truly love and cherish. So I thank you for your leadership. I'm really grateful. Kate, our new executive director for Gabby's is here and our family services coordinator, Maddie is here and the board members who are present. Just thank you all so very much. I will treasure this always. And I appreciate, I haven't gotten a proclamation in like 40 years. So thank you. Thank you. God bless you and your work that you do for our town. Oh, yeah.

Leave Kaylani. So I think back all that time, of course, we'll look forward to the next 25 years for somebody else that will hopefully stand in here that will also share in this great joy. I think of all that you've provided. But before you go, our Public Safety Director, Chad Tolson, wants to speak to you for a second. Stay right here.

Thank you. Okay.

Honorable Mayor, City Council Members, Chad Tolstead, Director of Public Safety. So as Kay talked about, we reenacted this photo you see here, which was taken July 31st, 1988. We were going through and honoring Kay, and this has always been one of my favorite photos, because I can't imagine being able to be a part of something this special. So it kind of became, what, a good idea? And then we began working a lot of things out, and with a ton of help, we were able to reenact this same photo. So before we present that, I want to thank a few people here. So Deb Stilgrave, thank you for the flowers. They were perfect. They were perfect. I want to thank All Heart for helping out last minute. We had to get some last minute things done there. Jessica from Hobby Lobby. Kay was so kind. Jessica put this whole photograph together, as you'll see here in just a minute. Last minute for us, Kay was so kind to stop by and say hello. I'm like, hey, can you get this done? She goes, I don't know. I'm like, do you want to meet Miss America? And she said, are you trying to butter me up? I said, absolutely. And I want to thank our honor guard team led by Detective Sergeant Ogins as well. Kate Longenberger, the executive director that helps put all these things together. Your husband, Chuck, who came by on date day to bring you by for this as well. And thank you for taking time out of your day.

So special. So special. So with that, we had this.

We had this made up to you. Oh, my goodness. What you see here is the old photograph and then reenacted with our new honor guard pictured below it. With a description that reads, honoring a Monroe tradition, Miss America Kehlani Ravko in the Monroe Public Safety Honor Guard, July 31st, 1988, recreated July 31st, 2026.

That's wonderful. Thank you. You're welcome. That is beautiful.

Thank you, too. You're welcome. Thank you. You are welcome.

Thank you all so very much. I just am so honored, and I really, truly treasure this. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Kaylin. Clerk, next item, please.

The next item is under council action, item 6058, acceptance of MEDC revitalization and placemaking grant.

Manager Cochran.

Yes, we've got great news this evening. We're accepting two grants that are going to assist with the redevelopment of St. Mary's Park that is getting ready to get under construction just about any day now. But this is the first of two grants for your consideration tonight. The first one is from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation through the revitalization and placemaking program. And this is for $1 million from the state of Michigan to help offset those costs. And so we're excited and very pleased for the state's support with this project and certainly want to recognize Caitlin McBriarty and Matt Vannisacker and Brad Willey, who did such a tremendous job in putting this application together. So for this, this is for you to officially accept the grant tonight and also authorize us to sign the grant agreement that will help fund the cost going forward.

Thank you. Any questions from city council? Councilwoman Stringham.

Move to accept the Michigan Economic Development Corporation MEDC for the revitalization and placemaking RIP grant Authorize the city manager to sign the necessary agreements and the assistant city manager finance director be Authorized to amend the budget for the grant and city match second It's a motion by councilman stringer sport a councilman steelgrave on item 6058 the acceptance of the MEDC revitalization and placemaking grant

Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilperson Steelegrave? Yes. Bining? Yes. Germani? Yes. Stringham? Yes. Felder? Yes. Hader?

Yes.

Mayor Clark?

Yes. Next item, please.

The next item is 6059, Acceptance of Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant.

Mr. Proctor?

Yes.

This is the second of the two. This one actually comes from the DNR and the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board. We were very grateful for their support to select this project. We actually found out about it quite a bit ago. However, the state legislature had to approve the appropriation that was authorized by the Trust Fund Board, so we had to wait for Lansing and the legislature and the governor to actually agree on a budget. We're very pleased that was done. This is for another $400,000 to supplement the $1 million that you just accepted from the MEDC. And this one is also a state grant, a resolution for you to approve accepting the award.

Thank you. Any questions from city council?

Councilman Hader. I'd like to make a motion to accept the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant and resolution of acceptance and authorize the city manager to sign the necessary agreements and the assistant city manager, finance director be authorized to amend the budget for the grant and city match.

Support.

There's a motion by Councilman Hayes supported by Councilwoman Steelgrave on item 6059, acceptance of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant. Clerk, please call the roll.

Yes. Vining? Yes. Germani? Yes. Stringham? Yes. Felder? Yes. Hader? Yes. Mayor Clark?

Yes.

The next item is item 6053, authorization for code enforcement legal action.

Manager Cocker?

Yes, good evening again. So this is an item that's routinely on the consent agenda for city council to assist with our blight and code enforcement efforts. Traditionally, these are on the agenda under the consent agenda. However, there were some circumstances that call for some additional explanation on tonight's agenda. So appreciate you pulling that. The first property, 324 Union Street, that is in your council packet, as we normally do, the blight tracker that is online, you can see the actions that have been taken to date and we're prepared to file circuit court complaints against that property tomorrow if you so authorize. However, 217 Adams Street, after the agenda was put together, we did receive a deed transfer that would transfer this property from its former owner to its current owner last week after the agenda was sent out. Typically what happens in that process, and the blight tracker is also in your packet this evening, showing that the first notice for blight was sent on April 21st. The first civil infraction was issued on May 12th. It was later doubled, and the second civil infraction was sent on June 5th. and a letter from the attorney's office was sent on July 6th. Typically, the process that you've authorized is for us to go through those procedures. However, since the property has transferred ownership, we can no longer hold the former owner legally responsible for the current condition of the property under the new owner. And so what we are asking this evening is still to authorize legal enforcement. However, given the change in property ownership to authorize that after the current owner has been given the opportunity to clean that property up, what we would ask for is 30 days to satisfy and remove all blighted conditions and property maintenance violations. The new owner has been into the building department to ask about how to bring the property into compliance, is committed to doing so, and he's aware of this action on city council's agenda tonight. So what we're asking is to continue the enforcement activities without any delay, that upon 30 days of the outstanding conditions are still not remedied, that you're authorizing the city attorney's office to file a complaint in court promptly. Okay. to compel the property owner to bring the property into compliance. I would note that several of the neighbors are in the audience this evening that we've had a lot of communication with. There's been a lot of issues with this property over the past couple months. Blight is just one of the issues with it. They've been tremendously patient as we've gone through this process. However, we know we need to give the new property owner the opportunity. However, still hold them responsibility for making sure that the neighborhood is improved and the neighbors don't have to endure what they've endured for the past several months any longer.

So, Manager Cochran, so we, obviously with our fact sheets, we have the information that is being requested for us to take authorization or accept or do other things. Now, at our place here, we have what is a revised item for statement, and I'm looking at City Attorney Budd's as well to make sure that that's appropriate.

Your Honor, I'm comfortable with the revised recommendation in light of the circumstances Mr. Cochran described.

THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM CITY ANY QUESTIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL?

I'll move to authorize the City Attorney's Office to file complaints and pursue circuit court judgments to enforce blight and property maintenance code at 324 Union Street and further provided current property owner of 217 Adams Street does not remedy current blight and code violations within 30 days. Authorize the City Attorney's Office to file the same legal complaints against the owner of the property. Support.

So motion by Councilwoman Jermaine, supported by Councilwoman Stringham on item 6053, authorization for code enforcement legal actions as was presented. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilperson Stilgrave? Yes. Vining? Yes. Germani? Yes. Stringham? Yes. Felder? Yes. Hader? Yes. Mayor Clark?

Yes.

And I have no further items this evening.

Council comments to start. Councilwoman Stilgrave?

Thank you. Hey, Lonnie. Congratulations. I've known you for before you were Miss America, being involved in the Miss Monroe County pageant. And you've done a wonderful job. We've worked together many times with grieving families and that. I wish you the best in retirement, which I don't think that's going to happen. But, you know, good luck thinking that. And Kate, I know you will proceed on and do a wonderful job. And don't forget, this Wednesday night is our city market from 3 to 7. We have a lot of great things planned, so come on out and see us. That's all I have, Your Honor.

Thank you. Councilwoman Viney.

And yes, congratulations, Mrs. Ravka on your recognition here this evening and best wishes in your retirement. Put your feet up and enjoy yourself for a little while. I just want to remind the voters that 3 South votes at Fire Station 1 tomorrow, which is located at 911 East 3rd Street on the former Lincoln School property. So we hope to see you there tomorrow. Thank you, your honor. Thank you.

Councilwoman Germani.

Thank you. Kaylani, I too do not believe you're going to retire. I think you're just going to wear a different crown. Congratulations, though, and congratulations to you as well in your directorship. Also, this Saturday from 9 to 12, we have the river cleanup. Everyone is meeting on the south side of the Martin Luther King Bridge in that parking lot. Be there regularly. We'll have a little breakfast and lunch afterward and all kinds of goodies to give away to the kids. That's all. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilwoman Stringham.

Hope everyone can enjoy the fair this week. Hopefully it doesn't rain too much. I know yesterday's parade was a little challenging, but everybody got through it. Hope everyone is able to vote. We've got our primaries tomorrow, and this is our opportunity to give our voice. And I want to add also congratulations on retirement, Kaylani. But I just want to say thank you for all the service that you've given to our whole community. And so your impact has made a difference. Thank you very much.

Councilman Felder.

Thank you, Your Honor. I just hope everyone has an opportunity to vote tomorrow. And then, of course, Kaylani, thank you for your many years of advocacy for this community. You've never forgotten where you live and where you've come from and are constantly... touting all of the graces and all of the blessings that we have here in Monroe. And we're so thankful for that. So thank you and all the best wishes to Gabby's for their future success.

That's all I have. Thank you. Councilman Hader. Thank you. Congratulations, Kaylani, on your retirement. And thank you for all your service that you've done for Monroe. And if you haven't voted yet, make sure you get out and vote tomorrow. It's your last chance.

Thank you. Just a couple comments. I know some has been said. First, of course, is vote. I hope everybody, if you have not been able to early vote, tomorrow is your day. I know Clerk Lavoie will have some additional comments about voting here in her comments. The River Raisin cleanup is tomorrow. I'm sorry, Saturday, as we heard. Not tomorrow, Saturday. And last year, we had near 300 people in our community and the surrounding communities that came to help. And I surely hope that we have the opportunity to even exceed that. We have groups, we have residents, we have citizens from around the county that come and learn how to take care of and be good stewardship and good stewards of our environment and our river. I want to thank the commission on the environment, our board that's here and is chaired and continues and has done for decades of taking care of not only the river raisin but other stewardship items regarding our clean water. Last, Kehlani, again, I want to say thank you. It's been a pleasure to work together. I know that we'll still have all those opportunities. And I want to, Kate, I want to wish you the best. And as I said, in 25 years, it may not be me here, but I hope you're standing here receiving recognition for all the great work that I know is going to continue and you can't do without the support of the community. So all the community that supported Gabby's Ladder over the decades, I thank everybody for that service. Clerk Treasurer Lavoie.

Thank you, everyone. Kaylani, you have a way of making me feel grateful, even if I don't feel like feeling grateful whenever I look at you. So thank you. Thank you for your smile. Thank you for your brightness. And thank you for sharing all of that with all of us for so many years. Now go enjoy yourself. Okay. So tomorrow is election day. It is a primary. So I'm going to remind everyone one additional time that there is a nonpartisan item on the agenda, which is the proposal. There's two proposals in the city on the ballot, depending on which precinct you're in. And then there is the partisan sections. There's two columns that are partisan. If you cross over, your ballot will be, the machine will say you crossed over. Do you want me to take it? And if you're in the precinct, you have the choice to have it come back to you and go back and spoil it at the computer where you started. Or you can cast it and let it go in. But if you cross over, then none of those votes will count. You can only vote in one primary, so you have to kind of pick a lane and stay in it. So I just wanted to remind everyone of that. You can spoil your ballot as many times as it takes for you to get the votes you want done, and so we'll work with you and help everyone who's at the polls tomorrow. Absentee ballots are still being collected. They need to be back in City Hall by 8 p.m. tomorrow. We will have... because I have some really amazing colleagues and they're helping me out. We will have a person at the fire station on Custer. We will have a person at the fire station just down the road from here. And they will check those drop boxes at 8 o'clock as well. And they will give us a call to let us know if there are any ballots in there. And those will be brought to City Hall and will be counted in the AV counting board. So you can feel assured that if you put them in the drop box, they will get here and they will be counted. We open at 7 a.m. All of the precincts are open. We continued to do the voter outreach that we have been doing with Three South, and then based on the conversation from our last meeting here at City Hall and some of the feedback from Councilwoman Vining, we also did some additional voter outreach to Three South voters, and we also have a poster on an A-frame in front of the library that indicates exactly where they need to go. We have not, you know, this is, it's been at the fire station for a little while now, so we're not making any new change this election. We're just continuing to be at the fire station until a determined, you know, we weren't sure exactly when the library was going to be finished. It's done now, but now we need to make a determination. And if there is a move, we won't start that until the next election cycle in 25. But we'll be back with more information on that. I don't know if council has any questions, if you think I've forgotten anything. But we will be there bright and early at 7 a.m. Well, we'll be at the precincts at 5.30 a.m. But we'll be ready for you at 7 a.m. tomorrow.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Manager Cochran, comments this evening.

I'd like to join everybody in congratulating Kaylani. You've certainly been a role model for generations and a fine example of what citizenship means and being dedicated to the community that you call home. But you've also laid the groundwork for a tremendous organization that you've helped grow that has impacted thousands of people in their most vulnerable times. So well done and thank you for all of that. And Kate, we're here to support you as you take the reins and move it forward. So congratulations, Kaylani. At your seat this evening is hot off the presses. Tomorrow, last week at your last meeting, you approved a proposal from local artist Presley Bergmoser to continue our public art program this year. And this year we are focusing on the Riverwalk with some new murals. And so you have in front of you the first one that's going to start tomorrow. This is going to be underneath the Macomb Street Bridge. On the Riverwalk, of course, we identified these spots as places that have been pretty vulnerable to graffiti and damage in the past in the hopes with installing this art that we will help deter some of that. Presley sent over this this afternoon, and actually the stewardship camp that the mayor mentioned earlier, as part of the river cleanup and the work that Cody is doing is actually going to paint it tomorrow. So if you go down to the river walk, you're going to see two groups of 15 youngsters who are going to help Presley, just like we did some of our murals last year, install this first work starting this week. You can see it ties very much into the work that Cody has done in the work on the river. This is the first of three. So the intent is to develop a postcard to Monroe from Monroe starting with this one being painted, but the ramp that goes up to the Macomb Street parking lot near Soldiers and Sailors will be the start of the postcard, and as you move west, this will be the first part you see, and then the next one will be under the Monroe Street Bridge to be installed at a later date, where we're going to invite the community out to help paint that one too. Actually, the first one for the parking lot is going to, we're going to invite our city employees to help install, work with Presley to install that one. So I wanted to give you a sneak peek, let you see what's going to be there by the end of the week this week, which is very exciting, and thankfully the weather is cooperating. And Presley, in case you didn't know, Presley Bergmoser, of course, local artist, had a gallery opening at the IHM a couple weeks ago, two weeks ago, I believe it was, and that's still available at the IHM if you'd like to see some of her work and what she's done with some of her supplies, I would say, for painting weddings. So if you have any thoughts, questions on this, please let me know as soon as possible as they are starting it tomorrow. So I'd also like to thank DPS and Public Safety, once again, who helped make sure that yesterday's parade went off without a hitch. and albeit challenging weather conditions yet again this summer, but standing out in the rain and making sure that everybody stayed safe. They did a tremendous job.

That's all. Thank you. So at this time, we'll take public comments or comments from the citizens. If you have public comment, please step forward, state your name, jurisdiction of residence, and be mindful of the rules of the chamber of three minutes. Comments from those present here this evening. Yes, ma'am.

Good evening. Good evening. Thank you for your service. My name is Sandra Mason. I go by Sandy. I live at 223 Adams Street in Monroe. I'm here to speak about the property at 217. I'm also a registered nurse. I just recently retired from the University of Michigan's bone marrow transplant. I'd like to pass these around.

To the clerk, please. Thank you.

This is how I've spent my retirement. I watched for a year. As this property went downhill drugs fighting violence destroyed no windows, no doors. Dead animals. Waste taken out in pails buried. We spent our entire life making sure that our home is beautiful. And It just destroyed our lives. I've spent my retirement sending pictures to the police, identifying drug dealers. The police have been at our neighborhood, sometimes two and three times a day. This started a year ago. I contacted Mr. Cochran in April and said I can no longer take it. I moved to the city of Monroe when I was 10 and a half. I'm going to be 70 in December. I've lived in the same 10 block radius in four homes because I didn't want to leave here. I remembered it when it was in its heyday, when downtown you couldn't walk down the sidewalk because you were running into people. I contacted Mark for help, and I want to thank Mark, the city clerk's office, the building department, Everybody has been more than kind to me, but my life was ruined. And all the years I spent saving people's lives and helping people have a decent and good death. Never once did I have to go on blood pressure medication, did I have to go on antidepressants, anti-anxieties. My property value was nothing. And all I needed was some help from the city. No offense to you, because Lord knows we've been in constant contact, okay? It's letter after letter after letter to property owners that do nothing. I would like the council, now new people have bought it, I would like the council to please look into a way that can help your citizens that want to do the right thing, that want to live nice lives, that want to live a good retirement, that want to have a community with children in it that do not have to deal with this for long periods of, well, shouldn't have to deal with it at all, but for long periods of time and that let it destroy people's lives. I'm not sure what you have to do to change things. I waited basically for Mark and I had never even met him. I wanted to go to Channel 2, Channel 4, Channel 7, Channel 13. I wanted to do podcasts. I wanted to do letters to the editor about the destruction of the small town in America and how city can't do anything about it. And I waited. And it took a toll on my life that 36 years in health care did not take. And I can't do it anymore. So I'm asking counsel. to help, to not let your city go downhill like this. Thank you.

Thank you. Other comments from those present here this evening? Please come to the podium. Yes, if you wish. State your name, jurisdiction of residence, and I won't start till you get there. And so you have to say your name and jurisdiction, and then we'll start the time for three minutes. Thank you.

Annie LaBelle. I live across the street from Sandy. But before I start anything, I have a compliment. I don't like to be bad-mouthing without giving you something good first. The people that you hired to do the road from Front Street to Third Street are doing an impeccable job.

Yes, they are.

They are professional. They are polite. They do everything to accommodate those on our road. They are moving along well, and we can't wait to see the end results. That's the good news. Bad news. I live across the street from Sandy, who lives next door to a drug dealer house that the police have known about since April. And how many times, if you want to go back into the police reports, you can see 23 to 50 calls, and I was one of the callers. When a woman's running down the stream, he's trying to kill me. At 3 o'clock in the morning, and you hear her screaming, and you see a white van come up and a guy come out of it in a bicycle, electric bike, chasing her down one way, and a black car coming the other way chasing her down. You don't know if the girl's alive or dead. These are the kinds of calls we had to make since April. We watched them fight each other. You think those pictures that Sandy's passing around is anything? You ought to see the video and the audio. I wouldn't want to wake up in the morning to watch the owner of that house crawl out of the car he's living in because the drug addicts wouldn't let him live in his own house and then threaten to, he knows what he's got to do. You know what you got to do, George. That's what we heard. All you got to do is sell this house over to me. I'll give you $25,000 for it. We'll buy an RV and park you in the back, run some stuff there. Well, it didn't work out that way. The other guy got the house. George got his car, which, by the way, was sitting in his driveway for five years without a legal registration on it. He doesn't have a driver's license, doesn't have a proof of insurance, because he has none of it except for the title to that car. The title of that car, well, the police the other day had to pick. It probably was him, 16 Adams, Cadillac, sitting there. Guy threatened, somebody stole 25, stole my money. Well, it couldn't have been the dad-blamed son of the guy that bought the house sitting in his car until 4 o'clock in the morning. I don't think he'd steal that $25,000 back, give it to his dad. Could have been his girlfriend, the one that was... playing his girlfriend while her little helper was, you know, sitting up in a hotel room because he had $25,000 and his money's missing. Now he's claiming suicide. He's going to commit suicide. That's what we listened to since April. We listened to a guy pick up his girlfriend and threatened to beat her to death. Police, she called the police. They took pictures of her neck, her arms where he beat her, tried to choke her. They took her in. I'll be dang next day, she was right back there. Why is that? That's called addiction. You nurses know what I'm talking about. I lost a daughter to addiction. She was 42 years old. Her oldest daughter is now 32. Her children, one turned 21, and the youngest one is in his 20s. That was 2018. I haven't forgot what a drug dealer looks like. I haven't forgot what an overdose looks like. I see it every night when I go to bed. I don't want that not just happening to me and Sandy, my husband, her husband, Rachel on the corner, Rachel on the other corner, Bill on this side, Deb on that side, Joe next to Bill. I can name you my neighborhood. I know these people. They have tolerated it long enough. So what settles it? Oh, geez, a week before you go to court, guy buys it, so it starts to square one.

You're at four minutes, so please continue. I'm sorry. One more thing, and I'll get out of here. Please do. Thank you.

And it shouldn't just be our property and our problem. If we got it, there's other places in this city that has it, and we want something done with all these drug houses. When people call you, let them do their job and get them out of here, because we won't tolerate it anymore.

Thank you. Other comments from those present here this evening. Yes, sir name jurisdiction of residence and your comments, please I'm the person that purchased 217 Adam Street I Own 18 properties and

I actually own a house next to 324 Union also. I have no blights on my houses. The city works with me. I paid all the fines. I cut the grass. These people's not telling you about the improvements I did since I purchased this house. I paid the grass mowing for it and everything. And all the lights are up to date, are taken care of. I'm an investor in properties. The house has electricity. The house has water. I don't know what it had before. You know, I'm here to improve the stuff. Yes, I bought it and I did it through attorney. And it was done legally. I have copies of my receipts for paying for it. And I got pulled permits today for fixing the back porch. And I paid for the grass mowing. If you want to see any of this, I can give it to whoever.

If you want to make half copies, you can present them to the clerk, please. You can continue now.

The only other thing I got to say is, yes, I've been in trouble in my life, but I'm not who I was. I run a recovery house at 5th and Adams Street and 7th and Hubbell Street, Gemstone Recovery, that holds 20 guys. As I said, I don't live like I used to, and I've owned property for over 25 years. I don't sell drugs. I'm not in that scene. I'm into helping people and giving back to my community. In the house, I mean, I wish they would have said the improvement I did the past week there because I bought a couple trailers and stuff, cut the grass, picked everything up. I had nothing to do with what George did. I wasn't even aware that there was blights for the grass and or blights on stuff there. The neighbor did come and tell me that there was stuff there. I went there and handled everything I had to handle. It's free permit week. Up until Friday. I was at the building department today and I talked to them. I'm putting permits in tomorrow for that. There is broken windows there. They said I don't need permits to fix the glass. So, as I said, I have proof of the utilities on, too. The gas company has to come out on their own on Tuesday. So, the building department said I didn't even know if there was going to be a hearing today or not because they said that I went through the proper channels to handle it. That's all I got to say. Your comments?

Thanks. Other comments from those present here this evening? Other comments?

Can I say something quick?

I'm sorry. Sure, but we don't usually go through, but go ahead.

I'm sorry. I will say, I wanted to say that since he purchased the property, and I had just met him, he has truly been there and been doing what he can to replace. When I talked earlier, I wanted you to understand that it was prior to him.

Understand that.

Okay. And that, you know, as a group, it's something to look at to better the city, to make some changes to where you could help people easier.

Well, thank you for that comment. Other comments from those present this evening? Seeing no further questions.

I just wanted to say she's correct. Okay.

Okay. Thank you. Any final comments this evening? Seeing none, we have Councilman Felder.

You enter in a closed executive session for the purposes of labor negotiations. Support.

Motion by Councilman Felder, supported by Councilwoman Stringham, to go into executive closed session for the purpose of labor negotiations. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilperson Steelgrave? Yes. Vining? Yes. Germani? Yes. Stringham? Yes. Felder? Yes. Hader? Yes. Mayor Clark?

Yes.

Thank you all for being here this evening. Thank you for your comments, and congratulations, Kay Lani.