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[ TOWN OF GREENBURGH OFFICE OF THE TOWN BOARD 177 Hillside Avenue, Greenburgh, NY 10607 Tel: 914-989-1525 Fax: 914-993-1541 Email: JDudek@Greenburghny.com https://ny-greenburgh.civicplus.com/485/Watch-Live-Board-Meetings]
TO, UH, OUR TOWN BOARD MEETING.UH, TODAY IS AUGUST, UH, WORK SESSION.
TODAY IS AUGUST 20TH, UM, AT, UH, FIVE, ALMOST FIVE 40.
AND UM, THE FIRST ITEM IS, UH, DISCUSSION WITH WESTCOT.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? UM, SO, UM, I'M HERE REP REPRESENTING WEST COP.
I'M HERE TO OPEN UP A CONVERSATION AND LEARN MORE ABOUT, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TOWN, BUT ALSO, UM, EXPRESS TO YOU WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OUR CAP SITES.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYONE HERE KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT WEST CUP, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO A LITTLE OVERVIEW IF I MAY.
I JUST BEFORE YOU DO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TWO OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE ON REMOTELY.
AND THAT IS, UM, COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN, GINA JACKSON AND COUNCILMAN FRANCIS SHIAM.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? DO I NEED TO LEAN IN? YEAH.
UM, SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UM, COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS. WE, WESTCOTT AS, AS A WHOLE SERVES SEVEN, UH, COUNTIES IN LO, THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY PRIMARILY MORE, WE HAVE MORE SITES IN WESTCHESTER THAN IN THE OTHER, UM, COUNTIES.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE MORE LESS POPULATED THAN WESTCHESTER.
UM, BUT WE HAVE OUR GREENBURG CAP SITE.
UM, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER ONES THROUGHOUT THE, THE COUNTY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SERVICES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
WE HAVE SERVICES FOR VICTIMS ASSISTANCE.
SO WE DO A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED, UH, IN APRIL A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, A VERY THOROUGH COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT, UM, WAS A THIRD PARTY THAT CAME IN AND ASSESSED OUR, OUR, WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT WE OFFER THE RIGHT PROGRAMS AT THE RIGHT TIMES FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
AND WE ARE BOOSTING SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT WE SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SUCH AS, UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UM, ACCESS AND CARE THAT IS, UM, WAS IN OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT ACTUALLY BUBBLED UP MORE SO THAN WE EVEN REALIZED, UM, AS WELL AS FOOD INSECURITY ISSUES, WHICH WERE ACTUALLY ADDRESSING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UM, SO REALLY I AM DOING A LOT OF REACHING OUT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND DIFFERENT TOWNS THAT WE SERVE TO JUST OPEN THE, THE DIALOGUE.
I THINK I REACHED OUT TO PAUL AND PAUL.
AND YOU, UM, INVITED ME TO THIS, UM, WORK SESSION, UH, SO THAT I CAN MEET WITH YOU AND UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR TOWN, UM, AS MAYBE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I SEE IN OUR CAP SITES AND WHAT WE ARE DOING.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHY I'M HERE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHERE YOUR SITES ARE PLEASE? SURE.
SO WE HAVE OUR GREENBURG CAPITE, UM, WHERE'S THAT? GOD, I DON'T HAVE THE ADDRESS.
YEAH, THE TDYC COMMUNITY CENTER ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS WHERE IT'S LOCATED.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE ONE IN WHITE PLAINS.
WE HAVE, UM, ONE IN NEW ROCHELLE, WHICH ACTUALLY UNDER RENOVATION RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE HAVE ONES IN PEEKSKILL.
WE HAVE ONES UP IN POUGHKEEPSIE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 10 ALL THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
AND ARE THEY WALK-IN LOCATIONS FOR PEOPLE? OR YOU CALL AND YOU MAKE APPOINTMENTS? HOW DOES THAT WORK? MOST OF THE TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF, MOST OF THE TIME YOU, YOU CAN, THERE'S POSTED HOURS SO THAT THERE'S WALK-IN TIMES.
UM, IT DOES VARY FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION.
UM, BUT, UH, YOU ALSO HAVE EVENTS.
SO WE HAVE FOOD BANKS, WE HAVE, UM, JOB TRAINING, LIKE A LOT OF JOB FAIRS THAT WE OWE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN, BUT WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WALK-IN SERVICES.
DO YOU HAVE FLYERS THAT YOU PUT OUT REGULARLY OR INFORMATION THAT WE CAN POST ON OUR SITE THAT WE OUT PEOPLE? YES, I DO.
I'D GIVE PEOPLE, WE DO A LOT ON, ON LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA AND MEDIA LIKE THAT, BUT WE DO HAVE FLYERS THAT, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
WELL, IF WE COULD POST AT LEAST FOR GREENBERG, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, RIGHT.
UH, WHAT YOUR OFFICE HOURS AND WHAT SERVICES YOU HAVE, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
UM, WE, WE DO A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY THIS SUMMER.
IT DOES, IT'S CYCLICAL A LITTLE BIT.
SO, UM, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, WE DO A LOT OF SUMMER YOUTH JOB TRAINING THIS AND JOB TRAINING FOR ADULTS AS WELL.
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AND THAT'S RIGHT NOW, AND NOW WE'RE, UM, DOING A LOT OF HELP FOR OUR, THE CHILDREN, UM, AND, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AS WELL AS GETTING THEM READY FOR SCHOOL, BACKPACK GIVES AWAY, THINGS LIKE THAT.THOSE, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF EVENTS THAT WE'RE DOING ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
SO CERTAINLY IF IT'S A CONTINUOUS, UM, FEED THAT YOU GIVE US, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS POSTED.
IS THERE, UM, A POINT PERSON THAT I COULD CONNECT WITH THAT MAYBE BEFORE MAYBE WE GET TO THAT MAYBE GEORGIA WANTS TO SHARE HER, YOU KNOW, OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, LIKE WHAT SHE'S SEEING? YEAH, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN IT.
I HAPPEN TO BE FAMILIAR WITH WEST COP, BUT IF I CAN JUMP IN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO ME WITH US.
I KNOW THAT AMANDA, WHO, WHO MANAGES THE GREENBERG CAP SITE IS VERY, UM, VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE VERY INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
SHE'S BEEN DOING GREAT THINGS AS FAR AS FOOD BANKS, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, FORMER COUNCILWOMAN, UH, DIANA JUMAN AND I USED TO WORK ALONGSIDE OF HER GETTING OUT AND PACKING BAGS AND MAKING SURE, UM, THAT WE MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY IS RELEASED TO FOOD.
UM, AND AMANDA'S BEEN REALLY GOOD.
ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT PERHAPS THAT WE'RE MISSING THAT, UM, THAT YOU FEEL THAT MAYBE AMANDA HAS SHARED WITH YOU THAT HAS NOT SHARED WITH US? I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS.
I'LL BE CURIOUS TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE MISSING.
UM, IN TERMS OF A GENERAL, LIKE NEEDS OF THE GREENBURG COMMUNITY.
SHE DIDN'T SHARE WITH ME THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT WAS PARTICULARLY MISSING.
I'M HERE MORE AS A, A GENERAL, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT IS REALLY WHAT'S MISSING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE NOT OFFERING AS MUCH OF AS WE SHOULD AND WHAT WE WANT TO.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M DOING IS PUSHING FOR THE ASSISTANCE AND THE NEEDS IN THOSE AREAS.
ONE IS HEALTHCARE ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION TO HEALTHCARE AND, AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE VERY, VERY BIG, UM, IN OUR NEED, IN OUR NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT WE ARE NOW REDOING OUR PROGRAMS AND TRYING TO ASSESS WHERE THAT WE DO FILL THAT NEED.
DO YOU HAVE STAFFING THAT PROVIDES THE SERVICES OR DO YOU CONNECT OR THE CONSTITUENTS WITH THE VARIOUS AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP THEM? WELL, WE HAVE BASICALLY, UH, I'M, I'M SURE AMANDA COULD SPEAK MUCH MORE CLEARLY ABOUT THIS, BUT WE HAVE A CASE MANAGEMENT, UM, PROGRAM STYLE AT OUR, AT ALL OF OUR, OUR DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE WHAT IT BASICALLY MEANS IS THAT IF YOU'RE COMING INTO ANY ONE OF OUR SITES FOR ANY ASSISTANCE FOR, UM, COULD BE JUST FOOD BANK.
UH, YOU NEED SOME HELP FOR GROCERIES THAT WEEK, UM, WE KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU, WE'LL ACTUALLY TALK WITH YOU.
AND IF YOU ARE NEEDING GROCERIES THAT WEEK, MAYBE YOU NEED HELP WITH JOB TRAINING.
MAYBE YOU NEED, UH, SOMETHING ELSE.
MAYBE YOU NEED, UH, HELP WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO LOOK FOR A JOB BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY HELP FOR YOUR CHILDREN.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS LIKE WRAPPING OURSELVES AROUND THE PERSON
AND WE HAVE A GREAT 60 YEAR TRACK RECORD OF THAT.
UM, IF THAT ANSWERS, I HAD A QUESTION.
UM, DO, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, AND YOU PROBABLY CAN'T DO THIS, LIKE IMMEDIATELY TO LIKE GIVE US A MORE, LIKE AN ITEMIZED, UM, LIKE, UH, LISTING SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HELPED 80 PEOPLE GET FOOD.
WE'VE GOT, WE'VE HELPED 20 PEOPLE IN GREENBURG, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, GET JOBS.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF, UM, LIKE I HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, UM, THE TYPES OF HELP THAT YOU OFFER, I COULD, I GET A LOT OF CONSTITUENT, YOU KNOW, UH, COMPLAIN COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS. SO I'VE, I WOULD REFER, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE TO, UH, YOUR, YOUR ORGANIZATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE RESOURCES AREN'T, AREN'T AVAILABLE.
SO THIS WOULD BE JUST ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT I COULD CONNECT PEOPLE TO BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT, UM, THE MORE SUCCESS STORIES WE HAVE AND MORE WE COULD SHOW THAT THERE'S ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, RESULTS, UH, THE EASIER WE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO GET FUNDING.
I KNOW A FEW YEARS AGO, NOT THIS ADMINISTRATION, YOUR ADMINISTRATION, BUT PREVIOUS ONES, I KNOW, UH, WEST COBB HAD, THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS AND ISSUES.
SO IT IT, WE REALLY HAVE TO BUILD TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY AND SHOW PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, RESULTS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS.
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QUESTION, YES, I DO HAVE THAT DATA SPECIFIC FOR THE GREENBERG SITE.I WOULD WANNA, UM, AND ACTUALLY ALL OF OUR SITES, BUT I'LL, I CAN GIVE IT TO YOU FOR AGREEMENT.
IT WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS OR THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE COME INTO AND WHAT THEIR SERVICES WERE.
AND YOU ALSO HAVE THE INFORMATION ON HOW THEY DON'T OVERLAP OR IF THEY DO OVERLAP.
SO IF YOU GOT ONE SERVICE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THE TRACKING OF WHAT THEIR, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL OR A FAMILY.
AND THEN ALSO THE SUCCESS OF THAT INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY.
WE DO HAVE ALL OF THAT DATA, AND I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT TO YOU.
UM, AND ALSO WE COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SAY THESE ARE SERVICES THAT WE'RE DOING, WE COULD TRY ENLISTING, YOU KNOW, OTHER VOLUNTEERS, UH, TO HELP OUT.
LIKE, WE'VE HAD A SNOW ANGEL, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN IT SNOWS.
WE HAVE A SNOW ANGELS PROGRAM IN THE TOWN WHERE WE HAVE, UH, VOLUNTEERS SHOVELING OUT DRIVEWAYS.
BUT IN THE FAIRVIEW AREA, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE IF WE'D HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS.
UM, SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SAY WEST CUP COULD PARTNER WITH A TOWN, IT WOULD BE REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SERVICE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GREAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME HOMES IN GREENBURG WHERE, UM, UM, THEIR EYESORE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO MAINTAIN IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED GETTING SOME VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN UP THOSE AREAS.
SO I'M SAYING IF I HAD LIKE A BETTER IDEA, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THEN I COULD WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND, YOU KNOW, AND SEE IF WE COULD HELP YOU BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, OH, GO AHEAD.
OH, CAN I, CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION BEFORE YOU MOVE FORWARD? I'M SORRY, I CAN'T SEE, ELLEN, WERE YOU SAYING SOMETHING? I'M SORRY.
SO JUST REALLY QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, UM, FULL DISCLAIMER OF, I WORKED WITH WEST COP, UM, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, DO YOU STILL HAVE THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU OFFERED? UH, AND I DON'T WANNA SAY HOW MANY YEARS I WORKED FOR WEST CONFERENCE, THEN I WOULD PROBABLY DISPLACE MY AGE, BUT WE WON'T DO THAT.
UM, SO YOU HAVE THE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS PROGRAM.
DO YOU STILL HAVE THE HEAT PROGRAM AND HEAT THAT, THOSE ASSISTANCE WITH HEATING, HEATING YOUR APARTMENTS AND ELECTRIC BILLS AND STUFF LIKE THAT? DO YOU STILL HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS GOING ON? I THINK YOU MENTIONED THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. UM, I KNOW YOU HAD, UH, THERE WAS, UH, WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAD, I THINK WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY HELPFUL FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY CAN RESOURCE, THEY CAN USE A RESOURCE RIGHT AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH IS RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD, BUT THOSE IN FAIRVIEW TO GO RIGHT THERE AND, AND BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE RESOURCES.
MY FAMILY HAS DONATED CLOTHES TO HELP THOSE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE LOOKING FOR CLOTHES.
YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'VE DONE SO MANY, UM, WORK.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH THE CAPS.
UM, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU FEEL THAT THE TOWN NEEDS THAT CAN HELP YOU? UM, BECAUSE I MEAN, IT DOES OFFER GREAT SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, I'LL JUST LIST OUT WHAT WE DO HAVE.
SO WE DO HAVE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS, WHICH OFFERS A LOT OF, UH, THINGS THAT I ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT, WHICH ARE THE FOOD BANKS AND, UM, A LOT OF JOB ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT, JOB FAIRS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE OFFERED IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO HAVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, AND WE HAVE A EARLY HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM.
SO, UM, THAT IS FOR CHILDREN UNDER FOUR YEARS OLD, THOUGH WE HAVE AN EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM, WHICH IS GREAT.
UM, WE HAVE A FOSTER GRANDPARENTS PROGRAM, WHICH IS, UM, THRIVING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD MAYBE ALIGN WITH SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT, UM, WHICH IS, UM, WE PARTNER WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS, UM, PEOPLE WHO IN THE HOUSING, UM, FIELD, UM, TO HELP RENOVATE AND, UH, FIX UP HOUSING FOR PEOPLE IN NEED.
UM, AND WE HAVE, UM, A VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, UH, AS WELL AS VETERANS AFFAIRS PROGRAM SERVICES FOR, UM, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO WE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO DO YOU, YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PROGRAMS, WHICH YOU ONE MORE THING, UH, REALLY QUICKLY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STATIONED AT THE, THE GREENBURG COMMUNITY CENTER? I WORK OVER 20 YEARS NOW.
I, OVER 20 YEARS, THE WHOLE, I THINK IT'S, THATS WHAT I THOUGHT.
UM, AND WEST CUP AS A WHOLE HAS BEEN AROUND.
WE'RE GOING UP ON OUR 60TH ANNIVERSARY.
SORRY, EL ARE YOU FINISHED? OKAY, THANKS.
SO, SO DO YOU INTERFACE THEN WITH, FOR INSTANCE, OUR VETERANS GROUP? DO YOU INTERFACE WITH, UM, LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH INSTITUTIONS AROUND YEAH.
TO, I, I AM JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU, HOW DOES IT WORK WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND, UH,
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AND THE COUNSELING? SO, SO WE HAVE THE VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH WE RUN ENTIRELY IN OUR, WELL, THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS RUN, UH, WITH OUR, WE HAVE OUR OWN COUNSELORS.THAT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO, UM, ARE VICTIMS OF A CRIME IN THIS, IN THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
AND WE WORK WITH A LOT OF POLICE, UH, AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, AND THEN WE HELP THOSE PEOPLE GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO VETERANS, WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND OTHER HEALTH, YOU KNOW, CARE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO, IF WE CAN'T OFFER THEM THE NEED, UH, THE CARE THAT THEY NEED.
BUT WITH THE VETERANS, WE DO THE SAME THING.
SO ESSENTIALLY YOU ASSESS THE NEEDS OF THE PERSON AND WHETHER IT'S WITHIN YOUR FRAMEWORK THAT YOU CAN SERVICE THEM.
AND THEN IF NOT, YOU HELP THE, THE PERSON WHO'S SEEKING HELP FIND THE PARTICULAR HELP THAT THEY NEED.
AND IT, AND IT ALL HINGES ON THE CASE MANAGEMENT APPROACH.
SO THAT BASICALLY MEANS IS THAT EVERYONE HAS A CASE PERSON THAT THEY'VE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH.
HOPEFULLY GET THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
SO IF I COULD, UM, SO PAUL, YOU INVITED GEORGIA TO COME TONIGHT.
FOR WHAT, WHAT SPECIFIC, WELL, UH, WHAT WAS, WE WROTE ALWAYS ASK FOR BUDGET.
UH, THEY ALWAYS MAKE BUDGET REQUESTS.
AND I THOUGHT THAT THE TOWN BOARD SHOULD JUST BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE SERVICES THAT THEY, THEY OFFER.
AND, WELL, WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL THEN TO HAVE AMANDA HERE TOO, FROM THE ACTUAL CAP? YY YEAH, I THINK WE COULD DO THAT.
THIS WAS REALLY LIKE A INTRODUCTION TODAY.
I FIGURED I COULD MEET WITH YOU.
HE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO MEET WITH ALL OF YOU AND DO A, A, A A, MAYBE A LEARNING SESSION BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY, UH, I REACHED OUT TO YOU, EACH OF ME.
THAT WAS A COUPLE A WHILE BACK, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
SO THEN, YOU KNOW, I JUST SORT OF THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GREAT THAT YOU DID THE OUTREACH AND YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT LIKE A WAY WHERE WE COULD, UM, COMPLIMENT THE WORK THAT THE THEATER YOUNG COMMUNITY CENTER DOES, SO THERE'S NOT DUPLICATION, BUT WE COULD DO EXTRA, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, GREAT.
AND BUILDING UPON WHAT YOU HAD ALREADY MENTIONED ABOUT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THERE'S DIFFICULTIES I WASN'T PART OF THAT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD THE TRUST AND THE, AND HAVE THE COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO, UM, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE PURPOSE OF MY, MY DO YOU HAVE ANY MATERIALS WITH YOU FOR US? I DON'T HAVE THEM WITH ME.
AND I CAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY GET A CHANCE TO GIVE YOU THE, UM, DATA THAT YOU REQUESTED.
SO IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO SEND THAT TO YOU.
AND ALSO THE OTHER THING ARE, IF, IF YOU, I'M SORRY, YOU, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, IF YOU SEND THEM VIA, VIA EMAIL TO TOWN BOARD@GREENBERGNY.COM, IT WILL COME TO ALL OF US TOWN BOARD@GREENBERGNY.ORG.
THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I SHOULD, I'D SAY IS, YOU KNOW, I FEEL THAT, UM, SINCE WEST CUP HAD PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, AND WE WANT TO REALLY CHANGE THE IMAGE BECAUSE IT'S UNDER DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP, UM, AND IT DOES SERVE, YOU KNOW, THE MISSION IS IMPORTANT.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU COULD DO IS, LET'S SAY YOU'RE DOING A JOB FAIR AND I'M JUST THROWING OUT AND YOU PUBLICIZE IT, THEN WE COULD PUBLICIZE IT.
SO LET'S SAY THERE'S FIVE PEOPLE WHO GOT JOBS BECAUSE OF THE JOB FAIR.
YOU SEND ME A BLURB, WE COULD HIGHLIGHT, UH, THAT IF, UM, IF THERE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS WHERE MAYBE PEOPLE NEED RIDES TO, UH, DOCTORS, UH, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CAR, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST THROWING OUT.
THAT MIGHT BE INDEED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HIGHLIGHT, LOOK WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, WE'RE, OR IF THERE'S AN ELDERLY PERSON WHO, UH, CAN'T GET OUT OF, SHE HAS A STROKE, SHE CAN'T GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND YOU'RE GETTING, YOU'RE HAVING, UH, WESTCO, UH, PICK UP PRESCRIPTIONS, DROP IT OFF AT HER HOUSE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN, UM, I ALSO THINK PEOPLE WILL SAY, OH, THIS IS REALLY, THIS IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, TERRIFIC.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I SUGGESTED THAT YOU LET US KNOW AT UPFRONT AND WHERE WE WE CAN POST IT.
AND I'LL WORK WITH AMANDA, UM OKAY.
BECAUSE SHE'S ON THE GROUND RIGHT.
DOING THE HARD WORK, UH, EVERY DAY.
AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND SO THEY CAN BE AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OUT HERE AND WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
IF SHE GIVE US SUCCESS STORIES, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.
WELL, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
JUST JOINING THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE HELPED AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WILLING TO SHOW UP AT A TOWN BOARD MEETING AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING SAY, I JUST WANNA THANK WEST COP.
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GIVE A TESTIMONIAL, I THINK IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.THAT'S THE TYPE OF THING THAT PEOPLE REALLY, THEN PEOPLE WILL SAY, WOW, THIS IS SUCH A FANTASTIC ORGANIZATION.
I'LL BE IN TOUCH AND GET YOU THE STATISTICS AND INFORMATION FOR YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE, SO WAIT, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, UM, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE AGENDA THAT ISN'T, WHICH IS A REPORT ABOUT INVEST FEST FROM TERRANCE.
WE'LL CALL, LET ME SEE IF I COULD GET HIM TO COME.
WHERE ELSE WOULD WE BE, KAREN? WHERE ELSE WOULD WE BE?
ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
SO WHICH OF YOU START, WHICH ONE OF THEM I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT? SO LET'S GO WITH THAT ONE.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT? MY FAVORITE CONVERSATION? COMMUNITY RESOURCES BUS.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS, WHO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA? COMMUNITY RESOURCES BUS.
WHAT ABOUT THE BUS? I'M NOT SURE.
IS THERE AN UPDATE? NO, NOT THAT I KNOW WE DID THAT AROUND, EXCEPT THAT.
SO INSTEAD, OH, I KNOW WHAT IT IS.
MY, THE ISSUE THAT I HAD WAS, DO WE, THE SENIORS DEFINITELY NEED A BUS, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYBODY AGREES, UM, THE GETTING A BUS TAKES TIME FROM THE TIME YOU, UH, ORDER IT TO THE TIME, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S DELIVERED.
SO THE THOUGHT THAT I HAD WAS, UH, AND THE, UH, WHEN I SPOKE TO RICH FUN, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE, UM, WEEKS AGO, HE INDICATED THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME TRAINING AND, UH, AND TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT THE REPAIR SHOP HAS TO LEARN IN TERMS OF THE ELECTRIC OR, YOU KNOW, HYBRID, UM, BUSES.
SO I SORT OF THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, WE, WE APPROVED THE, THE BUS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
I THOUGHT THAT WE COULD, UM, ORDER ONE BUS NOW.
AND THE, AND MY ORIGINAL SUGGESTION WAS THE SECOND BUS COULD BE THE ELECTRIC OR THE HYBRID.
UM, SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THOUGHT THAT WE SHOULD JUST DO THE, YOU KNOW, TWO, TWO ELECTRIC, UH, OR I THINK ALL OF US DID.
AND WE, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION, THIS DISCUSSION TWO OR THREE TIMES.
AND I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL AGREED THAT ARE WE NOT, UM, COUNCIL PEOPLE AND WHO ARE ZOOMING IN, WE'RE VERY MUCH FOR HYBRID, HYBRID HIGH VALUE
SO THAT'S, AND WE CAN'T DO A DIESEL BECAUSE IT, IT, WE CANNOT DO A DIESEL.
WE CAN'T TELL PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR THEIR ELECTRICITY, UH, TO SAVE THE PLANET.
AND THEN WE ORDER A DIESEL BUS.
SO THEN, SO DO WE WANT TO GET ONE BUS OR TWO BUSES? I MEAN, BECAUSE BASICALLY WE, WE APPRO APPROPRIATED FUNDS, UM, IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BORROWING FOR, FOR ONE BUS.
SO SHOULD THAT BE, SHOULD NOW, SHOULD WE GO OUT FOR BID FOR THE HYBRID BUS? AND BECAUSE ORIGINALLY WE WERE BUT THAT WAS FOR THE HYBRID BUS.
NO, WE, WE, THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT.
IF I MAY, UM, WINSOME, UH, THROUGH THAT GRANT IS WORKING ON A HYBRID BUS.
UM, HOWEVER, KNOWING THAT IN THE SITUATION I'M IN OF NEEDING A LARGER BUS IN CASE SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, AND I COULD GO GET THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE STUCK WHEREVER GETTING A, IT GOES AGAINST WHAT WE WERE JUST SAYING.
BUT GETTING A GAS BUS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE TIME IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO GET IT.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
WE CAN'T MODIFY THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
BECAUSE BASICALLY THE CAPITAL BUDGET, UH, WE HAVEN'T GONE FOR BONDING YET.
AND UNTIL WE DO THE BOND RESOLUTION, WE COULD MAKE, YOU KNOW, THE BOND RESOLUTION SPECIFIES WHAT TYPE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, BUS WE NEED.
THE, THE ISSUE, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE HYBRID BUS.
I, YOU KNOW, I FEEL, I KNOW THE BOARD WANTS THE HYBRID BUS.
THE BOARD WOULD PREFER THE ELECTRIC, WELL, ELECTRIC BUS.
IF WE COULD DO IT, HYBRID'S FINE.
THE ONLY CONCERN THAT I HAVE FROM SPEAKING TO THE SENIORS IS THE SENIORS FEEL THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED, UM, A BUS.
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IF THE HYBRID BUS IS GONNA TAKE LONGER, UH, TERRANCE, IF THE HYBRID BUS IS GONNA TAKE LONGER TO GET YES, THAT MEANS, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THE SENIORS ARE GONNA HAVE NO BUS.YOU KNOW, WHERE INADEQUATE, WHAT AN INTERIM SOLUTION, PAUL IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT, SO WHAT, IS THERE ANY WAY, WELL, WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? CAN THE TIMEFRAME BETWEEN THE TWO? BETWEEN THE TWO BUSES PLEASE.
UM, I HEAR, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS 16 MONTHS FOR A, UH, UM, HYBRID.
THE HYBRID AND MORE LIKE SEVEN OR EIGHT FOR A, CAN YOU TELL US, DO YOU NEED BOTH BUSES TO BE 40 PERSON BUSES? NUMBER ONE.
AND NUMBER TWO, UM, IS THERE AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION LIKE BUSES THAT ARE USED? WE KNOW THE COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE THEM, BUT BUSES THAT YOU CAN GET ELSEWHERE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, THAT WOULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE, EVEN IF IT'S SHORT TERM.
DAVE, WE'RE ON THE CALL, IF YOU CAN HEAR.
SO I'M INTRODUCE DAVE TO THE I'LL STAY MUTED.
DAVE, REGINA, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
IF IT IS A, UM, IN THE INTERIM WE GET THE LARGER BUS, THE HYBRID BUS COULD BE SOMEWHAT SMALLER AND SAVE US.
DAVID, WOULD YOU PUT YOURSELF ON MUTE UNTIL WE GET YOU TO TALK? DAVE, CAN YOU MUTE YOURSELF PLEASE? IF YOU DID IT.
UM, SO YES, THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF SAVING SOME MONEY THERE.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SIZES, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? UM, I THINK GOING TO A, IT'S EITHER A 25 OR A 30 MM-HMM.
AND THERE I'VE SEEN NUMBERS OF THEM OUT THERE, WHICH MAY LESSEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR US TO GET IT WHEN WE PURCHASE IT.
THAT'S FOR THE HYBRID OR FOR THE, THAT'S FOR THE HYBRID.
UM, THEN FOR THE, YEAH, THE MORE READILY MADE.
SO THAT COULD LOWER THAT TIMEFRAME.
AND FOR THE OTHER, UM, THEY GENERALLY, FOR A LARGER BUS FOR THE LARGER 40 PASSENGER, THEY MAKE THOSE PRETTY REGULARLY.
SO I THINK THE TIMEFRAME WOULD BE SIMILAR.
SO THE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE 35 PERSON VERSUS 40 PERSON HYBRID BUS OR GAS POWERED BUS? THE BIGGER BUS, THE BIGGER THE BUS, THE MORE IT IS.
I KNOW, BUT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF YOUR, YOU, WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO IN TERMS OF THE TIMEFRAME IN ORDER TO GET THEM, YOU SAID IT WAS FASTER TO GET THE 35 PERSON BUS.
A HYBRID BUS? NO, IT, IT, UH, IT IS A GAS BUS.
IT GAS BUS IS GOING TO BE, UM, FASTER TO GET MOST, THAT WOULD BE SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS.
UH, I BELIEVE SO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IS THERE A POSS AND, AND WHEN IT'S SHORTER, IT'S EVEN FASTER BECAUSE THEY MAKE THOSE MORE.
WILL THAT BE WORKABLE FOR YOU TO HAVE THE SMALLER BUS? IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL.
IT DOES NOT ANSWER WELL, IT'S REALLY WAS THE ANSWER UNIQUE? WHAT WAS TRYING SAY WAS, WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY WAS THE, THE HYBRID BUS WILL BE HELPFUL.
I I AM JUST TALKING ABOUT SIZE BUS RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW, BUT BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE HYBRID BUS IS WHY I'M SAYING MAKE IT SMALLER.
CAN YOU GET, AS THE, AN INTERIM GAS 40 PASSENGER BUS THAT IS USED, THAT'S SHORTER TERM SO THAT WE CAN GET A HYBRID BUS TO REPLACE IT SOONER DOWN THE ROAD IF YOU BUY ONE THAT IS PERHAPS USED OR AN AN OLDER MODEL FOR LESS MONEY, THE 40 PASSENGER.
WELL, WHICHEVER IT'S POSSIBLE.
SO I'M TRYING TO THINK OF ALTERNATE WAYS TO SAVE US MONEY AND TO GET US INTO, INTO PURELY HYBRID BUSES.
I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY IF YOU NEED A GAS, IF YOU NEED A BUS RIGHT AWAY.
AND YOU ARE SAYING THAT WE NEED A GAS BUS, RIGHT.
THEN I WOULD LIKE TO, I I REALLY OPPOSED TO GETTING A GAS BUS RIGHT.
BUT IF WE ARE SO HARD PRESSED TO GET A BUS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR SENIORS AND I, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT.
THEN I'M SUGGESTING THAT IF WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION THAT COSTS LESS MONEY, SHORTER TERM, THAT CAN THEN BE CONVERTED, CONVERTED OVER SOONER TO BUYING A HYBRID BUS.
HAVE YOU EXPLORED THAT OR WILL YOU EXPLORE IT? SURELY COULD EXPLORE THAT.
UM, TO GO TO WHAT YOU'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT,
[00:30:01]
UM, THAT CHANGES THE CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT.UH, FOR THE LONGER RIDES, LIKE TO THE CITY AND ALL.
THE 40 PASSENGER HYBRID BUSES THAT WE ARE, UH, LOOKING AT WOULD COME WITH A BETTER SEATING COMFORT.
UM, WHICH WOULD THEN ALSO TAKE CARE OF THAT ISSUE, WHICH IS ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE.
IT'S MORE LIKE A DIFFERENTIAL TO A COACH BUS THAN JUST A SCHOOL.
BUT THERE'S A SORT OF A HYBRID.
IT, IT UNFORTUNATELY LOOKS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A CITY BUS.
BUT IT'S GONNA BE DECKED OUT A LOT BETTER.
THERE WOULD NEED THE COST DIFFERENTIAL TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE AFFORDING AND WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.
UH, UM, CAN I JUST JUMP IN FOR QUICK? SO BEFORE YOU ANSWER THAT, COMMISSIONER YES.
SO HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE OPTION OF LEASING? BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS, THAT'S GREAT IDEA.
BUT BEFORE YOU CAN GET THE BUS THAT WE ACTUALLY NEED.
SO CAN WE LEASE SOMETHING IN THE TIME, IN THIS TIME DURING THE TIME DURING THAT TIMEFRAME SO THE SENIORS WILL BE, UM, ABLE TO HAVE THE PROPER TRANSPORTATION AND THEN AS WE ARE WAITING FOR THE BUS THAT WE, WE ALL AGREED ON MM-HMM.
WE'RE GONNA SPEND ALL THIS MONEY BUYING A BUS ON A DIESEL BUS, AND THEN WE DON'T WANT, 'CAUSE WE ALL AGREE THAT WE DON'T WANT A DIESEL BUS.
HOWEVER, THAT MONEY THAT WE ARE SPENDING TEMPORARILY FOR THAT DIESEL BUS, WE COULD PUT THAT ON A LEASE.
AND THEN FROM A LEASE BUS, WHEN IT'S TIME TO TURN OVER, THEN WE CAN GO INTO THE BE TO THE, TO THE BUS THAT WE NEED.
I THINK THERE'S, SO LOOK INTO THAT.
I ALL ACADEMIC, YOU, WE CAN'T GO OUT TO BOND AN ADDITIONAL BUS THAT WASN'T PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON A CAPITAL BUDGET.
THE PUBLIC SPOKE ABOUT THE CAPITAL BUDGET, WE ADOPTED THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND WE HAVE BOND COUNCIL DEALING WITH THE RESOLUTIONS THE NEXT MEETING.
THE, THE CAPITAL BUDGET DIDN'T SPECIFY WHAT TYPE OF BUS IT WAS GONNA BE.
WHAT YOU'RE REALLY SAYING, PAUL, IS NOT THAT WE'LL HAVE TWO BUSES.
YOU'RE SWAPPING OUT THE HYBRID BUS FOR A GAS BUS FOR CONVENIENCE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE TYPE OF BUS THAT THE SENIORS WANT ANYWAY, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE THE TYPES OF SEATING THAT THEY WOULD WANT.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET BY UNTIL WE GET A BUS THAT THEY REALLY WANT.
BUT FRANCE, EXCUSE ME, FRANCIS DOES A, A LEASE, UH, IS THAT PART OF A CAPITAL BUT A LEASE AGREEMENT? NO.
IS THAT CONSIDERED CAPITAL? NO.
SO COULD WE GET AROUND IT THAT WAY IF WE HAVE THE MONEY? OKAY.
AND JUST TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION, WE'RE NOT TALKING DIESEL, WE'RE TALKING GAS BUDGET ITEMS. THERE'S DIESEL, GAS, HYBRID AND ELECTRIC.
IF, IF WE'RE LEASING, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF GAS.
AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT LEASING A ELECTRIC OR HYBRID BUS, BUT WHAT WORTH, IF WE'RE INTO, WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT.
SO THE LEASE WOULDN'T BE PURSUANT TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
IT WOULD BE A LEASE FOR A VEHICLE.
UNTIL YOU COULD PURCHASE THE HYBRID HYBRID BUS WITH THE CAPITAL BUDGET THROUGH BONDING.
THAT'S THE KIND OF SOLUTION THAT I WAS SUGGESTING.
AND, AND, AND THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA THAT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN JACKSON SUGGESTED.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO.
WHICH WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD HELP.
AND WOULD YOU PLEASE LET US KNOW HOW OFTEN YOU WOULD NEED THAT BUS? YES.
WE DID A BREAKDOWN FOR WINSOME THAT GAVE THE, UH, TRIP SCHEDULE MM-HMM.
SO I BELIEVE WE CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
AND IT BROKE DOWN ALL THE DIFFERENT BUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE OF THE OTHER THOUGHT IS IF IT'S NOT THAT FREQUENT THAT YOU NEED THE LARGER BUS, THEN WHAT WOULD BE ANOTHER THING TO EXPLORE IS THE COST DEFERENTIAL TO RENT A, A BUS FOR A SINGLE TRIP FOR IF IT'S FEWER TRIPS OR NOT.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO MAKE THAT PEOPLE AWARE THAT RENTING A BUS RIGHT NOW IS THIS ASTRONOMICAL.
SO, SO IT'S CRAZY RENTING A BUS FOR A SINGLE TRIP.
IF YOU ONLY HAVE THREE SINGLE TRIPS A YEAR, SAY I'M JUST HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING.
[00:35:01]
LEASING A BUS FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR.UH, IT'S JUST NOT APPLES AND ORANGES.
IF YOU SAID THREE TIMES A MONTH, THAT WOULD BE BETTER.
WELL THAT'S WHY I, THAT'S THAT'S WHY YOU NEED IT.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
THAT'S A DEFINITE, THREE TIMES A MONTH IS A DEFINITE.
AND YOU'RE OVER, UM, $700 FOR THAT RENTAL FOR THAT DAY AND THAT'S FOR A FOUR HOUR PERIOD.
NO, JUST, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S COMING OUT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS, ULTIMATELY I JUST WANTED TO GET ALL THE FACTS OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
SO I THINK WE HAVE OUR NEXT STEPS.
UH, YOU WORK, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, DO YOU KNOW IF THE COUNTY HAS ANY, UH, USED BUSES THAT THEY, WELL, IF YOU MAY RECALL, I CHECKED THAT ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO AND THERE WAS NOTHING.
AND THEY SAID POTENTIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'S NOT A GIVEN.
SO YOU'RE GONNA LOOK INTO I'LL CHECK LEASE RENTAL.
I WOULD, MY, NO, LET ME LOOK INTO IT.
I WON'T GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS ON IT.
BUT THEY'RE MAKING MONEY RIGHT NOW BY PEOPLE ORDERING, YOU KNOW, RENT, RENTING A BUS IN THAT TIMEFRAME RATHER THAN LEASING IT.
IF YOU NEED IT, IF FOR MORE FREQUENT TRIPS THAN IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THAT.
THE ONLY THING THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL IS THAT WE SHOULD REALLY MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE SENIOR, EVERY TIME I SEE THE SENIORS, THEY'RE READY TO KILL US BECAUSE THEY SAY THAT THEY NEED THE BUS AND THEY REALLY WANT TO SEE, UH, RESULTS.
AND TO ME, WELL, 16 MONTHS IS A LONG TIME.
TO ME, THIS SIMPLEST THING WHERE WE KNOW WE WOULD GET RESULTS WOULD BE TO BUY, TO BUY.
WHY DON'T WE JUST LOOK AT THE ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE AND GO FORWARD ON THAT.
I JUST MAKE A SUGGESTION THEY'RE GONNA KILL YOU ANYWAY.
MADE BECAUSE THEY EXPECT A NEW BOSS, THE NEW BOSS COMES, IT'S A SCHOOL BUS AND THEY'RE NOT COMFORTABLE IN IT.
SO WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO GET THEM IS WHAT THEY WANT.
IT JUST TAKES A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
WELL, WE CAN REACH OUT TO BUS COMPANIES.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OLD, THE BUS, YOU KNOW, UH, LIBERTY, THERE'S, THERE MAY BE OTHER BUS COMPANIES THAT HAVE OLD BUSES THAT THEY WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, GET RID OF.
UM, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE RELIABLE.
SO I'M SAYING WE'RE, IF IT WAS UP TO ME, I WOULD JUST BUY A NEW BUS BUSES THAT WE HAVE IF IT WAS UP TO ME THAT MAKE FEEL THAT THEY ARE USABLE BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE THE ISSUE WHERE WE HAVE A SENIOR STRANDED IN THE CITY LIKE WE DID, UM, ABOUT A MONTH OR TWO AGO, OR MAYBE LONGER THAN THAT.
SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, ALTHOUGH THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE A USED BUS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I, I I JUST, FOR ME, I JUST, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME INVESTING IN SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA USE LONG TERM.
SO WE'RE GONNA SIT DOWN AND WE'RE GONNA INVEST AND JUST HAVE, JUST TO QUICKLY DO SOMETHING WHEN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT GONNA WORK.
IT'S NOT GONNA BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN.
SO, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? COULD SO WELL, WE SHOULD, WELL CAN I JUST WANNA FINISH? THANK YOU PAUL.
WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
IF YOU COULD JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT UP THIS EVENING AND THEN BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO US SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE, MAKE THE BEST DECISION.
I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE JUST THROWING BACK, JUST THROWING MONEY OUT THE WINDOW JUST BECAUSE TO SO PEACE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO IT CORRECTLY.
MAY NOT HAVE TO BE A BUDGET LINE TO PAY FOR IT.
LET ME ASK AND THEN WE NEED A BUDGET LINE TO PAY FOR IT.
COULD WE, UH, SCHEDULE A FOLLOW UP MEETING FOR SAY THE SECOND WEEK IN SEPTEMBER, UM, WHERE WE COULD MAKE A DECISION? BECAUSE WE COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SAY, I THINK IT'S ALL CONTINGENT WHEN THE, WHEN THE COMMISSIONER IS ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION BACK.
NO, I'M JUST SAYING, SAYING BETWEEN NOW AND I JUST DON'T DUNNO WHEN THAT COULD BE.
NO, BUT I'M SAYING COULD, IF YOU WANNA MAKE IT A THIRD WEEK IN SEPTEMBER, COULD WE JUST GIVE OURSELVES A DEADLINE, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, SAY WE'RE GONNA MAKE A DECISION.
SO IT'S EITHER GONNA BE BUYING A, A, A.
YEAH, WE HE'LL DO THE RESEARCH AND HE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL HAVE THAT MEETING.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT AND THEN WE CAN SCHEDULE IT.
BUT I'M JUST, WE CAN GET INFORMATION BACK.
SO COMMISSIONER, WHEN YOU DO YOU THINK, WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION? UH, YOU SHOULD GIVE US THE DATE.
I WOULD RATHER JUST GIVE OURSELVES A DATE NOW.
SO THIS WAY WE'RE WE'RE HELD TO, YOU NEED TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
'CAUSE THE COMMISSIONER IS THE ONE I'M ASKING HIM.
SO YOU NEED TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSIONER.
NO, BUT I'M ASKING IF YOU COULD GIVE US A TIME PERIOD WHEN YOU THAT'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO.
WHAT WOULD BE FAIR IT, AS I REACH OUT, IT'S BEEN HARD TO GET SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND, AND THEN THEM GET THE INFORMATION.
'CAUSE IT'S GOING BETWEEN ONE PERSON, THEN ANOTHER.
IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A SEARCH FOR SOMEBODY THAT CAN LEASE A BUS.
IT IS THE END OF AUGUST GOING TO LABOR DAY.
PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE HARD TO GET IN TOUCH WITH AND ALL.
IF YOU WANT TO JUST KNOW, I MAY CALL YOU BACK AND SAY I NEED MORE TIME.
WHY DON'T WE, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S FAIR THE THIRD WEEK IN SEPTEMBER? THAT'S THIRD TUESDAY IN SEPTEMBER.
BUT COMMISSIONER, YOU JUST KEEP US ABRE TEST HOW FAR YOU GETTING WITH THAT RESEARCH AND THEN ONCE YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ALL AT ONCE, THEN WE CAN SCHEDULE IT APPROPRIATELY.
THE REASON YOU'RE REALLY HERE,
[00:40:01]
FAR BEHIND THE CURRENT SCHEDULE, BUT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE AGENDA WAS NOT ON.I DIDN'T EVEN, WE DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT THAT OTHER, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAD ALLOCATED FOR THE RESOURCE PAUSE 15 MINUTES.
AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE TOPIC THAT TERRENCE IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT.
SO, UH, I APOLOGIZE, I FORGOT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF YOU ALL BEING, UM, UH, ONLINE OR, YOU KNOW, CONNECTED WIRELESSLY.
UH, SO I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION FOR YOU.
I DIDN'T EMAIL IT TO YOU IN THAT SENSE.
BUT WHAT I'VE PUT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE ELSE IS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS INVEST FEST.
AND LET ME GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND TO THIS.
INVEST WEST WAS STARTED, UH, LAST YEAR AND IT WAS STARTED NOT SOLELY, BUT MOSTLY BY EARN YOUR LEISURE EYL.
THEY ARE, UH, THREE PEOPLE THAT GREW UP HERE IN GREENBURG AND HAVE MOSTLY BEEN HERE ALL THEIR LIVES.
THE OTHER, UH, THE TWO OF I KNOW WELL AND THE OTHER DON'T AS MUCH, BUT THE OTHER A A SCHOOL TEACHER.
BUT, AND THEY, ONE OF THEM, THE SCHOOL TEACHER ALSO WORKED FOR US PART-TIME IN THE SUMMER FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS AS THE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATION CROSSROADS, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM FOR 15 YEAR OLDS THAT ARE IN THAT TIMEFRAME WHERE THEY'RE TOO OLD FOR CAMP AND TOO YOUNG TO WORK.
SO THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT REALLY HELPS STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET READY.
HE WAS PIVOTAL IN THAT ROLE FROM THAT TRAINING.
HE LEARNED ABOUT, UM, THE WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT FINANCES AND THAT JUST PUTTING YOUR MONEY IN THE BANK ISN'T GOING TO MAKE YOU FORGET WEALTHY, BUT ENOUGH TO DO WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO DO.
AND HE DELVE INTO THAT WITH HIS PARTNERS AND THEY CAME UP WITH EARN YOUR LEISURE.
AND THE IDEA, THE NAME BEHIND IT IS YOU WANT TO DO ALL THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER.
YOUR SALARY'S NOT GONNA BE ENOUGH, BUT WHAT YOU DO WITH IT IN INVESTING IT IN THE PROPER THINGS AND WAYS WILL HELP YOU EARN YOUR LEISURE.
IT'S MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT HOLD, THAT COME TO THIS CONFERENCE TO GIVE INFORMATION, GET INFORMATION, AND PUT THEIR INFORMATION OUT THERE.
WHAT OUR JOB AT THE CENTER AS A RESOURCE FOR OUR YOUNGSTERS IS TO EXPOSE THEM TO THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS, THIS TYPE OF LEARNING.
AND THIS COMPANY WENT AND PUT ALMOST $30,000 OF THEIR OWN MONEY TO BRING 32 KIDS DOWN TO THIS PROGRAM.
THEY'RE DOING, THEY INCREASED IT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE PROGRAM'S INCREASING.
THEY'RE GETTING THE EXTRA FUNDS, BUT THEY KNOW THE NECESSITY OF IT.
THIS IS THE SAME GROUP THAT ALSO JUST PUT $80,000 INTO REFURBISHING THE OKAY.
YOSEMITE PARK BASKETBALL, UH, A BASKETBALL AND TENNIS PIECE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WORKING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO IF YOU GO TO THIS, THE FIRST PAGE IS THE ITINERARY AND THE SECOND PAGE IS THE COSTS.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE COST REAL QUICK, THE FIRST BRACKET THERE ENDING IN $23,501.
THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING FORWARD.
THEY PAID FOR THE AIRFARE, TRANSPORTATION WHEN WE GET THERE, ALL OF THE TICKETS THAT IT WOULD COST TO GO TO ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT DAY.
AND, UM, FOOD VOUCHERS FOR THE STUDENTS EACH DAY.
THE ONLY THING, UM, ALSO FRIENDS OF T-D-Y-C-C WHO ALSO ALSO DOES THE SAME TYPE OF PROGRAMS. UM, TRYING TO ELIMINATE SOME COST FOR OUR KIDS TO MAKE OUR PROGRAMS WORK BETTER.
UH, BUT THEY WANT IT FOR AN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.
THEY BOUGHT THE TICKETS TO GO TO THE UM, UH, GEORGIA AQUARIUM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST AQUARIUMS IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, SO THAT'S MORE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'LL BE DOING.
SO THAT THE TOTAL COST ONLY FOR, FOR THE, UH, T-D-Y-C-C IS THE LODGING.
WE DO THAT ONE TO DEFER SOME OF THE COST FOR THE LODGING, BUT WE ALSO DO THAT SO THAT THERE'S A BUY-IN
[00:45:01]
THERE HAS TO BE A BUY-IN.AND WE KNOW THE STUDENTS THAT IN AN INVESTMENT.
UM, AND UH, WE KNOW THE STUDENTS.
WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS AND THERE WAS A QUESTION, WHY DON'T YOU OPEN UP TO EVERYBODY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, THIS ARE THE KIND OF THINGS FOR THOSE THAT USE THE CENTER FOR THE BEST WAY IT CAN.
THEY CAN, THEY'RE IN NUMEROUS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITH US.
THEY'VE BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME, SO WE KNOW THEM.
WE WOULD NOT WANT TO TAKE, UM, WE WANT TO TAKE KIDS THAT WE KNOW CAN BEHAVE AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS AT THIS TYPE OF VENTURE.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THEM.
SO THERE WAS AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.
THERE WERE ABOUT 55 KIDS IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND WE HAD TO WHITTLE IT DOWN.
AND THAT BECOMES HARD BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING NO TO SOME, BUT IT MAKES SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT ONES AND ONES THAT ARE REALLY GONNA PULL FROM IT.
UM, AND WE DO A LOT OF, UM, MEETINGS WITH THEM DURING THIS EVENT AND AFTER TO REALLY GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY SAW AND WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE MISSED AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO IT'S CONSTANT LEARNING THAT GOES ON.
THE BIG THING ABOUT THE, AS IT, AS IT BREAKS DOWN FURTHER THE COST FOR THE HOTEL, UH, ON THE, UM, RESOLUTION WE SAID UNDER $11,000.
'CAUSE AT THAT TIME IT'S HARD TO FIGURE IT OUT.
THE $150 FOR THE 32 KIDS, THAT'S $4,800, WHICH GOES BACK INTO THE SPECIAL DONATIONS LINE WHERE THE MONEY FIRST CAME FROM.
SO IT ACTUALLY ONLY COSTS $5,340, WHICH AGAIN IS COMING OUT OF THESE SPECIAL DONATIONS LINE.
SO THERE'S NO TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR THIS.
THERE IS NO, EXCUSE ME, THERE IS NO TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
SO ALL WE NEED TO DO IS PASS A RESOLUTION THAT SAYS NO.
DID IT ACTUALLY PASS THAT, THAT IS MY QUESTION.
'CAUSE I KNOW I WAS CALLED HERE AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT ACTUALLY JUST WANTED FURTHER, I THINK FURTHER INFORMATION THIS, SO IF WE DIDN'T PASS IT, THEY LEAVE ON THURSDAY.
AND THIS IS REPOSITORY PUBLIC WORKS RECYCLING COURT.
BUT WE SAID THAT WE WOULD BE ADDING IN LANGUAGE THAT EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS NO TAXPAYER DOLLAR.
AND ACTUALLY IT, IT SHOULD INCLUDE SOME OF THE, THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE IT DOES READ LIKE, IS IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE VISITING COLLEGES.
IT READS LIKE IT'S, AND IF YOU LOOK ON THE, ON THE, THE WEBSITE FOR THIS COMPANY, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A GOOD TIME.
AND, AND WHICH IS NOT, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
UH, BUT IF SOME OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED TONIGHT, I THINK SHOULD BE IN THERE SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S, UH, IT'S ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
IT'S A, IT'S A LEGIT, IT'S A LEGITIMATE, UH, CAN I, CAN I ASK YOU THIS? YEAH.
BUT DON, DO WE HAVE TO PASS? AND THEN TERRANCE, IF YOU CAN INCLUDE NO COST TO THE NO COST TO THE TAXPAYER, I THINK THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE PEOPLE WANNA SEE EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, THE MIND TO WHERE THEIR MONEY IS GOING.
SO IT'D BE IMPORTANT THAT THEY SEE THAT THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR YOUTH, UM, AT NO COST TO THE TAXPAYERS.
SO, UH, UM, DAVE DID RESEND SOME INFORMATION THAT HE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT COULD, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THERE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.
THIS HAS GIVEN US MORE LEARNING.
WHEN DID HE, WHEN DID HE SEND IT? UH, FEW DAYS.
SO HOWARD, HOWARD RES NOW CURRENTLY, UH, CR ONE DATED 8 14, 20 24 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PERSONNEL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO TRAVEL TO INVEST FEST IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA FROM AUGUST 22ND, 2024 THROUGH AUGUST 26TH, 2026, EIGHT AT A TOTAL COST NOT TO EXCEED $11,000, $4,800.
UH, OF WHICH WILL BE PAID BY THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WAS SECOND BY, UM, COUNCILWOMAN HENDRICKS AND THEN PASSED.
SO, AND, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT THE REST OF IT.
'CAUSE IT, IT, IT, IT IMPLIES THAT THE REST OF IT WAS PAID BY TAXPAYER FUNDS.
DO SO DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A, AN UPDATED RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED? JUST EVEN IF IT'S IN LOOKING IN THE REAR VIEW.
WE JUST, WELL WE DISCUSSED IT AT THE MEETING, SO I THINK THAT'S LEGITIMATE.
AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, THERE WAS A BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED CLAUSE FUNDS FOR THIS TRIP SHALL BE APPROPRIATED FROM, GIVES THE BUDGET LINE AND
SO IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR IF SOMEONE HAD THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE HEADING MM-HMM.
BUT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL THE INFORMATION.
[00:50:01]
HOW WE LEFT IT.COMMENT, MAKE ANOTHER SUGGESTION.
I'D LIKE TO GO, I NEED THAT HELP.
I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THESE TRIPS, WHETHER IT'S THE COLLEGE TRIPS OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THAT AFTER THE TRIP ALL THE PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BE INVITED TO A TOWN BOARD MEETING AND THEY SHOULD EXPLAIN WHAT THEY GOT OUT OF IT.
BECAUSE MY FAILING IS THAT IF WE, IF LIKE THE COLLEGE TRIPS, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE SAY, YEAH KNOW THIS REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, OR EVEN GRADUATES FOUR YEARS LATER WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF, UH, THIS TOUR I DECIDED TO GO TO COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UH, MADE A REAL BIG DIFFERENCE, THEN PEOPLE WILL FEEL THAT THE MONEY IS WELL SPENT FOR THIS.
SO IT IS, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
BUT I, I STILL THINK THAT, UM, IF, UH, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, IF WE, WE COULD HAVE ONE TESTIMONIAL FROM THE GROUP HOW VALUABLE THIS WAS TO THEM.
AND IT COULD BE WRITTEN, I DON'T WANNA PUT THE PRESSURE ON THE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT COMFORTABLE TALKING IN PUBLIC.
SO IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEND A RENT, A WRITTEN STATEMENT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM IS BENEFICIAL TO ME BECAUSE OF, THEN THAT'LL BE GREAT.
BUT I DON'T WANNA PUT THE PRESSURE ON THE STUDENTS TO HAVE TO COME AND PRESENT TO THE BOARD ON SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA MAKE SURE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANNA SEND IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THIS EXPERIENCE TO YOU? YOU WANNA GIVE TESTIMONIES, WE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THAT.
ON ANOTHER HAND, IF THERE'S ANOTHER HAND, IF THERE'S AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AND THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO WANNA PARTICIPATE IN A PROGRAM AND WE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM IS WE WANT TO, WE WANT YOU TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY WHAT YOU GOT OUT OF IT.
OTHERWISE WE'LL PICK SOMEBODY ELSE.
I THINK THEN, THEN THERE'S MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND PEOPLE WILL, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I JUST
WE NEED TO MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.
I DO, I DO WANNA SAY THOUGH, I AGREE WITH PAUL, I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS TO COME TO A TOWN BOARD MEETING TO DO THIS, BUT THOSE THAT DO GO ON A TRIP AND LEARN SOMETHING FROM IT, THEY SHOULD SHARE THAT WITH OTHERS WHO DIDN'T GO ON THE TRIP.
WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR A TOWN BOARD MEETING.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING, THERE'RE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED PEOPLE THAT WENT AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO, TO ACTUALLY FOR ALL OF US TO LEARN WHAT IS IT? IS THIS REALLY WORTH IT? RIGHT.
SO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S AT A TOWN BOARD MEETING OR AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER HELPING OTHER PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, SO BE IT.
AND WE CAN MAKE SURE TO PUT THAT ON VIDEO AND WE CAN POST IT.
I WILL SAY WE DO HAVE A DEBRIEF ON IT.
GIVE US SOME TIME TO THINK AND A DEBRIEF TO GET OUT OF IT.
'CAUSE IT HELPS US CHANGE UP WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO SOMEHOW WE CAN DEFINITELY GET YOU INVOLVED WITH THAT INFORMATION.
AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY MAKING CERTAIN, AS, AS, AS OUR TWO REMOTE COUNCIL PEOPLE MENTIONED, UM, AS, AS WELL AS AS A SUPERVISOR, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S MORE BROADLY KNOWN SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN ASPIRE TO IT.
ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONER? THANK YOU.
THERE'S JUST ONE LAST QUESTION, UM, BECAUSE I GUESS IT, IT, I'M, THERE'S A RESOLUTION FOR THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT BUDGETED FUNDED.
THE RESO THE REASON FOR THE RESOLUTION IS BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING KIDS OUT OF THE ABSOLUTELY.
YOU NEED APPROVAL FOR RELIABILITY.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS JUST CHECKING ON.
KEEPING EVERY, WE'RE ONLY A HALF HOUR LATE TODAY, SO FAST.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? SO WE'RE TALKING TREES, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING TREES.
SO, UH, I GUESS MY, UH, MY MEMO, YOU KNOW, SPARKED SOME INTEREST AND UH, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED TO DO BY DAVID.
UM, SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MEMO ABOUT REMOVING TREES AT THE BOB GOLD PARK.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TALK ABOUT IT FIRST OR YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS? NO, WHY DON'T YOU TALK, EXPLAIN IT.
AND SO I DID SEND A MEMO, BUT I ALSO BROUGHT SOME OTHER FACTS TOO.
UM, SO WE HAVE 12 RED MAPLE TREES THAT WE PLANTED ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO DOWN AT THE BOB GOLD PARKLET.
UH, MOST OF THE TREES LOOK HEALTHY, BUT RIGHT NOW, IF YOU GET DOWN THERE, THEY'RE VERY CROWDED.
THE FRONT ROW ALONG THE SIDEWALK, WHICH IS THE FRONT THREE TREES ARE GROWING INTO THE POWER LINES.
UM, THEY'RE, IF YOU GO DOWN THERE, YOU'LL SEE THEY'RE COMPLETELY SHROUDING, THE POWER LINES AT THIS POINT, UH, THE ROOTS ARE EXPOSED AND CREATING TRIPPING HAZARDS IN SOME AREAS, UH, WE PLAN TO OPTIMI TO, IN ORDER TO OPTIMIZE TREE HEALTH AND VIGOR, UH,
[00:55:01]
WE WANT TO THIN OUT THE STANDS THAT INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF THE THREE PLANTED UNDER THE POWER LINES, AND FIVE OF THE REMAINING NINE, UH, MAPLE TREES THAT WILL LEAVE FOUR WELL SPACED TREES.I'M READING SOME OF THIS FROM MY, UH, ARBORIST HERE.
UM, WE HAVE EXPOSED ROOTS, UM, FROM THE TREES THAT ARE IN THE GROUND TO UNDERNEATH THE PICNIC TABLES THAT CREATE TRIPPING HAZARDS.
UM, AND WE WANT TO GROUND THOSE DOWN AFTER WE REMOVE THE TREES.
SO WE'RE WILLING TO HOLD OFF ON THIS.
WE'RE ALSO WILLING TO GET ANOTHER OPINION.
UM, I'VE SCHEDULED, UH, WAYNE KAHILL, WHO'S A CONSULTANT AND A REGIONAL EXPERT TO COME IN ON MONDAY AT ONE O'CLOCK AND REVIEW OUR PLAN AND TO GIVE US EITHER, UH, AN ALTERNATE PLAN, UH, BACK THE PLAN.
SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF HE WERE TO LEAVE THE TREES AS THEY WERE, WE'VE GOT TWO ISSUES.
NUMBER ONE, WELL, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL ISSUES.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO REITERATE.
UM, UM, WE HAVE A THREAT TO OUR POWER AND DATA LINES.
AND IN FACT, CON ED OR WHOMEVER THE, THE DATA PROVIDER IS, MIGHT COME ALONG AND, AND SAY, WE HAVE TO CUT THOSE TREES ANYWAY.
AND THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT IN A VERY NICE WAY.
AND THE, PRIMARILY THE HEALTH OF THE TREES THEMSELVES.
UM, AND I THINK, I IMAGINE THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HAVING THE, A SECOND EXPERT.
THE 12, THE 12 TREES ARE TOO MANY TREES FOR THAT SMALL SPACE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES WHEN WE PUT 12 TREES DOWN, THEY DON'T SURVIVE.
MY ARBORIST AND THE FORESTER FOR THE TOWN, THEY'RE THE LAST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT WANT TO TAKE TREES DOWN.
BUT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT BY TAKING DOWN THESE EIGHT TREES, THE REMAINING FOUR TREES WILL FLOURISH, CREATE A MUCH LARGER CANOPY, AND, UH, THE ROOT SYSTEM CAN THEN DEVELOP UNDERNEATH THERE.
SO ULTIMATELY THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF SHADE.
JUST, IT WILL JUST HAVE TO GIVE IT A LITTLE TIME TO FILL.
THEY, THEY ACTUALLY THINK THE SHADE WILL BE THE EQUIVALENT FROM THE FOUR TREES THAT THERE WILL BE FROM THE 12 TREES.
IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO REPLANT ANY OF THE TREES? THEY DON'T SUGGEST THAT.
BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT AGE, THE TREE IS A SMALL TREE.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SIZE OF THE, UM, THE ACREAGE THERE.
AND THOSE FOUR TREES THAT WILL REMAIN, WILL ACTUALLY FLOURISH.
THE TREES THAT YOU'RE REMOVING TO REPLANT ELSEWHERE.
OH, WE RE WE ARE PLANTING TREES RIGHT IN THE LEFT.
THE TREES THAT YOU'RE TAKING OUT THIS? NO, THEY'RE WAY TOO LARGE.
THEY'RE TOO LARGE TO DO THAT WITH.
WE HAVE TO, THOSE WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN OUT.
SO WHAT IS THE CONTROVERSY? NO.
WELL, BASICALLY THERE'S NO CONTROVERSY.
BASICALLY, I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH JOE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL WEEKEND.
UH, WE'RE GONNA GET A SECOND OPINION, WHICH IS GOOD.
I POSTED SOMETHING ON, UH, THE WEBSITE.
WHICH WE DIDN'T THINK WAS REALLY NECESSARY.
WE CONCERNED FOR PEOPLE MISUNDERSTANDING.
NO, BECAUSE I, WE GOT, WE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM RESIDENTS.
UM, THE OH, REALLY? I DIDN'T SEE THAT.
OH, I DIDN'T GET THE POST THAT'S RIGHT.
I FOUND OUT, GET IT AFTERWARDS.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT.
I USUALLY DO, BUT I DID NOT GET THAT ONE.
SO, BUT IF WE HAVE OUR OWN ARBORIST, WE'RE PAYING AN ARBORIST, WHAT DO WE NEED ANOTHER OPINION FOR? AND WE ALSO HAVE, 'CAUSE THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, PEOPLE, FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE FREAK OUT WHEN TREES ARE BEING CUT.
ANYTIME TREES ARE BEING CUT, THEY FREAK OUT.
UM, AND BE, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY LOVE THE TREES.
THERE'S, THERE'S PEOPLE WHO SAID THAT THEY REALLY ENJOY THIS PARK BECAUSE THERE'S SHADE.
THIS PARK HAS AN AWFUL LOT OF SHADE.
UM, THERE'S, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S PEOPLE, UH, ON A HUNDRED AT A HUNDRED EAST HARTSDALE AVENUE.
THEY'RE UPSET BECAUSE, UH, FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THEY'VE BEEN, UH, INCONVENIENCED BECAUSE OF THE SEWER, UH, YOU KNOW, BREAKS.
SO THEY'VE BEEN USING THE PARK JUST TO RELAX AND, AND ENJOY, ENJOY THEMSELVES.
WELL, I THINK WE CAN WAIT, WAIT.
I THINK WE CAN JUST, JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT.
CAN, WE CAN WAIT UNTIL THE SEWER IS REPAIRED.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY WHY WE SPENDING EXTRA MONEY.
I THINK, I THINK THE QUESTION, I THINK, PAUL, IF YOU CAN JUST ANSWER WHY ARE WE SPENDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING IF WE HAVE THOSE SAME SERVICES IN HOUSE? I'M JUST BECAUSE A LITTLE CONFUSED.
WHY, WHY ARE WE SPENDING ADDITIONAL FUNDING IF WE DON'T HAVE TO, IF WE OFFER THOSE SAME SERVICES IN HOUSE? BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO BASICALLY ARE UPSET THAT TREES
[01:00:01]
ARE COMING DOWN THAT THEY, AND THEY LIKE THE PARK AS, AS IT IS.WELL, I THINK THERE'S SOME VERY GOOD REASONS WHY, WHICH, WHICH THE COMMISSIONER JUST EXPLAINED VERY CAREFULLY WHY THOSE TREES HAVE TO COME DOWN.
IT'S FOR THE LONG-TERM HEALTH OF ALL THE TREES.
IF THE TREES DON'T COME DOWN, ALL THE TREES WILL LIKELY DIE.
SO PLUS WE HAVE A TRIPPING HAZARD AND A LIABILITY HAZARD FOR THE PEOPLE LIVING ON EAST HEART STILL APP WHO ARE USING THEM.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT, INSTEAD OF GETTING PEOPLE'S FEARS GINNED UP AHEAD OF TIME, IT, WE, WE NOW CAN POST WHAT THE, THE COMMISSIONER HAS SAID.
ESPECIALLY WE'VE HAD A FULL EXPLANATION OF ALL OF THE RIGHT REASONS WHY.
I THINK WE, TO TRUST OUR PARKS COMMISSIONER AND OUR ARBORIST TO BE GIVING US GOOD ADVICE.
JUST LIKE WE NEED TO TRUST OUR STAFF IN GENERAL AND OUR COMMISSIONERS, ET CETERA, TO GIVE US GOOD OPINIONS.
LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST ANSWER.
FIRST OF ALL, I SORT OF FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT.
SO THE THING IS, PEOPLE ARE GONNA SEE ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL THESE TREES COMING DOWN.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU WE'RE LOOKING AT REMOVING EIGHT NEW TREES.
SO WHAT I, MY GOAL WAS, WAS TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT WE'RE BEING EXTRA, EXTRA CAREFUL, MUCH MORE CAREFUL THAN WE HAVE TO BE.
SO PEOPLE WILL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS.
WELL, WHETHER WE SHOWED THEM LAST WEEK BEFORE THEY HAD A FULL EXPLANATION, OR THIS WEEK WITH A FULL EXPLANATION.
WITH THE DELAY, IT'S EQUALLY AS TRANSPARENT.
WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH.
LEMME JUST, AND YOU STILL FELT IT NECESSARY TO POST, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MORE LOGICAL NOT TO NO, BECAUSE I, I BASICALLY WANT TO BE SUPER TRANSPARENT, SUPER OPEN.
IT WOULD BE TRANSPARENT UP, SUPER OPEN.
AND I LIKE GETTING, IT WOULD BE SUPER OPEN.
I'VE CALLED, I'VE CALLED EVERYBODY WHO EMAILED ME BACK.
WHY DON'T WE KEEP, LEMME TOWN STAFF, STAFF.
IF WE HAVE OUR TOWN STAFF, WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE I MEAN, AND SUPERVISOR, YOU ALWAYS MENTION THAT.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE, WE ARE MINDING, WE'RE MINDFUL OF OUR, OUR SPENDING.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY ARE WE SPENDING EXTRA DOLLARS? AND I PROMISE YOU ANYONE WHO CONTINUOUSLY TO SAY THAT THEY DON'T TRUST TOWN GOVERNMENT, TOWN GOVERNMENT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA TRUST TOWN GOVERNMENT.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GIVEN AN IMPLICATION THAT YOU SHOULDN'T TRUST TOWN GOVERNMENT.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION AGAIN TO YOU TOO WOULD BE WHY WILL WE SPEND THE, THE MONIES, ADDITIONAL MONIES IF WE HAVE THAT SAME TOWN STAFF WHO'S GOING TO PROVIDE A REPORT TO SHOW THE REASONING? JUST BASED ON WHAT THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKS TO SAID, COMMISSIONER ESE JUST MENTIONED THAT THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE NOT THAT WE HAVE TO CUT THESE TREES DOWN.
LIKE THIS IS THE BENEFIT OF US CUTTING THESE TREES DOWN.
NOT THAT WE JUST, ALL OF A SUDDEN WILLY-NILLY JUST DECIDED TO CUT TREES DOWN.
THIS IS THE REASONING AND THIS IS THE EVIDENCE BEHIND, BASED ON WHAT OUR ANALYSIS IS OF WHY, THE REASONING OF WHY WE'RE CUTTING DOWN TREES.
I JUST, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE, WE ARE SPENDING EXTRA MONEY.
WE'RE IN AREAS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO, IF WE HAVE THESE IN-HOUSE SERVICES, WELL, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE MONEY BECAUSE BASICALLY THE FIRST OF ALL, THE ARBORISTS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO WORK FOR THE NEW YORK FORAN PROGRAM IS FREE.
HE WORKED FOR THE NEW LET ME WAIT.
NO, YOU'RE JUST INTERRUPTING ME.
LET ME, CAN I FI CAN I FINISH MY, WELL, I'M SAYING, OH, SURE.
LEMME FINISH MY SENTENCE WITHOUT, WITHOUT BEING INTERRUPTED.
THE ARBORISTS THAT WE BASICALLY ARE HIRING, UM, OR THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING WORK HAS DONE WORK FOR THE TOWN.
A SECOND PERSON, HE'S ALSO WORKED FOR THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDENS.
SO HE BASICALLY HAS NO, NO, HE'S WORKED FOR THE, HE'S, HE DOES IT PROFESSIONALLY.
SO HE IS A PROFESSIONAL, UH, PERSON WHO, UH, LOVES TREES.
WHO BASICALLY LOVES ENVIRONMENT.
AND MAYBE WHAT THAT THIS IS, THIS IS, NO, YOU'RE NOT, YOU NOT LETTING YOU KNOW.
JUST LET ME FINISH AND THEN YOU COULD SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.
SO BASICALLY, UH, ALL I'M SAYING IS I'D LIKE TO GET AN OPINION.
HE MAY SAY, INSTEAD OF CUTTING EIGHT TREES, YOU COULD CUT, UH, SIX TREES AND, UM, IT'LL SAVE YOU THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE WE'RE CUTTING FEWER TREES.
AND THEN WE'LL NEED A THIRD OPINION.
THEN WE'LL NEED A THIRD OPINION TO, NO, TO, TO BREAK THE TIDE THEN.
NO, BUT I'M SAYING MY, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE GETTING A SECOND OPINION ON THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE TREES COMING DOWN.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE WOULDN'T BE IF WE HAD NOT POSTED IT WITHOUT, EVERYBODY HAS COMFORT LEVEL.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE, WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S IMPACTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO FEEL BETTER THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO GET, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TRIPPING AND GETTING HURT.
BUT DO WHAT MAYBE I'M GONNA GO,
[01:05:01]
I THINK WE'RE UNDERMINING OUR STAFF.WE ARE NOT ALLOWING, YOU'RE IMPLYING THAT OUR STAFF IS, IS NOT PROFESSIONAL.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I, UH, THE OTHER THING I DID IS I REACHED AS THE CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, THEY BASICALLY TOOK, UM, UM, UH, THEY, WE HAD FOUR MEMBERS, UH, STOPPED BY.
THEY SAID THAT, UH, THEY WANTED TO, UM, UM, YOU, THEY, THEY THOUGHT THAT IT MADE SENSE WHAT YOU RECOMMENDED.
UH, WE PROBABLY HAD TWO OR THREE PEOPLE WHO HAD SOME CONCERNS.
ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT I HAD WAS FOR JOE TO PUT UP A SIGN, UH, UH, THE PARK EXPLAINING THE REASONS WHY, UM, UH, THE, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE TREES COME DOWN.
UH, HAVE, UM, LIKE A VISUAL, HOW THE PARK IS GONNA LOOK WHEN THE, WHEN THE TREES ARE FINE.
I I JUST WANT TO ADD, I I THINK COUNCILWOMAN, UH, HENDRICKS WAS BRINGING UP THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE SEWER DISTRICT, UH, WORK THAT'S BEING DONE DOWN THERE.
SO IF WE WANT TO POSTPONE THIS UNTIL THAT'S FINISHED, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
BECAUSE IT WOULD, UH, ALLEVIATE THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. 'CAUSE THERE WILL BE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS WHEN TREES ARE COMING DOWN.
HAVING THE SEWER DISTRICT AT THE SAME TIME BEING ALL THAT WORK BEING DONE.
SO I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE TIMEFRAME IS WHEN THAT'S GONNA BE OVER.
SO WE HAVE TWO, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE FIVE OPINIONS BECAUSE YOU SAID FOUR MEMBERS OF THE CACI THINK ALL FIVE MEMBERS.
SO WE HAVE SIX OPINIONS THAT THIS IS THE THING TO DO.
SO IN AND, BUT YOU WOULD STILL LIKE TO HAVE THIS, UM, THIS GENTLE MEN GENTLEMAN.
WHAT DOES THAT COST COMMISSIONER? I THINK WE'RE PAYING HIM, UH, ABOUT $90 AN HOUR.
HE'S, HE'S THE PERSON THAT GOES THROUGH ONCE EVERY YEAR OR TWO AND THEN MARKS OFF TREES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE DOWN THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM.
SO HE'S WORKED FOR THE TOWN BEFORE.
SO HE'S, HE'S WORKED FOR THE TOWN BEFORE UHHUH.
UM, HE'S, UM, HE IS, HE WORKS FOR US ALMOST EVERY YEAR TO SET THE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF TREES WE HAVE TO TAKE DOWN.
SO I, I COULD CALL HIM OFF, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, UH, ONE O'CLOCK ON MONDAY, I HAVE HIM SCHEDULED TO COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
AND HOW ABOUT HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR HIM TO EVALUATE THAT? HE COULD PROBABLY EVALUATE THIS WHOLE SITUATION PROBABLY IN ABOUT AN HOUR, UM, IF I ASK HIM.
SO WE'LL GET THE SIX OPINIONS.
IT'S GONNA COST A TAXPAYER MAYBE $200.
I DO, BUT IT WOULD BE MORE, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE IF YOU WANT SOME KIND OF A RENDERING DONE ABOUT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY STAFF.
WELL, THAT'S A STAFF THAT COULD DO THAT.
SO, I MEAN, I, I'M NOT SURE I WANTED TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD.
I I, I, I UNDERSTAND YOUR SIGN.
BUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE STAFF MEMBERS TO ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE AFTER THE TREES COME DOWN, I DON'T, CAN I, CAN I JUST MENTION WHY I, WHY I THINK THAT IT, WE KNOW WHY YOU THINK IT, BECAUSE I BASICALLY, I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, THIS WAS THE FIRST PARK THAT, UM, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUSHING.
UM, THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT 30 YEARS.
AND YOU OBVIOUSLY PUSHED FOR TOO MANY TREES.
THERE'S NO DOUBT WHAT HAPPENED WAS THERE WAS POOR PLANNING.
TOO MANY TREES WENT UP TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT WAS GONNA BE, UH, YOU KNOW, BETTER CANOPY THAN IT.
AND NOW WE'RE FACED WITH THE PROBLEMS FROM THAT BIG PUSH TO HAVE THOSE TREES THERE.
UH, I I, I JUST FIND IT REPULSIVE.
WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL STAFF OR CERTIFIED ARB, WENDY HERE, WHO WORKED REALLY HARD ON A TREE LAW THAT IS SECOND TO NONE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
THERE'S NOBODY THAT ACCUSE CAN ACCUSE THE TOWN OF NOT BEING BASICALLY TREE HUGGERS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO FACE THE FACT THAT EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TREES TO COME DOWN, AND THEN IT, THE ROOTS CAUSE A TRIP HAZARD, THOSE SAME PEOPLE WHO TRIP OVER THAT MM-HMM.
SO WE, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IN GOVERNMENT YOU GOTTA DO THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE IMMEDIATELY POPULAR.
BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND IT, WHAT, IT'S NOT, WHAT I FIND NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS EVERY TIME OUR, OUR STAFF, OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF, SUCH AS OUR CERTIFIED ARBORIST WHO HAS DONE EXTENSIVE WORK IN FORESTRY, COMES UP WITH OPINION, LET'S GET A SECOND OPINION.
WHETHER OR NOT IT'S OUR TOWN ATTORNEY COMES UP WITH AN OPINION, LET'S GET A SECOND ATTORNEY, UH, OPINION ABOUT OUR TOWN ATTORNEY'S OPINION.
AND WE COULD GO DOWN THE LINE WITH OUR STAFF.
AND AT SOME POINT THE PEOPLE DON'T, AS COUNCILMAN JACKSON SAID,
[01:10:01]
PEOPLE DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT.'CAUSE YOU GIVE THE IMPRESSION YOU CAN'T TRUST THEM.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO GO AND GET A SECOND OPINION OR A THIRD OPINION OR A SIXTH OPINION, YOU KNOW, AND, AND AT SOME POINT IT HAS TO, IT JUST HAS TO STOP.
WELL OTHERWISE WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF WE HAVE.
AND THEN EVERY TIME SOMETHING COMES UP, WE JUST HIRE OUTSIDE PEOPLE.
WELL, IT'S UP TO THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE BOARD WANTS TO DO.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD, I I FEEL PEOPLE WOULD, UH, BE MORE REASSURED IF WE GOT A SECOND OPINION.
IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO IT, THAT'S FINE.
WELL, HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE THE PRO THE SEWER AN HOUR? IT'S NOT THE SEWER PROJECT.
HOW IT'S GONNA TAKE MANY MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO RIGHT.
SO LET'S, I THINK PEOPLE NEED INFORMATION.
WHAT WAS PUT OUT INITIALLY WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE DOWN TREES.
AND THERE WAS NO REAL EXPLANATION THAT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
I THINK, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE ARE REASONABLE PEOPLE.
IF YOU TELL THEM WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, THAT EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GONNA STRANGLE EACH OTHER, THE TREES ARE GONNA STRANGLE EACH OTHER.
I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN.
IT SHOULD, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE PLANTED THAT MANY TREES WHEN THERE WAS A BIG PUSH FOR THE PARK.
WELL, WE HAD, WE DID HAVE A CONTEST, TREES ON THE PARK.
WE, WE HAD A LANDSCAPING CONTEST.
DO YOU REMEMBER? WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
WHAT'S THAT? I JUST WANNA SAY, WHEN WE, UH, UH, DESIGNED THE PARK 30 YEARS AGO, WE HAD A CONTEST.
WE HAD, THE COMMUNITY WAS INVOLVED.
UH, THERE WAS A BIDDING PROCESS.
WE HAD, UH, A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE INTERVIEWING, UH, DIFFERENT LANDSCAPERS.
AND WE HAD, UH, 12 TINY TREES THERE.
WE HAD A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, PARTICIPATE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE THING IS WE DID, UH, PLANT TREES AT THAT TIME.
AND, UM, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE TREES WERE HEALTHY AND, AND GREW AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS? UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN I DO MY OUTREACH WITH THE COMMUNITY, A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
THE MORE WE TELL PEOPLE WE'RE BENDING OVER BACKWARDS TO GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR THEM, THAT WE'RE DOUBLE CHECKING, WE'RE TRIPLE CHECKING, WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
UM, AND WE'RE GIVING THEM, UH, REASONABLE EXPLANATIONS, THEN I WOULD, AS I WOULD GUESS, THAT AT THE END OF THE PROCESS, IF THE TREES COME DOWN, NOBODY'S GONNA SAY, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU KNOW, WHAT THE TOWN DID.
BECAUSE THERE'S, PEOPLE WILL STILL SAY THAT REGARDLESS.
I WOULD THINK THAT IF YOU SAID TO THEM, YOU HAVE A CERTIFIED ARBORIST ON STAFF, AND THAT CERTIFIED ARBORIST HAS DONE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN PRESERVING TREES.
BUT ON THIS PARTICULAR SITE, HE RECOGNIZES TO PRESERVE THE TREES, YOU HAVE TO, UH, CALL THEM, UH, DECREASE THE NUMBER THAT'S ON THE SITE.
AND THAT'S THE OPINION OF OUR CERTIFIED OPERAS.
AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, THIS OUR CERTIFIED OPERA, PROBABLY YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME I HAD A CERTIFIED OPERATIST.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET A SECOND OPINION.
WELL, AND OF COURSE THEN THEY'LL SAY, WELL, LET'S GET A SECOND OPINION.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE ARBORIST EITHER.
SO IT WAS AARON SCHMIDT, IT WAS, UH, TER AND WE HAVE THE FORESTER, BUT WE HAD, OKAY.
IF IT WAS EVER AN EXAMPLE OF UNANIMITY ON AN ISSUE THAT WOULD NOT NEED US TO GO TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE THAT'S GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW WHAT I, I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT TO OUR STAFF BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT.
OUR STAFF WORKS REALLY, REALLY PROVIDING, I UNDERSTAND PROVIDING GOOD INFORMATION IMPORTANT, UNDERSTAND WHY PAUL IS VESTED IN THIS.
BECAUSE HE WA HE SAID IT WAS THE FIRST PART THAT HE CREATED.
SO IT'S REALLY PAUL'S CONCERNS.
AND HE, HE EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS TO OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY, BASED ON THE INPUT THEY GOT FROM HIM BEFORE THEY HAD THE FULL EXPLANATION, THEN RESPONDED ACCORDINGLY THE WAY HE'S CONCERNED.
BUT I, AGAIN, I WOULD SUBMIT, I WOULD SUBMIT HAD ANY, I NEVER, AGAIN, I WOULD SUBMIT THAT I NEVER GAVE MY, LEMME SAY THAT I WOULD THEN I AN OPINION AND THEN I WOULD SUBMIT THAT IF IT HAD WAITED ONE WEEK WITH A FURTHER EXPLANATION, THEN IT WOULD GONE A LONG WAY TO A LAYING FEARS.
BUT COUNCILWOMAN HABER IS CORRECT.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T HEARD IT OR DIDN'T READ IT, AND THEY WILL BE CONCERNED.
SO I THINK YOUR IDEA OF PUTTING A SIGN UP IS A VERY GOOD ONE.
NOW LET, CAN WE WRAP UP THIS, WE HAVE SOMEONE WAITING IN THE AUDIENCE WHO NEEDS TO SPEAK.
WE'RE GONNA WAIT ANYWAY 'CAUSE OF THIS, SO, RIGHT.
ALL, SO THEN WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THE BOARD, THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD IS THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE A SECOND OPINION.
IS THAT THE, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT ONE, WE DON'T FEEL IT'S NECESSARY.
I WOULD LIKE TO TRUST THE TOWN STAFF
[01:15:01]
THAT WE INVEST.ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE HAD THE, THE, UH, CONSERVATION CAC C CAC C PEOPLE.
ALSO THE CAC DID COME UP ALSO AGREEING WITH THESE THINGS.
WHO, WHO'S PART OF THE COMMUNITY WE WANNA DO.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE BOOTS, SCRAP COLLECTION.
WOULD I SUGGEST THAT WE PUSH THAT TO THE NEXT, UH, MEETING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOMEONE WAITING HERE TO, YOU KNOW, SHE'S BEEN VERY PATIENT AND THANKS.
THANK, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
AND THEN ALSO THE DATE FOR THE FULTON PARK FLOOD MITIGATION MEETING.
THAT'S NOT HAPPENING BECAUSE YOU'RE, OKAY.
WE HAVE TO RESCHEDULE THAT FOR OCTOBER AND WE, WE CAN'T SCHEDULE IT.
WE DON'T HAVE A DATE FOR THAT.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME VACATION.
SO FOR FULTON PARK, WE DON'T HAVE A DATE YET.
BECAUSE, UM, IT'S GONNA BE PUSHED TO SEPTEMBER DUE TO VACATIONS AND STUFF THAT, YOU KNOW.
NO, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE EARLY OCTOBER.
I, I'VE BEEN IN CH YEAH, WE, I'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITH, WITH MR. SANCHEZ AND HE, I SPOKE TO MR. SANCHEZ AND MR. SANCHEZ IS NOW, IS HE NOW THE, IS HE NOW THE FULTON PARK, UM, CHAIR FOR THAT CIVIC ASSOCIATION? I BELIEVE HE'S THE CO-CHAIR.
SO IF ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING WITH RELATING TO FULTON PARK AND PRIOR TO THIS MEETING, THEY SHOULD REACH OUT TO HIM AND BRING ANY OR US WILL BRING ANY ISSUES, NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES TO HIM.
SO WE CAN HAVE, WHEN WE HAVE THAT MEETING, WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE RESCHEDULED, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
AND THAT MEANS ALSO THAT THE OTHERS WHO WERE INVITED TO WHEN THIS MEETING WAS CHANGED FROM LAST TUESDAY TO THE 27TH, UH, ARE MAJORITY LEADER CIO COUSINS, OUR ASSEMBLY WOMAN, MARY JANE SHIMS. WE HAVE TO THEN COORDINATE SCHEDULES SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN ATTEND IF THAT, BUT WE PROMISE AND THE COUNTY WOULD BE PART OF THAT MEETING TOO.
AND, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE HAVE TO LET MR. SANCHEZ KNOW, 'CAUSE THIS WAS HIS MEETING.
WE CAN'T SCHEDULE A MEETING AND RESCHEDULE WITHOUT LETTING HIM KNOW.
SO THAT WAS NO, I I, SO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
IT, I SPOKE TO HIM LAST NIGHT TOO.
SO NOW WE HAVE MS. BEBERG HAVE BEEN WAITING VERY PATIENTLY.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'LL TAKE YOUR TREES.
WHY CAN'T YOU MOVE THEM? WELL, THEY'RE, WHEN TREES ARE THAT BIG, YOU'D HAVE TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSIONER ABOUT THAT.
I'VE NEVER HEARD OF NOT BEING HI PAUL.
WHEN, WHEN TREES ARE THAT BIG, IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION.
AND IT'S ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
BUT I THINK THE COMMISSIONER CAN BE MORE RESPONSIBLE.
I THINK REPLANTING TREES OF THAT AGE IS JUST NOT VIABLE.
I'VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW SOMEBODY ELSE'S TOWN BOARD WORKS.
UM, SO I MET PAUL AND JOY AT, UH, THE WAO CONFERENCE WHERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN BEDFORD.
WI OS STANDS FOR WESTCHESTER MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION.
BECAUSE I COULDN'T REMEMBER THAT
SO I WAS HOPING SOMEBODY HERE WOULD REMEMBER THAT.
UM, AND WE WERE TALKING, WE CAME AS A GROUP TO SORT OF TALK ABOUT WHAT WE THINK IS IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS MAKING BEDFORD NEURO INCLUSIVE.
AND I'M GONNA SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT WE DID IN BEDFORD, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S TOWN'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
EVERYBODY'S NEEDS ARE DIFFERENT.
SO I DON'T WANNA PRETEND TO KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I WANNA TELL YOU OUR EXPERIENCE AND OFFER TO BE SUPPORTIVE IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
UM, AND PART OF THAT I THINK IS JUST THE NUMBERS ALONE.
AND I'LL TALK TO THE NUMBERS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN TERMS OF DIAGNOSES AND NEURODIVERSITY.
AND WE, I'LL, I'LL MOVE ALONG FROM THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IS IT ALL RIGHT TO SAY THAT YOU AND I KNOW EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE BOTH HAVE NEURODIVERSE CHILDREN? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY ALL RIGHT TO SAY.
AND SO I'M DEFINITELY INVESTED IN BUILDING A BETTER WORLD FOR MY CHILD AND EVERYBODY'S CHILDREN.
AND I FIND THAT, UH, WHAT MY HUSBAND LIKES TO SAY TO ME IS, DON'T SAY WHY IT'S GOOD FOR ME.
SAY WHY IT'S GOOD FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
AND SO, IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT IT IS GOOD FOR US, AND IT'S THE WORLD WE WANNA LIVE IN, IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
IT'S GOOD FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS, IT'S GOOD FOR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO WE ARE A LITTLE BIT ON A CRUSADE, AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF TRACTION AND A LOT OF TOWNS ARE BUYING INTO IT.
AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PROGRAM.
I TALKED AT LENGTH WITH LEGISLATOR ERICA PIERCE.
AH, I WAS JUST, AND UM, AND YOU KNOW, I, MY DAUGHTER WORKS IN THAT SPHERE.
[01:20:02]
AND, UM, AND I'M ALSO VERY ENCOURAGED.AND I HOPE YOU'LL DESCRIBE IT FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US DO AS OH, GOOD.
UM, I KNOW I'M SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW TO ADVANCE THIS, AND I'M LOOKING AT SLIDES, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA.
WHAT, AM I SUPPOSED TO JUST HIT RETURN TO ENTER TO MOVE AHEAD.
SO PART OF THE REASON WE STARTED THIS IN TOWN, UM, WAS I'D HEARD A LOT OF STORIES.
ONE OF THEM WAS A STORY ABOUT A MOTHER WHO TOLD ME SHE WENT, TOOK HER DAUGHTER TO THE SUPERMARKET.
AND THE DAUGHTER WAS PULLING EVERYTHING OFF THE SHELVES AND HAVING A MELTDOWN.
AND SHE WAS KICKED OUTTA THE SUPERMARKET.
AND EVEN WHEN I SAY THAT, I FEEL LIKE CRYING.
AND THIS WAS A PARENT WHO JUST WANTED TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING.
AND, UH, SHE'S NEVER GONE BACK TO THE SUPERMARKET BEFORE.
I'VE MET A LOT OF PARENTS AND FAMILIES WHO DON'T LEAVE THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE DISRUPTIVE OR WHO ARE LOUD, OR WHO STEM OR WHO HAVE BEHAVIORS THAT ARE NOT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT CONSIDER THE NORM.
AND AS A RESULT, THEY FEEL OSTRACIZED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND WE DECIDED WE DIDN'T WANT THAT IN BEDFORD.
AND I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANNA LIVE IN THE WORLD.
SO THAT'S SORT OF WHERE WE, WHERE WE BEGAN.
UM, SO OUR GOALS IN BEDFORD WERE TO MAKE THE TOWN OF BEDFORD ACCESSIBLE TO AND INCLUSIVE OF EVERY RESIDENCE WITH NEURODIVERGENT DISABILITIES, UH, TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE NATURE OF DISABILITIES, TO IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO INCLUSION, TO ENLIST KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS, AND TO IDENTIFY SPEARHEAD AND SUPPORT INITIATIVES TO ASSURE THAT EVERY RESIDENT IS ENGAGED, INCLUDED AND WELCOMED IN BEDFORD COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAD A, MADE A GOAL FOR WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
WHAT WE DIDN'T WANNA DO WAS JUST RAGTAG DECIDE, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
AND WE WANTED TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN OFFICIAL STAMP THAT CAME FROM THE TOWN.
AND I BELIEVE, AND THIS IS WHY I'M SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE TOWN BOARD TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE THAT IS, BY THE WAY, THIS IS MY DAUGHTER, IN CASE YOU WON'T WANNA KNOW.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE TOWN BOARD TO OWN IT AND TO HAVE A, AN OFFICIAL STAMP.
SO, JUST TO BACK UP BY THE NUMBERS, IN CASE ANYBODY DOESN'T KNOW, ONE IN 36 CHILDREN ARE DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM.
I BET IF I WENT AROUND THIS TABLE RIGHT NOW, THAT MEANS OUR 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 OF US, ONE OF US SITTING AT THIS TABLE, OR IN THE AUDIENCE THINKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, HAS A SLIGHT LITTLE, YOU KNOW, I DID AN EXERCISE YESTERDAY IN A GROUP WITH PEOPLE AND I SAID, HOW MANY OF YOU EVER GET ANXIOUS? FIVE PEOPLE SHUT UP.
HOW MANY OF YOU EVER, YOU KNOW, DO THIS WITH YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU'RE SITTING OR DO THIS WITH YOUR HAIR? OKAY, THAT'S STEMMING IN A DIFFERENT FORM.
SO WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH WHAT STEMMING LOOKS LIKE.
CAN, CAN YOU JUST DEFINE THAT FOR EVERYBODY? UH, STEMMING IS WHEN, HOW DO I SAY THIS ONE? WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY WITH AUTISM WHO FLAPS MM-HMM.
AND THAT IS A WAY THAT, UH, SOME PEOPLE FIND THAT THEY CAN REGULATE THEIR OWN BODY.
AND I THINK WE ALL HAVE LIKE LITTLE, LIKE NAIL BITING.
WE ALL HAVE LITTLE TINY THINGS THAT WE DO THAT GROUND US THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE WAY WE TYPICALLY DO IT.
NOBODY LOOKS AT US SCOUTS AND WE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE NORMAL THE WAY SOMEBODY ELSE DOES IT, WHICH IS FLAPPING THEIR HANDS OR JUMPING UP AND DOWN OR WALKING BACK AND FORTH.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHOSE SON HAD THE POLICE CALLED ON HIM.
HE WAS AT THE BUS STOP AND HE WAS WALKING BACK AND FORTH AND SOMEBODY SITTING AT THE BUS STOP CALLED THE POLICE.
'CAUSE THEY THOUGHT HE WAS ON DRUGS.
BUT HERE'S A, YOU KNOW, 24-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN WHO HAD THE POLICE CALLED ON HIM.
'CAUSE THAT'S HOW HE REGULATED HIS BODY.
SO, UH, AN ESTIMATED 75 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES LIVE WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY.
AN ESTIMATED FIVE TO 15% OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN HAVE SENSORY DISORDERS.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TYPICALLY DEVELOPING KIDS.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY WITH ANY KIND OF A DIAGNOSIS.
AND THE ALSO 50,000 YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM IN THE US TURN 21 EVERY YEAR.
AND I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS TO A CHILD WHEN YOU'RE 21 AND ALL OF THE SERVICES STOP.
WE CALL IT FALLING OFF A CLIFF.
I ASSUME YOU HAVE THE SAME LANGUAGE AND YOU'RE LIVING IN A WORLD THAT DOESN'T RECOGNIZE YOUR CHILD ANYMORE.
[01:25:01]
UH, TO ME, THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPATHY, FOR EDUCATION, FOR CHANGE.PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE THE LARGEST MINORITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THEM AS A GROUP, THEY ARE THE LARGEST MINORITY THAT'S AMAZING IN THE COUNTRY.
THESE ARE NOT GONNA BE RELEVANT TO YOU, BUT I BRING THEM UP FOR YOU TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CONTEXT.
PART OF HOW WE DETERMINED THAT BEDFORD WAS A PLACE WHERE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY WOULD WANT THE KINDS OF CHANGES THAT WE WERE ADVOCATING WAS THAT WE LOOKED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SEE HOW MANY IEPS.
AN IEP, IS IT, YOU ALL KNOW WHAT AN IEP IS? INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM.
IT MEANS THAT IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT WHO'S IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO LEARNS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATE EDUCATION PLAN THAT HELPS SUPPORT THEM IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE CALL SPECIAL EDUCATION OR SPECIAL SERVICES, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU DEFINE IT.
SO, IN BEDFORD ALONE, OKAY, WE HAD 23,000 STUDENTS WITH IEPS.
THAT TELLS YOU WE HAVE 23,000 FAMILIES LIVING IN OUR AREA WHO GO TO EITHER BEDFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT OR TON LEWISBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT IN, IN OUR SURROUNDING AREA THAT HAVE A KID WHO HAS SOMETHING, I DUNNO WHAT THEY HAVE, BUT THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES THEM TO HAVE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN.
THAT MEANS THAT I'VE GOT FAMILIES, 23,000 FAMILIES IN THAT AREA WHO HAVE A CHILD FOR WHOM SOME KIND OF ACCOMMODATION IS REQUIRED.
AND THE ACCOMMODATION DOESN'T JUST EXIST IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S WHEN YOU WALK OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN'T ISOLATE KIDS AND FAMILIES.
SO YOU'RE GOING INTO THE, INTO THE SUPERMARKET, LIKE THE FAMILY I TOLD YOU ABOUT.
YOU'RE GONNA THE BUS STOP, YOU'RE GOING TO RESTAURANTS, YOU'RE GOING TO STORES YOU ARE GOING OUT.
AND UNLESS THE COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES YOU, FEELS EMPATHY, FEELS THE DESIRE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACCOMMODATE, THEN THESE FAMILIES ARE GONNA BE DISAFFECTED.
CONVERSELY, IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT IS ABLE TO SAY, WE ARE NEURO INCLUSIVE.
OUR, WE HAVE TRAINED OUR REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN BEDFORD TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WHEN A FAMILY COMES IN, BY THE WAY, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND I'LL GET INTO SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY CHANGED, BUT IT WILL MAKE GREENBURG THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WHERE FAMILIES WILL WANNA LIVE.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE A CHILD WHO'S EVEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT DIFFERENT, WE'RE TALKING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO THAT'S WHY, UM, AND THEN THE ONE THING THAT WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT, AN ESTIMATED 30% OF THE COUNTY ARE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR FRIENDS VOTE.
AND THAT WAS A BIG THING WE SAID TOO.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I TALK TO ERICA ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
AND IF YOU'RE SUPPORTING YOUR, YOUR RESIDENTS, THEY'LL COME BACK AND VOTE FOR YOU.
THEIR PARENTS, THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I MEAN, IT'S GOTTA BE SO HARD FOR A SIBLING WHO IS YOUNG AND DOESN'T HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING YET.
AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE PUNITIVE AND JUDGMENTAL BECAUSE OF A BEHAVIOR, STEM BEHAVIOR, FOR INSTANCE, THEN IT, IT, IT HAS A, A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THOSE CHILDREN TOO.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAY IS, THE FIRST LESSON WE TRY TO TEACH PEOPLE IS DON'T STARE.
AND YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO'S EITHER HAVING A MELTDOWN, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A TYPICALLY DEVELOPING CHILD, HAVING A MELTDOWN, PEOPLE STARE AND THEN THEY JUDGE AND THEN THEY THINK YOU'RE A BAD PARENT.
SO PART OF THIS PROCESS IS JUST TO EDUCATE.
SO TALK ABOUT YOUR PROCESS AND OKAY.
AND WHAT IT IS THAT, HOW YOU EDUCATE US AND HOW WE HELP EDUCATE THE REST OF OUR RESIDENTS.
SO THE FIRST THING WE DID IS WE HAD OUR TOWN BOARD ESTABLISH A NEURODIVERSITY TASK FORCE.
I'M HAPPY TO TALK YOU THROUGH IT.
SO WE, UM, WE HAD A NEWSLETTER THAT WENT OUT.
WE INVITED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO SAY, WHO'S INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC? COME ON IN.
AND I MET A LOT OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW IN THE COMMUNITY WHO'VE NOW BECOME BOTH FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF THE INCLUSIVE INITIATIVE.
WE ALL MET IN THE TOWN BOARD OFFICE WITH OUR TOWN SUPERVISOR AND SEVERAL OF OUR TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, ONE OF WHOM BECAME, JOINED THE COMMITTEE AND, AND, UH, HEADED UP.
ONE OF OUR TASK FORCE IS TASK FORCE COMMITTEES.
WE DIVIDED INTO THREE COMMITTEES.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANNA PRETEND THAT WE, WE KNEW THE
[01:30:01]
ANSWERS.WE WENT OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, DISTRIBUTED A SURVEY, TALKED TO EVERYBODY, WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU SEE? WHAT ARE YOU GETTING? WHAT DO YOU NEED? I'M HAPPY TO SHARE OUR SURVEY WITH YOU.
THEN WE HAD A, UM, COMMITTEE THAT LOOKED AT TRAINING.
WE DID A DEEP DIVE INTO EVERY SINGLE KIND OF TRAINING THAT EXISTS OUT THERE AND CAME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR TOWN BOARD.
AND THEN WE HAD A RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE TOWN OF BEDFORD, AND AGAIN, THESE MAY BE WHAT YOU WANT, YOU MAY THINK THEY DON'T WORK FOR YOU, YOU WANT SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT THIS IS WHAT, BASED ON OUR WORK TOGETHER AS A GROUP, WE ALL DECIDED THESE WERE THE THREE AREAS THAT WE WERE MOST FOCUSED ON AND WE THOUGHT WOULD HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE TOWN OF BEDFORD WEBSITE NOW, YOU'LL SEE A RESOURCE PAGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU LOOKED AT OUR OUR TOWN, UM, PAGE I DID.
THAT RESOURCE PAGE MEANS THAT IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO SUDDENLY HAS A DIAGNOSIS OR HAS A CHILD AND WANTS HELP, YOU CAN GO TO THAT RESOURCE PAGE AND IMMEDIATELY FIND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DENTIST, FOR REC PROGRAMS, FOR, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE LIST.
SO IT TOOK US ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS TO DO THAT WORK.
MEETING, RESEARCHING, GETTING OUR SURVEYS BACK.
MOST SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
SO ARE THE, UH, PARENT, THE SCHOOLS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE COMMITTEE ALSO.
KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE HERE.
I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SEPTA WAS.
SPECIAL EDUCATION, PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION.
KIND OF LIKE A PTA, BUT FOR PARENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, MAYBE YOU HAVE THAT IN YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT GREENBERG.
I HAVE FOUND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF SITUATIONS YOU'VE HAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT HAPPENS IN BEDFORD.
WE'VE HAD SOME BAD SITUATIONS IN BEDFORD WITH SPECIAL ED.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TELL YOU THE STORY.
UM, I HAVE FOUND THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN EXTREMELY BOUGHT IN AND ONE OF THEM NOT, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY NOT.
AND I'VE GONE TO BOTH, UM, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED? TOWN, UH, SUPERVISORS.
WHAT ARE THE BOARD OF ED TEACHERS CALLED? I FORGET, I'M DRAWING A BLANK.
ANYWAY, WHOEVER HAD THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT, SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT.
I'VE MET SUPERINTENDENTS FOR BOTH OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
AND, UM, IT'S IN SORT OF AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC.
WELL, I GUESS MAYBE THEY THINK THEIR REALM IS JUST SCHOOL AND HOW THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE NOT THINKING OF THE EXTENSION OF WHAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH OF THEIR STUDENT'S LIFE IS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
THEY'RE ALSO NOT THINKING THAT THEY CAN LEARN ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY ELSE.
AND ALSO THERE'S, AND I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THIS, THERE'S TWO SEPARATE TRACKS.
THERE'S A SPECIAL ED TRACK AND THEN THERE'S THE OTHER TRACK.
AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO EDUCATE THE SCHOOLS ABOUT IS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE TWO SEPARATE TRACKS THAT YOU HAVE TO INTEGRATE AND THAT ALL OF YOUR GENERAL ED TEACHERS NEED TO LEARN ABOUT NEURODIVERSITY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A KID WHO'S MAYBE NO DIAGNOSIS, BUT IS SITTING THERE DOING THAT WITH HIS FEET OR HIS HANDS.
AND A GEN ED TEACHER NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN A LARGER CONTEXT.
SO I CAN'T, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMITTEE? WELL, SO THIS, SO GOING BACK TO THE TASK FORCE WE PRESENTED TO THE TOWN BOARD, WE MADE VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
LET'S SEE IF I REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE.
UM, WE DEFINITELY, UH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
WE DEFINITELY SUGGESTED THAT THEY HAVE, UH, A PAGE, A WEBSITE PAGE, WHICH THEY'VE DONE.
WE SUGGESTED THEY ALL GET TRAINED.
WE'VE TRAINED OUR TOWN SUPERVISOR AND EVERY ONE OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS.
WE SUGGESTED TRAINING, LARGELY, WE SUGGESTED, I SAID THIS ALREADY.
I THINK THAT, THAT THE WEBSITE HAS TO INCORPORATE THEIR CHANGES AND LIST THE BUY-IN FOR THE TOWN.
AND WE ALSO SUGGESTED, UH, THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A REGISTRY FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE YOUNG ADULTS WITH ANY KIND OF DISABILITY, EVEN IF IT'S A PHYSICAL HANDICAP.
SO THAT IF GOD FORBID THERE'S A FIRE OR A POLICE INCIDENT, THE POLICE OR THE FIRE PEOPLE ARE AWARE BEFORE THEY GO IN.
[01:35:01]
TO EACH OTHER.SO WE PUT THAT ON THE TOWN WEBSITE AS WELL.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO WANT THE SCHOOLS TO BUY INTO BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA ACCESS OUR, OUR PARENTS.
THE SCHOOLS NEED TO TELL THEIR PARENTS THAT THEY CAN REGISTER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IF I MAY ADD SOMETHING.
AND, UM, SHE ASKED ME, UM, ARE THERE ANY ARE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR, FOR HER SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD? AND I SAID, COME INTO MY OFFICE, DID A LITTLE GOOGLING AND I SPOKE WITH THE SCHOOL THAT HER CHILD IS GOING TO, AND THEY ONLY HAD AN ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHEN I MADE SOME PHONE CALLS AND FOUND OUT THAT, UM, THE SCHOOL WHERE SHE WAS GOING, UH, THEY SENT ME TO THE, ONE OF THE PRESENTERS THAT NIGHT, AND I CAN'T THINK OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND I SAID, OH, I KNOW EXACTLY WHO THAT IS.
AND IT WAS, UH, EAST SOMETHING REC.
I SEE HER EVERY DAY AND I CAN NEVER REMEMBER HER NAME.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, WE LITERALLY HAD JUST, WE CAME TO, SHE WAS SO THANKFUL BECAUSE EVERYBODY ONLY HAD ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S NOT FAIR TO A KID WHO WANTS TO BE A KID DURING THE SUMMER.
AND SO THEN THEY WAS LIKE, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING AT THE WOMA.
AND I WAS LIKE, I'M SCHEDULED TO GO
SO I ENDED UP SPEAKING TO THEM THAT EVENING.
AND SO IT WAS JUST, THEY WERE, IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING JUST TO AGAIN, GET EDUCATED ON IT AND THE PRES PRESENTATION AND JUST THE FACT THAT I WAS EVEN ABLE TO HELP ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS JUST BY POINTING THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO UNFORTUNATELY THE SCHOOL WHERE HER SON WENT, THEY DO NOT, THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY RESOURCES.
I HAD TO CALL THE PROGRAM THAT CAME AND SPOKE.
JUST DEFINITELY A JUST CONFIRMING THERE'S A NEED.
SO LIKE WHAT, SO YOUR RECOMMENDATION, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK WE COULD DO IN THE TOWN? SHOULD WE DO THE SAME TYPE OF THING FORM A COMMITTEE AND WHAT'S LIKE, THE BEST INITIAL STEPS THAT WE COULD TAKE? I THINK YOU PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT THE TOWN BOARD ADOPTS THAT MAKES IT OFFICIAL THAT YOU'RE INVESTED.
AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE.
OUR RESOLUTION IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO YOU CAN MAKE A RESOLUTION AND YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WE WENT THROUGH, IF THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU.
'CAUSE AGAIN, YOU NEED EVERY BUSINESS TO BUY IN.
YOU CAN'T FORCE THIS DOWN TO ANYBODY'S THROAT.
AND YOU'RE PERFECT BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GET OUT THERE AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF YOUR DAUGHTER.
AND YOU ARE GONNA EXPLAIN WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
AND WE HAD A TOWN BOARD MEMBER IN BEDFORD WHO HAD TAKEN CARE OF HER AGING UNCLE WHO HAD INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS DOWN SYNDROME.
AND FROM WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD AND HE WAS 19.
AND SHE STILL TELLS THE STORY ABOUT HOW SHE COULDN'T GET HIM A HAIRCUT 'CAUSE HE HAD SUCH SENSORY ISSUES.
YOU THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO BORDERS WHEN, UH, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH DISABILITIES, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE ALL OVER.
WOULD IT MAKE SENSE FOR SAY THE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'D BE, UM, INTERESTED IN FOR THE TOWN, SAY TO FORM A COMMITTEE AND ALMOST BE LIKE A STEP COMMITTEE TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU DON'T WORK IN, YOU MEAN A SISTER PROGRAM TO BEDFORD? IS THAT WHAT YOU MEAN? YEAH, BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF THIS.
AND IF WE BASICALLY, LET'S SAY WE START, THEY HAVE A ROADMAP THAT WE CAN FOLLOW.
I'M EVEN THINKING OF EVEN WHERE, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY GREENBERG JOINS FORCES WITH YOUR COMMITTEE INITIALLY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE MAY GET 10 PEOPLE THE FIRST COUPLE MONTHS AND THEN IT WILL START GROWING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAY WE COULD DO, WE COULD ALMOST DO THE SAME THINGS YOU'RE DOING AT THE SAME TIME.
I, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE GEOGRAPHICALLY, I'M JUST ASKING.
I THINK WHAT, WHAT MAYBE AKIN TO THAT IS IF, IF OUR, IF WE ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE, THEY CAN AUDIT AND LEARN FROM THEM, GET A, HAVE A, A MEETING OR TWO MAYBE TO LEARN HOW, WHAT THEY DO LIKE IN THEIR ADVISORY CAPACITY.
BUT A SHORT TERM, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN ALLIANCE.
BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, FOR YEARS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED DOING LIKE A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED HARD TRYING TO GIVE, UH, THE DEVELOPMENTALLY, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGED, YOU KNOW, JOBS.
YOU, WE'VE, WE'VE SET UP PROGRAMS WHERE WE'VE HELPED PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED FIND WORK, AND WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THERE'S ONE PERSON RIGHT NOW WHO'S, UM, FINISHING UP AT THE, UH, TOWN PARK AS AN EMPLOYEE.
AND UM, UH, HE NOW IS GONNA BE WORKING AT A SUPERMARKET RIGHT AFTER THE SUMMER IS OVER.
UH, THERE WAS SOMEBODY YEARS AGO WHEN I, UH, NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UM, UH, HE WAS AN INTERN IN MY
[01:40:01]
OFFICE, VERY AUTISTIC, YOU KNOW, VERY LA NOBODY REALLY WAS THRILLED WITH HIM BUT ME.AND, UH, HE EVENTUALLY BECAME A POLICE OFFICER IN WA, THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
SO HE WAS REALLY, SO HE WAS REALLY, IT WAS A REAL LIKE, SUCCESS STORY.
AND UH, WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN, UM, ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN, UM, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED ON, UH, INDIVIDUALS COMING IN IN MY OFFICE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.
UM, AND THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS WITH, I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE, UM, A REAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE.
ALL THESE STORIES ARE GREAT, BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE SET A TONE.
AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, BE OFFICIAL.
AND I THINK EVERY CHILD HAS TO OWN IT.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO FIND PARENTS WHO WANNA OWN IT.
AND FOR OUR INCLUSIVE INITIATIVE, WHICH WE HAVE NOW, AND THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE WEBSITE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY RECRUITING.
AND WE'RE, WENDY, LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT FURTHER.
YOU'VE GIVEN US A GREAT INTRODUCTION AND I, WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
I JUST WANNA MENTION, I THING ROCHELLE STEENBERG, WHO LIVES IN, I WAS THINKING ABOUT LEY ART.
SHE HAS, UM, A SON WHO'S LIKE SUPER PERSONABLE.
UH, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE MENTIONING INDIVIDUALS WHO I, OKAY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY WHO WOULD BENEFIT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT SHE HAS AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GOALS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD WOULD BE TO SET UP, UM, WITH ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES.
UM, UH, AN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM WHERE AS CHILDREN AGE AND PLACE, THERE SHOULD BE HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING.
AND I FEEL THAT THE TOWN, AND EVEN MAYBE BEDFORD, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES ALL OVER AND I FEEL A LOT OF THE UM, UM, A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, THEY HAVE SUPER PERSONALITIES.
THEY WOULD BE EXCELLENT, UH, DEALING WITH, UM, UH, WITH SENIORS WHO ARE BASICALLY LONELY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THEY COULD BE GREAT FRIENDS.
SO I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE, AS A GOVERNMENT, ALMOST REQUIRING THE FUTURE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES TO DO SOME HIRING AND TO HAVE ROOM AND BOARD.
AND THAT, THAT TO ME WOULD BE LIKE ONE ISSUE.
LET'S EXPLORE, LET'S EXPLORE THAT.
BUT LET'S, LET'S GET THE PROCESS STARTED.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT I DO FOLLOW NEUROSCIENCE BECAUSE OUR JOB MAKES SURE WE SIGN IT.
YOU WANNA MAKE A MOTION? YEAH.
A MOTION, UH, TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, I THINK WE'RE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, UH, FOR THE FOUR CORNERS COMMITTEE, ISN'T THAT? YES.
UM, AND, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, AND DEFENSE DISCUSSING PERSON, IT SAYS NOW MATTERS INVOLVING SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS AND TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON VARIOUS MATTERS.