SO. CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[1. Call to Order]
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IF YOU ALL COULD STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, I'D APPRECIATE IT.VICE MAYOR, YOU WANT TO LEAD US OFF.
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.
THANK YOU. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY, IF YOU COULD READ OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
THANK YOU, AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT THIS MEETING IS ABOUT TODAY.
THE MISSION OF THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF IS TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL. ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
[2. ROLL CALL NOTE: One or more Councilmembers may be in attendance telephonically or by other technological means. MAYOR DEASY VICE MAYOR DAGGETT COUNCILMEMBER ASLAN COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY COUNCILMEMBER SALAS COUNCILMEMBER SHIMONI COUNCILMEMBER SWEET]
MAYOR DEASY? HERE.VICE MAYOR DAGGETT? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ASLAN? COUNCIL MEMBER MCCARTHY? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SALAS? PHYSICALLY AND FULLY PRESENT HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SWEET? HERE. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO COME DOWN THERE ACTUALLY WITH YOU ALL.
WE JUST HAD TO DO THE FORMAL PROCESS UP HERE.
OKAY, COOL. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING.
[3. Alternate Response Model and Care Center Discussion]
STAFF'S BEEN WORKING EXTREMELY HARD AND TRYING TO FURTHER THIS PROGRAM, AND WE'RE REALLY WANTING TO GET A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, GET YOUR INPUT ON WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE. WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO START BY THANKING ALL THE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN TOWN HERE AND HOW MUCH WE VALUE AND APPRECIATE YOUR AGENCIES AND WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY. WE WERE HOSTING THIS TO REALLY SHARE THE CITY'S PROGRESS ON THE ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODEL AND DISCUSS THE NEXT STEPS WITH A CARE CENTER.AND HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND GET YOUR INPUT ON WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY STAFF FOR, OH, WAIT, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS. SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, WE WANT YOUR INPUT AS WELL.
AND YOU CAN IN THE TEAM'S MEETING, IF YOU PUT A C OR A Q INTO THE TEXT BOX, THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE YOU AND BE ABLE TO CALL ON YOU.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE PROCEDURE RIGHT THERE.
ALL RIGHT, SHANNON OR, CHIEF MUSSELMAN, YOUR NEXT.
THANK YOU ALL, DAN MUSSELMAN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WHERE DID THE THOUGHT OF AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE PROGRAM COME FROM? WELL, THE INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF FLAGSTAFF IDENTIFIED THE NEED IN ONE OF THEIR CITY FORUMS THAT THEY HELD ON HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING AND WELLNESS.
I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO NOW AND THEN, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL, WHICH IS A GROUP OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, ALSO IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL DIVERSION PROGRAMS. AND THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE VISITED A JAIL DIVERSION PROGRAM IN FLORIDA AND BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THOSE IDEAS TO US.
ADDITIONALLY, THE POLICE OPERATIONS DIVISION DID A PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL IN 2020 ON ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODELS, AND THAT HELPED PUSH THE BALL FORWARD AS FAR AS US REALIZING, AS A CITY AND AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEEDED TO EXPLORE THINGS.
THE PURPOSE OF AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODEL IS TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY SENSITIVE CARE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT, AND ENGAGE THOSE IN NEED WITH THE MOST APPROPRIATE SERVICES FOR WHAT THEY NEED. ANOTHER GOAL IS TO KEEP INDIVIDUALS SAFE AND TO DIVERT THEM FROM EMERGENCY ROOM AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN COVID PANDEMIC IMPACTS ON THESE DEMANDS FOR SERVICES.
THE JAIL'S LIMITED AND HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY CAN TAKE THEM.
THE SHELTER HAS HAD TO LIMIT PEOPLE AND DO ALTERNATE LOCATIONS TO KEEP THEM, SO THE NEED HAS JUST BEEN GROWING AND GROWING.
UH, THIS SLIDE SHOWS SOME OF THE ALCOHOL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RELATED CALLS THAT BOTH YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO IN 2019 AND 2020.
OUR HOPE IS THAT THE ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODEL WILL HELP LIMIT THESE CALLS OR REDUCE THEM AGAIN, PROVIDING BETTER RESOURCES TO PEOPLE IN NEED.
YOU CAN SEE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SPENT 480 HOURS IN 2019 WITH 346 ARRESTEES AT OUR
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MEDICAL CENTER, MOSTLY DUE TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ROLLS ON A COUPLE OF THOUSAND PUBLIC INTOXICANT CALLS PER YEAR, AS WELL AS THREE TO 400 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CALLS PER YEAR.
OUR HOPE IS THAT, AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ALTERNATE RESPONSE MODEL WILL LIMIT FIRST RESPONDERS NEEDING TO GO TO THESE CALLS AND SEND MORE APPROPRIATE SERVICES.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER SHANNON ANDERSON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO JOIN US HERE IN PERSON AS WELL AS VIRTUALLY.
SO THESE THREE MODELS WERE FIRST SPOKE ABOUT WHEN POLICE CHIEF DAN MUSSELMAN PRESENTED THE CONCEPTS TO CITY COUNCIL BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2020.
THE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE, THE FIRST ONE LISTED HERE, WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE TO US BECAUSE THE CENTER WAS IMMERSED IN BOTH TRADITIONAL CULTURAL PRACTICES AS WELL AS WESTERN APPROACHES.
IT WAS FOR SUBSTANCE RECOVERY AS WELL AS PREVENTION.
THE RECOVERY MODEL INCLUDED PRAYERS, A MEDICINE MAN, HEALING CEREMONIES, TALKING CIRCLES AND A SWEAT LODGE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURALLY BASED TREATMENT AND HOLISTIC CENTER AND SHOWING GREAT REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM AS WELL AS RELAPSES.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE BASE MODELS THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CULTURALLY SENSITIVE CARE HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.
NATIVE AMERICAN CONNECTIONS WAS ALSO ANOTHER MODEL THAT WE REVIEWED.
IT OFFERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND RECOVERY ASSISTANCE IN BOTH OUTPATIENT AND RESIDENTIAL FORMATS.
THEIR FACILITIES OFFER COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING.
IT'S ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE COMBINATION OF CULTURALLY SENSITIVE CARE AND WESTERN MEDICINE APPROACHES.
AND LASTLY, THE CAHOOTS AND THE WHITE BIRD CLINIC, WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT THAT.
READ AN ARTICLE IN US MAGAZINE.
WE'VE HAD A FACEBOOK LIVE OPPORTUNITY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SHIMONI, BUT THIS MODEL HAS BOTH A MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM AS WELL AS A CLINIC INVOLVED.
THE MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM RESPONDS TO CALLS 24/7.
AND IT ACTUALLY HAS HAD A LARGE INFLUENCE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR OUR MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT.
THIS BEGAN WITH THE RESEARCH AND THE WHITE PAPER CONDUCTED BY OUR FLAGSTAFF FIRE DEPARTMENT BACK IN 2019.
THEIR MOBILE UNIT RESPONDS TO CALLS RELATED TO SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND NON-EMERGENT MEDICAL ISSUES.
THE MEDICAL CLINIC IS ALSO OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY AND OFFERS CRISIS SERVICES, COUNSELING, OUTPATIENT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT.
THE HUMAN SERVICES INFORMATION AND REFERRAL CENTER, AS WELL AS CASE MANAGEMENT TO HELP WITH HOMELESSNESS.
A DENTAL CLINIC, BENEFIT ENROLLMENT, AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH OUTREACH.
THIS IS AGAIN, A MODEL INCLUDES THAT BOTH THE CARE CENTER SERVICES AND THE MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT.
THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER MODELS REVIEWED BY THE TEAM, BUT THESE ARE THE THREE THAT RISE TO THE TOP WHEN CONSIDERING THE NEEDS OF THE FLAGSTAFF COMMUNITY.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE IF THERE'S OTHER MODELS YOU BELIEVE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, THAT YOU SHARE THOSE WITH US TODAY AS WE START OUR DISCUSSION.
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT IN 2021, WE'VE BEEN WORKING QUITE A BIT, STARTING WITH A TOWN HALL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO GATHER INPUT FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO DETERMINE IF THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT FOR A MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT, AS WELL AS AS A CARE CENTER, HAD THE RIGHT COMPONENTS.
IN FEBRUARY OF 2021, THE VERY END OF THE MONTH, WE RELEASED AN RFP FOR BOTH THE MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT AND A CARE CENTER.
MARCH THROUGH MAY, WE HAD A TEAM THAT ACTUALLY EVALUATED THESE RESPONSES FOR BOTH A MOBILE UNIT AS WELL AS THE CARE CENTER.
IN JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER, WE BEGAN NEGOTIATING A MOBILE RESPONSE CONTRACT AND ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE FINISHED THAT AND WE'LL BE BRINGING A CONTRACT FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL DURING THEIR MEETING ON OCTOBER 5TH.
OCTOBER THROUGH NOVEMBER OF 2021 IS WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT, WELL, WHAT DOES PHASE TWO OF THIS PROCESS LOOK LIKE? WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEFINE THAT THROUGH THESE TOWN HALLS AND CONTINUED CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR PARTNERS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO LAUNCHING OUR MOBILE UNIT BETWEEN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 2022.
SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AGAIN, WE'RE IN TARGETING PHASE ONE, WHICH WE WILL BE HOPEFULLY OPENING A TEMPORARY FACILITY. A FACILITY WILL NOT MEET THE FULL SCOPE OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, BUT PORTIONS OF IT.WE'LL BE LOOKING TO COMPLETE A RARE ASSESSMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NACA, THAT SHOULD BEGIN HERE LATER THIS FALL AND BE COMPLETED AT THE BEGINNING OF 2022.
AND THE MOBILE RESPONSE UNIT, AS WE SHARED, WILL BE LAUNCHING JANUARY/FEBRUARY TIMEFRAME TO BEGIN THE OUTREACH EFFORTS AND HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF THIS PHASE WILL ALSO BE READY TO RELEASE ANOTHER RFP THAT WILL INCLUDE COMPONENTS OF A CARE CENTER.
PHASE TWO WILL ALLOW US TO IDENTIFY ANY ADDITIONAL CAPACITY NEEDS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE.
SOMETIMES, ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT HAVE THE SERVICE ALREADY AVAILABLE AND THERE MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH OF IT BASED ON THE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, FOR SURE.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY GAPS IN SERVICE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY BEING ABLE TO FILL THOSE WITH SERVICES NEEDED.
AND THEN RELEASE OF A THIRD RFP AND HOPEFULLY TO DESIGN THAT FULL SCOPE OF A CARE CENTER AND IMPLEMENT THE FULL MODEL.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF GAILLARD, AND HE'S GOING TO WALK US THROUGH MORE ABOUT THE MODEL ITSELF. THANK YOU, SHANNON.
MARK GAILLARD, YOUR FIRE CHIEF.
WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR THOUGHTS ON THE ON THE RESPONSE MODEL.
SINCE APPROXIMATELY 2013, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND A BETTER RESPONSE FOR AN EMERGING PROGRAM FOR AN EMERGING POPULATION IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE'VE STRUGGLED BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED TOOLS.
I'VE GOT, I'M ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE MOST TREMENDOUS CAREGIVERS, FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, EMTS, BUT THEY ARE, WE FIND OURSELVES THE WRONG TOOL TO GO ON MANY OF THESE CALLS. AND SO OUR THOUGHTS ARE THAT SINCE WE HAVE A REALLY, WE ENJOY A HIGH LEVEL OF TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE CAN WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF TOOLS BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN WE CURRENTLY ARE. THIS POPULATION IS VULNERABLE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE TEMPORARY FACILITY AT SHANNON JUST MENTIONED.
I THINK WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS WHILE IT MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE ANTICIPATED PROGRAMING THAT WE ENVISION AND THAT OUR POLICYMAKERS ENVISION IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT PROVIDE THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE, THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING IS THERE'S A SAFE PLACE FOR THAT PART OF OUR POPULATION TO GO TO, AND THAT'S HUGE.
AND THAT THAT IS WITH A TEMPORARY FACILITY, A POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. WE DON'T HAVE MORE OPTIONS.
ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE EITHER A SITUATION WHERE WE DO NOT, MANY TIMES, WE DO NOT SEE A PATIENT. WE HAVE A CALL FOR A PATIENT, BUT MANY TIMES AND I'LL SAY HALF OF THOSE CALLS, THAT CHIEF MUSSELMAN REFERENCED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, OFTENTIMES ARE UNATTENDED.
SOMEONE HAS A CONCERN AND THEY CALL IN AND OUR RESPONDERS GET THERE AND THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S NO ONE THERE.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS RESPONSE UNIT CAN DO IS IT CAN BE IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT WAITING FOR A 911 CALL.
IT'S ACTUALLY PROACTIVE, TRYING TO HAVE ENCOUNTERS WITH OUR POPULATION THAT NEEDS THIS ASSISTANCE AND TRYING TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON OUR POLICE AND OUR FIRE WITH RESPECT TO OUR EMERGENCY BUSINESS THAT WE'RE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT KEEPING US AVAILABLE FOR THOSE TYPES OF EMERGENCIES AND OUR AMBULANCE SYSTEM AS WELL.
AND AS YOU COULD SEE, WHAT'S MISSING IT HAS BEEN MISSING IS THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BEST PRACTICES.
THE ABILITY TO HAVE A RESPONSE UNIT IN THE COMMUNITY, ACTIVELY AND PROACTIVELY INTERACTING WITH THIS PART OF OUR POPULATION.
WHAT'S BEEN MISSING IS THAT SKILL SET.
AND SO THE PROCUREMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH, WE'RE EXCITED THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADD SOMEONE WITH THAT SKILL SET TO OUR RESPONSE CAPABILITY AND BE MORE PROACTIVE IN PATROL.
THE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE CENTER THAT SHANNON SPOKE ABOUT, THIS IS KIND OF THE VISION THAT OUR POLICYMAKERS AND STAFF, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE LIKE OUR COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE.
A PLACE TO GATHER FOOD SERVICE, SHOWER AND WASHROOM AREAS, CRISIS STABILIZATION, OUTPATIENT SERVICES, SUPPORT SERVICES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND CONNECTION TO SERVICES AND AND AGAIN, IN MY VIEW, BASED ON THE PART OF THE POPULATION THAT MY FIREFIGHTERS, EMTS AND PARAMEDICS RESPOND TO.
WHAT'S REALLY MISSING? WHAT'S REALLY NECESSARY AS A SAFE PLACE?
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AND SO IF WE HAVE THAT SAFE PLACE, WE CAN CONNECT ALL THESE SERVICES, AND THERE ARE SO MANY HELPFUL NONPROFITS AND NGOS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE AN ABILITY TO ASSIST THAT IF WE HAVE A LOCATION, WE CAN CONNECT.AND SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE LONG TERM IT IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. IT'S VITAL THAT NOT ONLY IS THERE A PROACTIVE COMPONENT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THERE'S A PLACE TO GO. THERE'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO THEMSELVES, OR WHERE WITH OUR ASSISTANCE, THEY CAN GET THERE.
THOSE ARE THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE.
HELLO, I AM VICE MAYOR BECKY DAGGETT, AND MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER ADAM SHIMONI, ARE GOING TO LEAD THE DISCUSSION.
SO. ARE THESE THE BEST MODELS FOR FLAGSTAFF? WHAT OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES ARE NEEDED THAT MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED? WHERE MAY THERE BE A DUPLICATION OF SERVICES AND BEST WAYS TO COORDINATE AT ADDING CAPACITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY? ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS ATTENDING BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY, SO WE WILL CALL UPON A FEW OF THE VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS TO SPEAK FIRST, TRANSITION TO THE AUDIENCE, AND BACK TO VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS.
WE WILL CONTINUE THIS ROTATION UNTIL EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU ARE ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER TO TYPE A C OR Q INTO THE CHAT OR RAISE YOUR HAND SO WE KNOW YOU WISH TO SPEAK.
IF YOU ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND THE CITY STAFF WITH MICROPHONES WILL MAKE THEIR WAY OVER TO YOU.
THEY WILL HOLD A MICROPHONE FOR YOU.
PLEASE BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR MASK ON AS YOU SPEAK.
WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK, PLEASE BEGIN WITH YOUR NAME AND IF YOU ARE REPRESENTING AN ORGANIZATION, THE ORGANIZATION'S NAME.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING HERE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RESPONDING TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND LISTENING TO YOUR FEEDBACK.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS WE ARE UNABLE TO ANSWER TODAY, WE WILL CAPTURE THE QUESTION AND INCLUDE THE QUESTION AND THE ANSWER IN FUTURE OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE OF THIS DISCUSSION FOR BEING HERE FOR WALKING DOWN THIS PATH WITH THE CITY, AS A PARTNER HERE.
I KNOW AT TIMES IT FELT A LITTLE BIT CLUNKY AND DIFFICULT, BUT I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE SKILL WE HAVE IN THIS CITY TO HELP SUPPORT SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T YET DONE.
AND I'M JUST HUMBLED TO BE, YOU KNOW, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL HELPING TO SUPPORT THE CITY IN CARRYING OUR SHARE AND BEING A PARTNER TO ALL OF YOU.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I COME FORWARD WITH HUMILITY AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU ALL TO BE HONEST AND REALLY HELP US SET UP FOR SUCCESS SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD UNITED.
SO DO WE HAVE OUR FIRST VIRTUAL PARTICIPANT? THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 50 PARTICIPANTS JOINING US ONLINE AND WE DO HAVE ONE PARTICIPANT WHO HAD THEIR HAND RAISED.
BARBARA TATE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
YOU MAY HAVE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
OK. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. OK, GREAT.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS MEETING AND FOR WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND TWO COMMENTS.
THE QUESTION IS, DO WE KNOW? DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT THE TIMELINE IS FOR THE PHASE THREE, THE CARE CENTER TO BE COMPLETED? THANKS, BARBARA, FOR THAT QUESTION.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THE TEMPORARY FACILITY WILL OPEN IN 2022 AND WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD US OVER UNTIL A POTENTIAL BOND ELECTION OR ONGOING FUNDING STREAMS IDENTIFIED SO WOULD PROBABLY BE FOLLOWING IN 2023, 2024.
OK, THANK YOU. AND THEN A COMMENT FOR THE QUESTIONS ON THE SLIDES, SOMETHING THAT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE LIST FOR THE CARE CENTER THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS SOMEWHERE WHERE SLEEP IS WELCOME AS A BEHAVIOR.
SOMEWHERE TO REST, NOT JUST TO SAVE SPACE FOR SOCIALIZATION AND GATHERING, BUT ALSO
[00:20:06]
SPECIFICALLY SLEEP.AND THEN ALSO, COMPUTER ACCESS AND ONE ON ONE ASSISTANCE.
I WORK AT THE LIBRARY AND WE CAN PROVIDE THIS, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE RESOURCES TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FOLKS WITH VERY LOW DIGITAL LITERACY.
A LOT OF RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY ALONG THESE LINES ARE JOB HEAVY, JOB SPECIFIC, AND SO THEY LEAVE OUT A LOT OF FOLKS WHO JUST NEED TO CONNECT ONLINE OR DO OTHER TYPES OF TASKS, PAPERWORK, APPLY FOR BENEFITS AND RESOURCES.
AND SO I THINK THE LIBRARY IS WELL-SUITED FOR THIS TYPE OF INTERVENTION, SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY NEED TO BE IN THE CARE CENTER.
BUT FOCUSING ON THAT AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND GIVING US RESOURCES TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY FOR THE TYPE OF IN-DEPTH, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED FOR FOLKS WITH DIGITAL ILLITERACY.
MANDY GABLER, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. HI, SO MY NAME IS MANDY GABLER, AND I AM ACTUALLY WITH THE GUIDANCE CENTER.
AND I WAS CURIOUS IS THIS, IS THE CARE CENTER MEANT TO BE MORE OF LIKE A CRISIS INTERVENTION TYPE OF SITUATION? OR ARE WE LOOKING MORE AT LIKE A LONG TERM TREATMENT AND SUSTAINABLE MENTAL HEALTH OPTIONS THERE? HELLO, MANDY, THIS IS SHANNON.
IT WOULD BE MORE OF A CRISIS INTERVENTION RATHER THAN A LONG TERM CARE FACILITY.
OKAY. AND SO THEN WOULD WE BE LOOKING AT, FOR EXAMPLE, I MEAN, I'M A CASE MANAGER, BUT WOULD WE BE LOOKING AT TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE LIKE A REALLY GOOD HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE SO THAT THE PERSON'S POSSIBLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOME IS ABLE TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE SITUATIONS WHEN THEY OCCUR, SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT THOSE CLIENTS GET THE NECESSARY LIKE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED? THAT WOULD BE THE HOPE, YES.
VICE MAYOR, I'M NOT SEEING ANYONE ONLINE RIGHT NOW WHO'S WANTING TO SPEAK.
ALL RIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE COMMENTS OR ASK QUESTIONS? YES.
AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT NACA.
HELLO, HELLO. I'M TALLERITA TUNNEY ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT NACA AND I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE BEST MODELS QUESTION FOR FLAGSTAFF.
I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE LOOKING OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND TWO OF YOUR EXAMPLES FOR MODELS THAT WILL WORK WHEN WE HAVE PERFECTLY GOOD MODELS THAT ARE WORKING HERE IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF TUCSON HAS INCORPORATED A MODEL WHICH OUR HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES HAVE CONTINUOUSLY ADVOCATED FOR.
OK, I'M ROSS ALTENBAUGH, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES.
AS MANY KNOW, OUR AGENCY PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER HOUSING THROUGH RAPID REHOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, PREVENTION, DIVERSION, 50 PERCENT OF THE COORDINATED ENTRY PROGRAM IN OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS CATHOLIC CHARITIES.
WE HAVE A 24 HOUR SHELTER THAT PROVIDES.
I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF THE SERVICES THAT WERE LISTED UP THERE, BUT BASICALLY EVERY SERVICE THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY BESIDES TV, DURING THE DAY. WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO SHOWERS, MEDICINE, AND NORTH COUNTRY IS THERE ON SITE THREE TIMES A WEEK.
WE HAVE THE GUIDANCE CENTER ON SITE NACA REPRESENTATION FROM SOUTHWEST BEHAVIORAL DENTAL SERVICES. WE HAVE HOUSING CASE MANAGERS THAT PEOPLE CAN MEET WITH.
WE HAVE A VERY BIG HOST OF SERVICES THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT, IT IS VERY CHALLENGING TO BE A SERVICE PROVIDER UP HERE AND LISTEN
[00:25:01]
TO THIS PRESENTATION FOR THE PAST, WHAT FEELS LIKE TWO YEARS.STILL, THERE IS NOT A SERVICE PROVIDER ON THIS COMMITTEE THAT IS MAKING THESE DECISIONS.
THERE ARE NOT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY FROM THIS COMMUNITY, MAKING THESE DECISIONS ON THIS COMMITTEE, MAKING THESE CHOICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE COLLECTIVELY SITTING BACK HERE, JUST JUST HERE, AND I DON'T SPEAK FOR THESE AGENCIES. THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN VOICES ON THIS, BUT I CAN SAY COLLECTIVELY, WE ARE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY OUT AND OUT, WE ARE NOT EUGENE, OREGON.
THERE ARE 4000 PLUS PEOPLE THAT PROGRAM SERVES.
THERE ARE 400, A LITTLE OVER 400 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
MY AGENCY SERVES OVER 200 OF THEM A DAY.
THE POLICE, THE FIRE, THE HOSPITALS DROP OFF AT OUR PROPERTY 24 HOURS A DAY.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE SHELTER AND YOU ARE ON THIS COMMITTEE MAKING DECISIONS, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THAT, THERE IS A LARGE PROBLEM.
THE CITY DOES NOT MEANINGFULLY INVEST IN FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES.
THEY INVEST IN ANIMAL HOSPITALS AND ANIMAL SHELTERS, BUT FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES ARE STILL NOT A PART OF THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET.
SO THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD PUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO A SERVICE THAT, STILL NOT IN THIS PRESENTATION CAN ANYONE SAY WHO WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE? HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO SERVE, MEANINGFULLY.
TELL US, TELL US MORE THAN, OH, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING PICKED UP FOR URINATING IN PUBLIC.
YEAH, THAT'S A PROBLEM. I WOULD RATHER PUT OUR MONEY INTO FINDING THEM THEIR OWN BATHROOM IN THEIR OWN ADDRESS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IF WE HAVE 2., I3 MILLION DOLLARS TO PUT AN ALTERNATE RESPONSE.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE COULD PUT INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WITH THAT UNDER MY UNDERSTANDING MODEL? EIGHT HUNDRED TO 900 PEOPLE ALREADY TOLD YOU THERE'S 450 PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THE IDEA OF MAKING HOMELESSNESS COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE.
AND INSTEAD, LET'S FIND HOUSING SO THEY CAN GO HOME.
I DON'T NEED TO SIT AROUND AND MAKE POVERTY COMFORTABLE.
AND WE CAN DO THIS WITH THIS RESOURCES, PUTTING IT INTO, YOU KNOW.
WHEN I PUT A CDBG APPLICATION TOGETHER EVERY FEBRUARY, THE 40 HOURS I PUT INTO IT IN MY AGENCY ALONE, THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK; WHO AM I SERVING? THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE AM I SERVING? THE THIRD QUESTION; HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT? STILL, THIS PROGRAM HAS NOT SUGGESTED WHO, HOW, HOW MANY.
I'M IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED WAY, WITH VITALIZE FOUNDATION, WITH THE NAVA INSTITUTE AND SOME OF THE AGENCIES SETTING UP HERE THAT WE HIRE A FACILITATOR.
CAROL DIKES, THE CEO OF UNITED WAY, IS BEHIND US.
WE HIRE A FACILITATOR TO HAVE A COMMUNITY LED CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO SPEND ARPA FUNDING AND HOW TO DO IT IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS ISSUES AROUND HOUSING.
WE CAN DO THAT WITH A NON-BIASED PARTY THAT IS NOT LED BY THE CITY OR THE COUNTY WHO WAS TRYING TO SOLVE A BUDGET LINE ITEM PROBLEM.
WE CAN DO IT BY TRYING TO SOLVE HUMAN PROBLEMS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IF WE GO AFTER AND FIND A FACILITATOR TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF IT BEING SOMETHING THAT'S JUST PUT UPON SERVICE PROVIDERS TO TRY TO DELIVER AND SUSTAIN.
LASTLY, I THINK ARPA FUNDING, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT FOR THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK.
I MODERATED AND PRESENTED ON PANDEMIC LESSONS LEARNED FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER.
AND WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT THIS ARPA FUNDING, IS A LIGHTNING BOLT.
IT'S A LIGHTNING BOLT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND HERE'S THE BEST WAY I CAN THINK OF IT.
WE CAN EITHER USE THAT TO RESUSCITATE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE HERE AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND REALLY TALK ABOUT HOUSING IN A MEANINGFUL WAY THAT SOLVES PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE OR WE CAN USE TO START A FIRE AND THAT MONEY WILL NEVER COME BACK.
WE WILL NOT HAVE MORE MONEY TO SUSTAIN THIS.
THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD PUT BOND RESOURCES BEHIND THIS IS HEARTBREAKING.
WE COULDN'T MOVE A BOND FOR HOUSING HERE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE A BOND TO PUT SOME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED HOW MANY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MOVE A BOND TO GET A FACILITY UP WHEN WE HAVE FACILITIES IN TOWN? I RUN A 24 HOUR FACILITY.
YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING LEFT OUT, BUT LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION MEANINGFULLY SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. WE'RE BUYING A HOTEL.
IT COULD BE USED AS YOUR PROPERTY.
IT COULD BE USED FOR LOCATIONS FOR POLICE TO BRING PEOPLE.
I'VE GOT SIXTY SEVEN UNITS, IN A MONTH, I'LL CLOSE ON.
[00:30:02]
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHERE IT IS YET BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THAT MANY PEOPLE OUT.BUT I MEAN, I HAVE A LOCATION, BUT NO ONE HAS ASKED ME ABOUT THAT.
I'VE RUN THE SECOND LARGEST SHELTER IN THE STATE AND I'M NOT ON A COMMITTEE TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS WITH THE CITY.
HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY NONE OF THESE SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE ON THIS COMMITTEE? THANK YOU, ROSS. ANYBODY ELSE? PEGGY, DID YOU STILL WANT TO SPEAK ONLINE? SARAH, WE HAVE ONE MORE. I'M SORRY, I GUESS THIS IS MORE.
HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE MORE IN-PERSON PARTICIPANT.
QUICK QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CHIEF CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT YOU GUYS KIND OF LAUNCHED THE, YOU HAD A PARAMEDIC OUT IN THE STREETS, KIND OF.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE MOBILE IT UNIT THAT YOU USED TO HAVE.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO? IT DIDN'T SEEM, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WORKED ALL THAT GREAT BACK IN THE DAY.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ONE YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO PUT IN VERSUS LIKE THE ONE IN THE PAST? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT SPEAKS TO MY COMMENT ABOUT WE KEPT SENDING THE WRONG TOOLS. AND SO WHAT WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE THINK MAKES THIS A DIFFERENT APPROACH IS WE'LL HAVE A BLS LEVEL INDIVIDUAL WITH A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TRAINED PROVIDER.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE PATROLLING.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE ABILITY IF THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE PLACE OR IF THERE'S A PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN TAKE THEM, ANY PLACE, WHERE THEY CAN GET THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED, WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITH THIS TYPE OF UNIT STEPPED IN THAT WAY.
YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WAS THE WRONG TOOL, THAT WAS WHAT WE LEARNED OUT OF THAT.
AND CHIEF, IF I CAN ADD ON TO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THIS NEW SERVICE IS GOING TO BE 24/7? WE DON'T ANTICIPATE IT'LL BE 24/7, INITIALLY, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING THAT, BUT I THINK WE'RE BACK DOWN TO A HALF DAY OR 10 HOUR DAY.
OKAY. DEPENDS ON, STATISTICALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LAND.
WITH RESPECT TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
AND BUT AT THE MOMENT, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A 24 HOUR, 24/7, 365.
IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, PEAK TIMES.
AND I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, TOO, THAT WHEN I DID MY LIVE STREAM WITH THE INDIVIDUAL FROM CAHOOTS, HE HAD SHARED THAT FUNDING WAS CRITICAL AS IT IS FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.
AND SO I'M PROUD THAT THIS COUNCIL AGREED TO FUND THE FIRST THREE YEARS AT THE HIGHER RANGE THAT WE WERE OFFERED TO FUND IT AT.
AND SO I GUESS, WAS IT THE FIRST THREE YEARS? YEAH. SO I GUESS I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT'LL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE FIRST GO ROUND.
SHOULD WE GO TO SHAWN? SHAWN, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE VERIFIED FUNDING TO OPERATE FIVE DAYS A WEEK, EIGHT A.M.
WITH POTENTIAL FOR EXTENDED HOURS THROUGH ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE.
AND SO IF WE COULD GET TO THE POINT OF COORDINATING AMONG THE HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS, WE COULD SERVE AS A SEVEN DAY A WEEK OPERATION WITH POTENTIAL FOR 24 HOURS A DAY SERVICES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TALLERITA.
ALL RIGHT, PEGGY, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
HELLO, PEGGY SHELDON SPURLOCK HERE.
AND I SURE APPRECIATE ALL THE COMPLEXITIES THE RESEARCH DONE AND THE INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS COMMENTS SHARED.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK AS WELL HOW THESE MODELS WILL ADDRESS THOSE WITHOUT IDENTIFICATION AND THOSE THAT MAY BE ESTRANGED FROM FAMILIES, WHETHER THEY'RE YOUNG TEENS RUNNING FROM A FAMILY AND NOT WANTING TO BE ABLE TO BE FOUND BY THAT FAMILY.
AND THEY'RE DOING THAT FOR SAFETY REASONS, AS WELL AS ELDERS AND OTHERS THAT MIGHT HAVE
[00:35:03]
HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND THEY'VE BECOME ESTRANGED FROM FAMILY.WE OFTEN SEE THAT AND MANAGE TO OFFER CARE.
AND YET I WONDER HOW THAT WILL BE COVERED BY THIS PLAN.
AND THEN JUST ONE QUICK ADD ON TO THAT, AND IT KIND OF FLOWS WITH THE COMMENTS SHARED BEFORE. AND THAT IS THE INTEGRATIVE CARE, THE INVOLVEMENT OF VOICES AND INPUT FROM THOSE THAT WILL BE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES, THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND HOW YOU PROJECT MEETING NEEDS WHEN WE'RE WHEN NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED THAT AREN'T BEING ADDRESSED, THE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU, PEGGY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS VINCE MARTINEZ, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GUARDIAN MEDICAL TRANSPORT.
WE'RE A DEPARTMENT OF FLAGSTAFF MEDICAL CENTER AT NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTH CARE AND LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION FROM FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET TO THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM, UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING IN FLAGSTAFF YOUR CURRENT SITUATION AS OF TODAY.
RIGHT NOW, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE EXPERTS ON YOUR PANEL BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IN THE 80S AND 90S, WHICH WAS A FAILURE OF LARC, A FAILURE OF CPAR ON SIXTH AVENUE AND CENTER.
IT TURNED INTO A FLOPHOUSE, IT HAD GRANDIOSE IDEAS.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS UNLESS YOU REALLY, TRULY UNDERSTAND IN A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE STREETS RIGHT NOW WITH THE POPULATION YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOUR PLAN IS GOING TO FAIL.
THERE'S A HIGH PROBABILITY IN THAT.
NOW, RARDING MEDICAL TRANSPORT, WE TRANSPORT 4325 INTOXICANTS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. THAT'S A HIGHER NUMBER THAN WHAT WAS PROJECTED UP THERE.
BUT THAT IS OUR NUMBERS, THEY ARE ACCURATE.
THIS IS STUFF THAT REPORT OFF TO THE STATE.
OF THAT, TWENTY FIVE OF THESE ARE REPEAT OFFENDERS.
THEY TAKE UP ABOUT 25 TO 3000 OF THOSE CALLS, AND THAT IS TWENTY TWO PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL CALL VOLUME FOR THE YEAR.
AND WE RESPOND TO OVER 20000 CALLS A YEAR.
THIS DEMOGRAPHIC OF YOUR POPULATION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAS CHANGED THE RESPONSE PATTERNS OF FLAGSTAFF FOR EMERGENCY AND NON-EMERGENCY REQUESTS TO THE EAST SIDE LOCATION.
AND IF YOU SEE IT CAN BE VERY TRAGIC.
HIGHER NUMBER OF EAST SIDE RAILWAY PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS ON FANNING.
AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY EXPERTS IN THE ROOM THAT DEAL WITH THIS.
THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT HERE. POSITION, WHICH IS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR FLAGSTAFF FIRE DEPARTMENT.
POPULATIONS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH THEM, VERY DANGEROUS.
THESE ARE NOT NICE PEOPLE THAT WILL RESPOND TO.
YES. I WANT SOME TRADITIONAL HEALING AND I HOPE IT GOES THAT WAY.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, EVERY 20 DAYS, ONE OF OUR PARAMEDICS WILL BE ASSAULTED BY ONE OF THESE 100 PERCENT INTOXICATED.
YOU LOOK AT THE STATS AND WE HAVE A VERY, VERY HIGH ASSAULT RATE FROM THIS GROUP.
THEY'RE DANGEROUS, TO BEGIN WITH.
SO IS THAT IN YOUR MODEL? BECAUSE IF YOU SEND A TEAM OF A CRISIS WORKER OUT THERE WITH THE PARAMEDIC, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT THAT. SO IF YOU WANT THE FACTS, YOU WANT THE THIS PROGRAM TO WORK, YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE EXPERTS IN THE ROOM.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.
JUST LISTENING FROM THE SIDELINES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
JUST DRAMATIC PROGRESS, ESPECIALLY IN FUNDING.
BUT I SAY, PLEASE REENGAGE, GET SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ON YOUR COUNCIL.
WE HAD TWO QUESTIONS OVER HERE, I THINK TALLERITA AND THEN A COUPLE OF.
EXCUSE ME, SORRY, WE'RE GOING ONLINE.
ALL RIGHT, IF YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] I'M A PHYSICIAN FOR FLAGSTAFF [INAUDIBLE]. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF WHAT THIS IS TRYING TO
[00:40:01]
DO. THIS IS A POPULATION THAT WILL NEED THE ATTENTION.ON A SIMILAR NOTE, JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE I'LL JUST NAME THE INDIVIDUAL SPEAKING FROM THE FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES, PLEASE.
I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU TO TRY TO WORK ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE YOU BRING UP A LOT OF FANTASTIC POINTS AND ADDITIONALLY TO KIND OF ECHO WHAT VINCE MARTINEZ WAS MENTIONING AS WELL.
THIS IS A POPULATION THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT AT TIMES.
[INAUDIBLE]. THEY WERE INTOXICATED, HIT THEIR HEAD AND WERE WORRIED ABOUT IT.
OR DOES SOMEONE KNOW THEM AND THEY KNOW THEY WERE INTOXICATED, BUT THEY'RE OK NOT TO GO.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT [INAUDIBLE]? THANK YOU AGAIN FOR. THANK YOU.
ANOTHER ONE. NOW THEY'RE ONLINE.
THANK YOU, MATT, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANT.
HEARING, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL SPEAKERS SO FAR ADDRESS THE FACT AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT OUR LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND EXPERTS IN THIS FIELD HAVE NOT BEEN ENGAGED TO REALLY ADDRESS THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES LOCALLY IN FLAGSTAFF AND THE GAPS THAT MAY BE FIT BY THE MODEL THAT WAS PUT UP ON THE SCREEN.
BUT I'M CURIOUS IF THIS TOWN HALL IS GOING TO INCLUDE ANY RESPONSE TO THESE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP NOW BY SEVERAL SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AT THE TABLE. I APPRECIATE THE PHASED APPROACH THAT WAS SHARED.
HOWEVER, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE MISSING SOME KEY PIECES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL MODEL LOCALLY.
I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE COMMENTS TO WHETHER OR NOT THESE OTHER COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE COURSE OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU. SO, MATT, THIS IS SHANNON, I THINK I CAN ADDRESS PART OF THAT QUESTION, CERTAINLY BASED ON THE COMMENTS WE'RE HEARING TODAY, WE CAN PLAN FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FUTURE, BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE PAST.
CERTAINLY, THE INTENT OF THE TOWN HALL THAT WE HELD BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 2021 WAS TO GET INPUT FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS.
WE DO HAVE PORTIONS OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT ARE SERVING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT REALIZE THAT WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY A HEALTH MEDICAL OR A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER.
SO WE DID ACTUALLY INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO THEIR AGENCY WERE NOT GOING TO BE RESPONDING TO THE RFP TO PROVIDE US WITH SOME INPUT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, BUT CERTAINLY DID NOT REACH OUT TO SERVICE PROVIDERS NOT KNOWING WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, BUT APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY.
AND CERTAINLY THIS TEAM WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE MEET THE REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND BASED ON THE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP, IF WE DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE FOR YOU TODAY, WORKING ON WHAT THAT APPROPRIATE RESPONSE WILL BE AND BE COMMUNICATING THAT BACK OUT IN OUR OUTREACH MATERIALS AND IN FUTURE TOWN HALL DISCUSSIONS.
THIS IS REALLY OUR OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND ANY SERVICE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR YOUR PERSPECTIVES AND BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE AND TALK ABOUT HOW THAT COORDINATED EFFORT MIGHT WORK AND WHERE WE CAN HELP. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE I CAN DELIVER TODAY.
THE CITY IS INTERESTED IN HELPING, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. AND SO WE REALLY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOU BEING HERE TODAY AND BEING OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT YOUR COMMENTS.
SO THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE THREE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
HI, THIS IS TALLERITA AGAIN FROM NACA.
I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO OUR EMT SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM GUARDIAN, AND THE QUESTION WAS HOW THE ISSUE OF NON, THE LACK OF ID AND THINGS LIKE THAT FOR SERVICE USERS WOULD BE HANDLED AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS MANAGE ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND SO WE ARE THE BEST ORGANIZATIONS TO BE COORDINATING THIS TYPE OF CONVERSATION AND WORK. THESE ARE ALSO ESSENTIAL SERVICES THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE [INAUDIBLE] DROP IN CENTER. AND THEN AS FAR AS ADDRESSING SOME OF THE NEEDS OF THE SERVICE USERS THAT WE
[00:45:09]
INTEND TO SERVE IS THAT WE KNOW AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THEIR VOICE AND THEIR DIGNITY IN HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THEIR NEEDS.AND SO NACA HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT A COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS A VERY SPECIALIZED ASSESSMENT CALLED THE RARE ASSESSMENT.
AND IT REALLY SPECIFICALLY ASKS SERVICE USERS AND THOSE WHO ARE CONSTITUENTS IN THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING FOR THEM TO HAVE A VOICE IN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE RARE ASSESSMENT IS.
THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD AND AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION, THAT VOICE AND THAT AUTONOMY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF INPUT INTO DECISIONS IS IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF A SOLUTION.
WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A CHALLENGE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE WANT TO WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS. WE NEED TO BE A PART OF THOSE SOLUTIONS AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GIVEN FEEDBACK AND GIVEN FEEDBACK, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ALL THE FEEDBACK IS REALLY BEING IMPLEMENTED. AND SO I'LL JUST REITERATE WHAT ROSS SAID AT THE END.
WE DO HAVE AND IT'S ACTUALLY $25000 THAT WAS AWARDED TO THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET COALITION FROM VITALIZE FOUNDATION.
LAUREN, CARROL, AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO A NATIONAL FACILITATOR AT LENGTH.
HE ASKED ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
THEY WILL ALTER THEIR BUDGET TO COME FOR A FULL DAY TO BRING THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO THE ROOM. THEY ARE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH SYSTEMS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, SYSTEMS THAT ARE WORKING IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO OURS AND BRING ALL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
THERE ISN'T, AN OPINION YET, TRANSPARENCY.
EVERYONE HAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AGENDA.
BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT AT THE END, WE'RE ALL LOOKING TO DO THE SAME THING.
WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHO AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE AS SERVICE PROVIDERS, DESIGN PROGRAMS ALL THE TIME, BUT WE'RE STILL VERY, VERY UNCLEAR EXACTLY YOU'D LIKE US TO SERVE AND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE OUT OF THE MODEL.
SO GOING BACK TO WHAT WAS SAID OVER HERE, IS IT 25? IS IT 50? IS IT 150? WHO IS IT? WE NEED TO TARGET THE RIGHT, EVERYTHING NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER, I GUESS, AND I WOULD SAY THAT HOUSING.
HOUSING HAS TO BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION.
WE'RE TALKING, YOU GUYS ARE TALKING, IT SOUNDS LIKE LIKE A BAND-AID ISSUE, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT NONE OF THIS IS GOING TO WORK IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITUATION IN THIS COMMUNITY.
PEOPLE NEED HOUSING IN ORDER TO AVOID ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO MY NAME IS FAWN TOYA AND I REPRESENT A FEW ORGANIZATIONS.
I SIT ON THE BOARD OF INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF FLAGSTAFF.
I'M AN INDIGENOUS COMMISSIONER OF FLAGSTAFF.
I ALSO WORK WITH NACA, AS A FRONT DESK RECEPTIONIST.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY OPINION TODAY AS I SIT THERE EVERY DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EIGHT TO FIVE, PROVIDING SERVICES, NOT TO JUST ONLY THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF FLAGSTAFF, BUT TO ALL THE WHOLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT THEY COME INTO MY OFFICE.
THEY ARE NICE AND THEY DO HAVE A GOAL.
AND THEY JUST WANT SOMEONE TO LISTEN.
THEY NEED A PLACE TO REST, YES.
THEY NEED CLEAN CLOTHES, YES, AND THEY DO NEED A SHOWER.
AND IF THEY CANNOT GET THAT, THEN IT IS A BARRIER AND A LOT OF THEM ARE UNDERGOING TRAUMATIC HISTORY FROM, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S HELP FOR THAT, BUT IF WE CAN OFFER SOMETHING TO THEM TO HELP THEM FOR THE MOMENT, THAT IS MY GOAL.
ANY OF THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS JUST TO GET FROM A TO B, IF WE CAN GET THEM FROM A TO B,
[00:50:03]
WE'VE HELPED THEM, AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY MY GOAL ON A DAILY BASIS.SOMETIMES I FEEL I GO OVER AND BEYOND.
I USE ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES JUST TO HELP ANY INDIVIDUAL, NOT JUST NATIVE AMERICAN, OK.
NACA IS HERE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, SO I JUST WANT TO INCORPORATE THAT. WE ALL HAVE HOLISTIC VALUES WITHIN US THAT I REPRESENT MYSELF AND THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW AND THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT I DO WANT TO WORK AND BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER.
THAT WAY, WE ARE NOT HAVING PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE HUNGRY.
WHO ARE LOST AND WHO ARE COLD AND AT LEAST HAVE A PLACE TO SLEEP.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND MY OPINION AND MY STATEMENT.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND I APPRECIATE ALL THOSE WHO HAVE JOINED ONLINE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, FAWN, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN I JUST GO BACK IN AND JUST RESPOND TO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I HEARD? AND I'M GOING TO ALSO POINT TO YOU TO HELP ME WITH THIS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE A LOT OF THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS WE'VE HEARD, BOTH FROM FOLKS CALLING IN AND ALSO HERE TODAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THE RFP PROCESS, AS SOON AS THAT WENT LIVE THE FIRST TIME, WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO COMMUNICATE AND ENGAGE, AND THERE WAS CONCERNS ABOUT INCLUSION OF CERTAIN AGENCIES AS PART OF OUR INTERNAL GROUP IN ORDER TO PREVENT A CONFLICT FOR THAT AGENCY'S ABILITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE RFP.
ONE WAS SUCCESSFUL AND ONE FAILED.
ALMOST DONE. WE HAVE TO GET TO THE OCTOBER 5TH COUNCIL MEETING.
SO CLOSE. BUT THE OTHER ONE ABOUT THE BIGGER COMPONENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY DID NOT COME BACK SUCCESSFULLY.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY, IN MY OPINION, WHERE THOSE GUIDELINES ARE NOW IN PLACE. SO THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE COMMUNICATION, MORE INCLUSION, MORE COLLABORATION TO GET ON A BETTER PAGE TOGETHER.
AM I CORRECT IN THAT THINKING? ABSOLUTELY. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROACTIVE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE SPOKEN TO IN HELPING TO POTENTIALLY SET UP EVEN A FACILITATION OF THE DAY.
TO ME, THAT SOUNDS INCREDIBLE.
WE'LL SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AS A COUNCIL AND AS A CITY.
BUT I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE ARE REALLY IN THIS WITH US, EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT BEING HEARD AND RESPECTED.
I BELIEVE IN YOU ALL BECAUSE I KNOW YOU BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE.
AND I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M GRATEFUL THAT THAT FIRST RFP FAILED, BECAUSE WHAT GOOD IS MOVING FORWARD, IF WE'RE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY DOING A GOOD JOB AS A CITY? SO I REALLY THINK, LIKE I SAID IN MY OPENING COMMENTS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, COMING FORWARD WITH HUMILITY AND AND REALLY WANTING TO LEARN FROM THAT FIRST RFP.
AND I DO BELIEVE IN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS AT THE CITY AND OUR PART OF OUR TEAM. BUT YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY APPRECIATE IT.
AND JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS ABOUT THE INCLUSIONARY ASPECT.
BUT LET'S GO ONLINE FOR A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, CHARLIE. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
OH, PERFECT. THANK YOU AGAIN, MY NAME IS CHARLIE [INAUDIBLE].
AGAIN, PROBABLY MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AS [INAUDIBLE].
I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE IN FLAGSTAFF.
I HAD NO PLANS OF ACCOMMODATING TODAY ON THE DISCUSSION OTHER THAN JUST TO LISTEN.
I REALLY BELIEVE LISTENING IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
BUT THEN I HAD TO COMMENT JUST BECAUSE I FELT DISCOURAGED WHAT I HEARD FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES THAT AND SOME OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS HERE IN FLAGSTAFF THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS COMMUNICATION, OF PROVIDING A SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OF GETTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A SAFE PLACE WITH HOUSING, ESPECIALLY.
I KNOW SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR HAD MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY WITH 70 UNIT OF HOUSING.
BUT NO ONE'S BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER OF HOW THE BEST PATH OF GETTING RESIDENTS INTO HOUSING THAT'S PROVIDED IN A DIGNIFIED WAY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATED FAWN'S COMMENTS THAT SHE PROVIDED.
YOU KNOW, THE NATIVE AMERICAN ASPECT OF BEING DIGNIFIED HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING A SERVICE TO HELP PEOPLE.
AND SO MY MESSAGE IS REALLY TO GOING FORWARD TO SOME OF MY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THE NEW MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL, IS A COMMENT THAT ONE OF MY FORMER COLLEAGUES HAD SAID TO
[00:55:02]
ME. TO GET THINGS DONE, IT TAKES POLITICAL WILL AND THAT WAS BY COUNCIL MEMBER BARRETTS, AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT TAKES POLITICAL WILL AND POLITICAL WILL ALSO TAKES A LOT OF HARD WORK, TAKES A LOT OF RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND A LOT OF COLLABORATION TO SEE A BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY.AND SO I JUST WANT TO PASS THAT FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT TAKE HEART IN THAT, THAT IT TAKES EVERYBODY TO MAKE A SUCCESS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
I KNOW SOME OF THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD WAS REALLY EMOTIONAL AND THIS IS A VERY EMOTIONAL TOPIC BECAUSE WE ALL CARE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PROVIDE MY COMMENTS AND I WISH EVERYONE WELL BECAUSE THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHARLIE.
KYLIE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK NOW.
HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. HI, MY NAME IS KYLIE, AND I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO STAY A FEW MONTHS IN YOUR COMMUNITY HERE. I'M FROM TEXAS, I'M A TRAVELER.
I MYSELF NEEDED TO USE THE FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES AND FOUND THEM AMAZING, INVITING, COMFORTABLE, WILLING TO HELP ME AT ALL COSTS.
I WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND WAS ASKING CERTAIN THINGS WHAT WOULD HELP AND HAD MET OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
ONE OF THE ASSISTANT, THE HEADS OF THE DISTRICT AND JUST POLICE OFFICERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, JUST SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COULD WEIGH IN AS WELL.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT A SOBERING CENTER MAY BE EFFECTIVE HERE.
A SOBERING CENTER IS A LOT OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SPEAKING ABOUT, BUT IN AUSTIN, WE STARTED IT TWO YEARS AGO.
I DID SEND THAT INFORMATION ALONG TO THE MAYOR AND TO MR. VASQUEZ OF DISTRICT TWO AND TO A MEMBER OF THE FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES, ALL THE RESEARCH AND STATS SINCE AUSTIN HAS OPENED ONE.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SPACE FOR THIS AT THE SHELTER THAT WOULD JUST BE A SMALL ROOM NECESSARY FOR RIGHT NOW TO.
INSTEAD OF TAKING PEOPLE INTO THE HOSPITAL OR TO JAIL, THEY COULD ACTUALLY BE HELD IN A SAFE SPACE WHERE THEY COULD BE ALLOWED TO SOBER UP AND MAYBE OFFERED RESOURCES AND HOPEFULLY FIND RECOVERY.
SO I FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD BE A SMALL STEP AND IT'S DOABLE.
AND I HAD LOST MY INTERNET CONNECTION THERE FOR A WHILE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE ALL EVEN SPOKE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHILE I WAS GONE.
BUT. I DO HAVE ANOTHER EMAIL LIST COMPILED OF SAID OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT I WANTED TO SEND OUT JUST TO WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS MORE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AS YOU ALL PLAN THE BIGGER CARE CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND YOU COULD BY CHANCE FORWARD THAT EMAIL TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT OR THE MAYOR COULD JUST DO THAT, TOO.
YEAH, THANK YOU. IT HAS REALLY HELPED WHERE I'M FROM AND AND I'M AN ALCOHOLIC ADDICT AND HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES MYSELF SINCE MY DIVORCE EIGHT YEARS AGO. SO I DID RELAPSE HERE, AND I CALLED THE EMS ON MYSELF.
AND BECAUSE I KNEW I WAS HAVING A BREAK AND THE VERY NEXT DAY, I DID GO TO JAIL.
THAT'S WHO I AM. THAT'S JUST PART OF WHO I AM, UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, IT DOES MAKE ME A STRONGER PERSON AS LONG AS I DO HAVE THAT HELP AND A CARING PEOPLE TO TO GIVE ME OPTIONS AND LET ME KNOW THAT SOMEBODY DOES CARE.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL AND I APPRECIATE YOU WANTING TO SEE THOSE STATISTICS AND THAT INFORMATION, AND I HOPE THAT IT DOES GET SO LONG.
AND IF NOT, THEN I GUESS TELL ME HOW TO GET EVERYBODY'S EMAIL AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING THIS. WELL, THE MAYOR WILL JUST FORWARD IT TO US.
OK, AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I APPRECIATE. CITY MANAGER? YEAH, IT'S YOU COULD JUST EMAIL US AT COUNCIL@FLAGSTAFFAZ.GOV.
AGAIN, THAT'S COUNCIL@FLAGSTAFFAZ.GOV.
AND THAT GOES TO THE ENTIRE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND COUNCIL WITH LEADERSHIP CC'D IN THERE TOO. SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR ELECTED.
OK, SO I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY THAT WAS COUNCIL?
[01:00:03]
COUNCIL@FLAGSTAFFAZ.GOV.THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S DUE TO LAW.
I CAN'T COMMUNICATE WITH ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS OVER SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING. IS THAT ALL THE? ONE MORE? MANDY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
SO I DEFINITELY JUST WANT TO KIND OF REITERATE WHAT ROSS HAD SAID AS FAR AS LIKE THE LARGE HOUSING NEED THAT WE HAVE AND HOW THAT REALLY TIES INTO THIS MODEL, THAT'S REALLY KIND OF MISSING. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AS AS PART OF THE GUIDANCE AND OUR I WORK WITH THE SHELTER ON A REGULAR BASIS. I GO THERE AND DO OUTREACH TO SEE IF THERE'S PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP IN REACHING SERVICES.
AND WE ALSO WORK TOGETHER ON THE HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HOUSING IS SUCH A CRUCIAL PART OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE CLIENTS WHO ARE SUCCESSFULLY AND SAFELY HOUSED, WE SEE MUCH LESS NEED FOR CRISIS INTERVENTION.
I MEAN, WITH THE PANDEMIC AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, LOSING THEIR JOBS AND SUDDENLY LOSING ALL THE ACCESS TO THEIR IN-PERSON RESOURCES THAT THEY HAD, WE SAW A HUGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF RELAPSES. UNFORTUNATELY, WE ALSO SAW A LOT MORE OVERDOSES.
WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE PEOPLE COMING IN THE CRISIS WHO HAVE LOST HOUSING.
AND SO THE NEED FOR THAT HOUSING REALLY IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART.
AND WHILE THE INTERVENTION FOR, YOU KNOW, THE CRISIS AND THE DETOX SERVICES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT LONG TERM, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT A SUSTAINABLE MODEL OR IS THAT SIMPLY GOING TO END UP BEING ANOTHER SITUATION THAT IS GOING TO BE USED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF ACTUAL SOLUTION OR CHANGE BEING DONE? SO I DO THINK THAT YOU KNOW WHAT ROSS SAID IS ACCURATE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU KNOW US AS AGENCIES, WE WORK TOGETHER PRETTY WELL WHEN WE'RE COMING UP WITH NEW PROGRAMS, AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD POSSIBLY AFFECT OUR WAY OF DOING BUSINESS.
BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A 24 HOUR CRISIS DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE OUR CSU FOR SAFE AND STABLE, MEDICALLY ASSISTED DETOX.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR PACK UNIT FOR PSYCHIATRIC ACUTE CARE NEEDS.
BUT AGAIN, WHEN CLIENTS AREN'T BEING GIVEN THE OPTION TO REACH THOSE VERY, VERY BASIC NEEDS, YOU KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE CONCEPT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THAT SAFETY, SECURITY, STABILITY IS AT THE VERY BOTTOM.
AND IF THESE CLIENTS DON'T HAVE THAT, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE UPWARDS IN THEIR LIVES, YOU KNOW, SO THAT, I THINK, IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IN THIS MODEL IS; DO WE HAVE THE OPTION TO TRY TO FIND RESOURCES THAT COULD MAKE A PERMANENT LONG TERM CHANGE? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KIND OF ENVISION HOW CRISIS SERVICES ALONE CAN HELP FACILITATE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S LIKE PUTTING A BAND-AID OVER A BROKEN ARM. YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BROKEN ARM STILL THERE, YOU STILL CAN'T USE IT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERING.
AND LONG TERM, WHEN WE SEE CLIENTS HOUSED, WE ALSO SEE LESS INTERVENTIONS, WHICH ULTIMATELY SAVES THE CITY FUNDING.
IT SAVES MEDICAID FUNDING FOR THOSE CLIENTS WHO ARE ON ACCESS.
CATHOLIC CHARITIES HAS A GREAT MODEL WITH CLOSING THE GAP HOUSE.
YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE HOUSING FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING ON SOBRIETY INCOME BASED AS FAR AS RENT GOES? SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY INCOME, YOU DON'T PAY RENT.
BUT WE SEE THOSE CLIENTS SUCCESSFULLY START TO SOCIALLY MOBILIZE AND MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE POSITIVE LONG TERM CHANGES IN THEIR LIVES AND GO ON TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND IF THAT'S THE GOAL, IS TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY, THEN WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THE VERY BOTTOM FIRST SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM SOMEWHERE TO GO.
WE CAN'T JUST FOCUS ON SOMETHING THAT COMPLETELY, ISN'T IN THE REALM OF WHAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL.
IT MIGHT NOT BE HELPFUL IN THE MOMENT THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THAT CRISIS, BUT IN THE LONG TERM, WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT'S GOING TO PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING THAT CRISIS SITUATION AGAIN? SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE ORE IN THE CROWD.
HI, I'M LAUREN LOTTER, AND I WANT TO JUST TAKE A STEP BACK AND REMIND EVERYBODY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
BUT REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE THINGS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION.
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH TRAUMA.
AND ONLY IN THIS ROOM HAVE WE HEARD FROM ONE PERSON WHO HAS DEALT WITH THAT, WHICH MEANS THAT THE GROUP THAT IS DECIDING SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT HAVE ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THESE SITUATIONS AS PART OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
THAT ALSO IS ANOTHER HUGE GAP MISSING.
SO THANK YOU TO THE WOMAN WHO DID SPEAK UP.
AND ALSO, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE DICHOTOMIES IN WHAT VINCE SHARED AND WHAT THE NACA
[01:05:01]
REPRESENTATIVES ARE SHARING.THERE IS A BIG RANGE OF SERVICES BETWEEN ROLLING UP ON SOMEONE WHO IS VIOLENT VERSUS THOSE THAT NEED FOOD AND SHELTER.
THOSE ARE HUGE GAPS IN THE ARRAY OF SERVICE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE WITH THIS ONE SOLUTION. ALSO, SANDY TALKED ABOUT THIS.
YES, WE AS SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, DO FEEL A LITTLE EXCLUDED.
YET WE'RE RESOURCEFUL, SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PLUGGING AWAY.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.
AS YOU HEARD HER SAY, WE DO HAVE $25000.
WE HAVE SECURED A FACILITATOR WHO WE FELT LIKE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY TO BE OBJECTIVE TO HELP US.
THIS PERSON COMES WITH GREAT KNOWLEDGE.
THE AGENCY COMES WITH GREAT KNOWLEDGE OF THE CRISIS SYSTEM, HOUSING, MEDICAID, ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES.
THE OTHER PIECE THAT HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN MISSING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR IS DATA.
AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY WHAT DATA WE ARE HEARING ABOUT SOME CALLS, BUT WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL? WHO ARE THE ACTUAL INDIVIDUALS AND HOW MANY ARE THERE? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT 10? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT 10 HUNDRED? SO THOSE ARE THE ANSWERS THAT A LOT OF US NEED ALSO TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH SOLUTIONS, AND WE'RE READY TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST MESSAGE THAT WE WANT YOU ALL TO HEAR TO.
WE ARE READY TO HELP AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
I REPRESENT NO ONE BESIDES MYSELF.
I'M HERE AS A VOTING MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND A PERSON THAT INTERACTS WITH THIS POPULATION QUITE FREQUENTLY.
I WOULD LIKE TO, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE CREATED A MODEL BASED ON MODELS THAT WE SAW IN OTHER STATES. I WOULD CRITICIZE THAT IN THE FACT THAT FLORIDA, THE ONE THAT I REMEMBER, HAVE TOP OF MY HEAD IN MY UNDERSTANDING, DOESN'T EXPERIENCE A WINTER LIKE WE DO. THAT CHANGES AN ENTIRE THING.
SO YOU HAVE THREE ENTITIES THAT HAVE SPOKEN QUITE PASSIONATELY THAT ARE IMMERSED IN THIS POPULATION THAT KNOW THOSE PROBLEMS. SO IF WE'RE STEPPING FROM STAGE, TOO, TRYING TO SEE WHAT WE DID WRONG, WHAT WE DID RIGHT TO GO TO STAGE THREE.
WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD ALL THOSE MISTAKES, ALL THOSE THINGS TO OVERCOME.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE JUST HANDCUFFED BY THEIR RESOURCES.
SO THE FACT THAT WE'VE OVERLOOKED THEIR INPUT WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY IMMERSED IN THE COMMUNITY SERVING THE POPULATION THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HELP WITH THIS, I THINK, IS A GROSS MISSTEP. I WOULD ASK TWO REQUESTS OF THE BOARD THAT A.
WE EXERCISE THAT HUMILITY THAT WE SPOKE OF AND GET THOSE RESOURCES AND THAT INPUT TO SEE WHAT OBSTACLES THEY'VE ALREADY OVERCAME AND WHAT THEY'RE FACING.
SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE IN THIS MODEL.
AND THE SECOND REQUEST IS THAT WHEN THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE, THEY'RE MADE PUBLIC TO THE COMMUNITY SO THE VOTING MEMBERS CAN UNDERSTAND WHO VOTED FOR WHAT.
THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS DOROTHY DENETSOSIE GISHIE, AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER FOR INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF FLAGSTAFF, AND I WAS PART INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY FORUMS THAT WE HAD WHEN THE CONVERSATION STARTED, AND A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE ARE BASED ON PEOPLE THAT HAD SPOKEN AT OUR COMMUNITY FORUMS. ONE OF THE FORUMS WAS BASED ON POLICE INVOLVEMENT, AND WE HAD INVITED HOMELESS PEOPLE OR RELATIVES THAT WERE HOMELESS AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAD GOTTEN FROM POLICE INTERACTIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAD STARTED WAY BACK WHEN THAT ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT NOW.
TALLERITA HAD ASKED WHY WE HAD RESOURCES ON THE LIST THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE AND JUST AS AN INFORMATION, SEVERAL OF OUR HOMELESS RELATIVES AND ALSO SEVERAL OF OUR RECOVERY RELATIVES HAD GONE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP HOUSE, WESTERN AGENCY, NAVAJO WESTERN AGENCY HAS REFERRED A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE, NAVAJO PEOPLE TO FRIENDSHIP HOUSE, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE BASICALLY HOMELESS THAT WERE DOWN AND OUT, THAT HAVE BEEN ACTIVE ALCOHOLICS FOR YEARS O END.
SOME OF THEM HAD DISASSOCIATED WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND GOING THROUGH TREATMENT THROUGH THE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE.
THEY FOUND THEIR GROUNDS, FOUND THEIR PLACES BACK IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND HAD RECONNECTED
[01:10:03]
WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THE RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM PEOPLE THAT HAD GONE THROUGH FRIENDSHIP HOUSE. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THAT WAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND JUST HOW THEY'VE INCORPORATED CULTURAL, HEALING, SPIRITUALITY AND THE SERVICES THAT THE FRIENDSHIP HOUSE PROVIDES HAS REALLY KEPT A LOT OF OUR PEOPLE IN BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN THEIR SOBRIETY AND BE WORKING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.SO. AND JUST LIKE WHAT IT WAS SAYING, I MEAN, WE HAVE.
A POWERHOUSE HERE, WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND IF WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND MERGE AND COME UP WITH.
IN OUR AGENCY SERVICES, I MEAN, WE COULD BASICALLY SOLVE A LOT OF THE ISSUES THAT WE THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE THAT CAME OUT OF THE FORUMS FOR INDIGENOUS CIRCLE OF FLAGSTAFF AND WE I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES. AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WE'RE FACING IN ONE OR TWO MONTHS ANOTHER WINTER.
IT SAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARSH WINTER AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND TO ASSIST ONE ANOTHER AND REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY RELATIVES THAT SUCCUMB TO THE WEATHER BECAUSE THERE'S NO SHELTER.
AND SO I THINK TALLERITA, BEING ONE OF OUR DIVISION DIRECTORS, HAS DONE AN AWESOME, AWESOME JOB IN SEEKING FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE SERVICES HERE.
SO NACA'S HERE, AS WELL AS THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN THAT INDICATE THAT THEY'RE HERE. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. OK, SO I WANT TO FIRST SAY THAT I TAKE ALL THE COFFEE AND THEN I USE IT TO GET THE COURAGE TO SPEAK IN THESE SITUATIONS, AND THEN I SOUND A LITTLE CRAZY AND THEN I COME BACK AND I SAY, I'M SORRY, SO THIS IS WHAT I NORMALLY DO. IF YOU KNOW ME, THAT'S KIND OF MY STYLE.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT I REALLY, I WANTED TO START WITH SAYING THANK YOU BECAUSE I THINK THAT, LIKE SANDY SAID, I DO THINK THAT, WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT, BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE SHARED VALUES ON THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND I BELIEVE IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADED. SO I WANT TO FIRST SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN ON STRAIGHT TO THE POINT, TOUGH CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF YOU, PEOPLE OVER, YOU PEOPLE.
A LOT OF FOLKS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ABOUT THIS.
AND SO THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE EXPLOSION WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND SO I JUST I DO WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS. AND THANKS FOR LETTING ME CONTINUE TO SHOW UP IN THESE WAYS AND DO THE THING.
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY IS THAT, IF YOU WEREN'T FAMILIAR WITH COVID, THE FLAGSTAFF SHELTER SERVICES COVID RESPONSE OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS VERY QUICKLY WE OPENED UP THREE HOTELS.
AND THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS BECAUSE THEY'RE A REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING HAPPENED. TWO OF THE HOTELS FOUND PROPERTY FOR ABOUT 250 PEOPLE.
AND THEN THE THIRD AND THAT WAS FOR PREVENTION, SO GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF THE SHELTER SO THAT THEY DID NOT CONTRACT COVID 19, THAT THEY HAD FOUR WALLS IN A ROOF TO STAY SAFE DURING THIS PUBLIC PANDEMIC.
THE THIRD HOTEL WAS THE RESPONSE TO COVID.
SO IF YOU WERE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND YOU NEEDED SOMEWHERE TO GO, THERE WAS A PLACE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU COULD GO AND QUARANTINE AND NOT BE INFECTING THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. WHAT WE LEARNED IS THAT MY HEALTH IS YOUR HEALTH, AND THERE'S NO GREATER LESSON IN THIS CONVERSATION THAN THAT AND THAT IF YOU HAVE NEIGHBORS IN YOUR COMMUNITY WHO DO NOT HAVE SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP, THAT IS A NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOME FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AND WHEN WE DID THAT, CHIEF MUSSELMAN CAN PROBABLY TELL YOU, THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THAT TIME THAT YEAR OR SO, A LITTLE OVER THAT WE WERE IN HOTELS.
[01:15:02]
THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN CRIME.AND I DON'T, THE PERCENTAGES HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
I'VE SAT IN A MEETING AND HEARD VIOLENT CRIME WENT DOWN THIS MUCH.
PHYSICAL OR NONVIOLENT CRIME WENT DOWN THIS MUCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS IN PLAIN SIGHT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT THERE WAS ALSO OTHER POSITIVE OUTCOMES.
PHYSICAL HEALTH THROUGH NORTH COUNTRY, WE SAW ANECDOTALLY THINGS GO UP IN TERMS OF REDUCED HEART RATES AND INCREASED PREVENTION MEDICATION, LESS VISITS TO THE HOSPITAL.
SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT CLOSING THE GAP PROGRAM AND THE HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE PROGRAM AND WE SEE THAT TRULY HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE.
AND SO I BELIEVE WITH THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WORK NOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THIS FACILITATOR, THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS READY TO PUT FORWARD.
I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE A HOUSING CONVERSATION THAT REALLY IMPROVES THE HEALTH OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND OUR NEIGHBORS THAT ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE.
AND I HOPE THOSE ARE, IN FACT, THE PEOPLE WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY BECAUSE THAT'S MY VISION AND THAT'S MY VALUE, AND I HOPE THAT'S SHARED WITH THE REST OF YOU.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL TIME, AND I THINK IT WAS EXPRESSED THAT THAT FIRST RFP FAILED. THANK GOODNESS.
RIGHT? SO WE'RE PROBLEM SOLVERS.
WE TEND TO BE PROBLEM SOLVERS.
WE SEE A PROBLEM IN THE COMMUNITY LIKE WE DID TWO, THREE YEARS AGO.
WE STARTED GOING, WE NEED TO SOLVE THIS.
WE WENT TO OREGON, WE WENT TO FLORIDA.
WE WENT ALL OVER AND WE FORGOT THE EXPERTS.
AND I AM SO GLAD WE WENT FULL CIRCLE ON THIS, BECAUSE IT'S TRULY ABOUT WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU ALREADY HAVE? AND LET THE HOMEGROWN PEOPLE WHO KNOW THIS BUSINESS, WHO KNOW THESE SERVICES, SOLVE IT.
NONPROFITS ARE GIVING IT UP TO HELP ALL OF US.
WHAT ARE THE SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY, THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK THEM TO PROBLEM SOLVE.
AND LET OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS DO WHAT THEY WERE HIRED FOR; RIGHT? THE POLICE, THE FIRE, GUARDIAN.
BUT IF WE DON'T KNOW, I MEAN, WE'RE CHASING THESE IDEAS; RIGHT? WE'RE CHASING WHAT WE THINK.
I AGREE. LAUREN, DATA IS A GOOD THING.
AND SO LET'S KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? LET'S KNOW WHAT WERE THOSE PERCENTAGES WHEN INDIVIDUALS WERE AFFORDED A PLACE TO LIVE THAT WAS STABLE, SAFE.
I MEAN, THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE EXPERTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TO GO OUTSIDE OF THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE JUST IGNORANT FROM THE WORD GO.
SO I REALLY DO SUPPORT YOU IN WORKING TOGETHER.
AND COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT WILL NOT LEAVE US WHENCE COUNCIL CHANGES.
THAT WILL NOT LEAVE US WHEN A NEW BUDGET GROUP COMES IN, BUT IT SUSTAINS ITSELF.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, THANKS FOR THE CONVERSATION.
I APPRECIATE THE FOCUS AND THE COMMUNITY'S INVOLVEMENT ON TRYING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS UP THERE IS WHAT'S MISSING OR WHO'S MISSING.
AND I THINK AFTER TODAY'S CONVERSATION, I'M HOPING IT'S CLEAR THAT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO INVOLVE HOUSING TEMPORARY, PERMANENT, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE, DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.
BECAUSE HOUSING IS HEALTHCARE, HOUSING IS ALL SORTS OF THINGS AS A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS
[01:20:04]
FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS.AND SO I'M WONDERING WHERE YOUR HOUSING SECTION IS.
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT HERE, AND THEY BRING A GREAT RESOURCE TO THIS CONVERSATION, WHETHER IT'S PUBLIC HOUSING RESOURCES OR CLARK HOMES OR SECTION 8, OR THE FACT THAT THEY WORK WITH ALL OF US ON A REGULAR BASIS AND CAN LINK INTO THE SERVICES THAT YOU ALL FUND ALREADY THROUGH CDBG OR DIFFERENT CONTRACTS THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN TOWN.
AND SO I REALLY HOPE MOVING FORWARD THAT NOT ONLY DO CONVERSATIONS INVOLVE EXISTING LOCAL GROUPS BRING IN THE BEST PRACTICES FROM OUTSIDE THE THE FLAGSTAFF AREA.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM. I DO THINK THERE'S SOME VALUE IN THAT, BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S VALUE IN LOOKING AT WHAT RESOURCES YOU ALREADY HAVE AND SOME EXPERTS YOU HAVE IN THE ROOM AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE IN THE ROOM.
AND SO I HOPE YOUR HOUSING SECTION AND YOUR HOUSING STAFF COULD BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE FOLKS ON THE? SORRY, I JUMPED ON THE MIC HERE, I THOUGHT WE WERE GETTING CLOSING ON THE REMARKS AND WANTED TO SAY SOME THINGS, BUT GO RIGHT AHEAD.
ALL RIGHT, VANESSA, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
I CAME IN LATE, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I WANT YOU ALL TO LISTEN TO THIS, AND I WILL MAKE IT SHORT.
I AM A CATHOLIC CHARITIES CLIENT.
I HAVE BEEN A CATHOLIC CHARITIES CLIENT FOR 10 YEARS.
SAFETY AND HOUSING WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF MY GRASP.
AND I WAS ALONE AND I WAS TERRIFIED.
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT A POSITION THAT I WAS ACCUSTOMED TO.
I WAS AT THE TIME, A LICENSED PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR.
I WAS IN TROUBLE MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
AND SANDY FLORES, GOD BLESS HER SOUL AND CAMEO STEPPED UP, GRABBED A HOLD OF ME AND PUT ME WHERE I RESIDE TODAY.
I HAVE ACQUIRED A PRIVATE INVESTIGATIVE LICENSE AGAIN.
I WAS ALL PREPARED TO HEAD BACK TO WORK THE SAME TIME THE PANDEMIC HIT.
NOW, WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS, SANDY FLORES AND COMPANY DON'T TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES, OR WHAT THEY DO.
AND I WILL BE SO DISTURBED, AND IT WILL BE SUCH A LOSS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE.
NOT TO GATHER THE LIKES OF SANDY AND PULL THEM ALL UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND LEARN FROM THEM. WE DON'T NEED OUTSIDE PEOPLE TO TELL YOU HOW OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY RUNS.
THEY KNOW. THEY TAKE CARE OF THE BEST OF US AND THE WORST OF US AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. AND THEY NEVER LEAVE OUR SIDES.
THEY'RE CONSISTENT WHEN THE COUNCIL CHANGES.
THEY ARE CONSISTENT WHEN THE BUDGET CHANGES.
THEY'RE CONSISTENT FOR EVERYTHING AND THEY DO IT FOR US.
I'M NOT USED TO BEING A VOICELESS PERSON, AND I'M NOT KNOWN FOR THAT, AND I LOOK VERY MUCH FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO GRASP SOME OF THAT IDENTITY AND DO WHAT I DO BEST, WHICH IS, I WORK AS A DEFENSE INVESTIGATOR.
[01:25:05]
WHAT MOST PEOPLE CONSIDER THE WORST OF THE WORST ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I AM A MEMBER OF A VERY ELITE LEGAL TEAM.AND WE PUT THE BEST DEFENSE FORWARD THAT WE CAN.
I AM ASKING YOU ALL, DON'T LEAVE THESE PEOPLE OUT.
I LOVED THE CONVERSATION THAT THE QUOTE UNQUOTE CITIZEN JUST SPOKE.
I AM PROBABLY REPEATING A GREAT DEAL, BUT I'M NOT SURE YOU'VE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM A HOMELESS WOMAN WHO AT ONE POINT IN TIME LIVED IN A THREE STOREY HOUSE ON RUSTIC KNOLLS.
AND I AM LIVING PROOF OF IT, BUT I ALSO AM COMING OUT OF IT, AND I'M GOING TO BE MORE HUMBLE, MORE WISE.
TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ONCE AGAIN WILL NEED MY HELP.
AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT.
AND BECAUSE YOU ALL DON'T HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES, DOES NOT, IS NOT A BAD THING, BUT YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH US.
BUT ALSO YOU NEED TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SURVIVING IT AND THRIVING, SUCH AS MYSELF. I HUMBLE YOU BEFORE ME.
ALL OF YOU TODAY, SOME OF WHICH YOU ARE MY PEERS.
AND I WISH YOU ALL WELL, BUT DO NOT, PLEASE, DO NOT OVERLOOK THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE VERY PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE THIS SUCCEED.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, AND THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, VANESSA. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY, MICAH.
YOU'RE WELCOME. SORRY, VANESSA.
MICAH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
I'M JUST KIND OF A CITIZEN, BUT I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION ALL THIS PROCESS, AND I HAVE SAT IN ON THE COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE THIS ALTERNATE RESPONSE, AND I'VE BEEN FINDING THIS CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING.
AND THE REASON I'VE BEEN FINDING THIS CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATING IS BECAUSE I JUST WATCHED A PRESENTATION ON EMERGENCY CRISIS RESPONSE PUT TOGETHER BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF EMERGENCY CRISIS RESPONSE ABOUT AN ALTERNATE MODEL FOR EMERGENCY CRISIS RESPONSE IN THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF.
AND THEN I HEARD A RESPONSE TO IT THAT WAS ABOUT LONG TERM HOUSING AND SOMEBODY EVEN I THINK SOMEBODY FROM THE GUIDANCE CENTER ASKED THE QUESTION, IS THIS GOING TO BE AN EMERGENCY CRISIS THING OR A LONG TERM THING? AND THEY WERE RESPONDING TO THAT.
IT'S AN EMERGENCY CRISIS THING.
AND THEN THAT RESPONSE WAS LARGELY IGNORED.
AND SO I SHARE THE FRUSTRATIONS OF A LOT OF SORT OF SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THIS TOWN WITH THEIR INCLUSION IN THE PROCESS.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE DONE SO MUCH GOOD WORK.
IT'S HONESTLY SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE DOING MORE GOOD WORK THAN IS EVEN QUITE UNDERSTOOD IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROBLEMS IN THIS TOWN ARE BEING ADDRESSED.
BUT. NONE OF THEM ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCY CRISIS RESPONSE, AND YET THE CHIEF OF POLICE WAS UP THERE SAYING, I AM THE WRONG TOOL FOR A SPECIFIC TYPE OF EMERGENCY CRISIS RESPONSE. THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE SOLVING AND NOBODY IS REALLY ADDRESSING THEIR COMMENTS TOWARDS A SOLUTION TO THAT SPECIFIC PROBLEM.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER PROBLEMS AND REDIRECTING THE CONVERSATION LARGELY TOWARDS GETTING CITY RESOURCES DIRECTED AT THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL LIKE PET PROJECTS.
AND THAT'S JUST FRUSTRATING TO ME.
THANK YOU, MICAH. THANK YOU, BARBARA.
BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENT THAT I RAISED MY HAND FOR, I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS MICAH FOR A SECOND AND CLARIFY, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
PART OF THE FRUSTRATION ISN'T IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO GET FUNDING FOR PET PROJECTS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT REDIRECTING THE CONVERSATION ONLY TO HOUSING.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SHORT TERM CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL BEING LOOKED AT HERE.
BUT WHAT I HEAR EVERYONE SAYING IS THAT HOUSING LOOKING AT HOUSING IS A BIG PIECE OF THE SAME PUZZLE. THEY'RE INTERCONNECTED.
AND AS PREVIOUS PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED, WHEN FOLKS HAVE STABLE HOUSING, THE NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF CRISIS RESPONSE GOES DOWN.
[01:30:01]
AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT IT AS LIKE HOLISTICALLY AS A CONNECTED ISSUE AND NOT JUST PUT ALL OF THE FUNDING INTO A CRISIS RESPONSE WITHOUT ALSO LOOKING AT HOUSING.AND MY ORIGINAL COMMENT WAS JUST SORRY SCROLL.
TO REITERATE, JAMIE KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS ALSO, BUT TO REITERATE THAT I AGREE WITH WHAT ALL THE SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE SAID HERE.
I DO FEEL THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF VALUABLE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND RESOURCES ALREADY IN THIS COMMUNITY. ALL WITH GREAT IDEAS AND IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING OF THESE CHALLENGES AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST TO THE COMMITTEE IF YOU WANT A REAL SOLUTION TO THESE ISSUES, BOTH THE SHORTER TERM CRISIS ISSUE AND THE CARE CENTER HOPES THAT THE CARE CENTER HOPES TO ADDRESS, BUT ALSO THE LONG TERM HOUSING AND OTHER STABILIZING FACTORS THAT ARE IMPORTANT AND RELATED. TAKE THE MONEY SLATED FOR THIS AND CHALLENGE A COMMITTEE OF SERVICE PROVIDER REPRESENTATIVES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AFFECTED BY THESE CHALLENGES IN THE TARGET POPULATION TO COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL TO SPEND IT.
AND PLEASE INCLUDE THE LIBRARY ALONG WITH ALL THE AMAZING SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS REPRESENTED HERE. THANKS.
THANK YOU, BARBARA. ELIZABETH, YOU CAN SPEAK NOW.
ELIZABETH, DID YOU STILL WANT TO SPEAK? OK, WE CAN MOVE ON TO CARLY.
CARLY, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT? SORRY ABOUT THAT. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN. OK.
ALL RIGHT. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO JUST STATE THAT I WAS APPROVED FOR HOUSING HERE, BUT EVEN THOUGH I AM EMPLOYED AND I HAVE NO EVICTIONS, THERE IS NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR ME.
REGARDLESS, IF I WAS EMPLOYED, I MEAN APPROVED OR NOT, AND IT IS RAPID REHOUSING, SO IT WOULD HELP ON, YOU KNOW, HELP MONETARILY, MINUTELY.
THERE'S JUST THERE'S NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT I RAN INTO.
THANK YOU, CARLY. ALL RIGHT, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE THAT'S PRESENT? OH, WAS OMAR, OK? AUDRA, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK NOW.
HI, I JUST HAVE A VERY BRIEF QUESTION, I WAS JUST WONDERING WITH THE PROPOSAL THAT BRITNEY JUST MENTIONED ABOUT OR I'M SORRY, BARBARA JUST MENTIONED ABOUT INVOLVING THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND HAVING THEM COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THAT WAS SENT OUT IF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WERE EXCLUDED FROM APPLYING FOR THAT PROPOSAL.
I GUESS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT.
AND THEN HOW DO YOU IF YOU INVITE MEMBERS OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO BE A PART OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT THEN THEY'RE ALSO APPLYING FOR THE FUNDING? HOW DO YOU PREVENT THAT CONFLICT OF INTERESTS? THANK YOU, AUDRA. DO YOU WANT TO? OH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT, YES, PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE SILENCE THAT WE'VE HAD IS BECAUSE WHEN AN RFP GOES OUT AND THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE APPLYING FOR THAT, WE CAN NO LONGER SPEAK TO THEM AS ELECTED OFFICIALS REGARDING THAT SPECIFIC CONTRACT. SO NOW THAT WE DID HAVE THE RFP DID NOT OR RECENTLY PULLED THROUGH.
GIVEN THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACT THAT IS GOING TO BE BEFORE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 5TH, THAT ALLOWS US A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH EVERYONE, TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR INPUT ON THIS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW OUR HANDS WERE TIED FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE.
AND IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING, SHANNON.
THE ONE PIECE THAT I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS IF WE WERE TO CREATE A SITUATION WHERE A VENDOR BELIEVED ANOTHER HAD AN ADVANTAGE OVER THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE INVOLVED IN THE TEAM.
WHETHER IT BE THE TEAM THAT WROTE THE RFP OR THE TEAM THAT WAS EVALUATING THE RFP, THEY CAN BRING FORWARD A PROTEST THAT THEN WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE CITY.
AND SO WHAT WE DID EARLY ON WHEN WE WERE LOOKING TO INCLUDE MEMBERS IN OUR EVALUATION COMMITTEE WAS TO LOOK AT WHO COULD POTENTIALLY BE RESPONDING, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS
[01:35:08]
EARLY ON SO THAT WE WEREN'T TAKING AWAY THEIR OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR AGENCY TO RESPOND TO THE RFP WE WANTED OR SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO WERE CURRENTLY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WHAT WE DID IS ONCE WE FOUND INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE NOT GOING TO BE INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE, WE INVITED THEM TO THAT EVALUATION COMMITTEE.WELL, FINISHED UP, OK? WELL, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M SORRY, THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION HAVE NOT BEEN UP TO PAR FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REALLY EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
BUT I THINK I CAN SAY THAT WE'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE REALLY CARE AND WE REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING. AND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME REALLY EVER WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, AS WELL AS THE COMMITMENT FROM COUNCIL IN THE LAST BUDGET SESSION, WE NOW HAVE RESOURCES TO HELP. AND WITH THAT, I ALSO WANT TO THANK FOR LOREN AND EVERYONE WHO AND SANDY ROSS, EVERYONE WHO'S HELPING TO SET UP THIS TOWN HALL AND HAVING THE OUTSIDE FACILITATOR, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL EYE OPENER.
BUT WHEN IT COMES WHEN AND THAT THE DATA THAT IS NEEDED, ONGOING DATA COLLECTION REGARDING ALL OF THIS, THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS AND A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES ARE ALLOCATED IN THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST IF COUNCIL IS WILLING, IS THAT WE SET UP A COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS THAT WOULD ALLOW US IF WE ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH RFPS AND SO FORTH, THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE CONSISTENTLY, CONSTANTLY AT THE TABLE AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO NEED AN ONGOING INPUT.
YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW THAT WE'RE USING THESE RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY AND GET SUGGESTIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE SET UP AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO MAKE IT QUICKER OR HAVE A FULL COMMISSION WHERE WE CAN REALLY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SERVICES WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO PROVIDE WITH THESE DOLLARS.
MAYOR, IF I COULD ADD, YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBERS DO HAVE A DISCUSSION SCHEDULED FOR THE OCTOBER 5TH COUNCIL WORK SESSION, THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO TALK ABOUT IDEAS THAT CAN ADDRESS WHAT YOU'VE HEARD HERE TODAY.
SO YOU CAN BRING FORWARD THAT SUGGESTION AS WELL AS OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WHAT THEY MIGHT LIKE TO SEE AS A RESULT OF THE FEEDBACK.
WELL, SINCE WE DO HAVE IT AS A WORK SESSION NOW WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SET UP A COMMISSION FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE SO WE CAN GET THAT INPUT? WELL, IT'S A. OK, WELL, THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT THERE, BUT I JUST THINK THAT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ONGOING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WON'T BE BOUND BY LEGALITIES WITH RFP AND SO FORTH WITH.
THIS CONVERSATION IS VERY EYE OPENING.
SO WITH THAT, DO YOU HAVE, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FEW WORDS BEFORE THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED? YES.
STERLING, KEEPING US STRAIGHT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE IT AND THANK ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOR THE CONVERSATION TODAY.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVEN WITH A COMMITTEE, A COMMISSION, DIFFERENT WAYS TO TRY AND RECEIVE INPUT. THERE MAY BE SOME AVENUES TO HAVE THAT INPUT COME IN AND STILL STAY WITHIN THE REALM OF THE LEGALITIES THAT YOU REFERRED TO.
STILL STAY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES TO MAKE SURE THAT, TO BE QUITE CANDID, WE DON'T WASTE OUR TIME GOING THROUGH AN RFP AND THEN END UP WITH A PROTEST SUCH AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER ANDERSON REFERENCED.
IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN WE END UP SPENDING MORE TIME, MORE EFFORT AND MORE MONEY.
AND THAT'S WHY THE LEGALITIES THAT YOU'VE REFERRED TO ARE VERY CLEAR BOUNDARIES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADHERE TO, TO MOVE THINGS ALONG AS QUICKLY AND AS PROPERLY AS POSSIBLE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT MOVING FORWARD.
FIRST, WE WANT THE COMMUNICATIONS TO BE EVERYTHING THEY CAN BE, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THOSE LEGALITIES ARE COMPLIED WITH IN ORDER TO GET THINGS DONE AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, STERLING. AND IF WE COULD MAYBE GET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION SPECIFICALLY ON THAT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND FOR COUNCIL, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHERE THESE COMMUNICATION LINES AND LEGALITIES MAY BE.
[01:40:02]
YEAH, WHAT AVENUES WE CAN WE THINK OF.THANK YOU, MAYOR. CHRISTINA PERRY, DEPUTY SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, IS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY AS WELL.
SHE'S BEEN TAKING NOTES AND YES, WE WILL PREPARE SOMETHING TO ADVISE COUNCIL ON THE LEGALITY SIDE OF THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO PROCUREMENT, PURCHASING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT AND COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW AND ALL REGARDS. THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO TUNED IN VIRTUALLY AND WHO CAME IN TODAY TO HAVE THIS DIFFICULT AND IMPORTANT CONVERSATION WITH US, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR INSIGHTS AND INPUT AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO OUR EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD.
BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST, AND THAT IS OUR OCTOBER 5TH MEETING.
SO PLEASE JOIN US AT THAT MEETING.
THERE'S ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? GO AHEAD. I'LL BE FAST, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE ANY DECISION BEING MADE THAT WITH THIS FACILITATION ON THE TABLE, INSTEAD OF FORMING A NEW GROUP, YOU KNOW, A STEERING COMMITTEE OR A TASK FORCE COULD GET THIS DONE, PROBABLY JUST AS EFFECTIVE WITH THE HELP OF A FACILITATOR AND TAKE IT OUT OF THE CITY'S HANDS AND PUT IT IN THE COMMUNITY'S HANDS.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ROSS. AND I THINK WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ON THE 5TH.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE COUNCIL, AND HOPEFULLY THAT TIMELINE DOESN'T PUSH THE FACILITATION OR JEOPARDIZE THAT OPPORTUNITY BY US HAVING THAT CONVERSATION ON THE 5TH.
OK, GREAT. SO, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO THINK LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY.
GO AHEAD. WE HAVE ONE MORE PUBLIC SPEAKER.
I'M SORRY, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME.
OK, THAT HAND HAS NOW GONE DOWN.
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
THIS IS ONLY A START OF A CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ONGOING, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN TUNE IN OCTOBER 5TH.
THAT'S WHEN WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS AND HOW WE WILL BE WORKING TO ALLOCATE.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.