City Commission

On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., the Dayton City Commission met in regular session in the Commission Chambers of City Hall. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Mims called the meeting to order. INVOCATION Commissioner Turner-Sloss gave the invocation. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Mims led the public in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken, and Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, Fairchild, and Turner- Sloss were present. The Clerk of Commission, Ms. Regina Blackshear, and the Acting City Manager, Ms. LaShea Lofton, were also present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Shaw made a motion to approve the minutes from the July 31, 2024, City Commission meetings. Commissioner Fairchild seconded the motion. The previous meeting minutes were unanimously approved. COMMUNICATIONS AND PETITIONS There were no communications or petitions. SPECIAL AWARDS/PRESENTATIONS State of Ohio Auditors Fiscal Health Indicators Report The Acting City Manager, Ms. LaShea Lofton, invited Ms. Abby Patel-Jones, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to the podium to report how the City of Dayton is measuring up to the standards of the report. Ms. Patel-Jones said FHI is reported by the Ohio Auditor of State (AOS) for cities and counties. She said the 17 indicators are calculated from financial data conveyed in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and are intended to provide an overview of the government’s financial health. She said each measure is color-coded to indicate either a green “positive” outlook, a yellow “cautionary” outlook, or a red “critical” outlook. Ms. Patel-Jones said the vast majority of cities and counties have at least one indicator that is either critical or cautionary. She said the 2022 report was published in 2023 because the final health indicator report was published after the completion of the financial audit which is completed after the fiscal year is over. Ms. Patel-Jones gave an overview of the report. She said according to indicators, Dayton is performing very well. Commissioner Turner-Sloss asked about the report that they had previously received, which said Dayton has the highest unemployment rate and wages are not comparable to those of surrounding cities. She also asked how the data compliments the indicators in the report. Ms. Patel-Jones said in 2021 and 2022 there was a significant growth in income tax revenue. Commissioner Turner-Sloss asked about the impact of the decrease in income tax revenue. Ms. Lofton said she is comparing the collection of income tax, and the unemployment rate and assuming there is a direct correlation that if the unemployment rate increases then revenue for income tax will decrease. She said it is not a direct correlation. The City Commission thanked Ms. Patel-Jones for her report. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE CALENDAR There were no additions or deletions to the calendar. DISCUSSION OF CALENDAR ITEMS Calendar Item No. 2. Bladecutters Lawn Service – Contract Modification The Acting City Manager, Ms. LaShea Lofton, asked for the contract to be amended because of the number of emergency demolitions. She said with the winter season approaching they wanted to proactively add funds to the contract. Calendar Item No. 3. Daybreak, Inc.-Grant Agreement The Acting City Manager, Ms. LaShea Lofton, said Daybreak is the only provider of shelter and enrichment services for youth. She said the funding will continue City of Dayton CDBG support to the Lindy’s Bakery employment initiative. Commissioner Shaw said he would be abstaining from the calendar item. Calendar Item No. 4. Dayton Children’s Hospital-Grant Agreement The Acting City Manager, Ms. LaShea Lofton, said the grant agreement is part of the Dayton Recovery Plan and will help construct 26 units of duplex-style three-bedroom units for families who have taken custody of children through the Kinship Care Program. Commissioner Turner-Sloss commended staff and their legislative body for their work and commitment to neighborhoods and youth. Commissioner Fairchild said he would abstain from the calendar item. Calendar Item No. 1. Sub-Item No. C1. Cargill, Inc.-Purchase Order Commissioner Joseph said he was glad to see that they would be purchasing salt for two years. REPORTS 1. Purchase Orders, Agreements and Contracts: (All contracts are valid until delivery is complete or through December 31st of the current year). MUNICIPAL COURT A1. Business Information Systems, Inc. (audio and software installation in seven courtrooms) $134,845.06 POLICE B1. Parr Public Safety Equipment (sixteen (16) Panasonic FZ-55 Toughbook Laptops, docking stations and accessories) $50,414.56  PUBLIC WORKS C1. Cargill, Inc. (rock salt as needed through 07/31/26) $1,100,000.00 WATER D1. White Allen Chevrolet, Inc. (one 2025 Chevrolet Silverado truck with platform body, hydraulic tool system, and Mueller tap machine cradle) 72,300.00 -Depts. of Municipal Court, Police, Public Works and Water. TOTAL: $1,357,559.62 Service Agreements 2. Bladecutter’s Lawn Service, Inc. – Contract Modification – first amendment to provide as-needed emergency demolition services – Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development/Housing & Inspections. $230,000.00 (Thru 03/31/25) 3. Daybreak, Inc. - Grant Agreement – Community Development Block Grant Subrecipient Agreement to administer the Lindy’s Bakery Employment Initiative Program - Department of Planning, Neighborhoods, and Development/Community Development. $207,000.00 (Thru 12/31/25) 4. Dayton Children’s Hospital – Grant Agreement – Dayton Recovery Plan – to complete earthwork, site utilities, roads, paving, and site improvements for construction of 26 units of duplex-style three-bedroom units - Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development/Director’s Office. $500,000.00 (Thru 12/31/26) 5. Homeful – Grant Agreement – Emergency Solutions Grant Subrecipient Agreement to implement a high-functioning crisis response collective impact project to prevent homelessness by focusing on effective targeting in school-based prevention and eviction prevention (including legal assistance) for high-risk households living in subsidized, public housing – Department of Planning, Neighborhoods and Development/Community Development. $55,996.36 (Thru 01/31/25) 6. WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. – Service Agreement – for as- needed environmental services – Department of Water/Environmental Protection. $3,000,000.00 (Thru 06/30/27) C. Revenue to the City: 7. The Reynolds and Reynolds Company – Contract Modification – for the lease of 10.2 acres of real property that includes a 161,000+ square foot office building and an attached 7,200± square foot hangar located at 3535 McCauley Drive at the Dayton International Airport - Department of Aviation/Airport Administration & Finance. $6,130.31 (Thru 07/14/25) APPROVAL OF CITY MANAGER’S REPORTS Commissioner Fairchild made the motion to approve the City Manager’s Reports with the exception of Calendar Items No. 3. and 4. Commissioner Shaw seconded the motion. The City Manager’s Reports were approved with a 5-0 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, Fairchild, and Turner-Sloss. Commissioner Joseph made a motion to approve the City Manager’s Report Calendar Item No. 3. Commissioner Turner-Sloss seconded the motion. The City Manager’s Report was approved with a 4-0-1 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Fairchild, and Turner-Sloss. Commissioner Shaw abstained. Commissioner Joseph made a motion to approve the City Manager’s Report Calendar Item No. 4. Commissioner Turner-Sloss seconded the motion. The City Manager’s Report was approved with a 4-0-1 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, and Turner-Sloss. Commissioner Fairchild abstained. LEGISLATION EMERGENCY RESOLUTION -FIRST AND SECOND READING Emergency Resolution No. 6812-24- Authorizing the Acceptance of the Fiscal Year 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the Amount of Fifty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Nine Dollars and Nine Cents ($58,909.09) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), Authorizing the Required Matching Funds in the Amount of Five Thousand Eight Hundred Ninety Dollars and Ninety-One Cents ($5,890.90), and Declaring an Emergency. Commissioner Joseph moved that this being an emergency measure for the immediate consideration of the Resolution. Commissioner Shaw seconded the motion. The motion was passed with a 5-0 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Jospeh, Shaw, Fairchild, and Turner-Sloss. The question being shall Emergency Resolution No. 6812-24 be adopted. A roll call vote was taken resulting in a 5-0 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, Shaw, Fairchild, and Turner-Sloss. The Emergency Resolution was adopted. PUBLIC HEARING Mayor Mims opened the Public Hearing for the Initiative Petition for a Municipal Hospital. Commissioner Fairchild said he would be recusing himself from the public hearing because he is an employee of Children's Hospital. He said he is directing citizens who have questions about his decision to the Ohio Ethics Fact Sheet on Conflict of Interests which says that public officials are not permitted to participate in decisions regarding their competitors. Mayor Mims said the public hearing is related to the citizen's initiative petition for a public hospital. He said they have several presenters, and each presenter will have a total of 20 minutes to present and at the end of each presentation, the commission will ask questions. Mayor Mims said he would then open the public hearing for public comments where each person who has registered to speak will be given three (3) minutes to address the Commission. Mayor Mims invited Ms. Barbara Doseck, Director of Law, to the podium to present. Ms. Doseck said the Ohio Revised Code Section 749.01 gives the authority to levy a tax to pay for a free public hospital. She said the City of Dayton may levy and collect an annual tax that does not exceed one mill on each dollar of the taxable property in the City of Dayton to pay for a free public hospital for the inhabitants of Dayton, or free for inhabitants who are unable to pay. Ms. Doseck said Charter Article III, Sections 21-32R.C.G.O. Title I, Sections 11.01-09 creates the process that allows a proposed ordinance to be submitted to the Commission. She said if the Commission passes the proposed ordinance, it will be placed on the ballot to be voted on by the electors of Dayton. Ms. Doseck said the proposed ordinance is enacted if a majority of Dayton electors vote in favor. She said the Clergy Community Coalition (CCC) is attempting to use this process with a proposed ordinance that would enable the City to levy an additional tax for a public hospital and the proposed ordinance has already been approved for form by the City Attorney (Charter Sec. 23). Ms. Doseck said the Petition Packet was submitted to the Clerk on July 23, 2024, and the Clerk submitted it to the Commission at its next regular meeting which was on July 24, 2024, (Charter Sec. 24), Public hearings must be held within 14 days of July 24, 2024: August 7, 2024, (Charter Sec. 24), and Commission shall begin consideration of the petition “at once” (Charter Sec. 25) Ms. Doseck said Ohio Revised Code 731.48 regarding signatures requires the Clerk of Commission to transmit the petition to the Board of Elections within 10 days of filing. The board shall examine all signatures on the petition to determine the number of electors of the municipal corporation who signed the petition. The board shall return the petition to the auditor or clerk within 10 days after receiving it, together with a statement attesting to the number of such electors who signed the petition. Ms. Doseck said the next steps are the Clerk of the City Commission report which is that 1,250 registered voters of the City are required (Charter, Sec. 21), all papers comprising the petition must be filed as one instrument (Charter, Sec. 23), petition paperwork must be submitted within 90 days of the first signature (Date of first signature: May 9, 2024), and the deadline to submit the petitions, August 7, 2024, (Charter, Sec. 24). She said R.C.G.O. Sec. 11.02 states the Clerk shall ascertain the petition’s sufficiency and validity and shall report to the City Commission her findings in writing, the Commission approves or amends the Clerk’s findings, and the Commission’s finding is a final and conclusive determination of the validity and sufficiency of the petition unless it is proved otherwise at the hearing. Ms. Doseck said the roadmap of the public hearing is first the Clerk of City Commission Report, an expert from Woolpert has been invited to discuss the costs of building and projected maintenance costs of a public hospital as described in the proposed ordinance, the Clergy Community Coalition will have the opportunity to present, and the meeting will be open for public comments from registered speakers. Ms. Doseck said the next step for the Commission is they act on the Clerk of the Commission’s Report and findings related to the validity and sufficiency of the petition, The Commission may adopt the report as is, Commission may amend the report if sufficient evidence is presented in contrary to findings, if the Clerk finds the petition failed to comply with the Charter and R.C.G.O., and the Commission adopts the report, the petition fails and the Commission cannot consider the proposed ordinance. She said if the Clerk finds the petition valid and sufficient, and the Commission adopts the Report: The Commission has 30 days to approve the ordinance as presented by the petitioners (this action automatically submits the proposed ordinance to the Board of Elections to be placed on the ballot for voters to approve), amend the ordinance with changes to the original one presented by the Petitioners, reject the original proposed Petitioners’ Ordinance, or take no action. Ms. Doseck said if the Commission fails to act on a valid petition in 30 days OR passes with changes, the Petitioners have 20 days to submit 1,250 new signatures (demanding the ordinance be voted on in its original form). Commissioner Turner-Sloss asked about the extension of the meeting with the Clergy Community Coalition (CCC). Ms. Doseck said she met with them multiple times regarding the Charter and how it was the only role they had. She said they made it clear to them to retain their counsel to get advice. She said her role is to represent the City of Dayton. Commissioner Shaw asked if she had met with all parties involved and if she had to retain outside counsel. Ms. Doseck said they had met with everyone involved and they did retain outside counsel for the tax issue. Mayor Mims invited the Clerk of Commission, Ms. Regina Blackshear, to present her findings. The Clerk of Commission, Ms. Regina Blackshear said “I, Regina D. Blackshear, Clerk of Commission hereby find that the petition is invalid and insufficient for the following reasons: 1. Per Dayton Charter Section 21, there is a lack of the required 1,250 valid signatures of voters of the city. 2. Per Dayton R.C.G.O. Section 11.01, there was a failure to file the proposed ordinance and synopsis with the Clerk of City Commission prior to circulating the petition or within ten days of circulating the petition. 3. Per Dayton R.C.G.O. Section 11.06, there was a failure to file a statement of receipts and disbursements. 4. Per Dayton R.C.G.O. Section 11.07, there was a failure to file affidavits of circulators of the petition. Mayor Mims invited Mr. Jeff Rezabek, Director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, to the podium to present. Mr. Rezabek said as part of the process the Montgomery County Board of Elections checks petitions; however, it is the Clerk and the City Commission that makes the final determination. He said they review the petitions to specifically ascertain whether a signature is valid and if the voter is registered as required in the Charter. He said in this case, there were specific rules applied. He said for example, if a voter is registered but lists a different address as long as the new address is in the City of Dayton, they will accept that petition/petitioner. Mr. Rezabek gave an overview of their system and the petitions they received from the Clergy Community Coalition (CCC). Commissioner Turner-Sloss asked about the timeline of the summaries to the Clerk of Commission. Mr. Rezabek said the summaries to the Dayton City Clerk were given between July 29th and July 30th. Commissioner Turner-Sloss asked if it was in-person meetings or emails. Mr. Rezabek said they emailed the information to the Clergy Community Coalition (CCC). Commissioner Shaw asked about the difficulty of obtaining signatures. Mr. Rezabek said it was difficult, but they offer assistance to anyone who needs advice. Mayor Mims asked about the number of signatures they considered were valid. Mr. Rezabek said the number of valid signatures was 874 but 1,250 were needed for the petition. Mayor Mims invited Mr. Eric Dillinger, Managing Director, and Vice President of Woolpert Consultants, to the podium to present. Mr. Dillinger said he was there to give the Dayton City Commission the parametric number for operating the facility. He said the number of operating the facility is based on the number of beds and the square foot which determines the amount each one brings. He said those numbers along with the national average derive the total cost. Mr. Dillinger gave a general overview of the total cost of ownership over 40 years. He said the summary of costs includes new construction $459M, Operations and Maintenance $1.1M, Medical Equipment $225M, Medical Equipment Refresh $900M, and Labor $18.8M for a total cost of $21.5B. Mr. Dillinger said the trends in hospitals and healthcare includes operating expenses outpace revenue by 4.8 percent over the past 10 years, hospital expenses more than double the increase in Medicare reimbursement between 2019 and 2022, growth in general inflation (8 percent) more than double the growth in hospital prices (2.9 percent), more than half of the hospitals reported ending 2022 operating at a financial loss, mental health now accounts for 41 percent of healthcare spending, and more than 56 million Americans over the age 65, are projected to climb to 81 million by 2040. Commissioner Turner-Sloss asked if the report would be accessible to the public. Ms. Lofton said the meeting is taped; therefore, anyone could view the information or request a copy of the full report. Commissioner Shaw asked about the labor costs and how they were determined. Mr. Dillinger said it was determined by patients to doctors and patients to nurses and then national averages for labor for doctors and nurses. Commissioner Shaw asked if the labor costs only included doctors and nurses. Mr. Dillinger said it included doctors, nurses, and facility maintenance personnel. Commissioner Shaw asked if they had looked at the Cleveland Hospital. Mr. Dillinger said their baseline was Cleveland Hospital and two cancer centers which they pulled out because they had higher costs and focused on more traditional hospitals. Commissioner Shaw asked about the construction costs and if they had factored in inflation costs. Mr. Dillinger said all numbers are for the year of 2024. Commissioner Shaw asked if these were very conservative numbers. Mr. Dillinger said these are the bare minimum numbers to begin this project. Commissioner Joseph said in the report the subsidies he talked about one of the sources of assistance to enable these hospitals to work is using federal assistance. He said he noted in the report that federal subsidy growth, meaning assistance from the federal government, lagged actual expenditure growth by ten percent. He said thinking about potential sources of help and seeing the federal government shrinking resources into healthcare instead of increasing them seems to be a dangerous sign. Commissioner Joseph said labor expenses during that same period in that same section of the report per patient increased 24.7 percent which means looking at the numbers in the current year, money needs to be accounted for rapid growth in those numbers and potentially even more rapidly. Mr. Dillinger agreed with Commissioner Joseph and said they could have a fabulous facility and not have the right staff to deliver services. He said the average age of the healthcare practitioner is over 50 years old. He said health care is also switching to home health care. Mayor Mims asked if he knew of any hospitals that are providing quality care that are not being subsidized. Mr. Dillinger said he didn’t know of any. He said the National Academy of Science Engineering Medicine data suggests that there has to be some mechanism to cover the big cost. He said the for-profits are struggling in some cases. Mayor Mims invited Bishop Richard Cox, President of the Clergy Community Coalition (CCC), to the podium to present. Bishop Cox said he wanted to remind the Dayton City Commission that in 1929 a public hospital was started. He said it was started amid a depression and the land was donated to the Sisters of Charity, which were a part of the Catholic Church that believed in the healing power of Jesus. He said those Catholic Sisters held a fundraiser and within ten days raised $1M in the middle of a depression. Bishop Cox said 24 million people in the United States have no health insurance and two million people are caught in a Medicare gap trying to afford health care. He said most of the problems affecting African Americans are because of corporate greed over patient needs. Bishop Cox said there is a need for a public hospital. He said there was a hospital in the community for 100 years that served over 35,000 people on the northwest side of Dayton. That had over 70,000 people visit their emergency room. He said when it was demolished over 1,500 people lost their jobs and businesses began to close. Bishop Cox said the hospital is not an impossibility. He said their main concern should be to trust the people who signed the petition. Bishop Cox said to let the voters decide if they want a hospital in their community. He said the lack of health care in the African American community is serious all over the country. Mayor Mims invited Mr. Michael Lodenslager, Attorney, ABLE Law, to the podium to present. Mr. Lodenslager said he wanted to discuss the legal basis for creating a public hospital to serve the residents of West Dayton. He reiterated the Ohio Revised Code Chapter 74 which sets out the steps and requirements for creating a public hospital in Ohio. Mr. Lodenslager said that Section 749.01 allows the City to assess a $1M property tax to finance a public hospital and includes additional financing methods. Mayor Mims invited Ms. Nancy Kiehl, Secretary, of the Clergy Community Coalition (CCC), to the podium to present. Ms. Kiehl said Ms. Sarah Hackenbrack, CEO and President of the Greater Dayton Hospital Association said the acquisition of land along with construction and facility costs require deep pockets. She said Mayor Mims sent a letter to city leaders expressing his concern about the financing and that it would not be enough. She said she agrees with the Mayor and would like to work with him and the Greater Dayton Hospital Association, the County, and the State to create the hospital. Mayor Mims invited Dr. Matthew Noordsij-Jones, a Physician, at Gem City Primary Care, to the podium to present. Dr. Noordsij-Jones said he has been a primary care doctor in the Dayton area for the last 18 years and has worked for a community health center in North Dayton for 13 years. He said he and his wife opened up a primary care office in downtown Dayton where they serve patients regardless of insurance from all walks of life. Dr. Noordsij-Jones said city residents have been stuck in the middle of a fight between two large nonprofit corporations that have spent the last two decades consolidating their holdings and fighting each other for the rich patients in Dayton and those who have health insurance while at best ignoring and often at worst, closing healthcare for those communities that need it the most. Mayor Mims invited Rev. Dr. Rockney Carter, Sr., Pastor, Zion Baptist Church, to the podium to present. Dr. Carter said they have been trying to get hospitalization for the constituents on the west side of Dayton since Premier Health announced that they would close and demolish the Good Samaritan Hospital. He said he also knows that the City of Dayton partnered with Premier Health on numerous projects. He said he went to Cleveland Clinic and met with experts who said they have been closing hospitals in African American communities across the country. Dr. Carter said African American people are dying in disproportionate numbers. He said their communities have been deemed to be a desert to seek annihilation because their school system is defunded, children are killing one another, and the community is a food desert; everything is a desert when it relates to African Americans which is in line with gentrification to devalue the neighborhood and get people out to refurbish the housing. Dr. Carter said he was very disappointed that they didn’t meet the threshold of 1,250 signatures. He said the City Commission must find a pathway to adequate health care for the west side of Dayton. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING Citizens comments on the Public Hearing were received from the following: 1. Ms. Julie Sullivan, 1409 S. Main St. – spoke in opposition to the petition initiative. 2. Mr. William Davis II, 7231 Hardwicke Pl. – spoke in support of the petition initiative. 3. Mr. Youssef Elzein, 4906 Amberwood Dr. – spoke in support of the petition initiative. 4. Ms. Amanda Byers, 8 N. Main Street – spoke in opposition to the petition initiative. 5. Ms. Charlene Bayless, 2422 Patterson Blvd. – spoke in support of the petition initiative. 6. Ms. Ann Schenking, 3711 Hillmont Ave. – spoke in opposition to the petition initiative. 7. Ms. Liz Early, 1225 W. Grand Ave. – spoke in support of the petition initiative. 8. Ms. Terriseta Phillips, 613 Negley Pl. – spoke in support of the petition initiative. 9. Mr. O Carrlo Heard, 148 S. Benson Dr. – spoke about the shooting of Brian Moody. 10. Ms. Sarah Hackenbrach, 124 E. Third St. – spoke in opposition to the petition initiative. 11. Ms. Lynn LaMance, 1061 Bertram Ave. – spoke in support of the petition initiative. 12. Ms. Patrice Phillips, 212 W. Dalecourt– spoke in support of the petition initiative. 13. Ms. Mike Schommer, 227 Illinois Ave. – spoke in opposition to the petition initiative. Commissioner Turner-Sloss thanked staff and community leaders for their work on the petition initiative. She thanked all speakers on the petition. Commissioner Turner-Sloss recommended that the City Commission move forward for the voters to decide on the petition initiative. Commissioner Shaw said there was a need for a hospital in the area but the information for a public hospital was inadequate and not sustainable. He said that hopefully there will be another conversation about the hospital; however, currently, he could not support the initiative. Commissioner Joseph said there are two conversations the first is talking about how broke the healthcare service is. He said the health care system in this country fails to serve people especially people who need it the most and those tend to be people without money and African Americans and other minorities. Commissioner Joseph said the City Commission does not disagree with any of the testimonies and victims of the system. Commissioner Joseph said the second conversation is a ballot issue to fix the problem. He said it’s a national problem and building a building that will cost over $450M, which is three times the amount they spend in a year. He said it's just not the right tool and he cannot support that and the fact they did not have the right amount of signatures per the Charter. Mayor Mims said poor communities and African Americans continue the displeasure of getting the short end of the stick. He said to look at the issues they have had about levies that have passed, four in the last 50 years. He said to look at the decay in the community because of resources they don’t have. He said if the tax levy had not passed the City of Dayton would have been in a $15M hole. Mayor Mims said that building a hospital based on all the data from across the nation and the information presented this evening is not sustainable. Mayor Mims closed the hearing. The pleasure of the City Commission is to adopt the Clerk of Commissions report. Commissioner Shaw made a motion to adopt the Clerk of Commissions report and findings as presented. Commissioner Joseph seconded the motion. The Clerk of Commission Report was adopted with a 3-0-2 vote. Voting in the affirmative were Mayor Mims, Commissioners Joseph, and Shaw. Commissioner Fairchild and Turner- Sloss abstained. The Clerk of Commission report was adopted. CITIZENS’ COMMENTS Citizen’s comments were received from the following: 1. Ms. Marsha Russ, 1224 West Grand Ave. – spoke in opposition of group homes and transition houses. 2. Ms. Tasha Rountree, 4609 St. James Ave. – spoke about the homeless situation in her neighborhood. 3. Ms. Lynn Lamance, 1061 Betram Ave. – spoke in opposition to group homes and transition houses. 4. Mr. Youssef Elzein, 4906 Amberwood Dr. – spoke about various atrocities in the world. COMMENTS BY THE ACTING CITY MANAGER The Acting City Manager, Ms. LaShea Lofton, had no closing comments. COMMENTS BY THE CLERK OF THE COMMISSION The Clerk of Commission, Ms. Regina Blackshear, had no closing remarks. COMMENTS BY THE CITY COMMISSION Commissioner Turner-Sloss Commissioner Turner-Sloss thanked citizens and community leaders for their comments at the meeting. Commissioner Turner-Sloss thanked everyone who participated in National Night Out. She highlighted the Black Pride Festival, 8.4 Memorial Committee. She thanked everyone for their work at the public hearing. She said her role as a member of the body is to serve the residents and to let them decide. Commissioner Fairchild Commissioner Fairchild thanked citizens and community leaders for their comments at the meeting. Commissioner Fairchild highlighted the National Night Out, 8.4 Memorial Committee. Commissioner Fairchild said housing is a national issue. He said there is a special form of stress called moral distress when something needs to happen, but they don’t have tools to make it happen. Commissioner Fairchild invited citizens to a free concert by Ruthie Foster at the Levitt Pavilion. Commissioner Shaw Commissioner Shaw highlighted the 8.4 Memorial Committee. Commissioner Joseph Commissioner Joseph thanked staff, citizens, and community leaders for their comments at the meeting. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. ___________________________________ Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr. Mayor Attest: _____________________________ Clerk of Commission