[00:00:01]
OKAY,[1. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/MOMENT OF SILENCE]
WE'LL BE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.PLEASE JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AMERICA.
AND TWO, THE REPUBLIC FULLY STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[2. ROLL CALL/MOMENT OF ART]
OKAY.MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ROLL CALL? MAYOR JALO.
UH, SINCE THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH, WE HAVE NANCY LATTANZI, OUR ART COORDINATOR FOR THE MOMENT OF ART.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS.
UH, I HOPE IT'S A GOOD YEAR FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, BEFORE I START WITH THE MOMENT OF ART, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ONE, UM, COUNCILOR FURMAN HAD ASKED ABOUT STORMY BAY, ITS PURCHASE.
THE HORSE HAS BEEN PURCHASED AND WILL BE TRANSPORTED.
UM, AND AS FAR AS ANY OF YOUR CONCERNS, THERE'LL BE A LOW ROPE AROUND IT FOR, TO HAVE PEOPLE AVOID CLIMBING UP THERE.
UM, THE SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT IS WE HAVE A NEW EXHIBIT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE WORK IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM IS LEGACY ARTIST MARYANNE LEAHY.
THAT MEANS SHE'S BEEN SHOWING WORK FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND SHE WAS HONORED AT SACK FOR THAT TITLE.
UM, AND THEN IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM IS KAREN TAYLOR, WHO, UM, ALSO HAS BEEN PAINTING FOR A LONG TIME AND, UM, HAS SOME INDIGENOUS WORK ALSO AND PORTRAITS IN THE, IN THE, UH, VOLTI CONFERENCE ROOM.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR DUNN FOR INTRODUCING ME TO HER.
AND THESE TWO ARTISTS DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER AND THEY'RE VERY MUCH ALIKE, SO IT WAS A VERY NICE CONNECTION.
UM, UH, THE ART RECEPTION SAVED THE DATE IS FEBRUARY 8TH, WHICH IS A THURSDAY FROM FOUR TO SIX IN THIS ROOM IN THE BOLTY.
SO FOR TODAY'S MOMENT OF ART, I'M VERY HAPPY HE HAD A FLAT TIRE LIKE TWO YEARS AGO.
IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO FIX THAT TIRE.
UH, NAP SAFE GANG WAS BORN AND RAISED NEAR PHILADELPHIA.
HE CAME TO SEDONA IN 2008 FOR A BREAK, AND SEDONA NEVER LET HIM GO SAFE, HAD BEEN TRAINED IN CLASSICAL PIANO FOR YEARS AND TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO SING AND PLAY GUITAR.
IT WASN'T UNTIL HE CAME TO SEDONA THAT HIS CAREER AS A SINGER, SONGWRITER AND PERFORMER BEGAN PLAYING ALL THE LOCAL VENUES THAT SEDONA HAD TO OFFER.
OVER THE YEARS, ALONGSIDE TEACHING YOGA SAFE DEVELOPED INTO A SEASONED AND PROLIFIC SONGWRITER, SPANNING A WIDE RANGE OF GENRES AND STYLES.
THE SONGS HE HAS WRITTEN AND RELEASED OVER THE YEARS ALL HAVE A STRONG SPIRITUAL FORCE BEHIND THEM.
AT 14, SAYETH DISCOVERED A WEALTH OF MUSIC FROM THE SIXTIES THROUGH THE EIGHTIES.
WHEN HE WAS GOING THROUGH HIS PARENTS' VINYL COLLECTION, HE CAME ACROSS JOHN LENNON'S IMAGINE, AND HE KNEW THIS IS WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WITH HIS LIFE.
IN 2006, SA WAS SIGNED TO A RECORD LABEL AND RELEASED HIS FIRST ALBUM.
HE WORKED WITH PRODUCER GARDNER COLE AND A HOST OF A CLASS MUSICIANS IN LA.
AFTER THIS TIME, SETH DECIDED TO LEARN HOW TO RECORD ON HIS OWN.
HE CREATED HIS CURRENT RECORDING STUDIO IN 2008.
IN 2011, HE SELF-PRODUCED HIS SECOND ALBUM, A DOUBLE DISC ENTITLED EVERYWHERE.
IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, LIFE TOOK SAFE ON A PROFOUND TIME OF CHALLENGES AND HEARTACHE, WHICH BOTH ENRICHED THE MUSIC AND TOOK HIM INTO A MORE INWARD JOURNEY.
IN 2014, THE SAFE BAND FORMED WITH SOME OF SEDONAS MOST SEASONED MUSICIANS.
THEY WERE AN INSTANT HIT, CREATING SHOWS THAT WOWED THE CROWD AND MADE EVERYONE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR DUE TO LIFE CHANGES AND MEMBERS MOVING.
THE BAND DISSOLVED IN 2018, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL 2022 WHEN THE BAND WOULD REUNITE FOR TWO SHOWS AT SOUNDBITES AND SAFE'S ALBUM RELEASE, STATES SAFE STILL PLAYS MANY LOCAL VENUES AS A SOLO ACOUSTIC ARTIST, AND NOW IS IN WITH THE NEW AND IMPROVED SAFE BAND.
SAFE WILL BE PERFORMING HIS ORIGINAL HILLSIDES OF EDEN AND THEN FOLLOWED BY A SONG THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN EVER GET ENOUGH OF, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THESE TIMES.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR SONGWRITERS TO HAVE MANY, MANY SONGS THAT YOU WRITE THAT NEVER ACTUALLY GET RECORDED OR EVEN HEARD.
[00:05:01]
THIS IS A SONG THAT ACTUALLY I WROTE A VERY LONG TIME AGO AND WAS JUST IN THE, UH, THE ARCHIVES UNTIL I PRODUCED MY MOST RECENT ALBUM, UM, IN THE NEW DAY SUN.AND THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRACKS ON THERE.
IT'S CALLED HILLSIDES OF EDEN.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY, UH, GOOD FOR THESE, UM, POLARIZED TIMES.
I AM ROLL BIG ENOUGH TO IT'S GONNA CATCH THE HEART.
IT'S GONNA FEEL SO GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE A CITY WANT THE SUN, THE CHAINS, YOUR LIFE UN CHAINS OF.
THERE'S RISING AND IT RISING AND IT'S COMING.
AND AS NANCY JUST SAID THIS, UH, THIS NEXT SONG
[00:10:01]
WAS THE ONE THAT KIND OF GOT IT ALL GOING FOR ME WAS, UH, REALLY INTO LIKE THE MUSIC OF THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES 'CAUSE OF THE FORREST GUMP ALBUM, UH, SOUNDTRACK.I WAS PROBABLY 14, 15 YEARS OLD WHEN I GOT THAT.
AND THEN I STARTED TO DIG THROUGH THE RECORD COLLECTION AND DISCOVERED THIS ONE.
YOU READY? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF MINUTES JUST TO, UH, BREAK THE EQUIPMENT DOWN.
FOR THOSE WHO JUST WALKED IN, JUST TO REMIND YOU TO PLEASE SILENCE YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES, PLEASE.
NEED TO SHARE MY SHE'S SO SWEET AND SHE'S HER
[00:15:01]
WIFE INTO, I NEED TO.ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET MOVE FORWARD.
[3. CONSENT ITEMS - APPROVE ]
ITEM THREE, CONSENT ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS HERE, EITHER PUBLIC, THE STAFF, OR THE CITY COUNCIL WISHES TO PULL? OKAY.CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT ITEMS A THROUGH E.
THOSE OPPOSED? OKAY, WILL YOU NOT UNANIMOUS APPOINTMENTS, WE HAVE NONE.
[5. SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MAYOR/COUNCILORS/CITY MANAGER & COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS]
SUMMARY OF CURRENT EVENTS BY MYSELF, COUNSELORS, OR THE MANAGER, UH, OR THE COUNCIL.UH, ANY PUBLIC CURRENT EVENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 11TH AT 10:00 AM THE SEDONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY WILL PRESENT REINTERPRETING SEDONAS HISTORY AND THAT'LL BE AT THE SHE APPLE SHED AT THE MUSEUM.
AND, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NATE MEYERS, WILL BE PRESENTING A REINTERPRETATION OF SEDONAS HISTORY.
AND IT SHOULD BE VERY MUCH FUN.
IT'LL BE JOKES, IT'LL BE PRESENTATION, IT'LL BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, FUN, UH, CONVERSATION.
SO YOU CAN JUST GO AND, UH, ENJOY ANYTHING.
BRIAN, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? NO.
SO THIS IS CURRENT EVENTS, NOT REPORTS FROM OUR LIAISON THINGS.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED YET.
YEAH, I THINK IT, IT IS COMBINED.
THEN I HAVE A COUNSEL ASSIGNMENT UPDATE, WHICH IS DON'T TAKE YOUR PLASTIC BAGS AND DUMP THEM IN ANY OF THE BINS AT THE RECYCLE CENTER.
THAT'S, UH, THEY CAN'T BE RECYCLED.
THEY CLOG UP THE MACHINERY AND THEY ARE BIG PAIN.
SO I KNOW PEOPLE ARE TEMPTED TO DO THAT.
INSTEAD, THE BOTH BASHES AND SAFEWAY AND PROBABLY A COUPLE OF OTHER P PLACES HAVE BIG BINS WHERE YOU CAN DISPOSE OF YOUR PLASTIC BAGS.
OUR RECYCLE SETTER IS A, A TREASURE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, WE REALLY NEED TO TRY AND PRESERVE IT AT THAT.
SO JUST BE MINDFUL OF PLASTIC BAGS.
[6. PUBLIC FORUM ]
SIX, PUBLIC FORUM.WE HAVE ONE CARD IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN SPEAKING TO ANYTHING NOT ON THE AGENDA.
NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE A CARD ON YOUR RIGHT, ON THE SMALL TABLE, FILL OUT A CARD AND, UH, IF NOT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
I HAVE ONE CARD FOR, UH, TORN ALBRIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS IS, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
IT'LL, IT'LL BUZZ WHEN YOU'RE DONE.
PLEASE START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENT.
UM, I DON'T GET TO MAKE THESE VERY OFTEN, SO I JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE A, JUST QUICK COMMENTS ON SOME THINGS THAT I'VE JUST READ OR HEARD OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU.
YOU PROBABLY DON'T GET A LOT OF THANKS FOR THE ROLE THAT YOU HAVE.
I KNOW YOU GET CRITICIZED A LOT.
TOUGH JOB, BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANKS.
UM, FIRST OF OFF, I KNOW WE FIGHT, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS, SO I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A RENTAL HOUSE THAT I RENT PROBABLY THE WAY THAT EVERYBODY LIKES JUST AS SOMEONE WHO'S HERE LOCALLY.
UM, BUT WHAT I'VE READ AND I'VE HEARD IS THAT I MAY NOT, IF I EVER WANTED TO CONVERT THAT TO A SHORT-TERM RENTAL THAT I MAY BE GRANDFATHERED HI IN OR NOT IN, BUT PROHIBITED COMPLETELY FROM EVER DOING IT.
AND SO WHAT IT, ANYWAY, THAT'S SOMETHING I JUST KIND OF HEARD OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE SOME FEEDBACK ON IT.
I'VE HAD THE, A TENANT IN THERE FOR BASICALLY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND PLAN TO CONTINUE TO DO IT.
BUT WHEN I HEAR THINGS LIKE THAT, IT MAKES ME THINK, DO I NEED TO KICK 'EM OUT JUST SO THAT I CAN THEN GET A SHORT-TERM RENTAL THING AND THEN MAYBE GO BACK TO IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT'S THINGS I'VE READ OR HEARD.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE THE FEEDBACK.
AGAIN, I DON'T GET TO MAKE THESE MEETINGS, SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
[00:20:01]
HEARD, UM, ABOUT TRANSPORTATION PLANTS.WE HAVE, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE SHUTTLES.
I KNOW THAT WE WERE SEEING THE STATISTICS.
I KNOW THEY WERE JUST RECENTLY PRODUCED OUT THERE.
I HAD HEARD OR READ SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE WAS THE CONTEMPLATION THAT WE WOULD SHUT OFF THE TRAIL TRAILHEADS TO ALL CARS AND THAT RESIDENTS WOULD THEN HAVE TO TAKE THE SHUTTLES TO GO THERE.
I'M A HUGE HIKER IN THE SUMMERS.
I'M UP FIVE, EVEN 6:00 AM TO GO DO HIKING.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO PROHIBIT IT FOR ME TO ME OR OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS TRAILHEADS.
IN FACT, I'D ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE THINKING THE OPPOSITE WAY.
IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS CONTEMPLATED, MAYBE MAKING IT SO THAT LOCALS HAVE ACCESS TO PARKING SPOTS AT THESE AREAS THAT MAYBE HAS TOURISTS, THEN HAVING TO GO AHEAD CAN'T HAVE A SPOT AND HAVE TO GO AND TAKE A SHUTTLE.
BUT, UM, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING CONTEMPLATED TO SHUT THE TRAIL HEADS OFF TO THE PUBLIC, PLEASE DON'T, DON'T GO THAT DIRECTION.
UM, AND THAT I THINK KIND OF COMES TO THE THIRD THING.
'CAUSE I KNOW RIGHT NOW THE COMMUNITY PLAN IS A BIG THING.
I'VE READ IT, I'VE READ THE A HUNDRED AND I THINK IT'S 73 PAGES.
I'VE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH THAT.
UM, PRETTY GOOD TO BE REAL HONEST.
UM, ONE THING I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, BECAUSE THE MORE CONVERSATIONS I HAVE WITH PEOPLE AND I GOT 37 SECONDS, IT'S ABOUT IS THE CITY SERVING THE CITIZENS OR IS IT MORE FOCUSED ON THE TOURIST OR THE BUSINESSES? WHEN I READ THE COMMUNITY PLAN ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, IT'S AROUND LIKE PAGE 70 OR SOMEWHERE IN THERE STARTS TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT ADDRESSING THE COMMUNITY NEEDS.
AND I THINK FROM A TONE AND KIND OF THE FOCUS OF THAT, IT'D BE GREAT TO MAKE THAT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE.
UM, WE ARE FORTUNATE AND OUR BALANCE SHEET IS REALLY GOOD.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD FISCAL POSITION HERE AND I'D ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO THINK DEEP ABOUT HOW TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, HAVE A BIGGER COMMUNITY PLACE TOGETHER AND MAKE IT SO THIS IS MORE ABOUT THE CITIZENS AND LESS ABOUT THE TOURISM THE BUSINESS.
ITEM SEVEN, PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, AND AWARDS.
[8.a. AB 3026 Discussion/possible direction regarding proposed Safe Place to Park program for homeless local workers and families with children enrolled in local schools. ]
WE'LL MOVE DIRECTLY TO ITEM EIGHT, REGULAR BUSINESS ITEM, UH, EIGHT A AB THANK YOU.DISCUSSION POSSIBLE DIRECTION REGARDING PROPOSED SAFE PLACE TO PARK PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS LOCALS, LOCAL WORKERS AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ENROLLED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS.
I BELIEVE YOU'LL BE GIVING THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS A PROPOSED PROGRAM CALLED SAFE PLACE TO PARK.
UM, THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK WOULD BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO A COMPLEX PROBLEM, WHICH I PROPOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, DEVELOPMENT IS A LITTLE SLOW RIGHT NOW AND CONTRARY TO A LOT OF THE SORT OF CHATTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, THIS ISN'T A SOLUTION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S ONE PIECE ON A CONTINUUM OF HOUSING THAT GOES FROM HOMELESSNESS TO HOME OWNERSHIP.
UM, AND WE'LL JUST KIND OF GET INTO THE DETAILS AND TALK ABOUT WHY IT'S A, A, AN IMPORTANT PIECE HERE IN SEDONA TODAY.
SO THE FIRST THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS JUST THE LOCATION.
UM, THERE'S SOME, UM, THANK YOU
I THINK LAST TIME I PRESENTED A MAP THAT WAS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE UP AND SOME FOLKS WEREN'T SURE WHERE IT WAS.
SO, UM, OUT IN THE FIRST MAP ON THE LEFT HERE IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, THE LARGE ARROW POINTS TO THE PIECE OF THE CULTURAL PARK, THE SITE WHERE THIS IS PROPOSED FOR, UM, THE MAP ON THE RIGHT, THE YELLOW OUTLINE IS THE FULL EXISTING CULTURAL PARK LAND AND THE RED OUTLINE IN THE UPPER LEFT-HAND CORNER OF THAT, UM, LAND IS THE PARCEL WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK.
UM, SOME OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF WHAT THIS IS.
IT'S A DESIGNATED SAFE PARKING AREA FOR UP TO 40 VEHICLES DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK LOCALLY AND LIVE IN THEIR VEHICLES.
UM, THERE IS ROOM TO EXPAND ON THE SITE IF NEEDED, BEYOND 40 VEHICLES, AND ALL PARTICIPANTS WOULD LEAVE BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES DURING CLOSED HOURS, LEAVING NOTHING BEHIND.
UM, THE SITE WILL HAVE SHOWER TRAILERS, PORTABLE RESTROOMS AND WASTE CONTAINERS, UM, CODE COMPLIANT WAY FINDING SIGNS AND DARK SKY LIGHTING.
UM, AND AN EXPERIENCED SITE MANAGER IN THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION WHO IS ALSO HERE TODAY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS TO THIS IS THAT ALL PARTICIPANTS WOULD, UH, BE ON AN INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN TO HELP
[00:25:01]
IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, UM, IF THEY HAVE A GOAL TO GET INTO HOUSING, HOW THEY COULD DO THAT.WE'VE KIND OF HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE LAYOUT AND HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS.
AND I THINK THIS HELPS TO EXPLAIN IT A LITTLE BIT.
SO PARTICIPANTS WOULD COME IN AT THE TOP, UM, WHICH IS THE ROAD THAT COMES IN.
ACTUALLY, IF I GO BACK, I THINK YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE, THE ROAD THAT COMES INTO THE CULTURAL PARK.
CULTURAL PARKWAY GOES AROUND TO THAT BACK PARCEL.
UM, AT THE TOP, SORT OF, SEE IF I CAN POINT HERE, THE GREEN LINE HERE.
UM, FOLKS WOULD ENTER THERE, BE ASSIGNED A PARKING SPACE, ONE ADMITTED.
UM, THESE RED DOTS REPRESENT THE PARKING AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED.
UM, THE BLUE OVAL HERE IS WHERE THE SHOWERS AND BATHROOMS WOULD BE, AND THE YELLOW SQUARE, KIND OF A COMMUNAL, UM, SPACE FOR COOKING.
UM, AND THEN THE GREEN SPOT HERE IN THE CORNER, JUST THE SITE HOST.
UM, THIS ISN'T ALL SET IN STONE YET, BUT THIS IS HOW WE'VE KIND OF CONCEIVED TO, TO COME UP WITH THE OPERATING PLAN.
UM, JEANNIE IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH, UM, EVER SINCE YOU FIRST HEARD THIS IDEA IN JUNE ON HOW OTHER SAFE PARKING PROGRAMS WORK, WHAT SOME OF THEIR OUTCOMES ARE, ET CETERA.
UM, FROM THOSE WE WERE ABLE TO DISCERN SOME BEST PRACTICES.
UM, ONE OF THOSE IS INTENTIONAL PROGRAM DESIGN.
UM, MOST OF THESE PROGRAMS, UM, ARE MEETING A SPECIFIC IDENTIFIED NEED.
SO, UM, NOT EVERYONE IS, UM, TRYING TO MEET A WORKFORCE NEED.
SO ONE OF THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS IS DESIGNING THE PROGRAM AROUND EXACTLY WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE.
AND THAT RELATES TO THINGS LIKE, UM, THE PROXIMITY OF JOBS, THE HOURS THAT IT'S OPEN, THINGS THAT VARY ACROSS PROGRAMS PRETTY WIDELY.
UM, SO WE ELECTED TO HAVE THIS FOR NIGHTTIME HOURS BECAUSE IT IS DESIGNED FOR WORKING PEOPLE.
SO WE ASSUME THEY WON'T BE IN THE SITE DURING THE DAY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THAT ALLEVIATES SOME CHALLENGES WITH FOLKS BEING ABLE TO ESTABLISH RESIDENCY THERE OR, UM, SET UP ENCAMPMENTS AND OTHER SORT OF UNDESIRABLE ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE SECOND BEST PRACTICE WAS, UM, BASED ON LOCATION.
WE KIND OF HAVE THE IDEAL SITE WITH THE UNUSED LAND IN THE PLANNING PROCESS RIGHT NOW AT THE CULTURAL PARK.
UM, WE FELT LIKE THAT WAS KIND OF AN EASY ONE.
UM, THE NEXT ONE WAS SOCIAL SERVICE INTEGRATION.
SO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS AND WONDERING HOW IT WOULD BE MANAGED AND HOW WE COULD ADD SORT OF ADD-ON SERVICES, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, WE REALIZED PRETTY QUICKLY THAT WE WOULD NEED A PARTNER WHO HAD EXPERIENCE IN CASE MANAGEMENT IN PARTICULAR, HOMELESSNESS IS IDEAL.
UM, AND THEN THE SERVICE PROVIDER, THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION COULD ALSO OFFER SERVICES, UM, FROM THEIR PARTNERS SUCH AS CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP WITH THINGS LIKE RENT ASSISTANCE.
UM, SO THAT PLAN IS TAILORED TO THE TARGET POPULATION.
WE KNOW THAT VEHICULAR HOMELESSNESS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM STREET HOMELESSNESS, UM, THAT FOLKS HAVE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED NEEDS THAT ARE, UM, SORT OF NOT AS HIGH MAINTENANCE.
UM, AND THEN THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, ANTICIPATING OPPOSITION AND TRYING TO BUILD SUPPORT.
UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE, UM, HOUSING ADVISORY GROUP TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF THIS PROGRAM AND UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH SUPPORT THERE IS OUT THERE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY PLAN PROCESS, WE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH FOLKS AND TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND KIND OF GET SOME IDEAS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN BENCHMARKING, UM, SETTING GOALS.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE WILL, UM, MAINTAIN DATA ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS AND THE OUTCOMES.
UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE KIND OF A LIST OF, UM, MEASUREMENTS OR PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT I DON'T HAVE ON THE SLIDE.
UM, THOSE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED PEOPLE CONTRACTED OR OUTREACHED.
UM, THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED PERSONS SERVED BY THE NUMBER OF OVERNIGHT STAYS.
UM, THE PERCENT OF PEOPLE RECEIVING A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT.
[00:30:01]
SO THAT INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN KIND OF WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF COMING INTO THE SITE, PARTICIPANTS WOULD BE EXPECTED TO GET ON AN INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN.UM, THE SITE MANAGER WOULD WORK WITH THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR PARTICULAR PLAN IS AND HOW TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
UM, THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TIME IN THE PROGRAM, UM, THE NUMBER OF SERVICES FOLKS ARE RECEIVING, SO HOW MANY CONNECTION POINTS SORT OF THEY HAVE TO THOSE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UM, THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO EXIT THE PROGRAM BUT REMAIN IN THEIR VEHICLE OR THEIR STATUS IS UNKNOWN.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THOSE WHOSE HOUSING CONDITION IS UPGRADED.
SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HOUSED IN EITHER PERMANENT OR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
AND THEN ALSO TRACKING, UM, A LOT OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, UNSHELTERED YOUTH AND, UM, HOW FREQUENTLY THEY ATTEND SCHOOL.
SOME OF THE BENEFITS TO THIS PROGRAM THAT WE SEE ARE INCREASING THE STABILITY AND SAFETY OR SENSE OF SECURITY, IF YOU WILL, UM, FOR THE VEHICULAR HOMELESS, UM, PREVENTS OTHERWISE STABLE RESIDENTS FROM FALLING INTO PERMANENT HOMELESSNESS.
SO THIS CAN SOMETIMES BE A FIRST STEP FOR SOME PEOPLE AS THEY'RE MAYBE LOSE A JOB, LOSE THEIR HOUSING, THEY'RE LIVING IN THEIR CAR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
IF THERE AREN'T RESOURCES MADE AVAILABLE, SOMETIMES THEY'RE LOSING THEIR CAR, YOU KNOW, NEXT STEPS FALLING INTO MORE SEVERE HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT'S, UM, THESE PROGRAMS ARE REALLY GOOD AT SORT OF CATCHING PEOPLE.
IT'S A SAFETY NET ESSENTIALLY BEFORE THEY FALL INTO HOMELESSNESS.
UM, A PROGRAM LIKE THIS CAN ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING LIMITED AVAILABLE HOUSING, UH, AND OF COURSE CONNECTING PEOPLE TO HOUSING.
AS WE GET NEW HOUSING BUILT, THESE WOULD BE THE FIRST, UM, TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY CONNECTING PEOPLE TO OTHER RESOURCES AND SERVICES THEY MAY NEED.
UM, ALSO REDUCING THE OVERUSE OF FOREST LANDS, MAINTAINING OUR STABLE AND RELIABLE WORKFORCE, ELIMINATING OVERNIGHT PARKING IN PUBLIC AREAS AND ON PUBLIC STREETS AND BETTER IDENTIFYING THE POPULATION IN NEED SO WE CAN KIND OF TAILOR OUR HOUSING PROJECTS TO THE FOLKS WE KNOW ARE LOOKING FOR HOUSING.
IF WE KNOW A LITTLE LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW CENSUS DATA ESSENTIALLY, BUT IT CAN HELP TO HAVE THAT PERSONAL CONNECTION AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR.
SO THE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY PARTS OF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE DID TAILOR IT TO THE WORKFORCE, SO THERE WOULD BE A MAXIMUM OF TWO ADULTS PER VEHICLE.
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ARE WELCOME, BUT NAMES OF ALL PERSONS MUST BE GIVEN.
UM, AT LEAST ONE OCCUPANT OF THE VEHICLE MUST WORK OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN SEDONA.
REMOTE WORKERS WOULD NOT BE ADMITTED.
AND I'VE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION OVER AND OVER, BUT ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO THE FACT THAT THEIR EMPLOYMENT ALLOWS THEM FLEXIBILITY TO LIVE SOMEWHERE WHERE THE HOUSING SITUATION IS BETTER.
UM, RETIRED AND DISABLED RESIDENTS OF SEDONA WOULD BE, UM, ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE A NECESSARY CONNECTION TO SEDONA THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM FINDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THEN THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, WOULD BE ID AND PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT OR SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, VEHICLE REGISTRATION, AND PROOF OF AUTO INSURANCE.
WE DID, UM, KIND OF DECIDE IF FOLKS CAME IN AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CURRENT REGISTRATION OR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR INSURANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY WOULD HAVE SOME TIME TO WORK ON THAT THROUGH THEIR INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN.
THOSE WOULD BE SOME THINGS THAT THAT MIGHT BE IDENTIFIED FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO WORK ON.
UM, ALL VEHICLES MUST BE IN FULL WORKING ORDER TO ENTER AND EXIT THE SITE DAILY.
AND THE ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T, UM, SORT OF FINALIZED OR DECIDED ON IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE WOULD BE AN ENROLLMENT FEE OR A COST PER NIGHT.
UM, IF THERE WAS A COST PER NIGHT, I WOULD RECOMMEND A MAXIMUM OF ABOUT $2 A NIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS CHARGE.
UM, IT ALSO TENDS TO BE ABOUT THE COST OF A GYM MEMBERSHIP, WHICH IS WHERE A LOT OF FOLKS GO TO FIND SHOWERS AND, UM, AMENITIES.
OKAY, THERE'S A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF RULES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THINGS LIKE BE RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS TO OTHERS.
[00:35:02]
UM, QUIET HOURS.UH, WE DETERMINED THAT THE QUIET HOURS WOULD START AT 10:00 PM SO NO ENTRY WOULD BE ALLOWED AFTER 10:00 PM UNLESS ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE WITH THE SITE MANAGER.
UM, JUST TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTIONS TO THE PEOPLE SLEEPING.
SO THOSE SITES FOR THE FOLKS WHO COME IN LATE COULD BE SORT OF ON THE EDGE.
UM, VEHICLES MUST REMAIN IN THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK ONCE THEY'RE REGISTERED FOR THE EVENING.
PARTICIPANTS CAN COME AND GO AS THEY PLEASE FREELY.
UM, CHILDREN CAN PLAY AND, UM, EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THE OUTDOORS.
TO PROTECT OUR NATIONAL FOREST, WE COULDN'T ALLOW FIRES.
UM, IN PARTICULAR, CAMPFIRES, BONFIRES, WOOD FIRES.
UM, SO PROPANE FIRES AND COOKING DEVICES WOULD BE THE ONLY ALLOWED FLAME.
UM, THE SALE PURCHASE OR USE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED.
UM, FOR PUBLIC HEALTH REASONS, SMOKING WOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED INSIDE ONE'S VEHICLE.
AND YES, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS NOT GOOD FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL'S HEALTH, BUT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH REASONS, THAT'S THE RULE.
UM, IN ADDITION, THAT'S ANOTHER FIRE SAFETY ASPECT.
UM, THIS ONE NO CONGREGATING OUTSIDE OF VEHICLES.
UM, I THINK WE KIND OF ADOPTED SOME LANGUAGE AND WE KNEW WHAT WE MEANT, BUT I'VE HAD SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY NO PARTIES, NO LOUD MUSIC, NOTHING THAT WOULD DISTURB OTHERS WHO ARE PEACEFULLY ENJOYING THEIR SPACE.
UM, TRAILS SHOULD BE ACCESSED VIA TRAIL HEADS.
CLOTHING AND SHOES MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES.
NO VISITORS ALLOWED AT ANY TIME.
THIS IS MOSTLY TO HELP THE SITE MANAGER BE ABLE TO MAIN MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE SITE.
WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE VEHICULAR HOMELESS TRAVEL WITH PETS, SO THEY JUST MUST BE UNDER THE OWNER'S CONTROL.
SO THIS IS THE ONE WHERE I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T READ ANY OF THE RULES OR THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND THEY SAY IT'S JUST GOING TO BE BECOME A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT.
UM, NO TENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO BE SET UP.
NO CANOPIES CAN BE SET UP AND EVERYTHING HAS TO BE TAKEN WHEN THE PARTICIPANT LEAVES.
UM, IN THE MORNING, UM, WE WILL HAVE TRASH RECEPTACLES ON SITE, SO ALL TRASH MUST BE DISPOSED OF PROPERLY.
BATHROOMS AND SHOWERS, OBVIOUSLY WE ASK THAT, UM, PEOPLE USE THEM PROPERLY AS ONE OF THE HOMELESS PUPS LIVES IN A CAR.
THIS IS OUR THIRD PAGE NOW OF RULES.
UM, HEADLIGHTS SHOULD ONLY BE USED WHILE DRIVING.
RUNNING IS DANGEROUS AND THEREFORE PROHIBITED.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE START UP THEIR CARS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO GET WARM.
THAT'S ALLOWED IF THEY'RE AWAKE AND, UM, NOT LETTING YOUR VEHICLE RUN ALL NIGHT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, BACK TO THE VEHICLES BEING OPERABLE, INOPERABLE VEHICLES WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED FOR, FOR RVS.
SO RVS HAVE TO CONTAIN AND DISPOSE OF ALL OF THEIR OWN WASTE ELSEWHERE.
UM, VIDEO CAMERAS MAY BE USED AND OBVIOUSLY VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT OR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WOULD BE REPORTED TO THE SITE MANAGER.
AND THE SITE MANAGER WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION WHETHER TO, UM, CALL THE POLICE IF THERE'S ILLEGAL ACTIVITY OR, UM, DECIDE WHAT THE, THE RESULTS WILL BE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IF PEOPLE MIGHT BE KICKED OUT OF THE PROGRAM OR, UM, NOT ALLOW, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO LEAVE THAT NIGHT, CAN'T COME BACK, CAN COME BACK.
IT WOULD JUST DEPEND ON THE SITUATION.
I HAVE SOME PHOTOS HERE OF SAFE PLACE TO PARK SITES.
UM, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THESE IS THEY'RE NOT REALLY THAT INTERESTING BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST SITTING IN THEIR CARS SLEEPING
UM, JEANIE AND I BOTH SCOURED THE INTERNET TO FIND PICTURES OF ACTIVITY AND IT WAS REALLY CHALLENGING.
SO I THINK THAT'S A POSITIVE THAT FOR THE MOST PART THEY LOOK LIKE PARKING LOTS.
UH, THE ONLY ONE I WAS ABLE TO FIND ON THE DIRT, UM, WAS ON A BEACH.
[00:40:01]
YOU CAN SEE HERE'S ONE AT NIGHT.THE PICTURE DOESN'T SHOW UP REALLY GREAT, BUT IT STILL JUST LOOKS LIKE A PARKING LOT.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST PHOTOS I HAD TO GRAB IT OUT OF A VIDEO CLIP.
UM, THIS IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATE PEOPLE WILL DO IN THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE THE QUIET HOURS WHEN THEY GET IN THEIR VEHICLES IS JUST LINGER TALK VISIT, UM, STILL JUST LOOKS LIKE A PARKING LOT.
AND THEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET.
UM, WE ESTIMATED A LITTLE LOW WHEN WE FIRST TALKED TO YOU BACK IN THE SPRING, AND I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE $600,000.
THE SITE IMPROVEMENTS WERE QUITE A BIT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THESE LINE BY LINE IN THE DISCUSSION IF YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT FOR NOW I'M JUST GONNA SAY, UM, YOU'VE SEEN THIS IN YOUR PACKETS AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THE LINE ITEMS. UM, SO THE TOTAL COST TO BUILD OUT THE SITE, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ESTIMATING AT ABOUT $150,000, THE OPERATING AT ABOUT 434,000 A YEAR.
HOWEVER, ON JANUARY 2ND, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT A GRANT WE APPLIED FOR LAST YEAR WAS APPROVED.
SO THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING RESERVED 875,000 IN GRANT FUNDS FOR TWO YEARS OF OPERATING.
UM, THAT KEEP THE DEVICE AWAY FROM THE MIC, THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO.
UM, THAT, THAT GRANT APPLICATION DID HAVE OVER A HUNDRED SUBMISSIONS, TOTALING OVER $275 MILLION AND ONLY 40 MILLION WAS AWARDED.
SO WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING RECOGNIZED THIS AS A VALID HOUSING NEED.
UM, I HAVE SOME PICTURES HERE OF THE EQUIPMENT IF YOU WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF THOSE.
THAT WAS, THAT WERE KIND OF JUST BEING PREPARED IN CASE YOU ASKED QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, JUST KIND OF SCROLL THROUGH THOSE AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE
UH, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMSON FIRST I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON THAT GRANT.
UM, I JUST, I'M JUST GOING TO ASK A COUPLE AND MOVE ON.
UM, WHEN THIS FIRST CAME UP, I ASKED WHERE THIS HAS WORKED, SPECIFIC PLACES THIS HAS WORKED AND THE REASONS THAT IT WORKED.
UM, AND YOU DID SEND ME, I THINK YOU SAID ALL OF US ONE ARTICLE AND THE ARTICLE SAID SCREENING AND SECURITY WERE THE TWO MAJOR, UM, CON ITEMS THAT CAUSED, UM, THESE TO BE POSITIVE INSTEAD OF NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES.
UM, WHERE HA I'D LIKE TO, WHERE HAS THIS WORKED? WELL, IF YOU COULD NAME TWO OR THREE AND, UM, SECURITY, I KIND OF UNDERSTAND WITH THE ONSITE MANAGER, BUT I'M NOT HEARING A LOT ABOUT SCREENING.
SO COULD YOU JUST ADDRESS THAT ISSUE AS MY FIRST QUESTION? SO FIRST I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE AT LEAST 40 OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE SAFE PARK PROGRAMS. UM, MOST OF THEM ON THE WEST COAST, HOWEVER, WE FOUND ONE IN DULUTH, MINNESOTA AND ONE IN GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL REPORTS THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZE SAFE PLACE TO PARKS AND REVIEWED THEM ALL IN GENERAL, WHICH I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR REALLY IS OF THE 40 PLACES, SOME OF THE, I, BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE AND I EXPECT OTHERS HAVE READ STORIES, SORT OF HORROR STORIES OF, OF THESE KINDS OF FACILITIES AND HAVING THEM CLOSE DOWN AND ALL OF THAT.
ARE YOU SAYING THAT ALL 40 OF THESE ARE DEEMED SUCCESSFUL? I CAN SAY THAT I HAVEN'T READ ANY HORROR STORIES ABOUT ANY OF THESE.
SO WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF SCREENING PEOPLE? SO TYPICALLY A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WOULD BE PRETTY LOW BARRIER.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE RHONDA FROM THE HOMELESS COALITION ADDRESS THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, SORT OF HOW THEY DO THEIR SCREENING AT THE, UM, AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER IN COTTONWOOD.
[00:45:01]
MUCH.CAN I JUMP IN ON THAT TOO? UM, WHILE RHONDA'S COMING UP TO THE PODIUM, UM, UP THERE, THIS IS ALSO DIFFERENT THAN MOST, MANY OF THOSE PROGRAMS. I DON'T KNOW IF, IF IT'S MOST ARE ZERO BARRIERS, RIGHT? IT'S IT'S HOMELESS.
WE HAVE ALREADY SET THAT THRESHOLD MUCH HIGHER BECAUSE PARTICIPANTS DO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WORK HERE OR THAT IT IS A FAMILY WITH A CHILD IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS THEIR OWN MEANS OF SORT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT POPULATION.
I ASSUME REFERRALS AND THINGS WILL BE COMING FROM THAT SOURCE AS WELL.
SO, SO WE'VE ALREADY GOT CRITERIA THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY JUST OPEN TO ANYONE WHO IS HOMELESS AND LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLE.
SO WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN, GENERALLY ANY PROGRAM HAS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A GRANT IN PLAY.
SO THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS 37 PAGES, UM, THAT'S JUST TO BEGIN WITH.
BUT UNDERSTANDING HOMELESSNESS, A FULL 50% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS ARE HOMELESS BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD A MAJOR FINANCIAL CRISIS.
40% HAVE ONE MAJOR LIFE BARRIER, LIKE MENTAL ILLNESS OR ADDICTION.
AND THE OTHER 10%, JUST 10% OF THE TOTAL ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE SEVERAL MAJOR LIFE BARRIERS.
SO IN THAT ASSESSMENT, WE CAN FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE IN HOMELESSNESS, ARE THEY IN THE MAJORITY WHO JUST NEED SOME HELP GETTING BACK ON THEIR FEET.
AND IN, IN DOING THAT, WE CAN THEN BASICALLY WATCH THEM MORE CAREFULLY.
WE HAVE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING HAS NO BARRIERS, SO WE WILL HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH ANYONE THAT IS WORKING.
BUT I THINK REMEMBERING TOO, THESE ARE WORKING PEOPLE AND WE ARE AROUND THEM EVERY DAY AND MOST WORKING PEOPLE JUST WANNA GO HOME AND RELAX AND COOK THEIR DINNER AND HAVE A PLEASANT EVENING.
AND I THINK THAT THAT RIGHT THERE, THAT BARRIER RIGHT THERE IS GOING TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS. OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT HOW THE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE WORKS WITH, AS ESTABLISHING SOMEONE AS A CLIENT AND FOLLOWING UP WITH SERVICE PLANS AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, SO COULD YOU WALK ME THROUGH THAT? HAVE YOU HAVE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME THOUGHT OF PEOPLE LIKE PRE-REGISTERING AND SIGNING UP, BUT THAT HAS ITS OWN ISSUES.
UM, SO WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS AND HOW MIGHT THEY WORK TOGETHER? BECAUSE I CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING, SAY IF YOU HAVE 40 PLACES, 40 CLIENTS WHO USE THOSE SPACES AND THEREFORE BECOME CLIENTS IN A SENSE OF, OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
SO JUST WALK ME THROUGH HOW THAT, HOW YOU SEE THAT WORKING.
SO THE HOMELESS COALITION IS PLANNING TO HAVE SORT OF SIGN UP EVENTS IN ADVANCE, UM, PERHAPS AT THE LIBRARY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN ADVANCE OF THE OPENING OF THE SITE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GET SIGNED UP.
SO WE DON'T HAVE SORT OF THE INITIAL RUSH.
UM, PEOPLE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO SIGN UP AT THE GATE.
THEY WOULD JUST BE ASKED TO WAIT UNTIL THE LINE IS DOWN, UM, TO GO THROUGH SORT OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.
UM, WHEN YOU SAY SIGN UP, YOU MEAN PRE-REGISTER? SO THERE WOULD BE LIKE A PRE-REGISTRATION TIME WHERE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT AT THE GATE EVERY NIGHT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS THE SITES FILLING UP, UM, AS I SAID, THERE IS ROOM TO EXPAND.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 40 PARKING SPACES THERE.
UM, THAT'S OUR, OUR GOAL, KIND OF A STARTING POINT, UH, TO SEE WHAT THAT POPULATION IS, HOW LARGE IT IS.
UM, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT THE VEHICULAR HOMELESS ARE SO HIGH FUNCTIONING, THEY KNOW HOW TO STAY HIDDEN.
THEY DON'T WANNA BE THOUGHT OF AS TRADITIONAL HOMELESS AND, UH, AND THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UM, OTHER NEEDS THAT THEY PARTICULARLY WANT TO BE FILLED, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, GETTING ON AN INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN AND HAVING HELP WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
UM, IF THEY DON'T WANT A SERVICE PLAN, ARE THEY REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE? I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS TO GET ON ONE.
I THINK THAT'S, I LIKE THAT AS A, AS AN ASPECT OF IT.
UM, SO I GUESS WHEN I, I GUESS I JUST HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION.
WHEN I LOOKED UP THERE AT YOUR LIST OF WHAT WAS PROVIDED, POTABLE WATER WASN'T LISTED THERE.
[00:50:01]
FOR PEOPLE OR, OR THEY'LL BE EXPECTED TO BRING THEIR OWN WATER? THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.I HADN'T THOUGHT OF POTABLE WATER
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE RESTROOMS AND SHOWERS AND HAND WASHING STATIONS, BUT, UM, WE HAVE WATER AT THE SITE, SO THERE'S NO REASON THAT WE COULDN'T.
SO YOU, YOU CAN THINK ABOUT THAT AS YOU BRING FORWARD A NEW PROPOSAL.
UH, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMSON TOUCHED ON A QUESTION THAT I DID HAVE WAS ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN.
AND SO I HEARD THE ANSWER THAT NOT REQUIRED, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT A PERSON THAT MIGHT BE COMING IN HERE, CHOOSING TO LIVE IN TOWN FOR THREE MONTHS WORKING.
SO THEY QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING THE SERVICES MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY'RE REALLY NOT, WE'RE NOT GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THE PROGRAM, OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH SERVICES AND HELP THEM THROUGH ISSUES.
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES.
SO I'M KIND OF WONDERING HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, UM, WE KIND OF SET OUR PROGRAM GOAL AT 50% OF PARTICIPANTS TO BE HOUSED.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVEN HAVE HOUSING AS A GOAL.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS KIND OF THINKING ABOUT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE A PLAN, BUT EVERYONE HAS TO HAVE THE ASSESSMENT.
SO EVERYONE HAS TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONNAIRE, UM, FOR ADMITTANCE THAT KIND OF IDENTIFIES THEIR NEEDS.
AND COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS ALSO TOUCHED ON THE TOPIC I WANTED TO ABOUT, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT QUEUING AT THE GATE, BUT I THINK WE, YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'LL GIVE THAT SOME MORE THOUGHT.
YOU ALSO JUST REMINDED ME OF A QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK THAT WE'VE DONE, YOU DID A REALLY GREAT JOB IN THE PACKET AND YOUR PRESENTATION HERE ABOUT LAYING OUT RULES.
YOU JUST MENTIONED A GOAL FOR THE, UM, A METRIC FOR THE PROGRAM THAT WE DON'T HAVE, HAVE ANY SEEN WHAT YOUR METRICS ARE.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT MAYBE THOSE AREN'T IN AS GOOD A SHAPE YET.
AND THE NEXT, IF THIS MOVES FORWARD FROM TONIGHT, WE GIVE YOU SOME DIRECTION THAT WE'LL SEE THOSE BEFORE THIS PROGRAM GETS FULLY KICKED OFF.
WE DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY BENCHMARKS SET FOR EVERYTHING, BUT FOR THE REHOUSING RATE WE DO.
UM, SO JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS, WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FOR THE LENGTH OF STAY AND UM, THE NUMBER OF SERVICES THAT PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN.
UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS, FEW OF THEM ARE LIMITED TO THE WORKFORCE.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE, BUT IT'S REALLY HARD.
THE OUTCOMES ARE SO DIVERSE, IT'S REALLY HARD TO SORT OF SET WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL BE RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON, UM, TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT GOALS ARE ACTUALLY REALISTIC WORKING ON.
BUT YOU WILL AT SOME POINT SAY, THIS IS OUR BEST GUESS AT A FIRST DRAFT OF METRICS AND YOU'LL THEN PUBLICIZE THAT FOR THE COUNSELING COMMUNITY TO REVIEW AND STAKEHOLDERS AND ALL THE REST.
PERHAPS WE WON'T HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE BENCHMARKS THOUGH BEFORE THE PROGRAM IS APPROVED.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS ON BENCHMARKS BEFORE THE PROGRAM IS APPROVED.
SO THERE WILL BE NUMEROUS THINGS THAT THROUGH A DO, THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION THAT WILL BE IDENTIFIED INITIALLY AS MORE SO SORT OF INDICATORS, BENCHMARK INDICATORS AS OPPOSED TO PERFORMANCE METRICS.
SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WILL ALSO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE EVENTUAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH OUR PROVIDER.
BUT THEN I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A PERIOD AT WHICH WE'RE USING THOSE WORKLOAD INDICATORS TO FURTHER REFINE FUTURE BENCHMARKS AND PERFORMANCE METRICS.
SO IT WILL BE A PROCESS SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DON'T YET HAVE THE, EVEN THE POPULATION, THE DEMAND.
UM, WE KNOW CAPACITY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE DEMAND SIDE QUITE YET AND WHAT ALL OF THOSE VARYING GOALS AND AND NEEDS OF THE POPULATION WILL BE.
SO IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE A BIT ITERATIVE, UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN COMMIT TO COMING BACK WITH THOSE UPDATES AT CERTAIN THRESHOLDS AND UM, AND FURTHER REFINING AND THEN OFFERING THEM
[00:55:01]
TO, TO COUNSEL AND TO THE COMMUNITY.YOU MENTIONED THE GRANT, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS AN AWESOME THING AND QUITE FRANKLY I DIDN'T SEE IT THE FIRST TIME I READ THROUGH THE PACKET AT ALL AND THEN ONLY SAW IT MENTIONED ONCE ON PAGE WHATEVER IT WAS BURIED IN THERE.
HAVE YOU HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS? OFTENTIMES THESE GRANTS FROM THE STATE OR THE FEDS COME WITH SOME STRINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW OF YET.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE IN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE KNOW FROM THE NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY WHAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE.
SO WE WROTE IN SOME, SOME RESTRICTIONS OF OUR OWN, UM, SUCH AS OUR REPORTING METRICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE MORE.
UM, BUT MOST OF THOSE WON'T BE A SURPRISE.
UM, I'M WONDERING, I'VE WORKED WITH MULTIPLE HOUSING GRANTS BEFORE, SO I KIND OF KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
UM, HOWEVER, THE GRANT WAS JUST AWARDED ON JANUARY 2ND, WHICH WAS WHY THERE WASN'T MUCH IN THE PACKET.
I ALREADY HAD THE WHOLE PACKET WRITTEN WHEN WE GOT THE GRANT AWARD.
UM, AND THE NOTIFICATION SAID TO EXPECT CONTACT WITHIN THREE WEEKS TO START WORKING ON CONTRACTS.
SO I THINK SOON WE'LL KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THE GRANT.
ONE OF MY CURIOSITIES IN, IN A GRANT LIKE THAT, TWO YEARS OPERATING GRANT, WOULD THEY HAVE SOME TYPE OF CLAUSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE THIS TO LAST BEYOND THE TWO YEARS THAT THEY FUND IT? IS THAT NOT A SOMETIMES YES, BUT IN THIS CASE WE WERE CLEAR IN THE GRANT THAT IT WAS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION, SO.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT THIS IS KIND OF A SELF-INITIATED FOR THE PERSON WHO WILL BE PRESENT AT THE FACILITY.
DID YOU HAVE THOUGHTS THROUGH THE PROCESS ABOUT WHETHER EMPLOYERS THEMSELVES, KEN SHOULD REFER PEOPLE TO THE PROGRAM AND HOW MIGHT THAT YOU DIDN'T LAND ON THAT, SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT YOUR THINKING THERE IS.
UM, I THINK THAT WE THOUGHT THE DEMAND WAS THERE, UM, THAT WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY NEED REFERRALS, BUT WE DID TALK TO SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE FOOD BANK, UM, SAHA AND KIND OF REACHED OUT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA TO UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WOULD PARTICIPATE.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE SELF-ENROLLMENT MADE SENSE, BUT WE WOULD WELCOME REFERRALS, UM, IF THAT'S THE, THE SOURCE OF THE INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO A REFERRAL BEING REQUIRED WHEN I, RIGHT.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME ADVANTAGE IN SORT OF CO-OPTING EMPLOYERS IN THIS SYSTEM AS WELL.
AND IF THEY'RE MAKING REFERRALS THAT ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE SOME OVERALL BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY OF ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARD TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM.
I DON'T WANT THE EMPLOYERS JUST TO NOT PARTICIPATE IN SOME WAY THAT THIS PROGRAM EXISTS AND THAT WITH CHALLENGING THEM TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT AS WELL.
SO I I WOULD, YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING JUST TO THINK PERHAPS MORE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY, UM, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT PARTICIPANTS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A REFERRAL? I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION, IS THAT A GOOD IDEA? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND MIGHT THERE BE SOME BENEFITS? WOULD IT BE POTENTIAL? RIGHT.
UM, AS I LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AND LOOK AT ALL THE RULES, IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT PERHAPS SECURITY AND MIGHT BE UNDER BUDGETED THAT YOU HAVE A, AS I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE ONE ONSITE PERSON THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO PATROL THE AREA AND BE OBSERVING FOR LITTER AND OTHER THINGS HAPPENING IN THE LOT AND, AND VIOLATIONS SEEM IN TO YOUR PRESENTATION TO BE, UH, REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED RATHER THAN THE MANAGER ESTABLISHING WHAT A VIOLATION IS OR ISN'T.
SO I JUST, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE DENSITY OF PEOPLE, THE CONDITIONS THAT EXIST AND WORRY THAT WE'VE UNDER SCOPED AND UNDER COSTED PERHAPS SECURITY AND ALSO KIND OF THE UH, CLEANLINESS, LITTER PICK UP AFTER PEOPLE DISPERSE FOR THE DAY AND WE SEE ACTUALLY WHAT GETS LEFT BEHIND, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THAT AND RIGHT.
WE HAVE TALKED THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND BECAUSE RHONDA HAS THE EXPERIENCE AT THE SHELTER, I THINK MAYBE SHE COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE SITE MANAGER WOULD
[01:00:01]
ESSENTIALLY TOUR THE SITE EVERY COUPLE OF HOURS TO AH, OKAY.SO NOT THAT, NOT THAT EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE TO BE REPORTED, BUT I THINK UM, RHONDA DOES A GREAT JOB OF MANAGING THE SHELTER AND A LOT OF THOSE THINGS APPLY.
SO THOSE, THE SHELTER, UM, SPECIFICALLY HAVING THE EXPERIENCE THERE.
UM, WE HAVE 20 PEOPLE AT NIGHT.
WE HAVE UP TO 50 PEOPLE DURING THE DAY AND WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON, UM, IN ATTENDANCE AND THEY PATROL.
THEY WILL, OUR PLAN IS THAT THEY WILL PATROL THE AREA, NOT LESS THAN TWO HOURS APART AND REMINDING IN THE MORNING, TAKE YOUR TRASH, EMPTY YOUR TRASH.
AND BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM IN ASSIGNED PLACES IF TRASH IS LEFT, WE KNOW WHO LEFT IT AND WE CAN TALK TO THEM.
AND IT MAY BE A CONSEQUENCE THAT YOU LOSE YOUR PLACE IF YOU DON'T CLEAN UP.
AND THEN, UH, RELATED TO THAT WOULD BE EVICTION PROCEDURES, ABANDONED PROPERTY PROCEDURES, RIGHT? I MEAN THESE ALL HAVE TO BE THOUGHT THROUGH RIGHT? COSTED INTO THE PROGRAM BEFORE WE GET BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE DO HAVE TO BE EVICTED AT TIMES AND IT'S REALLY A PRETTY SIMPLE PROCESS.
IF THEY DON'T LEAVE PEACEFULLY, THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE TO HAVE POLICE INVOLVEMENT.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE IT DOES HAPPEN AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE CLEAR SET BOUNDARIES WHEN YOU GO IN, IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT EASIER TO THEN ENFORCE THAT BOUNDARY.
THAT'S MY QUESTIONS FOR MY MAYOR, COUNCILOR KINSELLA.
MAYOR, WOULD THIS QUALIFY AS AN ADDRESS THAT SOMEONE COULD USE? I'M THINKING ALONG THE TERMS OF IF FOR ACCESSING BENEFITS, YOU SOMETIMES NEED A ADDRESS TO REGISTER TO VOTE, YOU NEED AN ADDRESS.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE USED AS AN ADDRESS? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
TO BE HONEST, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE ADDRESS OF THAT PARCEL OR IF IT HAS AN ADDRESS.
UM, I THINK THAT FOLKS WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE POST OFFICE.
THEY COULD GET A PO BOX IF THEY NEED AN ADDRESS.
AND UM, I SHARED, UH, UH, THE SAME SORT OF QUESTIONS THAT COUNCILOR FURMAN HAD REGARDING SECURITY THAT I LOOKED AT, WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET AND WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THE NARRATIVE THAT WAS PRESENTED.
AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THERE NEEDED TO BE MORE PERSONNEL INSECURITY, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTED FOR SO THAT SOMEBODY, IF SOMEONE IS ADDRESSING A PROBLEM, THERE IS STILL SOMEBODY ELSE IN A WAY TO, TO MOVE ON TO A SECONDARY ISSUE.
UM, WHO WOULD BE THE SECURITY THOUGH? IS IT DIRECTLY SOMETHING THAT YOU, UM, RHONDA IS SUPPLYING THEMSELVES THEIR OWN EMPLOYEE OR IS IT OUTSOURCED TO LIKE A SECURITY FIRM? UH, AT THE, AT THE CENTER, I BELIEVE THE PLAN IS THAT IT WOULD BE AN EMPLOYEE OF THEIRS AND THEIR STAFF IS TRAINED IN, IN MANAGING THOSE SORTS OF SITUATIONS JUST AS THEY WOULD ENCOUNTER IN THE SHELTER.
AND THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION AS A MANAGER, WHAT OTHER, COULD YOU GIMME A BETTER IDEA OF, MORE DETAILED OF WHAT SUPPORT SERVICES YOU COULD DIRECTLY PROVIDE AND HOOK SOMEBODY UP WITH? SO I HAVE A MEETING, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE SPECTRUM HAS A MOBILE UNIT NOW? MM-HMM,
UM, I HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW ABOUT PARTNERING WITH THEM.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM COME OUT TO THE SITE.
I HAVE A MEETING WITH ARIZONA PET PROJECT, UM, FOR PROVIDING PET HEALTHCARE.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM COME TO THE SITE.
I'VE BEEN IN TALKS WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES ALREADY.
UM, AND SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SERVICES THAT WE CAN HELP THEM WITH AND IF IT TAKES THEM GOING TO COTTONWOOD AND THEY DON'T THINK HAVE THE GAS OR THINK THEIR CAR CAN MAKE IT, WE'VE WRITTEN INTO OUR PORTION OF THE BUDGET BUS PASSES SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A WAY FOR THEM TO GET TO SERVICES IF WE CAN'T GET THEM HERE.
UM, WE TOUCHED ON, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE THE PREVIOUS COUNSELORS, UH, WAS TALKING ABOUT THE RULE ABOUT THE CONGREGATION AND YOU CLARIFIED THAT PEOPLE, AND THE PICTURES CERTAINLY CLARIFIED THAT PEOPLE WERE NOT BEING LOCKED IN THEIR CARS, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO EACH OTHER AND WALK AROUND AND, BUT WOULD THERE BE SORT OF A COMMUNAL, DO YOU ENVISION A SOCIAL AREA SO THAT MAYBE IF SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO SLEEP IN THIS CAR, IT'S NOT HAPPENING RIGHT OUTSIDE THERE, BUT THERE'D BE MORE OF AN AREA THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN AND SPECIFICALLY FOR ANY CHILDREN THAT ARE INVOLVED AS WELL? UM, YES.
UM, SORRY, I ASKED ABOUT A SOCIAL AREA AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE MAYBE SPEAKING OUTSIDE OF A CAR WHERE THE OCCUPANT
[01:05:01]
THERE IS INTERESTED IN SLEEPING, THIS IS BEFORE THE QUIET HOURS, THEY MAY WANT TO SLEEP AT EIGHT O'CLOCK INSTEAD OF 10 O'CLOCK.WOULD THERE BE A SOCIAL AREA THAT WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO AND DO THAT SO IT NOT IMPEDE ON SOMEONE ELSE'S EXPERIENCE THERE? YES, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A SPOT THAT WOULD BE, UH, APPROPRIATE FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER, PERHAPS PUTTING PICNIC TABLES THERE SO THEY COULD GATHER, SO CHILDREN COULD PLAY TOGETHER AND RIDE THEIR BIKES OR WHATEVER.
UM, THERE IS A, A PLACE THAT WOULD BE ADEQUATE FOR THAT.
AND UH, THIS GOES BACK TO THE RULES AND I'M SORRY THESE QUESTIONS DON'T FOLLOW ANY SORT OF, THEY'RE SORT OF RANDOM AS I WAS MAKING NOTES, IT SPEAKS TO THE SALE PURCHASE OR USE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, BUT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE POSSESSION.
WHAT ARE, ARE THE FEELINGS AND WHAT IS YOUR POLICY AT YOUR SHELTER NOW REGARDING POSSESSION? IF YOU BROUGHT IN A SEALED CONTAINER, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ALLOWED OR WHAT DO WE ENVISION WITH THAT? IT IS NOT ALLOWED.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES.
THEY'RE LIVING OUT OF THEIR BACKPACK AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE POSSESSIONS THAT I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY WANT MY FAMILY TO HAVE.
AND WHEN THAT OCCURS, IF WE SEE IT, IT WILL BE CONFISCATED AND DEALT WITH APPROPRIATELY.
IF THEY'RE SEEN CONSUMING IT, THEN CERTAINLY THEY WOULD BE EVICTED FOR THE NIGHT.
AND A QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE GRANT AGAIN, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
THAT IS, IT'S NOT ONLY A GREAT GRANT TO HAVE PURSUED, BUT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY A HELP HERE.
IN FACT, IT'S MORE THAN THE OPERATING COST BUDGET THAT YOU PRESENTED, WHICH AGAIN, I THINK MIGHT BE A UNDER BUDGETED, BUT, UM, IT SAYS THAT IT IS FOR THE ONGOING OPERATIONS, WOULD ANY OF THE GRANT MONEY BE ABLE TO APPLY TO THE STARTUP COSTS? NO.
AND THAT WAS PARTLY, UM, STRATEGIC.
IF THERE ARE, UM, SORT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COSTS IN THE GRANT APPLICATION, IT WOULD HAVE DELAYED THINGS COMPLICATED.
THE, THE WAY THE FUNDING WORKS, UM, OKAY, YEAH, THAT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN DETAILS, BUT THE STARTUP COSTS ARE MUCH SMALLER PROPORTIONATELY TO THE ONGOING OPERATING COSTS FELT WE HAD A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THE GRANT AWARDED IF WE KEPT IT TO OPERATING COSTS.
SORT OF LIKE A SHARE SHOWING THAT WE'RE COMMITTED.
UM, ALSO IN THE PACKET YOU PRESENTED A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE WHICH WAS PRESENTED BUT THEN SAID IN, BUT THIS IS WHY IT WOULDN'T WORK, WHICH, AND I AGREE BECAUSE IT, THE ALTERNATIVE WAS FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT USING THE SAME MONEY, THE GRANT MONEY AS A RENTAL SUBSIDY, BUT THERE'S A LACK OF HOUSING STOCK AVAILABLE HERE, SO IT REALLY WOULDN'T APPLY.
UM, BUT IS IS IT POSSIBLE YOU'VE ALREADY CHECKED THAT, THAT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE THAT TO BE EXPLORED AT SOME POINT THAT THE GRANT MONEY WOULD BE ABLE IT WOULD NOT.
IT ONLY APPLIES TO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM.
AND I THINK MY PROBABLY LAST QUESTION FOR THE MOMENT HAS TO DO WITH THE PUBLIC OUTREACH.
I KNOW THAT YOU DID SOME, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS, UH, WAS THAT ON FACEBOOK AND NEXTDOOR? BOTH.
SO, UM, THE PUBLIC OUTREACH WAS A, A COMBINATION.
IT WAS THE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, THERE WAS THERE, IT WAS NOT POSTED BY THE CITY ON NEXTDOOR, BUT MANY PEOPLE DID REPOST IT AND COMMENT ON IT.
SO AND SO OTHER THAN THE SOCIAL MEDIA, WAS THERE PUBLIC OUTREACH OTHER, OTHER THAN SOCIAL MEDIA? YES, THERE WERE, UH, THERE WERE VISITS TO BUSINESSES.
THERE WAS A FLYER THAT WAS POSTED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THROUGHOUT THE LIBRARY, VARIOUS PLACES LIKE THE LIBRARY SPOT AT THE DOG PARK.
UM, WE DID ALSO HOLD AN EMPLOYER FOCUS GROUP, WHICH, UM, WAS PARTIC PARTICIPATED BY, UM, ABOUT 12 PEOPLE FROM A BROAD CROSS SECTION OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN SEDONA.
AND I KNOW THAT I'VE GOTTEN, YOU KNOW, EMAILS ON THIS FROM THE PUBLIC.
ARE THERE EMAILS THAT WENT TO, BECAUSE I DON'T, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE POSTING SAID.
WHO I THINK IT SAID TO CONTACT SHANNON.
SO, BUT SO DID YOU GET RESPONSES FROM PEOPLE THAT MAYBE WE DON'T ALREADY KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE WE DID, WE DIDN'T GET THAT EMAIL.
CAN YOU SUMMARIZE SORT OF WHAT THE PUBLIC RESPONSE WAS? YES.
SO WE, WE GOT, UM, 54 RESPONSES.
UM, NINE OF THEM WERE AGAINST THE SAFE PLACE
[01:10:01]
TO PARK PROGRAM AND THE REMAIN THE REMAINING 40 SOMETHING, UM, WERE FROM PEOPLE WHO WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM WHO, WHO, UM, WOULD REALLY SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.THERE WERE HOMEOWNERS THAT LIVE IN SEDONA THAT WERE IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, MANY PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT WHERE THEY WORKED AND THEY ARE, WELL, YOU KNOW, NAMES THAT WE WOULD RECOGNIZE IF WE HEARD THEM, UM, THAT THEY WORK IN THESE PLACES OF BUSINESS AND WOULD REALLY WELCOME A PROGRAM SUCH AS THIS.
MY, UH, FIRST QUESTION HERE ACTUALLY INVOLVES JUST OVERALL LAND USE PLANNING AND IT'S KIND OF A REPETITIVE QUESTION, BUT APOLOGIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE CULTURAL PARK PLACE WAS PURCHASED FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF STEVE WANTS TO SPEAK TO WHAT THE PLANS ARE IN TERMS OF OVERALL MASTER PLANNING THAT SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SAFE PLACE TO PARK THAT DOES NOT USURP OR OTHERWISE PRECLUDE THE FUTURE PLANNING OF, UH, THE OVERALL PROPERTY.
COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT STEVE FOR A MOMENT? GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELORS, UH, YES, DUE TO THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO, UM, GET A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD TO, UH, PROPOSE SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR A MAST, EXCUSE ME, A MASTER PLAN.
UM, AND THEN ONCE THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED TO THEN GET RFPS OUT THERE TO THEN, UH, TRY TO GET CONTRACTORS TO BUILD WHAT IS A PART WE'RE LOOKING AT A LONG TIME DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, ALSO THE LOCATION OF THIS WOULD NOT PRECLUDE, UM, THE START OF OF, OF PHASE ONE AND MANY OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK, SO.
UM, SHANNON AND JEANNIE, UM, HAVE YOU HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF ANY KIND OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ASSIST THE CHILDREN THAT COULD BE, UH, BENEFITED BY THIS PROGRAM? UM, I'LL LET JEANNIE TALK ABOUT HER CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT, UM, PROVIDES FUNDING FOR THOSE SORTS OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
SO I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE SOME THINGS IN PLACE, BUT IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM.
YEAH, SO BASICALLY, UM, THERE ARE 19 HOMELESS FAMILIES, CHILDREN, 19 HOMELESS CHILDREN WHO ATTEND SEDONA SCHOOLS.
UM, AND OF THOSE 19 FAMILIES, EIGHT OF THEM LIVE, ARE LIVE IN THEIR CARS.
AND SO, UM, THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THE PROJECT AS A SAFE PLACE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO BE THAT IS CLOSE IN PROXIMITY AND SAFE, SECURE AND FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT.
YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS HAVE SAID, WELL, GEE, UM, CAN'T THEY JUST DO DISPERSED CAMPING? CAN YOU KIND OF ENLIGHTEN EVERYONE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LIMITATIONS OF DISPERSED CAMPING IN THE FOREST SERVICE LANDS NOW? SURE.
THE, THE FOREST SERVICE HAS REALLY RESTRICTED THE DISPERSED CAMPING, UM, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY.
AND SO THE SPACE, THE SPACES ARE VERY LIMITED.
UM, PEOPLE NEED TO, TO FIND A GOOD CAMPING SPOT, THEY NEED TO TRAVEL FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO THE FOREST.
UM, WHICH FOR A SCHOOL AGE CHILD, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT TRAVEL TIME REALLY TAKES AWAY FROM LIVING STUDYING.
YOU KNOW, PRACTICING THEIR, WHAT THEY NEED TO, UM, FOCUS ON.
UM, AND THERE ARE NO FACILITIES IN DISPERSE, CAMPING.
THERE'S NO PLACE TO TAKE A SHOWER, THERE'S NO PLACE TO USE A RESTROOM.
AND FAIR TO SAY, THERE'S NO SECURITY WHATSOEVER.
[01:15:01]
AN ENVISIONED MAXIMUM NUMBER OF NIGHTS TO UTILIZE THIS PROGRAM? WE HAVEN'T ESTABLISHED THAT.UM, THE IDEA IS THAT FOLKS ARE ON THEIR SERVICE PLAN IF THEIR GOAL IS TO GET INTO HOUSING AND WE WORK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW RIGHT NOW THAT HOUSING CHOICES ARE LIMITED, SO WE CAN'T EXPECT THAT EVERYONE WOULD MOVE ON WITH THIS WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL WE HAVE SOME HOUSING DEVELOPED.
AND RHONDA, THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
UM, MY ONE QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION BECOMING THE, THE PARTNER TO, TO EXECUTE ON THIS? IS THERE ANY PART OF THAT THAT'S GONNA CAUSE YOU TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, COLD SWEATS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT GOING, OH MY GOSH, WHAT HAVE WE DONE? UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WORRIES YOU? WHAT, WHAT CONCERNS YOU ABOUT PULLING THIS OFF SUCCESSFULLY? I, I MOSTLY AM CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC, PUBLIC OPINION BECAUSE, UM, THAT CAN BE VERY TRAUMATIZING TO PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE THE FACILITY.
UM, I AM, WE ARE, WE ARE CHANGING EVERY YEAR.
WE WENT FROM A, A DAYTIME SHELTER TO A FULL-TIME EMERGENCY SHELTER.
WE'RE DOING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
AND NOW THIS POTENTIAL PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF SEDONA, THIS IS A GREAT FIRST STEP BECAUSE WE ARE THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION AND WE WANT TO SERVE THE ENTIRE VALLEY.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, UM, FOR WORKING ON THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS, UM, A FUNDAMENTAL STEP TOWARDS HELPING OUR WORKFORCE, I HOPE, UM, FIND MORE PERMANENT WAYS OF LIVING THAT ARE MORE CONSISTENT AND STABLE.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT.
AND OF COURSE I HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK I READ, AND I MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THIS, IS THAT THE GRANT IS FOR, UM, TWO YEARS.
UH, AND THEN YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RENEW THE GRANT.
UM, YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET FUNDING FROM THE CITY.
WHO KNOWS, TWO YEARS FEELS LIKE A LONG TIME.
HOWEVER, HOW LONG OR IS IT GOING TO TAKE US TO GET ANYTHING BUILT FOR US TO TRANSITION PEOPLE TO, OR ARE WE THINKING THAT WE'LL TRANSITION PEOPLE TO HOUSING SOMEWHERE IN THE VERDE VALLEY WHERE THEY'LL HAVE TO DRIVE INTO SEDONA RATHER THAN LIVING IN THEIR CARS IN SEDONA? SO A COMBINATION OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF HOUSING BUILT IN SEDONA WITHIN 10 OR TWO YEARS.
UM, ANY, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOME.
I AM PRETTY SURE THE VILLAS ON SHELBY WILL BE COMPLETED BY THEN.
UM, HOPEFULLY TWO OTHERS, BUT THAT'S BORDERLINE, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW FUNDING WORKS.
UM, ALSO ALONG THE FUNDING LINE, WE HAVE, UM, PROPOSALS IN CURRENTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
SO IDEALLY THOSE WOULD BE FUNDED AS WELL.
UM, HOUSING SOLUTIONS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA HAS PROPOSED A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROJECT HERE IN SEDONA.
THEY ALSO ALREADY HAVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW IN COTTONWOOD, UM, A HOTEL CONVERSION PROJECT, WHICH WILL HAVE, UH, I FORGET THE NUMBER, I THINK 32 UNITS OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
UM, AND THEY'RE AWARE OF OUR PLANS WITH SAFE PLACE TO PARK AND UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THAT THAT NEED WILL BE THERE.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER PROJECTS UNDERWAY IN COTTONWOOD RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND IN CAMP VERDE AS WELL, THEY HAVE A RATHER LARGE PROJECT.
THEY WERE AWARDED A TAX CREDIT PROJECT LAST YEAR THAT'S UNDERWAY.
SO, UM, AROUND THE VALLEY, THERE IS HOUSING, HOUSING HAPPENING.
UM, WE ANTICIPATE THIS PROGRAM WOULD SORT OF PILOT FOR A YEAR, THEN WE COULD DECIDE AT THAT POINT WHETHER TO CONTINUE IT FOR TWO, WE MAY NEED TO FIND A NEW LOCATION IF THERE JUST STILL IS THIS CRITICAL HOUSING NEED.
BUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE LEFT AT THE END OF TWO YEARS, IF WE DECIDE THE NEED HAS SUBSIDED AND THINGS ARE MOVING MORE SMOOTHLY, UM, A LOT OF THEM MAY CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THEIR VEHICLES AND NOT BE LOOKING FOR HOUSING.
AND AT THAT POINT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO START GOING BACK TO THE FOREST AND, AND MAKING, YOU KNOW, THAT SLIGHTLY MORE DIFFICULT WAY OF LIFE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE, WE REALLY HOPE TO IDENTIFY HOUSING AND HELP FOLKS GET INTO HOUSING WHO WANT TO.
AND, AND COULD YOU JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UM, EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOUSING AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND HOW THAT RELATES TO SAFE PLACE TO PARK? SURE.
[01:20:01]
IS TYPICALLY NOT, THE RENT ISN'T SET, IT IS JUST 30% OF THE HOUSEHOLD'S INCOME.SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR INCOME IS, THEY COULD AFFORD SOME LEVEL OF HOUSING.
UM, ALSO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IS LIMITED TO TWO YEARS.
SO THOSE WHO GO INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING ARE ON A SERVICE PLAN TYPICALLY TO GET INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
UM, JUST SORT OF A GENERAL QUESTION, AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS, THIS ONE'S COMING.
UM, SOME OF THE INFORMATION YOU'VE PROVIDED IN THE PACKET, AND I THINK THAT ANYONE WHO'S BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH, UM, THE INCREASING NUMBER OF HOMELESS FAMILIES DUE TO FINANCIAL CRISES, THE UNAFFORDABILITY OF SOME RENTS, UM, SO FORTH AND SO ON, BUT FOR GOOD DEVELOPMENT, UM, ONE OF THE SECURITIES THAT CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR NEED THOUGH, ACTUALLY I THINK ALL HUMANS NEED IS HOUSING SECURITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT FOOD SECURITY, BUT HOUSING SECURITY IS ONE AS WELL.
ALLOWING THEM TO KNOW THAT THERE'LL BE SOMEPLACE SAFE TO SLEEP AND SOMEPLACE WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GO EVERY NIGHT AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SO TELL ME WHAT HAPPENS WITH, WITH THE KIDS, SINCE THIS IS SORT OF ON A, A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS.
IF THEIR PARENTS AREN'T ABLE TO GET THEM THERE AND THEN THERE'S NO SPOTS, WHAT, THERE'S NO CONSISTENCY FOR THEM.
SO HAVE YOU GUYS THOUGHT ABOUT THIS OR HOW THIS WOULD WORK? OR DOES IT MATTER? AND I'M, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'M JUST OVERBLOWING THE SITUATION.
NO, I THINK THAT'S A, A VALID CONCERN, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, KIND OF SEVERAL OF THE QUESTIONS TODAY HAVE CENTERED AROUND IS THE CAPACITY.
UM, I DON'T ENVISION THIS SITE BEING FULL IMMEDIATELY.
MAYBE THE DEMAND IS THAT BIG, BUT IN THAT CASE, WE WOULD GROW THE SITE.
SO IF WE IDENTIFY THAT WE'RE TURNING AWAY FAMILIES, WE NEED TO ADAPT THAT.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME WE DO HAVE HOPE HOUSE, WHICH IS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, AND IT'S NOT FULL.
SO, I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE TODAY, BUT, UM, THEY WERE, I THINK TWO THIRDS OR THREE QUARTERS FULL LAST TIME I TALKED TO THEM.
SO, SO IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL BE, UM, SORT OF TRACKING LIKE THE, YOU YOU TALKED ABOUT 19 CHILDREN, UM, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN OUR SEDONA SCHOOL DISTRICT BEING CURRENTLY UN HOMED.
UM, WILL YOU BE TRACKING WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO YOU, TO YOU OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO COME? 'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A CHOICE.
WELL, WE CAN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO CHOOSES NOT TO COME.
AND I THINK THAT NUMBER OF HOMELESS CHILDREN FLUCTUATES PRETTY REGULARLY.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY WE'LL KNOW IF FAMILIES APPLY AND THEN AREN'T BEING SERVED.
AND ONE, JUST ONE LAST QUESTION.
SO SUPPOSE SOMEBODY COMES TO THE GATE, UM, DURING YOUR OPEN HOURS AND THERE'S NO ROOM.
DO YOU HAVE A PLAN ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO TELL THEM? LIKE, WHERE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO? UM, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEARBY PARKING IN THE FOREST SERVICE, PRIMARILY, UM, THOSE SORT OF, WHAT IS IT, EIGHT OR NINE DESIGNATED SITES THAT THE FOREST SERVICE, UM, IMPLEMENTED WHEN THEY CLOSED 5 25.
THANK YOU, RHONDA, FOR COMING.
I, I'M CURIOUS WHAT LEVEL OF, UH, EXPERIENCE DOES THE PSYCH MANAGER HAVE? I HAVE TWO OF MY CURRENT EMPLOYEES ARE INTERESTED IN COMING OVER, AND THEY WOULD THEN TRAIN OTHER PEOPLE TO, TO THEIR LEVEL OF EXPERTISE.
WE ALSO HAVE ONGOING TRAINING THAT IS DONE WHENEVER THEY ARE WORKING.
THEY, AND THEY HAVE A FEW MINUTES THEY CAN CONTINUE THE ONGOING TRAINING.
IT TELLS HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE AND HOW TO, UM, GO ABOUT.
AND INITIALLY THEY WILL BE SPENDING AT LEAST SEVERAL WEEKS IN THE SHELTER TRAINING WITH, WITH OUR DEMOGRAPHIC BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S THE RIGHT JOB FOR THEM, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FOR EVERYBODY I KNOW.
AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE IS ABOUT HOPE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, HOPE HOUSE OPENED UP AND THEY'VE HAD THREE MANAGERS AND THEY DON'T LAST VERY LONG FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
SO WHAT IS YOUR TURNOVER IN YOUR FACILITY BEEN LIKE? UM, I JOINED THE FACILITY IN AUGUST OF 2020.
UM, AND I HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE THAT JOINED ME IN DECEMBER OF 2021 THAT JOINED ME IN MARCH OF 21 AND ONE THAT JOINED ME IN ABOUT APRIL OF 21.
SO MY TURNOVER'S VERY LOW, UM, BECAUSE
[01:25:01]
WHEN THE RIGHT PERSON, IT'S, WHEN IT'S THE RIGHT FIT, IT'S THE RIGHT FIT.AND NONPROFIT WORK IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND IT'S NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
SO PEOPLE HAVE TO REALLY HAVE A PASSION FOR WANTING TO HELP PEOPLE AND, AND MAKING A CHANGE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
I WOULD SAY, UH, LET ME THINK.
IN THE PAST YEAR, I THINK WE LOST, WE HAD TWO PEOPLE TURNOVER AND ONE WAS FOR MOVING, SO IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T A HUGE TURNOVER.
SO THIS PERSON IS AT A MANAGER LEVEL, SO WE CALL THEM A SITE MANAGER.
UM, IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAT IF THEY WORKED AT THE SHELTER, THEY WOULD BE THE SHELTER MANAGER AT THE TIME.
SO, UM, THEY WOULD, THAT THEY ARE IN EFFECT MANAGING THE SITE.
THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS DAY TO DAY OF, IS IT TIME TO HAVE INTERVENTION WITH SOMEBODY HIGHER AUTHORITY THAN ME? IS IT TIME TO HAVE THE POLICE COME? IS IT, YOU KNOW, DO I FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THIS SITUATION? THEY HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ON, AM ON CALL 24 HOURS A DAY.
SO I DEAL WITH A LOT OF THINGS BY PHONE AND COACH THEM THROUGH SESSIONS.
AND COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN, DO THEY LIVE ON THIS SITE? IS THERE A TRAILER OR A HOME, OR HOW WOULD, HOW WOULD THAT WORK? WE HAD DEBATED WHETHER OR NOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY LIVING IN AN, EXCUSE ME, LIVING IN AN RV, BE THERE ON SITE ALL THE TIME.
BUT THE PROBLEM AROSE WITH EMPLOYMENT LAWS AND PAYING SOMEBODY FOR 24 HOURS A DAY DOESN'T QUITE WORK WITH OUR BUDGET.
SO, UM, WE LOOKED INTO MOBILE MINI STORAGE, BRINGING AN OFFICE TRAILER ON SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO BE IN THEIR DOWNTIME.
BUT, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, I EXPECT THAT DOING THE CLIENT'S WAKING HOURS, THEY WOULD BE OUT AMONGST THEM AND, BUT THEY WOULD BE THERE OVERNIGHT AND THEN THEY WOULD BE OVER THERE OVERNIGHT.
THEY COULD STAY DURING THE DAY THE NEXT DAY, OR THEY WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE.
THEY WOULD LEAVE, THEY WOULD GO TO THEIR, UM, RESPECTIVE HOMES WHEREVER THEY LIVE.
I, AND UH, EARLIER I WAS ASKING SHANNON THIS QUESTION ABOUT PEOPLE WHO COME, AND THIS GOES TO WHAT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT COUNCILOR DUNN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHETHER THEY, BECAUSE IN DISPERSE CAMPING AND IN THE FOREST SERVICE, YOU CAN STAY FOR 14 DAYS.
I MEAN, PEOPLE COMING EVERY DAY TO CHECK IN SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT'S A BURDEN AND NOT, DOESN'T NECESSARILY ACHIEVE PART OF THE GOALS THAT WE WANT.
STABILITY, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ALSO INTEREST OF GETTING SERVICES TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND IT BEING AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T SAY, OH, I LIKE YOU BETTER, SO I'M GONNA, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE NO PROBLEM TO DEAL WITH, SO I'M NOT GONNA LET, I'M GONNA LET YOU IN.
IT JUST, IT JUST GOES TO AWARENESS AND THE ABILITY TO SEE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN, AND PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA WANNA COME EVERY DAY.
AND YES, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA WANNA BE THERE EVERY DAY.
WE RUN INTO THIS ALL THE TIME WITH OUR SHELTER.
WE FILL UP BECAUSE WE'RE FIRST COME FIRST SERVE, WE FILL UP.
WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES WHERE WE COULD PUT THEM IN OTHER PLACES, NOT VERY MANY.
JUST, IT'S THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS AND THE ABILITY TO SERVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO, SO IT OPENS AT FIVE O'CLOCK, RIGHT? UM, I'M POTENTIALLY THINKING FOUR BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO BRING THEM TO PEOPLE.
BUT WE HAVE A LARGE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY HERE WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT ON NINE TO FIVE.
AND SO LET'S SAY PEOPLE ARE WORKING 12 TO EIGHT, THEY'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO, THEORETICALLY WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET A SPACE BECAUSE THEORETICALLY AT FIVE O'CLOCK, ALL THE PEOPLE KNOW IT'S OPEN.
THEY'LL BE COMING THERE AND THEY'LL TAKE UP THE 40 SPACES.
SO WE HAVE, WE ANTICIPATE THAT BECAUSE THIS WILL BE A WORKING PEOPLE, IF THE EMPLOYEE SHOWS US A SCHEDULE THAT SHOWS THAT THEY'RE WORKING TILL 10, WE WILL LET THEM CALL WHEN THE GATES OPEN TO RESERVE THEIR SPOT.
THAT WAY THEY HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THAT RESPONSE.
THE OTHER THING, UH, TWO OTHER AREAS I WANTED TO EXPLORE.
ONE IS, HOW IS THIS ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK IN CONTRACTUALLY? ARE WE LEASING THIS SPACE TO YOU? ARE, ARE, OR ARE WE JUST DOING A SERVICE CONTRACT? I THINK AT THIS POINT WE WOULD JUST DO A SERVICE CONTRACT.
UM, PERHAPS AFTER THE FIRST YEAR WE COULD CONSIDER LEASING THE SPACE.
[01:30:01]
CHANGES THE LIABILITY FOR THE HOMELESS COALITION, WHICH WOULD ADD TO THEIR COSTS, UM, WHICH WOULD ONLY ADD TO OUR COSTS.SO THEN I WILL ASK, UM, IS CHIEF FOLEY HERE I SEE DEPUTY CHIEF QUICKEN IN TERMS OF, OF SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE PROTECTION, IF IT'S NOT LEASED LAND AND IT'S CITY LAND, HOW DOES THAT, IF, IF AT ALL, IMPACT YOU AND YOUR ABILITY TO, WHEN YOU'RE CALLED TO THE SITE TO TAKE ACTION? OKAY.
UH, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, GOOD PEOPLE OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION, SO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN RESPOND TO THAT WHEN WE GET THERE.
UH, THE DETERMINATION CAN BE MADE BY THE SITE MANAGER IF THEY ARE GONNA ASK SOMEBODY TO LEAVE, WHICH IT'LL BE UP TO THEM WHEN THEY INDICATE THAT THEY WANT THE PERSON TO LEAVE.
IF THEY REFUSE TO LEAVE, THAT'S WHEN THE POLICE CAN GET INVOLVED.
OUR MAIN GOAL WOULD BE THERE TO KEEP THE PEACE AND HOPEFULLY, UH, HAVE THE PERSON LEAVE THE SITE PRIOR TO IT ESCALATING AND ANY FURTHER.
BUT IF THEY REFUSE TO LEAVE, THEN WE COULD GET INVOLVED.
SO YOU CAN TRESPASS FROM THAT SITE'S? WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK INTO.
I KNOW THAT IF WE LEASED THE LAND OUT, WE CAN, IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAN IF WE, IF SOMEONE HAD A PRIVATE EVENT AT THE HUB THAT WE LEASED OUT AND THEY WANTED SOMEBODY TO LEAVE, WE COULD ASK THEM TO LEAVE.
THE PART I WOULD'VE TO DOUBLE CHECK ON IS IF WE DON'T HAVE A A LEASE AGREEMENT, CAN WE CLOSE IT OFF TO THE RESIDENCE OR ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO BE THERE AT THE TIME.
UH, WE ABSOLUTELY CAN CLOSE IT, JUST LIKE CITY HALL.
SO THE BACK PARTS OF CITY HALL, ALTHOUGH IT'S PUBLIC PROPERTY, IT IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN THAT SENSE.
IT'S ONLY INVITE OPEN TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, AND SO ANYONE VIOLATING THE RULES OR ANYONE ELSE TRYING TO SNEAK IN OR GETTING IN, IF THEY'RE TRESPASSED, THEY CAN, THEY CAN BE TRESPASSED AND, AND PD CAN, CAN CITE THEM OR REMOVE 'EM IF THEY REFUSE TO REMOVE THEMSELVES.
SO PEOPLE NEED DAYS OFF AND THEY NEED VACATIONS AND THEY NEED ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO ARE YOU PLANNING TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, A PRIMARY PERSON AND A BACKUP PERSON, OR HOW ARE YOU GONNA ENSURE CONTINUITY? THERE ARE, THERE WILL BE THREE PEOPLE THAT, UM, WORK ON ROTATING SHIFTS.
UM, AND THEN WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY IN PLACE THAT'S AN ON-CALL EMPLOYEE FOR EMERGENCY DAYS OFF AND VACATION DAYS.
HAVE YOU HAD TROUBLE RECRUITING FOLKS? OH YES.
BUT YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT YOU WOULD BE? I'M CONFIDENT WE WILL FIND PEOPLE.
AND UH, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, YOU SAID THAT SOMEBODY SAID THERE WAS A 37 PAGE APPLICATION FOR YES.
THAT'S, THAT'S TO, THAT'S TO REGISTER PEOPLE FOR HOUSING SERVICES.
SO WE ARE PART OF A CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND HAVING AN EIGHT OH GRANT MEANS THAT NOW THAT THE CITY IS A PART OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, WHICH OUR GOAL IS TO GET EVERYONE INTO HOUSING THAT WANTS TO BE IN HOUSING.
AND SO THAT WHOLE PROCESS IS 37 PAGES.
AND DO YOU THINK IT'S REALISTIC THAT THAT COULD BE DONE WHEN SOMEONE'S IN THEIR CAR ON THIS SITE? DO IT EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK? YOU DO? YES.
I THINK IT MIGHT HELP IF YOU SAW THE 37 PAGES.
IT'S NOT ALL LIKE, FILL IN THE BLANK, 37 PAGES.
IT'S LIKE, CHECK BOX, CHECK A BOX.
ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR RACE? WHAT'S YOUR AGE? KIND OF, I THINK WE SHOULD, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING TO THE LIBRARY AND OTHER PLACES AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO PRE-REGISTER, BECAUSE WHAT IF THEY SHOW UP AND THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS APPLICATION AND, AND THE SITE MANAGERS THERE AND TRYING TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME AND THEY HAVE TO BRING SOME KIND OF PROOF OF, YOU KNOW, PAY STUB OR SOME DISABILITY OR SOMETHING ELSE AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT AND IT GETS PRETTY COMPLICATED AND COULD CAUSE BACKUPS.
PEOPLE BEHIND THEM WHO WANT TO GET A SPACE, I THINK WELL IN ADVANCE OF OPENING, WE WILL START PUTTING OUT THE REQUIREMENTS AND THIS IS WHEN THE SIGNUPS ARE GOING TO BE.
AND OH, WE'VE JUST ADDED ANOTHER ONE BECAUSE I KNOW JEANIE'S POST GOT TERRIFIC VIEWS ON, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO I KNOW THAT PEOPLE READ THEM.
AND SO PUTTING THAT OUT THERE AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE AWARE WHEN THE SIGNUP EVENTS ARE GOING TO BE AND WHAT DOCUMENTS THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW.
I THINK PARTNERSHIPS WILL HELP US A LOT.
EMPLOYERS, FOOD BANK, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
[01:35:01]
WITH A GROUP OF REALTORS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK.IT WAS A DIFFERENT TOPIC, BUT DURING THAT MEETING, ONE OF THE REALTORS SAID THAT THERE WERE OVER 30 PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF WHO WERE REALTORS WHO DIDN'T HAVE HOUSING
SO I THINK THE MORE WE CAN WORK, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR PARTNERING WITH, WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, IT WOULD MAKE IT A SMOOTHER OPERATION.
I I JUST WORRY ABOUT THE STABILITY ISSUE AND ABOUT CHILDREN AND THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO COME EVERY DAY AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
JUST WISH WE COULD THINK ABOUT AT LEAST GIVING THEM A FEW DAYS.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS CAN THINK ABOUT.
SO, UH, RHONDA, JUST STAY PUT.
YOU LOOK MORE COMFORTABLE THERE THAN YOU WERE OVER HERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU SITTING UP THERE.
UM, SO WE, THE VICE MAYOR JUST TALKED ABOUT, UH, PROFESSIONALS, UH, WHO ARE HOMELESS.
DO YOU, DURING YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE, YOUR 37 PAGES ASK PEOPLE WHY THEY'RE HOMELESS? MM-HMM.
IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL, UH, DEALINGS WITH PEOPLE, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT, UH, DO WELL, DO YOU HAVE A, A FIGURE ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS DUE TO SHORT TERM RENTALS? I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT A FIGURE ON THAT.
I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT REPORT THAT THEIR HOME HAS BEEN SOLD AND THEY WERE RENTERS.
NOT TO SHARE IT NOW, BUT YOU DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA, SHANNON, UH, OR RHONDA, THE AMOUNT OF CARS VERSUS VANS? ANY IDEA? BECAUSE I'M WONDERING IF FAMILIES COULD BE LIVING IN VANS, BE BETTER THAN A CAR, BE A LITTLE BIT MORE HABITABLE, UM, FOR THE REGISTRATION, HE SAID GO TO THE LIBRARY.
HAD, WAS THERE ANY LOOK, UH, THOUGHTS TO ONLINE REGISTRATION OF, TO, TO COME BACK ONCE YOU GET THE, UH, INITIAL REGISTRATION SET UP? WE HADN'T SPOKEN ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND YOU MEAN FOR CONTINUING SIGNUPS ON DAILY OR TO SIGN UP INITIALLY? EITHER ONE.
WHATEVER WOULD WORK TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS SIGNING UP? INITIALLY IT NEEDS TO BE A PERSON BECAUSE WE WANNA START TO ESTABLISH A CONNECTION.
THE FACT IS, IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DO NOT TRUST PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT LIKE THEM.
AND SO ESTABLISH, ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP IS COMPLETELY VITAL IN THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING I, I KNOW, SHANNON, YOU TOUCHED ON IT, THE, UH, LICENSE PLATES, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND WE WANT TAKE CARE OF THEM, AND ESPECIALLY SPECIFICALLY THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYED HERE, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO DON'T, WHO DO COME INTO TOWN FOR MAYBE FOUR, SIX MONTHS AT A TIME FOR SPECIFIC BUSINESSES.
AND THEY COME WITH VERY EXPENSIVE VANS AND THEY ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LOCATIONS THEY'RE WORKING, YOU'RE, YOU'RE AWARE WHERE THEY'RE WORKING, SOME OF THEM ANYWAY, UH, THEY WILL NOT BE PUT OUT AS LONG AS THEY FOLLOW THROUGH THE WHOLE REGISTRATION, THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE INCLUDED AS WELL.
IS THAT RIGHT? YOU'RE REFERRING TO TEMPORARY WORKERS OR YES.
YEAH, THE FLAVOR OF THE DAY IS, SURE.
BUT THEY, THEY ARE PROVIDING A SERVICE AS LONG AS THEY'RE WORKING.
WHAT'S THAT? AS LONG AS THEY'RE WORKING.
WE, WE WOULDN'T GO ANY FURTHER THAN TO ASK FOR PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT, SO, OKAY.
UM, AND I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, THE AGENDA BILL IT, UH, UNDER A SUSTAINABILITY CONSISTENT, IT'S NOT APPLICABLE, BUT YET THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON OUT THERE THAT ARE CONCERN.
AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, I MEAN, I, I KNOW THAT THE SHOWERS AND BATHROOMS, THEY'RE SELF-CONTAINED, THAT THAT WATER DOES NOT COME IN ON THE GROUND.
UM, ACTUALLY I IS KURT HERE, YOU CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, YES, KURT COULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, FROM PUBLIC WORKS, WE HAVE DISCUSSED A GRAY WATER DISCHARGE FOR THE SHOWERS.
AND YOU KNOW, I WORKED AT A DQ AND HELPED WRITE THE GRAY, GRAY WATER RULES.
SO TYPICALLY IF YOU DON'T CONTAIN IT, IT'S NOT CONSIDERED A HAZARD AS LONG AS IT'S DIRECT DISCHARGE.
[01:40:01]
LOCATED, WE WERE GONNA ACCESS THAT WATER TO EXISTING TREES, TRIM 'EM UP, MAKE A TREE, WELL HAVE 'EM OVERFLOW.BUT THAT WOULD WHERE THE GENERATOR WOULD GO.
SO WE'D PUT, UH, PERIMETER FENCING JUST BECAUSE THAT'S EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT AND IT'D BE ON THE SAFE SIDE SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY PUBLIC ACCESS.
AND TYPICALLY PEOPLE ARE GONNA SHOWER IF IN THE MORNING OR THE DAYTIME.
WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT WATER'S QUICKLY ABSORBED MORE IN THE SUMMER THAN IN THE WINTER.
AND IF WE HAVE TO, WE JUST ADD THAT TO CONNECTING TREE WELLS AND, UM, THERE'S NO ODOR, THERE'S NO USE AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE TREES ARE GONNA LOVE IT, EVEN THOUGH IF IT'S SOAPY WATER YEP.
YOU CAN RETROFIT YOUR HOUSE TO TAKE, UH, YOUR, UM, LAUNDRY.
AND, UH, ENCOURAGE IT BECAUSE, UH, ARIZONA IS SUFFERING THROUGH A DROUGHT AND THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO TO TRY TO MAKE EVERY DROP COUNT.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT IS HAS ME CONCERNED IS, UH, THE DIESEL FUEL AND THE GENERATOR AND THE GENERATOR AND SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE FOR DIESEL.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE SAME AS GASOLINE, BUT CERTAINLY NOTHING YOU WANNA BREATHE IN.
BUT HOW SUSTAINABLE IS THAT FOR KURT? CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? YEAH, WE LOOKED AT TRYING TO DO A BATTERY OPTION AND SOLAR GENERATOR SYSTEM, BUT LOOKING AT THE WATTAGE AND THE POWER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SHOWER, IT HAS ITS OWN PUMP AND SO ON.
UM, THAT THE DEMAND WAS TOO HIGH.
SO THE MOST ECONOMICAL, UH, VALUE WE CAN DO WOULD BE A DIESEL GENERATOR AT THIS TIME.
WE DID ALSO LOOK AT TRYING TO BRING POWER TO THE PROJECT, BUT JUST DOING THAT BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE THEFT, THE COPPER THEFT THAT HAPPENED AT CULTURAL PARK, IT WASN'T COST FE FEASIBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE PUTTING IT AT THE MOST REMOTE LOCATION.
AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES WE HAVE THERE.
THERE'S NO VERY SPOTTY WIFI OR CELLULAR CHALLENGES THERE AS WELL.
BUT, UM, KIND TEND TO KIND OF WRAP UP TO EVERYBODY TOO ON THE SECURITY CAMERAS.
I WAS JUST TALKING WITH JEANIE AND WE CAN TRY TO DO, UH, UH, WILDLIFE CAMERAS THAT ARE A THOUSAND THAT CAN DIRECT RIGHT TO THE HOST SO THEY CAN MONITOR, UM, WHO COMES, WHO LEAVES THEIR MOTION SENSOR, INFRARED LIGHT.
UM, THEY CAN HAVE VIDEO OR PICTURES THAT ACTUALLY GO THROUGH, UM, SKYNET THROUGH THE SATELLITE SYSTEM.
SO THERE ARE TECHNICAL OPTIONS THAT WE CAN USE SINCE IT'S REMOTE AND KIND OF LIKE THAT.
AND OUR SUSTAINABLE TEAM, THEY DID SIGN OFF ON IT AS WELL WITH, WITH KURT'S, UH, INFORMATION.
WE'VE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT A LOT OF THE OPTIONS.
YOU MIGHT'VE NOTICED THE LIGHTING'S A LITTLE EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOLAR BOLLARDS AND THEY'RE, UM, THEY, THEY'VE DEFINITELY WEIGHED IN ON THE PROGRAM AND ARE TRYING TO HELP US WORK THROUGH ANY DETAILS.
UM, ALSO I WOULD ADD THAT I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH A PS IDEALLY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET POWER THERE, BUT ONE OF THE HOLDUPS IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO INSTALL A PANEL.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE ARE IN PRETTY SHORT SUPPLY RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, THE GENERATORS MIGHT NOT BE THE PERMANENT SOLUTION, BUT IT'S SORT OF A WAIT AND SEE RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, DOES A PS OFFER ANY KIND OF A GRANT PROGRAM FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT MAYBE THAT COULD BE WORKED THROUGH? 'CAUSE INSTEAD OF GOING AND BUYING A GENERATOR, WHICH IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, UH, HAS IT BEEN OUTREACH WITH THEM TO SEE IF WE, THEY, THEY COULD DO SOMETHING AND MAYBE THEY CAN COME UP WITH A PANEL.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THEY CAN'T COME UP WITH THE PANEL
THEY DID ALREADY SAY LIKE, WE HAVE A HARD ENOUGH TIME GETTING PANELS, YOU'LL HAVE TO DO THAT.
IF YOU CAN DO THAT, THEN WE CAN WORK WITH YOU.
BASICALLY WAS WAS THE LAST CONVERSATION THAT I HAD.
UM, WE DID HAVE KIND OF A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE GENERATOR AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS FELT LIKE IT COULD BE USEFUL.
SO IF WE PURCHASED IT FOR THIS PROGRAM, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE FOR OTHER, UM, PARKS AND RECS EVENTS AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES, SO.
SO IF YOU EVER DID GET A A SERVICE PANEL, YOU COULD BE ABLE TO RESURFACE, UH, REPURPOSE, RIGHT? YES.
UH, SO THEN I WANT TO TALK TO ABOUT, IT WAS MENTIONED, UH, FOR WORKERS FOR THIS PROGRAM, IT WOULD BE $2 A NIGHT.
I MEAN, YES, MAYBE THEY WON'T BE THE TOP LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT HERE, BUT $2 A NIGHT SEEMS KIND OF LOW.
I'M NOT SAYING WHAT HIGH WOULD BE, BUT HAVE OTHER NUMBERS BEEN BOUNCED AROUND FOR THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPLOYED? NOT REALLY.
I THINK FOR A LONG TIME WE DIDN'T REALLY THINK ABOUT THERE BEING A COST AND SOME
[01:45:01]
OF THE PARTICIPANTS EVEN SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE A FEE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD, I DON'T KNOW, KEEP SOME PEOPLE OUT OR, UM, SO WE, WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION BRIEFLY, BUT NOT IN DEPTH.AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S, UM, NOT CRITICAL AT, AT $2 A NIGHT WE WOULD GENERATE, UM, ABOUT $29,000 A YEAR MAX IF WE STAYED AT 40 SPACES.
UM, I SEE THE VALUE IN HAVING A FEE FOR HAVING PEOPLE BEING MORE ENGAGED AND RIGHT.
INTENTIONALLY KIND OF LEFT THAT FOR A DISCUSSION HERE.
YOU WANT THAT DISCUSSION HERE? YES, TODAY.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL ONCE FOR QUESTIONS AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN THE BETTER TIME, BUT WE'RE NOT, UH, THIS IS FOR, UH, DISCUSSION DIRECTION, BUT IT'S GONNA COME BACK AGAIN.
SO I ANTICIPATE WHEN WE COME BACK, UM, IT WILL BE FOR CONTRACT APPROVALS, BUT YES, WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION THEN.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WOULD WANNA WEIGH IN ON.
MAYOR, WE COULD, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC NEXT AND THEN WE GO TO OUR COMMENTS AND WHY CAN'T WE DISCUSS THAT MAYBE DURING OUR COMMENT PERIOD.
WELL, COMMENTS? I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UH, THOSE ARE, THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTIONS AND WE'LL GO NOW TO THE PUBLIC.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION IF THAT'S OKAY.
THE SITE MANAGER'S GONNA LEAVE IN THE MORNING AFTER DOING WHATEVER THEY DO IN TERMS OF CLEANING UP AND SECURING THE SITE.
THERE'S SHOWERS THERE AND I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE LOCKED UP AND THERE'S, UM, PORTA-POTTIES THERE.
I KNOW THEY'RE GONNA BE LOCKED UP.
THERE'S WATER GONNA MAY OR MAY NOT BE WATER THERE.
UM, ARE YOU AT ALL CONCERNED ABOUT SECURING THAT SPOT, THAT FACILITY DURING THE DAY? IS THAT, IS THIS GOING TO BE, UH, AN ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE OF SOME SORT? HAVE YOU GIVEN THOUGHT TO THAT? 'CAUSE I, I HAVE GIVEN SOME THOUGHT TO IT.
I WAS, I WAS EXCITED BY THE IDEA OF SENSORS THAT PERHAPS COULD ALERT POLICE OR SOMEBODY TO GO AND TAKE A LOOK.
BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT AND IS THAT NOT SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT WANNA THINK ABOUT NOW AS OPPOSED TO LATER? TO ME, THAT WAS ONE OF THE PRIMARY BENEFITS OF CAMERAS.
UM, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MONITOR THE SITE EVEN WHEN IT'S CLOSED.
AND SO YOU'RE, AND, AND, OKAY, THANK YOU.
THAT GENERATES A QUESTION FOR MR.
AND WHO WOULD DO THIS MONITORING? THAT'S RIGHT.
WE STILL HAVE TO DECIDE THAT, BUT FORTUNATELY THAT'S DURING THE DAYTIME WHEN IT'S CLOSED AND NOT NIGHTTIME WHEN WE WOULD ALL BE ASLEEP.
SO, UM, POTENTIALLY THAT COULD BE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
IT'S, IT WOULD JUST BE ONGOING FOOTAGE AND, UM, THE CAMERAS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT USING COULD COME TO YOUR CELL PHONE.
SO THEY'D BE RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO LOOK AT.
BUT I DO LIKE YOUR IDEA ABOUT, UM, AN, UH, A MONITOR OR SOME KIND OF AN ALARM IF YEAH, AS LONG AS, YEAH, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT SECURING THAT SITE DURING THE DAY BECAUSE FOR ME, WELL, THAT'S A COMMENT.
UH, WE'LL GO TO THE QUESTIONS.
UM, I'LL CALL A NAME AND I'LL CALL AN ONDECK NAME.
AND, UH, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW AND I WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE THEIR THREE MINUTES.
SO WE'LL START WITH LINDA MARTINEZ.
START WITH YOUR NAME, CITY OF RESIDENT.
UH, AFTER, UH, LINDA WILL BE CHIP NORTON.
SO IF YOU CAN JUST BE READY ON DECK.
LINDA MARTINEZ, SEDONA MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND, AND COUNSELORS.
UM, I'D LIKE TO COMMEND JEANNIE AND SHANNON FOR DOING SUCH A THOROUGH JOB, UM, IN, IN RESEARCHING THIS AND THINKING IT THROUGH.
UM, I'M PART OF THE HOUSING ADVISORY GROUP AND WE MEET MONTHLY AND WE TALK ABOUT ALL IDEAS TO CREATE HOUSING.
AND THE VERY FACT THAT WE HAVE TO EVEN CONSIDER A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP IN YOUR CAR SPEAKS TO WHERE WE ARE IN THE HOUSING CRISIS.
AND WE'RE TALKING PEOPLE OF ALL INCOMES, MOSTLY AT THE LOWER END OF WHICH WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO HOUSING FOR THEM IN SEDONA.
[01:50:01]
ONE THING WE DO KNOW IS THAT TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING IN SEDONA IS REALLY DIFFICULT.WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST COSTS IN THE COUNTRY AND YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION AND UM, AND FOR GIVING US THE DIGNITY TO SAY THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE VALUE AND WORTH.
AND RHONDA, THANK YOU TOO FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS.
I DID WANNA, I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS AND, AND YOU'VE PRO YOU'VE HEARD FROM THESE GROUPS, THE FOOD BANK, ST.
ANDREW'S, FREE MEAL, THEY ALL STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD THINK OUR POLICE, UH, FORCE IS STRONGLY SUPPORTING IT BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE SAFETY ISSUE, WHICH IS A TRUE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE.
SO WE'RE NOT PUTTING OUR HEAD IN THE SAND AND, AND I'M AND I'M REALLY PLEASED ABOUT THAT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT CONTINUUM OF CARE, AND IT MADE ME FEEL GOOD TO HEAR THAT THE CITY IS NOW A PART OF THAT CONTINUUM OF CARE IS TO CONSIDER, UM, A LOT FINDING SOME RESOURCES SO THAT IF THEIR CARS BREAK DOWN, THAT THEY CAN MAKE PAYMENTS.
AND I'M SURE YOU'VE ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF THIS IS NEW.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TEACHING OURSELVES.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO EMPHASIZE WHAT SHANNON SAID EARLIER, THAT THERE IS A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, UH, UM, FACILITY, UH, HOMES THAT'S GOING IN IN COTTONWOOD.
IT WILL BE READY AROUND JUNE OR JULY.
AND YES, IT WAS 32 UNITS AND THAT'LL BE TWO YEARS OF HOUSING.
IT WILL GRADUALLY CONVERT INTO, UM, PERMANENT HOUSING, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING AFTER THE FIVE YEARS, UM, IS COMPLETED TO, TO COMPLETE THE GRANT.
AND THAT'S THROUGH, UM, HOUSING SOLUTIONS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY, I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S A CONCERN ALSO ABOUT PEOPLE RUNNING THEIR CARS.
I THINK THAT WAS ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT I'M TOLD BY SOMEBODY WHOSE SON GREW UP HERE, WENT TO SCHOOL HERE AND IS NOW WORKING TWO JOBS AND LIVING IN HIS CAR, UH, THAT THERE ARE PLUGINS IN YOUR LIGHTER FOR, FOR WARMTH.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
CHIP NORTON WILL BE CAL, UH, FOLLOWED BY CAL, UH, KAMINSKI.
THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M PRESIDENT OF THE HOMELESS COALITION.
AND, UH, JUST BRIEFLY, WHEN I WAS FIRST ASKED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD, UH, BY THE MAYOR OF COTTONWOOD, WHO WAS A FOUNDER OF THE HOMELESS COALITION COALITION, UH, THE FIRST THING I DID IS I WENT OVER THERE TO THE SHELTER JUST TO SEE HOW IT WAS RUN.
I HAD NO IDEA IF IT WAS A SAFE PLACE, A DANGEROUS PLACE, WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WERE THERE IF THERE WERE DRUG ISSUES, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.
UH, I WAS SURPRISED AT HOW DISCIPLINED THE OPERATION WAS AND HOW CLEAN IT WAS.
I'VE BEEN TO THREE EVENTS SINCE, AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF WHY THE, THE SHELTER AND THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING THAT'S BEEN FINISHED IN COTTONWOOD HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THE, UM, COMMANDER AND ACTING MARSHAL FOR THE POLICE FORCE IS ON THE BOARD OF THE HOMELESS COALITION.
THEY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE, THE HOMELESS COALITION.
AND, UH, THEY FEEL THAT THE SHELTER, WHICH IS LOCATED ON MAIN STREET NEAR DOWNTOWN COTTONWOOD, PROVIDES A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF HELPING WITH THE HOMELESS, UH, HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.
THE MAYOR IS A FOUNDER OF THE HOMELESS COALITION.
SO THE CITY OF COTTONWOOD WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH US ON CODE ISSUES, ENFORCEMENT ISSUES, WHATEVER.
AND THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS ON THE BOARD OF THE HOMELESS COALITION.
SO WE GET GREAT INPUT, FEEDBACK FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
SO SINCE RHONDA HAS TAKEN OVER THE OPERATION OF THE SHELTER AND WE'VE HAD THREE EVENTS THERE, AND BY THE WAY, WHEN I FIRST WENT TO FIND IT, I DROVE PAST IT THREE TIMES 'CAUSE I, IT'S, IT'S SO QUIET THERE AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S ON MAIN STREET AND BASICALLY WHAT THE LATEST THING FROM THE TOWN OF CAMP VERDE IS, I'M SORRY, COTTONWOOD, UM, IS THEY'RE GONNA GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL FIVE BEDS.
SO WE'LL HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE SPOTS IN THE SHELTER.
SO I THINK, UH, AND I, I THINK ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN VERY COGENT AND WELL THOUGHT OUT DUE DILIGENCE, BUT, UM,
[01:55:02]
THIS HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL THING IN THE HEART OF, OF COTTONWOOD, UM, WITH THE HOMELESS COALITION THANKS TO RHONDA.CAROL WILL BE FOLLOWED BY AARON, UH, ENG, GREGO, G GREGO.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNSELORS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WANTED TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, ABOUT WHAT WE'VE FOUND OUT IN TALKING SO MANY, OH, START WITH YOUR NAME.
YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
AND, UH, I'M, UH, RESIDENT OF SEDONA.
I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD OF THE FOOD BANK AND I ALSO WORK THERE EVERY WEEK.
I CHECK PEOPLE IN, SO I GET TO KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS.
I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR OVER FOUR YEARS.
AND SO WHEN I SAW THIS FLYER THAT CAME OUT, SAID, ARE YOU EMPLOYED BY A SEDONA BUSINESS? ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH HOUSING? DO YOU RESIDE IN YOUR CAR? WHICH IS PRETTY DIRECT, RIGHT? I PUT THIS RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF WHERE I CHECKED PEOPLE IN AND I JUST WAITED TO SEE IF ANYBODY WOULD PICK IT UP.
'CAUSE I WAS CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WAS THERE INTEREST? WAS THERE NEED, WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD REALLY RESPOND TO? AND WHAT REALLY SURPRISED ME WAS IN THE COURSE OF JUST TWO DIFFERENT DAYS OF DOING THIS, I WORK ABOUT, UH, EIGHT TO NOON, UH, ON WEDNESDAYS, TWO DIFFERENT TIMES I'VE, I FOUND AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY, I WOULD SAY, ABOUT 40 PEOPLE WHO PICKED UP THE FIRE.
AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC.
SO I ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, AND I SAID, SO WHY ARE YOU REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS? AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS.
ONE, I NEED A SAFE SPACE WHERE I CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT AND I'M NOT GONNA BE BOTHERED.
AND I'M NOT GONNA BE WORRIED THAT SOMEONE'S, MAYBE THEY'RE GONNA BREAK IN OR THAT I MIGHT BE TICKETED, MY CAR MIGHT BE TOWED.
UH, THE SECOND THING IS, WOW, SHOWERS, I MEAN, THEIR EYES LIT UP, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SHOWERS AND BE ABLE TO JUST ACCESS THAT AS A NORMAL COURSE OF, OF THE DAY.
AND RESTROOMS, I MEAN, THEY'RE BASIC NEEDS, BUT THEY'RE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY REALLY NEED.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THAT ENTHUSIASM AND ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE DOING THIS AS, AS, AS SHANNON HAS MENTIONED, THESE ARE VERY HIGH FUNCTIONING PEOPLE.
THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT WE SEE EVERY DAY AT THE STORES.
WE SEE 'EM AT THE RESTAURANTS, THEY'RE DOING IT 'CAUSE I CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO LIVE.
AND I HEAR THOSE STORIES ALMOST EVERY WEEK.
PEOPLE COME IN AND GO, MY RENT DOUBLE, MY RENT WENT UP.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO LIVE IN MY CAR.
IT'S JUST A COMMON REFRAIN AND I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON THAT HERE AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PLANS.
SO I WOULD REALLY ASK THAT YOU STRONGLY CONSIDER THAT WE WOULD DO THIS AS A SHORT TERM SOLUTION TO HELP THESE FOLKS LIVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT FRANKLY THEY SHOULD AND THAT THEY DESERVE.
AARON WILL BE FOLLOWED BY MIKE RAINEY.
UH, THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, I WORK AT THUNDER MOUNTAIN BIKES.
I'VE BEEN COMING TO SEDONA FOR YOU ABOUT SEVEN YEARS NOW.
SEASONALLY, UM, IN THE WARM WEATHER MONTHS, I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER.
UM, WHEN THE WINTER ROLLS AROUND, I COME TO SEDONA 'CAUSE I LIKE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE.
AND I WORKED SEASONALLY, UM, RESTAURANTS.
I'VE DONE FOUR BY FOUR TOURS AND NOW I'M WORKING AT THE BIKE SHOP SINCE I, THEY WERE ACTUALLY A CLIENT OF MINE.
UM, I DID A SHOOT FOR THEM LAST YEAR.
UM, WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE PROGRAM, I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE FOR SEASONAL WORKERS SORT OF BECOMING SOMETHING THAT I, UH, I THOUGHT IT WASN'T THOUGH.
IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE PERHAPS IT'S MORE FOR, UH, THE DISPOSSESSED, WHICH I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF.
SO IF THAT'S WHAT IT BECOMES, I'M STILL FOR IT.
UM, FOR MY PART, I JUST DON'T WANT TO RUN A FILE OF THE LAW.
UM, YOU CAN DO 14 DAYS OUT IN THE NATIONAL FOREST.
UM, WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I THOUGHT MAYBE I COULD RENT A SPOT FROM SOMEONE'S HOUSE THAT I KNEW.
UH, THOUGHT MAYBE I COULD PARK, UM, AT WORK.
TURNS OUT THAT'S ILLEGAL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
EVERY SINGLE NIGHT I'M IN TOWN, I'M BREAKING A LAW.
SO OFFICER, I'M BREAKING THE LAW EVERY SINGLE NIGHT AND I'LL BE BREAKING IT TONIGHT.
I WILL BE, UH, I'M, I'M NOT ASHAMED TO SAY IT AND I'M NOT.
UM, AND IT DOES GIVE ME A LITTLE ANXIETY 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET KNOCKED ON AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING BECAUSE I LOSE SLEEP AND THEN I'LL BE USELESS THE NEXT DAY.
SO THAT'S, UH, THE MORE IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE FOUR OF US, UM, AT, AT, UH, THUNDER MOUNTAIN BIKES THAT, UH, ARE ALL LIVING IN A VAN.
IT'S NOT A SUPER EXPENSIVE VAN.
I ONLY PAID 18,000 FOR MINE AND I BUILT IT OUT ON MY OWN.
UM, AND THERE ARE FOUR OF US PROBABLY HAVE VEHICLES THAT ARE ABOUT THAT, UM, THAT PRICE.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR, JUST SOMEPLACE TO PARK THAT I'M NOT RUNNING A FILE OF THE LAW.
IS THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL MY, THAT'S ALL I WOULD SAY.
MIKE RAINEY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, VALERIE.
VALERIE WILL BE WORKING WITH, UH, LORI MOORE TOGETHER.
SO WHY DON'T YOU BOTH COME UP.
SO MIKE RAINEY, UH, JUST START WITH YOUR NAME
[02:00:01]
AND CITY OF RESIDENT.I LIVE RIGHT HERE IN WEST SEDONA.
SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELORS.
UM, I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FIRST OF ALL FOR TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AS A TOOL TO HELP WITH THE HOUSING ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO OFFER YOU A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE FROM MY BUSINESS.
UM, MY VERY FIRST EMPLOYEE, WHICH IS NOW ALMOST 13 YEARS AGO, LIVED IN AN AIRSTREAM.
UH, SHE WAS SEASONAL THEN FULL-TIME.
SHE'S WORKED ON AND OFF FOR ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
IN FACT, SHE STILL WORKS FOR ME, HELPING WITH THE MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL.
SHE HAS SINCE MOVED TO MOAB WHERE SHE'S PARTICIPATED IN A HOUSING PROGRAM, OWNS A HOME, IS A NURSE, STILL WORKS PART-TIME FOR ME.
UM, SHE DIDN'T TELL ME SHE WAS LIVING IN AIRSTREAM AT FIRST.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT LATER, BUT DIDN'T AFFECT HER ABILITY TO WORK REALLY HARD.
UM, I TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A NEW THING FOR BUSINESSES IN TOWN.
THIS IS 13 YEARS AGO, MY FIRST EMPLOYEE.
SINCE THEN, I STARTED GOING THROUGH THE LIST OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND I CAN IDENTIFY ABOUT 40 OF 'EM.
UM, WE SAW THIS GET MORE POPULAR WHEN SHORT TERM RENTALS STARTED BECOMING ALLOWED.
TAKE ANOTHER BOOST AROUND THE COVID TIMES.
I CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR STAFF MEMBERS.
UM, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE WHO'S ABOUT TO START IN THE NEXT WEEK.
UM, THESE, NOW FIVE ARE ALL SEASONAL WORKERS AND THEY'VE ALL RETURNED YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THE SHORTEST ONE COMING FOR THREE YEARS.
THE LONGEST ONE, I THOUGHT AARON WAS SIX, BUT HE'S SAYING SEVEN.
UM, THESE PEOPLE ARE REALLY, TRULY CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO CHOOSE TO DO THIS.
THEY FOLLOW SEASONAL WORK IN PLACES LIKE COLORADO OR WYOMING.
MANY OF 'EM RETURN TO THE SAME PLACES AND THEN COME BACK TO US AGAIN.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU FROM WHERE I STAND, THIS LOOKS LIKE AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT WAY TO LIVE MOVING PLACES ALL THE TIME.
WORRIED ABOUT WHERE THEY'LL GO EACH NIGHT, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEIR VEHICLE BREAKS DOWN OR THEY GET SICK.
HOWEVER, ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT I'VE ENCOUNTERED DO THIS BECAUSE OF AN EXTREME PASSION FOR SEDONA.
LIKE THEY PUT UP WITH THIS, THESE DIFFICULTIES TO BE A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SOME MAY CONTINUE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH SEDONA AND PUT DOWN ROOTS HERE, POTENTIALLY BUYING OR RENTING A PLACE THAT ONLY HAPPENS IF WE DON'T CHASE THEM OFF FIRST.
SO AGAIN, VAN LIFERS HAVE BEEN PART OF MY BUSINESS AND THIS COMMUNITY AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN HERE.
THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE DOING THIS AND THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS WHO YOU THINK THEY ARE.
UM, MANY HAVE COLLEGE DEGREES, EXPENSIVE VEHICLES.
I'VE MET MANY THAT HAVE JOBS IN TOWN.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY AND ARE IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM THAT SEDONA DOES CARE AND DOES SEE THEM AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY.
SO AS PART OF THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS TO BE A LONG-TERM TOOL FOR HOUSING IN SEDONA.
UM, IT WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IT WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO MY BUSINESS.
AND GOSH, LOTS OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEIR STAFF IS DOING THIS.
VALERIE BRAND AND LOUIS MOORE.
SO WE, THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, VALERIE, YOU'RE GONNA EXCEED YOUR TIME TO LORI I AM REFERRING TO.
JUST GIVE US A CHANCE TO RESET THE CLOCK.
LORI, START WITH YOUR, UH, OF COURSE YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
I'M A 25 YEAR RESIDENT OF SEDONA, ARIZONA AND I AM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SEDONA AREA HOMELESS ALLIANCE.
I SURE WISH I COULD HAVE SPOKEN AFTER SAFE 'CAUSE I WAS READY TO RISE THEN
UM, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS NOW, SO I'M GONNA READ FROM MY IPAD.
UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, I WOULD NOT BELIEVE MY FIRST STATEMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, BUT SINCE THE LEGAL STATUS OF SAHA IS BEING UNFAIRLY CONNECTED TO THIS PROJECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER PLACES, UM, I REALLY FELT THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT.
THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, WE WERE CONTACTED BY THE SMALL CITY GRANT COMMITTEE THAT SAHA WAS SHOWING AN INACTIVE.
DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THIS TOPIC? IT SURE DOES.
IT DOES, WAS SHOWING INACTIVE ON THE, A ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION SITE AND WE NEEDED TO CORRECT THAT.
WE DID IMMEDIATELY WHAT OUR ORGANIZATION FAILED TO DO WAS TO SUBMIT THE ANNUAL REPORT LISTING OUR BOARD OFFICERS.
UH, WE BROUGHT EVERYTHING UP TO DATE WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF BEING NOTIFIED.
AND SINCE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER MOST RECENTLY IN DECEMBER, PEOPLE ASSUME THIS
[02:05:01]
IS STILL AN ISSUE.SAHA IS A, UM, IS IN, IS IN ACTIVE STATUS AND IN GOOD STANDING ON THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, SORRY, I JUST NEEDED TO STATE THAT.
UM, WE WERE TOLD BY ONE OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES OVER A YEAR AGO THAT OUR ORGANIZATION WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN ANY TALKS.
AND THAT HAS BEEN THE FACT MOVING FORWARD.
I WAS REALLY SURPRISED SINCE, UH, SAHA WAS MENTIONED THAT THEY REACHED OUT TO US ABOUT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE NOBODY REACHED OUT.
UM, THIS PROPOSAL ACTUALLY IS A PROPOSAL WE HAVE BEEN SENDING TO THE CITY FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW.
SO WE REALLY ARE VERY HAPPY THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE WORRISOME TO US ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL, THOUGH.
THE FIRST, OF COURSE IS THE INCLUSION OF ONLY LOCAL HOMELESS WHO WORK.
HOW HAS SOMEBODY ONLY GIVEN A SAFE SLEEP AS A REWARD TO WORKING? THAT IS CRUEL.
AND A SEDONA BUSINESS PAY STUB SHOULDN'T BE A GOLDEN TICKET TO SLEEP.
PEOPLE HAVE TO WORRY EVERY NIGHT WHETHER THE POLICE ARE GOING TO POUND ON THEIR WINDOW AND DEMAND THAT THEY MOVE ON OR EVEN FIND THEM HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING TO A HEALTHY ENOUGH PLACE WITHIN THEMSELVES TO EVEN LOOK FOR A JOB.
SLEEP IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT ALLOWS THAT TO HAPPEN.
THE SECOND THING THAT IS VERY WORRISOME IS ANYBODY THAT'S PART OF THIS PROGRAM WILL SUBMITTED TO THE HMIS THE FEDERAL DATABASE FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE.
AND MANY OF OUR PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
THE THIRD THING IS THAT, UH, ONLY ABOUT, WELL LESS THAN HALF OF THE LOCAL SEDONA HOMELESS POPULATION HAVE VEHICLES.
SO WHAT ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE WITH FIVE ACRES ALLOTTED FOR THIS PROJECT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT UP A TENT FOR A NIGHT, UM, AND TAKE IT DOWN AS THEY NORMALLY DO ON ANY OTHER NIGHT.
BUT TO HAVE TO HAVE A VEHICLE IN ORDER TO BE ALLOWED A SAFE SLEEP ALSO SEEMS VERY WRONG.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WORKERS IN TOWN WHO ARE HOMELESS THAT DO SIDE JOBS AND DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PAY STUB.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE? THE FOURTH CONCERN IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST, AND THAT IS THE CHILDREN.
IF YOU NOTICE THE NUMBER THAT WAS REPORTED TONIGHT OF THE CHILDREN WHO ARE ENROLLED IN THE SEDONA OAK CREEK SCHOOL SYSTEM IS 19.
THAT'S EXACTLY HALF OF THE CHILDREN FROM LAST YEAR AND THE YEARS BEFORE.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE LIAISON FOR THE SCHOOL, EVEN THOUGH THAT SHOULD BE THEIR JOB TO PROTECT THE HOMELESS FAMILIES, WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IS THE CHILDREN ARE BEING TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM SCHOOL AND PUT INTO FOSTER CARE.
SO WE HAVE AT LEAST HALF OF THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE NOW DECIDED NOT TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOL.
THAT'S WORRISOME FOR US BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR LAST CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT.
UM, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS IS BEING SET UP FOR PEOPLE TO PROVE THEY DESERVE A SAFE SLEEP.
WE HAVE HAD HOMELESS IN OUR CITY FOR WELL OVER 20 YEARS WHO NEED A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP ALSO.
AND IF WE WANT OUR PEOPLE IN THE HOMELESS COMMUNITY TO DO BETTER, WE HAVE TO OFFER BETTER.
AND PEOPLE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP WITHOUT WORRY AND HAVE NUTRITION AND OTHER, OTHER SERVICES.
WITHOUT THAT, THEY CANNOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.
AND THE WAY THIS IS BEING SET UP, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WILL BLOCK A LOT OF NEEDY PEOPLE.
THIS PROGRAM IN ITSELF, FOR ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T THINK IT SHOULD MOVE FORWARD, YOUR TIME IS UP.
WE COULDN'T USE A REGULAR TIMER, SO WE DON'T HAVE A A BUZZER, BUT YOU SLIGHTLY
YOU, YOU HAD YOUR SIX MINUTES.
UH, I CAN'T READ THE FIRST NAME, BUT THE LAST NAME IS WILLIAMS.
[02:10:03]
WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, CHRISTIAN EATON, UH, JAMIAH WILLIAMS, SEDONA, ARIZONA.UH, ON OCTOBER 20TH, 1996, MY MOM AND I ARRIVED IN SEDONA FROM NEW YORK AND WE CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY EIGHT DAYS LATE AND WE SLEPT ON A PORCH.
I DID THAT FOR EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE WE FINALLY FOUND A TRAILER IN COVILLE BEHIND A PLACE CALLED THE BENT CAN.
THE POINT THAT I'M GETTING TO IS I TOOK A LONG ROUTE IN GROWING UP HERE AND MOVING AROUND AND HAVE VERY PRACTICED FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE AND HOW HARD IT CAN BE TO ESTABLISH YOURSELF HERE.
UH, 30 YEARS LATER, I NOW AM A HOMEOWNER, HOMEOWNER.
I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHICH NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE HERE.
AND I ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT PRETTY MUCH NO ONE CAN HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY ANYMORE BECAUSE THE MARKET IS SO CONGESTED WITH THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
AND IT IS SO HARD TO EXIST HERE IN ANY CAPACITY IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO ARRIVE WITH THAT.
AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING THAT PEOPLE HERE CAN HAVE MONEY, BUT AT A VERY BASELINE, WE NEED PEOPLE HERE WHO CAN EXIST WITHOUT BEING RICH.
I'M STILL WORKING CLASS DESPITE BEING A HOMEOWNER.
AND I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND CONCERNS ABOUT LIKE, WELL WHAT ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT GO WITH THIS? AND WHY SHOULD WE BE CATERING TO THESE PEOPLE? BUT THEY ARE STILL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY ARE STILL OUR NEIGHBORS IN A CAPACITY.
THEY ARE STILL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH US AND THEY ARE STILL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US AND THAT SERVE US AND THAT TAKE CARE OF US.
AND THAT WE DO NEED THESE PEOPLE AND THEY DESERVE TO EXIST HERE THE SAME THAT EVERYONE ELSE DOES.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE SO DIFFICULT.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHAT THIS DOES AND THAT IT DOES NOT PANDER TO EVERYONE WHO IS HERE OR EVERYONE WHO COULD HAVE HELP.
AND WHILE I DO FIND THAT VALID, I ALSO DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD REASON TO RAIL AGAINST THIS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE OPEN TO AND BE ENCOURAGING OF BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT FIRST STEP TO MOVE TOWARDS MAKING IT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN ARRIVE IN SEDONA AND BECOME PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND LIVE HERE AGAIN WITHOUT HAVING TO COME HERE WEALTHY.
CHRISTIAN EATON WILL BE FOLLOWED BY TARA.
I'M CHRISTIAN EATON FROM SEDONA AND I DID WANT TO COME IN HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS, UM, THAT KINDA LIKE HINGE ON MY SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, ONE OF 'EM IS THE QUALIFICATIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.
UM, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ATTRIBUTE OF THE PROGRAM FOR ME IN ORDER TO SUPPORT IT.
AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW SPECIFICALLY THEY WOULD BE CHECKING EMPLOYMENT.
UM, AND IF SOMEONE IS DOING, UM, LIKE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TYPE STUFF, HOW WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO BE INCLUDED, UM, IN THIS PROGRAM AS OPPOSED TO JUST BEING SERVERS? UM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, I FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN RECURRINGLY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT, UH, JUST THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD GET IN, UM, AND THEY COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, NOT CONTINUE TO HAVE EMPLOYMENT INSIDE THE CITY.
UH, I'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN THE GREATER SEDONA AREA.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDING COTTONWOOD, BUT THE VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK AND PAGE SPRINGS.
UH, I'VE SPOKEN WITH SOMEONE WHO IS A SERVER IN PAGE SPRINGS WHO WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM, WHO'S BEEN IN SEDONA LONG TERM, UM, WHO CURRENTLY DOES, UH, UH, UTILIZE THEIR VAN FOR HOUSING.
UM, AND THESE ECONOMIES ARE LIKE SUPER, UH, INEX INEXTRICABLY LINKED TOGETHER LIKE PAGE SPRINGS AND VILLAGE OF OAK CREEK.
UM, EVERYONE THAT IS STAYING IN SEDONA AREA, UH, ARE VISITING PAIGE SPRINGS, UM, ON LIKE FOR TOURISM AS WELL.
SO THEY DO CONSIDER THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, A RESIDENT OF SEDONA EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE EMPLOYED IN PAIGE SPRINGS.
SO I WAS, UM, ENCOURAGING TO, UM, BE, HAVE THE PROGRAM OPEN TO THEM AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, WITHOUT GOING TOO FAR BEYOND OUR SEDONA AREA BOUNDARIES.
AND THEN, UM, I WAS KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT WHY WE WOULD ALLOW THEM TO, UM, BRING AN EXTRA ADULT IN THE CAR WITH THEM.
I MEAN, TO MAKE SENSE IF THEY'RE RELATED.
UM, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEONE THAT IS LIKE UNRELATED COULD BE COUNTING AS THE SECOND PERSON WHO'S NOT NECESSARILY EMPLOYED, UM, WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS AND I WOULD APPRECIATE,
[02:15:01]
UH, APPROVING THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK BASED ON THESE CONDITIONS.KRISTEN TARA, UH, GOLDEN WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SANDRA WADE, I THINK.
I THINK, UH, SANDRA WADE, ARE YOU STILL HERE? STILL HERE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, CRYSTAL STAR WEAVER.
THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.
UM, I FIRST HEARD OF THIS ON, UM, I'M NOT A FACE NAME.
I FIRST HEARD OF THIS ON NEXT DOOR, AND I'M NOT AFRAID.
CAN YOU PULL THE MIC DOWN? SO, YEAH, EVERYTHING'S RECORDED.
I FIRST HEARD OF THIS ON, ON NEXT DOOR.
I'M NOT A FACEBOOK, UH, UM, MEMBER, BUT THIS IS WHERE IT WAS BROUGHT UP.
UM, FORGIVE ME IF I'M A LITTLE EMOTIONAL AT 80, THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE BY GIVING THEM A PIECE OF LAND WHERE THEY CAN SLEEP IN THEIR CARS.
UH, FORGIVE ME IF THIS IS SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO BE EVEN ENTERTAINING.
THE SECOND THING IS, WE ARE SIX MONTHS PEOPLE.
WE DON'T COME TO WORK, BUT WE ARE IN A POSITION AS MANY OTHER PROBABLY, UH, SEDONA, UH, RESIDENTS THAT WE COULD START THROWING IN A BIT OF MONEY TO BUILD SOMETHING.
THE EUROPEANS, MANY YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE TRAVELING, THEY HAD BIG, HO BIG, UH, I FORGET WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.
AND I TRIED TO LOOK IT UP AND I CAN'T FIND IT.
MAYBE SOMEONE WILL POP IT OUT, YOU KNOW, LONG, UH, UH, BUILDINGS WITH SHARED, UH, BATHROOMS. SO EVERYBODY HAS A LITTLE BED INSIDE.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN, GIVING THEM AND FEELING GOOD ABOUT GIVING THEM A PLACE TO SLEEP IN A CAR, IT JUST, I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT IN A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS WHERE THERE'S MONEY, THOSE OF US WHO BUY AND SELL, WHY CAN'T WE GIVE A PERCENTAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY? WE HAVE TO SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT ALLOWING OUR WORKERS TO SLEEP IN A CAR AND THINK WE'RE DOING SOMETHING.
NOW, THE GENTLEMAN HERE WHO TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANNA DO, THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S, THAT'S A DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WISH TO LIVE THAT WAY.
WE SEE FILMS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ROAMING AROUND AMERICA, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY WANNA DO AT THE MOMENT, FOR WHATEVER REASONS.
BUT TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN SLEEPING IN CARS IN SEDONA AND THINKING THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING IS THIS, CAN THIS BE TRUE? AND I LAED YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DID FOR THIS, BUT IF WE ASKED EVERY, UH, VISITOR TO COME AND THROW IN WHATEVER YOU FELT LIKE AS A, AS A AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HELP THE, THE CHILDREN AND WORKERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ALL OF US TO THROW SOMETHING IN, YOU TELL ME.
WE SPEND ALL THIS TIME ON HELPING PEOPLE TO SLEEP IN THEIR CARS.
FORGIVE ME, I'M 80 YEARS OLD AND I NEVER THOUGHT THIS COUNTRY WOULD PUT US IN THIS POSITION.
THIS IS NOT SOME CITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING.
WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING HERE TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO GET OUR WORKERS IN SOME ACCOMMODATION.
MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT A THREE BEDROOM HOUSE, BUT A BATHROOM INDOORS AND A BEDROOM, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK OF ALL OF US.
AND I, MY SISTER IS IN THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED, AND PEOPLE WHO WORK THESE JOBS, SOMETIMES THEY HAVE NO ABILITY TO HANDLE EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED PEOPLE.
CHILDREN, NOT ALL HAVE PASSIONS.
I ASK YOU TO PLEASE LOOK AT ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE.
UH, CRYSTAL, AND THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DEREK FI AM CRYSTAL STAR WEAVER HERE IN SEDONA, AND IN THE VILLAGE, I GUESS WE CALL OURSELVES THE WANNABE SEDONAS.
UM, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 11 YEARS.
I'M NOT JUST A, LIKE A FLY BY NIGHT PERSON.
I OWN A COUPLE, UM, BUSINESSES HERE.
I, I WALK THE FINE LINE EVERY MONTH THAT I MAKE ENOUGH MONEY THAT I WILL NOT SLEEP IN MY CAR.
I WONDER HOW MANY OF YOU WHO SIT ON COUNCILS AND SIT IN THESE MEETINGS WHO TALK ABOUT HOMELESS AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, EVEN UNDERSTAND IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH HOMELESSNESS, WHO ARE IN THE, IN THE BUSINESSES OF, OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN SEDONA.
UH, BE PART OF THESE COMMITTEES BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THEM.
I'VE GONE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEETINGS.
THERE'S THE, THE IDEAS SOMETIMES ARE UNREALISTIC.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR, WELL, ACTUALLY 12 YEARS NOW.
I'VE BEEN IN EIGHT DIFFERENT HOUSES.
[02:20:01]
SIX TO SEVEN OF THEM HAVE BEEN SOLD UNDERNEATH ME AS I RENTED THEM.I'M NOW OUT OF THE BUDGET NOW OF BEING ABLE TO BE AFFORDING TO A MORTGAGE.
I COULD BE IN THERE NEXT MONTH.
I WANT YOU TO REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE.
I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE STEREOTYPED HOMELESSNESS TO, LIKE DRUG USERS AND BUMS AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T PICK UP AFTER THEMSELVES.
I KNOW THERE'S FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN OUT THERE WHO LIVE IN THEIR CAR.
I CAN'T IMAGINE SLEEPING IN MY CAR WITH MY CHILDREN EVERY NIGHT, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE COLD WEATHER, AND WE DON'T THINK TWICE ABOUT PAYING $18 MILLION FOR A PARKING GARAGE.
BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT OUR OWN HOUSING PROBLEM HERE IN SEDONA.
IT JUST KIND OF THROWS ME OFF OF WHERE OUR BUDGETS MONEY IS GOING AND, AND THE REALISTIC VIEW OF WE ARE ALL HERE TO WORK TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, I, I SUPPORT AS MANY PEOPLE IN SEDONA AS I CAN.
A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE I BUY THEIR, UH, THINGS FOR, THEY'RE SELL IN MY STORE.
UH, THEY DON'T LIVE IN HOUSES.
UM, I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN ONE, BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER.
'CAUSE MY RENT JUST KEEPS ON GOING UP AND UP AND UP TO GET THAT.
THERE'S A PERSON I KNOW LIVES IN HIS CAR RIGHT NOW.
HE'S NOT ELIGIBLE TO WORK IN, IN THE WAY THAT, THAT YOU WOULD WANT FOR YOUR REQUIREMENTS, BUT HE IS A CONTRIBUTING PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT DO YOU DEFINE AS A WORKER? PART-TIME, UH, SUBCONTRACTOR, UH, SOMEBODY WHO'S FULL-TIME.
HOW CAN YOU, I I JUST HAVE A DEEP FEELING THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING AT THIS IN A, THE MOST REALISTIC WAY OF REALLY WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO VOICE MY OPINION ON IT.
AND, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, FOR AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I THINK TWO YEARS WE SHOULD BETTER HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW EXODUS OF PEOPLE OUTTA SEDONA AND WHO WILL WORK IN ALL THE STORES IN ALL OF THE HOTELS HERE.
WILL WE, UH, FOLLOWED BY, UM, UH, GUEST, UH, MARI MEREDITH? IS IT MEREDITH? I DON'T KNOW.
DEREK NAME AND, UH, CITY OF RESIDENCE.
I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF SEDONA.
UH, THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, I WAS INITIALLY PRETTY SKEPTICAL, SKEPTICAL OF THIS PROGRAM WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT.
UM, THE MORE I'VE LEARNED ABOUT IT, THE MORE I'VE COME TO SUPPORT IT AND THINK IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD FIRST STEP.
UH, IT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T THE ONLY STEP WE NEED TO TAKE TO ADDRESS HOUSING ISSUES IN SEDONA, BUT, UH, IT'S A GOOD, LIKE, SHORT TERM SOLUTION.
UM, AND THIS IS, THIS MAY BE MORE OF A COMMENT FOR KURT THAN COUNSEL, I'M NOT SURE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK YOU ALL NEED TO HAVE ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN IS, UH, WHETHER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EMPLOYED ARE GOING TO SAY, OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SINGLE ME OUT AND SAY THAT I'M NOT ALLOWED TO STAY HERE.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT THERE'S AT LEAST A RISK OF SOMEONE MAKING AN EQUAL PROTECTION CLAIM.
UH, WE ARE IN THE NINTH CIRCUIT, AFTER ALL, UH, AND SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T LIMIT THIS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVELY WORKING OR WHO HAVE CHILDREN IN SCHOOL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT KURT'S MAYBE TALKED TO YOU GUYS ABOUT IN EXECUTIVE COUNSEL OR EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT.
OKAY, NEXT UP AND AFTER IS JODY JACKSON.
APOLOGIES FOR THE TRICKY NAME.
UM, I'VE LIVED IN SEDONA FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I'M BLESSED TO BE A HOMEOWNER HERE AS WELL AS A BUSINESS OWNER.
AND I WANTED TO COME SPEAK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I WAS SO OPTIMISTIC.
UM, AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND A COMMUNITY MEMBER, I HAVE A LOT OF, UH, EMPLOYEES AND ALSO FRIENDS WHO CHOOSE OR HAVE TO LIVE IN THEIR VEHICLES.
UM, THEY EITHER WORK SEASONALLY OR FINANCIALLY THIS IS THE SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY EASY TO DEMONIZE, UH, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MIGHT THINK ARE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES, AS PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED.
UM, WE CREATE OFTEN VERY NEGATIVE NAR NARRATIVES ABOUT WHAT, UM, WHAT SOMEONE'S CHOICE OR SITUATION MIGHT BE TO CHOOSE TO LIVE IN THEIR VEHICLES.
I, I OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT THIS, UH, ENDEAVOR AND, UM, WANNA EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO
[02:25:01]
IT.UM, BUT THE REALITY IS THE PEOPLE THAT I ENCOUNTER WHO ARE LIVING IN THEIR VEHICLES ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOWING UP TO VOLUNTEER TRAIL WORK DAYS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, COACHES FOR MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUBS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GIVING BACK TO MAKING SEDONA SO SPECIAL.
AND SO IT'S ONLY RIGHT THAT WE PROVIDE A SAFE AND STABLE PLACE FOR THEM TO LIVE.
AND I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS WILL PUSH FORWARD.
I'LL BE FOLLOWED BY SEAN SMITH.
JODY, YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
HI, MY NAME IS JODY JACKSON AND I'M CURRENTLY LIVING BETWEEN SEDONA AND COTTONWOOD.
I MOVED HERE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, LOOKING FOR A NEW AND BETTER WAY OF LIFE.
UM, AND SINCE THEN I'VE GOTTEN A JOB.
I WORK AT THE ONLY LAUNDROMAT IN TOWN.
I COME IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THAT INCLUDES THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, LIVING ON THE STREET IN A TENT, PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR CARS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE HOMES.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S PEOPLE LIKE ME.
I HAVE BEEN WOKEN UP AND TOLD THAT I NEED TO BE MOVED.
UM, I'VE HAD THE COPS CALLED ON ME.
I HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAD SO MANY NEGATIVE THINGS HAPPEN SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
BUT I CHOOSE TO STAY BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A BETTER WAY THAT SOMETHING WILL WORK OUT.
ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO THAT ARE ALSO IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT I'M IN, THAT ARE WORKING AND LIVING IN THIS AREA, ALL HAVE THE SAME POSITIVE ATTITUDE THAT SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN LIKE THIS, WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO BE WHERE WE CAN GET A SHOWER, WHERE WE COULD HAVE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF FEELING OSTRACIZED, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WOULD REALLY URGE YOU TO PLEASE TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THIS, MAYBE EVEN A THIRD.
LOOK AT THIS AND SEE IT THROUGH SOMEBODY ELSE'S EYES.
'CAUSE WE REALLY DO NEED A SAFE PLACE TO PARK.
SEAN SMITH, YOU KNOW THE DRILL NAME AND, UH, CITY OF RESIDENCE.
HELLO, SEAN SMITH, CITY OF SEDONA.
VICE MAYOR COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF.
I'VE BEEN HOMELESS, I'M DATING MYSELF, BUT I SLEPT IN A PINTO WAGON AT RISK OF POLICE ACTION AND SHARED A VERY SMALL RV WITH TWO OTHERS.
SAFE PLACE TO PARK IS A GOOD STEP IN A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO THE HOUSING CRISIS FOR WORKERS THAT FILLS AN IMPORTANT IMMEDIATE NEED.
WHILE THE HARBOR WORK CONTINUES ON OTHER INITIATIVES ALREADY IN PLAY, NOT BEING BOLD ON BIG ISSUES, THERE WAS A RECURRING CHARGE OF PAST COUNCILS.
I APPLAUD THIS COUNCIL FOR COMPASSIONATE ACTION.
I'VE LOST COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE HEARD BUSINESS OWNERS, NOT JUST WORKERS HAVING HOUSING TROUBLES, MOSTLY FROM LONG-TERM TO SHORT-TERM CONVERSIONS.
I FEEL IT'S REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT FOR SEDONA BEING A SMALL CITY, THE SCALE OF PROBLEMS WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER WILL BE MANAGEABLE.
I TRUST CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL TO PLAN FOR ISSUES WE EXPECT, AND A CRAFT SOLUTIONS TO UNFORESEEABLE ISSUES AS THEY ARISE.
LIKE FIGURING OUT WHAT CONSTITUTES A WORKER, A TRUST CITY, STAFF AND COUNCIL TO MONITOR COSTS AND EITHER ADJUST THE BUDGET TO A REASONABLE SPEND OR SHUT IT DOWN, ACCOMMODATE LATE SHIFT HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
CONFIRM USERS DON'T HAVE A RESIDENCE ELSEWHERE.
CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WHICH ARE HAPPENING NO MATTER WHERE PEOPLE WITHOUT HOUSING.
SPEND THE NIGHT MONITOR AIR QUALITY AND CONSIDER PROVIDING HEATING SOURCES OF AIR QUALITY IS AN ISSUE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
WE NEED TO SAY THAT WE ANSWER THE CALL OF COMPASSION FOR OUR WORKERS UNTIL ENOUGH ATTAINABLE HOUSING, WHICH I DEFINE AS A PROPER MIX OF TRANSITIONAL, AFFORDABLE, AND WORKFORCE HOUSING ARRIVES.
LEGAL COMPLAINT OF DISCRIMINATION WITH RESPECT TO EMPLOYED HOMELESS BEING EXCLUDED IS A CONCERN.
THE LEGAL RISK SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD.
CORPORATE WELFARE CORRECTS PAST COUNCILS, NOT INCLUDING WORKERS AND HOW THE HOUSING MIX EVOLVED.
BUSINESSES SHOULD HELP SOLVE THE HOUSING CRISIS FOR OWNERS AND WORKERS.
BUT THEY, BUT WE ALL NEED TO ACT.
BUSINESSES ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAWS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN SETTING LABOR RATES OR THEY RISK FAILURE.
WE CAN'T ASK BUSINESSES TO INFLATE OUR WAY OUT OF THIS CRISIS.
I THINK CANOPIES OR CANOPIES OR TARPS SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN THE RAIN FOR FOOD AND GEAR MANAGEMENT.
AND YOU NEED POWER FOR THE LONG TERM OUT AT THAT SITE.
JUST COVER THAT COST AS A GENERAL EXPENSE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NOBODY ELSE? I'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNSEL AND WE WILL
[02:30:01]
DISCUSS, UH, THE FEE AND THEN, UH, COMMENTS.ARE WE GOOD TO START OVER HERE? WE CAN TAKE LIKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY BEEN HERE SINCE WHAT, EIGHT O'CLOCK THIS MORNING? I THINK WE DESERVE A BREAK.
SO LET'S TAKE A BREAK BEFORE WE CONTINUE ON.
I WOULD SAY 10 MINUTES 'CAUSE THERE'S NO FOOD OR ANYTHING.
SO, JOANNE, 10 MINUTES MEETING, IT'LL, SORRY.
CAN I ASK EVERYBODY TO TAKE THEIR SEATS PLEASE? OKAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER CARD.
SO BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC SESSION UP AGAIN AND WE HAVE GRACE MANSON.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A CARD THAT THEY DIDN'T TURN IN? OKAY.
SO GRACE, YOU HAVE TO START WITH YOUR NAME AND CITY OF RESIDENCE.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES JUST TO SPEAK.
SEDONA, UH, WE JUST MOVED HERE, UH, IN OCTOBER FROM COLORADO.
WE'VE BEEN LIVING IN OUR VAN FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, WE WERE ACTUALLY IN A SAFE PARKING PROGRAM, UH, IN COLORADO.
UM, THERE WAS ONLY A FEW, UH, PARKING SPOTS ACTUALLY, SO WE WERE ON A WAIT LIST FOR QUITE A WHILE.
UM, BUT WITH THIS WE PAID $40 A MONTH.
UM, WE HAD A TRASH SERVICE AND A PORT-A-POTTY, AND WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED THERE FROM 6:00 PM TO 8:00 AM.
UM, AND THEN WE WERE IN A, A PUBLIC LIBRARY, SO WE HAD TO BE GONE BY THE TIME THAT THEY WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING DURING THEIR HOURS.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, IT WAS PROBABLY THE SAFEST THAT I'VE EVER FELT IN A VAN.
UM, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN LIVING IN THE SAME TOWN FOR CLOSE TO THREE YEARS IN OUR VAN.
AND, UM, YEAH, BEST NIGHT'S SLEEP THAT I'VE EVER HAD
UM, BUT BEING HERE, WE'VE BEEN, UH, WOKEN UP ABOUT FOUR TIMES.
THAT BEING CHRISTMAS MORNING AT ONE 30 IN THE MORNING.
UM, NOT THE SANTA CLAUS THAT I WAS THINKING THAT WE WOULD GET, BUT, UH, AT LEAST WE DIDN'T GET A TICKET.
OKAY, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC SESSION AGAIN, AND NOW, UH, WE'LL DO COMMENTS.
AND I THINK, UH, STAFF IS LOOKING FOR A DIRECTION ON THAT, THE $2 PER DAY, UH, FEE SUPPORTING IT.
I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT TWO TWO, SHANNON.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN THE $1 OR THE, THE FEE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FOR, SO THAT WE CAN ALL ADDRESS IT IN OUR COMMENTS AS WE GO ALONG? OR IS THAT THE ONLY THING YOU'RE LOOKING? I'M HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S THE ONLY THING, BUT NO, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT JUST FROM THE QUESTIONS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IS JESSICA YOU DONE? NO, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT WITH SHANNON BEFORE WE START.
SHANNON, YOU TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT BRIEFLY IN YOUR PRESENTATION, CAN YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE OF YOUR THINKING OF HOW YOU SET THAT FEE? WHAT, WHAT DID YOU CONSIDER, HOW DID YOU THINK ABOUT THAT NUMBER? UM, A LOT OF IT WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE FEES THAT OTHER SAFE PARK PROGRAMS HAD, BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT, UM, KIND OF THE COST OF A GYM MEMBERSHIP, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ALREADY PAYING TO BE ABLE TO SHOWER.
UM, SO I THINK IF IT'S COMPARABLE TO THAT, UM, AND HAS THE OTHER BENEFITS, UM, OF LIKE TRASH DISPOSAL AND A QUIET PLACE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, THAT, THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME.
KATHY? YEAH, I HAVE A, A QUESTION, UM, FROM ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME UP.
I'M JUST SAID NAMES ARE SUBMITTED TO A NATIONAL DATABASE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, IS THAT TRUE? NOT TRUE? WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? UM, RHONDA COULD PROBABLY ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT, BUT THE HMIS SYSTEM IS A, A NATIONAL DATABASE THAT WAS CREATED, UM, TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE OVERLAP, I THINK, IN HOMELESS SERVICES AND, AND JUST BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.
UM, I'LL, I'LL LET RHONDA TALK ABOUT HOW NAMES PLAY INTO AND IDENTITIES AND SO PEOPLE CAN CHOOSE TO EITHER SHARE THEIR INFORMATION OR NOT.
REGARDLESS, WE COLLECT THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN KNOW FOR OUR BENEFIT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING IT FOR YOUR BENEFIT TOO, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING THIS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR, UM, FAMILY, WHERE DID THEY COME FROM, WHAT CAUSED THEIR HOMELESSNESS? ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRACKED IN THERE, BUT THEY CAN CHOOSE TO EITHER SHARE OR NOT SHARE.
HMIS GENERALLY IS, WE'RE IN THE BALANCE OF STATE CONTINUUM OF
[02:35:01]
CARE IN YAVAPAI COUNTY SPECIFICALLY.SO THOSE NAMES, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN HOUSING, GO ON A BY NAME LIST.
AND THE MOST SEVERE CASES, THE MOST ACUITY ARE THE ONES THAT ARE, THEN WE TRY TO FIND HOUSING FOR THOSE ONES FIRST.
BECAUSE IT, YOU'RE VERY, VERY INFORMED FOR US.
SO THE, UM, THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD WAS THE, UH, I GUESS IT GOES TO KURT, UM, WHICH IS THE, A REQUIREMENT FOR PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT THAT'S, YEAH.
OR A REQUIREMENT FOR A CAR, EITHER OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS TO BE PARTICIPATING.
COULD THOSE BE USED? COULD, COULD WE BE ACCUSED OF BEING DISCRIMINATORY FOR SOMEONE WHO, AGAINST SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS? SO THE PROTECTED CLASSES ARE AGE, UM, RACE, GENDER, UH, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION ALONG THOSE ONES.
SO, UM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A CAR OR NOT IS NOT A PROTECTED CLASS.
MA'AM, ARE YOU DONE? MM-HMM,
SO WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY AS I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER, THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TRADITIONAL NINE TO FIVE EMPLOYMENT, AND PEOPLE DO WORK AS, UH, 10 99 EMPLOYEES.
SO THEY'RE, THEY DON'T GETTING A PAY STUB PER SE.
UH, I, I THINK WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE ALL VARIETIES OF EMPLOYMENT.
SO WHEN YOU VERIFY EMPLOYMENT, RHONDA, I MEAN, YOU ALLOW FOR A BROAD SPECTRUM OF TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT ON A 10 99, YOU HAVE A COPY TO KEEP FOR YOURSELF.
YOU CAN BRING THAT, YOU COULD BRING A STATEMENT FROM THE PERSON THAT YOU WORK FOR.
YOU COULD, I MEAN, THERE'S, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK WITH PEOPLE AS TO WHAT THEY CAN SHOW FOR PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT.
SO I, I THINK THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT IN THE, IN THE BROADEST SENSE SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN ANY CAPACITY CAN BRING THE PROOF OF THAT CAPACITY AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO A PAY STUB.
SO, UH, ON TO THAT NOTE, UH, IT WAS SOMETHING, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SAID, WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY GETS FIRED AFTER THEY'VE ALREADY CHECKED IN FOR TWO WEEKS, THREE WEEKS OR A MONTH AND THEY WANNA KEEP COMING BACK? HOW OFTEN DO YOU CHECK THOSE SAME CREDENTIALS TO BE SURE THAT THEIR EMPLOYMENT IS STILL, UH, CURRENT? I THINK WHEN THEY SHOULD, WHEN THEY PAY THEIR MONTHLY FEE, THEY BRING THEIR PROOF OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT.
OKAY, BUT YOU SAID MONTHLY FEE.
WELL, SO IT'S GONNA BE REALLY HARD TO COLLECT A LOT OF $2
SO OUR SUGGESTION WAS ONE TIME A MONTH, AND IF YOU MOVE IN OR IF YOU COME IN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, THEN IT'S JUST PRORATED.
BUT IF THEY COME, THEY PAY FOR THE MONTH, SO IT'S $60 A MONTH.
BUT THEY MI MISS A DAY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET IN.
SO, AND YOU'RE GOING TO PUT DOWN TO THE NEXT MONTH.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TRACKING.
JUST A MA AND THAT'S TRACKED LIKE, NOT COMPUTER NEXT, BUT EXCEL SPREADSHEET.
UH, DID YOU JUST SOUNDS COMPLICATED.
IT DOES, UH, COMPLICATED BOOKKEEPING, BUT I BET YOU THEY HAVE IT DOWN TO A SCIENCE.
'CAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE THEY'RE DOING IS SOUNDS PRETTY SPOT ON.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WOULD HOPE SO, SINCE YOU HAVE TO COME EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SEE, THIS IS MY, I REALLY DO HAVE ISSUES WITH THIS HAVING TO SIGN IN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT SERVING THE LARGER COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY.
BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA PAY, I MEAN, $60 IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT ON THE FIRST OF A MONTH.
WHEN DO YOU GET THE REST OF YOUR MONEY BACK THAT YOU MIGHT NEED FOR FOOD? SO THINK THOSE, THINK THOSE THINGS THROUGH A LITTLE BIT.
I, WELL, WELL, I'LL SPEAK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
COUNCILOR DUNN, ANYTHING TO SAY TO ADD OF COMMENTS? WE'RE DOING QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ASKING, WELL, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR TWO.
UH, BUT WE ARE DOING COMMENTS, SO I GUESS I WANNA MAKE IT THIS FOLLOWING STATEMENT.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN TELL ME IF I'M LIKE EVEN CLOSE.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT SO FAR, WHAT YOUR PARTNERSHIPS
[02:40:01]
ARE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALIGNING TO HOW YOU'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING US FOR DIRECTION.
YOU'RE NOT YET ASKING US TO FUND.
UM, ANYTHING AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK.
UM, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT AWAY AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, E EVEN THE, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE, LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, SEAN'S WITH, YOU KNOW, SHOULD YOU, SHOULD YOU PUT A TARP MAYBE OVER THE COOKING AREA? UM, WHETHER YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT OR NOT, I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO TELL ME.
IT'S JUST THINGS TO COME, COME BACK WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER QUESTIONS.
THERE ARE JUST I IDEAS WE'RE PUTTING BACK OUT TO YOU SAYING, COULD YOU FILL IN THE BLANKS FOR US? SO, SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE WANNA KNOW IF THIS EVEN WORKS.
WE, WE, WE DON'T EXPECT IT ON DAY ONE TO BE SOME PANACEA THAT NOW WE, WE WILL HAVE EVERYBODY WHO WORKS IN THE CITY IN WHATEVER CAPACITY, HAVING A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP OR FOOD SECURITY OR HOUSING SECURITY.
AND IF IT DOES, THEN WE KNOW WHERE TO GO AND WE KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT THOSE NEXT STEPS ARE.
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT EVERY TIME YOU COME IN FRONT OF US, WE GO.
AND SO, UM, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO WISH TO BE HOUSED TO HAVE HOUSING SECURITY.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAY TROUBLE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS A N****E FOR ME AS WELL, IS THERE'S NO HOUSING SECURITY AND SAFE PLACE TO PARK.
RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW YET HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL WANT IT.
YOU KEEP REASSURING US, MAYBE WE'RE JUST NOT HEARING YOU ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM ITSELF COULD BE EXPANDED IF IT TURNS OUT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN A LARGER NUMBER.
YOU'VE HEARD HOW WE'RE ALL REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HOUSING SECURITY ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILIES.
AND, UM, AND IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT YOU ARE AWARE, UM, FOR THE GENERAL ETHER ABOUT THE FACT THAT NOT EVERY, JUST LIKE, NOT EVERY PERSON CHOOSES TO WANT TO LIVE IN HOUSING, NOT EVERY PARENT CHOOSES FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO LIVE THE WAY WE THINK THEY SHOULD BE LIVING WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
UM, AND THAT COULD BE OUR PREJUDICIAL VIEW ON THE WORLD BECAUSE WE'RE HUMAN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT AND I'LL, I'LL STOP RAMBLING AND LET YOU ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS I BROUGHT UP.
UM, SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UM, PERTAINING TO CHILDREN, OF COURSE, THAT'S HOW WE FEEL.
OF COURSE, WE WANT CHILDREN HOUSED, BUT WE CAN'T CONTROL EVERYONE'S LIFESTYLE AND, AND CHILDREN LIVE IN VEHICLES AND IT'S THEIR PARENTS' CHOICE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT WE'VE WITNESSED THAT.
WE'VE HEARD IT FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT, THAT THE PUBLIC MADE.
UM, WE DON'T THINK THIS IS AN END ALL BE ALL PROGRAM.
UM, WE HOPE THAT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION HELPS TO BUILD THEIR CAPACITY SO THAT WE CAN SERVE OTHER POPULATIONS WHO MAY BE THE SAFE PLACE TO PARK ISN'T RIGHT FOR, WE KNOW IT'S NOT THE SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE.
UM, BUT THIS IS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO PARTNER TOGETHER TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY SO THAT THE HOMELESS COALITION CAN START TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF OTHER GROUPS AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THE OTHER COMMENTS AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE OR THE PROGRAM NOT REALLY BEING FOR EVERYONE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYMENT, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO VERIFY EMPLOYMENT.
IT'S NOT THAT WE EXPECT THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A PAY STUB OR THAT, THAT WE EXPECT THAT, UM, ANYONE'S SITUATION IS THE SAME.
SO JUST REALIZING THAT WE DO RECOGNIZE THOSE DIFFERENCES, UM, I THINK YOU ALREADY SAID IT,
SO THEN LET ME JUST SAY GENERALLY, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO, TO, UH, TALK ABOUT SUPPORT OR NOT SUPPORT, UM, I, I AM, I AM ABSOLUTELY IN SUPPORT OF US FIGURING OUT THE DETAILS, FIGURING OUT WHETHER OR NOT A FEE IS THE RIGHT OR WRONG THING TO DO, FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH THAT SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T BE.
UM, AND WE NEED TO JUST START MAKING MOVES FORWARD,
[02:45:02]
WHATEVER STEPS WE CAN TOWARDS HELPING THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORK INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY FEEL SAFE AND HAVE A PLACE TO FEEL SECURE INSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY.UM, SO I'M ALL FOR US MOVING FORWARD ON FIGURING OUT ALL THE DETAILS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE ALL BROUGHT UP.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO WORK WITH KURT ON SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP, I OBVIOUSLY EXPECT YOU ALL TO WORK TOGETHER.
BUT, UM, I AM FULLY IN SUPPORT OF US TAKING THIS FIRST MOVE.
UM, AND, AND LET'S SEE WHERE WE CAN GO AND KEEP WORKING ON GETTING DEVELOPERS TO BUILD THOSE APARTMENTS.
OKAY, SO WE'RE DOING DISCUSSION NOW.
CHRIS, I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, FIRST OFF, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A PROBLEM? YEAH, THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM.
AND, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS BODY UP HERE SEEKS TO DEMONIZE ANYBODY THAT'S, UH, HOMELESS.
UM, AND AN IDEAL SOLUTION, UH, FOR SOLVING HOMELESSNESS IS INCREDIBLY, UH, DIFFICULT.
COMPLEX WILL TAKE A LONG TIME.
WE CAN'T, UH, MEET EVERYBODY'S NEED NOW.
SO YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE AS COUNSELOR DUN JUST MENTIONED.
SO I THINK THAT THE SCOPE AS ENVISIONED WITH THIS PROPOSED PROJECT IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.
IT'S A PLACE THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT WILL HAVE A HIGH LIKELIHOOD FOR SUCCESS GIVEN THE ONGOING, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT OF ALL OF THE DETAILS THAT ARE NECESSARY.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A BROADER SOLUTION EFFORT IS NEEDED FOR THE GREATER VERDE VALLEY, AND THAT WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BE PART OF A CO CONVENING GROUP OF, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO BE WORKING ON THIS PROBLEM AT A, A BROADER LEVEL THAN SIMPLY SEDONA.
AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, UH, I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT INTO THE DISCUSSION OF HOW WE ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS AS WELL, AND NOT FROM A BROW BEATING STANDPOINT.
I KNOW THERE ARE MANY, MANY BUSINESS OWNERS THAT, UM, PROVIDE STRONG PAY BENEFITS, ET CETERA, FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BROW BEATING, UH, BUT HAVING REAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO BE ABLE TO PAY PEOPLE ENOUGH TO AFFORD TO LIVE, UM, REASONABLY, UM, I I JUST PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY WHO'S WILLING TO DO AN HONEST DAY'S WORK SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH A SAFE AND SECURE ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD.
UH, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A, A BASIC EXPECTATION THAT WE SHOULD ALL WANT FOR OUR FELLOW MAN.
UM, SO YEAH, THE STATUS QUO IS, IS DEFINITELY UNACCEPTABLE.
UH, THE FACT THAT THERE'S 19 KIDS IN THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE UNHOUSED IS INCREDIBLY SAD.
UM, IF THIS CAN AT LEAST IMPROVE THE SAFETY ASPECT OF WHAT THE EIGHT, I GUESS, THAT ARE LIVING OUT OF CARS, UH, IF IT MAKES FOR A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM, AGAIN, IT'S PART OF A REASONABLE FIRST STEP.
UH, I, I WANT TO SAY, SAY, YOU KNOW, SHANNON AND JEANNIE, UH, WORKING WITH LAUREN AND CREW, UM, THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNICATION THAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED ON THIS IS HUGE BECAUSE AS YOU'RE LIKELY WELL AWARE THAT, UH, FEAR AND MISINFORMATION IS ALREADY RUNNING RAMPANT OVER SOCIAL MEDIA AND IT'S EXTRAORDINARILY FRUSTRATING.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO KICK SOME TRASH CANS ABOUT IT.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IS WE'VE GOTTA DO THE COMMUNICATION WORK.
IT'S EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT AS THE ACTUAL DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF WHEN EXECUTED.
UM, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT FROM WHEN WE LAST TALKED ABOUT IT TO NOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK DONE AROUND, UM, METRICS AND IDENTIFYING THE, THE OTHER SERVICES NECESSARY TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TRANSITIONED INTO HOUSING.
AND THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A, HEY, LET'S JUST LET PEOPLE SLEEP HERE BECAUSE IT'S BETTER THAN SLEEPING IN THE FOREST.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE REPORTS LOOK LIKE AS THAT, UH, AS THE PROGRAM, UH, UNFOLDS.
ASSUMING THAT MY COLLEAGUES ALSO, UH, WANNA SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD, UM, YOU'VE ALREADY HIT ON THE FACT THAT, OKAY, ASSUMING WE MOVE FORWARD NOW, YOU ALSO NEED TO PLAN FOR TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
AND YOU GOTTA START WORKING ON THAT NOW TOO.
[02:50:01]
UH, BECAUSE THAT LITTLE CORNER THERE AT SOME POINT IS GONNA HAVE SOMETHING ELSE ON IT.AND WE ALL HAVE TO BE EYES WIDE OPEN ABOUT THAT, UH, RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.
AS FAR AS THE, THE FEE OR LACK THEREOF GOES, I DO THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A FEE.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME.
SO I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A FEE, UH, SHANNON, THE NOTION OF, HEY, A GYM MEMBERSHIP IS 60 BUCKS OR THREE OR $2 A DAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE FLOOR PRICE TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, BUT I THINK POTENTIALLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER WOULD NOT BE UNREASONABLE AS WELL.
I MEAN, THERE IS SOMETHING BEING PROVIDED HERE AND NOT TO BE, UM, INSENSITIVE, BUT THAT WHICH IS FREE IS OFTENTIMES NOT APPRECIATED.
SO I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING.
SO THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE.
THE LAST THING IS REALLY A COMMENT FOR MY FELLOW COUNSELORS, WHICH IS ULTIMATELY WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICY AROUND THIS.
AND THE NEXT TIME THIS COMES BACK, ASSUMING IT DOES, I DO NOT WANT TO BE LOOKING AT, THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU.
BY THE WAY, I DON'T WANT TO BE LOOKING AT THREE PAGES OR MORE OF RULES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T GET OURSELVES WAY, WAY, WAY DEEP IN THE WEEDS ON THIS AND THAT WE DO STAY AT THE LEVEL OF POLICY AS THIS MOVES FORWARD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, HEARING ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THIS.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING THAT, UH, GRANT, THAT WAS, WOW.
WHAT A PLEASANT SURPRISE READING THE PACKET, SEEING THAT YOU ALL DEFINITELY JUST LAID THAT IN ABOUT AS, UH, QUIETLY AS YOU POSSIBLY COULD.
OKAY, LET'S TALK ON THIS SIDE AND YOU'LL FINISH UP WITH ME.
I WAS INITIALLY SUPPORTED, UH, SEEING A PROPOSAL, BUT I WAS NOT PARTICULARLY, UH, POSITIVE ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA OR NOT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SEEING YOUR PROPOSAL.
I THINK YOU'VE PUT THE WORK INTO IT.
THAT HAS SORT OF MOVED, MOVED MY NEEDLE TOWARDS SUPPORT.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THE THING THAT REALLY, THAT REALLY THAT I SAID FROM THE BEGINNING WAS, THE WHOLE THING DEPENDS ON A GOOD SITE MANAGER.
AND I GOTTA SAY THAT I'VE BEEN, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ONE.
I I'M TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSED BY RHONDA AND HER GROUP.
UM, THAT'S WHAT CINCHED IT FOR ME.
I THINK THAT THEY KNOW THIS POPULATION, THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.
AND THAT'S REALLY, I THINK, I THINK THE REST OF IT IS EASY TO DO.
I THINK THAT ACTUALLY MANAGING IT IS WHERE, WHERE THE, I'M GETTING RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD AND I THINK THAT, THAT I AM NOW, I AM NOW REALLY HAPPY WITH, WITH HOW FAR THIS HAS GONE AND HER LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND THE BUY-IN AND THAT THEY HAVE.
SO I I REALLY DO SUPPORT IT NOW.
UM, AND I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT YOU COME BACK WITH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, THEY, PEOPLE HAVE SAID, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, THAT THERE'S NO PROGRAM THAT'LL SERVE EVERYBODY.
UM, IF YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU GET A PROGRAM THAT'LL SERVE EVERYBODY, YOU NEVER SERVE ANYBODY.
AND SO, UM, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT A PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK AND ARE FORCED TO LIVE IN THEIR CARS IS A DIFFERENT PROGRAM THAN ONE THAT WOULD BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED FOR WHAT WE MIGHT CALL THE TRADITION MORE TRADITIONAL HOMELESS.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE THE SAME PROGRAM.
AND SO I THINK TRYING TO, TO ADD A DIFFERENT, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT POPULATION INTO A PROGRAM THAT I THINK HAS BEEN DESIGNED SO IT COULD ACTUALLY POSSIBLY WORK WOULD BE DISASTROUS.
SO, UM, I THINK REALISTICALLY THIS IS TARGETING THE RIGHT GROUP.
IT'S, AND IT HAS A CHANCE OF SUCCESS, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'M, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN DOING.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, SOME, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID, OH, YOU JUST, WHY DON'T YOU JUST BUILD HOUSING, YOU KNOW, AND DON'T SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A GARAGE.
THE TRUTH IS, IT'S NOT A CHOICE BETWEEN A GARAGE AND HOUSING.
WE PUT $12 MILLION IN THE BUDGET LAST YEAR FOR HOUSING.
WE CAN AFFORD TO BUILD HOUSING AND TO BUILD A GARAGE AND TO HAVE A PARK AND RECREATION PROGRAM AND
[02:55:01]
TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO.THE PROBLEM IS BUILDING THE HOUSING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT OF EXTREMELY HIGH LAND COSTS, EXTREMELY HIGH CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AND INCREASING, UM, ASCENDING VALUE OF MONEY, MONEY COSTS MORE NOW THAN IT DID THREE YEARS AGO.
AND WE CAN'T, WE, WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH, UM, COMMUNITY PRESSURE AND FIGHTS AGAINST DENSITY, WHICH IS ALWAYS REQUIRED IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD HOUSING THAT, UM, ANY WORKFORCE CAN, CAN, CAN, UH, AVAIL IT.
SO WE HAVE REALLY REAL PROBLEMS HERE IN BUILDING THE HOUSING.
I, SHANNON AND JEANNIE HAVE SPENT, THEY REPORT REGULARLY ON THEIR, UM, PROGRESS IN HOUSING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THE WORKS FOR THE REASONS THAT I MENTIONED.
NONE OF THEM HAVE YET COME TO FRUITION, BUT WE ARE GONNA KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY THINKS THAT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE ANYBODY LIVING IN A CAR AND WORKING.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE THINKS ANYBODY THINKS IT'S GREAT TO HAVE FAMILIES WITH KIDS LIVING IN THEIR CARS, BUT THEY DO.
AND SO YOU COULD EITHER SAY YOU HAVE TO BUILD HOUSING FOR EVERYBODY TOMORROW OR THAT YOU, YOU WORK TOWARD BUILDING THE HOUSING, BUT IN THE MEANTIME YOU PROVIDE ACTUAL BENEFIT TO SOME PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S A DE MINIMUS THING.
I THINK ACTUALLY BENEFITING 40 PEOPLE A NIGHT IS A BIG DEAL TO THOSE 40 PEOPLE.
AND I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY WORTH, WORTH DOING.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE MONEY, I THINK THAT, I THINK SOMETHING SHOULD BE CHARGED.
GETTING $2 FROM EVERYBODY IN NICKELS AND DIMES AND PENNIES AND DOLLARS AND EVERYTHING IS KIND OF NOT A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT.
BUT I, I, YOU KNOW, BUT I URGE YOU TO SORT OF SEE IF YOU COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY.
I KNOW AT CAMPGROUNDS SOMETIMES AFTER EVERYBODY'S PARKED, YOU COME AROUND AND THEY KNOCK AND THEY TAKE THE MONEY, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE DRIVE IN.
AND SO IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT A WAY AND MAYBE TECHNOLOGY CAN, CAN BE USED IN THIS, UH, PAYPAL AND NOT PAY, UH, ZELLE OR WHATEVER ELSE.
SO, BUT ANY, ANYWAY, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING CHARGED.
I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF CHARGING $60 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH BECAUSE I THINK SINCE IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SERVE, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK OUT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANTING REFUNDS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU SAY IT CAN ALL BE WORKED OUT, IT'S JUST AN EXCEL SHEET, BUT TO ME IT SEEMS KIND OF A DIFFICULT, IT KIND OF MESSY FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
I, I THINK, I MEAN, I THINK YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AND I'M EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
UM, AND I GUESS I JUST HAVE, UH, ONE QUICK QUESTION.
GIVEN WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING THIS EVENING, DO YOU HAVE A, CAN YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU MIGHT BE COMING BACK OR IS THAT JUST NOT FAIR? YOU CAN SAY NOT FAIR FOUL, TOTALLY FAIR, BUT I'M ALWAYS TOO OPTIMISTIC.
SO THIS DOES HAVE TO GO TO P AND Z, WHICH IS ONE THING WE DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT, BUT WE NEED TO CHANGE TO THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THEN HOPEFULLY THE FOLLOWING MONTH IT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL.
PETE, BEFORE YOU GO, I, I, I INADVERTENTLY MISSED THE VICE MAYOR, SO PLEASE GO AND TAKE YOUR TIME.
HE'S GETTING LATE SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR 12 HOURS ALREADY.
NOTICE HE SAYS THAT RIGHT AFTER HE SAYS, TAKE YOUR TIME.
SO SHANNON, I REMEMBER TALKING TO YOU NOT SO LONG AGO AND YOU SAID IT'S TOO BAD THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING DOESN'T PUT OUT RFPS OR, OR, UH, THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO FOR THE NEEDS OF SEDONA.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU MANAGE THIS, YOU JEANIE, RHONDA AT ALL.
I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS.
AND, AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IS PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL.
AND GIVEN HOW MANY, HOW MANY, UH,
[03:00:01]
PROPOSALS THEY REVIEWED AND HOW MUCH THEY AWARDED, THIS REALLY IS HATS OFF TO ALL OF YOU, UH, FOR BEING ABLE TO SECURE THAT.IT, UM, ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO TESTIFIED HERE BEFORE MADE AN ERROR IN SOMETHING THAT HE SAID, SO I WANNA CORRECT IT SO IT'S ON THE RECORD, WHICH IS THAT OUR CAMPING ORDINANCE DOES ALLOW PEOPLE TO SLEEP ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AS LONG AS IT'S LESS THAN 24 HOURS.
AND SO IT WOULD NOT, HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN VIOLATION.
HE SAID HE WAS IN VIOLATION EVERY DAY.
IF HE WAS WITH PERMISSION OF THE OWNER SLEEPING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND WAS NOT DOING THAT FOR 24 HOURS, HE WOULD NOT BE IN VIOLATION.
UH, I, THIS IS A FIRST STEP I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS ONE SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT FIRST STEP IN A SERIES OF STEPS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK ABOUT, UH, COUNSELOR KINSELLA AND I, WHEN WE WERE FIRST ELECTED TO OFFICE, HOMELESSNESS WAS ONE OF OUR ISSUES, WHICH WAS NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL FOR PRIORITIES.
AND WE REALLY PUSHED HARD THAT WE COULDN'T BE OSTRICHES.
I MEAN, WE COULD JUST COULDN'T PRETEND THAT IT DIDN'T EXIST HERE BECAUSE IT'S SEDONA.
UH, AND AS LORI SAID, IT'S BEEN, WE HAVEN'T HAD A HOMELESS PROBLEM FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.
WE JUST HAVEN'T CHOSEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND YOU HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
I, TOO WAS PRETTY SKEPTICAL WHEN IT WAS FIRST.
IT WAS JUST THE DETAILS WERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF DETAILS TO GET THROUGH AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A PARTNER.
SO THANK YOU RHONDA AND CHIP FOR COMING TO THE TABLE AND SUPPORTING US IN, IN THIS INITIATIVE.
SO I, I DO SUPPORT IT AND UH, AND I THINK THAT IT REALLY RECOGNIZES THAT WE, OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO RESPOND AND DO SO IN A WAY THAT IS, UH, DIGNIFIED.
WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE SHOULD CHARGE A FEE.
BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S PART OF, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT PEOPLE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, PART OF THE WORKFORCE.
AND THEY SHOULD, THEY SHOULD PAY SMALL FEE, BUT THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THIS.
AND I ALREADY HAD EXPRESSED TO YOU MY CONCERNS ABOUT HOW YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND I DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW, IT'S CASH.
AND THEN THAT'S ANOTHER BURDEN ON THE ONSITE MANAGER TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH A SECURITY ISSUE.
SO WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST THINK THROUGH HOW THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT I'M GONNA BE SHORT AND SAY I AM A SUPPORT OF IT MOVING FORWARD.
IMPRESSED BY ALL MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS.
THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH TO ADD.
I TOO BELIEVE THIS IS A GREAT BIG PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT A VERDE VALLEY PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT A STATE OF ARIZONA PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT JUST A UNITED STATES AMERICA PROBLEM.
SO, UH, WE HAD TO, WE HAD TO START SOMEWHERE AND WE ACTUALLY GAVE SOME DIRECTION ABOUT WORKFORCE
AND SO I THOROUGHLY APPRECIATE SORT OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT YOU'VE COME UP WITH SO FAR.
AND, UH, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A RIGHT PLACE TO START IT.
I I I'M NOT HAPPY THAT WE'RE NOT FIXING A PROBLEM, BUT THIS IS A TRANSITION PERHAPS FOR SOME FOLKS.
UM, AND I'M WORRIED THAT WHEN WE SPEND OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND WHETHER WE TAKE OUR TOURIST MONEY, IT RELIEVES SOME PRESSURE ON OUR COMMUNITY FOR HAVING THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE.
AND THOSE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ARE WITH OUR BUSINESSES.
AND BRIAN, YOU DON'T WANNA BROWBEAT 'EM, BUT THEY'RE NOTICEABLY ABSENT.
THE BIG BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN TOWN, THEY'RE NOTICEABLY ABSENT IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A ROLE AND THERE, RIGHT? AND, AND THERE'S SOME PHILANTHROPY MISSING HERE TOO.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL READ THE ARTICLE FROM AUSTIN THAT WAS DRIVEN BY PHILANTHROPY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, OTHER PLACES CAN FIND SOME OTHER INTERESTING SOLUTIONS.
AND WE HAVEN'T QUITE GOT THERE YET.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A GOAL TO ENGAGE
[03:05:01]
THOSE CONVERSATIONS.AND WHETHER IT GETS DOWN TO TOPICS LIKE MINIMUM WAGE OR WORKING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT LARGE EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE TAKEN SOME ACTION, THAT'S GOOD.
BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO WORK WITH GROUPS OF SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT MAYBE CAN POOL RESOURCES TOGETHER AND, AND, AND SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM.
AND MAYBE THERE'S A ROLE FOR US, FOR OUR CITY TO LEAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THAT I, I THINK IT WAS CUSTOMER FOLTZ THAT, THAT SAID, THE PLANNING FOR THE NEXT THING COMES.
NOW, I, I TOO AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS LOCATION.
UH, 'CAUSE I DO HAVE A BELIEF THAT, WELL, THERE'S THE OLD ADAGE ABOUT THERE'S NOTHING SO PERMANENT THAN A TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT PROGRAM, BUT THIS NEED
THIS NEED ISN'T GONNA GO AWAY.
AND, UH, THIS LOCATION, WE ALL ARE PIT IN HOPES AND DREAMS FOR WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IN THE CULTURAL PARK.
AND MAYBE THIS HAS A ROLE IN THE CULTURAL PARK, BUT MAYBE NOT.
AND I, IT BEHOOVES US TO TWO YEARS AGO BY FAST.
AND WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT NOW.
I MEAN, EVEN IF WE ARE MOTIVATED TO DO SO, TO KILL A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, IT IT WILL JUST BE IMPOSSIBLE.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE 40 PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE AND THE NEXT 40 PEOPLE THAT WANNA BE IN THE RIGHT HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
SO IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT, IT, IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE 'EM.
GLAD WE'RE HAVING IT AND I'M GLAD WE'RE STARTING IT.
BUT I DON'T WANT ANY OF US TO THINK THAT THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM OR A TEMPORARY PROGRAM, RIGHT? THIS IS GONNA HAVE LEGS AND WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF THE FEE, I, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF A FEE AS WELL.
I, I, I, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS BEFOREHAND.
SITTING HERE AT THE MEETING THINKING ABOUT $2.
I TOTALLY GET THE GYM MEMBERSHIP THING.
I, I THINK THAT'S A FINE PLACE TO START.
I WILL ADMIT, I SCRATCH MY HEAD OVER THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILY WHO LOST THEIR RENT AND ARE LIVING IN THEIR CAR AND THE LIFESTYLE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THEIR VAN HERE.
AND BECAUSE THAT LOOKS TO ME LIKE A COST SHIFTING MANEUVER, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHARGE SOME, AND I DON'T HAVE A BETTER SOLUTION FOR HOW WE THINK ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS OF PEOPLE.
UH, AND IT'S EASIER TO START, THERE'S PROBABLY A DIGITAL ZELLE SOLUTION FOR
YOU KNOW, ALL THESE YOUNGER PEOPLE DO THESE PAYMENT THINGS THAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT MYSELF AND MY WIFE LAUGHS AT ME.
SO I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET THERE.
UH, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT TRYING TO COLLECT ONE MONTH AT A TIME AND WHAT, WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN TO SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, OR, OR NOT.
OH, I DID, THAT'S THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY.
I, I'M ONLY GONNA PICK ON ONE OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY THAT I TOO AGREE THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE TAKING AT THE LEVEL OF DETAIL, THE RULES AND EVEN THE METRICS, BUT WHEN THE PER, WHEN IT COMES BACK THIS, THAT'S ON US.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RULES AND THE METRICS IN THE PROGRAM RIGHT IN THE PROPOSAL.
SO I KNOW THAT YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND I CAN GET TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE, BUT THAT IT'S ON US TO STAY OUT OF THE WEEDS.
IT CAN BE IN THE PACKET AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE GIVING IT SOME THOUGHT BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GONNA WANNA KNOW
UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE WHOLE ANSWER, BUT IT'S ONE SMALL PART OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE DELAYS, I WAS TAKEN ABACK THAT SOMEBODY WOULD THINK THAT THIS IS WHAT WE THINK IS OUR ANSWER, UH, TO, TO THE SPEAKERS WHO VOICE THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UP HERE THINKS THAT THIS IS THE ANSWER.
THIS IS ONE SMALL PART TO SERVE A FRACTION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FACING CHALLENGES.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.
THIS IS A VERY REAL THING THAT WE CAN TAKE ON, CREATE AN OFFER.
SHOULDN'T WE DO THAT? ARE WE WAITING FOR THE PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF DONE, RIGHT? IF WE WAIT FOR SOMETHING PERFECT, NOTHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND I THINK THIS IS A PLACE THAT WE CAN, THE DELAYS IN THE PROJECTS, AND AGAIN, THERE ARE, I JUST WANT THE
[03:10:01]
PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THAT THERE ARE VERY REAL HOUSING PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE HERE AT THE CITY.AND THE DELAYS IN THOSE, SOME BECAUSE OF FEDERAL FUNDING ISSUES, SOME BECAUSE SLOW TO FIND PARTNERS, WHATEVER IT IS.
THE REASON DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT A COMMITMENT.
AND YOU KNOW, FROM THIS COUNCIL, THIS STAFF, THIS VERY INTELLIGENT, HARDWORKING, CREATIVE STAFF TO, TO FIND THESE SOLUTIONS.
SO I JUST DON'T WANT IT OUT THERE THAT, THAT ANYBODY THINKS I DON'T WANNA SEE THAT CITIES TRIES TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS BY CREATING A PARKING LOT.
OKAY? AND I THINK THAT REALLY NEEDED TO BE SAID CLEARLY, UM, FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
UM, THIS COMPONENT THOUGH, PERMANENT HOUSING IS ONE THING.
THIS COMPONENT IS SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE IT'S ALSO NEEDED.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE, AND YOU'RE RIGHT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN THE 40 PEOPLE CYCLE OUT, THERE'LL STILL BE 40 PEOPLE AS NEW PEOPLE HAVE CYCLED IN.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND A LONG, LONG TIME.
THIS IS NOT A RECENT PROBLEM EITHER.
IT'S JUST MORE OBVIOUS AND IT'S MAYBE MORE ON OUR PLATE BECAUSE HOMELESSNESS ITSELF HAS GROWN SO EXPONENTIALLY.
BUT THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW I THINK WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO TRY TO RECOGNIZE AND SAY THAT A SAFE PLACE THAT IS LEGALLY ALLOWED AS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO DO TO PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE AND SECURE.
UM, THIS IS ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT WANT TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE RESOURCES, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR IDENTIFYING A PARTNER THAT HAS, THAT CAN MAKE THAT LINK.
THE CONNECTION IS WHAT'S MISSING FOR PEOPLE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GO AND ACCESS SERVICES, INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES, THIS, THIS IS THE LINK THAT CAN PROVIDE SOME OF THAT.
UM, WHICH IS AGAIN, PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE MORE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
I AGREE THAT THERE DOES, THERE SHOULD BE A SMALL FEE INVOLVED BECAUSE I THINK THAT A FEE SETS A TONE, IT SETS A TONE OF MEMBERSHIP, OF RESPONSIBILITY, OF COMMITMENT.
I LIKED YOUR REASONING OF THE GYM MEMBERSHIP $60 FEE, AND MY GYM COSTS A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT'S A REASONABLE, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU LOOKED AT THAT WAS REALLY REASONABLE.
UM, I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING TO COLLECT THAT OR SOMEBODY HAVE TO PAY THAT ONCE MONTHLY.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT $60 COULD CREATE THE OBSTACLE THAT KEEPS THEM FROM ACCESSING THE SAFE PLACE THAT WE ARE TRYING, TRYING TO PROVIDE.
SO MAYBE WEEKLY AT BEST, IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT NIGHTLY, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT THAT TO STOP SOMEBODY FROM USING IT.
SO THAT BEING SAID, AGAIN, MANY CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GRANT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT REALLY HELPS ME, PERHAPS MY COLLEAGUES TO KNOW AS WELL THAT THIS, WE ARE PART OF RECOGNIZING SOMETHING THAT'S BEING RECOGNIZED ON STATE, FEDERAL, AS YOU SAID, WORLDWIDE LEVELS.
UH, THAT'S THE COMMITMENT, THAT'S THE PROOF THAT'S OUT THERE, THAT YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM AND THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES THAT WE COULD AVAIL OURSELVES OF TO HELP US IN ADDRESSING THEM.
SINCE THE RESPONSIBILITY IS BEING PUSHED DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, AT LEAST THERE'S DOLLAR SUPPORT OUT THERE.
SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT FOR IDENTIFYING IT AND GETTING IT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT COUNCILOR FURMAN RAISED AN IMPORTANT POINT.
AND I SAID IT WHEN I STARTED MY COMMENTS THAT THIS NEED WILL CONTINUE AND PEOPLE WILL, NEW PEOPLE WILL CYCLE IN AS PEOPLE CYCLE OUT IN TWO YEARS.
IF THAT SPACE IS TO BE DEVELOPED FOR SOME OTHER USE, THERE'S GONNA BE A REAL PROBLEM.
I MEAN, THAT'S GONNA BE A MAJOR ISSUE.
WE DO NEED TO START THINKING NOW ABOUT EXIT STRATEGY.
EXIT STRATEGY DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN SHUTTING DOWN A PROGRAM.
IT COULD BE MOVING IT TO A MORE APPROPRIATE LOCATION.
IT COULD BE DOWNSIZING, IT COULD BE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN IT, ARE REFERRED SOMEWHERE, WHATEVER IT IS.
BUT WHEN THIS COMES BACK, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ANSWER TO HOW THE FEE IS GONNA GET COLLECTED.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSES THE BEGINNINGS OF THOUGHT FOR AN EXIT STRATEGY.
SHOULD THIS LAND BE NEEDED FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE.
UM, AND I AGREE ALSO WITH COUNCIL FURMAN, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THE RULES.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON SOMETHING IF I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK.
AND IF I THINK IT MIGHT CREATE ANOTHER PROBLEM, IT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO I NEED THAT INFORMATION FOR ME.
UM, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT ONE BY ONE, I THINK IN THE PACKET,
[03:15:01]
JUST SO THAT IT'S THERE IS A, A GREAT IDEA.WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I NEED TO SEE THE WEEDS
SO WITH THAT, I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN, STAFF AND RHONDA, TO YOUR PROGRAM FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING PROACTIVE, IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS, UM, BRINGING THEM FORWARD.
UH, I THINK WE, WE'VE ALL, UH, ADDRESSED IT HERE.
NOBODY HERE THOUGHT THAT THIS IS THE ANSWER, BUT IT'S ONE OF MANY AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THE PUBLIC LIKES TO THROW BOBS AND MAKE ACCUSATIONS AND SAY, THIS IS THE BEST YOU CAN DO.
UH, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE NOBODY'S HERE OR VERY FEW ARE HERE.
DEREK AND TIM, THANKS FOR STAYING.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE, THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW JUST HOW MUCH WORK OUR STAFF, UH, JEANNIE AND SHANNON HAVE PUT INTO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
AND I MEAN, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
IT'S THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIRS OR OURS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
IT'S PRIMARILY PARTNERS AND, UH, THE INTEREST RATES THAT REALLY HAVE HURT, UH, THE PROGRESS.
BUT THAT SHOULD NOT, UH, MINIMIZE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT OUR STAFF HAS DONE, UH, FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS.
UM, SO, UH, I TOO, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I BELIEVE IN, UH, A FEE, WHETHER IT'S $2 OR $3.
I'M NOT, THAT'S, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO THAT, BUT A, A FEE SHOULD BE CHARGED 'CAUSE IT DOES GIVE BUY-IN.
I'M NOT THRILLED ABOUT PAY BY THE MONTH.
AND IF YOU DON'T USE IT, WELL, WE'LL CREDIT YOU.
TO ME, THAT COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM.
AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GET IN FIVE DAYS IN A ROW OR WHATEVER NOW, HEY, YOU OWE ME MONEY.
AND MAYBE, AND IF IT'S ON A SPREAD ON A SPREADSHEET, IT MIGHT GET LOST.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING MORE PERMANENT OR BETTER, UH, ACCURATE TO PAY PER DAY.
TAKING THESE THROUGH NO PARTICULAR ORDER, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO YOUR ORGANIZATION, THE VERDE VALLEY HOMELESS COALITION COALITION, RIGHT? I HAVE BEEN SO IMPRESSED BY YOU, RHONDA, AND FOR CHIP TO COME AS A BOARD CHAIR, I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.
YOUR KNOWLEDGE, YOUR DEDICATION, YOUR CLARITY.
I AM SO THRILLED THAT OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH YOU AND THEY'VE BEEN TELLING ME AND OUR CITY MANAGER'S BEEN TELLING ME ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND IT'S TRULY A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE CAN BE WORKING WITH YOU.
AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THIS PROJECT WILL MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILOR LTZ, YOU SAID, UH, AND COUNCILOR FURMAN, WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE RULES.
SO, UH, I THINK YOU SHOULD JUST KEEP THAT TO YOURSELVES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY, I THINK, UH, SEV SEVERAL.
WHAT'S THAT? DID YOU SAY IT TO THAT'S NOT WHAT HE SAID THOUGH.
I THOUGHT HE SAID WHAT THIS NO, NO, I, NO, I WANT THE RULE.
THERE SHOULD BE RULES, BUT NO, WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS IT UP HERE.
UM, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP SAYING, WELL, WE NEED TO, UH, ENCOURAGE THE BUSINESSES TO GET INVOLVED AND HAVE THEM PAY MORE MONEY, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH HERE TONIGHT, IT'S ONLINE.
THE AMOUNT OF COMMENTS ONLINE ACCUSING PEOPLE OF NOT PAYING ENOUGH.
WELL, WE HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EMPLOYERS HERE.
ENCAMPMENT HAS HOUSING FOR THEIR PEOPLE, WHETHER, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ALL THEIR PEOPLE.
SOME OF THE OTHER HOTELS HAVE HOUSING.
THE SMALLER MOM AND POP SHOPS SIMILAR TO WHAT'S AN UPTOWN, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SAD WHEN I'VE SEEN PEOPLE SAY, WELL, BULLY THEM, FORCE THEM, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND IT'S JUST UNFAIR TO TO, TO DO THAT TO A SMALL BUSINESS.
UH, SO I DON'T BELIEVE IN BULLYING ANYBODY.
AND UH, I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING IS A GREAT START.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OTHER, OTHER HOUSING PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE CLOSER TO AN ANSWER.
I DON'T THINK WE'LL EVER GET TO THE ANSWER BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF UNITS NEEDED.
SO, UH, OF COURSE I SUPPORT THIS.
UH, AND I'M JUST THRILLED WHAT YOU, YOU'VE DONE GETTING THAT GRANT AND YOU KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.
[03:20:01]
AND I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT FOR THE, THE STATE, UH, TO, ARE WE THE FIRST CITY TO GET THIS? AS FAR AS I KNOW, UNLESS THERE WERE OTHERS IN THAT FUNDING ROUND.WELL, UH, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE AND I THANK YOU FOR DOING ALL THE HARD WORK.
SO DO YOU HAVE THE DIRECTION THAT YOU NEED? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT ALL FOR FOR HERE IS DIRECTION, RIGHT? YES.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE BRIAN? I MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT DIRECTION AROUND WORKING ON THIS AT A VERDE VALLEY LEVEL, AND COUNCILOR FURMAN AND I BOTH HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ASPECT OF IT.
SO IS THERE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL THAT THERE IS SOME DIRECTION GIVEN HERE THAT WE AT LEAST START LOOKING AT HOW, YOU KNOW, WHO DO WE CONVENE? WHO, WHO, WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS? WHAT KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS DO WE WANNA START TRYING TO HAVE? WELL, I, I CAN ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SHANNON CAN, JEANNIE CAN, UH, THEY'VE COME WITH ME TO MEETINGS IN THE VERDE VALLEY, UH, WHERE IT WAS DISCUSSED AND WITH, UH, OTHER, THE OTHER FOUR CITIES AND TOWNS, OR ACTUALLY THREE OF THE CITIES AND, AND TOWNS IN THE VERDE VALLEY.
AND THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY WANTED TO PARTNER WITH US WAS, UH, COTTONWOOD, WHO HAD ALREADY, WE CO-SHARE SHANNON WITH THE OTHERS, WANTED TO START FROM SCRATCH AND DO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
AND IT WAS, IT JUST DIDN'T, IT JUST DIDN'T PLAY OUT.
BUT THERE WAS DISCUSSION TO DO.
I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS THIS PROJECT, BUT A HOUSING PROJECT.
SO, UH, FORTUNATELY WE HAD SHANNON AND I THINK QUITE CANDIDLY, I THINK THEY WERE A LITTLE JEALOUS THAT WE HAD SOMEONE, UH, LIKE THIS TEAM HERE WORKING FOR WITH US.
UH, BUT THEY, THEY WANT TO START FROM SCRATCH AND GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IF THERE IS ANY INTEREST IN NOW WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN COTTONWOOD WITH THE CHANGE.
I, I THOUGHT MAYBE KAREN COULD ADD SOME, SHE COULD DIMENSION TO THAT.
BUT I WAS GONNA GO TO SHA WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE REGIONAL APPROACH.
I ACTUALLY WENT TO A LUNCHEON TODAY WITH, UM, SOME FOLKS FROM VV RIO FROM YAVAPAI COLLEGE.
UM, IT WAS HOSTED BY THE YAVAPAI APACHE NATION, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION.
JUST THE INITIAL START OUT OF THE GATE DIDN'T QUITE TURN OUT LIKE WE HAD HOPED, BUT IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF, THEY'RE TRYING, DEFINITELY ARE STILL PLANNING TO COORDINATE A REGIONAL APPROACH.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN SEDONA? GETTING SOME DIALOGUE GOING THERE? I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT YOUR EXPECTED OUTCOME WOULD BE FOR SUCH A DIALOGUE.
HAVE THEM AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION OF, HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED YOU TO BE PART OF THIS SOLUTION HERE.
WE CAN'T FUND A HUNDRED PERCENT OF EVERYTHING TO GET EVERYBODY THE HOUSING THAT THEY MIGHT WANT.
SO IT'S IN TERMS OF MONEY THAT YOU WOULD BE, SO ARE YOU GUYS WILLING TO, TO DO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR FURMAN TALKED ABOUT GETTING, YOU KNOW, GROUPS OF BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT FIND WAYS TO COLLABORATE TO HELP WITH HOUSING FOR SOME WORKERS.
I, I THINK GETTING THAT DISCUSSION GOING, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO LOSE? AND I MEAN, I, I MEAN I WROTE DOWN A JUST A CRAZY IDEA, BUT MAYBE NOT SO CRAZY IDEA.
I MEAN, DEPENDING ON WHAT RESTAURANT YOU GO TO IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, SOME KIND OF WORKER SUPPORT FEE, 3% OR WHATEVER.
I MEAN, WHAT IF THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY 1% HOUSING FUND FEE THAT WENT TO A INDEPENDENT, UH, HOUSING ORGANIZATION, RIGHT.
WITH ITS OWN BOARD AND WHATEVER.
I MEAN, AGAIN, THIS IS LIKE STRICTLY OFF THE CUFF DURING THIS MEETING, BUT WHERE, WHERE DO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN IF WE DON'T ASK FOR THEM TO HAPPEN? WELL, I GUESS MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IF I MAY.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A TOPIC FOR A DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEM.
SO I THINK IT STILL HOUSING BE AGENDAS, NOT THIS, NOT, NOT THIS NOT, BUT CAN I SUGGEST YOUR NEXT MEETING WITH KAREN? UH, YOU, YOU ADDRESS IT WITH HER.
AND KAREN, DID YOU WANNA WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING THAT SHANNON, WHAT SHE HAD WAS RIGHT? NO, THANK YOU.
SO I'M GONNA LOSE MY VOICE FOR SURE.
UM, AND YOU HAVE YOUR DIRECTION.
[8.b. Discussion/possible action regarding future meeting/agenda items. ]
UH, ITEM D EIGHT.EIGHT B, UH, DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING FUTURE
[03:25:01]
MEETING AND AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE ANYTHING? NO.MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, INFORM EVERYONE? THERE IS NO WORK SESSION TOMORROW? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY YES.
BUT THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME.
THERE IS NO WORK SESSION TOMORROW, SO WE'RE DONE FOR THE WEEK.
[10. ADJOURNMENT]
IF SINCE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO BE SAID, THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.