--------- All right. Good evening everybody. Um, I'm calling to order the community relations committee of the Greenfield City Council and it is 6:00 p.m. on a die according to my
>> and you were worried. >> I think that clock is wrong. >> Yeah. >> And it's always wrong. Um so uh first thing is this meeting is being recorded by the community relations committee. If any other persons present
are doing the same, you must notify the chairperson at this time. Okay. Anybody recording? So the first thing that we will do is a roll call of members. And I don't have my regular sheet here. So you've got it. Thank you
so much. makes a lot easier because then I had in my head say who is on this committee. Um I don't think we have any counselors on line so we can do this more easily. So um
councelor Wandelowski I am here. Councelor Brown >> here. >> Councelor Minhas. >> Councelor Perry >> here. >> Councelor Williams >> here. >> Great. We have a quorum.
All righty. Uh, so next order of business is the approval of minutes. Um, could I have somebody make a motion to approve the minutes? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Great. All in favor? >> I >> I. Great.
I have an extra pen because this one is not working. >> The next thing we're doing is public comment. And so we give uh three minutes for public comment per person. And um so I will call names and then folks can
come up to the table just so that the microphone could pick it up. It's not like it's has to be weird and formal. Um and then when you do public comment uh it's just your name and address. And if you're online just want to let folks
know to put it in the chat um your name and that way we will put you in the queue for public comment. So I've got uh Michael Love it. Love it. Uh, I don't just in case. >> Okay. Thanks.
Well, something comes up, uh, we'll we'll get you in. All right. So, I'm going to close public comments and I know we don't have to say the time, but I will. 603. Um
not sure why it has on the agenda communications with city departments, but um because that's not you a usual piece of this. So um we'll um skip over to discussion.
So, uh, we spoke last time about the precinct meetings and, uh, I shared, um, electronically and I also have a, um, copy of it, uh, in case folks didn't look at it online,
but this is the um, amended version of precinct meetings that we've talked about a few times. So, um, you'll see the strikeout in there and then there was a little bit of word smithing going on. So, um the
first section uh really uh the only change was about um adding hybrid accessible locations um to to that piece. Um the
58-3 notice um is striking out the that this is led by the mayor, but but this is really um community relations committee taking this on um and then where we post it. Uh and so we talked
last time about all of these changes. So these are just reflecting the changes everybody had had given. Um and then the last really section is who is going to be on the panel. So, um we
we made some changes based on not inviting everybody and their brother in the community, but um giving us some flexibility, especially if there's a pertinent topic to a um particular um
department or or other committee. So, were there do you all have any other changes? Um, I I think I got in here, Patty, your other change. Uh, I think this looks great. Thank you for that doing this.
I The question I had was >> Yeah. or was that who would be who would be chairing the meeting >> and it seems to me well I have two
things think I have two different ways of thinking on this which is a little weird but no >> I'll present both of them >> you're a Gemini >> no and last I checked I wasn't schizophrenic but you know this is um on one level it seemed Seems to me if
there's going to be a precinct meeting in the community that the person who would be chairing the meeting should be the mayor. >> Because if you I'm in the community and there's a big meeting called in my precinct, I come I want to see the chief
executive running it. >> That's one way of thinking. >> Another way of thinking is what what then is the role of the precinct counselor? >> Yep. in this phenomenon. So should the
precinct what role should the precinct counselor be playing since it's their precinct? >> Sure. >> So I'm I'm like asking I'm asking the question and I have two different answers for it on some level. So >> yeah, it's a really good question
counselor's thoughts. Um, on the one hand, I know if you're the precinct person and you're running the meeting and people are giving you feedback on your precinct and what you should do, it's hard to listen while you're running a meeting.
>> So, I could see that, but I think it's also important to have the precinct counselor be seen as someone who is has some sort of leadership within that precinct. So >> yeah, I I get your dilemma.
>> Oh, you've got two answers to the same question, too. >> I do. You want to give a stab? >> No, I just assumed from the beginning when we first started the conversation, I went when I went back into the minutes of your previous minutes, I just assumed the council would be chairing the meeting. It's their precinct. Why would they?
>> I I just you were concerned that they'd be advocating their role if someone senior to them was chairing the meeting. You know if the chief executive is tearing the meeting then the chief executive kind of has the power of the meeting. >> Yeah. >> Whereas the counselor the counselors
turn the meeting and we also said you know some of the outliers counselors could be there. So that could you know the the counselor the precinct counselor could ask one of the out counselors say hey could you run the board or could you take notes or whatever it is so the the
chair precinct counselor could be more attentive what's going on that was just my initial thought. I can see both sides of the conversation too. But >> I would think that people might some people might be a little bit intimidated if the chief executive or their representative was chairing it.
>> Could we say such panel because right now it says such panel shall be run by the community relations committee. So could we say such panel shall be run by a design of the community relations committee? And then if they designate the mayor, they can designate the
counselor, whoever, it's a little bit more. Is that too loosey? >> Whoever wants to do it or whoever is available to do it, that makes it a lot simpler, I think. >> Yeah. >> The designate of the community relations committee, I think, makes sense. There's some flexibility there. >> Yeah. Because every meeting might be a
little bit different depending depending what's going on in the community at that time. >> So, maybe sorry about maybe a a counselor might feel a conflict of interest and wouldn't want to That's right. >> But I know we've talked about like
if you combined like three precincts together then it would be like well then >> there we do you know so that way it definitely more important >> every day. >> I think we'd want to do individual
precincts. Yeah. So >> yeah, >> even if it's a small meeting, >> because this is this was supposed to be happening, never happened, and we're trying to get it going. >> Yeah. >> So once we get it rolling and people see that it's actually a functioning part of
of city government, >> then they'll attend. >> Exactly. >> You know, it'll grow. I believe it will grow. >> So I hope so, too, because it's important. Um >> so a designate of the community relations committee I think is fine and dandy but
>> could I suggest one more amendment >> um which is no >> which is I mean 584 on the scheduling >> just because it says scheduling and consultation with the precinct counselors and mayor but then uh
>> oh it it's not including a representative of the schools um even though they're supposed to be there. So we could either change that to say after consultation with members of the panel or after consultation with precinct counselors, mayor and representative
from the schools from the Greenfield public schools. >> So let me ask this question. The schools are going to be part of every single meeting, but all the other departments are as needed. >> Well, that's kind of true anyways in a way. Depends on what the agenda is.
depends what's going on in the community at the time. >> That that was my question. Are the schools do you envision this as the schools being part of every single meeting or are they like every other department as designated? >> Right. >> We wrote it as every meeting
>> as and why >> I think because we felt like schools are 50% of our budget. Um, and it's important that they hear the community concerns and that we hear some of the
school concerns like at the same time because we also represent people. Um, I mean the school committee is interesting because it's all at large. So it's yeah, you know, not not specific parts of the city. Um, and that's my
recollection from our discussion last week was that or last month last month. Yeah, that's what she was kind of that conversation was a little bit committee to committee committee to committee but we could have raised that higher because we more people involved.
>> I think it's hard when you've got I mean this is just my when the discussion of what we want for our schools is over here and discussion we want for everything else in the city is over here and and yet those things touch everything and and we've got this
like artificial not completely artificial, but we've got a silo up there. And maybe I I don't know. I think bringing down that silos can help. >> So then why wouldn't it be either
the superintendent or a representative from the school committee? >> That makes me superintendent. >> Oh, I see. >> Or a representative from the school committee. Here it says superintendent and members of the school committee. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I don't think we should have the
>> Okay. >> Superintendent and the full school committee attending these. >> Yeah, that sounds good to me. >> Or a representative from the school committee. That makes sense. >> Mhm. As I said, we really don't want a whole lot of people
being on at the head of this meeting for probably the some of the first meetings in the precincts will be maybe five 10 people showing up. >> Uh, >> you know what I'm saying? >> Should we say design of schools? >> Yeah. And with a S around it, design. Um
because I I know I was listening to one of the school committee meetings and they have concerns about um you know that that they've got a lot of meetings and then to have to come to other meetings. So maybe it's
>> Yeah. >> So the superintendent or >> designates >> a designate from the school committee. >> Yep. >> Sounds great. >> Okay. And just to go back to the previous converation just for a second so I'm not confused. When we say when we
say a design of the community relations would designate someone that doesn't necessarily mean it's a member of the committee. It could be anybody >> right could be a third party we're all on the same page. >> Yeah. Because sometimes you might want
an independent person doing it. >> That's really good conversation. >> Absolutely. >> This is good conversation. >> So we have three amendments >> and then if this committee and the school relations committee just turning
together then kind of feed into this conversation. don't have the information even before the precinct. We just say, "Yeah, we talked about this and d >> that's my vision if we get all together." >> Yeah. No, I think that could be a
positive >> um thing that both committees tackle together. >> So, do you have all those changes? >> I do. >> So, then can I make a motion that we accept this? >> Yes, please. I make a motion to accept.
>> All right. and >> second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> All right. >> Okay. Uh so just being clear, um this will then go to AO.
will be >> will be >> right and they can decide if they wish to approve. >> Yeah. And which we will send it over to >> and it will be impeachment. >> Oh yeah. You are confident. >> I am. >> Oh I am. I am. It's fine because we've you spent a bunch of time.
>> Everyone's excited about this. People want this to happen. Yeah. I have not heard any naysaying about this. Yep. So, plenty to go. >> Yeah. Don't come later. >> How unusual is that? So, be happy about it. >> True. In the waiting room.
>> It just popped up now. So, good. >> Okay. All right. Well, that is exciting. So, um next thing is, uh just it's kind of two things
together, but one is just an update from the inhouse committee. And then I wanted to talk to us all because we set up this committee. Um and one of the tenants of it was to have a recommendations from the committee. We
didn't set a deadline. So um I think after Sarah gives the update, maybe we can have a quick discussion about when do we want the recommendations for I what's reasonable. Yeah. Um committee
is going well. Um we lost Pamela Goodwin recently. She didn't um resign from committee but >> I don't know. Do we we need a new designate from the mayor?
>> We could I guess or you could mayor could I'm not sure but also if we're wrapping up then just like it's okay back to that one. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, just want to >> um and I think the meetings have been going really well, bringing in lots of
good guests. I can't even remember all of the guest >> there's a lot of them from all aspects of the community. Yeah, >> truly the recover project, the continuum of care, um the who else has been there?
>> Food pantry. Was it the food pantry or uh uh >> I mean that we had the sheriff's department, we had the police department, we had the police chief, we had um >> Okay. >> Catholic ministries or >> Oh yeah, we had um the interfaith council.
>> We had someone from housing green fields. Like it's truly been like almost every time we have >> the librarian. >> Yes. H McBride has been participating actually a lot of the meetings. >> Wait, that was pretty good. I do have my notes. I remember. >> Great. Thank you for helping share a second brain with us.
Council has been at every single one of them. That's really nice. Um we also have had human rights commission um members attend because they wanted to focus on homelessness. Um and mainly what we're thinking about is in a few
different buckets. So I'll pull up the notes on this but um I think the goal like of course there's so many people working on this ecosystem right and also it's still an issue so what can we do in
our niche of like what's local what's a gap what's something that like legislation or city council is in our purview I guess trying to be our angle of like to be helpful instead of being redundant um We've also had Amy Hailing.
I forgot to say that too. Um, and I think our main recommendations, just like the top four, are improving access to resources um through infrastructure downtown and at
campsites. Um, so we had a walk with um the DPW and Amy and Tapestry to visit the campsites and look at um if we could start having trash pickup there >> and it's actually possible which is
great like they can drive on the bike path. There will need to be coordination with residents to like use the barrel and wheel the toar um to the cur or the curb. Um, and we also coordinated with source to see and they had like a big
they used they can't do dumpsters but we can the city can have barrels. So they got a dumpster for like getting the backlog of like there was truly a mountain of trash because there hasn't been trash pickup for like 5 years there basically. Um, and folks can't really
like folks some folks bring it out every single time they leave but it's still easy to accumulate. >> Yeah. Yeah. So basically like how to get >> stuff gets wet and ruined. So like you know it's it's I think it's >> so trash has been like that's like an lowhanging
fruit I guess. I don't know like >> um it's something that even if you don't care about human rights which I hope people do but still it impacts neighborhood or environmental issues and public health issues. Yeah. So I think and when we were on this tour we didn't
even we saw no um like needles or drugs like we went with tapestry in case and um so and there was like a successful cleanup there. >> So that's really good to hear cuz I've been other times and >> so um trash is a big one at the
campsites. >> Could you just explain in case someone's watching where you actually went? >> Oh yeah, sure. That's a good idea. So, um the two campsites that are um where people are primarily is the behind the Greenfield Gardens
apartments along bike path and then also in the Green River Park area on Petty Plane Road in the Woods line and behind there's a baseball field and that's where the dog park and pickled >> courts are just so we also had a successful clean up at the Green River
Park area um and all This has been just donated time and money and not using taxpayer dollars. >> That same weekend, the Green River Cemetery Board also cleaned up on top of the hill around the cemetery. There is a
problem with people dumping trash up there. >> Not even our people from our town or something coming and fill the bags over the banks instead of going to the landfill and stuff. So, >> I was gonna say that is >> Yeah, it's So, we're trying to full disclosure. I'm on the board. I know
what's going on. So, we're trying to get more of a watch system going to see to deal with that and stuff. >> Um, okay. Sorry. And then other collaboration I just to mention was Greenfield trash pickup club and um
opioid task force. They were devol sheriff's office. Um, so the trash that's a big one working on that. We have to we didn't start getting trash pickup there. It requires some more coordination with residents and figuring out the correct volume and whatever.
It's a it's still everything's a thing but people are motivated and >> that's a form of everything is a thing. >> Everything is a thing. >> Trash. um would love if there could be other resources at the sites like
currently the portaotties are just seasonal as people are using the parks and then the portaotties go away but there's not a reason that they have to go away and the water gets shut off for winter but >> right >> how I and I don't know how plumbing and pipes work but if there was some way
that folks could have access to water year round access to bathrooms year round these are sanitation issues that um are good for public health as well. >> But did you ask a question about chemical outouses >> instead the water ones?
>> Yeah. No, those should be working. A porta body could work year round. It's just we haven't >> kept it as a composting toilet. >> So we couldn't So these are all the issues at the actual campsite. Um and then downtown it would be nice to have
like the 247 community fridge for access for people. um an outdoor water refill station. The sub the police substation was interested in that idea. Um and um the storage locker funding that the
community economic development department got. They are still looking at identifying a site for that and they were interested in our input for that. >> Um but yeah, I think that's the main things like how can people have access to basic survival needs >> at campsites downtown. Yeah, if I
remember correctly, Chief Dod was Chief Dodge was really on board with using the substation as access point for people, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Um and then once you have resources or as you have resources, let's update. So the yellow card up there is the 413
cares card. So let's make that into a nice map that's visual >> um and can be have different symbols and have different languages. So like a resource finding. >> Yeah. So updated resource card and and a
map. Um and that's something that I talked to FRCOG about. Franklin Regional Council of Governance Governments. >> Um and >> did you talk to the person that that I sent? >> Yes. Thank you so much. That was actually a great connection. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So it's possible they can use staff time
for this. They because they have um a budget for housing. Um so >> Oh, is that Mariah? Yeah. Oh, good. So, we've met with Mariah as well. Mariah and Megan both. Um, so I think it would we can also somebody could volunteer and
do it, but it's nice to do it. So, then it's like officially housed within her cog. Right now, it's um Palin McBride's um project. It used to be Christian in community economic development. Okay. So I think that's the the main things about resources downtown campsites and then
the presentation or the distribution of the knowledge. >> Okay. >> In a resource card map. Um so that's all on that topic, but this is one of the buckets and then there's more this one. There's a lot of emissions. So
I don't know. >> Well, that was my next question. Is the board is the subcommittee still fired up and ready to go? >> Yeah, I think it's I don't know. I could go through the other ones too, but they're they're not I think resources is like top, but the other ones is just
that as we know the site that people are camping floods, right? >> Flooded three times this year. It will flood in the spring again as there's a thaw. >> Um and that's not sustainable. So
>> public health issue >> public health issue and it's an environmental it's in violation of the wetlands protection act to have like humans inhabiting within 100 ft of a waterway. So it's not it's ecologically sensitive area. It's not good for in any
way you slice it. So >> right. So and also it's destroying people's property or possessions >> personal possessions. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um so so because of that looking at sites that could work um this is way more
complicated than I hoped but it's basically looking for another site is hard like if you look at public land there's not even an ideal parcel of public land if we were to get over the political will of having it's it's solvable other towns other cities have
done it where you have like a liability a contract and there's an indemnification clause, you can do it legally, but even if you're looking at public land, there's not like an ideal spot necessarily either. So, looking at private land is the next good thing. So,
we're still looking we're still looking at like what are some sites that could actually be an investment to have a more of like a campground style or like a village model is what this is called. and other um places are using this. And
so basically just like a campground that um but instead of it being temporary, folks can have stability there. um at Dignity Village in Portland, Oregon. They um on average folks live there for 2 years and it's a good like
transitional interim housing um situation and they live in like a tiny home or like a little whatever structures. So minimal dwellings um or even like a trailer or a camper.
So that's something that is not possible under our current zoning. it could be if we worked on it and that's something that this committee could put a recommendation forward around and I think that that's a good direction to
head towards. So basically this village model we could tweak the existing I talked to Mariah and Megan from Furkog. We could tweak the existing campground zoning and um because it says stuff like it needs to be at least 10
acres in rural residential and it's only to be occupied on a temporary basis, but we could um amend some of that and you could still have it go through like a slight plan review. Um and then it would still have like utilities, it would still have bathrooms. Like if you
basically it's sort of like a harm reduction perspective, the fact that people are already doing this, but we can just make it a little bit more um humane and also safer, >> right? But it sounds like the the uh first thing to find is something a site a site
>> and the site needs to be within access to resources downtown within public transportation like it there's really particular qualifications that limit sites that make sense. But I have one in my >> I was gonna say Barton Barton's Po campground, but it's not close to
downtown by any means. >> No isolated. >> Yeah, >> that's a tough one. Um, okay. So, that's another one. And then it's something I don't know if I'm going too I can try and wrap this up if it's too much, but there's literally there's more.
Honestly, it's a dense committee. we've talked about a lot, but um another thing is just that right now on public land, it's trespassing to be on public land between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. So homelessness is essentially criminalized
and at the discretion of law enforcement because you can't actually camp anywhere. You can't be in a parked car overnight. So you can't be in a parking lot. You can't be >> So there's nowhere you can be. Um, so
that's something that would be worth changing, but it's also difficult to figure out what exactly the recommendation there is. I've talked to the National Homelessness Law Center. They said you can strike through um curfews like trespassing. So, that's
one option. Another option is to say um something about the purpose or intended use like not appropriate if it's conservation or recreation or like you could make it more restrictive than just striking through the um that. So that's something to navigate with the police
chief about what they feel comfortable how to phrase that. >> And he made it clear that they they don't go looking for people. There's a big difference between someone sleeping in a big wide parking lot >> then there is someone sleeping in the middle of a park where they know people are all the time. So they're not gonna they don't go their way looking for people.
>> They do a nightly check. >> Yeah, they do a nightly check, but they don't >> each lot and make sure people aren't sleeping there. So Miller's Meadow every night folks have to leave. So there is a that's the rounds. >> I mean I and I've known I have an old neighbor who lived in a car and it was
hard cuz it was like where to park again to be you know she was felt safer in a car than Yeah. >> in the elements. So, so there's, so that's an another thing to consider. Um,
and then also just some maybe simp simpler fixes is that um right now mobile homes are banned and that's an outdated term. Anything after 1970 whatever is actually a has to be um
following HUD guidelines and it's a manufactured home. And I saw that was a the furcog study had some zoning suggestions and that was one of them. >> So we should strike through anything that bans mobile homes because it's irrelevant and manufactured housing is
actually half the price per square foot as stickuilt housing. So that's a really affordable housing option um that's naturally affordable. Um and um we can also think about mounted tiny
houses. So tiny houses on wheels. Those could be considered. Um, right now you can't have anything on a trailer, but um, six towns in Massachusetts have legalized mountain mounted tiny houses
and five states. And there's currently like a state bill in the mass legislature to regulate mounted tiny houses. And there's a whole appendix Q >> on public property. >> Oh, sorry. >> On public property anywhere. >> Yeah. So just like you could buy a order
of a lot or like a t you know a tiny tiny lot to put your tiny house on or in your friends you know and then when does it become an ADU I know god forbid it becomes an in >> it's legal but it's legal to be ADUs illegal remember
>> so that's another thing >> no that was that's the the tiny house was a huge thing because I a few years ago was looking into it and it was so impossible from town to town for people to do that. And some of the designs are
just super cool >> and a really good like starter place for somebody. And there's a whole part of the building code appendix Q that defines exactly how tiny homes have to be built. So there's nothing like off
about it. It's totally legal. It's just we have to allow it if we want to, which I think we should because I mean that's one way to get cost down without getting subsidy is just allowing minimal dwellings like tiny homes and manufactured homes.
Can I ask a question also on this and I don't know if there's been discussion about this. I know in the last I know at least last year there was warming centers. >> Yeah. >> Set up. Are they already in place for this coming winter? >> Um yes. Salvation Army is going to be
used again as a warming center and the medical reserve corps is um helps staffs volunteer staff it and Sarah Ahern who's the opioid use and prevention commission chair and works for the recover project. Yeah, >> she's the one who's
>> coordinating >> coordinating it. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Um so I think these are and then sorry. Okay, is that too much? Okay, that's basically the main ones, but then there's other related strategies just of like
>> the afford to do a mind map of all of this. >> The biggest thing is finding finding a campsite. >> I think that's the number one. >> That's the big issue, right? >> That's truly what people want and are most excited about. people who like the
members on the committee with lived experience or even just being out out about town. Like that's the number one thing that people want, >> right? >> Um and then just the other things that I won't go off too much about, but just like affordable housing ecosystem stuff
about like an affordable housing trust, a rental registry, um short-term rental ordinance, >> advocacy for rent control, things like that. So just it's a whole the whole ecosystem, but that's the bigger part of the mind map. No, this is great because I I think the next step is really like
the committee's recommendations. Um, and then I think we identify like who do you recommend doing those things, >> right? >> Do we keep this committee going to
tackle some of those issues? And and I think that could be a recommendation from the committee to keep the committee going >> if if that's what you think. >> Yeah. I mean part of >> or does it become its own commission? >> Right. It could.
>> Part of is like um if we stop being an official committee then we can just switch all our focus onto creating a campsite and not do that on public meetings like and that doesn't necessarily involve the city. Like we
need to set the conditions. That's the part that involves the city council, right? Like making the actual zoning so that it's legal. But then the work of actually doing that is like a lot of coalition building and doesn't necessarily need to be a public city meeting. But well, and as we were at
that meeting this spring and just thinking about how government structure sometimes kills good ideas just because it's it's hard to navigate everything. And so if you
all wanted to spin off and keep doing good work once the official stuff can get where it needs to be. Yeah, >> I think that might be the pathway that makes the most sense is just like let's wrap up the official
like legislative side and then and the executive branch side which a lot of the resources are more about the executive branch but then um moving on towards actually just meeting over at campsites where folks can join and figure out
>> meeting as a committee you mean >> no just we've already had some meetings with folks that um the chief of staff actually connected me to someone who has been working on this idea of like the village model for a while. So continuing that work but just outside of this.
Um but I was thinking in terms of timeline um and some people would maybe like this committee to continue and it totally could also I'm not sure. Um, but timelinewise, part of me is like
wanting to make sure that I want to present these recommendations at a time that it will be impacted and um or like impactful and implemented. And so I'm like if we're turning over the council this year then
or seven or I guess I don't know how many folks are actually outgoing counselors but it could be before the end of the year or it could be in like January February but maybe folks already have enough if they're newly joining council but just trying to think about presenting it at a time when we actually
have a little bit of bandwidth to actually then because everything here is a rabbit hole to get into. Yeah. I mean you potentially have four new counselors. Yeah. So I don't know timing wise I think we
basically have the ideas baked in terms of what are there halfbaked in terms of these are the topics we want to work on but then the actual followup of like this is the part that needs to be we need to strike through this and then this is what you put in like that's not all 100% there. But I couldn't remember
when we actually got going and if that was >> April. April. Okay. Yeah. >> It doesn't really matter what the makeup of the council is because if the subcommittee thinks this is important enough, you just got to silent. Doesn't matter who's on the council because there's going to be other besides the
council involved. Whatever except board is so, you know, I don't >> it'll bounce around for a while. >> I wouldn't worry about who's on council. >> Doesn't matter the timing of that. Okay. for the December meeting if that was possible for the December council meeting.
Seems reasonable. >> Um I can let folks know on the committee about that. We're our next meeting is TBD, but the sheriff's office got some grant funding to work on unhoused issues and they wanted to reach out to us for that
fantastic a little grant funding as well. So s there's no burnout yet. S you guys are you want to continue >> and uh and you're interested in staying on as chair of the subcommittee.
>> I want to get it done chair. >> That's the criteria. >> There you go. >> Oh, just checking, you know, assuming >> it's enough. >> Yeah, it's a lot of stuff. It's a big It's a big thing, >> right? No, this is great work.
>> And >> what's what fascinates me is you're so off the radar until something happens, you know, and then it becomes a big, you know, oh my god type thing. But right now, you guys for five, six months have been doing quiet behind the scenes work,
getting people involved who are who are have, you know, a stake in the process and stuff. So, it's been fascinating to watch. I'm a little worried as you just said the first time something happens where there's a you know I don't say a scandal but publicity where people start jumping up and down.
>> I am a little worried about presenting this publicly. >> Yeah. I don't have much >> I think if you're g gathering the evidence and the best practices and the like this is what the community wants that's you know and you're an organizer
so then that's >> we've got a lot of community coalition building and that's of course that'll help. >> Yeah. >> Uh you know whether the storm a little bit when that stuff does start happening and who knows that could be six months down or it could be one blizzard away.
We don't know what's going to happen. I mean, and I I know the push back is like, uh, you know, Greenfield is going to hell in a hand basket and is downhill and I don't feel safe bringing my family downtown because there's a lot of pan
handlers or however it gets worded, right? >> Y >> um, but working on solutions that that's how we, you know, build that trust, >> right? And I'll tell I tell people that when I hear a snide remark I'll say go
talk to councelor Brown, you know, because and I've done that at least three times. I can think of my head when I said, "Hey, would you be a problem? Go talk to counselor Brown. She's working on this stuff." You know, so >> it's and it's literally a matter of life and death. People like the couple that
passed away behind Stop and Shop over the winter couple years ago. >> So it is life and death. >> It's life and death. And it's happening regardless of whether we want it to or not. And acknowledging the reality helps us make a solution,
>> right? I mean, it is complicated. Yeah, >> it's extremely complicated. >> We have an economy that's not working for everybody. We have a lot of housing. Like all these pieces come together. You know, we're coming through an opioid crisis. >> Homelessness is rising in the area.
>> Yeah. What? It doubled the >> Yes. So, it's complex and controversial. You get those two together, boom, you just stick with it, you know, don't worry about it. >> I think though also that the usefulness of laying out all these different pieces
is then you create a priority process, right? >> Because it is so complex. You can go in 18 different directions at once and get nothing done, >> right? >> The best intentions. I mean, it can happen that way versus okay, the big question, the campsite or what are the
three main things, >> right? If we do these three things or this one thing this helps all the other >> exactly and that's where the energy gets expended and what are the aspect you know do you the whole strategic planning on each one >> is you know which is you're more than
capable of doing and leading people to do that >> and she has been doing that you've done a great job chairing the meetings and keeping people on task and sticking to the agenda because that you're right that's what happens you get 10 people on the table and six different contests but you do you do a good job >> I lean more towards chaos Yeah, but you
also you bring it back. You bring it back into the you know >> you need chaos. >> That's true. >> Yeah. But then the sort >> you have to do the sort. That's what organizers do. They sort >> Yeah. >> Right.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Great. Any any other discussion on this item? Okay. >> Thank you. Uh so this was a last minute addition is remote meeting technical challenges. So um it was brought up by
uh one of my constituents and uh we had a little bit of a back and forth but I think what I'm understanding there's a few different things. One um people chairing meetings don't always
know how to work the Zoom. Um and that's city councilors um and all the different commissions. Uh and then the second issue is tech issues with the audio is bad. Um
depend and I know we have you know different venues and some of our commissions I don't know where they're doing their virtual meetings. Um, so I thought the first way to tackle the city council not understanding how to
use Zoom. Um, and sometimes I'm in that bucket. So I'll give like at least you know this setup over here that after the next I asked Kathy after the next committee chairs meeting if we can just do a little tutorial. um because that'll
be at least most of the committee chairs in one place. And then what she said to me was like, we have this hybrid meeting thing. So, who teaches the other commissions in Greenfield how to use our
tech and there's no one designated for that. Um after we created our ordinance to allow and you know, I think she's right in saying like this is not my job. >> What about Jonathan? of teaching people how to be technical
business. I I had I suggested this conate it at all. >> Yeah, that would be the other. So I mean I don't know who knows how to use this and would be a good person for training but but Jonathan is a good and I don't
know his >> is that his name? >> Yeah, Fernando. a Fernando Fernando. I learn on the fly so I can do it in emergency but there's a lot of pressure about make sure you turn off the mics when you end the meeting and make sure you stop recording and make sure you
know >> cuz we're old. That's cuz we're old dear. >> Yeah, I know. So, but that's hard to run a meeting looking making sure no one's waiting to get in all that sort of stuff, you know. I mean, I think the best practice is actually probably designating someone
else, >> right, >> to to do that >> special role. >> Yes, I agree. >> Okay. >> I mean, I'm willing to be trained. I just look at buttons and I'll push any button. I'm not saying,
>> but there's been one there's been one or two hot mic incidents where you might be careful where someone thought they were offline wide and said something, you know, and you know, that becomes mindful about what they say. That's why. >> But also, there have been meetings
canled because of lack of of the ability. I've been in several different meetings that were cancelled because they couldn't get in. People were very upset about it and I understand that. >> You know, people log on and they want to get on and they want to understand what's going on and they want to
participate and they can't. >> That's right. That's right. >> And it's frustrating as hell. So, I understand people complaining about it and yeah, training should happen. So, we all know what we're doing. >> So, how about we reach out to I'll reach
out to Aaron and then CC Jonathan and Fernando and and see if we can get somebody who'd be willing to train the other commissions. Um, and then in that same email, I can ask Fernando about the
sort of audio issues and like, do we need upgrades in other places that don't have as good? >> The fire station seems to be fine. >> Yeah. And that's what I I because I don't I don't log into any of those
commissions, so I don't know which ones are harder to hear than others. Some of them are here. Some of them are in the fire department. I think there's a couple over on San Street. I think I might be wrong. I'll have to go back and look. We have to go through and look at
every freaking commission. >> I know cuz that would that would drive us crazy. And I don't remember where the other locations for um meetings are beside because we had a list right of >> Why don't we have
>> Why don't we ask um somebody in Kathy Scott's office, maybe Tammy or somebody to send out an email to all the commission heads and ask if they've had trouble. >> Okay, >> it's good. >> That way we don't have to go through a list and
>> Yep. But it seems like there's a convened way of doing that. >> Yeah. And Tammy will also know where all the like remote meetings happen because she has to schedule those usually. >> Yes. >> I I tipped off the constituent they were going to talk about this. I'm surprised they're not here, but they might be busy
doing something else because it would help. It would help to get a little bit of their feedback, but >> Yeah. Yeah. And I did ask for them um when I emailed back and I didn't get any suggestions of where is especially frustrating. Yeah. >> Um
because they definitely want to be mindful of that. Um and then the last topic in that that they had that they had mentioned was just open meeting law. Um, and I think
in my response, we have clerk Scott who helps us to make sure we sort of stay within open meeting law usually, but we've got all these commissions who might not know really.
So again, maybe there's like, do we do an open meeting? And I know the >> even if it's a cheat sheet, >> right? you know, just 10 bullets of yes, no, don't, you know, watch out, you know, just so people are aware of the,
you know, what you can't do. >> I like the idea of a cheat sheet and I don't know if um state has that or >> Yeah, because there's like the office of open meeting law that you like can call when there's issues. So >> we all have to do the like state ethics
>> train >> annual training. But does every committee commission member like any city body? >> I think if you're under oath. Yes. I'm trying to remember. I think I did it when I was on the HRC every year. Yes.
>> And that kind of covers. Some do, some don't. >> Yeah. >> So I'm on the shack fund committee, the elderly disabled tax fund. Yeah, we don't have to deal with that. >> But if you're if you're carrying a meeting and someone on the Zoom say, "Hey, is there breaking the the meeting
law?" If there's a key there, you can look and say, "Oh, yeah, we are." Okay. Or you can say, "No, this is we didn't on the spot moment where someone accuses you of doing something wrong." >> You could even have it up here, bulletin board, literally just sign
>> and get it blown up. >> No, really. >> It's not. Uh, so I'm wondering if one one of you all would be willing to reach to see if there's anything like through the state so we don't have to reinvent the wheel.
>> I can do that. Thank you. >> I was like I don't want to sign up. >> How you doing? >> Okay. Because I think that's a good first step at least to >> Yeah. make sure we're all compliant and you
know I I also understand like the there's the flexibility and the grace of like uh you know I try and think ahead but then something pops in the news or something pops in my head and then you want to ask that question of like the mayor and I didn't submit it 5 days in
advance or you know to make it on the agenda. So I can also understand why people get frustrated. Um, so there's there's there's always going to be that dance. So, um, cool.
All right. And then we last meeting um, brainstorm some potential future issues for action. And I thought I wanted to just of those um, four things which are a city council handbook, flooding issue progress, noise issues, and city
listening sessions. Um, did I ask what is city listening sessions? What was that again? >> I don't know. I don't know either. >> The precinct meeting was the listening session. So,
>> I'm gonna just cross that off then. >> Great. um of of those three, you know, is is there something we want to >> Well, I should touch bases with on the noise issues. >> The precinct 7 neighborhood network
group was working on that. They have a draft ordinance. So, let me ask >> Okay, >> the the group reader, they were they took the summer off. >> Would they like to come to our next community relations issues? ask I will ask if they want to
do that. Yes. >> Uh >> yeah, they the last time I asked the question, they said they were they put it on hold because there's too much going on in the city and they didn't want to uh uh uh there was just too much going on. But now that things especially
after two weeks from now when things calm down a little bit, maybe there'll be more uh they give us an update. let me uh email the chair and ask her what the status is and if she's interested in coming here and then I'll let you know. >> Yeah, that'd be great because I think
there's also like in my precinct the um the grow facility and you know the the fans have people have complained about that although it seems a little better. I don't know when I >> at least when I was walking >> these guys did a lot of work. They
worked they went to every a lot of department heads talked about specific issues. They went and reviewed other noise ordinances from other towns. So they've done a lot of research even if they hand it off to somebody else. They've done a lot of work. >> Yeah. So I'd love to have them come over in November. Um and then uh flooding
issues progress. I know they mentioned the mayor mentioned the grants and the possibility of grants, right? Wasn't that at the meeting last week? So, um I don't know if we want to um at some
point uh ask councelor Bottomley to come back and talk to us about how things are going. Al um is it I kind of also want sustainable green field implementation committee to like help they I feel like
they could pick up similar issues. Oh good. So I feel like maybe they No offense I'm literally in the committee. I mean it's busy but it's like it needs >> so maybe December >> needs more work even more busy. Yeah. Well, maybe in December bring back in because I think the the flooding issues
in the city are more than just um the hay, >> right? It is. Yeah. There's a whole >> Yeah. Our street. >> Yes. >> That street where it rains. Yeah. >> Yep. So, that's
And you know, and this is, you know, with with climate, uh we're just going to have more flooding. So, how is the city addressing? All right. And then, um, last item, um,
Councelor Brown, you've talked about a city council handbook, which I feel like some of these other things we've talked about, like whether it's the open meeting law and how that works, you know, there are elements that can go into like how do you use the Zoom? >> Yeah. Meeting.
>> I still feel excited about that idea. I have a draft that I modified from Northampton City Council that I just worked on for my own benefit. >> Yeah. >> But if I got that to Kathy and then she gave input that could potentially go
somewhere. And then also um taking the citizens academy and I feel like those kinds of those slides and whatnot like I feel like this is something I do want to like um work on this project too at some point. I don't know.
>> Well, but it might be after the citizens academy might make I don't know. Or maybe >> should this be a a community relations um >> like sometimes I think of us as like like a governance committee on a nonprofit board. So it's like the
functioning of but of the organization because there's you know the the chairs decide what goes on the agenda but there's nobody sort of like how do we make sure the council is functioning well right? Yeah. And um
school committee has a handbook already for themselves for Greenfield. So it seems reasonable to have a handbook. >> Well, I think I asked you this the first month of a year. You took a oath and did anybody talk about this is what to
expect or this is what you look for. Did you get any paper? >> Several discussions with people, >> but no paperwork in that sort. >> I got some paperwork. >> Probably the charter. I got the charter and a few other things and a blue notebook that had been that's been useful. >> Yeah, I know. You get the folder of like
the rules and procedures. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Charter and God speak >> and then I just ask questions, >> right? Yeah. >> And proceed in my clumsy way to proceed. Well, I do remember because I had run in there because I went to the
MMA conference right away like right after I I joined and was chatting with somebody from Northampton and they're like, "Yeah, we have a handbook that helps like make sure people know what's expected of them and how
>> I think the most useful thing would be what is the process of getting something done?" >> Yeah. How do you do that? >> So, what are the steps? And again, I want to get this done. What do I have to do? Who does it have to go to? >> That kind of stuff. That would be that would be extremely useful.
>> Yeah. Because there was a few times where I called the wrong person and they were like, "You need to be talking to so and so, not me." That sort of stuff, >> right? >> And some of it's like the citizens academy stuff like just, you know, understanding like what what's in our purview. >> Yeah. >> What you know, then what's the process?
You know, even I know somebody asked me about a dangerous intersection and I talked to Marlo and like no, it's go to the like public safety or you know >> Yeah. >> stuff like that is really >> I went to everybody. >> Yeah.
>> Done. or even when people are talking to us about like FEA and it's like we don't like people don't I mean hopefully if you're becoming a counselor you know but like people really don't understand what the city works on what the state is responsible like that's federal
government but that's I guess getting more into public education we would just need to focus on city council handbook >> yeah it would be useful to have but I think that's part of yeah a little piece of it so maybe this is say
um 2026 we tackle in this committee. Does that sound right? >> I think that's a good idea. >> Yeah. >> And then we >> if anyone wants to see a draft I can share it with up to one other person for per for per open meeting up.
>> I'll look I might look at it. >> I guess I could actually Okay, good. I guess I could share it to all of you if I send it to Tammy. >> Yeah, send it to Tammy. Maybe I'll do that and then it needs tweaking but then we can't discuss. >> Well, we say oh you mean to us >> the relationship not not to the full council.
>> No way to Bob without >> Can I note that there are a couple of things that were mentioned in the minutes that didn't make it onto the new agenda. >> Okay. >> The the demolition of the building
>> precinct six. Oh, that it didn't make it onto our agenda tonight. And then also the uh intersection of High and Sanderson, which I have an update on. Okay. >> Actually, so I'm very pleased to say
that slowdown digital slowdown thingies, whatever they're called, were placed um at Madison Circle on high and on Beacon and High. >> Okay. um each facing the correct way. >> Yeah.
>> And so the slowing down of traffic is happening now in that area. >> Okay. >> There still may be need to slow traffic on Sanderson itself, but we'll there is a um
there is a new committee being formed via the parking commission, parking and traffic commission. >> Okay. because there's been so many issues coming forward from folks about cars speeding here or cars parking there etc. all over the city. >> Yeah.
>> That they that there has to be a streamlining >> of place for people to bring these issues. >> Yeah. >> So when that is in place, it was on the last agenda of the parking commission, my understanding. When that is formed and in place, then I will proceed to
talk about Sanderson with folks from Sanderson at the meeting. >> Okay. >> Are those signs permanent or or temporary? They're flashing things on High Street. >> Permanent as far as I my understanding. I wrote a thank you note to uh the DPW for getting them there. Okay. Because
people were very aware of many accidents happening. Yeah. >> At that intersection. And you've got school, hospital, playground, Beacon Park. I mean, you've got everything going on there and there was one fatality >> last year. I mean, it's it it was
serious business. It wasn't frivolous by any means. So, hopefully this will work. And then the other one being the house, the burned down house on School Street. >> Oh, okay. So, this is a long saga of uh
the landlord being at sea on his yacht apparently for a month and couldn't reach him. >> Uh and now it still hasn't been demolished, >> but it's on the top of the agenda and my understanding is that they were ready,
according to the mayor, they were ready to start finding the landlord because >> Okay. >> the fire happened like six months ago. Yeah, >> people have been dumping trash in onto that lot, >> right? And then and and you don't know if you're getting squatter like all
kinds of >> raccoon family has moved in, >> of course. >> And you know there's rodents and it's and the folks living next door, the Nicks family have been have shown the patience of saints. >> Yeah. >> Around this, but they've had enough.
>> They have really had enough of this. And it's really horrible. And every time I go over there, I see moist junk that people have thrown over the fence. It's like, what's wrong with people? They're putting traction there. It's ridiculous.
So, that's been a that's been a problem. But, um, my understanding is that there's like 24 different house housing areas in the city that have become problematic in one way or another right now, and they're all attempting to be dealt with by the mayor's office. That's
my understanding. Oh, I'm so sorry. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yeah, >> we want to we want to ask >> we're past public comment, aren't we? >> Yeah, we're past that agenda item, unfortunately. Um,
>> so I just wanted to give an update. >> Yeah, >> I'm following up on both of those things. So, >> I I'm wondering if we might want to add to a future agenda and it could be next month
um and we could ask the city to come and talk about, you know, problematic buildings because one of the one of the things I've heard, you know, we're swirling about the the Hope Street thing, but people talking about other properties in town that, you know, uh
could if if they were maintained or auctioned, you know, it's properties we don't control, but where where do we have a say in making sure that they're safe? They're t, you know, why don't we ask the man?
>> Yeah, she knows about this. I mean, she's had these meetings. >> Um, >> okay. So, >> and Amy knows a lot about receiverhip and forclosed properties. >> Yeah. I just don't know if there's an
assurance issue. I asked that question, not the fire chief of one of the fire officers, and he said sometimes it sits for so long because there's an assurance issue. You can't raise the house until you get the money, you know, that sort of stuff. >> Yeah. >> I'm not sure about if that's true on school district or not.
>> Yeah. Well, this seems But it's been going on for many, many, many months. So yeah, >> another issue that could be on a future agenda. Well, I I I noticed that there will be a order from the mayor for the
in your precinct, the the old school. And it feels like one of those things that I think community members would like to talk about and we had hoped the community relations committee would be a place where we could have a discussion. So >> yeah, I I saw that pop up on the agenda
last month for what and I tipped off the precinct 7 neighborhood group and said, "Hey, they want to, you know, go into this meeting and hear what's being talked about." And I I didn't get any feedback from that. Was it the planning board lasting board last month was on their agenda? Yeah.
>> But then I didn't hear what happened. Are we going to see it next month or >> uh I don't know >> because that's going to be another controversial type conversation. depending on what you know decided. But >> well, and that's what I think we're
hoping is helpful for this committee is like let's get feedback and and have conversations before it becomes a flash point. >> Yeah. >> So that us the mayor know what people want. >> Especially when think I think that's the lesson learned from the current thing
that's going on. If it's a long developing issue, if you're telling people every freaking month going on, there's no real surprises, you know, after the fact or as it's happening because there's a leadup to it. You have a runway where people, oh yeah, we talked about in May, we talked about in June, we talked about in July.
So, by the time it gets to the point where the council's voting on something, people at least heard about it. It's not a big surprise type of stuff, you know? I think that's the lesson I learned I've learned for the last four or five months like people seem surprised sometimes
never heard about it before >> it's hard because you know we're all busy. >> Yeah. >> So you missed the notice and then was like >> I don't know what happened. >> Great. So um I think I think we've
covered everything. Uh Ryan, I just want to mention um because we talked about the um tech issues before you got on the call and so we've got some horses. Uh so
one, we'll be doing a training for the committee chairs after the next committee chairs meeting. Um, second, we'll be reaching out to Aaron, Fernando from IT, and Jonathan to figure out who
can train the other commission chairs and committees. Um, and then Tammy, we're going to reach out to Tammy to also check about the other remote meetings, um, and which ones have been having trouble and
where all those are held. So then we can start checking the um equipment and so that way you know uh >> looking at where we might need some upgrades and considering in next year's
um uh budget. So that >> thank you that very much. Like I appreciate that. No, I'm not supposed to talk, so I won't say much, but I very much so appreciate you guys' effort on this. Thank you.
>> Yeah. Oh, and the last thing we also talked about was open meeting law and creating, if you will, like a cheat sheet for all of the commissions and committees so that they know the rules. >> The rules. Yeah. And maybe getting a blown up one on the walls of our various
places so that it's like, do this, don't do that. So, thank you. We uh appreciate your um ideas getting us here. So um I will take a motion to adjurnn.
>> All in favor or second and then all in favor? >> Second. Okay. All in favor? I. Thank you everybody. It's 7:11 and we are adjourned. Part: 2
Uh, welcome everybody to um the meeting of the Greenfield Opiate Use and Prevention Commission. Uh, meeting will be called to order at 5:20 p.m. Uh, if this meeting this meeting is being recorded by the Greenfield Opiate Use and Prevention Commission in the city of Greenfield and
the chair is utilizing an artificial intelligence notetaker. If any other person present is doing the same, you must notify the chairperson at this time. >> Yay. Perfect timing. We're doing roll call. Right on time.
>> Okay, we're going to do a roll call. Um Abby. >> There it goes. Here's >> present. Anna here. We have a quorum and Jenny is present as well >> here.
>> Okay. Uh can I can I hear a motion to approve the opiate use and prevention commission meeting minutes from September 15, 2025? >> So moved. >> Can I hear a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi.
>> We have no one on Zoom, so we can just do a I'm doing the roll call. >> Zoom. >> We don't have to do the roll call. Yeah, because we're nobody's on Zoom. Um that only occurs when there's a member on Zoom. All right. So, um any public comment?
Okay. Okay. So, we're going to go right into uh old business. Um uh we want to welcome uh Liz Why not to our meeting today. Uh she is the senior program officer for Rise Massachusetts. Um Laura is yours.
>> Do you want me to talk into the mic? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Hi everybody. Um yeah, I'm Liz Wot. I am the senior program officer for the Mosaic Municipal Training and Technical Assistance Program. um powered
through rise and through grant through Essos. Uh I started this job in June um after working for a long time at Topster Street Health in Western Mass and uh Mosaic took over the contract from Care
Mass JSI starting on July 1st. Um so since July and June we've been doing a lot of work to build what municipal training and and technical assistance can it look should
look like and can look like. Um it's been a really really interesting experience. Uh just learning about municipalities and learning learning more in depth about the opioid abatement
funds and um how money is going out. learning about like the decisions that are being made and just just kind of understanding it all and and I I really like it because it's just focusing on such a micro level. Um I I really like working with with municipalities and
just people on the ground. So it's been it's been really interesting. Um and we're continuing to to develop. So uh just a little like of of where we're going where we're we're doing a hub in
spoke model where rise is considered to be the hub. Um they have a a pretty uh they've been around for I want to say like seven eight years now. Um and since that time they've gathered a lot of resources
in a broad array of topics related to opioids. um and and a lot related to best practices. So for my role that means that RISE is kind of that will be the center of the um like the content
experts I guess that that we're calling ourselves and then we're going to be we're going to uh bring on spokes for different parts of Massachusetts. In addition to my role of overseeing the program, I'm also the spoke for Western
Mass, which means that I'll be continuing to work with um communities throughout the four counties. And we are about to sign contracts with two planning agencies. Um, I don't want to say who because the contracts haven't
been signed yet, but they are agencies that already have a lot of established relationships with municipalities and a long history with working with local government. Um, and so those agencies will oversee be the spoke for central,
metro, west, northeast and southeast. And the idea is for myself and the other humans, you know, that are part of this folks to um to I see a lot of discussions happening
because this this the opioid abatement funding is so new and so it's going to be really interesting to just continue to discuss hurdles and challenges and success stories and um barriers and and and as things continue to roll out like
just you know what what is evaluation going to look like. And um and then the all municipalities, they have to report by November 1st to DPH about the spending of their opioid abatement funds. And that will all be made public sometime um probably in early 2026 from
it'll be on the Bass website. And so when that comes out, all of that information will be publicly available. And so there there will be a lot of uh discussion in response to that I'm sure because um all of the public will be able to see what each municipality is is doing in a sense. So so that's kind of
the background. Um and uh one of the things that I'm doing a lot of is uh any municipality can reach out to us either through email or through a web form that's on our Mosaic website and they can ask for um any
sorts of question that they want and then usually I set up a a Zoom meeting with them and support them along the process. Um I'm meeting with a uh the two municip um
people who work for municipality in uh eastern Mass and um tomorrow and they're they they basically are saying like we need to develop a plan. We have to go through our in front of our board in April. There's a bunch of questions like can we meet? So a lot of times it it
starts off very general and I see our role as fully developing as um just a support and to talk through and there there's a lot of questions that I don't have you know there's always going to be questions I won't have answers to but I
I I do have you know better connections I guess on the the state level and just just being able to know municipalities and also gaining knowledge of what people are doing and um like like a A couple weeks ago, I talked to a a a
woman uh reached out through a web form and she lives, you know, somewhere in Eastern Mass. And she reached out because her and her husband started um a parent support group through their ministry and they started it over a decade ago and she uh has been doing it all volunteer um center and overdose and
has you know about 20 participants, attendees uh come and and so she was just asking about how to tap into her town's money and I just found that really like like I I I want to uh find more of those people because there are a
lot of people that are hearing about the opioid crisis or just the money available for the first time. So, we really want to support and and grow the the um the the the the community, I guess. And really like uh it everything
that we do we it just in the principles and the guidance it's um needing to remember why this money is here and that it is the community's money and everything that uh we do as a training
and technical assistance are trying to work with with municipalities long term because it's it's they're here you know this money is going to be here for well over a decade. Um but long term to hopefully move communities closer to
understanding that uh the biggest principle is always talking to communities about the um the necessity for uh uh interacting with people lived in living experience which is something most um towns at least that I've directed with don't really understand
that. So, it's also like a lot of education um and just a lot of relationship building and and really meeting people where they're at at most palace because there's um very liberal to very conservative and um
lots of you know conflicts and just it's just like anything else. So, um so yeah, it's really just kind of taking it taking it as it comes. Uh, so I know that's very broad, but but again I I I
am I'm I'm so happy that I get to stay connected to Western Mass in this way because I have I I I really um I'm pretty passionate about uh people who, you know, are connected to opioid
just have a history of opioids in their in their life. and um and uh you know I've been around for a while too to kind of see how a lot of things have played out in different municipalities and politically and so um so I can I can provide support in a variety of ways. Um
we we uh we don't we don't do the like like for an example I can provide support on helping you think through a community needs assessment just for example um we won't we can't do the community needs assessment but we can
help with I could I can help with um just just being an ear and providing feedback. um I can, you know, just ask just questions uh and and gather information from you and talk about what other municipalities are doing and give
you ideas and um hopefully like help you to make connections and you know uh just be that support. Um community listening sessions are something that people have reached out for. Uh a lot of people reach out to ask if
something um is allowable or not. And uh often that will lead to discussions about how to best reach the community. Um evaluation is something that will be really important. Ongoing evaluation,
how to be transparent with your community. um support around media and and talking to um talking your to your community about what's going on. Um and just a variety of other topics. Um
yeah. Yeah. So like a like another municipality around here recently reached out because they're interested a lot of a lot of um unis are interested in doing mini grants um directly to organizations andor directly to individuals and so that's been a really
cool thing um and and right now it's extremely disjointed because municipalities you know they come up with this idea and then they're like who else is doing this? I don't know how to start this. And so that that's the idea of trying to bring everybody together. Um, and another thing I I know with
green fields um is a big enough you're you're you're well another thing that really focusing on across the state too is uh increasing collaboration um not not necessarily through joining uh money
um adding money to the you know bring money together but also through information sharing. So, I'm thinking of something like like if the region if there's a lot of ideas popping up for how to give money to individuals, you know, it's just it's an interesting
thing that to talk with different municipalities and support them in a way to help them get toward having the money available to to people who really need it and also having that trust about um
about people who use drugs in in the community. Yeah. You um does anybody have any questions for for Liz? >> Abby. >> Thank you, Liz. That was really helpful
and informative. Um, I would like to know how is there like how often you meet with folks or like you know is it just like whenever there's a need we call you or is there like I can only do like once a month or
>> that's going to be interesting to feel out. um because because this is brand new for for RISE. Um it's I I'm I'm able I I've just been taking calls across the state, which is a really good way to get to know the community. And then as I continue to focus on Western Mass,
I hope to be able to be like physically present at at meetings and um be able to respond to whatever the community looks like. Um so I I we'll have to be strategic
uh in terms of what like the the focus on like I mentioned one of the focus from the states is supporting municipalities to regionalize and whatever the way that means um there will also be a focus after the reports come out to really respond to communities that uh haven't done a lot
of planning and spending um and so there there will we'll have to we'll have to see in a way but I'm hopeful with the folks that will be able to support each other as things roll out so that we can be there. Um, but what that looks like
is is still to be determined. >> Thank you. Anybody else have any questions for this? Oh, >> oh, I'm sorry. Just one more thing is we still collaborate really closely with the Mass Association for Health Boards. >> So there I know you have experience working with
>> Cheryl Sabar. Cheryl Sabara. So >> she helped us a lot. >> Yeah. So, we I talk to them almost every day. They're um they're amazing and they focus on uh working with municipalities around legal um administrative finance
things that just are are technical and that need somebody that's very educated in municipal law and dealings. Um so, they're they're wonderful. I've I've really enjoyed working with them. So, that's that's another support. Thank you for reminding me about that because I I
did for a second forget about Cheryl Sabaro, but I can never forget about her. But yeah, super helpful and definitely that legal administrative finance piece because, you know, I'm I'm not a finance wizard, nor do I want to be. Um, uh, anybody else have any questions for Liz?
Okay. Well, thank you very much for coming and I'm sure we'll be in touch with you. Um, thank you for stepping up in your role and we look we look forward to seeing what you could do. >> Oh, wait. >> Oh, sorry. That's okay. Thank you. >> Um, yeah, I want to first thank you for
coming and taking the time to really explain uh to us and anybody watching or who will watch what you do. Um, it is really informative and really helpful to kind of have more of a solid idea of what that is and what that looks like for our community and across the state.
Um, I'm wondering what the collaboration like through information sharing, right? And with different municipalities, has that been something that's already happened? Like you've already seen the groundwork of that between other
municipalities and like what does that look like? >> Good question. >> I thought it was a good question. Um, and and just to be transparent, a lot of it is still very disjointed mo mostly I think. Um but uh
gosh that's a good question. Like so I I think around here um I hope it's it's hard because I I don't know every single like like smaller municipalities in the
rural region. Um, but there's Western Mass is the very extremely underfunded region as we all know. Um, and there's a lot of rural towns that have received a small amount of money. And there's also an opportunity to provide education and
also try to um bring uh hopefully like try to try to support communities and coming together. Um because the money will go a lot farther if for example the administrative oversight lies with with one community instead of each individual
ones. Um and information sharing is really important. Uh so so for examp like like me coming here um trying to organize maybe uh Western Mass is really good with opioid
task forces but kind of representation like that across um the communities and trying to trying to provide a central place. Um, we also will do a lot of webinars, inerson events when we're able to to bring people together and
information share. Um, we did an inerson event a couple weeks ago and uh the like the public health director from Gloucester shared her model around how they developed um a way to to to provide
money um within their region because they're part of their their shared service agreement. and she shared just for example like models that can be replicable and um have been very successful for her and and a lot of I've
I've shared her PowerPoint presentation with at least three or four pe other municipalities in the past couple weeks. Um I the Greenfield model is talked about as as being um a gold standard across the
state. So, I hope you know that like people are paying attention to this. Um, which is cool. Uh, so I' I've shared the um the >> not the slide deck yet, but the agreement um with other municipalities
that are that are thinking about how to form and how to set up government uh or just a decision-m structure. So, so it's it's things like that. Yeah. One other thing, sorry, that is going to be very important is each region is going to do
some form of a cab, a community advisory board. I don't know what that should or will look like in Western Mass. Um, I think it has to be really like from the community and there's obviously there's already a lot of community advisory boards that exist and it's for all four
counties of Western Mass. um with the idea of I think the long-term goal of of supporting what we're just vaguely calling the community to be um a source of obviously information and information
sharing and and try as a way to stay um current with what's going on on the ground and then also hopefully to provide struct structure whatever resources so that the the CAB body can at least provide feedback or um whatever
about how the money is being spent in their region or across the state and that feedback will go to the state and then the state you know so it'll be like an organizing >> thing like that so that that that's to come and I'll be ask you know I'll be reaching out more when when we're ready
to start thinking about that in the next couple months >> any other questions any other questions Thanks, Liz. I appreciate you. >> Yeah, thank you. I'll stay for a little while. >> Okay. Yeah. And you don't have to you
don't have to move. You can sit there. We're low threshold. Um, so I want to be mindful about Mayor Jenny's time. Um, do you want me to uh ask the commission if we could, you know, suspend the rules
so that you could, you know, if you have something? Okay. So, um, I'm I'm going to um I'm going to ask the commission uh can someone make a move uh a motion to suspend the rules? a motion to suspend the rules in order
to allow for Mayor Jenny to do what we need to do. >> Thank you. Excellent. >> Okay. >> Roll call. I defer your mayor. >> I'm just going to speak in general about
the financing part. Um I talked to Stephen a little bit about this today and um so um
I was the treasurer when I was on disability access and um I used to have to call Angelica on a monthly basis to get the report and then we pushed it back and did it. I
don't know if it was like three times a year or something. Um, but I said I'm going to come tonight just to explain a little bit about like where we are and why Steven's actually not here tonight just so you get a little flavor of what's happening in city hall right now
because um we had like I don't know how many public records requests on parking lot usage this month. this this week, I think we got five five public records requests
and they all come to they were to the finance office on on um you know how much revenue came in and so because it's it's quite busy right now in finance in on a whole another uh realm um we took
that over in the mayor's office to to answer those questions. And so I what I wanted to say to you was um it in all likelihood Steven will not be here until December just because of the way the fiscal year goes. And I wanted to to to kindly explain why
because um we're still we we asked for an extension with the Department of Revenue to finish closing out the books and uh that happens sometimes and um and then in November we we'll be setting the tax rate and you know that's
that's what's happening on the fiscal front. But I also wanted to explain too like I was looking and I said, "Oh, maybe I'll bring a print out over tonight." And then I looked and I thought, "Oh, those things when I came the last time and we we all voted on the orders, which we
did, that's not, you know, reflected in any of the accounting yet because we haven't subtracted it yet. It's there, but it hasn't been done yet, which is a frequent thing in municipal accounting. There is nothing whatsoever wrong with
that. um orders are done and they are frequently accounted for later in the year. Every single one of them happens and they are you know they're sent off to the department of revenue and some of
them happen you know towards the end of the fiscal year. Uh, this was all new to me too, taken over as being a mayor. But I said, I'm not even bringing the print out because it's but but I wanted you to know that um because I thought right now I didn't have time before I got here
because there was a leak as I was coming out of city hall and uh I had to take a picture of that and send that off to somebody because I didn't know if they knew that the bottom of city hall was leaking. And um but because that the numbers
weren't accurate, I didn't bring that over. But I do think uh um Stephen, it can explain more. But I I appreciated your question. Um and I believe it's wonderful that we we will want transparency in this, which it will be
to the best of of ability. Municipal finance isn't exactly like your own um it won't it it doesn't look like your own checkbook. It's an account. It has an account number. The money's come in. I look and see when we get an a, you know, I check it occasionally because we
keep getting deposits in it. And you can see CRP will stand for credit. And mostly that's what's happened there because we there haven't been any withdrawals. We haven't withdrawn the things that were withdrawn yet. Although
they were they were withdrawn from the general fund was what has happened and they will be withdrawn after from that. Um there was another question that was asked by you Sarah about setting up a
separate um fund after that was um I forget what you called it the h it was began with an age the halo >> oh the the burial fund but I just want to can I just pause you for one second absolutely >> just for the record I just want to you know state what you know what you were
discussing because it's actually >> I'm sorry this is for the benefit of I just started talking without um people for the um for those of you who are listening I didn't start off explaining that I forgot that. Go ahead. >> No, no, you're okay. It was it was my bad as the chair because I should have
said that before. Um and it's uh item C which is discussion on incorporating a periodic financial review of abatement funds received by the city. The review would present total income itemized expenses and timelines for allocation. And then the next thing that you're
going to be discussing um is the um is on old business which is um discussion of burial fund commission will discuss whether or not to contract with a third party to administer the burial fund. Um that was uh an item by member thorough who is not here. Um but if you wish to
speak on that uh madame mayor please do >> say the last thing again >> the discussion of the burial fund. uh comm commission will discuss whether or not to contract with a third party to administer the bureau fund like the halo fund because that's what the city of Boston did. subcontracted out to the
Halo fund um to uh distribute the funds for that and to receive the requests, right? I don't really have a position too much on that. I did alert you know the I don't have a position on that. If you you want to do that our two bigger
places I talked to um Smith Keller and Costansky's already know. So, whatever you want to do with that, I'm okay with. And as far as how often you want to do reports, I would I would do it with twice a year, but if
you want to do it quarterly, it nothing happens all that much. And um being in being on the other side of it, I would say in you know, you all work in
you all work in a couple of different things. think of the folks that are on the other end pulling the things. Um, but that's I will totally we will do whatever this board decides, but Stephen will will be here at your December meeting, not for November.
>> Okay? >> So, I just wanted to make that, you know. >> Thank you, Jenny. >> I wanted to make that clear and I wanted you to understand why. Um, and I didn't bring a paper with a report on it tonight because they were
we hadn't subtracted anything yet cuz we're we're working on closing. Anybody have any questions for the mayor while she's here? Okay. Uh thank you Jenny for coming and explaining that. We really appreciate it and we look forward to um you know
having the continued conversation with Stephen uh about um you know the periodic financial review. Um and I just have one question for you before before um you off the hot seat. Um you're not really in a hot seat. Um, so
is it possible to have that part of the open checkbook in the city that any citizen can go and look at the the city's budget and then that's sort of that's very transparent. Um, so I used to look at open check checkbook as um a city counselor.
Um, it's still there, you know, open checkbook is there. Open checkbook isn't like munas exactly. It's they're they're a little different. >> Um I think there's a lot of city employees that don't even know about open checkbook.
>> Um do you did have you ever looked at that? >> I have and I meant to look before this meeting to see if the just if the payments from the burial fund that we'd made no would have showed up. >> No, they couldn't have. >> I I mean I don't I don't think that they could have. They would have come out of
the If they have I mean those entities have been paid. They've come out of the the general fund. I know for a fact because I looked at the account um and um they haven't come out of that account. So they haven't you know what I
mean tallied up or true up to the account I would say but I I don't know I don't know the answer to that. There was one other thing I uh and I don't know if we answered that
but while it's on the tip of while it's in the front part of my brain I do know that Katherine our accountant went to um she took one of those webinars to make sure that you know you had suggested that and uh she's like oh no no I already signed up for that for the to
make sure that all the you know proper accounting for the end of of you know because this is actually new to everybody. which is it's wonderful. Um and um you had mentioned too about Greenfield
getting in there and signing up for um Purdue or whatever it was. >> Yeah, there was um Purdue and four other manufacturers settled um and um as a member of the uh attorney general's uh substance use council, we got the word
that um those were were pushing forward. So I just shared the information, right, to the city. So there's so though that means is there's more money coming into our coffers. >> There's definitely >> and they gave us an estimated money. So we won't know until actually the check hits the bank what exactly Greenfield is going to get out of those five
settlements, >> right? >> Um but you know we could be looking at you know um I think it was like over like 600,000 more estimated. Um, and so as soon as that gets official, I I know that, you know, I think to have communication from
the city around that to make sure that this commission knows when when that happens, like when it when it uh hits our account, uh, so that we'll have a fair assessment of how much money we have. So, all hands on deck when it comes to watching. Sarah was sending me
something. you send something, Gordon, our attorney, he keeps sending things, anything from Purdue Farmer or any of them. Um, there's a lot of checks and balances to make sure that this that nobody that nobody misses a
beat. And that was something else that did still need to be signed. And then I have somebody else come in and check to double check. Have I got this right? Did I do this exactly the right way? And um uh Anna, kudos to Anna, she went the
extra mile and was writing something off to the attorney general's office to make sure that could we send this form in or whatever. So, thank you to everybody on that. >> Really team effort. Love it. >> Yes, it it's actually how a lot of things get done. It's that teamwork.
There's no eyes in team, are there? Abby, >> thank you for coming and giving us all this information. So, sorry, I just want to clarify like my understanding was that
when we had or you Sarah had gone into the city council, there's a separate fund. So, the money could be so it's like a separate account. Is that correct? Right. And so you're saying like the burial money was paid out of the general fund, not out of that
account yet. And then they have to do adjustments to the account and there's a delay in in that happening, right? And and >> yeah, that happens all the time. >> So I'm I'm familiar with finance. I do a lot of I've worked a lot in in financial
situations and stuff and there's like you know like even my organization there's a two-month delay in the reports like so the reports I'm reviewing now are from two months ago it's not current right >> right so that's basically what you're saying that like the the reports are
just they're not current because that's the way accounting works >> right so if there's I forget if there's 500,000 in there I said oh if I brought that number that said5 500,000 and then you know say if it was like I don't know 520,000
and next month it was I don't know 504,000 um everyone would say well what happened to that and I'd be like oh that's what that's what happened two months ago we voted on something that's all >> right
>> yes so exactly >> and so I'm also wondering Um um is there like a schedule of payments like so that we're that the city's receiving in like do you have like >> you know because I know they're vary
right that the payments vary every month it's not yearly or something like that it's not the same amount every time. >> That's correct. They're from different entities. They could be from, you know, it's from CVS or Purdue Farmer or there's all different
I'll call them culprits. Maybe that's not the maybe that's not the right thing to say, but um all different entities that were found to need to pay and they're all paying on different schedules >> and um generally speaking, it's known
what the payments are going to be and they they have a schedule. Is that something that could be made available the schedule of payments so we can have an idea how much is coming in? I mean that would be I think helpful. >> Okay. Okay. I'll we'll see if we can get
that. >> I mean I think what I'm getting at is like I have a financial background. So seeing the schedule of payments coming in, knowing what we've approved to go out, even though those reports are a couple months behind, we can look at
those and have a pretty good estimate of where we stand and how much we've spent >> out of that fund. Um, and you know, obviously when Stephen's available and he can come, we can get a firmer number, but that could help our decision making
as we're sure. I agree. That makes perfect sense to me because you're trying to decide what programs you want to be funding. I totally understand that. >> I don't have those numbers in front of me, but I'm sure Katherine knows exactly what they are. >> And Liz, did you had something? She she
had something to add about the I just want to give her a minute to >> there. There is a um municipality opioid abatement lookup tool. Uh it's it's on the Mosaic website under >> resources. I I can share that with the the website with the group. Um,
>> but it's it's an Excel document that was created and you can there's a click down menu on this Excel sheet where you can uh select green field and it'll show you everything. >> Oh, >> yeah. Except for the new >> Except for the new Yeah, because I I I've been on that website. So, I'd be happy to to share it with the
commission. Thank you for for reminding me about that because I totally forgot that it's there. Yes, it's there. So, we can um you know, I will uh forward that to the commission. Okay. >> So, that we have >> That's really helpful. Yeah, I I love that they did that because it's it's it's well that's what the attorney
general Moore Healey did. That's what she put in place for full accountability is every quarter >> the municipalities have to report um you know what they have but also there's that um schedule of payments that's already figured out except for the the five new ones that had that's the one
thing that we don't know yet. Mhm. >> Uh but that excellent uh questions, Abby, and I appreciate your your expertise in in finance because I'm not I'm not don't have that expertise. >> Well, general knowledge, I would know. >> But you know more than me. >> They do that from the So that's good. So
you're going to do that? You'll send them that? >> Yeah. >> Um they do that from the schools as well. So they will tell you you're getting this much from from the circuit breaker and they tell you every year you're going to get it and you know you're going to get it for over four payments. So, so you can count on it for
your spending, >> right? >> Yeah, good idea. Thank you. >> It's hard to make decisions if we don't know. >> Yeah, agreed. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. Thank you, Jenny. >> Thank you, Liz. >> Any other questions for Mayor Jenny?
>> Thank you. Thank you, Jenny. Um, so I believe that we are now on O business B. Um, which is community needs assessment to review of community needs assessment across other Massachusetts municipalities.
Um, I'm wondering if uh the commission would entertain tableabling that until Michael is present so that we can have a full commission to look at. Um, and we give folks some time to kind of look through those needs assessment because there were six of them. And thanks to our our regular guest for for providing
me with those uh six different municipalities um their needs assessments uh the questions um surveys, the other surveys. So um can I hear a motion to table this until next month? Uh, I move to table the discussion of
other municipalities uh, needs assessments until next month. And also with apologies for writing Massachusetts municipalities when I realized there was one from New Jersey as well. >> So, may I hear a second? >> Second.
>> Second. >> All in favor? Unanimous. So, we're going to table that until next month. Um the uh now we're on to all business C discussion of burial fund. A commission will discuss whether or not to contract
with a third party to administer the burial fund. Um any comments or discussion around that? Anna. Yeah. I mean I'll kick it off. I I um I would like to see us contract with
a third party to administer the burial fund for a couple of reasons. I think um starting with the mayor's description of how things are in city hall and just the that this is the type of administration where the burden of the labor does fall
on the municipality, which doesn't mean that we can't do it, but I just think that things would actually run smoother with a dedicated administrator. What was really encouraging to me about the presentation from Halo was that um Halo
kind of developed itself in response to the Boston Public Health wanting an organization to do just this. So in other words, we wouldn't have to sit here and be like what would be a good local organization that could do this. We could just say we are looking for
someone to administer and then and then provide that opportunity for an organization to come forward under the parameters that we want. The other thing um that I liked about their model was that they did you know they they just had a a budget and parameters in the
same way that we kind of already have talked about. Um, so it's a little it's a little plugandplay on the money side, but then they also have their staff who are very well connected to the community and are providing
um I guess care in a more direct sense as they're administering the funds, right? They're meeting with people in a horrible time in their life and um you know they have that bedside manner. they have connection to other um other
organizations and other sources of help. So to me it see it seemed like it seemed like both uh on a practical level a good system and also um in terms of our broader goals could probably have a bigger impact. Um and and per our
earlier conversations about just that that you know a group like this can't be super nimble, right? Like we can't we can't set up a meeting um with a just a couple days notice to go over something. So, um, willing to be convinced otherwise, but that's kind of where I fall down on it right now.
>> Um, so can I just ask you a quick a followup question to to what you um, so are you imagining, uh, like we would create an RFP for that? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, and Mayor Denny, you had your hand raised.
>> So, who did they have on it? like um and and did they put like did they just they create like a bank account and put so much money in it and then did they have their Halo group? Was it a couple of people or >> Yeah, it's a so I I believe it's an
existing organization called Bullpen Y >> and they put together um you know like um this sub project within their organization. So imagine one of our existing agencies in Greenfield saying, "Okay, you know, we we have this burial fund project and then they had a budget
and it was reimbursementbased, but it was um a sort of trailing reimbursement where they gave them a little bit of the funds upfront. Um but that way uh you know they they do have to be able to front some of the money to make the payments and then the city can pay them back."
>> Yeah. So, I I believe the BO Boston Public Health Commission still approves like the request or or does the halo? I'm I'm trying to remember. Um >> I think they more had a um a a periodic uh overview like they met quarterly and
went over all of the but that Halo was empowered to make the decisions in the short >> Abby. I think that it's too early. Sorry. I think it's too early to make these kinds of decisions. >> Um because
>> well, first I guess I love what Boston is doing. I think the Halo project is beautiful for Boston, but Boston is very different than Greenfield and I think that that needs to be taken into consideration. I also have to think
about cost of that versus like, you know, like is it like is it just so that we don't have to do more work or is it there's there real going to be a real cost benefit to having that happen? Is it going to really be like quicker for
what how many folks are going through the burial fund? Right. We've capped it at I believe $50,000 a year, >> something like that. 55 >> or 55 some pretty close to that. >> So, and each family
>> or each uh recipient was also capped. So, roughly 10 a year distributions if everybody was at the max. And with the costs of funeral expenses like we saw for the ones that we've already um
authorized, you know, maybe 10 a year. And so I'm concerned about two things. One, the cost of how much it's going to cost us to have that administered somewhere else and if there's a real need for that. Um,
given the low number of, you know, payouts a year. And then the second thing I'm concerned about is that we're I feel like this commission is operating like kind of backwards a little bit.
like we're making quick decisions and uh we're all not really even clear on how we're going to work together. So, it's like I feel I would feel more comfortable figuring out how we're going to work together and what our decision-m processes are going to be internally
with this commission before continuing to make decisions and and not and feeling rushed. I feel very rushed to make decisions and I don't think that that's a good way to go about it. there is a clear um parameters around how this
money is supposed to be being spent and uh I feel like it's like take a breath, make sure that we're clear on how the money is supposed to be being spent. Are we in line with that? Are we setting things up in a way that can continue on
too? Like we don't want, you know, two, three years from now, oh whoops. You know, that's that's where I'm feeling. >> Thank you for that. No, those are um very good points. Um any others? Go for it.
>> Yeah, I kind of um second some of those sentiments as well as like I know that we uh as a commission aren't fully represented yet. We are still missing um two seats. So like these are some of
our I guess for lack of a better phrase like big ticket items um burial fund. Um, and so getting into the brass tax of like first of all I want to just say
like for what we have done in terms of the burial fund I think we've done a really excellent job but I think it's time to just kind of like slow it down just just a wee little bit. Um,
I would like to see us have more of a formed commission before we start to like solidify more and more things. I understand the sense of urgency because it has been a
long time where the community has waited. Um but I don't want the intentionality of this group to be lost uh in the effort to provide something
um that yeah that I would not feel comfortable with. Um, I also feel like making a decision outside of the fact that we're not fully
formed as a commission without knowing um, you know, given the climate of everything happening federally, without knowing and talking to other organizations and seeing if they have um, the staff or the ability to take on
something big. and you know kind of like that. Yeah, I would want to pause on that. I would want to see if there is a local maybe it's not Franklin County but in Western Mass. I don't know. I would want more information before I just make
a decision. Um, I think it's good to have a discussion, but I think discussion on whether or not to contract out like it just seems very like yes or no. I guess maybe that's
just how it how it's written. Um, I do believe we need to be discussing like what each thing could look like, but I'm not at a place where I feel like I would be ready to make a decision one
way or the other at all. I personally would need more information on either. Um, yeah. Thanks. >> Thank you. And thank you everybody for that the conversation because you know my understanding is this is a
discussion. We're not you know I wasn't anticipating a decision tonight about that. Um because I'm I'm in agreement with with with Abby uh and you and um that we do need an infrastructure. You know we need to create things so that we
have that public transparency. That's super important to me as well. Um and I think you know just discussing things right to to know like kind of what the landscape is and and like you said the burial fund was kind of like there was an urgent need uh but we can take a step back now uh and
really pull back. Um we will have a new member uh next month. Uh Pedro was voted in by the city council uh on Wednesday. Uh so Pedro Alvarez from Tapestry will be joining our commission. Uh we still have one more seat. So, I'm hoping that community members will uh send in their
applications to the mayor or send an email saying, "Hey, um you know, we we we want to step up and and serve uh so that we can fill that last seat." Abby, um I
believe there were several community members that did submit a letter of interest. So, I'm wondering what happened with those and and I like I'm not sure the process with that. I know that they go to the mayor's office
and then what happens from there? >> I'm assuming that the mayor will will forward them to the chair um and so that we can like we did with the other other um respondents that we've seen so far. Um those are the only ones that I've seen. So maybe the mayor can kind of give some insight about that.
>> Have you I think I gave to you anybody's name that came forward. So well that that in the beginning but hasn't been anybody else. >> There hasn't been anybody else. So there was only name I received I >> I gave to you. >> Yeah. >> So
>> those few that Yeah. We just had two. >> Um so um if there are um citizens that you know um that are saying that they've submitted >> Yeah. Let's just >> Yeah, they dropped them off at the >> So, maybe we should I don't want to be
having discussion about people's names in front of while we're Thank you. at all. >> Um and um I do not think it was two though. However, I do not think it was two. >> So, that doesn't
and I So, let's let's make sure of that. >> Yeah. Well, I I have the in here so I can I can check them. But I believe that I only received two. I mean, there was more than that, but two of them fit the last seat that's remaining.
>> That was my So, let's go. Oh, okay. So, >> you had more than two, >> huh? >> You had more than two, correct? >> Well, there was there was Pedro. We already know cuz he's I'm not going to name names, but you know, but we know that he's voted in, but there was only two people applications that we received
for the seat for the lived experience that's left. We only have two So Abby, >> I just want to get clear. Yeah, they community members would submit to you how like through
>> they would write an email >> email >> or perhaps they could have dropped in something off >> drop it off at the at the clerk's office >> clerk's office >> and I shared any of those applications that I received with Sarah. >> Right. Okay. And then that's brought
here. That's the the packet that we had gotten. >> Yep. >> Nothing's been received since. >> Nothing has been received since. And so I did not know like lived experience or not lived experience. I I actually always want to make sure like I have somebody else check because I want to
make sure that I'm not making a mistake >> because all of you set up the um you know how you wanted this committee to be. So to me it was sort of like a hot potato where I'm trying to pass this along. No, I'm I'm going tell tell the
truth. I talk like this. I want to make sure that I'm passing this along to someone else. So now I'm sitting here going, "No, I think there was more than two." People were talking about two of lived experience and I don't actually know that. You know, I'm not remembering that, but I'm remembering more than two. Okay. So, but I want to definitely make
sure because I this is one of my main jobs is filling these boards and commissions and uh and I love this one because it was a new one that started with all of us, you know, and um we did such a good job
putting this together, you know, not I'm not going to take any credit for it. You all take credit for it. Um, so but we need another person and I don't I don't you know so anybody if I missed anybody
but I don't think that I did. I think I passed them right along because I couldn't wait to give them to somebody else. >> Yeah, I have them I have them all here. So um I confirmed that there's >> So what hap then then once we like I remember sending an email to you then
they go to before city council. Is that what's happening? So what what when we when we you know when I when you sent >> you know um your opinions right to me and then once I was done I sent it to Jenny um and then goes to appointments
and ordinances >> um and then they appointments and ordinance it's a subcommittee so it goes there they you know look at it they give the thumbs up and then it gets sent to council um and then once it's in council they vote it up or down um and then
that's it. I I just want to talk about the time frame on it which most people don't know and we actually are um working on that so that the people themselves know what happens. Um, so when the um people
submit saying something saying that they're interested in it and um from the time that their name goes down to the city clerk for appointment, it's 35 days from that
day until they can be sworn in. It's not 35 days from the day it goes to the city, you know, council. from the day it goes down to the city clerk. Um and
and generally so like for the November meeting um I'm looking at the November meeting and thinking the city clerk likes to know by I'm going to tell you this because if you have any more friends
>> or folks that you know >> that's good to know. Let us know, Jenny. Um, I'm going to tell you this because it's as soon as the meeting ends, it's like I find it very there's a lot of pressure on this.
So, chairs is November 4th. Uh, that's when all the committee chairs get together. If I have a financial order or an appointment to get to the clerk's office, I have to have it to them by 5:00 p.m. on October 28th.
Um, and otherwise it will go on the December chair's meeting, which means November 25th. So, if somebody sends an email saying I'm interested in being on some, you know, commission, um, in this particular
one, because again, um, I don't want to get it. I'm I don't have this huge fear of getting something wrong, but in this particular one, there is a it's not just um, there's another parameter with a
lived experience, okay? But we want to make sure that that's the case. Um, I'm going to run this by the the the chair of the um commission. So, they not only have to send the email in, but there's another step with that. So,
it's October 28th. And then, you know, that being said, then they might possibly be for the November meeting, but could not be, you know. Um, but we we're doing a better job now notifying the people. Um, I
don't know that we're doing a good job notifying people that they're not appointed, but we are telling them the whole step process as soon as it comes in. We're letting them know and letting them know the time frame. >> I love that, Jenny. Um, I when I was
listening to you, I was remembering back way back when when I threw my hat in for the Human Rights Commission, right? >> And, you know, I the first round I heard nothing. And it was frustrating because, you know, if you're putting your stuff in there, like you want to give service and then you don't hear anything. >> Um, so it was um a lot to be desired,
but I'm I'm happy to hear that the city is is making an effort, you know, to streamline that, right? To let folks know exactly where they are in the process, >> right? >> That's helpful. >> Well, I actually would love to fill this last seat as well. Um because what we do
after you've filled the last seat is to let the other people know who put in an application that the seats have been filled. It's kind of difficult. >> Um you know, uh when you still have an open
seat, >> we're all humans. People have feelings. >> So, uh it would be great if we could fill that last one. You can understand why. >> Absolutely. Thank you. We appreciate you. >> Abby, >> sorry. Can you just clarify the 35 days
that is from when they drop the email? No, >> from the day that we send it down to the clerk's office. Now, if we get this in a timely fashion, if we get something that comes in, if it's a a person that isn't is a is a a, you know, qualified
applicant who meets this criteria, that would be the, you know, the good, you know, a good fit. Um, and we get it down by Tuesday at five o'clock. >> Five o'clock. >> Okay. Um,
>> that's for the word. >> 35 days from that day. >> Got it. >> Um, and mind you, they have to get it in by five o'clock, but I also have to have another conversation here. So, it isn't just that because I'm not going to put I am not going to put a name down unless I
know that this person fits for this category. A lot of times, like for the cultural council or something, I've been reaching out, which by the way, we've done a good job. I reached out to all the members of the um local cultural council I think and I was like you know
we really need people and they really they did a great job those folks they you know reached out to their friends or folks that they knew in the arts that lived in town and we got some people but I didn't have to you know
you know I I don't mean this that it's not a bother by any matter means it's just going to take another day or So, um, because I want to get the right person for this board. That's that's what you that you wanted.
>> Thank you. I appreciate knowing >> the the chain how it operates. Thank you. >> And it's great to hear that PO will be joining us. >> Yeah. >> Excited about that, too. >> And I want to say Sarah wrote to me and I didn't answer. She sent me a text. I
didn't answer her back. And I'm going to say this out loud in a meeting. Don't feel badly. My sister wrote to me and it took me a whole week to answer a text. That's how busy it's been. My sister, I give you grace, Jenny. Always, always,
always, always. I trust me, we're all super busy, but you're the mayor of the city, so uh definitely understood. Um so, back to the um if all right with everybody, can we uh go back to all business C? Uh because it sounds like we want to table that. the discussion of
the burial fund. >> The third party. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I'd make a motion to table that. >> Okay. Can I hear a second? >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I. All righty. So, we're going to table
that. Um and then we are moving on to new business. Um Abby, would you like to um start us off by uh talking about eggs? because I think some of these um came from you and thank you uh for that um thoughtful uh email. Uh would do you
want to start us off with uh new business a which is to discuss approach to public outreach about meetings and events in order to develop a formal process. Right. So um we we've talked a lot about it already
tonight. the importance of having the voice of folks with lived experience in the decision-making process. And um though we have um folks on the commission that have lived experience, we do not represent,
you know, all the people or even the majority. And so I think that um it's our responsibility to um have a better process to get folks involved. I talked about this last
meeting, how the city has a certain way of notifying about um things that are happening and uh that process is not um
uh reaching the folks that we would want to hear from. That's a that's a good way to put it. Um, you know, I I'm not somebody who's even familiar with government, city government, you know, I
just I'm I live a very busy life myself, you know, and so like, you know, I was driving by Silver and Federal yesterday, I think it was, and there's a sign that says that we're voting November 4th, and I was like, what? You know, um, and that's like I'm in the
public. I'm out here. I'm I'm doing work. And I still was like what? So I think a lot of people are just missing the information and you know um the organization which I work for we do what we can to get the word out but
we're still limited as well within our organization and we're only reaching the folks that are engaging with our organization. So um last meeting I think it was there was an idea floated about uh collaborating with other um
organizations and and folks in the city to not for like fund sharing but to get the information out to like let like can we >> my organization can't be fully responsible you know like you can't be
fully responsible like so if we can figure out a way of like tapping in to the other known places where there are people with lived experience
the intersections which we know from the work that we do >> a lot of these places if we could get some kind of partnership going or communication funnel going um you know I I just really think it's
important that we have more than just us for information. And I'm so grateful for the one community member that's been coming. >> But we should have a full room and if not a full room and a way for them to get the information to us because not everybody, we have to be mindful about,
you know, the barriers that exist for the people that we're trying to get the information from. And I think that the current way that we're doing it is not mindful of that. And so I just yeah want to want to talk about how do we do that.
>> Jenny, >> I'm actually really glad that I came. Um so I think that's a really really good point. So I'm just going to talk about like we were talking about first we were talking about membership
because I sat in my I was in on a Sunday. May maybe it was cuz maybe I started trying to fill up I forget whether it was the the what's the the local culture and what's the other one crossroads and I'm
thinking how are I going to do this? I don't know any I'm not the least bit artistic. I don't know like any of those folks and I went in the office to clean the office. I actually don't like typing or cleaning and I think I get tired of
of cleaning. So I thought I sat down and wrote to each one of the people in there because I thought how are we going to do this? And I sat down I I thought I can't write to the group. So I did them one at a time and and then I did actually do the copy
and pasting and that actually helped with the membership by writing to each of the members of the board. So on the city side, we struggle with the very issue that you said right now about how
to reach the people in the populace. We talk about this all the time and we have a new communications person who's fabulous and he tries things that I don't even know about that I don't check. Um, I
I've seen some of the things and I'm like, "Wow, that was really clever." When there something happened at the trash station and he had a picture of like Oscar the Grouch coming out of the trash, I thought, "How did you how do you do that?" Like, how do you make like
an animated like Oscar the Grouch coming out of this? You know, I don't know how people do things like that. So he knows like different things like that. But still in general people would need to know to check onto that website, right?
They would need to know thing like they need to go to Instagram or those other things. So I'm going to say this. um you all work in a different and I again you you might not want to hear
this but I would think that you'd have to say >> um if you are you were you were with Tapestry you I'm picking on you >> because you were one of the first people that came into my office and I remember
thinking we have to get going with this we have got to get going with this I was worrying about your agency I remember that and I thought we've got to figure this out because they need something and um it was very compelling.
Um but I would think that each person would have to say I would do this and one other to make sure that those were notified. I don't see how anything else happens other than somebody going I'll do this one and this one. I'm 73.
It's been a long life. It's getting longer the older I get because this is a tough job. I don't see any other way it happens other than people saying, "I'll do this one and I'll take the red one." Um, and I'll notify those two people cuz I don't know how else it happens. Me on
this election, I sat down. I'm like, you know what? I kind of care how this goes. So on Monday, I'm like, I'm knocking at my own I was really tired and I got up and I went around and knocked at my own neighborhood because it really does happen one at a time. And I'm thinking I
I'll talk to her right after this ends cuz I got some cards in my bag. That's kind of how it goes. One at a time. I think that's the only way. However, if you have a suggestion for me, the city
will help. if you want, you know, I'm not averse to any suggestion that anybody has. So, if there's a um, you know, if there's a if you want Jonathan, our wonderful communication director, to send
something, you know, like I'm not averse to that as long as Jonathan says it's okay. You, you know, because he follows all these guidelines. But, um, you know, and now we have OCPF, too. They are they're honest, but whatever. Um, I'm
happy to do whatever it was. I don't see another way for that happening, but I certainly could be wrong. >> Any other comments? >> Yeah, I love the idea of like doing that having something more face to face,
persontoperson relationship building. I also would love to see and I don't know what the parameters are about um commissions having like their own separate Facebook or social media accounts. >> That's
>> um if that is something that is like we could discuss as a group and you know have set something up for a way for people to interact. Um,
and I'd like to have like a multiaceted approach where there is, you know, social media access where people can, you know, maybe send a question or we can post, hey, reminders of like when
we're meeting and what the discussion will be. Um, and when we have things like listening sessions that are happening in the community, that's something where we can get that out. another platform where we can get that out. Um, but I would also like it to be multiaceted and not just a
focus on social media because as we know, um, you're not reaching everybody even with that. There are plenty of people that are not on social media for a myriad of reasons. either they choose not to be or um there's an accessibility
um there's a lack of of accessibility that that prevents them from being able to do so or at least on a regular basis. So yeah, although I would like that to be a component, I don't want that to be the
primary um objective. Um, I think it would be great to do something that is outreachbased, like as
a commission. Um, literally like just going around and talking to people and maybe also like engaging with other community organizations
um as well. Not even maybe I would love to see us do that. I think that's also very much in line with how we build the relationship in order to get to a place where we can do some information sharing. Um, and being mindful that like
the you have to build that relationship, right? It's it's not only with the people with lived experience where we need desperately their voice. This is who we are. This is why we're here, but it's also building relationship with the
organizations in town as well. So, we're doing this as a community effort, right? This is a community response. This is people helping people. Um, I don't know what all that looks like,
but that's kind of what I would like to see is like more presence on social media so we can get more of the word out. Transparency, maybe even posting stuff like on the boards. Like, yeah, it's not fun like all of the events that you know happen
at some of our venue spaces in town, but if it's right there accessible, posted where you would see other things posted, um, we might be able to reach people that way. Yeah, just I could go on for a pretty
long time, but I'm I'm not going to. All right. Thanks. So, I like what you were saying about multiaceted and that's really like I just sketched some stuff while we were all talking. Um, because I don't think
it's a do one thing and that solves it. I think it is multifaceted. I think it starts with education and using plain language. um the processes for like like just coming into this
process was really challenging for me like I didn't you know understand or know the process I just was like okay I got to put an email like I didn't even know this what you had just explained to us Jenny about like that there like it has to go here then there
then it gets voted on by like I didn't know that process so like I like I come from a framework of trauma informed formed approaches. And so letting them know, letting the community know in plain language that can be understood by
everybody, here's the process or here's what's being discussed or here's what's happening, here's how you can get involved. And then as Yams was saying outreach but I think outreach a multifaceted piece in person social
media building relationships with other organizations as a commission. >> So like I think we all have relationships with other organizations but like as a commission. And then the notices and flyers. There's that screen
in town you know the little screen that's in the common. I don't know what it's called, but um you know there's ways that um I think we have to hit all the ways you know to get to get the information out
and um and then creating multifaceted ways to receive information back because not everybody is going to come to this meeting. Not everybody is going to feel comfortable writing an email. Um, but they might feel
comfortable walking into Tapestry. We're just gonna keep using that all night. Walking into Tapestry and and having somebody there help them to, you know, put something in a box. That's, you know, and I think >> you're right, Jenny, like we are the
people that are going to have to do the footwork on this. So, like coming up with like here's >> the avenues that we're going to do to get the word out. here's the avenues we're going to do to receive. Here's like and pick a day like we meet on
whatever Monday of the month this is, you know, on the following Monday we're going to go do this outreach, you know, or take turns like this month it's me, next month it's, you know, Yams or something like
that. So that it doesn't all fall on one commission member or the other that it's really shared amongst us. We're all super busy, but it's important. So, yeah,
>> I I agree. Um, and I love the uh suggestions and like you, Abby, I was fervently writing stuff down, you know, of ideas because what I'm hearing is um outreach um you know, face tof face outreach um multiple modalities of um
getting the word out, you know, whether it's the screens. Abby, you must have read my mind because I was thinking about dropboxes, you know, like in spaces like the Salvation Army, the community meals, you know, and you know, before that, maybe having one of us, you
know, go take take a community meal, you know, you take Monday, I'll take Tuesday, and then go and just table there and so that we can talk and say, "Hey, we're going to we're going to put a dropbox here. Um we this is when our meeting is you know if we understand that folks aren't until they get
comfortable you know coming through here uh creating those sort of anonymous right if they want to be anonymous they can drop something in a box um and then I was thinking about the the partnerships of like sharing the information you know because we have wonderful resources here as we all know
because we've all seen them right the the uh FCR net I'm probably saying it wrong but um opia task force has is great. Like, you know, their membership is I don't even know like in the tens of thousands of folks that get the newsletter. Um the library, you know,
having somebody like station at the library and put a dropbox there. Um so I really like um everything that we're hearing. And so I'm wondering if um if folks want to um because we have to
have a a strategy, right? Like we're discussing things. So, we have to have a strategy. So, I'm wondering if um folks were okay with, you know, um letting this percolate and then sending me an email of like uh one um
which piece of that that that you're comfortable with, you know, what what is that you maybe consider your strength? Like, hey, I I'm I want to do this, you know, and then we can start like coordinating it um in real time. Um but just I I it would be helpful to me to
know which one of these people kind of have an affinity for. Um I like myself I like face to face outreach. I like connecting with humans. Um but I also have the other side of me that you know I can create flyers. I could you know do that stuff. Um but I really just want to
hear from you because it's not just going to be me as as everybody said here. It's all of us, you know, including Anna, the city support, like you know, um thinking of what what we could put on those video screens. Um you know, announcing, hey, we're going to
have dropboxes here, here, and here. So that's get the word about that. But also when our city when our meetings are uh because you you have a really good point, Abby, most of our folks are not going on the city stud city calendar to find the Zoom link because they don't even know it's there. um you know and I fell into that myself um uh with uh the
subcommittee for the unhoused because I forgot for a second. I'm like, "Oh, wait a minute. I don't have the Zoom link." And I'm sitting there sitting there sitting there, you know, and and Larry was in there. So, I texted him. I'm like, "Could you let them know? I can't get in." But if I didn't know somebody in the meeting and I just I so busy it just slipped my mind. I was like, "Oh,
yeah. I could have looked I could have looked there because I do know, but we can't make that assumption, right? And and meeting people where they're at means where they're at. uh including the folks who are unsheltered. Um and you know paper, handing somebody a piece of paper,
right? Like they may not have electronics. They may not be able to to but to have a physical paper that has some information. Um you know, and we may need to make flyers like monthly to have the information so that folks will have it. Um, so what do folks think
about that about, you know, just um we're not going to make a decision tonight about this, but that that's I would like for folks to send um ideas uh what they're willing to do. Uh Jenny, I also want to offer the city as far as
making a flyer if this is something that you like. Like I know we're all very busy. I do have a person that does communication. So, we're happy to make a flyer if you have an idea of something that you would like for something in particular. You
know, something happen. We we have a flyer and we have a printer in ink. If there's something in particular you want, I just want to offer that. >> Thank you. Um and I but I I have one last thought for that one last individual too that we want because
um you know for all other boards and commissions we you know we ask for somebody to send in their information and a little a resume. All I want is a little email that says I'm interested in this and a little something about
yourself. So we try to relax this one. >> So just so all they need to write is a little note. I'm interested in this and a little information about yourself enough so that you would know. >> Thank you. >> You know to try to make that as warm and welcoming as possible.
>> Yeah, that would be super helpful because I imagine it would be intimidating for some folks like I don't even have a resume. Um, when I went to be on Planning Board, my first thing that was I went up, I said, "I'd like to try that." And they were like, "Write a resume." And I thought, "I'd never done that in my life. I had to have my neighbor do it." She goes, "Well, I
don't write resumes. Everybody does not know how to do that. My neighbor did it." And when I read it, I sounded good. She knew how to put them together, but I had no idea how to do that.
>> All right. Uh, any Go ahead, Abby. I agree with what you're saying about um percolate with this a little bit and then send an email to you. Do you have like a time frame you're thinking? And
um I was thinking when you said paper, I was like having both digital and paper. Yeah, >> we did a survey for our funer and literally in what, like two days, we went and got 114 people to fill out the
survey >> by doing like street outreach, having it digital and having them fill it out right on our phones. >> Excellent idea. >> So, it can be really powerful, but you're right, like having both
is really important. Some people are not going to want like our funer now moved to digital only so we don't have printed paper ones and that was a barrier for folks. Yeah. they were like what do you what you know they wanted to take their time and look at it as a whole versus
like the you know one question then the next question on the um >> so yeah >> I love that that's thank you because that's an excellent uh I never even thought about that of bringing you know um phones or if people have iPads or something larger that would give a little bit more screen room you know so
that but that's an excellent idea because um you never know I mean people may not want the paper thing they might be comfortable with digital you know if we have a digital device with us, you know, when we're doing the outreach. I think that's an excellent idea. >> Um, >> so it's the window of opportunity.
>> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. >> Like, hey, we want to get your feedback. >> Like having them having the opportunity to get in there >> is like really helpful. >> Absolutely. Um,
as far as time frame, I mean, I I I think for me, I think two weeks is good enough, you know, because that gives me time to um organize it a little bit so that in time for November, so that we have the November meeting. Um, we can look at uh what we all came up with and
I'll make sure Michael's going to review the video. Um, I'll make sure that Michael gets um everything he needs as well so that he can be looped in pretty quickly. Uh, yeah, two weeks, I think, is good. Um I if if you're feeling like at any point you're getting stuck, just email me. You know, it's not a hard two
weeks. I'm just using that as just a I I also need deadlines and time frames or they just goes on and on and on. So I I I've leaned into that with myself like give me a deadline, please, please. Um so yeah, two weeks. Um so if we're done with this part of the conversation, are
we okay with moving on to the next item? Anna. Okay, perfect. All righty. So, uh, and then B is also, um, Aby's suggestion. Thank you. And I'll just read it for the record. Discussion about establishing a clear commission
framework and solidifying internal processes before launching additional initiatives. And I know we've we talked a little bit about it, but the floor is yours, Abby. >> Yeah. So, we did just talk about this. I feel like um
yeah and again like I'm mindful it is 10 to 7 right now and so maybe we can table these and and like um think about it as a group. I don't know if everybody's even had, you know, an opportunity to think about this, but you know, so right
now we're talking about how do we get information to and from community, but then once things start flowing like like take the burial fund for instance, the process was just messy, right? Like that's how I felt. There wasn't a clear
like, okay, when a request comes in for funding or a request comes in for this, this is how the right >> this is how we're gonna do it. We're gonna, you know, take, you know, I know that there's like general meeting um structure like the new business,
Rogers Rules of Order. I know all that, but I'm talking about like, you know, the next level like >> Yeah. Now what? you know you like you have a you know if you have a policy you know or like the burial fund that's a good example right like so then what you
know somebody requests it like there has to be a streamlined process like you know we haven't even created an application right you know so no I agree and I think some of it was imminent you know and we did the best we could but no I agree I think that having stuff that's that's structured and codified so the
public knows it too hey this is a process to get to burial fund here's the application Um, yeah, because we haven't even even touched on like dispensing funding. We're nowhere near anywhere near that. Um, and I agree with you, Abby. I think
that as a commission, we can create um these documents that we work with, you know, and how we work with each other, you know. Um, >> right. So, that's what I'm talking about. How we're going to work with each other in this commission I think is important because we are going to be
reviewing requests, dispersing, you know, making decisions. We're not going to disperse the money. You are making decisions, you know, and um having community partners coming in and giving presentations and it just like
having some kind of like this is how the we we're going to work together. So it's not like we don't have an application for the burial fund, right? It's like having a process to ensure that we make an application and that we do all the steps
that we need to do and that everybody knows the process, the time frame, the timelines, you know, so like, >> you know, if a request is received within 30 days, it's going to be brought, you know, into our new business. if there's not, you know,
just feels like like the old business just keeps going on and on and on and >> Yeah. >> circling back around and it gets very >> I don't operate well like that. >> Yeah. No, I I hear I'm a very structured systems person. my brain works in
systems and structure and routine and like that's where I thrive and so I'm finding it really challenging. >> No, I I I I hear you and it it and I think you know um I I would tend to agree with that as well. Um that I I'm also the same. I'm a systems and
structured person and I like to have things um transparent and structured uh you know that's number one. Um and yeah, so any other comments about this topic,
Anna? And then I I also don't mind um tableabling this for later percolating on it as well. Um yeah, I guess my thought on this is that um it is messy and that is the only way
that it can be because we are literally building an airplane while we're already already in the air, right? Like quite literally we're figuring it out. Um, so yeah, I I definitely I I did I agree with every single outcome that you guys
just stated that you want to have in terms of processes, in terms of transparency. Um, and I just think that the way we're going to get there is somebody's going to propose a process, somebody's going to propose um a structure and we'll try it and it'll
either work or not work and and we'll amend it from there. Um, and I'm actually really glad that we sort, you know, the burial fund is different, right? It's specified in the ordinance. Um, so we already kind of had a mandate to get that rolling. And then, as you guys said, like there was, you know,
imminent um, we wanted to respond to to people's needs. Um, but we, yeah, we have not even touched our broader process of allocating the funds, and I think that's okay. Um, it feels like we're sort of there's two different
energies both pushing and pulling at the moment. I mean, I I want us to, you know, I want us to be moving forward and and I also am hearing I'm hearing folks both wanting to move forward and also wanting to slow down, which is a little confusing. And I think that is just
where we are right now. >> Yeah. Yeah, it is nice to have structure and like to have that I guess that in like an informed processes by which
we're like kind of operating, right? And so it also I would imagine people who are engaging with the commission and what we're doing and you know on Zoom or coming in kind of know what to expect similar to like you know you got 35 days from the time it goes downstairs to the
clerk's office to ABCD. I do feel like there are moments where that's going to be more lofty than it is going to be realistic. Uh I do feel like given
the work and also like the big big tasks that we have a ahead of us like we are going to be circling to old business quite frequently. Um
but I do also see us like slowly developing the processes by which like we're we're doing the framework for this for that for this and I think it it's it's going to look different. So, I think like as we have like new business
and as we solidify some of our old business, we're going to like in a very uh I really like that building the airplane while we're flying it like that might be what it looks like for a while. Um
>> because this is so new >> and it's so new across the state. So, it's all of us in so many municipalities doing the exact same thing, building the airplane while we're flying it. I love, wow, I'm
really going to use that. Um, but I would but I also hear the like the need for having some framework to to create that safety like not only for
us as a commission for us to know like okay how are we navigating this but also for our community as well. And I think that also like it was stated yeah it will look like a push and pull process. Um, I mean, growth is tricky that way.
In my mind, it's not linear. It is cyclical. So, it's going to look like that sometimes. And I think that's okay. I think we're doing pretty good, y'all. >> I I agree. You know, um, we're we're doing the best with building something
from scratch essentially. Um, I I definitely like Anna's, you know, the image in my mind, you know, um, is totally true. Um, so Again, I'm going to ask folks who um we we all create these
conditions, right? We all create them. Um there's not going to be one person that's going to create the the the process for every little thing. Um so, I just want to state this for the public record. Um send me a proposal, right? And it'll
it'll get on the agenda, right? if if you have a you know a an idea right that you want the the commission to to look at for that process uh we I we all have our our skills and strengths here and I I think we can collaboratively do this
but if anybody has any ideas that that they just would say hey you know maybe we should try this for for this process um I just wanted to say that you know I'll be transparent about that please send me your ideas um because that's how the commission works we're all going to work together um and And I think that
that's the little baby steps forward, right, is saying, "Hey, I have this idea for this. Um, can we have it on agenda and let's talk about it like we're doing now." Uh, it it does feel kind of wonky at times. Um, but what Yam said, it it's it's not going to be a linear process.
Um, it it's, you know, like the old business is going to circle around until we vote it and then then then it leaves old business. When we once we vote on it, it's gone from the old business. But that takes time. Um and I for one would would I'm looking forward to a full
commission uh we have everybody here uh so that we can really you know start rolling up our sleeves uh about this particular process. >> I in no way like was trying to imply that it was taking too long. If anything
I feel like >> we need to slow it down. Like I am not trying to like I'm more of a like whoa kind of person right now on on all this and I understand the need with like the burial fund like we had things it was
imminent we had it wasn't the way that we designed uh this commission but I like what Yams was saying about like the way I put it in my head was a
framework for the whole and then within that framework work like we're creating subframeworks as things come up. So I'm not talking about like creating like very specific frameworks for all this stuff but just like our general framework
>> that allows for subframework adjust and review. >> Gotcha. you know, and um obviously things are going to take, you know, as long as they take to get through the process, but having some
general structure on like like for instance these proposals like this the second time you've asked us to create a proposal. We were supposed to create some proposal about something else >> and I don't I think it had to do with the surveys but I wasn't really clear about what that proposal was even supposed to be
>> nor did I submit a proposal because I don't even know what the heck you're like I'm not going to go write a proposal like but we do have to work together as a commission you know so like what happens so I'm sending you stuff goes on the agenda like how are we
working as a team to create this framework because that I would love to see that happen? Are we going to talk about it then? You know, so like that's the framework that I'm talking about. Like it's not just like >> because the the way that these my
understanding of city commissions like this operate >> and the way that I'm comfortable operating maybe are two different things, right? And the we are asking
folks with lived and living experience nonprofessional folks to participate in this commission and like it needs to be more accessible. It needs to be like there needs to be better transparency.
Like I got a huge packet and watched a video and here I am and I'm not >> at all feeling confident or comfortable with like understanding the process at number one like I'm just learning the
process but then to be making decisions and not having clarity on and I know you said like we're not going to spend our time as a commission to discuss that but we need to like and the clerks are busy.
I'm busy. Like I work an obscene amount of hours, you know? I can't be running down to the clerk every time like preparing for all this. Like, you see what I'm saying? So, like, we need to come up with something that's accessible, that's clear, that's like structured. Like, this is the process
from start to finish. This is the city's process. This is our process because we're adjusting to our process to fit those that may not be um have government
uh government, municipal, city, however we are going to say that um understanding or involvement to make it accessible and so that folks with lived experience can have access. And that's like built into our process. So the four of us, five of us aren't just sitting
here throwing things around on an agenda and whipping through them. It just feels super uncomfortable. >> Yeah, I like that. I like having also something like built into our process of like when there is an agenda, right? Cuz this is the same agenda. The same agenda
that we see is the same agenda that the public sees. So even having something on here maybe that speaks to, you know, typically, you know, like public comment, what does that look like? If somebody wants to come in public
comment, do they have two minutes? Like we know that because we had to like do the training and sit through the this and read the packet and everything like that. Do are the people that we are wanting to engage with us know that? So like having
that information out readily available. Um how long does it take for this typically to whatever or the process by which you know this or that. Yeah. Having that just right out there I think
is also a really important way to build trust too because we're just being so forward facing that because we don't have any like we don't have anything to really hide. Yes, there is like confidentiality stuff with like Robert's
laws and rules of order and stuff like that, but outside of like the work that we're actually doing, we don't have anything to hide, so why not put it out there and be as transparent as possible, really build that trust and hold to the fact that like, yeah, Greenfield, we are doing we are the gold standard right
now. And why don't we show people what that looks like in action? I think that's really important. Jenny So you you made great points that was and
this was very interesting to me. Um and because there's people that are coming now and serving on boards and commissions that have not done that in the past and that's one of the reasons why on all
of our boards and commissions we have a city liaison. Um and I would like to say um you know when we had our very first meeting we did bring the clerk here
um and we have um Anna Anna here who's um she has attended and is very wellversed in in open meeting law and will guide us and keep us out of
trouble at many of of our sitting meetings and I but I think you should take a deep breath and a sigh of relief knowing that because she is going to be here at all of these meetings with you and she knows an awful lot about
all of those things. I don't think that we should um well um not we should that was not a bad >> let's take that back. I can't un I can't take it back where I said it, but hopefully that will ease some of how
you're feeling about that. And also time may ease some of how you're feeling about that. It actually took me I don't know maybe about a year and a half before I was making motions
by myself at meetings. So, um, uh, part of that is part of that is just this, but I'm going to I'm going to I'm going to give this
to you. Okay, I'm going to give that to you, but I wish I had one for you, but I don't. I don't have an extra one. This is a little guide for making motions and things. And um if I find another one, I'm I'll try to bring another one for the next time. It's hard to go to public
meetings for the first time. And then I'm sorry I don't have one for you. I really am. But anyways, I love you both the same. >> Um >> okay. And um so it's very hard, but we have in here. So, you know,
so there's all these meetings and we're all going to do the best we can. They're ordinary citizens and we're just called up to try to do the best thing with some of this. I'm a little nervous with some of these things, too. As we're sitting here, I'm thinking, hey, I've done my
best with this. I had to make terrible decisions, terrible, heartbreing decisions around burials and uh cremations with parents that were crying. And I did my best and hope that you would be supporting me.
And then, you know, just as an FYI, I alerted, you know, so both of the uh larger funeral homes in town, but not the third one, they know. So, word of mouth travels and I'm a little worried, you know, about our internal process
with this and hoping that you'll support me with the next one because it will probably what will probably happen is the funeral directors will know, right? And I will want them to be improved because I've got a big heart. I've got the heart of a nurse. I will want that
to be approved and um we won't it won't be a 30-day process because that's not how those things go >> and we are ordinary people and this in this particular instance what's going to happen because of these
you know because of terrible things that happen is there's quite a bit of money and you are citizens that came forward and some people with lived experience and trust me. Um, I'm a little bit more comfortable with a microphone than I was a few years ago, but remember that I was
practicing with a hairbrush. Okay, this is when I was running for office practicing with a hairbrush. Hated the hairbrush. Don't love a microphone. Now, none of us none of us are are perfect. We're just trying
things. We're trying to put things together. We're making motions and then we're checking them. And if you have something that like you say, I want to I think we should be sending so much money
towards um I don't know, Justice, Inc. I just made that up and I hope it's not a real thing. And uh I think we should be doing this annually. Then Anna is going to
write that up and she is she's going to say okay and then this is what happens with all the boards and commissions. Then the the mayor I call myself I'm not Albert. I say this a lot. I'm not Albert meaning Albert Einstein. Not Albert
here. Send it to the ma to uh Gordon the attorney and we check it out this way. And this is a new board. So, um, and I won't be at all of your meetings. I will be here periodically as
time allows. We are going to get this right. And if we don't know that it's right, we send it off to the attorney because you're going to be making decisions on the funding. And they will be very good decisions because remember
you as a committee decided something that's being emulated not just through the state but the nation. You're you're rock stars. You're rock stars and you're nervous with the microphones and the motions just like I
was. The person who couldn't write in Brisb, she's now the mayor. Okay. It's okay. you're going to make great decisions on where this money should go and on the things that are going to be done and it's going to be okay and and we will all double check and triple
check ourselves. So, um none of us knew how it would be how it it should go. The first time I ever had to run a public hearing, I had everything like written out. And then we
went to hybrid and they're like, "Okay, now you had to start the meetings by yourself alone with a hybrid meeting." Like, "Oh my god, oh no, I have to do that." Then I was the chair of the planning board and I was going to do screen
sharing. It took an hour and a half time from an employee to do screen sharing and in the end I chickened out. I was afraid I couldn't screen share. So it's like imperfection. You're going to do fine. And um and I like whatever job
that you do, I'm sure I couldn't do it, you know. I'm sure I couldn't. But you're going to do great at this. And we will we're there in the background. But you've got actually you've got two employees normally have Michael and um and we will be supporting you with the financial part. We will not let you make
a mistake um because we will be in the background checking on the um you know the legality of any of the funding expenditures that you decide. Um, and I'm, you know, you stood by me when I had done some things
because I wasn't sure, but I was sure morally and ethically that it was the right thing. And I was like, "Oh, please." Um, and this board stood by me. >> Thank you, Jenny. And we appreciate that you stood up with courage. Um, and you know, because there wasn't a process.
>> Um, >> um, Anna Um, yeah. So, while Yams was talking, I jotted down a couple questions. Um, how does public comment work? What does the agenda mean? How are meetings run? What do all these words mean? I would like to
take the task of of trying to translate some of this to newcomers. Um, and the mayor has this new initiative of a citizens academy. We really are trying to like make this more legible to the public. I think one of the most
anxietyinducing moments when you approach something new like city meetings is that moment where you don't know what you don't know. So you don't even know what to ask. It just feels like a big question mark. But these types of questions are really helpful. And I have to say like this is just
something personal about me. I come from a professional background where there's a very toxic tendency to not want to explain things that you think other people already understand because it's viewed as condescending. And I'm trying to unlearn that because that's not how
we learn things and how we share information. But like these types of specific questions are really helpful to me because like once you've done a million of these meetings, it's obvious how public comment works. It's not obvious if you've never done it before. So I same as we're kind of we're
funneling some of our um proposals through Sarah, funnel these types of questions through me and I will meet also with the communications director because this is his wheel wheelhouse to think about ways to present that better to the public. And I guess my point is
like there's no dumb questions because you either know or you don't know and if you don't know can't know what you don't know. >> Thank you Anna. I I appreciate that. That's super super helpful. Um, and it holds the space of what what was brought up u by the other members of getting
folks to understand, you know, what the heck we're doing and and what does that mean? Um, I I've been thinking about public comment for a while since since, you know, we put it in there of um yeah, knowing that it's three minutes. Um, and at least that's how council does it. You
know, we could we can create a policy. It's three minutes or at the discretion of the chair, you know. So, if there's a full agenda meeting and there's like a thousand people in the room, the chair might say you have one minute or the chair might say you have two minutes. But I I I appreciate what Anna said because and all of you said because it
has to be public facing. Uh we have to uh make sure that um it's accessible. Uh so thank you Abby for for bringing that up. Um and also the clerk was not present in our first meeting. Um she was not able to No, it's okay. She wasn't
able to. So, um, you know, maybe we could try to get them for December because November is the election, so they're going to be up through their their eyeballs in voting stuff. U, but I can put the requests in if the commission wants them to come in and we can carve out some time that we can have
dedicated questions um for either Kathy or Quinn. Um, how does how's that sound to people? That sound like a good idea? >> Yeah, I like that. >> Okay, heavy. Yes, I would appreciate that. >> Can I just say one more quick thing?
>> Sure. >> I don't like flying the plane while we're building it. I think that's an awful way to do things. I think that's why our systems are broken. I'm not even kidding here. >> I've been looking at this a lot. Like, I think a lot of our organizations operate
like that. And there's some there's an opportunity here to do it a little different. And so, like, I'm not saying that we're not going to have to fly the plane as we're building it for some things. Like, obviously, we're going to have to. It's the way things are in our
society, but we do have an opportunity to do things a little different here, and that's what I'm suggesting. >> Excellent. I I concur. Um, so I I for this one, I don't think that we're going to be making, you know, we've made a
couple um decisions tonight about this. you know that Anna is going to take care of u what she offered to and um we're going to invite the clerk to come in and um I wonder if we can we can build that into uh because we know that you know
the folks that are under commission right now um when their term ends um you know some may not return and some may return. So, you know, building it into our infrastructure to have the clerk or the assistant clerk here for, you know, when we do that transition, you know, to
new members like when when it's like when the two-year cycle ends because a two-year and a three-year cycle for seats. So, when the two-year cycle ends, the incoming new people from from those seats, we can make sure that the clerk or the assistant clerk is here uh to
answer questions. Um and then may you know set up a um with understanding the clerk schedule and assistant clerk schedule you know maybe they they can have a um a certain time and a day of the week that they could dedicate like an hour people can drop in. Um I I'd
have to ask Kathy and Quinn. don't I don't have you know their consent on that but I'd be I'd be willing to ask them that you know so that way it's not just you know um December's meeting uh you know if if you have a question Abby that you you could go into that drop in time slot you know and and meet with
them via Zoom or whatever because I know you're super busy uh and so are they so just you know meeting meeting people where they're at and finding multiple ways to interact with a >> clerk >> yeah you you can send it you can you can send an email right now you You can do that uh if you have questions for the
clerk. Absolutely. Um and I encourage folks to do that. >> No, to to what? >> Quinn. >> To Quinn or Kathy. Kathy is the clerk and Quinn is the assistant clerk. So either either one >> busy. I thought >> they're both busy with with the election. Yeah, they're both very busy,
but Quinn offered to meet um you know, one-on-one with anybody from the commission that they have already said that. So yeah, it's Quinn uh at this point. Um, so I'm feeling like, um, we could table the rest of this discussion.
Um, may I have a motion to table? >> Um, >> uh, the Okay, may I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? I. Okay. And then the last item on our
agenda is mine and I'm feeling I'm just going to say what it is and I'm going to say how I'm feeling. uh discussion on formalizing the requirement for opioid use and prevention commission approval for all settlement fund expenditures via home rule petition. Um it's
>> yeah just point of point of clarification I think we're actually on new business C. >> Uh we we addressed that with Jenny already. We we uh suspended the rules. >> Oh we did? >> We did. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, >> thank you. >> That was just to hear from
>> Oh, so yeah, I don't have >> No, no, no. That's okay. Let's read it. Oh, thank you. Y um because I thought we were done with that one. Uh discussion on incorporating a periodic financial review of abatement funds received by the city. The review would present total income itemized expenses and timelines
for future allocations. >> Yeah, go for it. I thought we were just hearing from Jenny because but I didn't think we were discussing it yet. So >> yeah, that's that was my thinking is that you know Jenny was here to talk about it. The financial director would
have been here to you know kind of help a discussion but >> did we make it we didn't make any decisions right? >> Nope. We have not made a decision. It's it's a discussion. So there's there not any decisions on that. Um other than that I think Jenny was going
to provide um some of the um the Excel >> right and the drop down list for new municipal. So we did discuss it. Um is there any further discussion? I just want to you know open up the table. Okay. >> Um yes >> sorry you're all right.
Um I guess the only further discussion like I I would like us to see like us to think about what our review process is going to be like now we have gotten information right but we didn't talk about what our
process going to be are we going to have um quarter you said you could do quarterly or by yearly reports but we can go on now we know that we can go on mosaic website and look at it um
and then some kind of I don't I can't find my notes what I was writing but uh some kind of check and balance of our own you know like we know what we're like I said before we know what we're spending we know what we're what's supposed to be coming in so we can have
rough estimates >> um we didn't like so if we can think about I don't know if you want to do it the same way like send an email to you of a processes we're thinking about >> and then I'm not clear what happens
after we send the email to you like are you pulling everybody's suggestions together or we're just like how do I know what what I and Anna are thinking >> so so you well because of the open meeting law that's why so you can't
discuss it so it's sent to me and then what I'm going to do is I'm going to compile and it will go on the agenda for the you know for next month and then next month's agenda we'll we'll we'll talk and you'll have the same you know the same the packet that you get you'll
have the agenda and I will create a document that has all of the >> the proposal the I got you >> yeah yeah yep um um no it's okay because we we have to have an open transparent process so I appreciate your questions because that way you know the public
also knows hey this is what we're thinking about doing this is how we're going to do it. Um, but we get to see each other's even though we're just sending it to you once you do the agenda. You send you'll so whatever proposal I send you >> Yeah.
>> Anna Yams, Jenny, you'll all be able to see it in the packet is what you're saying before the meeting. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yep. Yeah. Um and Anna uh is the one who compiles that um for us. So, thank you Anna. She's done a really good job. And Jenny,
>> I just knew that you know how to find you know how to find that. But I definitely think you should be asking me or Stephen when you for like either a twice a year or quarterly >> report because that's the accountability part on us. So um I've actually seen
what you're talking about but I thought I think you knew right we had to find that. So I I was yielding to you if you would mind doing that. And then I just knew it wasn't up to date today so I didn't bring it. >> That's okay. I would agree. Um >> yeah, then you can decide. Yeah, I do. I
do really. But um but I think that you know I used like I said I used to do that for disability access. So you all decide and you can tell tell or ask whatever however you say that and then of course we would oblige your commission. So, are we ready
to um suggest um maybe a quarterly report from the city? Are we ready to >> What I was suggesting is that we do an email to you again like we send in you the email with like what we think of this, what we think of that
>> after talking about all this stuff so we have time to process and >> Okay. No, that's totally fine. >> Send you an email and then we can see what other people are thinking without spending another hour here. Yeah, I agree. I agree. >> That's what I suggest. Is that a motion?
>> So, are you are you motioning to table this till next month for the rest of the conversation >> with emails going to you so that we can have >> we don't have to sit here for to >> Yes. Yeah. >> Can I have a second on that? >> Uh second. >> All in favor?
>> I then we are on D now which is our last item and I'll just repeat it again for the record. discussion on formalizing the requirement for opioid use and prevention commission approval for all summit fund expenditures via home rule
petition. Um I am um I'm going to table this. This is this is my my agenda item and it requires a little bit more more work um before it gets presented to the commission. Um so that'll be the same process. It'll be part of next month's packet. Um, I'll
do, you know, more of um an understanding of of why it's there and and um and maybe why we should look at it um for the money because it kind of it's a way to kind of create um
a way for us to be much more than you know right now we are uh we we can uh guide Jenny and suggest Jenny. you know, we have Jenny right now, but in four years not we may not have Jenny. Um, and you know, I I did do some research into,
hey, how could we change that, you know? Um, and how you do it is through a home roll home roll petition because it's it's a longer conversation, but I'd like to table it for next month. Um, because it it really just puts us more into that
and it's by um approval of the commission, not by suggestion. And so there's a little language change, but it's it's a like a goes to the city and then the city council, then goes to the state. So it's a lot a lot a large process. Um and I'd be happy to table it because I think it's a lot right now um
for us to be looking at. But um I I'm a I'm a visionary and a forward thinking person. I'm also a systems person. So I think of things in this way uh like little pieces that are missing. Um so uh can I have a motion to table this for next month?
Uh motion to table new business 6D. Okay. Second. Okay. All in favor? All righty. So that is the last agenda item. Um the next scheduled meeting will be on November 17th, 2025 at 5:00 pm at
the John Center. May I hear a motion to adjourn? >> Is that what's happening? >> Yeah. for framework, >> one for >> outreach >> outreach or getting flow. >> Yep.
>> And then one about um >> yes >> financial review the part C the financial review of abatement funds that that one >> that was >> yeah you're welcome. Uh any any more
questions before I I um entertain a motion to adjurnn? >> Someone needs to make the motion. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? Okay. Uh this meeting is adjourned at
7:26 p.m.