 of connecting back to the group. It was amazing. We had to go for a walk. I would love to do that. And wow, and if there's anything when we get started here that you would like to share with the group, I don't want to divulge your private privacy, but if there's anything, I would love to we'd love to hear it. Okay, let me just see here if Yvonne is able to join us. And Dr. Shabazz checking here. Okay, so I know everyone in the attendees, the, and so it's not, we don't have any members in the attendees, we do have a quorum though. I can go ahead I noticed I think that Pamela started recording the meeting or Jennifer did somebody did Jennifer was I you. Yes. Okay. All right, great. So I'll go ahead and get us called to order. So I am calling to order the August 14 meeting of the African Heritage Foundation Assembly at 204pm with the extension of chapter 20 of the acts of 2021 this meeting will be conducted via remote means members of the public who wish to access the meeting may do so via zoom or by telephone. No in person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, but every effort will be made to ensure the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time via technological means. So that is being recorded, and I am going to do a sound check I see that Yvonne is working on logging in so if we could keep an eye out for her. That would be great. And, and also I believe that Dr. Shabazz will be joining us. So let's see, let me start with you Dr Rhodes can you hear us and can we hear you. I can hear and I can see everyone. Excellent. Okay, and Hala. Yes. Thank you. Awesome. And Ms bridges. I can see you. I mean I can see you I know you can't see me but you also were frozen a couple of times in the last 30 seconds. Oh no. Okay. Let me just check it looks like my mind. Okay. Let's keep an eye on that. Yeah, let me know if it continues. All right, great. And Jennifer and Pamela, can you hear us and can we hear you. Yes. Yes. Great. All right, so I'm going to start off our meeting today with our first period of public comment we have two periods of public comment at every meeting. If you'd like to make public comment, please use the raise hand function. I will read the public comment statement once during the public comment period. The chair will recognize members of the public when called on please identify yourself by stating your name pronouns and address residents are welcome to express their views for up to three minutes. And while we will not engage in a dialogue we will certainly be listening closely. Please go ahead and if you'd like to make public comment during this public comment period use the raise hand function and otherwise there will be a second period soon later in the meeting. Sorry, I just got distracted because I saw that a second. So, if you would like to make a public comment and you're coming in by phone, you can use the pound. And is that correct, Jennifer. It's star star nine. Thank you. So please use the star nine to raise your hand if you're coming in. Welcome Ivan, can you hear us. Yes, I can hear you. Okay, excellent and we can hear you. And we just started with our first I just called our first period of public comment. Thank you. All right, so I'm not seeing any. So I'm going to move on then and today, we have several items that I would like to get through and just to clarify for anybody who's listening in the audience. We have moved the publication date into September. I'm working with the council president will either be presenting our recommendations at the September 11 or September 18 meeting of the council, which means that our report will be published about three days prior to whichever date we choose. So we'll, we'll stay, we'll stay on top of that and I'll, I'll keep folks posted on that. So what I'd like to do today is most importantly, a draft of the report was sent to the assembly per our discussion last week, and I would like to take any feedback that assembly members might have available now. Any feedback is not available now that's fine to it can be sent to myself and Pamela and Jennifer, and we'll make sure to have that incorporated so that it can be reviewed at the next meeting. Additionally, there are three of the recommendations that I would like to make sure we hit on today. One is the fund and Dr Rhodes and I will be speaking with the assembly regarding the fund. And then also, there are two other one that I'd like to flush out a little bit further with the group regarding any recommendation we might want to make on cash payments, or any discussion that we would like to see in the report regarding cash payments. And then there is another recommendation that I personally would like to present. And this may not be something that we get through today, we may have to have a hold over to the next meeting and that involves the Well, I'll get to that one when I when I'm ready to when we get through the rest of these things. So Dr Rhodes, do you want to. Well, actually, let's, let's go through and and discuss feedback from the draft. So the floor is open at this time if folks have any feedback that they would like to provide at this time on the draft report. And don't worry about it's all we're transcribing all of the meetings so we'll catch everything so if you'd like to provide any feedback, please raise your hand. Did everyone get a chance to take a look at it or folks still going through it. I see, I see both Hala and Yvonne. I didn't get a chance to actually look at anything. Okay. And I might, something has just come up and I might have to leave pretty soon. So I'm just telling you like, like, it's been just tested positive for COVID. So, and I met work so I don't I haven't tested but you know I don't want to expose my coworkers to of course of course. So I'm going to put on my mask right now. Okay. Yeah, do whatever you need to even have to leave in a little bit. Okay, hoping to do this from home and I ended up here at work longer than usual. No worries. Okay, well we can follow up by phone too so please do whatever you need to. All right and how I did see that you were also about to say something. I'm similar. I haven't gotten a chance to get through this newest draft but I will. Okay. Great. So again you can call. You can call me you can email if you do email just please only email me and Pamela and Jennifer. And also next week we can follow up on on that as well. And Pamela I'm just remembering that we have something also that I'm hoping you'll be able to talk about today. I think we'll be doing a private fund I think so we'll do that as well today. All right so I don't see any other hands in terms of feedback from the report at this moment so what I'd like to do Dr Rhodes is to hand it over to you to just talk to the assembly about. The question with Sean where we're at with the two possible, or maybe more than two options regarding our recommendation on the fund. Are you willing to, or would you like me, and I want to put you on the spot but. In summary, there are two proposals that we have been discussing here and then with myself and Michelle going back and forth. The first proposal is that in terms of the fund is that we accelerate the funding of the fund by asking the town council to over the next, I think it was it was four years over four years over the next four years. Appropriate enough money to bring us to the $2 million mark. By the end of year for rather than at the end of 10 years, which would be just too many years. So that was one of them. The other one is to say to the town council. Which was also originally presented by Michelle that the HR a borrow from the reserve funds that bounce of the money needed to get to $2 million now. And then pay back that. Over the next years, via the money that would ordinarily have been coming through us through a stabilization fund, and also from other sources, including including free cash, etc. And I think that's about it. Those are the two that are there and Michelle and I have discussed in depth both of those. And we certainly would like to have feedback on that from everyone present on this call right now. And we are going to be meeting Michelle is set up this meeting with Paul, I believe, Andy. And in the town council, President Len to and possibly Sean, I'm not sure to go over these two things so that we can come up with a final recommendation. Is that about it. Yeah, that was great. I think I would just add as a reminder that this is going to be used as an endowment fund so it's the investment income only that will be used on an annual basis toward initiatives. We've already adopted sort of a philosophy that we will be looking to maximize our monies by partnering with other committees and other departments that are doing similar work to what we have recommended where there's overlap and where black residents can be benefited. So I think that's an important so my thinking when we talked about this the last minute at the last meeting was sort of, can we just remove the money into from one bucket of reserves to another bucket of reserves essentially that has the name operations on it. And then get us to the place where we need to be to make meaningful, you know initiatives occur on an annual basis starting sooner than 10 years as herb said. So I think that in an ideal world. I think that's a very, very strong way to approach this and as herb said, we plan to have a discussion with some folks. Next Monday hope and it will I believe be before our meeting so that we'll be able to report back but we're open to any feedback that you all might have at this time regarding those options. And you know it's important I think for us to think about. What do we want, and what would most benefit supporting the reparative justice plan that we're putting forward, and from a sort of political standpoint, where do we need to be to have the, the folks who need to approve this be supportive to address what we're doing so I think that the option that at least I know herb and I prefer will take absolutely some work to make our case as to why that option is is the preferred and and I think better option for for us. One of the reasons for the option that I prefer which is to have that have the HR borrow that money, and then pay it back to other means is that we have the money now. It makes concrete the councils pledge for for the money. And it relieves us of some anxiety in relationship to whether the council will continue to find that in the years going in the forthcoming years. And I am skeptical about allowing that to occur is that there are two things one. If we allow that to happen then we're talking about two election cycles and for budget cycles. And that to me puts that at risk of a future council and a future budget process, I'd rather have that commitment now upfront and concretize where we have that money now rather sooner than later. And it's that, and we don't have to concern ourselves or have been anxious about whether future councils will carry through on it because they would have already been done and bought into it. And just to add to that I mean I want to be fair and point out that and speaking with Sean hit he really I think he liked the concept but had concerns about, you know, the possible precedent that it may set or a precedent that's already been set that now this continues with, and so in borrowing from reserves. So one, one thing though to keep in mind that is critical is the town council, regardless of whether the money is in the reserves that it's in now or whether it's in a reparation stabilization fund has ultimate control over the funds. So, if the money were moved into the reparations bucket, so that we could have the maximum amount of investment income to be used for initiatives. And there was some emergency that required the principal that is in that reserve account to be used. There's still full control the town council still fully has control over that so the risk isn't very high. It's more, I think, about the concerns of precedent setting or as Dr Rhodes and I talked through more concerns about institutional memory, which I think was one of Sean's concerns. So it's it's sort of a it's it's, you know, it might your feedback is certainly welcomed and appreciated and I think when we're able to flesh it out a little bit more with some folks involved in finance it might be then. Of course we will bring it back to the group next week. Go ahead, Dr Rhodes. I'm sorry. The precedent I think you're referring to is that the council has already borrowed from the reserve fund already. And Sean wasn't opposed to what he was opposed to why he was opposed to it was more in principle, and that council has short memory of what they do. And his fears that the money never will be paid back. And that the reserve fund therefore would be depleted by that amount added to the other amount that is already been borrowed by the council. Again, it was his, his concern was the short memory of the council and the commitment of the council to pay that back to the reserve fund that at some point will be needed. Now, you can argue on both sides of it but it seems to me that if the council has already established that precedent and has said that they will pay that back. That is a promise that they have made. We are making the same promise and having the council does have the ultimate control to pay that money back. And as Michelle said, well, if there's some really physical emergency. They may say well we need this money but then on the other hand if they say that to us then it would have to say it to the council in terms of what they have already borrowed. Thank you, Dr. Rhodes. So would any committee members like to provide feedback right now on this. Okay. So again, please if you know if you if if you have as you processing this any feedback you'd like to provide just reach out to to me and I'll make sure that that is incorporated into the discussion that Dr. Rhodes, and I will have. One thing is that I really would like to know if there are any opinions or thoughts that Pamela or Jennifer may have on this subject. I have to switch over to my phone because I'm going to head to my car so I'll be able to listen. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, bye. Okay, Pamela. I'm actually going to suggest that we have the conversation about the other issue now because the two are sort of related, if that's okay with you. And I do, I have just one slide I'm going to try to share screen. I put together just one PowerPoint slide. So the, the conversation that Michelle and I had relates to what type of entity would hold the funds of the African heritage reparations after you've finished your term or for the, you know, subsequent entity. And this conversation really arose because I've started looking into ways in which the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion might either create a friends group to support the work that we're doing and the work of the Human Rights Commission. And, and I looked into some other legal entities that that might be of assistance and so this is really a very, very brief overview. Of the two types of groups that might exist. And also, it has not been fully vetted with Town Council, although I did have a brief conversation with Sean Mangano about the idea and he thought it was unique and something that might actually be a good idea for the type of work that we are doing. So, you all are probably familiar with the friends group that's associated with Jones Library and often time municipal departments might have a friends group to help support their work and fundraising and other efforts. So the first sort of possibility is to create a friends group so a friends group is independent. It is a 501 C charity. The leadership is independent and it's self directed. The authority exists under both federal and state law. The pros of this friends group is that it's very easy to establish the con is that it's independent from the town. So it really relies on a very good relationship between the town department or Town Council or town managers and the nature of the group. And so, and one might envision most of the time, those relationships are probably very positive and there's no, you know, adversity or adverse feelings. But on occasion there might be and certainly as an independent group, they can do what they want. The major con that I see is that it's independent from the town, and it might require special legislation to award the funds that the town has awarded to an independent organization because it's outside of the municipal government structure. So that's one possibility. The other possibility is the creation of a trust very similar to if you think about the affordable housing trust that's created. The housing trust was created by state legislature which allows municipalities to have this trust structure. It has charitable status in which meaning that people can make donations to it and they can write those donations off as a charity. It's able to receive grants from both state and federal government from charities and foundations. The relationship is connected to the to the municipality so under the affordable housing trust, if we, if that was a model that was being used trustees or a pound appointed by the town manager. There's also one council member was a member of the affordable housing trust so there's a direct connection between the trust and the town. I think this might require special legislation because there's, there does not exist under a current state legislature. A mechanism for creation of a trust outside of the affordable housing trust, but I think the structure is there and I think there would be a lot of support at the state level for creating this type of entity because there's not the only municipality that has the efforts or that's seeking to do reparations and so creating a structure that allows for connection between the municipality and, and a trust organization I think is one that would be found favorable in this legislature so the pros that there's an existing model for using utilizing municipal funds for a very specific purpose, i.e. the affordable housing trust, the connection to the town is also pro pro. There would be ease in designating funds for the specific trust if it were to exist there are some municipalities that automatically give a percentage of their budget to their affordable housing trust. Others have actually taken out bonds to fund their affordable housing trust so there's a real ease in setting aside those municipal funds for this type of entity. And the con is that it may be more difficult to establish initially like, you know, having KP law look at it having one of the members of ours of the house bring it forward might, might take a little bit more time to establish. So, and again, that's just a very quick overview. And one, just some of the preliminary research that I've done about those about the two different types of entities that would be available. Thank you so much Pamela and that slide is very helpful if you would send that to the group that would be fantastic. I see we're welcoming Dr Shabazz here and I'll wait it looks like he his audio might be connecting. Hi Dr Shabazz. Glad that you can make it and don't worry about it I will get you up to to speed. And at some point today we did have some discussion that was relevant to our fund and Irvin I presented a couple options but I'll review all of that with you offline. Okay. And so Pamela that just to kind of give context to the information that you were just providing that is in our report we have a recommendation about setting up some sort of mechanism that allows for private donations to be received. And so that's what Pamela was there reporting on and I think there's some additional information that you sent to me Pamela that I was just looking for that we could also forward to the group and I think it was that initial email that you sent me so if you would send that and the slide and the slide that would be excellent and then we can revisit it at our next meeting. Sure, I'll be happy to do that. Thank you. And if there are any thoughts on it right now. Floor is open for that. Yes, I mean both of those are desirable kinds of structures. Both of them it seems would require or may require special legislation is that correct Pamela include the trust and the friends group. This group does not require special legislation so it would operate identical to like the friends group for the Jones library so that is a group of individuals so it could be you all as in your role as private citizens or another group of private citizens forming a 501 C3 to support the work of the African heritage reparations assembly and that is an independent group it's not legally connected to the municipality and really what is important for that group is alignment of mission and relationship. So it's an independent group, they're receiving money. They can choose to spend the money in a way that they want that you all might agree on how money should be spent, but you may disagree, and I think the the con or the concern for that 501 C3 is that you may require a sort of special legislation or some sort of permission in order to transfer municipal funds to it because it would be independent. So I'm sorry that the answer to your question is yes. I think that that would require, you know, some additional legal analysis, the, the trust also probably require special legislation not simply because there's no current mechanism in place that would allow for the creation of a trust for these specific purposes, but the model already exists if you look at the affordable housing trust so there is a model already in place at the at the state level, but it has a different purpose. It's sort of like, I'm trying to think of what will be the path of least resistance. And, and I guess, when I look at her think about it, the friends group. I still have to go through it seems like what has to have to go through some municipal process. And the downside is that is I'm assuming that either there is no precedent for that or if there is a precedent for then it would put it on equal footing with the trust because it has already a legal precedent. So I think that's correct. So the I don't, and I've only done a little bit of research so I, you know, I'm not the authoritative on this but it's my understanding that generally money has flown from a friends group to a municipal department. And if you were to seek a friends group, and wanted that group to hold the $2 million, it would be flowing in the opposite direction and that I think what would, it would raise the legal concern. You could create the friends group, and the town council could still hold the money in a separate fund, and they would be distinct and having a friends group is certainly the past of least resistant, because that can be done in a relatively short time. But it's just not connected to the municipality. It's a, it's an independent 501 C three, like the Jones front library friends group. What my question I have is, in terms of the Jones friends group friends group municipal money flows to the friends group on some kind of prescribed or prescribed formula, or acts or something that allows that to happen. Would that be available to this particular friends group. So I don't, I, I mean, I had a conversation with Sharon Sherry, and I reviewed the, the documents, the 501 C three IRS documents for the friends group. There may be a mechanism that allows for town funds to flow to the, to the friends group but I'm not aware of it and I don't have a lot of information about it. Well, doesn't the friends group receive money from the town. So Jennifer has her hands raised so she might be able to answer that question. So using the friends of the senior center. Not quite sure what their actual group is the friends of council on aging, they, or the council on aging. The town covers the administrative cost of the senior center and then the friends group does everything else. Right. So the town pays the individuals. You call it the town pays their annual, you know, the salaries and salaries and the budget for operations but the friends like when they want new furniture that's what the friends group does. When they want to go, they want to have a big event that's the friends group. So I don't necessarily know that the town is giving the friends group any money I think that they're held separately. I guess I'm talking about the friends of the Jones library. I would think that it works very similar. That would be my, my guess as well. I don't know of a mechanism for the town to funnel money to an independent 501 C3. And I, you know, again, I've only done a little bit of research there. There may be a methodology for that to happen. But generally speaking, money from a friends group is flowing into a town department and not the reverse. Yeah. Dr. Rhodes, I can get you an answer to that question though. I'll look into that and just see because I want to clarify for you. You're ringing a bell for me to what you're saying and there is some some relationship between the budget, our budget and the budget of the library but I'm not sure that it is exactly what it what you might have in mind right now. I think about it. Yeah, the friends group supplements the budget of the, the Jones library. And then the town puts money into the Jones library. So that in terms of what you're saying family flows from the friends group to the library and not vice versa. Right, correct. And we also have to really I think in this case, and it's maybe very specific to reparations. We really have to consider autonomy as like a primary factor here I think. So I would, I would encourage us to think through what it would look like I mean in some sense we have a municipal fund that's already sort of being controlled by the governing body. So it might be that having a more autonomous group that can receive charitable donations is a way to balance that and be able to have both. I also wonder if the friends in terms of spending the money. We need to look more a little more into that like how can a friends group spend the money differently than a trust can spend the money and what sort of bureaucracy is involved. So the, so the friends group is independent and they can do whatever they want with the money because they're not bound by the procurement and other finance laws that a municipal entity would be. However, I think there are some similarities with the affordable housing trust that money is separate and apart. It is not part of the town's budget. And so it is held in trust it's so there's a lot of autonomy and independence there. If that was the mechanism that you wanted to choose from, from, from my, you know, point of view, looking at it legally, the fact that there's a connection a legal connection between a trust in the, and the town I think would be very important. The trust does operate with some autonomy, although the members of the board are appointed and there is a member of the town council would be a member of the trust or, you know, one of the trustees, but there is some autonomy there. But I can certainly try to do a little bit more research and I will follow up and send the slide and the original email that I sent to you to the members of the assembly. Thank you very much Pamela and you just went as you were talking I was thinking about a recent. I think we're going for special legislation on it I think it was a counselor Devlin got here who brought it forward where there's some sort of fee for real estate transfers, and a part of that will go to the affordable housing trust. And I so if that's an advantage, you know, to having it where the municipality is able to actually find creative ways to allocate money than that is a real benefit in my mind too. So, yeah, it's a lot to weigh. And, and, and it's possible that a 501 C3 group I mean we have the Black Assembly of Amherst, Massachusetts, for example, they may as an Evanston decide to organize to create their own entity as well. And so I don't think that it's necessarily one or the other or that if one happens the other can't. I think it's just about clarity in terms of the structure. So, other comments I did want to give Dr. Shavas we did, we did go through or we opened the floor to feedback on the report. And right now their members are still reviewing the draft that was circulated and we'll be providing feedback via email or at our meeting next week. And to give you the opportunity as well since you weren't here. If you'd like to provide any feedback on the report to do so now. Thank you I won't take up any time out of turn. I will send that along on terms of before our next meeting. Okay, excellent. Thank you. So, all right, we've gotten through the fund piece. We've gotten through this piece on the 501 C3. So the other two pieces that I wanted to touch on today are folks. How are we in for timing today is is 315 possible for folks to stay the thumbs up would be good. Okay. Ms Bridges is 315 work for you. Yeah. Okay. And Dr. Shavas is that. Perfect. And Pamela or Jennifer if you need to leave you can hand it over and I'll, I'll make sure. Well I don't even have to do anything to stop the reporting. So, okay. The piece that I wanted to cover about cash payments. And some of you may have seen, I did not know that Scott was going to write the piece that was, I guess on the front page of the newspaper today. And he's sort of setting up for our recommendations to come out so there was a piece in the Hampshire Gazette. I haven't spoken to him so he must have picked up information in our meetings or through some other reporting and or maybe Dr. Rhodes did he speak with you at an event over the weekend it sounded like maybe you had spoken to him it doesn't matter I just definitely didn't I was surprised that he quoted me in there. So my assumption is that Scott, Scott. When he does a story, he will go back over all the public minutes. Yeah. And, and he will do a story based upon that. I think you're right. Usually he emails and I can give him some clarity but I think he probably wanted to get something out there knowing that the report was coming so soon. So, that's not a problem, but what he ended that piece was cash payments as a question. And so I what I wanted to really ask the committee is, do we want to make any sort of recommendation or provide any discussion. I was standing at our meeting last week that we wanted to at least discuss in the report, the benefit of cash payments, the challenges to being able to direct cash payments and in a municipality, and what some possible solutions might be which you saw in the draft report. So that's one of the terms of seeking special legislation. But I will just take you back one more time to our first listening session at the Hitchcock Center when Councilor Walker spoke about there being an emergency fund that could be needed at times and in times where a direct payment might benefit an individual person. There are instances where it might make sense. But I wanted to see what is our position in our, you know, in our report on cash payments. I know for me, I oppose cash payments. Okay, because of the legal hurdles. On the one hand, on the other hand, I had identified people who are at least one person that I thought, really, we should endeavor to have a cash payment go to. Now, having said that, it means that if we do say yes we want to do a cash payment. Then we certainly will have to go through a legislative process. And we've outlined that in our report. So at least we have that much there that. But I guess, you know, this is a question that I think generates a lot of charge. And so I think, for me, I think it's important that we're very clear on our position in the report. Dr. Shabazz. Today, because of the front page article, the talk of the talk the talk with Bill and buzz was asked to focus on the segment on reparations and as we ended the discussion. This direct compensation issue arise and we even talked a little further after we even ended the show. You know, the, I get the KP law report, I challenged it when we had the attorney from KP law, in terms of the way in which law and legal precedents around race based affirmative action are what they focus so much of their legal review upon. And our attorney here in the zoom may wish to explain or challenge or what are debate me on it. But I really think, as I said at that time when the attorney from KP law was here, that that's really wrong headed. Affirmative action was an attempt for a race based policy, blankedly trying to help a group on the basis of race. It did not attempt to address it as helping a specific group who had been victims who had been harmed by specific policies. Okay, which is what reparations aims to do. No one suggested that and challenged illegally in 1980, when Ronald Reagan signed the reparations act for those who were victims of internment. What happened to be Japanese Americans. Okay, but it wasn't a program, blankedly for all Japanese Americans or anybody with Japanese descent. It was specifically for those of Japanese descent, who had been through whose family had gone through the internment process. Okay, and put in concentration camps in this country, the United States of America. So it's the same thing with reparations for slavery. Okay, and anti races, and the anti black racism policies that continued even after shadow slavery was ended. It's the same thing. If we look at it as that way, this is not just helping all black people, generically, because they're black and downtrodden. It's about specifically repairing the harm to those people of African descent who underwent enslavement whose ancestors underwent enslavement and who generations continue to be racially oppressed with the sanction of the United States government. So when we when we understand the matter in that respect, then you don't have to go and look at legal precedents around race based affirmative action, because it's non sequitur, it doesn't even relate. So I still feel that we should be looking at direct compensation that the roads even though he starts himself out as saying he's opponent of it, he then comes back to say but I could see in specific instances. Well, the whole thing is in specific instances in specific instance of people harm in Amherst. Yes, we want to have a way to compensate a way to to address it, if there is evidence of a problem of structural racism. Historically, or today, tomorrow, any day that it may happen that it represents the vestiges of everything we're fighting of everything we're seeking to end. Then yes, why not have the ability to to contribute and to understand it's on that basis, it's not on the basis of, you know, because because of the person's skin color, you're doing something for them. You're doing something for a specific group who've undergone a specific harm or and still faced with aspects of that specific harm. So I do think we need that capacity. So everything I think we can do is pass on to those doing the work after our report to really look at the, the, the channels through the state government through special legislation, or whatever else it takes to we should do our best to kind of and bracket what we have learned through the process, but definitely to pass on to the success of group the recommendation that that power that capacity to directly compensate an individual or member of the targeted group that we're trying to address because of the history, because of present day discriminations, then, then yes, we want to pass that possibility on, and an outline the channels for for however we need to do that. Thanks, Dr. Shabazz. I'm going to go to Jennifer in a second but I just want to expand on that a bit to remind us that we, we have the special legislation that's already been drafted by KP law, the town council has already approved us on moving forward in at least you know I'm not sure if it was a vote but they've already said, you know, we've seen this legal opinion, we see this special legislation that KP law drafted, and we are in support of giving this over to our state representative through the legislative process. So if we come to a decision on that I think that we don't even need to hand it over to the successor body I think we need to recommend that the town move forward to pursue that special legislation that we've already done all of that work. So, and I can send that all to you, just to remind us because we did that work actually toward the beginning of our term. So I'll send that that shouldn't that be in the appendix. Just as part of our work. Exactly. Absolutely Dr. Shabazz, yes. So, okay, I saw Jennifer's hand go up and then Dr. Rhodes. I just wanted to check in because if you had either a friends or a trust, you wouldn't have to check in with anyone, correct, because they can spend money in a complete different way. Yeah, I think that, you know, I and I just saw Pamela's email come through and I wanted to clarify. I don't think we are suggesting that the $2 million that the town has committed to be moved to a group that would not be connected with the town. I think what we were talking about is that there is the $2 million that is connected to the town and that's the recommendations that we're making right now in terms of use of funds and funding priorities. So there's the possible creation of a group that could accept private donations and then that yes, in that case Jennifer, that money could be spent, however that group sees fit, particularly in the case of the friends. Does that make Jennifer sorry, go ahead please sorry. No I said I understand. Okay. All right. I'm not opposed to what we had already agreed to and which is already in motion. I thought it was already motion and that is that the town was going to charge KP law with taking this forward to the process of special legislation. That's one whole other thing. And so yeah I'm in favor of that going forward to see where that to see where that goes. But philosophically I'm just, you know, I'm just not there when it comes to individual possible blanket. And in terms of what when even when they define it the way. Dr Shabazz is defined that I have some problems with it. And, and because it, it, it, no impracticality, but that's not for me to decide. All I'm saying is for me. It personally doesn't resonate with me, but I'm not opposed to the group and to the HR a recommending that this go forward. Okay, perfect. So I think we, unless Ms bridges or Hala, I think we've already had a consensus bait way earlier on on this so let me send out those documents again to the group and then we can certainly get it next Monday. But that that makes a lot of sense. Okay. Are there any other comments on that before I introduce a recommendation that I would like to the assembly to consider. Okay. One other just before I do that. They're in the, in the draft report. I think it is just give me one second here. Right now it is number 11. This was added it's it says provide ancestry research resources to African heritage, African heritage residents. This was something that based on previous discussions based on many conversations I've had with Dr Shabazz in particular. This was a placeholder that we put in there and I wanted to see if there was any feedback on that. Another recommendation that I'm going to present now is not in the draft report but is there any feedback on the recommendation to provide ancestry research resources to African heritage residents. Okay, so I just I want to develop this a bit more I'm going to look in I know the Jones library I believe received some substantial grant funding to do some work that might be similarly aligned to this. And or where there would be a hub to allow for work like this to occur. So I'll, I'll try to develop a little bit more there between now and our next meeting so that we can look at that together. All right, so the recommendation that I would like for the assembly to consider is related to the discontinuance of low level and pretextual searches, so traffic stops basically and consent searches. And let me just explain a little bit about where I'm coming from here so the community safety working group in their part B of their report. They did a very thorough analysis of the police protocols, and they worked with leap. If you haven't seen that leap report I strongly suggest taking a look at it. If you are able to pull up either now or at some point the CSWG report. Again, this is part B of the report and it starts on page, about page 23, where they start to talk about consent searches. And then they move into low level traffic stops, and it's, it's a very, very interesting piece of the report and they recommended discontinuing both. And so without adding too much specific I in my counsel role received information from a constituent who was stopped by the police last week, and really a black man who had a really unfortunate experience. And it just, it made me think about what we've asked in our survey, it made me think about what the CSWG and the CSSJC has been talking about for quite some time. And I'm curious whether this group feels like recommending such a policy or a change in policy would be considered an act of reparations in the town. I'm going to open it up and I also will send the information that came directly from the leap report and the CSWG report which includes a lot more data that might help you to consider your position on this. What would be, what would the recommendation be, as is specifically we relate to reparations? Would it be a something that's a reparative or restorative justice kind of act or proposal from the AHRA? And how would that, would that be blanketed to all people of color, black people only? Or would it be blanketed to everyone that searches stop? That's a great question and Dr. Rhodes, I'm still, I've really, this has sort of been a process for me coming to this, but I think that the recommendation would be essentially to build off the recommendation that the CSWG has already put into their final report based on their collaboration with Leap. And of course, so let me be more, even more specific to say that there is, there are other municipalities who have adopted similar types of ordinances. So in this case, for example, the, let me look at what this is called here. In ordinance, it's Dr. Shabazz, I sent it to you, I believe I'm just pulling it up here. Driving equality ordinance is what it's called. And this was in Michigan, this was adopted and essentially it's not based on anyone race, it just means that secondary traffic stops are not permitted. So if somebody has a broken tail light, or if their air freshener is dangling too low in their vehicle or any, any reason that wouldn't be putting folks in harms way necessarily all of those sort of reasons that people get pulled over where racial profiling does exist. That would, those stops would be discontinued. So we would be recommending that the, that the police department adopt such a policy. Dr. Shabazz. Yes, I concur. And I think also as relative to what Dr. Rose is raising, we do want to have, you know, maybe work out more explicit language specific language I wouldn't try to do it right now right here on the fly. I think we should work out the, the precise language that we're, we're asking to suggesting to introduce into our report as a recommendation area, and then we can have that to to look at the, I think really the language of it would go with kind of two areas. And I think one is it ought to be predicated upon some of the discussion we've had the, and things we've looked at building up all along the way in this whole area of criminal injustice crime and punishment that is one of the five harm areas. And, you know, our first listening session we kind of opened up on that and we were at that time coming, you know, just months off of the July 5 incident. So, you know, and I'm reminding I'm reminded of a report that somehow Alyssa Brewer's name is in connection with the but many years back, that raised the question of racial profiling occurring in in Amherst and in police stops. By a by a previous commission, some years back that had looked into it. So, but it, but there was no kind of follow on there was no sort of follow up in terms of any sort of ordinances or anything but but they came to certain. But but alarms were came up even back then in that report if I if memory serves me so I think it's a matter of, you know, looking both at it in the context of this general harm area of the question of racial profiling that you just raised. And also from a standpoint of, you know, what goes towards the greater good every. Some of our recommendations can be things that will be that will benefit other groups besides, you know, the group we're looking at that have been that has been harmed. For example, when we've talked about Youth Empowerment Center or we've talked about things and you know, other forms of things we're talking about, recommending our support for with with businesses and so on that it may well go beyond just black to encompass indigenous people of color and and and economically disadvantaged of any group. But it's but our specific reason for doing it. I think does emerge out of the reparative justice framework that we're that we're really trying to advance and I think we can reference some of those prior reports are regarding racial profiling some of the national data that you mentioned there toward backing this specific recommendation being related to our work too. Thank you. Thanks, Dr. Shabazz, Dr. Rhodes. I can see us saying in our report that we support the recommendation of the free, whatever CSWG group. We can we can support that recommendation. I don't think we have to go any further than that. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah, I think I think I don't disagree with you other than to say that was written into a report two years ago and nothing. And when I reviewed, you know, the police policies today. And they and I know they will be going through some some review based on the council discussion and council votes that that that directed for those things to happen but I was quite surprised at how some of the language was really very outdated and was concerning to me in the context of hearing about this constituent of mine and the experience they had. And I think that we did that situation made me realize that we have been sheltered in a lot of ways from a major you know sort of incident occurring here in Amherst and I think that it's possible that an incident not because we don't have a police department that is with people who are caring and good people and good police officers, but just because of sort of the the way that the policies are written now. And, and so I have a lot of concern and I want to see this particular particular recommendation of discontinuing these secondary traffic stops be taken off of the page and into reality and so Dr. Shabazz, please. Yeah, so I really think to, we should work on language that does really highlight the the broad problem of of racial profiling and and and and asked for changes to be made in terms of police practices in terms of police training in terms of, I mean, a whole gamut because, you know, so on the one hand, there are stops based around, as you say, non life threatening situations like a broken tail like, like in North Hampton. Okay. And then on the other hand, there could be, you know, just there's a report of a possible crime that involved someone who's been described as black, and then you just drag net everybody black that's on the road, regardless of, you know, any other, any other evidence or anything else that could link that particular person, you know, well they were seen leaving in a black car, but this person is in a white car, or they were seeing this person wearing red, but this person is wearing gray, you know, I mean, you would need to, we need to recommend some deeper thinking around this in our police department, then where we are right now and and you all in the police department have worked on this, I know you all pushed for this idea of an anti racist culture. And I just think we ought to think about, because this is one of our major five harm areas, really strong language in our report that says yes, we hear this, we see this. As part of the scope of of reparative justice work, and we really want to see we really recommend serious actions be taken in terms of ordinances or any kinds of, you know, commission on police practice, or anything that can be done because all I tend to see is our town comes and white washes after things happen, you know, have white wash reports on that that says our police is the greatest thing since, you know, slice bread, and, and you know what that's that's all good, until we get a George Floyd situation that's going to all be wonderful to say for our department, until something bad happens, and that bad is what we really want to prevent. And so anybody any department can be questioned and can be pushed to to to, you know, look harder at its practices, we're not trying to tie the hands of police. We're not trying to prevent the police from keeping us safe and catching bad guys catching criminals. We're not trying to do that at all. But we are saying, given the preponderance of things we see around the country, given things we see even in our own streets, here in Amherst, or across the bridge in Northampton, that we need to pay attention and really check ourselves before we wreck ourselves. Thank you, Dr. Shabazz, Hala. Yes, I was going to echo a little bit or support what Dr. Shabazz is saying and then what you brought up in terms of we need, I think it needs to be explicitly stated and requested again to amplify it because that was two years ago. Personally, I've been stopped a few times without a reason giving. So not even a secondary reason in Amherst and just made to show my documents and Timid Hala who doesn't know her right just does it and doesn't even ask why am I being stopped but, you know, so it is not attacking anyone organization, but we do need to do better with our institutions and our systems and I'm grateful that we could request that as a reparative act. And yes, when we uplift those who are most marginalized or targeted, everyone benefits. So, yeah, thank you. Thank you, Hala. Dr. Rhodes. Yeah, again, I think that our remarks would be more effective. If we support that which is already been brought forward that all we're doing is adding our voice to it. And they are in a position to carry that forward. We will not be. So I really, I really want us to focus on that and focus on that group that's already there and bring so that they can then continue to bring pressure work pressure needs to be brought, you know, I, you know, I'm not. I'm not opposed to what people say my people have all kinds of different experiences in this town. Black people do. I know that I have been personally stopped a number of times. But, but, but stopped in and questioning in courteous ways. And, and, and yes, I was, I was stopped because I was wrong, but nothing occurred. I was stopped one police officer on this particular street because I don't pay attention and stopped me five different times. And now the person knows my name is this. Hey, why are you still speeding down this road. And I said what I was lost in thought. But anyway, it doesn't. So I don't, I don't, I just know I just might. I don't, I want to focus on that, which is already on the table. I want to be able to support that group that is already there working on it. And I want that to be the message that we send out that is carried forward by a group that's already working. Thank you, Dr. Rhodes. Yes, so we'll work on some language and, and also just keeping in mind that what we put out there in terms of how we see, you know, what we see is reparative in a community is being seen by communities all over the country as soon as that report hits. And so we're not only speaking to our own community, but we're speaking across the country. And so I think it's absolutely appropriate to support the recommendation that has already been made by a group who was tasked with community safety. And it's also appropriate for us to be bold in our language to really amplify that. And so let's find a place, we'll get some language and we'll pair it for the group to look at. And I did see Miss Bridges that your hand went up and I, and I think it did. And then I just wanted to check in with you Miss Bridges. Well, I was listening to her and really wanted to agree with him, just to let him know. Okay, so like agreeing with sort of putting the recommendation forward in support of the recommendation that the CS. I'm saying if someone's, you know, if someone's got that in there, and I'm not sure if it's already been put out there, that they may need more training, they need more racial training, the police. They need to be put out there, just to support the people who are putting it, you know, letting them know that this is what they want. Okay, yeah. All right, let's, yeah, I think I personally wasn't going on the sort of angle of training because I think that the DEI department and the council actions have sort of been working on that piece of things. We'll, yeah, we'll, we'll put something together. I'm just looking at the time here. It's 318. And we do need to call one more period of public comment or folks able to stay for a few more minutes for that to occur. Okay. So I'm going to go ahead and call the second period of public comment. And if you would like to make public comment, please go ahead and use the raise hand function. I everybody's here that was here when I read the statement last time so I'm not going to read it again. Pamela and Jennifer are you seeing any hands raised I just want to double check. I do not. Okay. All right, excellent. Okay. Oh, hold on. We have one. Okay, excellent. We'll just move you in just just one moment. Okay, welcome. Will they introduce themselves. Yes, I. Yes, hello. Yes. Hello. Hi. Good afternoon. This is Lauren Mills. Thank you for holding the public comment I was pressing the wrong button. My hands went up late. I wanted to just make a few comments. I know that the way that the money might be used kind of goals, not use but where the money will be. You were talking about in a trust or in a separate nonprofit, you know, organization that set up kind of goes over people's heads right now because we're I myself am still wondering what is the what what what. So the money is being used for because we know that in communities that are in need. There's a lot of things that resources could go toward. And I'm just a little confused. I don't want to use the word confused, but the discussion of federal responsibility toward reparation. As a local committee dealing with specific counted seems like those arguments or opinions are are being mixed together. So I would really like to know what is as far as your data and your facts and your surveys. But what did that show is the need for the town of Amherst and for those communities who would be targeted or who are being said are are the group that would receive resources from reparations. And also, just, there's a saying, I don't know if it was Nelson Mandela or my little but a famous person that that it's better to like, it's better to strengthen a younger generation than to to repair a broken older generation. So I just feel like we again need to concentrate on education because that simulates how we will be able to move forward in our families in our community and also better ourselves and also I just also wanted to say that I was having a conversation with my children today about can racism can it can it function without an institution and I think racism needs an institution or system to function. And so likewise, there has to be some kind of institution a cultural institution or education educational institution to support our youth and to support our communities of color. And I would just hope that your report has some data and and reflect what, even though it was a small amount of people who identified as black to really think about what data and what the survey reflected as the need. And, you know, I would say that we need a youth and a cultural center so just thank you. And thank you for allowing me to comment. Thank you, Lauren, for all of your comments. And I just wanted to quickly review in response to Lawrence in response but just just to sort of review for us that right now for funding priorities what we have been able to glean from the survey and from the listening sessions. So what we have our number one funding priority is youth programming youth empowerment and education. Number two, we have at home home ownership affordable housing. And number three we have business grants and entrepreneurial training. And number four, I think you were here today, I think you were here for that conversation about community safety. So just so you know where we're at at this time in terms of the funding priorities and what we've pulled from the various data that we've collected. All right. So if there are any other public comments, please go ahead and raise your hand. I'm not speaking any other hand so I'm just going to look to the committee to see if there are any other final remarks and also I'm going to, I'm going to Dr. Spas will close this out. I'm going to just say that you'll have a lot of information coming to you this week that we've talked about today and also would ask that you provide feedback on the draft report so that we can continue to move that forward, and we'll be meeting again next week at 2pm at our normal time so Dr. Spas did you want to Yes, maybe maybe something was said on this in the port part before I got here but let me just raise how what a wonderful event this past weekend with the grand opening of carefree cakeery, you know this is the kind of repair, the kind of building of a community that shows up for for each other. And the way that the community showed up for Alicia Bryant and her family and her co workers at the mill district in North Amherst. And I hope that, you know, it makes me really think that if the 40 acres and a mule if the reparations that was do came about back back there in the 1860s that we could have more like that we could have more of our share of that kind of of of input into our community, those kinds of businesses. You know it's one thing to say, you know, about the execution of a good plan and a good business skills and entrepreneur, and that's all wonderful, but it's also about the heart. The heart of the community to come out and to see someone who is bringing that kind of excellence and say we got you, we support you, you know, and to keep coming, and to keep, you know, and to and to embrace that that that business and the people making that business really embrace them as to the heart of this community. So, I hope we, you know, through this work that will recommend the work that follows from the Council and from the community that we will have more wins, more victories like in the near future, bringing us together as a as a vibrant community of human beings. Absolutely. Thank you, Dr. Shabazz. Dr. Rhodes. Yeah, that was a great event. And it represented the best of Amherst. You know, from all walks of life, all races, ethnic groups, etc. came together to support this business. It was, but the thing that I said in my Facebook page was this person who I had sit down with. Was that she's a fine business person. Well trained. She had an incredible marketing plan. She, she has all their membership. She is solid across the board. And that, in and of itself, no matter what race you are, usually not 100% makes for a successful business. Absolutely. She was, she's an amazing young lady. Awesome. Well, I was so sad to miss that event and I'm so glad that we had the chance to talk about it today. And it is, when you think about what was sort of the formula for all of that to come together in such a powerful and fantastic way and I, I caught a little bit of the video of the ribbon cutting Alicia, just breaking into tears in a moment of, I think, what seemed like just joy and it was really, really touching. So, okay, wonderful. I know there was also the community. I was going to also to say that there was a community safety day, I think that occurred on that, on that day as well on Saturday. And I think that was at the Mill River. So there was a lot going on this weekend. A lot of good, good stuff. On raising cancer, fighting cancer. Yeah, I was at one of those. Are you eating some cake? Oh, and how is running for town council so let's just we need to like give a big oh and are you running for school committee right. Yes, I think it's out there. One last thing, it just keeps always running out. I forget to mention, we have been meeting for two plus years. And we have never met in person. We need to do that before we end formally. I have a plan. I was hoping that you had plans but I needed Jennifer doesn't want it though Jennifer doesn't want that. I just wanted to make sure it was set. So all right, so therefore if you have a plan. I'm going to go with that. And some of us did actually meet for our retreat at town hall but we didn't, we weren't all there. So we certainly need to all be together and I do have a plan. So that's, thank you for raising that Dr Rhodes and I'm. Yes, I know we're past time here and thank you to everybody and we'll see you all next week. Here's Rocky for you. Have a good night. This is messing with your plan. He's included. Yes. Hi. Let's see. Oh, I guess let me see if I can. I'm blur and you can say. There he is.