 Housing authority as part of the city. So they as part of the housing authority retreat, I think set the goal of six affordable housing units in the next four years. Projects not units. I call units is multiple six, six affordable housing projects within the next was it three years of three years. And so obviously that you're going to need a significant capital. Investment in that to accomplish it. The other thing that we talked to the council about is looking at the safe harbor areas in the qualified census tracks. And utilizing the money to really work with the neighborhoods in the qualified census tracks to really create more sustainable and resilient neighborhoods. Tying into some of the plans that we've worked another component of that was early childhood education. It's being part of this. We were looking at our funds versus CV funds that we have from CDBG and general fund. And so One of the recommendations we made to counsel on this budget process was to put a half a million dollars into early childhood education. And so Thus far the council said to move forward with that. So that'll be in the budget. And what was the other one Karen? I know I'm missing one category. The whole neighborhoods household assistance and individual assistance. And what we talked to the council about is we really think that's one of the areas That is probably right for partnership because you all are already doing that. And obviously you got more money than we did. And and so how we use that to help individuals and households that are still reeling from the pandemic and how we can work together because You already have many of those projects, many of those programs and you haven't set up where you're administering it. And I think That's a really good area for more discussions and partnerships. And so That's from a staff perspective. Oh business assistance is the other piece. Sorry. But that's from a staff perspective. We still have to bring that back to the council for defining and I think when we look at business assistance where it's sort of hanging for us Is the whole duplication of benefit component in this and the fact that if they got a PPP loan or they used any other federal funds and they may not qualify for this And that's for Peter who is our federal fund expert to kind of work through all of those issues. And so that's from a staff perspective. I don't know if the council has anything they want to add to that When you mentioned early assistance to early childhood education and right now I think it's getting daycare back on his feet is is probably the first order of business. What I would like to ask is when making that the decision that you did or the recommendation that you you did about how much to allocate to that in specific. Do you have data about how many families that could be sending a member to the workforce that are not That that would pull back into the workforce roughly So part of what we've talked about and we've talked to the accounting group on this is I think about 150,000 is actually for data collection So that we can start getting that information because I think generally we have some high level data But we don't have what we need to determine really what is the need What different categories to folks sit in and so County may not know this we partner with what works cities which was funded by the Bloomberg Institute and they came in and it was about data informed decision making And so they're part of this conversation so that we can really refine the data and bring more detailed information to council which will then feed Other conversations and what we really need to put into it because it was hard to say at least from an administrative point of view What's the number because there was just so much uncertainty in the data They're not talented in the homeless point of time survey That's really a seed in the health of this nation Those children would be totally not being traumatized by Imagine you're a general and you can't take a shot in a place to study You have to hide all this from your family And you've got to do something about it The homelessness and the racial only issues that they need to do is getting out of the additional time that they're not And this is really great figures in any way So from the time that they are babies until they are in college They're almost possible to do something to make their lives better So they've got to come all the time to do it And it's very difficult, we don't know that Although the biggest pressure is about housing and housing prices And we see one of the worst things coming down There's investors coming in this way still And coming from something that some people hide Into something that they would like to live in and really catch on I think only by doing something about that on a stable Could be something about investment So, all right, I'll just repeat If our kids are no longer paid for meals Rather than everything else If they don't have meals If they look at what some cities like Nashville would respond And program for both cradle to career Going just at every stage that they're going to make sure that Opportunities are going to come along And everything we need to do that they're going to do something about So that every kid has the best chance to do something about it And each of you So I really appreciate you Polly raising that issue of children and child well-being And you know the housing poverty You know the connection there And in the long-term effects of poverty On the whole trajectory of a kid And there's a lot of data about the benefit of early intervention And quality early childhood education But also the effect of toxic stress on kids when their parents Are dealing with economic insecurity And how kids absorb that And it affects their executive function So that's something that has always been very important to me And I think embedded in this issue is mental health We saw statistics I can't cite them to you But the spike in emergency room visits for Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts for children Was just heartbreaking So you know we through this process that Marta is leading our collecting feedback And you know we just know from the comments that have been coming into the commissioners That mental health services are going to be real high up there I think the trick here and then I'll put this Hand it over to Marta Is to go from identifying the problem to identifying the solution And we don't need to tell you this You're under the same limitations as we are We have to get this money not just you know allocated or identified or earmarked We have to get it spent and so You know we want to do that wisely you want to do that wisely And it's I've just always found it's far more easy to identify the problem Than to really identify those evidence-based programs that will address that problem Do we want to drill down on the early childhood issue right now Kind of where that's where we were I don't want to go further with that if we want to go somewhere else I just had one more ARPA question if that's okay Yeah I'm trying to do about 15 minutes for each of these and then it will we'll get it all done. All right, thank you for I was just as a curiosity Because we're talking about this right now is the timeline and I didn't hear you speak to that and it sounds like those are staff recommendations Is what you are sharing so there's a whole process I'm sure and and we're going through that too, but I didn't know if you started thinking about a timeline yet and I'm in the hopes that Our report that will be done at the end of October can inform From a community perspective We would love to at least offer that as a resource as I've shared in our mayor's meetings With a lot of you and in the consortium as well So just want to make sure that you all are aware of that part of the timeline and maybe that could be helpful Yeah, yeah, we are because Peter was talking to us and I think the outside date is 2026. Is that correct Sandy? And so when you saw the The six projects in three years was predicated on really having The last one out the door in construction with enough time to spend down and actually meet that timeline And one of the things that I failed to mention is I failed to mention broadband because broadband is in there, especially digital divide It's a little bit different for us because we already have it in place and so we're looking at how we fill gaps And then what we did talk to council about is that these are one-time dollars So trying not to bring in ongoing expenses because of the one-time dollars and then creating a different issue down the road And that was the other thing we talked about with it I had something I wanted to add and I'm glad that Claire at Commissioner Levy mentioned this around mental health and that's you know, that's one of a huge factor that we are Seeing with our students with our families and Especially during this COVID crisis it's been ongoing But I think through the pandemic it has exacerbated and it really brought to light a an issue that has been a problem for quite some time and So one of the things and I was grateful for Karen Her name tags turned around. I think she knows who she is There you go. So yeah Karen sitting in on one of the quarterly meetings for mental health partners and One of the things that we discussed was the the turnover the high turnover and being able the inability to hire and retain Therapists so that inconsistency Within the program. It's really It's it within the organization. It's really difficult for patients to have that sense of Consistency and connection with with therapists. I know that it isn't ongoing funds But if as we're as we're looking to put money into certain Areas, you know, I would say that it's really I would like to see money put in towards mental health getting us through this pandemic I mean, I think we're all in crisis and we're in crisis mode. I was just telling Councilmember Peck that I think last year was difficult teaching This year is is worse and I in the 28 years that I've been in the profession This is the single most difficult challenging year that I've ever had and And and that's me. I'm thinking I'm able to juggle many things. I you know, I have a son with autism I'm I have a lot of resilience. I'm thinking of people who Early career teachers People who are experiencing other traumas going on at home as well and dealing with loss It's unmanageable and so, you know, I can tie in what we're experiencing in the Education field and tied into, you know, what our our health care workers and our mental health Psychiatrists and therapists are dealing with and if there is something that we can be thinking about As we're looking to allocate funds to help address some of those issues as well So that's my two cents I'll give it to you That's it I just wanted to ask I think about the both the commission and the city manager Whether on the front on the spending front Whether there's been any thought given to some form of bootstrap spending Because it's one thing to answer the to ask the question You know how much should you allocate to this or that program and say we need to study it and get more data But the need for doing things like getting daycare back up and running is immediate We aren't going to be on the road to recovery until those problems are solved So it's just a question and I'm handing the microphone to Joan because she and I were waving at the same time But I hope we can answer the question Thank you. So I think all of the issues have been addressed and they kind of all roll into the same thing But it is the mental health and anybody who knows me will know that I've been on the subject for six years Mental health affects everything and and we do have an option next week in our budget process to decide where we want to use a half of our Marijuana tax on mental health But what we need from my perspective and I know that the previous commissioners have heard this is From my perspective is a facility. So when we're talking about Hardcore dollars spent for sustainability not band-aid type issues but things that we can carry on after the funds are gone I think that what we need is a one-stop shop facility where our mental health partners our Outcome shoot what's it called recovery cafe for addiction where we can have Hope and the hour center and people who are experiencing homelessness Have a place to go instead of roaming around the city looking for different Different Social things to help them. We have all of these things in our city But a person who's experiencing homelessness or depression or mental health They have to find these places. There's one on Kauffman. There's one on Over on Martin Street. There's What I really would like to see our hardcore dollars into a facility Where we can actually help people And this is a larger discussion But I think that would be something that is sustainable that we can use in the future And it isn't just a band-aid. It is moving forward I was just going to answer her question when you So yes, because not all of it is for the data analysis And so I think there is room within the half a million We also have we can look at our CDBG funds and then as we look at the funds in general on On the ARPA we have capacity and then on the mental health side again I haven't been briefed yet Karen just told me there is mental health work in some of the projects that they're submitting Answer the yeah Okay regional transportation as you all know we have the 119 VRT that is in progress and we are doing our First in Maine transit station, but I also want you to be aware of the opportunity for rail And I don't know what funding that ARPA or the county needs to put into that if anything but I would like I would like that to be at the top of your List of Transportation we need We need facilities we need Stations Whatever I just want that to be at the top of that we are we do have two regional transportation options coming with BRT 119 and the Northwest corridor as an alignment to the I-25 rail through m-track 238 For a corridor that did not get commuter rail sounds like You know, and then there are some other spots that are on the earmarks for those appointments One of which is I think in the car mall organization I used to know that the car on the half of the border and Unless somebody Objects That's an opportunity to Really bring some money to this issue, which I think is the big thing that's been lacking Feel this 30% design study Then initially people thought was going to be three to five million dollars When R2D staff started looking at it and now they're saying a lot of the cocaine So money is a thing. I think it's the most realistic opportunity, but we I know Markets are representative on a team corridor We've been really successful getting money for that The bike head route We sent a letter which we copied you on to R2D Really, you know, Stringlessly objecting to the lack of money coming to Lover County for restoration of service And it was really nice to see Shoshana Lu and Gutter Polos support our land So I think I'm sitting down I just want to thank you Claire for that and I also am going to apply to be one of the dr. Cogger pointies for that board So thank you Representative Please ask of the key pushing on this issue. We are constituents one And that's just important they're there And then the bus routes I mean people who have lesser means really got hurt It's just bad remember that's 0.6 tax that the faster But we just need to keep Some of these suffix go faster than others Suggested Claire I think it was when we first were going to have this meeting When it was scheduled at first and the discussion about the front-range passenger rail and Amtrak wasn't really a reality at that time Claire could you Claire could you talk if you have any more information to share about what the timelines might be for Fleshing out the board or filling out the board for the front rail passenger district Review for us the counties that are involved and what are the steps that you anticipate as we talk about options that you would Anticipate that we all should be aware of right? What what are the thresholds? We have to pass to go from a piece of legislation to an option right that's actionable And I believe The governor has to nominate his six slots mid-March Those he is doing that through the mutual board's Commission's nomination process So So so that board will be seated and then it will become a special district Title 32 so all the regular provisions to the title 32 of us are superseded by the act And it does have authority to impose a sales tax and Well, it's not a party for both at the war on the sales tax And it would be up to the district the board to decide What to put on the ballot? If there are some requirements in the middle to Produce a detailed financial analysis before going to the voters for a task Well That Make sure I Think I'm trying to think of some of the other conditions that we're in the bill And then there are additional provisions that allow a specific station sometimes To do stationery So That would be more and that would be formed through the PID or Was Originally Which is close to two million people three Board seats, and it gave ice peak hog Which has I think about the quarter million That that has two The south central will basically the Pueblo area had one Is so it was not not fair at all in terms of population distribution But I know the thing we were really kind of working Hard on is to make sure that you know that we actually know what kind of civil commitment it's going to be before going to the voters because You know there's a concern You know what looked like disproportionate representation from the southern part of the state That's really interested in having a connection up with the south of the city That the resources would With that off from the tax age Authority up here all the money up here we go to down south and And so we put language in the bill that The area for the first Facing improvements have to reflect the audience with the ridership and the highest you know potential for Negating So we could The North Carolina area Where we have the way that suggestion we generate the most impact gas emissions We need to go through many The subjects for this district the formal legislators putting this out This is the biggest specialist And so the concerns the clerk was talking about are very real And as far as timing that taxed the big milestone and did the federal government make the talk about an extractor But the concern that we get our viewers here and we have federal money so that we don't tax people and don't get much We try to address My concern is that we've been talking about public transportation And connecting color all of colorado From Kansas to Utah from the Mexico to Wyoming Since the 70s and we haven't done it and it's only gotten more and more Expensive and now it's prohibitively expensive In every single way. So now what we're doing is breaking it up into special districts and We're already part of a special district as we know and long one has gotten less and less every year Um So it's going to be a very hard to get people in long want to vote for yet another special tax district when we have seen our service cut and cut and cut and now people talk about Bus rapid transit. I was one of the first group of women to drive a bus in uh boulder in 1974 or something like that Uh And I can tell you there is no such thing as bus rapid transit a system that is not discrete from the roads is never going to be Any faster than any car So although it may have less stops it is still subject to all the same problems with car accidents with weather conditions with everything so unless you have light rail or rail of some kind or or Something that is just that is separate from the road system It's not going to be very good public transit We could have that and I was very excited about governor polos who does seem to have A vision for what we can do we can't keep paying for more and more and more roads Even if they're electric vehicles They're still going to be on the roads And we can't keep we have no way to finance it unless we change uh Something about the gas tax with electric vehicles going to be more and more prevalent, which is a good thing So we really need to it seems to me advocate for transit systems how whatever means that is that are their own discrete path and um Every other country does this in many places in this country do it colorado has problems because we don't have The mass of people to support this but we really did have better Transportation in the 70s You could get on a bus and go to to meeker colorado To do the same thing now you would have to either go to grand junction and rent a car Or go to steamboat springs and then the car. This is ridiculous that we're going backwards. So I I would like to see us band together with uh I'm addressing this on a statewide basis because Frankly what we saw what we've seen in the the rtg district is that Only denver has got this despite the fact that we voted on something which was supposed to be evenly built out it hasn't been And the meltdown of 2007 was used an excuse for that but they've never gone back so I support I think we need to support any efforts to make it better but I really do think we need to be thinking more on a statewide basis and more in terms of light rail or Something that is separate from the the road system as our basic Connector and then buses off of that. Thank you. Um, I just looking like to get the central issue about the new proposed special district out on the table Because it is very large and there's a lot of people in it. Um It could be that boulder county will never vote for it. What happens if if the District passes but not in boulder county Right, so the we could be voted into this district even if the public of boulder county does not Um Does not go along with it. I just wanted that to be on the record Is I would just like to say I don't Like the characterization. It may have begun that way, but don't like the characterization of This was something about people not wanting it to be near them. I think it's something about markets You know with a composting facility You have material that goes into the composting facility And you have the material that comes out of the composting facility and On both sides the point of the whole thing is a to reduce methane emissions from what would Otherwise be compost or what what would otherwise be landfill waste? Excuse me but then You have the carbon footprint associated with getting the input to the composting facility to the facility And you have the carbon footprint of getting the resulting products of the composting facility the compost The tea all of that stuff Um to where it's going to be used And I think the fundamental local objection To the first proposal was that there was no market for the products here in boulder county So I I don't really like the idea Of of saying it was because people didn't want it nearby. It was because there was no market for it nearby Is there I'm not certain I'm not certain what the take is from the we heard a lot from the neighbors And I'm certain that the markets are an issue. What would be helpful to me We we kind of I was I was kind of surprised by the whole proposal And I don't know what the disconnect was between our staff and in your staff So it would be helpful for me to know if if they're what's the level of discussion Is there is there momentum going forward? It's good to know you've hired somebody Um Is that is there going to be a conversation into which we're invited or You're going to flesh out options and then kind of ask for reactions from municipalities How will this unfold because we can't solve it ourselves? It's only going to happen When we do it as a partnership And and and we need to do it. I mean that's there we just can't get to the commercial Aspects of this on our own And and yet we need to get we need to get there. So, you know, what are your thoughts about What's the time frame? Are there steps? What do you need from us? To move it in a some direction This is about the fact that we all live in a country and a county that And that really I want to pull it back to that because it really isn't about specifically A public facility or a neighborhood or not. It's really about housing voters who decided And residents who agreed that we're wasteful and then we need to look at options about how we're going to Be more efficient more effective Say in one little area you can talk about But this is one of those responsibilities. I just want to make sure that we don't forget that piece of this conversation And it's your question. Oh, what's that next? What's going to happen? Yes, you hired somebody I'll say just how the voters are excited about that opportunity to do the community engagement to go through a public process And to set this conversation up whether it's a partnership, whether it's a smaller project So to have you incorporate participation, there's a lot of other pieces of it. I just want to make sure that One that other piece of it really is the focus and ensure you all as well as those who are watching participating online that there will be a public process believe that this work is really committed to ensuring that you do all of our work and you do waste And I have no more county administrators to talk about as all that. It's great that Dan is here with us Of course Watch her tell me I can't talk I mean one key thing in what Mark said is that that we are asking this staff to do It's really look at whether it is a facility that would be facilities that work site and in their perspective and I think the previous project You know kind of Was driven by the thought that we need a facility and we need to begin more time that there's something virtuous about About to compare our own ways and that sounds very virtuous But I don't know if there's that composting is what we're calling is apparently a better than composting anywhere else other than the Greenless gas emissions, you know driving care and like that. So there is that but We need to just really open this Maybe it's a series of smaller facilities. Maybe it's Um spending more time with with the ag community in Fighting ways to actually do it directly on the site. So we just really have to open the conversation up I really want to hear The thoughts of long on on this Because if you were you know, you are really important partners for us, but Now a lot of people I just wanted to add two things First of all, I'll give you a name. Noah Hyland is the person that we hired Staff would be familiar with the New York City of Boulder and so has some good local experience and is Really strategist around zero waste General he will be the staff person Who works in the resource conservation advisory board? So long one has a number on that board and a lot of these conversations about You know, where are we going if you're a waste infrastructure? All of that We'll go through our care as you Could not that he's I just wanted to make sure that And that Um Really unfortunate that in small group of very wealthy people with a very savvy public relations person and a whole slew of lawyers were able to derail this but um, I do think that there was a problem in that the previous city the previous commissioners did not really Uh Alert some of the places. I know Erie was very upset all kinds of things but as for a market I mean every every municipality around here needs mulch and very this stuff for their work and gardeners need mulch and we have the The footprint of driving it to Somewhere in our stuff to somewhere in boulder county as opposed to where we drive it now, which is Far far away It is much smaller. It is makes perfect sense And we do need a regional composting facility and I I hope we can arrange that because it is so much better and less expensive for everyone to do it this way um And I I certainly think there's just as much of a market here as there is Currently which is The facility we use is far far away But he manages to have a market for them. So I don't see that that's actually an issue But I I really do support us having one In boulder county. It just makes sense for the future If I could clarify I have a whole folder full of letters from organic farmers who said I can't use that compost I have a whole folder full of letters from Organic backyard farmers who said I can't produce I can't use what that facility Would produce they gave their reasons and so I'm not saying we shouldn't have a regional facility Maybe we should and maybe we shouldn't but We should have a regional facility where The produced compost will be an acceptable product to our local people and I Don't think we can overlook that All compost is not the same all green activity is not the same and Just because people have good lawyers doesn't mean they're wrong We should have a Timer Are we going to move it to reach out to you that We have a public center We have And we can create That looks like Better And That couple is what Couple with new however this morning and an ornament that looks like and looks like Byers very And It does not eliminate investors from the market It is priority when you say that you lack a workforce Our teachers are responders and they're going to be given The other option would be to some type of That Again So thank you for that I I really believe that we need to be looking at it It's not going to be one solution There's going to be many and just for concentrating on one one piece is not going to solve the problem And I really appreciate that you brought in these these other Our creative approaches. So that that is definitely something I want to take a deeper look into on top of You know continuing what we're doing to increase our stock to increase higher density An immediate of options for For folks to be able to to buy it buy a home, whether it be a condo, whether it be a single family home But you know, just definitely continuing that what we're doing but also Looking at other options as well. So Yeah, I am interested in knowing more about that. So, yeah I broke the mic Whether to whether to revisit the idea of a countywide revenue source for housing and You know, we are going to be going out with a poll I've been hearing Soon I've been hearing that for About six months, but I think it's going to be soon To just try to test the waters on what how people are feeling here post covet or we're not post covet We thought we would be but are you know, are people feeling still Uncertain enough about the economy that they wouldn't be supportive of new revenue sources for any number of things and housing and transportation is going to be part of that but you know, when we talk about Solving the housing problem or at least addressing it We really do want to have housing in every community affordable housing in every community But barring that and because sometimes, you know, we do have just a mismatch of jobs and housing and You know with two income families, maybe one person gets to live close to their job, but the other person doesn't There we have a problem here with the cost of transportation and housing and the drive till you qualify Might mean that you have an affordable mortgage But your transportation costs coupled with your mortgage are now unaffordable and you are Dependent forever more on you know, a working car and so All the more reason to try to locate housing in the community in which people work but I think we also it comes back to that transportation issue and having better multimodal transportation options so that If people don't live in the community in which they work for whatever reason choice, maybe it's not affordability That they have affordable transportation options as well. So I we You know, we do have to think about those two issues as being linked Claire, I'm glad you mentioned transportation because councilwoman former mayor toward the transportation oriented housing Which is really interesting because I think we all know that it costs a nine to twelve More thousand dollars a year to have a car And if then you're you're only making twenty thousand dollars a year There's nowhere you can live And so if you can have something that is on a on a transportation line Uh, you have much more of a chance of doing something but I I really think one thing that we need to prioritize in the country And certainly in bolder county is home ownership because that is the only way we can't to um Get out of a cycle of poverty, you know, we lost at least Approximately ten percent. I think I'm sure martin knows about this and aron knows about this better than I do but during the The last giant meltdown of 2007 and eight We lost a close to 10 percent of home ownership and it hasn't really come back. In fact, it's getting worse and worse so we have to find ways to Increase home ownership for the stability of of every community If a child for instance going back to kids Has to move every three years or every year when the landlord jacks up the rent then um That's no life for a child. It's it's very disorienting and That family is going to be living in poverty or constantly stressed out financially so Not everybody will will always have plenty of renters, but we used to be a nation where everybody Are most people aspired to having on owning a home? and People seem to be Giving up on that in despair and that's a that's a very bad sign for our community So I think if we can explore things like land banks land trusts Cooperatives which Are difficult but better than not owning anything because intergenerational wealth particularly for people Who have been traditionally marginalized by everything is Critical to Actually having a stake in your life Anybody else I get really stoked seeing the spoke on coffins street going up that night That's so great every time I come drive up the long line. I look around and it's just like wow It's happening so Thanks for your work and with us on doing that one And bit by bit that helps right so but let's get to um early childhood education And then I'll do a call for public input. I don't see many folks, but I'll do it anyway So if anybody wants to kick us off, please do I'll just start we It's this has been a priority for this council for several years and Marta and Claire were both with us What 10 days ago or so? When the governor came and spoke Both to promote what he's done with his initiative in the early childhood office But to also reinforce where we are as a community Working in partnership with the early childhood council in Boulder County We have an action plan the data that the investment that Harold talked about earlier Hopefully a year from now We can answer the question of how many parents and how many kids are unserved What the needs of our employers are right in terms of Their employees because this the problem Is not just a Longmont problem. You know this better than we do. It's a regional problem. It's at least a county problem The Longmonters who work in you know other parts of the county or You know those folks who work here at every all of them with with children, especially at their preschool age kids So for us It's it's not just a childhood education. It's child care right through that continuum To the time kids are in school and then the needs of kids school age kids, you know When they're when mom and dad are around in And kids need supervision We asked folks in the event that we hosted 10 days ago to reimagine A whole industry And as we started this conversation talking about the best and highest use of ARPA funds Certainly this is going to be part of it But but it would be a mistake to think that's going to solve a problem Uh The the the needs are so the system we lack a system We need a system not unlike the k12 system right where it's funded on a stable ongoing basis Where they were where the where the work is the employees are professionalized Uh, how much of that can be at a county or local level in our plan? We've got some options that we think would would help set us or meet state state standards for the preparation and the Credentialing of employees without getting caught up in some of the regulatory Disincentives that occur at the state level, but at the end of the day This conversation that's unfolding here. I know it well, I don't know I believe at some point it's going to end up on your agenda Because we're going to talk about solving this on a county-wide basis Maybe it's on the maybe it's on the desks of the school boards at bowler valley and savering valley school district But I suspect more likely it's going to be something where There's a group going to come to you to say we this only gets solved I know this was something that was presented to larimer county larimer county commissioners In the fall and and they passed on putting something on the ballot, but I can just say that's an active conversation And um, it's going to be really helpful sooner than rather than later to get some idea where Where you are how you think about Both the nature of the scale of the problem and and the options for solving it from your perspectives On a county-wide basis Tim thanks for that. I wondered if you had any updates originally when I was working on that committee with y'all The invitation was about a special district and potentially county-wide and just curious if that's still in the conversations is a solution to get to The early childhood funding because it's changed some it's gotten more significant and the needs gotten more dramatic Yeah, we had martha early on was it one of our troops showing up every week um, and one of our working groups was We're really organized organized around a question special district. Yes or no. I mean there was we never answered that question There is no conclusion to that On a on a range of options or continue a continuum, right that's somewhere along So continue with other possibilities. We know we know counties Counties have created have Successfully proposed dedicated sales tax or property tax. I'm not certain and In some of county or you know gilpin counties what those counties that have done that I know what was proposed in what was going to be proposed in larimer county was I think it was actually I think it was a county initiative as opposed to a special district Um, I'm not surprised that commissioners passed on it just based on how I understood it to be organized and how money was going to be distributed But but there's something to learn from that experience what they proposed and you know how that was analyzed by those commissioners Um, and I don't know martha what what ultimately a proposal is going to look like, you know, it's going to be Everybody understands you've got all kinds of things potentially that you've got to consider putting on ballots or not Um, but I do know this we won't solve this problem With one-time funding no matter how much money it is and we and it won't We won't recover fully from this pandemic unless we can stabilize a workforce And we won't stabilize a workforce by dragging Dragging the pre-pandemic child care system into the future. It's just not tenable So I was I guess I was just going to say the obvious really which you you sort of said already tim is just The the problem can't be addressed without an infusion of public money um, you know people Complain rightfully so about the cost of of child care, particularly infant and toddler But yet our early childhood workforce is making poverty wages subpoverty wages And people wonder why is child care so expensive when child care workers are so poorly paid It's because it's very labor intensive. You need a facility. You need constantly, you know to renew your equipment You know, it's expensive and the you can't The only way you can solve that is public money and you know denver has the the I think it's a mill levy. I don't think it's a sales tax for the denver preschool program So I think we're going to have to go that direction. I just don't think there's any way Not only for the workforce and the workforce is really important But for the well-being of kids They need quality Child care they need to be taken care of by people Who are committed to that profession and and and not be able to form bonds and relationships and not have that high turnover so You know we've there are so many needs and every time we talk about the kinds of things that need to go on the ballot Child care is one of them. And I guess it really is something to think about whether you know with a special district that would be You know a subset of the county and whether that's the way to do it Whether to do it countywide I don't think we know We would really love to continue this conversation and get your thoughts. The need is certainly there throughout the county I don't think anybody would say we're we're good. We don't need any more help. So We'll see where that goes So, um, I'm really proud that uh, along one has this is one of its uh visions for In our work plan as as what we work for our city But when we discuss this I don't want us to forget that child care is not just in centers It is also in homes grower infant through 18 months old 18 month old and I and I do know that this is part of governor polis's vision as well so when we Talk about the expense of child care. It has to be equitable A lot of people do child care in homes because of the cost and because of the consistency Of the child care provider From birth through kindergarten um, some people stay with the same child care home for five years whereas in a child care center that the uh teacher whatever you want to call them the the caregiver changes Depending upon who the shift when they're employed etc And it is a choice of a parent as to how they want their child cared for So when we discuss this I don't want us to forget that part of it that um If there is a tax in Some way either through an initiative through a special district etc It's going to have to really Take the cost of child care to the lowest possible amount um Because that is where the stickler is at the end of the day for parents so Is there anybody here for public comment? I see no one So, uh, we'll close that part of the meeting and continue on Okay, well, um, I just want to make a comment on child care. Um I think once again, we are this is a very Very strange time, but we are also extremely lucky to have a governor who not only Is future thinking in terms of transportation But also has been involved with daycare Since he was born literally I worked for his parents Who had a baby and then realized? They didn't know what they were going to do with that baby all day And so they started asking their employees and their employees said Yeah, we've got the same problem. We don't you know, and so they started a daycare in their building And I have been trying for years to try to get businesses to understand that they could pool resources I mean their employees would be less stressed would have more time would be happier and Um In every way things would be better if they would pool resources and and Create sort of little regional uh, child care centers or if they have enough room They could turn them, you know part of their office into child care um, a lot of things have been done on a statewide basis as a councilman peck said It isn't just a matter of incentives and money It is a matter of the fact that it is it is a very difficult job and um People uh the daycare centers often make a lot of money a lot of money But the people working there who almost exclusively women um Are paid extremely poorly and they also have to keep up They have a lot of education they have to go through a lot of hoops. They have to go through A lot of that has been changed by our terrific state legislators and the governor by Helping people who are going through daycare education to get there In a more timely way and helping them with financial incentives You can't have a daycare center without daycare workers and so It is many different approaches like everything. It's not just a matter of taxing people and giving them, you know Having money available It is also that you have to have daycare workers. You will stay with them Nobody wants to just weigh the warehouse their child. They want good care That's you I mean the person taking care of your child is you in absentia. So You want them to care about your child and also educate your child and That takes a very special person So Money can't buy that but you know if you help people good people actually get their certification and you help small family people who are educating people in their homes to Do a little better and make it easier for them there If you help out for instance, we help Provide masks and various things for daycare centers If everybody helps the daycare centers a little bit we can have a better situation for everybody Um So that's what I would like to see is an appreciation for what can be done on a statewide basis We have already passed a whole lot of things in the last Three years that make it much easier for daycare workers to actually be daycare workers And that's a very important part of this Just one more one last comment Um The data on the number of license providers is pretty clear that that number has been declining year over year Polly's right. We're not going to solve this or jump right. We're not going to solve this through licensed providers only um, but the One of the interesting data points we heard from larimer county The larimer county Council had offered 48 Had made the 48 job offers last year Uh, they they made they hired 48 people 45 of them had already left in the first year So you think just to be at the cost, I mean you you know, you understand this in terms of the cost of turnover But that's a result of our failure to professionalize compensate support a whole industry and and those people who we we have tried to recruit to be part of it. So um, I mean that that that's just not sustainable And obviously that's going to take money and that's going to take Uh Public money I suspect if we're gonna if we're going to reimagine and then respond to what we imagine in terms of a new era of child care Child care or any of these other topics are on the bottom of the agenda It's the hockey puck drop get your stick ready Take a swing at it Everybody wants to go home I'm interested in I just want to bring to your attention that uh, we have a Boulder county has an opportunity to uh, possibly look at having an equestrian center at the boulder county fairgrounds And I would like that to be at some point in the future In 2022 to be a discussion That we open up with the commissioners To see if there's a possibility or any interest in furthering that discussion. I brought that up six years ago So I just want to revisit it The other thing is safe lots for sleeper vehicles We have a lot of people. We have three safe lots for cars And um, there are 33 people who are living in their cars Right now that are waiting to be vetted to get into those safe lots We have so many people who have been Unhoused for various reasons. I would love it all to be covet so we can throw a lot of money at it But I don't know if that's true That is a something that we need to look into further But we also have people living in their sleeper vehicles be they vans campers Another type of a sleeper vehicle because they have been on house Again for various reasons a lot of it because of covid Because their rent has gone up and some landlords or managers want back pay their back rent from the rent they lost over the time that That they were not paying rent So we had asked at one point to use the camp lot At the fairgrounds because it does have a dumping station For people who live in their sleeper vehicles But they are residents of our city. They are not transients And there are some People living in those vehicles Who have children who are going to school in the st. Frame Valley school district So I'd like to re address that issue As we look for housing for those people We would like or I personally would like To open up that conversation once again To see if we can temporarily Use that camp lot at the fairgrounds or perhaps another lot and and charge Dumping fees so that they wouldn't actually camp there But perhaps could use the facilities so And then air quality air quality is bad As we all know That's the bigger conversation. I would just like to Push that out there that I think that the county and cities need to Have a joint conversation about how we can I know we're discussing it with greenhouse gases and EVs And buses and trains and getting vehicles off. But how can we How can we address it in other ways to bring our county? Into the focus as being a solution As looking for solutions So that's it. Those are my three issues I don't think thank you I don't think we're going to be able to do justice to any of these topics at the bottom We just don't have the time, but I think it's a great start Yeah, thank you. And I want to just respond to especially for public for the I'm on the master plan executive advisory board for the fairgrounds And that public process has started With two weeks ago that group put together meetings with all the current users of the fairgrounds So just so that folks know that the public then the open groups for community members who have new ideas Who maybe aren't users currently of the fairgrounds the groups of our community Around the entire county because it is boulder county fairgrounds folks in the mountains some of our other Sectors of communities who aren't currently using that facility for events We are inviting those folks as well. And so there'll be a whole public process In addition to what's already started. So I just want to make sure that folks know that and certainly for the public And if that's the ideas that they want to bring in and others we would be really really interested in hearing all of this Is that plan develops? preferences for the for the next Meeting I was very happy to see barrier free homeless shelters or lower barrier homeless shelters On this agenda. I'm sorry. We didn't get to talk about it, but I think it's an important thing uh because they're just they're what it's doing is it's it's increasing the service defiant segment of our unhoused persons because They're asked they're being asked to give up too much to get into navigation And I you know regardless of whether it's constitutional it's inhumane um, but I would like to ask The commission as a group and maybe this can be the commission's closing remarks How you feel about the ac i'll use summer statement About boulder county's coordinated entry program Okay, I should have thought of sending it to you beforehand. I'll send it to you afterwards and we'll talk about it at a later date Sorry to blindside you 30 It's about 7 30 so I think we'll call it a night So thank you everybody for doing this. It was a year off and now we're back and it's great to see everybody again Thank you for being public servants. I think it's the highest calling um being raised by a couple parent by a couple teachers um, so Thanks for being part of this. Thanks for delivering service and look forward to working with you on these issues including arpa