 I got it. Okay, I see it. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Good luck. Okay. Wow. Welcome. Hello. Yvonne, Miss bridges. Dr. Rhodes. This is the fullest. So nice to see you all here. And let me just. I'm going to go ahead and turn on the camera. Right. Can everyone. Okay. I'm going to just wait until everyone. Has a chance to turn on their cameras just so that I know you're here. If you can. If you can't say I have. I have no electricity. I'm here in Eastern African. So I've made cameras on, but you can't see me. I'm waving. No worries. Okay. I see you waving. It's really late at night. Okay. Hi, Dr. Rhodes. And miss bridges. I don't know if you're going to come in by camera today, but I see your box is here. So I know you're here. I'm trying. It's just, it's still acting up again. So I'm trying to, I can see me, but I'm trying to get it up. To the corner. So. Okay. Perfect. No worries. I'm trying. I'm getting there. And I'm just going to check with Dr. Shabazz to see if he is able to come. I just don't know what to do here. Well, I'm going to go ahead and call the meeting to order while people are just getting their stuff. Getting technology figured out and also waiting. Shabazz can figure. Join us. So let me go ahead and call the meeting to order. I'm calling the Monday, July 31st meeting of the African heritage reparation assembly to order at 203 p.m. 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 the public will be able to access the meeting. So that means that every effort will be made to ensure the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time via technological means. And let's see here. I am going to do a sound check. Just quickly. This meeting is being recorded. So let's start with you, Yvonne. Can you hear us? Can we hear you? Yes. Okay. Dr. Rhodes. I can hear you and I assume you can hear me. Yes, very well. Okay. And Hala. Yes, I can hear you. Okay. Excellent. And Ms. Bridges. Well, we did hear Ms. Bridges and I think she could hear us just a moment ago. I can hear you. I just can't get my picture back up there, but I can hear everybody. Okay. Great. I'm going to start by calling our first period of public comment. Like always, we have two periods of public comment. So I will call the first period of public comment. I'll read the statement 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 we will not engage in a dialogue, but we will certainly be listening closely. And I see that Dr. Shabazz is trying to join. So I'm just going to take a moment because Jennifer is not here. Where he might be coming in. Let's see. Okay. We'll give, we'll give that a moment. So I have called a period of public comment. If you are in the attendees and you would like to make public comment, please go ahead and use the raised hand function. Or hit. Pound nine. And you will be brought in. If you're on the phone using that, using that function. Okay. Mara, I see you. Just give me one second. I'm going to move you over. Okay. You should be rejoining here. Oh, here we go. Okay. I was just wondering if it would be possible to somehow see the pack, the draft of the proposal that you're working on. It's just kind of hard to follow at the meeting when you're talking about a document and, you know, paragraphs so and so, and I can't see it. And it's not in the packet. So it's very preliminary, but it's still hard to follow. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for that, Mara. We're actually waiting to get a revised version of the draft. On Wednesday, so I will ask Jennifer to include that in the packet and I'll also send it over to you. Today we're not really going to be. We're just going to go through the report as much as we are having some further discussion about what needs to be included in the report. Does that, is that helpful? Yeah. Okay. Thanks. All right. Awesome. Okay. Thank you, Mara. And I think. Let's see here. Let me move. Okay. Here we go. Okay. Dr. Shabazz is going through an update of his zoom that started automatically. So we'll. Catch him in a minute when he joins. I can still hear you, but I just can't get. The video back on, even though it says it's long. I don't see anything. Yeah, we can't definitely can't see you. Okay. Did you get it working last time somehow? What was the trick last time I'm trying to remember in and out, in and out. That's the only thing that would do it. And, and then I got on my phone. Instead of the laptop. I mean, the. That's right now. I remember that. Yeah. Yeah. We'll feel free if you want to get another box going here and get it back. Okay. And then. All right. Here we go. I'm going to move Dr. Shabazz over. And we should be ready to go. I'll just make sure he can hear us. Hi, Dr. Shabazz. Can you hear us? Yes, I can. Okay. Thank you. Welcome. We. Nice to see you. We just had our first period of public comment. And we're going to move on to some discussion here. I first wanted to announce to the committee in case. You may have heard, but. Finance director Sean. It has resigned. And is. It will no longer be with the town. I think. I actually have to look at what the date is, but it's, it's, it's somewhere in, in August. So he is, I think moving into back into school leadership. Not in the Amherst community, but elsewhere. So he, Sean was a real partner in terms of discussions that we have had over the years. He was. He was a very creative one. And he's also very creative behind thinking about the reserve fund and, and using the cannabis tax. Well, the cannabis tax revenue, helping us to find a way to. To model our, our annual contributions from that. So I say that. Because as we're coming forward with our recommendations. and Dr. Rhodes and I had a really a good meeting with him. And so there's going to be a transition period in the finance department. Dr. Rhodes, I'm wondering if you have any thoughts about that and how that might impact. Us at all. Well, I was, I was really shocked. When I heard that he was leaving because I've known Sean. Since he was at the schools. He was assistant finance director. Anyway, all the way when he was just a budget analyst. So anyway, I was shocked at that. And I did. Set up a meeting with him a farewell meeting because I was just reeling from it. Yeah. And I needed to have a one on one on him before he departed. So I will be doing that. Excellent. Okay. Yeah, I know you had a really good meeting with him. And I was certainly crushed to hear that he was leaving as well. I think it would, it will definitely, you know, there will be a transition period. And so we'll, we'll, we'll work through all of that with Paul and the others. There's an excellent finance department. We don't get to see a lot of the other folks there, but I know that they'll be stepping up in that. Paul will be also putting that position up. So. Last week. We got into a discussion that I think was really useful. And in particular. Starting to. Develop more concrete ideas about how the fund should be used, how we want to recommend that the fund be used. And I wanted to continue with that discussion today. Before we do. Oh, I see you, Ms. Bridges. There you are. Can you still see us now that we see you. Yeah. Yay. Okay. I don't know what's wrong with the other one, but I don't want to turn it off because if I turn the tablet off, I'm afraid I'll turn you off. That's okay. Yeah. Leave that one on. You might, you have one muted. That's good. That's perfect. Okay. So I wanted to pull up from our survey. Something that I think would be good for us to look at. I'm sure we've all had an opportunity to, to look at this. And it may have been a little while now since. You've had a chance to look in it, but I'm going to share my screen here. Can everyone see my screen? Yes. Okay. Great. So this is the question when we asked, please consider each type of repair for black. Amherst residents of African heritage and indicate. Whether you support it. So I thought we might just quickly visit this site. And then open it up for discussion. So the first question is about whether the. The survey respond and supports financial assistance for buying or remodeling a house as a means of repair. 85.2%. Do you support financial assistance for renting a home? You can see, I'm not going to read them all out. I'm just going to go through them here slowly. Look at the percentages broken down. By black, black and dissentative enslaved individuals and not black. So we have. Financial assistance from proving a business or starting a business, educational scholarships. Symbolic acts. And then we have cash payments. I think this is the one where we see the biggest differential between folks who identify as black and folks who do not. So. Last week, we, we started having this discussion. We talked about the possibility of making. Some bold statements around certain initiatives and possibly. Dr. Shabazz laid out. I thought an excellent start to. Just a general philosophy in terms of. How we see the fund should be used based on not our, not necessarily our own, just our own thoughts, of course, but the, the full consultative process that we went through, including this survey and all of the various listening sessions. So I'm going to open up the floor for further discussion on this. And then we'll go from there. And again, this is, you know, we have. Our report right now has recommendations about a successor body about accelerating the fund. We have a recommendation about compensation about naming. And we also have some specific recommendations that we're working on, but what do we want to tell the folks in town council and in the town in terms of overall, how we feel. The. Fund should be used and I will just offer this while I'm waiting for hands. I just from a council or perspective. I've been giving this a lot of thought and. It occurs to me that. We'll likely be more successful in having. Our fund accelerated to the full two million. If we are also recommending. Initiatives that the council or the town has already committed to, such as youth empowerment. So really thinking about building on the CSWG recommendations. And when we look at. The chart that I had just had had up. How can we sort of fit that into. The commitments that the town has already made, like youth empowerment, affordable housing. And do we, you know, how, how sort of. Clean and clear. Do we want this report and direct? Do we want this report to be. So again, I think that if we are asking for the fund to be accelerated, counselors will likely. Be more apt to support. Accelerating the fund. If there's already funds underway. For a particular project, but of course we, we need to focus on putting, you know, forward what we feel. You know, we've heard through the voices of the black community and Amherst. Why a bunch today? Anyone wants. Dr. Rhodes. Yes. I mean, I. I guess, you know, my, my feeling, my thought and everything that I know, going forward here financially in the town. And I'm just going to reiterate what I said. The other day, I think that. We have a greater opportunity. Of leveraging the funds that we have. By. By partnering with other. Committees groups, et cetera, et cetera, as CPA. And, and a recreation department. And using our funds as leverage. To. When I say leverage, I mean, for instance, if we said, Hey, we would like. Our funds to be matched. The funds that we put in being matched at a minimum. By the recreation department for supportive programs. That would support. That would prioritize African American youth. That would prioritize African American youth. That would prioritize African American youth. So, so what we're saying is we're going to put our funds in and we want you to match them either on a one to one basis or two to one basis or whatever. For programmatic purposes. For African American youth. Simply for the. For the. Youth empowerment center. We're talking about a youth empowerment center. Then it would seem to me to be that you're one of the big things about a youth empowerment center. Center is going to be programming. How do you, what kind of programs do you offer? So therefore that's going to be again, money. So if the town is going to be putting in. Money for that. We can say that we will. Support that effort by having our funds. We can say that we will. Support that effort by having our funds. Support that effort by having our funds match. It's, it's good. It's matching going, going down around. So that's one, one concept. The other thing is, as I said. Last week. Yes, I would definitely. Think it's no harm in us asking the town. To accelerate our funds. All right. Have no problem with that because if you don't ask, you don't, you don't get the worst they can say is no. All right. And I don't believe that we should count on. As I said, said before. The town is for fiscal 25, 20, 16, 27. Are going to be facing some very hard times. And I don't think that there was, there's going to be an availability of any excess funds. Coming our way. To be able to accelerate. This funding process for us. And so I think if, if we don't have some other kind. A way of dealing with funding. Then we have what we have, which is waiting until 10 years till we start spending $1. And I do not want. I would not support not spending $1. Until 10 years from now. So let me just ask you this. Dr. Rhodes. Just. To build on that a bit. If, if we think about right now, the town, let's say approximately has $5 million in reserves. Okay. And there have been various ways in which. Different members. Of the town have discussed that money being used. So we have infrastructure projects. We have roads and sidewalks. We have all sorts of things, right? As you're saying. We have about 500,000 in our account. Okay. Let's say, I think it's maybe, maybe 450 or a little over close to 500. So we've got 1.5 million. Could you see a scenario where the town says, well, we've committed to the 2 million. And there's 500 in there. So there's 1.5 million to go. And we have 5 million in our reserves. And so by accelerating. This. If we move 1.5 million, from one reserve account. Into another reserve account. That has the name reparations on it. And it's going to, the principal is going to be held. So only interest. Investment interest is going to be used off of it. So the money is really going to stay pretty stable. So we're just moving it from here to there. We're keeping the principal intact. And the recommendations that the HRA have made are recommendations that are in alignment with. Other things that we want to pursue as a, as a town and as a community, or that we've committed to pursuing particularly recommendations that have come through the CSWJ. Do you see a world of paradigm where that kind of, you know, kind of thinking might be supported? Well, I'll tell you one thing. It's very, very, very creative. Here's what I just want to make sure I understand. We have $500,000. The town has 5 million in reserve. You're asking the town to move 1.5 million of those reserves. To the reserve. You're asking the town to move 1.5 million of those reserves to the AHRA fund. The AHRA will expend a percentage of that as, as interest, you know, what we could, what would consider to be interest earned on that. You can, we can assume, you know, say 3% interest earned on, on $2 million. If we assume that, right? Then we would use that 3% for our purposes starting now. Exactly. Yeah. So, uh, and, yeah, and, and yeah, we would use that, that, that 3% off of, off of that money. And I'll only draw back to that from the town's perspective is that now that 2 million, that 1.5 million, which was in their reserve, it takes them down to $3.5 million. And 1.5 million in ours, they no longer have the access to those funds because they're now a, they're a AHRA. Um, Wow. Not, I mean, and again, it's creative. I want to think about it because there's, there's some possibility there in terms of we look at it in a different manner. Yes. That's what I've been trying to do is like the framing of it is really, if we look at it, we're really just like, they just put this. Fun together for capital expenses, you know, and it's moving money from one fund to another fund for select purposes. All right. So here, if we do that, which I think is a pretty good that we asked them to do that, we can say then on the other hand, you no longer have to set aside the money that you were going to be setting aside for us, but you can set it, put it back into that reserve account. Exactly. Exactly. Now that has that, that, uh, that accomplishes two purposes. I mean, one of us is brilliant. I think that if we go that route and they accepted that. All right. That would stop what I had considered to be my number one fear. Right. Was that the town would at some point in the future, we need or find some way of not funding this. Uh, you know, or say, Hey, we no longer have money available because the cash reserves aren't there. We're not going to put it back into the reserve account. We're not going to put it back into the reserve account. Well, we're taking the cash reserves because we have so many other areas that we need to fund. We're going to use those cash reserves there. That would preempt that from happening. If they would agree to that. Because it's, it's, we're saying, it's simply put it here. Now. That which you are going to be giving us in the future. You now put back in there. Yep. And then in those reserves. And you can run something else. You, you can maybe add to that. To make a difference. We can do something else to help us in the present to begin using utilizing those funds, interest off of those funds. Exactly. And at the same time, it guarantees that those funds are going to be there. Uh, and the town won't then we need going to, because we have the. Okay. As in sales, they said, if you don't ask, you don't get. So we need to ask. So that's really if we, with this endowment model, there's a security in knowing that because I think the town has entered into a deeper commitment to matters related to community safety and reparative justice and equity. So to say, you know what, we, the principle, we're simply moving it here, we're earning investment income on it. So if it's 3%, we have 60,000 a year. If it's 5%, which I think is actually maybe even more like it, it's $100,000 a year toward initiatives to be started right away. And then to build on that we could even say, and I talked with Dr. Shabazz a little bit about this. Let's say for example. Okay, we have it accelerated, let's say we're assuming 5%, that's $100,000 a year so we want the first X amount of years to go toward constructing this youth empowerment center I'm just giving an example I'm not saying that's what it should be. I'm just saying we can actually recommend that X amount of years be used toward a particular initiative. One thing, because I don't know who's going to be selling this but the Probably me. The selling point is that your major selling point is that the money that is being put into the the AHRA, the 1.5 that they have control of now the money in terms of reserves, the reserves they have control of and they're no longer have to set aside any amount of reserves for AHRA. They go those reserves that are going to be there, any excess cash. Certified free cash. Yeah. When they have certified free cash anymore, instead of certain percentage of that going to AHRA, it now goes wherever, goes wherever it stays with the town. The town no longer has to think about that. That has legs to it. It has really, really good legs to it. And I can see, I see no, no, no objections to that because it's, they're, they're not losing anything. They're not going to be spending, they never would be spending 1.5 million from reserves anyway. You know, so you want to keep a reserve. Yeah. So it's coming. It's, it's a, it's a safe thing. They may put it other kinds of constraints on it, but it's a safe bet for them. And I think it would be good. I have thinking or sorry. I think we need to sit down and talk to Paul. Before he leaves. I can't remember when I'm meeting with Sean. I certainly could do that. But, but this thing has some possibilities. I think I'll meet with Sean next week. So if I don't know if you'd be open to this, Dr. Rhodes, but if maybe for some small portion of the meeting that you, because I know you probably have a lot to catch up with him on, but if I could join you for a portion of the meeting. Otherwise, and I can make myself I'm sure available during the time that you have otherwise we could try something else. Because I think, do you know when Sean is, I can look it up. I think it's the second or third week of August. Let me look, I have it right here. See. August 30th. It's just about a month. Yeah. See if that one's possible. I'm meeting with him on August 8th. Okay, what time at one o'clock and I will. I just, I need to have about at least 20 minutes with it. Sure. Absolutely. So I'll let me talk with him and then set up to have him know that you're going to be there at some point. Perfect. That's great. Thank you. All right. All right. It's great. Does anyone else want to comment on, on that, that piece of things right now. Does that sound like a good approach here to at least start to explore with Sean and Paul. Okay. Yeah, I think it's fine. I think I agree a lot with what Dr. Rhodes said about making sure that we have, we can begin to this offer resources sooner than later. Like waiting 10 years is not, not acceptable. Yes. So I do agree. Awesome. Okay. Dr. Shabazz. Oh, I'll address the funding issue, but then I want to step back to look at things from a bigger picture. The essential points are the same points that we made relative to the whole free cash process, modeling it on cannabis tax revenues and so forth. That is that the money is still always the town's money. It's still in a different bucket and putting a posted note on it, saying for reparative justice or work or whatever is doesn't alter the fact that the ultimate approval for the disbursement of the money. The ultimate control in the event of any crisis or any serious exigency, the control still rests with the elected leaders of the town of Amherst, the elected a legislative body of the town of Amherst. They lose no control over it. It is a good faith step. It is a, it is a matter of giving one's word that it will be used in a certain way barring an unforeseen crisis. But that was our argument from the beginning. Some of the counselors, you know, we're a little bit on the fence and and I think finally in that in the meeting we had with them. And I think they saw the ultimate logic of the matter, which is that it ultimately is the town's money and the town legislative body that sets budgets and approve expenditures will ultimately still retain power over every bit of this $2 million endowed fund. It is simply making a promise, a promise of where it will be directed, following certain protocols and certain steps that it will be directed in this way in the future. What we're really asking, as Michelle has used the word accelerating is to sort of jettison the original model of developing this endowed fund, based on free cash based on, you know, taking 10, you know, giving ourselves 10 years to create it to basically jettisoning that kind of timetable in favor of going ahead and declaring it now out of this particular bucket of reserve money that's already in reserve already invested already drawing interest. We're just saying, take it from from that general bucket and put it in a specific bucket labeled for reparative justice work. Okay, so yes, I'd like to try to have this conversation. Once again, with the counselors, and I have sent a motion to to Michelle for us to consider, actually, if we are in full agreement with this to go ahead and and approve this as part of our process that we we go ahead and stipulate this that we're asking for this accelerated approach from what we originally discussed as a funding stream to going ahead and designating the creation of the $2 million fund and that the, the payout of dividends of this fund not touching the principle but that dividends can now be directed by the very reparative justice plan that we are here here by determining we are here by putting forward. If we can look at that motion think about it, ratify it, and I think that I'm prepared to endorse that the second part of it. Before stepping well, and as part of this stepping out to the bigger picture has to do with the question of other actions that our town government has taken is taking has agreed to take that have clear benefits and and may indeed have a very significant relationship to the the general project that this work is about for us, which is about how to reduce how do we end structural racism specifically anti black racism, as it is a systemic part of our town's reality. In terms of these are both historic and continuing inequities that hold back free people black people. The descendants of enslaved people from being able to materially move forward and close the wealth gap and be made whole for the wrongful taking that has occurred to our ancestors and and down to us right now in the present that to the work of that there are other initiatives. I think the deal and with this has come up before and at one point. I know some counselors were saying well, reparative justice is already the crest program or reparative reparations is already in the creation of a DEI office. And it was as if to say, our work is done, we should just ratify what's already been approved by the council, and, and we're done. And we said no no no that some of those are. Yes, aimed at generally addressing historic inequities and addressing systemic violence and problems that but they are not specifically about how we are addressing the historic harm of that has occurred in this town of slavery and the community black racism, all the way down to the present. And for that we said there needed to be more specific targeted remedies efforts to repair. That still doesn't negate that those actions that were recommended by the community safety working group and those actions that the community safety and social justice committee, continue to work on and advocate have no relationship to repair justice and to black reparations. I think they do. Okay, and I think that we can very well recommend that funds in whole are in part in whole for a period of time, or in part. Over time, can be designated from the payout of the endowment with the understanding that it is about us recognizing that those actions those steps that need money that require money. In whole are in part aimed at addressing structural inequities in addressing both historic and continuing harms. And that is where I am prepared to look at or to support a type of motion to our work to suggest that we could recommend. As I said in whole are in part some of the funds that the accelerated, immediately created endowed fun would go towards supporting. Only to recognize that within those efforts there ought to be specifically targeted efforts that address anti black racism, perhaps in the form of some of the kinds of workshops trainings activities I don't want to get ahead of the kinds of needs assessment and the kinds of work that people who would begin to say a youth empowerment center would begin to do through focus groups with black youth and other you. Okay, I don't want to get ahead of that work, but clearly, some of the work would have such a such such possibilities. For example, I know African American you have often asked for and desired as part of their, while in the high school, the opportunity to access and find out about historically black colleges and universities and in the form of perhaps going on an HBCU tour. My own child at PVPA in South Hadley benefited from such a tour that was organized and and funded by by the school and supported by the teachers but again it required money. It took gas fair it took, you know, hiring a vehicle and a driver and taking the students down there one weekend. Okay, and again, it's not to say that door would be closed to any other student that would want to be a part of the HBCU tour. Okay, but that we understand that it would prioritize use the word Dr Rhodes or previously used it would be prioritizing students from our particular ethnic group our particular community with our particular history. And so the funding for that if that becomes part of the of such initiatives are part of the youth empowerment work or the multicultural center or whatever other work. If there are specific kinds of things then yes, I could see signing on that the reparative justice fund would be a source of support for those activities and those initiatives that the town is working on has agreed to and then and engaged in. So that's my, my piece about it and I've sent at least some draft language towards which to to try and, if we want to try to formalize something soon. In regards to that. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Shabazz, I have checked both of my email accounts and I don't see anything. I just want to maybe reset my email refresh my emails did you send which email account did you send the first motion to Dr Shabazz. Oh, you're muted Dr Shabazz. For your email it went to your 3680 Gmail account. And for the Jennifer moist and one it went to moist and Jay and Amherst.gov. Okay, try sending because I just refreshed and what I have from you. Oh, I do have it. Okay. It was so beautiful on this town of Amherst. Letterhead here that I that I thought it was coming from the zoom. Okay, I have it. Okay, hang on. Let me pull this up. I just want to address Ms bridges. Can you I see your text, and I just want to confirm that you can hear me right now. Yes, can you hear me. Yes, I can hear you. I can hear everybody. Every once in a while the audio cuts off but I can't see anybody but I can hear everything. Okay, all right. Well, you know, one of the things that I know for the last meeting and probably again for this meeting is that we've transcribed the meetings. So that can be really helpful for anyone not just Ms bridges or hollow who may have been getting cut in and out but it to have some times to have it in writing can be really helpful to read through so when I get absolutely. Okay, so I'll send those to the committee then I'll send last weeks and when we get this one I'll send this week. Thank you. Absolutely. All right, Dr. Shabazz I am going to share my screen here. Let's see. There. Okay. Is this it. Looking good. All right, look how nice. How'd you do that. I just took our zoom announcement. And read and adapted it. I love it. Okay, so the first motion that Dr. Shabazz already spoke to but we'll also give another opportunity for further discussion on this. The Repair of Justice fund. Do you want to read it Dr. Shabazz actually well only only to make a correction move that the Repair of Justice fund approved for an initial endowment amount of 2 million be accelerated to completion and begins to pay out by a timetable of the next two years barring unforeseen circumstances that might prevent such completion. I second this, but I want to say that this is just to be clear. This is not a motion that this is a motion that asks us as a committee to vote on to include this as a recommendation in the report so we've already started to build this recommendation but now the discussion that we've had today. This enshrines that in the form of a motion that makes that. Yeah, only that we are collectively writing the report but as was brought up in a previous meeting, you know there's a lag between what's written and what gets approved so it's just a matter of do we want to approve that this be put in to the draft we're working on and if someone else has got another way they think we ought to go, then we, we can vote this down and think about that other way. Okay, thank you Dr. Shabazz, Yvonne. Oh, you're muted Yvonne. You're all set, Yvonne. I can't see my icons when you share your screen. So I couldn't I can't find my icon to unmute because the screen has taken over so I just stopped it on my end stop the sharing so I could see the unmute button. I raised my hand because I was wondering why the last part of that first section was included barring unforeseen circumstances that might prevent such completion. It's objective. Yeah, I mean, I mean subjective. It's subjective to what the definition is of unforeseen circumstances. And so I don't know why it's in there because we actually don't care about those, it would be the town that says oh this can't be done because of whatever. Strike it strike. So I say take that out because we're not, we don't care that there's unforeseen circumstances we want them to give us the two years. Let's move this to a Google Doc that we can. Yeah, I'm not saying that I'm not saying there won't be unforeseen circumstances I'm saying that that is a term that depends on who's defining what an unforeseen circumstances, and we might not be the ones figuring what that is, what those things are. So I wouldn't, I wouldn't invite it. I would edit and I accept it. And I. Okay, so I'm going to delete this. Is that okay. Okay. Yes. All right, so. And if you were to change the word beginning to begins. Absolutely. Dr. Rhodes, please. So if I'm reading this, it says move that reparation, that the reparative justice fund approved for approved for initial endowment amount of $2 million be accelerated to completion and begins to pay out by a timetable of the next two years. Is that what your exact correct there when I'm reading correct. All right, so I look at that and I say I don't know what that means. And what because I said, move the reparative justice fund. All right, do we have a reparative justice fund. It's question one. Is there to be a different label. I don't know. I don't have something now I thought called the reparation stabilization fund. Whatever that whatever we need to reference what it was already there, not which we think is going to be there or want to be there. Idealized being there. All right, so that's the first thing. And then approve for an initial diamond of amount of $2 million. And there's a big sell celebrate over 10 be accelerated. There is where we need more language that's that's more specific. That definitely is more specific and targeted. So if I move that the reparation stabilization fund approved for initial endowment of about amount of $2 million over 10 years be accelerated to be accelerated to be accelerated by we need, we need to say something. How do we, how do we want them to celebrate where are you talking about we want them to accelerate. Let me just say something, Dr. Rhodes. So actually, I think that the discussion that we're having is what's important and that that Metia take the discussion that we're having and put it into the form of a recommendation based on all of the things that we've talked about today regarding the fund. Okay. We could, I think that will then I guess what I'm asking is, is do we feel emotion is necessary, or are we on the same page in terms of the discussion that we had today, because if we are on the same page and the recommendation gets put into the draft report, then it will, I would assume be approved naturally when we go to approve the report in its totality. So I am comfortable with a consensus on this based on the discussion so we can flesh it out in the report a little bit more rather than trying to wordsmith this right here. What do other people think. I'm in agreement because trying to wordsmith this and go through my mind with how it should look is not going to happen. The only thing that's being accelerated is the time table to two years that we're voting on correct. Yes, but what we're I think what we were saying even is that we're asking them actually to do something more specific even which is to move the remaining balance less what we already have and in the fund from the town's reserve account. So, we're not asking them to accelerate by taking it pulling it from here or there somewhere else we're saying, move it from this bucket to this bucket, basically, so Michelle Michelle you know what I had in mind though. Yeah, that that's a new, that's a new idea for me and it sounds like it's one y'all are still kind of you and herb want to still kind of, you know, toy around with or discuss a little bit with the outgoing finance director and, and the town manager and I think that's fine if y'all want to continue. But I, but yes, I am driving for a consensus, rather than it just be that we've talked about it that we're saying that the original formulation recommendation that that called for the creation of an endowed fund over 10 years time. Yeah, is in our final report now, we're saying that is not the timetable. This ought to work from that instead it ought to work from by any means necessary, whether it's pulling from this existing bucket of reserves or or where I don't. And that's all new information to me as to exactly where and if you all want to want to pinpoint that and see if the town manager and the final current finance director, all believes that that's a solid recommendation to make to the larger council and that the larger and that they could understand the pros and cons of that to recommend to the larger council, then I say great, then let's let's see if they are in agreement, but that we're, but we have to first agree that this is the course that we are, we are recommending and want to make as part of our, our final report that's all, so whether by consensus or by a vote, I am saying let's, let's move this out of just some, you know, move this to a specific consensus, that's what we're saying we want done. Okay, so let me try this and that makes a lot of sense. So, yes, I that that resonates. So let me ask, do any members of this committee object to the accelerator, the recommendation that we accelerate the fund by whichever means necessary do in if you object to making that recommendation please raise your hand now and I do not object. Thank you, Hala. Ms bridges, how do you object or agree with this. I agree. Okay, so I think we have a consensus then on that matter. And does that work for you Dr Shabazz for us to. Okay, perfect. Excellent. So then let's come back here because one other thing I would say, kind of what I was trying to say in the language, it can even happen sooner than within two years I just want to squeeze the 10 down to two but if it can happen in two months, I'll be happy to see the announcement that it's been done in two months. Yeah, yeah, right. Yeah, if we were going to be voting on that I would have knocked out for two years. But we're not voting much it doesn't matter. All right, so now I'm going to bring up. Okay, actually let me do a time check here. This is a fan this is. I'm going to share this because I want to share what Dr Shabazz just even if we're not going to be able to get to it today. Based on everybody's timeline here I just want to put this out. Okay, so you guys start reading that and then let me ask I know Ms Bridges has to leave around three is that right Ms Bridges, it is three actually. I can be here for another at least 15 minutes. Okay, excellent and even I'm seeing 15 minutes. Okay. How about Dr Rhodes Dr Shabazz and Holla if you could just come in by voice and let me know if that works for you. I get about 15 minutes left. Okay, how that works for you. Okay, so here's what I'm going to do then I'm going to stop this for a second I'm going to call the second period of public comments so that we make sure that that has occurred for our agenda. And then we'll know how much time we have left we'll use the remainder of the time to discuss Dr Shabazz's second motion here. So I've already read the statement. If you would like to make public comment. This is our second period of public comment. Please use the raise hand function or pound nine if you're coming in by phone and we will bring you in for up to three minutes. Okay, so I'm not seeing any. We've now completed our two periods of public comment. I'm going to share the screen again here. And so moved that the first two years of payout from the fund be committed to the funding of a youth empowerment center especially with programming and initiatives that specifically address the need of young people of African descent. Dr Rhodes. I. Yeah, I support this but I would like for this. Why don't you second it and then. Well, we're working from consensus I don't think we have to have a second. Yeah, and you can. Yeah, exactly. I think I think that Here's what I know that that's going on in the town relationship to this youth center. There has been a proposal that it be housed and located at the middle school. For a number of different reasons a there's a swimming pool there being there's a gym there. See there's a underutilized or not utilize room. And that could be done. And if you if you if you use the middle school, then a large portion of that money that is there now doesn't have to go into renovation or acquisition of a building or building a building. So, for me, if this thing we're going to be going to use center is going to be in the middle school. For me, I'd say all right, that's great because what you're going to need now, you're going to need a little bit of build out money, but you're going to be more need more of programmatic money. So what I would put in there is that that that over the next two years of the money coming out or fun that it again as I said before, that it be matched by the town by the recreation department. So that would be more programming or whatever. And again, prioritizing African American youth. Okay, I just I want to acknowledge that I do see a hand raised from a phone number. We've already completed our two periods of public comment. I want to continue with this discussion and if you would like, you can email me after the meeting at Miller M at Amherst m a dot gov. So, Dr. Rhodes you bring up a point that I think is worth us considering more deeply regarding this particular recommendation in that there may be. There will be various opinions about a youth empowerment center in terms of whether it should be at the middle school this is the first time I'm hearing hearing that proposal. Whether it should be standalone, whether it should be, you know, there's various locations that have been talked about. So, I'm not here to judge any of that but to say do we want to make a recommendation, or we have to be clear if we're making a recommendation that we're either identifying some conditions, or that we're not. It's unconditional as long as it gets done and it goes through a consultative process. There will be the town manager and his, his, you know, and the stakeholders that he consults with that will make the decision, but I just want to make sure that we're comfortable that if we're making an unconditional recommendation regarding so we're basically saying yes we support this and whether it's in the middle school or it's in its own building. I wasn't, I wasn't saying and making any particular step about where it should be. Oh, I know. I'm just, just saying hey here's what I know. Right. Discussions have been going on about. Anyway, mainly clear cut that is programmatic money. And what we're saying, you know, in terms of this motion, is that what we're saying that in over the next two years that whatever comes out of that is going to go to the youth empowerment center towards program. The reason I'm saying I'm specifying programming, I don't want it to get really tied up in any kind of renovation, etc, and then you, and then that money is gone and then there's no money for programming. Or, you know, now, yeah, I guess I would be open to that it, you know, we don't have to define it. But programming is certainly when you look out there over what's happening right now to our kids in terms of a recreation programs. It's expensive. Just incredibly expensive for kids to participate. And we just we need to eliminate that. And that's why I'm really all for for the money going into programming. Okay, so you're saying youth program that benefits and prioritizes black youth in the community. You cut out so I didn't hear you youth program that prioritizes and benefits black youth in the community. Yeah, you programs or whatever. It differs from construction costs, for example, renovation costs, etc, you want the town to bear that you don't want our money to be tied up in that. Okay, it'll get lost. How do other members feel about that. Assistant with what, you know, was behind my, my what I was trying to draft there. I will say one thing I'm actually backing off now from trying to get into specific dollar amounts or how much of the fund and, you know, first two years or I think that should all evolve from the at the time in which those kinds of projects or initiatives emerge and would require would withdraw would make specific requests to the successor body to say here's what has come out of our needs assessment. Here's what we want to do. Here's where black students are black young people are particularly have helped to inform this. And this is, this is where we are in a need level. I think we're trying to do at this level of the report is simply to signal that these kinds of initiatives that the council and the town manager have agreed upon and have in and are embarking upon trying to figure out, you know, and having these initiatives looking at different, whether existing facilities or acquiring new for all of that that's, we're trying to say through this that from our planning process from our listening sessions from our deliberations, we are simply saying that we recognize that those that are in that work. There are aspects where it does overlap with the goals we are trying to accomplish with the repair, we are trying to recommend be be affected, and we want to show support from for that. And you know, and this goes to something I was raised I raised in previous many meetings ago, in terms of trying to understand what de I is doing and recommending that specifically has in could have impacts on the black community. What is, you know, what Chris is doing what is envisioned with the, the projects of multicultural of the senior center even, you know, for me, this can even affect the kinds of funding that the senior center is appealing to, you know, because I've long talked with people like that. Dr. Jacqueline Smith crooks and others who've tried to show within the senior center how certain needs weren't being addressed or could be better addressed to reach out and to benefit black, elderly black senior citizens who were not benefiting as much from some of the existing programming and some of the existing work. So, you know, it's really across the board, both initiatives that are right now being envisioned, as well as things that are already being done. And they're trying to create the structure and to show to create the and to build a fund that can then support those specific initiatives that aim to benefit the, the community that has long been harmed in Amherst of people of African descent black African American people. That's all. Thank you. That's, yeah, that's very clarifying Dr. Shabazz and I just want to build on that and just I, we have a couple more minutes here and I want to update the group to say that I had the opportunity today actually to speak with Jessica Alan. Jessica is the manager that she's managing the project that was formerly known as the ball lane. Housing project in North Amherst the district I represent. It's now called Amherst community homes. So if you hear that you'll know that it was it was formerly the ball lane project, and that project consists of 32 to three bedroom. So for sale that will be for sale units that will be for sale and they have a very clear mission to support home ownership for folks that have previously not been locked out of home ownership and in particularly in Amherst. So again, we have a situation here this is the construction start date for this is 2025 they believe completion will be done in 2026. And folks who apply through this lottery will be required to go through the banking process to put down payments down on these units. And they will be folks who live in Amherst and who identify as black and or by pack will be prioritized for these units. So I'm planting that seed for our next discussion as we talk about housing, and how we might make a decision that is either very specific to this project or that uses this project as an example and I will forward to you the information that Jessica sent to me. All right. So, unfortunately, next Monday I have an appointment for my daughter at two o'clock so I'm not going to be able to meet at that time so I will send a poll out to folks to see if there's another time that we can meet that day. Are folks generally able to meet next Monday. Does anyone know if they were. Okay, Yvonne, are you able to meet next Monday. No. Okay, is there any day next week that you can meet. I'm going to look, hold on. Okay. And Ms bridges and Holla and Dr Rhodes. I'm good. I'm good for Monday or Friday or like maybe after two o'clock, like, if it's next week. Yeah, I'll double check but probably if it's, it's later on in the afternoon. I could just like after two o'clock otherwise Monday and Friday would be fine. Perfect. Okay, anytime on Monday is fine. I think I can do Monday, the seventh right. Yes, the seven. Yeah. Awesome. How about you, Dr Rhodes. I'm all right. I'm fine for that. Okay and Holla. Will you be in transit that day or will you be back. No, I need to. Okay. Are you trying to do it at a different time on Monday. Yes, is it later than two. I was going to pull the group by text and just see what folks are good with so I'll do that I know folks have to start leaving so I'll send a text and we can just figure it out and then I'll let Jennifer know. Good. Okay. All right, so if there aren't any other member comments or questions or anything else I'll just give a second for that and otherwise I'll adjourn the meeting. All right, really great meeting thank you so much and I'll see you all next week. Thank you.