 Where are you? Point. Good. Who's that? I'm Satura from the HFA. Oh, right. Are you Joe? Yes. Nice to meet you. Good to meet you too. Great. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. Great. Nice to meet you, too. How are you? I wish we were in the circle. How are you? How are you? How are you? I'm good. Well, they were able to get out of anything valuable instead of mine. So they were basically the same program. Because we realized from there, for me, I think that this is an option, is that it's also a free option, as far as I get it, that's great. Oh, yes, yeah. There was a player. I think so. Oh, cool. I think there was a player. It's cool, you know, that's funny. But I think there are two sides to it. It's successful, but it's still, like, something wrong. Yes, of course. It is, yes. Hi. Here you go. Hi. Hey. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. I know. I know. I was going to say, like, I've been like, you've been on my radar for so long, and it's so good to meet you. Good to see you. So what was going to add to what you described? Yes. But we couldn't find shocker. OK. That's a hell of a wellness issue. It is. Yes. Welcome, everyone. It's so nice to have you here. Great turnout. They gave us a really big room for this topic. We're here to talk about public health and wellness in our community. I worked in substance abuse prevention for now about 25 years as a substance prevention consultant. Doing prevention, yes, working with treatment, but there's prevention, there's intervention, there's treatment, and then there's recovery. And so as we think about health, let's think in those four categories and not just like the treatment. And in prevention, there is a definition, which I think is a nice definition of wellness. It says, creating personal attributes within the individual and conditions within the community that promote well-being. So let's just, in full group, just throw out, what does wellness mean? What are we talking about when we talk about public health and wellness? What are the categories? Just throw it out. Mental health. Mental health. What else? Everybody has a safe place to live. Okay, so we're talking about housing and shelter. What else? Issues associated with aging. Aging, okay. All right. Clean food, water. Clean food, yeah, clean water and food, okay. Environmental health. Environmental health? Environmental health. Explain what, okay, so this is a good way to look at it. If you were observing in environmental health, or any of these, what would you be seeing? So why don't you share what you need? I mean, for me, I'm just thinking, is it healthy to eat it? So in connection with housing, for instance, is it healthy to eat it in your space? Yeah, okay. Making of air or water. Air, water, mold. Environmental water, air. Other public use? Yeah. Anybody heard about NPR trees? There are communities that have no trees, and trees really help the environment. Anything else? Physical. Physical health, okay. Give an example of that. Well, if someone has severe mobility issues due to their health condition, that can really affect their ability to be safe, to be comfortable, to get around. Pain, chronic pain. Chronic pain. Chronic pain. Yeah. Lots of pain, and mold in their areas. And I'm going to also put as part of this, safety. Yes. I'm stressing the infectious disease contaminants that we have, that have recently literally filled our study. Yeah, yeah. Yes, chronic health, right. Infectious disease. I'm sure there are many people that don't even want to walk on bike path, or on the Montpelier Green, because of any contaminants that might be from the flood. Yes. Just integrating physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Yes. And I'm also hearing biology. Biological, social, spiritual, physical health. On the wellness side, collective joy. Joy. Collective joy. Okay. We can continue to add to this. So when we're talking about this, this is what we're talking about. So in front of you, you have, and if you don't have, I have a couple more here, some orange pieces of paper. And if you have a pen, please pull it out. And if you don't, I've got some here. And there might be people who want to discuss this around us, or give them out to people that need it. So here is your task. Here is your task. We're going to talk about one thing that's happening now in the area of all these areas. And you could just choose something environmental, or something mental health. Or you could find one thing that's happening now. What's going well? What's happening now? So we're sort of looking at what resources do we already have, and that we want to keep as we move forward in the short term, and certainly as we move forward towards resiliency, which will be our vision for the future. And then we're going to go right into areas and ideas for action steps. So we're looking for action steps. This is not the place to be exuding the concerns. Try to just go a little higher in your thinking, and imagine and brainstorm and think. If things were going wonderfully in health and wellness in the short term, in our community, what would we be seeing? And it doesn't have to be something that's normal. We normally see it be something really different. Like I'll give you one example of that for me. I see a river running through Montpelier. A river is running through our city, and it's beautiful. That kind of thing. So think out of the box if you can, and if you want to. And so you're going to come up with ideas and action steps, and then think about whether is this an action step in the short term that we can do now? Or is this something that we need to consider over time? Okay? We're just trying to divide it up. Then we're going to take these ideas, and before we go back, we're going to suggest the top one to three. We can just put one priority and say this group came out with this is what we want to see happen. This action right here. Or it could be two or three priorities. Then we'll go back, and then each of the groups are going to report these three priorities, and then they'll be the next meeting. Yes. For those of us that came in late, would you let us know how this border came to be? That says welcome, relates to the other two. Yeah, okay. Well, welcome to the public health and wellness discussion. And so I ask people, what does public health and wellness mean to you? And I created the definition of creating attributes within the individual and conditions within our community that promote well-being. Okay, so that's a general, that's a nice vision. Then I ask everyone, what does it mean? It means mental health. It means housing. It means safety. It means environmental health. It means biological, psychological, social, spiritual wellness. It means joy. We need housing, mental health, aging. So that's how it came about. But this is energetically right. Yes. Can I ask a clarifying question? Yes. On the first one up there, one thing that's happening now, and then what's going well, is the one thing that's happening now have to be something that's going well? No? Okay. But if you know of, but if you know of a great clarification question, if you know of something that's happening now, we could rate whether it's being successful or not. It could be a program. We can rate whether it's successful or not. We may need more resources in that area. That's okay. What's happening now that helps with mental health? What's happening now that helps with housing and shelter? What's happening now? And try to keep it on the positive because we never look at what's going well. And that is a ton of resources. We have a ton of resources. And we don't look at what's going well. We just look at what's not quite right yet and how to make it more right. And we need to boost our, we need to be well. And we need to be really responsible and honest by looking at what's going well first. So that's what we're going to do first. So with a partner, someone you do not know, just turn around or whatever. And I'm going to ask you to discuss something that's, one thing that's already happening now in any of these areas and share it with your partner. You literally will have, you know, one minute each. Okay? What's going on? Another minute. So now, I really want to get to the second question too. I'm also a professional, personal life coach. And there's never a session that we don't begin with what's working well. What's going well? What are the resources? What are you grateful for? We never go there. They just want to talk about what's not going well. And one way to help what's not going well is to take responsibility for what is. So, okay. So what we're going to do now, we have a very fast typist here. And his name is Beth. So close. That's great. I don't think Todd is close to Seth. Okay. And you fast typist? It looks like you are. Okay. Can you share who you are? My name is Seth Leonard. I work for Vermont Housing and Finance Agency. It's nice to be with you. Okay. Yes. Thank you for being here. Okay. So now what I'd like to do is, let's just hear from some of the things that are going well. And we'll figure out what we'll do with the rest. Okay. Everything's going to be recorded at some point. So let's start. Okay. And I'm going to ask that we keep our responses to 30 seconds to one minute. And I understand that it's hard to do that. But this is not full discussion. This is getting to your specific idea as clearly as possible. Thank you. Can you say your first name? My name is Tori Rodine. I'm a social worker in town. A great thing is having more analogies. There's a position for a mental health intervention as a quick police force. They were clear and varied. Not great things. It's been open for about a year and for a down job as soon as they're paid. Please add funding to that. Please add funding to that job and it gets suddenly as soon as you put it in that job. Is that an action that you're proposing as well? That's absolutely natural. So you just didn't... Yeah. And so you want more funding for a mental health intervention? More funding specifically for the position for a mental health intervention as a quick police force. The funding right now I think is the only obstacle. And that would, from my point of view, it would go far in terms of the being of support to some of the most invisible people affected by the flood right now. Thank you. Go ahead. Introduce yourself. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. My name is Eric. What's next? Thank you. The money isn't the only issue. It was finding the right fit. That's a challenging job. So keep it you know people. I've been trying to assist. As I know I don't want to take up too much time over here. We can ask for the additional That's a perfect example of what's going well even though it's not going really well. You have to wait the time. Wait it's there! Just get the money back. Okay let's go around the circle here. My name is Lisa and Mutual Aid Community Connection, Community Organizing. And what's that Mutual Aid? That's going well. Folks showing up for each other, coming to the tents at Montpelier Live, volunteering, helping strangers. Can we give a hand for that? For all three sources that's going well, people are coming out of the woodwork with hope, with love, and with their physical labor. Yeah, my name is Daphne. We were on similar wave lengths around community connection. So I think people instead of moving in their individual lanes, coming together. I've seen people share contact information, really check it, check it on each other. People live next to you. I know that's true for myself. I've become closer to my neighbors because of this. It's been a catalyst for making those connections. Thank you. Yes. Okay, Yemi, with the flood having stopped two feet from the pioneer apartment, Montpelier Housing Authority is going well. They're caring, aware listeners. A lot of people have been displaced. And I go back and forth in and out of my apartment, watching them do a really good job taking care of people. That's nice to hear, isn't it? Yes. I don't hear that from every hill where I live. Yes. I'm Thomas and I was mostly focusing on housing as well. And so what I thought of it as going well is we do have some low income housing that is state subsidized and is high and dry out of harm's way. And where is that? Let's name it. I know there's some up on Berlin Hill and where I live in Plainfield, which is in the Montpelier area, it's safe as well. Also on Elm Street? Elm Street has some. The Transit Center. The Transit Center by what used to be the O'Connell Lodge, which what's on the Barrymont-Pelier Road and housing. We also have the Good Samaritan Shelter. All the Down Street properties. And Down Street. Yeah, they're all good. Thank you, Tom. My name is Carolyn Wesley. I'm here tonight representing Congresswoman Becca Ballant, but I'm also on the Montpelier resident. And my two things, it was interesting to talk with Shannon about our different perspectives on what was good or could have gone better, but that there was an attempt to feed the entire community in the days after the flood that seemed like something I hadn't seen before. And then also that there has been a continuation of community events like Mount Meadows, like Park Palooza, like concerts and plays in the park, and even with a lot of our infrastructure down, many of those joyful, a little particularly family focused events. It's been great to have that continued through the summer. Yes, I would include in that Montpelier live bringing us cultural family events and community events. And the Bargains Marchingale. Yeah, all these things need to be listed. We need to keep them up on our wall while we're feeling desperate and feeling like, oh my gosh, what's happening to us? Hi, my name is Shannon Bates, and I will be honest, it's difficult for me to see at times what's going well being a business owner and having a business owner on the middle of State Street that was destroying what business? So, well, I will say we had a really great meeting with Becca Ballant yesterday that business owners are coming together in an attempt to address a lot of needs that are not being met. What do you mean, one need that's not being met? Well, the reason I'm in this meeting is because we have not had any support from the Department of Health or the State as far as cleaning up guidance. And being a restaurant owner, I'm very educated in infectious disease, foodborne ailments. It's like in my being after 20 years in the industry, and our businesses, the whole downtown was flooded with sewage. This does not go away just because it dries out. I mean, the list of infectious disease that I still have in the community that has not been addressed is hard for me to wrap my head around. The Health Department is not even doing three inspections for opening business restaurants. So basically the guidance is look around if it looks clean, if it feels clean and safe. And that's not a reality. So that's an action item that I'd like you to do, a small print to put on these two pieces of paper giving you front and back because the next thing we're going to do is put your ideas on here. That one really needs to go there. Protocol and developing a relationship. Health and wellness is all about relationships. It's all about relationships. Developing a very strong relationship with the Department of Health and Health Organizations. We're going to go back there. Just shake it up a little. George. George, what's going well that I've been able to see is the community. That's been stated already, but the fact that people donate their shine and efforts to help others, that's great. I know. It's very inspiring. Yes. Sammy. It's my name. And I have the same thing. I'm up here a lot. It's amazing. Yes. How about we here? I feel that we are becoming the city more of a family that we're recognizing the individual city. And understanding some of the problems that are brought up by this crisis that's happened to us all. So I'm hearing that you're seeing and feeling more connection. And it's more communication. Yes. Yes. Thank you. I'll just echo. I'm Shady Casper. I also said about providing food and dehumidifiers and fans and troubles. The provision is really great. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Now we'll go to you. Oh, yes. I just think it's awesome to see churches may have been flooded, but they're showing up every day putting lunches out in front of Christ Church. Yes. I would like to actually have that go in there. A coordinated effort by our churches. Continue to provide community lunches and warming shelters for those that don't have housing. And that warming shelter really comes into play when it starts to get cold and there's no place to go until you can get into a shelter. Even if you can't. It's like six o'clock, seven o'clock at night. So four o'clock there are warming shelters. That is fantastic. Yes. So I'm Tanya. One thing that I think that's going well is that our schools are starting and opening on time on schedule. I think our young people need as much predictability and normalcy as possible through all of this. Yes. Thank you. It happened. Yes. Well, I think sort of two things at once. One of the things that's happening now is that in walking around town, there's still a lot of toxic silt and dust everywhere. It basically gets shoved aside in the public areas. And I think that's a concern on all levels. It mentally reminds us of the flood. It feels yucky. And it feels dangerous. I'm hearing that as an action step. And I have an action step, a really specific one, which is that green up people are coming on Saturday and they are looking for projects to be defined for them. And I would hope that the city with proper gear and safety precautions might put some of those volunteers to work. To clear up some of the silt that's in the particularly high-drilled walkways and things where people are kicking it up. They're getting it on their shoes and taking it home. Every time it drives out, every once in a while when it drives out, it can be that, you know, the same load. Who do we contact for that to get that list? Well, I think the city because it's not just coming everywhere. I mean, I imagine Montpelier a lot. The city meaning the mayor or the manager? Well, I think it would be the manager. So that's one major, that's a short term. Well, very short term. There's an opportunity that we all these people in town doing stuff and that would be a really good thing to do rather than plant flowers. No plants and flowers, but we really need to get rid of the toxic silt. And connecting that with the Department of Health who's guiding and supporting us. I don't know that the Department of Health knows anything about the toxic silt. Specifically, who to contact about the volunteer work in Saturdays is in front of her form today. Okay. And there's links. So if you could put that call out and then maybe put a special call out in front of her form just for that. Great. Thank you. Yes, sir. My name is John. One thing that I think work well was the night of the rain. I'm assuming it was the Samaritan organized to pick up a lot of the unhoused people downtown and take them to the shelter because all of their campsites were devastated. I don't know who organized that. I'm assuming the shelter did. Anybody? You're assuming the shelter did? I assume the shelter organized that. What's that? Good Samaritan haven. Yeah. So they're getting organized and that seemed to go well. And the Good Samaritan haven works hand in hand with another way, which is a place for people to go during the day who are experiencing mental illness and also addictions. Or anything that's disturbing or challenging with that. Could I throw one thing into that that's related which is. Actually, we're going to move on making sure that everybody gets a chance and then I'm coming back to you. Okay. You sir. Hi, I'm Todd Delos. I actually just hear the listening that I appreciate hearing some of these concerns. I'm from the agency of Human Services. So I'm more of a resource person, but there's a lot here. Can you say what you do at Human Services? I'm the deputy secretary. Okay. Thank you. So you're really in leadership. Thank you for being here. Yes. Hi, my name is Emily Haas and I'm also here for two reasons. One, I get to be the commissioner for the Department of Mental Health. And then two, my wife owns a business in downtown Montpelier. So we've been directly impacted by the business devastation downtown. So I'd like to say just kind of two things from what I'm hearing here. Yes. It's wonderful to hear about community connection as we're looking at our highest rates of people dying by suicide and overdose. And connection to your community is one of the main things that can support folks in being successful and living happy, healthy lives. Because they feel connected and valued by their community. So I just want to highlight how important that is for humans. That's right. And the way we do that is we communicate and we talk and we just, we are, we listen and we're present. We develop a relationship. Yes, sir. Not bad. Thank you. Thank you. I'm used in Portland. I work for the law center for the kind of living. And I'm also a Montpelier resident. I'm kind of living in the past right now because I'm trying to follow captions on YouTube, which is the way. So I'm not going to hear a lot of you until 10 minutes later. But we'll get back to that. I want to say what's happening now is that the disability community is really stepping up with the disability community. And I don't know if a lot of folks know that the deaf community did not have ASL interpretation until almost two weeks after the flood. And not many people in the deaf community were directly affected, although many were. And I saw a lot of people stepping up on their Facebook pages and sign language interpretation for each other. Like I said, it's a really hard hearing. A lot of the press conferences that are still on caption. And so I'm looking forward to chatting with them. Can you help us? Can you work with whoever is in charge of this emergency service? You are. So you are connected to people? No, of course not. That's why I'm saying. So write that down on your R&D sheet for an action step. And we also have set and also recorded it. So, yeah, I think one thing that's going well is that the city is convening meetings like this. And that's sort of opening forums for people to speak really well as well. Thank you. One thing that's going well, my goodness, we need to hear that from you. I know that you have that program that we talked about. Yes, what do you do? I think it's brought a lot of different resources to one table to build relationships. So once we get into recovery, which we're starting to go into now, those relationships that we have, I want to get us a little bit further along. Hopefully a little quicker. I feel for you on the state. During the first 48 hours of this one, and it was a challenge at best. So I was very passionate about this. But if you gave me my $24,000, do I appreciate it? What's one relationship that you especially connected with, or are connected with that you hadn't before, that you really feel is increasing our well-being? Sure, yeah. I mean, we have an incredible relationship with Washington County Mental Health and then we started a crisis intervention team. So we've actually brought then kind of a non-traditional crisis intervention team where it's not just going to be a law enforcement, and it's screwed with screeners. And we felt that that fit our community better than what the standard box was for CIT. So we're kind of making it our own. And so those relationships that we have going forward when we respond to these calls, it's not just the cops, it's not just the firemen or whatever, but it's us going together. And that, you know, I also want to applaud, I'm sure, all of us here. There is mental health, but if there is, we don't know. We don't know really. And this connection where now the mental health person is there with you, responding and you making referrals to them, and all that is a very powerful program that I think we're going to keep in the long term. Yeah, and the big piece that we added to it now is the substance-induced piece of attorney coin. So that kind of, it's over-trying. How many people know about the Attorney Coin Center and that? Okay, not everyone. It is one of 14 centers in the state where anyone in the world traveling through Montpelier or Valerie can go into this place and find like-minded people be welcomed without judgment and who are struggling or ready or wanting, but yet not doing it yet to address their additions. And we've got people from presidents to presidents-wise, right, you know, through the community, someone who's homeless, you know, needing those services, and they're free. Okay, and that's a major. And now the police are connected with people who are inebriate or on opiates and drugs and doctors are starting to get connected. It's just great, you know, to have those relationships working together. My name is Julie Pierce. I'm not a provider and a trauma educator. And one thing that's been really working well is I've been working at the food pantry. And we were serving at least a couple hundred people with food, you know, from all the area where we were actually working, the Rainbow Bridge, and it is like the food pantry, the volunteer network is like a well or an oil machine. And right now we're in a temporary space because we're flooded out and we have to move. And where are you going to now? We think we're going to the back of city center basically in a couple of closets, but there's also interest because so many people come into the pantry for social time too. It's, you know, it's a place where people feel safe and there's an interest in creating a resource center for the community. Sounds a little bit like a turning point, but as a place to hang out, a place, a third space where people can connect and actually have someone who maybe need legal help, maybe you just need to, you know, run it by somebody, maybe you just want to sit and have a cup of tea, but we don't have anything like that. So could you put that down on, you know, on your orange sheet? We actually do have something. For an action step, what? We have the sunrise, which is exactly. Can you explain quickly the sunrise? Yeah, it's a peer support in the health drop-in center that has food exercise. Peer support, mental health drop-ins. Yeah, and substance abuse can do it. They have food pantry in there as well. And I think you're also saying, what about just a community in general? Like right now we can go to FEMA, but it's my college, and anybody can go. Yes? Yeah, it's been said. I talked about community connection, and what I noticed is it got down to the real need for community because it's on opening their homes so people can take showers. I mean, that's really, really strong community. And just to talk about the toxic silk, it's one of them where the garbage cans are. They remove them so they can pressure wash the side washers all the way through the streets. Good to know. That's happening when we get upset that there are the garbage cans in there. Okay, Martin. Hi, I'm Martin. I went up the site as the community connectors of just on the street level, working kind of day to day in the cleanup. I've just seen so many people from different walks of life, opening their hearts, and that I hadn't known. People hadn't known each other, landlords, to unhoused people, to people with severe mental health issues. Just coming together to work has created a sense of love and compassion that really has touched me very deeply. I'm going to put love and compassion and empathy really important. They're not just words. They're required of us. And the small touches that have emerged since then, you know, the flowers I think have been really beautiful that some stories have put out and some artwork like the poem in front of the drawing board, if anybody please see that. It's very beautiful. So the art and the natural beauty that's emerging has been really quite touching and beautiful. Thank you so much. So I'm good to be here. Whether it's short term or long term, we want community connections to continue. And even get more in time. That's good. Yeah, I agree with what others have said. Rainbow Bridge Community Center in Berry. I see it as being a very positive resource connecting volunteers who, you know, local homes in need of volunteer efforts as well as just being a hub in Berry for the LGBTQ community. And yes, and thank you so much for pointing out a number of you that this is not just about Montpelier. It is about central Vermont and beyond. Did everybody get a chance to speak once? We're going to take you and then we're moving on to the next guest. One thing that went well was the incredible way that the young people turned out in the immediate aftermath of the flood. And I give a big shout out to Alex from the Parks Department who did a lot of organizing with his Conservation Corps kids. What I'm concerned about and that is happening now look around the room. The youth are not being engaged in this process. I don't know what kind of outreach has happened to invite them or encourage them to join these sessions. But there were more folks and other folks at the first meeting. I think something that needs to happen is a bigger emphasis on outreach, especially as school comes back. To get those same folks who volunteered to talk about what they want to see and what they feel is needed as we go forward. Well, you can put that down there. It could be done in the schools where most of the youth are. It could be done in certain athletic groups even. We can put that down as a very specific action step and really can be taken in the short term. Okay, now we're going to move to your ideas and hopefully they're in the form of a specific action step. Let's just come up with a couple of ideas before I have you going to small group just for a few more minutes so we can each inspire each other. I'm going to throw out an idea that I feel strongly about. It's not just me. It's going to be, it really falls under long term and that the legislature in the state of Vermont make mental health a number one priority. This is me. You don't have to agree with me. Priority. It is time. It is time to learn about it, to understand it and to hear from the experts what we can do about it. And we are doing good things about it. Remember, let's never forget that we're not but we need a more comprehensive approach with targets, multiple targets at the goal. Thomas, you have one. Could you just share one? Because we talked about it earlier. I just want to give an example. I kind of have this short list of a few things but long term it's moving from a rental town to a homeowner's town where everyone owns the home that they live in. And that, how is that? You're thinking it has lots. So pay the richer to us. Short term, it's eviction moratorium, rent control, tax, rentals and Airbnb is more and then the city provides zero interest loans so that renters can buy out the property they live in. So there are ways. There are ways that other communities throughout the United States and other parts of the countries do this. And okay, thank you. Another idea that you know, you want to include right now and yes. Because back then we also just need a lot more housing. We lost a lot of housing and we need to just build a lot more accessible affordable homes. Acceptable affordable homes. Where? Accessible. Accessible. Oh yeah. Yeah. Access. I'm sorry. I think we can have a public process just the court and there are a lot of public processes happening and I think we need to do a lot, a lot more to provide more housing options for people regardless of what their needs are. People are moving out because we don't have enough housing and now we've lost so much already. Okay. What about the Elk's Lodge? That goes on your R&C and the Elk's Lodge project. Yeah. Where is that and what's being built over there? Well that is certainly a space that we as tax payers are investing in and will be in the long term and that is a place that's being looked at. Because we don't have much land but there's land up there. I've heard that the high school have flooded for a second time and it might be good to consider relocating the high school. That's an action step that if you feel is a good, is something that you like to see. I mean personally for me, I'm for that. Taking the high school down and making that a wetland because for me, my vision is that I see a community with a river running through it. And how we get the businesses further up when they go to Montage Green will recreate our center of the city. I don't know. Joe, can I? Yes, sir. Is there a navigation of sites that have potential and then consideration of sites that continuously flood? Is that a fair summary of that? Yes. Okay. You first and then you. Thank you. I'm going to build up on some other people here but I think in the short term I've heard a lot of people talking about the strength of people coming together and sharing resources and that's one of the things that made people feel connected which comes into your health. I wonder, it doesn't seem like it would be that hard. I'm known to be naive about these things to find a way to just solidify those structures or continue them. Like people put it in there, like here's one I'm available, here's what I can do, people reaching out for help, here's what I need. I mean all of us probably did a version of that or showed up and said here's what I need or I have a day, I can do this. Yes. I just feel like there must be a way to keep that going and keep it vibrant. Don't you think that that's one thing that is going well? That we're going. That we have, that Montpelier Live or the city or whoever did it created these links where we can communicate, where we can put our ideas in and also where we can help. But it needs to be more structured. I think more. Okay, got it. I don't know what everybody else thinks is easier to access or something like that. What you're saying is doing that is that there are community needs that are not even necessarily one related to what I'm doing. Maybe there are community needs that are not necessarily one related that people do need support on and that that system that was built maybe doesn't need to go away and can come on a different sort of system for community support. Which is it? Thank you. And it says it's got it. Just on that same note just having a brick and mortar building not just like a link because everybody can access links and having a place where it's safe that's new, that doesn't have any past trauma. It's a new place that's welcoming, that's trauma-informed. I haven't heard a lot about that, but that's the human connection that someone's always here can have a cup of tea or you can maybe get some help with whatever's going on. There is a lot for our community to learn about suicide and suicide prevention. I just went to a two-day training and it basically turns its head on what we're doing. The new research is saying I won't go into that now. But learning about trauma and being trauma-informed we all know someone or we ourselves have dealt with trauma. Why not be really informed? Which would increase the compassion and the empathy. And the understanding and the communication. Now I'd like you to write down take a minute individually and take your pen if you don't have one we'll get you one. And write down one, two, three ideas. If you don't have any ideas great, don't write any. If you have just one that's all we're looking for but if you have three or more write them down. And then after you do that I'd like you to prioritize them as what's most important for you and in your view of the needs of our city and what we would share. Just take two minutes to do that. And that includes everyone here ideas as well. You don't have to put your name on these. You want to? By your means? Your priority is if you had to choose one or two or three. Put one, two, three. So you may have five ideas. We do want them all so we will collect to help you write it so we can read. We'll collect them and put them in our notes. But right now what I'd like to do because we only have 25 minutes left before we have to go back into full group I would like maybe the back table. This table will go first and we can start with your name again. Shannon. Shannon. If Shannon and everybody in the back just stand up and come around oh and I don't know if these are just we're going to put them on here but I don't have to take them. And some of them won't stick. They stick. It's okay. I'll hold them if they don't stick. So why don't you just come up and read your one to three ideas. Come on up. Promise. You got more? Come on up. Are we going to kind of stack like one life and like find the priorities? I'm sorry I didn't hear you. Are we going to find the priorities? Are we going to stack like one life? I think you mean if you both have a similar yes we'll do that but we're not going to do it. Okay. So and then if this side would come up and if you don't have anything don't come up. So this whole take so if you can speak loudly and share. Yes. I think our priority needs to be the blood dealing with the disaster. We do not have a town right now or a downtown and I think that the priority should be to make it safe meaning healthy and viable. And what's one way that you'd like to see it make it healthy but I would like to see that I would like to see whatever section of the government is responsible for public health there hasn't been anyone that's really stepped up give businesses guidance on how and landlords how this needs how to make it safe. I have been proof on the ground through the entire process and knowing what I know I'm not sure that I want to work downtown. I don't I don't try to fight yes but I mean because somebody raised my dynamics Yeah I don't think the public is aware. Okay thank you. Yes. Okay. Number one this is my dream a clean dry apartment for everyone who wants it by the end of October. Two NIMBY proof small three to five person roof homes for various peer mental health peers alcohol peers moms who were running away from their abusive people peers and number three move the high school to a higher ground. Thank you I'll take it. Thank you. Um how about you Yes I actually you were saying in the past week we've come down neighborhood candor those connections to the place and I'd like to see those come back get ahead of a lot face-to-face communications get issues discussed. Yes the neighborhood can proof is going to get a meeting in their neighborhood creating those connections and wellness. Yes please. Um yeah so the first thing is as I said we do a home ownership society with um you know more tax money in order to fund buying out properties by dwellers and the second thing is a better understanding of digital poverty this kind of before the flood I really took note of this in light of the changes to the bus structure where there were a lot of folks who we used to depend on getting on the bus at a particular time and now they have to have an app on their phone to unhouse elderly cognitively disabled and a pair of folks who literally could no longer get to the hospital because of that system and the reason we don't hear from them anymore is because they literally died. So this is unacceptable that was basically a eugenics policy to take away the buses that got people to the hospital. Um and the third thing is uh develop the hills if we have to develop Parker Park I know it's uncomfortable but we might have to do that and then how it is and turn it into a park it's that's a big long term project but eventually we're going to have to do that because you can have forests and when they flood the river gets cleaner and you have you know sewage and diesel the river gets less clean so we're going to have to make big changes and develop more like places that flood. Thank you sir who's next come on up if we could keep moving and just form a line because we want to make sure we have enough time I already said my one but my number two is to support our schools to be a vibrant well-resourced and to the needs of young people so I love the idea of getting um uh library series together where folks are sharing their stories eventually maybe six months down the line because I don't ever want anybody to make any assumptions about a person's situation their identity who they are how they show up in the world and I feel like this disaster is bringing up an opportunity for folks to be seen and heard um and then I have a few more but one that I will share is that I'd love for the Montpelier Foundation to pay for air quality testing and all the downtown buildings and then remediate accordingly yes and actually do that on an ongoing basis because this isn't going away anytime soon from mold to absolutely nobody's talking about mold I'm talking about mold who's next uh at this table come on up thank you do you want this one that you gave to me why don't you right here do you want that one that you gave to me thank you sorry it wasn't that wasn't the slide that started to be the slide that had the contact information for Grena okay that's the contact information for Grena okay I know if anybody wants to volunteer for Grena Day on Saturday the contact I'll put it down there okay Grena for month work slash what resource volunteer I wanted to yeah I'll write it down okay okay my number one prayer is safe and adequately supported housing for everyone including rent control and all of the other strategies that have already been suggested oh yeah thank you thank you yep so I have just two short terms one is with a human coordinator um reach out to people who have a room apartment we need their home many of us have extra space in our houses some of us empty nesters um and what would their ideal match look like and create a list of both really short and midterm housing and help bring those matches to fruition offer follow along supports communication and agreements in a similar way to home share but more on an acute need and then the second one is if we could have something like an ombudsman service to represent or be a person for the city to help people navigate through home repairs and permitting and all those thank you my husband my main point of continuing on this housing team and I've heard some rumblings that this is already maybe in the works but I'd like to see a vibrant Montpelier tenants union so that we can continue building on this connection that we've seen and not let those relationships die out and we know that collective change happens from the bottom up so I don't see it right here yes come on come on I think I've already talked about it but creating more third spaces like a place where people feel really comfortable that's not a rehab center but it could be could be for everything in Montpelier that also helps us feel a sense of purpose the place we go and you can actually volunteer you can help out you can connect with all these things and yeah kind of pierce trauma informed trauma informed trauma informed thank you yeah this is very aspirational okay very aspirational but when people are in crisis sometimes they need an attorney right away and somebody who's going to be on call ready to go into action for free and I'm saying it's aspirational at People's Health and Wellness Clinic medical practitioners go in there for free we have a lot of attorneys there are there are there are essential for non-economic development corporations library center set up in the old library of space in the city center it's the empty space to the right you're facing and they have free attorneys free like financial consultants I do believe that at this point the attorneys are not there all the time okay and that's for the flood we have attorneys in Montpelier who live here who can be on call when something goes down maybe help with the police team you know if there's an RFA that's needed I'm talking about maybe really help that people need that they can not afford and in voluntary convince we need to get out of there because they don't belong and she is a lawyer okay and this group you guys come on two stand in line thank you I'd like to see access for all that means plain language American Sign Language captioning websites usable by screen readers for the blind and visually impaired and my biggest priority is what we like to say nothing about us without us okay put it up also don't assume gender identity yes one of my about housing thank you to all of the people who yeah who said lots of ideas that I had not heard of before and also connecting Montpelier to the surrounding towns to share resources and support because we have so much here and so many what is your wife's business me oh okay that was nice that was that's great thank you thank you the thing that I would like to see is homeless support services continuing I know that homeless support has been there but it relies so much on volunteers and the coordination was difficult it would be great if the city and the state were more supportive of homeless services and we moved it from volunteers to maybe more professional services and the second one this woman talked about a housing referral system where housing that's available could be published housing that's needed could be published and there could be some coordination and try those together great yes come on up Martin and Frank yes yeah affordable accessible new safe resilient options for housing and then my second one was language access options and continued language access options outside of times of crisis starting with an assessment of needs the city still haven't done any language assessment child care at all future meetings and racial and identity conflict mitigation processes so accountability for the city and for independently harmed individuals thank you oh you've got more okay Martin we can move along we've just got 10 minutes and we've got to come up with our three priorities or one my guess I guess would be air quality and general atmosphere and so I want to propose an event for around healing it's a twilight community sing and smudging with Sage I actually smudged the capital stationary side of the block the other day and would like to continue doing that through up and down main and state street with singing and music I'm just going to put this under the more housing because more housing but I'm also you know short term and long term wondering like are folks from Vermont Housing and Conservation Board in the room where are we at with Act 250 being revised and what can Montpelier and the surrounding towns do to move that conversation forward thank you okay so now we have a number of action ideas yes this is sorry this is bad development of mental health I realize this is a great opportunity to let people know that the trauma trauma response network from from the local ampere network is available to provide up to 10 sessions of free ampere trauma therapy to anybody who needs it and I think it's more information that I can touch on if you like it's basically a volunteer based effort to respond to the fund thank you please pass the word on to people on the board okay so help me and Seth come up with let's do this together what were the key categories housing housing anything about housing in particular that you've heard inadequate at this moment okay housing to the need okay okay so housing affordability and places to be and everyone gets asked I think immediate solutions I mean like the country club project that's 10 years down the road but the home sharing you know somehow coordinating people with that space with people who need space it's a more immediate you know short-term either short-term the sense that someone's needs are short-term or it can be implemented more quickly then building stuff okay because culture is coming so it's clear housing what's what's another priority mental health yes and what about in particular education resources and support safer spaces and recognition third spaces are you are we trying to come to a number one suggesting action stuff is that what we're trying to do well right now it's a mostly general factor right now what we're hearing is is that housing is right but mental health is too we don't know we're not at that point yet okay I thought that's what we were supposed to bring back yes it is detoxification cleaning the air cleaning the ground cleaning the spaces mold mold bacteria cleaning testing yeah cleaning testing and also information sharing yes like seems like sort of a category that is awareness yeah okay that's a short-term right yeah what else did you hear what would you really like to see right after okay let's take housing what's one specific idea that really jumped out of you and we said short-term work with the resources that we have with people in that community to find places within homes okay is there anything that does that already here in central Vermont I mean I know home shares often home shares home shares often here it is and I wonder if even like the senior center could be a close to being placed for that network yeah okay so and and mental health making it a priority in legislature in this town and in our larger community so let's say we've got three things here which one goes first housing mental health we're cleaning up testing information sharing detoxing our air water in streets okay what's the rating system like for yeah in order to know how to rank them I would like to know what the rankings will be which one do we have the best leverage in our community which one do we have the most you know resources energy support that could be something that gets done quicker than something that does yes I mean if that's the realistically the thing that could probably get done quickest would be cleaning up all the toxic moisture yeah yeah safely yeah yeah and then certified by some credible entity but I'm saying we need to look ourselves for the resources rather than looking at the government right now short term like you can look some of this stuff up on the internet that's what I'm saying that that's a short term number one priorities yeah detox but maybe a community group that comes together to work on this and you're in it the issue is that there has been no standard standards that right so you have this guy over here doing one thing this building hasn't even been down yet so you know I mean my walls were open after two weeks and the mold was this thing so how is it in a space that has not even the walls haven't been opened or hasn't been removed so but there's no there's no standard for what needs the bare minimum of what needs to be accomplished you know they can do what you want but when you're having the time I'm going to interrupt you there so can we have come to consensus that this be our first priority no only because I'm hearing this person say we don't have the leverage to make it our first priority and have it really mean anything so at this point I'm concerned that maybe it should be third because okay okay okay if this is a priority we're going to make this happen we're going to get the standards in we're going to call the people in and we're going to hurt you know pressure on them housing we're housing healthy first yeah so finding homes for everyone before winter before the cold really sets in and that means for everyone so is that a good doable short term I think that I think that we've got a lot of good resources and people who are really interested and if we say that this is this is what we want this is where we want to start big time you know then it's very targeted and then mental health what about mental health for me I want it as another one priority but what do we want for mental health yes I mean if we're talking short term and doable and I think yes to all the things I'm a psychiatric nurse practitioner it's my thing mental health but like oh you are but I think in the short term what's doable and what's also coming out of prevention okay it's the third spaces it's like those third spaces say that again third spaces third spaces places together places together we need to get the isolation have people have a place to gather okay so I'd like you in a word just grow out just popcorn what did you like about this this meeting and time together let's put a close to a long room thank you and what what else did you like all voices were heard all voices were heard what else respectful respectful okay and anyhow about for the next time we get together at these small group meetings how could we do it a little more right some food food don't assume gender identity don't ever assume gender identity that is really a big support more small group time more small group time certainly are we sure we're putting you yes okay thank you so let's all come together in a good discussion thank you