 So I see Deborah has joined us, welcome Deborah. So it is 632 and I am calling the CSS JC meeting to order 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 instructions below. No in person attendance of members of the public will be permitted but every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceedings in real time via technological means. So I'm just going to go around and make sure everyone can hear and be heard. Starting with Philip. Here. Thank you. Freke. Hi, present. Hello, and Deborah. Thank you. So everybody can hear heard. We also have with us Jennifer moisten from the DEI department and Earl Miller from press department. First we can go over the agenda and then we will go through the agenda. So we will start with announcements. Public comment member reports. Action and discussion items to include the crests update the DEI update. The follow up on the email to the town council. Police chief search youth empowerment center status of committee. Then, and again with public comment and any further meeting agenda setting. Does anybody have any announcements. Oh, I guess it's not necessarily an announcement, but I guess I received an email which I'm sure you all probably received it from your own district. But this is from my, I guess my district representative Lynn Lynn. The representative of my district. Anyway, saying something about, you know, for people to send in information about where they should spend the remaining 4.8 million dollars of opera funds and asking people for for suggestions and things like that. And it's interesting because with Lynn's email to, you know, to the residents that they should to residents. She only talked about like the installation of solar canopy at a high school senior center kitchen upgrade and activity space community grants, roads and sidewalks. But I'm thinking it might be interesting for us to, you know, kind of write something and send it to them. And obviously for me, first on this would be the youth empowerment center, but the multicultural and just kind of look at our instance and see what we want might want to recommend, but I think we should do that as a as a committee. Did any of you receive a similar email from your district. I did not receive one from district to. I know that the town council and the town manager's office is being inundated with people's suggestions and they're very various they're from Amherst media to roads to the senior center so I it is, I do suggest that you guys write something and then send it out to your, you know, network to help kind of encourage. She's saying to send it to a bottle man as well as the town council and then what's. Oh, and then another what what is the Amherst mass.gov council comments. That's where council gets comments then, Jennifer. Yes, yes, that. And then those count those comments are placed into like a packet for the next meeting or they're shared broadly. Those would be like available for the public versus the emails that just go directly to the town council though so like they kind of like the school committee if you send in a comment they'll put the ones that have like the special public comment. Notation up on their screen during meetings town council doesn't put them up on the screen but they are available for other members of the public to peruse on the website. So if you do it through the council comments. Yeah, because I think we should obviously like just, you know, copy every, you know, all of these different folks and then anyone else we want to copy you know, I think. So, so should I send, should I forward this to you Jennifer and then you can share it with the rest of the committee members. Jennifer, like, sure. I got from Lynn. Sure, I can forward that on. Yeah. Because then you will have the same information that I have. Because yeah, I thought that that was really interesting. Deborah, do you have any bandwidth to put together a email or like a draft from our committee or do you want me to take it. Just because I'm going to be on vacation. Like in today's. No work on vacation. Yeah, I have to kind of get done before then. So yeah, I wouldn't even be able to take this on. But I think like we could, you know, maybe just do something like each of us can maybe take a section then or something like that or maybe you could do a draft and then we could all kind of put our input into it. I think it has to be to, I think we can also just cut and paste from everything else. I think we've already sent 10 million things. I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel here. I mean, if it was something as simple as, you know, the CSS JC asks that you allocate our funds to the previously stated CSWG recommendations, including grass DEI. Yeah, but I think the only thing that I would say differently and then obviously Philip can say anything else would be just to put youth empowerment as a number one just because of everything that happened last year was just July 5. I just think that that's really a top priority right now. Philip and Freke do you have any ideas contrary to what's been said or in support of what's been said or I don't have anything different. I think that that makes sense. What's been said. I think it's a good idea in so far as other members of the community are going to be doing likewise. We are simply contributing our voice to what everyone else will be seeing. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, because they're asking they're asking for feedback on what to spend the remaining $4.8 million opera funds on. And I think that they are having their meeting on the 17th. So is it okay with everyone if I write what I just said prioritizing youth empowerment center and send it on our behalf by Friday. Yeah, okay with people. Because it's. Yep, that works for me. Yeah, I would be good. All right, I will do that. Let me just put that reminder in my phone. So that I don't forget. Let's see. Other announcements. Is anybody anybody. Nobody public comment. I'm not seeing any members of the public with us right now. So I think we can reserve public comment for the end. If anyone joins before then. Any reports from any members about any thing. I have like just a quick kind of update, just because Earl had kind of mentioned at our last meeting that myself, Earl, some of the responders Brianna, as well as Russ, we took part in a panel with the Smith College School of Social Work. And it was really great conversation and panel and we kind of gave, while Brianna put together, you know, a slide presentation based on some of the reports that her and Lisa had presented previously, kind of going over the history and you know the WG came up with and so myself, Russ and Brianna kind of went over it. Then after that, then Earl came on to talk about crests and two of his responders and so I think it was really well received and I think, you know, there was a lot of engagement from the audience where, you know, a variety of different participants, but most of them obviously focus on the social world, social work world. But I think it was a good opportunity to kind of, you know, talk about the work that CSWG did and then obviously crests too. So I don't know if you want to add anything, Earl. No, I would just echo that it was a really, it was a nice time it was the first time that we've gotten to present. I think with kind of community side of things and I hope it's something we get to do more often I think it's nice to tell both sides of that story together. Exactly, it was really nice. And was that for current students or anybody could go or it was an open conference they had CU so it was mostly social workers but I believe there were some folks who just work in behavioral health as well. Bummed, I missed that. I would have liked to. Hopefully there will be more opportunities. I'm sure they will. The word is getting out in different ways into different audiences. It's nice to hear. Anybody else have any updates or what are we calling it reports. Nothing from you, Philip. Nothing from you. No, but I have anything. Okay. So I guess we can hear from Earl about how Chris is going. It's summer so things have slowed down. I think this is this is our first summer so I don't think we were quite as prepared as I'd hope for the abrupt slowdown it was, you know, middle of June. We kind of have to switch gears a little bit. I'm really happy with a couple calls that I just want to highlight that happened over last month. One is literally the law changed to where folks didn't need documentation to get driver's licenses, and we got our first person in through that the Thursday following we had been really looking for folks who might benefit from that change in policy, and we wanted to capitalize on it so for the person who received it, it was really helpful. It meant not having to go through some very arduous processes. And it's something we were really grateful and we really want to broadcast that to the community who maybe doesn't have documentation that they are able to get licenses and if they need support around that, they can absolutely reach out to Crest we have the capacity to do that. Matt Newman and Rome Cabrera went to Colorado to the ITGA the international town gown association conference and presented on Crest, which was, I think just a really important way to highlight the work of being in a college town the benefits and the challenges that come with that, along with Chief Nelson and Chief Ting to talk about the kind of behind the scenes processes. For Rome it was his first work trip it's something really proud to see responders getting the chance to go out there and represent the department and do so really well. Our vehicles are all in I may have mentioned that at the last meeting, I may mention that at every meeting for a while I'm very happy that we have wheels now. It's been a real change for us. Before that, we were often kind of at the whim of other departments and the ability to access our vehicles. We have started a really nice relationship with tapestry. They will be coming in every Tuesday to help us with kind of supporting folks around harm reduction to learn from each other, and to really kind of have a mutually beneficial relationship as we have some shared goals and which is really exciting. We are hoping to begin dispatching 901 the middle of next month. I have done the pieces that I can do and I'm just kind of waiting for the permission to go. We are as prepared as we can be to go. We have a new member of our team we did fill our program assistant role with Luis algorithm, I believe is how you say his last name and I will make sure I get that right next time. I previously worked at the middle school supporting students with IEPs brings another Spanish speaker to our team which is a real need for us, but also just brings in a really lovely attitude and now means that we have someone who is full time kind of helping people as they come into the space which we think will kind of allow us to capture more folks who are coming into the office is there are moments where we are stretched really thin these days. Finish the first half of our data, kind of collaborative with UMass Donahue Institute, have a real sense of the tool we'd like to use and how we'd like to do that. We change some of our reporting standards. Allegra I think you probably know this better than most. It's hard to find reporting systems that don't force you to say things about people that don't force you in the boxes around gender or race or any of those things so we've really been able to develop our own system that allows us to, you know, allows us to capture people's full identities as they identify them which is really important for us in our work. I believe that's it for now. We are in the midst of training season so once a week we have a four hour kind of just training session. Yesterday was VC VC from the wildflower Alliance which is a kind of pure connection modality. We have some conflict de-escalation trainings coming in. And the folks in the community are looking we are now beginning to offer a de-escalation training free of price to anyone in Amherst we'll start next week with the recover project in Greenfield which we some community members go to and ask us to help them out with that. And then we'll be doing one for businesses in town and really the goal is as much as we want to show up when we can, increasing the capacity of folks in town to deal with conflict in ways that don't need a 901 response and to hopefully kind of increase that capacity as we go. So, again, just if folks in town are looking for training on anything they think we might do, please reach out. We want to either train with you if it's a new thing for us or offer the training to folks if it's something we can. And come on in Rome one of our one of our teams will be offering a childhood trauma training, starting in the fall. We got a national certification alongside the trauma informed Hampshire County folks so they've been in a eight month process of going through the training to do this and we're really excited to be able to offer it to folks in the community and for responders to start being able to do trainings and supporting folks in that way to. So I think that's it I'm sure there's been a million things I'm hot. My office is a little hot and so I'm doing the best I can with a hot day so glad to answer any questions I Jennifer I see your hand up. I just have a point of order and that was can you repeat what cat and Rome attended. It, it, I believe it's an international town gown association, but I will correct myself with, I will get the information to you if it's different. Sorry. No that's okay. I'm working on talking slower. I know too many acronyms man. We've got a lot. Deborah. Thanks so much for the update. So, I guess a couple of questions just like more clarification. One is so the program assistant I know you said greeter, but I'm assuming what are some of the other past that this, this person will be doing and, and how are you all paying for the, for this program assistant is a grant. Is it something that's in the budget already. Yeah, this is a budget position. The only grant funded position is cat Newman's implementation manager position. This is our main administrative position so things like payroll, you know, making sure that folks are getting the benefits training. This person will be kind of putting together our, our record keeping system, we have one now but we're hoping that we still be around for a while so he can develop a system that really works for him. So, with some of the data pieces, we had the council state government grant. We're starting a new grant with the Harvard Kennedy Center in the next month. He'll be a part of helping out with that. He is not a deployable staff. And really, we identified that what we've learned is that if you can be deployed, you will be deployed and we really do need someone to make sure that the administrative tasks are done so. He's purely administrative and he'll be in, as far as greeter his office is just where the window is when you come in. So literally, you know, kind of being the consistent person in the office. We really did look for beyond just the administrative background, a customer service background. We want this to be someone who can also support us to engage. We have a lot of folks coming up now for things that don't even really rise to the level of a crest response. They're just looking for, you know, Googleable connections to resources. So that also will be part of the job. And he's been in it for two days. So, you know, we'll look at capacity and things after he's been around for a while. Okay, good. No, that's good. I'm happy that that's happening, but I just wanted to know given all the budget questions and things like that that, you know, I'm happy that it's also part of the budget and everything. It will be long term because you all definitely need someone to kind of deal with all of the kind of administrative, you know, paperwork and also greater and so on so forth and someone to kind of stay at home base while you all are out and about. So yeah, that's excellent. Congratulations. I have two more questions though one is around the, you know, this patch. So I do know that you were saying that yeah you all have done everything that you could but things are still kind of held up. Can you kind of say a little bit more about that because I think it'll be important for our committee to know because then we if we need to motive, you know, motivate to kind of get support for crests because you know that was one of the things that CSWG wanted was for, you know, crest to be, you know, go into, you know, the system so that people could just call in that you all could be deployed that way. So yeah, could you share a little bit more because I think I know more about it because we talked at the panel, and you kind of shared a little bit about that but could you kind of talk more about that please. So the kind of final place we where we are is the approval of the police chief and dispatch director. And so, you know, we are providing as much information knowledge we have the policies we've had a dispatch policy and paper since February, we have general policies that, you know, direct the conduct in the response of crest responders since February, but where there's a last minute review of those happening. But those are the folks who need to approve along with. I believe this being impacted by some union bar some union negotiations with the dispatch union so and police union so, those are things that the town manager would need to answer a kind of the part of why I'm saying that I've done what I can do is the decision points are that I can make have already been made I've kind of ran through the input points the things I can do so now we are in a little bit of a waiting place until the town manager police chief and dispatch director make their final decisions. So have they given you all any type of heads up at terms of when is this going to happen. I mean what they have they said, Well, listen, we're talking to XYZ PDQ and therefore, it'll happen in this day and this time because obviously, if there isn't a day and time, that means it can be God knows when so. My sense is we're talking a matter of weeks not months. So, you know, my, my hope is that this will happen during the summer my, my expectation is that this will happen during the summer. But that's, you know, as far as I don't want to make promises for days that I can't decide. Okay. So I'm sorry if that wasn't a satisfying answer but it's kind of the best I got. Oh, I get it because obviously the ball is not in your court you've done all that you could on your end now the ball is in, you know, Paul Bachman and, and, you know, the dispatch folks and also the union to kind of get things going so that this can get, you know, finalized and that you all can give be given the green light to be able to, you know, to have dispatch dispatch calls to you and things like that. So, so that's why I'm saying, you know, is there something, you know, you know, should, should be because we have a we have a letter out to the town council and Bachman so on so forth which I know we're going to get an update, but this could be something that we could tack on. You see what I'm saying. Yeah. It's absolutely. It's critically important to me that we get moving on this. I guess my sense is that if this thing is a matter of weeks and that I think we're, we're kind of at the crest point and there isn't much need for that. I would say we're still having this conversation in September I'll need all the help that I can get. Okay. Okay. All right, I mean I like to hear from others. I have one more question but I'd like to hear from others like what do you all think about this. Okay, or Phillip have anything that they want to say. But I certainly have concerns if it's continuing to be pushed off I mean, I guess, I don't know if I made up July in my head or if that's what originally might have been quoted to us. And again, I will say it's it's been my hope every month since, you know, for a long time. Okay, so then I guess then what we could do is revisit this. Like you said, you know, I think you're willing to give this a little bit of time. But like you said by September, when we when we have our meeting in September, this hasn't been resolved and we need to, we need to make sure that we bring in this forward. I certainly agree. I, and I don't know if Earl can give a satisfying answer to this question but is there resistance is that the problem or is it you know, I certainly think there are, we, there are still doubters of crests I think there are still folks who are, you know, whether, you know, it's not my place to say whether it's reasonable or not but who are worried about it there's concerns about things like liability. I think it's important to say that I get the concerns about us being a new thing in Amherst but we are not a new thing nationally. There's an article that came out in the Times today about this being one of the kind of most innovative things to come out of the reform around the murder of George Floyd. The Harvard cohort will be in we will be in that with Baltimore in Chicago. There are major cities. So, I think there's, I think there's always going to be resistance to something that's new and something that feels different for folks and, you know, my answer to anybody on that is, we have since September demonstrated an ability to deal with incredibly complex situations without the need for anyone to come in behind us. The responder in the country has been killed in the history of this work, and Amherst has a much safer crime rate than a lot of those so you know Chicago is starting there as it seems like it's probably time. And I guess. I just. I can ask your last question first. Yeah, let me just ask one, one final question so I'm taking a lot of airtime but just wanted to, you know, take the opportunity is just like, you know, just kind of like talking to different community members. One of the things because remember one of the things that CSWG wanted was to make sure that the police department would not be responding to anything that was nonviolent right, which again comes back to that point of, you know, we weren't responding to noise complaints and any type of complaints that doesn't include, you know, doesn't won't, won't lead to our, you know, doesn't start out with like violence right. So, so and I know that you've said obviously capacity and time and so on so forth and you all are going to kind of work towards that. One of the things to and obviously, you know you all just started and I'm sure you're thinking about this but kind of talking to different community members around crest which everyone's really excited about. But we also want you all to have to be able to do most with your time. One, and then two to make sure that the police can kind of get get pulled back right from from these types of things, especially given what what transpired last year in July 5, which was a noise complaint and how it went terribly terribly wrong. So, one of the things is, you know, a lot of times when I hear you all talk about what crest is doing which is all great work. It does seem like you all have very hands on with a lock. You see I'm saying and you all are getting utilized hands on for a lot of things a lot of like social services type of things right, which is great. However, CSWG where we envisioned was that. Yeah, you could, you can kind of help out for maybe one two times or whatever then after that is kind of like a handoff, you know, a really kind of not just hey here here's a referral and go your way, not that you know but a handoff like okay here we're bringing you to this. You know, agency or what have you were introducing you to Joe Joe Schmoe and he is Joe Schmoe he's great blah blah blah. And now Joe Schmoe kind of does the day to day. Right. So, so those are the things that I guess I'm starting to picture and some of the community members were starting to have to those conversations, because like you said you know capacity is one one of things obviously budget. So, and I know that when we've had conversations around budget I know you've been kind of a little bit wary about like well you know budget is what it is. So, so I guess it's more so kind of like okay how can you all time be utilized the best way possible to then be able to do more so that the police are called in less, because ultimately right that was what we were trying to look at when the alternative program to policing is what would be the alternative, so that we don't have to, you know so that the community doesn't have to call them as often. And so if then if the community is not going to call them as often that means you're going to be calling you all right. So, so yeah, so, you know, what are your thoughts about that because I mean I guess, again, like I said you all are new and everyone wants to use you and I want to use you from point a, until point Z. You might be able to do point eight to point C you might be able to do point eight to point C, and then a handoff to an agency so. Yeah, so firstly I would say we have not turned down a call that's coming to the office. We have. I think we talk a lot about the social service he thinks because I just think they're easier to talk about then the kind of angry person we show them calm down and just kind of move along that happens fairly frequently. So, I think there's just a matter of the calls coming in as we will prioritize 911 calls we will prioritize calls for people in crisis, as a, you know, have the most imminent risk to folks. And the more we get of those, we're already looking to transition some of our cases back to providers or two providers. I do think it's important to just say that it is not infrequently that we hand off a case and then it just lands back with us that the we don't have the staff, and it most often happens to black and brown people. We provide a handoff to a service, we think things have gone. Well, you know we've supported up to the point that we think it's a natural place for us to step back, and then two weeks before the person is we're getting a call because they're back in crisis, the transportation to the provider fell through the clinician left the clinic the program doesn't take their insurance that was a big one we experienced this year, or frankly, a not a significant amount of folks have lost their mass health out of nowhere so we hope that as the kind of system increases its capacity, we're able to do more handoffs we would love to get people back to community providers who are going to be the providers that you for most of your life right your therapist the social workers at those places. There are, I don't think there is a provider that that large provider that operates in in Amherst that we haven't had some challenges with. So, we have a social service meeting we're trying to orient those things the best we can. But it is, it is worth mentioning that there is a crisis in the provider space and it is it is impacting us. It's not that we're kind of wanting to keep engaging but the situation just keeps bouncing back to crisis, because there's not even a kind of medium level of support and you know one of the one of the most frightening pieces for me is how many people are getting their providers are not able to provide them transportation for injectable medications, which are really dangerous medications to just stop taking. And we are having to step into those situations, fairly frequently so that's that's the answer is one we would love we hope that as now one calls come in we will prioritize those things because we do know that that's our where public safety agency, that's what we need to be doing. And we def we very much need help from community providers to increase their capacity and I would I would just say, having more offices in North Hampton does not help people are not wanting to get on a bus for 45 minutes to go to North Hampton to do a thing that historically they've been able to do in Amherst. And I understand that particularly for folks who have experienced challenges with with the PVTA, which is not a small number of folks so it that that I'm sure I hope you can hear I think about this thing a whole bunch. It is, it is, we are not the best long term support for people, we are just not. And we really would like for folks to have more access to supports. Yeah, but as I was saying that was never what we had envisioned anyway for you all to be like long term support and of course you know not to say that we don't want to. I mean that's why you are there is the help. But again, like you said right the focus is public safety. And, you know, and even though obviously public safety delves into a bunch of different things that will be social service to right because you're trying to address the whole person, but doesn't necessarily mean that it press has to address the whole person. I can do that the kind of connection and that hand off to these social service agencies. But yeah, you know I get it that a lot of social service agencies, you know, I have an issues and things like that. But it's just something that obviously just so you know, or obviously that I'm thinking about other community members of thinking about, because, you know, we want to make sure that you all kind of stay, you know, on point in terms of you know the mission and vision and things like that. Thank you. Thank you. Freke, I said that you had your hand up did you still want to say something. I was hoping to read a bit more out. I can't really hear you freke. Can you hear me. Yeah, now. Okay, yeah I was saying I'll mention an article, and I just wanted to know what the title of the article in the times is so that I could read up on it. I will get that for you right now. The, it's the title is the overlooked enduring legacy of the George Floyd protests. And it's time magazine just put those sorts of things are coming out all the time when we were in DC at the Georgetown convening DOJ was there saying some of the same things that this sort of, you know, having a practical narrative was more important than was was as important as kind of reforming what already existed that. And so, you know, I think you're just hearing lots of lots of movement north Hampton is starting their department there and training Cambridge is starting a department. And there are various communities throughout the Commonwealth that are exploring this that I think one of the most exciting things in the last two months. It's not just Western mass doing this we have Cambridge with us and something we really look forward to is is the growth of this because, certainly, it will be easier the more departments there are. We are fighting every fight for the first time. And while that it's exciting. I hope it's memorable I hope we put up a good fight where we can. It is, it is very tiring. Thank you. I got the article and I got the email from Jennifer. Thank you. The other thing just to mention to folks is for the rest of the summer I'll be taking Fridays off. This is an attempt I'm never going to give my I can't take a week off right now I don't feel like the baby's out of the crib yet. But I do need to take care of myself a little bit and I have my son up for the summer so I just, if folks are looking for me in town my days will go down by one and I'm not going to make an apology for that I hope that everybody is doing the things they need to do to take care of themselves. Thank you for you. Yeah, I'm glad to hear that. And I, I'm glad to hear the update about the department it sounds like you're so moving along. I would be interested to see and I know I keep on saying this but you know in terms of comparison. I just think of summer as being a time where there's so much idle time for so many people, especially youth that like you think that there might be some increase in need of services there in terms of like getting them into something productive. So we did a we did a we that was our last big rush of the year was I would say from the last day of school for about 10 days. We were desperately trying to find summer camp placements for kids. And we were able to be successful and most of those we were able to get some kids in the state camps local camps. This year now that we know that that'll be a big need. We're looking to build some relationships through the school year to be able to offer some some easier handoffs. And, you know, I would say, you know, we, we're not seeing an increase in challenge with kids. We are seeing kind of a severity issue. So sometimes when we show up to cause there's also now the kind of dehydration effect like if you've ever worked with somebody who has mental health challenges on a normal basis and now they haven't drank water for a few hours they've been out in the sun. We're seeing that kind of increase. We're seeing a big uptick in folks with dementia and wandering, and I would encourage folks if you see a neighbor and need, please reach out to someone. Because we're, we're having folks just sometimes we brought up to our office, and then there's a challenge of figuring out where they live. So if you have someone in your community who's a wanderer, please do feel free to reach out to us we would love to engage with that person before we run up upon them, particularly so we know where to bring them back to and who supports them. But that's, you know, there's an increasing challenge around dementia in town. And, you know, I think sometimes we can think of that as just a problem for the elderly, but it is very much an intergenerational challenge. And there are folks of all ages all means right now really being impacted by the lack of nursing home beds by lack of hospital beds. I just think about those caregivers an awful lot. It's a very challenging thing and I appreciate folks trying their best. Thank you. And I would say we, we, this is a small window, I would say we're going to get till probably early July. And then we expect things to start to pick up soon as, as school starts and families try to get back to school things we're doing a ton of work right now to figure out what the back to school support system looks like and how to help young people navigate that. You know, I know that not everybody has easy access to the things you need to get back to school so we're working with as many folks as we can to help with that access. Sorry if that was a long answer Bob I appreciate it like and I think at the end of the summer. I hope to have a better sense of the numbers. I would just offer that call volumes are down all around. And we don't know whether that's kind of the first real post pandemic year people are breathing a little different or maybe everybody's going on vacation for the first time but it looks like kind of townwide all services the calls are down a little bit. Does anybody else have any questions or comments regarding crests. Just, I'll be reaching out to folks we're looking to plan some things in September for our year anniversary. And so we definitely will be reaching out to this group as well as members of the CSWG to talk about involvement in that. I think to Deb's point to Deborah's point earlier, also thinking about how do we talk about how we got here and how can we encourage other communities to go through what is a challenging. And I wouldn't say it was easy but a process that is doable and that has been demonstrated in Amherst to be doable. Let us know about that for sure. Absolutely. All right I'll get out of here Jennifer shows yours. See you all soon. All right on to DEI updates. Yes, so the director is unable to join us due to a conflict with the class that she's taking from the ADL on the course ends next week. And she will attend the next meeting so she wrote up a write up so Juneteenth celebration. She cooperated with the HRC and the town sponsored events and a large crowd that came and went throughout the day. Enjoyed three music performers to dance performers and a number of craft and food vendors was an estimated 200 and people 250 people and attendant throughout the day and the reports from the other events that were held at Mill River, the Mill District and the ancestral bridges events were also well attended. We had the reading of Frederick Douglass's speech on July 5. There were approximately 25 people there. And then there wasn't like a discussion after the reading. And then she spoke, she wrote about the Youth Empowerment Center so I don't know if you want me to wait for that piece or if you want me just to talk about it now because it's listed as an agenda item so we can talk about it then. Yeah, we can talk about it then. Okay. And so the DEI and crests are still anticipating an AmeriCorps member who will be working exclusively on youth empowerment issues in the interim, the DEI staff are giving some thoughts to the types of programming to be offered. It is understood that there is a desire for the youth to have some autonomy over the subject matters. Some programming must be preplanned however there will be ample opportunities for the youth to have autonomy over the future plans and the funding of the events and activities must comply with legal and fiscal parameters which will require input from the DEI staff. So cultural events and workshops planning for the 2023-2024 fiscal year is underway. DEI hopes to establish an event committee. There is no contract, no contract has been finalized with for Rob the DEI director and the finance director are working to secure a final contract. And the DEI director has begun a draft of a year in review document to document the work of the department, both successes and challenges so that recommendations can be made regarding goals for the 2023-2024 year. And that that was it. And you said that they were working on finalizing a contract for Rob. Does that mean that a vendor has been identified or a contractor that whatever they're going to call that. Like somebody had submitted a quote, had responded to the RFP that came out and it's a national organization that has ties to local area. And I think they're trying to finalize the contract with them. So there is an identified contractor that will be doing the Rob work. We're hoping yes depending on. Yeah. Well I guess yeah that's the thing. So you said that there's a contractor already or there isn't. No they're working on a contract with only one person responded to the RFP. And so they're working to negotiate a contract with them. Wasn't that the RFP ever sent to us. I don't know if she sent it to you. I don't, I don't recall receiving it but I know I get a lot of emails so I could have missed it can you send that to us again please. I can't send that tonight but I can tomorrow. Okay, I'll talk to her about it and and and let her know she'll send it. Yeah, yeah, because it definitely it's important because like I said, you know, I know I did and I think the other members who had an issue with some of the things that that you know Paul Bachman had put in that report which kind of went over things that CSWG already did in regards to Rob. And so we wanted to make sure that those things were not in the RFP. So it's not wasting all our time and the contract this time and this person we just get to do in the work of putting this board in place. Yeah, if you can send that because if if it was sent, I could have missed it. I'm not saying it wasn't I could have missed it so if we could send it out really appreciate it. And yeah and you know just keep us posted, you know even if the contractor, you know the contract does just get done if you could just send that to us or let us know when that happens because obviously that's something that's really urgent and, you know, hopefully needs to be put in place like I said yesterday. Because given the fact that the community doesn't have a place really to go to to complain about the police. And then the other thing you said too was that the AmeriCorps person or what have you isn't isn't hired yet. But again, and I guess we'll talk more about the youth empowerment because later, because we definitely need to discuss that, you know, that's great, but, you know, we need to figure that out in terms of the youth empowerment situation. We can, we can talk about that later in the agenda. I do want to say two other things. Thanks, Jennifer for, you know, sending out the meeting, you know, the links and the reminders and the note, you know, and agenda beforehand really appreciate it because that kind of, you know, gets me to kind of refocus and focus on this group which I think is critically important. And then to the Juneteenth event was really wonderful Jennifer and I know that you obviously, you know, one of the main people involved in it as well as the Amity Day 2. That was really wonderful. So thank you so much for all your efforts and everything that you've been doing to really showcase, you know, diversity within this, this community and really highlight it and making a priority with these events. So, thank you. Thank you. Much appreciated. So, Phillip or Freke, do you have any questions, comments? No, I don't have anything is this Phillips last meeting. Yeah, it is. Yes, it will be my last meeting. I don't know that anybody has anything to say after that Phillip that's just. I suppose we can move along if there's nothing more here and I just I would like to echo what Deborah did say I think that the events that you've been working to put on have been wonderful. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make the Juneteenth event but I did make the race Amity Day and the old young basketball tournament and the human rights heroes. It was a lot of things happening all at once and very well attended and it was just nice to see the community coming together and in the joyful celebration. So thank you for your work on that. I guess we can talk about the follow up to the town to the email to the town council. Let me see. Let me see if I can bring that up. I'm sorry to see if I can screen share. Are you seeing the leather. It says you are screen sharing but we don't I just see a blank space. First screen. Yeah. There you go. So this is the letter that was sent to the town council. And it outlines the summarizes again the letter packet project thing that we sent prior to our last meeting with them. And request a response by June 30th and the only response that I received was that they'd received my email. So, I am I on. Can you see me on top of the email and then I think maybe because you have me in. For your the way that you have your viewing setup options do you see that. I see you and I don't see anybody else but I also have a hard time when I screen share so now does it just say you're sharing screen. Yeah, but now I'm at the bottom. Yeah, so I know I'm going to unscreen share because I feel like it's not really helpful. I mean that was the letter that was sent and basically asked for a response by. Oh dear. What's happening. Am I still here. So, there was no response is basically the update that I have. So, I don't have any suggestions as to how to proceed because I feel like any letter that we send is just going to be not responded to in a meaningful manner. I was acknowledged receipt and that was about it and I don't believe that anything was mentioned during the town council meeting on the 26 regarding CSS JC and next steps. I was not able to attend the whole thing. So I, I could be mistaken but I, as far as I am aware, there was no further communication or discussion about it. So, I might I suggest that you re reach out to possibly Lynn just because that response is typical to what when people send emails, there's not a lot of comment made so and I know. I don't understand if you feel like how many times you have to reach out but I would just. I'm not quite sure what you would say in that email but I would suggest reaching back out, but I understand the back and forth with it it's frustrating. Deborah. Yeah, I don't know about reaching back out to them because, again, like we've reached out to them already several times I think we need to kind of figure out like alternatives. One is I thought it was liaisons from the town council that was supposed to be attending our meetings. I don't even see them in attendance. And I haven't really seen any of them in attendance for quite a while. So that might be a way to go is to, you know, contact one of the liaisons and kind of, you know, really state frustrating this is and really how they how they're basically doing business and stuff like that. But that's for me, you know, I don't really take it as they're busy or whatever where one of their committees that supposed to be advising them about these issues. And they talk about, you know, the last last town council meeting that I remember that I even had had to get off because they were, you know, talking until midnight was about how this was a priority and so on and so forth. And then we communicate with them, and then there's no response. So obviously, that's not telling me that that that were a priority. So it's kind of like reaching out to the liaisons. You know, the other thing would be to kind of in Phillip you might be better to kind of, you know, guide us along this, you know, to kind of get maybe our group HRC and the reparations group to kind of send a joint response or to kind of, you know, communicate, you know, or the other thing too would be for, you know, our chair to kind of communicate with someone on the town council, maybe Alicia, or maybe someone to kind of really say like hey, you know, this is not acceptable, you know what is going on here. Because it's not acceptable what they're doing in terms of like not communicating with us or or the other thing is we go, you know, we asked to be on the agenda the next town council meeting and we bring our grievances there. So I mean, we have to take it the next step or we put it on the newspaper. There's a variety of different options we just need to figure out what's the best option right now. I don't think emailing them again this is a good option, you know I'm saying I think that's just, you know, more dead air. We need to kind of escalate to the next next step whatever the next step is. And I just presented several options. Let me double check because I think when I sent the email I sent it to everybody but then I think I also sent it to our liaison at the same time. So just in terms of whether or not that would be. Yes, I did I sent it. I said I wanted to follow up under separate cover as our liaison to town council I hope the letter I just sent will be included in the next meetings packet and brought as a discussion item. So, there was so that step already happened I guess. I guess like I said, either we have to do a soft approach where we're contacting the liaisons or someone on the town council to kind of really bring this to the event or we do the more outright approach which is as to the gender because we're going to bring this up because obviously, you know, if we don't show up and then in the meantime add us to the agenda and we also send it to the newspapers because I don't think we should just have them added to the gender we should also put them on blast. That's actually a good idea of asking to be put on the agenda I mean, I think they're having a meeting on Monday, the 17th. Seeing if we could get that on the agenda also for the 17 I doubt it but I do feel like this frustration is not just to this committee I've talked to other chairs and other various committees and very much does seem like a lot of committees are just there in town to be there in town rather than to advise rather than to be listened to. And so I think it just gets frustrating to a point where it's like okay well we're doing all this work. And you want us to continue doing all this work and slash you want by pop by pop folks to be on your town committees to do this work. Yeah, who wants to be a part of stuff that's not like being listened to like I mean look at one of our previous committee members I think that she made that very clear that was a reason why she was leaving. Exactly. Yeah. Well just so you all know like I said I mean I'm going to be on vacation this next week so you know I know I wouldn't be able to be at the, at the meeting. So, you know we might want to do it because I know I would definitely want to speak and things like that. So we might want to do it at the next, the next meeting, but of course if we're still able to get it in and there's others that want to be at the meeting on Monday, then I wouldn't. I'm fine with not being there to because obviously it's not about me it's about the agenda, you know, our, our action items. They have a tentative meeting for August 7 and then a regular scheduled meeting for the 21st of August. Thank you, Jennifer. I'm looking at their calendar so I see a tentative meeting on August 7, which they may or may not have and then there is a regular scheduled meeting for the 21st of August. Yeah, maybe, maybe we can kind of look at the 21st. I wouldn't be out of town on the 21st but I wouldn't get in the way of that I could submit a statement or something if that would be, if that works for other people well, I guess it would have to work for Fred King because Phillip will be gone. Just be for myself. What about though what about Monday, more people available on Monday. So Jennifer, would we be able to get get get the agenda in for Monday. They are posting they have to post the agenda by the end of the day tomorrow at 430 so there's a possibility if you reach out to ask if you can be included on the agenda. When you said the seventh is just tentative. But I mean, the nice thing is if it's just tentative there's a possibility if they do have that meeting that, you know, you would have more ample time to have conversation, because it won't be loaded with agenda items. We can do maybe what about the seven. I would say the seventh would be a good if kind of what Jennifer was saying it sounds like if it's tentative maybe it means it's not already super scheduled with lots of stuff for them to talk about so that might be a good time to train. Because I know the Monday meeting is supposed to be about ARPA again so I imagine that will be somewhat fall, although we also have things to say about ARPA. I think the seventh would be more ideal it might give a little bit more time to just collect my batteries. Sorry. Yeah, collect our thoughts and everything. Yeah, ready in terms of what we want to present and everything. Yeah, that would make sense. What about you Freke. It gives us enough time to speak to members of the council. And with regard to ARPA on Monday, if there is anything that needs to be said, there is room to do so with public comments. And so, since what we're looking for is a bit broader, then I suppose more time to think about that issue would be beneficial. In that case, I'm outling more towards the seventh. So I can send a separate email to them about seven. I think it, you know, I think it might be an email but also reaching out to our liaison or, you know, like Alicia or someone like that. I'm forgetting the name of the other council person the one that facilitated the meeting because I know that she's also Michelle. Yeah, Michelle, you know, folks like that to just be like, you know, because I think if we just send them an email saying we want to be on the agenda we might be get having the same thing. Right. So I will reach out to those three specifically but also to Lynn and Donna as the chair and vice chair of council to because I think Lynn is the one who sets the agenda so. I just had a thought and obviously I'll be gone in August so it's completely your guys's choice, but maybe inviting them to the next CSS JC meeting might be more fruitful in the conversation because it does seem like every time we go to town council. There's something else happening, someone else is doing whatever and so I don't know like. I feel like we've had more fruitful conversations when they do come to CSS JC. That might not be the work idea. Because actually I feel like as a, if so, this I'm going into another topic but in terms of like if, if we don't get any replacements the three of us won't make a quorum so it's not like we could vote on anything anyway so if we're just going to be able to discuss those as a committee of three. Am I correct in that. Yeah. But we could still discuss with council, things that are important without voting on anything. Would that be correct. Again. So, when there's not a quorum none of the open meet like the open meeting laws do not apply in the same will same way. Right. So, it might be. It ran similar to the way that it did last last time where it ended up being like they're meeting at your meeting if that makes, if you recall, that might work, because I can post it I just don't I don't have a good idea about that because there's not a quorum so posting a meeting for not a quorum. Well and that's something that's something that we're going to have to discuss though, you know obviously that's on the agenda right like it is on the agenda. I think we need to talk about that because this whole thing about not a quorum and not being able to vote and stuff that's not going to be doable, you know, we're going to have to figure that out. So, so something's going to have to change in order for us to be able to vote, and to be able to do things. So, but anyway, I think I think we need to set that to the side because until we talk about CSS JC, because that's going to be an acceptable to this whole thing about we're not a quorum blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. No, I'm not feeling that, you know, we're going to have to figure that out so I guess my thing is let's focus on just what do we want to do with the town council, you know, and then we can deal with the quorum piece separately. So I think I like I like Phil's idea about having them join us like they did last time, which how did that whole thing happened was it like we had our meeting and then they just came in what was what was what was the process for that. It became a council meeting. No no no I remember that I was there but I'm saying what was the process to schedule it. How did how did it become scheduled. How did it happen. So we reached out to the to the council president Lynn to ask about the date and to confirm time and date and then it moved from there. Okay. And basically so we just picked a day that was whatever was a day that worked for us and then they joined our meeting. So that was the way that it was presented but it turned into that you get it turned into a special meeting with the town council. Okay, why don't we get that process going I like that the best. I'm going to have a second Wednesday I'm going to try and keep that consistent for now until if that works still for people so that we can be more consistent about like timing for posting and timing for us. So it's not like whoa when are we meeting. The second Wednesday in August is the ninth. Yeah, so that can be our next meeting at 630 and I can reach out to Lynn to invite council to join us. Yeah, I like that actually the best. And that would be like, let's make sure the time so we're sticking with 630 right. Does that work for people. Yeah, a little bit better. Okay, so let me add that. I'd really point out that with three people having town council come that's a, that's a little light and we are in transition. But since this is a case where we're trying to have a conversation, perhaps it's appropriate. Yeah, I mean, we just have to keep the train moving. You know what I'm saying I mean this is not about us at the end of the day it's about the issues. And if we're going to wait until we're a bigger body then we don't know when that's going to happen. You know what I'm saying so I'd rather even if it's just three of us where warriors and let's let's get it done. We need to do though is reach out to different people to make sure that the community is on. If we were able to schedule this, like for me that's what I'm going to do I'm going to be reaching out and I think we need to go to the paper to it out before the meeting happens. Yeah, we need we need the community support so that it's not just the three of us, it's us and the community. I think I like that idea a lot. I'm just going to switch devices because my battery is dying. So hold on one second. Recording. Am I here twice. Yeah, here you echo. Hopefully she's going to get back on. Are we doing like a little puzzle this year. You're muted. I'm going to put it on the opposite side on my phone than it was on the computer. I apologize. I think what Deborah was saying about having trying to have the community involved as well is an important piece of the conversation so I like that idea I will reach out I think we can schedule that and then if that does not work for the council to meet, I will let you all know. And I think that would be the most reasonable next step we can take at this point it seems like trying to keep the conversation going is important and I'm going to be direct about saying okay let's meet at this time rather than get back to us by this time maybe that will be more you still be able to reach out to like our liaisons and Alicia Michelle. I will do that as well yeah. All right great. Now I lost the. Does anyone else have anything on that before we move on. What do we have next. ARPA well I think what I had originally thought of was what Deborah was saying in her announcement was that there would be a meeting on the 17th and we should weigh in on it so I think that's all I had to say. I don't know if anyone has any other thoughts about our but this point or I'm going to send out comments right like when when I had talked about in my announcement so yeah, I'm good with that. So I have police chief search on here, I haven't heard anything from anybody about it, and about reaching out to this group to see if we would be a part of it as we had asked to be and the letter that we had sent. I mean I think the from my understanding. Chief Chief Ting is the interim chief for now and they are doing a more robust search was my understanding of things they need someone for the immediate spot. And that they were hoping to have a community involved and engaged process for the police chief search. I have not heard that it has started there I have not heard that they are asking for any input as of yet. So I don't know when that will start or I don't know if Jennifer has heard anything about that. Well, why don't we invite Ting to our next meeting. Well, well, as long as if they fix a town council then we won't be able to but invite them. So if the town council doesn't happen. Let's invite them to the meeting if not we'll invite them to the one following, because they need, you know, Ting needs to understand that we need to be involved we need to be kept updated and this is a very transparent process for the entire community. This can't be a hiding show in terms of who's going to be the police chief, and they need to understand what are the important things that the community is looking for. In regards to it so we need to get feedback from the community and then feedback from key committees like our committee HRC and reparations and then any other committees, you know, in the town. But, you know, I think we need to have a conversation with him. He already assumed it. I believe so. He is the interim and so when it comes to the wide search he's not involved in that piece. So that would really fall to the town manager. But I think if for other reasons it's appropriate to invite him to a meeting so that you know you guys have conversations and have an understanding of each other but he doesn't have anything to do with the search that's going to end up happening. So he doesn't have anything with the search. So then that's top that's Bachman right. The HR director town manager. All right, so then I guess we have to invite them but I still think it's important for us to have 10 come. I do I do. Was there much interaction with him during the CSWG I know you met with Livingstone a few times but yeah. I think in someone else had come to, I don't know if it was like the community, you know, outreach person or whatever I believe it was like they had come to, you know, one of one or two of our meetings. So, so yeah, I do recall us meeting with him previously. Does anybody else have anything to say about police chief search. My question would just be. So what, what, what do we think in terms of I guess, obviously it's town council next meeting. But if that doesn't happen, then what Bachman, because we need to, the first thing is a search. And then the second thing is, is sting. Or we could, we could schedule both of them for the meeting would you just schedule one first, Bachman first thing next, you know it doesn't have to be two separate meetings. Yeah, I think that could make sense. So I guess if, if town council is not able to meet on the ninth, I can reach out to Ting and Bachman just they you know, maybe each of you can have half an hour or so at our meeting to review things. Exactly. And then if the town council meeting does happen then we put them on for September one. Perfect. I'm not seeing any hands up from anybody else. So I'm going to move on to the next thing on the list which is the Youth Empowerment Center. So, I know that Jennifer had some things to say from. So, she right here that the CSS JC chair asked if the director could inquire into the use of the former Hastings space as a possible location for the center. The town manager and assistant town manager reported that they believe the property owners are planning for retail use of the space. Nonetheless, the town manager is going to have conversations with the property owners. And the CSS JC chair has noted that the downtown location is on a bus that a downtown location on a bus route would be best. The DI staff are looking into other temporary spaces space mentioned today include St. Bridges Parish Hall Hope Community Church Grace Episcopal or you you. No conversations have occurred with any of the faith communities. This is an outstanding, there is an outstanding offer to use the Amherst College library, other space to consider would include the bank center or the Johns library. And so, just to clarify, that would be for temporary space until a permanent space could be identified. I, I, you know, I've been on vacation for a little bit so she and I haven't had a time to kind of debrief and catch. To connect but I would assume so. I mean, I guess. Although if it was that St. Bridges Parish Hall that parish hall is very large it's got a basketball court and it's, it's, it could be utilized as a more permanent space, unless you're looking for something that's brand new. I guess for me my question in terms of space would be, if we do have it at a church with that turn away people in terms of it being like a faith based kind of center as opposed to something that was, you know, that doesn't have any kind of allegiance to anything, you know, like obviously like a bank center or something like that, that doesn't have any type of, you know, connection to a certain type of religion or whatever. Even though the space might be a good one because of this that the third I'm just a little bit worried about some people being like, Oh, is that you know what are they doing there blah blah blah you know they're going to be holding, you know, religious classes or something. Because it might be a turn off. I was having the same thoughts. Or that somebody who practices another religion might feel like I can't go into that space because it's not part of my religion there. So, I think for me I would say those would be lower priority or lower desire locations I guess although they are again all central and just I mean I'm thinking of like what is vacant downtown. And the only other thing I can think of is there was like the yoga center of Amherst used to be in the building above. I do I'm going to call it rails because that's what it was when I was in high school and it's like mexico now. So I don't know, I mean that it's not accessible though that would be the problem it doesn't I don't think it has an elevator there. So that would exclude people who might need. I don't give us like a list of vacant places I don't know what's vacant, you know what I'm saying or not. And then especially places that are on bus routes and things like that so that then we could kind of have an idea of which ones might be, you know, a better fit for for young people. Honestly we're trying to make sure that young people from our walks of life are able to go to this place and see it as a safe space, safe place for them to congregate and do their activities. And when you say give a list are you talking about all buildings or just town bent buildings. Well, I mean, I guess you would have to be the one to tell us that Jennifer so with the town will the town use other buildings. Would they be able to kind of negotiate or would that be more of an encumbrance or like a burden, because then you know obviously that that would mean, you know, I don't know. Well no, I mean if they were if the Hastings space was available or any of these churches those don't necessarily belong to the town so those are all other entities. They would be able to negotiate with them. Yeah. Okay, so that's, yeah, so that's the answer so then yeah I guess I would have not just town buildings and whatever's available. And then for me in terms of the youth empowerment is it, you know, besides the prop you know the actual building obviously that's a big one but where are things that, you know, with everything else right the funding, the, you know, putting it just, you know, establishing it so that then they could be, you know, hiring, you know young people and so on so forth that's going to be leading the youth empowerment center. I'm not aware of any other funding efforts that have been made or I don't know if I don't know if it's in the budget for FY 24. I haven't given it an overall look so. Yeah, can you look at that for our next meeting so that we know, because then, you know, I think that that could be another agenda item to add to when we talk to Bachman. Sure, sorry, I don't know if you're waiting for me I'm typing so. Are you all in agreement. Freckin Allegra. Yeah, I mean I think that we need more details. I just, I think it's been. Unfortunately the meeting with town council went so long that I don't think we had enough time to focus on the specifics of everything. You know all the different project pieces that we were interested in hearing about and I think unfortunately we really didn't hear much about the youth empowerment center so let's say funding I'm assuming that you're not including the already monies that were already allocated for a. What were they doing they were. It's late I'm sorry. Assessment or needs assessment. Right, this is the funds outside of that. You're looking for us like I said I mean, it just they're just wasting money on this whole assessment piece we already did all that work on CSWG, and, and already stated that there was a needs, and we already did all the testing so I just think that it's just a waste of time and waste of money. And yeah, I just want to go to let's establish this youth empowerment. And I think of that Jennifer so is the town doing an assessment and I think I'd seen read it somewhere. How much money is it costing the town to do this assessment. I don't know that there's currently an assessment that is going on currently I think that they were starting the work and then it this is now falling under the DI department and so they are are working on it I mean it's just some of those funds can go towards a new building. They'll have to be some kind of outreach that happens with the youth in order to kind of understand what they would like to see in the, in the building but. And you'll, you'll have to, you know, provide what it is necessary to, to attract the youth to come, but I, you know, outside of that I don't. I don't think that the assessments going on I know that's part of what the AmeriCorps position will be handling is, is kind of thinking about youth empowerment programming and I know that we're trying to work on programming that can possibly exist without necessarily the actual space but just to start with programming. I mean I get that you know I get about doing the programming but we need to. I mean I guess I get it but I don't, you know, I think I'm still because I've been processing that right in terms of you all doing the AmeriCorps and doing the programming without the building is this kind of like. I guess that diverse attention from actually getting the building and doing the youth empowerment, you know I'm saying. Because I think, you know, it's critically important and CSWG had highlighted that in the report is to have the space, right and then do the programming space as opposed to just do the programming because then the time we're like oh yeah you can do the programming without space then why do we need a space you know what I'm saying so I don't know if it's a. If it really like ends up really helping in the long in the long run to do the programming without a space. I understand I'll bring that concern forward. Yeah. Yeah, definitely share that with Pamela, because like I said I mean, obviously, you know, I've been processing this. And this is kind of like, you know, as I stated in the CSWG report, we stated that to establish youth empowerment so I think, since they put that on you all shoulder to make sure that it is really important that if you if you start just doing programming and not really focusing on the building, then that's what you're going to be doing and you're going to your time is going to be taking you all only two people. And you're already just going to be doing programming around it so then the building and establishing the space will get put to the side. You see them saying so. I don't know if it's such a good idea given the capacity that you all have which is really not much capacity given that you only two people organization to people apartment. And young people need a space and people in Amherst need a space especially by young people. So, so let's add that to the agenda items to talk to to welcome in about. But yeah, if you can talk to Pamela let her know that because you know the next time we meet and we're able to talk to Pamela I want to bring that up. Philip or freckles you have anything to add about youth empowerment. The choices that you have to make trying to find what is available and what is appropriate might be a little bit more than what we need to do at this stage to put it a different way I don't know a lot of places in Amherst. So, if I have some direction in terms of what's to look at that would be more helpful than my very limited knowledge in that area. That's what I mean so some guidance from the town on spots that might be available would be helpful. Yeah, and we already asked Jennifer for that list. I think we need to get that. Yeah, I think that's all good and I would echo that I would be hesitant to have the space be in a faith based organization for the various reasons you all brought up because I do think that that can bring limited access to someone or someone not wanting to access the space and I hear you dev on the frustration of we should just have a building because definitely should be happening a long time ago. I just, I mean I've been in this town for five years and we've been talking about the library for about a good five years and I'm just like I don't know what takes so long to make a building happen and same thing with the school that it does make me concerned that this will just get dragged out and so I do think that having some type of programming to show that it's useful could be helpful. I do hear your concern though that it could also, it's almost like a double edged sword right it has the opposite effect of having it like oh well you could just do it out of wherever and it doesn't really matter about a building now. So, I don't know where I completely land on that I see the benefit of both sides of it. And then I was going to say, space wise that. I don't know, I guess I, this would be a question for Jennifer, I don't know who owns the schools does the town on the school does the school on the school. The town owns the element well I don't want to say owns but the towns in charge of the elementary schools buildings and the region is in charge of the middle school and high school. Okay. Because I almost wonder, since we have a regional high school and a regional middle school that clearly the youth empowerment centers probably going to bring kids from outside of Amherst that maybe it might be beneficial to look to see if we can use either of those two buildings like LFC does with the middle school in that little part of the area. Just a thought. Yeah, yeah because Phil I think I think the thing right now is like it's not necessary and I hear you right it's not like we're going to do groundbreaking and build the whole building that might be something right 510 years on the road but a temporary space we should be able to find. You know, and that's why we're asking Jennifer for that list. And I think you brought up a good idea to you know on that list there should be around schools and stuff like that and they're in the use of their space. But I think in terms of finding a space we should be able to we found a space for crests that was that did not take a long time. So we should be able to find a space for the youth empowerment. I don't think it needs to be anything that needs to be dragged. You can find a space and then find something more of a permanent home later. Okay, yeah, then I guess I just misunderstood what you're saying then yeah I can yeah yeah no I wasn't saying like yeah like you know build a whole new building yeah that will come, you know, but we need to have a space we need to have a space that we can call it the youth environment space temporary space, and then, and then go from there. Completely agree. All right so that will be something that we will revisit when we speak with call. And I guess the last agenda item is the status of. So, this is Phillips last meeting as we have mentioned a few times, and we will miss him terribly but I just want to ask Phil, you sure you didn't change your mind and you're going to stay. I'm the only person asked me that yes I'm sure I think I'm hopping in the car and out. Yes, well we're sorry to see you and your family go. Thank you. You've done some good work it's been nice walking alongside you in this. We said goodbyes last last time, but yeah, you know you this is your official. So I guess one thing would be if you haven't already to make sure that you in writing let Paul know that you will be resigning from the committee because then officially we will be below quorum and hopefully that would prioritize our committee in terms of the committees that need to interview candidates. And hopefully there are candidates because I don't even know if that is the case. I mean I talked to some people at the old young tournament that were mentioned interest so I don't know if they have followed up. Let them know that they could fill out the form. So, from what Paul has told me I would, as chair, currently be the one who would sit in on an interview committee so it wouldn't be. We had all interviewed with Dr love and Sid and Keisha so it wouldn't be them involved anymore it would be Paul myself and one of the resident advisory committees and Jennifer you involved in that in the interview process as well as our staff person. Pamela will be Pamela will be okay. It would be the committee, and I don't know which of the resident advocates, it would be. There are three and then I would say, I don't know where, how many CAF have been completed for CSS JC specifically so I would suggest, you know, at different events or family gatherings or whatever for Amherst residents to really try to encourage people to be more involved. Just so you can kind of make that move and then I would say that you're probably not the only group that's falling in risk of quorum so it is prior to those people to get prioritized. But I don't know who's applied. And that's my question because I have heard that some people have applied so how do we find out whether people have applied or not. Yeah I can take a look tomorrow and and and and find out how many people or I can't necessarily tell you who but I probably tell you how many. I think sometimes people apply for multiple things at one time and so they end up, you know, someone will apply for CSS JC HRC and say finance committee and they just get appointed to finance sometimes so, and I do know because I've sat on these meetings that, you know if they are somebody who has a like mind as you folks here at CSS JC they will recommend them to apply, you know, to encourage them to be on the CSS JC as well. If it if it helps Allegra I can definitely send out that you know, like tonight to have this committee fall under form so in that way, it does get more notice on it, but I would say that my experience with the HRC is that even the process after the yes is given is that then it goes to town council and then they have to vote on it and they have 60 days to put it for 30 days 60 30 days, 30 days, and then if nothing is done then it's an automatic yes. I do feel like the last three HRC candidates that we put forward, that was the process that it wasn't really voted on it was just kind of like it fell to yes that's going to happen, because they didn't take it up. So I just am throwing out that information in that, even if this happened like in the next couple weeks you're looking to probably not make corn in August, hopefully by September. Okay. So yeah I mean I think it would be helpful for you to send that email tonight after we get off just so that then I can follow up. Yeah, I can do that no problem. Checking in. We're about to look for him now. Please give us more members. And of course, hopefully there has been people who have filled up the forms. So, um, and that's why it would be important. Jennifer, if you let us know if there are people that applied, so that then we can do more active outreach. You know, in terms of having people, you know, apply to be part of the group, because right now, how many, how many. I mean obviously Pat. D and now Phil so be three but we also had a vacancy so that means we technically have for right. So it would be great if somebody has connections with someone from the high school. I mean, you know the HRC as Philip, you know, can let you know to typically has a high school and or college student or both on their committees so that's also very another way to look at it too. Jennifer is Rocky at all a good contact for Amherst College because that seems to the advertisement that they do at Edward College really seems to speak to their students and getting more active in the town that they were going to school like I think the last time that we did candidates we had at least like for Amherst College students we only took one or two but it seemed like they have successful recruitment efforts at the very least. I would say Rocky or Sarah bar so we can send out an email tomorrow, or I'll have a conversation and then we can send out an email tomorrow, hopefully asking Rocky to announce. Jennifer when you when you look at how many people have applied can you also send us the link to the application for CSS JC because I do have a couple people I want to kind of. I can do right now. Okay, if you can send that to to us now that'd be great, because I have some some people I have in mind that I want to share that with and see if I can. What is it persuade them to apply. You know, I do the same kind of recruitment that I used to do for youth football is so in youth football I used to just see parents with kids and I would just be like are you from Amherst so I we do I do do the same often with the boards and committees, even if we don't at that time have vacancies just because hopefully, when a vacancy does come up their name will already be there. I'm just trying to think schools out. But, you know, it might be a good outreach to a rigorous sunrise, maybe see if any of their members. Yeah. And poku for sure. Yeah. I was going to, yeah, I was going to outreach to marry custom. Cool. She'd be great if we could get her on a committee to. I know I've been trying for like five years but she's the one that sent me the thing for me to get on CSWG. Because she didn't want to return the favor Mary. I should miscustored because that's how I know her but No, but I'll reach to her because she'll probably have even if she doesn't do it she'll have like some good ideas of some people though that might be willing to apply. Maybe Liz, who would have. Again, not necessarily hard but somebody in mind. Yeah. So I guess. Okay, so that's one part is us outweaching and recruiting and getting people by. So again, I guess remind me the process. So we're looking at at least 30 days because whatever whatever but then so then you're taking on 30 plus what another 30 or another 10. No, I mean so in theory. It's not so one of the things is now every all the boards and committees are renewing right so it's like this massive push and it's like multiple interviews per day for different boards and committees but typically the process is the group will, you know, choose a specific applicant. The manager will do a write up and send that to the town council, and that's when there's the 30 day lapse I haven't seen them say it you know, we send anybody's. We send any of the town managers recommendations for board and committee members as of yet. So this process was going on when you guys were all elected as well I mean appointed as well. And then it, then they will receive their, their committee board packet in the mail. You know the one that says to come into the town clerks and to be sworn in with the approval letter. Yeah. I need to do that. For this. Yeah. Don't, don't. Okay. So are we already below form. Whoops. I'm not official official. Oh dear. It's in my bag, I have the leather, I just keep on forgetting to take it out of my bag and use the phone to call and schedule time to come in. You mean your reappointment. Yes. Okay. That makes me feel a little bit better but yes, get that done please. Yes, yes, I will. I'm going to email us with those kind of things so they're not like, you know, public record. Right. Whoops. Sorry. Why did you have to be reappointed. Because I was only appointed for a year. Oh, The way that the town committees are, they have like different time frames like a stagnant. That way everybody has not kicked off all at once or needs to be reappointed all at once. No, no, I know that but I just didn't know that she was also just a year. Okay. I thought I thought you were for longer. Oh, your reappointment won't you be for three years. Yes. Good. I shared with the HRC that this committee has also fallen under quorum and so one trying to encourage someone from the HRC to join but also within their networks as well. Good. Thank you. I thank you, Jennifer for sending that. Not a problem. So I guess, you know, Step one is the recruitment of other people but then there's the thought of like, what do we do with ourselves while we are below quorum. I mean, I think the idea of having other people come in and just talk with them is okay but I like do we. It sounded like Jennifer was confused as to whether we even really post a meeting in those cases is that am I getting that right. You can still meet I know that the HRC for a very long time was consistently under quorum but it had enough. It had enough men commissioners so that it. You didn't know there wasn't a quorum until the actual meeting and it was like that for a very long time. So, I still say that we meet I that you guys meet meetings will still be posted. There's the problem there is just no decision making. So you can have conversations and discussions, but there's just no decision making so, you know, just really need to get a new member on board. You need to get one more member on board for it for us to be able to make decisions. Yeah. Yes, and then no one to ever not attend a meeting. But it sounds like at least with our plan of if we have town council and we're able to get them and then if we have chief team and Paul Bachman come in, then we wouldn't be in decision making mode as much as kind of conversation mode so maybe that wouldn't be a bad way to spend the next couple of months while we are recruiting and going through the process of getting new members, hopefully on board. I mean, if that were our plan to kind of have guests, guests to the meetings for the next few months while we're below the quorum so that it wouldn't. We wouldn't be unable to make a decision that we might need to make. I feel like I'm not making sense. I'm going to start over. If during the period of time that we do not have a quorum. We might meet with guests in discussion in a way that wouldn't require us to have a decision to make. Would that seem like a still a useful way to spend our time. I believe so. We are asking our questions that have been asked by others as well, or at least they have the ability to make decisions that we're interested in so in as much as we can make decisions ourselves it might be appropriate to have orders that we can collaborate with or who feedback or recommendations might lead to some decisions. So I think yeah. I would, I mean, I think it was kind of your idea but would you feel like if we can't make decisions during those meetings it would still be a fruitful meeting to have in terms of conversation. I guess I just need some more clarity on what what does that mean, you know, so I guess, like today right we're talking and then I'm like, you know, we're like, well, Philip, what do you think, you know, Fred care what do you think blah blah blah you know. So, when we say decisions. So if we're like, okay we need to send a letter out or we need to communicate this and this and this I guess we can do that. So, I mean the benefit would be that you guys can really set up a lot of things to happen and then once you have that fourth person. It's the vote you can't vote on anything. Right so you if what you did here by deciding to do an email there wasn't a formal vote taking that was just something that was agreed but you can't vote on anything so you wouldn't be able to vote on minutes you wouldn't be able to vote on other things. Actions like if you said the CSS JC I move for the CSS JC to choose this specific space for the youth empowerment center and everybody was in agreement you can't do to that piece of it. So what if it's the formal vote, but what about if we say, okay, you know, Hastings or whatever, and then came back the Hastings there's really good place. So we all agreed that, you know, I like where she'll contact Paul Bachman and say Hastings is the place we want for the youth apartment can we do that. I mean you're not taking an actual vote but I would be a little bit. It's, it's all technical so I will confirm tomorrow with Athena because she knows all of those ins and outs but there's really no formal decision making. Right, that can be made so there's no votes. And I know that then that becomes like you guys decided to hear that you were going to do an email but there wasn't a formal vote for that. So, you know whether or not that needed to be a formal vote will find out I can find out for tomorrow. Because I think that that's what we need. We need more clarity around what decision making actually means, you know, because we're not a very formal committee in terms of like, you know, Robert's rules and all that because who knows who the hell Robert is. But is this kind of like, you know, we you know we're more formal in terms of our decision making so we get away with it then. Well, it's not so much Robert's rules, it's the open meeting laws, which is a bigger difference. So, yes. So that's why we need some clarity because you know we don't want to violate the open meeting laws right we fall below forum or whatever. But yeah, we need some clarity around that but I think, you know, in the meantime, at least a leg or what you were saying, in terms of having guests right so the town council having town council and discussing those issues. I don't think that, you know, I think that's fine. We're not making any, any decisions we're not taking any votes, it's just listening and presenting our kind of concerns. It's diverse. And then with the bottom and then ting the same thing is just us having a conversation. It's not any decision making being made. It's them sharing information with us and us asking them questions. I think that one is okay. So it says the open meeting law applies only to the discussion of any matter within the body's jurisdiction. The law does not specifically define jurisdiction as as a general rule any matter of public business, which a quorum of the body public body may make a decision or recommendation is considered a matter within the jurisdiction. Okay, that doesn't really that's kind of confusing. Yeah. So again, I'll, I'll still reach out to Athena, but talk to Athena and then let us know. But I think, I think we should go ahead though and I still say that we meet that you guys meet and I will still post the meetings because they need to be in theory, they wouldn't necessarily need to be recorded, but I don't see why that you wouldn't record that. Yeah, let's record them because we want transparency and we wanted it for the community. But Jennifer, I guess just last point would be do you want us to wait before we contact the town council to hear back from you. How can we go ahead and contact the town council and Paul Bachman and team. Well, I guess we got to wait to hear from town council first before contact. But can we go ahead and do that. I would, I would, I would wait until I respond tomorrow morning. I can make sure that's something that I reach out to you guys about first thing in the morning. Okay, okay. I just, you know, I want to make sure that we're doing it right. So there's no problems. Make sense. So then like worst case scenario, we wouldn't be able. We wouldn't meet until we had a fourth person is that would that be. I think it might, it might be that we wouldn't be able to meet with a town council but I think Ting and Bachman we should. The other thing is you can just make a, you can just vote now there's four of you so you can make somebody can make the motion to invite the town council, just in case that is what needs to happen and regardless, then Allegra can reach out to town council. Right. Why don't we do a vote for everything. Let's make let's do a vote for the town council, and also Ting and Bachman as our plan be just remember to. Make a motion when you're making the motion. I don't know Allegra if you want to create or whomever wants to create the motion and put it in share screen or if you want to just say it but it has to be consistent so that it can kind of. So the first motion would be I move to allow myself as the chair of this committee to invite the town council to the next meeting of this committee on August 9 at 630. What is it. Second it. Yes. Now we can discuss and or vote to if nobody has any additional points of discussion. You just have to say open for discussion. Open for discussion. I'm not going to Robert's rules. Any, any discussion points. All right, then we shall vote. By roll call. Right, I'm supposed to say that. Jennifer's like, stop it. I'm going to take a breath. Yes. I fill up. Yes. Okay. Oh, we can hear you freaky. Yes. Was by the yes. Well, that is a yes, that is. Okay. And I am a yes, so it passes unanimously. And I put another motion on the table I move that in the event that town council is unable to meet on August 9 that I invite. I'm manager Paul Backelman and police chief get Gabriel Ting to the meeting on August 9. And if town council is able to meet that. I invite Paul Backelman and chief Ting to the September 13th meeting of this committee. Do I have a second. I second it. Okay. Any disc open for discussion. I don't see any hands up to discuss. So I will take a vote by roll call. Deborah. I fill up. Yes. Yes. And I am a yes, it passes unanimously and enthusiastically. It's getting really late. I'm. Okay, so I think that we have at least some steps for going forward and hopefully we'll be able to get some interviews scheduled and some people seated so that this will all be somewhat of a point. Those next steps after Phillip, if you just send that letter today, I will send my follow up to Paul tomorrow. And the next thing on the list is public comment. I'm not seeing any members of the public present with us today. We have our next two meetings scheduled for August 9th and September 13th. Hopefully. Those will be a conversation with town council and a conversation with Paul Backelman and chief Ting. And with Paul Backelman and we also would like to discuss the budget in terms of the budget and for the youth center. And again, I will send out a reminder email the week before. Any. Any agenda requests as long as that is okay. With Jennifer, my savings follow up with us. Now I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing Roberts or not Rogers, who is it Robert. Who's Roger. Oh my goodness. Robert's rules of order. And so that's where all of the I move comes from. Right. We should change it to Robert X. Why does it have to be a male. Oh dear. Do we have anything else that we need to talk about tonight that we didn't think about 48 hours in advance of meeting today. No. Okay. Well, then I do I move to adjourn or do I just say that we're adjourned. Now I can just adjourn and then someone can second and that's the end of that. Okay. That's the end of that. I adjourned. We adjourned. We're adjourned. Second. And I apologize. I feel up. We are going to miss you so much. You can you can come in public comment. That's true. That's true. I was going to say zoom is, you know, the way to go. Yeah, I think I will check up, see what's happening. Make sure the work is moving. Yeah. You know, yeah. But good luck with everything to you and your family. I appreciate it. It's been a pleasure serving with you all and getting to know everybody this past year. I think some great bonds were formed. Hey. Yes. The work will continue as the milk a cabral for my country says the Luther continual fight. Awesome. Okay. Bye everybody. Hi, everyone.