Michigan City Urban Enterprise Association March 17, 2025

[Music] You are watching Access Leaport County Channel 97. Coming up next is the March 17th meeting of the Michigan City Urban Enterprise Association. You can find more information for this meeting by visiting www.acleaportcounty.org. [Music]

All right, I call the March 17, 2025, 6 p.m., uh, board of directors Michigan City prize meeting to order. I start with the roll call. Nick Poock, present; Niot uler, present; Joseph Nelson, present; uh, Bruce, present; Sylvia, present; Antonio Conley, present; uh, Miss Willis, present; and the chair is present as well. I'll start off with: Is there any amendments to the agenda?

I have some amendments to um the agenda. For um, I guess we can do it right at before or during new business. So during new business, I would like to um, kind of what I want to call it, I want to add the community outreach initiatives for the Urban Enterprise move forward for this year as um prepared by our um executive assistant, our vice president um, and this guy here, which consists of the board because the uh president appointed us to uh community outreach um that's this, that's that. So community outreach, and then the next one is an application that was left off. What is the name of it? No, we got a presentation. Yeah, presentation. Pastor Herd. We have a presentation from Pastor Herd um to present, and that can also go into um new business. Would you mind a five-minute act that we put the presentation from Pastor Herd underneath the executive assistant report, underneath the circle of friends business grant that we moved up in the agenda, of course. So I'll restate that. Um, I would like to amend the agenda to add Pastor Herd's presentation under executive assistant report, um, Roman numeral three, and at the proposed Community initiatives uh um for the Urban Enterprise Association under um the fifth uh Roman numeral, new business. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. A motion and a second. Uh, open the floor for any discussion. Hearing none, I'll call of the vote. All in favor? Motion passes. We'll start. I'll call, I'll go down to approval of minutes. The February 17 meeting minutes were not ready yet, so they'll be, they'll be ready for the next meeting. So do I have a motion to table the February 17 meeting minutes? I move that we table the February 17th minutes to our April um meeting. Second. I have a motion in the second. I open the floor for any discussion. Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All in favor? All right, motion passes. The February 17 meeting minutes are tabled. We'll go down to Executive system report, and we'll start off with circle of friends business grant. I will, since we have a new Pro process process in place, I will open the floor first to the executive system regarding the application of the circular of friends business grant, then I open up the floor to the business owner to elaborate on her project, then I'll allow each board member opportunity to ask any questions that they may have.

Okay, so we received an application for the circle of friends. Um, it's in the application is in the board packet. Um, they are looking to get, looks like siding. They did submit two different uh quotes. Look like possible roof replacement and gutters. Uh, we did receive the before picture. Um, I didn't include like all of that in the the board packets, but I do have a copy here if anybody wanted to to see that. Um, we also received the business uh registration. Um, so it looks like everything that we need is here, and um looks like she's filled out everything as it should be, and I think looks like a good investment. GLM, uh, start off first. Any questions for the executive assistant? Is this carried over from last year? No, she received a grant last year and she reapplied this year for another for for separate right now and just for verification for board purposes, she is allowed to do just that. No, for just everybody, you know that it, you know, there is nothing that stipulates um in our application that they [Music] can't. Any questions from the board for the executive system? Hear none. I think, oh my B, so trying to get myself familiar here. Um, she did receive a grant in 24. Yes, and we paid that out, correct? Um, because I have pulled up the quotes from that Grant, and it's the same exact ones that are right here. Um, these are dated for October 2nd of 24, so from what I can see, it looks like we're doing the project twice. I'm sorry, I did have done work done, so um the roof was be placed in 2024, the side a new project, they did it in in a different phase, phase one, phase two. Okay. Um, so then just this year would be for just the siding, the siding, gutters and possibly Windows. Okay. What do we pay for last year? Last year was for the, and this year is for the side and roof and guts, correct? I'm just, I'm just you, side windows. How about we let her present her presentation, and then we'll be able to, the question was for executive assistants if you had any questions for her. All I asked was if she received the grant last you, you want see, I'll turn, I'm sorry, I'll turn the floor over to you. I apologize.

Um, so basically um this year's Grant is just to update um the sighting, um the letters and possibly the windows. Um um, just to give the updated cosmetic um to match the inside. I do have pictures of the inside that's the inside of the business. [Applause] On that picture windows. Thanks, CL. [Music] Um, open up questions. You have anything else? I will open up the floor for any questions for the applicant. I'll start off at this end with Miss Willis. Oh, if you can get me, no, I, I may have a question. I'll come back to you. I'll come back to you. I'll turn the floor over to Mr. Com. Um, I don't have really have any questions. I think uh, pres, I'm a good project to be done. Okay. Uh, I'll turn the floor over to Miss Collins Martin, but it's okay. Um, how much was the original the work from last year, a total for the um the work that was done? It was the roof you said? Yeah, pull it up on the email um that I sent you. [Music] Guys. Oh. [Music] [Music] So the total work that was done was PA was 8,346. Okay, and and that was the roof. Yes. [Music] Okay, the you said that the uh Grant would be for siding, goter and possibly Windows. Okay. Um, so the project description says new sighing, exterior doors and gutters, so which which three things are going to included specifically? So the exterior doors need to be replaced as well. So all of these are going to be included. Yes. Okay. I'm sorry, I forgot about the doors. Okay. All right. All right. Just wanted to clear that up. Okay. Okay. So I'm sorry for, so your original project, it was only for, that was your roof, and so this portion of the project is only for your siding, doors, doors, doors, gutters, gut and Windows, window, window. And okay, so so what, so they originally gave me the code um for everything. Yes, I see that, but they couldn't get the Sid, the siding was on back order, so um they went ahead and did the roof by the time the Sid was going to get here, we was already into 25. Yeah, so that's how it went. Yeah, I remember uh we had conversation about it. [Music] Um, and how much is her, I can't find nothing here. Okay, to Y, I see it. You see it? Yeah. Okay, that's all I had. I just wanted to know. I'll pass it down to Bruce. I just a couple questions. It looks like it looks like it's pretty full, in other words, it's an ongoing business. You have a regular flow of customers or clients? I have 26 children enrolled and one employee. Wow. So you're licensed with the state of Indiana? Yes. My wife used to take care, that's why nobody ask, that's all I had. Question. I don't have, and she's validated and permitted. I'll turn FL over to [Music] Dakota. I don't have any questions. Uh, Nick. No, I think everything I was going to ask has already been asked. I only have, you have Sor, no, I'm, I only have three questions. The first would be how long has the business been in Urban Enterprise? Um, I'm actually approaching my 5-year anniversary. And congratulations. Second question I'll ask is how did you first hear about the, a board member I think he was at the time, and the uh final question is kind of like a ask pending leaving here today, can we ask that you um help us promote the program? We're trying to Rebrand and get it out there to the community, you know, homeowners of residents in the zone. We just ask that you spread the word about the Urban Enterprise here today. Want to thank you for coming in speaking today. Thank you for participating last year and thank you for this year, and now I will open up the flooor. Do we have a motion to the circle of friends business grant? Mo to approve? Mo. I have a motion to. Second. Any discussion? Oh, full amount, 7500. That's was the, was the, was it for the full 7500? Most you, well, for, I get what you're saying, um, and I I also get what your question was, was because of the 50%, however, that wasn't stipulated last year, it just became part of this uh application, that's why I was going to let you know. I knew what you um inform me. Um, So based upon our application uh we can, she is over um 50%, so her work is 1,200, so we can aot her the 7,500 because her estimate projection is is uh between 12 and $15,000. Um, if we give the average, it's definitely more than 50% of the total price, which means she would definitely qualify for the 7,500 um for business grant. So I'm just for clarification, your motion is to approve the circular friends business grant for 75, $7,500, correct? Yes, sir. And I have a second to that effect. Sure do. And floor was open to discussion. Was there any more discussion? You know, Nick, you and I had a conversation about that. Our budget seems to be sort of cut in half. I'm just sharing with you my instinct is she's here, she submitted it, and that we don't hold back. You and I talked about that as a possibility to propose to the UEA. My sensibility is she's here, she submitted paperwork, that her timing is impeccable. Okay, well, we may uh we may have to have a discussion about the bu, but since this is first on the agenda, we'll go ahead and address this first. Any more discussion? Hearing none, I call for the vote. All in favor? Any opposed? Motion passes. Congratulations. Thank you. And can can I also ask that once you know all of the work is done, can we get pictures and things of that nature and maybe coming out to different events and activities that we have this year, you know, talking to people and let them know how we impacted you over the last two years? I truly appreciate that question. So is it for homeowners and business owners? Yes. Okay. I have people in that area. Your home is in the Urban Enterprise? It is. Yeah, your home? Yeah. I'll message cuz you guys got another business and the yeah, so that's good to know. The shop right? Noble car is taking care of kids. Thank. We'll move on. Thank you. You all good to go. Thank you. Thank you. We'll move on down next to the agenda. Turn over. I'll turn the floor over to Pastor Herd and the Garden Project.

Good afternoon, everyone. Uh, we've been trying to get this thing taken care of. I've been to the board before, but I've got uh Mr. Dan B here is a construction manager and he can project manager, he can give you all the information that you need. I'm barely talking, so I'll let him now, so I won't lose all my wi, well, good evening. My name is Dan B, and I'm here tonight to share details about an exciting Garden project that is underway on the west side of uh uh Michigan City, uh on the corner of Grant and 10th Street, and I'd like to start out by saying this that this project and idea was from Pastor Herd, and the reason I'm involved in it is because of him. It's his his idea, his passion and and Relentless commitment to the to the folks that live on the West Side, uh that's why I'm involved, and thank you very much. [Music] I'd like to share with you some, before we talk about our project, I'd like for you to see the project in Leaport and four or five pictures, and we'll talk about it. The first one is that building uh on Brighton Street in Leaport that looks pretty mundane, but if you go past our Garden Project, you will see that exact building standing there. It's already built, and the second one is an aerial view that we did with the Drone, and it shows all of those, those are concrete, each one of those boxes, and they are dedicated people sign up for them, and they have them throughout the summer, and it's a tremendous program. It's very interactive uh and very successful. Then the next one is a side view. You pull up from the side. Everything's concrete. It's Ada ex uh handicap accessible all the way through the gardens. Uh, then the fourth one, there's another shot and a little aerial shot of the gardens, and you can see um I don't know, they're 40, some of them are 60 foot long. It's all fenced in, and uh all of the people that have the the uh The Gardens have a key to get in because it is locked, and you have access to that 7 days a week. Um, and so the next one, another shot of the gardens from up a little bit. Um, you can see there's plenty of room to walk in between, and you see the fence of that's the last shot of the gardens, and I think we've got one more. Yeah, on the side there's a Vineyard, and they're growing grapes on just outside of it, and so Pastor Herd said to me, well, what do you think about that? And I said, you know what, we don't have to be the smartest people on Earth, but if we just be a good copycat, I believe we will hit a home run, and it will be very successful. Having said that, if you like those pictures, if we turn turn over here, you will see the the drawing. Uh, we use the same design, the same contractors, and some of the same board members are all in there. Uh, the building is at top. You'll see Gardens. You'll see Community beds. You'll see Ada accept acceptable beds, but pay attention to the far left where it shows a greenhouse. That is what we're taking our program to another level because the one in Leaport is about five months of the year. With us having a greenhouse, we're able to make that nine or 10 months a year, and they're going to be available for kids. We're going to have programs for kids, adults and for seniors. Um, and then on the top left, you'll see there's a fruit farm. That's what we're going to have. We're going to grow fruits, vegetables. We'll have flowers. It'll be very interactive, and it'll be very, it'll will be first class, and we are not cutting any Corners. It will be a beautiful thing, actually. Uh, when we're building the the first building in the fall, it was interesting the number of people and residents were coming out, well, what's this for? What's that for? Whatever. When they found out it was for them, they got really excited, so we had that. Um, so now we'll look at our budget board that is right here. As you can see, we we um projected a two-year program. We're six months into it now. We're in the middle of phase two Fund Raising and construction, and um we uh will be moving forward this this summer. So far our donations, as you can see, we need $213,500. Well, we got a first don donation from a foundation for 28,000, then NIPCO jumped in and gave us 25 more, and then Mayor Angie did a match, and that's another 25,000. Global Engineering came in and did all the survey work uh free, and thanks to Mr. Pollock here, the the Carpenters Union are going to go and build the inside of that building, and the Unity Foundation has agreed to support us every year uh for an ongoing basis for suppli staff and all of that. So as of right now, I um I feel pretty good about that. We've got a long way to go, but so far we're bat in a thousand, and um it'll be a a a great project. Um, I had a program at Chicago Public Schools uh years ago, and it made this magazine, and you can pass this around if you'd like. It's here and there, but if you see all of these kids who learn to grow things for the very first time in their school, that program is going to be at this program, and as far as a greenhouse, it's this greenhouse, and that's a picture of it on the left. So [Music] So again, our project estimate, 235,000, donation 78, so we need $135,500. We don't have to get that and certainly don't expect to all in one spot, but if we could find somebody that could give us $74,000, we would be able to order the greenhouse, and it takes about 5 months to build. It's a custom thing, and that would put us really over the top. We would have no problem finishing Els, but so we need 135. We've raised 35% of the money so far, and um we're really really excited about this project, and so you know, I've agreed to uh supervise the program for a 2-year period to get it off the ground, and that means every month we will have uh companies come in and give seminars, soils, seeds, flowers, fruit, whatever. It's not only education for the kids, but it's education for some for everybody else too, and if anybody has any questions, I'd be glad to take them. I'll turn the floor to anybody from the board they like ask any questions. I I I may miss something. How much are you hoping that the UA could provide on this? Okay, I how much are you trying to um hoping that the UEA can provide? Free you, how I know you mentioned 75,000. How much are you hoping to get from the UEA? Whatever you can. I'm saying if we had 74,000, if we did, we could order the greenhouse. Yeah, we need 135 total. Also, I've worked for 25 years with the Indianapolis Colts. They are going to be involved in helping me do some fundraising for this project, so basically whatever you can get. So I got a question. How much I see we got uh looks about six Community bids right there. My question is how much is one single Community bid? He say how much is one single? You talking the price or the length? The price, price, the price for it of one M? Well, it's just one concrete bed. Mr. Poock help. I mean, well, it by just looking at that, there's a whole lot more that goes in there. Okay, you need the soil underneath. You get concrete, but underneath there's got to be a drain, there's got to be water. It it's just not uh, hey, um, it's hard to break it out. I got you. The reason I was asking, I like I like the idea and the concept of a community bid, so I thought that Rose in my head was opportunity. I don't I don't know it's going to be at the pleasure the board, the board wants to do, but I kind of likea if we sponsor the community bed, I want to know like what be the cost of that or depend on the cost we sponsor two Community beds where for the project. Just, I mean, you said that we were willing to take anything, and I don't know what the board's appetite for was. I think it's a great project. It's in the Urban Enterprise. I know there's a food desert on that side of town. I mean, I live on that side, there a food desert, and I think this is a great opportunity to get back into the community, so I was just trying to get an idea of a price for something like that if we were G to do something for this project. Well, I can say this, we would be open to any kind, different kind. We're just getting into the the summer part of it of people wanting to sponsor this or wanting that. What what I shy away from is like at some of the ball fields, they have they have all these banners here, and then the next year people don't donate, and then we have to take all of those down. I would say there would be a way for donors, actually, it might be in one of the gardens. I've done um one before. If you were three levels of sponsors, we actually put a brick in your name in the sidewalk, and that was very successful. So I have I have a question. It's more of an environmental thing. Um, are they regular concrete or are they impervious because that is also a highly flooding area, and I know the garden is going to cut down on the flooding, but have we thought about incorporating um impervious concrete versus um, you know, they're concrete. Uh, I can tell there's a lot of gardens that they're framed in Wood, yeah, and I don't like that because they frame it in in treated lumber. Mr. Pollock can tell you about that, and that leeches back into what you're trying to grow, but we've had no problem with uh these folks in the P. The bottom will be open. Okay, so it's just going to be the side concrete, so the there will still be drainage. Okay, that was, that I thought it was cuz when I hear Rays bed, cuz that's what you know they're considered. I'm thinking of a off the ground, not infiltrating the um groundwater and things of that nature, so I presumed it was closed, but he answered it. If it's open, it's not that much um of a big deal because the garden itself will infiltrate a lot of the water, but with the concrete being closed, that would cut off some of the environmental impact. So think a big part of the design problem is or part if on the bottom, when you see those butterfly and hummingbird Gardens, we actually there's a little slope. We're going to we're going to uh dig a dryw so that water does not Pond and doesn't set. It goes into the beds, it goes through the plants, but it doesn't sit there. Oh, well, ultimately the garden itself is a great um uh storm water retention, you know, area, but the it he with the if it was closed at the bottom, you know, that would cause over, you know, overflow, saturate the um saturate the ground um and the chemicals from off of it will filter into the um groundwater. It's my environmental nerdy thing going on. Sorry, I that many types of concrete. I was yeah, there's impervious concete. It a lot, it's a lot more expensive, but you know, there'll be no leeching of the water off of this property on to somebody else. Oh, I know Mr. Herd wouldn't let that happen. I know that for a fact. I don't have a question. I have a couple comments. The pictures that we saw uh do that Garden no justice. Pastor LS um yeah uh has a passion about the same thing um and that Garden ising if you get a chance to go to the port, I highly recommend going and looking at it. Um, I've been talking to Pastor Herd for probably what almost two years, almost two years about this project now. Um uh he's very passionate about making this happen. Tristan uh you already said it, it's a food desert over there. I think this is a great thing. I think this is something that the neighborhood needs, not only for the food that they can grow uh but the educational purposes. Um so I'm happy to be a part of it. I will help out however I can in my spare time, and uh because I am involved in this project, I'm going to abstain from any votes. Can we still ask you some questions? Sure. Okay, go ahead. Now you go ahead. I just wanted to add um I I thought maybe you uh the members were familiar with, I know that there is a a thriving uh neighborhood Garden on the east side and has been for the last uh eight years. This is actually our eighth growing season, and we do have our raised beds. We are uh actually implementing some of the things that you're trying to imple implement on the um with the new uh Garden, so if you would like to come and take a look at what we're going to be doing for this upcoming growing season, I I uh invite you to do so. Thank you.

There's a great little food pantry over there too. You have something to do with that too? Put it, do everything. So my ultimate question, as far as this is, is mostly to the, um, board, as far as, um, budgeting: What do you guys—we need to take that into consideration as well, and that can be a conversation, um, but ultimately that will lead us to understanding where we are and, you know, what we can do. And, and that—and I was—this is the best, probably the best time to bring it up—that, uh, that our budget is basically half what we thought it was.

And so, just consistent with your comments, my sensibility is that we try to ask all the questions, and I happen to like it too, but that we, um, we don't actually make a decision until we tackle the big, stinky elephant in the room and figure out what we do about the fact that our budget is half of what we thought it was. Yeah, so we found out that, um, one of our, uh, taxable properties, um, they are not making a payment as large as we thought this year, um, so we're waiting, kind of waiting to hear back on what our actual, um, numbers are going to be. I know that's why I have this in initiatives came about, 'cause so we need to get out there. What kind of—what I was thinking along the lines of the grants is, uh, you know, we're, um, we have a neighborhood beautification grant that we implemented, um, but you also have a church, correct, that sits on that property, um, so I think that would make a big difference on which way we go for the size of the grant that we were to give. Um, so I would say if you're doing it through the church, um, you're going to have more opportunity for a larger grant, um, as opposed to just doing a neighborhood beautification.

Okay, I thought you couldn't do a church. You saying like a PL to a business grant? Uh, the church—churches aren't—Church? Yeah, that's why I was kind of thinking—I mean, it's just kind of my thought, like as we said it through the process—that's why I was kind of asking about purchasing the community like we did as a sponsorship, me, because I—beautification grant is $500. So I just feel like the project, the scope, the pro—the project and what it's geared toward and what—and how much can benefit a truly area in Urban Enterprise, I think I wouldn't—I'm—I'm not saying that up—I'm—I think I think I I I I would be for this, just me personally, I'd be for more than even how much we get for our business gr—with the 7500. I know we got some budgeting issues that we need to work out and figure out, but I think that this is—this is kind of even more important than what we do for the residential, the business, because it's going to affect the whole community as a whole, completely kind of what the our object and goal is of Urban Enterprise—making it better, and I think this is a great project for it. So I mean, I think this is something we can hold off and table. We could table a suggestion, Mr. President. Oh, go ahead. I'm sorry.

Um, but as we know, us being the Urban Enterprise Association, there are things and initiatives, um, um, that we can fund outside of our grant program, because a portion of our activities need to, um, impact the neighborhood, um, and each year we—not out—outside of the giving out the funds that they get from this initiative, we're supposed to have an initiative ourselves. But not only are we supposed to have initiative ourselves, the businesses that receive the tax credit are supposed to have initiative of themselves, um, so what I would propose is that you give us some opportunity to kind of ponder our connection pieces, and that way you will be able to capitalize off a larger amount potentially, uh, once we kind of figure out where we stand, um, because then we can get other—we can get our businesses, you know, I—and a part of this because they're by regulation required to invest into an initiative, and if this is something that we consider, then that's something that we have to—we can bring to them as well, to maybe even fully funded, I don't know, but they're [Music] required, um, and we're also required to pick a separate one that the board—so do we have a motion? Motion to table? Motion to table. So I have a motion. Do I have a second? Sir, I have a motion, a second. Do I have any more discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All in favor. All right. Any oppos—was there a set time for how long this was on the table? Was this tabled to the next meeting or t—to the next meeting? To the next meeting. Maybe we get a—I don't know—executive session maybe in the in-between time if possible, if need—if—I think next meeting is fine. Ni and I were hoping that we could get a meeting with the mayor to have a conversation that could address this too. Oh, what—the garden—you had to talk about the budget and that could help inform what we're talking about. So let's table to the next meeting, and—and you know, we'll—we'll try to get things moving. Yeah, I'm sorry. Motion passed. It's tabled to the next mee—uh, thank you. I'll be in contact with you. Okay. I call you. Talk to—I call you. Thank you for your time. Welcome. Have a bl—day. Okay. I motion for a recess. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Second. All in favor. All. Thank you. Thank you. Uh, we—we stand—we stay in the journey for five minutes, uh, we'll call the meeting back to order. We will go down to the executive system report. I mean, we'll go to the next item, executive system report. Excuse me. All right. So, um, I did get a couple quotes for, um, some office supplies, um, filing cabinets, um, we are required, right, to have locked filing cabinets, um, so I got a couple quotes from Office Max, since we use them for everything else and like, why not? So, um, do I go through like each—okay, so a three-drawer filing cabinet is ranging—looks like about 120, and then a four-drawer is 169, and then we also need a, uh, paper shredder. I'm in like the process of putting a lot of the old files onto hard drives, then, you know, we're going to need a way to properly dispose of all those documents. Uh, the paper shredder, uh, is about $200, um, then of course I can have all the—the receipts and everything, but I need you guys to approve that. And then also, um—or do I do one at a time? You go on to the banner quotes as well. We gotta do a separate motion, page. Got it. Okay. So regarding the offer supplies for, uh, filing cabinet and a paper shredder, did you say—I'm sorry—I'm sor—did you say you need hard drives as well or you have some? No, I'm gna—I have some. You brought—so hopefully those are fine. If not, before we vote, I have a comment, but want to let you finish. I'm done. I—I have some not terribly attractive old metal filing cabinets. I—I mean, I—I would be ecstatic to not have them in storage if it's interesting to the UAA. I—they're yours—ours I should say—they're ours. Okay. Do they lock? Um, you know, I'll double check. Okay. Yeah, 'cause that—it has to be locking, correct? Okay. I got into that when we were talking about the social security information and, um, housing and things that nature, and, um, by regulations that they should be, um—all files with permanent—can't say the word—should be, um, locked, you know, lock—and now it could be a locked door, right? So it can be behind a locked door, or can—if the door doesn't lock, then it needs to be in any locked container, you know, so it just needs to be under locking key. That's unfairness. I don't know where the keys are for these, so, you know, I guess it's up to the UAA if—if the office is locked, if we think that's adequate. That's true. Okay. What files are we maintaining and for how long? That's—that was what the question I had. Maybe we need to look into or talk to Anthony as far as, um, disposal when we move to the shredding portion, um, because I know that in some cases you're required to keep certain nonprofits for seven years. I thought so. You have—it's seven years. Yes. And the only reason I ask is does it need to be a fire-safe fining cabinet? Um, it just said under lock—door, but I can look into it. That'd be—we could ask Anthony. That's going to make a significant difference on the price. Yeah, these are not—these are not fire-safe, the ones I have, and I'm guessing the—the quot—you ever—and less—how about we Google and see, uh, and review the policy before we call Anthony? That's fine. I know some of the files that are in the office are dated from 2010 to 2013, so I know a lot of them are—are truly older, and even the new ones, they still need to be scanned, that way we're not just carrying everybody's information in like that. Yeah, but I'm sorry—no, I'm sorry—you good. Which—get the other topic that I know from personal experience—try to see if there's a—a shredder that, um—I don't even know what the term is, but you don't want to be like—I have to—which is to periodically interrupt the shredding and—no kidding—yank the papers out of there because they get gummed up in the teeth. That's like really not fun, right? I don't know if there's more advanced technology that parac—see that, but if you're shredding like 10-year-old files, it's going to take you a lot of time. Okay, just get a good one. Yeah. Okay. May—don't put some in—I want—well, you know, periodically—no staples, yeah, um, things that nature, uh, but the one I—we have an office—fine. So I'm going to make a motion that—that we—that we table for a month on the filing cabinets, it—and—and we can try to determine if we need the—the fireproof or not. If we decide we don't need the fireproof and—and it's okay if they don't individually lock, if we want to—you can have—they're—they're not pretty, but they're functional. So we got a motion. We got a motion in a second. Any more discussion? Hearing none, I'll call with the vote, uh, all in favor. All. Any HST? Motion passes. We will hold off on the filing cabinets to the next meeting. Okay. We'll go down to the MCAA banner. Are we holding off on a paper shirt or two? So that was a quote for the shredder—200—200. Yeah, but now I need to make sure—going to be—yeah, especially if you're putting it to work, um, you want to get something that's going to last. Okay. I was going to add that when I was working at a bank, they had like a service that, you know, you—it—put it in, they pick it up—stop. That's what they—it's pricey, but I don't know. Yeah, we only need it like one—yeah, and it's a contract that goes along with it. Oh, so recurr—every morning? Yes. Mhm. Even if you use it or don't, correct? So I don't think that's necessary, um, I think a simple shredder would be fine, um, how much was it? Uh, 200—200. How about I make a motion that—that we authorize it and—and—and we let you use your discretion and report to us next month? That's—that's my motion. And we get a warranty. So your motion is to approve—give preapproval for her to purchase a shredder and—and she—and she uses her judgment in light of what we've all expressed, and then she reports to us next month? That's my motion. I—I have a motion to—have a second. I'll second 'em. So a mo—um—I'm sorry—motion in a second. Any more discussion? Hearing n—vote. All in favor. Motion passes regarding the shredder. So I just want to make sure—so we—we give another discretion to buy a good—just buy good Bic—like get one that's—but we're holding off on the filing Cs, correct? Yes. I was just making sure. Feel like she should have had that under—all right. And that's—that's kind of where I kind of got lost. I'm like, but it's all good. I think the discretion came from, um, him wanting to get rid of his, uh, B cab—well, we talked about whether they got to be fireproof or not. We gotta do research on the—absolutely—just something that's good quality, you think—going to last. I know we go down to the MCAA banner quotes. I know me, Dakota, and Kamisha had a meeting, um, last week, one of those days last week, and we talked about some community outreach events and opportunities. I know opportunities came about with the mayor's Town Halls that she's hosting and be able to set up a table, have an area—want to be—I know I told her she's look into quote for a banner, be able to have something to display the Urban Enterprise and to lure people over to gather information on it, and I believe you got quotes back on it. Qui—yes. So I kind of did this one—I'm sorry—I forgot to—I could have printed out this flyer that I'm using, but this will be the—the banner. You can kind of twist to look at—you can do like a 360. I—I've seen it here. Okay. So just the banner—like I like it. They call it the tombstone. It's one that you pull up and—definitely—yeah, yeah. I like—ing—tombstone. Uh, they called it something else. I ain't choose—uh, let's see—yeah, tombstone. Where did it go? Where you—what's the price of it? You see any like that—like how the table—how this table—that's what I want it. And so I started off like local places—nobody had that, um, nobody makes these like table-covered skirts. They only do like the banners, and I feel like sometimes I might be the only one at a lot of the events. I just want something that is easy to pop up, even if I'm—if it's just me—like something—yeah, those are great to—like it be great to—it's called an X banner. I don't—it's the POS—well, tombstone sounds—yeah, it—and then you just literally pop it up—bam—pull down and hook. Where did it go? So I've seen like career day events. I've seen like—I know what you mean, and they just stand around. So you got a price—a price on it? Uh, it is—believe—13—I don't know where my—where it went—but like $139—$139 sounds pretty reasonable. Where was that quote from? It's a Vista—where did it go? A Vista Print. When is the next Mar's town hall meeting? The 31st. I should know. Oh, two weeks from the day. My only question would be, uh, reprographic Arts, do they offer those services or in the zone? Um, I will double check with them because I did reach out to them to see if they did, um, the table—yeah, and they said no, they can't do that. I try to get one—they don't do them. Yeah, um, um, let me work on that. I do a lot of business with a place out of California. I might be able to talk to them into doing—doing us a favor. Yeah. And then also, um, I love your favors, um, also remember, uh, as we come and you bring items, you—we typically have to have at least three quotes to—at least two quotes—you stop, um, and or—hey, I couldn't find this quote, you know—justification for not being able to—that way we can have some options for the board to choose from. Um, I did reach out to like three different places and try to get the same—and they—three qus—right there. Yeah, um—H—Scotty, um, yeah, the American signs and, uh, refo—and then I was like, you know what—could probably just go—so it's coming—it's slowly coming back up, um—no—where—I don't think that price is bad at all for what it is, and I got like a—they did like a flag for me, like one of those really tall and—yeah, the sale flag—yeah, really tall, really simple, easy to—to put up and—and break down. So can we approve it? Do not exceed $150 excluding shipping and handling costs for, uh, for the—the X—the tombstone—U—pending—U—let you and Nick work through that process. You get a better price and try to get that to work. So I move that we do—we approve the purchase of the banner, but do not exceed $150, um, for—S banner. Second. Okay. I have a motion in a second. Any discussion? What—so wait—what—he might try to reach out to his people. Okay, if he can't do it, you proceed. Mhm. And I still would like to see a repr—graphic—might be able to do the banner. Yeah, but at least the banner, because I want to support business. I love that. So we have a motion to approve the purchase of a banner, uh, do not exceed $150. Any more discussion? Hearing none, our call for the vote. All in favor. Motion passes. Um, we'll go down to new business. We already did Circle of Friends. I don't know how I ended up in there twice. We'll do—go to Attorney Novac invoices. If you scroll through your packet, you will see there's three invoices from Attorney Novac's office regarding billing, um, if you look at the privilege of confidential section, you'll see, uh, from the way it was explaining to me via Attorney Novac, there was two separate accounts set up for the Michigan City Urban Enterprise, and the issue that came about what—uh, as you—it also states on the, um, on the scan—the pay side—it shows us two separate count numbers. The issue that came about was we were only being sent the invoices for the one account after Tommy and Gabrielle were no longer with the board and part of—and part of them going at the ending the year, they look through and seeing that there was still some outstanding—outstanding invoices. I double checked the email where—on the balance due on the one from January 2024 says $1,422, it's actually only $75 old regarding that, which comes to the sum total of 75 plus the 100 plus the 400, the—the total is 575 for the invoice is owed to Attorney Novac's firm. I got a question. Go ahead. Did he say why we had two accounts? No. So was it like their close-out account and then moving into our new—so are they counil contracts? They were filed under the file number for the first count—first account is 20—202—3385, and then the second one, which is the current one, had a com—had—had two extra zeros added on to the account number, so they was showing up as under two separate bins, but they technically the same, but it's all for the same—we are still the same Cloud number, just under two separate accounts. So he was only receiving one for the 001 as opposed to the one with just 0. Whose's fault is [Music] that? I don't know. Clar—I guess so. Do we have a motion to pay the invoices owed to Attorney Novac? To approve? Second. I have a motion in a second. Any more discussion? Yeah, this a gratuitous point that I'm not concerned about with the law firm. If we get an invoice from somebody else that has—I forget what these are called—QR codes, yeah, if it was a different amount and we didn't know these people, I'm suggesting we would not use that because they're—they're so—but I—I trust them—the way I've—you've been doing—fill out a check, and then I go to get the second signat from Jim, I just take it to the law firm, turn it into him, that way—that's been the way I've been, uh, doing it with him. So we have a motion to—Second, uh, all in favor. I—motion passes. We'll go down [Music] to—technically me, uh, but you can do business applications before I go into—oh, I'm sorry—yeah, we go—Sylvia—I'm supposed to be on the new business—look—go ahead. I'm sorry—I wrote it in the wrong spot. It's okay. I'mma go wherever you want me to go. You can go—I apologize—hand me—okay. So after having, uh, the conversation with, uh, Tristan and everybody, um, and you don't have to, Dakota, because I got you on—on here—this was—I took your initiative and just put it in a strategic plan. So your—this is actually where I was going. Dakota had several, uh, ideas, um, so we broke the different things out, and today we wanted to give out, uh, some—take the ideas, create committees, and let the committees implement those ideas, which gives us a holistic approach at tackling community in initiatives in Urban Enterprise Zone. So the first portion is the outreach for businesses. I think that is big because, for as we just found out, um, we lost a—you know—potentially lost a—a large business, but when you lose one, you—G—too. So I think that we, um, after talking to the, um, executive assistant, we—we came up with the idea of a, um, business brunch, uh, so it'll be, uh, business community outreach program where each B—invite one, bring one. So they are businesses in this neighborhood. So by inviting them, they tell their neighbor—their neighbor business—tell they neighbor business, and then we have this brunch where we talk to them about our different initiatives and kind of reiterate—so not really force upon 'em, but reiterate the—the initiatives that they are supposed to be contributing to, therefore bringing them in, making them more familiar with us, showing face to face, and then—hey—starting that conversation to see how they're going to, um, finalize compliance with their 2024 Grant and by regulation. And Dan is going through this process to send out a note—they're technically not supposed to be, um, allowed to reapply, but because we are in this new phase and we are losing—we don't want to—we don't want to move into that, so we want to have this brunch to have, um, that business outreach, bringing new businesses and things of that nature. So that is one initiative that, uh, can have a committee. Then you have the Michigan City, um, Spring Sweep—Revitalize, Restore, and Reimage—that is the dumpster community, um, outreach program—the cleanup, right after spring cleaning, right? So they're going to have all their stuff out there, and you know, uh, our president thinks that it would be a good idea to align that initiative with—with the city, collaborating, um, holistically as one and give them some backup for after spring cleaning ends—that coming in right after and, um, catching that second wave, so that we'll have a beautiful Urban Enterprise, um, Zone. And lastly was the re-imaging, um, rebranding, and, uh, re-exploring Urban Enterprise, um, Association in Michigan City. So those three tiers of programs ultimately impact community engagement, business engagement, workforce development, and, um, rebranding. So they're high level—they can, you know, those are just the things that we want to make sure we implement, but the spring cleaning is something that, you know, that's not going to be, uh, month—six months away—that's coming, so, you know, kind of moving forward with those different type of initiatives, um, to—and it's our president—up to our president to appoint his committee for his initiatives to pick it back off the—to the, uh, SM—to MCAA Spring Clean Sweep. Uh, just in the prels of it—U—executive system looked and got some quotes from Waste Management, uh, just kind of didn't try to reinvent the whe—just use the same idea that the leaport U uses and just try to identify some locations throughout the city—throughout the Urban Enterprise—that we can pose and set these, uh, dumpsters up, uh, I don't—I—I kind of had the vision of having three—three separate spots, that way—that way people in Urban Enterprise had opportunity—get somebody—get some volunteers—get two volunteers at each location and get a signin sheet for people that's coming using the dumpster, that way we get an idea of data. Correct. Correct. Also, the city has some neighborhood—some neighborhood beautification funds that they allocated through the AR—through the aror—I figur—we could try to—we could try to work with them that way we don't bear the whole cost of the project, but this would be a first initiative project that we use—and we use—we use—and make it—make a strong—

Push towards, I mean, we all seen the dump that went all went out throughout the city, the trash and after spring clean up, people still seem to have the same problem. Urban Enterprise areas usually were hit the worst, so we're regarding the spring clean, the spring clean sweep. Um, guess how ask is besides me and the Z was any volunteers that want to be part of this initiative?

Volunteer? Yeah, me too. Okay, that's—didn't know everybody's so excited. Yes, the go, the idea, goal and target I have—well, you know what, I'll let y'all do it. I'm sorry, you want to be a part of, you be—I mean, you IDE go a half full spring clean, spring clean up ends May 2nd. So the ideal and goal I had was the week after, following the week after that Saturday. Look for the Saturday, to May 9th, try to find, and I try to find three ideal locations, some City properties that we had to use, so try to got the ball rolling on this sooner than later, especially with this is Mar—almost end of March, but we get everything finalized, get everything squared away and try to get it promoted, get it out there. So I have Councilman Nelson, Mr. Connley, and myself regarding the spring clean project and then—oh, I'm sorry, you, you said no, then you said yeah again, and Sylvia as well, always need Sylvia in the place.

And then regarding the business branch, I thought that was a very good idea. I mean, especially with the loss of $60,000 to our GR cycle, I mean, to our invoices cycle, we definitely need to start marketing, get more money out. I figure we'd be able to do, we can do, we can still work through this GR cycle, do community outreach as we've been doing and also try to lure in and retain more businesses all at one time and make it, making a committee, a group effort. So, so regarding the um, the business brunch, I figure we could set a idea budget of how much we're looking to spend, send it to committee to come back with the location and then look at the pursuit, work with Dan. I know, speaking with Dan, he has a list of all potential businesses and he has a list, he has a letter that he used in other UAs that he said increase business by 25 to 35%, so we work with Dan towards that and also had a conversation with him about the redrawing of the map. I mean, because right now the way the Urban Enterprise map is drawn, you got neighbors that live in the same neighborhood, once's in Urban Enterprise, once's not. I fig we can all, we can all put a group effort in, everybody throw they hat in the ring and get more done and try to get all these things done and try to revitalize or resave the program, taking this and so—do I have any volunteers for a business brunch? I want to do it. Can you? Okay, so I got Bruce, Sylvia, Nick, and Mr. Con—he, you know, Mr. uh, Mr.—he was already in my mind.

So regarding those three things, I figure uh, I don't, I didn't have idea set out, you got to set your branding committee, a rebranding committee. I know Dakota has some ideas regarding rebranding committee. I have anybody else that would like—um, I guess I'll ask, would you like to be part of the rebranding committee? M, do you have any other volunteers to participate with that, with Dakota? Me and we can, I do it with you guys, we can all set up, try to get some dates set, moving forward with these three initiatives and try to really—first things first, I think the business branch is going to be real key, try to get some new business and try to bring in as much money as we can, but also working through our grand cycle, still doing community outreach. I know over—we going to schedule minut before we leave. I know over the weekend, me, Antonio, and Kamisha, we uh, we spoke at New Hope Church and we went to the neighborhood association. I know there's a few other neighborhood associations throughout the city, just try to get out there and get opportunity to speak. We had found four, four people that or two people that were eligible, try to just promote the business as much as we can. I feel, I feel that the Urban Enterprise has went being unknown long enough and I figur the more we tell other people and get other people involved, the more we can keep the business going, to keep it flowing. So I want thank everybody, thank everybody for volunteering for the Committees. Um, anybody have anything else, any questions or anything? I was say tone schedule for um another church—oh, another church this Sunday, this Sunday, speak at another church as well and try to—what is it, church is called High Street, right here corner, right? I fig it'll be there 12:30. You coming? I'm open. I figure, I figure aiming towards the community outreach, we try to, try to, try to work around the executive assistance schedule. I know she's been scheduling appointments with people in the office, so I didn't want to over burden, to make her work more than she, more than she's uh contracted to work, but I figur we can hit the major, we can hit the three neighborhood associations that are inside the Zone, we can also hit the churches that are inside the Zone, we can try to just try to spread the word as much as possible. We already arranged, spoke with, spoke in regards to speaking, that I mean, having a table set up at the Town Hall like the other department heads, so just try to get as many community outreach events that we have. I'm open, I'm open and available usually during the day, you know, I work overnights besides school. Does anybody find anything they want to get into, just reach out to her, reach out to me. I have no problem going—uh, there was one initiative that I don't know if we got more information on, the mayor's Gala, bun benefits neighborhoods, May the sponsorships was U like $55,000. I, I don't know everybody else's approach on it, but I thought—somebody else can really sponsor that one. I mean, that was, that's just my, that's just honestly my opinion as well. Get, she said she might squeeze in for a th, talk to her, I reach out to her again, but I would, I wasn't in great support of the um, just the tears that I had seen originally, that's just me being honest, but I know that the mayor's got is next month. I mean, I don't know if the board wants to maybe purchase a table and everybody go to support and promote the program there as well. We got look at budget, definitely, that's I think that's the key part—um, which is probably why you didn't like the tearers, but we need to—especially L, that reminds me, are we the P, the um company, did they not apply for the 24 or the 25 Grand cycle because you're, you're in 25 Grand cycle, which is the money that exists now, right? So the money we have in there was money from that goes to this one, the money that we're getting correct goes to the next one, so is this—yes, I think I afforded everybody email I got from Dan regarding uh, regarding it, regarding this year's Bill and cycle. Yeah, so that's 20, that's 20 this year's Bill in cycle is 20 uh, six is GR cycle funds, it's not 25 uh, Grant cycle funds was closed and anything we collected was 25 and we set the budget off of what we had or what we were projected, what we had had, I mean, currently as—I mean, we just currently—that's why I wanted to ask because you, you, you must, you must use Grant cycle funds and Grant cycle funds and it should not be over a certain amount left over, right? So for the email again that I, we probably want to take this up again, you know, in April, make sure we know—no, I know because the grand cycle was closed out, we're not receiving any money right now, have there's no checks coming in because the grants they—this is tax season, so it's just like taxes, so this tax season is not for 25, right? This tax season is for 24, so that the, the grant cycle here, I, I mean, I went through all this with Dan, so I know for a fact we close out everything that's in our account that didn't come from, that didn't come before, I mean, didn't come after October when the grand cycle closed, belongs to 24's funds, which is a part of 25 Grant cycle. So in 25 grant cycle, the funds that comes from this year, right, that's coming in, that's starting to come in that he's sending letters out, all those money, which is why it has to be separated because technically that money is supposed to be gone by the time the new Grant cycle starts, it, it's supposed to be invested back into the community, right? So the price he has for writing that, the balance, sorry, the balance he has and that's what we are programming this year for the funds that are coming, program to clarify next year, it's just like T, it's a tax, it's a tax incentive like this year I'm filing for my taxes, right, but I ain't filing for 25, I'm filing for 24 and the 24 you f, I mean, 25 you file for, you know, so that was projected out for monies to be collected, yes, next year off of 2025, yes, that's 2025 Grant uh, tax season, but 2026 is Grant psycho, so they're different, the Grant psycle and the grant um, the the grant tax cycle, right? So you can cify with D, but I'm tell you I know also speaking with Dakota, he had a um, idea regarding the new some funds we receive for the, the, the incoming invoice and billing, that the funds that we receive, we place those in a um, see if we can correct because it has to be new money has to be placed, so we couldn't use the money that we have already in the account, use the you new funds that come in to bear interest, make and make money off of going into, so I just want something, something I wanted to bring up that was a piece that came from our last me, we had the conversation, but I also know Dan, speaking with Dan, he was going to reach out to the company that didn't take it, didn't take it for last—I'm saying it right—didn't take it for last year and see if maybe they file for the wrong deduction and try to help them rectify the situ because he didn't make sense to him why they wouldn't choose it again, they had been taking it every year, every year prior to that, so he's going to be investigating and working towards that, he's going try to reach back out with an answer as soon as possible and he was going to be sending out the invoices for this year within that week, within this week, everything be sent out, we start receiving payments, yeah, cuz Tristan, if I'm not mistaken, we haven't gotten any payments, payments aren't due to June 1st, which means that money coming in after June 1st goes towards the next.

Okay, so that was a question I had, I had um, pertaining to this uh, company brunch that we set up, um, when would be a good time to set it up, like after that date or prior to that date? Right now because they're in tax date, right? So INX, we're trying to entice new companies to apply for the tax credit, we want to do it before that date, correct? Yes, yes, and you said that was July 1st? June, Jun 1, so yeah, so that's not that far, but keep in mind we um, we want, we, we—that's why we set a committee so we can divide and conquer, right? And even though me and Tristan technically have to a hog be on all these different communties, he can shift off and we can still um, accomplish it, these these same goals um, for as far as the brunch and things of that nature um, it is um, we can come back with a plan next month or we can email a plan that can be reviewed and ready for suggestions, approval and things of that nature by um, that's better cuz it's really short time, yes, so because if we wait and then we—the same thing with the spring cleanup, spring cleanup is coming um, as well, but these are hard-hitting initiatives that will have direct impact that's tangible that these people will be able to see our contribution to their uh communities, these are initiatives that we're not asking them for anything is what we're giving to them, you know, so yeah, I think this is way more than the brand important in the Branding portion, to be quite honest, we need to prioritize and not saying that we don't need to Rebrand because it can happen all behind all as everything is going on um, but if you're going to buy a banner, you might want to think about that too. Yeah, I, I did, but it's like we, we going to need something though, we do like, we—it sucks to move the buy something and then have to then Rebrand and have to buy something again. M, but we, we definitely need something to get out there, you now, so I mean, we can, we can work through the rebranding process now and shoot the unroll it beginning next year as the new Grand cycle begin cuz we're already in the middle of this Grand cycle, that's kind of the initi—we can use a Rebrand and reimage to start the new year off as opposed in the middle of the grand ccle. I definitely, I definitely agree with Dakota that I mean it's outdated with the logo, everything's outdated with Urban with this, we can look to do something different, but I think in the time, I still believe we, we're all fully capable, all can bring our own expertise to to all these different issues facing the program that we can walk at you gum, get a whole lot done in the time frame. I mean, everybody's here out of Labor of Love cuz $50 a pay for gas right now, so I think there's a lot we can accomplish to get done working as a collective, utilizing our our key skills, like I, my mind went straight to you business uh, you know, bring one teach one, your face popped up, same thing, same thing. I mean, also, I mean, even with the brunch with you guys, I, I just thought idea I think would be a, I mean, once we look at business as they come to the city and look for business, they go through the e, they go through the CH, I mean, through the um, Economic Development, Economic Development, some do some work in partnership with them, like we see in leaport how they Thrive using the same, we don't have to reinvent the whe with a whole lot of things we're doing, we kind of just incorporate our own thing of it and make the best out of it and I think this is a great group of people that we can get the job done and they would definitely support, they got one coming up, they do power brunch at the same spot this month, they do it's this month, this month, yeah, this month. Oh, I thought they did nor get a table, but I'm going to be out of town, so I don't know, anybody going be there, they got good food in Canada though, is that March 26ar it? I know it's this month though um, I know it's on my calar summer I guess—oh, we skipped over the finance report, we go to that, it should be on the back of everybody's packet, correct? Yeah, the, the—I'm no, go ahead, the EDC breakfast is March 26th. M, I know it's sold out already, it's sold out already, he sold out 18 hours, sold out. I'll be there though, I be that one. Me too. Oh, well y'all got A plus one or or you guys going to handle it like you got what y' need us to do, like what, what y'all want us to tell them, who, who we are and what we offer? Oh, we do that anyway. Yes, ma'am—uh, not ma'am—um, yeah, that, that's so out, three me out, call me man, just do—I call everybody ma' and sir, you go ahead, Tristan. Anybody have anything else regarding strategic plan and committees that were established here today, just—oh, two seconds, the the thing to add, this is the initiative that I was speaking of that the garden um, itself can go into because the power Branch brings business, the business are required to invest, if that is one of our initiatives, then the businesses can invest, you get what I'm saying, because our ultimate goal for this branch is to inform them on the on the incentive for the new ones and their uh, requirements for the existing ones and then give them a list of, hey, you want, you want to, hey, go invest in that activity, that activity, that like the Garden Project. Yeah, the Garden project, do we have to somehow make that a formal initiative like as like, do we have to vote to say this is a formal initiative that we want businesses to uh, once we get to that point, once we get to that point, right now we're in planning phase, so right now all we need is um, right now we just move forward and get it together as a committee and decide how that looks and that's when we start implementing um, you know, certain agreement standards and things of that nature, but right now it's just us saying, letting the community know that we're rolling out things and activities and our president is interested in moving forward with certain initiatives in our board as well, but that entails detail will come soon. Any more, any more questions here? None. I uh, I omitted and skipped over old business where we have update from the workforce develop from the GR committee with Dakota, Bruce and Nick. I'm pretty sure I fed everybody over the two grants, I think they did a real amazing job on, did a real good job on, we have to formally approve those here in the meeting. Only other thing I suggest is, only other question I had was to any of you guys, did you guys want to extend the time frame for, since we started it a month later, did you want to extend the time frame for it or just keep it still with the closing date of uh, October 31st? You, our closing date based upon our cycle though, I think we need to keep it the same um, there's still plenty of time for people to apply. I got you um, so my question would be has everybody had an opportunity to look at the drafts that we came up with and and Dakota, I give Dakota a lot of credit for uh, the um, which ones did you, the uh, Workforce Dev and the neighborhood viation, he did great, you guys did a great job, like I tou you in the email, I thought it was real nice, I think um, you know, everything looked good to me, everything looked like it was covered, it was spelled out the guidelines um, what it takes to qualify um, and what the money can be spent on um, I like the breakout, but I think uh, you know, everybody should have input if there's any changes anybody would like to see, any additions, any om—I think everybody on the board should have a say, something this is on the table for approval tonight. Yes, sorry, I didn't print it out, I know I fored it to everybody after you guys s my S, so I think the only thing, you know, we'd have to put in an official letterhead um, there was one line in there I think needed some information, it was just phone number, address, email, I think, I think it was on the neighborhood [Music] one. Oh, I did have one other question for the Workforce Development is for it was for like, I'm pretty sure it was for Resident, I mean, it was for homeowners and just renters that long as you lived in the zone, correct? So what um, so with the neighborhood enrichment, I think believe it's the neighborhood en Richmond or you called it neighborhood in—I think I called him both an enhancement, neighborhood enhancement, work first enhancement and then neighborhood enhancement, so was I, I just want to make sure, I I believe people in nonprofits were allowed to come ask for a project that they were doing, long as it was inside the Zone, correct? I thought I read that event or organization name, so only thing I was wondering was was the only requirement that the event be in the zone or also the organization had to be located in the zone as well, that's where I was, that's one thing I was kind of um, Wonder all, so I have eligible products, enhanced Landscaping in public common areas, L yard and neighborhood cleanups, construction, Rehabilitation of neighborhood entrance signs, exterior panning, repair of distressed properties, any creative projects that fits the guidelines, I guess I should go to requirements to uh, project must be within Michigan City Urban Enterprise Zone, a neighborhood group liaison must submit the application, the liaison must oversee the project and submit expend expenditure records, before and after photos are required, explicitly states have recipients will be chosen without guard, race, cre, sex, color, national origin, because I was still under, I thought under that, under those guys, I thought, thought if a organization wanted to come they were having like a um, say they having like a um, say they having like a women's day event inside the urban Urban Enterprise Zone, I just, I just thought that I from listen to it again, it sounds like that qualifies as well, I just thought that'd be like be something that is beneficial, beneficial as well. I'd say that would go back to the purpose line, which is to fund neighborhood beautification, encourage neighborhood engagement, financially assist Community nonprofit social events within the Michigan City Urban Enterprise Zone um, promote visitors retail areas or improve quality of life for his own residents, so I think that would be the financially assist Community not profit social events, this what we're approving today uh, any more questions from right from the board regarding to the grant committee um, only two things that I, I see that probably need consideration is um, I have it listed in there funding um, for neighborhoods, I have grants of 5 of 500, I probably should say up to 500 um, and I—oh, see that makes more sense, I thought they were all 500, I, I think probably should say up to, we don't want to just—no, I mean, that was, it was still a good idea, keep them at that lower basis um, and I believe the workforce is the same as says grants of $11,000 and I think it should be up to, up to, to cover cost um, and the only other change that I would see is on the application of both um, it's says please return the complete application, MC UA blank, have those areas filled in with phone numbers, emails and U PO Box, those only changes that I—I have a question and it's not even um, it's not a a question, it's more of an addition, can we add that they um, submit an impact story, like you know, it'll pretty much tell—I think they should have to come back after and present, yeah, I mean, but I guess that only works if like we, they come for an event because let's say 90y Old Miss Jones come for neighborhood beautification, she wants to get her yard done and we approved to get her grass cut numerous times throughout the summer, we really G to ask her to come back and and say oh yeah, I got my grass cut, so I think it's only like go pertaining to if we give this towards an event that's happening, not necessarily just the neighborhood cleanup, cleanup project or maybe at the end of the year they come and tell us how, you know, for something like that is uh, Miss Jones can come at the and you know, thank us cuz she going to try to get it again for the next one, you know, just Miss's coming in talking, maybe we invite them to do it, I think an invitation would be good too, like the business, I don't know, I see what you saying, Miss Jones, I see what you saying too where it's like you going to keep asking for it, you know, I would like to see—no, I get exactly what he mean as far as and then we may not even get Miss Jan, Miss's not a real person um, I sure who she is's not her person, but no, just trying to figure out um, some key performance uh, Matrix, how we measure our you know, success, those conversations, all of that is data, you know, and all of that is needed for going into the next phase because ultimately we want to apply for funding now, that's my thing, right, in it order for funding the data has to be there, I have to have a projection to

Prove that this is a necessity. So, trying to get those data sources, and Miss—she's not the only way of gathering the data. These actual events—maybe they should take a um, survey or something for each event. At your event, you have to have everybody um, complete this survey, or you know, something simple just to gather enough information. It gives us opportunity to present myself, too. It is, I guess, even—I think just thinking towards the end of the grand cycle, I think we should look to make sure like if we're going after every—after every project is completed, we got before and after. Even if it's just a yard work event, when we make it a brochure, a PowerPoint, or something, present, I mean, because I know we're behind on presenting to the Council on the work that we've done. So that way we got the tangible information as we go along, because right now, just early looking through the fou—all the grants we approved last year where we wasn't be—we didn't—we didn't get pictures of before and after. That way we have—we can fully tell a story as opposed to just pictur—tell picture telling—amazing story. We can fully tell a story of everything that—everything that's going on—what's going on completely. So I think we need to track it for budget.

That is true, each year. You know, Bruce and I have talked about that in Dakota, you know, when we're coming up with these budgets for these grants that we're creating. You know, right now we're just pulling numbers out of there, right? So we need to be able to track it and see how effective it is. Yeah, that's—and that's how we um, identify the KPI—key performance indicators. And that way it'll help us project, hey, this year we did X and Y and Z business grants, but we had an uptick in Workforce Development, that letting us know what the community needs um, and we ran out of Workforce Development funds right quick—18 hours, right? Um, so that helps us identify what grants were successful and maybe what grants we should tell back, cuz they're not utilizing them. How do we impact exactly? Um, that's all I—well, only thing I would like to throw out is that the 200—the 2,000—the $24,687.7 is the actual—well, excluding the invoices that's going out for I think for 1,500 today. I don't think you have any more payments going on. I just want to let—oh, you just reminded me of—I'm sorry. I'm sorry, keep going, but I need my money back from that phone.

Oh yeah, of the phone. Uh, they would accept the Horizon Card that we have, so she was great and paid for it using her own money. So, uh, she was looking for a reimbursement back from the board for the phone—for the uh—oh, the phone's right here, actually. No, it's not. This is mine. Well, the phone—we just got it today um, but yeah, it was a big issue. I cover the payment of the phone because it's not her responsibility, to—and we've already had foam issues. So the foam is here. It's gotten—yeah. Okay. You have amount with that, or yeah, I have—have the receipt here. So I lit—I remember you told me and I forgot all about it. I apologize. Got to be a receipt, but it was a headache trying to get it through the business card. Was they—want to accept the card? Yeah. No, it was too much kind logo on it. It's—it's um, the amount—it was like a scam thing, cuz even when I tried to pay with my own card, my bank declined it at first, too, and then they text me like, hey, is—yeah. So um, we was having a meeting today that a—we yeah, be back. I bring you a check, pant. So we need a motion once we get the amount—the price. Yeah. So I'll redo the motion once we get the price. Okay. One second. But this F Journey, y'all—yeah, went all the way over to Valo, too, and they like, no, you can't do nothing. Okay. So it is uh, $855.99. Please. What do we do? We wait—wait—wait. Does the phone for—yeah, what for? I'm sorry. Let's go back for her—for her. Okay. So we did—she get a cell phone? We—she got—she did. We bought the phone—bought the phone. That's equipment price? No, that's—yes. And that's what we voted on. WE vot—that's we—that's why I want to stop y'all go shopping. We voted to—we voted to buy—we voted to—right? Am I—am I mistaken? No, I—what I have here is a Verizon at this time. It was total D today with tax was 883 um, and 84—that was tax. So eight 800 99—give real um, is 800 8—we talking about the quote? She paid $55.99. I mean, yeah. So make the motion. Oh, I move—sorry, I move that we approve um, the reimbursement of um, 855 for and 99—64.99. I second. Yeah, to $84.99 uh, for the phone that was approved uh, previously uh, for a equal or, you know, around the same Mount price. Second. I got a motion and two seconds. Any more discussion? Um, I would just say I also want to get an Otterbox for it, cuz—did we pay taxes on it? M—we did. I don't—oh yeah, it says sell tax. How much? Uh, $56. Okay. So we're going to submit that. Yeah, uh, because uh, we'll—we'll retro AC this because it's for you. We don't pay taxes. We're not allowed to—we're not—it's—yeah. And I'll get you the taxes in form. Okay. So how—how much do I send me myself back? You get a whole thing. You get—you'll get it all. And you just saying—okay. And then I need to do the form. So we got a motion in a second. Everybody did—did I already call for the vote? Oh, I'm sorry. Any more discussion? Hearing none, all in favor—motion passes uh, to reimburse the executive assistant for paying for the phone. And you said something about Otterbox? Yeah, cuz you can't—man, I don't play around like that. I think it's to cover the investment. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. I move—make a motion—you can buy—yeah, that do not exceed uh, $60—60 bucks—$60. Motion in—do I have a second? Second. Motion in a second. All in favor—motion passes. I had him do it, but it was out of stock um, the day that we were finalizing the—don't pay your money for—I'm sorry, I forgot all about this—like I'm—oh, I think it ain't missing. It's like—it's not like I a feel it—you was nice about that. I would have been—call Trist—don't call me last. It business is the uh, month of March, or it should be mon—month of March—February—February's uh, Finance report uh, CLH. I—part of the contract we have with them, they do quarterly QuickBooks um, up—I mean um, what is it called?—reconciliation. So that came out last month. The Chamber of Commerce invoice that we voted and approved for the yearly month uh, PO Box $72 is on there uh, the board stipends payments. It is a little higher. Mr. Conley, we waited a while to get his information, so he all had to be paid at one time. My man, he needs to here. And the office supplies is—we uh, finally got the chair for uh, Comm—put the chair together the day of our meeting. She got a chair. We also have three desks in there that came with the office—like um, like you're in high school all over again. Yeah, my stuff was falling off the desk. Um, I think that's everything that's on there. Um, I did have one question just looking back um, from balance on 131 to the balance on 31 um, just—I've been keeping records—trying to—trying to see—I see a difference of like with the 100,000 moved of like 9,000, and so I'm a little confused if you could help me find that afterwards. I know that this was the first month that the board stipend payments was placed on it. They kept being overlooked, and there might be some—I mean, we pull up the bank uh, the bank STS that come every month. That's no problem. Okay. And then I never got November—I don't think so. November somewhere—I'd like to see that too. That's fine. Thank—any more questions? Are we going to vote on the court for enhancement Grant and the neighborhood en—we skipped over—with the changes—with the changes—I don't remember—table until the next meeting so everybody has a chance to—if they have—yeah, table it. Let them correct it, then come back with—I mean, we can—they can be approved with the corrections without having to table. You wrot—she wrote down what the corrections were. So do I have a motion to approve the neighborhood and Workforce Development grants with the corrections? Second. I have a motion in two seconds. Any more discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All in favor—I Mo—any—any post—motion passes for the Workforce Development and neighborhood Improvement GRs. I think that is last—next thing on our item—next thing on the agenda is public comment. Seeing that there's no one here from the public except the cameraman, if he doesn't have anything, we'll close public comment. We'll go down to director's comment. Anybody from the board? I have a comment. I think that we need to um, I don't know how to say this—B the business finance portion, because as the executive um, assistant knows, we are working through um, standard operating procedure um, we need to figure out how to move forward. She cannot pay herself. We—that has to change. We have to figure out the business person—he's—is he going to do it, or is he not going to do it? I don't know how y'all want to address that, but we're going to—in her contract there's no finance that portion. Remember, we took that out—that was the biggest part to take out—that she wasn't supposed to be in control of that portion. So to put in place checks and or balances, it's important for there to be um, the business person to do the business person job. So I mean—so do we want to go to writing hand checks for the—the two—the two monthly payments she received? I mean, because right now um, I know all the board payments are issued through the QuickBooks account. No, she can still get QuickBooks—she just needs to be the—he needs to be in control of QuickBooks. We took the finance—she should not have to deal with QuickBooks because we took that portion out of her contract—out of the treasur—should be the treasurer. Yes. Do—is Jim Char a treasure? That's what I'm saying. Oh man, y—so but that's not this man's hands out—I only saw him once. That's—but—but we—we—we—we—how automatic can it be—like a—it—it can—but it can—because of thing of you're hourly and contractor, right? So but the thing is, and y'all—we can figure out—we can vote on it. Y'all can make the decision that y'all so choose. This is what got us where we are. We need to protect her, and we need to protect ourselves as well moving forward. So if he going to do the treasury—all—all for it, but if he ain't—maybe having that conversation—it's hard. I'm fine with it—volunteer um, me—don't care—but we—we—that position needs to be handled because—so are you volunteering to take over QuickBooks? Oh, no—no—no—no—no—no—no—what I said—have that—I said have that coners—I said have that conversation. I said that's a hard conversation. I call Jim—what's easier, right? Check out or JY who—well, you still need two signatures—that's the two signatures with a check. I mean, that's why I think I really wish we go towards just e payments—get check—yeah, cuz I ain't got time—that makes it easy. I ain't got time to be—and some—and if he just initiate her payments, then you know—he—he—it—it—it'll be taken care of. He needs to initiate her pay—her payments and monitor QuickBooks, and so that'd be something I gu—to have a conversation with him about them—yes. Yeah. Correct. So what are we gonna do in the time—in the time being now? Is there any—any way to like schedule—like I'll make sure to not go over so that there isn't any additional—at least until you guys get it figured out—but like, is there a way to like put it on like automatic? Maybe appoint an assistant Treasurer? That's what I was—I—I was gonna L to Nick honestly, but I know Nick's busy in Canada, but that's where I was gonna go next—on my next—my next com—I know we've had a conversation before. I know you're pretty vers—quick—quick D. Yeah. I mean, just—I mean, essentially be handling—and it's virtual—you can be in Canada, right? All cuz it ain't me. So it's at the—at the pleasure of you essentially. I mean, my Rec—they said the pleasure board—my recommendation is—is Nick. I think Nick's the great guy for the job until we get something more fully squared away. I know everybody has other outside obligations—other outside opportunities, but yeah—you want me to pass that motion? You want me—I move that uh, Nick uh, be the assistant—is it business person—Treasurer—what's—okay, the assistant treasurer for the Urban Enterprise Association in the absence of um, the treasure. I'll seconding that. I got a motion in a second. Any more discussion? Hear none—will call for the vote. All in favor—I—motion passes. So we can get you the um—I'm sorry, I thought to say that, and I'm—I apologize, but any more director's comments? I've noticed that we've gotten into a habit of putting old business up for new business again. Um, usually with Robert's Rules of Order, old business becomes before new business. So for—if we could bring that back up to the top, um, and then additionally um, I appreciate having time to review applications and not having everything in front of me 10 minutes before the meeting. So if we can get in the practice of having things packets sent—I know there's like the idea of some information that we need to retract or whatever, but at least some of the quotes or whatever moving forward would be appreciated. I think we—I think I know this week she was busy and the first time Mak—I think we show her some grace and essentially—where first meeting—it's her first meeting—where not like—not down her throat CU—she didn't get it out as fast as you wanted get out, but I think—sure—a little grace—spoke the word today—she tried to have out a week before, and she didn't even know what needed to go out. Let's—let's—let's be—let's be transparent—I had the flu—he was sick—none of us talked to her—we did—we got it—you got it—no—understandable—just moving forward—why we had the submission dates to give us that time to be able to get the stuff—the goal is one week before the meeting, and she wouldn't have known because who came up with this admission dates—six—Silvia. So do apologize uh, but my other question was going to be um, with the payroll for Kamisha um, the time log—that's—is that still part of the contract and everything? So would that be presented moving forward, or I can like present like what I've been doing, but as far as like a Time log—I just don't see how I can—I—I don't see how that could even work because I'm—I don't know—I'm just—you allocate a certain amount of time per day, or it just spontaneous? I have the allocated um, office hours, but then I'm still taking calls—yeah—taking calls and coming up with ideas or—yeah—having conversations. I know this week she worked Saturday and Sunday. I was at church—I think—Maybe—me—you and Nick—he going to be handing the QuickBooks with the payment—we can sit down and establish exactly the easiest—the most beneficial way—QuickBooks got to clock in and clock out, right? And I've ever used—but it wouldn't surprise me—yeah—that would make a lot of sense—but I mean, I don't know—that can be ADP—yeah—something—yeah—um, that's another subscription—let's look at—let's at—and then like I said—if I'm having like a conversation with somebody on the phone like—am I—hold—hold on—let me—like—I don't know—well, also—man—I would just cut your time off—you want to be able to—you going to have—they call at phone—you calling back on during your office hours—um, you—you don't—don't take home work—work with you—you got a kid—that's your child—can we get um, your office hours again? Uh, so Monday uh, 9 to 2 uh, Wednesday—doing a 12 to 5—and then Friday 9 to 2—and then the only—the reason I—I brought that up—I wanted to raise is I know especially with community outreach and speaking—speaking at the church—speaking at different events—we're asking her now—essentially—last week she worked more hours then—essentially—that—essentially that we contracted her for. So I don't know—I know this week you had some appointments coming up from those interactions with constituents coming in to fill out applications. So I don't—I think we should kind of look to giv her some—especially—she's G—be doing event on the Saturday or Sunday—we should look to maybe adjust where she's not in office Monday because with the last—she still a work from home—just that now that we're not asking her to do more than we're actually paying her to do—for at the same time—feel like that's the a fair—a fair way to look and approach. I want to reinforce your point—I—I think it's a matter of prudence, you know, in terms of us not—I'm rephrasing what you said—I got—we don't want Kamisha to feel like she has to come and say, you know, I—I feel like we got to put up this whole CH of the hours I'm working—what you paid me for—we want to avoid that—correct—right? At the same time, we got to keep in mind though the previous executive director and the time that was not being put in, but yet she was still being compensated. So you got understand and balances. I don't mind—know what I spent hour here or—think of it—think of it like this—it's like this week, right? You worked over your hours, right? Now you—you don't work Monday, right? Only 15 hours in the office and 14 hours outside the office, right? For our—so yeah—church is long cuz you know—you going to church this Sund—you know—you going this Sunday—that's 3 to 4 hours. And I don't mind like presenting something at at each like meeting—kind of like an overview if you guys need to see like what I've been doing, but as far as like—I think that's kind of what Dakota was angling for—anticipating you to do. Okay. I just went—what I read in the contract i r of what you've done. So next time—just—I suggest you just—you write a exactly report—you detail us—who—how you met with—where you spent your time at. I think that'll be—that'll suffice for everybody on the board—correct. That's—that's good. And I think—use it at the end of list the Year, too. When I say, hey, can I have more money? This is what I've done—like—it's so ambitious, aren't they? Yeah. Any—any—any more director's comments? Here I'll cut off uh—do I have a motion to—our—all in favor—any oppos—good night. [Music] [Music]