I I personally struggled to even gather five sentences for that scope. So I don't know how the two of you felt when you kind of looked at it. So I was wondering if there's like a better way to convey our intent and I'd really liked uh our public comment this afternoon evening that maybe there's other ways to kind of mitigate this versus the path we've been following. Yeah, I mean there's definitely other ways. Um so and and that's why I had you know asked to have information sent that we can talk to the select board and see if this is um something we want to pursue. But this is one of the this is one of the means that's embedded in the 40B process. And so, um, as the planning board, it seems, um, it seems a good place to put down our thoughts as kind of, um, uh, you know, a a difficult process as it is getting with each 40B, you know.
As mentioned previously, there's been so many incredible events the past couple of weeks that it's impossible to make it to everything. Um, and I apologize I don't usually make it to the morning stuff because I'm working, but um, I do love hearing about it from those of you that can share and attend. So, I had the pleasure of visiting Apple Valley High School, Granite Hills, Phoenix, Vanguard, Sitting Bull, and Sycamore Rocks, and I tried to attend Yakaloma, but I did not realize it was a drive-thru event. So, like first I went to the wrong gate, and I'm like, "How do you get in?" And then I went to the other one. I'm like, "Why are these people doing parent pickup at this hour?" Then I like So, then I saw and I like made a U-turn and I was going to try to figure it out and I'm like, "Oh, wait.
that the city staff has spent time working on this directly with you and the and the subcommittee. No, they have not city. Yes, I Yes, they have one meeting last week. Yes. Okay. I don't I I just I I take a bit of uh I it is not the job of city staff to provide opinions on when you said all of city staff should weigh in. That that's an inappropriate request. Well, you take your leaders, but not just the planning commission, please. Um, I'd say most of the resolution fits into planning, but there are some areas that do not. Um, and so if we want planning commission to review the ones that would be appropriate to planning, you know, but some of it fits more under the OSI leadership, which should probably not be planning. Um, so as long as planning would skip something like that, I think that would be appropriate.
Wish you all the best in your college endeavors for success. All the best to Commissioner Suarez and Mr. Shahada as they begin their journey together. Uh wish you all the best for health and happiness. Um the memorial just a reminder that the Memorial Parade, Memorial Day parade will be on Monday, May 26th. It starts at 9:00 a.m. and it will go downwood road uh continuing to Chelsea Park where there will be a memorial service. Um, a reminder to my colleagues that on May 28th, the Pake County School Board Association meeting will be held here in Clifton at Mario's and our very own Commissioner Bassford uh is nominated to become pres. So, congratulations, as it should be. On June 2nd, uh, Christopher Columbus will have their Junior Honor Society induction at 7 p.m. On June 3rd, Woodro Wilson will have their Junior Honor Society induction at 7 p.m.
I'm tired of having to calm their fears and ease their anxiety about their school possibly closing or now the fifth grade being removed from the pot. What would you do if this was your child? Honestly, I I know you can't answer me, but I truly would love to know because I know you would be up here fighting for them as well. I understand the importance of having Sorry. Um, this may seem like a silly thing to feel so passionately about, but as a teacher, I understand the importance of having a secure and dedicated space for children to have extra time to finish work, to collaborate in small groups, as well as have space for fun events with their peers. Moving the fifth graders to an isolated hallway without a pod removes most of these opportunities. Though I do sympathize with the problem of where to put the L students, it is so frustrating that the needs of the Demacy students are not coming first.
Um, so, um, I was able to I did I did meet with Marcelo to talk through the design of, um, of the, uh, of this 40B and and then we could kind of talk back and forth about that aspect of it. And then, um, I wrote down, you know, put that all into text which I gave to Alvo. Um, so, but yeah, I mean, Anna, what is your take on that? Uh, I mean, the only section I was supposed to comment on is whether I want to change our basic kind of historic part where we talk about what a great effort we've done with trying to move towards um, affordable housing. I did not I'm looking I don't think I ever got kind of an updated memo of our inventory. So, there wasn't really much for me to change. Um, I don't know how our numbers currently are.
Everybody has balloons and cute decor. Like, never mind. I'm going to go home. So, I tried, but I'll be ready next year. Um, so let's see. Okay. I visited Apple Valley High School on two nights to attend both the MAS Awards and the Camp Academy Awards. And I have to say, I don't know where there you are. Whoever decorates your gym for these events, like they could be a professional party planner. It was beautiful. Um, and it kind of looked like Christmas with all the kids uh, accepting their awards. Um, Granite Hills hosted their CTE completers award and I was amazed um, to hear that they have 16 different career pathways. There's so many CTE options available um, at Granite which is really neat. Um, I'm going to skip that. the Sitting Bolt Art Show. Um, it was gorgeous. It was everywhere. It was outdoors, indoors, choir, band.
I mean, and some of them might be a little bit more closer to forestry on when talking tree canopy, you know, or environmental for storm water. So, there's different groups in the city. It's probably not all just those other groups don't fall under planning commission. Um, Commissioner Mitchell, um, I, uh, like what you just said about the broader, um, city staff groupings being involved. And I think at this point it would be useful to actually consider the language that we're talking about um in a way that we can make a decision. Yeah. Council member Malik. Yeah. I was just going to add um most of this resolution while it covers lots of you know environmental and natural features topics it's all couched within kind of the framework of the comprehensive plan. Um so I think that's kind of where this suggestion is coming from is the planning commission is the owner of the current draft comprehensive plan.
On June 4th, uh, the CHS scholarship and award night will take place in the auditorium. On June 7th, uh, our Clifton Community Band, which has several of our high school students participating, uh, will have an outdoor concert free of charge at city hall grounds. It's called Music at the Barnes, and it starts at 4 p.m. From July 1st to 24th, um, our district holds a the summer enrichment program. Registration is still open. Uh, it's a fantastic program. I can tell you firsthand, my granddaughter participated in it last year. It's for grades 1 through eight, and the students get an opportunity to study and practice u uh band instruments, uh mathematics, science, coding, theater, uh songwriting, art, history. Uh the program goes from 8:30 to 12:30 most days during the month of uh July. And last is a special recognition. Um Karen, my wife, is retiring after 25 years in the Clifton school system.
The situation has changed and there are no longer classrooms available. Yet Dr. Smith thinks the appropriate solution is to displace our fifth grade classes as well as other teachers. And he told us to approach it with a glass half full attitude. What he apparently fails to understand is that this change will affect so many aspects of the children's day, not only next year, but for years to come. Aspects that are likely not considered by the decision makers, decisions that only the teachers and students would notice. Hallway noise for middle schoolers, changing classes, not being able to coordinate and engage in activities with their pod, not having that easy access to the pod area to have extra time to complete work or have a spot to go to work quietly, being isolated from the rest of the school. These are just a few of the problems.
if usually Peter would prepare some type of update and I did not see anything like that from Albero. Um, in all honesty, I don't know if we really need to change very much of our history section from the prior letter as long as we essentially make it clear. Um, and there's se certain paragraphs in the introduction section um, as well as um, really in the introduction section that make it clear that Ashland has not been we have not been lazy relative to affordable housing. Um, I wonder if it really matters. It in the prior application um, letters to the state, we tried to make that case and it didn't work. Um, the way the 40B process really structured is until you meet the official threshold, uh, the state appreciates all of your efforts, but your efforts are not the threshold. So, I wonder how necessary this truly is, that particular section of it.
Um, but I did recognize a couple of the pieces I think that were like on the wall back here for our last meeting and I was like, "Hey, there's Costco. I remember that one." Um, and then last night, Sycamore Rocks for band and choir. Um, and they did Wicked, a bunch of songs. I was in heaven. It was fantastic. Um, yeah. So, next week we're going to be celebrating our high school graduations, and I absolutely love those. Um, and just being able to cheer on the seniors as they cross the stage. Let's see. So, I do want to wish everybody a safe and restful Memorial Day weekend. Um, please be careful if you're driving or boating or whatever. I know um last Memorial Day weekend, Anita and I both lost a good friend and her son. Um so just be careful whatever you're doing. Be safe and come back to us.
So if this body wants changes in the draft comprehensive plan related to natural features, city staff don't have that ability to make changes. It is the planning commission. They are the owners of the draft comprehensive plan at the moment. So I think that's where this is coming from. It's, you know, the majority of this resolution is, you know, pointing to current uh goals of the draft comprehensive plan um and emphasizing certain parts of the draft comprehensive plan and asking to re-emphasize or add emphasis to other parts. So, I think that's kind of where this proposed edit has largely come from is saying, you know, direct the planning commission to review the feasibility um in developing and implementing the following policies. Um because it is still a draft plan, there is still opportunity for it to change moving forward. Um I think this is quite timely.
I just wanted to congratulate her and tell her I am ready to enjoy retirement with her. Um that's all for this for today. You did it. I did it. Okay. Next up would be new business. Is there any new business? Yes, Commissioner. So, I did have one. This one is going to be more so geared towards the education committee. Uh many of us are probably aware one of the biggest and hottest debates going on right now in the in well people who are running for governor. It's going to be the expansion of CTE programs. For those of you who don't know, CTE is career and technical um education. So basically wanted to know if it was possible to expand on ourus to not just include college programs but CTE programs. I was doing my own research. There is about 30 of them here in P County alone that we can part probably partner up with in terms of cosmetology, EMTs, CNAs or answer certifications.
I am trying to remain positive with my fourth grade son in order to help make the change a bit more seamless, but he is incredibly upset to be removed from his pod environment. Deacy was specifically built with a pod learning environment in mind. I'm almost done. And it has served as an incredibly positive learning experience for the population over the years. To have it taken away needlessly seems to be short-sighted and irresponsible. I do not see where this decision shows fairness or consideration to the Demise students whom this will affect and whose home school it already is. I am begging you to take into consideration the effect that this decision will have on so many students. Students who count on and rely on you, the board of ed, and the superintendent to protect and support them. Please help protect and support our children. [Applause] Hi, I'm uh Jason Hoy.
Um, because we're basically just being like, hey, we've done everything we can, but we really haven't done what we're supposed to do. Um, so I doubt that part is as important as the design element, Trisha, that you have with Marcelo. I'm not sure that's true given the seven uh cir the seven points that the 40Bs make of that's in the letter about things that they actually pay attention to. Um, and what I mean is we really cut and paste the history. Um, but without like new data from the planning department, there's not much to edit. I don't really know what the current uh percentages are or if the legal projects, if you recall, there was one project that we were going through as a town. I have no idea what the status of that is. So basically, so basically the the the pro the letters we sent from the project before you would just take exactly what we had there, change the information to the different project address, update the update the SHI information, and then we could plug it in would be your thought.
So have a great Thank you, Amanda. Just want to give a a thanks for the retirees. I was reading the um as they were coming up here, I was reading a lot on the screen that was put together by them and some of the very impressive careers and have some really nice goals when they do retire. I want to give a shout out to Lesie though because over the six years I got to know her. Uh it's always been about a Unified School District business, but that's good. Uh but I want to thank her. Uh 37 years is such a long career. I was succincting here. Some of your students have got to be in their 50s now that she started with and uh good to point that out. She's barely 50. Well, um that's a long time. So, uh and she's always been so professional and it's good because you never know who you run into in the grocery store, right, Leslie?
We anticipate the second draft of the comprehensive plan to come out June 10th um and then further iterations after that. So I think this is a timely uh resolution especially if it is you know going directly to planning commission or direct going to council and then to planning commission sorry. Thank you. Uh, Commissioner Mitchell, your hands up. Oh, mistake. Okay, no problem. Uh, Council Member Malik, thanks for the clarification. That's a good point. Um, and I'll say I did watch some of the um planning commission's review of the comprehensive land use plan, at least the ones associated with uh, goal 10. And not all the planning commissioners are 100% on development. there's at least one that was very pro- environmental focused or had some leanings towards environmental. So, it's I'd say there's it's not all unfriendly faces there. Um Aaron, do you want to can people understand what Aaron has written in there or should she delete the stuff that's redlined out so it's clear?
Um even those who want to um do first aid. So, as many of you know, if you are first aid certified, you can actually try and be a instructor and you can charge your own amount of money. So, let's say I want to certify everybody here. You guys give me $50. I can host a class and then I would gain let's say $350 just for having you guys certified in first aid and CPR. So, this is something we can try to expand on a little bit, get ahead of the game. Um, some districts that have already done this in the past two months, Pake, Patterson, Manchester, Partip, and Wayne have all taken initiative in trying to get these CTE programs within their school districts. And that is all. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Hia. Okay. Anything else? All right. Um, last is um a motion from executive session.
I live in Cambridge Park. I have three kids that go to the Macy. Um I was at the PCA meeting the other night. I asked uh Dr. Smith the question of were the teachers consulted prior to the decision on those rooms and and not just was there a no. Uh there was later followed with a if I would have consulted teachers and parents they would have just said no. And it stuck with me like that a person saying they know so much better than the people on the ground than the parents raising the kids that they in their infinite wisdom decided not to consult those people because they would have come up with a different answer than the answer they had already. And I appreciate you guys being on the board. You're up here. You're doing this work for free. And the reality is you get to be consulted, too.