บทถอดความฉบับเต็มของ Community Conversations NH| Election Eve Conversation with Ward 2 City Councilor Les Horne

lot about building because I built the homes in in Rochester and some other things that uh on the old Dover Road with um Mr. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:04:01.439 Richardson, who is a uh fine builder out there, and from there um I just uh I left Rochester after that time and went to Farmington as their building inspector, and then I I left there, I went to the New Hampshire Municipal Association as they were looking for somebody in in the laws prevention area that had law enforcement background. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:12.159 Um, so we went to work there, and that's where I really started out my last career was uh very fortunate. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:29.680 I I became a speaker throughout the whole state of New Hampshire, working with cities on how to uh prevent them from uh getting into problems with lawsuits and also managing the city the way it should be. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:38.560 And um I guess I handled just problems with just all the cities um and different things. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:45.120 From there, um I went to uh went to Texas. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:05:01.759 I was uh actually at a meeting in California, and the Texas people asked me if I would like to come to Texas because they heard me speak about uh municipal government supervisors and managers and how how that runs. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:09.199 So I went to the went to Texas, and soon I were empty nesters at that point in time. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:16.160 So we said, oh, we're only gonna be there two years, you know, maybe, maybe three, but that was about it. 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:21.120 33 something years later, we retired down there. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:28.639 And uh yeah, it was really great, and I developed a lot of processes down here to help cities. 00:05:28.720 --> 00:06:15.759 We had all kinds of things, heritage, tornadoes, you know, um problem issues, and I it gave me an opportunity to work with the small, the medium, and the large, large cities that I was, and in the process, I got to go to uh London twice and meet with the Lloyds of London who were very yeah, it was very interested in some of the processes that I developed over the years, and um you know I learned a lot about I went to all these meetings and things, and I became a pretty much a national lecturer on municipal government and training municipal government along with law enforcement. 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:27.839 I trained thousands of law enforcement officers in different areas and set up a lot of interview with with police chiefs, city managers, and other things. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:40.000 And I worked all along the border with them and uh learned a lot about the other um, you know, the the different nationalities and people you had to deal with. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:42.560 I had to deal with all kinds. 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:45.920 So it was a to me that was a really fun thing. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:07:00.160 And being a chick from the mountains of New Hampshire, I I ended up my career down here, and Sue ended up her career down here because you know Sue was in banking for a long, long time. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:16.720 She's very, very uh professional in that business, but overall, most of my adult life has been working in municipalities, working to uh help many municipalities. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:24.160 And in Texas, we we started municipalities with a thousand people and I grew into a hundred thousand people. 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:27.519 And uh it was a very interesting job. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:30.240 I had some great people working for me. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:37.120 Um, you know, one of the things about having people work for you, you got to trust them because Texas is a big state. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:50.160 They they go out there, and and you know, trust is a big thing with even within our communities with our citizens, you know, once they trust you, um, they're certainly going to be behind you 100%. 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:57.680 You bring up that's a very good point, is getting that trust from your community backing, getting that. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:07:59.360 Yes, it is. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:02.720 It's uh, you know, when I left, we left Rochester. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:08.240 We knew a lot of people here, because Sue grew up here, and my boys grew up in Rochester. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:11.199 I was worn up in uh Woodsville, New Hampshire. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.279 I don't know if anybody knows where that is, but it's way up country there. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:21.199 And uh I came to Rochester, and that's where I met my sweet wife at the Rochester Fair. 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:22.399 Oh, at the fair. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:24.319 I love that story. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:25.279 I love that. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:25.920 I love that. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:27.519 Yeah, yeah. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:31.600 And uh we just knew we decided to come back to Rochester. 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:38.799 We could live to any place we wanted to, but we I think we were both homesick by that time. 00:08:39.200 --> 00:09:15.919 And we had to come back to Rochester because we love Rochester, it's a beautiful community, you know, is every city has problems, and it's sometimes it's very difficult to get through those problems because everybody, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's just everybody has their ideas how things should work, and when you start putting all that into the bottle, it gets mixed up pretty pretty fast, and uh but we came back because we love Rochester and we love the people in Rochester, and it's been great being here. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:19.600 And you missed shoveling, you missed shoveling. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:25.120 That was the snowblower, an attractor. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:27.440 That was one of the things I told Sue. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:32.879 I says, you know, if we're going back there, I'm gonna get a tractor, it's gonna snowblower. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:38.080 Yeah, I've

lived in different places, and I I don't think I would ever miss winter if I moved. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:41.039 I've lived in New Mexico, uh yeah. 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:49.440 And I think I think the fact that you came back, it means you if I were you, I really did love Rochester because I just the snow would I would be a snowbird. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:54.000 I I'd come back for the good part of the year and not be here for the snow part. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:55.200 But but that's great. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:58.000 And it's great that you brought them all in the back to Rochester. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:09:59.600 So it's interesting. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:10.559 Um I would like to get into those like three questions that we asked, you know, that we said about ourselves in a slum, but before that, I was just gonna say that um I um you probably don't know Samantha. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:19.759 Um Les probably remembers, but um so Les didn't originally get elected, like it was it wasn't he didn't run in the election. 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:23.840 Um the person who held his seat stepped down. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:27.759 I'm trying to remember if it was the oh, it was actually the second person in that seat, right? 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:30.159 The one that got elected couldn't take the seat, I think. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:42.639 And then yeah, and so but one telling the story is because some of the when the when you don't have when you have somebody who's um it's like a special election, but it's an election by the city council, let's say. 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:48.639 And so um there was a person we're trying to find somebody for that seat, and there was somebody that I knew. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:51.039 Um for a long time I'm very familiar with. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:53.120 Um, they went for that seat. 00:10:53.519 --> 00:11:00.320 And I was, you know, fully banking them and trying to get someone and somebody made, and the other person was Council Home. 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:03.759 And so I had no experiment with the number man, nothing like that. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:05.759 So um anyway. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:07.759 It was a pretty, I think it was a close moment. 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:16.879 Um when I came around, I was one of the few people who, you know, when unfortunately didn't vote for Council Home. 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:21.200 So it had nothing to do with nothing to do with Kemp Someone. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:31.679 I think I knew the other person for you know 20 plus years, and um, you know, and so I did, but I told him afterwards, uh, you know, it had nothing to do with him. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.000 I it was not a vote against him. 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:39.279 Um it was just a vote for um, you know, somebody that I knew and I trusted. 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:44.879 But I'm I'll say this that you know I didn't know any of this background or experience that Councillor Horn had. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:50.320 And um, you know, I think it's been I'm not that the person that might show us wouldn't have been great. 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:51.759 I think they would have been great too. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:58.879 But I think what we what the council gained from Councillor Horn um, you know, is very appreciated. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:03.039 Um, and I don't think it would be the same council without all that background that he has. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.480 So that's amazing. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:05.840 That's wonderful. 00:12:06.080 --> 00:12:09.360 Yeah, it's I would have voted for you less. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:21.279 Well, you know, I think it um there's something very important about that vote, or any vote is that once it's voted on, we go forward and make it the very best we can. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:24.159 You know, it's uh that type of stuff. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:33.039 But when I was um before the council, uh I my hearing went completely out again. 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:41.360 And uh the council was very gracious in making sure that I could still answer the questions and things. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:47.360 They wrote their questions down on paper and I was able to read those things. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:51.519 And um I was really impressed with that, even if I didn't get it. 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:53.600 I it really impressed me. 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:57.039 Um I lost my hearing the very first time. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:14.879 I was, I think I was in uh Atlanta, Georgia giving a speech to the uh National League of Cities, and I'm up in front of all these people and talking, and the next thing I know, I had silence. 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:15.759 Oh no. 00:13:16.080 --> 00:13:18.000 That must have been terrifying. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:25.120 Oh, it was, it was very terrifying because I knew at some point I would lose that hearing. 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:40.080 But um, anyways, now I hear just as good as anybody in most cases, but I was always I brag about Rochester's city council um and how they handled my situation. 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:44.000 And I thought, well, they're gonna do what they gotta do. 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:48.799 But I was so, you know, it was unbelievable to see how they handled that. 00:13:49.039 --> 00:13:51.039 Yeah, I'm so glad I'm so glad it worked out. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:57.600 I mean, you're one of my favorite counselors to talk to, to to work with, you know, I think we agree on maybe not everything. 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:01.440 I think there's definitely been some things you don't agree with me with, but I think on most things we agree. 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:03.759 So yeah, we do, and it's okay. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:12.639 You know, it's you know, that's the thing that we should do as counselors talk to and move things along, but we're not always going to agree. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:14.639 And that's the way I feel. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:23.360 Um, you know, it's uh you know, counselor, I I

always look down the road, see where you're going. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:31.919 And obviously, I have to go like this, you know, to try and see what he's thinking because he he asked so many good questions, you know. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:44.320 And it's it's uh, you know, one of the things that is very important to me, and I think to other people when you're on a board like this is that you listen to what the other person has to say. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:49.360 Don't think about what you want to say, but listen to what that person's saying. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.559 That is phenomenal advice. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:59.279 Yeah, and I do have some fear now that that Les hearing is improved, that he's gonna hear more of what I said. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:06.159 So I think maybe sometimes I you know benefited from him not catching every word I said. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:20.080 But now we're hearing them all, so I will say I sound like a broken record, but I'm the pencil of such great denial among. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:25.759 And the fact that you do operate as a really functional body, then you hear each other's opinions. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:35.039 You may agree or disagree, but you're more cohesively pretty lumble from an outsider as a community member when I watch your meetings, your denial amount is good. 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:36.879 And that's fighting. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:40.960 We save all that fighting and just uncivility for non-public. 00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:44.080 Not really. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:44.639 That's great. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.240 That's great. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:51.840 Well, I think it it's you know been really an improvement this year. 00:15:52.000 --> 00:16:04.799 Um, you know, because we're getting more information than we weren't getting over the over the past year, which is a good thing because that gives us a chance to look at it in more detail. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:14.559 And I think this party view, Kevin, it was a big, you know, we we really needed the information and not just a little bit of the information. 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:24.320 Yeah, and we we have excellent employees, and we need to we listen to them and they provide us that information. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:26.639 Yeah, that's great. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:33.840 Council Horn, we ask everyone when they join us as guests, what brought you to local governance? 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:37.679 What brought you to want to be a part of it? 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:41.519 That's a good question. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.399 If you guard a public office, yeah. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:54.080 I was in the uh military, and when I got left the military, I went to UNH for a summer. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:17:05.599 And at UNH I I became very interested in a lot of the things that were happening, and I got my degree, first degree, out of uh at St. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:14.079 Anselm's College and um criminal justice, and then I got my business degree later on. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:26.319 And from there, my interest was really um, I lived with a one of the homes, the many homes I lived in. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:39.440 I lived with some people in Concord who were very politically involved, and they really gave me um a little push to go towards uh this type of work. 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:43.119 And so I started and I haven't stopped. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.000 That's wonderful. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:49.119 That's wonderful. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:53.359 When you were down in Texas, did you hold public office when you were down there? 00:17:54.079 --> 00:18:06.480 I didn't because I was the one that was actually um working, going to the cities to make sure that the public the officers down there were doing their job right. 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:14.960 And I was also in charge of all the training um in law enforcement and for the city and supervision. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:29.759 And um a lot of a lot of the time was very involved in putting cities in the right direction to make sure that they didn't have lawsuits and things like that. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:43.599 Um, probably the most interesting times that I had down there, of course, there was a town named West up near Waco, Texas, and the entire town blew up. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:19:04.559 And myself and a couple of the people who were working for us, we were the first ones up there, and there was the uh same manager, the fire chief, and a number of other people that passed away uh from the explosion, and we had citizens, uh their houses we just walk right up in. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:17.359 And you know, in in Texas, they have they have these silos, and you know, a lot of um dangerous material goes into those, and and a silo blew up. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.960 Oh my gosh. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:28.799 So it was interesting how to put a city back together and how to how to uh bring other people in that know what they're doing. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:32.559 In the city of Waco, I give them all the credit credit in the world. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:37.599 They just sent, seemed like they sent their whole city there to help it happen. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:47.279 And um a lot of my uh folks and myself were always out and about during hurricanes. 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:54.400 Uh, you probably heard about a lot of hurricanes that destroyed areas down there and tornadoes. 00:19:54.559 --> 00:20:03.519 We had one city um just north of uh Austin and it just cleaned out a whole neighborhood and stuff with a tornado. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.559 So scary. 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:11.599 I'm used to that type of activity going on where you have to go in and make sure you get all the things back up. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:23.599 And um I was involved in hiring a number of uh helping to hire uh a number of city managers and police chiefs throughout the whole state. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:25.440 Texas is a big state.

00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.160 Yeah. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.240 Texas is a very big state. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:29.279 It's a very big state. 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:32.960 Now Sue did hold public office there. 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:51.200 Uh Sue was uh the president of two of the um uh HMAs down there, and uh they were brand new HMAs that were growing, and um she was the president of two of them. 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:52.480 What is it down there? 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:54.880 I'm sorry? 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:56.799 What is the what is an HMA? 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:21.359 HMA is a uh well it it's that's others, it's a it's a municipal uh organization, and what it is is it it's uh it's centered around land that's owned by uh a person or persons, and it becomes like a a little city. 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:49.440 And uh the ones that Sue were in charge of um both of them, I think, they developed uh maybe two or three thousand homes there in that area, and um the HMAs basically are uh to begin with water and sewage operations, schools, they build the schools and stuff. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:56.319 And it's it's done a little bit different down here in regards to how we do things up here. 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.759 The builders are invested. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.680 And people have to pay for all the infrastructure. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:16.319 There's no before they can actually build a house, they have to uh have the infrastructure all done, roads paved, all accepted sidewalks, everything. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:18.799 It's really a good thing. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:29.200 And they also have to put um if this depends on the count number of uh uh children that are gonna come into those areas. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:36.559 If there's a a certain number that would fill a school, they have to work on giving uh building that school. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:40.720 Wow, it's it's a very interesting thing. 00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:43.519 And uh uh Sue kept pretty busy with that. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:44.720 That's great. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:46.960 Let Les, we have a question. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:55.440 Uh member Kahlberg, school board member Lisa Kahlberg is in the chat with us, and she was wondering what year was the explosion. 00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:04.000 Uh I believe it was in 20. 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:08.799 I think it was in 2000, but I'm not quite sure. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:11.200 Right around that area. 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:13.680 It was uh the city of West. 00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:15.519 Wow. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:16.480 Yeah. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.119 Wow. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:20.640 It was it was it was a very scary thing. 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:24.000 It's a I was down there. 00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:28.640 Uh my friend lives in out right outside, she lives in Carrollton, right outside of Dallas. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:39.680 And I was there once when one of the tornado warnings went off and it was really eerie and very scary, and it touched down in the next apartment complex over. 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:41.359 So it's scary. 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:44.880 We're not used to that up here in New Hampshire. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:45.920 We're not used to that. 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:47.119 Was it a fertilizer? 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:51.200 Was it a fertilizer company explosion? 00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:52.559 Is that what it was? 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:53.599 I'm sorry. 00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:56.319 Was it a fertilizer company explosion? 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:56.880 Yes. 00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:58.000 Okay, so 2013. 00:23:58.160 --> 00:23:59.359 I looked it up, 2013. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:00.480 Wow, okay. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:01.599 2013. 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:03.680 Fertilizer. 00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:04.559 Oh my goodness. 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:06.720 Wow, that is crazy. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.039 That's a bomb. 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.480 Yeah, it is. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:12.480 It's just like a bomb when they go off. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:13.680 Yeah. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:14.720 Oh, yep. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:17.599 2013. 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:18.720 Yep. 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:19.440 Yep. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:20.160 Thank you. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:21.200 Thank you, Aaron. 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:22.960 Wow. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:38.559 So another question we like to add, um, oh, and before we move on, uh, Member Carlberg said she was in Abilene, and remembered that um it was 99 or 2000, they asked they lost like 50 acres. 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:39.839 That's correct. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:40.799 Oh wow. 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:41.519 Wow. 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:45.839 It actually went beyond the city itself. 00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:56.160 One of my employees that worked for me uh lost part of his house, and it was quite a ways out towards the highway. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:25:02.000 The main highway that goes between Austin and and uh Dallas area. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:03.440 Wow. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.559 Abilene, by the way, is a beautiful place. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:09.200 There's so many beautiful areas in Texas. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:09.839 Beautiful. 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:10.640 Oh, beautiful. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:12.400 It is, it's a beautiful state. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.039 It really is. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:21.119 When I arrived there, I was uh I spoke a little bit different than the ordinary people over there. 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:34.240 But the first thing that happened is Sue and I we were in uh Austin and we were talking about we needed a refrigerator, and some people said, Well, we know where you can pick up one where you're from. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:38.480 We told them, and they gave us uh their address and everything else. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:39.839 They're just friendly people. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:41.200 That's so nice. 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:42.559 They're very friendly. 00:25:42.720 -->

00:25:50.960 My friend is she's been down there for almost 35 years, and still to this day, she gets questions about not hugging. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.720 And I'm like, We're New England folks. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:26:02.160 We don't we don't just randomly hug people and people hold doors open and they hug you when they don't know you, and uh just very friendly, very, very friendly. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:02.880 Very friendly. 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:07.440 And men don't wear hats in the buildings, and yeah. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.400 Especially, especially if you're an AM. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:11.759 Right, right. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:12.799 Oh, that's funny. 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:13.759 That's funny. 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:14.559 Wow. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:22.079 One question we like to ask all of our guests what has surprised you the most with taking public office? 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:26.319 What was your biggest, what's been your biggest takeaway that has surprised you the most? 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:38.160 I I think the biggest uh surprise I've had is how little time we have to prepare. 00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:42.000 Is when you only have two years. 00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:45.279 Because it takes uh it takes time, you know. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:49.519 I think uh that's been my biggest surprise. 00:26:50.480 --> 00:27:03.599 Uh and probably the m um the thing that that I least like out of what we do because you start something and it takes a year to learn what you got what you're really supposed to do. 00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:16.880 And even if you think, now I I worked in public service all my life and coming to Rochester, I didn't sit there for a while and say anything because things are different. 00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:31.119 What the what you do in Rochester is not what happens in other cities, like the verb does their thing, and you know, no matter where you come from, you better be able to sit back and listen to what's being said. 00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.960 Yeah, and I I agree. 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:41.599 I've you are kind of just thrust right into it with not with very little training, and it's just like show up to your first meeting and here we go. 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:46.480 And yeah, you you feel like you know, is everybody else as out of place as I am? 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:49.839 Like, I don't I don't really get this, but yeah, you do you do pick up on it. 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:55.039 I do, I think some of it too is like, yeah, and I've made some concerns about it on the council. 00:27:55.200 --> 00:28:04.880 It's like I do feel like we could be given more notice before things happen, you know, like a simple thing that I've asked before, and hopefully the next city manager will make it happen. 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:07.599 Um, but it's like presentations that we're given. 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:15.039 I think at least presentations from city staff, um, maybe not outside consultants because you know they don't have much control over them. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:33.680 But I feel like we should see those presentations before the meeting because, as you probably know, Les, when you're trying to stare at the TV screen across the room and listen to what the person's saying, that text is kind of small when you're looking across the room, or you can try to twist your head behind you and see it. 00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:39.119 And it's hard to like um really take it in and formulate good questions. 00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:41.839 And then five minutes later, it's like, okay, any questions? 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:44.720 It's like, I'm not, you know, I'm still trying to digest what I just saw. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:56.640 So it'd be nice to be able to come to that meeting after I was able to spend my time ahead of time looking at it and coming up with questions or things that I want to know more about or concerns I might have, and being able to say them. 00:28:56.720 --> 00:29:03.279 So I mean, I think there's some room for improvement, but yeah, a lot of it does come at you like fast and furious, and you gotta just try to figure it out, you know. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:07.039 I I agree 100% with you on that. 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:19.759 Uh it's a it's a situation where we really need that because if we want to make the right decisions, we have to be able to know everything that we can. 00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:20.480 Yeah. 00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:25.759 And um, I I think that's an important step that we need to make as a council. 00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:26.880 Yeah. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:38.160 And one big change this year, um, in my experience, is that um, you know, there is some support for the concept of we're not gonna vote on things the night we hear about them. 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:45.200 And that's that's good because yeah, sometimes you're just like, I'm not really sure what was just said, and then it's like, okay, let's vote. 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:46.720 And then then it's under pressure. 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:51.680 And so I'm glad that we've taken that position that we don't vote on things that we've just heard about for the first time. 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:52.559 So I love it. 00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:56.480 Was that just decided as a group, or do you guys have an actual policy that does that? 00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:01.839 Um, I know I think that was just the mayor said that the, you know, he said in this term we're not gonna do that this time. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:16.240 And um, yeah, because a lot of a lot of it did seem um a lot, a lot of it did seem that it came from the city sometimes, and it's like, you know, we have to do this now because the auditor says they need this by whatever date, and we have to vote tonight. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:20.640 And so we've still done a couple things like that that are like really under pressure. 00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:38.559 Um, but yeah, so I I think overall, I think it's a better concept of if we

can all just agree that yeah, the city manager might want us to vote or the finance director, but yeah, the council needs some time to think about this, and we don't we're not gonna vote about it five minutes after we heard it for the first time. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:48.319 I agree with that 100% because it's uh it's very it's very hard to make that decision, and and we need to have that information. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:51.680 I feel very uncomfortable when I did it that day. 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:52.960 We're all in agreement. 00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:54.559 Member Carlbert chimed in. 00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:55.359 Agreement. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:31:00.880 I think it doesn't give you time to get any feedback from your constituents either. 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:07.039 You like if you hear about it right now and it's the first you're kind of hearing about it, like you might have seen the title. 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:10.400 Like it could be like water and sewer fund, is what it could say. 00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:18.720 And then you're like, oh, by the way, you know, not that this was a surprise, but we're we're$7.35 million dollars in debt, we're gonna take out a loan. 00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:19.200 Let's vote. 00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:24.480 Let's take a vote on and so right, you know, and so the people haven't had time to give you information on that. 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:26.559 So I'm sorry to interrupt, um, Samantha. 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:27.200 You're gonna say something. 00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:28.160 Oh, no, that's okay. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:35.440 Um, Jessica Allard said it makes total sense to take the time to digest information and make more informed decisions. 00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:36.319 Absolutely. 00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:37.920 Absolutely. 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:43.279 I think that's so important what what you're talking about there, Kevin and Samantha. 00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:52.400 It's you know, it's we're the ones that need to make those decisions, and so we should have the information long before. 00:31:52.720 --> 00:32:06.799 And the other problem we have that with that I'll j uh jump on to is uh that we need to be more informed about how some of these projects and things are going, you know. 00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:08.079 Yes, yes, yes, yes. 00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:15.359 We it it needs to be a continuous basis because we have people who call us and say, Well, what about this building? 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.640 What about this thing? 00:32:16.720 --> 00:32:20.640 Or what you know, we need to have ongoing discussions about that. 00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:24.240 Yeah, and you know, I think you take advantage of opportunities as they arise. 00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:31.039 And so, you know, I like the previous city manager, but she decided to part ways and you know take a better opportunity for her. 00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:38.720 Um, but I do think that we should seize on this opportunity where there's this transition period, and the council should try to get some things like this. 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:40.480 Um, I know that we've talked about it before. 00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:43.519 I specifically have brought it up to the council. 00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:53.279 Um, that I think in those uh monthly updates we get, you know, there should be those should also not just include like the department items, you know, which are great. 00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:54.079 I love them. 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:58.480 Um, but also the big project should have an update at every monthly meeting. 00:32:58.640 --> 00:33:02.400 So the care pharmacy project, we should know where that is, you know. 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:08.319 Um maybe an update on how the paving bonding has done, like how many roads we've got done with that bonding. 00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:14.400 And I think that, yeah, because we because sometimes things just you don't hear about them for a long time, you know, like what's happening with the School Street property. 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.759 We just talked about that, so we know. 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:18.079 But you know, what you know, keep us updated on those things. 00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:19.920 And it and it does, because yeah, you're right. 00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:26.559 Um, Les when people ask you about it and you're like, I don't know, you know, it kind of feels like maybe, you know, maybe you're not doing what you're supposed to do. 00:33:26.640 --> 00:33:32.640 But also, I just think we need to ask that of the city staff, the manager to give us these more frequent. 00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:35.039 Here's the five big projects right now. 00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:38.799 We just want monthly updates on what's happened and what needs to happen. 00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:40.160 You're like, what happened last month? 00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:43.119 What do we need to do before the next update? 00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:44.960 I think that's such a great idea. 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:54.400 Someone who's new like me, who's brand new to all of this, how this system works, how municipalities work, um, how it all works. 00:33:54.720 --> 00:34:01.279 I I like the fact that I because I don't know, I don't know the ins and outs of what's happening. 00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:08.480 So I need as a new person, it's also good for me to have that time to do some research. 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:14.960 You know, I want to hear from my constituents, I want to hear from community members, but I also need to think about the different perspectives. 00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.000 What does this do? 00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:17.039 How does this work? 00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:19.360 I don't even know what the system is. 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:21.440 What is this McKinney Vento? 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:27.119 You when you first take office, you learn a lot of things at rapid fire. 00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:43.599 And I think it's just really good best practice, like you both have said, just to wait it out, you know,

just to get the information, digest it, talk to the community, fill people out if they have any questions, do research, and then come back and take a vote later. 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:43.920 Yeah. 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:44.239 Yeah. 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:45.280 Like two budget books. 00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:53.280 Let's give you two budget books like that thick each, and just put them on the desk in front of you and say, okay, we're gonna have a workshop about this and then we're gonna vote. 00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:54.159 It's like, what? 00:34:54.480 --> 00:34:55.039 What? 00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:55.519 Right. 00:34:55.760 --> 00:35:05.760 Luckily, we have a good group of counselors who um not a quorum, but a small so a group of counselors, three, three or four, who get together each year and just kind of go over items on it. 00:35:05.840 --> 00:35:06.960 And hey, I went through it. 00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:08.239 This is kind of what I noticed. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:08.880 What'd you notice? 00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:11.679 And we just kind of like bounce things off each other and see where people are at. 00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:14.239 And that really helped me the first year we did that. 00:35:14.320 --> 00:35:16.480 And so, you know, I think I think that's what it takes. 00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:27.599 It takes experienced counselors to kind of take new counselors under their wing and just kind of you know, not tell them what to do, but tell them like this is how we looked at it last year, and this is the discussion we had. 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:29.119 That made a big difference for me. 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:31.360 That's wonderful, that's good advice. 00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:40.719 We have uh it is, and and no one no one knows all the answers to this, regardless of how long they've been at the work. 00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:43.920 I think it's very important for us to get the information. 00:35:44.079 --> 00:36:08.480 The other thing with adding about the information is that I would like to see um in this coming year that we we get more information from our representatives who go to Concord and come back and at least meet with the council periodically to tell us what's going on, what's what are we looking at, what's coming down the road. 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:13.840 Um, I think we all got kind of blindsided on some of the things this past year. 00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:20.320 And had we known about them a little bit earlier, we could have done a little bit more research on it. 00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:21.920 Yeah, that's a great point. 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:48.239 I think I see Doug Robin's question there, and I want to get to it, but I was just gonna put in the other thing is like um the that's another thing that's happened this year that um at the end of the last term, so the beginning of this term, I I guess um when I was re-elected, I went in and I met with the city manager and I laid out this list of like you know, three things I it might have been more than that, but of like that I really thought would help not just me, but all counselors uh do a better job or be more informed. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:37:00.239 And one of them was that um one of them was um talking about current legislation that would impact, and I'm talking about um state legislation, not federal so much. 00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:08.960 So state legislation that would impact Rochester residents because there was a big push that year, um, last year, on um taking away local control. 00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:12.159 And you know, you know, if you watch the meetings, you know I brought it up a lot. 00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:14.719 And I'm like, you should pay attention to what they're doing in Concord. 00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:25.119 They're trying to, you know, take away basically our planning department's abilities to set, you know, to set what's best for Rochester on things like developing class six roads and stuff like that. 00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:29.599 So I told her, I'm like, you know, and I watched these, I used to watch those religiously every day. 00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:40.800 If I couldn't catch them when they were live, I'd watch them on demand from the Concord State House um committee meetings, and I would see the Salem town administrator there. 00:37:41.039 --> 00:37:45.280 I would see like Nashua, I would see even Nottingham, I would see there. 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:49.039 And I just I asked the CMS, like, why don't I ever see Rochester there? 00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:56.960 Because some of these things are very and she's and her response was perfectly fine was that I can't go represent Rochester unless the council wants me to. 00:37:57.280 --> 00:38:05.280 Well, I'm like, well, most of us sitting around that table, I'm sure I mean I'm very informed about it, and probably the ones that go to Concord at that time, it was might have just been Councillor Walker. 00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:08.480 Um, but I'm like, they don't, I don't think they know what's happening. 00:38:08.559 --> 00:38:11.920 So we should talk about these things and see if the council wants to take a position. 00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:14.159 So that's another thing that we did start doing. 00:38:14.320 --> 00:38:25.280 We're talking about active legislation that's happening or being talked about, and we would decide if the council wants to take a position and write a letter in support or against or explain why this is bad for Rochester. 00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:26.159 And we have done that. 00:38:26.239 --> 00:38:32.639 I we're not doing as much now, but that's because the legislation period, the session of passing it is in pause until the next session starts. 00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:46.000 Um, but that's something I think really benefits us, um, not just on the council, but also for people who watch the meetings or or attend the meetings, can kind of see how the state can take those things away from the council, you know, or the state. 00:38:46.480 -->

00:38:50.000 So I mean, well, it's important to get all this information. 00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:59.920 I I don't think our our staff should be restricted from going to those things, uh, because those those meetings are very important. 00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:18.239 Even if we don't agree, you know, go with them and stuff, we can pick up little pieces of information and they can bring it back to us, which was which helps us and educates us on why is the state taking so long to get this particular thing done to us and stuff like that. 00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:36.159 Because, you know, sometimes we're rushed so fast into things that it's uh kind of embarrassing in a way, but you know, we we get a lot of um uh money from different places, and it seems like all of a sudden we're gonna spend it. 00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:46.079 Well, I think we we need to sit back a little bit and and look at some of those things and say, uh, should it really go here or maybe go there? 00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:56.719 You know, and because it's not always something we have to spend right away, and you know, those just little things like that will be a big help. 00:39:56.960 --> 00:40:04.880 Well, you probably know from and Samantha does, but you are very close with a school member, I think, less so um school board member. 00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:08.880 Um yeah, you know, like to talk about the athletic facilities. 00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:12.079 That was a big conversation about what's the best use of those funds and stuff like that. 00:40:12.239 --> 00:40:20.639 So yeah, but you gotta make decisions, and that's some of them are really easy, and just oh that's clear as day, everybody wants it, but then some are pretty tough. 00:40:20.800 --> 00:40:47.599 So I was gonna think I was I was chairman of the school board years ago, and um it that was kind of uh uh interesting because we were going from the mayor being the chairman of the school board to somebody on the school board being chairman, and we were building schools and uh the cradle center and all these things were happening. 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:59.679 And uh I I tell the story about the mayor because he he really worked hard to get a lot of things straight, but he he always seemed to feel he could interrupt me. 00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:07.039 Uh one day I told him, I says, Don't you sit down and stay over there when his eyes went wide and everything else? 00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:08.960 But but he was a good person. 00:41:09.039 --> 00:41:13.679 He he uh he called me after the meeting at home. 00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:17.280 He called me and and told me, he says, You okay? 00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:18.159 I said, Sure. 00:41:19.360 --> 00:41:20.320 Oh good, good. 00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:23.840 But those are the those are the things that happen, you know. 00:41:24.159 --> 00:41:25.199 Yeah, that's great. 00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:29.840 I want to Doug um Doug did ask, Did everyone have a great Halloween? 00:41:30.079 --> 00:41:38.079

And the reason why I left that question up there is because I actually had a constituent talk to me and ask me a really important question, and I did not know the answer to. 00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:40.480 So, first of all, my Halloween was great. 00:41:40.639 --> 00:41:41.360 Doug, thank you. 00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:46.559 We live in a really tight-knit neighborhood, and kids were here from all over, and it was so much fun. 00:41:46.639 --> 00:41:50.159 And my neighbor was dressed up as the Grinch, throwing candy at people. 00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:51.840 It was so fun. 00:41:52.400 --> 00:41:56.480 Um, but there was a lot of actually, I got this question more than once. 00:41:57.360 --> 00:41:59.519 How are the trick-or-treat hours set? 00:41:59.679 --> 00:42:01.039 Is that by the council? 00:42:01.679 --> 00:42:04.719 And how is it that it's four to seven? 00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:15.360 A lot of parents felt that it was early this year, didn't give parents enough time to get their kids like get out of work, get their kids from school, get home, get dinner, and then get the kids out for trick-or-treating. 00:42:15.519 --> 00:42:18.719 Yeah, I don't think that the council, I don't think the council sets it. 00:42:18.800 --> 00:42:20.719 We've never, I don't ever remember taking a vote. 00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:22.079 I think that's a time. 00:42:22.239 --> 00:42:33.840 Um, I the council, if they received a lot of feedback, you know, if if I if you get a lot from your from Ward Six, I get a lot from Ward Six or Leska, you could bring it up to the council and say, hey, can we talk to city staff about maybe changing this? 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:40.559 But I will say, you know, from my experience, being, you know, I haven't been here forever, but I've been here 21 years. 00:42:40.719 --> 00:42:45.679 Um, I know the first time it was at four, I'm like, this is so early because I work until four. 00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:49.360 And so I like just driving home through trick-or-treaters. 00:42:49.679 --> 00:42:52.079 So that was that was kind of weird. 00:42:52.320 --> 00:43:03.280 Um, but I will say that I can say from somebody when I had the like the first years I took my kids trick-or-treating, where it's like hauled them around in a wagon, right? 00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:11.679 Um, like that, like they can't walk house to house in your kids, and then you pick them up and you're like, All right, go walk to the door, and they walk up there and they don't say anything. 00:43:11.920 --> 00:43:16.400 Um I did appreciate that it was still light out, I guess is what I like to do. 00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:19.199 Absolutely, yes, yes. 00:43:20.079 --> 00:43:22.480 You know, kids go to bed early, so when you're that young. 00:43:22.559 --> 00:43:30.639 So I did kind of, I you know, now I'm like, oh, it's so early and I like driving through them, but I did really appreciate um the light out and early for that. 00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:35.119 Yeah, and as your kids get older,

then yeah, they want, you know, they're a dark and they can do it better. 00:43:35.199 --> 00:43:44.159 So I mean, I will say four might be a little early, but I think even if it's just 4 30, that might be a little better because that's like being selfish, that's the time I get home from work. 00:43:44.320 --> 00:43:59.280 So but um yeah, the we could extend it to make it a little um for like the teenagers, you know, because especially with it being on a weekend night, I think everyone was just ready to stay out, you know, and not and there was no snow. 00:43:59.360 --> 00:43:59.760 I've had more. 00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:02.320 Where it was snow on Halloween or trick-or-treat nights. 00:44:02.480 --> 00:44:03.039 I remember that. 00:44:03.119 --> 00:44:04.639 My son was six when that happened. 00:44:04.880 --> 00:44:07.599 Yeah, and that's that's that's kind of like that too. 00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:08.239 But you know what? 00:44:08.320 --> 00:44:09.920 I was I want to say something about my neighborhood. 00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:11.760 So you said your neighbor's yeah, yeah, go right ahead. 00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:12.320 Yeah, love it. 00:44:13.119 --> 00:44:24.880 But my neighborhood, it's the one like it's um like Pinecrest off of um uh Portland Street, or you come in off of Vernon off of Eastern Ab. 00:44:25.119 --> 00:44:28.320 So it's like between Portland and Eastern Ave, and it is very popular. 00:44:28.559 --> 00:44:43.360 And um, although the past two years have not been as bad, but for most of the let's say the first like 15 years I lived here, the neighborhood would fill up with cars on both sides of the road, my street included. 00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:50.880 Um, and you would have to walk, everybody would have to walk in the middle of the road, and uh most of the plates had main license plates on. 00:44:51.199 --> 00:44:52.400 Well, I'm no kidding, okay. 00:44:52.800 --> 00:44:53.519 I'm not gonna lie. 00:44:56.400 --> 00:45:00.480 And we would run out of candy, we would buy tons of candy, and we would probably run out. 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:04.320 It was four to seven, we would probably be out by like 5 30 every time. 00:45:04.559 --> 00:45:04.880 Wow. 00:45:05.679 --> 00:45:09.360 Last few years we have not run out, so that's that's it's it's crazy. 00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:12.079 It's definitely, and it's not as many cars as like you can actually walk. 00:45:12.239 --> 00:45:14.880 There's a couple of roads that have a lot of cars, but most of them you can't. 00:45:14.960 --> 00:45:18.639 So I think we probably moved here at a time when there's a lot of kids and it was really popular. 00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:20.320 But we heard it's funny. 00:45:20.480 --> 00:45:24.239 I heard about your neighborhood because I think they go to your neighborhood and then come to mine. 00:45:24.400 --> 00:45:25.760 They're like, Oh, we just came from there. 00:45:25.840 --> 00:45:27.280 And I'm like, Let's go. 00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:29.360 I was at Harvest Candy. 00:45:29.519 --> 00:45:34.239 Yeah, I was at the football game, my kids' football game, Rochester, Little Red. 00:45:34.480 --> 00:45:42.239 Uh, and I heard a group behind me, and they're not from Rochester, so they were from I think Ossip, Ossipee. 00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:43.599 And somebody said, Oh, you guys ready? 00:45:43.679 --> 00:45:45.920 There's their friends, whatever said, Are you ready for a trick-or-treat? 00:45:46.000 --> 00:45:46.800 And they're like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:47.840 And they're like, Oh, is it good? 00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:49.920 And like, well, we no, we come to Rochester. 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:51.280 And they're like, Oh, you do? 00:45:51.760 --> 00:45:53.280 And I'm like, I knew it was coming to. 00:45:53.440 --> 00:45:54.480 I'm just sitting up there listening. 00:45:54.960 --> 00:45:57.199 And they're like, they're like, Yeah, there's this great neighborhood. 00:45:57.280 --> 00:45:58.400 And they're like, Oh, where is it? 00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:05.440 And they're like, Well, if you're heading on Eastern Ave towards Maine, before you get to the traffic light, I'm like, That's it, it's my neighborhood, exactly. 00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:07.760 They're like, You turn in there, it's the best neighborhood. 00:46:07.920 --> 00:46:09.519 So many houses give out so much candy. 00:46:09.599 --> 00:46:10.400 I was like, Yep, I knew it. 00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:10.800 That's it. 00:46:11.039 --> 00:46:15.840 I can pretty much predict if you're coming from out of the state to go or out of town, that's where the most people go. 00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:16.559 But it was great. 00:46:17.280 --> 00:46:18.400 That's wonderful. 00:46:18.639 --> 00:46:22.480 Um Mayor Grassy said, we don't set the times. 00:46:22.639 --> 00:46:29.599 Um, member Callberg said maybe it's the city manager or Matt Wyatt, who is the community outreach direct. 00:46:29.920 --> 00:46:33.199 I don't know his official position, but he does public information, I think. 00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:41.119 And then uh Mayor Grassey said it might be the rec department that sets the times, but he thinks he saw a um release from the rec department. 00:46:41.280 --> 00:46:44.559 Yeah, the rec department does make the most sense to me of who would set the times. 00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:54.800 But yeah, it's the kind of thing where if it was a big concern and there was an overwhelming wish to change the times, that's something that you know we could address um and ask the city manager to look at with them. 00:46:54.880 --> 00:47:05.360 So, but but I think I can see um that point that the people are making is it does seem so early, but I think that works for some, you know, if I would later I might just add an hour on the end. 00:47:05.599 --> 00:47:06.559 I think that's a great idea. 00:47:06.639 --> 00:47:13.840 That way it would give the littles their safe time, and then we'll give like the older kiddos or the teenagers their time on that end

as well. 00:47:14.000 --> 00:47:15.119 I think that's a great idea. 00:47:15.199 --> 00:47:19.679 And it's a fun night, so handing out candy is not a bad thing. 00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:23.519 I think the parents would uh really like to see that happen. 00:47:23.840 --> 00:47:25.840 Yeah, yeah, to extend the night a little bit. 00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:26.800 It's fun. 00:47:27.119 --> 00:47:27.679 Wow. 00:47:28.000 --> 00:47:36.800 So um, do either of you have any updates or anything you'd like to update us on um from the city side or anything you want to talk about? 00:47:37.119 --> 00:47:40.960 Oh, can I just say, yeah, last you mind if I say something real quick? 00:47:42.079 --> 00:47:57.840 Okay, yeah, I just wanted it's not really from the city side, but I I told um Samantha I wanted to make this, and I did put a comment on the last video, but I just wanted to um some things our last one that we had, we've been having so many of these, usually it's like once a month, and now we've had like three in three weeks. 00:47:57.920 --> 00:48:02.079 So yeah, we've had four in a row, actually, as we gearing up to voting day tomorrow. 00:48:02.239 --> 00:48:04.880 I want to get some community engagement going. 00:48:05.199 --> 00:48:09.039 Then the last time we went through the ballot, and so we had some questions when we were going through it. 00:48:09.119 --> 00:48:23.199 Um, and one of them was uh for ward six, was about the um well, it's for multiple wards, but it was uh for about the uh state senate seat, which was uh I believe DeGray versus Abel's is the two people you can pick. 00:48:23.360 --> 00:48:28.800 And our question was well, now that Abels has um withdrawn, what does that mean for voting? 00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:30.000 You know, and how do you vote? 00:48:30.159 --> 00:48:33.920 And so I did, as I promised, got an answer from the city clerk's office. 00:48:34.079 --> 00:48:41.039 And so for that one, um, the mayor's first thought of it, he went back and changed it to wouldn't get a special election. 00:48:41.119 --> 00:48:52.960 But the so what it will be, I got a confirmation, is um if by chance the the Abel's person got more votes than Gray, there would be a special election held. 00:48:53.119 --> 00:48:58.239 And the Democratic Party, which is Abel's, could choose to put up a new candidate or not. 00:48:58.400 --> 00:49:01.599 Um, and so that that is the way that that one would go. 00:49:01.760 --> 00:49:08.000 And the other one was about, oh, it was about um, I believe it was Fezenden because he's listed in two columns, right? 00:49:08.239 --> 00:49:09.599 Yes, he's listed in, yep. 00:49:09.920 --> 00:49:18.800 Yeah, and so the the city clerk's office did confirm that if you voted for that individual in either column, they would be added together. 00:49:19.119 --> 00:49:33.199 So it wasn't because there was some thought that possibly like you know, the independent could get 30% of the vote, and uh Democrat could get 30, and then the Republican could get 40, and the Republican would win because it was 40, 30, 30. 00:49:33.280 --> 00:49:34.719 But no, it's they're added together. 00:49:34.880 --> 00:49:37.199 So those are two things that I think we weren't sure. 00:49:37.280 --> 00:49:38.400 Are those the only things we didn't really? 00:49:38.800 --> 00:49:39.119 I think so. 00:49:39.199 --> 00:49:40.800 Yeah, that that that came up during the ballot. 00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:47.360 That was a if anybody um what counselor Sullivan is referring to, excuse me, I have allergies. 00:49:47.599 --> 00:49:54.480 Um is last week we did a whole segment on the ballot, and there were some questions that cropped up. 00:49:54.559 --> 00:50:03.199 So if you missed that, you can go back to our YouTube channel or look back on my school board page and you'll find the replay and you can see what he's referring to there. 00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:18.719 Um that we're finding we can see the replay there and um answer the questions, and we break down the ballot pretty, pretty intricately of who's what the positions are and what the questions are, all that good stuff. 00:50:19.039 --> 00:50:22.079 So and I'll be at the thing all day tomorrow. 00:50:22.159 --> 00:50:27.920 So from 6 30 till well, you the they close at at um 7 p.m. 00:50:28.079 --> 00:50:30.960 But I'll probably be there until closer to 11 or midnight. 00:50:31.039 --> 00:50:33.199 So wow, that's a long day. 00:50:33.360 --> 00:50:35.519 Yeah, we appreciate you doing that. 00:50:35.760 --> 00:50:37.360 Yeah, thank you for doing that. 00:50:37.599 --> 00:50:40.480 I told somebody wrote me in, so I'm pretty sure it was torture. 00:50:40.559 --> 00:50:45.280 So it could have been some more than six two people wrote me in, and then but I do love doing it. 00:50:45.360 --> 00:50:46.719 I like doing anything I can to help. 00:50:46.800 --> 00:50:47.599 So that's great. 00:50:47.679 --> 00:50:51.840 If you need help tomorrow, I'll I'm I'm available, you know, to to lend it in as well. 00:50:52.800 --> 00:50:54.159 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:50:54.239 --> 00:50:55.119 That's great. 00:50:55.360 --> 00:50:58.719 So, do you have any updates on your side? 00:50:59.039 --> 00:51:05.199 I don't think for the since we've been having these so frequently, like I said, I we haven't met with the council, so I don't think I have anything new. 00:51:05.360 --> 00:51:10.800 Um, the city manager position still hasn't posted yet, but hopefully that'll be pretty soon. 00:51:10.960 --> 00:51:13.039 I said that last time, post that job. 00:51:13.360 --> 00:51:13.760 Nice. 00:51:14.000 --> 00:51:22.239 Um trying to think, is there anything else less that you can think of that's like uh it's been pretty quiet um the last couple of weeks. 00:51:22.320 --> 00:51:28.079 Uh you know, I haven't heard anything new on the city manager replacements or anything. 00:51:28.320 --> 00:51:54.719 Um the uh a couple of things that I I would just like to bring uh having going on a

really good document here, is that uh, you know, the mayor said it kind of a set us on a course that he was going to be open and we were going to be able to talk freely amongst things and be in the public and doing things. 00:51:55.039 --> 00:51:56.719 And that has been happening. 00:51:56.960 --> 00:52:19.360 And I know for one, I appreciate the fact that he he allows the folks to talk and explain what they really are trying to uh uh what their points are, instead of you know, we do have to use the clock, of course, but he he seems to have the patience enough to say we're gonna we're gonna listen this through. 00:52:19.519 --> 00:52:21.440 And I really appreciate that. 00:52:21.679 --> 00:52:43.679 Um some of the other things that I I see us doing is that uh if as a council we all want to learn more about what our our public facilities are doing, you know, what the what the uh public works is doing, what the police department's doing, and all of that, so that we're up to date on everything. 00:52:43.840 --> 00:53:04.480 Because overall, the we are responsible for a lot of that because the city manager reports directly to the council and whatever's in the charter and how the charter speaks, the city manager has to work under that that charter in the and other things. 00:53:04.559 --> 00:53:11.440 And so it's very important to have this open communication dialogue that we've uh we started here. 00:53:11.519 --> 00:53:13.360 And I think that's a good thing. 00:53:13.599 --> 00:53:26.639 You guys have uh I I think uh putting this program together the way you have uh is excellent because more and more people are here uh uh get getting the information. 00:53:26.800 --> 00:53:35.599 Uh you know, it's it's not that the information is hidden, um it's just people learning where to go to get it. 00:53:35.920 --> 00:53:50.880 And I I think Matt does a good job uh trying to put the information out on our our uh website and things, but uh we have a lot of elderly people who don't really get on to that. 00:53:50.960 --> 00:53:51.199 Absolutely. 00:53:52.960 --> 00:53:56.320 You know, we need to somehow get them the information. 00:53:56.719 --> 00:53:58.800 Absolutely, that's such a good point, Les. 00:53:59.199 --> 00:54:06.079 I I put I decided to do the YouTube outreach as a result of having a conversation with my parents. 00:54:06.239 --> 00:54:11.440 They don't, they're not, they're 87 and 90, they're not on Facebook, although my dad wants Facebook. 00:54:12.719 --> 00:54:16.880 So I just said this way, you don't have to have a membership to join YouTube. 00:54:17.039 --> 00:54:24.880 And I think how this was born was um Council Sullivan, he said said, Would you like to do a meetup? 00:54:25.119 --> 00:54:28.239 And I said, Of course, let's I'm game for anything. 00:54:28.480 --> 00:54:32.480 But I noticed that there are people that come, but it's hard. 00:54:32.639 --> 00:54:40.559 People are working, people have children, people want to get their dinners, they want to live their lives, they've got homework. 00:54:40.960 --> 00:54:46.079 I said, How to are you brave enough to get online and do this here? 00:54:46.320 --> 00:55:00.639 And I'm so glad because I'm new at this and there's so many things that I'm learning that this gives me a platform too to ask questions that I would never be able to ask at a city council meeting, or that I might be embarrassed to ask, I'm gonna be full fully transparent. 00:55:00.800 --> 00:55:09.280 Like I so this is a good time to grab my city counselor one-on-one and ask, hey, how does this work or why is this working like that? 00:55:09.599 --> 00:55:16.559 And looking, I looked at the metrics today, and we have about 600 on average for each show that we do. 00:55:16.800 --> 00:55:35.760 That doesn't that's just Facebook, that does not include YouTube, and that does not include the podcast, because after we're done tonight, tomorrow I will download the show onto uh podcast host where it will be distributed to um to it. 00:55:35.840 --> 00:55:38.719 Looks like Facebook might have dropped out, but they're back. 00:55:38.960 --> 00:55:41.679 Um sketchy. 00:55:41.840 --> 00:55:45.519 That's the other reason why we're doing YouTube is because it's a it's a bigger bandwidth. 00:55:45.599 --> 00:55:46.079 Yeah. 00:55:46.320 --> 00:55:50.559 Um I've this way it's distributed to all the podcast directories. 00:55:50.639 --> 00:55:57.920 And then if you're in your car or you're busy, so now we just have another avenue that um people can get information. 00:55:58.000 --> 00:56:01.199 And like you said, the information isn't necessarily hidden. 00:56:01.360 --> 00:56:04.000 It's just how does that information get out to people? 00:56:04.320 --> 00:56:06.000 So this is just a great format. 00:56:06.159 --> 00:56:12.320 We're all on our technology, our devices now, and it's just great to get the information out there. 00:56:12.639 --> 00:56:15.039 Yeah, and have people, I mean, like say it every week. 00:56:15.119 --> 00:56:15.920 We've had four in a row. 00:56:16.000 --> 00:56:19.840 And so I'm hoping, I'm hoping somewhere that like that something will catch. 00:56:19.920 --> 00:56:26.000 But like, yeah, I'd like to have like we had Doug Robbins, you know, from our board and give some comments tonight. 00:56:26.159 --> 00:56:28.880 Uh I'm not sure if he's from our WordBird's businesses. 00:56:29.039 --> 00:56:30.079 Um Yeah. 00:56:30.320 --> 00:56:40.559 Um, and um I would love to have more people, and then we could have more of a, you know, the stuff that you've heard the council or the school board talking about, ask us the questions here and we'll talk about them, you know. 00:56:40.639 --> 00:56:44.159 And and and uh, you know, I I really hope that that picks up. 00:56:44.239 --> 00:56:45.199 That's what I'm really hoping. 00:56:45.280 --> 00:56:49.519 I'm hoping that this surgence of stuff will get people on here to ask us questions during them. 00:56:49.599 -->

00:56:52.400 So yes, counselor Sullivan wants questions, everyone. 00:56:52.800 --> 00:56:56.880 And I know that about 600 people watch this, 600 viewers. 00:56:57.039 --> 00:57:01.840 Our view count is higher than that, but the actual viewers is about 600. 00:57:02.079 --> 00:57:04.000 So let's get some good questions. 00:57:04.159 --> 00:57:05.760 We know you're out there and it's okay. 00:57:06.079 --> 00:57:09.440 Everybody tells me, everybody that knows me will tell you they say I'd love to hear myself talk. 00:57:09.760 --> 00:57:16.719 I may be true, but I'd rather be talking, answering your questions as opposed to just if you're gonna hear yourself talk, it might be answering someone's questions. 00:57:16.960 --> 00:57:19.440 Something you want to hear, something you want to hear, not just what I want to say. 00:57:19.599 --> 00:57:21.199 So I did a couple things. 00:57:21.280 --> 00:57:25.599 Could I bring up um things actually that I thought of related to the council? 00:57:25.760 --> 00:57:29.440 Um what's really just one thing and then a question because the mayor's on here. 00:57:29.519 --> 00:57:34.639 So um the one thing I want to bring up was I did see the announcement today from I think was it on YouTube? 00:57:34.880 --> 00:57:49.760 Okay, Rochester page, uh, or so um about the um um oh gosh, the um economic zone, the economic opportunity zone was approved for downtown Rochester. 00:57:49.920 --> 00:57:52.320 And so I just want to say like that's a great thing. 00:57:52.480 --> 00:58:00.639 And I I feel like um that might have been like a key piece for the care pharmacy property redevelopment. 00:58:00.719 --> 00:58:06.960 Like I kind of think that was um, you know, I think probably they're waiting to hear that or get that confirmation because that that'll help them. 00:58:07.119 --> 00:58:08.960 And so yeah, I'm glad to hear that. 00:58:09.039 --> 00:58:10.639 That gives Rochester more opportunities. 00:58:10.719 --> 00:58:17.119 I think it will also help that care pharmacy project um move forward and then get a purchase and sale and get that done. 00:58:17.199 --> 00:58:25.760 So I mean, I'm you know, because people know that we have um like the city already selected somebody to do that, um, but it hasn't happened, nothing's happened. 00:58:25.840 --> 00:58:29.119 Like we haven't received any, you know, we haven't actually sold it, it hasn't changed hands or anything yet. 00:58:29.199 --> 00:58:31.519 And so it's a lot of little things have to happen first. 00:58:31.599 --> 00:58:38.880 And I think that economic opportunity zone might have been a part of that, and so that's a really good news for for Rochester. 00:58:39.039 --> 00:58:44.800 So and then the other thing I wanted to ask the mayor if uh if he's on here, is if it's is he off? 00:58:45.039 --> 00:58:56.480 He's here, he's saying that the YouTube is freezing, but I just looked it up and it's saying that it's having app loading errors, so it might be within the um backside of the YouTube app itself. 00:58:56.639 --> 00:58:59.840 It's saying that we're still green here and that we haven't gone red. 00:59:00.000 --> 00:59:06.000 So it says that YouTube is experiencing scattered regional um app loading errors today. 00:59:06.079 --> 00:59:07.199 So it could be on that page. 00:59:07.440 --> 00:59:08.880 My dad is gonna be mad. 00:59:10.320 --> 00:59:14.719 So, but do you if he's here, Mayor Grassi, if you're here, do you have a question? 00:59:14.880 --> 00:59:15.280 Yeah, yeah. 00:59:15.360 --> 00:59:19.920 The question was uh just because I'd seen some stuff online about the the question on the ballot for number two. 00:59:20.079 --> 00:59:24.480 My my question was um the big thing that we'd asked for is the six percent. 00:59:24.559 --> 00:59:35.599 And the only reason I ask is I thought that the mayor told me or told, or the superintendent told me, or somebody that we had asked the state for clarification on what was in the six percent. 00:59:35.679 --> 00:59:43.119 And I was wondering if the city ever got clarification on what is in the six percent, or if we're just supposed to interpret it ourselves. 00:59:43.920 --> 00:59:52.400 Right, we talked about that last week because we weren't sure whether principles were considered into that administrative dollar amount. 00:59:53.519 --> 01:00:01.280 Like it's hard to know how close you are to the six percent if they don't tell you what is in the six percent, and you're just supposed to make assumptions, you know. 01:00:02.719 --> 01:00:03.840 Right, I'm not sure. 01:00:03.920 --> 01:00:06.000 And he might be loading back on. 01:00:11.199 --> 01:00:12.639 I don't know, but that's a good question. 01:00:12.719 --> 01:00:25.599 So the last yeah the last heard because I think that would help people understand how to make their votes and stuff, but the last I heard is I don't think we had heard back, so okay. 01:00:29.360 --> 01:00:38.880 So while Samantha's doing that, Les, how does the um does having um Sue as a school board member? 01:00:39.119 --> 01:00:42.960 Yes, and you being a counselor, so we asked this to the mayor too. 01:00:43.199 --> 01:00:45.199 Yes, how does that go over for you? 01:00:45.360 --> 01:00:47.519 Do you ever have to sleep on the couch or what? 01:00:47.840 --> 01:00:58.320 Well, I yeah, I I have to go down in the cellar sometimes down the basement to especially during the budget time and and things. 01:00:58.480 --> 01:01:21.599 Actually, it works out very good for us because um Mayor Rassel has also been involved over the years, and uh we kind of agree not to talk about some of the uh some of the items that have a lot of energy to them that we could get into a little bit of I even know about them and things, so we don't talk about them. 01:01:21.760 --> 01:01:26.480 Uh but uh she does send me to the basement often, you know. 01:01:27.039 --> 01:01:28.559 That's I was wondering, do you guys agree? 01:01:28.639 --> 01:01:32.000 Do you

see eye to eye on everything, or is it like everything in marriage? 01:01:32.159 --> 01:01:35.519 Some things you do, but some things you just agree to disagree. 01:01:35.760 --> 01:01:48.159 Uh we, you know, after 58 years of being together, you know, it's uh we agree to disagree, and and um of course I you know she's always right. 01:01:48.320 --> 01:01:52.000 I I want to have dinner. 01:01:52.480 --> 01:01:56.800 But no, Sue's very she's a lot of fun to be be with. 01:01:57.199 --> 01:01:59.360 Uh it's kind of kind of strange. 01:01:59.519 --> 01:02:06.559 A lot of people say, you guys 58 years together, and you st you still act like kids, you hold hands and you oh my gosh, that's right. 01:02:07.199 --> 01:02:07.519 Everything. 01:02:07.679 --> 01:02:14.239 And but a lot of people asked us why why would you want to be involved in that in this type of thing? 01:02:14.480 --> 01:02:18.000 And uh we both agree that it just it's fun. 01:02:18.159 --> 01:02:24.400 We love our city, and uh we like picking on each other, so it works out really good. 01:02:24.960 --> 01:02:35.119 I have a logistics question about that, just because when we when I signed up to run, the city clerk, I said, What kind of time commitment is this? 01:02:35.280 --> 01:02:38.480 And she said, Oh, it's only two nights a month. 01:02:38.639 --> 01:02:39.360 That's not true. 01:02:39.599 --> 01:02:41.440 Yeah, that is not true. 01:02:41.519 --> 01:02:44.320 I'm not trying to put anyone on blast, but that is not true. 01:02:44.480 --> 01:02:46.559 Yeah, um, you're very busy. 01:02:46.800 --> 01:02:53.280 So, how do you do it in your house logistics-wise when you have because there's so many meetings? 01:02:53.440 --> 01:02:56.239 Like, how do you make that work logistics-wise? 01:02:59.039 --> 01:03:03.519 Well, we we uh Sue's at a meeting right now on the school board. 01:03:03.760 --> 01:03:04.480 Yep, she's there. 01:03:04.719 --> 01:03:06.000 I was gonna talk about that, yeah. 01:03:06.239 --> 01:03:08.960 And I'm on this uh this channel. 01:03:09.199 --> 01:03:13.039 Actually, we it works out pretty good for us logistically. 01:03:13.280 --> 01:03:34.079 Um oftentimes we have you know, share go one way and I go the other, and but when it comes to uh uh eating, you know, lunch uh dinner, it's uh a little complicated at times, you know, because you have to you have to have it early or later, right? 01:03:34.320 --> 01:03:43.840 And that that becomes a problem, but overall, um honestly, we do it very well because it's something we really want to do. 01:03:44.480 --> 01:04:00.000 And uh you know, we have it Sue has a very busy time uh week this week with the school board, and uh I don't have much of anything with the city this week except for we get the you know voting and stuff like that. 01:04:00.159 --> 01:04:02.320 So it it kind of works out. 01:04:02.880 --> 01:04:20.320 Um I uh you know the the best part uh with our situation is uh that um we understand each other's issues uh very clearly, yeah, and that's been part of our great marriage. 01:04:20.559 --> 01:04:28.639 And right now my one of my sons is living with us, and that's a different uh opportunity. 01:04:29.119 --> 01:04:37.599 We uh we love our kids, but we found out very quickly uh when he joined us for a few weeks, he had it. 01:04:38.000 --> 01:04:40.880 It's nice when we don't have anybody in the house with us. 01:04:43.679 --> 01:04:52.239 But he's a good kid, he's been doing a lot of help for us, he's extremely intelligent when it comes to uh this type of work. 01:04:52.320 --> 01:04:58.400 And in as you know, Samantha this afternoon, he was very helpful to get this put together. 01:04:58.559 --> 01:05:00.239 So that's wonderful. 01:05:00.480 --> 01:05:01.519 That's a lot of fun. 01:05:01.920 --> 01:05:09.599 What what advice would you have for couples that are both looking to run for for office? 01:05:10.159 --> 01:05:18.400 Would you I know that maybe some partners talk to each other and they're like, no, you run, I'll stay home, get that done. 01:05:18.559 --> 01:05:24.880 What would you give for advice if you have couples that are both looking to run for office on how to make that work? 01:05:26.239 --> 01:05:44.639 Well, I think that you have to really have a good communications between each other and an understanding, like Sue and I have the understanding we don't talk about anything that goes on behind closed doors or uh items there. 01:05:45.280 --> 01:05:50.239 I personally just affect the school department and what I do here at council. 01:05:50.559 --> 01:05:52.880 Um those that's closed. 01:05:53.039 --> 01:05:56.239 We don't we don't get into those discussions. 01:05:56.559 --> 01:05:59.760 Um I think it's very important to have. 01:06:00.159 --> 01:06:08.960 Good communications and also have uh the knowledge of whether or not who's gonna be going where, when. 01:06:09.599 --> 01:06:18.480 And you gotta remember one thing is that if you have ki uh children, I don't it's not possible. 01:06:18.719 --> 01:06:21.440 It would really not be a very good thing. 01:06:21.599 --> 01:06:28.400 Um because you gotta you you gotta have somebody at home and children are very important to us all. 01:06:28.960 --> 01:06:49.679 I had brought up to um the mayor's wife, uh school board member um Ann Grassy, the possibility of offering daycare for people who are either on the school board and need child care or people who want to come to a meeting and they can't because they don't have any child care. 01:06:49.920 --> 01:07:07.360 Because you you bring up a really good point that um during the years when you're having children, if you are not able to, if you're home with them, you're missing out on say you say you do want to run for public office, that that could be a barrier for some families. 01:07:08.159 --> 01:07:09.199 You're exactly right. 01:07:09.920 --> 01:07:14.800 You're exactly right, and Ann knows a lot about um child care. 01:07:15.679

--> 01:07:20.320 She's yeah, very good at that, so she could be a big help to people. 01:07:20.480 --> 01:07:37.280 But the one thing is I think in a professional world is that if you have a you know, I think that managers and uh people have to understand that you know the parents need to have time with their children. 01:07:38.159 --> 01:07:49.679 And I used to always tell the people that work for me is that uh if your children have something that's come up that's important, we take care of what you gotta do. 01:07:50.000 --> 01:07:51.760 You go you go do that. 01:07:52.000 --> 01:08:01.119 And I'll tell you the people that work for me loved it because and they never abused it because they knew how important it was altogether. 01:08:01.360 --> 01:08:04.880 So that's a conversation you have to have with your employer too. 01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:06.320 Right, right. 01:08:06.480 --> 01:08:12.400 This is that there's definitely a time commitment component involved when you run for a public office. 01:08:13.119 --> 01:08:20.880 Um, I want to circle back real quick to the mayor's comment um in response to you, um, Counselor Sullivan. 01:08:20.960 --> 01:08:21.039 Yeah. 01:08:21.279 --> 01:08:24.239 But the state has said they will not give any advice until after the vote. 01:08:24.479 --> 01:08:25.279 That's the understanding. 01:08:25.359 --> 01:08:27.680 Well, I mean, I I didn't know about won't give advice. 01:08:27.760 --> 01:08:28.960 I just heard that we hadn't heard back. 01:08:29.039 --> 01:08:30.640 So, yeah, that's that is interesting. 01:08:30.720 --> 01:08:34.159 It's you know how you're supposed to, you don't understand what the six percent is. 01:08:34.319 --> 01:08:36.000 So interesting concept. 01:08:36.079 --> 01:08:38.880 And that was the impression I had is that we had not got an answer yet. 01:08:38.960 --> 01:08:46.960 So, because I had seen you know some stuff recently online by people who are trying to give information and stuff, and maybe maybe they were able to get information. 01:08:47.039 --> 01:08:54.239 I don't know directly from the state, but I my understanding was that the state has not explicitly said this is what counts. 01:08:54.399 --> 01:08:59.760 So I think most of it's just gonna be interpretation on what I think is what they're gonna count. 01:08:59.920 --> 01:09:06.159 I I think that most of it is targeted at the SAU, not the actual school buildings and classrooms. 01:09:06.319 --> 01:09:08.479 Um, but that's also just my interpretation. 01:09:08.560 --> 01:09:09.680 So I have no idea. 01:09:09.840 --> 01:09:13.039 But do you have some interesting things from the school board, Samantha? 01:09:13.199 --> 01:09:13.680 Any new things? 01:09:13.760 --> 01:09:16.000 Or there's a lot going on there with like the meeting tonight. 01:09:16.239 --> 01:09:18.000 Yeah, tonight's really dynamic. 01:09:18.159 --> 01:09:35.279 Um, led by uh school board member Sam Oliver, he is putting together, they had put together a subcommittee um for figuring out how to get children fed in this community for breakfast and for lunch while they're at school. 01:09:35.680 --> 01:09:38.319 So I know that they had a presentation this evening. 01:09:38.479 --> 01:09:41.920 Um I'm excited to go watch that meeting when we're done here. 01:09:42.079 --> 01:09:45.279 I don't know how soon the the replay will be up on YouTube. 01:09:45.680 --> 01:09:49.439 But for those who don't follow the school board meetings, we're live now. 01:09:49.600 --> 01:09:53.520 We have our own YouTube channel, SAU54, over on YouTube. 01:09:54.000 --> 01:10:00.239 The meetings are live streamed, and then it might take a little bit for um tech to get the replay up. 01:10:00.399 --> 01:10:06.079 But I'm anxious to see what the um the meeting was all about. 01:10:06.159 --> 01:10:19.279 I know that uh member Kahlberg back when we first started, I want to say February or March, proposed that idea um with the CEP program, I believe it was from the USDA. 01:10:19.600 --> 01:10:21.199 It's a program run through that. 01:10:21.359 --> 01:10:24.079 And I know that we had she had proposed that. 01:10:24.239 --> 01:10:26.800 So we had had lots of discussions about that. 01:10:27.039 --> 01:10:30.720 And um, at the time it was not feasible or viable. 01:10:30.960 --> 01:10:33.359 Um, but I think tonight they're going to be talking about that. 01:10:33.439 --> 01:10:38.720 So I'm interested to hear um to hear what that's happening. 01:10:38.800 --> 01:10:39.680 So that's exciting. 01:10:39.840 --> 01:10:40.000 Yeah. 01:10:40.239 --> 01:10:55.439 So we recently um started a subcommittee on AI and technology use, what's appropriate, what's not appropriate, what guidelines should be for all ages of children from young, middle, and high school, um, and what those guidelines should be. 01:10:55.600 --> 01:11:05.520 So when the subcommittee forms, generally there's members from the public, there's members, uh, city employees generally, and representation from either your council or your school board. 01:11:05.600 --> 01:11:11.039 So it's a nice think tank of it's a nice good round table uh for discussions. 01:11:11.439 --> 01:11:16.720 Um so yeah, that's happening on our end. 01:11:16.960 --> 01:11:18.800 And um, we haven't had a meeting. 01:11:18.880 --> 01:11:23.039 So, like you, we've had these shows back to back to back to back. 01:11:23.279 --> 01:11:27.119 Um, so that hasn't had much time to occur. 01:11:27.359 --> 01:11:35.680 Um, Council Horn, do you have anything that you wanted to touch upon as far as subjects or anything that you're passionate about that you wanted to talk about? 01:11:36.079 --> 01:11:46.239 Well, I just I just would like everyone to know just how important all of our uh different divisions are in our employees. 01:11:46.479 --> 01:11:59.520 The employees are very important, and we and the city is very lucky to have as many experienced employees that we do have as they're the ones out there

doing the work. 01:12:00.319 --> 01:12:01.359 I think it's very important. 01:12:01.840 --> 01:12:22.000 And I would always say that uh, you know, it's uh you know, you go by them and sometimes you see, you know, what they're doing and things, but uh I see them out there at the end of my street during the winter, they're working on a water line and it's 15 degrees out and they're getting soaking wet. 01:12:22.319 --> 01:12:27.520 I think one of the you know, those are the type of things that happen all the time out there. 01:12:28.479 --> 01:12:35.279 We have to be very pleased to have that type of group of people to go out and do what they're doing. 01:12:35.920 --> 01:12:36.720 Absolutely. 01:12:36.880 --> 01:12:38.640 We have great employees in the city. 01:12:38.960 --> 01:12:39.760 We're lucky. 01:12:40.000 --> 01:12:42.960 Yeah, I mean I'm encouraged by the stuff that you talked about, Samantha. 01:12:43.119 --> 01:12:55.119 Like, yeah, you look at that the school board, you know, is um not that the city council doesn't do it, um, but you know, sees a a problem or concern they have, and they're gonna put together a committee and try to, you know, see if there's a solution. 01:12:55.199 --> 01:13:00.640 Not everything is solvable, or at least not not completely solvable, but yeah, I do appreciate that they're doing that. 01:13:00.720 --> 01:13:03.199 But yeah, also while we have the if the mayor, the mayor's on. 01:13:03.279 --> 01:13:09.279 So if we if we have hundreds of people watch this over time or whatever, I want to maybe they'll all call them. 01:13:09.439 --> 01:13:13.039 Uh one thing you need to fix with the school board is the microphones. 01:13:13.199 --> 01:13:14.720 So let's thank you. 01:13:15.199 --> 01:13:18.960 Yes, let's yeah, maybe we can get maybe we can get the mayor involved in that. 01:13:19.039 --> 01:13:22.319 I know that he was very instrumental in making sure that we went live. 01:13:22.560 --> 01:13:26.159 So yeah, we need to I hear that from everyone is the microphone. 01:13:26.239 --> 01:13:39.520 And when I watch the replays, if I feel like the person that's in the center, if you're sitting right there, that's all they can hear you breathe, they can hear you put chapstick on, but you touch paper. 01:13:39.600 --> 01:13:43.680 Like if you touch paper, if anybody touches paper, that's all you hear is paper. 01:13:43.920 --> 01:13:47.199 Yeah, so we'll hold it, we'll hold his feet to the fire here because I've heard it. 01:13:47.359 --> 01:13:47.600 That's right. 01:13:47.760 --> 01:13:48.319 Thank you, Mayor. 01:13:48.720 --> 01:13:50.159 People are watching, listen to the show. 01:13:50.319 --> 01:13:52.800 Yeah, you can't hear the head table. 01:13:52.880 --> 01:13:57.520 They've like, like when the the chair people are speaking, so it's hard. 01:13:57.600 --> 01:13:58.079 It's hard. 01:13:58.319 --> 01:13:59.199 I know he's working on it. 01:13:59.279 --> 01:14:13.760 I'm just giving him a hard time, but yeah, that is the one thing because I do like watching them, and I'm just like, I can't hear half of what's being said, and then some people, especially in the last school board, were notorious about having all their papers and like reshuffle, like sneaking them out. 01:14:13.840 --> 01:14:16.880 And I'm like, that's it, that's all you can hear for the whole time you're doing that. 01:14:17.119 --> 01:14:18.399 Yeah, no more paper shuffling. 01:14:18.560 --> 01:14:19.680 Everybody sit still. 01:14:19.920 --> 01:14:21.439 Yeah, yeah. 01:14:21.920 --> 01:14:25.199 Well, this has been a great discussion we ran over, but that's okay. 01:14:25.359 --> 01:14:27.039 We had some great questions. 01:14:27.359 --> 01:14:27.920 Love that. 01:14:28.079 --> 01:14:35.359 Love it when the community comes and shares their perspectives and also shares their ideas, their thoughts, their questions. 01:14:35.520 --> 01:14:42.319 That's how we make this work is if we just hear from people and are able to engage in good dialogue and disseminate good information. 01:14:42.560 --> 01:14:49.520 Yeah, and Doug and Jessica Allard, I think it is, they need to go find their friends in our ward and say, you should watch this and bring questions. 01:14:53.439 --> 01:14:54.239 Absolutely. 01:14:54.479 --> 01:14:58.720 Yes, thank you to Doug and Jessica for for asking good questions. 01:15:00.960 --> 01:15:26.319 One thing I'd like to say in pan as we uh begin to close up is I think one of the best things that's happened is that the school board and the um council are getting together and talking about issues that belong to the city, as we're all part of the city, and I think that that's that's a big thing that's happening. 01:15:27.520 --> 01:15:30.159 Yes, and thank you to Member Carlberg for joining us. 01:15:30.319 --> 01:15:32.560 She was here as well, she's heading out. 01:15:32.640 --> 01:15:34.479 So thanks for joining us, Member Carlberg. 01:15:34.640 --> 01:15:39.279 She's been a loyal supporter of the show, and I really appreciate her being in attendance as well. 01:15:39.520 --> 01:15:40.560 So you're right. 01:15:41.279 --> 01:15:48.399 The mayor's done a really good job in getting us all together so we can have some good cohesive conversations, especially centered around budget. 01:15:48.560 --> 01:16:00.960 I saw last year that there were a lot of questions from the city's council side that either didn't understand how the process worked or what we were looking to do as a school board. 01:16:01.039 --> 01:16:06.319 So it was really good to come together so you could hear directly from us and say, these are our priorities. 01:16:06.479 --> 01:16:07.840 This is what we need. 01:16:08.000 --> 01:16:10.079 Um, so it was good, it was great. 01:16:10.239 --> 01:16:12.239 It was great to be a part of that process. 01:16:12.479 --> 01:16:16.720 So yeah, well, I want to thank Counselor Horn. 01:16:16.960 --> 01:16:17.920 Thank you so much for joining us. 01:16:18.239 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01:16:18.880 Thank you so much, Eli. 01:16:19.199 --> 01:16:22.560 Please appreciate you having please come back with your lovely wife. 01:16:22.720 --> 01:16:23.840 I think that's the plan. 01:16:24.239 --> 01:16:26.960 When there's a night that we're we're all free. 01:16:27.279 --> 01:16:35.760 Oh, look at and may on on this subject, Mayor Grassi said, I also want to have joint meetings with the state reps, school board, and city council. 01:16:36.000 --> 01:16:36.960 Yeah, that'd be nice. 01:16:37.119 --> 01:16:37.920 Oh, that's excellent. 01:16:38.079 --> 01:16:38.880 That's a good idea. 01:16:39.119 --> 01:16:40.319 I like hearing that. 01:16:40.640 --> 01:16:41.520 That's a great idea. 01:16:41.600 --> 01:16:52.479 I think the more people that you have in the same room together that are making decisions for everyone, the better communication can be, right? 01:16:52.640 --> 01:16:57.199 Like it's not in a phone call, it's not in an email, it's face to face. 01:16:57.439 --> 01:16:59.119 And the community will be there too. 01:16:59.279 --> 01:17:01.520 So that their voices are heard as well. 01:17:01.600 --> 01:17:02.239 I love that. 01:17:02.399 --> 01:17:03.279 I love that. 01:17:03.520 --> 01:17:04.560 That's so good. 01:17:04.880 --> 01:17:05.520 So good. 01:17:06.079 --> 01:17:08.079 Well, thank you again for a great show. 01:17:08.239 --> 01:17:11.760 Before we close, we want to say make sure you go and vote tomorrow. 01:17:12.000 --> 01:17:13.199 Your voice matters. 01:17:13.439 --> 01:17:14.640 The polls are open. 01:17:14.800 --> 01:17:15.439 What time? 01:17:15.840 --> 01:17:17.680 The polls open at 8 a.m. 01:17:17.920 --> 01:17:18.880 and they close at 7. 01:17:18.960 --> 01:17:23.199 So, but you know, one thing I'll say too is people be like, oh, they close, I get their seven. 01:17:23.520 --> 01:17:34.079 If you are in line, or I believe it actually says if you are pulling into the parking lot and you, you know, get out of your car and walk towards that, you even if it's after seven. 01:17:34.159 --> 01:17:38.800 So if you're in line at seven o'clock, if you're in line or pulling into the parking lot, you can still vote. 01:17:38.880 --> 01:17:39.600 So great. 01:17:39.760 --> 01:17:40.239 Yeah, good. 01:17:40.479 --> 01:17:42.239 You're not gonna be turned away if you're in line. 01:17:42.479 --> 01:17:48.960 And you can find all your voter locations, excuse me, online um on the rochester.gov. 01:17:49.520 --> 01:17:51.119 So that information is there. 01:17:51.359 --> 01:17:52.880 And thank you both. 01:17:53.039 --> 01:17:55.199 This was a great conversation, Council Horn. 01:17:55.359 --> 01:17:58.000 I'm so glad you joined us, and I can't wait to have you both back. 01:17:58.159 --> 01:17:59.119 This has been fun. 01:18:00.159 --> 01:18:01.600 Great, thank you so much. 01:18:01.840 --> 01:18:02.239 Thank you. 01:18:02.319 --> 01:18:04.239 I hope you I hope you both have a great evening. 01:18:04.800 --> 01:18:07.920 And thank you to this awesome community for joining us tonight, right? 01:18:08.319 --> 01:18:09.680 So good, so good. 01:18:10.000 --> 01:18:12.560 Thanks, thanks for everyone for being here. 01:18:13.680 --> 01:18:14.319 Have a good night. 01:18:15.359 --> 01:18:15.760 Good night.