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<br /> <br />prioritized that were emerging. He encouraged the Council to consider the needs of the residents that were <br />making the lowest income in the community. He suggested data be collected in order to see how the City can <br />help the folks that were in most need due to the pandemic. <br /> <br />Councilmember Allen supported the City keeping the budget as is when it comes to parks. He suggested the <br />City use the ARPA funds to tackle needs that come up in the next year or two. He noted again for the record <br />that he supported the one time purchases as proposed by staff. Massopust discussed the opportunity cost of not <br />using ARPA funds for the parks plan. <br /> <br />Councilmember Allen stated of the $1.4 million proposed for parks, he believed these dollars should be held <br />for other things that may arise in the next year or two. <br /> <br />Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas supported the Council making investments that would help New Brighton residents. <br />She understood there were residents that have been seriously impacted by the pandemic. She indicated she <br />supported the City making investments in one time expenditures that would benefit the community. She <br />understood seniors and youth have been shut in and the new van would provide additional access to <br />programming. She appreciated how staff was looking to future COVID expenditures to ensure City Hall was <br />properly staffed. She indicated she supported the Public Safety camera and trailer given the rise in crime <br />throughout the metro area. She believed the camera/trailer and drone would assist in deterring crime while also <br />providing new options to the public safety members. She requested further information from staff regarding <br />the HVAC upgrades proposed for the Community Center. Fink reported the proposed HVAC upgrades would <br />fall in line with CDC guidelines and would treat and clean the air. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dunsworth discussed how the City worked to disburse the CARES dollars to residents. She <br />stated she understood there were residents that have been impacted by COVID disproportionately, but noted <br />the City has been providing funding to these individuals. She explained she wanted the City to be mindful of <br />how it was spending the ARPA funds and reiterated the City had worked diligently to get CARES funding to <br />residents. She understood there were unknowns at this time, but she wanted to see the City working with what <br />was known. She indicated she supported the public safety initiatives, the van purchase, as well as the parks <br />plan. She reported the parks have become extremely important to residents and she supported the City moving <br />forward with this expenditure through ARPA funds. She recommended the funding for equity initiatives be <br />increased, with the understanding this was seed money. Massopust commented on how the purpose for ARPA <br />funding differed from CARES funding. <br /> <br />Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas discussed how the CARES funding was geared towards helping businesses and <br />residents through rental assistance. She questioned how the City was advertising the assistance that was <br />available to residents. Foschi reported flyers would be included in the next utility bill. She understood a <br />handful of requests had been made to the City. She commented rental assistance requests were forwarded to <br />the County. <br /> <br />Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas stated she would like to have more data from the County as to how many requests <br />they have had from New Brighton residents. <br /> <br />Councilmember Abdulle commented he understood the City tried to allocate CARES funds to residents, but he <br />did not believe these funds or programs were well advertised to the public. He recommended the City partner <br />with the correct agencies in order to get these funds to those in need. He stated communities of color and low <br />income communities have been made promises by the Biden administration. He believed there has been a <br />disconnect between those who are supposed to be getting the benefits and those who are doing the work. He <br />wanted to see the City do right by the communities that were really hurting. He indicated he supported the <br />public safety initiatives, but he also wanted to see the City doing more to help those who were struggling. He