Agenda Items & Discussion

• Allocation and reallocation of ARPA funds: Council discussed ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) fund allocation and reallocation, with staff members Weston and Kevin presenting updates on the process.
• Historic preservation of Turkeyfoot Hollow cemetery sites: Councilman Gilbert and descendant families presented on preserving Johnson Cemetery, a historic African-American and indigenous burial site in Turkeyfoot Hollow. Descendant families were recognized and stood to be acknowledged. Discussion covered the site's deteriorated condition (overgrown land, caved-in grave sites), a recent hiking excursion to survey the site, and a town hall meeting held in Washington Hills about the survey technology used. The first identified step is coordinating with the state on preservation.
• Historic preservation grant application process: Council discussed how community organizations can apply for historic preservation grants directly, with the council offering support as needed. Councilman Clark proposed grouping multiple historic sites (including Civil War sites and African-American/Jewish cemeteries) into a single, more efficient grant application, and answered council members' questions about how the grouping would work.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Minutes from the previous meeting were approved by motion and second; no objections raised.
• No formal ordinances, resolutions, or purchases were voted on during this strategic planning session; the meeting was primarily discussion-based, focused on ARPA funds and historic preservation initiatives.