Residents urge support for Par Excellence STEM Academy and press council on bike safety and homelessness

Multiple residents addressed the council during public comment, urging civic support for schools, commending public works crews and calling for stronger bicycle-safety measures and services for people experiencing homelessness.

Crystal Stamper (1298 Granville Road) asked the council to publicly support Par Excellence STEM Academy, a tuition-free public charter school on Greenville Road, saying the school lacks the PTO and fundraising pipelines of larger district schools and would benefit if the city signaled support to community partners and donors. "Perhaps there could be a citywide recognition for all teachers, including Par, that would boost all of our education system," Stamper said.

Desiree Blake (125 South 2nd Street) praised the city's street and sewer crews for recent sidewalk and road work. Michelle Boland Smith (237 Violet Court) thanked council members and staff for earlier efforts on bicycle and vehicle safety and urged the city to make use of a comprehensive state program and low-cost education options; she cited a recent fatality involving a motorized bicycle.

Resident Calabroca (130 Dunmore Avenue) urged compassion and better services for homeless residents and emphasized the need for safe schools and community support. Steven Smith (237 Violet Court) also urged the council to support bicycle-safety education (citing an "Effective Cycling" curriculum) and volunteer-led programs to reduce risk to cyclists and other road users.

Responding to safety concerns, a council member said the city's safety leadership and the law director have discussed the issue and are starting an education and enforcement effort within the public-safety forces to address motorized vehicles on sidewalks and related hazards.