Certainly. Good evening, Mr. Rickerman, Mr. McDowell, Mr. Duvall, Mr. Vines, Mr. Davis, Mayor Benjamin. Thank you. Everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I recognize you. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. I'm the God. Yes. I'd like to introduce Dr. Thurman Bowen, the pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church on Richland Street. He's going to come now and render our invocation. Dr. Bowen. Pastor, how are you? Doing just fine, Mayor. I was thanking Mayor as I'm prepared to do the prayer that I've been the pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church for 21 years. Right. In my meetings, I have our monthly meetings, our quarterly meetings, and we don't have anyone there. And whenever there's a large amount of people in my quarterly meetings, that tells me there's something that's wrong. So, we're going to pray to all these many people in this meeting that we will come through in a fine, fine manner. Amen? Let us pray. Amen. Father, we thank you for this awesome opportunity to come together and reason together. And dear Lord, that you might address the concerns of your people. Lord, we pray now that you would give this council board wisdom and give them knowledge. And these concerned citizens, we pray that you would give them understanding, that you would be in the mix.  And we thank you, dear Lord, for this leadership, I guide them in a way, dear Lord, that will surpass all understanding, one in a way that will certainly be designed to look for the needs of the people. So we pray, dear Lord, that this will be the very thing that will be done on this night. Calm them down, calm us down, and let us reason together, and we pray for your presence, your spirit. In the mighty, matchless name of Jesus, the risen Christ, we do pray. Let us say amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Reverend. Thank you. Thank you, Pastor. Thank you. I'm city manager. Yes, sir. I'm going to move the agenda with the, it's past, it's amazing you referenced the prophet Isaiah, come, let us reason together. We were just talking about that in the back room, and do consideration, discussion with the neighbors in the VISTA, the VISTA Neighbor Association, and the developers, we're going to defer item 41 for two weeks in the interest of everyone talking together again. We actually, I thought, had a good and productive meeting last time, we didn't see more of that, and that's something that's incredibly important to Reverend McDowell, and make it clear we're going to act on this in two weeks, we're not going to talk about it anymore, so let's see if we can get some good discussion. So I'm not sure if it's prudent now, or after approving the agenda, but we can approve the agenda with the deferral of this for two weeks, all right? So that is a motion by Mr. McDowell, is there a second? Second. Second by Mr. Davis. Any further discussion? Seeing none, we'll move to the previous question and call the roll. Mr. McDowell. Aye. Mr. Duvall. No. Mr. Vine. Aye. Mr. Davis. Aye. Mayor Benjamin. Aye. At this time, we would ask for any public input related to the agenda items as outlined. No, it's important that we, I do want to make sure some of you were here earlier at the work session, we're not going to be voting on the health care plan tonight, what we determined to do is we are going to move forward with the budget, and the budget's going to set out some fairly clear financial parameters that we're going to have to back into. What the health care plan looks like going forward is something we're going to continue to dialogue. I'm not sure if we got a clear date as the question that Howard asked earlier about when we'd have to make some decisions, but some of our leaders at the CFFA and others offered to help and sit around the table as we fashion what that plan looks like within the parameters of what we know we need to do financially to manage our long-term act share or liability. We're going to do that. The budget, Mr. Mayor, or as proposed, is reflective of maintaining the DDB and the A20 cost share. We will maintain the DDB. We must maintain the DDB. For those of you who are paying attention to the financial side of this, if we do not maintain a defined dollar benefit, then our long-term act share or liability will balloon. It will balloon. It will climb to $380 million, more than double what it is now by 2047. It will exceed $1 billion. It's not sustainable. Not sustainable. We have to continue to adjust accordingly to meet just demands of the market. We're also going to have to make sure that we step up and really start pushing some hard and fast requirements around our health and wellness initiatives, participation in those initiatives, looking at biometric screening, making sure that we can catch chronic conditions early on. There's a whole lot more that we're all going to have to do to make sure we keep our eyes on cost. But yes, we are going to maintain the DDB. And we're going to make sure that our employee premiums reflect the 80-20 split that we discussed. But we won't be voting on the specifics of our plan tonight. And that's just important.  But we won't be doing that tonight. The Mrs. Benjamin's presentation she gave today is available online. Yes, ma'am. If it isn't already, it will be. And if there's some way, it might even be prudent. It's already. Yeah. And it might be prudent as well. You can go online to the columbiasse.net. But maybe if there's some way in which we can maybe send it out to all existing employees and whatever network exists to send it out to retirees. Let's make sure it gets out there. So people can pour forth through it on a more personal matter. Ms. Devine. If there are no, if there's no other input, Mr. Mayor, related to these agenda items, we would ask council to approve the consent agenda items 9 through 29. There's a motion. I'll move. Second. Second. Any discussion? Seeing none, we'll move to the previous question. The clerk call the roll. Mr. McDowell. Yes. Mr. Duvall. Hi. Ms. Devine. Hi. Mayor Benjamin. Hi. Thank you. Rick. Rick. We would ask that as you depart, if you would please keep it down just a tad bit. All right. Madam C. Maggi. Our first presentation, Mr. Mayor, is the recognition of Mr. Robert Harris as the Richland School District 1 Teacher of the Year, the honorable Tamika Isaac Devine to make the presentation. All right. Thank you guys. I just wanted to, couldn't let the school year in without recognizing Mr. Robert Harris. Mr. Harris is the Richland 1 Teacher of the Year. He also was a finalist for the state, Mr. Mayor. He also was a finalist for the state teacher of the year. And although he did not bring that recognition back to Columbia, we know that we are so lucky to have Mr. Harris in Richland 1 teaching our students. He is a teacher at Hand Middle School. And Mr. Mayor, he is so innovative. I just, I follow him on Twitter and I see the things that he does with his students. And he certainly is a rising star in not just in education, but just I think in this state and he is framing the minds of our young leaders and we just couldn't be prouder. So if he would come forward and counsel has a small presentation for you. Good evening. I would just like to thank you all for the recognition this evening. Thank you all for honoring me on tonight. And on behalf of Richland County School District 1, I would like to thank you all for your hard work and your commitment and dedication to education in Columbia and in Richland County. So again, thank you all so much. And I appreciate all the hard work you all do every day. Thank you. It was great work. Appreciate it. Our next presentation is a Business Spotlight Honorary Recognition and Proclamation. Ms. Melissa Lindler, Director of the Office of Business Opportunities. I'm a little short. Is that good? Thank you so much. Tonight what we want to do is recognize Need-A-Lift Transportation Services as our 2018 quarterly business spotlight honoree. We actually recognized her during our small business conference that was held on May 3 this year, our largest one yet for the city. But we also want to make sure we brought her before council so you have a chance to meet her and hear about all the great things that she's doing. Need-A-Lift Transportation Services has been in existence since March 2, 2007. So for the past 11 years she's been providing safe, reliable transportation services to the school districts, both Richland 1 and Richland 2, after-school programs, pick-up, drop-off, doctor's appointments, and she also does great community outreach. She's very supportive and active in her community. She has provided in-kind support to schools, community organizations, charitable organizations, as well as sponsoring 40 families to participate in the Warrior Warehouse Project. So we're excited that she's here today and we have a very brief video to show a little bit more about what she does as she's here with us and her staff. Need-A-Lift Transportation Services LLC is located in Columbia, South Carolina. We are a premier transportation services for families on the go. I started Need-A-Lift in 2015 because I as a parent needed a lift, needed someone to pick my children up from school and allow me to be at work. So Need-A-Lift provides transportation to and from school and after-school programs and summer programs and activities for children ages K through college age students. We also provide transportation for adults and senior citizens. Need-A-Lift serves families, schools, nonprofits, and government agencies throughout the village. We provide transportation for school after school activities, field trips, bootleisure trips, special events, jobs, and internships for our high school students. We also provide transportation for doctors appointments and also for communities sponsored and corporate events. Why choose Need-A-Lift? We are a safe, trusted, and reliable transportation for families on the go in the village. You can find us, Need-A-Lift, at www.needaliftsc.com. You may also email us at info at needaliftsc.com. And please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. At Need-A-Lift, we would like to thank the City of Columbia Office of Business Opportunities, our parents, our clients, non-profit organizations that we serve. Thank you for patronizing Need-A-Lift. This is Lucenta D. Lewis Ellis and her employees here with us today.  Thank you so much. Thank you Melissa. With the Need-A-Lift team, please stand. I am a firm believer that teamwork makes the dream work. So without the Need-A-Lift family, we would not be able to serve our community. I want to say thank you for the opportunity to be here to present Need-A-Lift. Also we are so grateful for the opportunity to serve our families in the community. We're even honored to work with non-profits and different agencies throughout Columbia and South Carolina. Thank you. I absolutely appreciate the opportunity. Thank you. Lucenta, thank you, and obviously your wonderful entrepreneur, family of entrepreneurs do a lot of great business in and around the city, but I think it pales in comparison to the community work you do and the community leadership you provide, and we think that's obviously the real son of a great corporate citizen. So thank you for all you do, and we're proud to recognize you as the business spotlight honoree of the corner. Thank you. Lucenta, one of the things you did mention, the mayor mentioned your community service, but you also have, you've started something called Gift-A-Lift, so that if somebody has a senior or a child that might need transportation, that they can, people can Gift-A-Lift as well, so that's a plus as well. Miss Devon, our next item is the recognition of Kauffman Road Elementary School as the 2018 Spring Clean Stream Columbia Award, Clean Stream Columbia Award recipient, Miss Dana Higgins, Engineering Director for Columbia Water. Hello Miss Higgins, how are you? Hi, Dana. No, I'm not playing the Dana. I'm Jack Spurs, Stormwater Manager. City of Columbia and Columbia Water would like to present the Clean Stream Columbia Award for 2018 to Kauffman Road. For the mic up, Mike. Kauffman Road Elementary School, they've installed and they've already started installing and will continue to install Interactive Children's Garden. It includes vegetable garden and composting area. It uses rain barrels to harvest rainwater in order to water the plants, so we encourage this because it uses stormwater as a resource and it reduces stormwater runoff and erosion from the property, so I'd like to present this award to them. We have Miss Karen Oaken, the Assistant Administrator, Amber Melborn, the parent volunteer, and Sean Hall, the school principal. Yes, sir, Mr. Mayor, at this time we will move into a budget public hearing. Ms. Missy Kauffman, our Budget and Program Management Director will come forward as we do an initial presentation incorporating into these items. Mr. Mayor, in your first reading, again, the effort to maintain the DDB and keep the 80-20 cost share reflective of health insurance. At the right time, I will read items 34 into the record. Please do. I'm sorry, I'll open up for public hearing. Yes, sir. Missy, you'll present for us. Good evening, copy of the presentation. There's copies available in the back if anyone would like to copy. So today we are here to talk to you about the FY 2018-2019 proposed budget for the City of Columbia. We will be discussing the general fund, our enterprise funds, special revenues and the capital improvement program for our enterprise funds this year. The total budget for the operating budget for the City of Columbia is $346 million. This comprises the general fund, parking funds, stormwater, water and sewer and hospitality and accommodations tax. These are just our operating funds, not the capital improvement program. This represents a 5% increase over the current year budget for our total operations. The budget development goals for this year included a resilient budget being a revised services today and preparing for the long term. That means ensuring that services will continue and that the City will operate within its means. This also means reevaluating priorities and programs in order to free up and reallocate resources as well as identifying new resources to help launch new programs to tackle emerging challenges and enhance current programs that need additional resources. A balanced budget, sustainability is our next goal and that's moving beyond just a budget that is balanced. A balanced budget is required by law. A sustainable budget is a choice and seeks to establish spinning and reserve practices that are sustainable. Providing quality services, providing high quality municipal services efficiently and effectively and responsibly is the basis for why we are here. Providing high quality services is to do what requires also mean that we invest in our employees and infrastructure and maximize overall organizational efficiencies. The $346 million operating budget for the City builds on the City's efforts to responsibly meet the resident's basic needs for municipal services while at the same time introducing creative and innovative ways to deliver services that meet the goals of Envision Columbia's strategic plan. I know it's hard to see from here but this budget includes services for over 33,000 residents, over 5,000 businesses, 2,400 employees. It also includes our water and wastewater operations. There are two water plants and our wastewater plant is along with many other infrastructure and facilities that are provided by the City. Envision Columbia just as a reminder as well for our budget development is influenced by the Envision Columbia seven focus areas and five goals. We'll move right into the general fund. The general fund budget is in balance. It's $148 million. It's an increase of 5.4 million or 4% over the current year. It's being proposed without a property tax increase. This budget reflects funding to maintain current minimum service levels. Growth is limited to increases for costs of operations, general inflation, state retirement rates, employee merit program, capital replacements, and annualized costs for previously established programs. Looking at general fund revenues, revenues total 129.3 million, an increase of 2.6 or 2% over the current year. The largest increase is that from property tax revenues based on growth in our assessments. Transfers in include capital lease proceeds of 8 million, which is increased to reflect annual target amount of 8 million. And there's also a use of fund balance of 1.7 million right at 1.8. It's a reduction of 1.2 from the current year. And that is in part to help us to support our goal of financial sustainability. General fund departments total 124 million, which represents an increase of 1.2 million. The general fund includes the community development department, the general fund portion of it, fire, general services, general government, office of business opportunities, parks, recreation, police, and public works. General government encompasses public finance, administration, IT, general services, and other operations that support our basic services. As you can see, the largest portion of the general fund budget is our public safety. In addition to our departments, what also makes up the general fund is our non-departmental totals, which is 6.3 million. That includes our lease payment for the capital lease replacement program. It also has that we are maintaining our current levels of funding for the external agencies of 1.9 million. That includes the Alvin Escaline Detention Center of 600,000, Public Defender of 100,000, Solicitor at 215, and the homeless services contracts is maintained at 1 million. Transfer is out total 17.8, which is a 3.2 million increase, or 22%. That increase is really attributed to, and I've repeated it I know several times, with regards to the 8 million in our capital lease program. That program includes replacement of over 60 vehicles and heavy equipment. It includes items such as a replacement ladder truck, a reserve engine, three-side loader trash trucks, and 22 patrol cars. Of course, there's many more items than that, but those are some of the higher ticketed items in that program. That 8 million dollars is a 4 million increase over the current year, but 8 million is what we have projected as a need for multiple years going forward. Of that 8 million, more than 5 million is for funding for police and fire equipment. The budget for this year does not include any funding for general capital projects. That would be the CIP for the general fund and our city facilities. Representatively, just to demonstrate the property, the general fund revenues, 41% of a dollar in this instance would be attributed from property tax. The next largest percentage would come from licenses and permits. Expenditure-wise, the largest portion, again, goes to public safety. Next would be public works and parks and recreation. Moving on to our enterprise funds. Enterprise funds include our water and sewer operations, our stormwater operations, and our parking fund. We'll start first with the water and sewer operating fund. This budget is 161.9 million, and is an increase of 9 million or 6% over the current year. It does include a proposing of a 9.7% increase. Revenue increases applied both to the water and the sewer side, and the revenues generated from this increase are applied to funding the operations and the capital obligations. It's a balanced approach to meeting the utility operations for both operating and capital. And, of course, it seeks to maintain the target debt service coverage ratio of 2%. 60% of the revenues that come in for the water and sewer system come from water sales, and 38% come from sewer sales. Percentage-wise, looking at the overall budget for the water and sewer system, operating departments make up 58% of the total budget, next followed by debt service. The chart on the right, the pie chart on the right with the department's budgets, demonstrates that 71% of all the department's budget uses for our utility funding. That would incorporate the water treatment plant, the wastewater treatment plant, the operations, and the other staffing that is associated with maintaining of the system. The water and sewer budget, again, is proposed at 161.9 million, just to point out that the capital improvement program is 120 million. The operating budget includes a transfer of 21.5 million from operations to the CIP, and the remainder of the funding for the total CIP, which is in addition to the operating budget, is coming from bond proceeds. The stormwater budget, revenues come primarily from, almost entirely come from the stormwater fees. Expenditure-wise, there are several different departments that make up the stormwater fund, including Public Works, which includes storm drains, and those folks who maintain and help construct storm drain infrastructure. The engineering services, and then, of course, now with the debt program for the stormwater program, we do have a reserve that's required, and then we have debt service, of course, that covers. Let's give some slides. Jumped a little bit. Okay, so this is the impact of the utility bill increases on a residential customer. Average use, the 9.7% increase reflects about $5.36 per month increase based on an average use of 800 cubic feet, or right at about 6,000 gallons a month. Most of that being sewer, not water. That's water and sewer combined. Most of that, the vast majority of that being sewer. And then looking at the city's water and sewer rates in comparison to our counterparts, we still remain some of the lowest in the region. And the existing rates are just, compared to the proposed rates, keeps us still in that same line. Sorry, these slides got a little out of place. So the stormwater budget is proposed at $13.4 million. It's an increase of $836,000, or 6.6% over the current year. It reflects the continued proposed rate increases for the stormwater, the aggressive stormwater program that was adopted last year. The rate increase is $0.74 per equivalent residential unit, basically per month on a residential property. So the fee will go from $11.80 to $12.54 per month. The total capital improvement program for the stormwater system is $11.3 million. That increase helps to fund the CIP program for the stormwater system, as well as the total $93 million that is proposed over the next three to five years. Some of the activities that have occurred to move that program forward is the hiring of a program manager in March, and the bond ordinance for the first $50 million issue was approved in April. Moving on to the parking fund. Revenues for the parking fund come primarily from street meters, our garages and lots, and then non-moving violations. Those would be those parking tickets that we're all occasionally subject to receiving. Expenditure-wise, parking services makes up the largest portion, which those would be the folks that help operate the parking system. Debt service carries also a large portion of the budget, and the next would be parking facilities. Those are the maintenance of the parking garages and facilities. The proposed budget is $8.6 million, and its increase is $6.84 or 9% over the current year. As mentioned, the revenues come from parking garages, lots, and non-moving violations. The increase is coming primarily from the passport parking system in addition to new and enforced parking service contracts. The department's budget's total $4.9 million, or right at $5 million, which is an increase of 678,000 or 16%. It does include two additional positions in the addition of an annual contract for the passport program. Some of the activities will include painting of at least one garage and the routine cleaning of all the garages, schedule, and maintenance. Of course, part of the operations will include partnering with economic development to assist with attracting businesses to downtown. Next, we have our special revenues. This includes the hospitality tax budget, which is proposed at $12.1 million. It's about an increase of 557,000 or right at 5% over the current year and is in line with prior year collections. Revenue collections to date are in line with the projections that we've made, so we're comfortable that we will see this growth in the 18-19 year compared to where we are with collections for 17-18. Just to reiterate on the proposed hospitality tax budget, this includes just the budget. It does not make allocations within the allocations. Within the line items are with the agencies that are being funded. This is just the total amount of the budget that is being requested for adoption. Accommodations tax is total of $2.5 million right at $2.6 million. It's an increase of approximately $370,000 or 16.6% over the current year with a 4% increase over the prior 16-17 actuals. We are a little more aggressive in our collection projections for this next year just based on what we have been seeing in terms of collections coming in from the accommodations tax. Those revenues are generated and received by the state of South Carolina and redistributed to the city. There is obviously some limitations on how those funds could be spent as there are also with hospitality tax funds. $25,000 can get to the general fund, 30% for advertising and promotion of tourism, 65% for tourism-related expenditures, and then 5% for general fund purposes. Again, those allocations are not made in this budget. It's just a request for approval of the total budget as submitted. Finally, we have our capital improvement program for our enterprise funds which would include water and wastewater as well as stormwater. The total CIP is $120 million for both water and wastewater, of which $80 million is for wastewater and $40 million is for sewer. Of that program, 31% is for capacity-related projects, 40% is for rehab-related projects, the other is for treatment plant utility relocation and then other. On the water system side, the meter system improvements is 70%. That would include the AMI and AMR applications as well as relocation for SEDOT utility relocations, system expansion, and then water quality. As mentioned previously, the water and sewer CIP is funded with $21.5 million and the operating fund transfer from the water and sewer system. The rest will come from bomb proceeds. I wasn't really expecting folks to be able to see this map from here, but there are of course copies available of the map and the CIP projects is attached to the budget ordinance. This is the water project maps. Here are wastewater. Next, we have the stormwater capital improvement program. Again, it's budgeted $11.3 million. And in looking at the projects, the way we categorize these projects for demonstration graphically includes where the projects will benefit which branch. 50% will benefit the rocky branch system. 14% will benefit Gills Creek, 33% Smith Branch, and 3% Eight Mile. And here is a demonstration of the stormwater project that includes projects from this year and the current year. It concludes the budget public hearing. Do you want to take time to thank City Council, thank the city management and city staff as well as the citizens and input for this process. Thank you. Thank you. Any questions? No. The hearing is open. May I have one question? Just one question for Missy. Because I know last year we were doing phase one of the AMI this year. It's two and three. Just realistically when can citizens start seeing that? That's probably a question we'll defer to the project managers on that process. I'm sure they can come up and provide some input. So we anticipate bringing a proposal, a contract to council in September. That is our schedule. Popping up the communication network this fall and meters being changed out early next year. That's starting to change out meters. It's about a three-year process. So there'll be a three-year contract. At the end of that three years, we'll have a communication network. Every residential meter will be replaced. We'll be rolling out our application where customers can track their water usage. And that soft rollout will begin early next year as well as the meters are deployed. So that's kind of our tentative schedule. Thank you. All right. Other questions for Missy? We've got a budget, no tax increase, continuing investment in clean drinking water, storm water and wastewater improvements, and continuing investment in other programs that matter. All right. Good progress. Anyone from the public have any input on the budget as presented? Your motion. Move. Second. Yes, sir. And Mr. Mayor, I was advised to just incorporate for the record again the healthcare related with the DDB. The ordinance is ordinance number 2018-026 to raise revenue and adopt the budget for the city of Columbia, South Carolina for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, which will also incorporate Council's motion to maintain the DDB for healthcare coverage as well as 80-20 cost share. I've already been moved and seconded. It's been moved and properly seconded. Any discussion? Seeing none, with the previous question, I'll call the roll. Mr. McDowell. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Devine. Item 35, ordinance number 2018-025 amending the 1998 code of ordinances of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, Chapter 15, Parks and Recreation, Section 155, User Fees, A, Definitions 3, D, Parks 3, Insert, Keenan House 4, Earlwood Community Building and 5, Eau Claire Print Building, I, Athletics, Fee 4, Swimming, J, Classes, Camps, Programs and to add L, Event Fender Fees. Any motion? Just a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, with the previous question, I'll call the roll. Mr. McDowell. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Devine. Mr. Davis. Mr. Benjamin. Item 36, ordinance number 2018-027 amending the 1998 code of ordinances of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, and sewer rates, Section 23143, water service rates, and Section 23149, sewer service rates A and B. All right. Move. Any discussion? Move the previous question, I'll call the roll. Mr. McDowell. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Devine. Mr. Davis. Mr. Benjamin. Mr. Benjamin, Item 37, I would ask that you open another public hearing regarding resolution number R-2018-037 in support of the issuance of the South Carolina Jobs Economic Development Authority of its Revenue Bonds or Notes Columbia International University in one or more series in one or more years pursuant to the provisions of Title 41, Chapter 43 of the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, as amended in the aggregate principal amount of not exceeding $10 million. All right. Move to approved. All right. Is that a second? Second. Move and second. Second. It must be in district one. Those that rules north of Elmwood Avenue. Is anyone from the public who wants to speak in favor of or against this? Move to a previous question. Call the roll. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Devine. Mr. Davis. Mr. Davis. Mr. Benjamin. Mr. Devine. Item 38, an ordinance second reading. Ordinance number 2018-022 consenting to the inclusion of property in a multi-county industrial business park. Project RAIN 1087 and 1115 Shop Road. I move approval. Is there a second? Second. Discussion. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Mayor, I am opposed to this particular, I'm opposed to this because this is another start of tax breaks for student housing in the city of Columbia. This one give a 33% rate, tax rate cut for student housing. I think that we struggle to balance our budget each year and if we continue to give tax breaks to people that will come here anyhow without the tax break, we'll never get out of this hole. This developer bought the property, had the property annexed into the city and until about two weeks ago we didn't hear anything about asking for a tax break and now we are looking at giving a tax break. So I don't think we should continue down this road of giving tax breaks for student housing. Thank you Mr. Duvall and I respectfully disagree prior to the incentive we put on the table a few years ago there was only one deal when we put it on the table, Sun said it we've had a quarter of a million dollars worth of investment in that space that over the next 20 years we're going to send a hundred million dollars rich in school district one we're going to be able to disagree on policy and I think respect for disagree. I think this adds 6% of commercial property to tax rolls and it's moving in the right direction but I respect your ability to disagree Mr. Duvall. Thank you. I just wanted to say I've actually publicly stated a similar position to Mr. Duvall's that I felt like it was a good deal when we Sun said it that was going to be it and I wasn't planning to support any future student housing incentives. However with this project I know that the county is very interested in that and in light of us working together with them to continue to develop our city I will support it but I also want to say and I've asked Ms. Wilson and Ms. Knox and Ms. Said to meet with me in the coming weeks I plan to bring forward some proposals for similar incentives for affordable housing or mixed use housing or workforce housing within our city. We've talked about it for a while we've not put anything on the table and so I'm going to support this in anticipation that we will do the same very shortly for some other areas of our city for some citizens who really need some quality of workforce housing. Let's put it on the next agenda if we can. We'll move the previous question and clerk call her all. Mr. Mcdowell Mr. Duvall Mr. Vine Mr. Davis Mr. Benjamin Ordinance's first reading Ordinance number 2018-023 granting an encroachment to the Eastlake Homeowners Association for installation and maintenance of a wooden privacy fence within the right of way of the 100 block of Fountain Lake Way adjacent to properties located at 124 Pine Mass Courts 128 132 136 140, 144, 148 152 and 156 144 Richland County Second We'll move the previous question and clerk call her all. Mr. Mcdowell Mr. Duvall Mr. Vine Mr. Davis Mr. Benjamin Item 40, Ordinance number 2018-028 granting an encroachment to the city center partnership for installation and maintenance of a steel bicycle repair stand within the right of way area of the 1300 block of Main Street building. Those were the most detailed plans I've ever seen for a bicycle repair act. Took up about 16 pages. We move the previous question, clerk call her all. Mr. Mcdowell Mr. Duvall Mr. Vine Mr. Davis Mr. Benjamin Item 42, Resolution number R-2018-044 certifying the Robinson Building as an abandoned building pursuant to the South Carolina abandoned building discussion. Second We'll move the previous question and clerk call her all. Mr. Mcdowell Mr. Duvall Mr. Vine Mr. Davis Mr. Benjamin Item 43, Resolution number R-2018-045 certifying the Marx Building as an abandoned building pursuant to the South Carolina abandoned building. Second We'll move the previous question, clerk call her all. Mr. Mcdowell Mr. Duvall Mr. Vine Mr. Davis Mr. Benjamin Council will be moving into a period of appointments. Miss Belton may come forward to assist on items 44 and 46. Item 44 being the appointment of two individuals to the Columbia Museum of Art Commission and item 46 is the appointment of four individuals to the Planning Commission. All right. Art Museum Mr. I'm recommending Mr. Wendell Brown Let's move forward with that one nomination right now. Yeah, let's move forward with him to fill the resign term of Mr. Rogers and hold off on the other one. All right. I would move, let's keep that one open. Let's do Brenda Wheeler as a second appointee and Miss Belton. We've got this. We already moved that one. So Wendell Brown and Brenda Wheeler, I just want to add Catherine Davis is on here but she's expiring and she's already served two terms. So according to our policy she's not eligible for reappointment but I don't want the same thing to happen with another appointee that they said they felt like they were just kicked off so I think somebody needs to communicate with Miss Davis and we need to recognize her and thank her for the two terms but make sure she understands she wasn't eligible for reappointment. That was Wendell Brown. We have a previous question. Mr. Mr. Mr. Davis. Sorry, one more on that. Miss Brown, if maybe we could talk to the leadership over at Columbia Museum of Art. I do know Miss Davis has been heading up their American outreach and that whole component I'm not sure if there's an ability for her to serve in that as ex officio or there's an ability for us to kind of keep her in that because I think she's done an amazing job with that outreach and some of the programming they've had recently and I'd hate to lose that. Mr. Dow has a motion on judges. Associate municipal judges with the term of four years and Brian Jeffries as a substitute associate municipal judge with a term of two years. I move also to appoint Christy Grafton Goldberg as an associate municipal judge with a term of four years and Richard Morgan as a substitute associate municipal judge with a term of two years. All appointments are effective July 1, 2018. Second. Second. Any discussion? Seeing none, we'll move the previous question. Call the roll. Mr. McDowell. Yes. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Divine. Mr. Davis. Aye. Mayor Benjamin. Aye. All right. Playing commission. I move the reappointment of April Glenn James the reappointment of Richard Cohn for a final term. Second. Any discussion? Seeing none. Any discussion? Seeing none. Any discussion? Seeing none. Any discussion? I move the reappointment of Richard Cohn for a final term. The appointment of Ethan Mandele and the appointment of Brian Doafin to the planning commission. Second. Ethan wasn't already done there? Second. OK. Second though. Columbia board. Yes, but she understands that she cannot serve on both. Yes, she cannot serve on both. Exactly. She cannot. But she will now have a vacancy on Historic Columbia, I guess. Okay. Cone, James, Mandel, and Dolphin, I think it's actually Dolphin. Second. The previous question, Kurt Calderon. Is that it? Need some clarity? It sounds like we need some clarity. Did you need something? You sure? Do we need? Okay. All right. Mr. McDowell. All right. We clarify. Yes, sir. All right. Thank you. Yes. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Vine. Aye. Mr. Vables. Aye. Mayor Benjamin. Aye. I would just say to reiterate the concerns that we've raised over the last few weeks regarding our, mainly our land use boards, the new members will have to go through training. We need to probably send all members back through training, but I think Ms. Hampton, if we could make sure that it's communicated to all of our land use boards that they are sitting and representing the city of Columbia, they need to hear people out, they need to be respectful, and they need to follow the law. And when do we have, when is DERC and come before us? All right. All right. And Bosa, don't we have Bosa come? All right. Okay. Both, both on the 19th. Okay. Thank you. Planning. What about? All right. Are there any items, Madam City Manager, from the, well that's best. What about? Planning. Any items, no work session items. Okay. They've all been considered early on the agenda. Any reports or referrals to committee? Any reports or referrals to committee? None. We do have a couple, we do have a couple of citizens who signed up to speak on, on items that haven't been previously considered. And if they're still here, I'm going to ask them to speak, Mr. Ted Holtzman, if that's right, Ms. Holtzman, want to speak about the H grant issue. And everyone else here has insurance, healthcare, UG Street, and maybe Mr. Mustafa as well. Only two, I have signs to speak. Please, floor is yours for three minutes, Mr. Holtzman. Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council, my name is Ted Holtzman. I'm here on behalf of Dr. Rajaluri, the founder and directory of the Columbia International Festival, the unique event that defines and promotes who we are as a city, a diverse and vibrant community, bringing together people from more than 100 cultural groups, showcasing the multicultural nature of our city. So Raj asked me first to voice his appreciation and thanks for your ongoing support over the years to make the Columbia International Festival possible. And April next year will be the 24th event in this ongoing saga. South Carolina's largest international event, and likely the largest in the entire southeast of the United States. But Raj further asked me to voice his grave concern regarding the tacit statement of low value with which this body has assigned to the festival. Last year it was granted just $22,500, placing it below the 40th most important recipient of HTAX grant funding. Members of the Council, this seems far out of proportion for an event which uniquely portrays and promotes cultural awareness and mutual appreciation that lead to better community relations between South Carolina's native and foreign-born visitors and citizens. So when the time comes to make council allocations, Raj asks that we please put our HTAX grant wallet where our mouth is, assign a dollar value that is commensurate to the value you place on us as a community with all its rich cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. Mustafa. Mayor Benjamin. Councilman. Thank you for allowing me to speak in front of you. I am the Vice President of the Columbia Local Organizer Committee. I'm here on behalf of not only myself, but the community as a whole in regards to racial profiling. I myself on May 27th as a victim of racial profiling. I went through the protocols. Through all the protocols. I had a meeting today with your chief and I wasn't pleased. I told your chief that I will be organized and once my people come from Seattle, Washington, we will be organized to protest in regards to the City of Columbia Police Department. Okay. Move on. Move on with that. There's an issue with young men driving Dodgers, Dodge Chargers. They've been targeted. So we need to take a look at that. Young men driving Dodge Chargers and I'm coming from the community perspective. This is all the complaints. Also we have an issue with the Co-Enforcement Division in regards to poor people not being able to renovate their house and et cetera. And as a result of that, their house has been taken away from them. So we have another issue also with that. In regards to profiling, if we take a look, when I left from the chief office this morning, I stopped to the traffic court. When you look into the traffic court, the reflection looked like us. Extremely us. That's profiling. It's been a history. The police department in our community has been terrorizing our community over 100 years. And we don't really have a good relationship or a good ramport. We're trying to build one. So we ask that you allow the local organizer committee to sit down because we're grassroots. We're grassroots. So it's time for us to be at the table and the community has not been at the table. Solutions. When I look at the police officer, where are they from 21 to 30? Where are the Asian Latinos in young blacks? We don't have them. Senator Scott, we had to meet with Senator Scott in regards to the Booker T. Washington area over in Colony, in regards to building a community Senate. Senator Scott stated that he gave the city $307,000 to start this particular community Senate. We want that community Senate in that particular area. Our people needed, the young folks needed. In regards to the area of Colony, there's plenty of complaints about the police officer come to Colony with a group of young men when they're walking together breaking them up. Breaking them up. Don't want them walking together. That's our culture. Why can't they walk together? So these are complaints coming from the community. Again, we're grassroots. And we want to be at the table in regards to this particular issue. And I'd like to get with you in regards to my personal issue with racial profile. So we won't have to bring this public attention all the way from Seattle to Washington. You're welcome to come from Seattle, my friend. We have porous borders and I'm always willing to listen to anyone's complaints. If you are in the borders of the United States of America, you're welcome to have your positions heard. Happy to talk with you. I will tell you that I have incredible confidence in the police chief and the city of Columbia police department. I will tell you that it's staffed with hundreds of men and women who are human beings and who will make mistakes sometimes. But indeed have not only been trained well, but also understand the accountability measures that we have in place, that we hold every single one of them too. Some of the issues we raise are historical issues regarding law enforcement and people of color in this country and some of them are quite true. Some of the factual data regarding diversity at the department and ways we've been addressing it, we probably didn't spend some time talking about it because we've worked closely with the community, with members on our volunteer boards, with the Columbia Urban League to work to aggressively diversify our staff. I think you'd be impressed with some of the work we've done in terms of transparency and accountability and training. I'd be happy to share those with you in the interest of transparency. Yes, Senator Scott did help secure some funding from the state of South Carolina to help address some of our comprehensive plans for the Beltline Corridor and I'd love to help share those with you. I think you'll be favorably impressed with the plans for this entire 18 acre track that borders the colony and formerly the Bethel Bishop. So yeah, absolutely. So some fantastic things happening here. So be happy to dialogue with you as much as possible and we can start in the interest of transparency and sharing ideas and maybe common experiences and always have the ability to even agree to disagree. But we're acquiring the very best from the men and women who choose to be peace officers in the city of Columbia is something that we'll never ever hedge on. We will do that. Trying to create an environment where these young men have the opportunity to live with the guy giving potential and they have incredible promise. We've been working to address that. There was a presentation earlier today about some of our efforts in our parks and rec program and some of the investments we're making in STEM summer jobs for young people. I've walked through the colony myself and the Bishop passing out flyers encouraging people to participate in our free summer camp programs or also some of the paid summer jobs programs. So let's dialogue a little bit more but I think we might find we have a whole lot more in common than we have separating us. But I will tell you the issues facing young African American men in America are real in their in their in their challenging and we take them very seriously. So let's spend some time talking about it. I'm not taking it real serious because the first and foremost should never even stop me. Absolutely. Absolutely. We can talk about that. I have no I have no I have no idea. I will tell you been there done that been there done that but let's let's talk a little bit more about it. Right. God bless you. Thank you. All right. All right. Is there a motion to adjourn. Take care young men. All right. All right. Is there a second second with the previous question. Claude Colorado. Mr. Mcdowell. Yes. Mr. Duvall. Mr. Vines. Mr. Davis. Mayor Benjamin. Have a good evening.


Hi, I'm Juan, a second-year physics major with a passion for film. In my first year at UCLA, I took a cluster seminar called Science and Science Fiction. In this class, I had to delve deep into a world of science fiction, analyze its scientific elements, and determine whether or not they were rigorous and plausible. This project was particularly interesting because I was allowed to pick any science fiction work to analyze, and I chose one of my favorite movies, The Prestige. By picking something I was passionate about, I was interested in the project from the start, and I remained interested even when I had to go through dense scientific articles, because I always linked it back to what I liked.


And at least some reference to your affiliation or context or background, where do you come from next to your user name or the real name? So why am I showing the graphics of Sex Pistols, the famous punk group? A few days ago, the author of this graphics and prominent designer, Jamie Reid, died. And he was one of the maybe most prominent designers of that era, of that particular cultural movement that was introduced mainly through the work of this punk rock band, but also through other work and became a kind of a legendary artist graphic designer that is now featured in many collections. And as you can see, has 11 Wikipedia pages, is part of databases of prominent institutions, like Tate, MoMA, V&A, and Europeana, Meta, Collections, and so on for it. What is interesting about this is that he came from the kind of underground movement, came as an outsider, as an anarchist, kind of radical person who became part of the mainstream culture, recognized as someone who has developed a particular visual language and who has produced kind of significant contribution to the field of visual art and design. So if I ask you now, if you would, do you listen to independent music and do you know of bands that are equally, that have started equally independently in unknown, under visible, prominent kind of areas, everyone would say at least that they know at least a few bands, even if they are not diehard punk or techno or whichever enthusiasts, but they likely know at least some bands that are worth mentioning and that are worth Wikipedia articles. What is interesting that this Wikidata item for independent music was created long ago, so there is a very well kind of established interest in this field. And this is something that is kind of common knowledge that it means to be mapped, that it's encyclopedic knowledge. So it was in Wikidata it was created by BOT in 2012, but it already had many independent Wikipedia articles before Wikidata was picking up this particular set of Wikipedia articles to connect them. What is less obvious and less prominent is the field of independent culture. So when you discuss independent film, independent music, people will say, oh, this is super common. This needs to be part of Wikipedia and Wikidata, but for independent culture, which is a more general term, there was no such interest. And me as a Wikimedia contributor who looks into this field, particularly was surprised that in 2001, there was still no Wikidata item. So I created one at November 13, thinking, OK, this is really something that needs to be done urgently and needs to be done by multiple people and that contributions need to be more systematic. So aside from starting this particular item and trying to add independent contributors, I started creating a discourse around this that is a discourse of looking at culture through non-glamorous lens. So Wikimedia had this problem historically that it came from the heritage of traditional encyclopedic publications that was looking primarily into traditional historic cultures, not into contemporary cultures. And it was connecting also to institutional knowledge, starting most often with high-level institutions that are part of GLAM networks that are either galleries, libraries, archives or museums. And most often, neglecting culture and arts produced independently or produced in what is called the civil sector, the culture that is not yet there inside of the mainstream institutions. It's interesting to note that 20 years ago, when the open movement was starting on web in large scale with Wikimedia or Wikipedia and Creative Commons, this was not the case. For example, there were a lot of connections in between independent cultural workers, independent artists, and especially Creative Commons. Maybe not so much Wikipedia, but there were some. So in the past three years, I've been working in this particular field. I've had a few collaborators in different configurations of projects that were all super small kind of experimental projects in Croatia when we were documenting 20 years of independent cultural network called Clucture. But also internationally, where I was joined by a few prominent Wikimedians and podcasters to do something about PixelAX festival and this idea of documenting new media festivals and independent culture internationally. This was presented in the past two years in the Ohrid CE meeting and in the Piazma Museum of Helsinki. So what, how and for full is non-institutional, non-glamorous culture. So it is primarily the culture that lives outside of well-established galleries, libraries, archives, museums. This still means that it is connected to open glam movement. It is still connected to Creative Commons that is still connected to glam wiki initiatives, but it is focusing on individual practitioners and not on institutional connections. It's connected to small organizations, to initiatives and not to those so-called low-hanging fruits that are so common in Wikimedia movement. So in past three years, I've done these experiments across different projects starting with Wikipedia, but actually not spending so much time there, mostly focusing on Wikidata Commons and the new project, which is called, well, new projects. New projects in development, which is called Wikispor, I can maybe advertise Wikispor again. If you are there in person in Singapore, you can maybe talk to Richard and Gergo about how to join Wikispor for experimental projects like this. What is super important about this topic is that I think it connects really closely to what are infrastructural aspirations of Wikidata inside of the Wikimedia movement. So Wikidata wants to create more decentralized, more independent content hosts through different piki bases that federate. And this totally would make sense with content that is not so focused on Wikipedia, but actually focused on media recordings and open data recordings. It's also important that these projects are produced in a decentralized way and to help diversify existing work in Wikimedia. Most of the work in Wikimedia is nominally diverse, is nominally dissentered, but actually there are a lot of roadblocks if you want to contribute content that is not popular inside of the mainstream publications. And whoever works in small Wikipedia, they can confirm the same. So yeah, I would, this was the first project I did that was doing primarily NGOs, there were around 50 NGOs that are members of Clapture Network. Another 20 or 30 were formerly members each year this network supports five or six totally new projects and five or six projects that were done by existing members. So it's very participation and open culture focused network. So although it doesn't focus on new media exclusively and production of media. It does use some of these ethical and methodological approaches. We're mostly busy with correcting and filling the info gaps, getting media permissions to get these first initial publishings of all the entities to have first categories to have organizations adopt CNC licensing for their future work. And to create some umbrella articles about independent cultural scene information. So we were offering to to put information into database and we thought this would be too much to ask for for people who are already struggling with resources and time and people. We followed it and link it in between Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata and then offer education and support how they could update and maintain this. There's multiple problems that would be probably common on many different Wikipedia's smaller languages that existing admins or oversighters were thinking that this is not relevant enough, or this is content that is not well articulated, because they didn't come across it they didn't see it on TV or in mainstream press. And there was lack of academic research. However, most of these organizations do have very prominent social media accounts. They have a lot of visibility in public space like they produce a lot of posters flyers among youth, the new generation of people who go to concerts to go to festivals and exhibitions. They have really big visibility. The problem is, most small Wikipedia's don't have the same category of people contributing. I'm going to skip few things because we are running out of time. I would love if you could. Yeah, one of the biggest problems was that our ecosystem of Wikimedia is super complex to solve to explain someone how to contribute where and when and how to manage resources is almost impossible. One of the biggest issues is communication across different channels that we basically assume everyone is using telegram that people know how to respond and how to read our terminology how to read our slang and their language skills are high and they are willing to communicate on this level of expertise. So, what I'm proposing now is basically for you to think about the content discrepancy we have been creating for 20 years, just focusing on this low hanging fruits, that was mostly heritage of US institutions because there was a lot of access in big US institutions for Wikipedians to go to and consider in other countries in other contexts, what are the smaller NGOs and what are the smaller entities that need to be covered and maybe try to do them although they are much more wild and less accessible as fruits. In terms of user commitment, there is a problem that many admins on smaller projects have this benevolent attitude toward content that is marginalized. And then in the same time we have contributors that are over committing contributions to the projects and think that the projects are kind of owned and they have to take care of them fully and whatever is marginalized, marginal needs to be extra carefully selected or has to be taken off. So, one of the biggest issues when we're doing Wikipedia is that some basic articles, like the notion of community for example didn't even exist in Croatian Wikipedia, like you would be able, you would not be able to explain a notion of participation or community cultural production if you don't have these articles. Yeah, what I'm kind of focusing now and trying to promote to new Wikimedians who are joining is to think both in encyclopedic way for the articles but also in just machine readable accessible way to produce at least wiki data items and produce at least Wikimedia uploads for the time being until the kind of encyclopedic entries become more easy to create. So, I'm going to skip creative commons discussions, categorization and data modeling. There is a wiki project on wiki data that is specifically focused on civil society networks that I will be sharing. And what were the biggest learnings in this is that we had to start much slower and much more modest than we initially thought. We needed to coordinate with a lot of people on methods. Unfortunately, not many people are interested in contemporary culture, and especially in marginalized contemporary culture. And we needed to find resources that are already well organized that are part of existing community archives or part of documentation centers. Yeah, I'm very interested in what other people have been doing in this field or in this wannabe field because it still doesn't really exist as a notion. Unlike Wikimedia user group classics that has a very specific kind of focus on antique kind of classical culture. But Wikimedia doesn't have a group that would deal with modernity and with contemporary contributions. So yeah, if anyone is interested in creating something equivalent to Wikimedia user group classics, but focusing on modern and contemporary please get in touch. If you have any questions, please let me know. I'm wrapping up the presentation, and I would love to see if you, people did not sign into the Etherpad. The Etherpad link got distributed or not. If you are interested in this topic, I would love to keep in touch, and then we can maybe do a session that is not tied into the very short conference format that we have now. Are there any questions? If not, yeah, I will just remain available on the contacts as you can see in the listing of the session.


In this video, we're going to explain how to pass parameters and return results in subroutines. So the assumption is going to be that we're going to implement a mechanism similar to what a high level programming language would implement when invoking the following line, result equal to function of p1, p2, p3. So let's work with this example. We have a program and within this program function, this function is invoked with three parameters p1, p2, p3 and the result has to be captured back and stored in the variable result. So the scenario that we are considering here is the following. We have the program, few instructions and then at some point there should be some additional instructions in this program to copy the parameters to an area that needs to be defined in that area has to be accessible both by the program and the subroutine. We're going to call this subroutine function as we said and it has its own instructions here, its own calculations and finally we finish when the instruction read. Now as I was saying, the program is going to copy the value of the parameters here with the right several right operations into an area and this area is going to be also accessible to the function such that the function then can read these parameters. After we copy the parameters, we need to call the function, the subroutine and during this calculation as we said, the parameters will be accessed from here but additionally after the calculation is done in the subroutine we need to define another area here which is where we're going to store the result which has to be equally accessible both to the function and the program. Why? Because the function after a while after obtaining the result it will perform a right operation to deposit the result in this location and after returning from the function call there will be some additional instructions in the program to get the result and these instructions of course will perform a read operation over that area. So this is what we're trying to implement here. A mechanism that allows us to create this area where parameters will be written by the invoking program read by the invoked subroutine and another area that is written by the invoking subroutine to deposit the result and read by the invoking program to obtain that result. Now the question is for these two areas that we see here area A and area B, the question is where would you put this? And we have several options and all three of them have been considered by microprocessors, different microprocessors. So the first option is well why don't we choose and select several registers to perform this. In other words we would reserve certain registers to store the parameters used by the function and the parameters expected by the subroutine and we would allocate additional registers to write the results such that the invoking program expects the result there. So this is some sort of pact or agreement between these two entities and we would have to define first predetermining which ones are we using. Then these registers cannot be used for anything else because they are reserved to hold these values and store the result. We also have a problem with the solution is that we have a short number of them, short number of registers. So this is an example with three parameters but what would happen if our function has 15 parameters or even worse in programming language is allowed that we define a function that has a variable number of parameters. So it doesn't work or it works only for very specific cases in which the number of parameters is restricted. We need some alternatives for the cases in which we cannot use all the registers or we have too many parameters. So option number two would be a fixed location in memory. But this has also several issues, right? Because the limitation of a large number of parameters is somewhat solved because we're using memory but what happens for self invoking functions? For self invoking functions we still have a problem because we would need as many copies of these two areas as subroutines are still executing. In other words, if program calls subroutine A, subroutine A calls subroutine B, subroutine B calls subroutine C and so on. For each one of these subroutines that is active we need a memory location holding this parameter and result. And this gets even more complicated when functions invoke themselves when what they call what we call recursive functions. Because then we need as many of these areas as invocations of the functions that are still pending to finish. So as you can see we have here an issue that we need several areas in which to replicate a certain structure which is fixed. How do we solve that? And that is option number three. It is using the stack. So for the stack solution, each invocation, not each subroutine, each time an invocation is performed we allocate an area in the stack to store parameters and result. And this is the solution that has been adopted by most of the microprocessors. What it means is the following. If I have my stack here what it's going to happen is my program it's going to first execute certain instructions to prepare space for the result or reserve space for the result. It's going to position the parameters also in the stack. Let's say p3, p2 and p1. So this would be the equivalent to create parameter and result area right here. After this has been created by the program, then we execute the call and the call would place here the return address. This return address is placed by the call function and is there at the beginning of the execution of the function. So the first instruction of the subroutine will find a stack that has this structure. At the top of it it has the return address and then the parameters and below that the result. Now what happens in this case if the function has local variables? And this is the one of the big advantages of this solution. A local variable in a function behaves very similar or it has a very similar scope if not identical to the parameters and the result. The difference between a local variable and a parameter is just that the parameters start the execution with some specific value given by the calling program whereas the local variables behave as regular variables but their visibility is only active in the execution of the function. So where do you put these local variables? We would repeat the argument saying we could use registers but we only have so many of them. We could use a fixed location, it wouldn't work for recursive functions. Let's put them in the stack. So typically what happens is that you allocate as many slots as you need here and the stack for local variables. So that's it. This slot has been produced by the call. This slot has been produced by the subroutine and this data structure we have in the stack is called the activation. For every subroutine call the program making the function call is when a place is going to place result space and parameters in the top of the stack. The call instruction is going to put the return address on top of the stack and the invoke subroutine is going to place here as much space as needed for the local variables. While the function is performing the computation, a result is obtained and it's placed in this location over here. And finally, by the time the execution finish, we get rid of the local variables. We leave the stack such that the return address is at the top, return is executed, sequence brings us back here and at this point right after the call to the function what we find is a data structure without the return address on top of the stack in which we can find the parameters and obtain the result. And this is the mechanism that is used for subroutine call. Two important features to remember. It is one created per vocation and it supports recursive functions. Why does it support recursive functions? Because once we have an activation block created and we start calculating, making our calculations in a function, if a function has to call itself, it's not a problem because it's going to place parameters and result on top of the stack, return address on top of that, so on and so forth. So what we would have would be different activation blocks on top of each other, waiting in the stack to be destroyed or restored in order opposite in which they were invoked.


All right, I'm Jay Fidel. This is ThinkTech. This is a Corona watch. Right now, it's the most important program we have. Stephanie Dalton and Winston Welsh join us for a discussion of how Corona is doing this week. Very scary. Let's talk first about the speed and spread of the epidemic. It's been declared by the World Health Organization. Finally, it took them a while as a global pandemic. So Stephanie, what does this mean and how fast is it spreading? And what are the boundaries here, if any? Well, I think we're getting a sense of that through the television portrayals of the states infected and shown on maps. That's how I'm tracking it. And it's going very fast in just a few days. It'll go from one state to another. I mean, we started with what, one or two? And now we're up to 36 is the last count I heard this morning. So it's going very fast. And then within it, the geometric progression of the infections is terrifying, frankly. And people need to take precautions. Every time you look, there's more countries involved. Last I looked was something in the 70s, in the middle 70s, and that for all purposes, that's pretty much the whole world. So what's the sense, though? This is, it's like hard to imagine, isn't it, Winston? It's hard to imagine how fast, like a brush fire, moving as fast as you, like those fires in California. Every time you look, boom, it's another mile ahead. Yeah, it's a good analogy because those fires can pop up, the embers can travel like a mile down the road. So even though it may not be right next to you, it pops up a mile down the road. And trying to get ahead of that is near impossible. I saw that Sacramento yesterday has given up on the idea of containment. They're just going for, they're not even saying to self-quarantine anymore. They're just saying if you feel ill, then quarantine. But if you're not feeling ill and you think you've been exposed, you still got to go to work. And the reason for that was because you had one case come in from what I read in the Sacramento Bee, I think that said, and they ended up, it was a patient who they did not test for corona initially, I believe. And they ended up putting out over a hundred people, doctors, nurses, anybody that might've come cleaning people in contact with them. So they realized they were quickly gonna run out of healthcare workers if they followed this policy. So they've changed that. And from what I understand as well, the response now is basically local, it's state. Obviously we have some federal involvement here, but I think they're just gonna try a whole bunch of different things and see what works on the ground because those people got to deal with it right there. Oh, scary. And you know, if you look at the numbers you find that Europe has, you know, country by country in Western Europe, they have like 1,200 cases. Italy has lots more, but the UK has three or 400 cases. No country, you know, not even small countries that are exempt. And the US is right up there. It's not quite as high as France or Germany, but it's 1,000 cases right now and climbing. So what's happening is this wildfire we're talking about manages to cross the border crest across the world. And we should talk later about how biologically it could do that. But it strikes me that the US as a country has failed to contain. It has failed to come up with a policy and it is now incumbent on the states. So we have, the federal system, the states are trying to do things. The states are making a decision as in Sacramento to contain or not contain, which may or may not be the best thing. And then the federal government, its participation here, has been to provide kids or not provide kids. And if you said to yourself, gee, I have a bad headache and I'm sweating and I'm coughing and my chest is tight and all that, you know, you don't really have a lot of options. Not here, not in any state. What are you gonna do? And you don't wanna infect anyone else. What are you gonna do? What are you gonna do, Stephanie? Well, the federal level has certainly not met its expectations for helping the nation along. And of course, in that case, the states have to take it on. Whether they would take that leadership role without a partnership with the feds is something we can't, we're gonna find out about because I hope the federal level is getting up to speed providing the diagnostics and the information and building the government in the direction and encouraging the work to come out of the government at the level that the US is usually functioning. I think that we've just lost our leadership position in the world, much less nationally, for taking control or being a resource for everyone to get through this in the best way possible. So I think the states are gonna have to step up and do what they need to do. And without that in operation, I think that they could be lauded for doing a better job than the federal level has been able to do. Well, yeah, but even then, you have this thing moving so fast and we don't know that much about it and how it moves. And so in the end, it goes from federal, not doing anything, state, and really not able to do that much, and then the person, the person. And so you have to look at the individual, you, the individual, have to look at how you modify your behavior. So Winston, how have you modified your behavior? How will you modify your behavior? Well, that's a good question. I have a bit of a germaphobe like the president and so I use typical things like, an extra paper towel to open the doors from the bathroom and that sort of thing. And very aware of when I shake hands and that is going out of style. And I love what the secretary general, I believe that the WHO did and he does this hand to his heart and vows and that's the new handshake for him. I like that. You can do the Vulcan symbol as well or Japanese bow. I think all those are great and a long time coming. So these are basic things we can do, but as we're learning more, I think the effort now is on, if we're going, moving towards containment, it's social distancing, it's canceling essentially everything from what I can understand to not because we're gonna slow the numbers of people that get sick, although that might happen, but it's to spread out the illnesses so that the healthcare services can actually cope with the numbers that are gonna come down the pike. And it's also to save yourself. It's also to save yourself, but I think that when we talk about the local responses, in a state like Hawaii, where we are so vulnerable to everything here, our shipping, everything that comes in here, we actually, everybody that comes here has to land on a plane. There's a few people that come by boat, but basically, if we have a small number of cases here and we can isolate those folks and everybody who gets off in this state gets a check or maybe those, I don't know, that maybe the state just says, yeah, we're gonna, it would kill the tourism industry so it won't happen, but you could say, like Israel, there's gonna be a two-week quarantine on you if you come to Hawaii, so enjoy your hotel room if you come. It's not gonna happen, but it's a way that it could actually be kept out of this state. Now, this virus is, Secretary Azar, Health and Human Services said we should plan on this for the duration of the year and maybe longer, and it's got a ways to burn. So we just gotta hunker down, take self-care, wash your hands twice. You're supposed to sing the alphabet song slowly. I say once for bulk, twice for remainder, so wash twice and don't be afraid to use paper towels if you can get them. So let me summarize that for a minute.  You're never touching anybody.   I mean, if you do both, you're safer, but that's kind of where it ends. I don't hear a lot of talk about masks. Maybe I should be. You didn't mention anything about masks. Stephanie, what about masks? Do you have a mask in your pocketbook, Stephanie? I want to know now. I do, I have masks more than one so that I can help out if needed, but the masks are only about containing one's own infectious situation, not spreading one's own problems out to others. It's not such a protection from the virus coming inside. And I have, I've seen, for instance, in these condo instructions for if the virus takes off here and we do need to self-quarantine, there's some recommendations that don't involve masks so much as they do shutting down all of the amenities so that no one can congregate anywhere. And but one of the things that's been troublesome in seeing some of the lists of condos that are putting out this guidance of what they can do is something like the mail room. In the mail room, you just have walls and tables and just covered with everybody, touching and moving materials. And you have mail. And then there's the mail. That starts by somebody else, somewhere else. Exactly, which is of course a problem in the school, in school where you're collecting papers back and forth and on all of those papers, K through 12 or preschool kids too, you're handling the same papers and getting that same contamination that the little kids can produce on their work. Yeah, so I think too there's the issue of the elevator. We haven't had enough guidance about how we're gonna get up and down in these big tall buildings. I think the mask would be helpful because we're in such close spaces in the elevator, but I think we need a little more guidance than just use your knuckle to push the button. So we've got that to help us a lot. That's some help. As long as you wash your hands right after it. So if I have a family, okay, most people live with families. I mean, that's the desire. Well, for most people that's the desired approach. And I feel that I need a self quarantine. What about my family who doesn't necessarily feel they need a self quarantine? Do I live in the same house with them? Do I eat from the same table? Do I touch the same utensils? Do I use the same bathroom? Do I use the same, all those things that living together? Or do I send them away? Or do I go? Where do we go? To a hotel room? I don't know where I go. I may feel I need to save them or save myself by separating, this is a real concern, isn't it? Winston, what do you do for that? Well, I think if you, you know, the reality is from what I've been reading, what the news has been going out there, Chancellor Merkel of Germany said 40 to 70% of people can expect to get this in Germany. I think we're not gonna be that much different than Germany. So you're probably gonna get it. Most people, it says it's not gonna be something that's super serious, but if you're one that it does get serious and potentially very serious, then obviously you're looking at a different scenario. So each of us needs to be as prepared as possible. For our families, we need to stock up on things it's not so much hoarding as just being prepared, you know, having reasonable supplies of food, electrolyte replacements, so that if you're sick, but it's more like a normal sickness where you're not completely incapacitated or needing hospitalization, you're still gonna need your chicken soup and your Gatorade to feel better.   Why don't you have the others go shopping for you? Have Safeway Deliver, Safeway Deliver. Okay, well, I guess my question is, and Stephanie, maybe you have an idea about this, is why two weeks? Sometimes they say a month. And what do I get? Do I get water? Do I get soup? Do I get all kinds of food? And how much medicine in advance should I get? I mean, you get various advice from various sources, not the same. I wish somebody would standardize it or give me a handle on why. But really, if the drug store is still open, why do I need to get a month? Is the drug store gonna close? Is there any real chance it's gonna close? Is the food store gonna close? Is there gonna be a supply chain problem about food? How much food should I get? Well, I think all of that, all of those are excellent questions because depending on how deeply infested our nation is, or various states, we will face or not face that situation. We could face no, it certainly hurt here in Hawaii. There can be no food and there can be no supplies. As there are no supplies, no masks are available and won't be for a while. So we are really vulnerable here in Hawaii, even more so than on the mainland. So I think these things need to be considered and we do need those kinds of supplies in case it gets to be that bad. But hopefully we're catching up on the work that needs to be done to know how to handle this situation. Go from your lips to God's ears, Kirsten. You know, I think that we've got some really great guidelines out there that the state and the city have come out with after our missile scare last year and we realized or the state exactly gives you a list of what you need to have and the city. Whatever's on it, I would say double it, right? I think the Mormons are right. They keep six months of food or maybe a year of food that they rotate out. We're obviously not, everyone's not gonna go and buy a year worth of food, but they can probably stock up and have a couple weeks or a month worth of food and just stack it over in the corner if you have a small place. Be prepared, if it turns out that you don't need it and you wanna rotate it out, there's gonna be plenty of people here in food banks that need you to donate that. So I think it's a wise idea for us to all go online, go to the Honolulu.gov, see what their recommendations are, see if that feels reasonable for you or if you need to double it. I think the last time I heard even though a lot of these things say two weeks supply they actually came out last year and said you really should have a month's supply in case of tsunami, earthquake, epidemic and a month's supply. The way to think of it is like this, Jay, I think not only are you gonna have to provide for yourself, I've been in a major disaster before where I had three different refugees after an earthquake who came to live with me. So I had supplies fortunately for everybody at that time, but it's not always the case, but you can think that maybe you're not just gonna be providing for yourself or your family or someone else. I think that's a really, really important point. And in fact, you know the Nextdoor website, the Nextdoor Social Media, they suggest that you think along those lines, that you think to help your neighbor and because your neighbor may need maybe desperate for some help and it'd be nobody else but people in the neighborhood. And that goes further. It goes further to a kind of mindset about caring about your community, caring about your society, however large or small it may be. And Hawaii is like famous for that, I think. And we may find ourselves in a test for that. So how far can you plan to go, Stephanie? Yes, I'm going back to thinking of the Ebola crisis that happened a couple of years ago. And what you say is very worrisome because we do have a family and a loha here and that involves touching and hugging and those kinds of things. But even in the home, working or serving a sick person, these precautions need to be taken. And that was one of the ways they were able to break the Ebola contamination because people were touching and helping and even after death they were preparing and why is she doing cultural things with their and their faith-based approaches to managing their dead loved ones. So all of those things had to be broken, those deep cultural practices and these loving bonds have to be reconsidered when you're up against such an infectious agent as this virus seems to be. So we face a lot of challenges. In addition to the logistics of getting the food in, I noticed that all the sardines were gone at the place I went. And then tuna was low, a lot of people were grabbing the spam, but so this is real. So people are actually taking. I think that's going to continue seriously. So Winston, you know, one of the things that has been discussed, and in fact, Josh Green, kind of governor and a doctor has been here, I think, a couple of times. And one of the points he's discussed is testing. You know, for a while, the state of Hawaii had no testing kits and the CDC blew it on providing testing kits we talked about last hour. But you know, do we have testing kits now? The tests they reported a week ago, there were six tests, six tests. And I think maybe one was found positive or maybe none. The problem is who do you test? And that depends on how many test kits you have. Now in Korea, they have a lot of cases, but maybe they have a lot of cases because they've tested a lot of people. They have drive-by testings where you can get tested and you can know the result pretty quick. This is really good. I haven't noticed any drive-by testing here and I don't think there will be in the near term. And furthermore, I think that we don't have the kits to do anything. I just, you know, it's interesting you mentioned that because I just saw right before the show that Urgent Care Hawaii is going to be offering drive-by testing. Really? Yeah. That's an advance. It's an advance. And I think, you know, humans are very resourceful people. While this is going to be changing our society in ways that we can't quite imagine yet, there's going to be a lot of good things that come out of it too. And a lot of things, unintended consequences, good and bad, the world of remote meetings and remote work is certainly going to increase out of this because people are going to realize I really didn't need to see that person in person when I could handle this. So we're going to be a little bit more electronically changed probably, but in other ways, there's going to be new types of civic groups and communities and perhaps we will get out and meet our neighbors a little bit more and see if they need something to see how they're doing because it's going to be up to us. Their son might be trapped in the mainland and not be able to come and look after them or whatever it is. So we do need to look out for each other. We do need to reinvest in our humanity and just delve in and just rediscover our humanity. That's been so lost in the last few years. That's the biggest threat of all. Stephanie, I want to talk about the plague for a minute. Okay, the bubonic plague, the black plague.  A big percentage of Europe died and in the Middle East I think also had and it was really devastating. And one conclusion that John David Ann made, he's a history professor at HBU and he comes on and talks about this was that in the history of the plague, it set your back by hundreds of years. He said 300 years of a backward turn and they had to catch up later. All the initiatives, the enlightenments, the sciences, the arts are all stuck because of the plague and because so many people were killed. And what Winston said is really resonant. We have to avoid that. We don't want to have that happen to us. We want to be smarter than they were back in the 14th century. So my question to you is how do we do that? How do we do that now? How do we change our mindset? So it's not panic and it's not isolation, physically and mentally, it's something more human. How do we do that? Well, I think there's an example of that that just happened but I understand what you're saying. We need to protect ourselves and take precautions to prevent infection and infection spreading, but we also need to preserve our knowledge base. So if the numbers get high enough, it can erode the knowledge base, which is what of course happened during these other infectious plagues that occurred over the Middle Ages and we had to suffer for that and start over. But what I had recently happened is a conference I was scheduled to go to in San Francisco in the middle of next month. So just this week they finally made a decision about what to do with that conference which has international attendance as well as national attendance. And so about 15,000 people were already signed up for this annual conference that everybody goes to who's in the profession that it represents. And it turns out that they have shifted from having a place-based conference over to having an online conference. So now they're preparing for everybody to be engaged with the conference through their computers and their online resources. And I mean, if they can make this happen, it will certainly be a model for others. So it will show that we don't have to cancel the important conference that brings together the thinkers and the producers of knowledge, but we can shift into our technological capacity. That raises an interesting question. Is an electronic conference as good? Well, this morning I got a notice from the NAB, the National Association of Broadcasters, which Carol Monalee and I have attended a couple of times. And when you go to one of those, it takes the whole conference center at Las Vegas, 100,000 people plus and they're all together, sharing, communicating, learning. It's quite an experience.  Absolutely. And you can't do that as well on a machine. So the question I put to you, Winston, I put this to you, is will this cause better, more robust technology for remote connection so as to replace the idea of a physical conference? There's no doubt that it's already happening, like Stephanie said, her conference is going online. But humans are social creatures. We want to get together. We want to go to church. We want to go to our neighborhood board meetings. We want to go to conferences. It's going to continue. We saw what happened with SARS or even bad influence of outbreaks. We'll figure this one out. Like I said, humans are very resourceful. We've already sequenced the genome of this, which means, and the discoveries that come out of this are going to bleed through to other viral issues, perhaps cancer, where we're going to gain a lot as well from this as much as we lose. And you know, I think it's important to realize that even in China where people were on lockdown for the last two months, the stores are still open. People are getting food. They're getting medicine as they need it now. There might be some runs on certain things like masks because everybody went out and bought those right away or Purell or toilet paper here in Hawaii, but the supply chains are going to be kept open. And so we don't need to hoard and panic. We just need to be prepared in a way that we always should be prepared. So nothing new about that. And our economy will, it's going to suffer a little bit. There's no two ways about it, but I think that we're going to come back and we will be fine. It's going to take a little bit of time, but we're resilient people. We're going to play some music now, some uplifting music. Maybe you can sing for us, Jay. No, no, you don't want that, trust me. Well, you know what this raises is the fact, you know, you talk about the medicine and the science and all that. And our government under Trump has peddled backward at a rapid rate to avoid science, defund the CDC, defund the teams that have been organized in earlier administrations to deal with epidemics. And we now know that epidemics are endemic. We're going to have them, as you mentioned. We're going to have a virus today, another one tomorrow, another one tomorrow. It's just the human condition. Human condition now includes viruses. And the question I have in my mind is, you know, we were really caught short on this one. We don't have a cure. We have a treatment, but it's imperfect. And we are 18 months, everybody says 18 months. It may be more to a vaccine. We should be ashamed of ourselves that we didn't prepare for this because scientists have known for a long time that, you know, epidemics lead to pandemics lead to endemics. So my question is, you know, are we going to be able to really learn here? Or is this the kind of thing in the human condition where you only attend to it as in the plague when it's eating you? And then you go back to complacency after it. Can we actually hold the thought on this or will we return to complacency? I just wanted to mention that the Hanta virus was one of these situations that the CDC became famous over along with the University of New Mexico Medical School. So it's not so long ago, 20 years ago, that we had that in the Four Corners of the Southwest. So we did learn a lot, and hopefully that's just a small example. Well, Winston, close. Give them the wisdom you've been dying to give them. You know what? I remain optimistic that humans can overcome this and we're going to learn. We might get complacent again, but we're going to learn a lot of lessons out of this and we're going to be okay. All right. Thank you guys. Watch this. Thank you guys. Mahalo. Mahalo.


Now the senator representing the Benwin-Knoff East constituency, Van Bas-Gimari, is proceeding to the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the Appeal Court that struck out his suit, challenging the governorship primary election of the all-progressive Congress, which produced High St. Alia as its candidate. Gimari said these after consultations with his legal team, underneath to pursue the case of its logical conclusion. According to the former lawmaker, the main issues he raised in his suit and subsequent prayers were not addressed at the Appeal Court. He expressed confidence in the judiciary as a system that guarantees justice and hope for the common man through diligent adjudication and interpretation of the law. The outcome of the appeal, which was dismissed on the grounds that the appeal was filed outside the statutory period, because what we saw was a summary of the reasoning as to why the appeal was dismissed. We will apply for the judgment and we will look at it, go upstairs and still test it.