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The meeting, which lasted more than three hours Tuesday, included several tense exchanges among commissioners, a closed-door discussion about City Manager Joe Bippus, and an emergency management briefing featuring city officials, first responders, and representatives from the American Red Cross and Samaritan’s Purse.

The legislation is named after Daniel Ellsberg, the Pentagon Papers whistleblower who revealed classified information about the Vietnam War and was charged under the Espionage Act. The charges were later dismissed. At its core, the bill would narrow who can be prosecuted under the Espionage Act and raise the legal threshold required for conviction.

Kalamazoo City Commissioner Chris Praedel said the process reflected strong community engagement. “It’s refreshing to see these outcomes when it happens this way. It does not always turn out this way, and I am grateful that it has — but it only happens this way when everybody is willing to lean in and try something a little bit different,” Praedel said. The project combines improvements along two corridors — Winchell Avenue and Howard Street — under a single MDOT contract, meaning the elements cannot easily be separated for approval.

Three assessment teams will be deployed and will move between affected jurisdictions throughout the day Tuesday and Wednesday. Residents in impacted areas may see officials visiting neighborhoods to visually assess damage from public rights-of-way or, in some cases, briefly approaching properties to document storm impacts.

Tuesday’s meeting has a short agenda with two business items. However, many residents are expected to attend and speak during public comment about their experiences during the tornado and the city’s response. Some residents have criticized the city’s response to the storm, including coordination of volunteers and distribution of resources. Mayor Angel Johnston told Watershed Voice during a phone call on Monday, March 9, discussing the city’s tornado response, that she is frustrated with City Manager Joe Bippus. “I think it’s time for a new city manager and I’m not afraid to say it,” Johnston said. “That’s what I will probably be saying repeatedly on Tuesday night.”

The event features mostly filmmakers from Kalamazoo and the surrounding region, with films shot in — and in some cases about — the city itself. One of the featured filmmakers, Jerod Kauffman, created a documentary about the final days of the longtime dive bar Harvey’s on the Mall, which closed after a buyout. Kauffman said he wanted to capture the story of a place that helped define Kalamazoo’s nightlife culture. “The closure was sudden to everyone — the community and staff — so I wanted to immortalize a place that was loved by so many,” Kauffman wrote to Watershed Voice. “I saw a fence and bulldozer outside the building today on the way to work. I think it’s going to be torn down, so I am happy I was able to capture a piece of Kalamazoo history and the bar that stood and served the community for 40+ years.”