Williams voices concern about expansion and losing long-term focus

And lastly, and one, it just,

Both the staff and the folks hired there usually come from the same community, so it's always just painful to see the things that are going on in there for everyone.

And I heard the response to about, I'm sure it was in there before I said it, but if they build, they will come comment.

I disagree a little bit.

I think if we build it, they will come.

I'm not 100% sure that I'm opposed to that.

My problem is I'm hoping that it is an acute situation right now.

I'm worried about it when it's not.

Some of the things we're trying to do is going to go away.

And that concerns me.

Obviously, it's overcrowding.

I think there's ways we have to get people off.

If we're going to build as part of a broader plan, that's possibly a thing to do.

I agree with the chair.

We need to move expeditiously.

But if we get out of the crisis of the overcrowding, I'm concerned that we will lose our attention to the processes of getting kids off of the island and making sure they have the things that they need before they come on, but not the island, I'm sorry, across the horizon.

And obviously we have to work on them not getting in there, but making sure they have the programming so they come out better.

That is my major concern.

And I don't know if there's much I can say that assuages me of that because this has been a long, long time.

And so I just wanted to put on record of what that concern is and that we have to keep our eyes on the goal.

And it's acute right now.

There's a lot of pressure on us.

And I think that pressure makes people move.

When that's relieved, it is a very huge concern of mine.

I just wanted to make sure I put that on the record.

And again, thank you, Madam Chair, for all that you keep doing for young people that some people often forget about.

Well, I'm going to take that compliment because a public advocate never gives him compliments and it's on the record.

So I'm going to take it.

And I did it publicly.

I know.

Thank you.

But I 100% agree.

I believe if they build what they were coming, that was the first thing I said when our former commissioner was here and Stephanie called me and I was like, I know you don't control the kids coming in, but once,

because if this is a crisis and we address the crisis, this shouldn't be a need.

And we haven't addressed the crisis, which is also very frustrating.

And again, I'm running my mouth again, and I'm going to pass it off to the deputy speaker so she can ask her questions.