At the June 11 Bakersfield City Council meeting, public comment raised several community issues outside the formal hearings: cycling safety and grand-jury commentary on bike lanes, illegal dumping on property next to Westside Parkway, a request to continue downtown small-business grant programs, and multiple speakers pressing the council for greater housing and homelessness resources.

Jackson Amburn, a local commuter who identified himself as a recreation therapist, defended the city’s bike lanes and said they slow traffic and improve safety for his clinic patients. "They keep me safe," Amburn said, and urged expansion of bike lanes on wider streets where vehicles travel fast.

Resident Jeremy Rowell asked the council to investigate a nearby parcel adjacent to the Westside Parkway that he believes the city or Caltrans owns and that has become a dumping ground for construction debris. Rowell said he had contacted police and code enforcement without success; the mayor said staff would investigate ownership and follow up.

Business owner Daniel Betts, who operates the Well Comedy Club and recently relocated downtown, urged continued funding for the city’s small‑business grant program (EOA program), said he planned sprinkler upgrades and building improvements and asked that the city consider grant support for safety measures.

Several speakers focused on homelessness and housing: Open Door Network (speaker recorded as Miss Skidmore) requested city support for a new family homeless campus; residents and advocates asked the council to increase Affordable Housing Trust Fund allocations, expand eviction-prevention and rental-assistance programs, and prioritize mental-health and youth services over additional police spending.

Ending: The mayor and council acknowledged the concerns, said staff would follow up on the dumping complaint and grant programs, and encouraged continued engagement through council processes and upcoming hearings.