2019-03-26 · City Council · Transcript · Work Session Meeting

--- title: March 26 2019 Work Session Meeting date: 2019-03-26 source: 2019-03-26_March_26_2019_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:00, 0:00:05]: twenty six and I have roughly six o'clock at this point. I'm gonna call the meeting order. [0:00:05, 0:00:06]: All right, invocation. [0:00:07, 0:00:09]: And I'm gonna tell you what, Pastor Green, would you come up and give us [0:00:09, 0:00:16]: I thought we've already done it because we're going to do that. No, we're starting the next meeting, sir. I move right on. Okay, gotcha. All right. Pastor Green, could you come up here and give us an invitation, please? [0:00:18, 0:00:18]: Mm. [0:00:27, 0:00:30]: Oh wow, that uh Yes, yes, new and approved. [0:00:32, 0:00:33]: Good afternoon. [0:00:39, 0:00:40]: Good. [0:00:42, 0:01:02]: Go ahead, please. Go ahead. Go ahead. Let us pray. Most wise God, we just come before you today to say thank you. We thank you, Lord, for blessing us with a brand new day. A day that only you could give us and the only day that we would have because of your love and your mercy. God, we just bless you for who you are. We know that you're an all-wise God and you're so good to us. [0:01:02, 0:01:21]: of God that we tend to forget just how good you are. And Lord, as we assemble today for this very important work session meeting, I pray that you will be in every thought, in every act, and that everything would be for the good of the citizens of Stock Bridge, Georgia. Lord, we just bless your name, we magnify your name, and we glorify your name. [0:01:21, 0:01:25]: It is in the master's name of Jesus the Christ as protection. [0:01:28, 0:01:44]: Amen. Okay. Invocation? In two republic with a stand, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for [0:01:48, 0:01:50]: Okay, you need a roll call, please. [0:01:53, 0:02:02]: Councilman Thomas. Present. Mayor Pro Tem Blount. Present. Mayor Ford. Present. Councilwoman Gantt. Present. Councilman Alexander. Present. Councilwoman Robinson. [0:02:04, 0:02:13]: Let the record reflect Councilwoman Robinson is not in attendance. Mayor Ford, you have a quorum. Thank you. Um Council, I need a motion to adopt the agenda. [0:02:14, 0:02:23]: So moved. Uh before you second that, I believe there was an item that we want to recommend to take off. Is that correct? [0:02:23, 0:02:25]: Removal item eight. [0:02:26, 0:02:27]: Okay. [0:02:27, 0:02:30]: That's council consideration in reference to relationship for the SAB. [0:02:31, 0:02:32]: Yes. Mayor. Yes, Mayor. [0:02:33, 0:02:49]: I'd like to make a motion to um I would like to rescind my motion and I'd like to make a motion um to amend the agenda to um take off item number eight for discussion. Is there a second? Second. Is there a discussion? [0:02:50, 0:02:51]: All in favor of the motion please indicate. [0:02:52, 0:02:53]: Thank you. [0:02:53, 0:03:13]: Okay, what you have before you council to review the minutes for the following meetings. Uh uh February second, two thousand nineteen, and February twenty-sixth, two thousand nineteen, the twenty-eighth of two thousand nineteen, and march first, two thousand nineteen. Obviously our next council meeting we'll be able to approve those minutes. I don't know if you had a chance to thoroughly read them. If you have any questions or concerns [0:03:13, 0:03:28]: About those minutes and any adjustments. If not, we will move on to any public comments. There are no public comments. No public comments. Okay. So on that uh we have a presentation and I don't see the individual [0:03:28, 0:03:31]: That is oh yeah, she just walked in. [0:03:32, 0:03:33]: Yeah, she did. [0:03:33, 0:03:45]: Master Sardin retired Sandra Brown Lee. Ma'am, you are up. You walked through the door at the same time. I do make Mr. Mayor if I may with the introduction. She's actually next on the agenda. [0:03:46, 0:03:49]: Yeah, you're actually next. You're actually next. [0:03:52, 0:03:54]: Good evening. Your your name, please? [0:03:56, 0:03:56]: Okay. [0:04:02, 0:04:03]: Uh huh. [0:04:05, 0:04:07]: Yes. [0:04:08, 0:04:15]: Okay. Well Mr Mayor, if I may, while she's catching her breath, if you don't mind, um I had asked [0:04:17, 0:04:37]: Uh sir go right here please. Mrs. Brownlee. I just want to give a little background. So go right go right doing that. Go right ahead, sir. Okay. Uh I just want to let everyone know that uh a few months ago, uh myself, the mayor, and Mr. Clark visited Mrs. Brownley in Griffith. [0:04:37, 0:04:57]: And we had the opportunity to actually see the service program there in Griffin Wade Point. Mrs. Brownlee is a retired Master Sergeant. She is the CEO of Discovering Soldiers Potential 2. [0:04:57, 0:05:17]: And I was so impressed with the presentation, I asked if she would come to share that with us. I had asked some veterans to actually come out. I only see one in the background, so it's originally some. [0:05:17, 0:05:37]: I had also arranged and I I I called Mrs. Brownley and asked her if she had the time to do it. Um I had asked if she would be available to take a step over uh in the next room to be able to do a QA with some of the vets. Uh Mrs. Brownley, I don't know. [0:05:37, 0:05:57]: They may come in later. So I don't know if that is gonna happen, but I will let everyone know that you did agree uh to do that. And we had vets here that wanted to ask questions because during this process here, um we [0:05:56, 0:06:16]: you know, questions are not allowed other than from the city council. And so if the thing come in, it does some bets to come in uh within a time frame, then we have an a joining room here and uh someone would direct you and those bets over and uh you be able to do that. So without [0:06:16, 0:06:36]: Without any further ado, ladies and gentlemen, uh Master Sergeant Sandra Brown Lee. Thank you. So good evening. Good evening to you. Um, first of all, let me just say thank you for inviting me out to speak about what we do in Spalding County and other communities, helping our veterans. I am a proud veteran myself, I did serve. [0:06:36, 0:06:56]: For 27 years, so I'm very proud of that accomplishment. Um, as I spoke with the good folks who came down, I explained to them that upon retiring from the military, the one thing that I noticed that was a huge disparity and really disheartening for me was the number of veterans that I saw with signs on the [0:06:56, 0:07:16]: Corner saying or work for food or I'm a veteran and I'm homeless. And I thought that was a travesty that you could use the word veteran and homeless in the same sentence. It just doesn't make sense to me. Um, so me being a retired veteran myself, and contrary to what people think, it is not easier if you retire. It's no more easier than [0:07:16, 0:07:36]: If you didn't, because you have to learn this entire world all over again based on what you've been trained to do for so many years, especially someone like me who did 27 years. So I left my mom's apron string and then went to the military, and then I came back and the streak was gone, so I gotta figure that thing out for myself. Um, so when I did retire. [0:07:36, 0:07:39]: Yeah, I I because of that reason [0:07:40, 0:07:58]: And also just understanding how this world works and how this community works versus the military world, it's a huge change for someone who has been and I won't use this word loosely, but I will use this program to do a certain thing. And that's what soldiers are doing. We're trained to do a certain thing to just protect this country. Um [0:07:59, 0:08:19]: But the goal is to come back home and see where you left off once you've done that. And that's where the hard part takes in. And so in the course of that time frame of being for retired for about two or three years, I realize that even if you're retired, finding assistance services and just someone who can relate to you is very difficult to do and understand where you're coming from. [0:08:19, 0:08:36]: So I started this nonprofit organization called Discovering Soldier's Potential Too. Because as I explained to the gentleman who came down, when we serve as we're serving on active duty, every individual who serves in the military understands what their mission is while they're serving on active duty. [0:08:36, 0:08:56]: The problem comes is that once you're done, what do you do with yourself now in the new community that you're in? Even though it's your hometown and it's your family and all of that, and everybody's back to see you because we get all the parades and thank you for your service and flags as we get off the plane. But about three days later, sort of like bad fish, you know, folks are saying, okay, what are you gonna do now? [0:08:56, 0:09:15]: You can't sit around my house all day and ponder life. So under discovering soldiers potential too, what I realized was there was a lack of resources or good resources available for us to figure out what we're supposed to do. And I'm not saying they aren't good resources, but oftentimes they're all over the place. You don't know where to go. [0:09:15, 0:09:20]: So I started creating these Waypoint Veterans Service Centers within the [0:09:21, 0:09:25]: rural community areas because believe it or not [0:09:27, 0:09:30]: The VA only covers metro areas in any state that they're in. [0:09:31, 0:09:36]: And so that leaves the rural community sort of out there trying to get to the VA's location. [0:09:36, 0:09:56]: But what people don't understand is 80% of our veterans who serve come from rural community areas. I.e., I'm one of them. I'm from a little town called LaGrange, Georgia. I would have loved to go back home with my mom and my dad and talk about all my stuff, but if there are no services available to assist me, then start to stay there. So I had to move closer to the city to get those services. [0:09:56, 0:10:16]: But like in any of these Waypoint Veterans Service Centers, we afford a veteran to come in and it's sort of a one-stop shop experience. So when you come there, depending on your need, is what we address. So we are a researcher plus resource center. So I'm very happy to say that because we have great folks who volunteer. [0:10:16, 0:10:36]: their time to come to these centers and assist us with helping veterans understand what their purpose is in the community that they're living in now. And that includes VA benefits of excuse me about a slight dry. Uh there's uh there's water. I'll pay you enough. [0:10:36, 0:10:38]: [640.4, 660.4]: This is Cassandra, my general manager. We have been running all day. It's been so busy. It really has. One displaced female in another counties, I need help. One that walked in the door. This has been a long, a long day. But under Waypoint Veteran Services, the purpose is to allow a place where veterans can come and get multiple services to take care of it. [0:11:00, 0:11:20]: At one time versus having to go all over creation. So in this service center, we have, and our very first one that we opened in Griffin, Georgia in 2016, July. In that service center, we have multiple services, including claims and benefits, uh housing, emergency funding, Social Security. [0:11:21, 0:11:22]: I could go on all day. [0:11:23, 0:11:27]: But the way that we service if you walk in the door and you have an issue, that's how we service you. [0:11:28, 0:11:33]: So doing a brochure would be a viewpoint. I do have business cards, I don't do many brochures. [0:11:33, 0:11:53]: Tell us uh tell you all that we do. The greatest part about this is that it was a need because I found this from my first center that I opened in Griffin, Georgia, at that time frame of two and a half years we've been open, we've seen over 9,000 ventures in that center. We processed over 4,000 ventures, claimed through benefits. Yes indeed. I'm so excited about. [0:11:53, 0:12:13]: that far because we've gotten over 2,000 claims of benefits back with positive results. And every day it's it's the process that we do and it's the people that come in and really want to do it that makes it successful. But between that and putting 23 veterans in housing, getting about oh God only knows over 50 in the last two years jobs. So all of [0:12:13, 0:12:33]: All those services that we supply to our veterans are services that are beneficial to help them become, I don't know, more beneficial to the community that they live in versus having to ask for handouts. We're a very prideful people, the military, so it's very difficult for us to go and ask you for something. But if you tell me where I can go to make my own, then I could. [0:12:33, 0:12:37]: I feel that would be more in touch with my own being, my own self work. So [0:12:38, 0:12:58]: That's what we do at Wadeport Venture Service, and I know that was really fast. Um, I don't know how to explain it more than I I do both keep asking requests that you and I tell you what we do versus what we do as a service center. But we have been very fortunate with all of our doing to now have opened up a new center in La Grange George in my hometown, which I'm very excited about. [0:12:58, 0:13:18]: Doing some great things down there with supportive housing. And we also have a location in Macon, Georgia. U of S has to come, so has Clayton County and so has Fort Valley. So there's three other potential places that we can open up service centers that are very beneficial to our veterans. And we don't just service folks in this community, believe it or not, we service veterans from all over the world. [0:13:18, 0:13:38]: both active duty and retired and those who have left the service. So the name is out there for what we do and I think it's because we're probably taking KKR. So we're very, very proud of what we do. I'm very happy about that. It is a all volunteer force. It is a nonprofit organization. So none of the folks who work in Energy Centers paid for their services. [0:13:38, 0:13:45]: I don't get paid for my services. It's the right thing to do. We do live off donations and gifts and time, and we've been very [0:13:54, 0:14:12]: Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. Yes, sir. Go right here to the question. Uh Mrs. Brownlee, I really appreciate you coming. Uh as I stated earlier, um I was personally impressed with your presentation. And I saw it. I saw the volunteers. I saw the facility and uh Mayor Ford and I sort of talked about um [0:14:13, 0:14:15]: The house, the prison. [0:14:15, 0:14:18]: The jail and we went upstairs and we saw [0:14:19, 0:14:20]: Uh the hang in [0:14:21, 0:14:31]: Gallow, if that's what you call it. But I was so impressed with the program and and one thing I wanted to do and I know I'm non vet, uh the mayor is a retired colonel. [0:14:31, 0:14:35]: I don't know where the gap is. I know there's a facility uh in McDonough. [0:14:35, 0:14:38]: There's some services here in the city of Stark Grid. [0:14:38, 0:14:40]: But what I wanted to do was to [0:14:41, 0:14:42]: Identified a gap. [0:14:42, 0:15:02]: And to see if we could bring something here. And that was one of the reasons why I I reached out to uh some vets and uh Mr. Clark, who was with us, is a vet and I spoke with him and I thought he would be here. But I do know we have Mr. Tyrone Anderson back there who is a vet. But I just wanna thank you for coming and uh your uh [0:15:02, 0:15:22]: Executive director. Just wanna thank you all for coming. It is a great program and whether we get some traction today, uh I'm committed to trying to see what we can do here in the city of Stockbridge to provide those services uh for vets. And and we have quite a few and even today, this morning, um [0:15:22, 0:15:42]: I'm on a uh planning committee for the Memorial March. And so uh there are a number of vets here in the city of Stockbridge, and I'm sure they need services. And I know they run all the way up to Claremont. Um So just with that being said, that's that's my goal, is to see what we can do here in the city of [0:15:42, 0:16:02]: Stockbridge and I'm sure I'll be calling on you again, um, you know, just for that, for your expertise. But I feel that I so I did a little research on stockbridge, which is what I always do before I go into any community to determine if it's a need there or not. And I did a census on stock bridge and by census you have about fourteen thousand. [0:16:02, 0:16:18]: veterans who are census, but that's uh those who are enrolled in the VA who live here and those who are of course count every year. That excludes the number of veterans that you have that are considered displaced or homeless. And then also the number that that I in the sense that are counting, some of those are people who [0:16:18, 0:16:21]: That's that they're probably addressed they're probably living with someone else. [0:16:22, 0:16:42]: So I do know that I do know also that Stockbridge is considered sort of a welcome center per se. So I know that a lot of pumpers people leave the city during the day and come to this area because we have lots of like free stuff, just like Spaulding County does, and then the other day they go back. But I will tell you that weight wanted [0:16:42, 0:16:43]: [1003.8, 1023.8]: benefit to Spalding County because we're the veterans that come in in that way because they do it every single day because as many freebies you have to offer. Then we've been able to cut that number down drastically just from getting them in and getting assistance and getting them services and getting their benefits started. So because of that, we have averaged about 47,000 [0:17:03, 0:17:10]: That we brought back into the city of Spaulding or the city of River Spaulding County based on the services that we're providing to them. [0:17:11, 0:17:31]: Good deal. I truly appreciate your your your presentation and of course the briefing that we had uh with you a couple months or so ago. Look forward to a bright future and the fact that hopefully we can work out some i issues and assist you in maybe bringing your services to the area, because there are a lot of veterans here without a doubt that uh can utilize the services as a po and they don't have a way to get to to cater or things of that nature. [0:17:31, 0:17:38]: So look forward to to try to work through some things to help out as best as possible. Any other comments from the council at all? [0:17:39, 0:17:49]: I just want to say thank you for coming. Thank you. Well thank you thank you for meeting right. No, no, you're quite right. Could you share with with us um [0:17:50, 0:18:10]: The funding so you you touched on it briefly. Uh it was amazing how just looking at that facility and the services, it was amazing how you could do that with a non-paid staff. Could you just share some of that with us, how you get that done? So how do we even get them to do it? That's the first thing you have to do. [0:18:10, 0:18:11]: [1091.8, 1111.8]: But I think it's like it's community effort number one. So as always, I come to a community, I always want to speak with the s the leaders of the community, for in businesses for instance. And so from there the community felt that it was a need in Spawdy County area because of a lot of the ventures that they had living there, those were coming in and out, and the homeless ones. [0:18:31, 0:18:51]: That live around the city. And because of that, the community actually gave us the building that we're living in. So because we were a non-governmental agency, we are a nonprofit. One of the governmental agencies leased a place for us, which is the Old County Jail, which is actually the most historical building in the town. Pretty cool, built by Doc Holliday. [0:18:51, 0:19:11]: And his dad. I thought that was pretty cool. They had to see the O jail and all. And uh so we paid one dollar a month for rent there. And then from there we just started, first of all, touch basing with all the military organizations of the community to explain what we were doing. And a lot of them are retirees. And plus, like I said, of twenty seven, you know a few folks. [0:19:11, 0:19:31]: To call in some of those favors from folks you helped out along the way, they were willing to come in and say, Hey, okay, I'll give an hour here, and I'll give two days here, I'll give a day here. But because of those people who come to volunteer even minimal time, we're able to now open five days a week in every center that we have because of the number of people who volunteer. [0:19:31, 0:19:51]: So even one hour volunteer fills in a gap so that we actually have a place open full time five days a week because of that. And then gifts and kinds, donations. We actually went up to Maryland to one of the military bases up there and received furniture for the space that was donated to us. We had to drive and go get it. But we found someone with 18 wheels. [0:19:51, 0:19:55]: Yeah. [0:19:55, 0:20:15]: We have a gentleman who every quarter brings us four cases of water and chips that we give out to the veterans that come in. So everything you see in that scene, if you ever take a visit, we're donators of gifts and kinds between the veterans who come there and actual folks who live in the community. So even the decorations, so we sort of it's not a [0:20:15, 0:20:35]: But we try to make it as homey as possible, I can say. So we have lots of memorabilia everywhere. So the vets love that. We have uniforms of vets who worn these uniforms that we have put on mannequins that we display in the center, which is great for them because it's surprising. So because of that, we're able to function and have a full-fledged center and do great things for them. [0:20:35, 0:20:55]: folks and we don't have to pay very much. We do have a local church that pays our utility bills every month, and we have another church that pays our water bills. So those kind of things help us so any money that we get into the system goes back to another vet. And another way that we get reimbursement is whatever vet we assist with their claims and benefits, if they get [0:20:55, 0:21:15]: awarded they have to pay it forward. So they have decide to pay it forward for them on their application that says if I get even if I don't give if you assist me I will pay it forward in some kind of way either volunteering time, putting a dollar in the donation box or just come in and bring a case of water or whatever we need to in order to take care of. [0:21:14, 0:21:15]: Foxes with [0:21:16, 0:21:36]: Thank you. Thank you. That's awesome. Thank you. Thank you. That's really good. Any other questions for at all? Okay. Thank you, ma'am. You have any information you can leave us? It's in the book. It's in the book? Yeah, yeah. And in in the booklet there's um a whole brochure about waypoint. Yes. Thank you. [0:21:36, 0:21:37]: Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. [0:21:39, 0:21:53]: Mayor. Yes, yes, Mayor. For the record, Councilwoman Robinson has joined the meeting. Yes. Okay, great. Full compliment tonight. Old business. Council consideration and approved facilities uses uh uses policy presented by Mr. Williams, please. [0:22:00, 0:22:12]: And um uh what I think we have in front of the is a third option way when we see policy. [0:22:26, 0:22:31]: Um but the policy, let me just simplify um as much as possible. [0:22:32, 0:22:35]: Um in part two. [0:22:35, 0:22:55]: Council members will be able to even use uh the Merl Manders Conference Center for a council initiative once each year on a weekend, that's Friday through Sunday. And then with the approval of council, um, we could use the Merl Manders or Ted Strickland um for additional council initiatives Monday approved. [0:22:55, 0:23:01]: Thursday and as it's currently written, that could be uploaded and the approval of the governing body. [0:23:01, 0:23:12]: Um but one thing it does suggest is that a council initiative could not include a partner in the organization. It would have to be specifically your council initiative and this is meant. [0:23:12, 0:23:32]: get out of you know organizations wanting to come um get the use of the facilities for free um by you know parkering with with the city so this would be purely for council initiatives for city business um part three provides [0:23:32, 0:23:52]: Uh employee discount, the number that's plugged in is 25%. I think at one point it was discussed, it could be as high as 50%. But this would apply to all employees, and since council members are technically employed, it would be applied to you all as well. [0:23:52, 0:24:12]: A 20% discount for all nonprofit organizations. The um there's a previous version that would have allowed the staff to develop rates for competitive rates to be competitive with other facilities. [0:24:12, 0:24:32]: And to establish a discount that would be subject for a discount for nonprofits that would be subject to approval of the mayor council. But in discussions with staff, I think they wanted just an easier straight line discount for nonprofits that you all approved so that there would be no kind of room for negotiation. [0:24:32, 0:24:40]: So that's it in a in a nutshell. Um I welcome your input. Um [0:24:40, 0:24:44]: This is ready to be adopted but make changes now at this time. [0:24:45, 0:25:05]: May Mayor. Yes, go right, please. Thank you, ma'am Attorney Williams. Uh one of the things that we discussed at the Kennesaw retreat was a use facility for the purpose of we're seeing an increase, even myself, of where organizations would ask us to [0:25:05, 0:25:25]: partner or do something with us in order so that basically so you don't have to pay for the building. And what we're trying to do is eliminate there's a lot of usage if you look into our budget right now and the expenditures of Merrmanders, there's a lot of usage um [0:25:25, 0:25:30]: of Merrmanders. I I would also like to mention [0:25:30, 0:25:31]: That [0:25:31, 0:25:33]: In the number two section. [0:25:34, 0:25:35]: It actually was one [0:25:36, 0:25:36]: Um [0:25:37, 0:25:39]: One weekend from Merrymanders? [0:25:39, 0:25:59]: And my suggestion would be one weekend for Mermanders and one day out of the week for Merrill Manders, so that we're it's two events period for the council member. And that's more of the concern of the Merrill Manders Conference Center. Um [0:25:59, 0:26:19]: And so in regards to nonprofit organizations, I don't know if that 20% is what they do right now. I don't know if you got that number. That's what they do. Then then so be it. Um if they prefer to have one flat fee. I think that across the board, um, the Moral Manders, although it's an events facility. [0:26:19, 0:26:26]: that the city us utilizes for our events. We also have to be mindful [0:26:27, 0:26:28]: That each year [0:26:28, 0:26:38]: we're gradually increasing in the red. And so we we need to put a cap on um and consider w what exactly does that look like. [0:26:45, 0:26:55]: once each year on a weekend, once each year on a weekday, that's Monday through Thursday. And then for the TED strike limit, then you would be entitled to use that. [0:26:56, 0:27:01]: Correct. Mayor. [0:27:01, 0:27:04]: Is that different from what's on here? What did you just say? I'm sorry. [0:27:05, 0:27:25]: No, that's what I he's disinterpreted it. So so what she is suggesting is we change this so that the the that council members for council initiatives would be able to use the Merl Manager Conference Center once each year on a weekend Monday through Friday and once each year on a weekday Monday through [0:27:25, 0:27:35]: through Thursday and then the the the second sentence would s would then read with the approval of the city council the Ted Strickland Center would use [0:27:36, 0:27:42]: And this is not new. This is something that we pretty much we ended our discussion in Kennesaw with this [0:27:43, 0:28:03]: Conclusion almost. It was just a matter of putting it in writing and eliminating some of the wordiness of it. So Councilman Robinson, please um thank you, Mayor. Um we did discuss it in Kennesaw because it was brought forth by certain um council members out of concern. Um certain certain parts [0:28:03, 0:28:23]: Of this, I'm not in agreement with, but of course, I'm the minority when it comes to the vote. Um, but I would like to say we keep throwing out um a lot of numbers saying we in the red. I have yet to really see data um from the Merrill Manders um when people are renting. Is that something that we can receive um from? [0:28:23, 0:28:43]: from that department, um the usage, who's you who's using it, um, when it's being used. Um I have yet to see any of that, how much people are paying for it if they are using it. Um maybe you know other council have, but I have yet um to see any data. And so I would suggest that if [0:28:43, 0:28:58]: we're going to um be saying we're in the red, then all of us should be aware of how we're in the w red, um, because there may be additional changes that we may need to do to look at. So I would definitely like to see the data um from the that department. [0:29:22, 0:29:36]: Well, it wasn't just the numbers is what I was just requesting. I was requesting who was using it, all of that, itemized, how what they were paying. Um, that's the data, detailed information that I'm asking, um, if you don't mind. [0:29:40, 0:29:42]: Go right in, please. [0:29:42, 0:30:00]: Uh I've looked at these options myself, uh as well, and I look at this particular option right here. And um it has always been my position that the citizen should come first. None of these options have it where the citizen it's a conference center. [0:30:00, 0:30:20]: It is if we ever gonna get out the red, why isn't the priority to have citizen events that are paid for uh by those uh hosting the issue? I on the previous two options that was down at like number six, where citizens would come in and they would pay. [0:30:20, 0:30:40]: Uh to me we should schedule around what they're doing. That's correct. They shouldn't schedule around what we're doing. That's correct. So the I don't see that reflected in this document or the previous two because the the other one I think option two had it down at like number six or something like that. [0:30:40, 0:31:00]: I want to see that be the priority and then we fill in around when those events are scheduled. Mayor, if I may. Go right at the time. And Mr. Williams can we we had a dialogue on this? The priority use was completely eliminated because it was confusing. This this is just basically [0:31:00, 0:31:20]: A policy on the use for mayor and council in the city and the way we operate with nonprofit organizations. Paying customers come first. Wow. And everybody else falls in wherever there's a space available. I think we took out the pecking order because it was confusing. It didn't make any sense. [0:31:20, 0:31:37]: to have a pecking order on who gets a priority when paying customers, they just come first. And if they have a an event and they've paid, then they come first. This is just a policy for our use purposes when the moramanders is available. [0:31:37, 0:31:47]: Right. I I hear what you're saying. I just how it is, I like to see this document or whatever document we adopt. [0:31:47, 0:31:53]: have that in writing that these events, citizen events come first. [0:31:54, 0:31:55]: Yeah, go right, please. [0:31:56, 0:32:00]: Um I d I do concur with you, um, Councilman Alexander [0:32:01, 0:32:05]: But when we talk about policies for us, and I I think I'm kind of reiterating [0:32:06, 0:32:10]: These policy doesn't knock a citizens off the calendar. [0:32:10, 0:32:18]: So if a citizen has a date that we're trying to get, then we just don't get the date. That's always been like that. I don't this doesn't change that process. [0:32:18, 0:32:21]: Uh to to put it in there just be a [0:32:21, 0:32:35]: uh just be verbiage that's we're already operating under. We don't we don't knock anybody. If somebody got it on the tenth and we want it on the tenth, it's just not available for us. That's that's not a that's just protocol right now for for what how we operate. [0:32:36, 0:32:53]: On that note, let me just ask say this. Uh say for instance uh a council initiative uh that wants to use the moral manners, you set a date for something and all of a sudden a citizen wants that particular date maybe a a month out and it's already been programmed. [0:32:53, 0:32:59]: And is is the citizen still coming first or are we gonna stay with that particular date? Is that how we how we wanna handle that type of situation? [0:33:01, 0:33:02]: Okay. [0:33:09, 0:33:29]: Is it's getting funds for an event and you know, a month out or two weeks out, a paying client wants to use it, can't unwind that. Okay. All right. Just just wanna ask bring it up. Just want to ask the question. Any other questions from the council? No, Mayor I would like to go ahead, please. I would like to make a motion. Oh sorry, go ahead. [0:33:29, 0:33:49]: The uh city clerk asked the question and and this is a decision to draw already. So the employee discount of twenty-five percent, as it's written, it's unlimited. So we want it to be a one-time discount, one event a year or something like that, or we can make that change. One per one time per year. One time per year, I was my reason. [0:33:49, 0:33:56]: [2037.2, 2040.7]: One one percent one percent. [0:34:04, 0:34:10]: with with with those changes and I can summarize them and and state a motion if [0:34:11, 0:34:13]: Fire. Thank you. Um so [0:34:13, 0:34:33]: So i this that number should not be unlimited. What do you think? You should not be able to use Ted Strickland unlimited. I'm sorry. Yeah, we said one time per year. Okay, so you just changed it to a one time per year. Okay. All right. Yeah. Go go right, sir. Go ahead. [0:34:35, 0:34:55]: To adopt or approve the option three policy with the following changes. The first change would be that each council member would be permitted to use a bromander center once per year on a weekend, Friday through Sunday, and once per year on a weekday. [0:34:55, 0:35:08]: Monday through Thursday. And then with the approval of the City Council, the second change will be agreed with the approval of the city council, the Ted Strickland Center may be used for additional council initiatives Monday through Thursday. [0:35:09, 0:35:19]: The third change would provide that city employees shall be entitled once per year to receive an employee discount of twenty-five percent for the use of any city. [0:35:20, 0:35:22]: Okay. Yes, I have a question. [0:35:23, 0:35:27]: Well it hasn't been motion hasn't been accepted just yet. Has that motion been accepted? [0:35:28, 0:35:48]: I'm moved. Okay, has it been seconded? Okay, there you have now discussion. Go right ahead. Now I'm gonna go back to my point, which was the citizens come first. Now, in my estimation, let's say like we do a s a calendar a year ahead of time. So uh to me there should be a window. [0:35:48, 0:36:08]: Right? Let's say we have a council initiative set up on a particular date, right? And then someone says they want to hold a wedding on that particular day. Within 90 days ahead of time, or 60 days ahead of time, where we start advertising it or putting the event. [0:36:08, 0:36:12]: out there, that citizens should be able to bump that event. [0:36:12, 0:36:32]: This that of that we're truly putting the citizens first because we're scheduling events uh in December and they're they're throughout the year and somebody wants to have a wedding on that date, and that's a three or four thousand dollars, three thousand dollar payday that we're giving up. Now we wouldn't want to give up the event. [0:36:32, 0:36:52]: At the very last minute, somebody says, okay, we've already started advertising. So a 60 or 90 day window, well, those events could actually be bumped. Uh but I say that because you cannot say that you're putting the citizens first if you're take you got prime time, they they can't even they have [0:36:52, 0:37:10]: even scheduled events yet. You're scheduling the events. You've taken up the time a year ahead of time. And then they're coming back saying, Oh, I want to have a wedding in the summertime or I want to have wedding in August or but that time is already taken uh from them. So I don't know if if [0:37:11, 0:37:19]: We're saying one thing that we're putting the citizens first, but that's not the practice if we take up the best dates. [0:37:20, 0:37:28]: Uh a year out. They're already boxed out. So there's blackout window already into effect before the public even receives this. [0:37:30, 0:37:39]: All right, so otherwise it uh that's kinda was kinda in a sense what I was talking about earlier, but I didn't put a of time frame on it. I said only a month or two weeks out. But if you if you're looking at uh [0:37:40, 0:37:49]: uh something like ninety days or sixty days, obviously it looks seems like that would have to be added in or it'd have to be retaken in on the motion or something like that if we if we want to go down that road. [0:37:49, 0:38:03]: Um but anyway. Ma'am Yes, yes, ma'am. I think that that complicates things a lot. I think that us planning ahead of time whether we put something on the calendar is first come, first serve. And we've been acting in that manner. [0:38:03, 0:38:23]: Already. We we've been doing that from day one. We've always planned you you put something on the schedule and if a paying customer wanted to come in and it that day is booked, then it's booked um already, whether it's from the city reserving it or that person. I don't think that's not putting the citizens first. I'm pretty sure everyone [0:38:23, 0:38:43]: Understand that planning is everything, whether it's a year out, you're pre-planning, or even if you haven't put the advertisement out there, it would cause a lot of confusion and disarray. I think this method is it makes sense. [0:38:43, 0:38:57]: The purpose of this method and the purpose of this policy, we really have to focus on the purpose of the policy, and that is to get away from the constant asking of the use of the facility from outside organizations to partner with us. [0:38:57, 0:39:04]: in order to get discounts. And that's basically and and that we have one set standard. [0:39:04, 0:39:10]: that is in place for everybody, um, I think that I think it makes sense. [0:39:10, 0:39:13]: Okay. Any further comments? Yes sir. Go ahead, please. [0:39:14, 0:39:16]: Just the process of planning. [0:39:17, 0:39:19]: If anyone is planning a wedding [0:39:20, 0:39:22]: And they are looking for a facility. [0:39:22, 0:39:34]: They're gonna check the availability of that facility before they put anything in concrete as far as their plans. And it's with any facility. [0:39:35, 0:39:38]: Anyone that's planning anything, they're gonna always check. [0:39:38, 0:39:40]: the availability. [0:39:41, 0:39:41]: It just [0:39:43, 0:39:46]: It's just a no brainer. Thank you. Any further comments from the council? [0:39:46, 0:40:06]: Well I just yes if I could I would just simply say this is that um you know I said it from the beginning which is putting the citizens first. Now we can say that um you know we we we're putting them first but at the same time like I said with that without that bump out position [0:40:06, 0:40:26]: They're days that they're private deprived of that they cannot actually use at the top of the calendar. Now, I want to be I like uh the fact uh um of of what we're trying to do, but my priority is a little is is making sure that this facility makes [0:40:26, 0:40:46]: money. That's what my priority is. Because as we are subsidizing it at an extremely high level right now, if there's$4,000 available or$3,000 available and they give us a 90-day notice, that that that funding coming into the city coffers should [0:40:46, 0:40:55]: should be prioritized over any event because it's cutting the red out of this facility that we have now. [0:40:55, 0:40:57]: Uh good deal. Go ahead, sir. [0:40:57, 0:41:01]: I was gonna make a comment, but I just wanna say every [0:41:01, 0:41:05]: Council member up here, any event that we have, any initiative we have. [0:41:06, 0:41:07]: Is [0:41:08, 0:41:10]: It's providing something for the community. [0:41:11, 0:41:21]: So if we start setting a policy like that, then we can't as every event, even though it's a council initiative, it it's a city event, it's spent with taxpayers' monies. [0:41:22, 0:41:28]: So if we start to go down this road like that, then we're saying that we can't we can't reserve it for our Christmas special. [0:41:28, 0:41:36]: Because we do that a year in advance. If somebody wants for citizens wants it, then we need to cancel the Christmas uh gala. [0:41:36, 0:41:56]: We have to be careful and cautious, the policies we put in our mind, because that's across the board, because all of these initiatives, everything we do as a city is a city function by taxpayers' money. So if we have a policy in place that says if we have a place uh reserve that if a citizen wants it, they gets it, they get it, then we're being irresponsible. [0:41:56, 0:42:05]: for pro providing those extensions of things that can uh um be provided for our community, not only in our initiatives, but from the city. [0:42:06, 0:42:06]: So [0:42:07, 0:42:09]: When you ha any city you go to [0:42:10, 0:42:19]: That's like if we have a uh a sounds of summer and the citizen got the group that got together and say, I wanna have this, that's revenue for the city, so we cancel sounds of summer. [0:42:20, 0:42:39]: Scheduling scheduling and providing services and and and having services presented by the cities, that's just the way it is. If I can't get it on that day, then I move to another day. Rather, what happens if somebody a citizen's already rented that day? You're gonna do the exact same thing, change your day. [0:42:41, 0:42:42]: And that's just the way it is. [0:42:43, 0:42:50]: I'd like to respond to the no ac actually two times folks. You have not, sir. Go ahead. Okay. [0:42:50, 0:42:56]: One thing that this does, I know for an example, one of the initiative that I've had [0:42:57, 0:43:01]: It was the first time for a lot of citizens. [0:43:01, 0:43:03]: To even attend the mural. [0:43:03, 0:43:07]: And they said, Oh, this is a wonderful facility. [0:43:08, 0:43:11]: How can I rent this facility? It's PR. [0:43:11, 0:43:31]: And on that particular night, I know of five people that went to the staff and inquired about how they could rent it. So it also serves as PR, the initiative when you have folks coming to the Murray Manor for the first time. And you can pretty much say that for all of the initiatives that we have. [0:43:31, 0:43:44]: It's many of those folks first time coming. And and folks are coming from Clayton, Spaulding, from Atlanta, and they love that facility. And it's their first time. So it's also a PR mechanism. [0:43:45, 0:43:56]: Thank you, sir. Thank you. Okay. So limited amount of folks can talk on that so sends a two too limited time frame or two time speak. So on that note we have a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. All in favor of motion, please indicate. [0:43:58, 0:43:59]: Ring? All posed? [0:44:00, 0:44:01]: Two. All right, three, two it passes. [0:44:03, 0:44:05]: All right. Um [0:44:06, 0:44:19]: New business council consideration to partner with Friends House to allow for annual fundraiser Taste of Henry, April twelfth, twenty nineteen, Kay Anderson and uh Angela Beaver. [0:44:20, 0:44:21]: Okay, come f come forward, Miss Anderson. [0:44:26, 0:44:27]: Hello? [0:44:28, 0:44:29]: Okay. [0:44:29, 0:44:30]: Okay. [0:44:31, 0:44:33]: Evening to you two as well. [0:44:53, 0:44:55]: [2697.8, 2701.8]: It it probably got a little closer to Mike, maybe. [0:45:01, 0:45:03]: All right. Is it wrong? [0:45:03, 0:45:03]: Is it all? [0:45:04, 0:45:04]: Oh. [0:45:06, 0:45:26]: There we go. All right. Turn it on. Okay. All right. Um every year we host Taste of Henry. We partner with City of Stockbridge and Henry County or McDonough and Main Street, as well as Henry Chamber of Commerce with the Tourism Department in promoting this event. [0:45:26, 0:45:46]: This event raises much needed funds for the children's home there in McDonough. And so we appreciate the annual partnership that the City of Stockbridge, Stockbridge has given us. In partnership, what we do is we offer booth space for the Tasty Tuesdays food truck in Main Street that comes to the event. [0:45:46, 0:46:01]: And then uh and the city of Stockbridge puts out banners uh for us to help promote the event. So um so here we're just asking for that request again to be able to partner with you guys and have some banners put out and some promotional material. [0:46:02, 0:46:22]: Thank you. Appreciate it, Ms. Beaver. Any questions? Mayor Ford. Go right in, please. Mayor Ford, I move that we approve the Taster Henry partnership in order to put out banners um in return of being able to advertise and promote at their taste uh at their taste of Henry Henry with our food truck. Second. Okay. [0:46:22, 0:46:32]: Okay, any further discussion? Yes. Go right in. I want to ask the city manager and uh maybe the assistant city manager. We've been working on a project. [0:46:32, 0:46:35]: For quite some time now to get the city [0:46:36, 0:46:38]: Um branded. [0:46:39, 0:46:59]: banner displays put into place and um because we have those unattractive green uh holders that we have all over the city, yet we seem to be unable to put them in place. When will we have those in place? Will we have them in place for this [0:46:59, 0:47:03]: It's a nice sign to be able to go up in an appropriate fashion. [0:47:07, 0:47:21]: Thank you, uh Councilman. I think you're referring to um the uh stock bridge uh poles that we purchased. Um there was an issue with placing them in certain areas because we have to f have G DOT approval because it's on G DOT right away. [0:47:22, 0:47:42]: In fact, uh the public works director and I, um discious Aaron, discussed this uh in the last day or two about another location near the bridge that we could potentially put one of those there at that location as you come across on um Burke Street, using that one location. There's another location that we've identified as [0:47:42, 0:48:02]: That we would likely need to seek uh private property approval, which we I think we could probably get in another location. The issue is that those stanchions have to be actually placed into the ground, concreted into the ground with footers. And in order to do that on GDOT right-of-way, you have to receive their approval. [0:48:02, 0:48:02]: Approval. [0:48:03, 0:48:23]: We have been working on that for some time and I think we've made some progress. I don't know if Mike may be able to provide some additional insight, but we've identified a couple of other places that we can probably uh uh place those um polls uh aside from NGDOT right away. I'd like to hear from Mr. Williams on what where that stands at. [0:48:23, 0:48:43]: That that that's essentially correct. G DOT wanted to see um designs for the signs because you know one of the issues they had is that anything that's permanent in the right of way for safety reasons, they wanted, you know, there's stuff like breakaway signs and things like that. Um so those have been provided um uh [0:48:43, 0:48:50]: Uh and I don't know where they are in terms of how long they've been with G Dot, but we're awaiting time for G Dot to hear back. [0:48:51, 0:48:53]: So Miss Councilwoman, when do we receive these signs? [0:48:57, 0:48:58]: It's been months. [0:48:59, 0:49:05]: Well, the issue is this. If we put'em in those certain locations, if we put'em up in G dot right away. [0:49:06, 0:49:09]: They're subject to being removed, or they're subject to being a safety hazard. [0:49:10, 0:49:15]: Obviously we don't want to put the city in that type of predicament at those particular locations that were initially identified. [0:49:16, 0:49:20]: За меншен, викинля сам alternative locations to place those up. [0:49:20, 0:49:29]: That would be off of G DOT right away in order to get those up um in a timely fashion. When when can we have that? When when will that happen? [0:49:29, 0:49:32]: I'll give you re I'll be glad to give you a report at the next meeting. [0:49:33, 0:49:35]: If not if not before then. [0:49:36, 0:49:49]: All right. Any further questions? All right, uh we have a motion that's been seconded. All in favor of the motion please indicate. Okay, it's unanimous. Ms. Beaver, thank you very much. We're gonna partner with you once again. Thank you. We're excited about it. [0:49:49, 0:49:50]: Okay. [0:49:51, 0:49:53]: What we have next is comments. [0:49:53, 0:49:59]: uh staff and council when we have public comments from the citizens they get three minutes to comment. [0:49:59, 0:50:19]: And if they if we extend any time additional time, we at we at the we're asked for the council to grant additional time and typically do that. So this is what we need to do for our comments starting tonight. Everybody gets three minutes for our comments. If you have to have additional time, you're going to extend that additional time with a c with the confirmation from the council. All right? On that note, sir. Hold on a second. [0:50:19, 0:50:20]: Hold on a second. [0:50:21, 0:50:28]: Mm mr uh city manager go write it please. Um point of order. Okay, excuse me. Point of order, yes, go ahead. Okay, now [0:50:29, 0:50:49]: That's not the pol I'm sorry. What's the policy? That's not the policy. We don't have a policy on the police. I I wanna ask the attorney, is that appropriate to implement a policy on the fly? Is that okay? Is that I don't I don't see anything'cause I have longer than three minutes. I do because that is what has been customary. [0:50:48, 0:51:02]: The chair uh in his discretion can d make that determination. Y you're within your rights to appeal the ruling of the chair and it would take the majority of counsel to overrule the ruling of the chair. [0:51:04, 0:51:06]: I don't appeal to the rest of the council. [0:51:07, 0:51:16]: All right. You want to ask the rest of the country? Yeah, I wanna see what they think. Is that okay to just uh make up the rules as well, so be it. We'll start starting my immediate uh [0:51:16, 0:51:18]: Right. And you need to make a motion. [0:51:18, 0:51:38]: No, no, he's not a motion, it's discussion. I just want to discuss the motion uh the appeal. Well he's asking for appeal. Technically he's appealed the ruling of the chair, so it would be up to counsel to overturn the decision to limit it to three minutes. Right. So what I've mentioned is that we have uh make up comments just like our citizens. [0:51:38, 0:51:43]: which were no better than our citizens. I mean if we talk about citizens first they get three minutes to talk [0:51:43, 0:52:03]: And on and if they if we want them to go longer, the st the uh the uh the actual uh uh clerk would say they're passed the time and we were asked for additional time, we were granted this time if that's the case. So I'm asking that right now that we hear hear the same rule when we give our comments to the two that we stay within the three minute limit. Is that good with you? Uh I agree with the mayor. [0:52:03, 0:52:23]: Okay, good. Is that good with you? Is that good with you? That's fine I want to get rid of comments altogether, but that's fine with me. Okay, and obviously that's not good with you. Is that good with you? Okay, there we have it. So we g we we d no overruling in that aspect. So we're gonna have go with three minutes starting tonight, three minutes for comments. If we've got to go any longer than that to get approval from the council to go [0:52:23, 0:52:43]: Longer on that. Approval with consensus. City Manager, please. Yeah, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I don't have any other comments other than to say that um uh I continue to be impressed by the staff as we come together and work together as a team um about the things that we can accomplish. And uh we are endeavoring to uh ensure that we uh move the city forward in our [0:52:43, 0:52:45]: And so we [0:52:45, 0:53:03]: Um are always conscious of how we operate and will continue to uh improve uh where we need to and we appreciate all of the staff and all of the hard work that they do. Thank you. All right, thank you. Before we go to Clerk Clerk, when we do this, you you have to push the button, ma'am, to make sure we're timely if you don't mind. Okay. [0:53:04, 0:53:12]: Yeah, that that includ that includes everybody. Includes everybody. We're above board, see my hands. Includes everybody. Okay. [0:53:13, 0:53:14]: You come, Miss Mayor. [0:53:15, 0:53:29]: Uh Mr. Thomas. Uh I'd just like to say uh briefly uh a statement about the future. Uh as many of the citizens know that in twenty eighteen the city of Stockbridge withstood its its greatest challenge. [0:53:31, 0:53:35]: And as the city council closes out the first quarter of twenty nineteen. [0:53:36, 0:53:40]: We yet face another challenge. [0:53:40, 0:53:43]: And that challenges when in the future. [0:53:44, 0:53:50]: We now look forward to realize the city's vision of a vibrant city. [0:53:50, 0:53:55]: And a renaissance of a robust downtown, which is vital for the Stockbridge economy. [0:53:56, 0:53:57]: Um [0:53:58, 0:54:04]: Downtown is the heartbeat of the city, it's the pulse of the economy, and a barometer [0:54:05, 0:54:07]: Of our quality of life. [0:54:08, 0:54:10]: I'm excited about where we're headed. [0:54:11, 0:54:18]: Uh with the comp plan, which uh the staff put a lot of time into, the community put a lot of time into. [0:54:18, 0:54:36]: Uh we are positioning ourselves to create a robust downtown with the uh amphitheater, with the um the vision that we have for the uh revitalization of downtown with the uh cultural arts center, these being um [0:54:36, 0:54:48]: anchors uh for our community. So I'm excited about that and I just want to commend the staff for the hard work and the council for the hard work to put us in this position to move forward. Thank you. [0:54:49, 0:54:50]: Mirapal Timblon. [0:54:52, 0:54:56]: Okay, I'm sorry, I gotta slow down and so you can reset. Excuse me. [0:54:58, 0:55:16]: Yeah, I just like to say that um, you know, I I look at the city of Stockbridge ha ha having a bright future. We just had a uh visit down to the state capitol, um and visited some of our senators and some of our uh House members and it was a positive feel. [0:55:16, 0:55:21]: uh in that place when it comes to and pertaining to the future stock bridge and we [0:55:21, 0:55:24]: Definitely want to uh uh embrace that. [0:55:24, 0:55:35]: At a time when we was going through our struggles, I remember so many of us stood on the city hall steps and some people said, What are you all gonna do? We said, We're gonna pray. We're gonna have a prayer vision. [0:55:36, 0:55:43]: Because we believe that in prayer, prayer was the only thing in my opinion that got us to a place where we are right now. [0:55:43, 0:55:46]: To see those bills move as fast as they could. [0:55:46, 0:55:53]: through all these legislative bodies and to see us right now in the place we are now, a place of prosperity and a place to even grow. [0:55:54, 0:56:00]: Um we're looking for great things in the city of Stockbridge and I believe that the future for the Stockbridge is very bright. [0:56:01, 0:56:21]: Uh and talking to some of the legislators and talking to uh the community, uh, we see a switch and we see a shift in the ideology of what people feel about the city of Stockbridge. And so that that is very pleasing for me. Um, I just want to say uh tomorrow we have a bingo bash from 10 to 12 for the seniors bingo bash. [0:56:21, 0:56:41]: We just want to invite all the seniors out from 55 and older to come out to uh the seniors bingo bash tomorrow at the uh Ted Strickland Community Center. Uh and I just want to thank staff and everybody that's continually working uh to make this city better because I know that uh we've gone through some challenges and we still have challenges. [0:56:40, 0:56:43]: Challenges ahead of us. Uh, thank you all for your strength. [0:56:51, 0:56:53]: Councilwoman Gantt. No comment. [0:56:55, 0:57:15]: Councilman Alexander. I'll take your time. No, you won't. That's approved by the council. All right, you got to three minutes. All right. Alrighty. Uh I want to thank everybody for tuning in and I want to thank everybody [0:57:15, 0:57:20]: Everybody who attended uh here tonight and I wanna just talk about [0:57:20, 0:57:40]: Um that desire for us to move forward in an aggressive manner uh in twenty nineteen. Uh we gotta hit the ground running and we gotta get these projects going. We got the amphitheater uh getting ready to roll off, but that's just not good enough, ladies and gentlemen. We gotta do better than that. We gotta bring [0:57:40, 0:58:00]: To the table multiple projects. One of those projects that I constantly hear out in the community is about a youth center that is needed because we do not have those facilities. Senator Emmanuel Jones made it very clear that we're the largest city in the Henry County and we need to act like [0:58:00, 0:58:20]: like it. And to in order to do that, uh he suggested that we uh have that youth facility, maybe a YMCA with an Olympic pool or a pool inside, because our children currently don't have a facility to uh swim in and they don't have a competitive pool. [0:58:20, 0:58:24]: and currently have to go to Clayton County in order to do that. [0:58:25, 0:58:28]: Uh if we're aggressive and this council moves forward. [0:58:29, 0:58:49]: With the funding that we have available right now and the upcoming SPLOST, you can have the amphitheater, the youth center, the cultural arts center, and you can have sidewalks in your community. But that takes this council to lead in an aggressive manner with what we have going on right now. [0:58:48, 0:59:04]: we can actually do that. That takes courage and leadership out front to be able to get out front and hear what the citizens are telling us. The citizens tell us at every opportunity they want that youth facility. [0:59:04, 0:59:24]: Now this council reacted to that in that we purchased the property over on Tie Street, and what a shot in the arm that would give that particular community if we did move forward with that. Whether we uh we have substantial funds in the bank, we have um borrowing capabilities. [0:59:24, 0:59:44]: Where we could actually bond some of these projects if need be. Also, want you to think about we we have a job fair coming up here on Thursday with REI. This job fair will offer jobs up to$22 an hour over on Eagles Landing. [0:59:44, 1:00:04]: Parkway. REI is an outdoor equipment manufacturer, and if you're a citizen that needs a job and you want to pull yourself up, REI will be a great job for you to have. And last, I'd like to say that I've challenged uh the city attorney for us to be able to move forward uh [1:00:04, 1:00:14]: with a smoking ban uh in our restaurants and uh pr public areas. Thank you. [1:00:17, 1:00:37]: Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to apologize. I know we had a um special call meeting earlier. I had an emergency that I had to attend to, so I do apologize for my um absence during that. But also want to um say that we had a wonderful um Georgia Municipal Association Youth Symposium um this past weekend. Um we had our [1:00:37, 1:00:57]: Outstanding students that represented from seven cities, which was Stockbridge, Fettville, Noonan, Dublin, Walking in Authority, which represent all of Clayton's County cities of Clayton County, Sugar Hill, and also Union City. So I want to thank Main Street, the staff, even our [1:00:57, 1:01:17]: city manager and our mayor and um public works, everybody, um executives, assistants, just for all of the hard work to make sure that Stockbridge um was very well represented as a city as a whole. Cause this is something that um was, you know, at the top of the bar and everyone is looking at [1:01:17, 1:01:37]: Moving forward, we're trying to actually outdo us because we did an outstanding job. So I just want to say thank you to everyone for that. Also, we had Stockbridge Day, and I think a council member and the mayor is probably gonna touch on that. It was an outstanding day for us to go down in the well to let every alleged [1:01:37, 1:01:57]: later know that we're moving forward here in the city of Stockbridge along with those um throughout Henry County. So it's a new day for us to move forward. Um and I missed the special call meeting but I'm not sure with the attorney um we're gonna do the um executive session okay because I do have an announcement and if we [1:01:57, 1:02:06]: we don't do it there then I would make it publicly. So um mayor, if we don't do an executive then I'll make that announcement. Okay. All right. Thank you so much. Welcome. All right. [1:02:12, 1:02:15]: Yeah. [1:02:16, 1:02:36]: Yeah, I would say what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I get three minutes as well, right? Okay. In reference to the use symposium, it was a very great use symposium. And what I understand it was the first time that this use symposium for GMA was done in the Atlanta metro area. So for the very first time, it was in Stockbridge. So outstanding. Now the thing of it is is I we gotta probably wait a couple years before we can get it back here. [1:02:36, 1:02:56]: Year, but I look forward to that. Um and I will touch base on the fact that we had Stoppers Day the other day last week and the fact that we went to the well in the Senate and received a proclamation. We see the proclamation from uh Senator Jones and also Senator uh Strickland, which were of course uh d last year were on opposite ends of the [1:02:56, 1:03:16]: uh an involuntary deannexation issue. But yet the citizens voted and thank God there's the citizens voted and I really appreciate that. We all appreciate you voted and said save our city and you did. So what has happened to these two senators that represent our county have come together, said we gotta do better with this. We got to put the community back together and we're gonna go forward. [1:03:16, 1:03:36]: We're not gonna let this issue stop us. We're gonna grow. We're gonna get better. And we, the council, myself, the staff, we're doing the exact same thing with our citizens. We want to make sure that we go forward and we have a bright future and we're gonna do exactly that. And the citizens that elected us to office, and the majority of them, hopefully everybody, as many people as possible, are gonna be proud of the fact that this council has done [1:03:36, 1:03:37]: does some great things for them. [1:03:38, 1:03:40]: in this aspect. And so I s tell you to keep the faith. [1:03:41, 1:03:56]: And keep us in your prayer. We're going to do great things. And uh we still have to have a listen there to what's on your mind in this aspect and we'll continue to do that. On that note, I will now end my comments and I will read the announcements here. [1:03:59, 1:04:19]: City Council meeting is Monday, April 8th, 2019, right here in City Hall, 6 p.m. Youth Council meetings Wednesday, April 10th, 2019, of course, 5:30 in City Hall Levi Meeting Room. Main Street Advisory Board at fair uh Friday, April 12th, 9 a.m. City Hall Levi Meeting Room. Downtown Development Authority meeting Monday, April 15th. [1:04:19, 1:04:39]: 15th, 6 p.m. Right here, of course, in the City Hall and Levi Meeting Room. Youth Council Advisory Committee meeting Wednesday, April 17th, 6:30 City Hall, Levi Meeting Room. Planning Commission meeting, Thursday, April 25th, 7 p.m. right here in the Levi meeting room in City Hall. Of course, I'm [1:04:39, 1:04:46]: Our next work session is uh Tuesday, April 30th, 6 p.m. right here in City Hall. Uh Paint Henry Blue. [1:04:47, 1:04:52]: raising awareness to the prevention of child abuse. It's actually Thursday, March twenty eighth. [1:04:53, 1:05:13]: Claude Gray Park, 99 Francis Ward Drive, and Locus Grove. And I'll be there with some council members and I'll read a proclamation that evening as we continue to support uh the Child Abuse Month and and support our community in that aspect. Okay, we got uh first responders of appreciation lunching, spirit head with Councilman Thomas, and with partnership [1:05:13, 1:05:33]: with the uh district four commissioner Vivian Thomas, uh, which is April eighth from noon to two PM. I believe that's the right date. Okay, several different and ongoing initiatives that are going on. He's already mentioned bingo bass for seniors. Okay. All right. Quarterly [1:05:33, 1:05:49]: Well we we just had a quarterly welcome Stockbridge Round Table spirit head by America uh well by um Councilwoman Lakeisha Ganttz just the other day and that worked out well in that aspect as well. So on that note, I would end those comments for now and um Mr Turney, I know we have an executive session. [1:05:52, 1:05:56]: Okay and council, I need a motion to go into the second session, please. [1:05:58, 1:06:05]: For l okay, and there's any further discussion. All in favor, please indicate. Alright folks, we'll go into the Zec session, we'll be back. [1:06:07, 1:06:08]: Ha ha ha. [1:07:00, 1:07:01]: Absolutely. [1:07:07, 1:07:09]: I forgot to tell you that uh [1:07:23, 1:07:25]: Yeah, it's nice. [1:07:40, 1:07:45]: [4094.2, 4100.0]: Well, it's actually [1:08:50, 1:09:00]: Two fill pretty much. You told it to him, right? Yes, sir. I'll cut it fit now for it. [1:09:18, 1:09:19]: Hey I'm gonna make sure I [1:09:20, 1:09:21]: Oh thank you. [1:09:45, 1:10:00]: Well yeah I I've that I was told I didn't do that. Because we have a season. Yeah, it's half some calls. [1:10:02, 1:10:04]: Yeah, we make more. [1:10:05, 1:10:07]: Uh yeah. [1:10:18, 1:10:21]: I'll get back with it, but based on what we did I don't [1:10:25, 1:10:25]: Mike Right. [1:10:45, 1:10:50]: Even on the web [1:10:51, 1:10:52]: I just get it there. [1:10:53, 1:10:55]: All right, Red. [1:11:05, 1:11:07]: They have fun. [1:11:09, 1:11:11]: Game builder. [1:11:11, 1:11:17]: All right, well you know, you all right, goodbye. [1:11:17, 1:11:19]: I'm some of the things get [1:11:19, 1:11:25]: themselves those transportation concentrating which you know I think [1:11:35, 1:11:37]: Well yeah, she was coming. [1:11:39, 1:11:42]: [4307.4, 4309.3]: I was gonna ask you because my girlfriend [1:11:49, 1:11:51]: Father is my lady. [1:11:54, 1:11:55]: And she's trying to get her [1:11:57, 1:11:59]: A day or something that's okay. [1:12:04, 1:12:06]: Gen X or sometimes. [1:12:09, 1:12:09]: Yeah. [1:12:10, 1:12:14]: No problem that's I was just wondering if if if the transit bus [1:12:30, 1:12:32]: Yeah, should we have added problems or [1:12:33, 1:12:34]: Yeah. [1:12:36, 1:12:38]: It's just her. She's single. [1:12:45, 1:12:49]: If they had I mean I mean it'd be good if we could [1:12:52, 1:12:55]: [4387.0, 4391.7]: Is it did we oh is it up proper thing? Let me see. [1:13:13, 1:13:25]: No, they must have grabbed it, I guess. No, I didn't last them. But you were only up there, right? Yes. And then you went into the off into the room. I didn't I don't think I know. [1:13:30, 1:13:34]: Someone it was [1:13:39, 1:13:41]: I don't know how to go off. [1:13:46, 1:13:48]: Thank you for making up. [1:13:53, 1:13:54]: [4437.9, 4457.9]: What's on that uh that table over there? They say they don't need you. Are they on the no, they said it might be. Okay, thank you. We'll give it a check out. Okay, okay. No. [1:14:17, 1:14:26]: Thank you. Thank you so much. Renee, I think Renee, yes, man. Renee from you. [1:14:52, 1:14:54]: Just one thing that's all about. [1:21:03, 1:21:05]: [5056.5, 5057.8]: Mm-hmm. [2:03:00, 2:03:00]: [7805.0, 7805.5]: Okay. [2:19:35, 2:19:36]: Wow. [2:19:37, 2:19:38]: Good. [2:40:00, 2:40:00]: There you go. [2:41:32, 2:41:38]: [9699.2, 9700.1]: [2:41:40, 2:41:45]: I mean it can get that. What about that place? [2:41:45, 2:41:46]: Mm-hmm. [2:41:48, 2:41:50]: I was gonna come back people for I'll understand this. [2:41:59, 2:42:02]: Broadcast and we're going to tonight. Not YouTube, right? [2:42:03, 2:42:07]: We gotta get on YouTube. So people can find the video. [2:42:18, 2:42:27]: So that's the new camera right there? Straight up. What? Right over there. Yeah. Should be H D now, huh? [2:42:30, 2:42:32]: I see the new podium right here. [2:42:33, 2:42:36]: Smace. Speaker sound a lot clearer and brighter. [2:42:37, 2:42:39]: Can't you can't turn it around, it's too big. [2:42:39, 2:42:43]: All right, you gotta you can go a little side you can go a little side. [2:42:47, 2:42:56]: People like standing at the phone or fumble. [2:43:07, 2:43:08]: Mm-hmm. [2:43:14, 2:43:22]: Okay, council, I need a motion to end executive session, please. So moved. Is there a second? Second, sir. Any further discussion? [2:43:22, 2:43:27]: Yes. Let the record reflect Councilman Thomas left executive session at eight twenty. [2:43:27, 2:43:42]: Okay, great. And uh all in favor please indicate. Okay, thank you. I need a motion to reconvene our council work session, please. So so okay, there we go. Alexander and Robinson. Any discussion? [2:43:43, 2:44:03]: If not, all in favor, please indicate. And I believe we have something we need to announce based on the second session here. Yes, sir. Uh a motion would be in order to approve the settlement and development agreement with DrayPack Group 32 LLC with the changes as directed to the city attorney. So move. All right, is there a second? [2:44:03, 2:44:23]: I second. Is there further discussion? If not, all in favor, please indicate. All right, great. And then Mr. Mayor. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I d I didn't well um it should just be stated for the record that Councilwoman Robinson is accusing herself. Okay. Okay, thank you. Appreciate you keeping me straight on that. [2:44:23, 2:44:27]: Need a motion to end the R work session please? So moved. Is there a second? [2:44:28, 2:44:34]: I second. All right, great. Our work session is is uh now over. I got what, eight no oh [2:44:35, 2:44:46]: That's a good point. You need to vote on it. What what's what's your votes there, sir? Vote please. All right. I guess I'm trying to get out here too soon, huh? Okay, we're out in it. Seven forty. [2:45:05, 2:45:08]: Immediately following adjournment. [2:45:10, 2:45:12]: He's supposed to be let's see. [2:45:20, 2:45:21]: Oh, what's next to it? [2:45:24, 2:45:27]: Locked up, locked up.