2019-07-30 · City Council · Transcript · Work Session Meeting

--- title: July 30 2019 Work Session Meeting date: 2019-07-30 source: 2019-07-30_July_30_2019_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:01:06, 0:01:11]: What we're waiting for the clerk. We can't start we we can't we can't start a meeting until we have a clerk. [0:01:12, 0:01:15]: Just like we can't start a meeting, we don't have we don't have an attorney either. But we have we have to have the clerk. [0:01:22, 0:01:25]: Mm-hmm. [0:01:50, 0:01:56]: Sorry for the delay, folks. But uh honestly we can't start a meeting unless we have a clerk a session a clerk here, so wait for the clerk to come back. [0:04:14, 0:04:15]: Yeah. [0:05:36, 0:05:37]: Oh you know. [0:06:24, 0:06:27]: [388.6, 391.6]: Awesome. [0:06:33, 0:06:34]: Yeah. [0:07:16, 0:07:17]: And I'm just taking the wrong. [0:07:39, 0:07:41]: You're referring to the the resolution? Is that what you're referring to? [0:07:47, 0:07:50]: All right, so be it. [0:07:51, 0:07:59]: Very clear. Okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen, sorry for the delay. Uh this is our council work session, July thirtieth. I have six [0:08:00, 0:08:02]: 15. We are in order. [0:08:02, 0:08:06]: Please stand for the invocation. Miss Milder Reed, please. [0:08:19, 0:08:20]: Good evening. [0:08:20, 0:08:24]: Holy Spirit, I thank you for your presence here today with us. [0:08:24, 0:08:25]: Mm. [0:08:34, 0:08:40]: Known among each one of us and made the business discussed we all [0:08:41, 0:08:42]: Focus. [0:08:42, 0:08:50]: Clear and concise. We ask you to thank you for those who are not here, those who are on their way. And this we ask. [0:08:51, 0:08:53]: Amen. [0:08:54, 0:09:05]: I pledge allegiance allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [0:09:10, 0:09:12]: Madam Clerk, roll call, please. [0:09:12, 0:09:15]: Councilman Thomas. Right. [0:09:16, 0:09:24]: Present. Mayor Ford. Present. Councilwoman Gantt. Present. Councilman Alexander. Present. Councilwoman Robinson. Present. Mayor Ford, you have a quorum. Thank you, ma'am. [0:09:25, 0:09:34]: Council, I ha I need a motion to adopt the agenda, but I have a s I have a suggestion here. Uh I'd like to have someone second this if they could. Um [0:09:34, 0:09:41]: I want to amend the agenda for discussion purposes. I have an update on welcoming the America, one region update there. [0:09:41, 0:09:44]: And it involves uh a potential dinner. [0:09:44, 0:09:49]: Uh that would involve Merle Manor's Conference Center. I want you you have an idea whether or not you accept that or not. [0:09:50, 0:09:51]: That's one thing. Also [0:09:51, 0:09:58]: On the thirteenth of August, we have a scheduled uh meeting with uh legislative update with Senators Jones and Strickland. [0:09:58, 0:10:03]: And that's also scheduled right now for mural manners, but I wanna make sure that that is also approved by you all. [0:10:03, 0:10:23]: And then the third uh um in a sense the third one uh would be the uh resolution uh for discussion purposes involving uh uh Cochrane Park. Can I if I can yes, two more items. I'm sorry, two more items. To remove the police um quarterly report because they were not able to [0:10:23, 0:10:41]: to get it to us due to their technical difficulties and also the economic development report. Okay. And which so both those reports are in our in our book now, but they just won't be presented tonight. Yes, I need a second please. Mayor. Yes, yes ma'am. I would like to make a motion. Wait a minute. I I made a motion. I made a motion right. Okay. [0:10:42, 0:10:57]: You can I didn't know you can make a motion. Well, I I made a recommendation. I made a recommendation. Mr. Alexander actually went with that motion. Okay, so it needs a second, I guess, in this aspect. Okay. Mayor, I would like to also include a discussion about a resolution for personnel matters. [0:10:58, 0:11:06]: to discuss that uh for personnel matters to discuss it openly versus in versus having an executive session for personnel matters, which we typically do. [0:11:06, 0:11:10]: Yes. I see. It's just a resolution that's being read. [0:11:11, 0:11:16]: A resolution being read without discussion in the second sega. Yes. I see. [0:11:19, 0:11:26]: All right. Spin second it. So that's that's about five different items that are on that particular um amendment. [0:11:26, 0:11:46]: Okay, but but Mr. Alexander made the original motion. Yeah, right. So that was that's been amended. Can we amend it that way? When uh I guess uh that's right's a good point. Can we amend it that way? Because he did make the I I made a suggestion. He took the motion and it was had to be it had to be seconded, but it wasn't seconded. She added something else. [0:11:46, 0:12:05]: to it. Okay. Amendments. The first amendment that covered the things that you were covering and then do a separate amendment that Okay. All right. So on the first one that dealt with uh four different items, I think it was five different items in reference to the agenda itself. All right. [0:12:05, 0:12:07]: And so I made a suggestion that [0:12:08, 0:12:11]: Alexander took that motion so that piece needs to be seconded. Is that correct? [0:12:12, 0:12:18]: Second. Okay, there's a second. Okay. Um then on that note, then all in favor of that motion please indicate. [0:12:19, 0:12:32]: Okay. Three, four, okay, all okay five. So let me do this then. This let's m make sure I add these on. This is all discussion purposes. So we'll make number seven, dealing with welcoming America. [0:12:32, 0:12:40]: Number eight, we'll talk about uh this legislative update uh with the senators Jones and Strickland. [0:12:43, 0:12:56]: Okay. Um we got that, that, and then uh what it okay the resolution. We'll make that number nine. That deals with Cochrane Park. [0:12:58, 0:13:05]: And then actually and what we're doing is we're taking off two items d two items which will be the actual um [0:13:05, 0:13:17]: Public safety, right? That's Henry that's number one under three that's one that's three one and three through uh three four. Right. Three four. Three four three one and three four come off. You have those inf that information in the packet. [0:13:17, 0:13:26]: All right, and that aspect. Okay. So that we've done that. And so you have an additional uh uh agenda item then, okay. [0:13:26, 0:13:27]: And I have one as well. [0:13:29, 0:13:33]: Okay. All right, geez. Um go right here, please. [0:13:33, 0:13:41]: I well, I I would like to make a motion to amend the agenda to include a personnel matter a resolution for personnel matter. [0:13:41, 0:13:43]: Okay, resolution personnel matter. [0:13:43, 0:13:45]: All right. Um [0:13:46, 0:13:47]: And that's been seconded. [0:13:48, 0:13:48]: Okay. [0:13:50, 0:13:58]: I mean I I say again, I don't tell I thought typically we we deal with this in executive sessions. Is that is not the proper way to do this in this aspect? [0:14:01, 0:14:04]: Yeah, no, you could just you use the mic right there, sir. [0:14:05, 0:14:07]: They oh I'm sorry, yeah right there. Um [0:14:08, 0:14:28]: Mayor, I think yeah I think it's the will of the council as to how that's done. I obviously the motion is bare bones, it's just as to personnel. Okay. Um I I think you may want to provide a little more explanation as to to what that is. Um and then it's the will of the council of whether you want to do that in executive session um or whether you want to do that in in Hope Meet. [0:14:29, 0:14:49]: Okay. Um you can also seek my counsel as to whether this is something that w whatever the topic is, whether whether that is conducive or really should be executive session. Um and what I what I know about what I think the councilwoman is suggesting is I would say [0:14:49, 0:14:50]: Yeah, it does not have to be a little bit more than that. [0:14:51, 0:14:58]: Executive session. Okay. So be it. All right. All in favor of the motion, please indicate. [0:14:59, 0:15:13]: Ready, all favor? All opposed? All right. It's gonna be added. So that that comes down to C. So that is going to be number 10, I would think. Okay. [0:15:19, 0:15:39]: All right. And you s and I believe you said sir is something else. Yes, I have a really important issue, not something trivial. Um I have a really important issue. We're dealing with um the Cochrane Park here in Stockbridge. Oh, my God. [0:15:39, 0:15:53]: We already did that. We already did that. Okay, okay, okay. I'm sorry I didn't hear you say that part. I'm sorry. All right. Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't hear that part. I heard the other part. [0:15:54, 0:16:06]: Okay. They needed to be they have a meeting to be at at seven o'clock. Well what [0:16:06, 0:16:26]: What what we have we have a a a program here. We got an agenda. We're gonna follow our agenda. We just added things to the agenda. Those items are gonna be added at the end, part of the discussion purposes. Discussions at the end. Right. I just want to just point out that they're here. I I I got that, but uh but we have an order that we're gonna follow here. On that note, um those items are done. So we have reviewed the minutes of the following meetings. [0:16:26, 0:16:36]: Uh there'll be the meeting on uh 6th 10, June 10th, 2019, which will be the council meeting and the council work session on the 26th of June 2019. [0:16:37, 0:16:40]: Take a look at those. If there are any updates or changes, we'll make those. If not. [0:16:41, 0:16:44]: Next time we get together for a council meeting we'll go ahead and prove those. [0:16:44, 0:16:50]: And so what I have now are public comments and we have a couple of public comments I will say. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay. [0:16:50, 0:16:56]: I want want to note that all persons wishing to make public comments must sign in city clerk prior to the beginning of the meeting. [0:16:56, 0:16:58]: Must sign your name, address and phone number. [0:16:59, 0:17:04]: be able to address the mayor of the council in for three minutes. Speakers must respect the members of the elected body. [0:17:04, 0:17:05]: Офішул за став. [0:17:05, 0:17:08]: Defination, unruliness, swearing will not be tolerated while [0:17:09, 0:17:12]: The meeting is a session that goes for everybody in the council that speaks. [0:17:12, 0:17:15]: And so on the first person to speak on um [0:17:15, 0:17:25]: Um comments is Miss Mildred Reed. Miss Reed, go right please. Good evening, my name is Mildred Reed at 530 quick view overload. I want to know what some enthusiasts do. [0:17:26, 0:17:30]: Thank you, Mayor and the Council, for working on a long-term [0:17:30, 0:17:50]: Desire of establishing a youth and senior center in Stockbridge. We the citizens have been asking for a center for a number of years, and it seems like we're being finally being heard. When you when we're preparing for this um town hall meeting at Smith Barnes, it appears to me. [0:17:50, 0:17:58]: That you're heading in the right direction. And of course, we're hoping the plans for the center will be finalized soon. [0:17:59, 0:18:19]: I have a second item unrelated. It has to do, it's been brought to my attention that Cochran uh Commissioner Bruce Holmes has given Cochrane Park over to the city of Stockbridge at no cost. I don't know if that's true, but it was brought to me by another commissioner. What does this mean in terms of cost to fix the sewer problem? [0:18:18, 0:18:32]: and the general road maintenance of the park. Has anyone researched, anyone in the city, researched to see when the last sewer system and road work had been prepared or had been done by Commissioner Roosevelt's. [0:18:32, 0:18:45]: Um that's it. Thank you. Okay, thank you. And I would tell you that uh that's a malicious rumor that we we don't have Cochrane Park. Cochrane Park belongs to the county. And I will say to you that uh because of that we don't have access to any type of repair [0:18:46, 0:18:52]: bills or anything alongs that we haven't asked for that we haven't been given to us and they have never been been offered to us as far as I can recall. [0:18:53, 0:19:00]: Okay, now if if that's something in the future, will the council have to take that up along with advi advisement from the staff and whether or not makes it feasible for us to even remotely do that? [0:19:01, 0:19:02]: Okay. Okay. Thank you. [0:19:04, 0:19:05]: Mr. Craig Powell. [0:19:05, 0:19:09]: Ms. Cow, come on up and got three minutes, sir. Name and address, please. [0:19:17, 0:19:25]: Uh yeah, some my name is Craig Powell and my n address is um three forty Ninela Drive, Stockbridge, Georgia. Good deal, thank you. [0:19:27, 0:19:47]: Okay, um basically I'm here just to um just to ask the city if they can just you know come to a resolution with the county to save our park, Cochrane Park, because um is uh I'm I'm kind of here on the behalf of uh all the the kids of uh Stockbridge and the parents and Mr. Bill Gray. [0:19:47, 0:20:07]: One of the, I mean Bill Savage, one of the ones who he kind of baseball forefather around here, him and Mr. Cochrane. And he he gave me a list of things that Mr. Cochran himself, he, he, he, he wanted done before he passed away. And um, I'm here to [0:20:07, 0:20:16]: See, can we just come to a resolution to keep the part? And uh let me uh carry on what Mr. Cochran intended for the youth in a stop bridge. [0:20:16, 0:20:17]: Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. [0:20:20, 0:20:20]: Mm. [0:20:25, 0:20:30]: Michael and I'm sorry I can't read the last name. Okay, thank you. [0:20:31, 0:20:32]: Name and address, please, sir. [0:20:39, 0:20:48]: Hello, I'm Michael Parrish, address one four four Ventura Trail, Stockbridge, Georgia, three oh two eighty one. I'm here on the same behalf, Mr. Craig Powell. Um [0:20:50, 0:20:56]: I'll try to make it brief. Um we are we here for the kids and we really feel like we have been railroading a smoke screen at Cochrane Park. [0:20:57, 0:21:17]: And I gotta mention the name is Mr. Bruce Holmes. Um we I've been in Carkin Park for eight years and Mr. Craig also been there eight years. And um my son played there and my son no longer played there, but I still coach there. And we have a program and a commitment I feel to the kids. But we been taken away. [0:21:17, 0:21:37]: We was asked to go play a Hidden Valley Park, which is we have no relationship with Hidden Valley Park. Our relationship is right here with Stockbridge. And all we want to do is have a program for the kids, and we have a ministry there. We not only do baseball, we do have a ministry there for the kids. We take kids around, we take them to um different places. [0:21:37, 0:21:50]: They come to my house for barbecues. We do stuff outside the park. We even go on vacation together. It's a lot of parents in Stockbridge depend on myself and Mr. Powell along with other coaches there. We have uh 19 teams there. [0:21:50, 0:22:10]: Uh Hidden Valley only have four teams there. Why would you close a park that's producing income and revenue to move us to a park that don't have, don't even have a baseball program? But again, we love baseball. We also there for the kids. And like Mr. Craig asked, I'm only asking, could the city of Stockbridge and the county come to some type of resolution to keep this park open? [0:22:10, 0:22:18]: Open. A lot of kids depend on us, other than baseball. I probably fed this week five family kids myself out of my pocket. [0:22:18, 0:22:35]: If you guys know who was sire is you can ask him about it. I don't ask him for no money. The program do have money, but I feel like if I give it for my heart, I get it back down the road. And Mr. Powell does the same thing. It's not about me. I got nothing to gain here. Mr. Powell don't either. I have a business in Henry County. [0:22:36, 0:22:56]: I take my funds and I'm blessed with it and I do stuff with kids. Even with baseball practice, myself and I know Mr. Powell too. We pay out of our pocket and I can prove it to you to get the kids to practice. I have one child that the state took from the mom and the dad. His grandmother raised him. His grandmother called me every week and tell me how much. [0:22:56, 0:22:57]: idea for her kid. [0:22:58, 0:23:08]: I feel like I didn't do a lot. I kept the kid out of trouble and told him, hey, it's other things to do besides commit crime. And I asked Mr. Holmes, you uproot all these kids, what they gonna do? [0:23:08, 0:23:14]: We knocking at your door, kicking in your door, trying to steal a TV, trying to steal something stuff from Krogis and Publix. [0:23:14, 0:23:17]: And I gotta be honest, he looked at me and told me. [0:23:17, 0:23:18]: It ain't my problem. [0:23:19, 0:23:20]: I'm being honest with you. [0:23:21, 0:23:22]: I have a mum and a dad. [0:23:23, 0:23:24]: And for him to say that [0:23:25, 0:23:26]: I'm lost about it. [0:23:26, 0:23:29]: But you say you here for the kids, but his steps not [0:23:30, 0:23:31]: Not aligning with his talk. [0:23:32, 0:23:36]: He tell you one thing and do something else. And he upset with me and Mr. Powell right now. [0:23:36, 0:23:56]: But I don't care about that. He upset with the city of Stockbridge, but I don't care about that either. I told him straight up, man to man, I'm sorry. It's about the kids. He said, Okay. Appreciate it, sir. Thank you. We need some help. That's all I asked for. Thank you, sir. Thank you for your time. Take a look, definitely take a look into this. All right. Thank you. All right, any more comments? Mr. Robert Kolpak. [0:23:56, 0:23:57]: Okay. [0:24:02, 0:24:18]: Good evening, May Mayor and Council. Evening. I uh also on the Cochrane Park. This is Hidden Valley Park. This is uh Bruce Holmes's district, right outside Hidden Valley where our seniors go. This is one of his buildings that he he uh did not take care of, simil similar to Cochrane Park. [0:24:18, 0:24:27]: This is a building at 1035. They burned down. They said it it was a flood damage. I can show you extensive pictures. It was it was a uh a roof damage. Obviously, you can see. [0:24:27, 0:24:28]: There's some roof damage. [0:24:30, 0:24:47]: My problem with the the county on that is they they spent all the money in Village Park, didn't spend any money in Stockbridge. I don't have a problem with Village Park, but eight million dollars could have been split between Hidden Valley and Cochrane Park. There is three to four inches drop off between the basketball goal and the dirt. [0:24:47, 0:24:50]: If anybody younger days, we slam dunked. [0:24:50, 0:25:10]: We're gonna break an ankle. And our young guys are over there. He's worried about a lawsuit at this Cochrane Park, but he's not worried about taking care of our our kids or our our people. Now I'm at Salem Baptist. I'm I'm a coach there. And the bonus to that is we did it because TJ was three. He's five now. We're not sure what kind of ball player he's gonna be, so we went Christian and good values, but [0:25:10, 0:25:18]: But we are looking for another park and one of them was Cochrane. History's twenty, thirty years. Have a lot of friends who were there and it's a good, good run program. [0:25:18, 0:25:22]: But if it's closed, I wouldn't go to Hidden Valley for the way it looks. [0:25:22, 0:25:35]: And it kind of goes into one other. I put a C click fix up. It says sent me an email back. Thirty-one days, nothing's been done with something. Now that's not the that's not hidden valley. That's our properties here. [0:25:35, 0:25:38]: But we got a property at one o seven Flippin' Road. [0:25:38, 0:25:40]: That's a council is a [0:25:41, 0:26:01]: What is it, a county uh commissioner that doesn't take care of her property? Uh I've talked to your your c code enforcement people and they have said that there's uh she's made it very difficult putting do not just do not trespass signs out. And I just wonder, she made a comment at the last meeting that we all were at. She said, I've been trying to call the city and I've been emailing, but nobody's called. [0:26:01, 0:26:02]: Call me back. [0:26:02, 0:26:14]: Well, if one oh seven and one oh six any indication of how she runs our area or her houses, that's a sh it's a crying shame. We deserve a little better. These cars, this this van's been there forever. [0:26:15, 0:26:17]: Houses overgrown and dilapidated. [0:26:17, 0:26:37]: And my problem with that is that she should set the standard. But the city, when I go to see ClickFix app for the city, there's nothing to say I can do anything for reporting a dilapidated property. I can say something about grass, I can say cars, but then if they put the property, she puts a trespass sign, it cuts your code enforcement guys out. And I've talked to Office. [0:26:37, 0:26:41]: Officer Maddox he knows all about it. [0:26:42, 0:26:50]: She's been very difficult to deal with. Officer Bennett or Burnett, who's brand new, she said she had no idea of the past history. And I just question [0:26:50, 0:27:04]: Y'all that, you know, as a commissioner that's puts uh property up on uh flipping road, small houses, she's trying to she's trying to inundate our properties like this in my area, which is uh right outside of city limits and in the city. [0:27:05, 0:27:25]: Or outside the city, we need a little help with all the commissioners. Thank you. Thank you so appreciate it. Right. I'll get information directly from the gentleman about those particular addresses. I will uh later on during my [0:27:25, 0:27:26]: I'll talk a little bit about the [0:27:27, 0:27:43]: uh our nuisance abatement program uh that obviously was started and we've addressed a couple of properties, dilapidated structures. And I'll talk a little bit more about that uh in my comments as well. But I'll get the information from the gentleman and we'll follow up and and report back to you. All right. Thank you. On that [0:27:43, 0:27:50]: No no further comment. Okay. Good. On that note then presentations, uh quarter second quarter uh presentations and the first one up actually is the [0:27:51, 0:27:52]: Starbury Youth Council. [0:27:55, 0:27:56]: Starburg Youth Council? [0:27:58, 0:28:13]: Okay. Don't see uh Miss Harvey here. Apparently sh obviously she's not here. So in lieu of that, um I'll probably ask that um an opportunity be provided at the next work session for that particular update to be provided. [0:28:15, 0:28:22]: Okay, sir. I I would uh think the council's all right with that next up next time. Yes, okay. So be it. Uh yes, sir. [0:28:22, 0:28:32]: If I may object, uh I spoke with Mrs. Harbor and she did indicate that um open house for her kids and she made the race. [0:28:34, 0:28:45]: All right. Uh I would imagine it w okay. Well thank you for that. Appreciate it. Okay. Okay, then on the next thing would actually be downtown development uh authority brief. Update. [0:28:48, 0:28:48]: D D A? [0:28:49, 0:29:05]: Oh m Raoul's not here. Okay. Um m Mr. Clark's not here, but being that I'm on the um D DA board, I don't have a report in front of me. I can tell you that we are excited about renovating or um [0:29:06, 0:29:26]: Finding a way to utilize the fire station at this time. Um that was something that we talked about at our last DDA meeting. We have a conference coming up in uh Jekyll and we also have um some other projects and different things that we're looking at in regards to [0:29:26, 0:29:36]: development. Um I can't really go any further than that, but um we are excited about where we're headed. That's about all I can say right now. [0:29:38, 0:29:41]: All right. Um Do we have questions, man? Uh yes, sir. What's the question? [0:29:42, 0:30:02]: Yes, uh in reference to the DDA, uh I just want to know a little bit more about what's going on with the DDA and their application and their support of the RSVP program uh that was uh revealed by Main Street. Uh I haven't seen [0:30:01, 0:30:21]: a lot of partnership and I have not seen any specific um overtures uh from the DDA to the art to the uh Main Street program in support of the RSDP program. Can you talk about the interaction between the two uh entities [0:30:21, 0:30:33]: and how we might be able to get this partnership working so we can have the DDA assist the Main Street in moving the downtown development forward. [0:30:35, 0:30:47]: Well, uh there's a couple of things. I think that the D DA although the D D A and Main Street are two separate entities, um, based off of prior discussions and trainings, the D DA [0:30:48, 0:31:08]: Usually has a a larger portion of the downtown and Main Street has a specific purpose, which is the Main Street area. We do plan on working together. We received a letter from um Main Street in regards to some of their concerns about the RSVP after they heard that we were receiving the fire station. Um that was a brief. [0:31:08, 0:31:28]: Brief discussion, but nothing was we the response was is that they will get a response in return. Um having said that, they we did discuss a possibility of a joint meeting with Main Street to discuss some of the projects that we can start working on. [0:31:28, 0:31:48]: We're excited about what has taken place with the demolition of the police station. And we're also excited about the alleyway project. However, we also are looking at what we're trying to determine now, what we are the first building, our model building is the final building. [0:31:47, 0:31:59]: fire station and what that will look like and what that will entail. And so right now we just recently started talking about it and I'm pretty sure it'll probably be on our next agenda. [0:31:59, 0:32:19]: Okay, so follow up, sir, if I could. Now we've been talk huh? Go right in. Uh we've been talking about these projects for quite some time now. Uh we've been talking about them for years, as a matter of fact. So can you tell me specifically one project that uh the DDA has moved forward in the last [0:32:19, 0:32:39]: two years or is about to move forward with uh and with a timetable on that particular uh discussion. There's been a lot of talk about we're going to do this or we're going to do that, but there has not been any action uh forthcoming to support those initiatives and [0:32:39, 0:32:59]: moving things forward because uh we uh don't have uh any substantial uh development in downtown and uh is there is there's could you talk about your process let me summarize that your process and then what [0:32:59, 0:33:06]: A specific project that you or the the DDA is moving forward as council representative? [0:33:06, 0:33:26]: Well, we're moving forward with the fire station. Um, and we just recently got that. Um, I don't think it's actually the deed hasn't been drafted as of yet to even deed over the property. And so we are now now that we we got the graces of and the council voted to allow the D DA to [0:33:26, 0:33:46]: Have that property, that is our one of our first projects. We have a facade grant. It's been awarded to two small businesses that are located on our main street area. And we also are discussing what and we also hired a broker. [0:33:46, 0:33:48]: to look at [0:33:48, 0:34:02]: um different properties in the area and what we could do on whether or not we would develop as a hold or would they piecemeal, there are certain things that we have to do. There's some things I cannot disclose. But [0:34:03, 0:34:10]: Um, neither here nor there, I think that we're on the right track. I think that the one [0:34:10, 0:34:30]: it you know for it although the DDA has been established and and then had to be re-established, we were in a position where we had to wait on what mayor and council wanted in regards to and we actually waited on the RSVP approval at some point. Once we got the RSVP [0:34:30, 0:34:50]: We also talked about putting a mural up. We did talk with Main Street about doing that as a combined effort. We had waited on that for a while. We really didn't get any more feedback on that. So that's something that we may need to follow back up on. There was some options that were laid out. [0:34:50, 0:34:57]: possibilities. And so that may be one of the joint efforts. But for now we're focusing in on [0:34:58, 0:35:18]: Um I know for a fact that we're focusing in on the fire station and other possibilities of development in downtown. We're also speaking to and meeting with certain business owners from restaurants to breweries to coffee shops, you name it, about potentially putting their [0:35:18, 0:35:25]: stores in our downtown area and a lot of people want to see um [0:35:26, 0:35:46]: Skin in the game. So what they want to see is, you know, the promise being kept of an amphitheater. And I believe that once that promise is kept, there'll be additional increase of talking. Um we've said that the amphitheater is coming up. Um we know that it will be breaking ground soon soon. I believe in the middle of um [0:35:46, 0:36:06]: Um August, but when we keep agri we were advertising it way back last year, and so people are kind of waiting to see where we are with that okay for their investments. Final question. Now you mentioned the fire station and uh uh the council deeding over the fire station to uh [0:36:06, 0:36:26]: uh the DDA. Uh and you've discussed at previous updates because Mr. Clark was not here at the previous update that we were talking to these restaurants and we were talking to these developers and we had developers that were in hand. What how long can the citizens expect to [0:36:26, 0:36:32]: to wait to have a permanent end user in the fire station or any building in downtown. [0:36:32, 0:36:41]: I'm gonna let um Miss Moore answer that question in regards to some of those issues and some of these things we just can't discuss. [0:36:41, 0:36:42]: Mm-hmm. [0:36:45, 0:37:05]: Uh good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening. Uh I just want to share a little bit about uh DDA Main Streets and the development process. I guess since I'm here. What is the chicken? What is the egg? Community development is the driving force for both Main Street and DDA. In talking from a playing perspective, [0:37:05, 0:37:07]: Вот стафаз лук та. [0:37:07, 0:37:10]: is asked what do we think that site should be. [0:37:11, 0:37:31]: Councilman, uh it's our opinion that the site should be raised. That means with the amphitheater. Remember initially you guys talked about two things. How do we give space for the Main Street? How do you give space for the DDA? And how do you bring commercial and retail in [0:37:30, 0:37:33]: space that accommodates all. [0:37:33, 0:37:39]: So as you know, that building footprint right now cannot accommodate that. [0:37:39, 0:37:59]: So what staff has done based on the need for space for Main Street, the space for DDA, and to accommodate multiple restaurants, it's our opinion that the building should be dropped. And in the process of dropping it, because right now you're dealing with a structure that's one and a half stories and it can't fit everybody. [0:37:59, 0:38:19]: So, how do you fit everybody? You drop it and you come up with a first-class structure that gives Main Street office, the DDA office space, and then on the bottom floor, you deal with a number of commercial restaurants at the bottom, and then also include additional office space to rent. [0:38:19, 0:38:39]: At the top. Now that is that has been our review within the last 30 to 40 days. What is the best and practical use for the site that gives Main Street a home, DDA a home, and at the same time allows the commercial, because as you know, you said specifically. [0:38:39, 0:38:59]: You wanted some activity when the amphitheater came up. So, what we tried to think about was Councilman Alexander said that he wanted restaurants in this area. So, what would be our first niche on that? Well, your first niche is on what you own. And so for us, we feel that that is a perfect partnership between. [0:38:59, 0:39:07]: The DDA, the Main Street, and the City, in terms of building a first-class building that can accommodate all those uses. [0:39:07, 0:39:27]: Now how you get to that process? The way you get to that process is one, once you've deeded that over, then the development authority at that point in time would look at how they would go about financing that particular construction of a new building once they've gathered the renderings and all of that. [0:39:27, 0:39:29]: it will fall over in our shop. [0:39:29, 0:39:49]: So uh a couple I'm sorry, that just kinda opened up a couple of other things. If I could. Uh uh this uh what you've described to me totally conflicts with the RSVP plan because that does not have that building being raised. It has the anchor building on uh on Burke Street. And then we talked about having historic [0:39:49, 0:39:50]: Preservation committee. [0:39:50, 0:39:55]: to save such buildings because so much of downtown has been destroyed. [0:39:55, 0:40:15]: So uh at this point you're saying that the staff is recommending demolishing well the historic. What what you asked us to do a year ago was do an assessment of that building of whether or not it was worth saving. Mm-hmm. That's what we did. And it really is better that you drop it than to save it, because the only thing worth on that building is the frame. [0:40:15, 0:40:35]: And we gave you that analysis when it was done. We told you that nothing could be saved on that building other than steel. Okay that you had to gut it. So it was our recommendation back then if all you if you're going to gut it and all you're gonna have is the steel beams, would it not make more sense at this point to [0:40:34, 0:40:54]: To take down the beams because she can't save anything else, save the doors because you want to bring back the character that it was a firehouse. You bring back those doors, give it some semblance of what it used to be, and then since then somebody's run into the building. So, you know, there's there's not much left that [0:40:54, 0:41:14]: That you can save other than your framing. And the cost when we did that, based on to gut it and tear it down, you were talking about almost a hundred thousand dollars. Well, if you're gonna spend a hundred thousand dollars, you might as well put that hundred thousand dollars at this point on a new building. Again, I know what the RSVP said, but you sent us to do an assessment. [0:41:14, 0:41:34]: Of the building to whether or not we can save it. And I gave you that assessment at that point in time. Since that time, there has been a real need for Bain Street to have an office, DDA to have office, and you keep saying restaurants. Well, if the majority of the building needs to be gutted and all you have left is the frame, how you [0:41:34, 0:41:54]: going to accommodate that because what you're talking about you're still building a structure because if you gut it and all you have is a frame you're still going to have to have architectural designs that rewraps around that frame and if you rewrap around that frame you're still back with the floor heated area of what you got now. [0:41:54, 0:42:14]: Well, I would just say that that is that the RSB Pen P plan that we saw, the building was not completely demolished. It looked very similar to what we see today. I might have done a little bit something maybe quietly a little bit different on the outside, maybe a little bit brick or something on the outside. But that plan, from what I thought [0:42:14, 0:42:34]: We helped finance it. They helped finance it. That was going to be something that's buildable for us so that we could move through with it. So what? This council voted to support the RSVP plan. So this is the first that I'm hearing. I think that I think you you you're talking about two different [0:42:34, 0:42:54]: Different things. One you're talking about a concept of what you approve, two you're talking about physics what's on the ground and what you can save. Okay. And what I'm telling you, you can take all the concepts and wonderful pictures in the world, but what you got on the ground is that you've got a building that's the only thing worth saving is the steel beams. [0:42:54, 0:43:14]: Mm-hmm. That's what I'm telling you. That's what you got today. So you have to figure out, understanding what you got and your concept, how do you marry those two? The only way that you can marry those two is that you're still gonna have to rebuild something. You're gonna have to gut it, because you based on what we found, you've got to gut it. [0:43:14, 0:43:25]: it and then after you gut it what do you do with it? Do you leave leave the steel beam beams and then wrap something new around it or do you drop the steel beams and then come up with something new? [0:43:25, 0:43:45]: I mean I'm you you're talking an apple and an orange. Well what I'm talking about is looking at uh what I saw on this RSVP plan that had uh a design inside, a basic design inside of it, uh actually moving forward with that. And then um, you know, not uh destroying the [0:43:45, 0:44:05]: the building incomplete because it looked what I saw looked very much like what we could do. Now I haven't seen this assessment that you're talking about because council has not seen it. I gave you those numbers once Abbott did it. But again I I want to separate the two. But did I d did that report say the building need to be demolished? I don't call it [0:44:05, 0:44:25]: I sent you the figures and made a recommendation for you guys to your right, right. That was your recommendation based off of that. But that uh what I'm saying physically, it did not say the building needed to be physically taken down. It's no my report told you that only thing that was worth remaining was the steel beans. Right. That's what she's been saying on that. So [0:44:25, 0:44:45]: [2685.4, 2705.4]: I basically said that when we're having um presentations like the mayor, he's doing presentations, the concept is what we're showing. So I wanted to know because that is what I knew that we approved, even if you have to tear it down, or we can continue with the concept. That's what was in my mind. Now for as with the DDA, what the app [0:45:05, 0:45:25]: approval that was voted on with consensus basically was stating something different for a limited time frame. Um but I didn't know that this was gonna be something totally different. Um so that's why I asked the question. Um and secondly um I will say that I hear a lot of [0:45:25, 0:45:45]: council um representatives and staff given these reports, we appointed board members to this who are comprised of community, um business leaders in our community. I would like to hear from them. Um so I guess mayor, I guess that is a question. How are we um to standing standing [0:45:45, 0:46:05]: No no, how are we standing on four is just um presentations of um the leadership? Right. Um so like to say if the chair was here, then if so, he can answer the questions and then bring you up. Um so that's why I said that was my second part. So outside of that, um but uh the main thing again [0:46:05, 0:46:25]: Was just the concept. Because people when we show the video, um, that is exactly what we see. So I just want to know if we're gonna stay with the concept. I I can't answer that. What I will tell you Well that's that's what concepts are just that. Well con no concepts are concepts. What what we do is we deal with facts. I I'm just being for real. Well [0:46:25, 0:46:45]: That's right with a future concept. But what I'm standing here to tell you is what you got on the ground. Right. So I guess, and I understand what you're saying is more. Okay. Um, we have to make that decision. Um and that's where I think [0:46:45, 0:47:01]: think the problem is because we have not as a council, mayor and council made that decision because again, I'm just going back to presentations that the mayor is showing th with council for quality growth, Henry County, everywhere we go, that is what we're showing. [0:47:01, 0:47:15]: Um so if that is something that's gonna change, we just need to make that decision so that way we can move forward. Um And can I add for a development perspective, don't ever get stuck on a concept. If somebody c well no l let me just share this with you. [0:47:15, 0:47:16]: Um [0:47:16, 0:47:36]: Councilman Robinson. What concept does it sets a vision. But if I as Camilla Moore come in and buy every stick or piece of property over there, I own that property. I can try to honor your concept, but at the end of the day, I can take you to court and say, that's my property. Right. And so what I want you to understand is that concept. [0:47:36, 0:47:52]: Right. And the city has a responsibility to stay as tight with that vision as possible. But you need to understand that if somebody comes in and buy that entire block in the back, they'll look at your concept. [0:47:52, 0:48:07]: Okay. But then you gotta adhere to it. Right. I understand what you're saying, but I want you to understand it takes the mayor and council to make those changes. So it takes staff to bring that back to us so we'll be updated.'Cause right now [0:48:07, 0:48:27]: I wasn't updated on the concept change. I understand that there's a vision that you put in place, but if it changes, then we need to it needs to come back. Because if not, we're out here presenting and I'm forwarding. This is what it's gonna look like. But if not, I will stop doing that and say there's gonna be some changes and this is not [0:48:27, 0:48:42]: not what we're looking at. This is where I would present it to the public, just like you did with your LCI. All of you are familiar with that. Now we all know the story of the LCI, right? Right. We all know there was a concept, right? Right. And we all know that that concept that you approve is not the concept that you have coming on ground, right? [0:48:42, 0:49:02]: Right? Because when you actually get to building a vision, your concept may or may not exist. So what I would share when you're out there in the public was say, you know what, this is our LCI uh dream vision, this is our Main Street vision. All of these are conceptual. This is what the community said they would like to see. [0:49:02, 0:49:22]: Most people who have done these, because all cities do them, they clearly understand that they're concepts, which means at the end of the day, when groundbreak, things change, you assemble properties and they come in with different visions, that different things happen. And I think most people understand that, I mean, go, you were, who was here for the LCI? [0:49:22, 0:49:42]: I went through two different versions of that. And yet we're not with the concept when we break ground next month, right? So I think people understand that your concept is where you want to go. But at the end of the day, I would say you don't have to change anything. Because the concept for the RSVP was very broad, it didn't deal with densities. [0:49:42, 0:50:02]: It showed three and four-story buildings. It showed people walking. That one building, I think people are focusing a lot on that corner lot. Right. But it was a part of a big master plan as related to an RSVP. And what I'm saying, I think people know that at the end of the day, that as long as the vision of the RSVP. [0:50:02, 0:50:22]: SVP stays clear that you have a thriving downtown, which is a live, work, and play. How that looks at the end of the day is really going to boil down to who owned what parcels and what those people do with those parcels. Our concern was that Main Street needs a place to go. The DDA needs a place to go. [0:50:22, 0:50:23]: Mm-hmm. [0:50:23, 0:50:36]: We're saying that we need restaurants downtown to come up when the amphitheater come up. So from a planning perspective, we felt that even though that concept was a one-story building. [0:50:37, 0:50:47]: But can't we do something better than the concept? Can't we do something that makes sure that Main Street has a home, the DDA has a home, and then you have restaurants there. [0:50:47, 0:51:07]: And and you're absolutely right. And I'm gonna leave it with this, Mayor, communicate. Okay. Because that way we'll all know um and we won't have this lengthy discussion. Um because the way I looked at it is if Main Street had RSV p plan that we paid in, GMA put in as well, um [0:51:07, 0:51:27]: That's what I went with. Okay. So if there's any changes, because we um have the the zoning um and I don't want to say that we had a fire station and then we changed it into something totally um out of what we just decided on. So it's just a communication piece, and I think it will eliminate this. [0:51:27, 0:51:47]: If you communicate with everybody, and then we'll have it. Right. Thank you. And how we got involved was that I think James came back and asked for me to pull the assessment. And I pulled the assessment and I basically shared with him what I had sent to you guys that this point it's not worth saving because the only thing that was worth saving was the steel beams. And if you look at if all you can [0:51:47, 0:52:07]: got the steel beans left, why not maximize that spot to make sure that Main Street with EDA and restaurants and other offices go in the space? And that's just a planning perspective, right? That's what I shared with him. And so thank you. One second before you go. On that note, since uh and I have briefed the concept of course several [0:52:07, 0:52:27]: different times have different briefings and I understand on that. But I understand also the assessment that you did at the ground level indicated that it wasn't really worth saving. So the concept can still provide, they'll still be there. You just if you and you can tweak it. And of course as we go through the process, the the council will be able to to see that and we able to understand that as we go down this road. So it's it's [0:52:27, 0:52:47]: It's about communication obviously, but I'm no, you're not jumping the gun. I think the concept is still there. You know, it doesn't make sense to say to build it. Obviously, if you want what we want there, you're gonna have to expand it and and make it stronger and better and and accommodate everything that we have. But anyway, I just need to say that. Yes, ma'am, go right ahead, please. And and Mayor, Mr. Touchston's not here and he's our our our uh [0:52:47, 0:53:07]: um from the city staff perspective, um he's not here to actually speak, but he has too brought things to the D DA meeting on um in regards to different proposals and ideas that he's looking at. And so there are several um he mentioned a brewery, pub. [0:53:07, 0:53:27]: He mentioned, but that's not necessarily saying that you're getting far-fetched from the abstract of what the building should look like or what downtown should look like. It's more so I think the confusion is, you know, ever you can't read into the it's an abstract picture of a plan of a [0:53:27, 0:53:47]: what our downtown sh could possibly look like. And um I think it's a a great idea, but I do recall that we've all mentioned that we wanted high volume in that area, high traffic volume in that area. And so the DDA has been discussing that. Um [0:53:47, 0:54:07]: on what that looks like. And in the past, um I had taken um the DEA on a tour. It's been a couple of years where we were looking at um E com Club E in College Park. It was something similar and they had like a coffee shop slash like a a thr little restaurant and it was much smaller [0:54:07, 0:54:27]: though and then they had businesses in the inside. Well well they had some incubators but not necessarily they had small businesses actually working there that actually um you know and then they had some meeting space. In addition to that um when [0:54:27, 0:54:47]: When saying that, we also said, Well, when the person leaves the amphitheater, where do they go? Right? There's nothing over there for them to go to right now. So you know, there is a a place to shoot pull, but what it is there a restaurant? Is there a different thing? So we're taking all of that into consideration. Um and it has been a [0:54:47, 0:54:55]: Continuous discussion. The D DA has not decided on what that is gonna look like at this time. [0:54:55, 0:55:15]: And that's that. That's what I wanted to do. One final comment if I could. I think the reason that we call Miss Moore up was to talk about a timetable or is uh or a reasonable expectation where citizens, the council, could expect to land [0:55:15, 0:55:35]: A permanent tenant uh in downtown uh in this building that we have prescribed if we raise it, if we don't raise it. The ri that was the original question was what is the timetable that we could be looking at? Because we've been we've been working through this process. The RSBP was at least a year ago. So when when is the time [0:55:35, 0:55:36]: Yeah. [0:55:37, 0:55:50]: Well the way that this typically works is that the D DA whom you deeded the property to would need to meet with the city's financial advisor and find out how much money they could get to bond for the project, whether to ri renovate it, [0:55:51, 0:56:07]: and redo it as it is, or whether or not to do something new. Both of those has a cost associated. So first they have to identify the funding mechanism for it. Once they identify the funding mechanism for it, the next phase of that is have the city architectural firm [0:56:07, 0:56:27]: Come back with some renderings of what that building should look like. And then from that point, then it's at the design phase, then it goes out for bid. What's the timing on that? You know, we know how development works, but as soon as the money it's uh it's a lot easier to move faster once you've got the money in place. Well that that's a good question right there. And Mr. Knighton, it it we've got [0:56:27, 0:56:36]: Some we're looking at bonding on all of these projects. Is this project included in any other things you can do? Right. So so [0:56:37, 0:56:37]: Mm-hmm. [0:56:40, 0:56:53]: You know, this discussion has been healthy. I also think that this is a discussion that's ripe for a retreat we have upcoming. The other thing is the um [0:56:53, 0:56:54]: The um [0:56:55, 0:57:01]: Financial advisor will be right, exact a part of the retreat and the discussions that we'll be having. [0:57:01, 0:57:16]: as well as if you approve a bond council tonight, um, they'll be a part of those discussions as well. And so what I'm hearing is there are different pieces of things here that need to be brought under one umbrella and brought together. And I think a retreat setting is the is is the most conducive [0:57:16, 0:57:19]: venue for something like that to happen where we can have [0:57:20, 0:57:27]: various professionals and experts there, along obviously with you, the council, to be able to drill down on how we want to see these things unfold. [0:57:27, 0:57:32]: Secondly, I would mention, as has been stated, so I won't go into much more detail [0:57:32, 0:57:37]: Um concepts are concepts, and and even a concept like a fire an old fire station. [0:57:38, 0:57:47]: could be incorporated into a restaurant or to an office building or something like that so you don't you lose that historic aspect. There there's one uh restaurant on Peachtree um [0:57:48, 0:58:08]: Uh Negro Correct Negro Village. I think that's the way it's Negro Village. They turned it into a Caribbean Jamaican restaurant, old fire station. It's beautiful the way they did it. And they incorporated, I think, some of the bay doors and some things that they did. Exactly. And so those types of things I think is what you're after. And um having those further discussions and putting those pieces. [0:58:08, 0:58:10]: [3490.5, 3492.4]: Um with land use planning. [0:58:12, 0:58:32]: with the overall uh RSVP concept, all of those things have to come together as one and having those full discussions, dis uh and and discourse, talking about all of that, I think is very important and and something that I think um uh we can do more completely uh perhaps at the uh the budget retreat. Thank you. [0:58:32, 0:58:32]: No. [0:58:33, 0:58:45]: All right, so if there are no other questions then uh th what's next is actually economic development. Mr. Touch is not here. Yeah, let me mention something that he had a he called me this afternoon, he had an allergic reaction to something, that's why he is not here. [0:58:46, 0:59:06]: Okay. So on that note the reports are inside the book uh in this aspect and uh if we need another update from him, we'll probably s set that in motion for the next meeting. So what's next would be the community development and uh and I'm gonna be obedient. Madam Clark told us we had three minutes and I'm won I'm gonna be obedient tonight, Madam Clerk. Okay, so uh I'm gonna go through this pretty quick. Um [0:59:06, 0:59:26]: You know, as you know, these are division of the community development, and uh we're really on track to do a great job this year. You can't see the numbers per se, but uh we will do a lot more. This this we will be way into the three million uh by the end of December this year in terms of the revenues that we're bringing in. Uh here are the numbers. [0:59:26, 0:59:42]: You've got them in your book as you see that we've just about gotten all of our monies in for business services and I have to give the kudos to the fire marshal. He's the only someone that can walk into your business and say, you know what? You haven't paid your business license. You know what I think what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna take that CO you got off your wall. [0:59:42, 1:00:02]: Which means you're gonna have to close your door until you pay the city, right? So that's how we went from the last report from about 58 million down to 8 million. So kudos to him for bringing those numbers in. So we're looking great on that. Uh as you see the code enforcement numbers, we're in the process of updating the uh code ordinance so that it has a little bit more teeth in it. [1:00:02, 1:00:22]: There are a lot of things that we can't do. People think that we can do, but we can't do because it's not in the code. And so we've talked to Judge McCord and we are actually looking at other jurisdictions and other national and state uh code environment environmental laws that allow us to adopt to give us a little bit more teeth, but those are the money on code enforcement. Uh planning zone. [1:00:22, 1:00:25]: Они нелес то сей [1:00:25, 1:00:45]: They're coming in. I had to actually turn a couple of rezoning requests away today because they missed the deadline. But you know, the numbers are uptick. Growth is really happening in the city of Stockbridge. Our rezoning application requests are really coming in. So we're excited about that. I hear the numbers from uh the fire marshal. What it doesn't show is the only [1:00:45, 1:01:05]: On call responses that he had to do for the people that were having the parties. Here's our build and permitting numbers. As you see, we're on track to do a lot more than what we did last year. And again, as you know, here's the project's Moses open. Wendy's is open. Y'all got the invitations for chicken salad. [1:01:05, 1:01:25]: Which is uh opening up uh next month, and they've invited everybody in the community out, a ribbon coming for that, and then right after them will be jer um Jersey mics will be the next that will come online in that particular plaza. Uh as you know, um the uh the uh car wire. [1:01:25, 1:01:45]: Is not ready yet, and the racetrack is ready. They're up, they're good. On the hotels, these two, True Hilton and True Hilton comes before you next month. So their rezoning application is in. I know uh Councilman Alexander had some concerns about Best Western. We gave you that in. [1:01:45, 1:01:52]: information. It's a development process. However, we do have another hotel that is on your rezoning application for next month. So [1:01:53, 1:02:13]: I would say probably before the end of the year, we should see probably a request for about seven new hotels to come online. So that's going to be a lot of hotel motel tax for us, and we're really excited about that. Um on the construction, uh 175 Country Club Drive, we're just about ready to get them occupied, get the CO. [1:02:13, 1:02:26]: C-O-N, North Park Place is ready to go. I think they're looking for all their tenants. Mount Zion, new construction, not a lot has happened since the last time that I gave the quality report. [1:02:26, 1:02:28]: A winding creek is moving. [1:02:29, 1:02:49]: Um so all of this has been planted. Um we're actually meeting with the owner tomorrow. He's actually sold the homes to the um developer that are developing these homes. So we should see vertical probably within the next 30 days. And that project, as you know, is a mixed use. So we have [1:02:49, 1:03:00]: have a commercial portion as well as town homes. This is the first piece that's coming in, which is the residential. You will be so excited because they've actually negotiated with one of those [1:03:00, 1:03:20]: uh food places, grocery stores that you guys have been looking for. So we're very excited about that. So we should be finalizing those details the end of August as a part of this mixed use. As you know the amphitheater, the bids went out, we shortlisted it, and now we're waiting for those to come back when we get those and by the [1:03:20, 1:03:40]: The time you guys select a contractor, uh, sometime in late August, we should be good to go with your groundbreaking. The monument sign, GDOT has cleared the monument sign to go in, and so that uh has gone out for bed or getting ready to go out for bid, and so therefore, we should be starting on the monument sign as soon as we put. [1:03:40, 1:03:44]: Any questions? Did I do good? [1:03:45, 1:04:02]: Okay. Mr Mayor. Yes, sir. One second please. Let's see what she's Okay. It'll be in September the ninth meeting. What's September ninth now? That's your um rezoned of a true hotel. Okay. It goes to the Planning Commission in August. So um Thomas, go right in, sir. Mrs. Moore. Um [1:04:02, 1:04:12]: I'm still sorta reflecting on a gentleman's concern here about code enforcement. And um I'm looking at these numbers here and I'm looking at the number of one in notices. [1:04:13, 1:04:14]: A hundred and ninety. [1:04:14, 1:04:14]: Mm-hmm. [1:04:15, 1:04:17]: But then when I come over here and look at um [1:04:18, 1:04:27]: the number of citations and the number of court cases. Mm-hmm. Uh, those are zero. Right. So [1:04:28, 1:04:48]: What happened? Did they become compliance? Compliant? Right. So what what right? So what the state law says is that everybody has due process, right? So the law says we have come by and we initially give you a warning. And then we say you have so many days, normally 10 days, to come into compliance. [1:04:48, 1:05:08]: With that. We can only cite you after we've met the legal requirement of giving you the warning. And most of these people do come into compliance with the warning. Now, a lot of times what happens is that they come into compliance, and then when you ride by, you know, 30-something days later, you've got a similar [1:05:08, 1:05:18]: problem again, but the law does not say that you get to skip the warning all over again. You still have to restart that process all over. [1:05:18, 1:05:22]: Mr. Mayor, if I may agree with [1:05:22, 1:05:25]: A process when you cite [1:05:25, 1:05:31]: And you see progress. Um, I do believe in allowing um [1:05:32, 1:05:38]: that homeowner, whomever, to continue to work forward. Um, it just appears that [1:05:38, 1:05:39]: Um [1:05:40, 1:05:43]: You know, just the law of average out of a hundred and ninety. [1:05:43, 1:05:44]: Mm-hmm. Um [1:05:45, 1:05:56]: There wasn't at least one citation. I mean, which is good if if that is the case. Um, but I just wanted to ask that question and uh and I'm still sorta a little concerned about um [1:05:57, 1:06:09]: you know, this this particular case. Um and I and I do see things, you know, I ride I went out with the um mayor and um I'm sorry with the city manager and public works and and I see things and um [1:06:10, 1:06:10]: Mm. [1:06:10, 1:06:14]: But you know, we'll talk. I don't have a problem getting with you and talk, but I see [1:06:15, 1:06:35]: A lot of things that that I'm that I am concerned about when it comes to code enforcement. Well, here's the thing. I think there's an assumption of what code enforcement can do. No, I understand. No, but let me give you an example. Somebody says, Can I park on my front yard? Well, yeah, because in Stockbridge, your ordinance doesn't allow it. It doesn't say you can't park in your front yard. So what I'm saying is that you have a very weak [1:06:35, 1:06:40]: ordinance. And some of the things that you see that other cities can do [1:06:40, 1:07:00]: We can't do them because it's not in your ordinance. That's why it has to be changed. The other thing that has to be changed is that we don't have what you call a forced cleanup ordinance, right? You've got a nuisance ordinance, but you don't have a forced cleanup. A forced cleanup ordinance says, I can deal with you today. I don't have to wait to get you to court. I can basically say [1:07:00, 1:07:20]: That this is such a nuisance and such a violation that I'm gonna go ahead and deal with you now. And so we're in the process of writing that force cleanup ordinance, and it basically says, I'm gonna clean up your mess, but I'm gonna take you to court, and then I'll let the judge deal with you after. Right now it's just a reverse. [1:07:20, 1:07:25]: Well, Mr Mayor Fiaggy. [1:07:25, 1:07:27]: I'm in favor of us [1:07:28, 1:07:32]: Um rewriting and and tightening up those loopholes. Um [1:07:32, 1:07:33]: I guess my question is [1:07:34, 1:07:35]: Um [1:07:36, 1:07:38]: Why are we so late with that? Um [1:07:38, 1:07:55]: And I know we've been busy. I know there's a lot of things, you know, just with our history'cause you and I sort of talked about you know, things that happened in the last two years. Mm-hmm that it's just I've been here, right? Right. So but but I'm just just making a statement is that these are the kind of things [1:07:55, 1:08:15]: That we just need to be a little bit more diligent on and just tighten those things up. And um and I'm sorta saying this, and I just wanna assure the gentleman here that um, you know, we have to continue to look at these things. But I do believe in being fair. Um, you know, I've been in Stockbridge for a while and I've known [1:08:15, 1:08:17]: On both extremes. [1:08:17, 1:08:37]: Of code enforcement. And and I just think that we need to come somewhere in the middle uh to just just to correct some of these things. Right, right. Well, it's a very weak ordinance, and uh me and the code enforcement staff met because they they get a lot of calls and people say you should do that. And we got one today where the code enforcement said, he said, we can't do it. [1:08:37, 1:08:57]: I I know you think we should, but this is what the ordinance says. So we really do have to give them some teeth to work with because they really do want to clean up the city, but right now it's such a weak ordinance. I mean basic guys out of high grass and you know a little bit of trash, you know, you don't give it much authority to do much else. [1:08:57, 1:09:07]: If we could because when um I was dealing with the nooses and abatement and I've I've studied the the code enforcement and all this. Um [1:09:08, 1:09:28]: I know you have a lot on your plate, but can we uh can you get that and share with the full council at some point in time in the future? Can we get that and and look at that and dissect that and see what we need to strengthen that? I d I just don't want that to fall on deaf ears just from this council meeting. I'd just like for something to go forward. [1:09:28, 1:09:36]: forward. Whereas we get that, we look at and we strengthen that. Right. Well the next thing what I shared with uh the city manager was that the the [1:09:36, 1:09:39]: The quickest way to address some of these is to have a forced cleanup. [1:09:40, 1:10:00]: And so I've uh sent the city attorney an email to let him know to ask him how soon can we have the forced cleanup ordinance before you, because that gives that says code enforcement can address the issue and let you work it out with the judge. It basically says, I'm gonna deal with you. You complain to the judge as to why I shouldn't have dealt with you, right? And so we don't have that ability. [1:09:59, 1:10:19]: Now, because right now the NUCS ordinance requires us to go to a judge, and that takes three or four months to do that. So we're looking for something that allows us to do something quickly. And so hopefully when he returns, he will give us some indication of how soon we can get the forced cleanup ordinance before you that allows us to do something immediately, while at the same time we update the other ordinance and make it [1:10:19, 1:10:31]: Stronger. All right. Thank you. Camille, I got a couple of questions. Um on the on the force cleanup, will the city have the authority to set [1:10:31, 1:10:51]: Through the course of lien on that property from the from the property tax. You do. If we do any kind of spend any kind of money. Right. And I will add that you have to assign money to it now because um it it it allows you to move rather fast. So for instance, if I rode by a house and I see that it's junky, got stuff in the yard, I don't have to do [1:10:51, 1:11:11]: all that title searching and everything and take you to judgment cohort. Just send a company out there, clean it up, and then we find the owner and say, you know what, you're gonna have to pay for this because you didn't maintain it. Your your punishment is you didn't maintain it. We had to clean it up. Now you're gonna have to go to the judge and now he gonna put a lien on your property. You can pay us for sending out folks [1:11:11, 1:11:31]: To clean it up and we're gonna put a lien on your house. But prior to that, we'll be we'll we would do due diligence to find out who's paying taxes on it prior to going out. Force cleanup doesn't necessarily require you to do that. It basically if if you it basically just take care of the situation. Right. If you have allowed your property to go negligent, right? Forced cleanup says you know your property. [1:11:31, 1:11:51]: Is negligent, you know, we're gonna deal with it. So one forces you to go through the court process to get authorization to deal with it, the other ordinance allows you to deal with it and then let them work it out with the judge. But in both instances, you get to uh put a lien on the property. Will we be able to have that ordinance by the next meeting? I'm gonna ask the attorney how soon it takes for him. [1:11:51, 1:12:00]: him to get that drafted. Okay, second question on this uh chart that you have here on the code enforcement numbers. No, the one you just had, if you can go back to that. Go back to that. [1:12:01, 1:12:07]: Uh in the second page made it. Where did the six hundred dollar revenue come from pertaining to what I see on here? [1:12:08, 1:12:28]: Um that came from some of the business licenses that they did cite. So for instance, if they are responsible for a business license not being occupied, when they come in and pay the fee, that is we accredit that to code enforcement. In other words, um so in the next report, the fifty the forty-someth will be accredited to the [1:12:28, 1:12:35]: Fire chief rather than code enforcement because he's the reason why the negligent business you know came in and paid their license. Thanks. [1:12:37, 1:12:57]: Okay, anything else on your presentation? Okay, another question? Yeah, one more question. I saw Officer Maddox the other day. I just happened to be there where he was dealing with a panhandler at uh on Hudson Bridge Road. I thought he handled it in a professional manner. What is the process of dealing with [1:12:57, 1:13:10]: uh the panhandlers and uh and and how does that work and are we uh reached out to resources for them and then what is the protocol behind notifying the police? [1:13:10, 1:13:22]: The law says code enforcement is not responsible for dealing with panhandlers. That is truly a public safety issue. And so they can call the Henry County PD, but they are not to deal [1:13:22, 1:13:27]: With those type of issues, uh, those are strictly uh assigned to [1:13:27, 1:13:47]: Police. And so uh what he should have done was actually called the police department and he could have set in the truck until the police officer come. What the cold enforcement laws basically say is that your cold enforcement officers are not post certified, they're not police. So therefore you should never put them in a situation [1:13:47, 1:14:07]: To deal with individuals who hook who could have guns or put their life in jeopardy. And when you're dealing with panhandlers, you don't know whether they load it, you don't know, and they're standing out at intersections, you don't know what they have on them. So that's why the codes pretty much tell you, you know, to let law enforcement deal with because when the police rides up, they're fully equipped to deal with the panhandler. [1:14:07, 1:14:27]: And when he say go, they're gonna have to go. So the process will be to call the police. Well that's a news to me, because like I said, I I I saw that and uh it seems like a less um uh intimidating way to actually deal with them. And then we have the issue where whether or not the police are gonna reforce enforce. [1:14:27, 1:14:47]: the local ordinance and now. So the issue to me is how um how he how he handled it, which I thought was nice, uh, is that um how are we going to uh deal with that should the police not uh enforce it. So I guess you're telling us that uh under Georgia law that [1:14:47, 1:15:01]: can't be the case, but it seemed like a good idea because it seemed like a lot threatening way to deal with somebody who might actually need some type of assistance where we might be able to have like a a partner, a nonprofit partner to assist them. [1:15:01, 1:15:21]: I mean, but he also could be crazy and have a gun in his pocket, right? Um so you know, again, it it government is not supposed to put you know, there are certain um cities who have police department and their code enforcement are post certified. Which means they're police. They carry guns, they carry it all. Ours and most jurisdictions they're not. [1:15:21, 1:15:41]: That situation, we really should call the police. Now, you know, if they're at an intersection, highways, it's one of those things that police should not have the option whether or not to come, because if he's at an intersection of the highway, that's that's what they do, right? They may not come because they may be dealing with another issue, but you know, they should respond. [1:15:41, 1:15:56]: Because it's not like you're calling them on somebody that's, you know, somewhere, you know, behind Walmart. Well, I guess they could call'em in. But you know, the point is is that they need to call police and I I think they've been pretty responsive. But if they don't come, you know, I d I I don't I don't know what to say. [1:15:58, 1:16:18]: Mr. Blount, please. Y yeah, real quick on on the code enforcement I agree with you because uh when we was dealing with different organizations with the homeless, one of the things you find with the homeless is that out of every fifteen, there's gonna be two or three that may be crazy. Well not crazy, but that are gonna say, Hey, I'll take the reference you're saying and [1:16:18, 1:16:31]: and you know, the the resources and all this, but you're gonna find a large majority of'em that are gonna that are not they're stuck in this box and they're not going to uh they're not going to move. [1:16:32, 1:16:36]: And you f you f you find a lot of them the the the been out there so long. [1:16:37, 1:16:37]: And [1:16:37, 1:16:51]: They're nice, but you never know what would trigger them. They have triggers uh all the time. So I I think it does put the code enforcement officers in a predicament to handle those situations. So I hope they're not handling the ha uh the homeless. [1:16:53, 1:17:00]: Any other questions? You're done. Any other question for Ms. Moore? Okay, thank you, Ms. Moore. Conference center events. [1:17:02, 1:17:03]: Ms. McGee, please. [1:17:17, 1:17:17]: Mm. [1:17:40, 1:17:41]: Yeah, you're not going to get it. [1:17:42, 1:17:45]: Right. Well did we disappear? No, but I didn't. [1:17:48, 1:17:50]: Math. All right. [1:17:58, 1:18:01]: Good evening. Good evening, you too. Mayor Council. [1:18:02, 1:18:04]: Executive staff, guess. [1:18:09, 1:18:21]: I'm here representing the Cultural, Leisure and Events Division, going through our quarterly department monthly report that will consist of January through currently June. [1:18:34, 1:18:45]: Our vision statement for the department is to deliver premier services while cultivating loyalty, integrity, and memorable experiences for our customers. [1:18:46, 1:19:00]: Our department currently oversees facilities, the Merrill Manders Conference Center, the Ted Strickland Community Center, the City Signature Events and Council Initiative Support. [1:19:01, 1:19:21]: Our revenue received thus far for the period of January to June is a total of 129,505, which consists of facilities for Merrill Manders and Ted Strickland, 68,130. [1:19:21, 1:19:41]: Our event vendor payments as well as sponsor payments thus far, which is$20,100, and our amenities that we upsell, which consist of dance floor, stage, outside catering, audio, etc., 7,775, which is [1:19:41, 1:19:45]: Is a total of one twenty nine five oh five received thus far. [1:19:50, 1:20:05]: The breakdown for revenue by period, the Merrill Manders Barroom has brought in thus four forty-three thousand eight hundred, the Merrill Manders meeting room one, two, and three, two thousand ten. [1:20:05, 1:20:17]: Merrill Manders Meeting Room four, fourteen sixty, and Ted Strickland Community Center, twenty thousand eight sixty, which is a total of sixty eight thousand one hundred thirty. [1:20:20, 1:20:40]: Our estimated attendance thus far from January to June, the patrons that has come through the facilities, Merrill Manders Conference Center, it's a total of sixteen thousand three sixty, the Ted Strickland Community Center, four thousand eight twenty, and our city events. [1:20:40, 1:20:48]: 6,500, which estimated total of attendance overall is 27,680. [1:20:51, 1:21:11]: Our facility usage that we break down by types, which consists of the city events and outside events. Our city events consisted thus far for the period is the Career Fair, Tasty Tuesdays, Memorial March, and Sounds of Summer. [1:21:10, 1:21:30]: that we participate or support is the Taste of Henry, Food Truck Takeover, which is outside of the campus, Splash Meetings, Georgia Cities Week, City of Stockbridge Lunch and Learn, City of Stockbridge Employee Health Fair, and the Youth Council Art Show. [1:21:33, 1:21:53]: The council initiative that we have supported are the seniors bingo bash at the Ted Strickland, the Seniors Paint Event at Ted Strickland, the American Heritage Celebration at the Merrill Manders Conference Center, Hearing for Music, Merrill Manders Conference Center. [1:21:53, 1:22:06]: The Women's History Celebration, Merrill Manders Conference Center, GMA Youth Summit, Merrill Manders Conference Center, First Responders Appreciation Launches, Merrill Manders Conference Center. [1:22:09, 1:22:23]: We've added a few highlights, some pictures of the event highlights for this season thus far. A picture from Memorial March, fruit truck takeover that was at Walmart on Hudson Bridge. [1:22:25, 1:22:38]: Tasty Toostie, which is the Greek night, which has really turned out to be one of the favorites of the season, and our Sounds of Summer concert series. [1:22:42, 1:22:43]: Are there any questions? Thank you. [1:22:45, 1:22:47]: Yes, I of course. Go ready, sir. [1:22:48, 1:22:57]: Uh in terms of uh the events and everything that are going so far, I asked this question at every single meeting that we have. [1:22:57, 1:23:17]: Do you have what you need to execute properly? Or are there any things that we can do for you as a council to help facilitate things that are going on in your department to help them run better? I know earlier this year we had a discussion about the food trucks and whether we needed to bring in name brands. [1:23:17, 1:23:37]: Food trucks like Slutty Vegan and such others to kind of amp up uh what we were doing in the food trucks. And uh, you know, there was a budgetary discussion on whether or not we would uh actually do that. So in terms of uh what you're doing, what can we do uh as a council and what was your order some [1:23:37, 1:23:48]: of your recommendations upon uh improving some of these city events in order to make them uh market them better and to make them an overall success. [1:23:49, 1:24:09]: Well, thus far we've discussed these um things in the upcoming budget process and we have a meeting with um the assistant city manager and the city manager to prepare our budget to support all of the things that we would like to do for twenty twenty. So that will be discussed in [1:24:09, 1:24:10]: At the budget retreat. [1:24:10, 1:24:26]: So in terms of a couple of policies that we had talked about now, uh in terms of weekend coverage, uh talk about the weekend coverage and then um now there's a there's a key there's not just a key turnover at this point, there's actually staff there. How does that work out? [1:24:27, 1:24:47]: We do not turn the key over anymore. We have weekend coverage as well as we've implemented a staff on call policy with our facility attendance. So we provide customer service as well as whatever is needed for the client on the weekend. Okay. And in terms of how these concerts work. [1:24:47, 1:25:01]: As a food safety person who's in my background, I have some concern. And you said you had to have what you need, but in terms of when we have these concerts, do we have serve safe certified people serving the food at the tent? [1:25:03, 1:25:23]: At the hospitality tent or the hospitality tent? No, the hospitality tent is um monitored by staff, but it is prepared by um establishment that has past safe serve as well as our caterers that's on our approved catering list for the Merrill Manders Conference Center. [1:25:23, 1:25:37]: Are the city staff checking times, temperatures, and monitoring that appropriately as somebody who's doing surveys, would they be able to do that? Are they c their temperature logs or their the or their timing logs? [1:25:37, 1:25:57]: Uh or where would that documentation be maintained? Well, our um department has gone through training with the Herring County Board of Health, so we are definitely trained to do that. And when we do pick up the food it is delivered based on um [1:25:57, 1:26:08]: the safe serve practices and we are covered by the City of Stockbridge insurance. So are there thermo are there thermometers out there? [1:26:08, 1:26:11]: Say that again. [1:26:11, 1:26:24]: We have had them on occasion. It just depends on whatever has been delivered from um from the either the caterer or from the establishment that we've gotten the food from. [1:26:27, 1:26:47]: I just wanted to add what the uh Henry County Health Code says. If you are someone is paying for uh an event like the Merle, all of those things are in place. But hospitality is something that the city chooses to do. And so based on that, we don't have thermometers out there, we don't have those other things because [1:26:47, 1:27:07]: Typically we're getting it from Mrs. Winters and we're bringing it over. If that is a concern of yours, and what I would suggest is that we get out of the business of providing food, because who's gonna be sticking in a I mean thermometer? You would have to actually do every chicken? Every two hours. Right. What I'm saying is, and so because we provide that as [1:27:07, 1:27:27]: service. Now when we move to the African theater, it's a whole different ballgame because that's being rented out to somebody else, you know, by your table, bring your basket and do your chest thing style. But you know, for here, you know, the staff hasn't gone to that degree because you're basically taking it from Mrs. Winters, setting it up, and it don't stay, I I'm gonna tell you, the chicken doesn't stay two hours. [1:27:27, 1:27:47]: I mean, how people be moving through those lines, you know, it's going like in 30 minutes. I agree with you, but as I said, you know, Mrs. Winters might be liable at the same time. But once we take the chicken from Mrs. Winters, we're liable. As a food safety inspector myself, uh Salmanila don't know. [1:27:47, 1:28:07]: Know any difference. It knows 140 degree, 140 degree minimum temperature. If we have no records of that, we open ourselves up for a tremendous liability for everybody that we bring through uh that we serve. This is something that I want to see us do is to take this away from the city staff who are not properly trained. [1:28:07, 1:28:27]: To serve food to anyone, it to have a professional staff come in, serve that food. So everybody that comes in, the liability is transferred to them, and that they sign off because you serving chicken or whatever this project is, it is a bad thing when somebody gets a piece of chicken that Mrs. Winters didn't. [1:28:26, 1:28:46]: cooked properly. We didn't have document the fact that it was 165 degrees or 140 that we maintained it at. So then the liability falls upon us. So I would like to see us go to the point where we have food safety professionals taking that away from them, serving the food that we can guarantee it that it's in a safe and accurate manner. [1:28:46, 1:29:06]: Because they're not trained to do that. Well you only have one more event because the question is how do you want to handle Bridge Fest? Because the amphitheater, you're not gonna have to worry about that. You go to a food truck or bring your own basket. Right. We're not we're not feeding folks. Well let me let me interject here for a second. How many years we've been serving food in the VIP in our concept system? [1:29:06, 1:29:09]: Oh I haven't been here, I'm sorry. Well how many years? [1:29:10, 1:29:30]: Five fears. Has anybody ever got sick? No. Okay. And we only got one more event left. And we're talking about these additional things, which is additional cost. I mean I mean the odds are on our side right now, in a sense. And once an amplitude comes, it'll be a little different in this aspect. So I I would say not to be a little bit. I I'm not feeling I would say not the word [1:29:30, 1:29:35]: Um [1:29:36, 1:29:56]: I appreciate the piece of chicken gave me. Um, you know, when I go to these restaurants, when you go to Popeye's and these places, I'm pretty sure these sixteen s sixteen year old kids aren't certified. They just serve. Yes, they are. We have these uh we you know that the you guys have on gloves and a lot of time these places [1:29:55, 1:30:12]: don't even have on gloves. When you you you got restaurants closing down from t uh from from scores that are low. So I I don't know what a certified server look like, but I don't know the cost on it. Maybe y'all can check that out, but I just appreciate the piece of chicken. [1:30:12, 1:30:25]: Well I think uh the first thing to know, I I'm not necessarily sure how liable we would be, uh, because we we purchased a chicken from Ms. Winters. I think the liability would be and we got an attorney here, I think the liability might be on Mrs. Winners. We just transporting it and serving it. [1:30:25, 1:30:35]: And then we also get it from uh licensed paper that sets it up as well. Well, you know, my suggestion would be uh since this issue has been raised that we talk with our [1:30:36, 1:30:42]: Town counsel uh about that, our attorney about that and determine any liability exposure and then determine [1:30:42, 1:30:49]: Whether or not we should serve ha serve any food at all, and then we can bring that back to you for recommendation. Thank you. [1:30:49, 1:30:50]: Thank you. [1:30:51, 1:30:58]: All right. Anything else of on your report? Any other questions for uh Miss McGee? If not, okay, great, thank you, ma'am. Main Street. [1:31:00, 1:31:01]: Ms. Braggs? [1:31:05, 1:31:06]: [5471.7, 5473.0]: Yeah, yeah, trust me. [1:31:15, 1:31:17]: They were taking a million dollars. [1:31:20, 1:31:21]: There's no [1:31:22, 1:31:26]: You just slide it in right there. You just slide it in next time as well. Mm-hmm. [1:31:30, 1:31:31]: Yeah, I should pop up. [1:31:35, 1:31:36]: Still, yeah. [1:31:36, 1:31:38]: This one right here. Just click on it. [1:31:41, 1:31:45]: There we go. You wanna go slide show from the beginning? [1:31:49, 1:31:50]: Right down, mm-hmm. Okay. [1:31:53, 1:31:57]: Good evening, Mr Mayor, Council members. [1:31:57, 1:32:05]: I am Kira Harris Braggs and I'm here on behalf of the Main Street Program Board and Staff. [1:32:07, 1:32:13]: And I would like to present to you all the second quarter twenty nineteen report for the Stockbridge Main Street program. [1:32:16, 1:32:36]: Um April was a really busy month for the Stockbridge Main Street program. We participated in the Taste of Henry. Main Street staff attended Marketing College for a week in Delonega, Georgia. And we completed a six-month-long historic pres historic preservation project for the Greenfront Cafe. [1:32:36, 1:32:56]: Um which included creating rec card banners and interpretive signage. We did receive a grant from the state Department of Economic Development Tourism Division to complete this project, and we have completed all reports necessary with regard to that particular project. [1:32:59, 1:33:00]: In May. [1:33:01, 1:33:15]: We celebrated National Preservation Month. Stockbridge Main Street hosted a historic marker unveiling and dedication ceremony, which was held during the Carrie May Hamburg Day celebration. This event [1:33:15, 1:33:35]: assisted Stockbridge Main Street with bringing forward some crucial history in our Stockbridge area. Main Street joined a host of other preservation entities across the country in highlighting all of their highlighting and creating awareness around all of their historic resources in their community. [1:33:35, 1:33:38]: Um so we were um [1:33:38, 1:33:43]: Pointed out as one of the cities that did celebrate National Preservation Month. [1:33:47, 1:33:48]: Mm. [1:33:51, 1:34:11]: And then in June, the Main Street staff put a lot of preparation into our Main Street free movie event. However, the activity had to be postponed due to inclement weather, but we did show that movie in July. Um, so that didn't slow us down. Other things were happening with Main Street as a part of our robust. [1:34:11, 1:34:18]: Relationship with the downtown Cochrane Library. Main Street was the premier partner for their summer arts program. [1:34:19, 1:34:39]: And this was very popular, and we had reports from the library head librarian, Miss Jacqueline Johnson, who gave us many high praise for participating with him and being a partner. They had over a hundred people come into the library over the summer for their summer. [1:34:38, 1:34:50]: Arts program, and we were very excited to be a part of this relationship with the Cochrane Library, and we plan to maintain this relationship on an ongoing basis. [1:34:50, 1:35:05]: Um the movie was shown in July and then now we are moving into our third quarter where we will be working on design guidelines for our downtown district, entrepreneurship development, and other community partnerships as well. [1:35:08, 1:35:13]: The Main Street staff is available for any questions that you all may have at this time. [1:35:13, 1:35:33]: Questions for Miss Bragg? I do. Uh Miss Bragg, I want to thank you for I the I I brought my granddaughter to the movie night and it was absolutely outstanding. We had a great time and enjoyed it uh immensely. And the way you played the games with the kids and everything. That exactly what Main Street [1:35:33, 1:35:53]: Is all about. We had a previous discussion tonight about the RSVP program and some of the things that have been going on. Now, could you briefly kind of tell us about the RSVP process and then you know how we got to the [1:35:53, 1:36:08]: the point where we are today and then we had a uh uh we unveiled it uh what last September was it September what were the expectations by you and what were the expectations by the state [1:36:09, 1:36:14]: um how we would follow through this and how does it how our actual implementation [1:36:14, 1:36:16]: affect our ability to get [1:36:17, 1:36:37]: Future grants. Okay. Um, first to speak to the first part of your request. Um, the RSV program is a selective process that is conducted um usually yearly, but they have skipped a few years, and it is a partnership between the um Georgia Municipal Association, the Georgia City [1:36:37, 1:36:39]: And um [1:36:39, 1:36:55]: one other Carl Vinson Institute. And um it's a competitive process. You have to apply and many cities across the state um apply to be selected as an RSVP city. Those chosen um are granted [1:36:55, 1:37:15]: They're given funds from the Georgia Municipal Association, and then they are also granted technical assistance, which amounts to basically having consultants and professionals in downtown development to come into the community, assess what you have available, and then make recommendations with regard to where downtown development. [1:37:15, 1:37:35]: Development should go as far as moving it forward in your community. As a part of the process, the members of the community are asked to participate. There is a steering committee which is created, which usually consists of elected officials, community leadership, and others who are interested in. [1:37:35, 1:37:55]: In the downtown development process. In addition, you have community engagement, which is consisting of focus groups, community meetings, town halls, and that sort of thing to get a bead on what the community is interested in seeing in their downtown. So that's kind of an overview of what [1:37:55, 1:37:58]: the process is as far as um [1:37:59, 1:38:17]: where we are now where we are, how we got to this point. Um once the RSVP was presented, as you mentioned, in the fall of last year, we brought that forward to council and it was approved to be a part of our as an addendum to our comprehensive plan. [1:38:17, 1:38:28]: And it is supposed to serve as a guide for us to move forward with our downtown development. As far as expectations are concerned, um I am [1:38:28, 1:38:29]: Um [1:38:29, 1:38:49]: I am the staff liaison to a 12-member board, which is the Main Street Advisory Board, and they were the I guess the core of that group, which was the steering committee for this particular project, and they would like to move forward with the plans that are [1:38:49, 1:39:09]: In the RSVP. And it is a guide. It is supposed to be serve as a guide for us to give us some focus with regard how to how we want to proceed in the downtown, what downtown can look like. But again, it is a concept, as has been mentioned several times by my colleagues. It is a [1:39:09, 1:39:13]: concept that you can follow and [1:39:13, 1:39:33]: You try to adhere to it as closely as you possibly can. There were no directives as to this must be done. It is just a recommendation as to how things can be done and would work in your downtown. As far as the state's expectations, they felt that Stockbridge was poor. [1:39:33, 1:39:53]: To be able to take on this project and execute within a reasonable amount of time. There have been no parameters set on us by the state, nor have there been any, I guess, written expectations as to when things are supposed to be completed, because all of that is determined by council desires. [1:39:53, 1:39:56]: communities, desires and then funding of course. [1:39:56, 1:40:01]: So talk about uh how many c uh cities actually received the RSBP? [1:40:02, 1:40:02]: Today [1:40:02, 1:40:10]: Yeah, I mean last when we were awarded, how many other aw uh was Um I think there were three cities, Lisa? Do you no I'm [1:40:10, 1:40:16]: What now sorry? There were three total and we were one of the three. We were one of the three. It was ring gold. [1:40:16, 1:40:26]: City of Stockbridge and one other one. I'm deferring to um Lisa Fareed, who's the program coordinator. But there were three cities chosen that year. Do you have [1:40:26, 1:40:36]: Jessup, sorry about that. Maybe Lisa can come up. Do you have any knowledge of uh the other cities and how that what what they're doing? Have they actually made any progress or do you know? [1:40:37, 1:40:57]: Um, I have not spoken with those Main Street managers um specifically about their RSVP programs. I know that there are several um RSVP cities who have received funding in the past, I would say over the past three to five years that have made some really excellent strides in implementing. [1:40:57, 1:41:10]: implementing their RSVP. Bainbridge is a city that I would point you to as far as doing some excellent things with their RSVP. There's also up north, I'm trying to think of the name. [1:41:12, 1:41:21]: Oh my goodness. It slipped my mind. But anyway, um there's there are cities that have made some strides with regard to their RSVP. [1:41:22, 1:41:24]: Come on. [1:41:25, 1:41:41]: See, I need my career. So that that is that is uh uh excellent and that is key. Tell us about your understanding of uh I mentioned that the fire you the historian or you the Main Street is all about history. [1:41:42, 1:42:02]: Uh in what we're trying to do here. Now we were talking about establishing a historic preservation committee for the city. I did not know that there was a discussion to demolish this historic building. Talk about your understanding. Were you informed of that? And then as a historian, [1:42:02, 1:42:10]: Historian, or you is it w what how how what part does history play in in the decision for us to demolish this fire station? [1:42:10, 1:42:30]: Um well with regard to that particular building, in order to qualify as a historic structure, it must be in existence for at least fifty years or more. So that particular building is not a historic structure. So it would be a misnomer to call it a historic um building, but it is a building. [1:42:30, 1:42:33]: that is within our historic downtown area. [1:42:33, 1:42:39]: Um with regard to the demolition of the building, I have not been a part of [1:42:39, 1:42:42]: Any discussions really with regard to [1:42:43, 1:42:49]: that building being demolished. I was aware of the report that um Miss Moore referred to, which [1:42:50, 1:42:51]: With where she said that [1:42:52, 1:43:12]: Um it was assessed to not be of value as far as the structure is concerned, that it probably would be a good idea to take that particular building down. But that does not stop you from creating a structure that is in that same character in that spot. So if the recommendation from the engineers was to take [1:43:12, 1:43:32]: tear that particular structure down and rebuild something in its place that would be similar to, if not exactly the same as what was depicted in the, I guess, vision for that particular corner, that would not necessarily be a problem or something being done adverse to the RSVP. [1:43:32, 1:43:33]: When you come into [1:43:34, 1:43:54]: I guess being adverse, anything that is just totally out of character with regard to what was recommended. For example, if you were to take a building four to five stories up on that particular corner, that would be adverse to what is recommended in the RSVP, and it would also be adverse to downtown structural development. [1:43:54, 1:44:13]: There's a certain flow that is expected when you're referring to downtown buildings. For example, if you have one story structures in a historic downtown, you never want to go more than a story higher than that. Um you could use a story and then a rooftop development of some sorts, but you would never go [1:44:13, 1:44:25]: more than two stories higher than the particular footprint that you have in place. Now if you have a situation where you're doing infill and you don't have a um building that would serve as your [1:44:26, 1:44:27]: Um I guess your [1:44:27, 1:44:43]: guide guideline building, um, then you can do some different things with regard to the height, width, and shape of the buildings. But that is something that you also want to consider in design guidelines and that's something that my board is working on currently. [1:44:44, 1:44:44]: Two. [1:44:45, 1:45:05]: All right. Okay. And um as far as you're you're aware that you were here when we approved the alleyway project. Yes, sir. Um so you're very supportive of that, is that correct? I am one hundred percent supportive of that. You're one hundred percent supportive of that and seeing you realize that that's on the agenda. Right. I uh yes, yes. I'm not gonna I was just I just [1:45:04, 1:45:08]: I wanted to make sure I wasn't putting words. [1:45:08, 1:45:28]: The point of order is is that a mo when the motion was made for the three hundred and fifty thousand dollars and it's on the agenda, we don't want to put politics in this and and bringing you into do you agree with it or not. It was a decision made by the council. And so whether you agree to it or not, this was a decision made by the council that needs to move forward in that in that way. [1:45:28, 1:45:33]: way and not be used for who and who who who loved it and who didn't love it. [1:45:34, 1:45:42]: This should not be the this is not the forum for who liked it and who didn't. It was a decision made on the council. It moved forward, and that's what we need to do with it. [1:45:42, 1:46:02]: All right. Well, like I say again, we we are discussing this. Mr. Knight's gonna address this later on. I'm not gonna address that. I was it was just a one of the steps on the way to where I'm going. So in addition after this alleyway project is completed, is there a recommendation from Main Street uh on the next project uh that we should [1:46:02, 1:46:21]: should actually take over or is there a process of steps uh to the anchor building to uh what what goes next? How does the RSBP uh I haven't read all how many pages there are, so does it give you a roadmap on says step A, B, C, or D? Is that up to the elected body to act? [1:46:21, 1:46:37]: There are recommendations in the um latter portion of the RSVP booklet um that gives you kind of the lowest hanging fruit projects and then moves on to the more difficult and more expensive projects. But again, these are recommendations and it's totally up to the council. [1:46:37, 1:46:43]: and city leadership to decide how they want to proceed. But they do make recommendations as to [1:46:43, 1:46:44]: What the [1:46:44, 1:46:45]: Um I guess [1:46:46, 1:46:57]: the process could look like with regard to your um tact on downtown development. Does Main Street have a suggestion on the next step out of the alleyway? [1:46:57, 1:47:17]: Well, I think that um of course the alleyway is a very important process project because um we are now having some difficulty with deliveries being delivered in the fronts of the buildings and um we need to be able to get trucks in behind those buildings so that we can free up [1:47:17, 1:47:37]: Parking that are is in front of the buildings and stop some of the blockages of those buildings. As far as a second step is concerned, there are some smaller projects like Ms. Gantt mentioned the mural projects that could go on. There are some streetscape type projects that are also recommended. [1:47:37, 1:47:46]: Of course, you know, the main street offices, DDA offices, and the presence of putting downtown advocacy groups in the downtown area. [1:47:47, 1:47:48]: Um [1:47:48, 1:47:54]: That would be a project that I of course and the our board would look forward to seeing moving forward. [1:47:54, 1:48:14]: Well, I'm gonna throw you a softball pitch with my final question. You've been asking for a Main Street office and for this council to identify one. Talk about the effects or what the benefits of having that office. The council go ahead and move forward with that, and then uh the benefits. [1:48:14, 1:48:16]: [6497.2, 6517.2]: Okay. Well, um, I would say that it's important for a Main Street office, the downtown advocacy groups to be present, of course, in the downtown. That we are the touch point and that's how we keep an eye on what is going on in the downtown area. Um, from simple things like making sure that people are sweeping up around. [1:48:37, 1:48:55]: around their businesses and being good neighbors and good business partners to making sure that um we have we maintain a great character in the downtown. So it is important for a Main Street program to be located in the downtown. So we do look forward to that happening in the near future. [1:48:55, 1:49:00]: Anything you have selected or you you just like to see any building. [1:49:00, 1:49:20]: Oh yeah, there are lots, but I'm not gonna tip that hand in a public session. All right. Uh any any other questions? Go right in. I have one. I had mentioned this once before in Monroe when we did the heart and soul tour with GMA. Yes, um, I noticed that they were very successful. [1:49:20, 1:49:39]: When Main Street and the DDA worked together, and just a few minutes ago you mentioned that certain things that you wasn't privy to knowing what was going, what taking place. How is it, how do you feel or how do you foresee in the future for you all to work together instead of separately? [1:49:40, 1:49:46]: Well, I will tell you that I have w this is my third um position as a main street manager. [1:49:46, 1:49:50]: And in the three municipalities, this is the municipality that [1:49:50, 1:49:57]: needs to work a little harder on communicating with regard to the downtown organizations. I think that um [1:49:58, 1:50:18]: We as um councilwoman Gantt has mentioned, there has been planned to put together a joint meeting so that we can kind of get together and get more so on one page. We tried to do that through the RSVP process and we did have participation from DDA members and DDA advocates. [1:50:18, 1:50:38]: Um so there is the I guess the seed that's out there that there will be some cooperation moving forward. But there's work to do on both sides, and I think that um as we move forward, we're all going to be going to some training in Jekyll Island, where um the DDA will be present as as well as Main Street staff that opens up. [1:50:38, 1:50:58]: Some opportunities for communication, and then when we get back home, we'll be working on that as well. But I think that the DDA is well aware of Main Street tenants and the Main Street program, as Main Street staff is well aware of DDA programming. So I think that moving forward. [1:50:58, 1:51:18]: Um, we need to be more so on a on the same page with regard to downtown development. And I think that that's going to be accomplished with joint meetings and things like that in the future. Um, the RSVP is a guide that I think that we all should rally around because it was a statement that was created through participants. [1:51:18, 1:51:38]: Participation from our community. And I think that once everyone is on the same page, and that's not just DDA and Main Street, from comments that I've heard from the council, I think that everybody needs to be on the same page. So everyone understands what is happening with downtown development. [1:51:38, 1:51:46]: Not only bringing in you all, but also bringing in other departments um to work together currently. Um [1:51:46, 1:52:06]: Our public works department, Mr. Deshus Aaron and I have been speaking with our engineer, Falcon Design, about what that downtown alleyway project can look like. Because once the funding source is identified, as I think you all are going to be talking about that a little later, we want to be able to have a design that you all can see. [1:52:06, 1:52:22]: and approve immediately so that we can move forward with that. So it's going to be a collaboration of multi-departments, multi-leadership, multi-functional areas that bring all of this together. And that's what we as the Main Street staff are looking forward to. [1:52:23, 1:52:43]: Well, I appreciate you saying that'cause I definitely look forward to when everybody goes to Jekyll Island and they come back um and have a plan in place. Um so that way we are together and we can move forward like the other cities. Um, because we have a lot in Stockbridge that are just um [1:52:43, 1:53:03]: Um we're hindered right now um when we're divided. So I would look forward when you all return from Jekyll Allen to see a new day, um a new beginning for Stockbridge to move our downtown forward. So thank you. And if I might just say I wouldn't necessarily characterize us as being divided. Correct. I would just apologize. I would just [1:53:02, 1:53:07]: say I would characterize the two groups as being um [1:53:08, 1:53:28]: very visionary with regard to what they would like to see downtown. And it's just really bringing those visions together and hopefully using the RSVP as the foundation for that. Well and since you said that, uh divided could be, because sometimes when you were you could be have divisiveness in certain [1:53:28, 1:53:48]: Certain areas when you already have a foundation with the RSVP, that is in place. So the communication, the collaboration of together will get you there. So that's why still withstand on what I said. So that way when we come back from when you all come back from Jekyll, then you should be moving. [1:53:48, 1:53:51]: moving forward and we should s we should see a lot of progress. [1:53:51, 1:54:11]: And I look forward to, you know, that future collaboration. We have great representatives from both Councilman Thomas on the Main Street um and Councilwoman Gantt um on the DDA and I know that um it's gonna be great and we're just looking forward to what that's gonna be. No thank you. I look forward to it. I'm excited. Okay. [1:54:11, 1:54:31]: From the council for Miss Bragg's. Okay, thank you, ma'am. Also, we we have liaisons also from DDA and Main Street as well that are not council members. So we have um Anita Lee that is the DDA and Main Street board member. Um [1:54:31, 1:54:41]: And that is the liaison and and so she's to bring us updates and to give them updates on the D D A and she's to bring us updates on Main Street. Yeah. [1:54:41, 1:54:53]: And that position was put in place to foster that communication going back and forth. So um how is that working though? Is that that's from you know, you have that position in place, but is it is it working? [1:54:53, 1:55:02]: Well that's what I'm saying. I think that we need to um work harder on making sure that that communication is going um back and forth. [1:55:03, 1:55:04]: Mm-hmm. [1:55:04, 1:55:10]: All right. All right. Thank you, ladies. Appreciate it. Mr Aaron, Public Works, please, sir. Yeah. [1:55:22, 1:55:24]: I can keep track time. [1:55:27, 1:55:28]: There it is. [1:55:30, 1:55:35]: I'm trying to eject mine so it won't lose my material. [1:55:40, 1:55:41]: [6944.2, 6944.9]: Thank you. [1:55:45, 1:55:47]: Thank you. [1:55:48, 1:55:48]: Thank you. [1:56:19, 1:56:19]: Just one. [1:56:22, 1:56:42]: Uh yes, we'd like to begin. Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Council. We'd like to uh present the second quarter report for public works. During the second quarter, we participated in the historic marker unveiling at Greenfront, the Memorial March, Two Sounds of Summer Events, the Main Street movie, a council initiative at Rom Creek, the Back to School Initiative, and Taste. [1:56:42, 1:56:48]: Tuesday. Also this month we had two bid openings, one for the CDBG project and Smith Barnes. [1:56:49, 1:57:08]: And one for the Davis Road TE project. They will be coming for council in August for approval. And also we've got scheduled bid opening this month for our LMIG program, the resurfacing, and also the public works building. And we also during this quarter, we met with the contractor for the Highway 138 beautification program. [1:57:09, 1:57:09]: But [1:57:11, 1:57:31]: In public works, right now, we currently are working on, we started with 109 projects in uh January of 2017. We've completed 57 of those projects. Uh our projects in progress are valued at$12,028,$28,950. [1:57:31, 1:57:35]: and fifty nine dollars. They include processes, the wastewater treatment plant. [1:57:36, 1:57:56]: Phase one and two improvements, the Public Works Administrative Building, the 2019 L Mig, City Hall, Merle Manders Conference Center, and HVAC program, the Davis Road Sidewalk, Phase One, Central Line Water Main, Smith Barnes, Survey Basin Rehab Phase One, Memorial Park Port and Place Rubberized Surface and Playground Relocation. [1:57:55, 1:58:15]: The Gardner Park poured in place rubberized surface and playground relocation. And our completed projects totaled$7,342,085. Public Works was the largest share of that, which was$2.8 million. Water was$1.7 million, which was mainly the AMI metering system. Wastewater,$1.3 million. [1:58:15, 1:58:35]: One one million dollars. Park 773,000, stormwater six hundred and seven, government buildings three hundred and thirty-six. Uh this is one of the projects we've completed is the striping of the tennis court for pickleball at Gardner Park. We've also started renovating the restrooms. We've completed Gardner Park. [1:58:35, 1:58:55]: As soon as Tasty Tuesday is over, we'll start with Clark Park and Memorial Park. We're putting in the restroom, the sinks and restrooms with the sensors in them because some people for some reason want to go in and leave the water running. So we're working on those projects. And we also install, we've had some water quality issues in the Pine Grove sub-davation. [1:58:55, 1:59:08]: So we install auto flushes where staff don't have to go out, but these flush on a a regular basis to keep our water quality nice in that area. And also our wastewater treatment plan improvements are ongoing. [1:59:10, 1:59:23]: And the final thing is they started painting the uh water tanks. They started on Monday with the new logo for the city. And so those four water tanks will get repainted with the new branding logo. And [1:59:23, 1:59:31]: The public works administration building, like I said, the bid is opening next month. That's been two years in the making, and if there's any questions. [1:59:32, 1:59:40]: Yeah, I'm pretty sure we have several. And I I tell you what, I I don't mind starting this off. I realize that this is the second quarter update. [1:59:41, 1:59:57]: Where and I I I just I I this is where do we stand in reference to the f the trailhead of flipping road um a flipping road in reference to the the additional parking space. I believe we agreed that here in the council and w when are we gonna do that? [1:59:57, 2:00:03]: Yes, sir. The plans are being reviewed by building and permitting, and as soon as those plans are reviewed, we'll be putting that out for bid. [2:00:04, 2:00:24]: And the second thing which goes along the trail, those bridges. When can we see something from Falcon or anything with those bridges? We met this morning the city manager, Jeff Greenway and Donnie Glover. Donnie Mullis and I, we met this morning. We're gonna do some temporary fixes because one of the issues we're having is vandalism on the trail. That's one of the main things with the bridges. [2:00:23, 2:00:43]: And also you used an application that is not appropriate for the environment that it's in. You use wood, pressure-treated wood. You should have used the composite material or steel and concrete. So those bridges are constantly underwater, not underwater, and they remain wet. And so they're rotting. I mean the trail opened in 2012. [2:00:43, 2:00:55]: I was told. So we're fighting that issue, but we're gonna make temporary repairs, but we're gonna make a permanent repair. We're in the process of that as soon as we get all the information to uh Ms. Miller, we'll put that out for bid. [2:00:56, 2:01:16]: Yeah, the the one issue is and as we said we talked about this several times with staff and whatnot, one issue is the current situation and what we do with the current situation. And it's gonna be a temporary fix. It may look a little odd, but we've got to do that in terms of stabilizing everything and make sure make sure the safety issue is addressed th and [2:01:15, 2:01:16]: In the [2:01:17, 2:01:37]: Um uh simultaneously we're gonna be putting together something to put out to bid for some type of steel or composite material that will likely have to be molded for each section of the bridge. Wood material that was put in there originally is not conducive for that environment because of all the moisture, because of all the shade, because of all the water. [2:01:37, 2:01:50]: So a composite steel material would be much more durable long term and that's what we're looking at in terms of putting out the bid and going ahead and getting that process started. So we'll probably go out to bid in what mid mid August or so? Yes, sir. [2:01:50, 2:01:57]: In the meantime, we have to put the the the wooden slats in that he's talking about to make sure that things are stabilized on those bridges. [2:01:58, 2:01:59]: All right. [2:01:59, 2:02:19]: That's all I had for you. I'm pretty sure there are other questions for you. Ma'am. Yes, ma'am, go right ahead. I just want to ask, in the while we're saying we're waiting on that to take place, is there signage that we can um let the residents know that we are? Right. Um because if not, we're gonna keep getting calls and pictures. Yeah, we actually talked about that in terms of a schedule. [2:02:19, 2:02:39]: Schedule. Some type of general schedule. Absolutely. And information that we put out to the public. Here's what we're doing in the interim to stabilize everything. And this is what we're doing in I say long term, just over the next several months, I mean in terms of a permanent fix. Because when you put those composite and steel um bridges in, each section is gonna be its own mold if you. [2:02:39, 2:02:59]: You will, for lack of a better term. And so each section of the bridge is gonna have to be replaced incrementally over time. Okay. And we'll put that information out to the public so they'll know what's happening with the with the um with the bridge. As long as he's at the trailhead, because I mean I it's right after the next somebody's sending me pictures and they're the same complaint, but if there's a notice um [2:02:59, 2:03:01]: [7382.9, 7401.2]: Some of it is wear and tear, but some of it quite frankly is vandalism. Out there, unfortunately. And so that's an issue that we have to deal with as well. But we'll I think this interim measure that we're gonna take and then the actual steel and composite uh structures that we put in obviously will take care of it permanent permanently. [2:03:22, 2:03:23]: Yes indeed. [2:03:24, 2:03:28]: Mr. Aaron, how are you today? I'm doing fine. [2:03:28, 2:03:48]: I just want to thank you and the general remainten and the supervisor for um allowing me to to ride out with you, uh to look at the city, to look at um things that you know we can improve on as far as um the way the city, especially the right-of-way look. I appreciate that. Um [2:03:48, 2:03:50]: I'm still a little concerned about [2:03:51, 2:04:06]: How do we do that on a regular basis? And uh and I will, you know, be willing to get with you and we can just talk about it. I don't really want to get into the details now, but uh that's still a little concern of uh of mine. Um we doing that on a on a on a schedule and and [2:04:07, 2:04:27]: uh some documentation to assess that. Um my other concerns and I spoke to you and Mr. Night about this is uh parking, additional parking at Memorial Park. Uh Mr. Night, I'd like to try to get back on schedule with that, um to see what we can possibly do. [2:04:27, 2:04:32]: you know, with the engineers, some discussion to increase parking at uh Memorial Park. [2:04:32, 2:04:52]: Thank you. Well, one of the things we also do is we submit a weekly litter log to Laquinda and Mr. Knighton, as well as a a weekly right-of-way mowing log to Mr. Knighton as well. And also we met, we had a discussion with a state contractor for the Highway 138 beautification. That starts [2:04:52, 2:05:12]: in August. And in the interim, we went out and cut it twice. And we've also met with them and got numbers on doing the gateways that we we discussed with Councilmember Robinson. And we also got numbers on the exits at Jodico, Hudson Bridge, and 228. We'll [2:05:12, 2:05:26]: We'll be discussing those at the budget retreat. We've got numbers as to what that would look like and also a more in schedule and frequency as to how often we will want to maintain those areas, but that will be presented at the budget retreat. [2:05:26, 2:05:33]: Mayor. One second, Mr. Alexander actually. I'll let you follow up. Okay. [2:05:33, 2:05:53]: I just wanna you had mentioned a log. Um I guess um that you sent it to sir can you send it to the city m manager and let him disseminate to us? You said about your litter log or something that you sent out to our executive. I'll make sure y'all get that. I send it out from time to time but I'll make sure you [2:05:53, 2:05:59]: Yeah,'cause he just mentioned our executive, so that's why I said if you can send it to him, he can get it out to us. Yes. [2:06:00, 2:06:20]: Mr. One second, please. Go ahead go ahead. You got I'll come back this way in just a second. Okay. Well, I have a series of questions, so you might want to let them go. Go ahead, Ms. Sansa. Okay. All right. Uh in terms of last time we hauled, we were talking about staffing levels. So between the last update and this update, where did we go? [2:06:20, 2:06:26]: go from? Did we g what number to what number did we go from in terms of the staffing level? [2:06:26, 2:06:35]: Well, we also discussed that this morning and w and one of the things we discussed is the public-private partnership. We had a conversation with Ms. [2:06:35, 2:06:37]: Wheeler concerning staffing. [2:06:37, 2:06:57]: And to bring on two additional staff with benefits and salaries all it costs about$100,000. And I think that$100,000 would be better used when we'll present this at the budget retreat to uh make improvements to areas that we'd like to see cut more frequently because$100,000 just two employees with no equipment. [2:06:57, 2:07:02]: And so we think we can get more for our money with a a service provider. [2:07:03, 2:07:22]: Let me mention, if I could, one other thing too is, you know, in in past years, much of the mowing and litter pickup has been supplemented by temporary staff. Well, there are diff there are various challenges with temporary staff at the moment. And so we haven't spent as much money on temporary staff as we normally would in a in a given year. And so those funds that [2:07:22, 2:07:42]: Um would have been spent there, we would, as Mr. Aaron had mentioned, we think would be better and more efficiently served by expanding some of the um mowing and litter pickup for private state contractors that we're gonna be using on many of our gateways. So again, my original question was what number were we at at the last trip? [2:07:42, 2:07:51]: And then what uh uh we haven't add so what you're saying is we haven't added any additional employees since that time? No, sir. Not any permanent employees, no. [2:07:52, 2:08:12]: Right. And then you said uh we had spent less on seasonal employees than we um uh generally do. So that would I mean to me that we're going in the wrong dire I think my point previously was that we were going to uh raise the bar and we're gonna go up uh uh on what we were doing. [2:08:12, 2:08:14]: So in terms of um [2:08:15, 2:08:22]: Uh you said the staff went out and cut highway one thirty eight a couple of times. Yes. Or is that [2:08:23, 2:08:43]: I I I wanna make sure that I say this correctly. Okay, and I wanna say it in in a way that uh uh is appropriate for this open city. Is that the is that where we wanna be at? When w what are they what are they in first of all, what are they instructed to do when they go out to cut highway? What are they instructed to do? This is an area that [2:08:44, 2:09:04]: was added that Henry County were previously maintaining. So until the contract is on board, everything is in place, they start in August. So their our initial goal was to go out and mow it because it was overgrown. And so now the contract will start in August, the first week of August, he's going to do that flower [2:09:04, 2:09:12]: Bed that's in the meeting. He's gonna do the edge and he's gonna mow the right-of-way. He has a scope of work that that's been approved. The city manager has seen it. [2:09:12, 2:09:27]: And the schedule that he was be maintaining, there's a cost associated with every mulch application when we whenever we want to change out the mulch, there's a cost for that. So we've got cost for all of that that's on 138. And you will notice a difference once they start on their schedule. [2:09:28, 2:09:48]: Okay, now like when I'm coming down Rock Quarry and I'm coming from Eagles Landing Parkway and I get to the bridge and they cut the grass at the bridge but they never edge it. Is that they're not directed to edge? Are they just directed to cut the grass? How it works. You've got to crew that moles and you gotta [2:09:48, 2:10:08]: That follows them in weed eat. And the issue is we've been having issues with temporary staffing that pretty much does the weed eating. But like I said, we've met with the contractor. We've got a price and cost on mowing and edging on Rock Quarry Road that's in included in a proposal. And we discussed it. [2:10:08, 2:10:28]: This morning, about using some of the funds for the temporary staff and to allocate to the contractor to do those gateways. In terms of uh North Henry Boulevard, uh, we have, you know, we talked about the code enforcement, and I'm kind of in sync with Councilman Thomas. We had 190 citations, and we didn't [2:10:28, 2:10:48]: Not have any zero uh court actions. Uh I'm frustrated as he is with these businesses that um they violate and then they do it again and then they constantly repeat this same cycle, and they're uh allowed to do that. Uh in terms [2:10:48, 2:11:07]: Of what you are doing, we own the first, we own the right-of-way on North Henry Boulevard. This has been a sore topic for every council member that sits up here since the day we took office. Uh how often are they mowing that and then uh [2:11:08, 2:11:09]: Uh are they [2:11:10, 2:11:30]: Consistently able to do that. What is the schedule for them to mow North Henry Boulevard? Because a lot of that, like the gas stations that we've been complaining about, I think we know that their right, their whole right of way, their whole drive is right-of-way. So if we maintain that first 10 feet and we were doing [2:11:29, 2:11:31]: Doing it on a regular basis. [2:11:32, 2:11:32]: Uh [2:11:33, 2:11:34]: It would help impact. [2:11:35, 2:11:55]: uh what they were doing. So how often are they doing the North Henry Boulevard and then again what are they instructed to do uh when they go out there? North Henry is every two weeks but technically that's the state's right away and the city is chose to do that because it runs through the city. But behind the [2:11:54, 2:12:14]: side sidewalk when you get behind the sidewalk on North Henry, that's off the right-of-way. But staff has gone beyond that to trim those areas. So it's on every two weeks. But that's also a part of what we presented to the contractor. We have a price for that, the mowing and the edging and all of that on North Henry. So it's just a matter of when we get with the [2:12:14, 2:12:27]: and we we move funds from personnel, temporary staffing to this right of way maintenance. Like I say, it's North Henry, it's one hundred thirty eight, it's Rock Quarry, it's Hudson Bridge Road, those gateways. [2:12:27, 2:12:40]: Okay, so there is a plan afoot in order to yes as Mr. Nightingale mentioned to me to add these areas on. Can you talk about that a little bit then? Sure. I think those particular areas I would feel comfortable with bringing to the mayor and council here [2:12:40, 2:13:00]: um in the coming meetings to go ahead and move on those um pretty quickly if you agree to that given the pricing that we received. Again, as I mentioned, some of the exit ramps are much uh more significant in terms of price. And I think that's a further discussion we need to have around the budget retreat to see if those uh those items would be funded in the coming [2:13:00, 2:13:10]: But that's a further discussion. The m the ones that he mentioned, some of those gateways like Rockbury, North Henry and so forth, I think we are in a position to move on those rather quickly. [2:13:10, 2:13:30]: And and uh uh I'm just gonna ask you, Mr. Um Aaron, in terms of how this is working out, in terms of the maintenance of the city, uh what grade would you give the staff that's out there that's actually maintaining the your personal opinion. Point of order. Swiss point order, sir. Be b because when we're doing the budget. [2:13:30, 2:13:33]: budget w we would not want uh any staff [2:13:34, 2:13:51]: coming out uh uh measuring any employee or performances, this is not that type of meeting. Those type of things should be done behind closed doors and we fix those things. To for him to stand up and say how s uh efficient his staff is, that's out of order. [2:13:52, 2:14:12]: All right, understood. Um you you need to change change your thought process on your on your thought on your you shouldn't ask him that.'Cause normally that is I that's that's something that in reference to rating is ki is his own employee, I guess that that makes common sense if you can address it a different way or have something else to ask versus that. Well uh let me uh think about like I said how to rephrase that is just [2:14:12, 2:14:15]: Let's just say the um uh [2:14:16, 2:14:19]: Compared to other cities in the area, how do we stack up? [2:14:20, 2:14:40]: I think we're doing an excellent job with the resources that we have available because one of the challenges is and I'll mention that at the at the budget retreat is balancing public work functions versus non-public work functions. When you're spending almost forty percent of your time public work staff is events and initiatives and things like that. It's a lot of [2:14:39, 2:14:43]: sometimes taken away from public work activities. [2:14:43, 2:14:44]: One of things. [2:14:45, 2:15:05]: Go ahead. I was gonna say one of the things I would mention is as we've talked about the state contractor and using potentially using the state contractor more these corridors, I think that will help to support uh the public works staff overall. Um, because we think that that uh given the balance that we have, um the time equipment um [2:15:04, 2:15:11]: personnel it takes for mowing, litter pickup, those types of things, especially on those major corridors, I think will help overall. [2:15:11, 2:15:31]: And and the last question that I have is the street sweeper came through my neighborhood this morning. Talk about the applications of the street sweeper uh in in the community. How often is it used? Is it used on North Henry Boulevard and some other areas or is it just used on residential subdivisions? And do we have somebody dedicated to use it? [2:15:31, 2:15:51]: Regular. There are two individuals that are certified that have the CDL that can operate the street sweeper. And as I keep pointing out, street sweeping is done to comply with your MS4 permit. So once a quarter, every street in the city of Stockbridge is swept. Some are more frequent than others, but that's what I [2:15:51, 2:16:11]: our MS4 permit requires us you got two guys that come in between midnight and six in the morning to avoid the traffic and do the sweeping. The majority of it is done between that so so once a quarter that would be like every ninety days uh or so forth. So what would it take? I my personal feeling, I'll ask you. [2:16:11, 2:16:31]: Is that uh what would it take? I would like for you and maybe Mr. Knighton to put together a budget and bring it back to us so that we can review it to get that done uh on res in in in in the business areas in the city and some of the every two weeks, just like we're gonna be doing or once a week, if we cut that cord or once a week. [2:16:31, 2:16:42]: a week it gets cut once a week, then the uh street sweeper goes out there uh as well. Uh uh is y can you do that and what are your opinions and try to talk about [2:16:43, 2:17:03]: I just wanna see the two hundred thousand dollar machine go out there more. Yeah. If you wanna do it every two weeks, then you you gotta be willing to invest in two more street sweepers and plus the personnel to operate it. So so uh okay, um let me help let me help me understand that so we need an additional street sweeper to do it every two weeks? Two additional street sweepers you would need. So [2:17:03, 2:17:15]: So the current street sweeper that we have right now cleaning the areas that we having uh right now, we take two more street sweepers in order to do the same thing. And the personnel to [2:17:15, 2:17:32]: to to meet the schedule that you wanna meet because you've got one street sweeper and one person. So he can't do every street in the city in two weeks. So and and and again we're talking about private contractors here, right? Private contractors do street sweeping too, right? [2:17:33, 2:17:40]: Yeah, you could probably look at that and I think your question, your original question was can we bring something back to you to show you what that looks like? [2:17:40, 2:17:45]: Right. And then that's just one thing I did not know. Do they do do private contractors do street sweeping as well? [2:17:46, 2:18:06]: Yes, there are some people that outsource. Right. So that might be the way to go versus us uh investing in the equipment uh to put out a bid to see whether we could get um these uh corridors done, the business corridors. Because I think drip through and a lot of other people that have been through here, the Barn Beautiful. [2:18:06, 2:18:14]: They want something solidly done on their part of town, and I want to make sure that we follow through. [2:18:14, 2:18:34]: Uh to make sure that we made a commitment to the west side of I75 that we don't say, oh man, well look what's going on over there. That's beautiful. What about us? Now we're going through the state contractor in order to do that. But again, that street sweeping, when you go by those expressway exit or you go by the curved and there's trash all next. [2:18:34, 2:18:54]: Next to the dividers and all of that. Is that included in the litter pickup? All that trash that's around the exit curbage? Is that included in the litter pickup? Is that street sweeping? Well, who clean? Because nobody ever cleans that up. It's all a lot of dirt, leaves, and junk just right around the exit. [2:18:54, 2:19:04]: I'm talking about where you come off the exit and you're making the turn lane, you got all of this trash and cigarette butts and everything that just sets there month after month after month. [2:19:05, 2:19:23]: Well, there is a route that i includes the major thoroughfares. So those are roads like North Henry one thirty eight. They are out there. Mm. But like I say, if you doing it once a quarter every ninety days, that's a difficult task, especially on the exit'cause when people stop that's where they throw things out of their cars. [2:19:23, 2:19:43]: Well and and again maybe Mr. Daniels can help us with this one really quick is that I think we'd had some conversations with Mr. Williams about tourism dollars being able to uh possibly be used, the hotel motel tax possibly aiding us. Because I mean if if we're drawing in these tourists, they're coming. [2:19:43, 2:19:51]: In, they're shopping with us, they're spending money with us, they're staying with us. We we're reaping the benefits, so by reaping the benefits. [2:19:52, 2:20:12]: We can't do that. Okay. So Ms Ms. Moore says we cannot do that. Okay. All right. Uh in reference to early in the conversation, Mr. Knight, you mentioned about potentially I guess of the desire of the council to take a look at this potential thing or some but uh I'll do it more frequently. We can take a look at that and see what the cost uh would be of potentially a product contract contractor for street sweeping. We can take a look at that and bring that [2:20:12, 2:20:32]: that to you. Which would probably be additional funding and things that obviously additional funding in that aspect of or equipment, things of that nature. So well well the a private contract of course would have their own equipment. Right. And and would not burden the the city with uh uh purchasing additional equipment, but we can take a look at that and see what it looks like and bring it to you. Thank you. All right. Mr Blount please. [2:20:31, 2:20:51]: Yeah, Ms. Dacious. Um, real quick and I Ms. Moore uh answered a lot of the questions with that forced cleanup thing, so uh hopefully that'll come through real quick. Um we was doing a sidewalk and street analysis for the communities because I see a lot going on in the uh main thoroughfares and different areas, but in the [2:20:51, 2:21:11]: Communities, we was going out to do the street analysis and the sidewalk analysis. And I just just for the record, because we talked about it, would you uh just talk about where we are with that and when is that gonna be implemented. That that's ongoing. We should have something available to council for you to review in September. I know there are some repairs that we've identified. [2:21:11, 2:21:28]: identified that we're going out to make repairs. One'em some of'em will be tomorrow morning if the weather permits. We'll be pouring those sidewalks to complete those projects. Like I say, we've identified some that need immediate attention, but we should have something to council for review in September. [2:21:28, 2:21:48]: Okay. Um I noticed yesterday uh today, um, since the memorial memorial uh March, there's several trees and I know that the cemetery is not we don't own the cemetery, but I've seen several trees today has fallen across in there. How do we contact somebody about [2:21:48, 2:22:08]: that or or who because I uh people saying is it could be abandoned cemetery or this and that. I I don't I don't know in the what what is the city's uh Is it in the cemetery itself? Yeah, they they several trees are falling. I guess when we had some hot winds or whatever, several trees are falling across through that throughout through the cemetery area. And I just kinda [2:22:08, 2:22:09]: Memorial. [2:22:09, 2:22:29]: m at Memorial Park, if we could just take a look at that and find you can let me know that later or whatever. I just wanted to bring that to your attention. Um the light the light fixture that got burnt down, um is that I I'm trying to think, is that the city's responsibility to replace that light on Winston Drive? [2:22:29, 2:22:49]: The light that we talked about before the car hit it and it got burnt down. Georgia Power, yeah. Georgia Power is in the process of replacing that. We have reported it to them since it's their light pole. So I'll I'll follow up with them. Yeah, I'm gonna say do we have a contact for that? Because that's been yes a while on that light. And and last [2:22:49, 2:23:09]: Lastly, are we communicating with the Henry County Department of Transportation or for or work or talking to them about because on Eagles Landing Parkway, there are cracks that are opening up on that so wide, and when you come across uh Eagles Landing Parkway across the heavy bump. [2:23:09, 2:23:21]: On Patrick Henry, the one where you're talking about it. Well the street is cracked, it's severely cracked. [2:23:21, 2:23:33]: All the way across, even to Hudson Bridge. But when you're coming out of Atlanta Parkway, that what y'all just talking about, that bump when you cross Patrick Henry, it's almost like a speed bump. Hitting a speed bump coming across there. [2:23:34, 2:23:48]: Well, the the county, I know they tried to do a temporary fix. I dry that every day on the way home. They put a strip of asphalt there, but it's gonna be some substantial work that has to be done to that. But because it's in the city limits and I know that this is the county. [2:23:49, 2:24:00]: Are we contacting them about that? Because we're gonna we're getting the calls. Yes, we've we've not the county. We've notified them on several occasions. That's why they came out and put that strip of asphalt that's there, but it's not. [2:24:00, 2:24:05]: remedy the situation that's going on right there. Have they said anything about [2:24:05, 2:24:09]: Anything in reference to repairing that road at all? No. [2:24:09, 2:24:17]: Who who is the person we talked to? We've spoken with David Simmons. That's who I speak with. With Henry County G D with Harring County DOT. [2:24:21, 2:24:24]: Yeah, that's all I have. Thanks. Mr. Thomas, please. Um [2:24:24, 2:24:44]: Mr. And I just want to say a couple things uh and I want to answer respond to Mr. Blount's um concern about the cemetery and the tree. Uh yeah, it it is not the city's responsibility. Um when those trees fall, the community, we usually get somebody to come in and try to just cut them and try to remove them. It's not the first time, Nick Bell, but I know that it's not the city's. [2:24:44, 2:24:48]: responsibility. I just wanted to mention that. [2:24:48, 2:24:50]: Mr. Knight, I do appreciate [2:24:51, 2:25:10]: I always see, always read these two documents here. So you always tell us uh the little pickup and the streets. And um this I see the public work projects. So I'm just saying a lot of this information that you do send out, the little pickup. I just want to say that. But what I really want to say is that [2:25:11, 2:25:31]: For me, uh code enforcement and public works, that's the face of the city for me. That's what people see, that's what people are concerned. Now I know we we've started going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Um I think we got to create a process, and I know when we're here at the dais, you know, we're legislated. [2:25:31, 2:25:44]: we're passing ordinances and and just, you know, creating law. But there has to be a process and I don't mind calling you up and I come to Mr. Knight and we talk, but I'm just sort of suggesting the council [2:25:44, 2:25:45]: Um [2:25:45, 2:25:47]: We got to get into the habit of [2:25:48, 2:26:08]: Coming to you, setting up appointments and talking and getting answers to a lot of these questions. Uh we need to have these kind of sessions where we can go back and forth. When I was on the council before, the work session was a true work session. It wasn't about legislation. But I think we have to get to a point where [2:26:08, 2:26:19]: We can come in and meet with different departments and discuss and work these things out. I don't think from this platform, I just don't think this is the platform. [2:26:20, 2:26:21]: To spin [2:26:21, 2:26:33]: this kind of time back and forth, back and forth, to get into those small details about certain things. Now I don't have the answer to that, but I would just say council staff. [2:26:33, 2:26:36]: We need to we need to create a a format. [2:26:36, 2:26:56]: Well, we can meet with the public works director, the general maintenance supervisor, and even if it's a 3-2, and ask these questions, work these things out, and come up with plans. Now, when we need to create the policies, when we finally finish all of the discussion and we want to create [2:26:56, 2:27:03]: the policies and the legislation, then we come here and then we pass those. But to spend this kind of time [2:27:03, 2:27:23]: Getting into the small details, I just don't think it's the platform for that. Now, I know we're all busy, and I know a lot of us don't have the time to do that. But if we're gonna have these questions and these concerns, then we have to make this time to come to you, Mr. Aaron, call you up and say, I need an appointment. I need two hours of your time. And I sat down with [2:27:23, 2:27:27]: with you for two hours and we go through this and you answer all the questions that I have. [2:27:28, 2:27:32]: That's the way I see that being done. But at this this this format here [2:27:33, 2:27:34]: I just don't see it. [2:27:35, 2:27:36]: Thank you. [2:27:36, 2:27:37]: Yes, ma'am. [2:27:37, 2:27:57]: Um I agree um with Councilman Thomas, but I will say that even with me, I've had several ride-alongs with you all, and I've also met um here at City Hall. But um as the work session, there's gonna be questions um when presentations are made um that could be outside. [2:27:57, 2:28:17]: So those questions will c will take place and we're seeking those answers. I do believe a lot of us are doing our due diligence to make sure that we are reaching out to you. [2:28:17, 2:28:37]: um being transparent um with the questions that we may have um that may come up off of your report because you don't give me uh provide your report at that time. Um because it's just um you know certain things that came up tonight that I wasn't, you know, aware of um [2:28:37, 2:28:57]: that, you know, makes me go out tomorrow and look because I'm just not familiar with it. But um I just work session to me is just that, um, to be able to ask the questions and I appreciate you um all of staff taking to time to um answer those um when it's pertaining to your report. So [2:28:57, 2:29:17]: Thank you. Well, I think one of the things that has been beneficial that have come out of the ride-alongs is that we've gotten a perspective of how council would like to see certain things looked and done. So that has challenged Mr. Knighton and I and Ms. Miller to look at alternatives versus, you know, staff going out there and maintaining areas versus the contract. [2:29:17, 2:29:30]: contractor and where do we get the best use of our money and and what we've come up with with the contract I think is it's gonna be beneficial to not only the city but also what the council wants to see their gateways look like. [2:29:31, 2:29:38]: All right. All right, so you're done with that. Any other questions from Ms. Knight? Just one more. How many people are on the liberty? [2:29:38, 2:29:58]: How many or like when you have somebody go out there, how many people go out to pick up on the community? The litter litter is primarily our temporary staffing. So how many people at a time? Uh we have been averaging like one to two the last couple of weeks. We've had five. So it's normally f one to five. [2:29:58, 2:30:03]: And then they're cod on that particular day if it's one to five how much area are they covering in the state? [2:30:03, 2:30:23]: As much as one person can cover within a an eight hour shift. I don't know what that is. So well you got you got it to have a goal for them, they had to cover so much territory. But it's is the city is quadrant off, so they have certain streets in each quadrant. And as much as a person could walk one person within that time, he's in [2:30:23, 2:30:29]: He has a list of streets that he's working on that week. So as much as he can cover in a day. [2:30:31, 2:30:40]: We have a list of how on those quadrants, how many people are I would like to see that nine how many people go out? [2:30:40, 2:30:48]: Right. On on a particular day, if I said uh July the sixth, you would know how many people were in that quadrant or how many people we had out there. [2:30:49, 2:31:09]: It it would be it varies because you know one day you might have one person that shows up from the temp agency. The next day you might have four or five. And it then it depends on what events we have coming. Like with Sounds of Summer, that's all hands on deck Thursday and Friday to get everything ready for that event. So about everybody you have is doing something. [2:31:09, 2:31:11]: [9072.5, 9078.5]: All right. Thank thank you, Mr Aaron. Appreciate it. Mr. Wiggins, sir. Finance report. [2:31:32, 2:31:34]: Which one is it? [2:31:35, 2:31:44]: Which one is it? Oh, okay. Let's blow can you blow that up? [2:31:45, 2:31:58]: Oh well we've been working on this for years now. Okay, what did you do? We've been working on it for years. So that's how people hear like [2:31:59, 2:32:00]: Alrighty. [2:32:05, 2:32:25]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening. I want to start off by saying that um for the second quarter, we um we submitted the audit uh by the due date, which was June 30th. Um and during the uh budget retreat, you will have some [2:32:24, 2:32:31]: Somebody uh from Marlin Jenkins come up and give you the um information about the audit. [2:32:31, 2:32:33]: We also um [2:32:34, 2:32:43]: for this particular quarter, we have about ten bids that are out there on the streets. I think a few of'em have got awarded so far. [2:32:44, 2:32:47]: Um and the last thing we have um [2:32:49, 2:32:49]: Um [2:32:51, 2:33:04]: We have uh given um all the department heads their budget worksheets and we are preparing to uh uh uh work on the budget and uh so we can be ready for the budget retreat. [2:33:05, 2:33:09]: And with that, going to the two thousand nineteen second quarter report. [2:33:10, 2:33:14]: Case, I'm sorry, excuse me. We don't I don't have a budget in my book. [2:33:15, 2:33:22]: Oh you got one should be in your book then. [2:33:28, 2:33:33]: I thought we passed that okay. All right, go right here. [2:33:35, 2:33:36]: Okay. [2:33:37, 2:33:45]: No. Uh the mission for uh mission statement for the finance department reads uh the finance department provides professional oversight. [2:33:46, 2:33:49]: In consultation to the city programs and services regarding financial [2:33:50, 2:33:59]: Accounting and budgetary practices. Our focus is to ensure compliance to all relevant financial and budgetary regulations, including Georgia. [2:34:00, 2:34:04]: Budget law and state statutes governing financial information. [2:34:04, 2:34:09]: Uh the second paragraph is about the department description of [2:34:09, 2:34:11]: For the sake of time I'll I'll [2:34:12, 2:34:31]: Take it to the next slide. Um this slide here is is a slide it it tells you um it your basic your uh budget the actual. Uh for this particular quarter, the budget is at four million eight hundred and seventy three thousand [2:34:31, 2:34:32]: Nine dollars. [2:34:33, 2:34:35]: The actual for revenue that was for revenue. [2:34:36, 2:34:48]: The revenue the actual that actually came in for this particular quarter is four million one hundred and eighty-five dollars and t two hundred and sixty three. Um the expenses [2:34:49, 2:35:04]: for this uh quarter came to was budget at three million nine hundred and ninety four dollars ninety four two hundred and thirty one dollars. Uh the actual debt that that was uh that came in was four million [2:35:05, 2:35:08]: Eight hundred and ninety five, nine eighty nine. [2:35:11, 2:35:18]: Moving to the next slide. This slide here uh is a graph that depicts um uh [2:35:19, 2:35:33]: The for the second quarter, it pits um looking at the uh going back for uh four years, we have uh at this here Johnson here the revenue is four million one hundred and eighty-five [2:35:34, 2:35:35]: two sixty three. [2:35:37, 2:35:38]: That's a uh [2:35:40, 2:35:43]: I don't have a slide for but looking at like last year. [2:35:44, 2:35:45]: That's a uh a pretty good jump. [2:35:45, 2:35:47]: Yeah, they are six hundred thousand on. [2:35:49, 2:35:55]: Moving to the next slide. This slide here is just uh [2:35:55, 2:36:03]: A summary of the financial statements. Uh this is showing the revenues and the expenditures for the general fund. [2:36:07, 2:36:11]: Next slide looks at your hotel and motel fund. [2:36:12, 2:36:16]: Your urban develop redevelopment fund and city wide project fund. [2:36:21, 2:36:25]: Next slide. Looks at your water and sewer. [2:36:27, 2:36:30]: Fun, your storm water and sanitation. [2:36:37, 2:36:40]: Next slide looks at the mirror manders. [2:36:40, 2:36:43]: Conference fund as well as the Ted Strickland. [2:36:45, 2:36:45]: Mm. [2:36:50, 2:37:00]: Next slide, last slide. It looks at the s the uh revenue and expenditures for splash three and for splash four. [2:37:02, 2:37:03]: And with that, any question? [2:37:05, 2:37:08]: I'm pretty sure we have some questions this year. All right. [2:37:09, 2:37:10]: Anybody? [2:37:11, 2:37:13]: Uh go ride, Mr. Blount. [2:37:14, 2:37:28]: On the um slide with the uh I guess those those projected expenditures or actual expenditures. On the one that you showed, uh showed the expenditures, uh four point something million and then you showed the receipt. [2:37:28, 2:37:34]: Revenues that poor so it was a it was a lower number. Are those projected expenditures or actual expenditures? [2:37:36, 2:37:39]: That's for the uh the first slide that I show. [2:37:39, 2:37:42]: Yeah, no it's uh can you back up on this? Yeah. [2:37:43, 2:37:52]: Yeah, back up one more. A couple more. Let's see. One more. No, no, I'm sorry. Go b go for a one. Go for a one. Right there. Yeah, the you you got the um [2:37:54, 2:38:08]: You got the revenue and then you have the expenditures. Which expenditures are more than the revenue received. Is that actual expenditures or or is that projection of the expenditures? Th these are actual [2:38:08, 2:38:20]: Actual expenditures at that point with the general fund, we haven't we're still waiting to catch up with the expenditures right now. Right. And and we we're we're trending about the same that we did last year. [2:38:20, 2:38:40]: Uh at this junction here between the third the second and third quarter, you're kind of it's kind of fluctuates depending on uh when we receive some of the um our revenue. Okay. Some of it's a timing issue, a timing issue during the course of the year. Right. So so then if we go back to the other ones on the four years. [2:38:40, 2:38:49]: then you're talking about the projection of it, the projection of revenue then is still gonna is projected to uh be more. [2:38:50, 2:38:56]: That's correct. It's it's more now on the projection that would that is coming in now and what's what we need to receive. Okay, gotcha. True. Got ya. [2:39:00, 2:39:11]: Any other questions for uh Mr. Wiggins? Uh yes. Uh tell me what uh at this point in in the middle of the year is there a fund balance calculation? [2:39:12, 2:39:15]: That we could um is there any in here? [2:39:15, 2:39:17]: Uh it's not in here but uh wait a minute. [2:39:19, 2:39:21]: Based on what we've already spent this year. [2:39:23, 2:39:43]: I think I think the your your hardcore numbers your hardcore numbers is gonna be contained in your audit fund balance and of course Malden and Jenkins will be at the budget retreat to go into that in detail. Is it in terms of your fund balance Okay, so they're done with that already at this point now, right? They it's what what what you're gonna get from Maldon and Jenkins is [2:39:43, 2:39:57]: It's um the fund balance from 2018. Through eighteen. Through twenty eighteen. This this right here is right now we're in the middle of 2019. Um as far as the fund balance, um [2:39:59, 2:40:05]: I can provide that the next uh at the in at the for the third quarter. But uh [2:40:08, 2:40:12]: I don't see it. We w we don't have that right now. Well [2:40:13, 2:40:33]: Well you could bring it back. Yeah. I let me bring let me bring it back. As a total, especially for the entire year, that gives you a much better picture of what the fund balance is and how it's trending for spending during the course of the year. At this point with revenues trending where they are, is there a percentage up or down that we might where we are? [2:40:33, 2:40:53]: At this point, uh surely we gotta be up. We just saw six hundred what about six hundred thousand dollars in one quarter? Right. We're we're up um at this at this particular junction for uh uh the end of June. We're up, our revenues up, especially compared to last year. We're up, we're [2:40:54, 2:41:05]: If you look at last year, last year number was uh if you look at the revenue was at three point six million. Mm-hmm. This year we're like a one point two. So that's like [2:41:06, 2:41:26]: Five hundred some five hundred and ninety something thousand dollars. So that's a uh that's a big jump from last year. I think last year, if you look at um compare that, it was uh right round a hundred something. So this is a big jump and it and it's due to our um loss. [2:41:26, 2:41:44]: We're getting a little bit more in our loss uh revenue uh than last year. And then we also um uh sales and use tax for beer and and and liquor discussion is up a little bit as well as our uh business tax business tax. [2:41:44, 2:42:04]: Okay, and then la Leslie, I think uh Miss Moore's been doing a really good job of telling us what the um uh the planning and built the the planning department is bringing in. Uh maybe she might come back up, I don't know, maybe that's you. What what was the projection and then what are we at now in the actual? What is [2:42:04, 2:42:12]: Is the projected that we were going to bring in and planning and zoning, and then where are we actually at? [2:42:15, 2:42:19]: Okay. Well if we look at if we go back to [2:42:23, 2:42:24]: Yes, you sound. [2:42:28, 2:42:30]: If we go back to this, um [2:42:31, 2:42:36]: The sheet here, the summary for the budget and actual. If we look at like per meaning [2:42:37, 2:42:39]: Permanent um [2:42:40, 2:42:41]: It's basically where we um [2:42:45, 2:42:54]: most of the expenses are coming from that we will that that that we will bump against the revenues that we are that we're generating. Mm-hmm. Uh most time we we [2:42:55, 2:42:57]: Our permanent is looking at like five hundred [2:42:58, 2:43:18]: Five hundred and fifty seven thousand dollars with that um the revenue, I can't tell, but uh I can I can get that that number back to you to be so it can be a little bit more accurate. But most of the time like if you're trending like is it's trending like it is last year. [2:43:18, 2:43:20]: We're almost like half uh [2:43:22, 2:43:31]: We're collecting uh about half m um them more than what we're spending when it comes to um services that are too as well and help you out. [2:43:34, 2:43:35]: So I can't. [2:43:36, 2:43:37]: I could bring that back to you. [2:43:38, 2:43:42]: Here, is this pretty much we got two thousand nineteen? [2:43:44, 2:44:04]: That's where you're a free team. That's already a great train. So the overhead of the training based on that number. Yeah. So looking at um Miss Moore numbers which is generated from the system, you got uh your revenue from last year was at um two point seven million. [2:44:04, 2:44:24]: Right now at for June 30th, which we're trending, we're we're sitting at 1.7 million that's been collected. And this is this 1.7 is coming from all of the um count lines that that that are dedicated to for um generation. [2:44:24, 2:44:29]: for collecting for community development services. [2:44:29, 2:44:49]: We also had a report on Merlmanders Conference Center and all of that. We already know that Merylmanders always takes in a loss for us to have to supplement that. Right. So uh at the midpoint in the year, how do we compare to where Meryl Manders is supposed to be and where they actually are now? [2:44:49, 2:44:50]: Always have to put [2:44:51, 2:44:54]: Supplement them and we always have to add some money to the budget to [2:44:55, 2:44:56]: Tied them over so [2:44:56, 2:44:58]: Compared to where they're supposed to be. [2:44:59, 2:45:01]: Where are they at at the six month period? [2:45:02, 2:45:05]: Right now, the six month period, Merrill Mann was [2:45:05, 2:45:07]: Compared to where they're supposed to be, I'm saying. [2:45:08, 2:45:08]: What [2:45:09, 2:45:15]: They're pretty much tr like like they're tr pretty much trending like they did last year. They're they're sitting at [2:45:15, 2:45:20]: The revenues that for Merle Manders right now are well [2:45:21, 2:45:25]: Ending in June thirtieth is forty eight thousand dollars. [2:45:25, 2:45:30]: Our expenses right now are uh two hundred and twelve dollars. [2:45:31, 2:45:38]: So um the expedit But we but we haven't done any like you supposed to do um [2:45:38, 2:45:58]: We haven't done any of the um what is that um the transfers. You want to come up and what was do you say that again, that forty-eight thousand dollars we've made two hundred dollars. Oh forty eight. The majority of that is personnel though. We talked about how we actually give a real picture of what Merle is. You're actually talking about the staff of six people, right? [2:45:58, 2:46:05]: Right? So when you think about Merle and the TED, the majority of these expenditures are paying for your staff. [2:46:06, 2:46:24]: not for the facility. And we're gonna figure out a way to separate so you can truly see what the facilities are bringing in and rental and the administrative cost, which is separate, because these figures that we're talking about, the majority of that you're paying for C C salary, economyal salary, that's health benefits, that's all of that. [2:46:25, 2:46:45]: So I don't I don't want you to be confused about But you still have to account for that because otherwise how do you that's who operates the building. So it's a part of that department. Right. You can't separate that's just like saying, okay, we're gonna separate what the mayor and council do. They have their their travel budget. [2:46:45, 2:46:52]: But we're not gonna put it under that category. We just like with economic development or community development. So [2:46:53, 2:47:01]: They have to be combined because it's all a part of the expenditures of what cost. Back when I first got here, there were only two. [2:47:02, 2:47:12]: Two two. And I know that we have a drastic increase in ev in events and different things. I get that. But if you look at the same amount of the events or different things, you [2:47:13, 2:47:33]: I don't believe there's I don't believe that's accurate in fact. No, I think you're not hearing what I'm saying. Okay. You're dealing with the departmental budget, and there always appears to be this uh for me from where I sit when I hear this, is that why is it Merle when you when you look at the subsidy, is what are you subsidizing? That's my question. I wanna be clear that [2:47:33, 2:47:53]: That's what we're subsidized, it may be the operation, but that's no different from looking at what is the budget for community development or what is the budget for Main Street. They're all departmental budgets. And the largest part of that budget is the salary, staff, and benefits. That's the only point that I was making. And that's for any department budget. When you guys built Merle and when you built Taylor, [2:47:53, 2:47:55]: [10076.1, 10079.6]: And you have to decide whether or not you really want to be a money generator. [2:48:00, 2:48:04]: Because then you need to have competitive fees to rent it. And I think we've talked about that before. [2:48:05, 2:48:25]: Right. Well I I I think excuse me if I go right is that my point is is that we understand that Merle is not gonna make money, but if that hole keeps getting deeper and deeper and deeper, we got a problem. If we only made forty eight thousand dollars in six months for this [2:48:25, 2:48:45]: This multi-million dollar this million dollar facility, man, we're taking a bath. Uh so what I might I said this at previous retreats that we wanted to try to go in a direction where we stem the tide at least, but if we've only made forty eight thousand dollars in six months, what are we charging? It costs [2:48:45, 2:48:54]: What it's supposed to cost two thousand dollars very expensive to rent to rent one for one event and they have weddings every weekend and we only made forty-eight thousand dollars. [2:48:55, 2:48:56]: But yes, that's correct. [2:48:58, 2:49:17]: So you can either go up on your fees, right? That's a choice. No, we need to charge everybody what we said. We if the fee is two thousand dollars and you have a wedding there every weekend, every two weddings or three sometimes, what how is it that we only have forty eight thousand dollars? [2:49:21, 2:49:29]: Somebody need to explain to me. We've done a review of the numbers. [2:49:29, 2:49:49]: Okay, right. We've done a review of the numbers and what's in the finance system and what the numbers she spit out to you tonight is what's in the system. Let me let me let me let me address two things. One is um if cause if and I'll look deeper these numbers, one is if Ms. Moore is talking about in terms of overall status. [2:49:49, 2:49:51]: That's one issue. [2:49:51, 2:50:11]: If that takes into account overall staffing when we put on Sounds of Summer concerts and so forth, those are not revenue producing items that the staff is there for to coordinate and generate. Those are not revenue generating items. Sounds of Summer Concert, Bridge Fest, Tasty Tuesday are not revenue generating items. If we're looking at the Merrill Manders conference. [2:50:11, 2:50:31]: Center and or uh Ted Strickland Conference Center in particular and what those what those generate versus expenses, we need to break that out. That's correct. And if there is is a uh obviously a supplement issue. The one other thing I and I don't revenue I don't I don't want to get into here is that we will be talking with you probably in the next week or [2:50:31, 2:50:49]: or two about some things that we are are in process of implementing there in terms of what we think will provide some greater efficiencies. This is not the appropriate form for that because it involves personnel and or staffing. But I will make sure that that is communicated with you within the next week. [2:50:50, 2:51:10]: Mayor. And and if I can just add, I think um mayor and council was forwarded um the breakdown that you were talking about. Um, because I had requested this earlier on um when we were saying that, you know, when we had our resolution, um so it was forwarded to everyone. So I think we need to [2:51:09, 2:51:17]: to go back and everybody need to look at that again before our retreat. Um so that way we'll can have it and then ask more questions at that time. [2:51:19, 2:51:21]: All right, any more questions for Ms. Wiggins? [2:51:21, 2:51:41]: If not, thank you, sir. Thank you, staff. Now we counsel, we've been going at this for two and ha two hours and forty five minutes roughly. Some of you have already taken personal breaks. Didn't know whether or not you want to take a break now for five or ten minutes and then start up again, or you just want to keep going and you just individually take breaks as you as you move along. Uh what's your desires here? [2:51:43, 2:51:55]: Motion to break. I need a break. Well I need a motion to to adjourn for for five minutes. So move. Okay, is there a second? A second. All right. Five minutes, folks. [2:51:56, 2:51:57]: Oh [2:52:06, 2:52:10]: Absolutely amazing. [2:52:11, 2:52:12]: Yeah, you know it. [2:52:13, 2:52:14]: Miss Moore. [2:52:15, 2:52:24]: Or Miss Holiday, one of y'all. I I need I need ten copies of one more thing. I need ten copies of something. [2:52:27, 2:52:31]: Did you say she needed copies? Need copies? Something? [2:52:35, 2:52:42]: [10363.4, 10383.4]: Then you can have instead of transfers and all that kind of stuff, you can go ahead and pay for it straight up in the journal bar without doing transfer. That's what I'm saying. And then you get a real picture of Maryland Table. [2:53:03, 2:53:17]: You guys have a lot of things. [2:53:28, 2:53:46]: And when when you took a lot of new that's not the action. [2:53:48, 2:54:00]: I wanted to what I kind of really want to do because all of their tasks. [2:54:01, 2:54:04]: It calls it. [2:54:05, 2:54:15]: Something more and uh open up. [2:54:46, 2:54:47]: [10487.9, 10489.0]: Yeah. [2:54:50, 2:54:50]: Yeah. [2:54:50, 2:55:10]: Everybody be complaining about what we're doing, but we get answers. Well, that ain't what I'm talking about. We only stand around and talk after the break. We come home back. Everybody ain't talking about um like coming out. [2:55:10, 2:55:21]: Mayor Council or whatever. Everybody is uh that we can cost events. [2:55:22, 2:55:25]: Make it a pure cross of the line. Make it a pure cross. [2:55:28, 2:55:48]: Is that the colour? If they have a real number? That's my first. Because uh we already called up into the general phone. [2:55:48, 2:56:08]: So general part high. It's just a fair a look of what's going on. See, I think while we're coming in, I think they can sound so that it's a peer view for T, I think it's a peer view of of a mural. [2:56:08, 2:56:28]: And then they're treated like they're in the parts. And that means that they're Because you you look at like like 10 years always kinda end or kind of close to breaking even. Correct. That's because there's no salary. That's correct. That's correct. So it kind of ends up kind of breaking even. [2:56:27, 2:56:44]: No, you you're not gonna do that. No, it's the total budget for mirror is about five hundred thousand. You spend two months on salary. That's why it gotta come out. So definitely look at Murray will always break in a tier to make it. [2:56:45, 2:57:01]: And it won't look like we suffered that but that's what we gotta do. We gotta do the traditional budget type. So we're gonna just move on into the vents. All right. And we also um and then when we tighten up some of the [2:57:02, 2:57:22]: the system and the operation around the um the privacy uh a better stream you know won't be so much uh inconsistency. You know, but at least they get rid of the questions. [2:57:22, 2:57:37]: Mm-hmm. So that's basically what you're looking at. But um I mean good questions. I mean you can't do that by them, but you can't take it. [2:57:54, 2:57:58]: Well it's a form you could stop to tell you what. [2:58:00, 2:58:05]: You know, you you hate it when he uh [2:58:05, 2:58:09]: Yeah, yeah. [2:58:10, 2:58:11]: I keep thinking about that. [2:58:14, 2:58:23]: Everybody be complaining about how long it takes, but we be getting ass. We making progress. [2:58:23, 2:58:40]: We making progress, right? We getting answers. And it's always been my sake. Every other job that I ever work, when people are supposed to have a great meeting like this, they let'em come in late. [2:58:40, 2:58:48]: I got a quorum. So I need a motion, I guess, to reconvene. So move. So move. Yeah. [2:58:48, 2:58:56]: Okay, is there is there a second to the motion to reconvene? Second. All right. All in favor, please indicate. All right. We will reconvene. [2:58:56, 2:59:00]: Everybody's in place. She's coming. All right. [2:59:01, 2:59:05]: So what we got next, sir, is uh new business and council consideration. [2:59:06, 2:59:11]: To approve a resolution to fill a vacancy, appoint a member of the Main Street Advisory Board. [2:59:12, 2:59:13]: And Miss Barracks. [2:59:14, 2:59:15]: Revolution was number two. [2:59:17, 2:59:22]: No, no, we're new business. We're on a new business, right? We finished all our presentations. [2:59:22, 2:59:24]: How about you say in resolution would be? [2:59:25, 2:59:31]: No, no, this is this is this no no. There is one. There isn't one number ten. This one's council concerns to approve a rules resolution to fill vacancy. [2:59:32, 2:59:34]: To appoint a member to Main Street. [2:59:35, 2:59:37]: Yes, ma'am, go right up please. Yes, sir. [2:59:37, 2:59:51]: Good evening again, Mr. Mayor and Council members. Uh we have a candidate for appointment on the Main Street Advisory Board to fill the position of business owner outside the Main Street district. [2:59:51, 3:00:11]: Miss Anita Johnson has applied. She is the owner of Upscale Fashions, which is a retail consignment shop on North Henry Boulevard. Her address is 5029 North Henry Boulevard, and her store opened in Stockbridge 22 years ago. So she's a longevity business. [3:00:11, 3:00:20]: Here in the city, and she's been an enthusiastic supporter and participant in our Small Business Saturday for four consecutive years. [3:00:20, 3:00:33]: And she's really good at attracting customers to retail settings, um, has been a brick and mortar for a very long time and we feel that she would be an excellent candidate for the Main Street advisory board. [3:00:33, 3:00:39]: So move. Oh yep, yep. Okay, go ahead, sir. Yeah, but go ahead you're gonna make a motion, sir. You gotta make a motion. [3:00:40, 3:00:52]: Well I heard uh so moved. So moved, so you uh second. A second, second, there you go. Second. Any good discussion? All in favor, please indicate. Okay, so now it's decisions. Okay, fact that we're gonna do that. Okay. [3:00:54, 3:01:01]: Council consideration approved resolution appointing bond counsel for the city. So move. [3:01:03, 3:01:23]: the the bond counsel is Douglas uh I mean uh discuss this mayor and counsel go go right there please you have information related to discuss that um the preferred um bond counsel Doug Selby yeah you can see from um his resume and accomplishments that he is um very well positioned to provide bond counsel for [3:01:23, 3:01:42]: For the city of Stockbridge, among the many things that he provides, financial services, real estate investment in finance, capital markets, and securities. He's worked for a number of local governments and worked on a number of bond transactions. His education is a bachelor's from Howard University in Washington, D.C. [3:01:42, 3:01:53]: an MBA from Harvard University in uh Boston and then a jurisdictor from the University of Chicago. Uh he is recommended for your approval to serve as bond counsel for the city of Stockbridge. [3:01:54, 3:01:56]: So move it. [3:01:57, 3:02:17]: Made a motion to accept Mr. Douglas Shelby. Second that okay. Any discussion? All favor please indicate. Discussion. You didn't ask about discussion. Yes, I I think I wanted to elaborate just a little bit more. Uh well hold hold hold on second, hold on a second, please. Okay. [3:02:17, 3:02:37]: Uh Mr. Knighton, I think the public needs to understand uh what it is. Uh this is a great move. I think it is. I'm I'm for it one hundred percent. I just want the public to understand the significance of this move and then uh what it could benefit. I think we've had a lot of talk about projects like the [3:02:37, 3:02:57]: Youth Senior Center, the Cultural Arts Center, and a numerous uh of other projects that this needs to come into. And I think there's been a lot of conversation about us as a group about what we are, what we do and what we do not support. I just want to say that. [3:02:57, 3:03:17]: That it has never been my opinion that nobody up here was ever against the senior art center. I think I've already said that that particular um venue, mayor, uh everybody supported it, and that we uh as a group uh that we had a vote on it and that we delayed it. But I want you to talk about the [3:03:17, 3:03:30]: advantages of having this and then being able to uh put forward the youth senior center point of four stand by a second please. What's your point of order, sir? My point of order is that the the the the question at hand [3:03:30, 3:03:37]: Isn't is is is about the uh bond attorney. This is all off surge. This has nothing to do with the bond attorney. [3:03:38, 3:03:50]: We're we' we're we're asking to s to to come together and see if we're gonna appoint a bond attorney. Whether it's somebody intended to say something or didn't say something, that has nothing to do with what's the question at hand. [3:03:50, 3:04:10]: Well the motion on the floor is is is in reference to the bond attorney, Mr. Shelby. Uh and it was properly made. It actually was seconded, and then I asked for discussion. I thought we were going to a vote, and you said you had some discussion. Well, I had discussion that I want Mr. Knighton to explain to the public how and the benefits of what we're doing. This is a significant move for the council. We're kind of rushed. [3:04:10, 3:04:30]: I know it's kind of late, but at the same time we're rushing through it. They need to understand by us moving and moving forward with this bond council, it does make those progress okay. So you want to address that, sir, and reference how bond council would help us with our projects and things of this nature. Sure. I think a number of things that have happened uh throughout the course of the year that uh have benefited [3:04:30, 3:04:41]: the city including um establishing a public facilities authority uh through the state legislature, also hiring a financial advisor, and of course then a bond council is integral to [3:04:42, 3:04:48]: Ensuring that um a bonding program, if you will, to finance capital improvement projects [3:04:49, 3:05:09]: Are thoroughly handled, meet the legal test, and can be processed accordingly. By hiring a bond counsel, it completes those particular components of being able to go out to the market, secure funds for uh bonding and financing projects. And so uh Mr. Selby. [3:05:09, 3:05:29]: again comes highly uh recommended and acclaimed and would be a great asset to the city. And well and along those lines as well. Now we you just mentioned the Public Finance Authority and then I think we're working on the Citywide Development Authority. They will be the ones that are using this tool in their toolbox. When are those people going to [3:05:29, 3:05:45]: be put in place. I think we have applications uh on file for some of these folks to be go ahead and appointed to the position. Right. It may be in the next um uh several weeks to month plus do we have all of that in place in terms of making and uh bringing um those folks to you for appointment. [3:05:46, 3:05:53]: All right, thank you. All right, so the motion is on the floor. The motion is seconded. All in favor accepting Douglas Shelby is the bond currently attorney. All in favor? [3:05:54, 3:06:00]: Okay, it's unanimous. Good deal. All right. Uh yeah, it's unanimous decision. Yes. [3:06:01, 3:06:02]: All right. [3:06:03, 3:06:23]: Um okay what's discussion purposes alley project uh funding source not to say to see three hundred fifty thousand dollars and uh Mr. Knighton, sir, please. Yes. Um we're talking about the um alleyway project. Right, so that's more of an update that I would like to provide um to you. [3:06:23, 3:06:37]: Um it was mentioned earlier about the alleyway project, uh even in um uh Ms. Moore to some degree, um uh Mr. Aaron and then uh uh Miss Braggs as well. I would just mention that um the staff has been working toward [3:06:38, 3:06:42]: Um bringing that project to fruition. Um we've been working with our own called engineer Falcon Design. [3:06:43, 3:06:45]: [11206.0, 11219.2]: Um visited another similar alleyway in College Park and uh have been taking a look at it various components that would have to bring have to uh come to bear to make that project work. Uh quick claim deeding. [3:06:59, 3:07:18]: Uh title searches working with Georgia Power for some relocation of uh utilities and also then uh taking a look at um uh the stormwater situation as well, which is a part of the project which is proposed for up to three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, which was approved. So we're gonna be moving forward with that and I think we expect uh um [3:07:19, 3:07:39]: Uh to be able to put it out uh um uh to bid for the entire project by the end of August. There's some interim steps that have to be done with our on-call engineer to that time, but we're ready to move forward with that project. Um in terms of funding sources, there could be various funding sources brought to bear, uh one being spLoss, uh two being available funds in the [3:07:39, 3:07:45]: general fund and then three um uh and and and it would be the the um [3:07:46, 3:07:51]: Um one that would be the the last option would be through fund balance um resources. [3:07:51, 3:08:11]: Okay. Any questions? Ms. Knighton? Last time we talked about this alleyway project. I think Miss Moore was talking about um the uh the usage for the parking and all of that.'Cause when they took down the building, the foundation is still there, so it's paved already. So I there shouldn't be any need. Right. [3:08:11, 3:08:31]: The police there shouldn't be any need for any type of graph so gravel um or anything like that. So uh can you speak to that a little bit or how we're gonna go ahead and as we move through the process? Is that as I recall the alleyway project moved from uh all the way up to about the Ted Strickland uh property and so the the [3:08:31, 3:08:41]: the where the uh police the old police station was located. Obviously we could, you know, use that for overflow parking now really. Right. Um but the alleyway project is [3:08:41, 3:09:01]: Uh just up until that about up until that point and incorporates the Breezeway project between the Ted Strickland and the other commercial building. And so w when we finish with this, we will have another concept. We talk about concept. So we're gonna have something close to what we see on the RSVP plan when we finish. [3:09:03, 3:09:23]: You'll see something close to um what was um initially um uh proposed or initially assessed by Falcon Design when they gave us the ri initial um concept, but it would be similar to what was I believe proposed in the RSVP plan as part of that, the alleyway project. Yes. Thank you. And then the question for Ms. Knight? [3:09:23, 3:09:37]: If not, then we'll move on to what we added to the agenda. The first one would be the uh welcome in America, the one region uh update meeting. You all have some information I uh put on in front of your uh seats there in reference to this. [3:09:37, 3:09:57]: And what it amounts to is a few things here. Uh there's a special now, by the way, you you recall that we joined this particular uh committee or or this this movement in reference to uh it's a sense of referencing our immigrants and make sure make everybody's inclusive. And I want to remind you that there are there are eight cities where what [3:09:57, 3:10:09]: One of eight cities in the Atlanta metro area to include Atlanta, Brookhaven, Decatur, Doryville, East Point, Clarkston, and Norcross. Okay, so we're one of those eight cities, and then we're the most southern city. [3:10:10, 3:10:13]: in the Atlanta metro area be part of this initiative. [3:10:13, 3:10:16]: Uh so what's happening is that we have what we call welcoming week. [3:10:16, 3:10:34]: It's all in your information there for uh September thirteenth to the twenty second, a week long program where you're supposed to have some type of initiatives and programs and pro and special events where you have inclusive type events to include everyone. Some along the lines of of Bridge Fest and Hispanic Fest, but it's during that particular week. [3:10:34, 3:10:41]: And as you go through this document, uh we're gonna talk about the civet dinners in a second here. You go through this document. [3:10:41, 3:11:01]: The third page, the third or fourth plague is actually a lineup of particular things happening for the next of the rest of this year. And uh the during the welcoming week, the cater is is is going to actually have the uh the kickoff for welcoming week. Whatever they decide to have, they'll have a kickoff and of course obviously the m member cities are all invited to that. [3:11:01, 3:11:03]: process of this particular event. [3:11:04, 3:11:09]: Now that what they're also planning to do and what they chose the date of September eighteenth. [3:11:09, 3:11:18]: September eighteenth to be what they call the civic dinners. This is this is based off the the uh ARC's civic dinner type of concept. And you have [3:11:18, 3:11:22]: And the latter part of your packet there you'll see what it talks about um [3:11:24, 3:11:41]: talks about join us at the table, a civic dinner, and what it amounts to you're you're you have three different questions on uh that they wanna uh and engage these particular immigrants along with the representatives from the cities itself in reference to this try to go through the process to [3:11:41, 3:11:46]: to find out things and make things um more inclusive across the the the metro area in this program. [3:11:47, 3:11:53]: What they're what I'm asking you all and what they're asking us per se if we if we wanted to actually sponsor [3:11:53, 3:11:57]: the dinner, the civic dinner on the evening of September eighteenth. [3:11:57, 3:12:04]: such as and this goes back to the Mural Manner's Conference Center, such as they need a venue that would that would handle [3:12:04, 3:12:24]: Up to two hundred people potentially for dinner. All right. And uh and you have um a dinner roughly would be would sit maybe ten people, and these would be individuals uh out of the different types of ba uh uh uh backgrounds, diversity, whether they're Hispanic or Asian or whether or not [3:12:24, 3:12:44]: uh Caribbean American uh that would come from different parts of our sister sister the cities that are involved uh in this program to come to one preset location for this particular the civic dinner during this um this uh particular welcoming week. And so and then the whole city would have a couple tables [3:12:44, 3:12:49]: versus uh this one table. The whole city would have a couple of tables. The whole city would have to [3:12:49, 3:12:54]: [11574.8, 11594.8]: And we would have to look for typically look for immigrant owned business to be part of the the the the the have the food for that night and and and we would have to sponsor it. If we want to host this, we would have to sponsor it as well. And it might cost close to th maybe three thousand dollars or so to do that in reference to feeding all these people. So [3:13:14, 3:13:15]: [11595.1, 11615.1]: What I all this information is here, but what I really wanted to give you give you this is an update because we are active member of this particular we joined it of this particular uh process in in Atlanta Metro community, but also want to see whether or not you're interested in sponsoring uh the actual civic dinner on 18th September if you want to go down that road. If not, there will be [3:13:35, 3:13:45]: be it somebody else, some other city, whether it's Decatur or um I don't know if Atlanta would do it or not, but it was or maybe Decatur or maybe Norville will take charge and do this. But we are still invited. [3:13:45, 3:13:46]: Of course, wherever that dinner would be. [3:13:47, 3:13:54]: and uh to have some uh individuals out of our community to join us at the dinner where that location is and we're also [3:13:54, 3:13:57]: task to uh to come up with a um [3:13:57, 3:14:01]: an actual uh some type of event during the course of that uh [3:14:01, 3:14:10]: week as well. So on that note, I just wanted I'll stop talking and see whether what kind of questions or concerns or interests or thereof you may have. [3:14:10, 3:14:11]: A mayor. [3:14:11, 3:14:11]: Yes, ma'am. [3:14:12, 3:14:22]: My only concern or I don't I don't have a concern. Um as you know, uh w when um we initially joined welcoming stop bri welcoming um America. [3:14:22, 3:14:24]: It we were [3:14:25, 3:14:30]: named as part of one of the steering cities. Right. Um, which is a great um [3:14:31, 3:14:40]: attribute here for the city of Stockbridge. And since then I have a welcoming Stockbridge committee, which is kind of like a branch off of [3:14:40, 3:15:00]: making sure that we are working under the pillars of what Welcoming America stands for. So I would hope that if we if the council wishes to do so then we also include those people on the committee because they are currently we currently we haven't met the past two months. [3:15:00, 3:15:10]: um during main during um food truck Tuesdays. But we are set scheduled to meet this upcoming month and go get back on schedule and target on [3:15:10, 3:15:30]: What we're doing right now is reaching out to different communities and different ethnicities here in Stockbridge. So um I just wanted to add that that I'm sure they would love to participate and we can find a way to help them participate in that. Sure, if we end up becoming the whole city, we'll we'll we can have a s we'll probably have a couple of tables, we'll be able to do that. If we're not the whole city, then we they can still participate. [3:15:30, 3:15:35]: Participate because we're looking to fill at least one table of ten people anyway. [3:15:35, 3:15:43]: Right. Okay, and that's basic. So I just want to bring that to your attention. I mean whether or not you were interested in wanting to be the host for this activity or not. [3:15:44, 3:15:58]: And the fact that it would we would have to and if and I've already checked talked briefly with Mr. Knighton about it. We've already know that the Merrill Manor is is uh available that night if we wanna do it for evening dinner. Uh and if we do that then of course there would be a uh we would have to um [3:15:59, 3:16:01]: uh s a sponsor of pay for the meal. [3:16:01, 3:16:16]: Now all the other communications and advertisement, the the Welcoming uh America uh uh overall committee per se will fund most of all that stuff. They were looking for a a host really to give this activity. So I just want to know what what would you like to do. [3:16:16, 3:16:18]: What would you want to do? Yes, sir. Go ahead, sir. [3:16:18, 3:16:20]: You you said what part you said they're gonna find? [3:16:20, 3:16:40]: Well they have it when it comes to uh massive advertising, uh things of that nature, they're gonna take they're gonna take on all that. There a lot of it'cause'cause you have to we have to keep this what it amounts to, what I've been also informed, what I understand, is that the the people that will be invited will probably ha since a short time frame will have to be communicated by by email and the the intent is to [3:16:40, 3:17:00]: from this whole the other eight the other cities the other seven cities uh they would they would they'll reach out to different parts ethnicities in the community and and they would have to it's because it's not open to everybody you just have to get different ethnicities and and other immigrants to come to this particular activity so they would handle and work through the process of notifying [3:17:00, 3:17:20]: Everybody uh whoever's been uh selected to notify all the folks and get the right advertisement out, things of that nature as well. You know. So we we would have our our main res responsibility would be the venue and the and the food for everybody everybody. Yes, sir. Go ahead. So possibly uh capacity of uh two hundred people. That's correct. Uh with a uh [3:17:20, 3:17:25]: uh budget for us, the whole city, of roughly three thousand dollars. [3:17:26, 3:17:46]: Yeah, three three or more whatever the meal would cost per se. And and tablecloths and you know, napkins supplying all the all the dinner wear and things of that nature. But would we have to do the inviting of someone other entity would do all the inviting we we would do the inviting with for for us specifically. I mean uh for us for our tables but all the other city [3:17:46, 3:18:06]: Yes, sir. From what we've done, and you you all would know this, but what we've done at the M Murray before pertaining to those kind of numbers and hosting a dinner, is that number seem realistic or is it kind of [3:18:07, 3:18:19]: Uh yeah it says when you read through it says three to five thousand but whatever the whatever the cost of a meal would be from a thousand. That's right. [3:18:25, 3:18:29]: ten twelve dollars per plate twelve proper dollars per plate with two hundred people [3:18:30, 3:18:50]: Well you're looking at twenty four hundred dollars for for just to cover the people if you're talking twelve thousand. But no no more than three thousand. That's not the right mail. I guess my question is do we decide tonight or do we have a little bit of time for the next meeting we can just kind of get numbers? Let me the question here is is whether or not to decide now. I want to bring it to you tonight. [3:18:50, 3:19:10]: Because they want to make a decision between now and Friday because of the type time frame for this. And it's the only opportunity and I as as I need to, you know, get bring it to you all anyway, because of give an update on what how we're being involved and what's going on. But also the fact that uh before I can tell them yes, uh we'll sponsor this, I want to make sure that you're well aware of the fact that [3:19:10, 3:19:22]: fact that we'll be sponsoring and giving up you we won't be making any money off the uh on our manners in a sense we're and we're going to be spending money for the for the meal. So I just want to make sure you know that. I mean if if we don't [3:19:23, 3:19:43]: Then someone uh there's another city that would, I don't know who that would be. Could be the cater. Last meeting I went to that was the cater spoke up and said they they're doing that. But regardless of that, I want to at least have the opportunity for you all to know this and then if you want to do this, wanna go down this road, we'll bring it, you know, say yes, we'll bring everybody down here to Henry County. [3:19:43, 3:19:53]: Yeah, even if we don't. Yeah, I d I would just ask Mr. Nine what what he thought about opportunities of uh sponsorship for this. [3:19:54, 3:20:02]: You all from the council wanted us to seek use core sponsorships for this type of research in the FHO direction. [3:20:02, 3:20:13]: Yes. I think it would be great for us to host this. Um Okay. And I know the the the the time limit is short, Friday, so I don't know [3:20:14, 3:20:17]: Just to be clear, we're talking about in addition to what will be [3:20:18, 3:20:19]: Yeah, miracle organization. [3:20:20, 3:20:32]: Well, what what is if you're looking at sponsorships it would be f funding of of the more or less the the the food and and drink for for for the activity other than the moral manners itself. It's primarily what the biggest issue would be. [3:20:33, 3:20:36]: Is that what said answer your question? No, that doesn't matter. [3:20:38, 3:20:38]: Oh perv. [3:20:40, 3:20:46]: Well uh for for the for the uh the meals you're referring to? No. [3:20:47, 3:20:53]: No but yeah the in the in the document here it says they they think of three thousand of five thousand maybe. [3:20:53, 3:20:57]: Max maybe two hundred people. [3:20:57, 3:21:02]: We c would they give us any sponsorships? I don't know. [3:21:03, 3:21:09]: No, uh well f if we if we wanna seek sponsorships to help offset the cost of the meal, sure we can do that. [3:21:09, 3:21:10]: Is that what you're getting at? [3:21:11, 3:21:24]: It w what I th I maybe I'm missing maybe I'm missing the point. Mr. Nighton, I think what you mentioned as getting a little tumble is that we we needn't to approve three to five thousand dollars and however we pay for it, that's on us. [3:21:25, 3:21:33]: Yeah. Yeah, basically yes. That's the question. Okay, I'm sorry. [3:21:34, 3:21:34]: Yeah. [3:21:35, 3:21:39]: Whoever ha yes, whatever how whatever how we want to pay for it, yes. If if we decide to do that. [3:21:40, 3:21:42]: I'm okay with it though. I'm [3:21:43, 3:21:53]: Uh mayor. I just I just know that they they they want to make a decision, have a decision by Friday. I can call them tomorrow and say we're if we wanna do this, say, hey, yes we're interested or whatever the case may be. But [3:21:53, 3:22:06]: You know, but and we can go from there. But I just wanna make sure that you all know well know you know about this. Yes, sir. Go ahead. Uh uh I'm okay with uh this and having Mr. Knighton seek the uh the sponsorship. So I'm I'm okay with it. [3:22:06, 3:22:08]: Okay. [3:22:09, 3:22:29]: I'm okay. All right. So okay, so I guess I need a motion in a sense to or unless we're in front of the So move. Well well let someone make a okay. I'll make a motion. [3:22:28, 3:22:31]: Number the eighteenth. [3:22:31, 3:22:32]: It'll be an evening, by the way. [3:22:32, 3:22:35]: Yeah. So September the eighteenth. Second. [3:22:35, 3:22:37]: Okay. Any further discussion? [3:22:37, 3:22:54]: Yes, one one. Go right, please. Um under this on the page two of four, it says we're looking for one city to sponsor and host this event. Sponsorship should cover the cost of food and space. If you're interested in sponsoring, please let me know. So okay, I was uh [3:22:54, 3:22:57]: So they are looking for us to do [3:22:57, 3:23:06]: to sponsor and host the actual event with everything. Right. Okay. Right. All right. That's in the book, sorry. Okay. All right. Any further questions? So that way your group could [3:23:07, 3:23:16]: Okay, all in favor, please indicate? Okay. I will let them know tomorrow that we're we're interested in doing this and we'll go from that point. We like to do this. Okay. [3:23:16, 3:23:36]: All right. Thank you for that. Um, really appreciate it. I think it's a great move. Uh let's see here. Next thing is the uh number eight would have been uh us to to talk about and and uh approve the legislat legislated update for Senator Jones of Strickland and Burr Manors, which right now is scheduled for uh [3:23:36, 3:23:56]: August 13th. And just want to make I think we we have some type of consensus by email, but we want to make sure we do we we don't have any further discussions about this and we are approved that. So I'd like to make sure that that uh motion approved and use of the second. Okay, okay. Any further discussion? Okay, all in favor, please indicate. All right, so we're gonna go forward with [3:23:56, 3:24:03]: with the legislative update with both Senators Jones and Strickland on the thirteenth of August at Merrill Manos Conference Center. [3:24:03, 3:24:12]: Okay. And then the next one deals with the resolution in reference to Cochrane Park. Um now I guess the the [3:24:13, 3:24:15]: D the I'm sorry, I'll speak to the [3:24:15, 3:24:20]: Right. Well yeah, is there something yeah, do we have a paper document on that at all? [3:24:35, 3:24:36]: I've already read it. [3:24:41, 3:24:43]: Thank you. [3:24:44, 3:24:45]: Thanks. [3:24:59, 3:25:19]: Okay, everybody's got a document you want to take a look at that. Why you want to do it at Councilman Alexander? Do you wanted to to talk about this, sir? I do. I think uh uh I've been in contact with the individuals over at the park, uh Cochrane Park, so has uh Councilwoman Robinson. Uh we had a rally there where we had a number of citizens and [3:25:19, 3:25:39]: And then even the Cochrane family came out to say that they specifically donated this uh park, Cochrane Park to be used for baseball and for youth recreation. It was expressly clear. Uh I wish we could have had um uh Craig come up to the microphone. Craig actually made a trip uh [3:25:39, 3:25:59]: To the hospital today to visit a family member who was at the table at that time who has told him uh exactly how the transaction took place and what the wishes of the family were. They expressly said that those that was to be used for recreation and baseball. And also there was a gentleman. [3:25:59, 3:26:19]: Who was there, who actually handled the transaction, who took a payment. He said he took the payment in cash in order to secure it for this particular use. But it should be understood that these individuals who are using the park are our citizens. [3:26:19, 3:26:36]: They pay taxes to Henry County to maintain this park. Uh there is uh a move afoot where the county does not choose to spend any taxpayer funds in the city, which is mistaken. Uh our commissioner has chosen to take that route. [3:26:37, 3:26:39]: And uh that was totally unfortunate. [3:26:40, 3:26:48]: You know, it appears as though he responded to uh mister Blount's comments uh at a previous meeting that we had point of order. [3:26:49, 3:26:58]: You can't speculate why he why he responded to Mr. Blount. Just just state you can't you can't go into why he did what he did. [3:26:59, 3:27:01]: This is the point of what he did. [3:27:01, 3:27:21]: You can't put Mr. Blount in everything you say. You don't know why he did this. He did it because he don't want to take care of the part. Had nothing to do with that. He didn't respond to Mr. Blount. Okay. Well, let me let me say this. Let me go on to say if I had an opportunity to finish my statement, is that Mr. Blount hasn't wasn't the only one that complained. [3:27:21, 3:27:41]: All of us complained. We vociferously complained over the last three to five years. We have explained that the conditions at Cochrane Park was unacceptable. But you know, it came to our attention that remarks were made that the commissioner attributed to the commissioner. [3:27:41, 3:28:01]: Commissioner that said he was gonna show us. Uh he was gonna demonstrate to us and he was gonna prove to us that we couldn't uh take the uh address these uh citizens' comments, and that was wrong. Our citizens, and I think everybody up here on this board, all of us, agree that Cochrane Park is a great asset. [3:28:02, 3:28:04]: uh upon entering the facility [3:28:04, 3:28:24]: And setting foot on that ground, the field was bone dry. There was not a drop of water on the field. It was in excellent condition. The actual sinkhole really was a was some erosion that had taken place from uh a rain that had taken place. Uh that that had been [3:28:24, 3:28:44]: Field that have been corrected. Uh Commissioner Holmes has made the statement to us that, well, I'm gonna just go ahead and give Stockbridge the part. I think that none of us will ever fall for the Okie doke. We will not. We will not, we will stand up each and every time. Uh you're not gonna turn over, you're not gonna attack tax. [3:28:44, 3:29:04]: Taxpayer funds for five eight years since you've been in office, and then turn around and use those taxpayer funds to create a beautiful nine million dollar park in Fairview while you allow the city park to run down. That is totally unfortunate. And I and I actually applaud Mr. [3:29:04, 3:29:24]: Blount for making those comments uh at the meeting because it was the appropriate time. Uh at first I think Commissioner Holmes had said he wasn't gonna comment. And then uh commission and uh Mr. Blount got up and spoke. Ms. Then Commissioner Holmes started talking when he started hearing the facts. That's exactly what we should do. [3:29:24, 3:29:44]: And I think all of us have done that in certain um venues and times. And I my colleague, uh Councilwoman Robinson, has been done has been doing that. And I'll let her speak for herself about her visit that she had over there where she met with the commissioner. Uh I know that this is 100% a county park. [3:29:44, 3:29:44]: Right. [3:29:45, 3:30:02]: But our taxpayers pay taxes to Henry County to maintain that park and maintain that facility. No the city does not want to take over the park in the condition that it is while you still collect those taxes from our taxpayers. Fix the park. [3:30:03, 3:30:23]: These these kids deserve it. And the last point that I want to make is that uh there are a lot of underprivileged kids that use this use Cochrane Park. Uh, you know, five miles might seem, or ten or six or seven miles might seem nothing to us with transportation, with the means in order to do [3:30:23, 3:30:31]: Do that. But if you have to walk to the park or you have to have your coach pay for an Uber or a lift to get you there. [3:30:31, 3:30:33]: It's impossible. [3:30:33, 3:30:53]: So uh as a benefit to our citizens in Stockbridge, uh we need to advocate and we need to officially go on record saying that we demand that our taxpayers who are paying taxes to maintain that partained in a superior fashion and the use of their tax. [3:30:53, 3:31:08]: dollars uh to maintain that park uh should be done uh on a regular and an ongoing basis, creating a venue that we all deserve in this particular community. I hope tonight that we can stand united [3:31:08, 3:31:11]: And pass this resolution sending a clear message. [3:31:11, 3:31:13]: That we stand with the coaches. [3:31:13, 3:31:14]: We stand with the children. [3:31:15, 3:31:16]: And we stand with the community. [3:31:17, 3:31:19]: That we want this Henry County Park. [3:31:20, 3:31:25]: maintained and we want baseball reopened at that park. [3:31:25, 3:31:45]: Once a thorough examination is done to determine what it is needed to fix it. And I will let my colleague speak on it at this point. Thank you, Mayor. Um I just want to go on the record because I know it's a lot of social media back and forth, and I just want to state where I stand. Um been working with this for [3:31:45, 3:32:05]: For two years, did the correct protocol, went to the parks and recreations, spoke highly of the displa um pleasing of the aesthetics of the park. Then we had the spLOS held at Merrill Manders where funding was put in there on four clock park. However, one [3:32:04, 3:32:24]: Once we got to the SPLOS meeting, things changed. Um, yes, my colleagues, we all expressed our concerns about the park. Um, there was um the very next day, um, the city manager after that meeting and myself, we met um Commissioner Holmes at the park. There was no mention of safety. [3:32:24, 3:32:44]: Safety concerns in that park at that time until the very next day when we see a press release and it shows that there were some safe safety concerns. Commissioner Holmes did say that Stockbridge could take the park and [3:32:44, 3:33:04]: They would pay for the lights. However, I will say to my colleagues, and that's why I asked um for our attorney to do this um resolution so that it'll show our opposition to the park um closure. Um but I want to go a step further. Um, and some of you may not agree, um, but I'm just gonna tell you. [3:33:04, 3:33:24]: At Stockbridge, these are our residents. As we see, this may be a battle that we're going back and forth, but our our young people are in limbo. So what I would like to ask is for our staff to be able to reach out to our county manager. [3:33:24, 3:33:44]: And get the data, um, because we need to provide that um to our citizens. So once we have the data that say that this is a safety hazard, we will be able to confirm that. Um, not only that, confirming that, um, to see um with that data what all that the city [3:33:44, 3:34:04]: if anything, what we can do on our end. And I know it's probably distasteful because we've but this this park is a Cochrane Park who is a part of our history. And I just want to make sure that as the city officials that we continue to stay stand boldly to let our city [3:34:04, 3:34:15]: citizens know that we are concerned, we are willing to um search, do the research for the data, um because at the end of the day [3:34:15, 3:34:25]: Our kids are in limbo. Our coaches are in limbo. They volunteer. Um, they um spend their own finances and [3:34:25, 3:34:45]: With Commissioner Holmes, if he's standing in that manner, I just want us to get the data so that way you can bring it back to Mayor and Council and giving us options to say this is where we are before we make a final decision. So I want our citizens to know that we're going the extra mile, that we're not just saying [3:34:45, 3:35:05]: Oh, it's his job, is his job. We need to put some skin in the game or some action in the game to see exactly what data brought this about. And if Stockbridge does take this over, what it's gonna cost, so that way we'll be able to pres present that. Um and I do feel that we do owe the um the youth that. [3:35:05, 3:35:22]: And not only that, the Cochrane family, um, who this park is named out uh after because they have been pillars in our community here in Stockbridge. So I just pray that my colleagues will agree with me, at least let us r um request the data from the county. [3:35:22, 3:35:37]: Um since they did say that there was an issue because it wasn't the day before when we met with Commissioner Holmes. And then that way we'll be able to clearly show um that we did our due diligence um for our um citizens. Thank you. Mr. Blount, please. [3:35:38, 3:35:57]: Uh, I concur. Um one of the things is I asked is that that um we because I've even went and even asked could we have our s people go examine the park and I was told we couldn't. And so, you know, when we talk about the parks here that pertain to the citizen citizens of the city of Stockbridge, [3:35:58, 3:36:03]: We have to look at what's been going on, not the past two years, but what's been going on since I've been on this council. [3:36:03, 3:36:23]: When it comes to the parks in the city limits areas of Stockbridge, when it comes to Banks Park, when it comes to that uh Cochrane Park on uh East Atlanta, these parks are uh uh are are very much needing maintenance. But these commissioners have shown us they're not going to do anything with these parks. When it comes to them doing parks. [3:36:23, 3:36:26]: near the city limits of Stockbridge. [3:36:26, 3:36:41]: They always talk about working together. They always talk about stop bridge putting skin in the game. These are their responsibilities. And we should hold them responsible for what they do. And these our kids do deserve better. And this is why we're bringing these resolutions forward. [3:36:41, 3:36:52]: This has gone through several hands, several opportunities to fix these parks up. Why Kellytown, why Banks Road can't look near what Kellytown is? [3:36:52, 3:36:58]: You know, why Cochrane Park can't look near what's what's going on up around Fairview with with with the park up there? [3:36:59, 3:37:01]: Because they d they it they don't care. [3:37:02, 3:37:09]: Bruce Holmes said, I'd rather close it down than do anything for the city limits of Stockbridge. And I'll put that on record. That's what he showed us. [3:37:10, 3:37:21]: So I'm in I'm favor this resolution. I I don't see a number on it. I guess you guys apply a number to it later. Make sure. Um I would let one of my colleagues down here that asked for it to bring the r um [3:37:22, 3:37:23]: Brand the motion for [3:37:24, 3:37:44]: Uh I I will make a motion to move forward passage of this resolution. I second for Cochrane Park support. Can I second? All right. Any further discussion? If not, all in favor please indicate. Okay, thank you. It's unanimous. Okay. What we have next is the resolution uh dealing with personnel matter. Ms. Gamp. [3:37:44, 3:37:47]: Please. Thank you. Mayor and Council. [3:37:49, 3:37:51]: And staff and citizens [3:38:00, 3:38:01]: Bear with me for a moment. [3:38:09, 3:38:18]: Mayor and Council, I'm asking you tonight to approve a resolution. If you don't mind. [3:38:21, 3:38:22]: And you can pass this down. [3:38:24, 3:38:31]: Let me pass it down. And I think I left out this sheet so y'all don't mind passing these three sheets down. I greatly appreciate it. [3:38:35, 3:38:36]: At this time. [3:38:38, 3:38:53]: Over the past week, after our last council meeting, I received numerous amounts of phone calls in regards to whether or not we approved, why we did not approve a youth and senior center. [3:38:54, 3:39:01]: After doing some research and after getting s receiving several screenshots from several individuals. [3:39:01, 3:39:21]: I was in awe at some of the comments that were made by one of our council members. Now we have a code of conduct and that code of conduct actually points out a lot of things here and there are a lot of violations and there are tons more. I just didn't have time. I have hundreds of emails. Hundreds. [3:39:23, 3:39:25]: The first thing I want to point out to you. [3:39:26, 3:39:33]: Before I read well, I'll go ahead and read the resolution to you first and then I'll point out to you some of my concerns. [3:39:34, 3:39:51]: Whereas the City of Stockbridge is a municipal corporation located within Henry County, Georgia, duly organized and existing under the laws of the state of Georgia, and is charged with providing public service to residents located within the corporate limits of the city. [3:39:52, 3:39:57]: Whereas Councilman Elton Alexander was elected to serve the citizens of the city. [3:39:58, 3:40:18]: Whereas Mr. Alexander swore an oath that among other things he would perform the duties of the council of a council member in the best interest of the city of Stockbridge. Whereas the office of the city council member requires that such person meet and maintain the highest standard. [3:40:18, 3:40:20]: Yeah. [3:40:20, 3:40:36]: Whereas, the City Council has received numerous complaints from Stockbridge residents, City of Stockbridge staff, the media, and other governmental and civic organizations regarding various aspects of Mr. Alexander's behavior. [3:40:37, 3:40:49]: Whereas Mr. Alexander has repeatedly mischaracterized statements or of other elected officials and given members of the City Council a false impression of their views. [3:40:49, 3:41:06]: Whereas Mr. Alexander has escalated his mischaracterization of the statements of other elected officials to the point that Mr. Alexander has blatantly lied to the people of Stockbridge and other elected officials on numerous occasions. [3:41:06, 3:41:07]: Whereas? [3:41:07, 3:41:24]: mister Alexander has repeatedly instigated unwarranted disputes within the council, specifically by publicly and privately attacking Councilman Blount and Councilwoman Gantt in violation of the city code of conduct. [3:41:25, 3:41:37]: Whereas, Mr. Alexander has engaged in unprofessional and often insulting dialogue with members of the community, the city council, and staff via email and social media. [3:41:37, 3:41:48]: Whereas mister Alexander's unprofessional, rude and crude behavior has included the harassment of Mayor Ford during the period that Mayor Ford was grieving the death of his father. [3:41:49, 3:41:58]: Whereas, Mr Alexander has repeatedly ignored the advice of the city staff and consultants and has taken actions that are detrimental to the city's interests. [3:42:00, 3:42:13]: Whereas Mr. Alexander's behavior has prevented the city from being able to work and find common ground with the Henry County Commission to serve financial and political detriment of the city of Stockbridge. [3:42:13, 3:42:22]: Whereas the city council wishes to make clear that the council does not condone nor accept Mr. Alexander's behavior. [3:42:22, 3:42:42]: Whereas the city council wishes to make clear that Mr. Alexander does not speak on behalf of the city, nor does the city council endorse any of his statements. Whereas, the city council has repeatedly had to warn and caution Mr. Alexander about his unacceptable and deplorable behavior, including [3:42:42, 3:43:02]: In a censor by this city council in January of 2018. And whereas this city council finds that this resolution is necessary and beneficial to its citizens and to the proper use of city funds. Now, therefore, the council of the city of Stockbridge hereby resolves as [3:43:02, 3:43:05]: As follows Section one Censure. [3:43:05, 3:43:11]: mister Alexander is hereby formally censured and reprimanded for his unacceptable and inexcusable behavior. [3:43:11, 3:43:22]: Mr. Alexander is called upon to cease the aforementioned behavior and the conduct and to conduct himself in a manner fitting the office of the City Council member. [3:43:22, 3:43:42]: Mr. Alexander is further called upon to seek mental counseling in order to ensure his ability to properly and appropriately serve the people. Point of order. Point of order. Section two. Point of order. Approval of execution. Point of order. But what's the point of order, sir? The point of order is this is a personal attack uh upon my [3:43:42, 3:44:02]: Character, this has already been the same type of thing. Uh, the point of order is even even on this particular context, the city spent ten thousand dollars on an independent investigation that specifically said acts ver uh away from a city council meeting just like these. [3:44:02, 3:44:22]: These particular acts have already been dismissed by the ethics board. This is an ethics complaint. It should be sent to the ethics board. It's not sent there because this council is trying to usurp the uh ethics board. But I sent Mr. Daniels and Mr. Knight in that report. Mr. Daniels is the attorney who's on. [3:44:22, 3:44:42]: On record right now. That report is very clear. It says these interactions on social media do not rise, even in the code of conduct, they do not rise to the level of any type of discipline, and they were dismissed. But this council has chosen to usurp. [3:44:42, 3:44:45]: [13485.3, 13490.5]: That and I will state it categorically. I this is about Facebook. [3:44:50, 3:45:01]: We got so many issues to deal with. We got a council member spending hours. Look at this file. Working on Facebook. [3:45:01, 3:45:06]: We've been dealing with serious issues all night and we dealing with [3:45:06, 3:45:26]: Facebook. I had and listen, I I'm I'm go I'm go my point of order is this. When Mr. Blount threatened me in in in in December, nobody may have meeting at that point. Point of order. I was threatened and councilwoman writers. [3:45:26, 3:45:46]: Tell you what, this is the reason why I asked to do this in executive session. You chose not to do this. This is exactly why I asked you to do this in executive session. Now, Mayor, if I may, the reason why we are not doing this in executive session is because we've had numerous executive sessions about several discussions, and not only have we had it. [3:45:46, 3:45:54]: But Councilman Alexander has posted so much publicly that the public, no, publicly. [3:45:54, 3:46:13]: Social media is public. He also sent an email, basically, which uh is borderline against the charter. Mayor. And and I and I want and what I want to say is is that I want to finish my statement here, and behind that I have proof of false [3:46:14, 3:46:34]: Statements that Councilman Alexander in black and white that I'll I'm I will be handing to the media. He said that in black and white false statements and accusations that he has made from day one. And it's time for it to stop. This is it and it's getting worse as the election time goes on. [3:46:34, 3:46:54]: So I want I want to finish my statement and I want to proceed. This is so embarrassing. Listen. This is being recorded. We know. It is. It's a personal issue. This is something that it should have been discussed in the [3:46:54, 3:47:14]: The second session to weed through this process and then the decisions will be made to come out and make that decision. Not to have this ongoing because what's the point of the thing? Mayor, point of order. What what is point of order, Mayor? Mayor. First of all, that's my point. Point of order. But but he'd ask for it first, he's right. But this is what this is, Mayor you can't he'd ask for a point of order. [3:47:14, 3:47:34]: See see the issue with this particular situation is it violates a s or a a independent investigation. See it takes all of us out of this particular situation. And here, I'm call I I sent the report to me. We have an attorney who's sitting right here. [3:47:34, 3:47:52]: We don't have to guess. We have an attorney who's sitting in for Mr. Williams right here. He has a copy of that report that about these particular we're talking about this particular issue, Facebook activity. He has a copy of that. It's not just Facebook activity. Hold on, stop. Mayor. What one second, please. [3:47:54, 3:48:12]: You have a point of order. What is your point order? The point of order, Mayor, is that a resolution is being read and when we just minimize this to a Facebook post is more than that. We even have emails sent to HOAs during the time that we're fighting for our city with Mr. Alexander. [3:48:12, 3:48:15]: Газ осудит піпо. [3:48:15, 3:48:28]: To not give their vote to the city of Stockbridge. This is not it's in writing. This is the time to make sure we get something for our vote. [3:48:28, 3:48:48]: Mayor, I would like to finish my slender. It's almost to speak to that. It's in right now. I have never uh categorically point of order, please ask anybody to speak out or vote against the city. What I said during that time, and I'll read my own statement. Please do my statement said in effect what we should do is [3:48:48, 3:49:07]: We should ask something for our vote. I did never said that we should vote for that. All the things that we asked for, the completing of Hudson Bridge Road, Peach Drive, all of those things were actually accomplished. Those citizens appreciated it and we won the vote as a result. [3:49:08, 3:49:09]: Mayor. [3:49:10, 3:49:12]: One second. Ms. Robinson. [3:49:12, 3:49:28]: Mayor, go ahead. I I I I I beg of you to please take control of this. Um this is embarrassing. As you stated, this should have been done in executive session as a personnel matter. Again. [3:49:30, 3:49:36]: This type of behavior is what people see and we're out of order. [3:49:37, 3:49:44]: The mayor was very clear when he stated it's best to do it in executive session. [3:49:45, 3:49:46]: But it sh clearly shows. [3:49:47, 3:49:53]: That this council, when we have a consensus, we don't listen, but we're embarrassing our city. [3:49:54, 3:49:56]: And I beg of each of you. [3:49:57, 3:49:59]: We need to be in order with this. [3:50:00, 3:50:02]: It is clearly stated. [3:50:02, 3:50:04]: We've been down this road before. [3:50:05, 3:50:07]: We cost our city money. [3:50:08, 3:50:27]: It never stated that anybody said they were against that it stated the plan or the design. Please don't come on here confusing our citizens. We're making we listen guys, please Mayor, please take control of this. Please, sir. We need to finish the resolution. [3:50:28, 3:50:34]: Well t you all just make it you all collectively make it very difficult. You know, I I really when when it whenever we have a meeting [3:50:35, 3:50:55]: Alright, and we have a Zeke session. It's for legal matters, personnel matters, and you know that we take behind closed doors. That is honestly what I said we should do. You overruled me on that. You voted not to do that and do this publicly. Okay, it's not the best look without a doubt. That's why I said let's go into Zex and try to discuss this first. All right. Now, outside of outside [3:50:55, 3:51:11]: Outside of that, you you want to f you wanna finish reading this? And it's it's just it's just it's just really everybody's you know point order on this action, that action, and what's being said. One second please. And and sir, you I ask for you for legal opinion. I'm sorry that Mike is not here, and I understand. [3:51:12, 3:51:13]: Go ahead. [3:51:14, 3:51:34]: What was the specific question? Well, my point my point originally was in reference to, you know, having this discussion behind closed doors and then coming out with a decision versus opening all this up in the first place. Because this is not the best way to do this. Now I knew this up front, that's why I say what I did. But you indicated to me, which is probably very accurate, that it's up to the will of the council. [3:51:34, 3:51:41]: And that's why I had to concede,'cause it he had a consensus there. The problem is it's not a very good look overall for any of us. Period. [3:51:41, 3:51:42]: Period. [3:51:42, 3:51:43]: Right. Now [3:51:45, 3:51:54]: So I th I think the executive session is permitted. I understand it is, sir. And I totally hear what you're saying as the chair of this organ you know, this body and the presiding officer. [3:51:55, 3:52:02]: That there's certain things that you would prefer to be handled in executive session. It makes sense. And it is still the will of the council. And that decision was made. [3:52:03, 3:52:05]: Understand I would say if at this point [3:52:06, 3:52:09]: I mean, I I you know, I I think there is a [3:52:09, 3:52:21]: A genie out of the bottle kind of thing. Well absolutely I mean the laundry has already been aired in a matter of minutes. A lot has been said. So I I would I would fear that by try if if the th if the [3:52:21, 3:52:24]: If the mayor's thought is to try to now [3:52:24, 3:52:27]: move this to executive session at this point. [3:52:28, 3:52:30]: It would further [3:52:31, 3:52:33]: You know, it creates further [3:52:34, 3:52:36]: desire on behalf of the public to know what was said. [3:52:37, 3:52:38]: And so um [3:52:39, 3:52:42]: You know, if there are specific items [3:52:42, 3:52:48]: that need to be addressed. I mean, I I you know, I think first of all, and it's hard for you'cause especially'cause you've had [3:52:49, 3:52:53]: At least four people asking for three people asking for a point of order that you've you've had to field. [3:52:53, 3:52:57]: I would suggest as I think you were trying to do just then to allow [3:52:58, 3:52:59]: The resolution I think [3:52:59, 3:53:05]: She was almost finished. Right. To finish reading the resolution and then you as mayor say time out. [3:53:06, 3:53:08]: We're gonna decide whether we're gonna proceed tonight. [3:53:08, 3:53:13]: Он considerвництр, а тим you have that prerogative as the mayor. [3:53:13, 3:53:14]: uh to make that determination. [3:53:16, 3:53:17]: As the as the presiding officer. [3:53:18, 3:53:18]: Um [3:53:19, 3:53:24]: Which and I'm not saying which way you want to go on that or or whether you wanna get the will of the council on that. [3:53:25, 3:53:31]: But I would at least let's get the resolution on the table before that. I would ask and I'll step outside my job here, but to say [3:53:32, 3:53:37]: No request for points of order so that the councilwoman can read a resolution and the mayor can be contemplating. [3:53:38, 3:53:40]: uh this obviously it's an incendiary subject. [3:53:42, 3:54:02]: Sir finish reading your uh finish reading the resolution. Well if I may before we do that you made a point. Um Mr. Williams when he left he gave us um uh we've asked questions about how a meeting takes place during a point of order and what was instructed and and mayor was in the room [3:54:02, 3:54:22]: Room as well is that um the mayor may disagree with us and he may make a ruling, but we can overrule his decision. And Mr. Williams notified us that he said that with you in the room, as well as with with um our city manager in the room. Okay. And and that's just [3:54:22, 3:54:29]: in regards to any subject matter because I was getting clarifications on this [3:54:29, 3:54:47]: um point of order is what I was getting. Not necessarily this topic, so to speak, I don't want to say, but it was more so about the point of order procedure. And he stated that we at any time the council can always overrule if we take a vote and get a consensus. And I I'm not [3:54:47, 3:55:07]: I'll let me finish the speech. We're not there yet. So we're almost done. Thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry about that, but I just wanted to clear that up. Um section two, approval of the execution. The mayor is hereby authorized to sign all documents and to perform all other acts necessary to effectuate the resolution. [3:55:07, 3:55:27]: Resolution on behalf of the city of Stockbridge. The city clerk is authorized to execute a test to and seal any document which may be necessary to effectuate this resolution subject to approval as to form by the city attorney. Severability. To the extent any portion of this resolution is declared to be invalid, unenforceable, or nonbinding, that shall not be. [3:55:27, 3:55:38]: Affect the remaining portions of this resolution. Section four. Repel of conflicting provisions. All city resolutions inconsistent with resolutions are hereby repealed. Section seven. [3:55:39, 3:55:47]: Effective date this resolution shall be effective on the date of its approval by the city council and mayor as provided in the city charter. [3:55:48, 3:56:08]: Now that's the end of the resolution. Attached to the resolution in your packets are files. And it wasn't hard to get these files. Citizens, citizens were emailing and screenshotting these files. And one of the very first files that I wanted to talk to you about um before I talk [3:56:08, 3:56:28]: to you about the most recent comment that was actually an article in Henry Harold newspaper before I speak on that is a letter that councilman alexander and I just want to point out that this was prior to the Jodeco I mean the Eagles Landing versus Stockbridge um vote. [3:56:28, 3:56:30]: Yeah. [3:56:30, 3:56:38]: There's a couple of quotes, and feel free to get a copy of this letter that he sent out to citizens. But there are a couple of quotes that he made. [3:56:39, 3:56:54]: Point of point of order. Point of order for nothing. Okay. We need assurance. We we need assurance. What's your point of order, Sherry? My point of order is this is a private communication. [3:56:54, 3:56:57]: From myself to anybody else. [3:56:58, 3:57:18]: It's not private. It's a private communication. Private communication that I sent to a citizen, not on C D mail, but on Facebook. Citizens. Right. On Facebook. That's not again. We're talking about Facebook. This is not this is not the appropriate venue to be sharing Facebook messages on the video. [3:57:18, 3:57:30]: This is not a trial. This is uh you're reading this resolution which violates my First Amendment rights, to which were guaranteed in a ten thousand dollar city uh uh city. [3:57:30, 3:57:50]: City report. I'm sorry. Violating my rights right now, reading a private communication that I sent out to citizens. I would like to rebut that. Is what he's trying to do. But it it's nothing private about him sending this to citizens and then they send it over to us. [3:57:50, 3:57:54]: There's nothing private about him. He's put himself. [3:57:54, 3:58:14]: In a position call this to end close this is our where we are put into a public light. That's what's happening. You know, once again, first of all, I will take that anything that's on Facebook is probably open to anybody since it's out there publicly. Any comments out there. Nothing's nothing secret when it comes to communications and an ask. [3:58:14, 3:58:34]: So I don't know how it could anything could be considered private. I will I will say that the the ten thousand dollar report that the citizen the city felt the city had their own investigator do, say that anything that we did or a report such as Facebook, it's in the report Mr. Daniels has it, Mr. Knighton has it. [3:58:34, 3:58:54]: Is not covered under our city charter. You gotta do is read the report and what it says. And for you to continue, you going down the same path, doing the same thing that you did that I've been vindicated seven times by by the ethics board. I'm sorry, this is this this is different. This is you the whole time. This is you going against yourself. [3:58:54, 3:59:14]: City. Ain't nobody going against your view. I said then there, right then and there that I did not water. What I said was we should ask for something for our vote. I say that publicly. Get these things done. We wanna stay in the city, we wanna be able to support you. [3:59:14, 3:59:34]: We did, they were accomplished and we all we got all of those votes. Those citizens are in the middle of the year. Point of order, Mayor. I was talking and I wasn't finished with my presentation. All right. Let her finish what she needs to finish with here. Thank you. Thank you. Go right in. And I'm if you don't mind her if you don't mind private email. May it be Sir, let me tell you something. I don't know [3:59:34, 3:59:54]: How the private they are when they put when you put them on Facebook. That's not private. Things like that. Why does that have to be read here at the meeting? Everybody here has a copy of it. I'm gonna tell you why, because it's part, unfortunately, it's part of the the resolution as as material attachments to the proof of what of what this resolution says. Proof of my response. [3:59:54, 4:00:14]: Proof of my freedom of speech that we have a ten thousand dollar report over here that says this is inappropriate material. And if and if I may, that report is old. This is new evidence, new incidents, and this is totally different. This is totally different. But I I want to finish my report. [4:00:14, 4:00:25]: Before we just give away our support for nothing, we need assurance improvements will be made in the in the form of an actual improvement plan. [4:00:25, 4:00:38]: That's one of the statements. Those improvements will happen if we ask for them now to win the vote for the city. Without asking, we may be stuck with the status quo. As a council member. [4:00:39, 4:00:59]: Representing you, I proposed all these improvements over the last few years and were and most were not acted upon. I ran for office to get govern get improvements in 2016. And hopefully you see the difference in Hudson Bridge Road and Jodoko Road, I-75 North, recycling Jodoko Mill under construction and [4:00:59, 4:01:07]: New 50-bed physical physical rehabilitation center going on in Holloway Road and Patrick Henry New Businesses. [4:01:07, 4:01:23]: But it gets better. We have a real chance for improvements before the vote on the city of Eagles Landing in November because Stockbridge needs our vote. Exactly. Without improvements, we are stuck in the same place as today. [4:01:24, 4:01:37]: If Eagles land and then he goes down to in at at the bottom, let's make sure we get the whole proof. Oh no no. Let's make um they're more than welcome to get'em. You see, let's make sure. Let's make sure [4:01:39, 4:01:45]: We get the improvements we need before giving away our support for nothing. Exactly. [4:01:46, 4:01:50]: Exactly. If we act together, we can get those improvements now. [4:01:50, 4:02:00]: So basically and we we I don't have to say anything about that. It says before giving our support for nothing, let's work on getting these improvements first. [4:02:01, 4:02:04]: The next one, the next document I have. [4:02:05, 4:02:07]: Is a document actually [4:02:08, 4:02:17]: It says on a Facebook page and someone screenshot this to me on a Because We Care Henry Because We Care Henry County, Atlanta South. [4:02:18, 4:02:34]: It says Stockbridge Senior and Youth Center Plan Rejected. Yes. That's what it said in blue and white or red and white. Stockbridge senior and youth center plan rejected. It was now in the bottom, in the in the context of it. [4:02:34, 4:02:54]: It stated that he made a motion at a special call meeting that we weren't supposed to be adding additional items to to add to do architectural drawings. However, the citizens read that as who's from the citizens read that as we, the majority of cities of Stockbridge count. [4:02:54, 4:03:03]: Council did not approve a youth and senior community center. That's another one. But this is the one that's in black and white, that's a blatant lie. [4:03:06, 4:03:09]: The Henry Herald did an article recently. [4:03:10, 4:03:14]: And in that article, they talked about the three-two vote. [4:03:15, 4:03:25]: The city of Stockbridge had to put out a press release to correct some of the statements that was been being misled by the case. Three members of this council. [4:03:25, 4:03:26]: Alexander. [4:03:28, 4:03:30]: The Simpsons [4:03:30, 4:03:44]: had been calling us and a press release had to go out this is what we've been learning the city to explain why we really do support a stopridge youth council and a senior center. Youth center and a senior center, a community center. [4:03:45, 4:03:54]: In that, the article states that Councilman Alexander emailed or or reached out to the Henry Herald and made a statement. [4:03:55, 4:04:00]: Now I know he made this statement because once again someone sent me a screenshot. [4:04:01, 4:04:03]: Of a statement that he made [4:04:04, 4:04:05]: And in that statement [4:04:06, 4:04:09]: He made he stated that [4:04:09, 4:04:18]: Look no further, and I'll find it in just a second. The council one butt and mr. Stockbridge and then it says Stockbridge Senior and Youth Center rejected. [4:04:19, 4:04:39]: Right? That's the topic. But then at the bottom, he starts talking about how we have$15 million in splash and the majority of council led by Councilman Blount and Councilwoman Lakeisha Gantt chose to complete one project at a time when not one major project has been completed in seven years. I had to beg [4:04:39, 4:04:57]: barter and plea to move Stockbridge Amphitheater forward. And that and that makes and that made me believe that the pro that there is no process. The amphitheater was supposed to break ground in January of this year, but hopefully we will get started in August. That would be the first project in seven years. [4:04:58, 4:05:00]: Okay, he goes further down. [4:05:01, 4:05:15]: And he says, a project manager should be able to handle multiple tri projects at once. Citizens frustrated with nothing happening in Stockbridge need look no further than Councilman Blount and Councilwoman Gantt. [4:05:15, 4:05:16]: Now [4:05:17, 4:05:23]: He stated that we are the hold up on the projects because we do one project at a time. [4:05:23, 4:05:25]: But if you look at the next document [4:05:26, 4:05:31]: The next document was dated May 14, 2018. [4:05:31, 4:05:42]: And in that document, Councilman Alexander and the subject line of that can that document reads, Council, I need a consensus for Martin Luther King, Senior Honor. [4:05:43, 4:05:55]: Now, Councilman Alexander sends us on average twenty emails a day. Some of'em I don't get because he gives the staffs a whole bunch of them. But in addition in addition to that [4:05:55, 4:06:15]: In addition to the case, you're only supposed to get two minutes on one particular subject, right? Five minutes. In addition to that, we have an email here where Councilman Alexander wrote that he would like to recommend changing the name of Memorial Park to Martin Luther King Senior Memorial Park. We started the King family honor three years ago and it's just [4:06:15, 4:06:29]: And and and it's j well, here's it let me tell you what it has to do with it. So he sent an email on May twelfth, nineteen I mean, at nine forty-six AM, making another suggestion on something else that our staff should do. [4:06:29, 4:06:33]: And I responded back to his email that he sent. [4:06:33, 4:06:53]: And I said, Counsel, may I have a consensus? Elton, I agree with you. However, we must focus on what we have instructed staff to be our main priorities. If we don't, I'm afraid nothing will get accomplished. Nothing will be accomplished. Although we can add this to the list of few. [4:06:53, 4:07:07]: future projects can we agree to focus on the following to make sure that in 2018 we see actual results results. They are one stop bridge versus Eagles Landing [4:07:07, 4:07:10]: e uh educational research. [4:07:10, 4:07:30]: And I put in um parentheses victory for Stockbridge. Two, amphitheater. This is anchor needed to kick this is the anchor that's needed to kick off development and our change to our downtown area. Three, the firehouse, DDA, Main Street project or city project that can help revitalize. [4:07:30, 4:07:36]: or a main street or give main street street space and bring more people to the area. [4:07:36, 4:07:56]: Four, Art Center. From planning to the initial stages of getting the Art Center groundbreaking, all other items, and then after that I said all other items from our staff, such as public works, etc., should continue on with important daily maintenance. However, Mr. Knighton, Miss Moore, [4:07:56, 4:08:16]: Attorney Williams should be focused on the above items one through four. Everything else can wait. Any distractions veering from our short term goals may cause a delay. Meaning if we have twenty projects going on at one time, we'll never get the main project that we want done done because he keeps throwing out or [4:08:16, 4:08:24]: Or we keep throwing out different projects for the staff to do, and we don't have a large staff. Well, guess who answered first? [4:08:25, 4:08:26]: Of our people. [4:08:26, 4:08:46]: Guess who answered first when we get a news? Wait a moment. How long are we gonna allow this to Am I gonna get equal testimony? You talk all day long. I sat here the whole time quiet. Am I gonna get equal time? Let her finish reading her. Guess who answered this first? After he sent an email to the Henry Herald and I [4:08:46, 4:08:48]: I hope you're listening. [4:08:48, 4:09:04]: Because he said that Councilman Blount and Councilwoman Gantt are the only people that look no further that we hold up projects. Now I listed four projects and asked Council, can we agree to focus on those? And when we finish one, we replace it with another. [4:09:04, 4:09:06]: Guess who supported me? [4:09:08, 4:09:16]: At five four on May 14th, uh 2018 at 132 p.m., I got a response back from my 116 p.m. email. [4:09:17, 4:09:31]: Ms. Gantt, thank you. This is exactly what I have been saying. This is exactly what I've been saying. I approve this list, and now let's discuss the funding priorities tonight to get the amphitheater started. [4:09:31, 4:09:34]: Now beyond that, the other council members agreed too. [4:09:35, 4:09:52]: But this is a blatant lie and I don't appreciate it. Normally, I would go into executive session and I apologize if anybody, any citizen is offended by the way we handled this meeting tonight or by the way I handled. [4:09:52, 4:09:54]: This resolution tonight. [4:09:54, 4:10:00]: But I'm tired. I'm tired because we have given him [4:10:00, 4:10:12]: warning letters. We have met with him even prior to him getting elected and spoke to him. We have done everything we can possibly. So you what the problem I have is [4:10:13, 4:10:15]: Don't dish it. [4:10:15, 4:10:24]: And can't take it. Don't put us out of the public. Don't put it don't put us out in the public light. Don't put us in the public light. [4:10:25, 4:10:29]: And then we're sitting here and then you're giving [4:10:29, 4:10:30]: You're getting [4:10:31, 4:10:36]: You're don't get put us in a public light tonight. And then make [4:10:37, 4:10:43]: Incorrect, unfactual statements, blatant lies about who is doing what [4:10:43, 4:10:56]: I suggested four projects. We all agreed. There are additional statements that prove lies. I'm gonna do one last more. I could go on all night. I could I have stacks. But Kia Ashby. [4:10:56, 4:11:07]: On one of Mr. Alexander's comments on Facebook, he was as a council member, he was talking to a citizen. And what he said to them is [4:11:07, 4:11:14]: We can do both facilities, not just one. And this is in reference to the youth and senior center. [4:11:15, 4:11:35]: And the art center. He's saying we can do both facilities, not just one. They want to spend all their money on one facility at$10 million. Way too much when the kids and seniors need a cool, outdoor campus, exercise equipment, and gym. You cannot do that in one building, but you can. [4:11:34, 4:11:38]: could do you could in two buildings at eight million each. [4:11:38, 4:11:58]: Now, ladies and gentlemen, we have said time and time again that we have hired a financial advisor. Councilman Alexander knows the plan. He knows that we planned on bonding out projects. He knows how much money that we plan on spending out of fund balance. He knows how we were dividing those things up. We have also [4:11:58, 4:12:05]: sat in and received education, but yet he misled and he hypes up citizens to come here. [4:12:05, 4:12:07]: Oh misled or [4:12:07, 4:12:10]: Not really so true statement. [4:12:10, 4:12:12]: And that are just not accurate. [4:12:12, 4:12:16]: We didn't say we were putting all our money into one building. [4:12:16, 4:12:17]: And he knows it. [4:12:18, 4:12:19]: And for that [4:12:20, 4:12:29]: And I could go on. I have so many. For that, I ask to I would like to make a motion to approve this censor tonight. [4:12:29, 4:12:49]: Sir, I I wanna comment. Second. I wanna comment. Motion's been made, it's been seconded. All right, further discussion. Yes. All right, now hold on a second. Folks, y this once again, this is why it's t can't put genny back in the box. Thank you for that, sir. Can't put it back in the box. So now that the comment is made, the motion is made. [4:12:49, 4:13:03]: been seconded no discussing the proper way to do this. Now he's gonna have a rebuttal of this folks and it's and this is obviously this is not uh the best place the best place to do this. And I wish he would have took me up on my offer before. But so have at it now. [4:13:03, 4:13:06]: Well first of all I wanna say listen. [4:13:07, 4:13:27]: We're sitting here tonight talking about Facebook and emails. We got so many important issues to deal with. This is laughable. This will be the laughing stock of America. We're sitting here talking about an issue on Facebook. We got so many other things that we're done. I appreciate [4:13:27, 4:13:46]: Councilwoman Gantt telling us and explaining to us that we haven't got anything done in seven years because it's actually one hundred percent factual. We haven't got anything done. All of the project list that she mentioned, which is the groundbreaking on the cultural arts center. Have we had a groundbreaking on the cultural arts center? Nope. [4:13:47, 4:13:48]: We haven't done that. [4:13:48, 4:14:08]: We haven't done any of those things that she said were on that list one through four. That is my contention right now. Because it's like the staff told us, until this council decides to spend money on those projects, you haven't moved forward with anything. When I said and [4:14:08, 4:14:12]: It clearly stated that this council is focused on one project. [4:14:13, 4:14:14]: It was pretty clear. [4:14:15, 4:14:31]: That one project that the council had actually decided to fund was the amphitheater. This council has not dedicated any funding at all to any other projects except for the amphitheater. We've talked about it. [4:14:32, 4:14:42]: We've talked about it, we've talked about it year after year after year. But the only problem that we've established a consensus on [4:14:42, 4:14:44]: is funding the amphitheater. [4:14:45, 4:14:59]: We've been talking about project after project after project, year after year after year, and we have done nothing to move forward with them because this council has not led and has not approved the appropriate funding. [4:15:00, 4:15:04]: I found this whole argument totally hypocritical. [4:15:04, 4:15:09]: It was pointed out earlier. We're sitting here today. Councilman Blount [4:15:10, 4:15:30]: Threatened me. It's on camera, it's on video, it's shown right there. This council chose not to even meet, to talk about it, refuse to discuss it, refuse to do anything about it. In that same report he threatened council on he threatened Councilwoman Robinson. She put it [4:15:29, 4:15:38]: In statement, yet this council totally refused to do any and everything about that. They refuse to address the matter. [4:15:38, 4:15:53]: It was on camera. Everybody in here saw Councilman Blount get in my face. All of y'all did. But you chose not to do anything about it. Yet you have time enough to spend and spend hours. How long did it take? [4:15:54, 4:16:14]: To put together this file that has about fifty documents in it. How long on Facebook do you have to spend? How much time a day do you have to set up my Facebook post? I didn't look at it. Stalk me a pun. I don't know. I will point out once again [4:16:14, 4:16:34]: Again, that this the city must be. Point of order, mayor. One second, please. Let me tell you something, folks. As far as I'm concerned, he's gonna get his way to speak. Simply because he you this is this is uh you asking for a center, you have some documentation, he has a rebuttal. To me, that's only the fair way to do this. I want to another fair way to look at it is [4:16:34, 4:16:39]: is you have to you have to recognize the point of order. Okay, so what's your point of order? My point of order [4:16:40, 4:16:43]: Is that we have paperwork on hand right now, do it dealing with this sensor. [4:16:44, 4:16:58]: It had nothing to do with anything else, dealing with uh confrontation with Councilman Blount and all that since I've been here. That's all we've been dealing with, Councilman Blount. This is not council, this is this, this is this council, sick and tired of all these antics. [4:16:59, 4:17:19]: What's the point? What's the point? Make a rule. So so I have for discussion. He's got the part four four for discussion. I don't know how long we're gonna be here tonight, but you have for discussion. Go right here, sir. Finish your comment. See, the same thing. See, where ever this council chose to hide all the dirty laundry, but since we're out here reporting. [4:17:18, 4:17:19]: [15440.0, 15456.3]: Councilwoman Gantt was arrested. Put in jail. Point of order, mayor. Put in jail. You you as point of order, mayor. Burning her clothes. Burning clothes in her house, hold on. Put in jail. Okay. Stop, stop, stop, you know, at some point. Right. [4:17:36, 4:17:38]: You're not gonna allow that. [4:17:39, 4:17:59]: We have we brought this forward. You didn't bring that forward. You didn't bring that forward. A council member was arrested. But no, you know I like to make a motion. Nah, you can't to end the discussion period. You can't do that. Do I have the right to do that, Senator? And I second. Do I have the right to do that, Senator? [4:17:59, 4:17:59]: Yeah. [4:18:01, 4:18:01]: Answer that. [4:18:02, 4:18:08]: Yeah, well you're an attorney on hand, yes sir. Go ahead, answer the question. You probably have a right to make a motion, but I think uh [4:18:09, 4:18:10]: Well I no. I think [4:18:12, 4:18:15]: At this point there is discussion on the pending motion. [4:18:16, 4:18:17]: Pending resolution. [4:18:18, 4:18:20]: Um in the middle of my comments. [4:18:20, 4:18:27]: The mayor is trying to to I just I would appeal to fairness. The mayor is trying to allow a rebuttal. [4:18:27, 4:18:34]: And technically, yes, you can probably move to end the discussion and maybe you've got the votes, but I would suggest [4:18:34, 4:18:37]: Just from somewhat of a neutral outside party. [4:18:38, 4:18:39]: To allow [4:18:39, 4:18:41]: the mayor to allow [4:18:42, 4:18:50]: A level of rebuttal that the mayor thinks is fair in order for that to go forward. My motion stands to end the discussion period. [4:18:51, 4:18:52]: Mayor if I may. [4:18:53, 4:18:55]: Go ahead, what's your what's my mind? [4:18:57, 4:19:17]: A couple of things. I understand that Councilman Alexander has a right to speak, but the issue at hand is about a censor. He wants to air out dirty laundry that things that have dealt with. For example, my case was [4:19:17, 4:19:29]: But what no vote was taken for the money. [4:19:29, 4:19:49]: We're here to discuss the facts of what I have brought before us tonight. Not one time has Councilman Alexander denied what he has done. I haven't, because it's my freedom of speech rights, and I will never deny what is there. You mischaracterized my position. You read the statement, you read uh things that were taken out of [4:19:49, 4:20:09]: That's not all I said. That's not all I said. That's not all I said. My plan was rejected. Mayor, is this discussion on the motion to end discussion? No, it's not. Has there been a second? [4:20:09, 4:20:12]: No no it's not. [4:20:12, 4:20:20]: I I just want to finish my comment. I second to end the discussion. It was a second. It was a second. I wanna finish my comment. Stand by a second. [4:20:22, 4:20:27]: It was a mocking and a second. Right. But uh but I'm saying I don't think that's that's a legal motion to make. Yes it is. [4:20:28, 4:20:30]: I'm not asking you, sir. I'm asking our attorney. [4:20:31, 4:20:36]: I don't think it's a legal motion if it's a legal motion to make, so be it. It's legal. I don't think it's a legal motion to make. [4:20:36, 4:20:56]: Okay, well to help me understand why. Well because because first of all you you you're to me it's intruding on the on a on a proper dialogue that needs to occur on a on a on in on any issue. I mean we have dis you have discussion when you have a motion that's been a second you have dialogue on that. If there's any further question before you go to a vote. Before we before you finish out the dialogue you won talking [4:20:56, 4:21:16]: About ending discussion on this and then go for a vote. Well, I think it's not proper. Now, that's what I think. Now, if if I'm am I legally right or wrong? If I'm not, if I if it's not a legal precedent for this, if I'm wrong, I so be it. I'll accept that. Right. I would need to stop and research the issue. I do not know off the top of my head if it is a if it is perfectly appropriate legal motion. [4:21:17, 4:21:32]: Okay. I agree with you and I tried to appeal to the notion of allowing the person who's trying to preside over this very difficult meeting to preside. You decide, man. But that apparently was not the wishes of the person that's a good thing. It's hard for me to talk when other people are talking, whoever it is. Go ahead, sir. And to think. [4:21:33, 4:21:34]: And so [4:21:35, 4:21:42]: That was apparently uh disregarded. So if we want to take a break and I'll I'll research the issue. I'll tell you what. [4:21:42, 4:21:56]: Well tell uh all right. I'd like for that to happen to point out whether or not you can leave the point of point of order. What's that? I'd just like for you uh we've been here since later more. Why don't you make the decision and then he we deal with what you know. [4:21:56, 4:22:08]: We've been here a long time. I got about three more minutes to finish four more minutes to finish up what I got to say. Well here here's the thing. If if that isn't If we can just if we can end the meeting, we can leave right now. [4:22:09, 4:22:10]: I'm not gonna do that one. [4:22:11, 4:22:14]: I'm not gonna do that last one at all. I won't do that. [4:22:15, 4:22:19]: But I'm allowed trying to allow you to have your say so I I will take it. I will take it. [4:22:19, 4:22:20]: I'll tell you what. [4:22:21, 4:22:22]: Set the clock three minutes. [4:22:28, 4:22:38]: You got three minutes, sir. Thank you. I appreciate that. And just like I said, this council is very selective on three to two votes, and then they talk about divisiveness. [4:22:38, 4:22:46]: You know, things happened in this council, just like I said. Councilwoman Gantt was arrested. No one did anything about that. Nothing. [4:22:47, 4:22:55]: Put a put uh the house in danger, set clothes on fire. No one did anything about that. Councilman Blount got in my face. [4:22:55, 4:23:15]: You know, on camera. No one did anything about that. There was no discussion on that. Yet tonight we're sitting here talking about Facebook posts and emails where somebody stalked my page repeatedly, tugging down things that I've done in due time. This just a couple of weeks ago there was people at this meeting called. [4:23:15, 4:23:25]: calling each other liar tonight I've been called a liar. That's totally outside of the code of conduct. And that didn't happen on Facebook. It happened right here in a public meeting. [4:23:26, 4:23:30]: Please believe I will be out to s going right to the ethics board tonight. [4:23:31, 4:23:51]: I'm certainly gonna file the case against Councilman Blount tonight. I'm certainly gonna file the case against you tonight. I'm certainly going to do that because there's clear evidence, there's a police report, there's all of the above. I'm not gonna take this laying down, and there will be further legal action uh pending this because I'm tired of you violating my rights. [4:23:51, 4:24:11]: Right. You spent$10,000 on a city report.$10,000 that clearly says and in the body on every one of the cases that was dismissed. That's why you didn't send this to the ethics board. Because the ethics board says anything dealing with social media posts, they immediately reject it. They don't take it. [4:24:10, 4:24:28]: They don't consider it because we've been down that road a hundred times before. I'm sitting on a million dollar lawsuit right now. Why? Because they continue to violate my rights illegally. Freedom of speech is not covered by a s a a city charter. It's covered by the United States Constitution. [4:24:29, 4:24:36]: You cannot censor someone's freedom of speech. My rights have been violated numerous tim innumerous times. [4:24:36, 4:24:56]: About what I'm doing on my own private time. That report right there that the city spent ten thousand dollars on clearly says what we do outside of city meetings, it has to be in an official meeting. And Facebook posts do not rise to the a level of the content that we should to in order to. [4:24:56, 4:25:16]: Do anything. This council has a three to two advantage in order to do so. See that right there? That's a violation of the policy right now. But you know what? I I can laugh and I'll leave here tonight three to two. But my I'm not changing anything that I do. I'm defiant, I'm not changing it. Because what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna take this. [4:25:16, 4:25:19]: And we'll settle it there. [4:25:22, 4:25:22]: All right. [4:25:23, 4:25:25]: Do I dare ask if there's any more discussion? [4:25:26, 4:25:28]: I motion to accept the resolution. [4:25:28, 4:25:29]: Is there a second? [4:25:30, 4:25:36]: Well m point of order, Mr. I'm sorry. It's been it's been motioned, it's been second. I think it's time for the vote. [4:25:36, 4:25:37]: All right. [4:25:38, 4:25:45]: All in favor of the resolution please indicate. All opposed? Motion the resolution, the motion passes three to two. [4:25:48, 4:25:49]: All right. [4:25:49, 4:25:53]: Mayor. Yes, sir. I motion that we end this meeting. [4:25:53, 4:25:54]: Second. [4:25:56, 4:26:16]: Miss Holiday. Is that legal at this time? I think so. Is there any other is there is there is some other things to do. Just announcements. There is some other thing. So usually you have the various reports and things. Well, we've already done all that. Mr. Mayor? Yes, sir. I I believe it's and Mr. Down, you can confirm this, but counseling [4:26:16, 4:26:18]: call for an adjoinment at any time. [4:26:19, 4:26:25]: It sounds like that has been the practice and it sounds as if that is the m the will of the party. [4:26:26, 4:26:28]: All posed, the the meeting is over. [4:26:34, 4:26:46]: All right. Who cares? Do what you do. You're right, it's gonna be on news at eleven. I was just scraped it. It's gonna be on news at eleven tomorrow night. [4:26:47, 4:26:51]: Go for it, I got five hundred more pages. We do. [4:26:51, 4:27:09]: I was I'll stand by I'll stand behind every last one of'em. I said it, I did it, and I'm gonna do it again. Let's go. I'm going back in the back. I said it, I said it, I said it, I certainly said it. And I'll say it again. Mm-holiday, I'm gonna see you in your office. [4:27:12, 4:27:15]: We're gonna get to the bottom of this the night.