2023-05-30 · City Council · Transcript · Work Session Meeting

--- title: Work Session Meeting date: 2023-05-30 source: 2023-05-30_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:00, 0:00:03]: That will be our next step. Then we'll obviously advertise [0:00:03, 0:00:07]: At the current polling locations, get information out to the voters. [0:00:08, 0:00:13]: and post in both locations, new and old, uh once that is approved by council. [0:00:14, 0:00:15]: Okay, so [0:00:15, 0:00:19]: When you say that you advertise on a legal organ, there's no public um [0:00:19, 0:00:30]: uh public s uh location, public type of low uh meeting, special meeting for this at all. It's just uh No, we are required by law um O C G A twenty one point two point two six five [0:00:30, 0:00:48]: um to advertise for two consecutive weeks. Okay. Um with the intent to um change the polling location. Yeah, no public hearing is what I get. That's not not needed for that. Okay. We it it's it's a good idea if you have members um that are present that want to speak to it at that time, but it is not required as a public hearing. [0:00:49, 0:01:04]: Because you all are going to adopt it by ordinance because in your charter you currently have three polling places. This will expand it to the I guess you gotta come to the mic. Yes. So and what'll happen is when you all approve this resolution, when it comes back to you all, it will come back as an ordinance. [0:01:05, 0:01:15]: And it'll be an election ordinance which increases and changes what's currently in your charter from three precincts to ten precincts. And it'll align for the [0:01:16, 0:01:36]: City residents to be able to vote at the county precincts, but some will be out of the district and out of the city. But you'll be able to get one ballot that will that the Secretary of State's office is going to approve and the attorney general is going to approve. Once this is done, that will allow for you to get one ballot, which will have the county and if they're federal. [0:01:36, 0:01:56]: federal things on that ballot, but it'll also have the city stuff on that ballot as opposed to them leaving to have to go back to the city to get a city just a city ballot. Sounds like they'll streamline everything for us. Yes, the so that we won't be there won't be an undue burden on the voters. All right. Uh Matt, go ahead and I just wanted to cite some of the uh numbers. Um [0:01:59, 0:02:09]: I just wanted to cite some of the numbers. But first let me uh let me go ahead and cite these numbers. So as it is now, we have three polling locations. We have Red Oak. [0:02:09, 0:02:14]: We have Stockbridge First United Methodists and we have the Murr Mandels Conference Center. Okay. [0:02:15, 0:02:17]: For example, individuals voting it. [0:02:17, 0:02:18]: Hickory. [0:02:19, 0:02:21]: What is it called? Flat Hickory Flag. Hickory Flat. [0:02:22, 0:02:24]: Um they would have to travel. [0:02:24, 0:02:28]: Six point two miles. They would vote for their county, state, [0:02:28, 0:02:29]: Or federal [0:02:29, 0:02:36]: on that ballot and then have to travel to the Merrill Manders Conference Center, which is six point two miles away, and vote on election day. [0:02:36, 0:02:41]: This takes care of that they will be able to vote with one ballot. [0:02:41, 0:02:46]: at one location, not even two voting machines as we currently have it in some of them. [0:02:46, 0:02:47]: One ballot. [0:02:47, 0:03:01]: one location on election day. Outstanding. So of course early voting, you know you can vote throughout the county. Right. But this remedies the issues that we were having on election day for the Henry County voters. [0:03:01, 0:03:21]: Alston. Okay, council, you have questions. Mr. Alstane, go ahead. No, I just want to stand up and give Miss Holiday and the whole team a round of applause because this is so much leaning forward, cutting edge for what we're doing. Probably be one of the first uh cities in the state to even possibly do [0:03:21, 0:03:41]: uh have this be the case because there's a number of municipalities that are facing the same direction. Though you know, Hickory Flat, that's a precinct that's in my area. It's the Tabernacle of Praise. That certainly is very convenient to residents who live in the south end of Stockbridge, certainly flipping elementary. So many [0:03:41, 0:04:00]: We uh you know we've been as a council have chart uh de endeavored to increase voter participation and access. That's exactly what this does, taking three polling places to ten. So I'll never plan. And I'll I'll stand for that as well. Okay? [0:04:02, 0:04:05]: Thank you. I must say this. This was a collaborative effort. Okay. [0:04:06, 0:04:16]: I need to thank my city manager. We there were numerous phone calls, emails, Zoom calls, research, law, lookup. [0:04:16, 0:04:36]: Um, we needed to thank uh Dr. Harris from the Secretary of State's office. We have to thank Miss Glenn, who is actually leaving the Henry County uh elections office and going to work for Fulton County, but her due diligence and working with the Henry County GIS and mapping department, Miss Amika Banks, the director. [0:04:36, 0:04:38]: [278.6, 296.5]: County attorney, there w um even Rushi Patel down at GMA, there were a number of people who put their hands in this to make this happen for Henry County voters and I wanna thank them as well. Off time we'll turn it. You got go ahead, Mr. Blount. [0:04:57, 0:05:08]: For the city of Stockbridge. Would it because they're gonna be voting in that district, would they be there to go to either or location? They will they will be assigned a specific district. [0:05:08, 0:05:11]: A specific, excuse me, polling location. [0:05:11, 0:05:14]: They will be assigned a polling location and receive new [0:05:14, 0:05:18]: Um polling cards um from the Secretary of State's office. [0:05:20, 0:05:38]: 'Cause I'm uh as I look at it I'm I don't know I'm looking at a districting map on polling places for each district, which makes it obviously a lot easier in certain districts than others. Um I'm I'm looking at m uh mine in particular. Both polling places are actually [0:05:40, 0:05:41]: Outside my district. [0:05:41, 0:05:42]: Hmm. [0:05:43, 0:05:55]: All of District Five is outside of the district. This is the the county is decides on the polling places and then we are using their polling places for the municipal election. [0:05:56, 0:06:03]: Because before they w everyone in all of the outside districts would have to travel to the Merrill Manders Conference Center. [0:06:03, 0:06:06]: Yep, yeah, but before as far as my district. [0:06:07, 0:06:11]: It wouldn't have hurt for district three to also been included. [0:06:12, 0:06:14]: uh over forty two [0:06:14, 0:06:17]: We don't ha there's not a Henry County polling location. [0:06:17, 0:06:20]: But I'm saying but you all have it as a polling location, or? [0:06:21, 0:06:23]: No, there was not a [0:06:23, 0:06:28]: polling precinct already in that area. We use what Henry County already had. [0:06:29, 0:06:34]: What I'm saying is if you have a a polling area on sixteen forty Georgia Highway Forty Two. [0:06:35, 0:06:38]: Why didn't you just include district three there? [0:06:39, 0:06:49]: Those voters are assigned by Handy County, not by us. The map and the district maps draws all of that out. Now, this is to move forward with this, but [0:06:50, 0:06:53]: When we bring it back to be voted on, we can have the county. [0:06:54, 0:06:54]: Um [0:06:55, 0:06:57]: Speak to how those lines were drawn. [0:06:58, 0:07:02]: And how the voters were placed in each of the different districts. [0:07:03, 0:07:04]: Okay. [0:07:05, 0:07:25]: All right. I just think that's a good thing. We're actually like piggybacking on to the uh already but that's that's fine established council. For me, my request is that that that polling position be open for district three. What I would what I would think that's gonna be a recommendation. Yes, what I would suggest is that we ask the county if [0:07:25, 0:07:26]: If they want to expand. [0:07:27, 0:07:31]: the county polling locations that's um and then we could tag on to that. [0:07:33, 0:07:34]: Well. [0:07:35, 0:07:37]: And that that's the where the confusion comes in is with me. [0:07:38, 0:07:40]: You're not expanding it for district three. [0:07:41, 0:07:44]: If you already have a polling area here. [0:07:45, 0:07:55]: So I'm trying to understand you're saying expand, but it's already in existence. So I don't understand. I'm sorry, I'm not understanding your question. I'm not understanding you saying you keep saying using the word expand I mean add an additional polling precinct. [0:07:55, 0:07:56]: De [0:07:57, 0:08:01]: may already be in the district. Right now we are using what is current. [0:08:01, 0:08:03]: Well that's what I'm saying. [0:08:03, 0:08:07]: You only had one previously, now you got two at least. [0:08:07, 0:08:11]: If I could finish, using the current what we have in front of us. [0:08:12, 0:08:14]: At sixteen forty two. [0:08:15, 0:08:18]: Since I have two precincts that are not in my district as it is. [0:08:20, 0:08:33]: Uh I would like to see district three used in sixteen forty, uh Georgia Highway forty two. I don't have I don't see a I don't see a single district of voting in in in my in in district three. [0:08:35, 0:08:38]: Your question again is you would like to see [0:08:40, 0:08:43]: Go ahead, I'm sorry. You would like to say [0:08:43, 0:08:50]: You understand what I'm saying? I don't I think you wanna make sure that the ballots that are in the [0:08:50, 0:08:51]: Precincts. [0:08:52, 0:08:53]: nearest your district. [0:08:54, 0:08:55]: have your name on them. [0:08:55, 0:08:57]: Yes. We don't assign those to count. [0:08:58, 0:09:00]: But the but that's what I'm saying. If [0:09:00, 0:09:10]: we if if we're able to make those and request those provisions because as if it stands with this, because you all talked about [0:09:10, 0:09:11]: We talked about [0:09:11, 0:09:13]: Global impact. [0:09:14, 0:09:21]: And I thought that we was gonna move forward with that. We can't. The county has to be the one. But where do they get the suggestions from? [0:09:22, 0:09:28]: Well no no no hold on. These already existed. These are none of these are new. [0:09:28, 0:09:37]: None of these are new. These these precincts already existed. What happened with the annexation in January? [0:09:37, 0:09:44]: We now have residents who reside in these areas that have been added. [0:09:44, 0:10:01]: They were county polling places. But now we have city residents and now those city residents will be able to vote at the same county place that they already participate in. I got that. Then it goes back to my original question. [0:10:02, 0:10:05]: The other two polling places are not in my district. [0:10:05, 0:10:11]: Why couldn't we request that another one then be set, not in my district? [0:10:11, 0:10:13]: But they have the option to go to [0:10:14, 0:10:20]: This one right here at sixteen forty, Georgia Highway forty two. I'm trying to figure out w you you you're not understanding what I'm saying. [0:10:21, 0:10:30]: He's saying We we we have no control of that. That's just that's the ca that's the secretary. We don't draw those lines. Just hockey good. That's all. [0:10:30, 0:10:31]: Yeah. [0:10:32, 0:10:51]: We well we would certainly ask. I like to know what Mr. Larn what he said. If if we would please ask them and make that request. Yeah, the balloting issue that we talked about. You want to make sure that the ballots, you wanna make sure that the area closest to your district, that all the residents closest to your district can go vote and your name will be on the ballot. [0:10:51, 0:10:55]: Yeah, because if you come from that area over there, Fort uh [0:10:55, 0:10:57]: Highway sixteen forty. [0:10:57, 0:10:59]: And coming all way over to the other side. [0:11:00, 0:11:07]: is six in one hand, half a dozen the other. So why wouldn't it be also a polling place for the ones over in for district three, over on the Eagles Landing side? [0:11:08, 0:11:28]: That I and I think that's what we gonna make sure is done when they do the ballots, when the ballots get coded and also they send the voter c registration card from the secretary of state to the individual. It should have where they should vote and that would be the areas that he should be that he's assuming. [0:11:28, 0:11:28]: Yeah. [0:11:29, 0:11:35]: It was the same issue I brought up to you on whether that remember when they said n none of those were in that in that district? Right. But but [0:11:36, 0:11:37]: And if you learn me. [0:11:39, 0:11:59]: Yeah. Uh Councilmember Blount, so yes, I mean, we could ask obviously the county if they can add one more district that one more voting precinct for that district that's closer. Eventually what should happen is when they open up for new precincts, the one location I think that's that's amenable to that district would be uh Tau Tabernacle. [0:11:59, 0:12:01]: Not Del Michael, please. Um [0:12:01, 0:12:12]: global impact would probably be will be in your district and probably will be a voting po could be a voting precinct in the childhood. But right now, yes, we could make that request to Henry County and see what they say. [0:12:12, 0:12:20]: I I don't know about the timeline on that, but but but but what that does, um, Councilman Blount is all those [0:12:21, 0:12:25]: Those members who are currently assigned to another precinct right now. [0:12:26, 0:12:34]: And if they change that that means they would you would have to go and reconfigure all of those people who will no longer be voting at those precincts. [0:12:34, 0:12:39]: to now come to this particular precinct. So that's that's a time [0:12:40, 0:12:41]: I don't know about the time. [0:12:42, 0:12:44]: for this year's election to make that happen. [0:12:47, 0:12:53]: And that's fine, but I I just wish that whatever we request and whatever we do, whatever's in our powers. [0:12:54, 0:12:58]: That we this you know, that that efforts would have been made to make that happen. [0:12:58, 0:13:03]: Yeah, we'll call we'll call them ask them. I mean I'm probably those provisions [0:13:03, 0:13:23]: It's a mute point at this point. No, so here's where we are, right? Where we are is we're making the advertisement that polling place is going to change, and these are what the polling places that are proposed to change are. Right? At that point, it will ultimately come back to you all because until you vote, we just have those three. So what I'm proposing is that we just get on the phone and call. [0:13:23, 0:13:34]: and see if we can get your question answered from the Henry County Board of Elections as to how they're going to send up the information to the Secretary of State about balloting [0:13:34, 0:13:43]: for the municipal races, especially assuming the districts that they will have. But I'm assuming that the GIS maps that they will have [0:13:43, 0:13:46]: of the of y'all's districts well put [0:13:48, 0:13:59]: people having ballot access to the stuff closest to them because they're voting outside of districts, like in Councilman Alexander's district, there are no precincts in his district. They're gonna all be voting in the county. [0:13:59, 0:14:04]: And they're going to have his name on the ballot there. So I'm assuming your situation will be handled about like that. [0:14:04, 0:14:07]: And then as we look forward about changing [0:14:08, 0:14:23]: because of the districts and all that stuff is we look forward about seeing about getting precincts, additional precincts in the county and the city that will match up to where they would be able to vote, which is I think the ultimate hope is that they will be able to eat. [0:14:24, 0:14:39]: district member would be able to have precincts in their district. There would also be county districts, but there would also be county polling locations that they'd be able to vote in. But that's still going to be as Ms. Holiday was saying, beyond this election cycle. [0:14:39, 0:14:54]: And and may I speak to the immediate um what the immediate need was when we were putting this together. When we annexed in those six thousand six hundred and sixty seven residents, they were in the county. [0:14:55, 0:14:59]: And they were assigned to county polling locations, not [0:15:00, 0:15:02]: the city of Stockbridge, where they now [0:15:03, 0:15:03]: Yeah. [0:15:03, 0:15:09]: are able to vote in the municipal election. However, they had no precincts in the city. [0:15:10, 0:15:10]: So [0:15:11, 0:15:15]: All of this was to make sure that those new voters were [0:15:15, 0:15:25]: had a location to go to and be able to vote in the municipal election. That was the immediate need. We can look to additional things that we can do, but that was really the immediate need. [0:15:25, 0:15:31]: Understand. Just to follow up we was talking about because then we'd we'd we're dealing with two separate [0:15:31, 0:15:48]: situation because when we talked about new polling places, these are some things that came up in our districts. So when this came out and when this is was presented, it it's it's it's different from that. But you're but what what you're saying making sense. I'm oh I'm okay with that. [0:15:48, 0:15:51]: But we were talking two different things. [0:15:51, 0:16:01]: We were talking about what we what we wanted polling diff uh areas in our own districts versus existing polling areas for new residents. [0:16:01, 0:16:10]: Mr. Blan, I understand what you're saying. And this would be what you're speaking to would be similar to what we did. If you'll recall initially we had one polling location. [0:16:11, 0:16:12]: We added [0:16:14, 0:16:21]: Um Red Oak and we added Stockbridge Hirst United Methodist Church. That would be in that um [0:16:23, 0:16:23]: Realm. [0:16:25, 0:16:28]: But it takes ti it took us two years for that to happen. [0:16:28, 0:16:35]: It it was it's not an easy fix because we have to reassign voters. So we certainly have that on the radar. [0:16:37, 0:16:37]: Okay. [0:16:40, 0:16:47]: Yes, uh what Mr. Gardner was saying was that voters were going to and I think uh Clinton spoke to this, voters [0:16:47, 0:16:48]: We're going [0:16:48, 0:16:59]: to two different polling places on election day. Right. That is what we consider to be an undue burden. You consolidate two, so you consolidate so you go to one location. Ms. Barber, go ahead please. [0:17:00, 0:17:06]: Um Miss Holliday, when you go back and make your request of adding additional precincts. [0:17:06, 0:17:10]: Please add district four to Hickory Flat. [0:17:11, 0:17:14]: А лев клос, клосер Хікері Флат. [0:17:15, 0:17:16]: But yeah. [0:17:16, 0:17:18]: I guess I'm gonna have to travel. [0:17:19, 0:17:20]: Crawl town. [0:17:20, 0:17:25]: So that is an undue burden for my side of my subdivision. [0:17:26, 0:17:32]: So I know that Councilman Alexander represents the other side of Lakeside subdivision. [0:17:33, 0:17:34]: Obviously. [0:17:34, 0:17:35]: Those residents. [0:17:36, 0:17:39]: On that side of the street we'll be voting at Hickory Flat. [0:17:40, 0:17:42]: But the ones on my side. [0:17:43, 0:17:45]: I don't know, where are we going? Flipping. [0:17:46, 0:17:49]: Well there's a number. There and there's also one at Miller's Mill. [0:17:50, 0:17:56]: Okay, for district four. Well, for the residents and the homeowners of Lakeside Subdivision. [0:17:57, 0:18:12]: I cannot guarantee I can make the request. I know you can't guarantee. Right. You make the request. Request, sir. Ask that Dic District Four be added to Hickory Flat as well. Okay. And Councilmember Because I'm sure that's where they have been going. Is that a new [0:18:13, 0:18:19]: Polling place. That is not new, but there are already voters assigned to Hickory Flat. They will have to reassign [0:18:19, 0:18:23]: So I don't know where these residents were voting before. [0:18:24, 0:18:27]: So at least we want to keep them where they were voting. [0:18:28, 0:18:29]: both sides of the street. [0:18:30, 0:18:37]: We need to look at Lakeside as one whole subdivision, although there are two different city council representatives. [0:18:37, 0:18:42]: It's one whole subdivision. So wherever you have those residents of Lakeside. [0:18:43, 0:18:45]: assigned to vote. [0:18:47, 0:18:57]: Both sides of the street should have the same access wherever they voted before. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Let me be clear. There has been no change. [0:18:57, 0:18:58]: Two county. [0:18:59, 0:19:00]: State. [0:19:00, 0:19:01]: Or federal. [0:19:02, 0:19:17]: polling locations. Those voters that you're speaking about were already sp voting in their county location. All we're doing is allowing them to now vote for their municipal elections at that same [0:19:18, 0:19:18]: Precinct. [0:19:19, 0:19:22]: I understand, but you mentioned about the undue burden. [0:19:23, 0:19:28]: That's why I mentioned please when you make the request, please make sure that district four. [0:19:29, 0:19:34]: is looked at as well. Okay. If Hickory Flat can be also added. [0:19:34, 0:19:43]: So the request is to add district four voters to Hickory Flat and then Councilman Blount, your request is if we can ask the county. [0:19:43, 0:19:44]: To add red oak. [0:19:45, 0:19:46]: I'm sorry, excuse me. [0:19:47, 0:19:48]: Global as a [0:19:48, 0:19:49]: County polling. [0:19:50, 0:19:51]: Precinct. [0:19:51, 0:19:54]: And city polling precinct. [0:19:54, 0:19:58]: to include district three. Is that correct? Do I have that right? [0:19:59, 0:20:19]: Councilman Bunt. Yes. Okay, thank you. Are there any additional questions? No, another another question. So you need a motion, is that correct? We do need a motion. Okay, so council need a motion so they can go forward with this resolution. Yes, sir. One other comment real quick. As it was indicated, none of these are in my district. I have no polling locations uh inside uh my district. [0:20:19, 0:20:39]: boundaries and that was kind of one of the things that we looked at. And then as you said earlier, this is a win for our citizens because they don't have to go to two different places in order to vote. And understanding that what has really happened here is before all of us had one precinct. So we all have more than that. [0:20:39, 0:20:51]: uh moving forward with this. So on those grounds I certainly make a motion to approve with the request from Mr. Blount and with the request uh from Ms. Mayor Pro Tem Barber. [0:20:51, 0:21:00]: Okay, sir second. Ms. Barber second then. All in favor, please indicate. See now says thank you, Miss. Thank you, Clerk. Thank you, Ms. Washington. We will move on. [0:21:00, 0:21:20]: We have the consent agenda, ladies and gentlemen. And two items there. Item number three, council consideration to approve the purchase of 250 Muller AME water meters from Waterworks Incorporated for the uh Dimate Town Home Development in the amount of sixty sixty three thousand six hundred fifteen dollars. Funding source. [0:21:20, 0:21:40]: Will be spLOS funds as well as item number four. Council consideration approved the contract renewal of invitation to bid ITB for number 16 RFP 101216 DRR American Tank Maintenance LLC Full Service Tank Maintenance Program and amount of$61,419. [0:21:40, 0:22:00]: Funding source is from the Water Department budgeting funds. And uh Mr. Aaron is before us uh for this. Yes, sir. Sir, on the consent agenda, there is no discussion. They just vote, we just vote. Motion to vote, that's correct. Right. So these doesn't have to make a presentation unless somebody requests one, we can just vote. Exactly right. Right. [0:22:00, 0:22:20]: So I need a motion. Motion. So uh so moved. Okay, there's a second. Uh Mr. Blount's second. All in favor, please indicate. Thank you very much. Thank you. It's passed as namously. New business. Council consideration to increase the FY 2024 sanitation fee from$17.34 a month to$22 a month and build annually an amount of two. [0:22:20, 0:22:40]: $264 on the Henry County tax statement. Mr. Aaron, please. Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council. Come before you tonight to ask for your approval to increase the sanitation fees because the budget is showing that if we do not, we will be running a shortfall in the sanitation budget because of [0:22:40, 0:23:00]: the ongoing increases from GFL and our disposal, they're allowed to add a CPI every year in their contract. So the CPI can be anywhere from zero to five percent. So it's averaged about three percent. So every year the cost of our collection and and disposal has increased [0:23:00, 0:23:20]: Around about sixty thousand dollars. So every year it increases by about sixty thousand dollars. And also uh sanitation disposal costs are going up across the region, and we just want to ensure that this service pays for itself. We've checked with uh professionals. [0:23:19, 0:23:39]: Providers that are providing services in the private sector that they can contract with. GFL has an initial rate of$26.50 per month. Also, they charge the residents$47 to receive a cart, which the city does not do. Cycle Works, which has [0:23:39, 0:23:55]: Over five hundred of the annexed residents charge an average of thirty dollars and thirty-three cents a month. And Clean Earth is another one that we found that has some of the customers. They charge an average of twenty-five dollars a month. So we just want to make sure that the service pays for itself. [0:23:55, 0:24:15]: Good questions, Council. Go ahead, please, Mr. Alson. We're basically we have been absorbing that cost. Is that correct? Yes, sir, we have been. So we because we have not raised the rate, we have been absorbing that cost. Everybody understand that with the inflationary times that we're in right now, that the price on everything has gone up. [0:24:15, 0:24:35]: And I hear this every day from constituents outside the city who are saying they're paying, you know, thirty dollars, thirty-five dollars, way above what we're paying. And your recommendation is for twenty twenty-two, is that correct? Yes, sir. So that still would be eight dollars cheaper basing what I'm seeing is might be [0:24:35, 0:24:55]: the average of uh the t you know the what people are paying who live outside the city. So it's a it certainly is a uh incentive for people to come uh inside the city because of these rates. And the one thing about it, I want to make sure that we're we're emphasizing our service that we provide. [0:24:55, 0:25:15]: W not only do we provide trash collection, we provide recycling. Many of these providers just charge the price that you described only for trash collection. Yes. And then on top of the that we have yard debris, uh limb pickup, and then we have free bulk pickup too, correct? Yes. [0:25:15, 0:25:35]: None of these other services who charge more than we charge an exorbitant amount. Eight so this one service is eight dollars. I think you describe even more than that. Uh but they don't offer the the the limbs, they don't offer the bulk. So what we're doing, I certainly think that we gotta be so this will balance our. [0:25:35, 0:25:55]: Books is what you're saying? Yes, sir. Okay, certainly we want to be in a position where we can balance the books and then some, you know, uh, and not not create a deficit because we have, and and and and the council should pat themselves on the back because in in in these inflationary times, we have eight that. [0:25:55, 0:26:07]: increase which was due to the city because we know that citizens were on so much pressure during the pandemic that they couldn't afford that. So we did everything that we could to save them money during the pandemic. [0:26:07, 0:26:27]: I understand. You know the comments from the council. Mr. Blount, go ahead, please. Mr. Aaron, what what type of what what is what type of cost were we incurring that we weren't breaking even for the services provided? Because I don't have re reason I'm saying that because I I've yet to see anything come to this council showing that we're falling short because of these services and when we [0:26:27, 0:26:38]: We talked about these services, we also talked about outside carriers that are using our transfer station uh transfer station and how's that all that stuff works. So what kind of costs are we [0:26:38, 0:26:41]: We're biting the bullet on to raise these uh rates. [0:26:42, 0:26:59]: We're uh noticing increases in the disposal cost and the collection cost as well. Like I say, GFL contract allows them every year, they can increase their rates based on the consumer price index. That can be from zero percent, they choose not to [0:27:00, 0:27:20]: included or up to five percent. Same for uh Lamar County where we take our waste where for final disposal. So they've been implementing the CPI every year, which is allowable in the contract, and the city has not. The city does not have an annual CPI like the disposal and the collection does. [0:27:19, 0:27:36]: So every year, by the fact that they're implementing a CPI, it increases our cost. So it's averaging about$65,000 every year that we're gonna notice an increase. And then you're taking on 2,000 customers. We have [0:27:36, 0:27:56]: We have eighty two hundred customers, so you're adding about twenty-five percent more customers, and so that's gonna increase the disposal cost by another twenty by at least twenty-five percent. We're projecting around thirty-five because now you're gonna have people that get bulk waste pickup and yard waste pickup. So those things were not accounted for. [0:27:56, 0:27:58]: For like this year. [0:27:58, 0:28:04]: With uh we'll provide starting next Monday, providing sanitation service to those annexed residents. [0:28:05, 0:28:12]: So we're gonna have to foot the cost for the increased disposal cost because that was not budgeted for. So [0:28:13, 0:28:33]: You use an acronym CPI. What's that? CPI? Consumer Price Index. So that's the annual uh rate of inflation that most uh entities use. So so when they did the in when they was doing the increase, we wasn't are they able to do an increase every year or is it in May. [0:28:33, 0:28:35]: And so the increments of those increases [0:28:36, 0:28:43]: Is typically I'm saying it's interesting when we have the increment and increase in one area and we don't do something in our area. [0:28:43, 0:28:45]: And then we come and say, Hey. [0:28:45, 0:28:49]: They've got several up on us, we need to do something about it and then the jump is higher because [0:28:50, 0:28:57]: Y you know I'm saying I d I had no idea that we was in a place that and I don't know if the other council members do, but I didn't know we was in a place where [0:28:58, 0:29:03]: we was losing money at the rate where we were we were as uh that that we're at now. [0:29:04, 0:29:11]: But see the the thing that triggered it, like I said, when we start working on budget, is like, okay, we started looking at the numbers. [0:29:11, 0:29:14]: So we're gonna have a twenty five percent increase in [0:29:14, 0:29:32]: And disposal costs. And disposal costs are constantly going up at the landfills because there are new requirements from EPA and EPD as for us, monitoring requirements, disposal requirements and things of that nature that, you know, the vendor, they're not gonna eat those costs, they're gonna pass them on to us. So [0:29:35, 0:29:38]: Council, any other questions? Uh Ms. Barber Collette, please. [0:29:41, 0:29:42]: Mr. Aaron. [0:29:43, 0:29:48]: Earlier this year, um the council approved extending the current provider [0:29:50, 0:29:51]: Can you hear me now? [0:29:52, 0:29:56]: Okay, Mr. Aaron, earlier this year the council approved a renewal. [0:29:56, 0:29:58]: Of the current provider's contract. [0:29:59, 0:30:04]: Was that for one year or two years? It was for one it was for one year. [0:30:04, 0:30:05]: Okay. [0:30:05, 0:30:07]: This is where competitive bidding. [0:30:07, 0:30:09]: Um is important. [0:30:10, 0:30:13]: We didn't know what to expect as far as the market. [0:30:13, 0:30:17]: We didn't know that there would be a increase, however. [0:30:17, 0:30:22]: When these suppliers are required to competitively bid their contracts. [0:30:23, 0:30:26]: Then we can go with the best cost. [0:30:27, 0:30:28]: For us. [0:30:29, 0:30:30]: But now here we are. [0:30:31, 0:30:32]: Having to accept. [0:30:33, 0:30:34]: An increase. [0:30:34, 0:30:35]: That none of us knew about. [0:30:36, 0:30:38]: But had it been competitively beated. [0:30:39, 0:30:40]: We would have known. [0:30:41, 0:30:42]: That's all. [0:30:42, 0:30:50]: But but one of the things we gotta keep in mind for profit companies, like when fuel go up, a lot of things they have a fuel surcharge. [0:30:50, 0:30:55]: For profit companies are not gonna they're not in business to take a loss, they're gonna pass it on to us. [0:30:56, 0:30:59]: and surcharges and other things. So if they're allowed to [0:30:59, 0:31:08]: implement the CPI, whether we had GFL or some other company, they're gonna do those because their goal is to ensure that they make a profit. [0:31:08, 0:31:13]: And so whether we bid it out or not, it does not guarantee that we're gonna get lower rates. [0:31:14, 0:31:34]: Because everybody is in business. That's how they stay in business. They can't afford to take a loss. But the city, we're doing it. We're not doing it to make money. We're doing it to make sure it pays for itself. And and that's the city's goal. It's not to stash a lot of money saying overcharging people or whatever. We're just trying to pass the cost along of what it costs. [0:31:34, 0:31:47]: cost us to the residents and not we gotta supplement it because then that means you gotta pull money from somewhere to supplement those costs. Yeah, I understand that, but competitively bidding it. [0:31:47, 0:31:50]: рекарсь з плієрсь то компет [0:31:50, 0:31:51]: For the contract. [0:31:52, 0:31:55]: So they would give us their best price. [0:31:56, 0:31:59]: It is our responsibility to make sure that we're getting [0:32:00, 0:32:03]: Best price for the best quality of work and services. [0:32:05, 0:32:11]: So now this is just being dropped in our lap, and we have no choice. [0:32:11, 0:32:13]: But if it is competitively bidded. [0:32:14, 0:32:18]: We can actually compare proposals, but we don't have that choice. [0:32:19, 0:32:19]: That's all. [0:32:20, 0:32:38]: Mr. Blount, go ahead, please. Mr. Aaron, I thank you for explaining that. Um whether it's a contracted business or any uh any contracted business that hasn't increased, the the thing that concerns me is that during these CPI increases that we never moved with them. [0:32:39, 0:32:59]: When the county does an increase on water, we move with them because we want to keep everybody uniform with the rates. I just that's that's the only thing that's getting me with this. When they when they did their increase, we didn't move with them. And now I don't have no I'm have no idea, but in contractually they could do it every year. And so we're at a point now where it's gonna be at I guess roughly four dollars and sixty. [0:32:58, 0:33:04]: sixty six cents more a month on each uh residence, something like that. But [0:33:04, 0:33:18]: If we're at a point where the services are being provided and and and this it and that for what I'm understand there still is a competitive rate pertaining uh uh with the with the surrounding like um vendors. [0:33:19, 0:33:32]: So, I mean, th this is where we at. I just I just don't like using something to justify something when that's something that we're using was on we we wasn't aware of. I wasn't aware of these increments. [0:33:33, 0:33:36]: until now that we w that we could go into [0:33:36, 0:33:44]: we're we're sir we have to cover and surplus the the amounts that wasn't being provided. That's that's my that's my take on. [0:33:44, 0:34:04]: Well, we could going forward. If whenever the company implements the CPI, we do it accordingly so that we stay on par with what they're charging. You can Well at least give us that choice because now we get to a point where we have to do it versus if we want to do it. But now to a point where it's getting so high if they've implemented [0:34:04, 0:34:24]: And the CPIs on several times, and we we definitely don't want to get make that gap too wide and and the cities end up uh you know pulling in now more costs for that. You you see what I'm saying? Yes. At least at least we get something to say, something to the council saying where we're going with their rate increases, and we gotta keep up before we [0:34:24, 0:34:37]: We start taking too big of a loss. Yes. I would send a letter that they send us to the city manager explaining the CPI and when they implement it. It's typically in May. So I will send that to him going forward to disseminate to everybody. [0:34:38, 0:34:50]: Mr. Alexander, go ahead, please. No, I'm just prepared to make a motion to move forward. All right, if there are no other comments, go ahead, please. I make a motion to uh as is recommended by staff uh to uh implement the new sanitation rate. [0:34:50, 0:34:51]: Sir Second. [0:34:52, 0:34:53]: Is there a second? [0:34:57, 0:35:13]: Oh well. Okay, once again it's there second. So this is due to the county June first. So whether we had the old rate or the new rate to go on the tax bill. So all right. Right now it seems like it's due to the county June first? Yes, sir. Isn't that like day after tomorrow? Yes. That's correct. [0:35:14, 0:35:15]: Yeah. [0:35:15, 0:35:17]: We got a vote on today. [0:35:17, 0:35:19]: That's well, I would think so. [0:35:20, 0:35:28]: So if we don't vote on today, then there's an increase that there's an increase to f to to take the uh hit for the city. So we [0:35:29, 0:35:29]: Yeah. [0:35:30, 0:35:37]: Was this brought to us prior to today? We'll just we'll just supplement it like we have previously. [0:35:38, 0:35:51]: I'm saying was this brought to us prior to today? Was this No, because like I said, when we started preparing our budget and things like this, this when this number stood out to us, it's like this is something we can't absorb. [0:35:52, 0:35:55]: But they you say they implemented it on on uh in May. [0:35:56, 0:35:58]: They implement the CPI in May. [0:35:58, 0:36:18]: Yeah, uh May of every year. But this is like I say, we're adding additional customers, that's gonna increase what we pay for disposal. So our budget previously wasn't built on that. Our budget was built on 8,200 customers. Now we're talking about 10,200 customers. [0:36:18, 0:36:23]: Well, see, it this goes back to what I've been saying. I'm only speaking for myself. [0:36:25, 0:36:30]: You know, we we s we set up a scenario with provisions to be and to provide. [0:36:31, 0:36:35]: If it happens. We have this in place if it doesn't happen. [0:36:36, 0:36:43]: We continue to react to this big number of customers coming to the city like it probably couldn't have happened. [0:36:44, 0:37:03]: We when we could have been proactive and just keep things flowing. I just don't like being reactive when we find ourselves having to make a decision because it's two days before it expires and that handcuffs us. That handcuffs us to say, now you gotta make it happen. We can't continue to be reactive like this annexation wasn't gonna happen. [0:37:04, 0:37:09]: Like it was one hundred percent what it's gonna happen because when it happened, we didn't make enough provisions to have [0:37:10, 0:37:11]: Parameters in place. [0:37:12, 0:37:29]: to suffice what needs to be done. And that's that kind of that really concerns me. I'm I'm s I'm just continually seeing that. And that that really concerns me. This they came in January the first and we're we're we're like like they like we didn't believe it was gonna happen. We have to have things, parameters in place, but [0:37:32, 0:37:33]: I mean I mean uh [0:37:34, 0:37:39]: That's where we're at. All right. Any other comments? Motion's on the floor, but I haven't yet to get a second. [0:37:40, 0:37:50]: And so if we don't get a second, this doesn't uh I I'll second me. Okay. Uh Mr. Blount seconded the motion. Any additional comments? Motion's been made. All favorite motion, please indicate. [0:37:53, 0:37:53]: All pose. [0:37:55, 0:38:00]: I will outstain and a comment. Three zero one. Okay, your comment is I will [0:38:00, 0:38:08]: I'm abstaining. Yes. I don't like I don't like things like this being dropped in my lap, forcing me to make a decision. [0:38:08, 0:38:10]: Um I understand [0:38:10, 0:38:13]: It's necessary to increase the rate. [0:38:13, 0:38:14]: I get it. [0:38:15, 0:38:15]: That's all. [0:38:16, 0:38:36]: Thank you. America, I have one additional comment. Yeah, go ahead, sir. I'm gonna be honest. I didn't come I don't know where the communication failure was, but Mr. Aaron has come to that podium and told us, like he told us what the water rates, that the rate was going up. So I does that did you come to the podium and tell us like you did the water rates? [0:38:36, 0:38:56]: That uh these rates that we've because I we've been eating that increased the last three years, right? And and we're gonna eat it for six months when it comes to the increased disposal cost for these residents that we start providing sanitation services to. I I think again, I think this council, what we did, my in my opinion, speaking for myself. [0:38:56, 0:39:09]: is that during the pandemic, we did not want to hit residents with an increase because folks were struggling. So I think I thought that was our rationale behind eating those costs because people were already struggling. But [0:39:10, 0:39:17]: I I I don't know how I I did I was aware that these increases were coming because we were eating them each year, right? [0:39:17, 0:39:18]: Yes. [0:39:19, 0:39:19]: Correct. [0:39:21, 0:39:41]: Okay, we're gonna move on to the next item. Number six, council consideration to increase FY twenty twenty-four stonewater fees as follows. Base rate tier one single family resident from seven uh dollars and fifty nine cents to seven dollars and ninety seven cents. Impervious rate tier one single family residential from twenty nine ninety nine to thirty. [0:39:40, 0:40:00]: 3149. Base rate tier two single family residential from 759 to 797. That's dollars, by the way. Impervious rate tier two single family residential from$59.98 to$62.98. Base rate non-single family residential$20,000 square feet. [0:40:00, 0:40:20]: From$7.59 to$7.97. Impervious rate non-single family residential$20,000 square feet from$299,000,$299.90 to$314.90. The total overall proposed fee increase from$307.49 to$320. [0:40:20, 0:40:26]: twenty two dollars and eighty seven cents or a four point seven six percent increase. Uh Mr. Aaron, please. [0:40:27, 0:40:47]: Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council. Uh we're coming tonight requesting that we be allowed to increase the stormwater fees. Our MS4 permit requires us every year to inspect and repair over twenty-five percent of our stormwater infrastructure. Prior to the annexation, we had over fifteen thousand [0:40:46, 0:41:06]: Identified stormwater structures. And so adding as we added these 90 plus miles of new streets and territories, so we got to incorporate that into our database so that we're compliant with our MS-4 permits. So that's going to require us to go out and manage. [0:41:06, 0:41:21]: and identify all these stormwater infrastructure within the areas that we just obtained, as well as our own infrastructure and update it. So we're asking for the increase so that we be we'll have the funding available to [0:41:22, 0:41:32]: to uh pay for these services of identifying and inspecting and repairing and maintaining all this infrastructure that we currently have that our permit requires us to maintain. [0:41:33, 0:41:53]: Good, thank you. Council. Ms. Alzana, quick, please. So let me I just want to make sure that I understand. So I mean the water is separate from this, where Henry County water maintains the water and sewer. This is the stormwater system obviously is separate from that. But all over internal like my areas, even where we don't have any that [0:41:53, 0:41:56]: Infrastructure belongs to the city, is what you're saying. [0:41:56, 0:42:16]: All the drains and n and ditches and pipes and inlets and outlets and all of that is maintained by the city. We have to inspect twenty-five percent of all our stormwater infrastructure every year. And every five years you have to complete one hundred percent inventory and inspection and repair and maintenance of your stormwater infrastructure. [0:42:16, 0:42:36]: collecting that from builders and developers we're collecting those fees what what how how competitive is our fees yes with this uh with the stormwater fees as far as the commercial side is concerned with these new businesses ours are uh below henry county what their stormwater fees are we're [0:42:36, 0:42:56]: Competitive with McDonough and Hampton and Locust Grove. But I said what what are the numbers? What are do you have the numbers where Henry County is and where we is? So the numbers are helpful for competitiveness to see where we are. I don't compare their numbers here is why because all of us have different needs. Henry County has different [0:42:56, 0:43:11]: different stormwater infrastructure and needs than the city of Stockbridge. But when somebody comes into the city and they're trying to decide whether to annex in or not, they're gonna look at those rates. The C our fees are lower than Henry County Water Authority. [0:43:12, 0:43:32]: I don't have that information with me, but I can send that to you tomorrow. But our rates are lower than Henry County. And like I say, this is part of what the state requires us to do with our inspections and all of that. Every new builder that comes in, every new lot. [0:43:32, 0:43:35]: that's built and approved. They pay a stormwater fee. [0:43:35, 0:43:47]: that we if they come in after the taxes has been assessed, the tax notices have gone out, we send them a a invoice for the sanitation fees and the stormwater fee. Mr. Gardner, can you come to the podium? [0:43:54, 0:44:14]: Now it's all over the news about these stormwater fees. I think the Cab County is, you know, doing something different whether in uh uh looking at their fees, certainly other jurisdictions are too. This is we're in the middle of a surge, gross surge all over the county and in the city. We have to be [0:44:14, 0:44:15]: Um [0:44:16, 0:44:36]: I need to know what these numbers are so that we can compare, because on the commercial side, all these residents complaining about the commercial growth. But when the commotion commercial growth comes, they gotta pay their fair share. I believe Henry County did increase their fees significantly so that these uh developers would [0:44:36, 0:44:47]: eat some of that cost because they're gaining the windfall and then they're gonna leave, as most residents say. They're gonna build and then they gonna be gone. So when they build and they're gone, they need to leave their [0:44:48, 0:44:57]: Their uh their funding behind in order to help sustain us. So have when was the last time we raised the commercial rates? [0:44:58, 0:44:59]: Um [0:45:00, 0:45:05]: I think it was two thousand eighteen is the last time we we raised [0:45:05, 0:45:09]: Whenever that we had that retreat indicator. [0:45:09, 0:45:12]: The thing might have been eighteen or nineteen. [0:45:12, 0:45:20]: That's when we raise the commercials are paying their fair share. They're paying their share. I I know that, but if we have a now trust me. [0:45:20, 0:45:40]: It's 2018 and we just went through the record in s inflation for the entire country. Everybody has to raise their race. I know Henry County just did. We got to look at, because our residents, we don't want to keep looking at the residents first. We need to be looking at these businesses who are coming in, they're impacting us. [0:45:40, 0:45:55]: They're game, like you say, they're for-profit. Some of that for profit need to be going back to us. So uh I don't want to be necessarily significantly less than Henry County, especially on the commercial side. No, I don't. I want to be right there where they are. [0:45:56, 0:45:58]: On the commercial side,'cause in this growth space [0:45:59, 0:46:19]: The the the it it it the value is in just being in this area, not necessarily in the counter in the city. They're gonna pay it because they wanna be here. So Mr. Gardner, talk about us getting us this information that we need to be very competitive because with the new development we just approved. [0:46:19, 0:46:30]: than district four, new developments coming uh all over the place, people annexing in. We gotta get what we deserve and I just do when these people come uh to the counter. [0:46:31, 0:46:35]: Push it back. Then it'll go next year. Final sea. Then it'll be next year. [0:46:35, 0:46:41]: No, we we could find the information tonight, provide it tonight. Can we get on can we count the [0:46:53, 0:47:13]: Councilman Alexander, if you allow for us not to vote on this item, um move it to the back of the agenda. We're gonna try to research that those numbers and get them to you before tonight's for you. So otherwise you're requesting this to be moved to the to the end of the end of the item. Yes sir. All right, and then between th this time you'll be able to get some additional information that he's gonna be able to do that. [0:47:13, 0:47:22]: for you. All right, so that's not just up to me. Well I was gonna ask for a motion or council you agree to move this item to the end of the agenda t for further discussion. [0:47:23, 0:47:26]: Uh you're we're good here on the side? [0:47:26, 0:47:27]: So okay. [0:47:27, 0:47:42]: All in favor? Okay. From Alexander to uh uh Blount. I'm Blount made a motion. I second. Mr. Alexander, all in favor? Indicate okay, good deal. So we'll move this agenda item down to after number 10 before we get into announcements. All right. [0:47:43, 0:47:58]: Uh move on. Council consideration approved the renewal of the landscape maintenance services contract for Yellowstone landscape in amount of three hundred twenty seven thousand two hundred sixteen dollars. Funding source from government building buildings department and amphitheater budgeted funds. Mr. Aaron, please. [0:47:58, 0:48:18]: Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council. The initial contract with Yellowstone was approved by council on September 28, 2021 for one year with the option to renew for four one-year renewal periods with options at the city's sole discretion. So where the contract expires September 30th, 2023. Staff is asked. [0:48:18, 0:48:19]: Yeah. [0:48:20, 0:48:24]: uh mayor and council extend the contract with Yellowstone for an additional year. [0:48:25, 0:48:39]: Okay. Thank you. Questions. Mr. Blount, go ahead, please. Mr. Aaron, you are you okay with with their work and everything they're doing? Yes, they've been responsive to the request we've made. They've been timely with it and they've done an a wonderful job for us. I haven't had any issues with [0:48:40, 0:48:52]: With council approved, I'd like to show move Mr. Okay. So you made a motion. No, he's so he has go ahead, Mr. Okay, I'm sorry, go ahead. Mr. Mr. Thomas. And I'm glad counting. [0:48:52, 0:48:53]: Or [0:48:54, 0:48:58]: And I'm glad Councilman Blount asked the question about [0:48:58, 0:49:06]: uh the approval o of that work'cause I just read last night where it was required for in writing [0:49:08, 0:49:10]: Go ahe go ahead, sir. Um [0:49:11, 0:49:18]: for to be in writing uh the approval uh of that work. But I just wanna [0:49:19, 0:49:22]: Asked a couple of questions about the dollar amount. [0:49:23, 0:49:29]: Um in September as you stated, September of twenty twenty one. [0:49:29, 0:49:34]: The council did approve of this contract for two hundred and fifty. [0:49:35, 0:49:38]: And then in December of the same year. [0:49:39, 0:49:41]: An addition of fifty thousand was added. [0:49:41, 0:49:44]: to bring it to a total of three hundred thousand. [0:49:45, 0:49:48]: And we do understand that it does expire in [0:49:49, 0:49:51]: September twenty twenty three. [0:49:52, 0:49:52]: But [0:49:53, 0:49:58]: There seems to be for a total of three hundred and twenty seven thousand [0:49:58, 0:49:59]: two sixteen [0:50:00, 0:50:03]: So there seemed to be an increase from the original [0:50:04, 0:50:07]: contract of twenty one twenty seven thousand [0:50:07, 0:50:10]: And I'm trying to get a better understanding. [0:50:10, 0:50:11]: Oh [0:50:12, 0:50:21]: Well, can you explain the increase of twenty-seven thousand from the original uh contract uh in twenty twenty-one? [0:50:21, 0:50:37]: Yes, and when the original contract was awarded, you didn't have the Public Works Administrative Building, nor did you have the police department as part of those, because they weren't online at the time. So the increase resulted from adding the Public Works building and the police department. [0:50:38, 0:50:45]: So in December of twenty twenty one, what was the reason for the uh addition of fifty thousand? [0:50:45, 0:50:59]: That was uh they did some additional work at the amphitheater. They refreshed the mulch well before that first concert. And then in December the Public Works Building came online. [0:51:00, 0:51:03]: 'Cause I remember this discussion even back then. [0:51:03, 0:51:07]: Um and I think the answer at that time was [0:51:08, 0:51:28]: Because of these uh additional scope of work for the fifty thousand. And I don't know if this council remember, but we had a that was part of that as well, cause it was some things that weren't included in the original agreement that we wanted as far as frequency of certain items and certain tasks. [0:51:28, 0:51:31]: So we increased the frequency, that was a part of that as well. [0:51:33, 0:51:50]: Well, I I I really wanna dispute that because as you know, you know, I I sort of led that discussion and I do have my notes based on that and it seemed like the answer at that time was a little different. But let me also ask the question about [0:51:50, 0:51:57]: Um and I m did my notes this morning. So there's a total increase [0:51:57, 0:52:06]: From the original contract from twenty twenty-one, uh, it's a total of seventy-seven thousand two hundred and sixteen. [0:52:06, 0:52:26]: So I'm still trying to get a a better understanding of from 2021 to 2023, we we're looking at an increase of 77,000. And then it goes back to when we discussed this in earlier conversation about uh, you know, the putting it out for bid, and I didn't want to comment then. [0:52:26, 0:52:29]: [3149.6, 3169.6]: Uh when you competitive bidding and I I think competition is good for a municipal government. I I think competitive bidding is just good, period. And I don't know why we don't really um, you know, emphasize that quite a bit, but so it did not go off of bid in twenty twenty two. [0:52:49, 0:52:50]: Is that correct? [0:52:50, 0:52:56]: No sir it didn't. And it's not going out for bid here in twenty twenty three? No, sir. [0:52:57, 0:53:02]: Well see and d those are some of my concerns about why not. [0:53:03, 0:53:19]: Um and I I just ought to have a problem with that, especially the increase of seventy-seven thousand dollars from January from September of twenty-one to now. I I just have a have a little problem with that. I don't know if we could do better or not. And we don't know. [0:53:20, 0:53:24]: until we get into the competitive building. But that just those are my comments. [0:53:24, 0:53:36]: Mayor. Councilman Thomas, I think if we all recall, I think when we were building this landscaping out, we would only get two responses. Yes. It was Yellowstone and an and another company. [0:53:37, 0:53:51]: And uh every time we like I say, every time we bidded it out, we only got two responses. It wasn't a lot of we had plenty of companies came by and looked at it, but when it came time to submit the bid, it was only two. We only had a choice of two. [0:53:52, 0:53:53]: And so [0:53:53, 0:54:06]: We went with the one that that we felt was best for the city at at that time. If it's the uh will of council to put it back off a bit, then we'll do that. But we've had great service from from this vendor. [0:54:06, 0:54:20]: They've always been responsible. Whatever we ask them, they've done it. They've done it in a timely manner. And this day and time, I'm like, there's no guarantee just'cause you beat it out, you're gonna get a l lower price or a better service. So [0:54:22, 0:54:41]: And and I and I guess my my biggest concern is, you know, the quality of work and and I'm I'm observant of some of the work and you know, I do have my opinions about the quality of work of what I see. Um, seem like it could be better, but i it just just my opinion. [0:54:42, 0:54:46]: Mr. Bay Mayor. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Dallas Down, go ahead, please. [0:54:46, 0:55:02]: Let me let me just say one thing here quickly is that you know we we all looked and we know how as we assume leadership in this city, how the city, how this area right outside this window [0:55:02, 0:55:03]: Used to look. [0:55:04, 0:55:06]: We know how it looks now. [0:55:06, 0:55:08]: And let me tell you, it looks [0:55:08, 0:55:10]: A whole lot better than it ever has. [0:55:11, 0:55:26]: And uh the improvement has been significant in numerous areas. So I I I wanna chime in on Mr. Aaron's uh we requested that the mulch and the pine straw and everything be refreshed. [0:55:27, 0:55:45]: more frequently quarterly versus having it done a couple of times a year, uh like the median on port on uh highway one hundred thirty eight. Those areas have come together, um, in terms of what this whole area was look like. I remember when we uh we debate we we looked at this and [0:55:45, 0:56:05]: The uh provider came before us and we s and I I remember specifically saying to them,'til we get to where McDonough is, we haven't reached that goal yet. Are we there yet? No, but we're a lot closer than where we used to be.'Cause when I come through here now I see the difference and I wanna continue to see the difference and ask them to excel. The one thing [0:56:05, 0:56:25]: I think that we need to understand is I'm certainly for the competitive bidding process, but I'm also for the RFQ, adding the RFQ process to it before you do the RFP. Because just and I think long enough, we've been in government long enough to know the lowest bidder sometimes is there's a reason that they're [0:56:25, 0:56:26]: The low is bitter. [0:56:26, 0:56:33]: There's a reason that they bid it low and there's a reason that we get you get what you pay for in terms of where we are now. [0:56:34, 0:56:54]: I'm nervous about taking this one back out because of where we are and the improvements that we have made. And at every turn, I think Mr. Aaron has asked of this provider to increase uh its frequency or their level of service. They have done so and they have done it with uh it in record time. [0:56:54, 0:57:09]: in some instances. Are they perfect? No, they're not perfect, but I certainly believe in where that what they're doing and I can see the difference uh in this area right here, which is right around City Hall where we need to be the face of our city. [0:57:09, 0:57:29]: And I think this vendor has helped us improve the image uh of the center uh of our city, uh especially in this area, as I go out and I see the amphitheater campus and as I I see that mulch that costs fifty thousand dollars. It looks good. Now we gotta get the retention pond finished, Mr. Gardner. [0:57:29, 0:57:49]: And online and expeditiously, but certainly I want to make sure that we give this vendor their due credit. And again, I don't mind putting stuff out for bid, but we gotta add a RFQ process to the RFP process because when people bid the lowest, that don't necessarily mean you're getting a good job. You get what you pay for sometimes. [0:57:49, 0:58:09]: And when you do RFQ first, you eliminate some of the people who aren't capable of doing the work. And you've done a more your due diligence on people when you put out uh the RFP for the final work. But I I I think this contractor is doing a good job and I'd be hesitant about moving anything else because they have done [0:58:09, 0:58:10]: They have done the work. [0:58:11, 0:58:15]: Mr. Blancway, please. Yeah, I I just wanna say um [0:58:16, 0:58:25]: When we go back years and we're dealing with now, we gotta understand our process what we've had when it came to landscaping has been interesting. [0:58:26, 0:58:28]: When we have a procurement process [0:58:28, 0:58:30]: That we should abide by. [0:58:31, 0:58:37]: We all see what happens with what we're dealing with now. And when you're talking about Mr. Aaron, only two companies. [0:58:37, 0:58:38]: been bidding on this. [0:58:39, 0:58:40]: We have to trust what you're saying. [0:58:41, 0:58:43]: And if we're talking about this is which is [0:58:44, 0:58:45]: Every company [0:58:45, 0:58:48]: In every entity in the United States. [0:58:48, 0:58:51]: has an increase in services this year. [0:58:51, 0:58:52]: Everybody. [0:58:53, 0:58:54]: Everybody. [0:58:55, 0:58:59]: I went to Popeye's the other day'cause I had people over and got twelve pieces of chicken that was thirty dollars. [0:59:00, 0:59:03]: Never paid that before. So everybody got increases. [0:59:05, 0:59:07]: Бо ви хати. [0:59:07, 0:59:11]: And we have to leave the procurement process alone. [0:59:12, 0:59:15]: And know that when the bidding process does happen. [0:59:16, 0:59:18]: We won't find ourselves in the position we're in right now. [0:59:19, 0:59:22]: Mayor Pro Tem go ahead please. [0:59:22, 0:59:28]: Yes, um and you're right, Councilman Alexander, I have seen a significant improvement. [0:59:28, 0:59:30]: in the appearance of our downtown. [0:59:31, 0:59:31]: Um [0:59:32, 0:59:34]: So kudos to [0:59:34, 0:59:36]: The current contractor, however. [0:59:36, 0:59:37]: I'm always concerned. [0:59:38, 0:59:40]: When there is a contract award. [0:59:40, 0:59:42]: And then shortly after, whether it's [0:59:43, 0:59:45]: Three months, six months. [0:59:45, 0:59:48]: Or nine months into the contract. [0:59:49, 0:59:51]: They add additional charges. [0:59:51, 0:59:53]: Or they increase their pricing. [0:59:55, 0:59:56]: That is why. [0:59:56, 0:59:57]: Competitive bidding. [0:59:57, 0:59:58]: is important. [0:59:59, 1:00:00]: Lock in the rate. [1:00:01, 1:00:04]: Lock in the contract and the dollar amount. [1:00:05, 1:00:06]: So that they cannot [1:00:07, 1:00:10]: Come back and ask for an increase. [1:00:11, 1:00:20]: Now I know that when we initially approved this contract in twenty twenty one, Councilman Thomas, he just went through the background. [1:00:20, 1:00:23]: There was already an increase of fifty thousand dollars. [1:00:23, 1:00:25]: after we approved the contract award. [1:00:27, 1:00:28]: That was a red flag. [1:00:28, 1:00:31]: And then now again, and I understand with inflation. [1:00:32, 1:00:38]: The cost of services have increased across the board, across all industries. I get it. [1:00:39, 1:00:40]: But we have a responsibility. [1:00:41, 1:00:43]: We have a responsibility. [1:00:43, 1:00:50]: Not just to keep accepting the increases. I know these are services that are necessary. [1:00:51, 1:00:54]: This contract does not expire until September thirtieth. [1:00:54, 1:00:57]: There is time to rebid it. [1:00:57, 1:01:10]: And to rebid it so that we're able to cast a broader net of potential responders, not just share it on the city's website and hope potential responders. [1:01:10, 1:01:12]: will submit proposals. [1:01:12, 1:01:15]: We have to take a proactive approach. [1:01:15, 1:01:22]: in looking for other potential responders to all of our solicitations. [1:01:22, 1:01:27]: So when we're in the middle of a contract with any service provider. [1:01:27, 1:01:30]: And they are requesting an increase. [1:01:30, 1:01:31]: I'm always hesitant. [1:01:32, 1:01:33]: Because there is a contract. [1:01:34, 1:01:34]: In place. [1:01:36, 1:01:38]: We I mean inflation is [1:01:39, 1:01:40]: Hidden all of us. [1:01:42, 1:01:42]: But still. [1:01:43, 1:01:45]: I am looking out for what I believe. [1:01:45, 1:01:48]: Із і на без інтерс адрезиденців. [1:01:48, 1:01:49]: We can't just keep [1:01:50, 1:01:53]: approving additional increase to services. [1:01:54, 1:01:55]: And this is one of them. [1:01:56, 1:01:59]: We can rebid this and I certainly support [1:02:00, 1:02:04]: Councilman Thomas in his comment of rebidding this. We have time. [1:02:05, 1:02:06]: Mr. Thomas, please. [1:02:07, 1:02:14]: Uh thank you. Let let me just clarify uh a a couple of things here and about [1:02:15, 1:02:18]: This council's responsibility. [1:02:18, 1:02:23]: Uh we have the responsibility of oversight. [1:02:26, 1:02:29]: If we did not have this responsibility [1:02:30, 1:02:33]: These things would not come before the council but [1:02:33, 1:02:35]: For approval. [1:02:36, 1:02:38]: There's a reason why. [1:02:38, 1:02:40]: та процес [1:02:40, 1:02:43]: Bring this forward before the council. [1:02:44, 1:02:50]: And we cannot be lax in our responsibilities. [1:02:50, 1:02:52]: To ask questions. [1:02:53, 1:02:55]: And to look at [1:02:55, 1:02:57]: Efficiency [1:02:57, 1:03:02]: and effectiveness in what we do every day. [1:03:02, 1:03:12]: I'm not made like that. Some of these other council members may be. I'm not made like that because I understand my responsibility as an elected official. [1:03:13, 1:03:33]: As a legislator, I understand that. And it's incumbent of all of us to be in the trenches to ask questions, to poke at the efficiency and effectiveness of what we do every day. Uh when contracts, everything that we do, and let me just say this. [1:03:33, 1:03:45]: I see the comments from council members talking about whether trees need trimming. Cut the grass here, do this here, do that there. So I'm just saying if everything is so perfect. [1:03:46, 1:03:49]: Council would not have to make these various requests. [1:03:49, 1:03:51]: When we say things look better. [1:03:52, 1:03:57]: They supposed to look better. We are paying for it to look better. [1:03:57, 1:04:05]: So let's not downgrade the fact that things are looking better. They're supposed to look better. We are paying for it to look better. [1:04:06, 1:04:12]: So I'm not getting caught up in where things are looking better. They're supposed to. We're paying for it. [1:04:13, 1:04:29]: And we're supposed to be about always improving because there's always room for improvement. So we have to ask the question. We had to come here and discuss. I'm not upset about anything. My tone may think so, but this is what we're supposed to do. [1:04:29, 1:04:35]: We're supposed to ask the question. We supposed to get into these things to make sure we are getting the best. [1:04:37, 1:04:47]: Because we take an oath when we run for office. This is what we sign up for. We want to make sure that we get the best here in the city of Thybury. We want this city to look great. [1:04:48, 1:04:53]: So we have to push the envelope to make sure we're getting everything that we get. [1:04:54, 1:04:57]: So I just wanna say that and everybody's saying, Well yeah, it looks better. [1:04:58, 1:05:02]: It it should look better. It better look better. We'll pay for it. [1:05:03, 1:05:18]: So man, I just wanted to just put that out, but I'm gonna always, as an elected official, I'm gonna always poke, because I'm always pushing the needle for effectiveness and efficiency in every operation that we do. [1:05:19, 1:05:22]: And that's who I am and update this council know that. [1:05:22, 1:05:25]: Mayor, I yield back. Okay, no problem. Mr. Blount, you had another comment? [1:05:25, 1:05:30]: I just wanna say one of the things about me is that when I when I talk up here on this council [1:05:31, 1:05:32]: I talked from a place where [1:05:34, 1:05:35]: I've gotten the agenda. [1:05:36, 1:05:40]: I've talked to the department heads pertaining to the agenda. [1:05:41, 1:05:42]: And when I come up here [1:05:43, 1:05:46]: I'm at peace with whatever decision I make because I have talked to [1:05:47, 1:05:49]: The various department heads that are presented the agenda. [1:05:50, 1:05:54]: So when I talk to Mr. Aaron about [1:05:54, 1:05:57]: the agenda and he assured me that he's okay with it. [1:05:58, 1:05:59]: When we talk about [1:06:00, 1:06:03]: This landscaping for the city Stockbridge. [1:06:04, 1:06:08]: There's an inter interesting position we're in right now, so and I don't wanna go into that. [1:06:10, 1:06:16]: This is what I'm talking about. There's a lot of conversations that need to be had, I believe, by by this council. [1:06:17, 1:06:20]: behind closed doors with the department heads [1:06:20, 1:06:23]: Prior to coming to this council meeting. [1:06:24, 1:06:26]: Because some of them are so [1:06:27, 1:06:28]: Simple to answer. [1:06:29, 1:06:31]: But it prolongs [1:06:33, 1:06:36]: Issues and situations when we can have the answers. [1:06:37, 1:06:40]: Look at this council. Look at this chamber. [1:06:43, 1:06:45]: We don't have a whole bunch of citizens up in here. [1:06:46, 1:06:53]: Because we'd be here all night because we're asking simple questions that could be answered. And I'm not belittling any of my councilmates. I'm saying for John Blount. [1:06:54, 1:07:05]: I talk to city manager and I talk to staff because the city manager is okay with any s department head that are not doing their job, then we deal with the city manager. [1:07:06, 1:07:13]: There's a process in place for us to deal with the staff that we need to deal with to get the results we want. [1:07:14, 1:07:18]: Everything doesn't happen right here, but a lot could be done prior to coming right here. [1:07:19, 1:07:21]: So I just say, you know [1:07:22, 1:07:23]: This is the [1:07:24, 1:07:26]: This is a small increase for [1:07:27, 1:07:28]: Um any business. [1:07:30, 1:07:33]: for what we're doing. And when we talk see, we we can't have it both ways. [1:07:34, 1:07:37]: Do you want competitive bidding and and and contract them three years out? [1:07:38, 1:07:50]: Or do you want a competitive bid and just contract them twelve years and keep what what you know, that's that gets confusing for everybody. Do we want to contract the the the the people for three years out to make sure we got the right bid in? [1:07:50, 1:08:00]: All these things come into play, but it push Mr. Aaron, it puts other department heads in a procurement's position because okay, what do I do? Because I'm almost damned if I do and damned if I don't. [1:08:01, 1:08:04]: So for me, for me. [1:08:05, 1:08:11]: I ask the questions, I get the answers, and I'm able to make a sound decision when I sit up here at this seat. [1:08:12, 1:08:18]: And I'm not here to l to belittle anybody up here. That's just me. I ask the questions. [1:08:19, 1:08:21]: Mayor Ford. Yes, sir. Go ahead, please. [1:08:21, 1:08:29]: Let let me say this and and and and I understand where you come from, Mr. Blount, but I I'm not I'm not going to be hypocritical. [1:08:30, 1:08:33]: Now you just make a statement about you deal with staff beforehand. [1:08:34, 1:08:37]: The last item that we talked about, the precinct. [1:08:39, 1:08:42]: You drew, you drew, you drew, you drill. [1:08:43, 1:08:45]: And I'm okay with that. [1:08:45, 1:09:05]: No, I'm addressing I'm just addressing the council. Okay, well I'm just saying well I I use your name because you were the one to ask the question. Okay. Let me address the mayor then. Okay. Go ahead. In the previous agenda item [1:09:06, 1:09:08]: Council members drill. [1:09:08, 1:09:12]: the presenter about the precinct. [1:09:13, 1:09:17]: I'm okay with that because each one of us here [1:09:17, 1:09:23]: has the rights and the authority to ask whatever question they want to ask. [1:09:24, 1:09:26]: But I'm just saying [1:09:27, 1:09:33]: When you say one thing and do another thing, then that's what I have a problem with. [1:09:34, 1:09:43]: So I was okay when when the Madam Clerk was presenting and the city attorney were presenting about the voting and the districts. [1:09:44, 1:09:49]: And there were several questions. Now those questions could have been asked offline as well. [1:09:50, 1:09:52]: But I I just want to be able to say [1:09:53, 1:10:08]: I'm okay when anybody up here on this diet asks any question they want. And it happens all the time. There have been agenda items that have been presented and there has been question after question after question after question after question. [1:10:09, 1:10:16]: But I'm not going to chastise any council person for asking all of the questions until they are satisfied. [1:10:17, 1:10:19]: So I'm just saying. [1:10:20, 1:10:36]: Let's think about what we say what what we say. But I'm just saying, I'm okay with anybody asking any question they want. I know we have speaking rules and I know we're only supposed to speak on the subject for a couple of minutes or a couple of times. [1:10:36, 1:10:37]: But I'm just saying [1:10:38, 1:10:49]: Let's think about what we're saying and what we're being critical of. Because I can point to a number of occasions where council members just drill, drill, drill, drill, drill. [1:10:50, 1:10:51]: But again [1:10:51, 1:10:59]: I'm gonna still ask my questions. I'm gonna still voice my opinion because all of us have a right to do just that. [1:11:01, 1:11:21]: All right. I yield back, Mr. Okay, I appreciate it. So on that note, I think uh we had enough discussion on on these items thus far. So let's let's see what what have where we go with this now. So um the motion well uh uh he's made Mr. Aaron's made a presentation, so let's let's see what's happening here. Is there a motion to go ahead and accept this proposal? [1:11:21, 1:11:23]: What what's the deal though? [1:11:23, 1:11:25]: Mayor Ford, I like to make a motion. [1:11:26, 1:11:27]: And what's that motion plan? [1:11:27, 1:11:31]: Um I'd like for us to um [1:11:32, 1:11:38]: Reject the renewal of this landscaping maintenance service contract for Yellowstone. [1:11:40, 1:11:41]: Entire staff. [1:11:42, 1:11:42]: With [1:11:42, 1:11:43]: Rebidding. [1:11:44, 1:11:45]: Readvertising. [1:11:46, 1:11:47]: For this landscaping. [1:11:47, 1:11:49]: Maintenance service contract. [1:11:49, 1:11:54]: The current contract with Yellowstone does not expire until September thirtieth. [1:11:56, 1:11:58]: So we test staff now. [1:11:58, 1:11:59]: With rebidding. [1:12:01, 1:12:02]: This particular service. [1:12:03, 1:12:04]: They are to bring back. [1:12:05, 1:12:08]: The recommendation to award a new contract [1:12:09, 1:12:11]: by our [1:12:14, 1:12:15]: August work session. [1:12:17, 1:12:28]: All right, is there a second to that motion? I second. Okay, the um now Mr. Al Mr. Uh uh Thomas second that motion. Um Madam Clerk, did you get all that down? [1:12:32, 1:12:34]: Right read read it back to make sure we got it right. [1:12:34, 1:12:43]: The motion by Mayor Pro Tem Barber is to reject the renewal for this contract and task staff with rebidding. [1:12:43, 1:12:44]: And readvertising. [1:12:45, 1:12:50]: With the contract with the contract expiring September thirtieth. [1:12:51, 1:12:53]: And bring back to council. [1:12:53, 1:12:56]: to award at the August work session. [1:12:57, 1:13:00]: Is that your motion, Miss Is that your motion, Ms. Barber? [1:13:01, 1:13:02]: Is that your motion, Ms. Barber? [1:13:03, 1:13:08]: I want to change one the last part. Instead of them bringing it back at our work session. [1:13:09, 1:13:12]: I like to task them to bring it back at the August council meeting. [1:13:12, 1:13:13]: Okay. [1:13:13, 1:13:16]: Is is that okay with you, Councilman Thomas? [1:13:17, 1:13:19]: Uh circuit. [1:13:20, 1:13:20]: Amen to your heart. [1:13:21, 1:13:21]: Thank you. [1:13:22, 1:13:30]: Mayor I have a question. Well stand by one second, please. Okay, m madam clerk, you you got all that? I do, Mayor. The motion is made in a second. Further discussion. Mr. Blount, go ahead, please. [1:13:31, 1:13:35]: So if this fails, then we're going to approve [1:13:35, 1:13:40]: This because she's she's making a motion for a no vote. [1:13:40, 1:13:45]: So then we're dealing with this agenda item because we have not. [1:13:45, 1:13:54]: approved to add an agenda item. So her approval for a no, meaning that we could come to this agenda, then if it's if it doesn't pass, [1:13:54, 1:13:56]: Then this agenda item passes. [1:13:57, 1:13:59]: You can't motion to say no. [1:14:00, 1:14:11]: Well if you wanna mo because we're on it mister Mr uh Mr. Washington. Because this is the agenda item. We didn't we didn't approve a new agenda. So if s if we're on this agenda item we say no. [1:14:12, 1:14:16]: Then if it doesn't pass and there's a yes vote, then this agenda item must pass then. [1:14:17, 1:14:19]: Yeah, let me deal with the attorney. [1:14:19, 1:14:19]: Yeah. [1:14:20, 1:14:21]: Ms. Washington? [1:14:22, 1:14:23]: Come come to mic, please, sir. [1:14:27, 1:14:28]: You have a motion to reject. [1:14:30, 1:14:33]: No no i y are you speaking of the agenda item? [1:14:33, 1:14:45]: R prior to that, the the agenda item that's before the agenda item that we're on right now is is item number s number seven. To approve the renewal. To approve the renewal, that's correct. [1:14:46, 1:14:46]: Okay. [1:14:47, 1:14:48]: Mm-hmm. [1:14:50, 1:14:58]: Council consideration to increase the you're on seven. Okay. Council consideration to approve the renewal of landscape maintenance services contract. [1:14:59, 1:15:15]: Right. So that's the agenda item before. That's correct. However, there was a motion put on the floor to reject this item. That's correct. Which is the same thing as voting down the item. That's correct. So if you want to vote for the item or against the item, if you want to take it in the form in which it's being presented by Councilman Barber, [1:15:16, 1:15:20]: You would vote yes to reject it, which would still be voting for no to accept it. [1:15:21, 1:15:22]: So if you vote [1:15:22, 1:15:26]: In the way the stem of her question is posed. [1:15:26, 1:15:28]: you'll be voting to reject it. [1:15:28, 1:15:35]: Right. And that means it would not pass. That's correct. Now the separate the second part of that question you have, Madam Clerk, is what? [1:15:37, 1:15:46]: No, I think what I asked. My question was because this agenda item is before us, if she's posing her vote as a motion. [1:15:46, 1:15:51]: And her vote doesn't pass, then it's a general item goes forward. Is that correct? [1:15:52, 1:15:54]: No, it'd be rejected. It'd be rejected. [1:15:54, 1:15:58]: Do that. If her if her motion doesn't go forward. If it's not seconded. [1:15:58, 1:16:00]: Well it's gonna be what second then. Right. [1:16:01, 1:16:03]: But now it has to pass. Right. [1:16:03, 1:16:04]: Okay. [1:16:04, 1:16:08]: So if it passes, if your her motion is to vote no. [1:16:08, 1:16:13]: So the people that raise their hands will be voting no, which means they'd be voting to reject. [1:16:13, 1:16:15]: Item number seven on the agenda. That's correct. [1:16:18, 1:16:18]: Well [1:16:19, 1:16:19]: To reject [1:16:20, 1:16:38]: But if we vote but I'm saying if it passes if if it doesn't pass, does it sweat go go ahead, Miss Blount, finish it? Right. If you don't the people that raise their hands will be voting to reject renewing this. Right. If that does not pass [1:16:38, 1:16:42]: then they will have voted to accept it. Gotcha. [1:16:43, 1:16:47]: All right. Motion's been made, been second. All in favor of the motion, please indicate. [1:16:48, 1:16:50]: All polls. [1:16:51, 1:17:11]: All right, then I'll break then I break a tie. So I'm I'm I'm I actually oppose uh oppose the actual motion to reject I oppose the motion that that was made. Reject we need to go forward with this particular motion. Mayor. Yes sir. Let's move. Let's I got a question for Mr. Aaron, then I'm gonna make a motion for approval. Mr Aaron now uh m Councilman Thomas made a valid point. [1:17:10, 1:17:25]: Now, Yellowstone is not responsible for cutting back all these uh all this overgrown overgrowth out here, right? That's a s that would be a separate contract where we get somebody to come in and cut these trees back that have overgrown for the last ten years, right? [1:17:26, 1:17:46]: There is trimming in the trimming. I'm talking about no, these don't need to be trimmed. They need to be cut down. But there are also some trees that staff cut down as well. Right. These these trape myrtles need to be cut back down to nothing and then allowed to grow back. That's what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about cutting a little off the wires. I'm talking about all of them. All of these. [1:17:46, 1:18:06]: These bushes around City Hall being cut back. That's what I'm talking about. Yes. Stamped. So that's what I'm saying. His issue is valid. It needs to be dealt with. There needs to be a separate contractor to take care and cut back all of these bushes because it looks like a forest out here. Right. So if staff can do it, we need somebody. Well, we've been [1:18:06, 1:18:22]: Talking about it for a long time. Now I want to make that a part of my motion for approval to get to t to make sure staff makes that happen, to get these trees cut back as well. I want to make a motion to approve the contract as approved by staff. [1:18:22, 1:18:42]: An additional condition would be that these that we get a contractor to cut back these trees out here and get this other situation under control because Councilman Thomas has a valid point which is those trees have not been cut. But I don't think that's Yellowstone's responsibility. [1:18:43, 1:18:50]: And I need to ask the attorney this question. Uh Councilman Tom I'm sorry, Councilman Alexander, you're putting in your motion [1:18:51, 1:18:55]: For staff to do something that's tagged on to the [1:18:56, 1:18:59]: No, uh the i it is tasking staff with an ad [1:18:59, 1:18:59]: Separate. [1:19:00, 1:19:20]: Director as well. If I think I think what he's doing that on to the Yo song he can't do that. It's a separate director. So my Let's never mind. I will draw that. We'll move forward. Let's make a motion to approve what's on the table so we can go ahead and move forward. [1:19:20, 1:19:27]: So your motion is sir to approved approved approved was presented by Deshes. Yes. Okay, is there a second to that motion? [1:19:28, 1:19:42]: No, no, we've already voted, man. No, no, no sir. No sir. We we we we've got another vote. The motion make your motion again, please. Motion to approve the recommendation for to extend Yellowstone's contract for an additional year need a approval vote. [1:19:42, 1:19:50]: Is there a second to that motion? We just we just have to do that. No, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Point of order. [1:19:50, 1:19:53]: Our city attorney just told us. [1:19:53, 1:19:55]: With the motion by Councilwoman Barber. [1:19:57, 1:20:17]: And Mayor uh and uh uh Mr. Thomas, if they vote to not accept, we can vote our hands to accept, and that gives you the vote to say that's what he just told us. No, it's not not quite what he said, sir. It's we quit. Come back up here because we gotta have another vote to move this. That's correct. It's not no no no sir. [1:20:17, 1:20:19]: You gotta have it we gotta have another vote. [1:20:21, 1:20:25]: Just tell us the make this we gotta may have a vote to move it forward, right? [1:20:26, 1:20:29]: So to Councilman Blount, what I did say is that if [1:20:29, 1:20:30]: You vote it. [1:20:30, 1:20:40]: No, if you did not raise your hands to vote no for the stem of the question that Councilwoman Barber passed, that the reverse would actually happen. [1:20:40, 1:20:42]: So she voted to reject it. [1:20:42, 1:20:46]: You all did not vote to reject this. [1:20:46, 1:20:52]: You all did not vote to reject item number seven. So in essence you accepted it. [1:20:52, 1:21:12]: Because the call of question was to reject it. So if you don't reject it, you accept it. But if you want to clarify it and actually have the vote to vote for this, then the chair has that right to I just want to make sure there ain't gonna be no legal we gotta go back through this again because somebody didn't say the chair has that prerogative to call for okay a clarifying vote, which he's doing to say [1:21:12, 1:21:14]: I wanna just make sure that they [1:21:14, 1:21:15]: That the people that voted [1:21:16, 1:21:17]: Against [1:21:17, 1:21:19]: That the people that voted. [1:21:19, 1:21:22]: Against Councilman's barber's motion. [1:21:23, 1:21:27]: of voting for the approval of this contract. He can he have that right to clarify that. [1:21:29, 1:21:29]: All right. [1:21:30, 1:21:50]: So yes, by action of what y'all did, y'all did accept it, but he wants to clarify that. And he's calling for a vote to clarify that to see if the people that did not vote because her motion did did not pass, to see if the people that did not vote for the motion that did not pass will vote to accept item number seven. Yeah, mayor. I just want to make sure. Hold on, hold on, point of order. [1:21:50, 1:21:53]: Point of order. What's your point of order? [1:21:53, 1:21:55]: Because the clarity was put forth. [1:21:57, 1:22:14]: The clarity was put forth. The vote has gone forth. Now to put the vote out again in a different way. The way this council is structured, a simple abstention can kill the vote again. You shouldn't give nobody a chance to vote no twice to make something fail. [1:22:15, 1:22:35]: I was gonna say I'm giving the chair, the chair has the right. He's already said he accepted. He's already made that statement. That's his call. Okay. Stand by. Mr. S are you done, sir? I I just have one question. Go ahead, Mr. S. I just wanted you to go on the record right now. Mr. Blount, he seems to have a valid point. So if in addition to what you just said. [1:22:35, 1:22:49]: Yellowstone now can move forward with this one-year contract based on the last vote. Is that what you just said? Yes. We're done then. Okay, then if that's if that is legally proper, then so be it. That will be move on. The motion. [1:22:50, 1:23:10]: Sir, I got a question. So stand by. I'm not done with my comment. If that is leg if that's legally possible, that's the legal way to do things by Roberts Rule order, so be it. Then that means this particular uh number seven uh motion uh actually passes by virtue of what was done, and then we'll move on and uh and Yellowstone will have that that particular contract will continue. [1:23:09, 1:23:15]: move on. Go ahead, Mayor. Thank you. Mayor Pro Tem go ahead. This is a completely different motion. [1:23:16, 1:23:19]: The motion that councilman Alexander made. [1:23:19, 1:23:22]: Included a directive to staff. [1:23:23, 1:23:28]: Two completely different motions. No, he'd do that. I had a that I made [1:23:29, 1:23:32]: Was to reject staff's recommendation. [1:23:32, 1:23:35]: to approve the renewal of the contract. [1:23:35, 1:23:36]: Mm-hmm. [1:23:36, 1:23:37]: And to rebid it. [1:23:38, 1:23:39]: His motion. [1:23:40, 1:23:43]: was to approve staff's recommendation. [1:23:44, 1:23:45]: With a directive. [1:23:46, 1:23:51]: Ta task someone with cutting down some trees. Those are two different [1:23:51, 1:23:52]: Separate motions. [1:23:52, 1:24:01]: Right. Well they should be handled separately. Right. This motion there needs to be a vote called for to cut down the trees. [1:24:01, 1:24:02]: Right. [1:24:02, 1:24:15]: He he withdrew that the clerk has is to vote to approve because my attendance councilwoman Alexander withdrew when they asked whether or not it was an additional item to have a staff directive about the trees, which I said it was. [1:24:16, 1:24:19]: So at that point he said he will withdraw that and he was motioning to approve. [1:24:20, 1:24:24]: the item number seven for acceptance. Okay, well Mayor Ford, call for the vote. [1:24:25, 1:24:45]: Mayor Ford just has decided since by taking a legal opinion from the attorney in reference to the previous vote that was taken. Actually we have now accepted uh number seven and and and land and uh yellowstone will have that contract. We'll move on. I I I've made my comment, Mayor Pro Tem. He hasn't even called for the vote. I made my comment. I leave I made it my [1:24:45, 1:25:05]: So stand by, stand by. I made my comment. Hold on. No, what he is trying to avoid, he's a trying to avoid having a two he's trying to avoid having two people to approve the renewal of this contract, one person abstaining and another person opposing it. That way he won't go. [1:25:05, 1:25:06]: Yeah. [1:25:06, 1:25:26]: Well, call for the vote. As Roberts rule requires that you do. Okay. That's not that's that's the mayor's voice. Who call for the vote? Otherwise, this whole motion is illegal. Stand by folks, stand by. I got a legal opinion. Everybody heard it. I asked the attorney, got a legal opinion. I said [1:25:26, 1:25:29]: Washington needs to state his opinion again because he's not. [1:25:30, 1:25:40]: Decision's been made. We're gonna move on. This motion has passed based on a legal opinion based on vote. Otherwise we're moving on. We're going on to an item number eight. [1:25:41, 1:26:01]: Council consideration to approve the request for proposal. The whole motion was illegal. Calm down. The whole motion was illegal. Mayor Pro Tem, calm down, we please. You're not gonna get this way this time. Your vote was illegal and I want it for the record. Okay, you can put it in the record, but it's not illegal. Okay. I just want to make it. [1:26:01, 1:26:04]: Okay. [1:26:04, 1:26:06]: I [1:26:07, 1:26:08]: Po point of order mill for it. [1:26:10, 1:26:13]: And I and I'm I'm not gonna get too too deep into this, but [1:26:16, 1:26:22]: This we have to do things correctly and properly. What's what's uncorrect, sir? [1:26:25, 1:26:27]: And I want the attorney t the attorney to come back. [1:26:29, 1:26:39]: Well, I I'm just trying to get clarification myself on this last action that was just taken. So I I just wanna make sure that [1:26:40, 1:26:41]: It is legal. [1:26:41, 1:26:43]: Because we do not want to [1:26:44, 1:26:49]: do anything that's illegal and improper as far as the way we vote. [1:26:49, 1:26:57]: So if if you had one abstention and you had a a a vote no. [1:26:57, 1:27:07]: Then does that allow the mayor to vote? And that just just a simple question and a simple answer. It's just a yes or no. The mayor votes in case of a tie. It has to be two two. [1:27:07, 1:27:08]: So i is this a time? [1:27:09, 1:27:09]: Well. [1:27:10, 1:27:29]: The last action where you had one council member voted no and you had one to abstain. Is that a top? No, no, what the vote came. Nobody's gonna say, No, no, no, must no no what happened. On a previous motion that mayor protest made it was two two. No, I'm I'm saying on the original motion about Yellowstone. [1:27:30, 1:27:39]: It was the the oh I'll tell you what, the clerk. The original motion that was made in reference to it number seven of Yellowstone. And and the vote. And the vote. It was what was the what was the motion? What was the vote? [1:27:42, 1:27:44]: Right. Well, [1:27:44, 1:27:49]: Well it was a two two type. And then I I and I I'm sorry, take away the one. [1:27:50, 1:27:51]: Right. [1:27:53, 1:27:55]: Bro I broke the tie. [1:27:56, 1:27:58]: That's right, the motion. [1:27:59, 1:27:59]: That's correct. [1:28:01, 1:28:02]: That's correct. [1:28:02, 1:28:03]: But [1:28:04, 1:28:05]: When you say two two [1:28:07, 1:28:08]: Well you didn't [1:28:08, 1:28:19]: You keep talking about the vote count of the motion I made. We're talking about the motion that Councilman Alexander made. [1:28:20, 1:28:23]: My mind. Madame Clerk, please. [1:28:25, 1:28:28]: This is why that's in attorney Washington. [1:28:28, 1:28:29]: Go ahead. [1:28:30, 1:28:30]: Yeah. [1:28:32, 1:28:34]: I'm sorry, the item on the agenda. [1:28:35, 1:28:48]: Is council consideration to approve the renewal of the landscape main landscape maintenance services contract for Yellow Cow in the amount of$327,000 on your contract. That is what is on the agenda. [1:28:50, 1:28:52]: What was the vote? [1:28:52, 1:28:57]: voted to reject the renewal not that and [1:28:59, 1:29:02]: Next step with [1:29:03, 1:29:05]: Put it out to read it and [1:29:08, 1:29:10]: No mayor for [1:29:14, 1:29:16]: And second of Bible castle. [1:29:16, 1:29:17]: Second by Mr. Thomas. [1:29:19, 1:29:19]: Right. [1:29:22, 1:29:22]: Good. [1:29:24, 1:29:25]: Correct. [1:29:26, 1:29:27]: Opposed. [1:29:28, 1:29:30]: That's correct. Correct. [1:29:34, 1:29:38]: Correct. Correct? Correct. Which was to reject [1:29:39, 1:29:40]: Put it out for me. [1:29:42, 1:29:44]: and bring it back to the office meeting. [1:29:46, 1:30:01]: That Mayorfoot, that is correct. So all of that is dead and gone. So it goes back now to the original agenda item about Yellowstone and what is that vote? That's all I'm asking in my point of order. What is the vote to [1:30:02, 1:30:06]: approve or disapprove the Yellowstone agenda item. [1:30:06, 1:30:10]: [5411.4, 5412.8]: Male Pro Tem [1:30:13, 1:30:15]: That's dead. That's over. Yeah, I got this. Okay. [1:30:16, 1:30:22]: My question is, what is the vote on the original agenda item? [1:30:23, 1:30:35]: Agenda item number seven. Right, right. What is the original vote of record? Based on the legal opinion that the l listen what I'm saying. What is the vote? No, the vote. [1:30:36, 1:30:43]: what based on legal opinion from an attorney in reference to how the the the the actual original motion went [1:30:43, 1:30:53]: by it being that motion being rejected, that automatically by understanding legally, that automatically says that motion d that item number seven passes. [1:30:53, 1:30:57]: Is what he his legal opinion asked for a legal opinion by Robertson Roar passage. [1:30:58, 1:31:18]: No, that's that's let me say something. No, no, that's the floor. I still have the floor. That's and so if that's the case, that that mo that motion passes. I've taken had what a legal opinion would be and what by Roberts Rule order what would be legal in this and I asked that initially the first time before we went down this road. No, no. Okay. Clarification. Yes. The motion that Mayor Pro Tem made, yes. [1:31:17, 1:31:31]: Yes. It did not pass. It is dead. Right. Okay. We're all in agreement with that. Yes. So therefore, then it goes back to the original agenda item, which is number seven. [1:31:31, 1:31:42]: And what is that vote of record? Well based on based on legal opinion for the attorney that passes it passes. No, no, I'm asking three two. I'm I'm asking what is the vote [1:31:43, 1:32:03]: Uh I'm asking what is the vote on the original agenda item number seven? Because Mayor Pro Tem motion is dead and it is gone. But what is what is the original agenda item seven? What is the vote? That's all I'm asking. Okay, it was still. Okay, Mr. Tom. That's all I'm asking. It would still be a three. It would still be a three. [1:32:03, 1:32:03]: Three two. [1:32:04, 1:32:06]: It's a because when you're rejecting [1:32:06, 1:32:10]: So staff made a recommendation to [1:32:10, 1:32:13]: accept and extend the approval, right? [1:32:13, 1:32:18]: The motion that was put up here was to reject staff's determination. [1:32:19, 1:32:22]: If you don't reject staff's determination. [1:32:23, 1:32:25]: You accept staff determination. [1:32:25, 1:32:28]: Staff's determination was to extend the contract for a year. [1:32:30, 1:32:32]: Okay, quite sure. [1:32:33, 1:32:36]: Mr. I I appreciate you clarifying this. [1:32:36, 1:32:40]: Бикас ви канат циркен. Процес. [1:32:40, 1:32:59]: We cannot circumvent Mayor, can you please calm down, please. Calm down. Calm down. Go ahead, Mr. Blood. Calm down. Calm down, folks. Come on. Calm down. We can have any elected officials circumvent in the process to say, let me on any of these items, let me motion to vote. No. [1:32:59, 1:33:03]: Then if you do that, then you're voting to say, I need support for my no. [1:33:04, 1:33:05]: That's on any of these items. [1:33:05, 1:33:10]: And if you don't pass then, then let's go to another process. Let me try no again. [1:33:10, 1:33:12]: That's not how we work up here. [1:33:12, 1:33:17]: You don't motion to vote no, you either do it or you don't, and they got the no's. [1:33:17, 1:33:18]: It just didn't pass. [1:33:19, 1:33:24]: It's as simple as that. Right. But but here's the thing that here's the thing that you all can take solace in. [1:33:24, 1:33:26]: You all can still decide. [1:33:26, 1:33:46]: If you all as a body want to revisit or override, you can just vote to do that. And the chair will be compelled to if you have the votes to be able to do that. Like you still have the authority to be able to do that. But on that specific instance, it was literally a 3-2. If staff makes a recommendation and you put the stem of the question about the issue that's on the table, [1:33:46, 1:33:48]: Yeah. [1:33:48, 1:33:52]: That's the same as voting for a positive, the other side of the vote. [1:33:52, 1:33:55]: You have a yes or no. Everybody voted no. [1:33:55, 1:33:58]: On what Councilman Barber presented. [1:33:58, 1:34:02]: And in voting no on that, that was a yes to accept staff's recommendation. [1:34:03, 1:34:22]: Got it. And if the chair wants to clarify that vote, or if you all compel the chair to clarify that vote, then the vote would have to be clarified. You still have that authority. I have a comment. No, no, uh Mayor Ford. But go ahead, sir. I'm I'm just I'm look I'm seeking clarification. Yeah. I understand that when Mayor Pro Tem made a motion. [1:34:23, 1:34:29]: And it was voted down and the mayor,'cause it was a tie, and he voted on her motion. [1:34:30, 1:34:33]: Which was denied, correct. So that means that is dead. [1:34:33, 1:34:48]: Right. No, it means that you accepted because the item on the table was to vote up or down on the on the on the Yellowstone matter. Right? And but her form of the question was to vote. [1:34:48, 1:35:00]: Against the staff recommendation. That was her form of the question. Instead of saying, I approve the Yellowstone thing and the hands go up, she said, I want you to vote no on the Yellowstone. All hands in favor go up. [1:35:01, 1:35:03]: But the hands that didn't vote no [1:35:03, 1:35:21]: That's a yes for the acceptance of the agenda item because remember, the agenda items gonna only go up or down or or get tabled. Right. See, this this this is this this is where the confusion is. Right. Because when Mayor Pro Tem motion died and the Mayor voted against that. [1:35:21, 1:35:23]: How does that then [1:35:24, 1:35:25]: Goes to [1:35:26, 1:35:27]: The original [1:35:28, 1:35:39]: Agenda item number seven. Because that was the original agenda item she was asking for. The original agenda item she was asking for was to vote no on staff's recommendation regarding number seven. [1:35:40, 1:35:55]: So she's saying raise your hands to vote no versus most of the times when motions get presented is raise your hands to vote yes. See that's not what I said. Okay, d this is my last comment. I'll be through with it. See, I'm what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to see how does the mayor [1:35:56, 1:36:04]: vote for agenda item seven just on its own. See even if even if the if even if the mayor pro temp did not make the motion. [1:36:05, 1:36:25]: How does then the mayor come and vote on agenda item number seven? Just like if it would have been a two-two on the other side. But if it's not a if you have one council member voting no and you got one uh council member abstaining. You had a so you had a two-two. So if if the mayor would have said all those in favor of voting for the Yellowstone to get the contract raised. [1:36:25, 1:36:30]: your hand. Two people vote yes, two people vote no. The mayor will vote for a third one and he would be the time vote. [1:36:33, 1:36:33]: Right. [1:36:34, 1:36:35]: Right, exactly. [1:36:37, 1:36:41]: So you had you had two voting yes, you had one voting no and you had one vote. [1:36:43, 1:36:47]: I have a comment. Yeah. Two had two voting no. That's not a mirror. [1:36:48, 1:36:51]: Oh I I thought uh Mayor Pro T uh Stane. [1:36:51, 1:36:54]: Oh, okay. I have a comment. Okay. [1:36:54, 1:36:56]: Going with your comment. [1:36:58, 1:37:00]: My original motion failed. [1:37:02, 1:37:04]: A new motion came forward. [1:37:06, 1:37:08]: I'm still waiting for us to vote. [1:37:09, 1:37:10]: On the second motion. [1:37:11, 1:37:15]: You can twist the words, split my words as much as you want to. [1:37:15, 1:37:21]: And this is for you. Okay. You can split flip twist my words as much as you want to. [1:37:21, 1:37:24]: Each motion requires a vote. [1:37:25, 1:37:29]: You don't get to arbitrarily say because I rejected. [1:37:30, 1:37:30]: Um [1:37:31, 1:37:35]: c a staff's recommendation that now I'm gonna reject. [1:37:35, 1:37:36]: Another motion. [1:37:37, 1:37:39]: No one gets to decide that but me. [1:37:40, 1:37:42]: So until this motion. [1:37:42, 1:37:45]: as put has been put on the floor. [1:37:47, 1:37:49]: The city clerk can't [1:37:50, 1:37:54]: She can't note my vote'cause she doesn't know what my vote is. [1:37:56, 1:37:58]: So I'm still waiting. [1:37:58, 1:38:02]: for a vote. I'm still waiting to raise my hand to vote. [1:38:02, 1:38:07]: For this motion that counts mean Alexander brought forward. [1:38:07, 1:38:14]: You don't get to decide. I agree with you. You don't get to decide and he don't get to decide what my vote is. [1:38:16, 1:38:36]: Councilman Alexander redrew redrew whatever motion that was, you redrew that. It doesn't exist anymore. And what we're gonna move on. Right now the everything passes for seven. We'll do additional research. If it by chance that uh additional research shows that we did something that was improper, we'll bring it back. We've got to move on. The item is a go at this point. [1:38:36, 1:38:55]: seven is a go. We're going to number eight. Council consideration approved request for proposal RFP 2023-0003 for janitorial maintenance services to building services uh maintenance services incorporated an amount of 14142 dollars funding source government building department budget presented by mr please [1:38:56, 1:39:11]: Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council. We come before you tonight to ask for your approval for building maintenance service. An RFP went out. There were five firms that submitted proposals. Uh there was an evaluation committee meeting held on April twenty-fourth, twenty twenty three. [1:39:12, 1:39:32]: And the uh firms were evaluated and scored, and building maintenance service was ranked as the first firm. And so staff is asking for approval to move their current janitorial contract from ICS to build and maintenance service in the amount of 100 and uh [1:39:32, 1:39:52]: $41,432. That's a$6,852 increase over what we were paying previously for janitorial services for all of the city's facilities. Thank you, sir. Mr. Aaron, it's gone through the proper RFP process, procurement process, and you all have identified the funding. [1:39:52, 1:39:56]: Yes, sir. So th for me if there's no more questions I'd like to approve it, man. [1:39:56, 1:40:00]: All right, you you make the motion to approve or so. Is there a second to approve the this particular item? [1:40:02, 1:40:14]: A little i this motion this um sort of for the put of the public, they need to understand exactly what they're getting um out of this here and then um talk about that a little bit more. [1:40:15, 1:40:35]: Uh yes, sir. This is for the um janitorial service and upkeep for all of the city's buildings except for the amphitheater. This would be City Hall, the police department of Merrill Manders, the main street offices, public works, the maintenance shop, and the wastewater treatment plant. And they would be performing COVID cleanings as was previously in the [1:40:35, 1:40:43]: Previous RFP. So they'll do their sanitizing and things of that sort for COVID. And also, like say [1:40:43, 1:41:03]: This was uh a contract that has expired. We're on a month-to-month, and we were requested to uh put it out for bid. So we've done that. We've done our due diligence. The committee has met and evaluated the firms, and this is the number one ranked file. So we've made it through the entire procurement. [1:41:03, 1:41:10]: Process you're bringing this recommendation forward for council to approve. Yes, sir. Thank you. All right, uh second. [1:41:10, 1:41:18]: Okay, motion of bay by Mr. Blount to approve this. Mr. Isaac a second that motion. Any further discussion? Go ahead, Mr. Thomas. [1:41:18, 1:41:19]: Yeah. [1:41:20, 1:41:31]: What I'm trying to understand is um it states here that public work department requesting council to approve of the ranking. [1:41:31, 1:41:51]: That one word that is what's what's confusing me. Um, because I'm I'm not understanding why the council is approving of ranking. If you're making a recommendation to approve one out of five, I can understand that. You you seem like you're asking us to approve of a ranking. [1:41:51, 1:42:11]: And I just I always thought that you know you and your staff would do that and based on that then you come forward with the recommendation. That's the language that procurement that's the language they gave us to present. But the number one rank firm is building maintenance service and we're asking council to [1:42:11, 1:42:15]: to approve awarding the contract to build and maintenance service. [1:42:18, 1:42:24]: It just seemed to be a little inconsistent. I'm sorry, I have my mic. It just seemed to be a little inconsistent. [1:42:25, 1:42:45]: I yield back, Mayor. Okay. Most yeah, Ms. Barber, go ahead, please. Uh yes. This was an issue that um was brought up last year. The governing body does not approve rankings of proposals. That is what staff does. Mr. Washington and Mr. Beery are were involved in that. [1:42:44, 1:42:50]: discussion I like for him to Mr. Washington if you don't mind addressing this I know the item [1:42:51, 1:42:52]: On the agenda [1:42:52, 1:42:53]: As it reads. [1:42:54, 1:42:56]: It says council consideration to approve. [1:42:57, 1:43:03]: the request for a proposal for janitorial maintenance services to building maintenance services. [1:43:03, 1:43:10]: in the amount of$141,432. But if you're looking at the agenda item that's in our [1:43:10, 1:43:10]: Notebook. [1:43:11, 1:43:15]: The background information says the public works department. [1:43:15, 1:43:17]: is requesting council's approval of the ranking. [1:43:17, 1:43:19]: Other qualified firms. [1:43:19, 1:43:22]: That's not a responsibility of the governing body. [1:43:22, 1:43:23]: So I just mean for you. [1:43:24, 1:43:25]: To clarify that for us. [1:43:31, 1:43:35]: Is this really a approval of a contract? [1:43:35, 1:43:38]: The approval of a ward of a contract. [1:43:38, 1:43:41]: Because if it is, the contract was not provided. [1:43:45, 1:43:52]: This is killed. This is the right thing. These are the parents. They've submitted. [1:43:55, 1:43:59]: Is that you hardly work? Like we have to build a main. [1:44:03, 1:44:10]: Perhaps Mr. Wiggins and Mr. Gardner can explain also. They signed this agenda item form. [1:44:10, 1:44:13]: They can provide some clarity to this. [1:44:20, 1:44:21]: Yeah. [1:44:24, 1:44:25]: Yeah. [1:44:26, 1:44:27]: Mm-hmm. [1:44:28, 1:44:29]: Okay. [1:44:31, 1:44:35]: Okay. [1:44:41, 1:44:46]: But where's what is uh contrast for for for uh building? [1:44:48, 1:44:53]: Isn't that what wasn't that given the time? I didn't have to give it to you. [1:44:54, 1:45:00]: You have a copy of the contract. [1:45:30, 1:45:33]: Can we table this item to the June council meeting? [1:45:34, 1:45:51]: You want a table to sign them? Yes, I'm and a reasoning for table and is what no? Um Mayor Pro Tem Barber said a contract is not in here, but hold on, so hold hold on to stand by standby a sec. Okay, it's one sec. You you're saying because Mayor Pro Tem said there's contracts not here and that's why you table and sign'em? [1:45:52, 1:46:00]: If if counsel wanna look at the con I have asked for clarity and the four of y'all gathered here but nobody answered my question. [1:46:01, 1:46:14]: I asked, what is it that you're asking council to do? Is this the approval of a contract award? Yes, ma'am. If this is the approval of a contract award, you would think this council would want a copy of the contract before they approved it. [1:46:14, 1:46:18]: Otherwise the item as it is written on the agenda. [1:46:19, 1:46:23]: It says for council consideration to approve request for proposal. [1:46:24, 1:46:29]: twenty twenty three dash zero zero three for janitorial maintenance services to the building maintenance. [1:46:29, 1:46:32]: But then if you look at the agenda item. [1:46:32, 1:46:39]: It says the public works department is requesting counsel approval of the ranking of the qualified firms for the request for proposal. [1:46:39, 1:46:45]: I just need for Mr. Gardner, the city manager or the treasurer who's over procurement. [1:46:45, 1:46:49]: somebody to tell me what is it that you're asking from the governing body. [1:46:52, 1:47:02]: Okay. There he is. Oh hold stand by please. Ms. Mrs. Garner, go ahead and answer the question. You don't know by now? Mrs. Garner, please. Go ahead and speak, sir. Mr. Garner. [1:47:04, 1:47:12]: Ms. Garden. Councilmember Barber is correct. So if you're approving the rankings, you're just saying that we're approving the firm that was that that won. [1:47:13, 1:47:16]: But you're not approving the contract'cause the contract is not a uh not attached. [1:47:17, 1:47:20]: There should be it should be the motion should be to approve [1:47:20, 1:47:22]: D contract. [1:47:22, 1:47:26]: per the rankings and have the contract attached to the agenda. [1:47:27, 1:47:36]: Okay. So based on that, uh council, your minimum for this to be tabled and have this come back in June. Yeah. Let me see. So yes, sir. [1:47:37, 1:47:38]: We we're talking somatics. [1:47:39, 1:47:41]: On the actual on the actual gender item. [1:47:42, 1:47:45]: Whip the verbiage on the agenda item. [1:47:46, 1:47:49]: Right here's what we're what we're looking to approve. [1:47:50, 1:47:52]: The verbiage on the agenda item, what does that say? [1:47:53, 1:48:02]: Well I read it earlier it's read earlier in reference to request for proposal, but um Yeah, but that's nothing pertaining to ranking on here. If if if you want to put in a motion [1:48:02, 1:48:08]: With a contingency to redo the verbiage, that's one thing, but we can't why are we holding up progress? [1:48:08, 1:48:16]: Offer something that could be fixed. Put that contingency into motion. Yeah, let me okay. Let me Mr. Um Erin, when's this contract due? [1:48:17, 1:48:28]: We're currently on a a month to month agreement with our current provider. So if we delay this for until June, how would that affect this contract? We just pay the current provider an additional month. [1:48:29, 1:48:29]: Okay. [1:48:30, 1:48:33]: But let me just follow up on that. [1:48:34, 1:48:35]: Here's the thing with me. [1:48:36, 1:48:37]: This council [1:48:39, 1:48:39]: I mean [1:48:40, 1:48:41]: We're talking somatics. [1:48:42, 1:48:52]: You got identified funding for the project. We trust, Mr. Aaron, that you brought it forth to us. You say this person was the qualify went through the procurement project qualified. [1:48:53, 1:48:58]: You just go change the go change the process and and move this move it forward. What I mean. [1:48:59, 1:49:06]: Why are we delaying this to come back to prolong another council meeting? Either we vote for it or we don't. Put the contingency in there. [1:49:07, 1:49:09]: I'd like to make a motion right now. [1:49:09, 1:49:18]: I like to make a motion to approve it with the with the contingency in place to change the verbiage. You have a motion on the floor with the taken already. By who? [1:49:19, 1:49:30]: Good, read the motion back and who is the motion was by you, Mr. Blount, seconded by Mr. Alexander. Okay. And then it went into discussion. Well I need to add to that motion if you would like, s before we vote. [1:49:30, 1:49:33]: Just good you can make an amendment, sir. [1:49:33, 1:49:34]: I'd like to miss it. [1:49:35, 1:49:36]: To include [1:49:37, 1:49:41]: to passes this motion with the contendency with the contingency. [1:49:41, 1:49:43]: That the verbiage is changed. [1:49:44, 1:49:52]: from ranking to what the ver to reflect what we're voting on pertaining to our um uh um agenda. [1:49:54, 1:49:57]: All right, so you you amend that motion. Mr. you still second that motion? [1:49:58, 1:50:18]: understand this and and I and I want somebody to understand is that we're approving this contract which is the funding has been identified and we're trying to move this forward. Now there's a legitimate gripe that the contract was not attached. Would I have read the contract anyway? No, I would not [1:50:18, 1:50:38]: I would have allowed the staff to do what they do, approving the contract, moving forward. That's their job. I I don't have fifty hours in the day to read every contract. I have a life to live and things to do. So I can't read all of these contracts with a hundred pages in it and live a life. I have to trust the staff in order to do that. [1:50:38, 1:50:58]: See how we do that and our and have a life at the same time. Now, I do want to, my hesitancy is slowing things up. And I don't want to get into the personal dispute. This is what's going on now. We this is personal between council members up here. It ain't got nothing to do with the staff. And I'm not trying to get drawn into [1:50:58, 1:51:00]: [6660.7, 6680.7]: I'm all about progress for the city. I don't care if it's Mr. Blount's idea, your idea, Mar Pro Tem, or Councilman Thomas' idea. The idea is this is going to pass, whether it passes tonight or at the next meeting. What difference does it make? We've wasted about 30 minutes talking about something that could be [1:51:20, 1:51:40]: Passed. If it's not passed tonight, it's gonna be passed at the next meeting with the contract attached to it. So then in that case, we gotta move forward, or we can play these games and we can move forward and not have a vote. Well, it's like this. I I'll just poll the council members. Do you want to vote on this item or not? I asked the council to poll ourselves. [1:51:40, 1:52:00]: Before we just move forward with it, I don't want to go through these semantics of trying to dodge the vote. Is everybody on board or not? Well, what it amounts to the motion's been made. I asked you whether or not you were amended second the amendment motion Mr. Blount made and you want to make a comment. So I I'm willing to second the motion because I want to move forward with progress. So you [1:52:00, 1:52:08]: Second the motion. So, one well, how about this? All right, all in favor of the motion, please indicate. Comment. I'm sorry. Go ahead. I'm sorry. Go ahead. I have a comment. Go ahead, sir. [1:52:10, 1:52:15]: I I I keep hearing council members say they don't care. [1:52:16, 1:52:18]: How the contract reads. [1:52:21, 1:52:33]: That's irresponsible. Hold on. Point of order. Point of order. I did not point of order. I did not say I did not care. I said I trusted staff in order to do the work. [1:52:34, 1:52:38]: If I am asked to vote on something [1:52:40, 1:52:53]: And we say this all the time, we want to know what we're voting on. It's not a matter of whether you trust the staff bringing something forward. It's incumbent upon each and every one of us to have knowledge and to know. [1:52:54, 1:53:09]: This is why we received this this book here, so we can read. So we will know. But I I just want to go back to a couple things here, what I said earlier. And and and and and tonight proves my point about [1:53:09, 1:53:11]: Effectiveness. [1:53:11, 1:53:13]: Efficiency [1:53:14, 1:53:15]: Accountability. [1:53:16, 1:53:17]: Процес [1:53:18, 1:53:20]: And contract awareness. [1:53:21, 1:53:30]: And I say this all the time, but tonight proves my point on all of this. And this is why we're having all of these arguments because [1:53:32, 1:53:35]: Things are not coming to this council. [1:53:35, 1:53:41]: In an effective manner, we're not doing business in an effective manner, an efficient manner. [1:53:41, 1:53:43]: There's no accountability. [1:53:44, 1:53:52]: There's no process. The process is what one meeting the process is like this. The next meeting, the process is like that. [1:53:52, 1:53:53]: Come on. [1:53:54, 1:54:02]: It should be one consistent process and if you follow the process, then we can go through the buildings of the city. [1:54:03, 1:54:04]: Efficiently. [1:54:05, 1:54:06]: And effectively. [1:54:07, 1:54:15]: But when you do not adhere to one set process, you're gonna have what you have tonight. And that's the problem right there. [1:54:16, 1:54:36]: Oh let me let me get a response. Let's let's go ahead. We get we have a motion. I just got one response. Listen, I'm about results. If if if the process is flawed, I certainly understand your contention that the contract needs to be attached uh to what's going on here. Is there an assertion that these monies are being misappropriate? [1:54:35, 1:54:54]: appropriate it or that the staff is not doing something untoward. I don't feel that way. So yes, I do lean toward moving it forward. If not, I don't see a problem with waiting to the next meeting if that is your only contention and you want the contract. Will you vote for it if it's delayed to the next meeting? [1:54:54, 1:54:55]: Mayor Protein? [1:54:56, 1:55:05]: You see the contract and it's delayed to the next meeting. Will you vote for it? Is that what you because I don't want to waste any more time doing this? Will you vote for it when you see the contract? [1:55:06, 1:55:26]: I'm asking you. She's right. You're supposed to really address the as chair. All right. Are you finished with comments? I'm finished with my comment. I wanna I'm just saying we could move on from this if I understand that that would be the case. If that's the case, if that's the only contention, I will give you that right to move it to the next meeting and then allow the contract to be read. [1:55:26, 1:55:29]: I don't want to waste any more time on pettiness. [1:55:30, 1:55:34]: Okay, Mary Pro Tem, make this the last comment so we can move on. Go ahead. So [1:55:34, 1:55:38]: I've been saying the exact same thing for three years and [1:55:38, 1:55:39]: Six months now. [1:55:40, 1:55:42]: I will not approve anything. [1:55:43, 1:55:45]: Without supporting documents. [1:55:45, 1:55:48]: I don't over rely on staff for anything. [1:55:50, 1:55:51]: The residents voted. [1:55:52, 1:55:52]: For me. [1:55:53, 1:55:54]: For you. [1:55:54, 1:55:58]: Each of us individually, they expect that you will be fiscally responsible. [1:55:59, 1:56:04]: They expect that you will do your due diligence and act in their best interest. [1:56:04, 1:56:13]: I don't care how busy I am, I make time to read. I make time to ask questions too. As many as I need to, as often as I need to. [1:56:14, 1:56:16]: Even when y'all cut me off. [1:56:16, 1:56:19]: I will ask my questions, I'll make my statements here. [1:56:20, 1:56:22]: Procurement has been an issue since I've been here. [1:56:23, 1:56:26]: I have constantly had to ask the same questions. [1:56:27, 1:56:30]: None of them still have not answered my questions. [1:56:31, 1:56:34]: The governing body's responsibility is not to approve rankings. [1:56:35, 1:56:37]: That is something that was addressed previously. [1:56:38, 1:56:41]: I asked Mr Um Attorney Washington [1:56:41, 1:56:42]: To address that. [1:56:44, 1:56:45]: He still hasn't. [1:56:46, 1:56:49]: If you're asking me to approve a contract tonight, I will not. [1:56:50, 1:56:51]: But if it is provided to the council. [1:56:52, 1:56:55]: Before our next meeting, I will review the contract. [1:56:55, 1:56:58]: If I have concerns about it, I won't vote for it. [1:56:58, 1:57:01]: But I need to be able to review it myself. [1:57:01, 1:57:12]: Y'all can sigh, huff, and puff all you want. Every time there is a procurement item on this agenda, you best believe I will do my due diligence on my own. [1:57:13, 1:57:17]: I do not and will not over rely on staff for nothing. [1:57:17, 1:57:32]: Ever. We don't let we we don't have we don't have we don't have the vote, so I'm going to I don't want to waste any more time on this'cause I'm gonna withdraw my second. Time out folks, time out time out. We got a motion of floor. I'm gonna withdraw my second so we can move on. [1:57:33, 1:57:51]: Oh okay what just we go through you you you you made a mo mo Mr. Blount made a motion. You seconded. You remove your second. What is the motion? Is the motion to table this to the next meeting? What okay, so if you remove your second, that means the motion would would die. Right? That would mean the motion would die if we don't have a second, correct? [1:57:51, 1:57:52]: Ms. Washington? [1:57:52, 1:57:53]: Motion to [1:57:54, 1:57:55]: Ms. Washington. [1:57:57, 1:58:03]: If emotion's withdrawn, a second if there's a second is through the motion withdrawn and no other second, that means the motion has to drop, correct? [1:58:05, 1:58:16]: The motion was withdrawn. No the motion. No no no no. The second to the motion has been withdrawn. The second to the motion has been withdrawn. That means the motion will have to die unless there's another second. [1:58:16, 1:58:33]: Okay, all right. Mayor next, I wanna make a w I'm trying to move this along. Okay, go ahead. I wanna make a motion to table this to the very next meeting so the contract can be provided and we can move on with this meeting rather than wasting more time because it's not gonna pass anyway. So let's move on. Let me say this, Mayor. [1:58:34, 1:58:35]: Let me say this. [1:58:36, 1:58:39]: Because it's getting so ridiculous up here. [1:58:39, 1:58:44]: There's not one single council member up here knows every ins and out of every department. [1:58:44, 1:58:46]: That's why we trust Step. [1:58:47, 1:58:51]: To make sure that due diligence is done pertaining to contracts. [1:58:52, 1:58:55]: Which councilman up here read the contract for an amphitheater? [1:58:57, 1:59:02]: I would like to know the ins and outs of that. You see, one of the things we got to stop doing. [1:59:03, 1:59:10]: We got to stop trying to sit here and belittle the process that staff is c uh that that staff is doing. [1:59:11, 1:59:14]: Because when we sit here and we want to talk about procurement. [1:59:15, 1:59:18]: Procurement's not jacked up. It's not jacked up and messed up. [1:59:19, 1:59:22]: It's too much involvement by the selective body with procurement. [1:59:23, 1:59:27]: The process is flawed because the elected body get involved. [1:59:27, 1:59:35]: When everybody wanna sit here with all this attitude, I'm just gonna keep it real. If the let the body let staff do what they're supposed to do, we're not city managers. [1:59:36, 1:59:53]: We're the legislative branch of the city. So we can go on and on, my turn, your turn, your turn. That's all fine. But don't sit here and talk about a flawed process that you're getting involved in that you shouldn't even be dealing with because it was stated by our city attorneys that you need to leave it alone. [1:59:53, 2:00:08]: All right, Ms. Blount. Okay. Now, so everybody's got it said what they need to say. Mr. Alexander, Mr. Alexander, you s you made a motion to table. Is there a second? Right, right. For the condition to come back to the next meeting. Mr. Blount, second it. All in favor of the motion, please indicate. Comment. [2:00:08, 2:00:10]: Oh okay I'll I'll I'll [2:00:11, 2:00:19]: So we need to move on with this. No, I uh this this is important. Okay. And this is it. This is gonna be short and sweet. Okay. All I wanna say is. [2:00:21, 2:00:29]: All I'm asking for is the contract needs to be presented. Whether you read it or not, that's your prerogative. [2:00:29, 2:00:32]: But the contract has to be presented. [2:00:32, 2:00:34]: That's all I'm saying. [2:00:35, 2:00:40]: Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay, motion's been made. Second. All in favor of the motion, please indicate once again. [2:00:40, 2:00:42]: Of our poles. [2:00:42, 2:00:51]: There's a table it's a table. Are you for your table? You're for it. So the analysis is the table. Be back on the next meeting for that one. The twelfth of June, I believe it is? [2:00:51, 2:01:11]: All right, 12th of June to come back with a contract attached to it. All right. Next item, Council Consideration Approved Invitation to Bid, ITB, 2023-0006, City of Stockbridge Local Maintenance Improvement Grant to LMIG, the L MIG, 2024 Program for Roads and Resurfacing Award to East Coast Grading Incorporated. [2:01:11, 2:01:30]: The amount of two million two hundred and seven ninety-seven thousand one hundred nineteen dollars and twenty-five cents, funding source plus five, two million nine dollars and uh nine thousand dollars and one hundred nineteen dollars and twenty-five cents, GDOT is two hundred eighty-eight thousand, presented by Mr. Aaron, please. [2:01:30, 2:01:31]: Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council. [2:01:32, 2:01:36]: We're asking that you approve awarding a a bid to East Coast Graden. [2:01:37, 2:01:43]: to uh complete our twenty twenty four LMEG list and the amount of [2:01:43, 2:02:03]: $2,297,000,$2,297,119.25. And the streets are in the Carriage Lake Subdivision. You'll have Surrey Lane, you'll have uh Chariot Court, Coachway, Lake Front Court, Carriage Lake. [2:02:03, 2:02:11]: Lake Lane and Pine Grove, you have Gallup Drive, Shackley Drive, Brunswick Circle. [2:02:11, 2:02:20]: And then in Lakeside you have Rock Lane, Needletop Court, Falcon Ridge, and Monarch Village you have Enclave Enclave Trail. [2:02:20, 2:02:22]: Chelsea Wood Court. [2:02:22, 2:02:28]: In Windsong you'll have Red Bud Lane, Deerwood Drive, Willow Hill, Lane, [2:02:28, 2:02:33]: and then in Wingate at Lakeside you'll have Lytton Court and Carrot [2:02:33, 2:02:34]: And Chaucer Wade. [2:02:35, 2:02:38]: And then also on the summit you'll have uh [2:02:40, 2:02:46]: I can't see that rope. But um and also we added uh Century Oaks Court. [2:02:47, 2:02:51]: So we'll we'll do Century Oak Court, which is in in District Four. [2:02:53, 2:02:56]: And we'll do Fairhaven Court as well. [2:02:59, 2:03:02]: Century Oak Court is the only one. [2:03:02, 2:03:21]: Alright, thank you, sir. All right, there's uh proposal here for uh looking for a motion. If we can get a motion. All right, go right in. This is what the public is interested in. Okay? Business of the city. Talk about [2:03:21, 2:03:25]: the process because a lot of folks are very confused about the process. [2:03:26, 2:03:46]: Why is this strip paved? Why is that street not paved? Uh how do I gotta get my street on the list? Talk about the process because we have a deep like Councilman Thomas always said, we have a detailed process in grading the streets out, making sure that they're fair and equitable in determining what goes on and whose street. [2:03:46, 2:03:48]: [7429.5, 7438.4]: Yes, sir. In twenty eighteen we had a re-evaluation of all the city roads and sidewalks. Roads are graded from zero to a hundred. [2:03:58, 2:04:00]: With seventy being the average. [2:04:01, 2:04:04]: If it's below seventy, that's where we [2:04:05, 2:04:10]: That's how we s choose the ones that get resurfaced. Typically the roads are [2:04:10, 2:04:30]: The city roads average of probably about sixty-five. So there are some roads that are 100 because they've been resurfaced. But uh we go up by the ranking, if it's like 35 or 40, then that takes prior to that's on the list. So we go from the lowest to the highest and that's how they're included based on the condition of the roads. [2:04:30, 2:04:50]: So it I don't have any new, newly annexed areas in my district, but I know Councilman Blount does, and I know Council Mayor Pro Tem Barber does. Those residents are asking, you know, when is it gonna happen that their streets are going to be paved? There should have been some money on the county side uh set aside as we were recouping some of the [2:04:50, 2:05:04]: of those funds in uh in uh in or in order for these residents to get some of their uh roles paid because if we take you know obviously they're in the city now but there was so should have been some funding already existing [2:05:05, 2:05:06]: For for [2:05:06, 2:05:26]: uh paving those sections in the county budget already.'Cause let's talk about that and how many bad streets we got a lot of streets that are below in that thirty, forty range or below that came into the city, correct? Yes. So here's here's our our goal and our strategy. [2:05:26, 2:05:28]: In twenty twenty five. [2:05:29, 2:05:44]: Starting late twenty twenty four, we're gonna reevaluate all the roles again because every five years, that's the industry standard is you reevaluate the roles. So we had a evaluation in twenty eighteen. So two thousand and twenty-three, we would [2:05:44, 2:05:58]: you know, implement the new evaluation. So in twenty twenty four, we're gonna reevaluate all our roads and sidewalks because we noticed that we've been paving roads well since I've been here and prior to that, two thousand sixteen. And we averaged about [2:05:59, 2:06:19]: Five miles a year. And prior to the annexation, the city had 107 miles of road. So we we might as well say we resurfaced closer to about 35% of all of our roads before the annexation. So the new evaluation will incorporate the roads that we that came into the city as a part of the annexation. [2:06:19, 2:06:23]: And they would get on the list for research. Mr Gardner, can you come to the podium? [2:06:25, 2:06:27]: You come to the podium, please. [2:06:28, 2:06:41]: Now I understand that. Now the only thing that you did not mention was well that means that we're gonna take our city budget funding to fix these roads that were in subpar condition when they were annexed into the city. [2:06:41, 2:07:01]: There has to be some discussion in this ongoing situation because the current residents will suffer with this if we try to use the same budget and then uh fix the streets that were already in bad condition before they came into the city. So at some point there these discussions, and I know they're uncomfortable sometimes. [2:07:01, 2:07:21]: With the county. They don't want to talk about it. That these roads that we got in, that they, you know, they were already in bad condition. Now these residents are saying, Pave our street, pave our street. I see y'all are paving because y'all have been doing a good job at paving. What about us? Now what about their money that they were paying to the county that they're they're they're not gonna [2:07:21, 2:07:31]: have access to if we don't represent them getting those funds that were set aside for paving because T S PLOSS had funds in it. [2:07:32, 2:07:52]: Uh uh paving funds that the residents voted on. When those residents voted on T Splos, they were in the county. So there is some monies that were set aside in T-SPLOST specifically for paving for those residents, but I guess it'd be focused on a percentage of the T-SPLOST that they represent in coming. [2:07:52, 2:07:53]: coming into the city. [2:07:55, 2:07:58]: Council member respectfully, I I'm gonna tell you probably no. And the reason why [2:07:59, 2:08:10]: When you do the T splus, when we this T splus legislation was approved, you had to enumerate which roads you were going to put into on in your system is either tier one or tier two. [2:08:10, 2:08:19]: If those roads weren't put in the system by the county, that mean that the county had not either one. Oh, with all due respect, sir, they put it in a broad category of paving. [2:08:20, 2:08:40]: So m under the T Splush, under Splush you could do that. My understanding and having done T Splus before, T Splus requires you to enumerate your tier one projects, all of them, your tier two projects, all of them, and a tier three. Tier one is priority. If the SPLOS comes in over and above what was estimated, those funds are utilized today. [2:08:40, 2:08:42]: Then go to your tier two projects. [2:08:42, 2:09:02]: Right? But if you never enumerated some streets, because guess what? Henry County have so many streets you can't pave them all under a one splash. Never will happen, ever. So you have to enumerate, they as we did, enumerate those roads that we thought were our top priority based on our ranking. I assume they did the same on the county side. It wasn't here. But it wouldn't count, it wouldn't have. [2:09:02, 2:09:15]: covered every single street, every single road. There may be some that were enumerated. My my understanding and the conversation I've had, um and I'll just use two roads as an ex as an example. [2:09:19, 2:09:27]: Walt Stevens, Jesus, I live off that road for 15 years. Walt Stevens and Mount Zion Parkway were not on their T Sploss list. [2:09:28, 2:09:30]: Mm. Right? They were not. Wow. [2:09:31, 2:09:45]: So therefore, when they're now in the city, we have to now find the the funding to do those streets, right? Because they weren't originally when the st when the splus and the T Splus was done, those roads weren't in the city. [2:09:45, 2:09:52]: So now we have to come up with a means of being able to do those streets and we've got a idea of how to do that and we'll present that to you. [2:09:53, 2:10:01]: those two streets because we've been getting a lot of complaints about'em, but as it relates to your regular subdivision streets that were brought into the into the city from the county. [2:10:03, 2:10:13]: Ninety times out of ten, they put those put on their T plus list. I just want to check that list. And I will go back again and ask the question because that question was asked of the county, sir. [2:10:13, 2:10:20]: If you would go back and check, scrub that list to see if there were some roles that were graded because they do pay roles in subdivision, so [2:10:20, 2:10:22]: Yes. And and like I say, that [2:10:23, 2:10:30]: Initially when this came up, we had this conversation before and I meant and I said I would double check with with the county manager and my and Husplus team. [2:10:30, 2:10:32]: And it was my understanding that the roads that we [2:10:33, 2:10:37]: that we were getting the complaints on weren't on their list. [2:10:38, 2:10:41]: I mean I would like to see whether Century Oaks was on the list or not. [2:10:42, 2:10:46]: That's the one we're paving now with off stroke funding that we already had that we're paving this year, right? [2:10:48, 2:10:54]: I'll go back and check, sir, but that was my understanding, but I'll double check and let you guys if you would and then I would like to see [2:10:54, 2:10:58]: That in a communication to the council? Is that agreeable? [2:10:59, 2:11:00]: Yes, sir. Thank you. [2:11:00, 2:11:05]: Mr Blount, go ahead, please. [2:11:06, 2:11:26]: B because of how the annexation piece came about legislatively, um, because it did give us a this growth of spurt, if you will, off of what we had already identified in fundings. Do we now fit some type of criteria with the state or on the federal level for funding because of that? [2:11:26, 2:11:46]: So our L Meg allotment will be changed, increased based on our population, because it's based on population share. So obviously we've submitted the information to get that new increase. Unfortunately, it won't happen in twenty twenty-four because twenty twenty-four is already here. We're already applying for twenty twenty. [2:11:46, 2:12:00]: Now and unfortunate those this you know. So we don't we don't meet any other type infrastructure funding from the state or federal level because of the type of way that this growth spurt came about for the city? [2:12:00, 2:12:20]: Not that I know of. Um most of your infrastructure projects are not road paving. They're usually water, sewer, storm water, those type of gr those ones that we've seen. Um you know, and to to try to justify a local street rather than some major arterial road that really directs traffic, is probably where that [2:12:20, 2:12:22]: Priority would be it wouldn't be on local streets. Okay. [2:12:23, 2:12:29]: Okay, one other thing real quick. Go ahead. Now there they're there Okay. Go ahead. Go ahead, Ma Mayor Putin. [2:12:30, 2:12:34]: My question is in regards to Davis Road. [2:12:35, 2:12:36]: And Valley Hill Road. [2:12:37, 2:12:39]: I know both of those wrote well [2:12:39, 2:12:47]: Portions of Davis Road was and unincorporated has been newly annexed. Valley Hill Road, the majority of it. [2:12:48, 2:12:52]: is now annexed. They are in not so good. [2:12:52, 2:12:57]: shape. But yet there are development proposals coming. [2:12:58, 2:13:05]: Don't believe it's wise for us to approve. I don't believe it's wise for us to approve. [2:13:05, 2:13:06]: Development. [2:13:06, 2:13:11]: projects when we already know there are infrastructure improvements that are needed. [2:13:11, 2:13:12]: Right. [2:13:12, 2:13:16]: And Mr. Aaron just said that they won't be vo he won't be [2:13:16, 2:13:20]: Reevaluating the conditions of the road until twenty twenty-four. [2:13:21, 2:13:23]: So So when will staff? [2:13:24, 2:13:25]: Provide [2:13:25, 2:13:27]: These kinds of details. [2:13:27, 2:13:30]: to the planning комісі and to the council [2:13:30, 2:13:33]: Prior to us approving the [2:13:33, 2:13:38]: Any new developments for those specific areas. [2:13:38, 2:13:49]: It is just not wise. Well, yes, ma'am. But however, Georgia law requires that we do not look because of our population, there are only three or four communities in the state [2:13:49, 2:13:53]: They can use schools and roads to deny zoning. We're not one of them. [2:13:54, 2:13:58]: So you cannot use road conditions to deny or road capacity to deny zoning. [2:13:59, 2:14:19]: Um you cannot use school capacity to deny a zoning under the Steinberg Act. You cannot do that. We can't we're not one of those qualified communities. We can't use that as a basis. But the safety of the road, we can't use that. We would be sued and we would lose. Even the safety of the roads, even if there are bigger than just potholes. [2:14:19, 2:14:26]: Right. And here's the reason why. The gist behind that, because I worked with as part of the planning association executive board. [2:14:27, 2:14:47]: I worked on the Steinberg Act. The reason for this is those owners paid their property taxes to the county to provide for adequate roads, adequate schools. So therefore, you cannot use that as a basis to say why their can't their properties can't be zoned to the highest and best use. Right? City of Atlanta, Gwynette. [2:14:47, 2:14:51]: Cobb and I think the Cab counties are the only communities in the state. [2:14:51, 2:14:54]: They can use road and schools to deny zoning. [2:14:54, 2:14:57]: Everybody else is a cannot do that under the law. [2:14:58, 2:15:02]: We cannot say because the road is in a bad condition, we can't give you the oil zoning. [2:15:03, 2:15:16]: You wouldn't have to be able to do we know that there are safety concerns. Ma'am, yes, ma'am. We would get sued and we would lose because it's not that property owner's right obligation to pave the street and bring it up to standards. It's up to the local government. [2:15:16, 2:15:33]: Well then if the onus is on the city, then we need to look at reevaluating those roads sooner, um, considering there are developments that are coming, not just for the Valley Hill Road and David Road area, this entire downtown area. [2:15:33, 2:15:39]: We need to be looking at all the roads sooner. Twenty twenty four is not. [2:15:39, 2:15:46]: It's not sufficient. The issue the issue with that is ma'am, just like it is with the school and this is the reason why [2:15:46, 2:15:49]: As our kids were going through school, there were trailers. [2:15:50, 2:15:52]: The way the law is written. [2:15:53, 2:15:57]: You're gonna always be behind on the infrastructure curve in Georgia. [2:15:58, 2:16:04]: Right? Always when it comes to growth. There is no way that we could fund ourselves proactively. [2:16:04, 2:16:06]: Towards development. [2:16:07, 2:16:22]: There's a way we can, but however, because we spend so much of our resources fixing those roads that have aged and are damaged, it's hard to then put money towards area that you see as growth areas to be able to do that. I will tell you the one state that's got it right has been Texas. [2:16:22, 2:16:23]: They do that. [2:16:24, 2:16:27]: I mean you literally see a four-lean road and there's nothing on it. [2:16:27, 2:16:31]: But that's because they're anticipating growth and their laws allow for them to actually do that. [2:16:32, 2:16:52]: Here in Georgia, we don't. That's why you see trailers at school when capacity goes up, because the school funding is predicated on data from years before. Same way with Rhodes. You just can't the way we fund it is the reason why we lag behind. And there's this city, no city in Georgia, no county in Georgia is gonna catch up when they're in a high growth growth spur. [2:16:52, 2:16:54]: N not gonna catch up, no way. [2:16:55, 2:16:56]: I get it. Um but [2:16:59, 2:17:03]: The majority of those newly annexed residents are in my district. [2:17:03, 2:17:05]: So I can't tell them [2:17:05, 2:17:07]: Oh, I'm sorry. [2:17:07, 2:17:07]: Um [2:17:08, 2:17:10]: We'll evaluate your role next year and [2:17:10, 2:17:13]: Yet we're still approving developments in their area. [2:17:14, 2:17:16]: What I wanna be able to share with them is [2:17:17, 2:17:19]: When the city is going to reassess [2:17:19, 2:17:26]: all the roads so that they can at least have um some inkling [2:17:26, 2:17:27]: As to [2:17:28, 2:17:32]: Their well being, their area in which they live is being taken care of. [2:17:33, 2:17:36]: I get the county, they're no longer in the county. [2:17:36, 2:17:38]: They're now in the city. [2:17:38, 2:17:40]: We have a responsibility. [2:17:41, 2:17:45]: We also, just like Councilman Alexander has mentioned. [2:17:45, 2:17:47]: Can just go back to the county and make sure. [2:17:47, 2:17:57]: that none of those roads that are in my district now were on their list. Yes. I need to be able to share some good news with them. Yes, ma'am. [2:17:58, 2:18:08]: Right now I have no good news under to share with them. Understood. Thank you, sir. If if we get that good news, we'll share it. If we get the bad news, we'll share it. But we definitely will share the news. I appreciate it. Yes, ma'am. [2:18:09, 2:18:26]: Yeah, go ahead, sir. Let me just say this. I'm not gonna let the county off the hook. They they're not and and and I and I and I don't like to hear and I know you probably stated that, phrased that the wrong way. When they annex into the city, they do not leave the county. They don't move to Clayton County all of a sudden. [2:18:26, 2:18:46]: Their budget is$230 million. Our budget is$24 million. We have zero millage. All of the money for these roads are going to the county. We can't pay for the road. And this, and let me say this again. They still have a vote for commissioner. [2:18:46, 2:19:06]: They still do. And the people around here need to wake up and understand. When you vote for a commissioner and you want your role done, no matter who you vote for, that person has to spend money in the city. You have a vote, and you cannot continue to elect people who don't spend money and say, [2:19:06, 2:19:26]: Oh, that's in the city. When$200 million are going to them and$20 million are coming to us to fight up, you do not, when you annex into the city, you do not leave the county. You do not lose your vote. And it's incumbent upon you to call upon whoever is elected to spend money. [2:19:26, 2:19:28]: [8369.2, 8370.3]: For your vote. [2:19:33, 2:19:49]: All right, uh if the north comments uh you uh you made the your presentation, so council I'm looking for a motion to approve this uh approve this invitation to bid. So moved. Is there a second? Uh okay from Mr. Alexander and Mr. Blount. All in favor of the motion please indicate. [2:19:50, 2:19:51]: Our polls. [2:19:51, 2:19:52]: Sustained. [2:19:53, 2:20:02]: Mayor Ford, I'm going to abstain. I believe that this is to approve an award of a contract, and the contract was not provided to the council. [2:20:02, 2:20:19]: Okay, motion passed 301. Um council, if you don't mind the C here, I have 830 actually on the dot. I'd like to ask for a 10 minute recess because the next subject's gonna take some time and we may be here a while. So if you don't mind 10 minute recess, we get back at 840. Is that all right with you all? Is that good? All right. [2:20:19, 2:20:24]: We appreciate it. We're back. Stret stretch a little bit'cause you may need it. [2:20:27, 2:20:27]: Okay. [2:20:29, 2:20:31]: Write that down, Clayton. [2:20:32, 2:20:33]: Put that in the article. [2:20:36, 2:20:36]: [8720.6, 8723.1]: [2:30:44, 2:30:50]: Can we make sure that the polls Facebook before this go department? [2:30:50, 2:30:55]: I guess she has to buckle the balls. Why I don't know. Well, she she could have kept them going. [2:30:56, 2:31:00]: Okay. Okay. Okay. Hey. [2:31:02, 2:31:08]: Council, we need to reconvene the meeting. I would imagine that uh a meeting is still going forward with uh video taping. [2:31:09, 2:31:11]: Madam Clerk, we still still live? [2:31:12, 2:31:13]: Okay, thank you very much. [2:31:18, 2:31:20]: Okay. [2:31:21, 2:31:31]: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna convene. Um council discussion of city finances presented by Mr. Gardner and Mr. Wiggins and Mr. Wall, please. [2:31:36, 2:31:41]: All right, gentlemen, I turn over. Good evening, Mayor Council. There you go. Good deal. Good evening. Hold on. [2:31:57, 2:32:16]: All right. Tonight I'm here to kinda talk about um our financial, city financial as it relates to some of the side topics we've had tonight regarding growth and the annexation and the impacts thereof, um and how it's looking to affect our fiscal year twenty four, FY twenty four budget. [2:32:28, 2:32:35]: So yes. So we we've had annexation in the city. We brought in about sixty seven hundred new people into the city. Um two key [2:32:35, 2:32:55]: Areas that and landmass, two areas that that we know are gonna get impacting. And we've had some of this discussion tonight. It's gonna be how public works relate to this and how our police service relate to this. I'm gonna talk a little bit about um how it's impacting our fiscal year twenty-four budget. Um talk about the imposition of potential mineral rate. [2:32:55, 2:32:57]: What that mill is rate looks like. [2:32:57, 2:33:04]: um across the board and across different properties uh around the city and then discuss with you guys the next steps in the process. [2:33:06, 2:33:06]: Yeah. [2:33:08, 2:33:09]: Why can't I? [2:33:11, 2:33:15]: So we we all know January one we brought sixty seven new residents into the city. [2:33:16, 2:33:18]: Um to give you a good idea what that look like. [2:33:19, 2:33:23]: That's about ninety or eighty per more than eighty percent of the city of Hampton as we know it. [2:33:24, 2:33:27]: They came into the city of Stockbridge January one. [2:33:27, 2:33:28]: Right. [2:33:28, 2:33:39]: When we factor that across, we've got about nineteen hundred units approve or going through development process in the city of Stockbridge. What that looks like when we talk about population. [2:33:40, 2:33:50]: Right, average household size, about 3.2 residents per household. You times that by the number of units, you come up with about 5,500 new residents coming from these proposed developments. [2:33:51, 2:33:54]: Right, that's gonna be impacting the city's population over time. [2:33:54, 2:33:58]: What we estimate that population to look like it's gonna be somewhere between forty two. [2:33:59, 2:34:00]: to forty five thousand people. [2:34:02, 2:34:02]: Right. [2:34:03, 2:34:07]: We still have developments that are coming before the city as we speak. [2:34:08, 2:34:08]: Right. [2:34:10, 2:34:13]: So from a public work standpoint, you've heard some of this. [2:34:13, 2:34:17]: We estimated we brought in about ninety one miles of roads right aways. [2:34:17, 2:34:21]: About forty three miles of sidewalks were annexed into the city. [2:34:21, 2:34:26]: And as uh the public waste director said stormwater was part of that process as well. [2:34:29, 2:34:30]: So what did that mean? [2:34:30, 2:34:32]: We're now, as we just discussed. [2:34:33, 2:34:37]: having to look at how do we provide for resurfacing of these roads. [2:34:38, 2:34:41]: Right away maintenance of these roads, restriping of these roads, right? [2:34:42, 2:34:53]: Most of us live in subdivisions that were built in the 1990s, started in true zoning process and development view process in the mid-90s. That's when Henry County's population spiked. [2:34:54, 2:34:57]: Right? From nineteen ninety five to where we are today. [2:34:57, 2:35:00]: Right. Those roads are now coming up on thirty years old. [2:35:01, 2:35:03]: That's why we're hearing some of those complaints, those right-aways. [2:35:04, 2:35:05]: Those infrastructure are aging. [2:35:06, 2:35:08]: And now they're under our responsibility. [2:35:09, 2:35:09]: All right. [2:35:09, 2:35:11]: Our job is to make sure that we [2:35:11, 2:35:14]: are making improvements around our signalizations. [2:35:14, 2:35:16]: Стрит лайт, стріт сайс. [2:35:17, 2:35:18]: А звелас [2:35:18, 2:35:24]: How we're making ma sidewalk maintenance in some of these developments. And some of them were zoned without sidewalks. [2:35:24, 2:35:25]: Um back in the day. [2:35:28, 2:35:30]: I want to talk a little bit about the police service. [2:35:31, 2:35:32]: That's the other one that's gonna be impacted. [2:35:34, 2:35:34]: Mm. [2:35:35, 2:35:38]: We initially approve our police department at fifty two officers. [2:35:39, 2:35:40]: Із Чеф Тремо. [2:35:41, 2:35:43]: presented to you guys back in twenty twenty one. [2:35:44, 2:35:44]: Right. [2:35:45, 2:35:55]: That we have fifty one and I think he gave you a range and we came in between the bottom and the mid on the range of offices that he needed to patrol a city of twenty-eight thousand people per the census. [2:35:57, 2:36:06]: The census, the United States census, is always an undercount of your population. It's never an accurate count of your population, it's an unaccount. [2:36:06, 2:36:10]: So if the census say you're twenty eight, you're probably twenty nine thirty. [2:36:10, 2:36:15]: Because a portion of your population is not gonna fill out the form regardless of how many times you send it to'em. [2:36:16, 2:36:18]: And speaking for someone who's around two census. [2:36:19, 2:36:19]: Campaigns. [2:36:20, 2:36:20]: I [2:36:21, 2:36:35]: And so with that, we w reach out for some grant fundings to get additional offices through our grant, but eventually we still have to pay for those officers. They're partly free, but they're also perfect to be paid for over time. We've acquired eight of those positions have been filled today. [2:36:36, 2:36:50]: Right. The police department estimates we need between sixty-six and eighty-two officers to keep up with the demand and be able to provide the services that we're currently providing to our new population and the population we're expecting to see come over the next few years. [2:36:52, 2:36:54]: So how are they doing that evaluation? [2:36:55, 2:36:57]: Right. One of them is looking at calls per service. [2:36:58, 2:37:11]: So in 2021, Henry County was doing our policing. We had about 24,000, just under 25,000 calls a year. We saw an increase with our blended police between Henry County and us. [2:37:11, 2:37:17]: Starting J July one of last year and that totals right around twenty eight thousand, just under twenty five this year. [2:37:18, 2:37:23]: We're seeing a spike and projected that our call for service is gonna top thirty eight thousand. [2:37:24, 2:37:26]: And the answer people say, Why? [2:37:26, 2:37:32]: You have a more visible police department, hence you will get more calls because you are more visible. [2:37:32, 2:37:34]: People assume that you will respond. [2:37:35, 2:37:36]: I [2:37:36, 2:37:40]: We had a res I had a resident tell me I see them all the time now. [2:37:40, 2:37:48]: All right, and if I see an issue, I'm gonna call. One of the things we talked about at a recent town hall meeting with our residents, if you see something, say something. [2:37:49, 2:37:54]: Right? Because the time that you don't is the time when something will happen. So if you see something that looks funny, call. [2:37:56, 2:37:56]: I [2:37:57, 2:38:00]: I did that myself recently. I was at a restaurant. [2:38:00, 2:38:02]: Two guys look real suspicious. [2:38:03, 2:38:05]: The way they were moving around the restaurant. [2:38:05, 2:38:09]: And then one of them was sitting in his car doing absolutely nothing. [2:38:10, 2:38:10]: Nein. [2:38:10, 2:38:12]: I call Chief Trimu. [2:38:12, 2:38:20]: It was about 10 o'clock at night. I didn't get him. I pulled over a police officer and said to him, Hey man, I got a suspicious car. Here's to make modeling color. [2:38:21, 2:38:25]: I need for you guys to probably watch these guys, but stuff that we know going on. [2:38:25, 2:38:30]: I just feel that they're acting real suspicious. So I saw something and I said something. [2:38:30, 2:38:32]: Right, that's what we ask our residents to do. [2:38:34, 2:38:38]: So ha so when we talk about our police department and where they are. [2:38:39, 2:38:53]: Right. And we looked at comparable cities, comparable number of officers, call for services, and police officers per residence, right? As you can tell, we're about thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six thousand people. [2:38:54, 2:38:57]: Right now we're operating at sixty two offices. [2:38:57, 2:39:00]: As compared to some of our surrounding Metro cities. [2:39:00, 2:39:04]: Based on their population, their call for service. A call for service is gonna push. [2:39:05, 2:39:09]: As high as as close to city estates bro this year. [2:39:09, 2:39:10]: Uh. [2:39:12, 2:39:20]: So when we look at that comparison and narrow it even further and look at some of our surrounding communities based on population, based on call. [2:39:20, 2:39:22]: And a citizens police ratio. [2:39:23, 2:39:42]: Right and we look at what they're looking at their budgets for their police departments versus ours and how they're funding their police department versus ours, you see that all of those communities have at least a six point five up to a eight mil property tax to offset their police services costs. Ours is still very low. [2:39:43, 2:39:46]: Right at eighty at eight point two projected for this year. [2:39:46, 2:39:48]: Compared to some of our surrounding communities. [2:39:51, 2:39:56]: So when we look at that and how is that affecting our fiscal year upcoming fiscal year budget? [2:39:58, 2:39:58]: Right. [2:40:00, 2:40:07]: This chart gives you a list of options that we at the staff level department head worked on at our recent retreat. [2:40:07, 2:40:15]: And came up with some options on looking at what are our what's our fiscal year twenty-four budget looking like, twenty-six point seven. [2:40:15, 2:40:20]: We're still in the process of obviously evaluating that number, so there's a chance that that number go down some. [2:40:20, 2:40:23]: But we're we're given that number because that's where we are as a snapshot. [2:40:24, 2:40:27]: Right, when we look at our general fund revenues. [2:40:27, 2:40:29]: We're projected at nineteen point nine. [2:40:29, 2:40:32]: And that does include us getting the funding for the loss. [2:40:32, 2:40:34]: Фром Хенри Коні опщо вона. [2:40:35, 2:40:37]: Is with loss, but is with no [2:40:37, 2:40:46]: transfer. When you see general fund revenue at nineteen point nine, that's no transfers from our reserve. That's just straight revenue to expenses. You're twenty six [2:40:46, 2:40:50]: point seven to nineteen point nine or twenty if you rounded it up. [2:40:51, 2:40:55]: All right, so we're about six point eight billion short. [2:40:56, 2:41:04]: Option two implies that the current millage that's being charged as part of the police service district is 1.904 mills. [2:41:04, 2:41:14]: Right. If you don't roll that back, but you roll it over and the city takes over that, you're looking at projected revenue of th three point four million. [2:41:14, 2:41:16]: When you add that to your nineteen. [2:41:17, 2:41:19]: Your deficit is now three point three million. [2:41:20, 2:41:22]: Right at the one point oh nine four mils. [2:41:23, 2:41:24]: Option three. [2:41:25, 2:41:28]: implies that if you look at a mill of three point seven seven [2:41:29, 2:41:32]: Ай, да бризене а ревню в сих посев. [2:41:32, 2:41:35]: Your deficit is now down to about fifty four thousand. [2:41:36, 2:41:41]: Option flour looks at a mills rate of four mils, a flat four mil rates. [2:41:42, 2:41:44]: That brings in seven point two million [2:41:44, 2:42:03]: That brings your revenues at seven at twenty-seven point two to your expenses of twenty-six point seven, gives you just under five hundred thousand of excess revenue. All right, option five is one is four point two mils. That brings you seven point six, that gives you just under a million dollars. [2:42:04, 2:42:05]: Revenues to expenses. [2:42:05, 2:42:06]: And option six. [2:42:07, 2:42:09]: is right around ten milyen. [2:42:10, 2:42:11]: Gives you offset. [2:42:11, 2:42:25]: of four million dollars revenues to expenses. How does that look when we imply it when we put that those millage rate towards the average homes or group of homes in the city? Right? Well, before I get there, next we'll talk about [2:42:25, 2:42:30]: We have been moving money to cover our police department. [2:42:30, 2:42:43]: for the most part, from our reserves. And I'm gonna let Ed Wall talk a little bit about that. And uh we've had this discussion at our last retreat with council and I think previous meetings at air that spoke about this and the impacts on reserve. [2:42:44, 2:42:49]: Good. Thank you, Mr. Gardner. So if you all could l in this chart [2:42:49, 2:42:54]: We just question. Yes, sir. Before m you leave the podium, Mr. Garden. Mr. Gardner. [2:42:55, 2:43:15]: And uh before we get into this particular section here, okay, uh where were the ARPA funds? Uh are we getting to that some point where the ARPA funds are gonna be uh So you've utilize your ARPA funds to purchase your police equipment, right? To f build up to your facility. [2:43:15, 2:43:15]: [9796.2, 9816.2]: You you've added that to that. That was a one-time funding. You're looking at FY twenty four budget, next year's budget. Right. But we that doesn't have any more APA funds. We've allotted our APA funds as required by law. We've spent our APA funds on the police department. We've done that. Right? That was a one time shot. [2:43:36, 2:43:47]: Excellent move. We were right at time to see that happen to use those funds to offset using other funds. But now you're looking at operations, the day-to-day operational cost of running your police department. [2:43:47, 2:43:49]: Is what you see before you. [2:43:49, 2:44:05]: And there's no opera funds for that right now. And until we get and unless there's some other funds coming on the road under a new program, we're done with APA funds. So we was we don't have uh there's no ARPA funds in our at all at this point. We spent them all. Sure. That that money has been a lot that'd been spent. [2:44:05, 2:44:25]: That was a one time shot. One time short for all governments. We've utilized our I'm a little confused by that'cause we had I thought we had uh talked about extending we were gonna s that was gonna be spread out over time to uh and the money was could be spent until such and such date. So you're telling me we've had to advance that already. [2:44:25, 2:44:30]: You you you yes, you spent your APA funds. Your APA funds had criteria. [2:44:30, 2:44:50]: That you can spend it on. As it may as it relates to your police costs, you've already expended those funds already. You still have some w some around some water and sewer that you have left, and a little bit around economic development. And we'll talk a little bit about that at the end of the day. As far as corrections are concerned, I thought they had opened up the category. [2:44:50, 2:44:53]: And pretty much made it free flint at this point. [2:44:53, 2:45:05]: We we have applied for all the opera funds that we can get under the current allotment. We're done with that. That's put opera in the review mirror like payers app money is now in the review mirror. [2:45:06, 2:45:26]: Yes. And one other one other question real quick before I move on to the next. Now, I do understand that state law was changed, whereas cities and municipal uh and county governments I guess is were were able to set up non profit organizations to uh on behalf of the police department to actually take donations or [2:45:26, 2:45:28]: from the public to support public safety. [2:45:29, 2:45:47]: So yes, your your police chief is already engaged in that activity. So we we founded a police foundation that can get those monies. But please remember there's no amount of donations that's gonna cover your I I understand your police foundation. And there and there is not enough money to cover [2:45:48, 2:46:08]: The majority of your operation is not gonna come from donations. It's just that that that's not happened anywhere in the financial funding. Certainly. But I wanna make sure that we're getting every penny out there that's possible that's uh for us because in the end there are there are there are significant dollars to support law enforcement. So every dollar [2:46:08, 2:46:28]: That we get is a dollar that citizens don't have to pay or we don't have to come up with. So certainly. And that is correct. And and and this department, along with our grants, have been diligent, as you guys know, in grabbing as much of those monies as we can. We we actually qualified and got the funding from the federal governments for those additional 10 officers. [2:46:27, 2:46:30]: Right? [2:46:30, 2:46:49]: Um we've gotten additional funding around the police department. We've done that. We will continue to go after monies when the next COPS grants come out. We're gonna be applying for those as well to offset. But you cannot budget based on the potential that you're gonna get when you know that those operational costs are actual. Right? If we get them, we offset. [2:46:50, 2:46:55]: Um but we budget on what we propose was actually going to happen and until we get those grants. [2:46:55, 2:47:00]: The fiscally prudent thing for us to do is to make sure we budget for one hundred percent of those costs. [2:47:01, 2:47:02]: Yes, ma'am. [2:47:03, 2:47:08]: Um, I just wanted to make sure that we were clear. ARPRA funds were not all [2:47:10, 2:47:28]: spent on public safety. No. We should ARPA funding for public works projects as well. I just want to make it clear. There were there were criteria that you can spend it on and we spent what we could on police under that criteria. Okay. I just want to make it clear that [2:47:28, 2:47:36]: All of our ARPA funding was not spent on public safety. No, it was to make sure that this whole presentation. [2:47:37, 2:47:38]: is not to [2:47:38, 2:47:44]: Um make it appear as though all of our funding has been going to public safety. [2:47:45, 2:47:48]: I want to is this presentation to cover [2:47:48, 2:47:54]: the entire operations of the city, including the operations of this amphitheater. I see there's [2:47:54, 2:47:55]: Nothing. [2:47:56, 2:48:16]: Um on this slide for the appropriation of fund. So we're not getting in the reads, and that's obviously gonna come when we get to our budget meeting in August about how we can fund that. However, remember, we set aside monies, we borrowed monies, and we had some splus monies that we put towards the cultural arts center. But there's still a 20 million [2:48:16, 2:48:22]: million dollar gap between what was put and what requires to build what council wants to build, right? [2:48:23, 2:48:25]: Um we've bought already for that project. [2:48:25, 2:48:30]: Рай, со докифоссик на дарудли. [2:48:30, 2:48:30]: You know [2:48:32, 2:48:35]: Where do we get twenty million dollars to continue that project? [2:48:35, 2:48:38]: Рай, вів год Федс, а не Феджавседно. [2:48:39, 2:48:41]: They're not funding that. [2:48:41, 2:48:50]: I think the majority council was at that meeting. Those meetings plural regarding regarding our [2:48:50, 2:49:10]: Uh uh congressman and our two senators. We were specifically told we couldn't get any fundings for those through appropriation. What got through appropriation is currently under consideration appropriations has been our water and sewer project and the pedestrian bridge for Highway one thirty one thirty eight over Youth Rix. [2:49:10, 2:49:16]: Question. They did no, that was not included. Remember they said we had to make adjustments to that. [2:49:16, 2:49:23]: To make that happen. Well no. My understanding was as long as it was not an entertainment venue. [2:49:24, 2:49:29]: As long as it wasn't a performing arts they would be [2:49:29, 2:49:31]: Unless you got so we submitted [2:49:32, 2:49:34]: Those projects to Senator [2:49:35, 2:49:36]: Wanna [2:49:36, 2:49:39]: To Senator Orsoff and to Congressman Scott. [2:49:39, 2:49:40]: Right? Mm-hmm. [2:49:41, 2:49:43]: And all of those projects they pick. [2:49:45, 2:49:52]: I'm not mistaken, two of our projects that went through appropriations based on what they know would potentially get funded. [2:49:52, 2:50:04]: And that's what he told us. They were not gonna put a wish list project at that time through appropriations. That's what he told us. Correct me if I wrong. Okay? So those projects that we gave them the list. [2:50:05, 2:50:25]: The two strongest ones that they saw could get you appropriations was the Water and Sewer Project and the Bridge Project, because you have a pedestrian issue and it's a safety issue, and that's why that went. Those ended up in the AJC recently. I don't know if you guys saw that. Um, for all those projects that were being funded, asked for funding from our local. [2:50:25, 2:50:33]: Local legislators of the Senate and the Congress, those who are in the AJC recently. So they're still in the appropriations, right? [2:50:33, 2:50:37]: But so uh I don't know but so I've I answered your question. [2:50:37, 2:50:39]: Yes, ma'am. Yep, a standby. [2:50:40, 2:50:52]: Mr I I just want a clarification before you move further. Uh you mentioned a shortfall for the cultural. Uh you you said twenty. Yes sir. Is it twenty or is it ten? Twenty. [2:50:52, 2:50:58]: You remember when we came before you guys there and I brought this to your attention when I first got here. [2:50:59, 2:51:03]: was we appropriated about fourteen million where the gold at it would be [2:51:03, 2:51:09]: eighteen million and we would find that two million dollars over a couple of budget cycles. [2:51:09, 2:51:19]: When I got here, that cost ballooned and I showed you guys and we gave each one of you guys the options as to what we thought was feasible and what you wanted to pick. We did that exercise. [2:51:19, 2:51:29]: And what came out of that exercise initially was we would go with the twenty four million option and then that changed and you said, no, if we're gonna build it and we're gonna build it the way we want it. [2:51:30, 2:51:33]: We voted to move forward with the thirty-four million dollar. [2:51:34, 2:51:35]: Price tied. [2:51:36, 2:51:53]: Performing in cultural acts and thirty million. I didn't think it was thirty four. It was thirty f it was thirty four, sir. I can go back and the city clerk will provide the documentation that that's what was presented and that's what we went with. But the key is even if it was four million dollars short, it's still a huge gap to try to make up for a project. [2:51:54, 2:51:55]: Period. [2:51:56, 2:52:16]: Right? Because the only way you said you want to do that is to fund it through Splus. If you do that and our allotment is gonna be somewhere around thirty million dollars in the next PLOS, you just spent ninety percent of your splus on one thing when that ain't ninety percent, man. That's twenty percent and there's ten million left over, right? Right. [2:52:16, 2:52:23]: So when you talk about wanting to pave roads, fix intersection, fix water sewer infrastructures, fix raging buildings, what is the priority? [2:52:25, 2:52:32]: Right? What's the priority? That's something we're gonna have to discuss at a later date when we now get into the splots discussions coming up in November. [2:52:32, 2:52:33]: Right. [2:52:34, 2:52:38]: We're gonna have are we gonna look at broad categories facilities. [2:52:39, 2:52:40]: Roads. [2:52:41, 2:52:46]: And whatever else we need and say, Okay, how do we want to a lot? What's gonna be estimated? [2:52:47, 2:52:56]: Right, in those categories. Are we gonna put all our eggs in this one category and be and go with that? And if the voters approve it, then we move forward. [2:52:56, 2:53:02]: Or are we gonna look and fruitly look at how we continue the one we just talked about the discussion? [2:53:03, 2:53:07]: Pave and fix those roads and sidewalks and those communities that we just got that we keep getting calls on. [2:53:09, 2:53:09]: Right. [2:53:10, 2:53:11]: How are we gonna do that? [2:53:11, 2:53:15]: And what what that's gonna amount to once we start looking at those estimated costs. [2:53:16, 2:53:16]: Right. [2:53:17, 2:53:20]: You still have some deferred maintenance on some of the billings that you have now. [2:53:21, 2:53:22]: They still have to be addressed. [2:53:23, 2:53:24]: Right? Are we gonna do that? [2:53:25, 2:53:26]: Are we gonna put money [2:53:27, 2:53:34]: Today and any new facilities that we want to get built, because there's two of those on the wish list it's the performing arts and there's also the recreation center. [2:53:34, 2:53:35]: Right. [2:53:36, 2:53:44]: And if we can continue to find and go after whatever funding we can to continue to whittle down that m that deficit. [2:53:44, 2:53:46]: Then we do that and we are looking at that. [2:53:47, 2:53:47]: I [2:53:48, 2:53:51]: But we also have to ask ourselves and to be prudent. [2:53:51, 2:53:52]: Right. [2:53:53, 2:54:05]: It's just is these things the right things at this time for us to be looking at funding? And that's a conversation we need to have at a later date,'cause the goal is not to get into all of that at this meeting, but that's a discussion we're gonna have to have. [2:54:06, 2:54:06]: Right. [2:54:07, 2:54:09]: As I told my staff at the beginning. [2:54:10, 2:54:18]: I get it. I'm asking you to present your needs, but I also know that somebody's gonna put some wants in there, and our goal is to riddle down the wants to the needs. [2:54:19, 2:54:27]: Right. And that's how we're gonna have to look at those. What's our need? What's the highest and best use? What's gonna get the most use bang for the buck for the residents? Period. [2:54:28, 2:54:31]: But that discussion gonna happen at a later date. So no, we didn't go down into the [2:54:32, 2:54:36]: you know, line item to to look at that issue. Um [2:54:37, 2:54:47]: So when you see before you here is it this operational cost and and remember I'm gonna show you something in the next slide coming up. They're just gonna kinda look at addressing that. But I'm gonna let um [2:54:48, 2:55:08]: And talk a little bit about the debt. Thank you, sir. And Councilwoman Barber, the$26 million that's in this presentation, that's just operations of the general fund. Capital is held held handled in SPLOSS, T SPLOSS. That's not part of this presentation. This is just a general operating account. [2:55:08, 2:55:12]: The slide before you now is showing a four year history of your journal fund. [2:55:12, 2:55:13]: Remember when um [2:55:14, 2:55:29]: we've talked for years, you had a really big general fund fund balance. And so if you look at the first column, twenty nineteen, you had a fund balance of eighteen million. That year you added it actually to it, it would ended at nineteen million two forty. [2:55:30, 2:55:36]: Notice the percent of your annual budget was two hundred and eighteen percent. So you had two times your annual budget. [2:55:36, 2:55:54]: And that was uh much larger than the average. You all made a conscious decision you would draw that down over time. It was way too much that you didn't need to have that much. So the next year, twenty twenty, you can see we drew down about two million of it. It's down to a hundred and ninety one percent of your annual budget. [2:55:55, 2:55:57]: Or twenty two months of reserves. [2:55:57, 2:56:02]: In twenty one you can see we fell to sixteen million and that was um [2:56:02, 2:56:13]: uh 18 months, 151% are 18 months, and then in twenty-two, the naudited results is it's fallen to twelve million dollars. That's sixty-six percent of the budget or eight months. [2:56:13, 2:56:16]: Now um if I go back a slide [2:56:17, 2:56:21]: You can see the operating budget for twenty four is twenty six million. [2:56:21, 2:56:28]: So twelve million on twenty six million is a little bit less than fifty percent. So that's about six months of reserves. [2:56:28, 2:56:37]: And so if you'll look at this slide, if you don't have any property taxes at all, you'll spend another six million of that twelve million dollar balance. [2:56:37, 2:56:45]: Um staff and me as your financial advisor don't want you to do that. We would like you to not spend any more fund balance. Why is that? [2:56:46, 2:56:50]: Well, so your fund balance exists as savings to help you carry [2:56:50, 2:57:10]: The budget when you have low, low revenue months. And so some cities and counties and school boards that do not have a big fund balance, they have to issue something called tax anticipation notes. They call them TANS. You have to go to the bank, you have to borrow money, and it's like going to your credit card and borrowing money to pay the mortgage and the Georgia Power. [2:57:10, 2:57:15]: power bill and then when you get caught up maybe you get a bonus and then you pay that off. [2:57:15, 2:57:19]: Governments use tax anticipation notes for cash flow. It's costly. [2:57:20, 2:57:31]: Uh is the Federal Reserve raised rates last year, a tan now, Fulton County, I just did two hundred million dollar tan for Fulton County, the interest rate was three point eight percent and and they have a double A credit rating. [2:57:32, 2:57:36]: And so you would like to avoid having to do tax anticipation notes if you can. [2:57:37, 2:57:44]: And so if you can have a fund balance of about six months, which is what you have now, you can avoid having to do a tax anticipation note. [2:57:44, 2:57:50]: If you levy the one point nine oh four mills, you're still gonna spend three million dollars of fund balance. [2:57:50, 2:58:10]: And remember this revenue item, the nineteen million, it has in it the extra money that we're getting from local option sales tax because of the property that we annexed. These property tax revenue numbers include the annexed area. So your one mil of property tax went from a million two hundred thousand per one mil to a million eight hundred thousand. [2:58:10, 2:58:12]: per one mil because of the annexed area. [2:58:13, 2:58:26]: And so option number three ho hold on right there. Let's if I can see this is where I wanna make it extremely clear to the public. Uh uh the one point [2:58:27, 2:58:30]: nine zero four meals is already being paid. [2:58:31, 2:58:38]: They pay that now. Yes, sir. There's not that one point and I want you to make that clear to them is that [2:58:38, 2:58:58]: The 1.904 is already being paid. Now, since we have moved forward with our own police services, we'll need to recoup that money, collect that money on our own. They've been paying it to the county. So basically, we that money would be taken off the county account and it will be moved. [2:58:58, 2:59:06]: So that's not that 1.09 is not a new tax. That's correct, right? Yes, sir. That is correct. All right. Thank you. [2:59:08, 2:59:15]: And so with three point seven seven mils, you'll only spend fifty four thousand dollars of fund balance. [2:59:15, 2:59:20]: Remember this is a twenty four budget, so I mean we're doing the best we can to [2:59:21, 2:59:24]: to to to estimate what it is and so [2:59:24, 2:59:35]: Even though that shows it negative fifty four, that's about a balanced budget at three point seven seven mils. And then four mils would actually help you add about a half million dollars to your fund balance. [2:59:35, 2:59:39]: And and again we're real quick before while we're talking about this. [2:59:40, 3:00:00]: This is the 2024 budget. The council took a bold move and transferred funding from that reserve, as you indicated, to cover 2023. Is that correct? Yes, sir. So in essence, we're talking about a future budget for the year 2024. Our budget runs with the calendar. [3:00:00, 3:00:14]: calendar year correct. So we're talking about next year. We're not talking about what would be happen uh uh on this particular year. We're talking about what would happen next year. We're talking about levying the property tax this summer. [3:00:14, 3:00:15]: This summer. [3:00:16, 3:00:18]: And the residents would pay it December twentieth. [3:00:19, 3:00:22]: But that covers your twenty four fiscal year. [3:00:22, 3:00:38]: Right. That's that's that's what that we have multiple proposals to pick from which here, which is option number two, which is as well, which does not include a property tax. It includes one point oh nine and collecting what we've already what's already being paid to the county, is that correct? [3:00:39, 3:00:55]: Yes, but as you know that's still a I understand that. I just wanna make sure that that's one of the options. We certainly Well and that's and that's why it's portrayed here as option number two. Right. Right. I I understand right now where we are, there's a lot of res res residents that have been shell shocked by [3:00:55, 3:01:00]: the county assessment and any mention of anything in a to that kind of [3:01:00, 3:01:03]: It it perks uh us all up to understand that. [3:01:03, 3:01:23]: Until the county decides what they're going to do, which certainly uh they need to roll back that. They need to roll back it at the school board level and at the county level because the assessments that put the public has received, I've never heard a that much talk or chatter about people suffering. And people are suffering out there right now. [3:01:23, 3:01:43]: Right now. So certainly I want us to be very cognizant of that, the fact that we understand these residents have been paying all of their taxes to Henry County for the past decade or more, or more. I'd be interested to know when the last time the city had any type of tax at all. [3:01:43, 3:01:57]: all because what has really happened is this city has been able to be run. We haven't everybody else in the world has been in uh adding an additional raising millets. We haven't had any taxes in this city. [3:01:57, 3:02:14]: in decades. So we've been very fiscally uh responsible with not assessing our residents any tax. Well everybody else is going up on tax. We haven't taxed you at all, right? Correct. However however sir. [3:02:14, 3:02:26]: Certainly. We we we we added a police department that literally added millions of dollars to your general fund expenditure that cannot be covered by your sales tax alone. [3:02:27, 3:02:47]: Certainly and I I I understand that I just want residents to understand and yes where they've been for the past twenty years is that when they look at that assessment that they just got cause I hear people say stuff like oh they built that amphitheater, that's why the s the taxes are going up. We haven't charged you any taxes for the amphitheater. We built the amphitheater. [3:02:47, 3:03:07]: The amphitheater is has nothing to do with the tax assessment that you just received from the county because the city does not charge you a millage for that for the for our facility. So let's put that to rest to everybody out there tuning in. The assessment that you just got is [3:03:06, 3:03:22]: 100% to Henry County. Stock Ridge does not have a property tax at this time. And no, us building the amphitheater did not have anything to do with the county uh sending you the assessment that they just did. Thank you. [3:03:24, 3:03:27]: Yes, sir. I think yeah, go ahead, Ms. Gantt. Thank you. Um [3:03:29, 3:03:34]: First I wanna apologize. I just got off a plane. I was in federal court in New York all day on a trial. [3:03:35, 3:03:37]: So I got off the plane and I headed here. [3:03:37, 3:03:39]: And I've been watching and listening. [3:03:40, 3:03:41]: And I'm glad I made it to this point. [3:03:42, 3:03:45]: And I haven't had an opportunity to speak, but I heard you talk about the art center. [3:03:46, 3:03:51]: I beg to differ. I think my statement in regards to the Art Center is that [3:03:53, 3:03:55]: We want [3:03:55, 3:04:02]: We deserve, we want the best, so we need to hold m a my opinion hold off until we can afford it. [3:04:02, 3:04:13]: Right? In so many words, hold off until we can afford it. Whether it's thirty five million, thirty million, hopefully the prices go down. At that time, construction was extremely expensive. [3:04:14, 3:04:24]: I can see it twinkling a little bit. It may not go back down to where it used to be, but let's be reasonable and within reason. And there's no way I would ever agree. [3:04:24, 3:04:28]: It would be totally irresponsible of anyone on this council. [3:04:28, 3:04:30]: To agree to build one building, [3:04:30, 3:04:31]: An art center. [3:04:32, 3:04:33]: Although I love the arts. [3:04:33, 3:04:49]: for thirty five million and then have ten million left for soil and water, ten million left for our infrastructure, for our roads when people are in dire need. There is no way as we continue to grow with more townhomes and apartment complexes and more subdivisions. There is no way. [3:04:50, 3:04:51]: That's number one. [3:04:52, 3:04:53]: Number two. [3:04:54, 3:05:14]: This is not a surprise. We have been stating this over and over again. I've spoken with Council Councilman Blount and myself have discussed and talked about this. This right before we had and added a police department. No one had denied that we would have to levy a tax. [3:05:14, 3:05:23]: At that point in time, we discussed, I believe it was like 3.5 mils. If it's if if if I'm wrong, you guys can let me know I'm wrong. [3:05:24, 3:05:27]: I don't, we are not here. [3:05:28, 3:05:35]: To continue to go in our fund balance. For years, I've been on this council since 2014. [3:05:36, 3:05:56]: We have had a healthy fund balance. And yes, no, just because you have a healthy fund bal balance doesn't mean that you should always, you know, hold all of that money, right? There are things we're supposed to do. We are supposed to do splash projects. We are supposed to spend money on things to help improve the quality of life for our cit for our [3:05:55, 3:06:05]: Our commu constituents. And that's exactly what we did. But there is also a halt. And 25%, as we've always stated, is just too low. [3:06:05, 3:06:07]: Ви канафор та риск. [3:06:08, 3:06:11]: Yes, it is a rollback. We get a rollback from [3:06:12, 3:06:12]: Um [3:06:13, 3:06:13]: The [3:06:14, 3:06:15]: County. [3:06:15, 3:06:21]: We do. So it bounces out. But we also look at other responsibilities. Yes, Councilman Alexander is correct. [3:06:22, 3:06:29]: It has nothing to do with the amphitheater. We paid for that as a splash project. That's our capital project. It's a totally separate fund. [3:06:30, 3:06:50]: And any constituent or anybody who wants and has a question and needs to ask us in regards to the difference between lost and transportation tax and what we spend on that, we have now we have different revenues. We have different revenues to spend certain funds, but we still need to be financially responsible. Our constituents elected us to be. [3:06:49, 3:06:54]: be financially responsible. I challenge us to be financially responsible. [3:06:55, 3:07:00]: I can't imagine if our police budget is eight million and I'm thinking that's way high. [3:07:01, 3:07:04]: And then I look at a chart and it shows that ours is low. [3:07:05, 3:07:07]: What it's gonna take to get us to the level [3:07:08, 3:07:10]: Where everyone else is based off of that population. [3:07:11, 3:07:12]: If needed. [3:07:14, 3:07:14]: We [3:07:15, 3:07:17]: Said this was coming. [3:07:17, 3:07:20]: I'm not gonna say I told you so. I'm gonna tell you I told you so. [3:07:21, 3:07:34]: And we told you so over and over and over again, whether it was in debate forums, whether it was during the campaign and everybody went to politic or whatever the case may be, we told you so. [3:07:35, 3:07:45]: I'm not gonna sugarcoat it to the constituents. I'm not gonna hide it. There is a need and it's unfortunate. I hate that. I have spoke I've stated it over and over again. [3:07:47, 3:07:49]: Nothing against the police department. [3:07:50, 3:08:06]: But once we get a police department, our responsibilities in regards to property taxes, we have to have one. We have to levy it. And we'll still be in the hole if we do the one point nine oh four mil. We'll still be in the hole. We can't afford that. [3:08:07, 3:08:09]: We don't need to be in the hole. [3:08:10, 3:08:12]: We have to do what's right. [3:08:13, 3:08:14]: Even if it hurts. [3:08:15, 3:08:17]: Even if we have to take responsibility for it. [3:08:19, 3:08:19]: And that's it. [3:08:21, 3:08:41]: Mayor. Thank you. I would like to respond. I just wanted to point out Mayor the standby please. Go go ahead and go ahead and do that. Yes, sir. Mayor the the chart, if y'all would see it. I just wanted you to see the millage rates of the other cities that have police departments, like Griffin's is six point two mills, Duluth is six point five, Dalton's eight mills, Douglasville is seven. [3:08:41, 3:08:43]: seven mils, you're at zero. [3:08:44, 3:09:04]: And then Shamley is six point two five. I could give you more of'em. College Parks thirteen. Hateville sixteen and a half. Decatur's twenty. Um here in your community zero. Um your millage rate will be a small percentage of a residence tax bill. The school board's twenty three point six mills. I know. [3:09:04, 3:09:14]: They got twenty mills plus a bond millage rate. The county levies uh eight and a half mills for um general operations. Um [3:09:15, 3:09:20]: The county is eight point six nine nine mils for general for general operations. Um [3:09:21, 3:09:25]: Um one point nine oh four for police, one point two one one for fire. [3:09:26, 3:09:45]: Point six oh one for recreation, point three one eight for the unincorporated code enforcement. And so you can see your millage rate, whatever y'all decide, is gonna be a small, small percentage of the overall taxpayers bill. I apologize to you, Mr. Alexander, and you no actually mister Thank you, Ed. Mr. Plunk, go ahead, please. [3:09:46, 3:09:54]: Uh thank you for that uh presentation, Mr. Walls. Um one of the things I has been saying because [3:09:55, 3:09:58]: We have a police department now. Exactly. [3:09:58, 3:10:02]: But Mr. Walls, you came to us prior to that decision being made. [3:10:03, 3:10:08]: And you explained to this counsel what it would take not to start a police department. [3:10:08, 3:10:10]: But you talked to us about sustainability. [3:10:11, 3:10:12]: For a police department. [3:10:13, 3:10:18]: You talked to us then about the decisions that was gonna be made to implement a police department. [3:10:19, 3:10:21]: And one of the things that you told us. [3:10:21, 3:10:23]: That resonated. [3:10:23, 3:10:26]: That you knew our city attorney at the time knew [3:10:27, 3:10:35]: Our city manager, Mr. Knight knew, uh finance uh treasurer knew is that a tax, and you clearly told us. [3:10:36, 3:10:41]: When you start this police department, a tax is gonna have to be implemented to sustain it. [3:10:42, 3:10:43]: I ask you [3:10:43, 3:10:52]: Mr. Knighting, and I asked our treasurer to do uh a uh a budget analysis for me from 2019 to 2024. [3:10:53, 3:10:54]: And when you all did that [3:10:55, 3:10:59]: It was on point because by twenty twenty four our budget doubled. [3:11:01, 3:11:02]: It doubled. [3:11:03, 3:11:10]: To have a police department to sustain it right now. When I came on this council, our budget was around twelve million dollars. [3:11:11, 3:11:14]: And it costs almost that much to sustain a police department. [3:11:15, 3:11:16]: Eight me now. [3:11:17, 3:11:23]: And what's gonna hap and what's gonna happen, those those numbers don't go down. They normally go up. Yes, because of inflation. [3:11:24, 3:11:36]: And what happens is that well since we started a police department, I think that what we should have done is got the citizens involved on what we was gonna have to do to subs to to sustain a police department. [3:11:37, 3:11:38]: Because [3:11:39, 3:11:44]: When a police department was voted on for three milyen dollars to start it. [3:11:44, 3:11:49]: The first time Councilwoman got and I knew about it was at the council meeting that it was gonna happen. [3:11:52, 3:11:54]: And so what I'm waiting to see [3:11:54, 3:11:56]: Туда труатисхол процес. [3:11:58, 3:12:04]: I wanna see the people that got us into this continue to make the votes to carry us through this. [3:12:05, 3:12:06]: That's what I want to see. [3:12:07, 3:12:10]: So thank you for giving me that information, knowing [3:12:11, 3:12:14]: That in order for us to have this police department, you told us before it was started. [3:12:15, 3:12:17]: That a tax will have to be levyed on the citizens. [3:12:18, 3:12:22]: And that message didn't make it to the citizens. [3:12:22, 3:12:24]: Mr. Alexander, go ahead, please. [3:12:25, 3:12:30]: Let me just say this again. I will go to my grave and I would make that vote a million times more. [3:12:31, 3:12:51]: I would never change it. It was the right decision then. It's the right decision now. It takes courage to be up here. And you got to make bold decisions in order to protect the city. It was the right decision to make. All of the people, all of the uh departments that you mentioned, the cities that you mentioned on there, they have their own police department. [3:12:51, 3:13:02]: don't they? Yes sir. There's a reason that they have their own police department. Because public safety is the top priority for everybody. The coverage that we were receiving from the county was not sufficient. [3:13:03, 3:13:12]: The city was becoming less safe over time. And we've been able to make that decision and again I'd make that decision. I would not change a thing. [3:13:13, 3:13:32]: Now, it is a false narrative to say that that information did not get to the citizen. Mr. Blount, you told the citizen that 50 times, a hundred times at every time we talked about it, every meeting. Miss Gantt did the same thing. You did it on social media next door. You told them at every opportunity. You went on TV, told them that. [3:13:32, 3:13:52]: Uh when Mr. Tom Jones came out here, you told him the same thing that the city would have to implement that possibly implement a tax. We're we're at that crossroads where we have to make a decision right now. But there are options on there where we might not have to do a tax. Now, whether we choose to choose that option or not is up to this council. We could take three million. [3:13:52, 3:14:03]: billion dollars out of the fund balance and not implement a tax. We certainly have that option. Whether we choose to do that or not, it's totally up to this council on what we choose to do. [3:14:04, 3:14:24]: Because again, the county and the requisite is twenty-five percent fund balance. We' significantly over twenty-five percent. But in the end, again, I uh what are you saying? Well are you saying that we shouldn't have a police department now? I'm never gonna say that. I would never say that we made the wrong decision. [3:14:24, 3:14:44]: And not having a police department. We made the right decision. Because if we did not make that decision at that time, we would not have Chief Tramer. We would not have 50 plus officers on our streets here today. I will go to my grave standing by that decision and I would make the same vote today and every [3:14:44, 3:14:48]: Every other time because this city is safer because of the vote that we made. [3:14:50, 3:14:53]: Okay, stand by please. Mrs. Gantt, Ms. Gantt. [3:14:53, 3:14:55]: Alright. [3:14:56, 3:14:57]: Um Councilman Alexander? [3:14:59, 3:15:19]: I beg to differ. I think that the Herring County Police Department did a great job and I don't think crime was increasing. In fact, the data showed all the time that the crime actually the last report that the crime had reduced and the reporting time was pretty much the same as we're getting reports now. No one is saying that we are against the police department. [3:15:19, 3:15:26]: We've said that from day one. This is not political. I am not here campaigning. I'm not up here for reelection. [3:15:27, 3:15:30]: What we're saying and what I'm saying and what I've always said. [3:15:31, 3:15:32]: Yes. [3:15:32, 3:15:40]: I'm not against the police department, but I am against at this point in time, because of where the com our economy is. [3:15:41, 3:15:43]: Our constituents. [3:15:43, 3:15:46]: being text. But that happened. [3:15:47, 3:15:48]: And is spoiled milk. [3:15:50, 3:15:56]: Now we can't afford not to implement a tax. We cannot afford to do that. [3:15:56, 3:15:59]: It would be financially irresponsible of us. [3:16:00, 3:16:01]: You know it? [3:16:01, 3:16:02]: And I know it. [3:16:03, 3:16:05]: Unfortunately [3:16:05, 3:16:13]: And I applaud our police department every chance I get. And I tell the story of how I didn't want a police department. I talked to the chief and told him why. [3:16:14, 3:16:21]: I don't sugarcoat it, I haven't hit it, and you can find it on any social media that I've written about it and stated it. You are absolutely correct. [3:16:23, 3:16:24]: But steel. [3:16:26, 3:16:29]: Вирган такс. [3:16:29, 3:16:32]: There's no need to debate it and apologize at this point. [3:16:34, 3:16:36]: It is what it is. [3:16:37, 3:16:38]: Let's be realistic. [3:16:39, 3:16:43]: And let's vote, let's decide what that meal is gonna be. [3:16:43, 3:16:45]: That's where we are today. And no [3:16:46, 3:16:47]: I'm sorry. [3:16:47, 3:16:56]: We're not willing to take another three million out of fund balance. We need to save at this point. We've spent a lot of money. [3:16:56, 3:16:57]: Quickly. [3:16:59, 3:17:05]: And growing. I don't know what the proposed budget for our police department is for next year. [3:17:05, 3:17:06]: I have no clue. [3:17:08, 3:17:28]: I'm totally not against the police department. And our Henry County Police Department did a fine job too. One of the things some cities said is, boy, I wish I remember Mayor Billy Copeland saying that to me one time. You, Stockbridge, did one of the smartest things, and if I ever, if I could take back anything, [3:17:28, 3:17:31]: it would be that McDonough had their own police department. [3:17:32, 3:17:36]: Now that's spoiled milk. We are here. We have a police department. [3:17:37, 3:17:40]: What we're talking about is what is that millage rate gonna be? [3:17:41, 3:18:01]: The community is in an uproar. I'm in an uproar. We all are. Our county taxes have increased tremendously. Every single person in here has a bill that has skyrocketed. When asked what that bill and why has it increased, it increased because of the school tax. [3:18:01, 3:18:21]: Tax. Not because of a county, not because of um uh whatever the h Henry County schools. And so we need to ask Henry County Schools, the board of education, why we have this tax increase on that. But that has nothing to do with the city and our spending and what we have to do. Yes, we get a rollback. [3:18:21, 3:18:22]: So [3:18:22, 3:18:24]: Hopefully our constituents understand. [3:18:25, 3:18:30]: Part of the county taxes that you pay, you were paying police services for Henry County Police Services. [3:18:31, 3:18:35]: That money will now be rolled back, and so we will be levying a tax. [3:18:37, 3:18:45]: on the police services, which means there's a deduction from that side, meaning county should lowered a little bit. But that doesn't mean [3:18:46, 3:18:47]: That we [3:18:47, 3:18:52]: are in the clear. Once again, four meals gets us in the clear. [3:18:53, 3:19:04]: Three point five is it or three mils gets us three point seven seven. Three point seven seven has us spending about fifty four thousand fifty four thousand out of our fund balance. [3:19:06, 3:19:07]: Now these are [3:19:08, 3:19:16]: Are are are accurate numbers. And the reason why they're accurate, this was discussed, this was discussed. [3:19:16, 3:19:18]: A couple years ago. [3:19:18, 3:19:24]: And here we are now. At that time when it was discussed, it was said it's not gonna happen. It's not true. [3:19:25, 3:19:28]: Oh no, the police budget is not gonna be that much. [3:19:29, 3:19:32]: All of those things were said. You can go play the tapes. [3:19:34, 3:19:36]: And here we are. [3:19:37, 3:19:42]: And so we need to stop debating. This is not political. [3:19:42, 3:19:46]: This is not oh politics, we're fighting no. [3:19:47, 3:19:54]: It's time to decide what this meal is gonna be because we have to have this in by when? June or July? [3:19:55, 3:20:11]: Uh July and and as I go through the slides I'll I'll give you that chronological on the step by step of how if that was to happen with the law needs to happen. I haven't finished with the presentation yet. Okay. So once we decide make that decision, this has to go ahead and get in. So we have to go ahead and vote for this. We have to decide [3:20:11, 3:20:18]: Are we gonna be financially responsible or are we gonna do this to shy away because we're worried about we're not we won't get reelected again? [3:20:18, 3:20:38]: That's what that's what we really need to decide. No, that's not a point of order. That's the truth. He has a point of order, but it's the truth. But okay. Let's let's do this. Mr. Gardner, my understanding is and I know you I say you're gonna cover this. It's a discussion and you go through the process, but before we even take a vote, I believe it's some type of public. [3:20:38, 3:20:57]: public hearings and things of town halls and informational sessions we have to go through before we make a vote. So we're not voting on this tonight. This is an information pony for discussion, is what I thought. And that's part of that process that you're gonna cover further on into this briefing in the presentation. Okay. Sta sta okay stand by please. Miss Beanna, you done with your comment? I am. Okay. Mr Blount. [3:20:58, 3:21:00]: Um I I just want to say this. [3:21:02, 3:21:05]: One of the things that I I talk about process. [3:21:06, 3:21:14]: I talked about this process of the police. We have a police department now. The ball has been rolling. And the greatest thing that we could ever do on this diets. [3:21:15, 3:21:29]: is to vote to support this police department and vote to fund it in a way that it keeps our officers in this city safe. We can't change it now. We can't stop how it be came about. We can only move forward. I agree with that tot totally. [3:21:31, 3:21:32]: But as Mr. Alexander did say. [3:21:34, 3:21:36]: I wanted us to let the citizens know. [3:21:37, 3:21:39]: What was going to happen? [3:21:40, 3:21:46]: when this police department came online. And the reason John Blount kept saying so many times [3:21:47, 3:21:58]: It's gonna have to be a tax is because it was told to me by everybody that knew, our financial advisor, our city manager at the time and our treasurer, that we can't do it without one. [3:22:00, 3:22:02]: And the reason I said it so much [3:22:02, 3:22:08]: Because it was contrary to what was being said on what I was saying. I'm saying we're gonna have to have a tax. [3:22:09, 3:22:12]: And you got other elected bodies saying no tax. [3:22:14, 3:22:15]: No tax. [3:22:16, 3:22:20]: Even as a few weeks ago on the TV, on the on the on the news, there's no tax. [3:22:21, 3:22:23]: And we talk about transparency. [3:22:25, 3:22:45]: I'm talking about transparency. I'm not saying we didn't need a police department. I'm just talking about the process where we went. Every s if we talk about, we can go ahead and talk about this and talk about that, knowing that if we're gonna inform the citizens, let them know the decisions we're making have the implications behind. [3:22:45, 3:22:52]: It the sustainability was gonna need it behind it, and everybody nobody's in the blind. I got people right now. [3:22:53, 3:23:02]: Saying, hey, you guys getting down. There's no tax, you you you all got a police. No, no. We're gonna have to implement a tax to subs to to sustain this police department. [3:23:03, 3:23:06]: And it's nothing contrary to what was already told to us. [3:23:07, 3:23:12]: I'm not saying I'm I'm never gonna say I was against the police department when we had our retreats. [3:23:13, 3:23:15]: That was one of the things we wanted to do. [3:23:16, 3:23:24]: But we didn't know that three council members were gonna sit here and pay three, three million dollars to start it without us getting together and saying, hey, how do we need to go about doing it? [3:23:26, 3:23:28]: That's that that was the process. [3:23:30, 3:23:38]: So informing the citizens and this city coming together and moving about it the right way. But now we're we're here now, and this is what we have. [3:23:39, 3:23:42]: We have it right now at a time. [3:23:43, 3:23:50]: Well I know my taxes are going up. We just implemented up up in uh monies for public works uh services. [3:23:51, 3:23:54]: I'm just saying if if it's got to be paid. [3:23:54, 3:24:01]: And if it's going to be paid at a time we implement anything, whereas a police but it's just letting the citizens know. [3:24:02, 3:24:09]: We don't put the cart before the horse, and I believe we did that in this instance. But now we need to make whatever decisions we need we need to make. [3:24:09, 3:24:13]: to not only put our city back in the financial give it more financial strength [3:24:14, 3:24:17]: But also to support this police department the way it needs to be supported. [3:24:18, 3:24:38]: Mr. Ann Silent, you got it next. Can we make it short so we can move on with presentation? Sorry, Mayor Pro Tem is headed up. I didn't see your hand. Go ahead, Mayor Pro Tem. My hand has been raised. I didn't see your hand, Mayor Pro Tem. Go ahead, please. Perhaps you need to look on this end. Mayor Pro Tem, I didn't see him. I'm trying to be as respectful as I possibly can, but I see you are not. [3:24:38, 3:24:45]: being respectful. Nonetheless. [3:24:46, 3:24:47]: Oh boy. [3:24:48, 3:24:50]: So I wanted to mention [3:24:50, 3:24:52]: about bonding. [3:24:53, 3:24:55]: Mr. Wall when he came here. [3:24:55, 3:24:57]: Um last year. [3:24:57, 3:25:03]: When we discussed the plans for how we would fund the police department. And let us not forget. [3:25:04, 3:25:09]: The seven milion dollars that was needed to complete the construction of the anfitter. [3:25:10, 3:25:12]: Because of the cost overruns. [3:25:12, 3:25:15]: When I came here, I inherited. [3:25:15, 3:25:19]: Алат бад десин бадис кансу. [3:25:20, 3:25:22]: All the cost overruns. [3:25:22, 3:25:24]: From the amphitheater. [3:25:24, 3:25:27]: We were already in the home seven million dollars. [3:25:28, 3:25:38]: This council approved well, myself and two other council members approved a twenty five million dollar bond. Is that correct, Mr. Wall? Yes, ma'am. [3:25:39, 3:25:41]: You walked us through several scenarios. [3:25:42, 3:25:47]: Они сев мільйон долар то комплекта конструкціонев, амфітер. [3:25:47, 3:25:50]: Three milyen dollars for the start-up of the police department. [3:25:51, 3:25:52]: One miljon dollar. [3:25:53, 3:25:54]: To fund the master trail plan. [3:25:55, 3:25:56]: And the other fourteen million. [3:25:56, 3:25:59]: For the construction of the Cultural Arts Center. Yes, ma'am. [3:25:59, 3:26:02]: We know that we can't move forward with the Culture Arts Center right now. [3:26:03, 3:26:03]: Yeah. [3:26:04, 3:26:06]: As it pertains to this police department. [3:26:07, 3:26:10]: Even the plan that you brought to us, we only considered [3:26:10, 3:26:12]: The population [3:26:12, 3:26:16]: Of residents that were in the city at that time. [3:26:16, 3:26:17]: It did not include [3:26:18, 3:26:21]: The newly annexed residents as of [3:26:22, 3:26:22]: This year. [3:26:23, 3:26:23]: That's right. [3:26:23, 3:26:31]: Okay, so can we start from that point? Because I believe here in this budget you showed [3:26:32, 3:26:35]: Stockbridge Police Department with its population. [3:26:36, 3:26:38]: Of thirty five thousand. [3:26:39, 3:26:46]: thirty five thousand includes those newly annexed residents as of january twenty twenty three. Is that correct? [3:26:47, 3:26:50]: Yes, ma'am. Okay. So does this police annual budget? [3:26:50, 3:26:58]: This eight million dollars, it includes the newly annexed residents as of January twenty twenty three, correct? [3:26:59, 3:27:05]: When we originally bonded the three million dollars, we did not take in account [3:27:05, 3:27:06]: Any [3:27:06, 3:27:08]: Increase in population. [3:27:10, 3:27:13]: So let's start there. Let's be real transparent about what we're doing here. [3:27:14, 3:27:20]: 'Cause what I'm not going to be accused of is being fiscally irresponsible and lying to the people. [3:27:21, 3:27:21]: Mm. [3:27:22, 3:27:25]: I have told every resident that I've spoken with. [3:27:26, 3:27:27]: You're already paying. [3:27:28, 3:27:30]: A tax for public safety. [3:27:30, 3:27:32]: That tax is being paid to the county. [3:27:33, 3:27:40]: Now that the city has started its own police department, you will continue to pay for public safety. [3:27:41, 3:27:43]: Those funds will now just be directed. [3:27:44, 3:27:45]: To the city. [3:27:45, 3:27:47]: To fund the police department. [3:27:48, 3:27:54]: Of course, we have blown through um our fund balance. You got this ampitator. [3:27:55, 3:27:56]: with no funding source. [3:27:57, 3:27:58]: It's draining. [3:27:58, 3:28:01]: It's draining our fund balance, but y'all don't want to talk about that. [3:28:02, 3:28:06]: So we'll just stick with this narrative of the police department. [3:28:06, 3:28:09]: Із вот'нин а фун баланс. [3:28:10, 3:28:10]: I hope [3:28:11, 3:28:15]: that when we do have our mid-year budget review [3:28:15, 3:28:16]: That you include [3:28:16, 3:28:21]: All the financial surrounding the operations of this amphitheater. [3:28:22, 3:28:24]: Be transparent about that. [3:28:24, 3:28:27]: As well as this police department. [3:28:27, 3:28:27]: And [3:28:28, 3:28:30]: all of the operation costs associated with it. [3:28:31, 3:28:33]: That's all. Miss Alexander, please. [3:28:34, 3:28:54]: Let me uh uh applaud Mayor Pro Tem on her breakdown of sixty seven hundred extra citizens were actually not considered during that time and obviously that funding uh that's what has put an extra burden on the police department. That's the crunch that we're in right now. [3:28:54, 3:29:09]: 'cause what we decided to do was to start the police department with what we had. But you know, like I said, I would make that vote again a hundred times. How did we how why did those residents vote to come into the city? One of the main selling points were [3:29:09, 3:29:29]: We have our own police department, right? That was one of the main things that we were able to tell them at the town halls when they were considering how they were gonna vote, is that we had our own police services and our own police protection for the city. I will disagree with the assessment of the amphitheater, however. [3:29:29, 3:29:49]: And I think, Mr. Gardner, you could kind of back that up. Because the percentage that the amphitheater actually represents the budget is is not is not that is not a significant portion uh of the budget. It is not as I'm I'm not arguing, I'm just saying it's not a significant portion of the budget. You start with the police. [3:29:49, 3:30:09]: Police department, you will go to the public works, you will go to other departments as well where the amphitheater is not that, is not that state. Also, when we plan the amphitheater, hold on one second, I want to interrupt you. All right, and I congratulated you. Now let's talk about the planning for the actual amphitheater itself. Part of the planning [3:30:09, 3:30:29]: Plan was Mr. Wall would be able to tell you is that we put we had civic projects in the SPLOSS budget where we were able to pay for a significant portion of the bond. So what we really did was when we bonded, when we decided the pavement plan for the amphitheater, we basically anticipated that we would have that. [3:30:29, 3:30:49]: That money being paid back through SPLOS. So the run the overruns that you're talking about are actually not were those overruns were actually being covered by those splot the SPLOS revenue that we had coming in because we have projected how much we were going to spend on the particular facility. [3:30:49, 3:31:09]: Of course, we went through one of the slowest periods of economic collapse in the country where we had the pandemic hit us at that particular time. But you know, there was a brilliant article that was written during that time in the AJC that said, where did this facility come from when every [3:31:09, 3:31:11]: Everybody was shut down. [3:31:11, 3:31:22]: We had uh the construction costs of the amphitheater when people were looking for projects and it was being constructed, the amphitheater was one of the only games in town where everybody else could not [3:31:23, 3:31:43]: move forward. We were moving forward and we didn't stop the progress. And I'm and I wanna just say that because in the end, three new restaurants are in downtown Stockbridge now because we built that facility. And I don't want to get dissuaded and saying that I certainly don't believe that the police department is blowing up our budget. As you said, we ate [3:31:43, 3:32:03]: At 6,700 new citizens. But I I wanna keep it in perspective and say what you have that right there in front of you, Mr. Gardner, is that it's not the amphitheater that's draining the budget. There's certainly a lot of things going on in terms of the overall cost. And every time we have the uh public works [3:32:03, 3:32:23]: So come before us, you know, we decided to give everybody$15 an hour because we know that the cost of living in this city, in this county, was uh actually increasing. We made we made sure that our employees were properly paid, that they could survive and live in this county. So we made some really good decisions and in the [3:32:22, 3:32:33]: end our fund balance now is higher than most cities in the state of Georgia. Is that not correct, Mr Mr Mr Mr I'm sorry, Mr. Lung isn't that correct? [3:32:33, 3:32:34]: So it um [3:32:35, 3:32:55]: It it used to be higher than most anybody. Mm-hmm. N now it's about average. About average, right? Yes. But it's still in good position, right? Six months is great. Yes. But the but but it but it hasn't really when you say it was higher than average because the budget was a lot lower. When I got on this council, the budget was eight million dollars. So the budget [3:32:55, 3:33:08]: budget has increased the eight million dollars, the police department does not represent uh the sixteen million dollars in its totality, the city has been growing with a growth cert with so many residents moving in. [3:33:09, 3:33:29]: And so many and the city growing. So let's say again, why when I joined the council, our first budget was like eight point six million dollars. We're at twenty-four going to twenty-six. Now you're saying that worst case scenario, the police department might represent seven or eight million dollars of that what we have on here in these projections. [3:33:29, 3:33:45]: Eight eight point two of twenty six. So we went from eight to twenty six. So if you add the police department budget at eight million dollars, that still leads the city's growing. Ten million dollars lead that leads to ten million dollar growth in other areas, correct? [3:33:46, 3:34:06]: Yes, sir. So the police budget is thirty two percent of your budget. Right. Because we we certainly understand that. And then again, uh as you say, it it the the at the one point oh nine, even if we did decide to implement option number two, which left us in a position where we had a fifty four thousand dollar [3:34:06, 3:34:26]: $54,000.$1.09 of that is already being paid. So in essence, we would be implementing maybe, let's say, one one point eight seven, maybe. No, I can't I want to do the math. 1.866. 1.866. [3:34:26, 3:34:46]: Because the the residents are already paying 1.904 already. So in essence, we would be the the the the end it would not be a 3.7 mil meal increase. It would only be a 1.866 mil increase if we decide to do that. So I don't want to get caught up in it as I [3:34:45, 3:35:05]: I told you it was going to be this. We are where we are. We made the correct decision in what we are doing in order to make this city safe. And I want to make sure that we keep it in perspective because our shining star out there is driving economic development in the city, which is the amphitheater. So what percentage of the budget does the amphitheater? [3:35:05, 3:35:08]: Theater represent Mr. Gardner. [3:35:08, 3:35:09]: I don't know. [3:35:10, 3:35:15]: I'm sure you've been working on that calculation while we've been talking. So [3:35:23, 3:35:24]: I can't see the mouse on this thing. [3:35:29, 3:35:30]: Mm-hmm. [3:35:31, 3:35:34]: So when you look at this chart this kind of give you an idea. [3:35:35, 3:35:44]: Um so covered in that sixteen percent is all of your debt service. So remember you're still paying for City Hall. [3:35:45, 3:35:50]: That's still on your dad. And we owe more on City Hall than we do on amphitheater, right? [3:35:50, 3:36:10]: I don't know what the amphitheater is one million a year. City Hall, I think is a m City Hall's about a million two. Right. And then the bonds for the Cultural Arts Center and the three million for the police equipment is like a million five. Mm-hmm. So sixteen percent is going to all your debt service that covers all of those all of those. Right, but the amphitheater represents a fraction of [3:36:10, 3:36:30]: It's probably around three to three percent, five percent. Well out of a hundred percent budget, the amphitheater represents three percent of that particular budget. Public safety thirty two, general fund government thirty one, public works, twenty-one percent. Yeah, we're talking about the that's why [3:36:30, 3:36:50]: I say we keep we we we skipping over that we always talk about public safe public safety and the amphitheater, but we don't talk about public work. And Mr. Aaron, I'm not beating you up. That's what that's what sustains the city. That's the infrastructure. But those are the budgetary items that where the money is going. We can't focus so much on 3%. [3:36:50, 3:37:02]: of the budget we should be focusing on the ninety-seven percent and that's my argument. Yes, we want to make sure that we're physically sound with the amphitheater, but the amphitheater is doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing. [3:37:02, 3:37:22]: It's driving economic development with frozen smokes open, carbecue open, Greenfront open, Angie's Cafe is open, several other new businesses are coming down here. So it's just like what Cobb County did when they invested$400 million in the in the Braves Stadium and it generated a billion dollars in economic development. [3:37:22, 3:37:38]: It's not gonna be be direct proportionately, it's gonna be our downtown filling up and the rest of the city surrounding it. So that's that that was my point. I'm done. Thank you, Mayor. Uh stand by please. Yes sir. Mr. Thomas, go ahead. Mr. Wallace, I'll be sure. Yes, sir. [3:37:38, 3:37:58]: I I just want to say, uh, Councilman Alexander, I'm I'm going to agree with your comprehensive outlook of where we are here in the city. But Mr. Walls, I just, you know, I want to thank you for always being uh honest and truthful and and bringing us the facts and the truth. And and I believe in the facts. [3:37:58, 3:38:00]: and the truth and we just have to deal with that. [3:38:01, 3:38:01]: Hmm. [3:38:02, 3:38:07]: But I I grew up here in the city of Stockbridge and and and I remember when [3:38:07, 3:38:13]: I remember when the city of Stockbridge had a police department. Uh course the city was much smaller. [3:38:15, 3:38:17]: But we are responsible for [3:38:18, 3:38:21]: Кретин а кваліті в лифт. [3:38:22, 3:38:42]: Municipal governments are always at a challenge. You go across this country, police departments, municipalities, there are always challenges. But it's up to the elected body and staff to be able to work. [3:38:42, 3:38:43]: That [3:38:43, 3:39:03]: But everything we do, and and I must say we have improved the quality of life in the city of Stockbridge. I I think um creating the police department was the right thing to do. Annexing in those citizens was the right thing to do. [3:39:03, 3:39:16]: Excuse me. Building the amphitheater was the right thing to do. And hopefully the path that we lay forward to make sure that we maintain and manage the city would be the right step to do. [3:39:16, 3:39:23]: But I don't think we c we can go back. I don't think we can hold back. And and and when it comes to the county [3:39:23, 3:39:26]: They gonna levy what they levy anyway. [3:39:26, 3:39:28]: That that's the counter, that's what they do. [3:39:29, 3:39:33]: I and and it has no we have no [3:39:34, 3:39:42]: responsibility to to what they do, um, they Henry County is one of the highest county tax anyway. [3:39:43, 3:39:58]: But but but my whole summation is I think we're doing a great job here in the city of Stockbridge. Uh I think we have increased the desire for citizens and businesses [3:40:00, 3:40:02]: That wants to come to the city of Stockbridge. [3:40:03, 3:40:05]: And it is a reason why. [3:40:05, 3:40:06]: For that. [3:40:07, 3:40:10]: And I think this is what we hang our hat on. [3:40:10, 3:40:13]: Yes, we have these challenges. [3:40:13, 3:40:24]: But it's up to all of us to work through rather than slinging mud and who who voted for the police department and who did this and who did that. [3:40:25, 3:40:45]: This is what municipal government is about. This is what elected officials are about. You're gonna always have a disagreement. You know, there's some items where we have consensus, but for the most part you don't. And I agree that the amphitheater has spurred on a lot when you [3:40:45, 3:41:05]: You hear the conversations. Um, and when we get to the point with the cultural arts, it's gonna do the very same. It's gonna be an economic driver. But yes, we have to get to that point. But I'm not disappointed, I'm not sorry about anything that we have done thus far in this city because I've seen. [3:41:04, 3:41:05]: Mm. [3:41:06, 3:41:07]: Where we come from. [3:41:09, 3:41:11]: And and I think it's positive. [3:41:11, 3:41:14]: And when you go out there and talk to the people. [3:41:14, 3:41:21]: They understand too, and people understand in order to have public safety, it's gonna cost. [3:41:22, 3:41:26]: When we had the issue with with all of the cars break in. [3:41:27, 3:41:30]: Folk was really upset about that. [3:41:31, 3:41:43]: But they understand that because we had the Stockbridge Police Department, that they felt a little better because we had that. Now I'm not gonna say too much about when Henry County was um [3:41:43, 3:42:03]: serving the city of Starkbridge. And there were some issues. And all of us here know that there were some issues about the increase in funding that they desired coming from the commissioners. Those are facts. So we almost didn't have a choice if we wanted to elevate [3:42:03, 3:42:07]: public safety in the city of Stockbridge. [3:42:08, 3:42:11]: And as we see what's going on across this country. [3:42:13, 3:42:16]: At some point we had to make this move here. [3:42:17, 3:42:28]: to be proactively making this move for public safety in the city of Stockbridge. We we should not have waited till something just happened and then forced us to do it. [3:42:29, 3:42:33]: But trust me and I believe that we're going to to to catch up. [3:42:34, 3:42:36]: And the other fact is [3:42:37, 3:42:43]: And I want the city clerk or the city manager to do this research and tell me when [3:42:44, 3:42:51]: The city had a city tax. Here we are in 2023. We still do not have a city tax. [3:42:52, 3:42:55]: Nineteen seventy seven was the last year y'all had a tax. [3:42:55, 3:42:58]: Nineteen seventy seven. Okay. [3:42:58, 3:42:59]: You well. [3:42:59, 3:43:19]: Okay,'cause I've been asking the question and and didn't nobody know. The reason why is if you remember nineteen seventy eight, the legislature passed the local option sales tax, the lost. Henry County implemented it and you could roll back all your taxes when you got the new sales tax. Right. And and and and I think we've done well. To be in this position here in twenty twenty three. [3:43:21, 3:43:26]: I think the city have done well even going back to the past elected officials. [3:43:27, 3:43:32]: To this day, right here in twenty twenty three, I think the city of Stockbridge has done well. [3:43:32, 3:43:35]: For forty five years you haven't had a property tax. [3:43:36, 3:43:38]: I'm just saying we have done well. [3:43:38, 3:43:42]: And and and and the response that we get from [3:43:42, 3:43:55]: Everyone. I was with um someone from Priestry City, Pea Street City just the other night and they talk, oh, y'all are doing such a great job. I I I may move to Stockbridge. [3:43:56, 3:44:16]: And this is the comment that we get all the time, all the time. So I'm just saying, I do not feel bad about anything and where we are going. I think we're doing a great job. We just have to buckle down and be a little bit more about doing the work. [3:44:17, 3:44:35]: See, that's the reason I was a little upset about folks where I I I I I don't read the contract, but I'm gonna leave that one alone. But I just wanna say that um we're we're doing pretty good in the city of Stockbridge. And and we really thank you for bringing us the facts and the figure. And don't never shy away from the truth and the facts. [3:44:35, 3:44:53]: We appreciate you giving that and we appreciate the due diligence of our staff, you know, in the trenches working. But I I feel good about uh our city. I really do. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. On that note, there Fred and all yeah, let's let's go forward with the rest of the presentation, please. Yes, sir. You want me to shoot through it. [3:44:57, 3:44:59]: Alrighty, so when we look at [3:45:00, 3:45:09]: Um the current what we we're looking at uh examples of housing prices throughout the city ranging from one hundred thousand to three hundred and seventy five. [3:45:09, 3:45:29]: Obviously, we know that when we're when you do a property tax, you're not taxed on 100% of your housing, you're taxed on 40% of that value. So the assessed value is 40% of the appraised value. So currently, um, when we talk about the 1.904, uh a home and this value [3:45:29, 3:45:41]: Valued assessed at that. It's paying seventy six dollars in property tax annually. [3:45:41, 3:45:46]: Um a home at one seventy five is paying about a hundred and thirty three dollars annually. [3:45:47, 3:46:07]: Um average home price in in Stockbridge is somewhere between one fifty and one hundred seventy five. They're paying around one hundred and seventy two to one hundred to two hundred nine dollars annually. And a home at the high end, which is at three seventy five, um pays about two hundred and eighty five dollars annually in property tax. And then you can see [3:46:07, 3:46:17]: across the miller's rates, um what that me what that means um if those millage rates was impro imposed, um what it would do for homes at those various prices, right? [3:46:18, 3:46:27]: And remember and at the bottom of that chart you see where McDonough has a three point zero zero mil, Hampton has a four point five mil. Um in Henry County [3:46:28, 3:46:30]: If you're in the city, is that ten point five five? [3:46:32, 3:46:34]: That's that's minus the one point oh nine. [3:46:37, 3:46:42]: So what does that typical house type look like? So that house that's valued at a hundred, that's what it looks like. [3:46:43, 3:46:49]: If you look at the four mills, uh at the nine mills, they're paying seventy six or thirty six or three dollars and thirty six cents a month. [3:46:49, 3:47:06]: If you look at a four mill, they're paying$160 or$13 a month. A home at$220 would be is currently paying$1713 a year,$1428 per month. At four would be paying three hundred and sixty. [3:47:06, 3:47:26]: I I just wanted to keep saying this as we say it again. It's the difference between it's not it's not the whole thing. It's the difference between one point oh nine and the destination, right? Because the one point oh nine of of that that that amount is already being paid now. [3:47:27, 3:47:45]: One point nine oh four is already being paid now. That is correct. So let's let's go let's work on the difference. It's it's annualized. But if you had to pay it, you're not gonna be paying with the difference you're paying the total. Right. The annualized total or the monthly total. And that's the reason why we did it this way rather than the other way. But it you are correct. [3:47:48, 3:48:08]: A home at that's valued at 275, currently under the 109, paying$209, about$17 a month,$209 a year. At four would be paying$440 or$36 a month,$440 a year. Um a home at$375 at 09 is paying$280,$85.60 a year, or$23. [3:48:08, 3:48:13]: three eighty a month at four we'd be paying six hundred a year or fifty dollars a month. [3:48:15, 3:48:26]: So when you look at your standby, ms uh Mr. Gardener Mr. Blount, go ahead, please. These values are also tax assessment values. That is correct. Is there a percentage taken off for it or added to it, but just strictly tax assessment value? [3:48:27, 3:48:45]: Say again? They're strictly taxed assessment values. Yes, because that's where your taxes come from. So it's gonna they they they appraise your home and the appraised value is different from your market value. Right. Right? So they appraise your home and then based on that appraisal, forty percent of that value is what's taxed. So that's what's reflected in the previous slide. [3:48:46, 3:49:06]: Right. That assessed value is forty percent of your appraised value. So and the military is applied to that. Yeah, yeah, I mean I I get it, unless you're doing it for so when you show the the home for three seventy five, that's tax assessment, not appraised value. That is the tax assessment. The three seventy the three seventy five is the tax assessed, Edry County tax assessor. [3:49:06, 3:49:07]: appraised value [3:49:07, 3:49:11]: But remember you're only being taxed on forty percent of that. Right. Yeah. [3:49:14, 3:49:24]: And so when you talk about the taxing entity, so for every dollar, if you break down a dollar that you pay in taxes, right around sixty percent of that goes to Henry County School Board. [3:49:24, 3:49:28]: About twenty six pr twenty cents on that dollar goes to Henry County. [3:49:28, 3:49:30]: If you did a four bill [3:49:30, 3:49:50]: 10 cents of that dollar would go to the city if you did that. And right now about five cents on a dollar goes to the Water Authority for as related to the two mils of taxes that you pay to the Henry County Water Authority, which goes away in 2025 or 2026. It's my understanding. So that's that's the distribution. [3:49:50, 3:49:56]: of your taxes of your tax dollar to all the taxing entities in Henry County if the city imposes a property tax. [3:49:58, 3:50:06]: Mayor Ford. Yes, sir. Go ahead, please. Um I I want to ask uh about homestead exemption, just real brief. Um [3:50:08, 3:50:13]: Do as a homeowner, do you have to reapply? [3:50:13, 3:50:31]: Or is it automatic enrollment for homestead exemption? It's uh it's automatic enrollment as long as you keep that house as your principal house and you put it as your principal house and you apply, it's in perpetuity as long as you stay in your house. Thank you. Uh yeah, so you have to apply for it originally, but once you do, it's in perpetuity. [3:50:34, 3:50:42]: And you guys just saw this slide as it relates to um if you if you take a dollar and and how that dollar is spent per each of your departments, that's how it goes. [3:50:44, 3:50:56]: So next step, right? There is a request um that we have to do and uh according to the tax assessors, we have to advertise a millage rate. That millage rate does not have to be the millage rate that's adopted. [3:50:57, 3:50:58]: Рай, со аводive на експо. [3:50:59, 3:51:17]: The city of Hampton em up imposed a property tax last year. They advertised ten mills or ten point five or something like that. They only adopted a mail rate of four point five. That was was adopted. The reasoning behind the higher number is because if you go to, for instance, a one point nine oh four. [3:51:18, 3:51:24]: And your expenses come out higher, you can't, once you advertise that 1.904, you cannot go above it. [3:51:24, 3:51:44]: You could only go below it. So that's why Hampton did what they did, and they worked their way down through their public hearing process and what their budgetary needs would be, and they adopted that millage rate. All right. So okay, I'm I'm sorry, I want to make sure I'm getting this right. So you can only set that one time, you can't go back and revisit it. Once you set your millers rate and the tax assessor out [3:51:44, 3:51:48]: advertised the a millage rate, a millage rate, mm-hmm, that becomes your ceiling. [3:51:50, 3:52:04]: Right. So you can't say, okay, I'll sell it and then go back to the So if you work your budget and you say, hey Mr. Gardner, we wanna we wanna pay, we wanna build a skyscraper for the city and we're gonna bond finance and the debt services just and your budget rise. [3:52:05, 3:52:10]: And it rise above what you set that mill up, you can't go back and reset that millage rate. [3:52:11, 3:52:12]: So it's your ceiling. [3:52:13, 3:52:18]: That's that's for the one time for that one one time implication you're doing for your for your millage. [3:52:20, 3:52:32]: Yeah, I'm done. Thank the the reason I'm saying is that if it's for that one time budget cycle, we you go and correct it tomorrow. [3:52:32, 3:52:46]: Why would you go higher when we've been told that if we go up to a certain amount anyway, that four mil would suffice? If we go up to five mil, that would definitely suffice. And if it's for that one cycle, why would we advertise six mil? [3:52:51, 3:52:53]: And I and I'll address that right here. [3:52:55, 3:53:15]: So in this chart, if you if you don't if you go to six mils, and and I think everyone is mentioned being fiscally prudent as as a terminology, that six mils of tax would bring you right in about ten point nine million. If you apply that ten point nine million into the nine point nine that we've ejected revenues, that brings you at a total revenue of [3:53:14, 3:53:28]: 30.8. When you subtract your expenses, that gives you a four million dollar reserve after that. And and and and this is just your city manager's professional opinion. [3:53:28, 3:53:43]: That is high. We don't need to be at that number in terms of of adopted rate. Now if that's the wish of council, then council does that. I would not recommend it. We really know what we're gonna do. Why would we average I don't I don't get [3:53:43, 3:53:45]: So if if I could say a little bit about it. [3:53:45, 3:53:46]: So [3:53:46, 3:53:49]: The money that we're collecting on this cycle [3:53:49, 3:54:02]: It has to last you to December of twenty-four. So even though we're collecting it December of twenty-three, it's for January twenty-four to December twenty-fourth. So suppose at the time we advertise [3:54:03, 3:54:05]: And we advertise at six mils. [3:54:05, 3:54:25]: And you come back and set it at this four mils or three point seven seven, that's good to go. But during that time period, suppose the Federal Reserve raised rates or we invade Iraq again. And so if you hadn't advertised the six, you won't have the option to go any higher than whatever you advertise. And so the advertisements just to give you [3:54:25, 3:54:32]: give you a cushion in case something happens in the world and you have to have a higher rate. Otherwise you have to readvertise it again. [3:54:33, 3:54:40]: Sorry. Yes sir. Thank you. There's some strategies what it amounts to, I guess. Oh no though. That's the way I kinda look at it. [3:54:40, 3:54:40]: All right. [3:54:42, 3:54:51]: So that's that's what needs to be done and w we need to have a vote to to advertise that millage rate. And we do say advise at I think in the slide that we recommend it [3:54:51, 3:55:11]: You authorize us to get the tax assessors, Mr. Michael Harris, to advertise the six mil, even though we know we're not we're not probably gonna adopt that millage rate because we don't need that high of a millage rate to cover what we see as our expenses. Um and so what would happen after that obviously is we would go through um advertising for our public hearing and [3:55:11, 3:55:31]: July, and I'll give more in depth in the in a couple slides. One other question before I'm sorry. Now, so we don't know what the county is going to do, and these residents are up under a lot of pressure right now. Is it necessary, is it mandatory that we make the decision before they make their decision, or could we make our decision after they make? [3:55:31, 3:55:40]: No, sir. So we have a time period. We are all on a clock in Henry County to advertise at at whatever millage rate we're gonna do, whether Henry County does a rollback. [3:55:40, 3:56:00]: A rollback, stay as they are, or somewhere in between. That has no bearing on the city of doing its due diligence because they're two separate budgets for two different entities. But those it ain't two separate budget for the homeowners. See, they they got to pay this. So they need to understand what they're up against and certainly it's gonna weigh on my decision on what I do. [3:56:00, 3:56:20]: because if they hit what the what they got in their assessment, we're gonna have to make some adjustments. We have no control over Henry County. Obviously their budget is gonna be set by what it takes to run. Personally we don't have we don't have control over what they do, but as a private citizen, we certainly do. And as private citizen I plan on exercising my freedom of speech. [3:56:20, 3:56:40]: speech uh as a resident because I'm a county resident too. So uh that ain't being political up here. It's just what it is. But the fact of the matter is if they get hit with that full assessment from the school board and the county. Now the school board we understand that's where most of the money is coming from but the county can cut just a little bit [3:56:40, 3:57:00]: bit too. If we got a a lot from the school board and a little bit from the county, it will help out all of these residents and it will make our decision easier on what we do. But based on what we're not knowing that X on what they gotta pay, I'm I I need that information before I make my decision. So when I get to the next slide, you're gonna see what's required. [3:57:00, 3:57:15]: required by the Henry County tax assessors that we move upon to make sure that we are in timing to adopt a millage if we adopt a millage. Right. They're gonna adopt their millage this uh in in in there they should adopt their millage very relatively shortly, right? [3:57:15, 3:57:23]: I don't know when the county is adopting the military. I couldn't tell you. I know they're required to either keep it the same [3:57:23, 3:57:41]: Right. And if they had an increase, Georgia law, one of the few in the country requires that that's an increase, requires you to advertise it. So they have to go through that process. What that end process won't be we won't know until July. We cannot wait till July to do our due diligence because at that point we will have to wait till next year. [3:57:41, 3:58:01]: So we have to act within this time period to do to make sure that we're doing it. They're doing the same thing. If we their process is no different than ours, their dates of adoption will be the same be different, but the month is probably gonna be the same. They're gonna adopt a mileage in July. If we adopt a millage, we have to do it in July to give the tax assessors his due diligence to be able [3:58:01, 3:58:15]: [14295.2, 14299.6]: If you allow me I'll go to the next slide. It kinda lays out some dates. The dates that we [3:58:20, 3:58:39]: got based on our current average meeting schedules. So that'll get that'll kind of give you a better idea. Um to real quick to present this and and um I know a council a few of the council members uh had mentioned about homestead exemption and so yes we can impose a homestead exemption that what that's gonna take is come [3:58:39, 3:58:59]: January of next year, we'll we'll decide, hey, we want to impose a homestead exemption for our residents. Right? You would adopt that resolution or ordinance or resolution or ordinance. That ordinance will then go and give our local legislators, we will lobby them to [3:58:59, 3:59:03]: to take to both the House and the Senate has to approve it. [3:59:04, 3:59:17]: Right. Has to be approved by both houses, both chambers of the house, to allow for the Starbucks residents to have uh to vote on a referendum on homestead exemption. And that would happen in November of 2024. [3:59:17, 3:59:23]: That will take effect in twenty twenty five. That's the process that's laid out by law. So yes, sir. [3:59:24, 3:59:37]: So so how does that affect uh what's the relationship with the county's homestead and the city's homestead? In addition to. So right now as a homeowner, you get about fifty seven thousand dollars in homestead exemption from Henry County. [3:59:38, 3:59:45]: Um I forgot what the number is for the school board. The water authority does not give you anything. Um [3:59:46, 3:59:48]: I don't know, after you still have that slide. [3:59:49, 4:00:09]: I don't know if that has the homestead exemption on it, but I know I know for a fact that doing the research, um, we get about fifty-seven thousand from from um Henry County that's applied. So that obviously lowers what you pay in overall taxes. Cause what it does is it lowers your appraised value. So it's minus from your appraised value, and then you pay a property. [4:00:09, 4:00:25]: as a homeowner. So part of what our analysis is gonna be when council decides, when we have this discussion in October or November, that we want to impose is we need to determine how much of our, what's the percentage of our our homes that are actually owner occupied, right? [4:00:26, 4:00:29]: Which percentage of our homes currently have exemptions? [4:00:29, 4:00:31]: Right, and I'll use the mayor as an example. [4:00:32, 4:00:32]: Right. [4:00:32, 4:00:52]: So the mayor gets that fifty seven, but I think he also gets his military exemption as well. As as a veteran, he does not pay he does he gets a further reduction in his property taxes, um, based on his service to the country. Um so you have all of those that you have to take into account and then you apply that against what it's gonna take for you to run your operations. [4:00:52, 4:01:02]: in the next previous year to whether or not you need to adjust your millage rate either up or down to compensate because once you do that, it lowers what you collect because you exempt [4:01:02, 4:01:08]: X amount for payments. So that's the analysis you have to go through and we'll do that next year to determine what that number would be. [4:01:10, 4:01:20]: Mayor. You go right ahead, please. This is actually and it it probably doesn't even pertain to this, but I just thought about this and I wanted Mayor and Council to be aware. Um [4:01:20, 4:01:22]: Is everyone aware that [4:01:23, 4:01:33]: Well, now we have our police department. Our our police is l actually housed in our police department. But prior to the police department [4:01:35, 4:01:55]: The library and the Henry County Tax and Tag Office is owned by the City of Stockbridge. We built those and that the employees of the county are housed in it. Are y'all aware of that? I just want to make sure that everyone is there's some new people or are people I think that I was [4:01:55, 4:02:11]: talking to and hadn't discovered that. But those buildings belong to us. We actually built those buildings. So there's always been some type of relationship in the past with um the county and working out certain things. And and I just want you guys to [4:02:12, 4:02:13]: Remember that. [4:02:14, 4:02:26]: Those are buildings that are owned by the city that the city spent money and paid for and built years ago. And I th I was shocked at the price tag on the cost of building it. Um you can look it up on Q Public if you'd like. [4:02:27, 4:02:29]: Those buildings are owned by the city. [4:02:30, 4:02:32]: In Iran by the county, just so you know. [4:02:33, 4:02:48]: Yes, ma'am. And and under S D S there's an agreement that allows for them to do that with some carriers that they do for the city as well. Um so on on here you have what's what's the schedule in terms of the five steps. Um obviously oh my god. [4:02:50, 4:02:50]: I see us uh [4:02:54, 4:02:55]: [14584.5, 14588.6]: Uh my apologies. [4:03:08, 4:03:10]: Excuse me, Madam Sneaker. [4:03:12, 4:03:13]: Is it all? Yes. [4:03:14, 4:03:16]: Mm. [4:03:19, 4:03:26]: No what? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I I have it here. I I can't read it from here. I'm sorry. I can't read it. [4:03:27, 4:03:33]: Yeah, I can't I can't read it on this. Let me let me um [4:03:36, 4:03:41]: That one there? Can you read here? Thank you. Yeah. Okay. Thank you we have. [4:03:42, 4:03:44]: All right. Uh [4:03:45, 4:03:48]: So we're there. So step one, um [4:03:49, 4:04:00]: June thirty-first through june twenty-sixth. Uh Mr. Harris need to know the millage rate that we will be advertising at a certain date. Again, it must be the number or higher. [4:04:00, 4:04:20]: Um, but whatever lower than the amount that the board will set, the city council will set. Um, once the tax assessor has got those systems in place, they'll create that five year tax history that needs to be advertised. They're gonna be able to do that and be able to determine, you know, all of the properties that we have in the city, what that overall value is. Right now. [4:04:20, 4:04:23]: We have an estimate one point eight billion. [4:04:24, 4:04:42]: 1.8 billion dollars is what our digest um is gonna work out to, but they'll have that five year history. Um the next step in the process is on June twenty-seventh we'll send uh ad to the paper um advertising the three public hearings that were required by state law to have to adopt a military. [4:04:43, 4:04:50]: Right, and that'll also be done in reference with the five year history of um taxes in city of Stockbridge. [4:04:50, 4:04:51]: Right. [4:04:52, 4:04:53]: Um [4:04:54, 4:05:00]: And it has to be a couple of separate odds that's gonna be sent to enumerise those those dates. [4:05:00, 4:05:05]: The public hearing dates that we're currently looking at right now in terms of the three public hearings. [4:05:05, 4:05:07]: is to have one on our regular schedule meeting. [4:05:07, 4:05:27]: At uh two on our regular scheduled meeting, the first meeting in July, July 10th, at one at eight nine a.m. in the morning, the other one at six PM our regular scheduled time, um on July tenth, the third meeting July twenty-fifth, and on that meeting obviously we'll have a public hearing and then adopt the millage rate on that date. Um that's [4:05:27, 4:05:32]: That's pretty much the s the schedules and the running of the ads that required by law. [4:05:32, 4:05:34]: Um to make this process happen. [4:05:35, 4:05:55]: And so that's that concludes um my presentation to you guys and I'll take any questions you may have. I know we've had a ongoing as we've been um discussing. Um there's been questions going, but that's the process. So the ask is to just to have [4:05:55, 4:06:15]: Michael Harris advertised to six. We will be able to refine our operating costs a little bit more. I see that number moving slightly down from the 3.7, but we had to do a snapshot at this time as to where we are in order to give you guys an idea of what needs to happen. And with that, we'll obviously come a recommended millist rate. [4:06:15, 4:06:16]: Great to go out and then [4:06:16, 4:06:36]: That that decision will obviously be the the city council as to what that millage rate you will adopt, but we will give you a recommended millist rate based on on what we see our expenses um looking like um through the month of June and working with the department heads. Uh and obviously we're scheduled to have our budget retreat with you guys in August well. [4:06:36, 4:06:56]: We go more in depth into the budget and refine it. But at least we'll know, hey, this is our military. This is what we're expecting to have in that year, and then work a little bit more around that. But that's the process in hand. Um wanted to get you that, give you give you this presentation, because obviously we we have to be able to move forward. Um so m the ask tonight is [4:06:56, 4:07:16]: Obviously, that we advertise uh the six mils and then obviously as you know, based on the numbers I've given you, what it would take for us to break even, what it would take for us to do above or beyond break-even um is lower than the projected six mil. So, but it's just that placeholder, like we said, if we advertise here, we don't have to adopt it, but if we ever have to. [4:07:16, 4:07:22]: We can move to that level. We just can't set it at a lower level and then hope to God that we have to move up. [4:07:22, 4:07:40]: Mr. Wall said you can't do that. We can't do that under the law. Um and that's the reason why Hampton did it the way they did. They advertised tan, but they didn't adopt tan, they adopted four point five to cover the expenses. Yeah, yeah, question. Was these calculations done after the [4:07:41, 4:07:46]: Um projections of the new numbers for lost revenue? Yes. So this yes. [4:07:46, 4:08:06]: As you remember, we were supposed to give this presentation um last month. And so then you made the adjustments that you're doing. So that nineteen point nine, we mentioned that the nineteen point nine includes the projected revenue um for for twenty four twenty twenty four, based on the new collection that we're supposed to give us. And and the key to that is twenty twenty five, that number incrementally goes up. [4:08:06, 4:08:18]: which reduces what we were gonna be relying on on property tax. So whatever you said here based on that number and what the budget comes out, you'd either be reducing that, either holding fast or rolling it back moving forward. [4:08:20, 4:08:24]: All right, council, great. I appreciate the presentation, Mr. Gardner. Any other questions for Mr. Gardner, Council? [4:08:24, 4:08:44]: So they need to vote I'm sorry, they need to vote tonight, or is that what you Yeah, so we'd like to get at least get counsel to give us the authority to have Michael Harris do the six mil and then work on the five-year projection. Let me just say this real quick. This this is a very sensitive subject, and you know, things could get just really haywired, misinformation. [4:08:44, 4:08:49]: information out there. I'm I'm you know, I'm not opposed to [4:08:49, 4:08:50]: Um [4:08:51, 4:08:58]: The three point seven seven, which is a one point eight six six difference. But I'm not for advertising the six. [4:09:01, 4:09:07]: I um uh once again I'm on the end of the Mr. Wall is gonna speak to that again. [4:09:09, 4:09:16]: The goal is not to adopt a six mil. Ms. The goal is it you want to have to be prudent. [4:09:17, 4:09:37]: And once again, this is up to council how council votes on it. But that's that's the recommender that we were given to just do that. We understand that it's gonna come in coming below that number. That's why we also incorporated giving you the the example that our sister city just did last year, right, through the process and the reason why the methodology as to why it was done. [4:09:37, 4:09:48]: And Mr. Walty can speak to that again. So if you advertise three point seven seven and something happens in the world and you need to go a little bit higher, you can't. You have to start over the whole three [4:09:48, 4:09:51]: Public hearings, the whole advertisement. [4:09:52, 4:09:52]: And [4:09:52, 4:09:55]: You can't go past when the [4:09:55, 4:09:59]: Henry County tax commissioner, Mr. Harris, sends out the tax bills. And so [4:10:01, 4:10:02]: We would like [4:10:02, 4:10:10]: you to advertise a little bit higher than what we expect you to approve, just so you have the option if something cap bad happens. [4:10:12, 4:10:21]: part of strategy here, I guess, in a sense that you're looking for. Right. And professional opinion strategy here. That's what I'm thinking, okay. Other comments from the council? [4:10:23, 4:10:29]: All right, then uh no other comments need a motion to for them to go to to six, to advertise the six. Mayor. Yes, ma'am. [4:10:29, 4:10:34]: I move that we approve to advertise for six mil um [4:10:35, 4:10:44]: Um we send um uh to our I'm sorry, our tax commissioner to be able to advertise at six mil. [4:10:44, 4:10:50]: We we understand, knowing that we understand, that six mil [4:10:50, 4:11:10]: Well may not six mil would not be where we are. And we know that. So but I uh agree. I think that the strategy within itself, just like anything else, when you do splots and you have broad topics, you know, you say, Okay, this is for [4:11:10, 4:11:30]: Infrastructure. This is for parks. You know, you don't really pinpoint something specific. We're doing the same thing here. There's no difference. And it's gonna be word of mouth. It's gonna be uh the council member saying, hey, yes, it's advertised at six mil, but it won't be six mil. And that's all we [4:11:29, 4:11:49]: We just have to tell people it won't be six mil. We have we have because we care as a source who can put out on his page and everybody else can put out on their pages and can talk, and we can have our PIO officers do it. Um, we can let everyone know that yes, we advertise like that, that's normal and standard. [4:11:49, 4:12:02]: But that is not the intent of this uh of this council. So having said that, I'm gonna repeat my motion. I bel I move that we advertise for six mil. [4:12:03, 4:12:04]: Okay, is there a second to the motion? [4:12:06, 4:12:08]: Is there a second to the motion? [4:12:09, 4:12:29]: Is second uh Mr. Blount second the motion. Okay. All favor motion, please. Further discussion. Go ahead. I don't I don't know why we need it, but Mr. Wall, come back up here, please. Mr. Gardner, come you already there. [4:12:29, 4:12:35]: So now the anticipation is that three point seven seven should be sufficient, correct? [4:12:35, 4:12:49]: That's what I would recommend. That's what you recommend, right? So I'm not saying I'm not saying that I'm opposed to what's going on. Uh uh you know, I'm a supposed I'm opposed to six. Let's say we went [4:12:50, 4:12:51]: Four point five. [4:12:52, 4:13:12]: Higher just to have a little margin in there. But with this day and age with misinformation out there, what goes crazy is I can post it. I certainly will post the information here, whatever that number is gonna be. But there are gonna be people shouting louder and loud and loud. Six. They're gonna do six. They're gonna hit you with six. They're gonna hit you with six. Gonna be on [4:13:12, 4:13:24]: Every institution battling six people right here. I say even if we're gonna do it, we don't have to do six because the positive uh what? It would take a pandemic to get us to six? [4:13:25, 4:13:29]: Yes. It would, sir, yes, sir. [4:13:30, 4:13:50]: So I'm saying I don't wanna hit catastrophe number out there because that number is gonna be calculated and people are gonna be like, if they set six percent, it's gonna be a thousand dollars on your house. So that's what we're gonna get. You do you remember back when Splosh first came out, we used to have to estimate a higher amount so it would run the whole five or six years? Mm-hmm. [4:13:49, 4:13:55]: So that's what this concept is designed to do. I would love for y'all to be unanimous. And so [4:13:56, 4:13:57]: Mr. Gardner. [4:13:58, 4:14:01]: Are you okay with four and a half or five instead of six? [4:14:03, 4:14:07]: I just wanna make sure that we're prudent and recognizing based on our chart. [4:14:07, 4:14:11]: Right. Did that three point seven seven still have you going into reserves? [4:14:11, 4:14:26]: Right. The goal once again is not to d adopt the a the the advertised millage rate. It's a placeholder for us and that's all it is. If you use a lower placeholder and your expenses start to exceed that placeholder, you're stuck. [4:14:26, 4:14:28]: Right, you're going back into reserve. [4:14:29, 4:14:49]: Right? That's that's what we don't wanna do. So i if it's the wish of council and four point five is that number, four point five is that number. Right. Well four point five gives us what it gives us cushion, right? In case things do the expenses are a little bit higher and then obviously you can't prepare for another covet situation. That would be four point two. Four point two puts. [4:14:50, 4:15:00]: So uh the chart y'all have before us, the four point two one five mils added eight hundred thousand to the reserves. So four and a half would give us a million dollar cushion. [4:15:01, 4:15:05]: If um inflation hit eight or nine percent or [4:15:06, 4:15:10]: Uh, you had a big lawsuit and you had to settle it and insurance didn't pay. [4:15:10, 4:15:11]: If um [4:15:11, 4:15:20]: You had a flood and it wiped out some of your wells and your pumps and you had to fix that. So that so that four and a half mils will give you a million dollar cushion. [4:15:21, 4:15:23]: What would five give us? What would five? [4:15:24, 4:15:30]: So the chart shows six mils was a four million dollar cushion, so five would probably be two million. [4:15:31, 4:15:31]: All right. [4:15:32, 4:15:33]: Mayor. Yes, Mayor. [4:15:33, 4:15:35]: We're we're talking about [4:15:37, 4:15:42]: What ifs and is usually is it's for aesthetics. And to be honest with you. [4:15:43, 4:15:55]: We already said we are not going to tax at six mil. We know that we are not gonna tax at five mils, we know that, but strategically we have we we should. [4:15:55, 4:16:04]: These are experts, these are people, I mean, uh, we're following along with what other cities do as well. We're not, you know, we're not reinventing the wheel here. [4:16:05, 4:16:25]: If six mil is the advice, I mean look at Hampton, they did ten. They did no, they didn't get slaughtered. They they didn't get slaughtered because guess what happened? They didn't vote for ten, they voted for four point five. And you're gonna always have people, since when have we been shocked? [4:16:25, 4:16:30]: at people coming in complaining. Nobody wants to be taxed. [4:16:30, 4:16:31]: We know that. [4:16:32, 4:16:37]: Nobody wants to be taxed. Let's be let's be realistic about it. We have to do it. [4:16:38, 4:16:39]: So the three point [4:16:40, 4:16:41]: Again. [4:16:41, 4:16:55]: The th if if we doing three point seven or or whatever we end up doing, that's what we do. However, right now, it'd be wise for us to have that cushion just to f a safety net. [4:16:55, 4:16:57]: And there's nothing wrong with that. [4:16:57, 4:17:17]: Councilwoman Garrett. So stand stand by please. Let but make sure she's done. Oh hold on. Hold on a second. Are you are you done? You're done? Okay. All right. She's done. Go ahead, Mr. Blount. Go ahead with your comment. You got a first and so they either gonna vote on it or they're not gonna vote on it. Yeah. You know, that's you know just go for the vote and they don't vote for. [4:17:17, 4:17:18]: So be it. [4:17:19, 4:17:39]: You know, that's just it. I mean I don't wanna you know come on. So y'all get the concept we're trying to get across. I just wanna ask you to change it down to maybe four point five that gives us a million dollar cushion if something does happen to go wrong. I don't wanna put that big number out there because I know [4:17:39, 4:17:54]: No, the big number is going to be abused. Mr. Alexander, I I uh can I I hear you then then if we're gonna vote for it, we vote for it or vote it down, we vote it down. It's got a first and a second. That's what you wanna do, then make the motion to do it. [4:17:55, 4:18:11]: First of all, we still got a motion on the floor. That's what I'm saying. It's either vote this up or down. All right. And if that's what you want to do, make the motion to do it. Okay, motion made motion been made for six and been seconded. So all in favor of the motion uh all in favor of that motion, please indicate. You said you wanted to be unanimous, right? Okay. All in favor of the motion, please indicate. [4:18:11, 4:18:13]: Okay, get three all posed. [4:18:14, 4:18:16]: Oppose or sustain. [4:18:17, 4:18:23]: I'm opposed to what what you oppose or sustain? I oppose this. I think Okay you oppose Miss Barber, you what? You abstain or oppose? [4:18:24, 4:18:28]: Okay, it's three one one. Motion passed. Six it is. Three three [4:18:29, 4:18:33]: Mm. Barber Sustain, Alexander opposed, everybody else approves. Three one one. [4:18:33, 4:18:34]: It passes. [4:18:35, 4:18:40]: Are you opposed? Excuse me. Three two. Passage. [4:18:41, 4:18:49]: Okay, it's amazing that you voted. All right. So okay, so it's three, two. Uh motion passed. It's gonna be six. Okay. [4:18:52, 4:19:12]: All right. Uh so this let's go back. We got uh item number eight that we we wanted to put at the end. This deals once again council consideration to increase FY twenty twenty-four stormwater fees as follows. Base rate tier one single family residential from seven dollars fifty-nine cents to seven dollars ninety-seven cents. [4:19:12, 4:19:32]: Impervious rate tier one single family residential from$29.99 to$31.49. Base rate tier two family residential from$759 to$797. Impervious Impervious Rate Tier 2 Single Family Residential from$59.98 to$62.99. [4:19:31, 4:19:51]: Base rate non-single family residential 20,000 square feet from 759 to 797. Impervious rate non-single family residential 20,000 square feet from uh 299,$299.90 to$300$314.90. The total total overall proposed fee increase. [4:19:51, 4:20:02]: It's from three hundred and seven dollars and forty nine cents to three hundred and twenty two dollars eighty seven cents or four point seven six percent. Uh, we'll imagine that'd be increased there. Mr. Aaron, please. [4:20:02, 4:20:22]: Yes, Mr. Mayor. On the screen, you'll see a comparison between the City of Stockbridge proposed stormwater rates and Herring County stormwater rates. Herring County currently has an RFP out for an analysis and evaluation of their current uh stormwater rate. But Tier 1 single [4:20:22, 4:20:41]: of family residence makes up the majority of stormwater uh parcels in the city of Stockbridge. It's for parcels up to 10,000 square feet. The city's new rates, if approved, would be$39.46 per year compared to the Henry County, which is$39.83 per year. [4:20:42, 4:21:02]: And Henry County does not differentiate. All of their residentials are the same, but the city has a residential rate that's for parcels that's greater than 10,000 square feet. The city charges$70.95. Henry County would still charge$39.83. [4:21:02, 4:21:02]: [15663.1, 15665.1]: So when it comes to the commercial [4:21:06, 4:21:20]: Which is considered a non-single family residential based on twenty thousand square feet. The city charge is three hundred and twenty-two dollars and eighty-seven cents proposed. Henry County is a hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-five cents. [4:21:20, 4:21:40]: So for every 4,780 square feet of commercial impervious surface, Herring County charges$39.83. For every 5,000 square feet of impervious surface for the city of Stockbridge, that commercial establishment would be charged$61.94. So that's [4:21:40, 4:21:45]: the comparison. Like I say, Henry County currently has an RLP out to update their stormwater fees. [4:21:46, 4:21:50]: Any questions from Mr Thank you, uh Mr. Aaron. Any questions for Mr. Aaron from counsel at all? [4:21:51, 4:21:52]: Yeah. [4:21:54, 4:22:00]: After no questions in the motion for uh to accept this uh this increase of stonewater fees. [4:22:01, 4:22:06]: So moved. Okay. Is there a second? From uh Miss Kant to who has a second? [4:22:07, 4:22:10]: Second. Mr. Gar uh Mr. Alexander Second. [4:22:11, 4:22:12]: All in favor of motion, please indicate. [4:22:14, 4:22:15]: All posed. [4:22:16, 4:22:36]: You sustain, sir? I oppose. You oppose. Okay. 441 motion passed. Thank you, Mayor. Okay, thank you, sir. All right, announcements and upcoming meeting events. Council uh meetings will be held at City Council Chamber. Noting some board committee meetings will be continued, will continue to take place by Zoom. Meeting dates and times are subject to change. Please [4:22:36, 4:22:56]: visit the city's website at www.city of stopbridge.com for meeting invitation link, Facebook page, or contact city hall offices, 770-389-7900 for updates. Main Street Advisory Board meeting is the second Friday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Welcome Center at 130 Martin Luther King Senior Heritage Trail. [4:22:55, 4:23:15]: Which is June 9th. City Council meeting the second Monday of each month is 6 o'clock P.M. City Council Chambers June 12th. Youth Council meeting is 6:30 p.m. second Monday of each month. City City Hall, Levi meeting room, City Hall on June 12th. Citywide Development Authority meeting, second Tuesday of each month, 6 p.m. City Hall, Levi Meeting Room, June. [4:23:15, 4:23:35]: 13th downtown Development Authority meeting second excuse me third through third Tuesday of each month. Walking Center 130 Martin Luther King Sr. Headers Trail, which will be June 20th. The Youth Council Advisory Committee meeting 6:30 p.m. second excuse me third Tuesday of each month. Levi meeting room in City Hall, June 20th. And the Planning Commission. [4:23:35, 4:23:50]: Meeting 6:30 City Hall Count uh Council Chambers for Thursday of each month, which will be June 22nd. City Council work session meeting special uh date which will be Tuesday, June 20th. Uh [4:23:52, 4:23:58]: Okay, especially two Tuesday, June twentieth, at six PM City Hall Council June tw or June twenty eighth. It's gonna be [4:23:59, 4:24:04]: June twenty eighth. Instead of instead of June twenty, it's gonna be June twenty eighth. Is that what we're talking about, correct? [4:24:06, 4:24:26]: Okay, all right. And um we have a couple of uh upcoming city events and uh initiatives. Uh join us with an annual um well we had the Memorial Day march on the twenty uh on the twenty ninth, which was yesterday, and so one uh uh e excellent event in that aspect. Started at uh nine o'clock and then went to uh the Memorial Park [4:24:26, 4:24:27]: and back, so worked out well. [4:24:28, 4:24:36]: Actually we were on uh we were featured on channel two batter matter of fact, it was televised a brief moment uh highlighting the the actual memorial marks, believe it or not. [4:24:36, 4:24:56]: Join us for a food truck takes you Tuesday, 5 30 p.m. to 8 30 p.m. at Clark Community Park, 111 Davis Road, and the next one will be June, Tuesday, June 6th. Join Councilman Thomas for Don't Trash Stockbridge centered around education, highlighting the causes and effects of littering and illegal dumping, and more information to follow on this. [4:24:56, 4:25:16]: Uh honoring veterans uh with a continued salute to all year long. Please send your pictures of veterans to the na the name, branch, rank, years of service to Councilman Thomas. Sends a salute to honor veterans all year long. Please send pictures to R. Rawls at City of Stockbridge dash G A dot G O V. Merit Pro Tem Barber will have a [4:25:16, 4:25:35]: a free Zuma class every Saturday, 8 a.m. uh Monda uh beginning May 6th at Gardner Park uh at uh East Atlanta Road and also Maripotem is going to have a blood drive, emergency blood drive Saturday, uh June 10th, 10 A.M. to 2 PM at at the Ampathea Parking Lot. [4:25:35, 4:25:38]: uh with uh a partnership with life south [4:25:39, 4:25:56]: And I'm going to give the state of the city address on Thursday, June fifteenth, right here at City Hall at six PM. On that note for my additional con Mayor. Yes. We have a town hall at Eagles Landing Country Club uh on the sixth. It's about annexation into the city. [4:25:57, 4:26:02]: Okay, what time is that now? It's gonna be uh at sev s uh s [4:26:02, 4:26:20]: Oh I'm sorry, hold on one second. It's gonna be a six o'clock, okay. And then uh my additional comments deal with of course obviously uh uh covet nineteen is still among us, so make sure you get uh vaccinated and boosted and continu continue to get boosted in this aspect as well. And um [4:26:20, 4:26:22]: Wanna make note that um [4:26:23, 4:26:43]: Uh the amphitheater of course is is not open for regular concerts at Stockbridge AMP dot com. And on uh June third, uh Saturday, June third, we'll have Monica and Tank there. Concert oh gates open at six, concert starts at eight. Uh so uh look at the concert uh acts coming in for this year, this concert season. [4:26:43, 4:27:03]: And for bringing me please, of course, Amazon is a presenting sponsor for us for the rest of this year as well. And additional sponsors will be coming online. I want to make note that uh don't don't recall if you all knew this or not, but of course, the public that is, but Southern Technical College, uh Southern Crescent Technical College had a graduation at the Ampath. [4:27:03, 4:27:23]: Theater on Tuesday, May 9th, and was very successful. And then this past weekend, uh, we were CC, I guess, uh CNC Associates, I guess, what's called, and that and the Georgia National Hispanic Heritage Association have the Hispanic Fest Sasso Fest, very successful event Sunday on the 28th. And uh so otherwise the amphitheater is open for business for rent. [4:27:23, 4:27:40]: And for different types of activities. And uh so these activities thus far that I've mentioned have been very successful to the community and it adds into diversity in our in in our community as well. A great event. On that note, uh councillor, there's no executive items, so I'm asked for a motion to [4:27:40, 4:27:43]: Is we have a second item? I mean second session? [4:27:44, 4:27:48]: Excuse me. Um we have we have is it [4:27:51, 4:27:54]: Okay. Well I need a motion to go into second session, please, council. [4:27:54, 4:28:07]: Uh I need uh for real estate personnel actions and legal actions. I'm sorry. You look you yeah, I need a [4:28:08, 4:28:14]: I make a motion that we uh go into the session for personnel litis real estate and litigation. Okay, is there a second to that? [4:28:16, 4:28:18]: Mm Mr Blount second, then all in favor please indicate. [4:28:20, 4:28:22]: In case you never says we'll go on a sex time, we'll be back, folks. [4:52:25, 4:52:26]: There's a ball. [4:52:27, 4:52:33]: Okay, Madam Clerk, you set? Okay. One one? Oh okay, okay. [4:52:34, 4:52:35]: Mm-hmm. [4:52:35, 4:52:36]: [17556.6, 17558.8]: Fifth. Oh okay, okay. [4:52:40, 4:52:41]: [17562.3, 17563.6]: Or Conya for MB. [4:52:45, 4:53:05]: All right, yeah, we do. A quorum um sh council. Council Jesus Christ. Council uh I need a motion to end executive session, please. Okay, okay from Mr. Blount to Mr. Alexander, all pol all in favor, please. Okay, got a unanimous decision on that. Uh council we actually have no uh particular uh items [4:53:05, 4:53:18]: mention to the public in reference to our execular session at this point. So council, I need a motion to uh end our council work session. From Mr. Blount. Second. Mr. Alexander. All right. Movement second. All in favor, please indicate. [4:53:18, 4:53:23]: Okay, it's the NAS decision. Ladies and gentlemen, good night. God bless you all. We'll see ya soon. [4:53:52, 4:53:53]: Yeah, as uh [4:53:54, 4:53:56]: