2024-10-29 · City Council · Transcript · Work Session Meeting

--- title: Work Session Meeting date: 2024-10-29 source: 2024-10-29_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:00, 0:00:03]: You said that I'm to object it to nobody said. Let me just say. [0:00:04, 0:00:04]: Well. [0:00:06, 0:00:09]: Well, I made it in the sort of [0:00:14, 0:00:14]: Okay. [0:00:26, 0:00:41]: Ready? Okay. Good deal. All right, here we go, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to call our council meeting uh to order, council work session meeting to order. I have seven oh nine. This is uh October twenty ninth, twenty twenty four. And invocation would be this uh councilman Alexander, please. [0:00:42, 0:00:44]: Let everyone bow your heads, please. [0:00:45, 0:01:05]: Our Father who dart in heaven, your watchful eye over us today. Help us to make the decisions that we're about to make judiciously, wisely, in the way that you would have us go. Keep a special eye on America today. Let's have a special prayer that you would have us go in the way that you would have us go. [0:01:05, 0:01:23]: making the decisions for the betterment of America today, as we have millions heading to the polls to make the decisions to determine the outcome of what America is to be. Have it be the way that you would, in your covering, in your time, and in the ways that you would have us go. Amen. [0:01:23, 0:01:37]: Amen. Came to a pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, honor God, individual, with liberty and justice for all. [0:01:38, 0:01:40]: Madam Clerk, we'll call please. [0:01:44, 0:01:44]: Present. [0:01:50, 0:01:51]: Present. [0:01:59, 0:02:03]: Thank you, Madam Clerk, appreciate it. Councilman Thomas, I believe you have an amendment to the agenda. [0:02:05, 0:02:08]: Mayor and Council, I move [0:02:08, 0:02:27]: To remove agenda consent agenda item three. The youth council has requested that the consent agenda item three be removed from the agenda, noting the youth council will participate in the city's holiday festival event on Friday, December the 6th. [0:02:28, 0:02:31]: Is there a second to that please? Ms. Gantt second the offer you please indicate. [0:02:32, 0:02:34]: Okay, good deal. Appreciate that. Uh [0:02:34, 0:02:54]: Passes unanimously. Now I need a motion to adopt the rest of the agenda, please. Mayor Ford. Yes, sir. So moved. Okay, sir. Second. I second. From Ms. Mr. Thomas, Ms. Gand. All favor, please indicate. Thank you very much. It passes. Okay, so council, look before uh before you had a review of the minutes, uh review of the minutes of October 14th, 2024 council meeting, and uh we'll go ahead and take a [0:02:54, 0:03:03]: look at those if it's any changes, uh let the uh clerk know that and we'll may approve those at our next uh regular council meeting. Uh Madam Clerk, do we have any public comments at all? [0:03:05, 0:03:05]: Yeah. [0:03:05, 0:03:07]: Willie Carter has come. [0:03:09, 0:03:14]: Okay. Gentlemen, uh we have a public comment coming forward. He's gonna need to pull it in. [0:03:28, 0:03:28]: Okay. [0:03:30, 0:03:34]: Kenny can let the gentleman come through, you gentlemen let let Willie Carter come forward. Come on. [0:03:35, 0:03:40]: Come on, Willie. Uh come on up, get a name what the mic. Mic should be on. Name and address, please. [0:03:42, 0:03:49]: Good evening. Thank you. Um your name and address please. Uh Willie Carter, 123 Wilson Avenue, City of Stockbridge. [0:03:49, 0:04:05]: Okay, good. What's what's I'm saying, mine, sir? Uh the the the question is I tried to ascertain this here from um um Aaron uh at at the Department of Water, but that was a failed attempt. Um my understanding there was a faulty or misreading of the register. [0:04:06, 0:04:26]: of the register or the water meters uh from the city. I think uh my understanding that the that r uh tech from PMI said it's been going on for a while. But the question of my concern was again, I couldn't ascertain this from Aaron. I or any other residents, especially in the MLK uh trail community. [0:04:26, 0:04:30]: community uh didn't receive any notice of the faulty equipment. [0:04:32, 0:04:43]: Okay. We'll have to check into that this city manager's gonna have to well since you didn't get a hold of Mr. Dusty Sarin, uh we'll have the city managers gonna have to review this and get back to you with the with the the answer and try to sort of solve this for you. [0:04:44, 0:05:04]: And be the time frame for that answer. I would I would say today is what, uh Tuesday? Give a couple days, get back to you with that. Um okay, a couple days. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. Um, Madam Clerk, that's the only public comment tonight? Yes, sir. Okay. Uh Council, we have before us a consent agenda. Council of consideration approved the use of the [0:05:04, 0:05:13]: the Merle Manders Conference Center lower level for the Main Street programs Thanksgiving Charity Community Dinner on Friday, November 15th. Presented by Mr. Gardner. [0:05:14, 0:05:16]: Presenting this? I'll say consent. Okay. [0:05:17, 0:05:27]: Consent agenda. So council I guess if you don't have any questions, we can go ahead and vote on this. Okay, any any questions? No questions? All right. Yes, sir. [0:05:32, 0:05:49]: All right. Is there a second? Second. Okay, from uh Thomas to Alexander, all favor, please indicate. Thank you very much. Unanimous decision. Okay, what's next, gentlemen? Is uh and council, I'm sorry. We got a uh presentation, public uh private partnership district representation and ordinance. I believe that's you, Mr. Gardner. [0:05:50, 0:05:51]: Oh [0:05:51, 0:05:52]: City Attorney. [0:05:52, 0:05:56]: Two turrets. All right. [0:06:05, 0:06:11]: Maybe. Do you guys have a copy of a presentation in your pocket? No, we do I no, I don't see it in here. [0:06:15, 0:06:20]: Wait, wait. Why is you talking? You can switch. [0:06:21, 0:06:41]: So, Mayor and Council, thank you. We have a couple of folks that are here that would present to you all, but we're requesting that there be an an ordinance that we go ahead and pass, which would be a special service district that we then report back to you on because we'll call it right now the entire city, but it would exclude [0:06:40, 0:07:00]: All homestead units and all residential units, and we want to create the district now. And if we create the district now, as part of the public-private partnerships, we'll be able to then come back to you all with more clarity on what the district can look like, but also and how it can be used, the public-private partnerships to further the [0:07:00, 0:07:18]: the city goals with the projects that you all want to do. And so one of the leaders in this has been John Ernst from the former mayor of Brookhaven. And Ed Wall is also our financial advisor. And so we brought both of them here to talk to you all kind of briefly about it. And [0:07:18, 0:07:30]: Nope. So nope. And so we brought we brought them here to kinda talk to you all about. And so at this time I'll just pass the floor over to them. But what we're going to be asking is for you all to [0:07:30, 0:07:47]: pass the ordinance and there's a exclusion that we'll put in it that will exclude so that we're clear all residential and and homestead units and that the Earnst Legal Group will also be a part of the team that will help to create this based on their prior experience. [0:07:48, 0:07:49]: Okay, appreciate that. [0:07:52, 0:07:52]: Thank you, sir. [0:07:53, 0:07:55]: Gentlemen, please. [0:07:56, 0:08:11]: Thank you, uh Attorney Washington. Uh good evening, Mayor and Council. How y'all doing? So, uh I want to introduce John Ertz. He's a good friend of mine, former client, mayor of Brookhaven. I was financial advisor to Mayor, uh to Brookhaven since they were founded and um [0:08:12, 0:08:13]: Um [0:08:13, 0:08:19]: Uh they hired a city manager from Ohio. All their hotels have thirty six hotels. They created a special tax district [0:08:19, 0:08:22]: just for the hotels to finance their their conference center. [0:08:22, 0:08:42]: Um Hapeville created a special tax district with just their hotels just to finance a new pumper truck for their fire department. And so a special tax district's provision in the Georgia Constitution allows you all, mayor and council or a county board of commissioners, to create all kinds of special tax districts if you want to to fund. [0:08:42, 0:08:46]: Clayton County uses a fire district to fund its fire department. [0:08:47, 0:08:54]: And so you all have a millage rate um that you implemented and you hadn't had one for twenty five, thirty years, just three point seven seven mills. [0:08:55, 0:09:15]: And your residents are sensitive to that. And so you want to do all kinds of public-private partnerships, and you don't want to tax your residents in order to get that done. And this special tax district, Mayor Ernst, reached out to me as uh as a thought process that Stockbridge could use it. He knows Bill de St. Alban as well. And um I [0:09:15, 0:09:28]: I thought it was a great idea. I introduced him to Mr. Gardner. I introduced him to Mr. Quentin Washington. They've known each other for years as well. And I wanted him to tell you about how he used the special tax tax district in Brookhaven and then talk a little bit about the mechanics. [0:09:28, 0:09:41]: Mayor. Thank you. Thank you, Ed. Yes. It's it was a pleasure working with you uh back in Brookhaven. Um it you know, it's glad that we uh were able to become friends even while we uh you no longer work for Brookhaven. [0:09:41, 0:09:54]: But I'm here to talk about special service districts. A special service district is something in the Constitution. They're called special districts in the Constitution. But there's a special district service district is how they're usually called. [0:09:54, 0:10:06]: And they're a entity, they're not a city, they're not a county, they formed by the city council uh or a county co um commission to create a district to provide services. [0:10:06, 0:10:08]: in that district's area. [0:10:09, 0:10:25]: What that the makeup of that is up to you, the policy body of the city. What's in, what's out will be end up what you guys end up deciding. Um the the district um can do any service that the uh local government can do. [0:10:27, 0:10:29]: The district doesn't have to actually be contiguous. [0:10:30, 0:10:38]: And the district itself could uh eliminate properties like your uh city attorney was talking about, uh homesteaded properties. [0:10:39, 0:10:45]: So who have used these special service districts? It's it's been something that's in the constitution for years. [0:10:46, 0:10:48]: But it's been and it's been used. [0:10:48, 0:10:57]: Um, in a lot of ways, you know, the f a special fire district or s something like that. It's what people, you know, they call them those type of things. Those are special districts. [0:10:57, 0:10:59]: And so what um [0:11:00, 0:11:20]: So the Belt Line was one of the first, you know, the Atlanta Beltline is a special service district. For years upon years, they had planned, they had taxed, they'd done they had planned all around to try to get uh the the belt line built. And then they placed a special service district around the belt line and was able to f to to be able to get that project completed. [0:11:21, 0:11:21]: On [0:11:23, 0:11:30]: Say at Brookhaven did a very similar thing. We created a special service district that was just uh commercial properties. [0:11:31, 0:11:44]: Did not include any homesteaded properties whatsoever. And provided uh we wanted to build our new city hall that's being built, was pr paid for by that. Uh parks were being paid by that, pathways were being paid by that. [0:11:44, 0:11:51]: And it's gonna be up to you guys what your policies and your um goals are. [0:11:52, 0:11:56]: That this special service district can be uh can help uh [0:11:56, 0:11:58]: Provide these services. [0:11:59, 0:11:59]: Um [0:12:00, 0:12:02]: Special service districts. [0:12:02, 0:12:04]: Can be layered upon each other. [0:12:05, 0:12:08]: They're not they're not mutually exclusive. You don't necessarily have just one. [0:12:08, 0:12:10]: You can have you can have multiple. [0:12:10, 0:12:20]: Uh so like I said, the Atlanta Beltline, uh Brookhaven City, when Brookhaven actually used a special service district for a new annexation area. I know you guys just had a massive annexation. [0:12:21, 0:12:33]: Well w our policy was anyone that came into our city would a special service district would be put on that land, and that's what's both commercial and residential, and funds would be spent by the city to upgrade. [0:12:34, 0:12:54]: Those roads, the city services, the stu stormwater, and that special district paid back the city over time so that my the my residents, my current residents, weren't paying for the annexed areas to bring them up to Brookhaven standards. And so those folks were very happy about that because they [0:12:54, 0:12:59]: were getting a service. They knew what they were going to get and they got a service. So we had um [0:12:59, 0:13:12]: And so Beltline, uh uh the city of Avondell States has one very similar to what we're talking about here in in Stockbridge, that is just their downtown area and their commercial base. Um and so they're [0:13:13, 0:13:24]: What we what we're gonna I think we're asking for Quinn if I'm not mistaken is to to pass it right now. Allow us because th the thing is the special service district has to be passed before the end of the year. [0:13:25, 0:13:45]: So that um that district is set up so that you can um if you choose to use it. If you choose to use it, you can begin to use it in 2025, if you pass it this year. What the proposal is that's in front of you all is to create the entire city as one and we exclude the [0:13:45, 0:13:49]: homestead as we were saying earlier, but we're going to create it. [0:13:50, 0:13:54]: Leave it there. We're going to come back to you all with [0:13:54, 0:14:01]: the extra what would be what we consider to be the true district and who it would exclude. [0:14:01, 0:14:12]: And then from there you can decide about what you want to do about the public-private partnerships and how much that would be able to use towards the projects that you want to fund. [0:14:12, 0:14:32]: And so that would be the first step in it, is just to create it so that we can then come back and have done the research to be able to present the actual numbers and the actual area throughout the city that it would be in. And then from there, what part of the proposal is that we were at least thinking about is we have [0:14:32, 0:14:52]: A separate retreat that we do where we discuss what we would want the projects and next steps to be with this, and then you all would be able to come back and decide about the area and the value that it would be for the residents and the businesses. [0:14:52, 0:14:52]: [893.1, 905.4]: Uh question. Yeah. Uh the if I under maybe I missed it. I gotta reach back and catch this. All right. This is only based on commercial properties that would be have this uh the taxing aspect of this? We're going to ask for we're going to ask for it to be yes. [0:15:05, 0:15:22]: It it w due to the where we're gonna do initially, I think the plan was just to to eliminate all non to eliminate all homesteaded properties and then we will have a map by the end of the year once we can run numbers to to to amend to that. [0:15:23, 0:15:43]: And Mayor, the property digest is up here. I don't know if y'all see it on the screen. Yes, sir. We got it. If you would look there, you can see the residential properties are a I don't know how to do it, or a billion two hundred and twenty-four million. Can you see that? Okay, yes. Look at the commercials, five hundred and forty-eight million. Industrial. [0:15:42, 0:16:02]: Is 73 million, utilities of 14 million. I think that our goal is for Mayor Ernst to do his magic since he's done it before, is to figure out how to draw a map that gets the commercial, the industrial, and the public utility and leaves a residential alone. And then figure out what would that produce. When he draws that map, what would that produce? [0:16:02, 0:16:08]: produce as far as revenue to help you create all this development in public private partnership. [0:16:08, 0:16:23]: And it and and the service has to be whatever service you guys deem has to be in that district. That that is one requirement. So you can't, you know, tack uh you cannot create a district and then put a s a service outside of that district. Understand. So [0:16:23, 0:16:25]: So like for example the amphitheater would be in the district. [0:16:26, 0:16:26]: Okay. [0:16:27, 0:16:45]: Fantastic. Yeah. Sir uh any well sorry. Yeah, I'm sorry. Anything else, sir? Thank you. No, no, no. There's th nothing else I I I noticed. Thank you for being here, Maris. And welcome once again, welcome to Stockbridgewood Community Connects, by the way. Yes, thank you. Okay. So uh questions. Okay, back here, Mr. Thomas. Go ahead, sir. Yes. Um [0:16:46, 0:16:49]: Let me get a clear understanding, um [0:16:50, 0:16:53]: I think it was suggested that we [0:16:53, 0:16:55]: include the entire city. [0:16:57, 0:16:59]: in the district in twenty twenty four. [0:17:00, 0:17:02]: Correct. Yes. And then [0:17:02, 0:17:05]: At some point in time in twenty twenty five. [0:17:06, 0:17:08]: Come back and pinpoint. [0:17:08, 0:17:13]: an area that we really desire for this service project. [0:17:13, 0:17:16]: Yes. And but I'm gonna tell you why. Because [0:17:17, 0:17:37]: And looking because it does not have to be contiguous. We want to at least the way we wrote the the way we wrote the ordinances, everything would be in there, right? That would pass now. Then we would be able to come back and amend and you all would vote on the amendment about what all the exclusion what the exclusions would be after we've had time to further speak to you all at what [0:17:37, 0:17:42]: that would be either a retreat or another special call meeting or however you all would like to receive this information. [0:17:42, 0:17:45]: So is this a [0:17:45, 0:18:05]: One and done, meaning once you identify that one project, that means then you cannot come back. It does not so you could you can come back at any other time and declare an additional area. Yes, but right now we're going to have a service project. Yes, that's correct. Well right now we're going for the whole right now. [0:18:05, 0:18:16]: Now we're using the whole city. Right. Then we can have that's the maximum number. When we present you with this other information and you all present us with the concerns that you all have, that will be what we come up with is the actual map. [0:18:17, 0:18:18]: That you then come in here and vote on. [0:18:19, 0:18:30]: Once we voted on that amended map, you will know what that map would be able to leverage in terms of monies for capital projects or whatever projects that would be inside that district. But the amended map [0:18:30, 0:18:39]: Could be done before the end of 24. And whatever that map is, we could raise revenues in 25 on it. [0:18:39, 0:18:41]: If you draw a map that's citywide [0:18:42, 0:18:42]: Yeah. [0:18:42, 0:18:45]: choose sometime in twenty five to change it. [0:18:45, 0:19:03]: You can't raise revenue on that till twenty six. Mm-hmm. So you see what I'm saying? Right. So that's why that's why it's important we you know, you have to get it done by the end of this year so that you have options for twenty five. And depending on how quick we can work, we might you know, and and such. Um [0:19:04, 0:19:07]: That that amendment may by the end of the year so that you can level [0:19:07, 0:19:27]: uh levy or do anything you wish in twenty five. So that's that that's the issue. You have to and any change you make, it's the f it kind of goes into effect the following year. Okay. So my follow up question is once the particular area has been identified, what is the um [0:19:27, 0:19:36]: Buying in for those businesses, or how do we as a city, and I think I know the answer, but I just want to hear from you as an expert. [0:19:36, 0:19:56]: How do we approach those businesses in that particular area to get them to buy in because we'cause this will be an imposed tax to those businesses, correct? Well, so it it it can be a tax, it can be uh assessment, it can be a fee. Uh you do it. [0:19:56, 0:20:16]: We we opposed uh we we did uh impose a tax ourselves and how we how we did it is we had our master plans, which you guys are you have. You have these projects that you have uh told the public that you're looking to do. And we we did a p public information campaign of the projects that we are gonna fund out of the special service district. [0:20:16, 0:20:17]: Okay. [0:20:17, 0:20:22]: And let the folks know. Um and we had [0:20:22, 0:20:27]: you know, very good response and even from the potential um [0:20:28, 0:20:32]: companies or uh property owners, you were commercial. [0:20:32, 0:20:33]: Actually [0:20:33, 0:20:53]: They we had only one person that complained out of my entire city, and that person was just happening to sell the property and messed up escrow's for that last year and and such. Um, that was one whole uh company, and that's was a$350 million uh deal. And it is we offered them a service that we were able [0:20:53, 0:20:59]: to to provide us shuttle service for a short amount of time and he was fine. [0:20:59, 0:21:11]: So but there there is there's some buy-in, but I can tell you what happens is you're gonna create value to you to your commercial properties and to your citizens in area because [0:21:11, 0:21:13]: What happens is and [0:21:13, 0:21:17]: You know, people out Bill Satan Alban, who's a architect out here, has done some planning stuff. [0:21:18, 0:21:21]: Publi private money follows public money. [0:21:21, 0:21:28]: I don't know if you guys have heard that before. I I had heard that right when I became mayor. I never heard it before. But that that and it's it's true. [0:21:29, 0:21:39]: When public money is being spent, private money will follow because they see that that folks are are investing in the community to to go up. And those the um [0:21:40, 0:21:44]: in the amount of services that we were able to provide, um [0:21:44, 0:22:04]: in that district, the the the business owners actually saw value. So we have certain things that we do. That's gonna again we're talking about the retreat and what what's important, what's not important is is part of that aspect because the thing can be tailored. And like I said, it's this is not a one-shot deal. This is just this district. You can [0:22:04, 0:22:10]: level you can put multiple districts in multiple things. So again, if you have a problem area [0:22:11, 0:22:13]: Let's say you've a stormwater problem in an area. [0:22:13, 0:22:19]: You could just do the watershed and apply it to that stormwater area. They're the the ones who benefit. [0:22:20, 0:22:24]: And so it's it's a very flexible tool, a special service district. [0:22:24, 0:22:39]: But what the hope is is that if by granting this we have those further discussions so that in twenty twenty five or even in twenty twenty four as we've been discussing the budget process et cetera, that some of the some of the [0:22:40, 0:22:48]: we could look at and possibly anticipate some of that capital being in hand in the coming years, beginning possibly even in next year. [0:22:49, 0:22:53]: All right. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, sir. Uh Mr. Alzheimer's you have a question. [0:22:54, 0:23:02]: Yeah, let me just say this and uh being it very sensitive to what it is, the residential exemption would have to be in there tonight. Yeah. [0:23:03, 0:23:23]: Okay, we're not leaving here today with folks saying, Well, they could come back and hit us with this assessment and they left it up in the air. No, they need to be in here tonight. Yeah. Now we have special service districts in Henry County right now. The county implements and uses special service districts right now. The citizens pay a fire uh service district. [0:23:22, 0:23:42]: district to the county because we don't have our own police department. So I mean our own fire department we have our own police. So we don't have to pay the service district for that. So uh that's my first thing that now you saying that uh I just want to understand this clearly is that the map does not have to be contiguous. So pretty much we'd be isolating on a lot of commercial [0:23:42, 0:24:02]: Uh in particular areas, my district in the south side of the city. Are you in implying that if we that special service district for the whole city can be used in any of those areas non-contiguous, or does it have to be used in that specific area where it's collected at? So so the theory is a good idea. [0:24:02, 0:24:22]: The idea is I I can't imagine a a scenario, you know, talking to your attorney and and and and your city manager in which this current map that is being proposed is going to be used in term uh in until we amend this map. Um all I can tell you is a is a full um [0:24:23, 0:24:25]: as a full uh what's it called um [0:24:27, 0:24:44]: Yeah, regulation is that the sir the service has to be in the district. So if the map if the map is drawn and there's the property or whatever is going or the service that is being provided by the city has to be provided it has to be within the full of the city. [0:24:45, 0:25:05]: Well the district as you describe it is the whole commer city commercial area. Right. So it would just need to be spent somewhere correct inside the city commercial area. It couldn't be spent in the residential area because we have excluded those. Yes, yes. So so to make sure that citizens understand there's no additional tax coming for [0:25:05, 0:25:18]: No. Because they are homesteaded and prevented from being taxed under this. Yes. Correct. Under what we're going what I would vote for tonight. Correct. All right, thank you. And we were we were talking about that language just before we came up. So [0:25:18, 0:25:26]: Residential and homesteader. Oh right. Ms. Gand, go ahead please. Single family, not residential. Because I I want I I don't want apartments included with that. [0:25:27, 0:25:31]: Okay, so you want it I d did are y'all seeing apartments too? [0:25:31, 0:25:37]: I mean the renters gotta pay the rent. The the renters are gonna pay it. So Well I'm saying I I know renters have to pay rent. [0:25:37, 0:25:38]: But [0:25:38, 0:25:56]: Right now, I'm thinking I don't think it's about the rent. I don't think we're taxing renters on their rent. I don't know what what this is gonna entail. There's not any type of taxing or assessment happening right now. No assessment or anything. Yeah, I definitely don't agree with that. This is just this is just creation. [0:25:56, 0:26:02]: Like if there's going to be an assessment, you all will meet and decide what that is. But but we can go ahead and exclude now. [0:26:02, 0:26:21]: But there's not anything coming for with there's not a ask from us right now of anything that would come to be an assessment or a levy on anybody in the city. This is just the creation. This is not the actual usage or implementation. I I wouldn't want to um levy taxes on them or anything. I don't I don't want to talk about tax period. I don't even want that term. It's not even about that. [0:26:21, 0:26:30]: It's not a tax. I it's definitely not for me. I but in regards to just a special district in general. [0:26:31, 0:26:31]: Um [0:26:32, 0:26:52]: Mm multifamily to me is different. It has a different ownership. Right. And it it has a a different impact. Right. Um, that's why we have the impact different things. So let me know. I just want I'm I know we don't have any regulations. We can always scale back later. Yeah. But for now, just to be safe, I don't want to exclude something. [0:26:52, 0:27:12]: and then come back and bite me later. I definitely want to exclude real estate, I mean single family residential. Yeah. Both, both. Not just homestead, just res single family residential, period. You can claim it homestead, but they're renters in single family. That's people who own their properties. They're they're single family. [0:27:12, 0:27:32]: Dwellings. There's a difference. You got homestead exempters, and then you got second homes, you got investment homes. I don't want those included. I I that's my take on all single family residential. Single family residential. Gotcha. Okay. All right. And again, Alexander, I get what I'm gonna just say this and I'm gonna say this. It is not [0:27:32, 0:27:52]: and contradictory is just belief and theory. The owners of the apartment complex don't pay it. They put it in the rent. Oh I know. I'm not sure what it's just Well I you know, this this is fascinating because when I we created our sprook everyone, we had this exact same discussion. Yeah. Oh. Oh with this exact same discussion. And what was it out? [0:27:52, 0:28:08]: And the outcome is we did put all um all um apartments into it, into the district. And what has and what we had seen is our rent rates are not affected by um by taxes. [0:28:09, 0:28:12]: So when the city of Brookhaven became a city. [0:28:12, 0:28:23]: Two-thirds of um the commercial properties uh sorry, the commercial properties got a two-thirds hair uh haircut. They pay two-thirds less city taxes than they were previously paying when DeCab County. [0:28:23, 0:28:34]: During that time, between now, between then and the time we created the city, uh, the special tax district, the rent rates went up close to a hundred and twenty percent. [0:28:35, 0:28:36]: with a lower taxes. [0:28:37, 0:28:44]: Ta rate rental rates, and again, it's a policy decision, and I understand, but rental rates is just solely directed by what the market is. [0:28:45, 0:28:48]: If the landlord can charge more money, they're going to charge more money. [0:28:49, 0:29:09]: And it wasn't affected by it does it does it doesn't affect them what the what the taxes what or w whatever um s uh remediation they have to give to a city does not overly affect their rental rates. It didn't show it at least in Brookhaven, I've seen in multiple other places that's where that's not the case. [0:29:09, 0:29:29]: But again, that is a policy decision that you you do you have that discussion. I would, you know, err on the s the safety of of just just doing the single family and the homestead of properties and and and then come back and have that discussion later because that that that is a very popular and and in in [0:29:29, 0:29:37]: We'll be able to see with the map what does that do? What does that change do? But you know, a prime example, you know, how this came out in my own head was. [0:29:38, 0:29:58]: The CIDs. We have CIDs. I don't know if you guys have a CID around. Um, they were able to um they l levy a millage rate and it was buy-in from the the the property owners. Um and but they cannot levy to on any residential property whatsoever. And so that area was getting a lot of benefits. [0:29:58, 0:30:18]: benefit that property owner was getting a lot of benefit of the investment that was going on in the CID, but they weren't paying anything into it. And there's an equity issue there that you know where the the true value is coming from. But these are great policy discussions. I'm sure I'm gonna have these discussions with you if this go, you know, we to go through uh going forward to try to [0:30:18, 0:30:21]: Try to to make sure your will is is being done. [0:30:21, 0:30:41]: Well that was my next question was what's the difference between this and a C I D? It sounded very similar to a C I D. I didn't think that it was um, you know, anything um but it seems like there are different options in re as in regards to services, possibly or potentially. But we have Eagles Eagles and have you you guys have an association, correct? [0:30:41, 0:30:46]: Okay, and it acts similar. Well it changes the rhythm. [0:30:46, 0:31:03]: Oh yeah, but we don't want that. But I'm just saying tax like I'm I'm for the record and for always the record, I am not for taxes. I just am not. But that's just me. So again, you know, the the buy in from my community, I I could just say once you know, obviously there's always gonna be some folks who are [0:31:04, 0:31:24]: against government having any revenue. That's just nature of the beast. But you know, once they realized that, you know, it is um is being paid for by the the property owners, a commercial property, and hence by the people that come into your city, very similar to sales tax, you hear that that that term all the time. [0:31:24, 0:31:38]: that 70% of the sales tax is paid by outsiders. Well the commercial property is that same thing. Those people are coming into your city using your services and and not paying any of the taxes, but the those commercial properties is where it can can come in. [0:31:39, 0:31:40]: Any other questions? [0:31:41, 0:32:01]: Timelines. You mentioned um 2024. So here we are in November. Um the process. Um do we need to vote tonight? Yes. Okay. And so and so [0:32:01, 0:32:05]: So from from the vote, what happens from the vote? [0:32:06, 0:32:20]: From the vote, what'll happen is that per the ordinance we have, we would we're going to make sure that it's amended to have excluding all single family residential and all homesteaded properties. And [0:32:21, 0:32:26]: That's going to be that's going to be the creation of the map that's attached in the ordinance that you all have. [0:32:26, 0:32:28]: And that would be it. Then after that. [0:32:29, 0:32:49]: We're going to on the operation side work with you all and the city manager about when we're going to come together, about next steps with this for the what the map you all actually want it to be, if you want to change from there, and what the power of the district would be for the capital. [0:32:49, 0:32:57]: Projects that you all want to raise against. Could I interrupt too? So you would bring this back at the at the next meeting if we vote tonight. [0:32:57, 0:33:12]: Well no, what what what happens you would have you would have given clearance for the entire city, excluding all single family residential and all homesteads. So w we wouldn't have to rush for the for the rest of the year. We could in in twenty twenty five, then we [0:33:12, 0:33:32]: Right. Then y'all have a discussion about how y'all want to use it. You will have it, but then y'all have a separate discussion when you all wanna use it. So what if we vote tonight in twenty twenty four, we'll set and then we'll come back in twenty twenty five and then lay it out. Yes. Okay. So Councilman Thomas, the w one addition to that. [0:33:32, 0:33:51]: But I would like y'all tonight to also engage Mayor Ernst to help draw the maps that would exclude the single family and the things that he talked about. He works with the GIS at the county and the city and figures out how to draw all those maps up. And so tonight, once y'all approve this, it's like a placeholder. [0:33:52, 0:34:00]: And then he does his work, draws the maps, come back to you and says, Here's the map, and here's what the value of the property is. [0:34:01, 0:34:12]: And he gives you options, maybe option A, option B. When he draws the map, not only does he have to figure out how to draw it and which property goes in it, but he's got to include the areas you wanna spend the money to. [0:34:12, 0:34:24]: And so um I need y'all tonight to authorize us to engage him to draw the maps. And then the next step we bring him back down to you and discuss the maps, maybe retreat, like Attorney Washington said. [0:34:24, 0:34:31]: So you're talking about one motion or combined or two mo two separate motions? Just one motion. Okay. All right. There's no other questions then, council, I need a motion then. [0:34:33, 0:34:34]: Some [0:34:34, 0:34:35]: Okay. [0:34:35, 0:34:41]: Okay, and this is in reference to going forward and having the mayor join us in this process, is that right? [0:34:41, 0:35:01]: Inclusive of Mayor this is the recommendation as council has approved the special service district, inclusive of the representative um uh Mr. Ernst as described by Mr. Wall. All right, so you made a motion and Mr. Also excluding all homestead properties. Excluding all homestead single family properties and homes [0:35:01, 0:35:17]: homestead uh in this particular motion. Okay. You made the motion and Mr. Thomas second that. Right. Okay. Mr. Washington, yeah. If you're prepared, can you read that motion and then we can start to get it recorded? Mrs. Lester. [0:35:18, 0:35:26]: So in section three in the in your notebooks, we ask for pursuant to the SSD clause. [0:35:26, 0:35:46]: There is hereby created a special district for the purpose of provision of local government services and supplemental services and facilities to be funded in whole or in part by a special improvement assessment, therein to be known as Stockbridge Special Service District or Stockbridge SSD, the boundaries which will be coextensive with the boundaries of the city, excluding all single family. [0:35:46, 0:35:47]: Yeah. [0:35:48, 0:35:51]: And all homesteaded residences. [0:35:52, 0:36:07]: It will also employ Ernst Legal Group to create the maps and then report back to city council about input on selecting the final maps and the power of the assessments they want the district to have. [0:36:08, 0:36:28]: Mm. Mayor Ford, do do we have any unreadiness? Uh well here's the thing. Well, I was gonna ask for a qu I was gonna ask for further discussion. So otherwise that's the motion that's been made seconded and and put in the record. So it is some uh discussion. Ms. Grant has some discussion here. I I had I do. I have a question. How how much is this gonna cost to draw the map and where's the money coming from? [0:36:28, 0:36:35]: That's what we always ask w in in regards to our service. So it'll come from the general fund and and I can't imagine it would cost more than ten thousand. [0:36:36, 0:36:36]: Okay. [0:36:37, 0:36:39]: And mister Gardner, are you okay with that? [0:36:42, 0:36:45]: But do we have it in the general fund to do for that ten thousand? [0:36:46, 0:36:52]: 'Cause I I always wanna know how much things cost, right? We gotta be somewhat responsible. Can we say no more than? [0:36:53, 0:37:04]: Well I ax I guess you can do it under your allocation. I mean we're still gotta find where it comes from. Okay. Yeah. It's there, right? If it's the witch council we'll we'll find we'll look in in one of the departments and find [0:37:05, 0:37:06]: Okay. [0:37:06, 0:37:26]: All right, thank you. I know it's about me, but I have recommendation for my years of being mayor that you would would amend this to add a line if you haven't done it already, to allow uh the general fund to pay for it now and that the special service district pays for it back when it's established that you could get reimbursed at a later date so that that your general fund. [0:37:26, 0:37:28]: I like that. [0:37:29, 0:37:49]: So amended. Amend that to that add that. Thank you for that experience. That's right. You made the motion originally, so you can do that. And I doesn't need no second second from you as well on amendment. Okay. On that note, we'll What other discussion, Mayor? Yes, sir. I just want y'all to know this is a tool you're putting in your toolbox. You're not doing anything now other than creating the tool. [0:37:49, 0:37:50]: That's great. [0:37:50, 0:37:55]: Understand. Appreciate sir. So what the motion and amended motion to that will all in favor please indicate. [0:37:56, 0:38:16]: Okay, GNAP Sisters and thank you. Thank you. Mr. Earlson appreciate you. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. So on that note, announcements, upcoming meetings, and events. Okay, council meetings will be held in the city council chambers, meeting dates, location, times, the subject change, and c or contact city hall offices is 770-389-7900. [0:38:16, 0:38:36]: Or visit the website at www.stockbridgega.org for updates. U council meetings the first Monday of each month at 6 30 p.m. City Hall Levi Meeting Room, November 4th. Election Day, make sure you vote, ladies and gentlemen. Tuesday, November 5th from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit MVP.sos. [0:38:36, 0:38:56]: For your polling location. Community zoning and informational meeting Wednesday, November 6th, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. City Hall. In the council chambers, November 6th there. Stockbridge Citizens Police Advisory Council meeting, first Thursday of each month, 6:30 p.m. Stockbridge Police Community Room, 4545, North Henry Boulevard. [0:38:56, 0:39:16]: November 7th. The Main Street Advisory Board meeting is the second Friday of each month at 9 a.m. location in Downtown Connection Center, 1:30 ML King Senior Heritage Trail, November 8th. City Council meeting special date, Tuesday, November 12th at 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers is November 12th, due to the fact that November 11th is [0:39:16, 0:39:36]: Course uh Veterans Uh Day holiday. Citywide Development Authority meeting will be canceled, has been canceled. The board will hold a retreat on February, November 15th. Location to be announced. The Downtown Development Authority meeting special date, Tuesday, November 12th at the Stockbridge Downtown Center, 130 ML King Senior Heritage Trail. [0:39:36, 0:39:56]: And that's also due to the fact that uh November eleventh is an uh Veterans Day holiday. City Council Work Session meeting last Tuesday of each month, but this time it's gonna be six p.m. Well it's at six p.m. but this time it's gonna be in the City of Council chambers on November nineteenth. And that's due to the Thanksgiving holiday week there. Youth uh council advisory committee meeting six thirty. [0:39:56, 0:40:16]: P.M. third Tuesday of each month, the Levi Meeting Room, City Hall, November 19th. And in Planning Commission meetings on Thursday of each month, 6:30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers, and that's November 21st. Upcoming events and initiatives. Join Councilwoman Lakeisha Gantt in partnership to Atlanta Food Truck Park for the night market at the Star Brazil. [0:40:16, 0:40:22]: Theater parking lot from six PM to nine, thirty PM November seventh and November twenty first. [0:40:22, 0:40:36]: Just November seventh. Okay. Uh there will be vendors, food, trucks, activities, games, music vibes. Contact Tam Bowers at thepeachofmind at gmail dot com for registration and additional information. [0:40:39, 0:40:59]: Please join the city of Stockbridge for the annual Veterans Day luncheon, honoring the veterans on Monday, November 11th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Merrill Manor's Conference Center. You got RSVP noted on November 4th at events at stopbridge.org. Join Mayor Anthony Ford for the Meet the Mayor on Wednesday, November 18th and [0:40:59, 0:41:19]: 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Stockbridge City Hall. Join Councilman Afonso Thomas in partnership with the Mayor Pro Tem Kyle Berry for the monthly senior Bingo Bash on Wednesday, November 20th, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at Merrill Manos Conference Center. 111 Davis Road for Raffles, Prizes, Games, Snacks, and F. Join Councilman Elton Alezander. [0:41:19, 0:41:39]: For the District 5 Town Hall on Thursday, November 21st from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. location to be announced. Councilman Thomas is honoring veterans and with a continued salute all year long. Please send your pictures of veterans with their name, branch, rank, and years of service. Councilman Thomas also will distribute free smoke detectors along. [0:41:38, 0:41:55]: along with uh Fire Marshal Demetrius Wells. Date and location be announced soon. So stay tuned for that. Join Councilman Thomas once again for Don't Trash Stockbridge Initiative Center around education highlighting on the cause and effects of littering and illegal dumping. More information following that as well. [0:41:55, 0:41:58]: contact Rawls and Rawls to schedule an appointment with meet the mayor. [0:41:58, 0:42:08]: For more information on council initiatives and events is 678-833-3348 or by way of email, rawls at starbridgega.org. [0:42:09, 0:42:15]: Once again we're in the month of October, getting ready to go into November. So first of all, have a safe and happy Halloween. [0:42:15, 0:42:35]: Uh number two, make sure it's flu seas flu season, so make sure you get your flu shots and your COVID-19 boosters. Get updated on that. We want you to be healthy and safe during the course of the holiday season. And congratulations thus far to Atlanta Falcons for leading up the NFC South, leading that particular conference. Hopefully they'll keep it up ongoing through the season, getting the playoffs. We shall see. On that note, council. [0:42:35, 0:42:55]: So I need a motion to go to executive session to handle and deal with p uh personnel uh actions. Mayor, if I could make one comment. Yes, sir. What's that? About we did say election day is November fifth. And yes sir we certainly uh early voting continues. But there's no Saturday voting this week. There's no Sunday voting. So if you want to vote early, you gotta vote by [0:42:55, 0:43:15]: By Friday. They're at 7 to 7 every day this week in Stockbridge. That's at Merrill Manders Conference Center. The city has a couple of folks. There's a lot of things going on out there. Like we have a homestead exemption on the ballot this year that folks need to know about. And they'll determine whether or not they get the homestead credit by how they vote. [0:43:15, 0:43:35]: And certainly we have a splash that's on the ballot that will be determined. I think uh some of the things that we have on there, we have$10 million acclimated to uh the recreation multi-generational recreation center and certain other projects in the city. And if you want to see that center, [0:43:35, 0:43:55]: Certainly uh you would vote yes. If you do not, you would vote no. It's gonna be up to you whether or not we build the recreation center and numerous other projects. So thank you. Oh thank you for that up there. I appreciate that. Yes, okay, Miss Gantt. Looks like okay. All right. On that note, uh we need a uh need to go in a second session motion for that for to handle personal. [0:43:55, 0:43:58]: Okay, is there a second? [0:44:00, 0:44:07]: Circuit. Okay, so from Miss Scant to to Mr. Alexander, all in favor, please indicate. All right, so you now go into the second session. We'll be back soon. [0:44:11, 0:44:11]: Okay. [0:44:15, 0:44:20]: Well I always talked about that at FPF and I don't know why I slipped my mind not to say that percent. [0:44:59, 0:45:12]: How long you go right by that mask'cause it's going around. Oh yeah, it is. It's too many. It's it's already it's already tired. My cra my crap is already there. [1:08:31, 1:08:31]: Oh. [1:08:39, 1:08:41]: Are we live? Okay. [1:08:42, 1:08:43]: All right. [1:08:45, 1:08:53]: All right, council. I need a a motion to end the second session, please. So move. I second. Okay for Mr. Berry to Miss Cannon all in favor please indicate. [1:08:54, 1:08:57]: Okay. I need a motion to reconvene or [1:08:57, 1:09:04]: Uh council, council work session. So move. From Miss Gantts okay, from Miss Gantt to Mr. Berry. All in favor, please indicate. [1:09:05, 1:09:10]: And we have nothing to report from a second session, so now I need a motion to end our council meeting. [1:09:11, 1:09:19]: Okay. Miss Gantt, okay, is there a second? Mr. Is there a second? All in favor, please indicate? All right, God bless you. Unanimous. Good night.