2025-06-25 · City Council · Transcript · Work Session Meeting

--- title: Work Session Meeting date: 2025-06-25 source: 2025-06-25_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:01:56, 0:02:04]: All right, ladies and gentlemen, I have 604, so I'd like to call our council work session June twenty-fifth to order. [0:02:05, 0:02:25]: Please of Stockbridge. We pray, Lord God, for every resident. We pray for all of our citizens, our constituents. We pray, Lord God, for the safety. We pray, Lord God, for their well-being. Now, Lord God, we actually bless this council, bless the staff of this city, and allow us, Lord God, to come together, Lord God, with the best resources and the best ideas possible so that Stockbridge could be the best place in the world. [0:02:25, 0:02:45]: the world. This is our prayer in the matchless name of your son Jesus Christ we pray. Let us all say Amen. Amen. Pledge allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [0:02:45, 0:02:47]: Madam Clerk, roll call, please. [0:02:49, 0:03:00]: Good afternoon. Afternoon. Mayor Ford. Present. Mayor Pro Tem Gantt. Let the record reflect Mayor Pro Tem Gantt is not in attendance. Council Member Thomas. [0:03:00, 0:03:14]: Let the record replay. Councilmember Thomas is not in attendance. Councilmember Bear. Present. Council Member Barber. Present. Council Member Alexander. Present. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Appreciate that. Council I need a motion to adopt the agenda, please. [0:03:14, 0:03:34]: So move. Is there a second? Second. Okay, Mr. Alexander. Mr. Barrett all in favor, please indicate. Thank you very much. Appreciate that. Public comments. All persons wishing to speak on public comment must sign in on the city of Stockbridge or sign in with the city clerk prior to the beginning of the meeting. You must sign your name, address, phone number, and be able to address address the mayor and council for three minutes. [0:03:34, 0:03:53]: The accused speakers must respect all members of the elected body, officials, staff, definition, unruliness, and swearing will not be tolerated while meetings are in session. Madam Clerk, we have um individuals who want to give uh public comments. Okay, thank you. [0:03:59, 0:04:00]: Your name and address, please. [0:04:04, 0:04:24]: Mr. Turner, two five four warblerway, stop bridge. Again, this is not personal, this is business. Um at the end end of the meeting on june ninth, mister Harold Young's contract was terminated for breach of contract. The breach was not disclosed. How was Mr. Young's contract breached? What did he do? [0:04:24, 0:04:34]: And what did he not do? There were several individual companies who stated they worked with mister Young. What is the status of their contracts with the city of Stockbridge in the amphitheater? [0:04:36, 0:04:56]: Who authorized the payments to Harold Young for 2022, 23, 24, and 25? There are pending open record requests for amphitheater records. Who is filing those requests? I mean who is filling those requests and who determines what is redacted? The information presented at the City Council meeting last week regarding [0:04:56, 0:04:59]: [300.0, 320.0]: It said that the premiums increased more than two hundred thousand dollars, but it was not explained. Why does the city why doesn't the city know how many vehicles were purchased? Who is responsible for knowing what taxpayers money has purchased? How do we know if everything purchased with the taxpayer money is being accounted for? What is going on with the money? [0:05:20, 0:05:33]: with the management of the city and where is the oversight? Through public records, we know that the amphitheater went over budget for twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four. What other departments went over budget? [0:05:35, 0:05:55]: For these same years. Is this why the millage rates was assessed? To make up for overspending for these concerts, is this what you all consider to be good stewards of citizens' money? There needs to be accountability here. Over the years, Councilwoman Barber has pleaded with the council to provide [0:05:55, 0:06:05]: Provide financial reports and a forensic audit and her requests have been ignored. Go back and watch the tapes as I did, and the council instead censored her for speaking up and speaking out. [0:06:10, 0:06:30]: A council member made a post on NextDare app about a previous show being sold out. What does sold out mean? If taxpayers are paying vendors a hundred percent service fee fee, that includes parking artist fee, where does the money from ticket sales and parking go? Does the money from ticket sales offset the daily overhead? If we pay the vendor L Parks 100%, [0:06:30, 0:06:50]: percent vendor's fee for parking, then where does the money go for the guests who pay for parking? Does the money from ticket sales and parking sales go to the City of Stockbridge general fund account? Who oversees the end-of-day breakdown for the expenses and sales for each event at the amphitheater? There was a show postponed due to weather. I do remember [0:06:50, 0:07:04]: Recall Councilmember Barber asking that there be a clause written in the contract that states artists should not be paid a hundred percent for a rain delay or an act of God. Are we paying these artists a hundred percent again? Was this money in the budget? [0:07:06, 0:07:10]: Wanna ask the council for more time? I'll ask the council, sir. Council, you wanna give him more time? [0:07:14, 0:07:25]: Yes, yes. So it's guess I'm consistent. I just three minutes is the room, that's my consistency. Okay. All right. No, sir. I don't have three votes. Thank you. Thank you. [0:07:26, 0:07:28]: All right, uh who's next? [0:07:43, 0:07:43]: Okay. [0:07:47, 0:07:55]: Hi, Connie Snow, four twenty six Chase Marion Way. I'd like to give Paul Turner the rest of my time to complete his comment. Thank you. [0:07:56, 0:08:03]: Ma'am, you have three minutes. You're not gonna be able to transfer to the other. [0:08:03, 0:08:11]: I don't recall that at all. Now I'll tell you what I will do. Pratturney. You have any you have any legal guidance on that? [0:08:20, 0:08:22]: Excuse me? Just a moment. Thank you. [0:08:30, 0:08:34]: We have that's the rule that we're following, we're consistent. That's the rule. [0:08:38, 0:08:41]: [521.2, 522.3]: Uh understand? [0:09:11, 0:09:29]: Council does not currently have a policy in place regarding um uh whether a public commenter can give their time to another person.'Cause what I just read, it says ever everybody be able to address the mayor of council for three minutes. So it doesn't so all right. We've been consistent. [0:09:29, 0:09:35]: I'm actually gonna wave my comment at this moment. Okay, thank you. All right. Who's next? [0:09:46, 0:09:46]: Okay. [0:10:00, 0:10:01]: Name and address, please. [0:10:03, 0:10:14]: My name is Mary Indie Calhoun, 608 Creekstone Court, Jonesboro, Stockbridge, Georgia, 30281. [0:10:15, 0:10:35]: I am before this board to talk about an issue that is plaguing our communities, especially in Stockbridge, this issue of homelessness and homeless needs. I have been developing a comprehensive operating procedure for homeless based on the principles of Narcotics Anonymous. [0:10:35, 0:10:48]: Sex offender anonymous as well as alcohol anonymous. I plan to establish it in an H I I plan to establish a homeless anonymous program [0:10:50, 0:11:00]: In Florida I participated in a group project aimed at improving the t tracking of sex offenders while also providing them with support groups to discuss their behavior. [0:11:00, 0:11:05]: This enabled probation officers to exercise more effective supervision and monitoring. [0:11:06, 0:11:09]: My primary objective with homelessness was [0:11:09, 0:11:11]: The Homeless Anonymous program [0:11:12, 0:11:14]: is to enhance the track enhance the tracking [0:11:15, 0:11:16]: of this population. [0:11:16, 0:11:19]: Conduct a thorough needs assessment. [0:11:19, 0:11:22]: and provide sustainable solutions. [0:11:23, 0:11:25]: You will you will be impressed by [0:11:25, 0:11:28]: та потенціал сформи ресурси. [0:11:28, 0:11:34]: allocated toward the underserved population, focusing on providing a hand up [0:11:34, 0:11:36]: rather than a repetitive handout. [0:11:37, 0:11:40]: It is essential that we adopt innovative appro [0:11:40, 0:11:44]: Approaches to assist those without a support system. [0:11:44, 0:11:47]: or a clear plan for a better life. [0:11:47, 0:11:52]: We must become proactive when dealing with this group of growing population. [0:11:52, 0:11:53]: If we don't [0:11:53, 0:11:57]: it will affect us f affect our crime rate negatively. [0:11:58, 0:12:01]: This is one of my initiatives. [0:12:03, 0:12:08]: Elected officials in Hearing County refuse to work with me because I am so outspoken about them. [0:12:09, 0:12:11]: I'm a very smart and resourceful person. [0:12:12, 0:12:16]: with many great ideas to assist my c community based on needs assessed. [0:12:17, 0:12:26]: But I refuse to be labeled by you all as someone who is crazy or mental or whatever names you wanna call me that day. [0:12:26, 0:12:29]: Because I consistently expose [0:12:30, 0:12:35]: Things that are corrupt, abuse of power, and self serving purposes people who hold office. [0:12:36, 0:12:42]: The amount of money this council wasted on the amphitheater could have been used to have a program in place for the group laying. [0:12:43, 0:12:45]: For this group, the homeless [0:12:45, 0:12:47]: Втракабол дата. [0:12:47, 0:12:49]: As to its progression [0:12:49, 0:12:50]: Or failures. [0:12:51, 0:12:53]: So I say shame on all of you. [0:12:53, 0:12:56]: For not planning effectively to deal with this matter. [0:12:57, 0:12:59]: Again, I want you all to know that [0:12:59, 0:13:01]: I'm a good person. [0:13:01, 0:13:02]: I'm just outspoken. [0:13:02, 0:13:04]: А кір бабама ком'юті. [0:13:05, 0:13:06]: Yeah. Thank you for your time. [0:13:08, 0:13:09]: Who's next, uh Ms. Halday? [0:13:12, 0:13:14]: Miss Ann Fields. [0:13:25, 0:13:34]: Hi, Ann Fields, 329 Chase Marionway 30253. Um I just came to um ask [0:13:35, 0:13:55]: Due to the recent circumstances with everything going on with the amphitheater, if Stockbridge would consider purchasing the homes that resi are behind the amphitheater, this has been an extreme burden on the residents back there that don't want to be here anymore. And financially it's unfeasible for these folks to move. [0:13:55, 0:14:15]: I would hope that Stockbridge would consider doing the right thing to try to square this up and make do right by the people that have been taxpayers and hardworking community citizens for years here, including including Sunny and her kids. She's very open to an agreement. [0:14:14, 0:14:34]: To move, but the noise is unbearable for her. So I would hope that you would consider purchasing these homes from these people that do want to relocate now. Enough is kind of enough watching the financial downfall and everything that's going on here. The other thing I wanted to talk about was they're not letting me bring my wife. [0:14:34, 0:14:54]: Water in and I've been coming here for two years and I never ever ever because I'm a Girl Scout ever leave it worse than I came in. So all my garbage comes with me everywhere I go. And we should be allowed to have our water in here. You guys all have your waters and it's a hundred degrees outside. Um but any handicapped person [0:14:54, 0:14:58]: And that should be hydrating should be able to bring in [0:14:59, 0:15:19]: some sugar candy to you know to re redo their sugar if they're diabetic and we should be able to do that. I don't know why you guys eliminated bringing water in, but I'm happy to clean up after people just to keep the community flowing here. Thank you. Well thank you. No typically we don't respond to anything. Thank you. [0:15:19, 0:15:39]: But uh I would think that since we do have water, that's true. Uh so I don't know what's stated out there. I don't know why you couldn't have water absolutely in here if we have it. Okay. Yes, sir. I think working at event venues, what they do is in a situation like this. [0:15:38, 0:15:58]: This, they consider the water bottles that are full of water to be a potential threat. So they pour the water in a cup. So maybe we should have cups available for them to pour water in so that that that threat would be removed. Because if you go in any sporting venue, they have bottled waters in there. [0:15:58, 0:16:15]: But they allow they make the staff pour them into a cup so they can't be hurled because you see sometimes at the sporting events. Right. Mortified answers all these qu concerns, but more to follow we'll have it straightened out for the next time we have a public meeting. Anything else? [0:16:19, 0:16:29]: Well that's why I don't I don't okay. More more to follow. Hold hold up, stop, stop. Well we'll well I told you we'll f we'll have this figured out. The next time you come for a public meeting, we'll have this resolved. All right. No anybody else, Miss Holiday? [0:16:31, 0:16:32]: Ms. Carter, please. [0:16:40, 0:16:52]: Yes, my name is Willie Carter, 123 Wilson Avenue, Stockbridge, Georgia. The first concern that I have regarding is uh be be acknowledged the city needs to come up a commission with some kind of a [0:16:53, 0:16:55]: I think they called it a [0:16:56, 0:17:01]: Oversight committee due to the fact that uh there's no safeguards between [0:17:01, 0:17:21]: The ethnic board and the uh council. There's no kind of safeguards. So I think the city should establish some kind of oversight committee as far as those regards. Due to the time, I need to run through this here briefly. Second, we was at the um this past event at the uh amphitheater, and while you was giving your declaration. [0:17:21, 0:17:36]: For the Juneteenth um were prior to that, Mr. Alexander made it a kind of a bigotry statement. Quote The statement w was made was the amphitheater. [0:17:36, 0:17:37]: Yeah. [0:17:38, 0:17:49]: Would I need to stop? Well, what it is is that uh n no I'm not sure what exactly what you're gonna say. You may keep it general versus uh any perception. Well I'm just quoting a statement that he made, which you didn't which you didn't correct. [0:17:49, 0:18:02]: Well I don't know what I'm not I'm not sure what you're referring to. Point of order. Okay. The point of order is the rules are here are very clear. All comments have to be directed toward the chair. You cannot [0:18:03, 0:18:23]: All anybody's name up here or mention anybody or have a personal attack. That is the rules. There are no personal attacks allowed. But that was the same personal attack that was made on the public. Which is the statement that he made to the public regarding. [0:18:24, 0:18:28]: But s so are d so am I allowed to continue what he said or not? [0:18:28, 0:18:29]: Someone said. [0:18:30, 0:18:47]: Whatever s where someone s stated. State it. All right, go ahead. Go ahead. If that feel palatable to you. Go ahead. That which was disrespectful to the public about the amphitheater is here now. There's nothing that we can do about it. I think that's very bold and bigotry statement that was made from this individual. [0:18:47, 0:18:48]: Uh wait. [0:18:49, 0:18:53]: Okay, is that all your comments sir? That's it? Yeah. Okay, thank you for your comment. Appreciate it. [0:18:53, 0:19:13]: That's right. Okay. Uh council need for you to review your minutes. Uh review the minutes of June 9th, 2025, council meeting minutes for that, and also June 16th, the special call meeting minutes. And we'll get a chance to approve those at our next meeting, which will be next month. And uh right now we have a presentation, Wayfinder Project. [0:19:13, 0:19:16]: Mr. Sanders, please. [0:19:24, 0:19:24]: Yeah. [0:19:25, 0:19:45]: Good evening. Good evening. Uh this the item before you this evening, Mayor and Council, is uh we intend uh there's a group of folks with me this evening and we are going to give a PowerPoint presentation to you all about the current status of the Wayfinding Project, which is very exciting. Uh if you're like me, you've probably already seen signs go up. [0:19:45, 0:20:05]: in and around downtown that was mostly phase one we're in the midst of phase two and so i have uh with me this evening um um cheryl woodson and dominique heritage uh who are going to join me here at the podium and mr heritage is actually going to lead the discussion uh [0:20:05, 0:20:09]: as it relates to the PowerPoint, so I hope you all will enjoy the information that we're about to share with you. [0:20:10, 0:20:11]: Okay, thank you. [0:20:12, 0:20:13]: Thank you, Mr. Sanders. [0:20:15, 0:20:16]: Uh let me just [0:20:17, 0:20:37]: Bring up the presentation real quick. It's a pleasure to see you all again, council members. I don't know if you remember me from several months ago. Um I was here to discuss the budget as we kicked off the signage. And today I'm here to provide you some updates as far as where we're at with the different phases, what's upcoming, and then some other things that have been [0:20:37, 0:20:46]: been in development. Name and address please, by the way. Oh sure. Dominic Heritage 2738 Spring Street in Dekula, Georgia. [0:20:47, 0:20:58]: Sky Design, yes, Sky Design is the comp I sorry, yes, Sky Design is the company I represent, and this is Cheryl Woodson with uh Danais, and they are the signage fabricators that we have all partnered with over the past year and a half or so. [0:21:00, 0:21:13]: So if everyone can see the PowerPoint presentation, we're just gonna go through each page, um, starting with all the different phases of work. So the signage has been broken down into three phases, essentially what doesn't need to be permitted. [0:21:13, 0:21:15]: Phase two is what needs to be permitted with the city. [0:21:15, 0:21:18]: Phase three is signage that's in G dots purview. [0:21:18, 0:21:23]: So all of those have either been in development or are um being installed currently. [0:21:23, 0:21:43]: Phase one being the first signs that you may have actually already seen throughout your city. Um this is some enhanced street signage, parking wayfinding, as well as a retrofit to the existing Merlmander's sign. So you can actually go out and see those on site. We just completed the punch walk this afternoon. So um [0:21:43, 0:21:48]: Um Mr. Sanders, Mayor Ford, you should see a report in your hands by next week just outlining [0:21:49, 0:21:51]: The completion of phase one. Okay. [0:21:53, 0:22:00]: And here's just a quick reference to those installed signs that you can go out and see. A lot of the concentration is in the downtown area. [0:22:01, 0:22:21]: Phase two is in production right now with the DenICE team, and this is where things are really going to start getting exciting. Throughout this phase, we're going to be fleshing out some of the identification for parks and amenities, as well as in the bottom right here, your typical directional sign. So this is really the bread and butter of the signage package. [0:22:21, 0:22:24]: It's identification for some of your big [0:22:25, 0:22:30]: substantial buildings, city hall, as well as starting to navigate people through the city. [0:22:31, 0:22:40]: We also in the top left where my cursor is, that is a um one of the smaller scale gateway signs. So those act as a demarcation that you're entering within the city property lines. [0:22:42, 0:22:56]: And just to give a quick recap of where we're at with phase two, so this is in production right now. Um permitting is completed, these are being built by the DNICE team. We anticipate in October 2025 completion of install for all those signs. [0:22:57, 0:23:01]: So by the end of the year you'll have a much more robust signage system in place. [0:23:02, 0:23:22]: Phase three is underway with GDOT. So, as I'm sure many of you have previously experienced, GDOT marches to the beat of their own drum, and that beat goes however fast or slow they may determine. So this phase really includes the larger, heavier hits of signage, anything that's off of the [0:23:22, 0:23:36]: main right-of-way that's in GDOTs purview. Some of the signs included are in the top left large-scale gateway signs off I-75 that really welcome to Stockbridge, as well as anything else that's off major routes. [0:23:38, 0:23:45]: We are experiencing a few discrepancies from GDOT. Um the first being uh uh kind of a [0:23:46, 0:23:52]: We have signage proposed at the Jodico Road exit as well as signage proposed at the Rock Quarry exit. [0:23:52, 0:24:12]: They aren't allowing both of those signs. They're considering both gateways when we're only allowed one per direction. So what does that mean? Essentially what it means is the gateway sign at Rock Quarry isn't permitted. We suggest going with the Jodeco Road sign because it is a true. [0:24:12, 0:24:18]: Property line or demarcation of the property line for stock bridge. [0:24:20, 0:24:30]: We do have a plan in action to make sure there is still some stockbridge welcoming moment at the Rock Quarry exit. It's just not gonna be as grandiose as we initially thought. [0:24:31, 0:24:47]: The other discrepancy that we're dealing with right now is with another one of the main gateway signs and that that you can see right here. So this is as you're traveling down I-75. Um I'm trying to remember the exit we're at specifically. [0:24:49, 0:24:53]: Oh sorry, sir. [0:24:54, 0:24:55]: No, I believe it is [0:24:56, 0:24:57]: Seventy five, yeah. [0:24:58, 0:25:04]: So this is um if you're heading seventy-five south, I think you uh would hit this sign. [0:25:05, 0:25:25]: The pink area on this grid is where we submitted for permitting. And maybe weeks prior to our submission, Henry County actually submitted for a sign there. So right now the issue we're dealing with is we either need to have a conversation with Henry County, essentially uh parlaying with them, saying, hey, could we either [0:25:26, 0:25:38]: take this over or work together to create a joint sign. Um the other quadrants shown in blue are what are available to us, but unfortunately those don't have the sight line and [0:25:39, 0:25:58]: impact of the one in pink. So we're at a bit of a standstill with this one sign because of Henry County essentially beating us to the punch with permitting. It's recommended that a conversation is struck up from the city of Stockbridge with Henry County. Otherwise we're at a bit of a standstill until that development occurs. [0:26:02, 0:26:22]: And this was actually some quick details of the Jodeco road sign. So A2 is the main large gateway sign here. And what's not being permitted is this smaller scale gateway at the Rock Quarry Eagles Landing exit ramp. So basically, we have to do away with this to keep this sign, and we're gonna figure out an alternate way. [0:26:21, 0:26:41]: To have some kind of welcoming moment. If I zoom in here, let me interrupt you for a second. That is because it's too close to the road, is that's why it's unacceptable? No, it's not that it's too close to the road, they only allow one gateway sign per direction. So because these signs both service the same direction of traffic, only one is permitted. Okay. [0:26:41, 0:26:51]: There's really no way around that. If it was a some kind of directional wayfinding, we might be able to squeak past their blockade of this. [0:26:51, 0:26:56]: But um it's unclear until we resubmit. Ms. Gang, go ahead, please. Thank you. Um [0:26:56, 0:27:03]: I don't recall asking for a gateway sign in a Hudson Bridge. And I not that I I I get what you're saying. [0:27:04, 0:27:24]: But those markers are throughout the city anyway, right? We'll be having those markers in and out of our on our borders throughout the city limits of Stockbridge. Is that not correct? There are some existing ones. Okay. This the plan for this when it was first developed in twenty twenty three was almost a replacement of those. This is because of the stock. [0:27:23, 0:27:39]: rebrand and the new look, we're essentially revamping those locations to have a new branded gateway sign. But are those the signs that the gate those are the same gateway signs that will be throughout the city marking our borders? [0:27:39, 0:27:59]: You have three different types actually. There's gate uh sign type A, which are these those. The big guys here. Those are the gateways. The so one in direction going north and one going south. Yes. This is also a gateway sign. It's just a smaller scale. And so you have A, B, and C. There's a primary, secondary, and tertiary gateway. It depends on the [0:27:59, 0:28:03]: um size of the route that we're putting the sign. [0:28:03, 0:28:23]: Okay. The ones that we normally have right now we have wooden stakes with circles up top. Are those replacing those? These are replacing those, yeah. So exactly. So to me, those are the signs that show our borders, like one that will be out closer to between Stockbridge and Clayton County down here on Lake Spivey. [0:28:23, 0:28:43]: Then you have one on n um 138 between um Stockbridge and Clayton County again where uh Clayton County kinda comes in over there by that um Planet Fitness and that. So you have a a marker there. There are are particular places not on [0:28:43, 0:28:58]: the Interstate. So we don't have one on the Interstate right now. I mean we we're having an interra I get it. I'm I don't I'm not looking at this as being a big deal. I don't this is a marker that sh seems kinda out of place. [0:28:59, 0:29:05]: The reason that this was proposed and approved previously is while Jodeco Road is the true [0:29:05, 0:29:18]: city boundary, this is a major access point to get to Stockbridge. You get off the exit and then you can take Rock Quarry up to the downtown area. So that's why this was considered. Okay. Um to your point, Councilmember Gann, I do understand that [0:29:19, 0:29:28]: if we had to pick the larger sign at Jodeco Road is really the the one that matters most. So um to your point, there's this is going away. Um [0:29:29, 0:29:36]: And so if the area the the marker that we have currently on one thirty eight on North Henry Boulevard on seventy five [0:29:37, 0:29:53]: South, going south. The other gateway sign. Yes. Exit two twenty eight is what where you pretty much are trying to put it. That Henry County already already had a designated area. Then [0:29:53, 0:30:06]: Um if Henry County hopefully they say yes, they'll they'll allow us to do that. I mean it's a stopbridge jurisdiction, right? It's also the entryway to Henry County. So [0:30:09, 0:30:16]: We're ready to go. I don't know when they are getting started with their gateway sign. I don't know their their [0:30:16, 0:30:36]: their signs that means they'll have one down by Locust Grove and one by us pretty much. I'm not pretty sure where they're going with this, but we're we're ready to go. And so we will meet with, I guess we'll test staff to go ahead um and meet with the county about that. But [0:30:36, 0:30:37]: Do we have a plan B? [0:30:38, 0:30:48]: We don't have a plan B currently, um outside of just starting the conversation with Henry County. Um I think once we have an understanding of what they're willing to budge on, we can start coming up with an actionable plan. [0:30:49, 0:30:53]: My hope is if there's some level of concession from Henry County, perhaps we can [0:30:53, 0:31:07]: take this design and incorporate some kind of reference to now entering Henry County or something to that effect. Um but until the conversation is spurned with Henry County, I'm not a hundred percent sure where to pivot just yet. [0:31:07, 0:31:08]: Well [0:31:10, 0:31:18]: When I drive along seventy five, I'm trying to think, do you see counties gateway signs or do you see cities? Like if I go up [0:31:19, 0:31:20]: I don't see county, so [0:31:23, 0:31:43]: Yeah, they do. Clayton County has put theirs right by the airport on both seventy five and eighty five. Clayton County. Clayton County has it also on two eighty five, right as you're going into the airport. And then you see cities like Sandy Springs has theirs, Peace Street County. And you see Roswell and UC So I that's what I was thinking. I I didn't realize Clayton County had put up since I was [0:31:42, 0:32:00]: So now they're gonna start a trend where the counties and the cities are both trying to put up their signs. But um in the past it's been the cities. And so uh I guess we definitely wanna speak with them about that. I just kind of wanna maybe we can combine. I don't know. Um [0:32:00, 0:32:18]: But uh I would ask that you guys find a plan B just in case. Um but ho uh I I don't think Henry County would have a problem with us trying to work together. We've been working really well together lately on getting something done and accomplished. So thank you. My pleasure. [0:32:18, 0:32:19]: The [0:32:20, 0:32:40]: Either the question is like we're done or are we still in the still going. I just wanted to let you finish and then we're gonna go. All right, fine. Go ahead, please. Um so just to finish up the conversation about phase three, as as stated, we're really just in talks with GDOT and trying to overcome these hurdles. Um we anticipate an early twenty twenty six. [0:32:40, 0:32:57]: six completion to this, uh again, that's pending how the GDOT conversation goes. We're still in the middle of the review process and it it there's no unfortunate timetable provided by GDOT. So once we get through that approval phase, we'll be able to put true dates to when this would be completed. [0:32:57, 0:32:58]: Nice. [0:32:59, 0:33:19]: I have two more items I would like to discuss. The first is digital signage. At the behest of the city manager, it was requested that we begin investigating where would be the best place to put some kind of digital signage to advertise events and upcoming happenings at the amphitheater. [0:33:19, 0:33:26]: So, what I'm gonna go through real quick is the exercises we went through and where we're at right now in that design process. [0:33:27, 0:33:29]: The initial investigation was right here. [0:33:30, 0:33:38]: Outside of City Hall. We were looking over where the fountain is. However, that became just a little bit too much of a struggle with all the upcoming developments. [0:33:39, 0:33:41]: posed to happen in that area. [0:33:41, 0:33:47]: from relocation of the fountain to the potential mixed use residential development there. [0:33:47, 0:34:06]: It became a struggle to confidently suggest a location that isn't gonna either impact future developments or be something that you would have to consider relocating. So we scrapped that idea and then began looking at, okay, what if we incorporate some kind of digital signage into the future development? [0:34:07, 0:34:08]: The caveat to that is [0:34:09, 0:34:29]: You wouldn't get a sign until that development comes to life. So that puts while it could look great and integrated, the problem with that is if you're looking for something immediate, there's nothing we can do until a structure is actually in place. Plans are in place that we can figure out how to best integrate it. So we started putting some renderings together, but again, the issue. [0:34:29, 0:34:30]: [2072.4, 2092.4]: Where we're at right now is we've looked at two different locations. The first and most actionable here is right outside of City Hall. Just behind your retaining wall, where you have the dimensional letters that say Stockbridge City Hall. There's a great uh strip of landscaping that has been cleared that we can build up a digital sign that marries with the [0:34:52, 0:35:00]: Aesthetic established for the civic signage being rolled out. And we've did visual uh visibility studies, and this is [0:35:00, 0:35:09]: As you're coming over the bridge, it's it's a great intersection that people will see it if it's not on their way to work, it's on their way back, etc. So [0:35:10, 0:35:14]: As far as rolling something out immediately and effectively, this is the spot that we recommend. [0:35:15, 0:35:35]: The other consideration we were told to look at is sorry, could you back up one sec? Just for clarification. In reference to this, I think the conversation I had with you and Gerald and make sure the uh council understands this as well, you know, and for the future we plan to have it remove the water fountain. So the water fountain would go right back there. So if this does not if that is the case, we agree [0:35:35, 0:35:43]: This sign will where it's positioned, will not block the from you from watching or seeing the water flow as it does now, just so you know that, all right? [0:35:44, 0:35:54]: But it was originally planned to be there anyway. Yes ma'am. So I just wanted to sign. Right. Is that correct? Yeah. So I just wanna make make that note there. Yes, we are aware so this is [0:35:55, 0:36:05]: A lot of the locations we've looked at, there's somet some kind of prospect also potentially, whether it be the fountain or we've heard that maybe even the city hall would potentially expand. So we're we're in a position where [0:36:06, 0:36:07]: Mm. [0:36:08, 0:36:28]: We need some ad advice on if we are to do this, you know, maybe the fountain needs to just provide enough clearance that water's not being splashed on the screen. Even though it would be exteriorated, there's things like that we have to work through for any future developments nearby that sign. Does that sound good? I don't think we really need to overthink this. Okay. [0:36:28, 0:36:48]: That should be the location. I mean it's perfect. We had this area cleaned out. We had a bunch of trees and shrubs and stuff in there. And it really just kinda identified itself. And as you said, when you come over the bridge, everybody would come over that bridge. That sound that sign would stand out and uh it would be visible from both directions. So [0:36:48, 0:36:50]: Yes. I think I would support this location. [0:36:51, 0:37:11]: The other consideration we explored from the design standpoint is how do we incorporate a digital sign into the Eagles Landing gateway? Uh so this would just be a retrofit of the existing sign. We would essentially cover up and update any of the old branding present on that sign and utilize one face of the gateway to incorporate a digital screen that would overlook. [0:37:11, 0:37:15]: the Rock Quarry and Eagles Landing intersection. [0:37:16, 0:37:29]: This doesn't ha this is if we were to favor either of the designs, it'd be the city hall one, but for future considerations, this design is in place. We even have pricing for it for y'all to consider uh moving forward. [0:37:30, 0:37:37]: Thank you. On that note, I will go over the numbers associated with those two sign types. Um [0:37:37, 0:37:47]: DNICE was kind enough to actually hold because they they knew this was in development, they've been kind enough to hold some stock of their digital components. [0:37:47, 0:38:04]: That reflect pre-tariff pricing. A lot of the digital components have exploded in price since the tariffs have been rolled out. So the two numbers on the right for the City Hall and Eagles Landing where my cursors are are for those digital signs. They're right about the$117,000 mark. [0:38:04, 0:38:18]: Um the two bar graphs on the left side reflect just portions of the signage budget. At one point we were going to try to fold this into the signage budget, but there's just not enough left in the bucket to do so. [0:38:18, 0:38:37]: We had a contingency of about$115,000, and that's really just for unforeseen. Um, you know, with signs of that scope and scale going off of I-75. We're not sure what we're gonna find underground when we're putting in a footer, so a lot of that was just in case, just in case, basically. Um we've [0:38:37, 0:38:57]: consume some of that contingency for two things. We are putting an anti-graffiti coding on Clark Park signage just to make sure that any kind of um vandalism can be easily corrected. And then we're doing a embellishment to add a one-inch reveal. This is just a design consideration for the main gateway signs. And we [0:38:57, 0:39:05]: Still have an unforeseen conditions bucket as well. So, this is really more just to give you an idea of where we're at with the signage budget or the excess that we have. [0:39:06, 0:39:08]: While these two are [0:39:08, 0:39:18]: the pricing we've received from DNICE and if the council would like to move forward with that either of the digital signs, this gives you an understanding of the funding we would need to get approved. [0:39:19, 0:39:20]: Okay. [0:39:22, 0:39:42]: Last but not least, we have um civic signage phases two and three coming up as discussed. Our Sky Design services do conclude at phase one. Uh so if the city council is interested in continuing work with Sky Design, we can put a proposal together to continue doing uh construction. [0:39:42, 0:39:48]: administration services for phases two and three. And then the last consideration is the directory map. [0:39:49, 0:39:55]: You have two of these signs going in, one on the main strip downtown. [0:39:56, 0:40:16]: And one right by the Will Call ticketing booth at the amphitheater. These will be static signs that are essentially a directory map of the city of Stockbridge. It'll give pedestrians an understanding of where food and beverage is, all the different amenities that downtown has to offer and surrounding. Um and the signage Golden. No, also [0:40:15, 0:40:29]: So Baron Council, when he when he refers to Main Street, I wanted to clarify and say we have discussed and we have walked MLK Sr. being the location of this sign. So I just wanted to clarify that in his reference to Main Street. All right. Thank you. [0:40:30, 0:40:39]: So, what we're looking to figure out is when we were initially contracted for design, the design of the actual map was not included. [0:40:40, 0:41:00]: Mr. Sanders is looking with the GIS team to see if it's something that you all could do internally. If not, we can put a proposal together for the design of this map for your consideration. And just to give you some context, that map is something that would be easily removable. So as developments occur, you're not having to invest in a whole new sign up. [0:41:00, 0:41:05]: panel would pop off. It would just have to be reprinted or reapplied and then screwed back on. [0:41:06, 0:41:07]: Uh, thank you. [0:41:08, 0:41:22]: Any questions on this side? Yeah. Okay. First of all, um the idea uh in my mind on that last thing that you just mentioned certainly [0:41:23, 0:41:35]: the sign visibility should be the pre should be um the preference. And with so many more people coming to the amphitheater. [0:41:36, 0:41:56]: to see the sign and to know that the restaurants are over there and the bars are over there, it would seem plausible and that it would be at the amphitheater versus being on MLK trail because you got we're trying to get them there. You actually have two, sir. There would be one on I think it's a little bit of a [0:41:55, 0:42:07]: So it's two of them? Yes sir. Yes. Okay. So one would be oh oh right adjacent to the ticketing booth at the amphitheater, and then one would be off MLK at the Amphithous. Okay, so there's no there's not one anywhere else? [0:42:08, 0:42:28]: I think just two. Just two, yes. Right. And that's what I was gonna say. So to have both of them within basically within a block of each other, you would have one. I would suggest that you put one at Jodeco, in the Jodico development, so that people come through when they're walking through the development, they can know that there's a downtown stockbridge and they can know where [0:42:28, 0:42:48]: that is. The idea to me, especially on the signage, and I think we kind of did it maybe inverse the way that it may have could have been done, was to focus on bringing people to downtown. Because if there are nobody comes here now, it which that's the problem. The problem is getting the people to the downtown. [0:42:48, 0:42:54]: So if people that are shopping at Costco see they have a sign there that says [0:42:54, 0:43:14]: The amphitheater is over there. Frozen smoke is over there. Um Downtown Social is there. Or the amphitheater is there. There's thousands of people that come to that Costco every day that will become excuse, that'll be coming the first watch, that'll be coming to Sprouts. That is one that is the most highly [0:43:14, 0:43:23]: traffic area in the city. So instead of having two machines within a block of each other, having one over there at the JohtoCo development and [0:43:23, 0:43:31]: It's all about marketing to me. That's what the that's what we're doing here, right? This is a marketing device, right? If you got two within [0:43:32, 0:43:33]: A block of each other. [0:43:34, 0:43:35]: Then [0:43:35, 0:43:55]: where we're we're trying to draw the people into, it would make more sense to put it in a location where thousands of people come every day that we could drive them to the downtown location and we would already have one here at this location, whether we choose one of the two spots, whether the council [0:43:55, 0:44:13]: want to be. But I don't see the purpose of putting two in the same area within a block of each other. It would make more sense to do it on the outer areas. Also, I want you to flip back to the very first slide of all the signage where you did the Merlomanders and you did the signage and all of that. [0:44:16, 0:44:16]: Mm-hmm. [0:44:17, 0:44:37]: Councilman Bar Alexander, you were look at that beautiful new sign that we did with the stoprid logo, and then I look at those discolored bricks that are on the existing sign, and I say, maybe we should go back and revisit that. And we might need to put the brick veneers to match. [0:44:37, 0:44:57]: Well you know, on the big cook on the big pierce sign, we have the brick veneer at the bottom, right, to match City Hall. That brick doesn't match anything. So what we would be able to do, because it looks cause you look at it now, you see the sign, and the sign looks great, but then you look at this older [0:44:57, 0:45:17]: discolored brick that really doesn't kind of fit in with that sign right there. But if you did the same brick, you did the Vrick Vrick veneers on the outside, just like we're gonna do on the big interstate signs, and you covered that, it would look like a new sign. You wouldn't even have to tear the sign down. Basically you would just have to reface it with brick veneers. [0:45:17, 0:45:37]: uh on the outside. All the signs should probably be redone that way because it just it looks a little odd that you have this brand new sign in the middle of this old outdated brick. So I know you're trying to save money. Certainly that's the idea that you were trying to serve money, but if we're gonna do the expressway signs that way. [0:45:37, 0:45:57]: We would be very consistent in that every sign that we do would have the same brick that we have on City Hall if we went with and did brick veneers. I don't again, you wouldn't tear down the sign. You would just basically rip off the facing of those uh outdated uh brick that's on there and you would [0:45:57, 0:46:17]: Would put the same color brick that you have here on City Hall so that would match in. So the signs that you have done so far, they look great. I I I would say what we want to do is we want to be careful with where we're putting the signs at to make sure that they're far enough, far enough out of the right-of-way. And I think this sign down. [0:46:17, 0:46:37]: Out here on Lee Street, we're gonna we got a sidewalk that's gonna be coming through there. So we're probably gonna have to move that one. So we need to be further enough out of the right-of-way. The one on North Lee Street, right? We just put it up by the church. There's gonna be a sidewalk that'll go on that particular section. So it'll probably just [0:46:37, 0:46:57]: have to be moved over a little bit out of that right away. So and and then the signs along uh it we just talked about that with the representative and basically that whole sidewalk from North Lee Street to East Atlanta Road is going to be widened. So those signs probably gonna have to be moved a little bit further. [0:46:57, 0:47:17]: out of the right-of-way than where they are right now. And I think we just had need to have discussions amongst the departments when uh we go down that route. But the main focus of all of what we're doing now was the directional signage, which was when people get off the interstate, the amphitheater [0:47:17, 0:47:30]: is this way, Merle Manders is this way, City Hall is this way. I don't s I don't I guess that's in another phase. Correct, yeah. Right. That'll be in the second phase. I didn't see any of that signage represented in the presentation. [0:47:30, 0:47:50]: Uh yes, sir. It is in fact in phase two and phase three. So right down here where my cursor is circling is a representation of those signs. You have about twenty or so in phase two. And then the remaining balance, which I think is twelve to fifteen in phase three. Um the reason they're not in phase one is strictly because of permitting. Um so that is what is up. [0:47:50, 0:47:59]: on the horizon October, you should have a very f uh large amount of these signs going in. And that I I actually wanted to double back to the pedestrian kiosk. [0:48:00, 0:48:16]: When you were mentioning one down in the Jodico area, that's actually what those signs the purpose of those signs is to push people from the area toward I'm sorry, the purpose of the directional signs is to push them from Rockwari towards the downtown area. The kiosks are really more [0:48:17, 0:48:19]: serving pedestrians [0:48:20, 0:48:23]: Андер сім'я клос то вона. [0:48:23, 0:48:24]: Yeah. [0:48:25, 0:48:34]: They're also to service like first time guests. Say someone's coming here for an amphitheater show and there's overflow parking that's spilled out and someone is in on M M L K Boulevard, they have no idea how to [0:48:34, 0:48:41]: Walk towards the amphitheater. That's what's those kiosks are to do, even though they are in close proximity to one another. [0:48:42, 0:48:53]: they won't necessarily feel that way to first c first time visitors. They're what I'm what I'm what I'm saying to you is that Jodeco has gonna have about three miles in trails to be pedestrian friendly. [0:48:53, 0:49:13]: That's gonna be the most walkable area in the entire city. Sure. And there's gonna be thousands of people there actually walking. They do that now. There's hardly anybody that walks in downtown right now. The walking people would then be exposed. Them if you want people to see this sign and to read it, or in the businesses downtown with [0:49:13, 0:49:14]: Tell you. [0:49:14, 0:49:23]: There there's very little foot traffic downtown right now, very minimal. So we're trying to get people to their front doors. [0:49:23, 0:49:43]: So putting it outward brings people and makes people more aware of what we're doing in downtown. Instead of putting it in downtown where nobody's going to see it. So if we're gonna do the do the revenue, put instead of putting two side by side in very low traffic areas, you would put one in a high. [0:49:43, 0:49:48]: highly trafficked area and you would put one down here in the traffic area'cause [0:49:49, 0:50:08]: literally you would probably have more people in the Jodico area see the sign in a few hours than you would have in the whole week um in the down in in on MLK. I'm not saying we're not gonna come back to MLK at some point because we would circle back to MAK at some point. [0:50:08, 0:50:28]: Once we're driving the people in there, and this is free advertising for Mr. Frozen Smoke out there. This is free advertising for all of the businesses that are located in the pizza shop and all of that, that thousands of people would be now seeing their advertisement every day, whereas if it was down here the [0:50:28, 0:50:48]: Those people would have no idea that that was actually there. And as far as the signage is concerned, too, I understand, you know, you're listening to the main street, and certainly we want to listen to the main street being in the advice that they are and their focus is on the downtown. But people need to know how to get here first. [0:50:48, 0:51:08]: It has been my contention from the beginning. We needed to start at the interstate exits and work our way here. Somebody needs to know how to get to Merrill Manders first before we put the sign in downtown. If you're in downtown, you already know where Merromanders is. So putting the sign here, it might look good, it might be cute. [0:51:08, 0:51:28]: But the hope the whole purpose of wayfinding is all of us complain right now. When you get off of I-75, there no there's nothing telling you where the amphitheater is, there's nothing telling you where City Hall is or downtown. So to me, if you're not gonna do them, there should be some in the outer areas. [0:51:28, 0:51:48]: Starting at the expressway exits, some in downtown, but there should not be all in downtown, cause that really defeats the purpose, cause there's nothing directing you. We're trying to drive people, as I said, to these doors. And that advertisement there for Merrill Manors will book a couple of events. It'll book a couple of events for the amphitheater. [0:51:48, 0:52:08]: uh also. So certainly I I I think uh in my way of thinking that would be the way because this is a marketing thing that we're trying to do. We're not just trying to beautify downtown. We're trying to make people come here to sustain the businesses. Yes. So on that note I would imagine a couple things here. One is in reference to potential refacing the brick. [0:52:08, 0:52:27]: And then of course if you haven't been out to Bridge of Johto Code, then you kinda take a look at that and walk around and figure out what might be a good location out there, since you've if you've never been out there to get an idea, just in case. And then let us know. [0:52:28, 0:52:34]: Is that developing completed, the bridges? No, no, it's not completed, no, no. It's just it's not gonna be completed probably for another year, year and a half. [0:52:34, 0:52:54]: So because the maps haven't been developed, we have not installed and we have no plans of installing those directory kiosks until the map is developed. So that's that's the first hurdle is figuring out who is gonna handle the map, whether it's stockbridge internally or uh outside services. But trust and believe, even at the completion point that it is right now. [0:52:54, 0:53:01]: It is the most trafficked area in the city by far. Not even close. Yes, gosh, I have a question made. Go ahead, please. Um [0:53:02, 0:53:08]: Those those two kiosks that you're talking about, those are in certain maps. Right. So [0:53:08, 0:53:21]: I would assume that that would be for our downtown area. That's m my thought processes. You'll have your directional signs of course that you know, closer to the interstate and other areas saying, um [0:53:21, 0:53:22]: Murromanders and [0:53:23, 0:53:36]: art center this way, right? Or uh community center this way. But those particular are for our live, work and play downtown environment. So those two kiosks are different. [0:53:36, 0:53:41]: That's not but that's not the Jodico. This is saying, hey, this is what [0:53:42, 0:53:43]: No, what I'm saying is [0:53:43, 0:53:48]: But but we're developing downtown. So when downtown develops [0:53:50, 0:54:06]: Those two maps particularly are for the downtown campus area. They're not for the entire city of Stockbridge. They're saying, hey, city halls here, amphitheaters here, community centers here, art centers here. [0:54:07, 0:54:27]: Uh we have a park here, we have a park here, and we have a pavilion right here, and we might have a dog park over here, and we have this skating park right here. So it's about the downtown specifically, just the downtown area. So you know how when you go somewhere and they're just talking about that particular component of Stockbridge. They're not talking about the whole thing. [0:54:27, 0:54:41]: Thing. There will be advertisements over in Jodico about what's going on in downtown, you know, pointing towards our downtown. But when you get to downtown, you want a map specifically of the perimeters of the downtown area. There's a difference. [0:54:41, 0:55:01]: It's not to put those signs are not electronic, they're replaceable when we build something new, but also when we have those public-private partnerships or we have new development coming within this downtown area, not for the entire city of Stockbridge, and and it's unique in that way. [0:55:01, 0:55:07]: where we're specifically talking about the campus of downtown. [0:55:07, 0:55:15]: That's what these two are for. There are some other ones I remember, and I think that might be phase three. But those direct or phase two, those directional signs. [0:55:16, 0:55:31]: Which would be in Jodico or whatever other signs, but these specifically are talking about our downtown campus, which would make sense to me. Specifically on the trails, considering phase one of trails starts where? Downtown. [0:55:31, 0:55:40]: Right. So when you're walking, I'm not just gonna go and say, Oh, there's a kiosk. Let me go look at a map of Stockbridge. I'm not doing that. I don't know too many people that are. [0:55:40, 0:56:00]: And when you do first come, you're gonna look to find a parking space that are in the downtown area. Then you would go up to that and you would look for it because you're going to a show or you're going to a theater or you're going to whatever you're going to do in our downtown campus area. Those two kiosks, only two are specific. [0:56:00, 0:56:02]: [3363.6, 3372.0]: Okay. Anybody thank you. Any other questions on this side? There's nobody. Oh you have go ahead please. There's no are you there are you done with your presentation? [0:56:12, 0:56:15]: I believe so, yes. I'm happy to answer any questions though. [0:56:16, 0:56:16]: Okay. [0:56:16, 0:56:27]: Um so one of the questions that I do have when we started discussing this whole wayfinding signage um and the locations of them, um [0:56:27, 0:56:31]: Some areas particularly along State Route forty two. [0:56:32, 0:56:36]: We're not in our city limits. So I wanna make sure that State Route forty two. [0:56:37, 0:56:44]: going towards like Valley Hill Road at our city limits or where our city limits began. Um [0:56:45, 0:56:50]: that they are included on your list for at least directional sign. [0:56:51, 0:57:11]: We uh uh apologies, uh Councilmember Barber, as I don't have the full location plan handy right now. But what I can say is our directional signage is not just concentrated in downtown. It's a breadcrumb trail that takes you from any connecting routes, be it major highways or some of the secondary routes, and pushes you towards downtown. [0:57:11, 0:57:17]: So we have we have directional signs down by Eagles Landing in the Rock Quarry pushing people up. [0:57:18, 0:57:38]: Right off of exit 228, we start picking you up and pushing you towards downtown. Um, and I do know we have, while I've honed in on visuals of the major gateway signs, we have, I want to say about six to eight gateway signs circling Stockbridge to kind of demarcate from the major routes to [0:57:37, 0:57:48]: To the the more um you know county roads letting you know that you've entered Stockbridge. What I can do is provide the location plan, particularly the gateway signs, to Mr. Sanders. Um [0:57:49, 0:58:00]: when we meet next to distribute to you for review if you'd like. I'm speaking specifically for the directional signs. Yes. Um for the state route forty two area. [0:58:00, 0:58:07]: Um only because again, that area was newly annexed into our city limits in twenty twenty three. [0:58:07, 0:58:12]: Um so I just want to make sure that that area is included on the list. [0:58:12, 0:58:19]: If someone can confirm that or send me the list location to look into it and if it isn't um [0:58:21, 0:58:27]: If it isn't something that's being proposed, we'll certainly have it be a consideration. That's one of my questions. Um [0:58:27, 0:58:33]: You shared uh a new proposed location for um the large digital. [0:58:34, 0:58:35]: Board sign. [0:58:37, 0:58:42]: I'm just I'm curious to know the visibility from [0:58:42, 0:58:43]: Um [0:58:43, 0:58:46]: Травин алам Норт Хенри Булвард. [0:58:46, 0:58:47]: From [0:58:47, 0:58:49]: Rock Quarry Road. [0:58:49, 0:58:52]: What's the vis visibility of that sign? [0:58:52, 0:58:56]: So while this sign doesn't necessarily capture every direction. [0:58:57, 0:59:05]: What we view this as is this isn't a directional sign. This isn't something that we're trying to navigate you to the amphitheater. [0:59:05, 0:59:07]: This is something that is [0:59:07, 0:59:10]: Gonna catch your eye at some point in the day or the week. [0:59:11, 0:59:12]: Um [0:59:12, 0:59:26]: So Councilmember Barber, I want to just make it clear that this isn't to capture the full intersection. It's really only servicing as you come over that approach. But for anyone stopped at the intersection, regardless of what direction you are, you should be able to see this sign. [0:59:26, 0:59:38]: um and absorb the messaging. So it's supposed to be something that over the week you're updated to what event is happening. Um it's it's gonna grab you over time, not immediately send you to the amphitheater, if that if that makes sense. [0:59:39, 0:59:41]: Yes. Um but [0:59:41, 0:59:48]: We've had discussions about having a digital billboard signed for informational purposes. Um [0:59:48, 0:59:53]: For just the general public, so I want to make sure that we are taken advantage of. [0:59:53, 0:59:54]: Um [0:59:55, 1:00:00]: Everyone, no matter which direction they're coming from, are able to see. [1:00:00, 1:00:14]: We can devel look into this further. I think once if if a decision is made to move forward with this and and and funding is procured, we're gonna s tune those dials to make sure whether it's tweaking the orientation of the sign, um [1:00:15, 1:00:27]: There isn't a truly good location to have a double sided sign. That's actually what we first started looking at was making sure if you're heading down North Henry, we get you from both sides. There's just not a great location for that. [1:00:27, 1:00:31]: around the city hall area to implement it. Um [1:00:31, 1:00:48]: So will this um sign, will it sit on the wall? It's either going to sit on top of the wall or just behind it. We're gonna make it look integrated either way. It's really gonna come down to engineering at that point, what's the best route. But it's gonna be basically butted up just behind the wall. [1:00:48, 1:00:52]: Um and the digital screen is going to look like it basically s [1:00:53, 1:00:58]: ends right at the top of that wall. So n none of it will be obscured by the wall, whether it's sitting behind it or on top of it. [1:00:59, 1:01:02]: Okay. I didn't get this presentation. [1:01:02, 1:01:06]: in my packet. I'd like to have this presentation. [1:01:06, 1:01:12]: Okay, please. If you can um Mr. Sanders, are you responsible for this? Please. [1:01:12, 1:01:13]: Thank you. [1:01:14, 1:01:26]: Along with the list of all of those locations for the directional signs, I wanna make sure that Valley Hill Road and somewhere along um stagecoach, um where the [1:01:27, 1:01:34]: City limits began. I want to make sure that those two locations have directional signs included. Thank you. [1:01:36, 1:01:37]: So do you have any questions now? [1:01:37, 1:01:57]: I just wanna I just wanna thank you guys once again. I'm I'm always impressed by the product that you guys present. And so I don't know if it's been understated or not stated enough, but everything looks high quality and high end and I'm I'm just really looking forward to the full implementation and the and the development of the project. So we appreciate that, Councilmember Berry and uh [1:01:57, 1:02:06]: Um design's one thing, it's having a good trusted partner who can fabricate and bring the idea to life. That is really helpful as well. So thank you for that comment. [1:02:08, 1:02:08]: Any other questions? [1:02:09, 1:02:12]: Y uh you know this is a unique opportunity. [1:02:12, 1:02:18]: I see the DDA board out out there. I I would like to know what they think about this. Come could could y'all come up? [1:02:20, 1:02:21]: Well the yellow come on. [1:02:24, 1:02:44]: Because I I don't know what you think, but I would like to, I would like since you're here, I certainly would like to know what you think. So you see this signage here that we're proposing for downtown. It's gonna affect your business more than anybody's business out there. And the DDA is in the downtown area. So of this project. [1:02:44, 1:02:48]: Program what you see and what you've heard today. What what do you think? [1:02:50, 1:02:53]: Okay, there's yourself on a mic because [1:02:54, 1:03:14]: Yes, my name is Warren Washington. Uh I'm my name is Warren Washington. I'm at 106 Gulf Terrace, Stockbridge, Georgia. One of the things that that was intriguing to me and of making the statement of not only the directional signs, but due understanding that this is a marketing piece for the downtown area. And you're absolutely right that part of [1:03:14, 1:03:27]: that is to bring foot traffic to the downtown area and people need to know how to get to the downtown, not the ones that already stay here, but the ones who are trying to get here. So I think that kind of sums it up best, uh more so than anything else. [1:03:28, 1:03:29]: Mr. Chairman, what do you think? [1:03:32, 1:03:39]: Kenya Cook, uh Chairman of the Downtown Development Authority, um business owner in downtown. [1:03:40, 1:03:42]: And uh resident uh one o five. [1:03:43, 1:03:44]: Turning point. [1:03:44, 1:03:47]: Three points, and I've seen those signs. [1:03:48, 1:03:51]: Not impressed with the color scheme and the location. [1:03:53, 1:03:54]: Love the effort. [1:03:55, 1:04:00]: And uh as uh Councilman Alexander said, I think that we need to think like buckies. [1:04:00, 1:04:04]: When you're going into a certain area, Bucky's put their advertisement [1:04:04, 1:04:10]: Way m ninety three miles to Bucky. So I think it's important that if you're gonna spend money this way, you probably wanna place it [1:04:11, 1:04:13]: Whereas you're educating people who don't know. [1:04:14, 1:04:16]: versus spending on people who already know. [1:04:17, 1:04:19]: But I do like the concept. [1:04:19, 1:04:24]: I do like the effort, but uh that that would be my my thoughts. [1:04:24, 1:04:26]: Appreci appreciate the comments. Yes, ma'am. [1:04:27, 1:04:47]: I don't think you y'all heard the entire pres uh I think you were here for the entire presentation, but this is just phase one. So we have two more phases and they are the directional signs that will be on the outskirts in the other areas, such as Jodico, North Henry Boulevard, Lake Spivey [1:04:47, 1:05:04]: Walt Stevens everywhere all over throughout Stockbridge pointing towards our downtown. These signs are just like this sign says Merrill Manders Conference Center. It's just, it's part of our sign. It's like the ones they, the easy low-hanging fruit branding. [1:05:05, 1:05:25]: These are in the the street signs, those are just low hanging fruit. But the directional signage, what phase is that, you guys? Uh two and three. So next the next phase is the directional signage, and they're not gonna be in downtown that I mean you'll have some down here, but they're spread all the way out. [1:05:24, 1:05:27]: Yeah. [1:05:27, 1:05:40]: on both Jotaco from starting at Johtaco and starting at exit two twenty eight, which is one thirty eight, highway one thirty eight. So that's where those signages are pointing, downtown, amphitheater. [1:05:40, 1:05:57]: you'll see the directional signs from there. Okay. That so the other signs, the two marquee signs that we were talking about, those are mar those are maps that are insertable. And they were talking about you can take'em out um as the city grows. [1:05:58, 1:06:18]: And those were two kiosk type signs from my understanding where you just put a map in, it's not electronic, it's not electronical board that you're describing your downtown area specifically. So those signs are not directional signs more so than directions on your camp your downtown campus. Kind of like if you were on [1:06:17, 1:06:37]: Or if you want to when you go to a mall, you know you go to a mall and you see a kiosk and it tells you the directions of where the stores are. My favorite, you know, Neiman's over here and Sachs right there. You're right here. Those two kiosks are for that purpose for your downtown campus. [1:06:37, 1:06:57]: Then they have the entryway signs that we were talking about that is not a part of the budget, but they are they're because they're separate, I think 117,000 was it? Those are the digit the key the entryway sign. Per per sign. So it's either for the city hall digital sign. [1:06:57, 1:07:17]: Or the one on Eagles Landing built into the gateway side. I mean well not Eagles Landing, but Johtoco and North Henry Bullo I mean Jotaco and one thirty eight, right? Are you drawing like the Marge the March? Those are in the budget already. Those are those are in the budget. Perfect. Okay within the budget, they're in G dot review right now. All right, so those side [1:07:17, 1:07:37]: are our GDI that that we were trying to get GDI approved or whatever and we have the issue with the one on that we gotta merge with, you know, talk with the county on, those are entryway signs, the big art signs. So you got your gateway signs, then you got your directional signs. The directional signs will be pointing towards our downtown area. [1:07:37, 1:07:45]: But those are on the outskirts throughout both Joe from Jodico and on our end here on 138. [1:07:46, 1:08:03]: You said a hundred seventeen thousand dollars? Yes, for the digital sign. You said that's the low hanging fruit? No, that's for the one outside. That's not the one outside. No, the low hanging fruit is the Merrill Manders Conference Center. The ones that are. How much was that sign? Yeah. Uh I don't have the the anybody know? [1:08:04, 1:08:24]: I can't recall the top of her head, but it'll come up with the other. But just not easy. We got it. It's in our budget though. There's only one final comment on. Because I have an ask tonight, so I just want to know what we're asking for. Okay. Right. We're gonna come back. We're gonna come back. I guess what one final comment. See, this is this is why I I certainly agree. I hear your points, Mrs. Gantt. [1:08:24, 1:08:44]: But I set foot in Avalon. These signs are in Avalon right now, on the ground at Avalon. And we took the JohtoCo standards from Avalon. These boards are at Avalon as you walk along the Bark Guyway as a pathway to where you're trying to go. That's how they got into this package because we went to [1:08:44, 1:09:04]: Avalon on that trip. Now I know certainly that we should have uh you know some diversion. I and and I think we're on the same on the same page. I think you want to do Jotoko eventually. I just say if we're gonna do two, you do one at Jodico and then you come back to the second one as downtown. [1:09:04, 1:09:13]: as we get the people and the foot traffic in Jodeco, you would put the third one here. We just have disagreement on when we're gonna do it. I think both of us agree [1:09:13, 1:09:33]: That we need both of them in downtown. The starting point is I'd like to have one out and one in and then come back and put here. You want to put both of them in downtown. And my contention to that is there's nobody in downtown right now and and they're not coming until we force them to come here. And that that is my overall [1:09:33, 1:09:53]: Thank you for that. And the thing of it is too, once if I understand correctly, even though you haven't been out, I'm assuming you haven't been out to the Bridge of Jodico, but what you mentioned, if I don't want to put words in your mouth, uh, but in the sense that that you it wouldn't be feasible possibly to do that until you get more built out so you have a specific map as the people walk around. It's gonna be a while for us. [1:09:53, 1:10:13]: fully bought built out. It would be I don't think it should be a consideration of we have these two directory kiosks. Right. Where do we put each of them? Right, right. I think the consideration should be when Johako bridges to Johako or that development is is flashed out, but kiosks should make us we should include another kiosk down. Right, gotcha. I I think one at the end [1:10:13, 1:10:33]: Amphitheater is going to promote people who have just come from a show. Hey, I'm hungry. They look at the kiosk, they see what is over there. The same thing for downtown, as as if they're on MLK. It's giving them an understanding of not just what's in the downtown area, but what's surrounded. And that's the same purpose it would serve in the Jodeco area, is to give you an understanding. [1:10:33, 1:10:53]: Surrounding it's to encourage and entice you to check out what's around. But I don't think anyone, because these are again pedestrian kiosks, is going to discern from that kiosk how to get to downtown. Right. They're going to be on foot looking at the kiosk and absorbing the information, but it's not going to give them directions to say left on this right. [1:10:53, 1:11:06]: road right on this road and then you have downtown No no no it's not what is gonna happen is they're gonna be a made aware of the business and as I look out this window right here, Jodico more developed than downtown. Downtown got a long way to go. [1:11:06, 1:11:07]: Well [1:11:07, 1:11:27]: Hi, Ms. Watson. You'll I'll be brief. I'll be brief. One of the things while you're sitting here talking about signs and digital signs, one of the things I'm impressed with is that the sign when you get off the exit to go into Morrow, that digital sign there tells you about all of the activities that they're having in Morrow. Exactly and when you come to Stock Graze, you don't have any of that. [1:11:27, 1:11:31]: Appreciate you. Duly note it. Thank you, sir. Appreciate you. All right. [1:11:31, 1:11:51]: I believe that is it uh now in this aspect. Uh so you don't need a a a a motion on us for tonight. This is a full presentation, this aspect is all. That's correct. I would I would add to the comment that Mr. Washington made. These sign, the digital signs are programmable, which means we can put any kind of message on them that we want. So I'll just leave you with that. [1:11:51, 1:11:57]: All right, so just as an F. All right. Thank you. Appreciate you. Thank you very much. [1:11:58, 1:12:09]: Uh next presentation, CID Community Improvement District presentation, Malika Rivers? Is how you pronounce your name? Malaika. Malaika Rivers, okay. Potum Resources, if I got that right. [1:12:10, 1:12:15]: Okay. Give me s give me straight [1:12:17, 1:12:20]: I guess you need to help her find her presentation, please. Uh yes. [1:12:30, 1:12:31]: Oh not that one. [1:12:38, 1:12:39]: This is [1:12:40, 1:12:42]: Full screen. [1:12:45, 1:12:46]: Yeah. [1:12:47, 1:12:51]: Thank you. [1:12:51, 1:13:11]: I'm Aleika Rivers. I'm the president of Pontum Resources. Mayor and Council members, thank you for having me here today. Um I collaborated with Henry County last year on an effort and provided a presentation that to them uh regarding that effort earlier in this month, and they asked me to come and speak to you about it because. [1:13:11, 1:13:31]: Parts of it do impact the city. A little bit about my background. I'm a 30-year professional in community improvement districts and special services districts. I operated and led the first CID in Georgia for 22 years, and I've uh had my company for the past [1:13:31, 1:13:51]: So I advise commercial real estate, governments, sports properties, civic associations regarding public-private partnerships with a specialty in these special purpose tax districts and in Georgia community improvement districts. So you may be familiar with [1:13:51, 1:14:11]: Community improvement districts, I'll refer to them as CIDs. But they are very, very powerful public-private partnerships. And all of the conversation that we've heard so far over the past hour regarding trails and branding and signage, all of that can be partnered and [1:14:11, 1:14:31]: Collaborated with a community improvement district to help in the development of those types of capital projects and the funding stacks that put those capital projects together. So they do serve a purpose in terms of economic development and are widely utilized all over Metro Atlanta. But this [1:14:31, 1:14:51]: This effort that I'm going to talk about is looking at: is there an opportunity to form a CID or multiple CIDs in Henry County? Henry asked me to put together an opportunity assessment for them, and which is the first stage of understanding about a CID. And we looked at two areas, which are the Eagles Landing Project. [1:14:51, 1:15:02]: Parkway and Jonesboro Road. So I'll focus a little bit more on Eagles Landing since that is uh within the city limits, uh whereas uh Jonesboro Road is an unincorporated Henry. [1:15:04, 1:15:24]: So again, it's about evaluating whether a CID uh has an opportunity in this particular county, in the particular in this particular city. It's a mechanism to bring commercial property owners and governments together to fund to identify and fund uh capital improvements that help not only the value and performance of commercial real estate. [1:15:24, 1:15:44]: But also drive economic development within commercial areas. I refer to them as special purpose tax districts. I will let everybody in the room know, all the homeowners, this is not a tax on residential properties. It has nothing to do with single-family homes or town homes or multifamily. It is a special purpose tax. [1:15:44, 1:15:53]: District that is for commercial properties only. And that means hotel, uh, retail, industrial, and those types of uses. [1:15:55, 1:16:15]: I pretty much just ran through that. Uh this slide is indicating uh again what a CID is. Um and the district is about com concentrated commercial areas. So if you are a property owner with retail that is um designated as retail in your land use or zoning uh or hotel or office or [1:16:15, 1:16:35]: Or other type of similar use, then you can collaborate with the neighbor your neighboring property owner through the special purpose tax district, assess funds, and then use those funds to make improvements to your particular commercial area. CIDs are not mandated by governments. My language about [1:16:35, 1:16:53]: About CIDs is very much about it being a commercial property tool. It's also a tool for governments, but because it's governed by commercial property owners, it really s squarely falls to the commercial property owners in terms of what types of investments uh those owners would like to see. [1:16:54, 1:17:14]: This map shows you where CIDs currently exist around Metro Atlanta. I think there's probably 36, 37 CIDs at this point. But if you look square in the middle, that's downtown Atlanta. That is one CID, that is the CID that is able to bring the most dollars to. [1:17:14, 1:17:34]: To the table through their assessments to the tune of about$11 or$12 million a year. But then you go into other commercial areas that are around$285, that are north of$285, and they all assess and have tax revenues that are very, very different because they're commercial. [1:17:34, 1:17:54]: Commercial areas are very different. If you look down south, you'll see a big gap area, and that includes Henry County. So all of this is simply to illustrate to you that there are commercial areas, 35 districts that are operating in Metro Atlanta right now that have a leg up as it relates to bringing additional. [1:17:54, 1:18:05]: dollars to the table through these public-private partnerships that invest in infrastructure and other community improvements to improve their area, just like the discussion that you had earlier. [1:18:08, 1:18:28]: CIDs are legislatively enabled, so they are provided for in the Georgia Constitution, but the Constitution uh indicates that um each community through either the county or through the city has to have its own local act. Uh either way, uh there are seven allowable purposes: roads, bridges, parking decks. [1:18:28, 1:18:48]: Sewer, stormwater, docking facilities, and then this nebulous and anything else category. But the way that that translates around Metro Atlanta and the and the geographies of where the existing CIDs are is represented on this particular slide. So we've got CIDs that do a lot of investment. [1:18:48, 1:19:08]: Investment in transportation infrastructure, roads, bridges, sidewalks, et cetera. We have others that operate programs like landscaping. They mow and maintain public rights of way. Public safety is another one in commercial areas that want to make sure that either the person [1:19:08, 1:19:28]: Or the reality of their commercial districts is one of public safety, where shoppers can come and feel safe. Litter removal is another thing that CIDs do on the programmatic side. Some are very focused on growth. I ran Georgia's first CID for 22 years, and if you've been to the Brave Stadium, you've [1:19:28, 1:19:48]: See the signage that we've done, the roads that we built, the trails that we put in, you know, all of these things that help to create a place. Excuse me, I might have to get my water in a minute. But but what the CID does and investment and invests in has everything to do with what's in what is most value to the property [1:19:48, 1:20:00]: property owners and what is valuable to the government partners because the CID can't it doesn't own any land. Uh the property owners represent their properties, but the CID invests in public [1:20:00, 1:20:13]: uh public rights of way. It does not invest on private property. So your city owned roads or sidewalks or state o owned roads, uh all of those are uh where the CID's investments go. [1:20:15, 1:20:21]: So when we talk about formation, you know, it's a very um it it it can [1:20:21, 1:20:41]: Uh there is a pr step process to go through a CID because essentially you're t asking people, C ID is great, these are all the reasons why, but the way that you do it is to tax yourself. So that that takes time and that takes effort. But I applaud um governments like Henry County that are interested [1:20:41, 1:21:01]: And recognize the value of a CID and want to um want to share the uh and see what the opportunity is with their commercial property owners. Uh the first step is to um it requires a local act. Again, uh Henry County does have a local act, uh dates back to 1985 when the constitutional provision was uh [1:21:01, 1:21:10]: um was created. It allows I believe it allows for CIDs um not only in unincorporated areas but also within cities as well. [1:21:11, 1:21:31]: CIDs, again, they're not mandated by the government. They have to be consented to by the property owners. Not every property owner, but the majority of property owners. So at least 50%, 50% plus one of the number of property owners within a proposed district that own at least 75% of the assessed properties. [1:21:31, 1:21:51]: Value. So most of those folks they have to throw in in order to establish a CID. I did a study with George Tech a few years ago that did a big deep dive on the mechanics of CIDs, and we found that it takes about four years to start a CID, and many take even longer than that. [1:21:51, 1:22:11]: I run the Chambly Dorville CID, which is uh which we started six years ago. And prior to my helping that community start a CID, I believe that they had been talking about it for probably six, six, seven, eight years. So it does take some time. It really and you progress through the stage of level of intensity through the formation. [1:22:11, 1:22:31]: Has to be approved by the local government. Again, it's a public-private partnership. So City Council, if you uh were to um approve uh uh uh initiate a CID, City Council would have to approve it. Um the CID board sets, sorry, it's governed by a board of directors. I indicated uh representing the various [1:22:31, 1:22:51]: Property owners, and then the board sets the millage rate each year. So as a taxing authority, it it uh sets its millage rate. Uh in Henry County, as well as state law, it allows up to 25 mills. That is a ton of village. Most CIDs choose three, four, or five mils. [1:22:51, 1:23:00]: Mills. So uh but in Henry County, uh you are uh enabled to go up to 25 mils if the property owners so choose. [1:23:03, 1:23:23]: Okay, so our study approach. Um, my organization, again, my company does this with uh with communities, whether the client is the commercial property owner or whether the client is a government. In this case, it's it's Henry County. But we do we start by doing a a data analysis and understanding what the submarket is. We look at the tax digest, zoning, comp plans. [1:23:23, 1:23:43]: State and local legislation, all sorts of current conditions. We get a lot of state uh do a lot of stakeholder outreach. In this case, we had 25 stakeholders that we spoke with, both on the private commercial property owner side, but also on the government side. So I know that I spoke with several. [1:23:43, 1:24:03]: Several of you during that interview stage, development authority, county officials, et cetera. We had 10 meetings, both virtual and in person, just so we could give people a good chance to put their voice into the mix. [1:24:03, 1:24:15]: And then we put together promotional it materials, so slide decks and um we sent letters out, about three hundred thirty-two letters to folks inviting them into um forums. [1:24:15, 1:24:19]: I'm sorry, would you mind if I grab my water? [1:24:32, 1:24:33]: Okay then. [1:24:34, 1:24:35]: Okay. [1:24:36, 1:24:56]: So our effort looked at two sub-areas. The first is Eagles Landing. Again, we'll talk a little bit more on that. And then the second is Jonesboro Road. So Eagles Landing in this case uh we drew the lines uh through the guidance of the uh planning department at the county. So that [1:24:56, 1:24:58]: They had indicated um [1:24:58, 1:25:18]: These these were the this captured the most curse commercial activity in this area of Eagles Landing. Um and then Jonesboro Road, they also advised on those boundary lines. So these are boundary lines that are drawn um through the guidance of uh the planning staff. About 1,100 acres in Eagles Landing, and um if [1:25:18, 1:25:21]: eight hundred sixty seven acres Jonesboro Road. [1:25:22, 1:25:42]: So it I tal talked about uh the stakeholders that we spoke with. Um we met with the stakeholders talk the stakeholders to talk about um both of those sub-areas, and this slide combines uh what we heard. We essentially heard that for both sub-areas uh the needs were pretty similar, or at least the [1:25:42, 1:26:02]: consistency came with some road improvements, uh repaving and access management. Heard a lot about uh the backup on I-75, excuse me, and how that flows into flows into the um uh the the uh Eagles Landing area and and Jonesboro Road uh corridors. [1:26:02, 1:26:22]: We heard about the need for pedestrian improvements as these sub-areas grow, whether it's residential use, commercial use, or otherwise, we need to provide the ability to connect people in a safe manner through sidewalks and other types of local improvements. And then a cohesive design and beautification. [1:26:22, 1:26:30]: Just spent an hour talking about uh that in your uh in your signage conversation. So you're uh you're clear clearly on the ball with that one. [1:26:33, 1:26:53]: So the next uh conversation is is does a uh deeper dive into both of those sub areas, and I'm gonna start with Eagles Landing. Let me orient you to the slide that you're looking at. Again, this is the sub area that we've drawn. Um we pulled the at that time the existing tax digest, which was the twenty twenty [1:26:53, 1:27:10]: twenty four tax digest. These numbers were run almost a year ago now. Um all of that in the blue is commercially eligible for a CID. The lighter blue being general commercial, about uh 283 parcels. [1:27:10, 1:27:30]: And the darker blue being industrial, about 50 parcels. Everything else in gray is not eligible to form to be part of a CID because it is an exempt or non-eligible use, like residential. Okay. The crosshatch, which is important to you, indicates parcels that are in the city of Stockbridge. [1:27:30, 1:27:38]: So not all of these are within your city limits, but by far the vast majority of this area is within the city limits. [1:27:39, 1:27:53]: So what this is saying is that two-thirds of the total number of parcels are eligible uh to to uh join a CID, uh and about a third of them are ineligible uh for the CID. [1:27:55, 1:28:12]: Uh I should say that uh you're probably more familiar with the corridor than I than I am, but um on the uh west side that is uh Jotaquo and um Hudson Bridge. And on the east side I believe that's S R forty one. Yes. So it's about a mile long. [1:28:14, 1:28:34]: We ran some financial modeling to get a better to get a sense of okay, if a CID started in the Eagles Landing area, in the in the sub-area that I just talked about, what could be the revenues that are brought to the table? And it's important to note here that there's really two ways for a CID to get revenue. First is through its tax. [1:28:34, 1:28:51]: tax assessments, which is what I'm gonna talk about this slide, but also it takes its money and it leverages it against other grant funds in order to double, to triple, to quadruple its money. That's the magic of a CID because no CID brings enough money to the table to actually [1:28:51, 1:29:06]: Um, build out a ten or twenty or thirty million dollar work program a year. It's just not possible. The name of the game is about using your tax dollars to leverage it into greater sources of funding through local, state, federal grant programs. [1:29:07, 1:29:27]: So what are the tax dollars? What are the revenues that the the Eagles Landing CID could bring? Again, I talked about what could the possible millage rates be. Twenty-five mills on the maximum side would bring in about five point seven million dollars if everybody participated in the CID. [1:29:27, 1:29:42]: That is a highly unlikely scenario, so let me make sure I state that. On the lower end, it could be more of a realistic case where the board chose three mils or five mills, and you can see what that annual millage rate would be there. [1:29:43, 1:29:50]: Like anything else w as it comes to property assessments, as the property values rise and the millage rate [1:29:50, 1:30:10]: remains the same or increases, so does the revenue as well. So don't need to explain that to anybody. Again, I need to reiterate that this assumes 100% participation and that is highly unlikely scenario for a CID to start with 100% of participation, but you can always add members over time. Okay? [1:30:12, 1:30:17]: This is Jonesboro Road. I'm happy to review it if you like, but I can also skip right by it if you like too. [1:30:17, 1:30:37]: Mayor. I would think we need to go forward. Okay. And uh let's do that. Let's focus on the Eagles Landing. Yep. Okay. So evaluation and recommendations. Uh again, let's focus on Eagles Landing, as the Mayor just said. So we did have some positive. This is the pluses are the positives and the minuses are the negatives. We had stakeholders. [1:30:37, 1:30:57]: Stakeholder interest in understanding more about CIDs. Again, this is the first step of introducing the idea to folks, especially those that might be paying into this particular tax assessment. So there was interest there from property owners. You also are gonna have more density in the area as I understand. [1:30:57, 1:31:12]: That density might be in um non-resid non-eligible use, meaning more residential. I understand there could be multifamily on the horizon, but heads and beds also helps to attract more retail and uses that are eligible. [1:31:15, 1:31:35]: Future growth opportunities we just touched on. And um, as I just showed you, there's higher revenue potential in the Eagles Landing area than there is in uh the Jonesboro Road area. Uh to the plus and minus of Eagles Landing, the value proposition exists. Again, road improvements and sidewalks and brand. [1:31:35, 1:31:55]: And those types of things, but it really does require buy-in. Again, we had first touch points with folks, but really getting them uh involved and understanding why I should pay the tax, what is the value proposition, how are my m are my funds going to be used, and is the government going to partner with us to be successful? Are all things [1:31:55, 1:31:56]: That need to be worked out. [1:31:58, 1:32:18]: So recommendations. Um first one is to as I shared with uh Henry County, might be good to focus on one more than the other. Again, I think that Eagles Landing has uh more opportunity than the Jonesboro Road area. So this is a good conversation to introduce you to this topic. [1:32:18, 1:32:19]: Yeah. [1:32:20, 1:32:40]: We might also want to take the boundary lines of the sub-area that we did and broaden it to be more inclusive of some of the growth that's going to be captured in the future. I understand that the Western Parallel Connector is really going to be a growth driver, and it is a good strategic move to try to. [1:32:40, 1:32:54]: get uh property in that isn't yet developed, but knowing that it will be developed because it has um uh that has upside potential to build the CID's capacity and do more good um in the community. [1:32:54, 1:33:14]: Um assess if the target uh if the corridor, in this case Eagle Landing, Eagle's Landing, but assess if the corridor's future growth is really leaning on residential or really leaning on commercial. Again, I just talked about the plus and minuses. Residential but heads and beds is good, but it is non-eligible. Okay, so that's very important. [1:33:14, 1:33:34]: And um the CIDs have now been around for thirty years. They've all started in commercial areas, but they are a they are a mechanism of real estate trends. So back in the eighties, it was exclusively commercial. If you think of Cumberland, that was the CID that I ran. These days it's not [1:33:34, 1:33:42]: You can't have an office without having a multifamily next to it. You've got to have a live work play community, but those properties are. [1:33:42, 1:34:02]: Are not eligible for a CID, which disproportionately can burden the commercial property owners. So all of these are just the nuances that need to be considered and worked out, especially as it relates to gaining buy-in from the property owners. I touched on mixed-use developments. Important to note that as [1:34:02, 1:34:18]: As Stockbridge Henry um develops mixed use uh vertical um projects, the manner in which they're coded by the tax assessor and the tax commissioner are going to be important because if you have ground floor retail. [1:34:19, 1:34:32]: And upper story residential, if that if they are not broken into separate parcel IDs where ground floor retail is captured as C or whatever its particular zoning is, and residential is captured appropriately as R. [1:34:33, 1:34:42]: The ev then everything is going to be ineligible because it has a residential use on it. So very important things to think about strategically as you think about these financing tools. [1:34:43, 1:34:51]: Another um point that was brought to our attention was to and this is more for the county, maybe less for the city, but understand um [1:34:51, 1:35:11]: The cost of development. This slide indicates what's the cost of development in Henry County. I could say what is the cost of development in Stockbridge? Because again, if we are uh adding an additional tax to the developer's cost, then how does uh that compare to neighboring areas? So it's something to keep in mind. [1:35:11, 1:35:12]: Yeah. [1:35:13, 1:35:33]: The last recommendation is to possibly consider a city business improvement district. This is another type of public-private partnership. It's one that's used m more around the rest of the country. Georgia doesn't really use it at all. We use the CID mechanism. But a city uh business improvement district would allow you to do much of the [1:35:33, 1:35:36]: Сейм став, аблі івенмо. [1:35:37, 1:35:57]: With the benefit being that it would allow the assessment to be placed on residential properties and not just commercial properties. Where again a CID, you can't do that. The kicker with the business uh the city BIDs is that they are only allowable in municipalities and in cities. So it it negates everything in an unincorporated area. [1:35:57, 1:36:03]: areas. So if a C I D itself didn't work, then maybe a B I D has some opportunity there as well. [1:36:04, 1:36:15]: So again, that completes my um presentation. And again, it was meant for the county to get them aware of the effort we just did. Uh but your big takeaways are. [1:36:15, 1:36:21]: There's a better opportunity in your corridor. Um I did hear [1:36:22, 1:36:42]: Uh from many of you uh uh at least a year ago that there was an interest in a CID as a tool, as a mechanism for a public-private partnership and economic development. If you're interested, I would be happy to work with you on that. It does take time, uh, because again, you're talking about educating people on the benefits of taxing themselves. [1:36:42, 1:37:02]: themselves, which takes some time and attention, but eventually it goes from a city or a county-led effort to one where the commercial property owner takes on the responsibility of forming the CID and then managing the CID. So with that, I will stop and happy to take any questions. [1:37:02, 1:37:02]: Questions. [1:37:04, 1:37:06]: Good, Mr. Susan. [1:37:06, 1:37:26]: Ma'am, I wanna thank you and I I I walked out because I actually watched the presentation when you made the presentation to the county. And um uh so it is excellent, certainly I believe in everything that you have done. You've done magnificent work um in the Cumberland Galleria area. It certainly is a model. [1:37:26, 1:37:38]: for where we're going and certainly in the discussion that we just had we're just at the infancy of trying to put together signage and stuff like that. And I bet you got those kiosks in the bre [1:37:39, 1:37:59]: I should say I worked with Sky Design on on all of that other referencing they were really good. That mixed use development works for and that's what you do there, right? So we had a visit to Avalon too. But I just like what you said. I do have one question. Let's say as I s conversed with you last year when you emailed us, does I [1:37:59, 1:38:19]: Already a master association in the Eagles Landing area on the residents already. And I think we talked about that. You said you were unaware of that, but you do know that now you are aware of that. So if let's say the city wanted to do the B I D right, which you would technically [1:38:19, 1:38:33]: be uh able to assess the millage on the business and the residents, but then turn around and give the residents a hundred percent homestead homestead to be able to take advantage of the the B ID. [1:38:35, 1:38:43]: Well I suppose that that would be a strategy that that could uh be put together. Uh I [1:38:45, 1:38:52]: I'm not a your legal counsel, so I I can't provide any legal advice on that, but um [1:38:52, 1:39:12]: I think the question becomes as it relates to the who are the who's invested in the corridor, be it a property owner that's commercial use or be it a property owner that's a residential use, what what are what are they aligned on? What are their needs? Whether it's a C I D, whether it's a a B ID, the structure of that [1:39:12, 1:39:32]: That might be informed by what is the value of having an organization that's going to do something. And again, I I've talked more about the structure and the process of a CID right now. I haven't talked too much about the value and what a CID does, which you've alluded to, but it can do [1:39:32, 1:39:52]: s do so much. Um but what what is it? What is the value proposition that those investors, those constituents, again business, property owner, resident, agree to and agree on? And what is the structure that they'd like to see around that? But I think what you're proposing is something that is [1:39:52, 1:40:12]: Probably quite doable. Um and it's just a matter of working through the mechanics of that. Right, because I I rem uh as I recall, the city of Locust Grove did something very similar with their CID, and then they filed a 100% exemption for all of the residents, so there would not be a resident. [1:40:12, 1:40:18]: residential side to that. So they were only uh imposing a millage on the businesses. [1:40:18, 1:40:38]: Yeah, those it by by state constitution, residential doesn't even apply at all. There's no impact to residential other than getting the benefit of what the busin what the pr commercial property owners have are spending their money on. Right, I'm saying they did that with their regular millage. Okay that the state allowed them to assess a one hundred percent exemption. [1:40:38, 1:40:58]: on the regular millage so that residents would not have to be fearful okay of it. So if we decide to do the VID version which has more options available to the city, that's certainly and then as you had mentioned, the Western Parallel Connector is a lot of undeveloped land but uh a lot of undeveloped [1:40:58, 1:41:18]: And I get calls every day because that's my district about doing mix use. And certainly the pro the model mix use that we have done at Argento is the first true mix use, as you see at the battery, where you have the commercial on the bottom and residential. It's very attractive. The young malicious [1:41:18, 1:41:38]: Millennials love it. And certainly trying to go back to the old style of separating that would not be something that I would personally like to see. And if the VID offered us the ability to have some more flexibility in doing that while exempting the residential, uh [1:41:38, 1:41:58]: Again, that's be something the lawyers would have to look at to see whether or not we would be able to do that. But certainly I w I uh that's the model'cause Argento is absolutely everything that we wanted to have. It's reminiscent of Avalon, it's reminiscent of the butcher done at the battery, and that is the template for a lot of what we [1:41:58, 1:42:17]: what we're planning on doing right across the street from City Hall. We certainly don't want to separate that. We want it all to be together because we like that attractive mix uh of where you're trying to go with that. And I think what I saw from the county commissioners were they were leaning forward for the next step. [1:42:17, 1:42:37]: I think I certainly would like to be in the position to lean forward uh for the next step to see what is next and what we could do. Cause every time I get off that expressway exit and G Dot hasn't and it's the forty-fifth or the fifth forty-fifth day right before they get ready to cut it and the grass is tall and it's litter everywhere. [1:42:37, 1:42:57]: I think about man would I love to have a CID right here containing these areas and then doing uh extra benefit. You know, I know that talking with Mr. McDowell down on the south side, they have actual security that they actually have involved into it. This is a lot of components and tools. [1:42:57, 1:43:17]: tools in the tools box that would be allowed for us. So again, kudos on the work that you're doing. Uh I'm glad that we have you on the team, some one of the best people in Georgia to be able to work on this. I just want to give you my wholehearted support and say let us know what the next steps are. So I I certainly would like to move forward. Yeah. [1:43:18, 1:43:20]: Any other questions from the council? [1:43:20, 1:43:30]: I have one. Go right here, please. I'll have two. Um where so the here we can exha if if the C I D is approved by the owners, the majority of the owners, where would the [1:43:30, 1:43:32]: With the tax uh [1:43:32, 1:43:35]: Commission be collecting those revenues? [1:43:36, 1:43:56]: That's exactly right. Um, the owners need to provide written consent. Um, it's always a jigsaw puzzle till the last minute putting the CID boundary together. This is just to start the CID, it can certainly evolve over time. Uh the tax commissioner certifies the district, makes sure it has met the minimum requirements. Um [1:43:56, 1:44:12]: You all would pass a resolution that actually uh creates the CID at that point. Uh the board is constituted, they choose the millage rate, report it up to the Department of Revenue like any taxing authority, and then the tax commissioner. [1:44:12, 1:44:25]: Um is the one who uh uh commissioner's office is the one that collects the taxes. So on a property a commercial property owner's tax bill, it will indicate that tax district number and the millage rate that was chosen. [1:44:25, 1:44:38]: And that mileage rate will include their fee, the tax commissioner's collection fee. They can that. They can collect up uh they can receive an administrative fee up to I believe it's twenty five thousand a year. Okay. And in addition to that [1:44:38, 1:44:45]: the military, uh for instance at the battery, what did they end up doing? The owners end up [1:44:45, 1:45:05]: What what was their average millish rate? Was it the lowest? Because it doesn't seem like a whole lot if you're looking at like the three mills, you're only getting you're not even getting a million bucks. Yeah, six hundred thousand is hard. With that's a it's not I I know a CID that started with thirty thousand dollars, but they they had a very specific targeted use for that. If you are a what I would call a community [1:45:05, 1:45:15]: facing C I D, like a district facing you want more financial capacity than that. Right. But the idea is to take that six hundred and and leverage it against something greater. But [1:45:15, 1:45:35]: Uh you asked me the about the battery. So I ran the Cumberland CID from um nineteen ninety-six through twenty eighteen, and then you know, uh we saw all of we saw uh many years of real estate stagnation, let me say, and then the bat the the the Braves announced and that just kind of made everything [1:45:35, 1:45:55]: Explode. Throughout that period, that CID uh took the position of we are going to approve our maximum allowable millage rate, which in Cobb County was five mils, and that's very typical for most counties to max it at five. Henry County allows for 25. Um, but there are a some couple CIDs. [1:45:55, 1:46:15]: IDs, again, they're a sort of a special case, but they they do uh go upwards of 25 mils. But that five mils was continuously reinvested to into the community, and it allowed for a lot of investment in public um uh public improvements that helped to attract the Braves. [1:46:16, 1:46:36]: After about three years that that CID dropped its millage rate down a m a point to about four mills'cause they wanted to take a breath and kind of reassess what the next ten year work program would be and not over tax because there's also other financing mechanisms that help to pay pay for the Brave Stadium. [1:46:36, 1:46:38]: Two SSDs among them. [1:46:39, 1:46:55]: Gotcha. Okay. So their max was five mills, but ours is up to twenty five. Is there a su is a is there a law that you're aware of that caps what the mills are for CID? The state allows up to twenty five mills. Henry County's local act also allows up to twenty five mills. [1:46:56, 1:47:16]: Okay. All right. It doesn't mean the board is gonna choose twenty five mills because that's a that's a lot. Yeah, that I can't see an owner doing that. But if they did, that's great too. But I I can't see that. Every year the board, like any taxing authority, um, has to choose its millage rate. So every year every CID chooses, the board selects its [1:47:16, 1:47:36]: It's millage rate. The Shamley Doraville CID has been at five mils. It's a maximum allowable in DeCab County since its inception over the past five years. And just for the public, this is not us talking about we're taxing anyone. Just please know that we're not going to be able to tax anyone. This is if they want it to if the business owners want it to. [1:47:36, 1:47:56]: To tax themselves. That was totally up to them. But I just um I for educational purposes, thank you so much for the information that you provided today. That's really eye-opening. I hope that the owners see the benefit in this and that they see the you know to beautify that area and it as it continues to grow. [1:47:56, 1:48:04]: Um I j I just I hope that they I hope it goes through. I hope it works out great for the county and for the city of Stockbridge. [1:48:05, 1:48:17]: Appreciate the presentation wholeheartedly. So it's good information here. Anybody from this side? Any other comments? Yes. Um thank you again for the presentation, but I I I heard that you said the requirement from this council was simply just a resolution. [1:48:17, 1:48:25]: I guess but my question is trying to get a grasp on or an understanding around it is is there any lifts or anything that we would have to do [1:48:25, 1:48:45]: surrounding um galvanizing the commer c uh the property owners, the the prop the business owners. And then if so, what do those efforts look like? And then how does all of this um unfold for us? Yeah, great question. And uh I should clarify that the process that I articulated that you noted, that's simply the mechanic [1:48:45, 1:48:47]: Yeah. [1:48:47, 1:48:55]: There certainly would be a an entire collaboration among the commercial property owners and the government. [1:48:55, 1:48:59]: Initially as there is a uh [1:49:00, 1:49:20]: Education, whether that's six months, a year, you know, I I I don't know. I don't know the community as well as you do. Um but but the right now at this stage one it's a safe bet to say that it's not the commercial property owners that are coming to me or you asking for a CID. They are not driving this cause. [1:49:19, 1:49:27]: It is the government. First, Henry County, and and now you have expressed interest in it. So I would [1:49:29, 1:49:49]: I would posture that if the city wants a CID and sees value in this tool, you will need to drive the effort. We can figure out what that what that means. But once it's formed, then you really get to work. Because again, the CID is a financing mechanism and provides advertising. [1:49:48, 1:49:56]: Advocacy and is a conduit for you into what the property owners need to be economically healthy. [1:49:56, 1:49:57]: Um but [1:49:57, 1:50:03]: The CIE doesn't can't improve anything because it doesn't own anything, so it has to work. [1:50:03, 1:50:10]: with the facility owner. So that means if it's a city road or a city trail or you know, whatever the property is. [1:50:10, 1:50:17]: Um or if it's state owned by Georgia D. O.T. or i whatever the case is. I'll give you a practical [1:50:17, 1:50:30]: application if you will that I think might be helpful. Let's just take, you know, trails. I heard uh I heard you talk about trails. Um y you as a city are are probably have master plan this whole community identified an entire trail plan. [1:50:30, 1:50:38]: Put it into different segments, do a cost estimate around it. That a CID could help if the CID wanted, if that was of value to them. [1:50:39, 1:50:57]: Could be a partner to you in the table either by driving that effort or supporting you in that effort of development. The CID could also bring dollars to the table, which would help you build your funding stack for segments of that trail component. The CID, depending on w who you had as [1:50:58, 1:51:01]: staff or advisors or you know professional experience [1:51:02, 1:51:05]: could bring their wealth of knowledge in understanding, okay. [1:51:06, 1:51:24]: I've got, you know, some city dollars here, CID dollars here, there's a uh state grant program here, there's a federal grant program here, and we're gonna put together the entire strategy and execute that strategy for you. Again, these are just examples of how CIDs operate, but but still practical applications nonetheless. [1:51:26, 1:51:46]: How long do you think it would take? I know you said sometimes it can range anywhere from two years to six years to get the ball rolling, but in in your professional expertise, what what do you foresee with the district and the area and the space that we have on this Eagle Land Eagles Landing corridor? How how [1:51:46, 1:51:55]: How what's your projection or your professional projection on what you would think it would take time wise and then staff wise for us, what what level of investment from the city? [1:51:56, 1:52:09]: Uh I I wish I could answer that with some certainty. Um part and I say that because I hovered more at a macro level during last year during the course of this effort. [1:52:11, 1:52:15]: I I think it's measured more in a couple in years as opposed to a couple of months. [1:52:16, 1:52:21]: Uh uh here and here's something to think about as you think about the timeline of CID formation. [1:52:22, 1:52:28]: You have to work backwards from the state's specific schedules. So if taxing authorities need to [1:52:28, 1:52:40]: Um uh send their millage rates by July or whatever it is to Department of Revenue, you have to work backwards in time, which means that the CID needs to be in legal existence. [1:52:40, 1:52:41]: And select its millage rate. [1:52:42, 1:52:53]: which means that you all have to approve it, which means that the the tax commissioner needs to provide uh certification, which means consent forms. So you work backwards from there, but all of that is to say that [1:52:54, 1:53:14]: It's cyclical. You can only form or expand a CID essentially in the springtime because of those legal benchmarks that I just stated. You can't just form it anytime. I guess you could, but then you'd have to wait till the next text cycle. So, you know, spring is usually uh your as as you think. [1:53:14, 1:53:15]: Think about an approach. [1:53:16, 1:53:26]: gearing up to hit your legal benchmarks in spring. Now here it is July, June, July of um one year. You are not gonna form a CID. [1:53:26, 1:53:34]: by spring of twenty six, and probably not by spring of twenty seven. That's that's the best answer I can give you right now. [1:53:37, 1:53:37]: Mm-hmm. [1:53:37, 1:53:49]: Okay. So our next steps would be to say we're we're interested like we're interested in this obviously. And I know you explained some things earlier, but uh this aspect uh [1:53:50, 1:53:50]: So [1:53:50, 1:54:06]: Is there a cost affiliated with us? Yeah, I would imagine there to is there some type of contract or something like finan financial aspect as well. No, I I uh you know, I'm I'm a professional consultant and and and if I was engaged then yes there would be. Uh uh my s recommendation or suggestion to you is to [1:54:06, 1:54:26]: uh uh circle back with the county. Um Tucson probably is is has been my contact or or or the city manager and indicate that you've seen it, you're interested and how can you and the county m perhaps collaborate on advancing one. So that that would be my request. That's a good point. That's a good point. Yes sir. [1:54:26, 1:54:46]: Okay, certainly um I want to point this out and I think this is very important. I think it's twenty seventeen or twenty eighteen we actually did pass a resolution here, a generate one, encouraging the business community to form a CID because we were very interested in doing that. Uh Commissioner Robinson. [1:54:46, 1:55:06]: was now was then Councilwoman Robinson. And we passed that here on the board. So we are are in league with what they're trying to do and she's trying to push it uh on their side as well as the rest of the commissioners here. So it's very important to us that, you know, certainly they've employed you. We certainly tried to form a [1:55:06, 1:55:26]: CID on Highway 138. I think we just didn't have quite the effort that we needed in order to make that happen. Thus Lee, they employed you to look into it, who's uh who is uh uh very best at it. And uh maybe we'll circle back to Highway 138 once we get this one done. [1:55:26, 1:55:46]: And then uh look in that direction. But certainly the city has been uh moving in that direction. And again, we did pass a generic resolution encouraging the businesses to form it. But certainly we know we have to do our part and as understood, uh should we bring you aboard. [1:55:46, 1:56:00]: you would be doing a lot putting a plan together for us uh along with the county in order to execute it in order to try to make things happen with your expertise. Is that what would what that's what would be expected if we did and decide to bring you on. [1:56:01, 1:56:15]: Uh I think that that uh structures it and then we can work through what um what the details are around that, yes. I was just wondering here about the resolution. That was one thirty eight. This is Eagles Land, it might have to be a different resolution though. [1:56:16, 1:56:36]: My my understanding is that there was an effort a few years ago with with another firm. Yes, correct. On one thirty yeah, that was for one thirty. On the on that particular one. There was two efforts. The one thirty eight effort was maybe like a year and a half ago, maybe two years, but the resolution that we passed was like twenty seventeen or twenty eight. [1:56:36, 1:56:38]: eighteen it was for the whole city. [1:56:39, 1:56:55]: And uh as you think about it, keep in mind that the sub area boundaries we drew that you may think that those are correct, you may think that they're incorrect. Either way, it's a matter of um just just targeting the areas that you think are most important. Thank you, appreciate it. Good information. Thank you very much. Appreciate you. [1:56:56, 1:57:02]: Okay. New business. Council consideration to approve the FY twenty twenty four budget amendment. Mr. Malazi, please. [1:57:56, 1:58:00]: [7080.9, 7081.8]: To move. [1:58:03, 1:58:04]: Make it big. [1:58:20, 1:58:20]: Yes, to feel. [1:58:37, 1:58:38]: She's [1:58:59, 1:59:02]: Doesn't really slider. It doesn't do a slider. [1:59:04, 1:59:08]: But does it fit in? It has to fit in. [1:59:10, 1:59:11]: It's not easy. [1:59:11, 1:59:12]: Yeah. [1:59:16, 1:59:21]: We would unit to say. [1:59:46, 1:59:48]: With the ones that we were talking about. [1:59:52, 1:59:55]: Are you set, sir? You set, ready to go? [1:59:58, 2:00:08]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening, sir. Um be f in case I'll forget, I have two presentations. Both of my two presentations will need your actions. [2:00:09, 2:00:09]: Okay. [2:00:10, 2:00:25]: And that will be to adopt or to approve what I'm going to present. The first one will be budget amendment. Okay. And budget amendment, this is 2024 budget. Okay. We already spent money. Okay. Um [2:00:27, 2:00:43]: Why we are doing budget amendment because it's only the council that has got authority to allocate spending, not even the city manager has that authority. See the council has the authority to allocate the funding. [2:00:44, 2:00:48]: And it's only the council that can move money from one fund to the other. [2:00:49, 2:00:57]: Once it has been allocated, we can move around. That's we call uh adjustments or transfers. Okay. Within the fund. [2:00:59, 2:01:09]: up to what has been allocated. But what we have been doing, uh I'm putting myself as the staff and management [2:01:10, 2:01:16]: We have not followed those procedures over the years and we have really [2:01:18, 2:01:22]: not being honest. We have let [2:01:24, 2:01:30]: our elected officials down and above all we have uh let down our citizen. [2:01:32, 2:01:39]: So what I'm doing here is to look into areas of the uh budget [2:01:40, 2:01:47]: where we had non budgeted because it was not budgeted but we spent which we call non budgeted spending. [2:01:48, 2:01:49]: And the [2:01:51, 2:02:10]: The next presentation will be a way of correcting these mistakes that we have been written up by our federal funding. And it comes from this side. So we are trying to correct those kind of practice we have been doing. [2:02:12, 2:02:24]: There are some areas we didn't budget. We have to amend that we spent non-budgeted. There are some areas that our projections went [2:02:25, 2:02:41]: where far, either our projections were way be below or our projections were way up, so we have to amend to get into uh acceptable within the framework of where it's supposed to be. [2:02:46, 2:02:48]: I will start with the General Fund. [2:02:49, 2:03:03]: A general fund with department heads, there are some areas that we spent, but overall general fund we at the end of it, these are all revenues. I'll start with the revenues. So the whole of this area is revenues. [2:03:07, 2:03:08]: Up to [2:03:10, 2:03:30]: This total revenues for this is for twenty uh twenty twenty four. Total revenues were uh twenty nine million one hundred and five four hundred and seventy eight. This is adjusted or amended from what was the originally adopted, which was twenty six. [2:03:30, 2:03:37]: six million seven hundred and eleven six hundred and thirty five. So we are adjusting to that. [2:03:38, 2:03:47]: that twenty nine million is the right amount. In that twenty nine you may see that there is almost three million. [2:03:48, 2:04:00]: Depending on how the auditors allocated that, that may not be twenty nine, the three million may be adjusted because that is to do with the uh insurance premiums. [2:04:00, 2:04:08]: Depending on what time it comes, that may be of the previous year twenty twenty three, but if they had already uh [2:04:09, 2:04:13]: assigned that, then that twenty nine million will be actual. [2:04:13, 2:04:25]: So there may be a change after the audit depending on how they um offset that. Is it for the previous year or is it for twenty twenty four? [2:04:26, 2:04:41]: But the way it is, it looks like it will stay there twenty twenty four. So if that's the case, that means we went over what we projected from twenty six million to twenty nine million. Okay. Then they are or move to our expenses. [2:04:43, 2:04:53]: Uh you see the first column on the left side is what we project uh that's what we adopted and the blue column, wherever it's blue, that's where the adjustments are to be made. [2:04:55, 2:05:01]: I'll go to general fund uh to expenses uh and on expenses we start with the governing body. [2:05:05, 2:05:25]: Then we have the city clerk, then it goes executive finance and all those departments. You find out that some they have spent way more than what was adopted. And we have to offset that. We have to either where they have spent less, where they have spent more, we have to allocate more. [2:05:25, 2:05:32]: more to make sure that they are spending within the uh adopted budget, in this case within the amended budget. [2:05:35, 2:05:36]: And the total [2:05:37, 2:05:50]: spend uh expenditure on the government side, you see departments, each one of those, but I want to just go over and see the total expenditure. [2:05:57, 2:06:00]: Our total expenditure will be [2:06:02, 2:06:06]: twenty six million two hundred and seven thousand. [2:06:07, 2:06:12]: Twenty six million two a hundred and seven, four hundred and sixty nine. [2:06:14, 2:06:28]: That's a you see it's twenty six million versus the twenty nine million of our revenues. So there's that three million I was talking about, and that one is specifically for uh insurance, premium premium insurance. [2:06:29, 2:06:49]: Then we have other funds. Some funds you find out that the amount is not much depending on how much we have received or we have not received. So confiscated assets, depending if anything happened during that time. Then we have property and evidence. Then we have other. [2:06:49, 2:06:57]: Those other funds, grant funds. On the grant side of it, you find out that we have more spending. [2:06:59, 2:07:19]: Some areas we have more spending than what we budgeted for or we anticipated to receive because we have not received everything. Because most the almost all of our funds our grants is we spend, then we we are reburst. Draw down, we have to draw down. And draw down is contingent only we have [2:07:19, 2:07:39]: Provided the reports that are required according to the requirements of the grant that we signed with them. So if we have not met those requirements, they may not release funds. As of now, we have more than 500,000 of 2024 that we have not drawn down. [2:07:39, 2:07:59]: We just finished uh working with the DOJ. Last week we had two um one on site and the other one was online to finalize what we are owing them, what requirements they needed us to do. So it went well. [2:07:59, 2:08:16]: well very well. The audits went well, both of them. So we will start having our drawdown. That 500 plus thousand we already spent it, but we need to bring it back to get into our general fund. [2:08:21, 2:08:41]: Uh then there's hotel motel. I'll just be picking up, I'll not be talking each and every fund. Hotel motel, uh what we budgeted three hundred and seventy-five thousand, but as you see, we got more than one million. So with that we can't live at three hundred and seventy-five thousand as the projected receipt. [2:08:41, 2:08:58]: seats, we have to adjust. It's more than three times of what we projected. So that's what amendment is all about. If it's more, you have to amend to to increase. If it's we we got less, we'd have also amended to make sure it's in line with what actually we got. [2:09:01, 2:09:15]: Uh then we have uh sp sip and um T S plus, as you know that we have Splash one, two, three, four, five. Now we are six. There are some that we are still receiving. [2:09:15, 2:09:17]: Uh five we are still receiving. [2:09:17, 2:09:20]: And even though the projects finished [2:09:20, 2:09:37]: We have money still coming in. That money may not be assigned to the uh projects because the time the projects were being done, we are using general fund. So we have to reimburse general fund for those that money that is coming now, those projects that are finished. [2:09:37, 2:09:56]: Okay, stop for a second. To do that, do we you need our proof to do that? You're just automatically gonna do that. I will report everything. Okay, okay. I I will report I will actually like tomorrow I'll be sending you how much money is in each one of those. Periodically I'll be letting you know how much are in those accounts. I just updated this afternoon. [2:09:57, 2:09:57]: Okay. [2:09:58, 2:10:18]: I'm not sure what you're saying. Can you repeat that? You're saying that these are expenses for projects that we've already done and that basically we borrowed the money from us so that when the SPLAS rolls in, the these funds roll once these funds roll in, we pay that back. Is that what you're saying? A good example is SPLAS six. Now Splassi [2:10:18, 2:10:22]: Six, we are about just to receive money. [2:10:22, 2:10:25]: However, we have uh borrowed money. [2:10:25, 2:10:30]: One we say we need to have a public workshop. [2:10:30, 2:10:30]: Mm-hmm. [2:10:30, 2:10:34]: That's we have already one point seven million. [2:10:35, 2:10:39]: then we need the public works vehicles six hundred thousand. [2:10:40, 2:10:41]: then we need to [2:10:42, 2:10:44]: We have already given out almost. [2:10:44, 2:10:46]: three point three milijun. [2:10:47, 2:10:51]: When that money comes in, it will replace where we have taken it from. [2:10:51, 2:10:56]: So there are some areas like public facilities. [2:10:56, 2:10:59]: Ви фінш да проєкт. [2:11:00, 2:11:20]: But there were still some money that were there, about three hundred and something thousand. That money directly it will go to general fund. That is supposed to be zero. So even though there's money there, the usage of that fund is done, is completed. Yes, ma'am. [2:11:23, 2:11:30]: So when we had the meetings and we funded these, we were told that the money was there for the project. [2:11:30, 2:11:47]: in that particular spLost, whatever splas that was. It could have been SLOBOS four. We had sploss four left. We had some of splos five left. We even had a couple of things in splots w it could have been three. It could have been three, four, five, whatever the case may have been. Are you saying [2:11:48, 2:11:49]: That [2:11:51, 2:11:56]: Other money was borrowed from there. Here's my question. Should this have come to mayor and council? [2:11:57, 2:12:09]: Because we didn't receive we didn't have not one meeting. No one has ever come to us and said, This is where the money is gonna be taken from. We've always been told [2:12:09, 2:12:13]: When when we get a someone comes and presents [2:12:13, 2:12:17]: Part of their presentation is where the money's coming from. [2:12:17, 2:12:29]: And it's usually from a spLOS that uh has that is already there, a past sploss, that the money's still sitting there outstanding. So where did that money go? [2:12:29, 2:12:33]: Some idiot and why didn't we well you wouldn't know because you weren't our treasurer. [2:12:34, 2:12:37]: Or n nor were you our city manager. [2:12:37, 2:12:42]: But those things, any type of movement like that, has to come before Mayor Council. Am I wrong? [2:12:43, 2:12:47]: There is no aroc arocation that can be done. [2:12:49, 2:12:55]: No one has authority to allocate, no one has authority to move from one fund to the other besides council. [2:12:56, 2:12:57]: And that hasn't happened. [2:12:58, 2:13:02]: We have let you down, I said that. We have not been honest. [2:13:05, 2:13:10]: But uh let's see we know now what can we do going forward. [2:13:12, 2:13:30]: Madam Clerk, do you have any records of any amendments besides the one amendment request the one time that I can recall within the past four years for an amendment to any of our budgets? [2:13:31, 2:13:42]: Okay, so four years would take you to twenty twenty one. I can say yes, you likely had amendments in twenty twenty one. There have no been [2:13:42, 2:13:52]: No amendment except for the five hundred thousand brought to the council for twenty twenty two, twenty-three, or twenty four. [2:13:53, 2:14:02]: So from twenty twenty two to twenty twenty four, we had no request for amendments except for one time for five hundred thousand dollars. [2:14:05, 2:14:09]: Wes I can tell you what was approved by the body. [2:14:09, 2:14:15]: Okay. And so if there aren't any amendments from that time frame. [2:14:16, 2:14:18]: Then no money should have been moved to [2:14:20, 2:14:21]: From any [2:14:21, 2:14:27]: account, is that correct? That they're basically saying that they had the funding for those those items. [2:14:27, 2:14:37]: Money can be moved as I have done, I have moved, but you need to know because the moving them I've done but I've not even put in the system until you approve it. [2:14:38, 2:14:41]: So we w they would have had to come before Mayor Council, but that did not happen. [2:14:42, 2:14:48]: That's where I say we have let you down and we have let down the citizen of this city. [2:14:48, 2:14:49]: Okay, thank you. [2:14:53, 2:14:59]: Uh then there's the three twenty which is this plus five funding. [2:15:00, 2:15:05]: Um I'll I'll go and get maybe [2:15:09, 2:15:15]: URA URA everything on URA is paying the debt. So we have funding in there. [2:15:17, 2:15:21]: We allocate money to pay what we owe. [2:15:26, 2:15:46]: Then I'll have uh citywide downtown development. We are talking there we have allocations of forty five thousand, each one of them. And sometimes we have some expenses, you find out some there it's coming up to forty five, uh budgeted at forty five, but there's forty eight, five, forty six because there may be some [2:15:46, 2:16:06]: Some expenses that we they didn't reimburse us. We paid it, so it comes to 45 and 40 48. So there's additional three plus thousand. That's actual. Then you found the other one instead of forty-five, uh, there's only forty-nine ninety-eight. That means by that time the year we had not. [2:16:05, 2:16:25]: given them the forty five forty-five thousand that he was uh allocated to them several ways. Maybe we decided we will no longer give them or we have to give them, but it was budgeted we are supposed to give them. Unless council says don't give them anymore. [2:16:31, 2:16:33]: А паблик фасилі авторіти з [2:16:35, 2:16:53]: That one is again we spent uh we spent that's much of the um activities the incoming and what we budgeted, if they are not in line, then we have to make those adjustments. [2:16:57, 2:17:17]: Then we get into um enterprise funds that is to do with water. We have water, sewer, sanitation, all those ones. And on sanitation, you may see there is a uh lazy maybe shortfall of revenues on sanitation. Sanitation, you know, you need to know that it's tax. [2:17:17, 2:17:37]: So it's build and when it comes it comes red. So sanitation is always for the other year, for the following year. It's uh unearned revenues. So it comes red but the auditors will have to move. So even if there's nothing, it will still come. So it's go ahead, sir. So let's go back to [2:17:37, 2:17:57]: the public facilities authority. Yes. Okay, the public facility authority actually financed the amphitheater for us, correct? Through the bonding process. They did the municipal project for us. So the payments as we always talk about the amphitheater will be paid off this year. Okay. Are being facilitated. That's how the payments are being facilitated. [2:17:57, 2:18:17]: That is through the public facilities authority. And that's where that$2.7 million that you indicated there is. And so that paying down the balance so they will be paid off by this uh August, right? So those that that$2.7 million is paying off the balance on what [2:18:17, 2:18:22]: what we owed on that bond. So that bond will be finished in August of this year, correct? [2:18:23, 2:18:32]: That is correct, but this is for that is for t twenty twenty four and twenty twenty five August will be paying off principal as well as interest. [2:18:32, 2:18:52]: Right, right. So this is but but a l all along we've had to make those payments for the last three years or or since we took out the bond, we have to make those payments yearly from the general fund, correct? That is correct. Okay, so I just so everybody understands when we initially financed the amphitheater we did that and look [2:18:52, 2:19:12]: Luckily, we were able to do that at a time when interest rates were historically low. And we got some of the lowest interest rates ever. Of course, if you're out there trying to buy a home now, you know that that is not the case. So by doing that at that time, we were able to take out a bond for$7 billion to pay off. [2:19:12, 2:19:32]: the remainder of the amphitheater uh to uh the the the balance for the amphitheater at a very low interest rate. We're also able to take our three million dollars to start up the police department initial funds and then a million dollars for uh multi-use trails. So uh you know in front of [2:19:32, 2:19:52]: Financial stewardship sometimes is taking advantage of those times and the economic conditions. Because if today we were borrowing those dollars post pandemic, the inflationary costs on the S um the Amphitheater would probably be above thirty million dollars right now as it [2:19:52, 2:20:12]: as a gig as a good guess. And the post pandemic cost in terms of labor and in terms of materials and everything that were put into it, that timing kind of was a was a great was a good thing for us because uh it saved us millions of dollars uh in the process. [2:20:12, 2:20:32]: And certainly subsequent to that, there were some financial missteps and some financial, uh, as you said, letdowns, because as Ms. Gantt has indicated, there was a number of opportunities between 2022 and this date where uh I'm disappointed. [2:20:31, 2:20:51]: that staff did not wasn't more forthright in being pre your joining the council, correct or joining the city. You've done the invest you've done the research. You put the numbers together that we truly needed to see during [2:20:51, 2:21:11]: Those times. So let me condemn commend you for going and doing the research. You've been doing the research since the day you joined the city, and it's been painstaking. It's been out of the public eye. A lot of it has not been uh something that we've uh that we knew that we were looking into, and we had to come to the [2:21:11, 2:21:31]: point where we knew the right questions to ask. And by reviewing the information, we were able to determine and to look in the places that we needed to look to understand what the true finances really look like versus some of the things that we were actually presented with in the past. [2:21:31, 2:21:51]: So kudos to you for just hours on end of exhaustive research and putting together going back long before you arrived in 2022 and 2023 actually recreating that information so that we would have accurate information. [2:21:51, 2:22:11]: inform information to review and some of those k numbers frankly have been very shocking. Uh as you have indicated, you know, with this particular projection, this will be in excess of four million dollars in 2024. It's painstaking to see that number and to understand, you know [2:22:11, 2:22:31]: some of the projections that we saw with PLs that indicated that uh we were doing we were balancing out for those concerts. Some of them we made a little money, some of them we didn't. Those PLs don't uh appear to be related to reality or fact in any way uh at this point. [2:22:31, 2:22:51]: And that's because of the exhaustive research that you have done. And I want to commend you first of all, as uh in addition to that, and the recommendations that you made back in February. You made solid recommendations where the finance department would actually take over uh the stewardship of paying the city. [2:22:51, 2:23:11]: Vendors. You made the recommendation that all vendors be vetted through the internally versus externally, and we implemented those procedures. We didn't yell them out in the public about what we did. We just did it. You've been executing along that line since February. [2:23:11, 2:23:31]: And when we got to the point where we are now where we are actually close to the budgetary numbers, you sounded the alarm, correct? You said, council, as you were supposed to do. That should have happened in 2022. That should have happened in 2023. That should have happened in 2024. [2:23:31, 2:23:51]: Before it did not, and now we're having to go back and retroactively make the adjustments because the city procedure and policy is very clear as you have stated. Any adjustments, in addition to the$50,000 limit that is granted to the city manager, are supposed to come to the city manager. [2:23:51, 2:24:11]: City Council. That did not happen. But as you have demonstrated the proper process of how and to do it, that's why we're here today, right? Because you are stating this is what needs to happen, these amendments need to happen, but your pre the the previous staff did not do that. And that's why you indicated [2:24:11, 2:24:15]: [8655.3, 8656.3]: Thank you so much. [2:24:20, 2:24:24]: That's water soa. Uh then we have uh [2:24:26, 2:24:27]: Storm water. [2:24:31, 2:24:41]: Sorry, West. Everything again that you see in blue is to be corrected or amended. [2:24:48, 2:25:05]: Then this is a summary of all the funds. So I have gone from general fund every fund, then there's a summary here, revenue, expenses, revenue, expenses, up to the end. And I wanted to point out we have two that we designated. I think that [2:25:06, 2:25:08]: That was not awesome. [2:25:10, 2:25:11]: Councilwoman Gantt, you have a question? [2:25:12, 2:25:18]: Well, you just said everything in blue is the corrections. So I'm looking at the amended, that's the one who amended. [2:25:18, 2:25:38]: But I'm looking at like even the revenues. Why would they be are they corrections? Are they just the fact that we actually had more revenue than we expected? So for instance, the total budget of revenue expected was$26 million, eleven dollars, six hundred seven hundred and eleven thousand dollars [2:25:38, 2:25:58]: thousand six hundred and thirty five dollars and ninety two cents. But as of today, we've collected denied twenty nine thousand twenty nine million yes one hundred and eighty seven three forty one forty one. Right this crazy so wa wait a minute. So in in regards to that we're at a surplus right now of two point six [2:25:58, 2:26:03]: 2.8, yeah. Okay, so 2.8. Right now, well it says two point six on here, but two point eight. Yes. [2:26:04, 2:26:07]: Why is that something that has to be corrected? [2:26:08, 2:26:28]: in regards to the revenues. So those revenues you are s talking about, I mentioned about the three million, depending on how you designate that three may not be, maybe twenty six if they designate it that it was for the previous year. But leave it just as it is. We have extra three million. I gave you [2:26:27, 2:26:30]: An example of uh [2:26:31, 2:26:46]: hotel motel, we budgeted for three hundred and seventy-five thousand and we got uh one point one million. If you get into percentage is that is almost three four thousand percentage. [2:26:47, 2:27:05]: That's not okay. Well, it wouldn't be okay if it was expenditures, but it's o it looks great as a revenue. It does. Because what it says is that we were not expecting it. It it it does. It would'cause I wasn't expecting a new hotel that's gonna be coming my way. So now I'm gonna have [2:27:06, 2:27:10]: Instead of the two that we got now and well three. [2:27:10, 2:27:30]: We're gonna have three plus a possible, hopefully we have four if we get the other one off the ground, right? Exactly. So we weren't expecting though that new hotel to come, and it is. So it sounds well there, but when you get it to expenses. Expenses is a problem. Yes. But the revenues here are more s a lot of them are are kinda like. They did very well. They did very well. [2:27:30, 2:27:32]: So it'll allow us to see. [2:27:33, 2:27:44]: You know, this is what we usually get and look at the growth. I I would much rather see that in the revenue side. I don't think this is as much tweaked because it's showing our growth in the city. [2:27:45, 2:28:05]: As compared to w when we get to those corrections in the expenditure side. That's my biggest concern. But it helps us again next year when we are doing projections, we have to project the correct amount. Correct. We should never project three seventy five thousand hotel motel when we know that we got one point something million. And with that it's not just [2:28:04, 2:28:17]: At one point, you talk about tourism is going up. So you you have a lot to talk about within each and every line item. That's the reason why sometimes you have to make those adjustments. [2:28:18, 2:28:21]: When you make another, like now twenty twenty six [2:28:22, 2:28:37]: Twenty twenty twenty six we prepare a budget, our project four hundred thousand, you ask me, but actual it shows you got one million, why four hundred? Okay. And there are some where made up exp revenues just to make up for expenses. [2:28:38, 2:28:49]: I'll give you an example we had male mandoras that you we budgeted for seven hundred and thirty-two thousand revenues. Guess how much we got? Hundred and forty eight thousand. [2:28:50, 2:28:50]: Okay. [2:28:51, 2:29:07]: So even though we we knew that we are we will never get into three hundred, four hundred. So we have to make those changes. Then we also have to ask why did we designate it as a an enterprise when we know that it will not [2:29:08, 2:29:21]: be self sufficient. Correct. Because that conference center and amp theater we designated them as the enterprise, meaning that they will be self supporting. Yeah no. Which they will never, never n [2:29:21, 2:29:23]: Not any of those will will. [2:29:24, 2:29:43]: No, the Mermanders won't nor will the empathetic. Exactly. And that's history throughout. I we went on the convention this past week and I believe every single city says the same thing. They're not there for that purpose. No. And so we're aware that they're not there for that purpose. But uh that I understand us putting it in the twenty twenty [2:29:43, 2:29:44]: Six budget. [2:29:45, 2:30:00]: for the expectation of where we are now with collecting for a hotel motel tax. Because now they are actually there. We can project those numbers. But for these numbers here, it shows that growth potential. And that that was my biggest concern. Why would we do that? So I get it. Thank you. [2:30:02, 2:30:22]: Yeah, and hotel motel could be utilized to supplement the amphitheater itself. It could be if we deserve that. Ho hotel motel, yes it could be visitors are coming. Hotel motel, there's a lot of business, there's a lot of m some new hotel hotels or motels are. Um people are coming to spend money here. They are. [2:30:22, 2:30:42]: And and and it's economic driver for what what we did here. Mr. Alexander, go ahead, please. Let me be very careful'cause I was in the a municipal taxation class. Any of that fund, some of that can go general fund, but in the restricted, it has to be tourism. Absolutely. It cannot be just spent so we want to m [2:30:42, 2:31:02]: Make sure nobody uh interprets it uh as that way. So um Another example we have funded uh four ninety-five that cemetery we provided there ten thousand and we only spent seven hundred, I think mowing and others. It will so there's no need of us leaving ten thousand. [2:31:02, 2:31:05]: and when we know that we didn't spend even five one thousand. [2:31:05, 2:31:15]: Wha what really concerns me though with that three hundred and seventy five number is it looks as though we did not take in consideration the annexation at all. [2:31:16, 2:31:36]: And that we brought in the Holiday Inn and that we brought in these other entities in the annexation. So that number should have been upped. And it it it qu it makes you question how did we totally not uh accommod uh not have any type of projection. [2:31:36, 2:31:56]: By going to the county to see what the previous revenue was for the hotels that were annexed into the city. And it puts you in this predicament where we got to go up and down. This category is up, that category is down. In balancing the books overall, Ms. Gann asked a great question. It does show you. [2:31:56, 2:32:10]: a great a big surplus. But some of that big surplus was cause that three seventy five was significantly under budgeted as you guys are two point five percent off, two point five percent. Right. I mean [2:32:10, 2:32:15]: Two hundred and fifty percent, I'm sorry. Two hundred and fifty percent. So [2:32:15, 2:32:35]: Those are the kind of things that going forward, uh, that we expect those numbers to be accurate going forward. And that's what you're doing. You're setting the template, and you will use these numbers to forecast going forward and league with whomever we select as the new city manager for the budget to be. [2:32:35, 2:32:55]: Uh an accurate picture of where we're going so that this exercise is not necessary on a yearly basis going forward, correct? Substantially, in a substantial way, like this. Surely there's adjustments needed, but not all of these adjustments. [2:32:55, 2:33:15]: Adjustments should be necessary. No, because maybe it has not been for some time. There will be adjustments. At least you are guaranteed there will be at least one budget amendment at the end of the fiscal year. We agreed we'll have one mid year just to see how far have we gone. So we'll have one mid year. [2:33:15, 2:33:22]: Then we'll have some at the end of the year after finishing December. So we may have January, February, we'll have it. [2:33:23, 2:33:27]: I wanted to close this one with the amp theatre. [2:33:27, 2:33:47]: I want you also to understand that last time I presented it was six point four million. Now it has gone up to eight point one million. The reason why there are several things, several factors. You have to know that there are some expenses are not related to operations. [2:33:48, 2:33:50]: Because it's an enterprise. [2:33:50, 2:34:10]: Right. Whenever there's mowing, whenever there's repairs, whenever public works they do anything there, they charge to that fund. So in other words, what you're saying is these were not uh equated to actual operations. They were cap maybe capital expenses and that kind of thing. [2:34:10, 2:34:30]: thing that were factored in any repairs and that kind of thing. It didn't have anything directly to do with concert operations or day to day, but it it s it's work that needed to be done. It's not all we have also depreciation we have to check in there. There's six hundred and six six over six hundred thousand [2:34:30, 2:34:50]: than depreciation for twenty twenty four. Right. So that has nothing to do with the real operation. However, all those factors are important because without them there would no there wouldn't be operational. Exactly, exactly. You gotta do your you gotta you gotta maintain the place, you gotta keep it up, you gotta make sure that [2:34:50, 2:35:10]: So and I think that's uh some of the budgetary things that you have now brought to the surface that before, you know, when we got the got maybe got some of the information we got before, all of those other costs weren't captured. Is that what you're alluding to t as well? And to the yes, sir. And the worst part of it. [2:35:10, 2:35:10]: Yeah. [2:35:11, 2:35:18]: Not the worst part of it, was uh to conceal the expenses of amphet and charge into different fund. [2:35:19, 2:35:22]: That is Fund E three hundred and fifty three, which is city wide. [2:35:23, 2:35:24]: uh projects [2:35:24, 2:35:44]: And that was being done without your knowledge. You cannot move money from one fund, whether from amp uh amphitheater, from without the council's consent. I'm doing the same, but you have to approve it. So let me let me just make sure we start right there and understand what you're saying. [2:35:44, 2:35:59]: What you're saying is when you say being let down you're being very kind and that this was concealed in some ways. Because it involved personnel, so I can't Well when I say that I'm saying not particular any particular person but [2:36:01, 2:36:21]: particular event was actually moved from one category that had nothing to do with the operations of this facility, correct? In that uh a unrelated category. Yeah, from one fund to the other. Right. But but but totally two s unrelated funds. [2:36:21, 2:36:26]: And no one can do that without your knowledge. [2:36:28, 2:36:33]: All right. If there's any any question, comment [2:36:33, 2:36:37]: When you oh go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead, Ms. Barb. [2:36:39, 2:36:41]: I'm gonna try to speak. [2:36:41, 2:36:43]: Very slowly. [2:36:44, 2:36:45]: And calmly. [2:36:46, 2:36:49]: So that I don't lose my cool. [2:36:51, 2:36:52]: Can you hear me? [2:36:55, 2:37:00]: Before I do that, I did write down some questions and points I want to ask. [2:37:01, 2:37:06]: The first one is, um, what citywide projects, if any, [2:37:07, 2:37:10]: Could be or are potentially [2:37:10, 2:37:11]: At risk. [2:37:12, 2:37:14]: Due to lack of funding. [2:37:14, 2:37:27]: Are you aware of any? So Citywide was made to cater for various projects. Like last year we bought or we paid our six PD. [2:37:27, 2:37:32]: vehicles from there, four hundred and seventy four thousand, that's council approved. [2:37:33, 2:37:37]: uh ampheaters one of them to take that one [2:37:37, 2:37:45]: Initially you were f you were getting money from there before you created the amphitheater itself. But [2:37:45, 2:37:48]: Івенчуаліт бікем лайки пасітру. [2:37:49, 2:37:56]: Because if it goes to amphitheater allocation you have to approve it. But here it was not being [2:37:57, 2:37:59]: approved by your council. [2:38:00, 2:38:06]: But I will not go beyond that as I said that it involved personnel, so I can't go beyond that. [2:38:07, 2:38:08]: You have the details. [2:38:11, 2:38:15]: Okay. I don't know if that's answered my question, but thank you. [2:38:15, 2:38:16]: Um [2:38:18, 2:38:20]: One of the other things. [2:38:20, 2:38:22]: Well, this is a point I'll make. [2:38:23, 2:38:26]: In December of twenty twenty two. [2:38:27, 2:38:30]: The FY twenty twenty three budget. [2:38:30, 2:38:32]: was approved for adoption. [2:38:33, 2:38:34]: With insufficient [2:38:34, 2:38:35]: Reporting [2:38:35, 2:38:37]: Of the actuals. [2:38:37, 2:38:38]: Current [2:38:39, 2:38:40]: Year to date. [2:38:42, 2:38:44]: I asked those questions specifically. [2:38:44, 2:38:45]: During the meetings. [2:38:46, 2:38:48]: It's all on record. [2:38:49, 2:38:52]: I've been asking for the financials. [2:38:52, 2:38:54]: Prior to you, Mr Mulazie. [2:38:55, 2:38:57]: Let me first thank you, sir. [2:38:58, 2:39:01]: Thank you for all that you've done so far. [2:39:01, 2:39:02]: To get us to this point. [2:39:03, 2:39:06]: Thank you for all that you've done to [2:39:08, 2:39:12]: Be more transparent in how our city is operating. [2:39:13, 2:39:15]: And how it has been governed. [2:39:15, 2:39:16]: In the past. [2:39:19, 2:39:21]: The citizens deserve. [2:39:22, 2:39:23]: Transparency. [2:39:24, 2:39:25]: I fought for that. [2:39:26, 2:39:27]: Since I've been here. [2:39:28, 2:39:32]: I've been asking for routine financial reports. [2:39:32, 2:39:33]: So that I [2:39:34, 2:39:38]: could be more responsible in my decision making. [2:39:38, 2:39:42]: prior to approving projects and expenditures. [2:39:42, 2:39:45]: I've been fought on every turn. [2:39:46, 2:39:50]: Every time I ask questions in regards to the financial status of our city. [2:39:50, 2:39:51]: I was shut down. [2:39:52, 2:39:52]: But [2:39:53, 2:39:54]: A member [2:39:54, 2:39:57]: Several members of this council. [2:39:59, 2:40:02]: prior to Mr. Berry and while Mr. Berry has been here. [2:40:04, 2:40:05]: I'm tired. [2:40:06, 2:40:09]: To hear several members of this council [2:40:09, 2:40:11]: Now pretend as though [2:40:12, 2:40:12]: Oh. [2:40:13, 2:40:14]: They woke up and [2:40:14, 2:40:16]: Realize that [2:40:16, 2:40:21]: We have not been good stuards of the taxpayer dollars. [2:40:21, 2:40:24]: It's because you have not been holding staff accountable. [2:40:26, 2:40:28]: You haven't been asking the right questions. [2:40:28, 2:40:31]: And you've been targeting me for asking the questions. [2:40:32, 2:40:36]: I'm trying to get financial information in regards to our city. [2:40:36, 2:40:38]: Prior to you, Mr. Malazi. [2:40:39, 2:40:40]: I'm not gonna go [2:40:41, 2:40:43]: I'm not gonna go on a tangent. [2:40:44, 2:40:44]: Or a rent here. [2:40:45, 2:40:48]: Because my questions and concerns are well documented. [2:40:49, 2:40:50]: Over the past [2:40:50, 2:40:53]: Five years and six months. [2:40:54, 2:41:08]: I understand the process, Mr. Malazzi, you're needing the council to approve um this uh FY twenty twenty four budget amendments so that you can complete the auditing process. [2:41:10, 2:41:11]: I can't support this. [2:41:11, 2:41:14]: I wouldn't have I wouldn't have supported [2:41:14, 2:41:16]: Approving the budget amendments. [2:41:17, 2:41:18]: Had they been brought to the council? [2:41:19, 2:41:20]: Last year. [2:41:20, 2:41:23]: Pertaining to the operations of the amphitheatre. [2:41:23, 2:41:25]: Or anything else. [2:41:26, 2:41:27]: I wouldn't have approved it then. [2:41:28, 2:41:30]: And I'm not going to approve it now. [2:41:31, 2:41:33]: I implore my councilmates. [2:41:35, 2:41:36]: Hold staff accountable. [2:41:38, 2:41:40]: I employed the community. [2:41:41, 2:41:44]: Hold your elected officials accountable. [2:41:45, 2:41:46]: Фодесизм дати. [2:41:47, 2:41:48]: and the decisions that they don't make. [2:41:50, 2:41:52]: I'm so disappointed. [2:41:53, 2:41:54]: I don't even know what to say. [2:41:55, 2:41:58]: That that's it. I have nothing more to say. [2:42:00, 2:42:00]: Everything, sir. [2:42:03, 2:42:23]: Mr. Malazi, again, it's already been echoed. We really want to thank you for the work that you've done this this year in presenting this and and digging, doing the corrective digging. Um my short time here um just to kind of echo what's been said, um I've also been a champion of asking the right [2:42:23, 2:42:43]: Right questions and trying to get the information. Um my tactics may be a little bit different. My my position may be a little bit different, but we all try to get to the we all try to get to the end result, which is where we are today. Um I'm grateful that we're here now and I'm hopeful that we can continue to operate the way we're operating now. [2:42:43, 2:42:51]: And I'm hopeful that moving forward, whatever you need, we've already expressed that to you before, whatever you need from this council. [2:42:52, 2:42:53]: You have our support. [2:42:56, 2:43:00]: All right. Yes. Oh yes, ma'am. Go ahead. Um just wanna comment. [2:43:01, 2:43:06]: I don't wanna pinpoint and and point fingers at each and every council member. That's not the case here. [2:43:07, 2:43:08]: We haven't had [2:43:08, 2:43:10]: Um we had one amendment. [2:43:10, 2:43:13]: That amendment was done, I wanna say [2:43:13, 2:43:15]: Was it this year or last year? [2:43:15, 2:43:16]: Twenty twenty four. [2:43:17, 2:43:19]: August of twenty twenty four. [2:43:19, 2:43:26]: in request for five hundred thousand. Unfortunately, that's the only amendment that we had received. [2:43:26, 2:43:29]: We hire staff. [2:43:30, 2:43:30]: Two. [2:43:31, 2:43:41]: Go over the budget to look at says city manager's budget, right? He's to give us a proposal for the budget and anytime there's an amendment to the budget, if we're to go over the budget. [2:43:41, 2:43:44]: They are to or we're close to going over. [2:43:45, 2:43:53]: The job of the treasurer or the financial director is to notify of us of that, and that never took place. Now [2:43:53, 2:43:58]: I can speak for every single council member to include Councilman Thomas. [2:43:59, 2:44:01]: And I beg and plead of each and every one of you. [2:44:02, 2:44:02]: Two [2:44:03, 2:44:09]: Look, don't look at the delusions, but read the facts. They are in black and white. [2:44:10, 2:44:12]: And just one example. [2:44:13, 2:44:16]: Of black and white are minutes to the meetings. [2:44:16, 2:44:36]: All the minutes have been documented. There have been emails and open requests, open records requests. I am aware that there might even be somewhat of questions from some of our mayor and counsel could have very well sought their own legal assistance at trying to receive. [2:44:36, 2:44:56]: receive information and it is from my understanding some of those may have been dropped because what the record showed was that each and every single council member up here at one point or another have said it is that every council member should receive all information they request. [2:44:56, 2:44:59]: That's one thing that's always stated throughout the minutes. [2:45:00, 2:45:01]: As well as [2:45:03, 2:45:10]: Each and every council member at some point has asked or requested for financial information. [2:45:11, 2:45:14]: On April twenty fifth, twenty twenty four. [2:45:15, 2:45:17]: At our eight o'clock city council meeting. [2:45:17, 2:45:21]: That's some of our minutes. We talked about the amphitheater. [2:45:22, 2:45:29]: Um I I don't want to go and bring up every single little detail, but it says in here. [2:45:30, 2:45:34]: Um and just just a few highlighted things. [2:45:35, 2:45:40]: one of the minutes say in here that uh during the discussion [2:45:42, 2:45:46]: One moment. Uh councilwoman suggested [2:45:48, 2:45:48]: Mm. [2:45:49, 2:45:53]: Oh I'm looking at this. I'm not I'm gonna go through all of I'm gonna go through a few. [2:45:54, 2:45:55]: Um [2:45:55, 2:46:08]: That council member for for instance, one of'em, Councilmember Gantt questioned why the city interim treasurer, Lakeisha Gaines, was not in attendance to respond to financial inquiries for the city at that moment. [2:46:09, 2:46:26]: Um, and then we had Mayor Pro Tem Berry at the time. He requested a number of shows, gross alcohol sales, twenty twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, and later asked that twenty twenty-one not be excluded, noting there were only being no noting that there were only being two shows that we included all. [2:46:27, 2:46:36]: Um, Councilwoman Barber stated she has made requests for the same, multiple requests for amphitheater financial reports such as twenty twenty-two, twenty twenty-three. [2:46:37, 2:46:41]: And і it goes on. So we're all requesting. [2:46:42, 2:46:44]: I'm sorry, this is just one example. [2:46:45, 2:46:46]: Um [2:46:47, 2:46:51]: We requested and Mayor Ford even brought to the attention. [2:46:51, 2:46:59]: Of mayor council that we we decided to hold off on making any decisions until we got a financial update. Okay. [2:46:59, 2:47:02]: So that's just one. Let me get out of that one. [2:47:05, 2:47:06]: One second. [2:47:06, 2:47:08]: I'm sorry it's gonna take me a second. I just wanna [2:47:08, 2:47:10]: Make sure I get [2:47:10, 2:47:13]: All of them for you that I I really want to point out here. [2:47:16, 2:47:17]: Um [2:47:21, 2:47:27]: There was a another date and I don't have the actual date, but there is one that says Councilman Thomas. [2:47:27, 2:47:40]: stated and need stated and agreed that the council needs to see the data and information from prior years, twenty twenty two and twenty twenty three, and offer the opinion to allow alcohol to be brought in for concerts. [2:47:40, 2:47:58]: Councilmember Gantt agreed that the financials for prior year should be submitted to the council and offer her support, the alcohol should be allowed at the amphitheater concert. So evidently this particular hearing, and these are just snip bits, okay? These are particular meetings where we're asking for financials. [2:47:59, 2:48:03]: There are there's also councilman Alexander who's saying the same thing. [2:48:04, 2:48:08]: And then we we we go on. One I'm gonna go two nuts or more. [2:48:11, 2:48:17]: But I but I w no I w I believe your points will take it. Well no, I have one more mayor that I really want to get the my point across. [2:48:18, 2:48:23]: Can I help you, Councilman? Yes, one one second. Knowing what I know now. [2:48:24, 2:48:30]: even you received those reports wouldn't have given any correct information. [2:48:32, 2:48:38]: If you recall, October I withdrew the financial report, if you recall. [2:48:38, 2:48:40]: I do recall that [2:48:40, 2:48:46]: So i it's a report is report, but i is it correct report? [2:48:46, 2:49:06]: Correct. And so let me say this. We continued to ask for reports and we received reports. Some of the reports that we got said that we broke even. Some say we were just negative sixty five thousand or somewhere around that number. I have that information I'll share with you. Correct. But we also received a note. Here's one, Councilwoman Barber noted. [2:49:06, 2:49:20]: to the members of council, members of council should not micromanage the amphitheater, noting the amphitheater general manager should be working with the city manager who will keep the full council updated. [2:49:21, 2:49:22]: And so [2:49:22, 2:49:42]: This particular councilwoman gas again asked how the city can help market the amphitheater thereafter. So we were told not to micromanage, and that wasn't by us, that was by one of our other council members, correct? We each and every person in here, and my whole point across uh to get the point across, and I quote. [2:49:42, 2:49:44]: It says. [2:49:44, 2:49:47]: We should not micromanage the anfitter. [2:49:48, 2:49:55]: Noting the amphitheater general manager should be working with the city manager who will keep us in and the full council updated. [2:49:56, 2:49:59]: Now that particular note came from Councilwoman Barber. [2:50:00, 2:50:14]: along with the other notes and emails, even when requested, to what documents to receive. I have w for one, always said in black and white, you can pull every open records request you would like. [2:50:15, 2:50:21]: If one council member asks for a document, make sure that they get them. They should get them. They should receive them. [2:50:22, 2:50:24]: Each and every council member [2:50:26, 2:50:46]: We all have a duty and a responsibility to do what's in the best interest of our city. But we hired staff to do it. And we hired staff to protect the city and to protect us because you're the people who are experts. The people, unfortunately, who hired us let us down. They didn't follow the policies and procedures in place. [2:50:46, 2:51:00]: And they did not warn or give us those warnings. Instead, we received a note, we received information that stated that we were breaking even. And it was for the operation cost, not for the complete total enterprise. Let me be clear. [2:51:01, 2:51:03]: In addition to saying that [2:51:03, 2:51:05]: In addition to that [2:51:06, 2:51:08]: If I'm placed and I wanna make this very clear. [2:51:09, 2:51:13]: People who know me or don't know me should know this. [2:51:13, 2:51:16]: If I ever get a warning. [2:51:17, 2:51:18]: That [2:51:18, 2:51:20]: Our financials aren't in order. [2:51:22, 2:51:41]: From our treasurer, and if uh if any the city manor or or treasurer ever spoke to me, or anybody in the finance department ever spoke to me and said that we have a problem, that we're over budget, the very first thing I'm gonna do is stop drop and roll, meaning I'm gonna stop. [2:51:41, 2:51:56]: I'm gonna reach out to my mayor. I'm gonna ask for a special call meeting. I'm going to ask the mayor or the city manager what is going on and look into it. And I'm gonna notify each and every one of my council members. [2:51:57, 2:52:03]: And anybody who has been placed on notice that we had an issue with our finances. [2:52:03, 2:52:06]: And we were brought that wasn't brought to our attention. [2:52:06, 2:52:08]: Would be just as guilty. [2:52:09, 2:52:28]: And that's the comments I have. Because if had I known immediately, like I do any other thing, and once I once I started looking into things, I immediately reached out to my colleagues. And that is the statement that needs to be across. And it's not about going around trying to make others look bad. [2:52:29, 2:52:39]: My job is to fix the problem. The people that are here that did the problem or created the problem or didn't provide the notice of the problem are no longer present. [2:52:40, 2:52:42]: And I'm and that's unfortunate. [2:52:43, 2:52:48]: But what my job is to do is to not to make it look like I'm over here trying to hide something. [2:52:48, 2:52:55]: Or like somebody's trying to do something underhanded. When each and every single council member up here [2:52:56, 2:53:06]: Mr. Alexander's in the minute several time asking about finances. I'm in here asking about financials. Mr. Mayor Berry, Councilman Thomas, and Mayor Ford. [2:53:07, 2:53:16]: There are minutes in the meeting that says that we he even continued until we got certain information. We can only rely on the information that was given to us. [2:53:17, 2:53:21]: And that is the point that I want to make. [2:53:22, 2:53:30]: We move and shape based off of the level of expertise of the people who work here full time Monday through Friday. [2:53:32, 2:53:43]: Our job is to legislate and to make those decisions based off of the information that is given to us. If the mere inf if inf information is not given to us, we can't make the right decision. [2:53:43, 2:53:44]: That's it. [2:53:45, 2:53:46]: Mr. Alexander, go away, please. [2:53:46, 2:54:06]: Let me just say this. And Councilwoman Gantt, you're absolutely right in your assessment of what has taken place. Everybody up here has asked questions and gotten information that was erroneous. And we actually had a special call meeting last year at the amphitheater facility. [2:54:06, 2:54:26]: where we drilled uh uh down deep into what has happened. And the response from Council Woman Barber was stop micromanaging the empathy of the manager and the city manager. That was the response. Because I was the one leading the argument. Miss Gantt was chiming in, Mr. Barber, m Mr. Berry also. [2:54:26, 2:54:46]: Councilman Thomas was asking questions. We were trying to make decisions down to whether uh how alcohol affected the sales, down to that level of whether to allow alcohol in outside alcohol or not, to fine-tune to make sure that we were looking to be uh profitable this year. [2:54:46, 2:55:06]: And the first thing that we did, why did we make those moves in February? Because we have been asking questions all of the previous year. That's why, even though we did not know about the level of the losses, we have been asking questions and some of the things that we were seeing along the way did not quite add up. [2:55:06, 2:55:26]: And we were asking questions. So, in an effort to get a better control over that, we brought a lot of the things in-house, as I indicated previously. We brought the vendors in-house, we brought all payments in-house so that when we reached a level that was that would trigger the trust. [2:55:26, 2:55:46]: To alert us, and we knew that we had the right person in place with Mr. Malazi doing the work. And as Councilman Berrier said, and Councilwoman Gantt, and even Councilwoman Barber said, Mr. Malazzi has done an amazing job. And with accurate information, you make good decisions. [2:55:46, 2:56:06]: One of the things that I don't do, and I don't think anybody up here does, is to make decisions without the facts. Now, getting the reports that we got, we kept requesting them, everybody requesting them. Councilwoman Barber requested them, Councilman Gantt did, uh Mayor Pro Tem Berry did, Councilman Thomas did. [2:56:06, 2:56:26]: When we got the document, the document said for this particular concert, we made a little money. For this particular concert, we lost a little bit of money, but we got an overall balance for a year that we ended up spending$10 million. That told us that we only spent$2.3 million through August. That report was a hundred. [2:56:26, 2:56:46]: could not have been had any touch with reality because we ended up spending ten million dollars in twenty twenty three. And the report that we had saw when we had requested the information said that through the beginning of August we had only spread two point three billion dollars. There's no way that we could have spent an extra [2:56:46, 2:57:04]: Extra$8 million in that time. And no one sounded the whistle to say, this is what's going on. We need to do these transfers. And there's a reason that we have these city policies. These city policies are to protect the city and to protect the residents. And honestly, [2:57:05, 2:57:08]: This is not over with yet. There's a long way to go. [2:57:08, 2:57:28]: We will continue to look and continue to do the research till we find out where every dollar and every cent went and every uh particular document will be scrutinized to determine how that document ended up being incorrect. That's what we're saying right now. That document was incorrect. But what into what went into making [2:57:28, 2:57:48]: That document incorrect? What went into us getting erroneous information when we asked these questions? Because again, asking the question just begs the question: why was the information that we were given inaccurate in such a way that it painted a picture that wasn't attached to [2:57:48, 2:58:08]: what the final numbers were were again. And again, the work that Mr. Malazi has done reconstructing the last three or four years now that we have accurate information, we made the decisions that needed to be made. And we're about solutions right now. The solutions, one of the first solutions was bringing Mr. Malazi [2:58:08, 2:58:24]: aboard last year before anybody started raising before there was this public outcry or or or or attachment. Make no mistake about it. This process has been ongoing. And if you did any open records requests, [2:58:25, 2:58:45]: The documents that you were seeing were requested by somebody. Ask yourself that. The document that you got was already created. They were created because I asked questions. Ms. Gantt asked questions. Mr. Berry asked questions. Those are the documents that you're seeing. You see the trail of us asking questions and getting the documents. [2:58:44, 2:59:04]: documents because you requested them already. Many of you have. How why were those documents created? Because we asked them to be created. And if you continue to follow the path, you will see more and more of them. And then you will see some of the outcomes that we will see. But what are the things that you don't do is you don't go out screaming the bullhorn. [2:59:04, 2:59:13]: When you're doing an investigation, or you're actually looking to uh look for what's going on or trying to determine something. [2:59:13, 2:59:33]: Why would you want to go out and alert alert everybody so that everybody's now looking over their shoulder when you're actually doing the work? The work was done openly and quietly and do open records. You saw the work being done, but no one once thought, how did these documents that they're sending? [2:59:33, 2:59:37]: [10778.0, 10788.8]: And certainly, there's a lot of questions that we want to ask too, because some of the things that you all think that we were aware of, like uh redactions, certainly. [2:59:49, 3:00:09]: I want to know what you saw and when you saw them and what was taken and what was removed. Certainly, those type of things are something that we want to know the answer to as well, because certainly we trust staff to give you the information that is requested and move forward with and how and who determined what [3:00:09, 3:00:29]: What you got and what you did not get, certainly we became aware that, and certainly we want answers to that question too, is why were documents going out being redacted that we had no knowledge of, that they were being that that was happening. So in essence, what we want to do is to understand [3:00:29, 3:00:35]: and have everybody to understand this is not the ending. We this meeting is certainly not the ending. [3:00:35, 3:00:38]: We might not have even reached the [3:00:38, 3:00:39]: Midpoint at this point. [3:00:40, 3:01:00]: The investigation will continue to go on until we come up with ever with every answer and to every question. But certainly I won't be out there screaming at every step of the way what we're doing, because some of the times you might not want to know everyone to know. You want to, but it'll be available to every document. [3:01:00, 3:01:15]: will be available through open records and certainly um you haven't heard the last of where this is going, there will be a resolution and certainly that resolution will conclude all of the facts. Thank you. And Barber go ahead please. [3:01:15, 3:01:29]: Yes, um, thank you, Mayor. Councilwoman Gantt ran she read the meeting minutes from April twenty twenty-four, but she didn't read um the other portions of my comments. [3:01:30, 3:01:31]: In which [3:01:31, 3:01:33]: I have consistently stated [3:01:34, 3:01:36]: We need major sponsors. [3:01:37, 3:01:40]: To fund the operations of the amphitheater. [3:01:41, 3:01:42]: So that our city [3:01:43, 3:01:46]: Із на фунда процент ата. [3:01:47, 3:01:51]: She didn't read that portion of the meeting minutes. But nonetheless [3:01:52, 3:01:55]: since January of twenty twenty, [3:01:56, 3:01:57]: When I was sworn in [3:02:00, 3:02:04]: I have been asking the same questions. [3:02:04, 3:02:05]: Over and over. [3:02:06, 3:02:09]: Why is information being withheld from me? [3:02:10, 3:02:13]: Whether it's contracts or the financials. [3:02:14, 3:02:15]: Just last month. [3:02:16, 3:02:20]: I was waiting for mister Malazian, I'm sorry, to put you on the spot. [3:02:21, 3:02:23]: To send to the full council. [3:02:25, 3:02:35]: all of the financials regarding the twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three, and twenty twenty four expenses and revenues for the amphitheater. [3:02:36, 3:02:38]: Because he said that he was going to send it all to us. [3:02:40, 3:02:41]: Well [3:02:41, 3:02:44]: Council members are interfering. [3:02:46, 3:02:48]: They're going directly to staff. [3:02:48, 3:02:49]: And telling them [3:02:50, 3:02:53]: Telling them not to send the information. [3:02:53, 3:02:54]: To me. [3:02:55, 3:03:01]: to me specifically, and they're giving them misinformation. [3:03:02, 3:03:14]: Telling Mr. Malazi he reports directly to the mayor to send the financial information to the mayor and the mayor would distribute it to the rest of the council. That's not how this works. [3:03:15, 3:03:17]: That's not how this works at all. [3:03:18, 3:03:21]: To suggest since I've been on this council [3:03:22, 3:03:29]: There has been a consistent theme of there must be a consensus of three members of the council. [3:03:30, 3:03:32]: In order to receive information. [3:03:32, 3:03:33]: That's false. [3:03:35, 3:03:36]: That's false. [3:03:38, 3:03:39]: You're misleading the public. [3:03:39, 3:03:41]: And you misled me too. [3:03:41, 3:03:43]: Which is why I had [3:03:44, 3:03:45]: To hire my own attorney. [3:03:46, 3:03:50]: and submit a demand letter in which y'all basically gave that the middle finger. [3:03:51, 3:03:53]: I just got today. [3:03:55, 3:03:56]: Information. [3:03:57, 3:03:58]: That was submitted to the city. [3:04:01, 3:04:03]: Via my demand letter. [3:04:04, 3:04:09]: dated november twenty twenty four. I just received some information today. [3:04:09, 3:04:11]: That I requested back then. [3:04:12, 3:04:13]: So if you think I uh [3:04:14, 3:04:24]: I'm real clear as to what has been happening. Whole lot of council interference and a whole lot of staff that have been complying with that interference. [3:04:24, 3:04:26]: Into the financials of the city. [3:04:27, 3:04:28]: I become a target. [3:04:29, 3:04:36]: Long time ago, because I would not stop asking questions. And I'm not going to stop asking questions. [3:04:36, 3:04:41]: I am not here for politics. Do right by the city. That's all I want. [3:04:42, 3:04:44]: That is all I want. [3:04:44, 3:04:50]: You now asking questions like you're also very concerned. No, you should have been concerned. [3:04:51, 3:04:51]: Bien [3:04:52, 3:04:54]: When staff was not providing monthly. [3:04:55, 3:04:58]: quarterly or min your budget reviews. [3:04:59, 3:05:02]: My requests are well documented. [3:05:02, 3:05:05]: Me speaking so boldly? [3:05:06, 3:05:11]: During our public meetings, it was me raising the red flag to the public. [3:05:12, 3:05:15]: So that you all will hold these folks accountable. [3:05:15, 3:05:16]: Every one of'em. [3:05:17, 3:05:19]: It took me ten months. [3:05:19, 3:05:22]: To receive independent audit results. [3:05:22, 3:05:25]: From our twenty twenty two financials. [3:05:25, 3:05:27]: All of them know, they all knew. [3:05:28, 3:05:29]: Why weren't they asking? [3:05:30, 3:05:33]: Why were they why weren't they asking the same questions? [3:05:34, 3:05:36]: Probably because they all received it. [3:05:37, 3:05:40]: I have not. I had to jump through hoops. [3:05:40, 3:05:44]: to get twenty two twenty twenty two financial results. [3:05:46, 3:05:48]: It is really [3:05:49, 3:05:56]: I am flabbergasted that now I'm hearing council members here sounding so very concerned. [3:05:57, 3:05:59]: These concerts are not free to the city. [3:06:00, 3:06:02]: Somebody's gotta pay for it. [3:06:02, 3:06:09]: And the notion that one concert, the revenue from it, will pay for the next concert is all crazy. [3:06:09, 3:06:15]: Crazy, but that is what your logic have been. That's what you all have been explaining to the public. [3:06:21, 3:06:41]: I'm done. Mr. Barrett you have any comments or you have yet to speak. I just wanna know if you have any comments at all. I don't know if it's it's important to add anything at this point. I I think the work has been done and and everything's been stated that needs to be stated for the sake of time. We need to uh get to the business of things. Well I just wanted to make sure I asked you that. [3:06:41, 3:06:47]: Yeah, nothing to ask. Sir, you're asking for uh Ms. Malazi, you're asking for a motion to approve this adjustment here. [3:06:47, 3:07:05]: And and and I and I agree with you, sir. We need to we need to move on. And I understand it might have I I understand that. But we need to honestly move on. I understand. But I have I do have but we don't need to keep going back and forth. We're not going to go back and forth. I don't know about all that because No, we don't stap stand by stand by one. Stand by please. Yes, Miss uh Miss Holiday. [3:07:07, 3:07:08]: Yeah, go ahead. [3:07:11, 3:07:12]: Well [3:07:15, 3:07:15]: Yeah. [3:07:16, 3:07:36]: Ms. Gantt. Thank you. No, no. I'm not done. I'm not. We need to finish this. We need we need to finish this with this vote. I agree. So so so it's almost over. Excuse me? It's almost over. Um it's just I want to go through three bullet points right here and I'm it's not long. I'm just reading it. See the point of it is count point or point count point point another point. [3:07:36, 3:07:41]: point. I thought we had two respondents. Well how about this? How about we go ahead and make a motion to vote? [3:07:42, 3:07:56]: Well Mayor, I actually I from my understanding we had two responses and I think that that you did not respond you responded more than twice twice already? No. I responded once. I read the minutes t of some of the meetings, just exam a small example. [3:07:58, 3:08:00]: Any emotion to accept this? [3:08:00, 3:08:16]: I'll promise you I'll make the motion after this, but I really want to respond to this. I understand that. I understand. I understand. Okay. I need a motion to accept Mr. Malause's presentation. So move. Is is okay, is there a second to motion? Is there a second to the motion? [3:08:18, 3:08:19]: No second to the motion. [3:08:20, 3:08:21]: I need to respond first. [3:08:23, 3:08:27]: I guess you got your chance to respond, so I'm saying the motion. We need to prove it's what he's asking. Okay. [3:08:28, 3:08:34]: Mayor, if I can make a motion, but I before I make the motion I would like to respond to something real quick. [3:08:35, 3:08:42]: The intent is for his mo if what he presented to us to be passed. I understand the motion right now we're we're a standstill. Well [3:08:43, 3:08:46]: May I comment before we make the motion before I second the motion? [3:08:47, 3:09:07]: If it's going to help us get the motion. It will help us get the motion. Without a counterpoint here? It will. Go ahead, Ms. Gandhi. Okay. All right. Um, just a few pointers, real quick. All of us want major sponsors. We've always asked for sponsors. We love our sponsors. Um, there have been opportunities, and we've been told before there have been opportunities for sponsors. [3:09:07, 3:09:27]: for sponsors and sometimes we weren't able to get sponsors or the sponsors were looking at some of our meetings at our behavior, just like the city managers that were pending. Sometimes that we were been told that we can't get certain sponsors or some certain sponsors walked away from deals or certain people who applied for city [3:09:26, 3:09:35]: manager positions may have walked away by looking at some of our meetings. So um and that's in 2020 and so I just want to [3:09:35, 3:09:36]: Point that out. [3:09:36, 3:09:54]: In regards to the city manager receiving financials directly, the city manager, the our mayor is our interim city manager at this time. I based off of the org chart, from my understanding, um the treasurer or the director of finances to report to [3:09:54, 3:09:55]: Our city. [3:09:56, 3:09:57]: manager. [3:09:57, 3:10:12]: which is now the mayor, or you can report you can report to all of us. I report it to council. Okay, good. So you report directly to Mayor and Council. But I wanted to make that bring that to attention. There no one has said that there has to be a consensus to receive information. [3:10:13, 3:10:16]: There has to be a consensus to vote on an issue. [3:10:16, 3:10:30]: not to receive documents and information knowledge. So if I for instance asked our uh HR or asked our assistance uh or asked our clerk for some information [3:10:30, 3:10:50]: I wouldn't need a consensus for of three people to get that information. It's just information. It takes a consensus to move something or a process and procedure to be in place or go along, to pass an ordinance, to pass a resolution. Those are what consensus takes to direct staff to go in a particular manner. [3:10:50, 3:10:59]: But to ask for information, that information is used for us each to make our own educated decisions on the way we're going to vote. [3:10:59, 3:11:09]: That that is something that I just want to make clear of. Um and I also recommend and I highly, highly, highly ask that you just go and look through the minutes. [3:11:10, 3:11:30]: Go and eat, read each and single every time, or go look at some of those emails that some of you requested. And I can guarantee you not there's not one time where we say don't give somebody some information or that we too want the information or provide us with a copy as well. I think each one of us has our own style of doing. [3:11:30, 3:11:39]: things. My style may very well be different than someone else's style. I don't believe in you have to be loud to get what you want. [3:11:39, 3:11:56]: I believe that you can talk and try to figure out what's going on without necessarily showing your hand. And so I I'm not saying that one person is I'm responsible for taking it up for another person on this council, none of that. It's all about [3:11:56, 3:11:59]: Just each person has their own way. [3:11:59, 3:12:07]: an own style of leadership. That doesn't mean we're not trying to get to the same point and position. Some of us are quiet. [3:12:07, 3:12:23]: And we're not just being passive. We're gathering up as much information as we can first. Why show your hand? That's my con that that's the way I look at it. Um having said that, Mayor, I second the motion to approve. Um [3:12:24, 3:12:25]: I I will second the emotion. [3:12:27, 3:12:27]: Yeah, yeah. [3:12:28, 3:12:33]: Oh Mr. Mer Mr. Berry made a motion. You second that motion. All right. Okay. All in favor of motion, please indicate. [3:12:35, 3:12:42]: All polls. I oppose based on principle. That's for the record. All right, three four. Yes, ma'am I'm sorry, I do need to respond. [3:12:43, 3:12:45]: You need to respond? Go ahead. [3:12:46, 3:13:06]: You got the right votes. Three three three one vote. Let pass. Okay, go ahead. Go ahead. Um, Councilman Alexander, you may ask a question regarding open records redaction. Yes. And why the public was not receiving information that was not redacted, and you were questioning why they received it that way. I will tell you that the clerk's office. [3:13:05, 3:13:17]: especially um Cassandra Lester does an amazing job with the voluminous open records report request that we have received over the last two or three years. [3:13:18, 3:13:18]: Mm-hmm. [3:13:19, 3:13:39]: We redact in our office standard basic open records information that is confidential information, name uh emails, phone numbers, date of birth, and that. Anything other than that is at the direction of legal. [3:13:39, 3:13:52]: Clerk's office is the one that actually performs the redaction, but we receive directives on specific information to be redacted other than the standard redaction information. [3:13:52, 3:14:05]: Thank you. I appreciate that. Maybe we'll have some personnel discussions in uh executive session. So I think that would be the next step. So certainly answers are due and we will certainly uh explore that. [3:14:07, 3:14:20]: Yep. Mr. Malazzi, we have council consideration to adopt the federal financial reports procedures and problematic pragmatic process report procedures this has here. You sir are gonna brief on that. [3:14:21, 3:14:23]: Thank you, Mayor. Uh [3:14:24, 3:14:27]: Our audit twenty twenty two, twenty three [3:14:28, 3:14:33]: Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three, in each of those audits we were [3:14:35, 3:14:50]: I would say written up or we had been told that our reporting was not up to the standard. One of them was the non budgeted spending we would spend [3:14:50, 3:14:51]: Where it was not budgeted. [3:14:52, 3:14:54]: Remember when the audit is up? [3:14:55, 3:15:09]: We have to give it to government finance officers association is a requirement. We have one to give to Georgia's uh state the audit. If we have got grants they will share with the federal government. [3:15:09, 3:15:29]: And them when they say, especially when we receive any amount that is over five hundred thousand, we will have a single audit. And in all our audits they found out that we were not following the procedures agreed during the receipt of our grants. So we were told [3:15:29, 3:15:35]: for we were given conditions for them to lift up uh [3:15:36, 3:15:36]: The [3:15:37, 3:15:54]: Issues that we didn't do accordingly, we have one to pass the financial these are federal financial and the programmatic reporting procedures. So meaning that the [3:15:56, 3:16:16]: Every quarter we have to submit a report which we are for uh we are falling short of. And also there are procedures of how to send that report, who prepares the report. So programmatic would be let's say we have got a uh copy. [3:16:16, 3:16:19]: That means the the [3:16:19, 3:16:33]: Project managers will be from PD. They are the experts in knowing how that grant will be utilized. And they will be the one that will be reporting the w will be writing the programmatic. [3:16:34, 3:16:48]: project how it's going, working with our grant administrator plus me to verify at the end of uh the report before submitted. That's what is in these uh reports. [3:16:50, 3:17:10]: Month end, month every month, what are the procedures? If the reports are to go on the twentieth of every month or at the end of the quarter, what are the procedures? We have in our financial system, financial system will send it to the program department, that could be public works, that would be [3:17:09, 3:17:25]: B PD. They will review it. They will agree with the financial statement. They will add in the projects. From there it goes to the grant administrator. She will review or he will review. If it's correct, then they will come to me. [3:17:26, 3:17:32]: I will verify and sign it because it's requirement that someone of uh [3:17:34, 3:17:54]: In this case, it will be me as a financial as a treasure to be the final signature. And there will be some areas where they will need the mayor to sign, they will need the chief police chief to sign uh different requirements, different reporting. Like now we have just applied for two. [3:17:54, 3:18:11]: Two grants, those ones the mayor has to sign on behalf of the city. But monthly, uh quarterly, I'll have to sign to make sure that we are meeting the requirements. That's what you will be adopting in these two. [3:18:13, 3:18:26]: this presentation that I'm having. So like on the program side of it, program manager review, that's the department. So program manager must review and approve their [3:18:28, 3:18:48]: respective F F F F R that is federal financial reports by the twentieth of the month. This is just an example. FFRs shall include a summary of grant expenses for the quota. The department have to agree that the report financial has [3:18:48, 3:19:08]: Produce for them, it agrees on how they have spent it. When they are writing the projects or programmatic, it has to be in line with the reports that finance has produced. For finance to produce a report, that means they spent, they have their invoices. [3:19:08, 3:19:15]: We paid and is in agreement to what they wanted that money to be used in their department. [3:19:22, 3:19:42]: Uh then you have programmatic reporting requirements. So those will be reporting schedule. You have the schedule which I have already uh talked about. And then you have reporting responsibilities and process. So if it's uh in the department you have the deputy who give you an example, the assistant. [3:19:42, 3:20:00]: Chief is the one that is responsible in that. Then he has to have someone to prepare for him to review before it goes to the uh grant administrator who will review it, then he give it to me, then who send it. So that there is a check and balances. [3:20:03, 3:20:18]: This once you accept this one, we are required to send it to Federal by thirtieth of this month with some other requirements that we have already made. So once you approve it, it has to make sure we have to make sure that the [3:20:19, 3:20:26]: You have approved it and we have distributed to the departments, they know the procedure. [3:20:28, 3:20:29]: And we'll follow them. [3:20:31, 3:20:51]: Okay, I tell you what, this is the tomorrow's the twenty-sixth. Does this this have to be made can it be electronically sent to them or it has to be mailed? Everything is electronic. Electronically sent. I copy your mail. And now is there something else upon approval, which I imagine that the council is gonna do this? Is there something maybe I might have missed it, to do this? Is there something additional I have to sign to go along with this? I think [3:20:51, 3:20:55]: This one we say actually it will be in the minute. [3:20:55, 3:21:15]: Okay. So it's something that they didn't need a resolution, you would have signed a resolution. But once in the minutes I'll get something uh added into it and I also uh make sure that all departments involved they have got this one because it's a requirement that they have departments have'cause that's in four days. Well actually [3:21:15, 3:21:21]: Three days. We have a time. Okay, all right. We have a time. So be it. Mr. Mess uh question. [3:21:23, 3:21:43]: I've got move my turn my mic on here so everybody can hear me. So certainly what you have done is continue to build on the recommendations that you made previously last year. Yes, sir. You're continuing to build on the recommendations that you made in February and you are ongoing. [3:21:43, 3:21:53]: Well you need right now, just like the previous action that you have, the council, you need our support to implement the solutions, right? [3:21:53, 3:22:13]: That is correct. Right. So we can complain all day up here about what the problem is, but when you come to us with the solution and we don't approve your solution, we're just spinning our wheels. Because that previous action that we just voted in brought us back will help bring us back [3:22:13, 3:22:19]: back into compliance, right? Without that action, the city would have been out of compliance, right? [3:22:19, 3:22:25]: Without that action you have made because that money is already spent. So in other ways [3:22:26, 3:22:28]: They [3:22:29, 3:22:35]: The audit cannot continue, cannot finish because I have to move money from where there was no money. [3:22:35, 3:22:37]: To put to [3:22:37, 3:22:45]: To balance the budget. Right. It's already spent. So so what I'm trying to get at, there is no room for the council not to act. [3:22:46, 3:22:50]: We have to act in order to get the solutions put in place, right? [3:22:51, 3:22:55]: It right now we have to th I'm asking a question to the treasurer. [3:22:56, 3:23:07]: It is incumbent upon the council at this point to get into compliance, to act, and we say that we trust you. [3:23:07, 3:23:27]: I do, but I can say with my mouth that I trust you all day long. Miss Barber, please. I can continue to say that I trust you, but when you come to me with the solutions and the solutions is solid and you point it and you present it to it, and then I say, well, you come to me with a solution, but I'm not gonna do anything, that's not an option. [3:23:27, 3:23:47]: option is we gotta our job is to legislate and to support solid stuff when it comes to us. So if anybody else don't have anything to say, I would go ahead and make the motion unless someone that wants to speak. Make a motion. I want to make the motion to re to approve the action by the treasurer. Uh [3:23:47, 3:23:49]: uh that has been put forth before council. [3:23:50, 3:24:10]: Sir, second emotion. Second. All right, all favor, please indicate. See now decision. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Okay, so you got it you say you got enough time to do all this and get it done by thirty. Actually they already have. They know that I'm I'm here, so they have copies of everything I'm presenting here. All right. Yeah. Tomorrow they'll be going. All right, sir. Once I get something from the [3:24:10, 3:24:18]: City Craig to show that he you have you have a suspense on the clerk. You just you just suspense the clerk there, Ms. Melazi. [3:24:19, 3:24:29]: And attorney. Oh, excuse me. And the attorney as well. You're a powerful treasure. Okay. Okay. Thank you. All right, uh discussion. Downtown alleyway sanitation trash collection. [3:24:30, 3:24:31]: Gentlemen, please. [3:24:34, 3:24:35]: Okay. [3:24:40, 3:25:00]: Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, sir. This the item before you again, it's a discussion-only item. Uh it's before you on behalf, I'm I submitted it on behalf of the Downtown Development Authority. Again, who I have with me this evening is the chair, Mr. Kenya Cook, and Mr. Warren Washington, who is a merchant. [3:25:00, 3:25:10]: And he's also the vice chair of the DDA and they'd like to discuss this particular item with you all at this time. Sure. Thank you, Gerald. Gentlemen, please. [3:25:11, 3:25:16]: First of all, thank you, Council, for this opportunity to present to you. Uh this matter was uh [3:25:16, 3:25:36]: uh existed before me becoming the chairman. So I uh asked that uh Warren Washington join us so he can give the background in detail and answer pertinent questions. But one of the things I would like to say is that uh just to go on record, Ms. Cassandra Lester has been an awesome support to us. So please thank you for loaning her to us. I just wouldn't say that publicly. [3:25:36, 3:25:37]: But I yield the floor to Mr. Warren. [3:25:39, 3:25:41]: To them yeah, there you go. To the mics, I appreciate it. [3:25:42, 3:26:02]: So the um the DDA board comes to the council today to to help us move forward with a solution to have a a combined trash compactor that will support all the businesses on the MLK district um business block and also have a one [3:26:02, 3:26:22]: uh Greece collecting bin for all the uh business as well, mainly the restaurants. And so our ask is to have the city construct that and to move forward in supporting that one particular area instead of having multiple trash uh bins in the back and having one a [3:26:22, 3:26:40]: the cement pad, the one trash compactor and also one grease bin so that uh we can move forward and help beautify that area and it goes into the the uh ultimate goal of the plan for beautification and making it a destination. [3:26:41, 3:27:01]: All right, my initial question would be about the grease trap. I mean, would that if not a grease trap, a grease bin. Called Grease Ben. It's different. Grease traps are in the ground. A be a grease bin is the collection bin for the grease uh that you take out and you pour into a bin and then there's a private company that comes and picks up that. Thank you, because that's what I was gonna say. How how you got it? [3:27:01, 3:27:21]: I I I got it now. I I'm okay, no problem. I understand. I understand. Yes, sir. Go ahead, please. Okay, thank you. I really appreciate it. You know, the guys have been working really hard as volunteers. Thank you, Mr. Cook, for putting in extra hours. And we're just kind of he's kind of kind of feeling our way through these things, and Mr. Sanders is assisting along the way. [3:27:21, 3:27:41]: Way, but this is actually a part of the RSVP plan, which is this uh coordinated trash compactor. Miss Moore actually talked about this uh when she presented many years ago, and having the community collector uh comp trash compactor back there and the and the pad being installed underneath. [3:27:41, 3:28:01]: It uh along with the grease collector. This is like the old old oil. When the oil comes out of the burner, fryer and it's burnt, they put it in there, it's recycled. This is part of the recycling program where the oil is actually recycled and put back through the system. Uh the request tonight is [3:28:01, 3:28:21]: um is for us uh you you uh to uh have our attorney and the city the the city attorney and the date attorney uh they wanted some guidance to make sure that the council was on board with supporting this action so the city attorney and the DDA attorney can sit down and write and write up a MOU. [3:28:21, 3:28:41]: So that the process can be legal between the DDA and the city. And certainly, you know, certainly we could have adopted, tried to adopt one, but they wanted to come to you. And I and I recommended that we have a discussion first and that we talk about it, and that we have the two or [3:28:41, 3:29:01]: Attorney sat down, put the document together, and that the council would indicate that you uh generally with a consensus do support uh the idea of installing and following the RSVP plan with the trash compactor uh and the grease, with the city installing the uh paying for the compactor and the [3:29:01, 3:29:21]: Concrete pad for both of these items and the dispenser itself. It makes sure that and again it's kind of incentive to any business to locate in the downtown area that they will have available trash collection at that site and that it will be uniform and that we won't have eight or ten trash collection. [3:29:21, 3:29:27]: Crash beans back there outside uh as we move forward uh with our alleyway project. [3:29:28, 3:29:30]: Any of the Commerce Council? [3:29:31, 3:29:51]: Not really a comment, just the the grease trap thing is something I thought of a while back and asked that we do that. I think it would help for yeah. Yeah, I'm a grease bin and I I um asked for that because I think that it's something that can be very costly for [3:29:51, 3:30:09]: for other businesses and restaurants. And it would be a um a draw to that to bring other businesses in the area, knowing that it's kind of like a it's not a tax abatement or anything, but it's kind of an incentive to actually be there because they're going somewhere else and they need to add one and they're a [3:30:09, 3:30:25]: And they're out of$20,000. So to have one that is is for the entire area would be, you know, a a godsend to those businesses. And it actually promotes other businesses to come to the area. [3:30:26, 3:30:27]: Ms. Barber Glay, please. [3:30:29, 3:30:39]: Thank you, Mayor. Um, I know we discussed this during our recent retreat and one of the concerns that I raised was these are private [3:30:39, 3:30:40]: Owners. [3:30:41, 3:30:46]: And I just don't feel comfortable um with the city spending money. [3:30:46, 3:30:46]: And [3:30:47, 3:30:52]: private owners um they made the investments [3:30:52, 3:30:56]: Um I would assume that they would have the resources or capital. [3:30:56, 3:30:57]: Two [3:30:57, 3:31:03]: make the necessary improvements. I know that it is our downtown and our downtown needs a lot of [3:31:04, 3:31:04]: Um [3:31:05, 3:31:06]: improvements. [3:31:06, 3:31:13]: Um, that's what we were looking for investors to do to help us to revitalize so that the city wouldn't have to. [3:31:14, 3:31:16]: Come out of this covers to help. [3:31:17, 3:31:21]: with a hundred percent of the efforts. So that's one of [3:31:21, 3:31:22]: That's my main concern. [3:31:23, 3:31:23]: That this [3:31:24, 3:31:28]: Those properties down there are all private investors. [3:31:29, 3:31:32]: They knew what it was when they purchased them. [3:31:33, 3:31:35]: With the low [3:31:36, 3:31:37]: Purchase price. [3:31:37, 3:31:43]: I would assume that they could use that as capital to make the necessary improvements. I just don't [3:31:45, 3:31:46]: I just can't. [3:31:47, 3:31:50]: Um, I don't feel comfortable with this right now. [3:31:50, 3:31:51]: That's all. [3:31:52, 3:31:53]: Ms. Burr, do you have any comments at all? [3:31:54, 3:32:08]: Uh just a question, um, in light of what's been said, have you guys um gotten to c have all the business owners in the alleyway had private meetings to see about doing this independently before bringing it to council or [3:32:08, 3:32:28]: I think this has been part of the plan way before us and uh everybody was bought was on agreement with this. But also I just want to be and uh let you know, um other municipal municipalities are doing this for other businesses from Morro to McDonough to uh various other places, they're already doing it for businesses. [3:32:28, 3:32:29]: [12752.7, 12772.6]: And this this was a discussion piece, but uh I think part of the thought process was uh or at least if I gather this right from Mr. Alexander's comments in reference to what you all thinking, that uh you want us to give approval for the both attorneys to look at this together, come up with some type of MOU. You just need a kind of con consensus for that approval. Is that what you'd like to do? Correct. [3:32:53, 3:33:13]: All right. So if there are no other comments, is there a a motion that is needed to to do this? Well, one one quick second. We can't just approve it without knowing a cost affiliated with the process. [3:33:13, 3:33:33]: MOU but it have to be signed and have to be I the other doc doc uh data I guess in reference to cost would have to be available too. That's what I'm thinking of. I mean is the DDA gonna gonna take the cost on? Is that what we're doing? No. Since it's downtown? Um my question is we need we don't have a cost. So if we're just [3:33:33, 3:33:36]: [12817.1, 12822.1]: to approve the thought of just researching and finding out what the cost would be. [3:33:42, 3:34:02]: to have those bins and whose responsibility who's gonna pay for it that service? Who's gonna pay for the is it gonna be a collective group effort to pay for the trash service? Will it be cheaper that way? Would it be individual businesses? Or are you saying y'all want the city to pay the cost of all this? I think we're in the beginning stages of of developing the MOU and then [3:34:02, 3:34:05]: And we'll come back with that discussion after the attorneys approved the language. [3:34:05, 3:34:25]: Okay, so that does that doesn't require a vote though, does it? What w what what we generally want to do is to have a discussion and to have a general consensus that we support the attorneys sitting down and talking about this. Now this has been the plan since Miss Moore was here and [3:34:25, 3:34:45]: And the city was going to pay for it. That was a part of the alleyway project that we allocated$350,000 for. The actual service, which is the trash collection, and then the grease collection, the businesses would have to pay for that. But installing the infrastructure and the in Miss Moore's presentation when she was [3:34:45, 3:35:05]: Here. The bus the city was going to pay for the trash compactor. Because the last thing we want to have in the middle of our alleyway projects is a bunch of trash cans sitting out there behind the buildings and all of this disorder. No, I can agree with that. The trash compactor does that. So the city was going to pay for that along with the uh pad for all. [3:35:05, 3:35:23]: of the business not one particular business but every business that located down there will be able to do that so they don't have trash all over the place or the trash cans uh all over the place. So the idea was again the city well it's part of the RSBV plan if you go back and look at it the city was going to [3:35:24, 3:35:30]: Pay for this infrastructure as a part of the Al it's a part of the alleyway project in the RSVP. [3:35:31, 3:35:42]: Okay. I just want if y'all can get us a cost. I mean I can't of course I can't vote on something. I don't know what the cost would be, right? But I'm definitely in favor of it. I it is definitely an incentive. [3:35:42, 3:36:02]: Um and it's specific to our downtown. So if I could just get a a cost, I don't think we have to vote on how about just a general consensus say that we want the attorneys to discuss this and come back later later time for further information. Would that be asking a question before you vote? Is that okay? Is that appropriate or inappropriate? No, they were voting. [3:36:02, 3:36:06]: I have a question for uh Councilman Bart. Okay. Well yeah, if you are well sure, go ahead. [3:36:06, 3:36:09]: Not not to be labored and we can talk offline. [3:36:10, 3:36:12]: We have other proposals coming down the line. [3:36:13, 3:36:33]: But so we're not at this impasse again. What would make you more comfortable with these decisions? Because while you state that it is a private endeavor, they are taxpayers and they are citizens and other businesses. And I'm actually a taxpayer or property owner and I'm in a downtown. But so we can make this process move smooth smoother. What would make you more comfortable? [3:36:33, 3:36:38]: before before we waste any time and we come with the right information. Cause I want to be prepared next go round. [3:36:43, 3:36:49]: I can answer. Did you qu normally questions are directed to the mayor? [3:36:50, 3:37:00]: But your question off. Oh fine, no problem, no problem. No problem. But if it is it is my understanding today. [3:37:00, 3:37:17]: Um the council is not voting on anything. We're not being asked to vote on anything. In fact, on the agenda, this is supposed to be just a discussion and it sounds like a continuation of the discussion that we had at the retreat in March. [3:37:17, 3:37:18]: And [3:37:18, 3:37:26]: You're not presenting anything new other than what we already talked about. So I support what Councilwoman Gantt has said. [3:37:27, 3:37:29]: Bring back some figures. [3:37:30, 3:37:38]: If you are looking for the city to partner in this endeavor, I also know that no former council. [3:37:38, 3:37:47]: Can bind this current council. And while there may have been discussions in years past about what to do with this alleyway project. [3:37:48, 3:37:50]: That can't bind this new council. [3:37:51, 3:37:52]: So [3:37:52, 3:37:55]: We can continue the discussions offline, just you and I. [3:37:56, 3:37:58]: Um, but I don't feel comfortable. [3:37:59, 3:38:00]: Uh supporting [3:38:01, 3:38:02]: The city. [3:38:02, 3:38:03]: Funding. [3:38:03, 3:38:23]: this particular endeavor a hundred percent at all. Understood. Thank you. And I think you have consensus for the attorneys to have conversation. All right. No problem. Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate it. Thank you. All right. Announcements of upcoming meetings and events. Upcoming meetings, announcement that council meetings would be held, city council chamber meeting dates and location times of subject change. [3:38:23, 3:38:43]: Or contact City Hall offices at 770-389-7900 or visit the website at www.stopbridgega.org for updates. Planning Commission meeting Thursday, June 26th, 6:30 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers. Citizens Police Advisory Council, first Thursday of each month, 6:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. [3:38:43, 3:39:03]: Which actually said July 3rd has been canceled. This meeting has been canceled. Okay, community zoning information meeting Wednesday, July 9th at 6 p.m., City Hall Council Chambers. Citywide Development Authority meeting second Tuesday of each month at 6 o'clock p.m. the City Hall and Levi meeting room. This this is June 10th, but it has also been canceled. Main Street Advisory Board. [3:39:03, 3:39:23]: Meeting second Friday of each month at the Downtown Connection Center, 130 ML King Senior Heritage Trail, July 11th. City Council meeting second Monday of each month, 6 p.m. at City Hall and Council Chambers and July 14th. Downtown Development Authority meeting third Tuesday of each month, 6 p.m. in the Downtown Connection Center, 130, ML King. [3:39:23, 3:39:43]: Senior Heritage Trail, and it's also been scheduled to be the 15th, but it's been counseled as well. Youth Council Advisory Committee meeting, uh third Tuesday of each month, 6 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers, excuse me, and City Hall and the Levi Meeting Room, July 15th. The Planning Commission meeting Thursday, July 17th to 6:30, City Hall Council Chambers. [3:39:43, 3:40:03]: Ethics Committee meeting Wednesday, July 23rd, 6 30 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. City Hall Works uh City Council works uh session meeting last Tuesday of each month, July 29th, City Hall Council Chambers. Upcoming upcoming city events and initiatives. Crew Truck Tasty Tuesday was happening in Clark Park, 5 30. [3:40:03, 3:40:23]: And I will tell you July Tuesday, July 1st, it's not going to happen. You're going to miss that one. It'll be back the following uh uh July should be July 7th, I guess it would be. Join Castman Alexander for the District 5 community cleanup on Saturday, June 28th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Hudson Bridge Road. [3:40:23, 3:40:25]: Parking is available at the Walmart. [3:40:26, 3:40:46]: Tomorrow night, man. Was that on there? Yeah, I already mentioned that, sir. I believe our mother missed that. Okay. All right. I thought I'd mention that. Okay, so anyway, uh I'm sorry, it's the next page. I haven't gotten to it yet then. Okay, it's coming. Got a whole nother page here. Thank you, madam clerk. Stockbridge Middle. [3:40:46, 3:41:06]: Main Street and the city of Stockbridge government probably presents this fun community event. Get to Steppin' Stockbridge. Let's walk together on page, excuse me, on June 28th at 9 a.m. Uh complete the full round trip to go or to go on your own pace. Community members are highly encouraged to shop for fresh produce in a downtown market. [3:41:06, 3:41:26]: far uh excuse me farm to table market. It's from nine a.m. to one p.m. location one thirty ML King Senior Heritage Trail. That's coming Saturday. I join Mayor Ford for the monthly Meet the Mayor Monday, June 30th, 10 a.m. to uh noon, city and the city hall meetings by appointment. The Stopper is Police Department [3:41:26, 3:41:46]: Will host the third annual State of the Public Safety Address Tuesday, July 1st at 6 p.m. at Merrill Manor's Conference Center. Join the city of Stockbridge for a free July 4th celebration at the Amphitheater. Gates open at 5 p.m. Concert started at 7 p.m. featuring Jagged Edge. And there will be fireworks there as well. Stockbridge Main Street presents a [3:41:46, 3:42:06]: Family movie night featuring Inside and Out 2. Friday, July 11th at 7 30 at Clark Park Community Park. Clark Community Park. This is also a free event. Bring your own long chairs and blankets. Twelve and under must be accompanied by an adult. Join Councilman Thomas and Councilman Berry in a partnership with a monthly Bingo Bank. [3:42:06, 3:42:26]: Bash on Wednesday, July sixteenth from ten a.m. to twelve noon at the Murray Mano's Conference Center, and lots of fun to be had by all. Join me once again, uh, Mayor Ford, for the monthly meet the mayor, Monday, july twenty eighth, at ten a.m. to twelve noon, the city hall meetings are by appointment. Join Councilman Thomas and Army Veterans and continue to salute to all your [3:42:26, 3:42:46]: long, please send your pictures of veterans with their names, ranch, branch, rank, and years of service. Join Councilman Thomas for Don't Trash Stockbridge Initiative Center around education, highlighting causes and effects and littering illegal dumping. More information of course to follow on that. Some sign up for real time alerts about severe weather [3:42:46, 3:43:06]: road closures and emergencies on on the route excuse me on the regroup app. Visit the city's website or social media pages for more information on how and where to sign up. Stay safe. The Economic Development Department hosts a free business health clinic on the second Thursday of each month from 9 a.m to 12 noon. [3:43:06, 3:43:26]: Stockbridge Connection Center, 130 ML King Senior Heritage Trail. Check the you'll check the health of your business with a free clinic. Join Main Street for the tiny tiny tent concert series Fridays at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Stockbridge Connection Center, 130 ML King Heritage Trail. Bring your own lawn chairs and [3:43:26, 3:43:44]: Of course they'll happen is a concur provided that the weather's permitting you don't have a rain out. Please contact Ros and Rawls to schedule appointment to meet the mayor or more information on council initiatives is six seven eight eight three three three three four four four four four eight or by way of email at R Rawls at Stockbridge G A dot or G [3:43:46, 3:44:06]: Okay, concert season Saturday, June twenty eighth. Legacy Legacy Legacy and Kindred uh the Family Soul will be on concerts for that. Saturday, July twelfth, all white party featuring the maze band, Juba Smith, uh Eric Bonet, David Hauser, Christopher Williams, Mike Phillips. [3:44:05, 3:44:25]: And Vivian Green, Saturday, July 26th, My Girl's Night Escape with special guest Maya. Saturday, August 16th, and Sunday, August 17th, Stockbridge Jazz Festival, hosted by Tommy Davidson, featuring David Bignon, Jazz Funk Soul, EFX All-Stars, Shaw. [3:44:25, 3:44:45]: Chandra Curley, Kurlauli, I think is how it's pronounced. Anyway, Sana uh Sonny Emory, Norman Brown, Jennifer Holliday, Karen Briggs, Eric Darius, and Keiko Matsui. Saturday, September 13th, for Lovers and Friends, featuring Tank, special guests uh Leif Jennings and Jenny Wine. [3:44:45, 3:45:05]: Friday, September 6th and uh Friday, September 6th and Saturday, September 7th, the Southern Soul weekend featuring King George, Tucker, Westlove, Poke Bear, TK Soul, Tawan Moore, and Tonio Armin Armeni. And then uh Saturday, September 20th, do the Ragat Tour. [3:45:05, 3:45:25]: twenty twenty five features Ziggy Marley and Bernie Spears. Uh for my comments, um I will tell you that uh obviously the uh this past June nineteenth we had a wonderful uh June nineteenth celebration. It was a clear good night and a rest of development they have a wonderful concert uh this past week. [3:45:25, 3:45:45]: Myself and the rest of the council were down at uh Savannah for several days, 20th to 24th of June, for our GMA annual conference. And had a great training opportunity and networking opportunity that we always have. And I want to congratulate Ms. Barber on receiving her education. [3:45:45, 3:46:05]: Educational uh advancement and the uh what's that certificate of distinction for all the classes she has taken thus far. And uh I also got recognized for being part of the inaugural 400 club. 400 plus hours of education training in the last 12 years, and myself and uh eight other people were inducted in this 400 club for this aspect. [3:46:05, 3:46:10]: And um on that note, uh I'm sorry, ma'am. [3:46:11, 3:46:23]: Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I appreciate that. It is a big deal. Thank you. And um on that note, it of course it's hot outside, so make sure you stay cool, be hydrated. [3:46:23, 3:46:25]: And it is hot Atlanta. [3:46:25, 3:46:27]: And so just be safe and be careful. [3:46:27, 3:46:36]: On that note, uh council, I don't know of any uh any executive sessions issues or discussion, so I'll ask for a motion to adjourn our meeting. [3:46:36, 3:46:37]: Is there a second? [3:46:38, 3:46:40]: All fair, please indicate. [3:46:40, 3:46:43]: Okay. We are now adjourned. God bless you all and good night. [3:47:01, 3:47:02]: All right, nice.