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--- title: June 26 2019 Work Session Meeting date: 2019-06-26 source: 2019-06-26_June_26_2019_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:00, 0:00:03]: twenty six I'd like to call the meeting to order. [0:00:04, 0:00:08]: Invocation, Mr Knighton, please. If you can't stand, please stand, folks. [0:00:16, 0:00:36]: Let us all pray. Lord in heaven, we do indeed thank you for this day and the opportunity to assemble ourselves together to discuss the important matters of governance. We pray that your presence is known in this meeting, that you will guide the thoughts, hearts, and minds of us all as we come together. [0:00:36, 0:00:56]: To better the city of Stockbridge. We pray that we are better people when we leave than when we entered. And we pray that you bless every home and person who is represented here this evening. We pray your wisdom and your guidance upon the elected officials who have been appointed. [0:00:56, 0:00:58]: to serve in their respective capacities. [0:00:59, 0:01:06]: We thank you and we ask these blessings in your Son Christ's name. Amen. Amen. [0:01:08, 0:01:21]: To the Republic of Witches Things, one nation, unto God and invisible, with liberty and justice for all. [0:01:23, 0:01:25]: Madam Clerk, roll call please. [0:01:28, 0:01:41]: Councilman Thomas. Present. Mayor Pro Tem Blount. Present. Mayor Ford. Present. Councilwoman Gantt. Present. Councilman Alexander. Present. Councilwoman Robinson. Present. Mayor Ford, you have a quorum. Thank you. Appreciate that. Madam Clerk. [0:01:42, 0:01:47]: Council, I need a motion to adopt the agenda, please. Mayor. Yes, sir. [0:01:47, 0:02:05]: Yeah, but I'd like to amend the agenda. And what is that? I like to amend the agenda and place the item for downtown parking uh on the agenda so we can actually discuss it in detail uh so our business owners can get a resolution uh to their issue with this parking. [0:02:05, 0:02:13]: I second. All right. Uh that case been motion was made and seconded. All favor of of this adoption? [0:02:15, 0:02:16]: All in favor? All opposed? [0:02:18, 0:02:20]: Oh sustained? [0:02:20, 0:02:23]: Okay. So it it passes. So what would do is that um [0:02:24, 0:02:30]: Actually when we do this we typically do put at the very end of the agenda. Uh uh so this is uh considered um [0:02:31, 0:02:32]: New business. [0:02:33, 0:02:33]: Right. [0:02:34, 0:02:36]: So how about if we make that number ten? [0:02:37, 0:02:39]: Of new business. All right. [0:02:40, 0:02:58]: Uh I suggest uh we as Stockbridge uh we're very business friendly and these gentlemen may have something that uh they might want to get on to. You think we might be able to move'em up. Uh they're right at public comment at the top of the agenda anyway, so we might as well lock them to start kicking off for us. [0:02:59, 0:03:03]: Uh just just insert. All right. Uh [0:03:10, 0:03:30]: All right, council, you want this up fr up front versus near the end? I concur with that. That's fine. All right, up front it is. We'll make that the first thing after part of agenda number one after public comments. All right. Please review the minutes of the follow-in meetings. Council meeting uh which was May 13th and a work session, which is May 28th. [0:03:30, 0:03:38]: We had take review that if there's any specific changes, we can talk about that now. If not, this will come up for a vote at our next uh regular council meeting. [0:03:41, 0:03:47]: Okay, if none on that case, great. Uh on this note, I will I will say a couple of things here before we get to public comments. [0:03:48, 0:04:05]: Couple things here. One is that uh public comments, when you come forward public comments, you address the chair, which is me, we'll listen to what you have to say, and then we'll go from there. We'll make acknowledgement of those comments. And if there's a follow up, we'll do a follow up and give you some ideas from the staff for the particular follow up on that particular issue. [0:04:05, 0:04:25]: Number two is that I was informed that some some folks here, even though the our council meetings, work session, are always open to the public. Always open to the public. Never will have a closed meeting. Uh if we do anything closed as in executive session, then we'll come out and give the results of the executive session. But there is no HOA meeting here. Well HOA meetings do not occur at City Council. [0:04:25, 0:04:28]: meetings or city hall, each meetings occur within your community. [0:04:29, 0:04:42]: Period. So if you're here for an HOA meeting, that does not exist. If you're here for a council meeting, work session, yes you're welcome. You're a citizen, but public ki is is is open to the public, period. On that aspect. Mayor. Uh yes, ma'am. [0:04:42, 0:05:01]: Um, thank you for acknowledging. Can you expound on what are you saying? This is um HOA meeting. Well, some citizens are here to address the council. Um they didn't get an opportunity to speak at the last meeting. Um so they are here to um they were instructed to come to listen for the update. So I just hopefully that we're gonna be um [0:05:02, 0:05:22]: um s council friendly to ensure that we're listening to their concerns. Well well fine. Publi if you want to public you want to c make a comment, there's a process in which you fill out a public comment note. That individual will be called up or it will be will address to uh me and and the council will listen to those things. Uh this aspect. There is also a update from the uh [0:05:22, 0:05:33]: That's scheduled on agenda from the uh community director in reference to what has happened with certain Pacific communities. There'll be an update. And matter of fact, that is what number is that? [0:05:33, 0:05:50]: That is actually number three. Uh says number three. So that comes on that's old business. That'll come after uh that actually come after uh we have the i issue about the downtown parking. So that'll come up sh very shortly early on in in the agenda. Thank you. So no problem. So on that note, hopefully you understand that. [0:05:50, 0:05:58]: Madam Clerk, we have any public comments? I do, but Mayor, may I uh make a suggestion that we call the parking item two? [0:05:58, 0:06:11]: B so that we can have that we don't have to rearrange any ra other numbers. Two B. We'll just call that one two B. All right, two B is fine. Thank you. I don't think we need to vote on that aspect. I mean then that okay. All right. Two B is fine. [0:06:11, 0:06:17]: Uh Kimberly Collins. C Miss Collins? Miss Collins, please come forward, give your name and address. Miss Collins. [0:06:19, 0:06:23]: Is there a Miss Collins? Kimberly Collins? Yeah, come forward please. [0:06:28, 0:06:35]: And mind you, on public comments, just so you know that we have a three-minute limit. If it's going to go any further, the council will have to approve that. Okay? Okay. Go right ahead. [0:06:35, 0:06:55]: Um, I'm Kimberly Collins, 1645 Gallup Drive in Stockbridge, Georgia, um Pine Grove Subdivision. Okay. Uh we're just here to follow up with you from the last meeting that we had with you. Uh we appreciate all the work that's been done so far, and we just wanted to know what has transpired from. [0:06:55, 0:07:05]: that like what has been done, what has not been done. We were hoping you would cover that with us tonight. There's a lot of us again here from the community. [0:07:05, 0:07:08]: to uh find out the information. [0:07:08, 0:07:28]: We we will address that this after public comments. It's it's gonna come up in the agenda. They'll be addressed as an and actually individual's gonna address that as Miss Camilla Moore and once she addressed that and gives an update to the council and you all will listen to that. Any further conversations, uh it can be handled outside the council chambers, in the hallway, she'll be able to address any additional issues that you may have or anybody else may have once you get [0:07:28, 0:07:31]: Okay. Thank you so much. [0:07:32, 0:07:33]: Uh uh. [0:07:37, 0:07:40]: Francine Liken. Miss Lyken. [0:07:41, 0:07:42]: Ms. Lycan? [0:07:46, 0:07:47]: Name and address, please. [0:07:51, 0:07:58]: My name is Francine Liken. I live at 1413 Gallup Drive, Stockbird, Georgia. Okay. And the reason why I'm here [0:07:59, 0:08:10]: I was absent from the initial meeting where members voiced their concern about what was happening in my community and I too wanna know what progress have been made. [0:08:10, 0:08:21]: in terms of the situation with my community and deciphering who are the key players in charge, whether it's Silverstone, whether it's Rialto. [0:08:22, 0:08:23]: Okay, thank you. [0:08:27, 0:08:30]: Rod Jackson. Mr. Jackson. [0:08:31, 0:08:34]: Yes, sir, I'm gonna reserve my right to speak to accurate. [0:08:36, 0:08:43]: Uh after memorandum, what do you mean, sir? What it amounts to the what y this is public comments now? I mean you got the right to speak well [0:08:44, 0:08:47]: Well I don't you're not on the agenda to speak, sir, unless you come into public comments. [0:08:48, 0:08:55]: Okay, once the presentation is made, if you're gonna you won't be uh have an opportunity to address the council at that time, you have a c you have an opportunity right now, sir. [0:08:57, 0:08:58]: Thank you. Name and address, please. [0:09:00, 0:09:02]: Uh good evening, Mayor, Council members. [0:09:03, 0:09:22]: Uh Rod Jackson, uh 1724 Gallup Drive, Stockbridge. Uh my primary concern was the findings of the latest inspection that the city did with our pool maintenance, uh the maintenance, the pool area, the clubhouse, so on and so forth. And [0:09:22, 0:09:27]: Um, for my nest there was a small group of us that did have some findings that were given to us. [0:09:28, 0:09:34]: However, we haven't gotten the final word on whether these discrepancies were [0:09:35, 0:09:49]: completed or not. So that was our well, my primary concern tonight. And so I'm still waiting on tr tr try to get that update. Sir, just a little bit. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Who's next? [0:09:56, 0:09:57]: Clifford Hardwick. [0:09:58, 0:09:59]: Mr. Hardwick? [0:10:10, 0:10:11]: Evening, sir. [0:10:11, 0:10:31]: Members of the council, I'm not sure as to the correct categorization. Uh I filled out the comment section uh as I walked in because I was asked to do so, but I'm here as an attorney on behalf of Mr. Yusuf Babar, who is on the agenda. [0:10:31, 0:10:40]: I believe relative to Okay. An appeal. Okay. Then you'll come up later in the agenda, sir. No problem. You'll you'll you'll come up a little later on in that aspect. Thank you, no problem. [0:10:40, 0:10:41]: Who's next? [0:10:41, 0:10:44]: Mr. Berry Nelson. Mr. Nelson. [0:10:46, 0:10:48]: Uh Nelson. Oh okay. [0:10:50, 0:11:04]: Hey, good evening. How you doing? Didn't I have any comment at this time? I just came to find out what's going on. I just recently moved here, so I'm just trying to learn the process, so that's why I'm here. Okay. Thank you. Good. You'll get an update here shortly, sir. Okay? Thank you. [0:11:10, 0:11:11]: Gregory Schein. [0:11:12, 0:11:13]: Mr. Shine. [0:11:14, 0:11:34]: I'm sorry, that's George George. Okay, there you go. Name and address, please, sir. George Shine, 1572 Gallup Drive. I'm here uh in regards to some of the issues that's been addressed already, as well as can uh I want to see be enlightened on what is going on in Stockbridge, as well as uh just voice my concern. [0:11:34, 0:11:54]: About safety issues I see, and overall the community overall, what are we doing with these folks that we elected to look out for my being, well-being as a constituent? So I want to know exactly what's going to happen, what's what is happening. And I apologize for not being here last time, but this time I want to see what action. [0:11:54, 0:11:56]: we're taking as we move forward as a community. [0:11:56, 0:11:57]: Okay. [0:11:58, 0:11:59]: Thank you. Thank you. [0:12:05, 0:12:06]: Orion Webb. [0:12:13, 0:12:33]: Good evening, Mayor and Council people. Name and address, sir, please. I'm Orion Webb. Uh I work over at two eighty Country Club Drive. Uh I'm at Smith Welch Webb and White. I was requested to be here by Miss Robinson. Um and I am here I'm I'm willing to speak to uh the city attorney regarding what's going on over [0:12:33, 0:12:53]: at uh the um is it pine ridge pine grove uh about possible solutions and whatnot i have my card here i'm not sure who the city well the city attorney's just stepped out for for a minute city attorney says that's the city manager give it to him and they'll be able we'll be able to connect you two up here shortly I imagine [0:12:53, 0:12:55]: Thank you. [0:12:57, 0:13:15]: There are no further comments. No no okay. No further all right. Okay. On that note, then what I have next would be the parking issues in the downtown uh area. And Mr. Uh Roger Cruston and Greg Horton, Barn Beautiful. Please come forward, sir, and this is an agenda item. So uh let's talk about this particular issue. [0:13:18, 0:13:26]: Good evening, Mayor Council. I'm Roger Custon, 121 Duval Drive. Uh, if you'll give me a moment, I'll set up the pres a brief presentation regarding the parking. [0:13:32, 0:13:33]: All right. [0:13:37, 0:13:50]: Uh good evening again. Um I am Roger Custon. I'm managing partner for Barn Beautiful. I am um we are a retailer for handcrafted furnishings on uh MLK Senior Heritage Trail. [0:13:50, 0:14:06]: Uh while I serve as a volunteer board member of the Stockbridge Downtown Development Authority, I'm here as a business owner to address my concerns as a business owner regarding parking and to offer what I think are the top three solutions. [0:14:08, 0:14:13]: These are the top issues, in my opinion, regarding the parking and downtown uh stockbridge. [0:14:14, 0:14:17]: We have unmanaged event parking. [0:14:18, 0:14:21]: Мосли фром Те Стриклен Центр. [0:14:22, 0:14:26]: There is no signage for available parking anywhere in the downtown district. [0:14:27, 0:14:34]: Where there is potential parking, we have a blighted alley between M OK and Burke Street. [0:14:35, 0:14:37]: The good news is that we have underutilized assets. [0:14:38, 0:14:42]: And I'm here to present how we might be able to leverage those assets. [0:14:48, 0:14:55]: In our business, after even after two years, our estimate is roughly half of our customers. [0:14:56, 0:15:03]: Walk in spontaneously into our business. They drove by, they say, Hey, I saw your business. Thought I'd stop in and take a look. [0:15:07, 0:15:11]: This picture was taken today at eleven am. [0:15:12, 0:15:18]: Every single parking space on both sides of M OK Senior Heritage Trail was full. [0:15:18, 0:15:21]: I believe there was an event at the Ted Strickland [0:15:21, 0:15:24]: That's not the only place in the downtown that holds events. [0:15:25, 0:15:27]: This is for all event uh parking. [0:15:27, 0:15:30]: There's no signage, there's no management of events. [0:15:33, 0:15:38]: It's my understanding that the city of Stockbridge generates revenue. [0:15:38, 0:15:40]: From events that disrupt [0:15:40, 0:15:43]: Май кастимерз аксес то майзнес. [0:15:44, 0:15:45]: I'm gonna repeat that. [0:15:45, 0:15:48]: The siti of Stockbridge generates revenue. [0:15:49, 0:15:53]: Фром івент с та диспет май кастомерз аксес то майз. [0:15:55, 0:16:00]: So I'm here today literally pleading with the city council that we resolve this issue. [0:16:01, 0:16:03]: So what are some of the alternatives? [0:16:03, 0:16:05]: Let's talk about Berk Street. [0:16:06, 0:16:17]: This is the alley behind MLK Senior Heritage Trail that divides MLK Senior and Burke Street. It's in the center of downtown Stockbridge. [0:16:18, 0:16:33]: This here is a picture of the debris in the alley. It's been that way. Typically, it's unmanaged. The second picture illustrates a drainage problem in this alley. It's been a problem for years. [0:16:33, 0:16:37]: You'll notice that there's a pothole that has been repaired. [0:16:37, 0:16:47]: That repair was done by a local business owner, Mr. Fletcher and Sons, who owns the uh car repair on the corner of Burke Street and Jim Clark Drive. [0:16:48, 0:16:52]: Вид із оніс, і репарид з пол, на та ситі. [0:16:54, 0:17:14]: There is no path from this uh area. There's although there's about 25 to 50 potential parking spaces, there is no path from this area to uh the businesses on uh Stockbridge. So I want to ask you if this is a potential parking solution, if a lady was dressed up to an attend an event. [0:17:13, 0:17:22]: At the Ted Strickland or somewhere else, you think she would be comfortable and feel safe in this area? I don't think so. [0:17:23, 0:17:33]: All right, here's the other s uh a problem. We have approximately twenty-five spots under the bridge on one thirty-eight. [0:17:33, 0:17:40]: The problem is that the signage, the one entrance to this parking area, indicates park and ride. [0:17:41, 0:17:44]: This hasn't been a parking ride in in over decades. [0:17:45, 0:17:50]: And there's no signage to inform vizitors that it's okay to park in this area. [0:17:50, 0:17:58]: There's trash and debris in this area. If I help out on the store on Saturday mornings, you'll see me out there with a spot sweeper cleaning up this area. [0:18:00, 0:18:12]: So what's the solution? Well, we could talk about metered parking, but nobody wants that. That's disruptive to our business. Um I would like to offer, let's start with under the bridge, put a sign. [0:18:12, 0:18:19]: indicate that the parking there is free, it's open to the public, and it's for historic downtown parking. [0:18:20, 0:18:26]: Here's what it might look like at the entrance to the parking and the and on the corner of uh Jim Clark Drive and M O K. [0:18:26, 0:18:28]: Слуша номер тво. [0:18:29, 0:18:31]: Let's implement the RSVP plan. [0:18:32, 0:18:36]: It was voted unanimously by this council. [0:18:37, 0:18:56]: And I have not seen any evidence that the RSVP plan was implemented. For those of you don't know, the RSVP plan is the Renaissance strategic vis and vision plan and approved by this council. It was done with community input and it was professionally developed by the Carl Vinson Institute. [0:18:56, 0:19:06]: It calls for the demolition of the old police station and the opening of a parking area in the in the Burke Street alley that I was just showing you. [0:19:06, 0:19:10]: Third solution, manage the event parking. [0:19:11, 0:19:16]: Direct event guest to the available parking. You need to have safe parking first, right? [0:19:17, 0:19:22]: Reserve the s potentially reserve some spots for M OK businesses, maybe a time limit. [0:19:22, 0:19:26]: Ен реквір компленс фівент організер. [0:19:26, 0:19:32]: And verify compliance, whether you require a security guard or henry county police to make sure they're being compliant. [0:19:33, 0:19:43]: So I'm gonna reiterate the solutions, offer free uh put free parking signs under the bridge, implement RSVP, and manage event parking. [0:19:44, 0:20:04]: Um so I close with leaving you with three with two questions. Um who's responsible for resolving this issue and when can we expect it to be resolved? Thank you. Thank you, sir. I would uh tell you obviously we're we're responsible. This the the myself along with the council and our staff in this aspect, the RSVP plan uh is is going to be [0:20:04, 0:20:24]: Implemented. Matter of fact, the demolition of the police station is due to occur, I believe, in new next two or three weeks or so. All right, so when when that happens and then the process of redeveloping or working out the process for flattening out and straightening out the parking lot will begin at that point when that is demolition that demolition is done. And uh the free parking sign is a very good idea. And I'm pretty sure we can probably [0:20:24, 0:20:44]: Probably implement something like that. We'll have to figure out how to what the process is and where we fund that. Uh and uh and such as managing the events, we've got to work through the process how to properly do that, what makes sense. So these solutions are good. On that note, I'm gonna be quiet. I'm pretty sure the council has some questions. Uh uh first of all, right before I open the council, you have anything else uh uh at all, city matters. [0:20:44, 0:20:45]: Manager about this. [0:20:46, 0:20:48]: Not at this time. [0:20:49, 0:21:07]: Not at this time, Mayor. Um if there certainly if there are any other uh comments that need to be made. I will have mentioned since you mentioned the police station, the demolition permit has been acquired for the police station and we expect it to be demolished over a week period of time in about three weeks. Okay. There you go. All right. Go right ahead, Councilman Alzheimer. [0:21:07, 0:21:14]: Thank you so much. I I appreciate uh business owners when they come here to uh express their wishes. [0:21:14, 0:21:34]: Um, I'm not going to try to sit here and make excuses. We failed. We have failed you. We need to do better and we need to implement this plan. Um what has really happened is you're absolutely correct. Uh as a council member, I sit here baffled at why we haven't moved. [0:21:34, 0:21:54]: Move forward with the RSVP plan. It is unacceptable the amount of time that it's taken to take down the police station when we authorized that long ago. When we set out there and the community was all excited about the RSVP plan, I was ready for something to happen right away. [0:21:54, 0:22:14]: away. Uh we owe it to you all to do a better job of enforcing the parking. I do advocate for us to be able to sign assign parking to you so that your business is protected. Uh we don't want to be a hindrance to anything growing in our particular area. [0:22:14, 0:22:33]: Um I uh challenge the council and the staff here as well because the buck stops up here. The moment that this council lays down the law and says move forward with the RSVP plan, we will. That alley is absolutely unacceptable. You're right. [0:22:33, 0:22:53]: We, as the council, not the staff, not the city manager, not the city attorney, when we say to them we want that alley cleaned up, it will be cleaned up. I'm ready to do that today. I hope the rest of the members here are ready to do that as well. I like your suggestion. Uh we do have uh [0:22:53, 0:22:58]: uh uh signage that should be worked on, but it is taking us far too long [0:22:59, 0:23:19]: To implement the wayfinding signage. We gotta act more nimbly as a community to respond to these needs. And I'm not here to say anything, but we failed you. And we need to do better. We're gonna challenge the staff to do better and make some action. Not tomorrow. [0:23:19, 0:23:39]: Today, on assigning some uh dedicated parking so this does not take place, and to move forward with the RSVP plan because we were supposed to turn over. I had this great uh development that we had for the fire station down there that has not taken place. [0:23:38, 0:23:58]: That needs to take place. The fire station needs to be knocked down to access the alley, which we have not been able to do. If I say to you today that um I look at these council members who are up here today, you want answers and you want solutions today, correct? I want to provide those to you. [0:23:58, 0:24:06]: And um as we finish this, uh I will be making a motion to do that we do so, but I'll allow the rest of the council to speak. [0:24:07, 0:24:09]: Report Tim Black Bride, please. [0:24:10, 0:24:30]: Yeah, thank you all for coming. Um, I spoke with you all earlier today, and and that's the way I operate. I go behind closed doors and I and I try to get resolutions before we can come out front, and I've done that and I talked to you all today, and I think city manager has talked to you. Um one of the things we have to realize that everything we do is a process. It's never a quick process. [0:24:30, 0:24:43]: when it comes to entities like the city, state and any kind of government entity. It's just not a quick process. Uh and one of the things I've never done with you all is play politics or shot. I always shoot from the hip. But I don't think it was um [0:24:44, 0:24:59]: When we show pictures of an alley right behind a garage, gas and oil corros uh c uh corroses asphalt. Not concrete, asphalt. That's an asphalt driveway. So to say a business owner filled it up, he probably created the hole. [0:24:59, 0:25:19]: So one of the things we have to look at is that when things are done like that, that alley that alleyway, if you on that picture that you showed had two garages, two or three garages. Those are used constantly for his cars going in and out to be repaired and whatever. And so we will address that. Um but in the RSVP plan. [0:25:19, 0:25:39]: the the parking for that area is is further down that we have in the plan where the where we're gonna tear down the fire station and all this but but we do have a pan plan in place. We just I just talked to the uh economic development director today, our city manager on this today because you and I talked earlier today and and we we we hear your concerns. [0:25:39, 0:25:40]: [1541.0, 1561.0]: I would never say we fail you. I would say that there's a process in place. And it's never quick. You can't add water because one council member can say, hey, I'm gonna you can't you you have to put out we can't just say who's gonna fix it. There's there's a process or who we have to get bits and all of this stuff has to happen. [0:26:00, 0:26:04]: All of it has to happen. Um you got a question? [0:26:04, 0:26:09]: Councilman Blen, I appreciate that. Um but as far as the alley and that pothole. [0:26:09, 0:26:15]: We've been complaining about that pothole since I bought the building. It had grown to be five feet long and two feet wide. [0:26:16, 0:26:22]: And I know that the Main Street program has actually addressed that as well. They tried to put in a work order to get [0:26:22, 0:26:28]: public works to come at least fill it in a year and a half ago. I respect that there's a process, sir, but [0:26:29, 0:26:34]: A business can't wait two years for the city to address a problem. I'm losing customers every day. [0:26:34, 0:26:48]: No, I and I and I agree with that. But just like you're coming now, if the problem was then to come to the council, it's it's up to us to make sure we have staff that's gonna move on on your concerns and and your situations. And if that doesn't happen, then what do we do? [0:26:49, 0:27:04]: We we have to make sure that we're aware because just like you just said that I wasn't aware of that. I don't I don't I don't know if any council member I wasn't aware of it. And when we talk because one of the things that happens here is we have to make sure [0:27:04, 0:27:07]: that before any of us point fingers at any of us. [0:27:08, 0:27:15]: that we have to make sure that everything, everybody's aware and saying the same thing. And obviously in this situation, everybody's not saying the same thing because [0:27:16, 0:27:23]: I wasn't aware of it. And if it came to staff, then we have to deal with staff and wonder why we wasn't aware of it and why is it taking so long. [0:27:24, 0:27:30]: We want we're here to promote business. I want to see you I've been in there. I in fact I want to come and draw a picture over there. [0:27:30, 0:27:50]: So I want to see you all succeed, but to let you know that this council, in its, in itself, in its totality, wants to see every every business succeed. We're not sitting here and telling, I'm not gonna tell anybody out here we're failing you. But once we're all saying the same thing, that's where progress happens when everybody's saying the same thing. And this makes us put us in a [0:27:50, 0:27:53]: place where we're saying the same thing and I appreciate you all for coming. [0:27:53, 0:27:54]: Mr. Thomas, please. [0:27:55, 0:27:56]: Yes, thank you, Mayor. [0:27:57, 0:28:07]: As you know, I'm also a member of the Main Street Advisory Board and I've advocated for this plan for the longest [0:28:07, 0:28:10]: Um I've spoken with our city manager. [0:28:11, 0:28:12]: On a number of occasions. [0:28:13, 0:28:27]: I don't throw blame. Once the problem is realized, I'm about solutions, timetables, and steps. Uh Mr. Nighton briefly [0:28:27, 0:28:28]: mention [0:28:30, 0:28:32]: And softly [0:28:32, 0:28:51]: a process. Uh I'm not gonna throw him under the bus. I'm not gonna put him on the spot. But um I spoke with him today, so I think he knew I was gonna come with this. So I'm gonna ask Mr. Knight to come forward and speak a little bit more because um I'm in agreement with what's been said and [0:28:52, 0:29:08]: It's time. I'm about results. And it's time for us to show some movements. Uh Mr. Knight mentioned the fact that the demolition of the old police station is in a couple of weeks. I wanna make sure that that happened. [0:29:08, 0:29:22]: I spoke to him about the overall plan with the alleyway, the breezeway, and to create additional parking. And so Mr. Knight, I I just think those things need to be spoken. Uh so [0:29:22, 0:29:38]: These businesses would know that we're serious about moving forward with this plan and we need to talk about the steps and we need to talk about the timetable and the time frame in which some of this stuff is going to be done. So Mr. Knight, I'm just gonna ask you if you don't mind, just come forward and reiterate. [0:29:39, 0:29:49]: you know, some of the things that we've been talking about and and assure these businesses that, you know, we are moving forward with timetables. I mean, we could talk and talk and talk and talk and talk. [0:29:50, 0:29:52]: But let's put down some concrete [0:29:52, 0:29:54]: Time tables and steps [0:29:54, 0:29:57]: And and when we say these timetables [0:29:57, 0:30:00]: As an elected official, I expect those to be met. [0:30:01, 0:30:05]: So Mr. Nine, if you don't mind, please just sort of speak to that because [0:30:07, 0:30:09]: The talk has been a long. [0:30:09, 0:30:29]: The and to address a couple of things. One is um I would ask the council that because there are different options to deal with the immediate parking issue. So I would ask that you would allow us to come back to the next meeting and give you recommendations on the parking issue because there are different solutions. [0:30:29, 0:30:49]: That could be employed regarding some additional property that we the city own off of the property behind us, as well as some uh other solutions that could be employed, such as directional sign parking for events, uh, such as uh encouraging uh event participants to park in the rear. [0:30:49, 0:30:54]: such as timed parking for the businesses uh along uh MLK. [0:30:54, 0:30:58]: And so those are different things and different options that could be employed. [0:30:58, 0:31:18]: Um and it could be a combination, probably would be a combination of those. And so I would encourage allowing us to bring you back a cohesive plan for parking in terms of the short term issues that we're we're talking about and dealing with. In terms of the old police building, um we actually uh had a state contractor um which actually [0:31:18, 0:31:25]: uh um shortened the process uh to have a demolition contractor come in to demolish that building. [0:31:26, 0:31:35]: The demolition permit has been acquired and they've given us a date. Actually the date is about uh ten days to two weeks. I said three weeks because it's gonna take a full week. [0:31:36, 0:31:38]: um weather pending to actually demolish the building. [0:31:39, 0:31:43]: At which point in time then we would propose having crush and run [0:31:43, 0:31:56]: placed down that would create additional parking spaces in the back of the Ted Strickland building. Uh third thing I would mention is the alleyway project which has been mentioned, which runs along which run along the back part of those buildings. [0:31:57, 0:32:13]: That is, and I think the estimate, if I recall, was about$350,000 for the entire alleyway project that would create some additional parking spaces and better access along the back side of those buildings. About$350 is I recall that that uh price tag was. [0:32:14, 0:32:18]: And then the Breezeway project, which is between the Ted Strickland and the other building. [0:32:19, 0:32:22]: That would create some greenery, uh, some benches. [0:32:22, 0:32:32]: a walking area uh between the buildings, the Breezeway project there, would be uh approximately about ten thousand dollars, five to ten thousand dollars for that particular project. [0:32:32, 0:32:38]: Now, in terms of any funding allocation for those, in particular the alleyway project. [0:32:38, 0:32:50]: Obviously that's a a a significant number, and that's something obviously that the council would have to authorize us to move forward with. The um um [0:32:50, 0:33:10]: Breezeway project is something that probably is more immediate. And that's something that could be um uh put forward uh rather quickly um in terms of design and actually putting some benches in and other things of that nature. And so and I'm sorry, go ahead. Uh I'm trying to get the mirror's attention because I have a follow-up question. [0:33:10, 0:33:24]: And so and so I think those are are are uh three or four significant items with respect to um the area in question and also in conjunction with the RSV plan RSVP plan which has been outlined. [0:33:25, 0:33:25]: Right, yes, sir. [0:33:26, 0:33:28]: Okay, so I'm making a note [0:33:28, 0:33:31]: In in in ten days. [0:33:32, 0:33:35]: I'm writing this down. In ten days. [0:33:35, 0:33:37]: We will see [0:33:37, 0:33:47]: the old police station being demolished. I was given a date of actually July eighth. Was I was given a date. I think that's a Monday. And the reason I'm emphasizing this [0:33:47, 0:33:49]: This is a sign of progress. [0:33:50, 0:34:00]: We need to see that. So my challenge to us as a council and to you as a city manager, if the weather permits [0:34:02, 0:34:09]: And even even a child is is second my emotion. Um that we need to see this. [0:34:10, 0:34:23]: We we need to see this, Mr. Nighting, the demolition of this building. And that assure all of us as well as all of the businesses on ML King that we are moving forward. [0:34:25, 0:34:45]: And and we talked today. So this is not what I'm saying to right now, Mr. Night, so this is not catching you off guard. I I said the same thing to you earlier today. So we just need to see this within 10 to 15 days. We just need to see uh this building coming down. [0:34:46, 0:35:06]: All right. On that note. Thank you. Thank you. On that note, I was just wondering here the the um parking lot the parking lot situation, you said about three hundred and fifty grand, is that right? Was that is that the alleyway. The alleyway. Excuse me, the alleyway. And but the okay. Obviously we have to approve that. And then but the breeze weigh roughly ten [0:35:06, 0:35:26]: Grand and that's you can do that without our approval in this aspect, is that correct? That is correct. Okay. Based on spending levels? That's correct. Right. So I obviously if that's the case, you have to do some get some type of uh uh estimates and and uh and a particular contractor quotes, design. Right, and then you can go forward. [0:35:26, 0:35:37]: Right. Okay. The alleyway project I would have mentioned also not only deals with uh some parking issues, but also some drainage issues as well. Okay. Yes. All right. [0:35:38, 0:35:45]: Thank you. Council woman uh Gantt please. Thank you. Thank you. Um thank you for your presentation today. Um [0:35:45, 0:35:46]: Um [0:35:47, 0:36:07]: And then you also did this presentation at the DDA meeting, and I know the DDA told you to address Mayor Council at that time. Um, I have done a little research on public parking, private parking, and for you know, and reserve parking for businesses. We recently went to Savannah, we just got back. [0:36:07, 0:36:12]: [2172.2, 2183.6]: temporary time reserve parking for businesses. Um, I'm not opposed to that. Uh because of the limited amount of space that we have here in the city of Stop in the downtown area. [0:36:23, 0:36:32]: You know, regardless of the trend of if someone frowned upon it. I know I spoke with Main Street and it really at that time wasn't necessarily recommended, but [0:36:32, 0:36:35]: I think that this is a uh [0:36:35, 0:36:55]: unique situation. There's very limited parking in the area along with this event center. Um having said that, I think because of that, then we should consider, uh Mr. Knighton, uh I hope that we consider, you know, some time to reserve parking for for those businesses. Um because we do want [0:36:55, 0:37:10]: want you to know that w we all, I believe, agree that we want to be a small business friendly community. Um in regards to the police station and any other things that we have planned, there is a plan. And [0:37:11, 0:37:31]: We don't have a really large staff. I'm not making any excuses here, but we have a a a timetable. We have retreats and then we say what is our priorities. This year our priorities was getting some anchor buildings here, which includes the amphitheater, which includes in the downtown development now has been the council has agreed to [0:37:31, 0:37:32]: D'd over [0:37:32, 0:37:36]: the fire station to the downtown development authority to [0:37:36, 0:37:56]: um either tear down or or build or whatever we decide to do. And so we're working on those things in those compartments. I appreciate you coming, not just complaining, but coming with it with construction cris construct constructive criticism and giving us a solution. I just ask that, you know, as staff understand that [0:37:56, 0:38:12]: you know, not only it seems easy, everyone, just tear down a police station, but there's a process. We have to do a bid, we have other projects going on, and in between that we had a couple of massive fires that we had to put out. Um but [0:38:12, 0:38:27]: In addition to that, I'm happy to hear that it's getting done. So I thank you for your time and anytime you have any issues such as these, please feel free to do exactly what you're doing here so we can get them addressed. Thank you. Mayor. Councilman Robinson, please. Thank you, Mayor. [0:38:31, 0:38:45]: Okay, I'm not gonna sugarcoat. That's not what I do, okay? I'm just gonna tell the true facts. You came here today and I uh first of all, I just wanna thank you for choosing Stockbridge for your wonderful business, okay? [0:38:46, 0:38:57]: We have, as you stated, an RSVP that we've been working on. I had students in the youth council that volunteered to speak on that in twenty seventeen, okay? [0:38:57, 0:38:59]: Twenty seventeen. [0:38:59, 0:39:13]: So there's a process um that comes after the plan. So the plan went forth with our Main Street program. The problem is your council members always change the plans. Timing, okay? [0:39:14, 0:39:16]: So for one, you're a valuable [0:39:17, 0:39:22]: Company, you just stated to us, you showed pictures of an event. Happened today. [0:39:22, 0:39:38]: That event came from one of our council members. Okay? So when I have events, I make sure that I have it in the evening so that way I'm not disrupting your business or the other businesses. Because all of you have been complaining. Okay? [0:39:39, 0:39:59]: So while we can sit here, we have the power to make the changes. A lot of these signs, this is low-hanging fruit. Low-hanging fruit, okay? That this council can just say to staff, and I'm gonna help staff out here, because staff know that there was an RSVP, they knew. [0:39:59, 0:40:06]: Because the community had the buy in. Okay. So, but when staff is being pulled to alter. [0:40:07, 0:40:27]: The process, the plan in the process, it pushed things back. And guess what happens? You all are affected by it. Okay? So that's why we're here. So at the end of the day, we don't we don't need to make excuses. It's our problem. We're the ones that's creating the problem. Okay. You clearly showed that it was an event. [0:40:27, 0:40:45]: It was one of our events. So what we need to do is we're gonna be business friendly. We need to know that when we take up space, you don't it takes away from your business. We know that. With our main street, we knew the buildings had to be taken down through the plan. We knew that. [0:40:45, 0:40:55]: But if we alter to say, okay, we're gonna gear from that because there's an opportunity for something else, that poses delay. [0:40:55, 0:40:57]: Delay delay. [0:40:57, 0:41:04]: And the longer you wait, just like a old saying, wait broke down the wagon. And right now this wagon is broke. [0:41:04, 0:41:06]: And you're suffering behind it. [0:41:07, 0:41:22]: So I'm not gonna sit up here. It takes a consensus, and I promise you, I'm not a part of that consensus. So everything that you've complained about, I have stated it. It has been stated for you. This ain't the first time y'all stood up here. It's not the first time. [0:41:23, 0:41:43]: And I'm not gonna put it on staff, but whenever staff receive a consensus from this council to continue to make changes, that's what happens. So I apologize to you. I apologize to our ladies that are part of the Main Street, Miss Kira and um can't think of your name while I'm talking Miss Lisa. They've worked extremely hard. The Carr Vince Institute [0:41:43, 0:41:52]: Well, we just came from Savannah with our training. We brought them in. We paid them to come in. We paid them to come in. [0:41:52, 0:42:00]: But when you pay somebody to come in, the expectations are to follow through with the plan and with the process. [0:42:00, 0:42:02]: But we have not done that. [0:42:02, 0:42:05]: So it's not staff. It's not staff. [0:42:05, 0:42:25]: And I'm not gonna put it on them because they work hard as well, but they go the direction of this mayor and council. So that's where it lies. Thank you, Mayor. Go go right ahead, please. Um and I appreciate the comments, but they are actually false and incorrect. I'm not gonna dial there's no clouded space here. The bottom line is. [0:42:25, 0:42:45]: Is something needs to get moving and get done. But there hasn't been any alternations. All of that has been truly incorrect information. And I'm not going to sit here and say that that's the case. We we have a plan in place. We know that we have to implement that plan. We have two retreats a year, one budget. [0:42:45, 0:43:05]: one towards implementing and finding out how we're gonna which which projects we're gonna do first. And that's what I simply explained. I don't think anybody's trying to hide anything or divert or change we're doing the RSVP plan. Um if it's in reference to the station or building there's been [0:43:05, 0:43:20]: multipletes or talk about what that should look like. Um that's in the hands of the downtown development authority. It is what it is and I'm not here for political rhetoric or to showboat it. I'm sorry. I'm I'm pretty much [0:43:21, 0:43:41]: You know, straight line are here. We're here. You you need you deserve some parking, and that's the resolution that we're gonna give you. And that's what I expect for our staff to bring back to us is a re resolution for that. And I thank you for that. I've spoken to you about it. I th I support it. And I thank you. I've contacted Main Street about it and told [0:43:41, 0:43:45]: them I supported. Um so I thank you for your time. [0:43:46, 0:43:49]: Mr. Mayor. One one sec, please. Councilman Amazon, please. [0:43:49, 0:44:04]: See, uh I concur with Councilwoman Robinson, and I'm gonna tell you, the proof is definitely in the pudding, okay? And this council has it in our notes. I advocated for this council to do multiple projects. [0:44:05, 0:44:10]: Not just the amphitheater, but multiple projects in one year because we were moving too slow. [0:44:11, 0:44:15]: This council made a decision not to do that. [0:44:16, 0:44:36]: This council made a decision to focus on one major project and then to spread the others out and to work on one project at a time because it was said that we didn't have the ability to do that and we did not want to get spread out too much with too many different projects. [0:44:36, 0:44:44]: Projects. I sit here today saying to you, I'm not gonna sit here and make an excuse for anybody. [0:44:44, 0:44:48]: The issue is if this council had the will [0:44:48, 0:45:05]: The will to move forward with multiple projects. We could have done the downtown, we could have done the amphitheater, we could have done multiple projects in one year, but we did not do that because and and I'm I'm gonna stand up for the staff too, it's not the staff. [0:45:05, 0:45:12]: The people out here did not elect the staff. You elected us. The staff follows the direction that we give them. [0:45:13, 0:45:15]: Just like right here tonight, right? [0:45:16, 0:45:25]: If we wanted to do that alleyway, we've already decided as a council that we're gonna develop certain resources to downtown. [0:45:25, 0:45:31]: If we wanted to, for example, I could make a motion right now, which I will do. [0:45:31, 0:45:51]: That we can devote three hundred and fifty up to three hundred and fifty thousand dollars to deal with the alleyway project now. If it's under three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, then the staff does not have to come back to us. If it's over three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, then they do. That way we make an action tonight. [0:45:51, 0:46:03]: We empower the staff to move forward with this project, but we don't tie their hands. We just tell them we want them to move forward with the alleyway project. They can do it. [0:46:03, 0:46:23]: They can bring it back to us, but they have up to$350,000 to work with. I tonight make that motion to give them the authority. Now it's up to the council. Now, if they want to act, we can act. Now they don't, we don't. I make a motion to give the staff the power to work on the alleyway project that you're talking about. [0:46:23, 0:46:24]: Yeah. [0:46:25, 0:46:45]: With a leeway of a budget of$350,000, which they said that they could work with. If it's over that, they got to come back to us with it. Because that project needs to be done. We unrolled the RSVP a year ago and have not done anything. These projects need to be done. That is my motion. It's up to the project. [0:46:45, 0:47:03]: to the council whether or not to do it or not, but I make a motion to authorize the council to do up to three hundred and fifty thousand dollars to work on this alleyway project after that's knocked after the police station is knocked down to move forward with the RSVP plan downtown downtown downtown. [0:47:03, 0:47:23]: I'm in agreement with that, Mayor. Is that that? Is that a second? Yes. Okay, Mayor. Hold on one second, please. One second. Okay. Now on that note, earlier, Mr. Knight, you talked about coming back to us, I believe, the next council meeting with some updates, I thought some some action. Now three hundred fifty thousand dollars, obviously we don't know exactly where it's coming from in this aspect and and I I guess it's still got to [0:47:23, 0:47:33]: do I and I believe that three hundred fifty thousand dollars you couldn't sign off on that. If I understand right, you couldn't sign off on an additional contract for that. I think it's something I would have to do. I think you're limited [0:47:33, 0:47:36]: And what you can sign off and approve, is that correct? [0:47:36, 0:47:38]: That is correct. Okay. [0:47:38, 0:47:58]: in terms of amount that much. That would have to be authorized by the elected body to do that. What I mentioned earlier in terms it was some short term things like the directional parking, um uh and perhaps some time parking, those types of things that could provide relatively quick relief to some of the situations that were outlined earlier in terms of [0:47:58, 0:48:00]: parking in that general area. [0:48:00, 0:48:04]: Okay. One second please. Mr. Mr. Thomas first, please. [0:48:06, 0:48:17]: I agree with again, I am a member of the Main Street Advisory Board. I've always been in favor of the RSVP. But what I want to make clear, because it's been stated. [0:48:17, 0:48:24]: that we moved away from that this council moved staff away from the plan. [0:48:24, 0:48:25]: That is incorrect. [0:48:26, 0:48:29]: We have always been in фавор of this plan. [0:48:30, 0:48:34]: timing and moving forward on it, that's a whole nother issue. [0:48:35, 0:48:42]: But we have never directed the emphasis away from this plan. [0:48:43, 0:48:45]: My issue is [0:48:46, 0:48:48]: Why are why are we moving so slow? [0:48:49, 0:48:51]: Now that's a legitimate [0:48:51, 0:48:55]: Concern and criticism, why are we moving slow? [0:48:55, 0:48:58]: But as a council we have never [0:48:58, 0:48:59]: Ask the staff. [0:49:00, 0:49:03]: to move away from that plan. [0:49:03, 0:49:04]: Slowness. [0:49:05, 0:49:07]: You can criticize us on that. [0:49:07, 0:49:19]: But the plan has been there. We're all in favor of it. And again, I'm in favor with what said as far as authorizing staff to move forward. I'm in favor of all of that. But I just wanted to be clear. [0:49:20, 0:49:26]: Because I have a problem with words that goes out and the tongue is a powerful weapon. Mm-hmm. [0:49:27, 0:49:30]: So let's be careful what we say. [0:49:30, 0:49:34]: Mm-hmm. Thank you, Mayor. Mayor Potem Blount. Um uh Blount, please. [0:49:35, 0:49:42]: We've sat here and we've talked about what has and hasn't been done with multiple projects and I can be definitive on that. [0:49:43, 0:49:49]: We've talked about several things, but the point of hand that you all came up here for is we've talked about a resolution. [0:49:50, 0:50:04]: When we talk about us not working on multiple projects, that's not true. Any citizen can come and sit down with any city man the city manager and yet they are here the multiple projects in place. We're going around the world and we've already stated that we have a solution in place. [0:50:05, 0:50:10]: See, I don't first of all point about a mayor, I'm talking and I've got a lot of confusion going on. [0:50:11, 0:50:15]: Go right, please. See, the problem is I don't play the politics. [0:50:16, 0:50:32]: Because everybody you know, we're going we're going off track on what you all came here for. You didn't hear about where we are with our V uh RSVP plan. You didn't come here to hear about where we are with other projects. You came here because you have a situation about parking in front of your business. That's what you came here for. [0:50:33, 0:50:53]: The the resolution has already been set. We'll sit here an hour playing these games when you've already been told, and I'm and we stand with you on your needs and your wants. And we've already said with the city manager. So all this other stuff is irrelevant. It just keeps the people here to hear stuff. And they got their own issues that they're coming here to hear. [0:50:53, 0:50:54]: [3054.7, 3056.5]: So I'm not gonna sit here and keep telling [0:50:57, 0:51:11]: If you want to talk about other stuff, then then then let that let that be the issue at hand. The issue at hand has already talked about a resolution. And I thank you all for coming. I'm sorry that we're going into all these different avenues about what the city is and isn't doing, that we're [0:51:12, 0:51:21]: That we're looking at your situation that you came here for, and we're gonna set a resolution up for it. Okay? Thank you. Mayor. [0:51:22, 0:51:31]: One second, please. I want the council to realize that we've got a two speaking rule on this aspect. And we have a motion on the floor in a second. But one second, I want you to know that council. Yes, sir, go right ahead. [0:51:32, 0:51:52]: Just before we close, I just would like to clarify, Mr. Knighton said that he would be coming back to the next City Council session with a report, an update. Would that be the regular session or the work session? July eighth, I believe it is. July eighth. Okay. That's the next meeting. Okay. Now back to you, Mr. Knighton. Now [0:51:52, 0:52:12]: Say we pass this particular motion, three hundred fifty thousand. Do we have any remote idea where this is going to come from? I know there's a treasurer in here right now. I mean, where would this come from? In fact, this would this would need to come from the the most um uh present uh budget area that this would come from would be reserves. Um this was not [0:52:12, 0:52:22]: not specifically budgeted. Um and so that would would be the ideal place that that n would need to come from uh for that uh uh type of expenditure. [0:52:23, 0:52:43]: Okay. There is and and there may well I I'd I'd ask if you were inclined to uh approve this, I would ask that you all would allow uh the staff to find the most appropriate funding source that this would come from, because there may be another funding source that could be available to us. And if you would allow us to do that to have that [0:52:43, 0:53:01]: Latitude if you're so inclined, you'd allow us to do that. We would obviously inform you of where it's coming from. But there may be a a different source that we could access as well. Okay. Okay, folks. There's a motion on the floor has been seconded. We have plenty of discussion about this issue. Not this particular issue, no. We haven't discussed this issue. Not this issue. [0:53:01, 0:53:03]: Yeah, I guess this is made. [0:53:04, 0:53:04]: Okay. [0:53:05, 0:53:15]: I have a second I want to say. So you okay, fine. Thank you. And that's that's my concern. The staff haven't had the opportunity to bring back a financial [0:53:16, 0:53:36]: The the way it works normally, we have a project and we look for the funding sources for projects. Um there are several emails. I'll be more than happy to pull them up. We've had our goal last year after dealing with some litigation about deannexation and splitting stop bridge. We had four tasks and four things that we were working on, four steps. [0:53:36, 0:53:56]: Stockbridge. Once we completed one task, we move over and go on to the next project. That was the plan. That's what we all agreed to. And the reason why we agreed to it, I did Councilman Alexander did oppose at that time. The reason why we did agree to it was because if you have multitudes of projects going on, nothing gets. [0:53:56, 0:53:56]: It's done. [0:53:57, 0:54:17]: You gotta pinpoint one, get it started, and then go to the next. And that's what we're doing. They should be breaking ground on the amphitheater soon and other projects. In regards to this discussion, I think that we should wait to vote on an issue on the alleyway on going ahead and moving forward. [0:54:17, 0:54:37]: We have a budget meeting in August. I'm not saying push it back to August. I'm not saying push it back to August. We should allow our staff to come up with ideas of funding sources. We also have a financial advisor. We we recently hired a financial advisor for all of our big projects. So we need to determine whether or not this is. [0:54:37, 0:54:43]: I mean, between land acquisitions and everything else that is coming our way, we have been very [0:54:45, 0:54:47]: Very um [0:54:48, 0:55:08]: Inundated. We've we've been very honest, very uh inundated. C we have well conservative and made sure that we're responsible for the citizens' money. You don't want to just keep spending, spending, spending, and then all of a sudden you've depleted all your funds. We need to be financially responsible. So I'm not ignoring [0:55:08, 0:55:20]: I I want the alleyway. I want everything done in downtown. I think there's a process and we should wait on staff to come back with how we should fund this project. It would be irresponsible for us to just say vote for it and do it. [0:55:21, 0:55:24]: That's what I'm saying. [0:55:25, 0:55:27]: I one hundred percent concur. [0:55:27, 0:55:31]: We can sit here and have anyone come before us with an issue. [0:55:32, 0:55:36]: We're sp we're not spending the Bank of Stockbridge money, we're spending the taxpayers' money. [0:55:37, 0:55:40]: And when it comes to spending funds, we have to look at [0:55:40, 0:55:47]: w the the appropriate way to f is spend those is spent uh spend those funds. We're not saying we're not gonna do any work. [0:55:47, 0:56:07]: But we can't sit up here and impromptu say$350,000. You wouldn't run your own checkbook like that. Why would you run the taxpayers' money like that? So we have to look at the funding sources on what we're doing and how we're gonna spend it. Because as we look at checks and balances, we're accountable for that. No matter what happens in this city, no matter what staff do, everybody looks at the [0:56:07, 0:56:12]: council and hold us accountable for what happened. And I think it's very immature. [0:56:13, 0:56:29]: and premature to sit here and say we're gonna pay$350,000 without the staff that we've hired to say, hey, where's that funding source gonna come from? Because I ran on being good stewards of taxpayers' money when it comes to the needs of the citizens that are paying the taxes. [0:56:29, 0:56:49]: This is not the bank of stock business, your taxes, your tax dollars. And to come with a resolution for what your needs are, it has to be done by staff collaborating with us to make sure we're doing it efficiently in the best way. It's easy for any council member to sit here and play these games saying, I'm gonna shoot for$50,000. [0:56:49, 0:56:51]: It sounds good to you all. [0:56:52, 0:56:53]: It sounds good. [0:56:53, 0:56:55]: But is that the appropriate way to do it? [0:56:55, 0:56:56]: It's not. [0:56:56, 0:56:57]: We've never done that. [0:56:58, 0:56:59]: And it's never happened. [0:56:59, 0:57:02]: This is an election year for three council members. [0:57:02, 0:57:06]: It's an election year. So you're gonna hear you're gonna hear a lot. [0:57:07, 0:57:08]: Here's my thing. [0:57:09, 0:57:18]: I don't run, I'm I'm not I don't campaign because I've given so much of myself each and every year here. Sitting in this seat, look at my record and look what I've done. [0:57:18, 0:57:20]: So I don't have to play politics. [0:57:21, 0:57:25]: If the citizens choose to put me back in my seat, I'll continue to serve. [0:57:25, 0:57:28]: And if they don't, I'll still continue to serve. [0:57:28, 0:57:31]: I know how to serve, I don't know how to play politics. [0:57:31, 0:57:36]: And to say right impromptu you're gonna pay three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. [0:57:37, 0:57:38]: That's inappropriate. [0:57:38, 0:57:58]: But it's satin right here. Mayor. Uh oh. Mayor. All right. One second. Alexander go right into it. See, see see, ladies and gentlemen, this is the issue that we face over and over again. It's not about politics, it's about leadership. It's about the ability to bite the bullet and to go forward with a project. Uh this council [0:57:58, 0:58:18]: Knows very well that we have uh consensus over and over about spending money for different things uh in downtown, moving the downtown forward. It's already been discussed by everybody up here, all of these projects. But in order to get them accomplished, see the staff right now is waiting on direction. [0:58:18, 0:58:18]: Mm. [0:58:19, 0:58:23]: When we vote for them to move forward with this, they're gonna do it. [0:58:23, 0:58:43]: If we vote no, and you will see the votes get ready to come. This council is holding up this project because when we vote the three hundred and fifty thousand dollars for them to move forward, the m the city manager, what did you just tell us, Mr. Knighton? I will make that motion and amend that motion to say you will find the most appropriate ways. [0:58:43, 0:58:44]: Is that what you said? [0:58:46, 0:59:01]: If you if if the council were uh inclined to approve uh up to three hundred fifty thousand dollars, the staff would look at the most appropriate funding source to uh complete the project. Absolutely. He's gonna look at the most appropriate way to fund it. [0:59:03, 0:59:23]: By the way, we have eighteen million dollars in the spot in our uh reserve fund. Eighteen million dollars. Because this council has not spent the money wisely maintaining the city. We have eighteen million dollars. Our city budget annually is ten million, so we have two years worth of [0:59:23, 0:59:43]: Reserve fund. Vote. I call the point. I call to order. I call the vote to order. Call the order. Call the question to call this vote to see whether this council is gonna lead tonight. I'm not gonna do that just yet. Councilwoman Robinson, go ahead, please. Thank you. And I hate for you guys to continue to stand. Um you've been here with me since 2017. [0:59:43, 0:59:56]: So you know what the process is. You know I haven't said a lie to anybody, okay? Because I've been right there with you. Um so my wordings are correct. Um again with staff, if there's the it was just stated up to [0:59:56, 1:00:16]: I trust that the staff, just like our city manager just stated, he will look for other funding sources. It's not like we're throwing away money because we brought them in, we entrusted them to do right by our city, okay, and our finances. So that's the type of staff and and um employees that we have at the city. They're gonna make sure that they look out. [1:00:16, 1:00:36]: out for the city and the taxpayers' monies. Again, you've guys been here since 2017 when I bought the youth. I don't have time to lie. I don't have time for the politics. When you stated on social media, I told you, come before the mayor and council so that your voice is heard. Same way these other people, they're here. They had to come show so their voices were [1:00:36, 1:00:41]: will be heard because if not, it's gonna be a consensus and they see it for themselves. Thank you so much. [1:00:42, 1:00:51]: All right, so on that on that note, um we have a motion on we have a motion on the floor and it's been seconded. So no other further comments. All in favor of the motion please indicate. [1:00:53, 1:00:54]: All all oppose. [1:00:55, 1:01:15]: I abstain. And the reason I'm abstaining is that we have a process and that process is to get a financial get from our I'm giving my reason for abstaining. We have a process and the reason why we have a process is to make sure that we don't just throw away or waste money when there are grants. [1:01:15, 1:01:27]: C D B G funds and other things that could fund in a particular manner. We have already approved this project. So that's why I'm Okay, what it was is three one one. Okay. Yes, sir. Thank you. [1:01:28, 1:01:48]: This is what this is doing is taking a plan already in place and piecing it. When you have a master plan on what to do, then we agree to that amount of funds and we don't piece it off. We do it everything. We do it all. We sit down and we say if it gonna take one point two million or whatever, that does it all. [1:01:48, 1:01:50]: That's what we've been talking about. [1:01:51, 1:02:01]: But to sit here and say we're gonna piece this and piece that, that's not the way to do it. It's just not the way to do it. All right. Ross. Go go right ahead, please. [1:02:03, 1:02:11]: I've said this three or four times already. I am a diligent, supportive member of the Main Street program. [1:02:11, 1:02:14]: I'm in favor of the RSBP. [1:02:15, 1:02:27]: I've had issues with this moving forward. But the reason I voted yes, because what I heard and when my city manager speaks and he said that he is going to find [1:02:27, 1:02:34]: the appropriate appropriate place to get the funds. That's what I hold him to. [1:02:36, 1:02:38]: And I believe that he is going to do that. [1:02:40, 1:02:46]: And I think it's gonna be appropriate when he do that. I'm not in favor of just spending money willy nilly. [1:02:46, 1:02:48]: But if he makes the statement that [1:02:49, 1:02:51]: That he is going to find the appropriate [1:02:52, 1:02:59]: Place to get these funds. That's what I'm in favor of. I'm in favor of the RSBP. It is a great plan. [1:03:00, 1:03:02]: I agree with everything been said. [1:03:03, 1:03:05]: positive and negative about funding. [1:03:06, 1:03:16]: We had to be careful, as Mayor Pro Tem said about spending money. We do not have a city tax. Now, let me see the hand well. [1:03:16, 1:03:24]: If I ask you to raise your hand and who all would like to see a city tax imposed on you, then that's that's the truth. [1:03:25, 1:03:31]: If we had a city tax, yeah, we can spend money. We can do a lot of things. But who in here wants a city tax? Nobody. [1:03:31, 1:03:35]: I'm a citizen. I don't want a city tech. So in closing [1:03:36, 1:03:43]: When my middle city manager says that he is going to find the appropriate place to pull these funds from. [1:03:43, 1:03:46]: I'm in favor of that. And that's what I would hold him to. [1:03:47, 1:03:47]: Ms. Robinson. [1:03:48, 1:04:00]: Do you have anything else you gonna say? I really didn't. I was just hoping we could move forward so these gentlemen can have a seat. Okay, so three one one and thank you, gentlemen. Okay, appreciate it. Appreciate your time and effort. Can I leave you with one? Yeah, go right ahead, please. [1:04:02, 1:04:11]: And just a little over a year from now, the city of Stockbridge plans to celebrate its centennial being one hundred years old. I ask each of you [1:04:11, 1:04:13]: With an RSPP plan in place. [1:04:14, 1:04:25]: incorporated as part of your uh comprehensive plan, what do you think downtown Stockbridge will look like like this time next year? Absolutely, we gotta move forward. [1:04:30, 1:04:38]: Thank you, gentlemen. On that note, uh Pine View sub uh Pine Grove Subdivision update and site visit from june eleventh, twenty nineteen. Miss Moore, please. [1:04:41, 1:05:01]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good morning. Good evening. What staff is bringing before you tonight is an update on our site visit to Pine Grove subdivision. Thank you. As you're aware at the last council meeting, it was requested that staff go out to Pine Grove to do an analysis of cult violations. Let me just say I've given each of you [1:05:01, 1:05:05]: a analysis of that report. I think Mr. Rogers, is that your name? [1:05:06, 1:05:10]: Mrs. Jackson. Mrs. Jackson has a hundred copies. [1:05:10, 1:05:15]: We submitted this report to Pine Grove Subdivision over three weeks ago. [1:05:16, 1:05:36]: And ask them to submit this to all of you. So here is where we are today. Just to begin with, uh, for Mayor and Council to be aware, the city of Stockbridge does not get involved in the issues of HOAs. We're precluded from getting involved in any issue. [1:05:36, 1:05:56]: Issues that pertain to an HOA, a management company, or its residents. By law, what we are required to do is to handle code violations and code violations only. So what staff proceeded to do was to go out to the site, the [1:05:55, 1:06:15]: The day immediately after the council meeting for the next three days, and we had our billing department and we went out to look for code violations, which is legally the only thing the city of Stockbridge can do. What we provided to you in this report is a copy of those code violations. [1:06:15, 1:06:35]: There were 53 items that were identified that pertain to the common areas, which is the swimming pool, the clubhouse, the tennis court, and the parking area right in front of the clubhouse. We provided in this report all of those items, and we provided the code. [1:06:35, 1:06:55]: Sections. Why is this important? Because we can only address legally code violations. So this report includes all 53 items and the code section that is listed that legally shows what code violation is in the mix. [1:06:55, 1:07:15]: Of the 53 violations that were identified, 60% of these violations have been brought up to compliance. In your report, we have a copy highlighted in red of all of those items that have been brought into compliance, with 40% of those items remaining to be. [1:07:15, 1:07:35]: Be completed by July 1st. In our report, what we have stated is that once these items have been brought up to compliance, it is incumbent upon the residents in Pine Grove to get them an attorney to make sure that the HOA is turned over. [1:07:35, 1:07:55]: To them as quickly as possible so that they can oversee the clubhouse, the tennis court, in any common areas. Because we want to make sure that once these items have been signed off on, that there's no vandalism to the clubhouse, the pool, or anything else. [1:07:55, 1:08:15]: House prior to it being turned over to the residents, and this needs to occur as quickly as possible. This is the end of my report. We replied a hundred supplied a hundred copies for the residents. Again, we sent this out two weeks ago to be distributed to every single resident that lives in Pine Grove. So I'm here to answer any questions. [1:08:15, 1:08:35]: Thank you, Camilla. Counsel. I would matter. Mr. Robinson comments you write it, please. Um, I guess you had the it should be done by July the first, correct? Um we had a meeting with certain members and they wanted to know um and I guess somebody got back that we're having HO meeting, HOA meetings at City Hall, which is incorrect. Um the meeting was more so to ask updates. [1:08:35, 1:08:55]: Questions so that way they would have that because we had a large um group the last time. So if we minimize it, it'll keep the back and forth. That's what I was trying to do. Um, but not have a HOA meeting that was stated here earlier. Um, but the question that they basically had was um with that deadline of July the 1st, they wanted to be [1:08:55, 1:09:15]: be able to also walk the um and so the city will be able to show them the follow up what actually that's on there that's um has been taken care of. And I think you stated that they would be able to do that um with the city as well. Um so I just want to make that public that we did have um five that were in attendance. Um [1:09:14, 1:09:34]: Um and one that was two that were not. Um it was also another question. May I miss Robin before you go to the next one? Just for clarify clarification. They cannot walk through the walkthrough with us. That is correct. And the um and the parties that are involved. That is correct. What we're willing to do. [1:09:34, 1:09:54]: Do is to separately with us in the city because it has not been turned over to the HOA, there is no contractual obligation, so therefore the residents cannot interfere in the city doing its job. That's right. But after that, the city is more than happy for us in the building people to go through this list and walk them through. [1:09:54, 1:10:03]: To see all of the things that we've signed off on. Yes, ma'am. And that that was the actual so everybody would know that that would the city would be able to do that. Um [1:10:04, 1:10:17]: It was also stated um some still are concerned and maybe you could address this, um, how that in the covenant um that everyone signed up for, um, but somehow with the city the covenant um changed with the new [1:10:18, 1:10:38]: um developer which is doing Pine View. Um so they wanted to um can you kind of explain the difference of why the cities allow them to move forward with the second phase when they had numerous code violations for the first phase. So let me finish. So if we're bringing [1:10:37, 1:10:57]: Bringing the allowing developers in our city, um, we want to make sure that they're upholding. Because if we're saying we're being good stores of funding, um, these are taxpayers' monies, then we should be a top priority, saying the citizens should be top priority in our communities. So um there was a concern. [1:10:57, 1:11:17]: concern and maybe you can elaborate on that um because with the prior admi um staff city manager he was holding them with those code violations to not provide permits and for them to go to pine view because in our covenant that's what it states so if you can explain to why all of a sudden [1:11:17, 1:11:37]: And recently um it was stated that the Pine View can break off from Pine Grove to be able to build new homes and the city will be able to receive those services from Pine View. So if you can explain. Well, first I need to let them understand there's a difference between covenants and [1:11:37, 1:11:57]: And development agreement. Okay. The city of Stockbridge has not amended any covenants for the HOA. That's right. Cities don't get involved in HOA affairs. So therefore, we can't amend any covenants. What a city can do is to demand a zoning portion of how property. [1:11:57, 1:12:17]: Is develop. That is a development agreement. A development agreement says that you are going to adhere to certain zoning conditions that pertains to density, that pertains to facade, that pertains to your amenities package. That's a development agreement. [1:12:17, 1:12:37]: Does have a right based under zoning codes to amend a development agreement. We do it all the time, particularly when you have developments that were master communities and they've gone busts, like we had happen in 2008. So several have come before you where they've said, you know what, that phase that was developed [1:12:37, 1:12:57]: 15 years ago, on our side, as it relates to zoning, as it relates to density, as it relates to facade, we want to develop this parcel of this phase different from a phase that were developed 12 years ago. So we did not change the covenants. That is still gonna be up to pine grove. [1:12:57, 1:13:15]: Pineview and whomever because that is a private matter to discuss the covenant. What the city agreed to do was to deal with the zoning aspect of it. For example, when Pine Grove was developed 12 years ago, your facade standards were different. [1:13:15, 1:13:35]: Since that time, Mayor and Council asked for us to come back with a more stringent facade for residential that now requires three-sided brick, stone, or stucco. Those are design and development standards that are part of a development and design standard. [1:13:35, 1:13:55]: Mayor, if I can do um complete this part of it. Um you're absolutely right. The city has nothing to do with the covenants, Ms. Moore. However, again, the question is if this developer was already causing problems with your community, community in the city limits, why would we allow [1:13:56, 1:14:05]: They weren't. Again. Again. Why would we allow because the previous and the city attorney, he was here when the previous city manager. [1:14:06, 1:14:07]: Okay. [1:14:08, 1:14:28]: So at the end, knowing that this is happening, our previous city manager made sure that they completed all of the code violations before allowing them to come before mayor and council to say that this has been done, it has been turned over because they are part of [1:14:28, 1:14:48]: Ms. Robinson, I looked through the files and I was not able to find any set of co violations from Mr. Michael Harris. On on our file, this is the first set of code violations. Can I can I just jump in because there's a misunderstanding as to what [1:14:48, 1:14:58]: the the new development agreement does. It does two things. Yes, it does provide for the the enhanced facade and the zoning, the density, all that stuff. [1:14:58, 1:15:03]: But it also provides that this development group the the DRAPEC group [1:15:04, 1:15:05]: is agreeing to [1:15:06, 1:15:24]: fix all the code violations. There's a long list that Ms. Moore discussed and in exchange for fixing those code violations, then they can begin to develop the new subdivision. And so we needed someone to take responsibility since Rialto and [1:15:24, 1:15:29]: And Silverstone all no one would take responsibility. So finally the new developer [1:15:29, 1:15:30]: agreed. [1:15:30, 1:15:35]: We'll do it because we don't want our development held up. And so the development agreement that the council approved. [1:15:36, 1:15:39]: Provides a laundry list of things they have to fix. [1:15:39, 1:15:44]: in exchange for proceeding with their development and if they don't then we'll hold them accountable to [1:15:45, 1:15:46]: Until they are fixed. [1:15:46, 1:16:06]: Okay, thank you. Thank you. That that is what I wanted to so we'll specify. Thank you. Sir. You had another response to that? No, go right in. Go right in. Okay. So w what I wanna know next is um I wanna get to the bottom line. When are the when are the residents of Pine Grove going to be able to use the swimming pool? [1:16:06, 1:16:26]: In the clubhouse. And it's gonna be July 1st? No, no. It said in here. If you read Councilman Alexander. Okay, I'll wait, it says in here that they would have to have possession of it. They're gonna have to figure out, that's why they need an attorney. They need to own. [1:16:26, 1:16:28]: own their own HOA. [1:16:29, 1:16:37]: Well it's uh well sir, please. In or right now you do not have possession of your pool. So who are you gonna ask to unlock the door? [1:16:38, 1:16:46]: Who are you gonna ask the phone for? Camilla, Ms. Moore, Ms. Moore, let me follow. So Ms. Moore, address the council, please. What would have to happen? [1:16:46, 1:16:55]: They're gonna have to work out an arrangement with someone that will allow them to use the, we haven't been able to find Rialto. [1:16:55, 1:17:08]: Um right now Drake hat is trying to bring up the code, but they really need possession of it. So the answer is until they can identify someone to give it to them, they have to find somebody that takes ownership of it. [1:17:09, 1:17:29]: Follow up. Mr. Williams, will you please explain to us? They've given them they've agreed to pay the money to fix all of these items. They've agreed to do that. Right? They've already agreed to do that. That's correct. So when why can't they why can't we just take those funds and they fix the [1:17:29, 1:17:37]: pool and the clubhouse and open them up. Because the the homeowners association, which is currently controlled by Rialto. [1:17:38, 1:17:43]: The homeowners association controls access to the clubhouse access to the pool. [1:17:43, 1:17:46]: access to all the these other items. [1:17:46, 1:17:57]: And so we can working with with code enforcement and and then the the quality of the pool is a is a is a separate issue because that's governed by the the county health department. [1:17:57, 1:17:58]: But we can [1:17:58, 1:18:05]: work on fixing all the code violations and the county can work on making sure that the water is safe to get into. [1:18:06, 1:18:09]: But in terms of access to that, that's a different matter. [1:18:10, 1:18:16]: Okay. Mayor. Mayor. One second, please. You you good? You you I thought she had a question, but go right ahead. [1:18:17, 1:18:36]: The um when this came to us I th I forget what recently what month ago we just when it came to council because prior to there, I'm not we're talking about stuff with Mr. Harris or whatever, but I yet prior to when we first got that uh a few months ago [1:18:37, 1:18:54]: We I haven't seen anything on this Pine Grove uh situation. And that's when I address um uh city attorney and you, Mr. uh Knighton, about because of the in my understanding there was an ad development agreement that was put in, I think two thousand and one. [1:18:55, 1:19:15]: When the original development agreement was put in place. And then I think it was Dray Pack or whoever wanted to come in, they wanted to do a Pine View or whatever. And I questioned that then. I said, Why why this why hadn't this come to council? Because to me, the whole situation was convoluted in itself. And since it had never there's nothing on record, I just want everybody to be [1:19:15, 1:19:15]: Yeah. [1:19:16, 1:19:26]: There's nothing on record. If if anybody up here can show me a piece of paper where this came to council, I will apologize. But it's nothing on record that showed that this came to council. [1:19:26, 1:19:37]: It never did come to council. It's when we start trying to handle the s city's business behind closed doors without everybody being open and saying the same thing and I have to keep harboring on that. [1:19:37, 1:19:45]: If we don't we're not privy to the information, how can we give an input and give direction? Because the word consensus has been moving around here today. [1:19:46, 1:19:57]: So when I found that out, I immediately sat down with you all and said, then why haven't that came to ha has come haven't come to council? Because I see that things were being moved with that. [1:19:58, 1:20:13]: And when Miss Moore and everybody got involved, then at this point, then everything's got convoluted because all these different names now being thrown at us that we we just didn't know what was gonna know what was going on. We just didn't know nothing has shown a piece of paper. [1:20:14, 1:20:19]: that it came to council. M Mr William, you can speak on that. I don't remember that ever coming to council. [1:20:21, 1:20:27]: I I cannot answer that question without going into matters discussed during executive session. Okay. [1:20:28, 1:20:48]: This year. Yes. Um, so I have a couple questions. I just want clarification. I want not necessarily questions, but uh for everyone to understand, again, um uh some citizens came last meeting and the same comments I'm making now, I'm gonna make again um as a real I'm a real estate. [1:20:48, 1:21:08]: State attorney, and I'm telling you to go get an attorney. And it's the same thing I've said over and over again. Um, there's a line that we have, there's a hire, there's a line that we have. We have the responsibilities of the city, which are code enforcement violations. Those are the lists that Miss Moore just spoke of. [1:21:08, 1:21:28]: The list that she spoke of of those things that need to be completed. And then you have your hoa issues, the issues of access to your pool, the issues of who is billing you and why are you getting billed? Those issues are are things that you have to handle as a subdivision. Now it is to [1:21:28, 1:21:48]: my understanding that some people have gathered together and are deciding who the board members are gonna be. That's that's to c that's to be commendable if that's what your entire subdivision plans on doing, but be aware of that that you do have some of your citizens in your subdivision that are talking about how forming their board. [1:21:48, 1:22:01]: So make sure that you meet with those individuals and speak with them and find out who they are and find out if those are the officers that you want. And and you guys need to get together. [1:22:02, 1:22:22]: And get you an attorney. And we are handling the other side, which is the code enforcement violations. There there also, there's also what Mr. Williams stated, the developer who's developing the new subdivision, there is no proof. There we don't have any proof that there's a relationship [1:22:22, 1:22:31]: From the original developer to this new developer. There is no proof of that. And I've done a title search on the property myself. [1:22:31, 1:22:33]: There's no proof of that. [1:22:33, 1:22:53]: There's Knights development that was the original developer that went bankrupt. And I'll be more than happy to share with you guys. You can call me, email me, and I'll help you as much as I can. But I'm I'm I mean, I can answer whatever question I can. But the truth is the development agreement that we have with this new developer. [1:22:54, 1:23:02]: This is a new developer. We're saying to him, you have in order to continue to build, you need to fix what somebody else did. [1:23:02, 1:23:22]: Do you understand what what I'm saying? So there's a jurisdiction thing there that I just really want you guys to understand. That's all. Okay, stand by stand by one second. Stand by. Citizens, I'm gonna tell you what. If you're in the audience, I'm not gonna announce you, address you in the audience to put your hands on because I'm not gonna acknowledge that. You had an opportunity for public comments. Once once again, once [1:23:22, 1:23:39]: Once this is done, once Ms. Moore is done with the council, Council answered all the questions, Ms. Moore would be more than willing to answer any of your questions outside the chamber or close the door. You can go out there and have those discussions with Ms. Moore. And we'll continue on with the meeting. So please put your hands down. Councilwoman Robinson, please. Thank you, Mayor. [1:23:40, 1:23:52]: I just wanna say and thank you for asking the city attorney for his comments and I'm I'm thankful that he's truthful to let it be known that um he couldn't address what was stated in executive session. [1:23:52, 1:24:03]: Um for the Pine Groves um residents, we do have potential people that may um be on the board, but it will be the decision of the community once we have our meeting. [1:24:03, 1:24:23]: Uh we do have an attorney that is here um that will be becoming before the community um at our meeting that's gonna be held in the community, not at City Hall. Um so I just want each of you to know that we're on it. Mr. Jackson, um, Ms. Collins, um, Miss Wiggins, it's several others. [1:24:23, 1:24:43]: Can't remember last name, but several others that that are here to speak for our community. Okay. I will say the comment in reference to the pool. Um, Mr. Attorney, here's a printout from the county that were received by one of the residents. Okay. Um, so one of the residents received the pool in the [1:24:43, 1:24:52]: inspection report, which is here. Um, and that will be shared. Um, that came from the county as well. So I just want everybody to understand. [1:24:53, 1:24:54]: Even with the city. [1:24:55, 1:25:12]: We don't want to point blame. I handed some of the residents the name of Rialto, their address. We keep saying that we don't know how to find them. I just pass it out. And when it's saying emails, there's no emails, I brought that before my colleagues. I did. [1:25:13, 1:25:33]: I did that. I've been doing it since twenty fifteen. But until you came, that's when they hear it. They didn't want to hear. I was the messenger. Sometimes it's it's personal, put political. You don't want to hear the messenger. So I had to tell you had to speak for yourself. Okay. But there is emails that goes all the way back to Mr. Harris that [1:25:33, 1:25:53]: That I have and council was was included. All of that is there, and I have that as well. So I'm not up here political. Like I said, I've been doing this since 2015. Everybody in here saw me up on a tent. So it's not it's not political. I'm not up here for votes. I need my community, and that's [1:25:53, 1:25:56]: That's why I ran for office because I wanted to be the voice. [1:26:00, 1:26:00]: Yeah. [1:26:00, 1:26:20]: Yeah, you have something else you need to say? Well, I was gonna do the close out in terms of the next step, but I'll wait till after you finish. Any other questions for go ahead please. Okay, so what the next steps in this process is is on July the first. Uh we will go out after the July 1st to do a final inspection on the last 40%. And then at that [1:26:20, 1:26:40]: Point in time, we want to make sure that those items are in compliance. If they're not in compliance, then we will have to get with our attorney to talk about the next step in terms of whether or not there are any court citations as it relates to not bringing code violations into compliance. But that will be the step. And then so the next time council meet on the eighth. [1:26:40, 1:26:58]: We'll be prepared to bring back the final report. By that time we would have had a walkthrough with everybody as well as with the residents out there. Uh and then we'll be able to bring back on the eighth a final report on where we are and what has and has not been done and what's the next step at that point in time, Mayor. All right. Thank you for your report. [1:26:59, 1:27:01]: And of course they're out there to talk to you further. Appreciate that. [1:27:02, 1:27:02]: All right. [1:27:03, 1:27:23]: Agenda requests, uh appeal hearing hearing. Applicant Gerardine Biggs, Warriors Against the Devil's Ministries, appeal of the denial of the business uh wow, business permit. Wait a minute. Okay. And 5365 North Henry Boulevard proposed use church moratorium restriction. Miss Moore, I'm sorry, that's right, you have this one. [1:27:23, 1:27:24]: [5245.0, 5247.1]: I don't know if the appellant is here. [1:27:27, 1:27:28]: Is she no is she's not here? [1:27:29, 1:27:29]: Where [1:27:29, 1:27:41]: Ms. Jared Gerard Geraldine, I think that must be her right there. Okay. Um all staff has to say is that the we're gonna let the appellate speak for themselves and whatever it is the will of this uh mayor and council, we will honor. [1:27:42, 1:27:43]: Okay. [1:27:46, 1:27:53]: Hello, Mayor and Council. Hi, how you doing, Miss Ma'am? I'm Geraldine Biggs. I'm the Apostle and CEO of Warriors Against the Devil's Ministries. [1:27:54, 1:28:00]: And I'm here before you because uh last year in twenty eighteen we signed a lease. [1:28:00, 1:28:07]: and made payment to get occupy the building on stuck on um O Henry, fifty three sixty five O Henry. [1:28:08, 1:28:13]: We went through all the permits, we passed everything except for the fire department. [1:28:13, 1:28:20]: The fire department deemed that the owner would have to place fire sprinklers in all the facilities on the lot. [1:28:20, 1:28:31]: So on the uh day after the ins the day of the inspection, I emailed the owner and let him know what was going on. He said it would take a little time for him to get his fire sprinklers installed. [1:28:31, 1:28:33]: So I've been asking him [1:28:34, 1:28:35]: Come on through so we can get this [1:28:36, 1:28:39]: approved by the fire department when you get the permits. [1:28:40, 1:28:41]: Satisfying. [1:28:42, 1:28:42]: So [1:28:43, 1:28:47]: He's been ignoring me and not paying me any attention. [1:28:47, 1:28:49]: So I get an email. [1:28:49, 1:28:50]: Last month. [1:28:51, 1:28:55]: telling me about the moratorium. He cannot lease it to me. [1:28:55, 1:28:56]: And I'm at the point. [1:28:57, 1:29:00]: I should have been in in September two thousand and eighteen. [1:29:00, 1:29:03]: That's what was the contingent of the lease that after I passed all the permits. [1:29:04, 1:29:10]: I can go in and take up possession of the building. So my thing right now is [1:29:11, 1:29:25]: I'm looking for exemption from the denial for us to continue on with the permit procedure. We paid for everything to get the permits. The fire department came out and I give you guys copies of the fire report uh from the fire department. [1:29:25, 1:29:29]: You know, so I can't move until the owner moves. [1:29:31, 1:29:41]: So this is where I'm standing. Now I'm asking for at least give me thirty days to get him to get those sprinklers in there because the fire department, um the chief uh told me that [1:29:41, 1:29:49]: It should have been that those sprinklers should have been there anyway. He didn't know how the other buildings got past. [1:29:51, 1:29:58]: Okay. So I feel like I'm being held accountable for something he should have taken care of. [1:29:58, 1:30:07]: And being a business position and in that place where people are coming and going, the safety of the people were in danger anyway, not because I'm moving in. [1:30:08, 1:30:09]: Okay. [1:30:09, 1:30:23]: All right. So you asked for you want thirty days, as you're asking for a thirty day reception to to to to get this all straight, just thirty days. I'm giving him I want to give him thirty days to get the fire sprinkler's in because he set on me almost a year. Okay. [1:30:23, 1:30:34]: And I say if we c I can get the thirty days and say that the council, the mayor and the council has given me thirty days to have you to complete this, then he would move on it.'Cause he's not listening to me. All right. [1:30:35, 1:30:43]: All right, council. I I I well before I go to council, you we d well long we can make the obviously make the decision. You got any legal input that you want to put at this time, sir? [1:30:45, 1:30:45]: Thank you. [1:30:46, 1:30:55]: From the uh the issue that staff is looking at is the basis for providing the exemption. As you recall, last time. [1:30:55, 1:31:14]: You provide an exemption for an assembly use because it was a standalone building. It had its own parking and and you know, it could be considered discreetly. My understanding is this is in a shopping center, it's not a standalone and it's assembly uh and you don't have standards yet in place because of the zoning [1:31:14, 1:31:17]: rewrite is is to be underway and so [1:31:18, 1:31:18]: Um [1:31:19, 1:31:24]: I don't know that the the that Miss Moore had a recommendation other than [1:31:24, 1:31:28]: to maintain the existing moratorium as it related to this use. [1:31:28, 1:31:29]: Okay, thank you. [1:31:30, 1:31:34]: Go right ahead down, sir. You got my go ahead, sir. [1:31:34, 1:31:54]: Yeah, ma'am, I I although I feel for you uh in this particular situation as a realtor, it sounds like the the owner's playing you. That's what it really sounds like. He's not in he really doesn't want th what it sounds like to me, but I can't say with one hundred percent certainty, is he won he don't really want to put the sprinklers in. And he's using this as [1:31:54, 1:32:04]: as an excuse. I I would be very leery of at this point, if I were you, I'm giving you my own opinion. I'm not giving you the city's opinion. [1:32:04, 1:32:09]: But I would I don't know if if if this is the if you're having trouble working with this [1:32:10, 1:32:14]: Landlord at this point, what happens after you sign a lease with'em? You know what I mean? [1:32:15, 1:32:35]: Right, that's what I'm saying. But uh at the uh but after you you're having trouble getting them to move and to act uh in the appropriate way already before you move in there. That would be my precaution. But the city attorney has given us the basis for my opinion. I what we really did not want was assembly uses [1:32:35, 1:32:55]: In a shopping center. That's something that we're trying to move away from. We gave it exemption on a business that was based on having it in being in a standalone business. But we didn't really want assembly uses in a shopping center. That is the basis for the [1:32:55, 1:33:15]: Moratorium, which is why we chose to go in this particular direction. So I personally I think this is exactly why we signed the moratorium, which is to keep all assembly uses out of uh a shopping center, whether you wanted to choose a building, a standalone building that wasn't [1:33:15, 1:33:24]: wasn't in a shopping center, we'd be more than happy to I would be willing to more than happy to vote for that. But I can't vote for this in the shopping center based on the moratorium. [1:33:25, 1:33:26]: Ms. Gantt, please. [1:33:26, 1:33:37]: I I guess one of my concerns is uh the issue of we can't also neither can we waive any dealing with fire ex you know, the fire um [1:33:37, 1:33:57]: sprinklers. You know, that's a concern. I can't turn a blind eye on that. Um, you know, we're here for to legislate on making um for the health safety and welfare of all citizens. And so, you know, the own if there are certain requirements that have to be met, then there's certain requirements that have to be met. Um I also [1:33:57, 1:34:17]: um agree that we have certain standards that the council has agreed to in regards to an um assemblage right now and and where we're headed, but I can't do anything. My our hand I don't know what you want us to do um about the owner of a building at this time. Well my question to the matter is [1:34:17, 1:34:19]: Yes. Um [1:34:20, 1:34:28]: Had I been in there when the lease proposed for me to be in there after all the permits were completed and passed for the city. [1:34:28, 1:34:34]: Would the moratorium have affected me because I'm past due and supposed to be in and per my contract? [1:34:37, 1:34:57]: Well I would think if the moratorium still would have been in effect at that time uh in that aspect. It wouldn't have been in effect, right. So if I had been in the building, would I be required to move out because I was in the business had possession of the building. I I would say. Yep. I would say she'd be grandfathered in should if that time if her application [1:34:57, 1:35:03]: was in prior to the original imposition of the moratorium, then she could have been grandfather, but this [1:35:03, 1:35:23]: moratorium has been in place for well over a year, to my understanding. Right. Yes. I I don't know exactly when her her original application came in, so I can't answer that. Um a couple of questions. Um but even then the requirements from the fire marshal still would have been for sprinklers to be put in [1:35:23, 1:35:32]: in and I think that's the issue that you're dealing with that the own the who the owner, whoever's rented to you, saying that they're not gonna put sprinklers in because you say they're giving you a runaround. [1:35:32, 1:35:52]: And you also said that because they want to put have to put sprinklers in, is that they don't want to rent it to you now. So whatever lease agreement you sign, it sounds like they're ready to say, hey, we're not gonna do that, so we'll let allow you out of your lease agreement. Is that that's what I'm hearing? No, they haven't offered me my money back or anything. But you but I'm saying I'm just going off what you state. [1:35:52, 1:35:54]: [5755.0, 5762.7]: Because they have to put sprinklers in. No, that they wanna they they're not gonna lease it. Sorry. They wrote me and told me that [1:36:03, 1:36:13]: They got the moratorium. I didn't give this information until in May. I got an email that they said they could not lease to me because they received a moratorium. [1:36:14, 1:36:18]: That the churches and nail shops and all of that could not be in [1:36:19, 1:36:39]: But you've already signed a the lease agreement. Yes, I've I preached. And they're not offered and they're obviously not offered to give you your money back. They have not offered to give me my money back. Have you requested the money back? I have not requested it because I believe that due to his holding back on me, because I had uh several emails where I requested a move in date. [1:36:39, 1:36:40]: [5802.4, 5821.1]: He told me that he went and put smoke detectors in there. He told me he talked to the chief of fire department. I called the chief of fire department and I asked him if he spoke with him. He said I have never spoke to that court. Mayor. Send my pleasure. Go qu go right ahead, sir. [1:37:01, 1:37:15]: Miss Moore, if you can clear this up for us, because even if then the requirement would have still been for sprinklers, is that right? So she wouldn't have still wouldn't have been able to move in it, even if she had signed a lease and [1:37:15, 1:37:31]: Uh to to get permitted it would have been if you can sound to me based on what she's saying, how he's responded, he knows that. And I think that if she asked him for the money back, he may don't know. But apparently he understood that based on the building requirements of what he would need to do to bring that up to code. [1:37:31, 1:37:33]: It's probably why you didn't get a move in date. [1:37:33, 1:37:42]: Probably why he kept changing it and probably why he just went up there and put out smoke detectors because he probably didn't want to do the investment to bring it up to Code. [1:37:43, 1:37:45]: Yes, sir, go right ahead. [1:37:46, 1:37:52]: My suggestion and recommendation to you or any potential business owner [1:37:53, 1:37:55]: Let your let the city be your first stop. [1:37:56, 1:38:05]: And ask your question before you sign lease or anything. Always come to the city first. And that would've saved you a lot of grief. [1:38:06, 1:38:26]: Mayor. Okay. Mayor. Thank you. Um I received from phone calls. It's several up on North Henry Boulevard that are going through this same situation. And I spoke with the Henry County Fire Chief, and there's nothing because again, it's safety. Um safety is the most important thing, and they actually the ones that [1:38:26, 1:38:46]: that were calling me, it was two um that they could not have service um even in there because they had those didn't have sprinklers. So I mean I would suggest for you to actually put your request in writing um to this per to this owner, um, whatever deposits, whatever you [1:38:46, 1:39:06]: you put down, put it in writing so that way you will have that if you have need it, you know, for his legal action against them. Um but it's just unfortunately uh unfortunate. Um but the way we stand, I mean I look at it just like the others that came to me um was basically it's a safety. It's a safety hazard when it's an [1:39:06, 1:39:08]: on assembly and that's the concern. [1:39:08, 1:39:09]: And [1:39:10, 1:39:14]: There are other churches that are in the in that uh [1:39:15, 1:39:35]: Right. As well. And so to me, Miss Moore, the question for you is that is something um and I mentioned to um Brad um when I talked to the sick county manager Sherry um as well, that is something that we need to look into with since we have our fire marshal, um, to make sure that um we're going to [1:39:35, 1:39:53]: down the sheet to make sure that we're doing what we are supposed to be doing um even after the fact. Um because even like she's saying it looks like you've just been s picked out of the group, you know, when it's unfortunate, but it's a safety hazard. Well but not only that, they proceeded to moratorium. [1:39:55, 1:39:55]: That's right. [1:39:55, 1:39:55]: No. [1:39:56, 1:40:06]: So otherwise those business of grandfathered in what amounts to I got okay. So ma'am, when was when did you have your lease? Do you know the date? I signed the Greek the lease in August. [1:40:07, 1:40:10]: Yeah, we were the moratorium. Yeah. [1:40:12, 1:40:12]: Mm. [1:40:14, 1:40:27]: Okay. So, uh you got something else, sir? No, I just wanna make it more. So in all actuality, I guess there's a there's a vote that's uh necessary here in reference to whether we accept this or not in this aspect. And so [1:40:27, 1:40:35]: I make to make the motion to um go with the recommendation of the zoning advisory board and maintain this denial. [1:40:35, 1:40:38]: Maintain what now? The denial. Denial. Okay, is there a second? [1:40:39, 1:40:45]: I second. Okay. I assume there's probably no other further conversation. All in favor of the motion, please indicate. [1:40:47, 1:40:54]: Okay. Four uh same? Yeah, I'll recuse myself. Okay, so you recruit so it's four zero one. Sorry, ma'am. [1:40:55, 1:40:56]: Minister Asper, thank you for coming. [1:40:57, 1:40:58]: Bitte nein. [1:40:59, 1:41:19]: Okay, appeal hearing. Applicant Andrew James Dixon appeal for denial of a business permit. 31 Highway 138, Suite 240, proposed use of tattoo studio. Moratorium denial for re uh reason for denial, moratorium restriction. Miss Moore, please. Yes. As you know, tattoo parlors actually fail under your moratorium. [1:41:19, 1:41:22]: And this was one of the gentlemen that asked for the appeal. [1:41:23, 1:41:43]: Okay, sir. How you doing? Hey, how are you doing? Good. Could you further explain your situation, please? Um, well, my name is Andrew James Dixon. Um, I've been a resident of Decatur. I was born and raised in Decatur. Um, you know, everybody has the dream of uh one day owning their own business and being an entrepreneur. Um I've been tattooing professionally for 11 years, um, and I've grown. Um and here, I know y'all [1:41:43, 1:42:03]: I have the moratorium in the city of Stockbridge. Um, I'm soon to be a resident of Stockbridge. I'm actually gonna be closing out my house in the Brenton Wood Park subdivision soon. And um, I was looking to keep my business in the community so I could have easy access to my kids and my family as well. Um, I know a lot of people come and they say the tattoo studios, um I'm different though. Um when I say I'm different, um I put in a lot of hard work and um [1:42:03, 1:42:23]: I grew up in the public school system. Um, and there was a poster that was out there that said, um, you miss 100% of the shots that you don't take. So this is my shot to make my dream come true. So of opening my own business. Um basically the what makes me different is um through the 11 years, I have uh and I have my uh artist portfolio right here with me if y'all would like to take a look at it, um, where I have like extensively and [1:42:23, 1:42:43]: extensively gone through uh you know mentorships. Um you know I did a we have to do apprenticeships and our thing um to grow my skill level to a point where I do not just like street shop tattoos, but you know I do fine pieces of art. A lot of people, I know I know tattoo shops get a bad rep, but I, you know, I'm different. You know, my parents were pastors and stuff like that. [1:42:43, 1:43:03]: And you know, my me being a tattoo artist is my way to be a light. Um we're dealing with people that go through things like you know, it's it's the regular stuff, but you know, you have the special people, you know, people that go through you know moments in life where they have hard times and those pieces of art are ways to deal with it and you know also ways to you know remember those things. Um it defines who you are and where you came from and not letting those moments define you. [1:43:03, 1:43:23]: Um and my art skills have grown to the level where I've also attracted celebrity clientele and stuff like that, which include that I also have pictures with Atlanta Falcons, Tackin Kinley, um Houston Texans, Deontay Burton, uh Tawanda Braxton from the Braxton sisters. So um I'm not your typical tattoo studio that's just trying to come up and be a hole in the wall. Um I can't I [1:43:23, 1:43:43]: I believe y'all have already uh y'all know the one on Jodica Road. Um that's uh Mark Society. I worked for Grant um in Conyers for five years. Um, and you know, he's just a successful business, but the difference between Grant and me is that Grant is is he is a tattoo collector. He's not an artist. So I'm actually the one that puts out the art and it'll be my business and my brand and everything. [1:43:43, 1:44:03]: The reason I'm sitting here before you today was because I was a young, ambitious man and I never took I never took no for an answer. I went to college, college wasn't for me, and you know my parents said oh you'll never be a tattoo artist, can never sustain a family. I proved them wrong. And here I am today sitting making well money, tattooing and enjoying my life, and now I also have the opportunity to [1:44:02, 1:44:14]: do something where I don't have to do have a nine to five. I get to tattoo people, have my art and also be able to have the balance of family and money. So I'm standing here before you to ask you to have an exemption from the moratorium because [1:44:14, 1:44:15]: This is my dream. [1:44:15, 1:44:35]: Um a lot of people have told me no in my life and I've never taken no for an answer, but I take all my shots and sometimes they come through, sometimes they don't, and I know this is a thing. Um like I say y'all are more than willing to uh welcome to go through my portfolio and take a look at my artwork where you can see that, you know, it's not typical artwork that you see walking around here. And you know, like I said, I I I'm I'm soon to be a citizen. [1:44:35, 1:44:55]: of uh of Stockbridge. And as a lot of these people that sat in the audience, you know, tattoos aren't bad. You know, professionals have it. Doctors, nurses, you know, I don't know if any of y'all have it. You know, so you know it's it's it's a thing where it's it's more of a profession, it's a profession for me. I take it very seriously every day. I dedicate hours on hours to going to get this done. [1:44:55, 1:45:15]: There's just one thing standing in the way of um of getting this. Um I haven't signed any leases, but I have talked extensively to properties that are up and down 138. That's where that's where my target area is. Um one of them, which I believe the address that's on file for this is the one that's in the Big Lots Plaza. Um they're more than welcome. Um when I went to look at the space, the surrounding businesses were like, yeah, man, come. [1:45:15, 1:45:35]: On uh there's other there's another uh place on North Henry Boulevard, and actually the reason I'm here today is because one of the landlords actually, when I told them about the moratorium, when I um they actually called me back the next morning, it was like 6:30 in the morning. The lady woke me up and she said she did her research on the moratorium, and the the verbiage of it said that that inception could be made if there was nothing. [1:45:35, 1:45:55]: In the vicinity. So I believe the closest tattoo studio to there, I believe, is North Henry Boulevard. But when you drive by that place, it is closed all the times of the day. And they're taking advantage of that because y'all are blocking other tattoo studios from coming in there. So they could have ill ill business practices. Me, I take I intend to be a seven-day-a-week, you know, grinded out tattoo shop that. [1:45:55, 1:46:15]: that we do professional tattoos in a clean and courteous environment that's welcome for everybody. I came from now or never. I worked there for five years in Conyers and that's the that's the reputation where we went. After that, I went to JP Alfonso Studio in Gwinnett, which was another basically high-end tattoo studio in Georgia. I know probably y'all probably don't know these names. [1:46:15, 1:46:24]: But you're more than welcome to look them up and take a look at what at what the environments that I came from and who and who mentored me, who brought me to this point that I'm at right now. Stand by. [1:46:24, 1:46:36]: Mr. Williams, any before we the council responds, any uh legal guidance you wanna tell us? So like the other exemptions, you have to have a basis for uh m granting an exemption. Um [1:46:37, 1:46:42]: M and I would stand to be corrected by staff, but I don't believe we have a basis. [1:46:43, 1:46:49]: with respect to distinguishing different tattoo parlors from the other. Um [1:46:49, 1:46:56]: additionally, I don't know that we have yet standards that we can apply. So for instance if [1:46:56, 1:47:00]: The anticipated rewrite of the zoning code. [1:47:00, 1:47:00]: I would [1:47:01, 1:47:03]: Allow for this application then [1:47:03, 1:47:05]: That would be a basis for which [1:47:06, 1:47:08]: Um you could grant the [1:47:08, 1:47:12]: exemption, but we don't have those anticipated standards yet. [1:47:12, 1:47:14]: So we're kind of in a difficult [1:47:14, 1:47:17]: uh situation and and you know the council [1:47:17, 1:47:18]: Establish [1:47:19, 1:47:20]: the moratorium and included [1:47:21, 1:47:21]: Had to [1:47:22, 1:47:23]: shops as part of it. [1:47:23, 1:47:29]: Um so it's really your call but but uh as the applicant has indicated, you the [1:47:29, 1:47:30]: The environment [1:47:30, 1:47:35]: uh surrounding tattoo parlors has changed tattoos in general we uh [1:47:35, 1:47:41]: I'm I'm a father of a twenty two year old girl who already has three, and I don't I don't know what to do with that. That's a generational thing. [1:47:41, 1:47:42]: But [1:47:42, 1:47:49]: You know, the the the culture is changing on that front and and the the nature of tattoo parlors is changing as well. I don't know [1:47:49, 1:47:53]: We even call them tattoo parlors anymore. I don't know what the term is, but [1:47:53, 1:47:58]: But that's it's at the end of the day, if you were inclined to make [1:47:58, 1:48:03]: An exemption here, I would probably recommend that you remove tattoo shops. [1:48:04, 1:48:19]: as a whole until you were close to the uh point of determining what standards you want for them in the future, whether it's a distance limitation, whether it's a uh a numerical limitation, something that you could apply and say [1:48:19, 1:48:23]: This application would meet what our future standards would be. [1:48:23, 1:48:25]: We just don't know what those are. [1:48:25, 1:48:29]: And so without that, I think the option is either to deny the request [1:48:29, 1:48:32]: Or to remove the restriction on tattoo. [1:48:32, 1:48:33]: Uh [1:48:33, 1:48:34]: Uh [1:48:34, 1:48:36]: establishments altogether. [1:48:36, 1:48:37]: Okay. [1:48:38, 1:48:45]: You wanna go first, sir? One thing, Mr. Oh Mr. I'm sorry, excuse me. I'm so sorry, sir. Thank you for that. Go right, go go right here, sir. Thank you for looking to the right. [1:48:46, 1:49:05]: Um, I just want to assure you that we do not have anything against tattoos. Yes, sir. Um, you alluded to it, our city attorney alluded to it as far as the the zoning, the rewriting, and that is the reason why the moratorium is there until we're able to [1:49:06, 1:49:06]: Put [1:49:07, 1:49:10]: And you know, the distance and the standards in. [1:49:11, 1:49:15]: Yes, sir. And so that's the problem. So I was going to ask Mrs. Moore [1:49:15, 1:49:17]: to come in on it. But I think I will sit attorney. [1:49:18, 1:49:30]: sorta spoke to that. Now, I don't know the time frame when when the rewrite is going to take place. And I think once that is d done, then we probably will lift that. But until then [1:49:31, 1:49:37]: You know, you could come, another one can come, another one could come, and all of you all could be right there. [1:49:38, 1:49:50]: in the same area without the rewrite. So that's the dilemma that we will have if we go forward. Now again, uh I'm gonna ask Mrs. Moore to speak to that, but [1:49:50, 1:49:52]: That is the reasoning. [1:49:53, 1:49:55]: Why the moratorium is in place. [1:49:55, 1:49:56]: Until [1:49:56, 1:49:59]: We could set those standards and put some distance. [1:50:00, 1:50:17]: you know, from different different shops. So Right. I actually sent Mayor and Council a copy of the schedule, I want to say about three weeks ago. And so therefore the RFP goes out the end of July or the first of August for the um to do the rewrite of the zoning ordinance. [1:50:18, 1:50:21]: Let me let me say this. I I thought this w this is uh [1:50:21, 1:50:41]: All right, so it's on the denial list, so this it could be exception to the policy because already he was already in the cube. So I mean we could honestly approve this tonight and still go it it could be possibly approved tonight, I would assume, and it could still go through the rewrite anyway, because he's already in the cube. It's kinda like grandfather. Is that not right? Well, I mean you can do anything you you I mean, honestly, Mayor [1:50:41, 1:51:01]: If you choose to approve it, you can do that. Right. Um I mean if if if it's something wanted what what the legal was saying is right now, if next week, well, first of all, you you don't have an appeal process anymore. So there will be no more before you. That's it. Right. So totally right. So that's what I'm doing at the [1:51:01, 1:51:21]: Only uh there were five and you've heard three. We haven't heard for the other two, but because at your last meeting you chose to remove the appeal process, none of these will be before you anymore. So even if another tattoo place came, you know, it wouldn't be granted because it is what it is. So [1:51:21, 1:51:27]: Right. That's what I want to clarify. That's what I thought. Okay. Back on this side. Anybody on this side? [1:51:28, 1:51:28]: Can't say. [1:51:29, 1:51:31]: Yeah, go right up to the [1:51:31, 1:51:48]: Um I guess again, um we're trying to make sure that with these moratoriums that we go in a different direction. I do have a tattoo. I was 18. I'm fift finna be fifty-one. [1:51:49, 1:52:09]: Um and I do have a daughter that has them sleeve, makes a half sleeve, whatever you call it. Um so that is the new generation um now. Um but I I just have to stand on um what this council voted um because we're trying to go in a different direction in that plaza. Um but I will say [1:52:08, 1:52:28]: our neighboring and you said you and you did say you want to be close to home. Our neighboring county um which is also on one thirty eight um which is Clayton that would to me I would like to suggest that you also look in that area. Um if so if this does not pass um because don't give up on your dreams um [1:52:28, 1:52:46]: Um'cause it's still um a possibility, pol possibilities out there. But it's just that this council voted um to go in different direction um in the developments and how we want to revitalize um that area. Okay. [1:52:47, 1:52:55]: I'd just like to make a motion to um agree with the zoning advisory board's recommendation and maintain the denial. Is there a second? [1:52:57, 1:52:59]: A second. Okay. [1:53:00, 1:53:03]: Second, I would amend to all comments from May, so all in favor of the motion please indicate. [1:53:04, 1:53:05]: Mm. [1:53:05, 1:53:06]: Okay. [1:53:07, 1:53:27]: Yes, sir. It's been denied. But go ahead, sir. You want a last minute comment, I guess. Oh yeah. Uh I just I I know you just said I got denied. Um, but the reason that I was here was actually because verbiage on the Stockbridge City website and the reason I even did the appeal process was because they said an exemption can be made if there was no other business in the vicinity. And that's what I came in here on the precedence of and why I was seeking the exemption. Um [1:53:27, 1:53:41]: I understand. Uh to me, this is um I'll say I d I guess it's already been voted on. I was trying to get it in before it before it was voted on. Um but you you stated that you you y'all had a different direction for for it. Um Stockbridge is a growing city. That's why I decided to come here. And um [1:53:42, 1:53:42]: Uh [1:53:42, 1:54:02]: I I I wanted to bring it here because like like I said, um, you know, like I just don't attract just like local clientele. I have over fifteen thousand followers on Instagram. Um I'm bringing people from out of state to come get tattooed by me. So I wouldn't be a normal tattoo shop. I wouldn't be a normal tattoo studio hat, whatever you want to call it. I would be attracting people to Stockbridge, people that probably wouldn't come to Stockbridge on [1:54:02, 1:54:22]: regular basis and they would potentially see Stockbridge as a beautiful place and make it their home too. So the reason that I came up here on the precedence was because on the city s of Stockbridge uh website it said that I could come up here um if there wasn't one in the vicinity and where I wanted to put the tattoo shop at, there isn't a tattoo shop um in the vicinity. Um I think the closest one is Jodoka Road. Um [1:54:22, 1:54:42]: And one that's somewhere down North Henry Boulevard. That's the closest. So there's none in the vicinity of 138. And that's what the verbiage was if on the city website. And that's why I'm here. If you I appreciate it. Unless the council's willing to change this, they just unfortunately just is a unanimous decision in this aspect. And but I know that that we talked about the fact that we're gonna be going back to relook this this [1:54:42, 1:54:57]: This whole process or it may very well get taken off once we look at then but I probably imagine by that time you're probably being somewhere else. But if you if if we re we've changed it and you are willing to come in back in the stop bridge and so be it. We'll see. But right now it's it's been denied, sir. I'm sorry. [1:54:57, 1:55:01]: Okay. What day was that? I what what's what's the time frame on that? I'm sorry? [1:55:04, 1:55:10]: Okay. So sometime later this summer we're looking to change that. Thank you for your outtime. Have a great day. Thank you. Thank you. [1:55:13, 1:55:20]: Okay, uh let's see here. New business council consideration approved splots uh five list. Mr. Knighton, please. [1:55:32, 1:55:35]: Where is the uh is it over here? [1:55:52, 1:55:55]: What is she now? Hmm this is number six. [1:55:56, 1:56:00]: Number nine. [1:56:02, 1:56:22]: Mayor. I I don't know. I don't know that. I don't have anything for it. Yes, sir. Uh uh this gentleman is waiting on the vicious dog ordinance and he's been waiting like two hours. Is it possible for us to go ahead and hear that now? Well we're we're trying to follow the orders, sir. I'm just gonna we'll let's just follow the order here. I'm sorry about the delay. You get Okay. [1:56:25, 1:56:26]: Question. [1:56:30, 1:56:30]: [6995.5, 6996.8]: Yes uh [1:56:37, 1:56:38]: Yes. [1:56:40, 1:56:41]: Oh, finesse. [1:56:41, 1:56:43]: [7019.2, 7021.2]: Indulge me for just a moment. [1:57:04, 1:57:05]: Mrs. Holliday. [1:57:20, 1:57:40]: All right. Thank you, Mayor and Council. I'll I'll be uh relatively brief. I want to provide an update on uh the SPLOS discussion as it relates to the City of Stockbridge. Some of this, obviously, some citizens and you have seen before related to two previous meetings that we had related to SPLOST. Um in respect with respect to what is on the agenda, I'm asking not asking [1:57:40, 1:57:54]: you to approve this tonight. We have a joint meeting with cities and the counting tomorrow county uh tomorrow evening. But I want you all and the public to be aware of where we stand right now with respect to proposed uh SPLOST five. [1:57:59, 1:58:19]: Again, the SPLOST is uh intended to meet our vision and mission statements for the city of Stockbridge. Uh SPLOST meetings, there were two meetings, Stocksbridge specific meetings that were conducted on April 16th and May 6th with citizens. And out of that, we gave some citizens' thoughts regarding potential uh SPLOST projects, civic projects, and roads and streets and [1:58:19, 1:58:24]: and bridges came one and two, and then park improvements and sewer and water infrastructure. [1:58:26, 1:58:46]: Here's some of the uh park uh projects that we've done previously, some SPLOSS projects and previous SPLOSS, as you can see, inclusive playground equipment, um uh paved walking trails at Clark Park. And here's a CIP um which details some of the items that we intend to complete or to begin over the next. [1:58:46, 1:59:06]: Next five-year period with respect to certain infrastructure projects, which also provides a guide for potential SPLOSS projects. What is SPLOSS? It's again an optional 1% sales tax to fund capital outlay projects. It is applied to a special district or a county in the cities which would oversee. [1:59:06, 1:59:17]: See the SPLOST. SPLOST law was enacted in 1985. Many jurisdictions across the country have found success with SPLOST for completing capital improvement projects. [1:59:18, 1:59:38]: Intergovernmental agreements are generally required with SPLOST. In order to have a six-year SPLOST, you have to have an intergovernmental agreement. If you don't, you can do a five-year SPLOST. But it also has to be approved with at least 50% of the county's municipal 50% of the county's municipal population represented. In other words, those cities [1:59:38, 1:59:40]: Yeah. [1:59:41, 1:59:49]: The primary objective again of the intergovernmental agreement is to ensure the details are splost how proceeds are distributed and dispersed. [1:59:51, 1:59:56]: Also, they um provide a schedule uh for splost projects over that period of time. [1:59:59, 2:00:14]: And then there are a number of authorized projects with SPLOS that are specifically laid out in the Georgia Code. The current SPLOSS will expire in March twenty twenty. If passed, SPLOS five will begin collections in April of twenty twenty, and the voting date is November fifth. [2:00:15, 2:00:35]: Project categories, civic projects could include cultural arts center, senior youth center, amphitheater, civic buildings, park and park improvements could include playground equipment, tennis courts, dog park, things of that nature. Road streets and bridges could include road sidewalks, trails, and water and sewer, obviously dealing with the infrastructure for water and sewer. [2:00:35, 2:00:55]: Stormwater projects. Again, we had the two SPLOST meetings there. The estimated total for SPLOS 5 is$245 million. What you have before you is a proposed SPLOST allocation, and this was done in large part in conjunction with our financial advisor, in conjunction with obviously. [2:00:55, 2:01:15]: Obviously, some previous projects and priorities which have been identified. And again, the broad categories are civic projects proposed at$15 million, road and projects at$7 million, sewer water, stormwater infrastructure at$7 million, park improvements at$2 million for a total of$31 million. And that is based. [2:01:15, 2:01:35]: Based on a 70-30 split. Right now, there is a 75-25 split, 75 for the county, 25% for the cities to divvy up. Um 25% equates to$26.1 million, uh 30 for sit for the city of Stockbridge. Um [2:01:35, 2:01:55]: And 30% would represent just over$31 million for the city of Stockbridge. Obviously, we would propose a 30% split based on current population figures, 2018 population figures. And so with that, I wanted to make that presentation. [2:01:55, 2:02:15]: Presentation for the public sake, also for uh the mayor and council for where we stand right now in terms of a proposed SPLOSS project list. I think out of tomorrow night's meeting and shortly thereafter, we'll have a better idea of how things stand with proposed disbursement of um SPLOSS uh dollars uh between the county and [2:02:15, 2:02:21]: and the cities and can solidify uh the stock bridge uh list uh shortly thereafter. [2:02:22, 2:02:28]: Mr. Knight, uh my assumption is this presentation uh will be presented tomorrow night as well. Is that correct? [2:02:28, 2:02:48]: Uh modified version of it will likely be presented tomorrow night. That's correct. Only the things about what is flossed and so forth, those types of topical items. I think everybody there will understand what that means in terms of uh the uh county and the um cities which are represented. Uh but in terms of an overall [2:02:48, 2:03:08]: Um view of the city of Stockbridge, I may present um just the broad categories that are mentioned. Which brings me to the point I think you just said it it when it comes up, you're going to present this tomorrow evening. Is that correct, sir? Right. There will be an opportunity as the agenda um allows, as I understand it, an opportunity for each city to uh speak to SPLOST in any proposed spectrum. [2:03:08, 2:03:12]: sploss to project categories and or expenditures if they so desire. [2:03:13, 2:03:23]: What I was um the actual I haven't seen the actual agenda yet and I don't know if the rest of the council has yet or not. Is w unless she just sent it to us and I must have missed it. It was in about two weeks, a week and a half ago, two weeks ago. [2:03:24, 2:03:44]: Okay, shame on me then. Okay. Um it's my understanding from a meeting that I had at the chamber earlier today that was informed uh by Chair Wood that myself, the rest of the mayors will be sitting with the sitting actually with the rest of the uh uh commissioners. It's my understanding. That's my understanding. Okay. And that the everybody [2:03:44, 2:04:04]: Everybody else would by cities was sitting on the first couple roles in this aspect. Now I I I said okay, but I didn't I haven't really discussed this. Uh Brench had Brench and you in passing, haven't discussed with the rest of the council thoughts about that. Uh but I guess in a sense is I'm trying to get a feel for that aspect, that layout. [2:04:04, 2:04:20]: And our position, I know it's seventy thirty, our position on this and the type of comments and things we need to stand collected on among ourselves and then also with the cities themselves on the seventy thirty split. Right. With respect to the split issue. [2:04:20, 2:04:40]: Um that's based purely on population. Um population numbers as they currently exist uh is about the cities, is about actually about 30.6 percent. And so um that's the position that uh the other cities, and I believe we should take, is that purely based on a population number? There's nothing uh [2:04:40, 2:04:45]: Fancy about it is purely based on population and what the cities believe that they should be allocated. [2:04:46, 2:04:55]: Okay. That's all the questions I have right now for Ms. Knight. Who yes, go right in, please, sir. So Mr. Knight, can you pull back up the broad categories real quick? Yes. [2:04:57, 2:05:17]: Now I I I'm ag uh in I I'm in agreement with what you just posted. I like that. I think what we had uh with the um what's in the book, the numbers are kinda high because uh here we have civic projects, cultural arts center, senior youth center, uh city hall annex, that's a total of fifteen million. [2:05:17, 2:05:37]: Which gives us more money to do other projects because they're all kind of broken out individually. What I would like to see though is that I would like, and I'll be advocating this for everybody, is that you have a separate line just for sidewalks and multi-use trails. [2:05:37, 2:05:57]: Now we passed a multi-use trail plan for the city, and we have not done anything with that. It would be nice to be able to have sidewalks or trails on Walt Stevens Road, Flippin' Road, Campground Road Extension, Patrick Henry Parkway, or some of the other roadways as well. [2:05:57, 2:06:17]: generally happened when we lump sidewalks in with streets and bridges is that all the money gets allocated to the transportation projects and then the sidewalk category is not left out. Uh I want I would ask my colleagues to show commitment to [2:06:16, 2:06:34]: uh sidewalks and multi use trails by having a specific category to build out the trail plan that we included so that that sidewalk money does not move to another category, especially when we're talking about doing downtown and connecting it to the trails and [2:06:34, 2:06:54]: uh to city parks that we have a special category, like we have all these categories here. Take the sidewalk category out of uh road projects and give it its own category. That's uh it would be my recommendation. Cause all of us have been up here and we've seen this at the county level uh as well. That that [2:06:54, 2:07:14]: That those sidewalks just all always disappear when transportation projects come along. And uh it's uh it was disappointing for me to see that the county, out of the$250 million spLoss that they have, they have about one uh percent dedicated to sidewalks and trails. That's just not uh the way. [2:07:14, 2:07:21]: Forward, so I would like for us to consider setting the example by having um sidewalks uh in a separate category. [2:07:23, 2:07:24]: A tri in trio. [2:07:25, 2:07:45]: I don't know what the council feels about that. How would you just you just take the amount up? That would be something that uh obviously you all can contemplate. We're not asking for um any decision tonight. Um this is something that uh is obviously is brought to your attention uh in advance of tomorrow evening. Uh but again I think that uh out of uh tomorrow evening's meeting we'll have a greater uh [2:07:45, 2:07:55]: specificity of uh how things will ultimately unfold and then uh the council you all can make decisions specifically about these allocations and or categories. [2:07:56, 2:08:05]: I mean yes, I I have a question for staff. Um and I agree the sidewalks are priority. Um but I have a question. [2:08:07, 2:08:25]: Are we reaching out um we were trained with through GMA? Are we reaching out to see where there could be other funding sources to some of these items like park improvements? Is there, you know, grants? There's a lot of things that are out there, but I never hear you guys bring forth [2:08:25, 2:08:26]: I think it may be [2:08:27, 2:08:28]: You know, nothing [2:08:29, 2:08:49]: you know, five hundred dollars. But I mean, there's real grants, funding sources out there um that we could be tapping into. How often are you um reaching out to GMA to allowing that staff to say this is what we're working on, what what is there so they can s give us that support? Because that's what they're there for. [2:08:48, 2:08:49]: Yeah. [2:08:49, 2:09:09]: Right. We well we've obviously have the um uh grants person firm that we have hired who are looking at several different grants right now. Also things like C D B G we've accessed that money previous years. I think there's two hundred thousand dollars right now we're using for some uh sewer um uh analysis that we're doing from C D B G. But that is a [2:09:09, 2:09:29]: another opportunity perhaps GMA can provide some some support and or direction with respect to what they've seen in other jurisdictions. We can certainly reach out to them. Yeah, because I'm sorry, because the um that was part of a class and it's basically like we it's so many opportunities. They're just tr they're trying to give away money. And [2:09:29, 2:09:49]: And and I don't never hear Stockbridge basically saying, even if we have a grant writer, I mean, can we at least introduce that them and you know to GMA or whatever if they're working on our behalf? But there's a lot of opportunity that we need to tap into whatever, you know, additional resources. Um, but I I think [2:09:49, 2:10:09]: I think we need to utilize GMA's um resources a little more than what we have been in the past. I really do. Because if we're doing this training um and we're paying to go to these trainings, then we need to utilize um an act the you know, these opportunities that are there. Okay Mayor. [2:10:09, 2:10:29]: J just to piggyback on the grants and stuff, I I believe our grant writer produced to us recently, not too long ago, a presentation of different grants and things that they would like to go after to include things that dealt with parks and recreation. And a part of those grants that they included were on the GMA's website. [2:10:29, 2:10:49]: Which is easily can find on GMANet.com.com. Um go under grants and um different type of funding sources and that it's there and available. Um when speaking to the grant writers, I believe they stated that they um have inquired and they do pull from those national resources as well as from what [2:10:49, 2:11:09]: What's there that is available. So I just wanted to pinpoint that we have received the information. I forgot when that when they presented recently. It was it was wasn't too long ago. Yeah, we sent out it I think we sent out an email. It must have been about a little over a month ago. We sent out an email about different grants that they are pursuing and we probably need to update you all as well. Yes. [2:11:09, 2:11:19]: is the middle part of the summer comes on because they were trying to segment things out into different periods of the year. Right. So we can update you on that as well. Well thank you. In in my closing, um [2:11:19, 2:11:25]: Let me be clear, um, when I'm speaking. Um, I'm not talking ten thousand dollars. [2:11:26, 2:11:37]: I'm asking because there's so much funding that is out there, whoever this person, persons are, personal persons, bring us back. [2:11:39, 2:11:44]: an itemized uh printout, whatever you wanna call it, on what they're doing. [2:11:44, 2:11:56]: Because it's they're telling us there's so many funding sources. I just want us to tap into it. So if you can just follow up with that to ensure that we're getting, you know, the bucks that are out there, I would appreciate it. Okay. Thank you. [2:11:57, 2:11:58]: Any other comments from the council? [2:11:59, 2:11:59]: Okay. [2:12:00, 2:12:14]: All right, sir. I appreciate it. So thank you. It starts at six and tomorrow. I uh imagine we need probably need to ride by five thirty thereabouts or something along those lines. Yes, it's six thirty tomorrow. I would mention also uh that's six PM I thought, right? Six thirty PM. Six thirty, six o'clock. [2:12:16, 2:12:35]: Jen says six o'clock. It's starting early. They don't want nobody to be there. J Genders says six o'clock, sir. It was always mine to my impression it's six o'clock six thirty. But if it's six o'clock, if that agenda says six o'clock, we'll be there at six o'clock. Also, our financial advisor uh will also be there um with us. [2:12:35, 2:12:36]: Okay. [2:12:36, 2:12:46]: Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Um Council consideration to approve a resolution limiting the acceptance of sponsorship funds from vendors to city events only. Mr. Williams, please. [2:12:47, 2:13:07]: Good evening. You have in your agenda packet a resolution which would uh adopt a policy related to soliciting funds for city events and for council initiatives. Um the impetus for this um uh in in having conversation with several of the [2:13:07, 2:13:24]: council members it was uh indicated th there are two issues and and if I'm I'm maybe putting words in in in their mouths, but but the the the first issue is a concern about potential conflicts of interest. Um and when [2:13:24, 2:13:44]: approaching vendors um who may be doing business with the city um and seeking funds for various projects. And then the second issue was it it was at least relayed to some members of staff as well as uh some mem members of council that number of people felt like they were being um [2:13:44, 2:14:04]: um solicited for funds over and over and over again. So it was, you know, in attempt to address both those issues that the this policy had its roots. So it's a fairly simple policy. Um point one just lays out that um except a specifically authorized [2:14:04, 2:14:23]: By the policy or any subsequent resolution of the council. No member of the council, no volunteer, no no city employee, nobody can solicit funds to support any type of city event, including uh council initiatives. So that's the initial. And then it then points two and three are the exceptions to that. [2:14:24, 2:14:44]: Point two provides that employees of the city are authorized to solicit sponsorships, um, donations, gifts, funds, etcetera, from uh any person or entity in support of the widely um uh understood to be city events that are citywide events. [2:14:44, 2:15:04]: This list was kind of put together in discussion with some of the staff, just and I'm not gonna say that it's it's the full comprehensive list, but I believe it is. Um Bridge Fest, Food Truck Tuesdays, the Christmas Festival, Memorial Day March, all the things that have been um identified as citywide events. [2:15:04, 2:15:13]: That the staff would be responsible for soliciting funds, not necessarily members of council. So that that would be a staff activity. [2:15:14, 2:15:19]: Then it goes on to provide the exception for members of the council [2:15:19, 2:15:30]: Um to authorize them to solicit sponsorships and funds and donations in support of any city initiative, provided that any person who solicited is not a [2:15:30, 2:15:32]: an existing vendor of the city [2:15:32, 2:15:52]: or a pending uh vendor of the city, meaning someone who has submitted a bid for city business or city contract or any other entity that has a contractual relationship with the city. So that's to prevent any uh potential for conflict of interest, any potential suggestion that there's any pay-to-play type [2:15:52, 2:16:11]: situations going on. So that's really um it may be seen as a limitation, but it's really a protection for members of council so that no one gets you know accused of or being uh perceived as soliciting funds uh for uh entities who are doing business with the city. [2:16:12, 2:16:15]: Um and it does provide that in the event [2:16:15, 2:16:28]: a vendor does make a donation for a council initiative, not understanding that this provision is i is in place, assuming it's adopted, that that those donations or sponsorships would be returned. [2:16:28, 2:16:48]: So that's kind of the the overall um policy and uh welcome, you know. Yeah, I'll start this off. Collaborative firm. Yeah gives a thousand dollars to the city for to support a concert. And I have an initiative and I wanted to uh use a collaborative firm. [2:16:48, 2:17:08]: As a sponsor for one of my activ say an activity and I only want five hundred dollars. This is to selling me that I can't do that because he's already given to the city event. Is that what that's means? This provides that they can support the citywide event all day long. No problem with that. But they could not support an individual initiative council because [2:17:08, 2:17:10]: They're a vendor of the city. [2:17:11, 2:17:31]: I see. Mayor. Yes, ma'am. Go ahead, please. Okay. Um, I just and I and and I asked some of the vendors to watch this uh meeting tonight um so that way we can be clear. Um, because that's why I asked earlier to receive this agenda that I just got today. Um I will say some of my colleagues have come like you stated, I wasn't aware. [2:17:31, 2:17:45]: aware so again we got the consensus um so I will say this um my teen ambassadors they utilize sponsors which are [2:17:46, 2:17:55]: Sponsors that helped them to put on a youth symposium for the first in our region. We're awarded this nice troll to be here. [2:17:56, 2:18:16]: These same sponsors, I introduced them because I had relationships with a lot of them when we were in Savannah a few years ago, and I introduced them to our event staff because our event staff had a budget. At the time they was not asking for sponsorships because they were going off what the city was. [2:18:16, 2:18:36]: Had budgeted. Okay. So I introduced them to Econuel, Georgia Power, Waste Industries when we were in Savannah and came back because I introduced that being involved in our community. Okay. So the sponsors that we have with our youth council, and I'm just gonna put it on the record so everybody um can [2:18:36, 2:18:56]: understand the youth council had a budget, okay. But my colleagues who sit up here stated that I couldn't fully use that budget. I need to go out and get sponsorships, okay, for our kids. I did that when we were traveling to National League of Cities in Los Angeles, California. Um so we did that. [2:18:56, 2:19:16]: So now that I stepped down from the youth council to avoid political rhetoric, I started a teen ambassador program, okay, which is clear, still utilizing our city youth and unincorporated youth that live in Stockbridge. Okay. So in order for that program to run, [2:19:16, 2:19:36]: You would have to have those sponsorships. Okay. So these same sponsors that I've had previously, they basically will still support the youth because that is it what it's for. It's not a conflict of interests. It's still supporting youth, which is based on what they're supposed to be doing. Youth is [2:19:36, 2:19:53]: Is the first and most important when they're given sponsorship over civic events. Okay? So if you're dealing with anybody any any organization, that's the most important thing. So currently our youth council still going. [2:19:53, 2:19:54]: Forward. [2:19:55, 2:19:56]: Have a budget. [2:19:56, 2:20:06]: That this council approved. They have a budget. They don't really have to give do um fundraisers. Okay? So at the end of the day, I will say to you with this resolution, it [2:20:07, 2:20:27]: was personal. Okay? That's all it is for my colleagues. Because every time when this when I try to do stuff, e even if it's not, it's not policy, but it's always practice. Okay. But when it comes to me, it's always something to set up for failure. [2:20:27, 2:20:47]: But I'm going to tell my colleagues, every turn that you've tried to comment me on, I have not failed. So I will say to you, and I'm glad you're saying that, if they do write a check, it will be returned. Thank you for that. So my next question is: if they're supporting, if we're traveling to National League of Cities, can they support that? [2:20:47, 2:20:51]: group which is our kids and send the money directly to the hotel. [2:20:53, 2:20:54]: Or National League of Cities. [2:20:55, 2:20:59]: It's not coming here, but it's going directly there, just like we did with GMA. [2:21:00, 2:21:20]: I'm I'm waiting. That that would probably violate the spirit of of this resolution because even though this calls for gifts to the city, it would be for the benefit of the program. So probably violate it. Okay. It wouldn't violate as if it's a council initiative, correct? If it's an initiative, if if it were, for instance [2:21:20, 2:21:40]: Because the youth council program is I guess citywide, that but it's not listed in in and so that's a good example. It's not listed in number two. Okay. So the youth council um not youth council would teen ambassador. The teen ambassadors is an initiative so you couldn't solicit from existing [2:21:40, 2:21:59]: vendors or potential vendors of the city. Okay. But any other entity and that's and that's where the problem is. Because no one asked to think about there's fourteen students that have signed up. Fourteen of our kids. These are kids. So just like with my community, just was here. [2:22:01, 2:22:21]: All it is is because I'm the messenger. Okay? So now when you mess with my kids, and I'm here to tell everybody, you be prepared for me to bring public the foolishness that my council has brought against me. Because you don't mess with my kids. I have 14 kids who represent our community, they're diverse kids. [2:22:21, 2:22:27]: This is a diverse group. You saw them. They were pinned right here. [2:22:27, 2:22:46]: But see, this is the stuff that this council does behind closed doors. And it's time out for that because why? We got businesses that need things taken care of. But like I said earlier, the reason why things take so long, because they're behind closed doors with staff with this foolishness. Yes. [2:22:46, 2:22:48]: These are our kids. [2:22:49, 2:22:52]: And I'm gonna call it out, just like Councilman Blount. [2:22:52, 2:23:12]: I've had to pull my pastor, his pastor, and our chaplain up here because of being bullied. Just like Councilwoman Gantt, she sends me text messages that I'm gonna send over to our Henry Herald so they can have that. Man, porn water. I don't care what you say. I'm turning it over to the Herald. [2:23:12, 2:23:17]: I can speak. [2:23:17, 2:23:30]: Okay. All right. At the end, this is what I'm doing because it's retaliation for them and it's timeout. Okay, Miss Robinson. Yes, sir. Okay. Mayor. Well one second. You you mayor uh Mayor Pro TemBlount, please. Okay, thank you. [2:23:32, 2:23:35]: With this resolution, I I need to look it over some more. [2:23:36, 2:23:40]: But we have to we have to look at who we solicit for funds. [2:23:41, 2:23:48]: If this council sit here and agree to whoever does our yard work, whoever does our whatever contracts we get. [2:23:49, 2:23:53]: It's a conflict of interest to solicit funds from those people that we have to make decisions for. [2:23:54, 2:23:57]: It's a conflict of interest for us to accept funds from you. [2:23:58, 2:23:59]: You're a contract worker. [2:24:00, 2:24:10]: We can't sit here as a council and and go to the very people that need our vote for them to make money in order and ask them for money. It's a conflict of interest. [2:24:10, 2:24:11]: For the city. [2:24:11, 2:24:14]: It's a conflict of interest for elected officials. [2:24:15, 2:24:25]: And if we're gonna put that on a uh uh campaign disclosure that we've solicited those funds from from c uh from from vendors for like this, then we point of order, please. I listen to you. [2:24:25, 2:24:31]: We have to be careful and cautious. That's nothing that we're doing right here, right now, against the youth. [2:24:32, 2:24:38]: Nothing we're doing. When we talk about funds that was raised for the youth, we have a youth advisory board. [2:24:38, 2:24:42]: If we want to be transparent, we have a youth advisory board. [2:24:42, 2:24:55]: That not one that that youth advisory board had no idea where the campaigning was d being done to solicit those funds. Not once the youth advisory. Not once the youth advisory board [2:24:56, 2:25:00]: Agree to fundraising in the areas. Right now, even today. [2:25:01, 2:25:04]: We have n we have not not one council member up here. [2:25:05, 2:25:08]: been given a breakdown of where those funds went. [2:25:09, 2:25:28]: Not one. We go to the youth advisory board, their treasurer, not one. So we can't raise funds and keep hollering youth like we're doing something we got against the youth. We have organize we have to ar have organizational skills enough that we can say where are the checks and balances if you're gonna raise funds, where are the funds going? [2:25:30, 2:25:40]: Where are the funds going? See, I'm not gonna sit here and play these games like we're we're hurting the youth. You have to have you have to have a organized process for whatever we do. [2:25:41, 2:25:46]: Not one council member up here has any paperwork and has asked for. [2:25:46, 2:25:52]: Ever since they went to National League of Cities, where's the breakdown where the funds that was raised? [2:25:52, 2:25:54]: Not one time have we gotten it. [2:25:55, 2:26:06]: Not once. Mayor. We haven't gotten that. And so when we sit here and we have to have policies in place because when it comes to the people that are working for the city and we pay those people. [2:26:07, 2:26:13]: It's a conflict of interest to go to those people and ask for money because they're not most of the time they're not gonna deny you. [2:26:14, 2:26:16]: Because you're the you're the reason they're making money. [2:26:17, 2:26:27]: That's conflict of interest. Nothing's being done in that resolution. I'd like to look it over f further because my thought process was that we don't solicit contract workers. [2:26:27, 2:26:31]: Most people that a contract. Outside of that, I have no problem. [2:26:31, 2:26:51]: With council with council members going uh raising money for initiatives. I have no problem with that. But when it comes to contract workers, those people that we sit up here and say, hey, we're gonna use you. When it comes to waste industries that's been used, that we've got a contract with waste industries, they've taken us out to dinner just recently. [2:26:51, 2:26:56]: And then we're gonna say, Hey, I need you to give me money. That's conflict of interest. [2:26:56, 2:27:01]: Yes. That's a t that that's the very definition of conflict of interest. [2:27:01, 2:27:21]: So when you have those contract workers, we should not be soliciting them for funds. Correct. All right, listen, um in this aspect, uh obviously counsel you have some appointments you should be very careful how you express yourselves, let the person speak. I would uh advise you obviously you realize this is being taped and audio taped and videotaped. All right. So it's [2:27:21, 2:27:41]: record in that aspect. So just be careful how you present yourself, please. Miss Scan, please. Thank you. Um I just wanted to pinpoint a couple of things. Um there were some personal attacks and uh let me start with those, especially with my name being stated. Um anything that um I test [2:27:41, 2:28:01]: Next to anyone by any means, any media outlet have a question about it for me, I'll be more than happy to answer those questions at any time. That's that, and I'll be proud to show them as well. Um in addition to that, I um also want to discuss this resolution. [2:28:01, 2:28:21]: This resolution does not say that you can't go out and solicit for donations. It says that you can't go out and solicit donations from contract employees of the city, people who we've employed to work with the city. [2:28:21, 2:28:41]: City events team can. If it's a city event, it can happen. Which on page two on Exhibit A, it listed those city events. Now, I would like for it just to say city events, those that are claimed, because I don't know if all of them are city events or not. I don't know if I I would like for it to say. [2:28:41, 2:28:46]: say city events and I actually would um [2:28:47, 2:28:50]: It you know, this is definitely not about [2:28:50, 2:29:10]: the youth council for me. To me, and when I'm looking at this, I think that I've heard from staff, I've heard from businesses that they get tired of being asked over and over again for donations. I quite frankly think that it's um you know [2:29:10, 2:29:30]: That we were constantly asking for a handout. And it's come to a point in a time where we were even rejected from one of our city events receiving a the the normal um donation because other council members had constantly asked them for a handout. And so I think that's [2:29:29, 2:29:49]: where this is. Um this is more so, you know, don't abuse it. Just if you're gonna solicit to people, don't solicit to those people who are those businesses who are contracted with the city. In regards to conflict of interest, you know, two youth councils is a conflict of interest. You have one youth council that's [2:29:49, 2:30:01]: represented by the entire city of Stockbridge and then you have a council initiative youth council. And I'm not trying to um you know the facts are the facts. [2:30:01, 2:30:09]: They're they're they're two different entities doing the same thing. And I'm not trying to uh it is what it is in black and white. [2:30:09, 2:30:14]: Um and so I and so when it comes to [2:30:15, 2:30:23]: Adopting a policy, I don't see why this will hurt anyone. I think that it makes common sense. [2:30:24, 2:30:25]: That's all. [2:30:25, 2:30:40]: Mr. Alexander, you have something? Uh thank you, Mayor, about this policy. I want to concur that um my colleagues, Rob Ms. Ms. Robinson's comments are correct. We spend too much time on nonsense like this. That's why we can't get things done. [2:30:40, 2:31:00]: We every time something is successful, uh we have uh part of this council that tries to shut it down or uh or sabotage it. That's not right. I might not agree with Councilman Blount's um uh back to school event being a council initiative because I wanted the whole city to be able to share in it. [2:31:00, 2:31:19]: But it certainly is his right to go out and receive a one thousand dollar donation from uh Wal from Walmart. Now he said himself that he went out and he personally went out and raised those funds. He got the package together. Those funds Walmart is a vendor of the city. [2:31:20, 2:31:40]: I wouldn't want to shut that down. Walmart supplies stuff from us. We buy the wrong thing. Point of order, Mr. Williams. We point of order. Would you please just explain that? Point of order. I didn't interrupt you. I didn't interrupt. Mayor can you get a point? Listen. Yeah, we cannot sit. My point of order we cannot sit here [2:31:40, 2:31:46]: and give false information to the public as Walmart being a vendor of the city and they're not. [2:31:46, 2:31:47]: Yeah. [2:31:47, 2:32:07]: They're not a vendor of the city. We point of article. Correction described it. I didn't interrupt anybody while they were talking. Okay. I I say to you, this is what I say to you. Is this, okay. Maybe that language, the the term vendor might not apply. We buy product from Walmart all the time. [2:32:07, 2:32:27]: I don't see the difference, but you know, a vendor, they supply products to us. Mrs. Winter supplies products to us. Oh, there's a whole host of businesses that we do business with that supply funds to us or supply product to us. That this is parsing. [2:32:27, 2:32:29]: And parsing so [2:32:29, 2:32:33]: Uh all of Councilwoman Robinson's programs are X'd out. [2:32:33, 2:32:49]: We're gonna hidge a little line around Walmart. Walmart's not a vendor, so we ain't gonna we're not gonna it we're not gonna exclude that check. This is this is like surgical, like they call it, precision bombing. You just go in and you select [2:32:50, 2:33:10]: This item versus this item. What clause can we write in the contract to exempt Walmart? What clause can we write in the contract to exempt what we're doing over here? I applaud my colleague for going out bringing in funds for the city. And also, I would not be able to perform the toy drive where we gave. [2:33:10, 2:33:13]: [9193.9, 9213.9]: We had so many uh vendors that were willing to partner up with us. Nobody put any money in their pocket. I would not say anybody up here took any money or put any money in their pocket because I don't believe any of my colleagues would do that. This what this is that you're fixing something that's not broken. [2:33:33, 2:33:53]: This there's no problem here. Councilwoman Robinson is honest. She's not doing anything with the money, but helping the kids. Why would we want to do anything to shut that down? I did not interrupt anybody. I apologize if I used the wrong term, vendor. My appointment or my point was we buy. [2:33:53, 2:34:13]: Buy product from them. Walmart buys product, they provide services to us as a city. They b they we buy product from them all the time. They give donations to the city all the time in terms of money and in terms of um uh supplies. I don't think that m Mr. Blount is taking that. [2:34:13, 2:34:30]: product and put it in his pocket. I don't think he's taking the supplies and putting in his pocket. I don't think Councilman Thomas is taking money from this is it. I trust him. I know he's doing the right thing with the money. I know Councilwoman Robinson's doing the right thing with the money and I know I am too. [2:34:31, 2:34:41]: Why would we want to shut off a source that's doing something for this particular community? And and and it's all positive. There's nothing negative about it. Now I might not agree. [2:34:42, 2:34:53]: With the teen ambassador program, but every council member ev even if I didn't, but I do. Every council member up here has the right to do any initiative that they choose. [2:34:53, 2:35:13]: anyone and I wouldn't want to take that right from anybody up here. What you're doing with this policy is you're preventing our colleague from operating the program of her choice. I don't want to do that to you. I don't want to do that to anybody up here. Because I trust everybody up here will do the right things with these funds. [2:35:13, 2:35:33]: Thank you so much. Uh in that aspect I will say just a point of clarification. Walmart does give they donate flags to us on a continued basis for our our Memorial March and our Veterans Day. They've done that over the years. That's just a simple example. And they donate those things to us in this aspect. So I'm pretty sure that there are other things that they [2:35:33, 2:35:53]: donate if we were to went down and went down to the weeds of this. Mr. Wan uh Mr. Williams for this for this. Number three, in reference to we're talking about uh uh contractors or or uh businesses people that do business with um the uh with the city for city events versus council [2:35:53, 2:36:03]: initiatives. We talked about waste industries. I mentioned a collaborative firm. Um I'm just trying to make sure I understand in reference to when you're talking about people do business, what are you talking about? [2:36:03, 2:36:13]: Well can you further explain? So the Mayor Proten's point about Walmart. [2:36:13, 2:36:14]: Um [2:36:15, 2:36:22]: You know, I don't perceive them to be a vendor of the city like the collaborative firm is, where they're providing [2:36:22, 2:36:42]: a a an ongoing service of of substantial value. Okay. You know, buying paper supplies or you know the occasional um uh catering from some I don't know that that would make them the vendor unless they were the official caterer of the city and catered all of our events. [2:36:42, 2:36:48]: That that that might make them or that would definitely make them a vendor. If we if we need to [2:36:48, 2:36:53]: Кларифі ворктуаршіп від ситі є. [2:36:53, 2:37:09]: and and maybe put a dollar amount that if if if they're contracted to provide a service of greater than X dollars to to make it clear what we're talking about, then we could definitely do that. But was not intended to prevent the Walmart or the [2:37:09, 2:37:29]: the uh the publics or the you know just normal businesses misses winners from you know buy our ability to buy the products from them and then them their ability to support a council initiative. That's that's not really what's meant here. It's what's really meant here are the the substantial vendors of the city. [2:37:29, 2:37:47]: Waste industries you're talking about. Collaborative firm you're talking about. That's what you're trying that's you're trying to try to delineate that. Okay, I'm got a better understanding of what you're trying what's trying to say. Yes, ma'am, go ready if I again. Well I didn't see it. I'll get to you sir. Let him go because I'm doing [2:37:48, 2:37:52]: Yeah, okay. All right, fine. She see you go right in. Mr. Mayor. Yes sir. [2:37:53, 2:37:59]: I don't normally do this. All I suggest, look to your right sometime. I don't speak out of term, I hold my hand. Okay. [2:38:00, 2:38:01]: Thank you. [2:38:03, 2:38:05]: This policy is very clear. [2:38:06, 2:38:12]: There are just a few contractors that we do business with. [2:38:12, 2:38:25]: It is a very slippery slope when you go to these contractors and ask for funds. Nine times out of ten they're not gonna turn you down because they want that contract with the city. [2:38:25, 2:38:28]: Бо де а таузенс. [2:38:28, 2:38:30]: Of businesses. [2:38:30, 2:38:32]: In this city. [2:38:32, 2:38:35]: That we do not have a contract with [2:38:35, 2:38:37]: that can support [2:38:37, 2:38:39]: All of the initiative. [2:38:39, 2:38:43]: I don't I can't understand why we don't really see this. [2:38:44, 2:38:50]: I could probably on both hands just name the contract businesses that we have. [2:38:51, 2:38:58]: So why can't we go outside of those contractors that we do business with and get others? [2:39:01, 2:39:01]: Now [2:39:02, 2:39:06]: If you just look at the world, look at the news [2:39:07, 2:39:11]: You see this all the time where folks are getting in trouble. [2:39:11, 2:39:17]: By taking funds under the table for a different reason. And we know about this. [2:39:18, 2:39:23]: F for the life of me, I I just don't see how someone can think that this is personal. [2:39:23, 2:39:25]: It is not per [2:39:26, 2:39:29]: Kee keep going. Keep going, sir. Go keep going. Mr. Mayor. [2:39:30, 2:39:31]: Let me just call a point of order. [2:39:32, 2:39:38]: It is up to you as the presiding officer to to curtail this [2:39:38, 2:39:45]: Whatever this is, this kangaroo council that's that's going on. And I just wanted to make that statement. All right. Continue on with the statement, please. [2:39:46, 2:40:06]: That that's my only point is that this is not aimed at anyone. This is a this is a problem that's aimed to happen if we continue to go down this road asking for folks. Because when they give you this money, if you as a council person has the opportunity to vote. [2:40:06, 2:40:12]: They're gonna expect you to vote in their favor simply because they gave you funds before. [2:40:12, 2:40:13]: That's the problem. [2:40:14, 2:40:16]: And and that's that's the end of my comment there. [2:40:16, 2:40:20]: Mayor. Ms. Robinson, go ahead, please, second time around. Thank you, sir. Uh huh. [2:40:22, 2:40:41]: I wanna clear up some things because this has been stated and it's been negative toward my name. It has gotten to GMA where some of my colleagues go down and spill lies. I wanna say and make this public. No monies come through Councilwoman Robinson's hands. [2:40:42, 2:40:50]: Checks are made out to the city of Stockbridge for the teen ambassadors, for the youth council. [2:40:51, 2:41:06]: Our staff know their positions because they're that's their professionalism to put the funds where they need to be. So the lies to say that to came to say that no council member [2:41:07, 2:41:20]: Received an itemized statement of where funding was going is an outright lie. I have our city attorney standing before us who volunteered his services. [2:41:22, 2:41:31]: I have the city manager who's sitting before us, who when checks came in, directed our finance department where those checks should go. [2:41:33, 2:41:46]: No monies goes through the hands of Councilwoman Robinson. So if there's some misappropriation of where funds went, to me that's a error that probably took place with our staff. [2:41:48, 2:42:00]: This was something new for them. So errors will take place. But I will tell you this the monies were accounted for by our staff, not Councilwoman Robinson. [2:42:02, 2:42:15]: So for the lies to sit here, that's all they are are lies. You can sit here all you guys want to, but no monies, and I want it to be clear, went through my hands. [2:42:17, 2:42:22]: And I will say with again, with waste industry, some have said that okay. [2:42:23, 2:42:30]: They're tired of people going through asking for money. Those are outright lies. They come to me. [2:42:30, 2:42:38]: And say, are we gonna support you again this year? I said, absolutely. It's every year that you should want to support the kids. [2:42:40, 2:42:44]: So where you all are getting this information, it is lies. [2:42:46, 2:43:01]: And I will say that what staff does complain about is you're talking about Main Street having to go to the Walmart, events having to go to the Walmart and get different items. They have to go to publics and get different items. [2:43:01, 2:43:04]: That's the difference where the complaints are coming from. [2:43:05, 2:43:20]: Because events is asking for the same items. They're wanting food. They're wanting supplies. So you all are the ones that are asking those vendors. And guess what? They pull back. [2:43:20, 2:43:26]: So to sit here and create lies to say that the vendors such as [2:43:27, 2:43:28]: Georgia Power. [2:43:29, 2:43:34]: waste industries, Falcon Designs, they would never [2:43:34, 2:43:36]: C or collaborative firm. [2:43:36, 2:43:39]: Why? Because they already have a contract. [2:43:39, 2:43:59]: So if they're doing our civic events, so if you're gonna point out one council member, that tells me if they're gonna support our civic events for our concerts, tasty Tuesdays, our marches, then that put us all in jeopardy. Because we all have to vote when they bring things before us. [2:43:59, 2:44:10]: So I I I feel that, you know, I'm very upset that you can single me to feel as if I'm stealing, I'm doing stuff illegally. [2:44:11, 2:44:15]: When I clearly before I accept anything. [2:44:15, 2:44:25]: And the attorney is standing before you. I ask him, is this something that is legal that can be done before I do anything? [2:44:26, 2:44:34]: So I'm appalled at any of you to sit here and say you never received a itemized. So again [2:44:35, 2:44:55]: I want the city manager, please tell me if that has not come before you before with mayor and counsel to provide information that we did not give that to them. Mayor, what I I asked a question. So I said, It's not a point of order. I'm calling out live. Mayor, I'm sorry. Point of order. [2:44:55, 2:45:15]: Order because we have an issue here. We are talking about a resolution to adopt a policy with respect to solicitation of sponsorship. Okay, here's your hold a second. We have gone completely down the list. But not recognized the point of order. Okay, hold on, folks. The thing about it is I said earlier, you realize this is video. [2:45:15, 2:45:35]: Absolutely. You realize that what you say is is for record forever and ever and ever. Absolutely. Okay, you realize that. Absolutely. So obviously it's not I I think it's not a good thing to constantly throw each other in the bus. I don't think that's good, and that's what I'm saying. And just because something is said doesn't mean you have to [2:45:35, 2:45:55]: To retaliate. It doesn't mean that. I'm gonna tell the truth. It doesn't mean that in that aspect. So all these point orders, I mean, it's kind of getting a little ridiculous on these point orders, folks. This is my first ever. I got it. So we're we're gonna hear two twice, two speakers, two times speaking. Just watch what you say and how you say it. That's the best way to do this. All right, and and be trying to be as [2:45:55, 2:46:08]: Absolutely. And that's because it's once again, it's recorded. It's forever and ever and ever. All right? Now may I finish? Now I'll let Miss Robinson finish her statement, please. It's a second time around. Go right here. Thank you, sir. [2:46:08, 2:46:28]: Again, I'm and I'm gonna end this because it's very clear that this is an attack on me and it has been from the beginning, and I will speak clearly out on this. If this is what our council is doing behind closed doors, then there's a problem. [2:46:28, 2:46:29]: There's a problem. [2:46:30, 2:46:38]: And everybody needs to see that there's a problem. And I'm not gonna sit here when I've been dealing with kids over 30 years. [2:46:38, 2:46:43]: Thirty years in the community and I've never had this. [2:46:43, 2:46:52]: But I've had parents that I could have brought to this meeting to say what some of you have gone and said to them concerning me: lies. [2:46:53, 2:47:11]: And if I have to do that like I did my community, I'm gonna do that because I will not go a step further for you all to sit up here and make lies and accusations as if I'm stealing, I'm doing wrong against these kids when I've been doing this over 30 years. [2:47:11, 2:47:13]: And I'm in the school system. [2:47:13, 2:47:33]: Certified. I will not allow it to happen. All right. Mayor. Listen, Miss Gantt, go ahead, please. Thank you. Um before I make a motion, um, I want to basically state that this is not a personal attack. I'm not talking about the youth council. This is in general. And I've sp I personally when I [2:47:33, 2:47:53]: If I do anything, I'd I research it first. Um there is a little bit of a conflict here because if the same people were to come in regards to the and I hate to bring up the youth council, but Councilwoman Robinson mentioned this. If they came back and said, Are we still gonna donate to you this year? Like we did. [2:47:53, 2:48:13]: Did last year, then are they saying they're donating to the youth council for the city of Stockbridge, or are they donating to the ambassadors that's a new branch off that Councilwoman Robinson created? That in true is a confusion and a conflict because what are the intent of those donations? [2:48:13, 2:48:20]: And and so having said that, that's just something I want you guys to think about in the future. Um no [2:48:20, 2:48:40]: No complaints here with that. I'm just this this is my opinion. Um, having said that, I would like to move that we approve the resolution to adopt the policy with respect to solicitation of sponsorships, donation gifts, or funds for certain city functions or events as written, except with the exception. [2:48:40, 2:49:00]: On clause two of exhibit A, it should read just city events and not have a standout of the example of city events because I'm I'm not just city events in general. Uh uh Mr. Mayor, if if I may respond to that, the the reason I recommended listing them out is to avoid any confusion from staff. [2:49:00, 2:49:00]: Uh [2:49:01, 2:49:17]: On what those are. So all these that are listed are city events, correct? Are considered city events. If you say if you list them here, then they're city events. Okay. Then then I incl as written. Um I I would amend my motion to state as written. [2:49:17, 2:49:18]: Deserve a second. [2:49:19, 2:49:39]: Okay, there's a second. Now uh uh Mr. Attorney, Mr. Williams, the the the concern I have about the paragraph two is what happens if we establish more city events over the course of time. Because it could very well happen. So the the the the suggestion would be either to amend this policy to add to that or in in clause one [2:49:39, 2:49:58]: It it provides for a specific resolution of council for that event. You could make that it as well in the future. Either way, you it would have to come back to council to authorize staff to solicit for some new city event. For instance, the hundred year celebration. Um that will be a city event. It's not listed here. [2:49:59, 2:50:19]: But obviously you would consider that. Well having said that, then I would I don't want that to be a one time event. Right, but I don't want us to have to continue to come to council towards city events. Like there's a difference between everyone knows a counsel of initiative. I think it's uh there's no fine line there. There it's either a counselor. [2:50:18, 2:50:25]: initiative or a city event. And if it's a city, and that's why I said I think we should just [2:50:26, 2:50:46]: name it as a a c a city event that's sponsored by the whole city that does not include council initiative. So and and I and the reason why I say it that way is because we'll be we'll we'll have more agenda items all the time. If another city event pops up, the hundred maybe we should just add [2:50:46, 2:50:58]: Add go ahead and add the hundred year celebration. So can I and so to you're saying then I would like to amend my motion to add include a hundredth year centennial. [2:51:00, 2:51:02]: To the list. To the list. [2:51:13, 2:51:26]: Mm. So it looked good there? Yes, I was was that amended motion seconded? It wasn't that amendment was not seconded. Anybody? I I second. Okay. There you go. Second down just one one second, please. [2:51:27, 2:51:43]: And then the other thing, earlier in the conversation, we I talked about the delineating of of a contractor versus uh some specific contractor like labor firm uh a uh waste industries, humma humma versus a Walmart or Miss Winters. We talked about that, but as far as from our conversation [2:51:44, 2:51:53]: Paragraph three is still is is good in this aspect from your from your I know you wrote it. I'm just asking again before we we have additional conversation with the council here. [2:51:54, 2:52:06]: I uh to avoid any confusion, I might recommend or I would recommend we say other substantial contractual relationship and define substantial as anything in excess of [2:52:06, 2:52:10]: You know, five thousand dollars or something. That that way. [2:52:10, 2:52:23]: you know, the Walmart expenditures on an annual basis would wouldn't be covered. Mrs. Winters, you know, Chick-fil-A, you know, they you could still solicit funds from those type entities for in support of [2:52:23, 2:52:39]: City and uh council initiatives. All right. So what you just said, if if you said that, is that accept that has to be once again accepted by the initial person that that gave the motion and it'll be seconded for that additional verbiage. Is that acceptable to for to you, ma'am, since you did the actual motion? Yes. [2:52:40, 2:52:50]: Okay. So if you write that down, sir, and then repeat it, make sure everybody understands, and then we get a second. Then we'll go from there. So what what's proposed is um [2:52:55, 2:53:15]: Mr. Mayor. On line six, where it says uh any other contractual relationship with the city, we would add the word substantial before contractual, and then at the end of that, we would add a definition that uh subs for purposes of this policy is substantial contractual relationship. [2:53:15, 2:53:27]: relationship shall mean any contractual relationship wherein the vendor receives more than five thousand dollars. That's acceptable to you? That's fine. Okay, so she so she's acceptable her, so she makes that motion. [2:53:28, 2:53:31]: So moved on what you the adjustment. I need a second on that piece. [2:53:32, 2:53:32]: Is there a second? [2:53:33, 2:53:34]: Yeah. [2:53:34, 2:53:54]: I had a comment. Well what what you'll get a comment, sir. Is there a second to this? I guess there's no second, then I'm sorry. Okay, I just w what the second is and we can only do that by t questioning the city of the Okay, you had a okay, go right in. Do you originally wanted to have something to say? Go ahead. I just hope we don't [2:53:54, 2:53:55]: He's he asked first. [2:53:55, 2:54:08]: I just hope we don't we're not trying to recreate the wheel. It's as simple as not accepting f uh soliciting funds from contract workers. Why are we going to all these different amounts and and diff uh [2:54:09, 2:54:10]: G let me give you an example. Since numbers [2:54:11, 2:54:24]: But my back to school my back to school uh event last year, I spent over eight thousand dollars. None of it was with contract workers. It was with people that wanted to get involved in the community. [2:54:25, 2:54:37]: And so money money in the community is there for people ca they wanna get involved. Over eight thousand dollars. So why are we sitting here trying to recreate the wheel when all we have to do is say what contract workers? I don't understand this. [2:54:37, 2:54:38]: Mayor Pro Tem. [2:54:39, 2:54:50]: I wanna agree with you desperately, but the reason people hate lawyers is because there's always somebody out there, some lawyer who will try to find some wiggle room and say that well because we bought [2:54:50, 2:54:54]: you know, fifty dollars worth of paper from Walmart that that makes Walmart a vendor. [2:54:55, 2:55:14]: And then they'll say, Well, now you can't go at and so that that's what we're trying to fix. But but it doesn't make them a contract vendor. We're talking about contracted vendors. Technically, when you buy that that whatever, that pin, if you buy this pin from somebody, then they are a vendor and there's a there's a contractual relationship however brief. [2:55:14, 2:55:28]: So that's what I I I I Mr Williams. So you tell me when I go buy gas I got a contract is a contract to be I mean that's that's just that just really, you know, really Sir that that's why people hate lawyers. I'm sorry. [2:55:30, 2:55:32]: Mm-hmm. Mr. Thomas, go ahead, sir. [2:55:33, 2:55:35]: Thank you, Mayor. Please, thank you. You're welcome. [2:55:36, 2:55:41]: Mr. Williams, I I don't know why we're putting all of this red tape on this. [2:55:42, 2:55:44]: A contract and you're an attorney. [2:55:45, 2:55:48]: A contract is an agreement. [2:55:48, 2:56:03]: a signed document saying that you will provide a service to the city of Stockbridge and and the and and and and the agreement is outlined and all parties signed. That's a contract. [2:56:03, 2:56:06]: We do not have a contract with Walmart. [2:56:07, 2:56:10]: So why we are making this so confusing? [2:56:12, 2:56:27]: I d at at the risk of re repeating what I said, it's just you know, it it's it's it's not an attempt to make it confusing, it's a it's an attempt to make it absolutely clear so that no one out there I mean I mean we all are dust here. It is clear. Well [2:56:27, 2:56:33]: I would I would better say that's why I asked the question it wasn't clear to me. It's clear who we have contracts with. [2:56:35, 2:56:45]: It is clear who we have agreements with and everybody sign on the dotted line because of this is the service that you're providing to the city. What is not clear? [2:56:46, 2:57:06]: Is it is it I'm sorry, Mayor. Mr. Go ahead, sir. It it's pretty clear that this is wrought with confusion because it was rushed uh up here to the podium. I had not seen it today. Uh I don't think Councilwoman Robinson has seen it today. Uh this obviously requires some additional [2:57:06, 2:57:26]: Discussion, uh, the attorney whether we wanted to accept it or not. That's why I use the language vendor because a vendor just simply means a sales transaction. The vendor is the person uh who was you're you you're buying something from them. It doesn't matter what the amount is. So you know I [2:57:26, 2:57:46]: I could I I I c uh uh acquiesce to the comment that was made, but that's what that what defines a vendor. But what we're looking at here is we're trying to put this together on the fly because none of us have actually seen it. We've just had a chance to digest a portion of it for just a second. [2:57:46, 2:57:52]: Small time. There was been absolutely no discussion of this, and it's the way that it is. I hope. [2:57:52, 2:58:12]: Um, I see the mayor has some concern over it as well. This is a issue that I I would hope that he may even veto because this is this particular issue is just rot with different issues that just I don't understand it. We don't all understand it and we keep going [2:58:12, 2:58:27]: back trying to fix it. I've never seen where we we we're waiting on a second right now. We even entered discussion yet, but we're waiting on a second and we're entering discussion. This measure should have failed because it has not obtained a second. Is that correct, sir? [2:58:27, 2:58:47]: It's a good thing. Well the the second wasn't attained on the f of the additional information for paragraph three. It hasn't it hasn't been accepted in that hasn't been seconded for that piece. I would think that the the motion the the motion that was made and seconded for the additional piece of of Centennial it still stands at this point. Yes. And c point of clarification. [2:58:47, 2:58:57]: for you uh councilman Alexander and the rest of the council. Since this is a resolution I do not have veto power on the resolution. Only on ordinances. So I could if it passed I couldn't veto if I wanted to. [2:58:58, 2:58:58]: Thank you. [2:58:59, 2:59:00]: Mr. Mayor. Yes, sir. [2:59:02, 2:59:07]: Thank you for correcting that uh resolution versus ordinance. Yeah, I know the difference. The original [2:59:08, 2:59:10]: Resolution [2:59:11, 2:59:12]: Has been motioned. [2:59:12, 2:59:14]: And it has been second. [2:59:15, 2:59:16]: The addendum [2:59:17, 2:59:19]: Resolution or motion. [2:59:19, 2:59:20]: was not second. [2:59:21, 2:59:23]: So Mr Mayor, I call for the vote. [2:59:24, 2:59:27]: On the original resolution. [2:59:27, 2:59:40]: No, actually I think you're correct. The the actual uh uh am amendment uh to the motion to add uh the centennial was made and you actually seconded it. So No, no, no. Someone seconded down here. [2:59:40, 2:59:46]: I second the original I think you second two things, sir. I don't know what what clerk, I'm sorry? [2:59:47, 2:59:48]: Okay. [2:59:56, 3:00:00]: Right. And if there was a m motion was made and it was seconded. That's only [3:00:01, 3:00:10]: Excuse me. Only to add the Yes, yes. But not the dollar amount that Mr. No, no, that wasn't done. That dollar amount did not And fail. [3:00:10, 3:00:23]: No, no, it did it well failed for lack of a second it failed. Yes. Thank you. So we're back so I uh so we're back to the f what the first amendment stands to add the one thousand the hundredth centennial stands. And that called for the vote. Okay. All right. [3:00:23, 3:00:34]: So on on that note, uh the motion has been made and seconded in reference to the addendum to add one uh the centennial piece uh to the paragraph number two. All in favor of motion please indicate. [3:00:36, 3:00:37]: K three, all polls. [3:00:38, 3:00:41]: Okay, motion passes three two. Thank you. [3:00:41, 3:00:41]: All right. [3:00:42, 3:00:43]: Um [3:00:44, 3:00:49]: Council consideration approved the amphitheater prequalification bid. Miss Lindell Miller, please. [3:00:59, 3:01:06]: Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Good afternoon. City staff is requesting approval uh for the recommendation of the shortlisted firms for [3:01:07, 3:01:09]: RFQ number two thousand nineteen zero zero. [3:01:10, 3:01:17]: One nine step one, which was solicited to engage services of qualified general contractors for the construction of the new. [3:01:18, 3:01:22]: А Піпл Ампл театр від стейдж анд паркін. [3:01:22, 3:01:32]: Upon approval, city staff will proceed with the RFP process for step two, which will solely be solicited to only the shortlisted firms that's approved here tonight. [3:01:33, 3:01:42]: Mayor. Uh yes, sir. I would like to make a motion to accept the recommendation of staff for these uh qualified contractors to build the amphitheater. [3:01:44, 3:01:50]: All right. Most of them is made a second. Uh I I'm sorry, I'm gonna plead maybe for a second. What are those three firms? [3:01:52, 3:01:54]: Uh holding construction. [3:01:55, 3:02:04]: Okay, well some for some strange reason second page. Second page and I unfortunately [3:02:05, 3:02:07]: Do not have a second page. I don't know why. [3:02:07, 3:02:08]: All right. [3:02:09, 3:02:09]: All right. [3:02:10, 3:02:13]: All right, fine. This is what I I'm sorry, this is what I didn't have. [3:02:15, 3:02:28]: All right, so bit. All right, so any other questions for Ms. Miller? Well just for clarification, um the X are the three that you highly recommend as a That's correct. The X are the shortlisted firms. [3:02:29, 3:02:33]: The responders are the other lists, that's the total of all the responses received. [3:02:34, 3:02:44]: Thank you. Any other questions at all? Okay, all of and the motion was made, it's been seconded. All in favor of motion, please syndicate. Casey unamounced. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. [3:02:44, 3:02:45]: Thank you. [3:02:46, 3:02:53]: So uh council consideration to fill vacancies and appointment members to the youth council advisory board. Ms. Harvey, please. [3:02:55, 3:02:55]: Okay, so. [3:02:59, 3:03:00]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. [3:03:01, 3:03:21]: Excuse my tone. I just had um surgery on my mouth and my meds are wearing off. So pardon me. Um just an update. We have filled about uh the four of the seats for uh on the youth council and we're wrapping up the planning process. We would like to go ahead and fill those last two with two um two advisory members that I have vetted. [3:03:21, 3:03:25]: One being a s um administrator from [3:03:25, 3:03:41]: Stockbridge Middle School and another who has formed a youth council in New Jersey, in the state of New Jersey and and just recently moved to Stockbridge about a year and a half ago. And so I've have looked at those two and I wanna go ahead and complete the advisory board so we can have them sworn in and move forward with [3:03:41, 3:04:01]: So you're making two recommendations to us is what you're doing here. The final two, yeah. The final two. Now typically, once again, we we normally take these things and the council discuss these in executive session and come back out and once the executive session is done and make those announcements. Uh that's typically what we do. I would think that the council will accept the recommendation. [3:04:01, 3:04:20]: we can go back in the in the executive session to discuss this. Yes sir. I make a motion to accept the recommendations. All right. Motion was made for seconded. Yes. Okay. Okay. It's been seconded. So uh now go ahead ma'am. I just ask her [3:04:21, 3:04:22]: Okay. [3:04:24, 3:04:30]: Uh Jody okay, it's Jody Alexander. Yep. Okay. And Gabriel Armstead. [3:04:33, 3:04:34]: Uh so moving. [3:04:35, 3:04:36]: I second. [3:04:37, 3:04:40]: Okay, any further discussion from the council? [3:04:41, 3:04:43]: If not all in favor, recommended two. [3:04:44, 3:04:51]: Okay, so unanimous. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, there there's another technical matter uh related to the advisory board. [3:04:52, 3:04:57]: Those members that were appointed in twenty seventeen who who continue to serve. [3:04:57, 3:05:08]: Um they had two year terms and their terms have have expired and so the council needs to either reappoint those uh those members that continue to serve [3:05:08, 3:05:16]: Or make a decision and just want to And they expired when, sir. They uh uh in June. At the at the end of this month. Yeah. [3:05:16, 3:05:35]: Okay. It was my understanding that they left that to the board. I thought that you guys wanted to leave those decisions as far as is or am I is that correct? The the original members. [3:05:35, 3:05:42]: Those members. Now if you wanna change it so that the board itself can make appointments and reappointments. [3:05:42, 3:06:02]: That's totally your call and you can do that, but that's not what the ordinance provides. So those there's about three or four members who were who continue to serve from that original group. Well it's up to the council, but I would assume that we would maintain the the the uh the deployment process uh the re employment process, period. Yes sir. And and so I guess in a sense if we're gonna [3:06:02, 3:06:19]: to do this now that we need to know what the names are. And then you said that that once they're reappointed us for another two year period. Is that correct? All of them are two years. Okay, all two years. I would like for you guys to renew excuse me. To renew the board the current board. Right. Um those members who whose terms have expired. [3:06:21, 3:06:41]: I second. Well right. Okay. Uh so I guess she could we we've still moved that, so that's good there. Yes, sir. You had a comment? No, that's fine. Okay. My reason being I don't wanna like a complete new, you know, these are v people who know the systems, know the process, they know the some of the policy policies and procedures. So I don't wanna hold new [3:06:41, 3:06:43]: new group of people coming in learning. [3:06:44, 3:06:50]: You know, the new policies and so I think it'll be better. We just say the four m members you don't need to mention their names specifically in the motion in this aspect then. [3:06:51, 3:06:52]: With that, okay. [3:06:53, 3:07:13]: Okay, thank you very much. Okay. All motion been made and seconded. Yes, sir. Yeah, question. Yeah, because in the future, um, I think we left it to the board that whatever you all bylaws that you all create would determine whether someone has met the requirements of the case. We are working on those bylaws. Yeah, we're working on those. We'll turn those in on the twenty eighth. And we also would like for the new members to be sworn. [3:07:13, 3:07:20]: So I'll have all that stuff, all the packets and all the information ready for you on that meeting. [3:07:22, 3:07:38]: Twentieth of July, is that what we're talking about? Uh no, is it before that? Okay. Okay. Okay. The clerk will keep it straight. Okay. She'll keep it straight. Okay. Motion has been made to the second. All favor of the motion, please indicate. Okay, she now is. Thank you very much. All right. Um [3:07:40, 3:07:45]: The for discussion, Council discussion vicious dog ordinance. Councilman uh Alexander, please. [3:07:46, 3:08:06]: Yes, sir. Um, Mayor, thank you so much. Uh I requested this item be put on the agenda uh so that we can discuss um what has happened in the community as we continue to grow. Uh this particular issue when I looked into it uh was pr was uh brought to my attention [3:08:06, 3:08:26]: By my neighbor who is here tonight, uh Amir Williams, uh, after his Yorker was viciously killed uh by a dog uh in the neighborhood. And uh he brought some things to my attention that I needed to uh that that surfaced. Uh there I went to immediately kind of look up what our ordinance was. [3:08:26, 3:08:46]: Was in the city, and I discovered we really didn't have a ordinance per se specific to the city. We just really adopted the art dark to the uh resolution or the ordinance for Henry County. Uh it is my firm belief that as a city there's a [3:08:46, 3:09:06]: Difference between uh there should be a difference uh specific to Stockbridge on how we address the uh animal ordinance versus what the county is. Uh if you're out in a county and you're living on two uh five acres of land or two acres of land and uh your animal is [3:09:06, 3:09:26]: Escapes, uh, it might take a while for that animal to get on somebody else's property. But uh if you live in a subdivision in Stockbridge and your neighbors twenty feet away, uh they're almost immediately on someone else's potential property. On this discussion tonight, I want us to go forward and kind of look at what it is that we [3:09:26, 3:09:46]: We need to do to have a stock bridge animal ordinance so that we can uh have this issue discussed out. What I would like to do now is uh reserve the balance of my time to my neighbor, Amir Williams, to call him up to speak so he can tell the council uh exactly what happened to him so you can understand. [3:09:46, 3:09:56]: For you, sir. We can do that with a three minute limit. [3:09:56, 3:10:04]: Uh that's the council's call whether they want to do that. You normally don't, but if y'all decide to do that. Council, you acceptable to let this gentleman talk? [3:10:06, 3:10:10]: Yes. Okay. Mr m was Mr Williams is his name? [3:10:11, 3:10:15]: Amir Amir Williams. Amir Williams. Amir Williams. Okay. [3:10:16, 3:10:16]: Um [3:10:17, 3:10:32]: EMIR. Yes, EMIR. Correct. Give you your name and address please for a record. Okay. Um good evening, uh Mayor, Councilmember. My name is Emir Williams. I live in uh Winslow Subdivision at seven eighty Winbrook Drive. Okay. Um [3:10:35, 3:10:40]: On the morning of uh Mother's Day morning, I was walking my uh Miss Clerk. [3:10:42, 3:10:43]: My pet York. [3:10:44, 3:10:55]: And as I was walking my Yorkie that morning, just before five A.M., um a neighbor across the street who was um in care of her brother's pit bull [3:10:56, 3:11:05]: Which is not just a regular pit bull, it's called a bully breed pit bull. So so if you know anything about pit bulls, you'll you'll understand that a a bully breed is just that what it's called, a bully. [3:11:06, 3:11:09]: So as I'm walking my dog on the leash, the pit bull [3:11:10, 3:11:10]: Comes out. [3:11:11, 3:11:11]: From [3:11:11, 3:11:14]: Two houses down from where he's supposed to have been. [3:11:15, 3:11:17]: And he was not in a fence, he was not on a leash. [3:11:17, 3:11:18]: So he attacked my dog. [3:11:19, 3:11:26]: And when he attacked my dog, I had a stick. I carried a stick with me. I hit s I hit the dog, I hit the pit with the stick, but it broke. [3:11:26, 3:11:27]: So it was useless. [3:11:28, 3:11:34]: So in order to keep him from he he nudged my dog over on the side and grabbed him by his stomach. He bit into his belly. [3:11:34, 3:11:38]: So when I went down to grab the pit to keep him from taking my dog away, [3:11:38, 3:11:41]: I had to grab the pit and I also grabbed my dog. [3:11:41, 3:11:41]: Mm. [3:11:41, 3:11:42]: So when I grab [3:11:43, 3:11:43]: My dog [3:11:44, 3:11:45]: And I try to pull him away from his mouth. [3:11:46, 3:11:49]: He lashed on, he tried to catch on to my elbow. [3:11:50, 3:11:51]: And which at the time I realized [3:11:52, 3:11:56]: That my elbow was right in front of my neck. So actually the pit was really trying to get to my neck. [3:11:58, 3:12:00]: So at that time I realized this pit was not just [3:12:00, 3:12:03]: Just this it was really trying to kill both of us. [3:12:05, 3:12:06]: So once [3:12:06, 3:12:08]: And uh pardon me if I get emotional because [3:12:08, 3:12:08]: Oh. [3:12:09, 3:12:10]: My dog's like a a child me. [3:12:11, 3:12:12]: Anyways, um [3:12:14, 3:12:16]: When I rustled with this pit bull for probably about [3:12:16, 3:12:18]: close to two minutes out in the middle of the street. [3:12:19, 3:12:20]: In front of my own house. [3:12:21, 3:12:23]: Um I began to tire out. [3:12:24, 3:12:24]: And that's when the pit. [3:12:25, 3:12:26]: pulled my dog away from [3:12:28, 3:12:29]: So when I went in the house [3:12:29, 3:12:31]: I went in my house screaming. [3:12:32, 3:12:35]: And I told my wife, I woke my wife up and my eighty four year old mother. [3:12:36, 3:12:44]: And when I went in house screaming, I said, he got boogie. My dog's name was Boogie. I said, he got boogie. He got boogie. Automatically my wife jumped up. She knew exactly what I was talking about. [3:12:44, 3:12:49]: The reason why she knew that is because that dog had continuously gotten loose. [3:12:50, 3:12:53]: And um it's been complaints about this dog getting loose. [3:12:54, 3:13:00]: And uh you could actually see the family was trying to a couple of times trying to retrieve the dog after it got loose the first time. [3:13:01, 3:13:02]: On this particular time [3:13:03, 3:13:07]: Um when it got loose, I went and got my my gun and I came back. [3:13:07, 3:13:09]: And I located the the uh pit. [3:13:10, 3:13:11]: Who was in between two houses? [3:13:11, 3:13:14]: across the street from where I live, but a little bit further down. [3:13:15, 3:13:19]: And uh I noticed that the the the pit was pulling my dog apart at that time. [3:13:20, 3:13:23]: And uh so I shot the pit bull in the in the head twice. [3:13:25, 3:13:37]: And uh once I shot in the head twice, it released my dog. It just it just it started y yelling and screaming and it released my dog. So I thought the pit was was dead. So I picked my dog up off the ground and I took it to [3:13:37, 3:13:38]: The the person's house who [3:13:39, 3:13:40]: The pit bull was [3:13:40, 3:13:41]: residing it. [3:13:43, 3:13:44]: And on the way to her house. [3:13:45, 3:13:45]: Her two [3:13:46, 3:13:47]: Teenage sons. [3:13:47, 3:14:07]: I wanna say they had to be between fourteen and sixteen years of age. They met me on the way there because I think they heard the gunshots. Okay, counsel, you willing to give them additional time. Yes. Okay, go right here, sir. Thank you. Continue on with your story. So I think they heard the gunshots. And when they heard the gunshots, they came outside and they caught me midway to their house. So the thing they told me was, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. [3:14:08, 3:14:11]: And I asked my say, Is your mother home? And they say yes. So when I went to the door [3:14:11, 3:14:14]: to speak to the mother. I I'm holding my dog in my left hand. [3:14:15, 3:14:16]: He's deceased. [3:14:16, 3:14:18]: I got my pistol in my right hand. [3:14:19, 3:14:20]: My wife she comes up behind me. [3:14:21, 3:14:24]: At this time, so we're standing in front of the lady's house. [3:14:24, 3:14:27]: Just like I'm standing in front of you all. So I'm talking to this lady behind her door. [3:14:28, 3:14:30]: And as she's speaking with me, she says [3:14:30, 3:14:32]: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. [3:14:33, 3:14:36]: So before I can get a word out, my wife. [3:14:36, 3:14:38]: She turns around and looks behind me. [3:14:38, 3:14:40]: And she sees the same pit bull. [3:14:40, 3:14:42]: That I shot in here twice. [3:14:42, 3:14:45]: It comes up again as trying to attack my dog. [3:14:45, 3:14:46]: And me. [3:14:46, 3:14:47]: Impossibly my wife. [3:14:48, 3:14:49]: So at that time [3:14:50, 3:14:50]: My wife went [3:14:51, 3:14:51]: [11691.9, 11694.7]: I told the lady, I said, Please let my wife in, let her in. So she let [3:14:55, 3:14:56]: My wife's in her house. [3:14:57, 3:15:00]: The lady who was supposed to be watching this pit bull for this gentleman. [3:15:01, 3:15:03]: Her brother. She was afraid of this picture. [3:15:04, 3:15:09]: She never at one time said, please, cause she knew I was gonna turn around and shoot the dog. She knew that. [3:15:09, 3:15:12]: She never turned around and said, Please wait, don't do this, whatever. [3:15:12, 3:15:15]: So that's when I turned around once my wife got inside the house. [3:15:16, 3:15:17]: Even her kids were in the house. [3:15:18, 3:15:20]: I was the only one outside holding my dog. [3:15:20, 3:15:23]: I turned and I shot the pit bull in the head for the third time. [3:15:24, 3:15:27]: And that's what killed it right in front of her. [3:15:27, 3:15:31]: Um, front porch. That's what killed the pit bull. That's what laid it down. [3:15:32, 3:15:32]: So [3:15:33, 3:15:41]: Immediately after I I did that, I called the police. I took my dog home, I took my gun home, put it up on the mantelpiece, I called the police. [3:15:41, 3:15:43]: Police came out about maybe three minutes later. [3:15:43, 3:15:48]: They already had well in in route'cause they heard the gunshots. Well, they got a call saying that there were gunshots. [3:15:49, 3:15:51]: So they were already in route. But by the time they got to me, [3:15:52, 3:15:56]: Um I had to give them my, you know, story and everything in writing. [3:15:57, 3:16:02]: And I went and uh across the street to talk to the guy who actually owned the pit bull. [3:16:02, 3:16:03]: He shows up [3:16:04, 3:16:04]: About [3:16:05, 3:16:06]: Ten minutes after the police have gotten there. [3:16:07, 3:16:13]: So when I talked to him, I I asked him, I said, uh, is that your pit bull? He said, Yes. He said, Yes, it is. [3:16:13, 3:16:15]: He said, I I humbly apologize. [3:16:15, 3:16:20]: I said, I accept your apology. I said, but you know, you trained that pit bull like that. [3:16:20, 3:16:25]: And you know that you left that pit bull with kids. [3:16:25, 3:16:27]: Who cannot control that pit bull? [3:16:27, 3:16:31]: This pit bull weighed between at least eighty to uh maybe a hundred and ten pounds. [3:16:32, 3:16:32]: Wow. [3:16:32, 3:16:35]: So it it was not your average size pit bull. [3:16:35, 3:16:40]: And I told him, You train it. So he cut me off in the middle of the conversation. He got real, you know. [3:16:40, 3:16:41]: uh offense. So [3:16:41, 3:16:45]: We had words and and the police just told me, you know, to go on home. [3:16:45, 3:16:46]: And that's what I did. [3:16:46, 3:16:47]: So [3:16:47, 3:16:50]: After talking with animal control the next day. [3:16:51, 3:16:55]: They they didn't they never came out that night. There was some kind of confusion between [3:16:55, 3:16:56]: Police and [3:16:56, 3:16:58]: Animal control in the report. [3:16:58, 3:17:07]: The police were saying that there were two dogs dead, the owners were on site and they were gonna take care of it. So animal control did not come out that day. So when I called animal control the next day on that Monday. [3:17:08, 3:17:12]: They were concerned with me about, you know, having rabies because I have gotten bitten. [3:17:13, 3:17:17]: So they actually wrote a citation to the lady. [3:17:17, 3:17:20]: Who actually was holding this pit bull for four months? [3:17:21, 3:17:25]: For her brother. This this people had been in her backyard for four months. [3:17:25, 3:17:28]: out of those four months that people that I know of had gotten loose twice. [3:17:29, 3:17:35]: They wrote her a citation, two citations. The first one was for um failure to restrain her animal. The second one was for [3:17:35, 3:17:36]: Um [3:17:36, 3:17:38]: creating a public nuisance. [3:17:38, 3:17:42]: And each one of those citations carries up to a thousand dollars per citation. [3:17:44, 3:17:49]: So once the uh the the uh control officer, animal control officer went to the actual location. [3:17:50, 3:17:52]: Of the guy who is the actual owner. [3:17:52, 3:17:57]: 'Cause she told him, Look, I don't own this pit bull, my brother does. So they went to his job. [3:17:58, 3:18:02]: And they asked where the pit bull was'cause they had to retrieve it in order to get [3:18:02, 3:18:04]: You know, t get it tested for the rabies shot. [3:18:05, 3:18:07]: Oh, ra and see if it had rabies. [3:18:07, 3:18:09]: So when they did that, they noticed that the [3:18:10, 3:18:11]: When he he didn't bury his pit bull. [3:18:12, 3:18:17]: He laid he put the pit bull on the ground, top of the ground, and just put rocks on top of it. [3:18:17, 3:18:17]: Mm. [3:18:18, 3:18:20]: Now, in my opinion [3:18:20, 3:18:23]: It should have been a citation written directly to the to the owner. [3:18:25, 3:18:27]: For just disposing of an animal like that because [3:18:27, 3:18:32]: I don't care whose property you're on, whether you're at your job or in your own property, that's not the proper way of disposing of a dead animal. [3:18:33, 3:18:34]: So [3:18:34, 3:18:35]: I I feel like [3:18:36, 3:18:38]: I've been failed on two occasions. For one [3:18:39, 3:18:45]: uh the actual owner really is free of it. I mean he he has no kind of responsibility in this at all. [3:18:46, 3:18:48]: And that's where I feel like the law should be. [3:18:49, 3:18:50]: More geared towards [3:18:51, 3:18:53]: uh holding the actual owner responsible. [3:18:54, 3:18:59]: Because I read just as I was sitting over there, I read that if there is a second offense [3:19:00, 3:19:01]: As far as animal attack. [3:19:01, 3:19:03]: Coming from that same owner. [3:19:03, 3:19:05]: Then it becomes a felony. [3:19:06, 3:19:06]: And [3:19:07, 3:19:13]: The way he was that people I could tell he either breeds'em or he he he continuously gets them and he and he raises them a certain way. [3:19:14, 3:19:19]: So if that was to happen again to somebody and it could have been a child, it could have very well have been a child that morning. [3:19:19, 3:19:20]: It just you know, it was [3:19:22, 3:19:22]: Mm. [3:19:26, 3:19:27]: So anyways, um [3:19:30, 3:19:31]: That's what I'm looking for today. [3:19:31, 3:19:33]: Just some type of uh [3:19:34, 3:19:35]: I c um [3:19:36, 3:19:39]: uh increase in the in the penalties or fines or um [3:19:40, 3:19:41]: Just some type of uh [3:19:43, 3:19:47]: Justice in holding the actual owner responsible, as well as [3:19:47, 3:19:48]: The other responsible [3:19:49, 3:19:51]: uh partner in it. You know, cause right now [3:19:52, 3:19:54]: The lady who is actually [3:19:54, 3:19:56]: Holding the pit bull for her brother. [3:19:56, 3:19:57]: She's catching the Blount of it. [3:19:59, 3:20:03]: And she's never walked a dog. I walk my dog four or five times a day. [3:20:03, 3:20:07]: And I told that guy, I said, when you when he came up, the owner of the pit bull, I said [3:20:07, 3:20:09]: This is my first time laying eyes on you. [3:20:10, 3:20:13]: First time ever laying eyes on you. Your dog has been four months. First time. [3:20:15, 3:20:17]: Why is that? Because you didn't care about your dog. [3:20:18, 3:20:21]: So you brought your dog from wherever you live to this neighborhood. [3:20:22, 3:20:24]: And the dog has been disruptive ever since. [3:20:24, 3:20:26]: Which a dog is gonna be a dog. [3:20:26, 3:20:29]: But I feel like as a responsible owner, just like I was. [3:20:30, 3:20:32]: Even though my dog was only nine pounds. [3:20:32, 3:20:34]: I kept them on a leash. [3:20:35, 3:20:37]: I feel like they should be doing the same. [3:20:37, 3:20:39]: Hell response. The fencing [3:20:39, 3:20:41]: Around the house was not adequate fencing at all. [3:20:42, 3:20:43]: It was not. [3:20:44, 3:20:46]: So I thank you all for listening to me. [3:20:47, 3:20:50]: I mean, even though if if nothing really gets done. [3:20:50, 3:20:53]: I really appreciate you guys giving me a listing here. [3:20:54, 3:20:55]: Because that means a lot. [3:20:55, 3:20:56]: To help get it out. [3:20:58, 3:21:18]: Appreciate your story. Let me ask let me let me say this for a second, please. In in the document here, there is some there's a listing of it looks like this is the the uh animal Henry County Animal Control Ordinance that it makes me it's a county ordinance and it identifies everything. It talks in here several times about uh vicious dogs, gives a definition. [3:21:17, 3:21:37]: Tells you how to control this thing, enforcement issues. And that is it makes me think we don't have a specific ordinance for this in the city of Stockbridge, but it makes me think that we adhere to, are supposed to adhere to this particular ordinance. Yes, sir. All right. So if this particular ordinance is Henry Counter ordinance that we accept and and until we ever decide to get a specific ordinance [3:21:37, 3:21:57]: This one would apply, which also makes me think that the uh these the actual violations, the police police department should have gave the violations to the proper people in this aspect. I mean I don't know how much control we have in this to to to enforce this, I guess, with the Henry County, say hey do this or whatever the case maybe so what kind of thought. [3:21:57, 3:21:59]: So, yeah. [3:22:00, 3:22:19]: There they're two separate issues. The first issue is whether our ordinance is adequate. We we do adopt the Henry County ordinance by reference and and whether that would have prevented this or helped this, you know, I can't just say just cold because I'm I'm hearing this for the first time. [3:22:19, 3:22:24]: Um but addressing how adequate our ordinance is, that's the first step. [3:22:24, 3:22:31]: The the second issue is the fact that we contract with Henry County Animal Control to provide our animal control services. [3:22:31, 3:22:51]: and how and to what extent and and whether they're even capable of fully um meeting the needs uh throughout the city as well as the county. I don't I don't know the answer to that, but that is certainly part of it because I don't know if they were ever called previous to this incident, whether they'd been out there if they had already cited. [3:22:51, 3:22:52]: Right. [3:22:52, 3:22:53]: Um because had they [3:22:54, 3:22:57]: Identified this animal um previously. [3:22:57, 3:22:59]: Um they [3:22:59, 3:23:09]: could have and probably should have gone through the protocol to identify it as a dangerous dog. And and there there's a procedure in the ordinance for them to do that. [3:23:09, 3:23:15]: Um but it requires that initial contact and I and that's I don't know whether they were ever [3:23:16, 3:23:31]: informed o of the existence of this dog and the fact that it's gotten out multiple times and that that's what it's designed to do, but it needs to be enforced and and that that's that's a a a resource allocation issue that needs to be addressed. [3:23:31, 3:23:42]: Okay. So for this for the city itself, we adopt or we accept the Henry County ordinance and how d the this process deals with this when we contract with the animal control. All right, so [3:23:44, 3:23:46]: Whether we need a pacific [3:23:46, 3:24:05]: ordinance on this for the for strictly for the city is a is another issue I guess to discuss whether we legally need that, but we have something in place. We just gotta make sure it is it's adhered to and it's enforced, I guess. That's my thoughts when I see this. Okay? All right. Uh that's enough for me for right now. Anybody else? That yes sir, go ahead. [3:24:06, 3:24:23]: Uh yes, um I I've really sympathized to what happened with you. Um my wife and I have been rescuing dogs for over twelve years. We had an incident similar to that open one with the two huge pit bulls attacked this lady, killed one of her dogs and the other one got got away and ran off. So [3:24:24, 3:24:30]: Uh, even during my campaign we rescued a dog over in the I forget the name of the shutdivision and found him a home. [3:24:30, 3:24:32]: Uh when I went to [3:24:32, 3:24:44]: The Henry County, I've been talking to the animal control people about these type situations because you gotta remember now we we've adopted their ordinance uh their ordinance and we don't have our own animal control. [3:24:45, 3:25:05]: And we have to rely on their police. But what was told to me is that when it comes to the severity of situations, each situation is different. That there are situations where the DA even gets involved with these uh with with these situations there. But but the fines, I agree with you with the fines, we gotta make sure that these people that let their dog [3:25:05, 3:25:09]: [12310.0, 12319.7]: Someone c we have a little pit bull that I'm dealing with in our neighborhood. He's not he's not vicious, but he's a pit bull and he's a dog Roman. Somebody could kill the dog. [3:25:20, 3:25:28]: Because of what type of breed it is. So there's a lot that needs to be formulated in and really protecting us because we get attached to dogs. [3:25:29, 3:25:35]: before I take a vacation to do anything, I gotta make sure my dogs are taken care of, you know, because we're those type of owners. [3:25:35, 3:25:42]: You know, and so I do sympathize with you, but but we we have to look at Henry County and have those discussions. [3:25:42, 3:25:48]: with them in conjunction with how they can work with the city and making sure people like you get justice. [3:25:48, 3:25:50]: when you have those situations. [3:25:51, 3:25:55]: Um you become the victim, your family become victimized over it. [3:25:56, 3:26:02]: And believe it or not, the dolls become victims because even if they're not vicious, they get killed because they're Roman. [3:26:03, 3:26:18]: You you see what I'm saying? So something has to be done. One of the things that we w I was working with the county on prior to this stuff that we was doing is that when we the dogs that we found, and if we didn't have homes for'em or could keep'em, we had to take'em to the pound. [3:26:18, 3:26:25]: But what happens when those owners have found the who dogs that is, and they don't go pick the dogs up and the dogs have to get euthanized? [3:26:25, 3:26:31]: So it's a lot going on with that and I and but but it's a lot has to be worked with the county. [3:26:31, 3:26:39]: Uh until we get our own pound and our own police department and our own that we have to make sure that our citizens in the city of Stockbridge. [3:26:39, 3:26:48]: In the city of Starkbridge is being protected and covered by whatever loss that we do have pertaining to vicious dogs or or dangerous dogs. [3:26:48, 3:26:53]: But but what happens when okay, the same owner since he [3:26:54, 3:26:58]: I'm not gonna say not taking responsibility for owning his dog, but he's not being [3:26:58, 3:26:59]: Sari [3:26:59, 3:27:03]: He doesn't have a citation for, you know, this dog being vicious. [3:27:04, 3:27:06]: He gets another dog and the same thing happens. [3:27:07, 3:27:08]: And this is his second offense. [3:27:09, 3:27:12]: And this time it may have happened to it may happen to a human being. [3:27:12, 3:27:13]: And it could have prevented [3:27:14, 3:27:15]: been been prevented before. [3:27:16, 3:27:36]: Yeah. Then what happens? But I'm gonna say something you probably won't even like. But once someone takes this responsibility of uh someone's animal to keep, I understand it clears that owner. I understand. It it really does. And so that's why the owner probably didn't get excited because I've dealt with this stuff over the years. Once that person [3:27:36, 3:27:56]: person say I'll keep them, then all the responsibilities for that dog they take over. Someone just approached me in Savannah. They had a a a do uh poodle. Certainly could be a good one. Want to know if I say hey y'all can have the poodle six months old but the poodle had a uh uh something that it it couldn't stay away from someone for six hours or it's you know it goes [3:27:55, 3:28:13]: goes crazy. I you you know, I could do that. But I'm saying is that every condition that you get and keep that person, the responsibility transfers. It's horrible. But and at the same time, it feels like you have to l use logic too. If this dog weighs more than the actual per person you are [3:28:14, 3:28:15]: Turning it over to [3:28:16, 3:28:18]: I mean in my mind as a owner [3:28:19, 3:28:23]: Especially it being my sister, I'm not gonna put her or her family in danger. [3:28:23, 3:28:24]: But the thing is [3:28:25, 3:28:25]: Із [3:28:26, 3:28:28]: When that dog attacked my dog and even mi. [3:28:29, 3:28:44]: No one could have turned that dog or could have uh gave commands to that dog but its owner. That lady could have came out the house and seen me struggling with that dog. It was nothing she could have said at that point in time that would have got that dog off of me or my dog. I agree. Nothing. I agree. But the owner probably could. [3:28:45, 3:28:47]: So he should be held responsible. [3:28:47, 3:29:07]: Yeah, and I guess I guess we need to follow the law as best as possible in this aspect as well. I mean and and so I don't know how else we can do it other than to to try to adhere to hear to the ordinance that we follow and the police department they police department came by and did what they needed to do based I was imagine based on the ordinance itself and the facts of the s of the story. [3:29:07, 3:29:27]: uh this aspect. So I uh you've got to follow that as best as possible in that aspect. Yes sir, go right ahead. Mayor, this is what uh I I I concur with Mr. Williams that the owner should be held accountable initially. This is what's happening. This person is going to see Judge McCord, correct? Yes. He's coming to the s Stockbridge Municipal Court. What day is that so [3:29:27, 3:29:47]: So these the animal control still sends them to the municipal court. So if we establish our own ordinance, Judge McCord will be issuing the justice. So if we write our own stockbridge-specific ordinance, holding the owner accountable in those circumstances, and as he is indicated. [3:29:47, 3:30:07]: The first time, not the second, third, or fourth time, like the Herman County ordinance calls for. We instruct it, pass our ordinance, and have Judge McCord issue the justice. And this in this case is different from the police department because again, we write our own ordinance. We get to enforce this. I would just one second. I would think though, might Mr. [3:30:07, 3:30:12]: Williams that if we adopted this ordinance and Henry Kevin Orange, Judge McCord would follow the same ordinance, I would think. [3:30:12, 3:30:15]: [12616.8, 12631.2]: So if we adopt the ordinance he has to follow it. Well he while s what I'm getting at, we have a ordinance that we that we accepted from Henry Kennedy, so I'm assuming he has to follow that one anyway. He he would have to follow this. I mean and again this goes back to some questions I don't know how many times we've had [3:30:31, 3:30:51]: uh animal control violations come to our court. I'm I just don't know. It's something we can inquire into and find out what types of penalties he's issuing because I I just don't know the answer to that. All right. Yes ma'am go ahead please um Sir I uh [3:30:51, 3:31:08]: with you. And um I'm sorry this happened to you. It has to be a a horrible experience. Um and a lot of people treat pets just like a part of their family. So that could be devastating. [3:31:10, 3:31:30]: I recommend um on a on your personal side civil litigation, maybe you should add to the lawsuit of the owner of the property that the dog was located, her brother. And you you know, they have how homeowners insurance and they have other things that [3:31:30, 3:31:50]: That you probably could, you know, personally go after. Um, I I think that we definitely need to look into a lot of there's a lot of dogs that come get loose in our neighborhood in Monarch Village. I'm not a fan of that by no means. Um, you know, I'm concerned I have two young daughters and people [3:31:50, 3:32:07]: pit bulls walking around and we sit on next door neighbor. It's just it's very it's not a level of comfort that I have as well. But for your immediate relief and remedy and the things that you're going through traumatically, I think you should file a civil lawsuit against them. [3:32:07, 3:32:13]: Well I thank you. I'm I'm not concerned with, you know, any type of, you know [3:32:13, 3:32:18]: rew reward or anything like that or from a civil suit or but it won't bring my dog back. [3:32:19, 3:32:25]: My thing is I just want justice to be done. I just want the owner to be held accountable just like [3:32:25, 3:32:28]: I feel like if it was me, I would be held accountable as well. [3:32:28, 3:32:29]: And [3:32:29, 3:32:31]: The fact that it's kinda [3:32:31, 3:32:33]: Going around. [3:32:33, 3:32:45]: And it's affecting everybody but the actual owner in this situation. That that the part that's the part that bothers me. Um with a civil suit, I tried to get in contact with a lawyer in McDonald. They don't [3:32:46, 3:32:50]: Is it I have yet to find a lawyer who handles [3:32:50, 3:32:56]: these type of cases. I have yet to find one. I'll call four different law lawyer offices in in McDonald. [3:32:56, 3:33:02]: None of them said they couldn't even they couldn't even give me a number of someone who could take the case. [3:33:03, 3:33:15]: Because it was involved, you know, a dog involved. They couldn't they couldn't do it. So I I did try to to go that route, but I just want justice. That's that's all I want. I just wanted the right person to be held accountable. [3:33:15, 3:33:17]: In this situation, and right now [3:33:17, 3:33:18]: The way it's looking. [3:33:19, 3:33:21]: Із лайк хі'на гобил канал, а гарантію. [3:33:22, 3:33:23]: He will get enough dog. [3:33:24, 3:33:25]: And I pray. [3:33:26, 3:33:27]: That [3:33:27, 3:33:29]: The same thing does not happen. [3:33:29, 3:33:32]: Or even worse, I pray it doesn't. I really do. [3:33:32, 3:33:52]: But I do believe that he will get it. This not this is not his first time. This is not. It's not. It's not. Well thank you. Yes, sir. Go ahead, please. Um again, I think the sentiment is we uh we all sympathize and feel your pain, but I I just wanted to try to see what what how we can go forward. I've heard that, you know. [3:33:52, 3:33:54]: We we we [3:33:54, 3:34:13]: um accept Henry County's uh ordinance, but I want to ask Mr. Alexander, um, and I have I apologize for not having the opportunity to read all of this, you know, we just got back. Um in the county's ordinance does it hold the owner liable? Is anything in there? [3:34:15, 3:34:21]: Mr. Mayor, uh Sir if I may answer that go right ahead. Th there's a definition for owner [3:34:22, 3:34:28]: in the ordinance and it applies to both the actual person who owns the animal [3:34:28, 3:34:38]: as well as any person who is harboring or or controlling kind of long lines what Mayor Pro Tem Blount indicated. Um and so [3:34:39, 3:34:40]: You know, factually [3:34:41, 3:34:42]: The uh [3:34:42, 3:34:46]: uh animal control could have cited the actual owner [3:34:46, 3:34:49]: and the the the sister [3:34:49, 3:34:53]: Um and maybe they should have. I'm I'm not making that determination now. [3:34:53, 3:35:05]: It may have you know, especially when they went to I I guess they did sign'em for improper No. They didn't sign'em for the okay. Well that that's just another reason that we should have a sit down with [3:35:05, 3:35:16]: Henry County Animal Control and to have a discussion about how they enforce that. Because they in in ex extreme cases like that, you would want them to cite everyone they they can. [3:35:16, 3:35:20]: So Mr. Mayor if I may follow up. Um [3:35:21, 3:35:41]: So Mr. William, what would you recommend? Because I think we just need to be proactive with this as far as the next step. I think without a legal vote, I think we're all in agreement that we need to take some kind of positive uh legislative action on this. But I think you need to direct us as to what is the very next step and and just [3:35:41, 3:35:53]: move forward to make sure that here in the city of Stockbridge, uh, you know, that we are sort of proactive in in some type of legislation to to you know, to try to [3:35:54, 3:36:14]: Well there are two pieces. First I would wanna know sort of how our court has been handling these'cause I I just don't know. And so we could be already throwing the book at people and things like that. And you know, so we just need to find that out. Then the second, more importantly, uh I think we need to meet with animal control and find out to what extent and how they [3:36:14, 3:36:22]: They go about enforcing our ordinance because this was adopted just uh seven years ago. So it's a fairly new ordinance. [3:36:22, 3:36:26]: It was adopted around the time that a lot of cities and counties were [3:36:26, 3:36:46]: uh going the route of classifying animals as dangerous by breed. And and uh some cities went that route. So you know German Shepherds Pit Bulls, you know, the normal list of dangerous dogs. And if you had those dogs, you had to register them and go through a process regardless. [3:36:46, 3:36:48]: regardless of how the dog actually behaves. [3:36:49, 3:36:53]: Henry County and and by default Stockbridge, we went the route of [3:36:54, 3:36:57]: uh classifying the dog by behavior, not breed. [3:36:57, 3:37:09]: And so that requires before any restrictions go in place, it requires animal control upon receiving a complaint to go out and evaluate the animal in question. [3:37:10, 3:37:30]: And you know, if they never received a complaint in this case that then they never would have gone out to evaluate. So that's you know, that's part of an issue of you know maybe you do want to go the route where you know dogs in excess of a certain weight or in excess of or a certain breed, the ones that would could objectively [3:37:29, 3:37:35]: [13056.5, 13058.5]: So if I may um [3:37:39, 3:37:53]: I don't want this to fall after we leave tonight. And I was gonna ask Mr. Alexander what was his recommendation, but I just wanna make sure that something is gonna happen after we leave tonight. That's that's really the issue that I'm concerned about. [3:37:53, 3:37:54]: Yeah, well. [3:37:55, 3:37:57]: [13078.3, 13082.9]: You know, because when I had a meetings with Henry County Animal Control [3:38:03, 3:38:23]: They have two type of categories. They have vicious and they have dangerous. The the the category for breed would be on the dangerous. The act of the dog would be on the vicious. You you see what I'm saying? So there are certain breeds that are considered dangerous. That's what affects the insurance, uh, because we have people in uh windstone. [3:38:23, 3:38:43]: Neighborhood that had to get rid of their dog because it was under the the dangerous breed uh category, which affects their insurance. And that's why I was saying anybody has pit bull and they own especially their homeowners, those things need to be reported because it does affect their insurance also. And so, and I think that alluded to what Ms. Gantt was saying. And so those two categories. [3:38:43, 3:38:48]: are vicious and dangerous or are the two categories they put'em in. One is on the act and one is on the breed. So [3:38:49, 3:38:53]: Well from what I read, well what constitutes vicious is uh [3:38:54, 3:38:55]: A dog biting [3:38:55, 3:38:58]: A person and creating serious injury. [3:38:58, 3:39:00]: Yeah, basically the act. [3:39:00, 3:39:01]: Okay, so [3:39:01, 3:39:03]: The bike that I sustain on my elbow. [3:39:04, 3:39:07]: To me, it's a serious injury, yeah. [3:39:08, 3:39:08]: It's not. [3:39:09, 3:39:16]: That's what I'm saying. Well, you had a double whammy. You had vicious and dangerous, if it was a pit bull. You see what I'm saying? So you had both of them. [3:39:16, 3:39:18]: I had that, but tell that to animal control. [3:39:19, 3:39:22]: See, they they're not they're not saying that the dog is vicious because [3:39:23, 3:39:25]: They considered my bite not to be serious. [3:39:26, 3:39:38]: So what I think what has I'm not to c I'm sorry to cut you. I think what has to happen is that we're gonna have to have further discussion with animal control, uh looking the ordinance aspect, and then see whether or not if if they've if they've if judge McCourt is seeing a lot of this and enforcing this. [3:39:38, 3:39:53]: based on what he gets, then maybe that suffice because we already have the the ordinance here. May not need an extra ordinance. I don't know. But we'll have to get some facts more factual information first from not only him, see what comes to the court and also from the animal troll itself, I would think. [3:39:53, 3:39:54]: in this aspect. So [3:39:54, 3:40:03]: It's would there be a timeline if you're able to do that, what would be a good timeline to to give some type of report back on whatever you find in this aspect? [3:40:03, 3:40:23]: I'd like to uh ask for the first regular meeting in August. Okay. Because I won't be here for your work session that last meeting in July. Okay. That's fine with me. I don't know about the K Council there. Okay. What one one second. Okay, all right. [3:40:23, 3:40:33]: Good, go ahead, what else you have to say? Uh I'm I'm I'm okay with the timing of coming back to that, but I think what we've heard tonight is that we need our own ordinance. [3:40:33, 3:40:53]: We've heard that pretty clearly is that there are deficiencies in the Henry Counter. I'm not saying that we super, that we're not getting rid of that ordinance. We just tighten it in certain areas that he's indicated to us are deficient and that we can mandate that the owner be held accountable. [3:40:53, 3:41:13]: Correct. I mean this is our ordinance. When judgment when they come to see judgment court, the ordinance says this. And the owner is automatically held accountable, correct? Well, they they would have to be cited mandate that code enforcement cite both the owner and whoever is harboring. Right. [3:41:13, 3:41:33]: agreement comes in with uh what we've uh what we particularly mandate for that area uh of of our city but I think we've clearly seen here that as councilman thomas said we need a legislative fix to this to tighten up when they come to judgment court uh what they actually receive and then [3:41:33, 3:41:51]: And again, he'll go back and talk to uh Henry County Code Enforcement about what they're doing. But at the same time, it's not like we got to throw up our hands. We we have control over what we pay for and that we have direction that we can give to them with our own uh specific ordinance. So that would be my recommendation. [3:41:52, 3:41:55]: Okay. Any other comments? [3:41:58, 3:42:05]: I agree with everything that they stated. Um, your story is just, well, touching and I'll you know, hm. [3:42:07, 3:42:27]: I just know that we have the power sitting here to do resolutions. And I think this is something that is m is more important than any other thing where we can regulate what's going on in our communities. We have dogs, everybody has stated up here, they have dogs just wandering. [3:42:27, 3:42:37]: Um, you have vis vicious dogs. We shouldn't wait until they attack. We should take charge now and doing things that is in our power. [3:42:38, 3:42:58]: to do now. So that way when it comes to judgment court, it's already in place. I I just don't see how we just can't go out and, you know, look at this tomorrow, just like we did the resolution over the weekend. Um, that this should be in place um and not delayed. It should not [3:42:58, 3:43:08]: be delayed. We're all seeing this and it should not be. So if we're saying there's no dogs or pits allowed, then we can state that. We can state that. [3:43:09, 3:43:20]: But at the same time, we need to research, get with Judge McCord, and just not delay this. We should not delay this. And that's just my ending of it. [3:43:20, 3:43:21]: Go right ahead, sir. [3:43:21, 3:43:41]: I I don't think we'll delay in. I I think the city attorney just stated that he just needs time to go ahead and put this together for us. And I think once he comes back and do that, then I think we would take action. Tomorrow, I mean I I don't know what we could do tomorrow without you coming back to us giving us what we need. Uh that's that's [3:43:41, 3:43:53]: To me that's just the process. But I think we're all in favor, we're all saying the same thing, but you asked us to allow you time to go ahead and draft it, put it together so we can approve it. So I I think that's the process. [3:43:55, 3:43:55]: Okay. [3:43:56, 3:44:16]: My final comment, Mayor. Excuse me. Uh I just want you to know that I don't want anything that I say. I want you to just hear it from me. Um that I'm basically saying to staff that we can we can jump on it tomorrow, investigating what we can and and and not delay. And that's what I'm saying. Okay. Okay. So thank you. [3:44:16, 3:44:18]: Thank you. Yes, ma'am. [3:44:18, 3:44:38]: Um, just one last comment. So I did do some research real quick in Cobb County, the City Marietta and Lawrenceville and the city of East Point. Um, they have declared pit bulls and rottwallers as dangerous dogs. However, in that danger, some of their limitations includes dog parts are off lead. [3:44:38, 3:44:58]: Leash areas not to have them. Again, it reverts back to what what what are the penalties for that? Their fines are like a thousand dollars around the same thing. So everyone seems to have a understanding. We don't want these dogs loose, right? And it's unfortunate sometimes things happen. [3:44:58, 3:45:05]: before I thought I was dreaming they said a tiger got loose. A tiger was on the in the backyard of someone. Unfortunately [3:45:05, 3:45:25]: Those things happen, but they happen more with these pit bulls and I do want them under control. And so we we will look. You've heard from the city, you heard from the council, we I'm looking already. We will look to see what we can do to make sure that we, you know, uh get a little stern on or just even if we could categorize [3:45:25, 3:45:38]: those particular animals and let it be known as these are the automatically dangerous animals so that the owners know that if they get loose you have double you have repercussions immediately. [3:45:38, 3:45:42]: So that's that's that. All right. Thank you all very much. [3:45:42, 3:45:44]: Appreciate it. [3:45:45, 3:46:04]: We actually got a couple of th things. We got uh you need additional time in this aspect. Um I believe that's what the majority of council would like to see. If I believe if not if not that, uh maybe we have to write away, but you have to still have time to research. So I believe that's the that's the consensus here in that aspect. All right. So council discussion on a Sunday brunch bill. Mr. Alexander, please. [3:46:05, 3:46:25]: I think uh what we'd have to do and then discuss it with Mr. Williams is that we have to put it on the ballot. Is that correct? And I think we want to be very proactive. I think again and the DDA has been very progress proactive in the uh open container ordinance. This is just an extension of that, and uh we're we have [3:46:25, 3:46:45]: Businesses in the community that want to serve a mimosa beginning at 11 11 a.m. on Sunday morning, uh they would be able to do so, or I'm sorry, not sure what this they would be able to do so at an earlier hour than waiting uh to the afternoon uh at this time. I think hopefully we uh we'll embrace. [3:46:45, 3:46:49]: business and that we can go ahead and move forward with it uh at this time. [3:46:51, 3:47:02]: Alright, any further comments for anybody else on the council about that? All right, so this is something that you're gonna work them draft up or the the the resolution has already been drafted and the city uh clerk had already [3:47:02, 3:47:09]: uh made a notation for uh it to be adopted at one of the council meetings um I believe in August. [3:47:09, 3:47:14]: Um based on the timing that that's that's set up in in the state code. There there's a [3:47:14, 3:47:19]: The earliest you could call the uh question would be in August. So [3:47:20, 3:47:33]: So we get the resolution, we talk, discuss it, approve it, then it can automatically go to the ballot. Is that what you're getting at? Yes, sir. You have to you have to have the resolution and then the notify the uh the the the election superintendent. Okay. [3:47:36, 3:47:45]: Okay. I stacked correct up by the yeah. Okay. Good deal. That's um. So july eighth it will be. All right. So on that note then, um [3:47:45, 3:47:48]: City manager, do you have any comments? Madam Clerk, please reset the clock. [3:47:51, 3:47:54]: No comments for him. So the clerk, do you have any comments? [3:47:55, 3:48:10]: I did have a comment. I just wanted to say that um I'm appreciative of the opportunity of having had the um be able to attend the GMA and Carl Benson um Institute of Government Training. I got some great information. [3:48:26, 3:48:31]: Good deal, appreciate that. Make sure we use the clock, please. Uh Mr. Thomas. [3:48:32, 3:48:33]: Ms. Blood. [3:48:35, 3:48:36]: No comment. [3:48:37, 3:48:39]: Um Ms. Robinson. Yes. [3:48:40, 3:49:00]: Um I just wanted to show everyone um that the youth council uh received the um youth council symposium award um being hosted in the first in our region. So we have that until Mayor's Day until GMA um chooses who will sp uh host the next um youth symposium. So it [3:48:59, 3:49:11]: It's something that um that our youth and our advisory board from the youth council should be proud of that we hosted the first in our region. Um and again, um [3:49:12, 3:49:18]: I just state for the record, um anything that I do um it's gonna be [3:49:19, 3:49:39]: direct. Um it's gonna be honest um when it comes to our youth. I will say I've had a lot of um lot of things put in place for me to not be successful while on this council and this tonight is a perfect another example that shows that I love a a fight [3:49:39, 3:49:46]: um when it's time to battle for my kids. And I look forward to them um seeing a lot of things with GMA. [3:49:47, 3:50:07]: I also would like to say with um to clear it the air clearly again, as I stated earlier, there's no conflict in two programs. Um there's several cities that also have a youth council and and teen ambassador program. They're totally different programs, so I hope my colleagues will look into that. Again, our team [3:50:07, 3:50:27]: Ambassador program that we have with Stockbridge incorporates the unincorporated includes the unincorporated students who go to schools with our City of Stockbridge students. So we have actually have unincorporated students and city limit students that are part of this program. It is the first [3:50:27, 3:50:47]: diverse program um with our young people that we've had in Stockbridge and we have 14 um and we have a lot of bright students. We have parents who are engaged and involved. So we're excited. We're looking forward to doing a lot of things within the community. Something that is gonna be totally different. [3:50:47, 3:51:07]: um with the youth council doing because these students will be shadowing me as a council member. So they will be th doing things that I've been blessed with. I received the Distinction Award with um GMA this weekend, um being the first one of the first elected officials receiving my training um within my first [3:51:06, 3:51:23]: elected term. So that's the significance of that, receiving the distinction award, my first term. So I'm giving this opportunity for other students. And we do have our past chair Kelly, who through GMA will be able to have opportunities at the Carl Vincent Institute. [3:51:23, 3:51:36]: when she goes off to college this fall. Um so that is something the opportunities that these students are being given. So we're excited for that and we look forward to s um doing great things for our youth. Thank you. [3:51:38, 3:51:40]: Mr. Alexander, your comments, please. [3:51:40, 3:52:00]: Uh thank you everybody for tuning in and uh just like to say one thing to my council before we leave. Uh I just want everybody to pay attention to what's going on with the Campground Road extension and that road being built through several Stockbridge neighborhoods, Winslow, the Terrace, the Magnolias, and uh [3:52:00, 3:52:20]: This road project is unsafe. I know it's a 100% uh county project-funded project, but the residents that live along this road, a lot of them are stockbridge citizens. And uh we as a city need to take a position on that. And uh we need to do something for these residents to make sure. [3:52:20, 3:52:40]: Even if my subdivision Winslow does not get sidewalk, there's another two and a half miles, other three miles that has no sidewalks either, that goes through the terrace and the Magnolias at Eagles Landing as well. So we need to look out for our citizens and we need to be at the table to make sure that there's sufficient funding, whether [3:52:40, 3:52:53]: It's a partnership with the county to fund it seventy thirty or whatever that is. In the end, these residents are Stockbridge um they're Stockbridge residents and we need to look out for their best interest. And everybody have a good night. [3:52:54, 3:52:54]: Okay. [3:52:56, 3:53:02]: All right folks, thank you uh for being tuning in and I want to always tell you to keep the faith. We're still gonna move the city forward. [3:53:02, 3:53:13]: And it it's gonna happen and we'll be successful and you'll be proud of the success that the council and the city has over the course of the years and look forward to an outstanding rest of the half of this year as well as a [3:53:13, 3:53:15]: Outstanding Centennial next year. [3:53:15, 3:53:35]: Uh GMA annual conference as always the third week in June in Savannah. I had a great time as well. Want to mention to you that something that uh they're very proud of, and I accept that I think we'll pretty somewhat proud of this as well, is that for the first time in history, GMA has uh membership of all of the five hundred and thirty-eight cities in the state. All five thirty-eight cities. [3:53:35, 3:53:55]: cities in the state are all members of GMA, so uh they're happy about that. I guess that's a good thing for us as well. And espe and especially we we really have their attention these days, I I will say. But uh it's great. And last week we had a a career fair uh with Goodwill in the city of Stockbridge uh last Thursday I believe it was. So I had about three hundred attendees. [3:53:55, 3:54:15]: And twenty-two employers. So we'll try to put some folks to work in this aspect. So keep the faith, folks, once again, and uh God bless you all. Let me read these announcements. Joint Splos Five meeting Thursday, June twenty seventh, uh, six PM, Henry County Admin Building. We'll be there. And the entire council will be present along with our primary staff at this [3:54:15, 3:54:22]: Well and of course it's open to the public. So if you got an opportunity to come by uh tomorrow evening at six PM, uh citizens, please do so. [3:54:22, 3:54:25]: City Council meeting Monday, July eighth. [3:54:25, 3:54:26]: Six PM in the council chamber. [3:54:27, 3:54:41]: Youth Council Advisory Committee meeting Wednesday, July 10th, 6 30, Levi Room. Main Street Advisory Board meeting Friday, July twelfth, nine a.m. in the Levi Room. Downtown Development Authority meeting, Monday, July 15th, 6 p.m. Levi Room [3:54:42, 3:54:44]: The planning commission meeting Thursday, july twenty fifth. [3:54:45, 3:54:52]: Uh, 7 p.m. in the council chambers. And when our next work session meeting is Tuesday, July 30th, 6 p.m., right here in the council chambers. [3:54:53, 3:54:59]: Okay, Stockbridge active, uh morning on the rain. Saturday, june twenty ninth, uh ten A. M. at at the [3:54:59, 3:55:19]: 10 a.m. to noon at the Rum Creek Golf Range. It's 107 St. Ives Crossing in Starbury. Spearheaded by Councilman Alexander. Food truck tasty Tuesday every Tuesday between now and the end of the July. I believe the last one is July 30th. And that's uh 5 39 at Clark Park. So come on by and have a great time. We've got a Sounds of Summer Free. [3:55:19, 3:55:21]: Concert july twentieth. [3:55:21, 3:55:41]: Eight A.M. City Hall lawn. So bringing chairs and blankets. And by the way, next year when we have our free concerts, it'll be at an amphitheater outstanding. In different location, a nice little amphitheater. Night actually nice big amphitheater, actually. Three thousand two hundred seats. I can't wait for that, right? Be a great time. Back to school kickoff Saturday, July twenty seventh. Um [3:55:41, 3:56:01]: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Moral Manners Conference Center, spearheaded by Mayor Pro Tem Blount. Uh the monthly Bingo Bats, Wednesday, July 31st, 10 a.m. to noon. Test Strickland Community Center, spearheaded by Mayor Pro Tem Blount. And we have a few ongoing initiatives that are listed on here. But they're ongoing. So it'll [3:56:01, 3:56:11]: pop back back on the natural uh actual program. But anyway, on that note I'm gonna end those announcements at this time and I believe we have a a uh executive session scheduled. [3:56:12, 3:56:13]: [14175.4, 14181.2]: Okay, I'm only referring to a message you sent the other day. I don't know if we need to talk about it or not. [3:56:21, 3:56:38]: That we we can discuss that. It's it's not a pressing issue, but it's well I'm just asking. I'm just because you love the email you sent, sir, but that's up to the council if we want to go to the second session or not. Mayor Ford. Yes, ma'am. I move that we adjourn the meeting. Second. All right. So [3:56:38, 3:56:43]: All in favor adjourning the meeting. There you have it. Uh meeting ends. Uh meetings adjourned.