2019-08-12 · City Council · Transcript · City Council Meeting

--- title: August 12 2019 City Council Meeting date: 2019-08-12 source: 2019-08-12_August_12_2019_City_Council_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:52, 0:01:01]: Okay. [0:01:14, 0:01:17]: Okay, okay, okay, okay. [0:01:18, 0:01:19]: All right. [0:01:26, 0:01:27]: Ready to go? [0:01:30, 0:01:44]: I got a closing um that I just wasn't expecting. I had to leave my seven fifteen and delay. And I pushed that back. [0:01:47, 0:01:54]: Yes, sir. How are you doing? No, no problem. [0:01:57, 0:02:00]: Not too too four. [0:02:00, 0:02:12]: Um positive. Yeah, I'm fond of that. [0:02:13, 0:02:30]: I don't have to do the executive section. So we need we need to go back there for the thing. No, there's no value. I can just take the motion because folks want to do the executive section. [0:02:31, 0:02:46]: All right, you good? Okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen. Uh our city council meeting Monday, August twelfth, have roughly uh oh that clock's a little slow, I believe, have roughly six oh three. Call the meeting to order. Invocation tonight, uh Mr. James Touchston, please. [0:02:47, 0:02:49]: Please stand folks for the invocation. [0:02:59, 0:03:14]: Dear Lord, just thank you for your blessings. Lord, just thank you for allowing us to gather. And just thank you for the grace you've shown us. God, I just ask you to go with the council and the citizens tonight as we continue to m work to move Stockbridge forward and just bless this meeting and just bless this city, Lord. Your name I pray. Amen. Amen. [0:03:15, 0:03:26]: Pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [0:03:27, 0:03:30]: Madam Clerk, roll call, please. [0:03:34, 0:03:47]: 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 forum. Thank you. Appreciate it. Madam Clerk. [0:03:47, 0:03:53]: Council, I need a motion to adopt the agenda, please. Mayor Ford. Yes, ma'am. I would like to amend the agenda. Sure. [0:03:53, 0:04:13]: Um and um with approval from my colleagues, I would like for us to read a resolution um the city of Stopridge urg urging immediate funding and commencement of the Western Parallel Parallel Connector and of the Jonesboro Road Improvement Project. This resolution was approved by our commissioners at their last meeting. [0:04:13, 0:04:20]: And this um basically states with the city of Stockbridge, we both are in agreement to c um to collaborate and approval. [0:04:21, 0:04:32]: Um for the G Dot to be able to move forward with full funding for the Western Parallel um right off um Eagles Landing Parkway. Um and I would like to amend the agenda for that. Second. [0:04:32, 0:04:35]: All right, so all in favor of the motion, please indicate. [0:04:37, 0:04:43]: Upps, oh no okay, it's unanimous. Okay, we'll make that number eight in under new business. All right? Okay. [0:04:44, 0:04:46]: All right, council, we have before us um [0:04:47, 0:04:55]: Council meeting minutes from uh June tenth, twenty nineteen, and also the work session of June twenty-sixth, twenty nineteen. [0:04:55, 0:05:03]: Uh unless there's any changes to that to discuss, I'd like to have a motion to accept those two uh sets of minutes, please. [0:05:05, 0:05:08]: So moved. All right. Is there a second? [0:05:09, 0:05:12]: A second. Okay. There's further discussion. [0:05:13, 0:05:15]: If not, all in favor please indicate. [0:05:16, 0:05:22]: Okay. Okay, good. Appreciate that. Uh public comments. Uh Madam Clerk, you have some public comments? [0:05:23, 0:05:26]: We do. Uh first public comment is Mr. Andrew Dixon. [0:05:27, 0:05:37]: Okay. All right. For all persons wishing to speak for public comments must sign in city clerk, which n obviously you've done prior to the meeting. You must sign your n uh must sign your name, address and phone number. [0:05:37, 0:05:51]: Be able to address the mayor and council for at least three minutes. Speakers must respect all members of the elected body, officials, and staff. Definition, unruliness, and swearing will not be tolerated while the meeting is in session and goes for everybody in the council chambers. And the first person is [0:05:52, 0:05:56]: Come on up, sir, and state your name and address, please. [0:05:58, 0:06:03]: My name is Andrew Dixon, two one three Ernestine Way, Stockbridge, Georgia, three zero two eight one. Sure. [0:06:04, 0:06:05]: Go right here, sir. [0:06:05, 0:06:25]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. I come before you in good faith to get a better understanding as a citizen of the city of Stockbridge. You may remember reading from the previous town hall meeting on June 26th when you denied my appeal against the moratorium. My absence on the pursuit of establishing my business here in Stockbridge was due to getting settled in my new purchase home in Brentwood subdivision and the birth of my son on July 17th. I have made multiple verbal [0:06:25, 0:06:30]: request to meet with you guys individually and also through email a few days ago, but still with no scheduled meeting today. [0:06:31, 0:06:51]: So I'm here today to see what I have to do as a citizen of this city to be able to sit down and have this talk about the moratorium against my tattoo studio. In the city, that the elected officials in the seats stand behind the motto of the place where you can live, work, and play. The moratorium that is in place states that to justify a moratorium, it must appear first that the interests of the public generally, as distinguished from those of a particular class who are [0:06:51, 0:07:03]: are such interference and secondary that the means are reasonably necessary for the accomplishment of the purpose and not unduly oppressive upon individual. The city of the Stockbridge has found that the interest of the public n necessitates the enactment of a moratorium of health [0:07:04, 0:07:09]: sel safety, morals, and general welfare purposes by means which are reasonable and not unduly oppress oppressive. [0:07:09, 0:07:29]: How do you, as mayor and council, feel that my business affects the health, safety, and morals and general welfare of this community of community? The belief of the mayor and the council of the city of Stockbridge, the concept of public welfare is broad and inclusive. To determine that a community should be beautiful as well as healthy, spacious, as well as clean, and well balanced, how do you, as mayor and council, feel that my business would affect the health, cleanliness? [0:07:29, 0:07:49]: And balance of our Stockbridge community. If in your very moratorium it states you intend to promote community development through stability, predictability, and balanced growth, which will further the prosperity of the city as a whole, how do you, as mayor and council, feel that I, as a citizen of the city of Stockbridge, don't deserve the right to be a part of this? You have used verage of saturation of a business in the city limits. [0:07:49, 0:08:09]: But in fact, there are only three or four studios that fall under the city limits. Also, it says that it is in the best interest of the public to delay for a reasonable period of time the processing of applications for deployment, for development, and I am only applying for a business license. And how do you feel that two years isn't a reasonable time to have a moratorium in place? During this moratorium, a person may file an application of exemption from this moratorium. [0:08:09, 0:08:19]: with the mayor and council. Why have I been denied the ability to appeal applications that I have written record of when it's stated in the moratorium filed with the courts of Henry County that this is my right as a citizen of the city [0:08:20, 0:08:21]: And business applicant to do so. [0:08:22, 0:08:41]: We need change and I want to be part of that change. As a citizen of Stockbridge, exemptions should be made for homeowners and citizens of the city. I see a lot of plans for million dollar companies that have no roots in Stockbridge, but small businesses are in fact what makes towns and cities thrive. Thirty point two million small businesses make up ninety-nine point nine percent of small businesses in the US, according to the last census done in 2015. [0:08:41, 0:08:44]: Of those businesses, it is a sad percentage of minority owned. [0:08:44, 0:09:00]: Six point two two percent for black, thirteen point nine nine percent for Latino, six point one six for Asian, one point nine six for other, and seventy one point six for uh for white. And if you look at the surrounding shops, they're all white owned. Commissioner Gantt and Mary Ford are both quoted by the Marietta Daily Journal saying [0:09:01, 0:09:01]: Okay. [0:09:01, 0:09:06]: That that's it. Council are you willing to give him some additional time to finish the statement? [0:09:07, 0:09:07]: Uh [0:09:07, 0:09:19]: Okay. You all down here? Okay. Thank you. Go ahead. I appreciate you, sir. Oh, go ahead. Commissioner Gantt and Mayor Ford are both quoted by the Marietta Daily Journal saying economic growth being one of the major issues that you both ran your campaign on. [0:09:19, 0:09:39]: Commissioner Gantt, you are quoted in particular. I am here for economic development, for quality of life, and to embrace diversity. I am asking as a citizen of Stockbridge to be part of that diversity. And you guys, as elected officials of our city, how is my business not part of the economic growth of Stockbridge? How is this business not part of the diversity of Stockbridge? In closing, I hope I can sit down and have these. [0:09:39, 0:09:47]: These talks to better address this moratorium and the vagueness and discrimination that is being shown towards my business. I appreciate your time and I look forward to our dialogue. [0:09:47, 0:10:07]: And thank you for your comment. I will tell you what, uh we're not gonna be able to debate this right now, but what what what what what we're possibly doing? Each other council members are here. If we can look at uh that email you said you sent, make sure we can follow up on that. I'm pretty sure that uh we'll see what we can do to sit down and talk with you. We cannot do it as a total group because it violates uh sunshine laws and stuff. We can't do it because we have a quorum. U [0:10:07, 0:10:24]: Uh so but uh we'll reach out and we'll see what we can do to try to work through this on a one on one or maybe a small group process, all right? Yes. I believe if I can do it legally, we can do it legally. Is that right? Okay. So if you well we'll just work with us on we'll see what we can do. Okay. Appreciate your time. Thank you, appreciate it. [0:10:25, 0:10:27]: Lehman Lattimore. [0:10:27, 0:10:28]: That more? [0:10:29, 0:10:29]: Okay. [0:10:35, 0:10:37]: Name and address, please, sir. [0:10:37, 0:10:44]: Uh name is uh Lehman Lonimore. Um live on Langley Drive, uh on the border of Stockbridge on McDonough. [0:10:44, 0:11:04]: And Mayor, uh Councilman, um I stand before you in regards to to talk about some developments that's going on in the area. Um, just to give backstory real quick, seven years about seven years ago I moved to the area and we kind of looked at the area, we've been a financial of that for ourselves, for my family, uh to buy a home here, et cetera. And [0:11:04, 0:11:10]: What's I wanted to talk about some of the things that you guys have done as far as bringing white collar jobs in the area. [0:11:11, 0:11:24]: businesses, um, all those types of things to make not just the city of Stockbridge better, but also the actual air uh county better as well to bring more people to into the area for um further development for their families, et cetera. [0:11:25, 0:11:27]: However, there's a few things that [0:11:28, 0:11:44]: that's been recently been going on, that's been kind of that see like that's been hindering some of that movement, that synergy that's been happening in regards to things that's been happening on social media, things that's been happening even at city council meetings and things of that nature that has [0:11:45, 0:12:00]: not just here at the city council, but also at board meet at uh commissioner meetings where councilmans have council and others go up and have argumentative discussions when it's supposed to just be a actual live debate about things to guide to get things moving, to get things done. [0:12:00, 0:12:11]: And so other things that I wanted to talk about as well that that needs to be done is we don't see any type of more communication of projects that's going on. [0:12:11, 0:12:14]: Dev prime example that is the Jolico Project. [0:12:15, 0:12:22]: It was a mass push for two months about, hey, this is what's going on, et cetera, but we don't hear anything back from it. [0:12:22, 0:12:33]: We don't hear other than what's on maybe somebody's social media page or something. But that mass movement about what's going on, the status of it, et cetera, which could bring a ton of economic value to the area. [0:12:33, 0:12:34]: Where is it? [0:12:35, 0:12:36]: Don't say anything about it. [0:12:37, 0:12:48]: There's another project that's going on that's outside of um that project as well. It's a huge project that's going off the 675 area that's that was discussed at a Henry County Board Um Commissioners meeting. [0:12:49, 0:12:53]: Don't hear anything about it at city council meetings. What's going on, the progress on that. [0:12:53, 0:13:04]: Maybe if you don't have much going on with it, but at least try to discuss about it or do some flash messages. Hey, this is what's going on with it with this. We're working on contracts, et cetera, b so on and so forth. [0:13:05, 0:13:19]: So in closing, what I want to say is I want to thank you guys for your efforts that you guys have been doing with bringing more jobs, et cetera, to the area. But let's not have that synergy be stopped from all from bickering. [0:13:19, 0:13:20]: And [0:13:20, 0:13:22]: Things that's going on social media. [0:13:22, 0:13:23]: Band together. [0:13:24, 0:13:26]: Come together as one unit. [0:13:26, 0:13:32]: Show that this area is ready for business and to bring families together here in this area. [0:13:33, 0:13:53]: And that's all I have to say. Thank you, Mayor, Councilman. I appreciate you appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you for your comment, sir. Um, on that note, just say um uh obviously as elect officials, we we need we represent the people, we're elected by the people, and we need to act accordingly and in the best possible manner with each other and with the public. Uh and there are [0:13:53, 0:14:13]: things that are happening. There's certain things we can't talk about uh in a sense. Uh and whenever we need to put something out, we go through our city manager, get press releases out and this information, make sure that we're all in sync. The council understands what what's going out and it'll be sent out. But there are things happening and and as time goes on during and into the late summer into the fall, you will you citizens will see that things [0:14:13, 0:14:26]: are moving. Um Joe Couth is a concern, but uh tell you what, the design standards we're working on. It's coming. It is coming. And I probably it's probably all I can really say right now on that note. Okay. The um next person please. [0:14:27, 0:14:28]: Mr. Roger Custon. [0:14:28, 0:14:29]: Okay. [0:14:30, 0:14:31]: Mm-hmm. [0:14:36, 0:14:56]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm Roger Custon, uh 121 Duval Drive, Stockbridge, Georgia. Um I've heard reports that the City of Stockbridge is seriously considering severing its ties, its relationship with the Henry County Visitors Bureau. Those are the people that publish this document and promote uh City of Stockbridge and Henry County as a destination. [0:14:56, 0:15:12]: being that at the economic uh development is on the report on the agenda today. Um I think tourism is is an essential component of economic development. I have serious concerns about the city of Stockbridge severing its ties with the Henry County Visitors Bureau. [0:15:12, 0:15:13]: And I would hope [0:15:14, 0:15:22]: That uh the s council take into consideration the business owners that would be directly impacted by this change before making a decision. [0:15:22, 0:15:23]: Thank you. [0:15:23, 0:15:26]: Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Um [0:15:26, 0:15:26]: Yeah. [0:15:28, 0:15:34]: Um what it amounts to is that um uh individuals uh in a sense [0:15:34, 0:15:35]: Address the chair. [0:15:37, 0:15:57]: This is something that uh the Stockbridge uh city council is looking into um in a sense and uh as we look into this and we make developments, further developments on this particular action, whether we severetize or not, we'd have to give you an update on where we stand on that. But it's something that the council is taking a look at in this aspect. So things are having been finalized. [0:15:57, 0:16:08]: as of yet um in this aspect, but something that we're looking into. And I would hope that on the legal aspect, I can pr properly say that. Okay. On that note. [0:16:08, 0:16:09]: We call it. [0:16:10, 0:16:17]: Anybody else? Okay. [0:16:17, 0:16:22]: Ms. Cresman. No, I'm just letting you know your item will be called. [0:16:22, 0:16:28]: Yeah, okay. All right. All right, so on that note, we had a cer earlier this evening we had a ceremonial review. [0:16:29, 0:16:49]: And um what that was, I swore in eight members of uh Stockbridge Youth Council, Jaden Williams, Sahina Alexander, Brittany Brown, Alex Harris, uh Vanasty Brock, if I gotta pronounce that, Kayla Jordan, and Nicholas Jordan are the new members of our our youth council. Uh so I want to congratulate [0:16:49, 0:16:53]: for the two thousand nineteen two thousand twenty youth council members, please. [0:16:58, 0:17:00]: And on that note. [0:17:00, 0:17:02]: Presentations. [0:17:02, 0:17:07]: Human trafficking presentations, uh pres presented by Jaz Lee Cooley. [0:17:15, 0:17:15]: Yeah. [0:17:17, 0:17:21]: You gonna present it? Yeah, I can't. Okay, thank you. [0:17:24, 0:17:26]: You do. I think is that. [0:17:29, 0:17:32]: Or hitting a big problem there. [0:17:39, 0:17:41]: Testing. All right. Hello. [0:17:44, 0:17:45]: Sharp said never brother. [0:17:46, 0:17:47]: Good evening, Council members. [0:17:47, 0:17:48]: Good evening. [0:17:49, 0:17:53]: I wanna thank you for giving me this opportunity to come before you and propose a timely conversation. [0:17:54, 0:17:55]: Someone once said, speak up. [0:17:56, 0:17:58]: Because the day you don't speak up [0:17:59, 0:18:00]: Is the day [0:18:01, 0:18:03]: Your treatment f your freedom truly ends. [0:18:04, 0:18:09]: And that the world suffers not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people. [0:18:10, 0:18:10]: Right. [0:18:13, 0:18:14]: One second, let me [0:18:25, 0:18:27]: Elsky's speaking, she can catch up with okay. [0:18:30, 0:18:33]: Today I want to speak up about an issue happening on our streets and behind closed doors. [0:18:34, 0:18:36]: I'm here to start a conversation about human trafficking. [0:18:38, 0:18:40]: Before I begin, I want to give a little background about myself. [0:18:41, 0:18:44]: My name is Jonathan Jazley Coley. I just go by jazz. [0:18:45, 0:18:47]: And my life story is interesting. [0:18:48, 0:18:55]: For example, I started my career very early at age as a child actor. And by 11, I founded a nonprofit called Jazz's Friends Foundation. [0:18:56, 0:19:03]: With my parents, and it was a non-profit that allowed me to travel across America to perform for underprivileged children and hospital-bound children. [0:19:04, 0:19:09]: At age thirteen, I was selected to be the Cab County's junior CEO of the Day with Vernon Jones. [0:19:10, 0:19:15]: And at fifteen, I was made aware of the issue of human trafficking by a woman named Amy. [0:19:17, 0:19:27]: who at the time was working for an anti-trafficking organization. And since then, you know, I've graduated high school, I've got my BS in political science, my master's in public policy. [0:19:28, 0:19:31]: But I'm here today at twenty four, standing before you to ask a question. [0:19:31, 0:19:34]: А questi мс аск осівсь. [0:19:36, 0:19:39]: What is the conversation? [0:19:41, 0:19:46]: What information, news, topics, education are we sharing as a community? [0:19:46, 0:19:48]: And what is missing and how can we change that? [0:19:51, 0:19:58]: Distinguished Council members and Mayor Ford, I humbly stand before you today to demand that we include human trafficking in our conversations as a community. [0:19:59, 0:20:07]: As of right now, I haven't found any anti-trafficking initiatives or programming to educate our community, especially our children, about human trafficking. [0:20:08, 0:20:20]: And I want to emphasize that last part because I know for a fact and with all my heart that the longer that human trafficking stays missing from our conversations, so will the little girls and boys lost to sex, slavery, and forced labor stay missing from our [0:20:21, 0:20:22]: From our families. [0:20:24, 0:20:27]: Because what we miss in our conversations we will certainly miss in life. [0:20:28, 0:20:28]: Let me explain. [0:20:30, 0:20:31]: Human trafficking. [0:20:35, 0:20:36]: There it is again. [0:20:51, 0:21:01]: Does you need some assistance to pulling it out? Yes, sir. I apologize. I just want you to get the full breadth of what I'm saying and to say it without my slides will be a disservice. [0:21:24, 0:21:25]: Great. [0:21:25, 0:21:27]: Google Security. [0:21:28, 0:21:29]: Bugs. [0:21:36, 0:21:37]: Uh well we try. [0:21:37, 0:21:45]: I believe everybody has the brief and presentation in front of you. All right, cool. Thank you. I I'll reference slide numbers. I'm sorry for all those in the audience who can't follow along with this. I apologize. [0:21:46, 0:21:47]: Okay. [0:21:50, 0:21:51]: Wait, Jess. [0:22:01, 0:22:08]: Human trafficking is the recruitment of vulnerable women, children, and men for the act of exploitation through the means of force, fraud, and coercion. [0:22:09, 0:22:22]: It is not only the second largest criminal industry, right behind the drug trade, but it's the fastest growing business globally. And unfortunately for us, Atlanta has become one of the most popular destinations for buyers looking to pay to have sex with children. [0:22:23, 0:22:27]: Due to a misinterpretation of a FBI report in two thousand six. [0:22:28, 0:22:31]: Atlanta has been mislabeled as the city with the most human trafficking. [0:22:32, 0:22:33]: We are not number one. [0:22:34, 0:22:40]: However, I've been studying human trafficking in net non-metropolitan communities for over six years now, so I can say with confidence. [0:22:40, 0:22:42]: We will become number one. [0:22:43, 0:22:44]: Elena is known. [0:22:46, 0:22:49]: To be a hub of human trafficking, but I must clarify what's really happening. [0:22:49, 0:22:56]: While the business of selling people is happening in Atlanta, their supply of women and girls are coming from our suburban neighborhoods. [0:22:58, 0:22:58]: An interview. [0:23:00, 0:23:01]: [1381.8, 1383.7]: He admitted that lawn that [0:23:04, 0:23:14]: In an interview, trafficker admitted to law enforcement that they intentionally targeted a children with isolated communities because their success in recruiting a victim solely depended on whether or not a victim knew about human trafficking. [0:23:15, 0:23:18]: What this means is small and local communities are a hunting ground for traffickers. [0:23:19, 0:23:25]: Council, in our fight to protect our children and our souls from human trafficking, education is our first line of defense. [0:23:27, 0:23:37]: As it concerns the community of Stockbridge, we must disrupt the supply of vulnerable children coerced into sex slavery by first acknowledging the existence of human trafficking as a community. Because it's happening here. [0:23:57, 0:23:59]: Take April's case, for example. [0:24:00, 0:24:04]: In two thousand six, April Scarborough was just nineteen years old when she left home to make a life of her own. [0:24:05, 0:24:05]: Alana [0:24:06, 0:24:08]: April didn't live in Atlanta. [0:24:08, 0:24:09]: She wasn't an immigrant. [0:24:10, 0:24:13]: Or anything we imagine when we think of victims of trafficking, April was one of us. [0:24:14, 0:24:16]: Born and raised right next door McDonough. [0:24:18, 0:24:27]: Due to her limited income, April rented a room from a woman who owned a townhouse, but she later began to struggle to make rent each month and became fearful of not living up to her own expectations. [0:24:28, 0:24:31]: One day a man by the name Shorty knocked on her door with a job offer. [0:24:33, 0:24:38]: You see, her roommate has shared her financial problems with their neighbor, and he was there to offer her a job at his friend's bar. [0:24:38, 0:24:44]: He told her that she was beautiful and because she didn't have a job, he even offered to drive her to thirty minutes to and from Atlanta. [0:24:45, 0:24:47]: This was the blessing April was hoping for. [0:24:47, 0:24:49]: But what happened next was nothing she'd ever expect. [0:24:51, 0:24:55]: Shorty drove her to her new job at a car called to a bar named Burrito. [0:24:55, 0:25:01]: The first night was slow. She was instructed to serve drinks, talk to regulars, and even have a drink with a customer if they bought her one. [0:25:02, 0:25:04]: April didn't drink, but she didn't think it'd be that big of a deal. [0:25:05, 0:25:07]: On the second day the bark was packed full of men. [0:25:08, 0:25:12]: She met the owner and met another girl working behind the bar who was only sixteen years old. [0:25:14, 0:25:17]: The owner introduced her to several regulars and poured and poured her a beer. [0:25:19, 0:25:26]: April said she began to feel woozy just after a few sips. And when she tried to go to the restroom, it was blocked by drunk men. [0:25:27, 0:25:33]: The owner helped April to a room behind the bar. By this point, April was slipping in and out of consciousness. [0:25:34, 0:25:38]: Shortly after, the owner returned with two men, and she watched them give the owner money. [0:25:39, 0:25:42]: And that evening April was raped by at least two men. [0:25:44, 0:25:51]: She didn't wake up till the next day, and when she finally found her way back to McDonough, Shorty was waiting outside of the townhouse to take her back to the bar. [0:25:52, 0:25:57]: And when she told him what had happened to her at that bar, he told her that he owned her. [0:25:57, 0:26:01]: And that he would kill her and her family if she tried to seek help. [0:26:03, 0:26:08]: April went back to work that day, and when she did, she watched men place bids on her. [0:26:11, 0:26:13]: Fortunately, she was able to escape back to McDonough. [0:26:14, 0:26:16]: But April never went back for the sixteen year old girl. [0:26:19, 0:26:22]: I'm here because human trafficking is closer to home than we think. [0:26:23, 0:26:28]: We must start having this conversation because it is not in the land of problem, it's our problem. [0:26:30, 0:26:37]: We must start having this conversation because we we have to stop waiting until after our daughters have been raped to talk about consent. [0:26:38, 0:26:43]: We must not wait until after our children's have been kidnapped to hold them closer. [0:26:45, 0:26:46]: Mayor Форд, ви ма стоп. [0:26:47, 0:26:51]: Waiting until victims can escape their own bondage to rescue them. [0:26:53, 0:26:55]: There are children beyond these walls right now, as young as ten years old. [0:26:56, 0:26:58]: Trapped because they were not educated. [0:26:58, 0:26:59]: on human trafficking. [0:27:01, 0:27:02]: And here's what the community should know. [0:27:06, 0:27:15]: Right now, there's an estimate of 20 to 40.3 million victims of trafficking globally. And 71% of these sex trafficking victims are women and girls. [0:27:15, 0:27:21]: In the United States, traffickers are making an estimate thirty-two billion dollars a year from the labor and bodies of people. [0:27:22, 0:27:29]: One in four victims are children and even worse, an average age of the child sold into slavery is ten years old. [0:27:30, 0:27:35]: Lastly, globally, less than one percent of trafficking cases are identified. [0:27:36, 0:27:37]: Which means [0:27:38, 0:27:41]: Most of these cases go undetected and victims are never found. [0:27:43, 0:27:44]: Through this we share. [0:27:46, 0:27:52]: We begin to understand two things. The first is human trafficking, especially child sex trafficking. [0:27:53, 0:27:55]: Is on the rise in America. [0:27:56, 0:27:57]: And around the world. [0:27:57, 0:28:01]: And number two, we know traffickers and victims could be anyone we know. [0:28:01, 0:28:02]: Or see on the street every day. [0:28:05, 0:28:09]: So I said a lot. And by this point I know you're probably thinking, Jazz, this is great, but what do you want from us? [0:28:11, 0:28:13]: I need your help to keep this conversation going. [0:28:14, 0:28:18]: It was Martin Luther King who said the time is always right to do what is right. [0:28:19, 0:28:24]: And right now there aren't any programs, learning centers, information about human trafficking here in Slockbridge. [0:28:26, 0:28:35]: To protect our children, they must be educated enough to spot the signs of trafficking. Where traffickers hunt for victims, who is at risk, what is their purpose, and how they will engage our children. [0:28:36, 0:28:39]: I want to be the one to bring this information to Stockbridge. [0:28:40, 0:28:42]: I want to set up a conversation with a few trainings. [0:28:43, 0:28:50]: And events all centered around human trafficking and awareness and prevention to teach our community and our youth how to start having this conversation. [0:28:51, 0:28:59]: To help prevent future victims, I also wish to partner with the Stockbridge Police Department to research and strategize solutions towards finding victims. [0:29:05, 0:29:08]: I can go on and on, but if you partner with me [0:29:10, 0:29:16]: By providing me space to hold events and use community resources and platforms to advertise this cause and educate. [0:29:18, 0:29:19]: It would mean the world to me. [0:29:20, 0:29:21]: I'd be so very grateful. [0:29:23, 0:29:24]: In life, everyone has a purpose. [0:29:26, 0:29:29]: I believe I know this is mine. [0:29:32, 0:29:36]: I thank you, Mary Ford, and the council for your time and attention. If we have any questions, please let me know. [0:29:40, 0:29:41]: Yeah, [0:29:43, 0:30:03]: And I apologize for the appreciate your presentation. I I would I'm appreciated the council has some questions for you. I would think that uh we'll probably figure try to figure out something legally we can do and get the message out there. And just a little little point, I just wanna mention it's a little small little thing. There is no Stockbridge police department. Henry County's a police department. Maybe someday [0:30:03, 0:30:23]: Maybe someday absolutely you know maybe some someday it'll be that way. But just want to put that out there for you, okay? That's a point of conversation as years go on. But anyway, go right in, please. Outstanding performance, young man, and this cause here is absolutely uh a critical need in [0:30:23, 0:30:43]: In our community. Uh I wanna let you know a couple of things. The Stockbridge actually was the first community to pass a human trafficking resolution. We did so in 2016. Uh we invited Dr. Kai Ashby here to receive the proclamation. She works with Chastity House and they work uh [0:30:43, 0:31:03]: uh to rescue young girls from conditions like that, especially uh with the amount of hotels and everything that we have along I-75. This is something that uh she's very passionate about and we are too. We could always do a lot more in it all hands on deck in any uh type of assistance. [0:31:03, 0:31:23]: That you would offer us would be absolutely fabulous because we need everybody in this cause. Absolutely. Because in this particular cause it's deep in that we need the law enforcement to be educated on how to deal with these particular issues. Because young 14 and 15-year-olds, they're not prostitutes. [0:31:23, 0:31:43]: They're victims. Exactly. And when they're criminalized, they're put into the criminal system, that is not the solution. We as a community and everyone here needs to understand that they are victims and they should be treated as victims to be pointed out to resources. And one of those resources was Chastity House. But we don't have [0:31:43, 0:32:03]: have nearly enough of those resources and we need to make sure that we're working with the district attorney, uh the solicitor, whoever is at the table that encounters these young people in the community. But I give you a big bravo for what you are doing because this problem is uh is efficacy [0:32:03, 0:32:23]: Center. And as you said, Atlanta's airport is the busiest airport in the world, and they will tell you that's what has happened. And all of us could do a better job in learning the signs to spot human trafficking. You got a male riding with a female in a plane, and the female cannot make eye contact, can't go to the [0:32:22, 0:32:41]: restroom by herself, all of those kind of things are telltale signs and we all need to be able to look uh for those signs in our community. So thank you so much for what you're doing and whatever we can do. And we'll work with the city manager to make sure we're thank you. Thank you for engaging with this topic and having your own trainings and understanding that thank you so much. [0:32:42, 0:33:02]: Uh first of all I want to thank you for coming. Um I think that when you have situations and you have circumstances that are out of uh a lot of the victims' control that uh to get the information out to the community as you're doing is is great and I think all hands should be on deck. Absolutely. Um we talked uh I've personally talked to Mr. [0:33:02, 0:33:11]: Mr. Patillo, DA, Ms. Patillo Downley and we've been told that there is an uh introduction of a task force now in Henry County pertaining to [0:33:12, 0:33:32]: uh trafficking, uh human trafficking. So there is a task force. So there's an element there that that can be worked with and for us getting information out and and community awareness. And so um I'm I'm as well as my colleagues, whatever we can do as a city to help get that awareness out and education out, um I'm I'm I'm on board with that because [0:33:31, 0:33:51]: Because it is it is it is a uh growing, growing problem. And believe it or not, some areas are sanctioned uh underground by governments. And so um which has been proven. And so we we have to definitely get in control and it starts in our own community. So um, I could push uh so I sp not to cut you up. I'm so sorry. I've talked to uh [0:33:51, 0:34:11]: Henry County public safety and what they encourage me to express to not only all communities in Henry County but to Stockford specifically is that uh the task force does an amazing job of trying to be proactive in rescuing victims and trying to expose certain activity in our communities. However, if we don't have eyes and ears on the ground, and that is pretty much us community members. [0:34:11, 0:34:31]: members, volunteers, people who are looking out to report to this um to our police officers, to dispatch so they can do their job. It takes, like you said, all hands on deck. Um there is only so many, I think their task force is as limited to less than 10 people at this point. And that's hard trying to surface and cover a span that is [0:34:31, 0:34:50]: I mean Hendrick County is larger than a lot of people understand. Um and there's so many nooks and crammings and dark alleys. And as we have more development and as we have more uh growth and migration to our communities, it brings in more crime, it brings in more people with ill intentions, and we have to have a community that is aware of what people might be intending for our children. [0:34:51, 0:35:11]: So we can understand what we should be looking out for and that takes education and the task force is great. Uh so we have to help them and be in partnership with them and that takes us, the community. Well I agree and but the three components that you're gonna have to have on board is awareness, yes, is education. Right. But you're gonna have to also have to have safe havens. [0:35:11, 0:35:27]: Because once those victims come off the street. Right, we have to get them to shelters we have. They have to have safe pavements. And so those elements coming together is where you work with the cities, you work with the counties, and then you try to find those common grounds to have those solutions put in place. So that once again I commend you for your thank you so much. Thank you. [0:35:27, 0:35:47]: Councilman Robinson, please. Thank you, Mayor. Um I commend you, young man. Um I will say we do have two programs, new programs here in Stockbridge. We have our youth council and our teen ambassadors. Okay. It would be wonderful. We have our chairwoman, uh Miss Erica Harvey, downstairs with our youth council. They were just worn in tonight. [0:35:47, 0:36:07]: It could be something that you can actually partner with educating, starting there, and they can bring out the other students in our community, because I believe that is what you're looking at doing, um, trying to educate. Um, and that would be a wonderful opportunity for our young people. We also have our um newly elected chairman, Mr. Jaden Williams. Um [0:36:07, 0:36:19]: that can connect with you as well. So I think once you all come together, um that would be a great um thing program that you can bring here in the city of Stockboard. Oh that would be amazing. I would absolutely absolutely thank you. [0:36:20, 0:36:40]: Any other comments from the council? You good? Thank you so much for that presentation. It was excellent. And um I definitely will do my part. I have two young girls and this is pretty dear. Um whatever we can do here, it sounds like myself as well as my colleagues, we all agree that what [0:36:39, 0:36:54]: we will help to take that stand. And it starts with communication and awareness. So I commend you for coming here and hopefully you'll go to other cities as well. But whatever we can do to assist you and be that mouthpiece, that's what I will do. So thank you. [0:36:54, 0:37:14]: Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. On that note, uh have you met our city manager before, Ms. Knight? I have, Mr. Knighton. Okay. So and then our attorney as there's Mr. Mike Williams as well. So these gentlemen will be part of the process to assist with the whole overall process with us and and you and start establish this out in the in the neighborhood and community. We'll kind of work through that process, okay? [0:37:14, 0:37:19]: We just have to communicate and make it work. Absolutely, we will do. All right. Thank you, Ian. Thank you. Thank you. Very good job. [0:37:21, 0:37:39]: Okay, we have okay. We have a quarterly reports, summary reports and what I understand the Starbucks Youth Council report is it's not gonna be done this mor this evening, is I my understanding. And on that note, then we would have the economic development report. Mr. James Touchon, please. [0:37:42, 0:37:43]: I'm gonna follow that up. [0:37:43, 0:38:03]: That was too good. So very well done. So I do want to thank you all tonight to do a quick report. I know you have most of the hard copies in there which discuss some stuff I can't talk about. But I do think he was talking about projects. I don't know if you saw we decided this project, the International Incorporated Headlock. Stockbridge is first international headquarters here in the city. [0:38:03, 0:38:23]: to thank the mayor and council. I want to thank the staff that worked on it. If it weren't for that, I think it was the dedication and work, Mr. Mayor and Council, that really through through a team effort with Henry County Development Authority, through our partners in Georgia Power, through the city, we really worked and they're putting a six million dollar building with 50 new jobs to be done here in the city. And I think that's [0:38:23, 0:38:43]: speaks testaments to the city moving forward so I can crap on that. Hope they will break ground. They have a quick timeline. So they're looking to break ground. I mean to well but not break round they're going to uh have a ribbon cutting pretty soon. So we are looking forward to having that done. Um so I I do want to commend that. I don't think we made news in Germany. So I thought I I know that was pretty awesome. [0:38:43, 0:39:03]: I think we're gonna try to send that out. And I know we posted about it on our social media. Um, with regards to other projects, and I will not respond back to that, but you know, with there we we do have a lot of projects in the works and a lot more coming, and so it's just hard for we can't talk about them all that often until sorry, I'm trying to we can't talk about the projects all that often publicly for the most often. So we are looking at the project. [0:39:03, 0:39:23]: Looking forward to announcing hopefully two more major projects. If we can get the deals done and bring them in, they'll bring jobs and they'll bring mixed use. We talked about Johtoco project. Hopefully we can get this project in. It's about half the size, but it's got it's got an in town and uh an in town developer who really, really wants to build here. And I think that'll send even more signals to our [0:39:23, 0:39:43]: Our our in town folks in Atlanta. Hey, stockbridge is open for business and we should be building there and coming down there. Um, as far as the DDA, we're they're very active. We have our next meeting coming up this next week, uh, August 19th. And I think Councilman Gantt can tell you that we have a lot to do, and I think we're gonna be talking about some massive. [0:39:43, 0:40:03]: Master plans. We're looking at some things downtown to hopefully uh hopefully see some very quick movement on some things downtown. I think with the amphitheater and the Merle Manders, we have a lot of opportunity for hotels and apartments and restaurants and retail sitting right outside of here. So that is very important to me. Um a couple of things. [0:40:03, 0:40:23]: Things like like I said, we can read about. I can't talk about just too much yet. Um, but we are, you know, we're we're laying groundwork. And I think that's what's important. We're getting out there, putting out a marketing brochure, hopefully very soon that I'm working on that's going to show the city and tell a lot to our our development community and the community around the business community around the nation, not just the state. So our [0:40:23, 0:40:43]: So I think that's gonna be a big thing for us. So I kinda wanted to give a quick update. And uh yeah, if there's any questions, I'm happy to answer any questions at all. Any questions for Mr. Tutchen? I mean yeah, one sort of go right in, please. Just wanted to make a comment. Um Mr. Tushman, we appreciate you uh being in the trenches. Um [0:40:43, 0:40:55]: helping to move economic development forward here in the city of Stockbridge. And I know you can't reveal a lot, but I just want you to know fr from me as an elected official and I believe mother council members will say the same. [0:40:55, 0:40:58]: Whatever you need from us as an elected body. [0:40:58, 0:41:10]: To make your job easier and give you the ammunition that you need to go forward. Um, we're here for that. I do appreciate that, Councilman. Thank you. I know and I think that's why we're getting these projects in and getting them in the ground. [0:41:12, 0:41:13]: Where is her? [0:41:13, 0:41:33]: Yes, thank you, sir. And uh I appreciate you, Mr. Touchston, because you are a true professional at what you do. And um, this position, Economic Development Director, was brought on board to do exactly what you're doing, which is to make sure that we have a dedicated professional pursuing economic development. [0:41:33, 0:41:53]: In every corridor of the city every single day. Uh I think you were a bit understated by l what what it means that we landed Hegla Corporation, which is an international corporation, picking Stockbridge. Uh that is big news. What they are I believe they are the first international company [0:41:53, 0:42:13]: to ever call Stockbridge home. Is that correct? And I should and I should follow up on that. They had 17 other locations on this in the Atlanta region they were looking at. So normally I wouldn't know that, but they they let me know they were they were looking at other ones and they just said Stockbridge, you know, with the way we were working with them and just we kept coming and saying what can we do? What can we do? That's [0:42:13, 0:42:26]: You know, I always tell people that's what economic development a lot of times is. Your job is literally just to be a back scratcher and a hand holder and say, What can we do and how can we help you? And that's, you know, that that's what we do with them. So we keep doing that. I think we'll keep getting more. [0:42:26, 0:42:46]: It it was all the more refreshing to be at the groundbreaking and hear their officials from the CEO to the investors rave about how the staff and the economic development department was a breeze here in Stockholm. [0:42:46, 0:43:06]: And made some things happen for them, and they were overjoyed, and they made a point to mention that uh during the remarks from the CEO. And that that says a lot about the new direction uh that we're going in in the city. What I would like to do is I'd like to turn to Mr. Knighton real quick. I know there's only [0:43:06, 0:43:26]: Only so much that we can say, but I think Miss Moore gave some poignant remarks about uh the Jodico project early that she made public, uh, such as the interest and that kind of thing that people need to understand that uh where the process is, and that uh she gave some really poignant remarks that kind of told everybody. [0:43:26, 0:43:27]: It's on fire, basically. [0:43:30, 0:43:43]: Um yes. Um we've and the staff has had uh uh some very long meetings uh with the Jodico development team just in the last week. In fact, uh just an hour ago or so I spoke to one of the Jodico team members. [0:43:43, 0:43:45]: And I can share every everyone [0:43:46, 0:43:55]: Uh without going into much more detail that things are moving um as they should and uh we expect to be able to give you a further briefing uh very, very soon. [0:43:55, 0:44:07]: Okay, and in terms of the next step here, in terms of the amphitheater. Now the amphitheater is going to drive development in terms of foot traffic. Talk about that. I believe we're expecting a groundbreaking here soon. [0:44:10, 0:44:20]: Expecting the groundbreaking soon. Uh as you all know, we're very close to um receiving bids back on a uh on the construction costs uh for the amphitheater. [0:44:20, 0:44:23]: Аж оно звел the ампатіатр. [0:44:23, 0:44:27]: Was a part of an LCI Liverpool City's Center initiative. [0:44:28, 0:44:30]: Северо є, на амплитер was [0:44:30, 0:44:34]: uh a major focus of that overall plan that would generate [0:44:34, 0:44:38]: is intended to generate uh traffic in the downtown area. [0:44:38, 0:44:55]: And so we believe the amphitheater will provide the catalyst for other future development in and around downtown, obviously bring uh thousands of people uh down to the area on a regular basis, and thereby create opportunities for retail, restaurant, shopping uh in and around the downtown area. [0:44:56, 0:45:16]: And lastly, I'd like to say um now we've uh we've had some tremendous investment uh in Stockbridge in terms of fiber optics from ATT, Comcast. How much of a role has that that is that has played a significant role from my understanding, I'll just say that, in attracting these new businesses that we have, because now we can actually compete. [0:45:16, 0:45:18]: compete in on technology, I believe. [0:45:19, 0:45:39]: I mean certainly I think you know that high speed and that 5G is really gonna be important when you're trying to get anything from a logistics to a technology to some office where they're gonna wanna have that technology. If you I don't know if you've seen, I mean we are struggling here in the Atlanta region. I think they're saying we are at least three years behind some of our major competitors like Dallas and Charlotte on our five G technology. [0:45:38, 0:45:49]: technology and the infrastructure because a lot of hesitation, a lot of the education aspect. So I think as we continue to educate and install more that that would really put us in a better position too on that. [0:45:50, 0:46:10]: So and I I did want to make one more statement if I could, because we're talking of so we are you know focused. I think people you know they always think economic development is bringing in a building or bringing a new business. But as we work to do what we've talked about, partnering with Clayton County and Henry County to do code enforcement on 138, do some of this cleanup on North Henry. I think you know, as we invest. [0:46:10, 0:46:27]: invest in the lighting and signage and repave those roads, you know, that's gonna make a big deal. I think too is more people come down and say, Wow, they keep it clean, it looks good. We really want to reinvest and build out here. So I think that's more than just downtown. We're doing a lot, playing the groundwork for a lot more to happen on one thirty eight. [0:46:27, 0:46:47]: Thank you. Ms. Robinson, go ahead. Thank you, um, James. But a lot of people, though, I guess with the questions, even just saying we're having to keep things kind of hush hush. Um, I will say Mr. Um James just came on with how long you've been here? Eight months. Eight months. So we didn't have an economic development director. So Stockbridge, we knew what we [0:46:47, 0:47:07]: We actually needed to move forward. So we had to go through the process, putting things in place. Um, I will say he has come on and he hit the ground has hit the ground running. Um and he's collaborating, um, um working with Clayton County because of where our two um Henry County and the K Clayton County interconnect. So um [0:47:07, 0:47:27]: We have that in place now. It's more so like um with the Hegler. I mean, this was you know something that we couldn't really put out there because it's just like you purchasing your home. You don't want to go out and let your family know that you're fixing to buy a home until you find it. And then you don't and then when you get ready to go to closing and you know it's for sure, that's when you're gonna be able to do [0:47:27, 0:47:47]: When you make that announcement, and you just don't want to scare people away when you put too much out there. So that's where we are. We do have a lot of things that are gonna be coming. Um, so um Stockbridge is open for business. Um, we have now permitting um and planning and zoning that we have in-house now that Stockbridge is no longer having to do through the [0:47:47, 0:47:56]: the county. So that's a good thing. So we're we've had to move a lot of things in order to uh move forward. So I just want everyone to know that this council um [0:47:57, 0:48:17]: And staff has working um extremely hard and you're gonna see a lot of great things coming forth. So just be patient. Um I know um people wanna see things happen overnight, but they just don't. Um we've been here four years and it it it's the process. You have to go through the process. But I believe right now we're we're coming through our breakthrough. So [0:48:17, 0:48:24]: And I just thank each of you coming here to state your concerns because that shows us you're involved in your community. So I appreciate that. [0:48:25, 0:48:27]: Mayor Pro Tem Blount, go ahead, please, sir. [0:48:27, 0:48:47]: Yeah, I just also wanna uh reiterate with those that um that I want you to to also remember that we just went through almost a two-year process of making sure the city of Stockbridge is gonna be the city of Stockbridge in the way it is. And in that process, what happens is you have a lot of businesses [0:48:47, 0:49:07]: whatever was on the table and was gonna go forward, those things were put on hold. And a lot of things that we had to do with some of those businesses, it starts from scratch. And some businesses had to be convinced to come back. Some say, hey, okay, now let's move forward. So if we had not had that entity to interrupt us, we [0:49:07, 0:49:27]: We would be further along now than what we are. But uh there's bright days in the city of Stockbridge. We're sitting on the gold mine and only thing that we can ask the public now and the citizens is just have a little more patience toward progress, a little more patience toward what we're doing, because you're you're you're definitely gonna wanna say, Hey, I enjoy living in the city of Stockbridge'cause [0:49:27, 0:49:31]: We're booming right now. So it's it's it's a excellent excellent place to live. [0:49:32, 0:49:38]: We're good. All right. James, thank you for the report. Appreciate you uh being here eight months in. So we got another eight years to go, sir. [0:49:39, 0:49:43]: All right. [0:49:45, 0:49:49]: Okay, we got an agenda request appeal hearing. Applicant Diana Cressman. [0:49:50, 0:50:07]: Uh nature request appeal for denial of business permit, 1375 Rock Croix Road, proposed use beauty salon, denial for reason for denial was moratorium restriction. Um since Miss Moore is not here, Mr. Knight, can you elaborate a little further for the for the council before we bring Miss Cressman up, please? [0:50:09, 0:50:17]: Stand by for one second, please. You you can c you you can actually come up here, ma'am, but I want Mr. Knighton to to address this and give us a little more background to the council, please. [0:50:17, 0:50:37]: Uh yes, Mayor Council. As you know, a moratorium was imposed um uh quite a while ago that prohibited certain uses. Um as that process unfolded, there was an appeal mechanism in place uh for uh prospective business owners to appeal to the council uh to have their [0:50:37, 0:50:41]: uh essentially their denial uh uh heard. [0:50:43, 0:50:51]: Um since that time, Mayor and Council has chosen not to hear any more appeals. However, there were a few, I believe, six or seven [0:50:51, 0:51:11]: That were somewhat in cue at the point that point in time. And so this is one of those few that happen to be um in a in a um certain status. Um and as a result of that, this particular item is being brought forward to you as an appeal uh to the [0:51:11, 0:51:13]: moratorium based on the denial. [0:51:15, 0:51:28]: Okay. Appreciate it. Ma'am uh yes ma'am. If I could you all receive this additional information in your packet, but you'll note that the um this information was provided by Miss Pressman. [0:51:28, 0:51:47]: And the um emails and names have been removed. Okay. Okay. So there's a matter of correspondence she's had with the with the actual city staff over this period of time. I'm sorry. Sit the this is correspondence in reference to that she's had with the city staff over the course of certain time. Today she submitted it to us today. Okay. [0:51:49, 0:52:09]: Well, okay, I'm that's still not what I was asking. Their names have been taken out, but this is this correspondence she's had with our city staff over a course of getting trying to get a business. Okay, I got it. Oh so be it. Thank you. Yes, Miss Cressman. [0:52:09, 0:52:10]: Right here, please. [0:52:11, 0:52:31]: My name is Dana Cressman, 1375 Rock Quarry Road. Good evening. I hope everyone is doing well. I'm here to appeal the denial of my city business license. I've been a resident in Henry County for over five years and I have recently purchased a home in Henry County. Ideally I would prefer to run my business within the Henry County borders. [0:52:31, 0:52:40]: I've been working on my clientele for over three years. The list that I provided is a list of my clients that I've built in the stockage area. Got it. [0:52:40, 0:53:00]: I have over a thousand clients in the Stockbridge and McDonough area. And I pride myself on being an above-average Nelltech. Um, I've spent the last eight months building the location and setting up the location during the moratorium. And sorry, I'm sorry. [0:53:01, 0:53:13]: I would like to s point out that my clients and my employees bring a significant amount of co customers and attention to the restaurants and things in the area. [0:53:16, 0:53:29]: I'm risking losing clients and things if I have to relocate. I'm currently in a five year lease and I've already been establishing it for eight months. So I've put a lot of money into the location that I'm at. And if I have to relocate [0:53:29, 0:53:33]: I won't be able to afford to establish a new location. [0:53:34, 0:53:51]: Um, sorry. I'm very passionate about my business and in addition to everything I honestly believe that if I'm denied my city license that I will be out of business. I understand that Stockbridge has felt that they've reached their limits on salons, but I hope that they can make an exception for mine. [0:53:53, 0:54:05]: That's all. Your address of thirteen seventy five, that is a standalone building or is it is in a a strip mall, something like that? It's like a strip mall. It is. Okay. All right. Further questions. Council. [0:54:06, 0:54:17]: Yes, I have one. You you mentioned that you're already currently in a lease and you're planning on just operating from that the location that you're currently in. [0:54:17, 0:54:28]: Yes, I had to apply for the lease to apply for the business city license. So I already had the lease when I applied for the city license. And you were already doing here at that location already? [0:54:28, 0:54:48]: No, I was actually in the Majestic Pro Salon and I was in Jodico Road. I was working in other salons like inside of them. This is my first opening of the salon. So the landlord that I'm actually under now also on the salon that I was in before. He just helped me branch into a bigger building and [0:54:48, 0:54:50]: Make my own business. [0:54:51, 0:55:11]: Okay. So the majestic is that the one on Rock Quarry Road with the different suites or Yes, the individual suites. Okay. And and you're saying that you've been leasing another building for eight months already? No, this this one I've been in for eight months. I applied but I didn't know the appeal process. So [0:55:11, 0:55:30]: So I had not done the appeal, so I had been waiting for a little while. A lady in the office told me to wait, so I got a miscommunication. But I've been just sitting on my lease pretty much waiting on the city license to go through. Gotcha. But this is so it's not a new business. It's a business that you already you're in a building, you wanna move to another building. [0:55:31, 0:55:44]: Well it's the salon of itself is a new business. I myself worked by myself. I didn't have like a business. I just rented booths in salons. Okay. Thank you. So my clientele's from that. Sorry. Thank you. [0:55:44, 0:55:46]: Any other questions from the council? [0:55:47, 0:56:02]: All right, so I mean that's if that's the case I just I need a motion whether or not we accept uh I guess this um um appeal that Miss Cressman is um proposing uh to us. Mayor. Yes, sir. [0:56:02, 0:56:21]: I'm gonna make a motion to deny this request and stick with the moratorium because uh we are still in the process of collecting the data to do what we need to do to understand how many salons are there. If we make an exception for this one, we'd have to make an exception for all of the rest. Unfortunately, that's the way that it works. [0:56:21, 0:56:23]: Or is there a second motion? [0:56:26, 0:56:27]: I'll say again, is there a second then motion? [0:56:28, 0:56:31]: If there's not the if there's not, that motion dies. [0:56:32, 0:56:37]: I have a question. Go right ahead. What's your question, sir? Well not a s question statement. And and um [0:56:39, 0:56:45]: Because during this memorial we have had several businesses that come with I think [0:56:46, 0:57:06]: from a layman's term could be legitimate excuses why or reasonings why they should have those businesses. But from the city's side, we have to look at the overall growth and the overall what we want to see in businesses across the city. And we have to we have to be able to set a balance with that. [0:57:05, 0:57:11]: Um, and and a lot of times we're gonna have situations where it's gonna be unfortunate. [0:57:12, 0:57:19]: Um and your situation is one of the unfortunates as well as so many that are coming in a time of this memoriatorium. [0:57:19, 0:57:20]: Um [0:57:20, 0:57:31]: But we have to set a standard in the city and this is one of the ways that we have to do it. We have to do it this way, but other w because we have to get balance. We can't [0:57:32, 0:57:41]: become saturated with so many of the same type of businesses where it limits opportunities for other businesses to come into the city. And so um [0:57:42, 0:57:44]: I sympathize with you. [0:57:44, 0:58:04]: And as well as the others have that have come before us. But at the time that this council did the moratorium, we did do some extensive uh investigations and and extensive research and that we did see a saturation in areas that needed to be taken under control that we can also offer those businesses to come in to create. [0:58:04, 0:58:07]: Um [0:58:07, 0:58:14]: And I wanted to make a comment versus taking a taking emotion or I wanted to make a com that comment. [0:58:14, 0:58:34]: prior to me seconding the motion. Uh if you wouldn't wouldn't mind, Mayor, I would like to put that back on the board and and second that motion because we have to it's just it's unfortunate that that we have circumstances pertaining to that, but the city has to create balance when it comes to the business and the progression of the city. [0:58:34, 0:58:48]: Thank you. All right, so I'm going back to you. Do you want to remake your motion? Yes, I need to restate the motion in that uh as as as previously stated, we just trying to get a hand on uh the saturation of businesses in the community. So we need to deny this request. [0:58:48, 0:58:58]: Okay, is there a second? Second. All right. Are there any further discussion? Mayor. Yes, Mayor. I needed clarification from Ms. Cressman when um I'm sorry, in the notes. [0:58:59, 0:59:14]: On the process where she you stated which came first, you had to get the lease before the permit or the permit before the lease? The lease before I could apply for the city license. You had to get the lease required for the permit. [0:59:15, 0:59:17]: I just needed to put that in the record, thank you. [0:59:17, 0:59:22]: Okay. Any further discussion? Any further discussion? No. [0:59:22, 0:59:24]: All in favor of the motion, please indicate. [0:59:26, 0:59:29]: Sorry ma'am, motion passes. Business lesson denied. Thank you. [0:59:31, 0:59:42]: Okay. Uh new business. Council consideration to approve a resolution for the Davis Road Sidewalk Phase One project in amount of one five hundred and ten thousand seven hundred dollars. Mr. Aaron, please. [0:59:43, 0:59:49]: Yes, good mor good afternoon, uh Mr. Mayor and Council. Come for you tonight asking [0:59:49, 1:00:06]: For approval to move forward with the Davis Roadside Walk Phase One. It's a TE project. This has been on the drawing boards for over five years, I know. I've been working on it for two and a half, so we're asking for approval to move forward with the Lord's bidder. [1:00:07, 1:00:14]: To do phase one of Davis Road sidewalk project, which would go from highway forty-two down to Shields Road. [1:00:15, 1:00:20]: Okay. Uh council any questions for uh Mr. Aaron? Yes. You go right please, sir. [1:00:21, 1:00:41]: Can we state where the funding on this is gonna come from? It's a T grant grant, a transportation enhancement grant. So the funding has already been identified, put in place? Yes, sir. Okay. So my motion is to approve the uh five thousand five hundred ten thousand seven hundred dollars for the uh shot walk phase one. Motion made here, second over here. Any further discussion? [1:00:40, 1:01:00]: Yes. I wanna uh ask Mr. Aaron about this particular project and it's um all of the the the the things that we're working on in terms of the project. Now previously I know we were we were it was going to be the entire Davis Road corridor from highway forty two all the way [1:01:00, 1:01:20]: to uh Merrill Manders. But uh it was a decision that was made in order to do half of the project so that we could actually move forward versus waiting on the remaining right-of-way and everything that we had to to acquire. Is that correct? Yes, sir there was some issues with acquiring the easements from Shields Road to Clark Park and G DOT. [1:01:20, 1:01:33]: recommended that we move forward with a portion of it or risk losing the funding for the grant. So that's why we're doing phase one. Phase two would be something we'll come back at a later date and present the mayor and council if they want to move forward with that. [1:01:33, 1:01:41]: Okay, in the project we have now received the bid. Is that correct? We've already the bid has already closed. Yes, sir. Okay, so we're and also [1:01:42, 1:01:43]: Talk about um [1:01:44, 1:02:01]: The the curb and was the curb and gutter added to the project or not? No sir. This was this project's been designed over five years ago. It was for a sidewalk with no curb and gutter because you didn't have the funding that was allocated in the grant to do the curb and gutter. [1:02:02, 1:02:22]: Uh I I'd just like to ask this council again uh as we move forward and we attempt to raise the bar. Um I'm fully in favor of this project here, but I just don't think that we should be building these projects without being best in class, which means uh adding curb and gutter where we have stormwater issues. [1:02:22, 1:02:42]: The curb and gutter would help solve that. That means that we'll have to put skin in the game, but we won't have a sidewalk with a ditch. Now, having a sidewalk as a ditch is better than having uh no sidewalk at all. But we can improve this project if we add the curb and gutter, and maybe even um if not. [1:02:42, 1:03:02]: now at some date because the stormwater issues will persist uh in this particular area. But I support the project, but um it and maybe you could talk about if that were added, would it would that be a delay in the project or with that could we do that? Yes, sir, because you're changing the scope of the work then you'd have to go back and bid out rebid [1:03:02, 1:03:05]: [3785.6, 3795.5]: project significant. Could it be added at a later date. It still be added in. If the city wanted to go back at a later date and look at possibly adding curb and gutter, that's something that would be done outside of this project. [1:03:15, 1:03:19]: Okay, I think that's what we should do. But I support the project. [1:03:20, 1:03:21]: Yes, sir. Go ahead, please. Um [1:03:22, 1:03:33]: Mr. Aaron, um thank you. Uh that is one of my concerns also and you and I sort of spoke to this. I met with some homeowners uh recently as you and I talked. [1:03:34, 1:03:35]: About [1:03:35, 1:03:44]: Water runoff. And that is a problem in several neighborhoods. A lot of the older neighborhoods, like this one. [1:03:44, 1:03:48]: I'm a little reluctant. I'm in favor of the project also, but I'm a little reluctant. [1:03:49, 1:03:54]: Uh knowing the fact that you know the the water runoff is a real an issue. [1:03:54, 1:04:04]: and to invest in a project like this without the curve and gutters, but I do understand the process and we're already here and I know it's hard to go back [1:04:04, 1:04:06]: To include that but [1:04:06, 1:04:09]: Um I just think that some way somehow [1:04:10, 1:04:27]: When we move forward these projects, we have to include this because it is a problem. And I know we're gonna have to come back and you and I talk about this all the time. And there are several neighborhoods which we have to come back and do curb and gutters because [1:04:27, 1:04:47]: Homeowners are calling you all the time, and you and I have gone out to several and we have seen the damage of water. And you know, water is very destructive. So I understand that, but I just want to make that comment to my colleagues that at some point in time we're gonna have to get with curb and gutters. My other question, could you speak to [1:04:47, 1:05:07]: To the um the ROW the right-of-way acquisition. Um, what's the status? Is that okay and have you had any hiccups with that? It was approximately, I think, over 20-something easements that were required for the project. And we were only able to secure easements from uh North Davis. I'm gonna say North David. [1:05:07, 1:05:26]: North Henry down to Shields Road. And it was a big sticking point to get the ones from Shields Road to Clark Park. So for two and a half years, we've been trying to secure those easements, and a lot of residents didn't want to give the easements. So that's why we just went with phase one for now, so that we wouldn't lose the funding that was granted. [1:05:29, 1:05:32]: Thank you. Go ahead. Yes, sir. [1:05:32, 1:05:33]: Thank you. [1:05:33, 1:05:36]: Point out as far as those easements that we could not get [1:05:37, 1:05:39]: Інодоз Home Owners were offered. [1:05:39, 1:05:42]: You know, fair market value. So it's not as if [1:05:42, 1:05:48]: We were asking them to just give the easements. We just couldn't negotiate purchase rights to those easements. [1:05:49, 1:06:09]: Okay, thank you. Mayor pull Tim Blount. Go ahead, sir. Well you kind of hit on um what I was gonna talk about. When you talk about all the talk about the components of the easements, that those have to be acquired in order to do what we're talking about doing curb and gutter, though uh in my opinion. And so in in uh the future, I guess near future, once this project [1:06:09, 1:06:29]: start. Um could we just kind of get an overall view uh start on that and uh Mr. Knighton is walking off but uh maybe we'll get started on that and maybe you document it uh city clerk start on what it would what it would cost the city uh some kind of uh what it would cost the city to purchase to purchase those these [1:06:28, 1:06:48]: Easements because the project's gonna start at this amount. Purchase those easements and then put in the uh curb and gutter. Well, as part of the project, GDOT did the appraisals of of those parcels. And so the cost to purchase those projects were figured out in a matrix that was presented by GDOT. So they set the process. [1:06:48, 1:07:01]: the bar as to what would be paid for those parcels. And it was up to the owner whether they want to accept the offer or not. So with those but those easements have to be purchased in order to put in the curb and gutter, is that correct? [1:07:02, 1:07:22]: No, that's in the right order. No. Forty two down the shields, we've already purchased those. So those are in hand. It's it's just phase two, those are the ones that we're having problems getting the easements. Well then whatever we can get the uh um the estimates or whatever on on on that phase on the first phase, I guess, to get [1:07:22, 1:07:37]: get it get us that so we can at least have something to hand and know what it would be if we wanted to go that go that route. Yes, we've got a list of the easements that we did purchase with the amount that were paid that was paid for'em. So we can put that together for you in a spreadsheet if you want to see. [1:07:38, 1:07:48]: Thank you. Any more comments down here? Okay. Okay, good. On that note we have a motion. It's been seconded. All in favor of motion please indicate. And it's unanimous. Thank you, Mr. Aaron. [1:07:48, 1:08:08]: And council consideration to approve resolution for the Smith Barnes Sewer Basin Rehabilitation Phase One project in the amount of$140,375. Mr. Aaron, please. Yes, Mr. Mayor. This is a CDBG project. This uh Smith Barnes Sanitary Sewer Basin is a is a basin where we've had some issues in the past with sanitary sewer over. [1:08:08, 1:08:24]: flows. And this is phase one of possibly a five-phase project. This phase will video, camera, and smoke test that sewer basin so that we can use that as a guideline to help us make the repairs that we need to make in that area. [1:08:25, 1:08:27]: Okay, any questions for Mr. Aaron? [1:08:27, 1:08:45]: Um this is I'm sorry. Go ahead, sir. Go ahead. This is C D B Gesser. We received funded. Yes, sir. We received two hundred thousand dollars for this phase of the C D B G grant. And the bid that the lowest bid we received was$140,375. On that note, I'd like the motion to approve the uh [1:08:45, 1:08:54]: the uh f uh C D B G grant to g to go forward for the hundred forty thousand uh hundred and forty thousand seven hundred I'm say three hundred and seventy five [1:08:55, 1:09:15]: 140,375. Motion's been made. There's a second. Second. There's a second here. Any further discussion? Just a brief discussion. Uh, Mr. Williams. I just want to uh harp in back since Mr. Aaron is already up there. Now we appear to have a consensus of going back to look at the curve and gutter on the previous project. Can that be noted? [1:09:14, 1:09:25]: I think we had uh an agreement on on that. I believe the clerk's got that. She's got she's got that. Well I'm I'm I'm I'm in support of this project, yes. All right. [1:09:25, 1:09:26]: All right, so any further discussion? [1:09:28, 1:09:48]: If not all in favor of the motion, please indicate. It's unanimous. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Unanimous mayor. Okay. And what we have next is actually a resolution that we added to the agenda for the uh city of Stockbridge earning uh urgent immediate type of uh funding along to to the Western Parallel Connector uh Jonesboro and [1:09:48, 1:10:02]: improvement project, Rosemary Roll Improvement Projects. And uh on that note, I'm gonna just since it was brought up by uh Councilwoman Lee Robinson, I want you to go ahead and further discuss this if you like. Thank you, Mayor. Um just wanted um our [1:10:02, 1:10:06]: County c uh chair and our commissioners last week um did a vote [1:10:06, 1:10:20]: um and um brought on by commissioner deeplens and the it was a unanimous vote with the county officials and they had urged that Stockbridge would also um be committed to um [1:10:20, 1:10:31]: partner um or w in approval for the Western Parallel Connector um running from Hudson Bridge Road to Jodico Road. Um it is a Georgia Department of Transportation G Dot project. [1:10:32, 1:10:36]: Ам іспрограм то коммент держи на фісковір в твані твари. [1:10:37, 1:10:43]: Um so G Dot has um indicated that it's presently has insufficient funding to complete the Western Parallel project. [1:10:44, 1:11:04]: So the project is vitally important to easing traffic and congestion sparking economic development in the city of Stockbridge. So we're just um using this resolution as um stating showing that we're in urging or in agreement with the county um that GDOT moves swiftly um with [1:11:04, 1:11:14]: this project and um funded one hundred percent. So this is just us um being in agreement with our county um so GDOT can move forward this project. [1:11:15, 1:11:35]: Yes, sir. Anybody got any other comments? Yes. You'll go right, please. Uh I think Councilwoman Robinson and I were both at the meeting. And you know, we support and want to work with our county anytime that we can. And when a good idea comes forward, it don't matter who bring it forward, when it's a good idea. [1:11:34, 1:11:54]: We're going to support it. We told Commissioner Clemens that day that we're going to bring this resolution back to the count to the city because what she said and they captured is that when they go to GDOT and they talk about projects, they said, we got somebody from Locus Grove calling on this. [1:11:54, 1:12:14]: Somebody from Stockbridge calling on this. We need y'all to get on the same page so we can move these projects forward. And with them taking the lead and us co-signing, it puts all of us on the same page. Now, Jonesboro Road is not in the city limits, but we definitely support that because that releases. [1:12:14, 1:12:34]: Traffic overall in our area. And the one thing that we need to understand completely is that this Western Parallel Connector is supposed to go from Hudson Ridge, Hudson Ridge Road, all the way to Jonesboro Road. Now, the state tells us, oops, we don't have enough money for that, but they have enough money for a [1:12:34, 1:12:39]: billion dollar exchange at I two hundred eighty five and Georgia four hundred. [1:12:40, 1:12:41]: They do. [1:12:41, 1:12:45]: That one billion dollars would solve all of our traffic issues down here. [1:12:45, 1:12:52]: If you're sitting out there and you're hearing my voice, you need to call your representatives or down to the state. [1:12:52, 1:13:08]: And let them know that the South Side needs to have funding, adequate funding too. And all the money does not continue to need to go to the South Side. We need us to do that unified and we need the citizens to back us up because they'd say they don't hear from us. [1:13:08, 1:13:20]: But this motion moves us forward with the county taking the lead, Stockbridge being next in order. Hopefully the rest of the cities will pass this. Because when the county passes something, [1:13:20, 1:13:26]: And it's really, really great policy. We did it. We did the same thing with the highway corridor plan. [1:13:26, 1:13:29]: Which man states that every particular highway [1:13:30, 1:13:50]: The and byway that runs through the city is required to b when new development comes, it's required to build a 10-foot walking path, uh upgraded landscaping. If you see the new buildings like the chicken salad chick, or you see the best western plus on on highway one thirty-eight on the other side, uh down from Fairfield Inn and the uh [1:13:49, 1:14:09]: Those are new requirements that we have put in place in the city. So when somebody comes to the city to build a project, it will be the same in Henry County. It'll be the same here in Stockbridge because they'll those corridors would meet the main corridors. So the impressive thing that we have are doing here with my colleague, we go to those counties. [1:14:09, 1:14:13]: County meetings because we want to be at the table for you. [1:14:13, 1:14:28]: We want to be able to support the county and we want to be able to represent your interests at every opportunity. Because we were there, we were b we were able to chat with the commissioner and let her know that we were gonna bring this back. And she was excited about the fact that we wanted to bring this back, correct? [1:14:29, 1:14:41]: Mayor. Yes, ma'am. If there's no other comments, I would like to make a motion. I would like a motion to approve this resolution. Second. Okay. Any further discussion? All in favor, please indicate. [1:14:41, 1:14:46]: Fantastic. Thank you very much, Council. Comments. City Manager, sir. [1:14:50, 1:15:07]: Comments other than uh appreciate the great work of the staff and um things that uh have been and will be accomplished here in the city of Stockbridge. So we look forward to uh those things happening, look forward to uh further discussions about many of the projects that were alluded to earlier, and look forward to them commencing. Thank you. [1:15:08, 1:15:19]: City Clerks. Yes, on a sad note, I would like to offer condolences to my um teammate um and staff personnel, Angela Bryant, who recently lost her mother. [1:15:20, 1:15:35]: Thank you. Okay. Councilman Thomas, please, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um to the citizens that are here and the citizen that may be watching from home, first I'd like to make very clear that [1:15:35, 1:15:43]: I totally support the proposed youth and senior facility. And I believe all my colleagues as well. [1:15:45, 1:15:51]: In fact, the residents of this community where the proposed site is located. [1:15:51, 1:15:53]: um have advocated [1:15:53, 1:15:56]: uh for the land to be used for this purpose. [1:15:57, 1:16:01]: Um the location is the old Rosenwar school site. [1:16:02, 1:16:05]: I understand and I hope that you do too that [1:16:06, 1:16:08]: A process of assessing [1:16:09, 1:16:12]: the community's wants and desires [1:16:12, 1:16:20]: Collecting data from citizens of what programs, activities, and other components of a youth and senior center is needed. [1:16:21, 1:16:23]: And how citizens would use the center. [1:16:24, 1:16:26]: And the design concept communicated [1:16:27, 1:16:29]: to use it before wasting [1:16:29, 1:16:32]: Money's implementing something [1:16:32, 1:16:35]: that the citizen really do not want. [1:16:35, 1:16:41]: On last Thursday I hosted uh a town hall at Smith Barn Elementary School. [1:16:42, 1:16:45]: Well about sixty uh citizen came out [1:16:45, 1:16:47]: And they gave input [1:16:47, 1:16:50]: Uh but I will say that some of the information [1:16:51, 1:16:55]: that we discussed I know some of these citizens was a little bit [1:16:55, 1:16:58]: frustrated with with the time length. [1:16:58, 1:17:01]: Um, but I just wanna say here that [1:17:01, 1:17:06]: to the to to to all of my powers, we're going to make sure [1:17:06, 1:17:09]: Um that this get done a as soon as possible. [1:17:10, 1:17:13]: But let me also say too that this council agreed on [1:17:13, 1:17:14]: Three projects. [1:17:14, 1:17:16]: And this being the third one. So [1:17:17, 1:17:19]: We will get there as soon as we can. [1:17:20, 1:17:40]: Also, um online there's a survey and we have about three or four hundred that has been in already. Any of you here that need a survey to fill out before you leave, please do so or you can just go online. Lastly, let me mention uh many citizens has complained about a house uh [1:17:39, 1:17:45]: Um in the community on one forty two Wilson. Uh to date we was in court. [1:17:45, 1:17:47]: Um to abate [1:17:47, 1:17:50]: that particular house um [1:17:51, 1:18:03]: It was given a continuous for thirty days. Um, but it is going to happen, so something will be happening with that house. I know it's been a um [1:18:03, 1:18:23]: A little frustrating for a lot of us in that particular neighborhood about this house because it's uh it's a dumping ground. It's been an eyesore, but um, and I don't know if Mr. William wants to speak to any of that, but uh we are moving forward. Uh the judge pretty much assured that uh it will be taken care of, but he [1:18:23, 1:18:25]: Indicated that um [1:18:25, 1:18:45]: He it was an obligation to allow the owners of that particular property to be able to um assess it, if you will. But Mr. William, I don't know if you just want to speak to that. It has been a concern from the community. And I just like for the citizens to know that the city of Stockbridge is not just [1:18:45, 1:18:48]: just lend that exist in our community. [1:18:51, 1:18:54]: Well if you want to address it, I mean if you have anything to address, go right in, sir. [1:18:55, 1:19:05]: I just concur with everything he said that um we did have uh counsel for the bank who we believe owns the property was there and uh w uh [1:19:06, 1:19:16]: at uh Councilman Thomas's uh suggestion, the three of us went out. Um so th the attorney was able to see the property first hand. He took some video of it and so [1:19:17, 1:19:37]: Um we believe now that we absolutely have their attention this thing is going to get resolved. Good deal. All right. Yes, sir. Go ahead. Mr. Mayor, if I may, real quick, um uh to the to the point that was raised earlier, and and thanks to the leadership of the mayor and council, you all approved fifty thousand dollars in our current budget for nuisance and abatement, and we've taken down two houses that were [1:19:37, 1:19:53]: dilapidated, uh burned out. There were eyesores just in the past couple of months. One across from uh Clark Park on Davis Road and the other one on Turning Point Road. And the citizens were extremely happy on Turning Point. I do know that for sure. They sent me a video. Um [1:19:53, 1:19:54]: It is [1:19:54, 1:20:11]: They they toasted the city of Stockbridge. They sent me a video about that house being down. So we are moving aggressively trying to address these dilapidated structures and uh we'll continue to do that in a very aggressive fashion. All right, thank you. All right, uh we reset it. Mr. Uh Blount, please. [1:20:12, 1:20:32]: Uh yes. Um first of all I want to thank everybody that's still here that uh came out. Um one of the things I believe is that good ideas in action produce progress and I think that we're in a great position to have progress because I believe there's a lot of good ideas on the table. There's a lot for us to uh to to move on right now. That's on [1:20:32, 1:20:34]: Um when we [1:20:35, 1:20:50]: look out into the communities and we see the needs, uh, and talking to the citizens, uh, those needs are being met. Um, you know, and I've heard someone say Rome wasn't built and built overnight. And so, you know, a lot of these things are gonna take time, but [1:20:50, 1:20:58]: But the progression is in in place. You know, I would I would always tell people when uh before I had my knee operation, I just had pain every day. [1:20:58, 1:21:18]: But when I had my knee operation, I had uh I had pain, but it was toward healing. And I think that that's where the city's at right now. We're still in a painful area because of what we've gone through. But we're in a area now that progress is is happening. We're in an area now that we can that that that things are coming to the city and we're able to move on. This city is [1:21:18, 1:21:38]: is moving in a great direction and we can see the light. And I think that, you know, patience is really a virtue right now. I just recently had um my uh HOA is and um community uh roundtable and the communities are are grateful. They are grateful and they're they're looking at the [1:21:38, 1:21:58]: The leadership and they're looking at what we're doing here as a city and they have questions. They have questions like each and every one of you have questions. And I would say that on the city's website, if you don't have uh your council members and the mayors, uh and you don't have our phone numbers, uh pull those numbers off or or approach us and and if we can't answer, you know [1:21:58, 1:22:18]: You know, we we we'll we'll talk. I personally say I'll talk to you and I return your phone calls. That's just what I do. And so uh just reach out to your elected officials and and uh have meetings with us. With it doesn't have to be in this right here in the chambers. Just have meetings with us and reach out to us and if we want to know what's going on or you wanna [1:22:18, 1:22:29]: to know how you can what roles you all can play, uh just reach out to us and we'll we we we do this with you. There would be no city stop bridge without the citizens. So we need you to make this work. Thank you. [1:22:34, 1:22:35]: Councilwoman Gamp, please. [1:22:36, 1:22:50]: Yes, thank you, Mayor. Um I first want to start off by congratulating our city attorney on his um new marriage um recently. Um let's [1:22:53, 1:23:02]: Um and I also throughout the comments and through staff's presentation, just really want to give a sincere thank you to the staff. [1:23:02, 1:23:08]: Um, that have been through we've been through some some trials these past couple of years. [1:23:09, 1:23:09]: And [1:23:10, 1:23:20]: The staff has been extremely supportive and has done everything they can. And so with that, I want to say thank you to our staff as well. [1:23:22, 1:23:42]: Tonight was a little tough. It was a little tough to have b business owners or people who want to come in and start a business here and they have dreams and and we understand that. Um we also have to please understand that our decisions up here, myself and colleagues, our job [1:23:42, 1:24:02]: is to do what's in the best interest of Stockbridge. And so when it comes to making those tough decisions, we're looking at over insaturate saturated areas with certain businesses. We look at distances from one business to another, and we're looking at a complete plan. [1:24:02, 1:24:11]: We have a complete plan in place where we have a vision for this city that we want to see grow, the property values increase, and we want [1:24:11, 1:24:31]: to make sure that it's the quality of life that we all want. Okay? In regards to that as well, the last thing I want to talk to you about is volunteering. Whether you volunteer with the city, we're more than happy to help you. Or volunteering at a school or reading to a child. Whatever you can do to reach out in this community. [1:24:31, 1:24:50]: You don't have to be up here on the dais to do that. We ask and I I love community support, um, appreciation. I thank you guys for being here today. I ask that we all join together. It makes for a better community. And I just thank you for your continued prayers and support. Thank you for coming out. [1:24:54, 1:25:14]: Councilman Alexander, please. Uh first of all, I want to apologize to all of y'all here and for everyone who is tuning in. I think I'm going to address the elephant in the room, which is certain discussions should never take place in public. What we do should be behind closed doors. I apologize for my [1:25:14, 1:25:34]: Role in that, and I will never ever vote to do anything like that unless we do it behind closed doors. And I and I will ever always ever stand to make sure that any business, personnel, or thereafter is handled in executive session where a decision is brought out and never to have to embarrass. [1:25:33, 1:25:37]: [5137.7, 5157.7]: Talk about uh the Save Cochrane Park effort. If you don't know what's going on with the Cochrane Park effort, there's been an attempt to close down and end the fifth nearly 50-year legacy of baseball uh at Cochrane Park. There are individuals there, professional baseball players like Kyle Davis. [1:25:57, 1:26:17]: That came through there, numerous individuals who started their careers there. We have impoverished citizens. Well, it's only ten minutes away. Well, if you can't hardly make it to the ball game right now and coaches are coming out of their pocket to pay for Uber and Lyft, that's wrong. The if the the suggestion was made [1:26:17, 1:26:36]: to change the park to a passive park with a dog park and walking trails, then the park can be fixed for baseball. These coaches use that, they use it every single day, the kids do, and they are 100% convinced, and I am too, that this park needs to remain in Stockbridge. [1:26:36, 1:26:56]: You think about it in terms of the safety of the kids, they would never do anything to do that, and the parents are wholeheartedly behind it. And we have a thousand signatures as of today on the petition to keep that park open. And we definitely support them to do that. On the Senior Youth Center, let me make this clear and say as clear as possible. [1:26:56, 1:27:06]: I've never said anybody up here was not in support of it. What I say to you is that we made a motion to move forward with design. [1:27:06, 1:27:10]: The projects that we move forward with need to move forward with now. [1:27:11, 1:27:31]: If we send it out to design, that cuts the time that we need to be done when we actually do obtain the funding and pass PLOS 5. That that cuts out six or seven months off of this process. No, I do not want to wait eight uh three up to three years or thirty-six months uh on that timetable. We can do better than that. [1:27:30, 1:27:50]: If the Braves can build a$700 million stadium in two years, surely we can build a senior youth center in 24 months or less. Now, in terms of Councilman Thomas and what he was talking about, we're working on a forced cleanup ordinance where we can go in and clean up a property before this gets. [1:27:50, 1:27:54]: And hopefully Mr Williams will be bringing that to us very soon. [1:27:58, 1:28:18]: Councilman Robinson, please. Thank you, Bear. Um just wanna thank everyone for coming out. Um I do see one of my coaches. Um thank you. Um we are definitely still pushing forward um with the support to save Cochrane Park. And we just hope for everyone else that is in here, if you have not signed the petition to save that part, we would like for you to do so. [1:28:18, 1:28:38]: And if you're not familiar with what's going on, please, please, please try to get in um engaged with that because it's something that we've paid our um county taxes for and want to keep those resources here in locally in our community. Um and just know that Stockbridge, we have reached out to our county officials to see how we can [1:28:38, 1:28:54]: collectively work together um to make sure that we keep that part um so we're definitely working together um trying to receive information from the county um as an update so we can provide that to you um [1:28:54, 1:29:14]: I just want to say that we have so much um pot we have a lot of potential, a lot of growth um that awaits us here in Stockbridge. Um we have our h hospital, which is Pete Monthry. Um we have a lot of opportunity for technology for our young people that we can tap into. Um and that's what we're gonna do. [1:29:14, 1:29:34]: Um with this this council, we're not just with all of our um what it can say amphi amphitheater just to have fun. There's other things that we're trying to tap in for all of our citizens, and that's connected with our health care. Um we also know we have transportation concerns. Um so those are things that we're at the table. [1:29:34, 1:29:54]: table working on. So just know that we are at the table, Stockbridge officials. We are there. And this is not just a nine to five. We do this 24-7. We're always on and a lot of you have come to the meetings and you continue to come back. And that shows that you're involved in our community. [1:29:54, 1:30:08]: as well. But I will say with our local businesses, the ones that are here, um, some that have been here that are making different changes, it is hard decisions that we have to make up here. It really is. It's hard decisions. Um [1:30:08, 1:30:28]: And I can't get kind of soft because I just know it's heartbreaking um for a lot of our small businesses. But I will say that we're here for our small businesses to ensure that we're gonna be a top-notch city. Um we're wanting to make sure that no one says that we're that same old stop bridge. We have [1:30:28, 1:30:48]: A bright future and we're gonna be a the new stop bridge. We're working toward that, and I promise you that there's a lot of things on the horizon and and we need your input. It's not just us. So some of you that stood before us tonight, that is what we're here for, to listen to you. Um, Councilman Thomas, he had his town hall with the youth center. [1:30:48, 1:30:55]: So again, these are opportunities that we're going to be listening to our citizens and please, please come back. Thank you. [1:30:59, 1:31:05]: All right, thank you. Appreciate it. Um appreciate everybody coming out this evening. But I have to mention this as well. [1:31:05, 1:31:17]: Hegel Corporation, international corporation from Germany. All right. The fact that we have the first international corporation in the city of Stockbridge. The the actual groundbreaking for that was fantastic just the other day. [1:31:17, 1:31:37]: And they'll may build their building, the facility, production facility, and it'll be completed sometime in the spring of 2020, which is right in the middle of our dog call centennial year. That's fantastic. You can't get much better in that really. And we can bring in jobs. So it's fantastic that we that we got there. It was a total team effort from Henry County Development Authority to our staff here. [1:31:37, 1:31:43]: James and the community director, uh Camilla Moore and her staff of folks putting it all together. So it's fantastic stuff. [1:31:44, 1:32:03]: Back to school folks, uh you already know your parents or grandparents, your children back to school, so when you're out there driving among a around in the community, watch out for the kids. Pay attention to uh them crossing the street and uh pay attention to those buses as well. You can't pass those buses while they're loading or unloading those children, so be aware of that. Safety first. [1:32:03, 1:32:14]: You know, myself along with the council have a tendency to to go to and we f frequent a lot of ribbon cuttings, whether ribbon cuttings with the city or ribbon cuttings with the Henry County uh chamber. [1:32:14, 1:32:34]: And I tell you, I love going those ribbon cuttings. And here recently we had a couple ribb uh a couple ribbon cuttings. I just want to acknowledge and I want you all to really go to these restaurants, Chicken Salad Chick, on Eagles Land Parkway. Go check it out. It's a fantastic place. Twelve of them types of chicken salad that you can have. It's fantastic. And and I want you to know that right next to it, two doors from it, most [1:32:34, 1:32:41]: Southwest Grill. We did a ribbon coming there about a month ago. So if you're hungry, go on to Eagles Land Parkway and go check out those two restaurants. I believe you'll enjoy yourself. [1:32:42, 1:32:56]: Um now on that note, Cochrane Park, very important. We've got to work towards seeing what we can do to work with the county to save that, that park, and we'll we'll continue we'll research it and see what we can do here at the city in that aspect as well. [1:32:57, 1:32:59]: And I want you all to keep the faith. We're moving forward. [1:33:00, 1:33:11]: Twenty twenty is coming right around the uh corner and we're gonna move the city out and we're gonna we're gonna improve it and you're gonna help us improve it and we'll continue to listen to you, citizens, on what we need to do for you, can we do really work for you. [1:33:13, 1:33:16]: On that note, I believe that's all I need to say for today. [1:33:16, 1:33:22]: And if that's the case, I'm gonna end my p political conversation and talk about some uh some meetings here. [1:33:23, 1:33:34]: Legislative Town Hall Tuesday, tomorrow, august thirteenth, seven PM Merrill Manor's Conference Center. This is hosted by Senator Emmanuel Jones and Senator Brian Strickland. They'll give you a legislative update. [1:33:34, 1:33:36]: Please come out for that. Open to the public. [1:33:37, 1:33:54]: City of Stockbridge, we have a budget retreat, August 14th, which is Wednesday at one PM, to August 16th, uh at ends up actually at five. And that's when we'll have talk with our staff and with all our particular financial advisors, and we're gonna talk about what we need to do in twenty twenty, which is our centennial. [1:33:55, 1:33:56]: August sixth, twenty twenty. [1:33:57, 1:34:00]: is our one hundred year actual one hundred year birthday. [1:34:00, 1:34:10]: Downtown the Villem Authority meeting Monday, august nineteenth, six PM right here in the Levi Room. Henry County intergovernmental retreat, August twenty second and twenty third in Columbus, Georgia. [1:34:11, 1:34:14]: Several of us on the council are attending that. [1:34:14, 1:34:26]: U Council Advisory Committee is uh com committee meeting is uh Wednesday, August 21st, 630 in Levi Room. Planning Commission meetings Thursday, August 22nd, 7 p.m. in council chambers. [1:34:26, 1:34:32]: Our next work session is Tuesday, August 27th, 6 PM in the Council chambers as well. [1:34:32, 1:34:45]: And Citizens Academy begins August 29th. The registration is already closed. And uh this obviously is an academy in which it gives an opportunity for citizens to learn more about our municipal government. And um [1:34:45, 1:34:47]: And how it runs and how we function. [1:34:48, 1:35:07]: upcoming events. Uh monthly me uh bingo bash is Wednesday, August twenty eighth, ten AM to noon, spearheaded by uh uh mayor pro tem Blount. Okay. And we have several different ongoing initiatives. On that note, um that's all I'm gonna read comments. Do we have any executive session items, sir? [1:35:07, 1:35:27]: No, sir. Based on conversations with members of the council, um the matter that we um need to approve would have been discussed in executive session, but I understand council is already in agreement. So therefore a motion to approve the terms of a settlement agreement resolving the [1:35:27, 1:35:29]: Vicky Colman. [1:35:29, 1:35:32]: And Anthony Brown litigation would be in order. [1:35:32, 1:35:37]: All right. So I I just need someone to say so moved. Yes, sir. S some please, someone. [1:35:38, 1:35:39]: Some who someone? I can't do it. [1:35:40, 1:35:50]: I think Al needs to do it. He was on the council at that time. I need a motion. Are you so moved or a motion indicating what what the uh the attorney just said? [1:35:55, 1:35:56]: Okay. [1:35:57, 1:36:01]: Okay, is there a second? Second. Is there any further discussion? [1:36:01, 1:36:03]: All favor motion please indicate. [1:36:04, 1:36:05]: All polls. [1:36:06, 1:36:15]: You sustain. Okay, three zero one. Actually it well and Miss Stant's not here, so I don't know how that how's that counts because she couldn't vote. [1:36:16, 1:36:27]: Okay. All right. On that note, that's all we have. Thank you. Council, I need a motion to adjourn our meeting. So move. Is there a second? Second. All right. [1:36:27, 1:36:30]: All in favor of attorney immediately, please indicate. [1:36:31, 1:36:33]: All right, appreciate it. Thank you. The meeting is now adjourned. [1:36:43, 1:36:50]: Now we need some. [1:36:54, 1:36:56]: Thank you, Mike. Thank you.