2026-01-27 · City Council · Transcript · Work Session Meeting

--- title: Work Session Meeting date: 2026-01-27 source: 2026-01-27_Work_Session_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:00, 0:00:05]: Tuesday, January twenty-seventh, twenty twenty-six work session uh to order. [0:00:06, 0:00:07]: If you are. [0:00:07, 0:00:08]: You can't. [0:00:09, 0:00:13]: If you all would please join us for an invocation by Councilman Berry and then join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. [0:00:16, 0:00:36]: Let us bow our heads. Eternal God, we thank you again. Lord God, for giving us traveling grace and mercy, Lord God. We thank you for watching over us. God, we continue to ask that you give us guidance and leadership, Lord God, that you would, Lord God, direct our path as you always do. We pray for this great city. We pray for his leadership. We pray for every citizen that is represented. And Lord, we pray for [0:00:36, 0:00:46]: for this meeting tonight and we pray for every step and every decision that is made will be pleasing in your sight. This is our prayer in the matchless name of your son Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. Amen. [0:00:49, 0:01:01]: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God and indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [0:01:07, 0:01:10]: Thank you so much. Madam Clerk, could you please begin the roll call? [0:01:14, 0:01:15]: Good evening. [0:01:18, 0:01:22]: Mayor Jaden L. Williams. Present. Mayor Pro Tem Elton Alexander. [0:01:24, 0:01:30]: Let the record reflect Mayor Pro Tem Alexander is not yet in attendance. Councilmember [0:01:31, 0:01:47]: Yolanda Barber. Present. Councilmember Kyle Berry. Present. Councilmember Antoine Cloud. Present. Councilmember Lakeisha Gantt. Let the record reflect Councilmember Gantt is not yet in attendance. Mayor Williams, you have a quorum. [0:01:47, 0:01:49]: Thank you so much, Madam Clerk. [0:01:50, 0:01:53]: Public comments. Matter of clerk, do we have any public comments? [0:01:55, 0:01:56]: Sorry, excuse me. [0:01:57, 0:02:00]: I will accept council a motion to adopt the agenda for this evening. [0:02:01, 0:02:02]: So both. [0:02:02, 0:02:04]: There's a motion by Councilman Beery. Is there a second? [0:02:07, 0:02:10]: Second. Second by Mr. Clowell. All those in favor please indicate by the sound of aye. [0:02:11, 0:02:11]: Right. [0:02:12, 0:02:13]: It's unanimous. [0:02:15, 0:02:16]: Madam Clerk, do we have any public comments? [0:02:20, 0:02:39]: Thank you so much. Council before you, uh, you all have in your packet the review of the meeting minutes. We have the review of the December 8th, 2025 City Council summary meeting minutes, and the review of the January 12th, 2026 City Council summary meeting minutes. May I have a motion to approve the meeting uh summary? [0:02:43, 0:02:44]: Some of them. [0:02:44, 0:02:47]: All right, there's a motion by Councilman Beerie. Is there a second? [0:02:50, 0:02:55]: I second. Second by Councilman Cloud. All those in favor please indicate by the sound of I. [0:02:56, 0:02:56]: Thank you. [0:02:57, 0:03:02]: Madam Clerk, please let the record reflect uh that Councilman or Mayor Pro Tem Alexander is present. [0:03:04, 0:03:11]: Next up on to tonight's agenda is the city manager's quarter report. Mr. Edmondson, go ahead, sir. [0:03:24, 0:03:41]: Uh good evening, Mayor Council and community. Uh tonight we're gonna be going over the fourth quarter report. Uh each department is gonna come up and talk a little bit about uh the area, uh what they was able to accomplish and some things that are coming up uh uh in the next quarter. So we're gonna start off with the presentation. [0:03:51, 0:03:53]: Thanks, must get fine acts. [0:03:54, 0:03:56]: Mr Malazi, if I'm not mistaken, you're gonna give yours the next time? [0:04:05, 0:04:13]: And Mr. Uh Edmondson, why would they just for the record, just say everyone understands, that each report is to be two minutes by each department? Yes, sir. Thank you so much. [0:04:15, 0:04:32]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh finance we don't have report yet, as you all know that we closed December thirty first, so we are still in closing. We haven't closed. We should be closing by February the fifteenth, then thereafter we'll prepare fourth quarter report. [0:04:37, 0:04:38]: Thank you. [0:04:40, 0:04:42]: All right, next we have the clerk's office. [0:04:57, 0:05:06]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. On behalf of the clerk's office, we would like to just remind you all that the Office of the City Clerk functions as the letter legislative [0:05:06, 0:05:26]: History library serving as a neutral link between the citizens and the governing body. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the clerk's office prepared 33 meetings and agendas, prepared several proclamations and oaths, completed 124 open records requests. [0:05:26, 0:05:37]: Qualified the twenty twenty-five election candidates for mayor, districts one and two, coordinated several outreach initiatives on behalf of the Stockbridge Youth Council. [0:05:38, 0:05:41]: hosted the hometown legislative breakfast meeting. [0:05:41, 0:05:50]: Hosted the legislative municipal dinner, and we also invited Page Creek Elementary for their second grade government class. [0:05:51, 0:06:05]: Thank you. And Madam Clerk, can I also add, um, for the public to note, one of your team members, uh Mrs. Lane on the clerk's office, was officially sworn in into the Georgia Records Association. Yes, sir. Very notable. So congratulations to her as well. Thank you. Yes, you're welcome. [0:06:17, 0:06:23]: Can I ask a question real quick before we get started? Come up to the point. How did we come up with the two minute time rule? What was that? [0:06:28, 0:06:43]: I was told that uh that was the standard president um of each department given two minutes. I don't I don't r does anybody rec I don't I'm not sure how that that was the standard of two minutes. I don't know if we ever had a two minute presentation. [0:06:44, 0:06:57]: Is there something that I was unaware of that we have a two minute presentation?'Cause normally we you will come and you will speak in detail about uh the various departments. Not too much you can learn in two minutes. Madam Clerk, where's that president? [0:07:04, 0:07:24]: The discussion regarding the city manager manager's report is traditionally presented in a summary by the city manager. However, in the teams meeting this morning, the question was asked to the department heads if they would like to present themselves. And in previous documentation, it shows that they get two minutes or [0:07:24, 0:07:28]: or less for their presentations. And I'll be able to look it up and show it. [0:07:28, 0:07:48]: Yeah, I don't recall the council establishing that policy. So I don't know in this, is there a question and answer format or is it just they speak and we don't uh what's the format? Right. So whatever information is provided or any questions that the council may have, they are here to answer that. We are here to answer uh any questions that we had. But [0:07:48, 0:08:08]: But it for the sake of time, I was just told, hey, uh the full report in its entirety is provided to the mayor and council. Each department come up, give a summary of their areas, and we stand by to answer or be prepared to answer any questions that you may have. Well, I'll just say this, okay, in terms of how this is presented, more so than for us, we probably understand it. We got the summary. [0:08:08, 0:08:28]: But the public doesn't have the summary. The briefings have brilliantly been public announcements, so that we could give into detail to the public, and then we can answer questions and we can kind of bally around a little bit about what's going on in terms of where we're at. So certainly I think some additional discussions. [0:08:28, 0:08:48]: discussion would be needed to see whether or not we can blanch this out and establish what the policy is in terms of the presentation and the amount of time that we'd be observed to it because certainly um when we have various issues and things, we certainly want to be able to discuss it and have some dialogue rather than trying to there's always a [0:08:48, 0:09:05]: point to timeliness but certainly time we want to have some detail and have some productive discussions and be able to move the needle forward in terms of where we're going rather than rushing through the process. So uh again, I would be with humor me today. Certainly I'll probably have some questions. Thank you. [0:09:05, 0:09:21]: Yes, sir. Great. Thank you, Councilman. I would love to see city managers just to help and backfire off of that, just make sure that we post it on your website on the city's uh platform, your twenty twenty six report. Yeah, yeah. That's also a part of the uh packet. So it is posted uh for the public to see as well. Thank you. Yes. [0:09:24, 0:09:44]: Uh good evening, Mayor and Council, uh in the viewing audience. And for those of I am Rosalind Rawls, the executive assistant to the mayor and council, and alongside that works with me is Raven Eatman, who's our admin assistant. Um, for the fourth quarter, uh, along with us providing daily administrative support to the mayor and the council. We also uh support [0:09:43, 0:09:48]: Support the council and the mayor's initiatives and for the quarter. [0:09:48, 0:09:49]: А форс кварта. [0:09:49, 0:09:54]: А ви дід Лайн ДНС класн, ви супорти до мера'кварли митін. [0:09:55, 0:09:57]: А ви асопорд до фал февол. [0:09:58, 0:10:05]: uh the mayor's meet the mayor, senior bingo, uh town hall meetings, community cleanups. [0:10:05, 0:10:06]: Um [0:10:07, 0:10:11]: And community forums. So if anybody has any questions. [0:10:13, 0:10:33]: In your presentation, let me tell you you're doing a great job, first of all, because of a lot of the things and the balls that you're juggling. You and m uh Miss Raven are doing a really good job, especially uh on the community cleanups. The participation has grown because of your involvement and then the the uh publications that you all do. [0:10:33, 0:10:53]: in terms of sharing the uh information with the public with the communications manager uh and the whole team, making sure that happens. I always like to take advantage of these opportunities to ask you what is it that you need? Not to saying that we'll be able to give it to you every time, but what is it that you need to be more successful? [0:10:53, 0:11:12]: in your role in terms of where you are, whether that's staffing, whether that's equipment, or whether that is in terms indeed um some more um uh staff support or or f or some for support for us. So what is it that if you had your wish list you would say, this is what I need from you all. [0:11:14, 0:11:26]: Well, uh I think the key thing is communication. Um and and you all you you are responding, so when I send things, I mean you respond. So that's the main thing, just w communication and responding. [0:11:26, 0:11:28]: Um for a wish list. [0:11:28, 0:11:36]: Um, for the most part, any equipment and things that we need, we are able to get those things to get the job, you know, the job done um at the moment. [0:11:37, 0:11:54]: Okay, I know we had some discussions about additions to the fleet in terms of what we want in t in terms of uh you know, passengers. What where does that stand at? All right. So um there has been additions to the fleet. There's a passenger van, uh two additional explorers and a suburban. [0:11:55, 0:12:13]: Okay, so we do have the passenger van, so if we wanted to ride together as a group, that is correct. Certainly we'll be able to do that. Now we have a upcoming ride with the DOT. So might we be able to use the van for that if we chose to ride together and the other things as well? That is correct. It's legal. Okay. Yeah, thank you. It's legal. [0:12:14, 0:12:27]: Thank you, Ms. Rosen. Thank you. Real quick, Ms. Rawls, I just wanted to um, you know, also state that um I think you're doing a phenomenal job. And thank you for holding it down. I know that you and Raven are are [0:12:27, 0:12:46]: um, you know, can be stretched thin. It's six of us, right? Um and we all have demands at times. So for your flexibility for both of you, you and Raven, the professionalism and just making sure that we're on task, thank you. [0:12:47, 0:12:47]: You're welcome. [0:12:48, 0:12:48]: Yeah. [0:12:55, 0:13:15]: Good evening, Mayor and Council, uh Demetrius IT. Um in the fourth quarter, uh IT like to focus on uh inventory, uh, you know, kind of reviewing what we have, what we need, and what we need to move forward with. So we was focusing on, you know, doing different audits and stuff like that since the budget. [0:13:15, 0:13:35]: Budget has passed. Um, we're gonna hit the ground hard, uh, replacing some of this old equipment and getting up to date. And I just wanna give a uh ticket, uh, what what the tickets like the numbers we have. Um the for the fourth quarter we had 367 tickets. We closed [0:13:35, 0:13:41]: Three hundred and fifty seven and we had ten open, but those are now closed. Do y'all have any questions? [0:13:42, 0:13:45]: Any questions from council? Councilman uh Agazano, go ahead. [0:13:45, 0:14:05]: So in terms of our overall social media process, right now we're l we're on Facebook, okay, in terms of and then we have what the uh the clerk service civics right. Are we able are we gonna be able to expand that maybe to uh a full broadcast on YouTube? Sometimes people say, you know. [0:14:05, 0:14:25]: No, they don't do Facebook. I have a lot of people who say they don't do Facebook. So if they don't do Facebook, then they might have a b another option and used too. Sometimes Facebook can be a little messy as we know. So are there other options that might be come along and we might we be able to share this uh on YouTube as well? Yes. [0:14:25, 0:14:45]: Uh I know we do have a YouTube. I know that we were gonna start launching a little bit of a series on that. So when that gets in production, I will start uh uh streaming on YouTube. Right. If you're asking me, I would like for you to mirror these meetings onto that platform. Not just up to me, of course, it's up to the re the whole entire [0:14:45, 0:15:05]: But certainly I would like to see that. I want it to be so that people who use different platforms might be able to use it and be able to look look to be able to find it and make it easily and readily available. In the past, we've talked about the website, right? In terms of coming to the website. [0:15:05, 0:15:25]: It's still a it's still very busy when you come to it. And I know some people have trouble trying to navigate it and because everything is kind of there, but you gotta go several steps. Because I know I've tried to talk several people into applying for a board position or a [0:15:25, 0:15:45]: applying for this or applying for that and they just couldn't figure it out. I went on there and tried to help them and I was having some difficulty myself. So might we be able to do some simplifying of the process? Maybe I can just have the board application maybe on the front page and they can just click on the application and be able to use it rather than [0:15:45, 0:16:05]: Having to search for it. And then again, hopefully the form is a fillable form that we can use. And then they can fill it out online. And then it can be used as well. And then I have a follow-up question about comment about the process in terms of how we're doing things. [0:16:05, 0:16:06]: [970.0, 989.2]: Good morning. Shana Thornton, your communications manager. We work closely with the IT department. And sir, we're in the uh midst of helping revamp that with the department's input in terms of boards and applications. So we'll be getting that's uh oversaw by the clerk's department. So we're gonna do that to make sure they have ease of use and allow it to be more visible. [0:16:29, 0:16:49]: Okay, certainly I appreciate that. Now in terms of the business services, now the DDA board, we have endeavored to make sure that everybody knew about the facade grant. But we continue to have business owners to go through the process, open up their business, and then they they're not informed of that. [0:16:49, 0:17:09]: So I don't know what it is that we need to do, Mr. Hemison, or what it is that we need to do with the IT to put it at the top of that process of when we start going through planning and zoning, or when we start before we get to the point of their uh in full construction, that they know that there's$15,000 available for the facade grant. [0:17:09, 0:17:28]: Right. Uh at a one hundred percent with no match. And then there's a thirty-three percent support for anything up to thirty thousand dollars. I believe what you're referring to is stuff that our PIO would actually be doing. And I wanna get us back on track for IT. Like I think that's some of the stuff that she works on. So when she does her report. [0:17:29, 0:17:49]: No, this this this certainly isn't dealing with the IT. We need to make sure we're we we're we're on the board with that to make sure we're going in the right direction because when somebody's on there and they don't see the information, just like we had a business, just open uh the well the the spot, what's the name of the spa DR the uh workout place? [0:17:49, 0:18:09]: Down the street, right there in front of publics. I can't think of it right now. Burn boot camp. Now they're in a position, they spent$300,000 on their facility. They were totally entitled to have some of these funds given to them, but the owner said they weren't aware of that, and that's kind of a problem. [0:18:09, 0:18:26]: for us because in the end the DDA ends up putting it forward, but it certainly needs to be put out front to make sure that they have it and that no one applies or goes through planning and zoning or goes through a business license process without being informed that this money is available. [0:18:28, 0:18:48]: Uh yes, sir. And that's one of the priorities that I had coming here is being intentional about our end users, which is our residents and our business owners, in regards to going to a particular site or a tab and being able to click on these particular documents and it be self-explanatory. Um each department is tasked with managing a particular tab to including in [0:18:48, 0:19:08]: If there are any fillable forms that need to happen. So what I've done is I instructed the team to look across the organization and see what we have, because we have a lot of duplication of software. So we are trying to narrow that down to one particular software that everybody can use and it's interchangeable and it's able to interface with other tabs and our website. [0:19:08, 0:19:28]: So it's easier for our residents and our business owners to go on these particular sites and fill out forms that we request them, whether it's an application for facade, whether it's an application for a business license, so on so forth. So we are uh excited about narrowing that that down to what that's gonna be. In fact, we're looking at several different um software that not only the police use. [0:19:28, 0:19:41]: but also business services and community development to kind of streamline that process so all the other departments can get on board in regards to using one particular software that communicates and interface with all the other departments here in the city. [0:19:41, 0:20:01]: Yes, thank you. And uh my follow-up to that was in business services. See, my food bank is an unincorporated Henry County. And then I have uh a business in the city too as well. The process, I want us to look at what Henry County is doing. They literally sent me the information with a pin number. [0:20:01, 0:20:21]: I was able to click on it. It populated all of the information that I needed. All I had to do was to basically go down and verify the information that was already on the form that was populated, digitally sign it, and I had my business license within five minutes. Let me tell you, our process. [0:20:21, 0:20:41]: is not that easy. It is kind of cumbersome to deal with. I had to send the email, the email would have had to be approved to set me up for a particular system. I had to get approved for that particular system, get it sent back, get it approved, and then come back to the computer. We don't want to be doing that. So whatever, when there's a best practice [0:20:41, 0:20:51]: for something out there. And honestly, I gotta h give Henry County kudos. They got a really good practice and I'd like for us to look at possibly duplicating that. Yes sir. Thank you. [0:20:53, 0:20:57]: Any other questions for IT? I have one. Yes, sir. Yeah. [0:20:57, 0:21:17]: He said it was 367 tickets that were open, that were opened, and you closed out 357? Yes. Um, I guess my question is those 10 that I guess remain, what um I guess is there anything that this governing body can do to assist with closing those tickets? [0:21:17, 0:21:18]: Yeah. [0:21:18, 0:21:19]: Oh, they are already closed. [0:21:20, 0:21:40]: Oh, they are closed. Yeah. Okay. They're closed now. Oh, they're closed now. Oh, okay. Okay. Gotcha. They're closed now then. In that quarter. Okay. All right. Council McGent? I just want to say to you as well, thank you for a phenomenal job and for and for closing out the tickets. Um since you've been in house, um, I've seen a difference and I like [0:21:40, 0:22:00]: Some of the suggestions that you've made in the past about some of the things that we can do to update technology. Um I feel that Stockbridge has spearheaded and has started something that is now trickling down to other cities. And um we've become a model for that in regards to transparency. Thank you for working diligently on that, and thank [0:22:00, 0:22:07]: you for just being you, like getting the job done. I appreciate that. Yes, ma'am. I all that goes to my city manager. [0:22:08, 0:22:10]: Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. [0:22:10, 0:22:14]: What d do you ha I'm sorry, one more question. What is it that you can do? [0:22:15, 0:22:29]: That we can do that you don't have currently right now. Like always as the wish list question. What what could we do? What's out there that you l you see and you dream of, that shiny toy that you like to have? Not saying we could afford it, but we could look at it. [0:22:30, 0:22:42]: I have a couple of projects. Um I've already w wrote'em down. Um I've told the city manager about it and um he's working with me. He said, get it done, we're gonna get it done. [0:22:43, 0:22:45]: Thank you. Thank you, sir. Yes, sir. [0:22:49, 0:22:50]: Example. [0:23:01, 0:23:21]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Good evening. Thank you. Dwayne Pollock here, HR manager. And for quarter four, HR, we focused on a few areas. The first area is recruitment. We had 13 open positions for the fourth quarter, nine new highs for the fourth quarter. Next, employee recognition. We had 36th employee anniversary. [0:23:20, 0:23:33]: Anniversar for the fourth quarter. That's tremendous for having 189 employees, 36 anniversaries for the fourth quarter. Next, employee turnover matrix. We had a turnover rate of [0:23:33, 0:23:36]: three point two seven percent for employee attrition [0:23:37, 0:23:42]: Um active employees currently a hundred and eighty nine active employees for quarter four. [0:23:43, 0:23:51]: Um termination, separation, retirement. We had 12 employees for termination, separation, and retirement. [0:23:51, 0:24:11]: Average time to hire is 118 days. That's extremely long for um a time to hire. And that's um mainly due to the assistant public works director vacancy. I have a goal in mind to get that job placed on on some outdoor um other job boards to get at more. [0:24:11, 0:24:27]: more better advertised so we can get someone in that seat as soon as possible. It's only been five weeks for me in the job, so I I appreciate your patience, but I that number, 118 days to to hire, is too long for my standard. [0:24:27, 0:24:47]: Next, health and wellness report. Um, we do a monthly challenge for employees. The goal is to make sure that our employees are fit, healthy, so they can serve our citizens in the best shape because they are soundly mind, of course, and heart, that they're in the best condition to serve. Um, we do monthly challenges for [0:24:47, 0:25:07]: October we had uh October we had Eat the Rainbow Challenge. Um, November and December is maintained, no gain, because this is the season where you're jolly and you eat candy and sweets and pies and cakes. So we want to make sure that the employees are maintaining and not gaining during those months because why the implications are to a health insurance. [0:25:06, 0:25:18]: And benefits. Lastly, I want to talk about safety, employee safety, workers' compensation claims. We had six employee workers' compensation claims for the quarter. [0:25:20, 0:25:29]: Six reported claims, one open claim, five closed claims. Total incurred for workers' compensation is seven thousand dollars. Any questions? [0:25:31, 0:25:32]: Go ahead, Mayor Protein. [0:25:32, 0:25:40]: Yeah, thank you so much. I appreciate that. Now, I want us to reflect on what you d and some of the data you just see. You just got here, so you don't understand. [0:25:40, 0:25:42]: The significance of what you just said. [0:25:42, 0:26:02]: You just said a hundred and eighty-nine employees. You remember that, Ms. Cat? A hundred and eighty-nine. When we jumped on this council, there was probably about six seventy or sixty or something like that uh in twenty sixteen. And now we're at a hundred and eighty-nine. And we should have more than that, right? We got thirteen open. So that number should be like two hundred. [0:26:02, 0:26:22]: Two or six. So the growth in the city is being is being is there, and then we have a balanced budget each year to uh justify that with the growth in the city. Whereas I recall we started again, we had our budget was I remember the first one, eight point six million dollars. And this year certainly we're [0:26:22, 0:26:42]: above thirty and that really really uh resonates with me. Now the one thing that I always key on is is that that term turnover metric. Yes. Three point two seven five three that's a pretty good number. It is. It's a really good number uh considering where we are in the market that we are that we are currently dealing with. [0:26:42, 0:27:02]: And uh certainly that is to be a commendable number next to the city manager. Obviously you must be treating your people well and they must be doing satisfied with our work here. There's only three percent turnover being uh, you know, uh the number that we're looking to here. Um in terms of let's see what the other quote I have one other thing written. [0:27:02, 0:27:04]: Yeah. [0:27:06, 0:27:06]: Um [0:27:08, 0:27:28]: Y if you were to um the we talked previously about the salary survey. Now I know you're very new you're new here as well, but certainly we wanted to make sure that we're being tidy and uh and we're being competitive because we want to make sure our people are in the top echelon in terms of how they [0:27:28, 0:27:43]: They pay they're paid because of the great job that they do. Now, in terms of the salary survey, we were going to look at uh overall Metro Atlanta metric to see whether we how we stack up, especially in law enforcement and public safety. So where are we with that? [0:27:44, 0:27:59]: That is on the list. Um my goal is to solicit a few um consultants to give us a very um objective overview of salaries throughout um comparable cities and counties throughout the state and outside of the state. Yes, sir. [0:27:59, 0:28:13]: And the city manager last question. We're endeavoring to have an economic development director brought on board. Where does that stand up?'Cause that is a critical position, especially for my teammates on the D D. A who wanna get some things moving here. [0:28:14, 0:28:28]: I'll take that question. Okay. So as of tomorrow will be the close for applications with the consultants, some to run some to consulting. So we've done that. Um it's been open for the past two weeks. We've had a couple applications so far. [0:28:28, 0:28:48]: Prior to the consultant, but um tomorrow is the last day for applications. Once that is done, we will then review the first round of applications to review those. We should have someone in place within the next three weeks. In three weeks in in this position. Yeah, there is a process, sir. So yes, the first step is to advertise the position for two weeks once we review all the applications. [0:28:48, 0:28:53]: applications, then we go through first step interviews for those applic applic qualified applicants. [0:28:53, 0:28:55]: In the police chief position. [0:28:56, 0:29:02]: That will be discussed with you in executive session. Okay, okay, okay, thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? [0:29:02, 0:29:03]: Any other questions? [0:29:04, 0:29:05]: Thank you, sir. Thank you. [0:29:07, 0:29:13]: Well, I did wanna make one comment. Uh y since you've been here, you've done a phenomenal job. So thank you as well. [0:29:15, 0:29:35]: And I just wanted to kind of pigget back a little bit on the health and wellness. I'm very passionate about that. One thing that I did notice when I got here was our premiums. And uh I initiated a safety oblique about uh 70, 80 days ago, uh, where we focused heavily on safety and precautions and turning some things around to get our premiums under control. [0:29:35, 0:29:39]: control. Uh we have some people coming out on Friday, which is uh [0:29:40, 0:29:42]: Lunch and uh [0:29:43, 0:30:00]: Well it's an initiative where we invite an GMA out our MSI, which is our health brokerage, and um one other one other vendor. Um and we have eighty employees that signed up without being coerced. So I'm very excited about people. Uh [0:30:01, 0:30:06]: interested about their health and learning more about their health. So uh Mr. Pollack could talk a little bit more about that. [0:30:07, 0:30:26]: Yes, I forgot some bragging rights. All right. So on we coordinated with our health broker, MSI. We also coordinate with our employee assistance program provider, Ulliance, and also GMA, our 457B, and a pension plan provider for the city. We're gonna have our first [0:30:27, 0:30:28]: employee [0:30:28, 0:30:31]: Фінаншо Велнес ан Ритаймент Воркшоп. [0:30:31, 0:30:51]: Current currently we have an 89 employees registered for that session on Friday, this Friday. It'll be served. It's a lunch and learn session. So 12 o'clock we kick off. 12.30 we begin the sessions. So each panel member will have about 30 minutes to brief the employees on health, wellness, and of course retirement. [0:30:51, 0:31:08]: To make sure because guess what? Life is unexpected. We lost our dear council member um last year. Make sure may he rest in peace. And the goal is to make sure how we prepare our city employees for the unexpected. So we are going to be educating our employees on retirement, health, and wellness. [0:31:09, 0:31:09]: All right. [0:31:10, 0:31:17]: So again, like city manager said, we have eight eighty nine employees registered. We're looking forward to that session. We can brief you on um once it's completed. [0:31:17, 0:31:18]: Awesome. Thank you, sir. [0:31:23, 0:31:43]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm Dasha Sarah and a Public Works Director. Uh in the fourth quarter, we completed 6.8 miles of resurfacing in the city of Stockbridge. In the last two years, we've resurfaced over 15 miles of roadway. We also staying aggressive with our street lighting program. We are got some neighborhoods that are coming up. I know we have [0:31:43, 0:32:03]: some concerns about north North Davis Drive. So that's in the work, as well as we did banks and Red Oak. And we're also looking at some upgrades in uh Councilman Cloud's district. We discussed those street lights. We're also engaged in several joint projects with Henry County. Notable, most notable is the Rockquarry Road widening. We [0:32:03, 0:32:23]: We've done uh Eagles Landing Parkway, Hudson Bridge, and East Lake resurfacing. They're also beginning work on Flippin' Road as well. Also, we uh made some immediate repairs to the Pake Creek Bridge. Those of you that pass over Patrick Henry Parkway can notice a tremendous difference. We'll be coming back to you. [0:32:23, 0:32:43]: you later on tonight with some some things in reference to that. Also, we started the demolition and of the current maintenance shop. We have a completion date of September of 2026. Employees are grateful for that and looking forward to moving into an expanded facility so that they can offer bigger and better services. Any questions? [0:32:43, 0:32:43]: Yes. [0:32:43, 0:33:03]: Let me uh let me start and just say, Mr. Aaron, you all, you and your staff are doing an awesome job. Uh traveling through this city. We can clearly see the roads being repaved. Um, and it's also exciting with that collaboration with Henry County because now we finally get to see the road expansion in Rock Quarry and the work that you're doing. And I also want to give you and the entire team Stockbridge a huge shout out and thank you for your [0:33:03, 0:33:18]: your dedication this past weekend. While we weren't as impacted as much uh with the northern parts of the state, you all did work tirelessly to wake in this weekend to make sure our city looked the best through the storm. So I want to thank you for that as well. Thank you very much, sir. And I'll let the guys know that. [0:33:18, 0:33:22]: Thank you. Any other comments from staff? Mr. Clark. [0:33:22, 0:33:42]: Yeah, Mr. question do we go ahead. So we um do we have any update on the uh where we are with creating the easements for the uh tie street project? So the information was submitted to Quentin and he passed it along to Angela Robinson, who normally handles easements preparations and documents for us. [0:33:42, 0:33:45]: So she's working on those documents for us. [0:33:47, 0:33:47]: Council McG. [0:33:47, 0:34:04]: Okay. I want to just say thank you. Um again. I've said thank you to all the departments, but I I I think it goes a long way and I think it's uh you've done a tremendous you've made tremendous uh w you've been here how long have you been This is the beginning of my tenth year. Tenth year and [0:34:05, 0:34:22]: I do see a difference. You know, I feel like we started at ground zero, I always say that. Um, and I uh public our public works department is a strong department. And I just wanna say your work is phenomenal, sir. So thank you for everything you do. Well, thank you very much. That goes with having a great team. [0:34:22, 0:34:42]: Yes, certainly I would follow up with that. Certainly, we want to make sure that we've come a long way from once we from which we have come. We want to make sure that we keep taking strides forward and maintaining the line. We established the standard that we would have 52-week a year maintenance on our right-of-ways, which is a step above what people. [0:34:42, 0:35:02]: People do because people like clean right-of-ways without litter, the grass being cut well and maintained. I certainly want to see us to make sure that we continue our partnership uh with the Path Foundation and that we implement the bridgeway trail system, uh starting with the Greenway Trail that's running through uh [0:35:02, 0:35:22]: Murray through our Clark Park and eventually would connect with most of the city in various areas. I think as Mr. Pollack has indicated that we needed to make sure that we get the position filled so that we can have a project manager. I think we have an analyst now that should be working on that as well. [0:35:22, 0:35:42]: Because that's my top priority this year. My in my district, and and I think maybe most of the council members, we want to see those sidewalks, those Atlanta belt line light sidewalks move through in every district. Now, Rock Quarry Road is literally the spine, right? When we went to those meetings with [0:35:42, 0:36:02]: G DOT and and requested that 10-foot multi-use path, we knew that there was going to be the connection. Now off of that one spine going through that area, we can connect to the Banks Road Park, which is the county park at this current time. We will be able to connect to the Rees Creek Trail, the Rees Creek Trail, which will be extended all the way. [0:36:02, 0:36:22]: The way to Walt Stevens and one day to Lake Spivey Recreation Center to be able to do that and to move forward with that. So whatever we can do to continue to assist to move forward with uh the Rock Courry Road project. And we're going on that ride with GDOT, right, Mr. Edmundson? Now, does that February 4th? [0:36:22, 0:36:42]: 4th. Is that correct? February 4th. So the public wouldn't know the GDOT is going to be here on February the 4th, and that we will be taking a ride with them around to look at the various transportation projects, including the$1.8 billion that we were just rewarded for uh two lanes coming down I-75. [0:36:42, 0:36:52]: Rock Cory Road expansion and new Hudson Bridge Road connector. Traffic relief is on the way, ladies and gentlemen. Almost four billion dollars in traffic relief. [0:36:52, 0:37:12]: is on the way. So I hear y'all talk about it every single day. What are we going to do about traffic? Please believe it's in motion right now. It takes a long time to get these projects completed, but certainly we want to make sure that we stay on top of it, keep keeping contact with our GDOT representatives and making sure that things are happening along here. [0:37:12, 0:37:32]: Now uh the last thing I'm gonna say is Mr. Emerson and Mr. Aaron, we often get the conversation about the appearance of North Henry Boulevard. We need a comprehensive beautification project for North Henry Boulevard. We do. We need to have a consultant come in so that we can [0:37:32, 0:37:52]: reconfigure what we see out there currently uh the with the wide sidewalls with some beautification maybe even a median but certainly that needs to be a top priority. I think we previously discussed Mr. Emmonson that we're gonna look at rebranding North Henry Boulevard and a part of that rebranding for North Henry Boulevard needs to be [0:37:52, 0:38:12]: A beautification project that is we got us not we got another splotch coming up, right? The T-SPLOST coming up. T splotch too will be coming up. So certainly we could look at probably some enhancements in that in terms of getting us a beautification project, not just planting a few flowers, but a comprehensive uh [0:38:12, 0:38:24]: uh beautification and improvement, a complete streets program for North Henry Boulevard so that it reflects the improvements that we've made in this general city hall area. [0:38:25, 0:38:27]: Awesome. Uh Councilman Barber. [0:38:28, 0:38:30]: Thank you, Mayor. Will we absolutely um [0:38:31, 0:38:34]: Thank you, Mr. Aaron, for your presentation. [0:38:35, 0:38:41]: Whenever we mention the Rock Quarry Road expansion project or widen project. [0:38:42, 0:38:50]: I try to clarify it because I've been speaking with residents in my district regarding the Rock Quarry Road extension project. [0:38:51, 0:38:54]: That Rock Quarry Road extension project would go from [0:38:55, 0:38:58]: Rock Quarry Road and the intersection of North Henry [0:38:58, 0:39:01]: All the way down to O Conyers Road. [0:39:02, 0:39:02]: But [0:39:03, 0:39:03]: I think it [0:39:04, 0:39:09]: Was Falcon design that gave well, they shared two options. [0:39:10, 0:39:13]: One of them would be the extension from Rock Quarry Road. [0:39:13, 0:39:16]: All the way down to Old Conyers, but he also gave another option. [0:39:17, 0:39:18]: Rock Quarry Road. [0:39:18, 0:39:21]: Couldn't over to and I duval. [0:39:21, 0:39:23]: Yes, ma'am. Okay. Duval. [0:39:23, 0:39:36]: Where are we with the status of the design or wherever we are with it? So at the next council meeting, we will be bringing the task order and Falcon will be here to present that project. [0:39:37, 0:39:51]: and design and the scope and what it entails to get this project because we allocated two million dollars for that will get us a design and then we're gonna have to determine where we get funding for to actually construct the road. [0:39:51, 0:40:00]: Thank you, sir. I have one more question. I have one more question, Mayor Williams. If I may Go ahead, Mayor Okay. Um the parks master plan. [0:40:01, 0:40:01]: Um [0:40:03, 0:40:09]: The status because I have two parks in my district and I want to also uh check the status of [0:40:10, 0:40:13]: Memorial Park. Where are we with rolling out that plan? [0:40:14, 0:40:34]: So we have the plan. The plan the plan was approved by council. One of the things that we're working on right now is you're aware uh council agreed to close the transfer station. So we will be incorporating the transfer station property into Memorial Park. We'll have additional parking and an additional entrance. So they're doing that survey where [0:40:34, 0:40:34]: [2435.3, 2445.2]: And also we will be having some things come out that we'll we'll be bidding out for some improvements you'll see at Clark Park, Gardner Park, and Memorial Park. [0:40:45, 0:40:59]: So there are projects that were identified in the uh master plan. Everybody got a copy of it. And there are projects that we will identify that are low hanging fruit that we can get done immediately and as cost effective as possible. [0:41:00, 0:41:07]: Thank you, sir. One more, if I may. Go ahead, ma'am. Um, the master trail plan. Uh the last time [0:41:08, 0:41:14]: uh PAT Foundation, they came and made a presentation in which um [0:41:14, 0:41:20]: They wanted to start phase one, starting at Gardner Park with the tunnel. [0:41:21, 0:41:40]: Where are we with that? So uh the Path Foundation, we've had several meetings with uh the Path Foundation, and the only project they're authorized or assigned to work on is the Brush Creek Trail, which we're they're currently designing right now. And the second phase would be a tunnel under [0:41:40, 0:41:52]: the railroad track to get to uh Gartner Park and onto old Conyers'cause there's a phase of the trail that would go down old Conyers as well. So we're in the first phase. We're the property we would have [0:41:53, 0:42:13]: Been close to starting, but the Bridgeview Trail development is up for sale. It closes in February. The new owners have tentatively agreed to grant the city of the east, but that Bridgeview would have granted them. And so we're moving forward, and I think in a couple of months, we'll have the 60% plans for the Brush Creek Trail, and then we'll move forward. [0:42:13, 0:42:23]: forward with that, I think when Tiffany and I have the conversation with them, we're h shooting for I think sometime in June or July to start on that project, to have it ready for bed. [0:42:24, 0:42:25]: Thank you, sir. [0:42:25, 0:42:26]: Thank you, sir. [0:42:26, 0:42:27]: Thank you. [0:42:27, 0:42:47]: Yeah, I I just want to understand something. I know we park voted on the total overall parks master plan, but how are we do how are you deciding which projects come first, which ones get prioritized, and and which ones move. I know we voted on the green the uh the um the model mile which is [0:42:47, 0:42:58]: the Greenway Trail through Clark Park. But a lot of these projects, they are part of the Master Trail Plan or they're part of the Parks Master Plan. But individually they haven't been voted on. [0:42:59, 0:43:19]: So the Brush Creek Trail, which is the model trail, is a is identified in T Splash. So that's a T Splash project. Right. But in Splash 6, you allocated funds for the park master plan for the parks, which is about six million dollars. Right. But as Mr. Malazi keeps telling us, we're aware, we didn't get the six. [0:43:19, 0:43:35]: million dollars on day one. It'll come in incrementally and so when we have sufficient funding available then we do projects based on what funding is available. Right. But it seems like the projects that are being completed are the people who squawk the loudest. [0:43:36, 0:43:56]: It didn't seem like we have like a solid plan to say well this needs to be done or that needs to be done. But and I don't want us to operate on that basis of when a council member asks a question, that's the project we focus on. We should be identifying what projects are priority to the city, and then those projects should be grouped broad. [0:43:56, 0:44:16]: To the council for a vote to see which ones should move forward first and which one and which ones should move secondarily. And I I just want to make sure we have an orderly and a fair process for each district around the city that our projects receive that, not that we have to call and complain to get our projects started. [0:44:16, 0:44:36]: Started, but the project will be started in the order of priority uh in the bridge view, in the bridge way trail project in order to move that away. And certainly we got an email from Mr. uh from the head of Path Foundation, Ms. Greta, who was indicating that they were making a change to their team. [0:44:36, 0:44:56]: And certainly there would be a new point of contact instead of Mr. Gantther, he would be move move moving to other ventures apparently. So we want to make sure that we're in in alignment with them. And we also want to make sure that sooner rather than later, you bring to us a task order expanding the path. [0:44:56, 0:45:16]: Foundation purview to pretty much all of the Bridgeway Trail so that they can have some involvement in it and that they are the primary targets. They're they built the Silver Comet Trail. They're they're the partner, they're the expert. So whatever we can do to expand their scope of work from one singular trail, because it was it's [0:45:16, 0:45:20]: It's a surprise to us when I hear that they're only um [0:45:21, 0:45:41]: uh only ch only charged with this one trail when I thought we passed the agreement with them that they would be uh you know our provider. So what is it that we can do in order to move forward with getting their scope of work expanded because they need to be at the table because they will bring they will make sure [0:45:41, 0:45:48]: Sure, that this happens in a quality fashion. We will have our own silver comet and belt line right here in the sit. [0:45:49, 0:45:50]: Councilwoman Gantt. [0:45:51, 0:46:11]: He didn't answer. It didn't answer. I'm sorry, let him answer for that. Yeah, so so uh I guess the the best response is this conversation came up multiple times, especially since I've been here. So what I instructed the team to do is create a city master project list. Um over the last five years, we have approved [0:46:11, 0:46:25]: a lot of different projects to include trails, parks, plans, road expansion, rogues, uh widening, et cetera, et cetera. And I just believe we kind of got lost in the sauce, to be honest. Um we are spending money with um [0:46:26, 0:46:46]: different vendors and different people on multiple different projects. And I think in order for us to get aligned, we need to see ourselves. So we have created a master project list where we're gonna come by, we're gonna use the master plan, the strategic plan, and say, hey, look in the last five years, this is what y'all identified. Here's what you approve. What is your priority? [0:46:46, 0:47:06]: So we look forward to this winter retreat because that was going to be some of the topics that we're going to be talking about. So we're extremely excited about that. And I think that that would also give y'all a purview and an insight of how much has been on the list and what we need to accomplish. Because of course we understand that any master plan or any strategic plan. [0:47:06, 0:47:26]: It changes over time. So I think in order for us to really, really get going on these projects, we need to understand where we are and where we're trying to go. And that's what we're going to be leaning on, guidance as we list those projects out so that y'all can identify what y'all top priorities are. And so when this funding starts coming in, we can get the ball rolling on these projects. [0:47:26, 0:47:46]: That's been idle or uh just haven't been paid attention to for whatever reason, whether it's for funding or just actually accountability of command and control. Um we didn't have clear lines. Sometimes it's between uh economic development. Is it economic development project led? Is it a public work-led project? So we have a lot of that. [0:47:46, 0:48:06]: that going on as well. So once again, creating this master project list, I believe get us organized so we can have clear lines of communication. Who's the lead on that project? Where's the funding coming from? Is it approved? And let's do create milestones so we can understand what it's going to take to get these projects underway so that we can [0:48:06, 0:48:07]: Get some stuff done. [0:48:07, 0:48:19]: Yeah, now in terms of the one thing as I s keep telling back and I wanna keep drilling back to the Bridgeway Trail, which is the trail, we've been collecting T supplies since twenty twenty two. [0:48:19, 0:48:39]: Now it's 2026. We I I hear every time again, Splassix, Fly Six, Sfly Six. Where is all that? That that money that T Splash has been collecting all along, right? That that mil millions of dollars that's in that account. They have dedicated projects that are in Mr. Cloud's district and in all of [0:48:39, 0:48:59]: of our district because I got Campground Road Trail, I got a Peach Drive Trail, he has trails on Tide Street, we have all have trails. That that money has been been is being collected through 2026. It's almost time for T Splas 2. And those projects should be funded well ahead of schedule here. And in regard [0:48:59, 0:49:19]: In regards to the East Atlanta Road uh or Rock Cory Road extension program, that's gonna be the perfect project for a T Splosh 2. That'll be a project that'll go because you can't do the project gonna cost about$40 million. So you won't be able to do that project out of just what we're doing right now. We're trying to get the developer who will build the town. [0:49:19, 0:49:39]: Home community and the uh Tim Hortons to build the plug to lead into that particular area. But to build that particular project's gonna be about 35 or 40 million dollars. That's gonna have to be a probably a joint city, county, and GDOT project to build that extension. But certainly uh we put two million dollars, which [0:49:38, 0:49:58]: I asked for it to be put in spot six, that two million dollars for the extension, because it need the the initial work needs to be done to study it. And certainly it is a vital part of what we're doing in our comprehensive plan for the city. But those projects that are funded that are already identified, because I know Ms. Gantt is gonna ask, where'd the funding come from? [0:49:58, 0:50:07]: gonna they'll answer their question and then we're gonna need to know the answer to that. But we got a book. So those I would think that those would be priority. Thank you. [0:50:07, 0:50:09]: Thank you so much. [0:50:10, 0:50:13]: I have a question. Oh well, not even a question. D more so a comment. [0:50:14, 0:50:17]: And I know I walked in during the reports, but [0:50:20, 0:50:21]: And I know we're in the middle of them. [0:50:22, 0:50:25]: But we're getting ready to have a planning retreat. [0:50:25, 0:50:34]: So my thought process is that these are the introductions to our planning retreat on where the the the peop where our commu where our [0:50:34, 0:50:35]: departments are [0:50:36, 0:50:49]: And we potentially jot down notes for that if we're gonna present let them present to the public today and then really get down into the weeds and get down into those priorities at the retreat. [0:50:49, 0:50:51]: And so uh [0:50:51, 0:51:09]: I tend to remain silent here because I I do wanna hear the presentations. And I are you know, uh I just think that we we need to be mindful. I I I you know, I hate us repeating it over again because that's what's gonna end up happening. We're gonna end up [0:51:10, 0:51:26]: y'all y'all are gonna come back to us, those different departments and do this same introduction and then we're starting back over. I don't wanna waste time like that. I don't wanna waste the audience time. I don't wanna waste our time. I I think that uh and I'm not I'm I hope I'm not being offensive, but um [0:51:29, 0:51:36]: We need to streamline a little bit better. I don't care if we only had three topics on our agenda tonight. I don't necessarily think [0:51:36, 0:51:37]: This [0:51:37, 0:51:40]: Could be one of them because we're gonna use this. [0:51:41, 0:51:42]: Again, they're gonna come back up. [0:51:42, 0:51:43]: At our retreat. [0:51:43, 0:51:54]: give that little brief introduction and then we start talking about our priorities. And and that's not anything bad. I I like where we're going here. We can do it like this now. We they gave us our introductions. [0:51:55, 0:52:15]: And we can write down our notes and concerns and then address those at the retreat. So it's not a bad thing regardless, but I I want us as council, mayor and council, to take that into consideration right now. Cause I I don't want us, you know, going through every single thing. I want us to really talk about that in depth. [0:52:14, 0:52:34]: At our planning meeting, if y'all don't mind. And that's what I've what I've noticed right now. Right. And that's a good segue. And that's actually what the fourth quarter report is about, right? What we was able to accomplish. How do we end the year? And how do we try to begin the Nate cycle uh in the new year to getting a lot of things that may or may not have [0:52:34, 0:52:54]: been accomplished in the year prior. So we're excited about it. And um and that's the reason why we kind of letting you guys know so y'all brains can start spinning and and good stuff like that because we're gonna ask for a lot of guidance. And it's good. I I appreciate the summaries. I just want you to know uh and and my inputs I'm taking some notes and when we get ready [0:52:54, 0:53:09]: to do that priority list and we have those questions because I will. If it's not funded, it can't go through. And just because we say it doesn't mean, you know, it happens. We we base it off of the measurement of the needs, right? Um [0:53:10, 0:53:19]: And I but I appreciate the report and I just don't want us to linger on with it'cause I know we're gonna have to do it at the retreat. Okay. [0:53:21, 0:53:41]: Thank you. Thank you. Oh, I just had one quick question. Yes, sir. Mayor. Go ahead, sir. Uh yeah. So uh I know this is about four quarter reports. And uh, you know, obviously I'm at the beginning of my tenure here, so I'm playing catch up on a little things uh on on things, excuse me. So um just out of curiosity, MLK [0:53:41, 0:53:50]: K Senior Heritage Trail, is there a resurfacing project currently in the States with that or is that in that bucket as well that we just talked about? [0:53:54, 0:54:14]: Which portion are you are you referencing? Uh well I guess the downtown portion maybe. Or is there another or is there too separate or yes, sir. We did the portion from uh Rock Quarry down to South Barrie Street that was resurfaced about three or four years ago. Okay. The downtown area, no, that would be on a future resurfaced. [0:54:14, 0:54:16]: Okay, so that's in that bucket. [0:54:17, 0:54:17]: Yes, sir. [0:54:18, 0:54:34]: Okay. One more, I'm sorry. While we're there the downtown alleyway project that the D D A just it beat me up about. So we are we about ready to kick it off, to kick the tire, so people understand we have that gathering space in downtown. [0:54:35, 0:54:55]: Uh yes, sir. So um I instructed the team to pause for for for a minute on that. Um we actually have a consultant that's taken charge of that project to see where we at, how much funding we put in it. We put a significant amount of funding. We got different drawings, different designs to a point where we have to pause to understand where we are. [0:54:55, 0:54:57]: So we have been working very close with [0:54:58, 0:55:00]: uh Falcon and other [0:55:00, 0:55:20]: Uh entities to say, okay, what's the latest drawings? Uh and I think one of the latest drawings that we did was they added some grease traps or something like that for the businesses, trying to see what that looks like, so on and so forth. But this is uh more than just the alleyway project because if you uh can remember, we have also the um moving [0:55:20, 0:55:40]: of the power lines, the underground power lines. So we didn't want to get that project underway and start digging. And then that project comes up right behind it. Then now we got to dig up again and bear those project lines. So what I'm trying to do is seeing all the projects that are associated with that area, get everybody at the table and let's map out one plan so that when we start this project, [0:55:40, 0:55:41]: It's all inclusive. [0:55:42, 0:56:02]: Because we we spending a little money here, a little bit of money here. We just it's all over the place. So we're trying to organize ourselves so that when we do this project, it makes sense and we don't have to be redundant um in doing that because the power line project was was been on been ongoing for five years too. Um one of those things which affects that downtown area. So we want to make sure that [0:56:02, 0:56:08]: any type of power line removal that we do at one time and it should be a part of the Alley project. [0:56:08, 0:56:28]: Um is is what we are looking at right now. So but we have meeting schedule um in the next week or so uh with everybody that's involved with that to get this thing back underway to realign ourselves what has been spent, because we're not spending no more money if we already got the design, we understand where we need to go. Um then we just need to get a a project timeline. Um [0:56:28, 0:56:35]: um how much is gonna cost so we can either phase it um to the get does flying this year. So that's that's pretty much where we at with that particular project. [0:56:36, 0:56:37]: Thank you. [0:56:37, 0:56:39]: Thank you, sir. Community development. [0:56:45, 0:57:04]: Uh before I start, I'd like to address the comment uh Councilmember Alexander stated about the business licensing. Uh we had the exact same system that Henry County has now. It's just that the the initial uh rollout, we just got it in finalized this past summer. So the initial renewal season would be kind of tedious, but next year it will flow just like Henry County. [0:57:05, 0:57:08]: So we have that already. Um [0:57:09, 0:57:21]: So we met with um twenty-one developers last quarter. Uh we had 166 plan reviews. Uh we issued 250 permits. We had 1,231 inspections. [0:57:22, 0:57:36]: From building. The fire marshal office has 79 plan reviews and 116 inspections. We opened up 25 new businesses and the total department revenue for fourth quarter 2025 was$2.6 million. [0:57:37, 0:57:37]: Any questions? [0:57:38, 0:57:40]: Any questions from council? [0:57:41, 0:57:58]: Go ahead. So someone asked me this and I didn't know the answer to it. That building that's over there by Coles uh is um it's been sitting there for a while, but it looks like there's some new activity on it. Uh it's sitting there right in the parking lot adjacent to Cole's across from Carmax. The hotel? No. No [0:57:59, 0:58:04]: It was a building that was that was built out it was built out and just kinda stopped. [0:58:04, 0:58:20]: Mm-hmm. I'm I'm not sure exactly what that is. It's right there i it's front maybe one right in front of the the coals is sitting here. Then there was a like a multi tenant building that was built, a spec building that was built. But now there's new activity on it. You don't have [0:58:21, 0:58:41]: Uh I'll have to check the um the system see what's going on. I I don't know right offhand, so I'll have to get back with you on it. The the owner was the same owner that owns the building of two eggs. It but that it not the own not the person who leaves the but it was across, it's kinda diagonal from that, right acr on the same side as called. [0:58:41, 0:58:47]: Yeah, yeah. Oh, that's the one that's got the graffiti. It's got gri It's got like a graphic. Council on barber go ahead. [0:58:47, 0:58:48]: But they [0:58:49, 0:58:57]: Thank you, Mr. Anderson. Yes. Um, I had a question about the master development plan slash area study. [0:58:57, 0:58:59]: For City Council District Four. [0:58:59, 0:59:15]: The area along State Route 42, Dollar Hill Road, and Davis Road. Yes. [0:59:15, 0:59:35]: Well, we're finalizing the RFP for on-call planning services. Um we'll have that finalized this week. We've already have the draft in place. And at the retreat, we'll um staff will do solicitations from council to see which areas should be prioritized for the um for the area studies. We will have we have two hundred thousand [0:59:35, 0:59:41]: Allocated for our area of studies. So we hope to get a at least three done. So that's coming up real soon. [0:59:42, 0:59:49]: Will City Council District Four be a part of that? City Council Four is one of the priority. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. All right. Thank you, sir. All right. [0:59:52, 0:59:53]: Economic development. [0:59:54, 1:00:00]: I'm so sorry. Let can I speak about the department first? Sure thing. Um [1:00:00, 1:00:09]: Mr. Anderson, you've been done uh I'm proud of your appointment. You have proven to us over and over again from your reports that are timely. [1:00:10, 1:00:30]: To answering every question, to coming out and meeting on the scene, you and your team, you have done a phenomenal job. I'm just proud of our team in general, but I want to personally thank you because I know that um, you know, developers aren't easy to sometimes they want projects done and you make sure that it's done right. Um there are some things I've wrote [1:00:29, 1:00:49]: wrote down, but we'll talk again about those during the retreat. Um and that will consist with legal as well, trying to make sure that some of these projects, businesses, when they they come and start building, that they continue to build and get the project completed. Um that's gonna be one of my concerns. But I um [1:00:49, 1:00:49]: I [1:00:50, 1:00:51]: I appreciate [1:00:51, 1:00:57]: your department and your leadership. So thank you so much for everything. It's been out you've been outstanding. [1:00:58, 1:01:02]: Thank you, Councilman. Economic development. [1:01:02, 1:01:04]: Slipping towards. [1:01:08, 1:01:11]: Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. [1:01:13, 1:01:33]: Um mayor and council, I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to serve. Um and I speak on behalf of the entire E D staff. Um as you know, the ED staff is operating without a full-time uh director right now, but everyone has pitched in to make sure that operations continue to keep moving. [1:01:33, 1:01:38]: Um and I just have a few points about the things that we've done in the past quarter. [1:01:40, 1:01:53]: So I'll start with some of the Main Street accomplishments. Um the Main Street program has put forth a couple of new initiatives this year. One thing was the 5K Diabetes and Health Fair. [1:01:53, 1:02:10]: Um we were very proud of that. We partnered with a community organization and it was the city's first ever um five K. Um with it we had all kinds of healthcare professionals who um were on site to give [1:02:10, 1:02:25]: talks about um diabetes as well as to greet the public. Um we had about sixty walkers um walk run or however they made it but we were very grateful for that and we are looking at different ways to continue doing [1:02:25, 1:02:36]: health and fitness activities in the downtown. Um also this year we did a revamp of the car show, the Muscle Mystique car show. This year we decided it would be [1:02:36, 1:02:37]: Um [1:02:37, 1:02:57]: Classic cars only. It was a great success. The community appreciated it. We got a lot of great feedback. In addition to that, we did a lot of training and developing for two boards, Main Street Board and the DDA board. It's our goal to make sure that both boards are sharpened with uh education. [1:02:57, 1:03:03]: So that they understand their roles and responsibilities and they are able to operate with efficiency. [1:03:04, 1:03:14]: Um as far as the E D staff is concerned, we've basically kept operations moving. That includes um making sure the budget was [1:03:15, 1:03:30]: kept intact and that we were taking care of outstanding uh invoices for projects that were already underway, um such as the Wayfinding Initiative, uh the Alleyway Project, and um [1:03:31, 1:03:47]: d those mainly. We also tried to partner with um some of our other departments for different projects that will overlap. So that would include the Master Trail Plan. Aside from that, um we participated with the events committee, which is a [1:03:48, 1:03:56]: group of different departments put together by the city manager to make sure that all of our events are [1:03:56, 1:03:59]: Taking into consideration the different [1:03:59, 1:04:05]: needs of every department and the citizens. With that, we've also been able to um [1:04:06, 1:04:15]: make some suggestions about procedures and ordinances that could be uh done better to modernize the downtown and the city as as a whole. [1:04:15, 1:04:16]: Um [1:04:16, 1:04:36]: One last thing for the ED department, they've created a stronger partnership with the SBDC. So this will be what we call, sorry, let me get the exact term. Stockbridge business partnership. And this is where we're having the professionals at SBDC. [1:04:36, 1:04:40]: Д С Партнер вид у С Туподі тренінг. [1:04:41, 1:04:49]: uh for workforce development and business retention. And um that's it. That's what we have. Any questions, please? [1:04:49, 1:05:08]: Thank you so much, Council. Any questions? Yes. Go ahead, sir. Let's talk about the um the wayfinding project. And I didn't hear really an update on that. So that's certainly something we've been trying to key in on. Where is that at? And I thought we were getting ready to kick off a stage so we can get those city limit signs up out there. [1:05:09, 1:05:16]: Okay, I'm glad you asked about that. Um, the wayfinding project is going very well. Phase one is complete. [1:05:16, 1:05:25]: Um, there are some little ticky tack things that we um spoke to the contractor about that we want to make sure that they are making sh that they are making sure. [1:05:25, 1:05:28]: Are um going well. We had a couple of [1:05:29, 1:05:49]: things with the the design of it in terms of the hardware, they're going to adjust that for us. So that part is completed and paid for. We're moving in 2026 to phase two. Phase two, we already have the contract renewal which the council approved at the December 8th meeting. So that [1:05:49, 1:05:56]: That will include um the big monument signs that go out by the highway. Um we're suggesting that [1:05:57, 1:06:17]: We move forward with that as if we can expedite it so that perhaps we'll have it in place in time for the FIFA influx with the Soccer World Cup. We think that would be a great welcome for a city of Stockbridge for travelers. And then phase three, which is a bit further out. [1:06:17, 1:06:26]: out is a much smaller um portion. The way find I'm sorry, the um city limit signs are a part of phase two, so that should be coming soon. [1:06:27, 1:06:47]: Yeah, you know, certainly I m I'd like to see those city limit signs up. I've had to coin the term the McBridge section of our town because about sixty five to seventy percent of my district has McDonough addresses. So we call it McBridge where we have Stockbridge addresses. I mean McDonough addresses, but we're serving Stockbridge. I'll just [1:06:47, 1:07:07]: Certainly I want to see that. I'm very anxious to see it. So when somebody pulls off the exit at Costco, they know they're in Stockbridge and they see that beautiful sign. So whatever we can do to support to get those signs up, particularly in at the expressway exit, certainly would be beneficial. So just let us know what we need. We had the funding already. [1:07:07, 1:07:13]: authorized for that already? Yes. All right, thank you. And the time take whe wh when should we see something happen, do you think? [1:07:15, 1:07:16]: Oh we is [1:07:17, 1:07:37]: Uh it's go time now. Uh once again, one of the issues was not seeing ourselves. Well, we had funding was not clearly identified, who was in charge of the project, so on so forth. But since then, uh we have got control of that project, working very closely. Uh they understand the uh urgency for us to get this done. We looking forward to it. I mean [1:07:37, 1:07:57]: I mean those signs are huge, massive, that's gonna be on the highway. And when people see it, they're gonna know they're in Stockbridge. That's for sure. Um so we're excited about it. Um they're excited about it. Um it just staying on top of it, keeping our meetings, our weekly meetings going, um, and just making sure that we stay on top of it and and be responsive so there's no more delay. [1:07:57, 1:08:17]: I understand certainly with the with the expressway signs that's a G dot process. There's not really sometimes we don't have control over that. So we can do all that we can do. But the such signs like on Jodico and Eagles Landing, those are city and county roads. So certainly ho I'd like to see something happen sooner rather than later on that. So do we have a tentative time? [1:08:17, 1:08:20]: table on where we might see when the sign started to go up. [1:08:20, 1:08:25]: Um the next meeting they're gonna have, we requested a uh [1:08:26, 1:08:46]: Project timeline from now into the end of the project, which is phase three. Phase three, as she said, is the smallest phase. Um, it's just kind of the touch-up phase. The heavy lifting is phase two. Um, so this is where uh we really start seeing the difference. Um, as y'all can imagine, um, on Love Screet, those signs that they had the re uh furbished. [1:08:45, 1:08:55]: those signs because the design and the way those was angled so they're gonna replace those for free so just things of that nature right there that we put in work in but if they are not um [1:08:57, 1:09:17]: I'm not gonna say design well, but if they not placed strategically, then we're gonna run into some issues. Um, but I think there's no more hiccups. Uh I think funding was the big thing because once again, uh bits and pieces we was getting in regards to okay, where is this funding coming from and how much, and the initial price that we thought uh was something completely different. Um [1:09:17, 1:09:37]: Um but uh I think now that we understand where we are and where we're going, uh this project should be definitely finished in the next couple of months. So so when is the next you said you indicated there was a meeting coming up with Sky Design. Oh we we have a weekly meeting. It's a weekly meeting. Oh you you're meeting with the week D90. Mr. Edmondson, let's if we can just share that that [1:09:37, 1:09:57]: weekly meeting breakdown with the council um and then also the timeline so that we can have that information over to them. I think it's a great asset to our Main Street board, especially to bring in that highlight of the city. And I also think this is some things that we can discuss during our winter retreat and what's Wednesday over the Councilwoman Barber because she has a question. Thank you. Go ahead, Councilwoman Barber [1:09:57, 1:09:57]: B. [1:09:58, 1:10:01]: The shipping container project. Can you give me a status update on that? [1:10:04, 1:10:10]: Thank you um for that qu question, Councilwoman Barber. Okay. [1:10:10, 1:10:30]: Okay. Can you hear me? Thank you. Okay. So um we asked the you you guys actually, the council asked the um architect to give some feedback on pricing and designs that would suit downtown Stockbridge. Um we have not moved any further than that because [1:10:30, 1:10:36]: Because we need to make sure that he's giving us that information. But in addition to that, [1:10:36, 1:10:43]: We are following the lead of the city manager to make sure that we have funding for any of these projects. We it's [1:10:43, 1:10:54]: okay for us to ask the consultants for their um expertise, but we will have to pay them and then we'll need money to implement the project if the council agrees to go forward. [1:10:55, 1:11:12]: So it was my understanding when the architect presented to us that we were actually approving for him and his team to move forward with the design stage of it. Um Edmondson is not is that not the case? [1:11:13, 1:11:15]: Yes, that's the case. We wa we're waiting to hear back from them, ma'am. [1:11:15, 1:11:20]: So we have already paid him for the design portion of it? [1:11:20, 1:11:40]: Uh well he's supposed to send us the invoices and what that looks like. We haven't got that, no ma'am. So she she's following up with them on that so we can understand where we are with that.'Cause that's a part of that project list as well that I was talking about to kind of so show where we at, where that funding coming from, how much we spent to date, so on so forth. So that would definitely be [1:11:40, 1:11:52]: be a part of that as well so you have a more updated information on that. I know that um well since I've been on the council, I know that the winter retreat has normally taken place in February. [1:11:52, 1:12:03]: Um, so that we could have these kinds of discussions and questions so we can kinda get ahead of all of this at the start of the year. [1:12:03, 1:12:08]: So we'll know what we're dealing with going forward. So I'm excited about this shipping container project. [1:12:09, 1:12:14]: It is in my district, the district that I am duly elected to represent. So [1:12:14, 1:12:20]: And one more to it. One more good piece of news. I almost um I had to be reminded [1:12:20, 1:12:24]: Фром місте Андерсон ви дід кріт ордницы. [1:12:25, 1:12:36]: for the designs that you all recommended already. So that I think that was at the sub December eighth meeting it was approved. So that we are one step further, okay? [1:12:36, 1:12:37]: Yes. [1:12:37, 1:12:41]: Thank you so much. Um now we're gonna go over to events. Awesome. [1:12:50, 1:12:57]: And council, don't forget to jot down as many um ideas as come up in your head with their report so that we can discuss it further at our retreat as well. [1:12:57, 1:12:58]: Go ahead, ma'am. [1:12:58, 1:13:02]: Good evening, Mayor Council, Charisma Webster Events Department. [1:13:02, 1:13:09]: Based on activities for the fourth quarter for the events department, we focus on closing out a successful event season. [1:13:09, 1:13:18]: We've had fifty shades of pink luncheon and walk with over 300 breast cancer survivors and supporters, along with a thousand participants who's joined in the [1:13:18, 1:13:19]: Oh. [1:13:19, 1:13:23]: A thousand participants who join in the breast cancer walk. [1:13:23, 1:13:31]: We had the Veterans Day Luncheon at the Merrymander Center. We had the turkey giveaway, giving away over 700 turkeys to citizens of Stockbridge. [1:13:32, 1:13:37]: We had the volunteer appreciation dinner, which was a complex three in one event so was very successful. [1:13:38, 1:13:43]: We had a food drive giving away over a thousand boxes of food, and we had the holiday festival. [1:13:44, 1:13:51]: With an unexpected turnout of thousands of people, tree lighting, rice, foods, and a toy giveaway. [1:13:53, 1:13:57]: Thank you for the work that you and your team do as well. Any questions from council? [1:13:57, 1:14:17]: Go ahead, sir. Let me ask you this. Uh in terms of where we're going, certainly we have a a a myriad of events coming up this year. We certainly have the signature Juneteenth event. We certainly have the signature July 4th events that we've been able to have. So kudos to you and your team for putting a max [1:14:17, 1:14:37]: magnificent events together uh to make those happen uh for the city. So whatever we can do to continue to support uh excellence in that aspect. And certainly maybe you can give us a little tease today in terms of everybody, what's coming up on that twenty twenty six amphitheater scene? And I know you're [1:14:37, 1:14:54]: anxiously wait wording work uh working on it every single day to put that line up together and to do what's necessary. So give us a little tid bit of what we might be able to expect. I don't want to ruin the surprise for the rest of the thing. It's a surprise. Yeah. Have a question, Councilman Cloud. [1:14:56, 1:14:57]: Thank you so much. [1:14:58, 1:15:00]: Yes, Mayor. [1:15:00, 1:15:01]: Thank you, Ms. Webster. [1:15:02, 1:15:07]: I know that we're preparing for the upcoming concert season and one of the questions that [1:15:07, 1:15:07]: Um [1:15:08, 1:15:09]: I know I get it. [1:15:09, 1:15:11]: Mr. Berry gets it. [1:15:11, 1:15:12]: Diverse lineup. [1:15:13, 1:15:15]: We're working on that. Yes sir. Yes, ma'am, we are working on it. [1:15:16, 1:15:16]: Thank you. [1:15:17, 1:15:37]: And I will say I gave her a few suggestions as well for some diversity this year that hopefully we can get done. Um next up we have municipal court. Yeah. And to kind of piggyback, if y'all recall, when I did the presentation during the budget, we had the breakdown of uh some of the artists and different people that we are soliciting. And that's definitely what the diversity is. [1:15:37, 1:15:40]: that we was talking about. So we're excited about it. [1:15:40, 1:15:41]: Thank you, sir. [1:15:46, 1:16:01]: Good evening. Janae Stanley, court administrator for municipal court. Municipal court finished strong the fourth quarter. We had conducted 18 court sessions and got a new, more robust payment software. Um we got [1:16:02, 1:16:10]: 1,582 new citations. Um, citations that were scheduled by the court were one thousand six hundred and fifty-one. [1:16:11, 1:16:16]: Um cases closed by our court were one thousand four hundred and forty seven. [1:16:17, 1:16:28]: Uh we had eighty-eight defendants who got pretrial diversion, a hundred and four got probation, fifty-two warrants issued, and three thousand six three thousand sixty-five hundred and [1:16:28, 1:16:33]: Wait a minute, three hundred and sixty five thousand four hundred dollars collected as revenues. [1:16:33, 1:16:34]: Awesome. [1:16:34, 1:16:52]: Uh any questions from the council? Okay. Awesome. Thank you so much and thank Judge McCord as well for his work for the city. Thank you. Just a quick update on the amnesty program. We had ten percent of people come um come back to us who were able to successfully close their cases. So thank you for that. That's awesome. Thank you so much. Police department, interim chief. [1:16:58, 1:17:18]: Mayor Council, good evening. Richard Godfrey, Interim Chief of Police. For the th fourth quarter, we had we answered almost eleven thousand calls for service. We had over fifty five hundred proactive officer initiated activities, uh, had over almost close to eighteen hundred traffic stops. I'm gonna skip over crime rates for just a minute and I'll [1:17:18, 1:17:38]: Let you know at the very end why is that. Uh, we had over 238 arrests. We took over uh 2025 firearms off the street. Our investigation division answered over 310 cases that include clearing all three homicides that occurred in 2025. Uh we had [1:17:38, 1:17:49]: had over 1,000 uh open records request uh for uh the fourth quarter our community engagement we had our citizens police academy we had shop with a cop [1:17:49, 1:18:01]: Coffee with a cop and face uh faith based outreach programs. Let me get back to crime to overall crime rate. Overall crime rate for fourth quarter was down nine point one six percent. [1:18:07, 1:18:10]: So that's good, but you haven't heard anything yet. [1:18:11, 1:18:19]: So for twenty twenty-five in comparison to twenty twenty four, we were down fifteen point seven six percent. [1:18:21, 1:18:23]: Now I'm gonna give you something really to clap about. [1:18:23, 1:18:31]: The average between twenty twenty-three to twenty twenty five, we were down twenty point two two three percent. [1:18:34, 1:18:38]: Now we all have heard the old saying, it takes a village to raise a child. [1:18:39, 1:18:41]: The police department did not do this alone. [1:18:42, 1:18:45]: So I want to say personally thank you to you. [1:18:45, 1:18:52]: to the city manager and to all citizens within the sound of my voice, because this was a collected effort. [1:18:52, 1:18:54]: with the entire community being involved. [1:18:56, 1:18:59]: I'll be answered a happy to answer any questions that you may have. [1:18:59, 1:19:19]: Let me say, Chief, I know you all have been, what is this, year five now or going into year six? No, sir. We're only on three and a half being operational. Wow. So you all have done a phenomenal job in bringing community policing back to our community. I know the the police department was close for what forty, forty something years before coming back? 47 years. So so you all are doing a phenomenal job at bringing that community police. [1:19:19, 1:19:24]: So thank you so much. Any questions from council? Councilman Barber? [1:19:27, 1:19:43]: Block cameras. Are you able to tell us how many were added last year and how many you expect to do this year? So there's the difference between cameras and LPRs. So the license plate readers, we currently have nineteen fixed and one portable. [1:19:43, 1:19:45]: Nineteen fixed and one One portable. [1:19:48, 1:20:01]: We are adding five uh four additional portable LPRs to our speed trailers. So as these speed trailers are being deployed, we'll also be running the f uh flock license plate readers simultaneously. [1:20:02, 1:20:12]: Thank you, sir. Yes, ma'am. And thank you for the all of the work that you do. Kudos to our police department. Very proud of it. Thank you so much. Thank you. Uh Mayor Pro Tem? [1:20:12, 1:20:32]: Yeah, thank you, Mr. Oscar Garfrey, and certainly Chief Tramer and his legacy, he leaves the department in in good cond good shape and certainly these numbers are very encouraging to uh going forward with what we need and certainly it was amazing. You you you should have clapped this give yourself a cla a round of applause for the [1:20:32, 1:20:52]: The new police precinct, the South Stock Bridge police precinct over in the Jodico bridges at Jodico Development. So growth is at hand in the department, and certainly the excellence is being reflected in the numbers. And I like it the way that Chief Tramer's legacy was: policing is not what we do to the community, is with [1:20:52, 1:21:12]: The community and you uh acknowledging that it's the see something, say something uh mode of operation and community policing that we envision. As somebody who went put their political neck on the line for uh this particular this department to start, and understanding that the courage that it took to see it being rewarded. [1:21:12, 1:21:24]: rewarded and being put into fruition as a city. Now the thing that I think I don't want glossed over here is the population numbers are going up. [1:21:25, 1:21:42]: The population numbers are going up. We kicking on the door of forty and those numbers are going down. Now it's the t honestly justifiable they could be going up based on the numbers, but the numbers are going down based on the population. So whatever we're doing, we certainly wanna continue to do that. [1:21:43, 1:21:48]: And certainly I've been certainly want to encourage HR to make sure that the officers are paid. [1:21:48, 1:21:59]: commenserate with the level of work that they do with the top performing departments in Metro Atlanta, not just the South Side. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. We're going to uh [1:22:02, 1:22:10]: I just wanna say uh real quick, uh my department heads, they typically don't get up here and speak, but I I think it's important. [1:22:10, 1:22:15]: Uh, for several reasons. One being they do a phenomenal job for this city. [1:22:15, 1:22:35]: And they should be able to tell their story. And also the the the residents here of this community need to know who their leaders are and who's serving them so well. Um I know it's uncomfortable for them, so I thank them for their patience with me as I push them out front because I think that's important. Um from the from them to represent their departments because they do it so well. They need to tell their story. So I'm proud of them. [1:22:35, 1:22:48]: Continue to do the good work that y'all are doing. I can't be more proud of the team that we're creating and then it's just the beginning. So we're excited about 2026. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, sir. And thank you to all of our department heads and employees here. [1:22:53, 1:22:59]: Next up on tonight's agenda, we have a presentation for the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing Certification. [1:23:00, 1:23:08]: And uh uh Madam Attorney, just for the record, we do not need a vote for this. This is simply a presentation and feedback, correct? Yes. [1:23:11, 1:23:31]: Awesome. Thank you so much. Mr. Anderson. Uh yes. As we are all aware, there's a um a housing crisis in the in the nation today as well as is in the state of Georgia. Um and the community development par department is undertaking a a major task. We're working on a comprehensive housing strategy for the city of Stockbridge uh to address [1:23:31, 1:23:46]: Some of the major issues in housing, such as attainability, affordability, lack of workforce housing, lack of senior housing, and preservation. The GIG certification allows the city to apply for certain grants. [1:23:47, 1:23:53]: And allows for developers to apply to apply for certain tax credits that they otherwise wouldn't be able to apply for. [1:23:53, 1:24:03]: if we didn't have gig certification. We're working in consultation with C's consultant and the consultant is Miss Danita Dolman. Could you come forward, Miss Dolman? [1:24:08, 1:24:10]: So um [1:24:11, 1:24:23]: The GIC program gig stands for Georgia Initiative for Community Housing. This program will help us strengthen our housing strategy, deepen cross-sector collaboration, and align future policy decisions. [1:24:25, 1:24:28]: Before um oh, she got this wrong. [1:24:29, 1:24:37]: Before we um go into this presentation, uh I I'd like to ask you guys to watch a short video. Um [1:24:38, 1:24:48]: to set the tone for this meeting and to s know that there is a n a big urgency for um us to address the housing issue ins inside the city of Stockbridge. [1:24:50, 1:24:52]: This is from a Fox News story. [1:25:10, 1:25:10]: Okay. [1:25:18, 1:25:23]: Extended stay hotel is after vacation or by choice by the fire position. [1:25:32, 1:25:33]: Yeah. [1:25:34, 1:25:38]: А факт сайз роб деръєнжос за хіман садів с трублень. [1:25:39, 1:25:59]: Well, tonight, thousands of families across Metro Atlanta will sleep in extended stay hotels, not for vacation or by choice, but part of a vicious cycle of poverty. [1:25:59, 1:26:01]: Ус те хуман с одним репорт. [1:26:03, 1:26:23]: I just didn't have any other options. Ariella Romero found herself stuck living in an extended stay motel with her pregnant daughter and grandson. This was supposed to be a temporary solution. Yes, it was supposed to be a temporary solution, but it felt like a trap once I got into the hotel. She had a job, but not enough credit or cash. [1:26:23, 1:26:43]: To spare for a security deposit. And it stayed that way for months. It's a common cycle. Thousands of single parents are faced with across Metro Atlanta. You don't need the upfront money. Joy Monroe also used to be in it. She founded the Single Parent Alliance and Resource Center. [1:26:43, 1:27:03]: Center or SPARC, which just helped Georgia State University study the problem in DeCab. We organized the volunteer teams that went out every Saturday and Sunday, September through November, to knock on doors. [1:27:03, 1:27:04]: Problem. [1:27:05, 1:27:20]: It's an everywhere problem. The report found that some families spent around seventy-seven percent of their income on extended stay hotels. A majority were black single mothers. Low credit scores and past evictions make it nearly impossible to escape. [1:27:20, 1:27:26]: Monroe's nonprofit is focused on changing that it is deeply impactful work. [1:27:26, 1:27:31]: But I think the most important thing is understanding that these families can be helped. [1:27:31, 1:27:51]: This problem is solvable. And Romero says she's living proof of that. Now I have a foundation that I didn't have before. It took her about seven months to break that cycle with Spark's help. She has an angel for an insular. She says the organization helped her build credit and get her family into an apartment. [1:27:51, 1:27:58]: We are today going from hotel to apartment and before 2026 is out I will be a homeowner. [1:27:59, 1:28:11]: And GSU and Spark plan to present their complete report to DeCab County Commissioners at their next meeting next week. But as Monroe said, this problem is not unique to DeCab, so they hope to study other communities across Metro Atlanta. [1:28:12, 1:28:15]: Reporting for Fox Five News, I'm Rob DiBrienzo. [1:28:19, 1:28:39]: We had a meeting about um our initial kickoff meeting for this gig certification and we found that some of those some of these same issues exist in um in uh Henry County and the city of Stockbridge. We had uh sixteen representatives from across Henry County that were experts in the housing uh area from Habitat from Humanity, um from Henry County. [1:28:38, 1:28:57]: And there is a major need for us to address the housing issue in the city. There are people who are considered professionals, such as teachers, even some police officers that were stuck in um extended stay hotels due to the affordability crisis. So [1:28:57, 1:29:10]: As part of our comprehensive plan to address housing strategy in the city of Stockbridge, the GIC certification is one of the steps that we would take. It's the first step. So GIC is the is [1:29:11, 1:29:31]: Acronym for Georgia Initiative for Community Housing. It's a statewide certification to strengthen Stockbridge housing strategy and advanced housing goals consistent with the comprehensive plan and the LCI initiative built across a cross-sector team housing team to identify needs, priorities, and practical actions. It supports a transparently locally [1:29:31, 1:29:33]: driven approach to addressing housing challenges. [1:29:35, 1:29:55]: It supports workforce housing needs, teachers, healthcare professionals, public safety employees, and service workers. It strengthens sustainable housing options, entry-level, and moderate income, and addresses senior housing needs, downsizing, and accessibility. The goal, one of the goals of our comprehensive uh housing strategies is to have more [1:29:55, 1:29:58]: More housing choices and more price point guided by local input. [1:30:00, 1:30:20]: Certific the gig certification benefits, credibility with partners and developers through a recognized statewide housing framework, state recognition of Stockbridge commitment to addressing local housing needs, structured technical assistance to help the city strengthen its housing strategy and internal capacity, improve coordination among [1:30:20, 1:30:39]: Among city departments, nonprofit partners, businesses, and stakeholders and housing stakeholders. Stronger positioning for future housing-related opportunities by demonstrating readiness, data, and community engagement. It provides a clear documentation of housing needs and priorities to support the workforce attainable and senior housing planning. [1:30:41, 1:30:55]: This is the team that's working on this. Um community development staff along with C's Community Partners, which is our consultant in helping us attain this um gig certification. Uh here's a um a brief [1:30:57, 1:30:59]: Overview of the stockbridge housing landscape. [1:31:00, 1:31:01]: Uh [1:31:02, 1:31:07]: Stockbridge is in Henry County. We're twenty minutes away from the airport. I was thirty minutes from downtown. [1:31:08, 1:31:15]: We are the fourth highest percent change in population within the metro area as far as growth is concerned. Um [1:31:17, 1:31:31]: We're a relatively young city, uh major the majority majority black and um significant portion of young families are white collar, white collar majority. So uh most of our employees are employees are professional. [1:31:34, 1:31:54]: Stockbridge is experiencing rapid population and residential growth, transform transitioning from a primary suburban community to into a more urban, mixed density housing market. Growth is being driven by regional expansion within the Atlanta metro area, increased annexation activity, and continued interest from residential and mixed-use developers. [1:31:54, 1:32:03]: As population increases, housing demand is rising across multiple income levels, including renters, first-time buyers, workforce households, seniors, and long-term residents. [1:32:04, 1:32:16]: Why does assessment matter? Why why are we doing this? Housing costs are arising faster than affordability for many households, placing pressures on renters, moderate income families, and residents on fixed income. [1:32:16, 1:32:18]: Without intentional planning. [1:32:19, 1:32:39]: Growth can unintentionally limit access to housing options, reduce neighborhood stability, and strain existing infrastructure and services. This assessment established a clear data-driven baseline to guide future housing policies, zoning decisions, reinvestment strategies, and capital planning. The analysis is supported by [1:32:39, 1:32:48]: by the city's participation in the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing by identifying needs, challenges, and opportunities to promote equitable, equitable, sustainable housing. [1:32:50, 1:33:10]: Uh most of the growth new growth in uh city of Stockbridge is primarily occurring along Jodico Road, Hudson Bridge Road, Patrick Henry Parkway, Highway 42, and North Henry Boulevard. These quarters offer access to regional transportation, employment centers, and commercial services, making them attractive for high density. [1:33:10, 1:33:30]: Housing. District level growth patterns. District 2, 4, and 5 account for the majority of the recently approved and under construction housing units. District 5 contains the city's largest share of housing units driven by multifamily and mixed-use development. District 4 reflects a mix of legacy neighborhoods and newer developments, creating both [1:33:30, 1:33:40]: investment needs and growth opportunities. District one and three remain more established with more established with limited new growth but important existing residential neighborhoods. [1:33:42, 1:33:59]: Development trends in the city that we're uh currently experiencing. Uh most it consists of multifamily apartments, townhomes, and mixed use residential. Older neighborhoods closer to the city's core remain largely single family, providing naturally accord accord occurring affordable housing options. [1:34:00, 1:34:15]: Why location matter? Concentrated growth increases demand on infrastructure, schools, transportation, and public service, public service in specific areas. Understanding where growth is is happening helps the city plan for equitable investment, infrastructure alignment, and housing balance across all districts. [1:34:17, 1:34:18]: What the inventory tells us. [1:34:21, 1:34:37]: Recent and approved developments larger multifamily townhome and mixed use, particularly along major corridor corridors and uh annexation areas. While this adds supply, it does not address entry level ownership or moderate income housing needs. [1:34:37, 1:34:55]: Older neighborhoods play a critical role. Established neighborhoods contain much of older neighborhoods and established neighborhoods contain much of the naturally occurring affordable housing. Essential to affordability today, but facing aging infrastructure, reinvestment needs, and displaced pressures. There is a housing gap. [1:34:56, 1:35:08]: The the inventory shows a strong reliance on single family detached homes with limited missing middle options. The gap reduces flexibility for households at different life stages, including young professionals. [1:35:09, 1:35:12]: smaller households, seniors, and downsizing residents. [1:35:12, 1:35:26]: Growth brings planning trade-offs. Concentrated housing increased demand on infrastructure, public services, and community facilities. Balancing new development with preservation and reinvestment is key to long-term neighborhood stability and affordability. [1:35:28, 1:35:48]: Some of the key housing priorities. We seek to increase opportunities for missing middle housing, provide housing options that meet changing neighbor changing household sizes and life stages. Also, we wish to preserve existing neighborhoods, protect and reinvest in naturally occurring affordable housing, support neighborhood stability while improving. [1:35:48, 1:36:01]: Improving housing quality and safety, coordinating our housing and infrastructure, align housing growth with infrastructure, transportation, schools, and public service, ensure growth areas are supported by adequate capacity and community assets. [1:36:02, 1:36:22]: Uh at our meeting we had several stakeholders make some key points. Um the meeting was held on January 8th. It was a virtual meeting. We had 16 participants from across government, small businesses, residents, and nonprofit representation. We had Connecting Henry, United Way, and Habitat for Humanity also participation. [1:36:22, 1:36:32]: participating. Uh some of their concerns were rising housing co housing costs, workers and fixed incomes, workforce affordability pressures. [1:36:33, 1:36:46]: Uh more housing choices across life stages, stronger collaboration and communication, better collaboration with developers, clearer access to housing resources, ongoing community input to guide reach priorities. [1:36:48, 1:36:51]: The application approach. You wanna take that over? Sure. Yeah, all right. [1:36:53, 1:36:57]: Good evening, uh mayor and council. [1:36:57, 1:37:17]: Happy to be here to be a part of this um application process for uh Get With Stockbridge. And so what our next step is on this Thursday, we uh at the Merrill Manders I'm sorry, can you state your name and all that stuff for Danita Dolman, uh C's Community Partners, I'm sorry. Um [1:37:17, 1:37:31]: We're having a community stakeholder meeting on this Thursday and the idea for that is to listen, not we're not offering s solutions because that's what the process of this is, but to find out for from the community. [1:37:31, 1:37:50]: what uh their ideas around uh the needs, the gaps, the challenges and and the wants for uh housing and stockbridge. And so that's um um again at six o'clock Thursday and some from there what we do is we take that data [1:37:50, 1:38:10]: We have more data with our stakeholders. We're really excited about the diverse stakeholders, and we continue to develop because as part of the application process, we need to have letters of support. And the reason that we're kind of starting now, we want to, the more data that we have, the more people that we touch. [1:38:10, 1:38:25]: the more stakeholders that are involved makes a stronger application once we submit. And so really excited to be a part of this opportunity as well to address the the needs for housing in Stockbridge. [1:38:26, 1:38:46]: Thank you. Thank you so much. Uh Mayor Potum, go ahead. Yes, miss. Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate you coming and speaking to us as well. This is a issue that has been it like it is not a DeCav County problem. It is a United States problem. And certainly I remember at NLC I was in twenty twenty-three. [1:38:46, 1:39:06]: I was talking to uh Secretary Marsha Fudge about the infiltration of investors buying private homes and driving up the price and the cost. And look where we are now, right? It seems like somebody would address this certainly. I don't normally see myself agreeing with President Trump, but seeing what he just said. [1:39:06, 1:39:26]: Certainly everybody can agree on something, and certainly that issue needs to be dealt with. What I want to understand is certainly is, you know, obviously that's had a dramatic effect in what the affordability is here uh in Metro Atlanta, because we're ground zero. Henry County, we already know, is ground zero. [1:39:26, 1:39:46]: for investor purchase homes because we had uh I think maybe the top five or cent six census tracks for investor. My neighborhood was actually featured in the AJC because of so many homes that were being purchased by investors. Now, I I want you to do I want you to do something for me. Uh and and I want you to [1:39:46, 1:39:56]: So people understand, just like what we just saw just now, the the young lady, she was in the hotel. We have plenty of people in hotels here in Henry County. We do. [1:39:56, 1:40:01]: I want you to tell me uh the the basis of [1:40:02, 1:40:08]: the housing stock that trans that the the housing stock that is needed to move [1:40:10, 1:40:30]: those individuals out of that situation where they're doing the pay by the day or pay by the week. Because right now obviously we have a housing shortage. But it it appears that when people talk about affordable housing, they're like, we don't want no apartments. We don't want any townhomes. We don't want all of this. But [1:40:30, 1:40:44]: But those are the basis of affordable housing in terms of most of certainly we like the desire to be ownership, but you cannot say I don't want any apartments and I don't want any townhomes and say you're in favor of affordable homes. [1:40:46, 1:41:02]: I like your take on the fact that in that market,'cause that's a suburban problem where we have these rezonings come to us, the public shows up a lot of times. We don't want to see any apartments, but the apartments are the affordable homes and the town homes are the affordable housing stocks. [1:41:03, 1:41:23]: Well, we can't answer that right now because there's a lot of analysis and studies that we need to do to determine that. And that's kind of the course of what this Git certification is, is to determine what the affordability is based on all of the analysis based on the data. So I can't answer that right. [1:41:23, 1:41:27]: Well in general, where where have you found in other locations? [1:41:28, 1:41:33]: Well, you know, every location is different because we work in, you know, South Georgia, so [1:41:34, 1:41:48]: It's it's different. It's a little bit different. No, Ryan, in terms of where we are now, your overall presentation certainly a j is is and we hear this all the time. Why y'all building more homes? Right? We have a housing shortage, is that correct? [1:41:48, 1:42:08]: Yes, that's correct. Uh it's projected that um the the metro region by twenty forty would have grown um since the last time they did a check by over one million residents. So uh and if a million residents are coming into the um the landlord region, uh it's not far fetched to to surmise that at least [1:42:08, 1:42:18]: five percent of'em will be moving to Stockbridge. So um we definitely have a housing shortage. It might not seem that way right now, but ten years from now, if we don't continue to build [1:42:18, 1:42:32]: Even even apartments. We will have a major housing shortage in the city of Stockbridge. Let me just say this, ma'am, and with all due respect, if you can't say what the problem is, even though you haven't talked to us and you've talked to others around the nation. [1:42:33, 1:42:53]: It's like you know what I'm saying, you you don't you don't have any data for us for other locations that you have seen. I know they're different. Certainly I do. I do. But certainly there's a common thread around the nation and what we're seeing. But certainly hopefully you'll gather information about what we see uh around the United States and what comes to [1:42:53, 1:43:13]: where we are now. And that certainly that whole debate and certainly we don't wanna I I just try to focus on the data. The data is I'm not gonna move from that I'm not gonna move from a place where I'm playing by the day. My credit is terrible. It is ruined. I'm not gonna move into a single family detached three hundred thousand dollar house [1:43:13, 1:43:33]: House. I don't have to talk to a hundred thousand people to know that I or thirty thousand. I know that that person is not going to move from that situation to a single family detached home with destroyed credit and limit income. That is the kind of thing where we got to start the conversation at and certain [1:43:32, 1:43:47]: certainly we're gonna go and we're gonna listen, but we certainly need to be they're gonna want some answers. So there's a follow up meeting behind that meeting to provide the answers at some point, ma'am? Is there a pro follow up meeting to actually co uh to coagulate to [1:43:48, 1:43:51]: Congr to put the data together and actually present the results. [1:43:52, 1:44:00]: We will pres we will follow up with data and we follow up with the stakeholders with the data that we collect over the the course of the time. [1:44:00, 1:44:02]: Okay. And the time period is what? [1:44:02, 1:44:07]: It's from now until probably July. Till July. All right, thank you. [1:44:07, 1:44:27]: Thank you, uh Mayor Prattman. I let me just say I think this is a great program. I've seen it work in a lot of other uh many many cities compared to what Stockbridge is, but I definitely look forward to the work that you do with Ryan and his team. I know they'll get some things done. I also see you have a community listening session tomorrow at six o'clock. Thursday Thursday. Oh, what's today? Tuesday. I'm sorry. [1:44:27, 1:44:38]: You have community listening session on Thursday at six PM. So I I definitely hope we can rhyme get that over and let uh the city share that out so the community can get involved in this on social media. [1:44:38, 1:44:58]: I like to state that we're uh we're in the um in the preliminary stages of this. Uh so we're basically in the findings stages. Um we're collecting data and once we get enough data we'll be able to um do an analysis. But right now we're just trying to find out what the root causes are here from the residents in the community. And once we get all that data in, we'll analyze [1:44:58, 1:45:02]: analyze that data and uh make a report on what we find. [1:45:03, 1:45:08]: Thank you, sir. Uh councilman Gantt. Thank you. Uh so the listening session that is virtual? [1:45:08, 1:45:25]: It's in person. Oh it's in person. Where is that? Okay, at the Moral Manders. Uh I probably can't make it. Well I I I'm gonna say that I um I too think that this is a phenomenal program. Um it is well needed. Um [1:45:26, 1:45:28]: And it it I know it's part [1:45:28, 1:45:40]: of a solution to a problem, right? To kind of find out how we can adjust with affordable housing and it is a qu it is a crisis all over the United States. Um [1:45:41, 1:45:52]: uh the National League of Cities have been talking about this in the forefront for quite some time now. And those people uh you know, for all municipalities all over the nation. And um [1:45:54, 1:46:05]: In addition to that, running parallel to that is us working on along with the community legislation from those big hedge fund capital um [1:46:05, 1:46:11]: those hedge fund investors and people who buy up all the properties and and make them rental homes. [1:46:11, 1:46:17]: and rent them out at top dollar that's rising and increasing the cost. [1:46:17, 1:46:22]: To people such as educators and our first responders who can't afford [1:46:23, 1:46:43]: to live in their communities because these price points of the rental properties are pushing everyone out, right? And it's it's increasing the housing, the value of our homes. And so it's becoming this exploding balloon effect. So running parallel to what we're trying to do to find solutions. [1:46:42, 1:46:46]: I I was at a at the KFC yesterday. [1:46:46, 1:46:58]: And I look up and I see a a little girl running in and out and yeah, she has a book bag at the hotel behind it. Right? You got families living in one one room hotels. You have [1:46:59, 1:47:19]: um a crisis and we have to get rid of that stigma. And so I appreciate everything that CZ is doing, um, as well as community um uh all the yeah, the community development department and everyone else that um connecting Henry that can join [1:47:19, 1:47:27]: Forces, but we've got to start somewhere. And unfortunately, Henry County has been notorious. [1:47:27, 1:47:28]: For saying [1:47:28, 1:47:33]: Oh, we wanna help the homeless. We wanna help these people. We wanna help everybody. But then when you wanna [1:47:34, 1:47:41]: put a group home somewhere. Oh, not in my neighborhood, not down the street from me. We've got to get rid of the stigmas. [1:47:41, 1:47:58]: We've got to get rid of the stigmas. And so I appreciate the studies that you do and I look for I don't know if I'll be able to make the twenty ninth. I think I have a prior engagement, but I definitely want to participate where I win and where I can. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Any other questions from Council Councilman Barber? [1:47:58, 1:48:06]: Really not a question, it's really a statement. Um the downtown area is in the district that I represent. So [1:48:06, 1:48:14]: I am very uh curious about the information that comes from your research. One of the things that I am um [1:48:14, 1:48:24]: Happy to hear about and to read. Um mixed income developments. I see it quite often in the midtown area. [1:48:25, 1:48:40]: um where they have legacy homes and then they have newer developments right in the middle. Um so I'm glad that we're looking at the housing inventory of not just low income but middle income and [1:48:41, 1:48:49]: High income earners. And we're actually developing a strategy on how we will grow our city. [1:48:50, 1:48:56]: I won't fight you on this. This is what I've been waiting for and asking for. So when I've asked for the housing inventory. [1:48:57, 1:49:00]: All I could do was just look at what we currently have. [1:49:01, 1:49:02]: I couldn't really [1:49:02, 1:49:05]: Think of how to go about developing. [1:49:05, 1:49:08]: Or what our actual needs are. [1:49:08, 1:49:10]: I just know in my district [1:49:10, 1:49:12]: There are a lot of legacy. [1:49:12, 1:49:13]: Holmes. [1:49:14, 1:49:16]: and just building town homes [1:49:16, 1:49:22]: In my district is just not enough. It's not enough to meet the needs of [1:49:22, 1:49:24]: various uh earners. [1:49:25, 1:49:34]: So thank you. Thank you for bringing this forward. Thank you for the partnership. I look forward to all of the information that will come from this. [1:49:34, 1:49:38]: Thank you, Councilman Mayor Partin. Yes, uh Mr. Emmonson. [1:49:42, 1:50:02]: This certainly is a a worthwhile cause. And what generally happens is probably gonna be about uh twenty degrees Thursday night. So is there some streaming capacity that we could add to this program? What do we need to do? We need to stream this meeting so we can have as many people participate as possible. Because again, the weather this week is hard. [1:50:02, 1:50:22]: It is cold. It's gonna be extremely cold the rest of the week. So can we look at adding streaming to this meeting and and make that happen? Yes, sir. That's a priority. We get it fixed before the next and certainly as we talk about this conversation amongst affordable housing and Ms. Attorney, I'd like to see that legislation come. [1:50:22, 1:50:42]: come forward where we in ULDC Ryan as well, y'all get together and that we have each and every neighborhood that come forward have a component of five or ten percent affordable requirement in the city. Let's have that legislation come forward and put it into the ULDC [1:50:42, 1:50:58]: so that every complex that comes forward, every single family neighborhood for the most part, and every townhome community have some some um affordable housing in it. And that'll be a requirement of any new communities that come forward. [1:51:00, 1:51:03]: Thank you so much, Mayor Broton. Thank you all for your presentation. Thank you. [1:51:07, 1:51:27]: Council, next up on tonight's agenda, we're gonna go into old business. We're gonna hear the council consideration to approve task order number 2025.14 with Falcon Design, which is the Pates Creek Bridge Repair uh design at Patrick Henry Parkway and Eagles Landing Parkway in the amount of one uh$107,500. The funding source is from T Splost. [1:51:27, 1:51:47]: Uh Mr. Earren. Yes, Mr. Mayor and Council. As I mentioned previously, when we annexed certain areas into the city of Stockbridge, we inherited two bridges over Pate's Creek, one on Patrick Henry Parkway and one on Eagles Landing Parkway. Inspection of these bridges were conducted by G. [1:51:47, 1:51:58]: GDOT found some issues that we've got to repair. And this task order by Falcom, they will develop the bid documents and scope of work to get those repairs made to the satisfaction of GDOT. [1:51:59, 1:52:12]: Just say this, if I could. Go ahead, sir. This is my district, certainly, but everybody in the city travels Patrick Henry Parkway. We know that this problem has existed. I see the commissioner said not there. I see you. [1:52:12, 1:52:32]: Okay. And certainly this is what we need to do. We need everybody at the table when it comes to projects like this and things moving forward.'Cause you know when we annexed this property, this was a pre existing condition that continued to come back again and again and again that we need to make sure that everybody uh is [1:52:32, 1:52:52]: At the table, and that we have representatives and that we have conversations to make sure that some of these costs are shared. Because we ended up uh paving a lot of roads, which you've done an amazing job that came to us in really substandard conditions. And and I'd like to remind everybody, every [1:52:52, 1:52:55]: Citizen in Stockbridge has a [1:52:55, 1:52:59]: A line on their tax bill that says county taxes, right. [1:52:59, 1:53:01]: Oliver. You got it, don't you, Miss Kent? [1:53:01, 1:53:02]: You got the sorry? [1:53:03, 1:53:23]: All of us pay county taxes too. So we want to see to make sure that those resources come back to us in in terms of everything. We certainly understand that. And I hear far too often and I see certainly I see Commissioner Price working on our behalf, but we need everybody uh working together and rolling in the same direction to make sure that [1:53:23, 1:53:43]: uh that I don't hear when I tune in to some these county meetings that well that's in the city. No. All of us should be working together. And certainly let's do everything possible to encourage all the representatives that we're rowing in the same direction and that we're all coming together uh for this project. So certainly [1:53:42, 1:54:02]: I I heard my share of people that said their front end got knocked out of line over that bump. And and I heard hear about it every single week and certainly I got a bunch of calls to say thank you, thank you, thank you, so thank you, and thank you to the staff for getting that problem taken care of and I'd certainly like a ma sh to make a motion for approval. [1:54:02, 1:54:09]: of the hundred and seven thousand dollars at plus to repair this project that has already been completed. [1:54:09, 1:54:11]: There is a motion, is there a second? [1:54:12, 1:54:19]: All right, there's a motion and a second by Councilman Beery. All those in favor, please end I have a question. Yeah, open up for discussion. Go ahead, ma'am. [1:54:20, 1:54:28]: Okay. Um the requirement from G Dot for the inspections. Did you say how often those inspections [1:54:29, 1:54:34]: I think every three to five years, depending on the trap the traffic on those bridges. [1:54:35, 1:54:38]: Is that the same for [1:54:38, 1:54:39]: North Henry? [1:54:40, 1:54:45]: The North Henry Bridge over the the railroad? Yes ma'am. [1:54:45, 1:54:47]: Thank you, sir. That was it. [1:54:47, 1:54:55]: Absolutely. All those in favor, please indicate by the sound of aye. Aye. Any opposed? Unanimous. Thank you, sir. Thank you. [1:54:56, 1:55:16]: All right, next on the agenda is the mayor's recommendation for our committees council. I have done some research along with some feedback from the council from some council members and our GMA representatives, and I would actually like to present something a little different this year and just to let this year be a test dummy for it. But instead of doing council uh mayor's committees. [1:55:15, 1:55:35]: I would like for us to do many mayoral retreats where the council can come together once, uh just one day randomly throughout the year that we'll set up and publicly notify the community. And we actually sit down with a specific department, ask our questions. The community can ask their questions, and we can work through some of the opportunities that we want to do as a council, but also get feedback on what's happening within our department. [1:55:35, 1:55:43]: So that is my recommendation instead of the committees to see how we can navigate through this recommendation. So with that, I'll take a motion. [1:55:45, 1:55:45]: Or questions? [1:55:46, 1:55:47]: Mayor. Yes, Mayor. [1:55:47, 1:55:53]: Are you saying uh just just for clarification, you're it they're kinda like uh um [1:55:55, 1:56:15]: a mayor's w work session, so to speak, for that particular department. So if we had um for instance we had community development one day we would just sit there and we would literally focus on community development. That's what you're saying. Yes ma'am and if they like for example when you say community development, if they say well uh let's say uh Councilman Alexander wants us to go see the Pates Creek uh bridge [1:56:15, 1:56:20]: We have that opportunity to do so because we've allocated that day to designate and work with that department. [1:56:20, 1:56:23]: Mayor, I move that we approve the um [1:56:23, 1:56:35]: Mayor's what do you want to talk call it? We'll call it uh uh mayor's mini work sessions. Mayor's mini work sessions. I have a motion I have a second. All those in favor please indicate by the sound of I. [1:56:35, 1:56:42]: Unanimous. Thank you, Council. Next up is the council consideration to appoint members to the planning. [1:56:42, 1:56:47]: Mayor, I'm sorry. Yes, Mayor. Um the last item. Sure. Forgive me. [1:56:49, 1:56:50]: Um [1:56:50, 1:56:54]: The item for the Georgia initiative for community housing. [1:56:54, 1:56:56]: Calspan Alexander [1:56:57, 1:57:07]: I don't know if that was a directive to community development, if we need to vote on um what he requested that they bring. I just don't [1:57:08, 1:57:28]: I'm unclear about what we're doing. So was that a directive? And if you council, I I got your counsel. If you asking me that question, please. But everything's directed to the mayor. I I I got your counsel. Thank you. Go ahead, ma'am. I don't want clarification. Yes, please. So like I said before, this is uh this was a pre [1:57:28, 1:57:48]: presentation for uh GIC. So what it happens was he gave his feedback as any council m member can. Um they can take his feedback and take it or they don't have to. Once they come back to bring it back to us for the full layout after they do their their analysis, like they said, they're still in the looking and searching phases. That's when we'll start taking in those recommendations and opportunities from the council. [1:57:48, 1:57:50]: that will vote and then they'll move forward with. [1:57:51, 1:57:52]: Thank you, sir. Yes, ma'am. [1:57:53, 1:58:02]: Council consideration to appoint members to the Planning Commission to fill the vacancies in District One, District Three, and District Four. Uh City Attorney. [1:58:17, 1:58:20]: Good evening all. Good evening. [1:58:20, 1:58:40]: Um so for the Planning Commission, um the applications and the resumes were previously sent to you. There's still an opening for District 1, District 3, and District 4. Um, what we've received is two applicants for district three who noted the Planning Commission, one applicant for um district four who [1:58:40, 1:58:49]: Noted the planning commission, and actually that applicant did not um mention any other um committees or boards, such as some of the other applicants did as well. [1:58:49, 1:58:50]: How many for digit one? [1:58:51, 1:58:57]: Um I'm sorry, I did overlook that one. Um and that person also listed um multiple others. [1:58:58, 1:58:58]: Thank you. [1:58:59, 1:59:05]: Council members from District One, three and four, I will uh accept the motion. Go ahead, Councilman Gamp. Mayor, I'm [1:59:06, 1:59:11]: I spoke to the person who put multiple sh she put multiple um [1:59:13, 1:59:19]: in things uh down and it this is not one of the committees she really wants to be on. Um [1:59:20, 1:59:25]: She may very well she has an interest in the youth council, is from my understanding, but [1:59:25, 1:59:31]: I'll have to speak back with her on that. So my my district one and then I spoke to another person. [1:59:32, 1:59:34]: And they haven't gotten back with me, so I'm gonna have to wait. [1:59:35, 1:59:37]: My person's still out of the country. [1:59:38, 1:59:45]: And see whether or not they're going to commit to doing it in my district. Would you like to I'll have to table mine my appointment. [1:59:46, 1:59:55]: There's a motion and a second to table the district one appointment to uh district one. All those in favor, please indicate by the sound of aye. Aye. [1:59:55, 1:59:56]: Alright, so moved. [1:59:57, 2:00:06]: So for district three, um the two applicants I and I only had the last names um that indicated planning were Thompson and Thazel. [2:00:09, 2:00:29]: Councilman Bear? Yes, for District Three, I'm uh been working with uh Mr. Thompson as the nomination for District Three. And so I would like to make that motion to proceed forward with my nomination for three. All right, there's a motion and a second for Mr. Thompson. All those in favor and indicate by the sign of aye. [2:00:29, 2:00:38]: All right, so moved. And district four. And district four, that person, um, the last name was Douglas. It was sent in the separate email thread. [2:00:38, 2:00:48]: Um mayor, I'd like to appoint Mika Douglas for District Four Planning Commission representative. Is there a second? A second. [2:00:49, 2:00:52]: All those in favor indicate by the sign of I. Aye. So moved. [2:00:53, 2:01:04]: Thank you so much. Of course. Uh let's see what is next. Next up is the council consideration to appoint members to the citywide development authority to fill a unexpired term. [2:01:05, 2:01:17]: Yes. And there were three applicants um who indicated their interest in the C DA. I have Mr Carter, uh Miss Johnson, and Mr. Tezell as listed. And how many seats do we have available? [2:01:17, 2:01:20]: Uh there is one vacancy available. [2:01:23, 2:01:24]: Mr. Tazel. [2:01:25, 2:01:26]: One second. [2:01:29, 2:01:33]: Is this um the board? [2:01:33, 2:01:38]: In which we appoint by districts? No. Okay, so this is [2:01:40, 2:01:50]: The CDA, um I thought I had that section listed on here uh on my cheat sheet. Um [2:01:53, 2:01:56]: But no, to answer your question is not by district. [2:01:57, 2:01:59]: Go ahead, Councilman. [2:02:00, 2:02:08]: One moment. I I just realized you're you're talking about this the CDA and that's my book that's the board that I'm appointed on. So um [2:02:10, 2:02:13]: One moment. If y'all can give me just one moment. I thought I'd [2:02:20, 2:02:24]: You said there were how many applicants? Um three that indicated the C D A. [2:02:25, 2:02:31]: You list the names again, wouldn't you? Sure can. Um Carter, Johnson, Tezel. My apologies if I'm saying any of these names wrong. [2:02:35, 2:02:37]: Uh [2:02:43, 2:02:44]: Carter. [2:02:45, 2:02:57]: One more time. Carter. Carter, Johnson, and Tazel. And this um term the the spot fills a term expiring at the end of twenty twenty six. Twenty twenty six. [2:02:58, 2:02:59]: Uh [2:03:01, 2:03:11]: You said Carter Johnson and Table. Tazel. Oh, she didn't want that. I'm sorry, now I realize what what you were saying. Cause I'm like, I don't see it in my book. I don't see everybody in here. [2:03:12, 2:03:14]: That was my issue, but I I tasel. [2:03:15, 2:03:17]: So I would like to make a motion to [2:03:20, 2:03:24]: Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to appoint Hazel. [2:03:24, 2:03:38]: On the development author citywide development authority. All right, I have a motion and a second to nominate uh Tazel for the Citywide Development Authority. All those in favor, please indicate by the sound of aye. Any opposed? Four to one. [2:03:39, 2:03:40]: Okay. Next up it [2:03:42, 2:03:42]: Table. [2:03:45, 2:03:45]: Portable. [2:03:47, 2:03:52]: Same. Oh, you were in favor? Yes. Okay. Excuse me. Unanimous, Madam Clerk. [2:03:53, 2:03:56]: Um next up is the ethics board. [2:03:56, 2:04:13]: Um ethics board has one vacancy. That term expires um end of year twenty twenty nine. Um that one's not done by district either. Um and there were four people who indicated interest in the ethics committee. Um that'd be Jenkins, Carter, Johnson, and Tazel. [2:04:20, 2:04:20]: Hmm. [2:04:22, 2:04:23]: So [2:04:24, 2:04:25]: [7468.1, 7470.0]: What's the full names one more time, please? [2:04:30, 2:04:34]: Um Jenkins, Carter, Johnson, and Tezel. [2:04:34, 2:04:36]: Okay, let me look at it. Hold on. [2:04:37, 2:04:43]: Um G uh I would like to make a nomination. [2:04:43, 2:04:44]: Councilman Barton. [2:04:44, 2:04:46]: This is for the antics war? That's correct. [2:04:48, 2:05:01]: I'd like to make a motion to appoint Johnny Jenkins to the ethics board. Second. All right, there is a motion and a second for Mr. Jenkins for the uh ethics board. All those in favor, please indicate by the sound of aye. [2:05:01, 2:05:03]: Unanimous. [2:05:04, 2:05:17]: Last one? Um two more. Two more. Um public s public facilities authority. Um I have four people who have indicated for that. Um Carter, Johnson, Taylor, and Tazel. [2:05:17, 2:05:19]: How many vacancies are there? [2:05:20, 2:05:23]: on the public facilities authority two. [2:05:26, 2:05:31]: And who have any appointment? [2:05:32, 2:05:32]: Carter. [2:05:33, 2:05:38]: To what now? To the public facilities authority. And there are two vacancies to answer your question, Mayor. [2:05:38, 2:05:39]: Thank you. Mm-hmm. [2:05:42, 2:05:44]: Public facilities authorities. Can we have two? [2:05:44, 2:05:46]: All right, there's a motion for Carter. Is there a second? [2:05:49, 2:05:49]: We need two numbers. [2:05:50, 2:05:54]: That's correct. I think Oh well that's only one. [2:05:55, 2:06:03]: My thought was she was just a um appoint just naming one person at a time. But if she's there's a motion for Carter, is there a second? [2:06:05, 2:06:06]: Is there a second? [2:06:08, 2:06:15]: All right, there's a second uh by Mr. Beer for um Mr. Carter being on the public facilities. [2:06:17, 2:06:21]: Authority. Thank you. Public facilities authority. All those in favor please indicate by the sign of aye. [2:06:23, 2:06:25]: Any opposed? [2:06:29, 2:06:32]: Any abstention? All abstract. Abstain. [2:06:33, 2:06:35]: Two zero three. [2:06:37, 2:06:42]: I would like to make a nomination for Johnson to the same. [2:06:45, 2:06:47]: Yeah, she wants a YouTuber. [2:06:48, 2:07:06]: So can we come back to that second person? The public facilities appointment. Yes, we certainly can. Uh can I have a motion to table the second nomination for the public facilities? All right, is there a second? Second. All in favor, please indicate by the sign of aye. Aye. Unanimous. Next on the agenda is the appointment to the youth council advisory. [2:07:06, 2:07:12]: Mayor. Yes, ma'am. I would like to appoint Mrs. Dranitra Johnson to the youth council advisory board. [2:07:13, 2:07:16]: I have a motion and a second. All those in favor, please indicate by sign up aye. [2:07:17, 2:07:35]: Act. How many vacancies are there on the youth council advisory? So the youth council advisory committee is a little bit interesting in their vacancies. Um they've got three officer vacancies and three at large seats. The officer positions expi all of six of those expired at the end of last year. [2:07:36, 2:07:40]: Even the ones that we just sworn in last meeting? No, not those. [2:07:41, 2:07:42]: So that three additional pen. [2:07:43, 2:08:03]: Right. So we need to advertise. So you are you saying that they're missing three they have three vacancies for their at large? Yes. Okay. That's fine. Table it. Well we'll I would like to table the remaining of those for now. I'd like to make a motion to table. All right. Second. Although [2:08:03, 2:08:10]: Those in favor, please indicate by the sign of aye. All right, unanimous. So we have the one member, Johnson, and then the rest are table. [2:08:11, 2:08:15]: Last one is the council appointment to the council on aging. [2:08:15, 2:08:35]: Yes, and this is actually my understanding is that this is the Henry Count Henry County, ooh, council on aging, Stockbridge's appointee to that seat. Um that board actually does not have a vacancy currently for the city of Stockbridge, um assuming that the county is using the same um district breakdown. [2:08:35, 2:08:38]: um that they do for the county commission. [2:08:39, 2:08:41]: It's district um [2:08:44, 2:08:45]: Sorry. Two. [2:08:47, 2:08:51]: Um district one is vacant and it looks like district four is Stockbridge. [2:08:52, 2:09:00]: My Cacan? No. Okay. The county county commission district, yes. Okay, thank you. Who is currently on our [2:09:02, 2:09:04]: Um Kim Thomas Smith. Okay. [2:09:05, 2:09:07]: Okay. So we need to reappoint her? [2:09:08, 2:09:09]: No, no. Okay, we're good. [2:09:10, 2:09:10]: Awesome. [2:09:13, 2:09:16]: I thank you. Thank you. On to new business. [2:09:18, 2:09:32]: I'm gonna ask our treaty city treasurer to come up. The new business is requests for mayor and council consideration to increase the city manager's contract signing authorization limit from the current fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Treasurer. [2:09:35, 2:09:37]: Good evening, Mayor and Council. [2:09:38, 2:09:38]: Good evening. [2:09:38, 2:09:45]: I wanted to give a background of w what brings us to where we are. [2:09:46, 2:09:58]: And whatever where you are going to take, whether you're going to raise it or not, but this is what happened in the past and where we are now and where we want to go. [2:10:00, 2:10:05]: with the previous arrangement for the Ampheatre. [2:10:05, 2:10:08]: The general manager was allowed. [2:10:08, 2:10:16]: according to the contract to sign any contract, any amount of the contract, fifty thousand, two hundred [2:10:18, 2:10:23]: However, the seat manager still remained at fifty thousand. [2:10:26, 2:10:31]: I don't know how we did that because the procurement manual says anything. [2:10:32, 2:10:35]: above fifty thousand has to go to council. [2:10:35, 2:10:40]: But I think we exempted that amph theater. [2:10:41, 2:10:45]: then the the general manager is no longer there. [2:10:47, 2:10:48]: Now [2:10:50, 2:10:56]: the c seat manager has to approve up to fifty thousand. So this is what happens. A dilemma to me. [2:10:57, 2:11:10]: is that there will be a contract specifically for amp theater and most of the times they need that now and now or tomorrow or two days. [2:11:10, 2:11:11]: So there are two ways. [2:11:13, 2:11:14]: If I approve it. [2:11:16, 2:11:17]: Whoever signs it [2:11:18, 2:11:20]: over fifty violating the [2:11:22, 2:11:25]: what is outstanding now violates the [2:11:25, 2:11:26]: Procurement. [2:11:27, 2:11:27]: Policies. [2:11:28, 2:11:29]: Procedures. [2:11:30, 2:11:33]: But they need that. I can't do that. [2:11:34, 2:11:35]: If I do that, it [2:11:36, 2:11:38]: It will be finance that is the [2:11:39, 2:11:40]: Violating that. [2:11:41, 2:11:42]: If I don't [2:11:42, 2:11:49]: I'll still be accused that we have lost the artist because we didn't pay, finance didn't pay. [2:11:52, 2:12:06]: However, the application of fifty thousand of allowable of the seat manager is across the board. That's what the procurement is. So it's not specific for Ampheat, it's for all funds. [2:12:09, 2:12:15]: now your approval will make sure that that procurement policy is also changed. [2:12:17, 2:12:30]: And if you don't approve what do I do? And if you approve it, to what amount are you going to approve? Will it be or will you remain it at fifty? Will it be seventy five? Will it be hundred thousand? [2:12:32, 2:12:43]: Something that we can discuss maybe if you have got questions before your approval. Where are we going? But that's the thing that is before us. [2:12:45, 2:13:05]: Now oh I'm sorry, go ahead. So just to understand'cause I know we didn't put the the price on here, but we are looking to increase his spending from fifty thousand to three hundred thousand. His spending authorization. The three hundred is just a suggestion. It's up to you because there will be th here's the thing that way happens most of the time [2:13:05, 2:13:10]: is when they say it's a three hundred artists, we pay half. [2:13:11, 2:13:17]: That means it will be two hundred. If you see uh no, one hundred and fifty. When the show is to be [2:13:18, 2:13:30]: The day before we pay the balance. So if it is for artists for four hundred, that means we have to pay a bala a deposit of two hundred. Most of the times we pay a half of the cost. [2:13:30, 2:13:34]: So three hundred is the suggestion because most of them [2:13:34, 2:13:42]: It will be maybe two hundred, one seventy something, four hundred really we have, but you never know where we'll be going. [2:13:43, 2:14:03]: So this is a spending authorization approval for for the position in general, not just for the cost of concerts or for the amphitheater, but in any capacity. You can limit that one if you so want as you limited the general manager for the ampheater was specifically for the amp theater. [2:14:03, 2:14:04]: No [2:14:05, 2:14:07]: Authorization has been made. [2:14:07, 2:14:08]: By anyone. [2:14:09, 2:14:13]: to go other than the amp theater. So you can limit this one. [2:14:13, 2:14:28]: But the procurement is across the board. But you can limit this one to say, yes, we're authorizing the city manager up to hundred thousand, up to two hundred thousand specifically for amphet. You can do that. Or you can say [2:14:28, 2:14:34]: Everything. Mayor. It's up to three hundred counts. [2:14:35, 2:14:55]: Mr. Malause, um I my concerns is that, you know, when you gave us the the procedural guidelines for accounting and finance that we had guardrails in to kind of protect us and safeguard us uh as a city. And I do understand that the amphitheater kind of sits outside some of those guidelines. [2:14:54, 2:15:03]: Guidelines because of the very nature of the business model that it has. But I'm I'm concerned. Uh it brings alarms for me that. [2:15:04, 2:15:24]: I don't want to do a blanketed uh solution for a problem that seems to have uh a definite answer to it is that um we need to put a policy in place for specifically this this particular business model and not change the entire procurement procedure for the entire [2:15:23, 2:15:43]: A city based off of based off of this. I think based upon some of the things that we've recently experienced on our financials in the past, in the recent past, gives me pause and concern to not do that. And so I [2:15:43, 2:15:52]: I my effort for the council is that we find another solution that fits this business model specifically and not change the whole [2:15:53, 2:15:55]: procurement process. [2:15:55, 2:15:57]: for this problem. [2:15:58, 2:16:18]: Yes, we can do that as you did with the authorizing the general manager specifically for this. So whether you are going to allow the seat manager specifically for this, at what amount you will come into. That's doable. We did it, but uh it was just strange that we gave the general [2:16:18, 2:16:31]: manager who was reporting was working under the city manager. The city manager had 50 but he had much um but yeah we can confine into only pr um amp theater. Okay. [2:16:31, 2:16:50]: Councilman Gantt. Thank you. I um uh there are certain things that that are considered special and unique. Like even in procurement, there are some things that are exempt from being going through procurement because it's special and unique. Artists are special and unique. They fluctuate from [2:16:50, 2:16:56]: You can get somebody to come a bunt band to perform for six thousand dollars or five thousand dollars and you can get [2:16:56, 2:16:57]: You know. [2:16:58, 2:17:00]: Uh Bantasia or [2:17:00, 2:17:13]: uh P J Morton or whomever else you want for hundreds of thousand dollars. Or beyond setter if you want to, right? But they're special and unique based off of their particular talent. And so we have to [2:17:15, 2:17:35]: narrow the scope specifically for that spending limit. And therefore, I personally, I understand and I know I and I I'm hearing my council members and I agree that we we don't give a broad scope of spending limit just in general. [2:17:34, 2:17:54]: But I believe the suggestion was$300,000 because of the way the contracts are written, right? A down payment, and then you have to pay another b balance, pay the remaining balance for these acts. Artist costs, there's production costs, there's lighting, there's everything, and there's a lot of spending. And when you're going through that. [2:17:54, 2:18:10]: that you can't come back to council every single time. And so it's a special, a special line item for that. So I would suggest that we um and I think we've mentioned this before, we limit the scope of allowing spending for the city manager. [2:18:12, 2:18:20]: For the amphitheater in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars. That would be my suggesti that was mess my motion that we limit the spending. [2:18:20, 2:18:40]: Uh specifically for the amphitheater spending for entertainment purposes or whatever you for the amphitheater operations, operations and events in the amphitheater, the limit is three hundred his spending limit is three hundred thousand dollars. So if you do three hundred, that means if we pay half that [2:18:40, 2:18:44]: three hundred that means the total would have been six hundred. [2:18:45, 2:18:47]: The the total is six hundred. [2:18:48, 2:18:57]: Three hundred. It's three hundred per transaction. So w are you saying what's the average cost? I wanna say the average cost of a show is about three hundred, three fifty. [2:18:57, 2:19:10]: Had it not been about three hundred and fifty thousand? So is it if it's three hundred per show, that means half of that will be one fifty. If it's four hundred show uh sure that means the half will be two hundred. Right. [2:19:11, 2:19:31]: If the show is four hundred, what the are you saying they have to come back to us for permission? He would have to come back to us for permission for that? No, if it's four hundred, that means the half will be two hundred. Then we'll pay another half for two hundred. So that's understanding, but let me ask the question. What is the largest per transaction, right? Give me one second, counsel. [2:19:31, 2:19:50]: What's the largest um I guess what is the highest concert we've in a c what is the highest we've paid in the concert? Just the number. Not the show itself, but what's the the highest No the the thing is artists are the one that we paid deposit. Are the expenses it's correct, like so what's the what's the highest we've paid? [2:19:51, 2:19:53]: No names. Yep. [2:19:55, 2:20:15]: Well, we had a festival. So how much is that festival? I mean, just estimate because that's multiple days which with one contract. Which one? Just I'm just saying what name a large amount. No. So that means if we have never had for four hundred, which would be a deposit of [2:20:15, 2:20:15]: Yeah. [2:20:18, 2:20:24]: So it's three hundred not fine? What's the suggested amount based off of your expertise, Mr. Malazi? [2:20:25, 2:20:30]: I think he's going based off of the artist, but the show is different. [2:20:30, 2:20:43]: So we might have a show, we might have a Southern Soul show. Just example, it might be four hundred thousand dollars for six artists. Can you come to the mic? For six artists. So he's saying that you're see you're basing it based off of [2:20:44, 2:20:46]: An artist, we're talking about the show. [2:20:47, 2:20:58]: Which is two different things. Correct. So if a show is four hundred thousand, you'll put two hundred deposits and then the day before or the day of we'll put the balance, which will be the other two. So it'll be four hundred thousand. [2:20:58, 2:21:16]: But we're we're basing it off of a contract, not the necessarily the there's one single contract. This is our invoice, it's four hundred thousand. So are we gonna have to cap it at the four hundred or do we just say we give him access to five hundred thousand dollars just to make sure we're up under the number? [2:21:16, 2:21:31]: So there aren't any problems. Mr. Uh Epmusson, please don't do that. But we when I say that, like don't, you know, we're we know not to splurge, we'll have a fit, right? But I'm just saying just for legal purposes, what we say [2:21:31, 2:21:45]: It he has that authorization of five hundred thousand and below just to be safe on spending for those concerts.'Cause we are we are coming up with a new structure and it's gonna be smart and scaled. Leave by your contract that three hundred. [2:21:46, 2:21:48]: Leave it at three hundred. Five hundred, yeah. [2:21:49, 2:22:03]: Leave it at three hundred. Leave it at three hundred? I have another not three fifty? Not four hundred. No. I'm talking if they the artist four hundred, that's why I've asked you. Have we ever had that? [2:22:04, 2:22:07]: We have never had, but you never know it may be. [2:22:08, 2:22:28]: Oh well if it is then who wanna pay a thousand dollars a seat for a ticket? I got you. I'm just saying. No, you good. I I just want to make sure you finish your comment. Okay, thank you. So are you um so leave it at three hundred? Okay, then we will leave it at three hundred. Was that the suggested number initially? It was. Okay, we're gonna leave it at three hundred. That's my motion. I have a few more questions before we go into our motion. Council. [2:22:28, 2:22:28]: Barb, go ahead. [2:22:30, 2:22:30]: Yeah. [2:22:30, 2:22:32]: I'm not going to cloud. [2:22:32, 2:22:41]: I'm concerned. That question I think she's speaking. Extremely concerned. [2:22:41, 2:22:48]: Um we have a responsibility as the governing body to provide oversight. [2:22:52, 2:22:54]: We will lose control of the oversight. [2:22:55, 2:22:57]: By giving anybody [2:22:58, 2:23:00]: Access to spending. [2:23:00, 2:23:02]: On a single transaction. [2:23:03, 2:23:04]: Of three hundred thousand dollars. [2:23:07, 2:23:08]: I'm not willing to give up. [2:23:09, 2:23:14]: My authority as a member of the governing body, although it seems like I'm outnumbered. [2:23:15, 2:23:17]: Um last year [2:23:19, 2:23:20]: In twenty twenty four. [2:23:21, 2:23:23]: Twenty twenty three. [2:23:24, 2:23:25]: Twenty twenty two. [2:23:27, 2:23:29]: А ситі спин мільяс. [2:23:31, 2:23:31]: Millions. [2:23:32, 2:23:33]: Over budget. [2:23:33, 2:23:35]: on the amphitheatre. [2:23:40, 2:23:41]: I have trust issues. [2:23:42, 2:23:43]: I'm still traumatized. [2:23:44, 2:23:47]: By the millions of dollars that was mismanaged. [2:23:48, 2:23:49]: Yeah, right. [2:23:49, 2:23:51]: While I sat right here. [2:23:52, 2:23:53]: On the council. [2:23:56, 2:23:59]: I take my responsibility very seriously. [2:24:01, 2:24:03]: And we're talking about three hundred thousand dollars. [2:24:03, 2:24:04]: per transaction. [2:24:06, 2:24:07]: It only takes [2:24:08, 2:24:09]: Three transactions. [2:24:10, 2:24:12]: And we're near a million dollars. [2:24:14, 2:24:18]: The three hundred tausin dollars that you all are diskassi. [2:24:19, 2:24:20]: It's just for the artists. [2:24:21, 2:24:23]: That does not include [2:24:23, 2:24:24]: Sound and lighting. [2:24:26, 2:24:26]: Security. [2:24:28, 2:24:28]: Uh sure is. [2:24:30, 2:24:31]: Ticketing personnel. [2:24:33, 2:24:34]: Concession vendors. [2:24:35, 2:24:37]: [8677.6, 8679.2]: cost associated [2:24:40, 2:24:41]: With running [2:24:42, 2:24:43]: The amphitheatre. [2:24:44, 2:24:45]: I can't do this. [2:24:47, 2:24:48]: I am really [2:24:48, 2:24:50]: Surprise that we're even having. [2:24:51, 2:24:52]: This discussion [2:24:52, 2:24:54]: Of increasing [2:24:54, 2:24:56]: The spending authorization. [2:24:59, 2:25:01]: Just for the amphitheatre. [2:25:03, 2:25:05]: We are a municipality. [2:25:06, 2:25:12]: Our focus should be on the services that we're providing. [2:25:12, 2:25:13]: to the residents. [2:25:15, 2:25:17]: I'd much rather [2:25:19, 2:25:19]: Again. [2:25:19, 2:25:21]: I think my position is clear. [2:25:22, 2:25:24]: Uh, support our amphitheater. [2:25:25, 2:25:26]: I see what it does for our community. [2:25:28, 2:25:29]: But I also [2:25:29, 2:25:30]: Realize [2:25:31, 2:25:32]: Our city is not equipped. [2:25:34, 2:25:36]: To manage or operate. [2:25:36, 2:25:37]: A amphitheater. [2:25:38, 2:25:41]: Our financials demonstrate that. [2:25:41, 2:25:43]: Year over year. [2:25:44, 2:25:44]: Over a year. [2:25:46, 2:25:48]: We lost sight and control. [2:25:48, 2:25:49]: Of the spending. [2:25:51, 2:25:52]: I cannot. [2:25:52, 2:25:53]: And will not. [2:25:54, 2:25:55]: Forfeit. [2:25:55, 2:25:56]: My obligation. [2:25:56, 2:25:58]: And my responsibility. [2:25:58, 2:25:59]: For the oversight. [2:26:00, 2:26:01]: I didn't give anybody. [2:26:02, 2:26:02]: Permission. [2:26:03, 2:26:04]: To spin. [2:26:04, 2:26:06]: more than what they were authorized. [2:26:09, 2:26:10]: Several well. [2:26:11, 2:26:13]: Couple of people said they they just didn't know. [2:26:14, 2:26:16]: When the mismanagement happened. [2:26:17, 2:26:19]: They said they didn't know. [2:26:20, 2:26:24]: Well by us aut authorizing [2:26:25, 2:26:26]: The increase [2:26:27, 2:26:28]: Of three hundred thousand. [2:26:30, 2:26:31]: You won't know. [2:26:32, 2:26:33]: was being spent. [2:26:33, 2:26:34]: And when? [2:26:35, 2:26:37]: That is what I'm afraid of. [2:26:37, 2:26:39]: Ви воз компліт контроль. [2:26:41, 2:26:45]: We must have checks and balances in place. [2:26:45, 2:26:46]: I would hope. [2:26:46, 2:26:49]: That Mr. Malazi as the city treasurer [2:26:49, 2:26:51]: The chief financial officer [2:26:52, 2:26:53]: Would not be signing off. [2:26:54, 2:26:55]: On things like that. [2:26:56, 2:27:00]: You're supposed to be our checks and balances, so not you, sir. And [2:27:01, 2:27:05]: The city manager, if the council so chooses, to authorize this. [2:27:06, 2:27:09]: then I would expect that the city manager would be signing it. [2:27:11, 2:27:14]: And the chief financial officer would just be managing. [2:27:15, 2:27:15]: The spending. [2:27:16, 2:27:18]: But we have to have checks and balances. [2:27:18, 2:27:19]: That's why [2:27:20, 2:27:21]: Both rolls. [2:27:21, 2:27:23]: There should be a separation. [2:27:24, 2:27:26]: Of those responsibilities. [2:27:28, 2:27:29]: I thought we had. [2:27:30, 2:27:31]: Enough controls in place. [2:27:33, 2:27:35]: To ensure that we are being responsible. [2:27:36, 2:27:38]: I don't think we do. [2:27:38, 2:27:39]: Or maybe it's just [2:27:42, 2:27:45]: A moral thing, or maybe for me. [2:27:45, 2:27:47]: I'm very sensitive to it. [2:27:48, 2:27:48]: Even today. [2:27:49, 2:27:52]: That's millions of dollars that has been wasted. [2:27:53, 2:27:54]: I just cannot do it. And it [2:27:55, 2:27:57]: Nothing to do with you, Mr. Edmondson. [2:27:59, 2:28:00]: Nothing to do with you. [2:28:02, 2:28:04]: All of us have a responsibility here. [2:28:05, 2:28:06]: We must. [2:28:08, 2:28:10]: Must provide proper oversight. [2:28:11, 2:28:16]: If we give three hundred thousand dollars to someone, we've lost control once again. [2:28:18, 2:28:21]: I can't support this. I'm sorry. Thank you. [2:28:22, 2:28:24]: So mayor on council. [2:28:25, 2:28:34]: What we are doing here is to normalize something that was already being done, but it was being done through the contract, which was not proper. [2:28:35, 2:28:39]: And now it's up to you to accept it, to to give it [2:28:39, 2:28:52]: But this was the being done in the past. You were doing the same, but now these are the control because you are the one that is voting. You are going to vote. So I'll be managing [2:28:54, 2:28:56]: Something that you have voted on. [2:28:57, 2:29:02]: I'll have control oversight on something that you have decided. [2:29:03, 2:29:09]: uh and you have voted it other than what was being done in the past. So we are normalizing something that was already being done. [2:29:09, 2:29:11]: Because I don't want it to [2:29:11, 2:29:13]: He is that e [2:29:14, 2:29:22]: We have lost the artist because you didn't pay. So the blame comes on me because I haven't done. If I do that without cancel, [2:29:22, 2:29:30]: That means I'm violating the so I was in a very awkward situation. So what you are voting something that has already been taking place. [2:29:32, 2:29:34]: Uh give me one second, Councilman Clow. [2:29:37, 2:29:57]: Okay, I was it there's a current motion out there, right? There's a motion? Still motion. Okay, the motion's still out there. Okay, well then I would just say then uh just for clarification purposes, I believe what I heard was that uh normally or we have not spent over three hundred thousand for a invoice. [2:29:57, 2:30:00]: In totality, correct? For an artist. [2:30:00, 2:30:04]: We have never done that. We have not even gone to [2:30:05, 2:30:16]: maybe very few contracts have gone three hundred one contract. Okay. Because we may have one contract and within a contract most of the times it's not one artist. There are several. [2:30:16, 2:30:36]: Right. Artists. We may have up to four or five artists. So that amount of two hundred, three hundred is not one artist. Okay. But I'm just I'm just trying to make sure that we get clarification here. For do we need to make this does it need to be three hundred thousand in total for one invoice. [2:30:36, 2:30:42]: One invoice contract. That contract uh three hundred whether we pay [2:30:43, 2:30:46]: one fifty we'll pay. [2:30:46, 2:31:06]: But it's one a contract. Just one kind. Okay, so that's good for clarification. So I believe that if we're paying more than three hundred thousand for artists, even though we have a budget and obviously the approval is to spend within that budget, if we are spending over three hundred thousand for our artists. [2:31:06, 2:31:23]: I actually think the council should know. So that would be my, I would support that$300,000 with the amphitheater per invoice. As long as we stay within per contract, sorry. [2:31:23, 2:31:43]: Uh and if anything over that, yeah, I think the council should know about it. So yeah, I'm in support of that. Is it a possibility to do uh uh a myriad of things?'Cause again, my first request was that we have some type of guidelines or some type of guardrails in place that we have some accountability built into it because we're proving something, but we like count. [2:31:43, 2:31:57]: Councilwoman Barber said we're taking away our ability to have oversight. And it's not that we don't let me let me So he here's the here's the procedure. When you have that even that fifty thousand. [2:31:58, 2:32:06]: Even if it's ten thousand, three thousand, two thousand, we have procedure that we have to go through. The founder, the artist. [2:32:08, 2:32:09]: They w they will talk. [2:32:10, 2:32:17]: then we'll have a contract. That contract will come, our attorney have to go through it, approve it. [2:32:17, 2:32:20]: Before he signs or before the general manager signs it. [2:32:21, 2:32:28]: And bef from there then payment they have to meet all the internal control procedures for payment. [2:32:29, 2:32:37]: And we are going either to um C A SCH or we are going to wire it. Most of the artists will need the SCH or wire. [2:32:38, 2:32:41]: Hard rechecks is in the general operations. [2:32:42, 2:32:45]: So those procedures will not go away. [2:32:45, 2:32:47]: How will it be reported to council in real time? [2:32:49, 2:33:03]: like uh the expenses for uh for amp theater they'll be there. Anytime the sum that I sent it to you, you need it every month. Whenever you need them, they will be there. You know this artist, of course, will not mention the name. [2:33:04, 2:33:08]: Um but they will be there, just like any other expenditure. [2:33:10, 2:33:16]: on expenditures that exceed that amount. You get all expenses regardless. [2:33:17, 2:33:26]: So there will be no difference of what was being reported for Ampheater, only that now you know it's 300. [2:33:26, 2:33:29]: That you have but this one was being done by the [2:33:30, 2:33:34]: General manager, it was being done again. He was signing on behalf of [2:33:34, 2:33:42]: The city, you gave that authority to the general manager. Now you are giving that authority to the city manager. [2:33:43, 2:34:03]: So let me let me have a better understanding here. Um and I know for a fact the people of Stockbridge one, um, they want a government that's careful with our money, especially with some of the stuff that's transpired over the last few months and maybe the last year or so, um, especially with understanding that cities do amendments to the budget, but that was just a major amendment. [2:34:03, 2:34:23]: That we just did, and the city is still asking the question why or not the city, but the constituents are. Um, and so I really want us to be clear on not just the processes, but the accountability on the decisions that are being made with this type of money and the recommendation that this council is doing. Um, I don't personally feel that this ordinance will meet the standard for what we need to process. [2:34:23, 2:34:35]: process this information, especially in regards to the amphitheater. I know there's a motion that was specifically specified only for the usage of the amphitheater, but I I really want to see more precedent in that outside of just that operation. [2:34:36, 2:34:43]: Madam Aton is here, so if you approve specifically for that, that ordinance will entail into that. [2:34:44, 2:34:47]: Ма і снайвен же да, і зріфермі. [2:34:48, 2:34:52]: Most of our money is tax dollars. Like it's not f it's not [2:34:52, 2:35:03]: to where we're getting most of our funds from commercial or grants. Most of it is our everyday people working for our no no. It's taxpayer dollars. No, it's operational [2:35:04, 2:35:12]: So so how so how are we moving and maneuvering our funds for this for basically a blank check for concerts, correct? [2:35:13, 2:35:23]: You you appropriated three million for Ampheatre. It's budgeted for. You approved the budget. So that's the money that you will be spending. [2:35:23, 2:35:35]: Gotcha. Okay. Alex. Okay. So now yeah. So the way is the you appropriated three million. Out of that three million, there will be ten, there will be twelve or sixteen. [2:35:35, 2:35:36]: Concept. [2:35:36, 2:35:40]: So each concert will be okay, this concert is coming, the first one will be [2:35:41, 2:35:42]: Three hundred and fifty. [2:35:42, 2:35:45]: Out of three hundred and fifty we give the artist the [2:35:45, 2:35:47]: One hundred and seventy. [2:35:47, 2:35:48]: Hundred and fifty. [2:35:49, 2:35:50]: Hі u sign that contract. [2:35:51, 2:35:56]: Besides that contract of artists, there are related expenses, other expenses. [2:35:57, 2:35:59]: So that is [2:36:00, 2:36:01]: Concept of a [2:36:02, 2:36:08]: A contract of three hundred may end up three hundred and fifty, may end up four hundred. [2:36:08, 2:36:11]: But the artist is less than two hundred. [2:36:12, 2:36:14]: 'Cause they are related expenses travel. [2:36:14, 2:36:15]: [9375.9, 9380.2]: All that kind of thing that they'll be there. And then their corresponding revenues. [2:36:20, 2:36:39]: Okay. Unfortunate revenues have not been until maybe now they have not been up to our expenses. But you approved three hundred million for Ampheatre. Three million. Three million. Three. Three million. Uh Mayor. Three million. Councilman Barber and then Councilman McGaint? [2:36:39, 2:36:40]: No, I wanted um [2:36:41, 2:36:47]: Miss Megan Attorney McCullough to just explain um that [2:36:48, 2:36:50]: Contractors are not [2:36:50, 2:36:51]: Authorized [2:36:52, 2:36:55]: to sign any contracts on behalf of the city. [2:36:55, 2:36:57]: That includes a general contractor. [2:37:01, 2:37:02]: That is correct. Um [2:37:03, 2:37:04]: And [2:37:05, 2:37:06]: There were some [2:37:06, 2:37:11]: language in um the prior general manager's contract that [2:37:12, 2:37:12]: Did [2:37:14, 2:37:28]: impliedly grant him some uh some authority there. Um but understand where you're coming from with that that yes there is a code section uh that specifically lays out who has uh contract signing authority. Yeah. In our charter it does speak to that. [2:37:29, 2:37:30]: Um the other [2:37:31, 2:37:34]: point I wanted to make. So one of the [2:37:36, 2:37:43]: One of the things that I have had the opportunity to witness with contracts. [2:37:43, 2:37:44]: And how [2:37:44, 2:37:47]: The system can be circumvented. [2:37:47, 2:37:49]: And you mentioned it, Mr. Malazi. [2:37:50, 2:37:53]: If there is an artist with a contract amount of [2:37:53, 2:37:55]: Um four hundred thousand. [2:37:56, 2:38:00]: Then we have to pay them in increments of two. [2:38:02, 2:38:06]: Three hundred on one and a hundred, the next payment. [2:38:07, 2:38:24]: Yes, typically it's um say it's the total amount is one hundred thousand, uh the deposit is usually gonna be the fifty thousand and then the balance being the other fifty for the artist. That doesn't necessarily include the production um cost as well. Well the the concern that I have is um [2:38:25, 2:38:39]: Unless the council uh puts in the motion specifically um whatever that limit is per artist. If per artist contract is under three hundred thousand, then [2:38:40, 2:38:47]: he's authorized to sign it. And I just don't want there to be a instance where there's an artist whose cost is um [2:38:49, 2:39:06]: Seven hundred thousand. Sure. And then there would be three separate payments. Um make your fee. Correct. That can certainly we can certainly um make that specific in the ordinance. But again, that is where why I am really reluctant. [2:39:06, 2:39:08]: Because the council lose control. [2:39:09, 2:39:11]: of these transactions. [2:39:11, 2:39:12]: Um [2:39:13, 2:39:17]: That's all. I just wanted to make those points for the record too, please. Thank you. [2:39:19, 2:39:20]: Councilwoman Gain. [2:39:20, 2:39:40]: Thank you. Um I that was what I addressed uh initially. Um I agree. I think all the council, every single one of us have agreed with that same exact concern. And I said per contract. And uh one thing I uh the the difference between what we're doing now versus what was done. [2:39:40, 2:39:42]: Done [2:39:43, 2:39:45]: A managing, a third party managing firm. [2:39:45, 2:40:05]: Who didn't have a limit. There was no scope of a limit, I don't I believe, in regards to them being able to enter into the contract agreements at that time and you know, and and we paid those. Now we are internal. We're talking about our city manager. We're authorizing our city manager, just like the police. [2:40:05, 2:40:15]: Police department came in here a couple of w months ago and asked us, Hey, we need to increase the Kappa spending. We need to l because we need [2:40:15, 2:40:35]: Um, to fix our automobiles and we we need to go with one vendor. We don't want to go through, you know, X, Y, and Z process. There's no difference in what we're doing here. We are going to, my motion is specific. It is$300,000 cap per contract per or proper. [2:40:35, 2:40:37]: Per artist for the amphitheater. [2:40:38, 2:40:41]: For the amphitheatre only, for the spending. [2:40:42, 2:40:48]: Deal in anything dealing with the amphitheater. If an artist cost three hundred [2:40:49, 2:41:00]: in ten thousand, three hundred and one hundred dollars. That artist, that contract will have to come before mayor and council. And in addition to that, [2:41:00, 2:41:01]: Let me be clear that [2:41:03, 2:41:04]: We [2:41:04, 2:41:08]: Our mayor council, being that this is an internal [2:41:08, 2:41:21]: We can get whatever report we want now. Last time we we were able to get reports, we were supposed to get them in a timely manner that we get in some the mayor we know, I can't go, you know, who got what. But [2:41:22, 2:41:23]: This is internal. [2:41:23, 2:41:43]: This is a process going on with our city manager and our treasurer. So there shouldn't be any numbers that we can't just call up and ask and not have, right? There shouldn't be a contract that we just couldn't call up and not have access to because we know that mayor council has that authority to do so. [2:41:43, 2:42:03]: My concern is at the time it was a third party. So communication between the city manager or whomever and and getting to the third party or pr providing certain documents or however that went, that's in the past. We're doing everything internal right now and we are limiting [2:42:03, 2:42:20]: And giving, we're extending, we're increasing. My motion is to increase the spending cap limit to our city manager for$300,000 per artist or per contract for the amphitheater. Dealing with the amphitheater. Second. [2:42:21, 2:42:26]: You got a comment over here, mister C Mr Clown. I I I I see it, councilman. Give me one second. [2:42:28, 2:42:29]: [9750.4, 9760.0]: Councilman Clapp, go ahead. Yeah, just a quick question. With those contracts, uh, is there ever a case where they're amended for any purposes? [2:42:43, 2:42:53]: Um so most of the times if there is amendment we used to have the attorney have a look at it, but now we have entertainment attorney. So depending on the language that is there. [2:42:53, 2:43:05]: They may make some changes before it's signed, before it's brought to before it's signed, but after it's signed, are there any cases where they come back to the table where there's amendments? Okay. [2:43:05, 2:43:24]: There's certainly times where that could happen. It may not be about it wouldn't necessarily be about the amounts um in question in the contract. It could be about certain things in a writer. Okay. Um, or like a hospitality suite or something. Um, or um dates of deposits being due. Those are the most common kind of amendments. Okay. [2:43:25, 2:43:33]: I just said that because I think that it would be good for us to outline that legally to say that if once a contract is signed [2:43:34, 2:43:52]: If there was any kind of monetary changes, just if, then I don't care if it's three hundred thousand and one penny. The council has to know about that one penny. So that long as we spell that out legally, I'm I'm in support of that. Correct. There's a motion and second. Final call for discussion. [2:43:52, 2:44:11]: Well, I have one more. I want to make the clarification because after I spoke with the council just then, I won't I just wanna be clear again and let me repeat my motion for the record. The motion is to increase the spending to our city manager for$300,000. [2:44:12, 2:44:23]: capped in dealing per contract, per artist, regardless of amendments or not, just that artist, that contract. It so [2:44:24, 2:44:44]: And I'm saying this on the record, there can't be that artist has two separate contracts. It's that artist$300,000 for that show, period. Right? Anything else above that would have to come to Mayor and Council. All right. [2:44:44, 2:44:47]: Right? So the I'm sorry? [2:44:47, 2:44:54]: Per show because one show may have three per contract per show per artist. [2:44:55, 2:45:06]: Correct. I I wanna second the motion and say I have full confidence in the city manager managing the process. All right, I have a motion in the second. Mayor. Yes, ma'am. [2:45:06, 2:45:10]: I have one question, please. Final question. Um, is this to change the ordinance? [2:45:11, 2:45:23]: Yes. This is to change the ordinance. It would need to be done via ordinance. Okay. And the other question, the force majeure clause um or cancellation clause, is that included in the artist contract? [2:45:24, 2:45:39]: Um generally speaking, all artist contracts will include a force majeure contract. Okay. Um you probably won't be able to find many artists who would um agree to a show uh without one. Um but I would defer to the entertainment attorney on that specifically. Is the entertainment attorney here? [2:45:41, 2:45:48]: Okay. Um, because I don't agree with rescheduling any shows. [2:45:49, 2:45:51]: For the same amount. [2:45:51, 2:45:56]: Is essentially the city paying the same amount for the original show. [2:45:56, 2:45:58]: And the rescheduled show. [2:45:59, 2:46:01]: I don't agree with that and [2:46:02, 2:46:22]: I need the entertainment attorney to address that question. I think I think that question can be entertained with a different cause that that's not really pertaining this specific instance, but that's something that we're talking about. Well, we're talking about a contract. Oh per contract. I think it could be for the artists. Correct. It would be in the contract language. I'd like to see the [2:46:22, 2:46:39]: contract language or the template that is being used for all artists. I want to see it. Madam Attorney, if you could just work on that. All right. All those in favor of the motion uh presented by Councilman Ganner of Dish1 please indicate by the sound of aye. Aye. Any opposed? [2:46:40, 2:46:42]: Four two one. [2:46:44, 2:46:57]: All right. Next we have the mayor's comments at which I will defer for executive session. Council, I will accept a motion to adjourn for executive session. Mayor, I move that we go into executive session for real estate personnel, litigation, and cybersecurity. [2:46:57, 2:47:05]: Thank you. There's a motion. Is there a second? Is it second by Mr. Berry? All those in favor, please indicate by the sign of aye. All right. We shall return, folks. We're heading to executive session.