2022-01-04 · City Council · Transcript · Special Called Meeting Via Zoom

--- title: Special Called Meeting Via Zoom date: 2022-01-04 source: 2022-01-04_Special_Called_Meeting_Via_Zoom.wav --- [0:00:07, 0:00:09]: Thank you. Appreciate that. Recording. [0:00:11, 0:00:12]: Fantastic. [0:00:18, 0:00:23]: Okay, uh Councilman Barber, good evening to you. Councilman Thomas, good evening. [0:00:24, 0:00:26]: Catherine Blount, good evening to you as well. [0:00:27, 0:00:28]: Good evening, sir. [0:00:30, 0:00:31]: Good evening, everyone. [0:00:35, 0:00:36]: Ms. Johnson. [0:00:37, 0:00:37]: Good evening. [0:00:38, 0:00:39]: Right. [0:00:40, 0:00:42]: And we're now streaming on Facebook. [0:01:12, 0:01:13]: [100.0, 100.9]: Good, got it. [0:01:43, 0:01:45]: Good evening, Mr. Gardner. How you doing, sir? [0:01:46, 0:01:47]: Good to see you. [0:01:49, 0:01:50]: I'm doing fine, Mr. Mayor. How are you? [0:01:51, 0:01:53]: Oh, just fine, just fine. Absolutely. [0:01:53, 0:01:54]: Alrighty. [0:01:54, 0:01:56]: Good. Happy New Year, everybody. [0:01:56, 0:01:58]: Happy New Year too, sir. Appreciate it. [0:02:00, 0:02:01]: Happy New Year. [0:02:02, 0:02:02]: Thank you. [0:02:05, 0:02:08]: Sana Thornton, the PIO was present, outstanding. [0:02:10, 0:02:14]: We got the chief of police, Mr. Tremor. Chief Tremorlin, how you doing, sir? [0:02:15, 0:02:16]: Yeah. [0:02:16, 0:02:21]: Doing well, Mayor. I'm driving but I wanted to uh be on the call this evening. Thank you. [0:02:21, 0:02:29]: No problem. Good stuff. Appreciate it. Mayor Ford, this is Shane. Just a friendly reminder, we are live on Facebook, sir. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. [0:03:00, 0:03:00]: Mm-hmm. [0:03:01, 0:03:05]: All righty. Mr. Washington, good to see you, sir. Good evening. [0:03:07, 0:03:08]: Oh, greedy, greedy. [0:03:09, 0:03:09]: Right. [0:03:17, 0:03:18]: I'll make it. [0:03:31, 0:03:35]: Okay, so I got John Wiggins, Miss Johnson, Miss Wheeler. [0:03:36, 0:03:37]: Okay, good evening folks. [0:03:40, 0:03:41]: Good evening. [0:03:41, 0:03:42]: All right. [0:03:43, 0:03:44]: Got the Mirapro Town. [0:03:45, 0:03:46]: Good evening, sir. [0:03:50, 0:03:52]: Good evening, everyone. Good evening. [0:03:55, 0:04:00]: All right, so let's see here. What do we have for time? [0:04:01, 0:04:06]: Okay, I have, oh ladies and gentlemen, we are recording. We're on Facebook Live and I have 601. [0:04:07, 0:04:11]: So I am going to call the meeting to order. [0:04:12, 0:04:32]: And uh on that note, I will do the invocation for this evening. Please bow your heads. Lord, thank you to bring us together once again as we continue to do the cities and the citizens' work as we discuss and approve and appoint the next city manager to this outstanding city. Be with always Lord as we make good logical decisions and we continue to move the city forward. [0:04:32, 0:04:37]: with greatness and make the city even greater than it is today. Be this always, Lord, in your name. Amen. [0:04:38, 0:04:40]: All right, if we can stand for the Pledge Allegiance, please. [0:04:43, 0:04:47]: Place allegiance to the flag flag of the United States of America. [0:04:47, 0:04:50]: And to your father for which it stands. [0:04:50, 0:04:51]: One nation. [0:04:51, 0:04:52]: And look at [0:04:52, 0:04:55]: indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [0:04:56, 0:04:57]: Oh. [0:04:58, 0:05:01]: Madam Clerk, uh roll call, please. [0:05:08, 0:05:10]: You're muted, Madam Clerk. Here forward. [0:05:10, 0:05:11]: Present. [0:05:13, 0:05:14]: Mayor Pro Tem Alexander. [0:05:14, 0:05:15]: Present. [0:05:15, 0:05:16]: Councilwoman Barber. [0:05:17, 0:05:17]: Excellent. [0:05:17, 0:05:19]: Councilman Blount. [0:05:19, 0:05:20]: Present. [0:05:20, 0:05:21]: Councilwoman Gantt. [0:05:24, 0:05:27]: Let the record reflect Councilwoman Gann is not in attendance. Councilman Thomas. [0:05:28, 0:05:28]: Project. [0:05:28, 0:05:31]: Mayor Ford, do you have a quorum? Thank you, uh Madam Clerk. [0:05:33, 0:05:46]: Council, I need a motion to adopt the agenda, which is the special call meeting in reference to the approval and appointment of our next city manager, Mr. Fred Gardner, which is online right now with us at this time. Some of you. Is there a second? [0:05:47, 0:05:51]: Seconds. Mr. Bernbro Tim Seconds had all in favor of the motion, please indicate. [0:05:53, 0:06:13]: And it's unanimous for the folks that are here. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we we have the opportunity to go ahead and approve our next city manager. He's like once again, he's present. If there is any further discussion and on the personnel matters that we have to discuss or need to discuss, we'd have to go into second session for that because this is an open meeting, so we we don't talk about personnel actions openly in this aspect. [0:06:13, 0:06:18]: But on that note, I will ask whether or not there is a motion to go into second session if that is a need. [0:06:18, 0:06:24]: Mayor Ford, I'd like to make a motion to go into an executive session for personnel matters. [0:06:24, 0:06:25]: Okay, is there a second? [0:06:27, 0:06:29]: Um councilman Thomas seconds that. [0:06:29, 0:06:30]: Okay. [0:06:31, 0:06:33]: All right. All in favor of motion, please indicate. [0:06:35, 0:06:41]: All pol okay, Merpotem, you you okay, Mayor Potem, you approve that. Okay, all pose. [0:06:42, 0:06:44]: Or sustain. Abstain. [0:06:46, 0:06:47]: Uh Class. [0:06:48, 0:06:49]: Abstain, Mayor. [0:06:49, 0:07:09]: Okay. All right. So on that note, we'll we'll go into executive session. And uh so what are we gonna need? That would be the entire council, the attorneys, the HR manager, and uh everybody else would have oh both Jeremy. I'm glad to see you online as well. So we need to get a link for all everybody else. Once again, the the account of the council. [0:07:09, 0:07:12]: Council, uh, the HR manager, the clerk. [0:07:13, 0:07:19]: Excuse me, along with the attorneys. And folks, we'll do that and then we'll be back as soon as we can. All right. Stand by. [0:07:21, 0:07:26]: I'll see you in a second session in a few minutes, please. And Miss Halley, I bless you, you'll be sending out a different link for that, correct? [0:07:43, 0:07:44]: Yeah. [0:07:46, 0:07:49]: Real quick, Miss Halliday, can you hear me? [0:07:50, 0:07:51]: Yes. [0:07:51, 0:07:56]: Generally what the county does is they don't shut the meeting down if they're in the executive session. [0:07:56, 0:08:00]: They leave it open, they leave the camera open, and that's what we used to do. [0:08:00, 0:08:02]: So when people [0:08:02, 0:08:05]: um, you know, a come on or they try to get on. [0:08:05, 0:08:12]: The meeting, the the original meeting never shuts down. It stays going. So they will know that we're in executive session if they try to use that link. [0:08:13, 0:08:15]: I've created [0:08:15, 0:08:22]: A page just for that. Um, may approach M Alexander to put up, I was going over that with IT today. [0:08:22, 0:08:26]: Okay, thank you. And we will have that in place. Thank you. You're welcome. [0:08:38, 0:08:42]: We just need the mayor to sign off on it as presiding officer. [0:08:42, 0:08:47]: All right. Is anybody a a the historian of the city? Would you happen to know what number? [0:08:48, 0:08:55]: This would be this what number city manager that would be like the 43rd president or 44th president? Would anybody know? [0:08:57, 0:08:59]: Have a document that does [0:09:00, 0:09:07]: I have a document that has the officers, but I would have to actually go back and tell you what that was. I can't tell you that right now. [0:09:07, 0:09:08]: Okay. [0:09:12, 0:09:14]: Wasn't looking for that question, so [0:09:15, 0:09:16]: That's interesting. [0:10:14, 0:10:16]: Yeah, that's good. [0:10:39, 0:10:41]: All right, ladies and gentlemen, sorry about my delay. [0:10:43, 0:10:53]: that off. Okay. So we have everybody back in here now. All right. Good deal. So I need a motion, ladies and gentlemen, to uh to end our executive session, please. So move. [0:10:53, 0:10:54]: No second. [0:10:55, 0:10:56]: Okay. [0:10:56, 0:11:03]: Okay. I got I saw Mr. Thomas, uh I mean saw Mr. Thomas's hand. We'll give it him a second. Okay, all in third, please indicate. [0:11:05, 0:11:07]: Okay, I need a motion now to reconvene a special call meeting. [0:11:08, 0:11:14]: So move. Okay. Miss okay, Miss Thomas again. Second that. All in favor, please indicate. [0:11:16, 0:11:27]: Thank you very much. All right. So out of the second uh out of the second uh session for the special call meeting, we have a a solution and an answer and and uh something we need to bring to the public side. Mayor Pro Tem, please. [0:11:27, 0:11:47]: Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I want you to understand that this council takes this charge serious. We had deliberative discussions over what we uh were going to do. Uh, we took due diligence and time because we understand uh the appointment of city manager is extremely important because on a day-to-day basis we have the councilman. [0:11:47, 0:11:52]: manager form of government and the city manager actually runs the city. [0:11:53, 0:11:58]: It is my pleasure to nominate Frederick Gardner as the new [0:11:58, 0:12:02]: City Manager for the City of Stockbridge with the confirmation of this council. [0:12:03, 0:12:04]: Second. [0:12:04, 0:12:06]: So mayor, okay, councilman Blount, second that [0:12:07, 0:12:09]: Uh okay. All in favor of the motion, please indicate. [0:12:11, 0:12:30]: Fantastic. It's unanimous decision. Fantastic. Now, congratulations. Now, earlier in the evening, before we went to the second session, we had Mr. Gardner online. And I'd like to have us all congratulate him personally. And is there a way that we can reconnect with uh with Mr. Gardner, Ms. Holiday, if you can uh reconnect with him, please? [0:12:30, 0:12:32]: We can welcome into the fold. [0:12:38, 0:12:39]: You're muted, Vanessa. [0:12:39, 0:12:44]: Yes, sir. And I also sent the message out to the directors as well. Okay, thank you very much. Appreciate that. [0:12:46, 0:12:50]: So let's stand by here and and uh wait for everybody to be reconnected here. [0:12:54, 0:12:56]: So I'm sure it might take a mirror. [0:12:56, 0:12:57]: Yes, sir. [0:12:57, 0:13:05]: I'm sure it might take a few minutes for him to come back online for everybody to get online. I thank you for the opportunity for us to be able to speak. [0:13:05, 0:13:09]: It might be a good opportunity for you or someone on the council to kind of talk about [0:13:10, 0:13:27]: that role of city manager. A lot of people are has confusion because they think we run the city and we make the decisions and then in the end it's the city manager who carries out the day-to-day operations. I don't know whether the attorneys might be able to splay in that role or somebody might be a good opportunity to do that. [0:13:27, 0:13:47]: No, well, I mean, I can start that process and I've been acting in that capacity for a couple of months now. But anyway, the city manager runs the day-to-day staff and and implements the decisions, legislative decisions that the council makes, the merit of the council make in this aspect. But there's a merit amount of situations with all the directors that the city manager has to deal with. A lot of the directors will come right back on for [0:13:47, 0:14:07]: This part of the meeting as well. They have supervision of those day-to-day operations, those directors, whether it's for the finance, whether it's economic development. It deals with the the uh community development aspect, the public uh works, which is our largest actual uh directorate in reference to keeping the the city clean and and and spruced up and and handling all those things. [0:14:07, 0:14:21]: things and our roadways and things of this nature as well. And then we of course we have the the clerk's office and we have uh um the uh actual uh I already mentioned community development and aspect as well. Mr. Gardner, welcome back, sir. [0:14:23, 0:14:24]: Thank you. [0:14:24, 0:14:38]: Congratulations, Mr. Gardner. We we unanimously selected you as our next city manager. Welcome and welcome into the fold. Stockbridge is where community connects. You're a great asset. We we understand that. You're a great man. You're going to be great for our city. [0:14:39, 0:14:53]: And uh I'm happy to have you aboard. And I want you to know, sir, I want you to be the city manager a lot longer than I'm gonna be mayor of the city, which means you need to be city manager for many years. Okay. All right. Yes, sir. All right. I'm going um it's it's public knowledge for many years, sir. Many years we want you here. [0:14:53, 0:15:00]: On that note, I'm going to allow the city council to also give you some comments, sir. I'll start with the mayor pro tem. Go ahead, please. [0:15:01, 0:15:09]: Mr. Gardner, welcome aboard. As you said, thank you. And why and as you said, this is a team effort. [0:15:09, 0:15:14]: You know, you the one thing that struck me about what you said is that we all need to work together and people [0:15:14, 0:15:17]: that work in coordination with you have to collaborate. [0:15:18, 0:15:20]: And everybody needs to work together. [0:15:20, 0:15:22]: Uh as a team, as a unit. [0:15:22, 0:15:27]: to be more productive. And you said that you didn't have very much toleration for people who weren't [0:15:27, 0:15:47]: Team players, and that you needed everybody to work together. And that's what we need at this city. Everybody rolling in the same direction and working together cohesively to bring us uh the unity that we need in this city to move forward uh with all that we have before us right now. Uh, this is the greatest time that we have. [0:15:47, 0:15:53]: have available that in in the history of the city in my estimation with so much going on. [0:15:53, 0:15:56]: And the person that we we passing the torch to. [0:15:56, 0:16:02]: is you to carry out the tremendous projects that we're looking for in terms of the trail projects. [0:16:02, 0:16:05]: That we're looking for to redevelop our downtown and [0:16:05, 0:16:08]: You know, traffic stops in Henry County. [0:16:08, 0:16:22]: It's a heavy weight, but we know without a shadow of a doubt that we have the right man living right here in our community that can take us to the next level. So welcome aboard and thank you for accepting this position. [0:16:22, 0:16:26]: Thank you so much. Mr. Thomas, I'm thank you. I'm going to cross Mr. Thomas, you're next. [0:16:26, 0:16:29]: Thank you. Uh Mr. Garden, welcome. [0:16:29, 0:16:37]: Welcome home as as it's oftentimes they say you can't go back home, but um, but we're gonna welcome you back home. [0:16:37, 0:16:43]: Uh I I I truly appreciate you and I spoke the other night and and I appreciate you. [0:16:43, 0:16:50]: uh you know entertaining uh some of my thoughts some of my questioning i i really do appreciate that [0:16:50, 0:16:53]: Um and as as you and I saw the um [0:16:53, 0:17:02]: uh recognize that I probably have known you longer than anyone uh on this council. So, you know, we go back a little bit and um and [0:17:02, 0:17:07]: You know, your your your body of work is a um is exemplary. [0:17:07, 0:17:10]: Um I look forward to to to working with you. [0:17:10, 0:17:14]: Uh without a doubt, I think you are the uh the right man for the job. [0:17:15, 0:17:34]: I know that uh you are the kind of guy that uh works in the trenches, you roll up your sleeve, you get your hand dirty uh to make sure that the job gets done. And you know, when you and I talk, you know, and I think it's it's important for me to say this now, uh, the relationship uh between [0:17:34, 0:17:36]: Um the council [0:17:36, 0:17:38]: And the city manager. [0:17:39, 0:17:46]: Um it is very important because as these policies and goals and objectives are are created. [0:17:46, 0:17:49]: And when it comes to that relationship with staff. [0:17:50, 0:18:10]: um the city manager in the in the middle and the council it is very important for that dynamic and you and you spoke very well to that as far as your understanding so i'm excited about um you know our future here uh you know in stockbridge i'm excited about you being uh a part of that team actually too [0:18:10, 0:18:16]: to uh to lead that team. I'm really excited about them. So welcome, welcome, and welcome. [0:18:17, 0:18:17]: Thank you, sir. [0:18:18, 0:18:19]: Councilman Blount, go ahead, please. [0:18:21, 0:18:41]: Mr. Gardner, uh, I just want to personally say, uh, and I'm my uh uh listening to everyone talk that that we do welcome you to the city of Stockbridge. Uh I believe that you bring a level of expertise and knowledge to the city that you not only will have an opinion, but you will have recommendations. Uh recommendations that in progress is where we go, and that's what [0:18:41, 0:19:01]: We need. I believe that you're one that's going to have an organized and proficient workplace, along with uh knowing what we need to do and how we need to move forward. I think that you are in a place where a collaborative effort between yourself and the mayor and this council, along with all staff, I think that. [0:19:01, 0:19:12]: you're able to form that and and and uh maintain that for progress for the city. So I just want to say um welcome uh to the city of Stockbridge, but thank God that you still live in Henry County. [0:19:13, 0:19:14]: Thank you, sir. [0:19:15, 0:19:16]: Ms. Barber, go ahead, please. [0:19:18, 0:19:34]: Congratulations and welcome, Mr. Gardner. Um, no doubt, I believe that you um will do a great job for us. You've come highly uh recommended. I think I am the only member of the council who've never met you before in person. [0:19:34, 0:19:38]: Only met you once, um, but uh I'm looking forward. [0:19:38, 0:19:52]: to all of the possibilities and all of the ideas that you have in your mind for our great city. What is most impressive for me is you have a vested interest. [0:19:52, 0:19:55]: In not only seeing our city дуэл. [0:19:56, 0:19:57]: You live in our community. [0:19:58, 0:20:01]: So you want our entire community to thrive. [0:20:01, 0:20:05]: And I'm super excited about that. So congratulations and welcome. [0:20:06, 0:20:06]: Thank you. [0:20:07, 0:20:15]: Mr. Gardner, just to so make sure everybody knows, I'm pretty sure they know that your original start date is 18 uh January, right after Dr. King. [0:20:15, 0:20:35]: uh birthday, holiday weekend there. But there is a time if if possible between now and then that time frame, is there a way that we can work out sometime to do a transition with you or even come to City Hall to introduce you to some of the members, which I'll do this in just a second, some of the staff here, the directors that are online, if we can work through that process that with your schedule and try to make that work [0:20:35, 0:20:44]: work in this aspect, just for food for thought. On that note, then the treasurer, just so you know, the treasure, Mr. John Wiggins, I believe you you all know each other in a sense. Ms. Mr. Wiggins, go ahead, please. [0:20:51, 0:20:55]: How's it going, uh Mr. Gardner? Doing well, doing well, John. [0:20:55, 0:20:58]: Uh it's it's uh uh I think it's um [0:20:58, 0:21:04]: A great moment for Stockbridge. This is gonna be my second tour with Mr. Gardner as uh [0:21:04, 0:21:05]: As a [0:21:06, 0:21:06]: You know. [0:21:07, 0:21:09]: See the manager. So I'm really excited. [0:21:09, 0:21:12]: You know, I had a good time my first tour, so [0:21:13, 0:21:16]: Very excited to uh get behind him and and push the city forward. [0:21:17, 0:21:19]: You John. Looking forward to [0:21:20, 0:21:20]: Good deal. [0:21:20, 0:21:22]: Chief Tremor, a police chief. [0:21:22, 0:21:23]: Sir. [0:21:24, 0:21:28]: If you had any comments, I know you all probably never ever met before, but go right here, sir. [0:21:29, 0:21:36]: No, we have not, but uh I certainly have heard uh some great things uh about you, Mr. Garner, and I s and and I look forward to uh [0:21:37, 0:21:45]: To working with you and uh collaborating with the rest of the team here to move the city of Stockbridge forward. So congratulations to you, sir. [0:21:45, 0:21:46]: And uh welcome to the scene. [0:21:47, 0:21:53]: Thank you, Chief. And we know some of the same people. So they speak highly of you as well. So just to let you know. Thank you. [0:21:54, 0:21:54]: Yes, sir. [0:21:55, 0:21:56]: Miss Johnson, please. [0:21:58, 0:22:03]: Good evening, Mayor Council. Uh Mr. Gardner, looking forward to working again. [0:22:04, 0:22:08]: Um, I've worked with you as well years, years, years ago and [0:22:10, 0:22:16]: I'm looking forward to having you on board and moving things forward um as we have all tried to chip in to do. [0:22:16, 0:22:18]: And um looking forward to briefing you. [0:22:19, 0:22:20]: on what's going on in community development. [0:22:22, 0:22:24]: Thank you, Berke. Appreciate it. Happy New Year. [0:22:24, 0:22:25]: Happy new year to you two. [0:22:26, 0:22:28]: Mr. Aaron, please. [0:22:29, 0:22:36]: Oh yes, welcome Mr. Gardner. Be a pleasure to work with you. I've heard a lot of good things about you. [0:22:36, 0:22:45]: I think we have some friends in common, but everybody I've spoken to about you that has spoken with me about you speak very highly of you. [0:22:45, 0:22:49]: And we're looking forward to being a part of your team and moving Stockbridge forward. [0:22:50, 0:22:51]: Thank you, Mr. Aaron. Looking forward to it, sir. [0:22:53, 0:22:54]: Mr. Peterson, please. [0:22:57, 0:22:59]: Happy New Year, Mayor and Council. Um [0:22:59, 0:23:08]: Mr. Gardner, I I've heard nothing but great things about you. I I look forward to meeting with you and and talking with you about all the great things we have going on in economic development. [0:23:08, 0:23:10]: But again, welcome and I'm looking forward to it. [0:23:11, 0:23:13]: Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. I'm looking forward to it too. [0:23:14, 0:23:21]: You know, another important person of staff, everybody's important, but I'll tell you what I I can't forget about our public relations. Miss Sana Thornton, please. [0:23:22, 0:23:22]: Yeah. [0:23:25, 0:23:40]: Hey, how are you? Happy New Year, Mayor and Council. Mr. Gardner, I um am elated with joy that you are on our team and I look forward to working with you, sir. You are part of a great team and our city is very, very, very dynamic and our future is even brighter now. Thank you. [0:23:40, 0:23:42]: Oh thank you. Looking forward to it. [0:23:44, 0:23:48]: And Mr. Bonds, I know you're an IT guy, but you're very important as well. [0:23:48, 0:23:49]: And uh [0:23:50, 0:23:54]: Uh Mr. Bonds, I um you you're online. If you have anything to say, go please go ahead and do that. [0:23:55, 0:23:59]: I do. My my uh supervisor Ashley Smith speaks highly of [0:24:00, 0:24:04]: Mr. Gardner, uh, he's looking to work and forward with him and anything he needs to make sure. [0:24:04, 0:24:06]: uh the city runs uh [0:24:07, 0:24:13]: the way he needs it to run. So definitely looking forward to working with you and uh seeing where you and actually can come up with. [0:24:13, 0:24:15]: All right, same here. [0:24:16, 0:24:23]: Yeah, Pro Tem, you got your hand up for a reason, sir? Yeah, I did. Uh uh Representative Angela Moore with District. [0:24:23, 0:24:32]: 90. Georgia House rep said she wanted to say congratulations to Mr. Gardner and to pass along her wishes as well. She looked forward to working with them. [0:24:33, 0:24:35]: Okay, thank you. Appreciate that. [0:24:35, 0:24:45]: And uh Mr. Gardner, as you well know, we have to have a we have attorneys. So you got Mr. Washington and Mr. and Mr. Barrett here. Gentlemen, I don't know if you want anything you want to say at this time. [0:24:45, 0:24:51]: You want to I would just say on behalf of uh the Quentin Washingtons here, that's two of us, one being there and one being below. [0:24:51, 0:24:55]: That's actually Jeremy Berry, but um we are excited about the possibilities. [0:24:55, 0:25:04]: And the potential and the promise of Stock Bridge and you being able to assume the hell. And we look forward to meeting you in person sooner rather than later, so we can talk. [0:25:04, 0:25:06]: Yes, sir. Looking forward to it. [0:25:06, 0:25:10]: Thanks. Likewise. Likewise, Mr. Gardner, look forward to working with you. [0:25:11, 0:25:17]: Um and having a strong and and healthy relationship and doing all we can to continue moving the city forward. [0:25:17, 0:25:23]: Uh I know people aren't always excited to talk to lawyers, but we do our best and and [0:25:23, 0:25:25]: Uh, look forward to working with you. [0:25:26, 0:25:29]: Same here, as long as you're not in trouble, you don't land with talking to a lawyer. [0:25:30, 0:25:31]: Yes, sir, absolutely. [0:25:32, 0:25:34]: Miss Wheeler, do you have anything you need to say, ma'am? [0:25:40, 0:25:40]: Ms. Wheeler? [0:25:45, 0:25:48]: Just want to welcome Mr. Gardner and look forward to working with him. [0:25:49, 0:25:50]: Thank you, Ms. Wheeler. Same here. [0:25:51, 0:26:11]: And Mr. Gardner, everybody's spoken but you, sir. Do you have any any closing comments? I mean, this is your staff, this is the council, all the key players and the the clerk hasn't spoken. I'm sorry. Oh Mr. Vanessa, sorry, excuse me. So sorry. So sorry. Head space and timing. Vanessa, please. I am so sorry. Thank you, Councilman Barber. [0:26:12, 0:26:17]: Mr. Gardner, welcome. I am excited for the city of Starkbridge. [0:26:17, 0:26:24]: And we look forward to the great things that you we know that you are going to do for this city. [0:26:24, 0:26:33]: We've seen your work, we know your background, and we are anxious and excited about what is going to come to the city of Stockbridge. [0:26:33, 0:26:37]: Anything that I can help you with in this office, please let me know. [0:26:38, 0:26:40]: Yes, ma'am, we'll do. Thank you. [0:26:41, 0:26:47]: Okay, that I think that's everybody that's on that I see in front of me in this case. Mr. Gardner, you sir. Any closing comments before we we say goodnight? [0:26:48, 0:26:57]: Yes, sir. I'm gonna make it real brief. I mean, I have a young nine year old that's ready to go to basketball practice, keep knocking on my door. Is the meeting over yet? Is the meeting over yet? [0:26:57, 0:26:58]: So [0:26:58, 0:27:04]: Um thank you, uh Mayor and Council. Obviously, um it's an honor and a privilege to [0:27:04, 0:27:08]: to sit in this seat here at the city of Stockbridge and it is a homecoming um [0:27:08, 0:27:25]: been a resident of Henry of Henry County and City of Stockbridge for 21 years, going on 22 years. So um, you know, it's a pleasure coming back home and being able to see the full potential of the city of Stockbridge and being part of it. Um, and so I'm looking forward to the work. [0:27:25, 0:27:28]: Looking forward to um working with the team. [0:27:28, 0:27:31]: And as I say, communication and collaboration that'll make it work. [0:27:32, 0:27:49]: And so, and as my mayor, outgoing mayor in the city of East Point City teamwork make the dream work. So definitely I'm looking forward to the team, council, staff, myself, uh moving the city in the right direction. So thank you for this opportunity and um looking forward to the work. [0:27:49, 0:28:06]: Absolutely. Congratulations once again, sir. Appreciate you being being a part of this of the staff and and watching Stockbridge grow and get even greater than it is today. Thank you for being a part of that. I know we'll do great things together along with this team of folks right here in front of you. On that note, folks, I'm going to have asked for a motion to adjourn. [0:28:06, 0:28:10]: So move. Ms. Blount, so moves. Is there a second? Mr. Thomas second is that. [0:28:11, 0:28:12]: Okay, Alan Fair, please indicate. [0:28:13, 0:28:19]: And we're out of here. God bless everybody. Take care of yourself. Happy New Year. Thank you. Happy New Year. Absolutely. Good night. [0:28:22, 0:28:22]: My