2023-03-13 · City Council · Transcript · Regular Council Meeting

--- title: Regular Council Meeting date: 2023-03-13 source: 2023-03-13_Regular_Council_Meeting.wav --- [0:00:05, 0:00:06]: Brandy and easy. [0:00:09, 0:00:11]: That should have been [0:00:11, 0:00:13]: I think three minutes. [0:00:17, 0:00:20]: That was uh the main one. [0:00:22, 0:00:27]: That you said you all had a great, great time now. Where's that gate lady? Oh yeah, we're at this party. [0:00:28, 0:00:30]: [ 37.2, 37.9]: Yeah. [0:00:39, 0:00:41]: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. [0:00:44, 0:00:46]: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. [0:00:47, 0:01:00]: Thank you all so very much for joining us. Um March is women's National Women's History Month. Um so the great city of Stockbridge is celebrating [0:01:01, 0:01:14]: all of the contributions of women across our city, across our county, across our nation. We even had a celebration by my fellow councilmate, Councilman Elton Alexander. [0:01:14, 0:01:18]: Honoring women in our city and throughout our county. [0:01:20, 0:01:28]: I'll be honoring women today and if I can ask the women who are in the room, if you can come up front and join me for the reading of this proclamation, please. [0:01:30, 0:01:31]: Madam Clerk. [0:01:36, 0:01:37]: Yeah. [0:01:37, 0:01:39]: This way. Either side. [0:01:44, 0:01:47]: One of our officers is joining us as well. [0:01:57, 0:02:02]: With the reading of proclamation, the city of Stockbridge in recognition of Women's History Month. [0:02:02, 0:02:06]: With excerpts from the twenty twenty three presidential proclamation. [0:02:07, 0:02:18]: Whereas during Women's History Month, we celebrate the countless women who have fought tirelessly and courageously for equality, justice, and opportunity in our nation. [0:02:18, 0:02:28]: And whereas we also reaffirm our commitment to advancing rights and opportunity for women and girls in the United States and around the world. [0:02:28, 0:02:35]: We are mindful that we are building on the legacy of both recognized trail blazers and unsung. [0:02:35, 0:02:36]: Heroines. [0:02:36, 0:02:40]: who have guided the course of American history and continue to shape its future. [0:02:40, 0:02:45]: And whereas last year the Supreme Court overturned the [0:02:45, 0:02:46]: Roe versus Wade. [0:02:47, 0:02:57]: stripping away a constitutional right from the American people and the ability of millions of women to make decisions about their own bodies, putting their health and lives at risk. [0:02:58, 0:03:02]: Disparities persist in economic security, health care, [0:03:02, 0:03:06]: and caregiving responsibilities, especially for women and girls of color. [0:03:07, 0:03:16]: Those who perform critical work, including those who care for our children and our families, are too often overlooked, underpaid, and undervalued. [0:03:17, 0:03:30]: And whereas, this month, as we continue our work to advance gender equality and equity, let us celebrate the contribution of women throughout our history and honor the stories that have too often gone untold. [0:03:31, 0:03:35]: Летис рекорніздат фундаментал фрідом а інтерконекте. [0:03:36, 0:03:38]: When opportunities for women are withheld. [0:03:38, 0:03:39]: We all suffer. [0:03:40, 0:03:41]: And when women's lives are improved. [0:03:42, 0:03:43]: We all gain. [0:03:43, 0:03:52]: Let us strive to create a nation where every woman and girl knows that her possibilities know no bounds in America. [0:03:52, 0:04:01]: And now, therefore, I, Yolanda Barber, by virtue of authority vested in me as Mayor Pro Tem of the great city of Stockbury's, Georgia, [0:04:02, 0:04:04]: And on behalf of Mayor Anthony S. Ford. [0:04:05, 0:04:18]: City Council members Elton Alexander, John Blount, Lakeisha Gantt and Alfonso Thomas do hereby proclaim March twenty-three as March 2023 as Women's History Month. [0:04:18, 0:04:28]: We call upon the Stockbridge community to observe this month and to celebrate with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities, and is being done here today. [0:04:28, 0:04:40]: And witness thereof I hereunto set my hand and the great seal of the city of Stockbridge, Georgia, on this thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord, two thousand twenty three. [0:04:42, 0:04:43]: Saba. [0:04:44, 0:04:46]: Mary Po Tim, Yolanda Barber. [0:04:46, 0:04:48]: And City Clerk Vanessa Holliday. [0:04:49, 0:04:58]: I'd like to present this to um Pastor Kalicia O'Neill from Global Impact Christian Ministries. Thank you. [0:04:59, 0:05:03]: Would you like to say a few words? Would you like to [0:05:05, 0:05:25]: Well, I want to say thank you to Mayor Pro Tem Barber. Um, as a woman, I'm proud um to stand here um in a month where we repres we recognize women for their achievements, past and present. Um I say, God be the glory for the vision um and the dreams that have come to pass because of great. [0:05:25, 0:05:30]: great women and we give God glory and honor for it. Amen. [0:05:32, 0:05:34]: Very very much. Thank you. [0:05:35, 0:05:36]: You come over this way. [0:07:30, 0:07:33]: Uh okay. [0:08:57, 0:08:59]: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. [0:09:02, 0:09:04]: It is six oh two. [0:09:05, 0:09:10]: On March thirteenth, and I'd like to call our regular city council meeting to order. [0:09:13, 0:09:20]: I've invited Ms. Pastor Kalicia O'Neal from Global Impact Christian Ministries to do the invocation for us. [0:09:24, 0:09:24]: Please stand. [0:09:30, 0:09:31]: Let us pray. [0:09:31, 0:09:37]: Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, this is the day you have made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. [0:09:38, 0:09:42]: Father, you told us in your word that we should pray for politicians and all those in authority. [0:09:42, 0:09:45]: So we come boldly to your throne of grace to find help. [0:09:46, 0:09:48]: In our time of need, Heavenly Father. [0:09:48, 0:10:02]: Father, we pray that you would give our council members wisdom, clarity, and understanding as they work together for the betterment of Stockbridge. And we'll forever give you all the honor, the glory, and the praise. And it is so in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. [0:10:03, 0:10:05]: And thank you. Um Pledge of Allegiance? [0:10:06, 0:10:19]: Pledge of Allegiance to the Plague of the United States of America to the Republic of which stands a nation undergoing indivisible with liberty and justice for all. [0:10:21, 0:10:24]: Madam Clerk, roll call, please. [0:10:27, 0:10:29]: Mayor Ford? [0:10:31, 0:10:37]: Let the record reflect Mayor Ford is not in attendance. Mayor Pro Tam Barber. Present. [0:10:38, 0:10:40]: Councilman Alexander. Present. [0:10:42, 0:10:43]: Councilman Blount. [0:10:46, 0:10:51]: Let the record reflect Councilman Blount is not in attendance. Councilwoman Gantt. [0:10:54, 0:11:00]: Let the record reflect Councilwoman Gantt is not in attendance. Councilman Thomas. [0:11:00, 0:11:01]: Present. [0:11:02, 0:11:03]: Mayor Pro Tem Barber. [0:11:04, 0:11:08]: Due to a lack of a quorum, the meeting cannot proceed. [0:11:09, 0:11:15]: Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, I'd like to consult with our city attorney, Mr. Washington. [0:11:16, 0:11:21]: I'd still like for us to just um hear the presentation from [0:11:22, 0:11:25]: The representative from s um Sky Design. [0:11:26, 0:11:27]: For a way finding. [0:11:28, 0:11:30]: I know that we can't vote on that item. [0:11:31, 0:11:34]: But I'd still like for her to proceed with her presentation. [0:11:39, 0:11:41]: As presiding officer you have that latitude, but it [0:11:42, 0:11:52]: As presiding officer you have that latitude, but there's not a quorum, so just they can still if you want people to still speak, they still can, but we don't have a quorum to be able to conduct any business right now. [0:11:53, 0:11:54]: Understand. Thank you, sir. [0:11:55, 0:11:55]: Um [0:11:56, 0:12:02]: So with that being said, uh Madam Clark, um the adoption of the minutes we cannot [0:12:03, 0:12:04]: approve or [0:12:05, 0:12:06]: Deny. [0:12:06, 0:12:07]: Um [0:12:07, 0:12:09]: Any of the old business [0:12:10, 0:12:20]: Any of the new business, we're not able to take any votes today. However, I'd like for us to move forward with hearing from the representative from Sky Design. [0:12:21, 0:12:26]: And Ms. Kira Braggs, the Main Street Manager. [0:12:26, 0:12:27]: For a wayfinding. [0:12:37, 0:12:56]: Good evening, Mayor Pro Tem and Council members. Um I'm here today before you to introduce Ms. Tiffany Chin, who is principal at Sky Design, a firm that we have consulted with with regard to our wayfinding initiative here in the city of Stockbridge, and I'd like to bring her forward to make her presentation. [0:12:58, 0:12:59]: Thank you. [0:13:02, 0:13:05]: Good evening, everyone. Nice to see you all again. [0:13:09, 0:13:15]: So today and tonight we are here to um excuse me while I [0:13:16, 0:13:17]: There we go. [0:13:17, 0:13:33]: To see progress of the signage and wayfinding master plan package that you had um hired our company to provide for you, both a strategy for how the city branding can be expressed in a [0:13:33, 0:13:43]: visual manner for identity of the city of Stockbridge, starting at its perimeter and moving forward further into the interior of the city. [0:13:44, 0:13:47]: Today, what you'll see is a culmination of [0:13:48, 0:14:02]: all of our work thus far thus far, uh multiple conversations, um, many rounds of development, and we'll start here with just the premise of how we began this project, identifying the project goals. [0:14:03, 0:14:17]: Our purpose of this was to unify the identity of the city and unify the city itself through these visual items that both act as a uh visual guide for when you have entered the city as well as draw um. [0:14:18, 0:14:23]: Providing wayfinding to drivers and eventually pedestrians throughout the city as well. [0:14:24, 0:14:36]: Additionally, this system should clearly identify the city of Stockbridge as a place and a destination, just by nature of its existence and celebration. [0:14:38, 0:14:58]: So, how we um began the fundamentals of this project is to understand who the city of Stockbridge is, your character at a snap at a glance, what your character snapshot is. Um, all of these words and images were gathered and discussed as representing what Stockbridge. [0:14:57, 0:15:00]: is about and what makes Stockbridge special. [0:15:01, 0:15:17]: We also know that the branding for the city was completed just prior or prior to when we were hired to provide this signage and wayfinding system. So that was another integral component for the building blocks of our designs. [0:15:19, 0:15:26]: And starting with the design development, we begin with the primary monument, which is also known as the Interstate Gateway. [0:15:28, 0:15:42]: And when we last reviewed this, we had seen a um much rougher design idea. And today's presentation has a much more uh refined rendering of each of these images. So what you're looking at is [0:15:42, 0:15:53]: The interstate gateway, this would belong at the northernmost end of the city and the southernmost end of the city, and then also moving in slightly from um the multiple highways at the north side. [0:15:54, 0:16:08]: And what we've done since we last met is we've taken your feedback from the last conversation. We've also spoken with GDOT, um, gotten their feedback about any concerns or uh restrictions that they may [0:16:09, 0:16:29]: Present to us in the future, and we've modified our designs according to those conversations. So, what you can see here is the highway, um, interstate gateway. You can see a scale perspective of the vehicle just down to the left. And this would be constructed from fabricated aluminum, potentially some steel structural components. [0:16:29, 0:16:49]: Components and a breakaway based with a brick veneer and concrete caps. GDOT has mentioned that a 25-foot height is their new maximum. And we originally had shown a slightly taller design and we've reduced it so we've gotten a preliminary approach. [0:16:49, 0:16:50]: Approval from them. [0:16:51, 0:17:10]: And then you can see on the side of these interstate gateways, we are proposing that this very celebr celebrational uh shape and design has reveals on the side that k bring in the Stockbridge green. And you can see here we have the Stockbridge gold and Stockbridge red. [0:17:10, 0:17:25]: So what we are proposing is that for visibility, you have the faces of the letters be white and the returns of the letters be the stockbridge green, along with these two uh rail line details on the edges of the arcs that swoop upwards. [0:17:26, 0:17:46]: Additionally, what you can see from this rendering is how we propose this being eliminated. To step backwards, because we are in these final stages of designs for council approval, what we would be um, what the next steps would be after approval is to create a technical package to then [0:17:46, 0:17:52]: um start the bid procurement process and we needed to define what [0:17:53, 0:18:04]: illumination would be present for each sign, and then understand how that gets worked into the drawings so that bidders could respond to the RFQ and RFP. [0:18:05, 0:18:23]: So from an evening rendering, we're proposing that these letters are facelit, channel letters. Those would be illuminated out of the front of the letters, and then you can see on the interior of the arcs, we're proposing that those are accented with exterior lighting that swoops upwards with the arc itself. [0:18:25, 0:18:36]: And then moving forward into the secondary monument, um, you will see a simplified version of how this design is then translated into other [0:18:36, 0:18:41]: uh city perimeter locations. Uh we have roughly [0:18:41, 0:18:51]: eight sign types and this being the second in the hierarchy of experiences, we wanted it to have a similar form and expression. [0:18:52, 0:19:12]: And we've you'll see that we're starting to propose another layer to the color scheme and the family. So we're proposing a bit of a dark gray and then a lighter silver. And then we're also proposing use of the Stockbridge S. And then you can see that those celebratory expressions become. [0:19:12, 0:19:19]: um this um very uh botanical and um expressive form from all directions. [0:19:20, 0:19:28]: The tertiary monument is um all of these work into the experience of arrival, the sequence of arrival. So [0:19:29, 0:19:31]: If a driver were to [0:19:31, 0:19:41]: Enter Stockbridge, they see the interstate gateway. If they were to come in on a secondary road, they would see the design that we just showed and a tertiary road, they would see the design you see here. [0:19:42, 0:19:56]: And so you can see that's a simplified version. You can see the secondary and tertiary monument take up a small footprint of space. Normally these occupy um a space on the side of a road, so we wanted to make sure that we were [0:19:56, 0:20:00]: adjusting and accommodating in a proactive manner for where these would be located. [0:20:01, 0:20:03]: And again, this would be fabricated aluminum. [0:20:04, 0:20:16]: We would specify that this would have an automotive grade paint with um the multiple coats and again breakaway bases with a brick veneer and uh cap. [0:20:18, 0:20:24]: And then you can see here, just from a scale perspective, they reduce further and further depending upon where these are located. [0:20:27, 0:20:47]: And then finally, we know that from um a perimeter expression, there are already some existing uh s city boundary signs. And we wanted to ensure that when when we depart from this project, that the city has a full sign family to [0:20:46, 0:20:50]: move forward with for years to come and [0:20:50, 0:20:54]: With that is um the need for. [0:20:55, 0:21:09]: any potential situation. So we created a even simplified, even more simplified uh expression for to demarcate a city edge or city boundary. And you can see that we have the same um panel. [0:21:09, 0:21:29]: The dark gray interior with this the city S on top, stockbridge letters going vertically, and we've just started to introduce an interior reveal to carry forth the original reveals from the interstate gateway, and just a simple cap on top. So this would be one of those sign types. [0:21:29, 0:21:37]: Types that's easily mass-produced and identi uh located and mass-produced in bulk quantities as needed. [0:21:40, 0:21:45]: Moving into the vehicular directionals, these are signs that would be [0:21:46, 0:21:47]: Positioned [0:21:47, 0:21:58]: Immediately from the interstate um into and throughout the city to multiple destinations. What you see on the left is the rendering at different angles and [0:21:58, 0:22:01]: It at a scale according to the vehicle. [0:22:01, 0:22:16]: And just a um mock-up of what the wayfinding could look like. You can see that the letters are tall to meet GDOT recommendations and also just from a driver's speed um readability purposes. [0:22:16, 0:22:28]: You can see we're bringing in the same graphic elements but using them in new manners. So we what we have is a um aluminum base with to mimic the brick base. [0:22:28, 0:22:47]: the curved panel to act and reflect the original graphic elements of the Interstate Gateway, and the same silver and dark gray finishes with tall copy anywhere from three to four destinations at one time. [0:22:47, 0:22:54]: And then bringing in again the gold and red accent colors as well as the green rail lines of the city of Stockbridge. [0:22:56, 0:23:03]: Moving forward into the building ID, one of the discussions that we had as part of our design process is [0:23:04, 0:23:13]: retaining some of the signs that exist and utilizing some of their elements because uh there was an investment put in in the first place and they were significant. [0:23:13, 0:23:21]: And so what we are showing is actually two styles of building IDs. One is a retrofit, and one is a um [0:23:22, 0:23:25]: production a а new a new fabrication. [0:23:25, 0:23:28]: And what we are proposing and you can see right here at the top [0:23:29, 0:23:32]: Right is how an existing sign of [0:23:32, 0:23:36]: A portion would be demolished and the base would be repurposed. [0:23:38, 0:23:44]: And this is the proposed design for the retrofitted building ID. [0:23:45, 0:24:03]: We do have uh the brick base, a brick column with a dimensional city S, with two um rail lines that wrap the wrap the column with the inset, the stock bridge red and gold arches below, and a gray panel with a gray arch above. [0:24:03, 0:24:05]: And for the [0:24:06, 0:24:09]: Single build we have um eschew the [0:24:09, 0:24:17]: Brick base below, we have this cantilevered portion above, and otherwise it maintains the same design as the retrofit. [0:24:19, 0:24:39]: And then moving into the park IDs or trailhead IDs, it could you be used for either. You can see that it takes on a similar form and expression, except we have swapped the color fields, excuse me, so that you still get some variation from park to building and a stock bridge. [0:24:38, 0:24:41]: uh green for the copy. [0:24:43, 0:25:03]: The pedestrian kiosks are currently identified as being installed in the downtown area with the knowledge that as these are being produced and new locations are being identified, they could be built in further quantities or larger quantities. But the intent of these is to serve as [0:25:03, 0:25:04]: Um [0:25:05, 0:25:11]: Elements for any pedestrian to either be informed of Stockbridge locations or [0:25:11, 0:25:17]: maybe potential retailers or other destinations, there's multiple uses that this could be used for. [0:25:17, 0:25:35]: But the thought is that they would be built with a cabinet that could be either implemented day one with a digital screen or retrofitted later and implemented with a digital screen in the future. But these would be um standing, you can see slightly above uh standard uh height. [0:25:35, 0:25:40]: And serve to provide information to anyone downtown. [0:25:42, 0:25:45]: And then finally we have the public parking ID. [0:25:46, 0:25:56]: We do have um two variations of this that we had planned on including in the bid package should we proceed to that uh design phase. [0:25:57, 0:26:02]: The design on the left you can see is a slightly more um [0:26:02, 0:26:21]: substantial design. They're both vertical with a small footprint and it just says parking on two sides. And the design on the right is much more simple with a single post and flag design with park the the green stock bridge, the stockbridge green with the P and an arrow for the wayfinding. [0:26:22, 0:26:23]: And you can see that [0:26:23, 0:26:35]: As we progress into these um physically smaller signs, we're continuing with some of the design elements and languages originally established. So both of these have [0:26:35, 0:26:45]: a green reveal on the post and you can see that again as we start to land on our last sign type, which is the street ID. [0:26:46, 0:26:47]: So here we have [0:26:48, 0:26:58]: A single post with a painted base and then a green stockbridge green street sign with the red and gold arches. [0:26:59, 0:27:01]: with reflective vinyl for the street name. [0:27:04, 0:27:11]: And that concludes the sign family design. You can see here at a glance how each of them speak to each other and [0:27:12, 0:27:18]: relate to each other in terms of scale and how none of them are duplicative but they all feel related. [0:27:19, 0:27:28]: like a family, and then we also have um a quick glance at what the budget could look like if it were implemented all at once. [0:27:29, 0:27:47]: Beyond this, we can go further into the sign types that we had discussed in the past. We've made a few adjustments, such as identifying where exactly where the 675, you can see right here, exactly where that is placed. [0:27:47, 0:27:53]: And also confirming that A one, which is the northernmost. [0:27:53, 0:28:05]: Interstate sign and A2, which is the southernmost interstate sign, all of them are placed within the city, and here you can see the blue signs, which are the secondary monuments, the orange signs are the tertiary monuments. [0:28:06, 0:28:17]: And then further we s we speak to the current list of destinations. These would inform the message schedule, which is the actual copy that goes on every single sign. [0:28:18, 0:28:25]: And here you can see at a glance the master plan for where every vehicular directional would be implemented. [0:28:25, 0:28:26]: Um one of the next [0:28:27, 0:28:47]: Major points of discussion discussion in the next design phase would be to discuss which sign types are being implemented, if they are all of them, or if we are going to select certain ones, or even from a vehicular standpoint, do we do a portion of these and do other ones further down the [0:28:47, 0:28:48]: the line. [0:28:49, 0:28:55]: Here you can see the building IDs in green and the park IDs in yellow. [0:28:56, 0:28:58]: And then here in purple. [0:28:58, 0:29:12]: You can see the pedestrian um sorry, pink the pedestrian kiosks, purple the public parking IDs, and then I just at a glance some street branding around downtown, the street signage around downtown. [0:29:14, 0:29:25]: And here are some quick renderings of where the monuments or and how they could look at each of these interstate off-ramps. [0:29:25, 0:29:26]: into the city. [0:29:29, 0:29:30]: Zoom in a little bit. [0:29:36, 0:29:38]: Here from a secondary gateway. [0:29:44, 0:29:46]: And then again each sign type. [0:29:47, 0:29:53]: And w what we would do is we would work with G Dot to establish exactly where these are located. These are as you can see. [0:29:53, 0:29:59]: Photoshopped into um Google Google Maps, but they give you a good idea of scale and placement. [0:29:59, 0:30:03]: and um general understanding of how these would look in reality. [0:30:05, 0:30:11]: Council members, Mayor Pro Tem, thank you for allowing us to present this and also to work with you to design this package. [0:30:12, 0:30:20]: Awesome. Thank you so very much. Um, and great job on the presentation and design of these signs. Um [0:30:21, 0:30:26]: I will ask my councilmates you all have any comments you would like to make? Sure, yes. [0:30:28, 0:30:30]: Councilman Alexander. [0:30:30, 0:30:50]: Uh yes, thank you. Uh I'm just overjoyed. The work is spectacular. Uh it is class A and it brings us to uh the quality message that we want to communicate to anybody that uh comes encounter with these signs. They see immediately the quality of them, they see they even offer [0:30:50, 0:31:10]: Or artistic type of expression in the detailed design of the science. Sometimes you sit down and you talk with a consultant and you don't underst they don't you don't know whether they're gonna get you or not. You guys got us. You understood exactly what the mission was, and it's a mission accomplished. Now, in terms of [0:31:10, 0:31:30]: This and I the council members will tell you that I sent out an email to uh visit Henry and Panola Mountain State Park about cross advertising because of what we have is so impressive, such as those two tourist attractions, Panola Mountain, which is outside the city limits. We certainly want to be able [0:31:30, 0:31:50]: To work with uh the che the Visit Henry Chamber Visitors Bureau to and uh the chamber and Panola Mountain and some other points of interest to be able to incorporate them into what we're doing uh with our directional signage right off our 75. Uh we went to a presentation the other day uh by the [0:31:50, 0:32:10]: Convention and Visitors Bureau and they did an analysis on various points of interest in the city. And pretty much what we saw was people would come to the amphitheater for a concert. But if it was less than four hours, they said they didn't do an overnight hotel stay. So we need to use this in order to probably [0:32:10, 0:32:30]: Partner with those other brands to be able to increase their time into the city so that it would incorporate a hotel stay and increase the amount of tourism dollars that'll be coming into the city. But this package is uh is absolutely brilliant. Uh I think Mayor Fro Tim and I were we were jumping out of our [0:32:29, 0:32:49]: Because honestly, I would go all in. I wouldn't try to piecemeal it. I would just the the product is so good. You cannot do it justice by putting a piece here and a piece there and then coming back. And it needs to go out all at one time to be able to express to uh [0:32:49, 0:32:56]: the public, uh the the the quality of the work. I'd like to ask Mr. Gardner to come to the podium. [0:33:08, 0:33:28]: Uh thank you sir, I appreciate you. Uh now we all know to really come down to what the finances look like and then been able to pay for this. But with this y very unique product, it actually qualifies as tourism, so we should be able to pay for it through the use of hotel motel tax, especially seeing [0:33:28, 0:33:48]: That um we have these additional hotels that we picked up uh in the annexation, and that fund should actually be growing. Over the past couple of years, that fund has actually increased dramatically, and I think it's somewhere near a million dollars in that fund at this particular point. So talk about how we were working. [0:33:48, 0:33:57]: Work with the uh Convention and Visitors Bureau and the and the city in order to finance this through hotel motel tax. [0:33:59, 0:34:07]: Good afternoon, Mayor Pro Tem uh Council members. Uh yes. So we the way the hotel motel tax is split up. [0:34:07, 0:34:18]: There's a portion dedicated specifically to to um items such as this. It's called tourist product development portion of the hotel motel tax. So if you're at eight percent. [0:34:19, 0:34:23]: So somewhere around one and a half percent goes to tourist product development. [0:34:23, 0:34:35]: The other rest of that that eight percent can't go towards this program. So that minimizes obviously how much of that overall sum you can use towards it. So [0:34:35, 0:34:55]: That's where we would be able to utilize those funds to assist with the payment for it. Um there's also some other funds we could look at as well to to get this moving forward. Um that we're investigating whether we can use those funds, and I'll come back and bring that to you guys. But um out of the whole a lot. [0:34:55, 0:35:07]: of the tourist product of the hotel motel tax, we can't use all of it towards this type of stuff. Only only a one point five percent of it can be used for tourist product development. That could be [0:35:07, 0:35:12]: Um, paying for the Merl Manders, paying for some of the operational costs of the [0:35:12, 0:35:22]: the um amphitheater, those type of things that that draw people to to where you are. Um, you can use those funds for it. Like even um [0:35:23, 0:35:35]: senior and youth center. If it's gonna have tournaments where people coming in, you can use that money for that. Um to cover the either the construction costs or the OM. Yes, we are growing in our hotel numbers. [0:35:35, 0:35:46]: However, we're not there yet, but I'm hoping. We've we you know, we we we lost one almost and so they're starting slow because we did predicate our budget on having um the home two. [0:35:47, 0:36:07]: you know, pretty much finished by now, which they should have been, but now they're back at the starting point because of the fire. But we're we are seeing growth in that number. But I just want council to remember that of the eight percent, only one and a half percent can go towards turret product development. And trust me, I know because we got in trouble in my last job for putting too much [0:36:07, 0:36:10]: in that fund and got sanctioned from DCA about it. [0:36:11, 0:36:31]: Okay, so what we really did was we picked up the holiday inn on highway one thirty eight, the red roof inn uh in the travel lodge uh over there. Those three and then as you say we got the new uh hotel on the construction on Country Club Drive. Three on the four under construction right now. Right. We have what the home to suites. [0:36:31, 0:36:35]: Holiday in and holiday in and uh [0:36:36, 0:36:56]: The holiday and uh in and in suites, the we could ever get them to go in, the uh best western and the home two which is on Patrick Henry. And now there's there's a particular Hilton on Patrick Henry and then the home two is on Spear, right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well those obviously those numbers would be [0:36:55, 0:37:15]: uh increasing and and going in that direction. But what are your thoughts on it? I mean honestly I I I I I I'm kinda in the position where I think this is just where we're trying to go in terms of uh and then we have the additional product that'll be coming online in terms of the JohtoCo. We should be seeing the Costco movie. [0:37:15, 0:37:20]: And several others over there. [0:37:20, 0:37:40]: Yeah, I mean and obviously w um when I came on board last year and I saw what was done. Uh let me stop you right there. No, no, no. I wanna thank you for we were going down the wrong path with those subdivision signs and what you have brought [0:37:40, 0:37:51]: brought to the table with sky design is Buckhead versus where we were it out in the wilderness somewhere. So I wanna thank you for you you deserve all the credit for where we are today. [0:37:54, 0:38:14]: Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Briggs and her and her team as well. They deserve a huge kudos because they went through the day-to-day on this versus, you know, me just telling them, hey man, we need to switch direction. Um, you know, and go go with a firm that, you know, has done this and understand how this process. [0:38:14, 0:38:34]: actually works and then go through that process and generate what you see before you. So that that was important. And you know, it it says a lot about who we are and where we're headed when you see something like this happening going on and being constructed. So yes, we're looking at all the avenues to at which to to get this process started once it's approved by council. Um [0:38:34, 0:38:38]: I'll be discussing some of those options to you guys next week. [0:38:38, 0:38:46]: Um, as part of my presentation to you guys. So see whether you guys wanna move in that direction in terms of how we fund this and a couple of other things is is coming up the pipe. [0:38:46, 0:39:00]: Absolutely. I think what it's important to mention is that we can't vote. But pretty much there's three of us here to uh and we can't give a consensus on what we think about what's going on. So certainly we'll move in that direction. Thank you. [0:39:01, 0:39:07]: Thank you, Councilman Alexander, for your comments. Um, I believe these signs uh [0:39:07, 0:39:12]: Of course I support it. Of course I do. Um it is key to helping us to [0:39:13, 0:39:14]: Ребран Ар Ситі. [0:39:15, 0:39:17]: And as Councilman Alexander said, we [0:39:17, 0:39:19]: I don't want to piecemeal this. [0:39:19, 0:39:22]: I want to roll it all out at the same time. [0:39:22, 0:39:23]: Um [0:39:23, 0:39:26]: And I wish there were more citizens who are here. [0:39:26, 0:39:34]: To see this presentation and these design concepts, but nonetheless, Councilman Thomas, do you have any comments you'd like to share? [0:39:34, 0:39:35]: I do, thank you. [0:39:37, 0:39:57]: Like to thank um Mrs. Braggs and her team and Sky Design uh for this presentation. And I know we've been at this for a while and uh know Mr. Gardner when you came in, you know, we looked at this and we asked you um, you know, where are we going with this and we did change direction. [0:39:57, 0:40:13]: But I do wanna thank Mrs. Braggs and her team and Sky Design for this. But more importantly, I I I just wanna thank you for you met with council members, uh, in groups individually, but I wanna thank you for capturing [0:40:13, 0:40:33]: the vision of the city. Now I think that's what's important here. Um you know you came in, you met with us, we had an opportunity to input, but you capture that and this is a result of that. So I just want to thank you for that. And it's all about uh you know doing the due job. [0:40:33, 0:40:53]: Diligence, putting the work in, and making sure that we're constantly going forward. I know we we talked about rolling it all out at once and and the financial obligation to this. So I think that's something that we still have to work at to make sure we can we can do that. But I just want to say today, I just want to thank you. [0:40:53, 0:41:12]: and Sky Design for capturing our vision. And I think that is very important that you were able to do that. And Ms. Braggs again, thank you for your due diligence in working with this council and making sure that and city manager to make sure that this is going forward because we've been at this for a while. [0:41:12, 0:41:32]: And then I've always pushed, you know, is is the train going forward? And that's my most of my concern. Sometimes it doesn't matter how long, but you m but you want to make sure that the train is constantly moving. So I just want to thank all of us as a team for capturing this. And I think now um we can all go forward because I think [0:41:32, 0:41:43]: think you have met with I I believe all of the council members and so you have captured all of that input and so now it's just a matter of us raising our hands and [0:41:44, 0:41:46]: Finding the finances to do it. [0:41:46, 0:41:48]: So thank you. [0:41:49, 0:41:49]: Thank you. [0:41:50, 0:42:02]: Thank you all so much. Uh I I do want to say also thank you to Kira for Miss Braggs for all of the support and all of you as well. Um I mentioned to Mayor Pertem just ten minutes ago that [0:42:03, 0:42:05]: This процес has been um [0:42:06, 0:42:26]: Very I I just celebrated eighteen years with Sky Design and this process has been unlike any other. Your openness to collaborating and your professionalism in ensuring that we get the right designs on the page and that it actually represents you. I fully believe that we couldn't have done this without input and and [0:42:26, 0:42:27]: Yeah. [0:42:28, 0:42:45]: Um, you know, anybody can do a good design, but to do a great one you have to collaborate and and do it well. So thank you as well for giving us this opportunity. Thank you, Miss Braggs, for um proposing the idea that we have these types of discussions before we present formally. It's been a wonderful process. [0:42:45, 0:42:48]: If I could one more comment. [0:42:48, 0:43:08]: Certainly I saw where we went and we were talking about the last boxes uh in terms of uh I think we referred to them as the downtown displays or the digital displays. Yes. Now I saw those and now let me talk about my district a little bit. I would like to see those uh at the Johtaco development and that's [0:43:08, 0:43:28]: What's going to be up to the whole team up here to make sure that because those boxes, we saw those uh when we went to Avalon up in Alpharetta. They're very informative, they're very nice, especially with the digital displays and the direction on them. And as the businesses there could actually use them to for advertisement as well. So those that they have digital boards. [0:43:28, 0:43:47]: boards on them. So I just want to put that out there to my colleagues here to see whether or not when we look at that, uh maybe it's um that we would consider doing that.'Cause that development should be up and running and then being pr very productive uh as we go to downtown. We could do them on a parallel track. But thank you. [0:43:47, 0:43:49]: Thank you all. Awesome. [0:43:50, 0:43:57]: Thank you again for your presentation. You are more than welcome to stay. Um, we don't really have any more items on the agenda. [0:43:57, 0:44:03]: to discuss. So I'll just move forward with reading the upcoming meetings and announcements. [0:44:06, 0:44:15]: Uh we have our citywide development authority meeting second Tuesday of each month at six p.m. City Hall Levi Meeting Room on March 14th. [0:44:15, 0:44:21]: Our city council retreat will be March twentieth through March twenty second of twenty twenty three. [0:44:21, 0:44:25]: We have the downtown development authority meeting at six PM via Zoom. [0:44:25, 0:44:28]: Third Tuesday of each month via Zoom. [0:44:28, 0:44:29]: March twenty first. [0:44:30, 0:44:33]: Review council advisory committee meeting at six thirty PM. [0:44:33, 0:44:37]: Every third Tuesday of each month at the Levi Meeting Room. [0:44:37, 0:44:39]: City Hall, March twenty first. [0:44:40, 0:44:44]: Our planning commission meeting at six thirty PM at City Hall, Council Chamber. [0:44:45, 0:44:46]: Fourth Thursday of each month. [0:44:47, 0:44:48]: March twenty third. [0:44:49, 0:44:51]: Our city council work session meeting. [0:44:51, 0:44:55]: Ласт Туздей в іч монт а сикс пм і Сити Халл Консул Чамбер. [0:44:56, 0:44:57]: We've canceled our [0:44:58, 0:45:03]: work session meeting for March because we all will be travelling. [0:45:04, 0:45:07]: To D C for the National League of Cities. [0:45:09, 0:45:18]: We have our youth council meeting, six thirty PM, second Monday of each month, City Hall at Sevi Levi Meeting Room at City Hall, April tenth. [0:45:19, 0:45:22]: We have the city council meeting the second Monday of each month. [0:45:22, 0:45:25]: At six PM at City Hall, Council Chamber. [0:45:25, 0:45:26]: That's April tenth. [0:45:27, 0:45:32]: Our Main Street advisory board meeting second Friday of each month at nine p nine AM. [0:45:32, 0:45:35]: City Hall Levi Meeting Room april fourteenth. [0:45:36, 0:45:39]: The upcoming city events and initiatives [0:45:39, 0:45:46]: Councilman Blount on Wednesday, March 22nd at the Merrill Manders Conference Center for Bingo from 10 a.m. to noon. [0:45:47, 0:45:50]: Please contact Miss Rawls for more information. [0:45:51, 0:46:02]: A continuous salute to veterans. Please forward pictures of veterans including name, branch, rank, and years of service. Um to council member. [0:46:02, 0:46:03]: Thomas. [0:46:03, 0:46:13]: Presents a special tribute to our local veterans. Pictures should be submitted to Miss Rosalind Rawls at R. Rawls at City of Stockbridge. [0:46:13, 0:46:15]: Hyphen G A dot G O V. [0:46:16, 0:46:17]: And thank you for your service. [0:46:18, 0:46:38]: Um want to ask my councilmates, are there any additional comments, questions? Mayor Protein Barber. Uh yes, Madam Clerk. Okay, have two uh corrections on the announcements. The Main Street Advisory Board now meets at the new welcome center on Martin Luther King. [0:46:38, 0:46:55]: Senior Heritage Trail. That's where they hold their meetings now. And the bingo with Councilman Blount has been changed to March 15th due to the council retreat being taking place on the 22nd. So that event will take place on March 15th. [0:46:56, 0:46:57]: Thank you, Madam Clerk. [0:47:00, 0:47:02]: Councilman Thomas, you had a comment? [0:47:05, 0:47:05]: Oh okay. [0:47:06, 0:47:09]: Councilman Alexander, any last comments? [0:47:09, 0:47:13]: I think um was the Miss Prague still here or she already came? [0:47:13, 0:47:24]: Okay. I know today we um went to uh Mr Horton's funeral uh at um and maybe Miss Holliday might want to speak on that. Can you [0:47:29, 0:47:49]: Yes, today was the service for Mr. Greg Horton. Greg Horton was one of the owners of Barn Beautiful. He passed away a week ago last week. Miss Holliday. Yeah. Um I don't think we can hear you. If you don't mind coming to the podium in the front, please. Thank you. [0:47:57, 0:47:58]: Okay, good evening. [0:47:58, 0:48:04]: Yes, um, Councilman Alexander, thank you for mentioning that we did uh attend a service today. [0:48:05, 0:48:25]: For Mr. Greg Horton. Mr. Horton was a former member of the Main Street Advisory Board. He was a business owner here in the city of Stockbridge as part owner of Barn Beautiful over on ML King Senior Heritage Trail. He was also involved with the CVB and the [0:48:25, 0:48:33]: The arts throughout Henry County. He had a beautiful service. He was a wonderful person, and he will be missed dearly. [0:48:36, 0:48:44]: Thank you for that, Madam Clark. Um it's always uh great to have citizens in our community who are [0:48:44, 0:48:50]: actively involved and engaged with our city and certainly Mr. Horton was just that. [0:48:50, 0:48:52]: Um he brought his unique [0:48:52, 0:48:56]: talent and skills right here to our downtown. He certainly will be missed. [0:48:57, 0:49:09]: My prayers, the council's prayers are extended to he and his family. Um any other comments from my councilmates before we adjourn? [0:49:10, 0:49:11]: Mr. Gardner? [0:49:12, 0:49:12]: No help. [0:49:13, 0:49:17]: Well, if nothing else, thank you all so very much for attending. [0:49:18, 0:49:19]: I'll see you next time. [0:49:20, 0:49:21]: Have a good evening. [0:49:23, 0:49:23]: Yeah.