---
date: 2025-04-14
title: Citywide Development Authority Agenda Packet
source: 2025-04/2025-04-14_Citywide Development Authority_Agenda Packet.pdf
pages: 1
---

City of Stockbridge
Citywide Development Authority

STOCKBRIDGE Citywide Development
Development Authority Authority
Ariel Shaw, Chair Meeting Agenda
Terri Gleaton, Vice Chair April 14, 2025 6:00 PM
LaKeisha Gantt, Secretary

Gadson Woodall, Treasurer

Monica Jones, Board Member

Kim Mays, Board Member

Ivy D. Sears, Board Member

Scott Hughes, Board Member

Jacqueline Humphries, Board Member

City Manager, Vacant

Gerald Sanders, Economic
Development Director Citywide Development Authority (DA) The work of development
Cassandra Lester, Recorder authorities is crucial for the ability for local government to create
a legacy of sustained prosperity and requires strong leadership
CITY HALL
from board members, staff, and elected officials. The Citywide
LEVI MEETING ROOM
Development Authority is a (9) nine-member authority consisting
4640 N. HENRY BLVD.
of (8) residents of the City and/or business owners and operators
STOCKBRIDGE, GA 30281
preferably with subject-matter expertise such as attorneys,
Website: www.selectstockbridge.com
realtors, developers, and zoning experts and (1) member of the
Phone: 770-389-7900
Fax: 770-389-7912 Governing Body. The directors shall be taxpayers residing in the
county or municipal corporation for which the authority is
created, and their successors shall be appointed as provided by
the resolution provided for in Code Section 36-62-4
AGENDA
CITYWIDE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETING
CITY OF STOCKBRIDGE
MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2025 6:00 PM

I. Call to Order
1. Roll Call
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes
Review and Approval of March 11, 2025 Minutes
II. Old Business
4. Board Elections
Election of Board Chair
Election of Board Vice-Chair
Election of Treasurer
Election of Board Secretary
5. Amendment to Resolution for 20% Balance Due to the City of
Stockbridge
III. New Business
6. Chair Updates
Marketing Updates & Approvals
Sub-Committees for Marketing & Strategic Positioning
CDA Brokers Open/Reception
7. Economic Development - Gerald Sanders
8. Finance & Treasurer Updates - Gadson Woodall
9. Broker Updates - Tommy Collins - T. Dallas Smith Co.
IV. Executive Session (if needed)
V. Adjourn
Citywide Development Authority
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Stockbridge City Hall Levi Meeting Room 6:00 P.M.

Ariel Shaw, Chair LaKeisha Gantt, Secretary/Councilmember
Present Not Present
Terri Gleaton, Vice Chair Gadson Woodall, Treasurer
Not Present Present (Joined at 6:13 p.m.)
Kim Mays, Board Member Ivy D. Sears, Board Member
Not Present Present
Monica Jones, Board Member Scott Hughes – Board Member
Present Present
Vacant – Board Member Elle Whigham, Board Attorney
Present

Also Present: Vanessa Holiday, City Clerk (Recorder)_
Christine Chavis, Economic Development Coordinator
Attorney Winston Denmark

New Board Member Scott Hughes was introduced.

The Meeting was called to order by Chair Shaw at 6:08 p.m.; seconded by Board
Member Jones. The motion passed unanimously 4-0.

Roll Call by Board Member Jones; all members were present except Board
Members Gleaton, Mays and Woodall, and Councilmember Gantt who is attending
the NLC Conference in Washington, DC.

Motion to approve the Agenda was made by Board Member Jones; seconded by
Board Member Sears. The motion passed unanimously 4-0.

Board Member Woodall joined the meeting at 6:13 p.m.

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OLD BUSINESS
January Minutes - Motion to approve the January 14, 2025 Meeting Minutes with a
request to amend page 4 removing the 60% percentage split cited by Mr. Milazi
was made by Chair Shaw; seconded by Board Member Jones. The motion passed
unanimously 5-0.

FY2025 Budget - Chair Shaw reviewed the proposed FY2025 Operating Budget
noting the need to increase professional fees and travel expenses relating to board
members attending upcoming conferences, partnership with the city’s Economic
Development Department for the Business Conference taking place on March 27,
2025; increasing advertising and marketing; and noted the Board has spent little
funds year to date.

Motion to approve the FY2025 Budget in the amount of $115,182 was made by
Chair Shaw; seconded by Board Member Woodall. The motion passed
unanimously 5-0.

NEW BUSINESS
Chair Updates - Chair Shaw referenced the 2025 Calendar of Events and training
opportunities; and referenced the Brokers Open, Henry County State of the
County, and Mayor Ford’s State of the City address on Aprill 22nd; noting events
would be at the Board’s discretion to attend; and also referenced the Four Pillar
event sponsored by Council for Quality Growth later in October.

Board Member Hughes stated the importance of being at the table at the Four Pillar
event.

Attorney Whigham noted she is attempting to get the Board Retreat counted as
Continuing Education Credit, and noted training for board members is mandated
beginning each July 1.

Developer Applications - Chair Shaw reviewed the Economic Development
documents created by Legal, which included the Application for Inducement
Resolution, Application for Bond Inducement Letter and the Economic
Development Incentives Program Application, noting the forms are not on the
website, and the webpage developer has stated the forms can be hidden on the page
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to allow access by the Team, to include the Attorney, Financial Advisor, and
authorized members.

Attorney Whigham noted a rule of thumb is, if the project exceed $100k, bond is
required.

Board Member Hughes asked who will vet the potential developer.
Chair Shaw referenced the Team and requested that Legal always be included
when speaking with developers, and to include the Board Chair.

Contract & Resolution (Bonding Attorney) – Attorney Whigham presented the
Resolution to approve an Engagement Letter from Butler Snow LLP for the Patrick
Henry Parkway Mixed Use Conceptual Master Plan Project, noting the firm did not
submit the full agreement so as not to charge the Board until the project was
further down the road. Attorney Whigham also noted Bond Attorney Douglas
Selby did not submit an Engagement Letter.

Ms. Holiday noted Butler Snow LLP is the attorney for the Downtown
Development Authority, and Douglas Selby is the Bond Counsel for the City of
Stockbridge and processed the bonding for the city’s Amphitheater.

Board Member Hughes asked if there is a Code of Conduct in place to avoid
Conflict of Interest. Ms. Holiday stated Board Members are city officials and
would send the Code.

Following discussion, the consensus of the Board was to Table the Resolution.

Motion to Table the Bond Attorney Engagement Letter was made by Chair Shaw;
seconded by Board Member Jones. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.

Economic Development Updates
Ms. Chavis noted there is a pending cost estimate for the Patrick Henry
Transportation Plan.

3|Page
Treasurer Updates
Board Member Woodall noted the city received an invoice from the City for 40%
of the North Park Trail real estate transaction of $679,866 and paid $271,946.40 to
the City of Stockbridge, and the account balance as of 2/28/2025 is $468,178.30;
and noted the Board received $45,000.00 from the City of Stockbridge.

Motion to approve the invoice in the amount of $271,946.40 (40%) to the City of
Stockbridge for the North Park Trail real estate transaction was made by Chair
Shaw; seconded by Board Member Woodall. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.
The consensus of the Board was to reschedule the April 8, 2025 Board meeting to
April 14, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in-person in the Levi Meeting Room at City Hall.
Attorney Whigham noted she would be available via Zoom.

Executive Session
Motion to convene Executive Session for Real Estate was made by Chair Shaw;
seconded by Board Member Jones. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.

Motion to adjourn Executive Session and reconvene the meeting and to sign an
Executive Session Affidavit with no action was made by Chair Shaw; seconded by
Board Member Sears. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.

Motion to Table the Board Elections to the next meeting was made by Chair Shaw;
seconded by Board Member Sears. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.

Attorney Whigham stated she would prepare a Notice of Board Elections to be
distributed to all members by the Chair.

Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:36 p.m. was made by Chair Shaw; seconded by
Board Member Sears. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.

Minutes recorded by: Vanessa Holiday, City Clerk

Citywide Development Authority (DA) The work of development authorities is crucial for the ability for local government to create a
legacy of sustained prosperity and requires strong leadership from board members, staff, and elected officials. The Citywide
Development Authority is a (7) seven-member authority consisting of (6) residents of the City and/or business owners and operators
preferably with subject-matter expertise such as attorneys, realtors, developers, and zoning experts and (1) member of the Governing
Body. The directors shall be taxpayers residing in the county or municipal corporation for which the authority is created, and their
successors shall be appointed as provided by the resolution provided for in Code Section 36-62-4.

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