[X.5. Rezoning Application - Petition # P2025RZ-001-01 Located at 0 East Woodberry Avenue Zoning Map Amendment Request to Rezone Property From R-3 (Multifamily Development) District to MX-CI (Mixed Use Commercial Industrial) District PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED]

PUBLIC HEARING. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY TO READ THE RULES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURES. BEFORE ADOPTING ANY CHANGE TO THE ZONING MAPS OR TEXT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, WHERE A RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE ON THE PETITION. PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE CONDUCTED AS FOLLOWS. THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL CALL FOR A MOTION TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HEARING. THE PRESIDING OFFICER OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE WILL INTRODUCE THE PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL. STAFF WILL THEN BE CALLED UPON TO PRESENT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION AND SUMMARIZE THE STAFF'S WRITTEN REPORT. PERSONS BOTH FAVORING AND OPPOSING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WILL THEN BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. THE APPLICANT FOR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OR APPLICANT'S DESIGNEE REPRESENTATIVE, IF ANY, WILL BE ENTITLED TO SPEAK FIRST, FOLLOWED BY OTHER SPEAKERS IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSAL FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES. THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENT WILL THEN BE PERMITTED TO SPEAK FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES. BY MAJORITY VOTE. THE COUNCIL MAY INCREASE THE TOTAL TIME FOR SPEAKERS, PROVIDED THAT EACH SIDE IS GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER FOR EACH SIDE. THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY LIMIT THE TIME ALLOWED ALLOTTED TO EACH INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER. OTHER THAN THE ZONING APPLICANT, THE ZONING APPLICANT MAY RESERVE A PORTION OF HIS ALLOTTED TIME FOR REBUTTAL. SPEAKERS MUST ADHERE TO RULES OF DECORUM PRIOR TO SPEAKING. EACH SPEAKER SHALL IDENTIFY HIMSELF OR HERSELF AND STATE HIS OR HER CURRENT ADDRESS. EACH SPEAKER SHALL SPEAK ONLY TO THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSED ZONING DECISION UNDER CONSIDERATION. SHALL ADDRESS REMARKS ONLY TO THE COUNCIL, AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS ON ANY OTHER SPEAKER. THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY REFUSE A SPEAKER THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE IF, AFTER FIRST BEING CAUTIONED, THE SPEAKER CONTINUES TO VIOLATE THE RULES OF DECORUM. GET A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. IS THE APPLICANT HERE TO COME FORWARD? I IF YOU COULD JUST SIT RIGHT THERE ON THE FRONT, I FORGOT TO HAVE STAFF DO AN OVERVIEW FIRST. I APOLOGIZE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. KIMBERLY SMITH, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. MR. LEE KELLY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. IN REFERENCE TO THIS ITEM. PROPERTY LOCATED AT ZERO EAST WOODBURY AVENUE, CASE NUMBER P202500101. THE APPLICANT IS CODY SNYDER. THE CURRENT ZONING OF THE PROPERTY IS OUR R-3 ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH IS MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT. THE CASE TYPE IS A REZONING AND THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE R-3, OUR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT ZONING DISTRICT, TO MHCI, WHICH IS OUR MIXED USE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT, TO DEVELOP OFFICE AND WORKSPACE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. AS STATED, THE CURRENT ZONING IS R3. IT'S DEPICTED ON THE ZONING MAP IN THE AS THE ORANGE TRIANGLE OUTLINED IN GREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN OF THE MAP. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION IS REDEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS DEPICTED IN THE PURPLE TRIANGLE OUTLINED IN BLUE. SOME

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OF THE TYPICAL ZONING DISTRICTS AND TYPICAL LAND USES. IN OUR REDEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD ARE.

OUR R3, R1, AND R2. MULTI, MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE. STAFF DID RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS BECAUSE IT DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE DEVELOPMENT MAP AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF IT BASED ON THE SAME FOR THE SAME REASONS. THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF OUR OVERVIEW. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE APPLICANT CAN COME BACK UP. PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE MIC. THERE YOU GO. SO PRESS THE BUTTON THE WHOLE TIME. THAT'S SO MUCH BETTER. I'M CODY SNYDER. I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER. IF MY VOICE GETS OUT WHILE I'M DOING MY PRESENTATION, MY SISTER WILL STEP IN AND COMPLETE IT. DUE TO THE HIGH POLLEN COUNT, IT KIND OF KNOCKS OUT MY VOCALS EVERY YEAR. I'M THE PROPERTY OWNER AND I'M LOOKING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROWTH OF THE CITY OF EAST POINT WITH MY DEVELOPMENT ON WOODBURY AVENUE. THE LOT IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE PUBLIC STORAGE AT 1790 EAST WOODBURY AVENUE, ADJACENT TO TWO ACCESS POINTS FOR LAKEWOOD PARKWAY. THE PLOT IS TRIANGULAR IN SHAPE, APPROXIMATELY 1.4 ACRES, AND SURROUNDED BY TREES. THERE ARE NO MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ON THE LAND, ALTHOUGH THE LAND IS SLOPED. THERE ARE NO EXISTING BODIES OF WATER ON THE PROPERTY.

NO ENDANGERED FAUNA, ANIMALS OR PROTECTED SPECIES DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO LANGFORD PARKWAY.

THE PARCEL SHARES A STREET VIEW WITH AN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY NAMED PUBLIC STORAGE AND TWO VACANT DEVELOPMENTS, BRACCO BREAK CENTER AND MIDDLEBROOK HEATING AND AIR, WHICH ARE ZONED NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL. THE LOT BEGINS AND ENDS PRIOR TO THE CURB AND EAST WOODBURY AVENUE, AND LIKE THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IT SHARES THE STREET VIEW WITH, IT FACES TOWARD LANGFORD PARKWAY, NOT AWAY FROM IT. THE WAY THE HOUSE IS FOLLOWING THE CURB TO THE PROPERTY BEGINS 153FT FROM THE RESIDENTIAL CORNER. PROPOSED REZONING PLANS. ACTIVE ION LLC PROPOSES REZONING THE PARCEL MXC II. UNDERSTANDABLY, THE AREA SITUATED BETWEEN STANTON STREET AND LAWRENCE STREET IS NOT DESIGNATED A MIXED USE DISTRICT. HOWEVER, IT IS A MIX OF ZONING BETWEEN URBAN, RESIDENTIAL, MULTIFAMILY DWELLING, COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, TWO FAMILY DWELLING, AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL. THIS AREA IS A MIX OF ZONING, THE BENEFIT TO THE PROPERTY BEING ZONED MXC II WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE THE PERFECT BUFFER BETWEEN THE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OF PUBLIC STORAGE AND THE HIDDEN RESIDENTIAL CURVE OF WOODBURY AVENUE. THERE WILL BE BETWEEN 14 AND 20 UNITS INSULATED FOR TEMPERATURE AND SOUND CONTROL, PROPERLY VENTILATED AND WELL LIT WITH INDIVIDUAL RESTROOMS AND ENCLOSED OFFICES. WE INTEND TO PROVIDE WORKSPACE AND OFFICES FOR REMOTE WORKERS, ONLINE OPERATIONS TUTORS, ARTISTS OF VARYING MEDIUMS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ANYONE ELSE LOOKING FOR A QUIET PLACE TO WORK.

ACTIVE RETAIL OR INDUSTRIAL MACHINE OPERATION WILL BE PROHIBITED TO LIMIT TRAFFIC AND NOISE. THERE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY THREE STRUCTURES OF VARIOUS SIZES PLACED ON THE PROPERTY TO EXPEDITE DEVELOPMENT AND ALIGN WITH OUR VISION TO REDUCE METAL WASTE AND REUSE RECYCLABLE MATERIALS, THE BUILDINGS WILL BEGIN AS PREFABRICATED STEEL STRUCTURES WITH MODULE SUPPORTS, AND HAVE ADDITIONAL BRICK FACADES INSTALLED TO MAKE THE STREET VIEW MORE APPEALING. STEEL STRUCTURES ARE KNOWN TO BE STRONG, DURABLE, SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE. THEY HAVE GREATER STAY POWER COMPARED TO WOODEN AND BRICK STRUCTURES LIKE THE BUILDING AND LAYOUT PICTURE. THE STRUCTURES WILL HAVE ONE MANUAL ROLL UP DOOR AND ONE MAN DOOR PER UNIT. NO MECHANICS TO LIMIT NOISE. THE WALLS WILL BE AT LEAST 12FT TALL, BUT NO TALLER THAN 16FT. THE RULES WILL BE GABLED TO ALLOW ADEQUATE RAIN FLOW, WITH A COMPLETE GUTTER AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM. IDEALLY, IT MAY BENEFIT THE OVERALL ESTHETIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE A PROPERTY THAT PROVIDES A MORE TRANSITIONAL APPROACH TO THE STREET VIEW. A MULTI-USE DEVELOPMENT COULD BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN AN INDUSTRIAL BUSINESSES AND A HIDDEN RESIDENTIAL AREA, CONSIDERABLY BETTER THAN TALL STRUCTURES OR NEW HOMES. ARE. ON THE. THE TREES ON THE PROPERTY ARE NOT HEALTHY. MANY ARE INFESTED OR DAMAGED TO THE POINT OF ROT AND DECAY. THE CITY HAS CUT DOWN SEVERAL GROUPS OF TREES TO PROTECT POWER LINES AND KEEP WOODBURY AVENUE CLEAR FROM

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FALLING LIMBS AND TRUNKS. IN THE LATTER HALF OF 2024, TREES IN THE AREA SEVERED POWER LINES AND DAMAGE TO NEIGHBORING PROPERTY WITHOUT THE AID OF STORMS OR STRONG WINDS. SINCE JANUARY OF 2025, SEVERAL BRANCHES HAVE FALLEN FROM DEAD TREES AND DAMAGED PROPERTY OF ADJACENT BUSINESS. THE PROPERTY IS 75FT FROM THE STREAM, AND THE REMAINING TREES ARE NOT HEALTHY OR SUITABLE FOR WILDLIFE. THE ONGOING ISSUE WITH DUMPING ON WOODBURY AVENUE, AS ANY WOODBURY AVENUE RESIDENT CAN TELL YOU, IS A MAJOR PROBLEM DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE LOT. THEY DUMP ALMOST RELIGIOUSLY AND OCCUPIED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH FENCES, LOCK GATES, MOTION LIGHTS AND SECURITY CAMERAS AS A GREATER DETERRENT FOR DUMPING THAN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, WITH AN EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY. TRAFFIC IN ANY INSTANCE OF A NEW DEVELOPMENT, AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IS GOING TO BE UNAVOIDABLE. WHETHER IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY HOME OR APARTMENTS OR BUSINESS. UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, LANGFORD PARKWAY IS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE LOT, SO THERE WILL BE NO REASON FOR ANYONE TO TRAVEL UP TO THE RESIDENTIAL PORTION OF WOODBURY AVENUE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE RESIDENTS OF WOODBURY AVENUE AND HEARING THEIR CONCERNS WITH SPEEDING AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TRAVELING ON THEIR STREET, I STARTED A PETITION FOR THE CITY TO INSERT SPEED BUMPS. THESE ARE THEIR SIGNATURES. THE DEVELOPMENT WILL REMAIN PRIVATELY OWNED, SO IT WILL BE UP TO THE OWNERS DISCRETION. WHAT SORT OF BUSINESSES WILL AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE ON SITE WITHIN THE CITY'S LIMITS OF ZONING, THERE WILL BE NO BUSINESSES THAT RELY HEAVILY ON NIGHTTIME ACTIVITIES OR PRODUCE ANY ABUNDANCE OF NOISE PERMITTED I.E. NIGHTCLUBS, BARS, DANCE STUDIOS, ETC. OUR TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC ARE WORKING PROFESSIONALS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN A QUIET PLACE TO WORK STREAM, FREE FROM DISTRACTION. MAJOR POINTS OF CONCERN AND MAX PSI VERSUS R-3 TREES, 30 FOOT BUFFERS OF UNTOUCHED LAND, NEW LANDSCAPING AND GREENERY, MANDATORY TREES R3 75% CAN BE CLEARED. SIX FOOT BUFFER ON RESIDENTIAL SIDE. ONLY HEALTHY SPECIMENS NEED TO REMAIN WITHIN THE REMAINING 25%. CRIME MK CI PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS AND BUSINESSES ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE EXTERIOR SECURITY WITHOUT IMPUNITY. CRIME R3 MOST CRIMES ARE COMMITTED BY INDIVIDUALS EITHER WITHIN THEIR HOME OR SHORT DISTANCES OF THEIR HOME TRAFFIC. MK II MOST PROFESSIONALS KEEP DAYTIME HOURS. SMALL SCALE OPERATIONS TYPICALLY HAVE NO MORE THAN FOUR EMPLOYEES. TRAFFIC R3 RESIDENTS COME AND GO AS THEY PLEASE AT ANY TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT.

RESIDENTS OFTEN HAVE GUESTS, BUT PARKING IS LIMITED. NOISE. THE CITY OF EASTPOINT NOISE ORDINANCE HOURS ARE BETWEEN 11 P.M. AND 7 A.M. NOISE MK II NO HEAVY MACHINERY, INDIVIDUAL WORKSPACES, NO OUTDOOR WORK ACTIVITY. SMALL BUSINESSES USUALLY CLOSE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 4 P.M. AND 6 P.M. WHEN PEOPLE RETURN HOME. A SINGLE TRASH COLLECTION. NO SPECIAL PICKUPS.

NOISE R3 PLAYGROUNDS, DOG PARKS, PARTIES, MUSIC, SHARED OUTDOOR SPACES, POOLS, PUBLIC ART I'M SORRY CLUBHOUSES, EVENT SPACES. MULTIPLE TRASH CAN PICKUPS. EASTPOINTE, MUNICODE CODIFICATION CATALOG. CHAPTER TWO, ARTICLE C, SECTION TEN 2065 IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LAND FOR MEDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES. DISTRICT SCOPE AND INTENT. REGULATIONS SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION ARE THE R3 DISTRICT REGULATIONS. ARTICLE D SHOULD BE CONSULTED TO DETERMINE USES AND MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR USES ALLOWED BY ADMINISTRATIVE PERMIT OR USE PERMIT. THE R3 DISTRICT IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE THE LAND AREAS DEVOTED TO MEDIUM TO HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL USES. THE DISTRICT ALSO PROVIDES FOR CLOSELY RELATED USES. ALTHOUGH THE LOT SHARES EAST WOODBURY AVENUE WITH A SINGLE RESIDENTIAL BLOCK, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY SHARE A STREET, AND THE SECTION OF WARD B IN WHICH THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED IS NOT A MEDIUM OR HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. IN FACT, INDICATED BY THE RED CIRCLE AND THE BLUE LOCATION TAG, AND MARKED IN ORANGE ON THE EAST POINT CITY ZONING MAP, THE PROPERTY IS MORE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED AS SITUATED BETWEEN A COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. THE CITY OF EAST POINT HAS SEVERAL OVERLAY PROJECTS IN THE WORKS. WHILE THE PROPERTY DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE AREA

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PERTINENT TO THE PLANS, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY OFFERS SUPPORT IN FAVOR OF REZONING SECTION 1014 ZERO 11. THE DESIGN AND LAYOUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BUILD UPON AND COMPLEMENT THE DESIGN OF THE CURRENT DISTRICT, AS OPPOSED TO CREATING A NEW ONE. THE SIZE, ORIENTATION, SETBACK, AND SCALE OF BUILDINGS ARE INTEGRAL ELEMENTS IN THE DISTRICT. A BUILDING'S ORIENTATION AND PLACEMENT SHOULD COMPLEMENT AND RELATE TO THE ADJACENT BUILDING STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES. THE PLACEMENT OF BUILDINGS SHOULD CREATE AN INFORMAL GROUPING AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM, AS OPPOSED TO BEING ORDERLY AND UNIFORM. THE VISUAL IMPACT OF PARKING SHOULD BE MINIMIZED BY PLACING IT TO THE REAR AND BY SCREENING. A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE WOULD BETTER SUIT THE CURRENT APPEARANCE OF THE STREET ON WHICH THIS PROPERTY FACES, AND COMPLEMENT THE AREA OF WARD B IN WHICH THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED.

FURTHERMORE, THE SINGLE RESIDENTIAL BLOCK OF WOODBURY AVENUE WAS DEVELOPED IN 1955.

THE PLOT OF LAND THAT WAS NEVER DEVELOPED, AND SINCE IT HAS BEEN FOR SALE FOR MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT FOR 70 YEARS, NO ONE HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY FOR MULTIFAMILY USE. THE CITY DOES NOT NEED ANOTHER VACANT LOT. RATHER THAN A NEW DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTING TO THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHS, THIS IS THE PETITION FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE HERE TONIGHT, THESE ARE THEIR SIGNATURES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? MADAM CITY CLERK, I HAVE WE PROBABLY HAVE TEN, 12 MINUTES. I HAVE FOUR MINUTES, 41 SECONDS LEFT. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST FOR REZONING? MY NAME IS DOROTHY HALL, AND I'M A RESIDENT FOR 40 YEARS AT 1660 EAST WOODBURY AVENUE. AND I SIGNED THE PETITION BECAUSE I SEE WHAT MR. SNYDER HAS ALREADY DONE IN THE COMMUNITY. HE SOLICITED FOR A SPEED BUMPS. AND I KNOW YOU SAID SOMETHING EARLIER TONIGHT ABOUT SPEED BUMPS, BUT TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCKS COME UP AND DOWN OUR STREET ALL NIGHT LONG, EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND THERE ARE TWO SIGNS POSTED THAT SAY NO TRUCKS ALLOWED. I ALMOST CAME HEAD ON WITH A TRUCK THAT WAS COMING ONE MORNING ABOUT 10:00 WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE GYM, AND I JUST HAD TO KEEP BLOWING FOR HIM NOT TO RUN INTO ME. SO ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE TRAFFIC ON THAT STREET WHEN MR. CODY GOT THE PROPERTY, THERE WAS ABOUT 200 TO 300 TIRES THAT HE PULLED OFF THE PROPERTY AND PASTED ON THE CURB. WE HAD PROBLEMS BEFORE THAT WITH DUMPING. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS RESIDENTS OR WHETHER IT WAS PUBLIC STORAGE OR WHOEVER, BUT THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND WE PRESENTED THIS TO COUNCIL SOMETIME LAST YEAR. WE ALSO PRESENTED THE NEED FOR BASICALLY A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS SUCH AS MYSELF, IS RETIRED. I WENT THROUGH THIS ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO AND THEY DID DEVELOP SOMETHING BEHIND MY PROPERTY, AND IT HASN'T INTERFERED BECAUSE THEY KEPT A BUFFER AS TO HOW FAR THEY CAN CUT DOWN TREES. THE NOISE FROM TRI CITY, I CAN HEAR THE BAND AND STUFF, BUT THAT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. SO I BELIEVE THAT HE'S GOING TO BE AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE HE'S A CARING PERSON. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST FOR REZONING? ANYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST FOR REZONING? ANYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION FOR TO THE REQUEST FOR REZONING. YOU CAN COME TO THE MIC. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TODAY, I APPRECIATE DO I NEED TO SAY MY NAME FIRST? OKAY. NAME AND ADDRESS. OKAY. LET'S SCALE IT BACK. GOOD EVENING. I'M ASHLEY WALKER. MY ADDRESS IS 1704 WOODBURY AVENUE. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION THAT CODY HAS SHARED. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE MY NEIGHBOR SHARING WHY SHE IS FOR IT. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SHARED ON. WHY. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A GROUP THAT IS FOR IT, SPEED BUMPS AND AS WELL AS THE TRAFFIC ON WOODBURY AVENUE, I WOULD CHALLENGE US ALL TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WHETHER

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HE BUILDS OR NOT, THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE TRAFFIC, THERE ARE ISSUES WITH ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. AS FAR AS TRUCKS GOING DOWN THERE, I WOULD POSE THE QUESTION IF HE WAS NOT WANTING TO BUILD, BUT WE COULD HANDLE THE SPEED BUMPS ISSUE AND WE COULD HANDLE THE TRAFFIC. WILL WE STILL WANT HIM TO BUILD? CODY SNYDER'S PROPERTY IS DIRECTLY BEHIND MY HOME, AND I KNOW FROM ATTENDING SEVERAL MEETINGS, I WOULDN'T SAY I'M AN EXPERT BY ANY MEANS WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY SHARE WITH US IS SOMETHING ALIGNED TO SPOT ZONING, AND I FEEL AS IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PUT INTO CONSIDERATION.

ADDITIONALLY, THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR A DENIAL, AND THEY ALSO SHARED SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESSES THAT HE COULD POSSIBLY PUT IN THAT AREA. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT I ADAMANTLY OPPOSE HIM BUILDING AT ZERO EASTWOODBURY AVENUE. THANK YOU. OH WAIT, ONE MORE THING. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO VERIFY THE NAMES ON THE PETITION TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO DISCREPANCIES AND THAT THOSE RESIDENTS WERE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT THEY WERE SIGNING. THANKS. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION OF THE REQUEST TO REZONE ZERO EAST WOODBURY AVENUE FROM R-3 MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT TO MHCI MIXED USE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? CAN I GET A MOTION PUBLIC HEARING? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE ANY FURTHER ACTION ON THIS ITEM? GOOD EVENING. I'D JUST LIKE TO STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT DUE TO WORK SESSION NOT BEING LAST MONDAY, THAT THIS ITEM HAS NOT GONE BEFORE A WORK SESSION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. PRIOR TO ANY ACTION BEING TAKEN. YEAH, THE RULE FOR WORK SESSION REQUIREMENT APPLIES TO COUNCIL, NOT NECESSARILY STAFF, BUT THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, DO WE DO A DEFERRAL UNTIL IT GOES BACK TO WORK SESSION? NO, I'M A DOES THE LEGAL HAVE THE RULE UP ALREADY. THE RULE REALLY APPLIES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NOT ITEMS PUT ON THE AGENDA BY STAFF. I CAN PULL IT UP.

MADAM MAYOR, IT'S RULE 15. A COUNCIL MEMBER MAY PLACE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA PROVIDED THE ITEM HAS FIRST BEEN TO A WORK SESSION OR PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AT A PRIOR COUNCIL MEETING, AND ALL ASSOCIATED PAPERWORK WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE BY THE ESTABLISHED DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING INFORMATION, SO IT DOES LIMIT IT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND NOT STAFF. AND IT'S A MAY, SO IT'S NOT REQUIRED. AND NOT REQUIRED BY COUNCIL BUT DISCRETION. IT SAYS COUNCILMAN OKAY. OH THEY MAY PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA, BUT IF THEY DO IT HAS TO GO TO A WORK SESSION. GOT YOU. I HAVE IT UP ON MY SCREEN. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON THIS? SIR? YES, MADAM MAYOR, I THINK I TEND TO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE, ABOUT DEFERRING THIS ISSUE. WE DO NEED TO VERIFY THAT THOSE NAMES WERE CORRECT AND DO SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT. SO. SO CAN I, COUNCILMAN BUTLER, CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? COUNCILMEMBER SHROPSHIRE'S QUESTION WAS PROCEDURAL. CAN YOU DO A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION JUST SO WE CAN HAVE THIS ROUND OF DISCUSSION? YES, MA'AM. MADAM MAYOR, I OPEN THE FLOOR, MAKE THE MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PETITION BEFORE COUNCIL.

SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN BUTLER? YES, MADAM. MAYOR. I THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. COUNCILWOMAN BUTLER.

YES, MADAM. MAYOR, IT'S MY JUST TO REPEAT THAT I SUPPORT DEFERRING THE ISSUE. SO COUNCIL

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MEMBER BUTLER SAID HE SUPPORTS DEFERRING THE ISSUE. THERE'S NO OTHER LIGHTS ON. I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE WORK SESSION REQUIREMENT IS NOT FOR STAFF ITEMS. IT'S ONLY FOR COUNCIL ITEMS. SO BECAUSE THIS IS AN ITEM FROM STAFF AND THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED PER OUR ORDINANCES, COUNCIL CAN STILL TAKE ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT WITHOUT THE REQUIREMENT OF A WORK SESSION. BECAUSE THAT RULE FOR COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY APPLIES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. ANY FURTHER ACTION ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. IT IS BEEN TO STAFF RECOMMENDED DENIAL. CORRECT. BUT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HAVEN'T HEARD THE CASE. THEY BOTH RECOMMENDED DENIAL. THEY BOTH DID. OH, I THOUGHT SHE SAID THAT. THEY DIDN'T. KNOW HER PRESENTATION. SHE SAID THAT STAFF RECOMMENDED DENIAL BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE. IT DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER REASON. AND SHE SAID THAT PLANNING AND ZONING DENIED IT FOR THAT REASON AS WELL, FOR THOSE REASONS. SO BOTH HEARD IT. OH WELL, I MUST HAVE HEARD WRONG THEN. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEDLAND AND COUNCIL MEMBER. SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER, WAS THAT A MOTION TO DEFER OR. NO, SIR, I DIDN'T MAKE THE MOTION. OKAY? I JUST PUT IT OUT FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY. THERE WAS A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION THAT WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY COUNCIL. SO WE'RE IN DISCUSSION. THERE HASN'T BEEN A MOTION ON ANY TYPE OF ACTION APPROVED, DENIED. DEFER ANY MOTION ON THAT. JUST DISCUSSION. COMMENT. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. TWO QUESTIONS. SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO. WHAT YOU'RE WANTING TO PUT THERE. IS IT? A IT'S A WORKSPACE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE STORAGE UNITS. AND IT MAY. ANIMATION. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH. SO LIKE I SAID THEY'LL START AS PREFABRICATED STRUCTURES WITH A BRICK FACADE SO THEY WON'T LOOK LIKE STEEL BUILDINGS. AND EACH UNIT WILL HAVE A OFFICE AND A WORKSPACE. SO THEY'RE FOR INDIVIDUAL SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE CONTRACTORS. OR THERE'S A LOT OF SUB COMPANIES TO TYLER PERRY STUDIOS, CLEANING SUPPLY PEOPLE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THIS IS WHAT THEY ALL LOOK LIKE ON THE INSIDE. SO THIS THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE ON THE INSIDE.

YOU DON'T ACTUALLY SEE THE OFFICE, BUT THAT IS WHAT THE WORKSPACE LOOKS LIKE. SO IT'S FOR THEIR STORAGE OF GOODS, ONLINE SALES, LIKE I SAID, JANITORIAL SUPPLIES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT WORK AT THE AIRPORT, THOSE ARE THE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE TARGETING TO ACTUALLY WORK IN THESE SPACES. SO THEY'RE SMALLER MOM AND POP SHOPS THAT WILL UTILIZE THESE SPACES. OKAY.

HAVE YOU EVER DONE A PROJECT LIKE THIS BEFORE? IS THIS YOUR FIRST? NO, THIS IS MY SECOND. I ALSO OWN A PROPERTY ON CENTRAL AVENUE 1466. WE'VE DONE THE SAME THING THERE. WE'VE TAKEN AN OLD.

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD PICTURES. AN OLDER WAREHOUSE THAT WAS THE WORST ON THE BLOCK. AND WE RENOVATED IT. AND NOW IT'S ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING BUILDINGS ON CENTRAL AVENUE, RIGHT ACROSS FROM ESSAR RECYCLING. OKAY. AND THEIR INDIVIDUAL UNITS AS WELL. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THEY DON'T HAVE INDIVIDUAL OFFICE SPACES. SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY, JANITORIAL SUPPLY, A FILM COMPANY, RENTAL CAR COMPANY AND A CARPET CLEANING COMPANY.

INSIDE OF THAT BUILDING. OKAY. AND CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE PETITION PAGE, PLEASE? THE PETITION PAGE. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE US TO VERIFY THESE SIGNATURES? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY DOES? OKAY. RIGHT HERE IS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM HAVE PHONE NUMBERS AND SOME OF THEM DON'T. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU I YIELD. YES. YEAH. AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT I DON'T IN THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER. YEAH I THINK THEY MAY I THINK AS THE OTHER RESIDENT STATED EARLIER, THERE MIGHT BE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THE VALIDITY OF THESE SIGNATURES.

[02:30:03]

AND DID PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE SIGNING UP FOR? OKAY. BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WANT US TO DO AS FAR AS VERIFYING THEM, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO CALL EACH INDIVIDUAL AND DO? SO I'M GOING TO HOLD ON JUST A MOMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT ZONING PROCEDURE, OKAY? AND I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY APPEALABLE ISSUES. SO I'M GOING TO DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY. A THERE'S NOT A TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IN OUR ZONING ORDINANCE, THERE'S NOTHING THAT REQUIRES OR THAT WE DO TO VERIFY SIGNATURES ON PETITIONS. AND IF WE ADD ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT ALSO CREATE POTENTIALLY CREATES POTENTIAL LEGAL CHALLENGES.

ATTORNEY WIGGINS, BEFORE SHE SPEAKS, I HAVE A QUESTION. LET HER ANSWER THAT ON THAT PETITION, AND THEN I'LL COME TO YOU AT THE COUNCIL. IT WOULD TAKE THE PHONE NUMBERS DOWN BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE NEVER NON-PUBLISHED. IF IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE CITY FOR. BUT WHEN YOU IF THE RECORD IS DONE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT THAT OUT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GIVE OUT PEOPLE'S PHONE NUMBERS. SO THAT APPLIES TO STAFF, PUBLIC GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. BUT IF THEY SUBMITTED THIS WITH THEIR RECORD, WITH THEIR DOCUMENT FOR A PETITION, AND IT'S WITHIN THE PUBLIC RECORD, I'M NOT SURE IF IT NEEDS REDACTING. I'LL RESEARCH IT SO WE CAN TAKE IT DOWN UNTIL IT'S DETERMINED. YEAH. BUT WITH RESPECT TO BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE MAYOR'S QUESTION ABOUT VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURES, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING IN THE ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRES THAT TO BE DONE. IF IT'S AN ADDITIONAL THING THAT THE COUNCIL DOES WANT DONE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STAFF TO DO IT. THE. OPTION FOR DEFERRAL, IF THERE IS SOME MORE WORK THAT YOU WANT THE APPLICANT TO BE TO CONDUCT, IS AN OPTION. AND I GUESS THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO CREATE THAT IN THEIR MOTION TO DETERMINE IF THAT IS A DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THE SIGNATURES VERIFIED, HOW THAT HOW AND WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THAT, SINCE THERE'S NOT ANY DIRECTION IN THE CODE ABOUT HOW THAT IS DONE, DOES THAT CREATE POTENTIAL LEGAL CHALLENGES AS AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT? THAT'S NOT IN THE CODE TO HAVE THEM VERIFY SIGNATURES TO WHO THE APPLICANT OR THE STAFF IS MAKING THAT A PART OF THEIR PROCESS FOR THE REZONING? IF IT'S NOT ALREADY A REQUIREMENT, IF IT'S NOT DONE AS A I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO NO, IT WON'T PRESENT ANY LEGAL CHALLENGES. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL YES, EVEN IF I BELIEVE WE RECEIVED SOME COMMUNICATIONS VIA EMAIL, I THINK SHE ACTUALLY SPOKE TONIGHT ABOUT HOW IT WAS KIND OF MISCONSTRUED, WHAT SHE WAS ACTUALLY SIGNING UP FOR. I THINK MISS HOUSTON, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S YOU OR NOT, BUT I'M ACTUALLY OKAY. OKAY, OKAY. I'M SORRY, BUT BUT WHAT WE DID RECEIVE SOME COMMUNICATIONS THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN. WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY SIGNING A PETITION FOR. NO, THAT WAS A DRAFT ISSUE ON MY PART. IT WAS A CLERICAL ERROR. AND THAT'S. CAN YOU GO BACK ONE MORE? AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE REVISION.

BECAUSE WE DID NOT PUT IN THE SECURITY. OH, SORRY, I UNDERSTAND IT'S ALL GOOD. SO THAT'S WHY WE CAN EITHER WAIVE THE FIRST READING AND DEFER IT. YOU KNOW, OR DENY OR IF COUNCIL DECIDES WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE OR DENY IT TONIGHT, WAIVER OF THE FIRST READING IS REQUIRED. IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DEFER IT, THEN COUNCIL CAN MAKE THAT MOTION. I MEAN, I GUESS UNTIL FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IF SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE, I WOULD SAY WE WOULD DEFER IT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE WILL OF COUNCIL IS RIGHT NOW. YES, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER IT TO OUR NEXT MEETING. THAT'S THE MOTION? YEAH, THAT'S A MOTION. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DEFER IT TO WIN. I'M SORRY. NEXT REGULAR SESSION MEETING. YES, MA'AM. SO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING OR THE NEXT WORK SESSION? THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IS APRIL THE 7TH. THE NEXT WORK SESSION IS APRIL 14TH. WORK SESSION. WE CAN DO WORK SESSION. SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DEFER THE ITEM TO THE APRIL 14TH WORK SESSION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND SESSION. COUNCIL MEMBER FREELAND ACTUALLY, I HAD BEEN IN BEFORE

[02:35:07]

THAT, BUT I'LL ASK THE SAME QUESTION. YEAH. GO AHEAD. YOU WERE COUNCIL MEMBER. MITCHELL STILL HAD THE FLOOR? YEAH. I WASN'T AWARE HE WAS GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION, BUT NOW THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, SO I'M STILL CALLING FOR DISCUSSION. GO AHEAD. I JUST I THINK THE APPLICANT WAS GOING TO EXPLAIN THE REVISION WITHOUT PUTTING IT BACK ON THE SCREEN. YES. YOU FINISH YOUR QUESTION. SO THERE WAS A CLERICAL ERROR ON THE FIRST PETITION AND SHE EMAILED ABOUT THAT, THAT I HAD CAME BACK AND WITH A REVISED PETITION, AND SHE SIGNED THAT REVISED PETITION. IT'S ON THE ON THE SLIDE THAT WE CAN VIEW RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT WAS A CLERICAL ERROR ON MY PART. AND SO WE RECTIFIED THAT AND WENT BACK AND GOT HER SIGNATURE AND SEVERAL OTHERS. OKAY. SO AGAIN, WITHOUT PUTTING IT BACK UP, ONE SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS THE ORIGINAL AND THE SECOND SIDE IS THE REVISED CORRECTED VERSION, WHICH HAS FEWER SIGNATURES, WHICH HAS BOTH HER SIGNATURE ON THE ORIGINAL AND THE SECOND, AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL SIGNATURES FROM OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE AREA. WE CONTINUED IT INSTEAD OF JUST STOPPING AT THE TEN, WE TRIED TO KEEP GOING AS FAR AS WE COULD WITH WHO WE COULD MEET WITH. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THIS ITEM IS DEFERRED

[XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

UNTIL APRIL 14TH. NEXT UP, PUBLIC COMMENTS. MADAM CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE THREE PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY. THANK YOU. CHAPTER TWO. SECTION 2-2002 B.B.

RULE 28. THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMENT FORM PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING. SUBJECT MAY INCLUDE ANY SUBJECT OF CHOICE. THERE WILL BE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR EACH SPEAKER. SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK MAY GIVE ALL OR PART OF THEIR TIME, UP TO THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER, FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES OF SPEAKING TIME. SPEAKERS MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ONLY ONCE DURING THIS TIME OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MUST IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND THEIR ADDRESS PRIOR TO SPEAKING. QUESTIONS FROM THE SPEAKERS MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED DURING THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA. EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF NOT MORE THAN 60 MINUTES FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MAY ONLY ADDRESS THE PRESIDING OFFICER. SPEAKER SHALL OBSERVE ALL RULES OF DECORUM. NO DEBATE, DISRESPECT OR OBSCENITY SHALL BE TOLERATED. THE PRESIDING OFFICER SHALL RULE ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL OUT OF ORDER THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING. MADAM CITY CLERK, YOU CAN CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER UP FIRST WE HAVE MISS TARA INGRAM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM TARA INGRAM. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF JEFFERSON PARK NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION. I LIVE AT 1312 JEFFERSON AVENUE. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE TRUDEAU CENTER, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS EXISTING IN TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH TURNS OUT IT'S TRUE. IT WAS TRI-CITIES NIGHT HERE TONIGHT. SO IT KIND OF SOFTENED THE GROUND FOR THIS CONVERSATION. BUT JPA PARTNERS PRETTY CLOSELY WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL. AT LEAST WE TRY TO AS MUCH AS WE CAN. AND LAST WEEK WE GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MISS EVANS, WHO WORKS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE KIND OF OVERSEES SOMETHING CALLED THE UNIDOS CENTER, WHICH IS A PLACE THAT WAS SET UP IN 2022 THAT PROVIDES KIDS AND FAMILIES WITH FOOD, CLOTHING, HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES. THEY HAVE WASHER AND DRYERS THERE FOR KIDS TO DO THEIR LAUNDRY IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO IT AT HOME, FOR WHATEVER REASON. AND WHAT SHE TOLD US WAS THAT THE CENTER WAS TOLD IN SEPTEMBER THAT THEY ARE LOSING THEIR FUNDING, AND THEY HAVE GOTTEN A COUPLE OF EXTENSIONS. BUT AS OF MAY 2025, THE CENTER WILL LOSE THEIR FUNDING. JPA WAS PLANNING ON DOING LIKE A BACK TO SCHOOL DRIVE IN THE SUMMER FOR HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES AND CLOTHES AND SHOES, BUT IT'S BECOME A BIT MORE URGENT BECAUSE THE UNIDOS CENTER ACTUALLY SERVES 143 ISH FAMILIES A MONTH, PROVIDING THEM GROCERIES, AND THEY ARE IN NEED OF SECURING $75,000 TO RUN THAT PANTRY FOR THE NEXT YEAR. SO WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO IS KIND OF UNITE THE CITY AND PARTNER WITH COLLEGE PARK AND HAPEVILLE AS THE TWO OTHER CITIES WHO SHARE THAT SCHOOL TO HELP RAISE SOME MONEY TO TRY TO SAVE THIS PROGRAM FOR THESE KIDS. I WANT TO INVITE ALL OF YOU ON SATURDAY MORNING TO OUR JEFFERSON PERK COFFEE HOUR, WHICH IS FROM 9 TO 1030. THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO OPEN THE UNIDOS CENTER FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY SEE THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES, AND WE'LL JUST HAVE COFFEE AND DONUTS, BUT WE'RE REALLY ACTUALLY IMPLORING FOLKS TO KIND OF REACH OUT TO THEIR NETWORKS FOR SUPPORT. WE'RE SETTING UP A GOFUNDME. DONATIONS WILL BE TAX DEDUCTIBLE, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING ANYBODY TO DO

[02:40:05]

ANYTHING THAT'S UNETHICAL WITH LIKE APPROACHING BUSINESSES AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING ANY KIND OF SPECIAL REQUESTS. BUT IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THIS, WE WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO HELP US, BECAUSE I REALLY THINK THAT IT'S HARD ENOUGH BEING A KID.

IT'S HARD ENOUGH BEING A TEENAGER. BUT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT, WHEN YOU'RE HOMELESS, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU NEED HELP WITH CLOTHES OR ANYTHING, IT JUST MAKES THINGS THAT MUCH HARDER. SO WE'D LOVE TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME. I WILL EMAIL EACH OF YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION, ALSO THE GOFUNDME LINK. AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ALSO PARTNER WITH OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN EAST POINT TO KIND OF TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UP NEXT, WE HAVE MISS JACK HEMMING. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JEFFREY HEMMING. I RESIDE AT 2197 PRIMROSE DRIVE. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO COME AND EXPRESS MY ENTHUSIASM, EXCITEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR THE WORK. THE COLLABORATIVE WORK YOU ALL DID TO HIRE OUR NEW CITY MANAGER. LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS ARE ALWAYS CRITICAL MOMENTS FOR ANY CITY, AND THIS ONE IS NO DIFFERENT FOR US. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A LEADER WHO IS READY TO BRING STABILITY, VISION AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO EAST POINT. I, LIKE MANY RESIDENTS, AM EAGER TO SEE WHAT HE CAN ACCOMPLISH WITH THE RIGHT SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL, FROM THE CITY STAFF AND US THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, TO REFLECT THAT CITY MANAGER TRANSITIONS. YOU KNOW, HE'S GOING TO FACE SOME IMMENSE CHALLENGES. AND WE KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE TENURE OF A CITY MANAGER IS ONLY ABOUT 3 TO 6 YEARS IN OUR STYLE OF GOVERNMENT. SO WE MIGHT HAVE LIKE A SHORT WINDOW TO CAPITALIZE ON HIS TALENT. AND OFTEN WHEN CITY MANAGERS GET CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF POLITICAL FIGHTS AND AGENDAS, IT CAN STYMIE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE HERE TO DO. SO I JUST ASK THAT WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY SERIOUSLY, AND WE DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PATH IS CLEARED. FOR MR. JONES TO DO HIS WORK. WE NEED HIS STABILITY, WE NEED HIS LEADERSHIP, AND WE NEED THE RESULTS THAT HE CAN BRING. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, AS A RESIDENT, THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO MAKE HIM FAIL IS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE OUR CITY FAIL. AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE WANT THAT FOR OUR CITY. WHEN HE SUCCEEDS, WE ALL SUCCEED BECAUSE HIS JOB ISN'T ABOUT HIM. IT'S ABOUT US. EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT, EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS, EVERY SINGLE TAXPAYER IN EAST POINT. SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOU ALL PARTNER WITH HIM, WORK WITH HIM, NOT AGAINST HIM, TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SUCCESS IS POSSIBLE. I'M HOPEFUL ABOUT HIS IDEAS, HIS REFORMS, AND HIS INITIATIVES THAT WILL BENEFIT US ALL. WE, THE RESIDENTS, ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO HIRE MR. JONES.

LASTLY, WE HAVE MR. GLENN GARCIA, AND MY APOLOGIES IF I PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME WRONG. GOOD EVENING. I AM CHEF GLENN GAINER, I REPRESENT AND IT'S 80 EMPLOYEES WORLD FAMOUS HERE IN EAST POINT, GEORGIA, SINCE 1979. WE'VE RECENTLY HAD A CHANGE IN THE SERVING ALCOHOL RULES. AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A PEEK AT THAT, IF I MAY, AS SINCE WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR 47 YEARS HERE IN EAST POINT, IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO HURT MY EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THE AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS SPAWNED, WHICH IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THESE SHOPS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENING UP. OUR FOOD SALES IS 80% VERSUS THE 51% THAT YOU ASKED FOR. SO WE HAVE A VERY STRONG FOOD SALES. IT'S A VERY PROFESSIONAL OPERATION. THE EMPLOYEES DO NOT DRINK ON PROPERTY. MOST OF THE PLACES THAT YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE EMPLOYEES GET DRUNK AND THEIR VISION GETS DOWN ON OVERSERVING. OUR EMPLOYEES ARE PROPERLY TRAINED. WE HAVE TIPS TRAINING FOR ALL OUR STAFF MEMBERS. WE EVEN HAVE A SPOTTER THAT COMES IN ONCE A MONTH. AND THE MATTER OF FACT, THEY CAME IN YESTERDAY AND ATTEMPTED TO GET SERVED AN UNDERAGE PERSON. OUR POLICY IS IF THE SERVER SERVES THE UNDERAGE PERSON, THEY HAVE TO GO BACK ON THEIR OWN TIME AND GET RETRAINED. IF THEY REFUSE SERVICE, THEY GET $50. SO A VERY PROFESSIONAL OPERATION. WE PLAY A LOT OF 80S HITS BEING FROM 1979. WE PLAY CLASSIC R&B AT NIGHT. I MEAN, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A FIGHT IN A BAR WITH TEARS OF THE CLOWN PLAYING. SO WE'RE A DIFFERENT OPERATION THAN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT

[02:45:04]

FOR YEARS. I'M REALLY EXCITED WITH WHAT EAST POINT IS DOING. THE POLICE FORCE. I DO THEIR CHRISTMAS PARTY EVERY YEAR, AND THIS YEAR I WAS JUST AMAZED WITH THE POLICE FORCE AND THE AMOUNT OF FORCE WE'VE GOT, THE NEW OPERATION WE'VE GOT GOING ON WITH PARKING THE POLICE CARS AROUND THE CITY WITH THE BLUE LIGHTS ON. I'M LOVING IT. WE'RE ABOUT TO BE PART OF THE ATLANTA AIRPORT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HOOKING OUR CAMERAS IN WITH THE SYSTEM THAT GOES TO. HAPEVILLE, EAST POINT AND ATLANTA. ANOTHER THING WE DO IS A LOT OF BARS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO CALL THEM BARS, ARE AFRAID OF POLICE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A 1595 DISCOUNT FOR ATLANTA POLICE, EAST POINT POLICE AND HAPEVILLE POLICE. SO THEY'RE INVITED TO COME IN ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND EAT ON THE HOUSE. THAT THAT INCLUDES MOST SANDWICHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE.

IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEKEND. ANY ISSUES THAT I HAVE BEEN HAD AT THE SPAWN? DEBATES ARE USUALLY CALLED ON BY THE STAFF MEMBERS. WE HAVE A SAFETY PLAN WHERE WE HAVE A CODE YELLOW. ANY STAFF MEMBER CAN CALL CODE YELLOW IF THEY IF THEY SENSE A DISTURBANCE HAPPENING. WE HAVE A CODE BLUE IF THE POLICE ARE CALLED AND A CODE RED FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO WE SELF-REPORT AT ALL TIMES. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAVE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING. WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. WE'LL MOVE TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS. AND SIR, AS I SAID IN THE RULE, WE CAN'T PROVIDE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. BUT IN COUNCIL COMMENTS WE'LL ADDRESS UPDATE ON

[XIII.6. Update on Policing]

POLICING. MR. JONES I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO BRING UP OUR CHIEF. YES. CAN WE? PRESSURE MIKE? YES. MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL HAVE AN UPDATE FROM OUR POLICE CHIEF. CHIEF BUCHANAN.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY. I'M SEAN BUCHANAN, CHIEF OF POLICE, GIVING YOU AN UPDATE. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. FIRST OF ALL, THE MONTH OF APRIL. WE ALWAYS SHOOT OUR ATROCITY VIDEOS MAKING BETTER DECISIONS SERIES. SO THAT'S COMING UP. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET THAT OUT FOR THE SUMMERTIME. KILLER MIKE ALWAYS HELPS US OUT, AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO TRY TO GET BIG BOY AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE INVOLVED THIS YEAR, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE SHOOT THE VIDEOS AND PUBLISH THEM ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. OUR SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS HAVE REALLY BEEN EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING THE SCHOOL SPEEDS DOWN AND OUR SCHOOL ZONES, SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THAT GOING ON. WE'RE ABOUT TO PROMOTE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT SUPERVISORS.

WE'LL BE DOING INTERVIEWS VERY SOON. WE HAD A COUPLE ISSUES IN OUR JAIL IN TERMS OF REPAIRS, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS PRETTY QUICKLY. PARK RANGER IS WORKING WITH PARKS PRETTY GOOD. WE'RE GOING TO HIRE ONE MORE PARK RANGER THAT'S REALLY BEEN EFFECTIVE. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT I'M ABOUT TO SEND AN INVITATION TO EVERYONE TO COME VIEW IT. IT'S UP AND RUNNING.

IT'S REALLY DOING WELL. SHERIFF WAS JUST SPEAKING ABOUT HE'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO VIEW HIS CAMERAS AT SPORTING EVENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND A LOT OF BUSINESSES HAVE ALREADY JOINED IN, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GETTING MORE BUSINESS IN. AND ONCE YOU SEE IT, I THINK YOU'LL REALLY BE IMPRESSED WITH IT. IT'S VERY NICE AND IT'S REALLY HELPED SOLVE A LOT OF CRIMES AND EVEN THINGS LIKE ACCIDENTS. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, WE'VE REALLY BEEN BENEFICIAL.

NOW A COUPLE THINGS WITH OUR GRANTS, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION PROBABLY ABOUT APRIL 1ST HERE, BECAUSE THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, WE USE A GRANT TO GET THAT MONEY. THAT WAS A PAYBACK GRANT. SO THEY HAVE TO PAY US BACK FOR MONEY WE ALREADY SPENT. BUT ONE GRANT IS OUR BURNS GRANT, AND THAT'S FOR OUR SUMMER CAMP THIS SUMMER. THEY USUALLY GIVE US ABOUT $30,000, WHICH ALLOWS US TO PUT ON A FREE SUMMER CAMP FOR OUR YOUTH THAT'S IN JEOPARDY THIS YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT I WILL KNOW MORE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. BUT I'M GIVING A DEADLINE, A HARD CUT OFF OF APRIL 1ST FOR US TO MAKE A DECISION. AS YOU KNOW, THIS WEEKEND WE HAD SOME PEOPLE, ABOUT 50 CARS SHOWED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ABOUT 1230 AT NIGHT AT THE WAKEFIELD PARKING LOT. WE WAS ABLE TO SHUT THAT DOWN PRETTY QUICKLY. WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT HAPPEN PROBABLY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO THAT WAS VERY CONCERNING. SO THEY'VE ALREADY MADE PLANS TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE THESE ISSUES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATE CHIEF.

ANY QUESTIONS. COUNCILMAN SHROPSHIRE THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UPDATE. AND THAT IS

[02:50:02]

CORRECT. THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE ISSUE WITH THE DRAG RACING. I STARTED GETTING PHONE CALLS ABOUT 1:00 CALLED 911 CALLED YOU AND IT WAS ADDRESSED. AND I KNOW WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE OR SOMETHING IN PLACE WHERE THEY WOULD BE ARRESTED. AND IT'S JAIL TIME. SO AND USUALLY I CAN SEE IT BECAUSE THEY GO UP THE LOW AND I CAN SEE IT FROM MY KITCHEN WINDOW. AND I SAW ALL THE CARS GOING DOWN THE STREET. ONCE THE POLICE ARRIVED. AND WHEN THEY WERE LEAVING. SO I WOULD SAY IF WE COULD JUST START IT BACK, START BACK MONITORING THAT AREA PERIODICALLY BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT'S ON OUR RADAR, IT'S ON THEIR RADAR. AND THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY LEAVE AND GO TO CAMP CREEK AS WELL. AND I ASKED, WAS IT EASTPOINTE SIDE? BUT THEY'RE MOSTLY IN SOUTH FULTON SIDE ON BUTLER ROAD. SO IF YOU ALL CAN COORDINATE THAT. BUT YEAH. SO IF YOU COULD IF Y'ALL CAN JUST MONITOR THAT, START THAT MONITORING IT BECAUSE APPARENTLY IT'S BACK ON THEIR RADAR TO START BACK DOING IT AGAIN. AND I'LL LET YOU ALL KNOW IF I SEE THEM GOING UP THE STREET. NOT A PROBLEM. WE'VE PUT PLANS IN ACTION FOR THIS WEEKEND JUST IN CASE. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER. CHIEF, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ABOUT YOU? THOUGHT IT WAS AN INSIDE JOB WHERE THERE WAS A BURGLARY AT A RESTAURANT AND WORK? DE ARE YOU THE RESTAURANT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? THE NEW ONE THAT'S OFF OF CAMP CREEK? I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL, AND I WILL TELL YOU JUST BECAUSE IT'S AN OPEN INVESTIGATION, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY IT WAS VERY SUSPICIOUS, BUT WE'LL OWN IT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OH, IN ADDITION. WE'VE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH PEOPLE IN ATLANTA DOING HAVING THEIR FOOD TRUCKS NEAR THE ALCOHOL, THE LIQUOR STORE.

EXCUSE ME. I'M WORKING REAL SLOW TODAY. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT ON THE ATLANTA SIDE OF THE CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE, CAN YOU HELP US COORDINATE AND SPEAK TO ATLANTA ABOUT TRYING TO SHUT SOME OF THAT DOWN? I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE HAD THAT CONVERSATION. YES, WE'VE DEALT WITH IT SEVERAL TIMES, AND I'M ACTUALLY I'M GLAD YOU SAID SOMETHING. I'LL MAKE SURE WE CONTACT THE PERSON OVER THERE. CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR CAPTAIN, AND GET THEM BACK OUT ON THE WEEKENDS. OKAY. THANK YOU. OH. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS. YES. THANK YOU, CHIEF BUCHANAN, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I HAVE A QUESTION AROUND ABOUT THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM. YOU SAID THAT DUE TO FUNDING CUTS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT. CORRECT. SO NORMALLY WE DO THAT AT NO COST TO THE PUBLIC, BUT THAT IS DONE THROUGH THE BARNES GRANT. AND BECAUSE THE BARNES GRANT IS DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THAT'S BEEN HELD UP RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO RELEASE THOSE FUNDS? OKAY. SO MY QUESTION AROUND THAT WOULD BE, DO YOU THINK THAT THERE COULD BE SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS SIMILAR TO WHAT PUBLIC WORKS WAS DOING, MAYBE THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND SO IF THEY HAVE ANY TYPE, BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING AND IMAGINING THAT BECAUSE THESE ARE FEDERAL CUTS THAT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. AND I THINK THAT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GUYS MAY BE PROVIDING THE KIDS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. SO IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT, BUT MAYBE CAN PARTNER WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT SERVE A SHARED CONSTITUENCY, YOU GUYS MIGHT BE ABLE TO TEACH SOME OF THE SAME MODULES OR DO SOME OF THE SAME THINGS, BUT MAYBE IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE SUMMERTIME. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. AND LIKE I SAID, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS ALL OF A SUDDEN WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER TIME TO KIND OF PLAN TO SEE WHAT VIABLE ALTERNATIVES. BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I'LL THANK YOU. YEAH. BECAUSE I JUST KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT I'M GETTING ABOUT CRIME IS YOUNG PEOPLE. AND SO I WOULD HATE FOR US NOT TO GET THE GRANT AND THEN NOT PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF THE PROGRAMING THAT YOU NORMALLY DO IN THE SUMMER. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH AN ORGANIZATION AND STILL PROVIDE THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. OKAY. I'M SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT. I GOT ONE MORE UPDATE, TWO MORE UPDATES BECAUSE WE SAID PARTNER, I KNOW MARY, WE TALKED ABOUT MULTIPLE TIMES HAVING PSYCHOLOGISTS ON STAFF.

OUR ORGANIZATION JUST GOT A GRANT AND THEY'RE OFFERING US SERVICES. SO WE'LL HAVE MORE PSYCHOLOGISTS ON SERVICE AND THEY'LL BE WORKING ALSO NOT JUST WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO WITH THE COURT DEPARTMENT THROUGH ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING AND THE JUDGE NOW WORKING ON THAT AS WELL. SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO BRING THAT UP AND IT'LL BE FREE TO US BECAUSE IT WAS DONE THROUGH A GRANT. SO THAT'S REALLY GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL TOO. AND LAST UPDATE, I FORGOT WE HAD A SITUATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH A PERSON HARMING AN ANIMAL. WE'RE ON THAT. WE'RE ON

[02:55:01]

THAT IMMEDIATELY. AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE FLORIDA COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL TO BRING THAT TO AN ARREST. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR HELPING TO KEEP EASTPOINTE SAFE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

CHIEF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I DO WANT TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAM. HOW MUCH IS THAT GRANT? THAT GRANT IS USUALLY ABOUT $30,000. AND WHEN DO YOU USUALLY RUN THE PROGRAM? WHAT ARE THE DATES? IT STARTS THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE AND IT ENDS THE SECOND TO LAST WEEK OF JULY. SO AROUND THE 25TH OF JULY WHEN IT ENDS. AND THEN I KNOW WE WENT ON THE HILL, MET WITH SENATOR OSSOFF'S STAFF, AND THEY ARE VERY COMMITTED TO LETTING US LETTING THEM KNOW WHICH FUNDS WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED OR THAT ARE FROZEN OR JUST REALLY GETTING INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING INFORMATION FROM US. IT'S KIND OF BOTTOM UP VERSUS A TOP DOWN. SO IF WE DON'T LET THEM KNOW, THEN THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ADVOCATE AS MUCH. AND WHEN WE HAD OUR LEGISLATIVE ROUNDTABLE ON FEBRUARY 19TH WITH OUR STATE AND FEDERAL DELEGATION, WE PROVIDED THAT LIST OF GRANTS AND INCLUDED THE ONES THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO. AND THAT'S BEEN SHARED WITH HIS SENATOR OSSOFF'S OFFICE. WARNOCK, CONGRESSWOMAN WILLIAMS, AND CONGRESSWOMAN MCBATH. BUT I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO LET THEM KNOW, THE IMPACT ON IS THE PERSON FROM SENATOR OFFICE, SENATOR OSSOFF'S OFFICE THAT IS REALLY TRACKING THAT AND WANTS US TO GET INFORMATION TO HIM. AND THEN ALSO, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE BILL, BUT WE MAY WANT TO THINK ABOUT THERE IS A BILL THAT ALLOWS I THINK SENATOR HALPERIN DID IT OR IT WAS A PART OF A SAFETY PREVIOUS SAFETY BILL THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO RECEIVE EITHER SOME CREDIT, LIKE THEY MATCH THE FUNDING THAT A POLICE AUXILIARY ORGANIZATION RAISES. NOW, I THINK THEY SAID IT'S FOR TRAINING AND FOR SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT WE MAY REALLY WANT TO LEAN INTO THAT. HOPEFULLY THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL TO SEE HOW WE CAN REACTIVATE OUR POLICE AUXILIARY ORGANIZATION AND NONPROFIT THAT I THINK COULD BE THE ONE THAT KIND OF RAISES THE FUNDS AND THEN THEY MATCH IT. I'M TRYING TO TALK MYSELF INTO THE NAME OF THE BILL, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IT. I THINK IT WAS LIKE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS APPROVED. I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IT BEING OVERRULED AND IT WAS SIGNED, SO I GUESS I SHOULD SAY REPEALED, NOT OVERRULED. SO WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN ALSO I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE AMOUNT 3030 K BECAUSE WE ALSO MIGHT NEED TO GET ON THE PHONE AND START SHARING THE STORY WITH SOME OF OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS TO SEE HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THOSE GAPS AND OFFER SOME FORM OF PROGRAMING. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND YOUR LEADERSHIP OF OUR DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THROUGH THIS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAN INTO DIFFERENT NETWORKS AND DIFFERENT ALLIES TO BE ABLE TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO OUR, OUR YOUTH AND TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I WILL SAY THAT I DID RECEIVE EMAIL LAST WEEK. JUST I THINK WE ALL GOT BACK IN TOWN. I RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM THEIR OFFICE ASKING ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR GRANT, AND WE MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, BUT I WILL GET WITH YOU BECAUSE I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO HAVE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, T-SPLOST AND SIDEWALK UPDATES. COUNCIL MEMBER

[XIII.7. TSPLOST and Sidewalk Updates]

ZIEGLER, IS THERE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL FROM WHAT WAS SHARED EARLIER? NO, MADAM MAYOR, OKAY.

LET'S JUST DO A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION, AND THEN YOU CAN LET US KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW TO REMOVE IT OR GET PAST IT. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. T-SPLOST AND SIDEWALK UPDATES. SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. YES. WE CAN TAKE THIS AGENDA

[03:00:03]

ITEM OFF THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT. SINCE WE HAD A PRESENTATION ON THIS EARLIER. AND SINCE WE JUST OPENED THE FLOOR FOR TO DISCUSS IT, I GUESS THE MINUTES CAN JUST REFLECT THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED. SO THAT COMBINED WITH THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, COUNCIL

[XIII.8. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Emergency Waterline Replacement, Due to a Water Leak from an Old Service Line Causing Hazardous Conditions in the Amount Not to Exceed $25,000]

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON EMERGENCY WATER LINE REPLACEMENT DUE TO A WATER LEAK FROM THE OLD SERVICE LINE CAUSING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 25,000 FROM THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT. IS THERE ANY ACTION ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE.

MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, CANCEL THE EMERGENCY WATER LINE REPLACEMENT. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL

[XIII.9. Council Discussion and Possible Action on an Emergency Installation of Three Water Taps Due to Risk of Roadway Failure This Emergency Repair was Completed by RDJE in the Amount Not to Exceed $37,350]

THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. ANOTHER EMERGENCY INSTALLATION OF THREE WATER TAPS DUE TO RISK OF ROADWAY FAILURE. IS THERE A MOTION? YES, MADAM. COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTIN. MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE EMERGENCY INSTALLATION OF THREE WATER TAPS DUE TO TALK INTO THE MIKE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE INSTALLATION OF THREE WATER TAPS DUE TO RISK OF ROADWAY FAILURE. THIS EMERGENCY REPAIR WAS COMPLETED BY URGE IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $37,350. SECOND. SECOND.

PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION

[XIII.10. OEIE Housing Updates]

CARRIES. CAN I GET A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION ON THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION, EMPOWERMENT HOUSING UPDATE. SECOND. PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THE FLOOR IS NOW OPEN, MR. JONES. YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. FRANK WHITFIELD, HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, WILL BE PRESENTING A OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, RESIDENTS OF EAST POINT, I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE HOUSING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT. AS WAS MENTIONED, MY NAME IS FRANK WHITFIELD. I'M THE HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.

AND TONIGHT I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE HOUSING INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON HERE IN THE CITY. I DO HAVE SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS HERE WITH US THAT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THEY MAY BE AVAILABLE TO ASK, IF THAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THIS BODY. AND THERE ARE FOLKS FROM GREEN HEART CONSTRUCTION WHO ARE ASSISTING US WITH OUR NO COST MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, AS WELL AS BY THE WHO'S ASSISTING US WITH DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. AND I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT IT REALLY INFORMS THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS FOR THE CITY IS PLANS THAT YOU HAVE ADOPTED, LIKE THE EQUITABLE GROWTH AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN, THE MOSAIC NEIGHBORHOOD STUDY, BUT IT'S ALSO NATIONAL RESEARCH IN TERMS OF HOUSING TRENDS THAT ARE HAPPENING, STATE RESEARCH THAT IS HAPPENING AROUND HOUSING TRENDS HERE IN THE STATE, WHICH I'LL SPEAK TO IN A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN JUST OUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH AROUND BEST PRACTICES IN HOUSING. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S INFORMING THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR OFFICE. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS GOAL THAT CAME OUT OF THAT EQUITABLE GROWTH AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN THAT YOU ADOPTED BACK IN JUNE 2021. IT SAYS THAT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY WILL DISAPPEAR AND DISPLACEMENT WILL RISE IN THE FACE OF INCREASED POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE, UNLESS LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTENTIONALLY ALIGNS ITS POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN. AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING HERE IN EAST POINT. AND I THINK EAST POINT IS IN A VERY UNIQUE POSITION. AND I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THIS WAS ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED. AND IT SAYS EAST POINT IS IN IN AN ENVIABLE, ENVIABLE POSITION, BETTER POSITION THAN OTHER CITIES TO ENSURE GROWTH BENEFITS ALL ITS RESIDENTS. SO YOU ALL HAVE A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE SEE AROUND THE COUNTRY AROUND DISPLACEMENT, LACK OF AFFORDABILITY, LACK OF INCLUSIVITY, YOU HAVE A CHANCE HERE IN EAST POINT AS YOU'RE ON THIS CUSP OF THIS GROWTH, TO MAKE SURE YOU DO IT ALL TOGETHER. SO THAT REALLY EXCITES ME ABOUT THIS WORK. AND WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON AND WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE I HAD A MUCH LONGER PRESENTATION, BUT WE WANT TO CONDENSE IT DOWN FOR THE SAKE OF TONIGHT. FOCUS ON THESE THREE CORE AREAS OF BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO PROMOTE HOMEOWNERSHIP. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB FOR SENIORS AND LOCAL LOW INCOME HOMEOWNERS, AND EXPAND AND LEVERAGE OUR CITY OWNED ASSETS.

[03:05:05]

AND THESE ARE ALL THINGS, AGAIN, INSIDE OF THIS INCLUSIVE PLAN. SO IN THE HOMEOWNERSHIP SPACE, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. WE'VE PUT A LOT OF ENERGY INTO THINGS THAT I HEARD COUNCIL FOLKS SAY HERE BEFORE, WE WANT TO SEE MORE FIRST RESPONDERS BECOME RESIDENTS HERE IN EAST POINT. AND WE WANT TO SEE MORE EAST POINT EMPLOYEES BECOME EAST POINT HOMEOWNERS.

AND SO BACK IN DECEMBER, WE DID A WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTING THE HOMES FOR HEROES PROGRAM. WE HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 30TH THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH, WITH MORE OF A TARGETED FOCUSED ON OUR EAST POINT POLICE OFFICERS. AND WE HAVE A WHOLE SUITE OF RESOURCES NOW AVAILABLE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF. ANOTHER REALLY EXCITING THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VIDA, WHICH, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR HERE, AND THEY'VE DECIDED TO SET ASIDE $50,000 TO GO TOWARDS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR EAST POINT EMPLOYEES TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS.

AND SO WE'RE TALKING WITH THEM NOW ABOUT WHAT THAT CRITERIA WILL BE, WHAT THAT APPLICATION WILL BE. AND THEN WE'LL BRING TO YOU ALL SOME SORT OF MOU THAT KIND OF CLARIFIES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH VIDA IN TERMS OF THE FUNDS THAT THEY'VE SET ASIDE AND WHAT ROLE WE PLAY IN HELPING CONNECT OUR EMPLOYEES TO THAT SET OF RESOURCES. AND THEN LASTLY, IN TERMS OF OUR OUTWARD FACING, OUR WORK FOR THE PUBLIC EARLIER THIS MONTH, MY COLLEAGUE YOLANDA SPEARHEADED AN EVENT CALLED OWN THE BLOCK THAT WAS DONE ON MARCH 8TH, AND IT WAS DONE AT MALULU CHURCH, AND IT WAS BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THE HOME OWNERSHIP RESOURCES THAT ARE AROUND. AND WE BROUGHT THEM TO THE CHURCH THERE AT MALULU, WHERE WE'RE DOING A 2.0 VERSION OF THAT ON MAY 31ST. AND GOD WILLING, THE PLANET WILL HAPPEN HERE AT CITY HALL. AND AGAIN, WE NEED ALL OF YOUR HELP SPREADING THE WORD ON THAT, BECAUSE AS THE MAYOR, SHE GAVE AN AMAZING SPEECH AT THE AT THE EVENT, AND I THINK SHE GOT A CHANCE TO SEE THERE IS A WEALTH OF RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. BUT AS WE JUST SAW FROM THE CHIEF, THAT DOESN'T MEAN ALL THESE RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE HERE NEXT YEAR AND THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. SO WE NEED TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON'S HOT WHILE WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY. SO MAY 31ST, WE'RE PLANNING HERE AT CITY HALL TO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES HERE. IT'S GOING TO BE A FESTIVE EVENT, AND WE WANT TO CONNECT RESIDENTS TO HOME OWNERSHIP RESOURCES. AND NOT ONLY THAT, HOME PRESERVATION RESOURCES LIKE THE REHAB, WHICH I'LL TALK TO HERE NEXT. SO ANOTHER ITEM THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THAT PLAN WAS REALLY FOR US TO ZERO IN ON HOME PRESERVATION.

AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SENIORS AND OUR VETERANS, TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES SAFELY AND AFFORDABLY. SO WE'VE PARTNERED WITH HOUSE PROUD AND GREENHEART CONSTRUCTION TO PROVIDE THAT NO COST MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM FOR SENIORS AND VETERANS. OUR TEAM HAS ALREADY CONTACTED THE RESIDENTS ON THAT WAIT LIST, AND THE NEXT STEPS INCLUDE GREENHEART CONSTRUCTION, GOING OUT AND DOING THOSE HOME ASSESSMENTS, EVALUATING REPAIR PROPOSALS, AND SECURING PERMITS AND APPROVALS FOR THE WORK TO BEGIN, WE HAD AROUND 23 PEOPLE ON THAT WAITING LIST ONCE HOUSE PROUD WENT THROUGH IT AND OUR GOD WILLING, EVERY YOU KNOW, WE GOT FOUR PERMITS APPROVED SO FAR AND THAT WORK SHOULD START HERE WITHIN BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH. IN THAT SAME SPACE OF HOME REPAIRS AS YOU ALL APPROVED BEFORE, WE'VE APPLIED FOR THE $500,000 CHIP GRANT FROM THE STATE. IF AWARDED, THESE FUNDS WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE MAJOR REPAIRS TO RESIDENTS IN NEED. ONE THING THAT WE NOTICED ALREADY WITH THE MINOR HOME REPAIRS IS WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MINOR, BUT THEN ONCE WE GOT OVER THERE AND STARTED LOOKING AT THE PRICE JUST HAS GONE UP, UP, UP, UP. AND THE REPAIRS AND THE NEED HAS BEEN SO GREAT. SO GOD WILLING, WE'LL GET THIS GRANT AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WITH SOME OF THOSE MAJOR REPAIR NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE. IF WE ARE AWARDED THAT GRANT, WE WILL PROVIDE A PUBLIC APPLICATION PROCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM. AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, HOME PRESERVATION AND REPAIRS ARE A PRIORITY, AND THEY MAKE SURE THAT PROPERTIES ARE UP TO CODE AND SO THAT LONG STANDING RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR DECADES, CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES WITHOUT FEAR OF DISPLACEMENT. I HAVE I HAVE A I HAVE A COUPLE MORE SLIDES AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE. IF WE PAUSE RIGHT THERE, YOU JUST WANT ME TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE THERE'S TWO OTHER KIND OF TOPICS. CONTINUE.

SO THE NEXT, NEXT PIECE IS AROUND OUR OUR CITY OWNED PROPERTIES, OUR CITY OWNED ASSETS. AND SO OUR, OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON STRATEGIZING ON WAYS TO UTILIZE THESE CITY OWNED RESOURCES. WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME PROPERTIES THAT CAN BE USED FOR REDEVELOPMENT.

AND SO I KIND OF LAY OUT HERE KIND OF A MENU OF POTENTIAL PATHWAYS. YOU KNOW, ONE IS THE

[03:10:06]

STATUS QUO, MAINTENANCE STATUS QUO, WHICH RIGHT NOW WE HAVE STAFF THAT PROVIDE LAWN CARE AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE TO THOSE PROPERTIES WE OWN. WE COULD SELF-PERFORM AS A CITY AND DEVELOP THE PROPERTIES. WE COULD SELL THE PROPERTIES THROUGH AN OPEN BID PROCESS. WE COULD PARTNER AND LEVERAGE ESTABLISHED AUTHORITY, SUCH AS VIDA, AND PARTNER WITH THEM TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTIES. OR WE COULD FORM A NEW INSTITUTION, A THIRD PARTY INSTITUTION. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE PATHWAYS THAT WE SAW. THERE PROBABLY IS SEVERAL MORE, BUT WE REALLY REDEVELOPING REDEVELOPING THESE PROPERTIES AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR COMMUNITY VALUES. YOU ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DIRECT THE WAY THIS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR CITY'S GOALS. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT MORE SPECIFIC PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MORE APPROPRIATE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. BUT WE I DO HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC PROPERTIES IF NEEDED. THE LAST THING IS THERE'S BEEN A CONVERSATION AND THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THE PILOT AND WITHIN THE PLAN TO ALSO HAVE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU ALL. SO HERE'S A JUST A SHORT SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING ENACTED, NOT ONLY AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT EVEN HERE LOCALLY THAT ENCOURAGE INCLUSIVE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. SO THE FIRST ONE IS AROUND MANDATORY INCLUSIONARY ZONING THAT WILL REQUIRE DEVELOPERS TO INCLUDE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF AFFORDABLE UNITS IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS, OR PAY A FEE FOR NOT DOING THAT. THAT COULD GO INTO A FUND SO THAT WE COULD DO MORE INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT. THE SECOND POLICY THAT WE HIGHLIGHT HERE IS A DENSITY BONUS. AND THIS IS THIS WOULD ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO BUILD MORE UNITS PER ACRE IF THEY COMMIT TO MORE INCLUSIVE HOUSING IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT. THE THIRD POLICY THAT I HIGHLIGHT HERE IS A PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES, WHICH PROVIDES A UNIQUE TAX ABATEMENT AGAIN AND PUTS A DOLLAR AMOUNT TO THE SIDE TO INVEST IN INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN THE LAST THING OH NO, THERE'S TWO MORE. THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED SOME RECOMMENDATION THAT REALLY FOR THE CITY TO THINK ABOUT AS A COMMUNITY BENEFITS ORDINANCE. SO THAT'S ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT THE CITY HAS ANY SORT OF INCENTIVE BEHIND THAT. THERE WILL BE A REQUIREMENT OF THAT DEVELOPER TO HAVE SOME SORT OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT YOU WOULD ALL DEFINE. SO THAT COULD BE PARK AMENITIES, THAT COULD BE LOCAL HIRING, LOCAL CONTRACTING. THOSE ARE THINGS YOU COULD DEFINE. BUT THAT ORDINANCE WOULD SAY IF YOU GET A CITY INCENTIVE, WE EXPECT YOU TO PROVIDE SEVERAL ONE OR 2 OR 3 OR HOW MANY EVER OF THESE BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN THIS LAST ONE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING ONES FOR ME BECAUSE THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY, BUT IT'S ALSO HAPPENING HERE, UNIQUELY IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA. AND THIS IS AROUND ENACTING POLICIES THAT LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF CORPORATE OWNERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITIES. I BELIEVE THE STAT OUT THERE IS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA, AROUND 30% OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE OWNED BY A CORPORATION. AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY DRIVES UP PRICING. IT REALLY HOLDS PEOPLE BACK FROM BECOMING HOMEOWNERS. AND SO THERE'S CONVERSATIONS NOW AND THERE'S BEEN POLICY DRAFTED AT THE STATE TO ACTUALLY PUT CAPS ON THE AMOUNT OF CORPORATE OWNERSHIP THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN A CITY. AND SO IT'S ALSO BEEN INTRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AS WELL. BUT WE KNOW WHERE THE NATIONAL POLITICS ARE AT RIGHT NOW. SO YOU LOOK AT THE STATE, IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED. WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE IT CAN GO. BUT YOU ALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY HERE TO REALLY CONSIDER THIS ON A LOCAL LEVEL AND REALLY ADDRESS THIS IDEA OF CORPORATE OWNERSHIP OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH BASED ON COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE'S INCLINATION AROUND LOOKING AT VACANT PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY, AND I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW MUCH, NOT JUST LLC OWNERSHIP, BUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN HAVE AN LLC. BUT I'M TALKING LARGE CORPORATE OWNERSHIP OF MANY OF I THINK IT WAS OVER 40 PROPERTIES THAT WERE HERE IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT THAT WERE OWNED BY JUST SOME CORPORATE ENTITY, LARGE CORPORATE ENTITY. AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER. BUT OVERALL, MY RECOMMENDATION AND OUR STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS FOR US TO REALLY LOOK AT A COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING ORDINANCE THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, CREATE A MENU OF THESE TOOLS THAT YOU ALL BELIEVE YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORT, AND THEN COME AND HAVE A SINGLE HOUSING ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ADDRESS ALL OF THESE ISSUES AND REALLY PUT TOGETHER A SUITE OF POLICY THAT ADDRESSES THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE RAISED HERE TODAY. AS I MENTIONED IN THE REGION, YOU AT THE CITY OF ATLANTA HAS HAS ENACTED SOME INCLUSIONARY ZONING POLICIES, AS HAS THE CITY OF

[03:15:03]

DECATUR. AND THEN THERE'S BEEN DENSITY BONUSES THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY OF BROOKHAVEN.

SO JUST SOME KEY DATES I WANT TO MAKE SURE GET ON YOUR CALENDAR AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF ON APRIL 15TH THROUGH THE 17TH, WILL BE ATTENDING THE GIG RETREAT. AND WE'RE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'RE A GET COMMUNITY. THE CITY WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS GRADUATED IN 2023. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WHEN APPLICANTS ARE APPLYING FOR HOUSING TAX CREDITS OR THEY APPLYING FOR GRANTS, IF WE GIVE OUR COSIGN AND GIVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT, THEY GET ADDITIONAL POINTS ON THEIR APPLICATION. SO WE HELP PROJECTS TO WIN. SO WE'RE GOING TO THAT RETREAT IN APRIL. AND THEN ALSO DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL, WE WILL BE TAKING IN REQUESTS. SO IF YOU IF YOU HAVE A HOUSING DEVELOPER WHO HAS TALKED TO YOU ABOUT DEVELOPING AN EAST POINT, WE PUT A PUBLIC NOTICE OUT ASKING THEM IF THEY WANT A LETTER OF SUPPORT TO HAVE THEIR MATERIALS TO US BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, SO THAT WE COULD CONSIDER THEM AS A RECOMMENDATION TO YOU ALL FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THEIR PROJECT ON APRIL 30TH. AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE HOSTING AN EMPLOYEE HOMEOWNERSHIP WORKSHOP FROM 11 TO 1 AT THE ANNEX ON MAY 31ST WILL BE THE COMMUNITY HOMEOWNERSHIP EVENT THAT I MENTIONED, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE LAWN OF CITY HALL, AS WELL AS I BELIEVE WE BOOKED THIS CHAMBER AS WELL. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. AND THEN DURING THE FALL, WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING AROUND BLOCK CLEANUPS. WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO HOUSE PROUD. THEY HAVE AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT THEY DO AROUND ADOPTING A BLOCK AND DOING A VOLUNTEER PROJECT AND CLEANING UP A BLOCK. SO IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM ABOUT DOING THAT, AND OUR GOAL, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, IS TO HAVE THIS WHOLE WAIT LIST OF HOMES FROM THE NO COST HOME REPAIR PROGRAM COMPLETE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I JUST KIND OF REITERATE WHAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU JUST WE JUST HAVE A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE IN EAST POINT TO APPROACH HOUSING BY COMBINING THESE HOMEOWNERSHIP INITIATIVES, HOME PRESERVATION, STRONG POLICIES, STRATEGIC USE OF OUR LAND, WE CAN ENSURE THAT EAST POINT GROWS WITHOUT LEAVING ITS RESIDENTS BEHIND. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION, AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. AND ALSO MY THE PARTNERS ARE HERE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. AND I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE SENIOR PROGRAM AS FAR AS WHEN WILL IT START GOING IN TO DO THE REPAIRS? AND I KNOW YOU JUST MENTIONED THE LIST CAME DOWN FROM THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WAS ON IT BEFORE. SO IF SENIORS STILL WANT TO SIGN UP, THEY CAN JUST CALL HOUSE PROUD AND STILL GET ON THE LIST. YES, CORRECT. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR TO COUNCIL. SO YES, THEY CAN CONTACT US DIRECTLY AT THE PHONE NUMBER THERE BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO KEEPING TRACK OF THESE NAMES AS WELL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRACKING THEM. SO IF THEY CALL HOUSE POINT OR HOUSE PROUD, HOUSE PROUD IS GOING TO LET US KNOW ANYWAY. SO THEY CAN CALL ME OR HOUSE PROUD AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY GET ON A WAITING LIST. ONE NOTE I JUST WANT TO MAKE WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'VE BEEN OUT NETWORKING AND MEETING FOLKS, WE'VE LEARNED THAT THERE'S OTHER RESOURCES OUT THERE OTHER THAN HOUSE PROUD FOR HOME REPAIR QUALIFY FOR THAT. SO WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, THE LIST WAS LONG BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HABITAT DOES IT AS WELL.

AND IT WAS A WAITING LIST. AND HOUSE PROUD HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM EAST POINT ON THAT LIST.

AND SO THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO DO THIS. WHAT WE DID BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE WAITING LIST FROM THE PEOPLE THAT WAS CONTACTING HOUSE PROUD. SO I KNOW THEY KNOW ABOUT HABITAT AS WELL, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SENIORS WHO ARE IN NEED OF HOUSE REPAIR OR WHATEVER THEY NEED TO SO THEY CAN CALL THIS NUMBER, AND I THINK THEY'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH CALLING HOUSE PROUD, SO THEY CAN JUST CALL HOUSE PROUD, AND THEN THEY WOULD JUST GIVE THE INFORMATION TO YOU ALL CORRECT, TO GET THE HOUSE FIXED UP. BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE TIME IT WAS LIKE 40 SOMETHING PEOPLE ON THE LIST. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE THAT AND THAT OUR SENIORS KNOW THAT THEY CAN STILL SIGN UP. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, CORRECT. THEY CAN STILL SIGN UP AND THEY CAN CALL HOUSE PROUD. AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS THIS. AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND GETTING WITH THE BY THE BOARD. AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS OUT THERE THAT PROVIDE THAT AS WELL. SO HOW DID YOU COME TO THE CONCLUSION TO PARTNER WITH THE BY THE BOARD? YEAH. AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A COUNCIL DECISION. SO HOW HOW WAS THAT. YEAH. SO I HEAR I HEAR TWO THINGS THERE. ONE IS AWARENESS

[03:20:02]

ABOUT THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT EXIST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. IS THERE AWARENESS OF THE OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE? I WOULD SAY THERE'S AN INCREASING AWARENESS BECAUSE THERE'S NEW RESOURCES THAT ARE COMING AND DEVELOPING EVERY DAY. THERE WAS A NEW RESOURCE ANNOUNCED THIS PAST WEEKEND. SILVERTON MORTGAGE HAS A NEW DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. SO THESE THIS IS AN EVOLVING THING IN TERMS OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE. SO I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN THAT EDUCATION ON THAT. IN TERMS OF BIDA, I THINK I THOUGHT I PRESENTED ON THIS BEFORE, BUT WHEN I MET WITH BIDA, THIS WAS FIRST COUPLE MONTHS ON THE JOB AND JUST TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND WHAT MY ROLE WAS, THEY SHARED, THEY HAD AN INTEREST IN PARTNERING.

AGAIN, THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES IF YOU'D LIKE THEM TO, BUT THEY SHARED THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HOUSING. AND SO AS WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT, WELL, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WOULD BE KIND OF LOW HANGING FRUIT TO ADDRESS, THEY FELT THAT THEY COULD UTILIZE SOME OF THE RESOURCES THEY HAD TO GO TOWARDS CREATING A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. AND I THINK A PART OF THE LOGIC BEHIND THAT WAS THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE, BUT THOSE RESOURCES DON'T NECESSARILY POINT TO EAST POINT. THEY'LL SAY, HEY, IF YOU BUY A HOUSE IN ATLANTA, HERE'S A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. IF YOU BUY A HOUSE IN GEORGIA, ANYWHERE IN GEORGIA, THERE'S A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. BUT TO HAVE SOMETHING STRATEGICALLY TARGETED TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU COME TO EAST POINT, THERE'S A FUND SPECIFICALLY FOR BUYING A HOUSE IN EAST POINT. THAT'S I THINK WAS THE STRATEGY. THAT'S WHERE YOU YOU HAVE TO PARTNER WITH THE OTHER RESOURCES. JUST LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN I BROUGHT UP HOUSE PROUD, YOU SAID THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES FOR SENIORS. YES. AND I KNEW THAT IT WAS HABITAT. SO IT'S THE SAME WAY WHEN IT COMES TO DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. THERE ARE OTHER PLACES OUT THERE THAT WILL PROVIDE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE TO EAST POINT RESIDENTS. AND IT'S NOT JUST SHOULD NOT SOLELY BE ON THE BIBLE BOARD. YEAH, I I'LL YIELD, I'LL YIELD. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR ON THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES THAT, THAT THAT BIDEN IS PROPOSING. PROVIDING DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE WHEN IT COMES TO THESE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. WE'RE ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO TRY TO STACK THEM. SO GO AFTER THE GEORGIA DREAM PROGRAM, GO AFTER THE FULTON COUNTY PROGRAM, AND GO AFTER THE BANK PROGRAM AND GO AFTER THE BITE OF PROGRAM. SO THIS IS A FULL. YEAH, I APOLOGIZE IF IT SOUNDED LIKE I WAS JUST ONLY AND THAT'S WHY I TRIED TO EXPRESS THAT WE'RE WE'RE CONTINUOUSLY TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE AT THIS EVENT ON MAY 31ST, THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES ARE THERE. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. WHITFIELD, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE MENTIONED THIS ONCE BEFORE, AND I'VE HEARD IT ALSO FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, BUT IN MY RESEARCH, BROOKHAVEN AND DUNWOODY OFFER INCENTIVES FOR THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL. IN YOUR PRESENTATION, I KNOW THAT YOU ALL SAID THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO A HOME OWNERS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN JUST KIND OF FOCUS ON THOSE, ON THAT PARTICULAR GROWTH, ON THAT PARTICULAR GROUP, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL FOR HOUSING? AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS THE AIRBNBS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBNB MARKET HAS SORT OF KIND OF DRIED UP, BUT WOULD INTERESTED AIRBNB OWNERS BE INTERESTED IN POSSIBLY LEASING OR RENTING OR POSSIBLY SELLING TO POTENTIAL HOME OWNERS? BUT THAT'S JUST A GENERAL QUESTION. I JUST WANTED SOME FEEDBACK ON THOSE TWO ITEMS. YEAH, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR TO COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THE MARKET IS IN AN INTERESTING PLACE THAT I'M NOT QUALIFIED ENOUGH TO SPEAK ABOUT WHERE IT'S GOING IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSION OF FORMER AIRBNB PROPERTIES TO BECOME POTENTIAL PROPERTIES FOR SALE OR RENT TO RESIDENTS, I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE POKED AT AND CONSIDER. BUT TO YOUR OTHER QUESTION AROUND FIRST RESPONDERS. SO THIS EVENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY, I DON'T KNOW CHIEF WAS NOT HERE ANYMORE, BUT WE SPECIFICALLY SAT IN CHIEFS. WE DID NOT SCHEDULE THIS UNTIL WE HEARD THIS WAS A DATE THAT WORKED FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS. WE LITERALLY SAID, WE'RE NOT BOOKING THIS UNTIL POLICE OFFICERS. Y'ALL TELL US A DATE WHERE IT WORKS FOR Y'ALL. SO THIS IS REALLY DESIGNED AROUND THEM BEING IN THE ROOM. YEAH FOR SURE. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY HAVE THE STRONGEST TURNOUT. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S EXTRA BENEFIT BENEFITS OF HAVING YOUR LOCAL POLICE LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

BUT IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL, I GUESS, STEP IN INITIATIVES, MONETARY INITIATIVES FOR THEM.

[03:25:05]

BECAUSE AGAIN, IN BROOKHAVEN AND DUNWOODY, THEY GIVE THEM MONEY TO RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. YEAH. SO I THINK A PART OF THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR TO COUNCIL, I THINK A PART OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS LET'S START HERE. AND IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH INCENTIVE, LET'S LOOK AT OTHER INCENTIVES AS WELL. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES DOING CREATIVE THINGS AROUND UTILITIES, AROUND STIPENDS TO INCENTIVIZE IT. SO THERE'S A LOT STILL ON THE TABLE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE IF THIS IS ENOUGH TO GARNER ENOUGH. AND AGAIN, IF WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TONIGHT AT SOME POINT AROUND THE CITY OWNED PROPERTIES, THERE ARE SOME IDEAS AROUND UTILIZING THOSE TO HELP. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINSON THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MR. WHITFIELD, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE CHIP GRANT. I KNOW THAT THAT APPLICATION HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED. DO YOU KNOW APPROXIMATELY WHEN WE WOULD HEAR BACK FROM DCA REGARDING THAT GRANT? YES. AND THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, TO THE COUNCIL, THERE IS IN THE NOFO IN THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, IT STATES THAT THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE CONTRACTS BY SEPTEMBER 1ST. SO THAT LETS US KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE MAKING THEIR DECISION BETWEEN SPRING AND SUMMER. AND THEN IT'S JUST PAPERWORK TO FINALIZE BEFORE THAT DATE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE BIDA AUTHORITY. AND THAT'S JUST IT'S NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS THE HALF A MILLION FROM THE CHIP, BUT THE $50,000. I'M ENCOURAGED TO SEE THAT BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, THOSE DOLLARS CAN BE LAYERED, RIGHT. SO THEY CAN BENEFIT. AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THIS IS FOR A FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY. I THINK THAT WHEN CITY EMPLOYEES, IF THEY'RE NOT LIVING IN THE CITY ALREADY, IF THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE IN THE CITY, I THINK THERE'S AN EXTRA SENSE OF PRIDE IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHERE THEY WORK. AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THEM BUY A PIECE OF DIRT IN THE CITY, I'M ENCOURAGED BY THAT. SO, LIKE I SAID, I KNOW IT'S NOT A HALF $1 MILLION LIKE THE CHIP GRANT, BUT ANY LITTLE PIECE WOULD HELP. I GUESS THEY WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE, AND THEY CAN LAYER THOSE DOLLARS WITH SOME OTHER FUNDS AS WELL TO HELP PURCHASE THE PROPERTY. I WANT TO GO TO YOUR POLICY CONSIDERATION SLIDE. ON THAT SLIDE, I WAS ENCOURAGED TO SEE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS HERE, BECAUSE I THINK IT ADDRESSES A FEW THINGS THAT ARE SORT OF NATIONAL ISSUES AND LOCAL ISSUES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PARTICULARLY THE CORPORATE OWNING OF PROPERTIES AND PUSHING FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS SORT OF OUT OF THE MARKET ON THAT. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN ACT ON SOME OF THESE THINGS, THE INCLUSIONARY ZONING, I'M ENCOURAGED TO SEE THAT THE DENSITY BONUS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OFTENTIMES WE'RE NOT GETTING SOME OF THAT DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE OF THE DENSITY THAT WE DON'T QUITE MEET THE STANDARDS. AND SO WHEREVER IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO DO THAT AND HAVE SOME DENSITY BONUSES, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SO I WAS EXCITED TO SEE THIS, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COACHMAN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MISS WHITFIELD, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I KNOW THIS WHOLE THING IS NOT IT'S NOT ALL JUST LOCKED IN STONE AS FAR AS WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH REGARDS TO CONSIDERING FOR THE HOME BUYERS PROGRAM. JUST A FIRST RESPONDERS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE A SIGN UP LIST OR WHAT, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE I KNOW MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'LL BE A PREFERENCE THAT'LL BE GIVEN TO FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUSIVE OF ALL CITY EMPLOYEES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE SOMEBODY IN SANITATION, THEY SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT. I THINK THOSE OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THEM AS WELL. SO I DON'T THINK I DON'T WANT US TO, YOU KNOW, JUST SORT OF LOCK IN ON. POLICE OR FIRE. OF COURSE, WE'LL BRING THOSE, THOSE, THOSE PEOPLE IN. BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, WE EXTENDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU. AND THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR TO COUNCIL, I WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT BACK TO THE BIDEN GROUP AND SHARE THAT FEEDBACK WITH THEM. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. I YIELD, COUNCILWOMAN MARTENS, AND THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. BUT WHILE THIS SLIDE WAS UP, THAT WAS MY THIRD POINT. THE CORPORATE OWNERSHIP CAP POLICY THAT WOULDN'T HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I RESIDE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE CORPORATE OWNERSHIP IS PRETTY MUCH RUN RAMPANT. IS THAT SOMETHING FOR FUTURE, FOR THE FUTURE TO THINK ABOUT? BECAUSE HOW DO WE PUT A CAP ON CORPORATE OWNERSHIP AT THIS STAGE IN THE GAME? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO PASS AN ORDINANCE TO PUT A CAP ON OWNERSHIP. I JUST DON'T KNOW, THOUGH, HOW YOU WILL TRACK THAT. YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN BUTLER HAD

[03:30:01]

BROUGHT FORTH AN ISSUE WITH THE CODE SECTION THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T REQUIRE REGISTRATION. SO HOW YOU WILL KNOW WHAT'S CORPORATELY OWNED AND WHAT'S NOT IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT GIVEN THE CURRENT.

LANGUAGE IN THE STATE LAW. SO WITHOUT SOME TYPE OF REGISTRATION WHICH IS DISALLOWED, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO TRACK WHO WHO OWNS WHAT. SO I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO COME FIRST BEFORE YOU COULD IMPLEMENT. OR IF THIS BILL THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, IT WOULD HAVE TO HOPEFULLY IT CROSSED OVER BECAUSE IT HAS TO GET PASSED PRETTY QUICKLY. MAYBE THAT ADDRESSES THAT. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT BILL, SO I CAN'T SPEAK ON IT. THANK YOU. AND THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR TO COUNCIL, THE HOUSE BILL THAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND WAS 305 IF YOU BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, WILL IT CROSS? WILL IT PASS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. BUT THAT IS THE HOUSE BILL THAT WAS PROPOSED. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU. AND TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION, IF WE BROUGHT IT UP SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT HAVING THE HOUSES REGISTER OWNERSHIP. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PLANNING AND ZONING IS SUPPOSED TO DO. AND I THINK THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE STAFF, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THE VACANCY VACANT PROPERTY IS SUPPOSED TO REGISTER THEIR PROPERTY THROUGH PLANNING AND ZONING. WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THAT, AND THAT IS HOW YOU WOULD KNOW WHO OWNS WHAT PROPERTY, BECAUSE THEY ARE REQUIRED TO REGISTER THROUGH THAT. BUT THEY HAVE NOT STARTED THAT PROCESS TO DO THAT. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER THANK YOU. THE HOUSE BILL, IS THAT REFERRING TO REGISTRATION? IS HOUSE BILL NUMBER 374. HOUSE BILL NUMBER 399 IS THE ONE THAT WOULD LIMIT CORPORATE OWNERSHIP. AND THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL BILL THAT WILL REQUIRE, IF YOU OWN 25 OR MORE HOUSES TO BE HAVE A REGISTERED AGENT IN THE STATE.

SENATOR ESTEVEZ ALSO HAS AN ACCOMPANYING SENATE BILL. I DO KNOW HOUSE BILL 374 DID CROSS OVER. I THINK I HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT, BUT THOSE ARE THE BILL NUMBERS. THANK YOU. I SAW THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER'S LIKE IN THE CITY. ATTORNEY'S LIKE YOU ALL HAVE SOMETHING. MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WANTED TO SAY TO COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE THAT PLANNING IS REGISTERING VACANT AND BANK OWNED HOUSING. FRANK HAS A LIST, AND I'VE FORGOTTEN HOW MANY WERE ON THAT LIST. IT MIGHT BE TWO 200 PLUS, BUT THEY DO. THEY HAVE STARTED THAT. SO THEY DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

THANK YOU. YES, LARRY. ATTORNEY WIGGINS. YES. SO COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE IS CORRECT THAT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR VACANT PROPERTIES. BUT IF THE PROPERTY IS OCCUPIED, THEN THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT DISALLOWS REGISTRATION. SO WE CAN ONLY KEEP UP WITH CORPORATE REGISTRATION WHEN THE PROPERTY IS VACANT. IF IT'S RENTED, THAT'S NOT THE CASE. 305 THE HOUSE BILL THAT THAT FRANK REFERENCED NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE. NEITHER DID HOUSE BILL 374. SO NEITHER OF THOSE CROSSED OVER. NOW, HOUSE BILL 399 DID CROSS OVER, BUT IT NEVER WAS ASSIGNED TO A COMMITTEE. AND SO THAT MAY NOT GO ANYWHERE. AND THAT THE LAST ACTION ON HOUSE BILL 399 WAS MARCH 4TH. THANK YOU, MR. WHITFIELD. HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OR THE BUILDING AUTHORITY? NO, I HAVE NOT. I FEEL LIKE I ASKED THAT QUESTION EVERY TIME YOU'RE BEFORE US. AND SO WE HAVE OTHER AUTHORITIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT WORK WITH OTHER AREAS. AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A DOWNTOWN DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BY BY THE WHICH COULD BE HELPFUL FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS. BUT I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT WE STILL YOU STILL HAVEN'T MET WITH DDA OR THE BUILDING AUTHORITY. ADDITIONALLY, YOLANDA JOHNSON DID AN AMAZING JOB WITH THE HOMEOWNERSHIP, OWNING THE BLOCK EVENT AT EAST POINT. FIRST MALIBU THERE PROBABLY AT LEAST 30 TO 40 VENDORS THERE. MORTGAGE LENDERS, THERE WERE INSPECTORS.

[03:35:01]

THERE WERE CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCIES, LIKE EVERY SEGMENT OF THE HOME OWNERSHIP INDUSTRY OR PIPELINE, HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY. SO I HATE TO SEE US REINVENT THE WHEEL. AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT THIS PRESENTATION DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT. THERE WAS A PANEL SPECIFICALLY ON DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, AND THERE WERE FOUR LENDERS THERE. IN FACT, SILVERTON. IS IT CALLED SILVERTON? SILVERTON HOME OWNERSHIP AND FINANCE CENTER JUST OPENED. THIS HAD A GRAND OPENING THIS PAST WEEKEND. THEY'RE IN THE JEFFERSON STATION BUILDING, AND THEY SPECIFICALLY ARE FOCUSED ON EAST POINT AND LAYERING AND STACKING UPWARDS OF 30 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS PER PERSON FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. AND YOU WERE AT THAT EVENT. SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO SEE THOSE OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE WORKING AND PARTNERING WITH YOLANDA JOHNSON AND THE PEOPLE WHO PUT ON THE HOME OWNERSHIP EVENT ON LAST SATURDAY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE A MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT DOWNTOWN ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE HERE IN THE CITY. AND SO YOU MENTIONED A 2.0 EVENT. I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE REACHING OUT TO THE 30 PLUS VENDORS THAT YOLANDA HAS ALREADY CONNECTED AND HAVE, WORKING WITH RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY, AS WE DO. I GUESS ANOTHER EVENT, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A 2.0 OR IF IT'S JUST ANOTHER EVENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN HELD, BEING OFFERED AT A DIFFERENT TIME AND LOCATION TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE'RE OFFERING. ALSO, AS IT RELATES TO THE HOME REPAIRS, WE DID A SOLICITATION. I THINK IT WAS AN RFQ, AND THAT'S HOW GREEN HEART AND HOUSE PROUD WERE APPROVED. SO I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THEM. BUT AS WAS MENTIONED, IF THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS, I THINK THE CHALLENGE WAS I THINK IT WAS PREVIOUSLY SAID BEFORE THE REASON WHY WE DID SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY FOR EAST POINT, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH FUNDING IN THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS AND THOSE OTHER POOLS TO REALLY FOCUS ON EAST POINT RESIDENTS.

BUT AGAIN, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAID FUNDING, BLEND FUNDING LIKE STACK FUNDING FOR REPAIRS, IT'S GOOD THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL. ALSO, AS IT RELATES TO. THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR MOU OR INFORMATION THAT WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL THAT WILL DEFINITELY NEED TO GO THROUGH OUR CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT. IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD PRIOR TO BRINGING IT TO COUNCIL, IT'S NOT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GO THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S LEGALLY SOUND, AND WE HAVE IT IN A POSITION THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT IS, IS ABLE TO BE MET. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. ALSO THE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS. I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU PULLED OUT POLICIES THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE EQUITABLE GROWTH AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN. I WOULD SAY THAT MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IS STILL A RESOURCE FOR US AROUND POLICY DEVELOPMENT, AT LEAST FOR A WHILE, UNTIL THEY GOT AN EXTENSION ON THE. ADVANCING HEALTH EQUITY IN EAST POINT GRANT THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GRANT. I CAN'T I'M A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE END DATE OF THE EXTENSION, BUT I THINK WE CAN GET SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THEM AS THEY HELP WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I DON'T SEE COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. MADAM MAYOR, CAN I REPLY TO THE COMMENTS YOU MADE AROUND? I JUST WANT TO MAKE A CLARIFYING POINT AROUND. YEAH. SO WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS FINISHES AND DON'T SEE WHEN ANYONE ELSE IN, YOU CAN GO. OKAY, JUST VERY QUICKLY, MADAM MAYOR, YOU GOT MY MEMORY GOING BECAUSE THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE, PARTICULARLY YOUR SLIDE AROUND THE CITY OWNED FACILITIES AND STRUCTURES. AND THE MADAM, MADAM MAYOR ALSO SPOKE ABOUT TWO OTHER AUTHORITIES. AND I THINK THAT THE BUILDING AUTHORITY SPECIFICALLY SHOULD PROBABLY BE ENGAGED, AND THEY SHOULD PROBABLY BE MEETING AROUND SOME OF THOSE THINGS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT, AND I THOUGHT I WROTE THE NOTE DOWN, BUT I DIDN'T, SO I'M SORRY. NO WORRIES COUNCIL I WAS GOING TO ASK, ARE THOSE OTHER AUTHORITIES ACTIVE? I'M NOT SURE IF THE

[03:40:05]

BUILDING AUTHORITY HAS MET THIS YEAR OR THE DDA. I'M NOT SURE IF THESE ARE ACTIVE GROUPS. SO THE DDA HAS MET. THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING ON THE IMPACT STUDY WITH THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE BUILDING AUTHORITY, BUT I THINK I THINK IT MIGHT BE EXCUSE ME, I THINK BIDEN MIGHT BE THE MOST ACTIVE AUTHORITY WE HAVE AND WITH THE MOST COMPETENT BOARD MEMBERS FOR THIS. SO I GET IT. ONE SECOND I SAW, I CAN SEE WHY THEY MIGHT REACH THEM FIRST, BECAUSE OTHER AUTHORITIES ARE NOT ACTING IN THEIR FULL CAPACITY NOW. YEAH.

GO AHEAD. SO AGAIN, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS AND IS WORKING ON THE IMPACT STUDY. THE BUILDING AUTHORITY HAS PEOPLE APPOINTED BY ALL OF YOU UP HERE.

AND SO IF IN FACT, THEY'RE NOT MEETING, THEY'RE STILL SOME WAY TO REACH OUT. WHETHER THEY REACHED OUT TO BY THE FIRST. THIS IS SEVERAL MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD PRESENTATIONS AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CONTACT WITH THE OTHER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES WITHIN THE CITY.

THEY ALL HAVE A ROLE. I'M TALKING THEY ALL HAVE A ROLE, AND IT IS IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AT THE STAFF LEVEL, THAT WE'RE ACTIVATING THEM FOR THEIR VARIOUS ROLES. WHEN I SERVED ON THE BUILDING AUTHORITY PRIOR TO BEING ELECTED TO COUNCIL, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS YOU HAVE THREE AUTHORITIES AND THE QUESTION IS WHO DOES WHAT, RIGHT? AND WHEN WE HAD THE RETREAT WITH OUR AUTHORITIES, THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE LAST ELECTION. THAT WAS A PART OF THE DISCUSSION. WE HAVE TO ALL GET ON THE SAME PAGE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UTILIZING THE TOOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE. AND SO BIDEN IS NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT'S MEETING. THE DDA IS MEETING. AND THE DDA ACTUALLY HAS A GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT AND MAP THAT IS A PART OF THE RESOLUTION THAT ACTIVATED THE DDA. THE BUILDING AUTHORITY IS COUNCIL MEMBER, ATKINS SAID, IS TO SPECIFICALLY BY ITS BYLAWS, DEAL WITH CITY PROPERTY. AND SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND MOVING THROUGH THIS, IF THERE IS A NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH ALL OF THE AUTHORITIES AND THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE SO THAT THEY CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER AS A PART OF THIS PLAN MOVING FORWARD. AND WHATEVER LANES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED, BE IT THEIR ENACTING DOCUMENTS OR THEIR BYLAWS OR WHATEVER STATE LAW, BECAUSE THESE ARE ALSO CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITIES. AND SO THAT'S WHY I KEEP BRINGING IT UP. IT IS NOT ABOUT WHO'S MORE ACTIVE. IF I CAN KNOW, I'M STILL TALKING. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. AND WHEN I'M DONE, I WILL RECOGNIZE THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. AND SO, MR. JONES, THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHO IS MORE ACTIVE.

THIS IS ABOUT WHAT THE ORGANIZING DOCUMENTS FOR THESE AUTHORITIES SAY AND WHAT THEIR ROLES ARE IN ENSURING AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE AVAILABLE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE. THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER AUTHORITY THAT WE ATTEMPTED TO CREATE, BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY GO ANYWHERE. I CAN'T REMEMBER URBAN SOMETHING, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF AUTHORITIES, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING COMPREHENSIVELY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CITY OWNED PROPERTY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACTIVATING THE RIGHT ENTITIES FOR THE WORK. AND SO THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT I'M HEARING RIGHT NOW TO DO WITH DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT IS CONCERNING THAT THERE STILL HASN'T BEEN ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE OTHER AUTHORITIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY, GIVEN WHAT WAS SHARED AS A PART OF THIS PLAN. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL YES, I JUST I JUST WANTED TO STATE SO IT'S ALWAYS IT'S LIKE CLEARLY ANIMOSITY EVERY TIME THE BOARD IS BROUGHT UP. WE'RE NOT FULLY UTILIZING OUR AUTHORITIES. HAVE THE AUTHORITIES THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL AT THIS POINT. BUT HOWEVER, WHEN EVERYBODY IS BROUGHT UP, THERE'S SOME ANIMOSITY THERE. AND THAT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. EVERYBODY SEES IT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING IF THAT'S ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT AUTHORITIES, WE HAVE. AND WE HAVE TO START UTILIZING THEM BETTER INTO OUR NEW CITY MANAGER. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE GET ALL THE AUTHORITIES FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I THINK THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, HOWEVER, WE SHOULD UTILIZE THE ACTUAL AUTHORITIES WHO ARE FUNCTIONING IN THEIR FULL CAPACITY, UTILIZE THEM TO THE FULLEST EXTENT. I

[03:45:07]

THINK IT'S A FAIR POINT. AND WE, MY OFFICE, WILL BE REACHING DIRECTLY OUT TO ALL THOSE BOARDS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE AT LEAST ADVISED AND HOPEFULLY BRING THEM TOGETHER FOR A MEETING SO THAT THEY CAN GET UP TO SPEED ON THE ACTIVITIES THAT'S HAPPENED THUS FAR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU. AND I DON'T I DON'T AND LET ME SAY THIS BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. SO I ASK YOU, WHAT'S YOUR ELEPHANT? WHY IS IT THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS PUSHING FOR THE BY THE BOARD? IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE ARE OTHER.

I'M. I'M SPEAKING. ZIP IT. IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE'S OTHER ENTITIES IN ALL IT WAS SAID WAS ASK THE OTHER ENTITY AND THIS CONVERSATION COMES UP AT EVERY TIME WE HAVE MEETINGS LIKE THIS, EVERY TIME THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MEETS. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BUILDING AUTHORITY, BUT WHAT'S YOUR REASONING FOR ALWAYS WANTING TO GO WITH THE BY THE BOARD? AND I KNOW YOU GOT PEOPLE ON THERE YOU LIKE. YOU REALLY WANT TO PUSH THEM. THAT'S THAT'S YOUR BUSINESS. BUT WHAT REALLY IS IT BESIDES GIVING EVERY OTHER ENTITY THAT THE CITY HAS PART OF THE PROCESS? MADAM MAYOR, YOU MENTIONED, I COULD REPLY AFTER COUNCIL. OKAY, SO IT IS THE CONSTANT MISCHARACTERIZATION OF FACTS, PROCEDURES, ORDINANCE, CHARTER, THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE INTO SALACIOUS THINGS LIKE ANIMOSITY THAT PUTS STAFF IN THE POSITION TO CONSTANTLY COME BEFORE US AND NOT HAVE INFORMATION. AND SO WHAT I SHARE WITH FACTS, INFORMATION ABOUT BYLAWS, ABOUT ORDINANCES, ABOUT STRUCTURE, ABOUT HOW ALL OF THIS SHOULD MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AND TO MAKE IT SALACIOUS AND TALK ABOUT ANIMOSITY. I MEAN, THAT'S VERY CONVENIENT. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE NOW OR LATER, BUT WE HAD THE RETREAT WITH ALL OF THE AUTHORITIES BY THE DDA. BUILDING AUTHORITY. AND I DON'T THINK THE EAST POINT HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS THERE. WE HAD DARRELL INGRAM FROM IG, WHO DOES THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PRESENT. WE HAD SOMEONE WHO WORKED WITH DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS WHO ACTUALLY USED TO BE AN EAST POINT RESIDENT. I FORGET HER NAME THAT PRESENTED, AND I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT TWO OR ABOUT THREE HOURS OR MAYBE A HALF A DAY, BECAUSE WE I THINK WE STARTED WITH A CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST AND EVEN HAD LUNCH, AND WE TALKED ABOUT RECONVENING TO CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION AND CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE SET A JOINT VISION FOR THE CITY AND UNDERSTAND WHO DOES WHAT. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO EXPLORE HAVING THAT AGAIN.

THE PEOPLE WHO WERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON COUNCIL KNOW FIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON COUNCIL NOW WERE NOT ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME. AND SO THAT MAY BE HELPFUL AS WE TALK ABOUT MOVING THIS WORK FORWARD. MR. WHITFIELD, DID YOU WANT. I DO, BUT I, I WITHHOLD AND JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY MANAGER TO HANDLE THIS. ALL RIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER

[XIII.11. Council Discussion and Possible Action on a Change Order in the Amount of $65,000 for Plante Moran RFP 2024-1833 Change Order #1]

LIGHTS IN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. WE WILL MOVE NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 11. COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CHANGE ORDER FOR PLANTE MORAN. IS THERE ANY ACTION ON THIS ITEM? DISCUSSION. NEED A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.

SO MOVED. SECOND SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR KNOW I'M SORRY ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL YES. SO DO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A ANOTHER ACTION FOR ANOTHER $65,000? DO WE HAVE A REASONING OR IS IT ITEMIZED OR WHAT'S KIND OF BEHIND THIS? SO MR. JONES I SEE MR. GOLDEN AT THE PODIUM. WOULD YOU LIKE FOR HIM TO RESPOND OR. THAT WOULD BE LOVELY. THANK YOU. YES,

[03:50:01]

DIRECTOR. INTERIM DIRECTOR GOLDEN WILL RESPOND TO THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER JONES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN MITCHELL. YES, WE DO HAVE IT BUDGETED SO WE CAN. PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR THIS AMENDMENT. HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING THEM ON TOP OF THIS? SO THIS 100 AND SOMETHING, THIS CONTRACT WAS 150,000. SO. BUT THEY WERE ASSISTING US WITH RECONCILIATION AND OTHER ACCOUNTING TECHNICAL SERVICES. SO WE'RE COMING TOWARD THE END OF THAT. THOSE SERVICES. AND THIS THEN IN ORDER TO PROVIDE GET GUIDANCE ON CERTAIN ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE COMING UP TO THE TUNE OF 65 IS NOT TO EXCEED 65, NOT TO EXCEED. OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. ARE WE STILL ON FOR DISCUSSION? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $65,000 FOR PLANTE MORAN RFP, 20 2418 2024 DASH 1833 CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE. AND MOVE THEM PROPERLY. SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM ON THIS ITEM MIGHT INVOLVE YOU AS

[XIII.12. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Single-Source Vendor ECivis/Euna Solutions, for Grants Network Software and Services; Amount Not to Exceed $138,569; FUNDING SOURCE General Funds]

WELL. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE SINGLE SOURCE VENDOR FOR E SERVICE UNIT SOLUTIONS FOR GRANTS, NETWORK SOFTWARE AND SERVICES AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $138,569. IS THERE A MOTION SO MOVED? IT'S BEEN MOVED IMPROPERLY. SECOND, TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS? YES. MR. GOLDEN I'M NEW, SO I DON'T KNOW. HOLD ON REAL QUICK. LET ME CALL FOR THE QUESTION. I'LL CALL YOU FOR A DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS.

YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MR. GOLDEN, VERY NEW. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THIS IS FOR AND WHAT WE'RE GETTING FOR THESE DOLLARS, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THIS SOFTWARE. THIS IS WHERE WE DO OUR GRANT MANAGEMENT. SO ALL OUR HISTORICAL DATA IS THERE. WE DO ALL THE TRANSACTIONS THROUGH THE PORTAL AS WELL AS IT HAS. IT HAS A PLATFORM TO WHERE WE CAN RESEARCH THOSE GRANTS AND UPCOMING GRANTS, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. SO ARE WE SWITCHING TO A DIFFERENT PLATFORM OR IS THIS A NEW LICENSING FEE TO CONTINUE TO USE THE PLATFORM, OR THIS IS A NEW LICENSE FEE TO CONTINUE TO USE THE PLATFORM? OKAY. AND IT RENEWS ANNUALLY. THIS IS A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT. OKAY. SO THIS WILL GET US THROUGH FIVE YEARS CORRECT. LICENSING THE SUBSCRIPTION THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THIS LICENSE. YES, SIR.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THE 138 569 IS THAT PER YEAR FOR ALL FIVE YEARS? IT'S ALL FIVE YEARS, MADAM MAYOR. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON THIS ITEM, MADAM MAYOR? YES, COUNCILMAN. MOTION THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 12. SO MOVED SINGLE SOLE SOURCE VENDOR. E CHAVIS. SOLUTION FOR THE GRANT NETWORK SOFTWARE. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE

[XIII.13. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Off-Boarding One Path to Adopt New Services through GoTo]

OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT ITEM. COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON OFFBOARDING ONE. PATH TO ADOPT NEW SERVICES THROUGH. GO TO FROM IT. IS THERE A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE FLOOR IS OPEN, MR. JONES. MAYOR. MAYOR. COUNCIL FOR THE INTERIM IT DIRECTOR, OLIVER BROWN, TO HELP US WITH THIS DISCUSSION. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL CITY MANAGER JONES, THIS IS REGARDING THE TRANSITION OF OUR VOICE OVER IP SYSTEM, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY OUR DESK PHONE SYSTEM FROM A COMPANY CALLED ONEPATH TO A COMPANY CALLED GO TWO. SO COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED A. GO TWO, I

[03:55:12]

BELIEVE IT WAS IN LATE AUGUST OR SOMETIME IN AUGUST. WHAT WE NEED NOW, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE MOTIONS WITH ONE PATH FOR THE OFFBOARDING. WHAT WE NEED NOW IS A SIGNATURE ON THE SEPARATION AGREEMENT FROM ONE PATH, WHICH WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR TO FOR GO TWO, SO THAT WE CAN START TO TRANSFER ALL THE DATA FROM ONE PATH TO GO TO. SO THIS IS OUR THIS THE OFFBOARDING AGREEMENT.

THE SEPARATION AGREEMENT NEEDS TO BE SIGNED BY MADAM MAYOR. AND BEFORE MADAM CAN SIGN THE AGREEMENT, IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. SO IN A NUTSHELL, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. SO WE'RE GOING FROM ONE PATH TO GO TO IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON THAT WE'RE GOING IS ONE SERVICE BETTER THAN THE OTHER, OR WHY ARE WE GOING FROM ONE PATH TO GO? TWO WELL, WE BECAME INCREASINGLY DISSATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE WE WERE GETTING FROM ONE PATH. ONE PATH HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS FACILITY, BUT ONCE IT WAS COMPLETED IN 2018, SINCE IT APPEARS THAT THE COMPANY STARTED TO DISINTEGRATE AND MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE THERE WHEN THIS FACILITY WENT UP ARE NO LONGER EMPLOYED. SO SPECIFICALLY WITH THE OUR CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TO THE CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT, AS YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU CALL THEM, YOU GET A RECORDING. THERE'S TIMES WHERE WE HAVE TO ADJUST THAT RECORDING. FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, SOME CITY EMERGENCY HOLIDAYS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, IF WE NEED TO ADJUST THAT RECORDING WITH ONE PATH, WE HAVE TO CONTACT ONE PATH, AND ONE PATH HAS TO CONTACT ONE OF TWO THIRD PARTY ENTITIES THAT ACTUALLY PERFORM THE WORK. AND THEN THEY COME BACK TO ONE PATH, AND THEN ONE PATH COMES BACK TO US. SO TO MAKE SIMPLE CHANGES WITH ONE PATH CAN TAKE WEEKS WHERE WE CAN HAVE THIS, THIS FUNCTIONALITY WITH GO TO IS PART OF THE PACKAGE DEAL. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CALL ONE PATH TO MAKE THESE CHANGES, WE CAN DO THEM OURSELVES IN MINUTES AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TO WAIT WEEKS TO HAVE OUR REQUEST ACCOMMODATED. AND THAT'S JUST TO THAT'S JUST A ONE EXAMPLE. SO ALSO GO TO CAN GIVE US THE FUNCTIONALITY WE NEED AT LITERALLY MORE THAN OR LESS THAN HALF THE COST OF ONE PATH. ONE PATH COST US ABOUT $154,000 A YEAR, AND WE CAN GET THE SAME. WE CAN GET THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY. PLUS, FROM GO TWO FOR ROUGHLY $75,000 A YEAR, BECAUSE ONE GO TWO IS DOESN'T HAVE TO CONTRACT OUT THE WORK TO THIRD PARTY OUTFITS. SO ESSENTIALLY GOING TO GO TWO GIVES US THE CONTROL WE NEED TO MAKE CRITICAL CHANGES QUICKLY. OKAY. SO IN ESSENCE YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WITH GO TO WITH REGARDS TO PRICE AND SERVICES AND SERVICE. THANK YOU SIR I YIELD. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER I MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE OFF BOARDING PROCES.