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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE APRIL. WHAT'S TODAY'S DATE?
[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]
14TH WORK SESSION OF THE EAST POINT CITY COUNCIL.MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER.
SHROPSHIRE. COUNCIL MEMBER. FRIDLEY. PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS. COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER.
COUNCIL MEMBER. CUMMINGS. COUNCIL MEMBER. MITCHELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. COUNCIL MEMBER. DOCTOR.
MARTIN. ROGERS. OH. OKAY. IS THAT A QUORUM? OKAY. YOU HAVE SIX IS A QUORUM. THE MAYOR AND FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS OR SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS IS A QUORUM.
SO WE WILL GO THROUGH THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEMS. WE NEED AN UPDATE ON POLICING DEPARTMENTAL VACANCIES DISCUSSION.
COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, DO YOU WANT THIS TO BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT OR NO? MR. JONES, ARE YOU READY TO DISCUSS THE DEPARTMENTAL VACANCIES? I'M SORRY. THE QUESTION WAS, ARE YOU READY TO TALK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENTAL VACANCIES, OR SHOULD WE PUT THIS ON THE.
WHAT MONTH ARE WE IN? MAY. WORK SESSION. TO MY DEPUTY CITY INTERIM DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO RESPOND TO THAT ONE. MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, WE HAVE AN UPDATE. AS OF MARCH 12TH THAT WE CAN SEND OUT.
WE DIDN'T SEND IT OUT YET. SO WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION TONIGHT.
OKAY. SO MAYBE YOU CAN SEND THAT TO US AND COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGERS, YOU WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE MAY WORK SESSION? OKAY. OKAY. NEXT UP IS.
INVESTIGATION AND COUNCIL MEMBERS BEHAVIOR. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER.
YOU SAID KEEP IT. OKAY. CREDIT CARD POLICY AND TRAVEL POLICY.
SO I WILL DEFER TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR, ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD WAIT TILL THEY'RE HERE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO IT GOING TO MAY? I KNOW. OKAY. MAY WORK SESSION FOR EIGHT, EIGHT, NINE.
OH. I'M SORRY. MY BAD. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER FOR NINE 50 WORDS PROPERTIES.
DO WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THAT TONIGHT? ARE YOU ALL READY TO DISCUSS THAT? I KNOW THE LAST TIME WE HAD IT, IT WAS THE CITY MANAGER AND LEGAL CITY ATTORNEY WERE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND BRINGING BACK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
ARE YOU READY FOR THAT TONIGHT OR LATER? TONIGHT OR MAY WORK SESSION.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. OKAY. THEN WE HAVE A CHANGE ORDER FOR BRINKS ADDITION OF A RECYCLER. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I THINK I MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ON 11 AND 12. PHASE TWO, LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR WAGON WORKS FOR GIK.
WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT. UBER DEFINITELY NEED TO DISCUSS THAT.
SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION WILL NEED TO DISCUSS THAT.
WATER MAIN REPAIRS, ITEM NUMBER 16. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? GOING TO CONSENT? NO. 17. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS? GOING TO CONSENT. 18. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? NO. 19. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? NO. 20. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT.
21. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? NO. 22. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT.
23. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? NO.
FOR? WE'LL DEFINITELY NEED TO DISCUSS 25.
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THIS IS A PLANNING AND ZONING. CHANGE. CHANGE ORDER AMENDMENT.WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT. DEFINITELY NEED TO DISCUSS 2627.
APPROVAL OF VENDOR FOR UNDERGROUND. BORING CONDUIT FROM EAST POINT POWER.
ANY OBJECTION TO. CONSENT ON 28. NO. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT ON.
ON. 29. NO. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT ON 30? NO.
ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT ON 31? NO.
31. OKAY. DISCUSS ANY OBJECTION ON OH, THIS IS ME AT SETTLEMENT.
WE PROBABLY NEED TO JUST HEAR FROM THEM AS TO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING FOR THE.
AND WE HAVE EAST POINT MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION.
GEORGIA CITIES SOLUTION. THEY WANT TO PRESENT TO US A RESOLUTION DISCUSSION ON AGING COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGERS AND SHREDDING EVENT COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT ONE TONIGHT? THE SHREDDING EVENT. OKAY, SO, MADAM DEPUTY. MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK, I HAVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AND NINE ON THE MAY WORK SESSION.
ITEMS 16 THROUGH. 23 CONSENT ITEMS 28, 29 AND 30 CONSENT. THE REST WILL BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
ITEM SEVEN AND NINE. MAY WORK SESSION. ITEM 16 THROUGH 23.
CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS 28, 29 AND 30. CONSENT AGENDA.
[II.1. East Point Convention and Visitors Bureau Tourism Needs Assessment & Updates]
I SEE OUR BOARD CHAIR, NEIL SHAW, AS WELL AS BOARD MEMBERS, FORMER MAYOR PATSY JOE HILLYARD AND ATTORNEY.CHARLES JOHNSON. I JUST HAD A MOMENT. SORRY. AND THEN OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CEO, CHANTAL FRANCOIS.
YOU ALL MAY COME AT THIS TIME. PRESS THE BUTTON.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ATTENDEES TONIGHT.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU.
I JUST WANT TO GO OVER NEXT. WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE AN UPDATE, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS INTRODUCE TO YOU A WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED TOURISM RESEARCH FIRM THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT ON TO DO A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR US IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO ASSIST US IN RECOGNIZING AND IDENTIFYING THE TRAVELERS TO EAST POINT, THE VISITORS, AND JUST GIVING US THE DATA REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS IN BRINGING OVERNIGHT STAY TO THE CITY AND ENCOURAGING TRAVELERS IN THE MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS WORLD. NEXT, I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT EVERY COMMUNITY MUST COMPETE WITH EVERY OTHER COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE WORLD'S ATTENTION, CUSTOMERS, INVESTMENT AND TALENT.
THIS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH CLEARLY DEVELOPING, ARTICULATING AND MANAGING THE COMMUNITY'S BRAND.
DESTINATION ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE EASTPOINT CVB ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO THIS.
IT IS A COMMON GOOD, A PUBLIC GOOD. IT IS AN ESSENTIAL INVESTMENT TO DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES AND BUILD QUALITY OF LIFE TO BENEFIT ALL THE PEOPLE OF A COMMUNITY. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MISS LAURA MANDALA WITH THE MANDALA RESEARCH FIRM, WHO WILL BE GIVING YOU AN INSIGHT INTO WHY SHE'S HERE TODAY AND THE INITIATIVE THAT WE'VE JUST EMBARKED ON TO FURTHER ENHANCE
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THE MISSION OF THE EAST POINT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.LAURA. THANK YOU. CHANTAL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR INGRAM.
MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING RESEARCH WE'LL BE DOING FOR THE EAST POINT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. MANDALA RESEARCH IS A TOURISM CONSULTING FIRM WITH OVER TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE VARIANTS, WORKING IN TRAVEL AND TOURISM ACROSS ALL OF ITS SECTORS.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST BRANDS IN TOURISM LIKE MARRIOTT, RITZ CARLTON, TANGER OUTLETS AND WITH DESTINATIONS RANGING FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND VIRGINIA TO MIAMI AND MACON, GEORGIA.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR PLAN TO SUPPORT THE MISSION OF THE EASTPOINT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, WHICH IS, AS YOU MAY KNOW, TO SHOWCASE THE CITY OF EASTPOINT AS UNIQUE AND PREMIER DESTINATION FOR CONVENTIONS, GROUP LEISURE AND BUSINESS TRAVEL. INCREASING OVERNIGHT STAYS WHILE POSITIONING ITSELF AS WHERE THE WORLD MEETS.
AND CRITICAL TO ALL OF THIS AT THE CVB IS TO INCLUDE POSITIVE ENGAGEMENT, AS THEY ARE KNOWN TO DO, AND SUPPORT FROM STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY IN EVERYTHING THAT THEY UNDERTAKE.
IT'S WIDELY UNDERSTOOD TODAY THAT TOURISM IS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR ANY COMMUNITY, AND WITHOUT YOUR HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY, THERE WOULD BE NO TOURISM. TRAVELERS STAY IN OUR HOTELS.
THEY SPEND MONEY IN OUR RESTAURANTS, SHOP IN LOCAL STORES, ATTEND OUR EVENTS, VISIT OUR CULTURAL SITES, AND THEIR SPENDING GENERATES TAX DOLLARS THAT INCREASE THE AMENITIES AND SERVICES THAT THE CITY CAN OFFER.
AND THIS IN TURN HELPS TO ATTRACT THOSE NEW AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES.
EASTPOINT IS LOOKING FOR AND CREATES JOBS. NEXT.
TOURISM SPENDING NATIONALLY IS $1.3 TRILLION.
IT'S A $2.6 TRILLION IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
TOURISM SPENDING IS $46 BILLION, AND IN ATLANTA, IT'S $18 BILLION.
OUR INTENTION IS TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL TOURISM SPEND FOR EASTPOINT, AND HOW CAN EASTPOINT GAIN ITS FAIR SHARE OF THAT TOURISM PIE? OUR PLAN IS TO ACHIEVE THIS WITH A MULTI-PRONGED RESEARCH APPROACH.
FIRST, WE'LL CONDUCT A STUDY OF TRAVELERS. WE'LL SURVEY TRAVELERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT FACTORS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM IN CHOOSING TO STAY IN EAST POINT VERSUS ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS. HOW MUCH DO TRAVELERS WHO VISIT EAST POINT SPEND WHEN THEY'RE HERE? WHO DO THEY TRAVEL WITH? WHAT BROUGHT THEM HERE? AND HOW MUCH ARE PROSPECTIVE TRAVELERS SPENDING WHEN THEY TRAVEL? AND HOW CAN WE CAPTURE SOME OF THAT TOURISM SPEND IN EAST POINT? WHY ARE THEY NOT CHOOSING EAST POINT AND HOW CAN WE GET THEM TO CHOOSE? EAST POINT IS ESSENTIALLY THE POINT HERE. SECOND, WE'LL DO A MEETING A SURVEY OF MEETING PLANNERS. THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE MILLION DOLLAR DECISIONS FOR CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS ON WHICH DESTINATION THEIR ORGANIZATION WILL HOLD THEIR CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, EVENTS, AND RETREATS. THE MEETINGS BUSINESS IS A HUGE POTENTIAL INDUSTRY, AND ONE THAT IS RIPE TO BE TAPPED INTO FOR EAST POINT. UNDERSTANDING WHAT DRIVES THE DECISIONS OF THOSE MEETING PLANNERS IS CRITICAL TO INCREASING THE CONFERENCE IN MEETINGS. BUSINESS IN EAST POINT.
THIRD, WE'LL CONDUCT A SURVEY OF TOUR OPERATORS.
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WITH THE RETIRING BABY BOOM GENERATION. THIS TYPE OF TRAVEL WILL ONLY INCREASE.IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT PACKAGING AND MESSAGING FOR TOUR OPERATORS WILL ENABLE THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU TO GET EAST POINT ON THEIR TRAVEL ITINERARIES. BUT BEFORE SETTING OUT ON THIS WORK, WE FIRST WANT TO HEAR FROM STAKEHOLDERS, THE BUSINESSES, THE RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN EAST POINT WHOSE OPINIONS AND INPUT ON TOURISM ARE VITAL.
WE'RE CONDUCTING TWO DAYS OF ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS TO HEAR WHAT THEY VALUE ABOUT LIFE AND WORK IN EAST POINT, AND WHAT THEY FEEL TOURISM MAY BE ABLE TO DO TO SUPPORT THE CITY, WHAT IT COULD DO TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CITIZENS, AS WELL AS VOICE ANY CONCERNS. AND TONIGHT, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE HERE TO SIGN UP WITH US FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION TO JOIN US IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.
THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS OR KPIS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS.
PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO THE CVB ON INCREASING TOURISM REVENUES WHILE RETAINING THE CHARACTER AND HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF EASTPOINT. AND INCREASING A SENSE OF PRIDE IN EASTPOINT.
WITH A COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO SHARE ALL THE UNIQUE QUALITIES IT HAS TO OFFER.
AND FINALLY, WHAT ARE OUR DELIVERABLES ON THIS PROJECT? WE'RE DELIVERING A COMPREHENSIVE PROFILE OF VISITORS AND PROSPECTIVE VISITORS TO EASTPOINT.
WE'RE DELIVERING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT VISITORS AND THE TRAVEL TRADE ARE LOOKING FOR, WHY THEY WOULD CHOOSE EASTPOINT, AND WHAT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO RETURN.
ULTIMATELY, WE'LL BE DEFINING THE OVERALL ECONOMIC POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM FOR EAST POINT, AND PROVIDE THE CVB WITH A ROAD MAP TO REACH THAT POTENTIAL. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. GREAT PRESENTATION. YOU CAN JUST STAY RIGHT THERE JUST IN CASE THERE'S QUESTIONS.
YEP. WE DO HAVE OUR FULL UPDATE PRESENTATION.
MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU ARE INCLINED FOR US TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
SO I GUESS YOU PROBABLY SHOULD. OKAY. THAT'S.
GREAT. SO WE STARTED WITH THE COMPETITION FOR COMMUNITIES AND TOURISM AND THAT TOURISM DOLLAR THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF GEORGIA.
THERE ARE 80 CVBS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA. SO WE'RE COMPETING, COMPETING IN A FIERCE MARKET.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA ALONE.
WE'VE ATTENDED SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY'S EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THROUGHOUT.
WE'VE DONE A BLANKET DRIVE WITH THE SENIOR CENTER.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH ATLANTA UTILITY. UTILITY WORKS TO CREATE A STREETSCAPE BANNER ON IRENE KIDD AND NW MARTIN, WHERE THERE IS A REAL EYESORE OF A FENCE AND, YOU KNOW, GROWN UP SHRUBBERY THAT THEY HAVE ASKED US TO ASSIST WITH.
SO WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THEM ON THAT.
THAT IS IN THE WORKS AS WE SPEAK. WE HAVE ALSO ATTENDED THE CITY OF EAST POINT MURAL UNVEILING, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH THE LIST BECAUSE THERE'S QUITE A FEW. AND HERE'S THE SECOND PAGE OF COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED AND BEEN A PART OF.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE ROWS OF OUR HOTEL MEMBERS HERE WITH US TODAY.
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SAFETY IS A KEY COMPONENT TO VISITOR ARRIVALS TO ANY DESTINATION.IF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE, THEY WILL NOT COME TO YOUR DESTINATION.
OUR POLICE CHIEF HAS DONE GREAT IN HIS ATTEMPTS TO CURB THE INCIDENTS THAT WE'VE HAD AT OUR HOTELS AND IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THE STRATEGIC MEASURES AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S IN PLACE FOR EAST POINT.
WE ARE FIRST IN MANY OF THOSE, AND WE'RE PROUD OF THAT.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROMOTE THE CITY AS SAFE AS WELL.
HERE ARE JUST SOME IMAGES OF THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED.
THIS IS THE BANNER THAT WILL BE ERECTED AT ATLANTA UTILITY WORKS.
IN ADDITION TO THEM, WE ALSO HAVE A MURAL DOWN THE STREET OF MISS CELIA CRUZ.
AND THEN WE ALL HAVE ONE ALSO OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOE HECKSTALL.
WE ARE HONORED HERE IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO HAVE ALL THESE FIGURES REPRESENTED TODAY WITH BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BECAUSE EAST POINT IS A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REPRESENTED HERE IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT, AND WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT'S SEEN IN ALL THE ART PROGRAMING AND EVERYTHING WE DO HERE IN THE CITY. YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS A GREAT TIME. WHEN THEY UNVEIL MURALS.
IT'S EXCITING. IT MAKES ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO WORTH IT.
IT'S IT'S AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT COME OUT ARE JUST SO INCREDIBLY NICE, AND AND I, I REALLY FEEL HONORED MEETING THE THE DIGNITARIES AND THE CITY PEOPLE AND THE RELATIVES OF THE SUBJECT MATTER THAT WE PAINT.
IT'S A GREAT, GREAT CITY OUT HERE IN EAST POINT, GEORGIA.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE ARTIST THAT COMMISSIONED THE MURALS.
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR ME. WE ALSO HAD THE UNVEILING OF THE HILTON GARDEN INN THAT THEY DID A FULL HOTEL RENOVATION. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WAITED A LONG TIME FOR.
WE'VE HAD BUSINESS LOSS BECAUSE OF THE UPGRADES AND QUALITY OF HOTELS.
SO WHENEVER A HOTEL DOES A RENOVATION, THAT'S INCREASED REVENUE BEING GENERATED TO OUR CITY.
WE ALSO ATTEND THE MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, AND THIS WAS JUST AN IMAGE OF THE ATTENDANCE AT THE POLICE SAFETY MEETING THAT HAPPENED AT CITY HALL. THESE ARE ALL OF OUR GENERAL MANAGERS, DIRECTORS OF SALES, REPRESENTING ALL OF OUR HOTELS IN EAST POINT.
JEWELRY IN ALSO HAS DONE A FULL RENOVATION AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SELL THAT NOW AND BOAST THAT WE HAVE TWO FULLY RENOVATED HOTELS WITHIN THE CITY OF EAST POINT. THE SONESTA IS ALSO UNDER RENOVATION AS WELL.
SO THE EASTPOINT CVB IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REFRESH AND THE UPKEEP OF THIS AREA, AS IT IS THE WELCOMING CORRIDOR TO OUR HOTELS ON BOBBY BROWN. WE ALSO ATTENDED THE MAVERICK GRAND OPENING.
MAVERICK MOTORCYCLE ACADEMY IS A BRAND NEW BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINT THAT IS ACTUALLY A MOTORCYCLE TRAINING SCHOOL, AND THAT IS ACCREDITED TO LICENSED MOTORCYCLE RIDERS AS WELL.
WITHOUT THIS AWARENESS, THERE WOULD BE NO MEETINGS, THERE WOULD BE NO VISITORS.
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WE ATTENDED TOURISM DAY AT THE CAPITOL, THE SNP FORUM, WHICH A TRAVEL MEDIA MARKETPLACE, WHICH IS A CONFERENCE WITH JOURNALISTS THAT ARE WRITERS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT WRITE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT TRAVEL AND TOURISM.BLEZNICK WAS RECOGNIZED IN THERE ALL THE WAY LIVE PROGRAM, AND WE DISPLAYED BANNERS FOR GIVEAWAYS AND BRANDING. THEY WERE ALSO WHICH CHANNEL WAS IT? WSB. CHANNEL 1111 ALIVE DID A FULL PROMOTION ON THEM, AND WE'LL SEE THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.
ALSO, MARKETING COLLATERAL WITH MOREHOUSE COLLEGE, ONE OF OUR PREFERRED PARTNERS.
WE HAVE THEIR ALUMNI, THEIR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT AND THEIR RECRUITMENT ADMISSIONS AND RECRUITMENT.
SO WHENEVER THESE FAMILIES COME TO TOWN TO BRING THEIR KIDS FOR ADMISSIONS, OR THE ALUMNI COME TO TOWN FOR MEETINGS, WHICH THEY HAVE THOUSANDS. WE HAVE SPECIAL RATES THROUGH OUR HOTELIERS FOR THEM TO STAY AT EASTPOINT HOTELS, AND THAT IS ADVERTISED AND THEY ARE AWARE. THIS IS THE ACTUAL BROCHURE THAT GOES OUT TO ALL OF MOREHOUSE ALUM ATHLETIC TEAMS AND HOMECOMING AS WELL. WITH THE RATES AVAILABLE AND CONTACTS TO THE HOTELS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM.
THIS IS SOMETHING NEW FOR EASTPOINT, BUT IT IS A HUGE BENEFIT IN GETTING US TO MEET OUR GOALS.
WHOOPS. LET ME GO BACK. ONE MORE. OKAY. IN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH MOREHOUSE, WE WERE RECOGNIZED AND GIVEN THE GO AHEAD TO USE THE NBA LOGO, WHICH IS SOMETHING, AGAIN, THAT IS A HUGE SUCCESS.
US AND WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE THESE JERSEYS FOR THE HBCU CLASSIC, WHERE EAST POINT AND AGAIN, THE NBA WAS RECOGNIZED ON THAT JERSEY FOR THE MOREHOUSE TEAM.
HERE WE HAVE SPIKE LEE AT THAT GAME, HOLDING UP A EAST POINT AND MOREHOUSE TOWEL.
SO THE TYPE OF RECOGNITION THAT WE RECEIVE IS MONUMENT AND PRICELESS.
WE ALSO CONDUCTED A TWO DAY PHOTO SHOOT TO CREATE A MARKETING LIBRARY FOR US, WITH IMAGES THAT ARE HIGH RES AND ABLE TO BE SEEN IN SOME OF THE MAGAZINE AND THE PERIODICAL PERIODICALS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
THIS IS THE EAST POINT PEACHTREE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.
AGAIN, THAT WAS THREE DAYS OF FILMING PRESENTATIONS AND SCREENINGS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UTILIZING THE BREADTH OF THE CITY AND ALL OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES TO BE A PART OF THIS. THE MAIN FOCUS WAS AT THE SONESTA.
THE HOST HOTEL WAS ALSO THE FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON, WHICH, BY THE WAY, THEY ALL SOLD OUT.
SO WE WERE HAPPY ABOUT BRINGING THIS EVENT TO THE CITY.
AND AGAIN, ADDING TO THE MISSION OF THE CVB TO INCREASE OVERNIGHT STAY IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT.
WE USE BILLBOARDS TO PROMOTE THIS. THIS WAS TOURISM DAY AT THE CAPITOL.
EAST POINT WAS IN ATTENDANCE. WE WERE ONE OF WELL, WE WERE THE ONLY CVB THAT WAS FILMED WITH MEDIA, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HOLD THE $5 BILLION CHECK IN REVENUE THAT WE'VE GIVEN TO THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR TOURISM IMPACT. WE'RE ALSO THE ONLY ONE THAT GOT TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE GOVERNOR.
THIS IS THE SOUTHEAST TRAVEL AND TOURISM MEDIA MARKETPLACE.
AGAIN, EAST POINT WAS THE LEAD ON THIS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A JOURNALIST FORUM WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO MEET WITH THEM ONE ON ONE AND DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITIES AND THE BENEFITS OF THEM WRITING ABOUT EAST POINT.
THIS IS WHAT THAT SETUP LOOKED LIKE. WE GET THE QUESTION ALL THE TIME, AND WE SEE ARTICLES WRITTEN AND, YOU KNOW, MISINFORMATION ON WHY WE ADDRESS AND HAVE AS A TARGET MARKET THE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.
BUT I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO JUST LOOK AT.
WE GET THE QUESTION ALL THE TIME, WHY CANADA? WHY ARE WE GOING AFTER CANADIAN BUSINESS? I AM CANADIAN, THAT IS FULL DISCLOSURE.
THAT IS NOT THE REASON WHY WE CAN LOOK RIGHT HERE AND SEE THE NUMBERS.
WHY? AND THIS HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS AND THIS IS AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024 WHICH IS PRE PANDEMIC I'M SORRY.
PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS HAS BEEN INCREASED BY 30%.
AND AS USUAL AS IT SAYS CANADA TOPS THE LIST OF SENDING NATIONS WITH 370,000 VISITORS
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TO GEORGIA, AN INCREASE OF 61% YEAR OVER YEAR.SPENDING $167 MILLION IN OUR STATE, OUTRANKING ALL OTHER INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.
SO THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DO BUSINESS AND WANT TO CAPITALIZE ON THE TRAVEL FROM CANADA.
AND I'LL JUST LEAVE SOME OF THIS FOR YOU TO LOOK AT AS WELL.
GOVERNOR KEMP SAID DURING HIS RECENT TOURISM SUMMIT AT THE INSIGNIA HOTEL THAT THE $79.7 BILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT OF TOURISM SUPPORTED 463,000 JOBS WHILE GENERATING THAT $5 MILLION CHECK THAT YOU SAW IN STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUES.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU AS INDIVIDUALS? FOR EACH PERSON IN THEIR HOMES, THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE, YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY OVER 1000 TO $1200 IN ADDITIONAL TAXES, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS REVENUE FROM HOTEL MOTEL TAXES. AND AGAIN, THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS WE'VE HAD VISITORS FROM BRAND SOUTH AFRICA FROM ACCRA, GHANA, MEETING WITH THE FIRST LADY. WE'VE HAD INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS HERE FOR THE FILM FESTIVAL THAT TYLER PERRY HAD HIS PRODUCERS SIT ON OUR PANELS AND OPENED THE DOOR FOR THEM TO DO TOURS WITH. WE HAD PEOPLE FROM AUSTRALIA, NIGERIA, PRODUCERS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE.
WE HAD GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FESTIVAL. THIS WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE THAT WAS HELD AT THE FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON, WHICH I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MORE LATER.
THE VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL, WHICH IS AN EVENT COMING FROM CANADA BRINGING US ROOM NIGHTS.
WE ALREADY HAVE THAT BOOKED AND CONFIRMED. WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE GAMBIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE LOOKING TO DO A US GAMBIA DIASPORA SUMMIT HERE IN JULY. AND WHAT MAY BE UNKNOWN TO YOU IS THAT THE LARGEST POPULATION OF GAMBIANS ARE RIGHT HERE IN SOUTH FULTON, THE LARGEST POPULATION IN NORTH IN IN AMERICA.
HENCE THEM WANTING TO DO THAT ACTIVITY HERE. WE'RE ALSO TALKING WITH AN INDIAN TECHNOLOGY FIRM THAT WANTS TO SET UP SHOP IN EASTPOINT AND BRING SOME OF THEIR CONFERENCES HERE AS WELL. AND THESE ARE JUST SOME IMAGES OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.
WE HAD SOMEBODY IN CAPE TOWN, EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT THERE, EASTPOINT IS THERE.
THEY'RE AT A CAPE TOWN TOURISM SHOW, BUT THEY'RE SHOWING OFF THE EASTPOINT SANITIZER.
SO WE ARE WHERE THE WORLD MEETS. THIS IS THE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FESTIVAL I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.
WE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON.
THEY CHOSE AND SELECTED EAST POINT AS THE FIRST STOP AND THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE UNITED STATES.
THEIR PRESS CONFERENCE. THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TOOK PLACE AT THE FOUR POINTS, AS I MENTIONED.
THIS IS WHAT WE LOOKED LIKE WE HAD IN ATTENDANCE THE PRESIDENT, THE CEO, THE BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE PRESS FROM ALL OVER ATLANTA AND NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY THAT TRAVELED WITH THEM.
WE HAD THE MAYOR OF JONESBORO AND SOME OF THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
PEOPLE SHOW UP FROM OTHER CITIES AS WELL. THE FESTIVAL PRESS CONFERENCE, I WANT TO WELCOME GUEST THOSE WHO FLEW IN TO THE COUNTRY, THOSE WHO CAME FROM ACROSS OUR NATION TO EAST POINT WHERE THE RELIEF.
IT SERVES AS A PLATFORM TO CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE DIVERSITY OF ENTREPRENEURIAL ENDEAVORS WORLDWIDE, FOSTERING GROWTH, INNOVATION, AND EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
WHAT AN EXCITING MOMENT THIS IS FOR ECP TO BE A PART OF THIS PRESTIGIOUS GLOBAL GATHERING, CONFIRMING OUR BRAND STATEMENT WHERE THE WORLD MEETS THE HIGH.
EASTPOINT HAS WON THE BID FOR THIS CONFERENCE IN 2026.
THEY WILL BE. THEIR LAST CONFERENCE WAS IN NIGERIA WITH OVER 5000 IN ATTENDANCE.
THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA WAS THE CHAIR OF THAT PARTICULAR EVENT.
THIS WAS THE BLACK DIAMOND BALL. AND THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SPEAK AGAIN ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TORONTO AND EASTPOINT. WE MET WITH THE MAYOR OF TORONTO. OLIVIA CHOW, WHO'S VERY INTERESTED IN THE EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE, TO PARTNER WITH THEM AS WELL. FIFA, I JUST WANT TO STOP ON THIS FOR A MOMENT.
[00:35:08]
I THINK YOU ALL MAY BE ALREADY AWARE THAT WE ARE HAVING EIGHT MATCHES IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.FIVE GROUP STAGE MATCHES WITH ROUNDS OF 32 SEMIFINALS ARE COMING UP.
THIS IS A HUGE ECONOMIC BOOM TO THE REGION. THERE'LL BE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF FANS DESCENDING UPON METRO ATLANTA, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EASTPOINT IS READY.
SO I AM REACHING OUT TO COUNCIL TO ASK FOR US TO HAVE A COMMITTEE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE. WE'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT AND SEE HOW ARE WE PREPARING FOR $503 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR AREA? WHEN THESE PEOPLE FLY IN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE FLYING INTO THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORT, THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORT. THAT'S FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM EAST POINT.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT? HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE READY FOR THAT? WE'VE TALKED TO THE POLICE CHIEF ALREADY. THE CID ON THE SAFETY ASPECT OF IT ALL, AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THEM ON THAT.
JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS EVENT. OUR PRESIDENT HAS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FOR WORLD CUP, AND THEY HAVE REPORTED THAT WE ARE FALLING BEHIND.
AND IF WE DON'T ACT SWIFTLY, THAT WE WILL MISS OUT.
SO THEY FOUND IT THAT IMPORTANT TO CREATE A TASK FORCE ON TOURISM SPECIFICALLY FOR FIFA.
SO WE DO WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT AND CAPITALIZE ON THE POSITIVE SIDES OF THAT, OUR ADVERTISING AND PUBLICATION, YOU HAVE SOME OF THOSE IN FRONT OF YOU.
JUST TO GIVE AN IDEA, THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
HERE'S A LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE ADVERTISED AND BEEN PUBLICIZED IN.
WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE NEWS, THE TELEVISION POSITIVE NEWS AND WSB CHANNEL 11 BOTH ALIKE. WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME BILLBOARD CAMPAIGNS WHICH YOU MAY HAVE SEEN.
WE'VE GOT BILLBOARD LOCATIONS, 20 WEST MCDANIEL STREET, I-75 AT HUDSON BRIDGE TO GET ALL THAT DRIVE IN TRAFFIC, CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE AND I-85 AND CAMP CREEK.
HERE ARE SOME SAMPLES OF THAT. IN THE SHORT TIME WE'VE BEEN HERE, WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT ONE OF OUR MOST PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS BEING RECOGNIZED AND AWARDED THE CONVENTION SOUTH READERS CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST CVB IN THE SOUTH. THIS WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE CVB AND OUR TEAM, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE SHOWCASE THIS BANNER AS WE CONTINUE IN THE INDUSTRY. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE TWO PAGE SPREAD THAT WE HAD IN THAT MAGAZINE.
ON THE FRONT PAGE, ON THE FRONT, INSIDE. FRONT.
HERE'S ANOTHER AD FROM STATE TRAVEL GUIDE CONVENTION SOUTH AGAIN.
AND THIS IS JUST A LIST OF SOME OF THE TV MEDIA AND RADIO THAT WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
HERE'S A LIST OF THEM AGAIN. THIS HOUR OF SOULFUL SOUNDS OF THE SEASON IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY EASTPOINT.
COME EXPERIENCE EASTPOINT, WHERE THE WORLD MEETS.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TODAY. THE PLACE TO STAY, PLAY AND GET AWAY.
EASTPOINT. WHERE THE WORLD MEETS. THAT WAS 1105 COMMERCIAL SPOTS OUT THE HOUSE IN THE MORNING.
HERE'S A LIVE LOOK AT OUR AIRPORT THIS EVENING.
CURRENTLY 59 DEGREES. IT IS DEFINITELY WARMER OUTSIDE.
VERY NICE. VERY MILD NIGHT. AND THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE MARKETS THAT WE WERE ADVERTISED IN AND THE IMPRESSIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH WSB TV DURING THE FILM FESTIVAL. AGAIN, THIS IS THE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FESTIVAL THAT WAS HOSTED BY SMOOTH JAZZ 101 AND DID A FULL VIDEO STREAMING WITH THEM AS WELL.
SPEAKING ON EAST POINT, WINNING THAT BID AND BRINGING THE BUSINESS BACK TO OUR DESTINATION, JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS DECISION AND THE IMPACT OF IT IS NOT ONLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE.
CHANTAL ROSS FRANCOIS, PRESIDENT OF THE EAST POINT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, AS WELL AS SOME VERY IMPORTANT GUESTS. HOW YOU DOING TODAY? I'M DOING WELL, ART, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT GRACIOUS INTRODUCTION.
AND IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY, ESPECIALLY TO TALK AND DISCUSS THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS BROUGHT TO EAST POINT. YOU KNOW, WE ARE WHERE THE WORLD MEETS.
EXACTLY. AND THAT IS NOT BY CHANCE. I MEAN, FIVE MINUTES FROM THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORT, ACCESS TO 85 TO 80 5 OR 20 BRANDED HOTELS. ALL OF THE WONDERFUL SMALL BUSINESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT'S RIGHT IN OUR DOOR.
[00:40:03]
SIX MINUTES, SIX MILES, ACTUALLY, TO DOWNTOWN ATLANTA.SO IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO BE IN COMPANY OF THE CEO.
THAT WAS JUST A SAMPLE HERE. THIS WAS THE CLINIC THAT WAS FEATURED ON ATLANTA AND COMPANY.
WE HAD A FULL SEGMENT. AS WE CONTINUE OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION, WE SPOTLIGHT THE ROBUST ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE OF EAST POINT, GEORGIA AND ONE OF ITS WORLD RENOWNED BLACK ART VENUES.
HERE WITH MORE IS EAST POINT CVB PRESIDENT CHANTAL FRANCOIS AND CO-FOUNDER NEENA GILL.
HI, LADIES. HI. HELLO. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE HAVING YOU HERE THIS MORNING.
AS I'M GETTING TO TO TO WHENEVER WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE RECOGNIZED ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.
IT IS A REALLY WONDERFUL AND BIG DEAL. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SHOWCASE THIS AND TO BE COMING INTO THE HOMES AND GIVING THIS INFORMATION TO MILLIONS OF VIEWERS. WE ALSO HAD WSB FOLLOW US AS THE FIRST DESTINATION FOR THEIR NEW SERIES CALLED DESTINATION DISCOVERED. THEY STARTED WITH A FILM SHOOT AT THE ARTS EXCHANGE, INTERVIEWING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALICE LOVELACE, WHO SHE HERSELF IS A STAPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY A POET, A LAUREATE PRODUCER, AND WITH RICH HISTORY IN THE SOUTH FULTON AREA.
THIS WAS THE ALSO COVERAGE OF OUR NEWEST RESTAURANT, WHICH IS WYSK ON CAMP CREEK PARKWAY.
THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO BE FILMED, AND THAT SHOULD BE AIRING SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.
THE PARTICULAR BUSINESS SEEN ON THAT WAS DOING FILM BUSINESS IN EASTPOINT.
WE HAD ON THE PANEL RANDY DAVISON, WHO IS THE CEO OF GEORGIA ENTERTAINMENT.
IT WAS A PACKED HOUSE WITH MEDIA THAT COVERED THIS EVENT.
SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE IN ATTENDANCE TO THIS EVENT AND CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
I THINK, COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE, YOU WERE THERE.
THE MAYOR, COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS AND BUTLER, I BELIEVE YOU WERE THERE AS WELL, TO EXPERIENCE THE THREE DAYS OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND OF COURSE, OUR OWN PATSY JOE, FORMER MAYOR AND ALSO BOARD CHAIR OF THE EASTPOINT CVB.
HEY THERE. OH, HELLO. MAY I HAVE A MOMENT OF YOUR TIME? SURE. WHY NOT? I'VE GOT SOMETHING EXCITING TO SHARE.
NO WAY. ONE IN. YOU BET I DO. AWESOME. HERE'S WHAT TO DO.
FIRST, LIKE THIS VIDEO. ALL RIGHT. LET ME WRITE THIS DOWN.
THEN ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.
ONE STRANGER THINGS CAST MEMBER STILL DEALING WITH HEARING LOSS.
STARRED IN SCENES FILMED RIGHT HERE IN EAST POINT.
WHO IS IT? YOU CAN USE EITHER THE ACTOR'S OR CHARACTER'S NAME.
THAT'S A TOUGH ONE. AFTER THAT, BE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM.
TOTALLY YOUR CHOICE. AND LASTLY, SEND US A DIRECT MESSAGE TO LET US KNOW YOU'RE PARTICIPATING.
FINALLY, THE FIRST TWO. THAT WAS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA REACH, WHICH HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING IN THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN JUST A SHORT WHILE, WHICH YOU WILL SEE IN JUST A MOMENT.
THIS WAS THE PANEL ON DOING BUSINESS FOR EAST POINT, DOING FILM BUSINESS IN EAST POINT.
OKAY. SIGNIFICANTLY, WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE RICO WADE WITH THE CITY OF EAST POINT.
AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE TRADE SHOWS THAT WE ATTENDED IN CONFERENCES 17 IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND BUSY WITH THAT.
WHEN WE DO ATTEND TRADE SHOWS, THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK LIKE.
AND WHEN YOU'RE BEING RECOGNIZED BY ANOTHER CVB PUBLICLY, IT SAYS A LOT.
SO THIS IS US BEING RECOGNIZED BY MELANIE IN CARTERSVILLE.
AND THIS WAS THE MILWAUKEE CONFERENCE CENTER WHEN, WHEN THE OVER 2000 PEOPLE WALKED IN.
[00:45:01]
THIS IS WHAT THEY FACED. COALITION OF BLACK MEETING PLANNERS AGAIN NPI HOLIDAY LUNCHEON.THIS IS THE GEORGIA WOMEN IN LODGING, THE GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU RCMA, WHICH IS A RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE WHERE I WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE MEETING PLANNER THAT WE MET AT THIS PARTICULAR CONFERENCE WHO TURNED AROUND AND SHOWED UP AT THIS CONFERENCE, THE OTHER CMCA CHRISTIAN MEETING CONFERENCE, AND BROUGHT US THREE PIECES OF BUSINESS OUT OF THAT CONFERENCE WORTH OVER $250,000 IN REVENUE. HOSPITALITY SHOW MPI AGAIN DESTINATION INTERNATIONAL, WHICH IS A MEETING OF ALL THE CEOS AND EXECUTIVES FOR CVBS NATIONALLY, WHERE WE SHARED CEO ROUNDTABLES. WE HAD VISIONARY INDUSTRY SPEAKERS LIKE FROM BRANDS USA, USA TRAVEL AND PRESENTATIONS, JUST HELPING US TO SEE THE OUTLOOK AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND APPROACHES IN CVB WORLD.
GEORGIA WOMEN IN LODGING. SOME OF OUR SPONSORS.
AND WHEN WE DO SPONSOR AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOW UP LIKE.
AND THIS IS WHAT SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS ARE ON THAT AS WELL.
AND THIS IS JUST SOME MORE OF THAT. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THE PARTICIPANTS THAT WE ARE AMONG.
WE ALSO SPONSORED THE ARTS EXCHANGE 40TH ANNIVERSARY HERE IN EAST POINT.
AND THIS IS THE HBCU CLASSIC WITH MOREHOUSE AND THE BLACK DIAMOND BALL.
AND AGAIN, THE SNP FORUM, WHICH IS THE TRAVEL MEDIA MARKETPLACE WITH THE TRAVEL WRITERS.
AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS. EAST POINT WAS THE LEAD ON THAT AS WELL.
IT WAS KIND OF A LIFE CHANGING EVENT.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY WE SHOW UP. THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, SO I WON'T KEEP YOU FOR TOO LONG.
WE DO A LOT OF PRESS RELEASES. THIS IS WHO WE ARE.
WE'RE PROMOTING THIS CITY NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, JUST REAL QUICKLY ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
IF YOU LOOK OVER HERE ON OUR REACH. WE WENT FROM 14,900 TO 3003 331,000 IN THAT SHORT TIME.
UP 2.1 THOUSAND PERCENT. THAT IS HUGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA NUMBERS, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN HERE ON THE VISITS TO OUR SITE IN APRIL OF 2024, WE WENT FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER FROM 2.4 K VISITORS UP TO THREE, AND WE HIT A MILLION VIEWS, WHICH IS A BIG, BIG DEAL. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIG DEALS, HERE IT IS ON VIEWS AGAIN.
APRIL 24TH TO SEPTEMBER ON INSTAGRAM WENT FROM 4.7 THOUSAND ALL THE WAY UP TO HUNDRED AND 79,000.
THAT IS SOMETHING TO BE RECOGNIZED. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST SAMPLES OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS HAS COME TO THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS PARTICULAR ONE WITH YOU.
THAT GOT A LOT OF RESPONSES. 000.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
DID YOU GET. HOLD ON. IF YOU SAW THE WORDING HERE IT WAS THEM ASKING HEY WE'RE STILL STUCK IN ATLANTA TRAFFIC.
HOW ABOUT YOU? AND THIS BEAUTIFUL CAT SAID, ME, I'M ABOUT TO GET ON MY FIVE MINUTE SHUTTLE RIDE TO AN EAST POINT HOTEL, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT. SO AGAIN, IF YOU BUILD A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT, YOU'LL BUILD A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.
AND IF YOU BUILD A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE, YOU'LL BUILD A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO WORK.
AND IF YOU BUILD A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO WORK, YOU'LL BUILD A PLACE WHERE BUSINESS WANTS TO BE.
SO IT ALL STARTS WITH THE VISIT. AND THAT VISIT DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT US.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEAL. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO WE'RE DONE, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP AGAIN TO THE DATA. WE JUST HAVE, LIKE, THREE SLIDES ON SALES. DO YOU WANNA GO THROUGH THAT?
[00:50:04]
SURE I CAN. YES, WE CAN SPEED THAT UP. YES, ABSOLUTELY.REALLY THE MAIN FOCUS THAT WE HAVE HERE IS ALL OF THE ACCOLADES ARE ONE THING.
IT'S THE PIECES OF BUSINESS THAT WE'VE LOST IS REALLY WHERE MY FOCUS IS.
AND WE, AS HOTELS, WE ALWAYS TRACK OUR LOST BUSINESS.
THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO HOLD A LOT OF WHO WE CAN ATTRACT.
AND SO THAT'S YOU CAN LEAN OVER INTO THE MIC.
I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. SORRY. WE HAVE PEOPLE VIEWING SO, SO SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHILE THESE LADIES ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL AT PROMOTING IT, I'M SORT OF FOCUSED ON WHAT WE'RE LOSING BY THESE.
THERE'S NO LOW HANGING FRUIT BY WAY OF A CONVENTION OR CONFERENCE FACILITY.
WE LOSE ANYBODY WHO NEEDS OVER 150 PEOPLE. WE CANNOT ACCOMMODATE REALLY UP TO A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE AT THE SONESTA, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. IT DEPENDS ON THE SETUP.
BUT WHEN WE'RE REACHING OUT INTERNATIONALLY, WE HAVE SO MUCH INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS.
WE'VE BEEN GIVEN ACCOLADES TO BE THE NUMBER ONE CVB IN THE SOUTH.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLACE TO HOST A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S WHY THE CVB WAS FORMED, BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS DMO WAS HERE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, A LARGE LION'S SHARE OF THE BUSINESS MORE THAN THE LION'S SHARE OF THE BUSINESS, WENT TO THE GIC AND WENT TO COLLEGE PARK. SO FROM HERE WE CAN SEE THE REVENUE THAT WE HAVE LOST.
WE ESTIMATE THE CURRENT ESTIMATION FOR THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY.
EXACTLY. OKAY. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A HUGE POINT.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S SIX MONTHS. OKAY. WE'LL GO THROUGH 20 HOTELS.
THAT'S THAT'S FINE. AND THEN THE NEXT ONE. THAT'S IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. SO AND THEN. WHILE I'M HERE I GUESS.
YES, I CHAIR THE CVB, BUT AS YOU GUYS KNOW, I ALSO OWN A COUPLE OF HOTELS HERE.
I'VE BUILT THREE HOTELS HERE. I REPRESENT THE HOTEL COMMUNITY.
THAT IS MORE OF MY PASSION THAN JUST THE TITLE OF HOLDING SOMETHING AT A CVB.
I ACTUALLY AM ONE OF THESE GUYS RIGHT HERE, AND I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IT.
WE HOW MUCH BUSINESS WE LOSE AND WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE COULD BE HAVING.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOMETHING.
MY HOTEL CONSTITUENCY KNOWS THIS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM, BUT WE ARE LOSING 8% OF 8% OF OUR TOP LINE REVENUE GOES INTO THIS ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
THAT'S 8% OF OUR TOP LINE GROSS REVENUE THAT WE PUT INTO THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.
SINCE 2010, WHEN THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX WAS PUT IN, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION A YEAR.
IF WE TAKE 5 MILLION TIMES 14 YEARS, THAT'S $70 MILLION.
THE 8% BREAKS DOWN. AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO SHARE THIS WITH MY HOTEL CONSTITUENCY.
8% BREAKS DOWN TO 3% GOES TO GENERAL FUNDS. FINE.
THAT'S $26 MILLION. NO PROBLEM. NO ISSUE WITH THAT WHATSOEVER.
THERE IS 1.5% THAT GOES TO TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S $13 MILLION. I HAVE YET TO SEE THE RETURN ON THAT $13 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE SPECIFICALLY THAT IS. LET'S MOVE ON.
3.5% GOES TO THE DMO OR THE CVB. WELL, THAT'S $30 MILLION IN 14 YEARS.
AND I HAVE WE HAVE FORMED TWO YEARS AGO. SO I KNOW WHERE 6 MILLION OF THAT 30 MILLION IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OTHER 24 MILLION WENT.
WHEN YOU COMBINE THE 13 FROM TPD AND THE 24 FROM THE PREVIOUS DMO, THAT'S A TOTAL OF $37 MILLION IN 14 YEARS THAT I CAN'T SHOW THEM. AND I CANNOT SEE THROUGH ALL OF MY RESEARCH.
THE ROI ON THAT $37 MILLION. SO WHEN I. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE REALLY MEETING WITH LAURA MANDELA AS WELL TO SORT OF TO UNDERSTAND STAKEHOLDERS NEEDS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVENTION AND CONFERENCE CENTER.
[00:55:03]
WE NEED TO FOCUS WHERE THIS TPD MONEY GOES. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TPD MONEY GOES TO INCREASING OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS AS BEST AS I POSSIBLY CAN. WE ARE DIFFERENT. WE ARE NOT.I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS CLEAR. THE CVB'S PURPOSE IS TO INCREASE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS.
IT'S NOT DIRECTLY TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN IN IN EAST POINT.
THAT IS THE BYPRODUCT OF WHAT WE GET. BUT WITH THIS CONSTRAINT OF NOT HAVING A PLACE OR HAVING LOW HANGING FRUIT, SUCH AS AN AUDITORIUM NEXT DOOR, THAT WE NEED TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO, OR POSSIBLY THE ACQUISITION OF SOME SORT OF A FACILITY THAT CAN ACTUALLY HOLD MAYBE 500 PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES, THESE INTERNATIONAL GROUPS AND TOURS COME IN AND HOST THEM HERE TO INCREASE THE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SORT OF BEGGING FOR, WHERE OUR EYE IS.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, I MYSELF HAVE PUT IN OVER THESE YEARS, SINCE 1997, BUT SINCE 2010, SINCE WE'VE HAD THE ACCOMMODATIONS TAX. I PUT IN $2.7 MILLION MYSELF INTO THIS CITY, AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT TO BACK UP ANYMORE. SO I HOPE THAT YOU CAN AGREE THAT WE HAVE DONE MORE.
WHAT YOU'VE SEEN JUST NOW, ALL THOSE ACCOLADES, THAT WAS BASICALLY SINCE LAST SUMMER.
SOME OF IT SINCE LAST FALL. THAT'S NOT A FULL YEAR, ACTUALLY.
THAT'S JUST FROM OCTOBER TO NOW. SO I THINK THAT YOU'VE SEEN THAT WE'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING, AND WE NEED THE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL TO HELP US FIND A PLACE TO HOST THESE PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE THE OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS AND JUSTIFY WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AS HOTELIERS AND THIS CONSTITUENCY RIGHT HERE THAT I REPRESENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.
WILL OUR HOTEL OWNERS PLEASE STAND? EAST POINT HOTEL OWNERS OR GENERAL WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? GM HOTEL REPRESENTATIVES. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
ATTRACTIONS AS WELL. HONORABLE MAYOR AND DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AREN'T YOU PROUD OF US HERE? I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT.
YOU SEE, WE'D BE JUMPING UP AND DOWN BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A GOOD TIME DOING THIS.
BUT AS HE SAID, YOU NEED TO HELP US BECAUSE WE WANT WE WE WANT TO FIX THAT AUDITORIUM AND WE CAN HELP THEM DO IT RIGHT, WE CAN DO IT THROUGH THIS GROUP. SO THAT'S WHAT WE HOPE THAT YOU START OUT, BECAUSE THAT'LL REALLY HELP THE CITY.
SO THAT'S THE THE VERY POINT I WAS GOING TO MAKE.
YOU KNOW MR. SHAH TALKED ABOUT HOW THE MONEY IS BROKEN DOWN AND 13 MILLION HAS GONE INTO PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS IT'S GONE TO THE CITY FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
THE CITY HAS THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE A FACILITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET WHO COME TO THIS POINT.
IF IT USES IT THAT WAY. WELL, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I WILL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL.
MR. SHAW, AND I'LL INVITE YOU BACK UP. MAYBE MISS FRANCOIS MEMBERS BUTLER.
SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU, MR. SHAW. THANK YOU, MISS FRANCOIS.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD THAT YOU. THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK THIS, BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION OF THE CITY TO.
USING THE. THE AUDITORIUM. DO WE KNOW IF IT HAS ENOUGH ROOM TO HOST 50 TABLES WHICH WILL BE 500 PEOPLE? DO WE KNOW IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH SQUARE FOOTAGE IS NEEDED TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO USE THAT AS A CONVENTION CENTER? AND I HAVE A PART TO THAT QUESTION.
THE FIRST PART OF THAT, I'VE GOT TO ANSWER THIS AS A HOTELIER.
AUDITORIUMS CAN BRING BUSINESS, BUT CONVENTION AND CONFERENCE SPACE DOES BRING BUSINESS.
[01:00:08]
AUDITORIUMS CAN ALSO SERVE LOCAL COMMUNITY THEATER, THINGS LIKE THAT.BUT IT'S NOT AS STARK IN THE HOTEL WORLD FOR PUTTING THESE HEADS IN BEDS.
IT'S NOT AS STARK. HOWEVER, IT IS VERY LOW HANGING FRUIT AND SOMETHING CAN COME OF IT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S PRACTICALLY COMPLETE. IT JUST NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF A FACELIFT.
THAT'S IT. SO IT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WILL AID, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE SETUP AND HOW THE SEATS ARE, IT'S NOT REALLY MEANT FOR A CONVENTION AND CONFERENCE FACILITY.
WELL, I THAT BRINGS ME TO THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION.
IF WE CONFIGURE IT IN A WAY WHERE WE CAN, IF WE HAVE TABLES INSTEAD OF BEING A SLOPE AUDITORIUM, THAT'S THE FIRST PART. BUT THE PART TWO OF THAT IS HOW DO WE POSITION OURSELVES? BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO COMPETE WITH GRCC BECAUSE IT'S SO BIG.
HOW DO WE AND WHAT DO YOU SEE? OUR VISION IS IF WE USE THE AUDITORIUM TO BE A CONVENTION CENTER AUDITORIUM SLASH I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD CALL IT, BUT HOW DO WE COMPETE? BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF VERY BIG.
BUT I UNDERSTAND IT'S THEIR NICHE IN WHICH WE CAN FIT IN.
THERE IS AN ACTUAL MARKET CALLED SMALL MEETINGS MARKET FOR MEETINGS UNDER 500.
WHAT WE WOULD DO IS PIGGYBACK ON SOME OF THE BUSINESSES FOR GROUPS.
IF WE GOT A GROUP FOR OVER 10,000, WHAT WE'VE DONE NOW IS LET THAT GO, BECAUSE BRINGING THAT IN WOULD BE PUTTING MORE MONEY INTO THE CITY OF COLLEGE PARK, AND THAT IS NOT OUR MANDATE.
OUR MANDATE IS TO INCREASE THAT STAY FOR EAST POINT, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE REQUESTING TO HAVE MEETING SPACE EXPANDED WITHIN THE CITY OF EAST POINT SO WE CAN KEEP THAT BUSINESS HERE. BUT IF WE HAD A GROUP WITH FIVE 10,000 ROOM NIGHTS, WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY NO IF THEY DIDN'T NEED ALL THE MEETING SPACE, BUT THEY NEEDED THE HOTEL ROOMS. WHAT WE WOULD DO FIRST IS COMPRESS ALL OF THAT INTO EAST POINT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONTRACT STATES THAT THEY FILL ALL OF EAST POINT HOTEL ROOMS FIRST AND THEN MOVE OUT. SO THIS IS FOR MR. JONES. MR. JONES, CAN WE CONFIGURE THE AUDITORIUM IN A WAY WHERE IT CAN BE AN EVENT SPACE? AND DO WE AND I KNOW THIS IS NEW, SO I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A HARD ANSWER, BUT CAN WE CONFIGURE IT SO WE CAN HOST 500 PEOPLE, WHICH WOULD BE 50 TABLES TEN AT A TABLE.
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH SQUARE FOOTAGE. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER I UNDERSTAND THAT'S THE QUESTION.
SO BEING UNAWARE OF WHAT? HAVE YOU SEEN THE DESIGNS? I KNOW YOU'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS. YEAH, I WAS, I GUESS I WAS.
I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE PRE-DESIGN WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.
BUT THAT WOULD BE CRITICAL TO WHAT THE, THE, THE PRE-DESIGN HAD WOULD INDICATE.
SO. YEAH. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE PRE-DESIGN WAS FOCUSED AROUND PERFORMANCE PERFORMING ARTS, BUT I WASN'T REAL SURE OF IF IT WAS ONE OF THOSE KIND OF TRANSITIONAL SPACES WHERE IT COULD BE OUTFITTED FOR MULTIPLE USES. THAT PART I'M NOT AWARE OF, AND I'M NOT GETTING ANY INDICATION FROM STAFF THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF THAT EITHER.
SO AND IF I MAY A COUPLE OF POINTS THERE. ONE, THE HOTELS WERE NOT BROUGHT IN TO WHAT THE PRE-DESIGN DESIGN WAS FOR THE AUDITORIUM. SO WE DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE KITCHEN SPACE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE DINNERS FOR 500 PEOPLE.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE SPACE, AND IT SERVES ONE CORRIDOR.
BUT IT IS AN EXPENSIVE SPACE. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE COST EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE'D BE EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.
AND AND IT ALLOWS US TO KEEP THE ROOMS HERE WITHIN OUR LOCAL AREA AND ALSO ALL OF THE OTHER VENDORS AND THE RESTAURANTS AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S HERE WOULD BE ABLE TO BENEFIT. SO BUT AS FAR AS THE AUDITORIUM, WE DON'T KNOW.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO BE JOINED IN ON THE DUE DILIGENCE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY JUST YET.
[01:05:09]
OF AN AUDITORIUM, BUT MAKING IT A MULTI, MAKING IT A VERSATILE USE WOULD SEEM TO BE MORE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF REVENUE AND GENERATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE.I THINK A MULTI A MULTI USE IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
ONE FINAL QUESTION THEN I'LL MOVE ON. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH CHAIRMAN PITTS REGARDING FIFA AND HOW WE CAN BENEFIT. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY IDEALS? AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE OFFLINE TO MAKE THIS SHORT, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR IDEALS AND CONCERNS ABOUT FIFA AND HOW EAST POINT CAN BENEFIT? WE HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, BUT WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD OR DO ANYTHING ON THAT WITHOUT THE CITY'S DIRECTION.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I YIELD.
COUNCIL MEMBER. THAT'S A COMMENTS. NEXT. OR WAS IT SHROPSHIRE? I CAN'T REMEMBER Y'ALL GOT OUT OF. I KNOW YOUR LIGHT WAS ON, BUT YOU'RE NOT.
YEAH, IT WAS HER. COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. AND THEN SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER KIND OF ASKED SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THEM WAS ABOUT FIFA. SO AND I GUESS WE'LL USE FIFA AND I GUESS IN ANY OTHER EVENTS, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S LIKE A EVERYBODY'S COMPETING TO BRING THIS BUSINESS INTO THEIR PARTICULAR CITIES.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP THE LIKE THIS SUMMER, I KNOW, LIKE THE ALL STAR CHILI, I KNOW THE CITY IS FLOODED WITH LIKE ABOUT 10,000 CHEERLEADERS.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BRING THAT TYPE OF BUSINESS INTO THE CITY OF EAST POINT? WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ATTENDING THOSE TRADE SHOWS AND BIDDING ON THEM WHILE WE'RE COMPETING WITH ALL THE OTHER CITIES AND PRESENTING OURSELVES AS WE HAVE, AND PUTTING COMMERCIALS AND DOING DUE DILIGENCE SO THAT THESE GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS ARE EVEN AWARE THAT WE'RE HERE, BUT WE ARE GOING AFTER THEM. THAT'S WHAT WE DO WHEN WE ATTEND THE TRADE SHOWS AND THE CONFERENCES, AND WE DO SITE TOURS AS WELL, BRINGING THEM TO THE CITY AND EXPLORING SO THEY CAN SEE ALL THAT WE HAVE, NOT JUST FOR MEETING SPACE, BUT THE PRE AND POST EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE AS WELL.
COUNCILWOMAN CUMMINGS, DID YOU MENTION CHEER? IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED AS FAR AS CHEERLEADING? YES, THE CHEERLEADING ALL STAR CHEERLEADING COMPETITIONS. I'LL SHARE THIS ONE THING.
NOBODY ELSE HAS CEILINGS THAT HIGH. AND SO, AGAIN, IF WE HAD A CONVENTION CONFERENCE SPACE, WE COULD PLAY AROUND WITH THAT PRIOR. WE HAD THE LEGACY CENTER, WHICH COULD MORE THAN ACCOMMODATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT WHAT OUR NEEDS WERE. BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S ONLY ONE HOTEL THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT BECAUSE OTHER HOTELS HAVE CHANDELIERS AND CEILING INFRASTRUCTURE. OKAY. AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER, THEY ALSO HE TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY CONVERTING THE AUDITORIUM, BUT I KNOW YOU SAID WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED SOME SORT OF CONVENTION SPACE.
HAVE YOU SCOUTED OUT ANY LOCATIONS OR ANYTHING? IF IT WERE IDEAL FOR YOU AND YOU WERE PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER? SO I DO DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION FOR A LIVING.
SO I GET I GET IT AND YES. BUT AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE HOW MUCH DO I CAN'T? I CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH DUE DILIGENCE WITHOUT ACTUALLY FIRST HAVING DIRECTION FROM THE CITY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR PARAMETERS ARE, OR IS IT SOMETHING WHERE WE ARE GOING TO LOOK IN ACQUIRING A BUILDING THAT CAN FACILITATE THIS? IS IT GOING TO BE A NEW DEVELOPMENT TYPE THING? AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THE BUSINESS GUY IN ME IS THE FUNDING, THE FINANCING THEREOF.
WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM? AND DOING ALL OF THIS VERY LEGITIMATELY.
YOU KNOW, AND NOT OVERSTEPPING THEIR BOUNDS. SO AGAIN, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE JUST NEED TO BE BROUGHT IN. WE KNOW WE KNOW THIS BUSINESS.
AND SO YEAH WE JUST LOVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. OKAY.
AND ONE MORE THING. JUST ON A LOCAL LEVEL, WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO ADVERTISE THE CITY, I THINK I HAD MENTIONED TO MISS FRANCOIS FRANCOIS BEFORE ABOUT AN AIRPORT AT BAGGAGE CLAIM.
THEY'LL HAVE THE SIGNS THAT AND IT PROMOTES THE CITY.
I THINK CITY OF COVINGTON AND DOUGLASVILLE HAD SOMETHING LOCAL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO PEOPLE, EVERYBODY THAT GOES TO BAGGAGE CLAIM, THEY'LL SEE THAT THEY PICK THEIR LUGGAGE UP AND THEY SEE THAT. AND I KNOW THE CITY OF ATLANTA HAS THESE RECTANGULAR SIZE BOXES, AND IT JUST TALKS ABOUT A LOT OF THE THINGS.
LET'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY AS FAR AS OPPORTUNITIES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD COME FROM CVB TO PUT THINGS IN THE CITY SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT? YES. AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT. WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE AIRPORT. THEY'VE HAD THEIR MARKETING DEPARTMENT ON HOLD FOR A LONG TIME WITH THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP THERE.
SO WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND PLANNING TO DO MARKETING AT THE AIRPORT AS WELL.
[01:10:02]
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR. SLAM DUNK FOR YOU FOR EASTPOINT THEN? YEAH. WHAT ABOUT THE SIGNS? THE LOCAL SIGNS? I KNOW THEY HAVE THEM IN ATLANTA, JUST THROUGHOUT THE CITY.I MEAN, WE COULD HAVE THEM SOMEWHERE DOWNTOWN, EAST POINT. THEY'RE JUST INFORMATION BOXES.
THAT'S WHAT I CALL THEM. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT I WAS TOLD WAS BEING DONE THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE WAYFINDING THAT WE ASKED TO BE A PART OF AS WELL. BUT THAT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW.
TASK OF THE CVB. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S FINE. AND LET'S SEE.
WITH WITH THE CONSULTING COMPANY THAT YOU ARE BRINGING ON.
SO ARE YOU GOING TO BRING, I GUESS LIKE THE INPUT FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS JUST TO KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE CITY. IS THAT.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE HOLDING THOSE TWO DAYS OF STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO INCLUDE CIVIC LEADERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
SO DO WE HAVE DATES EARMARKED FOR THAT YET, OR HOW DO WE WANT TO? WE DID HAVE SOME DATES. WE'VE HAD TO REFRESH THOSE BASED ON TODAY'S MEETING, BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND COME BEFORE YOU FIRST, BUT WE WANT TO WHATEVER DATE THAT WE HAD TO COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TWO WEEKS IN BETWEEN TO GIVE NOTICE TO ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AND PEOPLE THAT SO THEY CAN PREPARE TO BE A PART OF THIS.
SO ONCE WE GET THAT, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT.
WE WILL SHARE THAT THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS. OKAY.
BUT THANK YOU I YIELD, MADAM MAYOR. PLEASE. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER.
SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND SO WE HAVE THREE BUILDINGS, THE CITY AUDITORIUM, THE CITY HALL AND THE LIBRARY.
AND WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE WITH THE WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER, I THINK WHEN HE FIRST CAME LOOKING AT THOSE BUILDINGS ALONG WITH OTHER BUILDINGS. SO LET ME ASK YOU, WHAT FUNDS DID YOU SAY? AND I BELIEVE IT WAS T C T TPD TOURISM AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
THOSE FUNDS CAN BE USED TO FOR THE CITY HALL.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S IT'S SORT OF Y'ALL'S CALL AS FAR AS WHERE THE TPD FUNDS ARE, ARE SENT.
I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT WE'VE COLLECTED $13 MILLION IN TPD FUNDS.
AND HAVING A HAVING COFFERS LIKE THAT COULD, COULD ACQUIRE BUILDINGS THAT WOULD SERVE OUR NEEDS AND THE ENTIRE THE, THE NEEDS OF ALL THE HOTELIERS. YES. AND AND I UNDERSTAND.
SO MY WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE THE CITY, IF WE HAVE THE CITY, I SAY THE CITY HAVE THOSE FUNDS, WE CAN MAYBE WE CAN ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO GET WITH YOU ALL TO LOOK AT THE DESIGNS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT AUDITORIUM SEATED 500 PEOPLE. AND IF IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT WAS EITHER TODAY OR YESTERDAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER DID REACH OUT TO US TO POSSIBLY TO TO HIS OFFICE, REACHES OUT, REACHED OUT TO US TO BE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER, TO START THE CONVERSATIONS.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET. YOU JUST CAME ON.
WE'RE ITCHING AND WAITING. WE'RE EXCITED. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
BUT YES, WE WE WILL BE ENTERTAINING ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT COULD START. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT ANY CONVENTION CENTER OR IF WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THE CITY HALL, I REALLY THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE FOCAL POINT OF YOUR TOURISM IS YOUR DOWNTOWN, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BRING PEOPLE TO YOUR DOWNTOWN, IT'S GOING TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESS TO YOUR DOWNTOWN, AND IT'S GOING TO ATTRACT RESTAURANTS. SO WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEY ARE DOING CONVENTIONS, YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO GO BREAK AND THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE LUNCH. SO I THINK THE CITY IS IN THE POSITION IN THE RIGHT POSITION AT THIS TIME IS NOW IS WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO. AND I FULLY THINK THAT YOU CAN GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT THE CITY AUDITORIUM, THE, THE CITY LIBRARY, AND THE CITY HALL TO SEE HOW HOW THEY CAN BE USED IF IT CAN BE COMBINED INTO ONE TO MAKE TO MAKE A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO MEET, WHERE YOU CAN ATTRACT THOSE PEOPLE.
MOVING TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO HELP YOU ALL TO KEEP ONE THE HOTELS HERE IN EAST POINT.
[01:15:06]
TWO, TO CONTINUE TO BRING AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE NEED TO EAST POINT, BECAUSE, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ON THE WE'RE NOT GOING TO COMPETE WITH WHAT THEY HAVE IN COLLEGE PARK. AND I'M THAT'S JUST TOO BIG.WE NEED SOMETHING RIGHT HERE IN EAST POINT FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME FOR LIKE BUSINESS MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS, FAMILY REUNIONS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE WE NEED THAT IN EAST POINT. AND WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATION, AND I KNOW I'VE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT THE CITY AUDITORIUM BEING THAT IT IS IN WARD A, WHICH WARD I REPRESENT.
SO ANY CONVERSATIONS? YOU KNOW, IT NEEDS TO BE HAD WHEN WHEN THE MAYOR ASKED ME TO FORM THE CVB TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO SHE ASKED ME THAT QUESTION. AND THE SECOND THING SHE SAID IS, WE NEED A HOTEL IN DOWNTOWN.
WE SURE DO. AND AT THAT TIME AND RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING FINANCING IT.
WHO OWNS IT? THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH DEVELOPING IT, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S DONE CORRECTLY, AND NOT WASTEFUL SPENDING DURING THE ART OF CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING. THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY WITH PUBLIC PARTNERS.
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AS WELL. BUT WE'RE OPEN TO ANYTHING.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S JUST IT'S AS SOON AS AS SOON AS WE GET CALLED INTO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY. BUT AND THEN ALSO ONE THING FOR RIGHT NOW FOR THE CONSTITUENCY THAT HAS BEEN PAYING THESE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, ONE THING IS THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, NONE OF THESE GUYS ARE IN DOWNTOWN.
I'M NOT IN DOWNTOWN. WE WANT THE DOWNTOWN VIBRANCY.
WE WANT DOWNTOWN BEAUTIFICATION. I MENTIONED THAT LAST TIME WE WERE HERE AS WELL.
SO WE WANT THAT BEAUTIFICATION OF DOWNTOWN. WE DON'T MIND.
WE HAVE SHUTTLES. WE'LL DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WE'RE NOT I'M NOT TRYING TO CREATE COMPETITION FOR OURSELVES BY BUILDING A DOWNTOWN HOTEL, BUT I'M SAYING TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS OF THAT DOWNTOWN VIBRANCY IS ONE THING, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOTEL CORRIDOR IS A DIFFERENT PLACE. MARKETPLACE IS A DIFFERENT PLACE.
AND SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CAPTURE SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THE WEALTH AMONGST ALL OF US.
EXACTLY. AND SO I DO THINK THAT A CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE HAD WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE HOTEL OWNERS, YOU PRETTY MUCH WOULD KNOW THE NEEDS OF WHEN YOU HAVE TOURISM, WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE CONFERENCES, WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR, WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE.
AND I DO BELIEVE IN IN THE FACT WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT REMODELING THE CITY, THE CITY AUDITORIUM KITCHEN SUPPOSED TO BE IN THERE. OKAY. SO THAT IT WAS PART OF THE PLAN FOR THAT TO BE IN THERE.
SO I WILL YIELD AND ASK THE MAYOR WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO START THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU ALL AND THE CITY MANAGER? FOR US, LOOKING AT THE THE BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE.
AND JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE, THE TPD FUNDS TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT IS EARMARKED AND CAN BE USED FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT OF ANY FACILITY THAT WILL ATTRACT VISITORS TO THE CITY AND ADD TO THE OVERNIGHT STAY OF OUR HOTELS.
OKAY, AND TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THAT COMMENT, THERE'S JUST I HOPE THAT WE CAN DIRECT THOSE MONIES TOWARDS THINGS THAT ACTUALLY BRING OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS FOR OUR HOTEL CONSTITUENCY.
NOT THE THEORETICAL HEADS IN BEDS. AND FOR EXAMPLE, JUST RECENTLY.
AND I DON'T MEAN TO OFFEND ANYBODY, BUT I HEARD AT SOME POINT THAT, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS MONEY COULD BE USED FOR ANOTHER REC CENTER.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU AS A HOTELIER THAT A RECREATIONAL FACILITY, WHILE IT'S GREAT, IT'S NOT AS MUCH VOLUMINOUS IN BUSINESS AS YOU WOULD THINK. IT DOES BRING A FEW SPORTS TEAMS HERE AND THERE.
BUT IF YOU ASK A HOTELIER, WOULD THEY RATHER HAVE ANOTHER A MORE BASEBALL COMPLEXES OR ANOTHER REC CENTER OR THEY NEED A CONFERENCE FACILITY HANDS DOWN. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, 100 OUT OF 100 PEOPLE WILL SAY THEY'D NEED A CONFERENCE FACILITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO I WANTED TO BEG THE EAR SO THAT OUR SO THAT WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT IT THAT WAY, INSTEAD OF HAVING IT THOUGHT FOR US. AND THEN SUDDENLY WE CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE CONVERSATION AND OUR SUCCESS WILL BE YOUR SUCCESS.
[01:20:06]
THAT'S THE WHOLE DERIVATIVE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL.COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER. HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I LOVE ALL THE BRAINSTORMING IDEAS. SO WHEN YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT A CONVENTION CENTER IN OUR DOWNTOWN, THE THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS THE SOUTHERNWOOD PIEDMONT SITE.
SO THAT IS 60. IT'S EITHER 64 OR 69 ACRES. I FORGET THE EXACT AMOUNT OF VACANT LAND.
IT'S IT'S IN DOWNTOWN. IT'S ON MAIN STREET, AND IT'S WITHIN A SHORT WALK TO THE MARTA.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS CHECK OFF THE BOXES. SO THERE IS ONE BIG CON.
AND IT'S JUST RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM CITY HALL.
SO IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM AIA TOWER.
IT'S AWESOME. WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT SITE.
I MEAN, HONESTLY, IT'S IT'S DUE DILIGENCE AND REMEDIATION.
ATLANTIC STATION IS ONE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DON'T WE DON'T NEED 69 ACRES.
WE JUST NEED A COUPLE. AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S ADEQUATE PARKING.
AND SO IT'S NOT A FULL REMEDIATION OF ALL OF THAT ACREAGE EITHER.
IT'S REALLY THE DEVELOPMENT THEREOF. WHO OWNS IT? AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT OUR OUR MONEY IS USED WISELY, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I DON'T GET PAID FOR THIS JOB, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT AND SHARE.
I'M VERY COLLABORATIVE AS I AS WE DO THIS. WE JUST NEED A WE JUST NEED A SPACE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A GREAT POINT. AND AND IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BULLET POINTS THAT I COULD GO THROUGH WITH MR. JONES AND WE COULD FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT'S AWESOME. ACTUALLY. REALLY? REALLY GREAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. THANK YOU. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN ANSWERED BY QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES. BUT, MISS FRANCOIS WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT GOING TO THE TRADE SHOWS AND BIDDING ON BUSINESS A LOT OF OUR CONVERSATION TONIGHT HAS BEEN AROUND A CONVENTION CENTER, A SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CONVENTION CENTER.
IS THAT THE EMERGING THEME? IS IT THAT WE'RE LOSING THIS BUSINESS? IS THAT THE NUMBER ONE REASON, OR ARE THERE OTHER REASONS THAT WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF ALSO? THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE REASON. AS YOU SAW, WE LOST OVER 3 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT, OVER 2 MILLION IN DIRECT REVENUE WITHIN JUST FIVE MONTHS. OKAY. SO THE FACILITY IS THE NUMBER THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE.
THAT IS THE REASON. OKAY. AND SPEAKING OF THAT TONIGHT HERE AND PRESENTATIONS YOURS IS NUMBER ONE.
SO HAVE YOU GUYS ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM HERE TO PARTNER IN TERMS OF WHAT'S INSIDE OF THE DOCUMENTS, SO THAT IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND WE'RE NOT WORKING IN SILOS TO MEET THE GOALS.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1997 HERE.
BUT I WILL ANSWER THIS. IT'S NEVER ENOUGH. IT'S NEVER ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM AND COLLABORATE WITH THEM, AND ALSO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON AND WHAT'S IN THEIR SORT OF KIND OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COFFERS IN THEIR MIND.
IT'S IT'S WELCOME AT ALL TIMES. AND, AND MR. ROGERS HAS BEEN VERY WELCOMING TO US AS WELL.
BUT THERE'S I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE COLLABORATION THERE, IF I MAY SPEAK FREELY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE TO BE. WE JUST WANT A SEAT AT THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN REPRESENT THE, YOU KNOW, THE BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ASSETS THAT WE HAVE HERE.
UNDERSTANDABLE. SO WHICH IS REALLY THE IMPETUS FOR THE QUESTION, BECAUSE TONIGHT THERE'S GOING TO BE A PRESENTATION OF A STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN. AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER YOU'VE HAD INPUT IN THAT SO THAT IT COULD HELP THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OUR HOTELS GROW AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, TOURISM, ALL OF THAT. SO OKAY. YES. YES AND NO.
OKAY, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
BUT AFTER BUILDING $55 MILLION WORTH OF HOTELS IN THIS ONE CITY, WHICH NOBODY ELSE HAS REALLY DONE, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL IT HAPPENED. BUT I THINK THERE'S OVERALL JUST STRENGTHENING COMMUNICATION,
[01:25:03]
JUST EVERYWHERE IS CAN ONLY HELP US. THAT'S ALL.THANK YOU. THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, MISS FRANCOIS, IN TWO OF YOUR SLIDES, YOU HAD COMMUNITY EVENTS AS IT RELATES TO ANALYTICS AND LOOKING AT THOSE EVENTS AND THE THE ATTENDANCE AND THE IMPACT.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE OR TOP THREE EVENTS THAT REALLY BROUGHT PEOPLE TO THE CITY? AND IS THAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON? WELL, THE NUMBER ONE EVENT THAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO THE CITY EVERY SUMMER IS YOUR THE THE SUMMER MUSIC SERIES, WHICH IS THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN BECAUSE THE CITY HAS A POPULATION OF 38,000.
AND FOR ONE OF THE EVENTS, THEY BROUGHT IN OVER 40,000.
SO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND HAVE OUR HOTELIERS PARTICIPATE, AND ALSO REACH OUT TO THE ATTENDEES OF THAT PARTICULAR EVENT FOR WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? FAMILY REUNION MARKETS, THE SOCIAL MARKETS.
AND I'M SORRY. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I. AND THIS IS WHY OUR HOTELS TAKE PART IN THAT.
AND WE GATHER INFORMATION AND CONTACTS FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE ATTENDING THAT EVENT.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETURN BUSINESS AS A RESULT.
ALSO, WE PARTNER WITH THE SICKLE CELL, BUT THAT IS MORE SO A COMMUNITY FOCUSED EVENT THAT GETS PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT NOT SO MUCH AS BRINGING VISITORS TO THE CITY.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO. AND I MAY SAY, OKAY, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS HERE I DON'T WANT TO.
IT'S NOT MY GOAL TO BE DISLIKED. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF I HAD TO SPEAK ON JUST THEIR BEHALF, IF IT HAPPENS ON A WEDNESDAY, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH IMPACT TO HOTELS.
OKAY. RIGHT. BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN A DRIVING FORCE LIKE THIS TO TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE COME REPEATEDLY YEAR AFTER YEAR. SO WHILE IT WAS THERE, WE CERTAINLY WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.
I THINK ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR WAS TO PUT UP A TENT WHERE WE CALLED OUR HOTEL PARTNERS TO HELP SELL THEIR HOTELS, AND WE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR FAMILY REUNIONS WHERE THE LOCAL FAMILY REUNIONS COME OVER HERE TO THE TENT, TALK TO OUR HOTELS, GET THE BROCHURES, BE ABLE TO DISCUSS AND NEGOTIATE RIGHT THERE.
OR AT LEAST LET'S GET SOME FOLLOW UP INFORMATION.
BUT I THINK THAT COLLABORATION THIS YEAR WAS PHENOMENAL.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE PICKED UP BUSINESS FROM IT. OKAY.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU.
SO TO TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THIS SITE, THAT'S ACTUALLY ON CONLEY.
THAT'S WITH THE FENCE AROUND IT. THAT SITE, IF I REMEMBER WAS CONTAMINATED.
VERY CONTAMINATED THAT THEY FENCED IT OFF, THAT IT WAS CONTAMINATED.
IT MADE PEOPLE ILL THAT ACTUALLY LIVED IN I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAMES OF THE APARTMENTS AT THE TIME, BUT. YEAH, THAT THAT SITE IS CONTAMINATED.
JUST JUST TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. IT'S VERY, VERY CONTAMINATED.
THAT IS WHY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY CLOSED THOSE PROJECTS DOWN, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE GETTING ILL, VERY SICK FROM THAT CONTAMINATION OVER THERE.
WELL, AT SOME POINT, I GUESS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ON A MAYBE A MID TO LONG TERM PLAN.
WE DON'T WANT TO WASTE SUCH ACREAGE IN SUCH A PRIME AREA.
THAT COULD STILL CAUSE THAT LEVEL OF HARM. AND SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN COMPLETELY.
COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE PEACHTREE INTERNATIONAL EASTPOINT PEACHTREE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL THAT YOU ALL DID FOR THE FILM FESTIVAL.
AND IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. IT WAS ENGAGING.
I BELIEVE WHAT I ENJOYED MOST WAS I WAS ABLE TO SELECT WHO I WANTED TO HEAR FROM.
THERE WERE A LOT OF UP AND COMING FILM DIRECTORS THAT WERE THERE.
THAT WAS ALSO VERY INFORMATIVE. BUT I MEAN, IF I WAS TO EVER GET INTO FILMING IN THE FESTIVAL IN THAT INDUSTRY, THAT WAS DEFINITELY THE PLACE TO BE FOR THAT WEEKEND.
SO I WANTED TO COMMEND YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU.
A COUPLE OF FRIENDS WITH ME TO SAY, HEY, LET'S JUST GO AND HANG OUT AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
[01:30:09]
HOW DO I START MY PROJECT? HOW DO I GET FUNDING FOR MY PROJECT? SO I REALLY ENJOYED THAT THAT ASPECT. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT.SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT THE EVENT.
THAT WAS AN EVENT THAT ACTUALLY SOLD OUT OUR HOTELS, AND THAT WAS THE PEACHTREE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST EVER FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT PUT ON AND PRODUCED IN COOPERATION WITH THE EAST POINT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
SO WE ARE PROUD OF THAT. MAY I ALSO SAY LIKEWISE? WE WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING AN AARON RODGERS, BECAUSE SHE'S A HOME RUN AND SHE'S NOT HERE, AND I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO HER IN MONTHS, BUT SHE'S A HOME RUN AND WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO BE WORKING WITH SOMEBODY LIKE THAT.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO CLOSE BY SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD THIS LEVEL OF FOCUS AND ATTENTION ON THE CITY OF EAST POINT, SPECIFICALLY TO BRING TOURISM HERE AND SUPPORT OUR HOTELS WITHIN OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR HOTEL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT FOR STICKING IT OUT WITH US.
IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING. THANK YOU TO BOARD CHAIR SHAH MAYOR, PASTOR JOE HILLIARD CHARLES JOHNSON, AND OUR CEO AND PRESIDENT CHANTAL FRANCOIS FOR THIS FRESH, FAST FOREVER MOVING FOCUS ON EAST POINT.
I WILL SAY A COUPLE THINGS. AS IT RELATES TO I GUESS I'LL START WITH THE FUNDING THE TPD FUNDING FOR TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT AND HOW TO LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO MAYBE COUPLE WITH BOND FINANCING TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO PUT UP A TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WITH THOSE FUNDS.
AND SO THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT WE HAD TO GET THROUGH AND MONEY WE HAD TO CLAW BACK.
AND THEN THE ACCOUNTING AROUND IT OVER THE YEARS, WHAT ACTUAL AMOUNT WE'VE COLLECTED THAT WAS TB, TPD WHAT WAS TCT RIGHT. AND HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO LEVERAGE TO DO JUST THAT? AND SO THE MONEY HASN'T GONE OR EVAPORATED ANYWHERE.
AS IT RELATES TO CONNECTED CONNECTIVITY, BECAUSE A LOT OF YOU ARE NOT IN OUR DOWNTOWN, BUT COUNCIL DID APPROVE RECENTLY A MAP WITH THE AERO ATLANTA ATL, ATLANTA ATL AIRPORT KIDS AROUND AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLES AND PILOTING THAT TO CONNECT WHAT'S IN OUR DOWNTOWN TO OUR HOTEL CORRIDOR TO CAMP CREEK.
AS IT RELATES TO FIFA. WE HAVE THE THIRD SOCCER FIELD ON THE WORLD'S FIRST AND ONLY TRANSIT SOCCER LEAGUE IN THE HEART OF OUR DOWNTOWN, AND IT'S THE ONLY ONE ON MAIN STREET.
SOCCER IN THE STREETS WILL BE CONNECTED TO FIFA DIRECTLY.
WHICH MEANS THE CITY OF EAST POINT WILL BE CONNECTED.
I SUGGEST, AS WE ARE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FIFA, THAT YOU ALL REACH OUT TO SANJAY PATEL.
THERE WERE TWO REPRESENTATIVES CONNECTED IN THE FIFA ORGANIZATION.
AND SO FOR FIFA BRANDED EVENTS, FOR FIFA, MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITIES THAT FIVE MILE RADIUS, I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE FALL AND MIGHT HIT OUR DOWNTOWN, BUT IT'S VERY LIMITED. BUT THE CONVERSATION THERE IS THE SAME THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE IS HOW CAN CITIES POSITION THEMSELVES TO BE CONNECTED? AND OUR MAIN LEVER IS GOING TO BE SOCCER IN THE STREETS.
AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING OR PROGRAMING IN CONNECTION WITH THAT.
TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE I BELIEVE EAST POINT WILL BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED.
[01:35:09]
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.I THINK THERE MAY BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION DISCUSSION, BUT WE MIGHT IT MIGHT BE TOO LONG FOR YOU ALL TO HANG AROUND AND WAIT, BUT THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE ABLE TO TO CONNECT WITH YOU ALL TO CONTINUE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND WHEN WE HAD OUR BOND FINANCING TEAM OR FINANCE FINANCIAL ADVISOR HERE TALKING ABOUT THE WARD D RECREATION CENTER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS CLEAR IS THAT WE AS A CITY, HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE PROJECTS AS IT RELATES TO CAPITAL BUILDINGS OR BUILDINGS, WHICH WE CALL CAPITAL.
AND SO I THINK THIS CONVERSATION IS NOT AN EITHER OR.
AND WE'VE HEARD YOU VERY CLEAR. AND I THINK AS IT RELATES TO BEING ABLE TO ATTRACT EVENTS TO THE CITY, I DON'T THINK IT'S A AUDITORIUM OR A CONVENTION CENTER.
AND THEATERS AND SHOWS WILL ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE CITY.
AND THEN PEOPLE WHO DO THAT MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A CONVENTION OR SOMETHING CONNECTED WITH IT.
RIGHT. AND SO I THINK IT'S A BOTH AND. AND LOOKING AT AVAILABLE REAL ESTATE.
AND THANK YOU FOR ENSURING THAT WE'RE GETTING HEADS IN BEDS AND THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT EAST POINT.
BUT I WAS LIKE, OH, THERE'S ONE ABOUT EAST POINT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING TO TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT OUR HOTEL MOTEL TAX IS BEING USED FOR EAST POINT, SPECIFICALLY TO MARKET EAST POINT, AND TO SHOW THAT THERE'S NO POINT LIKE EAST POINT BECAUSE IT'S WHERE THE WORLD MEETS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE PAY AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY.
I DO WANT TO GO THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEMS TO SEE WHICH ONES WE HAVE NON STAFF PEOPLE HERE ON.
I'M GOING TO CALL THE NUMBER I'M ASSUMING I'LL SAY THE NUMBER IN THE TITLE.
FOR THE NUMBER 11 COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CHANGE.
ORDER FOR BRINKS. ADDITION OF A RECYCLER. DO WE HAVE A NON STAFF PERSON HERE? IS THERE A PERSON. OKAY. SO NO NUMBER 12 TAB AND TAB CHANGE ORDER OKAY.
NO. NUMBER 13 WAGON WORKS LETTER OF SUPPORT. ANY ANY.
I DON'T SEE MR. CURRY. OH, THERE YOU ARE. OKAY.
I COULDN'T SEE YOU IN THE BACK. FOR ITEM 14, THE ALCOHOL LICENSE FOR UBER.
IS THE APPLICANT HERE? OH. OKAY. SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION.
IS SOMEONE HERE FOR THE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION ITEM? THEY SHOULD BE. THE REZONING NUMBER 24 PROPERTY AT ZERO EAST WOODBURY AVENUE. IS THE APPLICANT HERE? OKAY.
25 SAFE BUILT CONSULTING SERVICES. IS THERE A NON STAFF PERSON HERE REGARDING THAT? OKAY. NUMBER 26. ZERO. WELCOME ALL ROAD. OKAY.
NUMBER 27 2257 DILLOW DRIVE. REZONING. REQUEST THE APPLICANT HERE FOR 2257 DILLO DRIVE. REZONING REQUEST. I SAW THE MEMBERS OF EAST POINT MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION BOARD.
YEP. AND THEN I DON'T. DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM MIAMI FOR THE YEAR END SETTLEMENT, SEAN? MR. DOW IS JUST GOING TO BE STAFFED. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE MOVING TO OUR PAY AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY.
[01:40:09]
WHO WILL COME DO AN UPDATE ON POLICING WE WILL THEN TAKE THE GO IN THE ORDER OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE FOR THE OTHER ITEMS, AND THEN WE'LL BOUNCE AROUND THE AGENDA. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET TO OUR POLICE CHIEF SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO PROTECT AND SERVE US.AND WE DON'T HAVE HIM HERE TOO LONG. BUT THEN AFTER THAT, WE WILL GO.
[II.2. Pay and Classification Study Update]
MR. JONES, AND TWO FOUR. OKAY, I GOT QUORUM. OKAY.THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT HR DIRECTOR JESSIE INTRODUCE OUR CONSULTANT WHO'S BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THIS IS PHASE TWO OF THE COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY. YOU ALL RECALL THAT WE IMPLEMENTED PHASE ONE OF THIS STUDY JULY 1ST, 2024, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER STARTED WORK ON PHASE TWO.
WE HAVE AN UPDATE TONIGHT FROM MARK HOLCOMB. HE APOLOGIZES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE HERE IN PERSON, BUT HE FELL ILL. AND SO HE IS JOINING US REMOTE.
SO HE STARTED TO SHARE HIS SCREEN, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MARK HOLCOMB, WHO'S THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS. MARK.
OKAY. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE MUTED. MARK.
WHICH LAPTOP ARE REJECTING FROM. BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S ABLE TO HEAR US.
DID WE TEST THIS EARLIER TODAY? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, I'LL TEXT HIM.
THANK YOU. IRIS. OKAY. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OKAY.
YES WE CAN. LET ME JUST SEE IF THEY CAN TURN IT UP, THOUGH.
I'VE UNMUTED ON MY SIDE. IRIS, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? I'M GOING TO TRY THE OTHER MICROPHONE. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU TALK INTO THAT? THANK YOU. IRIS. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OKAY. YES WE CAN.
OKAY, LET ME JUST SEE IF THEY CAN TURN IT UP, THOUGH.
ON OUR END. ON THEIR WAY. UP. OKAY, IF YOU ALL ARE READY, I CAN GET STARTED.
I SEE, I DO SEE THE CAMERA. I CAN'T HEAR YOU VERY WELL, BUT I DO SEE THE CAMERA THERE.
MY NAME IS MARK HOLCOMB. AGAIN, I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER WHO HAS COME OUT IN PERSON A COUPLE TIMES WITH PHASE ONE, AND ALSO FOR AN UPDATE FOR PHASE TWO AS WELL.
I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW, JUST A REMINDER OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, AND THEN GIVE SOME UPDATES ON PHASE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE PROPOSING TO, TO CHANGE AND TO LOOK AT AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS THEN FOR THE PROJECT? SO FOR THE PHASE ONE RECAP, AS A REMINDER, WE DID LOOK AT MANY DIFFERENT BLUE COLLAR ROLES WITHIN THE CITY OF EAST POINT.
AND AS A RESULT, WE DID IMPLEMENT OR RECOMMEND THE $20 PER HOUR MINIMUM WAGE CITYWIDE.
WE HAD A NEW PAY SCALE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR CLASSIFICATIONS REVIEWED IN PHASE ONE, AND WE DID ALSO HAVE A CRITICAL SET OF CLASSIFICATIONS THAT INCLUDED HARD TO RECRUIT OR RETAIN IN CLASSIFICATIONS, AND THOSE WERE ADJUSTED WITH A HYBRID PARITY METHODOLOGY, WHICH. ESSENTIALLY MADE SURE THAT WHEN WE TRANSITIONED EMPLOYEES INTO THE SCALES.
WE DID AS AS WELL AS WE COULD TO AVOID COMPRESSION AND TO ACTUALLY SLOT.
EMPLOYEES WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE NEW SCALES.
[01:45:02]
FOR PHASE TWO. UNDERSTANDING THAT WE AGAIN ONLY LOOKED AT A SUBSET IN PHASE ONE.LOOK AT THE BENCHMARKS. FOR PHASE TWO VERSUS THE MARKET.
AS WE COMPARED TO THE MARKET, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR FOR THE PHASE ONE POSITIONS AGAIN, WE WITH THIS WITH THIS PHASE TWO PART OF THE STUDY, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ALSO CAPTURED THE MARKET DIFFERENTIALS OF ANY POSITIONS IN PHASE TWO.
THEN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO EITHER AMEND THE PHASE ONE PLAN TO ADOPT, YOU KNOW, PHASE TWO POSITIONS WITHIN THAT SAME PAY SCALE UPDATE THE PAY SCALE OR, YOU KNOW, CREATE A NEW PAY SCALE FOR PHASE TWO EMPLOYEES AS NEEDED AND AS APPROPRIATE.
SO WITH PHASE TWO, WE DID COME OUT FOR OUTREACH.
WE MET WITH EMPLOYEES LAST YEAR. WE HAD AN INTERNAL REVIEW.
AGAIN, WE WERE ALREADY VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY FROM THE PHASE ONE, BUT WE DID WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR PHASE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS, SEE HOW THEY DIFFERED FROM THE PHASE ONE POSITIONS, SEE WHAT YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING, WE NOTICED THAT WAS EITHER DIFFERENT OR NEEDED AN ALTERNATE ADJUSTMENT FOR. THEN PHASE THREE WAS AGAIN LOOKING AT THE MARKET TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE COMPETITIVE CITYWIDE, AND THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE MADE WOULD PUT YOU INTO A, AN EQUITABLE COMPENSATION GIVE YOU AN EQUITABLE COMPENSATION PACKAGE GOING FORWARD.
AND SO PHASE FOUR SOLUTION RECOMMENDATIONS. THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO AGAIN I'LL GET TO THE MARKET RESULTS NEXT AND THEN START TALKING ABOUT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE DO HAVE RESULTS TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL.
SO THE MARKET TARGET ORGANIZATIONS, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WHO WE LOOKED AT TO COMPARE YOU ACROSS THE, YOU KNOW, METRO ATLANTA MARKET. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THERE FROM YOU KNOW, BOTH RIGHT NEXT TO YOU, BUT ALSO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AFIELD IN THE ATLANTA MARKET.
WE DID LOOK AT 20 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A GOOD SAMPLE ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THAT ALLOWED US TO PICK AND CHOOSE THE MATCHES THAT WERE THE MOST APPROPRIATE AS COMPARED TO THE CITY OF EAST POINT FROM A CLASSIFICATION AND DUTIES STANDPOINT. SO ESSENTIALLY WE ONLY WANTED TO LOOK AT POSITIONS THAT WERE DOING THE SAME THINGS THAT HAD, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR JOB DESCRIPTIONS, SIMILAR JOB DUTIES.
AND THAT LEFT US WITH ABOUT 11.2 MATCHES PER POSITION WITH THOSE OUTLIERS REMOVED.
THE MARKET RESULTS DID INDICATE THAT THE CITY WAS BELOW THE MARKET.
SO THIS IS LOOKING AT YOUR MEDIAN RESPONSE, WHICH MEANS SOME POSITIONS CAME BACK A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN THIS, BUT SOME POSITIONS CAME BACK HIGHER AS WELL. SO THE NEGATIVES ON THE PAGE DO INDICATE THAT YOU ALL WERE BELOW THE MARKET BY APPROXIMATELY 15 TO UP TO 30%, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE PAY RANGE.
BUT AGAIN, TO KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS NOT A UNIVERSAL STATEMENT.
IT DOES NOT MEAN EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THE CITY WAS UNDERPAID.
IT JUST MEANS THE PAY RANGES OVERALL ALL DO NEED A RATHER SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENT, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE WANT TO LOOK AT MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT IN A WAY THAT IS SPECIFIC POSITION BY POSITION. SO IF A SPECIFIC POSITION IS ONLY 5% BELOW THE MARKET, IT MAY RECEIVE A SMALLER ADJUSTMENT. IF ANOTHER POSITION IS 20% BELOW THE MARKET, IT MAY RECEIVE A RECOMMENDED LARGER ADJUSTMENT.
AND SO WE DID NOTE SOME POSITIONS AT THE BOTTOM.
AS YOU MAKE A LARGE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE MARKET, IF YOU ONLY ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE WITHIN THE PAY RANGE, YOU CAN CAUSE COMPRESSION AND CAN ESSENTIALLY CREATE ISSUES FOR YOURSELVES INTERNALLY INSIDE THE PAY SCALE.
SO THAT HYBRID PARITY APPROACH IS THE SAME THING THAT YOU ALL AS A CITY ADOPTED IN PHASE ONE.
AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING A CONSISTENT APPROACH IN PHASE TWO.
PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES DO HAVE A SEPARATE PLAN RECOMMENDED BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE RECOGNIZE THE PUBLIC SAFETY MARKET IS A LITTLE BIT INDEPENDENT FROM GENERAL EMPLOYEES. SO WE ARE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A STEP PLAN FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY POSITIONS.
[01:50:03]
AND THEN WE RECOMMEND YOU TRANSITION EMPLOYEES INTO THESE RANGES BASED OFF OF A TIME AND RANK APPROACH.WE'RE PROPOSING A TIME IN RANK APPROACH. SO IF YOU'RE BRAND NEW IN YOUR RANK, IT MAY BE OKAY FOR YOU TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR YOU KNOW, THE THE PAY SCALE FOR THAT SPECIFIC RANK. IF YOU'VE BEEN IN YOUR RANK FOR FIVE, TEN YEARS.
THE TOTAL COST IMPACT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, FOR A HYBRID ADJUSTMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND A TIME AND RANK APPROACH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS DOES INCLUDE PENSION AND INSURANCE IS ESTIMATED A LITTLE ABOVE $3 MILLION, ABOUT $3.13 MILLION. AGAIN, THAT DOES INCLUDE THOSE FRINGE PENSION AND INSURANCE BENEFITS.
THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY TO REVIEW IN MORE DETAIL.
BUT AGAIN, WE OBVIOUSLY WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL UPDATE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE UNDERSTANDING THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF YOU KNOW, WHAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS LOOK LIKE. SO FOR THE NEXT STEPS TO ESSENTIALLY CLOSE OUT THE STUDY AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AND ADOPT.
AND SO AGAIN WE DO ASK THAT THE CITY CITY STAFF REVIEWS THOSE, YOU KNOW, BRINGS A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO ESSENTIALLY SAY, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE AGREE. WE THINK THIS IS THE BEST APPROACH.
AND NUMBER TWO, THAT WE REVIEW THE COST IMPACT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AFFORD AND, AND SUSTAIN. BECAUSE AGAIN, WE CAN TELL YOU ON OUR SIDE, WE CAN GIVE YOU THE MATH, WE CAN GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS, WE CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW GREAT THIS IS GOING TO BE FROM A CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION STANDPOINT. BUT WE KNOW SUSTAINABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY ARE DEFINITELY IMPORTANT KEY PIECES. SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE WOULD INDICATE TO REVIEW AS WELL.
AND THEN LASTLY, ONCE THE CITY DOES ADOPT AN APPROACH AND ADOPT A METHODOLOGY GOING FORWARD, EVERGREEN WILL FINALIZE THE PROJECT, PROVIDE JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR CLASSIFICATIONS AND ROLES.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY READY TO PROCEED WITH THAT AT THE CITY'S DIRECTION.
AS SOON AS THE CITY INDICATES YOU KNOW, THAT YOU ALL ARE COMFORTABLE AND READY WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PROVIDED, WE CAN FINALIZE THE STUDY WITH A FINAL REPORT, SHARE WITH EMPLOYEES, AND THEN GIVE THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S THE OVERALL SUMMARY FOR TODAY. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DOES ANYONE FROM CITY STAFF OR HR HAVE ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD? OKAY. LET'S SEE. EXCUSE ME. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
MY ONLY QUESTION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS, IS THIS COMPARABLE? I KNOW THAT YOU HAD THE SLIDE UP. IS IT COMPARABLE TO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING? ARE WE IN THE RANKING TO COMPETE? SO I DID I BELIEVE HERE MOST OF THAT QUESTION. I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT. SOMEBODY PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I IF I CAPTURED THE QUESTION CORRECTLY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY ASKED, YOU KNOW, IS THIS A PLAN THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO COMPETE AND TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH WHAT OTHER CITIES IN THE AREA ARE DOING? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES. YOU KNOW, THIS WAS DESIGNED OFF OF THAT COMPETITIVE MARKET.
THERE'S 20 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. AND SO IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO PUT YOU NUMBER ONE.
YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE HIGHEST PAID IN THE WHOLE MARKET. YOU'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO BE AT THE BOTTOM. WE WANTED TO PUT YOU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE COMPETITIVE, SO YOU MAY NOT LEAD THE PACK IN SOME POSITIONS.
YOU MAY BE A LITTLE MORE COMPETITIVE IN OTHERS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF THINGS.
COMPETITIVE. YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTRACT EMPLOYEES USING, YOU KNOW, YOUR COMPENSATION CLASSIFICATION, BUT ALSO ANY OF THE OTHER YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE SO GREAT ABOUT THE CITY OF EAST POINT, SUCH AS THE CULTURE, THE EMPLOYEES, THE RELATIONSHIPS.
ET CETERA. YOU WOULD BE IN A COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU.
THIS QUESTION IS FOR MISS JESSIE. MISS JESSIE, DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS?
[01:55:02]
WE DO. IT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE BECAUSE AS MARK MENTIONED, THEY WENT THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS, IF YOU ALL REMEMBER, MEMBER.IN THE FIRST PHASE, THERE WERE FOUR OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED, AND GENERALLY THOSE SAME OPTIONS ARE BEING USED IN PHASE TWO. SO GENERALLY WHAT THEY DO IS TO RUN THE NUMBERS ON THE IMPACT FOR THE POSITIONS AND KIND OF NARROW THAT DOWN TO WHAT HIS TWO OPTIONS ARE THAT HE MENTIONED TONIGHT. AND THAT IS THE ONE FOR TO CONTINUE THE HYBRID PARITY FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS WHAT WE USED IN PHASE ONE.
BUT THEN AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS REQUEST, THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A STEP PLAN BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THAT PLAN WOULD POSITIVELY IMPACT COMPRESSION.
SO IT GIVES OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS CONSIDERATION FOR THEIR TENURE, THE YEARS OF SERVICE. SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS. SO THEN YOUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO DO WHAT WE DID IN THE FIRST STUDY AND TO DO THE STEP PLAN WITH THE FIRE AND POLICE.
YES, MA'AM. HER LIGHT'S GREEN. YES, MA'AM. THAT IS THE AFTER DISCUSSING THIS INTERNALLY LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE. OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY MANAGER WOULD BE TO DO THE FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. THE HYBRID PARITY, AND ALSO TO IMPLEMENT A STEP PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
OKAY. SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS THIS WHAT WOULD BE THE TOTAL COST OF THE OF THAT OF THE THE PAY INCREASES. IT WILL BE 3.31. I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE ESTIMATE HERE. AND OF COURSE THAT'S GOING TO VARY BECAUSE PEOPLE COME AND PEOPLE GO.
SO IT'S GOING TO CHANGE UNTIL WE NARROW IT DOWN AND CHOOSE A POINT IN TIME FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THAT'S MY NEXT STEP, MY NEXT QUESTION. WHEN WOULD IT BE IMPLEMENTED AND WILL IT BE? WHEN WILL IT BE IMPLEMENTED? AND I KNOW ONCE IT'S IMPLEMENTED, IT'S GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET.
SO WILL IT BE IMPLEMENTED AT THAT TIME WHEN THE WITH THE NEW, WITH THE UPCOMING BUDGET, OR HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ARE YOU GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT IN PHASES AND STEPS? THERE'S STILL SOME ADDITIONAL WORK TO BE DONE.
LAST YEAR IN PHASE ONE, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH IMPACTED EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY WOULD ALL UNDERSTAND HOW THEY HOW THIS PAY STUDY WOULD IMPACT THEM.
AND WE NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, PARTICULARLY WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A DEPARTURE FROM WHAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST. IT IS TRANSITIONING TO A STEP PLAN, AS OPPOSED TO JUST ONE PAY PLAN FOR EVERYBODY. SO I WOULD THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE A BIT OF WORK TO DO IS UP TO THE CITY MANAGER ON HOW THOSE NEXT STEPS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED. BUT WE IF WE'RE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE DID IN PHASE ONE, WE WOULD NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH EMPLOYEES AND INTRODUCE THIS TO THEM.
OKAY. SO THIS SO AS I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS AND THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION.
SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STEPS IT'S LIKE THE STEP 123.
HOW MANY STEPS WILL IT GO UP TO. AND WILL IT BE SO YEAH.
HOW MANY STEPS WILL IT GO UP TO? I'M GOING TO ASK MARK IF HE COULD EXPLAIN THE STEP PUBLIC SAFETY STEP PLAN. IF HE'S STILL THERE.
[02:00:10]
MARK, ARE YOU THERE? MR. HOLCOMB, THEY'RE ASKING FOR EXPLANATION OF THE STEP.PLAN IS MUTED AGAIN. OH, HE'S HE'S MUTED AGAIN.
AND THEN WHEN HE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS TO THE STEP THEN WILL THEY GET A STEP EVERY YEAR.
EVERY OTHER YEAR. I'M SORRY IRIS CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME NOW.
CORRECT? YES. SO NOW, IF YOU ALL CAN HEAR ME. THE PUBLIC SAFETY STEP PLAN DOES HAVE A SPREAD OF ABOUT 55%.
IT'S GOT 15 STEPS FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP OF THE PLAN.
SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS HOW OFTEN WOULD THEY GET A STEP.
IS IT THE STEP ONE EVERY EVERY YEAR. THEN A STEP TWO.
AND THEN IS IT STAGGERED. LIKE IN THREE YEARS THEY GET ANOTHER STEP.
SO GIVEN THE TWO STAGGERED, LIKE IN THREE YEARS, THEY GET ANOTHER STEP.
HOW IS THE FINAL? SO WE DO PROPOSE THAT EMPLOYEES WOULD GET A STEP EACH YEAR ON THE SCALE.
AND SO, YES, IT WOULD BE A ONCE PER YEAR STEP SCALE.
THAT'S TO KEEP YOU COMPETITIVE WITH WHAT OTHERS IN THE MARKET ARE DOING.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU COULDN'T OPERATE IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY IF YOU CHOSE TO.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IT.
SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. DIRECTOR JESSE HOW LONG ARE THESE NUMBERS TYPICALLY GOOD FOR? FOR THE STUDY. THE RULE OF THUMB IS FOR A A MUNICIPALITY OR AN ORGANIZATION TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.
AND 2 TO 3 YEARS. WE THE REASON OUR RESULTS ARE PRETTY FAR BEHIND IS BECAUSE THE CITY UNTIL LAST YEAR HAD NOT DONE A CLASSIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY IN OVER TEN YEARS, EVEN THOUGH RAISES COST OF LIVING INCREASES WERE GIVEN AND A FEW YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL MADE THE DECISION TO DO THE LIVABLE WAGE WITH $15 AN HOUR.
AND THAT HELPED. BUT IT CREATED SOME ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH COMPRESSION.
SO IT HAS ABOUT A SHELF LIFE OF 2 TO 3 YEARS IF YOU WANT TO STAY CURRENT, UNLESS THERE ARE SOME DRAMATIC MARKET CHANGES. AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT SOONER THAN THAT.
THANK YOU. AND REMIND ME, HOW MUCH MONEY DID WE SPEND ON THIS CLASSIFICATION OR THIS COMPENSATION STUDY? THIS PHASE TWO WAS $35,000, I BELIEVE. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER. THANK YOU. MISS IRIS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN THE PHASE ONE, WE HAD
[02:05:02]
A STEP PLAN TWO BASED UPON SENIORITY. AND CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? NO, WE DID NOT HAVE A STEP PLAN. WE HAD ONE OF THE OPTIONS TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION AN EMPLOYEE'S TENURE WITH THE CITY AND TENURE WITHIN THEIR JOB, THE CURRENT JOB THAT THEY HELD, PLUS THEIR JOB DUTIES. BUT WE DID NOT HAVE A STEP PLAN.SO AND SO. IS MY UNDERSTANDING. THEN WE HAD A POSITION.
MAYBE IT'S A LABOR ONE, THEN A LABOR TWO AND A LABOR THREE.
SO WHILE THAT WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED A STEP PLAN THEN, BUT IT WOULD.
IT ALLOWED FOR DIFFERENCES IN PAY. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. AND SO I GUESS. HAVE WE IMPLEMENTED THE PHASE ONE AS OF.
WE'VE IMPLEMENTED THAT. CORRECT? YES. JULY 1ST, 2024.
YES, MA'AM. I THOUGHT SO. HOW HAS THE RESULTS BEEN FOR THAT? IT REALLY HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE CITY'S COMPETITIVENESS.
AND WAS IT REALLY KIND OF WORTH IT TO DO THE STUDY? AND WE IT MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE ATTRACTING TO THE CITY. YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT WE TOOK THE LOWEST PAID IN PHASE ONE AND BROUGHT THEM UP TO MARKET.
SO IT'S BEEN GOOD FOR RECRUITMENT PARTICULARLY IN THOSE AREAS.
IT WOULD BE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS THAT ARE DIRECT REPORTS TO THE CITY MANAGER.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE APPOINTED COUNCIL APPOINTEES.
DOES IT INCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE WHO REPORT TO OUR DIRECT REPORTS OR TO DIRECTORS? FOR EXAMPLE, IF IF PUBLIC WORKS HAS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OR SOMEONE UNDER THAT.
WERE THEY INCLUDED IN THE STUDY AS WELL? YES, SIR.
EVERYBODY. WELL, THE POSITIONS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN PHASE ONE ARE INCLUDED IN PHASE TWO.
SO MY FINAL QUESTION IS, WAS THERE EVER. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE WAS A COMPRESSION PROBLEM BECAUSE WE RAISED THE SALARY OF THE LOWER TIER, BECAUSE WE RAISED IT TO 15, THEN MAYBE $20 AN HOUR.
BUT WE DID NOT COUNT FOR COMPRESSION FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
AND NOW YOU HIRE SOMEONE DAY ONE AND THEY'RE MAKING $0.50 LESS THAN WHAT YOU WERE.
HOW WAS THE UPPER TIER AFFECTED, IF AT ALL? OR IS THIS PAY STUDY JUST TO SAY WE WANT TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE? THE THE WAY. WHEN RAISES WERE GIVEN COST OF LIVING INCREASES, WHEN THE COUNCIL WENT TO THE LIVING WAGE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAD A BEARING ON COMPRESSION. BECAUSE WHEN THE COUNCIL WENT TO, WHEN WE WENT TO THE LIVING WAGE, THAT MEANT PEOPLE COMING IN THE DOOR WOULD RECEIVE $15 AN HOUR. THAT DID NOT TRANSCEND THE OTHER POSITIONS, SO THAT CAUSED SOME COMPRESSION. THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGERS, ALSO IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO TRY TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS, IS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO SPOT ZONING THAT THEY TOOK A CATEGORY OR A CLASSIFICATION AND DID A MINI STUDY. AND LIKE IN THE ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT.
OTHER CITIES LOOKED AT THAT AND BASED ON WHAT WAS FOUND, INCREASED SOME OF THOSE SALARIES.
OF COURSE, YOU ALL ALSO, I BELIEVE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS GAVE PUBLIC SAFETY INCREASES IN POLICE AND FIRE. YEAR. SO WHEN IT'S NOT CONSISTENTLY LOOKED AT ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT'S WHERE YOUR COMPRESSION PROBLEMS COME IN. I THINK THAT IT REGISTERS WITH ME. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JUST FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING,
[02:10:03]
IS WHILE WE WE TRY TO HANDLE THE COMPRESSION ON THE LOWER END, THERE'S STILL SOME ADVERSE RESULTS OF THE PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF TOP TIER. AND, AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RECTIFY THOSE, THOSE ISSUES NOW.YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER.
COUNCILMEMBER COMES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
SO I KNOW WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED PHASE ONE, WE PRETTY MUCH BROUGHT EVERYBODY IN, BROUGHT THEM UP TO THE 20, THE MARKET. SO AND COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER TALKED ABOUT COMPRESSION.
SO IN DOING THAT, TO KIND OF RECTIFY THAT. WERE THERE ADJUSTMENTS MADE FOR THEM FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE? BECAUSE I KNOW WE DID TALK ABOUT TENURE AS WELL.
WERE WERE WE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE MEMBERS THAT THAT HAD THAT HAD BEEN IN CERTAIN POSITIONS FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, OR IS THAT OR IS THAT WHAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN THE PHASE TWO? YES. YES, MA'AM. WE'RE DOING THAT IN PHASE TWO BECAUSE, OKAY, IF SOMEONE MADE UP THE STARTING PAY WAS $20 AN HOUR.
YES, MA'AM. SO SOMEBODY COMING IN WOULD MAKE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, INTERIM CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME BROUGHT EVERYBODY WHO WAS NOT MAKING $20 AN HOUR TO $20 AN HOUR.
SO SOME OF THAT WAS IT WASN'T A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THAT WAS THE GOAL.
HOWEVER, NOTHING HAPPENED TO PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN HERE, RIGHT? AND WHO WERE MAKING JUST A LITTLE BIT OVER $20 AN HOUR.
NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT IS THE PROCESS GOING TO BE LIKE FOR THAT.
BECAUSE I KNOW WE'LL DO IT BASED ON TENURE. SO IF YOU DO JUST I DON'T I DON'T KNOW LET'S JUST SAY ENTRY LEVEL, YOU'LL START OFF AT IF THE $20 AN HOUR, IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT $41,000.
AND FOR THAT PARTICULAR POSITION, IF YOU YOU MAX OUT, MAYBE IT'S $20,000 THAT YOU'LL GET OVER THE OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER HERE WITH THE CITY. AND IF THEY DO IT BASED ON SO MANY YEARS OF SERVICE.
SO IF YOU'RE ZERO, YOU KNOW, 1 TO 4 YEARS THERE'S AN $8,000 INCREASE FOR TO THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS.
IT'S ANOTHER $8,000. AND FROM YOU GET TEN YEARS OR MORE, THEN IT'S THAT THAT MAXES YOU OUT.
SO IN THAT PARTICULAR POSITION, AND IF YOU'VE BEEN ON 20, 18, 20 YEARS OR WHATEVER, YOU SOME SORT OF WAY, YOU FALL IN THERE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT HOW THEY'RE DOING IT FOR POLICE WHERE THEY GIVE A STEP FOR EACH.
YOU SAID THEY'RE 15 STEPS, CORRECT THAT THEY'RE DOING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. ARE THEY.
SO I DON'T KNOW KIND OF HOW YOU REALLY GO IN TO CAPTURE THAT.
SO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE WITH GENERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, THERE'S A MID MINIMUM A MID AND A MAXIMUM. AND THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE PUBLIC SAFETY HAS 15 STEPS. RIGHT. AND THE 15 STEPS ARE THEORETICALLY MAXIMIZED OVER 30 YEARS. AND THAT'S HOW THAT IS DONE.
SO THE APPROACH WOULD BE A STEP PER YEAR. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. AND ARE THERE ARE WE OFFERING ANY TYPE OF INCENTIVE PAY LIKE EDUCATION INCENTIVE IF THEY HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE OR IF YOU GET SO MANY CERTIFICATIONS THAT CAN MAYBE SOMEBODY IN SANITATION IF THEY OPERATE A COUPLE OF THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
IS THERE INCENTIVE? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. WE DO THAT NOW.
OKAY. THAT'S FINE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU I YIELD.
SO PARDON ME IF I MISSED THIS, BUT I NOTICED IN THE PRESENTATION IT SAYS THAT THE TOTAL COST.
AND I'M ASSUMING FOR THE HYBRID ADJUSTMENT. THAT'S THE $20.
THAT'S THE RIGHT SET. EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED SO FAR.
RIGHT? THE DEAL WITH THE COMPRESSION. QUESTION. I'M ON PAGE SEVEN OF THE PRESENTATION.
YES, MA'AM. THE TOTAL COST WOULD BE $3.13 MILLION.
YES, MA'AM. THAT'S AN ANNUALIZED, A FISCAL YEAR TOTAL.
WELL, IT'S. IT WON'T BE ALL AT ONE TIME BECAUSE IF IF YOU IMPLEMENTED THIS BEFORE JULY 1ST THIS YEAR, IT WOULD BE A PORTION OF
[02:15:09]
THIS. SO THAT'S MY QUESTION. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND I MENTIONED IT AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS BE RETROACTIVE TO AT LEAST APRIL 1ST.BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT OF DECISION.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T SHOW OUR EMPLOYEES THAT THEY'RE VALUED AND WE DON'T DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES, WE'RE NOT ON THE FRONT LINES. DOING THE WORK IN THE WAY THAT WE SHOW THAT WE VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES IS COMPENSATION, BENEFITS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. BUT THIS IS ONE ONE OF THE WAYS.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS RETROACTIVE TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH.
AND IS THAT POSSIBLE AND WHAT WOULD BE THE COST FOR THAT? WELL, I GUESS THE ANSWER TO THE POSSIBILITY IT'S POSSIBLE IT CERTAINLY WOULD IMPACT THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO ASSESS, AND THAT WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO BE A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT WE WOULD BRING FORWARD.
AS TO THE ACTUAL IMPACT, THE OTHER VARIABLE IN THIS IS ALSO DETERMINING WHICH EMPLOYEES ARE GENERAL FUND EMPLOYEES AND WHICH EMPLOYEES ARE AFFECTED BY THE VARIOUS ENTERPRISE FUNDS THAT THE CITY HAS.
SO THAT NUMBER WILL FLUCTUATE BASED ON THAT DETERMINATION AS WELL.
DOES THAT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE? FOR US, I MENTIONED IT PREVIOUSLY THAT THAT WOULD BE A ASK.
I MEAN, COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, BUT I THINK IF, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SALARY SAVINGS, WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THERE'S A WAY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, REALLY BUDGET THE ACTUAL WHAT'S LIKELY COMING IN OVER THE NEXT.
I GUESS WE'RE IN 60 DAYS LEFT OR LESS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE THE COST STARTING APRIL 1ST VERSUS IF WE START JULY 1ST.
TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE WE NEED MORE INFORMATION AROUND BUDGET IMPACT.
OF A DECISION, WHETHER IT'S IMMEDIATE OR LATER.
AND WHERE DOES THIS I MEAN, THIS IS AN ESTIMATED $3.13 MILLION.
HOW CAN WE GET AN ACTUAL COST? AND WHAT IT WOULD COST IF WE START APRIL 1ST AND WHAT IT WOULD COST IF WE START JULY 1ST? IS THAT. NO, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IF THAT'S COUNCIL'S DESIRE, WE CAN GET STAFF CAN GET WORKING ON THAT AND GET BACK WITH YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMENT OH, MY LIGHT IS STILL ON.
I'M SORRY. OKAY, SO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED $3.13 MILLION.
WE DON'T HAVE ACTUAL FIGURES TONIGHT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW ACTUAL COST WHEN IT WAS START.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE LOOK AT AN OPTION OF APRIL 1ST START DATE.
THEY AND THEN JULY 1ST START DATE. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? MR. JONES WHEN CAN YOU ALL HAVE THAT TO US? IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN HAVE BY MONDAY? I'M GETTING AN ODD YES, I WOULD. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE US ANOTHER WEEK IN THAT ON THAT.
BUT I KNOW, I MEAN, GIVING US ANOTHER WEEK WOULD ALSO GIVE US A SPECIAL CALL MEETING BECAUSE.
OKAY. OR AT LEAST HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OR OPTION OF ADDRESSING IT THIS MONTH.
AFTER WE GET THE NUMBERS, COUNCIL MAY DECIDE THEY NEED STILL NEED MORE INFORMATION, SO IT COULD GO LATER, BUT THE RETROACTIVE DATE COULD POTENTIALLY STILL BE APRIL 1ST IF THAT'S THE DECISION.
OKAY. SO MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK, IF YOU CAN PUT THIS ON THE APRIL 21ST AGENDA AS A PRESENTATION SO WE CAN GET THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
NEXT UP IS THE DISCUSSION ON THE UPDATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
[II.3. Council Discussion and Possible Action for Approval of the Updated Economic Development Strategy Plan (EDSP) 2025]
STRATEGIC SHOULD BE STRATEGIC PLAN. IT WOULDN'T BE APPROVAL FOR TONIGHT.[02:20:04]
IT WOULD HAVE TO GO ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT. BUT I'M ASSUMING WE'LL GET AN A PRESENTATION TONIGHT. YES.I'D LIKE TO HAVE DIRECTOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ROGERS COME UP AND GIVE THAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT GIVEN THE CONVERSATION WE HAD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR SOME STUFF ABOUT OUR HOTEL AND TOURISM, MISTER MR. ROGERS. YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER REDMOND MACEO ROGERS, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THIS EVENING, WE HAVE MR. JEFF KOSKI OF THE CPRB ADVISORY GROUP AND TEAM TO PROVIDE TO YOU A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION UPDATE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY PLAN AT THIS TIME FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND AT A LATER TIME FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
MR.. JEFF COSKEY. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MR. CITY MANAGER THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.
LET'S SEE. WE'VE BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES NOW TALKING ABOUT THIS PLAN.
WE'VE BEEN AT IT FOR QUITE A FEW MONTHS NOW. AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S FEEDBACK AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THIS GOING. THERE WE GO. THERE'S THERE'S THE PLAN.
SO WE'VE BEEN AT THIS SINCE JUNE. AND WE'VE BEEN COLLECTING DATA AND COLLECTING INPUTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING WITH MOST OF YOU. AND SO, AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A DRAFT OF THE FULL PLAN ALREADY.
SO THE PLAN HAS BEEN DRAFTED. IT IS STILL A DRAFT.
IT'S NOT FULL YET. FINAL YET. SO THIS IS THIS IS KIND OF OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO INTERFACE WITH YOU AND SEE, YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT YOU THINK AND WHAT KIND OF INPUT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR US.
AND AGAIN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE TO YOUR SATISFACTION SO THAT MR. ROGERS HAS A, A A REAL CLEAR VISION FOR, FOR WHAT IS ON HIS PLATE FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
RIGHT. SO SO AGAIN AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS.
WE MADE A PRESENTATION ON THAT LAST TIME WE WERE HERE.
WE MADE A PRESENTATION ON THE ON THE THE VISION AND THE GOALS, SPECIFICALLY THE TARGET INDUSTRIES.
ONE OF THOSE TARGET INDUSTRIES YOU MAY REMEMBER IS TOURISM.
SO THAT FITS IN REAL WELL WITH TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION EARLIER.
WE DID INTERFACE QUITE A BIT WITH THE STAFF AT THE TOURISM CVB OFFICE.
AND SO WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION FROM THEM.
AND YOU KNOW, IT ABSOLUTELY IS WARRANTED AS ONE OF THE CORNERSTONES OF THIS ECONOMIC PLAN.
THE SURVEYS THAT WE DID MAKE DID MAKE IT INTO THE WATER BILLS.
SO WE WE WE GOT ALMOST 400 RESPONSES NOW WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE LAST TIME THAT WE SPOKE. AND SO WE TOOK YOUR ADVICE AND KEPT AT IT.
SO THERE WE GO. OKAY. SO WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE THERE.
WITH ME TONIGHT IS GABRIELLE AND CARLOS JOHNSON FROM OUR TEAM AS WELL.
PART OF THE CONSULTING TEAM. WHO'S BEEN WITH YOU OVER THESE PAST 6 OR 7 MONTHS.
SO, AGAIN THIS IS REALLY KIND OF THE CAPSTONE OF THE PLAN ITSELF.
AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TARGET INDUSTRIES LAST LAST TIME.
AND THOSE TARGET INDUSTRIES ARE REALLY, AGAIN, SORT OF GIVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF THE PLACE TO TO POINT THEIR LASERS, IF YOU WILL ON ON WHAT THEY'RE UP TO IN TERMS OF ATTRACTING BUSINESSES AND RETAINING BUSINESSES.
AND THEN TONIGHT, THIS IS REALLY A, AN OVERVIEW OF THE GOALS THAT ARE IN THE PLAN.
AND SO AGAIN, AS YOU LOOK AT THE PLAN IT IS ABOUT 200 PAGES.
SO IF YOU GET TO THE BACK THERE YOU GET TO THE, YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE LAY OUT THESE GOALS.
AND THEN THERE IS A DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND IN THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THERE ARE SUB GOALS AND EACH SUB GOAL HAS A PERSON OR A STAFF, AT LEAST A STAFF DEPARTMENT OR PERSON THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
AND THEN IT HAS A TIME. IT'S TIME BOUND, RIGHT? SO IT'S IT SETS UP THESE GOALS TO BE IMPLEMENTABLE.
AND SO AGAIN, THE GOALS THEMSELVES, THE FOUR, THE FIVE, THE FIVE MAJOR GOALS ARE RELATIVELY BROAD.
BUT THEN WHEN WE START GETTING INTO THE SPECIFIC GOALS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY ADDRESS MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, IN ADDITION TO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALONG THE WAY. SO AGAIN, THE GOALS THEMSELVES ARE REALLY ABOUT CREATING A BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT HERE THAT IS DESIRABLE.
PEOPLE WANT TO WORK HERE, BRING THEIR JOBS HERE, KEEP THEIR JOBS HERE.
[02:25:04]
AND THEN AGAIN, SO NUMBER ONE IS REALLY ABOUT RETAINING THE JOBS.THE SECOND GOAL IS ABOUT ATTRACTING NEW JOBS.
AND AGAIN THOSE TWO ARE REALLY RELATED TO THOSE TARGET INDUSTRIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME.
NUMBER THREE IS ABOUT THE WORKFORCE OF COURSE.
THE WORKFORCE IS, IS IS AS IMPORTANT AS THOSE JOBS THEMSELVES.
AND THEN WE'VE TALKED ALONG THE WAY TOO ABOUT AND YOU HEARD IT FROM THE TOURISM FOLKS THIS EVENING AS WELL THAT THE CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE REALLY, REALLY IT'S IT'S A CYCLE THAT YOU BUILD YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
YOU TRACK RESIDENTS, YOU TRACK JOBS, AND YOU ATTRACT GREATER QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND IT'S KIND OF THIS VIRTUOUS CYCLE. SO THAT'S WHY THAT APPEARS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN, IS BECAUSE THE CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY'S ECONOMY.
AND THEN THE FIFTH GOAL IS REALLY, AGAIN, TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE WORKING AT THE CITY, DOING SO MANY GREAT THINGS AND THAT NO ONE, NO ONE DOES IT ALONE, IF YOU WILL.
YOU'VE HEARD US SAY PROBABLY A FEW TIMES THAT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A TEAM SPORT.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT REALLY NUMBER FIVE IS ALL ABOUT.
SO I'M GOING TO LET GABY GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEPER PRESENTATION INTO SOME OF THESE THINGS.
WE WON'T GO INTO ALL OF THEM AGAIN. YOU'VE GOT A YOU'VE GOT A COPY OF THE FULL PLAN.
SO WHEN GABY'S DONE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS ABOUT THE FULL PLAN ITSELF, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL. BUT JUST WANT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A SENSE OF SOME OF THE DETAILED GOALS THAT ARE IN THE PLAN.
WE KNOW IT'S BEEN KIND OF A LONG NIGHT SO FAR, BUT LEAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU TO ASK US ANY QUESTIONS. A CHEF MENTIONED THIS IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX. IT'S AT THE VERY END.
OF THE FULL REPORT THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED, WE STILL WANT TO GO OVER SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTS. SO THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT WORKING TOWARDS HOW THE CITY CAN HELP THE EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE, BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE SUCH A STRONG BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND IT GOES AROUND, YOU KNOW, THESE FOUR DIFFERENT STRATEGIES ABOUT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, BUSINESS SUPPORT, FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON THE HOTEL DISTRICT.
WE HAVE SPOKEN A LOT WITH SHEILA FROM THE CVB ABOUT WHAT WAYS THAT THE CITY CAN WORK WITH THEM TO KIND OF IMPROVE THIS EXISTING BASE AND CONNECT THE POTENTIAL OF THE HOTEL DISTRICT TO YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AS WELL AS THE RETENTION AND EXPANSION PIECES.
SOME OF THESE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE HAVING LUNCH AND LEARNS, KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAD DONE AS PART OF THIS ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, GOING TO THE VARIOUS PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE TO BRING THE BUSINESSES TOGETHER, TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THEIR NEEDS.
OF COURSE, THAT WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IS IMPROVING THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO EXPAND, WHO WANT TO GROW. AGAIN, WORKING WITH THE CPV AND THE BIG THING THAT WILL HELP WITH THAT IS WORKING WITH THEM TO CONDUCT A HOTEL DISTRICT MASTER PLAN TO REALLY PUT THE VISION TOGETHER BETWEEN YOU ALL WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WITH THEM, AND AS WELL AS WORKING AS A FACILITATOR TO CONNECT LENDING PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, REAL ESTATE BROKERS WITH YOUR BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO EXPAND AND REMAIN IN EASTPOINT. AS I SAID.
YEAH. OKAY. THE SECOND ONE IS THE ATTRACTING NEW INDUSTRIES AND AMENITIES.
THIS IS KIND OF THE STEREOTYPICAL TASK OF YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
WHAT JASON AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING. AND WE KIND OF BROKE THINGS UP INTO FOUR BROADER STRATEGIES FOCUSING ON YOUR PHYSICAL BRANDING AND MARKETING, RECRUITMENT, BUSINESS INDUSTRY ATTRACTION AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT.
SO HELPING CREATE EAST POINT AS A SENSE OF PLACE.
YOU WANT TO HAVE PHYSICAL SIGNAGE AND MARKETING, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN EAST POINT.
WE DID HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH THEM, AND THEY DID TELL US, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THEY HAVE INITIATED A STATION ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, I THINK, IN 2021. SO THAT DOES HAVE A MORE LOCALIZED POINT OF CONTACT.
SO FOR ANY CONCERNS WITH THE STATION THAT THE CITY OR SOME OF YOUR DIRECTORS CAN REACH OUT TO THEM TO KIND OF GET THOSE ADDRESSED AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE SHOWCASING EAST POINT TO YOUR REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS AND YOUR PARTNERS, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH BUS TOURS OR KIND OF JOINING IN TO OTHER ACTIVITIES, FOCUSING ON, YOU KNOW, A TARGET INDUSTRY INCENTIVE ORDINANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE ONE FOR BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND ATTRACTION.
THIS IS KIND OF A SET OF PRE-APPROVED INCENTIVES THAT YOU ALL KIND OF AGREED TO THAT WOULD HELP MACEO AND HIS TEAM HAVE A MORE CONCISE AND EXPEDITED PROCESS WHEN RECRUITING THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE TIED TO YOUR TARGET INDUSTRIES, TO THE CITY.
AND OF COURSE, THE LAST ONE IS, YOU KNOW, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY IT'S BEEN EXPRESSED, RIGHT, THAT OF ALL THE INDUSTRIAL SPACE THAT IS HERE, RIGHT, WE WANTED TO HAVE IT BE SOMETHING NEW AND SOMETHING GREAT FOR EASTPOINT. AND SO HAVING THAT BE A FOCUS AND HAVING THE SHIFT TO MORE MAYBE MIXED USE, MIXED USE SPACES AND OTHER USES, AS JEFF MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WORKFORCE IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE LIKE TO KEEP THAT AS A SEPARATE GOAL BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES IT PROVIDE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IMPROVING THEIR ECONOMIC MOBILITY, BUT IT ALSO HELPS WITH BUSINESS ATTRACTION BECAUSE OFTEN A LOT OF COMPANIES AND INDUSTRIES WILL TRY TO FOLLOW THE TALENT AND WHERE THEY LIVE. AND OF ALL THE GOALS, THIS IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WILL BE RELIANT MOSTLY ON WORKING WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS, RIGHT? THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT A CITY CAN DO JUST FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, SO IT'S BROKEN UP INTO UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE WORKFORCE CONNECTIONS ARE AND OTHER
[02:30:07]
INITIATIVES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED BY YOUR PARTNERS, BY THE STATE, MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE BEING MARKETED TO BUSINESSES, TO YOUR RESIDENTS, WORKING, HELPING BE A FACILITATOR WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS AND THE TEACHERS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE WORK BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, HOW YOU CAN INTEGRATE THOSE OPTIONS FOR CURRENT STUDENTS AND ALSO ASSISTING THEM YOU KNOW, VARIOUS BOOT CAMPS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE LOCAL HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE IN ATLANTA.AND THE LAST ONE, I MEAN, THE FOURTH ONE IS THE ENHANCE THE CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO OF THESE, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE AS JEFF HAD MENTIONED, THE IMPLEMENTATION MATRIX WILL OUTLINE YOUR A LEAD DEPARTMENT OR DEPARTMENTS AND THEN AS WELL AS THERE'LL BE ONES THAT ARE PARTNERS. AND THEN FOR MOST OF THESE ONES, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR EXAMPLE WOULD BE MORE OF A PARTNER, NOT NECESSARILY A LEAD. BUT ALL OF THESE ASPECTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE WIDER MISSION.
SO FOCUSING ON INFRASTRUCTURE, HELPING ENSURE THAT YOUR COMMERCIAL NODES EXISTING AND NEW, ARE CLEAN AND MAINTAIN THEIR INVITING FOR PATRONS AND FOR YOUR BUSINESSES.
WE HEARD ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE FIRST AND LAST MILE BETWEEN. YOU HAVE THE MARTA STATION, AND YOU HAVE DOWNTOWN MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A CONSISTENT AND ACCESSIBLE WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING THE CITY AND STAYING IN THOSE HOTELS TO GET TO DOWNTOWN AND FREQUENT THOSE BUSINESS, AND VICE VERSA, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMERCIAL NODES ACROSS EASTPOINT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE WORKING TOWARDS EXTENDING AND FINISHING THE EASTPOINT PATH.
AND THIS CAN HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE HOUSING CONCERNS IN AFFORDABILITY AND THE VACANT PROPERTIES.
AND THE LAST ONE, AS JEFF MENTIONED, IS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING YOUR CITYWIDE INITIATIVES. SO TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY PLANNING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER THAT ON TOP OF THE NEW INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE JUST DISCUSSED THAT ARE IN THE OTHER, OTHER GOALS, THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER ONES THAT THE CITY HAS TASKED ITSELF WITH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOT FORGET THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KEEP THE MOMENTUM AND KEEP GOING. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OFFICE THAT I JUST MENTIONED THAT YOU CREATED, THAT WAS CREATED OUT OF YOUR 2021 EQUITABLE GROWTH AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT WAS IT. I KNOW THAT WAS VERY FAST, BUT IT WAS A HIGHLIGHT, AN OVERVIEW. BUT WE WANTED TO DEDICATE MOST OF OUR TIME TO ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAD ABOUT WHAT I JUST WENT OVER ABOUT OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PLAN WHILE WE'RE HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I DON'T SEE ANY LIGHTS ON RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S THE CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE TIMELINE? WHAT'S THE IDEAL OR REQUESTED APPROVAL TIMELINE? WELL, WE THINK THE PLAN IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A TIMELINE IN TERMS OF THE AGENDA.
SO THIS COUNCIL WANT TO PUT THIS ON THE APRIL 21ST AGENDA FOR APPROVAL OR SOMETIME IN MAY.
MAY 5TH IS THE FIRST MEETING. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS.
YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND THANK YOU, MR. AND MRS.. OLIVERIO. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT IN THIS PLAN, PARTICULARLY, THERE ARE TWO PORTIONS OF IT THAT I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION ASPECT AND THAT THERE ARE ACTION ITEMS AND GOALS AND TIME FRAMES AND LEADS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THAT IS THE SURVEY RESPONSES.
SO OF THIS 214 PAGE DOCUMENT, 56, 57 OF THOSE PAGES ARE VERBATIM RESPONSES FROM THE SURVEYS.
AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF COMMUNITY FOLK, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE GAVE THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IN TERMS OF THE READINESS, I THINK BECAUSE OF THE PAGES THAT WERE ADDED, THE TABLE OF CONTENTS NEED TO BE RECALIBRATED.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THEM, THEY DON'T ALIGN WITH SOME OF THE SECTIONS, BUT IT'S LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
THANK YOU. I'LL DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT. SO SOUNDS LIKE MEH.
ARE WE DO YOU ALL WANT TO COME BACK TO A WORK SESSION? SO IT'S EITHER MAY 5TH, MAY 19TH, AND THE WORK SESSION IS MAY 12TH.
[02:35:07]
OKAY. MAY 12TH. WORK SESSION SECOND. YES. AND THEN WE CAN.THAT STILL GIVES US MAY 19TH. OKAY. VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CITY CLERK. DID YOU GET THAT? OKAY. NEXT UP, MR. JONES, IS IMPACT FEES. PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
[II.4. Impact Fees (Presentation and Public Hearing)]
I GUESS THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN ADVERTISED, I'M ASSUMING FOR MONDAY.IT SAYS PRESENTATION AND PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE WON'T BE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. SO I'M ASKING, IS IT IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON APRIL 21ST AGENDA OR WHEN IS IT ADVERTISED FOR TODAY? WE DON'T DO PUBLIC HEARINGS AT WORK SESSIONS.
INFORMATIONAL BUT THE PARENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR INFORMATION FOR CITY ATTORNEY WIGGINS.
YES, MA'AM. DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE PUBLIC HEARING? I MEAN, I GUESS IF IT'S BEEN ADVERTISED, WE ARE AT A PROPERLY NOTICED MEETING AND CAN CONDUCT BUSINESS AND HAVE A QUORUM.
SO IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE CAN HAVE IT TONIGHT, THEN I HAVE NOT SEEN THE ADVERTISEMENT.
SO I COULDN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER IT'S BEEN ADVERTISED FOR TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE A COPY OF THE ADVERTISEMENT? YES. CAN WE SHOW IT TO LEGAL? YES. DO YOU HAVE AN EXTRA COPY? MADAM MAYOR, IT RAN TWICE THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR A HEARING TODAY AT 630.
AND SO IT DOES INVITE THE PUBLIC TO COME AND LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS AND I GUESS SPEAK.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S WHAT A PUBLIC HEARING IS FOR, TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
CAN YOU READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULE, PLEASE? I CAN READ PUBLIC HEARING RULES OR PUBLIC. YES.
NOT PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU.
RULE 29 PROVIDES THAT PUBLIC HEARINGS SHALL BE ADVERTISED AS PER ORDINANCE.
THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL CALL FOR A MOTION TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE HEARING.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE SUBJECT WILL SPEAK FIRST FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE LIMITED TO NOT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
THOSE WHO OPPOSE THE SUBJECT WILL THEN SPEAK FOR A TOTAL OF 15 MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE LIMITED TO NOT MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
SPEAKERS MAY GIVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER.
AFTER ALL, THOSE PRESENT HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
RESIDENTS WILL BE GIVEN FIRST PRIORITY TO SPEAK.
AFTER ALL, RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
EACH SIDE WILL BE GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
SPEAKERS MUST ADHERE TO THE RULES OF DECORUM.
THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON IMPACT FEES? SO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
THE FLOOR IS OPEN, MR. JONES. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO HAVE STAFF DO AN OPENING PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL. I'D LIKE TO HAVE A WATER RESOURCE DIRECTOR.
ECHEVARRIA, GIVE A PRESENTATION FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
TODAY I HAVE WITH ME ALYSSA EDMONDS, THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.
THE PROCESS TO DEVELOP AN IMPACT FEE PROGRAM AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE AND TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL OR INITIAL PUBLIC INPUT ON CAPITAL PROJECT NEEDS. THE PURPOSE OF AN IMPACT FEE STUDY IS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL TO COLLECT A ONE TIME IMPACT FEE FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT, TO HELP PAY FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO START A FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
[02:40:02]
WHAT I PROVIDED IN THE PRESENTATION IS A COPY OF THE CITY OF GAINESVILLE IMPACT FEE EXAMPLE THAT HAS A SIMILAR POPULATION TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINT.AND AGAIN, IT INDICATES WHERE FEES CAN BE ASSESSED FOR FIRE, POLICE AND PARKS AS NECESSARY TO OFFSET THE COST OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE ADDITIONAL NEEDS OF THOSE PUBLIC SERVICES. IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT FEE UPDATE IN OUR PROGRESS ON NOVEMBER 20TH, 2023, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE NEWTON COUNTY PIGGYBACK CONTRACT FOR IMPACT FEE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM NOT TO EXCEED $94,500.
THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE UTILIZATION OF IMPACT FEES FOR FIRE EMERGENCY SERVICES.
JAIL. EMERGENCY 911. ROADS AND PARKS AND RECREATION.
ROSS AND ASSOCIATES WAS SELECTED AS THE CONSULTANT FOR THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM PURSUANT PURSUANT TO THE GEORGIA DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ACT, GEORGIA CODE 3671 FIVE. AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN SEPTEMBER 2024.
THIS COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, WHICH GOVERNS IMPACT FEES. A PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED.
TWO NOTICES WERE PLACED IN THE FULTON COUNTY NEIGHBOR, AND THE NOTICE IS AS FOLLOWS.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A PUBLIC HEARING SHALL BE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED IN CITY HALL, AT 2757 EAST POINT STREET, EAST POINT, GEORGIA, ON MONDAY, APRIL 14TH, 2025 AT 6:30 P.M.
BEFORE THE EAST POINT CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF AN IMPACT FEE PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE PREPARATION OF A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT PURSUANT TO GEORGIA DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ACT, SAID PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION THREE A OF CHAPTER ONE 1012 2-04 OF THE STATE'S DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS. ANY PERSONS WISHING TO LEARN OF THE PROCESS OF PREPARING AN IMPACT FEE PROGRAM, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT OR TO PROVIDE INPUT ON NEEDS AND GOALS OF SUCH A PROGRAM, ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. AGAIN, THE SCOPE OF THE IMPACT FEE STUDY IS TO ASSESS FEES ASSOCIATED WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR PARKS, OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE, EMS, POLICE AND ALSO PUBLIC WORKS.
THE MYTHOLOGY REPORT IS UNDERWAY AND IT IS A THREE PART PROCESS.
POLICE, FIRE, EMS AND ALSO THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
P EXCUSE ME. IMPACT FEE PROGRAM. THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT.
AND HERE IS A GRAPH THAT INDICATES OUR GOALS OUR OBJECTIVES AND THE NEXT TIME WE PLAN ON MEETING.
AND I HAVE TODAY MISS PAIGE HADLEY, WHICH IS OUR CONSULTANT WITH ROSS AND ASSOCIATES, WHO CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL INFORMATION OTHER THAN WHAT I WAS ABLE TO PRESENT IN A PRESENTATION TO YOU TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE ARE IN A PUBLIC HEARING. I'M GOING TO ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE IMPACT FEE STUDY. I GUESS IS WHAT WE'RE CONSIDERING RIGHT NOW.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE IMPACT FEE STUDY.
ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO AN IMPACT FEE STUDY? PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO AN IMPACT FEE PROGRAM STUDY, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? CAN I GET A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
WE'RE IN A WORK SESSION, SO, MISS ECHEVARRIA, YOU CAN COME BACK UP.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REGARDING WHAT WAS JUST PRESENTED OR THE IMPACT FEE STUDY PROGRAM? COUNCIL MEMBER, SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. SO? SO THIS IS JUST A TO A STUDY, JUST TO BRING SOMETHING BACK WITH THE FEES AND EVERYTHING. YES. AND ORDINANCE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION.
SO SO FAR RIGHT NOW WE HAVE GATHERED THAT INFORMATION AND THE CONSULTANT IS GOING THROUGH THAT.
AND SO AGAIN IT'S A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ELEMENT.
SO OUR CAPITAL BUDGET THAT YOU ALL KIND OF PRODUCE AND YOU APPROVE.
[02:45:02]
WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT TO SUBMIT FOR THEM TO ASSESS A FEE OR A VALUE TO.OKAY. SO THAT MONEY COULD BE USED FOR PARKS RECREATION VEHICLES.
AMBULANCE POLICE VEHICLES. OKAY. AND I FEEL LIKE THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING ON SOMETHING FOR QUITE SOME TIME WHEN IT COMES TO IMPACT FEES. OH, I SAY I FEEL LIKE THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
WE'VE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT. SO WE INITIATED THIS PROCESS IN 2023.
AND IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE DID THE ACTUAL DDA COMMITTEE IS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR YOU TO VOTE ON. THAT'S RIGHT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN THE FEES BE ASSESSED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION? SO SOME DEVELOPMENTS HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS LIKE NOISE OR CUTTING BUFFERS OR NEEDING WALLS TO. BARRIERS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING.
SO THE PROJECT ELIGIBLE IMPACT FEE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS ARE LIMITED TO CAPITAL PROJECT COSTS.
SO THAT IS BASICALLY BRICKS AND MORTAR, ADDITIONAL SQUARE FOOTAGE.
HEAVY VEHICLES THAT HAVE A SERVICE LIFE OF AT LEAST TEN YEARS.
RECREATION COMPONENTS. AND SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE CONCEPT STAGE TO SITE PLANNING, ETC. ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO AN ELIGIBLE PROJECT CAN BE FUNDED WITH IMPACT FEES.
BUT TECHNICALLY WE HAVE THESE SILOS, IF YOU WILL, WHERE WE HAVE, WE'RE BOUND BY STATE LAW TO ENSURE THAT THE MONIES GO TOWARDS ACTUAL PUBLIC FACILITY PROJECTS SPECIFIC TO THE CATEGORIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
PARKS UNDER PUBLIC WORKS, WE MEAN ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IS THE ELIGIBLE CATEGORY.
FIRE AND POLICE. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS. SO INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT CONSIDERED. IT'S A CAPITAL PROJECT BUT IT'S NOT THE TYPE THAT THIS CAN BE USED FOR.
WELL, I FORGIVE MY CONFUSION WHEN WE SPEAK OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND SO PERHAPS I'M MISUNDERSTANDING. I THINK YOU MEAN WATER AND SEWER.
NO. AND SO THE REASON BEING IS WE ALREADY HAVE TAP FEES, SO WE WON'T BE INCLUDED IN THE IMPACT FEE.
THE GOAL HERE IS TO PUT A COST OF LEVEL SERVICE OUT THAT'S ACTUALLY OUT FOR BID NOW, AND WE WILL HOPEFULLY MAKE RECOMMENDATION ON THOSE TAP FEES INSTEAD OF HAVING ANOTHER TAX TO IT. SO THAT'S THE GOAL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
YOU HAD SOMETHING ADDITIONAL YOU WANT TO ADD. THANK YOU. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THERE'S SORT OF A THE BRIGHT LINE, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN THE WATER AND SEWER AND THE FEE COLLECTION IS HANDLED DIFFERENTLY.
BUILDING PERMITS ARE THE MECHANISM FOR ASSESSING AND COLLECTING IMPACT FEES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO MOST COMMUNITIES HANDLE WATER AND SEWER SEPARATELY.
AND THEN THE BALANCE OF AN IMPACT FEE THAT IS GOING TO BE LOOKED AT AND COLLECTED COVERS THE OTHER THINGS LIKE PARKS AND ROADS, FIRE, ETC.. AND THAT'S HANDLED AT THE POINT WHEN BUILDING PERMITS ARE ISSUED.
BECAUSE IT'S THAT'S HOW IT'S TALKING ABOUT NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL HOUSING UNITS.
SO A BUILDING PERMIT COMES IN FOR A HOUSE, THEN THERE'S AN IMPACT FEE ASSESSED TO COLLECT FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO HELP SUPPORT ADDITIONAL PARKS, ETC., NEEDED TO SERVE NEW RESIDENTIAL GROWTH.
AND IT COVERS ALL LAND USES FROM RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, ETC.
AGAIN, IT JUST TIES BACK TO BUILDING PERMITS.
YOU SAID IT COVERS ALL LAND USES. SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
YOU MENTIONED COMMERCIAL. YEAH. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT PARKS FOR ONE, AS MENTIONED THE FIRST PRESENTATION, THERE MAY BE AN INCIDENTAL USE BY NONRESIDENTIAL USES, BUT PREDOMINANTLY THE USERS ARE RESIDENTS.
BUT EVERYBODY HAS AN IMPACT ON ANY OTHER SERVICE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND ROADS.
[02:50:04]
THERE'S AN IMPACT THERE. SO THAT WOULD BE INCLUSIVE OF COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL, ETC.. AND SO WE HAVE TO BE SURE WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE STATE LAW THAT WE'RE WE'RE CHARGING PROPORTIONATELY THESE USES THEIR FAIR SHARE.NO MORE THAN THAT. WHEN WE GET INTO LOOKING AT WHETHER IF COUNCIL ULTIMATELY WANTS TO ADOPT AN IMPACT FEE PROGRAM, THERE ARE DETAILS IN AN ORDINANCE. THE DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE, AS WAS MENTIONED.
THAT GETS INTO CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP WHAT IS BEING EXEMPTED.
BUT GENERALLY WE HAVE ABOUT A TWO PAGE LIST OF LAND USES THAT ARE ASSESSED IMPACT FEES.
OKAY. THANK YOU. CAN YOU GO TO THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE STATUTE SECTION ON IT? I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WRITE IT DOWN. OR YOU CAN JUST TELL ME, MELISSA, WHAT'S THE OCGA STATUTE? OH. THE GEORGIA DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ACT OF GEORGIA IS SECTION 36, DASH 71.5 AND THEN 46 DASH 71. YES. I'M SORRY I TALKED TALK FAST AND I KNOW THAT, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I'M A FAST TALKER. SO GEORGIA DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE ACT OF GEORGIA THE CODE IS 36.
DASH 71. DASH FIVE OH. DASH FIVE. AND THEN AGAIN, IN THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S KIND OF SMALL.
SO ANY WAREHOUSES, INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, HOTELS FITNESS CENTERS, THEY'RE ALL ON HERE.
IT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT. SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WOULD BE ASSESSED YOU.
SO IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THERE'S ANY ACTION NEEDED FROM COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. NEXT UP, UPDATE ON FACADE.
[II.5. Update on Facade Grant Program]
GRANT COUNCIL MEMBER, SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. AND I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I WANTED AN UPDATE ON THE FACADE GRANT, BECAUSE I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, AND I KNOW THAT IT HAS CLOSED WITH THE APPLICATIONS.AND I BELIEVE YOU SENT A LIST OF THE BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED.
CORRECT. YES, MA'AM. ALL OF THE BUSINESS OR JUST SOME OF THE BUSINESS? SO WE HAD A A TOTAL OF 88 TO APPLY. DURING THE TIME OF THE THE DEADLINE, APRIL 4TH. AND TWO THIRDS OF THOSE APPLIED. ON THE FOURTH AFTER BUSINESS HOURS.
SO WE SPENT ALL OF LAST WEEK GETTING EVERYTHING UPLOADED INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND COMPILED BY. BY REGION. IN THIS CASE, BY THE FOUR WARDS AND DOWNTOWN.
AS A RESULT, WE HAD 33 SUBMISSIONS INVOLVING DOWNTOWN.
16 INVOLVING WARD. A, 31 INVOLVING WARD B. FIVE IN WARD C AND THREE IN WARD D. THAT GIVES US A TOTAL OF THE 88.
WHAT WAS THAT, MA'AM? 33. WE DID 12 COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETINGS. TWO IN EACH WARD AND FOUR IN DOWNTOWN.
THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE IS SET TO MEET THIS WEDNESDAY.
TO BEGIN THE EVALUATION PROCESS. SO THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WHO HOW WAS THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE SELECTED AND WHO IS THE EVALUATION? YES, MA'AM. SO IT INVOLVES PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT. CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT.
HUMAN SERVICES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I'M TRYING TO FIND THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT OUT THAT HAD A LISTING OF ALL OF THE BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED, THAT APPLIED.
OKAY. BUT I. TWO OF THEM I DIDN'T SEE THAT SAID THEY APPLIED ON HERE, I DIDN'T SEE THEM.
[02:55:01]
AND THERE WAS AN ERROR WHEN IT CAME TO THE THE ARTS RIGHT HERE ON CONLEY.YES, MA'AM. YOU HAD IT LISTED AS WARD B WHEN THAT'S WARD A, THE ARTS CENTER IS IN WARD A.
AND WHAT I NOTICED WAS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE.
THAT'S ON HERE. NOW, THERE WERE SOME APPLICANTS WHO OR SUBMISSIONS THAT WERE RESIDENTIAL RELATED.
HOWEVER THAT IS INELIGIBLE. AND THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO FIND THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT, BECAUSE I DO HAVE QUESTIONS. BECAUSE I KNOW BAYARD THE THE PLAZA ON BAYARD.
SHE SAID SHE APPLIED. SURE. AND ALSO THE THE NAIL SALON UP ON IN THE WAKEFIELD PLAZA.
THEY APPLIED, AND I DIDN'T SEE THEM ON THE LIST.
OKAY. WELL, AS I MENTIONED, WE WILL GO BACK AND VERIFY.
COUNCILWOMAN. WE'VE SINCE THE DEADLINE, WE HAVE REALLY TRIED TO GET EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW COMPILED AND OF COURSE SEGMENTED BY BY LOCATION. AND SO WE WILL AND PLUS, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT UPON RECEIVING THE INFORMATION, WE RESPONDED TO ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE RECEIVED THEIR INFORMATION.
AND, OF COURSE WE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL INPUT BASED ON ONCE THE THE APPLICATION WAS EXTENDED DEADLINE WISE FOR THAT INFORMATION THAT WE'D GOTTEN PRIOR TO THAT, THEY WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL OR SUBSEQUENT INFORMATION THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE INITIAL SUBMISSION.
SO WE WILL WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT.
AND FOR THAT REASON WE WILL START THE PROCESS ON WEDNESDAY.
BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY WANT TO AND NEED SOME EXTENDED TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS GONE THROUGH APPROPRIATELY AND AND, AND DEFINITIVELY. SO YOU'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'VE CAPTURED EVERYBODY THAT APPLIED. YES, MA'AM. WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT. WE HAD WE HAD DELIVERIES.
WE HAD SUBMISSIONS BASED ON THE PORTAL ON THE WEBSITE.
WE HAD DIRECT EMAIL. AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF FAXES, BUT TO DATE, WE DIDN'T GET ANY THAT WERE POSTMARKED AND SENT IN BY US, US MAIL, BUT WE HAD ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
OKAY. I JUST CAN'T FIND THE THE EMAIL. HERE IT IS RIGHT HERE. YEAH. NO, THAT'S NOT IT. I JUST CAN'T FIND THE EMAIL.
BUT I DO KNOW SO. LET ME JUST SAY AGAIN, THEY SAID THEY APPLIED. I DIDN'T SEE THEM ON THE LIST. AND WHAT ARE THE CRITERIAS WHEN YOU ALL MEET? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? TO ISSUE, DECIDE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ISSUE THE GRANT TO HELP THE BUSINESSES.
AND SO WHAT DOES THAT WHAT WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU GO THROUGH WHEN THE COMMITTEE GOES THROUGH ALL OF THE INFORMATION? SO HOW MANY ABOUT HOW MANY WILL GET THE GRANT.
AND SO WE'LL WEED THOSE OUT INITIALLY, AND THEN WE WILL START THE PROCESS IN EARNEST IN TERMS OF EVALUATING THE APPLICANTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE. AND OF COURSE, EACH OF THE MEMBERS WHO ARE ON THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE WILL DO THEIR OWN SCORING.
BUT OF COURSE, WE'LL COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND DISCUSS THE EACH INDIVIDUAL APPLICANT.
AND IF THERE ARE WIDE SWINGS, OF COURSE, IT WOULD WARRANT A DEEPER DISCUSSION.
[03:00:04]
DIFFERENT DOWNTOWNS. IT HAS TO BE FAIRNESS ACROSS THE BOARD.IT HAS TO BE EQUAL THAT A, B, C, AND D AT LEAST SOME BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM. IN ORDER TO HELP THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU HAVE TO HELP THE BUSINESS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME WHO WANT ALL OF IT TO GO DOWNTOWN. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT'S BEST IF YOU CAN HELP THE THE PLAZAS IN EACH WARD.
THAT WOULD BRING THESE COMMUNITIES UP AND MAKE THESE COMMUNITIES LOOK BETTER AND THRIVE BETTER THAN, YOU KNOW, IF THEY APPLY AND THEY APPROVE, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
BUT WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT TO BE POURED INTO JUST ONE AREA AND NOT FAIR ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY.
RIGHT. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING AN UPDATED EMAIL WITH THOSE UPDATED WHATEVER BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED THAT WERE MISSED.
SO BECAUSE THEY THEY SAID THEY APPLIED. OKAY.
UP IN THE WAYFAIR PLAZA AS WELL AS THE BUSINESS.
DO DO YOU KNOW WHAT METHOD THEY APPLY? OH, I DON'T KNOW.
I SEE. OKAY. WELL WE'LL ASK. YES, MA'AM. WE WILL CERTAINLY CHECK THAT OUT.
WE AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO BE HASTY ABOUT IT.
OKAY. AND JUST ANOTHER QUESTION. WHAT'S THE TIMELINE ON WHEN YOU WILL HAVE THE FINAL THE FINAL BUSINESSES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM IT. SO PROJECTION WISE AROUND THE END OF THE MONTH WE SHOULD BE IN POSITION TO ANNOUNCE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GENERATED LIST OF THE THE AWARDEES.
AND WE WILL SHARE THAT LIST BEFORE WE SHARE IT WITH YOU, BEFORE IT GOES OUT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, EVEN TO THE THE AWARDEES THEMSELVES, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE INFORMED AS TO WHO THIS PROCESS INVOLVED. AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE TEAM THAT WE HAVE ASSEMBLED.
EVERYONE HAS WORKED VERY HARD AND DILIGENTLY TO GET US TO THIS POINT, AND I CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE ALL OF THEIR HELP, WITHOUT A DOUBT. AND APPRECIATE THAT MOVING FORWARD AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER LIGHTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT CHIEF BUCHANAN FOR UPDATE ON POLICING.
[III.6. Update on Policing]
THANK YOU.GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, EVERYONE.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO COVER A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE CAN COVER REAL QUICK.
THE SUMMER CAMP IS A GO. WE'RE RAISING MONEY THROUGH THE HOTELS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WE'RE DOING AN UPGRADE TO OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER.
IT'S A SOFTWARE UPGRADE AND WE'RE GOING TO USE ASSET FORFEITURE MONEY FOR THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO START FILMING WITH TRI-CITY HIGH SCHOOL PROBABLY IN THE NEXT WEEK.
FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, OUR RESPONSE TIME DECREASED THREE MINUTES.
WE WERE AROUND EIGHT MINUTES AND 30 SOME, I MEAN 11 MINUTES AND 30 SOME SECONDS FOR RESPONSE TIME.
LAST YEAR WE REDUCED IT TO EIGHT MINUTES AND 37 SECONDS.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE FIVE MINUTES OR LESS. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
[03:05:03]
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON HARD RIGHT NOW. SO EVERY YEAR WE CAN DECREASE RESPONSE TIME. THAT'S CRITICAL BECAUSE IT PROVIDES FASTER, BETTER SERVICES. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT EIGHT MINUTES.I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ANY OTHER UP DATES TO MAKE, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER.
THANKS, CHIEF. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU.
THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE POWER WENT OUT RIGHT AT THE CORNER OF DELAWARE AND CONLEY.
YEAH, AND IT TOOK DOWN THE FENCE OF THE HOUSE THAT SIT ON THE CORNER.
AND SPEAKING WITH THAT RESIDENT, THEY SAID THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SPEEDING THAT GO UP AND DOWN.
AND IT IS IT REALLY IS. AND PEOPLE RUN THE RED LIGHT AND THEY ASKED ABOUT A CAMERA.
IS IT ANY WAY THAT YOU ALL COULD PUT A CAMERA IN THAT AREA TO CATCH SPEEDERS, BECAUSE THAT'S THE SAME ROAD THAT THAT THEY GO WHEN THEY'RE GOING UP THERE TO DRAG RACE IN THE PLAZA.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CAMERA THERE. IT'S ON A POLE. SO WE START AT THE LOW END.
AND CONLEY BY THE CHURCH. YES. YOU PROBABLY NEVER SEEN IT, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE THERE.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF OUR CHIEF? THANKS, CHIEF. AND THANK YOU ALL. NEXT UP COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON WORK WAGON WORKS,
[IV.13. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Wagon Work Phase 2 Letter of Support]
PHASE TWO. LETTER OF SUPPORT, MR. JONES. YES.I'M GOING TO TRY AND TAKE SOME MORE OF THESE.
LEGAL ALSO HAS BROUGHT SOME TO MY ATTENTION, SO I'M TRYING TO GET AS MANY OF THESE AS WE CAN. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T EVEN HEAR WHAT WAS SAID. YEAH, I'M SORRY I SAID I WAS SHARING WITH STAFF AND COUNCIL THAT WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER 13.
SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD WITH THIS, OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, I'M GOING TO QUICKLY GET OUT OF THE WAY AND AND INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE ALYSSA WILKINS, WHO'S GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR DEVELOPER IN THEIR REQUEST.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS ALYSSA WILKINS, AND I AM THE PROGRAM ANALYST AND HOUSING COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT. AND TONIGHT, I'M HERE TO PROPOSE A DEVELOPMENT FROM HALLMARK DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, LLC. THIS IS A PROJECT LOCATED AT 1614 WEST CLEVELAND AVENUE KNOWN AS WAGON WORKS PHASE TWO.
THIS IS A PROPOSED MIXED USE, MIXED INCOME DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE UP TO 50 RENTAL UNITS.
THIS PHASE ONE IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND UPON COMPLETION WILL PROVIDE 89 UNITS FOR FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS, SO A TOTAL OF 139 UNITS. WAGON WORKS PHASE TWO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, AND THIS ALLOCATES FEDERAL AND STATE TAX CREDITS TO OWNERS OF QUALIFIED RENTAL PROPERTIES WHO RESERVE ALL OR A PORTION OF THEIR UNITS FOR OCCUPANCIES AT A SPECIFIC AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
SO THE GEEK COMMUNITY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE GEORGIA INITIATIVE FOR COMMUNITY HOUSING VOTED TO RECOMMEND THAT HALLMARK DEVELOPMENT RECEIVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT THROUGH THE CITY OF EAST POINT GIG ALUMNI STATUS.
THE COMMITTEE FOUND THAT WAGON WORKS PHASE TWO PRESENTED A THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED, WELL INTEGRATED, AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED HOUSING SOLUTION THAT ALIGNED WITH THE TECH PROGRAM AND BROADER EFFORTS TO EXPAND HIGH QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO, GIVEN THE DEVELOPER'S EXPERIENCE, STRONG PROJECT APPROACH, COMMITMENT TO CONNECTIVITY AND ARCHITECTURAL COMPATIBILITY, THE GET COMMITTEE MOVED TO SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
THE WAGON WORKS PHASE TWO DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE 2021 EQUITABLE GROWTH AND INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN, AND IT ALSO IS SUPPORTED BY THE MISSION AND VISION OF THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. THOMPSON CURRY, THE PRESIDENT OF HALLMARK DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, WHO CAN SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
[03:10:02]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MELISSA. MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, HOW ARE YOU ALL TONIGHT? GOOD. THANK YOU. WAGON WORKS PHASE TWO IS JUST REALLY GOING TO BE AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT REHAB OF THE HISTORIC WAGON WORKS.I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SWING BY THERE, BUT WE'RE WELL UNDERWAY.
WE SHOULD BE DONE IN OCTOBER WITH THAT DEVELOPMENT.
THE WAGON WORKS. PHASE TWO WILL HAVE A VERY SIMILAR LOOK.
IT'S IN THE TOD OVERLAY. AND I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THE CITY'S BEEN GREAT TO US. THROUGH GETTING IT, THE ORIGINAL PROJECT AWARDED AND PHASE TWO.
WE JUST, YOU KNOW, HOPE HOPEFULLY GOES A LITTLE EASIER IN PHASE ONE.
PHASE ONE WAS YOU KNOW, DURING COVID WE REALLY DEALT WITH SOME ESCALATION OF PRICES.
THE STATE CAME IN PUT PUT SOME EXTRA MONEY IN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO WE, WE PUT SOME EXTRA MONEY IN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AS WELL.
WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE, TWO BEDROOM UNITS. THERE WILL BE A COUPLE, THREE BEDROOM UNITS.
BUT IT'S MOSTLY GOING TO BE ONES AND TWOS. WE'LL HAVE AMENITIES WILL BE IN BOTH BUILDINGS.
BUT WE'LL PROBABLY ADD AN ADDITIONAL UNIT. I'M SORRY.
ADDITIONAL AMENITY AT PHASE TWO. THAT'S NOT AT PHASE ONE.
SO THAT'S THAT'S IT. SO ANY ANY QUESTIONS? OH, IN THE IN THE REASON I'M HERE IS OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE THEY HAVE AWARDED US THE GET THE GIG LETTER FROM THE GET COMMITTEE, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE THAT.
THEM ISSUING THE LETTER. COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE ROGERS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS PROJECT TO LIFE. AND I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING THE TRANSFORMATION OF TRAIN CARS INTO POP UP COFFEE SHOPS THAT, LIKE, IT'S GONNA BE PRETTY COOL. YES, THAT DREW MY ATTENTION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE HOPING TO DO DIFFERENT DIFFERENT THINGS WITH THE TRAIN CARS WE HAVE KIANA AT OUR OFFICE IS WORKING ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF MAYBE DOING YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE A WEEKEND FLEA MARKET OR SOMEBODY HAS ART TO SELL OR, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY REPURPOSING THEM AND GIVING THEM A USE.
SO YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER.
YES, MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE LOT TONIGHT.
THIS IS WORK SESSION SO WE CAN PUT IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WAS ADVERTISED, BUT THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN BUTLER, THOUGH. YEAH, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE PUT IT ON CONSENT ONCE.
OK. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER. YES.
THANK YOU. AND MR. CARTER, THESE FOUR ARE 9%.
THESE ARE THIS IS A 9%. IT'S A 9%. YES. AND I THINK THAT, MISS WILKINS, I THOUGHT THAT I HEARD YOU SAY A MIXED USE MIXED INCOME, BUT IS IT IN COMMERCIAL? SO IT'S NOT REALLY A MIXED USE.
IS IT ALL RESIDENTIAL? BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE.
WE WILL LIKE PHASE ONE WILL HAVE AROUND 8000FT² OF COMMERCIAL SPACE.
THERE'S. AND, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE CONSTRUCTION GETS DONE, WE'LL DO A, WE'LL DO A LARGE GRAND OPENING, BUT IT'LL HAVE AROUND 8000FT². PHASE TWO IS STILL, YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE ACTUALLY ARE AWARDED THE PROJECT.
OKAY. SO AND IN PHASE ONE, THAT 8000 YOU THINK WILL BE OFFICE OR WOULD IT BE.
IT COULD BE. IT COULD BE ANYTHING. IT COULD BE.
SO RETAIL. IT HAS MORE VISIBILITY THE WAY THE CAN YOU CAN YOU GO TO THE AERIAL OF THE THIS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS GOING TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK, IF YOU CAN PUT THIS ON CONSENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. LOOKING FORWARD TO PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO. AND THESE GUYS ARE GREAT TOO. THEY'VE BEEN THEY'VE BEEN GREAT. THANK YOU. WE NEED TO. PER RULE SIX. THE CHAIR CAN DECIDE THE ORDER OF BUSINESS.
[V. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
[03:15:01]
OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAS TO STEP AWAY. SO WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ONE POTENTIAL LITIGATION IN TWO REAL ESTATE BEFORE SHE LEAVES OR WHILE SHE'S ABLE TO BE WITH US. SO CAN I GET A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ONE? POTENTIAL LITIGATION INTO REAL ESTATE MATTERS.SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE IN RECESS. IT'S GOING TO COME IN HANDY.
CAN WE GET A MOTION TO RECONVENE? MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP IS ITEM NUMBER 14. COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ALCOHOL.
[IV.14. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Alcohol License for Consumption on Premises at Sunshine Blue Waters, LLC (UBAR) (3515 Camp Creek Parkway) - Public Hearing Required]
LICENSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES AT U BAR.IS THERE SOMEONE FROM POLICE HERE? YEAH. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
NAOMI LEWIS IS APPLYING FOR AN ALCOHOL LICENSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON PREMISE OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS U BAR, LOCATED AT 3515 CAMP CREEK PARKWAY. MISS LEWIS IS THE REGISTERED AGENT OF AN EXISTING BUSINESS AND HAS NO HISTORY WITH THE CITY OF EAST POINT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THE ISSUANCE OF ALCOHOL LICENSE FOR CONSUMPTION ON PREMISE OF BEER, WINE AND LIQUOR. COUNCIL MEMBER, SHROPSHIRE. I HAVE A QUESTION.
IS THIS A NEW. DID THEY TRANSFER THE ALCOHOL LICENSE? YES. SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PREVIOUS PERSON? WELL, THEY ACTUALLY BOUGHT UP THE. HE'S NO LONGER THERE.
WHAT? YES. MISS LEWIS IS THE NEW OWNER. INTERESTING.
OKAY. SO ALONG THE SAME LINE, I NOTICED THIS COMPANY, SUNSHINE BLUE WATERS, WAS CREATED ON NOVEMBER 24TH, 2023. SO WHEN DID THEY BECOME THE OWNER OF UBER? AND WHAT CURRENT ALCOHOL LICENSE IS THAT ESTABLISHMENT OPERATING UNDER? JANUARY 2024. BY JANUARY 2024. AND HE RENEWED BEFORE HE SOLD IT TO MISS LEWIS. SO IT'S STILL UNDER HIS NAME. THAT'S WHY SHE'S TRYING TO GET THE ALCOHOL LICENSE.
SO I'VE SEEN SOME PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS THAT SAY TRANSFER OWNERSHIP.
YES, BUT THIS ONE SAYS A NEW APPLICATION FOR EXISTING BUSINESS.
YES. BECAUSE WHEN. SO SHE BOUGHT THE HE'S NO LONGER OVER IT.
SO SHE BOUGHT IT. SO IT'S A SHE HAS TO DO A NEW APPLICATION FOR THE ALCOHOL LICENSE.
SO SHE PURCHASED IN 24. YOU SAID YES. 2020 JANUARY 2024.
AND THE CURRENT LICENSE EXPIRES WHEN THE END OF 2025, DECEMBER 2025.
BECAUSE HE RENEWED BEFORE HE SOLD IT TO HER. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S OPERATING UNDER THE PREVIOUS OWNER, CORRECT? AND IS WAS LIKE THAT ALL OF 2025 OR 2024? CORRECT. AND NOW THEY'RE JUST ASKING FOR AN ALCOHOL LICENSE IN THE OWNER'S NAME.
WHO'S OWNED IT SINCE JANUARY 2024? CORRECT. HOW LONG DOES OUR ORDINANCE REQUIRE? WHAT'S THE TIME PERIOD THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO APPLY FOR A NEW LICENSE? DID YOU APPLY UNDER YOUR NAME OR.
SO SHE SHE APPLIED UNDER HER NAME. AND I GUESS I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP WITH LEGAL, BECAUSE MY QUESTION IS, IF THE BUSINESS WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY OF 2024? YES. THEN ALL LAST YEAR THE LICENSE THAT WAS THERE WAS NOT IN THE NEW OWNER'S NAME.
WE'RE NOW IN 2025. BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL.
NEXT UP IS THE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION. MOU, MISTER JONES AND MISS JESSIE.
[IV.15. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Sickle Cell Foundation and City of East Point MOU Amendment]
[03:20:05]
YES. DIRECTOR JESSIE WILL HELP INTRODUCE THE PRESENT PRESENTER.THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
THIS ITEM IS RELATED TO AN AMENDMENT TO AN MOU FOR THE BETWEEN THE CITY OF EAST POINT AND THE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION OF GEORGIA, INCORPORATED.
THERE IS A CURRENT MOU THAT GOVERNS PRIMARILY THE ANNUAL SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION WALK RUN EVENT THAT'S HELD IN SEPTEMBER OF EACH YEAR.
THE CURRENT MOU EXPIRES IN MAY, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO RENEW THE I'M SORRY, AMEND THE MOU. WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE FROM THE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION OF GEORGIA, MR. BRUNO BUTLER AND BRIDGES.
I'M SORRY. AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. SO WHAT ARE THE MATERIAL TERMS OF THE MOU? THE MOU COVERS A PROVISION BY THE CITY TO PROVIDE OF COURSE, THE LOCATION POLICE OFFICERS EMERGENCY MEDICAL INDIVIDUALS. AND IT ALSO HAS UNDER THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE DMO AS AUTHORIZED BY ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ANY MARKETING ACTIVITIES. THE CITY IS NOT INVOLVED IN THAT.
HOWEVER WE WILL ADVERTISE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS.
THERE IS NO FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION INVOLVED. AND DID YOU SAY THIS HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY LEGAL? YES, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING.
HOW ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING. WHAT YEAR WOULD THIS BE FOR US? THIS WILL BE NUMBER TEN. OH, DECADE. NUMBER TEN.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE. ANY QUESTIONS? THEY PRINTED OUT THE MOU AND PROVIDED IT TO US AS WELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER IS DOCTOR GREEN STILL WORKING WITH THE SICKLE CELL ORGANIZATION? DOCTOR GREEN RETIRED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO. HE COMES OVER AND CHECKS ON THE PLACE EVERY NOW AND THEN.
BUT HE'S DOING WELL IN RETIREMENT. HE'S WORKING IN HIS GARDEN, SO.
BUT I'LL DEFINITELY TELL HIM YOU ASKED ABOUT IT. YEAH, THAT WAS MY MOREHOUSE TEACHER.
PROFESSOR? GREAT. GREAT GENTLEMAN. YEAH. THANK YOU.
I GUESS THE WHAT'S THE PROJECTED DATE FOR THIS YEAR? SEPTEMBER THE THE FIRST SATURDAY IN SEPTEMBER, I BELIEVE IT'S THE 6TH SEPTEMBER.
I GUESS MY MY QUESTION IS, IS IF THE RACE IS IN SEPTEMBER NOW THIS CONTRACT GOES THROUGH MAY.
SO WE'LL BE COMING BACK NEXT YEAR PRIOR TO NEXT YEAR'S RACE.
I DON'T SEE A RENEWAL PROVISION IN HERE. IT IS.
MADAM MAYOR. THE THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID THAT WE COULD ONLY DO ONE YEAR WITH A ONE YEAR AUTOMATIC RENEWAL. THOSE ARE THE TERMS. UNLESS EITHER PARTY TERMINATES. OKAY. SO ONE YEAR AUTOMATIC.
SO IT'LL TAKE US THROUGH 2026. IT WAS THE SENTENCE BEFORE THE ONE I WAS READING.
QUESTIONS? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY EXTENSION? NO.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS WILL BE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA FOR MONDAY EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. A DECADE OF PARTNERING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE DOING THIS FOR THE FOR THE CHILDREN.
YES, FOR A VERY WORTHY CAUSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[03:25:06]
NEXT UP, ITEM NUMBER 24 ZERO EAST WESTBURY. THE NEXT THREE WILL TAKE[IV.24. 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 To Build Office/Workspaces for Small Businesses PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED]
2426. SO THE WE HAVE THREE PLANNINGS ON THE ITEMS. 24 IS ZERO. WEST BARRY AVENUE 26 HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THIS ONE HAS NOT GONE BEFORE PLANNING AND ZONING FOR A FINAL DECISION. IT GOES BEFORE PLANNING AND ZONING THIS THURSDAY FOR A FINAL DECISION.AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A 25 AND 27. WE CAN START WITH 25 AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THAT AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO I'M SORRY 24 AND 27. AND I THINK THAT WILL BE THE LAST ONES FOR PEOPLE HERE AND OH EAST POINT MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I'M SORRY THEY HAD TO HAD TO LEAVE.
AND WE HAVE STAFF WHO CAN PRESENT ON THEIR BEHALF.
MACEO IS HERE. OKAY, WE'LL TAKE THAT ONE. WE'LL DO THAT AFTER.
WE'LL GO BACK AND ORDER. AND THEN WE CAN FURTHER DISCUSS IT ON ON MONDAY AS WELL.
MR. JONES, I SEE MISS SMITH. YES. DIRECTOR SMITH WILL BE GUIDING US THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE ITEMS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER JONES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND FELLOW COUNCIL, IN REFERENCE TO THIS ITEM NUMBER 24 PROPERTY LOCATED AT ZERO EAST WOODBURY AVENUE.
CASE NUMBER P202500101. CASE TYPE IS A REZONING.
THE PURPOSE IS TO DEVELOP OFFICE AND WORK SPACES FOR BUSINESSES.
THE CURRENT ZONING OF THE PROPERTY, AS STATED, IS R3, AND THAT'S THE ZONING MAP SHOWN IN THE ORANGE TRIANGLE OUTLINED IN LIGHT BLUE OR GREEN. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP IS REDEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
STAFF RECOMMENDED DENIAL OF THIS APPLICATION AND PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED DENIAL.
WHEN THIS CASE CAME BEFORE YOU, BEFORE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AND STAFF HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK INTO POSSIBLE CONDITIONS. IF IT IS THE WILL OF COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
AND I COULD SHARE THOSE NOW IF YOU LIKE. THE FIRST CONDITION, IF IT'S THE DESIRE OF COUNCIL TO APPROVE WE WOULD RECOMMEND THE APPLICANT MUST ADHERE TO ALL CITY AND STATE BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING BUILDING MATERIAL.
DOWNCAST LIGHTING. REFUGE SCREENING. NATURAL VEGETATIVE TRANSITIONAL BUFFERS.
COMBINATION OF MASONRY MATERIALS. BRICK. STONE.
LANDSCAPING. SCREENING MUST INCLUDE NON INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES.
DISTRICT. NUMBER ONE OFFICE. BUSINESS AND ASSOCIATED STORAGE.
CONDITION NUMBER TWO OFFICE. PROFESSIONAL. CONDITION NUMBER THREE.
STUDIO. CONDITION NUMBER FOUR. TRAINING FACILITIES.
CONDITION OF USE NUMBER FIVE. ARTISAN WORKSHOP AND USE NUMBER SIX PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS.
THERE ARE A COUPLE MORE RECOMMENDED CONDITIONS.
CONDITION NUMBER THREE. THERE SHALL BE NO AUTOMOTIVE BODY SHOPS.
AUTOMOTIVE PAINT SHOPS ALLOWED. CONDITION NUMBER FOUR.
CONDITION NUMBER SIX. NO NIGHTCLUB SHALL BE PERMITTED.
[03:30:03]
WITHIN 12 MONTHS OF APPROVAL. THAT'S THE END OF OUR.SO I KNOW THE APPLICANT HAS BEEN HERE WAITING.
SO, LIKE, WHERE ARE WE PROCEDURALLY? WHERE ARE YOU PROCEDURALLY? THIS CASE CAME BEFORE YOU. AT THE. AT THE THIRD MEETING.
AT THE THIRD COUNCIL MEETING LAST MONTH. IT HAD YET TO GO TO A WORK SESSION.
SO WE BROUGHT IT BACK BEFORE YOU. SO TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A WORK SESSION.
AND IT'S BACK TO YOU THIS EVENING FOR WORK SESSION.
BUT WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING LAST MONTH. YES. SO A PUBLIC HEARING IS NOT REQUIRED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. YES. ALL RIGHT.
THE APPLICANT IS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER.
BUTLER. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THE CONDITIONS.
YES. ON THE SECOND PAGE OF CONDITIONS NUMBER FOUR, THERE SHALL BE NO PARKING LOTS.
CAN YOU JUST. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, ANY BUSINESS IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE PARKING.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE USE TO BE A PARKING LOT IN ITSELF? YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER GLOVER. THAT WAS MY SAME QUESTION.
SO THEY CAN HAVE PARKING FOR THEIR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT CANNOT BE A PARKING LOT.
SO PARKING FOR A BUSINESS AND A PARKING LOT ARE TWO DIFFERENT USES OF THE PROPERTY.
SO WE CAN'T HAVE A BUSINESS SAYING WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS SPACE AND IT'S GOING TO BE USED TO HOW'S OUR TRUCKS FOR DELIVERY? NO PARKING LOTS. MAY I ASK THE APPLICANT A QUESTION? HOW ARE YOU DOING? THANK YOU FOR COMING. SORRY FOR THE LATE. THANK YOU FOR THE LONG WAIT.
WELL, ALL OF THE AREA BE AIR CONDITIONED. BECAUSE I THINK THE STRUCTURE.
YES. OKAY. SO YOU SHOWED US GARAGE DOORS AND THEN DOORS.
SO IF I HAD A SCREEN PRINTING, THEN I CAN COME.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK. THE EXAMPLE YOU USED. CORRECT? YES.
SO BUT ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE SPACE WILL BE CONDITIONED.
YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. STAY RIGHT THERE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER. THANK YOU. QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THE OTHER CONDITIONS THAT THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A QUESTION OF DIRECTOR SMITH.
CAN WE GO BACK TO CONDITION NUMBER ONE, PLEASE? IN THIS PARTICULAR CONDITION, WE TALK ABOUT WINDOWS, AND.
BUT WE DON'T GIVE, LIKE, A PERCENTAGE. I'M THINKING, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME THAT THERE'S AN INTENT AROUND THE WINDOWS AS THE THE APPLICANT'S RENDERING OR ILLUSTRATIONS SHOW THE GARAGE DOORS.
IS IT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT ESTHETICALLY AND HAVE MORE WINDOWS OR FENESTRATION AS A PART OF THE BUILDINGS? YES. OKAY. SO DO WE WANT TO APPLY A PERCENTAGE HERE OR TO OUTRIGHT SAY NO GARAGE DOORS OR I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING WITH THE INTENT HERE.
SO IT ABUTS A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY. SO IS YOUR IS YOUR VEGETATIVE BUFFER A FIVE FOOT BUFFER, A TEN FOOT BUFFER, A 15 FOOT BUFFER. SO WHAT WOULD BE THE PLEASURE OR THE INTENT OF STAFF FOR THAT? WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT A, A A NUMBER TO IT. BASED ON SITE PLANNING, IT STILL HAS TO BE DONE.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES THAT WE'LL USE TO TO GUIDE US THROUGH.
SO THERE WILL BE A STANDARD VEGETATIVE BUFFER NUMBER.
WHAT IS THAT? I WANT TO SAY IT'S 3 TO 5FT. OKAY.
[03:35:10]
IS NOT GREATLY IMPACTED. SO WE WOULD PUT A NUMBER, SAY, A TEN FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE THE THIS WOULD BE APPROVED ON THE CONDITION OF THIS, WHATEVER WE PUT IN THE CONDITIONS.AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT GRAY AREAS WHEN IT COMES TO STAFF SAYING ONE THING.
WE'RE WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WITH THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THE CODE.
AND I WANT TO SAY IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S FIVE FEET.
IT'S IT'S A FIVE FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER. IT'S A FIVE FOOT VEGETATIVE BUFFER.
AND WITH THAT I THINK YOU DO SAY SOMETIMES WE USE SPECIFIC LIKE IF IT'S GOING TO BE EVERGREENS OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT WILL CREATE A REALLY NICE BUFFER.
SO DO YOU NOT WANT TO HAVE THAT INCLUDED, OR IS THAT ALSO GOING TO INCLUDE IT WITHIN THE CODE? IT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE CODE. AND WE WOULD IF EVERGREEN.
THAT WOULD BE A NICE CONDITION TO ADD SO THAT THERE'S COVERAGE.
THE REASON WE DO THOSE TYPES OF SO THAT'LL BE IN THERE.
SO THEN WE'RE NOT REALLY MEETING THE INTENT OF WHAT THE CONDITION IS FOR.
SO IS THERE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE THAT STAFF IS LOOKING FOR, OR DO YOU WANT TO OUTRIGHT REMOVE THE GARAGE DOORS? I DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE THE GARAGE DOORS. CAN HAVE A.
A PERCENTAGE OF 20%. THAT'S USUALLY STANDARD FOR FACADES.
FOR WINDOWS. OKAY. SO 20% ON THE THE FACADE. I THINK THAT'S NORTH FACING WHICH WOULD BE 166.
YES. OKAY. A MINIMUM OF 20. MINIMUM. YES. MINIMUM 20%.
OKAY. AND EVERGREENS USED IN THE. THE BUFFER.
ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY, I GUESS, NOISE MITIGATION? OR MAYBE A WALL TO SEPARATE YOUR PROPERTY FROM THE NEAREST HOME.
I KNOW IT SOMETIMES CLOSES OFF, AND IT PREVENTS WHATEVER IS HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE.
IT PREVENTS THE HOMEOWNER FROM BEING DISTURBED.
SO. HAS THAT EVER BEEN TALKED ABOUT? YES, MA'AM.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE A RESIDENTIAL WALL. WHITE PICKET.
SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE INSIDE OF OUR FACILITY.
AND OUR TENANTS WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE INSIDE THEIR YARDS.
WELL, THAT MITIGATE ANY NOISE? YES, YES. WHAT IS ALONG I-285? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? NO, I SAID LIKE THE THE WALLS ALONG I-285. OKAY.
SO THIS SPACE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE LIKE OFFICE SPACE WORKSPACE FOR PEOPLE.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED I DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE LIKE THE GLASS GARAGE DOORS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE.
IT GIVES IT MORE OF A CONTEMPORARY STYLE. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU CONSIDER OR.
SO WE DON'T WANT THEIR PRIVATE BELONGINGS BEING ABLE TO BE SEEN FROM THE STREET VIEW.
SO WE WOULD WANT IT TO BE GLASS UP, MEANING THE WHOLE ROLL UP DOOR GLASS.
I JUST I'VE SEEN THEM. I KNOW THEY'RE HAVING SOME LIKE SOME RESIDENTIAL HOMES AND I HAVE SEEN THEM IN SOME OFFICE ON WORKSPACES WHERE IT'S JUST THE, THE ROLL UP AND IT GIVES IT. I MEAN, IT'S A NICE CONTEMPORARY LOOK.
IT IS, BUT THAT COULD BE A SECURITY ISSUE FOR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YEAH.
FOR OUR TENANTS. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS HAVE THE DOOR SPACE AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL WINDOW NEXT TO IT FOR THE OFFICES SO THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE INTO THE OFFICE, BUT NOT INTO THE ACTUAL WORKSPACE FOR EQUIPMENT SAFETY.
OKAY. THANK YOU, I YIELD. ALRIGHTY. SO THIS DOES NOT NEED A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT IT WILL GO ON OUR AGENDA FOR ACTION FOR MONDAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[03:40:06]
ITEM NUMBER 26 IS GOING TO THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER.[IV.26. P2024U-001-10 Use Permit Request to Develop 2 (Two) Warehouse and Distribution Buildings with Concurrent Variance P2025V-001-03 at 0 Welcome All Road in the I-1 (Light Industrial) Zoning District PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED]
THAT'S ZERO. WELCOME. ALL ROAD. ITEM NUMBER 27, 22, 57.[IV.27. P2025RZ-001-02 Rezoning Request for Property Located at 2257 Delowe Drive From R-1 Single Family Dwelling District to R-3 Multi Family Residential Zoning District (0.30 +/- Acres) (PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED)]
THE LOW DRIVE, MISS SMITH. APRIL 21ST. AGENDA.THIS HAS BEEN ADVERTISED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APRIL 21ST.
IN REFERENCE TO THE NEXT ITEM. PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2257.
THE LOW DRIVE. CASE NUMBER P2 025001. THAT'S ZERO TWO.
CASE TYPE IS A REZONING. THE APPLICANT IS COPPER TO RAY.
THE CURRENT ZONING OF THE PROPERTY IS R1 SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING DISTRICT.
THE PROPERTY IS ABOUT 0.30 PLUS OR MINUS ACRES.
AS STATED, THIS IS A R-1 SINGLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT.
AND THE THE RENDERINGS THAT YOU SEE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT ARE OF THE PROPERTY AS THEY SUBMITTED FOR RENOVATIONS IN 2021. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION IS REDEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD.
EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME. IT'S ACTUALLY TRADITIONAL.
TRADITIONAL URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD. EXCUSE ME. THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN FOR TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERS INCLUDE. ZONING DISTRICTS R1. RL. R1, R2, R2, AND R3 WHERE ALTHOUGH R3 IS LISTED AS A TYPICAL ZONING DISTRICT IN TRADITIONAL URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE USE AND SCALE ARE LIMITED TO MULTI-FAMILY, DUPLEX AND QUADRUPLEX.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF CITIZEN CONCERNS. SOME OF THE CONCERNS STATED WERE STAFF AND RECEIVED.
STAFF RECEIVED CALLS FROM CITIZENS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROPERTY BEING ILLEGAL.
BOARDING HOUSE. CITIZENS WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT CREATING A PRECEDENT IN THE AREA FOR MULTIFAMILY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY SINGLE FAMILY THROUGHOUT. THERE ARE ALSO SOME CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROPERTY, AS YOU SEE IN THIS SNAPSHOT FROM OUR EPR SYSTEM.
THERE WERE SOME BOARDING HOUSE CONCERNS AND ISSUES FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT IN 2022.
STAFF DID RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THIS CASE. AND PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO RECOMMENDED DENIAL.
AND THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE. THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS? THIS IS REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO IT'S GOING TO GO ON THE AGENDA. LOOKS LIKE SPOT ZONING.
COUNCIL MEMBER. YES, I GOT SOME QUESTIONS. THE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY TWO DOORS DOWN FROM WHERE I LIVE, AND IT IS A SINGLE FAMILY HOME. AND I ASKED WHEN THEY STARTED DOING RENOVATIONS WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE I KNEW THAT THAT WAS A BOARDING HOUSE. AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TOLD ME, OH, NO, NO IT'S NOT.
THEY GOT THE PERMITS. NO, IT'S NOT, BUT I KNEW IT BECAUSE A LADY DIED IN THE HOUSE ME IN THE OTHER PART OF THE HOUSE DOWNSTAIRS. AND I ASKED THEN AND I KEPT ASKING, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT HOUSE? BECAUSE I SAW THE CARS THAT WERE PARKED THERE.
AND IT IS A ROOMING HOUSE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN.
NEVER BEEN. AND I ASKED, I REMEMBER WHEN THEY BUILT THE HOUSE.
[03:45:02]
SO YOU, YOU AND I KNOW MY NEIGHBORS CALLED BECAUSE THEY CALLED ME ABOUT IT AND I KNEW IT WAS AN ILLEGAL BOARDING HOUSE.AND HOW WAS THE CITY GOING TO DEAL WITH THAT? I ASKED THAT QUESTION. OH, I KNEW IT. I ASKED CODE ENFORCEMENT AND IT WAS MARGARET DEWBERRY WHO SAID, OH NO, NO IT'S NOT. NOW HERE WE ARE.
MADAM, MISS SMITH, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO ITEM NUMBER 25.
[IV.25. Council Review and Approval of Amendment #2, SafeBuilt, for Consulting Services for Planning and Community Development Department – Permitting, Plan Review, City Planning Support Services to Include Planning, Plan Review, CBO, and Inspections. Amendment #2]
IT'S THE SAFE BILL FOR CONSULTING SERVICES. YES.IN REFERENCE TO THIS ITEM, THIS IS A AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
WE'VE HAD ONE AMENDMENT PRIOR TO THIS ONE. THIS AMENDMENT IS STRICTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FEES.
THE FEES HAVE GONE UP BY APPROXIMATELY 2.3%. AND THIS IS AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH SMITHFIELD TO PROVIDE OUR BUILDING INSPECTION, CBO SERVICES PLAN REVIEW AND PLANNING SERVICES FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CBO AND INSPECTION SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY THE CBO SERVICES, OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES, DUE TO US NOT HAVING AN IN-HOUSE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL AT THE TIME.
THE CONTRACT. THE AMENDMENT IS AT 2.3% INCREASE IN THE FEES.
AND THE FEES FOR HER IT THE THE TWO AND A THE 2.3% ENTAILS APPROXIMATELY A DOLLAR PER PER HOUR. AND THE FEES INCREASE, DOLLAR AND SOME CHANGE.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OF THAT IS GOING ON CONSENT.
ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU. MA'AM. THANK YOU. 31 POWER.
THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 31. COUNCIL MEMBER. ANY QUESTIONS?
[IV.31. Council Discussion and Possible Action On Irby Utilities as the Selected Vendor to Provide Underground Wire from ITB 2025-1884, NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $945,475.00 for Grid Hardening Project FUNDING SOURCE: Operating Supplies.]
SIR. YOU'RE ON SPEAKER. I KNOW YOU BELIEVE THIS.I KNOW YOU YOU HAD A QUESTION. WHEN WAS THE FIRST ONE? YES. OKAY. GOOD NIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WELCOME BACK. THANK YOU. COULD YOU HELP US A LITTLE BIT? I THINK THIS IS A IT'S $945,000. YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE? I, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. OH, THIS IS ABOUT UNDERGROUND WIRING.
COULD YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
YES. THIS IS OKONITE CABLE. THIS IS OUR UNDERGROUND WIRE.
THIS IS A TYPE OF CABLE THAT'S ALREADY IN THE GROUND IN CERTAIN PLACES, SO WE DON'T WANT TO USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CABLE BECAUSE THE SPECS WON'T MATCH UP. YOU'LL HAVE FAILURE AT THE CONNECTING POINTS USING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CABLE.
WHERE IS THIS CABLE GOING IN? WHERE DO WE KNOW WHERE IT IS? WHERE WE'RE BURYING THESE LINES? DIFFERENT PARTS.
THERE'S NO SPECIFIC PLACE. THE GREAT PARTS OF THE CITY.
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY? YES. YES. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S FINE.
THAT'S ENOUGH. I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD YOU. THANK YOU.
MA'AM. THANK YOU. HAVE AN EXCELLENT YEAR END SETTLEMENT STATEMENT.
YES. FOR ME, I WANT TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF THIS ONE REAL QUICK.
SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
I HAD A CIRCLE, SOMEBODY SAID. OR MAYBE I THOUGHT MIYAGI WAS HERE.
ANY OBJECTION TO THIS GOING ON? CONSENT? NO, MA'AM.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. YOU'RE DONE. YEP. I'M TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OUT OF
[03:50:02]
WHAT WE HAVE LEFT. SO WE HAVE TWO FROM FINANCE.AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MR.. ROGERS WANT. WHY DON'T YOU COME UP FOR ITEM NUMBER?
[IV.33. The East Point Main Street Association (EPMSA) Seeks Council Discussion and Approval of the July 4Th Celebration "Scope of Work" to be Carried Out by EPMSA for a Total Sum (Cash + Value of In-Kind Services) of $103,833.46. the Term of This Agreement is the Date of Signing to Completion of the July 4, 2025 Event.]
33. THE EAST POINT MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION. AND I KNOW THEY WERE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS THIS EVENING, SO WE PROBABLY SHOULD PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR MONDAY SO THEY CAN SHARE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL IF THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE.BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE US AN OVERVIEW? YES, MA'AM.
THANK YOU MAYOR. YES. THIS IS THE THE ANNUAL EVENT THAT EAST POINT MAIN STREET PUTS ON WHICH IS OUR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION. THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE. THEY ARE SEEKING YOUR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.
THE SCOPE OF WORK ACTUALLY INVOLVES THE MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION CARRYING OUT THIS EVENT FOR A TOTAL SUM CASH PLUS VALUE, IN-KIND SERVICES OF 103,833, $33.46.
THIS YEAR LATER, 2025. THIS WOULD INVOLVE, OF COURSE THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS EVENT.
IT'S A FREE TO THE PUBLIC EVENT THAT HAPPENS EACH YEAR ACROSS THE STREET AT THE COMMON SITE.
THE SCOPE OF WORK WOULD BE OF COURSE, STRETCHED OUT ACROSS SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING PARKS AND RECREATION, SANITATION FIRE, POLICE AND EMT, EMS SERVICES, I SHOULD SAY.
AND OF COURSE, THE DETAILS FOR THE COST INCLUDED IN THOSE ITEMS ARE LISTED IN THE AGREEMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THIS, I CAN, ANSWER.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BARBER. ARE THE FIREWORKS INCLUDED IN THE SCOPE OF WORK? YES, SIR. THEY THEY ARE INCLUDED AS THAT'S A PIECE, A COMPONENT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS WITH THE THE SAME GROUP THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO IT'S NOT PAID FOR BY THEM. IT'S PAID FOR BY US.
THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. COUNCILMEMBER COMBS.
SO IS 85,000 PLUS FIREWORKS. THIS. YES, MA'AM.
PART OF THE 85,000 FOR FIREWORKS. ARE YOU SAYING IT'S THE $102,000 CONTRACT WITH THEM WITH CASH AND IN-KIND? AND THEN THE CITY? YES. ON TOP OF THAT, FIREWORKS.
THAT IS CORRECT. SO HOW MUCH DOES THE CITY PAY FOR FIREWORKS? THIS YEAR'S RIGHT AROUND 45, I THINK, FOR THE SCOPE OF THAT, THAT WORK THE FIREWORKS AND $50,000 PERCENT.
SO IT'S ABOUT $150,000 TOTAL FOR ONE EVENT. NO, THE THE THE FIREWORKS ITSELF IS ABOUT $45,000 TO PUT THAT ON. SO SO FOLLOW ME. FOLLOW ALONG WITH ME.
I'M PULLING UP THE CONTRACT. IT SAYS THEY HAVE $85,000 IN A LUMP SUM CASH PAYMENT. RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. IN-KIND SERVICES.
TOTAL 18,008 3346. SO I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE TOTAL OF 103.
EIGHT 3346 I'M NOT ADDING UP NOW, BUT I THINK THAT'S ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. YOU'RE SAYING ON TOP OF THAT, THE CITY IS GOING TO PAY $45,000 FOR FIREWORKS? THAT'S RIGHT. SO 103, BASICALLY 104 PLUS 45 IS 149.
THAT'S RIGHT. SO IT'S $150,000 EVENT. YES, MA'AM.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS.
SO THEN WHAT PART DO THEY PAY FOR? SO THEY THEY PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
[03:55:06]
EPMS. I MEAN, YES, EASTPORT MAIN STREET, THEY DO THE WORK.THEY HAVE A BOARD. THEY WORK WITH VOLUNTEERS.
WE PROVIDE THE THE FUNDING FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
RIGHT. SO WHEN YOU SAY THE SERVICES, WHAT ARE THE SERVICES WHEN YOU SAY THEY PROVIDE THE SERVICES? I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A BOARD AND ALL OF THAT. SO WHAT ARE THE SERVICES? SO IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING YOU KNOW, CONTRACTING AND OUTSOURCING WITH OTHER ENTITIES.
THEY REFERENCE AND PULL TOGETHER THE VENDORS THAT WOULD BE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS EVENT.
AND AT THIS COST THE $45,000 FOR FIREWORKS. DO WE PROCURE THAT? DO WE PROCURE IT? YES WE DO. OKAY. AND THAT'S GENERALLY THE BEST COST WE COULD GET.
YES IT IS. FOR WHAT THEY DO. THIS YEAR. AND IT VARIES FROM YEAR TO YEAR JUST BASED ON THE THE WORKLOAD, BUT THEY TEND TO RAMP UP QUICKLY BECAUSE EVERYONE IS DOING THESE SIMILAR TYPE EVENTS ACROSS THE BOARD. AND SO WE WE ACT VERY AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF TIME, TIMING AND PLANNING TO SECURE THE THE VENDOR FOR THIS.
OKAY. AND THEN THE 85,000, THAT'S THE CASH. THAT IS CORRECT.
AND WE REQUIRE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION, RECEIPTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO YOU SAID PROCURED IT.
WHEN WAS THE SOLICITATION? I'M ASSUMING YOU MEAN THERE WAS A SOLICITATION FOR $45,000 FOR FIREWORKS? YES, MA'AM. THAT WAS EARLIER THIS YEAR. I'D HAVE TO.
I DON'T HAVE THAT THAT DOCUMENTATION WITH ME, BUT THAT'S FINE.
I'M JUST. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS A SOLICITATION PROCESS.
BUT THIS ONE EVENT IS AT $149,000. THAT'S CORRECT.
OKAY. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS INDICATED SHE MIGHT HAVE.
SHE HAS SOME QUESTIONS THAT. OH, OH. BUT SOUNDS LIKE MISS. I JUST KNOW THE CALLER. KRISTEN. KRISTEN JACKSON.
KRISTEN JACKSON IS COMING. ONE DAY. SHE WILL BE HERE MONDAY.
AND THE WITH THE DESIRE TO PRESENT. WILL IT BE HER AND SOMEONE ELSE FROM THE BOARD OR JUST HER AS PRESIDENT? IS IT JUST HER COMING FROM THE. WELL, SHE HAD SEVERAL OF HER OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH HER THIS EVENING.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OR ALL OF THEM WHO WERE HERE TONIGHT WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK NEXT MONDAY.
BUT I DO DO KNOW THAT SHE WILL BE HERE. OKAY.
WE'LL PUT IT ON THE AGENDA IN THE EVENT THAT THEY COME AND WANT TO PRESENT. VERY GOOD.
WE HAVE TWO MORE FROM FINANCE ITEMS. NUMBER 11 AND 12.
[IV.11. Council Discussion and Possible Action on a Change Order in the Amount of $24,060, for Brinks Addition of a Recycler]
MR. GOLDEN. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. COUNCIL.I'M SHANNON GOLDEN. INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR.
I HAVE WITH ME MISS MICHELLE ADAMS, THE MANAGER OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.
FOR NUMBER ITEM NUMBER 11. WE'RE STRENGTHENING OUR PROCEDURES AROUND CASH.
SO THIS IS EQUIPMENT THAT IS THAT IS GOING TO HELP US DO THAT.
AND I HAVE MISS ADAMS THAT'S GOING TO EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT EQUIPMENT.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS ALLOW THE STAFF TO ACTUALLY DUMP ALL OF THE CASH INTO THE MACHINE, AND IT SEPARATES THE MONEY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED FOR THE NEXT DAY AND GO AHEAD AND SEPARATE THE OTHER PORTION OF IT FOR THE DEPOSIT.
SO WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS A MACHINE WHERE EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON INSERTS THEIR CASH AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND THAT TAKES TIME, WHICH WITH THIS MACHINE IT WILL SAVE TIME FOR OVERTIME.
IT WILL ACTUALLY SAVE TIME ON THEM, THE STAFF COMING IN EARLY SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET THEIR DRAWERS READY BECAUSE THEY'RE MANUALLY COUNTING THAT MONEY TO PREPARE FOR THE CUSTOMERS. SO WITH THIS MACHINE, IT WILL ACTUALLY DUMP THE $100 THAT THEY NEED FOR THE DAY.
AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE VAULT, PICK UP THE THE DRAWERS, AND ACTUALLY THEY WILL TAKE EACH DENOMINATION OF THE MONEY AND COUNT IT. SO WITH THIS MACHINE, IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY JUST DUMP ALL OF THE MONEY INTO THE DRAWER,
[04:00:01]
AND THEN IT JUST CAN GO TO THEIR WORKSTATION AND BE READY FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO COME IN.IS THERE A DOUBLE CHECKING THAT THE AMOUNT THAT IT DROPPED WAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT? WHO WHO CHECKS TEXT THAT. SO THE MACHINE IS AN AUTOMATED MACHINE WHERE EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON WILL HAVE THEIR FOUR DIGIT CODE, AND THEY WILL SELECT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY WOULD NEED FOR THE DAY.
EVERY DRAW CONSISTS OF $100 TO START THE DAY WITH.
SO TYPICALLY THE MACHINE WOULD YOU WOULD WE WOULD TELL THE MACHINE A DENOMINATION OF THE MONEY, AND THEN THE MONEY WOULD JUST DROP INTO THE DRAW.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE $100 THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY START OFF WITH FOR THE DAY. RIGHT.
BUT THEN THEY VERIFY THAT IT'S $100 IN THERE.
YES. ANY QUESTIONS OR GOING ON CONSENT? ANY OBJECTION TO THE QUESTION? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM.
[IV.12. Council Discussion and Possible Action on a Change Order in the Amount of $37,500 for Tabb and Tabb, LLC -Change Order #1]
MADAM MAYOR, ITEM NUMBER 12 DEALS WITH ALL THE CORRECTIONS THAT WE HAD TO DO DURING THE AUDIT OF CLEANING UP OUR CAPITAL ASSETS. WE HAD TO ENDURE UPDATING THOSE SUBLEDGERS AS WELL AS OTHER PROCESSES IN REGARDS TO OUR CAPITAL ASSETS MAKING SURE THAT THEY AGREE TO THE GENERAL LEDGER AND OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.BUT THOSE ARE PROCEDURES OUR AUDITORS HAD TO PERFORM THAT ARE ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES.
AND THIS CHANGE ORDER COVERS THAT THOSE ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES THAT WERE UNEXPECTED.
AMEN. ALRIGHT. WHERE ARE WE AT TONIGHT, MR. JONES? LOOKS LIKE BACK ON. THE LINE.
NO, I'M GOING UP NOW. THAT'S THE LAST ONE THAT HAD STAFF.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO THE LAST ONE.
WELL OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I'VE COORDINATED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. AND SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEST TO ALLOW HER TO GO FIRST, AND THEN I CAN PROVIDE THE INFORMATION ON THE RECOMMENDATION AFTER THAT.
LET ME SAY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU SPOKE ABOUT WHATEVER IS ON THE AGENDA. AND I BELIEVE SHE HAD ALREADY ASKED FOR IT.
SO IT CAN'T JUST BE A PRESENTATION ON MONDAY.
I'M NOT I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN BEING IN SUSPENSE UNTIL MONDAY.
YOU SAID AN INVENTORY OF HOUSING. OH THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CHECK THE TITLE.
DID THEY CHECK? RIGHT? YEAH, I.
BELIEVE SO. SO I WOULD JUST SAY, I KNOW YOU SHARED THE LIST OF PROPERTIES.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE OWN THEM BEFORE WE SHARE.
I WOULD, SO I THINK THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING.
DO WE HAVE THAT QUESTION IF WE HAD THAT? YEAH.
WE DID FORWARD THOSE TO THE ATTORNEY WIGGINS.
AND WHAT I'M SAYING, DO WE HAVE A RESPONSE BACK ABOUT.
NOT FROM FROM ATTORNEY WIGGINS. I HAVEN'T SEEN A RESPONSE BACK, BUT I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE INFORMATION AND DATA ON THE PROPERTIES ITSELF. SO AGAIN, IT CAN CERTAINLY WAIT.
IT'S A PART OF A LARGER DISCUSSION THAT, FRANKLY, PROBABLY DESERVES MORE TIME.
OKAY. SO WHERE WOULD YOU ALL LIKE FOR IT TO GO? OKAY, THAT SOUNDS FINE. SURE.
I'LL. I'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH ATTORNEY WIGGINS AS WELL.
OKAY. APRIL 21ST PRESENTATION, MADAM PRESIDENT.
[04:05:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. THANK YOU.[III.8. Investigation into Coucilmembers Behavior]
I'M GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF BECAUSE IT'S A LATE HOUR.I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A. WOW.
I'M GETTING A BRAIN FREEZE RETREAT. SO THAT THAT SOME OF US HAVE NOT HAD THE BENEFIT OF A RETREAT.
SO WE CAN GO AND DISCUSS WHAT PROPER DECORUM AND BEHAVIOR OF COUNCIL AND THEN GET A CHANCE TO REALLY TRY TO BOND IN A COHESIVE MANNER. I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TRY TO HAVE THAT RETREAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, SO THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR PRIORITY BUDGETING IDEAS, SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR SITUATIONS THAT COUNCIL, IN ADDITION TO JUST DECORUM.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THAT RETREAT TO BE A TWO DAY RETREAT.
AND BEFORE I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS, BUT I KNOW PREVIOUS COUNCILS MAY HAVE GONE TO CALLAWAY GARDENS OR LAKE LANIER OR I DON'T KNOW, WHAT'S ANOTHER PLACE THAT I'M NOT SURE.
THIS COUNCIL SINCE 2013 HASN'T BEEN ANYWHERE LIKE THAT, SO I'M NOT SURE.
I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING BEFORE COUNCIL'S BEFORE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THAT. BUT WE'VE HAD TWO DAY RETREATS BEFORE.
WHERE WE. I'M SORRY. YES, MA'AM. I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE GO AWAY LIKE SOME PEOPLE HAVE DONE BEFORE, SO THAT WE CAN TRY TO INCREASE THE BONDS ON COUNCIL, BUT SOMEPLACE THAT'S WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE, MAYBE LAKE LANIER OR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S CONNECTED TO THE INVESTIGATION AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS BEHAVIOR.
YES. I'M WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO IS TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN A, IN A RETREAT SETTING.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, THAT WE TRY TO COME UP WITH A DATE THAT'S NEARBY, HAVE THIS RETREAT SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SQUASH ALL BEEFS AND MOVE THE COUNCIL FORWARD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? INVESTIGATIONS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS BEHAVIOR EQUALS RETREAT.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INTERESTING RETREAT. COUNCIL MEMBER.
ATKINS. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER. I'M IN SUPPORT OF A RETREAT.
IF WE CAN HAVE THE EMPHASIS ON CITY PRIORITIES.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THE THE CITY MANAGER WHO'S NEW, AND HE CAN START TO THAT INFORMATION SO HE CAN START TO CREATE A STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE THOSE THINGS.
SO IF IT'S PREDOMINANTLY FOR THAT AND WE CAN DEAL WITH YOUR OTHER ITEM, YOUR AGENDA ITEM IN TERMS OF BEHAVIOR, THEN I'M IN SUPPORT OF THAT. I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS NEW AND HAS BEEN ASKING FOR US TO GET TOGETHER.
SO ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT LAGGING BEHIND IN TERMS OF GIVING HIM SORT OF DIRECTIVES, IN TERMS OF WHERE THE CITY WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY GO.
COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU. AND AS FAR AS THE RETREAT AND FOR AS WHAT WAS JUST SAID, I THINK THE COUNCIL IS IN CONTROL OF THE AGENDA.
AND WHAT WOULD BE PRIORITY AND WHAT WILL WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS.
SO THAT'S THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS COUNCIL CAN PUT ON THE AGENDA WHAT THEY LIKE TO DISCUSS, NOT BASED ON WHAT ONE PERSON FEELS THAT IT SHOULD BE.
I WOULD SAY, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD PREVIOUS RETREATS ALMOST ANNUALLY AT ONE POINT.
AND THEY BECAME THIS TYPE OF SESSION WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON ALLEGED BEHAVIORS OR WHATEVER VERSUS THE WORK.
RETREAT IS ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING, VISIONING SETTING THE PRIORITIES OF THE WORK AND TRYING TO COME TO SOME CONSENSUS AROUND THAT.
AND SO YOU KNOW, GIVING UP TWO DAYS TO END UP WALKING AWAY WITH NO REAL FOCUS ON THE WORK IS NOT WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE ON A PERMANENT CITY MANAGER A RETREAT
[04:10:06]
AROUND THE WORK COULD BE HELPFUL. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT FACILITATORS.AND THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION FOR YEARS ABOUT PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING AND OTHER DESIRES THAT IT SEEMS LIKE THE NEW CITY MANAGER HAS INTEREST IN. WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE CITY MANAGER, HIS VISION BECAUSE HE IS OVER OPERATIONS AND TO SUPPORT HIS LEADERSHIP. I MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE DEFINITELY PRODUCTIVE AGENDAS FOR A RETREAT.
AND SO WE'VE USED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE PAST.
AND I THINK THE DATES OF THOSE WILL BE DEPENDING UPON WHO WE DESIRE TO FACILITATE.
I DON'T KNOW, THAT LOCATION IS GOING TO IMPACT THEIR HELP WITH THE WORK.
AND THE COST OF TRAVELING TO CALLAWAY GARDENS OR WHEREVER.
I MEAN, THEY'LL BE I'M NOT. I'M ASSUMING WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING AND COMING BACK.
THAT'LL BE OVERNIGHT STAYS. AND THESE ALSO HAVE TO BE PUBLISHED AS REGULAR MEETINGS BECAUSE A QUORUM OF US WILL HOPEFULLY AT LEAST BE THERE AND WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE CITY'S BUSINESS.
SO IT WILL BE CONSIDERED A MEETING OF COUNCIL.
I DO KNOW OTHER CITIES TRAVEL FOR THEIR RETREATS.
AND SO, I MEAN, I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS TO TO CONSIDER, BUT, YOU KNOW, PRODUCTIVE BUSINESS FOCUSED STRATEGY CONVERSATIONS, THE OTHER STUFF, LIKE I HAVE NO TIME OR INTEREST IN MAKING TIME FOR TWO DAYS TO GO BACK AND FORTH AROUND PEOPLE'S PERCEPTIONS OR FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT'S NOT WORK RELATED.
SO MR. JONES I DON'T KNOW, WE COULD GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, TO SEE WHO MIGHT BE AVAILABLE, WHO YOU MIGHT HAVE IN MIND.
THERE'S INFORMATION ABOUT WHO WE'VE USED PREVIOUSLY.
AND YOU CAN BRING SOME IDEAS BACK TO US. BUT, YEAH, I WOULD HOPE IT'S A PRODUCTIVE USE OF TIME.
AND BE STRUCTURED IN THAT WAY THAT ACTUALLY HELPS US MOVE FORWARD WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN.
SOME ACTIONABLES AND SOME COMMITMENTS AROUND SOME KEY THINGS.
ANYONE ELSE? MR.. MR.. JONES? I THINK I GOT THE DIRECTION.
THAT'S GOOD. I'LL GO WITH THAT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, I THINK WE'VE.
MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK, IF I'M TRACKING TRACKING CORRECTLY.
I HAD EVERYTHING ON ITEM PAGE NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN DONE, RIGHT.
NUMBER THREE HAS BEEN DONE, AND NUMBER FOUR HAS BEEN DONE.
WHICH LEAVES MR. JONES, THE GEORGIA CITIES WEEK 2025.
[IV.34. Georgia Cities Week 2025 Discussion and Signing of the Resolution]
WHAT WEEK IS IT AND WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING FOR THAT OR ENVISIONING FOR THAT? AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OTHERS AND WE'LL BE DONE.OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JASMINE CHANEY.
SO EVERY YEAR, GEORGIA MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION DEDICATES ONE WEEK WITHIN THE MONTH OF APRIL TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CITIES WITHIN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND RESIDENTS.
SO GEORGIA CITIES WEEK WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN APRIL 21ST THROUGH APRIL 26TH.
WE HAVE PLANNED FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION FOOD TRUCK EVENT, WHICH WILL BE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23RD.
[04:15:03]
WE HAVE A BUDGET OPEN HOUSE ON WEDNESDAY AS WELL AT 6 P.M.AND THEN TONIGHT, THE ACCESS THAT COUNCIL WILL ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING GEORGIA CITIES WEEK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT OVERVIEW. I SEE THE RESOLUTION IN THE PACKET.
DOES ANYONE HAVE AN OBJECTION TO PUTTING THE RESOLUTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THE FIRST DAY OF GEORGIA CITY'S WHEELS WILL BE THE 21ST, WHICH IS THE DATE OF OUR NEXT MEETING.
ALL RIGHT. CONSENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. YES. ON FOR MAYBE A PRESENTATION.
[IV.35. Council Discussion and Possible Action on City of East Point Board/Commission on Aging]
TWO MINUTES ON MONDAY, A PRESENTATION OR THE NEXT WORK SESSION.LIKE. YEAH, IT'S IT'S THE THE HOURS GETTING LATE.
NO, I GET THAT. BUT, LIKE, THERE'S NO EXPECTATION OF ACTION.
YEAH. THIS IS ABOUT CREATING. BUT THIS IS ABOUT CREATING A BOARD OR COMMISSION.
YES. WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY REQUIRE SOME ACTION OF COUNCIL.
SO. THAT IT'S NOT LIKELY GOING TO HAPPEN ON MONDAY.
SO I'LL JUST PUT IT ON FOR THE NEXT WORK SESSION.
THANK YOU. MAY WORK SESSION. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER.
SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. THIS IS SHRED DAY. AND USUALLY WE DO.
[IV.36. Council Discussion and Possible Action on a Shredding Event]
WE PARTNER WITH. ALL OF US. USUALLY WE PARTNER WITH JEN.CARE TO DO A SHRED DAY? AND WE'RE DOING IT NOW.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING OUT A DATE. SO WE HAD ONE.
I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR. WE DID ONE WITH JEN CARE.
AND THEY USUALLY PAY FOR IT AND WE PAY THE OTHER WE PAY WE SPLIT THE COST.
AND I THINK THE COST WAS LIKE MAYBE LIKE NO MORE THAN $500 IF IT WAS THAT.
AND THAT'S THAT'S MY ASK. WE DID IT LAST YEAR AND WE'RE JUST DOING IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE THAT. I THINK IT WAS LESS THAN THAT, BUT I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER THE AMOUNT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS GOING ON? CONSENT? YEAH. MADAM. DEPUTY CITY CLERK.
ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT SHOULD BE COUNCIL APPROVAL OF PARTNER WITH JIM.
CARE TO HOST THE SHREDDING EVENT? NOT TO EXCEED THE COST OF $500.
DO YOU HAVE DO YOU HAVE ANY BEING THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM? ALL RIGHT. MADAM CITY CLERK, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS.
I GET EVERYTHING. OKAY. WE ARE ADJOURNED. GOOD NIGHT.
EAST WARNER.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.