[00:00:04] GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE JUNE 2ND MEETING OF THE EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL. [I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER] MADAM CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. COUNCIL MEMBER. FREELEY. COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUMMINGS WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE. COUNCIL MEMBER. MITCHELL. COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER WILL NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS IS HERE. BUT SHE JUST STEPPED OUT. MAYOR HOLIDAY INGRAM, WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR INVOCATION THIS EVENING WILL BE BY REVEREND TANYA CLARK OF SAINT PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG. IF WE CAN ALL STAND AND REMAIN STANDING. SHALL WE PRAY? SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD, FALL FRESH ON ME. FATHER GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS CITY AND COUNCIL. DEAR GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU LET YOUR HAND BE UPON THE MAYOR, ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEAR GOD, ALL OF THE CONSTITUENTS IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE, LET YOUR FAVOR FALL FRESH UPON THEM, DEAR GOD, AND LET BLESSINGS COME FROM THE NORTH, SOUTH, EAST AND THE WEST. DEAR GOD, FOR PHILANTHROPISTS TO POUR INTO THE TO THE CITY, DEAR GOD FOR NEW BUILDINGS, NEW EDIFICE, NEW STRUCTURES, INFRASTRUCTURES, DEAR GOD, TO BE BUILT UP IN THE CITY AND DEAR GOD, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE ASK THAT YOU THAT UNITY BE AMONG THE CITY, UNITY AMONG THE COUNCIL PERSONS, DEAR GOD, UNITY AMONG THE CONSTITUENTS, DEAR GOD, AND ALL THAT. THINK HIGHLY OF THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE MIGHTY AND MATCHLESS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE AS I DO, WE SAY AMEN. TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OUR SERGEANT AT ARMS THIS EVENING IS CAPTAIN ROBINSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. TONIGHT, FOR PRESENTATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE HAVE MISS JESSIE IS THE CITY MANAGER COMING TO THE MEETING TONIGHT? AS FAR AS I. AS FAR AS I KNOW, MADAM MAYOR, THE FIRST PRESENTATION IS EASTPOINT PARKS AND RECREATION [VI.1. East Point Parks & Recreation and Cultural Affairs Update on Multi Generational Recreation Center Community Meetings.] AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS UPDATE AND MULTIGENERATIONAL RECREATION CENTER COMMUNITY MEETINGS. SAYS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. SO I'LL CALL UP THE DIRECTOR. MR. PINKETT, YOU CAN COME UP AT THIS TIME. PLEASE TELL. US HOW YOU FEEL. IT IS OKAY. IT'S A TERRIBLE TURN. QUICKER. YEP. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. VERY HAPPY TO COME AND PRESENT TO YOU ALL WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF SINCE WE LAST TALKED. REGARDING THE RECREATION CENTER. WE HAD TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS. WE'VE DONE A TON OF CANVASING ALL OVER THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE, DOWNTOWN, ALL THE SCHOOLS TO HELP DECIDE WHAT ROBOCALLS. WE ATTENDED CONCERT SERIES. RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK ALL THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS. BUT WE HAVE SOME VERY EXCITING INFORMATION. RESIDENTS REALLY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT. IF YOU WANT TO SAY PROVIDE A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK AND WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH WITH COOPER, CARRY SOME OF THE RESULTS OF THE MEETING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS TREVOR THOMPSON. I'M LEADING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PART FOR THIS PROCESS. AT THE POINT OF THAT, POINTED AT THAT. YEAH, I JUST DO A BANG. YEAH. OKAY. SO I WANT TO START HERE. SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT THAT WE COLLECTED IN THE BEGINNING WAS RELATED TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY. SO THIS NOT ONLY REFLECTS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE WHO ACTUALLY ATTENDED OUR ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, BUT ALSO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE THAT REPRESENT THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE, WHICH WAS IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE WE'RE DESIGNING A MULTIPLEX CENTER THAT REFLECTS THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE AND ALL THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE HAS. SO OUR ENGAGEMENT RESULTS FOUND THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED WERE FROM WARD B, AND SO THIS INFORMATION HELPS US GATHER THE PROXIMITY OF EVERYONE IN A [00:05:10] RELATIONSHIP TO THE ACTUAL SITE ITSELF. NEXT, WE GATHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THE AGE GROUP OF THOSE THAT ATTENDED. SO MOST PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED THE ENGAGEMENT WERE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 31 TO 45. AND SO AS WE START TO ANALYZE THIS ACTUAL DATA, WE'LL START TO MAKE CONNECTION POINTS TO THE PREFERENCES OF THESE DEMOGRAPHICS. RIGHT. SO OUR SENIORS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THEIR PREFERENCES? OUR YOUNGER ADULTS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THEIR PREFERENCES? AND ALSO THOSE UNDER 12 AS WELL. BECAUSE WE DID HAVE A LOT OF KIDS THAT ATTENDED THESE ENGAGEMENT EXERCISES AS WELL. SO AS WE GET INTO RECREATION AND SPORTS ONE OF THE THE LARGEST POOL WAS WALKING TRAILS THAT PEOPLE PREFERRED. AND THIS WAS ACROSS ALL DEMOGRAPHICS. NEXT TO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, AN ACTUAL PLAYGROUND. NEXT TO THAT WAS AN ACTUAL BIKING TRAIL AND BASKETBALL AND SWIMMING. RAN FOURTH AND FIFTH IN RANKING. AND SO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS INFORMATION IS FOR US TO MORE SO USE THIS DATA TO ENGAGE HOW WE WILL DESIGN FOR THE ACTUAL COMMUNITY. RIGHT. SO IF WE'RE SEEING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS INFORMATION IS TELLING US THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT WALKING TRAILS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE START TO CREATE OUR SITE PLANS AND START TO ACTUALLY DESIGN, YOU'LL START TO SEE AN EMPHASIS ON WALKING TRAILS OR PLAYGROUNDS OR BIKING TRAILS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY WANTS. NEXT. WHEN WE START TO GET INTO COMMUNITY EVENTS. CULTURAL EVENTS RANKED NUMBER ONE. AND THESE ARE EVENTS THAT MORE SO REPRESENT YOU KNOW, WE CAN CALL THEM EVENTS THAT ARE AROUND, NOT RELIGIOUS EVENTS, BUT EVENTS THAT ENGAGE OUR SENIORS, OUR YOUTH. WE EVEN HAD CONVERSATIONS AROUND TED TALKS, FOR EXAMPLE. WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN CAN ALSO BE REPRESENTED AS A CULTURAL EVENT AS WELL BECAUSE IT BRINGS DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS AND PEOPLE TOGETHER. NEXT THING WAS OUR COMMUNITY EXPOS AND ALSO CONFERENCES. SO, YOU KNOW, THE MULTIPLEX NOT ONLY REPRESENTS A PLACE FOR SPORTS AND REC TO HAPPEN BUT WHEN WE START TO GET INTO LIKE STEM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATH, YOU KNOW, THIS BECOMES A PLACE FOR THAT. SO THIS INFORMATION ALLOWS US TO YOU KNOW, USE THIS DATA TO ENGAGE SOME OF THE PROGRAMING THAT WE'LL START TO DO ONCE WE GET INTO SCHEMATIC DESIGN AND CONCEPT DESIGN. ONCE WE GOT INTO OUR ESTEEMED INFORMATION A BIG THING THAT STOOD OUT WAS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, PEOPLE'S PREFERENCE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. NEXT TO THAT WAS ACTUAL STEM. AND THEN E-SPORTS AND CODING ALSO HAD A HIGH SIGNIFICANCE FOR FIVE. SO AS WE START TO MORE SO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY IS, AND YOU KNOW, HOW WE WILL START TO DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE AS MULTIPLEX WILL BE HERE FOR YEARS TO COME, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE TRAJECTORY FOR THE TECHNOLOGY SPACE IN PARTICULAR FOR THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE? BEING IN SUCH A GREAT PLACE AND AREA NEAR THE AIRPORT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PERFECT PLACE TO, YOU KNOW, START TO INTRODUCE PROGRAMS RELATED TO TO STEAM. AND SO SOME MORE INFORMATION THAT WE STARTED TO GET WAS HOW OFTEN PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY USE THE ACTUAL CENTER. SO FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, THIS HELPS US ENGAGE IN THE DESIGN. AND SO FIRST PLACE TOOK THREE TIMES A WEEK. SO 34% OF PEOPLE SAID THAT THEY WILL BE, THAT THEY WOULD ATTEND THE MULTIPLEX THREE TIMES A WEEK. AND NEXT TO THAT WAS ONCE A WEEK. SO IF WE THINK ABOUT THIS FROM A USER EXPERIENCE THOSE, YOU KNOW, ATTENDING THREE TIMES A WEEK, THEY MAY BE COMING FOR FITNESS, FOR EXAMPLE. THEY MAY BE COMING TO WORKOUT, THEY MAY BE DOING YOGA. THEY MAY BE COMING FOR BASKETBALL, FOR EXAMPLE. AND GETTING INFORMATION AS FAR AS TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, HOW PEOPLE ACTUALLY INTEND ON GETTING TO THE SITE. CAR, CAR RANKED NUMBER ONE, OF COURSE. AND NEXT TO THAT WAS ACTUALLY WALKING. WE ALSO GOT INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW LONG PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND FOR THE MOST PART, MOST PEOPLE HAVE LIVED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 11 PLUS YEARS. NEXT TO THAT, 6 TO 10 YEARS. ONCE WE START TO GET INTO MORE SO THE QUALITATIVE SIDE. SO HOW DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT TO FEEL WHEN THEY COME TO THE NEW CENTER? SOME OF THE WORDS THAT START TO STAND OUT WAS EXCITED. [00:10:02] WELCOME. FRIENDLY. COMFORTABLE. LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WANT BASKETBALL. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A FEELING OR NOT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS A LOT. SO ONCE WE STARTED GETTING INTO WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY LOVE ABOUT EASTPOINTE IT'S COMMUNITY. AND SO COMMUNITY STANDS OUT. A LOT PEOPLE CITY, NEIGHBORHOOD AND LOCATION. AND WHAT WE FOUND IS A LOT OF PEOPLE APPRECIATE EASTPOINTE BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO THE AIRPORT. ONCE WE GET INTO HOW OTHERS WANT TO SEE AND EXPERIENCE EASTPOINTE. YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY COMES UP AGAIN. COMMUNITY AND PLACE AND SAFETY. AND THESE THIS IS THE END OF OUR OUR REPORT. WE'LL LEAVE THE REST OPEN TO QUESTIONS. SO AS YOU CAN SEE WE HAD A VERY DIVERSIFIED GROUP THAT ATTENDED THE, THE DIFFERENT WORKSHOPS THAT WE HELD. IT WAS REALLY A NICE SETUP. A LOT OF SOCIALIZING, AS YOU CAN SEE, MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO ON A SMALLER SCALE IN OUR REC CENTER CURRENTLY WE'LL BE DOING A LOT GRANDER SCALE WITH ANOTHER REC CENTER THAT CAN HOLD MORE PEOPLE. BUT WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE REGARDING THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I DIDN'T SEE ANY LIGHTS BEFORE I CLICKED. HOW MANY TOTAL RESPONSES DID WE RECEIVE? AND NUMBER? I KNOW WE SAW PERCENTAGES. HOW MANY SURVEY RESPONSES DID WE RECEIVE? I'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU. WE WANTED TO KIND OF FOCUS ON THE PERCENTAGES AND THE BREAKDOWNS, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO YOU ASAP. I CAN GET IT TO YOU AS EARLY AS TOMORROW. OKAY. I MEAN, I KNOW 30% COULD BE OF TEN PEOPLE. OH, YEAH, IT WAS DEFINITELY MORE THAN THAT. SO WE WANT TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE RESPONDED? HOW CAN WE PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE MORE RESPONSES IF WE NEED TO? SO, I MEAN, I WOULD THINK HAVING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SURVEY RESPONSES WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY, ESPECIALLY WITH HAVING ALL THE PERCENTAGES. YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER. ROGERS. COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS. ALL RIGHT. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, SO I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. WHAT I JUST WANTED TO SUGGEST IS A LINK BE SENT OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO STILL WANT TO PROVIDE INPUT. I DID PUSH IT OUT AS FAR AS I COULD, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE A LINK ON THE WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE WHO STILL WANT TO PROVIDE INPUT AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL, MAYBE ONE ONLINE MEETING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT PROBABLY DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT. I KNOW I WAS CONTACTED BY A LOT OF SENIORS THAT JUST DON'T COME OUT AFTER A CERTAIN TIME OF THE DAY, SO BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO HAVE THE MEETING. BUT MAYBE THEY COULD VIRTUAL. YES. THEIR PREFERENCES IN ONLINE AND ONLINE MEETING. OKAY. YES. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR PINKETT AND MR. THOMPSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVE FROM COOPER CARRY. MY QUESTION IS ALSO IN LINE WITH THAT OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER, MARTIN ROGERS, AS IT RELATES TO THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT OF PARTICIPANTS OR CITIZENS ACROSS THE CITY. THIS IS A FACILITY THAT WILL BE BUILT IN WARD D, AND I THINK THAT THEY HAD THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE. AND SO IT GOES BACK TO OUR EFFORTS TO REALLY ENGAGE THOSE CITIZENS. AND DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO ENGAGE THE EAST POINT? PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION I KNOW THAT MY APPOINTEE IS FROM WARD C. BUT I THINK THAT ENGAGING THAT COMMISSION ALSO HELPS TO BUILD AMBASSADORS, TO REACH OUT TO CONSTITUENTS AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER WARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE IDEAS AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IN THIS FACILITY. SO ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO ENGAGE THAT ADVISORY COMMISSION? SO MANY OF THE ADVISORY BOARDS THAT FALL UNDER THE, I GUESS, THE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF PARKS AND RECREATION? WE DON'T HAVE QUITE ENOUGH PEOPLE ON THE BOARD TO HAVE A FORMAL MEETING. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I'VE ATTENDED A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS. THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF THE DISCUSSION. WE'RE ALSO ENGAGING WITH A LOT OF OUR REC, RECREATIONAL YOUTH AND PARENTS. THAT'S A PART OF OUR PROGRAM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S A HARD ASK TO INCLUDE THEM AS WELL. OKAY. BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT IF THEY'RE NOT APPOINTED. SO I JUST ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, IF YOU'VE NOT APPOINTED SOMEONE TO THAT COMMISSION, WE'RE ABOUT TO GO TO THE BOND MARKET AND SPEND TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THIS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE BUILT IN WARD D, AND I SAW THAT WARD D AND WARD C HAD THE LOWEST PARTICIPATION. AND SO IF WE CAN HELP TO BUILD AMBASSADORS, REACH RESIDENTS AS BEST WE CAN, ENGAGE THAT COMMISSION, IT'S ANOTHER VEHICLE TO GET INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY. FAIR ENOUGH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GREEN. I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE WAY THAT YOU ELICITED INPUT AND FEEDBACK. [00:15:03] WAS IT WERE THEY OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS? WERE THEY MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS? WHAT WAS WHAT FORMAT DID IT TAKE? I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND. SO WE DID A COMBINATION OF BOTH. IN LINE WITH THAT, WE HAD ONLINE SURVEYS, BUT WE ALSO HAD OUR IN-PERSON WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND SCAN QR CODES AND TAKE THE SURVEY. SO THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF OPEN ENDED AND MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS. SO SOME OF THE OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS IS WHERE WE GOT, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION WHERE YOU SAW THE WORD CLOUDS. SO WE GATHERED THE INFORMATION AND DOWNLOADED IT AND CREATED, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT WORD CLOUDS TO MORE. SO EXPRESS IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE THE NUMBER YET OR. NO. OKAY. YEAH. SO THE NUMBER IS 232. SO WE GATHER THE NUMBER OF 232 RESPONDENTS. AND THAT'S ACROSS FROM OUR ONLINE AND IN PERSON ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. SOME PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T TAKE THE SURVEYS WHERE THEY HAD TO SCAN THE QR CODES, WE HAD WRITE INS. SO THAT NUMBER IS A REFLECTION OF THOSE AS WELL. AND I DON'T RECALL THE DATES OF THE EVENTS I WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THEM, BUT WAS WAS WERE ANY OF THEM HELD ON THE WEEKEND? THE DATES FOR THE ENGAGEMENT EVENTS WERE MAY 8TH AND MAY 13TH. THEY WERE NOT ON THE WEEKENDS, SO MAY BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ONE ON SATURDAY DURING THE DAY. OKAY. FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY WORK DURING THE WEEK OR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO DRIVE IN THE EVENING. ADDITIONALLY COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS MENTIONED GOING TO THE BOND MARKET. WHAT TYPE OF BOND FINANCING ARE WE LOOKING TO DO WITH THIS, TO PROVIDE THIS? SO TONIGHT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WELL, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND WITHIN THE BUDGET, THERE'S ANTICIPATION OF AROUND $33 MILLION FOR BONDING. AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO BE DICTATED ON WHAT THE ULTIMATE DESIGN AND THIS PROCESS ALLUDES. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE USING FOR PLANNING NUMBERS AT THIS POINT. WHAT TYPE OF BOND? REVENUE BOND, GEO BOND. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION BOND. WHAT TYPE OF BOND? WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT DETERMINATION YET. I THINK WE HAVE TO VISIT ONCE WE GET THAT NUMBER WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND LAY OUT THE APPROPRIATE FINANCING STRATEGY. SO THE REASON I KEEP ASKING ABOUT THAT, EACH TIME WE TALK ABOUT BOND FINANCING, A GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION BOND HAS TO GO ON. THE REFERENCE HAS TO GO ON THE BALLOT AS A REFERENDUM FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO APPROVE. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN INCLUDE $33 MILLION FOR GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION BONDS WHEN OUR RESIDENTS HAVE NOT VOTED TO SAY THAT THEY THEY'RE GIVING US THE AUTHORITY TO DO A GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION BOND. A REVENUE BOND IS DIFFERENT. BUT I KEEP ASKING THAT QUESTION. I THINK WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. THE IT'S ALSO ELECTIONS. YOU EITHER TIE IT ON TO AN EXISTING ELECTION OR THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO A SPECIAL ELECTION, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL COST FOR THAT. SO LIKE IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT REFERENDUMS OR HAVING TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO START PLANNING AND FIGURE OUT WHEN WE WANT TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO PLACE IT ON THE ON THE BALLOT FOR A REFERENDUM IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION BOND. BUT IF NOT, THE MONEY IS HIGHLY SPECULATIVE AND CAN'T BE TRACED TO ANY REAL FUNDING SOURCE, BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED THE PERMISSION OF THE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND SO I'VE ASKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES, I THINK, AND I'M NOT SURE. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING OUR FINANCIAL ADVISER COME BACK TO AN UPCOMING MEETING, BECAUSE THE LAST TIME HE WAS HERE, HE TALKED ABOUT US NOT LOOKING AT PROJECTS SINGULARLY BUT THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT THE CITY MAY WANT TO DO, LIKE THE AUDITORIUM, THE REC CENTER OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE MAY WANT TO DO AND THEN HAVE A MAXIMUM, I THINK HE SAID AROUND $70 MILLION WAS THE ESTIMATE OF TOTAL BOND ISSUANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT PROBABLY WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THEM. I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE READY TO COME TO OUR MONDAY WORK SESSION MEETING ON JUNE 9TH, BUT IF NOT IN JULY, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S UNANIMOUS SUPPORT OF HAVING BUILDING ANOTHER RECREATION CENTER IN OUR CITY. FUNDING IS CRITICAL, AND DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE UTILIZING TO FUND THE REC CENTER THAT EVERYONE WANTS, WE HAVE TO PLAN IN A WAY THAT MAKES SURE THAT WE ARE PLANNING WITH A TIMELINE IN MIND THAT DOESN'T LIKE, OH WELL, WE FORGOT WE WANT TO BREAK GROUND, BUT WE CAN'T JUST ISSUE A GOVERNMENT OBLIGATION BOND WITHOUT DOING A REFERENDUM. THE OTHER THING IS, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE CLOSING THE SURVEY OR WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FROM GETTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM [00:20:10] RESIDENTS? SO WE HAVE THAT IN MIND. AND SO WE KNOW I MEAN, AGAIN, I THINK HAVING SOMETHING ON THE WEEKEND WOULD OPEN UP FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE TO WORK DURING THE WEEK AND MAY NOT WANT TO TRAVEL AT THE EVENING. IN THE EVENINGS, CONTINUING TO HAVE IT ONLINE SO WE CAN PROMOTE IT AND PUSH IT. HAVING ON OUR WEBSITE AS WAS SUGGESTED. BUT WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR GETTING ADDITIONAL SURVEYS? COMPLETION 232 PEOPLE. I MEAN, THAT'S LESS THAN I CAN'T DO THE MATH THAT QUICK, BUT PROBABLY A 10TH OF A PERCENT OF THE POPULATION. WE HAVE 38,000 PLUS RESIDENTS IN THE CITY. OKAY. FROM A SOCIAL MEDIA STANDPOINT, WE FREQUENTLY PUT THE ACTUAL QR CODE AND THE LINK UP TO GET FEEDBACK. WE WANTED TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU ALL ON ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS, SO WE WILL TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT. SATURDAY IS A GREAT IDEA AS WELL, AND I THANK MISS RODGERS MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING VIRTUAL SO WE CAN ADD THOSE. WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION FROM THE MEETINGS THAT WE DID HAVE. BUT WE CAN'T TAKE THOSE THINGS INTO ACCOUNT. SO I WOULD THINK DEFINITELY LEAVE IT UP FOR ANOTHER MAYBE 2 OR 3 WEEKS. ADDING SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS YOU ALL MADE, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK WITH SOME MORE NUMBERS. THANK AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING, LIKE KEEPING US UPDATED AS TO WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVING AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SHARING. I MEAN, IT'S GOOD TO NOT JUST WAIT TILL THE END, BECAUSE IF WE GOT TO LIKE WHATEVER OUR TIMELINE IS AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, WE ONLY HAVE 232 RESPONSES, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TO ENCOURAGE GETTING MORE. WE MIGHT ALSO WANT TO PUT INFORMATION IN THE UTILITY BILL THAT GOES OUT TO EVERYONE. YES. SO THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE SURVEY IS. IF IT'S A ONE SHEET OR BACK IN FRONT, FRONT, FRONT AND BACK. MAYBE IT CAN GO IN THE BILL OR LINK OR NUMBER WHERE PEOPLE CAN CALL TO BE ABLE TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH COMPLETING THE SURVEY. I KNOW SOMETIMES WE USE HAVE PEOPLE REACH OUT TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND A MEETING, THE VIRTUAL ONLINE OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE A GOOD ONE AS WELL. BUT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEYS, BUT JUST HAVING MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES AND WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION. AND SO I DON'T KNOW, MR. JONES, IF YOU WANT THAT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CALL THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT OR CALL SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO GET HELP WITH COMPLETING A SURVEY OVER THE PHONE WITH SOMEONE ASSISTING THEM, THEY CAN PUT THE INFORMATION IN, BUT TRYING TO MAKE IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. YEAH, WE CAN CERTAINLY ASSIST WITH THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DID HAVE SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FINANCE ADVISOR, AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR A DATE FOR FOR A VISIT TO COUNCIL. AND WE WERE THINKING JUNE 16TH, OKAY FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO, WE HAVE A SIZABLE HISPANIC POPULATION IN OUR CITY. SO ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY TRANSLATING THE SURVEY, MAKING SURE WE'RE HAVING OUTREACH TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ALSO MAY BE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES AS IT RELATES TO SIGHT, SO LIKE JUST MAKING IT AS ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE. AS WE CONTINUE TO LEAVE IT OPEN AND CONTINUE TO HOPEFULLY GET MORE INPUT AND WE THE NUMBERS REFLECT THE DIVERSITY AND RESPONSES FROM DEMOGRAPHICS OF AGE AND THAT'S GOOD AND DIFFERENT WARDS. BUT AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE. AND IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE FEEDBACK AND ALSO CONTINUE TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION AND MORE RESPONSES FROM OUR RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. YES, MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THE FINANCING ASPECT OF THIS. AND BECAUSE TIME IS OF ESSENCE, WHICH HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE LAND UPON WHICH THE STRUCTURE WILL BE BUILT. AND IF WE'RE NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME TO GO TO THE RESIDENTS THROUGH A REFERENDUM, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ENGAGE ONE OF OUR AUTHORITIES PERHAPS THE BUILDING AUTHORITY. BUT OF COURSE I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY'S BEEN ENGAGING THAT AUTHORITY AS WELL, MR. CITY MANAGER, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND ENGAGING THE CITIZENS ON THIS. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN MEET OUR MARK AS IT RELATES TO THE DESIGN, THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ALSO GETTING SOME SUBSTANTIAL MOVEMENT ON THAT PROPERTY BEFORE OUR SORT OF TIME PERIOD RUNS OUT. WE MAY HAVE TO DO REVENUE BONDS THROUGH ONE OF THE AUTHORITIES PROBABLY MOST LIKELY THE BUILDING AUTHORITY. AND I KNOW THAT I'VE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO THAT AS WELL. SHE IS ACTUALLY A RESIDENT OF WARD D, AND SO THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY TO GET RESIDENTS ENGAGED AND INVOLVED AND GREATER REPRESENTATION FROM AROUND THE CITY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT UP WE DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SERVE ON EITHER THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AND OR THE COUNCIL HUMAN RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE. [00:25:04] ALL RIGHT. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA? YES. [VIII. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA] COUNCIL MEMBER. SHROPSHIRE. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP, APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL. [IX. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES] MINUTES FROM THE MAY 19TH MEETING OF EAST POINT CITY COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR. YES, COUNCILMAN. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MINUTES MINUTE FROM MAY 19TH. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE NOW AT OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL READ THE RULE. [X.2. Second Public Hearing for FY 2026 Proposed Budget] OUR CITY ATTORNEY WILL BE HERE SHORTLY, SO I'LL PULL UP THE RULE TO READ THE PUBLIC HEARING RULE PRIOR TO ASKING FOR THE MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. MADAM MAYOR. YEAH. MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC. I'M GOING TO READ THE RULE. USUALLY THE CITY ATTORNEY DOES IT. SO. YEAH. THERE'S AN AWKWARD PAUSE. CORRECT. BECAUSE I'M LIKE, I GOTTA NOW FIND THE RULE, BUT I'M GOING TO DO THAT SHORTLY, AND THEN I'LL READ IT AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR THE MOTION. BUT AND I'LL COME TO YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEDMAN. WHY IS IT NOT OPENING? MY COMPUTER IS MOVING AT A SNAIL'S PACE, I APOLOGIZE. RULE 29 PUBLIC HEARING. 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 OF THOSE PRESENT HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. RESIDENTS WILL GIVE BE GIVEN FIRST PRIORITY TO SPEAK. AFTER ALL, RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. NONRESIDENTS MAY SPEAK BY A MAJORITY VOTE. THE COUNCIL MAY INCREASE THE TOTAL TIME FOR EACH SIDE OF THE SUBJECT TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES PER SIDE. EACH SIDE WILL BE GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. SPEAKERS MUST ADHERE TO THE RULES OF DECORUM. COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY. A MOTION TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. BEFORE I CALL FOR RESIDENTS TO COME SPEAK, MR. JONES, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR STAFF TO GIVE A PRESENTATION OF OVERVIEW. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO I'LL HAVE OUR OUR FINANCE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR, MR. GOLDEN, PREPARE A PRESENTATION. BUT THERE ARE SOME POINTS THAT I WANTED TO ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK OF. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF BUDGET MEETINGS. I PERSONALLY HAVE SAT THROUGH ROUGHLY AROUND 37. [00:30:01] VARIOUS BUDGET MEETINGS WITH A COMBINATION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, PEOPLE, PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC STAFF AND A NUMBER OF PUBLIC FORUMS. IN THOSE THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS AND AND THE BUDGET HAS CERTAINLY HAVE INVOLVED LIKE EVERY BUDGET DOES, PARTICULARLY DURING THIS TYPE OF PROCESS. AND THERE WAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THIS BUDGET BRINGS. SO CERTAINLY WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMP AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY IN MUCH MORE DETAIL LATER ON ON THIS AGENDA. MR. JONES, COULD YOU LEAN A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE MIC? I CAN'T SEE IF YOU'RE IN THE MIC OR NOT. AND THEN IF THAT'S HE IS, WE MIGHT NEED IT TO KIND OF ADJUST THE VOLUME. GO AHEAD. SURE. IS THIS BETTER? I GOT IT. I MIGHT EAT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST HEAR ME. SO THE COMP AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT LATER ON ON THIS AGENDA, BUT ON THIS BUDGET DOES CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO OUR PHASE ONE OF THE HYBRID APPROACH TO OUR COMP AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY? THE COUNCIL IS ASKED US TO LOOK INTO RETRO OR RETRO OPTION. THIS BUDGET DOES ALLOW FOR A A RETRO TO APRIL 5TH. AND THE THE PAYOUT WOULD BE SCHEDULED FOR JULY 25TH. AND CERTAINLY OUR HR WILL GO INTO THAT IN MUCH MORE DETAIL. BUT THIS BUDGET DOES ACCOMPLISH THAT. THIS BUDGET ALSO FOCUSES ON FINISHING TOUCHES TO OUR EASTPOINT MULTIMODAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS ALSO DUE TO HAPPEN BEFORE WORLD CUP. THAT IS GOING TO GIVE OUR DOWNTOWN A MAKEOVER. LOOKING AT OUR MEASURE ONE WAYS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE CROSS SECTIONAL STREETS. THIS BILL ALSO MAKES TAKES ACCOUNT FOR RECENT LEGISLATION AND PREPARES FOR WHAT THE EFFECTS MAY BE FROM HOUSE BILL 581. AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS ACCEPTED HAS ENHANCED THOSE SERVICES TO PROTECT AGAINST HIGH RISING POTENTIAL INFLATION. SO RESIDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE HOUSE IN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, THEY WILL BE PROTECTED FROM HAVING THEIR TAXABLE VALUES INCREASE WITH THE INFLUX OF INFLOW OF. INFLATION. INFLATION. WE SO WE'RE WE'RE PREPARED IN THAT IN SOME OF OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS. WE DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR EFFECT ON THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR FOR US, BUT WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT. THERE ALSO HAD BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT LOOKING AT THE HOTEL MOTEL TAXES AND OUR REVENUES. AND AS, AS WE KNOW OUR BUDGET IS, IS A VERY LARGE BUDGET. IT'S MADE UP OF ACTUALLY A NUMBER OF MINI BUDGETS. AND SO WE'VE DONE SOME THINGS TO HELP MAKE IT MORE USER FRIENDLY TO READ BUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, AND RIGHTLY SO, FOR CITIZENS LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND SAY, LOOKING AT A HOTEL, A MOTEL SIDE OF THE OF THE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. AND LOOKING AT JUST ONE SIDE OF THAT, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IT'S A DEFICIT WHEN IN REALITY AND LOOK AT THE REVENUE SIDE THAN IT WOULD ACTUALLY ZERO THAT OUT. AND IT ACTUALLY WOULD BE A NET ZERO SUM GAME ON THAT LINE ITEM. BUT THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION EARLIER TODAY ON THAT SINCE THE BUDGET, ESPECIALLY THE BACK END OF THE BUDGET THAT GOES INTO THE DETAILS, IS MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BUDGETS, AND THERE'S ESSENTIALLY BEEN KIND OF A COST AND CUT AND PASTE TYPE OF PROCESS THAT BRINGS IN MULTIPLE BUDGETS INTO ONE BUDGET DOCUMENT THAT THE NUMBERING IS IS CONFUSING. SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE FINAL VERSION THAT THE NUMBERING SYSTEM WILL MAKE SENSE AS ONE DOCUMENT. WE ALSO WILL PROVIDE CLARIFICATIONS IN THE CONTEXT CONTEXT OF THE BUDGET TO EXPLAIN WHY THE BUDGET IS, IS, IS BEING PRESENTED IN THE WAY IT DOES IN A WAY THAT BRINGS MULTIPLE BUDGETS TOGETHER IN ONE TYPE OF CONTINUITY VIEWPOINT OF THE BUDGET SO THAT READERS CAN LOOK AT IT AND HAVE A LITTLE MORE EASE IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE BUDGET IS CONVEYING. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT THIS BUDGET AS, AS WE WILL, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY SUBMIT TO THE F [00:35:05] GFOA FOR RECOGNITION. WE HAVE RECEIVED THE GFOA THE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION'S AWARD 13 TIMES IN THE PAST. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO SEEK FOR, FOR EXCELLENCE IN OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION. WE WILL BE TRYING TO DO THAT AS WELL AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE ONE LAST POINT BEFORE I GIVE IT TO MR. GOLDEN TO CARRY US THROUGH THE PROPER READING OF THE ORDINANCE THAT THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET FROM THE VERY FIRST VERSION. AND THAT REALLY GOES TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH, WHICH BASICALLY IS A REALISTIC PLANNING NUMBER FOR THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL RECREATION CENTER, SO THE INITIAL NUMBER OF 229 MILLION HAS INCREASED TO 247 MILLION, ONLY FOR IN INCREASING THAT PLANNING NUMBER, WHICH STARTED OUT AT 15 MILLION, WHICH, AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE KNOW THAT THE THE DESIGN IS EXCUSE ME, IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE THAN 15 MILLION. SO IT REFLECTS A MORE REALISTIC NUMBER. AND YES, IT DOES NOT GO INTO THE TYPE OF FINANCING WILL BE THERE. THERE'S GOING TO BE A WIDE RANGE OF VARIOUS DIFFERENT APPROACHES. MAYOR CERTAINLY COVERED THE GEO BOND VERSION. BUT THERE'S ALL OTHER TYPES OF VERSIONS THAT THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AND REVIEW AND, AND HAVE SOME ADVICE THROUGH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS AND OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH FOR THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GIVE A QUICK SUMMARY ON THE VARIOUS QUESTIONS THAT'S COME UP DURING THIS PROCESS. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED AND DISCOVERED AND CHANGED AND MOVED AND EVOLVED THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND WITH THAT, I'LL LET MR. GOLDEN TAKE US THROUGH THE FORMAL APPROACH FOR THE NEXT FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING. SO I'M GOING TO PAUSE RIGHT AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU, MR. JONES. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THAT'S NOT WHEN THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE IS HELD. THAT'S A SEPARATE ACTION BY COUNCIL. THE PRESENTATION THAT I TURNED IT OVER TO YOU ALL TO MAKE IS GENERALLY IN MR. GOLDEN. YOU'VE DONE THIS SEVERAL YEARS. GENERALLY A PRESENTATION THAT GOES OVER THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET. WHAT PERCENTAGE IS POLICE? WHAT PERCENTAGE IS LIKE THOSE SLIDES THAT YOU ALL SHARED WITH US? THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE. AND SO LAST TIME WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING, I MADE THE REQUEST FOR A PRESENTATION. AND THIS SAME ORDINANCE WAS SHARED. BUT THE READING OF THE ORDINANCE OR ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE IS A SEPARATE ACTION THAT TAKES PLACE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. DURING THE PRESENTATION, THERE'S A PRESENTATION, AN OVERVIEW TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT A SUMMARY OF WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET. SO AS PEOPLE COME UP TO SPEAK, THEY'LL HAVE A HIGH LEVEL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET. WE'VE DONE THIS 11 YEARS. THIS IS MY 12TH BUDGET. SO THE PREVIOUS 11, THERE'S GENERALLY THAT PRESENTATION. DO YOU ALL HAVE SLIDES, A PRESENTATION TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET BEFORE WE ASKED THEM TO COME SPEAK IN FAVOR OR AGAINST? YES, MA'AM. MADAM MAYOR, GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT. MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU WANT? [00:40:43] EXCUSE ME. ALL RIGHT. FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET, WE HAVE THESE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER WITH THE PUBLIC THAT WE SHARE WITH MAYOR AND COUNCIL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TIES OUR BUDGET IS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT MAYOR AND COUNCIL ADOPTED SOME TIME AGO. THOSE AREAS INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY, COMMUNITY AND WELL-BEING, INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE, EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, REVITALIZATION, SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH. PARKS AND ENHANCEMENT. TRANSPARENCY, EQUITY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. SOME OF THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT DEAL WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. YOU HAVE WHAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'RE PURCHASING 13 VEHICLES THAT WILL BE FINANCED, PURCHASED OVER FIVE YEARS, 1.5 MILLION OF OUR FIRE EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES. WE'RE LOOKING TO TO GET AN AMBULANCE, A LADDER TRUCK AND A FIRE APPARATUS THAT WILL BE FINANCED, PURCHASED FOR 820,000 AND AS WELL AS A DRONE PROGRAM THAT WILL COST US ABOUT 250 FOR A YEAR. FOR FIVE YEARS. SOME OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HAVE SIDEWALK AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS OF 5.5 MILLION. WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE. 4.1, 14.9. ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE 10.4. STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AT 2.3. IN SOLID WASTE HAVING 379,000. WE GO THROUGH ALSO MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS OF 3 MILLION PARK RECREATION. WE HAVE INCREASED THAT. SORRY. THE PARK IMPROVEMENTS IS 1,375,007 85. THE MULTIPLEX, HOWEVER, IS THE 15 MILLION THAT WE'RE ADDING 18 MILLION TO MAKING IT 33 MILLION. AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE COMPENSATION CLASSIFICATION STUDY THAT THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED. OTHER ENHANCEMENTS INCLUDE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND HOUSING STABILITY, BUDGET ENHANCEMENT, STABILITY, ECONOMIC GROWTH. AND IT'S I WANT TO GET TO. THE ALL FUNDS SUMMARY. WITH OUR GENERAL FUND, WE ARE PROPOSING A BUDGET OF 70,000,505. NINE. 15. KADIM FUND IS 255,000. E9 111. 7 MILLION. IN SCHOOL ZONE SPEED CAMERA 15 MILLION. 15,000. 8.8. FOR RESTRICTED GRANTS. POLICE GRANTS OF 212 HOTEL MOTEL 5.6. TECH CORRIDORS OF 1.5. CAPITAL PROJECTS IS INCREASING. 23. THIS IS THE EARLIER. OKAY. WITH OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCES PROPERTY TAX, WE'RE LOOKING AT 26 MILLION LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX OF 14.3 LICENSES AND PERMITS OF 4.6 FINES AND FORFEITURES OF 1.1 FRANCHISE TAX OF 853,000. OTHER TAXES OF 5.4 CHARGES AND SERVICES OF 1.2 AND OTHER REVENUE EQUALING 16.3 16.6 TOTALING 70,000,000.5. AND IT BREAKS DOWN FOR THE GENERAL FUND BY DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A CATEGORY I APOLOGIZE FOR. THIS CITY COUNCIL IS A SEPARATE AND WE INCLUDE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY CLERK TOGETHER. SO YOU SEE IT AS 2.3 MILLION. EXECUTIVE IS A CATEGORY THAT INCLUDES THE MAYOR, THE CITY MANAGER, COMMUNICATION, LEGAL AND EQUITY. INCLUSION. THAT IS BUDGETED AT 6.6 MILLION. [00:45:06] ADMINISTRATION INCLUDES. FINANCE. ACCOUNTING. PURCHASING. TAX HR. BUILDING AND GROUNDS. FACILITY. OPERATIONS. THAT IS BUDGETED AT 14.7. JUDICIAL IS 1.4. POLICE. 22.3. AND OUR FIRE IS 13.4. PUBLIC WORKS AT 2.9. PUBLIC PARKS AND REC AT 3.4. PLANNING AND ZONING OF 2 MILLION. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF 1.1 MILLION AND TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES OF 70.5. WITH OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, WE ARE INCLUDING 66 67.6 MILLION. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WATER RESOURCES. WE ARE BUDGETING 37 MILLION. SAME FOR EXPENDITURES OF 37 MILLION. ELECTRIC FUND 56.3 MILLION. EXPENDITURES OF 56.3 MILLION. WITH OUR STORMWATER 3.7 MILLION. STORMWATER EXPENSES OF 3.7 MILLION, 5.2 FOR SOLID WASTE AND WOOD TRANSFERS IN OF 295,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND. TOTAL EXPENSES OF SOLID WASTE 5.2 AS WELL. AND THAT TAKES US THROUGH ALL OF THE AREAS IN THE IN THE BUDGET THAT RELATE TO THIS ORDINANCE. ANYTHING ELSE, MR. JONES, BEFORE I ASK FOR PEOPLE TO COME SPEAK FOR AND AGAINST. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THAT'LL BE ALL FOR NOW, MADAM CITY CLERK, IF YOU COULD START THE 15 MINUTE TIMER, PLEASE. I HAVE IT. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE FISCAL YEAR FY 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR RESIDENTS FIRST AND THEN NONRESIDENTS. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THE LAST MEETING WE HAD, I SAID I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS FOR IT OR AGAINST IT. TONIGHT I'M KIND OF IN BETWEEN. I DID MEET WITH MR. JONES, AND WE WENT OVER CERTAIN THINGS IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET AND GLAD TO SEE DETAIL TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO DETAILS LAST MEETING. SO WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE VOTING ON IN TERMS OF SPENDING MONEY. MY CONCERN, THOUGH, IS THE RECREATION CENTER FOR THAT 33 MILLION THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY THE BUDGET WENT UP NINE. 9 MILLION PRIOR TO THE THIRD, 3 MILLION BEING ADDED TO IT. AND CITIZENS HAVE BEEN LET DOWN SO MANY TIMES. THE CITY THEY OVERSEE, THE HALL HAS NOT BEEN REBUILT. AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REBUILT AND FIXED. RIGHT. SO WE GOT WE ASKED HIM FOR $33 MILLION. I'M NOT AGAINST THE PARK. I'M NOT AGAINST THE PARK. I IT. BUT THEN WE NEED TO PAUSE. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THE MONEY BEFORE WE PUT IT IN THE BUDGET. THAT'S LIKE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. AND HOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT? IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE CITIZENS. THE TAXPAYERS. ARE YOU GOING TO RAISE THE MILLAGE RATE OR ARE YOU GOING TO RAISE THE POWER RATE? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR IT? YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT TO THE CITIZENS. IF WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT A BOND. WE MAY NOT VOTE FOR IT. WE MAY NOT. YOU MAY FIX IT. WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT, BUT WE STILL GOT TO PAY FOR IT. THAT'S A REALITY. SO YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN TO THE CITIZENS HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY THAT 33 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IN THAT BUDGET. SO I CAN'T SAY I'M STILL FOUGHT AGAINST. I KNOW I'M FOR THE WAY. I'M DOWN. I'M DOWN FOR THAT. I'M DOWN FOR OTHER THINGS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE BUDGET FOR SANITATION, MAKING SURE WE GOT TRUCKS OUT THERE AND POLICE CARS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS. I'M FOR THAT. I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOOD. BUT THAT $33 MILLION, I STICK ME IN THE CRAW BECAUSE YOU NEED TO TELL US HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT. AND YOU CAN TELL US HOW WE CAN PAY FOR IT. I WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL SHARON LOVETT, YELLOW DRIVE. SO FAR, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT. LAST MEETING, THEY DID NOT HAVE A BREAKDOWN. BUT AS FAR AS, LIKE, EVERYTHING THAT'S LISTED ON THERE, I'M FOR IT. ON MAY, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EVENTS WHERE WE'RE PAYING OUR TAXPAYERS DOLLARS FOR THAT EVENT. THE SALSA. THAT'S OUR DOLLARS. APRIL THE 27TH. THEY HAD AN OUTDOOR DANCING. THAT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS. [00:50:01] AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE DRAG DOWN SOUTH ON JUNE 7TH. THAT'S TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. SO I'M FOR THE BUDGET. AS LONG AS THEY INCLUDE THE WINDS, THE WIND DOWN. WE'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BEFORE. AND THIS IS GOING INTO THE SEVENTH YEAR. AND LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THEIR EVENTS. WE WOULD LIKE THE SAME THING. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL PEOPLE, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I APOLOGIZE. I HAD SO MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT EVERYTHING. I HAD TO WRITE THEM DOWN THIS TIME. SO INSOFAR AS THE BUDGET. I AGREE WITH THE GENTLEMAN, I THINK WE DO NEED A CLEARER EXPLANATION OF EXACTLY WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM IN SOME AREAS. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT, BUT DEFINITELY WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. I HAD MORE QUESTIONS THAN COMMENTS ABOUT IT. THE FIRST QUESTION WAS WHY SUCH STAUNCH OPPOSITION TO IT WHEN WE'VE HAD IT HERE? AND IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR YEARS. OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE IT. OTHER AREAS. I MEAN, I RATHER COME AROUND THE CORNER FROM WHERE I LIVE INSTEAD OF GOING TO PIEDMONT PARK OR OTHER AREAS WHERE I ENJOY THE SAME THING, OR I COULD ENJOY THE SAME THING. SO IS IT THE GENERAL FEELING OF THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT? IS THAT WHAT YOUR COMMUNITY WANTS, WHERE YOU LIVE, OR ARE THEY AGAINST IT? AND IF THEY ARE, THEN IT'S JUST LIKE THE PROGRAMS YOU CHOOSE TO WATCH ON TELEVISION. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T WATCH IT. IF YOU DON'T WANT IT, DON'T COME. BUT IT DON'T TAKE AWAY THE ENJOYMENT THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY GAIN FROM IT, SUCH AS MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REALLY ARE AGAINST IT, WHAT DO YOU BRING INTO THE TABLE TO PROMOTE THE CITY'S GROWTH AND FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR OUR TAX DOLLARS? SO YES, OUR TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR THIS AS WELL. BUT WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING? WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING? SO I'VE HEARD OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LOCATION. PEOPLE DON'T WANT IT WHERE IT IS. SO IF THE IF THE LOCATION WAS INITIALLY DEEMED FOR REDEVELOPMENT AND IT FELL THROUGH, WHY NOT JUST LET THIS BE UNTIL A FINAL DECISION IS MADE ON WHAT TO DO WITH THE WITH THE LOCATION. AND THEN I KNOW THERE WAS SOME, BUT I TAKE AS A BACKHANDED RACIST COMMENT MADE IN SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT MOVING THE DIRT FROM THE COMMONS TO CAMP CREEK. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I MEAN, I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME, BUT WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? AND IF IT WAS SAID IN A CERTAIN COMMUNITY AND YOU ALL REPRESENT THESE COMMUNITIES, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS. BECAUSE I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. SO FOR ME, IF PEOPLE ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SELECTION OF THE ENTERTAINERS, MAYBE THERE COULD BE A BETTER PROCESS TO VET THEM. BUT FOR THOSE WHO REALLY ARE OPPOSED, MAYBE YOU CAN CONSIDER COLLABORATING AND COMING TOGETHER IN A UNITED FRONT TO MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE, PALATABLE, AND ENJOYABLE FOR ALL OF US. SO I CAN GO WITH THE BUDGET. DEFINITELY GO WITH WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MEALY, HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD EVENING EASTPOINTE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND YOUR FELLOW RESIDENTS OF EASTPOINTE. I BRING YOU GREETINGS. I'M COUNCILWOMAN ANGELA MILLAN OF UNION CITY. I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR WINSTON WINDOW. WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF IT? WELL, THE PRIMARY GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO PROVIDE A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME RELAX AND DE-STRESS AFTER WORK OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS. IT'S A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH THEIR FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND FOSTERING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. ME COMING FROM UNION CITY, I COME TO WINSTON WINDOW. LOVE IT. I WISH WE HAD AN AMPHITHEATER SO WE CAN HAVE OUR OWN WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN, BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, THIS IS WHERE I GO. I DON'T WANT TO GO TO STOCKBRIDGE. I DON'T WANT TO GO FURTHER SOUTH. I WANT TO COME TO EAST POINT. I GREW UP IN EAST POINT YEARS AGO. LIVED RIGHT HERE DOWN THE STREET FROM OFF OF HARRIS STREET. SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR, EAST POINT, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, AS I'M TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUE FROM A COLLEAGUE TO A COLLEAGUE, [00:55:03] I'M ASKING YOU TO KEEP WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. FIRST OF ALL, IT ATTRACTS A LOT OF BUSINESSES, ALL THE VENDORS, THE PEOPLE. I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS, ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT YOUR WINS TO WIND DOWN AND NOTHING LIKE THE POINT. THAT'S CORRECT. I HAD A GIRLFRIEND CALLED ME TODAY. SHE LIVED IN, MCDONOUGH SAID. I WISH I COULD HAVE WENT TO THE WEDNESDAY AND WIND DOWN LAST WEEK. I SAID, WELL, I'M ON VIP. I LOVE IT. I'M ASKING. I CAN SAY THAT I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU GUYS TO KEEP IT. AND NOT ONLY THAT, THE MONEY THAT IT'S PEOPLE ARE SPENDING, IT'S COMING INTO YOUR ECONOMY. THINK ABOUT THAT. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. I KNOW WHEN I COME, I WANT TO EAT, I WANT TO DRINK. AND SOMETIMES WHEN I SAY DRINK, I'M NOT ALCOHOLIC, BUT I LIKE TO TRY THE DIFFERENT FLAVORS OF THE DRINKS AND THE FOOD. I ALSO BUY THINGS. THEY HAVE T SHIRTS. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT VENDORS OUT THERE. I LIKE TO TRY DIFFERENT STUFF, AND I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A IT'S A GREAT THING TO HAVE IN YOUR CITY. AND I DON'T KNOW THE WHAT THE OPPOSITION IS, BUT WHEN WE HAVE OUR AMPHITHEATER, WE WILL HAVE A WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN OR SOME OTHER TYPE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO COMPETE AGAINST EACH POINT. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE POINT. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE EAST POINT, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT OR MINI SERIES OF CONCERTS. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THIS WEDNESDAY, WYANDOTTE, I BELIEVE IT STRENGTHENED YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY. IT GENERATES TAX REVENUE, AND IT'S JUST A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO TALK ABOUT TOURISM. YOU TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT PEOPLE COMING INTO YOUR COMMUNITY. I WOULDN'T KNOW ABOUT EAST POINT IF I DIDN'T LIVE HERE, BUT I HAVE OTHER FRIENDS. YOU GUYS ARE GLOBAL. I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS KNOW THAT, BUT EAST POINT WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN BECAUSE Y'ALL HAVE SUCH A PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT EAST POINT. SO I'M, I'M I'M APPEALING TO THE COLLEAGUE, MY COLLEAGUES, MAYOR, COUNCIL, PLEASE CONSIDER IN KEEPING THE WINDS THAT WIND DOWN BECAUSE I LOVE IT. MY FAMILY LOVE IT, MY FRIENDS LOVE IT, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO REALLY SPEND SOME TIME, RELAX, ENJOY THE VENDORS AND ALSO ENJOY THE GOOD FOOD AND JUST SPEND SOME OF MY MONEY BECAUSE I COULD KEEP IT IN MY LOCAL ECONOMY IN UNION CITY. BUT I CHOOSE TO COME TO EASTPOINT BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING LIKE EASTPOINT. I LOVE EASTPOINT AND I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF EASTPOINT. NOBODY PAID ME TO COME HERE, BUT I HEARD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT YOU GUYS MAY BE EXITING THE WINDS THAT WIND DOWN. THAT WILL BE A BIG MISTAKE FOR YOUR CITY BECAUSE OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING AT EASTPOINT. THEY ARE. EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT EASTPOINT. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IF THEY GOT A VENUE, A SPACE, THEY'RE GOING TO DO SERIES, WHETHER IT'S SMALL OR BIG ON THE GRAND SCALE, LIKE EASTPOINT. AGAIN, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE EASTPOINT, SO PLEASE KEEP THE WINDS TO WIND DOWN. THANK YOU. SO. SO I'LL JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT ALTHOUGH COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU COULD PAUSE IT FOR A MINUTE IS A NON RESIDENT. AT THE TIME THAT SHE CAME FORWARD, NO OTHER RESIDENTS WERE COMING FORWARD AT THAT TIME. SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THERE WERE ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS WHO WERE GOING TO SPEAK IN FAVOR. BUT YOU CAN STILL COME FORWARD. I'M JUST MAKING IT CLEAR YOU CAN COME FORWARD. NO, YOU CAN STILL SPEAK. I'M A NON RESIDENT. OH, OKAY. SO YOU WANT ME TO LET HIM? I DO SEE A COUPLE RESIDENTS STILL COMING. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. AND REAL QUICK, MADAM CITY CLERK. HOW MUCH TIME? 4 MINUTES TO 4 MINUTES. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO BE VERY, VERY BRIEF, BUT I WANT TO SAY GOOD EVENING. MAYOR COUNCILWOMAN, SHROPSHIRE COUNCILMAN ATKINS NOT TO OMIT ANYBODY. GOOD EVENING TO EVERYBODY, DOCTOR ROGERS, BUT I'M JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SEEN, HEARD AND PRESENT AT MY MEADOWLARK ESTATES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS. AND I WANT TO BE VERY SPECIFIC BECAUSE I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME, AND I'M SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY INTO THE SUPPORT OF IT. WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY IS A BIG PROMO FOR EASTPOINTE, AND I HOPE THAT'S REALIZED WHEN I HEARD THEM ANNOUNCE IT ON CHANNEL TWO NEWS. I SAID, OKAY, WE REALLY ARE IN THE BUILDING AND SO MANY PEOPLE TURN OUT. PEOPLE WERE CALLING ME MY AGE TO SEE IF THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT MET OUR AGE GROUP, AND I SAID, GOODIE MOB. IT'S NOT GOING TO QUITE GET IT FOR US, BUT BUT SEND YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. SO MY ONLY ASK OF OF WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY WOULD BE THAT AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE AN OLD SCHOOL REVUE, SO THE SINGERS CAN ALSO PUT OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND. BUT THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. HOLD ON REAL QUICK. [01:00:02] HOLD ON. HOLD ON JUST A MOMENT. I'M SORRY. HOW MUCH TIME LEFT? THAT'S FINE. REAL QUICK. I ACCIDENTALLY JUST PRESSED RESET, TRYING TO PRESS PAUSE ALL THE TIME. NO, I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK SO. MADAM MAYOR. SO SO SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO GUESSTIMATE THAT THERE WAS TWO MINUTES LEFT FROM THE 15 MINUTES BECAUSE SHE SPOKE LESS THAN A MINUTE. SHE SPOKE LESS THAN A MINUTE? YES, SHE SPOKE LESS THAN A MINUTE. I'M ALSO STARTING MY TIMER TWO THIS TIME. SO AT THIS POINT, PER OUR RULES, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO STOP YOU WHILE YOU'RE SPEAKING. SO THERE'S THREE MINUTES LEFT. MADAM CITY CLERK. ARE THERE THREE MINUTES LEFT? I JUST I JUST PUT THREE MINUTES BACK ON. SO WE'LL LET YOU GO. AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE STILL WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPTION POTENTIALLY IF COUNCIL EXTENDS THE TIME, BUT EACH SPEAKER GETS UP TO THREE MINUTES. SO I'LL HAVE YOU SPEAK, MISS CHAPMAN. AND THEN, DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME LEFT, WE WILL GO BY OUR RULE AND ASK COUNCIL IF THEY WANT TO EXTEND THE TIME. SO GO AHEAD. I'LL BE I'LL BE REAL BRIEF, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. I'M NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO I DON'T SEE A LOT OF THE COMMENTS. BUT BASED ON JUST TODAY, THE THE SENIORS THAT HAVE COME OUT, THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL SUPPORT THAT IS HERE, AND I ACTUALLY MOVED TO ATLANTA BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE FESTIVALS THEY HAD, WHICH WAS THE ONE MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND IT WAS A VERY SMALL OPERATION AT LAKEWOOD, AND NOW THEY ARE HOSTING THIS ONE MUSIC FESTIVAL AT PIEDMONT PARK WITH A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF OF SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP. TOYOTA HOME DEPOT PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO COME TO THE ONE MUSIC FESTIVAL. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY JUST CAUTION. YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND AND ENJOY THE CITY. AND I'M REALLY IN SUPPORT OF IT. AND SO I HOPE THAT WE DEFINITELY KEEP IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A HUGE ECONOMIC POWER TOOL FOR US. SO THANK YOU. MADAM MAYOR. OKAY. I ACTUALLY NEED THE TIME TO RUN OUT SO THAT WE CAN DECIDE TO INCREASE IT BY 50. SO YOU WANT ME TO. HOW MUCH IS LEFT? ONE MINUTE, 47 SECONDS. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE YOU. THANK YOU. I'M A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER WITH SINUSES, BUT MY NAME IS MEGAN. I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN EASTPOINTE AS WELL, AND I LIKE THAT. THE PRESENTATION, THE VERY FIRST ONE, WAS ABOUT COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT MADE ME FEEL ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS I'M SEEING ACROSS THE CITY. BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. I COULD BARELY GET OFF WORK LAST WEDNESDAY QUICK ENOUGH BEFORE, LIKE EVERYBODY WAS TEXTING ME ABOUT, ARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE WHERE YOU ARE? AND I WAS TRYING TO GET HOME AND GET SETTLED AND COME BACK OUT, AND IT WAS A GREAT TIME THAT WE ALL HAD. IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. LAST WEDNESDAY, I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN IT THAT BUSY, BUT I LOVE THAT IT HAS GROWN AND WE'VE BUILT ON IT AND WE'VE DONE AMAZING THINGS. AND TO MY NEIGHBOR, MISS PHYLLIS AS WELL, THERE'S BEEN SOME OLD SCHOOL PEOPLE IN THE PAST AS WELL, AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY NICE MIX OF ARTISTS. IT MAY NOT BE THAT EVERY MONTH THAT WE HAVE IT, BUT THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OVER THE YEARS TO BRINGING OTHER ARTISTS WITH OTHER GENRES. SO I ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT THE BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS STEVE JAMES. I'M FROM WARD B. I JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE IN SUPPORT OF WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. FIRST OF ALL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR LAST WEDNESDAY'S WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN, ESPECIALLY WITH ME BEING A NATIVE OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU FOR HOW WELL ORGANIZED IT WAS. THE POLICE PRESENCE ALSO, IT GIVES ME AND OTHERS A CHANCE TO HAVE PRIDE OVER OUR CITY AND TO BE ABLE TO INVITE FRIENDS AND FAMILY OUT TO JUST COME AND JUST HANG OUT IN EASTPOINTE. ALSO, THE FACT THAT IT BRINGS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE SOUTHEAST TO SHOWCASE EASTPOINTE IN A POSITIVE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT EASTPOINTE GOING ON, BUT THAT'S ONE POSITIVE THING THAT WE HAVE OF MANY THAT I LIKE. SO THANK YOU. PER OUR RULES, THE BY MAJORITY VOTE OF THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL MAY INCREASE THE TOTAL TIME FOR EACH SIDE OF THE SUBJECT TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES PER SIDE. EACH SIDE WILL BE GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. SPEAKERS MUST ADHERE TO THE RULES OF DECORUM. SO AT THIS TIME, THE INITIAL 15 MINUTES HAS EXPIRED. OUR RULES GIVE THE COUNCIL THE ABILITY TO EXTEND THAT TIME TO A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES PER SIDE, BY MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNCIL. WHAT IS COUNCIL DESIRE THIS TIME? COUNCILWOMAN, SHROPSHIRE. MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE EXTEND THE TIME. [01:05:04] COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE TIME IS EXTENDED TO 15 MINUTES FOR THE. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK IN FAVOR? AND THEN THE TIME FOR THOSE IN OPPOSITION WILL BE A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES. SO WE HAVE 15 MORE MINUTES. COME ON. COME FORWARD, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JAMES. I'M A RESIDENT OF EAST POINT. MY HUSBAND IS FROM OAKLAND, BUT I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN EAST POINT. AND I'M HERE IN FAVOR OF THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE. I'M REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE WORK THAT DIRECTOR PINKERT IS DOING FOR PARKS AND RECREATION IN SUPPORT OF WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY IN SUPPORT OF DRAG DOWN SOUTH. I'LL BE THERE THIS WEEKEND. WITH ALL BELLS AND WHISTLES ON WOULD WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS ON FACEBOOK AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND MAYBE FOR THOSE ON THE COUNCIL THAT OPPOSE WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY, MAYBE THERE'S A COMPROMISE. MAYBE WE NEED AN AUTHORITY OR A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO IMPROVE IT. IF THERE'S SO MUCH OPPOSITION AGAINST WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. BUT JUST LIKE MY HUSBAND SAID, I'M PROUD TO BRING MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO EAST POINT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONCERT BECAUSE, AS WE ALL KNOW, EAST POINT DOES GET A BAD REPUTATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ACROSS METRO ATLANTA, AND THIS IS AN EVENT WHERE WE CAN SHOW OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS THAT IT'S NOT ALL BAD IN EAST POINT. IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE. AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE MAY BE INTERESTED IN BUYING HOMES OR RENTING APARTMENTS IN EAST POINT JUST BY COMING TO WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. IT'S JUST NOT ONE SIDED. AND I'M A PERSON THAT LIVES LESS THAN A FOOTBALL FIELD AWAY FROM WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. I CAN HEAR IT FROM MY WINDOW AND IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I CAN HEAR THE FIREWORKS FROM MY HOUSE AND I DON'T COMPLAIN, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES LEAVE DEBRIS ON MY FRONT PORCH. BUT I KNOW IT'S A BROADER IT BRINGS ENJOYMENT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS HERE IN EASTPOINTE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOLISTICALLY, WHAT THE COMMUNITY ENJOYS, AND NOT JUST SPECIFICALLY INDIVIDUALS. SO MY SUGGESTION TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE OPPOSING IT, ONCE AGAIN, MAYBE WE BRING RESIDENTS TOGETHER A GROUP TO IMPROVE, WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY AND NOT JUST SHUT IT DOWN. AND IF YOU DO WANT TO SHUT IT DOWN, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE 400 K? WHAT ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR BRINGING TOURISM? BECAUSE IT WAS AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 6000 PEOPLE. DO WE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM THE NAYSAYERS OF HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BRING 6000 PEOPLE TO EAST POINT IN ONE SINGLE DAY? IF NOT, WE'LL THINK ABOUT IT. HELLO. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M BRIDGET KREIDER. I LIVE IN WARD B. I AM IN FAVOR OF THE BUDGET. I'M IN FAVOR OF HAVING A REC CENTER. AND WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE WITH IT. I DO HAVE A GRANDSON THAT PLAYS BASKETBALL AT THE REC CENTER. I WORK OUT AT THE REC CENTER UP HERE, SO I'M IN FAVOR FOR IT. ALSO, WITH WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN, I'M IN FAVOR FOR THAT AS WELL. I'VE BEEN GOING EVERY YEAR. I GREW UP IN EAST POINT, MOVED AWAY, CAME BACK. I WAS ACTUALLY TALKING TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW, A FRIEND OF MINE, AND SHE SAID I WOULD NEVER GO BECAUSE IT'S A BLACK EVENT. I SAID, YOU'RE WRONG. IT'S A COMMUNITY EVENT. IT'S A PEOPLE EVENT. AND IF IT'S NOT FOR YOU, IT'S NOT FOR YOU. BUT WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST THAT WE DO TO ATTRACT MORE DIVERSITY TO IT? SHE DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER. SO I DON'T LIKE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ANSWERS. SO FOR YOU GUYS THAT OPPOSE IT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THIS ONE, I ENJOY IT. IT'S MY WIND DOWN AND IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. WHO I HAVE NOT I HAVE NOT YET PUT A VENDOR BEEN A VENDOR AT THIS ONE, BUT IT BRINGS MONEY TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S FOR EVENTS OUT OF A YEAR. ONE WEDNESDAY. IT'S NOT BOTHERING ANYBODY. I CAN HEAR IT, AS MY NEIGHBOR SAID, BUT I ALSO GET FIREWORK SHELLS ON MY ROOFTOP FROM THE FIREWORKS AND PEOPLE PARKED OUT IN FRONT OF MY STREET ON NORMAN, BARRY AND MARTIN. SO I'M JUST IN FAVOR FOR THE BUDGET. IN FAVOR FOR THAT. AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING MORE DIVERSITY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT THEIR EVENT? I'LL BE AT THE THE DRAG EVENT. I'LL BE AT ALL OF THEM. I HAVE FUN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE AS A COMMUNITY IS HAVE FUN AND NOT BICKER AND RACIST COMMENTS. [01:10:07] I'LL SHUT YOU DOWN QUICK. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALL OUR FRIENDS. WHAT I'M BRINGING UP TODAY IS NOT ONLY ARE WE FRIENDS OF EAST POINT, WE GIVE OUR TIME, OUR TALENT AND OUR SERVICE. WE ARE VOLUNTEERS NOW. NOT ONLY DO Y'ALL SEE US OUT CSI HERE AS EASTERN STARS AND MASONS. WE COME TO YOU AS DAUGHTERS OF SPHINX, WHICH MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE EASTERN STARS AND MASONS, OR YOU MAY THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM. BUT AS DAUGHTERS OF SPHINX, WE ARE THE DAUGHTERS OF SHRINERS. AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SHRINERS, YOU KNOW THE SHRINERS WORK WITH THE HOSPITAL. AND WHEN WE COME OUT TO WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY, WE'RE HERE TO VOLUNTEER OUR TIME SO THAT WHEN WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A FACE WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS OTHERS. AND IF YOU'VE EVER GIVEN NOT ONE DIME TO THE SHRINERS HOSPITAL, GUESS WHAT? THAT WAS THROUGH AN ORGANIZATION SUCH AS OURS. I BRING THAT TO YOU FIRST TO SAY, NOT ONLY DO I'M A GRANDMOTHER AND I KNOW I LOOK PRETTY GOOD, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE SO SERIOUS UP HERE. BOY, Y'ALL GOT ME SCARED. BUT AS A GRANDMOTHER, GRANDMOTHERS ARE NEVER SCARED. I CAN TELL YOU IN 2023, WE HAD EAST POINT HAD WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. AND YES, THIS IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. YOU ALL HAD A GROUP THAT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP FROM OMA. IT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP. GUESS WHAT? THAT MAKES EAST POINT AN INTERNATIONAL CITY. IT MAKES EAST POINT. SO IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER THAT, I CAN SEND YOU THE FLIER, BECAUSE I KEEP THEM ALL BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT I'M DOING IS BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY. NO, I DO NOT LIVE IN EAST POINT. BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, I'M A GRANDMOTHER WHO HAS A GRANDSON THAT PLAYED PRETTY BALL. AND I SAID PRETTY BECAUSE HE'S NUMBER THREE. SO THEY PLAY PRETTY BALL IN EAST POINT AND HE PLAYS BASKETBALL. SO I WANT TO SAY WE NEED YOU ALL TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM IN EAST POINT. DON'T TAKE AWAY ANY OF THE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE TAKING AWAY FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO IF THE COMMUNITY HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE ARTISTS THAT SHOWED UP, THEN BRING A SUGGESTION. LIKE I SAID, YOU ALL BROUGHT AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP THAT THAT'S THAT YOU CAN'T GET MORE DIVERSE THAN THAT. AND YOU HAVE NOT SEEN AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP LIKE THAT IN ATLANTA, IN DOUGLASVILLE, IN STOCKBRIDGE. OH, SHE GONE. OKAY, SO I CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE PEOPLE THERE. LET'S KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING HERE IN EAST POINT, AND WE ARE HERE IF YOU ALL NEED US. AND YES, I'M STANDING HERE AS A SPHINX, BUT GUESS WHAT I HAVE MY BLUE AND WHITE ON ALSO, SO I AM DOUBLE COVERED. AND THEN I'M ALSO A EASTERN STAR, SO I VOLUNTEER WHEREVER I CAN. SO PLEASE LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN HELP YOU MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US. AND WE DO SUPPORT YOUR BUDGET. GUESS WHAT? WE SPEND OUR MONEY IN EAST POINT. I JUST BOUGHT SOMETHING AT TACO PETE. THE BEST TACOS EVER. I'M NOT TRYING TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THEY JUST CAME UP HERE IN JANUARY 2025. GUESS WHAT? YEAH, I SUPPORT EASTPOINTE. WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL. TONY DERUBEIS, 15 YEAR RESIDENT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WARD I'M IN. I'M IN THE SPLIT. I JUST I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE BUDGET. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE PRESENTATION A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. IT WAS THE BEST MEETING I'VE BEEN AT IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO MANY. I'M NEW TO THE BUDGET CYCLE. I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. I'M THAT GUY WHO DOESN'T WATCH THE CHANNEL. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, BUT I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT BUDGET VARIANCES, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET. EVERY LINE ITEM SHOULD BE MEASURED BY THE VARIANCE. IF YOU PROJECT REVENUE AND DON'T MAKE IT, LET THE LET THE CITIZENS KNOW INCLUDING WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY IF YOU THINK IT'S BRINGING REVENUE TO THE CITY, SHOW THE REVENUE, SURVEY THE BUSINESSES, GET THE MESSAGE OUT THAT, HEY, WE BROUGHT IN THIS MUCH MONEY AND WE SPENT THIS MUCH MONEY. I SAW A LOT OF ARGUMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT WENT TOO LATE. IF THE POLICE ARE SPENDING EXTRA TIME AND WE'RE SPENDING EXTRA MONEY FOR WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, SHOW IT AS A VARIANCE. COMPARE IT APPLES TO APPLES AND MAKE SURE IT'S PROFITABLE FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? I HAVE ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF MORE MINUTES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR INGRAM AND ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. [01:15:07] AND YES, I AM TALKING ABOUT WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY, BUT I'M ALSO TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT I SEE THAT I DO NOT LIKE ABOUT THE COUNCIL. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES TO THIS COUNCIL, IT'S ALWAYS A PROBLEM. WHERE'S THE WINE? DOWN IS A PROBLEM. WHEN WE HAD THE THE THE INFORMATION ABOUT OVID WELCOME ALL PART. IT WAS A PROBLEM. SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE I FEEL LIKE AT TIMES THAT IT'S LIKE THE COUNCIL VOTED FOR A, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF US VOTING FOR THE COUNCIL, THE COUNCIL VOTED FOR US. YOU'RE NOT TAKING IN CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. AND THAT'S SAD WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE IN HERE. AND YES, I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN. YES, I LIKE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN AND YES, I CAN HEAR IT FROM MY HOUSE AND I CAN HEAR OTHER THINGS FROM MY HOUSE TOO. BUT I THINK IT'S TIME FOR THE CITY COUNCIL OF EAST POINT. AND IT'S NOT ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY, THE ONES THAT PUT YOU IN OFFICE. AND ONE THING FOR SURE, WE PUT YOU IN. WE CAN TAKE YOU OUT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THANK. GREETINGS, MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN. I'M ERICA BERRY, AND I RESIDE IN THE CITY OF SOUTH FULTON. THE NEIGHBORS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY ONCE A MONTH. NOWHERE ELSE CAN YOU GO WITH 50 AND 60,000 PEOPLE AND FEEL SAFE AND NOT HAVE ANY INCIDENTS. I FEEL SO SAFE. I REALLY THINK YOU ALL SHOULD FEEL HONORED BECAUSE YOU HAVE SET THE BAR HIGH. BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN EAST POINT. NOW DOUGLASVILLE IS DOING IT. FAIRBURN IS DOING IT. EVERYBODY ELSE IS TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND YOURS IS THE BEST. NUMBER ONE BY FAR. AND I REALLY ENJOY BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU GUYS. THE MAYOR, THE COUNCIL PEOPLE. EVERYBODY. I REALLY ENJOYED DOING THAT. HI. I AGREE WITH HER. MY NAME IS DOROTHY HALL AND I LIVE IN EAST POINT. BEEN HERE FOR 40 YEARS, WORKED FOR EAST POINT FOR EIGHT YEARS. I WENT LAST WEDNESDAY TO WYANDANCH AND ENJOYED IT. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND JUST DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, RATHER THAN JUST BEING IN THE HOUSE, CLEANING UP, WORKING IN THE YARD. I WANT SOMEBODY TO COME AND CLEAN OFF MY ROOF FOR ME. I'M A SENIOR CITIZEN. I'VE ASKED ABOUT THE PROGRAM AGAIN, BUT WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY. IF I KEEP GOING, I MIGHT FIND SOMEBODY THAT CAN DO IT FOR ME. AMEN. THANK YOU. I WROTE IT DOWN SO THAT I CAN STAY FOCUSED. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF AND ESTEEMED ATTENDEES. MY NAME IS ERICA PINES. I WAS BORN JUST DOWN THE STREET AT FORT MACK. AS AN ADULT, I WAS DELIGHTED TO DISCOVER THAT EAST POINT HOSTS THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN EVENT. THIS GATHERING UNITES OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH OUR SHARED APPRECIATION FOR MUSIC, FELLOWSHIP, AND THE VIBRANT ENERGY THAT NOURISHES OUR SPIRITS. RECENTLY, I WAS MADE AWARE OF A MOVEMENT TO ELIMINATE IT FROM YOUR BUDGET. I AM HERE TO POSE A CRUCIAL QUESTION. IS EAST POINT TRULY A WELCOMING CITY? WHILE IT MAY APPEAR INVITING, WITH ITS PROXIMITY TO THE AIRPORT AND DOWNTOWN ATLANTA, SOME RESIDENTS SEEM TO VIEW EAST POINT MERELY AS A POINT ON A MAP RATHER THAN A DESTINATION WITHIN THE REGION. CONSIDER THE IMPLICATIONS IF THE CITY OF ATLANTA WERE UNWELCOMING AND ELIMINATED THE ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL FROM ITS BUDGET. I URGE YOU TO EXAMINE YOUR BIASES. A CULTURAL EVENT THAT REQUIRES ONLY A MINUTE FRACTION 0.001% OF THE BUDGET SHOULD NOT EVEN WARRANT DISCUSSION. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT A CITY THAT PROFESSES INCLUSIVENESS IS NOT FEATURED IN THE NEWS TONIGHT FOR IMPLICIT BIAS. THANK YOU. YEAH, 58 SECONDS LEFT. DOES ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR? YES. YES. OF COURSE. HELLO, EVERYONE. MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL PEOPLE. HELLO. MY NAME IS LOLA GREEN. I AM THE FOUNDER OF URBAN INDIGO. WE SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE BUDGET, BUT ALSO TO. I URGE YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE HAVING MORE PROGRAMING WITH PARKS AND RECS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THERE IS A PROGRAM, THERE'S ONE, BUT THEY'RE NOT EVEN SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO STAY. I'M IN SUPPORT OF WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY. WE HAVE SO MANY PARENTS THAT COME OUT THAT ARE EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS THAT COME OUT AND ENJOY. [01:20:06] THEY'RE ABLE TO LET THEIR HAIR DOWN. THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS TENSE WHEN THEY GO TO WIND DOWN, WIND DOWN WEDNESDAYS OR WEDNESDAY, WIND DOWN. SORRY. LOOKING AT THE CLOCK. I URGE YOU ALL TO KEEP IT. CONSIDER THE PARENTS THAT ARE REALLY STRESSED, THAT ARE COMING OUT AND CONSIDER THE REVENUE THAT IT BRINGS. THANK YOU. NO ONE ELSE. BUT THERE WE HAVE. THE TIME IS 15 MINUTES. AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO ASK MADAM CITY CLERK. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SET THE TIMER FOR 30 MINUTES. I DID FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. MAYOR AND COUNCIL KEVIN BROWN, 1769 LINWOOD AVENUE. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, BUT I DO SUPPORT THE BUDGET. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS PUT INTO IT. I'M HERE BECAUSE THE COMMENT WAS MADE AND I WAS NOT GOING TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I POSTED ON FACEBOOK THAT QUOTE, I HAVE A QUESTION. IF THE DIRT WAS MOVED FOR THE COMMONS PROJECT. WHERE WILL THE WEDNESDAY EVENT BE HELD? THAT IS NOT A RACIST COMMENT. THAT IS A PHRASE THAT COMES FROM THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TO MOVE DIRT, TO START BUILDING SOMETHING. THE RACIAL PART DID NOT COME FROM ME. IT CAME FROM SHARON ENGLISH LOVETT, WHO SAID, QUOTE, IN CAPS, KEVIN BROWN WHAT IS OR WHO IS DIRT? YES. QUESTION. DIRT IS THE CRAP YOU WALK DOWN TO GET HERE TONIGHT. THAT'S DIRT. IT'S NOT A RACIAL THING I'VE BEEN TO WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN FOUR TIMES. WHAT? DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT OR NOT? SO? SO CAPTAIN ROBINSON, I APPRECIATE YOU STANDING UP. MISTER BROWN, IF YOU COULD JUST DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO US, I THINK IT MIGHT HELP. WILL DO WITH ALL YOUR PASSION. IT'S FINE, BUT JUST STAY FOCUSED. IT WILL DO. SO I LIVE IN THE PART OF TOWN THAT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. DO I ENJOY WEDNESDAY? WIND DOWN. I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. IT'S IN MY BACKYARD. DO I ENJOY THE MUSIC? I'M A LOVER OF ALL MUSIC. I DO NOT HATE. I DO NOT DESPISE. I LOVE EVERY ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT ARE UP HERE WHO GIVE ALL THEIR TIME TO THIS CITY. BECAUSE AS PRESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, IT AIN'T MINUTES OF YOUR LIFE. I SUPPORT THE BUDGET TO COVER ALL PARKS AND REC, THE EXTRA POLICE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM PARKING IN NO PARKING ZONES AND ON SIDEWALKS SO THAT I CAN WALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I SUPPORT THE EXTRA FIRE AND POLICE THE EXTRA FIRE TRUCKS AND AMBULANCES THAT WE NEED FOR THIS BUDGET. BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT THAT. THIS MEETING HAS BECOME A WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN EVENT, WHETHER YOU'RE FOR IT OR AGAINST IT. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. SHERIFF. COULD YOU POSSIBLY. BRING MY NAME UP? THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. NO, MADAM. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET INTO THAT. WE HAVE OUR PRESENT AT ARMS, WHICH IS WHY. AND I'LL JUST REMIND EVERYONE THIS IS GETTING HEATED AND PASSIONATE. SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WANT US TO DISPLAY THE SAME RESPECT THAT WE'RE REQUIRING FROM PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC. BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR IN THE RULE DOESN'T SAY THIS. IN OUR COUNCIL RULE, IT SAYS THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS, ALL THE COMMENTS HAVE TO BE DIRECTED TO THE POINT OF ORDER. THE CHAIR OF THE MEETING. OKAY. WHAT'S THE RULE? WHATEVER THE CIVILITY PLEDGE IS, BECAUSE WE CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE TALKING BEHIND THE MICROPHONE AND CALLING NAMES. POINT OF ORDER. COUNCILMAN. RULE SEVEN. OKAY, SO HOLD ON A MINUTE. I GOT TWO POINT OF ORDERS. YOU PROBABLY. SHE CURSED ME AND THREATENED ME. SO THAT IS NOT TRUE. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU ALL HAVE TO STOP TALKING. CAN YOU GO TO THE SCREEN? BECAUSE I NEED EVERYBODY TO SEE THE RULE AS WE GO THROUGH THE POINT OF ORDER. WHEN YOU CALL FOR A POINT OF ORDER, THE RULE CLEARLY SAYS YOU HAVE. YOU CAN ONLY STATE THE RULE AS A PART OF THE POINT OF ORDER. AND THEN THE CHAIR HAS TO ENTERTAIN THE POINT OF ORDER BASED ON THE RULE. [01:25:04] BUT THE POINT OF ORDER RULE IF YOU GO TO YOU KNOW, TO PULL UP THE MUNI CODE AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO RULE. 13 FOR POINT OF ORDER. AND I'M GOING TO KEEP THAT ON THE SCREEN AND WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW. OOPS, I FORGOT TO PAUSE MY TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED HERE I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THERE. 13. CAN YOU MOVE THAT BAR FOR ME? NO. WELL, IF IS IT GOING TO HIGHLIGHT IN YELLOW? WHAT COLOR IS IT GOING TO DO. BECAUSE. OH, OKAY. RULE 13. POINT OF ORDER. A POINT OF ORDER WILL TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ALL OTHER BUSINESS. THE CHAIR MUST RECOGNIZE THE COUNCIL MEMBER CALLING A POINT OF ORDER. ONCE RECOGNIZED, THE COUNCIL MEMBER MAY ONLY QUOTE THE RULE NUMBER AND THE RULE. NO DISCUSSION, EXPLANATION, OR DEBATE IS ALLOWED DURING A POINT OF ORDER. THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZE THE POINT OF ORDER AND THEN RULE AS TO THE POINT OF ORDER. THE COUNCIL MEMBER CALLING FOR A POINT OF ORDER MAY APPEAL THE RULING OF THE CHAIR. THE CHAIR WILL THEN CALL FOR A VOTE TO UPHOLD THE DECISION. THERE WERE TWO POINT OF ORDERS MADE. THE FIRST ONE WAS BY COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. BY THE RULE, IT INDICATES THE COUNCIL MEMBER MAY ONLY QUOTE THE RULE NUMBER AND THE RULE WHEN CALLING A POINT OF ORDER. WHICH RULE, NUMBER AND RULE ARE YOU CALLING FOR A POINT OF ORDER ON? I GUESS THERE'S NOT A PARTICULAR RULE NUMBER THAT THAT IS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS VERY DISAPPOINTING. SO COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER AND I'M NOT TRYING TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT I'M REALLY JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW THE RULE. NO DISCUSSION, EXPLANATION, OR DEBATE IS ALLOWED DURING THE POINT OF ORDER. SO WHAT IS THE RULE NUMBER AND THE RULE? IF NOT, I, I WILL GO TO THE NEXT POINT OF ORDER THAT WAS CALLED. I GUESS RULE 12. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. SO RULE 12. THE RIGHT OF A COUNCIL MEMBER TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON A QUESTION OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE SHALL BE LIMITED TO CASES IN WHICH INTEGRITY, CHARACTER, OR MOTIVES ARE ASSAILED. QUESTION OR IMPUGN THE QUESTION OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE MUST BE MUST BE ENTERTAINED DURING COUNCIL COMMENTS FOR A PERIOD OF EIGHT MINUTES, WHICH INCLUDES THE THREE MINUTES ALLOWED FOR COUNCIL COMMENTS. IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU NEED A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE PER THE RULES, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN COUNCIL COMMENTS. SO THAT'S THE RULE YOU CITED. MY DECISION IS, IS THAT IF THAT IS WHAT YOU STATED, THE RULE YOU'RE RELYING ON, OUR SPECIFIC RULE SAYS THAT THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN COUNCIL COMMENTS, AND WE'RE NOT AT THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. OKAY. I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO STAY FOR COUNCIL COMMENTS. NO DISCUSSION, EXPLANATION OR DEBATE IS ALLOWED DURING THE POINT OF ORDER. THE SECOND POINT OF ORDER WAS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. WHAT RULE NUMBER AND RULE? IT WAS RULE SEVEN, BUT RULE TO RULE SEVEN. I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD THE MEETING UP SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. SO. ARE YOU WITHDRAWING YOUR POINT OF ORDER? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MISS HEMMING. AS SOON AS YOU CAN COME ON UP, BUT JUST WAIT UNTIL THE CLERK STARTS. AND, MADAM CITY CLERK, I FORGOT TO STOP MY TIMER. HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE? 27 MINUTES, 49 SECONDS. YEAH. I'M ALL OUT FROM, LIKE, TWO MINUTES OFF. SO WE'LL GO WITH HERS. GO AHEAD MISS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. EVERYONE. I'M GEOFFREY HEMMING OF PRIMROSE DRIVE, WARD A, AND I CAME HERE REALLY DEMORALIZED, REALLY SAD. AS I WAS CLOSING MY COMPUTER FOR WORK, I GOT AN EMAIL THAT MY THE PROGRAM THAT FUNDS MY EMPLOYMENT IS BEING CANCELED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND I'M NOT GOING TO CRY, BUT IT HURTS. IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, GET AN EMAIL LIKE THAT. AND THEN I CAME IN THIS ROOM AND I SEE ALL OF THIS CIVIC PRIDE, ALL OF THIS EXCITEMENT, ALL OF THIS ENCOURAGEMENT. AND I WANT THE BEST FOR ME AND MY NEIGHBORS. I THINK AND I'VE BEEN COMING BEFORE YOU ALL KIND OF MAYBE SOUNDING A LITTLE BIT LIKE CHICKEN LITTLE. THE SKY IS FALLING, BUT I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAS IMPACTS HERE ON US IN EASTPOINTE. SO GETTING AN EMAIL THAT MY JOB WILL BE ELIMINATED BY OCTOBER 1ST, KNOWING THAT THE BUDGET THAT THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS PASSED ALMOST DECIMATES SNAP BENEFITS KNOWING THAT IT DERAILS MEDICAID. [01:30:03] I'M THINKING ABOUT MYSELF AND MY NEIGHBORS, AND IN THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, THERE WAS ONLY $350,000 THAT YOU ALL HAVE SET ASIDE FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, FOR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, OR ANYTHING REMOTELY RELATED TO DIRECT RESIDENT ASSISTANCE. AND SO I DON'T SUPPORT THE BUDGET, BUT IT'S NOT FOR THE CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENED TONIGHT. I DON'T SUPPORT THE BUDGET BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE $35 MILLION THAT ARE SITTING IN UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND, AND THERE'S A POLICY THAT STATES THAT 12 MILLION HAS TO BE RESERVED BY LAW. I'M ASKING YOU ALL JUST TO PUT ASIDE $7 MILLION OF THE TOTAL 35. I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO PUT $7 MILLION ASIDE. SO WHEN PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE GOING TO FACE HARD HARDSHIPS BECAUSE OF WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING TO THIS COUNTRY. YOU ALL CAN SUPPORT US. YOU CAN USE THAT MONEY TO PUT IT ON OUR ELECTRIC BILLS SO WE CAN LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. WHEN MY NEIGHBORS LOSE SNAP BENEFITS, YOU ALL CAN INCENTIVIZE US TO GO TO GROCERY STORES HERE IN EAST POINT AND PUT MONEY IN OUR ECONOMY. A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAME UP HERE TO TALK, THEY TALKED ABOUT WHAT WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY DOES FOR OUR ECONOMY. IMAGINE IF WE CREATED IN THIS CITY A SAFETY NET THAT SUPPORTS OUR PEOPLE AND OUR ECONOMY. IMAGINE WHAT THAT COULD DO FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME. IMAGINE WHAT THAT COULD DO FOR MY NEIGHBORS WHO DON'T HAVE ANOTHER SPOUSE TO BE ABLE TO WEATHER THE FINANCIAL STORM. SO WHEN I'VE BEEN ASKING YOU ALL FOR THIS RESIDENT FACING RESERVE POLICY, IT'S NOT A PIE IN THE SKY DREAM. RAIN. I'M ASKING YOU TO TAKE CARE OF US, TO LOOK OUT FOR US. BECAUSE IT'S HARD. IT'S REALLY HARD. AND SO I APPEAL TO YOU ALL THAT. IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS, ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE THAT CAME AND SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS, YOU WANT TO DO PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND TAKE CARE OF US. BECAUSE WE PAY A LOT TO LIVE IN THIS CITY. WE PAY OUR TAXES, WE SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES. AND NOW I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO SUPPORT US. A RAINY DAY FUND. I'M NOT ASKING YOU ALL TO SPEND THE MONEY RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN PUT IT IN AN INTEREST BEARING SAVINGS ACCOUNT. YOU ALL CAN WRITE A POLICY SO THAT YOU CAN DECIDE HOW THE MONEY WOULD BE SPENT. CERTAIN METRICS, CERTAIN DATA. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE PROGRAM. AND HELL IS RAINING DOWN ON A LOT OF PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. WHEN THOSE SNAP BENEFITS GO AWAY, THAT'S $400 A MONTH FOR MOST FAMILIES. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? SO PLEASE BE SERIOUS, BECAUSE SOME OF US ARE REALLY HURTING AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THE POLITICAL WATERS THAT ARE DROWNING AMERICANS. OUR CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD THINKING. THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO CONSIDER TONIGHT. SO PLEASE DON'T PASS THIS BUDGET UNTIL YOU MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THERE THAT TAKES CARE OF US. AND $350,000 IS NOT ENOUGH. WHEN YOU JUST SHOWED US THAT $247 MILLION BUDGET. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AISHA JOHNSON AND I AM A PROUD RESIDENT OF EAST POINT. I'M HERE, AND I HAVE TO BE QUITE HONEST, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU. I WATCH ONLINE OFTEN, AND SOMETIMES I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE IT LIVE AND IN ACTION. I LOVE BEING HERE IN EAST POINT. I'M GRATEFUL THAT EAST POINT IS MY HOME. I HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S REAL SIMPLE. EVEN WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO SHARE WITH THE RESIDENTS TODAY WHAT WAS GOING ON, THE MR. JONES, HE SHARED WITH US THAT THERE ARE SOME LINE ITEMS THAT DON'T MATCH UP AND DON'T THE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH. SO WE CAN'T WE CAN'T APPROVE SOMETHING. WHEN HE SAID ALL THE BUDGETS DON'T MATCH TOGETHER TO MAKE THE NUMBERS LOOK RIGHT. SO I JUST SAY, WAIT UNTIL YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE THERE'S CLEARLY SOME MORE EDITS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. AND SO ONCE THOSE EDITS ARE DONE, THEN YOU CAN KEEP MOVING FORWARD. BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S SOME SOME CONFUSION. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET, PLEASE COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. [01:35:06] MY NAME IS KEITH THEME AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF CENTER PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. WE HAVE SOME GENERAL CONCERNS ABOUT BUDGET, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS UTTER TRANSPARENCY IN DIFFERENT ITEMS OF THE BUDGET. FOR EVENTS. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS CONSTANT. THERE ARE PROBABLY 50 TO 60 PEOPLE WALKING BY MY HOUSE EVERY DAY. THEY HANG OUT AT THE CORNER OF VESTA AND MAIN. THEY'RE ON THE BUS STOPS. THEY'RE ON THE TRAIN TRACKS. AND I JUST REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN OUR RECREATION BUDGET FOR OUR YOUTH. I WANT STRONG YOUTH PROGRAMS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT BRING PEOPLE TO EACH POINT. I WANT IT TO BE OUR PARKS. I WANT IT TO BE OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS. I WANT IT TO BE OUR EVENTS. I WANT IT TO BE EVERYTHING. SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE LEFT? 20 MINUTES, 28 SECONDS. GREAT. SORRY, SOMEBODY JUST WALKED IN. HI. I DON'T NORMALLY COME UP AND SPEAK, SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. MY NAME IS ALLISON SCHULTZ. I LIVE AT 1769 LINWOOD AVENUE, EASTPOINTE. I GUESS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT OPPOSED OR AGAINST THE BUDGET. I GUESS JUST HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS TONIGHT, WHAT IS REALLY APPARENT TO ME IS SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T OFTEN COME TO THESE MEETINGS. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE WE ALL REALLY CARE ABOUT EASTPOINTE. LIKE THAT'S TO ME, IS ONE THING I'VE HEARD TONIGHT, AND IT IS ABOUT COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW PASSIONS RUN HIGH RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK EVERYONE IS JUST A LITTLE ON EDGE BECAUSE WE'RE LIVING IN CRAZY, UNPRECEDENTED TIMES ON A NATIONAL LEVEL AND A STATE LEVEL. AND IT'S CRAZY. I KNOW THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT, BUT I GUESS IT ALL HAS TO START AT HOME, RIGHT? IT HAS TO START IN OUR BACKYARDS AND OUR FRONT YARDS AND OUR IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I LOVE EASTPOINTE. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR SIX YEARS. AND YOU KNOW, I LOVE ALL THE EVENTS WE DO. I LOVE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN. I LOVE THAT I CAN DANCE ON MY BACK DECK OR I CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET. YOU KNOW, I'M IN SUPPORT OF ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE DO. BUT MAYBE IN TERMS OF THIS BUDGET, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE JUST EVERYONE NEEDS TO REALLY BE SUPER SURE ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYBODY IS PASSIONATE, WHETHER THEY'RE FOR OR AGAINST. AND I JUST THINK ALL OF US ARE ON EDGE THE LAST SIX MONTHS HAS FELT LIKE SIX YEARS. SO I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO SAY MAYBE JUST REALLY THINK ABOUT IT AND JUST WE'RE ALL PASSIONATE. WE ALL LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL, SO WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR RAW? BECAUSE WE CARE. AND I THINK GREAT PASSION COMES FROM GREAT LOVE. AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE IT ALL HAS TO START HERE BEFORE WE CAN CHANGE IT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. SO THANK YOU. SORRY I'M NERVOUS. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AGAINST HOW MUCH TIME REMAINING? 18 MINUTES. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. SORRY. 18 MINUTES. 40S. ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, I WAS ABOUT TO. HI. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE LINE ITEM. OH, SORRY. HI, EVERYONE. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE LINE ITEM. ON THE FIRST, I THINK PRESENTATION OF THE SLIDE, THERE WAS A MENTION OF 13 POLICE VEHICLES FOR 01,585,000. THAT AVERAGES OUT TO ABOUT 121,000 PER VEHICLE. I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE VANS OR WHAT TYPE OF POLICE VEHICLES THEY ARE, BUT THAT DOES SEEM A BIT HIGH. SO I WOULD JUST QUESTION THAT LINE ITEM THAT WAS ON THE FIRST PAGE. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO I ALWAYS DO IT IN THREES. SO BEFORE I ASK FOR THE MOTION TO CLOSE, I'M GOING TO SAY ANYONE ELSE WHO WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME. ANY. GREETINGS, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS AARON JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE LINE ITEM FOR THE TRASH. SO I SAW IT WAS $15,000. AND IF WE CAN TAKE A LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL. I STAY IN HIGHWOOD, TRACE. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A REALLY BIG BAD TRASH PROBLEM. SO I DID WANT YOU GUYS TO TAKE A LOOK INTO TRASH. 15,000 IS REALLY, REALLY LOW. AND I AM IN FAVOR OF WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY AS WELL, SO THANK YOU. [01:40:12] ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? HOW MUCH TIME? LOW. 17 MINUTES. 22 SECONDS. ANYONE WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION? CAN I GET A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. CAN I GET A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET? THERE A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO ACTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, BUT WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT EXPRESSING CONCERNS, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL DON'T WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET. COUNCILWOMAN, SHROPSHIRE. CAN YOU MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. AND SO DISCUSSION DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE TAKING ANY ACTION OR ANYTHING, BUT I THINK WITH 30 MINUTES OF PEOPLE SPEAKING IN FAVOR AND OVER 20 MINUTES OR SO OF PEOPLE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION, THERE SHOULD BE A LEVEL OF DISCUSSION THIS EVENING ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED. AND SO I JOTTED DOWN SOME NOTES. AND I WILL START WITH, WITH WHAT I FIND INTERESTING IS THAT FROM FISCAL YEAR 2024 TO WE ARE AMENDED BUDGET WAS $210,780,024. THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET WAS APPROVED. BUDGET WAS $209,965,678. THAT'S ABOUT A DECREASE OF ABOUT $814,000 A LITTLE OVER WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE FISCAL YEAR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, THE AMOUNT OF THE BUDGET WAS TO $29,100,451. AND I DID SOME MATH, BUT I FORGOT TO DO THIS PIECE. HOLD ON REALLY QUICK. TWO, TWO. SO THAT INITIAL BUDGET WAS $19,134,773 INCREASE. TONIGHT, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I SAW A BUDGET ORDINANCE THAT REFLECTS A REQUEST FOR $247,100,451. SO NOW THE INCREASE HAS GONE FROM $19,134,773 TO AN INCREASE OF $37,134,773, WITH NO REAL EXPLANATION. THE EXPLANATION PROVIDED SHARED THAT WELL, IT'S FOR THE REC CENTER. SO I ASK YOU THIS. CAN YOU BUDGET FOR $33 MILLION? IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND ASK YOU, CAN WE DO THAT? CAN WE BUDGET TODAY FOR THAT? WE CAN'T. CAN WE BUDGET TODAY FOR A POTENTIAL REVENUE BOND WHERE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REVENUE SOURCE WOULD BE, OR PROJECTED REVENUE? TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS THE AMOUNT WE PROJECT THAT WE WILL GET FROM A REVENUE BOND, EVEN IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A REVENUE BOND THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO ON A REFERENDUM BECAUSE WE NEED MORE INFORMATION. YET THE BUDGET IS AN INCREASE OF $37,134,773 BEING PRESENTED. I KNOW THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SEEING THE ORDINANCE TONIGHT, WHEN IT WAS ON THE SCREEN, WHEN WE WERE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMUNITY SO THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET. BUT THE ORDINANCE WAS THERE FOR A PROPOSED SECOND READING, WHICH WE'RE NOT THERE YET. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE 13 POLICE VEHICLES AT $1 MILLION. MR. JONES, I'M GOING TO TURN THAT OVER TO YOU FOR YOU TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. I'M HOPING THAT STAFF WAS TAKING NOTES OF WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS, SO THAT THEY CAN COME UP AND ADDRESS THEM. AT THIS TIME. I'VE TAKEN SOME. I DIDN'T TAKE ALL. I THINK THERE WAS ONE THEME AND THEN THERE WAS OTHER THEMES. SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE THEMES. THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE SANITATION BEING REALLY LOW. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS 15,000 OR 15 MILLION, BUT MAYBE THEY CAN ADDRESS THAT. [01:45:06] I THINK THE THERE'S PASSION. THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY SO GREAT. RIGHT? WE HAVE YES WE HAVE WEDNESDAY NIGHT WE HAVE DRAGGED DOWN SOUTH. WE HAVE DAY OF THE DEAD. WE HAVE THE PROBABLY ONLY POWWOW IN THIS REGION OF THE COUNTRY. PEOPLE COME FROM OTHER STATES TO THAT WE CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR DIVERSITY. WE HAVE JAZZ FESTIVALS, ALL OF THAT'S IN THE BUDGET. AND IN FACT. THE SILENCE IS INTERESTING TONIGHT, BUT THE THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN IS $400,000 OVER. WHEN I DID, THE CALCULATION WAS BASED ON $229 MILLION, WHICH IS 0.2% OF THE BUDGET, WHICH MEANS THERE'S 99.8% OF THE BUDGET REMAINING. WHAT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE IS THAT IN THE BUDGET, THERE ARE ANOTHER $543,500 OF EVENTS IN THE BUDGET. SO WITH WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN, YOU HAVE $543,500. TO THAT. IT COMES UP TO $943,500 FOR EVENTS. WHAT'S INTERESTING THAT IN THAT AMOUNT, THERE'S A CATEGORY THAT SAYS MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS. IT'S AT $379,000, AND IT DOESN'T SAY WHAT THOSE EVENTS ARE FOR. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS. I WELCOME ALL CONVERSATIONS. DIVERSITY IS TRULY OUR STRENGTH, LEST WE GET BETTER BY HAVING CONVERSATIONS, BY BEING REAL, BY TALKING ABOUT REAL ISSUES AND GETTING TO REAL SOLUTIONS. BUT IT'S SADDENING, SADDENING TO SIT HERE IN. AS MISS AISHA POINTED OUT, MR. JONES SAID THEY COPIED AND PASTED SOME THINGS FROM HERE TO THERE. THE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP. THE LINE, I MEAN THAT PROBABLY DOESN'T MAKE YOU ALL FEEL TOO CONFIDENT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WHEN THE CITY MANAGER SAYS WE'RE COPYING AND PASTING FROM OTHER PLACES AND PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER. I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER THEME. SO THERE'S THE EVENTS. I'M JUST GOING TO CALL THEM ALL THE EVENTS, AND I LISTED SOME, BUT THAT'S THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE ALL OF THEM. BUT AGAIN, 400,000 PLUS 543,500 WITH A 379,000. MISCELLANEOUS. OKAY. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY IS BEYOND SADDENING. LIKE IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. UNIMAGINABLE. I THINK THIS COUNTRY IS COMING TOGETHER AROUND, NOT REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT. IT IS A REPUBLICRAT NONPARTIZAN HUMANITY FORWARD. PEOPLE CARE ABOUT PEOPLE. IT IS HITTING EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATION, REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU LOVE, REGARDLESS OF ANY OF THOSE THINGS. WE ARE ALL HUMANS AND WE'RE ALL AMERICANS, AND IT IS REALLY HITTING US. I THINK WE HAVE WE STARTED PROVIDING FOOD DISTRIBUTION IN OUR CITY DURING COVID. OUR FIRST DISTRIBUTION WAS APRIL OF 2020 AND FROM APRIL OF 2020 TO TO THIS DAY, WE STILL PROVIDE FOOD WEEKLY IN OUR CITY BECAUSE WHEN COVID HIT, IT HIT EVERYBODY DIFFERENTLY. IT DIDN'T MATTER HOW MUCH INCOME YOU HAD, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. NONE OF THOSE THINGS MATTER. IT WAS AN EQUALIZER AND UNFORTUNATELY, A NEGATIVE EQUALIZER IN MOST MOST RESPECTS. AND SO OUR PEOPLE NEEDED FOOD. WE DID THAT. THE COUNTY OFFERED ALL CITIES IN THE COUNTY. THERE'S 15 CITIES IN FULTON COUNTY, ATLANTA, PLUS 14 OTHER CITIES. SO ATLANTA HAS THEIR OWN BUDGET BECAUSE OF 500,000 PEOPLE. FEDERAL FUNDS COME DIRECTLY TO THEM FOR MOST EVERYTHING. BUT THAT CARES ACT FUNDING, THEY SAID TO THE CITIES IN THE COUNTY, THE OTHER 14 CITIES YOU CAN APPLY TO GET FUNDING TO HELP YOUR RESIDENTS WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO GET THROUGH THIS. EASTPOINTE WAS THE ONLY CITY OUT OF 14 CITIES THAT APPLIED FOR THAT FUNDING. WE INITIALLY GOT ABOUT $150,000 WE ALLOCATED. WE THEN GOT ANOTHER $550,000 BECAUSE THEY OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE. THEN WE THEY WE ASKED FOR 500. THEY GAVE US 50,000. THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE STAFF PERSON THAT STARTED THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT. AND DURING THAT TIME, IT WAS ABOUT $1 MILLION FOR EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS BECAUSE WHILE YES, THERE'S A BROADER POOL WITH THE COUNTY, FOR US, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THAT WHAT WE HAVE FOR EASTPOINTE IN FEBRUARY OF 2020, OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS AROUND 4.5 4.7%. BY THE END OF APRIL OF 2020, IT WENT TO 20% AND STAYED IN DOUBLE DIGIT PERCENTAGES THROUGHOUT 2020. WHAT DID I TELL US? OUR PEOPLE NEED THE BASICS FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER THAT PEOPLE GOT TO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE. PEOPLE GOT TO BE ABLE TO FEED. AND SO WE PIVOTED TOWARDS THAT. WE THEN ALLOCATED $1 MILLION OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING. [01:50:02] THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY PROVIDED TO CITIES DIRECTLY. FUNDING CAME DIRECTLY TO CITIES TO HELP TO CREATE THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT, WHICH PROVIDES INTERNAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WHO ARE UNHOUSED, WHO NEED SERVICES, AND YOLANDA JOHNSON AND HER TEAM HAVE HELPED OVER 150 PEOPLE WHO HAVE LITERALLY, LITERALLY BEEN HOMELESS. LIKE LIVING IN RECYCLING FEELS LIKE I'VE HEARD STORIES ACTUALLY BECOME HOUSED, PERMANENTLY HOUSED. SHE'S HELPED PEOPLE MOVE IN. THEY'VE HELPED OVER 400 PEOPLE CONNECT TO SERVICES. BECAUSE YES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE THERE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. SO WHAT YOU SAY IS NOT FALLING ON DEAF EARS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT IN POLITICS AND IN THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS RESTRICTED, RIGHT. SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT THE STATE PREEMPTS US, PREVENTS US FROM DOING, LIKE WE CAN'T DO RENT CONTROL BECAUSE THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT SAYS WE CAN'T DO THAT, RIGHT? WE CAN'T DO SOME THINGS. BUT AND THEN THERE'S THE GRATUITIES CLAUSE IN THE GEORGIA CONSTITUTION THAT PROHIBITS CITIES FROM GIVING GRATUITIES. BUT THERE'S A BALANCING ACT, RIGHT? KNOWING ALL THAT IS HAPPENING. YOU MENTIONED THE SNAP BENEFITS, MEDICAID. THERE'S A LOT OF CUTS. AND LOOKING AT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, YES. WHEN I STARTED ON COUNCIL, I THINK OUR RATE OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY IN THE CITY WAS AROUND 28%. WE'RE NOW AT 19%, BUT THAT'S STILL ALMOST A FIFTH. THAT'S STILL A SIZABLE PERCENTAGE. AND HOW DO WE ENSURE WE'RE HELPING EVERYONE AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EXPERIENCING IT TODAY MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS DOWN THE STREET? HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE THERE FOR EVERYONE? AND SO I THINK IT MAY BE WORTH LOOKING INTO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE GRATUITIES CLAUSE AND ALL THESE OTHER RESTRICTIONS, THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS LIKE THE UTILITIES AND ALL THAT COME FROM GRANTS. SO AS FEDERAL MONEY THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THAT YOU CAN USE THIS. THE LIHEAP PROGRAM IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM THAT COMES THROUGH THE STATE. THE STATE THEN SELECTS AGENCIES, NONPROFITS WITHIN COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE THAT. BUT MAYBE WITH LEGAL AND STAFF, WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO THAT DOESN'T VIOLATE THE GRATUITIES CLAUSE WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH HAPPENING, RIGHT? BECAUSE I HEAR YOU AND WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING LIKE THE ONLY CITY OUT OF 14 CITIES. THAT SAID, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME MONEY FOR OUR FOR EASTPOINTE. WE'RE IN FULTON COUNTY, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME MONEY HERE. SO MAYBE IT'S TIME TO START LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO GET BETTER ANYTIME SOON. RIGHT. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HERE. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST SURVIVE. WE WANT TO THRIVE. RIGHT? WE WANT TO BE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST LIVE. WE WANT TO LIVE WELL, RIGHT? WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING ALL OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE THERE WAS NOT EVEN A DESIRE TO DO A MOTION TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT GIVEN ALL OF YOU THAT SPOKE, THAT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION TO ACKNOWLEDGE, WE HEARD YOU. I THINK GIVEN THE STATEMENT FROM THE CITY MANAGER TONIGHT AND THERE WASN'T A MOTION TO DISCUSS IT, I DOUBT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A MOTION TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON IT TONIGHT, WHICH GIVES US MORE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO NAVIGATE AND FIGURE OUT SOME OF THESE THINGS. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT VARIANCES AND KNOWING THE VARIANCES IN THE BUDGET. EACH MONTH THE THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE STAFF DOES PRESENT VARIANCE REPORTS TO US. AND SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN MAKE AVAILABLE ONLINE BECAUSE IT'S ONCE IT GETS PRESENTED TO US, IT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. AND WE DO LOOK AT THE VARIANCES FOR EACH FUND FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THAT MIGHT BE INFORMATION THAT'S HELPFUL TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY. AND, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET BOOK AS A WHOLE. I HAVE TABS THROUGH ALL ITS 500 AND SOME PAGES THAT I'VE GONE THROUGH TO SEE WHAT'S THERE WAS NOT THERE. THERE'S A LOT MORE QUESTIONS THAN WE HAVE ANSWERS, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE FROM DEFINITELY THE LEADER OF THE CITY, THE OPERATIONAL LEADER OF THIS CITY WITHIN THE ABOUT THE BUDGET. WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE AND A CONFIDENCE FROM THE RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET AND HOW IT MEETS THOSE NEEDS. AND SO IF THERE IS NO ACTION TAKEN ON THIS BUDGET TONIGHT IT WOULD GO TO OUR NEXT WORK SESSION. WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP DISCUSSING IT UNTIL IT'S APPROVED. OUR CHARTER REQUIRES US TO APPROVE A BUDGET BY THE FIRST MONDAY IN JUNE. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN 2013. THE BUDGET IN THAT YEAR WAS APPROVED IN DECEMBER OF 2013. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN OFFICE. I STARTED IN 2014. I THINK LAST YEAR WE MAY HAVE APPROVED LATER IN JUNE, MAYBE AT OUR THIRD MEETING. [01:55:04] AND THE BUDGET DOES THE CHARTER DOES PROVIDE A PROVISION LIKE IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, THEN YOU OPERATE UNDER LIKE THERE'S A SAFETY NET, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR INTO THE FISCAL YEAR WITHOUT AN APPROVED BUDGET BECAUSE THEN IT IMPACTS TAXES AND IT IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO SEND OUT PROPERTY. LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO IT. BUT GIVEN STATEMENTS FROM STAFF TONIGHT, CONCERNS SHARED. I MEAN, I DON'T DON'T THINK WE'RE AT A POINT TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO, TO, TO LOOK INTO. SO I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU FOR COMING, FOR BEING ENGAGED, FOR SHARING. I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST BEEN TONIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER, YOU KNOW, OTHER COMMUNITY MEETINGS. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER MEETINGS. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CONVERSATIONS. LOOK, I'M ALMOST 12 YEARS IN. I'M 11, 11 YEARS, FIVE MONTHS, TWO DAYS IN. AT THIS POINT, I CAN PRETTY MUCH TAKE ANYTHING. AND WHAT I DO IS I ALWAYS ASSUME GOODWILL. PEOPLE EXPRESS THEIR PASSION IN DIFFERENT WAYS. THEIR PASSION IS YOUR PASSION. CERTAIN THINGS GET YOU MOTIVATED, RIGHT. SOME CERTAIN THINGS GET YOU GET YOUR JUICES FLOWING AS THEY SAY. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. THE MORE REAL CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE ABOUT REAL ISSUES, ABOUT REALLY HOW YOU FEEL AND REALLY WHAT YOU THINK, THAT'S HOW YOU CAN GET TO REAL SOLUTIONS WHEN THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE COUCHED IN UNDERTONES OF THIS OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SAYING SOMETHING, BUT IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT, LIKE JUST LET'S JUST BE REAL. BECAUSE THE MORE REAL WE ARE, THE MORE REAL SOLUTIONS WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH FOR THIS CITY. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO BE A CITY THAT'S INNOVATIVE, THAT PUTS PEOPLE FIRST, THAT PUTS PEOPLE OVER POLITICS, PARTY PROFIT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. WE CAN DO IT. AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL COMING IN, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY ENGAGED. MULTIPLY YOUR NUMBERS. RIGHT. IT'S NINE PEOPLE UP HERE. WE CAN COUNT THEM. LAST CENSUS COUNT IS 38,358 RESIDENTS, WHICH IS ABOUT A 14% INCREASE IN THE PREVIOUS CENSUS. AND THAT'S JUST BY PEOPLE WHO REPORT IT, WHICH MEANS IT'S LOWER THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE. OUR REPORTING RATE WAS ABOUT 50 SOMETHING PERCENT, WHICH MEANS THEY GUESSTIMATED EVERYBODY ELSE, GET PEOPLE ENGAGED. BUT LET'S HAVE REAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE REAL INFORMATION AND CHALLENGE. LIKE JUST BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SOMETHING THE SAME WAY FOR 30 YEARS DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S RIGHT. YOU COULD DO THE SAME THING WRONG FOR 30 YEARS. THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT. AND AT SOME POINT, EVERY ORGANIZATION, I DON'T CARE HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY ARE, EVERY ORGANIZATION STRIVES TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. IF WE'RE STAYING WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE WASTING TIME. IF WE'RE NOT IMPROVING, IF WE'RE NOT GROWING, IF WE'RE NOT DOING MORE, WE'RE WASTING TIME. AND SO LET'S KEEP THE SAME ENERGY. LET'S KEEP PEOPLE FIRST. LET'S DO THINGS THAT REALLY ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. LET'S BE THERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO DO THAT. AND SO WHEN I STARTED MY SOLILOQUY, THERE WAS NOBODY IN I HAD TO ASK FOR A MOTION SO I COULD ACTUALLY HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS RAISED THAT WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HEARD YOU. WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TONIGHT. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE 13 POLICE VEHICLES AT $1 MILLION. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT SANITATION. MAYBE STAFF CAN ANSWER THOSE DIRECTLY TONIGHT. THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT VARIANCES. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. THERE WERE OTHER STATEMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP A RESERVE, USING SOME RESERVES FOR RESIDENTS. I THINK WE HAVE TO CHECK THE GRATUITIES CLAUSE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT DON'T LATER COME DOWN BECAUSE THE FALSE CLAIMS ACT IS REAL. YOU ALL KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, IF WE'RE GETTING MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THERE'S A CERTIFICATION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ASKING YOU TO SIGN TO GET THAT MONEY THAT SAYS YOU DON'T PROMOTE EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. AND IF YOU SIGN IT AND YOU ACTUALLY DO, THEY'RE FILING LAWSUITS AGAINST ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT. AND THE FALSE CLAIMS ACT IS NOT NECESSARILY A CIVIL IT CAN BE CRIMINAL. THAT'S THE TIME THAT WE'RE LIVING IN. AND SO MR. JONES, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAS A RESPONSE TO THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTION. IT'S NOT THAT I DIDN'T HEAR EVERYONE ELSE. I THINK THE OTHER QUESTIONS AND OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED MAY TAKE SOME MORE TIME. BUT THE 13 POLICE VEHICLES AT 1 MILLION, THE SANITATION 15,000 BEING REALLY LOW AND THE VARIANCES, I THINK WE CAN [02:00:03] WE CAN DO THAT. I WILL SAY ON THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN, WE'VE HAD A LOCAL JACOB JACOB DE, A LOCAL EASTPOINTE RESIDENT, PERFORMED AT ONE OF THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWNS. THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ARTISTS IN DIFFERENT GENRES, BUT AGAIN, LESS ENGAGED AND LESS SUPPORT IT WHEN IT HAPPENS, MR. JONES. THANK YOU MAYOR. SO THERE IS A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT I'LL HAVE. MR. GORDON RESPOND TO. I KNOW THAT THE POLICE CHIEF WANTED TO BE HERE. HE'S ACTUALLY ENJOYING HIS ANNIVERSARY, SO HE HE COULDN'T BE HERE. BUT WE MAY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO MIGHT BE PREPARED TO SPEAK TO THAT. IF NOT, I KNOW MR. GORDON CAN AT LEAST SPEAK TO SPEAK TO THE VEHICLES AND THE VARIANCES. I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT JUST FINANCING IN GENERAL. WHEN WE LOOK AT A NUMBER AND YOU MENTIONED HOW THAT HAD INCREASED THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE MULTIGENERATIONAL RECREATION CENTER. I KNOW MY FIRST DAY HERE THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE FIRM THAT GAVE THE PRESENTATION TODAY. THAT'S A $2 MILLION OUTLAY. SO THESE ARE VERY PERTINENT AND IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, BUT FRANKLY I'M USED TO SEEING THESE DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN BEFORE YOU DO ANY KIND OF ENGINEERING OR ANY TYPE OF DESIGN WORK. SO YES, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLANS THAT CAN BE DONE FOR FINANCING MECHANISM, BUT I KIND OF RECOGNIZE IT WHEN WHEN YOU FIRST BUY YOUR FIRST HOUSE AND, AND YOU'RE A RENTER AND YOU'RE IN THE APARTMENT AND YOU FINALLY GO THROUGH ALL THE PROCESSES WITH YOUR BANKER AND AND YOUR ACCOUNTANT SAYS YOUR FIRST HOUSE IS GOING TO COST YOU $250,000. AND, AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ACCOUNTANT SAYS YOU SPENT $300,000 THIS YEAR. THAT'S BECAUSE THAT HOUSE GOT FINANCED AND GOT APPROVED, AND AND THAT PURCHASE HAS BEEN MADE. DOESN'T MEAN YOU ACTUALLY SAW $350,000 OR $300,000 THAT YEAR. IT JUST MEANT FINANCING HAD BEEN DONE. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS NUMBER I DON'T WANT FOLKS TO GET CONFUSED THAT THAT MONEY IS BEING OUTLAID UNTIL IT'S ACTUALLY FINANCED. SO THAT THAT MULTI GENERATIONAL COMPLEX THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT'S BEING IDENTIFIED AS DESIGN COSTS. SO OUR DESIGNERS ARE LOOKING AT HOW MUCH THEY BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES BASED ON PRIOR PROJECTS AND REALISTICALLY IT IS AT THREE. $33 MILLION, IF NOT MORE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SWIMMING POOL. SO TO TO GO INTO A BUDGET WHERE WE, WE, WE KNOW THAT THERE MIGHT BE FINANCING THAT WILL BLOW US UP TO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT TO NOW, TO NOT LOOK AT THAT. IS IS NOT GENUINE. AND SO I INSTRUCTED MY FOLKS THAT WE NEED TO USE THE BEST NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE AT THIS TIME TO ANY HAVE ANY KIND OF RESPONSIBLE PLANNING, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOKS LIKE. DOES THAT MEAN IT'S IT'S IT'S LOCKED IN. DOES THAT MEAN ALL THE ANSWERS ARE ARE ARE PROVIDED? WHAT IT MEANS IS IT'S A PLANNING NUMBER THAT IF WE DO GET FINANCED AND IT DOES HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR COMING UP, THAT THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF OF WHAT IT IS, INSTEAD OF GOING INTO IT WITH A REALLY LOW NUMBER AND THEN COMING BACK FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF STICKER SHOCK BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PLAN OR WE DIDN'T SHOW THE PLANNING. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ATTEMPT TO BE TRANSPARENT ON WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL LET INTERIM DIRECTOR GORDON TALK ABOUT THE POLICE VEHICLES AND AND THE TRASH. QUESTION. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. TO ADDRESS THE THE POLICE VEHICLES. SO WE HAD IN THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHT 13 VEHICLES HIGHLIGHTED THERE THAT WE'RE ASSUMING THAT IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT 910,000 FOR THOSE VEHICLES. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER TRANSPORT VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING TO COST A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO WE HAVE A POLICE TRUCK INVESTIGATION VEHICLES AS WELL AS OTHER ITEMS THAT THE POLICE IDENTIFIED IN CAPITAL BEING POLICE GOLF CARTS AS WELL. AS IT RELATES TO THE SANITATION ITEM, I THINK THAT WAS A MISNOMER. SO WE DID NOT HAVE NO 15,000 IN FOR SANITATION. [02:05:07] IF YOU LOOK HERE, 15,000 WAS FOR THE SCHOOL ZONE. SPEED RATE, READ SPEED CAMERA FUND THAT WE DO HAVE. THAT'S FOR POLICE. IN REGARDS TO THE BUDGET VARIANCE, WE DO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS AND WE DO GO OVER THOSE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET, THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE MAJOR FUNDS AS WELL AS OTHER ITEMS ON THE MONTHLY BASIS. MR. JONES'S ARE THE MONTHLY VARIANCE REPORT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE ONLINE? YES IT IS. OKAY. SO THAT ADDRESSES THOSE ITEMS. COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE AND COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. THANK YOU. MR. JONES. I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHEN IT WAS STATED THAT THE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH UP, IT WAS MORE COPY AND PASTE. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I PROBABLY INARTFULLY EXPLAINED THAT THE FIRST TIME. SO WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WAS THE BACK OF THE BUDGET DOCUMENT. SO AS YOU OPEN UP THE DOCUMENT, IT ACTUALLY KIND OF LOOKS AS IF IT'S A MULTIPLE DOCUMENT. AND IN A WAY, IT KIND OF IS. THE FIRST PART OF THE DOCUMENT IS VERY CLEARLY NUMBERED. THE PAGE NUMBERS ARE VERY CONSISTENT. WHEN YOU GET TO THE BACK OF THE DOCUMENT, WHICH IS ALMOST LIKE AN APPENDIX THE NUMBERS ARE MADE ARE MADE UP OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REPORTS. AND SO WHAT FINANCE DOES IS TAKE REPORTS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE FROM OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND PLUG THEM IN TO THE APPENDIX, IF YOU WILL IN A, IN A FASHION THAT MAY NOT BE NUMERICALLY IN THE SAME ORDER THAT IS BEING PRESENTED IN THE BUDGET BOOK. AND SO WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IS BASICALLY, LOOK, TAKING THOSE REPORTS AND, AND BASICALLY WRITE A NUMBER THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DOCUMENT THAT THE WHOLE BUDGET BOOK IS, IS PRESENTED IN. SO IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE NUMBERS OF THE ACTUAL BUDGETED AMOUNTS OR THE LINE LINE ITEMS. WHAT WE WERE WERE LOOKING AT IS THE AT THE TOP OF THOSE VARIOUS REPORTS. THOSE PAGE NUMBERS CAN CONFUSE PEOPLE. AND SO THAT'S THE, THE OVERSIGHT THAT THAT WE DID THAT. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A DRAFT DOCUMENT. AND SO THE FINAL DOCUMENT, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF WOULD CLARIFY IN THE CONTENTS OF THE BUDGET BOOK THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ADDENDUM, BECAUSE WE DON'T USE THE WORD ADDENDUM IN THE BUDGET BOOK AND, AND GIVE SOME SOME INSIGHTS ON HOW TO READ THOSE ADDENDUM PAGES SO THAT IT MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE WE LITERALLY BRING VARIOUS REPORTS TO BASICALLY TELL THAT FINANCIAL STORY. SO BASICALLY YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE NUMBERS ON TOP THE PAGE NUMBERS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING CORRECT AND NOT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS IN THE NOT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS THAT LINE UP TO IN THE REPORT, IN THE REPORT, OR LET'S SAY THAT LINES UP TO THE GENERAL FUND. CORRECT. I YIELD. COUNCILMEMBER ANTHONY, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I DID NOT EVEN MAKE A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION IS BECAUSE I THINK TONIGHT I STILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS THAN I HAVE ANSWERS, AND SO I'M STILL REALLY PULLING MY QUESTIONS TOGETHER AND NOT EVEN QUITE SURE WHAT ALL DISCUSSION ITEMS I WOULD HAVE FOR THIS EVENING. WHAT I WOULD ASK, MR. CITY MANAGER, IS IF, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VARIANCES, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR JUST ASKED IF WE COULD POST THOSE ONLINE FOR THE CITIZENS. I GO BACK TO THINK ABOUT THE VERY FIRST TIME I HAD A ONE ON ONE ABOUT THE BUDGET. THAT WAS MARCH 24TH, AND AT THAT TIME, STAFF GAVE ME A FEW SHEETS STAPLED TOGETHER AND THEN ASKED ME IF I HAD ANY QUESTIONS. I DIDN'T KNOW THOSE NUMBERS WERE IN AGGREGATE. WE SUBSEQUENTLY HAD A SECOND ONE ON ONE, WHICH WAS NOT UNTIL MAY. AT THAT TIME I SAID TO STAFF, I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET. THESE NUMBERS ARE IN AGGREGATE, AND IF IT IS THE EXPECTATION THAT THIS BODY WHO ARE FIDUCIARIES FOR THE CITY, WOULD COME BEFORE THE CITIZENS AND TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET OR TO VOTE ON IT. I STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS VOTING FOR. SO WE AGREED THAT STAFF WOULD MAKE A DETAILED BUDGET AVAILABLE. THAT DID NOT BECOME AVAILABLE UNTIL THE WEEK OF THE 19TH OF MAY. SO MY VERY FIRST ONE ON ONE WAS IN MARCH. AND SO YOU THINK ABOUT 60 DAYS. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT MY QUESTIONS COULD BE, BECAUSE THERE WERE ALL OF THESE VERY AGGREGATED NUMBERS IN THE DOCUMENT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPLANATION, MR. CITY MANAGER, ABOUT THE CUT AND PASTE PIECE AND HOW YOU'D LIKE FOR THE FINAL VERSION TO BE ALL CLEANED [02:10:06] UP, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT IF STAFF COULD PRESENT US WITH THIS VERY BEST VERSION AT THIS TIME, SO THAT IF CITIZENS OF THIS CITY WOULD WANT TO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND SEE THE BUDGET, THAT THEY TOO WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET. IT IS CONFUSING WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PAGE NUMBERS WHEN I'M GOING THROUGH MY DOCUMENT, AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF TABS IN HERE, ALL OF THESE TICKETS, I SAY PDF, PAGE NUMBER, BUDGET PAGE NUMBER, THIS PAGE NUMBER. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT PAGE NUMBERS AND IT IS VERY CONFUSING. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE BUDGET WAS FINALLY THIS VERSION. THE MORE DETAILED VERSION WAS FINALLY MADE AVAILABLE, AS I MENTIONED ON THE 19TH OF MAY. WELL, IF CITIZENS WANT TO GET THAT, MANY RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAY, WHERE IS THE BUDGET ONLINE? YOU HAVE TO GO TO A DEPARTMENT, THEN GO DOWN TO FINANCE, THEN GO DOWN TO BUDGET, THEN GO DOWN TO PROPOSED BUDGETS, THEN GO DOWN TO FY 26. IF WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE THIS TRANSPARENT AND AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS, I THINK IT'S VERY EASY TO PUT A BUTTON ON THE HOME PAGE. FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET. WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT CITIZENS TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT, BECAUSE IT REQUIRES US TO STOP AND FIELD QUESTIONS. CITIZENS CALLED. THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN THEY FIND IT? WHERE CAN THEY FIND IT? THAT'S WORKING SMARTER? IN MY OPINION, THAT'S BEING TRANSPARENT. IN MY OPINION, CITIZENS WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO SEE THAT. IT WOULD ALSO NOT TIE UP YOUR PHONE LINE BECAUSE THEY MAY BE ALSO CALLING THE CITY, AND YOU CAN REALLY FOCUS ON MAKING THIS THE BEST POSSIBLE VERSION, RATHER THAN WAITING FOR A FINAL VERSION WHEN WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING ON THE BUDGET. SO THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I STILL HAVE. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE NUMBERS THAT ARE PRESENTED. SOME OF THEM ARE NOT LINING UP. WHAT I FOUND ARE SOME REDUNDANCIES. SO WHEN THE CITY MANAGER TALKED ABOUT CUTTING AND PASTING, IT THEN CONFIRMED SOMETHING IN MY HEAD BECAUSE I SEE SOMETHING IN ONE SECTION AND THEN I SEE SOMETHING IN ANOTHER SECTION AND IT SAYS THE SAME THING AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE DOING THIS OR PAYING FOR IT TWICE. THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS IN ONE SECTION AND THAT VERY SAME SECTION, BECAUSE I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT. THERE'S ANOTHER LINE ITEM THAT SAYS SPECIAL EVENTS, GENERAL. SO YOU'VE GOT SPECIAL EVENTS, GENERAL, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. AND THEN MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS FOR $379,000. A LOT OF EVENTS. VERY UNCLEAR ABOUT IT, BUT WE'RE ASKING THIS BODY TO APPROVE A BUDGET. IT'S STILL NOT VERY CLEAR. I WOULD JUST ASK THAT INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A FINAL VERSION, THAT STAFF WOULD DO ITS VERY BEST TO PROVIDE US WITH THE VERY BEST VERSION SO THAT IT IS CLEAR TO US AND IT IS CLEAR TO THE RESIDENTS. I YIELD. I'LL END WITH THIS AS A DEMONSTRATION. THIS IS THE FIRST BUDGET WE RECEIVED. THIS IS THE 12TH BUDGET THAT I'VE RECEIVED SINCE BEING ELECTED IN THIS CITY. AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR FOUR YEARS IN MY EIGHTH YEAR AS MAYOR, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT I RECEIVED A BUDGET PRESENTED IN A K 12 EDUCATION FLIMSY FOLDER. AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT HAD JUST SUMMARY OF NUMBERS. SO WE'RE ASKED TO APPROVE A 229 $29 MILLION PLUS $229,100,451 BUDGET IN THIS WITH JUST AGGREGATE NUMBERS. AND LET ME MAKE SURE THE NUMBER DIDN'T CHANGE IN HERE. YEP, THAT'S THE SAME NUMBER, RIGHT? NO DETAILS. 12TH BUDGET NEVER RECEIVED A BUDGET LIKE THIS. THAT WAS IN APRIL. SO OUR CHARTER REQUIRES THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT TO US. A PROPOSED BUDGET DOESN'T NECESSARILY SAY DRAFT. WE KNOW THAT IT CAN. CHANGES CAN BE MADE, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF THE BUDGET BY THE SECOND COUNCIL MEETING IN APRIL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD MONDAY. OKAY. BUT THIS IS WHAT WE GOT THAT NIGHT ON THE NIGHT OF THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING THAT MAY 19TH. WE GOT THIS BOOK DURING THE MEETING. SO THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT'S ONLINE. IF YOU FLIP THROUGH THE REVENUE SECTION. IT SAYS THAT THE REVENUE SECTION HAS A TOTAL OF 30 PAGES. SO EACH PAGE SAYS ONE OF 32 OF 33 OF 30. WE GET TO SIX OF 30 AND SEVEN OF 30 ARE MISSING. IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE BOOK. AND I'M TELLING YOU THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLINE. IF YOU LOOK AT IT ONLINE, IT'S NOT THERE EITHER. BUT IT'S EMBEDDED IN THE OTHER 299 PAGES OF EXPENSES. [02:15:07] SO PAGE SEVEN IS LIKE PAGE 350 SOMETHING, PAGE EIGHT IS 360 SOMETHING, BUT THERE'S NO TABLE THAT HELPS YOU NAVIGATE THAT. GENERALLY, THE BUDGET DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THIS DRAFT WRITTEN ALL ACROSS IT. BUT IF TONIGHT IS THE FINAL HEARING, THE SECOND HEARING, AND BY CHARTER, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO APPROVE THE BUDGET TONIGHT. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE BUDGET IN THE FORM THAT WE CAN ADOPT IT. BUT MAYBE THAT WASN'T THE PLAN. SO THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T GET IT. LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS GOING TO CHANGE TO INCREASE TO ALMOST $37 MILLION MORE. WHEN YOU DO ANY CAPITAL BUDGET, GENERALLY, LIKE OUR CAPITAL PLAN, IN THE PAST, BUDGET HAS BEEN FUNDED THROUGH LIKE MCT FUNDS, MUNICIPAL COMPETITIVE TRUST FUNDS. BECAUSE OF OUR ELECTRIC COMPANY, WE GET SOME EXTRA MONEY FROM THAT. WE'RE ABLE TO KNOW THAT MONEY IS COMING IN. WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING. WE GET IT ANNUALLY. WE MIGHT PROJECT ON THAT, BUT THAT'S A GUARANTEED SOURCE OF FUNDING TO BUDGET. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER GRANT THINGS THAT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN APPROVED. THEY'RE IN THERE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY OR THE PLAN. OR LIKE I SAID, WE MIGHT HAVE TO COME TO YOU AND ASK FOR PERMISSION. WHAT HAPPENS IS ONCE THAT HAPPENS, YOU DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT BECAUSE NOW WE KNOW THE FUNDING SOURCE, WE'LL KNOW THE INFORMATION, RIGHT? BUT TO INFLATE A BUDGET BY $37 MILLION BECAUSE OF A PROJECT THAT MAY BE DONE THAT WE DON'T HAVE HARD NUMBERS ON YET, AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO THE RESIDENCE FOR A GOVERNMENT FOR REFERENDUM FOR YOU TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO DO THE BOND, NOT EVEN THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO DO THE BOND AT THE AMOUNT WE'D HAVE MORE INFORMATION TO SHARE. I DON'T THINK WE DO THAT AND WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS BUDGET AMENDMENTS. ONCE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, ONCE COUNCIL IS APPROVED, THE RESOLUTION TO ISSUE BOND FINANCING, WE HAVE A WHOLE BOND FINANCING TEAM OF FINANCIAL ADVISORS, LAWYERS AND BOND COUNCIL THAT ADVISE US THROUGH THAT PROCESS. BUT THIS IS A FICTITIOUS $37 MILLION BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S COMING THROUGH REVENUE BONDS OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO DO THAT. AND SO I THINK AS WE REFINE THIS BUDGET AND GET TO A FINAL VERSION, WHICH THE CHARTER REQUIRES US TO RECEIVE IN APRIL, BY THE SECOND MEETING IN APRIL, THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE YEAR, NOT A PLAY PLAY BUDGET, NOT A LET'S FIGURE IT OUT. WE CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN ITS BEST FORM AT THAT TIME. SO AS WE'RE WORKING TO GET TOWARDS THAT, WE NEED TO CONSIDER ALL OF THIS. YES. WE'VE RECEIVED AWARDS IN THE PAST FROM THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE, FINANCE OFFICE, ADMINISTRATION, THE GFOA THAT HE MENTIONED EARLIER. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ONE ON THIS ONE UNLESS THERE'S SOME CHANGES MADE. AND SO. WE HEAR YOU. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SHARE. PLEASE LET US KNOW. THE BUDGET IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. YES. THERE SHOULD BE A LINK ON THE HOME PAGE TO HELP PEOPLE EASILY GET TO IT. BUT RIGHT NOW, PAGES SEVEN THROUGH 30 ARE MISSING. SO HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE ADDED TO THIS VERSION OF THE THIS ONE THAT'S OUT THERE. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ONE THROUGH 30 AND NOT HAVE TO GO TO PAGE 353. 60 AND OTHER PLACES. BUT THERE'S WORK TO DO. AND. SINCE 2014, WE'VE GENERALLY APPROVED THE BUDGET EITHER ON THE FIRST MEETING IN JUNE BY CHARTER, WHICH MEANS WE'VE HAD THE FINAL VERSION. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE MADE. AND SO THAT'S A PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND FINANCE. LIKE YOU MAKE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AT TIMES. SOME SOMETIMES YOU OVER PROJECT REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES, RIGHT? THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAPPEN. SO BUDGET AMENDMENTS ARE DEFINITELY ALLOWED. BUT TO BE AT THE MEETING FOR THE FINAL, THE SECOND HEARING ON THE BUDGET, THE NIGHT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE APPROVED BY CHARTER AND TO TO NOT HAVE THE BEST VERSION OF THE BUDGET IS DISAPPOINTING. AND SO, MADAM CITY CLERK, IF YOU CAN PUT THIS ON THE JUNE 9TH WORK SESSION, KEEP IT ON EVERY MEETING UNTIL IT'S APPROVED. FOR DISCUSSION, YOU CAN PUT IN A PRESENTATION SECTION ON THE MEETINGS FOR THE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAY OF THE MONTH. IF WE GET INTO JULY KEEP IT ON THE WORK SESSION UNTIL IT'S APPROVED. HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE AN IN-PERSON BUDGET MEETING ON A SATURDAY, A VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITY OR TWO AS WELL. [02:20:07] CONTINUE TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SEND INFORMATION IN, EMAIL IT TO US TO CITY MANAGER. AND LET'S REALLY MAKE THIS A BUDGET THAT WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN. THAT IS NOT VERY SPECULATIVE, THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HELPS ENSURE NOT ONLY WE SURVIVE, THAT WE THRIVE. SO NEXT UP AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT. NEXT UP WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS. I KNOW WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE SPEAK DURING OH WELL, LET ME NOT MAKE AN ASSUMPTION. [XI. PUBLIC COMMENTS] LET ME DO THIS. ANY FURTHER ACTION ON THE BUDGET THIS EVENING? ANY ACTION ON THE BUDGET THIS EVENING? WORK SESSION. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT THAT SPOKE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE TEN PUBLIC COMMENTS. OKAY. CHAPTER TWO DASH. SECTION TWO. EXCUSE ME. SECTION TWO. DASH 2002. B.B. RULE 28. THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMENT FORM PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING. SUBJECT MAY INCLUDE ANY SUBJECT OF CHOICE. THERE WILL BE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR EACH SPEAKER. SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK MAY GIVE ALL OR PART OF THEIR TIME, UP TO THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER, FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES OF SPEAKING TIME. SPEAKERS MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ONLY ONCE DURING THIS TIME OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MUST IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND THEIR ADDRESS PRIOR TO SPEAKING. QUESTIONS FROM THE SPEAKERS MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED DURING THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA. EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF NOT MORE THAN 60 MINUTES FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MAY ONLY ADDRESS THE PRESIDING OFFICER. SPEAKER SHALL OBSERVE ALL RULES OF DECORUM. NO DEBATE, DISRESPECT OR OBSCENITY SHALL BE TOLERATED. THE PRESIDING OFFICER SHALL RULE ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL OUT OF ORDER THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING. MADAM CITY CLERK, YOU MAY CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER UP FIRST WE HAVE STEVE JAMES. ANTHONY DAVIS. AND SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME. PERFECT. HELLO AGAIN. TONY DAVIS, 3171 EAST POINT STREET, 15 YEAR RESIDENT. I APOLOGIZE THE VARIANCES ARE ON THE WEBSITE. I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THEM FOR THE LAST FEW MINUTES. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING. MY PUBLIC COMMENT WAS IN REGARDS TO COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS. I WAS NOMINATED TO THE UTILITY ADVISORY BOARD, AND I THINK I'M A MEMBER OF ONE OR A COMMITTEE OF ONE. PLEASE GET OUT TO VISIT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND GET THESE BOARDS FILLED SO I CAN. I'M CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO HELP OUT THE ELECTRIC UTILITIES TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. HELP THEM UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PUBLIC CONCERNS ARE AND AND HOW THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. I THINK THAT'S IT. YEP. THANK YOU. KEEP IT SHORT. THANKS VERY MUCH. UP NEXT, WE HAVE MISS SHARON LOVETT. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL. I APOLOGIZE FOR SPEAKING OUT OF TURN. HOWEVER, YOU ALL CAN GO OUT THERE FOR YOURSELF AND LOOK ON THE EASTPOINTE NEIGHBORHOOD PAGE. AND I DISTINCTLY ASKED KEVIN BROWN CONCERNING WHAT WAS HIS DEFINITION FOR DIRT, BECAUSE HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE WINDS, THE WIND DOWN. WHERE WAS IT GOING TO GO? AND IT WAS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION. AND HE ANSWERED MY QUESTION, AND HE SEEMED LIKE HE WAS REAL NICE. BUT WHEN HE CAME UP HERE, HE HAD A TONE AND AN ATTITUDE. SO. AND I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I DO APOLOGIZE TO YOU ALL FOR THE OUTBURST. BUT DON'T COME FOR ME IF I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO COME. NOW, THE NEXT THING CODE ENFORCEMENT IS IN QUESTION. I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS IN WARD EIGHT. THEY'RE NEVER OUT THERE. YOU MIGHT SEE THEM GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREET. IT'S. THERE ARE SO MANY DRIVEWAYS, NOT DRIVEWAYS, SO MANY YARDS THAT HAVE CARS IN IT UP AND DOWN THE LOW SPECIFICALLY. AND SO MUCH TRASH. THEY'RE NOT CUTTING THEIR HEDGES. SOME OF THOSE ARE UP TO THE ROOF. AND BALD SPOTS ARE COMING WHERE THE GRASS USED TO BE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. BUT YEARS AGO, THEY USED TO GIVE US, YOU KNOW, A VERY, VERY HARD TIME. AND I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION AGAIN. THE NEXT THING IS, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT, WHICH YOU ALL KNOW THE WWE IS ON FACEBOOK, AND IT'S A BIG THING OUT THERE ON [02:25:09] TIKTOK THAT ADVERTISE FOR US, AND THERE'S NOBODY FROM EAST POINT. IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE. SO IT'S A GOOD THING. AND EXCUSE ME, AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING SO MUCH LIKE SOUTH FULTON, CLAYTON COUNTY, STOCKBRIDGE AND KALB COUNTY. WE'RE NOT GETTING ALONG. NONE OF YOU ARE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE. OKAY, SO WHEN WHEN ARE YOU ALL GOING TO START WORKING TOGETHER AND STOP BRINGING UP OLD ISSUES THAT'S ALREADY BEEN RESOLVED OR BEING BIASED ABOUT CERTAIN SITUATIONS? SO YOU ALL NEED TO STOP BEING SO NEGATIVE AND TRY TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT AND BETTERMENT OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY. THANK YOU. UP NEXT, WE HAVE CATHERINE BURDETT. HI, I'M CATHERINE BURDETT, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF EASTPOINTE. MY FAMILY'S LIVED HERE FOR OVER 100 YEARS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF THE NEIGHBORS, AND I'VE PROBABLY SPOKEN TO ABOUT 50 PEOPLE IN THE LAST WEEK. AND THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE VOLUME OF WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBORS THAT ARE UPSET THAT IT'S SHAKING THE WINDOWS, AND IT'S JUST WE'VE ACCEPTED IT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, AND WE'RE OKAY WITH IT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACT THAT IT'S RATTLING OUR HOUSES, IT'S GOTTEN KIND OF OUT OF CONTROL TO US, AND WE JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE ASKING THAT THE VOLUME BE LOWERED DOWN, PLEASE, BECAUSE IT'S IT'S HARD TO DEAL WITH. AND I KNOW IT'S ONLY ONE DAY A MONTH, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE, AND I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT WE GO TO BED EARLY, AND WHEN IT GOES ON TILL 10:00 AT NIGHT, YOUR WINDOWS ARE STILL RATTLING. IT'S KIND OF AN INCONVENIENCE. AND WE DON'T FEEL THE LANGUAGE OF THE CONCERT IS FAMILY FRIENDLY THERE. IT'S GOTTEN VERY VULGAR. AND THEY'RE SAYING IT'S A REAL FAMILY EVENT, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT. DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO BE HEARING THAT LANGUAGE? SO THE NEIGHBORS HAVE ASKED ME TO REPRESENT THEM, AND WE'RE JUST ASKING TO PLEASE TURN THE VOLUME DOWN. IF THIS EVENT WILL CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, AND WE WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE SOME DIFFERENT GROUPS, DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS PLAYING AND MAKE IT FAMILY FRIENDLY AND LET IT BE WHERE EVERYBODY COULD ENJOY IT. AND IT WAS HARD TO COME UP HERE TONIGHT AFTER ALL THE EVERYBODY SAYING, HEY, WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY. BUT IT'S IT'S INCONVENIENT FOR RESIDENTS THAT LIVE RIGHT IN THIS AREA. AND WE JUST REALLY WOULD PREFER MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS, SOMETHING THAT THE ENTIRE FAMILY, THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD COULD ALL GO TO AND ENJOY AS A COMMUNITY. AND WE KNOW THERE WAS OVER 5000 PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THE OTHER NIGHT. AND WE LIVE IN FEAR THAT IF THERE'S A FIRE OR IF SOMEBODY NEEDS AN AMBULANCE, CAN THEY GET TO US BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE BLOCKED, YOU CAN'T EVEN GET OUT OF YOUR DRIVEWAY. SO WE JUST JUST ASK FOR Y'ALL TO JUST THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS. WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO BE UGLY OR MAD ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. WE'RE JUST CONCERNED. AND WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE COMMONS AND WE WERE TOLD POSSIBLY IF THEY CONTINUED THIS EVENT THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO TURN IT AROUND AND FACE IT THE OTHER WAY, WHERE IT WOULDN'T BE SUCH A BAD IMPACT ON ALL OF US. SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR Y'ALL TO THINK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 100 YEARS OR HOWEVER MANY YEARS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE EVERYBODY. WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT JUST JUST THINK ABOUT THINGS FOR US. THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING. UP NEXT WE HAVE MISS JACKIE GEORGE. ARE YOU GOOD? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE WELCOME. BRIDGET. CINDER. BRIAN. OKAY. OH, SORRY. CRIDER. MY MY APOLOGIES. I'M SORRY. I LIVE IN A PIECE OF. OH, I'M SORRY. I GOT A BROKEN FOOT. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'LL PIGGYBACK ON WHAT THIS LADY JUST SAID. [02:30:05] IF YOU LOOK AT THE LINEUP, YOU ALREADY KNOW SOME THINGS ARE NOT A FAMILY EVENT. AS GROWN ADULTS, YOU DON'T BRING YOUR KIDS. I WILL SAY THAT. SECONDLY, AS FAR AS THE REC CENTER AND ME LIVING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE REC CENTER, I AGAIN WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE ADDED TO PROGRAMS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS KIDS. EVEN FOR A PERSON MY AGE, I'M ALMOST 60, SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MORE THINGS TO BE INVOLVED WITH THAT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND AND REALLY JUST TRY TO FIGURE OUT, LIKE, I MEAN, I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR OR ANYTHING, BUT $33 MILLION IS A LOT. AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN AWARD WHERE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE. HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT USAGE WOULD IT BE? WOULD PEOPLE REALLY USE IT? SO WHAT PROGRAMS WOULD WE HAVE IN THERE TO IMPLEMENT FOR PEOPLE TO BE INVOLVED? I THINK THAT'S MY BIGGEST THING WITH THAT. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. I KNOW HOW TO REACH OUT TO Y'ALL IF I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MISS BROWN. MISS BROWN LET Y'ALL SEE MISS GUINEA LEFT. WHERE IS SHE? OH, YOU'RE GOOD, MISS GWEN. OKAY. JANAYA. GRIGGS. NO, NO. JANAYA. GRIGGS. ALL RIGHT. TAMISHA FOSTER. ALL RIGHT. LAST ONE WE HAVE IS. TERESA COOPER. NOPE. THOSE ARE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAVE THIS EVENING, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING. NEXT, OUR AGENDA ITEM. WE OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PAY AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY. [XII.3. Discussion and Possible Action on the Pay and Classification Study] SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES, MR. JONES. THE FLOOR IS OPEN. THANK YOU. I WILL HAVE OUR INTERIM DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR. WALK US THROUGH THIS ITEM. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. TONIGHT WE HAVE MARK HOLCOMB, WHO IS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR PHASE TWO OF THE EVERGREEN COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY. HE IS GOING TO PROVIDE A PROJECT UPDATE TONIGHT, AND HE'S AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THAT. IF SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY. MARK. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TODAY. I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK AND BE ABLE TO PRESENT AN UPDATE WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE FINAL NUMBERS. I KNOW WE'VE WE'VE BEEN HERE A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO. SO I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RECAP. I'LL GO THROUGH THOSE A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY. I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE, BUT FOR ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HASN'T SEEN IT YET, WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF RECAP OF THE STUDY GOALS AND THE PROJECT PHASES. THE CURRENT SYSTEM FINDINGS, AGAIN, THAT GOES THROUGH THINGS WE'VE ALREADY HEARD PUBLICLY HERE BEFORE, BUT AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THE END, AGAIN, WE DO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL. SO YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE THE PAY PLANS, THE SKILLS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, ALONG WITH SOME UPDATED COSTS. SO AGAIN, AS A RECAP OF THE PHASE ONE, WE DID DO A STUDY WITH THIS SAME SCOPE, THE SAME COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY THAT WE WENT THROUGH FOR A DIFFERENT SUBSET OF EMPLOYEES. AS A RESULT OF THE PHASE ONE, WE DID SEE THAT MANY OF THE BLUE COLLAR ROLES WITHIN EASTPOINTE WERE OBSERVED AGAIN AND WERE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE MARKET AS A RESULT OF THE PHASE ONE STUDY, WE DID HAVE A $2,020 PER HOUR MINIMUM WAGE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, A NEW PAY SCALE FOR CLASSIFICATIONS IN PHASE ONE, AND WE DID LOOK AT SOME CRITICAL CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED WITH A HYBRID PARITY METHODOLOGY. SO AGAIN, THE HYBRID PARITY METHODOLOGY IS AN APPROACH THAT IS DESIGNED TO AVOID PAY COMPRESSION. IT LOOKS AT HOW LONG EMPLOYEES HAVE SPENT IN THEIR CURRENT CLASSIFICATION ROLE, AS WELL AS THEIR TIME SERVING THE CITY OVERALL. AND SO THAT HYBRID APPROACH ENSURES THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE COMPRESSION, WHERE EMPLOYEES OF SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT TENURES WOULD BE PAID THE SAME AMOUNT WITH THE [02:35:03] PHASE TWO. AGAIN, WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK AT THE REMAINING CLASSIFICATIONS, SO THOSE THAT WEREN'T STUDIED IN PHASE ONE WERE INCLUDED IN PHASE TWO. WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MARKET TO BENCHMARK THOSE PHASE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD AN APPROPRIATE COMPARISON TO THE MARKET WITH THOSE PHASE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS. THEN, NUMBER THREE, AMEND THE CONSTRUCTED PLAN FROM PHASE ONE TO ENSURE THAT IT REMAINS COMPETITIVE, AND ADD THE CLASSIFICATIONS FROM THE PHASE TWO IN WITH THAT UPDATED PAY PLAN, AND ESSENTIALLY TRANSITION YOUR EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO BRING THE ENTIRE CITY INTO THE SAME COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. SO WITH THE PROJECT TIMELINE, AGAIN, THIS ALL DID START LAST YEAR, BUT WE DID DO A PROJECT KICKOFF. IN INTRODUCTION MEETINGS. WE CAME ON SITE, WE MET WITH STAFF AND WE MET WITH EMPLOYEES HERE LAST YEAR TO COLLECT DATA TO TO HEAR FROM THEM. I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR THAT WE CAME OUT FOR THOSE MEETINGS. WE DID HAVE A JOB SURVEY WHERE EMPLOYEES WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR INPUT INTO THEIR JOBS. SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE MOST CURRENT AND UP TO DATE INFORMATION POSSIBLE. WE WEREN'T USING JOB DESCRIPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE OUTDATED. WE DID HEAR DIRECTLY FROM EMPLOYEES. PHASE TWO WAS AN INTERNAL ANALYSIS, SO WE COLLECTED ALL THE DATA FROM EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS DATA FROM HR. WE REVIEWED THAT INFORMATION. WE MADE COMPARISONS AGAIN AS WE HAD FAMILIARITY WITH THE CITY ALREADY FROM THE PHASE ONE STUDY. BUT WE LOOKED AT THE PHASE TWO CLASSIFICATIONS AND POSITIONS AGAIN MADE COMPARISONS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM AN EQUAL LENS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY. PHASE THREE WAS THE EXTERNAL ANALYSIS. SO GOING OUT TO THE MARKET, WE DID USE A VERY CONSISTENT PEER SET FROM THE PHASE ONE STUDY. SO AGAIN MOSTLY THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS THAT THAT WE COMPARED TO TO ENSURE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE MARKET AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DID HAVE THAT SAME UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOU FIT WITHIN YOUR COMPETITIVE PEER MARKET. AND THEN PHASE FOUR IS THE SOLUTION IMPLEMENTATION AND REPORTING PHASE WHERE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. SO WE'VE MADE AGAIN DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE COSTS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU. WE'VE GOT RECOMMENDED PAY SCALES. AND THEN THE REPORTING WOULD INCLUDE THINGS LIKE A PRESENTATION TODAY THAT I'M REPORTING OUT PUBLICLY FOR YOU ALL. SO THE MARKET TARGETS ARE LISTED OVER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. AGAIN IT IS A VERY CONSISTENT LIST. I BELIEVE WE MAY HAVE ADDED ONE PEER TO THIS LIST FROM THE PHASE ONE, BUT AGAIN, ESSENTIALLY THE SAME COMPARISON THERE. THE THING TO EMPHASIZE IS AGAIN, THESE ARE YOUR LOCAL COMPETITIVE MARKET THAT YOU'RE COMPETING WITH FOR TALENT. SO THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF, AGAIN, JUST GOING IN WITH A BLINDFOLD OR JUST TRYING TO GIVE RAISES OR INCREASES WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE MARKET THAT YOU COMPETE IN. BUT AGAIN, IT'S CRITICAL. WE'VE HEARD ACTUALLY SOME OF THE NAMES OF THESE COMPARISONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THESE TARGET CITIES ON HERE, WE'VE HEARD THEM BROUGHT UP IN THIS MEETING TODAY. AND WE KNOW FROM YOUR EMPLOYEES THAT WE MET WITH LAST YEAR. AGAIN, THESE ARE YOUR YOUR CITIES THAT ARE SURROUNDING YOU ALL YOUR COMPETITIVE MARKET. IF THERE'S A JOB POSTING THAT YOU HAVE, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO HIRE FOR A CERTAIN POSITION, THESE ORGANIZATIONS MAY BE HIRING FOR THE SAME POSITION AS WELL. WE DID ADJUST FOR COST OF LIVING, SO YOU'LL NOTICE OUT TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THE COST OF LIVING NUMBER. THE HIGHER THE NUMBER, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT IS TO LIVE IN THE AREA. IT DOES GO BY THE COUNTY. SO AGAIN YOU'LL SEE THAT FULTON COUNTY, YOU DO HAVE THE SAME COST OF LIVING AS THE OTHERS THAT ARE IN YOUR IMMEDIATE AREA HERE. BUT WHEN WE DID COMPARE TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, IF IT WAS A CHEAPER COST OF LIVING AREA TO LIVE, WE DID ADJUST THOSE SALARIES TO ENSURE THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES AND YOUR COMPETITIVE POSITION IS NOT GOING TO BE DEGRADED ARTIFICIALLY FROM COMPARING TO SOMEBODY A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY FROM THE METRO ATLANTA AREA, WHERE IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE TO LIVE. WE DID HAVE 80 DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS WE LOOKED AT, WITH AN AVERAGE RESPONSE RATE OF ABOUT 11 MATCHES PER POSITION. AGAIN, THAT'S A VERY, VERY ROBUST SAMPLE. SO WE WERE ABLE TO FEEL VERY, VERY CONFIDENT WITH OUR MARKET RESULTS HERE. AND LOOKING AT THOSE MARKET RESULTS, WE DID FIND THE CITY TO BE BELOW THE MARKET ACROSS THE BOARD. WHEN LOOKING AT THE PAY RANGES AT THE MINIMUM, THE MIDPOINT AND THE MAXIMUM OF THE RANGES WE DID FIND YOU OUGHT TO BE BELOW. IF YOU'LL NOTE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU SEE THE UNADJUSTED RESULTS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THE ADJUSTED FOR COST OF LIVING. SO IT WASN'T AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE FOR COST OF LIVING. BUT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE. WE NOTED THAT AGAIN, BECAUSE OF YOUR MORE EXPENSIVE COST OF LIVING THAT YOU HAVE HERE VERSUS SOME OF THOSE OTHER PEERS, IT DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THOSE RESULTS. THESE RESULTS ARE SHOWN AT THE MARKET MEDIAN. SO THE 50TH PERCENTILE THAT DOES CONTROL FOR OUTLIERS. SO ONE PEER PAYING VERY VERY VERY HIGHLY OR VERY VERY VERY LOWLY WILL NOT IMPACT YOUR RESULTS. WE LOOKED AT THE MIDDLE OF THAT SAMPLE EITHER WAY. AND AGAIN WE DID NOTE THAT HALF THE POSITIONS ARE IN A BETTER SITUATION VERSUS THE MARKET THAN THIS HALF ARE WORSE. SO IF YOU SEE A NUMBER LIKE 24% BELOW THE MARKET AT THE MIDPOINT, WHAT YOU KNOW IS HALF THE POSITIONS WE STUDIED ARE EVEN FURTHER BELOW THAN THAT, ALTHOUGH HALF ARE ACTUALLY DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER AS WELL. AND THEN AGAIN, AT THE BOTTOM WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED SOME PARTICULAR GROUPS. SO PUBLIC SAFETY PUBLIC WORKS IT. AND SOME OF THE DIRECTOR CLASSIFICATIONS DID FALL FURTHER BELOW THAN OTHERS. SO WHEN WE COME FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS, AGAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE PHASE ONE IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY THAT WE UTILIZED, WE ARE RECOMMENDING GENERAL EMPLOYEES FOR A HYBRID PARITY ADJUSTMENT. AGAIN, THAT HYBRID PARITY ADJUSTMENT IS DESIGNED TO AVOID PAY COMPRESSION. [02:40:04] WE KNOW PAY COMPRESSION WHEN YOU MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT LIKE THIS CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE TO WORRY ABOUT. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE HYBRID PARITY ADJUSTMENT. IT DOES LOOK AT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME THAT AN EMPLOYEE HAS SPENT WITH THE CITY, AND IT ALSO LOOKS AT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME AN EMPLOYEE HAS SPENT IN THEIR CURRENT CLASSIFICATION. SO IF SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT THE CITY FOR 30 YEARS, BUT THEY JUST PROMOTED YESTERDAY AND THEY HAVE A BRAND NEW ROLE, IT DOES NOT GIVE THEM 30 YEARS OF CREDIT. IT WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE THEM A PORTION OF THAT, ABOUT 15 YEARS OF CREDIT. ON THE OTHER HAND, AGAIN, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN IN THEIR ROLE FOR 25 YEARS AND THEY'VE BEEN AT THE CITY AN ADDITIONAL TEN YEARS, IT DOES NOT IGNORE THAT ADDITIONAL TIME. SO IT WOULD GIVE THEM THE FULL CREDIT FOR THEIR TIME IN THEIR POSITION, AND IT WOULD GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL PARTIAL CREDIT FOR ANY ADDITIONAL TIME WITH THE CITY. WE DO FIND THAT TYPICALLY TO BE ONE OF THE BETTER WAYS TO ADJUST FOR COMPRESSION, WHICH IS WHY WE WENT WITH IT IN PHASE ONE AND WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING A CONSISTENT METHODOLOGY HERE IN PHASE TWO. THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, WE ARE RECOMMENDING A SEPARATE PAY PLAN FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES. THAT WOULD BE A STEP BASED PAY PLAN. SO FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES, IT WOULD BE AN OPEN RANGE SCALE WHERE THEY THEY CAN ACTUALLY MOVE THROUGH THE SCALE AT ANY AMOUNT BETWEEN THE MINIMUM AND THE MAXIMUM. SO IF THE MINIMUM RANGE IS 50,000, THE MAX IS 70. YOU COULD PAY AN EMPLOYEE ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT DOWN TO THE PENNY WITHIN THAT RANGE. THERE'S NO RESTRICTION. IF YOU GIVE A 3% INCREASE, A 1% INCREASE, A 2% WHATEVER, THEY CAN FALL AT ANY AMOUNT WITHIN THE RANGE. THE STEP BASED STRUCTURE WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IS CONSISTENT WITH YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY MARKET. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF VARIATION THERE, BUT IT'S VERY, VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE NATIONAL TREND IN PUBLIC SAFETY. SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OUT OF LINE, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE SEE IN THE MARKET. THE STEP BASED PLAN WOULD BE DESIGNED SO THAT EMPLOYEES WOULD FALL EXACTLY ON A STEP. YOU MIGHT BE ON STEP THREE OF YOUR PAY SCALE IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN. IF YOU GET A STEP, YOU ALWAYS WOULD GO TO STEP FOUR. YOU CANNOT MOVE 1%, 2%, 3%. YOU ONLY MOVE BY THE DESIGNATED STEPS THROUGH THE PLAN. THAT IS AGAIN A BOON THAT PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES VERY SIGNIFICANTLY ASK FOR WITH SOMETHING WE HEARD WHEN WE CAME HERE IN EMPLOYEE MEETINGS AND AGAIN, IN OUR MORE THAN A THOUSAND STUDIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT'S SOMETHING WE SEE IN PUBLIC SAFETY VERY COMMONLY. THEY LIKE THAT CONSISTENT UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE WITH THE DIFFERENT NATURE OF A PUBLIC SAFETY JOB, WHERE YOU REALLY DON'T ASSESS FOR PERFORMANCE THE SAME WAY YOU'VE GOT A VERY RANK BASED STRUCTURE. THAT CONSISTENCY IN THE STEP PROGRESSION IS SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, PUBLIC SAFETY DOES WORK VERY WELL FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES. THE NOTE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE ON PUBLIC SAFETY, THOUGH, IS BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE STEP PLAN AS WELL AS THE HIERARCHICAL YOU KNOW, ORDERING OF PUBLIC SAFETY CLASSIFICATIONS. WE DID ONLY LOOK AT TIME AND RANK FOR PUBLIC SAFETY INDIVIDUALS. AGAIN, THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MARKET. BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU HAD AN EMPLOYEE AND JUST TO USE EXAMPLE, RANKS HERE, IF YOU HAD SOMEBODY WHO WAS A POLICE OFFICER FOR TEN YEARS AND THEN THEY PROMOTE AND THEY'RE AT A SERGEANT RANK NOW, IT WOULD NOT GIVE THAT EMPLOYEE CREDIT FOR THE POLICE OFFICER TIME. IT WOULD ONLY LOOK AT THE CREDIT IN THAT SECONDARY RANK THERE THAT THEY'VE PROMOTED INTO. SO IF THEY HAVE THREE YEARS OF CREDIT THERE, WE WOULD LOOK TO GIVE THEM POTENTIAL CREDIT UP TO STEP THREE. THEY WOULD NOT GET THE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THE POLICE OFFICER RANK. AGAIN, THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THOSE CAREERS WHERE YOU HAVE THAT FAMILY, WHERE YOU KNOW YOU CAN PROGRESS UP AND YOU CAN MOVE THROUGH THE RANKS. AND AGAIN, YOU ALSO DO HAVE THAT RANK STRUCTURE WHERE YOU HAVE THE SUPERVISION GOING ONE LINE DOWN IN MANY CASES IS WHY WE RECOMMEND A DIFFERENT APPROACH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. SO WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, AGAIN LOOKING AT THE TOTAL COSTS UP THERE AT THE TOP. OBVIOUSLY AS WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT BUDGET, AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE AS OF THE DATABASE WE HAVE. OBVIOUSLY SUBJECT TO TO SOME AMOUNT OF CHANGE IF THERE'S PROMOTIONS AND SEPARATIONS ETC. AS WE GO IN. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT THOSE NUMBERS AND FIGURES STAY UP TO DATE. BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT APPROXIMATELY ONE POINT, ALMOST 1.6 MILLION IN TOTAL COST IMPACTS FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES. WITH THAT HYBRID APPROACH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY TIME AND RANK STEP APPROACH WOULD BE ABOUT 1.4, ALMOST $1.5 MILLION. EITHER ONE OF THOSE AGAIN, LOOKS AT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 3% OF PAYROLL WITH THAT TOTAL COMPENSATION THERE FOR EITHER OF THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. SO THE TOTAL COST THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A LITTLE BIT ABOVE $3 MILLION. THIS DOES INCLUDE, AGAIN, ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR PAY SCALES ALES FOR GENERAL POLICE AS WELL AS FIRE. AND I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT THOSE ON HERE THAT WE'LL SHOW YOU AS WELL. YEAH. SO HERE'S THE NEW GENERAL PAY SCALE AND PAY PLAN THAT WE'RE PROPOSING. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PHASE ONE APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY. SO YOU SEE EACH GRADE HAS A 55% RANGE SPREAD. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF YOU'RE STARTING OFF AT THE MINIMUM OF YOUR GRADE. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE VERY TOP GRADE THERE GRADE 101. THE MINIMUM ANYONE WOULD BE PAID IN THIS PAY SCALE WOULD BE $41,600. ASSUMING THEY WORK A FULL TIME ROLE AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE 55% RANGE SPREAD MEANS THAT THE MAXIMUM OF THAT GRADE IS 55% [02:45:05] HIGHER THAN THE MINIMUM, SO THAT 64,480, YOU SEE, AS THE MAXIMUM OF THE MINIMUM THERE, IT'S 55% HIGHER THAN THE THE STARTING POINT OF THAT GRADE THAT HOLDS THROUGHOUT THE PLAN. SO AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BOTTOM GRADE, AT GRADE 127, IT IS STILL A 55% SPREAD. SO WE KEEP THE EXACT SAME PROGRESSION FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM THROUGHOUT THE SCALE. EACH GRADE CONSISTENTLY PROGRESSES BY 4.25%, SO THEY WILL ALL RAISE 4.25% HIGHER. SO IF YOU GO FROM 101 TO 102, IF YOU MOVE UP THAT GRADE, IF THAT WAS A PROMOTION AN EMPLOYEE GOT, IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT ANOTHER CLASSIFICATION THAT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER IN THE ORGANIZATION BASED ON THE MARKET OR THE INTERNAL EQUITY, IT IS 4.25% HIGHER. SAME THING FOR 102 TO 103 AND SO ON AND SO FORTH THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCALE. A VERY CONSISTENT APPROACH LIKE THIS ALLOWS YOUR HR DEPARTMENT IN THE FUTURE AND ALLOWED EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS RIGHT NOW TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TARGETING ANY MARKET POSITION FROM THAT MINIMUM GRADE TO THE MAXIMUM THROUGHOUT YOUR SCALE. SO IF WE SEE A POSITION THAT HAPPENS TO HAVE A MARKET RANGE STARTING AT ABOUT $60,000, WE KNOW WE CAN LOOK AT THIS SCALE AND WE CAN FIND OUR CHOICE WOULD TYPICALLY BE GRADE 110 STARTING AT 60,500. OF COURSE YOU GOT A GRADE RIGHT BELOW IT AND RIGHT ABOVE IT. THERE ARE 4% IF YOU NEEDED TO MOVE FOR COMPRESSION OR ANOTHER ADJUSTMENT. BUT AGAIN, THAT CONSISTENT APPROACH ENSURES YOU CAN BASICALLY COVER EVERY SINGLE MARKET POSITION AS NEEDED. LAST NOTE ON THIS ONE BEFORE WE GO TO THE OTHER SCALES. AGAIN, THESE ARE OPEN RANGE AS I MENTIONED BEFORE. SO THERE'S NO RESTRICTION. THE MIDPOINT IS SHOWN FOR REFERENCE ONLY. BUT AGAIN SOMEBODY COULD MAKE ANY SALARY ANY SALARY, ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT BETWEEN 41,600 AND 64,004 80. IF THEY'RE IN GRADE 101, THERE'S NO RESTRICTION ON WHERE THEY FALL. JUST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS. WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY PAY RANGES. WE'VE CONDENSED THESE DOWN FOR DISPLAY. SO AGAIN WE'RE SHOWING YOU MINIMUM MIDPOINT AND MAXIMUM. BUT AGAIN DO WANT TO BE CLEAR. EACH OF THESE PLANS IN THE POLICE AND THE FIRE HERE, THESE ARE STEP PLANS. SO THERE ARE 15 DIFFERENT STEPS. SO YOU'D START AT STEP ONE. FOR LET'S SAY F1 IS AT THE TOP THERE YOU'D BE AT 53,500. SO THAT'D BE YOUR STARTING PAY. EMPLOYEES CANNOT MAKE ANY AMOUNT WITHIN THAT RANGE. THEY WOULD ALWAYS MOVE FROM STEP ONE TO STEP TWO, WHICH WOULD BE 3% HIGHER IN EVERY SINGLE CASE. SO AGAIN, AS YOU MOVE THROUGH THAT SCALE, THAT GIVES YOU ABOUT A 55% SPREAD AS WELL BY MOVING THOSE 3% ACROSS THE SCALES THERE, BECAUSE THEY DO COMPOUND ON EACH OTHER. SO YOU'VE GOT 15 STEPS AT 3%, BUT WITH THE COMPOUNDING INCREASES GETS YOU TO ABOUT 55%. THIS WAS A CONSISTENT APPROACH WITH YOUR MARKET. HOWEVER, I WILL NOTE IN YOUR MARKET THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF VARIATION. SO IT'S NOT THAT EVERY ONE OF YOUR PEERS DOES THE SAME THING FOR THE STEP SCALES. YOU HAD SOME THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE, YOU HAD SOME THAT WERE LESS AGGRESSIVE, AND YOU DID ACTUALLY HAVE SOME IN OPEN RANGE AS WELL. SO WE DID TRY TO STRIKE THE BEST BALANCE WE COULD TO MAKE YOU COMPETITIVE, TO PUT YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT MARKET, AS WE DISCUSSED, WITH THE 50TH PERCENTILE WITH THE MARKET APPROACH. AND AGAIN, WE BELIEVE THIS DOES PUT YOU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT MARKET THERE WITH YOUR STEP DESIGN AND STEP STRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE MARKET RATES THAT WE HAVE HERE. ONE OTHER NOTE THAT I WOULD MENTION ON THESE PLANS HERE. WE'VE GIVEN YOU SOME ADDITIONAL PAY GRADES HERE SO THAT IF YOU ALL GROW, IF YOU EXPAND, IF YOU ADD ADDITIONAL RANKS, IF YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL CREDENTIALS OR CERTIFICATIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT DIFFERENTIATE ROLES, YOU ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE ROLES HERE. SO AGAIN, WE COULD HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK 6 OR 7 GRADES MAYBE FOR THE RANKS IN THE FIRE OR POLICE THINK ONE HAS SEVEN, I BELIEVE ONE MIGHT HAVE SIX OR SO. AGAIN, WE GAVE YOU THE EXTRA STEPS AND WE SLOTTED THE MARKET APPROPRIATELY. SO YOU WILL FIND SOME GRADES UNOCCUPIED IN THIS PLAN. THAT IS SOMETHING AGAIN WE'VE TYPICALLY SEEN WITH CLIENTS YOUR SIZE. IF YOU DO SEE SOME GROWTH, I THINK WE MENTIONED 14% GROWTH IN THE THE CITIZENS FROM THE LAST CENSUS. AGAIN, AS YOU CONTINUE TO SEE THAT GROWTH, IF YOUR DEPARTMENT EXPANDS, IF YOU NEED NEW RANKS, YOU DO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO UTILIZE THAT IN THIS PLAN AND THIS PAY SCALE GOING FORWARD. SO NEXT STEPS AGAIN WOULD BE JUST ESSENTIALLY MAKING SURE YOU ALL ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE COST IMPACT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION. WE'RE AGAIN HAPPY TO SUPPORT CONTINUE WORKING WITH CITY STAFF AND ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL HAVE ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, OR ABOUT UPDATING THOSE NUMBERS AS WE AGAIN MAKE ANY DIFFERENT ASSUMPTIONS, GET EMPLOYEE DATABASE UPDATES WITH PROMOTIONS AND NEW HIRES, ETC.. ANY OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING WE HAVE LEFT IN THE PROJECT IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION FINALIZATION. SO THOSE WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO HR. JUST UPDATING THOSE JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION WE PULLED FROM THE JOB SURVEYS. AND THAT WOULD BE THE LAST LINE ITEM IN THE PROJECT. SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN ASSIST WITH TODAY. IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THAT LAST SCREEN. ONE MORE TIME. THE NEXT STEPS ARE THE COST SLIDE OR NEXT STEPS. NEXT STEPS. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER. I HAD A QUESTION. [02:50:04] IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE COST OF LIVING INDEX. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY. SO EASTPOINTE IS ON PAR WITH ATLANTA AND ALPHARETTA IN TERMS OF COST OF LIVING INDEX. IS THAT CORRECT? SO THIS COST OF LIVING INDEX IS DONE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. SO IT DOES NOT MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON YOU HAVE WORKING FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND THIS IS THE EMPLOYEE BASE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE OR REALLY THAT YOU'RE COMPETING IN LIVES WITHIN THE CITY MARKET. EXCUSE ME. SO THIS DOES RESTRICT THIS TO THE COUNTY LEVEL HERE. SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE SAME COST OF LIVING AS EVERYBODY ELSE WITHIN YOUR COUNTY. YOU'LL HAVE THE EXACT SAME NUMBER. ESSENTIALLY, ALL THAT MEANS IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADJUST YOUR COST OF LIVING BY SOME, YOU KNOW, SMALL OR ATTEMPT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND SOUTH FULTON, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN YOUR COUNTY THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU'RE STILL COMPETING FOR THE SAME EMPLOYEES. YOU STILL CAN PULL FROM THAT SAME POPULATION. SO WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THOSE FOR SOMEBODY FURTHER OUTSIDE, FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S NOT IN EXCUSE ME, NOT IN FULTON COUNTY. WE DO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT SO THAT YOU'RE NOT PENALIZED IF WE'RE COMPARING YOU TO SOMEBODY MORE RURAL, SOMEBODY WITH A LOWER COST OF LIVING, OR SOMEBODY WHO CAN, FRANKLY, PULL EMPLOYEES FROM A LITTLE BIT FURTHER OUTSIDE THE METRO AREA WHERE THEY MAY BE ABLE TO AFFORD CHEAPER HOUSING OR OTHER ITEMS LIKE THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. IT WAS JUST A LITTLE CONFUSING, BUT I SEE NOW THAT YOU'VE ALSO GOT SANDY SPRINGS AND ROSWELL AND THEY'RE ALL THE SAME. CORRECT. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD FOR ME, JUST VISUALLY LOOKING AT IT, IF THEY WERE RANKED BY COUNTY AND THEN PUT IN THE MUNICIPALITIES UNDER THOSE, IT WOULD JUST FOR ME VISUALLY. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION. ABSOLUTELY. SURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEDLAND. YEAH. THANK YOU. CAN YOU GO TO YOUR LAST SLIDE, THE NEXT STEPS? SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT FIRST BULLET A LITTLE BIT MORE? AGAIN, BECAUSE I, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE COST WOULD BE ABOUT 3.05 MILLION OR SOMETHING. 3.05 MILLION WOULD BE THE COST. AGAIN, THE BULLET THERE. WHAT IS INTENDED TO REPRESENT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME FORWARD WITH YOU KNOW, A COST RECOMMENDATION ACCORDING TO THE PARAMETERS THAT I JUST LAID OUT FOR YOU. WE OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. AGAIN, WE WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGETING. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS AN APPROACH THAT WORKS FOR YOU. ALL THAT YOU KNOW, CITY STAFF SAYS, YES, WE CAN AFFORD THIS. THIS IS SUSTAINABLE. THAT COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE WITH AS WELL. SOMETIMES INCLUDING IN PHASE ONE, I THINK WE DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS WHERE THE QUESTION WAS, HEY, WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS NUMBER, BUT WHAT IF WE LOOKED AT A DIFFERENT NUMBER INSTEAD? OR WHAT IF WE LOOKED AT A DIFFERENT MARKET POSITION INSTEAD? AND SO IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT WERE TO COME OUT, IF WE NEEDED TO MAKE A DIFFERENT A COST PROFILE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE'RE HAPPY TO ASSIST WITH THAT. AGAIN, I THINK WE FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT. BUT YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. THAT'S ALL THAT BULLET IS INTENDED TO REPRESENT. SO FOR WHATEVER REASON, IF WE HAD A CONCERN AND NEEDED TO RECAST THINGS WITH DIFFERENT PARAMETERS ASSUMED WE COULD DO SO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ROGERS. YES. IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE TOTAL COST SLIDE WITH THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND TIME AND RANK. OH, OKAY. I JUST WANTED YOU. OKAY. CAN YOU ELABORATE RIGHT THERE ON WHERE YOU YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT THE PREVIOUS PAY STRUCTURE HELD 21 UNIQUE PAY RANGES WHERE CLASSIFICATIONS COULD BE SLOTTED IN. COULD YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT SECOND BULLET POINT? SURE. SO WHAT THAT MEANS AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT IT'S REFERRING TO HERE, IS THIS PAY SCALE. YOU ACTUALLY HAVE 27 DIFFERENT GRADES YOU CAN USE. SO ONE ON ONE 1 OR 2, ONE, TWO, THREE ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH 127. YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM ONLY HAS 21 GRADES. SO WE'VE ACTUALLY EXPANDED IT JUST A LITTLE BIT TO ENSURE THAT YOU'RE COMPETING WITH YOUR MARKET TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD COVERAGE ACROSS THE BOARD. IF I CAN SHOW ONE MORE ILLUSTRATIVE SLIDE HERE, THIS SLIDE IS REALLY PART OF THE REASON WHY WE HAD TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE MARKET GAP THAT YOU ALL HAVE. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROPRIATELY MATCH YOU TO THE MARKET, WE NEEDED TO EXPAND YOUR RANGES A LITTLE BIT TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT MARKET DIFFERENTIAL. SO BECAUSE OF AGAIN, A FEW DIFFERENT SLIDES HERE, I THINK THEY ALL KIND OF WORK TOGETHER TO TO EXPLAIN WHY WE CAME TO THAT POINT. BUT STARTING AT THAT $20 AN HOUR, LOOKING AT A CONSISTENT APPROACH THROUGHOUT THE PAY SCALE, WE NEEDED 27 GRADES TO BE ABLE TO COVER YOUR CLASSIFICATIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, FROM BOTTOM TO TOP. IF WE HAD STOPPED AT 21, YOU'D BE SIGNIFICANTLY COMPRESSING THE SCALE. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE MADE THAT CHANGE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND HERE'S MY QUESTION. SO JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, AND MAYBE I MISSED THIS. [02:55:01] SO WE DID A STUDY. STEADY PACE. STEADY CLASS CLASSIFICATION WAS ABOUT A YEAR OR SO. TWO. ABOUT A YEAR AGO. AND THAT WAS FOR LIKE THE THE LOWER EMPLOYEES. AND NOW THIS IS FOR THE HIGHER EMPLOYEES, WHICH ARE YOUR SUPERVISORS, WHICH NOW ARE GOING TO BRING THEIR PAY RATE UP BECAUSE THEY WERE RIGHT THERE WITH THE WHEN WE DID THE FIRST ONE THAT PUT THE SUPERVISORS RIGHT THERE. AND THAT'S GOING TO PUT SUPERVISORS ABOVE. DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE DIRECTORS AS WELL? DIRECTORS? WE DID TAKE A LOOK AT DIRECTORS AS WELL IN THIS STUDY. SO WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE. AND WE DO HAVE MARKET DATA ON THOSE I BELIEVE THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED IN ONE OF THE EARLIER WHERE WE MENTIONED THE DIRECTORS WERE A LITTLE BIT BELOW MARKET. AND SO AT A HIGH LEVEL, YOU'RE CORRECT THAT MOST OF THE POSITIONS STUDIED IN PHASE ONE WERE OF THE THE LOWER ON THE PAY SCALE, I DON'T THINK IT WAS EXCLUSIVELY DRAWN AT A CERTAIN LINE WHERE EVERYBODY BELOW WAS PHASE ONE, EVERYBODY ABOVE IS HIS FACE TOO. BUT IN GENERAL, I THINK THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE. OKAY. AND ALSO SO THAT MEANS THAT THIS IS GOING TO INCREASE THE PAY SCALE FOR THE FIRE POLICE AS WELL. CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. YEAH. THAT WAS WHAT WAS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE RIGHT HERE. SO THESE WOULD BE THE NEW PAY SCALES FOR FIRE AND POLICE. THEY WOULD BRING THEM TO A NEW STEP STRUCTURE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THEY TALKED ABOUT A LOT. IT'S SOMETHING WE SAW IN THE MARKET. AND THIS WOULD MAKE THEM MARKET COMPETITIVE BASED ON OUR MARKET DATA THAT WE'VE PULLED HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND ONE LAST QUESTION. AND I KNOW WE SAID DIRECTORS IS ONE FOR DIRECTORS, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE INCLUDED. BUT FOR THE SUPERVISORS AND THE MANAGERS THAT IS INCLUDED IN HERE TOO. THIS WOULD LOOK AT SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS. AND AGAIN, WE DID LOOK AT THOSE IN COMPARISON. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, IN PHASE ONE THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF COMPRESSION CAUSED. AND WE KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE CASE. WHEN YOU SPLIT UP THE STUDY INTO TWO PHASES. THERE'S SOME ADVANTAGES TO THAT, YOU KNOW, NAMELY THAT YOU CAN TAKE THE TIME AND FOCUS ON EACH GROUP. YOU CAN SPREAD OUT THE COST OVER MULTIPLE FISCAL YEARS, BUT IT DOES LEAD YOU TO POTENTIALLY CAUSE SOME COMPRESSION IF YOU, YOU KNOW, MOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE SCALE UP. YOU THEN DO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE TOP OF THE SCALE TO ENSURE THAT EMPLOYEES ARE INCENTIVIZED TO PROMOTE THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER. WE DO HEAR FROM EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY'LL SAY, WELL, WHY WOULD I TAKE THIS PROMOTION? I DON'T WANT TO MANAGE PEOPLE IF IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET ME, YOU KNOW, $0.50 MORE ON MY HOURLY RATE. IT HAS TO BE WORTH MORE THAN THAT IN ORDER TO GET GOOD PEOPLE IN. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHAT WE LOOKED AT. AGAIN, THIS IS ALL MARKET BASED. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE MAKING AN ARBITRARY ASSESSMENT HERE. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MARKET AND SEE HOW MUCH DOES A MANAGER OR A SUPERVISOR GET PAID IN A CERTAIN ROLE, THAT'S WHAT WOULD DRIVE THAT, THE BASIS BETWEEN THE FRONT LEVEL EMPLOYEE AND THE SUPERVISOR OR THE MANAGER. OKAY. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. A COUPLE QUESTIONS, MISS JESSIE. YOU'VE MENTIONED IT SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT THE PAY AND COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY IS THAT A PART OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF THIS AS WELL? WE HAVE TWO THINGS, MADAM MAYOR, I INTRODUCED YOU TO A PAY PHILOSOPHY IN PHASE ONE. I DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS EVER ADOPTED. I BELIEVE THE IDEA WAS TO COMPLETE PHASE TWO, AND THEN WE WOULD LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THAT, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE PUBLIC SAFETY PAY RANGES. THE STEP PLAN IS NEW FOR THE CITY. WE NEVER HAD THAT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT MAY HAVE BEEN YEARS AND YEARS AGO, BUT THAT COMES WITH A BUILT IN 3% BETWEEN EACH STEP. SO WE WOULD BE ASKING IN THE PAY PHILOSOPHY THAT YOU WOULD COMMIT AS BUDGETS PERMIT, TO STAY WITH THAT STEP PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. SO YES, MA'AM, WE WILL BRING THAT BACK. STAY WITH THE STEP PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES OR JUST PUBLIC SAFETY. WELL, ONLY THE PUBLIC SAFETY HAS THE STEPS THAT ARE BUILT IN. SO THEY'RE IN 3% PROGRESSIONS AS. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. NO. AS MARK MENTIONED, THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS OPEN RANGE. SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY COMPELLED TO DO AN INCREASE EVERY YEAR. HOWEVER, THAT COULD BE A PART OF YOUR PAY PHILOSOPHY THAT YOU WOULD LOOK AT COST OF LIVING INCREASES. YOU WOULD LOOK AT PAY FOR PERFORMANCE. SEVERAL CITY MANAGERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A PAY FOR PERFORMANCE PROGRAM [03:00:01] THAT WOULD LEND ITSELF TO GENERAL EMPLOYEES. MUCH MORE THAN PUBLIC SAFETY. THEIRS IS GENERALLY BUILT IN, AND I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO BE EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE. I MEAN, ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT ALSO IN PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK WHATEVER PAY AND COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY WE ADOPT, THAT WE SHOW A LEVEL OF COMMITMENT TO ALL EMPLOYEES AROUND SOME LEVEL OF INCREASE, WHETHER IT'S A COLA, IT'S A SOMETHING OR NOT LESS THAN. BUT LIKE MAKING SURE WE ADDRESS EVERYBODY IN A PAY AND COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY AND HAVE A COMMITMENT TO EVERYONE AROUND SOME LEVEL OF PREDICTABLE INCREASE, RIGHT, FOR PERFORMANCE. I MEAN, ARGUABLY, PEOPLE AREN'T PERFORMING THEIR SYSTEMS THAT ARE BUILT IN PLACE TO HELP THEM CORRECT THEIR ACTION OR, YOU KNOW, MAKE OTHER DECISIONS. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ADOPT A HOLISTIC PAYING COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY THAT ADDRESSES ALL EMPLOYEES. WHILE IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, THE PHILOSOPHY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY MAY BE DIFFERENT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. THERE'S AT LEAST A COMMITMENT TO EVERYONE IN THAT PHILOSOPHY. AND SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MR. HOLCOMB AND THEIR TEAM HELP US DEVELOP? ONCE WE MAKE A DECISION ON THIS, THEN WE CAN DO OUR PAY AND COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY. YES. THEY'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT OUR INITIAL ONE THAT WE DRAFTED LAST YEAR. AND CERTAINLY ONCE YOU ALL GIVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO THIS, WE WILL INCORPORATE LANGUAGE. THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE, AS YOU SAY, ACROSS THE BOARD. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW. AND THEN YOU JUST MENTIONED GREEN LIGHT. SO THERE IS A ASK FOR A DECISION. I THINK WE WERE TOLD THAT THE JUST OVER 3 MILLION. 3.5 MILLION FOR THE INITIAL YEAR COULD BE PAID FROM RESERVES OR FUND BALANCES IN THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT WILL END ON JUNE 30TH. AND THEN MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN THE PROPOSED 26 BUDGET AND MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE THIS IS RECURRING, THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME. THIS IS A COMMITMENT ON A RECURRING BASIS TO AT LEAST INCREASE OUR COMPENSATION OVERALL NUMBERS BY $3 MILLION OR MORE. RIGHT. AND SO DO I RECALL CORRECTLY THAT THE INITIAL ONE IN THIS, THIS 3 MILLION, 3.5 MILLION, IS THAT THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2026. OR IS THAT THE RETROACTIVE FROM APRIL 5TH? I THINK THAT'S OUR RETROACTIVE DATE. IS THAT APRIL 5TH THROUGH JUNE 30TH? AND THEN SORRY THEN DOES IF THAT'S THE CASE, DOES THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET HAVE THE FULL YEAR IN IT? THIS IS THE ANNUAL RECURRING COST THAT YOU'RE SHOWING THERE. IT'S THE TOTAL COMPENSATION. SO I BELIEVE IT DOES INCLUDE A THE BENEFITS INCREASE AS WELL. BUT AGAIN THIS IS THE ANNUAL RECURRING COST. THIS IS A 12 MONTH COST. IF YOU WERE SO THAT AND I THINK WHAT I, I MAY HAVE MISSED RECALLED BECAUSE I THINK THE RETROACTIVE FROM APRIL 5TH TO JUNE 30TH COULD BE COVERED WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET. CORRECT. AND THEN THIS IS THE FULL AMOUNT FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING ME WITH THAT. AND MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE PLAN IS FOR US TO PROVIDE THE RETRO PAY, THE AND AN OFF PAY WEEK SO PEOPLE WILL GET THEIR NEW SALARIES SHOULD YOU APPROVE IT. THE PAY PERIOD. JULY 18TH, THAT WILL START THE NEW SALARIES AND THEN THE RETRO WILL COME THE NEXT WEEK JULY 25TH. SO JULY 25TH WOULD BE APRIL 5TH THROUGH JULY 17TH THROUGH JUNE 30TH. OH, BECAUSE JULY 18TH PAYMENT WOULD BE FOR JULY 1ST. YES, MA'AM. OKAY, SO THE NEW SALARIES KICK IN ON JULY 1ST. YES, MA'AM. THE RETROACTIVE APRIL 5TH THROUGH JUNE 30TH. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I'M CLEAR. I'M TRACKING. SO TONIGHT, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT STEPS SLIDE FOR ME AGAIN, PLEASE? THANK YOU. TONIGHT IS THE ASK THAT COUNCIL ADOPT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE PLAN OR THE HYBRID PLAN. LIKE SO THEN YOU ALL WOULD BE ABLE TO FUND BUT ALSO WORK ON THE FINALIZATION OF [03:05:02] THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS OR LIKE WHAT'S THE ASK FOR TONIGHT? SO IT WOULD NEED TO INCLUDE THE PAY SCALE AND THE HYBRID. AND THEN THE STEP SCALES FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT'S THE COST THAT WE'VE SHOWN THERE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD NEED FOR ADOPTION, AGAIN, TO ESSENTIALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS IS THE PAY SCALES WOULD NEED TO BE ADOPTED, THAT EMPLOYEES CAN MOVE INTO THE PAY SCALE HERE AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY PAY SCALES HERE. AND WHEN YOU ADOPT THOSE PAY SCALES, THEN YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE HOW TO EMPLOYEES MOVE INTO THOSE PAY SCALES. THAT'S OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE HYBRID APPROACH AND THE OR THE RANK BASED. EXCUSE ME ONE MORE. THAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE RANK BASED CLASS STEP FOR UP FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THOSE WOULD BE THE THE MULTIPLE THINGS WE'RE ASKING FOR. SO YOU WOULD NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED PAY SCALES FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE HYBRID ADJUST. WHAT'S WHAT'S THAT PART. THE HYBRID THE HYBRID ADJUSTMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY CLASS STEP FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. OKAY. MADAM. CITY ATTORNEY, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS MOTION IS A LOT. MAYBE BREAK IT UP. SO BREAK IT UP IN PAY SCALES AND THEN HYBRID ADJUSTMENT. OKAY, SO THE FIRST MOTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED PAY SCALES FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. RIGHT. THEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED HYBRID ADJUSTMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND TIME AND RANK APPROACH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO COUNCIL, I DON'T SEE ANYONE ELSE CHIMED IN FOR. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR A MOTION? SO THE THE ASK IS THE FIRST MOTION IS THAT WE ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED PAY SCALES FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. OKAY. READY? COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED PAY SCALES FOR GENERAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER. ATKINS. I'M SORRY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE NEXT MOTION THAT'S NEEDED IS THAT WE MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED HYBRID ADJUSTMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND TIME AND RANK APPROACH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE HYBRID ADJUSTMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND TIME AND RANK ADJUSTMENT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES. SECOND. BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. IT'S BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE. I THINK NOW YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS BASED ON THESE APPROVALS. ABSOLUTELY. I KNOW THERE'S A PROVISION IN OUR CHARTER THAT ALLOWS US TO ADOPT OR APPROVE ALL JOB FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES. SO ARE YOU ALL GOING TO BRING MAYBE OR SHARE THOSE WITH US AS YOU DO THEM? WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THAT PIECE, AND WILL THAT COME BEFORE JULY 1ST? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE KNOW BASED UPON WHAT WE JUST DID. THE EMPLOYEES WILL GET A RETROACTIVE. THIS WILL TAKE EFFECT APRIL 5TH. DO WE NEED TO PUT AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR RETROACTIVITY? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE ADDRESSED THAT. I THINK YOU DID. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU TOOK A VOTE, BUT ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS YOU DID SAY FROM RETROACTIVE TO APRIL 5TH. I DON'T RECALL. I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSIONS. YES. NO, NOT AN ACTION. WELL, WE USED THAT DATE ANYWAY, SO. BELTS AND SUSPENDERS. I KNOW YOU ALL TALK TO US ABOUT IT. AND THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION, BUT FOR THE RETROACTIVE. DO WE NEED TO. MAKE MOTIONS THAT FOR THE SAME THING, RETROACTIVE TO APRIL 5TH? IS IT PROPOSED A SENSE OF EMPLOYEES? YES. YES. SO BECAUSE THIS PROPOSAL ACTUALLY IS FOR A FISCAL YEAR. YEAH. THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, RIGHT. THE ONE THAT WE ALREADY APPROVED WAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 26. AND IT'LL BE IN OUR BUDGET. RIGHT. SO YES. WE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE [03:10:10] RECOMMENDED GENERAL EMPLOYEE AND PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEE PAY SCALES, RETROACTIVE TO APRIL 5TH, 2025. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE NEED A MOTION DECISION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED HYBRID ADJUSTMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND A TIME AND RANK APPROACH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, RETROACTIVE TO APRIL 5TH, 2025. SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NOW, THAT MAKES CERTAIN THAT WE GOT THE APRIL 5TH. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE YEAR, AND THEN YOU ALL WILL GET US THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS WHEN THOSE SHOULD BE DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY JULY 1ST. WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THAT THE GOAL TO GET THEM TO YOU BEFORE THEN. I THINK THAT IS DOABLE, BUT IT TYPICALLY WOULD TAKE ABOUT A MONTH. YEAH. AND I MEAN, I THINK WE'VE NOT REALLY DELVED DEEP INTO THOSE. I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE GOOD INFORMATION FOR US TO HAVE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE FUNCTIONS OF JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT WE'VE DEFERRED TO THE CITY MANAGER. OPERATIONS AROUND THAT. SO IF YOU YOU ALL COULD GET THAT TO US. AND MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT AT THE JULY WORK SESSION. IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, MAYBE WE COULD JUST KIND OF PUT IT THERE OR CHECK IN OR SOMETHING. MADAM CITY CLERK. FOR THE JULY. IS THAT NINTH? MY DAYS. RIGHT? NO. JULY 14TH WORK SESSION. IF YOU CAN INCLUDE FROM COUNCIL A UPDATE ON JOB DESCRIPTION, NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS, PART OF PAY AND COMPENSATION PLAN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. YOU HAVE A NICE NIGHT WORK. MADAM MAYOR, ONE FINAL THING ON THAT IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD MEETINGS WITH THE TWO CHIEFS, CHIEF THORNTON AND CHIEF BUCHANAN, SO THAT WE WILL GO OVER THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM. AND THEY ARE VERY HAPPY, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THIS WILL HELP TO HELP THEM WITH RECRUITMENT AND HELP THEM TO KEEP EMPLOYEES SINCE THEY KNOW WHERE THEY WILL BE GOING IN THE FUTURE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO GUESS IF IT MIGHT BE AN INCREASE OR NOT. SO AND WE'LL DO THE SAME THING WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE IMPACTED. YEAH. I THINK IT'S GOING TO REALLY BOOST MORALE. I KNOW ALL EMPLOYEES WILL APPRECIATE IT. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SANITATION, PUBLIC WORKS, POWER, LIKE ALL DEPARTMENTS. LIKE. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT EVERY THIS TIME WE WERE ABLE TO DO. EVERYONE I KNOW WHEN WE STARTED WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE MAKING $10.18 AN HOUR, LIKE 108 EMPLOYEES WHEN WE STARTED THIS WHOLE LIVABLE WAGE BACK IN 2019. AND AT THAT TIME, WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY TO DEAL WITH BASICALLY HAVING PEOPLE WHO WERE WORKING BUT STILL IN THE LOW INCOME LEVEL. RIGHT. AND SO WE WENT FROM THAT TO 15 FOR EVERYONE, WHICH CAUSED SOME COMPRESSION ISSUES. AND NOW THIS LOOKS AT EVERYONE AS A WHOLE AND EVEN ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS AND REALLY, RIGHT, SETS THE WHOLE SYSTEM BUT ALSO VALUES OUR EMPLOYEES. SO IT'S BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I KNOW OUR EMPLOYEES WILL APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE PUT INTO THIS, BUT ALSO THE ADDITIONAL VALUE THAT IT WILL ADD FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH, THE OTHER THING, THE PAY AND COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY. DO WE THINK WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AT THE JULY 14TH WORK WORK SESSION AS WELL, SO WE CAN ADOPT IT? OKAY. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. MADAM CITY CLERK, PLEASE REMIND ME ON THAT ONE. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL. QUESTION BEFORE WE DO THAT SESSION ITEMS, DO WE HAVE ANY FROM LEGAL PERSONNEL? MR. JONES? ARE YOU BRINGING FORWARD THIS ITEM? NO. THAT'S YOURS. OKAY. I COULDN'T HEAR YOU. [03:15:06] ONE LEGAL, ONE PERSONNEL. ALL RIGHT. ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER. [XIII. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL] MARTIN. YES. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST THANK ALL OF THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT THIS EVENING AND SHARED THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH COUNCIL. I ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE CITY OF EASTPOINTE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE NEXT GENERATION SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. PLEASE VIEW THE CITY'S WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE WARD D RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT TO THE L CIRCLE REALIGNMENT MEETING, WHICH WAS HELD ON MAY 21ST. I WANT TO THANK THE EMPLOYEES THAT CAME OUT FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS AND WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT. WE WILL BE HAVING A FOLLOW UP INFORMATION MEETING, SO PLEASE LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO COME OUT. BUT WE WILL BE HAVING A FOLLOW UP MEETING TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WERE SHARED AT THAT MEETING. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO REMIND WARD D RESIDENTS TO SAVE THE DATE FOR THE WARD D COMMUNITY GATHERING, WHICH IS GOING TO BE HELD ON JUNE 28TH, 2025 FROM 11:00 UNTIL 1:00 PM. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE FORTHCOMING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO JUST THANK ALL OF THE CITIZENS WHO CAME OUT THIS PAST SATURDAY FOR THE WELCOME HOME OPEN HOUSE EVENT. THERE WERE QUITE A FEW ACTIVITIES GOING ON HERE AT CITY HALL. I THINK EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY MUCH WELL ATTENDED. WE'VE HAD THE COOKING DEMONSTRATION, THE ON THE BLOCK EVENT, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER AND I HELD THE WELCOME HOME OPEN HOUSE EVENT. I ESPECIALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE HERE TO STAFF THAT FROM THE DEPARTMENTS OF POLICE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WATER RESOURCES, PUBLIC WORKS, EASTPOINTE POWER PARKS AND RECREATION, AND OUR CITY MANAGER. WE GOT GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT, AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE HERE. EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS INDIVIDUALLY AND ENJOY THEIR TIME HERE AT CITY HALL, SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THAT. THE NEXT ITEM IS BOARDS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS ON SATURDAY. I KNOW, MR. DERUBEIS, YOU CAME OUT AND YOU TALKED ABOUT BEING ENGAGED ON THAT BOARD, AND I ALSO RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE CITY TODAY ABOUT BOARDS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSION. I HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY APPOINTMENTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT ON OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING THAT WOULD REQUIRE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AS PER THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN PASSED. THESE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO GET OUR CITIZENS INVOLVED. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TALENT IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE, AND THESE RESIDENTS ARE EAGER AND LOOKING FORWARD TO OFFERING THAT AND BEING A VALUE ADD TO THOSE BOARDS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. YES, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT DURING OUR WELCOME HOME EVENT AND AT RESIDENTS, CITIZENS AND ALL THE STAFF AS WELL. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, GREAT SHOWING. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO OPEN UP CITY HALL SHOW PEOPLE CITY HALL AND OUR OFFICE. IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT. AND, YOU KNOW, I WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PRESENTATION FOR THE PARKS AND REC MULTIGENERATIONAL CENTER IN WARD D, THE MOST THE QUESTION REGARDING WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT EASTPOINTE, THE WORD CAME UP WAS COMMUNITY. AND YES, THAT IS TRUE. THE BEST THING OF EASTPOINTE IS THE COMMUNITY. BUT THAT KIND OF GOES AWAY WHEN WE HAVE WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED TO DIVISION IN OUR COMMUNITY. BECAUSE THERE IS POWER IN DIVISION. AND AND IT'S REALLY DISHEARTENING WHEN THESE THINGS COME UP BECAUSE WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS. WE WE DESERVE TO HAVE YOU KNOW, GOOD PUBLIC SERVICES GOOD SERVICE DELIVERY. AND I THINK THAT IT'S BETTER TO LISTEN, TO UNDERSTAND INSTEAD OF LISTEN TO RESPOND. I THINK THAT THAT IF WE WERE TO LISTEN, TO UNDERSTAND, IT WOULD GET US A LOT FARTHER. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. SO LET ME DO THIS FIRST. BEFORE I FORGET, I WANT TO APPOINT. APPOINT ANDREA CALDWELL TO. [03:20:06] CULTURE ENRICHMENT. YES. THERE A SECOND. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED TO APPOINT ANDREA CALDWELL TO THE CULTURAL ENRICHMENT COMMISSION. ANY DISCUSSION? NO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. SECONDLY BEFORE I FORGET, JUNE 14TH IS THE FOOD GIVEAWAY, AND WE'RE PARTNERING WITH AFRICAN CHURCH, OR. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NAME, BUT I DO KNOW IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL, AND IT IS JUNE 14TH, THAT WILL BE THE WEEKEND OF FATHER'S DAY. SO THEY ARE GIVING AWAY SEAFOOD. SO IF YOU LIKE SEAFOOD, WE ASK THAT RESIDENTS COME OUT AND GET YOU JEFFERSON PARK RECREATION CENTER. WE'LL GIVE YOU THE TIME WHEN THE FLIER AND EVERYTHING GOES OUT. BUT IT WILL BE ON JUNE 14TH, AND THEY'RE GOING TO FEED ABOUT 800 PEOPLE, SO IT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THIRDLY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL TO THE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OUT FOR SPEAKING UP. AND YES COMMUNITY IS ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER. IT'S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T ALWAYS AGREE. IT'S ABOUT RESPECT. RESPECTING EACH OTHER. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO AGREE WITH EVERYTHING. NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO AGREE WITH EVERY EVENT. BUT IT'S IT'S JUST ABOUT RESPECT AND IT'S HOW IT'S PERCEIVED. AND WHAT'S THE PERCEPTION? IF YOU AND I WILL ALWAYS SAY THIS, I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE WANTS EAST POINT TO THRIVE AND TO GROW. EAST POINT, EVERYBODY WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS CITY. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE FOR 40 YEARS AND I WANTED TO GROW. I'VE SEEN THE HIGHS, THE LOWS, THE UPS AND THE DOWNS, ESPECIALLY IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. I HAVE THREE CONVENIENCE STORES ON ONE CORNER, AND I DIDN'T MOVE INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THREE CONVENIENCE STORES ON ONE CORNER. BUT GUESS WHAT? WE JUST DEAL WITH IT. WE FIX UP OUR COMMUNITY AND WE MAKE IT WORK. AND I SAY THAT TO SAY THIS, WE HAVE TO FIND COMMON GROUNDS. WE CAN'T ALWAYS BASH EACH OTHER. AND THEN WE WONDER WHY WE CAN'T GET BUSINESS IN THE CITY. IF YOU DON'T ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CITY, THEN YOU CANNOT GET WHAT YOU EXPECT. YOU HAVE TO ADVOCATE THE BEST FOR YOUR CITY THERE. THEY'RE NO LONGER LOOKING AT TV. THEY'RE GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SO WHEN YOU TALK DOWN ABOUT THINGS, THE BUSINESSES ARE GOING THERE LOOKING. THERE IS A PARTICULAR BUSINESS ON AUBURN AVENUE, AND I ASKED THEM WHY WE COULDN'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN EASTPOINTE, AND THEY SAID THEY KIND OF PLAN AROUND IT AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE THEY WANT THEY LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHIC, THEY LOOK AT DIFFERENT THINGS. WHAT BRINGS THEM HERE. AND IF PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY BASHING WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE, THEN THE BUSINESS IS NOT GOING TO INVEST. WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OURSELF SO THAT AS TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER SAID, THAT GOES BOTH WAYS. IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU PEOPLE ARE, THEY HAVE FEELINGS, THEY HAVE IDEAS. AND WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT BEING HEARD AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SHUT DOWN OR PUSH SOMETHING AWAY BECAUSE ONE DON'T LIKE IT AND THE OTHER ONE DO, IT CAUSES PROBLEMS. FOR YEARS WE'VE HAD 4TH OF JULY. THE MUSIC HAS BEEN. HOWEVER, WE HAVE OTHER EVENTS IN EAST POINT. IT'S DIVERSE. THEY HAVE SEVERAL EVENTS THAT'S DIVERSE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BRINGING PEOPLE WHO WILL HELP MAKE THIS CITY GREAT. WITH THIS PAST CONCERT, GOODIE MOB IS RETIRING. YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM TOGETHER AGAIN. NEVER EVER. THAT IS WHY THAT WAS SO SPECIAL AND EPIC TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. BECAUSE THEY YOU WILL NEVER SEE THAT GROUP AGAIN TOGETHER AS ONE. SO FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GREW UP ON THAT, THAT WAS EPIC. AND HERE'S WHAT THEY ALSO SAID THEY WANTED THAT USUALLY IT ENDS ABOUT 915, BUT BECAUSE THEY MADE IT SO SPECIAL. [03:25:05] BECAUSE OF COMING OFF OF THE RICO WADE WHO ACTUALLY PUT EAST POINT ON THE MAP WITH HEADLAND AND DALLAS WITHOUT CASS, WHO'S NOW BEEN ABDUCTED INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. ALL THAT PLAYED INTO IT. KILLER MIKE WAS ALSO HERE, WHO'S A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE INDUSTRY WHO GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. SO WHEN YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE THIS, YOU APPRECIATE HOW THEY HELP SHAPE YOUR CITY, WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE IT OR NOT. IT'S ABOUT BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. IT'S NOT ABOUT CAUSING DIVISION OR NOT LISTENING. IT'S ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR A GOOD TIME. PEOPLE THAT ATTEND THESE EVENTS ARE WELL EDUCATED PEOPLE. THEY'RE NOT OUT HERE TRYING TO FIGHT, FUSS, START. NATHAN. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR EIGHT YEARS WITHOUT NOT ONE INCIDENT. NOT ONE INCIDENT. WE HAVE BEEN DOING CHECKPOINTS FOR EIGHT YEARS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE DON'T BRING WEAPONS IN. DON'T BRING ALCOHOL IN. BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? WE WANT PEOPLE TO BUY FROM THE VENDORS. BECAUSE WHEN YOU BUY FROM THE VENDORS THAT SALES TAX MONEY THAT GOES TO THE CITY. SO YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES WHO WOULD NEVER HAVE CAME TO EAST POINT COMING TO YOUR DOWNTOWN. SO GUESS WHAT? WE WANT BUSINESS TO COME HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO HELP THE BUSINESS THAT'S HERE. SO IF WE HAVE TO BE THE MARKET FOR OUR OWN CITY, WE HAVE TO DO THAT. WE CAN'T ALWAYS TAKE TO SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE FACEBOOK IS IS TRULY THE DEATH KILLER. IT WILL IT WILL KILL YOUR CITY AND ANYTHING ELSE WITH JUST THE JUST A STROKE OF TYPING SOMETHING IN. SO WE GOT TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE SAY AND WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE ACT. WE HAVE WE ARE. WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS IN PROMOTING OUR CITY IF WE WANT TO EXPECT BUSINESS TO COME HERE. SO IT'S NO DISRESPECT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD OR A COMMUNITY. NONE OF THAT. I REMEMBER WHEN THEY USED TO HAVE THE RUMMAGE SALE EVERY YEAR WHEN ERICA ROCKER WAS OVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WELL, ACTUALLY, THE MAIN STREET BOARD, WHEN THE CITY USED TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS. DESTINATION OF EASTPOINT DOWNTOWN. THEY'VE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT. A LOT OF THAT BROUGHT A BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. AND THIS DIFFERENT EVENTS BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. IT'S JUST NOW AS TO DECIDE WHETHER SOME WANT TO DO THAT OR ARE THEY GOING TO CONTINUE TO PLAY THE VICTIM? SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT. THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR CITY? HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR CITY TO LOOK? THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MARTIN. YES. AND WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS JUST HAVE A A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. THERE WERE I WAS CALLED LAST WEEK IN REGARDS TO THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL FACILITY THAT IS LOCATED IN WARD D THAT IS LOCATED IS WHAT? NOT YET. IT'S NOT YET, BUT HOWEVER, JUST SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION. DURING MY PREVIOUS TIME ON COUNCIL MADAM MAYOR SERVED AS AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER. WE BROUGHT ABOUT THE FIRST PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GEORGIA SOCCER PARK. SO THERE HAVE JUST BEEN SOME STATEMENTS MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS TO WHY ARE WE BUILDING IN THE GEORGIA SOCCER PARK? IN THE SOCCER PARK ISN'T IN WARD D, IT ACTUALLY IS. SO JUST WANTED THAT MOMENT OF CLARIFICATION THAT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST BETTER TO HAVE CORRECT INFORMATION BEFORE JUMPING OUT THERE. SO IT IS IN WARD D AND IT'S ON BEN HILL ROAD. THANK YOU. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT AND SPOKE DURING THE BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE AND PROVIDE YOUR INPUT REGARDING THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET. IT WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA UNTIL IT'S ADOPTED. THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. PLEASE LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. I WANT TO AGAIN, THANK EVERYONE WHO SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS [03:30:01] EVENING. THOSE WHO REMAIN HERE WITH US TONIGHT AS, AS IT RELATES TO AND THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN JACOB DEATON, WHO'S A EASTPOINTE RESIDENT. HE AND HIS BAND WERE ON THE TICKET FOR ONE OF THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN SESSIONS. I MEAN, LIKE ON THE TICKET ON THE PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS AND FLIERS. AND I WILL NEVER FORGET SEEING ON SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS ABOUT PEOPLE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE WAS ON THE TICKET BECAUSE OF THE DISTRACTION, THAT I THINK THEY FOCUSED SO MUCH ON THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY OR PEOPLE FOCUS ON FROM A NEGATIVE PERSPECTIVE. IT WAS. A LOCAL ARTIST LIVES IN EASTPOINTE. HE AND HIS BAND ON THE TICKET, ON THE FLIER AND TURN OUT WASN'T THERE TO SUPPORT WE ALSO HAD, I BELIEVE THE BAND WAS FROM THE UK THAT WAS REFERENCED EARLIER AND ONE OF THE PERSONALITIES OR EMCEES THAT IS A PART OF THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN OFTEN IS AUNTIE JULIAN, WHO IS A CANADIAN REALITY STAR. REALITY SHOW STAR. IT'S GETTING LATE. SORRY. SO WHILE THAT SHARES A LEVEL OF DIVERSITY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE WAS A REQUEST TONIGHT TO HAVE A SENIORS THEME. LIKE, SENIORS WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT AND ENJOY AS WELL. WE ALREADY HAVE, AND IT'S STILL IN THE BUDGET, SEVERAL FUNDING FOR A JAZZ FESTIVAL. SO AND WE'VE HAD THAT IN THE PAST. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO I THINK IF WE CAN LOOK AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TOGETHER, HAVE DIVERSE GENRES OF MUSIC INVITE PEOPLE TO COME OUT THAT WE CAN REALLY SEE THAT THE GLASS IS ALWAYS HALF FULL, THAT WE ACTUALLY ARE MORE ALIKE THAN WE ARE DIFFERENT. AND THAT MUSIC IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER. MUSIC AND FOOD. I'M THE SELF-PROCLAIMED DANCING MAYOR, SO I LOVE MUSIC AND WILL PROBABLY DANCE TO CLASSICAL IF I FEEL IT IN THE MOMENT, RIGHT? LIKE SO IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE GLASS AS HALF FULL, I WILL ALSO REMIND PEOPLE THAT ON JUNE 13TH, THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT IS HOSTING THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE DAY FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AT THE CITY ANNEX BUILDING, 3121 NORMAN BERRY DRIVE. THERE WILL BE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, INCLUDING EDUCATION, FINANCIAL LITERACY, ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS, LEGAL SERVICES, FOOD PANTRY, VETERAN RESOURCES, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. AGAIN, THAT'S THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AT THE EAST POINT CITY ANNEX AT 3121 NORMAN BARRY DRIVE AND THE HEALTHY POINT 90 DAY HEALTH INITIATIVE IS STILL GOING ON. AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OOPS, A LOT OF AMAZING ACTIVITIES. DURING THE HEALTHY POINT FOR MULTIGENERATIONAL, MULTIGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY. SO WE HAVE CHAIR FIT CLASSES. WE HAVE WEIGHT ROOM TRAINING WALK TO WALK OUR MODEL MILE ON OUR EASTPOINTE PATH. PHYS ED IS DOING STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING, YOGA, PICKLEBALL SEASONS, AND STRONG SENIORS. 365 SENIOR FITNESS. SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES. DEEPAK AND OUR OWN CELEBRITY CHEF AND EASTPOINTE RESIDENT TAMMY COOK IS COORDINATING OUR WEEKLY HEALTHY COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS HERE AT CITY HALL ON THE STEPS. AND SO AND WE'LL HAVE HEALTHY MOVIE NIGHT. SO LOOK, YOU. IT'S OPEN ENROLLMENT. YOU CAN JOIN AT ANY TIME. SO STILL CONTINUE TO JOIN US. AND SO THAT YOU CAN, WE CAN BE ON THIS JOURNEY TO BE HEALTHIER TOGETHER. TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE REAL ESTATE, TWO PERSONNEL AND ONE LEGAL MATTER FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. IF WE CAN GET A. OH, ONE OTHER THING I THOUGHT ABOUT AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET WHEN IT'S PLACED ONLINE. SO BACK IN PRIOR ITERATIONS OF THE BUDGET, WE USED TO ACTUALLY HAVE A TAB FOR EACH DEPARTMENT. AND SO IT WAS EASIER TO FLIP THROUGH THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT WAS TAPPED BY DEPARTMENT. IF THE HARD COPY VERSION THAT THE NEXT ITERATION THAT WE RECEIVE IS NOT IN THAT FORMAT. AND EVEN IF IT IS, I THINK HAVING ONLINE THE BUDGET LIKE HYPERLINKS, IF YOU PRESS PUBLIC WORKS, IT TAKES YOU TO THE PUBLIC WORKS SECTION. IF YOU PRESS PLACE POLICE, WHATEVER THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS, HYPERLINK IT SO IT CAN HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE BUDGET EASIER. AND IT WILL PROBABLY ALSO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET, BECAUSE IF YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE IT AS A DEPARTMENT APPROACH, RIGHT, VERSUS TRYING TO DIGEST ALL OF IT AT ONE TIME, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WE PUT THE NEXT VERSION UP ONLINE, [03:35:07] TO MAKE SURE IT'S USER FRIENDLY AND INTERACTIVE, TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THROUGH THE INFORMATION. [XIV. EXECUTIVE SESSION] SO WE NEED TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ONE REAL ESTATE, TWO PERSONNEL AND ONE LITIGATION. MADAM MAYOR. YES. WE GOING RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ONE REAL ESTATE, ONE TWO PERSONNEL AND ONE LEGAL SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE IN RECESS. MOTION TO RECONVENE. SO MOVED. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES IN THE NEED. A MOTION TO PROCEED, AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO ARDEN'S GARDENS CLAIM. SO MOVED. SECOND. BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MOTION TO APPROVE. EXECUTIVE SESSION. MEETING MINUTES. SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES MOTION TO ADJOURN. I'LL WAIT. OH I THOUGHT OH YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. I WAS GOING TO SAY MOTION TO PROCEED OKAY. YEAH I'M LOST. YES. SO MOVED SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. GOODNIGHT. EAST POINTER. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.