[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]
          [00:00:08]
          OCTOBER 6TH MEETING OF THE EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL. MADAM CITY CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. SHROPSHIRE COUNCILMEMBER FREELY HERE. COUNCILMEMBER. ATKINS. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. ZIEGLER. COUNCILMEMBER. COMBS. COUNCILMEMBER. MITCHELL. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. BUTLER. COUNCILMEMBER. MARTIN. ROGERS. MAYOR. HOLIDAY. INGRAM. THERE GOES. COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS I SEE YOU NOW. YES. MAYOR HOLIDAY INGRAM. WE HAVE A QUORUM. SO. OH, I'M SORRY. WE WILL STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE TO THE FLAG. OH, PASTOR MOBLEY, BE YE ALSO READY. WOULD YOU PLEASE COME HONOR US WITH THE INVOCATION THIS EVENING? GOOD EVENING. LET US PRAY. WE HAVE COME TO GATHER, IN A WAY, TO TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE. AND WE PRAY, OH, GOD, THAT YOU BLESS OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR MAYOR, AND ALL THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK FOR US. BLESS THEM, GOD AND THEIR EFFORTS AND ALL THAT THEY DO AND THEIR FAMILY. MAY WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE EASTPOINTE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, TO WORK, AND TO HAVE THE RECREATION WE NEED NOW. BLESS THIS MEETING. 
          IN THY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. 
          [V. ANNOUNCEMENT OF SERGEANT-AT-ARMS- Capt. Robinson]
SERGEANT AT ARMS. THIS EVENING IS CAPTAIN ROBINSON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. CAN 
          [VI. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA]
WE GET A MOTION TO ADOPT THE COUNCIL AGENDA, MADAM MAYOR? YES? COUNCIL MEMBER FREELAND, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE COUNCIL AGENDA. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION 
          [VII. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES]
CARRIES. MOTION TO APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL. MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 15TH REGULAR MEETING OF EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL. IS THERE A MOTION, MADAM MAYOR? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE CITY COUNCIL. REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2025. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 1ST SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR. YES? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL CALL MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2025. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION 
          [IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
CARRIES. WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS TONIGHT. MADAM CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE FOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING. I CAN'T HEAR YOU FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          YOU'RE WELCOME. CHAPTER TWO, SECTION 2-2002 BB RULE 28. THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MUST 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 FIRST. WE HAVE MR. THOMAS WARDLOW. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS AVAILABLE TO ME AND OTHER CITIZENS. I WANT TO SAY ONE THING I TEND TO SAY HERE, WHICH IS THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY. I'LL GET BACK TO THAT. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS I'VE SEEN THIS WORK HERE, 
          [00:05:08]
AND I THINK THERE'S A GREAT DEAL MORE RESPONSIBILITY AND ORDER AND, AND I'M I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S A GOOD CHANGE IN MY MIND. I WANT ESPECIALLY TO TELL THE CITY MANAGER THAT AS I SEE IT, HE IS DOING A GREAT JOB FOR US. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING HIM ON BOARD. I, I JUST AM EXCITED BECAUSE THE CITY SEEMS TO BE COMING A LITTLE ALIVE. I DO HAVE A RUMOR. I WANT TO ASK YOU TO VERIFY OR DENY, AND THAT IS THAT MORE THAN ONE MEMBER OF THIS CITY COUNCIL IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR NOT PROPERLY USING PUBLIC FUNDS. I JUST WONDERED, IS THAT TRUE? IS IT NOT TRUE THAT AT THIS TIME THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE PERSON WHO IS BEING INVESTIGATED FOR USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS? AND I WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING QUICKLY. 
          OCTOBER 18TH IS COMING. OCTOBER 18TH IS NO KINGS DAY. I SAID THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY. 
          THIS COUNTRY IS AT RISK, IN MY OPINION, OF FALLING INTO FASCISM RATHER THAN DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION. NO KINGS STAY ON THE 18TH. I'D ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT PARTICIPATING. 
          THERE ARE PLACES ALL OVER THE CITY OF ATLANTA, ALL OVER THE STATE OF GEORGIA, ALL OVER THE USA, WHERE THERE WILL BE DEMONSTRATIONS SAYING THE USA DOES NOT HAVE A KING, DOES NOT WANT A KING, WANTS A REPUBLIC AND A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION. OCTOBER 18TH. LOOK IT UP, PLEASE. NO KINGS DAY. CELEBRATE YOUR FREEDOM. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MISS LAUREN MURRAY. I DIDN'T HEAR THE NAME YOU CALLED. OKAY. SORRY. LAUREN MURRAY. OR SORRY IF I PRONOUNCE IT INCORRECTLY. NO. THAT'S OKAY. DEPENDING ON THE ENGLISH OR FRENCH NATION. THANK YOU. HI. 
          LAUREN. MORET. DO I NEED TO SAY THE THINGS THAT ARE ON MY FORM? OR JUST STATE YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN YOU CAN JUST GO ON WITH YOUR STATEMENT, OKAY. 2106 MULBERRY STREET, EAST .30344. 
          THANK YOU. I'LL BE HONEST, I WASN'T PLANNING. THIS IS LAST MINUTE FOR ME. I'M SURPRISED THAT THERE WEREN'T 30 PLUS PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME. I THINK THE TITLE OF MY FORM TODAY, I WROTE JUST A GENERAL. I'M INTERESTED IN FAIR, HONEST, RESPECTFUL GOVERNMENT PROTOCOLS AND PRACTICES. HI, I'M LAUREN AND I'M A SCHOOL TEACHER. I WORK IN FULTON COUNTY. I'M A PUBLIC PUBLIC SCHOOL GAL. THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ONLINE. I SEE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE ELECTIONS COMING UP. THE RECENT AUDIT. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, Y'ALL. FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS IS A TEACHER I'M REQUIRED TO REVIEW EVERY YEAR AND SIGN AND LIVE BY THE CODE OF ETHICS. IT MANDATES HONESTY, INTEGRITY, RESPONSIBLE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, AND PROTECTING STUDENT RIGHTS AND WELFARE. ANYTIME I USE THE WORD STUDENT, KNOW THAT IT'S INTERCHANGEABLE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, MY COMMUNITY, YOUR COMMUNITY. KEY ELEMENTS ARE PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY AND HONESTY. RESPONSIBLE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, STUDENT WELFARE AND SAFETY, COMPLIANCE WITH LAW AND POLICY. ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ETHICAL CONDUCT IN THE WORKPLACE. FULTON COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THEIR CODE OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS 
          [00:10:05]
ALSO REVIEWED ANNUALLY AND SIGNED ANNUALLY. KEY PRINCIPLES INCLUDE. PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY CODES, CONFLICT OF INTEREST. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, EQUAL TREATMENT. 
          PROHIBITED CONDUCT. THE HOUSE OF ETHICS FOR THE US GOVERNMENT, THE CODE OF ETHICS. YOU CAN IMAGINE I HAVE LIMITED TIME. I AM JUST ASKING. AND THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. WE WELCOME YOU. 
          I'M EXCITED ABOUT YOU HERE. I LOVE HEARING ABOUT THE PROGRESS. THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO VOLUNTEERS ALL THEIR TIME. THANK YOU. I'M JUST LOOKING FOR FAIR PROTOCOLS AND PRACTICES. 
          LET'S JUST CHECK OURSELVES EVERY MINUTE THAT WE CAN. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THANK YOU FOR THINKING ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. UP NEXT, WE HAVE BOBBY WILSON. AND JUST AS AN FYI, THE THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE FROM COLLEGE PARK. AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS THE EASTPOINTE RESIDENT. BUT SHE ASKED TO BE LAST. OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT. I MEAN, THAT WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO THAT. OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE SAYS THAT. WHERE IS IT RESIDENTS? EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. AND SO IF THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE A EASTPOINTE RESIDENT GO AFTER. 
          NON EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES BECAUSE THAT'S A PART OF OUR RULES. I'M NOT. WHO'S THE LAST SPEAKER. MISS THERESA NELSON. SO IF COUNCIL WANTS TO DO THAT THAT WOULD REQUIRE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES AS RULE 28 REQUIRES. EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. YEAH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY THIS RESIDENT WANTS TO GO LAST? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT SUSPEND THE RULES FOR EVERYONE. I DON'T KNOW THAT KNOWING WHY IS WHAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. THE RULE JUST SAYS THAT EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. IT DOESN'T SAY WHAT THE CONTENT IS. I'LL DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, ATTORNEY WIGGINS, MADAM MAYOR, I'M READING THE RULE 28, AND IT PROVIDES EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST STATED. IT SAYS THAT EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. I THINK THE APPROPRIATE ACTION IS TO HAVE THE COUNCIL ALLOW THAT TO BE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR HER TO GO. I THINK IT'S A HER TO GO AFTER THE COLLEGE PARK RESIDENTS. I THINK YOU MAY HAVE JUST WALKED IN. THE MOTION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE. I SAID THERE NEED TO BE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES. NO, I HEARD THAT. OKAY. I'M SORRY. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE I WASN'T LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION, SO I'M SORRY. BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE LANGUAGE IS NOT COMPULSORY. IT SAYS WE'LL HAVE NOT SHALL HAVE. IT'S SEEMS TO BE PERMISSIVE THAT IF THAT'S NOT THE DESIRE OF THE RESIDENT THAT HAS THE THAT HOLDS THE PRIORITY, THAT IT IT SHOULD BE FINE. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS YES, MADAM MAYOR, I, I THINK THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST STATED WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. I THINK THAT THE LANGUAGE SAYS PRIORITY. IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THE RESIDENT MUST GO LAST. AND SO I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND SO I'M COMPLETELY FINE WITH MOVING THROUGH THAT. BUT WHEN I HEAR THAT OR READ THAT, I DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S COMPULSORY EITHER. 
          IT'S JUST THAT THEY CAN HAVE PRIORITY. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. IT'S IT DOESN'T USE THE LANGUAGE SHALL OR MUST. OKAY. IT SAYS WILL. SO IF THERE WAS AN INSTANCE, I WOULD IMAGINE WHERE THE COLLEGE PARK RESIDENT WANTED TO GO BEFORE THE EASTPOINTE RESIDENT, THEN WE WOULD APPLY THE RULE AND SAY, WELL, NO, YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL LAST. I BELIEVE THE EASTPOINTE RESIDENT HOLDS THE PRIORITY AND IF THEY'RE WAIVING THAT, THEN IT'S FINE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER. MADAM MAYOR, I'LL LET YOU RULE ON WHAT WAS JUST 
          [00:15:02]
STATED. MY MY PART MAY NOT BE NEEDED. THEN THERE'S THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. SO I PLAN TO CALL FOR THE QUESTION ON THE MOTION. WELL, I'LL SAY THIS I, I THINK TO IF SHE WANTS TO BE PRIORITIZED AS LAST AND THAT'S FINE WITH ME. SO ON THAT NOTE, I'LL CALL FOR THE QUESTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. COME ON UP, MR. WILSON. WELCOME. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU IN THIS AUDIENCE TONIGHT. 
          I'M BOBBY WILSON, 32, 71 MAIN STREET IN COLLEGE PARK, RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO YOU, METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM. AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU. JUST A FEW MINUTES TONIGHT, ABOUT 250,000 HOUSEHOLDS GROWING THEIR OWN FRESH VEGETABLES ON SMALL TRACTS OF LAND. AND OLD PREACHER SAID, WE UNDERSTAND IT BETTER BY AND BY, AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT BY THE TIME I FINISH TONIGHT. THERE'S A STORM ALREADY UP ON US, AND WE GOTTA BE ABLE TO WEATHER THE STORM. FOOD PRICES ARE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. I BELIEVE THAT THE GROCERY STORE IS GOING TO RUN OUT OF FOOD, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORES TO EAT. WE AS LEADERS NEED TO DO OUR PART. AND I'M GLAD YOU ASKED. WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? EASTPOINTE STARTED YEARS AGO WHEN THEY CAME DOWN TO 3271 MAIN STREET AND ORDERED SOME SOIL AND AND BOUGHT ALL THOSE WHITE BUCKETS DOWN THERE, AND WE PUT HOLES IN THEM AND WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF PEOPLE GROWING THEIR OWN FRESH VEGETABLES ACROSS THIS GREAT CITY THAT WE ARE A PART OF. YOU WERE PREPARING PEOPLE FOR THE STORM. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PREDICAMENT THAT WE ARE IN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF THE PEOPLE. WE WILL GO THROUGH THESE CHALLENGES AND WE WILL OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES. AS AN URBAN FARMER, WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO STEP OUT OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD AND HARVEST THE MEAL OUT OF THEIR BACKYARD. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN DO IT, COME DOWN TO METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHERE. I CLEANED OFF A SPOT ABOUT THE SIZE OF THAT DOOR OVER THERE, AND WE ARE NOW EATING FRESH GREENS OUT OF THAT SPOT IN 21 DAYS. AND I FED SOMEBODY JUST BEFORE I CAME TO THE MEETING OUT OF THAT SAME SMALL SPOT. AND THAT SPOT WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE FOOD THROUGHOUT THE WINTER. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVERY HOUSEHOLD, EVERY DWELLING PLACE, NEED TO HAVE THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM IS COLLABORATING WITH FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION MUNICIPALITIES, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, MR. WILSON, THAT'S YOUR TIME FOR THIS PART. WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER FROM COLLEGE PARK? IS THAT SOMEONE WITH YOU, MISS PHYLLIS TURNER? SO YOU CAN EITHER GIVE YOUR TIME TO MR. WILSON OR AND OR SPEAK. GIVE PART OF YOUR TIME TO MR. WILSON. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          I'M HAPPY TO YIELD MY TIME TO THE. THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE IF MR. WILSON NEEDS MORE TIME. 
          THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT COUNCIL COULD AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD THIS AS A PRESENTATION, BUT WE CAN GO WITH THE NEXT THREE MINUTES. OKAY. START. KEEP RUNNING. SO DOES COUNCIL WANT TO. WELL WE'RE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I NEED TO COMPLETE PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND THEN WE'LL MAKE THAT DECISION. SO GO AHEAD WITH THEIR NEXT THREE MINUTES. WE ARE EMPOWERING. WE WANT TO EMPOWER 250 HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE GLOBE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, TO TAKE CARE OF THE SOIL, THE WATER AND THE AIR THAT'S HAS VAST IMPACT UPON THE QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WE PREACH THAT EVERY DAY AT 3271 MAIN STREET, TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN POOR 
          [00:20:09]
PEOPLE AND MARGINALIZED PEOPLE'S LIVES. AS LEADERS, WE MUST EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION. WE MUST TAKE TIME TO EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING HEALTHY. I DELIVERED SOME TOMATOES OVER TO ONE OF OUR CENTERS ONE DAY AND THE MAN SAID, DON'T LEAVE ALL THESE TOMATOES OVER HERE. I SAID, WHY MY STUDENT? MY CHILDREN EAT AT MCDONALD'S. WE GOTTA CHANGE THE EATING HABITS OF ALL OF US SO THAT WE CAN BECOME MORE HEALTHY. 
          I WANT YOU TO REALIZE THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS DEPENDING UPON US THAT OUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE FOOD TO EAT. I'M ASKING YOU TO JOIN ME IN MAKING SURE THAT 250,000 HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE ABLE TO STEP OUT OF THAT BACK DOOR ON THEIR PATIO AND GRAB A MEAL TO EAT. 
          THANK YOU. LASTLY, WE HAVE MISS TERESA NELSON. 
          GOOD EVENING. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE. I DID NOT BRING TO RAISE MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, SO TO SPEAK. WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING SO LATE AT MEETINGS. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO LEAVE BEFORE THEY COULD GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU, SO I FIGURED I COULD STAY AND LET THEM GO AHEAD. NEXT TIME I WILL. I WON'T ASK FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT, BUT I THANK THE CLERK FOR HER HELP. EASTPOINTE HAS RECEIVED A FAIR AMOUNT OF MEDIA COVERAGE LATELY, AND NONE OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN WAS POSITIVE. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND DUTY TO CHANGE OUR IMAGE. FIRST, ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE OUR PUBLIC FACE. CONDUCT BY OFFICIALS AND STAFF SHOULD BE ETHICAL, TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE. WHEN INDIVIDUALS DO NOT CONDUCT THEMSELVES ACCORDINGLY, IT IS UP TO SENIOR STAFF AND OR COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS. COUNCIL HAS KNOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT THE INAPPROPRIATE AND EXCESSIVE EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES AND NONPAYMENT OF DEBTS OWED TO THE CITY BY SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. YET UNTIL RECENTLY, THE PROBLEMS WERE NOT ADDRESSED. I AM GRATEFUL TO THE MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED ADDRESSING THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AT A RECENT MEETING. HOWEVER, MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF EASTPOINTE. IN THAT LIGHT, I AM TONIGHT SUBMITTING AN ETHICS COMPLAINT TO THE CLERK OF OF THE CITY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WE HAVE THIS EVENING. 
          [X. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL]
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE WILL NOW. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? MADAM CITY CLERK, START THE TIMER FOR TWO MINUTES. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER. MADAM MAYOR, THERE WAS A QUESTION ASKED AND I WOULD LIKE TO YIELD MY TIME TO THE CITY MANAGER SO THAT HE MAY ANSWER THAT QUESTION. DO YOU HAVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER? OH, THE CITY MANAGER LIKE TO READ THE EMAIL THAT HE SENT OUT TO COUNCIL. 
          THE YOU STILL HAVE THE TIME GOING, OKAY. MR. QUICK QUESTION, MAYOR. IT WAS AT 138. YOU WANT ME TO START IT BACK AT TWO OR. NO, I DON'T, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS APPROPRIATE USE OF COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL. IT'S FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, NOT THE CITY MANAGER. BUT IF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE FOR MR. JONES, HE NOW HAS, WHAT, 22 SECONDS? IT WAS ONE MINUTE IT WAS AT ONE MINUTE 38 SECONDS. I JUST CHANGED IT BACK TO SHARE WHAT HE SENT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MAYBE IN A SUMMARY FORM, AND NOT READ THE ENTIRETY. THAT CAN BE DONE. AT THE TIME. 
          SO I'M JUST READING THE EMAIL THAT I WAS SENT TO CITY COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON. THE SUBJECT MATTER IS CLARIFICATION REGARDING RECENT MEDIA REPORTS ON CITY CREDIT CARDS. DEAR 
          [00:25:06]
MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, GOOD AFTERNOON. I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY RECENT MEDIA REPORTS THAT HAVE INACCURATELY IMPLIED THAT THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR MISUSE OF CITY ISSUED CREDIT CARDS. THIS INFORMATION IS INCORRECT. 
          WHILE THERE IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION CONCERNING UTILITY BILLING MATTERS, THERE IS NO INVESTIGATION RELATED TO CITY CREDIT CARD USAGE AT THIS TIME. A POLICY REVIEW BY THE CITY OF CITY ISSUED CREDIT CARDS IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AS A PART OF A BROADER EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL CONTROLS AND OPERATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS INTERNAL REVIEW IS FOCUSED ON EVALUATING EXISTING POLICIES AND PRACTICES, NOT INVESTIGATING MISCONDUCT. AN ANALYSIS OF CURRENT PROCEDURES AND CREDIT CARD USAGE IS BEING CONDUCTED, AND ONCE COMPLETED, POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE REVIEWING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS DURING THE OCTOBER 13TH WORK SESSION. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC AND OUR STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE TWO DISTINCT MATTERS. THE ONGOING UTILITY BILLING INVESTIGATION SHOULD NOT BE CONFLATED WITH THE CITY'S PROACTIVE REVIEW OF CREDIT CARD POLICIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER TO THIS CLARIFICATION. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND OR CONTEXT TO THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PURPOSES, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. THANK YOU. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE WARD D AND A FEW WARD RESIDENTS WHO CAME TO THE WARD D COMMUNITY GATHERING ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE CODE ENFORCEMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR COMING OUT AS WELL. ON ANOTHER NOTE, IT IS IMPORTANT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT WE USE OUR VOICES ON THE RECORD. SINCE RECEIVING THE AUDIT REPORT, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH SOME MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WANT TRANSPARENCY IN ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY ONLY WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT TO THEM. WE HAD NO BUSINESS HAVING A MEETING WITH A FOCUS ON HIGHLIGHTING THE UTILITY ACCOUNTS OF PRIVATE CITIZENS. WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT OR DEMAND. WHAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT OR DEMAND WAS HOW THE CITY WAS GOING TO FIX IT. IN AN EMAIL DATED AUGUST 18TH, 2025, OVER TWO MONTHS AGO, I ADVISED THE CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL OF WAYS THAT WE COULD INCREASE THE $7 DISCOUNT FOR SENIORS, ALLOW RESIDENTS TO PAY IT FORWARD WHEN PAYING THEIR OWN BILL, AND CREATE A POLICY TO ASSIST RESIDENTS. AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. THE FOCUS OF PERSONAL OR POLITICAL MUST STOP. WE ARE HERE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS, AND IT NEEDS TO BE HOW WE HOLD OURSELVES. IN ADDITION TO THE CITY MANAGER, ACCOUNTABLE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE CITY CHARTER, AND NOT JUST OF CONVENIENCE. WHERE'S THE PROGRESS FOR THE CITY HALL, THE AUDITORIUM, AND THE RECREATION CENTER? FOR THE RECORD, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR BUDGET BILLING WITHOUT HAVING GOOD CREDIT. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER OR ARE GRANTED PERMISSION FROM THE CITY MANAGER. ONCE AN ITEM OR INITIATIVE HAS BEEN PLACED IN THE BUDGET AND THE BUDGET IS PASSED, IT DOES NOT NEED TO COME BACK BEFORE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. COUNCILMEMBER MUELLER. YES. 
          THANK YOU. SO THERE IS A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN INTENT TO RENEW A HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT. THIS IS WITH THE THE MEREDITH THE WILLIAM C MEREDITH COMPANY, WHICH IS LOCATED ON LAWRENCE AVENUE. AND IT IS TO RENEW AN ALREADY EXISTING HAZARDOUS WASTE SITE. 
          THE THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS GOING TO BE AT THE ADAMS PARK LIBRARY HELD TOMORROW. IT'S AT 2231 CAMPBELLTON ROAD, SOUTHWEST ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 30311. 
          THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INFORMATION SESSION STARTING AT 6 P.M. FOLLOWED BY THE PUBLIC HEARING AT SEVEN. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. YES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING TO SPEAK AND ALSO WOULD LIKE TO JUST THANK MR. WILSON FOR COMING TO TALK ABOUT URBAN AGRICULTURE AND HOW WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF MANY OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT ONLY IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE, BUT ACROSS THIS NATION WHO FIND THEMSELVES FOOD INSECURE. AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH MR. WILSON AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE NEEDS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REMIND ALL OF THE RESIDENTS, WHETHER HERE THIS EVENING OR AT HOME, THAT TODAY 
          [00:30:02]
IS OCTOBER 6TH. IT IS THE LAST DAY OF VOTER REGISTRATION FOR THE STATE OF GEORGIA. IF YOU'VE NOT YET DONE THAT, THERE'S A VERY IMPORTANT ELECTION COMING UP. YOU MAY GO TO THE GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE'S WEBSITE TO DO SO BEFORE MIDNIGHT THIS EVENING. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. 
          THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. AND I KNOW YOU BROUGHT UP, IN REFERENCE TO MR. WILSON AND THE FARMING. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN GET A PRESENTATION ON THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD RESIDENTS AND I DO REMEMBER THOSE WHITE BUCKETS THAT THE RESIDENTS TOOK AND STARTED PLANTING THEIR OWN VEGETABLES. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT THAT WE COULD PROBABLY WORK WITH OR PROVIDE. WORKING WITH MR. WILSON AND THE FARM, PROVIDING THAT TO THE RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT WANT THEM TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. 
          YEAH, SO I DON'T OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND FOR COMMENTS, I'LL MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL ASK COUNCIL IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE AGENDA TONIGHT TO ADD MR. WILSON AS A PRESENTATION TO ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA SO HE CAN SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITH US ABOUT THE ASK AND HOW HE WOULD LIKE FOR US TO ENGAGE. MY COMMENTS ARE THAT IT'S MY RECOLLECTION FROM THE FORENSIC AUDIT, AND I WAS TRYING TO PULL IT UP, BUT I COULDN'T GET TO IT AS QUICK AS I NEEDED TO, THAT THE CREDIT CARDS WERE A PART OF. I FEEL LIKE THE ORIGINAL SCOPE AND OR EXPANDED SCOPE OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT, AND THE CHALLENGE WAS THAT REGIONS BANK WAS NOT PROVIDING THE INFORMATION BEING REQUESTED SO THAT THE FORENSIC AUDITOR COULD LOOK INTO CREDIT CARD SPENDING. AND AT THE LAST MEETING WHEN THE FORENSIC AUDITOR WAS HERE, IT WAS SHARED THAT REGIONS BANK HAS NOW SAID THAT THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AND THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND FORENSIC AUDITOR ARE LOOKING INTO THAT AS A PART OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT. THE SPENDING ON CREDIT CARDS, AND THAT THAT INFORMATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING BACK TO US AS A PART OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT AND INVESTIGATION WITH INTO THAT. 
          AND SO THAT IS HOW WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE CREDIT CARD SPENDING AS A PART OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT, WHICH WAS SHARED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, WHEN THE FORENSIC AUDITOR PRESENTED ALSO. AS IT RELATES TO THE. ETHICAL BEHAVIOR OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL IS SELF POLICING. BUT THERE ARE WE ALL ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH OUR ETHICS ORDINANCE, NOT ONLY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT PEOPLE WHO RESIDENTS WHO ARE APPOINTED TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT OPTIONAL. THEY ARE MANDATORY. BUT COUNCIL IS SELF POLICING. 
          WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS THEMSELVES AND MAYOR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE TO EITHER COMPLY WITH OR FOLLOW THOSE PROCEDURES. AND IF NOT, THEN THE ETHICS ORDINANCE PROVIDES PROCESSES FOR THOSE MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED. AND SO. I WILL LEAVE 
          [Additional item]
IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD MR. WILSON AS A PRESENTATION ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST HAD A QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          MITCHELL. YES, SIR. ARE WE? SIR? MR. WILSON HAS A PRESENTATION OR DO YOU HAVE ANY, MR. WILSON? SO, COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL, WE DON'T DO THAT. I DON'T WE'RE NOT YELLING OUT INTO THE AUDIENCE. SO A PRESENTATION CAN BE JUST PRESENTING TO COUNCIL AND SHARING INFORMATION. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SLIDES. IT CAN BE INFORMATION SHARED. AND MR. WILSON'S PUBLIC COMMENTS, HE INDICATES, SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH US ABOUT AN INITIATIVE THAT HE WOULD LIKE FOR US TO SUPPORT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT, IF IT IS INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA AS A PRESENTATION, MR. WILSON COULD COME BACK UP, SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT, AND WE CAN ENGAGE IN A Q&A IF NEEDED BY COUNCIL IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, SO WE CAN EXPLORE THAT PARTNERSHIP TONIGHT SINCE HE'S HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES SAY THE ORDER. BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH MR. WILSON. SINCE HE'S ALREADY PRESENTED MR. WILSON, YOU CAN COME BACK UP. I ALWAYS 
          [00:35:08]
HAVE MORE TO SAY. I'M NEVER WITHOUT WITHOUT WORDS. BUT WE'RE WE'RE AT THE INITIAL STAGE OF THIS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH IMPACT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON. ON TWO SUNDAYS FROM NOW, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE OUT A THOUSAND PLANTS AND SEEDS AT IMPACT. WE'VE ALREADY TESTED THIS PROGRAM. WE SET A GOAL OF 100 FAMILIES GROWING THEIR OWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. AND WHEN WE TESTED THAT IMPACT CHURCH, WE HAD OVER 250 PEOPLE TO SIGN UP TO TAKE VEGETABLE PLANTS HOME. SO OUR NEXT STAGE IN THIS IS IN THIS IS IN THE DEVELOPMENT STAGE. AND I THINK WE CAN DO THIS IN THIS MUNICIPALITY ANY WAY WE COLLECTIVELY DECIDE TO DO IT. IT NEEDS TO BE A CO-CREATIVE PROCESS SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS INPUT INTO IT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN I GET FEEDBACK AT IMPACT, JUST ABOUT EVERY SUNDAY, SOMEBODY TELL ME, WELL, MINE DIDN'T MAKE IT, THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. AND SOMEBODY SHOW ME PICTURES ON THEIR PHONE. THIS IS WHAT I GOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW. SO PEOPLE ARE BUYING INTO THE CONCEPT. SO OUR GOAL IS IN 2000 ABOUT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE WANT TO HOST A NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO BRING ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER. MUNICIPALITIES, OTHER FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS. AND WHEN I SAY OTHER FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION, WE'VE HAD THE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE NORTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE TO ALREADY BUY INTO THIS. THANK YOU. THINK OF THIS BETWEEN. EAST POINT COLLEGE PARK IN HAPEVILLE. IF WE GET 100 CHURCHES TO DO 100 PEOPLE, THAT'S 100,000 PEOPLE. I THINK THAT 250,000 IS REALLY LOW NUMBERS FOR US. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO A MILLION PEOPLE. 
          AND I WAS HAPPY WHEN THE MAYOR WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WHEN THE ASSISTANT MANAGER CAME OVER AND ASKED ME FOR MY INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO IT TOO. THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY FROM THE AUDIENCE DOES. 
          WELL, MY, MY HAVE CHANGED THE RULES. AGAIN. IF Y'ALL SAID SOMETHING RIGHT THERE. SO NO QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS OKAY THEN WE AIN'T GOING TO CHANGE THE RULES NO MORE. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN, MR. WILSON, IN ADDITION TO THE PROGRAM THAT I SPOKE WITH YOU ABOUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO WITH THE FAMILIES OVER AT MARTELL HOMES, WHAT I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT ALSO IS MANY YEARS AGO, THE JEFFERSON PARK NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION, WE PARTNERED WITH THE CULINARY ARTS DEPARTMENT AT TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE GREW HERBS FOR THEM TO USE IN THEIR CLASS WORK AND HOMEWORK, AND THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO TAKE SOME HOME. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CITY PARTNERS WITH THE THE METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM AND YOURSELF ON THAT, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE FOR US TO INCLUDE TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL, TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS NOT ONLY PREPARE FOOD, BUT GROW THEM. AND I THINK CHEF WILLIAMS IS DOING SOME OF THOSE THINGS. I KNOW YOU WORK WITH HER QUITE A BIT, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. 
          BOTH TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROGRAM THAT I TALKED WITH YOU ABOUT FOR MARTELL HOMES. OKAY. THANK YOU. BUT ABOVE AND BEYOND GROWING FOOD, THE OTHER WE DOING THIS IN STAGES AND I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE GROWING PART OF IT. I JUST HAD A CLASS DOWN AT THE FARM TWO WEEKS AGO ON HOW TO CAN FOOD. AND SO WE, WE WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT STAGE LATER ON. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU TOO MUCH RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CANNING FOOD. WE'RE GOING TO TEACH YOU THE PROPER WAY TO FREEZE IT. WE'RE GOING TO TEACH YOU THE PROPER WAY TO HARVEST IT. IT'S IT'S MATTER OF BRINGING ALL THIS TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. AND IT AND I'M HOPING THAT IT BECOMES AN ONGOING SITUATION SO THAT PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND WON'T HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE GROCERY STORE FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY GROW. ONE THING THAT WE DO AT METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM, EVERYTHING THAT WE GROW IS NATURALLY GROWN. NO HERBICIDES, NO PESTICIDES, NO INSECTICIDE, NO FUNGICIDE, NO COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER. I GOT A DEEP FREEZE, A DEEP FREEZE DOWN THERE WITH WORM CASTINGS IN IT, AND EVERYBODY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WHAT IS WORM CASTINGS? IT'S WORM POOP. THAT'S WHAT WE FEED OUR PLANTS WITH. AND IF YOU GO DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW, WE LEAVE HERE AND TAKE A BUS DOWN 
          [00:40:06]
TO THE FARM, OR WE CAN MARCH DOWN THERE. IT AIN'T THAT FAR, BUT WE COULD GO DOWN THERE. AND I GUARANTEE YOU SEE SOME OF THE BEST LOOKING COLLARD GREENS THAT YOU'VE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE. MANY OF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN AN ALABAMA BLUE, WHICH IS A COLLARD GREEN. MANY OF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN A CHAMPION COLLARD, MANY OF YOU, PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE GROW IN GEORGIA IS A GEORGIA COLLAR IN THE ALABAMA BLUE IN MY MIND RIGHT NOW IS OUTPERFORMING EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE GROW, AND IT HAS AN EXCELLENT TASTE. WE ARE ALREADY EATING COLLARD GREENS FROM FROM OUR FIELD THAT WE STARTED. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH TWO GROWING SEASONS IN GEORGIA AND I STARTED PLANTING WARM SEASON CROPS THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY IN 21 DAYS AFTER LABOR DAY, WE WAS ALREADY EATING MUSSELS AND TURNIPS MIXED TOGETHER. WE WERE ALREADY 21 DAYS AND AND I USED TO WORK FOR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, AND I ALWAYS TALKED THAT THE THE FIRST THING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF GARDENING IS GOING TO BE A RADISH, AND IT TAKES 30 DAYS, BUT FEEDING WITH WORM CASTING AND TAKING CARE OF THE PLANTS IN THE RIGHT WAY. WE GOT MUSSELS IN TERMS IN 21 DAYS, COULD HAVE GOT THEM IN 20, BUT I WAS TOO TIRED TO PICK THEM THAT DAY. SO WE CAN DO THIS THING. WE WE BETWEEN THE THREE MUNICIPALITIES, I'M FIGURING WE GOING TO GET 100,000 PEOPLE RIGHT HERE, GROWING SOME OF THEIR OWN FRESH VEGETABLES, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE IN. THE FRUITS ARE GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGED, BUT WE CAN DO THAT. WE ARE GROWING THEM AT METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM AS WELL. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR PRESENTING. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT INITIATIVE. I ACTUALLY DID WORK WITH URBAN AGRICULTURE AND GRAD SCHOOL AND WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. IT DOES DICTATE A LOT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH OUTCOMES. WE ACTUALLY DID DO A ROOFTOP GIRL. I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE WITH A MORE DENSER POPULATIONS. AND I DO REALIZE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FOOD DESERTS NEARBY. SO. AND ONE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE EXPENSIVE. I THINK BEING SELF-SUFFICIENT, BEING ABLE TO GROW THEM ON YOUR OWN, I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA. I KNOW MY GRANDMA, SHE'S FROM RURAL SOUTH CAROLINA. SHE HAD A GARDEN BEHIND HER HOUSE WHEN THEY GREW MUSTARD GREENS AND SNAP PEAS AND, YOU KNOW, ZUCCHINIS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND I CAN DEFINITELY TELL YOU IT TASTES TOTALLY DIFFERENT. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND JUST LET US KNOW, YOU KNOW, ANY WAY WE CAN HELP. BUT THIS IS AN INITIATIVE I'M DEFINITELY BEHIND. YEAH, I'M EXCITED TO GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM. 
          HOW WE CAN BRING THIS MUNICIPALITY INTO THE FOLD IN, IN KIND OF SET SOME GUIDELINES AND RULES THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW. I WOULD HOPE THAT EASTPOINTE WOULD BE AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE IN HELPING ORGANIZE THIS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO POINT LIKE EASTPOINTE. THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. I REALLY WISH I WOULD HAVE CALLED YOU BECAUSE I'M DOING A HYDROPONICS EXPERIMENT RIGHT NOW. AND IT IS. 
          IT'S ON YOUR BEHIND. I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT. I SHOULD YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST PERSON THAT I REACHED OUT TO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY WE HAVE EIGHT SCHOOLS IN EASTPOINTE. I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW WE ENGAGE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IN EASTPOINTE, FROM THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE TO TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN ALSO THE BOLTON CENTER AS WELL, THE BOLTON CENTER. OKAY. HEAR ME? YEAH. ALSO ENGAGING THE BOLTON CENTER AS WELL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE ASK, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED FROM US? YOU MENTIONED IT CAN START RIGHT HERE FIRST BECAUSE THERE IS NO POINT LIKE EAST POINT. BUT WHAT IS THE ASK? WELL, I THINK JUST TO SIT WITH THE CITY MANAGER IN YOUR GREENING PROGRAM AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO IT, IS IT HAS TO BE A CO-CREATIVE PROCESS. IT CAN'T BE BY THIS PROCESS. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO ME, IS THAT WE CO-CREATE THIS TOGETHER. I HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, BUT I WANT TO HEAR WHAT OTHER FOLKS ARE GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE, AND WE CAN COLLABORATE ON THOSE IDEAS TOGETHER IN TERMS OF BRINGING THEM TOGETHER. SO THE MANAGER HAS ALL OF MY INFORMATION, AND SO I'M JUST WAITING ON A CALL FROM HIM AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, AND I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME BACK AT ANY TIME TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'VE DONE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. WILSON. 
          [00:45:04]
AND I THINK IT WAS AROUND 2019 WHEN WE CREATED THE CITY AGRICULTURE PLAN. WE WERE SELECTED BY THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION THROUGH FOOD WELL ALLIANCE TO PRODUCE THAT PLAN. FROM THAT CAME THE LOCAL FOOD ECOSYSTEM COMMISSION. SO WE HAVE A COMMISSION MADE UP OF RESIDENTS APPOINTED BY MYSELF AND EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT IS TO HELP US IMPLEMENT THAT CITY PLAN, WHICH TALKS ABOUT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND THE BUCKET GARDENS AND ALL OF THAT THAT WE DID DURING COVID. RIGHT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE MARKET. 166 THE THE FOOD COOPERATIVE WITH A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE A PART OF THAT. AND SO AS AS WE TALK ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER, I THINK LOOKING AT THE CITY AGRICULTURE PLAN, ENGAGING THE LOCAL FOOD ECOSYSTEM COMMISSION, ALONG WITH MARKET 166 TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AROUND IDEAS AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE ENGAGED AROUND GENERATING ADDITIONAL IDEAS WOULD BE HELPFUL. THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF COULD HELP COORDINATE THOSE CONVENINGS WITH THE LOCAL FOOD ECOSYSTEM COMMISSION MARKET. 166 AND I'M TRYING TO THINK I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN ONES AROUND HEALTH AND FOOD ACCESS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITHIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW. AND THEN MAYBE AFTER THAT, THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN MEETING OR MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD, BRINGING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT. YOU HEARD SOME IDEAS FROM COUNCIL HERE TONIGHT AS WELL THAT STAFF COULD INCLUDE WITHIN THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD WAY TO TRY TO GET US MOVING FORWARD AROUND WORKING TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY, BUT ALSO LEVERAGING THE EXISTING COMMISSIONS AND ENTITIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME VERY GOAL AROUND DEALING WITH FOOD INSECURITY. WE ALSO HAVE THE ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK IN THE CITY, HEADQUARTERED IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT, SO IT MAY BE GOOD TO BRING THEM TO THE TABLE AS WELL. AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU'RE ALREADY PARTNERING WITH IMPACT CHURCH TO, YOU KNOW, FEED TO GET 100 FAMILIES SEEDS. I THINK IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. YOU MENTIONED I KNOW THEY HAVE COMMUNITY IMPACT. SO THINKING ABOUT THAT ASSET MAPPING OF WHAT ALREADY EXISTS AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, COUNCIL AND MAYOR COULD BE INVITED AS WELL. BUT I THINK IF WE WORK WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE A PASSION AND ALREADY WORKING IN THIS WAY TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS AND SUPPORT THEIR INTEREST, WE CAN COLLECTIVELY COME UP WITH SOMETHING AMAZING AND CONTINUE TO SHOW THE WORLD WHY THERE'S NO POINT LIKE EAST POINT. YEAH, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO HEAR, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE REVITALIZED AGAIN, AND THINGS THAT HAVE KIND OF DROPPED OFF THE TABLE. WE CAN KIND OF SEE HOW WE CAN ENHANCE THEM AND BRING THEM BACK AND MAKE THEM COME ALIVE, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 250,000 HOUSEHOLDS GROWING FOOD. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN TO MAKE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER. AND SO I THINK WE CAN DO THAT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL ON IT. AND MAYBE SO THIS DOESN'T FALL OFF THE RADAR. MAYBE WE PUT IT ON OUR NOVEMBER WORK SESSION TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMISSION AND JUST WHAT CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD AROUND THIS, SO THAT IT DOESN'T FALL OFF THE RADAR, THAT WE KEEP WORKING TOGETHER. ALRIGHT. AND THE NOVEMBER WORK SESSION IS, WHAT, NOVEMBER 10TH? YEAH. 
          NOVEMBER 10TH. SO NOVEMBER 10TH, THAT'LL GIVE US ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 30 DAYS TO JUST SEE IF WE CAN CONNECT, CONVENE AROUND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. THANK YOU. 
          HAVE A GREAT EVENING. NEXT UP, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS PROCLAMATION. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UNFORTUNATELY, WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM A TRI-CITIES BULLDOG FAMILY OF THE TRANSITION OF THEIR SON. AND THE FAMILY IS HERE TONIGHT TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION ON HIS BEHALF. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, WE EXTEND CONDOLENCES, OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES AND SYMPATHY. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS REACHED OUT REGARDING THE THE PROCLAMATION. AND SO I WILL READ SOME OF IT TONIGHT AND THEN WE'LL PRESENT IT. I'LL HAVE COUNCIL AND MYSELF COME DOWN SO WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE. AND IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS, YOU CAN MAKE THOSE AS WELL. A PROCLAMATION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF SOLOMON CHIKI CHIKI, OMAR JONES. 
          [00:50:01]
WHEREAS THE PRESENCE OF SOLOMON OMAR JONES AT TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON BOTH THE SCHOOL AND THE BROADER EASTPOINTE COMMUNITY, WHERE HE WAS KNOWN AFFECTIONATELY AS A PEACEMAKER WHOSE GENEROUS SPIRIT AND MUSICAL TALENT UPLIFTED ALL THOSE AROUND HIM. AND WHEREAS SOLOMON'S REMARKABLE VOICE WAS A GIFT, HE SHARED FREELY, BRINGING JOY, COMFORT AND UNITY TO THOSE WHO HEARD HIM. AND WHEREAS AS A NINTH GRADE MEMBER OF THE BETA CLUB, SOLOMON QUICKLY DISTINGUISHED DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP, HELPING TO GROW THE CLUB'S MEMBERSHIP AND EARNING NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DISTINCTION. AND WHEREAS, SOLOMON EXPANDED HIS LEADERSHIP BY PARTICIPATING IN THE NOISE PROJECT, A COMMUNITY SCIENCE INITIATIVE FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND SPONSORED BY CORNELL UNIVERSITY'S LAB OF. 
          ORNITHOLOGY. AFTER BEING INTRODUCED TO THE PROGRAM BY COMMUNITY PARTNER AND EDUCATOR BOBBY L WILSON OF THE METRO ATLANTA URBAN FARM, AND WHEREAS, AS A JUNIOR COMMUNITY SCIENCE COLLABORATOR, SOLOMON CONTRIBUTED TO NATIONAL RESEARCH EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND HELP PRESENT THOSE FINDINGS. AT THE 2019 BETA LEADERSHIP SUMMIT IN LAGRANGE, GEORGIA, AND DURING HIS TERM AT BETA AS AT BETA CLUB PRESIDENT, SOLOMON PROUDLY HOSTED CORNELL FACULTY DURING THEIR VISIT TO ATLANTA, GUIDING THEM ON A MEMORABLE TOUR OF TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. 
          AND WHEREAS THOUGH THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC PREVENTED A PLANNED TRIP TO THE NATIONAL BETA CLUB LEADERSHIP CONVENTION IN DALLAS, TEXAS, SOLOMON CONTINUED TO LEAD BY SHARING THE GROUP'S FINDINGS WITH THE MAYOR AND EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL FACULTY OF TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL, AND INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES OF THE CORNELL LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY, AND WHEREAS. AFTER RELOCATING TO PERRY, GEORGIA, SOLOMON CONTINUED HIS LEADERSHIP AT PERRY HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE TRANSFERRED HIS BETA CLUB MEMBERSHIP AND INTRODUCED THE NOISE PROJECT TO A RURAL FARMING COMMUNITY, RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT HEARING LOSS DUE TO PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY, AND WHEREAS SOLOMON GRADUATED WITH HONORS IN 2022, HAVING CONSISTENTLY EMBODIED THE VALUES OF LEADERSHIP, COMPASSION, ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE THAT DEFINE HIS EARLY YEARS IN EASTPOINTE, THEREFORE, WE ASK THE COMMUNITY TO JOIN US IN HONORING HIS LIFE, LEGACY, AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATING SOLOMON'S OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE EDUCATION AND THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP. HIS EXAMPLE IS ONE OF RESILIENCE, BRILLIANCE, AND SERVICE THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE. MAY YOU TAKE COMFORT IN KNOWING HE TOUCHED SO MANY LIVES IN A POSITIVE WAY, AND HE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. MADAM MAYOR, MAY WE GIVE COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO DOWN? ARE WE DOING AFTER? WHICH WOULD YOU PREFER? NEVER DONE THAT. GOOD EVENING. 
          I AM STEPHANIE, JAMILAH. KATHY, I'M SOLOMON CHICK, OMAR JONES MOTHER. AND ON THE BEHALF OF OUR FAMILY, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE AND THANKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF EASTPOINTE FOR YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND COMMEMORATION OF SOLOMON, WHO WAS RAISED TO GIVE AND SERVE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH HIS CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE AND HIS LEGACY, THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO INSPIRE YOUTH TO POUR BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, TO CONTINUE THIS CYCLE, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR YOUTH UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THEIR LIVES AND THAT THE CONTINUATION OF IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITIES. IT HAS TO START WITH OUR YOUTH. AND SO AS THEIR BECOME MORE INFORMED, AS SOLOMON WAS THROUGH HIS SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN THE FULTON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE AT EASTPOINTE, WE JUST BELIEVE THAT THROUGH HIS EDUCATION AND THROUGH THEIR EDUCATION AND THE COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL, THROUGH THE FARMS, THROUGH THE EDUCATORS, AND THROUGH YOU ALL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT THIS LEGACY CAN CONTINUE. OUR YOUTH ARE OUR FUTURE. AND SO WE THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME THIS EVENING TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. THANK YOU. THANK. YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. 
          OOPS. OKAY. THANK YOU MISTER. THANK YOU. JONES. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM COMMUNICATIONS 
          [00:55:14]
HERE TONIGHT? TAKE A PICTURE. I DON'T BELIEVE WE DO, BUT LET ME LOOK INTO. IT. WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE OUR. TAKE SOME PICTURES NEXT. STEP BACK. NO, HE'LL BE FINE. CAN YOU BREATHE TOO? AND LET ME GO BACK UP? COUNCIL, SAY SOMETHING TO YOU BECAUSE I'M JUST STANDING HERE, OKAY? WELL DESERVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO MUCH. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR. ALLOWING SOLOMON TO SERVE IN SUCH AN IMPACTFUL WAY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH YOU. THANK YOU ALL. MAY I TAKE THE PICTURE? MAY I TAKE PICTURE? THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM GERALD MCDOWELL, THE CEO OF THE 
          [XI.1. ATL Airport CID's Presentation and Updates]
ATL AIRPORT KIDS AND UPDATES. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. ALWAYS GREAT TO COME BEFORE YOU. 
          AND TONIGHT I COME FOR TWO QUICK. ONE IS A RECOMMENDATION AND ONE IS TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE WITH SOME PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ONGOING. YOUR APPOINTEE TO THE AIRPORT, WEST SID BOARD SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION. I PROVIDED THAT RESIGNATION LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND INFORMED THE MAYOR ABOUT HIS RESIGNATION. AND IT WAS IT WAS DURING THE TIME THAT WE WE WERE UNDER OUR EXPANSION EFFORTS. AND I, I WAS ABLE TO MEET COURTNEY HERE, WHO WHO OWNS THREE MCDONALD'S RESTAURANTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS, WITHIN THE SID DISTRICTS. AND HE HAD EXPRESSED AN INTEREST OF SERVING ON THE BOARD. HIS RESTAURANT IN EASTPOINT IS RIGHT THERE ON ON CAMP CREEK PARKWAY, RIGHT NEXT CLOSE TO THE CAMP CREEK BRIDGE. THAT'S THAT'S HIS ONE RESTAURANT IN EAST POINT. I BELIEVE YOU RECEIVED A COPY OF HIS BIO. AND I COME TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND COURTNEY TO TO BE YOUR BECOME YOUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE AIRPORT WEST SID BOARD. WE CAN I HAVE HIM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH MAYOR AND COUNCIL. YES. 
          OKAY. COURTNEY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL AND MAYOR JUST WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO MY RESTAURANTS THAT ARE IN EASTPOINT AND MY EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE IN THOSE RESTAURANTS, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE JUST THE COMMUNITY AND THE IMPACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE. MR. WILSON TALKED A BIT ABOUT MCDONALD'S. HE'S ALREADY GONE, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN CONTINUE TO HELP AS WELL WITH, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF WHAT HE WANTS TO DO WITH THE GROWTH AND EVERYTHING. I THINK IT'S AMAZING. AND WITH MCDONALD'S BEING A GLOBAL BRAND, IT PUTS US IN AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE CAN CONNECT WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. WHEN THEY REACHED OUT, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AN HONOR WITH THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY ALREADY, BUT THEN ALSO BEING A PART OF SOMETHING EVEN GREATER. IT PUTS US IN A POSITION TO BE 
          [01:00:05]
ABLE TO EXECUTE AT A HIGHER LEVEL. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE CONSIDERATION. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF THAT. AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF WHAT'S TO COME AS FAR AS THE FUTURE. THANK YOU AND PROVIDE THE UPDATES NOW AND THEN. WE'LL BE WE'LL BE DONE. 
          SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF UPDATES ON SOME OF OUR PROJECTS THAT ARE ONGOING. 
          VERY, VERY BRIEFLY. I WON'T KEEP YOU LONG BE BEFORE YOU LONG BACK IN 2017, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SIDS COMMISSION, A STUDY, A TRANSIT FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT THEY PAID FOR 100%. IT WAS A $350,000 STUDY, AND THE OBJECTIVE OF THAT STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVE MOBILITY SOLUTIONS IN AND AROUND THE AIRPORT AREA. THAT INCLUDES OUR SIX CITIES. IN ADDITION TO YOURSELVES, WE LOOKED AT THE CITIES OF COLLEGE PARK, THE CITY OF SOUTH FULTON, ATLANTA, HAPEVILLE, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF FOREST PARK. AND AND PART OF THAT STUDY, THREE EMERGING MOBILITY SOLUTIONS WERE IDENTIFIED. AND THE BOARD THEN VOTED TO INVEST ANOTHER $150,000, FOR A TOTAL OF $500,000 TO TO HAVE A PILOT OF THOSE SOLUTIONS. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT, HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU THAT THE FIRST PILOT IS UNDERWAY. IT'S A MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE WHERE WE RECEIVE $2.6 MILLION FROM THE FROM THE ATLANTA REGION TRANSIT AUTHORITY, OF WHICH THE KIDS PROVIDE A 30% MATCH FOR THAT $2.6 MILLION. JUST OVER A MONTH AGO, THAT SERVICE LAUNCHED. IT'S A SERVICE FOR MICRO TRANSIT, WHERE YOU GET AN APP ON YOUR PHONE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO REQUEST A RIDE, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD WITH UBER AND LYFT, AND THIS RIDE WILL PICK YOU UP IN LESS THAN FIVE AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES TO TAKE YOU ON TO YOUR DESTINATION. NOW, THE OBJECTIVE OF THAT SERVICE IS TO PROVIDE THOSE WHO WORK IN AND AROUND THE AIRPORT AREA ANOTHER OPTION TO GET TO AND FROM WORK THAT THAT SERVICE AGAIN, HAS BEEN OPERATING NOW FOR ABOUT 45, A LITTLE MORE THAN 45 DAYS. AND IT WE ARE ALREADY AT CAPACITY. WE HAVE FIVE VEHICLES THAT'S PROVIDING THAT SERVICE 18 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND WE JUST MET WITH THE WITH THE ATL LAST WEEK REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDING, BECAUSE THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROJECT. THAT AND WE AFTER 45 DAYS, WE ARE ALREADY AT CAPACITY WITH THE REQUEST FOR FOR THAT SERVICE. BUT THAT SERVICE IS IN ITS FIRST PHASE. THERE ARE THREE PHASES WHERE ONCE WE GET TO PHASE THREE, WE WILL COVER THE ENTIRE CITY DISTRICT. BUT TO GET TO PHASE TWO AND THREE, WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE ARE REQUESTING FROM THE ATL FOR THAT FUNDING. AND WE ARE WE BELIEVE WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. THE SECOND UPDATE IS OUR SECOND DEMO THAT WAS IDENTIFIED, TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AND THAT WAS PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT. THESE ARE POD CARS THAT WOULD RUN AND OPERATE ON THEIR OWN ON ITS OWN GATEWAY. SIMILAR TO THE MARTA TRAIN, IT DOES NOT RUN IN TRAFFIC LIKE MICRO TRANSIT DOES. IT RUNS IN ITS OWN GATEWAY AND WE HAVE A DEMONSTRATION FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE IN COLLABORATION WITH FULTON COUNTY, CLAYTON COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF COLLEGE PARK. THE TWO KIDS AND MARTA. WE HAVE A $18 MILLION PILOT THAT'S GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE GEORGIA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTER CAMPUS. AND THAT PROJECT IS UNDERWAY. THEY'VE ALREADY COMPLETED 30% DESIGN. THEY ARE ON SCHEDULE TO START CONSTRUCTION IN JANUARY. AND THAT SERVED THAT DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WILL BE OPERATIONAL BY FOURTH QUARTER OF 26. AND THAT, AGAIN, IS AN $18 MILLION DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, OF WHICH THE KIDS WILL BE BRINGING $10 MILLION TO THE TABLE TO HELP PAY FOR THAT $18 MILLION GRANT. OUR PARTNER IS BRINGING THE OTHER $8 MILLION. 
          SO IT'S A FULLY FUNDED PROJECT THAT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, BUT IT IS TO DEMONSTRATE ANOTHER MOBILITY SOLUTION THAT CAN FILL THE GAP FOR THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN AND AROUND THE AIRPORT AREA IN OUR CITIES. AND THEN FINALLY, THE THIRD SOLUTION THAT WAS IDENTIFIED WAS AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLES. AND WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED AN INITIAL PROPOSAL FOR AN AUTONOMOUS AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE SOLUTION. I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO. AND SO NOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, SINCE IT WAS THAT FAR AWAY, WE'RE LOOKING AT RE REINTRODUCING A, AN RFP, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SOMETIME IN 26. AND AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THREE POTENTIAL 
          [01:05:06]
SITES FOR THIS AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE SOLUTION A SERVICE. EXCUSE ME. TWO OF THOSE SITES WILL BE WILL BE SERVICING THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. CONNECTING. ONE POTENTIAL SITE IS TO CONNECT TO THE MARTA STATION IN EASTPOINTE. THE SECOND SITE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS SERVICING THE MARKETPLACE. AND THAT BUSINESS DISTRICT ACROSS THE STREET FROM CAMP CREEK PARKWAY. AND THEN A THIRD SITE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PHOENIX BOULEVARD IN CLAYTON COUNTY. SO TWO OF THE THREE SITES WOULD WOULD SERVICE EASTPOINTE. I WILL BE COMING BACK BEFORE YOU, PROBABLY LATER THIS MONTH OR IN NOVEMBER ABOUT OUR EXPANSION, AND I WILL BE BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE COMPLETED PHASE 1 OR 2 PHASES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPERTIES IN EASTPOINTE WITHIN THE CITY SO THAT WE COULD WE CAN RUN THAT SERVICE IN THE EASTPOINTE CITY LIMITS. AND SO WE WE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED PHASE ONE IN THIS EXPANSION EFFORT. AND WE WE VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL COMPLETE PHASE TWO NEXT YEAR. AND WHEN THAT RFP COMES OUT, THOSE ARE THE THREE SITES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. THE SITE THAT CONNECTS TO THE EASTPOINTE MARTA STATION. WE HAVE OVER SIX, EIGHT PARCELS THAT SIGN UP THERE, PROPERTIES IN EASTPOINTE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO TO RUN THAT SERVICE AND CONNECT TO THE EASTPOINTE MARTA STATION IF THAT SITE IS SELECTED. SO WE ARE BEEN VERY CONSIDERATE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR CITIES ARE ARE SERVICED BY THESE PROJECTS. SO THAT'S THE MICRO TRANSIT PROJECT PILOT THAT IS ALREADY OPERATIONAL, PRT THAT IS COMING IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 26 AS A DEMONSTRATION PILOT. AND THEN THE AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE RFP WILL BE GOING OUT IN 2026. AND I'LL BE BACK BEFORE YOU TO GIVE YOU FURTHER UPDATE AS THAT PROJECT MOVES FORWARD. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND AS IT RELATES TO THE APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EITHER COUNCIL CAN DECIDE TO DO TONIGHT OR AT A FUTURE MEETING. BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED YOU TO COME PRESENT TO COUNCIL AND UPDATE US ON THAT. AND FOR MR. DENNIS TO COME AND INTRODUCE HIMSELF TO COUNCIL AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. COUNCILOR ZIEGLER. YES. 
          FIRST OF ALL, GERALD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. MY FIRST QUESTION IS, SO WHEN THE THE FIVE CARS THAT YOU HAVE, IS THERE A FEE THAT THE CUSTOMER PAYS WHEN THEY DO THAT? NO. 
          DURING THE TWO YEAR PILOT THERE IS A FREE IT'S A FREE SERVICE. THERE'S NO FEE THAT THEY PAY. 
          SO WITH THE OTHER PILOT PROGRAMS TWO, WOULD THERE BE A FEE? NO SIR, THERE WOULD NOT BE A FEE DURING THE PILOT. AND HOW DO PEOPLE GET INFORMED ABOUT THE THE CAR PROGRAM, THE FIRST PROGRAM THAT YOU MENTIONED. SO WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT IS REACHING OUT TO ALL EMPLOYERS THAT'S LOCATED WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS. AND SO THAT THAT IS ALREADY, ALREADY ON THE WAY. 
          AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THE DEMAND HAS BEEN SO HIGH IN THE FIRST 45 DAYS. SO WE WE HAVE A CONSULTANT THAT'S REACHING OUT TO COMPANIES THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES KNOW ABOUT THIS SERVICE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. YES. THANK YOU. SO IN YOUR LAST UPDATE, IT SOUNDED IT SOUNDED LIKE EASTPOINTE MAY BE PICKED AS A LOCATION. WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP SOLIDIFY US BEING PICKED? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO? THE. WHEN THE RFP COMES OUT AND WE SELECT A VENDOR, THEN THE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETINGS. AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU EXPRESS YOUR DESIRE TO HAVE THAT SERVICE LOCATED WITHIN YOUR CITY LIMITS WOULD GO A LONG WAY. SO AND THAT WOULD HAPPEN SOMETIME IN 26. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES OR ANYTHING EXCITING TO SHARE REGARDING FIFA AND HOW WE'RE PREPARING FOR THAT? ABSOLUTELY. SO JUST AS RECENTLY AS LAST, LAST WEEK, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE REGIONAL MEETING MEETING THAT GOES ON EACH WEEK TO PREPARE ALL OF OUR HOTELS IN THE AREA. HE HAS A MEETING COMING UP WITH THE WITH THE ATL AIRPORT DISTRICT, AS WELL AS WITH THE EASTPOINTE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, TO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALL PLUGGED IN TO THOSE ACTIVITIES HE HAS. HE'S GOING AROUND AND MEETING WITH ALL POLICE CHIEFS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING READY FOR FOR THIS ACTIVITY THAT'S COMING UP. 
          SO WE WE ARE AT THE TABLE AND WE ARE FULLY PARTICIPATING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR AREA IS 
          [01:10:05]
READY FOR THIS EVENT THAT IS COMING UPON US NEXT SUMMER. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL. YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A BOARD MEMBER? I'M CURIOUS. THANK YOU. SURE. SO SO TO BE A FIRST TO BE A BOARD MEMBER, YOU YOU HAVE TO BE A PROPERTY OWNER, A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN WITHIN THE DISTRICT. AND THEN YOUR YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS ATTENDING BOARD MEETINGS. AND WE WE HAVE BOARD MEETINGS EVERY OTHER MONTH. AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE ARE VARIOUS EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE ENCOURAGE OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND TO REPRESENT THE KIDS. BUT THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS ATTENDANCE OF THOSE BOARD MEETINGS, WHICH GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE ANNUAL MILLAGE THAT ALL PROPERTY OWNERS PAY AND THE BUDGET FOR THE FOR THE CITY. DO THEY TYPICALLY HAVE BACKGROUND IN TRANSPORTATION OR DOES IT VARY? IT VARIES. IT VARIES. WE WE HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS FROM FROM VARIOUS SECTORS REPRESENTED ON THE BOARD. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. YEAH. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. YES. MY QUESTIONS WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT SINCE COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL ASKED THAT QUESTION AND YOUR RESPONSE STATED THAT THE BOARD MEMBER, THE APPOINTEE MUST BE A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER, SO IS IT THAT THE BOARD MEMBER MUST BE A COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER OR COMMERCIAL OPERATOR? BECAUSE THOSE COULD BE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. A LOT OF THE COMMERCIAL OWNERS DON'T RENT THEIR SPACES. I MEAN, DON'T OWN THEIR SPACES. USUALLY THEY'RE IN SOME TYPE OF LEASE AGREEMENT WITH A. SO IS THERE A DISTINCTION OR IS IT THAT IT IS A COMMERCIAL OPERATOR AND OR OWNER? EXCELLENT QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION. SO COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, WE ONLY REPRESENT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS. SO ANYONE WHO IS WHOSE PROPERTY IS A PART OF THE DISTRICT, THEY THEY ACTUALLY ARE THE OWNER OF THAT COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY TO SERVE ON THE BOARD AND TO BE APPOINTED BY ONE OF OUR JURISDICTIONS. THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS TO BE A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNER, NOT NOT AN OPERATOR. SO WE HAVE SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS LIKE LIKE COURTNEY, WHERE THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT ONLY THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, BUT THEY ALSO OPERATE A BUSINESS ON THAT PROPERTY. AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BEST BOARD MEMBERS TO HAVE WHERE YOU HAVE BOTH HATS REPRESENTING ON THE BOARD, BUT IT'S COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OWNER IS THE QUALIFICATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. MY QUESTION IS THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT THE MICROTRANSIT PROGRAM. YES. COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER ASKED A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS I WAS GOING TO ASK, SO I THANK HIM FOR THAT. YOU TALKED ABOUT THREE DIFFERENT PHASES. YES. 
          WE'RE CURRENTLY IN PHASE ONE. CAN YOU TELL US THE DIFFERENCE OF THE PHASES? IS THIS IS IT JUST GEOGRAPHICALLY? THE PHASES ARE ABOUT GEOGRAPHICALLY? THAT'S CORRECT. NOTHING. SO I JUST REALLY WANTED TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED WE'RE IN PHASE ONE, BUT WE PLAN TO MOVE TO TWO AND THREE. BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT CONSTITUTES A PHASE. ABSOLUTELY. SO THE $2.6 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVE WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE SO MANY VEHICLES TO OPERATE SO MANY HOURS OVER THE 15MI■!S OF THE S, OF THE TWO SIDS. PART OF OUR DUE DILIGENCE WHEN WHEN WE WERE INVESTIGATING THIS PROJECT AND THIS PROGRAM, WE RECEIVED SOME VERY WISE ADVICE IS NOT TO LAUNCH THE SERVICE INITIALLY OVER THE ENTIRE 15MI■!S, BUT TO PHASE IT IN. SO WE HAVE LAUNCHED PHASE ONE OF THAT SERVICE. AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN JUST IN THE FIRST 45 DAYS IS THAT WE REACH CAPACITY OF THE OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM IN THE FIRST 45 DAYS. SO JUST LAST WEEK WE WENT BACK TO ATL AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED ANOTHER MILLION OR TWO TO TO GO TO PHASE TWO AND TO GO TO PHASE THREE. WHAT WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN WHEN WE GO TO TWO AND THREE WITH THE FUNDING? WE WOULD PROBABLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT ARE THAT'S PART OF THE PROGRAM AND EXCEED THE ORIGINAL PROJECTION THAT WE HAD. OKAY. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WAS TIED TO A PARTICULAR PHASE. AND FOR THAT REASON, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BASED ON GEOGRAPHY. RIGHT. AND THE SIZE OF THAT. SO CURRENTLY, WHAT IS THE GEOGRAPHY FOR PHASE ONE. AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE GEOGRAPHY FOR PHASE TWO, PHASE TWO AND THEN PHASE THREE. SO PHASE ONE IS THE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND THE AIRPORT. SO IT SERVICES THE AREA SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THAT INCLUDES THE CARGO OPERATIONS AS AS WELL AS. THE AREA THAT GOES TOWARDS FOREST FOREST PARK. PHASE TWO WILL BE THE CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE AREA. NO, I'M SORRY. 
          PHASE TWO WILL BE THE FORT GILLEM AREA IN IN FOREST PARK, AND PHASE THREE WOULD BE THE CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE AREA. AND AT WHAT POINT DO YOU ANTICIPATE GETTING TO PHASE THREE? OUR GOAL REALLY THE GOAL WAS TO DO THAT, HAVE THAT ALL THREE PHASES IMPLEMENTED BY THE 
          [01:15:06]
END OF 25. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT BACK TO THEM LAST WEEK. AND WE I SHOULD MENTION WE ALSO HAVE A MEETING WITH MARTA LATER THIS MONTH FOR THAT SAME REASON. SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL THREE, IMPLEMENT ALL THREE PHASES BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BECAUSE THIS IS A TWO YEAR PILOT. AND SO THAT THAT IS OUR GOAL AND INTENTION. EACH TIME WE WE DO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, IT REQUIRES THAT 30% MATCH FROM THE BOARD, FROM THE CITY BOARD. SO AT MY BOARD MEETING IN ON NOVEMBER 13TH, I HAVE RECOMMENDATION IN THE BUDGET TO INCREASE FUNDING TOWARDS THAT PROGRAM TO TO PROVIDE THAT 30% MATCH FOR THIS, FOR THESE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT WE ARE REQUESTING. OKAY. OH, AND EXCUSE ME NOT TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THE THE OTHER CHALLENGE IS SO THE CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE IS THE AVAILABILITY OF THE VEHICLES OVERNIGHT FOR THAT THIRD SHIFT. AND IF, IF THE IF WE GO TO PHASE TWO AND THREE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOURS. AND THAT TAKES US BACK TO THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE. AND SO WE SO WE WE DON'T WANT TO REDUCE THE HOURS. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES SO THAT WE CAN GO TO PHASE TWO AND THREE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, SO THAT THAT'S OUR OBJECTIVE. AND DURING PHASE THREE, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT YOU'LL HAVE HOW MANY VEHICLES AT THAT POINT. CURRENTLY WE WE HAVE FIVE VEHICLES. IT WILL PROBABLY BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 8 TO 10. SO JUST SO JUST DOUBLE PERHAPS. BUT ALL THREE PHASES. 
          YES. AND AND WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW IS THAT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ARE IN PHASE ONE. 
          SO PHASE TWO AND THREE, THEY ARE NOT AS LARGE AS, AS PHASE ONE. AND SO SO WE KNOW WE DON'T NEED TO MORE MORE THAN MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES TO SERVICE ALL ALL THREE PHASES. AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF SERVICE. RIGHT. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS. JUST A LOT OF STUDIES SHOW THAT IN TERMS OF UPWARD MOBILITY, TWO OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES ARE CHILDCARE AND TRANSPORTATION. SO THE FACT THAT YOU'RE REMOVING ONE OF THOSE BARRIERS, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE OR HEAR ABOUT YOUR PLANS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND WHAT THE DIFFERENT PHASES WERE. SO THANK YOU. AND JUST TO YOUR POINT, JUST IN THE FIRST 45 DAYS, WE HAD A YOUNG LADY WHO WAS AT WORK. SHE RECEIVED A CALL THAT SHE NEEDED TO GET TO HER CHILD'S SCHOOL BECAUSE OF AN EMERGENCY. SHE USES PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN HER AN HOUR AND A HALF TO TWO HOURS TO GET TO HER CHILD'S SCHOOL. SHE PULLED OUT THE APP AND SHE WAS AT HER CHILD'S SCHOOL IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. IT TOOK HER DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL FROM HER PLACE OF WORK. 
          SO TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE CHALLENGE IS, THOSE TWO THINGS. SO THANK YOU. 
          YES. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. VERY BRIEFLY. THE TWO YEAR PILOT PROGRAM, HOW CAN WE AS A CITY MAKE SURE THAT EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS, ONCE THAT ROLLOUT COMES TO THE CAMP CREEK AREA IN 2025, WILL THERE BE SOMETHING AT THE ATLANTA CITY OFFICE IN CAMP CREEK TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE ROLLING THIS OUT. WE WANT YOU ALL TO COME AND PARTICIPATE. HOW CAN WE AS A CITY INFORM OUR RESIDENTS OF THE ROLLOUT, AND WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE? YOU KNOW, MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROLLOUT. SO SO WE HAVE COLLATERAL MATERIAL THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE TO CITY TO TO WORK WITH US AND HELP US GET THE WORD OUT, THE MESSAGING OUT TO THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK, WHO WORK IN THE AREA. AND I KNOW YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU COULD LEVERAGE IN TERMS OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN IN THOSE IN THE MARKETPLACE AS AS WELL IN OTHER PLACES IN, IN, IN THE CITY BECAUSE IT THE MARKETPLACE, THE CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE IS PHASE THREE, BUT IT'S THE THE SERVICE AREA IS LARGER THAN, THAN THE MARKETPLACE. AND SO WE CAN GET OUR CONSULTING CAN GET YOU THE MATERIAL, THE COLLATERAL TO GET OUT TO THOSE PLACES. IF YOU HAVE A MAILING OR A NEWSLETTER TYPE THAT YOU'RE DOING TO PUT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR ANY INFORMATION IN THAT WOULD WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL. ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT WE CAN PIGGYBACK ON TO GET THE WORD OUT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL. OKAY. ABSOLUTELY. MY NEXT QUESTION IS YOUR MEETINGS. DO YOU NEED THE APPOINTMENT ESTABLISHED TONIGHT FOR HIM TO JOIN THE BOARD? BECAUSE WHEN IS THE NEXT MEETING? THE NEXT MEETING IS NOVEMBER 13TH. OKAY. SO WE SHOULD PROBABLY MOVE FORWARD WITH MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION. ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION. 
          COUNCILMEMBER CLEMONS, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO I JUST WILL. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS HAD MOST OF OUR QUESTIONS. SO THE FIVE CARS THAT YOU DO HAVE NOW, YOU GUYS SAY THAT YOU ARE AT CAPACITY, SO NO ONE ELSE. IF ANYONE ELSE WANTED TO SIGN UP NOW, YOU GUYS ARE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IS IS PRETTY MUCH BOOKED UP. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? NO NO, NO. SO SO THE WE HAVE FOUR, FIVE VEHICLES. FOUR VEHICLES ARE, ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OUT ON THE ROADS WITH A 
          [01:20:05]
SPARE. OKAY. RIGHT. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE'RE HAVING TO USE THE SPARE BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE DEMAND. DEMAND. RIGHT. AND SO THE CAPACITY ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FOUND THAT WE JUST CHANGE OCTOBER 1ST, IS THAT WE HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR RIDES FOR FOR A RIDE AND THEN A NO SHOW, AND THAT THOSE NO SHOWS ARE TAKEN UP A LOT OF SEATS. IF WE CAN PURGE THAT, THEN THAT THAT BRINGS DOWN THAT CAPACITY AND MAKES MAKE MORE SEATS AVAILABLE. 
          SO SO WE'RE JUST IN THE FIRST 45 DAYS. SO THERE'S SOME FINE TUNING THAT, THAT WE NEED, NEED TO DO. WE WE ARE CONSTANTLY EVALUATING ON A WEEKLY BASIS THE THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS SERVICE. BECAUSE AT THE END OF TWO YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO GO AND ADVOCATE TO MARTA THAT THIS PROGRAM IS FULLY FUNDED AND IT CONTINUES. THAT IS NOT JUST A PILOT AND THAT IT ENDS. SO WE WE GOT WE WANT TO SHOW THAT IT IS A HIGH DEMAND SERVICE IN THIS AREA, AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE FRUSTRATION FROM THOSE WHO ARE SEEKING RIDES. AND THOSE SEATS ARE ARE AVAILABLE. SO WE WE WILL PUT THAT FIFTH VEHICLE IN SERVICE IF THE DEMAND IS THERE. YES. OKAY. AND SO THE NEXT QUESTION I KNOW THIS IS A TWO YEAR PILOT PROGRAM. SO AFTER THE PILOT PROGRAM IS IS OVER, THEN THEY'LL GO TO THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF CHARGE THAT WE WILL BE ASSESSED. THAT IS MOST LIKELY. BUT BUT THERE'S A THERE ARE SEVERAL SCENARIOS WHERE IN OTHER AREAS, IF YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYER THAT HAS A HIGH NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES USING THE SERVICE, THEN THERE CAN BE SOME TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP WHERE THAT COMPANY PROVIDES FUNDING AS WELL. SO THAT WE OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP, IF THERE IS A FEE, TO KEEP IT AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. AND OF COURSE IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF IT'S NO CHARGE. SO SO WE ARE ALREADY EXPLORING THAT POSSIBILITIES BECAUSE WE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY IDENTIFYING WHO'S REQUESTING A RIDE AND WHERE THEY WORK. AND WHEN WE FIND THAT THERE'S A HIGH NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES COMING FROM ONE SPECIFIC COMPANY, THEN WE SEND OUT A CONSULTANT TO THAT COMPANY TO TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE. YES. 
          OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO BUT STILL ONCE, ONCE ALL THE PHASES ARE BUILT OUT, YOU'RE COMPLETE WITH PHASE THREE, PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE IN THIS, THIS GENERAL AREA HERE. 
          AND IT'LL OPERATE PRETTY MUCH IN THAT CITY AREA. YES. OKAY. AND THAT WILL STILL GUARANTEE THE FIVE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME. THAT'S CORRECT. ALL ALL THOSE MATTRESSES ARE GOING TO BE ACHIEVED. THAT'S OUR GOAL. YES. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU I YIELD. 
          COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION FOR COURTNEY BENNIS TO BE A PART OF THE ATLANTA AIRPORT CI BOARD. SECOND, THE MOTION AIRPORT WEST SID BOARD, AIRPORT. WEST SID BOARD SECOND BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT COURTNEY BE APPOINTED TO AS THE EAST POINT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ATL AIRPORT. WEST AIRPORT. WEST SID BOARD BOARD. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? I ONLY I DON'T KNOW IF I HEARD FIVE ROLL CALL. COUNCILMEMBER. SHROPSHIRE. COUNCILMEMBER FREELY. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. ATKINS. COUNCILMEMBER. ZIEGLER. COUNCILMEMBER. CUMMINGS. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. BUTLER. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN. ROGERS, OKAY. MAYOR. HOLIDAY. INGRAM. 
          THE MOTION PASSED. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE. AT ONE POINT, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FORMER OWENS ILLINOIS SITE BEING A PART OF THE MAP, AND I THINK WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION IN TO HAVE THAT BE A PART OF THE MAP. IS THAT STILL A PART OF CONSIDERATION FOR AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLE? THEY SIGNED THEIR CONSENT FORM TO BE PART OF THE SID. SO ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S THAT WAS PHASE ONE TO GET THAT SITE IN. AND SO THAT MAKES IT THAT THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE TO INCLUDE THAT ROUTE THAT WE DISCUSSED CONNECTING TO THE EAST POINT MARTA STATION AND THEN ACTUALLY GOING OVER TO HAPEVILLE. IT MAKES THAT ROUTE FEASIBLE. SO, ABSOLUTELY. SO WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE SIX PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE CONNECTING FOR THE ROUTE TO EAST POINT MARTA STATION, YOU WERE REFERRING THERE, ONE OF THOSE OWNERS. ABSOLUTELY, YES. OKAY. AND A COUPLE MORE, ABOUT FIVE OTHERS. RIGHT. IT WAS IT WAS I THINK THERE WERE EIGHT PARCELS TOTAL. YES. AND BECAUSE THEY THEY SAW THE VALUE IN HAVING THAT SERVICE RUN AND SERVICE THEIR PROPERTY, THEIR PROPERTIES. YES. OKAY. PERFECT. 
          ALSO, WILL THE AUTONOMOUS SHUTTLES IN ANY WAY BE CONNECTED TO THE AIRPORT, GIVEN OUR PROXIMITY TO THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORT, IS THERE A WAY FROM THOSE SITES TO CONNECT TO 
          [01:25:07]
IF PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT, THAT IS TO BE DETERMINED, BECAUSE THAT REQUIRES A SIT DOWN WITH HARTSFIELD JACKSON TO MAKE SURE I, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A NO BRAINER WHEN IT CAME TO THE MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE, BUT NOT SO MUCH. WE IT WAS LIKE IN THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE USING IT MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THAT IS OUR DESIRE. BUT THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU GOT TO MEET TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. SO WE GOT TO PHASE IT IN IF POSSIBLE. IF POSSIBLE, IT'S A POSSIBLE POSSIBILITY MOVING FORWARD. IT MAKES SENSE IF YOU COULD GO FROM THE EAST POINT MARTA STATION TO THE AIRPORT. I MEAN, IT'S A NO BRAINER IN MY IN MY EYES, BUT SOME SOMETIMES. WHAT'S THAT AGENCY THAT OVERSEES THE AIRPORTS? THEY DON'T NECESSARILY SEE IT THAT WAY. I MEAN, AND THEN ALSO THE EAST POINT MARTA STATION IS TWO MARTA STOPS FROM THE AIRPORT, RIGHT. LIKE YOU CAN GET ON AT THE AIRPORT AND AND TWO STOPS BE AT EAST POINT. SO BUT BUT I WILL SAY THAT HAYESVILLE RESPONDED JUST LIKE WHEN WE ASKED FOR YOUR INPUT AND, AND WE IMMEDIATELY GOT YOUR INPUT THAT WE NEEDED, AND THEY DID THE SAME THING. THAT ROUTE OF THE THREE ROUTES IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE MOST THE HIGHER PRIORITY ROUTE BECAUSE BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO CONNECT TO YOUR MARTA STATION. THAT ONE, I MEAN, JUST THINK ABOUT IT. IT CONNECTS TO TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SO IT MAKES MORE SENSE THAN JUST CIRCULATING IN THE PARKING LOT. 
          RIGHT. BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE SITES THAT WE ARE WE ARE LOOKING AT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. CONGRATULATIONS. MR. BENNETT. VENICE, VENICE, VENICE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU SERVING US WELL AND REPRESENTING EAST POINT WELL ON THE BOARD. THANK YOU, MR. MCDOWELL, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO PARTNER WITH EAST POINT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACETS, AND ALSO YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THE ATL AIRPORT. WEST KIDS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOU GUYS. HAVE A 
          [XI.2. FY 2023 Audit Presentation]
GREAT EVENING. YOU TOO. NEXT UP, FY 23 AUDIT PRESENTATION, MR. JONES. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT I'M HAPPY TO INTRODUCE OUR INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM TAB AND TAB TO WALK US THROUGH THE AUDIT FOR 2023 FISCAL YEAR. 
          YEAH. YOU GOT IT. YEAH, IT'LL CLICK DOWN. OKAY OKAY, GOOD. THIS IS UP. THIS IS DOWN. YEAH OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO GO AGAIN. OKAY. YEAH. GOOD EVENING MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO GO OVER THE 2023 AUDIT. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, SO I MUST BE SOMETHING EVERYONE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT. TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO COVER THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2023 AUDIT. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COVER REPORTABLE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. AND UNDER OUR AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING, IT REQUIRES US TO DO A LETTER TO GOVERNORS. HOW MANAGEMENT WORKED WITH US DURING THE AUDIT PROCESS. SO WE'LL START WITH THE 2023 AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. HIGHLIGHTS. I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE TABLE OF CONTENT. 
          THIS IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE DOCUMENT. IT'S 95 PAGES LONG. CITY OF EASTPOINTE BEING IT'S REALLY A VERY COMPLEX CITY. IT'S NOT A SIMPLE CITY. MOST CITIES THIS SIZE DOES NOT HAVE WHAT YOU WOULD SAY. ALL THESE SPECIAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. AND THEN FOR SIGNIFICANT ENTERPRISE FUNDS. SO YOU HAVE THESE BUSINESSES, WATER AND SEWER, ELECTRIC SANITATION AND STORM WATER THAT IS GENERATING REVENUE ALONG WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU HAVE COMPONENT UNITS ALONG WITH THESE FUNDS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE OPERATION OF THE CITY. SO. WHEN WE ISSUE OUR OPINION, AS IT STATED HERE AND GO BACK. WE 
          [01:30:01]
HONOR THAT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IT INDICATES THAT WHAT WE HAVE AUDITED ARE THE BASIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS LISTED IN THE TABLE OF CONTENT. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE OUR OPINION ON THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. SO I'LL LET YOU I'LL READ AS FOLLOWS. IN OUR OPINION, BASED ON OUR AUDIT AND THE REPORT OF OTHER AUDITORS, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENT FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, THE RESPECTIVE FINANCIAL POSITIONS OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES. THE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND THE AGGREGATE DISCREETLY PRESENTED COMPONENT UNIT. EACH MAJOR FUND AND THE AGGREGATE REMAINING FUND INFORMATION OF THE CITY. AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2023, AND IN RESPECT TO CHANGES IN THE FINANCIAL POSITION AND THAT ARE APPLICABLE, THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEARS ENDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES GENERALLY ACCEPTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WERE RECEIVING A CLEAN OPINION ON YOUR 2023 ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. WE CONDUCTED THIS AUDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH AUDITING STANDARDS SET BY THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CPAS. AND ALSO WE CONDUCTED THIS AUDIT UNDER THE STANDARDS OF GOVERNMENTAL AUDITING STANDARDS. WE ARE, AS YOUR AUDITORS, ARE REQUIRED TO EXERCISE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT AND MAINTAIN PROFESSIONAL SKEPTICISM, WHICH WE COMMUNICATE TO THE STAFF. EVERYONE IS ORDERED TO MAKE SURE THEY ADHERE TO THAT STANDARD. WE ASSESS WHAT IS THE RISK OF YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS? WHAT WILL THERE BE? MAJOR ERRORS BECAUSE OUR JOB IS NOT SMALL THINGS. IT'S A REPORT THAT THE READER, WHEN THEY GO OUT IN PUBLIC, GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE CITY STAND FINANCIALLY AND THE OPERATING RESULTS. WE OBTAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR SYSTEMS OF INTERNAL CONTROLS, AND BASED ON THOSE CONTROLS, WE TEST THOSE CONTROLS AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE ADEQUATE AND FUNCTION PROPERLY. AND THEN WE DESIGN AUDIT TESTS, MAKE SURE THEY'RE EFFECTIVE, AND THAT WE CAN RELY ON THE REPORTING OF INFORMATION. WE EVALUATE THE ACCOUNTING POLICIES THAT YOUR STAFF ARE USING TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES. AND ONE LAST THING THAT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE STANDARD, WE HAVE TO ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO STAY AROUND AND CONTINUE AS A ONGOING BUSINESS. 
          I MUST SAY, EASTPOINT IS IN PRETTY GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE BASED ON THE AUDIT. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS. THIS IS A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE NET POSITION OF THE CITY. I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT SOME SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BETWEEN THE YEARS. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU THAT YOU CAN SEE IN TERMS OF CURRENT ASSETS, CURRENT ASSETS BEING YOUR CASH, YOUR INVESTMENTS AND RECEIVABLES, THEY WENT UP BY $12 MILLION AS COMPARED TO 2022 FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND ACTIVITIES. FOR THE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, THE CASH OR THE CURRENT WENT UP BY $2 MILLION. FOR OVERALL, THE CITY LIQUID ASSETS WENT UP $14 MILLION WHEN COMPARED TO 2022. THE OTHER HIGHLIGHT I WANT TO POINT OUT, THOUGH, IS WHICH IS A GOOD THING, IS THAT YOUR DEBT IS GONE DOWN. YOU CAN SEE YOU UNDER THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES. DEBT WENT DOWN BY $3 MILLION. AND FOR THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY WENT DOWN BY $5 MILLION, AND FOR THE TOTAL IS $8 MILLION INCREASE. AND THEN THE LAST PART IS WHAT IS YOUR NET POSITION WHERE YOU STAND FINANCIALLY. AND YOU CAN SEE AT 2023, FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS, YOU HAD $138 MILLION VERSUS $128 MILLION IN 2022 FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES. FOR THE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES, YOU CAN SEE IT'S 57,000,006 FOR 2023 AND 60,000,000 IN 2022. OVERALL, YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN YOUR NET POSITION OF $9 MILLION. HERE'S A GRAPH I'D LIKE TO SHARE. YOU CAN SEE IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH, YOU FROM A TEN YEAR PERIOD STARTING FROM 2014 TO 2025, YOU OVER DOUBLED IN YOUR NET WORTH NET POSITION. SO THE CITY HAS BEEN MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. SO YOU'RE UP FROM UP AT $196 MILLION VERSUS 2014, $86 
          [01:35:04]
MILLION. AND THIS SCHEDULE, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER IS A SUMMARY OF CHANGES IN NET POSITION. THIS REPRESENT THE FLOW OF REVENUES AND RESOURCES THAT CAME INTO THE CITY AND THE EXPENSES THAT WERE INCURRED. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, YOU CAN SEE THAT REVENUES WERE $73 MILLION VERSUS 67 MILLION, A $5 MILLION INCREASE FOR THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY. WE HAVE AN INCREASE OF $10 MILLION. SO IN TOTAL, WE HAVE AN OVERALL INCREASE OF $15 MILLION, WHICH IS $355 MILLION FOR THE CITY ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2023. AND ON THE EXPENSE SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE EXPENSES WENT UP. WE WENT FROM 57 MILLION TO FROM 38 MILLION. SO WE HAVE A $11 MILLION INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES. AND THAT MAIN INCREASE IN THAT IS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY. IF YOU SPENT A LOT OF MONEY IN PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY, YOU CAN SEE YOU HAVE AN INCREASE OF $9 MILLION AT THE YEAR END. THOSE EXPENSES ARE $78 MILLION VERSUS $69 MILLION. SO AT THE END OF 2023. YOU HAVE $135 MILLION IN EXPENSES, BUT OVERALL, YOU HAVE A POSITIVE OPERATING RESULTS EACH YEAR. YOU CAN SEE IN THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND CHANGES IN NET POSITION IS $11 MILLION. CHANGES IN NET POSITION FOR THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY IS $7.4 MILLION, AND OVERALL, YOU HAVE AN INCREASE OF $19.2 MILLION IN YOUR OPERATION IN ONE YEAR. SO YOU'RE MOVING IN A GOOD DIRECTION. WE WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY TOOK THE IDEA A LONG TIME TO DO, AND YOU'LL SEE THIS ADJUSTMENT BEING REFLECTED IN THIS STATEMENT. AND THAT IS A PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENT. YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A PRIOR PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT $183,000. REDUCING THE CITY NET ASSETS FROM THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY. THERE IS A $10,110,000 ADJUSTMENT TO NET ASSETS. THIS RELATES TO A CONTRACT THAT YOU ENTERED TO AND HIRED AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM SEVERAL AUDITORS. AND WE MADE THIS RECOMMENDATION LAST YEAR THAT YOU ATTAIN SOMEONE TO DO A PHYSICAL INVENTORY ACCOUNT OF YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS. THE RESULTS OF THAT IS THERE'S BEEN AN ADJUSTMENT THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MUCH OBSOLETE, FULLY DEPRECIATED ASSETS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED OR OR NOT IDENTIFIED. SO THOSE ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND WAS ONLY $183,000 FOR THE BUSINESS ACTIVITY TURNED OUT TO BE $10,110,000. AND THIS THIS ADJUSTMENT WHEN THEY DID THIS ANALYSIS GOES BACK FROM 1943. SO THERE'S STUFF ON THE BOOKS THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS A LONG TIME THAT THERE'S JUST NOT BEEN ADJUSTED AND BEEN ROLLING INTO YOUR BOOKS AND RECORDS THAT OVERSTATED THOSE AMOUNTS, ESPECIALLY ON THE ON THE ENTERPRISE FUND SIDE. AND SO WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS, THIS, THIS CONTRACTOR PROBABLY IN JULY. AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT IT, WE SAID, WE CAN'T GO FAR BECAUSE WE HAVE REVISED NUMBERS THAT WE JUST GOT TO LOOK AT. SO WE WORK WITH YOUR FINANCE TEAM. AND EVEN THOUGH THE THE WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THEY HAD ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH US TO GIVE US A POSITION IN TERMS OF WHAT THE ASSETS LOOK LIKE AT JUNE 30TH, 2023. SO WE WORK WITH THE CITY FINANCE TEAM TO MAKE SURE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ARE REFLECTED IN THIS AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT. SO OVERALL, YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF THAT IS NOT SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE CITY IS STILL IN PRETTY GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE. THE NEXT PART OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE OUR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH WELLS AND I'M FROM TAB AND TAB. 
          AND MY PART OF THE PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE ON FINDINGS. THERE'S TWO SETS OF FINDINGS I'M GOING TO REPORT ON. THE FIRST ARE SINGLE AUDIT FINDINGS. AND THESE ARE. FINDINGS THAT 
          [01:40:04]
ARE REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS SO THAT WE HAVE TO REPORT THEM. AND THEY RELATE EITHER TO FINANCIAL REPORTING OR THEY RELATE DIRECTLY TO THE SINGLE AUDIT AND YOUR GRANTS. AND THEN THE SECOND SET OF FINDINGS ARE COMING ON A MANAGEMENT LETTER COVER, BECAUSE THEY ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE MAKING TO EITHER STRENGTHEN INTERNAL CONTROLS OR IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES. AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING THAT THE CITY AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TAKE UNDER ADVISEMENT TO SEE IF THEY CAN APPLY THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THEIR OPERATIONS. SO HERE'S THE SUMMARY OF THE SINGLE AUDIT FINDINGS. THE SCHEDULE OF FINDINGS IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE HAD TWO FINDINGS. ONE OF THEM WAS RELATED TO BUDGET, AND THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A MATERIAL WEAKNESS. AND THE OTHER ONE WAS RELATED TO BOTH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE FEDERAL AWARDS. AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE AUDIT BEING FILED LATE AND NOT ON TIME. AND THAT IS CONSIDERED A MATERIAL WEAKNESS. SO LET ME GIVE YOU THE DETAILS ON THOSE TWO FINDINGS. THIS IS THE FIRST ONE HERE. I'LL. CITY POLICIES REQUIRE ANNUAL BUDGETS AND IT INCLUDES AMENDMENTS TO THE ANNUAL BUDGETS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. BUT IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, MANAGEMENT AUTHORIZED THE FOLLOWING EXPENDITURES WITHOUT FORMAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS BY THE CITY COUNCILS. BOTH OF THESE LINE ITEMS OF EXPENDITURES WERE RELATED TO THE TAX. THE FIRST IS THE CAMP CREEK TAX ALLOCATION DISTRICT FUND, AND THAT IS 5,521,000. AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH WINDING DOWN THE OPERATIONS OF THE CAMP CREEK TAD, WHICH WAS PAID OFF IN FISCAL YEAR 2023. AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS ALSO RELATED TO THE TAD, BUT IT'S THE CORRIDORS TABS, AND IT'S A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT OF $103,000. THE SECOND ONE IS THE ANNUAL AUDIT AND THE SINGLE AUDIT REQUIREMENTS AND GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS REQUIRE THAT THE AUDITS BE SUBMITTED AT LEAST NINE MONTHS AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR END. EXCUSE ME? AND IN THIS CASE, FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, WE ARE JUST NOW GETTING READY TO COMPLETE AND FINALIZE THE AUDIT SO THAT IT CAN BE SUBMITTED WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS. SO THIS IS WHAT WE CONSIDERED A MATERIAL WEAKNESS. IT ALSO APPLIES TO YOU CAN SEE IT'S A MAJOR FEDERAL AWARD FINDING. 
          AND IT'S ALSO A. ONE UNDER FINANCIAL REPORTING. NOW THE SECOND PART OF THIS PRESENTATION IS LAST YEAR. IN FISCAL YEAR 2022, THE CITY ALSO HAD SEVERAL FINDINGS. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO REPORT ON WHAT THE STATUS OF THOSE FINDINGS ARE. AND THE FIRST ONE IS ON ADJUSTING ENTRIES. WE NOTED THAT CERTAIN ADJUSTING ENTRIES DID NOT HAVE EXPLANATIONS OR COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION THAT DESCRIBED THE NATURE, AND THE REASON FOR THIS TRANSACTION. WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED. WE DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE IN FISCAL YEAR 2023. THERE WERE IMPROVEMENTS MADE, SO THIS IS NO LONGER AN OUTSTANDING ITEM. THIS ONE IS ABOUT OPERATING TRANSFERS. IN THE PAST, TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS WERE INAPPROPRIATELY RECORDED AS INTERFUND RECEIVABLES OR PAYABLES. AND THAT MEANT THAT THE TRANSFER AMOUNT BECAME A BALANCE SHEET ITEM AND IT REALLY DIDN'T TRANSFER AND HAVE THE FLOW OF CASH TO THOSE FUNDS. SO WE LOOKED VERY HARD AT THAT. AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WORKED VERY HARD. AND ALL THE TRANSFERS WERE REPORTED AS TRANSFERS AND THERE WERE NO DUE TO DUE FROMS OR INTERFUND PAYABLES OR RECEIVABLES. SO THIS IS ALSO CONSIDERED COMPLETED. OKAY. THIS IS RUNNING DOWN A LITTLE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS ONE IS. ANNUAL 
          [01:45:10]
BUDGET AMENDMENTS. WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT AS A CURRENT YEAR FINDING. IT WAS ALSO A FINDING IN FISCAL YEAR 22. BUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE DIFFERENT. AND THE FUNDS THAT ARE AFFECTED ARE DIFFERENT. ALSO. HOWEVER THE CAMP CREEK SHOWS UP ON THIS ONE FOR ALMOST $3 MILLION. AND THEN IT WAS THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX OF $700,000. SO THIS IS A REPEAT FINDING. AND YOU SAW THAT WHEN I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT FINDING 2020 3-1. HERE WE ARE. CAPITAL ASSETS. IN FISCAL YEAR 22. AND THIS IS ALSO COMING UP IN PRIOR AUDITS. BEFORE WE WE WERE THE AUDITORS THAT THE CITY DID NOT RECORD AND CLASSIFY CAPITAL EXPENDITURES CONSISTENT WITH THEIR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. PROJECTS THAT WERE COMPLETED WERE NOT MOVED OUT OF CIP. 
          SOMETIMES SUPPLIES WERE CAPITALIZED WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPENSED, AND SOMETIMES COMPONENTS OF PROJECTS THAT WERE COMPLETED OVER TIME WERE NOT LINKED TOGETHER SO THAT YOU HAD A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT AND THE AMOUNT THAT IT COSTS. MR. TAFT TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON THIS WITH THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAD AN INVENTORY DONE AND ALL THE CAPITAL ASSETS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED. SO BECAUSE OF THAT WORK, WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO SHOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND THAT THE GOING FORWARD, THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. THE FIFTH FINDING FROM THE PRIOR YEAR WAS ABOUT THE CYBERSECURITY ATTACK. AND WE ALL WELL, WE NOTED DURING OUR AUDIT THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL CONTROLS, THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE OUTLINED HERE WERE IMPLEMENTED. 
          SO WE'RE CONSIDERING THIS COMPLETED. AND THERE WERE NO CYBERSECURITY INCIDENCES THAT WE SAW IN FISCAL YEAR 23. WHEN YOU RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO KEEP AN INVENTORY LOG. AND THIS FINDING OH, I'M SORRY. AND THIS FINDING HERE WITH THE POLICE VEHICLES, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE LOG WAS NOT BEING MAINTAINED. SO THIS WAS REAL EASY TO FIX AND TO RECORD THOSE ASSETS ON A LOG. AND THIS IS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL THE VEHICLES OR ASSETS THAT YOU PURCHASED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS CAN BE IDENTIFIED. AND THEY ALSO HAVE DISPOSAL REQUIREMENTS IF YOU WERE TO GET RID OF THEM. SO THIS IS HOW YOU TRACK THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS FINDING FROM 2022, NUMBER SEVEN IS ALSO A REPEAT FINDING. IT IS THE ONE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE AUDITS NOT BEING DONE TIMELY IN 2022. IT WASN'T DONE TIMELY, BUT IT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE FEDERAL CLEARINGHOUSE. SO WE CLEARED THIS FINDING, BUT WE ARE SHOWING IT AS A REPEAT BECAUSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 23 AUDIT. 
          THIS IS A FINDING THAT WAS STILL ACTIVE IN FISCAL YEAR 22. IT COMES FROM 21. OH, I'M SORRY. 
          IT'S THE SAME FINDING ALSO IN FISCAL YEAR 21. THE AUDITS WERE NOT COMPLETED TIMELY. SO THAT THAT ALSO IS ROLLING FORWARD. THIS IS THE SECOND PART THAT I TALKED ABOUT. THESE ARE OUR MANAGEMENT LETTER COMMENTS. THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE OBSERVED DURING THE AUDIT THAT WE THINK COULD BE WEAKNESSES. AND SO WE WANTED TO JUST POINT THEM OUT TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM, REVIEW THEM, AND TAKE ACTION IF YOU DEEM NECESSARY. OKAY. THE FIRST ONE ADDRESSES SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN MR. TRAVIS, TALKED ABOUT THE AUDIT FOR THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 TOOK SIX MONTHS. WE RECEIVED PRELIMINARY TRIAL BALANCES IN 
          [01:50:04]
MARCH OF 2025. AND WHEN WE GOT THOSE BALANCES, THERE WERE NEW FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS THAT WERE NOT LINKED TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. THE STATEMENTS WERE OUT OF BALANCE. JOURNAL ENTRIES HAD NOT BEEN MADE, SO IT WAS NOT COMPLETE. AND DURING THE AUDIT, WE MADE OVER 100 CORRECTING ENTRIES. PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS IS AUDITS OF CITIES AND GOVERNMENTS ARE VERY, VERY COMPLICATED. THE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS REQUIRE THAT YOU PRESENT TWO SETS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. ONE WHICH IS A GOVERNMENT WIDE, WHICH LOOKS LIKE A BUSINESS, AND HOW A BUSINESS WOULD OPERATE SO THAT STAKEHOLDERS HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS AND YOUR DEBTS. AND THE SECOND SET IS JUST THE REGULAR ONES THAT Y'ALL ARE USED TO SEEING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WHERE YOU TIE EVERYTHING TO A BUDGET. SO THAT'S A COMPLICATED THING THAT REQUIRES MAKING JOURNAL ENTRIES TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THINGS ARE ACCRUED CORRECTLY, AND THAT WE'RE THE REVERSE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. ALSO, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A NEW STANDARD THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED. TWO YEARS AGO, A YEAR AGO IT WAS LEASES. THIS YEAR IT IS SUBSCRIPTION BASED. SUBSCRIPTION BASED. INTERNAL. 
          THANK YOU, SUBSCRIPTION BASED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. I'M SO USED TO DOING IT BY THE LITTLE SHORT NAME THAT WE GIVE IT CALLED CIVITAS, THAT I FORGOT WHAT THE ACRONYM STOOD FOR. SO. 
          OH, AND THEN THIS AUDIT REPORT, BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY SINGLE SPACED IT RIGHT NOW IS 106 PAGES. THAT'S A LOT OF NUMBERS TO TIE DOWN. THAT'S A LOT OF FOOTNOTES TO DO. SO IT HAS BECOME VERY, VERY COMPLICATED. SO WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY WORK WITH INTERNAL RESOURCES AND EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS TO IMPROVE THE FINANCIAL REPORTING PROCESS, TO ENSURE ADEQUATE, EXPERIENCED STAFF EXIST IN THE CITY AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO PERFORM THE ANNUAL AUDIT PROCESS. THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION WE HAVE IS ON BANK RECONCILIATIONS. THE BANK ACCOUNTS WERE RECONCILED AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2023 WHEN WE STARTED THE AUDIT, BUT WE DIDN'T START THE AUDIT UNTIL MARCH OF 20, OR WE DIDN'T GET FINANCIAL STATEMENTS UNTIL MARCH 2025. WE RECOMMEND THAT THE RECONCILIATIONS BE COMPLETED TIMELY WITHIN THE REPORTING PERIOD CLOSER TO THE END OF THE TIMEFRAME, SO THAT DISCOVERY OF DISCREPANCIES CAN BE NOTED IN THE FINANCIAL REPORTING. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER FINDING RELATED TO CASH, AND THIS IS POOLED CASH. THAT IS YOUR LARGE MAIN CASH ACCOUNT THAT ALL THE FUNDS USE. AND THEN THEY EACH HAVE A SHARE OF THAT MONEY. SO IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE POOLED CASH ACCOUNT WAS USED AS A CLEARING ACCOUNT TO RECORD GENERAL LEDGER TRANSACTIONS. AND THIS IS OUTSIDE WHAT THE REGULAR CASH MANAGEMENT MODULE DOES WHERE IT JUST RECORDS RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS. SO THIS ALLOWED NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS TO BE ENTERED AS JOURNAL ENTRIES, WHICH AFFECTED THE CASH BALANCES OF THE FUNDS AND THE EQUITY THAT THEY HAD IN THE POOL. AND WHEN YOU MAKE AN ENTRY INTO A MANUAL ENTRY INTO CASH POOL, IT'S TWO ENTRIES THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE, ONE AT THE FUND LEVEL AND ONE AT THE CASH POOL LEVEL. AND A LOT OF OCCASIONS THERE WAS ONLY ONE MADE AT THE FUND LEVEL. SO ONCE AGAIN, THAT DISTORTS THE BALANCE THAT EACH FUND HAS IN THE POOL. SO THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT NO FUND OVERDRAWS YOUR CASH BALANCE AND IS RELYING ON THE MONIES FROM ANOTHER FUND. SO WE WE RECOMMEND THAT WHEN YOU RECONCILE THESE ACCOUNTS, THAT YOU TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER AND JUST MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE EQUITY IN THE CASH POOL ACCOUNTS TIES TO THE CASH BALANCE IN THE INDIVIDUAL FUNDS. ANOTHER ONE RELATED TO CASH IS CASH AND INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT. 
          WE NOTED THAT THE CITY HAS LARGE CASH BALANCES THAT ARE NOT EARNING INTEREST OR A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF INTEREST. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU DEVELOP A TREASURY COMMITTEE OR HAVE YOUR BUDGET COMMITTEE MEET TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CASH DEMANDS OF THE CITY IS FOR 
          [01:55:09]
THREE, SIX MONTHS FOR THE NEXT YEAR, SO THAT YOU COULD APPROPRIATELY INVEST ANY IDLE CASH IN A MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT OR THE GEORGIA FUND ONE ACCOUNT. AND THIS WAY, THE CITY WILL BE EARNING MARKET INTEREST ON THEIR CASH BALANCES. THE NEXT ONE IS SOMETHING THAT WE BROUGHT UP LAST YEAR. THE PAYROLL ACCOUNT IS NOT OPERATING AS AN INTEREST ACCOUNT, AND AN INTEREST ACCOUNT HAS LIKE A STANDARD BALANCE, LIKE MAYBE $5000 OR $10,000. SO YOU CAN EASILY LOOK AT IT AND GO, OH, THE PAYROLL ACCOUNTS AND BALANCE. AND EVERY PAY PERIOD YOU TRANSFER IN THE AMOUNT OF WHAT THE YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAYING YOUR EMPLOYEES. 
          AND AS THOSE PAYCHECKS CLEAR, THE BALANCE GOES BACK DOWN TO YOUR TARGETED AMOUNT. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT WAY IF IT STAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR TARGETED AMOUNT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY DIDN'T GET A PAYCHECK, DIDN'T CASH A PAYCHECK, OR IT WASN'T DEPOSITED TO THEIR ACCOUNT. SO THIS GIVES YOU A HEADS UP SO THAT YOU CAN RESEARCH THAT, BECAUSE I'M CERTAIN THEY'RE GOING TO BE CALLING IF THEY DIDN'T GET PAID. AND THEN THE OTHER THING WOULD BE IF SOMETHING CAME THROUGH THAT PAYROLL ACCOUNT THAT WASN'T AUTHORIZED, YOU WOULD KNOW IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE PAYROLL BALANCE WOULD DROP BELOW WHATEVER YOUR THRESHOLD AMOUNT WAS. AND. ONCE AGAIN, 1,000,008 IS A LARGE AMOUNT TO BE SITTING IDLE IN AN ACCOUNT WHEN SOME OF IT COULD BE EARNING INTEREST. AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY WANTS TO KEEP MONEY THERE TO COVER ONE PAY PERIOD, BUT THIS MONEY COVERS TWO PAY PERIODS, AND YOU COULD EASILY INVEST IT AT THE SAME BANK THAT THE PAYROLL ACCOUNT IS SITTING AT, SO THAT YOU COULD QUICKLY MOVE CASH IF YOU NEEDED TO. DORMANT ACCOUNTS. WE'RE POINTING OUT THAT THE CITY HAS ONE LARGE DORMANT ACCOUNT IN A CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND FOR $6,800,000, AND IT'S BEEN DORMANT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND THERE'S ALWAYS A RISK THAT A DORMANT ACCOUNT WILL JUST BE OVERLOOKED BECAUSE NOBODY'S. RUNNING TRANSACTIONS THROUGH IT. AND THEN YOU JUST ALWAYS KNOW THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE SAME DOLLAR OF BALANCE. SO YOU DO THAT ONE LAST. WHEN YOU RECONCILE, YOU ALSO HAVE ONE OTHER DORMANT ACCOUNT, BUT IT'S ONLY 40,000. SO THE RISK OF THAT ONE IS BEING VULNERABLE TO UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITY IS LESS. THE LAST ONE ON THE PAGE HAS TO DEAL WITH ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE DURING. WE NOTE DURING THE AUDIT, WE NOTED THAT THE LEAN BALANCE ON PAST DUE ACCOUNTS FOR WATER ACCOUNTS HASN'T CHANGED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, AND TO US, THIS IMPLIES THAT THE CITY IS NOT ACTIVELY FOLLOWING UP TO IDENTIFY UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS AND PROCESSING LIENS TO PROVIDE THE CITY WITH LEGAL PROTECTION, TO COLLECT THE BALANCE WHEN THE PROPERTY IS SOLD. NOW, WE ALSO REALIZE THAT THERE'S AN ORDINANCE THAT THE CITY HAS THAT OUTLINES THIS WHOLE PROCESS, AND IN SOME CASES, YOU CAN'T LEAN ACCOUNTS. BUT WE WANT THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING TO PROTECT ITS MONIES, PROTECT THE MONIES THAT IT'S OWED FOR THE SERVICES THAT IT PROVIDED, SO THAT WE RECOMMEND THE CITY WORK WITH ACCOUNT HOLDERS WHO HAVE OUTSTANDING BALANCES AND THAT INTERNALLY YOU DEVELOP A CHECKLIST WITH THE APPROPRIATE LEVELS FOR EVERY STEP THAT YOU TAKE AND WHO NEEDS TO SIGN OFF ON IT. AND THEN IT WOULD INCLUDE ALL OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR PAYMENTS AND ALSO SOME FORMALIZED REPAYMENT PLANS, IF THAT'S IN YOUR POLICY AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. AND THEN A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY WILL BE THE FINAL STEP IN THE PROCESS. THIS WAY YOU'RE ACTUALLY WORKING THESE ACCOUNTS. YOU'RE KEEPING UP WITH THEM. 
          YOU'RE IDENTIFYING YOUR UTILITY HOLDERS THAT HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT YOU'RE NOT CUTTING THEM OFF. 
          YOU'RE LETTING THEM WORK THESE OUTSTANDING BALANCES OUT ACCORDING TO THEIR MEANS. FINAL TWO CAPITAL ASSETS. MR. TAB TALKED ON THIS ONE ALSO. THE INVENTORY SPECIALIST THAT THE CITY CONTRACTED WITH ISSUED A REPORT IN AUGUST OF 2025, AND THEY NOTED THAT 66% OF THE 
          [02:00:03]
CAPITAL ASSETS WERE IDENTIFIED AND RECORDED CORRECTLY ON THE CAPITAL ASSET MODULE. HOWEVER, 25% OF THE CAPITAL ASSETS DATING FROM AS FAR BACK AS 2023 2003 WERE IDENTIFIED AS SURPLUS, AND THEY SHOULD BE RESEARCHED AND DELETED FROM THE BUSINESS CAPITAL MODULE, WHICH WE DID SOME OF THAT WITH OUR ADJUSTING ENTRY, OUR PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENT. AND ALSO THERE WERE 9% OF THE CAPITAL ASSETS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY WERE RECENTLY PURCHASED FROM THEIR DATE, AND THEY JUST NEEDED TO BE UPDATED TO THE CAPITAL ASSET MODULE AND TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THERE'S A CONNECTIVITY, THAT WHEN THOSE EXPENSES ARE PROCESSED, THAT THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY DONE. SO IT'S NOT A MANUAL PROCESS. AND WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY JUST KEEP UP REVIEWING THIS RESEARCH CONFIRMS SURPLUS ASSETS THAT NEED TO BE WRITTEN OFF OF, AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE NEW ONES ARE PUT ON THE BOOKS, AND THAT THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE INVENTORY AUDITS. AND THE LAST ONE IS A DISPUTED LIABILITY WITH FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA, THE CITY'S CONTRACTED WITH FULTON COUNTY TO PROVIDE WATER TREATMENT SERVICES FOR THE CITY'S FOR FOR THE CITY'S RESIDENTS. AND THESE SERVICES ARE ABOUT $500,000 A YEAR. AND THERE'S BEEN DISPUTES IN THE RATES CHARGED BY THE COUNTY. AND SO THE CITY HAS JUST NOT PAID FOR THESE SERVICES OVER 20 YEARS. AND THE CURRENT AMOUNT RECORDED THAT'S OWED TO THE COUNTY IS $13,600,000, BECAUSE THIS IS A DISPUTED LIABILITY, IT HAS BEEN RECLASSIFIED IN THE WATER AND SEWAGE FUND AS A NON-CURRENT LIABILITY. IT'S A LARGE LIABILITY, AND WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY CONTINUE ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY AND FORMALIZE A REPAYMENT PLAN. THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION THAT THE CITY WILL PAY THE REGULAR OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE, AND THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO START REVIEWING WHAT HAS BEEN CHARGED TO THEM FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. I THINK THAT SEEMS TO BE THE LARGE, LARGER ITEM THAT IS HOLDING UP THIS ISSUE. SO WHILE THERE'S DISCUSSIONS, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE FORMALIZED AND THE FULTON COUNTY NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT IN AND SIGN OFF ON WHATEVER PLAN Y'ALL COME UP WITH. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. IT WAS A LOT OF DETAILS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND COMPLETION OF THE AUDIT. COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, WE'VE GOT ONE OTHER PART. OH, I WAS GOING TO JUST MAKE CERTAINLY A QUESTION. SO SHE SAID QUESTIONS. OKAY. HE WANTS THERE'S A LETTER TO GOVERNANCE. YES, YES. THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS. RIGHT. THAT'S THE LETTER TO GOVERNANCE INCLUDES. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER THE GOVERNANCE LETTER RIGHT NOW OKAY. SORRY. THE GOVERNANCE LETTER IS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARDS WE ARE TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU HOW WE INTERACT WITH MANAGEMENT DURING THIS PROCESS. IT'S MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY TO PREPARE THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND COME UP WITH APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING POLICIES. 
          MANAGEMENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO DEAL WITH ESTIMATES AND THE BIGGEST ESTIMATES THAT YOU THAT'S IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS THE PENSION LIABILITIES. AND THE OTHER POST RETIREMENT BENEFITS. THESE ARE LARGE LIABILITIES YOU'LL SEE ON THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. AND THESE LIABILITIES ARE DETERMINED BY ACTUARIES THAT Y'ALL HIRED TO PREPARE THESE IN TERMS OF DIFFICULTIES IN PERFORMING THE AUDIT, WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY WORKING WITH THE STAFF. IT JUST TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS. 
          AND THAT PROCESS IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO BE AUDIT READY TO GET THE AUDIT DONE ON TIME. IT'S IT'S LIKE AN ENGINEERING. IT'S GOT IT'S A CRITICAL PATH THAT THE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING GET DONE. EVERYONE HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOOKS ARE CLOSED OUT AND THE RECORDS ARE UPDATED AND, AND THEY CAN RESPOND TO OUR REQUESTS. AS MISS WELLS MENTIONED, WE HAVE PROBABLY 126 ADJUSTING ENTRIES. THAT MANY ENTRIES MEANS THAT A LOT WENT INTO GETTING TO THIS POINT. WE'VE GIVEN THOSE ENTRIES TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM. THE 
          [02:05:03]
MANAGEMENT TEAM AGREES WITH THOSE ENTRIES AND AGREED TO MAKE THOSE ENTRIES. WE HAVE A LETTER OF REPRESENTATION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING MANAGEMENT TO SIGN THAT SAYS THAT THEY COOPERATED AND SHARED ALL THE INFORMATION TO US AND DIDN'T HIDE ANYTHING FROM US. THEY'VE AGREED TO SIGN THE LETTER, AND WE'RE HOPING TO RECEIVE THAT BY TOMORROW. IT'S NOT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT AS WE WENT THROUGH THIS AUDIT PROCESS, MANAGEMENT DID NOT GO OUT AND SEEK ADVICE FROM OTHER CPAS THAT CONTRADICT WHAT WE WERE REPORTING ON. AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO TO KNOW THAT. ALSO, WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, THEY WAS ASKING US QUESTIONS IN TERMS OF HOW DO THIS PROCESS. AND WE RESPONDED TO THEM THAT OUR RESPONSE WAS NOT BASED ON WHETHER OR NOT WE GET TO KEEP THE AUDIT OR ANY INFLUENCE. IT WAS JUST PART OF OUR NATURAL PROCESS OF DOING OUR WORK. IN AUDIT REPORT, THERE'S TWO REPORTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS THAT HAS TO GO OUT. THE SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION, SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS. WE'VE GIVEN AN OPINION ON THAT. AND THERE'S ALSO REPORTS THAT HAS TO GO TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA, SPECIFICALLY RELATING TO YOUR FUNDS. AND THAT REPORT IS IN ATTACHED AS THE LAST PAGE OF THE ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT. AND WE WANT TO SAY THAT THIS REPORT IS INFORMATION FOR THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MANAGEMENT OF US, AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR ANY OTHER USE OTHER THAN FOR YOUR YOUR USE. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE YOUR AUDITORS. 
          AND IT WAS I WOULD SAY IT WAS A PLEASURE. IT WAS A PLEASURE. BUT IT WAS A LOT OF HARD WORK FOR US. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER AND COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL. YES, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE AUDIT. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND I'LL SAVE SOME FOR MY COLLEAGUES. I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THIS DISPUTED LIABILITY WITH FULTON COUNTY. 
          SO IT LOOKS LIKE. COULD YOU GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE COUNTY CHARGED US APPROXIMATELY HALF $1 MILLION, BUT 20 YEARS AGO AND NOW IT'S $13 MILLION. IS THIS AN ONGOING EXPENSE OR IS THIS INTEREST? LET ME LET ME TELL YOU, WHEN WE STARTED OUT, WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT OURSELVES. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS NUMBER WHEN WE START THIS AND THAT. LAST YEAR WE WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION LAST YEAR ALSO, AND PROBABLY YEAR BEFORE LAST. BUT BUT ON THE BOOKS, FULTON COUNTY IS BUILDING BUILDING ON $500,000 A MONTH. SAY IT AGAIN. 500,000 A MONTH. FULTON COUNTY'S BILLING US HALF $1 MILLION A MONTH A MONTH. AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON OVER 12 YEARS. AND THAT'S AND THE THING IS, THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE DEPARTMENT IS RECORDING THIS, AND IT'S NOT BEING PAID. IT'S ACCUMULATED TO BE $13 MILLION NOW. RIGHT. SO YEAH I'M SORRY. IT'S IT'S ABOUT $500,000 A YEAR, $50,000 A MONTH. AND IT'S ACCUMULATED TO BE $13 MILLION. RIGHT. AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING AND WE'VE TALKED TO FINANCE TEAM. WE ALSO TALKED TO PEOPLE IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT. AND THEY SAID THEIR OWN NEGOTIATING WITH THIS. AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH A WAY OF PAYING THE CURRENT CHARGES. BUT THE CITY'S NOT EVEN PAYING THE CURRENT CHARGES. RIGHT. THE DISPUTE GOES BACK A LONG TIME AGO, BASED ON A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S WHERE THE CITY OF EASTBOURNE AND FULTON COUNTY DIDN'T AGREE ON WHAT THE COST OF THAT IS AND THE RATE THAT THEY CHARGED. SO BASED ON THAT, NOTHING GOT PAID. BUT THEY, THEY, THEY STILL CHARGE YOU EACH MONTH FOR THOSE SERVICES, THE CURRENT SERVICES, PLUS THE SERVICE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION IN THIS PLANT. SO YOU GOT THIS COST OUT HERE THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH. WE CAN WE ASK THE ATTORNEYS AND ATTORNEY LETTERS TO GIVE A RESPONSE ON IT. AND OUR ONLY THING WE CAN SAY IS BASED ON THE RESPONSE WE RECEIVED FROM THE ATTORNEYS AND FROM MANAGEMENT, WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT LIABILITY ON THE BOOKS. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. WHEN WILL YOU EXPECT TO HAVE THE 2024 AUDIT? REPEAT THAT AGAIN. WHEN WOULD YOU EXPECT TO HAVE THE 2024 AUDIT COMPLETE? ARE YOU WORKING ON A 2024? OKAY. I'M SORRY, NO, I 
          [02:10:07]
GUESS NOT. WE MAY NOT BE WORKING ON IT. NO, NO WE WILL. YES. 24 OH 24 WE'RE NOT ASSIGNED AS AUDITORS FOR THE 24TH AUDIT. WE'LL COME BACK ORIGINALLY. IT'S GOING. YES, MA'AM. WE STARTED THE 2024 AUDIT. HOPEFULLY WE ARE TRYING TO GET IT DONE BEFORE THE FOR THE YEAR'S END. MAULDIN AND JENKINS IS OUR NEW AUDITORS FOR 2022. I'M SORRY. MAULDIN AND JENKINS IS OUR NEW AUDITORS FOR 2024. WE STARTED HOWEVER, WE HAD TO FINISH THIS. WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE IT DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BY DECEMBER. ARE THEY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO DO THE 2025 AUDIT TO CORRECT THE 24, 25, 26? I THINK THE 27. YEAH. I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, TOO, ABOUT THE DORMANT ACCOUNT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE $6,842,898 HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOTEL MOTEL TAX. OKAY. YEAH. YOU ASKING ABOUT THE 6.8 MILLION? YES, SIR. IT DOES. IT WAS THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ACCUMULATED OVER THE YEARS. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR AUDITORIUM. HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. SO THAT FUNDS REMAINED DORMANT IN THAT ACCOUNT. AND WHAT ABOUT THE $40,000? WHAT IS THAT LINE? ITEM TWO IN TERMS OF THAT ACCOUNT? THAT'S JUST A SMALL CASH ACCOUNT IN ONE OF YOUR FUNDS. THANK YOU. THERE WAS NO ACTIVITY. IT'S JUST A ACCOUNT. THERE'S AN ACCOUNT ON YOUR BOOKS WITH NO ACTIVITY. NO. PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC. SO. OKAY. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I'M FINE, I YIELD. OKAY? YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SO I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT OUR CAPITAL ASSETS. SO WHEN WHEN YOU GUYS DID AN AUDIT OF OUR CAPITAL ASSETS. CORRECT. AND WHEN YOU RECEIVED THOSE RESULTS, HAD YOU ALREADY STARTED ON THE 2023 AUDIT? WE HAD WE HAD ALREADY STARTED ON THE 23 AUDIT. AND WE WERE DISCUSSING WITH MANAGEMENT HOW TO DEAL WITH CAPITAL ASSETS. AND AS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH THE TEAM, THAT'S ONE OF THE WE KEPT HAVING PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO TIE DOWN THE NUMBERS, WHAT WE WERE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. AND THEN IN ONE OF OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS, MANAGEMENT INFORMED US THAT YOUR ADVISORS FOR CAPITAL INVENTORY HAD COMPLETED THEIR WORK. SO WE INSISTED THAT WE HAD TO GET A COPY OF THAT REPORT TO TO AUGMENT OUR WORK THAT WE HAVE PERFORMED. AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE REPORT, WE SAW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE JUST HAVE TO GET GO INTO MORE DETAIL WITH OF THE TEAM. ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS OF YOUR FINANCE TEAM HAD ALREADY STARTED DEALING WITH THIS AND HAS STARTED ADJUSTING THE BSA RECORDS AND MAKING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. SO WE AGREED WITH THEM THAT THESE ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED TO BE MADE, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE ASSETS ON THAT LIST, IT WENT BACK A LONG TIME AGO AND IT WAS FULLY DEPRECIATED. THEY WERE NOT BEING USED AND THEY WERE OBSOLETE. AND THE ONLY WAY THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS COULD GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU'D BE COMFORTABLE WITH THOSE CAPITAL ASSETS, WE HAD THE EXTEND OUR WORK TO MAKE SURE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ARE REFLECTED IN THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. I GUESS THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION. 
          SO ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT, HOW DID THAT AFFECT THE FINDINGS FOR 2023? IS IT COMPLETE? I SEE. I THINK IF I HAVE THIS CORRECT, 25% OF THE ASSETS STILL NEED TO BE DELETED. I THINK YOU DELETED SOME OF THEM. ALRIGHT. EVERYTHING THAT IDENTIFIED THAT NEED TO BE DELETED WAS DELETED. OKAY. SO AFTER THE AFTER AFTER YOU COMPLETED THE AUDIT OF THE ASSETS, HOW HOW DID THAT AFFECT IT? AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED? BASED ON THE WORK PERFORMED? AS A 2023? WE WORKED AND ADJUSTED THE BOOKS TO 2023. NOW, IF THERE IS A LET ME SAY, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THE. THE ADVISOR DETERMINED THAT YOU HAVE A CAPITALIZATION POLICY OF $5,000. AND SO IF YOU PURCHASE SOMETHING LESS THAN $5,000, IT SHOULD BE BOOKED AS AN EXPENDITURE. SO IF YOU RECORD THIS THING FOR $1,200 AS AS A CAPITAL ASSET, IT OVERSTATES YOUR CAPITAL ASSETS. SO IN OUR MANAGEMENT LETTER COMMENT, MISS WELLS POINTED OUT THAT THIS SHOULD BE AN ONGOING PROCESS OF MAKING SURE YOU EVALUATE WHAT 
          [02:15:04]
IS BEING CHARGED TO CAPITAL ASSETS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PROPER ITEMS ARE LISTED IN THAT. 
          SO THERE'S WORK ALWAYS TO BE DONE WITH CAPITAL ASSETS. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMEMBER. 
          YES. THANK YOU. IN TERMS OF EXPENSES, THIS IS PAGE NINE. YOU STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN EXPENSES BY ABOUT $11 MILLION OVER FISCAL YEAR 2022. AND I THINK THAT THE WORDS YOU USED WERE THE MAJORITY OF THAT WAS IN PUBLIC SAFETY. WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MAJORITY? IS THAT 51%, 60%, 70%, 90%? CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA, EITHER PERCENTAGE OR NUMBER WISE? WELL, IF YOU I'LL JUST GO TO THE PAGE. IF YOU LOOK AT PUBLIC SAFETY, THE 2023 EXPENDITURES, $23 MILLION IN 2022, IT WAS $19 MILLION. IT TO US, THAT'S A YOU REALLY WANT NUMBERS TO BE CONSISTENT. WHEN THEY MOVE THAT FAR. IT'S LIKE IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AND CONSIDER AND THEN JUSTIFY TO US THE EXPLANATION OF OF THAT EXPENDITURE. SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS Y'ALL RECEIVED ARPA FUNDS THAT FUNDED THAT. SO YOU DID HAVE RESOURCES TO COVER IT. IT WASN'T LIKE YOU WERE OPERATING A LOSS OR HAD A BUDGET, A BUDGET OVERRUN. IT'S JUST THAT THIS IS A COST THAT WE IDENTIFIED, THAT INCREASE THAT THAT LINE ITEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT HELPS US. I'M GOING TO ALSO THEN GO TO. THE DORMANT ACCOUNTS. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I'M I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT HERE THAT ARE SORT OF CONNECTED. WE'VE GOT THIS DISPUTE WITH THE COUNTY AND WE'VE GOT IT SEEMS THAT THERE WERE LARGE CASH BALANCES THAT WERE NOT INVESTED OR EARNING INTEREST. THAT WAS A STATEMENT UNDER CASH AND INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT. SO WE'VE GOT THE ACCOUNT THAT'S 6.8 MILLION. 
          THAT'S A DORMANT ACCOUNT. THEN THE 40,000 IS DORMANT ACCOUNT. SO WOULD IT BE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IN TERMS OF THOSE DORMANT ACCOUNTS, THAT THOSE DOLLARS BE MOVED EITHER TO THE THE GEORGIA FUND, ONE ACCOUNT OR OTHER ACCOUNTS THAT COULD GAIN OR EARN INTEREST? WE TOTALLY RECOMMEND THAT WE AUDIT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. AND THE GEORGIA ONE FUND IS REALLY GIVING GOVERNMENTS A LOT OF A LOT OF INTEREST INCOME AT THIS TIME. IT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THERE'S OTHER ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT THE CITY CAN GET. SINCE YOU HAVE SO MUCH CASH AVAILABLE. AND SPEAKING OF THAT, OUR PAYROLL ACCOUNT. SO WE JUST GOT $1.8 MILLION SITTING IN THE PAYROLL ACCOUNT. WELL, THAT'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE, BUT THAT'S A TRUE STATEMENT. CORRECT. YOU HAVE TWO PAYROLL ACCOUNTS. WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS COMMENT UP LAST YEAR, I THINK THERE WAS A DISAGREEMENT BY MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD USE THE EMPRESS ACCOUNT. SO THE SOLUTION WAS TO SPLIT THE CASH ACCOUNT AND PUT IT IN THE POOL ACCOUNT AND CREATE AND AND KEEP A PAYROLL ACCOUNT. WE STILL HAD THE SAME SITUATION, EXCEPT THAT WE GOT IDLE CASH IN THE IN THE POOL ACCOUNT. AND THEN WE GOT THIS LARGE AMOUNT OF CASH IN THE ACTUAL PAYROLL ACCOUNT. SO WE JUST KNOW THAT FROM EXPERIENCE. AND YOU PROBABLY ALL EXPERIENCED THIS TOO, IS THAT PAYROLL ACCOUNTS ARE VERY VULNERABLE. SO WHAT YOU WANT BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY TRANSACTIONS. RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN NOT ONLY WAY THE ONE OF THE CONTROLS IS USE THE EMPRESS ACCOUNT. JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER THAT PAYROLL AND THEN YOU IT'LL BE A, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU WON'T BE EXPOSED IN THAT ACCOUNT TO, TO LARGE AMOUNT OF FRAUD. THAT IS THAT'S THE NOTE THAT I WROTE. I WAS LIKE, IS IT YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT WOULD BE RIPE FOR FRAUD OR SOME TYPE OF NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A LARGE AMOUNT. RIGHT, RIGHT. AND, YOU KNOW, THE THING IS YOU GOTTA WORRY ABOUT AND, YOU KNOW, JUST MY EXPERIENCE, BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME. IT COULD BE THE PERSON AT THE BANK, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A CASH ACCOUNT THAT HAS NO ACTIVITY. RIGHT. AND WITH THAT KIND OF CASH AND YOU'RE YOU'RE LATE RECONCILING YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS. IT'LL BE A WHILE BEFORE YOU CAN DISCOVER THAT. SO EMPRESS ACCOUNT WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO. OKAY. THE THE OTHER THING THAT I HEARD IS THAT THERE WAS SOME JOURNAL ENTRIES. I THINK MISS WELLS MENTIONED THIS, THAT. STATEMENTS WERE OUT OF BALANCE AND JOURNAL ENTRIES NOT COMPLETED. AND THIS COULD BE A QUESTION OF MR. GOLDMAN, IS 
          [02:20:02]
THAT JUST A LACK OF MANPOWER TO DO THAT, OR WHAT WOULD SORT OF BE THE REASON OR CAUSE FOR THOSE THINGS? WELL, IT'S ONE PART OF IT IS TIMING. 2023 WAS IN 2023 AND WE WERE WE WERE ADJUSTING THOSE ACCOUNTS TO GET THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS READY. YEAH THAT'S ONE AND THEN TWO. 
          YES. WHEN WE HAD THE CAPITAL ASSETS INVENTORY, WE HAD TO ADJUST THOSE CAPITAL ASSETS AS WELL. SO THOSE RELATED TO JOURNAL ENTRIES THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE IN REGARDS TO CAPITAL ASSETS, THERE WERE A LOT OF INJURIES THERE. BUT FOR THE MOST PART WHEN WHEN YOUR AUDIT READY, YOU ALREADY HAVE THOSE JOURNAL ENTRIES ALREADY COMPLETED. OKAY, I'LL ASK MAYBE THIS WAY IF YOU HAD MORE PERSONNEL, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE JOURNAL ENTRIES THAT WERE NOT COMPLETED AND THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE OUT OF BALANCE? YES. OKAY. AND THE REASON THAT I ASKED THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE WHEN WE RECEIVE THE BUDGET, COMPILES THE BUDGET, I DON'T KNOW IF I SAW POSITIONS IN THERE FOR FINANCE. SO IF YOU'RE SAYING YES, MORE PEOPLE WOULD HELP. BUT DO YOU ALSO BACK THAT UP BY ASKING THIS BODY THAT APPROVES THE BUDGET FOR MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS? YES. THERE WERE POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET. 
          NO. I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING ME, DO I DO I NEED TO ASK MAYOR AND COUNCIL? BUT NO, THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO, I THINK I WAS I WAS SATISFIED WITH HIS. YES. THAT OR NO THAT THEY WEREN'T. UNLESS YOUR RESPONSE IS DIFFERENT. MAY I MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THAT ISSUE? PLEASE HOLD ON JUST A MOMENT. 
          SO DIRECTORS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY MANAGER, ULTIMATELY APPROVES REQUESTS AND SHOULD SUBMIT WHATEVER IS NEEDED TO US. SO WHILE THE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED TO AN INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR, I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHO ULTIMATELY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROVING DEPARTMENT REQUESTS OR MAKING SURE THAT THE BUDGET HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO HAVE IN IT FROM A STAFFING, HUMAN RESOURCES, CAPITAL RESOURCES PERSPECTIVE TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OR PERFORM THE DUTIES. AND SO, MR. JONES, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE TONIGHT, THAT'S FINE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE COMING FROM YOU. NOT ASKING AN INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR. MADAM MAYOR, I AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT. THE REASON THAT I WAS SATISFIED WITH MR. GOLDEN'S RESPONSE IS BECAUSE I DO ALSO REALIZE THAT OUR CITY MANAGER HAD JUST COME ON BOARD IN MARCH, AND I THINK THE BUDGET WAS ALREADY SORT OF DOWN THE ROAD. AND I WOULD THINK THAT THE THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS IN THE BUDGET. AND THESE ARE THESE SEEM TO BE DUTIES THAT WOULD BE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, CORRECT? YES THEY WOULD. MR. GOLDEN, YOU ALSO STATED THAT IT IS HOPED THAT THE 2024. AUDIT WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. AND I THINK MISS WELLS HAD STATED THAT ONE OF THE FINDINGS IS THAT IT WAS TAKING US TOO LONG FOR US TO DO OUR AUDIT. SO IS THERE AN ACTIVE SCHEDULE AND YOUR YOUR WORK WAS HOPED? WE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE COMPLETED. SO HOW ARE WE MANAGING AGAINST THAT? GOOD QUESTION. WHEN YOU PRELIMINARILY MEET WITH YOUR AUDITORS, WE GO OVER OUR AUDIT SCHEDULE WHEN THINGS ARE DUE WITH US FINISHING 2023, WE EVEN THOUGH WE STARTED THE AUDIT, SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE ACTIVITIES REQUIRED OUR AUDITORS TO REVIEW THE WORK OF OUR PRIOR AUDITORS IN ORDER TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PRIOR AUDIT, AND ALSO ASSESS RISK. AND WITH THAT, THEY DIDN'T THEN BUILD OUT A SCHEDULE IN ORDER FOR US TO MEET A DEADLINE. OKAY. AND SO WITH WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITH THIS REPORT, FROM THE PRESENTATION FROM TAB AND TAB, YOU FEEL THAT WE COULD HAVE 24 COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR. YES. OKAY. I THINK THAT THOSE ARE. ACTIVATION FOR MR. MR. TAB, YOU STATED THAT THIS INFORMATION AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THIS MEANT. YOU SAID THIS INFORMATION IS FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S USE AND THAT'S IT. SO WHEN YOU SAY THIS, WHAT IS WHAT IS THIS MEAN? IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT GOVERNANCE LETTER, THE GOVERNANCE LETTER IS OKAY. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW OPEN RECORDS GET EVERYTHING, BUT THIS IS JUST ADDRESSED TO YOU OKAY. AND NOT TO MANAGEMENT. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS I YIELD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT I LIKE TO RESPOND TO 
          [02:25:06]
ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS OKAY. SURE. AND IT WAS IN OUR COMMENT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TIME OF THE AUDIT. RIGHT. AND AND THIS ISSUE IS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IN THE PAST, YOU HAD A PERSONNEL WHO REPORTED ONLY FOR EXTERNAL REPORTS. THEY THEY DID THE, THE SCHEDULES. THEY, THEY MADE ALL THE JOURNAL ENTRIES. YOU HAVE TO GO FROM MODIFIED ACCRUAL TO FULL ACCRUALS. THEY DID ALL THE ESTIMATES. THEY THEY WERE LIKE THE PERSON WHO WAS DEDICATED TO REPORTING. YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF PERSON ON YOUR STAFF. NOW THE PEOPLE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THEY GOTTA DO THE DAY TO DAY ACCOUNTING AND ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AUDITORS AND ALL THESE SPECIAL REPORTING. AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE TABLE OF CONTENT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO REPORT. AND THEY'RE REALLY STRUCTURED AND IT'S VERY TECHNICAL. AND SO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO THIS PAST YEAR WAS HIRE AN OUTSIDE FIRM TO COME AND HELP THE TEAM. IN OUR OPINION, ONE OF THE REASONS, AND I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T THINK THEY GAVE YOU ALL GOOD PEOPLE. AND I'M JUST SAYING EITHER YOU YOU GOTTA GET GOOD PEOPLE TO, TO GET THIS PROCESS DONE BECAUSE THIS IS A COMPLICATED WORK. YOU JUST CAN'T BRING ANY JUNIOR ACCOUNTANT TO DO THIS WORK FOR YOU. SO I JUST THINK YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT, AND YOU REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU GET SOMEONE WHO CAN GET YOU CURRENT WHEN YOU GET CURRENT, SOMEBODY WHO CAN DO THIS WORK ON AN ONGOING BASIS FOR YOU TO BE READY WHEN THE AUDIT STARTS. 
          THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK I YIELD. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL THANK YOU. CAN WE GO TO THE CAPITAL ACCESS ASSET PAGE? SO SO NUMBER TWO, WHEN IT SAYS 25% OF CAPITAL ASSETS DATING BACK TO 2000 2003. DO YOU SEE THAT NUMBER I REMEMBER THAT YES. OKAY. SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE I GUESS IS THE QUESTION. OH, HOW'S THAT, MR. GOLDMAN? THAT'S OKAY. I'LL ANSWER IT. BASED ON THE WORK WE DID AND THE WORK PROVIDED TO US, AND THE ADJUSTING ENTRIES BEEN MADE BY THE FINANCE TEAM, THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF. SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THIS ADJUSTMENT OF PRIOR PERIOD ADJUSTMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN THE ADVISORS GAVE US THIS LIST, THEY GAVE US A LIST AND SAID, THESE ARE ASSETS. WE ACTUALLY CAN IDENTIFY. THESE ASSETS ARE OBSOLETE AND NEED TO BE TAKEN OFF YOUR BOOKS. THE STAFF WHO WORKED ON THIS PROJECT IDENTIFIED THOSE ASSETS, UPDATED THE DETAILED FIXED ASSET RECORDS, CAPITAL ASSET RECORDS, AND THE LISTING ONLY INCLUDE ASSETS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE ADVISOR THAT YOU HIRED. SO YOU'RE SAYING IT'S ALREADY TAKEN OFF OF THE BOOK AND IT'S NOT. SO I GET A LITTLE CONFUSED WHEN IT SAYS RESEARCHED, SO WE STILL NEED TO. 
          OH, THEY SAID THEY HAVE SHOULD BE RESEARCHED AND DELETED. SO IT'S STILL SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT. WHEN THE COMMENT WAS WRITTEN, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE HAD A HARD STOP. DATE OF JUNE 30TH, 2023. OKAY, SO BUT MR. TAB HAS JUST EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE YOU ALREADY KNEW AT 2025 THAT THOSE ASSETS WERE OBSOLETE AND NEEDED TO BE DISPOSED OR RETIRED OR OR EXPENSED, THE DATE WAS DETERMINED TO BE WITHIN THAT 2023 PERIOD. SO THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF. SO HE'S ALREADY IT'S ALREADY BEEN THIS WRONG OR I MISSED IT IN THE EDIT. SO I WILL CORRECT THAT. NO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. JUST POINTING THAT OUT. I THOUGHT THERE WAS STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE ON THAT. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ARE YOU OKAY? COUNCIL MEMBER. I THINK. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. THANK YOU. SO THERE WAS IN PREVIOUS AUDITS, IT WAS FOUND THAT STAFF WERE. 
          APPROVING AND PAYING OUT INVOICES THAT WERE OVER $25,000 THAT HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED WITH COUNCIL. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL LOOKED INTO THIS TIME AROUND IN THIS AUDIT? YES. WE DID EXTENSIVE TESTING ON VENDOR INVOICING, AND WE FOUND THAT THE CONTROLS THAT ARE IN THE 
          [02:30:03]
POLICIES OF THE CITY WERE IMPLEMENTED FOR THE AUDIT YEAR OF 2023. OKAY. SO SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU DIDN'T FIND ANY INVOICES THAT HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL THAT WERE GREATER THAN $25,000? THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. BASED ON OUR SELECTION. SO YOU DIDN'T LOOK AT ALL THE INVOICES, YOU JUST LOOKED AT A SELECT FEW? OH, NO, WE DON'T LOOK AT EVERY INVOICE. 
          NO, NO, NO, WHAT WE DO IS WE WOULD DETERMINE WHAT WE THINK IS THE RISK. WE'RE VULNERABLE ITEMS BECAUSE WE GIVE AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AS A WHOLE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE APPROPRIATE IN THE PROPERLY APPROVED. SO THE WAY WE DESIGN OUR TESTS, WE DESIGN A TEST TO SAY, WHAT ARE THE CONTROLS THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE TO MAKE THIS A VALID DISBURSEMENT. SO WE MAKE THAT LISTING AND WE HAVE A CHECKLIST THAT SAYS, ARE THESE THINGS IN PLACE? IS THERE A CONTRACT IN PLACE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL? IS THE INVOICE SUPPORTED. DID IT GO THROUGH PURCHASING. DID IT GET A PROPER BID. SO WE CHECK OFF THESE THINGS. AND BASED ON THE SELECTION WE MADE WE SAID THAT THE CONTROLS ARE EFFECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO PURCHASES. OKAY. AND OUT OF CURIOSITY, DO YOU LOOK AT AT ALL THE LIKE, IS THERE A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT THAT YOU DO NOT LOOK AT, LIKE WHAT WOULD YOU WOULD YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOK AT THE INVOICES THAT WERE PAID FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ACCOUNTS? WHAT WOULD THAT BE? A PART OF THE AUDIT OR OR ARE THEY NOT INCLUDED IN THE AUDIT? WELL, WE LOOK AT EVERY ACCOUNT AND WHAT WE DO IS WE MAKE A TEST SELECTION BASED ON THE TOTAL POPULATION. BUT THE REAL EMPHASIS IS ON WE'RE NOT FORENSIC AUDITORS, WE'RE FINANCIAL AUDITORS, MISSION. AND OUR OBJECTIVE TO ISSUE AN OPINION ON YOUR OVERALL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THE READER OF THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU STAND FINANCIALLY. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A TEST, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL CITY AND NOT IN SMALL DETAILS. THE SMALL DETAILS RELATES TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CONTROL IS EFFECTIVE. THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN AUDIT AN ORGANIZATION LIKE A CITY OF EASTPOINTE OR ANYTHING THIS LARGE, YOU HAVE TO AUDIT THE CONTROLS OR THE CONTROLS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LOOK AT EVERYTHING. SO WHEN YOU GO THROUGH YOUR TEST, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT CONTROLS DID YOU PUT IN PLACE, AND DID THE MANAGEMENT AND THE STAFF ADHERE TO THOSE CONTROLS? IF THEIR CONTROLS ARE HERE TO BASED ON OUR TEST, WE TAKE A POSITION THAT CONTROLS THEM EFFECTIVE. AND THEN FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WE CAN DO MORE ANALYTICAL WORK TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING, MAKE SENSE FOR THE READER OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS PRESENT FAIRLY IN TOTAL, WHEN THEY WHEN THEY LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOUR ASSETS ARE AND WHAT YOUR OPERATING RESULTS ARE. OKAY, SO HOW MANY CAN YOU GIVE ME? AN APPROXIMATE PERCENTAGE OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT YOU CHECKED. MAKE SURE THAT STAFF REALLY IS OPERATING UNDER THE CURRENT CITY'S POLICIES. IN REGARDS TO THE $25,000 LIMIT. YEAH, THE TEST USUALLY IS THIS IF YOU'RE DOING IT STATISTICALLY RIGHT, IF YOU DO BETWEEN 40 TO 60 ITEMS RANDOMLY, YOU WILL DISCOVER AN ERROR. AND THEN YOU CAN EXPAND YOUR TEST BASED ON OUR SELECTION OF THAT LARGE OF A POPULATION BASED ON THE DISPERSEMENT. THE CONTROLS WERE EFFECTIVE. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST ONE I GUESS SORT OF COMMENT. I'VE ASKED FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS ABOUT THE ROUGHLY $7 MILLION THAT HAD BEEN PUT ASIDE FOR THE AUDITORIUM AT ONE POINT. I'VE NEVER HEARD THIS EXPLANATION. I'M SORRY YOU CAN'T HEAR ME. SO I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS ABOUT THE $7 MILLION, ROUGHLY, THAT WAS BUDGETED AT ONE TIME FOR THE AUDITORIUM. I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT THIS IS WHERE IT'S SITTING. SO GOOD TO SOLVE THAT MYSTERY. AND THEN A QUESTION ABOUT THE DISPUTED LIABILITY WITH FULTON COUNTY. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION, AND IT WAS ALREADY ANSWERED, FORGIVE ME, BUT I DON'T THINK I HEARD IT. WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE DISPUTE? ARE WE IN COURT OR 
          [02:35:01]
WHAT? I MEAN, IF WE HAVEN'T PAID IT FOR 20 YEARS AND THEY EXPECT US TO PAY IT, WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE DISPUTE? I MEAN, HOW IS THAT DISPUTE MANIFESTING? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES, WITH THIS DISPUTE, I MEAN, IT RELATES TO WATER AND SEWER. HOWEVER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT. THE CITY ATTORNEY PRIOR TO OUR CURRENT CITY ATTORNEY, THEY'VE BEEN DISPUTES IN TALKS WITH FULTON COUNTY IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN SETTLE ON THE COST OF THOSE SEWER SEWER RELATED COSTS RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION. I'M SORRY, CONSTRUCTION. AND I GUESS WITH WITH OUR WATER AND SEWER, MAYBE THE DIRECTOR CAN SPEAK MORE TO IT THAN I COULD, BUT THOSE COSTS HAD INCREASED. RIGHT. SO WE DO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE DO PAY THE THE O&M PART OF IT, BUT THERE IS A CAPITAL PORTION OF IT THAT THAT'S THE DISPUTE PART. AND WE CAN HAVE MISS BEAR. THAT'S UP TO MR. JONES. I'M SORRY. HE WANTS TO BE RESPONSIVE ON THIS. WASN'T RESPONSIVE ON THE OTHER, BUT. I'VE ASKED THE DIRECTOR OF WATER AND SEWER TO COME UP. I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF GETTING SCREWED ON THIS MYSELF, SO. 
          GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. GOOD EVENING. OKAY, SO OUR WASTEWATER IS TREATED BY THE CITY OF ATLANTA AND FULTON COUNTY. FULTON COUNTY TREATS OUR WASTEWATER OF ALL OF OUR SEWER LINES AND MANHOLES. AND THE CAMP CREEK REGION AND AREA. THE CITY OF EAST POINT SIGNED A 50 YEAR WASTEWATER AGREEMENT WITH FULTON COUNTY THAT EXPIRED IN 2008. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE PAYING A RATE OF $1.33. WHEN THAT CONTRACT EXPIRED AND FULTON COUNTY AND EAST POINT TRIED TO NEGOTIATE NEW TERMS, THEY WANTED TO GO FROM A RATE OF THAT 166, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE NEW RATE IN 2008 TO OVER $5 PER 1000 GALLONS. AND IT'S JUST NOT A FEASIBLE NUMBER. HOW THEY ARE ARRIVING AT THAT RATE IS IN ADDITION TO JUST PAYING THEM TO TREAT OUR WASTEWATER, THEY WANT TO ALSO CHARGE THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO MAKE ENHANCEMENTS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY. IN TERMS OF ME, I BECAME THE INTERIM WATER AND SEWER DIRECTOR IN 2017, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CITY ATTORNEYS AND MULTIPLE CITY MANAGERS. SO EVEN WITH COMING ON BOARD, I WAS ABLE TO BRING HER ON BOARD, PROVIDE THAT CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION TO HER. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT WE OWE THEM FOR TREATING THE WASTEWATER, BUT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT OWN, NOR DO WE BENEFIT FROM. THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE IS. SO WE'VE BEEN IN LITIGATION FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE AN EXISTING CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION WITH FULTON COUNTY. SO JUST TO CLARIFY ON MY QUESTION. SO THERE IS A LEGAL ACTION. YES. 
          FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, NINA HICKS WAS IN IT. BRAD BOWMAN, SOLICITOR WILLIAMS WAS ALSO IN NOW LARRY. AND AGAIN, I WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT AND I'VE HANDED OVER THIS DOCUMENTATION. 
          SHANNON AND GOLDEN AND I HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT. AND ALSO WE'VE HAD CHANGE IN FINANCE DIRECTORS OVER THE TIME. SO AT ONE POINT IN TIME WE DISCUSSED SETTING ASIDE MONEY AND FUNDS JUST IN CASE THERE IS AN AGREEMENT. BUT WE DO NOT HAVE AN AGREEMENT IN THE CHARGES THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO. THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE IS. THEY WANT US TO PAY FOR THE ENHANCEMENTS AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THE PLANT FACILITY THAT THEY HAVE. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND THAT WAS THE QUESTION THAT I HAD JUST TO GET SOME MORE CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WE WERE I KNOW THIS WAS FOR WATER TREATMENT, AND I THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD KIND OF LIKE A ONE HOUSE, LIKE A ONE STOP SHOP, THAT WE TOOK CARE OF ALL OF OUR WATER TREATMENT AND EVERYTHING HERE. 
          BUT JUST FROM THE EXPLANATION THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU'VE THAT YOU'VE JUST PRESENTED BEFORE US, AND NOW I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHY WE ARE AT THE $13 MILLION. SO THE QUESTION IS, IS I KNOW SO WE'VE NOT MADE ANY. SO NO PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE AT ALL IN THE, IN THE 20 YEARS. 
          WHAT IS AN OEM. OH I'M SORRY. YES. SO EIGHT WEEKS AGO OR MAYBE THREE MONTHS AGO WE 
          [02:40:04]
AGREED TO PAY THEM THE ON RATE. AGAIN O&M MEANS THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE TO TREAT OUR SEWER. WHAT? WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THEM RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE CAN BRING LEGAL INTO IT IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PORTION. SO WE DID MAKE START MAKING PAYMENTS FROM 2011 TO 2012. 
          JUST IN THE O&M RATE TO FULTON COUNTY. SO THAT'S THE $1.60. YES. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I'M GUESSING. SO OKAY. SO WE PAID THAT. BUT THE FIVE BUCKS AND THE CHANGE WELL WE SHOULDN'T EITHER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT IN MOST AGREEMENTS. ONCE YOU PAY THAT NEW RATE IT TIES YOU IN OR ROLLS OVER INTO THAT. SO THAT WAS THE ADVICE THAT WE WERE GIVEN. SO AGAIN, NO, WE'RE PAYING THE ORIGINAL RATE FROM THE 1958 CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT UNTIL A NEW AGREEMENT IS BEING WRITTEN OR ACCEPTED ON MAYOR COUNCIL AND FULTON COUNTY. SO ARE WE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING SOMETHING? OR I GUESS THAT THAT'D BE FULLY CITY ATTORNEY WOULD KIND OF. ATTORNEY. WILLIAM. THANK YOU. TWO THINGS. SO ONE, I'M NOT AWARE OF THERE ACTUALLY BEING A FILED COMPLAINT. I AM AWARE OF THE OLD AGREEMENT THAT HAS EXPIRED, BUT I DON'T I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A CIVIL ACTION PENDING AGAINST THE CITY. AND, MELISSA, YOU HAVE TO CORRECT ME, BUT I, I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT NOT CIVIL BUT ATTORNEY TO ATTORNEY KIND OF INFORMATION. YES. OKAY. SO SO WE ARE CLEAR. SO WHEN SHE SAID LITIGATION AND I THINK COUNCILMAN FRIEDLI FOLLOWED UP THERE'S A LEGAL ACTION THAT'S NOT ACCURATE. THERE IS NOT A LEGAL ACTION PENDING AGAINST THE CITY FOR THIS. OKAY. SO THAT'S FIRST. THE SECOND QUESTION I THINK YOU'RE ASKING IS WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN CONVERSATION. YES, WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY ABOUT THIS. NOT FROM ME. I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MELISSA, HOWEVER, AND I DO BELIEVE PROBABLY THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER IS HOW WE GOT TO THE O AND M PAYMENTS. BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CONVERSATION WITH THE CURRENT BECAUSE THEY GOT A NEW COUNTY ATTORNEY. I HAVE NOT HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH HER. OKAY. AND THE LAST THING I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK ALL THIS PREDATES ANY OF US COMING HERE. BUT HOW DO WE HAVE A CONTRACT THAT EXPIRED IN 2008, AND WE ARE AT 2025? AND I MEAN, NOTHING IS JUST NOTHING HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE. AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE THING WAS, WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO PAY ANYTHING. AND THEN EIGHT WEEKS WHENEVER WE STARTED PAYING SOMETHING. SO I DON'T HOW I DON'T KNOW CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MORE OF A GOOD COMMENT AND OBSERVATION AND FOR FOR THEM TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH. THANK YOU. I'LL GO WITH COMMENT. THANK YOU MADAM. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS. YES, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK. THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE $6.8 MILLION. AND SO THERE ARE TWO THINGS. I'D HAD THIS I'D ASK THE QUESTION BEFORE ABOUT FUNDING FOR THE AUDITORIUM. AND THE RESPONSE THAT I RECEIVED IS THAT WE NEVER HAD THE DOLLARS THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO DO A BOND REFERENDUM FOR THAT. BUT IT SEEMS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE THE MONEY. IS THAT CORRECT? LET ME CLARIFY. SO THERE WAS AT ONE POINT IN TIME IN THE BUDGET, THERE WAS 7 MILLION. THAT WAS FOR BOND PROCEEDS. ALSO, THEY WERE GOING TO USE BOND PROCEEDS AND HOTEL MOTEL FUNDS. THAT 6.8 FOR THE AUDITORIUM DURING THAT TIME. WHEN I THINK MR. GARDNER WAS HERE. OKAY, SO I MAY NOT HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION APPROPRIATELY, BUT I WHAT I GOT FROM THE RESPONSE WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION IS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO A BOND REFERENDUM FOR, BUT OKAY, IT WAS GOING TO BE A HYBRID. IT WAS GOING TO BE GONE. PLUS, WHAT WE HAD ON HAND FROM HOTEL MOTEL. CORRECT. AND WITH THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING ABOUT THE FINANCING OF THE MULTIPLEX AND WE TALKED ABOUT OTHER STRUCTURES, I NEVER HEARD THESE DOLLARS AS A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. IT WAS IT'S IT IT HAS. OKAY. YEAH. IN MY PRESENTATION, I INVOLVE THOSE DOLLARS AS A PAY DOWN. AND I ALSO SPOKE ABOUT UTILIZING IT FOR KIND OF A RAINY DAY. SHOULD SOME OF THOSE ENTERPRISE ACTIVITIES NOT NOT PROJECT IN ACTUAL REVENUES TO USE THAT FUND TO, TO TO FIX ANY KIND OF SLOW YEARS OR SLOW START UP COSTS. SO IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT PRESENTATION, I TALKED 
          [02:45:01]
ABOUT THOSE FUNDS. I THINK THERE WAS ALSO SOME CONVERSATION ON THE LEGALITY OF USING THOSE FUNDS IN A WAY THAT I WAS PRESENTING THAT NEEDED SOME MORE RESEARCH, BUT THOSE FUNDS WERE AT LEAST PART OF THE DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. WHEN YOU SAID RAINY DAY, IT JOGGED MY MEMORY AND I DO REMEMBER THAT. SO I'LL STAND CORRECTED AND I APPRECIATE THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH I YIELD. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN. YES, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION WHEN I PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON COUNCIL, IT WAS MY MOTION TO PUT A PORTION OF THE HOTEL MOTEL FUNDS IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT FOR FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE AUDITORIUM. ALSO PRIOR TO THAT, WHEN MISS ELIAS WAS HERE, SHE GAVE US A PRESENTATION. WHEN WE FIRST CAME UPON COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY HALL AND ALSO THE AUDITORIUM. SO THERE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THOSE MONIES. THANK YOU. I THINK THE TO NOT BELABOR ANY OF THE OTHER POINTS AND MAYBE FOLLOW UP OFFLINE. I MEAN, GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF FULTON COUNTY WATER SEWER. I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE SIMILAR. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN FOR AS LONG, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DISPUTE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITIES AS IT RELATES TO THEIR FEES AND. SERVICE DELIVERY STRATEGY, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO AND I KNOW THAT THOSE DISPUTES HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME AS WELL. I'M NOT I CAN'T RECALL ALL OF THE CITIES, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SEVERAL. THE THE CITY MANAGER SHARED DURING THE FY 26 BUDGET PROCESS THAT HE MET WITH EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS SEVERAL TIMES TO GO OVER THEIR BUDGETS, HAD MANY COMMUNITY MEETINGS, AND HAD A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WHAT WAS GOING TO BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE BUDGET. IN FACT, WAS VERY AWARE OF ALL OF THE FINANCIAL CONCERNS WE'LL CALL THEM, OR MAJOR FINANCIAL CONCERNS AT THE TIME. AND SO PRIORITIZING THE NEEDS OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE AN ASSUMPTION THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE APPROVED FY 26 BUDGET OF $247 MILLION, 100, $247,100,451. SO TO SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER JUST GOT IN HERE AND HAD REALLY THE THE BUDGET HAD GONE UNDERWAY. HE ACTUALLY ASKED US TO APPROVE PROBABLY THE HIGHEST BUDGET THE CITY HAS EVER HAD, $247,100,451. AND THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR FY 26 ADOPTED BUDGET IS STILL NOT ONLINE. THE ONLY THING ONLINE AS IT RELATES TO THE FY 26 BUDGET IS THE PROPOSED BUDGET. 
          THE ADOPTED BUDGET. WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE ADOPTED BUDGET LINK, THE LAST ONE IS FY 25 2025, AND WE ARE NOW IN OCTOBER. AND THAT WAS APPROVED JUNE 30TH. SO JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER WE'RE WELL OVER 90 DAYS, ALMOST 100 DAYS PAST THE PASSAGE OF OR ADOPTION OF THE FY 26 BUDGET. 
          THAT'S NOT ONLINE YET. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK STAFFING AND APPROPRIATE STAFFING LEVELS IN EACH DEPARTMENT DEFINITELY RISES TO THE LEVEL OF THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY AT A $203,000 SALARY. AND SO AS WE LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP, FY 2024 IS UNDERWAY. HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE DONE BY DECEMBER BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THEN WE STILL WILL NEED TO DO FY 25. AND I WAS JUST READING SOMETHING. I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN YOUR PRESENTATION WHERE IT SAID THAT THE BUDGET SHOULD BE ADOPTED, OR MAYBE IT WAS IN THE STATEMENTS MADE BY THE OTHER PRESENTER WITHIN NINE MONTHS OF AUDIT YOUR CLOTHES. I KNOW GENERALLY THEY SAY BY THE END OF THE SIX MONTHS, WHICH WOULD BE DECEMBER, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE A GOAL OF HAVING FY 24 AND FY 25 DONE 24 BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND 25 BY FIRST QUARTER, I THINK WE'D BE BACK ON TRACK FOR THEN. THE 2026. 
          [02:50:07]
AUDIT. THAT WOULD BE NEED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF DECEMBER. AND SO PRIORITIZING FINANCIAL, STAFFING, FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, FINANCIAL AUDITING, RECONCILIATIONS AND ALL THOSE THINGS DEFINITELY HAS TO BE A TOP PRIORITY AND ULTIMATELY RESTS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE AN INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR WHO I MEAN HAS HAS BEEN DOING THE JOB OF MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF STAFF THAT HAS LEFT WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT OR FOR WHATEVER REASONS. WE HAVE SEVERAL VACANT POSITIONS AND HAD ENGAGED PLANTE MORAN TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL CONSULTING SUPPORT. BUT IF I HEARD MR. TAPP CORRECTLY TONIGHT, MAYBE THAT SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER. OR MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE SPECIFIED A DIFFERENT SCOPE OF WORK. I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE ARE WITH. THE. 
          THAT ENGAGEMENT, THAT PART OF ENGAGEMENT. I KNOW IT WAS SEPARATE FROM THE FORENSIC AUDIT WHERE WE PAID A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT FOR THAT. AND THANKFULLY THEY'RE NOW WILLING TO COMPLETE CERTAIN PARTS OF THAT AUDIT. I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS MAYBE WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE CREDIT CARD. INVESTIGATION OR LOOKING INTO THOSE TRANSACTIONS NOW THAT REGIONS BANK IS WILLING TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE FORENSIC AUDITOR. I THINK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING UPDATES ON THAT ON MONDAY, BUT THANK YOU, MR. TAB. I THINK YOU ALL DID OUR 2022 AND 2023 AUDIT. 
          AND THEN MAULDIN, JENKINS, MAULDIN AND JENKINS WILL BE DOING THE 24 THROUGH 27. I THINK YOU SAID SO. THAT'S ABOUT FOUR YEARS OF AUDITS, THREE YEARS, 2526, 27 I THINK THERE'S AN OPTION ONE YEAR, BUT IT'S THREE YEARS, AND TAB AND TAB DID 2122 AND 23, 21, 22, 23. 
          OKAY. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. IS THERE I KNOW THIS IS THE DRAFT AUDIT PRESENTATION PRESENTED TO US TONIGHT. THERE'S YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR US TO ADOPT IT. I GUESS WE'LL GET THE FINAL VERSION AND THEN ADOPT OR WHAT'S NEXT. WHAT'S NEXT STEPS. 
          THE NEXT STEPS IS JUST TO FINALIZE THE REPORT AND THEN FILE IT WITH THE STATE AND THOSE AGENCIES THAT REQUIRE US TO BE FILED. AND ALSO THE SINGLE AUDIT, YOU ALL PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO LET US KNOW WHEN THAT HAS BEEN DECIDED AND SUBMITTED. I WILL PROVIDE IT TO THE CITY MANAGER WHO WILL THEN. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. COUNCIL MEMBER. CITY COUNCIL, HR 
          [XII. COMMITTEE REPORTS]
COMMITTEE OR BUDGET AND FINANCE COUNCIL MEMBER. COMMENTS. YES, THE HR COMMITTEE WE MET AND ALL THE EVALS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE CITY. WILL THE CITY CLERK, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE JUDGE. THOSE EMAILS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY SHOULD BE OUT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET THEIR INPUT ON IT AS WELL. AND WE'RE ALSO JUST WAITING ON HR CONFIRMATION OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN, THANK YOU. AND TO ADD TO THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ADDED COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN SENT OUT. 
          WE'RE WAITING ON COUNCIL'S REVIEW OF THOSE THREE. OH MY GOSH, WE'RE ON COUNCIL'S REVIEW OF THOSE THREE EVALUATION EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS. SO PLEASE REVIEW THOSE EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBERS I DON'T HAVE MY UPDATED ANYTHING FROM BUDGET AND FINANCE. I KNOW WE MET WHAT I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK. WAS IT. NO. YEAH. ONE REASON. OH, WE'RE JUST IN OCTOBER TO BEGIN IN OCTOBER. COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER. YES. THANK YOU. SO I'LL JUST GO OVER QUICKLY. SOME OF THE ON AUDITED ACCOUNT BALANCES THAT WE HAVE. SO IN THE GENERAL FUND, THERE'S 30 LITTLE OVER $33 MILLION. AND THE ELECTRIC FUND, WE HAVE LITTLE OVER $4 MILLION FOR WATER AND SEWER, A LITTLE OVER $14 MILLION STORMWATER, A LITTLE OVER 6 MILLION. AND SPLOST, WE HAVE $25,800,000 IN THE RESTRICTED CASH BALANCE. ALRIGHT. MOTION FOR. DISCUSSION 
          [XIII.3. City of East Point Compensation Policy]
          [02:55:03]
AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CITY OF EAST POINT COMPENSATION POLICY. SO MOVED. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED. 
          MOTION CARRIES. THE FLOOR IS NOW OPEN, MR. JONES. YES. I'LL HAVE OUR HUMAN RESOURCE DIRECTOR, MISS IRIS. JESSIE, COME UP AND WALK US THROUGH THIS ITEM. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, IF YOU WOULD. DON'T MIND. COULD WE DO NUMBER FOUR? THE MEDICAL BENEFITS, RFP RESULTS. YOU ALL WANTED A FOLLOW UP FROM THE LAST MEETING SEPTEMBER 15TH. 
          JOHN YUHAS AND CHARLES ATKINS ARE HERE TONIGHT, SO COULD WE TAKE THAT ONE BEFORE WE DO THE COMPENSATION? YEAH. CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION WITH THAT, THOUGH? ARE YOU ON THE COMPENSATION POLICY? ARE YOU EXPECTING US TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT, OR IS THIS MORE OF A WORK SESSION DISCUSSION FOR US TO MAKE A DECISION AT THE NEXT MEETING IN OCTOBER? I WOULD LIKE TO, IF YOU ALL WOULD GIVE ME COMMENTS AND OR MAKE A DECISION. WE STILL HAVE TIME, BUT I PRESENTED THIS BACK IN 2024 AND I DIDN'T GET ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY. AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE EVERGREEN STUDY BEING OVER. THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE TASKS. ONE IS THE COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY AND ALSO JOB DESCRIPTIONS. THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE BEING SENT OUT TO DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR REVIEW. SO WE'RE FINALIZING ALL OF THAT. 
          SO THERE'S NO HURRY. SO WE COULD PUT THIS ON THE OCTOBER 13TH, THE WORK SESSION NEXT MONDAY WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S BEEN SHARED. AND YOU'LL BE ASKING FOR US FOR INPUT. YES, MA'AM. THE COUNCIL WANT TO DO THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE ALL READY TO DISCUSS THAT TONIGHT. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. YOU FIND WHAT WE'RE FINE WITH? OCTOBER 13TH. CAN WE 
          [XIII.4. 2026 Medical Benefits RFP Results, Voluntary Benefits, Employee Contributions Follow-Up Information]
GET A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR TO THE OCTOBER 13TH WORK SESSION? SO MOVED SECOND. 
          IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, THOSE OPPOSED. 
          [XIII.5. Facade Grant Update]
MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE NEED A MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE. SO MOVED SECOND BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. 
          ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THE FLOOR IS OPEN, MISS JESSIE, YOU READY? YES. MADAM MAYOR, I AM GOING TO ASK CHARLES ATKINS AND JOHN YUHAS WITH ANALYTICS TO COME FORWARD AND PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU REQUESTED. AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE HAD SOME TRANSITION FROM LAST YEAR'S MEDICAL PROVIDER. 
          BECAUSE HUMANA GOT OUT OF THE BUSINESS. WE WERE PLEASED WITH HUMANA. THE EMPLOYEES WERE PLEASED WITH IT, BUT THEY STOPPED PROVIDING GROUP INSURANCE. SO THAT IS WHY WE HAD TO GO OUT LAST YEAR. AND AETNA WAS THE PREFERRED PREFERRED PROVIDER THIS YEAR AS THEY PRESENTED LAST MEETING, AETNA AND SOME OTHERS PROVIDED SOME QUOTES. AND JOHN IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT INFORMATION. YEAH THANKS. THANK YOU. THIS IS GOING TO REPLICATE SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE SAW LAST TIME. I'M GOING TO GO QUICKLY SO WE CAN GET TO KIND OF THE HEART OF THE MATTER. BUT I DID WANT TO REFRESH EVERYBODY ON WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. AND THIS WORK OKAY. PROBABLY. SO LET ME. YEAH. THERE WE GO. SO THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS PRESENTATION JUST REAL QUICK, ALL OF THESE ARE YOUR RENEWAL PROGRAMS. EVERYTHING IS ALREADY DONE AND COMPLETED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LAST ONE, THE MEDICAL, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT AND HOPEFULLY FINALIZE TONIGHT. CHARLES, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD. 
          THIS IS A QUICK HISTORY. AND THIS IS A NEW SLIDE WE ADDED BECAUSE THERE WERE QUESTIONS ASKED AT OUR LAST PRESENTATION REGARDING MOVEMENT BETWEEN NEW CARRIERS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE PUT TOGETHER THIS TO GIVE YOU A QUICK SNAPSHOT. WHEN ANALYTICS CAME ON BOARD WITH 
          [03:00:05]
THE CITY BACK IN 2018, WE HAD KAISER THAT WAS MOVED BECAUSE OF THE THE NATURE OF THE HMO PROGRAM WASN'T SATISFACTORY AND THE PRICING WAS GOING UP CONSIDERABLY. CIGNA BECAME THE PROVIDER FROM 2018 TO 2021. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS OF 100,000 PLUS, AND WE HELD THE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEES. HUMANA WAS BROUGHT ON AS A RESULT OF CIGNA'S NARROW NETWORK, WHICH WAS BASICALLY A COMPRESSION OF AVAILABLE DOCTORS AND PROVIDERS, AND IT WASN'T SATISFACTORY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE CITY'S EMPLOYEES. SO WE DID A MARKETING RFP ASSESSMENT. THERE WAS A COST INCREASE WITH CIGNA. AT THE TIME. HUMANA WAS THE SELECTED VENDOR. AND IF YOU RECALL, THAT WAS A, YOU KNOW, A GOOD NEWS MEETING WHERE WE HAD SAVINGS OF $1.4 MILLION. AND HUMANA, WITH THOSE SAVINGS, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO SET UP A SUBSIDY FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, FAMILY AND EMPLOYEE, PLUS SPOUSE, AS WELL AS OTHER EMPLOYEES. THE FIRST RESPONDERS WERE A PROBLEM AREA FOR RETENTION FOR THE CITY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THEIR RATES TO HELP YOU ATTRACT AND RETAIN THOSE KEY PEOPLE. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, HUMANA EXITED THE COMMERCIAL MEDICAL MARKET IN 2024, SO THEREFORE WE HAD TO GO TO MARKET AGAIN. SO AETNA WAS THE SELECTED VENDOR AT THAT TIME. THROUGH THAT RFP PROCESS, WE SAVED $377,000. THE RATES WERE HELD. AND IF YOU'VE NOTICED IN THAT EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION COLUMN, THEY'VE BEEN HELD CONSISTENTLY ALL ALONG, WHICH IS UNUSUAL. MOST CITIES WANT TO PASS A LITTLE BIT OF THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HIGHER. BUT YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. YOU HAVE A VERY FAVORABLE PLAN, AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN HELD OVER THE YEARS. 
          SO THE AETNA IS IN THE FINAL YEAR OF THEIR CONTRACT. AND WHEN WE ANNOUNCED WHEN WE PUT IN THE AETNA PLAN, WE NEGOTIATED A SECOND YEAR RENEWAL CAP. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UNDER THIS YEAR. THE EXPERIENCE DETERIORATED IN YOUR PROGRAM. AND THIS WAS A RESULT OF CLAIMS. WE'VE GOT ONE CHART WHICH I'LL SHOW YOU COMING UP. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS BECAUSE WE HAD THAT SECOND YEAR CAP, WE WERE ABLE TO PROTECT THE CITY TO A MAXIMUM OF A 14.3% INCREASE THIS YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE UNDER NOW. SO AS A RESULT, WE KNEW THE THE RENEWAL IS GOING TO BE BIG THIS COMING YEAR BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE. THAT'S WHY WE TOOK IT TO MARKET AGAIN. SO AS MUCH AS WE HATE TO MOVE CARRIERS, EVERYBODY DOES. IT IS A NECESSITY SOMETIMES. 
          AND IN THE PAST HISTORY, WE'VE HAD VERY GOOD SUCCESS ON FINANCIAL SAVINGS. SO THIS IS A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF THE LAST FEW YEARS. HUMANA. YOU CAN SEE THE CLAIMS EXPERIENCE WAS FAVORABLE. 
          SO THE LOSS RATIOS WERE TOLERABLE. AND IT CHANGED WITH AETNA. THE PRICE WENT DOWN WITH AETNA. BUT THE CLAIMS WENT WAY UP UNEXPECTEDLY HIGHER THAN WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE. WHICH AGAIN IS A REFLECTION, UNFORTUNATELY OF AN AGING WORKFORCE. SOME HIGH COST CLAIMS AND MEDICAL COSTS AND PHARMACY COSTS, WHICH YOU SEE IN THE HEADLINES EVERY DAY. THINGS ARE GOING THROUGH THE ROOF IN THOSE AREAS. SO THIS THE LAST LINE THERE SHOWS IN RED. AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. SO WE'RE ALREADY AT 110% LOSS RATIO FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS YEAR. THIS WAS A QUICK SNAPSHOT THAT WE SAW LAST TIME, WHERE THIS SIMPLY GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF SOME OF THE HIGH COST CLAIMS THAT ARE IN YOUR GROUP, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TYPES OF DISABLING CONDITIONS AND DISABILITIES THAT THE EMPLOYEE POPULATION HAS AS WELL AS DEPENDENTS. AND SOME OF THESE, AGAIN, COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THINGS RELATED TO A NEWBORN INFANT, OTHER TYPE OF DEPENDENT ILLNESSES AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES. BUT THERE'S A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF YOUR COST DRIVERS ON A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKFORCE POPULATION. THAT'S NOT UNTYPICAL WITH MUNICIPAL GROUPS. AGAIN, YOUR YOUR, YOUR WORKFORCE AGE TENDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OLDER. AND THERE'S THERE'S THE NATURE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR GROUPS IN GENERAL. SO THE RFP RESULTS GO AHEAD, CHARLES. WE TOOK IT TO MARKET. 
          WE REVIEWED THE FOUR MAJOR CARRIERS. THERE'S REALLY ONLY FOUR IN THE MARKET, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE KAISER AS AN HMO PRODUCT. WE LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT TWO POINTS. AND WE 
          [03:05:03]
TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME. SO WE WON'T GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT WE LOOK AT THE ACCESS. DO YOUR DOES YOUR WORKFORCE HAVE ACCESS TO THE SPECIALISTS THEY NEED AND WILL CHANGE CAUSE DISRUPTION? ARE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING USED. WE LOOK AT THE CLAIMS DATA FOR THE CURRENT PROVIDER AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO MAJOR DISRUPTION IN THE DOCTORS THAT ARE BEING USED. 
          SO ALL OF THESE CARRIERS, ALL FOUR OF THEM, HAVE VERY GOOD COVERAGE ON BOTH ACCESS AND DISRUPTION. SO THEY REALLY ALL PASS THE TEST FROM A STANDPOINT OF LESS DISRUPTIVE SITUATIONS TO CHANGE A CARRIER. SO THIS IS THE FIRST ROUND OF THE BIDS. WE CALL IT BAFFLE WHICH IS BEST AND FINAL OFFER. THIS WAS BEFORE THE BAFFLE. SO THIS WAS THE INITIAL RFP. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LINE THAT'S TITLED BOTH PLANS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, THAT WAS THE RESULT. SO CURRENTLY THE TOTAL COST OF THE PLANS ARE 7.3 MILLION. THE BIDS WERE BROUGHT IN. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ALL FOUR CARRIERS WERE RELATIVELY CLOSE IN THEIR QUOTES. SO THE INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT PLAN YEAR UNDER THE AETNA, IF YOU STAY WITH AETNA, IT WAS A 38.5% INCREASE. UNDER UNITEDHEALTHCARE, IT WAS A 25% INCREASE, CIGNA 25.9% AND ANTHEM 23.9. SO AGAIN VERY CLOSE, WITH THE EXCEPTION AETNA BEING HIGHER, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUR INCUMBENT CARRIER. BUT THE LOWEST COST ON THE PRE BAFFLE WAS ANTHEM JUST BY A SMALL MARGIN. AND THEN TO STAY WITH AETNA IT WAS A CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE. WE ALSO LOOKED AT WHEN WE EVALUATE THESE OFFERS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A RATE GUARANTEE OR AT LEAST A RATE CAP IN THE SECOND YEAR. HEALTH PLANS ARE TYPICALLY ONLY GUARANTEED FOR YEAR TO YEAR, BUT WE ALWAYS TRY TO NEGOTIATE SOME TYPE OF CAP IN THAT SECOND YEAR. WE LOOK AT OTHER CRITERIA AS WELL. SO ANTHEM EXCUSE ME, AETNA DID NOT OFFER THE INCUMBENT CARRIER DID NOT OFFER A SECOND YEAR CAP. UNITEDHEALTHCARE DIDN'T CONFIRM CIGNA AND ANTHEM DID OFFER A SECOND YEAR CAP. WE LOOK AT SOME OTHER MEASUREMENTS, TOO, DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE LOOK FOR SUBSIDIES, CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE VENDORS MAKE PERTAINING TO WELLNESS FUNDS AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE OPERATION OF YOUR PLAN. SO CIGNA AND ANTHEM WERE, EXCUSE ME, CIGNA AND SORRY, CIGNA AND AETNA WERE FAVORABLE. ANTHEM ALSO HAD ONE UNITEDHEALTHCARE. AGAIN, THEY REALLY DID NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT DETAILS IN THEIR PROPOSAL. SO THIS IS THE RESULTS OF THE BEST AND FINAL OFFER. THE CARRIERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EXCUSE ME, AETNA DID LOWER THEIR COST A LITTLE BIT, AS DID CIGNA. ANTHEM DID NOT CHANGE THEIR COST, BUT THEY OFFERED AA1 TIME PREMIUM CREDIT OF 150,000, KIND OF A KIND OF A PREMIUM HOLIDAY, BUT IT'S A ONE TIME EVENT. THE SECOND YEAR RATES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE THERE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM. AETNA DID NOT OFFER THE SECOND YEAR GUARANTEE. AS I MENTIONED, ANTHEM AND CIGNA DID. AND THEN THE ALLOWANCES DOWN AT THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE ALL THREE COMPANIES DID HAVE, EXCUSE ME, REASONABLE ALLOWANCES. THE RESULTS OF THE BAFO THE BEST AND FINAL OFFER. AND I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP RIGHT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLUE BOX. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE ENDING UP. SO AETNA TO STAY WITH THEM. 
          IT WAS A IT WOULD BE A 36% INCREASE. CIGNA 23.4. ANTHEM 21.9. NOW THE 21.9 FACTORS IN THAT ONE TIME PREMIUM HOLIDAY WHICH GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF AN ADVANTAGE. BUT AGAIN, IT'S ONLY A ONE TIME EVENT. SO THAT DOESN'T COVER THE YEAR TWO. THIS IS THE PAGE THAT REALLY JUST SPEAKS TO THE SECOND YEAR GUARANTEE. OR I SHOULD SAY CAP. AND JUST GOING DOWN TO THE BOTTOM LINE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN RED THAT SAY NO, MAX, THAT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THE TWO BEST PROPOSALS, KIND OF THE FINALISTS WERE THE CIGNA AND ANTHEM. BUT WHERE YOU SEE THE NO MAX IN RED, THAT MEANS THAT OVER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, IF THE CITY'S LOSS RATIO 
          [03:10:03]
EXCEEDS 95%, THERE IS NO CAP ON THE SECOND YEAR RENEWAL. THAT'S A DANGER SIGN. THAT'S WHY WE PUT IT IN RED. CIGNA AT LEAST GIVES YOU A CAP OVER 95% ON THE LOSS RATIO. AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS EXPERIENCE OF THIS YEAR, IT'S ALREADY AT 111%. SO YOU CAN SEE IF THAT WAS THE ASSESSMENT ON YEAR TWO AND IT WAS 111%, YOU WOULD HAVE NO FINANCIAL LIABILITY CAP ON THAT RENEWAL INCREASE. SO WE'RE GETTING TO THE BOTTOM LINES NOW AND KIND OF THE DETAILS. BUT EXCUSE ME, WHAT IS CIRCLED REPRESENTS WHAT THE INCREASE WILL BE FROM A COST STANDPOINT TO THE CITY. IF YOU STAY WITH AETNA. AND THIS IS ASSUMING NO CHANGE TO EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS. SO I WANT TO CALL THAT OUT UP AT THE TOP. 
          THIS JUST ASSUMES FOR THIS ILLUSTRATION THAT THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE KEPT THE SAME. 
          IF YOU STAY WITH AETNA IT'S A 2.5 MILLION INCREASE IN THE BUDGET TO CIGNA. IT'S 1.6 AND ANTHEM IT'S 1.7. THAT'S TAKING OUT THAT ONE TIME $150,000 HOLIDAY. SO AND THERE'S A SUMMARY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM WHICH MENTIONS THAT SECOND YEAR, THE SECOND BULLET IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE THAT AGAIN THE UNCAPPED FINANCIAL LIABILITY STAYING WITH AETNA. THESE CHARTS WERE ADDED. WE WERE REQUESTED TO ADD COLUMNS THAT SHOWED WHAT IS THE IMPACT TO THE PARTICIPANTS. SO JUST TO KIND OF LEVEL SET THIS UP AT THE TOP. WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO SEE THREE DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES WHICH ARE IN THE THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION. BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY BECAUSE WE'VE ADDED COLUMNS THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE COST IMPACT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT UP AT THE TOP UNDER THE 2025 COLUMN, YOU HAD TWO DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTION LEVELS FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND FIRST RESPONDERS. THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS ARE THE SAME. THE EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE YOU CAN SEE UNDER FIRST RESPONDERS THEY HAD A SUBSIDY. SO THIS IS THE LAST YEAR THAT THE SUBSIDIES IN PLACE. IT'S GONE THROUGH. AND IT'S IT'S BASICALLY USED UP THE FUNDS. AND THE FAMILY WAS ALSO SUBSIDIZED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          SO IN 2026, THE MIDDLE COLUMN IN PINK REPRESENTS THERE'S NO LONGER A DIFFERENT CONTRIBUTION LEVEL. EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME BASIC COST. SO THE FIRST RESPONDERS LOSE THAT SUBSIDY THAT THEY'VE BEEN USED TO. THE NEXT TWO COLUMNS OVER ON THE RIGHT ARE THE IMPACT. SO WE'RE SPLITTING THEM UP. SO YOU CAN SEE THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST RESPONDERS. SO UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SUBSIDIES ARE PUT IN PLACE. IF THEY EXPIRE THEN THEY GO BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE. AND EVERYBODY'S NOW AT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. BUT THE ONES THAT HAD THE DISCOUNT OR THE SUBSIDY ARE GOING TO TAKE THE BIGGER HIT ON THE INCREASE. SO YOU HAVE TWO MEDICAL PLANS IN THAT BOX IS SIMPLY BROKEN BETWEEN THE 80% LOW PLAN OPTION AND THE 85% HIGH PLAN OPTION. BUT THAT SHOWS YOU THE IMPACT. 
          DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. UNDER THIS OPTION. ONE. THIS IS SHARING. THESE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SPLIT EQUALLY BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY. IT'S NOT THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT. IT'S JUST THE SAME CONTRIBUTION PERCENTAGE THAT GETS SPLIT. AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? YES OKAY. SO DOWN AT THE BOTTOM YOU CAN SEE AETNA CIGNA AND ANTHEM. AND WITH OPTION ALTERNATIVE ONE THE COST TO THE CITY. NET COST TO THE CITY. CHANGING THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO WHAT'S REFLECTED HERE WOULD BE 1.4 MILLION. OPTION TWO INCREASES THE CONTRIBUTION BY THE EMPLOYEE. SO NOW YOU'RE PASSING A LITTLE MORE COST ONTO THE EMPLOYEE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. 
          THAT LOWERS THE SIGNAL. EXCUSE ME. THAT LOWERS EAST POINT'S NET COST TO 1.2. SO YOU'RE ACTUALLY SAVING A LITTLE MONEY. THE EMPLOYEES ARE CONTRIBUTING A LITTLE MORE, GETTING IN LINE WITH WHAT THE INDUSTRY NORMS ARE. THE THIRD OPTION AND THERE IS A SUMMARY PAGE COMING UP. SO 
          [03:15:01]
IT'LL SHOW ALL THESE TOGETHER. THE THIRD OPTION IS A PROPORTIONAL LEVELING OF CONTRIBUTIONS ACCORDING TO MARKET NORMS. SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT A DIRECT DISCOUNT AT THE SAME PERCENTAGE TO EACH GROUP. SO IN OTHER WORDS EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE AND FAMILY WILL BE A LITTLE BIT DISPROPORTIONAL THAN THE PRIOR TWO. BUT THIS IS MORE IN LINE WITH INDUSTRY NORMS BASED ON BENCHMARKING STUDIES AND OTHER DATA THAT WE LOOK AT. FOR SOME OF YOUR PEER MUNICIPALITY GROUPS. BUT YOU CAN SEE THIS COST AGAIN A LITTLE BIT HIGHER TO THE EMPLOYEES, BUT IT LOWERS EAST POINT'S NET COST TO 1,887,000. SO THIS PAGE IS A SUMMARY OF ALL THREE THAT WE JUST LOOKED AT. SO IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER. ALTERNATE ONE TWO AND THREE. AND YOU NOTICE OFF ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE NET ANNUAL COST SAVINGS TO THE CITY 1.4 MILLION UP TOP 1.2 MILLION 1.1. THE AGAIN THE COLUMN THAT'S ON THE RIGHT IN GREEN, THE TWO COLUMNS ON THE RIGHT FULL TIME AND FIRST RESPONDERS. THAT'S WHAT THE MONTHLY PREMIUM INCREASE WOULD BE TO THOSE GROUPS. WITH EACH OF THOSE ALTERNATE ALTERNATE OPTIONS, THERE'S A BOX UP AT THE TOP RIGHT THAT SHOWS YOU THE NUMBER OF FIRST RESPONDERS. NOW KEEP IN MIND THIS ALL THESE SUBSIDIES ONLY APPLY TO THE EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE AND FAMILY. SO YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND SOME OTHERS THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THIS. SO AGAIN THAT'S A SUMMARY FOR THAT PAGE. THIS IS JUST THE FINAL SUMMARY WHERE THE DECISIONS FOR THE COUNCIL WOULD BE. WHICH CARRIER AND THEN WHICH CONTRIBUTION OPTION SHARE. NUMBER TWO WHICH IS NO INCREASE. 
          KEEP EVERYTHING STATUS QUO THE WAY IT IS. EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION STAYS THE SAME. 
          ALTERNATIVE ONE SHARES AN EQUAL INCREASE WITH THE EMPLOYEES ALTERNATE TWO TARGETS A 16% INCREASE WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. RIGHT NOW EMPLOYEES PAY ABOUT 13%. SO YOU CAN KIND OF BALLPARK THAT. IT VARIES A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE THE COMPOSITE AVERAGE. SO YOU'D BE GOING FROM A 13% SHARE TO 16%. AND THEN ALTERNATIVE THREE IS THAT MARKET ALIGNMENT, WHICH AGAIN IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN JUST A FLAT PERCENTAGE. SO THAT IS A QUICK SUMMARY A LOT OF INFORMATION I KNOW IT'S KIND OF OVERWHELMING AT 930 AT NIGHT, BUT WE'RE KIND OF STUCK BECAUSE WE'VE GOT OPEN ENROLLMENT COMING UP AT THE END OF OCTOBER. SO SOME DECISIONS WILL NEED TO GET REACHED VERY SOON. THE THE GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WITH ALL THREE ON THEM. 
          THOSE ARE THE AMOUNTS PER MONTH. THOSE ARE MONTHLY AMOUNTS. SO EVERY THAT'S DIVIDED BY TWO ESSENTIALLY IF IT'S EVERY TWO WEEKS CORRECT. OKAY. CUZ I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS PER PAY PERIOD. AND THEN WHERE'S THE COST TO THE CITY IF THERE'S NO INCREASE THAT'S NOT ON THIS. 
          YES, IT WOULD BE OVER ON THE FAR RIGHT IF YOU'RE. I'M SORRY, WHICH I THINK YOU SAID THE COST OF THE CITY. SO ALTERNATIVE ONE, IT WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THE FOR THE RENEWAL COST OF 1.4 MILLION. SO ON THE LAST PAGE YOU HAVE FOUR OPTIONS. YOU HAD A NO INCREASE AND THEN YOU HAD ALTERNATIVES ONE ALTERNATIVE TWO. AND I'LL KEEP GOING. KEEP GOING. LAST PAGE CHARLES. THE FINAL FINAL. THE VERY LAST PAGE. THE LAST PAGE. YEAH. DON'T GO TOO FAR. ONE MORE. THERE WE GO. 
          SAYS NO INCREASE. ALTERNATIVE ONE, ALTERNATIVE TWO AND ALTERNATIVE THREE. RIGHT. SO NO INCREASE IS KEEPING THE CONTRIBUTION LEVEL THE SAME. RIGHT. SO IF THE CONTRIBUTION LEVEL OR PERCENTAGE IS THE SAME WHAT IS THAT COST TO THE CITY. TO THE SHAREHOLDER. RIGHT THERE IT WOULD BE 1.6. SO YOU ALL ARE RECOMMENDING CIGNA. WE WOULD RECOMMEND CIGNA FROM THE NUMBERS IN THE SECOND YEAR RATE GUARANTEE. AND DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON WHICH OPTION THE NO INCREASE OR ALTERNATIVES ONE 2 OR 3. WELL THE YOU DON'T HAVE TO I MEAN WE'LL ULTIMATELY MAKE THE DECISION. BUT IF YOU THINK THAT ONE WE SHOULD CONSIDER ONE MORE THAN THE 
          [03:20:01]
OTHER. THE CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY FAVORABLE WHEN WE LOOK AT BENCHMARK STUDIES AND SUCH. YOU FUND A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN MOST CITIES. NOW. THERE'S FACTORS THAT GO INTO PLAN DESIGN AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THAT. BUT OVERALL, YOU'RE VERY GOOD TO THE EMPLOYEES. THE ONE THING THAT'S SPOILED THEM A LITTLE BIT IS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE INCREASES YEAR TO YEAR TO KIND OF TICK UP WITH THAT, THEY GET USED TO IT. SO UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU ADD THE SUBSIDY, YOU'RE FURTHER DROPPED IT DOWN. SO NOW WE HAVE A DIFFICULT YEAR FROM AN EXPERIENCE WHICH EVERYONE HEARS ABOUT IN THE HEADLINES. BUT THE QUESTION TO THE CITY IS. HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT TO RAISE IT UP? OR DO YOU WANT TO KEEP IT AT THAT SAME LEVEL? NOW THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS TOO. THE ALTERNATE ONE, TWO AND THREE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, IN CONCRETE. 
          IF YOU SAID, COULD WE MEET IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THAT TOO. HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT BECAUSE OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS. COULD YOU GO TO THE ONE WITH ALTERNATE ALTERNATIVES ONE, TWO AND THREE ON THE PAGE? BECAUSE NO INCREASES 1.68 1.7 MILLION OKAY. AND THEN IT GOES DOWN FROM THERE. SO I'VE BEEN ASKING QUESTIONS BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE'S LIGHT IS ON. WE THEY WANT WE HAVE TO MAKE TWO DECISIONS. ONE IS WHICH CARRIER WE WILL USE AND THEN TWO WHICH FUNDING OPTION WE WILL USE. THE OUR BROKERS ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE GO TO CIGNA BECAUSE OF THE COST SAVINGS AND THE MAX THE CAP. CORRECT. MOVING FORWARD. 
          CAP ON YEAR TWO, CAP ON YEAR TWO. AND AS IT RELATES TO THE FUNDING OPTIONS, THEY'RE LEAVING THAT UP TO US. AND WHEN THEY SAY GENERALLY WE HAVE BEEN VERY. GIVING OR WE'VE COVERED QUITE A BIT, TO ME THAT MEANS THAT IS REFERRING TO THE NO INCREASE OPTION, RIGHT. LIKE IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE THE PATTERN THAT WE HAVE OF BEEN VERY GENEROUS TO OUR EMPLOYEES AS IT RELATES TO HEALTH INSURANCE, THAT WOULD BE THE NO INCREASE OPTION, WHICH IS 11.686, CORRECT, 85%. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER COMBS AND COUNCILMEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO WITH THE I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE THE FIRST RESPONDER CONTRIBUTION THAT WILL BE ON HERE. I KNOW YOU SAID IT AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE OFFERING THE THE THE SUBSIDY. YES. CORRECT. HAD THIS RATE AT I'M LOOKING AT THE BROAD IF FOR FAMILY AT ONE 7459 280 AND THE 231. BUT IF YOU DIDN'T OFFER THAT AND YOU PUT EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD, I MEAN, BECAUSE I'M, I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT'S THE I UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE FIRST RESPONDER. WHAT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT A REGULAR SOMEBODY IN WATER AND SEWER WOULD GET VERSUS THE MIDDLE COLUMN SHOWS WHAT THE 2026 CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NO LONGER SPLIT BETWEEN FULL TIME OR FIRST RESPONDERS. EVERYBODY PAYS THAT SAME PREMIUM. AND THEN THE TWO COLUMNS AT THE RIGHT SHOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ON A MONTHLY BASIS. HOW THAT'S IMPACTING EMPLOYEES FROM WHERE THEY ARE NOW TO WHERE THEY'LL BE IN 2026. SO IF YOU GO WITH ALTERNATE ONE, THAT EMPLOYEE LET'S THE THE THE FAMILY RATE OF $612 UNDER THE 80% PLAN. OKAY. YEAH. THE EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY IF IT'S A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE. THEY'RE CURRENTLY PAYING $495.98 FOR A FAMILY, RIGHT? IF IT'S A FIRST RESPONDER FOR 70 IN 2026, THEY'LL BE PAYING $612. THOSE TWO COLUMNS ON THE RIGHT SHOW THE COST INCREASE BETWEEN THAT, THOSE NUMBERS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S JUST TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT THAT BUMP UP WILL BE TO THOSE EMPLOYEES ON A MONTHLY BASIS. SO IT'S LARGER FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY'LL NO LONGER BE GETTING THE SUBSIDY. 
          SO THEY'LL BE TAKING THAT IMPACT. THIS THIS 2026 OKAY. AND I THINK WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT IS JUST ALL EMPLOYEES PERIOD PAYING AS OPPOSED TO A FULL TIME AND A FIRST RESPONDER. 
          EVERYBODY'S IN THE SAME BUCKET. THEY'RE ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE RATES WOULD STILL BE WHY YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT RATES ON THERE. IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT IF EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE THE SAME, WELL THAT'S SHOWING THE INCREASE. YEAH. 
          AGAIN KEEP IT TO THE RIGHT IS NOT THE RATES. IT'S SHOWING NOW THAT EVERYBODY GOING TO PAY THE SAME THING. SO NOW EVERYBODY WOULD GO TO THE 612. IF WE LOOK AT THE FAMILY THE MIDDLE COLUMN. 
          [03:25:04]
AND THAT WOULD BE FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THAT'S GOING TO BE $116 MORE THAN WHAT THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY PAYING. OKAY. AND FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, IT'LL BE $141 MORE OKAY. THANK YOU. BUT EVERYBODY WILL BE PAYING. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE PAYING OKAY. THANK YOU. NOW AGAIN THE OPTION TWO. THAT'S EXCUSE ME. THE OPTION THAT'S NOT SHOWN IS JUST KEEPING IT WHERE IT IS KNOWING NO CHANGE IN CONTRIBUTION. BUT THAT'S THE HIGHER COST TO THE CITY THAT NO INCREASE IN INCLUDE THE SUBSIDY. NO. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. IN WHAT WHAT INSURANCE DO THEY CURRENTLY HAVE AT THIS TIME? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION. THEY HAVE AETNA I'M SORRY. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKED. YES. SO YOU'RE SWITCHING FROM AETNA. SO AND AND FOR SOME REASON I THOUGHT THAT WHEN WE WHEN YOU CAME BEFORE THEY WANTED TO STAY WHO THEY WERE. AND MAYBE THAT WAS THE RETIREES. THOSE RETIREES THAT YES I'M SORRY THAT WAS THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE. RETIREES OKAY. SO WE MADE DECISIONS ON THAT ONE OKAY. 
          AND THIS ONE YOU WANT TO GO WITH CIGNA. WELL WE'RE RECOMMENDING IT OKAY. IS IT. 
          AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THE AETNA WOULD COST THE CITY AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS PLUS TO STAY WITH THEM. OKAY. ARE THE BENEFITS THE SAME. YES. CIGNA. YES. SO NOTHING CHANGES FOR AS THE NO TAKEAWAYS. THE ONLY MINOR DIFFERENCE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE BETWEEN CARRIERS COULD BE SOMEWHERE IN THE PHARMACY PROGRAMS WHICH ARE NEGLIGIBLE DIFFERENCES FOR THE MOST PART. BUT ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS, THE FEATURES, THEY'RE ALL WE MADE SURE EVERYTHING'S EVERYBODY'S QUOTED THE SAME. OKAY. NOW LET ME ASK YOU THIS. IS IT ANY WAY THAT LIKE FOR EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE. HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES OR TAKE MEDICINE, IS IT ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN LOOK TO SEE IF THERE BE A DIFFERENCE OR INCREASE IN THEIR MEDICINE? IN THE PHARMACY COSTS, PHARMACY COSTS? YEAH. SO. TYPICALLY WHEN THERE'S A A CHANGE IN CARRIER, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTACT THE CARRIER. ONCE IT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED AS TO WHO THE NEW CARRIER IS TO LOOK AT, NOT ONLY YOUR PROVIDERS, WHO'S IN THE NEW NETWORK, ALSO LOOKING AT THE FORMULARIES OF THE NEW CARRIER AS WELL, MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS WILL BE COVERED UNDER THAT PARTICULAR CARRIER. AND YOU'D ALSO FIND OUT IF, FOR INSTANCE, IT'S NOT ON YOUR YOUR PRESCRIPTION IS NOT ON THE FORMULARY. WHAT? PARTICULAR PRESCRIPTION WOULD REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY, THEY TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S THERAPEUTICALLY EQUIVALENT ON THEIR FORMULARY. SO YOU, YOU KNOW, THE THE EMPLOYEES WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IF YOU GO TO CIGNA, THEY'D HAVE TO CONTACT CIGNA TO TO VERIFY, YOU KNOW, THOSE SITUATIONS OKAY. INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. COUNCILMEMBER FREELAND, YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          QUICK QUESTION. SO I SEE THESE PERCENTAGES ARE SET AT 80 AND 85%. IS THERE ANY WAY I MEAN I'M JUST CURIOUS ARE THOSE SET IN STONE. BECAUSE COULD WE JUST YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE COULD BE LIKE 82.5% OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR THESE PERCENTAGES ARE SET IN STONE. WELL, THOSE ARE THE THAT'S YOUR CURRENT PLAN DESIGN. OKAY. SO EVERYTHING THAT WE QUOTED INCLUDES YOUR CURRENT PLAN DESIGN. IF WE WERE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE PLANS, YES, IT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD CHANGE THE CO-INSURANCE FROM 80 OR 85 TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, LIKE IN THE MIDDLE SOMEWHERE. THAT'S I WAS JUST CURIOUS. EITHER IN THE MIDDLE, WE COULD RAISE THEM. WE CAN LOWER THEM. RIGHT NOW, AT 80 AND 85, THEY'VE BEEN IN PLACE AT THAT LEVEL FROM THE TIME WE'VE WE'VE STARTED WORKING WITH YOU. WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THE PLAN DESIGN. UNDERSTOOD. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. JUST QUESTION. SO ALTERNATIVE TO YOU SAID THAT THAT WHILE IT IS ABOUT A 3% INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION IS CORRECT FROM ABOUT 13% TO 16. WELL IT'S WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TARGET FOR ALTERNATIVE TWO, THERE'S WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY PAY AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL COST. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, YOUR TOTAL EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION FOR ALTERNATIVE TWO, IT'S CURRENTLY YOU'RE PAYING YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE PAYING 13% OF THE OVERALL COST, AND THE CITY IS PAYING 87% OF THE COST. SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS MOVING THE EMPLOYEES 
          [03:30:05]
FROM 13% OF THE OVERALL COST TO 16% OF THE OVERALL COST. SO YOU'RE THEY'RE PAYING AN ADDITIONAL 3% OF THE OVERALL COST. BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S A 3% INCREASE TO THE PREMIUM ITSELF. IT'S BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED BASED ON THE VARIOUS TIERS. RIGHT? RIGHT. SORRY, I'D PROBABLY ASK THE QUESTION IMPROPERLY. AND YOU SAID THAT THAT IS STILL, BY MARKET STANDARDS, A FAIRLY GENEROUS APPROACH. YES. IN THAT CASE, YOU'D BE LOOKING AT AN 8416. A LOT OF EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING AT LIKE 80, YOU KNOW, 85, 15 OR SOME EVEN 80, 20. SO IT'S STILL GOING TO BE VERY COMPETITIVE IN THE MARKET. AND IT KIND OF STARTS TO MOVE YOU IN LINE WITH WITH OTHERS IN THE MARKET. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMEMBER. THANK YOU. WHAT ABOUT IN NETWORK AND OUT OF NETWORK? WILL THEY BE ABLE TO LOOK TO SEE IF THEIR DOCTORS ARE IN NETWORK BEFORE THEY MAKE A DECISION? YES, THEY YES THEY WILL. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THEY COULD CONTACT. WELL ACTUALLY YOU NEED TO CONTACT THE CARRIER. YOU COULD GO ONLINE AT CIGNA AND YOU LOOK FOR THE PLAN THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE GOING TO BE OFFERED OFFERING TO THE EMPLOYEES, THE NETWORK. AND THEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEIR, THEIR DOCTORS ARE IN THAT. SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS. WHAT PLAN DO YOU SUGGEST THAT THE CITY. OFFER TO THE EMPLOYEES? AND HE MOVED IT OFF. YEAH. WE I WANTED TO I'M SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THIS PAGE DOES SHOW THE DISRUPTION. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, UNDER CIGNA, 99% OF THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE BEING USED ARE IN THE CIGNA NETWORK. OKAY, OKAY. AND THE PLAN THAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT THE CITY TAKE, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE PLAN, THE CONTRIBUTION. YEAH. GO AHEAD. IT'S WE'RE SUGGESTING OR RECOMMENDING CIGNA AS THE PROVIDER. IS IT. SO NOW YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION LEVEL. YES. IS IT ATL ONE ATL RIGHT. BUT THAT'S REALLY THAT'S THAT'S A KIND OF A BUDGET QUESTION. AND THEN MAYBE PHILOSOPHICAL AS TO HOW FAR YOU WANT TO INCREASE. OR DO YOU WANT TO INCREASE THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS IN 2026. YEAH. WE ASK YOU THIS QUESTION. IF WE KEPT THE FIRST RESPONDER SUBSIDY WITH THE NO INCREASE, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT COST? YES. YEAH. THE FIRST RESPONDER SUBSIDY, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS WORTH $115,000 MORE. ALL OTHERS ARE THE FAMILY. WE YES, THE FAMILY FOR THE OTHER EMPLOYEES. SO IT WOULD BE 1,686,000 AND WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS, PLUS 115 FIVE PLUS 68, 400 TO KEEP WHAT WE HAVE NOW. CORRECT. COULD YOU GO BACK ONE MORE TIME TO THE NO INCREASE IF I GET THE ACTUAL NUMBER 100%. YEAH, I MEAN THAT THAT'S A POSSIBILITY TOO. BUT WE'D HAVE TO REWORK THE NUMBERS THOUGH. I'M SORRY. GO BACK TO WHERE THE ONE THE NO INCREASE COST ONCE 1,686,003 20. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. YES. THANK YOU. IS IT. 
          DO WE HAVE THE NUMBER FOR IF WE KEPT THE FIRST RESPONDERS SUBSIDY BUT THEN CALCULATED THE SAME INCREASE, PERCENTAGE INCREASE THAT WE GIVE TO THE REMAINDER OF THE STAFF? DO WE HAVE THAT NUMBER? IT'S I THINK YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT OVER ON THE RIGHT VALUE OF THE SUBSIDY. SO FIRST RESPONDERS 115, ALL OTHERS 68 AND ALL OTHERS BEING FAMILY AND SPOUSE SUBSIDIES THAT WERE INCLUDED. SO THOSE TWO TOGETHER WOULD BE THE VALUE OF THAT SUBSIDY. BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHERE WE HAVE THE COLUMN. IT SHOWS WHERE THE STAFF, WHAT THEY WOULD PAY OR THEIR PERCENTAGE INCREASE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONLY NUMBER THAT I'M SEEING IS THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE. WITHOUT THE SUBSIDY FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS, DO WE HAVE THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IF WE KEPT THE SAME SUBSIDY, HOWEVER, GAVE THEM A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THEIR 
          [03:35:01]
PAYMENT? THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING. WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS? YES. WE DON'T HAVE THAT ILLUSTRATION. I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION WAS THE SUBSIDY WOULD BE ENDING. WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. YES. THANK YOU. 
          MY QUESTION IS FOR CITY MANAGER, MR. JONES. WHAT WHAT DO WE HAVE BUDGETED RIGHT NOW? WHAT WHAT IS IT THAT WE'VE ALREADY BUDGETED IN THIS FISCAL YEAR? SO ALL THESE OPTIONS ARE BEYOND OUR OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT. OKAY. SOME OF THEM ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS I GOT IT. YEAH OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. SO GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE SUBSIDY. SO 115 FIVE AND 68 FOUR IS 183 NINE 183,900. RIGHT. SO WOULD THAT BE ADDED ON TO EACH OF THESE OPTIONS IF WE KEPT THE SUBSIDY. IF YOU KEPT THE SUBSIDY YOU WOULD ADD THE. YEAH, THE ONE 8183 TO THE BOTTOM LINE NUMBER HERE. OKAY. SO THAT IS AN OPTION OF YES, MOVING FORWARD WITH ONE OF THE OTHERS AND KEEPING THE SUBSIDY, THE ONE THAT'S NOT ON THE IF YOU GO TO THE ONE WITH ALL THREE, I'M SORRY, THE ONE, THE ONE WITH ALL THREE OPTIONS. ALTERNATIVES. YES. THE ONE THAT KEEPS EVERYTHING THE SAME AS IT IS TODAY WOULD BE 1,870,000 AND $220, BASED ON THE 183 NINE FOR THE SUBSIDY AND THE 1,000,006 86 320. SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE AN OPTION FOR ON ON THIS PAGE. 
          THAT'S A THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THESE THREE ALTERNATIVES. YES. CORRECT. THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE LIKE UP UP AT THE TOP STATUS QUO. SO NO CHANGE RIGHT. SO THERE'S $1,686,320 PLUS $183,900 FOR THE SUBSIDIES TO KEEP THOSE IN PLACE. RIGHT? YOU ADD THE SUBSIDIES TO THAT AMOUNT? NO. OR THE SUBSIDIES ALREADY INCLUDED THIS ONE. THIS ONE INCLUDES THE SUBSIDY. 
          THAT'S WHAT I ASKED INITIALLY. SORRY. SOME EXTRA MATH. SO THIS ONE INCLUDES THE SUBSIDY AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGES IN WHAT THE EMPLOYEES AND WHAT THE EMPLOYEES PAY. THIS WOULD BE THE THE CITY'S ADDITIONAL COST WOULD BE THE 11. 6 OR 1.686, WHICH INCLUDES ASSESSMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE SUBSIDY. THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE HAVE FOUR OPTIONS. WE HAVE THIS ONE THAT INCLUDES THE SUBSIDY. AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE THAT PAGE, YOU ADD $183,900 TO EACH OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES TO KEEP THE SUBSIDY. CORRECT. SO WHAT ARE YOU ASKING? MR. ATKINS? YOU'RE LOOKING LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION. NO, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS FOLLOWING WHERE MADAM MAYOR WAS GOING. OH, OKAY. 
          EXCUSE ME. THAT. ARE YOU TRACKING? WHAT I WAS JUST SAYING? YEAH. I'M. I'M. I'M FOLLOWING YOU. OKAY, MY QUESTION IS THIS AS IT RELATES TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. SO WHAT IS MARKET AND WHAT KIND OF SUBSIDIES, IF ANY, ARE THEY OFFERING THEIR FIRST RESPONDERS? WITH? WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE WORK WITH, THEY'RE CURRENTLY NOT OFFERING SUBSIDIES TO THE FIRST RESPONDER. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DID WHEN WE MOVED TO HUMANA. AND THERE WAS A A LARGE DISCOUNT THAT HUMANA WAS GIVING US. AND SO RATHER THAN THE CITY JUST TAKE THOSE FUNDS, IT WAS DECIDED TO SPREAD THOSE FUNDS OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES. AND IN PARTICULAR, THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL AS THOSE WITH FAMILIES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT WAS ALSO AT A TIME THAT YOU WERE HAVING RETENTION ISSUES WITH GETTING THE THE FIREFIGHTER GROUP, POLICE, POLICE AND FIRE. OKAY. AND TO REVERSE THAT, WE MAY HAVE ATTRITION ISSUES. SO WE'RE A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, RIGHT? OKAY. YEAH. THAT WAS REALLY SORT OF INITIALLY MY QUESTION. I'M STILL JUST TRYING TO PROCESS AND ANALYZE ALL OF THE OPTIONS. I MEAN, AS THE CITY MANAGER STATED, ALL OF THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT OUR OUR BUDGET CURRENTLY WE'VE CURRENTLY BUDGETED FOR OR CAN HOLD. AND I ALSO FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE APPROVED A PAYING CLASS STUDY. SO WHILE 
          [03:40:03]
THEY'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE A BACKHAND AND SAY YES. AND SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT AWAY FROM YOU. RIGHT? SO I TRY TO WEIGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND BUT I DID WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MARKET AND THE SUBSIDIES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. AND THAT OPTION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE 1.686 TO AVOID ATTRITION AND KEEP EVERYTHING STATUS QUO. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. QUESTION. SO THE SUBSIDIES ARE FOR THE FIRST FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. CORRECT. THEY'RE CONSIDERED FIRST RESPONDERS. YES, MA'AM. AND. SO I'M LOOKING AT IT. SO. KEEP IN MIND THAT WAS JUST FOR FAMILY AND EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE. OH YEAH. SO RIGHT HERE IN EMPLOYEE IMPACT MONTHLY. SO ATL1 IS I'M TRYING TO SEE WHICH ONE REMAINS THE SAME. THAT ONE. YES. SO IF WE SELECT THIS ONE IT REMAINS THE SAME. IF WE SELECT THIS ONE. WHAT. NO CHANGE OKAY. WHAT EMPLOYEE. THE AMOUNT THAT EMPLOYEES PAY DOES NOT CHANGE. AND THE FIRST RESPONDER AND FAMILY AND EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE SUBSIDY STAY RIGHT. THAT'S CORRECT. SO IT WOULD BE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE OKAY. IF WE WANT. 
          AND IT WOULD INCREASE BY THIS AMOUNT ON THE CITY. OKAY. SO SO THEN THAT BRINGS ME TO THIS QUESTION. IF WE WERE TO SELECT THIS PLAN, WHERE WOULD THE FUNDING COME FROM? MR. JONES. 
          YES. SO ANYTIME THAT WE HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF OUR BUDGET, WE USUALLY HAVE TO FALL ON OUR RESERVES. COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER AND COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS, THANK YOU. I. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I THINK IT'S A DRAMATIC INCREASE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO BE HIT WITH SUCH A DRAMATIC CHANGE AND SHIFTING IN THEIR PAYMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A HYBRID OF ALTERNATIVE TWO WITH THE SUBSIDY STILL IN PLACE, OR WHERE THERE IS A PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE. WHEN I LOOK AT WHEN YOU HAVE A SINGLE EMPLOYEE, THE INCREASE IS ONLY 26.90, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE OF $67 IS. BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHEN YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE OR A FAMILY, AN INCREASE BY $223 SEEMS A DRAMATIC INCREASE. I WOULD RATHER FOR US TO SCALE THAT IN SOME KIND OF WAY, SO IT WON'T BE SO DRAMATIC TO THE PAYMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG INCREASE COMING FROM OUR. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? RIGHT. I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE, BUT JUST GIVEN THE TIME, THAT MEANS WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO RE ONE ROUND NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU SCENARIOS THAT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN. YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE. IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT KEEPING A PART OF THE OF THE THE SUBSIDY AND NOT ALL OF IT AND DOING THAT GRADUALLY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. BUT IT WOULD MEAN HAVING TO GO BACK AND REDO THE NUMBERS. WELL, I WOULDN'T MEAN THAT WE ADD $183,900 TO THE 1.2 MILLION. YES. THAT WOULD YES, THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BASICALLY. RIGHT. THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE FULL SUBSIDY. NOW, IF YOU WERE TO SAY, CUT THE SUBSIDY IN HALF, YOU CAN KIND OF DO THE MATH QUICKLY, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, IS TO NOT TAKE AWAY THE WHOLE SUBSIDY, BUT JUST PART OF IT. THEN WE COULD DO THAT. I MEAN, WE COULD GO BACK AND DO ILLUSTRATIONS, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, YOU'D BE 
          [03:45:04]
GOING FROM ROUGHLY 200,000 OF SUBSIDY TO 100,000 BY CUTTING THE SUBSIDY IN HALF. SO THEN WE'D JUST PROPORTIONATELY ADD IT BACK TO THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS. SO I THINK THAT MIGHT ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL. THE SUBSIDY PIECE IS RELATIVELY SMALL. SO IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS IT'S NOT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE OR BREAK. THANK THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. 1.4 AT FULL SUBSIDY OR 1.3 AT HALF SUBSIDY. APPROXIMATELY. YES. AND AND IF WE COULD DO A QUICK MATH, I'M, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF INCREASE WOULD BE FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT RELATIVELY QUICKLY? WE'D HAVE TO REDO THE ILLUSTRATION AND JUST ADD SOME COLUMNS WITH THOSE PERCENTAGES. BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE YOU'RE SEEING WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS FROM A MONTHLY STANDPOINT RIGHT THERE. THAT'S IN THE IMPACT COLUMN ON THE RIGHT. THOSE TWO COLUMNS. NOW WE WOULD JUST EQUATE THAT BACK AND GET YOU A PERCENTAGE, YOU KNOW ON AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET I'M NOT IT WOULDN'T IT WOULDN'T CHANGE THE NUMBERS. IT WOULD JUST GIVE YOU KIND OF THE YEAH EXACTLY THE MINDSET. BUT AGAIN WE ARE KIND OF HELPS ME BETTER GAUGE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THIS EXORBITANT INCREASE BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IF YOU HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE, THEIR PREMIUM WAS 164, THEN IT JUMPS TO $335. SO THAT SEEMS A LOT TO ME. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE TWO. WHAT? WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WHAT'S THE DOLLAR VALUE? 115 WHAT WAS IT. WHAT'S THE. IT'S 100 AND. 25 FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND 50 AND 100. SO IF YOU. GO BACK TO NUMBER TWO. SO INSTEAD OF IT BEING 198 FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, THEIR INCREASE WOULD BE 173. NO, IT WOULD BE $73, NOT ONE $7,073. 
          I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE. 140 I'M SORRY. THAT'S FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THEIRS WOULD BE 98 AT THE FAMILY. THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT. AND 45 AT EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE BECAUSE THERE'S THIS 50 AND 100 FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. YOU TAKE 125 FROM 70. THAT IS WHAT 45 FOR EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE AND 125 FROM THIS IS ABOUT $98 INCREASE. MADAM MAYOR, I THINK I MAY HAVE THIS. I FIGURED OUT EASILY THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES INCREASES 9578 CORRECT. CAN YOU CORRECT IF YOU AND IF YOU SUBTRACT $50 FOR THAT, IF YOU PUT THE SUBSIDY BACK IN PLACE, THEIR INCREASE WOULD BE $45.78, WHOSE INCREASE WOULD BE 45 THE EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE. THE SUBSIDY FOR THAT ONE IS $50. SO IF YOU TAKE $50 FROM THAT, THEIRS WILL BE 4578. FOR FAMILY, THEIRS IS 100. IF YOU TAKE 100 FROM THAT, IT'S 98, 39 WOULD BE THEIR INCREASE. SO WHAT WOULD IT BE IF WE JUST INCREASED BOTH OF THEM? 95, 78? WOULDN'T THAT BE EQUITABLE? NO, I'M NOT FOLLOWING. SO I SO HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING. THE FOR A FAMILY AN EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE. THE INCREASE FOR FULL TIME STAFF PERSON IS 9578. BUT THE INCREASE FOR A FIRST RESPONDER IS ONE 7078. RIGHT. SO THERE'S A WHAT'S THAT 80 OR 75 INCREASE? I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID. 
          DID YOU SAY THAT $75 FOR THE FIRST. THE DIFFERENCE. SO MY, MY I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHAT IF WE JUST ACROSS THE BOARD SAID EVERYBODY'S INCREASED 9578. SO THAT MEANS THERE WOULD BE A SLIGHT SUBSIDY STILL FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE INCREASE WOULD BE THE SAME FOR FULL TIME PEOPLE AND FIRST RESPONDERS. BUT YOU ALSO GOTTA THINK ABOUT PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT EMPLOYEE LEVELS. SO FIRST RESPONDERS ARE GENERALLY AT A HIGHER I DON'T KNOW, WE CALL THEM WE DON'T DO PAY GRADES. BUT I FORGOT WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, THEY'RE AT A HIGHER STEP. STEP. SO A PERSON AT A LOWER STEP IS PAYING 95. 78 IS JUST AS A FIRST RESPONDER AT A HIGHER STEP, A MUCH HIGHER STEP IS 95, 78, WHICH IS WHY THE SUBSIDIES WERE $50 FOR EMPLOYEE 
          [03:50:04]
PLUS ONE $100 FOR FAMILY FOR FULL TIME, ON THE FULL TIME SIDE, AND ON THE FIRST RESPONDER SIDE, IT WAS 125 FOR EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE AND 125 FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO AGAIN, THE ONE OPTION IS, AS YOU MENTIONED, TO SPLIT THE SUBSIDY AND MAYBE NOT DO THE, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT AWAY COMPLETELY, BUT DO THE HALF. SO YOU'RE KEEPING THE FIRST RESPONDERS SOMEWHAT SUPPORTED. BUT THEY'VE ALSO HAD THE BENEFIT WHICH THEY'LL NEVER REMEMBER, BUT OF MUCH LOWER PREMIUM THAN EVERYBODY ELSE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. THAT'S AGAIN THE DANGER OF THE SUBSIDIES, WHICH WE KIND OF FOREWARNED WHEN THIS WAS PUT IN, THAT THEY HAVE AN EXPIRATION POINT UNLESS YOU KEEP, YOU KNOW, RE-UPPING THEM. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. I CAN'T REMEMBER NOW. I MEAN, I THINK THE COST OF THE SUBSIDIES IS AROUND $185,000, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. TO KEEP THEM AS WE HAVE IT NOW, THEN THE BIGGER SCHEME OF THINGS COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR INCREASED PREMIUMS, PERIOD. REGARDLESS OF WHICH OPTION, WE GO WITH 185,183 NINE, WHICH IS ALMOST $185,000, IS RELATIVE. SO THEY STILL WILL BE GETTING AN INCREASE, BUT THEY WOULD STILL RECEIVE A SUBSIDY. IF YOU GO WITH ONE OF THE OPTIONS ONE, 2 OR 3. BUT THEN YOU JUST DECIDE TONIGHT. SO LET'S, LET'S TAKE LET'S LET'S GET HOPEFULLY A SMALL DOSE OF SUCCESS. CAN WE AGREE TO SIGNAL OKAY, MAKING A MOTION TO EVEN DO A MOTION ON THAT PART. HOW ABOUT THAT. CAN YOU GO TO THE LAST SLIDE WHILE WE'RE STILL PONDERING THIS MOTION TO APPROVE SIGNAL AS THE GROUP MEDICAL PROVIDER, IS THAT FOR 2026, FOR 2026. SO BLESS YOU. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE SIGNAL AS A GROUP MEDICAL PROVIDER FOR 2026. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES SO WE CAN CHECK THAT OUT. NOW WE GOTTA MAKE THIS LAST DECISION. AND THE COST RANGE FROM 1.68 MILLION TO 1 MILLION, 1.1 MILLION. A PERSON IN A SIMILAR WAY, FIGURE OUT WHICH ALTERNATIVE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH AND THEN WORK WITHIN THE ALTERNATIVE SO THAT WE CAN CHIP AWAY. OKAY. SO DO WE WANT TO CAN YOU GO BACK TO. YES. THANK YOU. YOU READ MY MIND. DO WE WANT TO WHAT IS NOT ON THIS SLIDE. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S NOT ON THE SLIDE. LET'S GO TO THE PREVIOUS THE STAY THE SAME. GOTTA GO BACK. YEAH. DO WE WANT TO KEEP STATUS QUO. WHAT IS THE SENTIMENT AROUND KEEPING STATUS QUO. THE COST WOULD BE WE ALREADY SELECTED CIGNA. SO WE'RE IN THE CIGNA COLUMN WHICH WOULD BE $1,686,320. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. I WOULD PREFER TO KEEP IT AS STATUS QUO BECAUSE THEIR INCREASED, THEIR INSURANCE WOULD INCREASE, THE PREMIUM WOULD INCREASE. WELL, SO LET'S KEEP THE STATUS QUO. THE EMPLOYEES PREMIUM WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, BUT IF WE CHOSE ANYTHING ELSE, IT WOULD INCREASE. YES. SO YEAH, IF WE KEEP IT STATUS QUO THEN THEIR PREMIUMS WOULD NOT GO UP. IF WE CHOOSE ANYTHING ELSE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY. 
          SO LET ME ASK YOU. WHO HAS AN OBJECTION TO THIS ONE? BECAUSE IF IT ENDS UP BEING THREE, THEN I KNOW I MEAN FOUR, THEN I KNOW WE'RE NOT HERE. WELL, I COULD BREAK A TIE, BUT WHO HAS AN OBJECTION TO THIS ONE? BUTLER. YES, MADAM MAYOR, I DID SPEAK TO SOME PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE 
          [03:55:02]
WHO DON'T MIND A MODEST INCREASE TO SHARE THE BURDEN. BUT I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT WHERE IT'S DRAMATIC. SO WE'RE NOT ON THAT DISCUSSION YET? I'M SORRY. I'M. I'M ASKING BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO, WHICH MEANS THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT FROM A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE, WITHOUT SUBSIDIES, WHERE DO WE WANT TO START? DO WE WANT TO START AS STATUS QUO, OR DO WE WANT TO START AT AN OPTION? SO WHO HAS. INDICATED SHE WANTS STATUS QUO. SO THE STATUS QUO INCLUDES THE SUBSIDIES. YES OKAY. THERE'S 1.686 INCLUDES THE SUBSIDY. YES. YES. TO GET TO THE QUESTION THAT COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER WAS ASKING ABOUT WHETHER SUBSIDY IS INCLUDED OR NOT, THAT WOULD BE WHEN WE GET TO THE ALTERNATIVES ONE, TWO AND THREE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T INCLUDE SUBSIDIES. 
          CORRECT? SO WHO WANTS OR DOES NOT WANT THIS OPTION? COUNCIL I WAS GOING TO SAY CAN WE SEE THE OTHER BEFORE? I GUESS WE I WAS TRYING TO GO THROUGH THEM EACH AT A TIME. IF, IF WE ALL GO JUST REALLY QUICK, I WANTED TO SEE WHAT. I'M SORRY. DO YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK TO IT OR. 
          I'M JUST SAYING WHAT OTHER THAN STATUS QUO LOOK LIKE BEFORE I MADE A DECISION, I JUST WANTED TO SEE. WASN'T IT VALUE? DON'T THEY HAVE THEM ALL ON ONE SLIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THEY DO ACCEPT THE STATUS EXCEPT THE STATUS QUO. OKAY, SO I SEE THE STATUS QUO NUMBER. CAN I SEE THE OTHER ONE REAL QUICK? OKAY. PLACE 1.6 OKAY. OKAY OKAY. THANK YOU. DO YOU WANT TO STAY STATUS QUO OR YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY STATUS QUO. IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU SAY STATUS QUO. 
          OKAY. THAT'S TWO. COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCILMEMBER CUMMINGS. THANK YOU. YES. IF WE GO TO ALTERNATE THREE ALTERNATIVE TWO. I'M SORRY. AND THAT INCLUDES NO SUBSIDY. IS THAT RIGHT? OR IS THAT A PARTIAL? ALL OF THESE, THE ONE, TWO AND THE THREE ON THE ILLUSTRATION EXCLUDE THE SUBSIDIES. SO WHAT THE MAYOR WAS PRESENTING WAS TO ADD THE SUBSIDY BACK. SO THAT WOULD INCREASE YOUR DOLLAR AMOUNTS OVER ON THE RIGHT, THE 1.4, 1.2, 1.1 BY THE ROUGHLY 200,000. YEAH, BECAUSE I'M LEANING TO TWO WITH SOME SUBSIDY ADDED IN IS MODELING. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. YEAH. SO I'M TRYING TO LIKE GET US THROUGH A DECISION BY TALKING ABOUT EACH ONE, WHICH IS WHY I STARTED WITH STATUS QUO, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT'S NOT ON THIS PAGE. AND THERE ARE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANT TO REMAIN STATUS QUO. I'M ALSO A STATUS QUO SUPPORTER. SO THERE'S THREE. I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL. THANK YOU MADAM. SO BY NOW ALL THESE NUMBERS HAVE JUST KIND OF RUN TOGETHER. SO I'M JUST SO LET'S JUST TAKE THE. LET'S GO WITH THE, THE ALTERNATIVE ONE. AND SO GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON DOES THAT MEAN YOU DON'T SUPPORT STATUS QUO I DON'T I'M I'M TRYING TO TALK MY WAY THROUGH IT SO I CAN FIGURE OUT IF I WANT TO DO STATUS QUO OR NO. SO I JUST QUICK QUESTION. 
          SO IF THEY'RE PAYING, LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEE AT AND ALTERNATIVE ONE. 
          SO ONE 4959 WHAT WOULD THEY WHAT WOULD THEY BE PAYING BEFORE THAT. WHAT WHAT DID THEY PAY THEIR CONTRIBUTION. SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT WHEN I GET MY PAYCHECK AND I GO FOR MY INSURANCE UNDER CIGNA, HOW MUCH IS THIS THE 149. IT'S THE TWO COLUMNS ON THE LEFT OKAY. THE TWO. SO IF YOU'RE A FIRST RESPONDER OR IF YOU'RE NOT THE FULL TIME BUT BUT BUT THAT'S A MONTHLY NUMBER. THAT'S NOT A YES I'M SORRY I'M SORRY. THAT'S MONTHLY. SO DIVIDE THAT BY TWO DIVIDED BY TWO. SO BEFORE I &AS PAYING. SO I TAKE THE. SO IF WE DID A FIRST RESPONDER OKAY ON THE LEFT SIDE IT WOULD BE THE 495 DIVIDED BY TWO. THAT'S WHAT I EVERY TWO WEEKS CORRECT. 
          CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S FOR FAMILY. NOW IF I GO OVER HERE. SO NOW THE THE 116 IS THAT THE END. SO IF YOU TOOK THE 495 DIVIDED IT BY TWO AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL 116. THAT'LL BE ADDED ON TO THAT AS WELL 116 DIVIDED BY TWO DIVIDED BY TWO AS WELL. THAT'S CORRECT. FOR FULL TIME. AND FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD BE 141. 
          ALRIGHT. SO LET ME AND I'M SORRY JUST JUST KIND OF BEAR WITH ME. I'M, I'M, I'M ALMOST 
          [04:00:07]
TRACKING. I JUST WANT TO. SO I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEE FOR 9598. BUT I ACTUALLY I'LL BE PAYING TWO 4750 EVERY TWO WEEKS. CORRECT. RIGHT. DIVIDED BY TWO. YEAH. 
          OKAY. AND THEN 116 PLUS 247. SO NOW WE'LL GO UP TO 305 OF PAY PERIOD. IF YOU WENT WITH WITH THE WITH THIS NEW WITH THE NEW IMPACT FOR 2026. CORRECT. IS THAT 245 PLUS HALF OF 116. YES. 
          YEAH. SO NOW I'M GOING TO. OKAY. GOTCHA. YEP. ALRIGHT. OKAY I YOU YOU CAN COME BACK TO ME. 
          LET ME, LET ME OKAY. MY MATH ON THIS. SO JUST JUST FOR CLARIFICATION ALTERNATE ONE IS THE THE LOW THE LOWER OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS. ALTERNATE TWO IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER TO THE EMPLOYEES. YEAH. AS AS YOU GO DOWN THE ALTERNATE ALTERNATES, THE AMOUNT THAT EMPLOYEES PAY INCREASE. SO THEY PAY THE LEAST WITH NO INCREASE. THEN ALTERNATE ONE THEN ALTERNATE TWO, THEN ALTERNATE THREE. THEY PLAY THE MOST. 
          ANYBODY ELSE ON STATUS QUO RIGHT NOW AT THREE. ALTERNATE. SO FOR ONE, IF THEY COME IN AND I'M GOING TO GO TO ALTERNATE ONE AND TAKE THEIR SILENCE, I'VE, I'VE ASKED PEOPLE TO CHIME IN, BUT IF THEY PREFER NOT TO, WE'RE ONLY AT FOUR. WE NEED FIVE. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. RIGHT. MEMBER MITCHELL, MYSELF AND COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTIN ROGERS. WE'RE OKAY WITH STATUS IF THERE'S NOT ONE OTHER PERSON. ALTERNATIVE ONE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER. I'M THINKING. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ON ALTERNATE ONE, BUT I, I THINK I WOULD BE FOR ALTERNATIVE TWO WITH THE ADDITIONAL SUBSIDY. FOR FIRST AND FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          THAT'S THE 100 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS. YEAH. YEP. THERE'S A OPTION TWO WITH FULL SUBSIDY OF 183 NINE. SO THAT WOULD BE. 1,000,383 $900,900. SO THE REASON WHY I'M, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT ONCE A MOTION IS TAKEN, IS 60 DAYS BEFORE IT CAN COME BACK. AND SO IF WE DON'T TRY TO BE DELIBERATIVE ABOUT THIS AND MAKE A DECISION, IF THIS DOESN'T PASS, THEN WE'RE 60 DAYS, WE'RE PAST OPEN ENROLLMENT AND ALL OF THE THINGS. SO I'M THE REASON I'M SITTING IS BECAUSE NO ONE'S LIGHT IS ON COUNCILMEMBER FREELY. YEAH, I AM LEANING TOWARDS AND WITH THE INCLUDING THE FULL SUBSIDY. I'D BE COMFORTABLE WITH ALTERNATIVE 1 OR 2 WITH THE FULL SUBSIDY. 
          [04:05:03]
COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU. WITH THE ALTERNATIVE ONE AND TWO AND THREE, WHAT INCREASE WOULD THAT BE ON THE EMPLOYEES? OUR TIME. OF FULL TIME EMPLOYEES BY $15.74. OKAY. 
          EMPLOYEE PLUS $156.03. FAMILY $116.06 AND FIRST RESPONDERS 50, $15 AND 74 FOR EMPLOYEES 130 103 FOR EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE AND FAMILY. 141 AND $0.06. OKAY. AND THEN IF YOU ADD THE SUBSIDIES, IT WOULD INCREASE BY EITHER 1.4 MILLION OR 1.2 MILLION. ADD THE SUBSIDY TO NUMBER ONE. IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE 1,583,000 AND $900 IF YOU. SO ABOUT 1.6 MILLION IF YOU ADD THE SUBSIDY TO NUMBER TWO, IT'LL BE 1,383,000. SO GO BACK TO THE. I'M ALREADY AT $1,686,320. SO THE ALL IN IS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM ALTERNATIVE ONE. PLUS THE SUBSIDY SUBSIDY IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 100,000 DIFFERENT. AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING ACTUALLY TO SEE. THANK YOU. THREE NINE. 96363 20. FIVE. SO ALTERNATIVE TO ONE IS $102,420 LESS THAN STATUS QUO. SO THEY'RE NOT TOO FAR OFF. BUT RIGHT NOW. THERE'S THERE IS OR WAS FOR FOR STATUS QUO. THERE'S ONE FOR ONE WITH SUBSIDY. THERE'S TWO FOR TWO WITH SUBSIDY. ALTERNATIVE ONE RESULTS IN A SUB PREMIUM INCREASE TO EVERYBODY, ALTHOUGH IT'S DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT LEVELS. BUT THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE TO EVERYONE WITH ALTERNATIVE ONE. AND THE DIFFERENCE IN STATUS QUO. AND ONE IS $102 ONE $102,420. 
          COUNCILMEMBER COMING. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I'LL BE IN FOR AN ALTERNATIVE ONE WITH THE FULL SUBSIDY. YES. YES IT IS PRETTY MUCH. THAT'S TWO FOR ONE WITH SUBSIDIES. THREE FOR ONE WITH SUBSIDY. COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER. AND YOU CAN MAKE THAT FOR. FOR THE ONE WITH SUBSIDIES. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WANT TO TALK LONGER. SO ONE IS GOING TO 
          [04:10:01]
INCREASE THE INSURANCE ON THE EMPLOYEES. YES, BUT ONE WOULD INCREASE WITH THE SUBSIDY, THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE WOULD BE $6.03. THE FULL TIME FAMILY, PLUS A FULL TIME FAMILY WOULD BE $16.06 THE FULL TIME. I MEAN, EMPLOYEE PLUS ONE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS WOULD BE $6.03. 
          THE FULL TIME. I MEAN, THE FIRST RESPONDERS FAMILY. WILL BE $16.06. SO THEY BASICALLY WOULD BE THE SAME INCREASE. $6 FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES PLUS ONE AND FIRST RESPONDERS PLUS ONE, $16.06 FOR A FAMILY FOR FULL TIME AND FIRST RESPONDERS. I'M USING THE SUBSIDY NUMBERS WE ALREADY HAVE, SO I'M MAKING A WHOLE BUNCH OF ASSUMPTIONS. I'M RELYING ON YOU ALL. AND EMPLOYEES WOULD BE $15.74 INCREASE, RIGHT? PER CHECK PER PAY PERIOD PER MONTH. THAT'S PER MONTH. IS THAT PER MONTH? RIGHT. THAT'S PER MONTH. NOT EVERY TWO WEEKS. NO PER MONTH. 
          THOSE ARE MONTHLY NUMBERS HERE. SO IT'S $3 OR $8 OR $7. AND TO ADD THE SUBSIDY. THE SUBSIDIES IN WOULD BE 1.4 MILLION. NO IT'D BE 1.1 MILLION $583,900. IF I'M USING THE NUMBERS THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS THE OTHER ONE, JUST THE THOUSAND DOLLARS DIFFERENCE. SLIGHT INCREASE. YES, ABOUT $100,000 DIFFERENCE FROM THE STATUS QUO. 
          THIS IS $100,000, 102,000 AND SOME CHANGE LESS CORRECT THAN STATUS QUO. BUT THE IMPACT TO EMPLOYEES $6 OR $16 PER MONTH. NOW I WANT TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT. IT'S. SOMEBODY'S GONNA MAKE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. SO I THINK I HEAR I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PASS THAT THE CITY USES CIGNA WITH ALTERNATIVE ONE WITH FULL PUBLIC SAFETY SUBSIDY. NO FULL SUBSIDY, FULL SUBSIDY FOR ITS FIRST RESPONDERS AND FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. SO IT'S JUST FULL SUBSIDY. OH, FULL SUBSIDY. SUBSIDY IS FOR EMPLOYEES PLUS ONE AND FAMILY, FOR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES AND FOR SO FIRST RESPONDERS SO MOVED SECOND. I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT A CLEAR MOTION. RESTATE YOUR MOTION, COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER, I STARTED I WAS EXPLAINING WITHIN YOUR MOTION. THE MOTION IS TO USE ALTERNATIVE ONE WITH FULL SUBSIDIES SPENT MORE THAN PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION. 
          I HAD A QUESTION. I CALL THE QUESTION. NOW. WHAT'S THE QUESTION? WHAT HAPPENED TO DISCUSSION? I SAID DISCUSSION. WHAT'S THE QUESTION? SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR. BUT I MEAN WE CAN DO ROLL CALL AFTER YOUR QUESTION. SO MY QUESTION IS SO YOU ARE VOTING TO INCREASE THE INSURANCE ON THE EMPLOYEES, $6 OR $16. AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER SAID SOMEONE WHO HE SPOKE WITH SAY THEY DON'T MIND THE INCREASE. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES LIKE THE SANITATION? BECAUSE WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE PAID WHAT WE PAID, BECAUSE IT WAS A HARDSHIP ON THE OTHER EMPLOYEES. JUST. DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. SORRY. 
          COUNCILMEMBER FRIEDLI OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. THOMAS. COUNCILMEMBER. MITCHELL. COUNCILMEMBER. BUTLER. 
          COUNCILMEMBER. MARTIN. ROGERS. NO. NO. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER. STRAUSS. THE MOTION PASSED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. LINDA. WHEN DOES OPEN ENROLLMENT START? WHEN DO WE GET MOVING? WE'RE GOING TO GET MOVING RIGHT AWAY. OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS OCTOBER 27TH OCTOBER 27TH. OKAY. ALRIGHTY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR 
          [04:15:06]
YOUR PATIENCE. FACADE GRANT UPDATE. I MEAN, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, CAN I GET A MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO THE WORK SESSION? LIKE SO? MOVED SECOND, MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. 
          ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NEXT UP IS 
          [XIII.6. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Protocol for Council Events Under $25,000]
MOTION TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PROTOCOL FOR COUNCIL EVENTS UNDER 25,000. MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THE FLOOR IS OPEN, MR. JONES. YES. SO, AS COUNCIL MAY RECALL, AT THE END OF THE BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS, THERE WAS A MOTION TO MOVE COUNCIL EVENTS TO UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. WE'RE A QUARTER IN AND THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF OF REFINEMENTS THAT WE'VE NOTICED. THERE HAVE BEEN SITUATIONS WHERE EVENTS HAVE KIND OF OPERATED OFF OF MUSCLE MEMORY, IF YOU WILL, WHERE THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS HASN'T ACTUALLY BEEN REQUESTED FOR THE EVENT. SO THIS PROTOCOL IS TO ESTABLISH ACTUAL PROTOCOL TO REQUEST THE EVENT, IDENTIFY WHAT A BUDGET WOULD BE FOR THAT EVENT, A TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION, AND FOR EVENTS THAT ARE UNDER $25,000 AS THE COUNCIL GIVE CONSENT TO THAT. 
          BASICALLY, THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING INFORMALLY WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT WE'RE ASKING THAT IT BE MORE FORMALIZED WITH A CONSENT EVENT OF A CONSENT FROM COUNCIL FOR EVENTS THAT ARE OVER 25,000, THAT THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE NORMAL APPROVAL PROCESS, WHICH WOULD BE APPROVAL FOR CITY COUNCIL. SO THESE WOULD BE THOSE COUNCIL EVENTS THAT WERE MOVED TO UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. IS THIS SAME PROTOCOL GOING TO BE USED FOR EVENTS BY STAFF? BECAUSE THERE'S ABOUT 1,000,001 EVENTS THAT HAPPEN BY STAFF. YEAH, IT'S THE SAME PROTOCOL THAT WOULD BE UNDER PROGRAM BUDGET, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER PROGRAM BUDGET. SO THERE'S A DISTINCTION. I'LL COME BACK IN LATER. THERE REALLY ISN'T. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. YES. MR. CITY MANAGER, THE BUDGET ASK A QUESTION. YES. SO WHEN THE BODY MADE THAT ACTION, TOOK THAT ACTION DURING THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING AND MOVED THE EVENTS OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER SIDE, IN MY MIND, THEY WERE THEN EVENTS THAT WOULD BE PRODUCED AND MANAGED BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR WHOMEVER THE CITY MANAGER APPOINTED. HAVING THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF INSURANCE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, IN MY MIND, THAT'S NON-ESSENTIAL SPENDING. I DON'T REALLY HAVE A BIG APPETITE FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, I KNOW THAT WE DO DO A LOT OF PROGRAMING, AND SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS. IT WOULD FOR ME, IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BODY, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE AN ANNUAL CALENDAR OF ALL EVENTS, ALL PROGRAMS, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS. I MEAN, WE JUST SAT HERE AND IT TOOK US A WHILE TO GET TO A VOTE FOR THE INSURANCE PREMIUM, AND THE MAYOR WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT, BUT WE OBVIOUSLY JUST SAW IT THIS EVENING. AND TO YOUR POINT, WE DON'T HAVE BUDGET FOR IT. SO WE DON'T HAVE BUDGET FOR THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BENEFIT OUR EMPLOYEES. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NON-ESSENTIAL SPENDING. 
          IN MY MIND, WHEN WE MOVED IT, WE MOVED IT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE PLANNED, LEVERAGED AS BEST THEY COULD BE FOR COST SAVINGS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT TO BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THIS. YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT GOING INTO OUR RESERVES TO PAY FOR SOME THINGS. HOW ARE WE EVEN TRACKING ON OUR RESERVES AT THE MOMENT? WELL, THAT IS ALMOST HIS OWN PRESENTATION, BUT I WILL ROUGHLY SAY THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE LIKE A REAL FLEXIBLE OF AROUND $7 MILLION IN, IN IN RESERVES. SAY THAT AGAIN, PLEASE. $7 MILLION IN IN UNRESTRICTED RESERVES. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S A VERY NUANCED QUESTION. SO I'M JUST GIVING YOU SOME REALLY BASIC BALLPARK TYPE OF NUMBERS. BUT I SEE IT SOMEWHERE AROUND $7 MILLION OF UNRESTRICTED FUNDS IN OUR RESERVES. AND WHERE SHOULD WE BE? AGAIN? THAT'S A THAT'S ALSO A VERY NUANCED QUESTION. SO I THINK EVEN IN THE PRESENTATION, THE AUDITOR TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HAVING THREE MONTHS TO SIX MONTHS OF RESERVES. THAT'S KIND OF A POLICY KIND OF DISCUSSION. RIGHT NOW. WE'RE WE UTILIZE 
          [04:20:02]
THREE MONTHS. I'M MORE COMFORTABLE BEING CLOSER TO TO SIX MONTHS. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S KIND OF A DISCUSSION. THAT'S FOR PROBABLY A WORK SESSION OKAY. WITH THE TOUGH DISCUSSION, LONG DISCUSSION WE JUST HAD ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD FIND THE MONEY FOR INSURANCE PREMIUMS AND THEN TO FOLLOW THAT UP WITH EVENTS WHEN WE ARE BARELY BEING ABLE TO COVER BENEFITS FOR OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES. I THINK THAT WE CANNOT DO BUSINESS AS USUAL. 
          WE'VE GOT TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS, AND IT WOULD FOR ME BENEFIT TO SEE A YEAR OF PROGRAMING THAT WOULD INCLUDE EVERYTHING AND BRING IT TO THE BODY, IF THAT IS THE WILL OF THE BODY, AND WE CAN VOTE ON THOSE THINGS AND THOSE THINGS CAN BE PLANNED AND PRODUCED. YES. YES, THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE EVERYTHING. WHAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING ON THE PROGRAM SIDE THAT YOU MENTIONED. AND THEN ALSO THE DOLLARS THAT WERE MOVED OVER. SO THAT'S WHAT I WHEN I SAY EVERYTHING, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. I MEAN, AN ANNUAL CALENDAR WITH ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. I YIELD COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. YES, MR. CITY MANAGER, I TOO WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THAT. BUT I THINK WHAT MY CONCERN IS, WHEN THOSE EVENTS WERE MOVED UNDER YOUR OFFICE, I ASKED YOU ON THE RECORD IF YOU WOULD WORK WITH SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONTINUE THEIR INITIATIVES. AND I CAN SAY PERSONALLY, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS FOR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AND BE CLEAR THAT YOU ARE NOT TARGETING SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT FOR TWO MONTHS, A PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEMBER HAS HAD CITY EVENTS ON CITY PROPERTY THAT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL. SO TO BRING THIS AT THIS HOUR OR AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I MEAN, I TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT ALSO. AGAIN, IT WASN'T BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL FOR A VOTE, A BUDGET, IT WAS NEVER PRESENTED. AND THE ONLY KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAD OF THESE EVENTS WAS I SAW IT ONLINE. THE OTHER THING TOO IS THIS WE'VE HAD SCREENED ON THE GREEN. THERE'S ALSO AN EMAIL IN WHICH A GOLF INITIATIVE WAS DISCUSSED BACK IN MAY. I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS, A GOLF INITIATIVE, ALSO SOME SORT OF SENIOR PICKLEBALL INITIATIVE NEVER BROUGHT BEFORE A COUNCIL, NO BUDGET, NO DISCUSSION. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS BEING TREATED EQUALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR INITIATIVES AND THEIR EVENTS. 
          WE ALSO HAVE THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL THAT IS COMING UP, THE SENIOR STROLL, A TURKEY AND HAM GIVEAWAY, AND ALSO THE SILVER FOX BALL. SO DO YOU PLAN ON BRINGING THOSE EVENTS AND ALSO THE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS BACK BEFORE THIS BODY? SO I GUESS TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS ABOUT THE COUNCIL EVENTS, NOT THE CITY STAFF EVENTS. AND I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THOSE EVENTS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, BUT JUST THE FACT THAT YOU THINK AND FEEL THE WAY THAT YOU DO IS THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING IT BEFORE COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A SET PROTOCOL, THAT STAFF WILL HAVE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO PROCESS THESE EVENTS, BUT NOT ONLY FOR COUNCIL EVENTS, BUT ALSO FOR STAFF EVENTS AS WELL. SO. SO I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS, IS THAT COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED EVENTS. THESE EVENTS THAT ARE BEING NAMED ARE IN THE BUDGET. THEY WERE IN THE BUDGET. THE FY 26 BUDGET THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. COUNCIL HAS ALREADY VOTED ON THAT. SO TO COME BACK AND HAVE COUNCIL VOTE AGAIN ON EVENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY STATED, I THINK THE SENIOR STROLL, I KNOW THE SILVER FOX, I KNOW THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. I MEAN, I KNOW THERE'S A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT MAKE UP THAT. I THINK IT'S ABOUT $1.2 MILLION FOR EVENTS. TO BE CLEAR, MAYOR, THERE WAS A MOTION AND I BELIEVE YOU WERE THERE, I WASN'T. OH, OKAY. SO THERE WAS A MOTION, AND IN THAT MOTION GAVE DISCRETION TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. IF THOSE EVENTS WERE EVEN TO HAPPEN. SO THIS IS WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF UNDERSTANDING ON HOW THESE EVENTS EVEN COME FORWARD. BECAUSE, FRANKLY, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS BEEN SURPRISED BY EVENTS, BY THEM JUST BEING BEING BASICALLY DIRECTION OR DIRECTIVES GOING DIRECTLY INTO STAFF TO DO EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST WITHOUT ANY CITY MANAGER CONSIDERATION. I THINK I LOOKED AT THE MEETING, I 
          [04:25:01]
WASN'T HERE, I WAS IN COLORADO AND MY DAUGHTER'S TOURNAMENT FOR THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING, AND I THINK I LOOKED AT IT AND THE MOTION WAS THAT ALL OF THE EVENTS WOULD GO UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, NOT THAT THE CITY MANAGER WOULD APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE EVENTS, BECAUSE THE BUDGET STILL HAS THOSE EVENTS AS LINE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET. SO THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN SPECIFICALLY APPROVED FOR AMOUNTS IN THE BUDGET. SO THE MOTION WASN'T, TO MY RECOLLECTION. AND WE CAN HAVE THE CITY CLERK PULL THE VERBATIM MINUTES FROM JUNE 30TH. 
          BUT MY RECOLLECTION WAS THAT THE MOTION WAS TO HAVE THE EVENTS GO UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. IT WASN'T TO CANCEL ANY EVENTS. IT WASN'T FOR EVENTS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER. IT WAS THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED WITH A LIST OF EVENTS IN IT. AND IF THEY'RE NOT LISTED IN THE BUDGET, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION BECAUSE COUNCIL DOES NEED TO APPROVE IT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS LISTED IN THE PART OF THE BUDGET THAT SPECIFICALLY LISTS OUT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EVENTS. THE MOTION WASN'T TO CANCEL THOSE EVENTS SAID TO MOVE ALL THE EVENTS UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET. SO THERE'S STILL APPROVED AT THOSE LINE ITEM AMOUNTS. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF, OKAY, THIS EVENT IS NOT HAPPENING OR WE'RE WE'RE NOT MOVING THE WE'RE JUST MOVING THE MONEY AND NOT THE ACTUAL EVENTS. THAT WASN'T A MOTION. BUT, MADAM CITY CLERK, IF YOU CAN MAKE SURE YOU PROVIDE VERBATIM MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 30TH MEETING BECAUSE DOUBLE APPROVAL IS NOT NEEDED. NOT ONLY THAT, TO SAY THAT STAFF CAN HAVE ALL TYPES OF PROGRAMING THAT DOESN'T COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL BECAUSE WE APPROVE IT IN THEIR BUDGET AS WELL. IT DOESN'T COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. THE CITY HALL IS CHAMBERS IS BEING USED AS IF IT IS A EVENT CENTER, WITH THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING HERE, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY ABOUT REALLY TRYING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF EVENTS BECAUSE OF WEAR AND TEAR ON THIS BUILDING. BUT TO SAY THAT ALL OF THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT COMING BEFORE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. BUT ANY TIME A COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO HAVE AN EVENT, IT'S GOT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE LOGISTICS OF AN EVENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. SO THERE HAS BEEN A PRACTICE, AND I'VE SEEN IT SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THERE'S BEEN EVENTS THAT COUNCILS HAVE SPONSORED. COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SPONSORED, AND THEY HAVE BROUGHT THAT EVENT TO COUNCIL. I THINK SOUTHSIDE DAY WILL PROBABLY BE THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE, BUT THAT HAS HAPPENED. AND WHAT I'M ASKING IS A PROTOCOL. SO THAT CONTINUED PROCESS THAT ALL THE COUNCIL WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH, WHATEVER THAT EVENT IS, BECAUSE MY OFFICE HAS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT EVENTS THAT NOT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON. AND I THINK COUNCIL EXPECTS TO AT LEAST HEAR ABOUT THESE EVENTS. I'M ADDING ON THAT. WE SHOULD ALSO EXPECT TO HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE BUDGET LOOKS LIKE FOR THAT EVENT. I'M ALSO ASKING THAT WE HAVE A LOCATION FOR THAT EVENT. WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE THINGS HAVE GONE OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TOTALLY REFLECTIVE OF THE EVENT. EITHER THE TIMES HAVE BEEN OFF OR THE LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN OFF, OR EVEN THE DATES HAVE BEEN OFF. THERE'S NOT BEEN A CONSISTENT PROCESS. SO WHILE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS, I THINK IT'S VERY BASIC. I'M JUST TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT, BRING THESE ITEMS FORWARD WHEN WHEN THEY GET REQUESTED OF MY OFFICE. AND SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOLKS SAYING, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS OR I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, I CAN HAVE MY COMMUNICATION TEAM GIVE A CLEAR MESSAGE. AND IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE PUTTING THINGS OUT WITHOUT GETTING THINGS APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. THESE THINGS ARE JUST HAPPENING HAPHAZARD, WISE. AND A LOT OF IT IS PROBABLY BECAUSE, YEAH, WE'VE DONE IT FOR SO MANY YEARS AND STAFF JUST DOES IT WITHOUT HAVING TO THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS TO REFLECT OUR MOST RECENT BUDGET AND THAT PROCESS, AND I'LL WAIT TO HEAR. BUT IN THAT PROCESS, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WAS TO LOOK FOR AN EFFICIENCIES, WHICH MEANS SOME EVENTS MIGHT HAVE TO BE COMBINED WITH OTHER EVENTS WHICH MEAN THEY SOME MAY NOT HAPPEN IN THE TIME FRAMES THAT THEY HAPPEN BEFORE. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING FOR HAVING SOME KIND OF PROTOCOL. THAT COUNCIL IS SUPPORTIVE OF, SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THE REST, THE REMAINDER OF THE QUARTERS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO SOUTHSIDE DAY WAS BROUGHT TO COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET. 
          IT WASN'T APPROVED BY COUNCIL. AND SO THAT'S WHY IT CAME TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE IT WAS ADDITIONAL EVENT THAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET I THINK. THE VERBATIM MINUTES FROM THAT 
          [04:30:01]
MEETING WILL BE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE WHAT I I'M WHAT I'M HEARING, YOU THINK THE MOTION WAS IS NOT WHAT I BELIEVE THE MOTION WAS. AND I MAY HAVE BEEN OTHER CONVERSATION OUTSIDE THE MEETING AS TO WHAT THE INTENT OF THE MOTION WAS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS WHAT WAS REFLECTED. BUT AGAIN, I WASN'T HERE. I THINK I WATCHED SOME OF IT ONLINE, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE VERBATIM MINUTES. CLICK. SORRY. QUICK QUESTION MAYOR. SO IT HAD THERE WERE SEVERAL MOTIONS ON HERE. SO YOU WANT ME TO JUST START WHERE THEY STARTED MAKING ALL THE MOTIONS? CORRECT THE VERBATIM MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 30TH MEETING. THE ENTIRE MEETING? YES. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER, MARTIN ROGERS AND COUNCILMAN. SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, YOU WANT TO BRING BACK SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. THAT'S LESS THAN 25,000 TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. SO CONSENT IS DIFFERENT THAN APPROVAL. SO IF IT'S UNDER 25,000. MR. JONES, I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A QUESTION. CLARIFYING. MR. JONES. OKAY, SO IF IT'S UNDER 25,000, WHAT I'M REQUESTING IS CONSENT FROM COUNCIL, WHICH BASICALLY IS UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS EVENT IS GOING TO BE OCCURRING AND THAT I'M ASKING FOR A BUDGET FOR THAT THAT ITEM FOR THAT EVENT AND A TIME AND A LOCATION. SO BASICALLY YOU YOU WANTED TO BE REAPPROVED IS WHAT I'M HEARING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP. THAT ONE IS THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR 11 YEARS. THE NEXT ONE IS THE SENIOR STROLL. SO YOU WANT THAT TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS EXPLAINED TO YOU WHAT IT WAS, WHEN IT HAPPENS, HOW LONG IT'S BEEN GOING ON AND WHAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE BUDGET FOR IT. 
          SO YOU WANT THOSE TWO THINGS. WELL, THE HALLOWEEN EVENT THAT WAS NEVER UPDATED TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, NO, NO, THE HALLOWEEN EVENT DID NOT GET APPROVAL FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING. THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL IS IN THE BUDGET AND IT'S ALL IT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. IT HAS. 
          IT HAS NOT. MISS JONES, MR. JONES, WILL YOU PLEASE LET ME SPEAK? I'VE BEEN REQUESTED. 
          WILL YOU PLEASE LET THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE? IT'S JUST NOT BEEN REQUESTED FROM THE CITY. 
          MR. JONES, PLEASE LET ME SPEAK. I CANNOT TALK AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THERE'S A CLEAR DIFFERENCE IN INTERPRETATION. IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED ON JUNE 30TH. AND I THINK THERE HAS BEEN SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 30TH MEETING, BECAUSE WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS INEFFICIENT IF IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL IS LISTED IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL AS AS AN EVENT, AND ALL EVENTS WENT UP UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER ACTUALLY DOESN'T HAVE MORE AUTHORITY THAN COUNCIL. ONCE COUNCIL MAKES A DECISION BY A VOTE OF FIVE, THAT IS THE DECISION THAT ACTUALLY THE CITY MANAGER HAS TO FOLLOW. BUT I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME MISUNDERSTANDING OR DIFFERENCE IN INTERPRETATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENED AT THE JUNE 30TH MEETING AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED. BUT TO SAY THAT COUNCIL APPROVED THE BUDGET WITH EVENTS. THE SENIOR STROLL DATE HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER EVENTS WITH EVENTS THAT ARE LISTED IN THAT SAME SECTION OF THE BUDGET. AND THEN, ALTHOUGH COUNCIL HAS APPROVED IT, THE CITY MANAGER CAN DECIDE TO DISAPPROVE IT. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS THE INTENT, BUT AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE MINUTES VERBATIM. MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING, COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE, ARE YOU DONE? AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN COUNCILMAN MITCHELL NO, I'M NOT. AND WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS WHEN THE CITY CLERK WAS ASKED ABOUT IT, SHE GAVE FULL DETAILS ABOUT THE EVENT. AND HOW LONG THE EVENT HAD BEEN GOING ON, WHERE THE EVENT TAKE PLACE, THE TIME, THE END DATE, 11 YEARS. UNFORTUNATELY, BY THAT TIME 
          [04:35:09]
THAT CONVERSATION HAPPENED, THAT EVENT HAD ALREADY MADE IT TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND WAS ALREADY BEING ADVERTISED. AND THAT HAPPENED WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY PROTOCOLS NEED TO BE SET UP. AND YOU BASICALLY CANCELED IT. 
          ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT WENT THROUGH ANY KIND OF REQUEST PROCESS. YEAH. AND ACTUALLY HAVE THE OTHER EVENTS GONE THROUGH A REQUEST PROCESS? NO. SO OTHER EVENTS HAVE ACTUALLY GOT ANNOUNCED IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL. WE'VE LITERALLY WENT BACK TO COUNCIL MEETING. WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO RESEARCH, GO BACK TO COUNCIL MEETING TO MAKE SURE EVENTS ARE HAPPENING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE COUNCIL. THAT'S OUR PROCESS. I'M ASKING FOR A PROTOCOL. THIS IS A PROTOCOL THAT WE ALL CAN UNDERSTAND, THAT WE ALL WILL ABIDE BY, THAT ARE IS VERY SIMPLE. EVERYTHING SHOULD FIT WITHIN THE BUDGET. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING SHOULD BE HAVE A LOCATION IDENTIFIED. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING SHOULD OPERATE AT A TIME FRAME THAT IS CLEARLY, CLEARLY ADVERTISED AND MARKED SO CITIZENS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THE EVENT OCCURS. SO WHEN YOU GO BACK TO STAFF TO TALK ABOUT EVENTS, Y'ALL DON'T LOOK AT THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED THAT HAS SPECIFIC EVENTS IN IT THAT'S BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL. THAT'S NOT A PART OF THE EVENTS THAT THE STAFF WORKS ON OR EVENTS THAT ARE DONE BY COUNCIL, THE EVENTS THAT ARE DONE BY COUNCIL THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET. I MEAN, IF I HAD TIME, I WOULD PULL THE PAGE UP ON THE BUDGET. 
          THAT'S THE CHALLENGE BECAUSE EVENTS DONE BY COUNCIL DO NOT FALL ON THE THE SAME BUDGET REQUIREMENTS, THE SAME OVERSIGHT, THE SAME PROTOCOLS. IT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THAT. AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY THIS ITEM, WHICH I DIDN'T THINK WAS GOING TO BE A BIG MAJOR DEAL, THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MORE OF A HOUSEKEEPING ITEM, TO BE HONEST. SO I'M KIND OF SURPRISED THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BEING MET WITH SO MUCH PUSHBACK BECAUSE ALL EVENTS NEED TO HAVE TIME FRAMES, ALL EVENTS NEED TO HAVE BUDGETS, AND THEY NEED TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. SO IF YOU HAVE ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO DOESN'T KNOW THAT EVENTS HAPPENING, I THINK IT'S NOT BEING TRANSPARENT. SO I'M ASKING FOR COUNCIL TO GIVE A PROTOCOL BASICALLY TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE EVENT I WANT TO DO. THIS IS HOW MUCH I KNOW IT'S GOING TO COST, OR AT LEAST A ROUGH AMOUNT OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST. AND THIS IS THE TIME FRAME. IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. 
          AND BY THE WAY, COLLEAGUES, PLEASE SUPPORT IT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IT HAPPENS. AND YOU JUST BRING IT FORWARD. THAT THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING ELSE. I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU PIN WORDS LIKE TRANSPARENCY AND ALL OF THESE OTHER WEIGHTED WORDS ON THINGS WHERE WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WAS REALLY INTENDED BY COUNCIL. SO IT'S NOT ABOUT A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, BUT I'M ABOUT TO PULL UP THE BUDGET. 
          MEMBER MITCHELL AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. I'M TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO WE'RE WE'RE COMING UP WITH PROTOCOL. 
          I THINK YOU JUST SAID IT FOR EVENTS UNDER $25,000. IS THAT IS THAT THE ASK MR. JONES? OH. 
          OKAY. SO ANYTHING OVER HAS TO COME TO COUNCIL ANYWAY. CORRECT. AND WHEN WE SPEAK ON SIGNATURE ITEMS LIKE SCREEN ON THE GREEN OR SENIOR STRAW, I BELIEVE WE SPENT $2,000, TWO POINT, YOU KNOW, 2500 DOLLARS SCREEN ON THE GREEN, MAYBE $1,300. AND, AND I, I KIND OF FEEL AWAY ABOUT HOLIDAYS. SO CAN I JUST CLAIM I WANT 4TH OF JULY? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? OR CHRISTMAS. 
          IS THERE ANY PROTOCOL ON THAT OR THAT ACTUALLY BE COUNCIL EVENTS? I REMEMBER ONE TIME. 
          HALLOWEEN WAS ON THE PARKS AND RECS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT, BUT FOR THE EVENTS THAT DON'T HAVE, I FORGET HOW MUCH IS BUDGETED FOR THESE TWO EVENTS. WOULD IT NECESSARILY NEED OR. AND I LIKE SIGNATURE ITEMS, I DON'T. I WON'T NECESSARILY. SAY THAT HOLIDAYS ARE SIGNATURE ITEMS. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A DISTINCTION, DISTINCTION, OR MAYBE EVEN POLICY MADE IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THIS. BUT A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS UNDER $25,000. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT NOW. 
          AND SOME EVENTS ARE. SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT FOR MY COLLEAGUES. COUNCILMEMBER MARK ROGERS. YES. AND I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS, MR. CITY MANAGER, WHO GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO CANCEL AN EVENT? AND WHY WAS IT THAT BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL, LIKE FOR THE 
          [04:40:03]
OCTOBER HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL? I HEARD COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THAT IT HAD BEEN HAPPENING FOR 11 YEARS. DID YOU JUST TAKE THAT UPON YOURSELF TO CANCEL THE HALLOWEEN EVENT? I THINK I ASKED. THE CITY COUNCIL GAVE ME THE AUTHORITY. CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK UP? CITY COUNCIL GAVE ME THE AUTHORITY. I DON'T THINK CITY COUNCIL GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO CANCEL EVENTS. IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT HAS HAD TWO EVENTS ON CITY PROPERTY THAT YOU HAVE NOT BROUGHT BEFORE, A COUNCIL. IN SPEAKING OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT EVENTS WOULD THAT BE? COULD YOU CLARIFY? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. SO COULD YOU. 
          YEAH. SO THIS IS IN THE Q AND A. IT'S NOT. WHEN SHE FINISHES TALKING I WILL COME TO YOU SO YOU CAN RESPOND. BUT WE CAN'T GO BACK AND FORTH. YEAH. IT'S NOT A Q AND A. SO SPEAKING OF THIS, MAY 14TH, 2025 EMAIL THAT WAS SENT TO YOU IN REFERENCE TO A GOLF PROGRAM AND SENIOR PICKLEBALL TRAINING BUDGET OVERVIEW. THE TOTALITY OF THAT YOUTH PROGRAM BUDGET WAS $31,200. I DON'T EVER REMEMBER THIS BEING BROUGHT BEFORE COUNCIL, BUT YET YOU WANT TO BE SELECTIVE, AND I LIKE THAT WORD THAT YOU USE SELECTIVE REINFORCEMENT. MAYOR, YOU WANT TO SELECTIVELY ENFORCE CERTAIN EVENTS. I AM OF THE MINDSET NOW OF COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS. YOU NEED TO PUT ALL OF THE EVENTS ON A SPREADSHEET, COUNCIL INITIATIVES AND ALSO CITY WIDE INITIATIVES ON A SHEET SO THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE A TRANSPARENT CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN REALLY GET INTO THE EVENTS THAT NEED TO BE SUPPORTED OR NEED TO BE TAKEN AWAY. BUT THIS RIGHT HERE TONIGHT, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. SO ARE YOU GOING TO CANCEL THE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET? I RATTLE THOSE OFF EARLIER. SO ARE YOU GOING TO CANCEL THE SENIOR STROLL, THE TURKEY AND HAM GIVEAWAY AND THE SILVER FOX BALL? BECAUSE I GUESS YOUR QUESTION. SORRY. A HOLIDAY EVENT THAT'S THAT'S CENTERED AROUND CHRISTMAS. I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE THOSE WERE PASSED IN THE BUDGET. YES. SO IF THOSE EVENTS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET, IF THOSE EVENTS AREN'T GOING TO HAVE A TIME FRAME, IF THOSE EVENTS AREN'T GOING TO HAVE A LOCATION, THEN YEAH, THOSE EVENTS WILL BE CANCELED. BUT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, PER PAGE 189 OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL HAS A $10,000 BUDGET. 
          THE LOCATION HAS BEEN CITY HALL, AND THE TIME FRAME HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR YEARS. BUT I'M GOING TO GO TO EVERYBODY ELSE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO READ THE EVENTS THAT ARE ON PAGE 189 OF THE BUDGET, AND I'LL SEE IF I CAN FIND SOME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. AND THEN NO, MA'AM, I HAVEN'T. COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER AND COUNCILMEMBER TOWNSEND, AND I'LL GO BACK FOR ROUND I IN THE EFFORT TO RECONCILE. AND SO WE COULD GET ON THE SAME PAGE. I HOPE THAT MY WORDS KIND OF REACH FERTILE GROUND. HERE'S THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION. THE PROBLEM IS WE HAVE TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. I DO AGREE THAT IF SOMETHING IS IN THE BUDGET, THEN WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON IT. SO I AGREE WITH THAT. BUT THE PROBLEM COMES ABOUT WHEN WE DO THINGS IN A SILO AND THEN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND THERE'S THERE'S A SENSE OF, OKAY, THIS IS MINE, IT'S OURS. AND SO SOME PEOPLE MAY BE THE STEWARD OF THAT PARTICULAR EVENT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BROADEN OUR PERSPECTIVE. SO WE DO IT TOGETHER AND WHERE EVERYONE FEELS INCLUSIVE AND INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. AND I THINK IF WE COULD BE MORE CIVIL, THEN WE CAN SOLVE THIS ISSUE WITHOUT BEING COMBATIVE. SO I UNDERSTAND AND I DO AGREE, WE VOTED ON THOSE EVENTS, BUT I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR US TO HAVE A JOINT CALENDAR FOR A WHILE. SO I ECHO MY COLLEAGUE'S SENTIMENTS SO WE CAN HAVE WE SHOULD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE A CALENDAR OF ALL THE EVENTS SO THAT WE CAN PLAN AROUND THOSE THINGS AND WHERE WE CAN AUGMENT SOME 
          [04:45:05]
THINGS AND PARTICIPATE WITH MR. SWAIN, AND SO WE CAN SAVE MONEY, HAVE A BIGGER CROWD, HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S MORE ENJOYABLE FOR EVERYBODY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION, BUT THOSE ARE THE BEST KIND. IF WE REALLY ARE FOCUSED ON TRYING TO COME TO A SOLUTION. SO I THINK, YES, THE HALLOWEEN EVENT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS, BUT NOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON COUNCIL AND PEOPLE WANT TO PARTICIPATE, AND WE SHOULD WELCOME THAT PARTICIPATION AND STILL UNDERSTAND THAT YOU STILL GET TO PUT YOUR YOUR VISION TOGETHER. BUT WE JUST NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AS A GROUP. AND, AND I THINK THAT WILL SOLVE A LOT OF THE PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO COME I'M GOING TO ASK FOR US TO DO ANOTHER EVENT. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVENT IS NOT MY EVENT. IT'S OUR EVENT. AND I'VE ASKED PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE WITH ME IN THAT BECAUSE IT'S A NEW DAY AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE OPERATE. AND IT'S JUST NOT. I AGREE, I'VE SAID THIS SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE SAID WE HAVE TOO MANY EVENTS, WE HAVE TOO MANY EVENTS, AND WE NEED TO CUT THAT BACK. WE NEED TO CUT THOSE DOWN. 
          BUT IF WE'VE APPROVED THEM IN THE BUDGET, THEN THEY'RE APPROVED. BUT IF WE CAN SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY JUST BEING OPEN AND WORKING WITH PEOPLE, WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WORKING WITH OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AND I THINK WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM. COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO. JUST KIND OF LISTENING TO EVERYTHING AND WE'RE KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH. ECHOING A LOT OF THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER. WE HAVE TO GET TO A POINT. YOU ALL THAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. I'VE BEEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE FOR 26 YEARS. THAT'S ALL I'VE EVER DONE. WE ALWAYS WORK TOGETHER. I MEAN, WE GOT PEOPLE WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH AND AND WE CAN DO THIS ALL NIGHT. AND I REALLY CARE NOT TO DO THIS ALL NIGHT TONIGHT. SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WHAT HE'S WANTING TO DO IS I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY TO CONTROL THE EVENTS, TO SAY THAT YOU CAN OR CANNOT HAVE THEM, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST TO BRING SOME FORM OF ORDER. I THINK THE CALENDAR IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA. COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. WE DO NEED A CALENDAR OF EVENTS SO YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON. AND FOR THOSE MEMBERS THAT ARE SPEARHEADING WHATEVER THAT PARTICULAR EVENT IS, A BUDGET. I MEAN, JUST TO SAY WHAT THE MONEY IS, IF IT'S 5000, 10,000, $2, IT DOESN'T MATTER. AT LEAST THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU PRESENT SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW THAT X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS WAS SPENT FOR THIS PARTICULAR THING, JUST TO BRING SOMETHING IN ORDER SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT BRINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE ORDER TO TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE. I JUST KNOW FROM MY EVENTS THAT I'VE HAD SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I ALWAYS GIVE THE CITY CLERK MY OWN LITTLE SPREADSHEET THAT I CREATED, AND I ATTACH ALL THE INVOICES TO IT. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SHOULD DO. WHEN WE PUT WHEN WE PUT THESE EVENTS ON, BE IT A COLLABORATIVE, EVERYONE WE'RE WORKING ON, IF IT'S AN EVENT THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING TOGETHER OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING JUST SO THERE IS SOME SORT OF ORDER, AS OPPOSED TO, I WANT TO DO THIS EVENT, IT'S $10,000 AND WE JUST START, SPEND, SPEND, SPEND. WE GOT TO GET TO THE POINT. IT HAS TO BE SOME YEAH, IT'S BIG ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY THAT COMES UP HERE TO THIS PODIUM, THEY GET ON US ABOUT IT EVERY TIME. AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB. IF THAT WASN'T THE PRACTICE BEFORE, I THINK IT MOST DEFINITELY IS A PRACTICE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE MOVING FORWARD. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYTHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING AWAY OR ANYTHING FROM WE JUST GOT TO GET TO A POINT THAT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. I MEAN, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO LIKE, MOVE THE DIAL. AND I MEAN, JUST KIND OF DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN THE CITY. I MEAN, THINGS HAVE TO HAVE TO CHANGE. THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING A CERTAIN WAY FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, AND WE JUST WE JUST HAVE TO DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SO I DON'T, I DON'T I HAVE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH I THINK IT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA TO, NUMBER ONE, COME UP WITH A CALENDAR THAT LISTS ALL THE EVENTS THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING. IF IT'S COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF OR WHOEVER, THAT CALENDAR IS THERE. 
          AND IF THERE'S A BUDGET OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THAT GOES WITH SOME SORT OF BUDGET OR SOMETHING, A SPREADSHEET, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SOMETHING LONG AND ELABORATE. BUT IF YOU'RE IF IF YOU ASK FOR $5,000 TO DO SOMETHING, SAY WHAT THE $5,000 IS FOR, AND I THINK IT'LL CUT DOWN ON A WHOLE LOT OF THE HEARTBURN THAT WE'RE HAVING. I YIELD. COUNCILMEMBER 
          [04:50:02]
ATKINS. YES, I'M JUST GOING TO MY PERSPECTIVE MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER'S WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT, WE SHOULDN'T THINK OF THESE AS MY EVENTS, BUT OUR EVENTS, WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF APPROVING THE BUDGET AND MOVED THE DOLLARS OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALENDAR FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR IS BECAUSE IT WOULD INCLUDE THE EVENTS THAT WERE A PART OF THE LINE ITEM, AND SO WE WOULD APPROVE THAT PROGRAM CALENDAR AND THEN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD, THEY ARE OUR EVENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE EVENTS THAT THIS CITY WOULD BE PUTTING ON FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RESIDENTS. IT WOULD ALSO BE EVENTS WHERE EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS BODY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND, TO DO WHATEVER THEY'D LIKE TO DO. BUT THEY ARE CITY OF EASTPOINTE EVENTS, SO THEY WOULD BE OUR EVENTS. AND SO I, I THINK THAT WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, AND WE JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE WITH EVENT DOLLARS AND NOT TAKE CARE OF THE CORE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF. I JUST HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE WITH THAT. AND SO WE'VE GOT THESE TWO SEPARATE CALENDARS OF EVENTS NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THIS BUILDING, NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE BURNOUT OF STAFF IN ORDER TO DO THOSE EVENTS OR PUT ON THOSE EVENTS, THERE NEEDS TO BE A SENSE OF ORDER TO THE EVENTS AND WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. I THINK IT WOULD ALLOW US TO BETTER MARKET THOSE EVENTS, GET A BETTER TURNOUT, BUT ALSO TO USE THE TAX DOLLARS MORE WISELY. SO IN THAT SENSE, I THINK THEY WOULD BE OUR EVENTS, EVERYBODY'S EVENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. YES. AND TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS SAID, I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH WORKING TOGETHER WITH ANYONE. YOU ALL HAVE BROUGHT EVENTS AND I HAVE VOTED FOR THEM EVERY TIME BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S FOR A GREATER GOOD. IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE, WHETHER IT BE FOR SCREEN ON THE GREEN, WHETHER IT'S THE SILVER FOX BALL. I AM ALWAYS SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. HOWEVER, HEREIN LIES MY PROBLEM. THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN EMPOWERED. WE SEE THAT THROUGH MY COMMUNICATION EMAILS WITH HIM. 
          WE SEE THAT WITH HOW HE BRINGS SELECTIVE EVENTS OR CERTAIN THINGS. BEFORE COUNCIL, HE MENTIONED THE WORD PUSHBACK TONIGHT. I OFTEN FEEL LIKE I GET THAT FROM HIM WHEN IT COMES TO CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO I DO NOT MIND WORKING TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY FOR EVENTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT IS A GREATER GOOD. BUT TO RECEIVE THE PUSHBACK OR TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE CLEARLY IN THE BUDGET, I MEAN, EDUCATION IS KEY. ALL OF THIS WAS IN THE BUDGET AND JUST SIMPLY TAKING THE TIME TO READ THE BUDGET. HE WOULD KNOW THOSE THINGS. SO I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH ANYONE'S EVENT. WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR WARD, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO FOR THIS CITY. BUT I TAKE ISSUE WITH SOMEONE FEELING EMPOWERED, AS IF THEY HAVE TO DO WHAT THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL SAYS, AND MAYBE NOT AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER. THAT IS WHERE I'M FALLING SHORT IN THIS PROCESS, SO I DON'T MIND WORKING TOGETHER, BUT IT'S JUST AS LONG AS IT'S EQUITABLE FOR EVERYONE. COUNCIL EVENTS AND ALSO CITY SPONSORED EVENTS NEED TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER SHROPSHIRE, THANK YOU. AND SO LET ME SAY THIS. EVERYONE HAS ALWAYS BEEN INVITED TO THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL BECAUSE ONE, WE'VE ALWAYS DID JUDGING OF THE HALLOWEEN COSTUME FOR THE LITTLE KIDS IN THE PAST YEARS. 
          AND STILL THERE ARE FEW THAT SHOWS UP MYSELF. THE MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER BUT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOING ON FOR 11 YEARS AND IT IS IN THE BUDGET AND IT HAS BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. IN THE BUDGET. AND TO GET HERE TO THIS POINT, AND IT WAS COUNSELED BY SOMEBODY WHO SAID THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO COUNCIL SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY PASSED IN THE BUDGET. THAT CREATES A SAFE SPACE FOR KIDS TO ENJOY THEIRSELVES. THAT ACTUALLY GOES ON FROM 5 TO 8, BECAUSE BY 8:00, ACTUALLY BY 750, THE EVENT IS WINDING DOWN AND IT'S OVER WITH. IT CREATES A SAFE SPACE FOR THE KIDS IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT THAT 
          [04:55:09]
ACTUALLY SAYS MAYOR AND COUNCIL HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. SO IT BEARS NOBODY'S NAME, NOBODY'S FACE. 
          IT IS A CITY EVENT. SO ON PAGE ONE, 89 OF THE APPROVED BUDGET BY COUNCIL THAT APPROVES THESE EVENTS THAT CAN'T BE CANCELED UNILATERALLY BY THE CITY MANAGER ARE HOLIDAY BUSINESS EXPO, LEGISLATIVE ROUNDTABLE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN SILVER FOX BALL HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, SOUTH FULTON MUNICIPAL ASSOCIATION MEETING, TURKEY GIVEAWAY BACK TO SCHOOL COUNCIL RETREAT, MLK DAY OF SERVICE, GOLDEN AGE RESOURCE FAIR, JUNETEENTH BLANKETS, BLANKETS AND BASKETS. 
          JAZZ CONCERT, SENIOR STROLL, OYSTER CITY INITIATIVE, COUNCIL STAGE BUDGET, WARD DE GET LITTER INITIATIVE. WARD DE COMMUNITY MEETINGS GATHERING, SENIOR SUMMIT, WARD EIGHT EVENTS, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS. AUTISM AWARENESS DAY WITH FRIENDS THREE ON THREE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND JAZZ FESTIVAL. THOSE EVENTS WERE APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL ON JUNE 30TH. NOW WHAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS ASKED FOR IS THAT FOR THE EVENTS, NOW THAT THEY ARE UNDER HIM, THIS AGENDA ITEM SAYS WHERE IS IT? COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO PROVIDE EVENT BUDGET. SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE BUDGET IS ALREADY APPROVED IN THE. BUDGET ADOPTED BY COUNCIL. IF THERE'S A DESIRE BY COUNCIL MEMBER TO CHANGE THAT AMOUNT, YES, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A BUDGET AMENDMENT OR BE BROUGHT BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. THE TIME OF THE EVENT, THE LOCATION OF THE EVENT, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. AND SO I'M READING THIS STRAIGHT FROM THE ACTION ITEM FOR TONIGHT'S EVENT. THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL HAD A $10,000 EVENT BUDGET. THE TIMES 5 TO 8 P.M. THE LOCATION WAS 5 P.M. TO 8 P.M. HERE AT CITY HALL, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT IS THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR KIDS, WHATEVER THAT'S BEEN FOR 11 YEARS. SO THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED. THE FESTIVAL AND ALL OF THE OTHER EVENTS THAT WERE JUST ANNOUNCED OR READ, I SHOULD SAY, FROM THE BUDGET, WERE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION TONIGHT OR STATEMENTS ARE BEING MADE IS THAT THAT EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED OR ANY EVENT THAT I JUST READ THAT'S IN THE BUDGET AND I, I, I'M NOT SURE IF THERE ARE EVENTS IN OTHER LOCATIONS OF THE BUDGET. I'M JUST GOING THROUGH THE ONES THAT DEAL WITH THIS COUNCIL EVENT BUDGET. THIS IS UNDER GENERAL FUND. ON PAGE 189 OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET. WE DON'T HAVE THE ADOPTED ONE YET. 
          I'M ASSUMING IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME THING, BUT. YEAH, IT SAYS DRAFT COPY 16 2025. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME UP LATER, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S ONLINE. SO I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE ON COUNCIL IS SAYING OR SUGGESTING THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO GIVE WHAT THE PROTOCOL IS. HE, THE CITY MANAGER, ASKED FOR EVENT BUDGET. 
          YOU START WITH THE AMOUNT THAT'S IN THE BUDGET THAT'S APPROVED, SO THEY DON'T GET TO SELECT THE AMOUNT. COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED AN AMOUNT. NOW HOW THEY USE THAT BUDGET, WHAT THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE, THAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED ALONG WITH RECEIPTS AND THINGS OF THE LIKE. BUT THERE'S A BUDGET. THERE'S A REVENUE AMOUNT ALREADY APPROVED, AND THE EXPENSES WOULD BE THE OTHER PART OF THAT BUDGET SHOWN BY INVOICES AND RECEIPTS THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION, LIKE SO. LET'S BE CLEAR THAT THE DISCUSSION IS NOT ABOUT NOT PROVIDING THOSE THINGS. THAT'S BASIC EVENT INFORMATION, BUT TO SAY THAT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL HAS BEEN CANCELED UNILATERALLY BY THE CITY MANAGER. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GET THERE BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S EFFICIENT FOR US TO COME BACK ON A APPROVAL FROM COUNCIL FOR EVENTS AND THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. AND SO WE GET WE'LL GET THE VERBATIM MINUTES FROM JUNE 30TH TO SEE WHAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED. BUT THOSE THINGS WERE APPROVED. THE MOTION WAS THAT ALL OF THE EVENTS WOULD GO UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, SOMETHING OF THE SORTS, BUT IT DIDN'T CANCEL ANY OF 
          [05:00:03]
THESE EVENTS THAT HAVE A SPECIFIC LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET. MAYOR, I APPROVE. I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION. UNTIL WE ACTUALLY HEAR THE READ BACK OF THE MINUTES, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE WAITING TO HEAR. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT CORRECT. BUT TONIGHT WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE YOU JUST INDICATED THAT YOU'VE CANCELED THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, AND I DON'T I DID NOT WITHIN I DID NOT UNLESS YOU'RE TELLING ME AND YOU JUST READ OFF THERE'S A TIME AND LOCATION, BUT THAT THAT HAD NEVER BEEN REQUESTED OF MY OFFICE. I THINK THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY SO LITERALLY. COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE REACHED OUT TO COMMUNICATIONS AND DIRECTED STAFF TO DO THINGS ON THAT REGARDING THAT EVENT, WITHOUT COORDINATING AT ALL WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, I DON'T THINK HOLD ON. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE WAY THE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. NOT GOING TO DO IT. THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT, MR. JONES, YOU DIDN'T SAY TONIGHT THAT YOU CANCELED THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. NO, NO, MA'AM, I SAID. I SAID UNLESS THE IT DOESN'T HAVE A TIME AND IT DOESN'T HAVE A BUDGET, THEN. YEAH, THEN IT WOULD BE CANCELED. CAN YOU. BUT YOU JUST GOT FINISHED SAYING THAT IT HAD A TIME AND A BUDGET. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO PLAY ON THE WORDS. OKAY. SO, SO SO I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT I'M NOT MISSTATING YOUR WORDS. AND I KNOW THAT NO, WHAT WE HEARD, BUT I'M GOING TO REQUEST VERBATIM. WE DON'T ASK ME THIS FROM THIS DISCUSSION AS WELL, BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE CLEAR, THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL THAT IT'S I'M NOT WASTING TIME. AS LONG AS WE'RE CLEAR THAT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL IS NOT CANCELED, YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION NEEDED. THE TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION, AND THE EVENT BUDGET IS 10,000 APPROVED IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON JUNE 30TH. SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU DIDN'T SAY IT WAS CANCELED, WHICH MEANS IT'S MOVING FORWARD, RIGHT? WE GET A READING, PLEASE. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE HAS A READING RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, WE'RE VIDEO RECORDING. SHE DOESN'T HAVE A TAPE RECORDER THAT WE CAN REWIND BACK. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD GO ON THE LAPTOP RIGHT NOW AND PULL IT UP ON THE SCREEN AND GO BACK, BUT WE'LL GET IT WHEN I GET THE VERBATIM MINUTES. BUT IF YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NOT CANCELED, THEN THAT MEANS THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL IS MOVING FORWARD. THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'VE REQUESTED HERE, I DON'T THINK ANY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS ANY OBJECTION TO WHAT YOU'RE REQUESTING, RIGHT? THE EVENT BUDGET, THE TIME, THE LOCATION, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. BUT I DO THINK THAT MAYBE I HEARD CONSENSUS AROUND. AND MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, AFTER COUNCIL APPROVES THESE EVENTS IN THE BUDGET, THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AGAIN BEFORE THE EVENTS HAPPEN. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL AND THAT COUNCIL MEMBER THANK YOU, SIR. I THINK THAT WAS MY ORIGINAL UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PLANS WERE CANCELED, NOT THE ACTUAL EVENT, BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS JUST STATED IF THIS IS A MAYOR AND COUNCIL EVENT, AND WE VOTED TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGER TO THE AUTHORITY, THEN HE WOULD HAVE SAY SO IN COORDINATING THE EVENT. I BELIEVE THE PLANS THAT GOT CANCELED, IF, I MEAN, I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO DIRECTLY ABOUT IT, BUT THAT'S THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING. SO I DON'T I THINK I THINK WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN SOMEWHERE RIGHT NOW. SO. YEAH, I YEAH, WE CAN GO AHEAD. 
          COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCIL IF ANYONE HAS ANY OBJECTION TO. AND MAYBE THERE'S AN APPROVAL FOR WHAT HE'S REQUESTING FOR EVENTS UNDER 25,000 EVENT BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. SO LET ME BE VERY, VERY, VERY CLEAR. I DID NOT GIVE STAFF A DIRECTIVE. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TELL THAT LIE ON ME. I DID NOT REACH OUT TO STAFF IN NO WAY GIVING THEM A DIRECTIVE ON THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. MY COMMUNICATION WAS WITH THE CITY CLERK WHO PUT THE INFORMATION IN. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TELL THAT LIE AND SAY THAT I REACHED OUT TO THEM? I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS WITH ME, MR. JONES, BUT WE CAN SEE IT'S VERY PERSONAL, VERY PERSONAL. YOU HAVE A PERSONAL. YOUR ISSUE NOW IS PERSONAL, AND IT'S UNBECOMING. AND IT'S HARASSMENT AND IT'S BULLYING. ALRIGHT. DO WE COUNT YOU OUT? THE AGENDA ITEM SAYS COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO PROVIDE EVENT, BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF EVENT. DOES ANYONE HAVE I MEAN BUT THAT'S NOT TO COME 
          [05:05:03]
BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. THAT IS IF WE APPROVE THIS AS A PROTOCOL. THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT'S SHARED. BUT OKAY. BUT MAYBE HE'S REQUESTING A MOTION THAT CONFIRMS THAT EVERYBODY AGREES TO PROVIDE AN EVENT, BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. DO YOU ALL WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THAT, OR. I MEAN, JUST LEAVE IT OPERATIONALLY UP TO HIM. HE SHARED WITH US WHAT HE'S ASKING FOR AND. SO I'M I'M COUNCIL MEMBER MARK. YEAH. MY QUESTION IS I HAVE LEADING COUNCILMAN MARK. NO PROBLEM. I'D LIKE TO HEAR THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF. 
          SINCE WE STARTED THIS ITEM. I'D APPRECIATE HEARING EXACTLY WHAT MR. JONES REQUESTED OF US. IF HE HAS ONE FOR US THIS EVENING. IF YOU COULD RESTATE THAT. SO MY REQUEST AGAIN IS COUNCIL. 
          COUNCIL PROTOCOL TO AGREE TO A PROTOCOL THAT THEY WOULD ANY EVENTS THAT COUNCIL OR WORK IS WORKING ON, A CHAMPION OR BETTER LEADERSHIP ON WHATEVER THAT IS, THAT THEY PROVIDE A EVENT BUDGET, A TIME FRAME AND LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS. IF THEY WANT THOSE EVENTS FOR STAFF TO DO ALL THE SUPPORT THAT COMES WITH THOSE EVENTS, PUTTING COMMUNICATIONS OUT, COORDINATING WHATEVER EVENTS, WHATEVER THEY MAY RECALL OR CALL FOR, IF IT'S SETTING UP TABLES OR WHATEVER, ANY KIND OF THING THAT HAS STAFF SUPPORT, THAT THOSE EVENTS BE REQUESTED OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE BY PROVIDING THE BASIC INFORMATION. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALSO ADDED WAS A CONSENT, WHICH IS NOT APPROVAL. IT'S JUST LETTING OTHER COUNCILORS KNOW THAT THIS EVENT IS WHAT WHAT IS IS WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A VALIDATION OF OPEN RECORDS. WE, IF WE CONSENT OR TAKE ACTION, WE HAVE TO DO IT AT A MEETING. 
          YEAH. AGREED. THAT'S. BUT WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. THAT'S WHAT I BASICALLY PROPOSED. BUT WE WHEN COUNCIL HAS ALREADY TAKEN A VOTE THAT'S ACTION. THAT'S BEYOND CONSENT. THE QUESTION WAS WHAT I WAS PROPOSING. MAYOR YOU CAN AGREE WITH IT OR NOT. I'M JUST THAT'S WHAT I PROPOSED. 
          YEAH, YEAH. AND THEN JUST ONE CLARIFYING PART OF THIS. SO THE FUNDS WERE MOVED UNDER YOUR AUTHORITY, UNDER YOUR BUDGET. I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS THAT THE INTENT WAS THAT YOU WOULD DECIDE HOW THOSE DOLLARS WERE SPENT, THE WAY THAT YOU DECIDE ON THE REST OF YOUR BUDGET. BUT SHOULD THERE BE AN ITEM THAT WAS PART OF THAT BUDGET? AND A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS TRADITIONALLY SORT OF BEEN THE STEWARD OF THAT, AND THEY SUBMIT THE REQUESTED INFORMATION PER YOUR PROTOCOL, AND YOU DETERMINE THAT STAFFING WILL NOT WORK, THAT THE THE TIME AND PLACE DO NOT WORK. IS IT YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY BECAUSE THE COUNCIL CANNOT DIRECT YOUR STAFF, SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE SPECIFICS OF THAT NON-ESSENTIAL SPENDING EVENT IS UP TO YOU, WHETHER THAT WORKS OR NOT. CORRECT. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. UNLESS I'M GOING TO BE CORRECTED BY THE READING OF THE MINUTES. BUT EVEN IF NOT THE MINUTES, IT'S ALSO THE CHARTER. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE DECISION OF COUNCIL, AND THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE DECISION OF COUNCIL, A COUNCIL THAT YOU WEREN'T AT. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. AND APPARENTLY THERE'S AT LEAST SOME VIEWS THAT THAT SAME UNDERSTANDING SHARED BY COUNCILORS. I'M TRYING TO JUST GET A CLARIFICATION. SO I JUST WANT TO I'M NOT QUITE DONE YET. SO JUST IN A HYPOTHETICAL, MR. JONES, IF THERE WAS AN EVENT THAT WAS REQUESTED AND FOR SOME REASON WE HAD STAFFING SHORTAGES OR THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES THAT DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE PRACTICAL, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION OF THAT EVENT, THE CHARTER WOULD FORCE YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT EVENT, AND YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHAT'S APPROPRIATE. THAT CHARTER WOULD REQUIRE HIM TO COME BRING THAT INFORMATION TO COUNCIL, FOR COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION, CORRECT, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS WHAT, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK HE'S TALKING ABOUT. THANK 
          [05:10:02]
YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE SAID AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S IN HIS PROTOCOL. YEAH. AND SO I WANTED TO SAY THIS. I HAD A MEETING, A COMMUNITY GATHERING ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH, IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE KNEW FAR IN ADVANCE. AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT THAT I WAS SEEKING TO PRESENT AT THIS COMMUNITY MEETING SHOWED UP. AND YOU ALL WERE COPIED TO THE COMMUNICATION. I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A SPILL THAT OCCURRED IN THE CITY AS TO WHY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WAS NOT THERE, EQUALLY REPRESENTED. SO LET'S JUST BE CLEAR ON, I GUESS, WHAT STAFF IS CHOOSING OR BEING DIRECTED TO COME TO AND NOT. BUT GOING BACK, I WAS IN THAT MEETING THAT NIGHT AND I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER, WILL YOU BE WORKING WITH SAID COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE THESE SPECIFIC INITIATIVES OR EVENTS? AND HE SHOOK HIS HEAD, YES, YES. SO THIS IS JUST I DON'T KNOW. 
          THIS IS JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO WITH THIS, MR. JONES. BUT AGAIN, DON'T BE SELECTIVE IN WHAT YOU DECIDE TO BRING BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILMEMBER SHROPSHIRE. THANK YOU. AND I REMEMBER WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER MADE THE MOTION TO MOVE THE EVENTS UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. AND I REMEMBER ASKING THE QUESTION AND IT WAS IT'S ON THE RECORD. AND I SAID, JUST BECAUSE IT'S MOVED UP UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, IT DOES NOT CHANGE. THE CITY CLERK WOULD JUST WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER OFFICE TO TO DO THE EVENTS. AND IT WAS. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. SO THE QUESTION IS, SINCE COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER MADE THE MOTION, WHAT WAS YOUR INTENT? SO GOTCHA. I THINK THAT'S A A QUESTION FOR YOU, COUNCILMEMBER, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR THE MINUTES FROM THE MEETING. 
          AND I THINK WHATEVER THE INTENT WAS, IF YOU RECALL. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NEXT QUESTION AFTER THAT IS, IF YOU CHOOSE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, IS COUNCIL GOING TO TAKE ACTION ON A PROTOCOL FOR COUNCIL EVENTS? THAT INCLUDES COUNCIL PROVIDING THE CITY MANAGER FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROVIDE THE CITY MANAGER EVENT, BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. BRINGING THIS ITEM EVERY EVENT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR A VOTE. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GET CONSENT. SEEMS TO ME TO BE DUPLICATIVE IF THEY'RE ALREADY APPROVED. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER, DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR INTENT WAS? YEAH, I CAN TALK ABOUT THE MINUTES, BUT SO I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, MY INTENT WAS TO PREVENT WHAT WAS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. YEAH. WHAT I THOUGHT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT WE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER IN ORDER TO EXECUTE EVENTS. AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT CONTROLS ON BUDGETS, TO MAKE SURE WE STAY WITHIN BUDGET, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE WE. WE FOLLOWED THE RULES AND THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A STOP GAP OR WHEN YOU'RE ON THE BUMPER CARS, THE BUMPER TO KEEP US IN LINE. AND I THINK THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS BECAUSE I THINK SOMETHING'S JUST GOTTA CHANGE. AND. THE POINT IS TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN ORDER TO EXECUTE THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN THE BUDGET. AND I THINK THERE THERE'S SOMETIMES. WHERE THERE HAS TO BE A STOP GAP, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WORK. AND BUT I THINK THAT IT WILL WORK 100% OF THE TIME IF WE WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR WE WORK WITH THE AND OR WE WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN ORDER TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN. SO THAT WAS MY INTENT. SO I GOT A FOLLOW UP. SO YOUR INTENT WAS NOT TO COUNCIL EVENTS BECAUSE IF, IF, IF YOUR INTENT WAS BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU GAVE A TWO SIDED ANSWER. SO IF YOUR INTENT WAS IN FACT TO WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER. SO LET'S START WITH YOUR EVENT, YOUR YOUR SENIOR SUMMIT, ARE YOU GOING TO CANCEL THAT? BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 11 YEARS. CITY MANAGER SAID HE CANCELED IT. HE SAID, AND THAT'S RIGHT, HE DID. HE SAID 
          [05:15:02]
THAT WELL, I WELL, I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT TODAY AS. OH, SO YOU KNEW TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA? NO, I DID NOT KNOW TO PUT IT ON AGENDA BECAUSE TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH YOU. NO, I'M GLAD THE MAYOR SAID IT WAS ALREADY APPROVED BECAUSE I FORGOT IT WAS IN THE BUDGET ON THE AGENDA. I DIDN'T. SO YOU KNEW TO PUT IT ON HERE. SO REALLY, YOUR MOTIVE AND YOUR INTENT WAS. HOLD ON A MINUTE. HE SAID HE FORGOT THAT IT WAS IN THE BUDGET AS A LINE ITEM. OKAY. IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT, HE WOULDN'T HAVE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. OH. SO. OKAY, SO. HAD YOU KNOWN. SO WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO DISCUSS IT, THEN? NO, WE STILL NEED TO DISCUSS IT. IS IT OVER 25? I'M SORRY, IS IT OVER 25? I REALLY WANT TO GET OFF OF THIS ONE BEFORE WE GET TO ANOTHER ITEM. CAN WE TABLE THIS ITEM WHILE SHE LOOKS FOR IT? WHILE SHE LOOK FOR WHAT? YOU WERE LOOKING FOR THE MINUTES, RIGHT? NO, I WON'T VERBATIM MINUTES FROM THE WHOLE MEETING. THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE. WELL THAT'S. YEAH, THAT'S NOT TONIGHT. YEAH, I'M NOT EXPECTING THAT TONIGHT. Y'ALL CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHATEVER. I, I'M, I, I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE'S NOTHING THAT ALLOWS THE CITY MANAGER TO CHANGE AN A VOTE BY COUNCIL UNLESS HE COMES BACK TO COUNCIL. LIKE THE WAY THAT OUR CITY OPERATES BY CHARTER. THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. NOW, IF HE HAS CONCERNS, HE CAN BRING THEM BACK TO COUNCIL. AND COUNCIL CAN MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THOSE CONCERNS. BUT HE CAN'T DECIDE HIMSELF TO OVERRIDE A DECISION THAT'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCIL. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE PROTOCOL REQUIRES BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL. BUT YOU WANT TO BRING EVERY EVENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL. I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IF THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT ARISES WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE EVENT, BE IT STAFFING OR BUDGET OR WHATEVER, AND YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THAT DECISION TO BE CHANGED WHERE THE EVENT IS NOT APPROVED, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL. I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS SAYING IF AN EVENT IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE REQUESTED IS PROVIDED, AND THERE'S NO CHALLENGES OR ISSUES THAT EVERY EVENT COMES BACK TO COUNCIL AGAIN FOR APPROVAL. SO SO TO BE CLEAR, SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND THIS, THIS DEBATE THAT WE'RE HAVING WHEN THERE IS STAFF, EVENTS, STAFF PLANS, THOSE EVENTS, AND THEY PLAN EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. COUNCIL EVENTS HAVE BEEN HANDLED IN A IN A DIFFERENT STAFF HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED THEM, BUT STAFF HAS NOT PLANNED AROUND THAT. SO IT ALWAYS INVOLVES OVERTIME. IT ALWAYS INVOLVES RESILIENCY OF STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST, TO MAKE SURE THOSE EVENTS GO OVER WELL, AND THAT CREATES CHALLENGES FOR STAFF AND THAT CREATES SITUATIONS FOR BURNOUT, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE EVENTS HAPPEN ON WEEKENDS, THAT CREATES OVERTIME ISSUES. IT CREATES OTHER INCIDENTAL EXPENSES THAT ARE RELATED TO PULLING OFF THOSE EVENTS. BUT STAFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN READY TO DO THAT NOW THAT IT HAS MOVED OVER. AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT DIRECTION, AND IT MOVED OVER AT THE END OF THE BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS, WHERE STAFF REALLY HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE THEM INTO OUR NORMAL OPERATING PROCEDURE. SO I LITERALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME INSIGHT ON WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE IT WAS EXPRESSED TONIGHT, PART OF THE REASON THAT IT WAS HAPPENING IS TO BRING A LITTLE BIT MORE BUDGET CONTROL OVER THESE EVENTS. AND SO I'M JUST ASKING TO BE CLEAR ON THE BUDGET BECAUSE FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW, I FIND OUT AFTER THE FACT HOW MUCH WAS SPENT ON EVENTS. AND A LOT OF THAT TIME IS IS AFTER THE FACT. YOU CAN'T ADJUST, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING, OR YOU CAN DO IS TRY TO RECORD. 
          AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S NOT EVEN VERY EASY TO RECORD BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T BROUGHT IN ON THE BEGINNING OF THOSE EVENTS. TIME. THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE HAD EVENTS, AND EITHER THE ADVERTISEMENT HAS GONE OUT WRONG OR THE OR THE OR THE THE CONFUSION HAS GENERATED PHONE CALLS TO MY OFFICE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN CONFUSION ON TIME. 
          SO THERE'S NOT ALWAYS. AND WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF SOCIAL MEDIA PIECES THAT HAD ONE TIME FRAME AND OTHERS ON A I MEAN, IT JUST IT'S BEEN CONFUSING FOR STAFF BECAUSE STAFF HASN'T BEEN A PART OF THE WE'RE PLAYING CATCH UP, WE'RE RESPONSIVE LOCATION. THERE HAS BEEN SITUATIONS WHERE EVEN THE LOCATION'S BEEN CONFUSING. SO TO TO TO ASK SOMETHING, WHICH I REALLY I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO GENERATE SO MUCH CONVERSATION. I REALLY DIDN'T I 
          [05:20:03]
HONESTLY DIDN'T THE ASK THOSE BASIC THINGS, ALTHOUGH I HEAR YOU'RE SAYING IT WAS IN THE BUDGET, IT'S NOT EVERY EVENT IN THE BUDGET WITH ANY KIND OF SPECIFICITY. THAT WOULD BE CLEAR, BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS THAT COME IN TO THE OFFICE IS NOT IT'S NOT MARGINAL. THESE THESE EVENTS HAPPEN IN SILOS LIKE IT'S BEEN EXPRESSED. AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT IN THAT SILO IT, THEY WIND UP CALLING MY OFFICE AND I HAVE TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AND AND I HAVE TO RELY ON STAFF AND STAFF AGAIN AFTER BEING TAXED TO EVEN GET THE EVENT, HAVE TO THEN FOLLOW BACK AND TRY TO RESPOND TO EVENTS. SO THIS IS THIS IS A STAFF FRIENDLY APPROACH, A PLANNING APPROACH AND OUR EVENT APPROACH. I AGREE WITH THE CALENDAR. WE'VE MADE SOME STRIDES IN THE CALENDAR. WE CAN CERTAINLY BE BE EVEN BETTER AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL EVENTS ARE REFLECTED. AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ALL EVENT UP AND DOWN, VOTE ON THE CALENDAR, THAT'S FINE. BUT ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS THE BASICS AND SOME SOME CONTINUITY WITH COUNCIL. SO WHEN SOMETHING IS HANDLED, YOU CAN CLEARLY SAY THIS IS WHAT THE CITY MANAGER DOES FOR ALL EVENTS. THAT IS. AND I THINK I'VE SAID FIVE TIMES THAT THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS TO THE BASIC INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT COUNCIL DOUBLE APPROVING EVENTS AND GETTING CONSENT TWICE AFTER COUNCIL HAS VOTED. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER, CAN I RESPOND TO THAT JUST REAL QUICKLY? I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT IT'S HAVING AN EFFECT ON OPERATIONS AND THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD. SO AND I MIGHT BE REDUNDANT. IT MAY ALLOW US TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE. AND THEN THEN MAYBE SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE WE CAN GET RID OF THAT IN REDUNDANCY. THE BUDGET, ONCE APPROVED, IS WHAT YOU OPERATE UNDER. IT'S WHAT EVERY DEPARTMENT OPERATES UNDER ONCE IT'S APPROVED. AND SO ONCE THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE, THEY'RE MADE. SO IF THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT COME UP DURING THE EVENT PLANNING ONCE YOU GET THIS INFORMATION. YES. BUT I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS TO DOUBLE APPROVE AN EVENT. THAT MEANS THE SILVER FOX BALL IS ABOUT TO COME BACK. SENIOR STROLL, ALL OF THESE OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR ARE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. IF THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT COMES UP DURING PLANNING, AND THERE'S SOME CONCERNS THAT YOU NEED TO BRING TO COUNCIL ABOUT THE EVENT, YES, DO THAT. AND IF YOU WANT TO RECOMMEND THAT THE EVENT BE CANCELED TO COUNCIL AT THAT POINT, YOU CAN DO THAT AND THEN COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO VOTE TO MAKE THAT DECISION. CAN I ASK IF IT'S I LOOK AT IT AS A HOUSEKEEPING MATTER, THIS COULD BE THE CONSENT AGENDA. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SPEND TIME ON IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. IS IT CONTROVERSIAL? IS IT? THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT THE COUNCIL, THERE'S SOME CONCERN THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL, AND YOU'RE DISAGREEING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER MOVING FORWARD WITH THE EVENT? THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CANNOT AGREE TO IT BEING ON CONSENT. SO IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA. 
          MAYOR. IT'S GOING TO BE AN ITEM THAT'S GOING TO BE JUST ASKING JUST IF IF IT'S SO WIDELY ACCEPTED AS AS YOU'RE INDICATING IT SHOULD BE A HOUSEKEEPING MATTER, EVEN IF IT'S ONE COUNCIL MEMBER IS STILL CONSENT. IT SHOULD BE A CONSENT CANNOT GO ON CONSENT IF EVERYBODY DOES NOT AGREE, THAT CAN BE PULLED OFF OF CONSENT. THAT'S HOW WE'VE BEEN DONE DOING THE WHOLE TIME THAT YOU'VE BEEN HERE. IF ONE PERSON HAS AN ISSUE, OKAY, IT'S NOT ON CONSENT. ALRIGHT. AND WHY WOULD WE DOUBLE APPROVE? UNLESS YOU HAVE AN ISSUE YOU NEED TO BRING BEFORE US AND YOU NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE WAY IT'S OPERATING. IT'S WHY I TRIED TO ARTICULATE THAT. MAYBE I'M NOT DOING A GOOD JOB OF THAT. I WILL ONLY VOTE IF THERE'S A TIE. IF YOU CAN GET FIVE PEOPLE UP HERE TO AGREE TO A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES DOUBLE APPROVAL AS THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR EVENTS, I'M NOT SURE ONE EVENT IS COMING UP IN NOVEMBER. YOU ALL GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY GET PLACED ON THE RIGHT AGENDAS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE TIME TO PLAN AND MARKET, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AGAIN. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE INTENT, BUT IF YOU HAVE ISSUES OR ISSUES COME UP WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE AND WORK WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER ON THE EVENT THAT YOU NEED TO BRING THE COUNCIL BY ALL MEANS. BUT WE DON'T NEED CONSENT ON SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. 
          IF IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE EVENTS THAT'S LISTED, IT HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED. COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER. MITCHELL. CAN WE TABLE THIS TO THE NEXT WORK SESSION? NO. SECOND. IS THERE ANY I MEAN, YOU COULD, BUT THERE'S A HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON OCTOBER 31ST. WHEREAS ALL OF 
          [05:25:03]
THIS KIND OF AROSE FROM. BUT. THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, IT JUST THIS IS I'M ASKING FOR A PROTOCOL, NOT ABOUT A PARTICULAR FESTIVAL. AND THERE IS NO OBJECTION TO A PROTOCOL THAT HAS EVENT, BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. YOU'RE ASKING US TO BE INEFFICIENT AND DOUBLE APPROVE EVENTS. EVERY EVENT THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER, YOU SAID YOU WANT TO KNOW IF THIS CAN MOVE. I MEAN, IF THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, THEN COUNCIL HAS TO ACT ON IT. I'M GOING TO JUST YIELD. IT'S LATE. YEAH. I'M CONFUSED, I MEAN. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO TAKE THE CONSENT PIECE OUT, THAT'S FINE TOO. I IT'S A PROTOCOL AND IT SHOULD BE REALLY BASIC. WHAT DO YOU WANT? I IF THE BASIC BASIC PROTOCOL WOULD BE EVENT, BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF EVENT, IT'S CLEAR THAT EVENTS HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. IF THEY'RE NOT APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND A COUNCIL MEMBER COMES TO THE CITY, GOES TO THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE AN EVENT, THOSE EVENTS AND THAT REQUEST SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL. I THINK THAT I THINK THE ISSUE WAS EVENTS UNDER $25,000. OBVIOUSLY, EVENTS OVER 25,000 WOULD HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL. SO YOU WOULD HAVE THE SAME ISSUE THAT YOU SAY IS SO INEFFICIENT. BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY THE CHARTER. 
          BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE UNDER $25,000. AND IF, IF, IF YOU CAN AMEND IT IF, IF, IF IT'S IF THERE'S AN ISSUE OF BRINGING IT BEFORE THE COUNCIL JUST TO GET CONSENT, WHICH IS NOT AN APPROVAL. AND THE REASON WHY THAT'S INEFFICIENT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY MORE EVENTS THAT ARE UNDER $25,000 THAN ARE OVER, AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE AGAIN, IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE BUDGET, IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. IF THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET, IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL. BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVENTS THAT WE'RE CONNECTED TO, THE COUNCIL, EVENTS THAT MOVED OVER TO THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU KEEP ON CONFLATING THAT WITH THE I'M NOT CONFLATING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME. I DON'T HAVE TO RESTATE THE OBVIOUS. THAT'S WHAT THIS ITEM IS ABOUT. COUNCIL EVENTS. WE'VE BEEN CLEAR ABOUT THAT COUNCIL EVENTS. CORRECT. RIGHT. AND WE DON'T HAVE A READING OF THE MINUTES. 
          SO BASICALLY I DON'T EVEN IF, IF IT'S IF COUNCIL HAS CONCERN WITH THE CONSENT PIECE OF IT, YOU CAN TAKE THAT PART OUT. STILL SHOULD REQUIRE GETTING A LOCATION A BUDGET AND NO ONE OBJECTED TO THAT. WELL THEN TAKE A VOTE. SO THAT WOULD BE THE I ASK THAT 30 MINUTES AGO, LIKE 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT SECOND NOW. I MEAN, THE MOTION IS THAT EVERY EVENT MUST HAVE A BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION. AND WHAT WAS THE THIRD ONE? DESCRIPTION A DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. SECOND, PROPERLY SECONDED. DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          REALLY? YOU'RE NO DISCUSSION? YEAH. OKAY. MR. JONES, WHAT WOULD BE THE ADVANCE SUBMISSION TIME FOR FOR THESE FOR THIS INFORMATION, I THINK YOU'D HAVE TO CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, FOUR WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF PROPOSED DATE FIVE. WHATEVER IT IS, WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO PLAN APPROPRIATELY, MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WORKS AND MAKES SENSE. SO WOULD YOU WANT TO ADD THAT NOW TO TO THE MOTION? VERY GOOD POINT. I WILL SAY WE WILL WORK ON AN ANNUAL CALENDAR. I WOULD TO BE RESPECTFUL OF GIVING STAFF TIME. 
          A MONTH OF A MONTH IN ADVANCE WOULD BE OUTSTANDING. WE CERTAINLY HAVE WORKED WITH LESS, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE AN IDEAL TIME FRAME OF A MONTH IN ADVANCE, THAT WOULD BE PREFERABLE. DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU? COUNCIL MEMBER? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER, COUNCILMEMBER STRUCTURE ARE YOU ALL CAN RELEASE YOUR COUNCIL SPEAKING. YEAH. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST WE AMEND THE THE MOTION TO REFLECT THAT FOUR WEEK ADVANCE TIME. 
          [05:30:09]
THAT WE AMENDMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER TO INCLUDE THAT THE EVENT, BUDGET, TIME, LOCATION, DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY MANAGER AT LEAST A MONTH IN ADVANCE. YES, MA'AM. THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. YES, PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL, I THINK YOU MADE THE SECOND. DOES YOUR SECOND STILL STAND? OH, COUNCILMEMBER CLEMMONS, DOES YOUR SECOND. OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER FRIENDLY, ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT. 
          COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, WE'RE IN DISCUSSION. YES. I WANTED TO KNOW FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU MIGHT. I WANTED TO KNOW I HAVE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS THAT ARE EVERY QUARTER DOES THIS FALL. IT'S NOT AN EVENT. IT IS JUST A I READ THEM OFF RIGHT. IT'S LISTED. DIDN'T READ. DID YOU READ THAT. YEAH I IT'S ONE OF IT'S IT'S IN THERE. EVEN IF WARD STAFF COMMUNITY MEETING GATHERINGS WARD D LITTER INITIATIVE SENIOR SUMMIT, WARD EIGHT EVENTS, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, ALL OF THOSE ARE A PART OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE LISTED THAT YOU ALL MOVED UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. SO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS NOW NEED ADVANCE NOTICE, EVEN IF WE DO NOT NEED CITY STAFF. SO. AGAIN, I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT Y'ALL ACTUALLY APPROVED ON THE 30TH. IF YOU'RE USING CITY FUNDING. AND THE MOTION WAS THAT ALL EVENTS AND I'M ASSUMING YOU ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS PAGE IN THE AGENDA, WHICH IS WHERE THE EVENTS ARE LISTED. THEN. I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THERE. COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH NO COST IS DIFFERENT THAN COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH THE COST. BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE TO RENT THE SPACE. COUNCILMEMBER. YES. SO SO THE PROTOCOL IS THAT THE EVENTS HAVE TO HAVE TIME, PLACE AND SOMETHING ELSE. BUT GOING BACK TO STAFF RESOURCES, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE UNDER YOUR PURVIEW. WE DON'T HAVE AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD THINK IS PERTINENT TO KNOW IF AN EVENT COULD COULD GO ON SUCCESSFULLY OR NOT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ADDED IN WITH THE PROTOCOL? SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL IF THERE'S A CONCERN ABOUT STAFFING, SO THAT THE DECISION CAN BE MADE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE EVENT IS GOING TO GO FORWARD. RIGHT. SO CITY MANAGER, WOULD THAT BE A PART OF THE PROTOCOL THAT AN EVENT CAN ONLY GO FORWARD IF YOU HAVE THE STAFF RESOURCES FOR IT? WELL, I SAY THAT I WOULD SAY THAT'S PART OF MY CALCULATION, EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE PROTOCOL, ANYTIME THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE STAFF LIMITATIONS, I DEFINITELY WOULD SHARE THAT WITH, WITH THE PERSON MAKING THE REQUEST OR THE COUNCIL PERSON MAKING THE REQUEST. AND CERTAINLY IF THERE WERE BIGGER ISSUES, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A HUGE EVENT, THEN THAT WOULD COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. I WOULD BRING THAT BACK BEFORE COUNCIL. OKAY, THANKS. COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS. YES, I'M REALLY A LITTLE CONFUSED BY THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHY SOME OF THE ITEMS ARE EVEN A PART OF THE REQUEST. THERE'S ALREADY A DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ITEMS, SO WHY WOULD THERE NEED TO BE A BUDGET? WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER MADE THE MOTION? I SECONDED THE MOTION AND WE WENT INTO DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION, AND I SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE EVENTS TO GET THE BEST COST. SO WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING IF WE ARE TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE A BUDGET? THE OTHER PIECE IS, WHY WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE DATE IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STAFF RESOURCES ARE TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON THE EVENT? SO I'M REALLY CONFUSED BY THOSE THINGS. WHEN WE MADE THE MOTION, IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WOULD PRODUCE THESE EVENTS, WOULD LEVERAGE THE EVENTS THAT WE WOULD DO FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, WOULD GET BEST COSTS FOR THOSE EVENTS, SO THAT WE COULD REALIZE COST SAVINGS TO PUT BACK INTO QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, THEN WHAT DO WE ACCOMPLISH? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STAFFING IS GOING TO 
          [05:35:03]
BE LIKE IF WE'RE GIVING OR PROVIDING THE DATE. AND SO THEN WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAPPEN. AND THEN WHY WOULD WE GIVE THE BUDGET? THE IDEA WAS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING AND TRY TO MARRY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICING ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN FIXED COSTS. SO WITH REGARDS TO THE BUDGET PIECE OF IT, THERE'S BEEN EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCES WHERE EVENTS HAVE GONE OVER BUDGET. AND SO THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER ABILITY TO GARNER THAT BEFORE THE EVENT. THERE'S BEEN BASICALLY JUST REACTIONARY. WE WON'T FIND OUT THAT WE GO OVER ON EVENTS UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. 
          HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROLS OVER HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING ON THE EVENT, ON THE IN THE IN ADVANCE, WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL IN THOSE AREAS. THE PERSONNEL PIECE OF IT. THERE HAS BEEN TIMES WHEN WE HAD COULDN'T HAVE PERSONNEL AVAILABLE, I THINK FOR A WARD MEETING, JUST THE BOARD MEETING FOLLOWED ON A TIME FRAME THAT WE REALLY COULDN'T GET PEOPLE THERE. SO THOSE KIND OF THINGS WE'LL BE ABLE TO COORDINATE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A MONTH IN ADVANCE. SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABILITY TO WORK WITH WITHIN OUR HUMAN RESOURCE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT EVENT. A LOT OF TIMES THEY HAVE GONE LIKE THESE EVENTS HAVE HANDLED BEEN HAPPENING, BUT PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO MAKE PERSONAL SACRIFICES, FAMILY COMMITMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND THEY RESPONDED BECAUSE I, I SAY WE HAVE A VERY RESILIENT BUNCH. OUR OUR STAFF IS VERY FLEXIBLE, BUT IT COMES AT A COST. AND WE TALKED ABOUT BURNOUT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THIS GIVES US AN ABILITY TO SOFTEN THAT A BIT AND COORDINATE IT A BIT. AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO DEVOTE THEIR TIME IF THEY HAVE TIME TO PLAN FOR IT. SO IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THAT AREA. 
          RESOURCES. I THINK THAT'S STILL A BIG QUESTION. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I THOUGHT BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL. SO ALL VOICES COULD BE HEARD ON THINGS LIKE THAT AS MORE OF A POLICY DECISION. BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE COUNCIL IS AS A WHOLE SUPPORTS THE BASIC ITEMS AND THE THE CONFERRED PIECE DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE SUPPORT THERE. SO I'M WILLING TO LEAVE THAT PIECE OFF AND DEAL WITH THE BASICS. THAT GIVES ME AT LEAST SOME BACKGROUND AND THEN ALSO TIES IN MY OFFICE SO THAT STAFF IS NOT ACTING AND REACTING TO THINGS THAT ARE GETTING FROM COUNCIL WITHOUT MY OFFICE BEING INVOLVED IN IT. OKAY. IN ADDITION, YOU TALKED ABOUT THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE COST WAS UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. 
          THAT IS TROUBLING. THE DOLLARS ARE IN YOUR BUDGET. YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE THOSE DOLLARS ARE EXPENDED WHAT THOSE ITEMS ARE COSTING. THAT'S WHY I'M HOPING TO GET A LITTLE MORE CONTROL TO GET THAT KIND OF. I THOUGHT THAT THE CONTROL WAS GOING TO BE THAT THESE ARE THE EVENTS, AND THIS IS WHAT STAFF HAS COME UP WITH TO PUT ON THE EVENT AND THE ASSOCIATED BUDGET. I'VE GOTTEN MIXED MESSAGES ON THAT. I, I CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR WHAT THE MINUTES RECORD ON THAT TO GIVE ME CLARIFICATION, BUT. I'LL I'LL YIELD TO EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS ONCE WE GET THE THE MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT THE IDEA WAS THAT THERE WAS GREATER CONTROLS OVER THE BUDGET. WE WERE TRYING TO REIN IN NON-ESSENTIAL SPENDING AND TO BE ABLE TO STILL PROVIDE QUALITY PROGRAMING TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, BUT NOT FOR US, EVERY SINGLE EVENT. THIS IS THE BUDGET. THIS IS THE BUDGET, THIS IS THE BUDGET. 
          WE'RE NOT REACHING THAT GOAL. I YIELD. COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. MY QUESTION IS SO. 
          IF IT HAS TO BE IN A MONTH IN ADVANCE, WHERE DOES THAT PUT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL? BECAUSE IT'S OCTOBER THE 31ST AND THIS IS AND IT IS NOT A MONTH IN ADVANCE BECAUSE IT WAS ADVERTISED LAST MONTH AT THE END OF LAST MONTH. SO DO. SHE DID. SHE HAD ALREADY GIVEN HIM THE INFORMATION. SO IT'S ALREADY IN OKAY. I GOT ONE MORE AND I'M COUNCIL SEE WHAT DATE THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED. COUNCILMEMBER OKAY, SO I DON'T THINK I'M FINALLY GETTING THE 
          [05:40:05]
UNDERSTANDING OF THIS. SO WHERE ARE YOU COMING BACK BEFORE COUNCIL TO GET PERMISSION TO USE STAFF, BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOME UNREALIZED COSTS LIKE OVERTIME AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, OR ARE YOU DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER I MEAN, I'M I MEAN, I'M NOT REALLY OKAY. I, I KNOW IF IT'S OVER 25,000, YOU HAVE TO COME BEFORE US. BUT I WAS TRYING TO THINK I, I'M NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT COMING BACK BEFORE IT IN, IN IN PART THAT'S PART OF THE CONCERN. I THINK THE BIGGER THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THAT THESE EVENTS HAVE HAVE SOMETIME GONE WITHOUT COORDINATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, AND MAYBE THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE HAS BEEN INVOLVED, MAYBE SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS BEEN COORDINATED. COORDINATED. WELL, AND JUST BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE GROUP OF STAFF READY TO GO, ANOTHER GROUP OF STAFF HASN'T BEEN COMMUNICATED AND MAY NOT HAVE THAT SAME AVAILABILITY. AND SO WITHOUT THAT KIND OF OVERALL COORDINATION, WITHOUT HAVING AN ACTUAL VETTED REQUEST, IT'S HARD TO DOUBLE BACK AND SEE HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR DOLLARS. SO IS IT MORE SO OF TRYING TO GET ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO WHAT? TO USE STAFF OR I'M NOT. OKAY. I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I CAN KIND OF SEE ASKING PERMISSION FOR IS SAY, IF STAFF HAD TO WORK OVERTIME, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND THAT WASN'T BUDGETED FOR THAT OR THAT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH, IT DOES HAPPEN. I MEAN, I'M MORE SO SEE THAT I WAS, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF OUR STAFF ARE SALARIED. SO YOU KNOW, OVERTIME DOESN'T ALWAYS COME IN. BUT THERE'S, THERE'S LIKE RESOURCES LIKE POLICE OFFICERS SETTING UP TABLES AND. YEAH. OH YEAH. OKAY. I CAN SEE THAT. PROBABLY NEEDING PERMISSION, BUT. OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANKS. MADAM. CITY CLERK, DO YOU HAVE THE DATE THAT YOU PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MR. JONES ABOUT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, TO MR. JONES OR TO COMMUNICATIONS? WHICH ONE? I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT PARTICULAR DATE. MAYBE A WEEK AGO, A WEEK AGO. 
          WHAT'S TODAY? TODAY IS OCTOBER THE 6TH. A WEEK AGO WOULD HAVE BEEN SEPTEMBER THE 29TH. IT WAS WAS MY MATH RIGHT? YEAH. IT WAS IT WAS SOMETIME LAST WEEK. SO THAT'S 30 DAYS. DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROTOCOL THAT I'M TRYING TO. YES, IT DOES, BECAUSE THE AMENDED MOTION, DID YOU HEAR THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION THAT ASKED FOR IT TO BE PROVIDED TO YOU AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT? DID YOU HEAR THAT PROTOCOL? YES. FOR THE INFORMATION THAT YOU REQUESTED. ALL RIGHT. THE PROTOCOL CONTAINS THE INFORMATION THAT YOU REQUESTED. CORRECT. THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. SO THAT'S THE EVENT BUDGET, THE TIME, LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT. THAT WAS THE MOTION. IT WAS SECONDED. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY MADE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION AND SAID THE INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT. DURING DISCUSSION, IT CAME UP ABOUT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL, WHICH IS ON OCTOBER 31ST, AND WHETHER OR NOT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT. SO IT IS CONNECTED TO YOUR PROTOCOL. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          ATKINS. NO, I WAS JUST YES. SO IT APPARENTLY YOU RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION A WEEK AGO. SO THEN THAT WOULD BE I THINK THAT WAS THE CONCERN IS THAT WHEN YOU HAD RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION AND OUR PROTOCOLS RETROACTIVE OR THEY MOVE FORWARD. ATTORNEY WIGGINS I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT WE DO GENERALLY IT MOVES FORWARD. SO IF A DECISION IS MADE TONIGHT, DOES THAT APPLY MOVING FORWARD. SO IF THERE'S AN EVENT THAT IS WITHIN LESS THAN 30 DAYS AND THERE'S A DECISION MADE TONIGHT ABOUT THAT, DOES THAT IMPACT THAT EVENT. BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A PROTOCOL IN PLACE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH? I GUESS I'LL JUST LIKEN IT TO POLICIES OR ORDINANCES THAT YOU GUYS PASS. IT WILL BE FROM THAT MOMENT TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE 
          [05:45:04]
FORWARD. SO IF YOU MAKE, I DON'T KNOW, A LEASH LAW TODAY, IF SOMEONE DIDN'T HAVE THEIR PET ON A LEASH YESTERDAY, IT THEY WOULDN'T BE IN VIOLATION BECAUSE IT WASN'T EFFECTIVE THEN. SO THEN THE ANSWER I THINK TO YOUR QUESTION IS NO, THERE ISN'T RETROACTIVE APPLICATION TO POLICIES OR ORDINANCES THAT YOU THAT YOU GUYS PASS. ON. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. YES. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT WHO IS DIRECTING STAFF BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN KIND OF PLAYED OUT FOR A LONG TIME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CLERK HAS BEEN HELPFUL IN PUTTING ON COUNCIL EVENTS, BUT I'M NOT SURE ABOUT HER ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DIRECT STAFF UNDER THE CITY MANAGER. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THE PROTOCOL AS WELL ABOUT HOW THINGS MAYBE THE WORD PROTOCOL IS THROWING ME OFF, BECAUSE FOR ME, I FEEL LIKE A PROTOCOL JUST KIND OF RUNS DOWN EXACTLY HOW YOU WOULD RUN AN OPERATE AN EVENT. BUT I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT, TOO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY CLERK IS NOT AN EVENT PLANNER. WE WE SHOULD NOT BE EVENT PLANNERS EITHER. WE ARE LEGISLATORS. WE ARE POLICY MAKERS. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE UP HERE MAKING CHANGE THROUGH LEGISLATION. SO THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT EVENTS PERIOD IS A LITTLE OFF PUTTING. JUST BECAUSE THIS THIS SHOULD NOT BE OUR PRIMARY ROLE. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN THAT ON AS A PART OF THEIR ROLE. AND WITH THAT, I YIELD. WE'RE DISCUSSING IT TONIGHT BECAUSE THE COUNCIL CITY MANAGER PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK NOBODY UP HERE IS AN EVENT PLANNER, AND I THINK I'VE MADE OR PUT ORDINANCES IN PLACE AS WELL AS POLICY OUT OF MY 12 YEARS. SO IT'S WHAT IT IS. WHAT IT IS IN THE CITY. CLERK IS NOT THE EVENT COORDINATOR. SHE JUST HELPS THE PROCESS BY SUBMITTING IN THE REQUESTED INFORMATION THAT'S REQUESTED OF STAFF TO DO FOR AS DOING THE WHATEVER HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS. BUT IT TAKES ME BACK TO THE QUESTION, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TOMORROW TO GET HERE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S SAY, OH, THERE IS NO 30 DAY FOR THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. WE NEED TO HAVE A I'M GOING TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY ON THIS. DO WE NEED TO HAVE A SEPARATE I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. WE NEED TO HAVE A SEPARATE MOTION TO APPROVE THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL. AGAIN, THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET. NO, I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TWO VOTES ON ONE ITEM. YOUR APPROVAL IN THE BUDGET APPROVED THE EVENT. I THINK WHAT I AND I PRESSED MY BUTTON TO COME IN A FEW TIMES BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT ANYTHING OVER 25,000 HAS TO BE APPROVED. IT'S NOT THE EVENT THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED, IT'S THE CONTRACTS FOR THE EVENTS THAT HAVE TO BE APPROVED. SO WHEN YOU APPROVE THE BUDGET, YOU APPROVE THE EVENTS. BUT IF THERE ARE CONTRACTS WHERE YOU'RE SPENDING CITY FUNDS, THEN IT DEFAULTS TO THE PROCUREMENT POLICY TO SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE BUYING SOMETHING OR PROCURING A SERVICE OVER 25,000. YES. EVEN THOUGH THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED WITH THE EVENT, IT DID NOT THEN ERODE THE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH PROCUREMENT FOR THE SPENDING OF ANY CONTRACT OVER 25,000. I THINK HERE I'VE HEARD THAT THIS IS REGARDING EVENTS THAT HAVE COSTS THAT ARE LESS THAN 25,000, WHICH DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS THINGS WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING MONEY OVER 25,000. SO I THINK IT'S TWO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS. ONE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE EVENT. YOU READ THOSE OFF THAT'S IN THE BUDGET. AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF IT IS APPROVAL OF THE MONIES SPENT TO MAKE THE EVENT HAPPEN. OVER 25 THE CONTRACTS COME TO Y'ALL. 
          THAT'S WHAT YOUR PROCUREMENT POLICY SAYS. SO AS STATED, WITH THIS. PROTOCOL. APPLIED TO OR 
          [05:50:16]
PREVENT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL FROM HAPPENING, IT'S LESS THAN 30 DAYS FROM TODAY. YOU SAID IT'S NOT RETROACTIVE. YOU APPLY IT MOVING FORWARD, BUT BECAUSE THIS DISCUSSION IS HAVING HAPPENING LESS THAN 30 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT, ALTHOUGH INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED AND THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE EVENT, I THINK THAT'S THE REAL ISSUE. THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WHY WE'RE HERE. SO I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER LEGAL QUESTIONS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ENGAGE IN THE POLITICAL POLICY MAKING STUFF THAT'S OCCURRING WITH REGARD TO ANY EVENT. SO IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR LEGAL QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT WHAT THE ORDINANCE SAYS OR HOW A POLICY IS APPLIED, OR I THINK SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THE CHARTER, THOSE QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER, BUT NOT SHOULD COUNCILWOMAN SHROPSHIRE HAVE AN EVENT THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT MY CALL. RIGHT. 
          SO THE QUESTION IS THERE IS AN EVENT. WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE'S LESS THAN 30 DAYS FROM NOW, AND WE'RE ADOPTING A POLICY TONIGHT THAT WOULD REQUIRE 30 DAYS NOTICE, ALTHOUGH ARGUABLY THERE'S ALREADY BEEN NOTICE PROVIDED EARLIER. ANY EVENT, ANY EVENT THAT COMES UP BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, I THINK THE SENIOR STROLL IS I THINK IN NOVEMBER. RIGHT. 
          SO DEPENDING ON THE DATE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NOT NOVEMBER 4TH, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CLEMENT SAID AT HR, BUT THAT'S COMING UP IN NOVEMBER. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER OF THESE EVENTS. THAT WOULD HAPPEN. THAT COULD BE IMPACTED BY 30 DAY REQUIREMENT. WHICH AGAIN, I THINK GOES TO THE DESIRE TO PREVENT THE HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL FROM HAPPENING. SO I INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT JUST RECENTLY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY OF GRANDFATHERING. I THINK THAT THE EVENT, WHICH MY ITEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EVENTS, ALL TO DO WITH PROTOCOLS, BUT I THINK THE EVENT WOULD BE GRANDFATHERED. SO IT WOULD STILL HAPPEN. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ASSUME. OKAY, IT'S NOT EVER BEEN ABOUT EVENT. I'M TRYING TO GET SOME PROTOCOL MOVING FORWARD. THAT'S ALL I SEE. 
          COUNCILMAN ATTORNEY WIGGINS, ARE YOU SORRY? I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WITH SOME LEGAL SUPPORT. THAT RETROACTIVE APPLICATION OF LAWS IN GEORGIA IS DISFAVORED UNLESS THERE'S SOME CLEAR LEGISLATIVE INTENT OR CONSTITUTIONAL ALLOWANCE FOR SUCH APPLICATIONS. SO WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 30 DAY LEAD TIME OR SOME OTHER PROVISION THAT IS NEEDING TO BE ENFORCED, IT HAPPENS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE FORWARD, NOT EFFECTIVE DATE BACK. I THINK MR. JONES JUST AGREED TO THAT WHEN HE SAID GRANDFATHERED. SO NO, ANY PROVISION THAT'S APPROVED TONIGHT WOULD NOT OCCUR TO SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ALREADY APPROVED WITHOUT THOSE REQUIREMENTS. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER ATKINS OKAY. AND WHAT I WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE INITIATIVES THAT COUNCIL EVERYONE ON COUNCIL BRINGS SOMETHING UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT. WE HAVE THE HEALTHY POINT FOR A SEVERAL YEARS, COUPLE OF YEARS, ME BEING IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS. AND THEN WE HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS OR A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT FOCUS ON SENIOR RESIDENTS. SO EVERYONE BRINGS SOMETHING UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT THROUGH THEIR INITIATIVES THAT TOUCHES EVERYONE IN THE CITY OR EVERYONE THAT CAN BE A PART OF. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AND GO ON RECORD WITH SAYING THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL. YEAH, AND IT'S STILL A QUESTION. CAN WE JUST HAVE A THIS MIGHT BE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.