Dec 08, 2025 City Council Work Session

[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER 8TH WORK SESSION OF THE EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. LET'S GO THROUGH THE AGENDA TO SEE WHAT CAN GO ON CONSENT AND WHAT'S MOVING FORWARD. TONIGHT. UPDATE ON POLICING IS THE SOMEONE FROM POLICE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON POLICING TONIGHT. DO YOU KNOW? ALL RIGHT. JUST CHECK FOR ME CREDIT CARD POLICY AND TRAVEL POLICY. ARE WE DISCUSSING THAT TONIGHT? EXCUSE ME. OKAY. CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS, REIMBURSEMENTS OR. OH, WE SAID THESE TWO TRAVEL TOGETHER. SO THAT WOULD BE THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. FOR THE SOUTH FORELAND COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT OR CAN I GO TO CONSENT? CONSENT SIX.

COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL THE. JANUARY WORK SESSION NUMBER SEVEN OKAY. NUMBER EIGHT RIGHT.

COUNCILMEMBER MITCHELL NO, IT'S MOVED OKAY. NUMBER EIGHT I KNOW THAT DEALS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, SO SHE SHOULD BE HERE BY THEN. PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN. ROGER.

DISCUSSION. YEAH, YEAH, WE ALREADY HAVE ONE, RIGHT? YEAH, WE DO HAVE ONE, BUT I JUST NEED SOME INFORMATION. UPDATE ON THE 2024 AUDIT REPORT. PROPOSED GATEWAY AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE DESIGN. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD UPDATE. COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER PROPOSED DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION OF MISTER KING. SENIOR CITIZEN UTILITY BILL ORDINANCE UPDATE ON TIES. I THINK WE JUST HAD THAT. YEAH. I THINK WE YEAH. OKAY. DISCUSSION ON SENIOR HARDSHIP UTILITIES REMOVE ITEM NUMBER 14. MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK, ITEM NUMBER 15, COUNCILMEMBER CLEMMONS. YES.

JANUARY WORK SESSION. OKAY. CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. COUNCILMEMBER CUMMINGS. OKAY.

DISCUSSION. THIS IS FROM THE CITY'S ATTORNEY CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. SO WE'LL LEAVE THAT COUNCILMEMBER SHROPSHIRE, ITEM NUMBER 18. WAIVER AND RULE 26. IT WAS TIED TO NUMBER 19. OH, SO THESE WILL GO TOGETHER. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER 20, HOME REPAIR GRANT APPLICATION. WE NEED A PRESENTATION ON THAT ITEM NUMBER 21, ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? FOR NOT. OH 18 AND 19.

YES. 1819 IF YOU WOULD TAKE CARE OF. IT DIDN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY I THINK HE SAID OKAY.

NO WORRIES. ITEM NUMBER 21. IS THAT THE ONE I SAID CONSENT? I ASKED MY CONSENT ON THAT ONE.

ITEM NUMBER 22 AND OBJECTION TO CONSENT. OH, GRAYSON, BASEBALL FIELD SOUNDS GREAT. 23 ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? WE PROBABLY NEED A PRESENTATION ON THAT. THAT'S A GRANT APPLICATION FOR I THINK THAT'S GEORGIA RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION. SOMETHING ABOUT AFTER SCHOOL EV CHARGING STATION INSTALLATION CONSENT AT OUR PARKS. YES, WE JUST APPROVED THOSE FOUR. NUMBER 25. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? CONSENT 26. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? 27. I GUESS MAYBE JUST THE OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT THAT IS, BECAUSE WE ARE AUTHORIZING.

NUMBER 27, ITEM NUMBER 28, CONSENT CDBG. WE WANT AS MUCH OF THAT AS POSSIBLE. ITEM NUMBER 29, ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? OH, THIS IS A ZONING REWRITE. OH, YEAH. I'D LIKE TO

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ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT FOR 32. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? PURCHASE OF TWO VEHICLES BY EAST POINT POWER 33. ANY OBJECTIONS TO CONSENT FOR BUCKET TRUCKS? THAT'S NUMBER 33.

YEP. OH, I'M SORRY YOU SAID WHERE IS IT GOING? 34. ANY OBJECTION? YEAH. I LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THIS. THIS IS BEEN A REOCCURRENCE ITEM NUMBER 35. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? CONSENT 36. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT. NO. 35 AND 36 ARE CONSENT 37. ANY OBJECTION TO LIKE. NOPE. ZONING MODIFICATION. THAT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. WE NEED DISCUSSES THE APPLICANT HERE ON 37. YES. YES OKAY. SO WE'LL PULL THAT FIRST ITEM. NUMBER 38 IS A REZONING REQUEST.

IS THE APPLICANT HERE ON 38 OKAY. GEORGIA HOUSE BILL THIS IS CITY ATTORNEY WILL KEEP.

EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT FOR BULLET RESISTANT GLASS FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT AND 41. ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT FOR DEFENSIVE TACTICS. AND JOSEPH SCHOOL TRAINING. JU JU JU JU I OKAY. THAT FOR EAST POINT POLICE OFFICERS ANY OBJECTION TO CONSENT? ALRIGHT. SO, MADAM MAYOR, OVER HERE. YES. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO PULL ITEMS SIX AND 11 AND PLACE ON THE JANUARY AGENDA. ON THE JANUARY THE 1ST COUNCIL MEETING. WORK SESSION OR WORK SESSION, PLEASE. OKAY. JANUARY WORK SESSION FOR SIX INSTEAD OF CONSENT. MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK AND 11. DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WAYFINDING AND GATEWAY SIGNS FOR LIKE FIVE YEARS. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION TO SHARE TONIGHT? REPRESENTED THAT CAME. EXCUSE ME, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THOSE ITEMS. NUMBER SIX, IT'S IT'S AN ITEM THAT NEEDS TO COME FROM FULTON COUNTY. AND THEY HAVE THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR DOCUMENT READY. SO WE'RE MOVING IT TO JANUARY. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE NUMBER 11, THE PRESENTATION IS PRESENTED BY OUR CONTRACTOR. AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT DOWN UNTIL JANUARY. AND WE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THE CONTRACT. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT APPROVED. SO WE NEED TO GO THROUGH WORK. SESSION ITEM DOESN'T SAY APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT. IT SAYS DISCUSSION. YES MA'AM. THE PROPOSED GATEWAY AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE. YES MA'AM. WAS A SOLICITATION DONE? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. I KNOW HE SAID IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED, SO I'M NOT SURE WHO THE VENDOR IS OR HOW HE SELECTED IT.

WASN'T THE SOLICITATION MOVED FORWARD. AND THEN WHEN WE WENT INTO PUTTING THE PACKAGE TOGETHER FOR THE PO, WE FOUND THAT IT WENT TO COUNCIL, BUT IT NEVER WAS APPROVED. RIGHT. AND SO ALL I'M SAYING IS, WHEN IT COMES BACK, THIS AGENDA ITEM IS NOT ABOUT APPROVAL OF A VENDOR.

AND THE REASON WE BROUGHT IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAD HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT PART OF IT. I'M JUST SAYING IF IT COMES BACK, THIS AGENDA ITEM WILL NOT ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL OF TRYING TO GET A VENDOR. THIS JUST SAYS COUNCIL REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED GATEWAY AND WAYFINDING SIGNAGE DESIGN. SO IF YOU SAID JANUARY WORK SESSION, IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO INDICATE LIKE THE OTHER PROCUREMENTS, OKAY, WHO THE RECOMMENDED VENDOR IS AND OKAY. BUT JANUARY WORK SESSION. YES, MA'AM. NUMBER 11. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT. WE ONLY HAVE ONE PRESENTATION TONIGHT. WE'LL TAKE THAT PRESENTATION THEN WE WILL DO. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NON STAFF PEOPLE HERE FOR ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS OTHER THAN ITEM 37 AND 38. 39. OH BY THE

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[II.1. Empowered by Getting Ahead ]

SO IT'S BACK TO 23% AGAIN. THAT COULD BE FOR A LOT OF REASONS. REASONS. BUT WE THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT BUT JUST NOT HAVE TIME TO NIGHT. THERE ARE A LOT OF CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE POVERTY RATE GOING THE WAY IT IS NOW, WHICH OUR POVERTY RATE EXCEEDS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 11.5%, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 87% OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY, THE POVERTY LINE. SO THE FY 20, THAT SHOULD BE FY 26 HUMAN SERVICES BUDGET, WHICH IS 35, $350,000. THAT'S OUR FY 26 BUDGET. THAT SHOULD BE FY 26. IT SAYS 25, BUT IT SHOULD BE 26, WHICH IS INSUFFICIENT LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE FOR THIS DEPARTMENT. SO THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO BRING THIS PRESENTATION TO YOU, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT WE'RE DOING CURRENTLY AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD ARPA FUNDS, WE'VE HAD CDBG, WE'VE HAD ESG FUND, AND I THINK ROUGHLY IN 20, MAYBE 23, 24, WE RECEIVED GENERAL FUNDS, WHICH GAVE US A GRAND TOTAL OF A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION OF FUNDING TO FOR THIS DEPARTMENT FOR SINCE FY 20 TO 26. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE EMPOWERED BY GETTING A HEAD GATE. WELL, THE EMPOWERMENT GALA, WHICH IS OUR FRAMEWORK TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACT AND THE DATA OF THE EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD FRAMEWORK TO DEMONSTRATE COMMUNITY OUTCOMES, PARTNERSHIPS AND RETURNING INVESTMENT, AND TO REQUEST COUNCIL AWARENESS AND SUPPORT.

OUR EMPOWERMENT GALA IS GOING TO BE OUR SIGNATURE FUNDRAISER FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT. IT'S TO SUPPORT HOUSING STABILITY, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC UPWARD MOBILITY. WE'RE. OUR GOAL IS TO SPONSOR 25 FAMILIES AT $10,000 EACH. I'LL GO IN DETAIL A LITTLE BIT MORE THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THAT NUMBER, AND TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERS WITHIN OUR FRAMEWORK. OUR GALA GOALS AND OUTCOME IS TO RAISE FUNDS TO SUSTAIN THE EMPOWERED BY

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THEY WERE SLEEPING ON COUCHES WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. THEY WERE LIVING IN HOTELS. AND THEY CAME TO US. THEY WROTE OUT THEIR PLANS ON OUR EMPOWERMENT PLAN THAT WE HAD. WE HAD AN APPLICATION THAT THEY FILL OUT, AND THEY PUT ALL OF THEIR GOALS AND THE THINGS THAT THEY WISH TO ACCOMPLISH. SO WE WORKED THROUGH THAT FRAMEWORK AND WE GOT SOME HELP LAST YEAR BY OUR MAYOR BRINGING AWARENESS TO THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING. WE WERE ABLE TO GET A GRANT THROUGH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR ASSOCIATION. WE BECAME PART OF THEIR COHORT. SO THAT HELPED SUPPORT A LOT OF THIS WORK LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS A GREAT THING. WE ACTUALLY CAME OUT AS ONE OF THE TOP COHORTS OF THAT COHORT FOR THE EMILY, WHICH WAS THE ECONOMIC MOBILITY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTION. WE WERE ONE OF THE TOP STUDENTS IN THAT COHORT FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR ASSOCIATION. THEY ACTUALLY USED OUR FRAMEWORK TO BE A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE CITIES. SO WE WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN WASHINGTON. I WAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND SEE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THERE. WE WERE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED RECENTLY IN ATLANTA AT ONE OF THE CONFERENCES IN ATLANTA. SO THAT WAS GOOD TOO. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND THEY REALLY SUPPORT IT AND THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. WE DID DO CAREER FAIRS, HOME OWNERSHIP. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED FOR SIX MONTHS. EVERY DAY, SIX MONTHS. WE CAN HAVE AS MANY AS 21 CLASSES A MONTH FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND IT'S ALL THESE THINGS THAT'S DRAWN OUT HERE THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR MENTAL STABILITY.

WE BRING IN IN PARTNERSHIPS WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH THEM PERTAINING TO THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR WELLNESS. AND WE HAVE THAT ONE BIG SESSION. AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING HAVING ONE ON ONES WITH THOSE COUNSELORS THAT COME IN TO HELP US AS WELL. AND WE DO INSURANCE PLANNING AND CREDIT EDUCATION, TEACH THEM ABOUT THEIR CREDIT SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE BETTER CREDIT SCORES. SO OUR IN OUR EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD FRAMEWORK DATA IMPACT 200.

WE HAD 200 PLUS FAMILIES ENGAGED IN MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING. AND THIS WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT TURNOUTS BECAUSE FOR ONE WE MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT. IN ORDER FOR YOU TO COME TO GET SERVICES FROM US, YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE SIX CLASSES WITH US. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THEY COME TO GET THOSE SIX CLASSES, THEY STAY, THEY DON'T LEAVE, THEY CONTINUE THE CLASSES BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT IT'S A BENEFIT. SO WE HAVE HAD AT LEAST 200 PLUS PLUS FAMILIES ENGAGING IN MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING. WE'VE HAD ABOUT 65 FAMILIES SUPPORTED TOWARD HOMEOWNERSHIP.

WE HAVE A TWO HOMEOWNERSHIP SESSIONS. WE HAVE PATHWAY TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. AND WE HAVE WE HAVE HOMEOWNERSHIP PLANNING SESSIONS. WE'VE HOUSED OVER 400 CHRONICALLY HOMELESS FAMILIES AND MOVED THEM TO INTO STABLE AND PERMANENT HOUSING. WE'VE ALSO INCREASED CIVIC ENGAGEMENT,

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SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LANDLORDS.

AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OWNERS OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES. SOMETIMES IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET TO THE OWNERS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE OWNERS UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE LEASING MANAGER. SO WE HAVE TO GET TO THE OWNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR SOME OF THE RESIDENTS RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UTILITY ASSISTANCE. AND OF COURSE, I TALKED ABOUT THE LANDLORD COORDINATION, THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD COST REDUCTION IN LONG TERM RETENTION. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. WE'VE HAD COLLABORATION MEETINGS, COMMUNITY COLLABORATION MEETINGS. WE'VE HAD FOUR OF THOSE THIS YEAR. OUR GOAL IS TO DO THEM EVERY QUARTER. WE HAVE ABOUT 45. WE'VE HAD 45 COMMUNITY PARTNERS HERE.

SOMETIMES IT FLUCTUATES. WE HAVE 45. SOMETIMES WE MAY HAVE 25, WE MAY HAVE 30. SO IT JUST KIND OF DEPENDS. BUT THAT CONSISTS OF THE FACE BASED, FAITH BASED, NONPROFIT, EDUCATIONAL AND BUSINESS PARTNERS. WE'RE OUR HOPES ARE TO STRENGTHEN COLLECTIVE IMPACT ACROSS THE CITY. OUR ASK TO YOU COUNCIL WHEN IT COMES TO OUR EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD GALA, IS TO SUPPORT VISIBILITY AND THE PROMOTION OF THE GALA. STRENGTHENING CROSS-DEPARTMENT COLLABORATION. CELEBRATE EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD SUCCESSES AND EXPAND CAPACITY.

CONTINUE EVALUATING COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES. SO I WILL GO BACK AND JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON OUR EMPOWERMENT GALA AND THE INTENT OF THAT. THE INTENT OF OUR EMPOWERMENT GALA IS TO ACTUALLY, AGAIN, TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND TO ALSO HELP WITH THE FUNDING. OUR FUNDING POOL IS NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. I KNOW THIS IS A NEW DEPARTMENT. WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE STRATEGIES, THE BEST STRATEGIES TO TO HELP SUPPORT THIS WORK. BUT IT'S NOT THE NEED. IT'S NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE RIGHT NOW. WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING, WE'VE REACHED OUT ACROSS DIFFERENT AVENUES AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. SOME THINGS THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL AT THIS TIME. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE INNOVATIVE AND THINK OF WAYS THAT WAYS THAT CAN HELP INCREASE AND ENHANCE THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE COMING IN. SO IT IS A CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP GALA WHERE WE WILL ASK FOR SPONSORSHIPS FROM CORPORATE ENTITIES, AND WE WILL INVITE OPEN IT FOR SOME PEOPLE TO COME IN FROM THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC. WE WON'T. I MEAN, WE'LL HAVE THAT AVAILABILITY OPEN TO FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE INVOLVED FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL. BUT THAT GALA IS SET TO BE ON JANUARY 30TH OF NEXT YEAR, 2026. WE'VE THOUGHT IT OUT PRETTY EXTENSIVELY WITH WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO TO MAKE IT AN X AND A SUCCESS, BUT WE WILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT IN THE PROCESS TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS GALA. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, JUST FOR TRANSPARENCY, SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE HAD, AND THIS HAS BEEN SINCE FISCAL YEAR 20 TO 26, THIS IS THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE HAD TO COME THROUGH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT CDBG FUNDS. YOU CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS. ESG

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SO WE HAVE ABOUT YEAH, ABOUT 21 CLASSES A MONTH. THIS MONTH IT'S A LITTLE SHORTER BECAUSE OF THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS, BUT IT'S ABOUT 21 CLASSES A MONTH. AND THIS IS OUR MONEY MANAGEMENT. THIS AGAIN IS AT THE CHURCH. THIS IS THAT WE HAD TO BRING THIS ONE TO A BIGGER SPACE BECAUSE WE HAD MORE PEOPLE. THIS WAS OUR MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING SESSION. SO THAT WAS THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE TO. AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT. THIS WAS ONE OF OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS. SOMETIME I FAILED TO MENTION THAT SOME OF OUR CLASSES, WE DO HAVE TO TAKE THEM TO ZOOM. IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER. WE HAD SOME COLD WEATHER. WE HAD SOME RAINY WEATHER. WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM DO HAVE TO RIDE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE FACILITATE THAT OR ACCOMMODATE THEM WITH THAT. SO THIS IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND THIS IS OUR CAREER FAIR. WE HAD THIS EARLIER THIS YEAR RIGHT HERE. IT'S A LITTLE DARK, BUT IT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE FOR OUR CAREER FAIR AS WELL.

AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLABORATION MEETINGS. THIS IS ALL OF THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION COLLABORATORS, SHOULD I SAY THAT WE'VE HAD HERE. THIS WAS JUST ONE OF THE MEETINGS. I THINK THIS WAS THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD. AND WE WILL HAVE OUR VERY LAST MEETING FOR THE QUARTER. WE'LL HAVE IT THIS THURSDAY, ACTUALLY RIGHT HERE.

WE'LL BE HAVING A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TO JUST KIND OF BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER TO TRY TO CREATE A STRATEGY AND PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND SEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER, LEVERAGE OUR FUNDING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND HERE ARE JUST SOME OF OUR EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD BENCHMARKS AND SOME OF OUR KEY PERFORMANCES. I THINK I DID LEAVE, I LEFT A HANDOUT BECAUSE IT'S A LOT MORE THAT I CAN TELL YOU, BUT I JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TELL YOU TONIGHT. BUT I DID LEAVE A HANDOUT FOR YOU TO SEE SOME OF OUR BENCHMARKS AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO THAT WE HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM PERTAINING TO OUR RAPID REHOUSING FUNDING, OUR HOUSING STABILITY. BUT YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS HERE WITH OUR PROGRAM ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE ABOUT 200 PLUS RESIDENTS ENGAGED IN BUDGETING, MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING. WE HAD AN 85% AVERAGE ATTENDANCE ACROSS OUR COHORT CYCLE. THE COMPLETION RATE WAS ABOUT 65%.

WE HAD A TARGET OF 75%. SO WE ARE HEAVY ON OUR DATA AND HOW WE GOT TO ALL OF THIS AGAIN, JUST SO THAT WE'RE FULLY TRANSPARENT. WITH THAT WE HAD. WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY SURVEY.

WHAT'S THE WORD? WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR? YES, WE HAD OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT. I COULDN'T FIND THE WORDS, BUT WE HAD OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN 2022. SO WE STRUCTURED THIS FRAMEWORK OFF OF THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT. SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT HERE. JUST BASICALLY GAUGING THE THINGS THE OUTCRY FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT WAS REQUESTED. AND I COULD HAVE STUCK THAT UP THERE. BUT WE DO HAVE IT. BUT WHAT SCREAM THE LOUDEST WAS FINANCIAL LITERACY. SO WE BUILT THIS FRAMEWORK AROUND FINANCIAL LITERACY. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD. SO BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN CAN SEE THERE. YEAH. BUT THAT'S IT THERE. THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REITERATING.

[00:30:09]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU, SHANNON ARMSTRONG. YOU ALWAYS COME THROUGH WHEN I CALL. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. WHO TEACHES THE CLASSES? WELL, WE HAVE ACTUALLY WE HAVE ONE OF OUR EAST POINT RESIDENTS THAT TEACH THE CLASS, MISS V HER. ORGANIZATION IS OH, GOSH, I CAN'T REMEMBER SOMETHING. FINANCIAL ADVISOR. SHE'S A FINANCIAL. YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT. OKAY. AND WE HAVE ON THE RISE. WE ALSO HAVE WHO OH, SILVERTON MORTGAGE AND DREAM HOMES. IS IT DREAM HOMES? I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER THAT IT'S A COLLECTION OF THREE OF THEM THAT DO THE PATHWAY TO HOME OWNERSHIP. OH, MORNINGSTAR COMMUNITY. THEY DO A HOME OWNERSHIP PLANNING. ■WHO ELSE AM I MISSING? I UNDERSTAND OKAY, IT'S I HAVE TO NAME OFF THE CLASSES IN ORDER TO NAME OUT WHO DOES THAT. I HAVE TWO FINAL QUESTIONS. THE FIRST QUESTION IS. SO NOW YOU SAID YOU HAVE A BUDGET AROUND $2 MILLION, AND YOU'RE THINKING THAT BUDGET IS GOING TO DROP TO 350,000 BECAUSE OF OPERA AND CBDG GRANTS? YES, WE HAD THAT BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT THAT WAS. OUR TOTAL BUDGET WITH ARPA FUNDS, CDBG, ESG AND DEPARTMENT FUNDS. THAT WAS THE BUDGET THAT WE HAD. WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FUNDS ANYMORE.

THE ONLY THING WE HAVE LEFT IS OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET, AND THAT'S 350, WHICH IS AN INCREASE FROM 200, I THINK IT WAS $250,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO DO TO MAKE UP THE SHORTFALL IN ADDITION TO THIS GALA? AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE GALA. GIVE ME WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING? DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE UP THAT ROUGHLY $1.7 MILLION? NO, I, I DON'T NOT WITH THE GALA.

THE GALA. THE TARGET IS TEN FAMILIES I KNOW, 25 FAMILIES, $10,000, $250,000. SO YOU'RE LOOKING TO RAISE $250,000 FROM THE GALA, WHICH WOULD PUT YOUR BUDGET TO ABOUT HALF $1 MILLION? YEAH, $600,000. WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO? HOW DO YOU PLAN TO IF YOU'RE OPERATING BUDGET IS 2 MILLION, HOW DO YOU PLAN OR WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO MAKE THAT SHORTFALL? IF IT WAS 2 MILLION AT THE TIME? OKAY. OR LET ME REPHRASE THE QUESTION, ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE WITHOUT HAVING A $2 MILLION BUDGET? I MEAN, WE ARE OPERATING, BUT AT VERY MINIMUM CAPACITY. VERY MINIMUM, BECAUSE IT'S THE REQUIREMENT IN THE WORK THAT REQUIRES WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO STABILIZE A HOMELESS PERSON OR UNHOUSED PERSON, AND THE THINGS THAT COMES WITH THAT IS SO MUCH THAT COMES WITH THAT. I FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT. SO YOU SAID YOU YOUR GOAL IS TO EARN $250,000. SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR 25 TITLE FIVE SPONSORS TO GIVE YOU $10,000. IS THAT WHERE YOU ARE? IT'S A WE HAVE A SPONSORSHIP. IT'S A SPONSORSHIP.

I CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL TOO. IT'S A SPONSORSHIP PACKET THAT GOES UP TO $10,000. HOW ARE WE LOOKING SO FAR? BECAUSE YOUR GALAS IN JANUARY. WHAT? WHAT ARE WHAT ARE YOUR NUMBERS THAT YOU'VE RAISED AND HOW MUCH IS THAT. WELL, NOTHING BECAUSE I WANTED TO BRING IT HERE. BUT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS THAT WANT TO GIVE, BUT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANYTHING YET BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET IT HERE FIRST BEFORE WE START COLLECTING ANY DOLLAR AMOUNT, HOW MUCH IS THE GALA GOING TO COST? WELL, THEY WERE IT'S WHATEVER SPONSOR LEVER THEY COME IN ON IS WHAT THAT COST IS. SO IF THEY COME IN AS A $5,000 SPONSOR, THEN

[00:35:08]

OKAY, ALRIGHT, MY FINAL QUESTION. AND THEN I'LL YIELD TO MY COLLEAGUES. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT WE'RE SERVICING EAST POINT RESIDENTS THAT ARE UNHOUSED DURING I GUESS ONE OF THE CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING YOUR BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, IS THAT OUR SISTER CITY MAY BE PUSHING HOMELESS PEOPLE OUT OF THE CITY BECAUSE OF FIFA. HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES, ARE WE ADDRESSING THEM? IS THERE AN INCREASE IN UNHOUSED POPULATION BECAUSE OF THAT? WE DID HAVE, AND I CAN ONLY GO BY THE DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED. WE DID HAVE AN UPTICK OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE THIS YEAR. WHEN I SAY THIS YEAR, 2025, IT WAS LOW, 2024, IT WAS HIGH 2025. NOW, WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE CAME FROM? I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, BUT THEY DO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A ASSESSMENT. SO WE FIND OUT A LOT OF TIMES THAT THEY'RE AT THE HOTEL DOWN THE STREET. SO AND THEY'VE BEEN THERE MORE THAN 30 DAYS. AND SO MAYBE WHAT HAPPENS IS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS TO BEING UNHOUSED. SO I DON'T YOU CAN DEFINE WHAT THOSE LEVELS ARE. BUT SO YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT JUST LIVE UNDER BRIDGES, THEN YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE MAYBE THEY LIVING IN THEIR CAR OR BEING EVICTED FROM A HOTEL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION WHICH YOU'RE SERVICING? AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE EXACT, BUT ARE THEY MAJORITY ONE WHERE THEY'RE JUST SLEEPING ON THE BRIDGE? OR IS IT PEOPLE THAT JUST NEED A LIFT UP? THE MAJORITY? I WOULD HAVE TO SAY AS A CATEGORY ONE AND DEFINE THAT FOR ME, I DON'T KNOW. IT'S A IT'S A CHRONIC HOMELESS, MEANING THEY'RE UNDER A BRIDGE OR SLEEPING SOMEWHERE THAT'S NOT HABITABLE, OR THEY MAY BE IN A HOTEL THAT'S STILL KIND OF LIKE A CATEGORY ONE TWO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, I YIELD. ALL. YEAH. MY MONITORS SHOWING THE MICROPHONE. NO, NO, NOTHING. MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER COMING. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ARE THERE ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR OFFICE? WE ARE LOOKING AT ONE RIGHT NOW OKAY. A LOT OF THEM ARE MATCHES THAT WE'VE SEEN. WE WE'RE LOOKING INTO FOUNDATIONS AS WELL. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES. WE'VE APPLIED FOR A FEW. WE DIDN'T GET THEM. A LOT OF THE NONPROFITS DID OKAY. JUST A GOOD RESOURCE. ARTHUR BLAKE'S EX-WIFE. I KNOW SHE'S DONE SOME STUFF IN ATLANTA, SO MAYBE THAT THAT COULD BE A A SOURCE FOR YOU. WHO'S THAT? IT'S ARTHUR BLAKE, SINCE HIS PREVIOUS WIFE. BUT SHE DOES A LOT OF PHILANTHROPIC STUFF I CAN HARDLY PRONOUNCE. RIGHT. BUT, YES, I'LL GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. OKAY? OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

YES, MA'AM. SO LET ME ASK YOU WITH THE. THE THE GRANTS IN THE MONEY THAT WAS TIED TO THE GRANTS. AND BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT NOBODY IS GETTING GRANTS. NOBODY IS BASICALLY GETTING FEDERAL FUNDING. HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOUR WORK AND THE PEOPLE THAT NEED SERVICE? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HAS TO BE KIND OF HARD TRYING TO PLACE THEM WHEN THE FUNDING IS NOT REALLY THERE. YES, MA'AM. IT'S DEFINITELY AFFECTING IT A WHOLE LOT. WE'VE SEEN THAT RECENTLY. WE'VE HAD TO SCALE BACK A LOT AND TWEAK BECAUSE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT COULD USUALLY COME TO OUR RESCUE, THEY CAN'T. AND WE'VE HAD TO TWEAK THE PROGRAM A LOT.

WE'VE HAD TO REALLY PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON OUR CLASSES, THE EMPIRE, BY GETTING THAT

[00:40:02]

I HAVEN'T DONE THE NUMBERS YET FOR THE END OF THIS QUARTER, BUT OUR SENIOR NUMBERS HAVE I CAN JUST TELL BY CALLS AND STUFF THAT THEY'VE GONE UP. AND IT'S MAINLY WITH THEM, THEIR UTILITIES. THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GALA IDEA.

HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH LEGAL OR FINANCE? JUST ABOUT THE COMPLICATED NATURE OF DONATIONS TO A CITY GOVERNMENT? YES, SIR, I HAVE. OKAY, SO THEY GAVE. I DID SPEAK WITH LEGAL. I DO HAVE THE LEGALITIES AROUND THIS AND I SPOKE WITH FINANCE. SO THE TWO OF THOSE ARE HELPING TO NAVIGATE THIS PROCESS. OKAY. GOOD TO HEAR. AND I KNOW YOU SAID THE THE TARGET DATE IS JANUARY 30TH. THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT OF LEAD TIME FOR THE KIND OF ASKS, DO YOU ALREADY HAVE SORT OF SOME IDEAS OF PROSPECTS OR. BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME TO RAISE? YES. I'VE BEEN WORKING MY WAY THROUGH WITH CORPORATE PEOPLE PRETTY MUCH THAT REALLY SUPPORT THE WORK THAT WE DO. THEY KNOW WHAT WE DO. THEY'VE JUST BEEN WAITING ON ME TO SAY, OKAY, CAN YOU CAN I SEND MONEY? I HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GOT HERE FIRST, PER OUR CITY MANAGER, BEFORE WE MOVED ANY FURTHER. OKAY. AND THEN WILL THEY WILL THERE BE IN ADDITION TO THIS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF CORPORATE GIVING? WILL THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY, JUST AN OPEN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT WANT TO CONTRIBUTE AT ANY LEVEL OR. YES, YES IT WILL.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND THAT WAY. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SEEK SOME ADVICE FROM OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT. I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT THAT RECENTLY. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, AND I STILL HAVE TO KIND OF KEEP A LITTLE CAP ON IT, BECAUSE OUR BUDGET IS NOT GOING TO FIT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE. BUT I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR SOME OTHERS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. THIS WORK KIND OF CAME ABOUT THROUGH THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT THAT THE COUNTY OFFERED DURING COVID. ARE THOSE GRANTS STILL AVAILABLE? WE'VE APPLIED TWICE FOR THE ESG FUNDS. WE DIDN'T GET IT. I LOOKED AT WHO DID GET IT. I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 103 PEOPLE THAT APPLIED. AND I WANT TO SAY OUT OF THOSE 103 PEOPLE, ONLY 2 OR 3 CITIES GOT THE FUNDS. THE LAST TIME. IT'S COMING UP AGAIN TO APPLY AGAIN. BUT I THINK THEY ARE, ACCORDING TO WHAT I SAW IN THE GIG AGENDA, THAT THEY ARE REALLY SEEING, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO PROBABLY INCORPORATE SOME CITIES TO GET THESE FUNDS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING EMPHASIS ON NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO GET THE FUNDS, CALL CITIES, RECEIVE THE FUNDING. OH GOSH, I CANNOT REMEMBER, BUT I DEFINITELY CAN GO BACK AND FIND IT. OKAY, WHAT ABOUT CDBG? CDBG, THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITIES THERE. THE STATE ACTUALLY LOVE WHAT WE DID. WE WERE THE ONLY CITY THAT GOT OUR FUNDS OUT THE DOOR LIKE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO. THEY GAVE US GAVE US MONEY THREE TIMES. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY OUT THERE FOR OTHER WORK. BUT JUST NOT THIS WORK.

DID THIS DOES THE STATE HAVE FUNDING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS? I KNOW THEY RECEIVED LIKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE DURING COVID, THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY REALLY MOVED ALL OF IT OUT THE DOOR. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AT DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS? THEY DON'T LAST. I SPOKE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. I'M GOING TO CHECK

[00:45:05]

I WILL SAY, WHEN WE VISITED TAMPA, WE VISITED TWO DIFFERENT SITES AND ONE WAS A SITE THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY MULTIPLE CITIES. SO TAMPA HAD ITS OWN. PINELLAS IS THE COUNTY. I CAN'T THINK OF THE OTHER LOCATION, BUT MULTIPLE CITIES CONTRIBUTED TO THIS LOCATION WHERE ALL OF THESE SUPPORTS ARE HAPPENING IN ONE CITY MAY HAVE GIVEN ONLY $10,000. OTHER CITIES GAVE DIFFERENT FUNDING AMOUNTS. AND SO AS A PART OF THAT DELEGATION, THERE WAS DISCUSSION AROUND A REGIONAL APPROACH TO SUPPORTING PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ALSO MAYBE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AMONGST MUNICIPALITIES TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. AND THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE UNHOUSED. THEY DON'T HAVE A RESIDENCE, A RESIDENCE, IN FACT, WHEN THEY CAN GET SUPPORT IN ANY CITY BECAUSE OF THEIR STATUS OF BEING EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. BUT THERE IS A VERY HUMANE, RESTORATIVE APPROACH HAPPENING THAT IS BEING DRIVEN BY THE MAYOR OF ATLANTA. THAT IS NOT A PUSH THEM OUT AND FORGET ABOUT THEM AND MOVE THEM OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. IT'S REALLY TO WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, TO HELP THEM BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT. THE VERY WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. SO I WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, BECAUSE I THINK THIS NOTION IS GROWING. FIFA IS COMING AND HOMELESSNESS. PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS LOOKS DIFFERENT IN ATLANTA THAN IT DOES IN EASTPOINTE THAN IT DOES IN COLLEGE PARK. THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IS HAPPENING AGAIN IN JANUARY. THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE HAS HOSTED THAT INITIATIVE FOR THE COUNTY, FOR FULTON COUNTY, FOR PROBABLY THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS, THAT WILL BE COMING BACK UP WHERE WE ACTUALLY RIDE AROUND AND IDENTIFY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN ALL OF THE CITIES IN SOUTH FULTON. AND THEN THEY DO ONE ALSO IN NORTH FULTON. THE CHALLENGE IS, IS WHEN YOU RIDE AROUND EASTPOINTE, IT'S NOT AS VISIBLE. YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN EXTENDED STAYS OR HOTELS. THERE ARE SEEING MORE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ON THE STREETS. BUT, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT I KNEW THEIR NAMES. AND PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SOMETIMES DON'T WANT HELP. THERE'S A WHOLE LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND, YOU KNOW, INTERACTION THAT IS NEEDED TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE VALUABLE AND THAT THEY ALSO DESERVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE AND BE SUPPORTED AND TO BE HOUSED. AND SO IT'S HARD WORK AND IT'S HARD WORK, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO PUT ON THE RECORD THE WORK THAT ATLANTA OR THE THE FOCUS OR THE APPROACH TO THE WORK OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSED THAT THE CITY OF ATLANTA IS DOING, NOT JUST FOR FIFA BUT OVERALL. BUT YES, FIFA IS COMING UP. BUT THIS THIS NOTION OF PUSHING OUT, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND, I DON'T THINK, IS WHAT MAYOR

[00:50:02]

AND GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENED AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AND THAT IS HAPPENING, THERE ARE MORE AND MORE FOUNDATIONS LOOKING FOR PLACES WHERE THEY KNOW THEY'LL GET A RETURN ON THEIR CONTRIBUTION. RIGHT, THAT THEY THERE WILL BE A RETURN ON IMPACT, THEY WILL GET AN IMPACT RETURN ON WHAT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND CONTINUE TO ASK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR SUPPORT WITH WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IS MUCH NEEDED. JUST BECAUSE WE GOT THROUGH COVID DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE STILL AREN'T EXPERIENCING LIFE, AND THAT LIFE IS LIFE AND DIFFERENTLY FOR PEOPLE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO BE A PLACE THAT CAN CONNECT. I MEAN, WE AS A CITY, WE'RE CONNECTED FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT BEING ABLE TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PATH, TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND BE EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD IS, IS IS A GREAT ONE. SO THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. I KNOW YOLANDA AND SHANNON. Y'ALL GO HELP PEOPLE MOVE IN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THEN TRANSITION HOUSING LIKE THAT'S NOT IN YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION.

AND SO JUST KNOW IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT, BUT IT SHOWS YOUR HEART AND PASSION FOR THE WORK. AND YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST BELIEVE THAT IT'LL CONTINUE. THANK YOU. IF I MAY MENTION TO JANUARY 22ND, FULTON COUNTY HAS ASKED ME TO CHAIR THE POINT IN TIME COUNT THIS TIME. SO IT'S JANUARY 22ND. SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF THAT INITIATIVE ON JANUARY 22ND, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME. IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE. I MEANT THEY HAVE THEY ASKED TO USE THE ANNEX AGAIN BECAUSE GENERALLY COUNCIL APPROVES. THERE'S A MOTION FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE THAT. AND SO WELL IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION. SO WE WERE LOOKING AT ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THAT, THE REC CENTER. WELL THEY WANTED TO SEE IF THEY COULD USE THE THE CHURCH. OKAY. SO WE'RE WAITING ON AN ANSWER FOR THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD GIVE US ENOUGH SPACE THAT WE NEED AS WELL. OH, THIS WAS THE LAST THING WE HAVE A PATHWAY TO HOME OWNERSHIP SESSION TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE CHURCH AT 630 TO 8. SO IF YOU ALL WANT TO BE A PART OF SEEING WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE WITH OUR RESIDENTS, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. THANK YOU. THIS IS OUR LAST COMMENT. I KNOW FOR I WAS LOOKING AT JUST THE RESOURCES AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU WERE PROVIDING. AND IF WE LOOKED AT SOMETHING MORE GLOBAL, LIKE A TOTAL PACKAGE. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE MELODY HOUSE, THE MELODY PROJECT THAT'S IN ATLANTA, BUT THEY HAVE THE MELODY HOUSE, THE MELODY PROJECT. IT'S DOWN BY THE GREYHOUND BUS STATION, BUT THEY TOOK THE SMALLER BOXES AND THEY MADE THEIR MINI APARTMENT UNITS. AND ALSO THAT'S ONE THING. AND ANOTHER THING THEY ALSO HAVE IS THE OLD ATLANTA HOTEL MOTEL THAT'S ON BOULEVARD, WHERE THEY JUST TOOK AN OLD MOTEL AND THEY AND IT'S AND IT WHAT IT DOES IS IT PROVIDES RAPID HOUSING, BUT THEY ALSO DO A WRAPAROUND SERVICE WHERE IT'S, LIKE I SAID, FINANCIAL LITERACY, TEACHING THEM ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP. RIGHT.

[00:55:02]

THANK YOU. AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT. YOU KNOW, HOW LONG THE MAYOR AND FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, RENEE, KAREN RENEE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT SITUATION BECAUSE EVERY SITUATION DOES NOT REQUIRE A POLICE. IT REQUIRES SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO HANDLE THAT. AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING SOMEONE WORK IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THAT PARTICULAR FIELD, DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH, RIGHT? SO THAT TO HEAR THAT THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE FOR FOR A LONG TIME THAT HAS THAT HAS I REMEMBER CAME UP. YEP. THAT THAT HAS ALWAYS CAME UP. I REMEMBER CHIEF AND HE KEPT TALKING ABOUT IT. AND THEN WE FINALLY GOT SOMEONE TRAINED, WHICH WAS ME, AND I GOT TRAINED AND WAS ABLE TO TRAIN, TRAIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE ONE OF THEM TRAINED AND THEY CAN RETRAIN THE REST OF THE STAFF, BUT THAT'S THE IDEAL OF IT. YES. THANK YOU. GOOD. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE MAYOR YEAH, THEY TALKED ABOUT. THEY THEY ALWAYS ASKED THAT QUESTION. SO THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND

[III.2. Update on Policing ]

[01:00:05]

WE HAD A COUPLE SIGNIFICANT ARRESTS LATELY, AS YOU KNOW, WE GOT SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO ROB SOMEBODY IN PUBLIC WITH A AK 47, WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY ARREST HIM. WE HAD A GAMBLING STING.

MATTER OF FACT, OVER SEVEN ROAD, THAT WAS A HUGE ARREST FOR US. THERE WAS GAMBLING DURING THE WEEK, LATE AT NIGHT, AS WELL AS I SENT AN EMAIL OUT. WE HAD A PERSON. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, CITY MANAGER, YOU WILL SEE THE EMAIL THERE ARE. FATHER WAS MISSING 78 YEARS OLD.

UNFORTUNATELY HE HAD A HEART ATTACK AND PASSED AWAY IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT THE HOSPITAL COULD NOT CONTACT HIS FAMILY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION. SO WHEN THEY REPORTED HIM MISSING, HE WAS ABLE TO FIND HIM PRETTY QUICKLY AND DETERMINE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY UNFORTUNATE. HAD JUST PASSED AWAY AT THE HOSPITAL, SO WE SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT THAT AS WELL. IN TERMS OF SCAMS, I THINK YOU ASKED ME ABOUT. SO AS YOU NOTICE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH FEDERAL REGULATION, BUT I CAN'T EVEN ANSWER MY PHONE WITHOUT A SCAM CALL. NOW EVERYBODY'S PRETENDING I HAD FILED A LOAN OR WHATEVER, BUT THIS IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE, HANG UP, IF YOU DIDN'T APPLY FOR A LOAN, YOU KNOW YOU'RE IN, APPLY FOR A LOAN. SO PLEASE REALIZE THERE'S A SCAM.

CALL A COUPLE OTHER THINGS. PEOPLE CALLING SAYING YOU MISSED JURY DUTY. WE'RE GOING TO LOCK YOU UP. IF YOU DON'T PAY YOUR FINE, YOU HAVE TO PAY OVER THE PHONE. YOU HAVE TO COME MEET US RIGHT NOW. THAT IS A SCAM. THERE'S NO COURTHOUSE, THAT COURTHOUSE THAT WILL CALL YOU AND TELL YOU THAT YOU MISSED JURY DUTY AND YOU GOT TO PAY A FINE IMMEDIATELY, OR THEY'RE GOING TO LOCK YOU UP. SO THAT'S A SCAM. ANOTHER SCAM IS TO HAVE YOUR FAMILY MEMBER'S NAME AND INFORMATION SAYING THEY'VE BEEN LOCKED UP. THEY NEED TO COME PAY A BOND AND THEY'LL MEET YOU TO DO IT. THAT IS A SCAM AS WELL. SO JUST BE ADVISED OF THOSE. ANOTHER SCAM IS A UTILITY SCAM. THEY'RE TELLING PEOPLE UTILITY IS ABOUT TO BE CUT OFF. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR UTILITIES ON IMMEDIATELY, CALL US OR IMMEDIATELY PAY THIS OVER THE PHONE. THERE'S A SCAM AS WELL. THE UTILITY IS NOT GOING ■TO CALL YOU AND MAKE YOU PAY YOUR UTILITIES OVER THE PHONE. WE DON'T HAVE THAT SERVICE WHERE WE HARASS PEOPLE LIKE THAT, SO IT'S A SCAM. SO I JUST WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN IT'S CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY AREA A SEASON, BE AWARE OF THESE FRAUDULENT PHONE CALLS AND FRAUDULENT EMAILS AND THINGS OF THIS NATURE. THANKS, CHIEF. COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGER, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE DISCUSSED THOSE SCAMS AT AWARD COMMUNITY GATHERING. THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION ARE THE SENIORS. WHAT CAN BE DONE, I GUESS, IS PSA ANNOUNCEMENTS OR JUST MAKING SURE THEY GET THE INFORMATION, BECAUSE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, SOMEONE IN CITY OF SOUTH FULTON, THEY SHOWED UP AT THIS WOMAN'S HOUSE.

THEY HAD COURTED HER OVER THE TELEPHONE. AND THE LADY OR WHO, WHATEVER THE SCAM WAS, THEY SHOWED UP AT THIS WOMAN'S HOUSE AND PICKED UP $60,000 OF HER LIFE SAVINGS AND WALKED AWAY.

SO, I GUESS, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THOSE, LIKE, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, GET THE TELEPHONE CALL AND IT SOUNDS LIKE MY GRANDDAUGHTER OR I MEAN, I ALWAYS TRY TO TELL THE RESIDENTS THAT I TALK TO, NO ONE WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND PICK UP MONEY. CORRECT. AND I WILL TELL YOU, DO NOT PAY ANYTHING OVER THE PHONE AS WELL. WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU YOU HAVE TO PAY NOW, IT'S ALWAYS AN IMMEDIATE URGENCY TO THE ISSUE. AND THAT'S HOW THEY GET PEOPLE TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ARRESTED. IF YOU DON'T DO IT RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOCKED UP. SO ANYTIME YOU GET A SCAM THAT HAS THAT URGENCY WHERE YOU HAVE NO TIME TO RESEARCH, IT'S A SCAM. THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING TO REMEMBER. RIGHT NOW WE'RE PUBLISHING. WE PUT OUT PSA ON OUR INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK TO MATCH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO WE'RE RELEASING ANOTHER ONE TOMORROW. THE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS, WE RELEASE ABOUT TWO A WEEK. SO I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, OUR EASTPOINTE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, AND WE ALSO SHARE WITH THE CITY ACCOUNT SO THEY CAN BE AWARE OF THESE THINGS. BUT THE BIGGEST THING TO REMEMBER IS IF IT'S AN URGENCY, IT HAS TO BE DONE. RIGHT NOW, IT'S DEFINITELY A SCAM BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO PLAY ON YOUR EMOTIONS AND AND THEY NEED IT NOW. SO ANYTHING THAT'S URGENT IS A SCAM. IT'S WHAT I TELL PEOPLE. MR. CITY MANAGER, WHAT I MEAN, AND I

[01:05:06]

WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND? MAYBE SOMETHING IN UTILITY BILL IMPORTANT HOLIDAY SCAMS. I'M NOT SURE THE DIRECTION THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN, BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT'S A LARGE PORTION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE REPRESENT. THEY ARE NOT. THEY MAY CHECK AN EMAIL, BUT I KNOW THEY CHECK THEIR UTILITY BILLS. YEAH, I THINK WE CAN UTILIZE RESOURCES LIKE OUR UTILITY BILLS THAT HAVE HELPFUL REMINDERS ON OUR WEBSITE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I KNOW ALSO IT EVEN FOOLS SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE POPULATIONS NOW THAT'S GETTING SO SOPHISTICATED AND STARTING TO LOOK VERY REALISTIC IN SOME OF THE SCAMS THAT ARE BEING BEING USED TODAY. SO, YOU KNOW, IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR BANK, SLOW DOWN, CALL YOUR BANK. THAT'S ANOTHER THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT. I WAS JUST IN LINE AT THE BANK AND A YOUNGER LADY WAS WAS THERE AND HAD THE SCAMMER ON THE PHONE. INSTEAD OF JUST ASSUMING THAT THAT WHAT THE SCAMMER WAS SAYING THAT THEY WERE WITH THE BANK, ACTUALLY WENT TO THE BANK HERSELF, AND THEN FOUND OUT THAT THE BANK HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PHONE CALL. SO THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THE CHIEF GIVES GOOD ADVICE, SLOW THINGS DOWN, VERIFY. AND I THINK FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE CAN JUST USE EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE TO PUT OUT INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE STAY AWARE ON WHEN THESE SITUATIONS COME UP. ODDLY ENOUGH, AND I HADN'T BRIEFED THE COUNCIL, BUT WE RECENTLY JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER PHISHING SCAM, VERY IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT THAT WE WERE VICTIMS OF AS A CITY. AND THIS TIME WE WERE ABLE TO FIRST IDENTIFY IT. SECOND, IDENTIFY THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT THE ASSAILANTS WERE TRYING TO USE REPORTED AS SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. AND THEN THEY WERE ALSO USING A REAL COMPANY AND FORMED THAT COMPANY THAT THEY THEIR LIKENESS WAS BEING USED TO IN, IN FRAUDULENT ATTEMPTS. SO THOSE KIND OF VIGILANT MAKE IT HARDER ON THEM, MAKE IT MAKE THEM HAVE TO WORK TO TO TRY AND AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE SO THAT IT'S NOT AN EASY TARGET. BECAUSE SO OFTEN WE MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UPDATE, CHIEF. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE DRONES. AND AS FIRST RESPONDERS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DOCKING STATIONS, THEY REMIND ME AGAIN OF WAKANDA FOREVER. LIKE WHEN THEY TAKE OFF AND COME BACK WHEN I WAS AT SKYDIO IN SILICON VALLEY AND I SAW IT, I WAS LIKE, THIS LOOKS LIKE WAKANDA. AND THEN TO THE CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING. I ATTENDED THE CERTIFICATION CEREMONY. AND WHILE YES, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF OUR OFFICERS TRAINED, IT WAS ALSO THAT THESE OFFICERS HAD RAISED THEIR HAND TO SIGN UP TO LIKE, GO FIRST OR TO BE A PART OF THE TRAINING. AND I THINK THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF IT JUST SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, YES, PROTECT US, BUT ALSO SERVE AND SERVING DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN LOCKING PEOPLE UP. IT MEANS HELPING PEOPLE CONNECT TO WHAT THEY NEED WHEN THEY NEED IT. AND SO THANK YOU TO. LIEUTENANT FRAGOSO. LIEUTENANT FRAGOSO, I YOU KNOW, I WAS TRYING TO LOOK AT YOUR YOUR SHOULDERS, BUT I STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THE, THE SYMBOLS YET. YOU KNOW, ONE DAY MAYBE I WILL. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. OTHER CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING, AND REALLY HELPING SUPPORT OUR OFFICERS WITH SOME ADDITIONAL TOOLS. THANK YOU TO YOLANDA FOR DELIVERING THE TRAINING, BUT MAKING SURE OUR OFFICERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH, YOU KNOW, A RANGE OF RESPONSES TO CALLS THAT THEY RECEIVE THAT DON'T ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, NEED TO INVOLVE A HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF POLICE INTERVENTION. SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR WORK AND LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. I CAN JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO YOLANDA. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WE PURCHASED NARCAN FOR DRUG OVERDOSE, BUT SHE'S ASSISTED US IN GETTING A LOT OF NARCAN THROUGH FULTON COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES, AND SHE'S PROVIDED THAT TRAINING AS WELL. SO SHE'S BEEN A A BLESSING FOR SURE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER BUCK. YES, CHIEF. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO FLY THE DRONES? ARE THERE POLICE OFFICERS OR ARE THEY ARE WE HIRING PEOPLE TO DO THAT AND WHAT ARE THEY? SO BOTH THERE'LL

[01:10:02]

THE NUMBER WILL HAVE. SO WE'RE THE ONLY CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, CHIEF.

AND AND MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, BEING SAFE IS A FEELING. AND YOU CAN'T REALLY OFTENTIMES FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FORMULA IS THAT THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL SAFE. BUT HAVING LEADERSHIP LIKE YOU THAT YOU KNOW, REALLY IS IN IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU GIVE PEOPLE YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL CELL PHONE, BUT ALSO BRINGING INNOVATION TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT YOU'VE ASSEMBLED, AS WELL AS THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GO OUT EVERY DAY TO PROTECT AND SERVE.

WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU. WELL, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL SUPPORTING

[IV.37. Zoning Condition Modification for Ordinance # 200-023 to Increase Density from 7 Town Home Units to 12 Town-Home Units. Located at 1457 Gus Thorn Hill Jr Drive PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED]

[01:15:09]

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO. SO THAT'S IT OKAY. YEAH I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT. SO THERE WAS JUST A THERE, THERE WE HAVE A SLIGHT CHANGE IN OUR PRESENTATION BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING.

SO JUST TERNHILL TWIN RESIDENCE MODIFICATION OF A CONDITION OF REZONING. LET ME SEE. OKAY. SO THE LOCATION IS CORNER OF IRENE PARKWAY AND GUSTON HILL, WHICH IS HALF HALF A MILE TO DOWNTOWN AND MARTYR IN A REDEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD LAND USE. AND IN THE CLEVELAND OVERLAY DISTRICT ZONING, RESIDENTIAL. TOWNHOMES. WE CAN'T HAVE A THAT'S LIKE A MAP OF GOD'S TURN HILL IN PROXIMITY TO SOME OF OUR OTHER TOWNHOMES. WE DID REFERENCE IN OUR PRESENTATION NOW ZONING, MODIFICATION PURPOSE SPECIFIC INTENT IS TO RETAIN ZONING CONDITION ONE, TWO, THREE AND FIVE AND REMOVE CONDITION FOR NO MORE THAN SEVEN BUILDABLE LOTS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE, IN THE COMPREHENSIVE. IN THE EASTPOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE 2022, PAGE 78 TO 79.

REDEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD FUTURE LAND USE, VISION AND INTENT, IT STATES WHILE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TRADITIONAL URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD ATTRIBUTES AND SMALLER HOUSING LOTS, THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN NEED OF INVESTMENTS OF FUTURE PLANNING WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VACANT LOTS. THESE NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDE AN ASSORTMENT OF HOUSING TYPES, SUCH AS TWIN FAMILY HOMES AND MULTI-FAMILY HOMES, AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE. CHAPTER 14 OVERLAY DISTRICT IS HERMAN IS HARMONIOUS IS HARMONIOUS WITH THE INTENT OF THE FUTURE LAND USE. DISTRICT. OH I'M SORRY. OKAY. TREATMENT OF THE OVERLAY AND THE FUTURE LAND USE. CITIES TYPICALLY HAVE TWO WAYS OF DEALING WITH OVERLAYS AND THE OVERLAY, AND ENABLE IT TO RUN ALONG CORRIDORS AND OVER MULTIPLE FUTURE LAND USE AREAS IN THE OVERLAY, AND ALTER ALL FUTURE LAND USE AREAS IMPACTED BY THE OVERLAY TO FIT WITH THE OVERLAY, SOMETIMES CREATING A NEW FUTURE. LAND USE. MOST OVERLAYS ARE SET UP UNDER THE FIRST OPTION, WHICH EFFECTIVELY WHICH EFFECTIVELY SETS ASIDE LAND WITHIN THE FUTURE LAND USE AREA TO ENABLE TARGETED DEVELOPMENT WHILE THE REST OF THE LAND WITHIN THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION COMPLIES MORE FULLY WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE PLANS. SO OVER HERE, THE CLEVELAND OVERLAY IS LAYERED OVER FOR FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS TO INCLUDE THE TRADITIONAL URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT, TRADITIONAL URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD REGIONAL CENTERS, TOWN CENTER SUBAREA ONE. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE COLOR CODING ON ON THE FUTURE LAND USES. SO OVERLAY OUR LAWS THAT SUPERSEDE BASED ZONING ORDINANCE AND FUTURE LAND USE. FUTURE LAND USE AREAS ARE IMPORTANT TO CITY DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE GUIDES AND NOT THE LAWS. THE BASED ZONING ORDINANCE ARE ALSO LAWS BUT ARE SUBSERVIENT TO THE OVERLAY ORDINANCE. SO, SO SO WE'RE WE'RE DOING IS. THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AREA WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO REFERENCE THAT DO HAVE. SO THESE ARE THE OVERLAYS, THE GATEWAY, EAST POINT, WHICH IS ON THE ONE AND A HALF ACRE, HAS 101 UNITS, WHICH IS 64 UNITS PER ACRE, 1100 WASHINGTON IT'S ON THREE AND 3.7 ACRES, HAS 100 UNITS, WHICH IS 27 UNITS PER ACRE. SO THERE'S MORGAN WORKS, 89 UNITS, 25 UNITS PER ACRE. STERLING VILLAGE 58 UNITS, 14 UNITS PER ACRE. MARTIN STREET IS 1.4

[01:20:06]

LOOK WILL BE TWO FEE SIMPLE LOTS WITH GOOD ESTHETIC MATCHING. THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW SINGLE FAMILY OR TOWNHOMES. SO LET ME SEE. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS WE DID REFERENCED IN THE PRESENTATION. THE STERLING VILLAGE, THE AVERAGE LOT SIZE.

SO SO THE PROJECT AVERAGE LOT SIZE IS 2025 SQUARE FOOT, WHICH IS EXCEEDS THE COMPS THE REFERENCE PROJECTS WERE REFERENCING. SO WE'RE ABOUT A 2025. IF YOU LOOK AT THE STERLING VILLAGE THERE ARE LOT SIZE IS 1700, AVERAGE LOT SIZE IS 1700 SQUARE FEET WITH A TOTAL OF 58 UNITS. UNIT SIZE 1600. AND THEY WERE SELLING FOR $250,000. THE MARTIN STREET THERE ARE LOT SIZE AS MUCH SMALLER, 1029 SQUARE FOOT. TOTAL UNITS EIGHT UNITS. UNIT SIZE 2400FT■!S, AND THE AVERAGE SALES PRICE OF 300, WELL, THE RECENT SALES PRICE OF $325,000 IN UNIT OVER THERE. SO OVER HERE, WE'RE JUST BASICALLY TRYING TO PRESENT THAT OUR CURRENT DESIGN, IT'S PRETTY MUCH AS FAR AS THE TOTAL PROJECT VALUE AND THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE. AND ALSO THE IMPERVIOUS LOT COVERAGE IS SIMILAR TO THE PRIOR DESIGN. SO WE'RE NOT REALLY CHANGING MUCH AS FAR AS THE PREVIOUS LOT COVERAGE OR THE AMOUNT OF BUILDING WE'RE BUILDING. YOU KNOW, THE TOTAL BUILDING OR THE TOTAL PROJECT VALUE. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS IT'S GOING TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT WITH HIGHER WITH WITH A HIGHER DENSITY. NOW OVER HERE, WHAT I WANTED TO SO THERE'S A THERE'S A PICTURE TO THE RIGHT. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DESCRIBE HERE THE OVERLAY DISTRICT, HOW IT LAYS ON TOP OF THE BASE ZONING. AND THE OVERLAY DISTRICT CONTROLS ALL OF THE ABOVE. IT OVERRIDES THE BASE ZONING, IMPLEMENTS SPECIAL STANDARDS, PROVIDES ENHANCED DEVELOPMENT ALLOWANCE. THE BASE ZONING IS THE DEFAULT RULE. ESTABLISHES BASIC PERMITTED USE, SETBACK, TYPICAL DENSITY, AND

[01:25:05]

THE MINIMUM LOT AREAS 1870 FIVE SQUARE FEET, 23 LOTS PER ACRE. CHAPTER TWO ZONING REGULATION ARTICLE C ZONING TEXT BOUNDARIES. SECTION TEN DASH 2069 R2 RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOME DISTRICT. THE MINIMUM LOT COVERAGE IS 3000FT■!S, WHICH IS4 LOTS PER ACRE. THE SYNERGY LAND USE OVERLAY END ZONE AVENUE OVERLAY IS CONTROLLING ZONING FOR FOR THE FOR THIS PARCEL.

THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SERVES AS A GUIDE, BUT IT'S NOT A REGULATORY AND DOES NOT REDUCE THE DENSITY OR HOUSING TYPE ALLOWED IN THE OLD WAY. BY ORDINANCE, THE OVERLAY SUPERSEDES THE GENERAL LAND USE DESIGNATION, HENCE RETAINING ZONING CONDITION ONE, TWO, THREE AND FIVE AND REMOVING CONDITION FOR WHICH IS NO MORE THAN SEVEN BUILDABLE LOTS IS HARMONY IS HARMONIOUS WITH THE INTENT OF THE FUTURE LAND USE, AND COMPLYING WITH THE OVERLAY ELIMINATES ALL CONFUSIONS AND RESOLVES GOVERNING LAWS. CLEARLY, AS IT RELATES TO THIS PARCEL. THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY, COUNCILMEMBER CUMMINGS AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER. YOU COUNCILMEMBER. YEAH, SHE WAS BEFORE ME, BUT OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, STAFF, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. TWO QUESTIONS. COULD YOU GO BACK TO I THINK IT WAS LIKE YOUR SLIDE NUMBER 12. MAYBE IT WAS THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO PROPOSALS. THIS ONE. YEAH, YEAH. SO YOU YOU SAID THAT BY ADJUSTING, I GUESS THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL UNITS AND SORT OF REDESIGNING AND REALIGNING HOW THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE SORT OF STRUCTURED AND LAID OUT, YOU WERE ABLE TO DROP THE PER UNIT PRICE DOWN. AND SO. IS IT BETTER? OH NO. I'M SORRY. OKAY. SO IS THAT THE SORT OF PRIMARY REASON FOR COMING BACK TO REQUEST THIS, THIS CHANGE AT THIS POINT? SO THE PRIMARY REASON WELL, ONE OF WELL, THE MAIN, PRIMARY REASON, IT WAS NOT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE TO GO WITH THE OLD PLAN BUILDING AT THAT PRICE RANGE DOES NOT FIT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW. SO THE PATH TO GETTING THIS DONE WAS REDUCING THE PRICE AND INCREASING THE DENSITY. AND IF WE DID THAT, WE CAN THE PROJECT IS MORE FEASIBLE. BUT AT SEVEN LOTS AT THAT PRICE WAS NOT A FEASIBLE PROJECT. OKAY. AND IT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE REALLY. BUT SO THIS REZONING WAS APPROVED BACK IN 2023. YES. AND WE'RE HEADING TO 2026. YES. IS THERE A SPECIFIC REASON WHY NOTHING HAS HAPPENED? NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. HAS SOMETHING HAPPENED ON THE SITE OVER THOSE? NO. NOT YET, NOT YET, NOT YET. ANY PARTICULAR REASON FOR THAT INACTIVITY? OKAY. SO THE REASON WHY IS WHEN THIS WAS APPROVED, WE GOT INVOLVED WITH THE OWNERS TRYING TO PARTNER UP TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE. AND WE DETERMINED THAT WHEN WE ENGAGED THAT IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE DID CHANGE WITHIN THAT TIME. AND IN 2022, IT MADE SENSE TO TAKE ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS. BUT RIGHT NOW IT DOESN'T. IT'S NOT FEASIBLE. SO WITHIN THAT TIME, WE HAD TO ADJUST WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE MARKET CONDITIONS ARE. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SO HOW LARGE IS YOUR LOT THAT

[01:30:04]

AND I SAW THE RENDERING OF CAN YOU GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES THAT SHOWED THE, I GUESS, HOW IT'S GOING TO BE THIS ONE. OH, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. OKAY. I SEE THAT ONE. I SEE WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. SO THEY'LL HAVE A COMMON DRIVEWAY OKAY OKAY. LET ME GET TO IT. IT'S UP HERE I DON'T KNOW. THAT ONE OKAY I GET THAT. SO THAT'S GOING TO SO GO ON BACK SOME MORE. SO THAT COMMON ENTRY DRIVEWAY IS THAT GOING TO COME IN OFF OF IRENE KID OR. OH SO THAT'S GOING TO COME OFF OF GUS TURN HILL. I'M I'M SORRY. GO. NO THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S GOING TO COME OFF OKAY. GO BACK A COUPLE MORE SLIDES OKAY. THIS ONE. NO. COUPLE MORE, COUPLE MORE. BACK BACK BACK. GO BACK BACK AGAIN. YES. ONE MORE TIME. ONE MORE TIME. IT WAS ONE THAT ACTUALLY HAD THE MAP. AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT THE THE FIRST YEAR, WHAT THEY HAD. SO OKAY I THINK IT'S THIS ONE. SO IT'S GOING TO COME IN. NO I DON'T NOT THIS ONE. NO. BUT I CAN KIND OF TALK TO WHAT IT IS. SO YOU SAID THE THE DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE GOING TO COME IN OFF OF GUS THORNHILL.

YES. YES. SO IT'LL SIT MORE RECTANGULAR ON IRENE KID. RIGHT. SO THE LONGEST SIDE. SO THE LONGEST SIDE. YES. YES. IT'LL BE ON CLEVELAND AVENUE. RIGHT. SO THIS RIGHT HERE. SO THAT'S IRENE KID AND THAT'S TURN HILL. AND YOU COME IN FROM GUS THORNHILL, OKAY. AND IS THIS WHAT THE UNITS ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? IS THAT IS THIS A RENDERING OF THE UNITS GOING TO ACTUALLY IT'S GOING TO LOOK MORE LIKE THIS ONE TO YOUR RIGHT. WE JUST. YEAH. TO THE RIGHT. SO WHAT I DID WAS WE JUST SHOWED VARIATIONS OF WHAT COULD BE DONE. BUT WE'RE LEANING MORE TOWARDS THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. OKAY. AND THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 12 UNITS, SIX ON EACH SIDE. CORRECT. WITH A COMMON STREET COMING DOWN. RIGHT. THAT'S THORNHILL. OKAY.

ALRIGHT. THANK YOU I YIELD. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. THIS QUESTION IS FOR STAFF.

MISS SMITH. I REMEMBER WHEN WE APPROVED THIS PROJECT BEFORE WE WE LIMIT THE CONDITIONS TO SEVEN UNITS. AND THERE WAS ALSO A CONCERN ABOUT TRASH PICKUP AND THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE THE PEOPLE WOULD COME IN AND OUT. I DON'T RECALL THAT DISCUSSION, BUT TRASH PICKUP WILL BE HANDLED THROUGH THE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS. AND SO IT WILL BE SANITATION THAT WOULD MAKE THE FINAL DETERMINATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TRASH TRASH WILL BE PICKED UP, WHETHER IT WOULD BE A COMMON TRASH RECEPTACLE, RECEPTACLE OR THE INDIVIDUAL KIRBY'S. YEAH, YEAH. BEFORE I THINK THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SINGLE PICKUP AND THEN THERE'S PROBLEMS GETTING IN AND OUT. AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE WITH THE NEW DESIGN, THEY COULD POSSIBLY USE SEPARATE TRASH BINS. SO I'M TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY DID THE PEOPLE SAY OKAY, THIS IS THE VARIANCE.

OR FROM 7 TO 12. WHY DID THE STAFF THINK IT WAS OKAY? BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT THAT IT GETS FROM THE CLEVELAND OVERLAY, AS WELL AS THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SO DO WE KNOW WHY WE LIMITED LIMITED HIM BEFORE? BECAUSE IT WAS AN EXCEPTION IN THE PLAN. THAT WAS THERE WAS COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE DENSITY AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S ADJACENT TO SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES ON THE INTERNAL SIDE OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE IT'S LOCATED. SO DO THOSE CONCERNS STILL EXIST? WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS DURING THE COMMUNITY ZONING

[01:35:01]

THANK YOU. THANKS. THANKS. COUNCILMEMBER. YES. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND IS I DIDN'T SEE ANY LIGHTING. IS THERE LIGHTING OR SOME SORT OF STREET LIGHTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON OR NEAR THIS PROPERTY? A LIGHTING PLAN WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE REVIEWED AT THE SITE PLAN REVIEW STAGE. OKAY. ARE THERE SPECIAL TYPE OF LIGHTS? NO, IT'S NOT ANY SPECIAL TYPE OF LIGHTS, BUT I FIND THAT IN MOST COMMUNITIES, A WELL LIT AREA IS JUST AN AREA THAT IS WELL LIT.

IT CENTERS ON SAFETY. I NOTICED IN LIKE I CAN JUST SAY FROM MY OWN COMMUNITY IN HERITAGE PARK, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE LIGHTS AT EVERY 10TH HOUSE, WHICH OFTENTIMES IS A DIM STREET. WE ARE, YOU KNOW, JUST CONSTANTLY MAKING SURE THAT OUR PORCH LIGHTS ARE ON. BUT I ALWAYS WHEN MAKING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS OR WHEN ZONING COMES BEFORE US, I'M JUST ALWAYS COGNIZANT OF MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S LIGHTING. AND I WOULDN'T SAY EVERY TEN HOUSES, BUT I DO KNOW EVERY SIX HOUSES. AND THAT'S WHY I CHOSE TO LIVE WHERE I MOVED TO, BECAUSE THERE WAS A STREET LIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, DULY NOTED FOR ENHANCED LIGHTING PLANS. YEAH, ENHANCED LIGHTING PLAN WOULD BE GREAT. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHERE THE MAILBOX IS. I'M NOTICING THAT MANY COMMUNITIES ARE BEING BUILT AND THEY HAVE THOSE. APART. WELL, THEY HAVE MAILBOX. IF YOU ARE IN A IN A COMMUNITY WITH HOMES, EVERYONE GOES TO ONE LOCATION FOR THEIR MAILBOXES. SO I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHERE ARE THE MAILBOXES GOING TO BE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SEEING QUITE A FEW COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO GO UP UNDER THEY GO, THEY GO TO A STATIONARY AREA NOW TO THEIR MAILBOXES. YES. OKAY. YES. SO AS FAR AS THE MAILBOX, WE LOOKED AT TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

HAVING THEM ALL BY KIRSTEN HILL AS A FEEDBACK, ALL BY GUSTON HILL WHERE THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER, AND ALSO HAVING THEM AT THE INDIVIDUAL HOMES. SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO REFINE THAT THOUGHT PROCESS. BUT AS WE PROCEED CLOSER TO GETTING THIS COMPLETED, WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO SET IT UP. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU.

AND YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE NO NO ONE SPEAKING AGAINST. NO ONE SHOWED UP AT THE I GUESS THE C Z I MEETING. THAT'S CORRECT. NO ONE SPOKE IN OPPOSITION. OKAY. BECAUSE I CHECKED MY EMAIL. WE ACTUALLY GOT AN EMAIL FROM A PERSON THAT HAS HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE. THE CHANGE

[01:40:12]

OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THIS WILL GO ON OUR AGENDA FOR A MONDAY AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA. PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE BEFORE OUR ITEMS, SO MAYBE YOU MAY SHOULD NOT BE HERE AS LONG WITH US ON NEXT MONDAY. BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. NEXT UP,

[IV.38. P2025RZ-001-10 Rezoning Request for Property Located at 1416 E Vesta Ave from R-1A (Urban Residential) Zoning District to R-2 (Two- Family Dwelling) Zoning District (PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED)]

[01:45:03]

THAT PROPERTY WAS REZONED TO R2 IN 2013. THIS SLIDE DEPICTS. ACTUALLY THE PLANNING COMMISSION ACCEPTING STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL. THE HOUSE, LOCATED AT 1402 EAST VESTA AVENUE, WAS APPROVED FOR THIS SAME ZONING REQUEST. IN 2013. STAFF RECOMMENDED APPROVAL. AT THAT TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL ALSO APPROVED THE REZONING FROM R1, R2, R2 AT THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1402 EAST VESTA AVENUE. THIS APPLICANT IS ASKING FOR THE EXACT SAME REQUEST, AND FOR THAT REASON, STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED APPROVAL FOR THE REZONING. AND JUST TO STATE AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, THAT THESE PROPERTIES HAVE A LAND USE OF DUPLEX, AND SO THEY WILL BE COMING INTO COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THE USE ACTUALLY IS, WHICH IS R-2 TWO FAMILY DWELLING UNIT. THE APPLICANT IS NOT HERE AT THIS TIME. I BELIEVE. SO, YES.

ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY. YEAH. JUST SORT OF OUT OF CURIOSITY. AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER, BUT WHY WOULD THE PROPERTY OWNER IF IF THE THE ACTUAL USE OF THE STRUCTURE THAT'S THERE IS WHAT IT IS AND IS NOT BEING CHALLENGED? WHAT'S WHAT WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPETUS FOR REQUESTING THE ZONING? OUR UNDERSTANDING, THE INTENT OF THE REZONING IS FOR FINANCIAL FINANCING. THERE WAS A SOME TYPE OF FINANCIAL ISSUE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO GET APPROVED THROUGH THEIR BANK FOR FINANCING. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER

[IV.39. Georgia House Bill 461 Regarding Regulatory Fees ]

AND WHAT IT BASICALLY TOUCHES ON IS FEES MUST REFLECT ACTUAL REGULATORY COSTS. FEES CANNOT FUND GENERAL OPERATIONS. THE HOURLY COST OR ICC BUILDING VALUATION DATA SHALL BE USED.

AND THE HOUSE BILL ALSO TOUCHED ON DEFINING EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS. OVER 75,000 IN FEES, AND THIS WAS APPROVED BY GEORGIA STATE IN 2024. WHY ARE WE ADJUSTING THE FEES FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE LAW THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2024, TO MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PERMITTING FEES AND OTHER TYPE OF FEES, AND TO ALIGN EVALUATION AND FEE STRUCTURES WITH THE ICC TABLES, AND ALSO TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM AUDIT AND LEGAL RISKS. THE METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT USE THE ICC BUILDING VALUATION DATA BY OCCUPANCY AND CONSTRUCTION TYPE, THEY PROVIDED FOR SEVERAL

[01:50:03]

THEY HELPED US COME UP WITH THE TECHNIQUE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPLY THE NEW FEES AND HOW THEY'RE CALCULATED. AND THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR PRESENTATION. WHERE'S MR. HARDY? OH, OKAY. ASK THE ASK IS WHAT WE SUBMITTED WAS A RESOLUTION FOR THE ADOPTION BY COUNCIL.

AND WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE RESOLUTION TO BE APPROVED. SO THE RESOLUTION BEEN REVIEWED BY LEGAL. YES. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? MR. HARDY, YOU'VE BEEN WAITING HERE PATIENTLY. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US? IT'S LIKELY THAT THIS IS ABOUT TO GO ON CONSENT, BUT I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HERE PATIENTLY WAITING, MA'AM. THANK YOU. YES.

WE JUST DEVELOPED A COMPARISON BETWEEN YOUR EXISTING FEE SCHEDULE AND THE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRED FOR THE STATE LAW TO CHANGE YOU TO. SO WE DEVELOPED A WAY TO COMBINE THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE LAW. AND BUT THE RESOLUTION WILL ONLY HAVE THE COMPLIANCE FEES. IT WON'T HAVE THIS TABLE. THAT'S CONFUSING. RIGHT. THE TABLE THAT YOU'RE ASKING THE TABLE IS WHAT IT IS. IT CONVERTED IT TO TO A SQUARE FOOTAGE COST RATHER THAN A DOLLAR AMOUNT COST ON ON THE PERMIT FEE. SO PREVIOUSLY YOU WERE CHARGED BY THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE CONSTRUCTION VALUE OF THE OF THE RENOVATION OR BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION. NOW IT'S GOING TO BE PER THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE BUILDING.

RIGHT. AND I'M JUST ASKING THE RESOLUTION. I GUESS IT'S AN EXHIBIT A OR SOMETHING. IT WILL HAVE WHAT WE'RE APPROVING, NOT THE COMPARISON FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW. RIGHT. JUST WHAT YOU'RE APPROVING. YES. YEP. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS GOING ON. CONSENT. ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT IS ON CONSENT. SO YOU SHOULD BE GOOD ON MONDAY. I THINK THAT'S DO WE HAVE ANOTHER ITEM WITH A NON STAFF PERSON. WHAT WERE YOU ABOUT TO SAY MISS SMITH. WE HAD ONE MORE ITEM BUT IT'S NOT DEALING WITH THE ITEM BECAUSE NOW I'M ABOUT TO GO THROUGH DEPARTMENTS. IT'S ITEM NUMBER 29, IN REFERENCE TO THE ZONING CODE REWRITE. OH YEAH. SO I'M LIKE, ARE WE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET IT DONE? BECAUSE WE APPROVED THIS A LONG TIME AGO.

SO JUST YES, THE RFP HAS GONE OUT TO DO A COMPLETE ZONING ORDINANCE, REWRITE. THE FIRM THAT WAS CHOSEN DURING THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS WAS INSPIRED PLACEMAKING COLLECTIVE INCORPORATED. AND THIS ASK IS TO APPROVE THAT CHOSEN VENDOR FOR FEES NOT TO EXCEED 169,253 AND $0.75. I DON'T SEE ANYONE IN. SO WHO IS THIS COMPANY? WORK WITH? WHAT OTHER CITY? THEY'VE ACTUALLY DONE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE IN GEORGIA. THEY'VE DONE MULTIPLE

[01:55:04]

THEY'VE ALSO REDONE THE ZONING ORDINANCE IN COLLEGEDALE, TENNESSEE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE WORKED ON. THEY'VE DONE SOME OTHER UPDATES.

SO 1 OR 2 IN GEORGIA? YES, THEY'VE DONE SOME OTHER WORK IN SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL AS NORTH CAROLINA. AND HOW MANY PEOPLE RESPONDED TO THE PROPOSAL? THREE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS AND COUNCILMAN MITCHELL. YES. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS. THE THE PLANNING AND ZONING ORDINANCE REWRITE. BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION COMES IN AS FAR AS LIKE. WILL BE WILL WE BE ABLE ONCE THIS PROCESS GETS STARTED, TO HAVE INPUT ON THE REWRITE? BECAUSE I KNOW AS A RESIDENT I SUBMITTED LIKE A LIST OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SEE CHANGED. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE AT THIS POINT AS FAR AS ZONING WAS CONCERNED, AS FAR AS NOISE MITIGATION WALLS WERE CONCERNED, I HAD LIKE A LIST OF ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THE ZONING REWRITE. SO WHEN WILL WE BE PERMITTED, I GUESS, TO SUBMIT THAT OR JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS ZONING REWRITE? THAT WAS JUST MY QUESTION. YOU'RE WELCOME TO SUBMIT ANY ISSUES, CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. YOU CAN SUBMIT THOSE TO US AT THIS TIME. WE'RE GOING TO BE TURNING OVER. WE ALSO HAVE A LIST THAT WE'VE COLLECTED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH WITH THE CODE. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TURNING THAT LIST OVER TO THE CONSULTANT ON DAY ONE. AND WE HAVE ALSO. PREEMPTIVELY CREATED A ZONING ORDINANCE STEERING COMMITTEE AS WELL. SO WE WILL HAVE THAT OPTION AS WELL. THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER. YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS REWRITE WILL TAKE? DID THEY GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE? IN THE RFP? WE SET A TIME SLOT OF 12 TO 18 MONTHS.

OKAY. AND WAS THEIR PRICE COMPARABLE, I GUESS, TO THE OTHER BIDS THAT CAME IN? THAT WOULD BE A PROCUREMENT QUESTION THAT WENT THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS. SO I, I WOULD GUESS, YES. ON THAT QUESTION. OKAY. WELL WOULD THEY CHOSEN LIKE OFF A REPUTATION OR OR YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. I'M NOT SURE. MR. DOHRMANN IS IN THE BACK WAY NODDING HIS HEAD.

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT AN AUDIBLE RESPONSE, MISS SMITH, WERE YOU ON THE THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE? YES. YES, YES, I WAS A AS AN RFP. SO AN RFP, WE DON'T DO PRICING. WE DON'T JUDGE THE VENDORS BY PRICING. THEY GET A SCORE FOR PRICING FROM 0 TO 10, BUT THEY WERE JUDGED SOLELY ON THEIR PROPOSALS. AND THAT INCLUDED THEIR PRIOR WORK. AND I GUESS THE. YES, SIR. OKAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WAS THIS A RFP OR RFQ AND RFQ REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS? YOU MIGHT NOT JUDGE PRICING AND A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. YOU PRICING MATTERS. YES SIR. YES MA'AM. THEY HAVE 0 TO 10 POINTS FOR THEIR PRICING FOR THE RFP. SO THEY GET THEY DID GET POINTS FOR THEIR PRICING. BUT THERE'S PRETTY MUCH MORE. THE MAJORITY OF POINTS CAME FROM THEIR PROPOSALS. SO WE DON'T DO THE. TO YOUR QUESTION YOU SAID DO THEY THE COMPARISON OF THE PRICING. WE DON'T COMPARE THE PRICING. REGARDS TO THAT. I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THAT IS THIS A NORMAL FIGURE THAT THESE COMPANIES CHOOSE? I'M SORRY. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO SEE IF THIS IS A NORMAL FIGURE THAT COMPANIES CHARGE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. YEAH. OUT OF THE THREE PROPOSALS, THERE WERE ROUGHLY AROUND THE SAME. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO KNOW. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER FREELAND. MISS SMITH, YOU MENTIONED A STEERING COMMITTEE IS OUR CITY ATTORNEY WHO HAS LOTS OF PLANNING AND ZONING EXPERIENCE ON THAT STEERING COMMITTEE. THE. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE STEERING COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE SOLICITED FROM THE COMMUNITY. HOWEVER, DURING THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROCESS, OUR ATTORNEYS ARE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT IN

[02:00:03]

WE WILL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 34. WELL ACTUALLY LET'S GO TO NUMBER 27, THEN 34. THEN I THINK I'LL BE IN PUBLIC WORKS AND PARKS AND REC 27. MR. JONES, THIS IS. A REVIEW AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON AUTHORIZING CITY ATTORNEY AND INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR TO INDICATE CONCURRENCE AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITY FOR FEDERAL WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? AND DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN MADE AWARE BECAUSE SHE'S SHRUGGING HER SHOULDERS. SO WHAT IS THIS? WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF I KNOW ABOUT IT EITHER. SO. YOU KNOW. YEAH. TELL US, STAFF, THESE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA BEFORE WE GET HERE. AND SO I WOULD AGREE THIS IS, I'M ASSUMING, THE CITY MANAGER AWARE ALL THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. SO WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY. MAYOR, IF YOU

[IV.34. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Vendor, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., from RFP 2026-1903, for Power Feasibility Study, NOT TO EXCEED: $39,400.00 FUNDING SOURCE: Professional FeesPower Feasibility Study]

COUNCILMEMBER BUTLER. YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK YOU PICKED UP ON WHAT THE ISSUE IS.

WE HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING IN SEPTEMBER DISCUSSING ALL OF THE POWER OUTAGES, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE UTILITY PART OF EACH ONE. THANK YOU. SHAWN, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE BATTERY STATIONS THAT WOULD TURN ON WHEN THE POWER WENT OUT. AND SO THAT'S WHERE THIS THE IMPETUS OF THIS CAME FROM. THANK YOU. THAT WAS I'M

[02:05:04]

THAT'S MORE SO ON THE WHOLESALE SIDE OF THINGS. NOT SO MUCH THE DISTRIBUTION SIDE. SO WE'RE NOT EXPLORING ANY OTHER ENERGY SOURCES. IT'S JUST A STUDY ON SOLAR. NO, THIS IS A STUDY ON RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES TO FIGURE OUT WHICH MIGHT BE COMPATIBLE WITH SOLAR, BUT IT COULD BE SOMETHING ELSE. CORRECT? OKAY. CORRECT. I THOUGHT WE HAD THOUGHT IT WAS A SOLAR STORY. NO. THIS WE WE WE HAVEN'T PICKED ANY SOURCE. SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL LOOK AT OUR ENTIRE MAKEUP, OUR WHOLE SYSTEM AND DECIDE AND SAY, WELL, WE ARE COMING TO US LIKE, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE THINK WILL BE BEST FOR THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. YEAH, I WAS TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING IN MY NOTES FROM THE CONFERENCE. I'LL FIND IT LATER TO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS, BUT THAT THAT'S MAKES ME FEEL BETTER THAT WE'RE NOT SELECTING THE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE. WE HAVE SOLAR IN MIND, POTENTIAL BATTERY BACKUP, BUT IT COULD YIELD SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. AND WAS THE SOLICITATION DONE ON THIS? YES. AND HOW MANY COMPANIES RESPONDED? IT WAS FIVE. FIVE. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS GOING ON CONSENT. YEAH. ALRIGHT. 27. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. JONES. YES I KIND OF MISSED THE INTRODUCTION, BUT I, I DID WANT TO AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH DIRECTOR COVERED, BUT WE DID COME ACROSS THIS THROUGH OUR ATTENDANCE TO THE NEW ORLEANS POWER ASSOCIATION. AND WE ALSO OBVIOUSLY THROUGH FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN AND ALL THAT. BUT WE ALSO HAVE BEEN TALKING TO OUR FORMING UTILITIES COMMISSION, AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME TOURS OF CITIES THAT HAVE DEPLOYED THIS DISTRIBUTION TECHNOLOGY. THE HOPE IS SUCH A DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION APPROACH WOULD ALLOW US TO DECREASE OUR OUTAGE TIMES BY STRATEGICALLY PLACING THINGS IN SECURE AREAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SHOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO ALLOW OUR CREWS TO GET OUT, MAKE REPAIRS, GET SYSTEMS UP SO AT LEAST WE EITHER DECREASE THE OUTAGE TIME OR ACTUALLY FIX FAILURES AND AND NEVER FOR THE END USER NEVER EXPERIENCE AN

[02:10:07]

RIGHT. AND DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH WILL BE LIKE FOR INSTANCE, IF WE HAVE A BIG SYSTEM HERE AT CITY HALL, IF THEY RECOMMEND A BIG SYSTEM HERE AT CITY HALL, CITY HALL MAY NOT USE OR CITY HALL MAY BE CLOSED. SO WE CAN DIVERT THOSE THAT BACKUP TO THE RESIDENTS AROUND HERE. AND JUST WITH DIFFERENT SWITCHES. AND SAME FOR LIKE THE WATER PLANT AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF. SO IT'LL BE LIKE WHEN I SAID THE CITY BUILDINGS, THOSE ARE THE MAIN TARGETS. BUT THEN THE SWITCHES AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SEND THE POWER DIFFERENT PLACES. AND HOW MANY MEGAWATTS OF POWER ARE WE LOOKING FOR BACKUP SYSTEM. WELL, SO AT LEAST THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY IDEAS, SOME OF OUR IDEAS, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WAIT ON THE PROFESSIONALS TO TELL US, HEY, YOU KNOW, YES, THAT CAN BE DONE OR NO, IT CAN BE DONE, THAT TYPE OF STUFF. SO I'M JUST ASKING, DO YOU HAVE A RANGE OF LIKE MEGAWATTS AND POWER THAT YOU'RE ANTICIPATING A BACKUP SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE? I, I HONESTLY DON'T OKAY. YEAH. ALRIGHT. I THINK IT'S ALRIGHT.

[IV.27. Council Review and Possible Action on Authorizing City Attorney and Interim Finance Director to Indicate Concurrence and Financial Capability for Federal Water Infrastructure Improvement Project ]

I THINK IT'S MORE OF A PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENT OF SOMETHING THAT'S COUNCIL'S ALREADY APPROVED, BUT I'LL LET HER WALK US THROUGH THE ITEM. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS. IN JANUARY 2025, EASTPOINTE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT ACT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW AS PART OF THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT, AUTHORIZING $15 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CRITICAL WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. THE CITY OF EAST POINT IS PARTNERING WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS UNDER A 75% FEDERAL, 25% LOCAL COST SHARE AGREEMENT TO REHABILITATE OUR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY LINES. CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THE LOCAL MATCH OF $3.75 MILLION IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025. COUNCIL APPROVED AN INCREASE IN THE LOCAL MATCH TO $4.98 MILLION. FOLLOWING THE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS, BRINGING THE TOTAL PROJECT VALUE TO APPROXIMATELY $20 MILLION. THE WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT INTENDS TO USE THE MUNICIPAL OPTION, SALES TAX AND OTHER AVAILABLE FUNDS TO MEET THIS LOCAL SHARE. MY REQUEST TONIGHT IS FOR YOU TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SIGN A CONCURRENCE LETTER AND FOR THE INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR TO SIGN A FINANCIAL CAPABILITY DOCUMENT ALLOWING THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO BEGIN THE FORMAL REVIEW AND PROCEED WITH THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE. THE CONCURRENCE LETTER INDICATES THE CITY'S AGREEMENT WITH THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS. THE LETTER REPORT, THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE FUNDING STRUCTURE THAT INCLUDES THE 75% FEDERAL AND 25% LOCAL, MATCH. THE FINANCIAL CAPABILITY DOCUMENT CONFIRMS THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MEET THIS 25% FUNDING OBLIGATION, SO BOTH SIGNATURES ARE REQUIRED TO INITIATE THE FORMAL REVIEW AND CONTRACT PROCESS TO OFFICIALLY GIVE US THE FINAL AWARD AND LEGAL DOCUMENT FOR THE $20 MILLION WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. SO THE ARMY CORPS IS REQUIRING THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE INTERIM AND THE FINANCE DIRECTOR SIGNATURE AS SIGNATORIES. YES. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? OBJECTION TO THIS

[IV.23. Council Discussion and Possible Action on the Acceptance of the 2025 MOU, for the GRPA Boost 2.0 Program, in the Amount of $55,000.00]

[02:15:04]

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS IS OUR FIFTH TIME RECEIVING THIS AWARD. IT'S THE BOOST GRANT THAT'S THROUGH OUR GOVERNING BODY, GRPA. IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMING. SO WE'LL BE UTILIZING THESE FUNDS TO EXTEND SOME OF OUR OFFERINGS. WE'RE LOOKING AT FOCUSING ON MORE WITH ROBOTICS.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU HEARD OF DRONE SOCCER, BUT WE PRETTY MUCH BOUGHT A LOT OF THAT EQUIPMENT. IT'S ACTUALLY A SPORT THAT WILL BE IN THE 2028 OLYMPICS, SO WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO LAUNCH THAT. AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE GETTING INTO ESPORTS. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FOCUSES WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE FUNDING. BUT BUT WE WERE AWARDED IT AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO ACCEPT IT. AND IS THE FUNDING FOR THIS SUMMER. YES, IT'S FOR THIS SUMMER. THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE GOTTEN IT, THEY SEPARATED THE AFTER SCHOOL WITH SUMMER. THEY JUST DID IT ONE TIME. SO IT'LL BE FUNDING THEY COULD USE BETWEEN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING AND SUMMER CAMP ONE NEXT YEAR. YEAH. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTION? ANY OBJECTIONS TO CONSENT OKAY.

[III.9. Discussion and Possible Action on Public Art Commission. Chapter 2 Sec. 9-2003 Public Art Commission ]

AFTER LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC ART COMMISSION ORDINANCE CHAPTER TWO. AND MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THIS COMMISSION? I KNOW THAT WE ESTABLISHED THE COMMISSION, BUT IT SAYS HERE THAT IT'S CONSISTED OF NINE MEMBERS WHO ARE EITHER RESIDENTS AND OR EMPLOYEES, ACTIVE OR RETIRED, OR BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. HAS THIS BOARD EVER BEEN ESTABLISHED IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE? I ACTUALLY HAVE OUR PUBLIC ARTS COORDINATOR THAT CAN GIVE YOU SOME HISTORY REGARDING YOUR QUESTION. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR AND COUNCIL CHRISTOPHER SWAIN, PUBLIC ARTS COORDINATOR, CITY OF EASTPOINTE.

UPON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PUBLIC ART DIVISION, WE PUT OUT THE APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION, AND AT THAT TIME WE RECEIVED 36 QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FOR THESE POSITIONS.

WE SUBMITTED THOSE APPLICATIONS TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AND AT THAT TIME, NOBODY WAS EVER APPOINTED BECAUSE NOBODY WAS EVER APPOINTED. WE NEVER HAD A FULL COMMISSION ESTABLISHED.

SUBSEQUENTLY, A COUPLE YEARS LATER, IT WAS BROUGHT UP AGAIN. WE STARTED PUBLICIZING THE COMMISSION AGAIN, BUT WE NEVER RECEIVED THE SAME TYPE OF ENTHUSIASM AND FEEDBACK AS WE DID INITIALLY AT THE INITIAL ROLLOUT. OKAY, SO WOULD I. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY QUITE A FEW PEOPLE IN WARD D, REALLY TWO ARTISTS IN WARD D, AND THEY WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC ART COMMISSION. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE RECEIVED.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST AN INQUIRY THAT TWO ARTISTS HAD IN WARD D. I TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD LOOK INTO THIS, AND THAT'S WHY I KEPT THIS ON OUR AGENDA, BECAUSE I ALSO REMEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS JUST SAYING THAT IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A VOICE OR A SEAT AT THE TABLE, WE NEED TO FILL OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE COUNCIL TO START THINKING ABOUT US FILLING THE BOARD FOR FOR THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION. AS I STATED, I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY TWO ARTISTS IN WARD D WHO WANT TO PROVIDE INPUT AND WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMISSION. BUT THE OTHER QUESTION WAS, I NOTICED IN SUBSECTION D IT SAYS ALL MEMBERS SHALL BE EITHER ACKNOWLEDGED OR ACCOMPLISHED IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING FIELDS. DO

[02:20:05]

THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY, WELL, I GUESS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS THE WILL OF COUNCIL, WE CAN REVISIT THIS IN JANUARY TO, I GUESS, FILL UP THIS BOARD OR COMMISSION FOR OUR PUBLIC ARTS SECTOR, OUR PUBLIC ART SPACE. SO THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, MR. JONES? I THINK I'D LIKE TO BRING THOSE BACK TO CITY COUNCIL, MAYBE LOOKING AT A WAY THAT WE CAN FUNCTIONALIZE HOW WE APPOINT OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SO THAT I IT SEEMS LIKE WE KIND OF RUN INTO A BOTTLENECK. SO THERE'S SOME PAST PRACTICES THAT I'VE SEEN WHERE COUNCILS CAN LOOK AT AND REVIEW THOSE APPOINTEES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF DUST THAT OFF AND SEE IF THE COUNCIL WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN LOOKING AT A FRAMEWORK. OKAY. I THINK THAT WE HAVE THE FRAMEWORK IN THE ORDINANCE, THE PUBLIC ART COMMISSION. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR LIKE I SAID, I WOULD LIKE IT ACTIVATED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YEAR IT WAS, MR. SWAIN, THAT YOU ALL HAD THOSE 36 APPLICATIONS. YOU REMEMBER WHAT YEAR IT WAS? I DON'T REMEMBER THE INITIAL YEAR THAT THIS CAME UP, BUT WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND AT THIS POINT IS THAT IF YOU HAVE OTHER RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES, CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED THAT THEY ARE SIMPLY APPLY. THE APPLICATION IS ON ONLINE. IT'S BEEN ON THERE FOR WE HAVEN'T INITIALLY IT HAD A WINDOW EVERY YEAR THAT IS OPEN AND CLOSED.

SINCE THE INTEREST CAME UP A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE'VE LEFT IT OPEN. WE'VE NOT NOT CLOSED IT.

WE JUST HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY APPLICATION. SO IF YOU HAVE ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED, I WOULD IMPLORE YOU TO HAVE THEM TO PLEASE APPLY WITH US. SO WHERE CAN WE FIND THAT? IT'S ONLINE. IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE. IT'S ON THE MAIN PAGE. THERE'S A A DROP DOWN FOR PUBLIC ARTS.

THEN THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMISSION APPLICATION IS THERE. IT'S BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.

OKAY. THANK YOU. MY PLEASURE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS FOR BRINGING THIS UP, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN CONFUSED. I THINK I DIDN'T REALIZE I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED STILL SO PEOPLE CAN APPLY, BUT THEN IT WAS INCUMBENT UPON COUNCIL TO APPOINT. SO HOW DOES THE APPLICATION VERSUS APPOINTMENT PROCESS WORK? THE APPLICATION IS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD AN INTEREST IN THE ARTS AND HAD SOME KNOW HOW WITH THE ARTS, BUT WE JUST RECEIVED THE APPLICATION. APPOINTMENTS COME FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND EACH ONE OF YOU HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO APPOINT ONE PERSON. THAT'S WHY IT'S A NINE BODY COMMISSION. OKAY. COUNCIL PERSONS UNDER MAYOR. OKAY. SO YOU WOULD PRESENT US WITH A POOL AND THEN SOMEHOW WE WOULD PICK NINE INDIVIDUALLY. OKAY. I DON'T AND I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST BRIEFLY AND SO ON. SO IF IT'S A MEA CULPA THEN PUT IT ON ME.

BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WE ANYONE WAS WAITING FOR US TO DO ANYTHING. SO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO RE-ENERGIZE THIS. SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS INITIALLY WHEN WE SET OUT TO CREATE THE PUBLIC ARTS DIVISION, WHEN WE SAT DOWN WITH THE VENDOR THAT CREATED THE MASTER PLAN, THEY LOOKED AT SOME OF THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY, AND THEY SAW THAT A LOT OF THEM WERE JUST THERE WASN'T THERE WEREN'T A LOT OF PREREQUISITES REQUIRED OF PEOPLE TO BE A MEMBER OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN TERMS OF KNOW HOW OR WHATEVER. LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE WITH SOME OF THE COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY. NOW, IF I WEREN'T AN EMPLOYEE, I COULD PROBABLY BE A PART OF THOSE BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS. AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE, THOSE THINGS. SO WHAT THEY SET OUT TO MAKE TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR THE ARTS, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY VESTED IN THE ARTS, HAD AN INTEREST OR SOME EXPERTISE AND KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT IT SO WE COULD GROW THESE POINT, YOU KNOW, ARTISTICALLY IN A POSITIVE WAY. BUT I CAN'T SAY THIS TO YOU AS A PERSON WHO SITS ON OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE METRO ATLANTA, IT'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ON BOARDS.

INITIALLY, SOME PEOPLE INITIALLY IT LOOKS GOOD. IT'S A GREAT RESUME BUILDER. IT LOOKS GOOD. YOU KNOW, ON YOUR RESUME. BUT IT'S REALLY A LOT OF WORK. LIKE EVEN FOR ME NOW, PEOPLE STILL KEEP ASKING ME, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE BANDWIDTH FOR FOR BOARDS. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME. IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO SIT DOWN AND WORK THROUGH BUDGETS AND BYLAWS AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. SO WOULD THIS WORK THAT AT SOME POINT YOU WOULD COME BACK TO US WITH A COLLECTIVE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND WE WOULD DO IT

[02:25:03]

THE WHO DETERMINES QUALIFICATIONS? WHO DETERMINES THE APPLICANT IS QUALIFIED? WE LOOK AT THEM AND STAFF LOOKS AT THOSE. AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THE ORDINANCE IN QUITE SOME TIME SO I CAN'T REMEMBER I UNDERSTAND IF. RIGHT THERE THE QUALIFICATIONS. RIGHT. BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT SAYS WHO MAKES. DOES IT SAY THAT THE DOES THE ORDINANCE. AND I'M SORRY IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THERE'S AN APPLICATION REQUIREMENT AND THAT STAFF MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION OR JUST HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS AND COUNCIL APPOINTS. I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT PLEASE? DOES THE ORDINANCE INCLUDE THE APPLICATION PROCESS? YEAH IT DOES MAYOR. RIGHT HERE. APPLICANT SHALL BE RECEIVED BY THE CITY MANAGER TO VERIFY THAT THEY MEET THE CRITERIA. OKAY. THERE IT IS. SO AND I THINK WHEN WE HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHETHER OR NOT I LIKE A PAINTING OR NOT, BUT I'M NOT ARTISTIC AT ALL. RIGHT. AND SO TO HELP COUNCIL IN MAKING THE DECISION OR APPOINTING PEOPLE TO THIS BOARD, THERE'S THE CRITERIA, BUT ALSO THE SCREENING AND STAFF DID MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR BRING FORTH SOME NAMES PREVIOUSLY, BUT APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE AND SO GIVEN YOU SAID IT WAS 2023, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE, BUT I THINK IT'S ABOUT RIGHT. BUT I DO REMEMBER WE HAD ABOUT 3536 QUALIFIED APPLICANTS AT THE TIME. SO, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE JUST SHARING THAT LIST. ARE YOU ALL HAVING SOMEBODY APPLY AND THEN YOU ALL CAN PICK FROM THAT.

SO THAT I THINK WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO IT ALL TOGETHER. AND COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY MENTIONED CAN YOU KNOW ONE PERSON JUST POINT. I THINK IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO JUST SHARE IT AND LET COUNCIL MEMBERS DECIDE FROM THAT, OR IF THEY KNOW PEOPLE WHO MEET THE CRITERIA, HAVE THEM SUBMIT THE APPLICATION AND BE INCLUDED IN QUALIFIED LIST SO THAT APPOINTMENTS CAN HAPPEN LIKE OTHER APPOINTMENTS HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IN JANUARY, GENERALLY, THAT'S WHEN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE APPOINTED. AND IF A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS GONE THROUGH THE QUALIFIED PEOPLE AND IS READY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, THAT COULD GO AHEAD AND BE MADE VERSUS AND I GET THE IDEA OF US ALL DOING IT TOGETHER, BUT THAT DIDN'T GET US THERE. AND SO MAYBE THE SHARING SO THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO SHARE. I'M SAYING GOOGLE DRIVE, MAYBE IT'S A ONE. WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? ONE DRIVE LIKE A FOLDER WHERE COUNCIL CAN HAVE A LINK AND KIND OF JUST SEE THE APPLICANTS AND THE PEOPLE GET ADDED. THEY COULD GO IN AND SEE UPDATED APPLICANTS, WHATEVER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. OKAY.

[III.3. Metro Atlanta Urban Farm People Planting Initiative]

[02:30:05]

AND I THINK THERE'S A MEETING SCHEDULED AS A PART OF OUR URBAN AGRICULTURE WORK THAT WAS HAPPENING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BUT I'LL ALLOW FRANK WAKEFIELD TO COME IN AND KIND OF UPDATE US ON WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THAT ITEM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO TO THE CITY MANAGER'S POINT, THIS WORK HAS BEEN REALLY MANAGED A LOT THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND AS I WAS CHIPPING IN, I WAS TASKED WITH HELPING COORDINATE A MEETING THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR NEXT MONDAY, I BELIEVE, AT 130, AND WE'LL HAVE A VIRTUAL OPTION AS WELL AS IN PERSON HERE AT CITY HALL. AND WE'RE INVITING THE CURRENTLY APPOINTED LOCAL FOOD ECOSYSTEM COMMISSION MEMBERS, AS WELL AS MR. WILSON, TO THAT MEETING. SO KIND OF TO THE POINT THAT WAS JUST MADE IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION AROUND APPOINTING THESE MEMBERS.

THAT'S ANOTHER BODY THAT NEEDS MORE APPOINTMENTS. BUT NEXT MONDAY, WE'RE SCHEDULED TO MEET WITH MR. WILSON AS WELL AS THOSE APPOINTED COMMISSION MEMBERS. THANK YOU. ANY ANY QUESTIONS ON THE 15TH? YES. NEXT MONTH. OKAY. YEAH. ALL I HAD ON THAT ONE. THANK YOU.

[IV.20. Home Repair Grant Application - CHIP/DCA ]

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M VICTOR CEPHUS, THE GRANT COORDINATOR FOR CITY OF EASTPOINTE. WE WE WILL BE APPLYING FOR THE GRANT. THE CHIP GRANT IS A COMMUNITY HOME INVESTMENT PROGRAM. IT'S FEDERALLY FUNDED BY THE HUD. IT'S ADMINISTERED BY THE DCA.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO DESIGN SAFE AND DECENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN GEORGIA.

THE GRANT FUNDS ARE OPEN TO CITY COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES, AND NONPROFITS. THE OPTIONS WITHIN THE GRANT IS YOU GOT TWO OPTIONS YOU CAN REHABILITATE OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES, OR YOU CAN BUILD NEW HOMES, NEW CONSTRUCTION. THE GRANT AMOUNTS FOR EACH OPTION WILL BE 500,000 FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES, AND THE NEW CONSTRUCTION GOES UP TO 1.5 MILLION. THE EXPECTATIONS FROM EASTPOINTE FOR THE GRANT IS FOR US TO APPLY. APPLY ON TIME, WHICH WILL BE THE END OF JANUARY NEXT MONTH. THE APPLICATION FEE IS $1,000 WILL BE AWARDED OR NOTIFIED WHETHER WE'RE AWARDED IN SEPTEMBER OF 26. THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT IS THREE YEARS. THERE IS A ONE YEAR EXTENSION IF WE NEED IT.

AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THE GRANT AMOUNT WILL BE 500,000. THERE IS NOT A MANDATORY MATCH. I'M SORRY, THERE IS A MANDATORY MATCH, BUT THERE'S NOT A MINIMUM THAT YOU HAVE TO DO. SO THE TYPES OF CONTRIBUTIONS CAN INCLUDE CASH, FORBEARANCE OR FEES, WAIVED TAXES, REDUCED TAXES, DONATED LAND, DONATED MATERIALS, DONATED SERVICES, SWEAT EQUITY, DIRECT COST OF CERTAIN SUPPORTIVE AND HOMEBUYER COUNSELING. THERE ARE FEDERAL AND STATE COMPLIANCES THAT WILL HAVE TO ABIDE BY WHILE WE OPERATE THE GRANT, AND THERE IS NO GOING CONCERN ONCE THE THREE YEARS IS UP, THERE IS NO OBLIGATION FROM THE CITY TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ALYSSA WILKINS. SO AS VICTOR MENTIONED, WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT BEFORE AND WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK. AND I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT STRATEGY FOR THIS UPCOMING CYCLE THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED WAS SUFFICIENT VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE NO COST MINOR HOME REPAIR WORK AND AS WELL AS CURRENT HOUSING STRUCTURES AND STATUSES IN EASTPOINTE. AND SO WE HAVE CURATED A VERY DETAILED NARRATIVE WITH PHOTOS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT SHOW WHAT THE HOUSING STRUCTURES LOOK LIKE IN

[02:35:05]

WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VERY WELL SCORING APPLICATION. AND SO WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. WE'VE ENGAGED THEM VERY EARLY ON AND HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED NEXT WEEK SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE US SOME ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST APPLICATION. AND SO OUR ASK FROM COUNCIL TONIGHT IS TO PASS A RESOLUTION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR THE 2026 CHIP GRANT, INCLUDING THE CERTIFICATION OF ASSURANCES. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER FOR YOU? NO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. ARE YOU ALL PLANNING TO APPLY BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR? I KNOW THE APPLICATION IS NOT DUE TO JANUARY 31ST. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. NO. YEAH. AND SO IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF THE APPLICATION WAS DUE BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST, BUT I THINK THIS MAY BE AN ITEM THAT PROBABLY SHOULD GO ON THE JANUARY WORK SESSION. SO IF THIS IS YOU'RE ASKING FOR A RESOLUTION TO BE ADOPTED, RIGHT? I MEAN AND IT COULD CARRY OVER. BUT IF THERE'S NO TIMING ISSUE, WE CAN APPROVE IT TONIGHT ANYWAY. WOULD HAVE TO GO ON AGENDA. BUT THE QUESTION IS WHETHER IT'S DECEMBER 15TH OR YOU ALL PLACE IT ON THE IN THE JANUARY CYCLE. SO MR. JONES, I DON'T. I KIND OF THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A DESIRE OF COUNCIL ON HOW FAST YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. I MEAN I DON'T THINK STAFF HAS A PREFERENCE UNLESS THERE'S ANY LOGISTICS THAT WE NEED TO. SO AND THROUGH YOU, MAYOR, TO TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL AS WELL, I THINK BECAUSE THERE IS SOME LIKE FINANCIAL LOGISTICS, WE GOTTA WORK OUT AS WELL THAT THE ACTUAL DATE WE PRESS SEND ON THE APPLICATION PROBABLY WON'T BE BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST. BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A DECISION OF COUNCIL IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE APPROVING IT, KNOWING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIT SEND UNTIL UNTIL JANUARY, OH, OKAY. EITHER WAY, ARTICULATE THAT OUT LOUD AS THE THE THREE MEETINGS IN JANUARY WOULD BE JANUARY 5TH, JANUARY 12TH AND JANUARY 19TH, WHICH GIVES YOU A WORK SESSION DATE PLUS. BUT THERE'S SOME OTHER LIGHTS ON. WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. TRUE. YES. THANK YOU. SO GOING BACK TO THE CITY'S OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS GRANT. SO IT'S A MATCHING GRANT. SO AND THE GRANT IS A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, DO WE, MR. CITY MANAGER, DO WE HAVE THIS IN THE BUDGET SOMEWHERE ALREADY OR SO? CAN I CAN I ANSWER THAT? SO THE CITY'S OBLIGATIONS WE'RE LOOKING AT MATCHING FEES THROUGH THE NO COST MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAIVES THE PERMITTING FEES. AND SO IF WE WERE TO APPLY FOR THIS GRANT AND CONTINUE THAT PROCESS, THEN WE WOULD CONTINUE TO WAIVE THOSE FEES. AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO USE OUR WORK AS A PART OF OUR MATCHING, AS WELL AS $250,000 THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET AND THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER MEAD. YES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M STILL NOT REALLY TRACKING. SO WOULD THIS MATCHING PORTION. YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE COULD USE OTHER THINGS. I KNOW YOU JUST MENTIONED FEES. IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE. THEN YOU SAID THERE WAS NO MINIMUM. WE HAD TO THERE WAS NO MINIMUM.

CORRECT? CORRECT. THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO MATCH, BUT THERE IS NO MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION.

THESE ARE JUST THE TYPES OF WAYS YOU CAN CONSTRUCT A MATCH. SO THE CASH, THE FORBEARANCE FEES AND THE SWEAT EQUITY IS THE WAY THAT EASTPOINTE WILL CONSTRUCT THEIR MATCH. AND HOW WOULD YOU I GUESS I GUESS THE QUESTION IS HOW WOULD YOU PUT A VALUE ON SOMETHING LIKE SWEAT EQUITY AND AND STUFF LIKE THAT? IT WOULD BE FROM THE MARKET RATE FOR THE POSITION THAT'S DOING THE WORK TIMES. THE HOURS WOULD GIVE YOU A RATE OR A NUMBER. AND I DO HAVE IT PULLED UP ON THE SLIDE HERE. SO THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, WHICH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $282,000, 447 AND $0.50. OKAY. THAT WAS MY BIGGEST QUESTION. HOW DO YOU

[02:40:11]

THANK YOU. QUESTION. WHAT IS THIS? WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THIS MONEY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT TOWARDS THE GRANT, THE MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION, THE $250,000? WHAT WAS THAT MONEY USED FOR THE. SAY THAT AGAIN, THE $250,000. WHAT WAS THAT USED FOR? WHAT WAS IT USED FOR? SO, SO FAR WE HAVE NOT USED THE $250,000 FOR ANYTHING. IT'S ALLOCATED TOWARDS HOME, NO COST, MINOR HOME REPAIRS FOR THE CITY OF EAST POINT. SO THE MONEY IS ALREADY ALREADY ALLOCATED FOR THE HOME REPAIRS. IT'S YES, IT'S ALLOCATED TOWARDS HOUSING. SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A SENIOR HOME REPAIR. SO WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS MONEY I CAN PROVIDE YOU ON AN UPDATE. AND HOW MANY HOMES HAVE YOU REPAIRED? SO IN PHASE ONE OF THE NO COST MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM, THIS WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA, AND WE RECEIVED $350,000. IN THIS PHASE. WE COMPLETED 15 HOMES WITH THE AVERAGE COST OF THE REPAIR BEING $22,358. WE HAD A LITTLE OVER 14,000 IN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, AND WE FULLY EXPENDED THE $350,000. AND THEN UNDER THAT, WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THE HOMES ON THIS LIST BY WARD. SO YOU CAN SEE THE MOST HOMES WERE LOCATED IN WARD A, FOLLOWED BY WARD C, THEN WARD B AND WARD D, AND SO MOST OF THE REPAIRS IN PHASE ONE WERE BATHROOM REPAIRS, AND THEN AFTER THAT THE HIGHEST REPAIRS WERE ROOFS. SO BECAUSE I KNOW IT WAS QUITE A FEW PEOPLE ON THE LIST. SO OVERALL YOU DID 20. SO IT SAYS NUMBER NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE WAITLIST IS 23. SO THAT WAS ON THE PHASE ONE WAITLIST. WE DID MOVE FIVE CLIENTS TO THE PHASE TWO WAITLIST, AND THEN THREE CLIENTS IN THIS INITIAL GROUP DID NOT MEET PROGRAM GUIDELINES. SO HOW MANY HOW WAS THE TOTAL? HAVE YOU ALREADY DONE? THE TOTAL THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED IS 15, AND THEN WE STILL HAVE 27 ON OUR WAITLIST. YEAH. SO WHAT IS THE HOLD UP ON THE WAITLIST? BECAUSE I, I KNEW IT WAS QUITE A FEW PEOPLE ON THE WAITLIST ON THE LIST WHEN IT STARTED. SO WE HAVE COMPLETED 15 HOMES SINCE ABOUT APRIL OF 2025. SO THAT PROCESS HAS GONE PRETTY QUICKLY. AND WE'VE USED THE $350,000 IN PHASE ONE. AND THEN WE JUST STARTED PHASE TWO IN OCTOBER. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS ON 12 HOMES DOING REPAIRS. SO BUT YOU HAVE $250,000. SO ARE YOU GOING TO PUT THAT ON HOLD OR SET THAT ASIDE OR USE THAT FOR THIS RIGHT HERE. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO WITH THE CHIP GRANT, IF WE WERE AWARDED WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO USE THE MONEY FOR SOME OF THE MORE COSTLY REPAIRS. AND SO RIGHT NOW MOST OF THE HOMES ARE AVERAGING ABOUT $22,000. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME HOMEOWNERS WHO THEIR REPAIRS ARE ABOUT 40,000. AND SO THAT MONEY WOULD GO TOWARDS THOSE LARGER REPAIRS.

AND THEN THE 250 WOULD GO MORE TOWARDS THE LOWER REPAIRS THAT WE HAVE ON THE WAITLIST NOW.

OKAY. SO ONCE YOU APPLY FOR THE CHIP, GRANT AND THE CITY HAS APPLIED FOR THAT BEFORE. AND I THINK IT WAS WHEN JANICE THEN WAS HERE. SO WILL IT. WILL THE WILL YOU STOP REPAIRING THE HOMES UNTIL YOU SEE IF YOU GET THE GRANT. WHAT WHAT HAPPENS? YEAH, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. SO WITH THE DCA WANTS TO JUST SEE THAT WE'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS SORT OF WORK SO THAT 250,000 WILL WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP WORKING. WE'RE GOING TO SHOW THAT THE CITY HAS CONTRIBUTED 250,000. AND PLEASE GIVE US ANOTHER 500,000 SO WE CAN EXPAND THAT

[02:45:02]

RIGHT. SO IF WE PUT UP 250 RIGHT A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MATCH WOULD BE WE GET 250,000. YEAH.

WELL YEAH I THINK THAT THEY JUST WANT TO SEE SOME CONTRIBUTION. AND THAT'S WHY VICTOR WAS TRYING TO ALLUDE TO THAT EARLIER IS THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHICH IS KIND OF STRANGE BECAUSE IN MOST GRANTS THEY SAY YOU WANT 20%. THEY JUST SAY CONTRIBUTE. SO I WAS JUST REVIEWING THE SCORING CRITERIA AGAIN TO SEE IF WE GOT ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR IT. I DIDN'T SEE THAT, BUT I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO FACTOR THAT IN AND HOW MUCH WE'RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROGRAM. SO WHERE DOES OH, YOU MENTIONED 250,000 IN THE BUDGET IN OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION, EMPOWERMENT. BUT EARLIER THEY SAID IT WAS 350,000 BUDGET. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN TWO DIFFERENT. SO YOLANDA AND SHANNON'S WORK GOT 350,000 TO DO THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE HOMELESS INTERVENTION. AND WE HAD GOT ALLOCATED 250,000 TO DO HOME REPAIR. GOTCHA. OKAY. SO BASICALLY THAT'S 900,000. NO, 600,000. MY MATH IS OFF. LIKE IT WAS WAY OFF. THAT'S JUST ONE PLUS ONE OKAY. ANYWAY, SO DOES COUNCIL WANT THIS TO GO ON THE DECEMBER 15TH AGENDA TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION OR WHEN WHERE WHERE DO YOU ALL WANT THIS TO GO. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. WE'LL REVIEW THE RESOLUTION. SO WE'LL NOW THAT WE KNOW THIS WE'LL SEND THE DRAFT RESOLUTION. IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR JUST CHANGING A COUPLE DATES. SO SO YOU WANT THIS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OKAY.

CONSENT AGENDA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE. MISS ECHEVARRIA, YOU STILL GOT AN ITEM. OKAY. FINANCE HAS AN ITEM TO UPDATE ON THE AUDIT TIMELINE. AND THEN I THINK THE REST ARE EITHER COUNCIL OR CITY ATTORNEY. OH, THAT'S THE ONE YOU ALL ARE

[III.10. Discussion on 2024 Audit Report Timeline of Completion ]

[02:50:01]

WE'RE WORKING WITH BSA AS WE ARE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE CAPITALIZATIONS PORTION OF THAT. AND SO WHILE WE WORK THROUGH THAT TRIAL, BALANCE, THE TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THAT TRIAL BALANCE IS AT THE END OF DECEMBER. AND THEN ONCE WE GIVE THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION OVER TO MAULDIN AND JENKINS, THEY'LL BEGIN WORKING ON ON THE AUDIT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT AN ESTIMATED TIME FOR THE DRAFT TO BE DONE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.

AND THEN WE CAN'T WE DON'T HAVE A REAL DRAFT, A REAL FINAL AUDIT PERIOD, BECAUSE UNTIL THEY GET US WORKING ON THE AUDIT, WE WON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINDINGS ARE. IF THEY NEED US TO MAKE ANY CORRECTIONS TO ANY OF THE REQUESTS THAT THEY HAVE. SO THEY THEY DON'T REALLY PROVIDE A TIMELINE AS FAR AS THAT. BUT BASED ON WORKING WITH JOSEPH, WHO'S OUR OUR CHIEF ACCOUNTANT, WHO'S WORKING ON THE TRIAL BALANCE, THAT'S HIS ESTIMATED TIME. SO BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE AUDITORS, THEY STILL NEED TO COME IN AND THEY NEED TO INTERVIEW EMPLOYEES. THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING, LIKE, PO PROCEDURES. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF INTERVIEWING PROCESS. SO WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT TO BE AROUND 2 TO 3 WEEKS. AND THEN ONCE THEY GET PAST THAT THEN IT'S IT'S USUALLY A PRETTY GOOD THEY USUALLY CAN GIVE US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED FOR OUR DRAFT. BUT RIGHT NOW THE DRAFT I'M ESTIMATING IT TO BE DONE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.

AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE BEST INFORMATION. I DON'T WANT TO JUST PROVIDE DATES, I WANT TO I'M LOOKING TO GIVE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION TO YOU SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE. AND I SHOULD KEEP THAT IN MIND. THAT'S THAT'S OUR TIMELINE TO GIVE THE INFORMATION TO THE AUDITORS WHO AREN'T PROVIDING A TIMELINE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE IN DEPTHS OF WHATEVER ISSUES THEY MIGHT SEE OR ENCOUNTER. SO I THINK THERE HAD BEEN SOME EARLIER ESTIMATIONS THAT THE AUDIT WOULD GO MUCH FASTER, BECAUSE WE HAD GOT CAUGHT UP ON THE 2024 AUDIT. BUT JENKINS IS BASICALLY MADE IT KNOWN THAT THEY'RE KIND OF STARTING FROM FROM GROUND ZERO AND GOING THROUGH THEIR OWN METHODOLOGY AND THEIR OWN PROCESS. AND SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO START A BRAND NEW, WHICH IS ALSO PROBABLY A TESTAMENT TO THEIR THOROUGHNESS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE ANTICIPATE. ALRIGHT. SO THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THAT'S GOING TO PUT US BEHIND WITH THE 2025 AUDIT, AND THEN IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE MONEY. I KNOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THEIR OWN METHODOLOGY, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BILL US. SO IT'S GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL INCURRED COST BECAUSE OF HOW I GUESS THEY WANT TO DO IT. SO I MEAN, I'M INTERESTED TO HEARING FROM COUNCIL, AS FAR AS I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS, MR. JONES, BUT FEBRUARY, END OF FEBRUARY, IT'S A LONG TIME. SO I MEAN DO YOU ALL SIT DOWN WITH THEM? DO YOU TELL THEM WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO BILL US. WE DO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND WE CAN CONVEY THAT WE DO NEED IT EXPEDITED. SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I CAN BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION. AGAIN, I CAN JUST GO OVER THAT WITH THEM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON OUR SIDE TO ENSURE THAT THAT GOES ON A QUICKER MATTER. BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS THEM COMING INTO THE OFFICE AND DOING THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE STAFF. I THINK WITH THE HOLIDAYS, THAT ONLY PROLONGS IT. AND SO WE, WE, WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM AND I'LL CHECK WITH THE CHIEF ACCOUNTANT WHEN THAT NEXT MEETING IS SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF CONVEY THAT MESSAGE TO THEM. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU ALL, MR. JONES, YOU AND STAFF COULD BUILD OUT? WHAT IS THAT CALLED? A TIMELINE? OUR OWN TIMELINE FOR FOR US, FOR THEM TO FOLLOW. BECAUSE AREN'T THEY BEING PAID FOR SERVICE? I'M JUST CURIOUS. AND HOW DOES THIS WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT WE NEED BY WHEN WE NEED IT? AND THEN I'LL YIELD. I THINK OUR ABILITY TO EXPEDITE USING YOUR LANGUAGE IS PROVIDING THEM WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO I THINK UNLIKE WHAT WE

[02:55:07]

ONCE WE GET THAT DONE, WE CAN BE POISONING OURSELVES TO LOOK AT THE BOND MARKET AND DO ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO GET THOSE PROJECTS. THEY WON'T BE HOLDING UP THOSE FINANCES FOR 2526 IS WHAT MY POINT IS. SO WE'LL LITERALLY BE CURRENT. EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT COMPLETE.

THEY'LL BE ABLE TO START. AND HOPEFULLY, SINCE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE GROUNDWORK OF ESTABLISHING THE RECOGNITION OF OUR SYSTEMS AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, THOSE SUBSEQUENT YEARS WILL GO FASTER. THAT'S THAT'S THE HOPE. BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE VERY ANXIOUS ABOUT BONDING AND LOOKING AT THOSE FINANCE OPTIONS. WHILE AUDITS ARE DEFINITELY TRADITIONALLY REALLY CONNECTED TO THOSE DECISIONS, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE CAN STILL EXPLORE, THAT WE PLAN ON IT, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME CHANCE TO RUN THROUGH SOME OF THOSE. WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO BRING TO THEM BEFORE WE GOT INTO A DEEPER CONVERSATION WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER. YES, THANK YOU. AND CAN YOU RESTATE WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED ABOUT THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING? YES.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT FINANCE AND CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO EXPLORING SOME THINGS WITH FINANCING THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO, BECAUSE WE'VE MISSED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM. OKAY. YEAH.

THANK YOU. AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE LIKE THE BOTTLENECK ON US TRYING TO COMPLETE THESE AUDITS? WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE WERE TWO YEARS BEHIND, SO TWO YEARS BEHIND IS CONCERNING. ONE YEAR BEHIND IS IS I UNDERSTAND FROM HEARING FROM A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES IS THAT IT'S I WON'T SAY AVERAGE BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE NORM TWO YEARS YOU START RAISING RAISING EYEBROWS. AND I, I KNOW THAT I THINK IT WAS MOODY'S. ONE OF THE BONDING AGENCIES DECIDED THAT THEY WOULDN'T EXTEND BONDING RATINGS FOR US BECAUSE WE WERE TWO YEARS BEHIND. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAD BEEN ONE YEAR BEHIND, AND THAT WAS ALTHOUGH THEY WERE CONCERNED THEY WERE STILL WILLING TO DO IT. BUT TWO YEARS BEHIND WAS A BIT TOO FAR FOR THEM. AND SO THEY FELL OFF. BUT WE STILL HAVE STANDARD AND POOR'S. IF I IF I'M REMEMBERING

[03:00:02]

AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT BEING ON THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MEET SINCE SEPTEMBER DUE TO NO, NO QUORUM. AND, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO RESPECT, RESPECT STAFF'S TIME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, STAFF IS WAITING ON US TO SHOW UP. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE MEETING ARE NOT ABLE OR WILLING TO MEET, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO RESPECT STAFF'S TIME AND CANCEL THAT MEETING FOR DECEMBER. I REALLY WANT A QUORUM. I REALLY WANT US TO MEET SINCE WE HAVEN'T MET SINCE SEPTEMBER. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO RESPECT STAFF'S TIME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND DOING ANYTHING THAT WE CAN TO HELP THE PROCESS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYBODY. AND WHATEVER YOU NEED FROM US, FROM COUNCIL, WHETHER IT'S MORE STAFF, YOU KNOW, AN EXPEDITED, YOU KNOW, MONEY FOR AN EXPEDITED TIMELINE, WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BRING THAT TO US SO THAT WE CAN CONSIDER IT BECAUSE WE WE'RE ALL REALLY EAGER TO GET THESE AUDITS COMPLETED. AND I AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT STAFF IS WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THOSE, GET THOSE TRIAL BALANCE COMPLETED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD. THEY ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THAT FINISHED. SO WHEN YOU SAY 2024. YOU'RE REFERRING TO JULY 1ST, 2023 TO JUNE 30TH, 2024. WE REFER TO THE FISCAL YEAR 20 2024, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. CORRECT. AND SO FISCAL YEAR 25 WAS JUNE 30TH, 2024 TO JULY 1ST. NO. JULY 1ST, 2024 TO JUNE 30TH, 2025. YES, MA'AM. NOW I JUST DO TYPICALLY AT THE END OF THE YEAR. RIGHT? YES, MA'AM. SO WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2024, THERE'S THE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN SHARED. THE TIMELINE HAS BEEN SHARED MEANS WE'RE GOING TO BE BEHIND ON 2025 BECAUSE THAT FISCAL YEAR IS ALREADY CONCLUDED. AND. THIS. THIS HAS BEEN QUITE SOME TIME. SO AT MY RECENT GMA BOARD MEETING, THEY ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT AUDITS IN CITIES ACROSS THE STATE. AND I THINK OVER 100 CITIES WERE TWO YEARS OR MORE. BEHIND ON THEIR AUDITS. I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY LIKE 50 OR LESS THAT WERE ONE YEAR BEHIND. AND THEN THERE WAS

[03:05:07]

AND BECAUSE HE WAS BEHIND FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, HE'S BEEN CONSISTENT. AND SO I THINK THAT COMING CLOSER TO THE NEW YEAR IN THE 20 FOR THE 25 AUDIT, HE'LL BE CLOSER TO THAT BECAUSE MOST OF OUR INFORMATION IS MORE ACCURATE. WE'RE ALREADY ABOUT TO BE BEHIND ON THE 25. AUDIT IS DUE I UNDERSTAND. YES, IT'S DUE DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, WHICH IS WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE TRIAL BALANCES FOR 2024. RIGHT. AND THE DRAFT AUDIT FOR 2024 WILL BE IN FEBRUARY, WHICH MEANS THE FINAL AUDIT WILL PROBABLY BE A COUPLE MONTHS LATER IN THE AUDIT FOR 2026 IS I MEAN, THAT FISCAL YEAR IS GOING TO END JUNE 30TH, 2026, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE 2025 AND 2026. SO STILL TWO YEARS BEHIND. SO THIS IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, MAULDIN AND JENKINS, LIKE WE HAVE OUR METHODOLOGY AND WE'RE WAITING AND I GET IT. BUT THERE'S ALSO A DESIRE TO CATCH UP TO BE TIMELY. AND AGAIN, I DON'T I'M NOT SURE WHAT. THAT'S WHAT THE SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE FROM GMA OR YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING. BUT THAT WAS A CONVERSATION AGENDA ITEM CONVERSATION AT OUR RECENT BOARD MEETING. AND THEY SHARED THE STATS FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.

SO LIKE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL I THINK TO KNOW WHAT IS A WHAT'S THE PLAN TO GET CURRENT? OKAY.

WHAT'S THE PLAN TO BE ON TIME? BECAUSE BY THEN NEXT YEAR IT SOUNDS LIKE 2026 IS GOING TO BE DUE IN DECEMBER. RIGHT? SO LIKE JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATION WITH THEM IF THEY'RE DOING THE NEXT THREE YEARS. SO THEY'RE DOING 20, 24, 25 AND 26. ALL THREE OF THOSE ARE IN THEIR PURVIEW. WHAT IS THE PLAN TO BECOME MORE TIMELY WITH THE AUDITS? OKAY, I CAN DEFINITELY ADDRESS THAT WITH THEM. MAYOR. AND AGAIN, I, I THINK YOUR POINT IS TAKEN, THERE'S ECONOMIES OF SCALE THAT PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN HELPING US GET OUT OF THE WHOLE. IT'S ALMOST AS IF, AS AN ANALOGY OF OF DOING RECONCILIATIONS, BUT HAVING TO GO BACK AND FIND NUMBERS FROM TEN YEARS AGO AS OPPOSED TO GOING BACK NOW ONLY A YEAR AGO OR TWO YEARS AGO, THE TAB AND TAB AUDIT TOOK AS LONG AS IT DID, BECAUSE WE WERE USING ASSETS NUMBERS FROM OVER TEN YEARS AGO, WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT CHALLENGE. SO MOVING FORWARD, THE NEW AUDITORS DON'T HAVE TO DO AS MUCH RESEARCH AND IN DEPTH EXAMINATIONS THAT THE PREVIOUS AUDITOR HAD TO BECAUSE THE INFORMATION, THE DATA WAS SO OLD. SO THERE'S SOME ECONOMIES OF SCALE THAT COME WITH THE WITH THE ESTIMATES ON GETTING OUT OF THE HOLE, BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO ANY RESOURCES. THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. I CERTAINLY HAD GOTTEN VERY SIMILAR INFORMATION ON HOW OTHER CITIES IN GEORGIA ARE EXPERIENCING MANY OF THE SAME CHALLENGES. SO WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN AND WILLING AND READY TO PARTNER WITH ANY AGENCY HELPING CITIES GET OUT

[03:10:07]

[III.8. An Ordinance to Amend the Code of Ordinances for East Point, Georgia at Division II Code of Local Government, Part 4 Administration, Chapter 6 Domestic Partnership; to Repeal Chapter 6 in Its Entirety; to Provide for Severability; to Promote the Public Health, Safety and Welfare, and for Other Purposes. ]

AND SO ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO TO LEGAL. I WILL JUST ADD MAYOR AND COUNCIL THAT I DID SEND YOU OUT THE UPDATED VERSION AFTER WE WORK SESSION THIS ITEM, AND SO YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED IT PROBABLY ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO. SO IS COUNCIL READY FOR THIS TO GO ON THE DECEMBER 15TH AGENDA? IS THIS IS THIS TIME SENSITIVE? IT'S NOT IT'S NOT OKAY. AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE UP AGAINST SOME DEADLINE, BUT WE DO. AND WE HAVE HAD AN APPLICANT, A CITIZEN, COME IN AND ASK FOR WHAT THIS ORDINANCE COVERS. THEY WANTED A DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP FORM AFFIDAVIT TO BE ISSUED BY DIRECTOR SMITH'S DEPARTMENT. AND THAT'S WHEN THE ISSUE WAS UNCOVERED. TO THE EXTENT WE MAY HAVE ANOTHER APPLICANT COME, THEN I WOULD SAY WE NEED TO GET IN FRONT OF IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO HOW IT WAS WRITTEN, HOW IT'S WRITTEN CURRENTLY. SO IF WE DO IT ON THE 15TH, WE COULD START. WELL, I GUESS WE COULD END THE YEAR AND START THE YEAR OFF WITH SOMETHING IN PLACE. AND CERTAINLY IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE DRAFT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I CAN UPDATE IT FOR THE 15TH. BUT I THINK AFTER TALKING WITH YOU GUYS ABOUT IT, RECEIVING SOME FEEDBACK, LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES TO DETERMINE HOW THEY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, I BELIEVE THAT THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE IS IN FINAL FORMAT. SO WHAT IS THIS? COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO GO ON THE AGENDA IS THE ORDINANCE. MR. JONES, YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOUR LIGHTS ON? NO, NO, I THINK MAYBE YOU'RE GETTING THE CITY ATTORNEY'S LIGHT AND THE CITY MANAGER'S LIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S READING THAT WAY. I DON'T KNOW, THERE. MAYBE I CAN CHECK IT OUT. I'M JUST READING WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN AND IT KEEPS SAYING, OKAY, I 15TH AGENDA. YES. OKAY. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. I THINK THAT'S THE LAST. NO, IT'S

[III.17. Discussion and Possible Action on New Reports and Proof of Claims Form]

[03:15:05]

[Items 18 & 19]

OR AT LEAST ON 19. AND JUST AS AN UPDATE, THE OH, THAT'S RIGHT, IT WAS UP TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT.

YEAH. IT WAS, YEAH, $15,000. AND WE HAVE WE, WE DID DO A CCTV. WE DID GET AN ESTIMATE.

IT WAS AT $9,000. AND I HAVE APPROVED THAT TO MOVE FORWARD. I'M STILL WAITING ON TIMELINES ON WHEN THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GET STARTED. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT IT'S IN THE PROCESS. SO I NOT 100% SURE ABOUT 19 COUNCIL MEMBER SHROPSHIRE. YOU HAD WAIVE AND RULE 26. I FEEL LIKE THIS CAME FROM A PREVIOUS AGENDA. IT DID BECAUSE WE DISCUSSED IT AT THE LAST ONE.

OKAY. SO THESE ITEMS ARE OKAY, GOOD AND DONE. NO, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT WAS THE DECISION IN REFERENCE TO GREENWOOD CIRCLE? IS IT TO REPAIR? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION. BUT IT WAS EITHER TO REPAIR OR JUST DETACH IT FROM THE PROPERTY IT WAS TO REPAIR. SO YOU'RE GOING TO REPAIR IT? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. OH WAIT, ONE MORE QUESTION. SO THAT MEANS THAT THE NEIGHBOR NEXT TO IT WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS EITHER, RIGHT? THAT'S THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND I DO HAVE THE FOOTAGE FOR THE WHOLE PIPE IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN THAT KIND OF THING, BUT YES. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. ITEM

[III.12. Discussion and Possible Action on Mr. King Senior Citizen's Utility Bill Ordinance]

[03:20:06]

IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTED TO DO, IT WOULD NEED TO BE AN ORDINANCE TO QUALIFY THESE TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE. THE STELLAR PAYMENT HISTORY PEOPLE AND THE SEASONED OLDER PEOPLE. WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION BECAUSE WE ALREADY WE'RE NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST A GROUP OF PEOPLE IF WE ALREADY GIVE DISCOUNTS TO SENIORS. SO THAT'S THAT'S ALREADY SOMETHING WE ALREADY DO. YOU'RE RIGHT. BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING YOU GUYS DECIDED TO DO. I, I WOULD IF, IF I WERE THE CITY ATTORNEY AT THE TIME THAT THAT WAS WRITTEN, I WOULD HAVE SAID THE SAME THING, BUT IT'S ALREADY THERE. SO IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE THAT, THAT'S CERTAINLY. OKAY. SO IF WE VOTED ON THIS BEFORE AND WE AND THE CITY MANAGER SAID THAT, OKAY, HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT AND HE DIDN'T, DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IT AGAIN? I THINK THAT YOU PROBABLY WOULD NEED SOMETHING TO CONFIRM THAT. THAT IS SO WHETHER IT'S MINUTES LOOKED UP BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO FIND, YOU KNOW, THAT RESOLUTION, THAT ORDINANCE, THAT AGREEMENT BY COUNCIL, THAT THAT WAS THE POLICY THAT YOU GUYS WANTED TO SET? I THINK YOU WOULD NEED SOMETHING BECAUSE HOW THEN DO YOU TASK YOUR NEW CITY MANAGER TO CARRY THAT OUT? WELL, WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO COMMENT ON, I JUST THINK IF YOU'RE ABOVE THE AGE OF 70 OR 75, THAT NUMBER IS NEGOTIABLE. YOU SHOULD NOT BE AUTOMATICALLY TURNED OFF. THAT IN THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE OR ORIGINAL AGREEMENT. WE SAID THAT YOU WOULD BE CONTACTED BY THE DEPARTMENT. YES, EXACTLY. SO IF WE COULD START WITH THAT, THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO START TO HAVE A PERSON 95 YEARS OLD AND HIS POWER BEEN TURNED OFF, AND HIS WATER HAS NEVER BEEN TURNED OFF BEFORE. I THINK WE NEED TO PROTECT THAT CLASS OF PEOPLE.

COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER, DO YOU RECALL, LIKE IN WHAT YEAR THIS DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE, OR THAT WE CAN SEARCH MINUTES OR SOMETHING? OR THE ONLY THING I REMEMBER, FRED GARDNER WAS THE CITY MANAGER AT THAT POINT. AND SO THAT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS, RIGHT? THAT'S BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE FOUR YEARS OR SO. OKAY. JUST THINKING WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE THAT. I AGREE. IF WE HAD THAT THAT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER. BUT IF WE WANT TO START OVER, I'M OPENING TO IT RIGHT NOW. SOMETHING WHERE WE SET THE AGE. I'M SAYING 75, AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY BE TURNED OFF, THAT YOU SHOULD BE CONTACTED BY STAFF IN ORDER TO BEFORE YOUR UTILITY IS TURNED OFF. COUNCIL MEMBER RICHARDS, THANK YOU.

THIS IS MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. YES, I'M PRETTY SURE SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WOULD THIS HAVE TO BE AN ORDINANCE FOR. THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT ADDRESSES CUT OFFS. AND THIS WOULD SEEM TO AMEND THAT SOME. I THINK THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO PUT IT IN YOUR ORDINANCE. SO IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS WRITTEN, IT WOULD STILL BE IN OUR MUNI CODE. OR IT SHOULD BE. YEAH. IF IF IT WERE AN ORDINANCE WHEN THAT ACTION WAS TAKEN PER COUNCILMAN BUTLER, THEN IT WOULD BE IN MUNI CODE. HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE

[03:25:01]

SOME PEOPLE GIVE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS FOR PERSONS THAT ARE OVER A CERTAIN AGE. RIGHT. BUT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS GO ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE THE WHOLE CITY GETS TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT TO TREAT PERSONS OVER A CERTAIN AGE IN A WAY THAT'S DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. RIGHT? THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. SO YOU SEE THOSE HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. DISABLED VETERANS. THAT'S USUALLY THE BIG ONES. THAT KIND OF TAKES OUT FROM THE LARGER GROUP OF THE POPULATION AND SEGREGATES A GROUP OF PEOPLE. THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS IT'S TREATING A GROUP OF PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY WITHOUT HAVING THE BENEFIT OF IT BE ON THE BALLOT LIKE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WOULD. SO I JUST DID A SEARCH OF THE COUNCIL MINUTES ONLINE. THIS WAS DISCUSSED OR THIS WAS ON THE DECEMBER 13TH, 2021 WORK SESSION AGENDA. I DON'T SEE THAT IT MOVED FORWARD TO. THE MINUTES THAT IT MOVED FORWARD, OR ANY MINUTES FROM THAT MEETING OR THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT IT WHEN I DID THE SEARCH.

THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT CAME UP OTHER THAN TONIGHT'S AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS DECEMBER.

WHAT TODAY, EIGHTH, 2025. SO IT WAS ON THE WORK SESSION AGENDA AS. SENIOR LEGACY LEGISLATION, PART ONE SENIOR UTILITY BILL. THERE WAS AN ACTION ITEM PRINT OUT FOR IT. IT JUST SAYS COUNCIL MEMBER BUTLER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THE SENIOR LEGACY LEGISLATION.

PART ONE SENIOR UTILITY BILL. IT DOESN'T MENTION A CITIZEN'S NAME. I THINK WE WOULD NAME PUT AN ORDINANCE IN A RESIDENT'S NAME THAT WOULD KIND OF CALL OUT SPECIFIC BENEFIT, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M SEEING HERE IN OUR. ONLINE RECORDS AND ON THE I'M TRYING TO PULL THE DECEMBER 20TH MEETING BECAUSE I DON'T SEE MINUTES FROM THE 13TH. THEY GENERALLY DON'T HAVE MINUTES. THERE'S AN AGENDA PACKET. AND THEN ON DECEMBER THE 20TH. YEAH, IT DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THAT AGENDA. AND AGAIN WITH THE SAME SEARCH, IF IT HAD GONE SOMEWHERE ELSE IT WOULD HAVE COME UP. SO TO THE POINT OF STARTING A NEW WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER A NEW. AGAIN, I WOULD CAUTION I THOUGHT THIS REFERENCE WAS TO MR. DARREN KING, THE CITY MANAGER. LIKE AS HE HAD MADE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE SENIOR CITIZENS UTILITY BILL ORDINANCE. BUT. REMEMBER FREELY. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION GOES ON THE BALLOT AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE. SO EARLIER TONIGHT, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SENIOR HOME REPAIRS PROGRAM AND THE SENIOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE. TELL ME HOW THOSE ARE DIFFERENT. SO I IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE SENIOR HOME REPAIR COMES FROM MONEY THAT IS

[03:30:01]

RIGHT. AND SO MOST PEOPLE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC ARE NOT GOING TO CHALLENGE DECISIONS BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, RIGHT. THAT YOU'RE HELPING A SENIOR OUT. RIGHT. IT, IT JUST IT'S THAT SIDE OF THE MORAL CIRCLE THAT TENDS TO BE. NORMALLY ACCEPTED, I GUESS, IN OUR SOCIETY. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THAT. IT DOESN'T FALL INTO THE LEGAL CIRCLE OF TITLE SEVEN OF THE CONSTITUTION. IS THAT WHY THE CITY MANAGER MAY HAVE ADDED THE. BECAUSE IT WAS HIS ADDENDUM THAT IF YOU HAVE A YOUR IF YOU HAVE A IS THAT WHY THEN THE CITY MANAGER MAY HAVE ADDED THE ADDENDUM. IF YOU HAVE A STELLAR CREDIT OR STELLAR PAYMENT HISTORY, COULD THAT BE THE REASON WHY HE ADDED THAT TO THAT? UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT HIS THINKING WAS AT THAT TIME. SO I MEAN, WITH THAT. ALLEVIATE YOUR CONCERNS, THOUGH, THAT YOU SAY, OKAY, IF YOU'RE ABOVE A CERTAIN AGE OR IF YOU HAVE CONSTANT PAYMENT HISTORY FOR 60 MONTHS, THE, THE, THE, THE STELLAR CREDIT DOESN'T GIVE ME THE SAME CONCERN AS THE OF ANYTHING INVOLVING THE PROTECTED CLASS, RIGHT? THAT RIGHT. THEY DO THAT WITH DEPOSITS A LOT OF TIME WITH UTILITIES, RIGHT. THAT IF YOU HAVE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE OR GOOD HISTORY, THEN YOU MAY NOT HAVE A DEPOSIT LIKE SOMEONE THAT MAY HAVE A SKETCHY CREDIT HISTORY. YOUR FINANCIALS IS NOT A PROTECTED CLASS. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO DO, I WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT THOSE SENIORS. AND MAYBE THE REASON WHY WE'RE ADDING THAT EXTRA CLASS IN THERE SO THAT EVERYBODY GETS THAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE GET TO DECIDE AS A GROUP HOW LONG OF A CONSTANT PAYMENT HISTORY ONE SHOULD HAVE. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL THANK YOU, SIR. I'M NOT IN TOTAL DISAGREEMENT WITH I THINK THEY ALREADY HAVE. I FORGET THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE PAYMENT PLAN, BUT IF YOU HAVE A DELINQUENT BILL, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO SIGN UP FOR IT. THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? MR. CITY MANAGER, DON'T WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF STIPULATIONS LIKE THIS KIND OF IN PLACE? I WOULD HAVE TO. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT, I OKAY, I THINK I RECALL SEEING

[03:35:02]

YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DRAFT THE DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY DRAFT. I'M NOT DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DO ANYTHING. I SAID. I'LL HAVE ORDINANCE READY. SHE CAN REVIEW IT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES. I GOT ONE MORE MEETING. AGENDA. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE CALLED, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE NAMED AFTER A SPECIFIC RESIDENT BECAUSE THAT CALLS OUT OR SUGGESTS AN INDIVIDUAL BENEFIT. BUT WE'LL MOVE ON. YOU ALL CAN YOU ALL CAN MADAM CITY CLERK, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM WAS CALLED IN 2021? YOUR AGENDA ITEM IN 2021 WAS CALLED SENIORS LEGACY LEGISLATION, PART ONE SENIOR UTILITY BILL. THAT WOULD NOT BE THE TITLE OF AN ORDINANCE, BUT THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS CALLED FOR YOU ALL. YOU CAN GET IT ONLINE.

NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER. FOUR AND FIVE ON CREDIT CARD POLICY. ONE WANTS TO OPEN THE DISCUSSION.

[Items 4 & 5]

[03:40:03]

DO WE WANT TO INCLUDE THE RECEPTION AS PART OF THE PER DIEM, OR DO WE WANT TO GIVE PER DIEM AS BEING SEPARATE? BECAUSE THE RECEPTION WAS AT 7 P.M. AND IS THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU ALL WOULD BE GOING TO THE RECEPTION AT AT 7 P.M. WHEN YOU'VE ATTENDED A CONFERENCE ALL DAY? AND SO I REALLY WANTED SOME CLARITY FROM YOU ALL WITH REGARD TO THAT. AND THEN ALSO ANOTHER AREA THAT I WANTED TO GET SOME CLARITY FROM YOU ALL IS I KNOW PREVIOUSLY WE SPOKE ABOUT ADDING THE GEORGIA PER DIEM RATES IN THERE. THAT'S THE STATE OF GEORGIA. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE THE GENERAL. SERVICES ADMINISTRATION. AND SO I WANTED CLARITY ON THAT AS WELL BECAUSE THE GEORGIA PER DIEM RATE IT IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IT'S HASN'T BEEN

[03:45:06]

HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH REGENTS BANK AND THEIR P-CARD PROGRAM. AND IF THEY WE DECIDE TO MOVE OVER TO THAT, IT'S AN EASY TRANSITION FROM FOR FROM THE CURRENT CARD. AND THEY OFFER A FREE PROGRAM TO US AS OPPOSED TO US PAYING FOR CONCUR. AND FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, IT'S A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS ARE AVAILABLE THAT CONCUR OFFERS.

SO THEY GIVE US THEIR FREE SOFTWARE THAT THEY CAN. YOU ALL CAN UPLOAD YOUR OWN RECEIPTS.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS YOUR YOUR OWN PLATFORM TO SEE WHAT YOUR AVAILABILITY IS. AND SO THAT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED ON OUR BUDGET AND FINANCE MEETING. ALSO I THINK OKAY. AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE AWAY FROM REGENTS AND FIND A DIFFERENT BANK ENTIRELY. SO HAS THAT BEEN WE'RE WHERE ARE WE ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS? SO WE ACTUALLY GOT SOME GOOD INFORMATION FROM REGIONS BANK. THEY ACTUALLY THEIR NEW CARD.

SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE TO ALL ARE ON IS LIKE A SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT CARD, WHICH IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THIS ORGANIZATION. REGIONS DID OFFER IT'S A COMMERCIAL SLASH P CARD PROGRAM AND IT'S MUCH MORE IN DEPTH. IT OFFERS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT IT OFFERED FOR YOU ALL. AS FAR AS AS SIMPLE AS THE SOFTWARE, RIGHT? AND IT REALLY DOES. THE P CARD PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO LIMIT CERTAIN THINGS, OR LET'S USE ALCOHOL WHERE YOU CAN LIMIT ALCOHOL, OR YOU CAN LIMIT CERTAIN CERTAIN PURCHASES OF ITEMS. AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF REALLY THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING FOR P CARD PROGRAM. AND. MY MIC TURNED OFF AND I THINK YOURS DID TOO. WELL. COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER. SO THAT SO JUST THAT COUPLED IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE PROVIDE. AND SO THAT THAT KIND OF JUST TOUCHED ON WHAT COUNCILMAN ADKINS HAD ON HERE FOR THE. THE PAYMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. SO BUT OBVIOUSLY WE CAN STILL LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS AS FAR AS THE CREDIT CARD, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL DEEMS. OKAY. AND I MEAN, THE THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS TO WORK FOR EVERYBODY. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CURRENTLY THE CREDIT CARDS HAVE TO BE PAID IN PERSON AND NOT ONLINE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED ALSO. AND WITH WITH THE NEW CREDIT CARD THAT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE. IT'LL BE ONE PAYMENT THAT'S MADE VIA AN ACH.

OKAY. IT WOULD JUST BE ONE PAYMENT AND NOT THE PAYMENT OF EACH CARD INDIVIDUALLY. THAT'S ACCURATE. OKAY, SO I DID I DID NOTICE THAT EVERYONE WAS HAVING TO GO MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL CHECK PAYMENT CARD. RIGHT. CHECK PAYMENT TO THE BANK, WHICH IS NOT IDEAL. WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT FOR EVERYONE SO THAT WE JUST MAKE ONE PAYMENT AND THEN WE RECONCILE ON THE BACK END. OKAY. CAN I JUST JUMP IN REAL QUICK? SO I THINK AND WE'VE BEEN LEARNING OURSELVES, I THINK WE'VE BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS IS KIND OF A BEEN A REGION'S PROBLEM, BUT IT'S BEEN MORE SO OF AN ACCOUNT PROBLEM. SO THE ACCOUNT THAT WE SET UP WAS ALMOST AS LIKE A PERSONAL ACCOUNT THAT SOME KIND OF WAY GOT SET UP YEARS AGO THAT LIMITED OUR ABILITY. AND

[03:50:02]

IF THERE'S A MEAL THAT IS WITH THE CONFERENCE, YOU WANT TO GET A PER DIEM FOR IT. I WOULD JUST BE CONCERNED. THAT'S A LOT OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BEFORE YOU GO. THAT'S ALL KIND OF A LOT OF EFFORT. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THERE'S NINE PEOPLE GOING TO A CONFERENCE, LET'S SAY. BUT I MEAN, I'LL BE FINE IF THAT'S WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS. SO WERE THERE ANY OTHER PIECES THAT YOU NEEDED OUR INPUT ON? YES, MA'AM. SO AGAIN, SOME CLARITY ON THE DO WE WANT TO USE THE GEORGIA OR DO WE WANT TO USE THE STATE I MEAN, THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.

SO YOU HAVE THE GEORGIA STATE PER DIEM, WHICH I CAN ACTUALLY CLICK ON IT. OH. OKAY. I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THIS MIGHT BE ON A THUMB DRIVE, BUT THE GEORGIA STATE IS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THE THE GSA. AND SO FOR CONSISTENCY, I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO PUT IN THERE. RIGHT NOW WE DO GO BY THE GEORGIA STATE. I, I, I THINK THE GEORGIA STATE ONE WOULD BE FINE. ANYBODY ELSE? AND WERE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS? LET'S SEE. I THINK THAT THAT WAS THE MAJOR THE MAJOR THING. AND THEN THAT THE THE THOUSAND FOR THE DINNER, I JUST WANTED SOME CLARITY ON MAKING SURE THAT WE OFFERED PER DIEM OR NOT OFFERED PER DIEM. WHEN THERE IS A RECEPTION IN PLACE. THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT ON THE DOCUMENT, BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT JUST RECENTLY OCCURRED, AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION. OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS. ABSOLUTELY. AND I JUST HAD A CLEAR A CLARIFICATION. SO THE GEORGIA STATE, I KNOW THAT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES IS IN DC AND THAT'S A TYPICAL IS THAT DOES THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GEORGIA STATE PER DIEM. WILL THAT ACCOUNT FOR DC HOTELS AS OPPOSED TO SAVANNAH HOTELS. YES. YEAH. CORRECT. NO IT DOESN'T BECAUSE IT'S JUST STRICTLY FOR GEORGIA OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THIS. BUT I HAVE A QUESTION. YES, MA'AM. DOES THESE CHANGES HOW DOES THEY AFFECT THE EMPLOYEES WHO TRAVEL THERE UNDER THE SAME GUIDELINES? YES, MA'AM. SO THE SAME THING IS IN PLACE. SO I WOULD MOVE A LOT OF THIS OVER TO THEM.

THAT'S MISSING JUST BECAUSE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE THE PER DIEM THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT, I WOULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S INCLUDED FOR THE EMPLOYEES ON THEIR SIDE TOO.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO TO MAKE SURE WE HAD CLARITY FOR COUNCIL. SO YOU ALREADY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE FOR TRAVEL FOR EMPLOYEES, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. SO WHAT'S THE POLICY? WELL, WHEN THEY

[03:55:02]

AND SO WE USE THE PER DIEM FOR THEIR FOR THEIR FOOD. AND THEN IF THEY'RE SAME THING WITH THE HOTEL. OKAY. SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS OKAY. AND I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. SO LET'S SAY IF AN EMPLOYEE WENT TO HOUSTON, TEXAS OKAY. THEY SHOULD HAVE WENT BY THE PER DIEM WHEN THEY USED THEIR CREDIT CARD. CORRECT? WELL, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CREDIT CARD. THEY'RE GOING TO WE'RE ONLY GOING TO USE THE CREDIT CARD TO PAY FOR THEIR HOTEL. OKAY. AND THEN AND MOST EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE CREDIT CARDS, JUST MAINLY LEADERSHIP. SO THERE WAS AN EMPLOYEE WHO WENT TO HOUSTON WHO USED HIS CREDIT CARD. WENT OVER THERE PER DIEM, WAY OVER THE PER DIEM, PURCHASED THE ALCOHOL. CITY PAID IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY RECOUPED THEIR FUNDS, BUT IT HAPPENED. BUT YOU SAY WE HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE? YES, MA'AM. SO THERE SHOULD BE NO CREDIT CARD IF THERE'S A PER DIEM THAT'S GIVEN. SO IF SOMEONE COMES AND THEY SAY THEY'RE TRAVELING TO HOUSTON OR TEXAS, WHEREVER THEY'RE TRAVELING, SO YOU GIVE THEM A PER DIEM CHECK. YES. WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET. YES, MA'AM. JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THAT CASE. OKAY, SO WHAT DOES THE CITY DO IN CASES LIKE THAT WOULD BE THAT WE DEFINITELY I WOULD OBVIOUSLY TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT IT AND SEE WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS AS FAR AS RECOUPING OUR, OUR FUNDS. BUT IF IT'S ALCOHOL WE WOULD PROBABLY THAT'S A THAT'S A STATE VIOLATION. YES, MA'AM. A SERIOUS VIOLATION. SO I WOULD DEFINITELY GO LOOK AT THAT AGAIN AND DOUBLE CHECK TO PULL. IT WAS JUST CHECK THROUGH JULY TO OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER. ALL OF IT'S THERE. OKAY. JULY TO OCTOBER. ALL OF IT IS THERE. YES. YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, THANK YOU. AND I DO HAVE SOME OF MY NOTES, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. BUT AS IT RELATES TO THE TRAVEL POLICY AND THAT MUST BE WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING TONIGHT IS UPDATED BECAUSE THE ONE THAT I HAVE, IT IS IN NUMBER. BUT I THINK WE CAN FOLLOW ALONG ON THE SAME PAGES.

OKAY. BUT PAGES, IF YOU GO TO PAGE SIX OF 12 CITY MANAGER, IT SAYS RESPONSIBILITIES AND COMPLIANCE. CITY MANAGER SHALL APPROVE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS FOR THE MAYOR, THEIR STAFF, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, THE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK, UNPAID PERSONS, TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPOINTMENTS AND ALL FOREIGN TRAVEL. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN THE DOCUMENT THAT I HAVE. SO I I'M BECAUSE AT THE LAST TIME I PRESENTED THAT, IT WAS STATED THAT THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS WANTED BY THE COUNCIL, THAT ONLY MAYORS AND COUNCIL.

YES, MA'AM. ONLY COUNCIL CAN DETERMINE WHERE COUNCIL APPROVAL. COUNCIL. RIGHT. SO WE DID NOT. WE TOOK THE CITY MANAGER OFF APPROVING YOU ALL OKAY. BECAUSE THAT WAS MY QUESTION TONIGHT. SO THIS MUST BE IF I COULD HAVE THE CURRENT TRAVEL POLICY, THAT WOULD WORK.

SURE. BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO SAY LIKE, FOREIGN TRAVEL SHOULD COME BEFORE COUNCIL. YES. THAT WAS THE EXACT SAME THING THAT COUNCIL SAID THAT NIGHT. YEAH. AND THEN AS IT GOES TO TRANSPORTATION, PAGE EIGHT OF 12, IT SAYS THE MOTOR TRAVEL SHALL BE THE MOST ECONOMICAL MEANS AVAILABLE. WHEN MULTIPLE EMPLOYEES ARE TRAVELING TOGETHER. YOU MUST CARPOOL OR RIDESHARE. HAS THAT BEEN TAKEN OUT OR REMOVED? IT DOES. OLD DOCUMENT. IT IS THE OLD DOCUMENT. AND I THINK I WANT TO SAY I DID REMOVE THAT ALSO, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES YOU MIGHT LEAVE FROM HOME. AND WHO'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYONE TO MEET UP IN ONE CENTRAL SPOT. I ACTUALLY JUST HAD THAT HAPPEN JUST RECENTLY. WE HAD THREE EMPLOYEES TRAVEL SEPARATELY. SO IF I COULD JUST HAVE THE NEW DOCUMENT PRINTED OUT, I'LL COME BY AND PICK IT UP, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SAY LIKE CARPOOL AND RIDESHARE. AND THEN ON THE NEXT PAGE, 9 TO 12, IT TALKED ABOUT THE CLASS OF CARS YOU MUST RESERVE A RENTAL CAR. THOSE ARE NORMALLY THE FIRST CARS THAT GO 12. THEY ARE. I THINK I MAY HAVE CHANGED THE VERBIAGE, BUT 12 YOU DID SAY PAGE 12, CORRECT? YEAH. I MEAN IT'S ON PAGE 9 TO 12. I THINK THE DOCUMENT THAT I'M IT IS I DID UPDATE IT. OH OKAY. YEAH. BECAUSE I JUST SAW SOMETHING. THOSE ARE THE FIRST CARS THAT GO. SO I PUT ON THERE AUTHORIZED FOR MIDSIZE OR SMALLER. OKAY. WELL IF I COULD

[04:00:03]

SO THIS IS ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE SESSION, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME WHERE I GUESS IT WAS THE 1500 PER TRIP OR $5,000 ANNUALLY. I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO READ THIS ONE MORE TIME. SO. IF THIS APPLIES TO STAFF, WILL THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE US IF THEY WANTED TO TRAVEL? SO THIS IS THE ONLY PART THAT IS APPLIES TO COUNCIL. AND IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS KIND OF GENERIC AND AND THIS YOU KNOW I CAN GET YOUR INFORMATION ON IT. YEAH. YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS GOT YOU. AND FOR THE 1500. SO THAT, DOES THAT INCLUDE AIRPLANE OR TRAVEL HOTEL AND THIS THAT INCLUDE IT WOULD BE PER DIEM ALSO NOT THE PER DIEM IS YOUR TRAVEL YOUR YOUR HOTEL AND YOUR AIRFARE. SO I KNOW WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT FOR TRAVEL AND TRAINING. SO I WONDER IS IT NECESSARY TO PUT.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE THE BUDGETING COMES IN PLACE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO TO GET WITH LIKE CITY COUNCIL THAT FOR YOU. SO THAT I KNOW LIKE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS PLANNING FOR FOR TRIPS THE NEXT YEAR, WHAT EVERYONE'S LOOKING AT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE THE CORRECT AMOUNT AND WE DON'T GO OVER THAT THRESHOLD THAT YOU ALL SET FOR YOURSELVES. THANK YOU. SO THE 5000 ANNUALLY, IS THAT HOW WHAT IS THE DEFINITION? IS IT PER YEAR? I KNOW WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE IN OUR BUDGET FOR THAT PER YEAR. SO AGAIN, THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO LIKE WHAT THE THRESHOLD IS FOR YOUR TRAVEL. AND SO I CAN CHANGE THIS TO MEET THAT THRESHOLD FOR YOUR TRAVEL PER YEAR. THIS WAS AGAIN IS JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO BRING IN AND ADDRESS. AND AND SAID IT PUTS, YOU KNOW, SET SOME BOUNDARIES AS FAR AS WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THE EACH OF YOU. OKAY. THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. I KNOW WE HAVEN'T MET I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT TO BUDGET AND FINANCE. SORRY FOR THE DELAY.

AND THEN I THINK YOU WERE ALSO ASKING ABOUT RECEPTION. WHAT WAS IT NOT SO WHAT WHAT? I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OCCURRED. THERE WAS A CONFERENCE AND THEN THERE WAS A RECEPTION AT 730 OR 8, AND THERE WAS GOING TO BE FOOD PROVIDED. AND SO THE QUESTION CAME ABOVE, DO WE GIVE YOU PER DIEM FOR DINNER? SINCE THERE'S A RECEPTION, DO WE EXPECT FOR YOU TO HAVE TO GO TO RECEPTION TO EAT? AND AFTER SPENDING THE DAY IN A CONFERENCE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT ANY OF YOU ALL WOULD WANT TO DO? AND SO USUALLY I DON'T HAVE THE FIGURES IN FRONT OF ME, LIKE FOR LUNCH. HOW MUCH IS THAT? IT'S OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THE LOCATION OF WHERE YOU'RE AT. BUT WE'LL JUST USE GEORGIA, FOR EXAMPLE. WELL, THAT'S NOT FAIR BECAUSE GEORGIA'S GOT A DIFFERENT RATE. I WOULD SAY $35 IS NORMAL FOR DINNER. OKAY. AND THEN EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHICH RATE TO USE I KNOW. SO I'M ASSUMING THERE'S AN IN-STATE RATE. WE GET AN OUT-OF-STATE RATE FOR OUR PER DIEM. IS THAT THE SAME OR ARE YOU MAKING EVERYTHING? I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WENT TO UNIFY. ARE WE? I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE TWO RATES THERE ARE TWO RATES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO TO TWO DIFFERENT WEBSITES. YOU GOT TO GO TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA FOR GEORGIA'S PER DIEM, AND THEN YOU CAN USE THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FOR ALL THE OTHER STATES. AND SO THE QUESTION WAS, DID I DID WE WANT TO MAKE THAT UNIFORM AND JUST GO TO GEORGIA GSA TO GET ALL, ALL THE PREMIUMS? OR DO WE WANT TO USE THE STATE OF GEORGIA FOR PER DIEM? YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY I THINK THEY HAVE IT LIKE THAT BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IS DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES. SO I WOULD VOTE THAT WE KEEP IT THE SAME. OKAY. JUST FOR, FOR THOSE REASONS. AND SO THAT THIS PART OF THE UP HERE, I WOULD JUST PUT THE, THE JUST TO REITERATE I WOULD KEEP IT THE SAME RIGHT HERE. IT SAYS SOUTH STATE TRAVEL. AND THEN I WOULD REMOVE THIS FOR THE STATE. I MEAN THAT'S JUST MY SUGGESTION. BUT I JUST THINK THEY HAVE IT KIND OF HAVE IT LIKE THAT FOR A REASON TO BE HONEST. AND THEN WITH THE MEALS. SO SAY IF I MEAN USE GEORGIA FOR EXAMPLE, $35 AND YOU MIGHT HAVE A ONE NIGHT. SO IT MIGHT BE LIKE A, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE WHAT THEY HAVE AT THE RECEPTION. OR, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, ATTEND THE RECEPTION, BUT YEAH, YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL SATISFIED. I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BREAK THE BANK. OKAY. SO IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY WOULD VOTE ON OR GO WITH THE GETTING A PER DIEM FOR THAT NIGHT, EVEN IF THERE'S A RECEPTION. I MEAN, THAT'S MY OPINION. LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT SURE HOW EVERYONE ELSE. OKAY. BUT SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE THE FOOD AND YOU'RE STILL HUNGRY. AND I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOING TO KILL

[04:05:05]

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I KNOW, AND IT MAY, I THINK. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL MAY HAVE ANSWERED IT. I KNOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE MEALS, I MEAN, FOR RECEPTIONS WITH THE PER DIEM. NORMALLY IT'S KIND OF IT'S TIED INTO AN EVENT WHEN THEY DO THE WHEN YOU DO THOSE DIFFERENT RECEPTIONS, IT'S SOMETHING MORE, MORE OR LESS LIKE AN EVENT. SO I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT THAT SHOULD JUST BE ON THERE AT ALL. AND YOU JUST DO THE WHAT IS IT, BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER OKAY. AND WE JUST KEEP IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE WILL OF COUNCIL. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD JUST AND BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, NORMALLY I KNOW WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR THE CLASSES AT GMA FOR NLC AND IF THERE'S A RECEPTION THAT YOU WANT TO ATTEND, THERE'S A FEE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH AND YOU KIND OF SIGN UP JUST LIKE IT IS IF YOU WERE SIGNING UP FOR CLASSES, SO WOULD WOULD THEY, WOULD YOU ALL BE COOL WITH THAT? HOW DOES THAT WORK, MADAM MAYOR? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT RECEPTION IS NOT BE INCLUDED. THEY COULD GO FROM CHEESE AND CRACKERS TO HEAVIER D'OEUVRES THAT THEY'RE GENERALLY NEVER A MEAL. AND THE LABOR IT WOULD TAKE FOR STAFF TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS EATING, WHAT WAS SERVED LIKE. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. SOUND EFFECTS. SO WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP FOR THIS? WE TALKED ABOUT TRAVEL, BUT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT CREDIT CARD POLICY. IS THAT ONE ALREADY DONE? THIS WAS JUST TRAVEL POLICY DISCUSSION. I MEAN. JUST IT SEEMS LIKE A LITTLE BIT AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE CREDIT CARD POLICY. THE TRAVEL POLICY SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS MORE CONSENSUS. OH, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, YOU ASKED SOMETHING ABOUT US CHANGING BANKS. WOULD THAT BE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION FOR READING? THANKS. I ASKED ABOUT IT DURING THIS DISCUSSION. YEAH, OKAY. YEAH, I WANTED TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT. ARE YOU STILL IN? I DID HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. SORRY. SO IN IF WE'RE KEEPING WITH REGIONS BANK, I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST, MAYBE NOT WITH MR. JONES, BUT WITH PREVIOUS CITY MANAGERS ABOUT DOING SOMETHING LIKE OPEN GOV OR SOME OTHER KIND OF TRANSPARENCY SOFTWARE WOULD WOULD KEEPING WITH REGIONS ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT KIND OF SOFTWARE THAT KIND OF OPENS UP OUR TRANSACTIONS AND STUFF TO THE PUBLIC. SO OPEN GOV, OPEN GOV IS MORE LIKE A, A BUDGETING SOFTWARE I THINK MAYBE CLEAR OR NOT CLEAR GOV WHAT'S OPEN GOV IS A DASHBOARD THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE THE COMMUNITY TO SEE INFORMATION. YEAH WE WE ACTUALLY USE THAT IN SAVANNAH. SO WE PUT IN THE BUDGET AND THEN BUILT IT INTO THE WEBSITE. BUT I THINK THAT YOU MIGHT BE REFERRING TO IT'S ANOTHER GOV. IT ACTUALLY WAS A SOFTWARE THAT I THINK WAS BEING SPOKEN ABOUT BEING USED, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS EVER IMPLEMENTED, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MORE OF FROM THE CREDIT CARD STANDPOINT, ARE YOU NOT. YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF THE CREDIT CARD PIECE TO IT. I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY ITCHES TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE SPENDING AND THINGS LIKE THAT OR WHERE WE'RE TRAVELING, BUT THEN ALSO LIKE BIGGER PICTURE THINKING, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOFTWARE THAT KIND OF JUST MAKES EVERYTHING TRANSPARENT. SO CONCUR IS A REALLY IT REALLY IS A GOOD SOFTWARE TO USE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AND DEALING WITH THE THE CREDIT CARDS. I THINK FOR US, THE CITY MANAGER AND I WERE JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE MADE SURE THAT WE PRESENTED YOU ALL WITH THE BEST OPTION WITH REGARD TO CREDIT CARDS, AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE INTO THAT DIRECTION. LOOKING AT FROM THE P-CARD STANDPOINT, I'VE LEARNED THAT SOME LIKE CHASE, THEY HAVE A P-CARD SYSTEM, AND THEY ALSO HAVE A A BILLING SOFTWARE ATTACHED TO IT. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M FINDING INSTEAD OF JUST GETTING CONCUR, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE, YOU MIGHT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE SOFTWARE THAT THE BANK USES, DEPENDING ON WHAT BANK WE END UP DECIDING TO STAY WITH OR GO WITH. AND WE

[04:10:02]

AND LAST THING, I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT YET ABOUT THE TRAVEL POLICY IS THAT SOMETIMES, LIKE IN ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, WHERE FOR US, THERE'S NINE OF US. YOU KNOW, IF IF ALL OF US WERE TO BE ON A PLANE TOGETHER, HEAVEN FORBID, SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, WE MAY NEED TO PUT SOME LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE. FLYING IN THE SAME. AND THAT MAY THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ME. BUT THERE MAY WE MAY NEED TO PUT SOME LIMITS IN THE TRAVEL POLICY ABOUT WHO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN TRAVEL TOGETHER IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOKS LIKE? WOULD IT BE ONE, TWO, THREE? TRAVELING FOR I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, I'VE I'VE HEARD OF THAT FROM OTHER PLACES. I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY COME UP WITH THE NUMBER, BUT I ACTUALLY HAD A COLLEAGUE ON ONE OF MY TRIPS KIND OF MENTIONED THAT, THAT THEY HAVE A SIMILAR PILOT. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH CITY, BUT THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT BEFORE. ONE ELSE I'LL MAKE THESE FINAL COMMENTS ABOUT REGIONS BANK.

OKAY, I, I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT WE'VE HAD AT LEAST WE HAVE OVER $100 MILLION IN THAT BANK, I'M SURE. YES. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. YES. AND IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNT THAT REGIONS BANK AND ALL OF THESE YEARS HASN'T RECOMMENDED ANYTHING, REGIONS BANK FAILED TO COOPERATE WITH THE FORENSIC AUDITOR AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO GET INFORMATION TO THE POINT THAT THE FORENSIC AUDITOR IN HER DRAFT REPORT. BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND MAYBE IT'S NOT FINAL, BUT RECOMMENDED THAT WE CHANGE BANKS. AND AFTER THE RECOMMENDATION OF CHANGING BANKS, REGIONS BANK WAS ABLE TO FIND THE INFORMATION THAT THE AUDITOR HAD ASKED FOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I FIND THAT QUITE TROUBLING. I FIND IT MONOPOLISTIC. I FIND THEY'RE ACTING AS IF THERE'S NO COMPETITION, AND THEY'RE JUST GUARANTEED TO COUNT ALL OF THESE AMAZING FINDINGS OF WHAT THEY OFFER IS DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE HAD TO DISCOVER ON OUR OWN, OR ASK THEM ABOUT. WITH THE CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN THAT BANK. IT IS ABSOLUTELY CONCERNING. IT'S ALSO DISRESPECTFUL TO HAVE A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP THAT LONG AND TO BE IN THIS POSITION. AND SO I WOULD RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER AS A FORENSIC AUDITOR, RECOMMENDED ANOTHER BANK, IF NOTHING ELSE, MORE THAN TO JUST LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS, LOOK AT WHAT'S OUT THERE, THIS MONOPOLISTIC ATTITUDE. AND AGAIN, LIKE LITERALLY WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS ABOUT THE FORENSIC AUDIT AND THE CREDIT CARDS, AND THE AUDITOR PUT IN A REPORT AND SAID THEY REQUESTED THE INFORMATION AND THEY COULD NEVER GET IT. AND ALSO, I THINK THEY WERE BANK. REGIONS BANK MAY HAVE EVEN BEEN NON-RESPONSIVE. SO NOW THEY RESPOND BECAUSE THEY THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE LEAVE THEM, AND NOW THEY HAVE ALL OF THESE GREAT IDEAS. IT'S VERY TROUBLING, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE CITY HAS IN THAT BANK. AND SO THIS KUMBAYA AND EVERYTHING IS FINE. IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP. AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT'S

[04:15:03]

WITH AN ACCOUNT OUR SIZE. THEY SHOULD BE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT PRODUCTS THEY HAVE THAT MEET OUR NEEDS, OR THAT MIGHT BETTER MEET OUR NEEDS OR COULD HELP SERVE OUR NEEDS. IT COULD SPUR INNOVATION AROUND HOW THEY DO WHAT THEY DO, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THAT BANK.

AND SO THIS OH, NOW EVERYTHING IS GREAT WITH REGIONS BANK. I MEAN, I WOULDN'T SUBSCRIBE TO THAT. BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST A RECOMMENDATION. DECISION IS GOING TO BE MADE BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST. BUT I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF FINANCIAL ADVISING, THE LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS IN A FOR A PUBLIC GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH OPEN RECORDS AND ALL THIS INFORMATION, IT'S VERY CONCERNING. SO I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND YOU ALL CONSIDER. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'LL DEFINITELY TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THAT. COUNCILMEMBER. SORRY, I WAS JUST THINKING, SO CAN WE USE THIS NEGOTIATE LIKE HIGHER INTEREST RATE OR SOMETHING LIKE, HEY, ARE WE GOING TO GET SOME? I MEAN, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN BEEN THROUGH THAT. SO I'M SORRY WE HAVE A LITTLE LEVERAGE THAT WE I'M JUST I WAS JUST I WAS JUST SITTING HERE THINKING, SORRY, ALL FAIR THOUGHTS. ALL FAIR THOUGHTS. I JUST THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE. RECOMMENDATION. WILL STILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL. BUT AGAIN, THIS KUMBAYA WITH REGIONS BANK IS TROUBLING. THE FORENSIC AUDIT WENT ON FOR OVER A YEAR OR MORE. THERE WERE REPEATED REQUESTS. WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ABOUT CREDIT CARD USAGE OR ANY OF THAT BECAUSE ALLEGEDLY THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION OR THEY WERE NON-RESPONSIVE. AND NOW, OH, YOU KNOW, THE SKIES OPENED UP AND THE INFORMATION IS FALLING DOWN. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. ALL RIGHT. I HOPE THIS IS A THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS CARTWRIGHT. I HOPE THIS IS A. OH, WHERE DO YOU ALL WANT THIS TO GO? DO YOU WANT IT ON THE JANUARY WORK SESSION? WILL YOU ALL HAVE I KNOW YOU THERE WAS INFORMATION RECOMMENDATIONS SHARED TONIGHT OR FEEDBACK SHARED TONIGHT WITH STAFF TO BE ABLE TO FINALIZE. DO YOU ALL WANT THIS TO COME BACK TO THE JANUARY WORK SESSION? FEBRUARY WORK SESSION? WHERE DO YOU WANT THESE ITEMS TO GO? YEAH, IT PROBABLY SHOULD SEPARATE IT AND JUST DO TRAVEL POLICY BECAUSE THE FORENSIC AUDIT AND THE CITY MANAGER IN REGENTS BANK IS STILL WORKING ON CREDIT CARD. AND THAT MIGHT IMPACT I THINK THAT'S IMPACTING THE MOVEMENT ON THAT PART OF IT. SO TO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS IS POINT AND YOU COULD SEPARATE THEM AND MAYBE PUT TRAVEL POLICY IN JANUARY, CREDIT POLICY IN FEBRUARY. SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S AN UPDATE. AND CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS REIMBURSEMENTS AND REPORTING. YEAH. YEAH WE JUST PUT IT ON THE JANUARY WORK SESSION. AND COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINSON CAN DECIDE WHETHER WHAT HE WANTS IN A TRAILER WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE. SO MADAM DEPUTY CITY CLERK PLACED THE CITY CREDIT CARD POLICY ON THE FEBRUARY WORK SESSION AND THE TRAVEL POLICY ON THE JANUARY WORK SESSION. ALL RIGHT. I REALLY HOPE THIS IS A RHETORICAL QUESTION. I ALMOST DON'T WANT ANYONE TO ASK IT, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS FROM LEGAL? HOW MANY? MR. JONES I HAVE NONE. YOU GOT THE MEMO. COUNCIL. NO. ALRIGHT. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR TWO LITIGATION AND TWO PERSONNEL? COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL SAID SO MOVED, I THINK. COUNCIL MEMBER.

A WHAT? ASK? IS IT? IT'S TWO PERSONNEL AND TWO LITIGATION PERSONNEL. IS THAT WHAT. OH,

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