Feb 16, 2026 City Council

[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]

[00:00:09]

GENTLEMEN, I'M COUNCILMAN ATKINS. THIS EVENING, I'LL BE SERVING AS YOUR MAYOR PRO TEM IN THE ABSENCE OF MAYOR CHAPMAN. AND AT THIS TIME, WE'RE JUST BEYOND THE SIX 30 HOURS. I'LL ASK MADAM CLERK IF YOU WOULD PLEASE SEND ROLL CALL TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM. OKAY.

COUNCIL MEMBER JIMMY. PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEDLI PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM. ATKINS. PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER. ZIEGLER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. CUMMINGS. COUNCIL MEMBER.

MITCHELL PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. CALDWELL PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM. ATKINS. WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO CALL IF SHE IS HERE. REVEREND TANJI CLARK OF SAINT PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH FOR THE INVOCATION. IS REVEREND CLARK HERE? I SEE PASTOR MOBLEY. NO.

OKAY. ABSENT REVEREND CLARK, AT THIS TIME, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE JUST JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE STAND.

THANK YOU. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE NOW JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG. UNITED STATES OF EARTH AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU.

[V. ANNOUNCEMENT OF SERGEANT-AT-ARMS - Capt. Robinson: ]

[VI. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA]

COUNCILMEMBER FLEMING. YES, MAYOR PRO TEM, I'D LIKE TO ADD RIGHT BEFORE COMMENTS FOR FROM COUNCIL AND ITEM TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS.

PLEASE. JUST BEFORE COUNCIL COMMENTS. YES. OKAY. ANY OTHER EDITS OR ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA? COUNCILMEMBER FREELY WITH THIS AMENDMENT, DOES YOUR MOTION STILL STAND? YES.

COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, DOES YOUR SECOND STILL STAND? YES. OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED AND AMENDED, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY I. I'LL ENTERTAIN A ROLL CALL. THE CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED, AS

[VII. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES]

HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. FEBRUARY 2ND. CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

[VIII.1. P2025RZ-001-11 Rezoning Request by Darnel Delaire (Applicant) for Property Located at 2461 McAlpin Terrace from R-L (Residential Limited) Zoning District to R-2 (Two-Family Dwelling) Zoning District. (PUBLIC HEARING REQUIRED) ]

[00:05:05]

THE COUNCIL MAY INCREASE THE TOTAL TIME FOR SPEAKERS, PROVIDED THAT EACH SIDE IS GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER FOR A SIDE, THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY LIMIT THE TIME ALLOTTED TO EACH INDIVIDUAL SPEAKER. OTHER THAN THE ZONING APPLICANT, THE ZONING APPLICANT MAY RESERVE A PORTION OF HIS ALLOTTED TIME FOR REBUTTAL. SPEAKERS MUST ADHERE TO THE RULES OF DECORUM PRIOR TO SPEAKING. EACH SPEAKER SHALL IDENTIFY HIMSELF OR HERSELF AND STATE HIS OR HER CURRENT ADDRESS. EACH SPEAKER SHALL SPEAK ONLY TO THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSED ZONING DECISION UNDER CONSIDERATION SHALL ADDRESS REMARKS ONLY TO THE COUNCIL, AND SHALL REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS ON ANY OTHER SPEAKER. THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY REFUSE A SPEAKER THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE IF, AFTER FIRST BEING CAUTIONED, THE SPEAKER CONTINUES TO VIOLATE THE RULES OF DECORUM. OKAY, THANK YOU, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WE'VE HEARD THE RULES FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING. WE'VE ALSO HEARD THE CAPTION, THIS IS A REZONING CASE. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK CITY MANAGER IF YOU WOULD PLEASE CALL YOUR STAFF TO PRESENT THE CASE. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL. I'LL HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, KIM SMITH, WALK US THROUGH THIS ITEM. THANK YOU, MISS SMITH. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PRO TEM AND FELLOW COUNCIL PEOPLE, KIMBERLY SMITH, PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. WE ALSO HAVE WITH US TODAY MR. LEE KELLY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT, IN REFERENCE TO THIS ITEM. PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2461 MCALPIN TERRACE, KNOWN AS CASE NUMBER 2025001-11. THE APPLICANT IS DARNELL DALLAIRE. THE CURRENT. THE CURRENT ZONING OF THE PROPERTY IS R L, WHICH IS OUR URBAN RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT. THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO REZONE THIS PROPERTY FROM RL TO R-2, OUR FAMILY RESIDENTIAL OR TWO FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT CLASSIFICATION. AS STATED, THE PROPERTY IS ZONED RESIDENTIAL LIMITED. THE REQUEST IS TO REZONE IT TO R-2 TWO. FAMILY ZONING. AS YOU SEE ON THE MAP, IT'S THE PROPERTY THAT IS OUTLINED IN BLUE NEXT TO A PROPERTY THAT WAS REZONED TO R-2 IN 2011. THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION. DESIGNATION FOR THIS PROPERTY IS SUBURBAN RESIDENTIAL. AND BASED ON PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION, PLANNING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL ALONG WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.

THAT'S THE END OF OUR REPORT. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR SMITH. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE FOR THE APPLICANT TO COME FORWARD. MR. MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING IS IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER OR CALDWELL MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER, MARTIN ROGERS TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. MR. BLAIR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE'RE HERE JUST LOOKING TO ONCE AGAIN PROPOSE AND SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. JUST PROPOSING. FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS. DARNELL DALLAIRE, 2461 MACALPINE TERRACE, EAST POINT, GEORGIA. OKAY, SO WE'RE HERE LOOKING TO PRESENT THIS REZONING FROM THE CURRENT DESIGNATION OF RL INTO A R-2 TWO FAMILY DWELLING. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE EASTPOINT LAND USE AND THE PROCESS OF WHICH A FEW OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE ALSO GONE THROUGH AS WELL.

RIGHT NOW, THE PROPERTY IS FULLY OCCUPIED AS A MULTIFAMILY, AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO AGAIN PRESENT OUR REZONING AS SUCH AS WELL. THAT'S IT SIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY PROPONENTS HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ZONING CASE? ANY PROPONENTS HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ZONING CASE? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.

NO TAKERS. ARE THERE ANY OPPONENTS HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ZONING CASE? ANY OPPONENTS HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. NO TAKERS? COUNCIL MEMBERS. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR CASE NUMBER P, AS IN PAUL 202 FIVE HOURS IN ROBERT Z AS IN ZEBRA 001-11. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND? IT'S

[00:10:06]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'VE HEARD STAFF'S REPORT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION. WE'VE ALSO HEARD FROM THE APPLICANT. THERE WERE NO PROPONENTS OR PROPONENTS FOR NO OPPONENTS OR PROPONENTS FOR THIS CASE. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MAYOR PRO TEM. YES, COUNCILOR ZEIGLER, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REZONING REQUEST. P0P EXCUSE ME. P AS IN PAUL 2025R AS IN RALPH Z AS IN ZEBRA DASH 001-11. REZONING REQUEST BY DANIEL DALLAIRE, THE APPLICANT FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2461 MCALPIN TERRACE FROM RL RESIDENTIAL LIMITED ZONING DISTRICT TO R-2 TWO FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER. IF I WOULD JUST ASK SO THAT WE CAN PERFECT THE RECORD, WOULD YOU WOULD YOUR MOTION BE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP? YES. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND DISCUSSION? I GET A SECOND AND THEN WE CAN GO TO DISCUSSION. IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER THAT THIS BODY WOULD AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE BY REZONING PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2461 MACALPINE TERRACE FROM RL RESIDENTIAL LIMITED SINGLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT TO R-2 SINGLE TWO FAMILY DWELLING ZONING DISTRICT. THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. ANY DISCUSSION DISCUSSION. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL I'M JUST CURIOUS IF WE HAVE TO WAIVE THE FIRST READING. ARE WE ALREADY WAITING FOR THE FIRST READING? WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIVE THE FIRST READ. ALSO, I DON'T THINK THAT WE WAIVE THE FIRST READ FROM THIS BEFORE. WE HAVE NOT, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO SINCE IT'S AN ORDINANCE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION THEN THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO APPROVE. WOULD WE NEED TO RETRACT THAT AND THEN MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE FIRST READ? WE CAN DO AN AMENDMENT TO COUNCILWOMAN ZIEGLER'S MOTION. BUT WHILE YOU'RE YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND FINISH WITH YOUR DISCUSSION. AND THEN YOU CAN ADDRESS THE AMENDMENT TO INCLUDE WAIVING OF THE FIRST READING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? OKAY.

COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, HEARING THE CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU AMEND YOUR MOTION TO INCLUDE A WAIVING OF THE FIRST READ? YES. MICROPHONE, PLEASE. YES. I, I AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE WAIVING THE FIRST READING. OKAY. AND THE SECOND DOES STILL STAND. SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO WAIVE THE FIRST READ AND TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP OF THE CITY OF EAST POINT BY REZONING PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2461 MACALPINE TERRACE FROM RL RESIDENTIAL LIMITED SINGLE FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT TO R-2 TWO FAMILY DWELLING ZONING DISTRICT. WITH WAIVING OF THE FIRST READ. THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. I ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY.

HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT PASSES. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR SMITH AND

[IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

SUBJECT MAY INCLUDE ANY SUBJECT OF CHOICE. THERE WILL BE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR EACH SPEAKER. SHOULD THE SPEAKER DESIRE TO GIVE HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER, HE OR SHE MAY DO SO BY NOTATING WHAT SPEAKER SHALL RECEIVE THE TIME OF HIS OR HER COMMENT FORM, PROVIDED THAT THE SPEAKER, GIVEN HIS OR HER FORM, THAT HE OR SHE GIVES ALL OR PART OF HIS OR HER TIME UP TO THREE MINUTES TO ANOTHER SPEAKER, FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES OF SPEAKING TIME.

SPEAKERS MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ONLY ONCE DURING THE TIME OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKERS MUST IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AND THEIR CURRENT ADDRESS PRIOR TO SPEAKING. QUESTIONS FROM SPEAKERS MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED DURING THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA.

EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE PRIORITY OVER OTHER SPEAKERS. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF NOT MORE THAN 60 MINUTES FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SECTION OF THE AGENDA. SPEAKING SPEAKERS MAY ONLY ADDRESS THE PRESIDING OFFICER. SPEAKER SHALL OBSERVE ALL RULES OF DECORUM. NO DEBATE, DISRESPECT OR OBSCENITY, OR OBSCENITIES SHALL BE TOLERATED. THE PRESIDING OFFICER MAY RULE ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL OUT OF ORDER THAT FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING AT THIS TIME.

MADAM CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE. COULD YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE? SORRY. WE HAVE SEVEN PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING. SEVEN COMMENTS. OKAY. AND UP FIRST WE HAVE MISS ZARA MOSS. MISS ZARA MOSS, YOU PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM. TURN THE

[00:15:06]

ZARA. MOSS AND I LIVE AT 3008 MEADOWLARK DRIVE, EAST POINT, GEORGIA 30344. AND I WANT TO GIVE MY TIME TO DOCTOR MOSS ROBINSON. OKAY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER. WOULD THAT BE THEN DOCTOR ROBINSON. YES. MRS. SANDRA ROBINSON. SO, MISS ROBINSON, YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES. OKAY? YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES TO SPEAK. YOU'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES TO SPEAK. YES, MA'AM. NO. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISTER DOCTOR ROBINSON, IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. GOOD EVENING, SANDRA ROBINSON. I LIVE AT 3008 MEADOWLARK DRIVE HERE IN EAST POINT. I'M HERE THIS EVENING FOR ONE STRAIGHTFORWARD REQUEST. I NEED THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STORMWATER PROBLEM THAT THE CITY'S OWN SYSTEM AND ROADWAY DRAINAGE HAVE CREATED, AND TO REPAIR AND RESTORE MY PROPERTY, I HAVE FOLLOWED THE CITY'S PROCESSES AND SENT A CLAIM MONTHS AGO WITH NO FORMAL ACTION OR INVESTIGATION, NO FINDINGS, NOTHING FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS ON, WATER FROM THE PUBLIC STREET WAS ROUTED TOWARD MY HOME, DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AND INTO MY YARD, AND THE DRAINAGE FEATURES ALONG THE WESTERN BOUNDARY OF MY PROPERTY. THE RESULT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVE EROSION AND RAN LAST YEAR AFTER YEAR. THIS IS NOT A SINGLE ISOLATED EVENT. IT IS A CONTINUING CONDITION THAT HAS STEADILY WORSENED. ON DECEMBER 24TH, 2015, IT BECAME CATASTROPHIC. DURING THAT STORM. THE RUNOFF CAME DOWN WITH EXTRAORDINARY FORCE, DESTROYED MY FENCE AND GATE, CRUSHED THE PIPE THAT CARRIES THE CREEK FROM THE EASTERN TO THE WESTERN BOUNDARY OF MY PROPERTY, AND CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT COLLAPSE OF LAND INTO THE CREEK. THAT ONE EVENT DRAMATICALLY ACCELERATED DAMAGE THAT HAD BEEN BUILDING FOR YEARS. I NOTIFIED THE CITY. SO THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM, BUT A CONTINUING ONE. THE CITY'S RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC SAFETY EXPOSURE, NOT THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OR DAMAGE TO MY PROPERTY. THE CITY PLACED JERSEY BUNKER BARRICADES NEAR THE HAZARD, AND THIS WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE CONDITION IS DANGEROUS, BUT IT DID NOT STABILIZE THE SLOPE, CORRECT THE FLOW PATH, REPAIR THE CRUSHED PIPE, RESTORE THE LAND USE, OR COMPENSATING FOR THE DAMAGE. IN MAY 2023, THE CITY WORKED ON PORTIONS OF THE STREET, THE STORM DRAIN, AND THE CHANNEL CITY EMPLOYEES TOLD ME ON SITE THAT RESTORING MY PROPERTY WAS NOT A PART OF THAT PROJECT, AND THAT I NEEDED TO FILE A SEPARATE COMPLAINT I DID.

STILL NO PLANT. THERE ARE TWO MUNICIPAL SEWER MANHOLES ON MY PROPERTY. THEY ARE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE OF THE EROSION CAUSED BY UNMANAGED RUNOFF, THESE MANHOLES ARE NOW DIFFICULT OR NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS. THIS IS A PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE CREATED BY THE SAME ONGOING STORMWATER CONDITIONS. SO I WANT TO RESPOND DIRECTLY TO WHAT THE CITY HAS SAID IN DEFENSE OF DOING NOTHING. FIRST, I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN A FLOODPLAIN, AND THAT A CITY DESIGNATION, FEMA MAPPING, DOES NOT EXCUSE THE CITY FROM MAINTAINING AND MANAGING ITS STORMWATER SYSTEM. EAST POINTS ORDINANCE STATES THAT THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERALL STORMWATER MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE CORPORATE LIMITS, INCLUDING OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, REGULATION, EXTENSION, AND IMPROVEMENT OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. YOU KNOW THE CODE. BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GOING TO DEFER ADDRESSING WHAT THE STORMWATER, WHAT THE WATER SOURCE FLOWING FROM MY PROPERTY IS ABOUT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT I'M NOT ASKING THE COUNCIL TO ACCEPT A CONCLUSION TODAY ABOUT WHETHER THE ORIGIN IS 100% STREET RUNOFF OR 100% CREEK FLOW. I'M ASKING FOR WHAT THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES AN INVESTIGATION, FINDINGS, AND A CORRECTIVE PLAN.

THE CITY CANNOT DENY A CLAIM BY ASSERTION AND THEN REFUSE TO DO THE ANALYSIS. THE CITY'S OWN CODE CONTEMPLATES. THIRD, I'VE BEEN TOLD I INSTALLED INSTALLED A CORRUGATED METAL PIPE IN THE CREEK. IT DOES NOT MEET CITY SPECIFICATIONS. IT MAY HAVE MADE THINGS WORSE, EVEN IF THE CITY BELIEVES THAT A PIPE IS SUBSTANDARD, THAT DOES NOT RELIEVE THE CITY OF ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. IT CLARIFIES WHAT THE SOLUTION SHOULD BE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THIS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CITY HAS DENIED MY CLAIM FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS. THAT IS NOT A DEFENSE, THAT IS PROOF OF NOTICE AND IS PROOF THAT THE CONDITION IS CONTINUING. THE CITY'S STORMWATER ORDINANCE INCLUDES COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR PRECISELY THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND IT IS FUNDED BY STORMWATER FEES PAID BY RESIDENTS LIKE ME THROUGH STORMWATER ENTERPRISE FUND. AGAIN, YOU KNOW THIS SECTION OF THE CITY CODE. I HAVE PAID

[00:20:01]

AGAIN, I CITE THE CITY CODE DIRECT PUBLIC WORKS TO DELIVER A WRITTEN CORRECTIVE PLAN IN THAILAND, ADDRESS THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE ON MY PROPERTY BY INCLUDING SAFE ACCESS RESTORATION FOR THE CITY'S TWO SEWER MANHOLES IN THE CORRECTIVE PLAN, AND FINALLY AUTHORIZE FUNDING THROUGH THE STORMWATER ENTERPRISE FUND IN THE CITY'S STORMWATER PROGRAMS TO PERFORM THE WORK. I WILL COOPERATE WITH ACCESS EASEMENTS, CONSTRUCTION, REASONABLE RELEASES, WHATEVER IS NECESSARY. BUT LET ME MAKE MY FINAL POINT. I AM NOT HERE ASKING FOR A SPECIAL FAVOR. I'M ASKING THE CITY TO DO WHAT ITS ORDINANCE SAYS IT IS RESPONSIBLE TO DO, AND WHAT BASIC FAIRNESS REQUIRES. WHEN A CITY MANAGE STORMWATER CONDITION HAS DAMAGED A RESIDENT'S LAND FOR DECADES. I HAVE PHOTOS, DOCUMENTATION AND EVIDENCE OF THE PROGRESSIVE EROSION, THE 2015 COLLAPSE AND THE ONGOING HAZARDS. I WANT THE CITY TO STOP TREATING THIS AS SOMEONE ELSE'S PROBLEM AND TAKE THE CORRECTIVE ACTION. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN YEARS AGO. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, DOCTOR ROBINSON. NEXT WE HAVE MRS. ERNESTINE PITMAN. GOOD EVENING, MISTER MAYOR PRO TEM. MY LAST ITEM THAT I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ON TONIGHT CONCERNS STORMWATER. MAYOR AND COUNCIL NEED TO REPEAL AND OR AMEND THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND STORMWATER UTILITY ORDINANCE ASAP. LIKE STARTING TOMORROW, I WILL GLADLY WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO GET THIS DONE. SINCE MY NAME IS ON THE ERRONEOUS CURRENT ORDINANCE I HAVE FOR STORMWATER UTILITY ORDINANCE THROUGH OPEN RECORDS THAT CONTRADICT ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT NEEDS TO CHANGE AND MY NAME SHOULD NOT BE ON ANYTHING EXCEPT APPROVAL OF THE FEE TO BE STARTED. NOW WE NEED TO GO ON AND GET THIS DONE STRAIGHT, BECAUSE IF IT GOES ELSEWHERE, THE CITY IS GOING TO BE OUT OF MORE MONEY THAN IT CAN AFFORD. 60% OF ALL STORMWATER MONIES COLLECTED SINCE 2014 IS SUPPOSED TO GO TO COMMUNITY PLANNING 60%. THE OTHER 40%, 40% GOES TO THE CITY GENERAL FUND FOR PUBLIC WORKS OF WHATEVER, BUT TO HAVE A STORMWATER ENGINEER NOT BRINGING IN SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE. BUT THAT PERSON'S SALARY IS SUPPOSED TO BE PAID OUT OF THAT. WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER, FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JACKIE SLAUGHTER. GIBSON WAS ON THAT FOR THE SEVEN YEARS IT TOOK TO GET IT. PAST COUNCIL MEMBER RON ROGERS CAME IN AT THE END. WHAT I SIGNED WAS ON NOVEMBER THE 26TH, 2013. DECEMBER 31ST, 2013. I LEFT OFFICE SO THERE WAS NO WAY AN ORDINANCE BEARING MY SIGNATURE THAT INCLUDED THE FEE RATE IN 2012 WAS SIGNED BY ME, LET ALONE THE ONE THAT WAS POSTED, 27 BEING CHANGED TO 2010. THAT HAD THE LATE FARMER JOE MAKER'S NAME ON IT. I WAS MAYOR OCTOBER 2010, NOT JAMAICA. ALL OF THIS I HAVE. I ALSO HAVE TWO CITATIONS FOR PROTESTING AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT WHAT WE PASSED. IT WAS NOT WHAT I SIGNED. WE WILL HAVE TO CLEAR THIS UP IF IT IS REPEALED. THAT GOES TO CITYWIDE STORMWATER FEE FOR EVERYBODY. ONE LAST THING. I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO READING THE WHOLE THING AFTER BEING DISGUSTED WITH WHATEVER. NO COUNCIL MEMBER IN THIS CITY WOULD EVER AGREE TO A STORMWATER UTILITY THAT SAYS FAILURE TO PAY THE STORMWATER FEE WILL RESULT IN POSSIBLE DISCONNECTION OF ALL YOUR UTILITIES IN THE FIRST PLACE. THAT'S RUBBISH. THIS IS

[00:25:05]

OKAY, SO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, MISS PITTMAN GETS AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES TIME RECEIVED.

YES. GIBBONS. JUST ONE SECOND. MISS PITTMAN. WHEN I COME BACK. ONE SECOND, MISS PITTMAN. JUST FOR THE RECORD, MADAM CLERK, THAT THE TIME THREE MINUTES IS GIVEN FROM MISS GIBBONS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID. IT JUST WASN'T WRITTEN ON THE PAPER TO BE GIVEN TO HER. MISS PITTMAN, YOU MAY SPEAK FOR ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES. COME BACK OR YOU CAN SPEAK. OKAY? ALRIGHT. NOW, TONIGHT I WANT TO TELL MAYOR AND COUNCIL YOU NEED TO ACT.

YOU ACT BY PASSING MOTIONS, BY BRINGING THEM TO THE FLOOR. IF THEY DON'T PASS, EVERYBODY WILL KNOW IT AND THEY WILL KNOW WHAT WAS IN IT AND WHAT WAS DISCUSSED. DEBATE TAKES PLACE IN THIS CHAMBER, NOT ON THE PHONE, CHAT ROOMS OR WHATEVER. YOU NEED TO DEFUND OUR POSITIONS IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT. THIS AGENCY WAS NOT CREATED BY THE CITY AND ITS EXISTENCE VIOLATES THE CHARTER. YOU NEED TO DEFUND THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION FOR THE SAME REASON. HOW A BUDGET ANALYST, INTERNAL AUDITOR AND AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR. THAT IS WHY I'M IN SUCH A STATE. THE COUNCIL HUMAN RESOURCE BOARD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE ENTIRE CHARTER FOR VIOLATIONS, HIRING AN ASSISTANT MANAGER WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL FOR THE POSITION, SALARY AND BENEFITS, FAILING TO PROVIDE ANY MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORTS CONCERNING THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE CITY. YET HE CLAIMS THAT THE STORMWATER UTILITY HAS A $4 MILLION DEFICIT, AND THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT HAS A $10 MILLION DEFICIT. WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL, MADE THE CITY A THIRD PARTY COLLECTION AGENCY WITH A COMPANY FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR WATER LINE LEAKS FOR $1.60. IF WE HAD 16,000 RESIDENTIAL USERS WHEN I WAS TEN YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW IT EXCEEDS THAT. BUT USING THAT $16,000 FIGURE, THE CITY WOULD BE COLLECTING $25,600 A MONTH AND $307,200 FOR THE YEAR, WHEREAS THE CONTRACT COUNCIL ONLY COUNCIL CAN SET FEES. IF YOU READ THE CHARTER WITH ALL THAT EDUCATION MONEY YOU'VE BEEN GETTING, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT IT'S TIME FOR YOUR EDUCATION THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR TO START PAYING OFF.

ALRIGHT. ATTEMPTING TO ADD A RIGHT BY AGREEMENT TO CHANGE THE SITUATION TO SANITATION'S ROUTE WITHOUT ANY SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION TO HOW THAT WILL AFFECT BACKYARD PICKUP OR ANY RELATED PROPOSED COST TO THE RESIDENTS. MOVING COUNCILOR BEACH TO EVICT UNTO HIM THAT MONEY SHOULD BE IN NON-DEPARTMENTAL THE AROUND THE WORLD. SORRY PROFESSOR IS NO MORE THAN EXORBITANT PRICE WITH WHICH TO WIND DOWN. THAT WOULD NOT BENEFIT THE CITY. THE CITY ATTORNEY POSITION NEEDS TO BE DEFUNDED AND A CITY ATTORNEY WHO WILL BE IN THE CITY FROM 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M. NEEDS TO BE HIRED ASAP, LIKE TOMORROW, AND THE CITY ATTORNEY ALSO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, OUR NEXT SPEAKER. UP NEXT WE HAVE MISTER TIMOTHY. HER. CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, PLEASE? TIMOTHY HEARD. MR. HEARD. THANK YOU. OH I'M SORRY TIMOTHY.

HANDS. SORRY. COME ON, MISTER HAND. WOW. YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS. FIRST NAME TIMOTHY HAND. THE ADDRESS IS 2873 SYLVAN ROAD, EAST POINT, GEORGIA. 30344 OKAY. THE ISSUE I'M HAVING IS, WELL, IT BEGINS WITH THE MY UTILITY BILL. I HAVE A CURRENT UTILITY BILL RIGHT NOW FOR $1,500. IT'S A LITTLE OVER $1,500. AND THE THE ISSUE IS SO SIMPLE THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION. THE ISSUE IS SO SMALL THAT ALL I NEED IS A BILL SAYING THAT FOR THIS MONTH, MISTER HAND, YOU NEED,

[00:30:02]

I'VE, I'VE I'VE PAID AN ATTORNEY TO SEND A LETTER TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE AS AN EASTPOINTE THAT JUST CHANGED THIS SIMPLE SITUATION. I'VE BEEN TOLD SEVERAL TIMES. I'VE ASKED FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. I'VE ASKED FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE WITH CUSTOMER CARE, WITH THE MANAGERS. THEY WILL NOT LET ME SPEAK WITH THE MANAGER. I'VE ASKED FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE. THEY WILL NOT LET ME SPEAK WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE. IT IS CRAZY WHAT I'M DEALING WITH. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT. IT IT IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER. I WAS SITTING OUT HERE A WHILE AGO. I WAS TOLD SEVERAL TIMES, AND I DON'T HAVE THE NAME WITH ME BECAUSE I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MEETING TODAY, SO I'M NOT PREPARED. WHEN I ASKED FOR IT. THE CITY MANAGER THIS LAST TIME, AFTER I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU THE WRONG PERSON SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN I ASKED FOR THE CITY MANAGER THIS TIME, THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER LADY AND I WAS SITTING OUT HERE WHILE AGO AND IT JUST BLEW MY MIND. WHEN YOU LOOKED OVER THERE AT THE CITY MANAGER, AND IT WAS A MAN THAT YOU REFERRED TO. I'M STILL. I'M LOOKING FOR A LADY. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE, A BIG ISSUE THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH AS A CITY. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT A SIMPLE ISSUE AS AS FAR AS CAN I GET A MEETING TODAY, THE LAST FEW DAYS, BY THE WAY, MY UTILITIES AT THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW ARE OFF, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THESE UTILITIES BACK ON IT. IT'S IT'S CRAZY TO ME THAT A THAT SOMETHING THIS SIMPLE CAN'T BE TAKEN TAKEN CARE OF. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT CAN BE SO INCOMPETENT ABOUT A UTILITY BILL THAT STARTED AT 500 AND SOMETHING DOLLARS. AND HERE'S THE KICKER. THEY ASKED ME TO PAY 500 SOMETHING DOLLARS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS CRAZY. YEAH, YOU'RE THREE MINUTES ARE UP, SIR. OH, SORRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MR. ANTHONY DERUBEIS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR PRO TEM ANTHONY DERUBEIS, 31, 71 EAST POINT STREET. BEEN A RESIDENT FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS. I AM HERE ALSO TO DISCUSS THE UTILITY BILL FOR THOSE ON COUNCIL WHO MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW.

THERE WAS A SMALL SNAFU AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH, JANUARY, WHERE $1.60 WAS ADDED IN MULTIPLE PLACES ON THE BILL. I REPORTED IT IMMEDIATELY TO MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THEY IMMEDIATELY FORWARDED IT TO CITY MANAGER AND DEPARTMENT MANAGERS. AND FOR THREE WEEKS, NOTHING. CRICKETS. LAST NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING I PRESENTED IT TO TWO MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I FINALLY SENT AN EMAIL FRIDAY AFTER THREE FULL WEEKS INDICATING THIS ISSUE. NOW, I'VE BEEN IN INDUSTRY FOR YEARS. MISTAKES HAPPEN, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. IT'S HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE MISTAKES THAT DEFINE YOUR ORGANIZATION. MR. CITY MANAGER, I KNOW THIS IS YOUR FIRST NEW YEAR IN THE CITY. LAST YEAR, ABOUT THIS TIME, THERE WAS A DUPLICATE BILLING ISSUE THAT TOOK OVER 2 OR 3 MONTHS TO RESOLVE. I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM ONE OF YOUR DEPARTMENT MANAGERS SAYING THAT YES, INDEED, IT WAS A MISTAKE, BUT SHE ONLY IDENTIFIED HALF THE MISTAKES THAT THE CITIZENS IDENTIFIED IN THEIR EMAILS TO CITY COUNCIL. SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS MISTAKE DOESN'T ENCROACH INTO FEBRUARY'S BILLING CYCLE. AGAIN, IT'S A SMALL INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S ABOUT 8 OR $9, BUT IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY 20 OR 30,000M, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A $200,000 ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE MONTHS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REVERSE PUSH YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY DOWN THE CHAIN TO YOUR DEPARTMENT LEADERS AND HAVE THEM PUSH IT DOWN TO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THESE PROBLEMS. ANYBODY CAN FORGIVE A MISTAKE. ANYBODY CAN MAKE A MISTAKE. I'VE EVEN ADMITTED TO 1 OR 2 IN MY TIME IN INDUSTRY. BUT IT'S HOW YOU FIX THE PROBLEM AND ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND KEEP COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. DERUBERTIS. MADAM CLERK. OUR NEXT SPEAKER. YES, NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MR. MICHAEL HIGHTOWER.

[00:35:07]

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A FIRM LIKE OURS, WE WORK IN EVERY COUNTY IN THE REGION. MARTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WITH A 2.4 APPROXIMATE PROJECT IN EAST POINT. WE WERE ON THE TEAM. WE WE GAVE A VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE PROCESS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS PROJECT OF 2.1 MILES. COVERS JEFFERSON PARK, COVERS TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL COVERS A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS. WHEN I TELL YOU THAT YOUR CITY AND YOUR CITY DEPARTMENTS. MR. JONES, I DIDN'T REACH OUT TO YOU. I REACHED OUT TO YOUR DEPARTMENT.

HEAD. OUT OF $153,000, PLUS OR MINUS OVER $2.4 MILLION PROJECT. THEY WANTED US TO REDUCE IT TO THE POINT TO GIVE MINIMAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT IN THE REGION. WE'VE WORKED IN NORTH CAROLINA. OTHER PLACE, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU LOOK AT THE LOCAL VENDOR PROGRAM. WE'RE NOT GOING TO INSULT MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL LAWS IN PLACE THAT DEAL WITH HOW YOU ENGAGE. YOU ARE A FORMER PLANNER AND ARCHITECT. SO I WOULD JUST ADD THAT YOU HAVE THE CITY MANAGER TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS, TALKED ABOUT, TALKED TO PUBLIC WORKS ESSENTIALLY CITY MANAGER, A COUPLE OF CORRESPONDENCES. AND I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE TONIGHT.

PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HIGHTOWER. DOES THAT CONCLUDE OUR SPEAKERS? NO. WE HAVE ONE MORE. OKAY. NEXT PERSON. AND THE LAST PERSON IS MISS OYA MONET WORTHY.

AND MY APOLOGIES IF I MISSPELLED YOU. MISTAKENLY SAID YOUR NAME OR YOUR MONEY.

WHETHER MONEY WORTHY. YES. OKAY. MISTER. MISTER, MISTER, MONEY WORTHY HAS LEFT THE MEETING. HE WAS HERE EARLIER THIS EVENING. BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE WILL CALL HIM. BUT I SPOKE WITH HIM AND HE IS GONE. OKAY, WELL, THAT WAS THE LAST SPEAKER FOR TONIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE AGENDA. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.

[Additional Item]

COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THIS TIME, ARE THERE ANY APPOINTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE? I SEE ONE MICROPHONE. COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING. THANK YOU, MISTER MAYOR PRO TEM. SO THIS EVENING I HAVE THREE DIFFERENT APPOINTMENTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE, AND I'LL ASK YOU ALL TO TAKE THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND ASK FOR A VOTE ON EACH ONE. SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY ADVISORY BOARD. MISTER NAPOLEON BLACK IS AN ACCOMPLISHED OPERATIONS LEADER WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE. HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS A CLASS ONE WASTEWATER PLANT OPERATOR SUPERVISOR IN DEKALB COUNTY, AND PREVIOUSLY HELD THE SAME ROLE WITH THE CITY OF ATLANTA, WHERE HE LED TEAMS AND ENSURED STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH EPA IN GEORGIA EPA REGULATIONS. HE HAS SUCCESSFULLY ADVANCED COST SAVINGS, SUSTAINABILITY, AND EFFICIENCY INITIATIVES PROJECTED TO SAVE MILLIONS IN OPERATIONAL EXPENSES WITH A DEGREE IN URBAN ECONOMICS AND FINANCE, PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, AND HONORABLE MILITARY SERVICE, MR. BLACK BRINGS STRONG LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ROLE. FOR THESE REASONS, I MOVE TO APPOINT MISTER NAPOLEON

[00:40:01]

ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? AND MY FINAL FOR THIS EVENING IS TO THE ETHICS BOARD. MR. JEREMY TAYLOR HAS BEEN A PROUD RESIDENT RESIDENT OF EASTPOINTE SINCE 2010, AND BRINGS MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN IT INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT, AND HE CURRENTLY SERVES WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA. HE HAS A DEGREE IN IN COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS. HIS WORK REQUIRES DAILY JUDGMENT IN AREAS OF PRIVACY, SECURITY, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL EQUITY. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING SENSITIVE DATA, MAINTAINING USER TRUST, AND ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, ALL WHILE ADHERING TO STRICT PROFESSIONAL CODES OF CONDUCT. HIS COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL INTEGRITY MAKES HIM WELL SUITED TO SERVE ON EAST POINT'S ETHICS BOARD.

AND FOR THESE REASONS, I MOVE TO APPOINT MR. MR. JEREMY TAYLOR TO THE EAST POINT ETHICS BOARD. IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRIEDLI THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, HENRY HEMMING APPOINTS MR. JEREMY TAYLOR TO THE ETHICS BOARD. ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SOUND. NO. HEARING.

NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. SURE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN. THANK YOU. THIS EVENING, I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT MISS ERNESTINE PITTMAN TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITY AUTHORITY BOARD. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS APPOINTS MISS ERNESTINE PITTMAN TO THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION. ANY DISCUSSION? I GOT YOU ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAY NAY. HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. ANY OTHER APPOINTMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBERS

[X. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL]

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. I WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND MISTER HAND, YOU'RE MY CONSTITUENT. IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIVE ME SHOOT ME AN EMAIL AT C I G L IT'S C Z AS IN ZEBRA I E G L E AT EASTPOINTE CITY.ORG. I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ROBERT WHITEHEAD FROM SANITATION. HE'S AMAZING TO

[00:45:03]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING. NEXT I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER CALDWELL. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING FOR SUMMARIZING WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT. THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS TO FOR COMING UP AND SPEAKING OUT. I JUST HAVE TWO COMMENTS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE. ONE, JUST A REMINDER THAT THE WARD MEETING, COMMUNITY MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE FEBRUARY 26TH. HERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME IMPORTANT UPDATES AROUND JUST IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT UPDATES, AND ALSO SHARE SOME INSIGHT INTO UPCOMING PROJECTS.

JUST WANTED TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR LOCATION DETAILS VIA VIA MAIL. WE'LL SEND THAT OUT IN THE MAIL. AND THEN ONE OTHER COMMENT AROUND A RECENT STEM PROGRAM THAT TOOK PLACE AT PAUL D WEST. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK FROM THE FULTON COUNTY FLOWERS PROGRAM AND OF COURSE, THE PAUL D WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR PUTTING ON AN AMAZING, ENERGETIC EVENT FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN ABOUT STEM CAREERS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CALDWELL. NEXT, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING. A COUPLE OF THINGS. PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO THE EAST POINT PUBLIC SAFETY FOUNDATION. YOUR SUPPORT HELPS CREATE A SAFER EAST POINT. WHETHER YOU'RE A RESIDENT, BUSINESS OWNER, OR NONPROFIT LEADER, YOUR DONATION GOES DIRECTLY TOWARD INITIATIVES THAT BENEFIT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO MAKE THOSE DONATIONS.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO THANK PERSONALLY. THE EAST POINT FIRE DEPARTMENT.

ON YESTERDAY EVENING, ONE OF OUR ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS LOST THEIR ENTIRE HOME TO A FIRE.

AND WHEN I TELL YOU OUR EAST POINT FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS JUST ON THE SCENE FROM THE START OF THE FIRE UNTIL I WENT BACK BY THE LOCATION THIS MORNING AT 8:00 AM UNTIL 10:00 AM, WHEN THEY GOT THE FIRE PUT OUT. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THEM. DUE TO THAT TRAGEDY. JOB WELL DONE. EAST POINT FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO HAD A PREVIOUS MEETING IN A PRESENTATION IN WHICH MARCH 16TH, THE EAST POINT CONVENTIONS AND VISITORS BUREAU IS SCHEDULED TO COME AND GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON MARCH 16TH. I WOULD LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT WE WILL NOT BE HAVING A COUNCIL MEETING ON MARCH 16TH AND ASK THAT THEY BE MOVED. MADAM CITY CLERK TO THE MARCH 2ND MEETING FOR A PRESENTATION. AGAIN, THERE WILL NOT BE A QUORUM ON MARCH 16TH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THOSE ARE ALL OF MY ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY, I HAVE A COUPLE. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION WILL BE PERFORMING THE COLOR PURPLE. I WOULD ASK AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT TO GO OUT AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTS AND OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. THAT PERFORMANCE WILL GO, I BELIEVE, FROM THE 26TH TO FEBRUARY TO THE 1ST OF MARCH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT NEW GRANT CHAPEL AME CHURCH, LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC EAST WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD,

[00:50:04]

ALL ARE INVITED TO COME OUT. THAT CHURCH HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING PLACE OF WORSHIP IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT. AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ZIEGLER AND I WILL BE HOSTING THE WARD B COMMUNITY MEETING ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD FROM 6:30 P.M. TO 8:30 P.M. AT THE ARTS EXCHANGE. BY WAY OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, WE ARE ALSO INVITING ANY OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME OUT AND JOIN US, PARTICULARLY ANY OF OUR NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE RESIDENTS. AND THAT DOES CONCLUDE MY ANNOUNCEMENTS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM ANY COUNCIL

[XI.2. Update on the Salary Plan/Benefit Cost Download ]

OUR FIRST PRESENTATION IS AN UPDATE ON THE SALARY PLAN AND BENEFITS. THE COST DOWNLOAD.

THAT IS A HUMAN RESOURCES PRESENTATION. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE APPROPRIATE STAFF TO THE PODIUM FOR THAT PRESENTATION? THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM CITY COUNCIL, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE CITY HAS MADE QUITE A BIT OF INVESTMENT IN ITS HUMAN RESOURCE, PARTICULARLY ITS EMPLOYEES. I'M GOING TO BE ASKING MISS IRIS JESSIE, OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR, TO COME UP AND REPORT ON THOSE ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS OTHERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, MAYOR PRO TEM, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE JOINED TONIGHT BY MR. MARK HOLCOMB. MARK IS A MANAGING PROJECT DIRECTOR WITH EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS OUT OF FLORIDA. THEY HAVE BEEN THE COMPANY THAT HAS DIRECTED OUR TWO PHASES OF OUR PAY AND CLASSIFICATION STUDY. FOR THOSE MEMBERS WHO WERE NOT A PART OF THE COUNCIL. I'LL GIVE YOU A QUICK RECAP OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. WE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BACK IN 2021, AND THE CONTRACT WAS AWARDED TO EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2022. EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS BEGAN ASSEMBLING THEIR DATA, A DATA FILE OF ALL EMPLOYEES SALARIES, DEPARTMENTS, SUPERVISORS, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS, AND PAY SCALES FROM EASTPOINTE IN JANUARY OF 2023. FROM JANUARY 2023 TO APRIL 2023, EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS STAFF WERE ON THE GROUND HERE AT THE CITY OF EAST POINT, MEETING WITH EMPLOYEES.

THEY USE VARIOUS JOB ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRES TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM EMPLOYEES. EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS PREPARED A STUDY UPDATE IN AUGUST OF 2023, ANOTHER IN OCTOBER 2023, AND PROVIDED A FOLLOW UP ON QUESTIONS POSED BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD A COUPLE OF CHOICES TO MAKE IN IMPLEMENTING PHASE ONE, AND THEY CHOSE TO GO WITH BRINGING EVERYBODY UP TO A MINIMUM OF $20 AN HOUR. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT BACKGROUND, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS FOR A WHILE. SO IN ADDITION TO YOUR SUPPORT, WE'VE HAD SUPPORT FROM PREVIOUS COUNCILS AND THE EMPLOYEES HAVE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO UPGRADING SALARIES AND BENEFITS HERE IN THE CITY OF EAST POINT. MARK HOLCOMB IS GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW. AND THEN, MR. CITY MANAGER, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO HANDLE IT FROM THERE. WE'RE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. MARK. THANK YOU, MISS JESSIE. MR. HOLTON, BEFORE YOU SPEAK, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM AND OUR CHARTER, WE HAVE 30 MINUTES FOR PRESENTATIONS. AND SO, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE START THE TIME. AND THAT IS A TOTAL OF 30 MINUTES FOR ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS. IF YOU WOULD JUST REMEMBER THAT AS YOU'RE PRESENTING, MR. HOLCOMB, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. CAN I PLUG IN A USB? OKAY, THANKS.

[00:55:30]

[01:00:03]

THE GENERAL PAY PLAN RANGES THAT SHOW A 55% SPREAD FROM MINIMUM TO MAXIMUM. WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO GROW AS YOU HIRE. AT THE MINIMUM OF THE RANGE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PROGRESS EMPLOYEES 55% BEFORE ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT YOU ALL MAKE. SO AGAIN, IF YOU GIVE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS OR MOVE THE RANGES, THAT WOULD INCREASE THE GROWTH POTENTIAL FOR EMPLOYEES. BUT THIS DOES MATCH WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE IN YOUR MARKET. SO IT WAS A VERY MARKET COMPETITIVE PLAN WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY PLANS. WE FOR FOR BREVITY ON THE SLIDE THERE, WE'RE JUST SHOWING YOU THE MINIMUMS AND MAXIMUMS AND MIDPOINTS. BUT EACH OF THESE IS A STEP PLAN WITH 15 DIFFERENT STEPS THAT EMPLOYEES COULD PROGRESS. AND SO AGAIN WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS COUNCIL WOULD BE ABLE TO GRANT A STEP INCREASE TO MOVE EMPLOYEES FROM STEP ONE TO STEP TWO AND SO ON AND SO FORTH TO GET THEM THROUGH THE PLAN. IF A STEP IS GRANTED EVERY SINGLE YEAR, EMPLOYEES WOULD TAKE ABOUT 15 YEARS TO MOVE THROUGH THEIR SCALE. AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD PUT YOU IN A COMPETITIVE, COMPETITIVE POSITION VERSUS YOUR MARKET PEERS IN PUBLIC SAFETY, WHERE THEY DO TEND TO FAVOR STEP PLANS VERSUS THE OPEN RANGE PLANS OF GENERAL EMPLOYEES. SO LASTLY, JUST TO COVER AND AGAIN, I KNOW NOT EVERYBODY WAS HERE LAST TIME I CAME OUT, BUT SINCE THE LAST PRESENTATION THAT WE GAVE LAST YEAR, THE FINAL TWO ITEMS THAT WE DID DELIVER WERE THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS PROVIDED TO HR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO DEPARTMENTS. SO OUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS WERE A SUMMATION OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES TO EACH OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS THAT SUBMITTED SURVEY DATA. THEY ARE JUST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EVERGREEN. SO WHILE WE BELIEVE THEY'RE ACCURATE BASED ON THE DATA WE HAVE, WE DO ALWAYS ASK THE DEPARTMENTS TO REVIEW THOSE JUST IN CASE SOMETHING WAS MISSING FROM A SURVEY, OR THERE'S SOMETHING PHRASED IN A WAY THAT WOULD CREATE OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTIES. SO AGAIN THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED OR RATHER WAS PROVIDED ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH LAST YEAR. AND THEN THE EMPLOYEE APPEALS WERE COMPLETED ON DECEMBER 31ST. WE DID OPEN THOSE UP IN THE FALL, AND EMPLOYEES HAD UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST TO SUBMIT THEIR APPEALS. SO APPEALS WERE EVALUATED BASED ON EVIDENCE SUBMITTED. SO EMPLOYEES WERE NOT SIMPLY ABLE TO SAY, HEY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE MORE MONEY OR I'D LIKE AN INCREASE OR A PROMOTION. WE DID LOOK AT JOB DUTIES. WE LOOKED AT EXPERIENCE THAT WEREN'T WASN'T CONSIDERED. IF AN EMPLOYEE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOWED THAT SOMETHING WAS EITHER AMISS OR SOMETHING WASN'T CONSIDERED AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, WE DID GRANT SOME OF THOSE APPEALS, BUT OF COURSE OTHERS WERE DENIED BECAUSE SOME EMPLOYEES DID ASK FOR MORE PERCEPTIONAL ITEMS, SUCH AS A PROMOTION, OR ASKED FOR CONSIDERATION OF THINGS THAT WERE OUTSIDE OF THE STUDY. SO THOSE ARE THE LAST TWO ITEMS THAT WE COMPLETED TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR. AND AGAIN, THERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT PROCESS. I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER WAY I CAN HELP. THANK YOU, MISS JESSIE. THANK YOU, MR. HOLCOMB. COUNCIL MEMBERS, AT THIS MOMENT, I'LL ASK THE CITY MANAGER IF THERE'S ANY ACTION THAT YOU ARE EXPECTING OF THIS BODY THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.

NO ACTION. BUT I DO WANT TO JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE PRESENTATION. SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'VE INSTRUCTED DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO LOOK AT ANY PAY ADJUSTMENTS AS A FORM

[01:05:06]

THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION. MISS THIS PARTICULAR ORDER. COUNCILMEMBER. FRIEDSON. COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING. THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

MR. HOLCOMB, I HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER OR POSSIBLY MISS JESSIE, I COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPACE AND SO WE HAVE GRADES, BUT WE HAVE STEPS IN BETWEEN AND NOT PUBLIC SAFETY. IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON WHY, AT A MUNICIPAL LEVEL, STEPS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR OTHER THAN PUBLIC SAFETY? SURE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WITH ALL OF OUR STUDIES IS WE DO SURVEY MARKET PEERS TO SEE WHAT'S MORE PREVALENT IN IN EACH INDIVIDUAL MARKET. SO WHEN I WHEN I SAID THAT GENERAL EMPLOYEES TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE STEPS, THAT WOULD BE MORE TRUE IN THIS REGION OF THE COUNTRY, IN OTHER REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY, THEY ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE PREVALENT. BUT IN THE SOUTHEAST, TYPICALLY AND NOT ALWAYS, BUT TYPICALLY GENERAL EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE STEP PLANS. IT DOES ALLOW FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY. ONE OF THE STRUGGLES WITH THE STEP PLAN IS YOU HAVE TO EITHER GRANT A FULL STEP OR NOTHING. AND SO IF IT'S A 3% INCREASE, SOMETIMES COUNCILS DO FIND, WELL, WE CAN'T GRANT 3%, BUT WE COULD GRANT 2%. AND SO YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY TO GRANT SOME INCREASE RATHER THAN NONE. BUT REALLY THE MAIN REASON FROM EVERGREEN'S PERSPECTIVE IS THE MARKET PEERS THAT WE SURVEYED, WE DIDN'T SEE THE PREVALENCE OF STEP PLANS IN THE MARKET HERE. BUT AGAIN, SOME REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY, WE WOULD SEE MORE OF THAT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING, MR. PRO TEM, IF I MAY, TO THE PRESENTER, HI, MR. HOLCOMB, NICE TO MEET YOU. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT BECAUSE I STEPPED OUT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES. I'M CURIOUS, YOU SHOWED US THE SALARY RANGES, BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT TOTAL COMPENSATION, IT OBVIOUSLY ALSO INCLUDES BENEFITS. DOES YOUR ANALYSIS LOOK AT HOW THESE CHANGES IN SALARY RANGES THEN WOULD IMPACT US FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT RELATED TO THE OVERALL BENEFIT PACKAGE? SURE. SO THERE I CAN THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT SORT OF ADDRESS THAT INDIRECTLY A LITTLE BIT. IN THE PHASE ONE STUDY, WE DID LOOK AT BENEFITS AGAIN, SINCE THIS PHASE TWO STUDY HAPPENED A YEAR AFTER, WE DID TAKE A LOOK JUST TO MAKE SURE NOTHING HAD CHANGED WITH THE BENEFITS. BUT THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT DEVIATIONS FROM WHAT WE SAW IN THE PHASE ONE. SO A BENEFITS SUMMARY WAS PROVIDED IN PHASE ONE THAT TALKED ABOUT HOW DOES THE CITY DIFFER IN TERMS OF HEALTHCARE OFFERINGS AND TIME OFF AND RETIREMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, EACH OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, OTHER BENEFITS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO EMPLOYEES. THE OTHER THING IS, AGAIN, WE DID WORK WITH YOUR HR AND FINANCE TEAMS JUST TO MAKE SURE FRINGE COSTS WERE LOOKED AT AND INCLUDED. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S NOT JUST AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE SALARY THAT OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT FOR THE TOTAL COMPENSATION. SO I'D WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK THE RESULTS FROM PHASE ONE BEFORE MAKING ANY DEFINITIVE STATEMENTS ON BENEFITS. BUT THAT WAS PROVIDED, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE SURE HR HAS A COPY IF IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. THANK YOU, MR. BURTON, IF I MAY, TO THE CITY MANAGER. YES, MR. CITY MANAGER, I JUST TO TO TO REITERATE THE QUESTION THAT MR. PRO TEM BROUGHT UP, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHERE WE ARE. I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S NOT AN ACTION BEFORE US TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO ORIENT MYSELF HOW THIS PRESENTATION IMPACTS THE BUDGET CONVERSATION IMPACTS OTHER DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE. SO CAN YOU PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR, HOW I SHOULD BE RECEIVING AND AND INTERPRETING OR DEALING WITH THIS INFORMATION? YES, I THINK A LOT OF THIS ACTIVITY HAPPENED IN THE, IN THE IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. AND TYPICALLY WHEN WE MOVE INTO A NEW FISCAL YEAR, THERE'S SOME ESTIMATION ON WHERE WE WILL BE AS FAR AS COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WHILE COST OF LIVING IS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT. OBVIOUSLY,

[01:10:03]

MARTIN, CAN I JUST ALSO ADD THE INCLUDE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT AS THAT PART OF THAT DISCUSSION? YES. IS THAT OKAY? FOR THAT? I'M HAPPY TO AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. IS THERE A SECOND STILL STAND COUNCILMEMBER ROGERS OKAY. AND COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. AND I GUESS I JUST NEED TO I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR I WOULD LIKE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, BECAUSE THE HUMAN RESOURCES WE STRICTLY DEAL IN. WE STRICTLY DEAL IN INFORMATION DEALING WITH OUR DIRECT REPORTS. THIS KIND OF DELVES OVER INTO THE HUMAN RESOURCES. AND I AM JUST I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE CITY, NOT THE CITY MANAGER, BUT THE CITY ATTORNEY.

I'D LIKE FOR HER TO WEIGH IN BECAUSE OUR COMMITTEE, WE DO WORK, BUT THAT IS IN RELATION TO THE DIRECT REPORTS. THIS PRESENTATION WAS ORIGINALLY DONE, I WANT TO SAY, IN 2024, WE STARTED IT. IF WE COULD HAVE MISS JESSIE COME UP, JUST TO GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THIS. YES, MA'AM. WE LAST DID WHEN MARK WAS HERE IN JUNE OF 2025. YES. SO CITY MANAGER WANTED TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEW MEMBERS TO KEEP EVERYBODY UP TO DATE. SO NOTHING HAS CHANGED. JULY 1ST STARTED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PHASE TWO, WHICH WILL TAKE US TO JUNE 30TH. AND I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE ABOUT THE THE THE BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS. BUT BASICALLY HE JUST WANTED US TO UPDATE. OKAY. AND THEN WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE MENTION OF THE BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS, WOULD THIS BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE? COUNCILMEMBER ROGERS, I THINK THE FIRST QUESTION IS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO OPINE ON REFERRING THIS ITEM TO THE HR COMMITTEE FOR GREATER DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION IF THERE NEEDS TO BE ONE TO COME BACK TO THIS BODY. AND SO

[01:15:05]

YOU'RE CORRECT THAT SECTION 2-2004.5 TALKS ABOUT THE HUMAN RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE, AND IT SAYS THE DUTIES OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE SHALL INCLUDE, BUT SHALL NOT BE LIMITED TO. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE LAST SUBSECTION, I'LL READ DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING ANNUAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR THE EMPLOYEES WHO REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THE DIRECT REPORTS, AS YOU STATED, PRESENTING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR COUNCIL CONCURRENCE, RECEIVE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PERSONNEL MATTERS DIRECTLY PERTAINING TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO REPORT DIRECTLY TO CITY COUNCIL. AND THEN THE LAST ONE, WHICH IS KIND OF CATCH ALL, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHERE THIS WILL FALL, IS ANY OTHER DUTIES ASSIGNED TO IT BY MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNCIL. SO IF THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL VOTES YES TO THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR, THEN YOU COULD ASSIGN IT, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES NOT HAVE TO DO WITH DIRECT REPORTS. GREAT. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. AND THE SECOND PART WAS AND THAT'S PROBABLY A VALUE QUESTION FOR US AS A BODY. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS SHOULD BE THEN REFERRED TO, PERHAPS TO THE BUDGET AND FINANCE, BUT THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT THIS BODY WOULD MAKE, I WOULD IMAGINE. BUT YOU MAY OPINE ON THAT, MADAM ATTORNEY. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THAT'S A POLICY DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO KIND OF BIFURCATE THIS ISSUE AND GIVE SOME OF IT TO THE BUDGET AND FINANCE, GIVE THE REST OF IT TO HR COMMITTEE. IT'S I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LEGAL CONSIDERATION THERE. THANK YOU.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO. AS WE'RE TALKING THIS THROUGH, THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND, THAT THIS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE. MORE SO, THE HR COMMITTEE. IT MIGHT EVEN FALL UNDER THE RULE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT COMMITTEE. BUT I KNOW WE'RE HAVING A DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S MY INPUT. OKAY. MADAM ATTORNEY, ONE OTHER CONSIDERATION IS THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT STOPS MAYBE THE TWO COMMITTEES FROM MEETING TOGETHER DURING A JOINT MEETING. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN MUST ADVERTISE IT AS SUCH, BUT YOU CAN DO IT TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THERE ARE COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING. MR. PRO TEM, I'D LIKE TO AMEND MY MOTION IN THAT THE DISCUSSION AROUND COST OF LIVING, ADJUSTMENT, MERIT. AND OVERALL, THIS PACKAGE IS FIRST DISCUSSED IN HUMAN RESOURCES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO BUDGET AND FINANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS TO THE BUDGET. SO THE THE MOTION IS THAT NOT NOT THAT WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO COMMITTEES, BUT AT FIRST, GO IN THE ORDER OF HUMAN RESOURCES DISCUSSES, IT COMES UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD THEN ENTERTAIN SHOULD THERE BE A BUDGETARY IMPACT OF ANY RECOMMENDATION OR DECISION YOU OFFER. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER.

COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, DOES YOUR SECOND STILL STAND? YES. MICROPHONE. YES. ALL RIGHT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER HEMMINGS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, THAT PORTIONS OF, AS STATED OF THIS ITEM WILL GO TO HR FOR INITIAL DISCUSSION. AND THEN RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD THEN GO TO BUDGET REGARDING ANY BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS. IF THERE'S NO OTHER OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED, SAY NAY. HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING THIS MATTER, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR

[XI.3. Office of Equity, Inclusion and Empowerment ]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND AS THEY ARE COMING AND THE CLERK IS SETTING UP THE THE COMPUTER, SHE WILL THEN START THE TIME FOR THE PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEAM, GIVE US JUST ONE SECOND, MR. JOHNSON. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO START. OKAY. ONCE THE ONCE THE

[01:20:16]

THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. WE WAS HERE, WHAT, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

SO I WANT TO I THINK WE WAS HERE THE LAST TIME GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT.

WE GAVE SOME VERY EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE SOME NEW ONES ON, AND WE DO HAVE SOME NEW THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THEN. AND WE ALSO WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE EMPOWERMENT GALA, BECAUSE WE DID BRING THAT TO YOU. BUT BEFORE THAT, I WANT TO JUST SHOW YOU THE VIDEO REALLY QUICKLY. NOT EVEN TWO MINUTES.

GO AHEAD. AND. I CAN SEND IT DIRECTLY TO TO THEM IF YOU LIKE. OKAY, OKAY, NOT SURE WHY IT'S NOT PLAYING, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO SEE IT. SO WE'LL SHE'LL SEND IT TO YOU. WE HAD A VERY EXCITING TIME AT THE EMPOWERMENT GALA. IT WAS ACTUALLY IT WAS AMAZING. I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO COME, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE ABLE TO COME, AND THE MAYOR THAT WAS ABLE TO COME AND SUPPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER FOR BEING HERE AT THE EVENT. WE HAD AN AMAZING TIME THAT THAT WHOLE DAY, ACTUALLY, WE STARTED THE MORNING WITH THE BRUNCH AND THEN WE ENDED WITH THE EVENT. OVER 200 PEOPLE WERE AT THE GALA. IT WAS VERY EXCITING. SO I WANT TO START HERE AND THEN I'LL GO TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS IN THE GALA, IN WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. AGAIN, JUST TO GIVE YOU A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF HOW WE HERE. OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE CITY IS AT 23% POVERTY LEVEL, AND THAT'S ABOUT 8700 RESIDENTS THAT'S LIVING BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE.

SO WE ARE OPERATING ON A BUDGET OF ABOUT $350,000 FOR OUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES, PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS A VERY INSUFFICIENT, VERY LOW NUMBER FOR US TO OPERATE ON WITH THE LEVEL OF POVERTY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN THE CITY. THE OFFICE PRIOR TO WE HAD ARPA FUNDS, CDBG FUNDS, WE HAD ESG FUNDS AND GENERAL FUNDS. SO I THINK THE DEPARTMENT KIND OF STARTED WITH THE ARPA FUNDS, AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME CDBG FUNDS, AND THEN WE GOT ESG. THAT KIND OF GENERATED UP TO ABOUT $2 MILLION ANNUALLY THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH UP UNTIL, I THINK, LATE 24, MAYBE 25, WHEN CDBG WAS EXPENDED, ARPA FUNDS WERE EXPENDED AS WELL. SO NOW IT LEADS US TO OPERATING WITH OUR GENERAL FUNDS, WHICH IS $350,000 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WORKING WITH OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION. WE DO A LOT OF RAPID REHOUSING. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE'VE HOUSED OVER 100 400 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. WE ARE WORKING WITH RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. WE'RE BASICALLY RECONSTRUCTED OUR SYSTEM TO WHERE WE'RE BASICALLY HOLDING OUR RESIDENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SERVICES THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM US. SO HOW WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE IS THROUGH OUR EMPOWERED BY GETTING AHEAD PROGRAM, WHICH IS A SIX MONTH FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM, WHICH IS BASED ON AN ECONOMIC MOBILITY. THAT'S THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE LAUNCHED BACK IN 2020 FOR BASICALLY PROVIDING OUR RESIDENTS THAT COME TO US FOR ASSISTANCE. WE PROVIDE THEM WITH CREDIT, EDUCATION, MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SEVERAL OF THEM COME, COME TO US WHERE THEY HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AND MAY NOT HAVE A JOB AT ALL. DIGITAL LITERACY, HOMEOWNERSHIP PLANNING, INSURANCE PLANNING.

WE DO SOME PARENTING THINGS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, CIVIC EDUCATION, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON THE WHOLE PERSON. WHEN THE RESIDENTS COME TO US, 65 PLUS FAMILIES HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD HOMEOWNERSHIP AND 200 PLUS FAMILIES HAVE BEEN HAS GONE THROUGH OUR FINANCIAL LITERACY SESSIONS. 35% OF THOSE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS HAVE GAINED EMPLOYMENT AND MAKING MAKING LIVABLE WAGES. WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND CRISIS

[01:25:03]

THEY LEARNED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, DE-ESCALATION AND SAFETY. SO OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE HELP WITH HEALTH CARE DEPARTMENTS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, WE HAVE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL OF THOSE ENTITIES. AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE HAVE BUILT A LARGE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS. WE HAVE ABOUT 45 PLUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHERE THEY ENGAGE WITH US, WHERE THEY PERTAINING TO HOUSING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, OUR YOUTH EDUCATION AND HEALTH. WE HAVE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION MEETINGS, WE HAVE RESOURCE FAIRS, WE HAVE OUTREACH GOING ON WHERE WE HAVE WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO A HOUSING FAIR WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEXT MONTH. OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE WHEN WE'RE RESPONDING TO THE WARMING CENTERS, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET FOOD THERE. WHEN WE DO HAVE THE WARMING CENTER OPEN FOR THE ONES THAT ARE UNHOUSED. AND WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FOOD PANTRIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON SO THAT FOOD CAN BE PROVIDED FOR THE ONES WHO ARE NEEDING FOOD. THROUGH THE OFFICE. WITH THE IMPACT AND THE STEWARDSHIP THAT WE HAVE IN THE OFFICE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GENERATE OR SECURE OVER $2 MILLION FOR THE EASTPOINTE FAMILIES HERE SINCE WE'VE BEEN ESTABLISHED. WE'RE BASICALLY WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRANSPARENT AND WE'RE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DOLLARS THAT WE DO SPEND. WE DO HAVE DATA ON ANYTHING THAT WE THAT YOU GUYS WOULD ASK FOR. WE HAVE THE DATA TO SUPPORT WHAT WE DO, THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND WE'RE BASICALLY FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABILITY, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE REAL SOLUTIONS FOR OUR FAMILIES. AND WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING HANDOUTS, BUT WE'RE GIVING HANDOUTS. SO OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENTS, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CITY'S DOLLARS AND HOW WE GENERATE THE THE MONEY, THAT'S THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY THE GENERAL FUNDS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT. WE DID SECURE 18 SPONSORS WHERE THEY THERE WAS A COMMITMENT TO SECURE 18 SPONSORS THROUGH OUR EMPOWERMENT GALA THAT GENERATED WE HAVE SECURED ABOUT $45,000 THROUGH THAT EMPOWERMENT GALA. SO WE'RE NOT JUST COMING TO YOU ASKING FOR MONEY, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO GET THE MONEY THAT WE NEED. AND SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, THEY PROVIDE IN-KIND, SO THEY PROVIDE THESE CLASSES FOR US WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THEM. AND ALSO THAT HELPS REDUCE THE PRESSURE ON OUR GENERAL FUNDS WHEN WE DO HAVE THESE ACTS OF KINDNESS AS WELL, 92% OF OUR HOUSING RETENTION IS AT SIX MONTHS. SO WHEN WE'RE HOUSING PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST NOT GETTING PUT OUT, WE DO HAVE A RETENTION. AT ABOUT SIX MONTHS, 78% OF STABILITY AT ABOUT 12 MONTHS. AND WE ARE WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE FAMILIES THAT ARE IN CRISIS, IT ACTUALLY REDUCES THE RELIANCE ON EMERGENCY SYSTEMS SO THAT POLICE, WHEN THEY DO CALL US, WE CAN ACTUALLY GO OUT AND HELP ASSIST WITH THESE FAMILIES. AND THAT CAN TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF OF THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE. AND HERE ARE SOME NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FROM THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THROUGH THE OFFICE. THAT'S A GRAND TOTAL OF THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THROUGH THE OFFICE FROM CDBG, ESG, ARPA FUNDS, DEPARTMENT FUNDS. AND EMILY, WE ALSO GOT AN EMILY GRANT LAST YEAR, AND WE ALSO GOT THAT A GRANT THIS YEAR FROM EMILY. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON THINGS TO HELP SUSTAIN THE OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO THE CRISIS IN THE CITY. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THOSE HAVE EXPIRED. THEY ARE CLOSED.

WE DO STILL HAVE ACTIVE. WE HAVE NO GENERAL FUNDS AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE DEPLETED THOSE FUNDS. AND IT'S NUMEROUS REASONS AS TO US DEPLETING THOSE FUNDS. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS TO TRANSFER THAT WAS OUT OF OUR CONTROL. AND WE'RE HERE NOW TRYING TO REALLY SURVIVE OFF OF WHAT WE CAN DO. INNOVATIVE TO CONTINUE HELPING THINGS THRIVE IN THE OFFICE. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION FROM MISS JOHNSON, COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE AS A FOLLOW UP? YES. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND DEFINITELY THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOUR TEAM CONTINUES TO DO. YOU'VE ANSWERED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I JOTTED DOWN, BUT I WANTED TO KNOW. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER 23% OF OUR RESIDENTS LIVE UNDER THE FEDERAL IS IT POVERTY LINE? WHAT SPECIFIC POPULATION WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU YOU'RE SERVING

[01:30:03]

[01:35:04]

SO I'LL GO TO MADAM ATTORNEY FIRST TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT I SUPPORT THE SENTIMENT OF THIS. BUT BUDGET AMENDMENT IS AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO HAVE IT IN ITS FINAL FORM TO MAKE THAT DRAFT. SO I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUE MAYBE TO TABLE THIS UNTIL WE CAN HAVE THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION DRAFTED TO SUPPORT YOUR MOTION. OKAY. JUST ONE SECOND. I'M GOING TO GO TO I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING. WE'RE IN

[01:40:02]

I THINK WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE COUNCIL FIRST MEETING IN MARCH. THE FIRST REGULAR MEETING IN MARCH. OKAY. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE DISCUSSION UP HERE THAT MAYBE I SHOULD MOVE THIS ITEM TO THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. DO YOU ALL HAVE A MEETING THIS WEEK? I THINK WE HAVE ONE TOMORROW. RIGHT. SO IF I COULD DEFER THIS TO THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR DISCUSSION AND BRING BACK A RECOMMENDATION. BUT THEN IF YOU SAID IN MARCH YOU COME BACK WITH THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT, DOES IT NEED TO GO THERE? I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL. SO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, THE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO DISPOSE OF IS TO MOVE THE DOLLARS. IT WAS MADE BY YOU AND PROBABLY SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. WE'VE LEARNED THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION AND THEN. WELL, A BUDGET AMENDMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TO TAKE PLACE ANYWAY. SO IF WE VOTE AND IT FAILS, THEN THERE'S 60 DAYS YOU CAN WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION.

THE CITY MANAGER IS STATING THAT THEY COULD HAVE SOMETHING READY FOR THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH. BUT ALSO YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO REFER IT TO BUDGET AND FINANCE, WHICH STILL WOULD NOT PRECLUDE IT FROM COMING IN THE BEGINNING OF MARCH ANYWAY. SO IF YOU MAKE THE MOTION AND YOU KEEP THE MOTION AND IT FAILS, THEN IT'S 60 DAYS BEFORE IT'S ABLE TO COME BACK. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING. OKAY. MR. CITY MANAGER, IS IT YOUR POSITION THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE ANALYSIS DONE AND YOU'D BE ABLE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AND PROVIDE A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE TO ACCOMMODATE COUNCIL WOMAN MARTIN ROGERS REQUEST BY THE FIRST MEETING OF MARCH. THAT'S RIGHT. SO THEN, MADAM COUNCILWOMAN, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION FOR YOUR MOTION, WHICH IS NOT TO ACT ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT, BUT IS TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO EVALUATE THE REMAINING FUNDS IN THE WARD. D GET LIT, WARD D GETS LIT. LITTER FUNDING ITEM AND BRING A RECOMMENDATION BACK TO COUNCIL. THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH 2026. SUBSTITUTE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND IT'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING. IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS.

ANY DISCUSSION I HAVE, MADAM ATTORNEY, CAN WE JUST ADD TO THAT MOTION THAT THE CONSIDERATION OF THE LEGALITY OF USING GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE PROGRAM? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY DON'T HAVE GENERAL FUNDS NOW, AND THAT THERE WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY ARPA AND E.

[01:45:07]

COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT FROM COUNCIL FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY LEGALITY OR ANY LEGAL ISSUES ARE ALSO LOOKED AT AS IT RELATES TO YOUR MOTION. DOES YOUR MOTION STILL STAND SO MOVED? YES IT DOES. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS IS YOUR SECOND STILL STAND? YES. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I, I ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. NAY. HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MOTION

[XI.4. Presentation by Abena Camara, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Wontanara Inc, on Collaboration Opportunity Around World Soccer Festival]

[01:50:02]

[01:55:03]

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER FREELY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME CLOSING REMARKS? SURE. UNLESS, MR. ROGERS, DID YOU OR MISS ROGERS HAVE ANY ANYTHING ADDITIONAL? THANK. THANK YOU AGAIN, COUNCILMAN FELIX. SO AGAIN, WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION OR AT LEAST HAVE THIS INFORMATION SHARED WITH YOU AS A SUBJECT MATTER THAT THE COUNCIL MIGHT CONSIDER EXPLORATIONAL INFORMATION THAT A ENTITY THAT HAS PUT TOGETHER THE PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENT OF WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, AND THE CITY ITSELF, HAVING THE SPACE TO ACCOMMODATE. WHEN WE HAD OUR CONVERSATIONS LAST WEEK, THAT WAS THE KIND OF THE THE CONNECTION POINT, YOU MIGHT SAY, BETWEEN US AND THE GUANTANAMO GROUP HERE, THAT WE WE COULD BE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE PROGRAMMATIC COMPONENT THAT THEY HAVE, BECAUSE THE SPECIAL NEEDS WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE FOR THEM IN WHICH TO ACCOMMODATE THIS KIND OF PROGRAM, WHEREAS THE CITY WOULD HAVE THE SPATIAL CAPACITY TO NOT ONLY ACCOMMODATE THEIR PROGRAM OF EVENTS, BUT ACTUALLY ENHANCE IT BY HAVING MORE SPACE THAN ACTUALLY, I GUESS, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT. WE WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

WE'VE NOT VETTED THE ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE WE'VE NOT HAD TIME TO DO THAT. BUT OF COURSE, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PURSUE MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CERTAINLY DO JUST THAT. THANK YOU, MISTER ROGERS. YES, THANKS, MISTER ROGERS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR FOR REACHING OUT AND APPRECIATE YOU PULLING THIS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY QUICKLY FOLLOWING YOUR MEETING. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER FURTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS, BUT TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HEAR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS AND THEN ZIEGLER IN THAT ORDER.

THANK YOU. AND THIS AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU, MR. ROGERS. I HAVE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS, AND I WROTE THEM DOWN BECAUSE I DID A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTIGATING MYSELF JUST FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. SO THESE ARE MY OBSERVATIONS. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PULLED IN SO MANY DIRECTIONS BY PEOPLE, OBVIOUSLY MAY BE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES, AND I'M SURE THAT IT HAS TAKEN A TOLL ON YOUR DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW. I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR WORK, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO GO ON RECORD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE RECEIVED A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT INCLUDED THE EAP CVB. LAST WEEK WE GOT ANOTHER PRESENTATION THAT GAVE US THREE OPTIONS IN THIS WEEK. AGAIN, WE'RE VIEWING ANOTHER PRESENTATION, AND SOME OF THESE SLIDES IN HERE ARE PART OF THE EAP. CB PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.

[02:00:02]

AND WHAT I FOUND MOST INTERESTING WAS IN DECEMBER OF 2025, THE EPC, CVB, ALONG WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER, ATTENDED A PARTNERSHIP MEETING WITH DELTA AIRLINES FOR COLLABORATION WITH GHANA TOURISM. IT WAS COINED AS A MILESTONE IN GLOBAL CONNECTION.

THERE WAS ALSO A COMPREHENSIVE FIFA PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE IN COMMERCIALS. THERE WERE COMMERCIALS THAT RAN IN DECEMBER. I SAW THEM ON SBTV THAT THE EPC HAS RUN. YOU DIDN'T SHARE ANY OF THAT WITH COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IS ALREADY BEING CURRENTLY DONE. I DOWNLOADED THE COMMERCIAL THE OTHER DAY. IT'S A LOVELY COMMERCIAL AND THEY ARE COINING COINING IT AS IT RAN THROUGH DECEMBER BECAUSE THAT WAS DOING THE GAMES. BUT THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE, MIKASA SU CASA. THEY GAVE YOU THE FIFA PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE TO YOUR DEPARTMENT. AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER. AND I ALSO TALKED ABOUT THOSE COMMERCIALS. A STANDING COMMITTEE APPEARS ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR, IN WHICH THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS NOW. MISTER ROGERS, THEY HAVE.

I JUST THINK THAT IF THE ECV IS THE OFFICIAL MARKETING ARM OF THE CITY AND THE PROMOTION OF THE CITY TO INCREASE TOURISM, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND MANAGING STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS, WE'RE BEING PRESENTED NOW WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A REPACKAGING OF THEIR WORK. I ALSO SAW THIS PRESENTATION THAT SPONSORS ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE ABOUT ETHNIC BLACK ART IN AMERICA, AND ART ARTS EXCHANGE. WE ALSO NEED TO INCLUDE THE EAST POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY AS WELL. BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO BE SPONSORS. THEY NEED TO BE PARTNERS. THEY LIVE RIGHT HERE IN EAST POINT.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE EAC HAS PARTNERED WITH THEM, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TO EVENTS AT ALL OF THOSE PLACES, EXCEPT FOR THE EAST POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, WHICH I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM TIED IN. I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ALL ON THE SPOT, BUT THEY HAVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION AND THEY COULD POSSIBLY DO A GLOBAL ROUTES, LOCAL STORIES CULTURAL EXHIBIT, BUT THESE ENTITIES SHOULD BE PARTNERS AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE EAST POINT CVB AND NOT BE SPONSORS. I THINK THAT I LIKE THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I ALSO WANT THE EC, THE EPC, CVB TO BE ENGAGED. HOW DO WE MAKE THESE? HOW DO WE MAKE THIS GROUP, THE EAST POINT CVB, BAL, ETHNIC BLACK ART IN AMERICA, EAST POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN THE ARTS EXCHANGE COME TOGETHER AS ONE BECAUSE THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE. MISTER ROGERS. AND THIS I MEAN IT'S ACCEPTABLE, BUT IT IS THEIR WORK REPACKAGED. SO I LIKE THE PRESENTATION, BUT EVERYONE NEEDS TO COME ON BOARD AT THIS POINT. AND HOW DO WE GET THIS MARRIED TO WHAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE? AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON COORDINATING ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS SO THEY CAN ALL BE INTEGRATED EFFECTIVELY FOR A GREAT EVENT. AND I NEEDED TO GO ON RECORD AND SAY THAT. MISTER ROGERS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. I JUST WILL MOVING FORWARD, COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT TWICE EACH COUNCIL MEMBER IN ON ONE AGENDA ITEM AND FIVE MINUTES EACH TIME. MADAM CLERK, ARE YOU KEEPING TIME? I WILL START KEEPING TIME

[02:05:05]

COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. MY CONCERN IS JUST HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS? AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS ALREADY REGARDING BUDGET AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE REALLY BIG COMPANIES IN EAST POINT OR IN NEXT DOOR TO US. ANY MOVEMENT ON SPONSORSHIPS AND COVERING MORE OF OF HOW MUCH ALL THIS IS GOING TO COST? YES, MA'AM. SO WE DO NOT OURSELVES.

COUNCILWOMAN ZIEGLER HAD A CHANCE TO FOCUS ON SPONSORSHIPS, AND THAT'S WHAT THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE PRESENTED. AGAIN, WE'VE NOT VETTED, BUT AS WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST WEEK, WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING GOOD FOR US TO AT LEAST LOOK INTO BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN REQUESTED TO TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE, WITH THE, THE LEAD. AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. BUT BASICALLY WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, THE PROGRAMMATIC PIECE IS WHAT THE ONE TANARA WOULD PROVIDE. AND SO THERE WOULDN'T BE A COST ELEMENT TO THE CITY ON THE 27TH IF WE WERE TO GO WITH THAT BIG DAY AND OF COURSE, THE COST FOR THE CITY OR TO THE CITY WITH RESPECT TO OUR ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION WE HAVE ALREADY BUDGETED FOR AND SO ON THE FRONT END, IF WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT THE JULY THE JUNE 15TH INITIATIVE, WHICH WOULD BE VERY WATERED DOWN, THERE WOULD BE A COST OF A SMALL COST THERE, WHICH WOULD BE A VERY SMALL NOMINAL FEE. BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD NEED TO VET WHERE WE ARE WITH RESPECT TO THIS AND MOVE FORWARD. BUT THE WHOLE IDEA WAS TO LOOK AT IT SO THAT THERE IS NOT A COST TO THE CITY OTHER THAN WHAT WE WOULD BE PROVIDING ANYWAY REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY, EMS, PUBLIC WORKS POWER THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE TYPICALLY IN AND ALWAYS INVOLVED WITH THESE TYPE OF EVENTS THAT THE CITY PUTS ON EACH YEAR. CAN YOU GO TO THE SLIDE WHERE THEY'RE ASKING FOR IN-KIND DONATIONS? YES, PLEASE. YEAH. I THINK IT WAS IN THE GREEN. THERE WE GO.

OKAY, SO LIKE THE PORTA POTTY.

MISTER ROGERS. SO LIKE THE PORTA POTTY, PORTA POTTY RENTALS AND BARRICADES. SO WE WOULD STILL BE PROVIDING THOSE. THAT'S CORRECT. THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT WE VISITED FOR COUNCILWOMAN. OKAY. AND IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR A SPONSOR TO COVER THOSE? WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I MEAN, WE'VE NOT DONE THAT AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THEY'RE BUDGETED FOR. IT'S JUST PART OF OUR STANDARD BUDGET THAT WE PUT IN EACH EACH YEAR WITH RESPECT TO OUR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND ANY OTHER EVENTS THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, THAT WE WOULD BE PERFORMING.

OKAY. AND MAYBE I'M JUST MISUNDERSTANDING. THE KICKOFF IS IN JUNE, CORRECT? JUNE 15TH IS THE DAY THAT WE WEREN'T WEREN'T WERE CONSIDERING BECAUSE THAT'S THE THE FIRST DAY THAT THE THAT CITY OF ATLANTA WILL HOST A GAME DOWNTOWN. OKAY. AND THAT'S NOT TIED WITH ANY OTHER EVENT. THAT'S CORRECT. I MEAN, EXCEPT FOR IT BEING A PART OF THE OVERALL CELEBRATION. AND OF COURSE, THAT WAS JUST A PROPOSAL FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, BUT THERE'S NO DECISION MADE ON THAT AT THIS POINT. OKAY. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN REALLY ASSESS ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SPENDING MONEY AT THIS AT THIS TIME IF WE DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, COVER THIS. AND EVEN IF IT'S SLIGHTLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN THE BUDGET, WE

[02:10:03]

THAT'S IN GREAT NEED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. AND FOR YOU, MACEIO. SPONSORSHIP.

YOU MENTIONED BRINGING THEM, BRINGING THIS COMPANY ON TO HELP WITH SPONSORSHIP. IS THAT KIND OF THE EXPECTATION HERE BASED ON WHAT THEY SHARED, THAT THEY HAD SPONSORS THEMSELVES OF SPONSORSHIPS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BEEN ENGAGED WITH.

THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY IT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE DO. WE'VE BEEN GIVEN A A CHALLENGE OR A CHARGE TO FACILITATE THIS IN EVERY WAY THAT WE CAN, BUT THAT IS NOT OUR EXPERTISE. SO WE'RE WE'RE NOW CHARTING A TERRITORY THAT I'M NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH, AND NEITHER IS MY COWORKER, BECAUSE WE'VE JUST NEVER DONE THAT. WE'VE BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS OUR THAT IS OUR OUR PLAY FIELD. BUT NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPONSORSHIPS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE BEEN KIND OF DANCING AROUND IT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE JUST NOT THAT THAT PERSON TO DO THAT WE WE WERE BROUGHT ON TO DO A BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, BUSINESS EXPANSION, BUSINESS GROWTH, GROW THE TAX BASE. AND SO NOW THAT WE'RE BEING INTRODUCED INTO A NEW REALM OF SOMETHING IN A SPACE THAT WE JUST NEVER BEEN, WE UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE QUESTIONS OR THE ANSWERS FOR YOU BASED ON THAT SUBJECT MATTER. WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO DO IS WHAT WE CAN. BUT WE WE WOULDN'T WANT TO. WE WOULDN'T WANT TO TAKE THAT ROLE ON WHEN WE KNOW THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. NOW, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, AND I WAS THINKING THAT PART OF WHY THIS IS COMING ABOUT IS BECAUSE WE DID ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND SPONSOR SPONSORSHIP DURING THE LAST MEETING, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THAT REALM, SINCE THAT IS KIND OF THE SPOT OR THE THING THAT WE'RE SOLVING FOR. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE MET WITH THE CVB. SO WHERE DID THEY FIT IN TO THIS STRATEGY? IS THERE, YOU KNOW, A PARTNERSHIP OR WHERE DO THEY KIND OF FIT IN. SO WE HAD ACTUALLY CONVERSATION WITH THE CEB EARLIER TODAY LAST WEEK OF COURSE WHEN WE DID THE PRESENTATION, WE PRESENTED TO YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE UP TO THIS POINT, SUCH AS THE REGULARLY RUN COMMERCIALS, SOME OF THEIR CONFERENCES THAT THEY'VE ATTENDED. YOU KNOW, THEY DID AN EARLIER REVEAL OVER AT RICHMOND POOL WHERE THEY SHARED THEIR SLOGAN AND AS WELL THE LOGO. AND SO THEY'VE BEEN BUILDING UP TO AND WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD UP TO THE GAMES THEMSELVES. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE, OF COURSE, ABORTED TRYING TO DO IS SPEAK FOR THEM, BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE MUCH BETTER AT DOING THAT THEMSELVES. SO WE THE INFORMATION THAT I SHARED LAST WEEK WAS INFORMATION THAT THEY EMAILED US. BUT WE'VE TRIED TO AVOID, YOU KNOW, GETTING INTO THE WEEDS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK ON ANYTHING. GOT IT. SO WE'LL DEFINITELY GET A PRESENTATION FROM THEM. BUT I WAS KIND OF REFERENCING THE MEETINGS THAT YOU'D ALREADY HAD WITH THEM, AND JUST HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WERE THE DELIVERABLES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING. BUT THAT'S WE'LL GET A PRESENTATION FROM THEM. THIS THIS QUESTION IS FOR THE GROUP. ARE THERE EVENTS THAT YOU CAN REFERENCE THAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE CITY THAT MAYBE WE COULD JUST KIND OF GET A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR WORK? YES. SO WE HAVE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF SOUTH FULTON. WE IN NOVEMBER, WE BRING IN ABOUT OVER 700 ATTENDEES. 60% IS INTERNATIONAL OR OUT OF STATE ATTENDEES. WE PARTNERED WITH THEM AND WE ARE CONTINUING OUR CONTRACT THIS YEAR FROM LAST YEAR WITH THEM. THAT IS ONE OF OUR FRONT FACING, FORWARD FACING EVENTS THAT WE DO WITHIN THE CITY, AS WELL AS WE PROVIDE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT SUMMITS WITH THE RICE CENTER, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR SPONSORS, THAT WILL BE COMING IN, AS WELL AS ARTISTS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND THEN INCLUDING THIS ONE IN OUR FAMILY COMMUNITY DAY, WHICH YOU

[02:15:06]

THAT IS THE ONE WITH THE CITY OF SOUTH FULTON. OKAY? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. AND I THINK WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS SECOND TIME IN. THANK YOU, MADAM CITY CLERK.

CAN YOU PLAY THAT VIDEO, PLEASE? THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS, IS IT OKAY IF I DON'T START THE TIME UNTIL I PULL IT UP FROM MY EMAIL? BECAUSE I PULL IT UP FROM MY EMAIL? YES. OKAY. POINT OF ORDER. I DON'T HAVE THE RULE, BUT I'M CURIOUS, IS THIS VIDEO IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE THIS THE THE PRESENTER BEFORE US? YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A RULE NUMBER FOR US TO RULE. LET ME FIND MY RULE NUMBER.

I GUESS I RULE 15 THAT NEW ITEMS WOULD NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, PRESENTED AT WORK SESSION BEFORE. OKAY. CAN YOU PULL THAT UP FOR ME SO I CAN READ THAT? THANK YOU. I CAN READ IT TO YOU IF SHE'S USING HER COMPUTER. GO AHEAD. VIDEO RULE 15 COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY PLACE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA PROVIDED THE ITEM HAS FIRST BEEN TO A WORK SESSION OR PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AT A PRIOR COUNCIL MEETING, AND ALL ASSOCIATED PAPERWORK WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE BY THE ESTABLISHED DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING INFORMATION. OKAY. AND SO MY RULE IS THAT WHILE THE FIFA ISSUE HAS ALREADY GONE TO WORK SESSION, THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE REGARDING THIS PARTNERSHIP HAS NOT. AND SO I THEN RULE IN FAVOR OF THE POINT OF ORDER. AND SO THEN THE VIDEO JUST ONE SECOND ON THE VIDEO.

AND SO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, IF YOU DISAGREE, YOU MAY APPEAL. YES I DO, I DO DISAGREE. THANK YOU. THEN WE WILL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. BUT WAIT A SECOND. OKAY. CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID. BECAUSE THE FIFA, THE FIFA AND THE WORLD CUP ISSUE IS NOT A NEW ISSUE, BUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE MONTANERA. WAIT A MINUTE. THAT PARTNERSHIP IS NEW AND HAS NOT GONE TO A WORK SESSION. AND SO WITH THAT, MY RULING IS THAT THE POINT OF ORDER STANDS. AND SO YOU MAY APPEAL THAT IF YOU'D LIKE. AND WE WILL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. YES. I WOULD LIKE TO APPEAL THAT BECAUSE DO I STATE WHY. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO APPEAL THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS THIS ITEM HAS BEEN A PART OF OUR AGENDA SINCE LAST YEAR. ALTHOUGH THIS ITEM HASN'T BEEN TO A WORK SESSION, IT HAS BEEN PERMITTED ON OUR AGENDA. AND THE QUICK LITTLE TWO MINUTE VIDEO RELATES TO A FIFA COMMERCIAL THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT OUT THERE BY THE EAST POINT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. SO THAT IS WHAT I WAS SHARING AT THIS TIME.

OKAY, THE POINT OF ORDER IS ABOUT THE EXTENSION OF THIS ITEM HERE AND IT BEING A NEW ITEM, AND THIS HAS NOT BEEN ON THE AGENDA, THIS PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIP, WHILE I STATED THAT FIFA HAS. AND SO I THEN STATED THAT MY RULING DOES STAND AND WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL VOTE FOR THAT IF YOU'D LIKE. SURE. YES WOULD BE FOR THOSE. IF YOU VOTING YAY! IT'S IN FAVOR OF MR. PRO TEM'S POINT OF ORDER RULING IN FAVOR OF THE POINT OF ORDER MADE BY COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'LL VOTE NAY. MADAM COUNCILMEMBER HEMMING, ARE YOU IN TO BE RECOGNIZED? I'M READY FOR THE ROLL CALL. VOTE. OKAY, JUST ONE SECOND, MADAM CLERK. COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING. YAY! OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER FRALEY, COUNCILMEMBER. MAYOR PRO TEM ATKINS. YAY! COUNCILMEMBER. ZIEGLER. YAY! COUNCILMEMBER.

MITCHELL. NAY. COUNCILMEMBER. CALDWELL. YAY! AND COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS.

[02:20:13]

YOUR RESPONSE WAS NOMINAL. NOMINAL IS VERY RELATIVE. SO IS NOMINAL $200 OR IS IT $2,000 OR IS IT $20,000. SO NOMINAL IS RELATIVE. AND SO I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT BECAUSE THE PRESENTATION HAS HAPPENED AND THOSE THAT INFORMATION IS NOT HERE. BUT WE KNEW THAT IT WAS COMING. AND IN MY ESTIMATION, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE IT HERE.

SO THIS BODY WOULD THEN KNOW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF DOLLARS. SURE. AND SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE A NUMBER FOR THAT, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS. IF YOU TONIGHT DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER BECAUSE YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AND DONE THE RIGOR FOR EACH OF THOSE, THEN WE WOULDN'T NEED TO CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THAT. YES. THE INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDED LAST WEEK CONTAINED THOSE NUMBERS. WE DIDN'T BRING THAT TONIGHT JUST BECAUSE WE DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD GET BACK INTO IT, SINCE YOU YOU HAD THAT. BUT WE DID PROVIDE THAT LAST WEEK. IT'S JUST DIFFERENT LEVELS. LAST WEEK THERE WERE THERE WAS A PLAN ONE, A PLAN TWO AND A PLAN THREE. I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT WAS PRESENTED IN THAT SLIDE IN THOSE BULLET POINTS WOULD BE ABLE TO GO ACROSS EACH OF THOSE PLANS. SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC OR CLEAR. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER WITH YOU THIS EVENING, THEN WE CAN JUST FOREGO IT. BUT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST VERY HELPFUL. SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING THIS MATTER. OKAY. GREAT. WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO

[XII. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

[XIII. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

COUNCILMEMBER FRIEDLI I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER FRIEDSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, THAT WE APPROVE THE 11 ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY I ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. HEARING NONE. THE AYES HAVE IT. WELL, THEN MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST

[XIV.16. Discussion and Possible Action on Public Access to City Meetings ]

[02:25:02]

SO I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. IF NOT, I WOULD SUBMIT THIS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR A VOTE. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, THANK YOU. AND JUST ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION. THE IMPACT TO THE BUDGET. LIKE WHAT WILL THIS COST? AND THIS IS FOR ALL MEETINGS, CORRECT? EVEN OUR TASK FORCE MEETINGS. THIS IS FOR EVERY SINGLE MEETING. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION IS HOW LONG DO WE KEEP THIS DATA. IS IT FIVE YEARS. AND THEN THOSE MEETINGS DROP OFF. OR IS THERE A SPECIFIC LINK OR SOMEPLACE IN THE STORAGE ATMOSPHERE THAT THE CITY CLERK CAN JUST PROVIDE A LINK TO THOSE MEETINGS? LIKE AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY, OKAY, IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS OR IT'S BEEN TEN YEARS, WE CAN ARCHIVE THEM SOMEPLACE ELSE. AND THOSE.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR MARTIN ROGERS. AND I'M GOING TO DEFER SOME OF THIS TO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT ALSO REFER TO THE MEMO THAT MISTER WELLMAN SHARED WITH ME. I ASKED HIM GIVE A POTENTIAL ESTIMATE OF BUDGET IMPACTS, INCLUDING STORAGE, PLATFORM UPGRADES, LICENSING, ACCESSIBILITY, COMPLIANCE OR STAFFING CONSIDERATION. HE SAID IT'S HARD TO QUANTIFY POTENTIAL BUDGET IMPACTS AS EVERY SCENARIO IS DIFFERENT. HOWEVER, LONGER MEETINGS REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND STORAGE STAFF WILL SPEND THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT MORNING PROCESSING THE FOOTAGE. SO I WOULD LEAVE IT UP TO THE CITY MANAGER TO GIVE US ADVICE ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM. I WOULD ALSO STATE THAT AFTER TALKING TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, I WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE ARCHIVAL OF RECORDS THAT ARE REQUIRED PER LAW FOR RECORDING AND MAINTAIN OUR RECORDS. THIS IS JUST ABOUT MAKING THESE ITEMS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC IN REAL TIME. SO IT'D BE UP TO THE CITY MANAGER TO ADVISE US ON THOSE POTENTIAL IMPACTS, AND ARCHIVAL WOULD NOT THEN MEAN THAT WE DON'T ARCHIVE THEM PER THE LAW. IT WOULD JUST MEAN WHERE WE HOST THEM. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ARCHIVE AS MANY YEARS AT ONE TIME. IS THAT FAIR? I RECOGNIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY WHO'S IN NEXT. WELL, GOOD EVENING AGAIN. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH OUR RETENTION SCHEDULE FOR KEEPING THIS TYPE OF STUFF. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, WHICH I BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LAST COUNCIL, WAS THE NEW DOJ RULES ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT CITY WEBSITES ARE COMPLIANT WITH THE ADA. I HAVEN'T SEEN MISTER WELLMAN'S MEMO, BUT HOPEFULLY IT COMPLIES WITH THE NEW RULES THAT WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL 2620. WELL, WAIT, HOW IS OUR POPULATION OVER 50,000? NO? OKAY, SO THEN WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL 26TH, 2027 TO BECOME COMPLIANT WITH THE NEW ADA RULES. I DID FORWARD MISTER WELLMAN AND MISTER JONES A COPY OF THE ADA MEMO I DID BASED ON THE NEW DOJ RULES. AND SO THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THERE TO BE IMAGE ALTERNATIVE TEXT PAGE TITLES, COLOR CONTRAST HEADINGS, SKIP LINKS, VISIBLE KEYBOARD, FOCUS PAGE LANGUAGE. I CANNOT SAY THAT I KNOW WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS. HOWEVER, I DID READ THE DOJ DOJ'S NEW RULE GUIDANCE AND JUST PUT SOME HIGHLIGHTS IN THE MEMO THAT I DID TO THE CITY ABOUT SOME OF THE FEATURES THAT ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR OUR WEBSITE.

THESE THIS NEW REQUIREMENT, IF THIS PASSES, WILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT BY 2027. HOW MUCH THAT COST, RIGHT. TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EXISTING WEBSITE AND ANYTHING NEW ADDED, I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY NEW LAWS THAT WILL BE PLACED ON THE CITY. AGAIN, OUR REQUIREMENT DATE IS NOT UNTIL 2027, BASED ON OUR POPULATION BEING UNDER 50,000, THAT WILL

[02:30:05]

THE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER. HENRY, DO YOU NEED ME TO PULL IT UP THERE? IT'S ON THE AGENDA.

YES. COULD WE PULL UP THE RESOLUTION FOR A RESOLUTION ON TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF CITY MEETINGS? OKAY. MR. ONE OVER TWO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER, WHILE OKAY.

WELL, IT'S UP, SO LET'S JUST WAIT A SECOND, OKAY? SO GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING.

WHAT I'VE ASKED THE CITY CLERK TO PULL UP HERE SHOWS THE CHANGES THAT WERE REQUESTED BY COLLEAGUES IN RED. SO YOU'LL SEE AT LINE 38, IT LISTS THE ADDITION OF THE BLIGHTED PROPERTY TASK FORCE. AND THEN YOU'LL SEE AT LINE 66, IT REFERS TO DOCTOR MARTIN ROGERS CONCERNS ABOUT ADA THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS JUST ENUMERATED. AND IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IT DOES IS IT SAYS THAT WE SHOULD COMPLY WITH ALL FEDERAL AND STATE LAW, INCLUDING IN THE ADA. SO I THINK IT WILL COVER THIS NEW 508 POLICY THAT YOU'RE MENTIONING. OKAY. AND COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL ASKED IF YOU COULD SCROLL UP A LITTLE BIT MORE. OH, AND THERE'S ANOTHER READ I JUST ADDED AT LINE 77, JUST MAKING SURE THAT TECHNOLOGY WOULD THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE STORAGE WOULD NEED TO COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS. OKAY.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE TOP, PLEASE? AND I WILL AT THIS TIME RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, WHO'S IN FOR HER SECOND ROUND. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT THIS WON'T HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE US. IT COINCIDES WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. THOSE NEW LAWS ARE FOR 2027. NO, IT IF YOU PASS IT TONIGHT THEN IT'LL IT'LL JUST HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW LAWS. SO IT WOULDN'T NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU. THOSE NEW LAWS ARE MANDATE THAT YOU GUYS DON'T REALLY HAVE A SAY SO IN. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. THOSE NEW LAWS THAT I MENTIONED FROM THE DOJ, THEY'RE A MANDATE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A SAY SO IN. SO THIS WOULD NOT NEED TO COME BACK. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, WHICH IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, IS FOR THIS BODY TO ADOPT. I'M VERY SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL.

THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. ANY REFERENCE TO LIKE DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION AS TO WHEN THIS SHOULD BE DONE OR WHEN WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE THESE UPDATES. MR. PRO TEM, JUST FOR CLARITY, IF THERE'S NOT A DATE SPECIFIC OF WHEN THE EFFECTIVENESS IS OF THIS RESOLUTION, IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON ADOPTION. GOT IT? LINE 102.

MADAM COLLEAGUE CALDWELL SAYS WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY SAYS UPON ADOPTION. AND WOULD INCLUDE MEETINGS THAT BEGIN WITHIN THIS CALENDAR YEAR THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. THE REQUEST IS NOT FOR NOT NOT FOR THE STAFF TO GO CREATE MATERIAL THAT DOESN'T EXIST. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, BACK TO THE TOP, PLEASE. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE

[02:35:03]

THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. HEARING NONE.

THE AYES HAVE IT. THE RESOLUTION PASSES. OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS A DISCUSSION ON

[XIV.17. Discussion on 2024 Audit Report Timeline of Completion ]

BUT THEY ARE NEW TO THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. AND SO THEY DO NEED TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. AND THEY HAVE THAT 92 CAL ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO JUST TOUCH BASE WITH YOU. THOSE ITEMS CONSIST OF CONTROLS, FIXED ASSETS, CASH REVENUE, EXPENDITURES, OPEB PENSION AND LONG TERM DEBT. WE DO HAVE 70% OF THAT COMPLETE. THE OTHER 30% IS DONE IN-HOUSE WHEN THEY'RE HERE. AND SO WHILE THE AUDITORS ARE ON SITE THIS WEEK, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THEIR THOROUGH REVIEW. AND SO I KNOW WE WERE ESTIMATING AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS A SOFT UPDATE, I WOULD SAY WE'RE WE'RE ESTIMATING AROUND MID-MARCH. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO ALL VARY ON WHAT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE FOR THE CITY. AND THEY DO GO TO DEPARTMENTS, EACH DEPARTMENTS TO DO LIKE CONTROL, CONTROL STEPS. OKAY. I'M ALSO WILLING TO GIVE AN UPDATE EVERY FRIDAY AS THIS CONTINUES TO YOU AS WELL. ALRIGHT. AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION AS IT RELATED TO THE EPC, CVB, THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT THAT TALKED ABOUT THEIR UNIT, THE COMPONENT TO THEIR UNIT DETERMINATION. HAVE WE FIGURED OUT WHAT THEIR DETERMINATION IS IN THIS AUDIT AND ALSO THE FUTURE AUDITS? AND THEN YOU ALSO SAID YOU WERE AWAITING THE STATE'S CLARIFICATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP. ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION TONIGHT? I DON'T I DO NOT HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE STATE. AND WITH MALTON AND JENKINS, I DID PLAN ON DISCUSSING IT WITH THEM REGARDING THE ECV. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. I MEAN, THANK YOU, MISS CARTWRIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. SEEING NONE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO

[XIV.18 Discussion and Possible Action on a Letter of Commitment to Support the US 29 Highway and Roosevelt Highway LCI Study Requiring a Local Contribution of $17,000]

THIS AGENDA ITEM WAS PLACED ON BY THE CITY MANAGER, AND WITH THAT, I'LL GIVE THE CITY MANAGER THE FLOOR TO INTRODUCE AND TO SPEAK TO THIS AGENDA ITEM. YES. THANK YOU. SO WE DO HAVE BRIAN, DORIS AND I HOPE I'M I'M PROBABLY MIS PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME SO STATED CORRECTLY IN THE RECORD FOR ME, BUT HE'S WITH AEROTROPOLIS AND THEY HAVE A ASK OF THE CITY. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND STAFF, BRIAN DEROSE. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS VICE PRESIDENT OF AEROTROPOLIS ATLANTA ALLIANCE. AND TODAY WE'RE ASKING FOR A LITTLE COMMITMENT FOR 17,000 FOR THIS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY FOR ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY. THE IDEA WITH ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY, WITH THIS TRANSPORTATION STUDY THROUGH THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION, IS REALLY FIND SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE CORRIDOR, TO IMPROVE FOOT TRAFFIC, TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES, AND FOR OUR REGIONAL EFFORT WITH A MIXED MULTI MIXED USE TRAIL NETWORK THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE. AND SO WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR A LETTER OF COMMITMENT. OUR GOAL IS TO SUBMIT END OF NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH STAFF, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM FOR ALL SIX CITIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS GRANT.

STUDY WITH US FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 MONTHS NOW. AND SO LATER THIS WEEK, WE WILL KIND OF DO A FINAL REVIEW OF THE GRANT APPLICATION AEROTROPOLIS. WE UNDERWROTE THE APPLICATION FOR

[02:40:05]

SO WE BROKE DOWN THE PERCENTAGES OF ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY, MAIN STREET, BASED OFF THE PERCENTAGE OF HOW MUCH IT INTERSECTS EACH JURISDICTION. SO ROUGHLY ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY, IT'S ABOUT 10% OF IT IS IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT COME UP WITH THE NUMBER OF 17,000. THIS IS KIND OF THE LONGEST CORRIDOR IN THE REGION, IF YOU WILL. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR THE ARC FOR THE MAX. BUT THAT NUMBER COULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THEY ACTUALLY GIVE US. SO KIND OF FROM A TIMELINE STANDPOINT, APPLICATIONS IS DUE FEBRUARY 27TH WITH THE GOAL THAT WE'LL PROBABLY HEAR AN ANNOUNCEMENT MID-MAY, KNOCK ON WOOD. AND THEN ON THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, IF WE ARE SELECTED, THEN THEY WILL SELECT CONSULTANTS. SOMEONE FROM EACH CITY WILL BE PART OF THAT SELECTION COMMITTEE. SO YOU'LL HAVE EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR THIS REGIONAL GRANT WITH THE IDEA THAT THIS PROCESS WILL BEGIN Q2 OF NEXT YEAR FOR A 18 MONTH LONG PROCESS. TO STUDY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS, LOOK AT WAYS TO IDENTIFY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR MAIN STREETS AND WORK REGIONALLY AS THE. THERE IS A MULTI MIXED USE TRAIL NETWORK COMING DOWN, BUT I WILL YIELD FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU MR. RELEASE. WE'LL FIRST GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. THANK YOU. AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE PARTICIPATING. BUT YOU ALSO ANSWERED THAT. AND I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE COMMITTEE. IS IT JUST GOING TO BE I GUESS LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, WILL RESIDENTS BE A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL THAT IS FORMED? MAYBE ONE RESIDENT FROM EACH CITY? SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, JUST SO YOU KNOW, ALL THE CITIES, IT'S EAST POINT, COLLEGE PARK, CITY OF SOUTH FULTON, PALMETTO, UNION CITY AND FAIRBURN. AND SO FOR THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, IT WOULD BE ACTUALLY EITHER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FROM EACH OF THE JURISDICTIONS WHO ARE, IF WE WIN THE GRANT, WOULD PARTICIPATE ON SELECTING CONSULTANT. ALRIGHT. AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS WILL YOU BE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS? BECAUSE AS A RESIDENT, I DO TAKE ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY. I TAKE ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY ALL THE WAY INTO THE CITY OF ATLANTA, AND SOMETIMES I TAKE IT DOWN TO CHATTAHOOCHEE. SO I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME INPUT FROM RESIDENTS AS WELL, BECAUSE YOU CAN TELL THE TRANSITION AS YOU'RE GOING FROM C TO C. AND THEN MY LAST FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS, ONCE THIS IS APPROVED, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU CAN COME BACK AND MAYBE GIVE QUARTERLY UPDATES AS TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT IT IS WE'RE EXACTLY LOOKING FOR? BECAUSE SOMETIMES ALONG THAT ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY CORRIDOR, YOU MAY HAVE A GROCERY STORE AND YOU MAY HAVE A GAS STATION. AND THEN, AS I SAID, AS YOU'RE GOING INTO THESE CITIES, YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE TRANSITION. ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY TAKES US THROUGH COLLEGE PARK. YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL MURALS. AND GOING BACK THE OTHER WAY THROUGH THE CITY OF SOUTH FULTON. I'M SORRY, BUT THERE ARE CAR LOTS AND GREEN MANOR RESTAURANT. YES. SO FOR YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YES, THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IT'S MANDATED BY THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION.

PART OF THE PROCESS FOR THEM TO HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING, PROBABLY BIMONTHLY, SO ONE FOR EACH OF THE JURISDICTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ARE HEARD.

SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH COUNCIL AND STAFF TO MAKE SURE IT REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO FOR THE FIRST POINT, THE SECOND POINT, TALKING ABOUT KIND OF WHERE THE PROPOSED FOCUS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY ACTUALLY CROSSES MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT NEEDS. AND SO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WOULD REALLY BE TAILORING THE GRANT APPLICATION, BUT THE CONSULTANTS WOULD BE MEETING WITH COUNCIL STAFF, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE THAT SUITS THE BEST NEEDS OF THE JURISDICTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS. COUNCILMEMBER FLEMING, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THE CITY. AND WITH THAT MAYOR PRO TEM, I MOVE THAT WE ALLOW THE DRAFTING OF AND PROPER SIGNATURES FOR THE LETTER OF COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE US 29 HIGHWAY AND ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY LCS STUDY REQUIRING A LOCAL LOCAL CONTRIBUTION OF $17,000. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLEMING, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER, THAT THIS BODY GRANTS AUTHORITY FOR A LETTER OF COMMITMENT TO BE DRAFTED IN SUPPORT OF US HIGHWAY 29 HIGHWAY AND ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY. LCI STUDY REQUIRING A LOCAL CONTRIBUTION OF $17,000. ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. THANK YOU. ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. HAVE

[02:45:05]

SO WE HAVE FOUR CITIES COMPLETED. AND THEN WE ALSO GETTING A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTA, WHO WON'T BE AN OFFICIAL PARTICIPANT IN THE PROGRAM SIMPLY BECAUSE HOW AEROTROPOLIS SET UP, WE ARE FOCUSED ON REALLY COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH FULTON. SO THE CITY OF LANTA, EVEN THOUGH WE WANT TO KEEP THEM ABREAST ON THE ACTUAL PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT, THEY WON'T BE OFFICIALLY A PART OF IT. BUT WE DO HAVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THEM AS WELL. PERFECT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROGERS. YES. LAST QUESTION. SO THE ROOSEVELT HIGHWAY AND EASTPOINT IS WHERE OUR SIGN MEETS RIGHT THERE AT THE CITY OF COLLEGE PARK. AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO WHERE GOING DOWN. WHERE DOES IT WHERE, WHERE. SO OPEN ROAD OR RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THE TYLER PERRY STUDIOS. SO THE I GUESS THE UPPERMOST TOP PORTION WOULD BE IN FRONT OF TYLER PERRY STUDIOS. RIGHT. AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY THE CITY OF PALMETTO AND ACTUALLY PAST PALMETTO INTO. BUT BECAUSE DOUGLAS COUNTY IS IN OUR FOCUS FOR THE AEROTROPOLIS, WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOLELY ON COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH FULTON. WE'LL BE STOPPING AT THE CITY OF PALMETTO. NO, I WANTED TO KNOW. EASTPOINT, THE THE PINPOINTS FOR THE CITY OF EASTPOINT. YES. SO. SO I GUESS THAT INTERSECTION. RIGHT. WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT FORT MCPHERSON, TODD PERRY STUDIOS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO REALLY THAT MAIN STREET RIGHT INTO GOING TO COLLEGE PARK. THANK YOU. YES. ANY MORE COMMENTS? OKAY. IF THERE ARE THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS. THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO GRANT THE AUTHORITY FOR A LETTER OF SUPPORT MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER HEMMINGS, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. SAY NAY. HEARING NONE.

THE AYES HAVE IT. THIS ITEM IS APPROVED. THANK YOU. OKAY, COUNCILMEMBERS, WE COME TO THE PART OF THE AGENDA FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. I'LL START WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY. MADAM ATTORNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? OF COURSE. ONE PERSONNEL, ONE REAL ESTATE, TWO LITIGATION. MR. CITY MANAGER, I DO NOT HAVE ANY. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS. YES.

COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN SAYS ONE REAL ESTATE, ONE PERSONNEL. COUNCILMEMBER FREELEY ONE PERSONNEL. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMEMBER JIMMY ONE REAL ESTATE. ONE REAL ESTATE. OKAY.

AND COUNCILMEMBER ZIEGLER THREE LEGAL. THREE LEGAL. AND I HAVE ONE REAL ESTATE. ANY OTHERS? OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND I'M JUST GOING TO SUMMARIZE THIS. WE'VE GOT FIVE LEGAL TWO

[XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

WE'RE NOW IN RECESS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.