Aug 17, 2026 City Council

[I. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER]

[00:01:03]

AMEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I AM REVEREND TANJI CLARK FROM THE SAINT PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. IT'S HONORED TO BE HERE. LET US PRAY. GRACIOUS GOD, OUR FATHER, FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING, THOU ART GOD. DEAR GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOUR PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING AND TO ENTER INTO YOUR COURTS WITH PRAISE. WE ARE THANKFUL UNTO YOU, AND WE BLESS YOUR HOLY NAME. DEAR GOD, WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD COLLECTIVELY UNIFY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. DEAR GOD, THE CONSTITUENTS IN ALL THAT ARE AFFECTED AND A PART OF THE CITY OF EAST POINT. WE ASK THAT YOU LET PHILANTHROPISTS COME, DEAR GOD, TO BLESS THIS CITY ECONOMICALLY. WE ASK THAT INTERFAITH OPPORTUNITIES COME SO THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS ONE. AND WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT THIS GREAT CITY AS YOU LEAD THEM ON TO GREATER HEIGHTS. THESE THINGS WE ASK IN THE MIGHTY AND MATCHLESS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AS BELIEVERS OF GOD, WE SAY, AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. AND THIS EVENING, OUR SERGEANT OF

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

[VI. ADOPTION OF THE COUNCIL AGENDA]

[00:05:04]

ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY MORE ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO ADD TO THE WORK SESSION? I'M SORRY TO ADJUST THE AGENDA FOR TODAY. HEARING NONE. COUNCIL. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? MADAM MAYOR? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA WITH THE EDITS AS PRESENTED AND STATED THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY. ALL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. COUNCIL, JUST BEFORE WE GO, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, CAN I GO AHEAD AND PUT THE ITEMS ON CONSENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME? OKAY, SO WE HAVE THE ITEMS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADOPTED. THIS IS SECTION EIGHT, ITEMS THREE THROUGH. 12. YEP. THEY'RE ALREADY ON CONSENT. SO WHEN YOU GET THERE YOU WILL MAKE A MOTION. OH I'M SORRY. I DO HAVE THAT. YES YES MA'AM. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMING.

ALRIGHT. AND SO COUNCIL, WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. SO WE HAVE THAT. OKAY. SO THE

[VII. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MINUTES]

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING ON AUGUST 3RD. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED THE MOTION. I SECOND. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? OKAY.

THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, JUST AT ONE POINT, SINCE THIS IS A PROCEDURAL MOTION IS DOES THAT AND IT'S NOT LIKE AN ACTUAL ITEM, DOES THAT STILL. OKAY.

JUST MAKING SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHTY. SO NOW WE WILL MOVE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT AT ALL? OKAY. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING SECTION OF THE AGENDA.

MADAM MAYOR, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. AND I'M SORRY. IN

[IX. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

SPEAKER SHALL OBSERVE ALL RULES AND DECORUM. NO DEBATE, DISRESPECT OR OBSCENITIES SHALL BE TOLERATED. THE PRESIDING OFFICER SHALL RULE ANY SUCH INDIVIDUALS OUT OF ORDER THAT

[00:10:02]

AND WE WANT TO HAVE A MONTH OFF VACATION. WE CALL THE RECESS DURING THE WHOLE MONTH OF JULY.

LET ME JUST SAY THIS TO YOU ALL. WHEN YOU CAME TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB, WHEN YOU KNOCKED ON DOORS, WHEN YOU CALL PEOPLE AND ASK THEM TO VOTE FOR YOU, YOU SAID YOU WANT TO WORK FOR US. YOU DON'T COME UP HERE AND CHANGE THE CONDITION OF YOUR EMPLOYMENT. YOU DON'T CHANGE THE DISTRICT. WHO CAN YOU DO THAT? DID ANYBODY DO THAT ON ANY JOB IN HERE? NO. IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE JOB ENTAILED, YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE TOOK IT. BECAUSE THIS IS WORK.

BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THE CITIZENS BUSINESS. AND SOMETIMES IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONG HOURS, LONG TIME TO SIT AND DEAL WITH IT. AND MAYBE IF YOU GUYS THOUGHT HE SHE SAID THIS, YOU SAY THAT THIS SAY THAT THEY DON'T VOTE, JUST GO AHEAD AND VOTE. AND MAYBE YOU GO AHEAD AND VOTE. YOU CAN GET OUT OF HERE EARLY. I'M JUST SAYING. BUT I WANT TO JUST MAKE HELP YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND. AND WE'RE WATCHING. WE'RE WATCHING YOU. WE'RE WATCHING AND WE DON'T LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MANY HOME RULE CHANGES. I WANT TO CHANGE THE CHARTER. WE WANT TO DO THIS TO ACCOMMODATE YOU, NOT THE CITIZENS. YOU DIDN'T GET UP

[00:15:04]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SHARON LOVETT 2830. THE LOW DRIVE. THE FIRST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, LACK OF COMMUNICATION. AND FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD ANY. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, EVERYBODY'S NOT ON IT. I'M ON IT, I GET IT, BUT I'M NOT GOING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, TO ANNOUNCE IT. OKAY. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A BETTER SOLUTION FOR COMMUNICATIONS. MAYBE YOU ALL COULD THINK ABOUT WHATEVER ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS THAT YOU'RE HAVING, PUT IT IN YOUR EVERYBODY'S BILL. AND THEN FOR AN EMERGENCY, WHETHER Y'ALL LIKE IT OR NOT, THE BEST THING IS A ROBO CALL. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ALL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A ROBO CALL. NOW YOU ALL GET $1,800 FOR COMMUNICATION, BUT NOW YOU WANT $5,000 AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT. MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE WHEN YOU'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING. I KNOW WARD A HASN'T DONE ANYTHING, AND IT'S ALMOST SEPTEMBER. WE HADN'T HEARD FROM MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND ME DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE. THE SECOND THING IS, ALL OF THESE YEARS I'VE NEVER HEARD I'VE BEEN HERE. DECEMBER WOULD BE 39 YEARS FROM ATLANTA, NEVER HEARD OF A CITY COUNCIL THAT DIDN'T WANT TO STAY PAST 1030. YOU ALL KNEW WHAT YOU WERE SIGNING UP FOR WHEN YOU RAN FOR OFFICE. I COULDN'T DO IT. THAT'S JUST ME. BUT GOD GAVE Y'ALL SOMETHING SPECIAL. SO IF YOU SIGN UP FOR IT, THEN DO THE JOB. YOU CAN'T LEAVE UNTIL THE CITY BUSINESS IS DONE. MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. AND YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE SIGNING UP FOR, SO WHY NOT DO IT? IF SOMETIMES THE PREVIOUS COUNCILS, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN COMING TO THE MEETINGS SINCE THE OLD CITY AUDITORIUM, BUT WE HAVE STAYED TO TEN, 12 AND 1:00 IN THE MORNING. THEY MIGHT HAVE STAYED LATE. I JUST WENT IN THAT MEETING. SO MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. SO THE OTHER THING. SO MANY RESIDENTS ARE ASKED OR BEING ASKED TO ACCEPT LESS SERVICE WHILE COUNCIL SEEKS MORE MONEY, FEWER MEETINGS AND MORE TIME OFF. MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. OKAY, THEY GET OFF AND IN DC, BUT THEY DOING SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT FOR THE ENTIRE COMPANY. THEY MAKE ABOUT WHAT, $187,000 I THINK A YEAR. BUT THEY ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. SO THE WORLD DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND ME AND IT DON'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU ALL EITHER. SO MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. SO THE AND THE LAST THING I HAVE FOR THAT, OKAY, WORE A YOU ALL NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH US SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR CITY BECAUSE WE AS OF TODAY, WE STILL DON'T KNOW. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM EITHER ONE. ALL THE OTHER ONES HAVE HAD MEETINGS, BUT NOT ONE DAY. WE DON'T. WE'RE NOT IN A SUBDIVISION. WE'RE IN THE CITY.

SO MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. AND WHAT'S GOING ON AS FAR AS THE BUDGET, MAYBE YOU ALL HAVE CAME TO A GOOD CONCLUSION AND THEN NOW YOU CAN PASS THE BUDGET. BUT I THINK SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG BECAUSE WE ARE DUE TO AUDITS AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I RETIRED FROM A MAJOR INSURANCE COMPANY. YOU HAD TO DO THE AUDIT EVERY YEAR. NO IFS, ANDS AND BUTS. SO Y'ALL NEED TO PUT ON YOUR BIG BOY AND BIG GIRL, YOU KNOW, AND DO YOUR JOB. ALL RIGHT. UP NEXT, WE HAVE MR. RALPH BERRY. HE HAD TIME GIVEN TO HIM BY MISS RUTH FLEMING. SO HE'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES AS WELL. MY NAME IS RALPH BERRY. I LIVE AT 2502 JEFFERSON TERRACE. AND IT'S

[00:20:06]

AS INTEREST IS DEFINED IN THE TF EMPHASIZED THAT SHE HAD NO INFORMATION AT ALL THAT WOULD JUSTIFY ACCUSING MR. JEREMY TAYLOR OF BENEFITING PERSONALLY. INSTEAD, COUNCIL DECIDED SIMPLY TO IGNORE THE WORD INTEREST. THAT IS, IT DECIDED TO ACT AS THOUGH THE PART OF THE ORDINANCE ABOUT HAVING ANY INTEREST JUST DID NOT MATTER. OF COURSE, IF YOU REMOVE THAT PART, THE SENTENCE NO LONGER MAKES ANY SENSE, AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT NO LONGER SAYS WHAT RELATION TO AN OFFICIAL ACTION SOMEONE WOULD NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO BE DISQUALIFIED. AFTER ALL, IF ALL THAT'S NEEDED TO DISQUALIFY MR. TAYLOR IS THAT DURING THE PRECEDING YEAR, THE CITY TOOK AN OFFICIAL ACTION. THEN EVERYONE WOULD BE DISQUALIFIED.

SO COUNCIL DECIDED TO SUBSTITUTE BEING INVOLVED FOR HAVING ANY INTEREST. THAT IS, COUNCIL DECIDED IT COULD DISQUALIFY MR. TAYLOR IF HE WERE MERELY INVOLVED IN AN OFFICIAL ACTION. IT DIDN'T MATTER WHETHER HE HAD ANY INTEREST IN IT. AND FOR THOSE WHO WONDER WHERE THE WORD INVOLVED CAME FROM, THEY CAN READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S FEBRUARY 4TH EMAIL TO COUNCIL MEMBER JEFFREY HEMMING THERE AFTER THE ATTORNEY SAYS THAT WHAT GIVES HER PAUSE IS THE SECTION IN THE CHARTER ABOUT HAVING AN INTEREST IN AN OFFICIAL ACTION. THE ATTORNEY ADDS, IF OR WHEN THE CITY TAKES OFFICIAL ACTION ON THE COMPLAINTS FILED BY YOUR PROPOSED CANDIDATE, THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED INVOLVED IN AN OFFICIAL ACTION AND ONCE MERELY BEING INVOLVED, TOOK THE PLACE OF HAVING ANY INTEREST, COUNCIL WAS ABLE TO DISQUALIFY MR. TAYLOR. OF COURSE, COUNCIL STILL NEEDED TO TALK FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF FIRST, BECAUSE, AS EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER KNEW, THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT SAY INVOLVED. IT SAYS HAS ANY INTEREST. AND NOWHERE IN THE CODE'S DEFINITIONS OF INTEREST OR BENEFIT DOES IT EVER OFFER BEING INVOLVED AS A POSSIBLE MEANING. I WILL NOT IMPUGN THE MOTIVES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WILL NOT SAY THAT THERE WERE COUNCIL MEMBERS AT THE AUGUST 3RD MEETING WHO WERE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO DISQUALIFY MR. TAYLOR. HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT ASSUMING EVERYONE ON COUNCIL ACTED IN GOOD FAITH AND THAT NO ONE FELT ANYTHING BUT GRATITUDE TO MR. TAYLOR AND TO ALL THE CITIZENS LIKE HIM WHO HAVE TRIED TO HOLD COUNCIL MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ALLEGEDLY UNETHICAL CONDUCT. I DO NOT KNOW WHY COUNCIL NEEDED

[00:25:07]

NOBODY HAS TO BE A LAWYER TO KNOW THAT THERE CAN BE NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS AN INTEREST. SO I'M CALLING ON COUNCIL TO CORRECT ITS MISTAKE TO ADHERE TO THE ORDINANCE AS IT IS WRITTEN, AND TO REINSTATE MR. TAYLOR. AND COUNCIL MIGHT WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO MR. TAYLOR TO. UP NEXT WE HAVE BRIAN ANDERSON. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I WANT TO START BY TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED THE PARETO PRINCIPLE OR THE 8020 RULE. IN SIMPLE TERMS, IT SUGGESTS THAT A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE CAN GENERATE A DISPROPORTIONATE, DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY OR ATTENTION. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL SHOULD KEEP IN MIND. THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE WHO CONSISTENTLY CRITICIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. THEY ARE CERTAINLY ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINIONS AND THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEM. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS. I SPENT SOME TIME TALKING WITH PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, NOT JUST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT OUT AND ABOUT, AND I'VE HEARD A VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM MANY RESIDENTS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE OUR CITY MANAGER IS DOING A GOOD JOB, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CONDITION OF THE CITY HE INHERITED. I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK HE'S DOING, AND I APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER'S CORNER VIDEO SERIES. IT'S AN EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH RESIDENTS AND EXPLAIN WHAT IS HAPPENING INSIDE OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED TRANSPARENCY. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. JONES. BUT I HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND CITY STAFF DISAGREEMENT IS HEALTHY. DISRESPECT IS NOT. YOU CAN CHALLENGE A CITY MANAGER.

YOU CAN CHALLENGE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER. YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH A POLICY OR DECISION. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ELECTED TO DO. BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING TOUGH AND BEING DISRESPECTFUL. I THINK SOME OF THAT LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED. I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE HERE THAT PEOPLE WATCHING THESE MEETINGS AREN'T LIMITED TO THE RESIDENTS SITTING IN THIS ROOM. BUSINESSES ARE WATCHING, POTENTIAL INVESTORS ARE WATCHING, FUTURE EMPLOYEES ARE WATCHING, AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES ARE WATCHING. PEOPLE WHO MAY BE CONSIDERING BRINGING THEIR BUSINESSES, THEIR JOBS OR THEIR INVESTMENT TO EASTPOINTE ARE WATCHING. AND THEY AREN'T JUST LISTENING TO WHAT YOU SAY, BUT HOW YOU SAY IT. YOUR ATTITUDE, YOUR DEMEANOR, AND THE WAY YOU TREAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE CONSEQUENCES THAT YOU MAY NOT ANTICIPATE. AND FINALLY, I'LL BE HONEST ABOUT SOMETHING I HAVE PAUSED ABOUT SOME OF THE VOTES I'VE CAST IN THE PAST. I HAVE VERY HIGH HOPES FOR THIS COUNCIL. AFTER THE DEPARTURE OF SOME OF THE PREVIOUS MEMBERS, I THOUGHT WE MIGHT SEE A FRESH START, A DIFFERENT TONE, BETTER COOPERATION, AND A STRONGER FOCUS ON GETTING EASTPOINTE MOVING FORWARD. UNFORTUNATELY, AT TIMES IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE GETTING MORE OF THE SAME. I HOPE I'M WRONG BECAUSE EASTPOINTE DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER COUNCIL. CONSUMED BY PERSONALITIES, GRUDGES AND POLITICAL BATTLES, WE NEED A COUNCIL FOCUSED ON SOLVING PROBLEMS, REBUILDING TRUST, FIXING OUR FINANCES, AND MAKING THIS CITY AND MAKING THIS A CITY PEOPLE ARE PROUD TO CALL HOME. PLEASE PASS THE BUDGET TONIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MISS MALAYA CRAWFORD. MISS CRAWFORD, MALAYA CRAWFORD. I'LL SAY IT. CORRECT. NOPE. ALL RIGHT. OH. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR KEISHA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MALAYA CRAWFORD. I OWN

[00:30:15]

BUT BUT WITH WHAT? LIKE THE BUDGET STILL HASN'T BEEN APPROVED. HOW ARE PEOPLE GETTING PAID? AND I'M LIKE, REALLY SURPRISED THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN LIKE A SHUTDOWN WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AT THIS POINT. BECAUSE WHAT MONEY DO WE HAVE? SO WHAT THE ACTUAL BUDGET WITH THE DETAILS OF IT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, OKAY, 5000 IS GOING TO BE FOR WHATEVER THIS IS GOING TO BE FOR WHATEVER, LIKE A BIG UMBRELLA OF WHAT IT IS WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AS FAR AS THE BUDGET, LIKE THE BROKEN DOWN DETAILS OF IT. I KNOW WE NEED TO CROSS THE T'S AND DOT THE I'S AND ALL OF THAT, BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE, WHAT IS THIS, THE 17TH GOING INTO THE 18TH MONTH? NOW THAT'S A LONG TIME TO NOT HAVE A BUDGET GOING. ALSO, HOW DO WE DO AN EXTENSION? LIKE IF WE KNEW OKAY, HOLD ON. WE'RE NOT READY WITH THE BUDGET YET. LET'S GET AN EXTENDED SOMETHING JUST TO SAY, OKAY, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, Y'ALL. IT, WE HAVEN'T FORGOT ABOUT IT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO EXTEND IT SO WE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT'S WHAT WITHIN THE BUDGET, HOW TO ACTUALLY BREAK IT DOWN AND HAVE LIKE A MORE LIKE, SUCCINCT, DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE AS FAR AS WHAT'S BEING SPENT UP IN EASTPOINTE, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT RELY ON WHAT A BUDGET IS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST SPEND FRIVOLOUSLY. I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE, THEY SPEND IT, GET IT RIGHT BACK. SOMETIMES YOU DON'T HAVE THAT. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AS FAR AS HAVING AN IDEA OF WHAT WE CAN DO IN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS, WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE COMMUNITY, HOW WE CAN HELP OTHERS, I GUESS, GET JOBS AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS EASTPOINTE.

BUT IT'S HARD TO DO THAT IF YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE. WE CAN GO OFF OF LAST YEAR'S OR WHENEVER THE LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS, BUT THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE EXPENSES. WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. BUT JUST LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT IS THE BUDGET? WHAT DO WE HAVE? LET'S GET SOMETHING GOING.

LIKE AS FAR AS SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE. EAST POINT, WHAT DO YOU THINK? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. UP NEXT, WE HAVE LEE MONSTER, WHO ALSO HAD TIME GIVEN TO THEM BY OPAL BAKER. SO THEY'LL HAVE SIX MINUTES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK A LOT OF WHAT I WANTED TO SAY THIS EVENING HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT I REALLY WANT TO IMPRESS UPON YOU. THANK YOU FOR AGREEING OR WINNING YOUR SEATS AND SPENDING THE TIME THAT YOU ARE SPENDING. THANK YOU. AND THAT INCLUDES YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER AND OUR ATTORNEY. THANK YOU. I AM IN FAVOR OF YOU GUYS WORKING MORE EFFICIENTLY AND NOT LONGER.

PROBABLY MOST OF YOU HAVE COME HERE FROM WORK AND YOU ARE DEAD TIRED, TRYING TO MAKE SOME MAJOR DECISIONS ABOUT OUR CITY. I BELIEVE EFFICIENCY IS THE KEY. I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO WORK THE WAY THEY USED TO WORK. AND YOU'RE HERE UNTIL ONE AND 2:00 IN THE MORNING. THAT MAKES NO SENSE. SO FIND A WAY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THE WAY I SEE YOU NOW. AND BACK TO BRIAN'S POINT IS, PEOPLE ARE WATCHING. THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND QUITE HONESTLY, YOU DON'T ALWAYS LOOK GOOD. YOU LOOK LIKE SOMETIMES KIDS ON A PLAYGROUND. AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR US AS A CITY. IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER. WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANT, BUT

[00:35:05]

APPARENTLY ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER WERE FREQUENTLY IGNORED AND PERSONAL POWER PLAYS TOOK PRECEDENCE. IT WAS A CONDUCT UNBECOMING OF ADULTS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO PLAN A LOCAL RETREAT TO RECEIVE MUCH NEEDED INSTRUCTION ON PARLIAMENTARIAN BEHAVIOR.

COUNCIL CHOSE TO REMOVE JEREMY TAYLOR FOR FILING STATE LEVEL ETHICS COMPLAINTS, HIS CITY ETHICS COMMISSION, HIS CITY ETHICS COMMISSION POST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STATE ETHICS BOARD. A RELATIVE OF A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, RIGHT, WAS NEVER A QUESTION AND EVEN SPOKE BEFORE YOU SEVERAL WEEKS AGO AT A COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT HER RELATIVE ON COUNCIL. AND YET HER CONFLICTS FOR THE COMMENTS AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INDIVIDUAL THAT THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED AGAINST WERE NEVER EVEN QUESTIONED. WHEN A JUDGE HAS A CONFLICT WITH A PARTY BEFORE HIM OR HER, THE JUDGE RECUSES HIMSELF FROM THAT MATTER, NOT FROM THE BENCH.

IF THE JUDGE REFUSES TO REMOVE HIMSELF, THE STATE JUDICIAL COMMISSION WILL STEP IN. WHEN THE LAST BUDGET FOR WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN CONCERTS WAS ADOPTED, IT WAS $400,000 FOR FOUR CONCERTS. YET THAT WAS IGNORED AND 500,000 WAS SPENT IN JUST TWO CONCERTS. PREVIOUS COUNCIL AND SEVERAL YEARS SITTING UP HERE NEVER RAISED AN ISSUE WITH THE EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES WHICH HAD GONE ON FOR YEARS. LET'S FACE IT, CITY BOOKS WERE A DISASTER. YET MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND MANY CITIZENS ARE BLAMING THE CURRENT MANAGER. WHEN COUNCIL CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS PROBLEMS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S TIME TO STOP THE REVOLVING DOOR FOR EASTPOINTE CITY MANAGERS. YOU FAILED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR POOR COUNCIL OVERSIGHT. THIS MAYOR HAS TRIED. THIS MANAGER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT WHAT YOU FAILED TO DO. IT IS TIME TO PLACE THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS WITH YOURSELVES AND THOSE WHO REFUSE TO SEEK THE DOCUMENTS AND DO THE TONS OF HOURS PUTTING TOGETHER THE MESS THAT I REVIEWED. FOR EXAMPLE, TO SEE JUST HOW MUCH HARM HAS BEEN DONE AND HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT BEYOND THE BUDGET THAT BELONGED TO THE TAXPAYERS. PLEASE PASS THE BUDGET TONIGHT, OR THOSE OF US IN THE CITY WHO WILL SEEK INVESTIGATIONS OF THE CITY BY THE STATE AG'S OFFICE. IN ADDITION, FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE FUNNELED THROUGH THE CITY, THROUGH TO THE CITY, THROUGH THE STATE. UNLESS THE CITY MEETS REQUIREMENTS, NO MONEY WILL REACH THE CITY. WE DO NOT WANT TO HURT THE CITY AND NOT ADDRESS SERIOUS PROBLEMS FACING

[00:40:02]

NEXT WE HAVE KENDALL PHILLIPS. MY NAME IS KENDALL PHILLIPS AND I AM A WARD. A RESIDENT. LAST MEETING I SPOKE ABOUT FACTS OVER FEELINGS. THIS WEEK'S THEME IS MISSING THE POINT. I SAID THAT THE SAFETY SCHOOL LIGHT AT PAUL D WEST IS FAULTY. IT BLINKS AT 915 AT NIGHT ON A TUESDAY. IT DOES NOT BLINK DURING THE DAY WHEN CHILDREN ARE ACTUALLY WALKING TO SCHOOL.

YOU SAID, DON'T WORRY, YOU WON'T GET A TICKET. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER THAT I WON'T GET A TICKET. THE PROBLEM IS THE LIGHT DOESN'T WORK. I ASKED HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE ACCOUNT. YOU SAID $15,000, THEN $309,000. THEN $450,000. YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT. THE POINT IS THAT THE NUMBER SHOULD ALREADY BE DOCUMENTED ON PAPER, READY TO PRODUCE. WHEN ASKED, A COUNCIL MEMBER SAID, SOME RESIDENTS THINK THERE'S $2 MILLION OUT THERE. I'M THE RESIDENT, THOUGH FROM MY DOCUMENTS, I BELIEVE THERE'S A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS LESS THAN THAT. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. THE POINT IS NOT WHETHER I'M RIGHT OR WRONG ABOUT THE NUMBER. THE POINT IS, I HAVE FILED OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS FOR 14 MONTHS, AND NOT ONE PERSON HAS COME UP HERE AND SAID, MISS PHILLIPS, I SEE WHY YOU'RE THINKING THAT YOU ARE WRONG HERE. THE RECEIPTS. THAT GIVES ME EVERY REASON TO KEEP ASKING. YOU OFFERED ME A PRIVATE MEETING TO DISCUSS THE MATTER. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. I DON'T WANT A PRIVATE MEETING. EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO KNOW, NOT JUST ME. THE POINT IS, $22,000 AT $80 A PIECE FOR ISSUED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 2025 AND MARCH 2026. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THAT MONEY? A RESIDENT'S CAR CAR REGISTRATION GOT HELD UP OVER UNPAID CITATIONS. AFTER A PHONE CALL, SOMEONE RESCHEDULED HER COURT CASE. COURT DATE? PERSONALLY, YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. THAT SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON ONE PHONE CALL. IT SHOULD BE STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR EVERYONE. SOMEONE LAUGHED AND SAID, OH, WHAT FUN! OR ACCORDING TO SOME RESIDENTS, THERE'S MONEY TO USE. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. AGAIN, I AM THAT RESIDENT AND IT IS NOT A JOKE. IT IS $450,000. THE CONTRACT SAYS THAT THE MONEY COMES IN MONTHLY ON THE 15TH.

LAST WEEK THE COUNCIL WAS TOLD IT COMES IN QUARTERLY. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. TWO DIFFERENT ANSWERS. SAME FUN. YOU TELL US THE $11 MILLION IS RESTRICTED. YOU TELL US THE RED SPEED FUND 217 IS RESTRICTED TO. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. THE POINT IS COMPLETING AN AUDIT.

NOW, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT STOCKBRIDGE. A 21 PAGE INVESTIGATION. A SUSPENDED MAYOR LOCKED DOORS, AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATOR OVER ONE HOTEL NIGHT, ONE PICTURE FRAME IN A $38 UBER EATS ORDER HERE. $450,000 GETS A LAUGH IN A WORK SESSION. YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT. THE MONEY WAS NEVER THE PROBLEM. THE SILENCE AROUND IT IS. I DID NOT COME UP HERE TO POINT OUT WHAT'S BROKEN. EVERY DOLLAR IN THIS ACCOUNT CAME FROM A RESIDENT. NOT A BOND, NOT A GRANT, A PERSON, A CITATION, A PAYMENT OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET THAT DESERVES A STANDARD. DO WE HAVE LEFT? THAT'S IT. OKAY. I'M SORRY, BUT, MISS ARNOLD, WERE YOU SPEAKING SEPARATELY, OR WERE YOU OKAY? YES. OKAY, OKAY. COME ON, MISS ARNOLD. MISS KAVON ARNOLD IS UP NEXT. KAVON ARNOLD, 2465 MAIN STREET. I LIVE IN WARD B. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED DURING LAST WEEK'S WORK SESSION. COUNCIL MEMBERS HARMON AND ATKINS SUGGESTED THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER GIVING ITSELF A RECESS DURING THE YEAR, AS WELL AS REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEETINGS. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH BOTH.

LET ME BE REAL CLEAR WITH Y'ALL IF COUNCIL VOTES TO GIVE HIMSELF A RECESS, THEN COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE PAID DURING THAT RECESS POINT BLANK PERIOD. WE WERE YOU WERE ELECTED TO CONDUCT YOURSELF, WHICH MEANS YOU'LL BE COMPENSATED FOR HANDLING THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DESIGNATE WEEKS WHEN COUNCIL WILL NOT MEET AND CITY BUSINESS WILL NOT BE CONDUCTED, THEN TAXPAYERS SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE PAYING YOU

[00:45:01]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF EASTPOINTE. I'M A RESIDENT OF SOUTHWEST ATLANTA, AND I APPRECIATE YOU ALL GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I WANT TO BE CLEAR. MY MOTIVE HERE TONIGHT IS NOT TO TELL ANYONE THAT HE'S PLANNING WHAT TO DO. I'M ONLY HERE BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE VALUE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING A STRONGER EASTPOINTE BENEFITS US ALL. NOW, WHERE I LIVE IN SOUTHWEST ATLANTA AND MANY OF THESE POINTS BY BIRTHPLACE BY BY THE WAY, AND I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ATLANTA, EASTPOINTE THAT I'VE GROWN UP WITH AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS GOING INTO THE FUTURE. I WAS BORN ON WASHINGTON ROAD IN CAMP CREEK IN WASHINGTON MANOR. I REMEMBER GROWING UP WATCHING THE AIRPLANES AND FEELING LIKE YOU CAN TOUCH THEM. MY FAMILY FOUGHT IN THE TOWN. IT FELT GOOD. THEY COULD JUST TAKE A THREE MINUTE RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT AND STOP AT OUR HOUSE BEFORE THEY GO TO EXPERIENCE EASTPOINTE, ATLANTA OR WHEREVER THEY HAD TO GO. MY SON. NOW, AS WE LIVE IN SOUTHWEST ATLANTA, HE PLAYS BALL AT EASTPOINTE, WORKS AT THE TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE KNOW THE IMPACT TRI-CITIES HIGH SCHOOL HAS HAD ON THE METRO ATLANTA AREA, EASTPOINTE AND THE STATE OF GEORGIA. EASTPOINTE IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE. AND AS WE KNOW TODAY, AS I'VE TALKED WITH SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO I'VE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN SOUTHWEST ATLANTA IS MY CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT TOUCHES EASTPOINTE ON CAMDEN AND ON CAMP CREEK AND GREENBRIER AND HAMMOND. WE SHARE THOSE AREAS TOGETHER, SO WE KNOW WHAT CAMP CREEK MARKETPLACE MEANS TO THE CITY OF ATLANTA AND EASTPOINTE AND FULTON COUNTY. THAT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. WE SEE GREENBRIER NOW HAS DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD BE COMING THAT REDEVELOPS THE DISCOUNT MALL THAT IS A ATLANTA EASTPOINTE PROPERTY. WE SHARE THAT TOGETHER. WE SEE THE GROCERY STORE COMING TO THE RAILROAD. THAT'S RIGHT BY THE LAW, WHERE YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT OFF THAT GROCERY STORE AS WELL. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS OF ATLANTA. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT IF EAST POINT DOES WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, THEN ALL OUR COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE. AND I THINK HIS NAME IS MR. BRANDON. WHEN HE SPOKE. PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YOU ALWAYS DUTY TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF EASTPOINTE. THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS HERE TODAY. AND AS YOU ALL'S JOB. BUT AS I'M A CITIZEN OF ATLANTA AND THE REST OF FULTON COUNTY, THEY HAVE EYES ON EASTPOINTE. THEY SEE THE BEHAVIOR. THEY SEE THE LACK OF COLLABORATION. THEY SEE THE LACK OF PARTNERSHIP. THEY SEE THE HARD CRITIQUES AND ALL THAT COMES WITH POLITICS.

BUT I, I AM JUST HERE TO BE A SUPPORT SYSTEM TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF, OF TAKING THIS JOB SERIOUSLY AND WORKING TOGETHER TO BE THE NORTH STAR FOR THE CONSTITUENTS OF EASTPOINTE. AND IF YOU ALL GET THIS BUDGET PASSED AND YOU ALL MOVE FORWARD AND ABLE TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION OR, OR IN PUBLIC AND ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER, WE DON'T CARE. OR THE PEOPLE I CAN PROUDLY SAY PROBABLY SAY THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU GET ALONG OR NOT. NOBODY CARES ABOUT THAT. BUT CAN YOU WORK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF EASTPOINTE? AND THAT'S ALL THIS IS ABOUT. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SPEAK. ALTHOUGH I DON'T LIVE HERE, WE'RE NEIGHBORS, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ONE COMMUNITY. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ALL SERVICE. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL'S TIME, AND GOD BLESS YOU. THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS WE HAVE THIS EVENING. OKAY. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT. AND AS WE HAVE NO MORE SPEAKERS

[X. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL]

[00:50:05]

DIRECTIVES HAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWED. THE 2024 AUDIT IS STILL OUTSTANDING AND FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD, EASTPOINTE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WORKED ON THE BUDGET. WE LOST OUR BOND RATING.

THE CITY MANAGER KNEW THIS. IN JANUARY, COUNCIL FOUND OUT FOUR MONTHS LATER HE KNEW IT, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. WHEN THE CITY MANAGER FAILS TO PERFORM HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL REFUSE TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE, THE CONSEQUENCES BELONG TO ALL OF US AND THE RESIDENTS PAY THE PRICE. IT IS ABOUT EAST POINT, GEORGIA, WHICH INCLUDES TRANSPARENCY, RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PROPER STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYERS DOLLARS. WE WERE NOT ELECTED TO PROTECT THE CITY MANAGER FROM ACCOUNTABILITY. WE WERE ELECTED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF EAST POINT, AND AT THIS TIME THIS IS.

THE COMMENTER CAME AND TALKED ABOUT THE FAULTY LIGHT AT PAULDING WEST. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO LOOK INTO THE FAULTY LIGHT THAT SHE IS MENTIONED TWICE ON THE PUBLIC RECORD AT PAUL D WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU.

SECOND. SECOND. I HAVE A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? THANK YOU. NO DISCUSSION. OH, CAN WE ALSO ADD TO THAT? BECAUSE HER REQUEST ALSO INCLUDED A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE LAST, I THINK, 18 MONTHS OF THE RED SPEED ZONE REVENUE AND ALSO HIS EXPENDITURES. SHE ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE PROPOSED USE OF THE FUNDS. AND SO I'D LIKE ALSO TO SEE HOW THEY HAVE BEEN USED, THE REMAINING BALANCES. SO I'D LIKE TO ADD TO HERS NOT JUST A REVIEW OF THAT FAULTY LIGHT, BUT ALSO TO GIVE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE LAST 18 MONTHS OF THE FULL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF THIS RED SPEED ACCOUNT. SO, OH, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

OKAY, THE ITEM HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL. NO. WE'RE GOING TO ADD THIS TO THE AMENDMENT. I'M SORRY TO THE ACTUAL MOTION, MADAM MAYOR, GET A SECOND ON COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMINGS ADDITIONS SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION THAT JUST PASSED TO ADD A 18 MONTH REVIEW OF THE SPEED CAMERAS. AND THAT HAS PASSED. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH WAS TO GO AHEAD.

COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS. THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF, PARDON ME, TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO LOOK INTO THE COMPLAINTANT OR NOT THE COMPLAINTANT, BUT TO LOOK INTO THE FAULTY LIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I PICKED UP FROM THE CONVERSATION.

I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE, BUT TO LOOK INTO THE FAULTY LIGHT AT PAUL DE WEST, BECAUSE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT SHE HAS COME AND MENTIONED THAT. SO THAT IS THE MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO LOOK INTO INVESTIGATE THE FAULTY LIGHT AT PAUL DE WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL SO WE CAN DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO DIRECT STAFF. SO WE'RE GOING TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO AND THE DIRECTOR. CITY MANAGER HAVE TO HAVE STAFF LOOK INTO THE FAULTY LIGHT AT PAUL DE WEST. MADAM MAYOR, PLUS THE GO AHEAD. THE FULL MOTION NOW IS A MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO LOOK INTO THE FAULTY LIGHT AT PAUL DE WEST AND TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE THE REVENUE OF THE THE LIGHTS THAT THAT'S COLLECTED FOR THE LIGHT. AND SO BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMINGS ADDITION PASSED. NOW THAT'S YOUR FULL MOTION.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? CAN I GET A POINT OF CLARIFICATION FIRST? GO AHEAD. YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THE SECOND BEFORE WE DID THE MOTION. GET THE SECOND. YEAH. IS THAT INCLUDING MORE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK? YES. 18 MONTHS. YES. THE

[00:55:01]

WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS WHAT SHE'S ASKING FOR IS A TOTAL JUST ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL OF THE MONEY THAT THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTED FOR THE RED SPEED. OKAY. WELL, WELL, LOOK, I I'M BEING TOLD THAT WE GAVE INFORMATION ON EVERY MONTH SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED. SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME DISCONNECT MAYBE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION BECAUSE IT WAS A PRETTY, A PRETTY THICK PACKET OF INFORMATION THAT WAS SENT OUT. OKAY. SO BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH AN ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION, CAN WE JUST CLARIFY, MADAM CITY CLERK, WHAT THE FINAL MOTION WITH MOTION WE ARE ON RIGHT NOW? I HAVE THE MOTION TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF TO LOOK AT THE FAULTY LIGHT AT PAUL D WEST, AND A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE REVENUE. IS THAT MOTION ACCURATE? OKAY. FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS, FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS. OKAY. SO. COUNCILMAN ATKINS, DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? OH, YES. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CITIZENS WHO'VE COME OUT TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS THIS EVENING. WE DO HEAR YOU. WE NEED TO DISPOSE THE MOTION. I WASN'T IN FOR THAT, SO I DON'T KNOW. SO THERE ARE THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. WE CAN NOW MOVE ON TO COUNCILMAN ATKINS'S COMMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CITIZENS WHO'VE COME OUT TO SPEAK THIS EVENING AND WHETHER YOU PARTICIPATED IN SPEAKING OR JUST HERE TO OBSERVE. I DO APPRECIATE YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ON OUR BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF HERE IN THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE. SO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT ON MONDAY, AUGUST 31ST, I'LL BE PARTNERING AGAIN WITH THE FULTON ATLANTA COMMUNITY ACTION AUTHORITY AND SAINT PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. WE HAVE 100 SLOTS FOR UTILITY ASSISTANCE FOR THIS EVENT. I ENCOURAGE EASTPOINTE RESIDENTS WHO MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO COME OUT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL BE THERE FROM 9 A.M. TO 4 P.M. OR UNTIL THE SLOTS RUN OUT, AND THE CHURCH IS LOCATED AT 2870 HEADLAND DRIVE. ALSO ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2026, MELBA'S CHARITABLE HEART FOUNDATION WILL BE HOLDING ITS SECOND ANNUAL FALL PREVENTION WORKSHOP FOR SENIORS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE BOWDEN CENTER AND WILL FEATURE DOCTORS, PHARMACISTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND OTHERS WHO WILL PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN MAKING SURE THAT SENIORS CAN AGE IN PLACE WITH NO FALLS OR VERY FEW FALLS AT ALL. AND FINALLY, THIS WEEK, THURSDAY, THE ARTS EXCHANGE, WHICH IS LOCATED HERE IN EASTPOINTE AND COLONIAL HILLS, WILL BE HAVING THEIR PRESERVING PERSONAL COLLECTIONS WORKSHOP WITH CONSERVATORS FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY'S LIBRARY AND THE CARLOS MUSEUM. SO IF YOU'VE GOT OLD PHOTOS OR FAMILY DOCUMENTS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN HOW TO PRESERVE, PLEASE COME OUT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT INFORMATION. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE FROM 630 TO 830 THIS THURSDAY. AND, MADAM MAYOR, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE MY

[01:00:01]

YOU WANTED US TO DIRECT THE FIRE PERSONNEL TO COME OUT? NO, I WAS ASKING IF WE COULD HAVE A FIRE UNIT TO COME OUT TO DO BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS AND TO SIGN FAMILIES UP FOR SMOKE DETECTOR INSTALLATIONS. AND SO WE DID THAT LAST YEAR FOR THIS EVENT. AND SO WE DID A MOTION FOR THAT, AND THE CITY MANAGER THEN WORKED WITH FIRE TO HAVE THEM TO COME OUT. OKAY. BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE FIRE COME OUT. THAT'S COMPLETELY FINE. IF THE MOTION IS TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE THE FIRE TO COME OUT, TO DO BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKS AND TO SIGN FAMILIES UP FOR SMOKE DETECTOR INSTALLATIONS, AND THEN ALSO TO PROMOTE THIS INFORMATION, TO GET AS MANY CITIZENS AS POSSIBLE INVOLVED.

THANK YOU. OTHER. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY MORE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION? NO. YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES. COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE RESIDENTS. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT YOU'VE MADE AROUND THE BUDGET.

ALSO, THE PERFORMANCE AND EXPECTATIONS OF BEHAVIORS OF COUNCIL. I ALSO WANT TO SPECIFICALLY SAY TO YOU, MISS LOVETT IN WARD A THAT I AM WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER A TOWN HALL, BRINGING TOGETHER THE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE PROJECT THAT'S BEING WORKED ON AND OTHERS. I AGREE THAT I HAVE NOT HAD A PUBLIC FORUM, BUT I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE PUBLIC MEETINGS. BUT I HEAR YOUR REQUEST AND IT WILL BE ADDRESSED. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY IS THAT IT'S UNFORTUNATE TO SHARE THIS NEWS, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THAT MR. BERNARD ELDER OF PENROSE DRIVE, PASSED AWAY THIS PAST SUNDAY.

IF YOU ARE IN THAT AREA OF FOREST ACRES, PENROSE, YOU KNOW THAT HE WAS THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO MOVE ON TO PENROSE, AND HE'S A GEM OF THE COMMUNITY AND HE WILL BE MISSED. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND LET YOU KNOW THAT THE ACCOMMODATE THE THE EXCUSE ME, THE SERVICES FOR MISTER ELDER WILL BE ON AUGUST 29TH. SHOULD YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR CONDOLENCES WITH THE FAMILY OR OTHERS OF THE FOREST ACRES COMMUNITY, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND I WILL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. BUT HE WAS A STALWART IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE MAINLY FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH COUNCIL AS WE NAVIGATE THIS BUDGET PROCESS. SOME OF US, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME AND FOR THE FIRST TIME TOGETHER, WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD OUR SHARES OF UPS AND DOWNS, AGREEMENTS AND DISAGREEMENTS. AND WHILE I STILL HAVE A FEW CONCERNS WITH THE BUDGET, I DO THAT THAT I BELIEVE WILL REQUIRE SOME CONTINUED ATTENTION. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE MADE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS. FOR ME, THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN FILLED WITH LEARNING LESSONS, MANY OF WHICH WERE STATED TONIGHT BY RESIDENTS. WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB IN COLLABORATING WITH ONE ANOTHER, BEING MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. I DO HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT.

MICROSOFT WILL BE HOSTING THEIR COMMUNITY MURAL PAINT DAY. THIS IS AT OUR NEWEST. WELL, ACTUALLY, I'LL SAY OUR FIRST GREEN SPACE IN WARD D, OUR FIRST POCKET PARK THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 29TH BETWEEN 11 A.M. AND 4 P.M. THE ADDRESS IS 4165 BEN HILL ROAD, EAST POINT, GEORGIA. AND THERE'S JUST MAYBE ONE REQUIREMENT. YOU MUST BE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OLD TO PARTICIPATE, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP MAKE THE PARK BEAUTIFUL.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? OKAY. HEARING. NONE OF SO DOING. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ONE PROCEDURAL THING. DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAID THEY WANT THAT THEY HAD MATTERS OF CONCERN ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ALSO ADDRESS OTHER CONCERNS, INCLUDING THE MEETING. SO THE BUDGET HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR TONIGHT. THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ADVISED THAT THE CHAIR THAT I MAY CONSIDER AMENDING THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHICH THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE ARE IN NOW, AND CAN CONCLUDE THAT WE CAN MOVE THIS AGENDA ITEM UP. AND SO BEFORE I DO

[01:05:07]

[XIV.13. Council Discussion and Possible Action on the FY 2027 Budget ]

WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF BUDGET MEMORANDUMS FROM MYSELF LAYING OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

AND THEN ANOTHER BUDGET MEMORANDUM FOCUSED IN ON OPTION B, WHICH IS PREPARED FOR SECOND READING AND POTENTIAL APPROVAL THIS EVENING. SO WITH THAT, THE GENERAL OVERALL BUDGET IS $197,787,804. OUT OF THAT, THE GENERAL FUND. OPERATING BUDGET MAKES UP $69,574,964. OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET IS MAKES UP A TOTAL WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. CORRIDOR

[01:10:02]

OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS. WE ADDRESSED THE MC T FUND. WHY THAT IS IMPORTANT. THAT WAS NEEDED DUE TO A BUDGET IMBALANCE THAT WE COULD NOT CLOSE IN OUR POWER DEPARTMENT.

THE MC T FUND IS SPECIFICALLY JUST FOR POWER, AND WE NEEDED TO TRANSFER OUT OF THAT FUND TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, TO PRESENT A BALANCED BUDGET, SOLID WASTE CONTINUES TO HAVE CHALLENGING PROBLEMS, BUT GENERAL FUND WAS ABLE TO BALANCE THAT BUDGET. WE ARE LOOKING AT REVENUES THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL IN THE NEXT SERIES OF MONTHS, LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS, AND WE ALSO HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION REGARDING THE WATER SEWER DEPARTMENT, WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, WATER, SEWER ISSUES, INCLUDING THE ABILITY OF MOST RESERVES. AND SO WE HAD A LONG DISCUSSION. WE RECOMMENDED WITH OPTION B THAT WE LOOKED AT THOSE ADDITIONAL WATER PROJECTS, BUT WE LOOKED AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF LOOKING AT RESERVES THAT WE EXPECT TO COME IN. WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE RESERVES, SOME OUTSTANDING DEBTS THAT WE EXPECT FROM SOME OF THE PROVIDERS THAT WE THAT WE PROVIDE TO US. AND WE EXPECT TO COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL ONCE THOSE RESERVES ARE REALIZED.

WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OR FIRST OF THE YEAR, CALENDAR YEAR, IN JANUARY OF 2027. SO SO FOR TONIGHT, BELIEVE WE HAVE ANSWERED ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS PRESENTED. AND JUST, JUST YESTERDAY ACTUALLY. AND THAT'S IN THE MEMO RANDOM THAT I'VE PREPARED THAT IT SHOULD ALSO BE IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL THIS EVENING. THAT I CLOSE MY PRESENTATION. OKAY. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER JONES. FIRST, WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL AND THEN WE WILL MOVE TO COUNCILMAN MITCHELL AND. THANK YOU, MADAM CITY CLERK.

CAN WE PULL UP THE BUDGET BOOK? SO I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. I MAY HAVE ANSWERED IT IN THIS LAST COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IN THIS QUESTION IS FOR CITY MANAGER, IF I COULD, MADAM MAYOR, THE COUNCIL APPROVED REESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION WITH FUNDING OF $250,000. I WANT TO SEE WHERE THAT IS LISTED IN THE BUDGET, BECAUSE I HAD A HARD TIME FINDING IT, AND IT DOESN'T EXPLICITLY STATE IT. AND ACTUALLY, I CAN DIRECT YOU TO A COUPLE OF PAGES THAT'S LEADING TO SOME OF THE CONFUSION, FIRST PAGE BEING PAGE 29. WELL, ACTUALLY, IF YOU WANT TO START OFF AT PAGE 105. I'M SORRY, 106.

WHILE SHE'S PULLING THAT UP, I THINK THE ANSWER IS THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKELY SEE SOMETHING CALLED THE OFFICE OF EQUITY INCLUSION BY, BY NAME. SO I THINK I CANNOT, AS IN THE CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY, GET RID OF A DEPARTMENT. SO TO REESTABLISH IT NEVER WAS DECOMMISSIONED OR DISESTABLISHED, IF YOU WILL. THAT'S A WORD. WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WAS TO TAKE THE EMPLOYEES. AND AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DEPARTMENT BEING

[01:15:01]

THAT'S THE ADJUSTMENT THAT WAS MADE. THAT'S THE $250,000 THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR. SO THAT IS IT. IS THERE. THAT'S IT. OKAY. THAT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED. I DIDN'T SEE IT. I DID A SEARCH FOR IT AND IT DIDN'T PULL UP. BUT THAT'S WHAT IT'S SO IT'S IT'S HOUSED RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT MONEY IS HOUSED. BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION THAT IT IS THERE, THE $250,000. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT THAT'S WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY HOUSED. OKAY. IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE CITY MANAGER JUST MENTIONED, BUT WE DID AS COUNCIL COME TO AN AGREEMENT, AND THAT WAS A PART OF THE DIRECTIVE THAT WAS GIVEN ON AUGUST 3RD, WAS TO REESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, AND IT SAYS IT ALL HERE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON NAME CHANGE AND LEGISLATIVE POLICY. I JUST ALSO WANT TO SAY STATE FOR THE RECORD, THAT THE OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION DOES MUCH MORE. THEY DO FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS. THEY'VE ALSO HAVE A HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM. THEY'VE THEY'VE HELPED OVER 60 RESIDENTS GET HOMES LAST YEAR. SO THERE'S MUCH MORE A PART OF THIS PROGRAM. AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE SERVICES GOING. SO IT'S IN HERE, I SEE IT. I'M GOOD WITH THAT. FOR ME, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE MOTION. THAT WELL, I MEAN, WE GO INTO THIS SESSION. FOR THE BUDGET. SO I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE. ACTUALLY, MADAM MAYOR, THERE WAS NOT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION. SO THIS MOTION IS APPROPRIATE. AND THEN IF IT GETS A SECOND, YOU CAN GO INTO DISCUSSION. YEAH. MY MOTION I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE FY 27 BUDGET SECOND SECOND FOR DISCUSSION. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND

[01:20:02]

PERFECT. THANK YOU. SO AT OUR LAST WORK SESSION, I LED A DISCUSSION ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO DRAFT SOME LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO UPDATE OUR ORDINANCES TO ALIGN WITH OUR EXISTING OR EXPECTED EXPENDITURES FOR COUNCIL. IN THAT DISCUSSION, I ASKED PUBLICLY WHAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHERS WANTED TO SPEND THESE FUNDS FOR OR SPEND THEM ON, AND TO WHAT BENEFIT IT WOULD HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN ULTIMATELY, WE ENDED UP DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO COME BACK WITH LEGISLATION TO FURTHER DESCRIBE WHAT THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS WOULD BE ALLOTTED TO THE MAYOR, COUNCIL AND THROUGH ANOTHER BUDGET ITEM CALLED COUNCIL COUNCIL COMMITTEES. I STILL, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ASKED, WHAT ARE LIKE HEARTBURN OR CONCERNS WERE I STILL HAVE CONCERNS. I EVEN THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED IN THEIR COMMENTS TONIGHT THAT OUR ORDINANCE CAPS AND LIMITS COUNCIL EXPENDITURES AT $1,800 FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND $2,000 FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. EXCUSE ME, $2,000 FOR THE MAYOR. AND SO I WANTED TO DRAW THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM THAT SAYS OTHER PROFESSIONAL FEES. THERE ARE $30,000 THAT ARE BEING ASKED TO BE PROVIDED FOR OTHER PROFESSIONAL FEES. AND I'VE ASKED FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THIS IS AND HOW THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE INTENDS TO EXPEND THESE FUNDS, AND YOU CAN ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT, MADAM CITY CLERK, BECAUSE I KNOW IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SEE YOU CAN'T ZOOM IN ANYMORE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ALSO ON THIS SAME PAGE, THERE IS $10,000 LISTED FOR A DEPARTMENT EVENT IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. THERE'S CURRENTLY YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP SALARIES AND WAGES INCLUDES THE MAYOR AT. OBVIOUSLY, THE CHARTER APPROVED $20,000 SALARY AND THE CHIEF OF STAFF AT A $58,000 SALARY. SO MY QUESTION IS TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC WHAT THESE FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THAT ACCOUNTS FOR 4000.

AND I KNOW THIS IS IN THE WEEDS AND IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY SMALL SUM OF MONEY, BUT I GOT A EMAIL FROM A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS WHO WERE CONCERNED ABOUT $5,000 BEING ADDED TO COUNCIL BUDGETS FOR WARD COMMUNITY EVENTS. AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THIS LEVEL OF SCRUTINY ACROSS THE BOARD, BECAUSE I PERSONALLY AND HAVE SHOWN IN MANY MEETINGS THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF DISCRETIONARY DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC THE INTENDED USE OF THE $30,000 PROFESSIONAL FEES AND THE $10,000 FOR THE DEPARTMENT EVENT? THANK YOU. DO I HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT NOW, OR CAN I GO FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? OKAY. WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ADDITIONAL WITH THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING, I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET AND THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND. I HAVE OUTLINED IN AN ORDINANCE IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST, SOME OF THE THE THE COST IN THE THE NEEDS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH MY OFFICE, INCLUDING. STAFF. THE MAYOR IS THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE CITY. I MEAN, IT'S CHIEF SPOKESPERSON OF THE CITY. SO THERE ARE REQUESTS THERE FOR HER AND FOR THAT PROFESSIONAL FEES. AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS. BUT I DID SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THE ATTORNEY. AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE

[01:25:06]

THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING AND COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILWOMAN MITCHELL. YES. THANK YOU. YEAH.

SO THERE HAS BEEN APPETITE, AS WE DO, SPEAK ABOUT OUR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS ALLOCATED TO OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I WAS GOING TO ADD ON TO COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING HEMMINGS. I MEAN, CALDWELL'S MOTION, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE APPETITE IS, BUT THE MONEY FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST AWARD SEE GIVE THAT BACK TO THE CITY. I'M NOT SURE IF HOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD THAT BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR AMENDMENT TO, I GUESS, TAKE OUR PORTION OUT IF ANY OTHER AWARDS WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE THAT PORTION. I CAN ALSO ADD THAT TO THIS MOTION. SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD BE SO FAR. C AND WARD. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. IT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, WHICH IS ALLOWED. BUT I WOULD ASK THAT FOR THOSE MONIES. YOU GOT TO SAY WHERE IT'S GOING. SO BACK TO THE GENERAL. I GUESS YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN RESERVES MAYBE. MR. CITY MANAGER WILL BE THE BEST PLACE TO PUT THAT. IF WE WERE TO REALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS, WOULD WE JUST BACK TO THE GENERAL OR NON JUST DEPARTMENTAL OR DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE. YEAH. I YEAH, I THINK PROBABLY PUTTING IN RESERVES IS PROBABLY EASY TO DO. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. SO THE MOTION WOULD BE AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO.

[01:30:08]

SO YOU HAVE WE HAVE DISCUSSION FOR THE AMENDMENT AT THIS POINT. SO COUNCILWOMAN, CAN WE JUST SO SHOW THE COMMUNITY WHAT FUNDS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? THEY WERE ADDITIONAL FUNDS ADDED TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND THEY JUST BLINKED, BLANKET SAID WARD, A, B, C, D EVENTS, COMMUNITY EVENTS OR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I BELIEVE THE PAGE. I'M TRYING TO FLIP TO IT NOW. THE PAGE, MADAM CITY CLERK IS, OH, I PASSED IT. PAGE 115. FLIP ONE MORE. OKAY. AND THEN IT'S HARD TO SEE FROM THE SEATS, BUT. IT'S LISTED TOWARD THE BOTTOM. AND IT WAS. KEEP SCROLLING. KEEP SCROLLING.

THERE IT IS. COUNCIL AMENDMENT OR COUNCIL ADJUSTMENT. AND THEN IT'S THE $20,000 THERE. I YIELD, MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANTED THE COMMUNITY TO SEE WHAT THOSE DOLLARS WE WERE REFERRING TO.

OKAY, SO THAT DISCUSSION, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FOR THIS AMENDMENT? NO. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. OKAY. GO AHEAD FOR DISCUSSION. ALRIGHT. BUT WE ALREADY TOOK THE WE ALREADY TOOK THE JUST ON THIS ITEM. THE COMMUNITY. OH NO, IT'S NOT. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THAT. OKAY, I. HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION. ALRIGHT, OKAY. YES. SO I'M NOT A FULL MOTION MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET. THE FY 2010 BUDGET WITH AMENDMENT AT $20,000 FOR THE WARD COMMUNITY MEETING BEING PLACED IN. IT'S FINE, MADAM MAYOR. IT'S. LET'S SEE ON HERE. IT ONLY SAYS WE'RE FINE. IT'S IT'S FIVE PER WARD. IT'S FIVE PER WARD, NOT FIVE PER PERSON. COUNCIL MEMBER. OKAY, SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO SO NOW YOU HAVE A FULL MOTION. AND SO I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS HAS DISCUSSION NOW ON THE FULL MOTION. YES. GO AHEAD.

YES, AND I DO. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT. THE ISSUE ISN'T COUNCIL. THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN PROVIDED DIRECTIVE AFTER DIRECTIVE. AND SOMEHOW THIS BUDGET HAS FALLEN BACK ON COUNCIL. IT STARTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS SENDING A SPREADSHEET FOR EVERYONE TO CHIME IN AND PARTICIPATE IN. THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL. SHE ALSO SENT A SPREADSHEET, REACHED ACROSS THE AISLE TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WE WORKED ON THIS BUDGET AND THE FINAL DOCUMENT, I BELIEVE, WAS PRESENTED BY COUNCIL. AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER DOCUMENT PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ATKINS AND COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING. THEN ANOTHER DOCUMENT WAS PRESENTED WAS PRESENTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. I JUST WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT COUNCIL IS DOING THE WORK AND THIS IS WHAT THE MOTION ACTUALLY SAID, COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS. SO. ALL RIGHT. SO THE MOTION IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL OF THE

[01:35:01]

[01:40:05]

WE'RE GOING TO DO A TAG TEAM. I DON'T I KNOW YOU WANT TO HAVE A LEGAL RESPONSE. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY ON THE MC. T COUNCIL DID APPROVE THAT. I ONLY PRESENTED THAT SO THAT IT CAN BE PRESENTED IN ITS TOTALITY. SO THE MC T DOES NOT REQUIRE A VOTE. THE RESOLUTION HAD BEEN PASSED. RIGHT. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT NEEDS TO VOTE OF ITSELF, BUT BECAUSE WE DID PASS THAT ALREADY, THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE FY 27 BUDGET ALSO BALANCES OR REFERS TO THE RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED. AND IT ALSO IS A PART OF OPTION B, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE THREE OPTIONS THAT YOU PROVIDED US. BUT THE MOTION AS IT STANDS ON THE FLOOR IS JUST TO APPROVE THE FY 27 BUDGET AND THEN THE MITCHELL AMENDMENT. I UNDERSTAND, AND I DO WANT TO ALSO REMIND COUNCIL THAT OPTION B WAS THE ONLY OPTION THAT GOT APPROVAL WITH THE FIRST READING.

CORRECT. AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST ASKING IF WE NEEDED TO CLARIFY THE MOTION, BECAUSE WE SPECIFICALLY MOVED FORWARD WITH OPTION B, I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING IS THAT THAT WAS THE FIRST READ. THAT OPTION B WAS THE FIRST READ IN THE ORDINANCE AT THE LAST MEETING.

AND SO I BELIEVE IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT OPTION B IS NOW WHAT'S BEING CONSIDERED FOR THIS MOTION. AND WITH THE MINUTES REFLECTING THIS CONVERSATION, I THINK IT'S SUFFICIENT WHAT YOU HAVE ON THE FLOOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, I YIELD. COUNCILWOMAN, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER. THIS IS YOUR SECOND ROUND, COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SECTION 2-302. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CITY MANAGER. IT IS IN OUR CHARTER. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT NUMBER 13. PERFORM OTHER SUCH DUTIES AS ARE SPECIFIED IN THIS CHARTER OR AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. WE'VE BEEN IN THIS PROCESS A VERY LONG TIME, SO I JUST WANTED THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT. THAT IS A PART OF OUR CITY CHARTER UNDER SECTION 2-302, UNDER THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, I KNOW COUNCILWOMAN HEMMING HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BUDGET. I DO THINK THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO KNOW WHAT IS IN MY BUDGET. I COMMITTED TO MOVING THE CITY FORWARD BECAUSE I WAS PASSIONATE, HONEST, AND AUTHENTIC ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO. AND SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU JUST SOME BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT THIS BUDGET, MY BUDGET WILL ENTAIL. SO THE $30,000 PROFESSIONAL FEES LINE IS FOR CONSULTING COMMUNICATION SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT NEEDED FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES. THESE FUNDS PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERTS. WHEN THE MAYOR. WHEN THE CITY DOES NOT NEED OR SHOULD NOT CREATE A FULL TIME POSITION FOR THE SPECIFIC NEED MAYOR INITIATIVES, DEPARTMENT EVENTS. I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 10,000. THE FUNDING SUPPORTS OFFICIAL MAYOR LED INITIATIVES IN DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT BRING RESIDENTS TOGETHER, SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT AND ADVANCED PRIORITIES. THERE'S ALSO AN ITEM IN THERE FOR I THINK SO WE DID HAVE AN ITEM FOR PREVIOUS INITIATIVE AND THAT IS FOR. BUT IT STILL WILL INCLUDE WELLNESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND OTHER INITIATIVES. AND THE PURPOSE IS TO CONTINUE TO, TO CONTINUE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY. AND THEN THE QUESTION OF WHY DOES THE MAYOR NEED THESE FUNDS? THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SHOULD HAVE A DISCRETIONARY SPENDING. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE WANT THE OFFICE TO HAVE A TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE BUDGET LINE ITEM THAT ALLOWS THE MAYOR TO CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICE WITHOUT RELYING ON INFORMAL ARRANGEMENTS OR COMING BACK FOR REPEATED, REPEATED INDIVIDUAL REQUESTS.

THE FUNDS, AS SUCH, REMAIN TO THE SUBJECT OF THE THE CITY'S NORMAL FINANCIAL CONTROLS AND THE PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS AND REPORTING PROCESSES. SO I ASSURE YOU, AND I ASSURE THE CITY, THE RESIDENTS OF EASTPOINTE, THAT I DO REMAIN AND WILL BE TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE WITH MY. WITH THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY, AND I WILL NOT BELABOR THIS ANY FURTHER, BUT I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A LOT MORE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I WANT TO GET THIS BUDGET PASSED AND US TO MOVE FORWARD, AS I SAID NINE MONTHS AGO. ALRIGHT, SO COUNCIL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT. AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE AMENDMENT THAT WE NEED TO HANDLE? I'M STILL TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP ON MY PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES, IF YOU HAVEN'T

[01:45:04]

MOTION PASSES. GOOD JOB GUYS. OKAY. WELL, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING? OKAY.

[XI.1. CodeRed Campaign ]

[01:50:04]

SO THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST TO JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH REGARDS TO THIS CODE RED. SO THE PLAN IS TO HOPEFULLY THE 1ST OF SEPTEMBER TO BE ABLE TO OFFICIALLY ROLL IT OUT. AND WE'LL START BECAUSE WE ARE ACTIVELY DOING CODE RED NOW, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING THAT THAT THEY ARE STILL DOING IT. I THINK THEY HAD A GOOD SIGN UP AT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. AND WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHEN THEY GO OUT TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THEY'RE ALSO PUSHING THIS INFORMATION OUT AS WELL. SO WE ARE LOOKING, LIKE I SAID, TO DO A BIG ROLLOUT ON AN OFFICIAL ROLLOUT THAT WE CAN GET AS MANY RESIDENTS SIGNED UP.

SO LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT'S JUST A JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU GUYS JUST AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE NOW. WITH REGARDS TO THE CODE RED, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? GOOD. NEXT. THANK YOU, I YIELD, I HAVE QUESTIONS SURE. COUNCILMEMBER MARTIN ROGERS THANK YOU. HAPPY TO SUPPORT OR SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE. WILL THERE BE PLACARDS THAT CAN JUST BE DROPPED OFF? BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED, WE AREN'T SIGNING ANYONE UP FOR ANYTHING. WE ARE JUST LEAVING INFORMATION ON THE DOOR FOR RESIDENTS, RIGHT? SO THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT CODE RED, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, JUST TO THE WAYS TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT, WE'LL DO RACK CARDS, DOOR HANGERS, YARD SIGNS, POSTERS ON WINDOW CLEANING FLIERS, BUSINESS CARDS. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A, LIKE I SAID, ONCE WE DO THE FULL COMPLETE ROLLOUT ON IT, WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF WE'LL HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF ITEMS OR TOOLS, THINGS THAT WE CAN USE THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS ARE BEING SIGNED UP FOR IT. AND IT'LL BE A SIMPLE. LIKE I SAID, YOU CAN EVEN WALK IN, LET'S JUST SAY OD'S PIZZA. THERE'LL BE A POSTER OR SOMETHING THERE. THAT'S THE PLAN TO GET, LIKE I SAID, BUSINESSES INVOLVED AS WELL, AND THEY'LL JUST GO UP THERE. HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE A SMARTPHONE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO IT, BUT IF NOT, THERE'S A WEB ADDRESS THAT'LL BE ON THERE AS WELL THAT RESIDENTS CAN SIGN UP. ALL RIGHT. AND YOU ARE DOING THE CODE RED SIGN UP, ENSURING THAT IT'S AT EVERY CITY EVENT. CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

ALRIGHT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER, MAYBE JUST A CODE RED SIGNING DAY OR A DROP IN SIGNING DAY WHERE THEY COULD COME IN. IF I'M 80, I'M NOT USING A QR CODE, BUT MAYBE A ON SITE SIGN IN DAY OR DROP IN DAY OR ON SITE SIGNING DAY RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL. FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT MAY NOT BE SAVVY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S JUST A THOUGHT.

THANK YOU. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. I WILL ADD THAT TO MY LIST. COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. THANK YOU. SORRY IF I MISSED THIS, BUT I ALSO AM IN SUPPORT OF THE IDEA. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THIS MESSAGE OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. I BELIEVE DURING THE LAST MEETING WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS AROUND COST WHERE WE ANTICIPATING THAT CITY MANAGER STAFF WAS GOING TO COME BACK WITH COST AND KIND OF WHERE ARE WE? DO WE DO WE MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT? YES. DO YOU DO YOU WANT TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THAT? CITY MANAGER JONES THANK YOU. SURE, SURE. I WAS GOING TO POINT YOU TO YOUR YOUR PACKET. THERE IS A BUDGET IN THE MEMO I PREPARED RIGHT NOW.

WE FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE BUDGET. WE BELIEVE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME SOME SAVINGS IN THERE. WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY ATTRACTIVE PRICES BY SOME OF OUR VENDORS THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO PURSUE. BUT TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE, THESE ARE KIND OF CONSERVATIVE NUMBERS. BUT IF YOU LOOK, IT'S ON MY PAGE 106, YOU CAN SEE THAT A TOTAL BUDGET OF $105,000. SO THAT'S A, A YEAR, THAT'S A FOR A YEAR OF ACTIVITIES. THAT INCLUDES CODE RED AND A TEXT MESSAGING PLATFORM THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS HAD ARTICULATED. SO.

DIGITAL MARKETING, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, ALTHOUGH THERE'S THERE'S NOT THE POINT BY POINT EVENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT IS LISTED THERE. BUT THE IDEA IS, IS TO EXPEND AT LEAST AROUND $4,000 FOR ALL THOSE MULTIPLE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TRAINING AND, AND TABLETOP EXERCISES THAT IS ALSO INVOLVED IN THERE. A LITTLE MONEY FOR THE QR CODE FOR THOSE WHO DO USE THOSE KIND OF THINGS. AND AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LITTLE

[01:55:01]

[XI.2. Robert Bobb Group Contract #47QRAA24D0021, for Process Mapping and Lean Six Sigma Review of Open Records Request, Not to Exceed 100,000.00 ]

COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I AM GOING TO BE BRIEF WITH THIS PRESENTATION BECAUSE I JUST HAVE ONE ASK. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, COUNCIL APPROVED. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PULL THOSE ITEMS UP. THE 2014 CONTRACT AND ALL OF THE ALL OF THE RECEIPTS. COUNCIL APPROVED $100,000 CONTRACT UP TO 100 000 $100,000 CONTRACT FOR THE ROBERT BOB GROUP. THE AWARD DOCUMENTATION WAS NOT ATTACHED AND THE FUNDING SOURCE IDENTIFIED WAS THE CITY MANAGER'S EVENTS BUDGET. WHY THIS MATTERS THE VENDOR PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR EASTPOINT AND WAS TERMINATED IN 2014. WE HIRED THE ROBERT BOB GROUP TO BE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, POSITION, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR POSITIONS. THEY WERE TERMINATED IN 2014 UNANIMOUSLY, AND THE PUBLIC DESERVES A COMPLETE EXPLANATION. BEFORE THE CITY REENTERS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ROBERT BOB GROUP, COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THE VENDORS PERFORMANCE, HISTORY AND THE REASON FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROCUREMENT. GO AHEAD AND SCROLL ON DOWN TO SOME OF THOSE INVOICES. I ALSO DID AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, AND I ASKED FOR THE SOLICITATION, THE SCOPE OF WORK, THE PROOF OF ADVERTISEMENTS, COPIES OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE BIDS, THE PRICING COMPARISONS, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, THE OTHER VENDORS, AND WHAT I RECEIVED FROM THE CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WAS THE PURCHASING MANUAL, THE G. A SCHEDULE UTILIZATION, THE GSA, E E LIBRARY CONTRACTOR LISTING. AND SO NOW THE CONCERN IS FOR $100,000. WAS THIS EVEN SENT OUT FOR BID? I DON'T HAVE A RECORD OF IT BEING SENT OUT FOR BID. IN OUR OWN CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS. SAYS IF YOU PURCHASE SOMETHING FOR $2,500, ONE VENDOR BETWEEN 2500 AND $12,500, YOU SHOULD RECEIVE THREE QUOTES FROM THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS AND OVER $12,500. IT SHOULD BE A FORMAL BID. WHAT I AM REQUESTING OF THIS COUNCIL IS TWO THINGS. THESE ARE THEIR PREVIOUS. THESE ARE THEIR PREVIOUS INVOICES. WE PAID THEM 53,000, A LITTLE OVER $53,000 PER MONTH. DURING THEIR TENURE HERE IN EASTPOINTE, THEY MADE A LITTLE OVER A HALF $1 MILLION AND WE HAD TO DISMISS THEM. WHAT I AM ASKING THIS COUNCIL IS TO RESCIND THE RECENTLY AWARDED CONTRACT TO THE ROBERT BOB GROUP AND ALLOW THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE LEGAL GUIDANCE ABOUT THIS PROCESS. BUT IF COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE AN APPETITE TO RESCIND THIS CONTRACT, THEN MY SECOND ASHES TO MY SECOND ASK IS TO

[02:00:04]

SO I JUST I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, THAT WE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL BECAUSE WE'RE GOING OUT AND WE'RE MAKING WE'RE MAKING A DECISION. AND IT WAS JUST BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED, THAT THAT WAS THE VENDOR. THEY WERE THE ONES THAT I GUESS WON OUT WHEN. SO ONE QUESTION IS, AND I GUESS I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE FOR THE CITY MANAGER. WAS THERE A BID PROCESS OR. WERE THERE ANY OTHER VENDORS THAT WERE IN THIS PROCESS OR. BUT BEFORE YOU GO TO THAT, MADAM MAYOR, MAY I JUST MAKE A NOTE? I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, MARTIN ROGERS MOTION WAS TWO PART WAS TO EITHER RESCIND OR FOR THERE TO BE A VENDOR COMPLIANCE PROCESS INITIATED, AND IT WAS SECONDED FOR DISCUSSION. I WAS JUST ABLE TO FIND THE COUNCIL RULE, WHICH IS RULE 26, THAT RECONSIDERATION OF THE PRIOR VOTE WOULD NEED TO WAIT 60 DAYS. I AM NOT SURE. I THINK THE MADAM CLERK CAN TELL US WHEN THE MOTION WAS MADE TO ENGAGE THIS GROUP. WAS IT JULY 20TH? SO IT WAS A LOT OF MONEY WE HAD. WE. WE NEED TO JUST VERIFY THAT IT'S 60 DAYS. IF THE COUNCIL'S APPETITE IS TO RESCIND AND RECONSIDER ITS MOTION TO AWARD A NEW CONTRACT TO THIS TO THIS VENDOR. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST I, WELL, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK. NO, NO, NO. OR MR. DURHAM, MADAM MAYOR, CAN CITY MANAGER JONES, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK. SO IF YOU OR MR. DOHRMANN COULD ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

SO THE INFORMATION WAS JUST BROUGHT. WELL, BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT I GUESS 2014, WHICH WAS BEFORE WE WERE HERE. WHAT WERE THE I MEAN, FIRST, THAT THE CONTRACT WAS TERMINATED, I GUESS THE, THE, THE THE CONTRACT WAS TERMINATED WITH THE CITY AND THE ROBERT BOB GROUP. AND WERE THERE ANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT PUT IN FOR BID FOR THIS PROCESS? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROBERT BOB GROUP BEING TERMINATED, OF COURSE, WASN'T IN. NO ONE WAS AWARE. HOWEVER, THE ROBERT BOB GROUP IS STILL CURRENTLY UNDER THE GSA CONTRACT. THAT'S A FEDERAL CONTRACT. IT'S A GEORGIA STATE CONTRACT. EXCUSE ME. SO WE ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES. WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE ANYBODY ON THAT

[02:05:05]

THEY WEREN'T ON THE DEBARMENT GROUP AS WELL, SO THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TOO EGREGIOUS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE STATE CONTRACTORS. THE WHEN YOU'RE CHOOSING FROM THE GSA SCHEDULE, THEY'RE ALREADY DONE. THE SOLICITATION PROCESS, RIGHT? IT IS STATE LAW THAT MUNICIPALITIES GET TO CHOOSE THAT. THAT IS PART OF PROCUREMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE REASON WHY, DURING THE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, THERE WERE SEVERAL LISTINGS OF OTHER PEOPLE ON THIS ON THE SCHEDULE. IT'S BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE OTHER CONTACTS OR OTHER COMPANIES THAT WERE CONTACTED TO SEE IF THEY'D BE INTERESTED TO PARTICIPATE. ALL RIGHT. THEY WERE NOT. THEY DID NOT ANSWER. THEY DID NOT RETURN CALLS. SO IT WASN'T WHAT LIKE WE JUST SAY, HEY, ROBERT BOB GROUP. THAT'S IT. WE ACTUALLY WENT ON THE GSA SCHEDULE, CONTACTED OTHER COMPANIES, GOT NO RESPONSE. SO THE ROBERT GROUP WAS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE VENDORS THAT YOU THAT YOU SOUGHT OUT TO JUST CONTACT TO ASK THEM IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THIS.

CORRECT? YEAH. ROBERT BOB GROUP, INCLUDING THE OTHER ONES THAT WERE LISTED. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN LIKE, ARE THERE CERTAIN, I GUESS, CERTAIN SERVICES THAT THE CITY NEEDS THAT WE WOULDN'T JUST GO OUT FOR BID AS OPPOSED TO JUST LOOKING ON THE GSA LIST OR HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO AGAIN, BY STATE LAW, WE ARE ANY MUNICIPALITY IS ABLE TO GO ON TO STATE CONTRACTS. THAT IS ONE OF THE PURPOSES THAT THEY DO THE STATE CONTRACT, RIGHT. WE CAN GO WE CAN ALWAYS DO A SOLICITATION. RIGHT. SO BUT YOU HAVE UNDER MY BELT, I HAVE SEVERAL TOOLS. STATE CONTRACT IS ONE OF THEM COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS OR AS IS LISTED WITHIN THE ORDINANCE, AGGREGATED PURCHASES. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT I GET TO UTILIZE. RIGHT? SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIALIZED NEEDS.

THE STATE HAS ALREADY DONE THOSE SOLICITATIONS, HAVE PUT THOSE OUT AND WE GET TO UTILIZE THOSE. SO IT'S NO RHYME OR REASON, JUST KIND OF, I CAN PUT IT OUT FOR BID OR I CAN GO TO THE GSA LIST. MY DEPARTMENT USUALLY. I'M SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF, COUNCILWOMAN. MY MY DEPARTMENT UTILIZES, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS ASKING FOR. SO FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE IN A WE HEY, WE NEED TO MOVE ON THIS. I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT ON.

I'M TRYING. WELL, WE MIGHT USE UTILIZE A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT. WE MIGHT UTILIZE A STATE CONTRACT OR AGAIN, IF IT'S A SPECIALIZED ASK. OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF WHEN WE NEED THIS, WE'LL GO TO WE'LL DO A BID WHEN WE NEED THAT, THEN WE'LL GO TO GSA LIST. I THINK THERE'S NOTHING REALLY SPECIFIC. IT'S JUST THESE ARE THE TOOLS THAT ARE IN YOUR TOOLBOX AND YOU JUST CHOOSE TO UTILIZE. CORRECT, CORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SO IF AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT TOOK PLACE THAT COUNCILWOMAN CAN WE'RE AT OH, I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY. WE HAVE 15. SO DO WE WANT TO JUST GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR THE. YEAH, YOU. WE CAN. OKAY. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD WE DO HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS, BUT WE'RE AT 15 NOW FOR THE PRESENTATION. HOW DO YOU WANT TO. YEAH. SO THIS WAS ABOUT THREE ENTERTAINMENT RULE 26 SO I SEE THAT THERE'S AN EXCEPTION FOR EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE. SO WITH EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE BEING THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS TERMINATED AFTER THE FACT OF THE VOTE. I MEAN, I THINK THE COUNCIL HAS TO DECIDE, I GUESS, DECIDE. YES. AND IT HAS TO BE DECIDED BY TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNCIL THAT THAT QUALIFIES AS AN EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE. OKAY. SO WOULD THE MOST HAVE TO BE. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION FOR OR A POINT OF ORDER FOR. WOULD IT BE POINT OF ORDER? NO. I THINK YOU GUYS WOULD NEED TO VOTE THAT YOU'VE HAVE DETERMINED THERE TO BE AN EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE, IF THAT.

AND WOULD WHAT IT IS. AND IF THAT PASSES BY TWO THIRDS, THEN YOU CAN RECONSIDER THE MOTION FROM. WE'RE STILL WAITING ON A DATE OF WHEN THIS WAS FIRST APPROVED. IS IT TWO THIRDS OF THE THE PRESENT MEMBERS OR. YES. OKAY. SO THAT WAS WHAT'S HERE TODAY. I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S FIVE TO PASS ANYTHING, BUT IT'S. FIVE. SO IT'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST FIVE WOULD BE SIX. WELL BUT THAT'S WHAT IF WE HAD EIGHT. EIGHT RIGHT. SO IT WOULD JUST BE 512345. YOU HAVE SIX. SO TWO THIRDS IS FOUR. SO I WOULD SAY IT HAS TO BE FIVE BECAUSE IT CAN'T TRUMP. RIGHT. RIGHT. THAT OTHER RULE. OKAY. WE HAVE 50123456. NEVER MIND. OKAY. YEAH. SO THAT WAS MY GENERAL QUESTION WAS WOULD BE ONE AROUND EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE. AND WOULD THAT ENACT RULE 26.

[02:10:09]

IT'S JULY 20TH. YES. OKAY. SO WE'RE FEW DAYS SHORT A MONTH AND IT WAS APPROVED ON THAT DAY.

YOU WOULD NEED THE EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO ENTERTAIN. OKAY, SO WE NEED THE MOTION TO ENTERTAIN. YES. BECAUSE UNLESS THE ONLY THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN ACHIEVE THIS, IF YOU GO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, OTHER OPTIONS. SO SHE HAD TWO TO RESCIND AND TO GO AHEAD. YES. SHE HAD TO RESCIND OR SHE HAD TO END ENGAGE A NEW VENDOR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM. SO BASED ON WHAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, WE WILL NEED TO DISPOSE OF THIS MOTION. RIGHT. AND THEN EITHER ENTERTAIN THIS EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE, SEE IF FIVE OF YOU AGREE THAT THAT'S THE CASE. AND THEN IF THAT PASSES, YOU CAN ENTERTAIN THE MOTION ABOUT APPOINTING ROBERT BOB AS THE VENDOR FOR WHATEVER SERVICES THEY WERE HIRED FOR. SO WE NEED TO FIRST DETERMINE WHAT YOU GUYS WANT TO DO. IF YOU WANT TO ENTERTAIN THE MOTION OR IF YOU WANT TO JUST ENGAGE THIS NEW VENDOR PROGRAM. SO WHAT I NEED TO CAN I HEAR COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL'S BECAUSE I THINK THAT HE WAS ALLUDING TO WHERE I WAS TRYING TO GET TO. CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT? I'M GOING TO SHOULD I WITHDRAW? I MADE A STATEMENT I NEVER I WAS ASKING FOR SUPPORT. I NEVER MADE THE MOTION. OKAY. YES. I NEVER MADE THE MOTION. SO THAT WAS MY QUESTION. I'LL YIELD TO COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. YEAH. SO BASICALLY I THINK THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE. WE DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT HIS TERMINATION TILL AFTER THE VOTE IS WHAT I'M HEARING. SO IF WE CAN COME TO CONSENSUS ON THAT OR I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WAS THE TIMELINE. SO MY MOTION WOULD BE TO WAS THE RULE 221 SECOND. MR. MITCH, WE WEREN'T PROPERLY IN DISCUSSION. RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE GOT INTO THIS DISCUSSION, BECAUSE AFTER THE PRESENTATION, YOU MADE THE STATEMENT. I SAID, IF THAT'S A MOTION, WE NEED A SECOND. IT GOT A SECOND. WE WERE IN DISCUSSION. BUT IF YOU'RE WITHDRAWING NOW, WE CAN ENTERTAIN. PERFECT. YES. OKAY. SO NOW THAT MOTION IS WITHDRAWN. THE SECOND WITHDRAWN. WHO MADE I DIDN'T MAKE CAN YOU CONFIRM, MADAM CITY CLERK? WHAT MOTION THAT. OKAY. SECOND, I THINK IT WAS WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE A COUNT OF. WELL, WHAT? I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, I WAS JUST CONFIRMING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CALDWELL THAT SHE'LL WITHDRAW HER. SECOND, IT WAS CUMMINGS. YES, YES. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE READY FOR A BRAND NEW MOTION. AND I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL IS ABOUT. OKAY, I THINK I GOT IT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ENTERTAIN THE MOTION MADE ON JULY 20TH REGARDING THE ROBERT BOB GROUP. NO, THAT'S NOT IT. SO WE NEED TO DETERMINE IS I WOULD LIKE TO, UNDER THE GUISE OF EXTRAORDINARY CHANGES, BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE TERMINATION OF THIS GROUP UNTIL AFTER UNTIL TODAY OR, OR AFTER WE VOTED TO CONTRACT ONE MORE TIME. I'M SO SORRY, SIR. OKAY. SO, OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR RE ENTERTAINMENT ON THE MOTION MADE ON JULY 20TH REGARDING THE HIRING OF THE ROBERT BOB GROUP ON THE PREMISE OF EXTRAORDINARY CHANGES. THAT WOULD BE THAT WE DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT THIS COMPANY BEING TERMINATED FROM WORKING WITH THE CITY OF EASTPOINTE UNTIL AFTER WE VOTED TO HIRE THEM. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'M SORRY. ARE YOU. OH, NO. NO.

I'M GOOD, I'M GOOD. ARE YOU. SECOND DISCUSSION. YEAH. YES, SIR. YES. I WAS TRYING TO PULL UP THE MINUTES SO THAT I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT THE GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION WERE. AND THE MINUTES FROM 2014. DON'T EXACTLY SAY IT STATED. SO I WAS WONDERING IF COUNCIL COULD PROVIDE SOME MORE DETAILS. I NOTE I DID FIND THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT THAT THEY WERE FUNCTIONING IN AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER CAPACITY, BUT IF COUNCIL COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TERMINATION WAS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 2014. MADAM MAYOR. AND FIGURE OUT WHICH IS IF. GO AHEAD. COUNCILWOMAN. YES. AT THE TIME, COUNCIL WAS GOING

[02:15:03]

THEY ANSWERED. THEY CAME INTO EASTPOINTE. THEY WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR, BUT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GET US OUR CAFR. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO REWRITE THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANUAL. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO OPERATE THE CITY IN DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS. WELL, AFTER ABOUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS, COUNCIL NEVER RECEIVED ANY OF THEIR DELIVERABLES. CORRECT.

ALL OF THIS IS A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MEETING IS VIEWABLE ON THE INTERNET, BUT COUNCIL NEVER RECEIVED THE DELIVERABLES. WE THEN WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND WE HAD THE THEN CITY ATTORNEY NEGOTIATE AND VOTED FOR THEM TO LEAVE OUR CITY, AND WE ENDED UP WITHHOLDING PAYMENT UNTIL THEY PRODUCED ALL OF THE DELIVERABLES. SO THIS IS THIS IS ABOUT TAXPAYERS DOLLARS AND WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.

I ALSO WANTED TO JUST CHIME IN BECAUSE LAST WEEK ON THE RECORD, THE CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR SAID THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT HELD VENDORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR DOING BAD BUSINESS IN EASTPOINTE. WELL, IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN THIS GROUP SHOULD HAVE COME UP.

BUT WHAT IS ALSO CONCERNING IS THAT THIS IS $100,000, AND IT DIDN'T GO OUT FOR BID LIKE IT'S $100,000. IT'S NOT $2,500. IT'S $100,000 IN PER OUR CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT POLICY.

ANYTHING OVER THAT AMOUNT SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT FOR BID. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE MATTER. IT ALSO MATTERS. I UNDERSTAND THE GSA AND YOU BEING ABLE TO GO AND PICK SOMEONE FROM GSA, BUT AT $100,000, I WOULD PREFER THAT IT GO OUT FOR A BID. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY ALL THE TIME. COUNCILMAN MARTIN ROGERS, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. OKAY. I'LL YIELD. OKAY. CAN WE PLEASE. AND I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, WHICH WAS FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT RULE 26 BECAUSE I KEEP REREADING IT. AND IT DOESN'T SAY EXTRAORDINARY CHANGES MUST BE APPROVED BY TWO THIRDS. SORRY. IT SAYS EXTRAORDINARY CHANGES MUST BE APPROVED BY TWO THIRDS VOTE OF THE COUNCIL. AND YOU INTERPRETED THAT TO SAY VOTE OF THE COUNCIL PRESENT. AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF WE REALLY CAN GET TO TWO THIRDS TONIGHT, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SAY OF PRESENT, IT SAYS OF THE BODY OF COUNCIL. YES, THAT WAS MY INTERPRETATION THAT IT WAS OF THE COUNCIL PRESENT. I GUESS I WOULD NEED TO SEE WHERE WE MAKE A DISTINCTION IN THE RULES. WHENEVER THERE IS A QUESTION FOR COUNCIL TO VOTE ON, IF IT MAKES A DISTINCTION BETWEEN OF COUNSEL OR OF OF COUNCIL PRESENT. I'M NOT SURE I'VE SEEN THAT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO LOOK. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF THINGS THAT DESCRIBE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES, GIVEN THAT IT IS A CONTRACT. AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON WHAT THE. MR. LAWRENCE SHARED ABOUT THE GSA. I HEARD HIM SAY THAT WE CONTACTED. I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW HOW IT WORKS. SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME SORT OF STATE OVERARCHING PROCESS. WE CONTACTED PEOPLE THAT ARE PART OF THAT POOL, AND FOR THE REVIEW OF THE OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, THERE WASN'T ANY APPETITE BEYOND THIS GROUP. COULD YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHY THIS GROUP, WHY YOU CHOSE THIS GROUP? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE STATUS OF IT LIKE? HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY THEM. IS IT JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT RESPONDED? OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU SAW IN SELECTING THIS GROUP SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR. I DIDN'T SELECT ANYONE. OH, SORRY. THAT QUESTION. I WAS TRYING TO LOOK TOWARD THE CITY MANAGER. I APOLOGIZE. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS ABOUT RULE 26. QUESTIONS TWO THROUGH THE CHAIR, PLEASE. SURE. THANK YOU, MADAM. MADAM CHAIR, I'M ASKING QUESTIONS THAT WOULD BE ANSWERED BY THE CITY MANAGER, WHICH ARE WHY THIS CONTRACTOR AND OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, WHICH IS WHY CAN SHE HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THE INTERPRETATION OF RULE 26? THOSE ARE MY TWO QUESTIONS. AND THEN I YIELD AFTER THOSE ANSWERS. NO WORRIES. SO YOUR QUESTION IS TO FIRST WAS TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND YOU HAVE ANOTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION DIRECTED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY.

MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION THAT'S BEFORE YOU? AT THIS POINT, I DO.

[02:20:03]

I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. SO I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE COUNCIL RULES TO SEE WHETHER THE RULES MAKE A DISTINCTION OF WHEN IT SHOULD BE THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT VERSUS THE FULL COUNCIL. ONE AREA I FOUND WAS IN RULE. 36. THAT'S THE RULE FOR THE REQUEST FOR LEGAL OPINION REQUEST BY ONE OR MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR A FORMAL, FORMAL WRITTEN LEGAL OPINION SHALL REQUIRE APPROVAL BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE FULL COUNCIL. SO I SEE IN THAT RULE IT MAKES A DISTINCTION. IN OTHER AREAS, IT JUST SAYS COUNCIL. SO MY INTERPRETATION THAT IT'S THE COUNCIL PRESENT.

WITH THE APPLICATION OF RULE 14, WE KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN FREHLEY'S RULE VOTE WILL NOT COUNT AS A YES BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN EXCUSED AND. I STAND BY THE INTERPRETATION THAT COUNCIL IS JUST THE COUNCIL IN THE IN THE BUILDING. OKAY. POINT OF INFORMATION. PROCEED FORWARD, WILL YOU? I'M LOOKING AT SECTION 2-205 QUORUM AND VOTING IN THE CHARTER. AND IT SAYS IN THAT LAST SENTENCE THE AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR THE ADOPTION OF ANY ORDINANCE, RESOLUTION OR MOTION. THAT'S QUORUM AND VOTING. SO, YES, BUT THIS SECTION REQUIRES MORE THAN THE FIVE. THIS SECTION IS IS TWO THIRDS. SO I THINK THE FULL COUNCIL IT'S SIX. OKAY. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE FULL COUNCIL HERE. CORRECT. IT WOULD BE FOUR. BUT WE NEED FIVE TO PASS ANYTHING PERIOD. SO WE CAN'T.

SO THE FULL. YES IT'S SIX. BUT IF YOU'RE COUNTING WHO'S PRESENT IT WOULD JUST BE FOUR.

WELL FOUR IS LESS THAN THE CHARTER PROVISION YOU READ, WHICH IS WHY I DEFAULTED TO FIVE. YES. AGAIN, THIS IS ALL INTERPRETATION BECAUSE THERE'S NO RULE THAT SPECIFICALLY SAYS WHAT YOU DO WHEN IT'S NOT THE FULL COUNCIL, AND TWO THIRDS IS LESS THAN THE CHARTER PROVISION.

SO I HAVE TO, I THINK, READ IT IN TANDEM AND COME TO SOME CONCLUSION TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ADVICE. BUT CERTAINLY I DEFER TO THIS COUNCIL IF YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION. OKAY.

I HAVE A QUESTION. COUNCILMAN ATKINS. YES, A QUESTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY. BUT ISN'T THERE ALSO A CHARTER PROVISION THAT SPEAKS TO VOICE VOTES OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT FOR ANY MOTIONS, ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS? ISN'T THAT ALSO A PART OF OUR CHARTER? YES. IT'S IN THAT SAME SECTION 02-206 PROVIDES THAT VOTING ON THE ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES SHALL BE BY VOICE VOTE, AND THE VOTE SHALL BE RECORDED IN THE JOURNAL OR BY VOTING MACHINE. I THINK ONE DISTINCTION HERE IS THIS IS NOT A VOTE ON AN ORDINANCE, RIGHT? IS IT ONLY FOR ORDINANCES IS

[02:25:03]

AND THEN IT GOES ON TO SAY, EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS CHARTER, THE AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR THE ADOPTION OF ANY ORDINANCE, RESOLUTION OR MOTION. SO IT AGAIN MAKES A DISTINCTION THAT VOICE VOTE IS JUST FOR ORDINANCES. AND THEN THAT LAST SENTENCE I JUST READ SAYS ORDINANCE RESOLUTION OR MOTION QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE HAVE OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, DO WE WANT TO OKAY. ALL THOSE ALL THOSE OPPOSED THE MOTION PASSES. AND CAN WE. I'M SORRY. YEAH. CAN YOU CONFIRM THE COUNT, MADAM CITY CLERK. I HEARD NO NO'S. SO THAT'S SIX.

YEAH I'M IN, MADAM MAYOR. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE FOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO SUPPORT DIRECTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO COME UP WITH A VENDOR ACCOUNTABILITY MOTION BECAUSE SHE SHE WILL MOVE THAT MOTION. I REMOVED IT. AND HOW DID COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL ADDRESS IT FOR THE RECORD? SO IF I CAN HELP YOU OUT. YES. THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR WAS TO RECONSIDER THE VENDOR CONTRACT TO ROBERT BOB BASED ON THERE BEING AN EXTRAORDINARY CHANGE. SO NOW YOU NEED TO VOTE ON RETRACTING THE CONTRACT FROM ROBERT BOB. OKAY. THE ONLY THING YOU'VE DONE IS AGREED THAT YOU WOULD RECONSIDER WHAT YOU DID ON JULY 20TH. ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE MOTION TO RETRACT THE CONTRACT FOR THE ROBERT BOB GROUP, LLC. SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? I'M IN FOR DISCUSSION. YES. SO WITH THIS, I, I DON'T HAVE ISSUES WITH SUPPORTING THE, THE RECEPTION OF THIS CONTRACT WITH ROBERT. BOB. MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT THERE WAS SOME THERE WAS A QUESTION EARLIER TONIGHT ABOUT IF THIS WAS TIME SENSITIVE. AND THEN THERE WAS A STATEMENT THAT IT WASN'T, BUT IT CLEARLY WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT A TIME SENSITIVE BASED ON INFORMATION THAT WE WERE GETTING FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE TERMINATION OF THE ROGER BOB GROUP BEFORE WE.

I HAD NEVER BEEN PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION. AND SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO KNOW THE DETAILS AROUND THAT, EVEN WITH WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS READ, I STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DETAIL ON THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE TERMINATION HAPPENED OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS SERVING AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER, FINANCE DIRECTOR AND HR DIRECTOR. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY AND THERE WERE SOME DELIVERABLES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONTRACTOR SAID. THE CONTRACT SAID IN TERMS OF WHEN THOSE THINGS WERE TO BE DELIVERED. BUT IT WAS A MATTER THAT WAS TIME SENSITIVE. WE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AND I THINK THAT THE METHOD THAT WAS USED THAT MR. LAWRENCE STATED, HE WENT THROUGH A PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT IS ALLOWED BY USING THE STATE'S CONTRACTING, AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IT'S EITHER TIME SENSITIVE MATTER OR IT'S NOT. AND IF IT ALSO WENT OUT TO OTHERS AND THEY DIDN'T RESPOND, THEN I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'LL TAKE FOR US TO GET A VIABLE ORGANIZATION TO COME IN TO DO THE WORK THAT WE WERE REQUESTING, BUT IT WAS, IN FACT, DISCUSSED, AND IT WAS A TIME SENSITIVE MATTER. AND I'LL SAY THAT AND I YIELD. MY IN. ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT I WANTED. OKAY.

I'M ABOUT TO WRAP IT UP, MAYOR. THANK YOU. WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS IT'S NOT A TIME SENSITIVE MATTER. I BELIEVE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HEMMING BROUGHT THIS BACK. THE ISSUE WAS A DESK AUDIT OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. I THINK THAT THE MAIN THING IS THE CITY CLERK IS OUR DIRECT REPORT. AND THIS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH MAYBE THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE, BUT THIS WAS A DIRECTIVE GIVEN TO THE CITY MANAGER, MAYBE BACK IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, WHEN WE WERE PUT ON NOTICES, NOTICE ABOUT SOME DEFICIENCIES IN THAT OFFICE. SO I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE. I THINK THAT THIS PROBABLY SHOULD GO BACK OUT FOR

[02:30:01]

COUNCIL, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO RETRACT OR TERMINATE THE CONTRACT FOR THE ROBERT ROBERT BOB GROUP, LLC. IS THERE A SECOND? IT WAS ALREADY OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES. OH. I'M SORRY. YOU GOT IT. NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE OPPOSED. THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. LAST THING. ALRIGHT. AND THIS IS THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE COUNCIL SUPPORT TO DIRECT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO COME UP WITH A VENDOR ACCOUNTABILITY POLICY THAT REQUIRES FULL DISCLOSURE OF ANY PRIOR TERMINATION, DEFAULT OR ADVERSE CONTRACT. THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE PREVENTION OF FUTURE AWARDS TO TERMINATED VENDORS, UNLESS IT'S BROUGHT BEFORE MAYOR AND FORMALLY REVIEWED BY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AND REQUIRE THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE TO CHECK VENDOR HISTORY BEFORE ANY FUTURE CONTRACT AWARD. I'D ALSO LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT SOMEONE SAID THAT A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE GROUP WOULD HAVE JUST GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEEDED, LIKE SOMEONE WHO'S WATCHING AND MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE VENDOR PERFORMANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY DATABASE USED FOR FUTURE CONTRACTING DECISIONS. I KNOW THAT THAT IS A LONG MOTION, BUT I DO. I WILL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN? YES. I BELIEVE WITH MR. LAWRENCE WAS HERE. HE STATED THAT IN 2014 THE CITY DID NOT HAVE SUCH A PROCESS.

BUT TODAY IT DOES. AND NOW THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. IS THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IN A DIFFERENT TO WHAT THE PROCESS IS TODAY? IT DOES SOUND A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL. OUR DEBARMENT LIST, IT'S JUST THE ACTUAL NAME OF THE COMPANY OR VENDOR ITSELF. SOUNDS LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN IS TRYING TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING FIRED OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE OR HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, WHEN YOU'RE DEBARRING THEM, THEY'RE NOT TO BE UTILIZED AT ALL. RIGHT. SO BEING FIRED FOR WHATEVER THE REASON WAS IN THE PAST, AGAIN, DIDN'T PREVENT THAT COMPANY FROM BEING WITHDRAWN FROM THE GSA SCHEDULE.

THEY ALSO HAVE A DEBARMENT LIST AS WELL. SO IF IT IF IT GOT TO THAT POINT WHERE THEY WERE THAT BAD, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DEBARRED FROM THAT LIST. HOWEVER, THE CITY AGAIN DIDN'T HAVE THAT AT THAT TIME. SO NOW WE'VE ESTABLISHED THIS DEBARMENT LIST. IT DOES SOUND LIKE THE COUNCILWOMAN IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED ON WHAT SHE'S ASKING FOR. AND OF COURSE, THE DEPARTMENT. WE WELCOME THAT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO PROBLEM. JUST. OKAY. COMING. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. AND JUST TO KIND OF ADD TO WHAT LAWRENCE SAID, AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTIN ROGERS, I KNOW I THINK WHAT SHE'S ASKING FOR IS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL. SO I THINK THAT JUST KIND OF JUST FULL DISCLOSURE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JUST WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IF THERE'S A SEARCH OR ANYTHING THAT'LL BE DONE MOVING FORWARD, BUT I THINK IT STILL SHOULD BE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. I MEAN, BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE VENDOR BACK THEN, BUT FAST FORWARD 12 YEARS LATER, YOU MAY HAVE IMPROVED AND DONE BETTER. I THINK YOU SHOULD STILL BE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. I MEAN, BUT DEFINITELY THAT DISCLOSURE, THAT INFORMATION SHOULD BE BROUGHT FORTH, THAT WE SHOULD KNOW WHATEVER, HOWEVER, THAT THAT POLICY IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. JUST TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I MAY HAVE BEEN A BAD BUSINESS PERSON BEFORE, BUT I MEAN, I'VE SEEN THE ERROR OF MY WAYS AND I'M A MUCH BETTER PERSON NOW. SO I DON'T WANT TO, LIKE YOU SAID, BECAUSE WHATEVER, FOR WHATEVER REASON WAS THAT, THAT THE ROBERT BOB COMPANY WAS TERMINATED FROM THE CITY AND THEN TO I JUST DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND I SAW SOME OTHER LAWSUITS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE GSA STANDARD IS, BUT STILL, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD KNOW JUST IF THERE IS A VENDOR THAT WE ARE ENTERTAINING, LOOKING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, THAT WE SHOULD KNOW KIND OF WHAT IT IS THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON, I YIELD. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL. THANK YOU. I'LL BE REALLY QUICKLY, REALLY JUST TO SAY, REITERATE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CUMMINGS JUST MENTIONED. I THINK THE PURPOSE OF ALL OF THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A TRACKING SYSTEM IN PLACE WHERE WE CAN CAPTURE THIS DATA, AND SHOULD IT COME BACK AT A NEW DATE, NEW TIME, WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION TO REVIEW BEFORE MAKING A DECISION.

[02:35:02]

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN NEXT ON THE AGENDA, I CAN FIND THAT. OKAY. THAT THE HUD PRESENTATION. OH, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, DID YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH THE MARTA. ITEM NOW THAT WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? YEAH. OH, IT'S ON CONSENT. IT'S NOT UNDER CONSENT, BUT WE HAVE THE CONSENT. BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, THE NEW ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS? THAT'S A

[XII. COMMITTEE REPORTS]

AND WILL WE. THE PLAN WILL BE TO DISCUSS THE TWO VENDORS THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO GIVE US AN OVERALL REVIEW OF OUR EMPLOYEE VOWS. I YIELD. ANY QUESTIONS. COUNCILMAN MITCHELL. YEAH, JUST REALLY QUICK. THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE MEETING TOMORROW AT 630. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS AT THIS TIME? ALL RIGHT. NOW THAT WE

[XIII. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS]

[XIV.14. Council Discussion and Possible Action on Vendor Plante Moran, TIPS Cooperative Agreement #250601, for Temporary Financial Services Assistance, NOT TO EXCEED: $150,000 FUNDING SOURCE: ACCOUNTING ]

[02:40:06]

YOU. SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS PACKET WAS SENT VIA EMAIL VERSUS. WHAT IS ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE. I USUALLY LOOK AT THE WEBSITE. THIS AGENDA PACKET. SO I, I DID FIND, OH, IT'S SHOWING ONLINE TOO. SO PLANTE MORAN ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF EAST POINT ON OCTOBER 16TH, 2023. THIS CONTRACT WAS PROVIDED FORENSIC AUDITING SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT REFERENCE NUMBER 2024-1833. THE AMOUNT OF THAT CONTRACT WAS $150,000. THE CITY ULTIMATELY ENDED UP SPENDING $144,500 ON THE FORENSIC AUDIT. THERE'S A ATTACHMENT THAT SUPPORTS THAT.

IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE. RFP NUMBER 2024 1833 INCLUDED AN OPTION TO RENEW THE ONE YEAR TERM. THE CITY ELECTED TO RENEW THE CONTRACT. THIS CONFIRMATION. I'M SORRY. I JUST I WANT TO UNDERSTAND, BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND HOW THAT ALIGNS, BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT AND NOT SEEING THAT REPRESENTED IN FRONT OF US. SHOULD IT BE REPRESENTED IN FRONT OF US? JUST IT'S IT'S IN THERE WITH THE INFORMATION. SO I'M NOT CONTROLLING THE COMPUTER KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS ALIGNING TO WHAT WE'RE SAYING. YOU'RE GIVING NUMBERS. I'M NOT SEEING THE NUMBERS. SO. IS THAT WHAT WE SEE HERE? YES. THAT'S A READING FROM THE FIRST PAGE. YEAH. SO WE'RE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE. I KNOW THERE'S A FORENSIC AUDIT THERE. IT'S THE SAME THING. BUT THEN YOU TOLD HER TO GO TO A DIFFERENT PAGE. SO WE'RE NOT ON THE. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S NOT. OKAY. WELL, LET'S GO BACK TO THAT, MADAM. I'M SORRY, MR. CITY MANAGER. YES, MA'AM. WHAT IS THE PAGE NUMBER THAT YOU ARE ON? 248. YOU'RE ON PAGE NUMBER 248. COUNCILWOMAN CALDWELL, DO YOU HAVE TWO? PAGE 248 ON YOUR ON THE PAGES? NO.

OKAY, I CAN I WOULD LIKE OKAY, CAN WE JUST MOVE THIS TO SEPTEMBER? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? YEAH, IT'S LIKE THERE'S A MOTION. THERE'S A NO, THERE ISN'T A MOTION. BUT COUNCILWOMAN MARTIN ROGERS, TIME TO LOOK AT THIS. OKAY. IT SEEMS AS IF COUNCIL NEEDS ADDITIONAL TIME TO LOOK AT THIS ITEM. SO CAN WE MOVE THIS ITEM? TO WHICH ITEM? WHAT WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MOVE IT TO? MAYBE LIKE THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER. I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE, BUT GO AHEAD. SO NO, IT'S NOT GOING TO DELAY THE AUDIT. HOW IS THIS. I'M SORRY.

HOW IS THIS DELAYING THE AUDIT. WE JUST WANTED INFORMATION FROM PLANT MORAN. CAN YOU PULL UP THE MOTION, MADAM CLERK, WE ASKED VERBATIM FOR SOME ITEMS TO BE PRESENTED, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THIS IS. I MEAN, I SEE A AN ATTACHMENT HERE, A PDF, BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY HAD TIME TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE. I THOUGHT SOMETHING WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO US PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND IT WAS. I'M SEEING NOW THAT IT'S ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA, SO I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE. I'M WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PRESENTATION, BUT I WOULD

[02:45:06]

THAT'S ON THE LAST MEETING. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THAT WAS MENTIONED THAT WAS MENTIONED UP HERE. SO THAT'S WHY I HAD TO ADDRESS IT. SO WE HAVE TO MOVE ON. COUNCIL. THERE WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS ON OUR LAST AGENDA THAT WAS PROPOSING CONTRACTING, RENEWING THE CONTRACT WITH PLANT FOR CONTINUED RECONCILIATION SERVICES. AND THE QUESTION THEN CAME UP, WHAT ELSE? WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? AND THEY WANTED TO GO BACK TO 2020. COUNCIL WANTED TO GO BACK TO 2023 AND PULL UP EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE TO DATE. AND SO THAT'S THE INFORMATION, INCLUDING INVOICING. COUNCIL ASKED FOR THE INVOICING, WHAT WE'VE BEEN INVOICED AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDED. SO THAT'S THOSE WHAT'S IN THOSE PAGES. OKAY. AND I WAS JUST SIMPLY READING THE COVER PAGE. SO WHAT WAS THE INTENT OF THIS ITEM TONIGHT? COUNT CITY MANAGER RESPONDING TO CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE. YOU WERE PROVIDING INFORMATION. THIS IS JUST FOR INFORMATION. THERE IS NO ACTION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT. NOT TO NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE. OKAY. SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY. OKAY. SO THEN SINCE THERE'S NO COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY MOTIONS FOR THIS ITEM OR CAN WE JUST MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING? WE ASKED, OKAY, MADAM MAYOR, GO AHEAD. THE BODY GAVE THE CITY MANAGER A DIRECTIVE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO OUR MEETING TONIGHT. THE CITY MANAGER WAS JUST GOING OVER THIS. IT'S INFORMATION ONLY. HE JUST STATED THAT THERE'S NO ACTION.

BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE HARM WOULD BE. WE. WE HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT HIS PLANT MORAN DONE AND WE TALKED ABOUT. THERE WAS A MOTION INITIALLY ABOUT WORKING WITH THE CITY PERIOD. AND I SAID, WELL, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN 1990, 1970. WE DID DECIDE THAT WE WANTED TO GO BACK TO 2024. HE'S PRESENTING THAT INFORMATION. HE STATED THAT THERE'S NO ACTION. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE HARM WOULD BE FOR US TO HEAR THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE FROM 2024 UP TO 2026. THAT WAS OUR DIRECTIVE. AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT GIVING A DIRECTIVE AND THE CITY MANAGER NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH, AND HE'S FOLLOWING THROUGH ON A DIRECTIVE. AND NOW WE WANT TO SAY WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT. I MEAN, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCILWOMAN, COUNCIL, I'LL YIELD TO CALDWELL, NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT THE PURPOSE OF ME STOPPING THE MEETING. WE HAVE ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN PULL UP VERY EASILY IN OUR EMAIL, BUT PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING MAY NOT. AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORDS, THE, THE, THE VERBAL PART OF IT ALSO ALIGN WITH WHAT WE WERE SEEING SO THAT WE COULD CLEARLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING. I'M WILLING TO HEAR IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT ALL MATCHES. AND PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING AND ALSO SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE CAN FOLLOW ALONG AS WELL. COMPLETELY FINE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ROGERS. THANK YOU. AND MY PURPOSE WAS WE GOT OUR AGENDAS FRIDAY. I HAD ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE AGENDA AND I DID LITERALLY DID NOT SEE THIS ATTACHMENT, BUT CITY CLERK IS SAYING THAT IT WAS THERE. WE CAN GO THROUGH THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TIME. I CAN READ FROM THIS DOCUMENT, I CAN READ, I CAN I DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER. I WAS MORE OR LESS EXPECTING A TIMELINE, NOT A LENGTHY PASSAGE.

BUT I MEAN, IF WE WANT TO PROCEED, THAT IS FINE, BUT I AM FULLY CAPABLE OF READING FROM THE PAGE MYSELF. SO I THINK THAT THE DIRECTIVE WAS YES, TO FIND OUT HOW HOW MUCH WE ARE IN WITH PLANT MORAN. SO WHAT STARTED THIS WAS PLANT MORAN WAS ACTUALLY ON OUR AGENDA FOR ANOTHER ANOTHER 150 ZERO ZERO $0, UP TO $150,000. AND NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA OF WHAT WE WERE PAYING FOR. WE WERE ALSO INITIALLY TOLD THAT WE HAD A $26,000 CREDIT. AND AFTER I DID THE INVESTIGATION, THERE IS NO CREDIT, SO I AM FULLY CAPABLE OF READING THIS 26 PAGE INFORMATION MYSELF, BUT I'D LIKE TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE, SO I'LL YIELD. AND MADAM MAYOR,

[02:50:05]

POINT OF INFORMATION, MADAM MAYOR, PLEASE CAN CAN I JUST FINISH A POINT OF INFORMATION IS YOU WERE ON PUBLIC RECORD. YOU SAID I HAD A CREDIT. I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH AT THIS POINT. HOLD ON FOR A SECOND, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WHAT IS THE RULE OR THE PROCEDURE THAT I SHOULD FOLLOW AT THIS POINT? SO POINT OF INFORMATION IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MEETING TO BE INTERRUPTED. BUT TO GET CLARIFYING INFORMATION IS NOT TO BE USED FOR DEBATE. IT'S JUST TO GET CLARIFICATION OR SOME DETAILS ABOUT WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED. IF IT'S A POINT OF ORDER, THEN YOU'LL NEED FOR THE RULE TO BE CALLED OUT. OKAY, SO WE AT THIS POINT YOU CAN FINISH. DO YOU? BUT ARE YOU UNDERSTANDING THAT, MR. CITY MANAGER, WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF YOU SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE BECAUSE.

ARE YOU CLEAR WHAT'S BEING ASKED OF YOU? DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE DELIVERED WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED OF YOU? I BELIEVE I'VE DELIVERED WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED. OKAY, SO YOU YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE DELIVERED. WHAT HAS BEEN ASKED IS CLARIFICATION ON THAT ONE POINT OF A CREDIT BECAUSE IT WAS REINTRODUCED. THAT'S ALL. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO CLARIFY FOR THE CITY MANAGER IN TERMS OF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, IS THERE WHAT EXACTLY DO WE NEED FROM HIM FOR THE NEXT STEP PRESENTATION. WE NEED THE PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY MANAGER MADAM MAYOR. IT SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS BEGINNING TO PRESENT IT, AND SO MY APPETITE WOULD BE FOR HIM TO CONTINUE PRESENTING IT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE FULL INFORMATION. I MEAN, THAT'S A GO AHEAD, CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I'M HEARING THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL WAS NOT GETTING THAT YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED AND YOU KEEP GETTING INTERRUPTED FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT ABOUT THE INTERRUPTIONS. SO I WHATEVER THE COUNCIL'S FLAVOR IS ON HOW TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION, FRANKLY, THE REQUEST HAS BEEN ARTICULATED ON WHAT WAS BEING REQUESTED. THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED. A HISTORY OF PLANT MIRANT, THE SERVICES THAT THEY OFFER AND WHAT WE'VE USED THEM FOR. AND, AND THE, THE, THE, THE ISSUE OF THE CREDIT, I CLARIFIED BECAUSE IT DID RELATE TO THE SERVICES THAT WE HAD TO HAVE THEM REVIEW OUR BUDGET THAT WE JUST PASSED.

SO FORENSIC AUDIT, I PUT THEM IN TWO, THREE BUCKETS, FORENSIC AUDIT, ONE BUCKET RECONCILIATION SERVICES AMONGST OTHER SERVICES. RECONCILIATION IS A VERY BIG PIECE TO QUESTION CAME ABOUT WHAT HOW DOES RECONCILIATION AFFECT OUR AUDITS? I, I SHARED LAST WEEK THAT I BELIEVED THAT RECONCILIATION ALLOWED US TO GET 2024 READY TO BE DELIVERED, AND IT IS DUE IN, IN A MATTER OF WEEKS. SO RECONCILIATION FOR 2025 IS GOING TO BE NEEDED.

REQUISITIONS, RECONCILIATIONS, EXCUSE ME, WILL ALSO NEED TO BE FOR 2026. THOSE ARE OUTSTANDING AUDITS. AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF NOT THIS ITEM. BUT THE ITEM THAT WAS ON THE COUNCIL LAST WEEK WAS THE CONTINUATION OF HAVING THOSE SERVICES CONTINUE. SO I, I DID DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT TO MAKE SURE MY ASSERTIONS WERE RIGHT. THEY WERE RECONCILIATIONS ARE A KEY PIECE OF AUDITS AND, AND AUDITS THAT WE HAVE OUTSTANDING ARE GOING TO NEED THAT. RIGHT.

THANK YOU. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR PRESENTATION OR YOUR. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE WILL NOW GO IN. COUNSELOR MITCHELL'S. OH, I WAS TRYING TO WRAP IT UP. THE MAKER, THE CREATOR OF THIS ITEM. WHO IS THIS? COUNCILWOMAN ROGERS, THIS IS YOUR ITEM? NO. OH. I'M SORRY.

[02:55:05]

[XIV.15. Council Discussion and Possible Action on City of East Point Board/Commission on Aging ]

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. AND THEN THE FINAL ONE WAS THE ITEM IN TERMS OF THE ITEM NUMBER 16

[XIV.16. Discussion and Possible Action on the Optimization of City Council Meetings ]

SO I WILL YIELD THE FLOOR AND CLOSE OUT THIS SECTION OF MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. MADAM

[Additional Item]

IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG. ONE. PERSONNEL FOR CITY MANAGER'S. ONE PERSONNEL FOR ME AS WELL.

[03:00:29]

[XV. EXECUTIVE SESSION]